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Heat fall to 0-4 in preseason, as starters sit, Mitchell returns, Ware shines, Jakucionis sidelined

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 17:37

ORLANDO — If there is to be a preseason dress rehearsal for the Heat’s Oct. 22 regular-season opener, coach Erik Spoelstra made clear Sunday that it would not come against his team’s season-opening opponent.

So 11 days from the start of the Heat’s 38th season, Spoelstra gave the night off to the three players seemingly locked into his opening-night starting lineup: Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell.

Instead, in the fourth of the Heat’s six exhibitions, Spoelstra rolled out the mix-and-match starting lineup of Kel’el Ware, Keshad Johnson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson and Davion Mitchell against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center, with the Heat falling to 0-4 in the preseason with a 120-104 loss.

Of those five, Ware and Mitchell would appear to be the only possible opening-night starters, with no guarantee.

Also held out Sunday by Spoelstra were Dru Smith and Simone Fontecchio, who has been recovering from a leg issue.

“There’s a lot of moving parts,” Spoelstra said. “It’s the middle of the preseason right now, so I think on both sides we’re trying to figure it out.”

That could make Monday night in Atlanta against the Hawks at State Farm Arena a potential dress rehearsal.

But even then, it won’t be the complete Heat by any stretch, this time with first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis lost for the night in the first quarter due to a sore right hip.

The Heat then conclude their preseason schedule Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies at Kaseya Center.

Five Degrees of Heat from Sunday night’s exhibition:

1. Still nothing: So make it four exhibitions and still no time on the court together this preseason for Adebayo and Ware, who made his first start of the preseason.

Ware again was effective, this time closing with 24 points and 10 rebounds in 24:38, at 9 of 17 from the field, including 2 of 4 on 3-pointers.

Spoelstra had started fourth-year Nikola Jovic alongside Adebayo in the power rotation in the first three exhibitions. Jovic did not travel for this two-game trip due to back pain.

Ware and Adebayo finished last season as the Heat’s starting power rotation.

“Well, we did see some good moments with them last year and I’ll continue to be open to it,” Spoelstra said before the game of possibly getting back to that pairing. “We’re looking at some other things right now, but all things are on the table.”

2. Davion’s debut: Sunday marked the preseason debut of Mitchell, who had missed the first three exhibitions with calf soreness that flared up at the close of training camp at Florida Atlantic University.

Mitchell played only in the first half, going 9:59, with two points on a pair of free throws, missing his lone attempt from the field, and two assists.

With Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, Jovic and Smith out, it cleared the path for Mitchell to start.

“It was great to have him in practice yesterday, just the energy level went up,” Spoelstra said of Saturday’s session at Kaseya Center.

“He had some great moments going down the stretch for us (last season). He has that competitive spirit that we like. So it’s good to have him back.”

3. And another one: Jakucionis lasted only 4:27 before being lost for the night.

The No. 20 pick in June’s draft out of Illinois still had time to connect yet again with Ware for an alley-oop dunk, but that proved to be his lone assist.

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Otherwise, he closed 0 for 2 from the field, a pair of missed 3-pointers, with two points.

It was Jakucionis’ second preseason appearance, after being sidelined at the end of camp and then for the first two exhibitions with a sprained left wrist.

4. Save the date: It was as if both coaches did not want to show their hand ahead of their season-opening matchup, as was somewhat the case when the teams met a week ago in Puerto Rico in an exhibition won by the Magic.

This time the Magic were without rotation regulars Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs and Moe Wagner, giving the first two the night off for rest.

“Everybody is just trying to get ready and it’s the middle of the preseason right now,” Spoelstra said. “So I think it’s more like finding out who’s available, who needs to take a day, more than trying to hide your cards. That’s just kind of the reality of the preseason in the National Basketball Association.”

5. Ongoing concern: Even as a starter, Larsson’s night was limited due to an ongoing concern, forced to the bench after just 11 minutes of action with a fourth foul committed with 4:23 to play in the second period. Larsson then was called for his fifth foul 2:43 into the second half.

He nonetheless persevered to close with 14 points, three assists and two rebounds in 20:50.

The 2024 second-round pick out of Arizona and Spoelstra have previously addressed the fouling issue, which also was a concern with Larsson in international competition.

Daily Horoscope for October 13, 2025

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 17:00
General Daily Insight for October 13, 2025

Mistakes aren’t always bad. Lovely Venus enters its home sign of balanced Libra at 5:19 pm EDT, encouraging us to be open-hearted, charitable, and friendly with the people around us. However, Venus then contrasts with illusory Neptune, making it a bit more difficult to express ourselves. Surprises and mishaps could be right around the corner! Thankfully, these can be happy accidents. Finally, Pluto stations direct in Aquarius, guiding us to edit the current draft of our lives. If we don’t like something, we can change it!

Aries

March 21 – April 19

You’re able to connect with people on a new level today — one where you don’t have to be perfect. Show your companions that you’re the type of person who can make a mistake and recover from it. Everyone messes up, so the best thing that you can do when you fall flat is to acknowledge it and move on accordingly (or pretend that was what you intended all along). You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to learn and keep going.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Sometimes, a routine doesn’t turn out the way that you expected. You may have thought when you started this routine that it would be less time-consuming or easier. Oops! Now that you’re fully aware of the true commitment required by these habits, you’re realizing that you may have to cut out other areas of your life in order to make it work. How much does this matter to you? If you aren’t willing to drop anything else, you might be better off without it.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Reaching your goals might take a little creativity. You may have to tap into your sense of creativity and think outside the box to eliminate a barrier to your success. It’s important that you don’t give up, because there is an answer — you just may not have seen it yet! Step away from the chaos for a moment and let your mind clear before going back to your duties. The answer is likely to formulate in your mind by the time you get back.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Responsibilities can make it difficult to keep up with your home. You might find that your chores have slipped while you have been working or caught up with errands, but it’s time to restore order to the place where you lay your head every night. Crafting an enjoyable domestic environment is vital, because otherwise, you won’t be able to restore your energy. No one wants their home to be as stressful as the outside world can be! Make your comfort zone comfortable.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

How you express yourself may be distorted by the information you’re providing. It’s possible that you’re striving to show how much you care about a friend. While you just want them to know the sincerity of your words, they could see you as demanding an answer from them. The way that you deliver the message is sometimes as important as the message itself, because it directly affects the way that it’ll be accepted. Tell them how you feel in a way that they will understand.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

You’re restoring your security. Someone might have caused you to feel like you should not have the level of confidence that you exhibit. Maybe they even directly claim that you don’t measure up. Forget that! Their perspective is theirs, not yours. Whether they’re trying to help or harm, their words aren’t helpful right now. And guess what — YOU decide how you react to their statements. No one can control you with words alone, so show them what you can really do.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Knowing exactly how someone else feels is practically impossible at the moment. You might crave knowing what’s really on their mind, but they may be putting up a wall and refusing to let anyone see their true feelings. Remind yourself that you can still feel secure even without knowing their every thought. It may take time for them to warm up to you, or perhaps they’re simply not the sharing type. Continue to shine your light and don’t concern yourself with unraveling everyone’s mysteries.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

What’s your next step? It’s okay if you don’t know just yet. Perhaps your soul is yearning for something currently indefinable — it happens. For now, it’s probably best to wait. Take some time to ponder where you see yourself a year from today. Once you’ve thought about that future for long enough, ask yourself, if you were the future you, what would you have hoped that the past you would have done right now? Don’t let yourself have any regrets!

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Your friends don’t all have fun the same way. At any moment, some pals could start encouraging you to join an activity that you don’t personally enjoy. While it’s understandable that you may not be raring to try something that you didn’t enjoy in the past, you might want to try it again — especially if it’s been a while. You never know when your tastes will change. If they haven’t, though, be honest with yourself and others. You don’t have to like everything!

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

It may seem like you’ve got it all together, but on the inside, you might feel confused. It’s potentially easier for you to handle the day-to-day responsibilities than it is to unravel your inner feelings. You could struggle to express yourself, even when people ask for your honest emotional response. Instead of just trying to power through the problem, take some time and sit with yourself to see what your heart is telling you. You might be surprised by what it says.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Undergoing a deep inner change isn’t always obvious from the outside. Right now, your peers may not realize what you’re going through, even as an intense shift alters your perspective on multiple areas of life. It can be difficult to express why you’re feeling what you’re feeling. Instead of trying to intellectualize your updated feelings and dissect them in your head, let yourself feel your feelings. They could be simply momentary emotions that will pass. The more concrete changes will make themselves known.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Some plans are better kept to yourself. You might have a plan that you’re excited about, tempting you to spill the beans to everyone. Be careful! There may be people in your midst who aren’t necessarily supportive of your dreams. They could feel that these ambitions are irresponsible or lack foresight, but they’re probably not paying attention to how much thought you’ve put into this. Don’t let them discourage you from following your dreams — just let them see the results when it’s finished.

