Halloween always turns into something more than just trick-or-treating for the kids when it falls on a Saturday and the Huskers are going to try and turn the Monsters Ball into a Memorial Stadium party complete with a black and red look on the field. There will also no doubt be a stadium full of fans of all ages oiled up for the occasion and whats sure to be some interesting looks of the their own up in the stands.And with great night games comes great responsibility for pump-up videos.The Husker marketing crew did not disappoint:Darkness Returns. pic.twitter.com/bjhTQRzOIj Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) August 15, 2026I think most are in agreement that last years atmosphere was electric, even if things turned dark in a bad way in the second half during the 21-17 loss to Southern Cal. So the Husker Athletic Dept teamwill be trying to re-create the magic, and hopefully the second effort ends with a win on the field against the Washington Huskies, who return to memorial Stadium for the first time since 2011.People tend to only remember the 56-21 dismantling of the Huskies in 2010 in which the Huskers rolled up 533 of offense with three 100-yard rushers led by Taylor Martinez. It was followed by another bowl rematch where the offense sputtered behind an extremely hobbled Martinez and lost 17-9.However, in Game 2 of the home-and-home, the Huskers took the rubber match shootout 51-38 behind another big day on the ground with 309 yards led Rex Burkhead and Martinez.When the two resume hostilities on Mischief Night, the Huskers will be sporting the dapper outfits pictured above (these can be viewed in greater detail in the video).The theme for the night is OUR RED BURNS BRIGHTER and it had best be burning bright indeed on October 31st as there is probably no night better themed for the Huskers to not only rise from the dead in 2026 in general, but perhaps specifically as well in this game as they will be facing the Huskies after tilts in consecutive weeks against Indiana at home and Oregon in Eugene. There is blessedly a bye week following the Ducks.Halloween has historically been kind to the Huskers as they sport a 17-2 record in games on All Hallows Eve. The 1992 52-7 rout of Colorado comes to mind immediately and older fans may remember as well the stunning 25-21 upset of Oklahoma in 1959. Of course the 20-16 heartbreaker vs. Texas was also a Halloween tilt, but screw the Longhorns from now until the end of time, anyway.If last season was any indication, the production crew will have plenty to see and the fans will be out of their minds. If the team can do its part, we will have a hell of night on our hands come October 31st.(For the fashion-minded of you who want all the details, heres the Athletic Dept. full description of the design)A black base provides the backdrop for metallic red accents inspired by the glow of flames, fireworks and the vibrant red that shines throughout Memorial Stadium on game day. The metallic red finishes evoke the brilliance of the stadiums nighttime entertainment, calling to mind images of synchronized light shows, as well as the fire tower flames in the end zone and red fireworks shining above the North Stadium scoreboard.The bottom of the back panel of the jersey features a custom perforated Block N, a nod to the drone shows that have quickly become a signature moment heading into the fourth quarter. Inside the collar, A Winning Tradition lining serves as a tribute to the Huskers who have helped Nebraska win over 81 percent of its night games inside one of the cathedrals of college football, complemented by the traditional Block N on the back collar.The jersey will be paired with a black helmet that features the debut of the iconic Huskers script in metallic red. The helmet features an A Winning Tradition emblem on the back, echoing the lining inside the jersey collar. On top of the helmet, the metallic red stripe features the crop row pattern, which serves as a homage to the states agricultural heritage.

