Major League Baseballs most expensive collection of offensive firepower can cover plenty of mistakes. But even Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and company cant keep digging out of seven-run holes. That should terrify the Dodgers more than another September loss.MORE:Nationals rookie duo makes MLB history Tuesday nightThirteen runs wasnt just one bad nightJul 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Eric Lauer (33) pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesLos Angeles lost 13-8 to St. Louis Tuesday, its fifth loss in seven games, after allowing five home runs. Starter Eric Lauer surrendered seven earned runs in only three innings, and three of the five hits allowed by Dodgers relievers also left the ballpark.Look at what St. Louis did when Ramn Uras and Thomas Saggese went back-to-backThats the problem in one clip.This Dodgers lineup actually scored eight runs. Mookie Betts drove in four. Will Smith returned after nearly three months away and drove in two more. The offense fought.None of it mattered because the pitching staff had already turned the game into batting practice.MORE:Jacob Misiorowski makes MLB history, becomes first pitcher in 41 years to accomplish featOctober doesnt let you hide from bad outingsMar 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) looks on while walking to the dugout after the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesLos Angeles can still roll out Yoshinobu Yamamoto and newly acquired Tarik Skubal. That gives them two starters capable of completely controlling postseason games.But playoff series expose whatever comes after your studs.What happens when somebody has to make the fourth start? What happens when a starter exits in the fourth inning? What happens when the bullpen has to get 14 outs against Philadelphia, Milwaukee or Atlanta?Thats where my confidence drops. Falls off the table, actually.Entering Wednesday, the Dodgers are 82-56. They remain loaded. Nobody should pretend theyre suddenly a bad baseball team because St. Louis punched them in the mouth one night.But championship favorites are judged differently. Theyre judged against the other monsters lurking in October.And right now, Los Angeles has enough offense to win another World Series. Im considerably less convinced it has enough pitching to survive the trip there.Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter

Sep. 3If you're a frequent reader of the South Dakota Gridiron Report (first of all, thank you), you know we're always keeping an eye on the postseason and the pursuit of a state championship.Every game matters to the teams and players but the pursuit of the playoffs and state title games make the season fun, as well.Now, it's only two weeks into the season for the smallest schools, but we're already taking a look at how teams are lining up. And in that light, we're debuting something we're calling the South Dakota Gridiron Report Pound-for-Pound Title Outlook. That's where we consider how would we rank the teams across classes in their pursuit for a state championshipOur outlook doesn't just consider which team is the best, but also what kind of competition is lined up so far in the class and what teams are in the way? So a team at top of a class where they're a clear No. 1 title threat is going to rank better than a class that might be considered more wide open with a number of title contenders. The only parameter was we created two separate lists: one for 11-man teams and another for nine-man.Consider this a "just for fun" exercise but one that was good for looking at the top teams in a new light.Top 10 threats for a 11-man state title right now:1. Pierre (11AA)2. SF Christian (11A)3. SF Jefferson (11AAA)4. Brandon Valley (11AAA)5. St. Thomas More (11B)6. Elk Point-Jefferson (11B)7. Yankton (11AA)8. O'Gorman (11AAA)9. Lincoln (11AAA)10. Lennox (11A)Outlook: O'Gorman has played its way on this list thanks to a nice victory over Sioux Falls Lincoln, a team that was most people's preseason No. 1 in Class 11AAA. That was the opinion of the Gridiron Report, as well, but Chace Hermanson and the Knights beat the Patriots at their own game, winning a shootout and vaulting themselves into the state championship conversation. At least that's the very early view after one week, and much more will be learned this week with O'Gorman at Brandon Valley on Saturday. Jefferson and Brandon Valley seem like close competitors so far in Class 11AAA, so they get bunched together, and Jefferson brings back a solid core from last season to start this campaign. It's also far too early but bump Lincoln off this list, giving 11AAA four teams on this early top-10.Class 11AA has the largest favorite of any class with Pierre expected to be the team