Chris Perkins: This Dolphins house of cards seems on the verge of collapse

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 16:30

MIAMI GARDENS — I don’t know how, or if, Miami Dolphins coaches and players can keep this team together any longer. You get the sense things are falling apart, but still somehow being loosely held together even in the wake of Sunday’s potentially back-breaking 29-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

But at some point soon these players are going to realize that they’re not a good team, which is what their 1-5 record screams. At some point soon these players are going to realize, as I have, that their assessment of their talents a mere two months ago (I had them winning nine games) was off base.

And that’s when this thing falls apart completely. That day is on the horizon.

The Dolphins aren’t going to quit. The Dolphins have always been a team full of fighters under coach Mike McDaniel. I wrote in December about my admiration and appreciation for their fighting spirit. They battle. They like McDaniel. They respect McDaniel. They want to win for McDaniel.

But soon they’re going to stop listening to what McDaniel has to say because they’ll look at his 29-30 (.492) record as Dolphins coach, which includes his 0-2 showing in the playoffs as well as this season’s disappointing 1-5 start, and they’ll realize McDaniel’s words and methods are ineffective.

Things are already unraveling. Twice this past week Dolphins players have said the quiet part out loud. After Sunday’s game, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa acted as though he’d lost his mind.

What the heck was that stuff he said postgame about players not attending players-only meetings or showing up late to those meetings? He later clarified, saying he only meant to say players were late to players-ony meetings. Whatever the case, the postgame interview podium isn’t the time or place to bring that up (although as a journalist, I’m glad he said it in a public forum). 

Tua’s words make the team appear disinterested and unprofessional. It makes McDaniel appear as though he’s lost control. You wonder how Tua can be so tone deaf to how these things play out in the real world. It’s inexcusable for a team leader to be that, well, stupid.

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It was one thing for rookie defensive tackle Kenneth Grant to say publicly a few days ago that coaches are now attending defensive line players meetings. That makes the defensive line look weak and devoid of leadership. But Grant is a rookie. He doesn’t know what he can and can’t say publicly.

Tua is a vet, and a team leader. He should know better than to air such dirty laundry publicly. When things such as that happen it’s an indication that this house of cards built by McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier is being blown down, which seems to be the case.

By the way, I ran that scenario of coaches attending meetings by a veteran offensive player and he looked at me as though I was crazy. He said it must only be the case for defense, or the defensive line, because it hasn’t happened with offense.

Whatever the case, things along those lines make this team look weak and disorganized.

For what it’s worth, players still believe this is a good team. I talked to them during the past week, and I talked to them in the locker room after Sunday’s game. Of course, it seems to be stubborn pride speaking more than practicality.

I asked outside linebacker Bradley Chubb how he can convince himself that a 1-5 team still has what it takes.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down ‘devastating’ last-second loss to Chargers | VIDEO

“Ain’t no convincing,” he replied, “It’s just about what we believe, what we know. The record doesn’t reflect it, but we’ve just got to go out there and continue to believe it, continue to walk like it, continue to talk like it. Because we’ve got a talented team, we’ve got everything we need. It’s just about finishing.”

Veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick basically said the same thing when I asked about the mood of the locker room.

“We lost the game so we’re not happy,” Fitzpatrick said, “but there’s a lot of games left to play. We are a good team despite our record. That’s kind of where we stand.”

But how do you convince yourself you’re good when you’re 1-5?

“I don’t have to convince myself,” he said.

I asked left tackle Patrick Paul how he’d describe the locker room mood after the game and he summed it up in one word.

“Sadness,” he said. “You saw the emotional roller-coaster. Fifty seconds left, we stormed down, pulling out an 80-something yard score. Then, everyone saw the end result. We just have to find ways to finish.”

If only it was that simple. Find ways to finish. New England. Buffalo. Carolina. And now, the Chargers. The Dolphins had chances to win each of those games. But they lost.

The Dolphins will never quit. But soon they’ll quit believing. And that’s when it’ll be time to part ways with Grier, McDaniel, Tua and everyone else who played a major role in this disappointing season, and this disappointing era of Dolphins football. You get the feeling that day is coming soon.

Show Caption1 of 28Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reacts as the Los Angeles Chargers run off a long play in the closing minute Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Expand

Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down ‘devastating’ last-second loss to Chargers | VIDEO

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 16:07

In this Dolphins Deep Dive video, the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Chris Perkins and Dave Hyde discuss another tough loss for Miami — this time falling in the final seconds to the Chargers after rallying late to take the lead. They also touch on why Miami keeps finding ways to lose as it dropped to 1-5 on the season.

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Dave Hyde: Herbert’s big play, Tua’s odd words confirm which team got it right

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 16:00

That’s why you draft the big, strong quarterback.

That special play.

That gotta-have-it moment in Sunday’s final seconds where Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert escaped the hard grasp of Jaelan Phillips to the point the Miami Dolphins edge rusher sat at his locker staring ahead through another loss’ silence and saw only that play.

Twenty minutes passed after the game. Thirty. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had already talked about players not attending players-only meetings, or being late for them, or something that shows he still has no idea how to lead a team or be the voice of a franchise.

Phillips kept staring straight ahead, wrapped in a towel and his frustrated thoughts. He had Herbert for the sack, and maybe the win, with 40 seconds left and the Dolphins up by a point.

Then Phillips didn’t have Herbert. He was on the ground. Herbert stumbled free to be the hero.

“A great play by him,” Phillips said.

The Dolphins didn’t lose 29-27 in those final, frantic seconds Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. They lost it on draft day five years ago. They had a chance for the big, strong quarterback who picked up an offense without its best players and took the shorter, less durable quarterback who didn’t have a bad day himself Sunday until he started talking afterwards.

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Tagovailoa could’ve been the hero Sunday with a touchdown pass that put the Dolphins ahead late for the second consecutive week. So, this isn’t a pile-on-Tua story for his play, though his work as a franchise quarterback remains a mess six years into the job.

Like so many of his comments, the ones about these odd players-only meetings make you wonder if Tua understands how he comes across. It reflects on his leadership, too, if players don’t respect these meetings. He’s a captain, the quarterback. And players don’t listen to him?

But that’s the state of the Dolphins: They can’t even do players-only meetings right. One day we find coaches attend them. Another day we find some player’s don’t. Get how they’re 1-5?

Players’ attitudes are a reflection of the franchise, and in the Chargers locker room coach Jim Harbaugh threw a fist in the air toward Herbert, who threw up a smile and nod.

Harbaugh then turned to Ladd McConkey, who is the receiver Herbert threw to after escaping Phillips’ grasp.

McConkey eluded Dolphins safety Dante Trader Jr., and ran and ran and …

Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down ‘devastating’ last-second loss to Chargers | VIDEO

“You know who beat you downfield?” Harbaugh said.

“I heard,” McConkey said.

Guard Zion Johnson, all 316 pounds of him, evidently did.

“I’ve got to see that on tape to believe it,” McConkey said.

“It’s true,” Harbaugh said.

These are the jokes in a winning locker room. What a win for them, too. The Chargers’ two franchise tackles and one backup were hurt so their fourth and fifth tackles played. Their top receiver, Quentin Johnson, was out.

Their top two running backs were hurt, so Kimani Vidal came off the practice squad and ran for 124 yards on 18 carries. This jay-vee Chargers offense scored 29 points. How? Why?

Herbert’s play, Tua’s words, show again how bad the Dolphins got it wrong.

This Dolphins defense keeps inventing ways to lose.

Like that 42-yard pass to McConkey that set up the winning field goal.

“All I know is I say Justin looking left and right and left and right,” McConkey said. “And then I thought he was sacked and then the ball was coming at me. I made a move to get away from the safety and …”

Trader was the safety.

“It’s me and him, and I’ve got to make the tackle,” the rookie said. “I didn’t. That’s on me.”

That play is on him. But it started with Herbert making a, “Hercules play,” as Harbaugh called it.

“He’s a mighty man,” Harbaugh said of his quarterback. “I mean, there’s only a few in the game who can make that play.”

Buffalo’s Josh Allen. Anyone else?

The Dolphins, meanwhile, keep showing they know how to lose these games. The defense is a disaster. The culture remains a mess, if the players-only meetings are Exhibit A.. And the quarterback they drafted in 2020 to lead this team keeps showing he can’t even lead his own words properly.

The one they missed on, the strong one on the other side Sunday, showed how it’s done. He threw off a 6-foot-6, 260-pound Phillips. He picked up a crippled offense and carried it to a win.

The big, strong guy making all the right plays is the one this team should have drafted. Not the one who keeps talking in all the wrong manner.

Show Caption1 of 28Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reacts as the Los Angeles Chargers run off a long play in the closing minute Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Expand

Things we learned in Miami Dolphins’ 29-27 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 13:50

MIAMI GARDENS — For the third time in this young season, the Miami Dolphins entered a game badly needing a victory. This time it was against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Dolphins bungled the assignment, losing, 29-27.

The Dolphins previously badly needed a victory against the New York Jets (they won) and the Carolina Panthers (they lost last week).

