University of Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello has emerged as a front-runner for the San Francisco Giants’ managerial job, and a resolution on a potential deal is expected in the next 24 to 72 hours, sources told ESPN on Saturday, confirming multiple reports.

Should the sides agree on a contract, Vitello would become the first manager in major league history to jump directly from a college program to the big leagues without experience in a professional organization.

Vitello, 47, led Tennessee to a College World Series title in 2024 and is regarded as one of the best coaches in college baseball. He would replace Bob Melvin, who was fired Sept. 29 after an 81-81 season, the Giants’ fourth consecutive season without a playoff berth.

San Francisco president of baseball operations Buster Posey has considered several managerial candidates, among them former Giants catcher Nick Hundley and a pair of other former big league catchers, Kurt Suzuki and Vance Wilson. The Giants have instead trained their interest on Vitello, who has distinguished himself as one of the preeminent recruiters and talent developers in the country during a two-decade career as an assistant and head coach in college.

The buyout on his deal at Tennessee is $3 million, the same as his annual salary, sources said.

The move from college to professional baseball is rare, though not unprecedented. Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy spent 25 years coaching in college before joining the San Diego Padres, with whom he managed in the minor leagues. Murphy then spent eight years as the Brewers’ bench coach before taking over as manager in 2024, when he was named National League Manager of the Year.

Vitello’s transition to the major leagues would come at a far more rapid pace. He would inherit a Giants team competing in a loaded National League West, with the division-winning Los Angeles Dodgers clinching a World Series berth Friday night. San Francisco returns a core of first baseman Rafael Devers, shortstop Willy Adames and third baseman Matt Chapman, and is expected to be active in free agency this winter, sources said.

After more than 10 years as an assistant coach at Missouri, TCU and Arkansas, Vitello took over a moribund Tennessee program before the 2018 season and posted a 341-131 record, advancing to the College World Series in 2021, 2023 and 2024. With a pair of eventual first-round picks and four second-rounders, Tennessee beat Texas A&M to win the school’s first baseball national championship in 2024.

Vitello, whose boisterous personality endeared him at Tennessee and chafed other SEC schools, would enter a different realm in MLB. Whereas college jobs are often defined by the success of recruiting classes, major league teams are constructed by baseball operations departments, with the manager relied upon for clubhouse cohesion, in-game decision-making, bullpen usage and daily media interactions.

The reluctance of MLB teams to dip into the college ranks for managers is long established and has run counter to the hiring practices of other professional sports leagues. NFL teams have regularly plucked head coaches from the college ranks, and in the NBA, there is no stigma associated with college coaches. The closest facsimile to Vitello’s hiring was in 2019, when pitching coach Wes Johnson left the University of Arkansas to take the same role with the Minnesota Twins. Johnson left the Twins in 2022 to accept the pitching coach job at LSU before joining Georgia as its head coach a year later.

Vitello’s philosophies on the game and personality intrigued Posey and aligned with what the future Hall of Famer hopes to build in San Francisco, sources said. In an interview with ESPN in June, Vitello said his reputation as a rabble-rouser did not bother him and that he had no plans to change his approach to coaching, which called for boundary-pushing.

“I think you don’t know where the line is until you cross it. And then you make an adjustment,” Vitello said. “I don’t want our guys, if they give them a coloring book, I don’t want them just coloring inside the lines. You know, come up with something different.”

Week 8 had everything imaginable in a slate of college football.

There were acrobatic catches, Heisman poses, left-handed completions, successful fake punts and, of course, trolling. Louisville coach Jeff Brohm strengthened his résumé as an underdog, Minnesota‘s conservative punt paid off and California‘s mascot delivered a blow to Bill Belichick and North Carolina.

With the busy schedule, we handed out several nontraditional superlatives for Week 8.

Scariest coach to face while in the AP top 5?: Jeff Brohm

Louisville entered Hard Rock Stadium unranked and with a seven-game losing streak against AP top-5 opponents as undefeated Miami awaited. The No. 2-seeded Hurricanes were double-digit favorites; however, history and the betting market didn’t account for Cardinals coach Jeff Brohm.