Clever pregame fun or warning flares for how things are going for head coach David Korn? | Credit: Marquette University#1 Hey, this is gonna turn around, right?2023, the final year with Louis Bennett in charge of Marquette mens soccer: 7-6-3 overall, 1-5-2 Big East play. 31 goals for, 20 goals against, with a 11 to 14 mark in Big East action. 14.7 shots per game for, 10.5 shots per game against.2024, Year One for new head coach David Korn: 6-7-4, 2-4-2 Big East play, and just 5-7-4 when you throw out a 1-0 win over Edgewood. 21 goals for, 21 goals against, with a 9 to 14 mark in Big East action. 11.0 shots per game for, 11.6 against.2025, Year Two: 7-7-2 overall, 1-7-0 Big East play, and just 6-7-2 when you throw out a 2-0 win over Edgewood. 25 goals for, 21 goals against but a 5 to 11 mark in eight league matches. 15.4 shots per game for, 9.7 shots per game against.David Korns overall record of 13-14-4 is useless to talk about because Marquette is 10-3-2 in non-conference action 8-3-2 against Division 1 competition and a very not good 3-11-2 in Big East competition. If we wanted to watch Marquette putter around the .500 mark for the full season and trail towards the back of the Big East standings, we could have just let Louis Bennett keep going. Instead, former athletic director Bill Scholl struck a deal to get Bennett to walk away, and David Korn has yet to show that he can do something different in terms of results.In other words:#2 But whats the actual issue?In Year #1, David Korns Golden Eagles were 4-3-1 going into their first Big East contest, and that included a pair of losses to two ranked Big Ten teams. Last year, Marquette was 3-0-2 going into their first Big East match of the season. Clearly, we can say that Marquette was having success against their non-conference schedule and then things fell apart after that in both seasons. That bears out when you scroll back up for a second and remember that two of Marquettes three non-conference losses were to ranked opponents, and all three of them came in Year #1. Whatever hes doing tactically, whether thats game plan or player deployment or whatever, it works. to a degree. When Marquette gets into Big East play, things go sideways kind of quickly and MU cant get anything accomplished. What is it about [gestures broadly] that works against teams lower than Marquette on the pecking order, but not so much when its the teams higher up the scale? Is it an actual tactical problem? Is Korns preferred method of playing a non-starter against Big East teams? Is it injuries? Are Korns plans falling apart because by the time he gets a month into the season hes not playing with the same set of guys he was expecting to have on the field? Is he trying to set a system and stick to it no matter what, regardless of the actual abilities of the guys available to him? Is Korn trying to run an operation where he doesnt have the players that fit it or at least cant execute it at a level to make it function? How close is he? Is it just a few players away? Are the 15 new guys on the roster this fall the answer to the problems that weve seen the past couple of seasons? After all, at some point, this roster is entirely guys that Korn recruited to Marquette, and if were getting further away from something that could be measured as a success, thats not a good sign for long term development of the program.#3 How much longer is this kind of thing going to be allowed to continue?In a different time, Louis Bennett didnt win seven games in a season until his fifth year in charge of Marquette. It was incremental growth for a long time, literally going from one win to two to three to four in the first four years.The difference is that Bennett was hired to start coaching the Golden Eagles in the fall of 2006. In the spring of 2006, Marquette mens basketball finished their first season in the Big East and returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since Dwyane Wade was pulling on a blue and gold uniform. So thats two things at work. 1) Marquettes primary athletic attraction was running at a rapidly improving level, which catches everyones attention and draws it away from anything that might be considered a problem. 2) Louis Bennett came over from Milwaukee after a run where he won at least 11 matches in nine of his 10 seasons and finished with a record of 135-64-17. It was reasonable to say hey, the guy can coach, lets let him figure it out while our mens basketball attendance is going through the roof because of success in a big time league. Eventually it worked, and Bennett had several very successful years and a bunch of well, thats fine, honestly years.David Korn went 98-38-26 in Division 2 before taking this job. Wed be lying if we said that there was a reason to doubt his ability to coach winning soccer. He has a history of doing it, same as was the case with Bennett.But its not working after two seasons at Marquette, and on top of that, Marquettes money situation is all messed up. Between 1) revenue sharing with the basketball team, 2) price hikes on season tickets causing some people to drop their tickets, and 3) the worst mens basketball season in decades probably causing even more people to drop their tickets, Korn isnt scuffling along in the same situation that Bennett was scuffling along 20 years ago. Obviously the administrations attention should be focused on getting both basketball teams back into the NCAA tournament and keeping the volleyball team operating as The Best Team On Campus. But at some point, multiple things not going well is going to cause questions to be asked about how the administration is managing the entire athletic department and, well, its probably in David Korns best interest to not be in charge of something thats not going well when that spotlight gets turned on, right?Follow Anonymous Eagle on social mediaFacebook:AnonymousEagleInstagram:AnonymousEagleSBNBluesky:AnonymousEagle