The future doesn’t look bright for the Dolphins (1-5) after Sunday’s last-second loss or coach Mike McDaniel, who is now 29-30 (.492), including his 0-2 playoff record, and 29-28 (.509) in the regular season.

The Dolphins visit Cleveland next week.

Here’s what we learned in Sunday’s game against the Chargers:

The home crowd

Dolphins fans were lukewarm Sunday, which is better than being hostile. There were an announced 65,592 tickets distributed but there were noticeable patches of empty seats, especially in the upper deck where it was common to see rows where there were six or eight consecutive seats unused. The crowd was mostly friendly and subdued, showing enthusiasm after good plays and when the Dolphins led.

But there was an audible tone of boos after quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s third-quarter interception by safety Benjamin St-Juste. More boos rained down after Tagovailoa’s next pass, a first-down overthrow intended for Jaylen Waddle. Yet more boos rained down on third down after Tagovailoa was sacked by outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, who blew past rookie left gard Jonah Savaiinaea.

A “Let’s go Dolphins!!” chant went up in the fourth quarter when the Dolphins, trailing, 26-20 were marching downfield. The crowd was happy when the Dolphins took a 27-26 lead, but crushed when the Chargers scored with five seconds left on a 33-yard field goal by kicker Cameron Dicker.  Predictably, there were few Chargers fans in the crowd. — Chris Perkins

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Dolphins owner Steve Ross walked solemnly off the field after the game. Ross was glimpsed on the sideline before the game, as usual. He was seen alongside team president Tom Garfinkel greeting Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, Ross’ former target to be Dolphins coach as well as former national championship coach of Ross’ beloved alma mater, Michigan. Ross was on the field before the game as part of the Dolphins’ Crucial Catch campaign for cancer prevention. It’s unclear what Ross is thinking regarding McDaniel’s future. A few weeks ago he expressed a desire to be patient with McDaniel.

Tua shows some magic but it’s not enough

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (21 of 32, 205 yards, one touchdown three interceptions, 54.8 passer rating) had a chance to show some fourth-quarter magic Sunday, and he did. The Dolphins got the ball on their own 18-yard line with 6:19 left, trailing, 26-20. Tua was 8 for 8 for 67 yards on the drive, which resulted in a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Darren Waller with 46 seconds left. The Dolphins drove 82 yards in 13 plays using 5:33. Tagovailoa’s final pass of the game, which came with five seconds left, was an interception to safety Derwin James. Tagovailoa’s first pass was also an interception off a deflection from wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, a pass that should have been caught.

De’Von Achane puts on a show

Running back De’Von Achane had one of the best games of his career as he totaled 128 yards rushing and two touchdowns to go along with four receptions for 22 yards. Achane’s day was highlighted by a 49-yard touchdown run. Achane kept the Dolphins alive.

Jaylen Waddle puts up good numbers

Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle had six reception for 95 yards, including a 45-yard reception. Waddle, who also completed an eight-yard pass to Achane, had his best game of the season. Waddle is on a bit of a roll. He had six receptions for 110 yards in last week’s 27-24 loss at Carolina.

The run defense gets pounded again

The Dolphins were gashed again as the Chargers rushed for 140 yards in the game (they had 116 yards through three quarters). The Dolphins, who entered with the league’s worst run defense at 174.2 yards allowed per game, have now allowed each of their six opponents to rush for more than 100 yards. Chargers running back Kimani Vidal led the way with 124 yards on 18 carries.

The return of the big play

Achane’s 49-yard touchdown run continued the Dolphins’ big-play resurgence of the past couple of weeks. Last week Waddle had a 46-yard touchdown reception and Waller had a 34-yard reception. 

Before those three plays the Dolphins, known as a big-play offense in previous years, only had one play of 30 or more yards, that being a 47-yard pass to wide receiver Tyreek Hill against New England.

The Dolphins’ longest play against Buffalo was just 19 yards.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down ‘devastating’ last-second loss to Chargers | VIDEO

Brewer could barely use right arm

Center Aaron Brewer, who is battling a pectoral injury, presumably on his right (snapping) side, gave a gutty effort Sunday that including barely being able to lift his right arm after snapping on many plays. Sometimes the arm just hung by his side as he used his left arm to block.

Brewer, a team captain, appeared to be wearing a harness on his right arm. He was called twice for holding but the violations were understandable considering the circumstances.

Waller limited for six consecutive quarters

Waller, who had five receptions for 78 yards last week at Carolina, all in the first half, had one reception for five yards in the first quarter Sunday against the Chargers. Waller was targeted twice in the first half, meaning he’d been targeted three times in four quarters including not being targeted at all in the second half at Carolina. Waller (two receptions, 12 yards, one touchdown) had the fourth-quarter go-ahead touchdown. In his last six quarters Waller has, you guessed it, two receptions for 12 yards on three targets.

Dolphins win coin toss, take the ball

The Dolphins won the coin toss (the Chargers called tails and it came up heads) and elected to receive the kickoff, going against their usual trend of deferring and taking the ball to open the third quarter. Kickoff returner Malik Washington took the opening kickoff 45 yards, running over kicker Cameron Dicker in the process. On first down, Achane took the handoff and gained two yards on a run up the gut. But on second down Waddle bobbled a catchable pass from Tagovailoa and it was intercepted by safety Tony Jefferson. 

The Chargers took the second half kickoff and scored a touchdown, driving 74 yards on 13 plays to take a 16-13 lead.

Special teams error . .. again

Defensive tackle Matthew Butler made illegal contact with long snapper Rick Lovato after Dicker hit a 58-yard field goal. The Chargers took those points off the board only to put them back with a 36-yard field goal by Dicker. The Dolphins’ special teams, which had improved their play in the pervious two games, have had a running into the punter penalty, a roughing the punter penalty and have allowed a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown as well as posting a 74-yard punt return touchdown.

By the way, seldom-used cornerback JuJu Brents and fellow cornerback Isaiah Johnson, who was elevated from the practice squad Saturday, saw a good amount of time Sunday. Chargers defensive tackle Justin Eboigbe had two impressive tackles on kickoff coverage, beating linebacker Willie Gay Jr. both times.

Dolphins’ defense continued an incredible and ignominious streak

The Dolphins have allowed at least 5.97 yards per play in each of the first six games of the season after the Chargers piled up 403 on 64 plays (6.30 yards per snap). The Dolphins are on pace to crush the franchise record for the most games allowing at least those 5.97 yards per play. The greatest percentage of games with such sieve-like defense was the .571 of the franchise’s third season, when it happened eight times in the season’s 14 games. It also happened nine times in 16 games (.563) in 2018. These are the seasons with the five most such games allowed by percentage, and the five fewest:

MOST

1968: 8/14 (.571);

2018: 9/16 (.563);

2019: 8/16 (.500);

2020: 7/16 (.438);

2008: 7/16 (.438).

LEAST

1972: 0/14 (.000);

1973: 0/14 (.000);

1975: 0/14 (.000);

1992: 0/16 (.000);

2005: 0/16 (.000). — Steve Svekis

Since his concussion vs. the Packers in 2022, Tagovailoa’s ball security has suffered greatly

On Christmas of 2022, a year where Tua Tagovailoa had already been diagnosed with one official concussion, he took a tumble against Green Bay, and then missed the rest of the season because of another concussion. Before that play, Tagovailoa had played 36 games, with 16 fumbles, and five of those unforced by opponent contact. Since then, Tagovailoa has played 35 games and fumbled 23 times, with 16 unforced. Before that fall, Tagovailoa had 20 interceptions in his 1,065 career passes (53.3 passes per pickoff). Since? He has 32 interceptions in 1,193 passes (37.3 passes per interception). By comparison, Justin Herbert has fumbled 30 times in his 87 career games, with 10 unforced, and thrown 53 interceptions in 3,217 passes (60.7 passes per INT.).

Jaylen Waddle is getting those WR1 chunk plays

Sunday marked Jaylen Waddle’s third start with Tagovailoa as his quarterback, Mike McDaniel as his coach and Tyreek Hill not suited up. And, in each of those starts (Jets at home in 2023, at Panthers last week and on Sunday), Waddle has logged a reception of at least 45 yards. The Chargers game also marked the fourth time in Waddle’s career where he has had back-to-back outings with a grab of at least 45 yards (also twice in 2022 and once in 2023).

Yet another aspect of quarterback play where the Dolphins sag far behind

When Herbert rammed forward for a first down on a fourth-down sneak, it was evidence of a huge disadvantage the Dolphins battle against: Minimal mobility. Tagovailoa’s most recent rushing touchdown is almost four years old, happening on Nov. 11, 2021. Since then, Tagovailoa has run for only 23 first down in his past 55 games.

Dolphins defense goes full Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks

For all the talk about how the Dolphins defense was awful against Carolina because they were fixated with forcing turnovers as opposed to wrapping up, the forcing-turnovers aspect was still evident against the Chargers, only much more successful. Dolphins defensive backs Ashtyn Davis and Rasul Douglas separated the ball from Keenan Allen (Davis) and Oronde Gadsden II (Douglas). Allen was fortunate to recoup his fumble, but Jordyn Brooks cleaned up Douglas’ handiwork, and on the next play, De’Von Achane flew 49 yards around the right end for a go-ahead touchdown.