to beat in its division. Considering the Governors have a loaded and veteran-laden roster, powered by 26 seniors, and experienced leadership with coach Steve Steele, Pierre looks quite strong this season. The No. 2 team in Class 11AA is probably Yankton and the Bucks and Govs will be on the gridiron on Friday night, so we'll see what the gap looks like with the head-to-head matchup.We saw last week in Class 11A what the top of the division looks like when Sioux Falls Christian and Lennox got on the field in Week 1, and the Chargers topped the Orioles much like they did in the Dome last season for the title. Time will tell if another 11A team moves into contender status. The same can be said for Class 11B, where St. Thomas More and Elk Point-Jefferson lead the contenders in the division but neither is an overwhelming favorite over the other at this point.Top 10 threats for a nine-man state title right now:1. Parkston (9AA)2. Dell Rapids St. Mary (9B)3. Freeman (9A)4. Wall (9B)5. Castlewood (9A)6. Howard (9A)7. Bon Homme (9AA)8. Platte-Geddes (9AA)9. Warner (9B)10. Sully Buttes (9A)Outlook: In the nine-man ranks, Parkston combines both the experience of playing in the Dome and has risen above the other contenders in Class 9AA so far in order to put themselves in the lead position. Certainly, Dell Rapids St. Mary, Freeman and Wall are full of state championship game experience, but they also find themselves in divisions where there's already a long list of challengers lining up. How exactly to split those teams up this early in the season isn't clear, so we didn't.Castlewood is probably the group of fastest risers so far after strong wins over Hamlin and Howard, victories that will get any South Dakota high school football follower's attention any year. Howard has the track record that would indicate it's not prudent to write them off this early in the season.Warner and Sully Buttes are stalwart programs that have started the season nicely with 2-0 records, particularly the Chargers' win over Kimball/White Lake to earn a spot on this list.Lynx go to Omaha metro for a win: In the first game between South Dakota and Nebraska schools in a renewed series for Class 11AAA teams, Brandon Valley earned a hard-fought win over Bellevue West, 10-7. By all measures, it seemed to be a matchup between two evenly matched teams and the Lynx earned a victory that may prove valuable later in the season.Tea Area tops visiting Tigers: In the first of what will likely be many proving ground games in Class 11AA, Tea Area knocked off Huron 35-32 on Friday. Both teams are ones that have question marks but are expected to be in the top half of the division this year. Tea Area rushed for 305 yards and Huron threw for 319 yards, giving a good preview of what might be ahead for both teams this season. Huron rallied from a 21-point deficit but never quite overcame the Titans, who picked up a key early season victory.Quarriers dig out a close victory: Dell Rapids and Madison has been a fruitful Class 11A rivalry over the years and Dell Rapids eked out a 15-14 win over the Bulldogs in the season opener. That included a comeback from 14-0 down for Dell Rapids and a game-winning two-point run by Jace Brende with 3 minutes left. Time will tell how these teams build up throughout the season but expect this win to age well.Have these games on your radar this week.Pierre at Yankton: As mentioned above, these are the top-two ranked teams in the South Dakota Prep Media poll, and it's a rematch of last season's Class 11AA title game. Pierre went nuts for 56 points in that victory, and Yankton will need to find a way to slow down Jerran Deal and Porter Hunsley and the Govs at home to have a chance to earn the win.Estelline/Hendricks at Castlewood: Two teams that not many people have been thinking about in nine-man football in recent years but the Warriors have two strong victories in the opening weeks of the season with a road win at Hamlin and a home victory over Howard. Now they return home to host a Redhawks team that is also 2-0. Estelline/Hendricks has finished each of the last four seasons at 4-5 on the year, but here's a chance to make a statement early in the year.Freeman at Howard: Freeman plays its third consecutive away game to start the season when they visit Howard on Friday night, and the Flyers have been blistering so far on both sides of the ball, scoring in all three phases in their win last week over Chester and convincingly defeating Alcester-Hudson in the opening game. Howard comes off the tough loss at Castlewood and get everyone's attention back with a strong performance at home against Freeman. The Tigers have a good track record of bouncing back from tough early season losses, and they'll try to replicate that again.