Sebastien Pocognoli won the title in Belgium before a spell with Monaco [Getty Images]Former Monaco head coach Sebastien Pocognoli has been identified by the Scottish FA as their prime candidate to replace Steve Clarke.The 39-year-old Belgian, who left Monaco at the end of last season, previously led Union Saint-Gilloise to a first league title in 90 years in 2024-25.Pocognoli is one of several candidates to have been spoken to by Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell and Craig Mulholland, who was appointed as the association's chief football officer in May.And it is thought an appointment could be imminent, with Scotland returning to action in the Nations League with a four-game block of fixtures, starting in Slovenia on 26 September.Pocognoli spent time in England during his playing career, turning out for West Bromwich Albion and Brighton & Hove Albion, and earned 13 caps for Belgium.He would become just the second foreign boss of the Scotland men's team, after German Berti Vogts.Clarke - who had signed a new four-year deal in May - resigned following the group-stage exit at the World Cup, ending his seven-year tenure.Steven Naismith, who served as one of his assistant, said last month he expects to continue in the national team set-up under a new boss.

Barcelona put key midfielder on individual program to recover best version from 2024/25 seasonEarlier today, FC Barcelona posted an image of star midfielder Pedri on social media with the 23-year-old resuming on-pitch training at the Ciutat Esportiva.Pedri is following a specific training program during his first few days of pre-season, the caption read. It was perhaps to reassure fans who had not seen any images of him since last Wednesday, when the final World Cup winners joined training.The Blaugrana also posted a video of the midfielder already working on the pitch at the Ciutat Esportiva to allay any fears of their midfield maestro dealing with any fitness issues.Starting at 100%For Pedri, as for manager Hansi Flick Flick, starting the season at full fitness is essential. According to AS, the objective is to recover the Canary Islanders best version, which he reached during the 2024/25 season when he emerged as a Ballon dOr candidate.Last season, he suffered several physical problems that, among other things, prevented him from reaching the World Cup at 100%. His commitment to Bara sometimes even pushed him beyond his physical limits. Flick himself admitted that they had taken risks with him by playing him for 90 minutes in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal against Atletico Madrid.As such, the 23-year-old Spaniard knows that he needs to take another step physically.Working on a specialised individual training plan. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)A program designed by KugelThat is why he has put himself in the hands of Benjamin Kugel, the new first-team fitness coach at Bara, who has designed a training program to help him return to full physical condition. Flick and Pedri are aware that the season is long and that the ideal scenario is to reach peak fitness in the spring, when the major trophies are decided.And that iss what Pedri is working toward, starting with an individual training program after returning from the World Cup break, instead of jumping right into group training like the rest of his Spain teammates. The Canary Islander also have another source of motivation with the imminent arrival of his Spain teammate Rodri from Manchester City. With the national-team captain alongside Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Dani Olmo, and the prodigious Marc Bernal, Bara could boast one of the worlds best midfield units, and an entirely Spanish one.

The New England Patriots have taken a hit to their guard depth with Ben Brown and Andrew Rupcich going down with injuries in Thursday's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. When speaking with media members on Saturday morning, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said that Brown is expected to miss multiple weeks. It's a tough blow for the interior offensive line considering Brown's ability to swing between both guard positions and center as needed. As a result, the Patriots signed offensive linemen Darrian Dalcourt and Joe Michalski, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. The team is still top-heavy at the guard position with Alijah Vera-Tucker at left guard and Mike Onwenu on the right side. However, Vera-Tucker has a long injury history, and although Onwenu has managed to stay healthy throughout his career, there are no guarantees that will remain the case in 2026. Things could get dicey if injuries hit the starting lineup. The Patriots have seemingly prepared for a potential catastrophe by working rookie offensive tackle Caleb Lomu and veteran James Hudson out at guard in training camp. Follow Patriots Wire onTwitterandFacebook.This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots veteran OL expected to miss multiple weeks with injury

When two quarterbacks are competing for one job, it's often perceived that the player getting the first crack as to any of the various checkpoints has the edge.And so it's fair to wonder whether the decision to give Deshaun Watson the start in Cleveland's preseason opener, with Shedeur Sanders getting the start in Week 2, means that Watson has the edge.There's another way to analyze this development. The preseason opener is a road game. For Week 2, the Browns are at home.Watson remains unpopular among many, if not most, Browns fans. If his preseason start had happened before a pro-Browns crowd, there may have been plenty of anti-Watson voices making themselves heard.By getting his preseason start in Chicago, Watson will be able to operate without any such noise.But it also raises the stakes for Deshaun. If he's not crisp and clean and clearly better than Shedeur, Sanders will walk out of the tunnel to a loud ovation for the Week 2 game against the Bills, with maximum support from the fans. And it could fuel Shedeur's effort to finally seize the job.The overriding problem for the Browns is that neither guy has run away with the competition. On Saturday, Watson gets a chance to make his case without having Browns fans on his case. If he doesn't, the stage will be set for Shedeur to deliver the kind of performance that will make him the Week 1 starter.Of course, winning the starting job to start the season (whether it's Watson or Sanders) may also include securing the reality of being the first guy to be benched, if the 2026 season doesn't get off to a good start.And with the first four games against the Jaguars, Buccaneers, Panthers, and Steelers, the mini-bye after the Thursday night home game against Pittsburgh could open the window for a change from QB1 to QB2.

Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland Browns will open their three-game preseason slate Saturday afternoon on the road against the Chicago Bears. The Bears are coming off a breakout season that saw them make a decent playoff run, while the Browns are in search of their quarterback of the future.Sanders and veteran Deshaun Watson have been battling throughout training camp, with both players going back and forth on who appears to be ahead. Head coach Todd Monken announced on Wednesday that Sanders won't start against the Bears but will see the field for most of the second half.Even if Sanders is not starting, there is a lot for Sanders and Colorado football fans to look at, especially how the two quarterbacks look back-to-back. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the game.How to watch Shedeur Sanders in the Browns' preseason openerDate:Aug. 15Time:Noon CT/11 a.m. MTLocation:Chicago, Illinois (Soldier Field)What channel is the Browns vs. Bears preseason gameNational TV channelNFL NetworkLocal TV channelsChicago market: FOX 32 WFLDCleveland market: ABC 5 WEWSWatch Shedeur Sanders vs. Bears on Fubo (free trial)Shedeur Sanders' preseason scheduleBrowns at Bears (Aug. 15)Bills vs. Browns (Aug. 22)Patriots vs. Browns (Aug. 27)Follow Charlie StrellaonX,ThreadsandInstagram.Contact/Follow us@BuffaloesWireon X (formerly Twitter) and like our page onFacebookfor ongoing coverage ofColoradonews, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Where to watch Shedeur Sanders vs. Bears in Browns preseason opener

The college football season is only a couple of weeks away from Week Zero kickoff. Soon, the quest for the College Football Playoff will begin, as 12 teams will look to return to the tournament. Indiana will also look to defend its title.The SEC has several teams favored to make a serious run at the College Football Playoff. Georgia and Texas lead that conversation, but teams like Ole Miss could also be primed for a deep playoff run. LSU also hired Lane Kiffin with the expectation that he can turn the Tigers into immediate contenders.The SEC will be one of the biggest conferences to watch during the 2026 season. The SEC and Big Ten could take up a significant portion of the College Football Playoff field. Will Georgia defend its SEC title as the future of conference championships may be coming to a close? Will teams like Texas and Ole Miss finally challenge Georgia for the conference crown and make a run at the College Football Playoff?MORE: Breaking down the top 50 players in college football ahead of 2026We went week by week and game by game through the SEC schedule and predicted the outcome of each matchup. Here are our final predictions for the 2026 SEC season:Nov 1, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian leads his team on to the field before a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)2026 SEC CFB Full Standings Predictions:RankTeamSEC RecordOverallWin %1Texas8-110-2.8332Georgia8-111-1.9173Ole Miss7-210-2.8334Alabama7-210-2.8335Florida6-39-3.7506Texas A&M6-39-3.7507Tennessee6-39-3.7508Auburn5-48-4.6679Oklahoma5-48-4.66710LSU4-57-5.58311Kentucky3-65-7.41712South Carolina3-66-6.50013Mississippi State2-75-7.41714Missouri1-84-8.33315Vanderbilt1-84-8.33316Arkansas0-92-10.167SEC Championship: Georgia vs TexasIn the SEC Championship Texas defeats Georgia 26-23.Will this be the last conference championship as the College Football Playoffs look to expand again?Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter

Palace complete deal for Anan KhalailiCrystal Palace have completed the signing of Israel international Anan Khalaili from Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise on a long-term contract until 2031.The 21-year-old, who can operate as either a winger or full-back, reportedly joins the Eagles for a fee of around 21 million. He becomes the fifth addition to Palaces squad during the summer transfer window.Khalaili began his career with Maccabi Haifa, making 52 appearances and scoring 15 goals before moving to Union SG in 2024. He quickly became part of a successful side that ended a 90-year wait for the Belgian Pro League title.The youngster also helped the club lift the Belgian Cup and gained valuable European experience, scoring three times in the Champions League last season.With 16 senior international appearances already to his name, Khalaili arrives at Selhurst Park with significant potential. He will now provide additional attacking and defensive versatility as Palace prepare for their Europa League campaign under manager Pierre Sage.