Achane reaches the rarefied air of Clayton, Williams and Mostert

Achane, in his fifth game in the first six of the season, hit the end zone. It matches the most games with at least one score in the first six games of a Dolphins season with his quintet, matching Mark Clayton from 1984, Ricky Williams in 2002 and Raheem Mostert in 2023. What did all three have in common? They all ended up with at least 18 touchdowns for that season.

On deck: Cleveland Browns, Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, 1 p.m.

The Dolphins have actually gotten a little unlucky with their schedule this year. Miami has three games against bottom-half-of-the-NFL teams in Carolina, Cleveland and Atlanta, but all three of those teams are far more competent units at home than they are on the road. For instance, the Panthers’ 27-24 win over the Dolphins last Sunday made Carolina 5-3 in their past eight home games, while the Panthers have gone 1-7 on the road, getting outscored on average by 33.9-17.5, with that one win in overtime. Similarly, the Browns have been significantly better at Huntington Bank Stadium this season than at other sites. In its two games in Cleveland, all-everything defensive end Myles Garrett and Co. have held Joe Burrow and the Bengals and Jordan Love and the Packers to 185.5 yards a game and 13.5 points per contest.

Show Caption1 of 28Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reacts as the Los Angeles Chargers run off a long play in the closing minute Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Expand

Hyde10: Defense collapses, Herbert vs. Tua, Achane’s day — 10 thoughts on Dolphins’ loss to Chargers

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 13:30

MIAMI GARDENS — A shame. A heartbreaker. Or just what this season is about?

The Miami Dolphins fell to 1-5 when the defense couldn’t close out the final seconds of a 29-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.

Here are 10 thoughts on the day:

1. Play of the game: Down 27-26, Justin Herbert somehow escaped Dolphins rusher Jaelan Phillips and found an open Ladd McConkey, who juked safety Dante Trader and went 42 yards to the Dolphins 17. Cameron Dicker then made his fifth field goal from 33 yards with five seconds left. Don’t overlook the Chargers kickoff return to their 46-yard line.

2. Almost Play of the Game: Tua Tagovailoa’s touchdown pass to Darren Waller on third-and-goal from the 7-yard line with 46 seconds left. Riley Patterson made the extra point to put the Dolphins up 27-26. That capped an 18-play, 82-yard drive as the Dolphins came back from down 26-13 in the fourth quarter.

3. Unknown player of the game: Kimani Vidal. Who? Last week, the Dolphins defense helped Carolina’s RIco Dowdle to a career day, but at least he had a 1,000-yard season to his name. Vidal is the Chargers’ third-string running back who had 14 carries for 121 yards Sunday with a long of 38 yards. All were career highs. Then again, the second-year, sixth-round pick only had four carries for 18 yards this season entering Sunday. What makes it all the more disappointing for the Dolphins is …

4. The Chargers entered Sunday on their fourth and fifth tackles, their third running back and didn’t have top receiver Quentin Johnson. In other words, if the Dolphins defense couldn’t get healthy against this battered offense, there’s little hope. Well, there’s little hope. The telling drive until the wild finish was the Chargers taking the second half kickoff, down 13-9, and assembling a 13-play, 72-yard drive that ended with Herbert throwing 5 yards to McConkey for a TD. That gave the Chargers a 16-13 lead. The Chargers, who were 1 of 7 on third downs in the first half, were 3 of 3 that drive. They ate 7:34 of the third quarter — nearly half of it.

5. Herbert vs. Tua: The matchup of the Dolphins decision in the 2020 draft was won by Herbert, though, as noted, Tua could have had the big finish. Herbert completed 29 of 38 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns. Tua completed 21 of 32 passes for 205 yards a touchdown and three interceptions (though two deserve asterisks as one went though Jaylen Waddle’s hands and the other was the final, last-gasp play).

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6. De’Von Achane put on a show again. The Dolphins ran 14 times for 19 yards last week against Carolina. Achane immediately made sure they did better Sunday. He had three carries for 67 yards in the first quarter. That included his 49-yard TD run. He added a 4-yard run around left end where he outran Derwin James to the end zone. Achane had 16 carries for 128 yards. He also had three catches for 14 yards. MVP of the team? It’s playing that way early on.

7. Oronde Gadsden Jr. came home against his father’s team and had a nice day. It didn’t start that way for the fourth-round pick. His early fumble led to a Dolphins touchdown. But he ended the day with seven catches for 68 yards and a long of 21. On a team with depleted resources, he was one the Dolphins had to watch. A couple of weeks ago it was Mason Taylor of the Jets who had a nice night against his father Jason’s team. Who’s next on the next-generation tour?

8. The easiest way to replace the loss of Tyreek Hill is with more Jaylen Waddle. He followed up his 110 yards receiving in Carolina with a day of big plays. It didn’t start the way he wanted when a pass went through his hands on the second play of the game for an interception that led to a Chargers field goal. More fitting of the big play he wanted came on the last drive of the first half when he located a Tua pass and made an over-the-head catch where the ball bobbled off his hands and he caught it on his chest while falling to the sideline. That was for 45 yards and went a long way toward the half-ending field goal for a 13-9 Dolphins lead. He had five catches for 82 yards at half — more yards than his first four games this year.

9. Quick Hits:

McDaniel went old-school and elected to receive the opening kickoff after winning the coin toss. It paid off with a 45-yard return by Malik Washington.

Cornerback Rasual Douglas had a tackle, forced fumble and registered a quarterback hit — in the first quarter.

Chargers’ defensive lineman Justin Egoigbe made two big hits on kickoffs — who said the play is safer now?

The Dolphins had two plays over 40 yards in the first five games — and two in the first half Sunday.

10. Next week: Dolphins at Cleveland. The Dolphins go to the shore of Lake Erie to play a bad Cleveland offense — and a good Cleveland defense. The combination has Cleveland also at 1-5 after losing in Pittsburgh. Rookie Dillon Gabriel has taken over at quarterback for the recently traded Joe Flacco. Cleveland does have a productive rookie class, including fifth pick and defensive tackle Mason Graham and running back Quinshon Judkins, the 33rd pick who was averaging 4.8 yards a carry entering Sunday.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down ‘devastating’ last-second loss to Chargers | VIDEO

Show Caption1 of 28Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reacts as the Los Angeles Chargers run off a long play in the closing minute Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Expand

Instant Analysis: Los Angeles Chargers 29, Miami Dolphins 27

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 13:07

Quick thoughts from South Florida Sun Sentinel staffers on the Dolphins’ last-second loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium that dropped Miami to 1-5 on the season:

Chris Perkins, Dolphins Columnist

The Dolphins took the fourth-quarter lead briefly to cap what would have been an amazing comeback briefly, but then they blew it. That’s the way this season has gone. It was a dramatic failure for coach Mike McDaniel and his team. Oh, and let’s not forget defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s defense. This was bad for everyone involved.

David Furones, Dolphins Writer

The noise surrounding coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier only intensifies with this heartbreaker. Too many empty drives. Run defense allows another backup to run all over them. Miami scored the two touchdowns to come back, but left time on the clock for the winning field goal after an incredible play by Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey.

Steve Svekis, Assistant Sports Editor

Tua Tagovailoa, like in the 2023 season opener, threw a last-minute touchdown pass to rally for a lead. But, this time, Justin Herbert had a huge answer, and the Dolphins’ season, at 1-5, is effectively over as a playoffs exercise.

Keven Lerner, Assistant Sports Editor

Justin Herbert took a bunch of second-, third- and fourth-stringers and got the win that kept the Chargers’ season afloat, and sunk Miami’s. Tua had a nice rally, but he also had three turnovers.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down ‘devastating’ last-second loss to Chargers | VIDEO

Show Caption1 of 28Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reacts as the Los Angeles Chargers run off a long play in the closing minute Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Expand

Dolphins lose to Chargers late after coming back from down 13 points, now 1-5

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 13:04

MIAMI GARDENS — The noise only grows louder.

The Miami Dolphins’ woeful start to the season continued as a late field goal sank them, 29-27, against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.

After coming back from down 13 points to take a brief lead, the Dolphins allowed wide receiver Ladd McConkey to escape for a 42-yard catch and run that set up kicker Cameron Dicker’s 33-yard field goal for the win with five seconds remaining.

Miami (1-5) dropped a second game in a row after and, in coach Mike McDaniel’s fourth season, is off to its worst start since the franchise’s tanking 2019 season, which was also when general manager Chris Grier became the organization’s top decision-maker.

“I think it’s pretty simple. That sucks,” McDaniel said. “I’m not worried about the team staying together. I’m worried about us getting our football right.”

Boos rained down from fans through the early empty offensive drives before two late touchdowns — and then again as the result went final. The Dolphins’ league-worst run defense, which had just allowed Carolina Panthers backup running back Rico Dowdle to have a 200-yard rushing performance, surrendered 124 rushing yards to Chargers reserve tailback Kimani Vidal.