Brohm has found unlikely success as an underdog. Before Friday, he had secured three victories as an unranked opponent against an AP top-5 foe. He improved that mark to four after Louisville stunned Miami 24-21. Brohm is 4-4 when facing a top-5 team, with this marking his first such victory with the Cardinals.

Louisville’s schedule doesn’t currently include a similar matchup. But if it all lines up again, Brohm will be back in his element.

Best display of the Heisman pose: Diego Pavia

Vanderbilt defeated LSU at home in a statement win for the program — and Diego Pavia’s Heisman case. Pavia threw for 160 yards and a score, and he added two rushing touchdowns. He’s the second Vanderbilt quarterback over the past 20 seasons with multiple rushing touchdowns against an AP top-10 opponent.

The senior quarterback has 1,409 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions this season. It’s never too early for Pavia to make a push for the Heisman — he entered the game with 150-1 odds to win the award, per ESPN BET — and he made the most of it Saturday.

After scoring a rushing touchdown in the third quarter, Pavia struck the pose.

Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia hit the Heisman and paid homage to Johnny Manziel 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ukQZ67VIDs

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 18, 2025

Best use of their nondominant hand: Dylan Raiola

Minnesota‘s defense stifled Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola, sacking the sophomore nine times Friday, the Golden Gophers’ most in a game since 1977. Pressured throughout the game, Raiola had to think creatively to get the ball out at times.

He displayed perfect execution on second-and-6 early in the second quarter. While running a bootleg play-action pass, Golden Gophers linebacker Maverick Baranowski rushed Raiola as he began moving to his right. Raiola then stopped, avoided the sack, moved the ball to his nondominant left hand and delivered a strike to tight end Luke Lindenmeyer for 18 yards.

⬅️➡️⬆️⬇️pic.twitter.com/bEzp1MYwGz

— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) October 18, 2025

Least likely to go all-in during a card game: Minnesota

In an era of fourth-down aggressiveness, spearheaded by analytics, Minnesota went back to simpler times against Nebraska.

The Golden Gophers held a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter after forcing a three-and-out. They received the ball at their 38-yard line, gained nearly 10 yards then punted on fourth-and-inches from the 47. (Don’t tell Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell.)

The conservative play call proved to be correct. Minnesota upset Nebraska 24-6.

Every catch matters in a game, and it doesn’t matter how it’s completed. Just ask Tulane wide receiver Shazz Preston and Duke wide receiver Jake Taylor.

Tulane was on the brink of defeat until Jake Retzlaff fired a pass toward Preston. An Army defender deflected the ball, sending it to the end zone, where Preston juggled it then secured the go-ahead touchdown catch.

OFF THE BOBBLE FOR THE SCORE 😱 pic.twitter.com/jQ9IWroAf3

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 18, 2025

With the Blue Devils facing a third-and-3 late in the second half against No. 12 Georgia Tech, quarterback Darian Mensah fired a strike toward Taylor.

The ball bounced off Taylor’s hands and helmet in front of him, prompting the wide receiver to tip the ball in the air with his right hand toward the sideline. The ball flew over Georgia Tech defensive back Jon Mitchell as Taylor dove to make the 4-yard grab.

Tipped it to himself for the catch 😱 pic.twitter.com/eGjfQBZuHi

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 18, 2025

Fake punt of the week: Indiana State

When playing one of the best teams in the FCS, all tricks are on the board — including fake punts.

Indiana State hosted undefeated North Dakota State and made a statement early. Facing a fourth-and-2 deep in their territory, the Sycamores brought out the punting unit. But they didn’t plan to kick.

Punter Harry Traum ran the ball for 18 yards, shifting momentum toward Indiana State. The risk paid dividends as the Sycamores scored a touchdown to end the drive. North Dakota State won 38-7.