To say Tennessee football fans are eager for the 2026 season to start is an understatement.The No. 18 Vols open the season against Furman (1-0) at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 5 (3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+), but fans on social media are chomping at the bit for kickoff against the Paladins. When Furman posted a countdown to game day graphic, a very common post for teams ahead of matchups, Tennessee fans flooded the comments."See you soon, Knoxville," the post on X said with a purple devil emoji, and the graphic had a photo of Furman safety AK Burrell holding his finger over his lips to shush a hypothetical crowd. The post also included Furman's signature hashtag "#FUAllTheTime" as a play on Furman University's abbreviation being FU. The hashtag is used across Furman's official accounts, but some fans seemed to take exception to it.See you soon, Knoxville. #EliteIsTheStandard | #FUAllTheTimepic.twitter.com/nKGQMcXHnN Furman Football (@PaladinFootball) September 2, 2026The post from Sept. 2 had 123 replies and more than 75,000 views on X by the next morning. Tennessee is a 48.5-point favorite in the matchup. Nonetheless, Vols fans spent their evening making sure Furman knew it was going to lose and trash-talking an official team account that didn't reply.Cora Hallis the University of Tennessee womens athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X:@corahalll;Bluesky:@corahall.bsky.social.Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribeThis article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football fans troll Furman social media post, comments on fire

Aaron Boone is no stranger to getting fired up with MLB umpires, but his latest ejection came at a particularly frustrating moment for the Yankees. New York had already done the hard work of taking control of Wednesday nights game against the Angels, only for Boone to find himself watching from the clubhouse after a disputed check-swing call.The Yankees ultimately held on for a 6-3 victory in 10 innings, but Boone clearly wasnt willing to let the call go without making his feelings known.MORE:Nationals rookie duo makes MLB history Tuesday nightBoone ejected over controversial check swingJul 24, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) calls for a pitching change during the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)The incident happened in the bottom of the 10th inning with Angels infielder Vaughn Grissom at the plate against Yankees reliever Michael Fulmer.Grissom appeared to check his swing on a 1-2 pitch, and first-base umpire Junior Valentine ruled that he did not go around. From the available replay, however, it certainly looked like Grissoms bat traveled far enough to warrant a swing.That was enough to send Boone out of the Yankees dugout.Boone argued the call with Valentine and was eventually ejected. Pitching coach Matt Blake was also tossed shortly afterward.It was Boones fifth ejection of the season.And considering the circumstances, its easy to understand why Boone was furious.MORE:Jacob Misiorowski makes MLB history, becomes first pitcher in 41 years to accomplish featReplay gives Boone reason to be upsetCheck-swing calls are among the most difficult calls for umpires to make in real time, but this one looked especially questionable when viewed from the side.The replay appears to show Grissoms bat getting well beyond the point where many would consider the swing complete. Had the call been changed, it would have resulted in a strikeout and the first out of the 10th inning.Instead, the at-bat continued.Boones reaction may have been aggressive, but the Yankees manager had a legitimate argument. This wasnt simply a case of Boone disagreeing with a borderline strike-zone decision. There was a strong visual argument that the Angels hitter went around.Fortunately for Boone and the Yankees, it didnt end up costing them.New York scored five runs in the top of the 10th to take a 6-1 lead before the Angels mounted a late rally. The Yankees ultimately escaped with a 6-3 victory.Still, Boone will probably look at the replay and feel even more justified in his decision to come out of the dugout.Sometimes, getting ejected is worth it.Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter

Shams Charania: Just in: Houston Rockets' Amen Thompson has agreed to a five-year, $208 million rookie-scale contract extension with the franchise, sources tell ESPN. The new deal includes a 10% trade kicker.x.comMore on Amen Thompson: Recent HoopsHype RumorsClutchFans: Rockets GM Rafael Stone NBA Summer League interview: - Really likes rookie Bruce Thornton - the unique build, physicality, shotmaking and ability to take care of the ball. Test will be if he can translate that to the next level. - Very excited about Marcus Smart's versatility. "Feels like a Rocket so I'm glad we could finally make it happen." He says he's happy with him defending any position, including at center. - Loves the defensive switchability options the Rockets now have with Smart, Jabari, Tari and Amen. - Wants to take the minutes load off of Kevin Durant this season. - Says Reed Sheppard has "put on a ton of good weight, a bunch of muscle." 7/10/2026 x.comRival teams that have contacted the Rockets recently have been informed that 23-year-old Amen Thompson is the only near untouchable on the roster, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Houston isn't actively shopping its All-Stars or other key members, sources said, but is merely expressing more of a willingness to listen than at previous junctures. 6/22/2026 Yahoo! SportsCoty M. Davis: #Rockets Amen Thompson at LCA tonight for Ausar. #Pistons 5/5/2026 x.comAs fondly as they still regarded Harden, there was a wariness about how he would affect the development of Sengun, Sheppard and Thompson. "We're not really looking for a heliocentric player, as great as James still is," one team source said. "We want to develop Reed, we want to develop Amen and we want the ball in Alpy's hands." As another said, "We weren't going to put the ball in [Harden's] hands, so why would you trade for James if you're not going to give him the ball?" 5/4/2026 ESPNVarun Shankar: Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka both say this team should have won more games. Stone called the season frustrating. Didn't say firmly if team would make big moves but said even if HOU doesn't, expects growth from young players (mentioned Tari Eason, Jabari Smith, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard) to lead to addnl success. 5/4/2026 TwitterBringing back Eason could potentially put the Rockets in a position to have five players on next years salary cap making north of $20 million and eight earning at least $10 million annually. That doesnt even include the lucrative extension young star Amen Thompson is expected to sign this summer, potentially a five-year deal worth more than $250 million. Ownership has shown a willingness to shell out the money to construct a competitive roster, but Stone will have to be strategic in how he puts all the pieces together. 