Herbert, who finished 29 of 38 for 264 yards and two touchdowns, escaped the grasp of Miami outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips to get the ball to McConkey in open space. McConkey, who had seven catches for 100 yards and a touchdown, evaded rookie safety Dante Trader Jr. and scampered down the field to set up the field goal.

“A potential sack in that situation is monumental because then they have to burn a timeout because then they’re behind the sticks and now they have no timeouts,” McDaniel said. “Part of winning football games is executing your best technique and fundamentals at the end of the game.”

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Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa  was 21 of 32 for 205 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions — one off the hands of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and another at the end of the game when Miami was trying for a last gasp.

Tagovailoa is now 2-2 in his career against Los Angeles (4-2) and Herbert, who was selected with the ensuing draft pick in 2020.

“Shocked. Shocked,” Tagovailoa said. “This is something that we’ve talked about collectively as a team, about being able to finish in games like this where we have the opportunity to win the game. And it’s not just one side of the ball. It’s every phase. I’ve contributed with the turnovers.”

As McDaniel said he doesn’t think he’s losing his team, Tagovailoa chose this moment to call out teammates for being late or even missing players-only meetings. McDaniel noted these meetings are merely extra work on top of what’s required of players, but it felt like a rogue decision by his quarterback to air out internal matters within the team.

Dolphins running back De’Von Achane led the team’s offensive charge, with 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns, plus 22 receiving yards.

Down, 26-20, Tagovailoa hit tight end Darren Waller wide open in the corner of the end zone to take the lead with 46 seconds remaining before the Chargers’ winning drive.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down ‘devastating’ last-second loss to Chargers | VIDEO

Tagovailoa was intercepted by Derwin James on Miami’s last chance following the go-ahead field goal, where the team would’ve needed several laterals to go the length of the field and score.

The Chargers scored 14 quick points to start the second half and take control after a back-and-forth first half.

Herbert led a 13-play, 72-yard drive that took up more than half of the third quarter to open the half and capped it by tossing a 5-yard touchdown to McConkey.

On third down of the following drive, Tagovailoa was intercepted, with Chargers cornerback Benjamin St-Juste jumping a route.

“That was just a bad ball,” Tagovailoa said of the pass targeting Achane.

Four plays later, Los Angeles was in the end zone again, with Vidal scoring on a 7-yard pass from Herbert.

The Chargers then led, 26-13, after adding a field goal following a near interception in the end zone for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick against Herbert.

“That quarter, in particular, was the least complementary football we have played,” McDaniel said.

Achane brought Miami to within a possession in the middle of the fourth quarter, with a 4-yard sprint to the pylon for a touchdown.

Miami went into halftime with a 13-9 lead as kicker Riley Patterson nailed a chip-shot 27-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.

Waddle made an over-the-shoulder 45-yard catch bobbling the ball along a sideline but securing the catch inbounds on his back to put the team in field-goal range.

The Dolphins took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter when Achane showed a burst to the right side after hitting a hole to scamper for a 49-yard touchdown.

The score came on the play following a Miami takeaway. Cornerback Rasul Douglas punched the ball out on Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II, the son of the former Dolphins wide receiver by the same name, for a fumble recovered by linebacker Jordyn Brooks.

On the second play from scrimmage Sunday, Waddle bobbled a pass sent to his chest from Tagovailoa to send it up and into the hands of Chargers safety Tony Jefferson. Waddle led Miami in receiving, with 95 yards on six catches.

The early turnover led to a field goal from Dicker. He first converted from 58 yards, but the Chargers accepted a penalty on defensive tackle Matthew Butler at the line of scrimmage against the long snapper. The Chargers only got closer for a 35-yard kick.

Dicker connected again later in the first quarter, from 31, to trim a Miami lead to 7-6 following Achane’s touchdown. A 29-yard field goal in the second quarter gave Los Angeles the lead again, 9-7.

Miami retook a lead, 10-9, later in the period as Patterson was good from 47 yards. He missed from 57, wide right, earlier in the second.

Dolphins rookie defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, who had struggled in his first five games, had his first full sack Sunday on Herbert. He picked up his first half-sack last week in Carolina on a scramble for no gain by Panthers quarterback Bryce Young.

In the Dolphins’ locker room after the loss, linebacker Jordyn Brooks, one of the team’s captains, shared a Bible verse about overcoming adversity to console distraught teammates.

“I was just sharing with them the Bible says that a brother is born in adversity,” Brooks said. “Now is a chance to be a brother to my teammates, and that’s what I was sharing with them is that this is where a brother is born, when stuff is hard. It is easy to be a brother when everything is good.”

The Dolphins next travel to Cleveland to face the Browns (1-5) as they look to start a turnaround.

Show Caption1 of 28Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reacts as the Los Angeles Chargers run off a long play in the closing minute Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Expand

Florida sets execution date for man who raped and murdered 6-year-old girl in 1979

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 13:02

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of raping and killing a 6-year-old girl in central Florida is scheduled to be put to death in November under a death warrant signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who continues to set a record pace for executions.

Bryan Fredrick Jennings, 66, is scheduled to die by lethal injection Nov. 13 at Florida State Prison. Jennings would be the 16th person set for execution in Florida in 2025, with DeSantis overseeing more executions in a single year than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.

DeSantis signed the death warrant Friday, just days before the scheduled execution Tuesday of Samuel Lee Smithers. Another convicted killer, Norman Mearle Grim Jr., is set to die Oct. 28.

Jennings was convicted of murder, kidnapping and sexual battery and sentenced to death in 1986 after two previous convictions were overturned.

According to court records, Jennings climbed through the window of a Brevard County home in May 1979 and abducted 6-year-old Rebecca Kunash. Investigators said Jennings drove the girl to an area near a Merritt Island canal and raped her. Following the assault, Jennings smashed the girl’s head on the ground and then drowned her in the nearby canal, where police later found her body.

A short time later, Jennings was arrested on a traffic warrant, and police eventually linked him to the girl’s murder.

Attorneys for Jennings are expected to file appeals to the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

So far 35 people have been executed in the U.S. in 2025 , with Florida leading the way behind a flurry of death warrants signed by DeSantis. The most recent execution in Florida was the Sept. 30 lethal injection of Victory Tony Jones, convicted of killing a married couple during a 1990 robbery in South Florida.

The previous record for executions in one year in Florida was eight, most recently in 2014.

Today in History: October 12, First woman lights Olympic flame

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 01:00

Today is Sunday, Oct. 12, the 285th day of 2025. There are 80 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 12,1968, Mexican track and field athlete Enriqueta Basilio became the first woman to light the Olympic flame at the opening ceremonies of the Mexico City Summer Games.

Also on this date:

In 1492, Christopher Columbus’s first expedition made landfall on what is now San Salvador Island in the Bahamas.

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In 1870, General Robert E. Lee, former overall commander of the Confederate States Army in the Civil War, died in Lexington, Virginia, at age 63.

In 1960, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev protested remarks at the United Nations by pounding his shoe on his desk.

In 1973, President Richard Nixon nominated House Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford of Michigan to succeed Spiro T. Agnew as vice president.

In 1984, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher escaped an attempt on her life when an Irish Republican Army bomb exploded at a hotel in Brighton, England, killing five people.

In 2000, the destroyer USS Cole was attacked by boat-borne al-Qaida suicide bombers during a refueling stop in Yemen’s port city of Aden, killing 17 on board.

In 2002, bombs blamed on al-Qaida-linked militants destroyed two nightclubs on the Indonesian island of Bali, killing 202 people, many of whom were foreign tourists.

In 2019, Eliud Kipchoge became the first person to run a marathon in less than two hours, crossing the finish line of the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria, with a time of 1:59:40.

Today’s Birthdays:
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett is 93.
  • Broadcast journalist Chris Wallace is 78.
  • Singer-songwriter Jane Siberry is 70.
  • Actor Hiroyuki Sanada is 65.
  • Jazz musician Chris Botti (BOH’-tee) is 63.
  • Actor Hugh Jackman is 57.
  • Country musician Martie Maguire (The Chicks) is 56.
  • Actor Kirk Cameron is 55.
  • Olympic gold medal skier Bode Miller is 48.
  • Actor Josh Hutcherson is 33.

UF overrun at Texas A&M to remain winless on road against ranked teams

Sat, 10/11/2025 - 19:56

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Florida quarterback DJ Lagway’s homecoming ended in disappointment after a hot start as Billy Napier’s Gators failed to complete a Texas two-step and finally beat a ranked team on the road.

A 34-17 loss Saturday night at clamorous Kyle Field dropped Napier’s team (2-4, 1-2 SEC) to 0-13 on the road against Top 25 foes and intensified the pressure on UF’s head coach.

Napier and the Gators looked to build on last weekend’s decisive 29-21 win against Texas but could not replicate their dominance at the line of scrimmage or unleash true freshman receiver Dallas Wilson.

