Mickey Togs

Nick Saban will once again become the highest-paid coach in college football after the approval of a new contract with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Alabama board of trustees compensation approved a new, eight-year, $93.6 million contract for Saban, 70, which will include an average salary of $11.7 million over the length of the deal.

Saban will make $10.7 million during the 2022 college football season and $12.7 million in 2029, the final year of the reported deal.

The seven-time national champion coach was previously set to be paid $9.9 million in 2022 as part of a three-year extension agreement made ahead of the 2021 season, which was set to run through the 2028 season.

Saban’s previous contract had been surpassed by Georgia head coach Kirby Smart — his longtime former defensive coordinator — who received a new 10-year contract with the Bulldogs, which included a $10.25 million salary in 2022 and an average value of $11.25 million.

It seems clear now, the Yankees will go only as far as Aaron Judge will take them. 

The Yankees avoided a three-game sweep to the Rays, with a 2-1 win to snap a three-game losing streak, as Judge provided most of the offense with a homer and a double in front of a sell-out crowd of 25,025 at Tropicana Field. 

And the Yankees got a break to finish the game. With the Rays having scored a run and the potential winning run on second, Clay Holmes struck out Yandy Diaz looking on a pitch that appeared to be low. 

The Yankees got their lead in the AL East back to five games — and four in the loss column — over Tampa Bay, thanks in part to five shutout innings from Frankie Montas. 

“It does feel bigger,” Aaron Boone said after the Yankees avoided having their lead in the East cut to three games, which it hasn’t been since May 9. 

“With what we’re going through, to get a big, tough win on the road against a team we’re fighting with for the division is huge at this time of year,’’ Boone said.

Edwin Díaz struck out Gavin Lux on a 102 mph fastball to escape a jam in the eighth inning, and the New York Mets beat the major league-best Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3.

Francisco Lindor hit a tying double in the sixth against Chris Martin (4-1) and scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Darin Ruf after the Mets were held to one hit in five innings by Clayton Kershaw, who made his first start since Aug. 4.

NL East-leading New York took two of three from Los Angeles, its first series win against the Dodgers since Sept. 3-5, 2011. LA lost consecutive games for the first time since July 25-26.

Chris Bassitt (12-7) allowed two runs and six hits in six innings for his fifth straight victory, matching his win total from last season with Oakland. He departed after the Mets took a 3-2 lead in the sixth.

New York led 5-2 when Díaz opened the eighth by walking Freddie Freeman and plunking Will Smith. Freeman scored on Justin Turner’s sacrifice fly. Díaz then escaped by whiffing Lux on the hardest pitch of his career.

Adam Ottavino followed with a perfect ninth for his third save.