5/2/2026 New York TimesThe Rockets will also meet with Thompson in hopes of agreeing to an extension, team sources said. (The 23-year-old is eligible to sign a five-year, $252 million max extension, according to the CBA and salary-cap analysts.) VanVleet has a $25 million player option for the 2026-27 season, but the Rockets, who are confident the veteran guard wishes to remain in Houston, will speak with him about either picking up the option or declining it for a longer deal, sources said. 5/2/2026 Yahoo! SportsRockets Clips: "Alp gave us a motivational speech this morning, and we took that and ran with it." 4/27/2026 x.comWill Guillory: Alperen engn said it was a different experience giving a speech in front of the team this morning, knowing English isn't his first language. He said Amen Thompson came to him after and said the speech really motivated him going into Game 4. engn: "Did I mess up any words?" Amen: "You did once, but I was still motivated." 4/27/2026 x.comVarun Shankar: Amen Thompson on how he processed the end of Game 3: "We had it. We gave it away, but can't even think about it anymore. ... we can't focus on it."Amen on what Durant's mood has been like: "I'm not going to lie, I don't know. I think it's been good." 4/26/2026 x.comThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Amen Thompson agrees to five-year, $208 million extension with RocketsOur editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.

The UAB Blazers visit the Illinois Fighting Illini on Thursday, September 3, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. CT from Gies Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL), Champaign, IL. Illinois opens its 2026 season at home Thursday night against UAB. The Blazers finished 4-8 in 2025, 12th in the AAC, while the Fighting Illini went 9-4 in Big Ten play. Illinois is a 27.5-point favorite, with the total set at 54.5. Below, we'll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game. How to Watch UAB vs. Illinois Players to Watch Burton's numbers from a year ago do not scream breakout, but the moment does. In a loss to UConn, he went 21 for 30 for 209 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, the kind of outing that got offensive coordinator Alex Mortensen promoted to head coach once Trent Dilfer was let go. Mortensen's Blazers went on to upset then-No. 22 Memphis, and Burton's growth is central to whether UAB can build on that momentum instead of returning to the years Dilfer never solved. Illinois brings a Big Ten defense that will hit differently than anything UAB saw in the American Conference, and how Burton responds to that jump says more about this UAB team than anything from a year ago. Illinois returns to the Big Ten gauntlet with a new quarterback, and Houser arrives with real starting experience elsewhere in the conference's shadow. He threw for 3,300 yards with 19 touchdowns and six interceptions a year ago at East Carolina after playing through a wrist injury the season before at the same program. Coach Bret Bielema's schedule includes games at Ohio State, Oregon and at Iowa, so an opener against UAB is exactly the low-pressure setting Houser needs to find his footing before the calendar gets difficult. If he plays the way he did last season, Illinois has one more proven piece heading into a brutal middle stretch. UAB vs. Illinois Odds Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.

The Cincinnati Bengals have missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons, but superstar quarterback Joe Burrow is convinced that drought will end this year. "I just want to win this year. I just want to win. The rest will take care of itself. I think we'll break a bunch of records eventually, but I think we're going to have a really good team that has a chance to win every game that we step foot on the field for. I don't know about you, but I could really feel it in my bones and my soul in OTAs this year different from years past," Burrow said as a guest on the first episode of "Chasing No. 1," which the quarterback's star wide receiver, Ja'Marr Chase, is a co-host of. "We brought in a lot of the right guys, a lot of the right people with the right mindsets to go and chase this goal of winning a Super Bowl and winning as many games as we can and being the best possible team that we can. I felt it from our D-line. I felt it from our defense. Our offense has the same guys as years past. ... These veteran guys that we brought in on defense to be able to help our younger guys [are going to make a difference]." Burrow's 2025 campaign was sidetracked by suffering a turf toe injury in Week 2, which kept him off the field for nine games. Cincinnati went 5-3 in the games Burrow started and 1-8 in the games he missed. It marked the third season of Burrow's six-year career where injures hindered his availability, as a torn ACL cut short the quarterback's 2020 rookie season after 10 games and a wrist injury ended his 2023 campaign after 10 games. Preceding Cincinnati's 6-11 season was a 9-8 campaign in 2024 that saw the Bengals open the year 4-8 and another 9-8 season in 2023. Of course, Cincinnati reached the Super Bowl in Burrow's second season under center (2021) and reached the AFC Championship Game again in 2022. Across the eight games Burrow appeared in last season (2025), the three-time Pro Bowler totaled 1,809 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns, five interceptions and a 100.7 passer rating, while completing 66.8% of his passes. The year prior (2024), Burrow threw for an NFL-high 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns. As for their offseason, the Bengals acquired star defensive tackle and three-time Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants for the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and subsequently signed him to a one-year, $28 million extension. As for their earliest draft selection, the Bengals took Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Cashius Howell with the No. 41 pick. While Cincinnati lost defensive end and four-time Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson in free agency, it added defensive end Boye Mafe (three-year, $60 million deal), safety Bryan Cook (three-year, $40.3 million deal) and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (two-year, $25 million deal), among others. Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who started six games in place of Burrow and appeared in nine games altogether for the Bengals in 2025 after coming over in a midseason trade from the Cleveland Browns, was re-signed on a one-year deal. Burrow and the Bengals open their 2026 regular season at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 13 (1 p.m. ET on FOX/FOX One).