“We dug a little bit of a hole and we had trouble getting out of it,” Napier said. “There was a great atmosphere in there tonight. We got a lot of respect for how they play the game and our kids battled their ass off, but in general, the parts of football that you have to do to win, we did not do and they did.”

A 2-yard touchdown run by Rueben Owens II iced the game with 4:39 remaining for the No. 5 Aggies (6-0, 3-0) after a bold move by Napier backfired as a reported crowd of 105,086 roared.

Facing 3rd-and-6 from at the Aggies’ 49-yard line, Lagway handed off to Jadan Baugh, who was stopped for no gain. Trailing 24-17 with 13 minutes left in the game, Napier opted to attempt a fourth-down conversion, but A&M pressured Lagway and his pass over the middle to Vernell Brown III was high and behind the true freshman receiver.

The Aggies proceeded to march 50 yards on 12 plays to put away the game.

“The analytics would say at that point you go for it; that’s one you think about,” Napier said. “We got to execute the third-down play a little bit better. You always look back at those when they don’t work. Sometimes they do and you’re happy with them, but when they don’t you second-guess yourself.”

Texax A&M's Le'Veon Moss runs in to the end zone for a touchdown past Devin Moore (28) and Cormani McClain (25) during the Gators' 34-17 loss Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Scott Wachter/Getty Images)

On the Gators’ first play after Owens’ touchdown, Lagway fumbled while getting sacked by A&M end Dayon Hayes on a night UF’s front was a step slow and wore down against the relentless pressure of coach Mike Elko’s defense.

A week earlier, the Gators had been the aggressor, sacking Texas quarterback Arch Manning six times and hurrying him 10 more.

But quarterback Marcel Reed proved much slipperier and the Aggies’ front much stouter. Florida finished without a sack and just one QB hurry as Reed shined from A&M’s opening drive.

Lagway kept pace with his counterpart early on. The sophomore from Willis, just 75 minutes east of College Station, went 6-of-6 for 58 yards to lead the Gators’ best opening drive of 2025, capped by a 1-yard scoring pass to Amir Jackson.

“Just our RPO game, getting the ball out quick, when they came up, getting them over the top and taking them deep,” Lagway explained. “I feel like that was a great way we started the game and it felt good.”

Reed answered with a 67-yard pass to SEC leading receiver Mario Craver followed by an 8-yard quarterback keeper to tie the game in two plays at 7-7. 

“We weren’t ready to play,” sophomore linebacker Myles Graham said. “That wasn’t our brand of football. We feel like that wasn’t who we are.”

A quarterback duel appeared in the offing after the teams combined for touchdowns on five of the first six possessions as A&M staked a 21-14 lead.

But Florida’s offense petered out, managing 19 yards on 19 plays on the final four drives of the half. The Aggies lost tailback Le’Veon Moss to a left knee injury to open their fourth drive and lost steam themselves.

Florida tailback Jadan Baugh and the Gators finished with just 74 rushing yards during the Gators' 34-17 loss to the No. 5 Aggies Saturday night at Kyle Field. (Photo by Scott Wachter/Getty Images)

A&M’s defense proved the difference. The Aggies sacked Lagway three times, forcing two fumbles, and hurried him five times as UF went 1 of 11 on third down — A&M’s three opponents are now 2 of 34.

The Gators’ sophomore finished 21 of 37 for 229 yards with two scores, including a 6-yard pass to Wilson. The third touchdown in two games for the rising star was the highlight of an otherwise quiet performance featuring 3 catches for 20 after he recorded 6 receptions for 111 yards against Texas.

“This is gut-wrenching,” Lagway said. “You can’t imagine how I feel. This isn’t how I expected this night to go.”

Meanwhile, Reed continued his strong play, going 16 of 26 for 234 yards and a score while rushing for 37 yards and a score. The Aggies were 9 of 17 on third down and compiled 189 rushing yards a week after the Longhorns managed just 52.

“We did not do a good job of containing him,” Graham said. “He converted on third down. He got upfield on us, and that’s a big issue for us. We talked about that during the week and we didn’t execute our plan. We didn’t do our job.

“Everybody didn’t do their 1/11th and it showed.”

After its second touchdown drive, UF punted five times, fumbled twice to end drives and turned the ball over on downs  another time. The Gators finished the night with just 74 rushing yards a week after compiling a 159 against Texas.

“We were inefficient on first and second down,” Napier said. “We weren’t able to run it effectively. When we did throw it, they were able to get pressure. Then you are playing third-and-long.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

Lionel Messi scores twice, adds assist in Inter Miami’s 4-0 victory over Atlanta United

Sat, 10/11/2025 - 19:05

FORT LAUDERDALE — Lionel Messi had a goal in each half and added an assist to help Inter Miami clinch home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs with a 4-0 victory over Atlanta United on Saturday night.

Messi found the net in the 39th minute when he took a pass from Baltasar Rodríguez and scored to put Inter Miami (18-7-8) up 1-0 at halftime.

Jordi Alba, who has announced he will retire at the end of the season, made it 2-0 seven minutes into the second half with his sixth goal. The 36-year-old defender has 11 goals and 27 assists in 64 appearances — all with Miami. The club honored Alba with a ceremony following his final regular-season home match.

Messi notched his 18th assist on Alba’s goal, tying him with Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC for the league lead.

Luis Suárez made it 3-0 in the 61st minute, scoring unassisted for his 10th goal to go with 10 assists.

Messi capped the scoring in the 81st minute with an assist from Alba — his 13th.

It was the league-leading 26th goal of the season for Messi, who leads 2023 Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC by two goals and Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge by three with one match left in the regular season.

Messi’s 44 goal contributions are the second most in a single season in league history. Only LAFC’s Carlos Vela had more with 49 in 2019.

Rocco Ríos Novo finished with three saves in his sixth start of the season for Inter Miami. It was the third clean sheet for the 23-year-old.

Jayden Hibbert, 21, saved six shots for Atlanta United (5-16-12) in his eighth career start. Hibbert had three of his four first-half saves — two on shots by Messi — over a 10-minute span to keep it scoreless through the first 21 minutes.

Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati both have 62 points in the battle for second place in the Eastern Conference.

Inter Miami closes out the regular season on Saturday with a Decision Day match at Nashville SC, while Atlanta United will finish against visiting D.C. United with last place in the East on the line.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

Panthers beat Senators to remain unbeaten, rolling to 6-2 victory for 3-0-0 start

Sat, 10/11/2025 - 18:55

By TIM REYNOLDS

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad and Anton Lundell all finished with a goal and an assist, and the Florida Panthers stayed unbeaten by topping the Ottawa Senators 6-2 on Saturday night.

Mackie Samoskevich, Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues also scored for the Panthers, who got two assists from Seth Jones. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots for Florida, which has trailed for a total of 63 seconds in its first three games.

Florida — which scored three power-play goals and has five with the man advantage already this season — is 3-0-0 for the third time in its 32-season history, joining 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Shane Pinto scored both goals for Ottawa, which is now 0-6-1 in its last seven games at Florida. Linus Ullmark stopped 21 shots for the Senators.

It was Ottawa forward Nick Cousins’ first game back in Sunrise since the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, when the Panthers won their first championship. Cousins — who didn’t play at Florida when Ottawa visited last season — was with the Panthers for two seasons.

He was welcomed back with a tribute video.

“Any guy that has 16 nicknames is well liked. He hears it,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “He was part of that ‘have fun, play hard’ thing we were trying to build.”

Bobrovsky was the starter for the 26th consecutive Florida game going back to last season’s playoff, tying his longest run with the Panthers. If he starts Monday, he would tie the Panthers’ record for consecutive goalie starts; Ed Belfour made 27 straight in 2007.

The Panthers played without defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who was hurt Thursday and has gone on injured reserve. It’s not clear how long he’ll be sidelined.

Up next

Senators: Host Nashville on Monday in their home opener.

Panthers: Visit Philadelphia on Monday to start a five-game road trip.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Veltkamp, Shields-Dutton combine for 6 TDs to lead Florida Atlantic to 53-33 win over UAB

Sat, 10/11/2025 - 18:54

BOCA RATON — Caden Veltkamp threw for three touchdowns, Kaden Shields-Dutton ran for three touchdowns and Florida Atlantic rolled from the outset and beat UAB 53-33 on Saturday.

Shields-Dutton ran for scores of 13 and 2 yards in the first quarter, and on a trick play, receiver Easton Messer threw a 48-yard scoring pass to Jayshon Platt for a three-touchdown lead.

Veltkamp threw his first scoring pass to Jabari Smith early in the second to make it 28-0. UAB got on the board when Solomon Beebe ran it in from the 14. The failed 2-point conversion left the score 28-6.

The Owls (3-3, 2-1 American Athletic) totaled 492 offensive yards while UAB (2-4, 0-3) was penalized 14 times for 118 yards.

