The Broncos will likely walk away from taking on the Bills. Plus, new college football rankings with three weeks left

This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM newsletter, the ultimate daily guide to sports. You can sign up to receive it in your inbox every weekday morning here.

---

🐎 Good morning to everyone but especially…

RUSSELL WILSON AND THE DENVER BRONCOS

the “old” Russell Wilson — the thing-out of anything that vibrates affects it Broncos hope they were getting it when they got it — they won’t come back completely. But when that Wilson shows up again here or there, it’s still special. Russ threw a pair of touchdown passes and led a game-winning drive to set it up Will Lutz36-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Broncos an absolutely wild 24-22 victory over the Bills.

• Wilson’s first goal was a play of the year candidate grab it Courtland SuttonWilson’s second was also excellent as he somehow managed to get the ball Javonte Williams through connection.
• Wilson made several big plays on the game-winning drive, none more than one that doesn’t show up in his stats. One play after he was sacked on an outside blitz – knocking the Broncos out of field goal range – Wilson faced another blitz and picked one up Jerry Jewto intercede for him Taron Johnson.
• The drama wasn’t over: Lutz missed a 41-yard field goal as time expired, but the Bills had 12 men on the field amid the chaos. Lutz connected from 36 on the retry, the sixth goal away from the field this week.
• Wilson completed 82.8% of his passes (24 for 29)—the fourth-highest mark in franchise history—run for 30 yards and had no turnovers.

Great for Wilson. Great for the Broncos. They’ve blown so many leads and had so many breakouts since Wilson arrived, even if it doesn’t change the long-term outlook for the franchise and its quarterback — who knows the is it a springboard or an outlier? — it sure feels good.

👍 Honorable mentions

🦬 And it’s not a good morning for…

THE BUFFALO BILLS

We are 10 weeks into the regular season. Teams are what they are. And really, The Bills are a mistake-ridden team, weakened by injuries. At 5-5, Buffalo is an outsider looking into the playoff picture more than halfway through a season it entered with Super Bowl aspirations.

There were four changes in the Bills: a James Cook fumble, two Josh Allen interceptions – one that went through Davis gave‘ hands, another one that was entirely Allen’s fault – and a barrier between Allen and Cook.

And yet… the Bills still had a chance. Allen ran in a touchdown to give Buffalo an unassailable lead. But then the defense – ruined without All-Pros Tre’Davious White and Matt Milano, and down other key partners — we just couldn’t keep up. Then there was the ridiculous 12-man penalty to cap off what happened to the Bills.

Errors, errors, errors.

Here’s the thing, though: The Bills have been able to recover from mistakes in the past. Allen leads the NFL in turnovers by a wide margin from 2019, but only the Leaders have a better record since then. Allen’s Superman abilities have been unleashed and he almost did it again on Monday.

The difference this year? The defense is not that good. The offense is less explosive. At the same time, the mistakes become mountains, not just speed bumps. And you get the 2023 Buffalo Bills, a .500 team that can’t get out of its own way and is quickly heading toward a losing season.

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 college football rankings: Who’s on top with three weeks left?

Michigan there was no effect at the highest level. This past weekend, he got one. Ohio State they haven’t had a top 60-minute performance in a while. This past weekend, he got one. Georgia? Well Georgia just wins and wins and wins: 27 in a row.

But that’s No. 1 in Dennis Dodd’s latest College Football Power Rankings?

• Dodd: “1. Georgia – The Bulldogs are making it a November to remember. Georgia has beaten the only two ranked teams played at exactly the right time (Missouri and Ole Miss in consecutive weeks). On Saturday, Georgia averaged 4.91 more yards per play than Ole Miss. (10.01-5.10).”

The Bulldogs’ place at the top is still secure, but there is movement behind it. Here are the top eight:

1. Georgia (previously: 1)
2. Michigan (3)
3. Ohio State (2)
4. Florida State (4)
5. Washington (5)
6. Oregon (6)
7. Texas (7)
8. Alabama (8)

So, the Wolverines and Buckeyes switch spots are the only change there. But Michigan He wasn’t so lucky in CBS Sports 133our expert ranking of every FBS team.