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA - SEPTEMBER 6: Isaiah Mozee #22 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers runs from Elijah Reed #11 of the Akron Zips and Malcom DeWalt IV #17 during the second half at Memorial Stadium on September 6, 2025 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesFrank Solich will be making another appearance in Memorial Stadium when he takes midfield pre-game as the honorary coin-tosser before the only two schools at which he head-coached go at it on a steamy Saturday morning to kick off another season of Nebraska Cornhuskers football.But he can march right back out that gate as far as Im concerned.Coach Frank is coming in as a neutral observer for this one and, of course, who can blame him for exactly the reason above?Well, brother, this is the home of Huskers football and Im not looking for someone straddling the line if you ask me. Give me Bud Crawford, Tommie Frazier, Alex Gordon, Sam Hoiberg or Tom Osborne, dammit. Okay, fine, I got excited. We dont need that kind of firepower for Ohio. But let Frank flip a coin for Illinois or something where he will be 100% behind the Big Red, dammit.I kid, of course.Having Solich come out and shake the hands of the current captains of his former teams before tossing the coin is the perfect way to involve him in this game, and, of course, he has to be involved. Hes going to feel some pride at midfield around 11am and he should. The sold-out crowd will appreciate him too and well hear it.All that being said, Nebraska better go out and take care of business. As Mike Jaixen told us is his Ohio Opponent Preview a few weeks ago, Ohio is in the midst of rebuilding this season. But theyre also rebuilding after a 4-year run of 9+-win seasons, so theres still plenty of players who dont exactly know how to quit. The coaches and players of DONU have been trying to warn everyone of that this week and Ill write about it tomorrow.But before kickoff, lets show Coach Solich our appreciation.And our gratitude it wasnt someone coming out for a coin toss who followed up the Nebraska years at a dung-hole like Texas or Iowa.Theres limits to this stuff. Now on to the HT Watch:HOW TO WATCHTime:11:00am CSTLocation:Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NESurface:Hellas Turf (Blessed by the Bobfather himself in Husker Valhalla)Wagering Info:Huskers -2312. O/U 4612. Moneyline Nebraska +105, Ohio +1420 (FanDuel)Series Record: Saturdays game marks the first matchup ever between the two schools.TV:The game can be viewed on FS1.Play-by-Play: Eric Collins.Analyst: Spencer Tillman.Sidelines: none listed. It is also streaming on the Fox Sports app.Radio: The audio can be streamed live for free atHuskers.comor the Huskers App. The crew will be:Play-by-Play: Kyle Crooks.Analysis: Jay Moore.Sidelines: Jessica Coody.Pre/Post-Game: Matt Coatney, Jessica Coody, Ben McLaughlin & Jeremiah Sirles.Weather:As is often the case in late August-early September games, it will be a steamer. Dress cool, use sunblock and drink plenty of water. it will be mostly sunny with temps around 87 at kickoff and rising to 92 or 93 by games end. The winds wont help much and are expected to be around 6-7mph out of the SSE.HUSKERS HAPPY HOURHey, did you know we have Corn Nation podcasts every Monday, Tuesday & Thursday? Mine is every Tuesday night at 8pm CST and is called the Huskers Happy Houralthough it often goes over an hour. You can watch on Corn Nations You Tube Live Channel or Corn Nation Facebook or Twitter/X. An article a couple hours before the show will post with a link.Next Tuesdays show will be the first of the season and well hopefully be discussing our 1-0 start.The watchers and listeners are encouraged to chime into the comments as they are happily a big part of the show. Pour your own cold one or spiked coffee, we dont judge and hop aboards!FACTS & FIGURESNebraska has finished with a 7-6 record each of the last two seasons. The Huskers have posted consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the 2008-2014 seasons. Coincidentally, this was Bo Pelinis tenure.The Huskers have ranked in the top 30 nationally in total defense each of the last three years. Nebraska is one of 10 teams to claim that distinction along with: Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State.Frank Solich spent the entirety of his head coaching career at Nebraska (1998-2003) and Ohio (2005-20), winning 173 games (115 at Ohio and 58 at Nebraska).Matt Rhule has matched or improved his previous seasons win total every year of his college coaching career. Temple went from two wins in his first season to six wins in his second season and 10 wins in both his third and fourth seasons. Baylor went from one win in Rhules first season to seven wins in year two and 11 wins in year three. Rhule led Nebraska to a five-win season in 2023 and a seven-win campaign in 2024 and 2025.Offensively, Nebraska set school records for team and individual completion percentage. The Huskers ranked 11th nationally in completion percentage in 2025.NU set a school record for the fewest turnovers (11) in a season. The Huskers had the ninth-fewest turnovers of any FBS team in 2025.The Huskers scored 373 points in 2025, the programs highest-scoring season since 2015.

