ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — The preseason is over for the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs. Time to face some real competition. Georgia carries a 19-game winning streak into its first Southeastern Conference game, hosting South Carolina in a contest that should be more challenging than the first two weeks.

Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin is confident his Rebels won’t have issues getting ready for a team they handled so easily last season. That’s partly because No. 17 Ole Miss (2-0) has so many newcomers who weren’t around for that 42-0 win over Georgia Tech (1-1), which visits Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the first time on Saturday night.

Georgia Southern will try to beat a Big Ten team for the second straight season when it visits Wisconsin on Saturday. The Eagles' 45-42 victory at Nebraska last year came one day before the Cornhuskers fired coach Scott Frost. Wisconsin will be attempting to bounce back from a 31-22 loss at Washington State that knocked the Badgers out of the Top 25. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell hasn't lost back-to-back games since his debut season at Cincinnati in 2017.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves clinched their sixth straight NL East title, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 on Wednesday night behind Spencer Strider's major league-leading 17th win and Austin Riley’s two-run homer. Kirby Yates struck out Brandon Marsh to end the game and the players danced in a mob near the mound as Phillies fans booed them off the field.

The mighty Southeastern Conference, which has claimed 13 of the last 17 national championships, including four straight, looks far more vulnerable than anyone expected and the slow start could be important when teams are competing for playoff spots. The SEC's 1-4 record against Atlantic Coast Conference teams ranks as perhaps the biggest surprise of the young season.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Matt Olson could have picked any number of milestones that stood out as his favorite in a season where his 51 homers matched the best in Braves' history. Olson even considered Atlanta's 281 total homers — a number stretched when the Braves hit three more against the Phillies — the most in a season for any team in National League history.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Matt Olson has tied the Braves' single-season home run record with 51, matching Andruw Jones' mark with a solo shot against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night. Olson hit the first pitch he saw from starter Zack Wheeler in the fourth inning into the left-field seats.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Brandon Marsh homered, Jake Cave hit a two-run triple and the Philadelphia Phillies spoiled Matt Olson’s 50th homer and salvaged a doubleheader split with a 7-5 win over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night. Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuña Jr. went deep for the Braves in a 10-8, 10-inning win in the opener. Harris also homered in the nightcap.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kevin Pillar and Orlando Arcia each had run-scoring hits in the 10th inning to move the Atlanta Braves closer to an NL East title with a 10-8 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday in the first game of a doubleheader.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia safety Javon Bullard did not practice Monday after injuring his left ankle in a weekend victory over Ball State. Coach Kirby Smart said he's not sure if Bullard will be able to play when the top-ranked Bulldogs (2-0) host South Carolina State in their Southeastern Conference opener on Saturday.

ATLANTA (AP) — Arthur Smith wanted to relish his first winning record in his three seasons as the Atlanta Falcons' coach. In his news conference following Sunday's 24-10 season-opening win over the Carolina Panthers, Smith wasn't interested in a question which began by noting that his quarterback, Desmond Ridder, had more catches than his No. 1 wide receiver, Drake London.

So much about Nick Saban's 17 seasons at Alabama represents unprecedented success in college football football that even the slightest dip in performance is notable. For any other program, permanent residence in the top 10 of The Associated College football poll going on nine consecutive seasons would be celebrated. For the Crimson Tide, it's a sign of slippage.

NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic emerged from an exhilarating and exhausting U.S. Open final with a 24th Grand Slam title on Sunday night, using every ounce of his energy and some serve-and-volley guile to get past Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a match that was more closely contested than the straight-set score indicated.

ATLANTA (AP) — Having become the first team to clinch a playoff berth, the Atlanta Braves looked ahead toward larger aims. “I wanted to congratulate the guys, but our No. 1 goal coming out of spring training is to win the division,” manager Brian Snitker said after the Braves rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on Sunday.

ATLANTA (AP) — The No. 8 pick stole the spotlight from the top choice in the NFL draft. Bijan Robinson caught a touchdown pass in his debut and set up another score with a long run, giving the Atlanta rookie immediate bragging rights over Carolina's Bryce Young as the Falcons opened with season with a 24-10 victory over the Panthers on Sunday.

ATLANTA (AP) — Safety Jessie Bates led a cast of new veteran starters on the Atlanta Falcons' defense that was dominant against Carolina rookie quarterback Bryce Young, especially in the second half. “Honestly, it was my day. I felt good,” Bates said after the Falcons' season-opening 24-10 win over the Panthers on Sunday.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Stetson Bennett has moved on. No problem for No. 1 Georgia. The Bulldogs have a new walk-on star. Mekhi Mews sparked Georgia with a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown and the Bulldogs, taking advantage of three interceptions, blew away Ball State 45-3 on Saturday.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Luke Sprague completed 79% of his pass attempts and threw for two touchdowns and Jouvensly Bazil ran for two scores and Bethune-Cookman beat Savannah State 31-6 on Saturday.

ATLANTA (AP) — Andruw Jones, who won 10 Gold Gloves in a career that began with 12 seasons in Atlanta, became the 11th Braves player or manager to have his number retired on Saturday night.

ATLANTA (AP) — Haynes King passed for 290 yards and four touchdowns, Jamal Haynes ran for 113 yards and one score and Georgia Tech bounced back from a season-opening loss to beat South Carolina State 48-13 on Saturday.

STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Davis Brin threw for 318 yards and two touchdowns and Georgia Southern beat UAB 49-35 on Saturday.

ROME, Ga., — Shorter University answered Erskine College's opening drive score with 28 unanswered points to win their home opener, 28-7. The game at Rome's Barron Stadium was delayed by 2 hours …

Serbia has a chance for its biggest win in 21 years. Canada is seeking its first medal at a major global tournament in 87 years. Germany is one win away from its biggest basketball accomplishment, ever.

Virginia will play its first home football game in 10 months on Saturday and the Cavaliers hope it is the high point of a long, emotional journey that started in a horrific way.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — There will be no gold medal for the U.S. at this World Cup. And for the second consecutive time in FIBA’s biggest tournament, there might not be any medal at all for the Americans. Instead, it’s Germany on the cusp of a world title. Andreas Obst scored 24 points, Franz Wagner added 22 and Germany shredded the U.S. defense for much of the way in its first win over the Americans — 113-111 in the World Cup semifinals on Friday night.