Journalist: Liverpool favourites to sign world-class forwardBradley Barcola to Liverpool, why PSGs transfer activity could change everythingLiverpools pursuit of Bradley Barcola has dragged on long enough to invite doubt, noise and the usual transfer-window nonsense. Strip that away and the position looks fairly clear. Liverpool want the player, the player wants Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain may finally be approaching the point where keeping him becomes less important than cashing in at the right price.That is the crux of the latest update, with credit to Ben Jacobs on GiveMeSports Market Madness podcast. The key line remains unchanged: Liverpool feel theyve got that Barcola buy-in, so the only way someone else is going to beat Liverpool in Liverpools eyes, at least, and I stress thats Liverpools sources perspective, is if they get completely outbid and then back away.That matters because it frames this as a deal Liverpool believe they can still control. Arsenal may admire Barcola, and plenty of elite clubs will keep an eye on any forward of this level, but admiration is cheap. Convincing the player is harder, and by all accounts Liverpool think they have done that part already.PSG transfer plans alter Bradley Barcola equationThe real development is not on Merseyside, it is in Paris. PSG are reshaping their attacking options, and once clubs start stockpiling players in the same area of the pitch, priorities change. As Jacobs explained, And now, what is the domino or three dominoes really is Maghnes Akliouche coming in from Monaco, Ferran Torres coming in from Barcelona, plus the fact that Mika Godts is expected to join from Ajax. Thats three attack-minded players, and suddenly PSG have more urgency to sell Barcola. So Liverpool have been playing a waiting game in order to see whether that 170 million euro price drops. Now PSG are about to add two more editions on top of Akliouche.That is where this starts to look less like wishful thinking and more like sensible timing. Liverpool were never likely to sprint into a 170 million, 145m, agreement unless they had no alternative. They have already spent heavily in recent windows, and no serious club keeps throwing 100m-plus fees around without calculating the consequences. Waiting for market pressure to build on PSG was logical.Now the question becomes straightforward. How much urgency do PSG really have, and how much of that 145m valuation is posturing? Selling clubs always begin high, especially when the buying club is Liverpool and the target is a young, high-end winger with elite upside. That does not mean the final figure has to stay there.Barcola price remains biggest issue for LiverpoolThere is no point pretending the fee is trivial. 145m is huge money for any winger, however talented. PSG would argue the market supports it, and in a window where top attacking players are being valued at absurd levels, they are entitled to test that argument. Liverpool, though, do not need to prove they are wealthy. They need to prove they are disciplined.If this deal happens, it will happen because the number comes down to something painful but manageable, not because Liverpool suddenly lose all negotiating sense. That is what makes the current moment important. The more PSG add in attack, the harder it becomes to maintain a premium built on reluctance to sell.So yes, Liverpool have been handed a boost. Not because the chase is over, and not because PSG have rolled over. It is a boost because the circumstances are moving in Liverpools favour. In transfers, that is often the part that matters most.Our ViewFrom a Liverpool supporters perspective, this is exactly the sort of report that keeps hope alive in the final stretch of a transfer window. Barcola feels like a proper Liverpool signing, a player with top-level quality, elite athleticism and the kind of directness that can lift the whole attack. If Iraola wants a winger who can change games quickly, this is the profile to chase.The encouraging part is that the player appears keen on Anfield. That always matters. Liverpool have done well over the years when they target players who genuinely want the move, because it gives the club leverage and usually keeps the process from becoming a circus. If Barcola is prioritising Liverpool, then there is every reason to stay patient.The concern, obviously, is the price. Supporters will accept major spending for a major talent, but no one wants to see Liverpool overpay by 20m or 30m simply because the clock is ticking. If PSG are bringing in more forwards, then Liverpool should keep pressing for a better number.Still, if this deal can be struck at something below the headline valuation, it would feel like a statement. Barcola could give Liverpool a fresh edge, raise the ceiling of the front line and bring real excitement back before the season gets underway. That is why fans will be watching this one closely right until the end.