Amy Hunt will continue her busy summer as the only athlete running both the womens 100m and 200m at the Diamond League Final in Brussels this weekend.The young British sprint star who won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games five weeks ago, claimed a record four gold medals at the European Athletics Championships shortly after and has since competed in Diamond League events in Zurich and Lausanne as well as a meeting in Brescia will face two stacked fields at the King Baudouin Stadium, with Olympic silver medallist ShaCarri Richardson, World Championship silver medallist Tina Clayton and Commonwealth games champion Zoe Hobbs headlining the 100m field, and two-time Olympic medallist Julien Alfred the favourite in the 200m. There are global superstars littered throughout the events as the season-long Diamond League reaches its conclusion, with unbeatable pole vault icon Mondo Duplantis finally having a legitimate rival in the form of Emmanouil Karalis, making for a fascinating Friday night showdown, while Audrey Werro vs the ever-improving Femke Broeders-Bol will be a blockbuster 800m match-up in the penultimate race of the meeting on Saturday evening.Recent world-record breakers Alison Dos Santos (mens 400m hurdles) and Masai Russell (womens 100m hurdles) will both be in action once more, while the likes of Georgia Hunter Bell in the womens 1500m, Matthew Hudson-Smith in the mens 400m and Ben Pattison in the mens 800m provide further British interest.Heres everything you need to know about the event:When is the Diamond League Final?The Diamond League Final will take place over two nights on Friday 4 September and Saturday 5 September at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium.Amy Hunt has become the queen of British sprinting and will look to makes waves at the Diamond League final (Reuters)How can I watch it?The BBC has the United Kingdom television rights to every Diamond League meeting, with live coverage of the first night of the Diamond League Final available on BBC Three from 7pm BST on Friday 4 September and the second night of action available on BBC Two from 7pm BST on Saturday 5 September. Both nights will also be shown on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.Diamond League Final schedule (all times BST)Friday 4 September17:30 - Womens shot put17:38 - Mens long jump17:49 - Womens discus throw18:59 - Mens pole vault19:04 - Womens 400m hurdles19:09 - Mens high jump19:14 - Mens 100m19:23 - Womens 3000m steeplechase19:37 - Mens discus throw19:42 - Mens 800m19:48 - Womens triple jump19:55 - Mens 110m hurdles20:03 - Womens 5000m20:26 - Mens 1500m20:41 - Womens 200m20:52 - Mens 400mSaturday 5 September17:08 - Womens javelin throw17:28 - Mens shot put18:23 - Mens triple jump18:58 - Womens pole vault19:04 - Womens 400m19:10 - Womens high jump19:14 - Womens 100m19:22 - Mens 5000m19:40 - Mens javelin throw19:44 - Mens 200m19:48 - Womens long jump19:55 - Womens 1500m20:10 - Womens 110m hurdles20:20 - Mens 300m steeplechase20:39 - Womens 800m20:52 - Mens 400m hurdlesFull live results can be found here

PEORIA A teenaged rider has died from injuries suffered in a crash during a heat race on the card of the 79th Caterpillar Peoria TT national championship races in Peoria in late August, according to a statementWednesday night by American Flat Track, the sports national sanctioning body.The motorcycle races were Saturday, Aug. 22, at Peoria Motorcycle Race Club, and were part of a national tour operated by AFT under the American Motorcycle Association.Bayne Nantz, a 15-year-old riding a KTM 450 SX-F for Nantz Brothers Racing and competing as an amateur, crashed in a heat race for the AFT ProSport 450 main event as part of the Peoria TT racing card.Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins and Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood in a statement Thursday morning said they are investigating a "fatal racing accident that occurred during the Peoria Motorcycle Club TT races on Aug. 22, 2026."Nantz was in a collision involving three riders, and the sheriff's report says he was transported to OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center for treatment. He eventually died, at 10:31 p.