UAB’s Jalen Kitna threw for 261 yards while the Blazers’ struggled running with just 68 yards on 28 carries.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Daily Horoscope for October 12, 2025

Sat, 10/11/2025 - 17:00
General Daily Insight for October 12, 2025

We’re clearing our minds. The nurturing Moon moves into its home sign of protective Cancer at 2:37 am EDT, putting matters of the heart and home in the forefront. That said, Luna then picks a fight with confusing Neptune, making it difficult to trust what we’re feeling. We ought to take matters seriously, whatever they are. Finally, the Moon trines intelligent Mercury, providing us with the brainpower and communication skills we need to steer our ships through this fog. Think it through.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

You may feel more protective of your heart. It might be that you have had to guard your inner self against those who don’t see you as a leader. They could see you as being too young, too inexperienced, or too bold. Instead of playing small and limiting your efforts during this time, continue to be your best self and don’t share all of your plans with others. Just carry them out and let the chips fall where they may, without naysayers affecting them.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

A defensive mindset will just make today more stressful. You might feel as though everyone is going after you, leaving you to fight on behalf of your dignity. However, it’s important that you keep a cool head and don’t let your righteous anger get the best of you. The way that you express yourself may have a direct effect on the next steps, so do your best to approach the situation with a balanced mindset. You don’t have to be defensive to defend yourself.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Stubbornness can prevent you from seeing the right answer. You might have one way that you see the situation, and it’s so important or vivid that anyone else’s input seems unnecessary. Think of it this way — seeing beyond your normal perspective is an impressively tough task. Even making the attempt is worthy of pride! Plus, your history could be preventing you from grasping vital details. There may be more to this story than you have been willing to see, so open your eyes.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Stepping outside of your perspective can offer great clarity. You might feel as though you can’t understand what’s taking place in your life as of late, but this is because you can’t see the part that you’re playing in it. In particular, you may be avoiding taking responsibility for a certain aspect of your life. Don’t downplay seemingly neutral habits that could actually be behind problematic patterns that you’re working to update. Making one significant mental change might make all the difference.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Exhaustion may currently be miring your mind. You might be trying to make the right decisions for yourself, but doing so while worn out could be like herding cats. It can be hard to see the truth when you haven’t been allowing yourself to rest enough, and it’s crucial to avoid rushing into any decisions while you’re in this state. Sleep on it, and then revisit this question when you have a clearer mind. Otherwise, you may make a decision that you’ll end up reversing.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

You might be seeking multiple opinions. Before making a decision on something, you may be seeing how many outside thoughts you can gather and average them, in order to decide what you’re going to do. While this may help you understand the perspectives of your peers and possibly find a better way to approach this matter, remember to think about what YOU feel regarding the topic instead of merely accepting the group consensus. You’re the one who will have to live with this decision.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Competition can lead to others wondering where they stand with you. When you’re competing for a desirable prize, diligence might rapidly devolve into aggression. As you give something your all in pursuit of a win, it may seem foolish to hold back just because you’re friends with a rival. Hold on! It could be beneficial to lighten your approach by making sure to laugh at yourself if you lose and cheer in support when others do well. You can be competitive and a friend.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

You might have your head in the clouds. It can be difficult to avoid escapism — after all, drifting through daydreams and focusing on fantasies is usually a lot more fun than going to work or doing the dishes. Make a point of reconnecting with your life as it’s happening. Even if your daydreams are more like anxiety spirals, you shouldn’t be mentally living in the worst possible future rather than improving your present circumstances. Don’t sabotage yourself by escaping what would help you succeed.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Spending too much time in your head can obfuscate the truth. You might be overthinking your life right now, and because of this, you’re getting stuck on matters that no one else has even noticed. In addition to this, you may be missing big, glaring gaps as your brain hyper-focuses on extremely specific reasons something could be going wrong. Get out of your head and pay attention to what’s going on around you! Making note of your surroundings should help a lot.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

You might be doing something for someone else that they don’t realize. They may be taking your efforts for granted, accidentally or purposefully utilizing your talents without acknowledging how much work you’re actually doing. If you find that they’ve been devaluing your contributions, don’t hesitate to publicize your additions to whatever’s in progress. You deserve to be on equal footing as a team member, rather than lifting them up while they let you trudge through the dirt. Make your influence known.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

It can be hard to stay focused on your current goals. It might feel like your finish lines are so far away that you’re unable to keep your eyes locked on them, leaving day-to-day temptations to snag your gaze and damage your discipline. Don’t get discouraged by small mishaps or missed openings. Inspire yourself by imagining what it would be like to live the reality of your dreams. Almost nothing would be out of your reach if you keep the objective in your thoughts.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Taking risks may not take you where you want to go. You might feel as though time is ticking and you need to make decisions fast to stay afloat, but taking too many risks right now invites an immense risk of losing what you already have. Be honest with yourself about what’s taking place for you, and realize that making fast decisions doesn’t always mean making good decisions. Slow down and read the fine print before you jump in with both feet.

Heintschel throws for 321 yards, two TDs in Pitt’s 34-31 upset of No. 25 FSU

Sat, 10/11/2025 - 13:42

TALLAHASSEE — Mason Heintschel threw for 321 yards and connected with Desmond Reid on a pair of touchdown passes as Pittsburgh defeated No. 25 Florida State 34-31 on Saturday.

A true freshman, Heintschel completed 21 of 29 passes and tossed a pair of second-quarter interceptions. He has surpassed 300 passing yards in both of his starts, building off a rout of Boston College last week with a road upset of the Seminoles.

“He’s a football player and he didn’t lose any faith,” Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi said. “That’s the difference. He fought back and didn’t care [about the interceptions].”

Heintschel’s job was a tough one on the road against a ranked team. But it was made easier with Reid’s return from a lower-body injury.

Reid had not played since a Sept. 13 loss to West Virginia. He admitted that his conditioning was lagging and he “threw up a couple of times” on Pittsburgh’s sideline.

“My mindset was always, ‘I got to play. This is Florida State.’ I took it day by day,” Reid said. “It was a game-time decision. I felt good today.”

A Miami native, Reid had eight catches for 155 yards and 12 carries for 45 yards for Pittsburgh (4-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference).

“He’s just an absolute stud,” Heintschel said.

Tommy Castellanos completed 16 of 23 passes for 245 yards for Florida State, including a pair of touchdowns to Micahi Danzy — 58 yards in the fourth quarter and 33 yards in the second quarter.

But after the Seminoles (3-3, 0-3) went ahead 24-21 on Jake Weinberg’s 34-yard field-goal attempt, Florida State fumbled at midfield and then went three-and-out. Later, while trailing 34-24, came Castellanos’ 58-yarder to Danzy.

The Panthers finished with a pair of field goals and then Ja’Kyrian Turner’s 3-yard touchdown run that capped an eight-play, 75-yard drive with 2:28 left.

Florida State opened with a win over Alabama and then grabbed a pair of payment-game wins over East Texas A&M and Kent State. But since, the Seminoles have lost at Virginia in double overtime, at home to Miami and now to Pittsburgh.

“We had our opportunities,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. “We didn’t do enough to overcome the negative plays.”

Poll implications

Florida State will tumble from the top 25 with its latest loss.

Reid’s return

Reid was a three-star prospect and at 5-foot-8 wasn’t highly valued by many coaches. While he took part in recruiting camps at the in-state schools, they all passed, Reid said.

“All the Florida teams, I went to camps,” Reid said. “That’s why I took this game personally. I showed my face. They didn’t recruit me. I don’t hate them. I took this game very personal.”

Seminoles shorthanded

Florida State played without starting tight end Randy Pittman and receivers Squirrel White and Jayvan Boggs. The Seminoles’ top receiver, Duce Robinson, left the game because of an injury in the second quarter.

The takeaway

Pittsburgh didn’t win the turnover margin but picked up its first road win of the season, with a true freshman at quarterback. And the Panthers received a boost from Reid, who had 200 offensive yards.

Florida State ran for 170 yards but Caziah Holmes’ fourth-quarter fumble near midfield halted a drive and took away some of the Seminoles’ momentum.

Up next

Pittsburgh plays at Syracuse on Saturday. Florida State plays at Stanford on the same day.

Dolphins’ Saturday roster moves could be good sign for center Aaron Brewer

Sat, 10/11/2025 - 13:32

The Miami Dolphins’ roster moves Saturday serve as a positive sign for center Aaron Brewer’s status Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Dolphins elevated outside linebacker Quinton Bell and cornerback Isaiah Johnson from the practice squad to the game-day roster, the team announced Saturday.

Miami did not elevate nor sign an offensive lineman, which has Brewer’s availability trending up as he enters questionable with a pectoral injury.

The Dolphins have eight offensive linemen on the roster, and league rules only allow teams to have 48 players active on game day if they have eight offensive linemen active. If Brewer can’t play, Miami would have to make it through Sunday with 47 players, which is an unlikely concession to make.

Brewer surfaced on the team’s injury report this week due to the ailing chest muscle. He was a limited participant in all three of the practices before facing the Chargers.

If Brewer weren’t to play, Daniel Brunskill likely replaces him as a backup center.