There goes that man!

Harry Traum tucks the punt and takes it 18 yards for the first down near midfield.#MarchOn | #LeaveNoDoubt pic.twitter.com/khChvA6Ibn

— Indiana State Football (@IndStFB) October 18, 2025

Safest job security in America: Cal’s mascot

North Carolina‘s opponents have found ways to troll the program and Bill Belichick this season. California took it to another level during its 21-18 win Friday, and utilized its mascot, Oski the bear.

The Tar Heels seemed headed toward a late lead as they set up in the red zone. Quarterback Gio Lopez found Nathan Leacock for 12 yards, but when Leacock went to cross the goal line for a score, Cal defensive back Brent Austin punched the ball out to gain possession.

The Golden Bears immediately trolled, posting a “statement” from Oski on the jumbotron that read: “I am fully committed to Cal athletics and the program we are building here. Why do you ask?” Below it was a statement from Cal executives that read: “Oski has our full support. No, really, we mean it. Why else would we make this statement?”

The mock quotes were a reference to an Oct. 8 story, in which Belichick put out a statement that he was “fully committed to UNC Football and the program we’re building here.” UNC athletics director added that Belichick has the administration’s “full support.”

Harry Kane scored his 400th club goal of his career as Bayern Munich dealt Borussia Dortmund their first Bundesliga loss of the season by winning Der Klassiker 2-1 on Saturday.

Kane scored in the 22nd minute with a header to Joshua Kimmich’s corner. It was his 22nd goal for club and country this season and stretched his scoring streak in the Bundesliga to five games that have yielded nine goals.

The 32-year-old now has 104 goals in 107 matches with Bayern Munich since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2023. Kane netted 280 times for boyhood club Spurs, while his other club goals came during early career loan spells at Millwall (nine), Leyton Orient (five) and Leicester City (two).

– Kane is tearing up the Bundesliga. What’s next for England’s No. 9?

He also has 76 goals for England, after scoring twice against Latvia on Tuesday to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Those goals extended his scoring streak for club and country to a career-best nine games.

Kane’s latest goal Saturday came despite playing in a deeper role behind striker Nicolas Jackson, on loan from Chelsea.

“Probably six, eight and 10,” Kane joked with ESPN when asked what position he played against Dortmund. “But I enjoy it, I enjoy a different side of my game.

“I know everyone’s used to me being up top and scoring goals but I feel like I can contribute a lot more and today was a prime example. I still managed to obviously get on the scoresheet, which was nice, but ultimately it was more about defending, about tackles, about picking up second balls and then playing the passes in behind, which worked pretty well.”

Kane launched the first good chance, while defending. He eluded two Dortmund forwards, and sent the ball forward. Michael Olise drew a save from Gregor Kobel, who then secured Luis Díaz’s effort from the rebound.

Olise grazed the left post with another shot. The only complaint Bayern could have at the break was that it was leading only 1-0.

Dortmund improved significantly after the interval when Felix Nmecha went close, Serhou Guirassy fired over, and Karim Adeyemi failed to capitalize on a rare Kimmich mistake.

It mattered little, as Olise sealed the win by sliding in to cut out substitute Jobe Bellingham’s attempted goal-line clearance in the 79th. That move started with a brilliant cross-field ball from Kane for Díaz.

Substitute Julian Brandt scored seconds after his introduction but Kane defended as Bayern held on for their 11th consecutive win across all competitions to deliver a statement to their closest rival after six rounds.

“It was a good performance,” Kane added. “I feel like after the international break, the first game back is never easy, a lot of players getting back late Wednesday, late Thursday and you’re playing against a good side.

“For about 50, 60 minutes I thought we dominated, we controlled the game. The first half we probably should have been two- or three-nil up but you give these types of teams a chance and it’s difficult.

“[We’ve] done well to get the second goal and to concede straight away was annoying but overall we can be really pleased.”

Information from The Associated Press and ESPN Research was used in this report.