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 1.Earlier on race day, Nantz had finished second in one of the two qualifying sessions for the 450 to gain the heat race, a triumphant moment that had a large number of friends and family celebrating him from the hillside at Thunder Valley.Terrible irony followed in that the 450 race had just recently been formally named the Dan Bromley Memorial AFT ProSport 450 race, in honor of a rider who was killed in a heat race crash earlier this summer.Nantz was removed from the track by ambulance and hospitalized in Peoria, where he fought for his life in a prolonged battle. His family confirmed his death in a social media post that appeared about 9 p.m. on Wednesday.His family wrote in part: Bayne has been fighting for his life in the (Peoria) OSF Childrens Hospital, after extensive injuries sustained in the crash, cared for by some of the most amazing group of nurses. I hope you know how special you all are. A broken hip and pelvis, lacerated bladder, a dislocated elbow and shoulder, bruised lung and heart, and many scrapes and swollen parts, but the main injury was to his brain. He suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and bleeding, from which he was not expected to survive.Last night, that injury finally took him from us. This last week and a half has been the worst experience of our lives, and it put us through hell. We said goodbye more than once, as his body nearly gave up several times. The hospital staff here have worked around the clock to try to save this kind, caring, talented little man, but the insult to his beautiful brain was too much. We decided to give him continued life in the body of others, through Gift of Hope, as an organ donor. Anyone who knows Bayne, will agree that this is exactly what he would do if he could have the say. "He is looking down from Heaven right now seeing just how massive (his) fan base really is. It is absolutely devastating to say goodbye to our perfect, kind, generous, loving, gentle, intelligent, creative, talented, goofy, hilarious, beautiful little Bayners. He did the most badass things on a motorcycle, could swing an axe for hours and build a viable shelter at 11,000 feet up the mountains, build you a bookshelf with his calloused miniature man hands, and yet he still blew mom and dad a kiss every single day from the school bus window as it drove away."Condolences poured in from around the racing community on Wednesday night, including the Peoria Motorcycle Race Club and countless other racing teams and riders.Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports editor. He has covered the Peoria Rivermen, Bradley Braves men's basketball, Peoria Chiefs and more during 42 years with the newspaper. Reach him via email at deminian@pjstar.com and follow him on X @icetimecleve.This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 'Looking down from Heaven': Teen racer dies after crash at Peoria TT

Rays had 'biggest steal' of trade deadline amid Yankees competition originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Over the next few weeks, the Tampa Bay Rays will try to hold off the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East.As of Thursday morning, the Rays lead the division by 3.5 games.Tampa Bay's top trade-deadline acquisition could help them make the final push toward an automatic bye to the ALDS.Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter wrote that the catcher may turn out to be the "biggest" steal of last month's deadline."Rarely a team willing to part with top prospect capital, they sent a package of three players ranked outside their organization's top 10 list to the Marlins in exchange for Liam Hicks," Reuter wrote.Hicks is having a breakout offensive season and a scorching hot second half since the trade from the Miami Marlins.It's possible the Yankees were one of the clubs that also showed interest in the 27-year-old's services. However, New York was likely searching for a right-handed bat, and Hicks hits from the left side.MORE:Don Mattingly has uncertain future with Phillies in managerial job"Since the trade, he has continued to rake, hitting .328/.425/.522 for a 163 OPS+, and he has settled in as the team's primary cleanup hitter," Reuter added. "With club control through the 2030 season, it's quickly shaping up to be the biggest steal of the deadline and a top-tier deadline deal in Tampa Bay history."In 23 games with the Rays, Hicks already has 13 RBIs and four extra-base hits. Three of those XBH have been home runs.If Hicks can help the Rays win the World Series, it will almost certainly be the best trade in franchise history.More MLB news:Astros' Yordan Alvarez has chance to join two MLB legends with very rare historyBo Bichette likely not to opt out of Mets $42 million contractJose Berriosextremely unlikelyto opt out of $48 million deal with Blue JaysEdmundo Sosa's Grand Slam gives Phillies crazy home-run statistic for 2026 seasonDodgers get concerning update on Shohei Ohtani as hes not 100% yet