The Dolphins already ruled out linebacker Tyrel Dodson (concussion) and defensive back Elijah Campbell (quadriceps) on Friday.

Along with Brewer, cornerback Storm Duck (ankle) enters Sunday questionable.

The elevation of Johnson gives Miami another cornerback at an already-thin group, where nickel cornerback Cornell Armstrong was placed on injured reserve earlier in the week and then released from IR Friday.

Bell has been a core special teams contributor in the past when he was on the active roster last season. He could help special teams units without Campbell, albeit not at Campbell’s key gunner role on punt coverage.

The Chargers, on Saturday, placed former Dolphins defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand on IR with his groin injury. That could have compensatory pick implications on Miami after losing him in free agency this past offseason.

Los Angeles, with multiple offensive tackles and running backs out, signed tackle Bobby Hart and elevated running back Nyheim Hines and tackle David Sharpe on Saturday.

Offensive struggles continue to haunt UCF as Knights lose third straight

Sat, 10/11/2025 - 12:42

CINCINNATI — From UCFast to UCFrustrating.

Any hopes of UCF finding its offensive groove against Cincinnati quickly went out the window as penalties and missed opportunities sent the Knights to their third straight defeat, a 20-11 loss to the Bearcats on Saturday.

It was the sixth straight Big 12 loss for UCF (3-3, 0-3 Big 12) and the ninth consecutive loss in October for the program. The last win came against then-No. 20 Cincinnati, 25-20 on Oct. 29, 2022.

The Knights lost despite leading the game in total yards (413), total number of plays (90) and time of possession (39:44).

It was the little things that were costly, including a season-high 10 penalties, a failure to succeed on a pair of early 4th downs and converting just 39% (7 of 18) on third downs, producing a recipe for frustration.

“I’m disappointed for the guys and encouraged at the same time and this was my message to them: that the fight was unbelievable today, the effort was unbelievable,” coach Scott Frost said. “They’re one of the better teams in our league, and we can go toe to toe with them, but to get it done, the details have got to be better.”

Cam Fancher started at quarterback in place of Tayven Jackson, who was knocked out of last week’s game against Kansas. It was the second start of the season for Fancher, who also started the opener against Jacksonville State.

On the first possession, Fancher guided the Knights into Cincinnati territory. But on a 4th-and-2 at the Bearcats’ 41, the redshirt senior was stopped short of the marker, turning the ball over to UC.

Four plays later, Brendan Sorsby connected with a wide-open Jeff Caldwell, who was streaking down the left side for a 40-yard touchdown. This marked the first points surrendered by the Knights in the first quarter this season.

Bianchi: Time to drop ‘Central Florida’ so UCF can finally become University of Orlando

UCF looked to be getting something going on its next possession, but a 35-yard completion from Fancher to Duane Thomas Jr. was nullified by an ineligible receiver downfield. That was followed by a false start that backed up the Knights  20 yards.

Fancher found DJ Black down the middle for 19 yards, but Black fumbled and Cincinnati’s Jiquan Sanks recovered. The Bearcats weren’t able to convert on the takeaway.

“It’s definitely frustrating,” Fancher said. “You have drives going and it’s mistakes you make on your side of the ball that we can control: pre-snap penalties and false starts, those types of things. On the positive side, it’s not a talent thing. It’s things within ourselves and within the unit that we just need to clean up.”

UCF’s defense held strong for the most part in the first half, but on a critical 3rd-and-16 deep in Cincinnati territory, cornerback DJ Bell was called for pass interference, giving the Bearcats a fresh set of downs.

UC took advantage, marching down the field before Sorsby found Caldwell in the end zone again for a 9-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 12:12 left in the first half.

“We got to keep working at it,” Frost said. “I’ve got to look at the tape and see, but I thought there were some the other way that we didn’t get. I don’t want to sound critical until I see it.”

The Bearcats added a Stephen Rusnak 32-yard field goal midway through the second quarter to build a 17-0 advantage.

Meanwhile, the Knights struggled to get anything going offensively, with the lone early highlight being a 45-yard field goal by Noe Ruelas late in the first half to cut the lead to 17-3 at the half.

UCF also put together what had all the makings of being its best offensive possession of the game, marching down the field on a 17-play drive that took more than nine minutes off the clock, but failed to convert on a 3rd-and-27 and was forced to punt.

Rusnak added a 24-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter for Cincinnati (5-1, 3-0 Big 12), pushing the advantage to 20-3.

UCF limited the Bearcats to just 109 yards of offense in the second half.

“The two offenses we played the last two weeks are two of the better ones in the Big 12 and we went toe to toe with them,” Frost said of Kansas and Cincinnati. “I told the defense, even at the end of the game — when the game was probably over — they still fought and got off the field. That says a lot about who they are and they need to take the next step now. They’re good now, but we can be great if we eliminate the mistakes.”

“I’m very proud of the defense and how hard they were fighting and especially being down all game,” added linebacker Cole Kozlowski, who had 5 tackles in the game.

UCF saved the best for last, driving 90 yards on a season-high 19 plays as Fancher dove in for a 3-yard touchdown — his first with the Knights. His 2-point conversion pass to Chris Domercant cut the deficit to 20-11 with 2:07 left in the game.

Fancher completed 57% (28 of 49) of his passes for 222 yards while also leading the team with 108 yards rushing. It was his first 100-yard rushing performance since leading Marshall to a 35-21 win over Arkansas State on Nov. 25, 2023.

UCF hosts West Virginia next Saturday at Acrisure Bounce House Stadium, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. (TNT).

Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.

Diane Keaton, who won Oscar for ‘Annie Hall’ and starred in ‘Godfather’ films, dies at 79

Sat, 10/11/2025 - 12:36

Actress Diane Keaton, the prolific and idiosyncratic screen star whose portrayal of Woody Allen’s love interest in 1977’s “Annie Hall” brought her an Oscar for best actress, has died at the age of 79, People reported Saturday.

The publication reported that Keaton died in California, but no details were immediately available on her cause of death, or on the specific time and location.

Show Caption1 of 49Acting teacher Sanford Meisner, right, greets his former student Diane Keaton at a party held in his honor by his students at the Neighborhood Playhouse School in New York City, Tuesday evening, Oct. 8, 1980. Meisner, who became director of the school in 1935, is honored in a celebration of his 75th birthday. (AP Photo) Expand

Keaton was born in Los Angeles in 1946. She was part of the original Broadway cast of “Hair” in 1968, and also earned a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in Allen’s comedy “Play It Again, Sam.”

She first gained the attention of moviegoers with her portrayal of Kay Adams, the wife of Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone in 1972’s epic “The Godfather,” a role she reprised in 1974’s sequel, “The Godfather Part II” and 1990’s “The Godfather Part III.”

The early 1970 also saw her launch a fruitful collaboration with Allen, starring alongside the writer/director in a string of classic comedies beginning with the film adaptation of “Play It Again, Sam” in 1971, and continuing with 1973’s “Sleeper,” 1975’s “Love and Death,” “Annie Hall” and 1979’s “Manhattan.”

Her iconic turn as the title character in “Annie Hall” is perhaps her most indelible screen creation. She played a single WASP woman from the Midwest whose romantic pairing with Allen’s neurotic Jewish character touched on many of the personal and social themes of the 1970s. The distinctive, somewhat androgynous clothing she wore in the film also became a trend.

See also: Diane Keaton on hats, finding her true self, and not acting her age in ‘Mack & Rita’

See also: Diane Keaton: 62 and still counting

Keaton’s other notable roles include 1977’s “Looking for Mr. Goodbar,” in which she played a sexually active single teacher who falls victim to a predator, 1981’s “Reds,” in which she plays real-life revolutionary Louise Bryant opposite Warren Beatty’s John Reed, the 1984 drama “Mrs. Soffel,” 1987’s “Baby Boom,” where she played a single, working woman who inherits a baby, and “Father of the Bride” (1991) and “Father of the Bride Part II” (1995) alongside Steve Martin.

Her co-starring role alongside Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler in 1996’s “The First Wives Club” signaled a new phase of playing older women, which included 2000’s “Hanging Up” with Lisa Kudrow and Meg Ryan, 2003’s well-received romantic comedy “Something’s Gotta Give” with Jack Nicholson, and 2014’s “And So it Goes” with Michael Douglas.

Her more recent films include 2019’s “Poms,” “Book Club” (2018) and “Book Club: The Next Chapter” (2023).

She dated her most high-profile co-stars, seeing Allen, Pacino and Beatty at various times, but remained single for her entire life.

Keaton grew up in Santa Ana and went to Santa Ana High School, Santa Ana College and Orange Coast College.

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She also owned homes in Orange County at various times, including a home overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Laguna Beach and another home in that city.

Keaton was a vegetarian beginning in 1996. Her hobbies included photography, blogging and real estate development, and she worked with the Los Angeles Conservancy to restore historic buildings in the Los Angeles area, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House in the Hollywood Hills.

This is a developing story. Please check back for more.

  
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