1. Georgia (2)
2. Michigan (1)
3. Ohio State (3)
4. Florida State (4)
5. Washington (5)
6. Oregon (6)
7. Texas (7)
8. Alabama (8)

Here are the full 133.

The top eight are similar, and it is fair to say that these are the eight teams that are still fighting for the four College football playing fields that will be decided in three weeks’ time. There is plenty of madness to come. Four of the top eight teams – Ohio State at Michigan and Georgia vs. Alabama in the SEC Championship Game – are sure to meet before the end of the season, and a Washington-Oregon rematch in the Pac-12 Championship Game could be locked in as soon as this weekend. It may already be mid-November, but we’re just getting started.

🏆 Gunnar Henderson, Corbin Carroll win Rookie of the Year awards

The Orioles and the Black diamond arguably the best feeling teams in basketball this year. Now, their brightest young stars are receiving individual awards for their contributions. Gunnar Henderson and Corbin Carroll won the AL and NL Rookie of the Year awards, respectively, in unanimous fashion.

It is the first time since 2017 and only the fifth time ever that both awards were unanimousand the names preceding both of these are very interesting.

• 1987: Mark McGwire (AL), Benito Santiago (NL)
• 1993: Tim Salmon (AL), Mike Piazza (NL)
• 1997: Nomar Garciaparra (AL), Scott Rolen (NL)
• 2017: Aaron Judge (AL), Cody Bellinger (NL)

Henderson is Baltimore’s first Rookie of the Year since then Gregg Olson in 1989, capturing the AL’s longest Rookie of the Year streak. The 2019 second-round pick led all rookies in home runs and strikeouts, finishing fifth among AL players in WAR. He also won the AL Silver Slugger for utility players. As Mike Axisa notes, Henderson will likely get some MVP votes as well, is a testament to his excellence as a whole, not just among the rookies. The Guardians‘ Tanner Bibee he was a distance runner.

Over in the NL, Carroll is the first Diamondback to win the award after becoming a major player the first rookie in MLB history to post a 25-home run, 50-steal season. A first round pick in 2019, Carroll was a threat on the base paths, hit all over the line and played all over the outfield. He was a big part of Arizona’s incredible run from the last team to the NL playoff field to win the pennant. The Mets‘ Kodai Senga was in second place.

The Manager of the Year will be announced tonight.

🏀 Champions Classic Preview: Four star-studded teams

Zion Williamson in 2018. Tyrese Maxey in 2019. Ochai Agbaji and Paolo Banchero in 2021. Jalen Wilson in 2022. The Champions Classic has given us plenty of breakout performances, and tonight we could be in for more. Number 9 Duke taking No. 18 Michigan State (preview here) before No. 1 Kansas faces No. 19 Kentucky (preview here) in an exciting doubleheader at the United Center in Chicago.

This one is a little different from previous reports, though: Duke (to Arizona) and Michigan State (to James Madison) have already lost this year, and we’re certainly not used to seeing two teams lose in November; that will be true for one, though. Kansas is the top ranked team in the country, and Kentucky has very low expectations compared to most years.

What doesn’t change, however, is that these teams are loaded with future NBA picks. This event has features seven players from Kyle Boone’s top 30 Big Board for the 2024 draft.

• 1. Justin Edwards, Kentucky
• 7. Tyrese Proctor, Duke
• 11. Kyle Filipowski, Duke
• 12. DJ Wagner, Kentucky
• 16. Elmarko Jackson, Kansas
• 21. Aaron Bradshaw, Kentucky
• 28. Mark Mitchell, Duke

As you can see below, it’s a packed night in college circles in Chicago and beyond.

📺 What we watch on Tuesday

🏀 No. 9 Duke vs. No. 18 Michigan State7 pm on ESPN
🏈 Toledo at Bowling Green7pm on ESPN2
🏀 Spurs at Thunder7:30pm on TNT
🏀 4 Marquette at No. 23 Illinois8pm on FS1
🏀 No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 19 Kentucky9:30pm on ESPN
🏀 Clippers at Nuggets10 pm on TNT
🏀 Iowa at No. 8 Creighton10pm on FS1