The first two rounds in fantasy football are full of difference makers, whether it's your fantasy stars or players that drag down your season. Analyst Joel Smyth goes over the risk and reward of top-24 players for 2026.Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL seasonRound 1 and Round 2 players are where you can separate yourself with a ceiling hit not just getting a couple more PPG, but 10+ compared to the average fantasy starter. At the same time, if you waste a top-24 pick, it's hard to win a championship, not to mention win or even make the playoffs.ADP: 1st Overall RB Jahmyr GibbsRisk: 1/5Reward: 5/5The perfect 1.01 selection; no risk, all the reward. Without David Montgomery, the Lions will give Jahmyr Gibbs all the work he can handle on one of the league's top offenses. There haven't been any negative changes and the Lions have no RB2 that is a threat for touches.ADP: 2nd Overall RB Bijan RobinsonRisk: 3/5Reward: 5/5The combination of a lower-ranked offense, new coaching and QB injuries makes Bijan a riskier pick than Gibbs. However, he dealt with QB injuries last year on a below-average offense and finished top-three with Tyler Allgeier still in the building. Is there potentially more to overcome, sure, but he can do it.ADP: 3rd Overall WR Ja'Marr ChaseRisk: 2/5Reward: 5/5I'll give it a 2/5 risk only because he is worse without Joe Burrow on the field (as anyone else would be). Even so, with Burrow out for half a season, Chase, like Robinson, was top-three. He's very easy to get involved and produces at a high level even in the worst case scenario. Cincinnati's offense will be the same it's been since 2021.ADP: 4th Overall WR Puka NacuaRisk: 3/5Reward: 5/5On 2025's best offense, Nacua was the overall WR1. There's not many changes and not many negatives, but the looming potential of a suspension brings some risk, although it is unlikely to be a long-term situation.ADP: 5th Overall RB Christian McCaffreyRisk: 5/5Reward: 5/5The easiest to rank. McCaffrey has four of the five best RB finishes since 2018 and is set up for another 350+ touch season in the dynamic 49er offense. In six seasons he's been a fantasy superstar, but in the other three, he's ruined your team. Off a 400+ touch season at 30 years old, the fear is high in the fantasy community, but I have a good amount of faith based on the fact he's entering the year completely healthy.ADP: 6th Overall RB Jonathan TaylorRisk: 3/5Reward: 5/5The top six all have 5/5 upside, with Taylor ranking as the RB1 before the Daniel Jones injury last season. That's where the risk comes in as well, with his QB's Achilles. It's not an easy injury to bounce back from, and if the offense is closer to average because of it in 2026, then Taylor's production would be deeply affected.ADP: 7th Overall WR Jaxon Smith-NjigbaRisk: 2.5/5Reward: 4/5The absence of Klint Kubiak isn't nothing, as Smith-Njigba's first star season came with an offense that fired on all cylinders. They will move to a first-time play caller in Brian Fleury who will attempt to replicate Seattle's success. In a run-heavy offense with a dominant defense, Smith-Njigba's efficiency will have to be perfect once more to finish as the WR2.ADP: 8th Overall WR Amon-Ra St. BrownRisk: 2/5Reward: 4/5The coaching change is the only risk factor. I am not worried about Drew Petzing as much as others due to 1) Dan Campbell still there and 2) St. Brown finishing top-three once again, in a year where their offensive coordinator got fired midseason.ADP: 9th Overall RB James Cook IIIRisk: 2/5Reward: 4/5Pass-catching is rumored, not guaranteed. A lack of receiving floor means one fail-safe that other running backs have is not available to Cook, at least in the past. Even so, the Bills offensive line and offense make it unlikely that he'll need it, although it'd bring a new ceiling to his game.ADP: 10th Overall WR CeeDee LambRisk: 2/5Reward: 3/5The Cowboys offense and Dak Prescott will once again be great. There's been no changes and Lamb is an annual WR1. That being said, George Pickens isn't going away either, and can hold Lamb back from having that top-three WR upside.Subscribe to Fantasy Ultra to unlock our Strategy Lab, 150+ page Draft Playbook and more!ADP: 11th Overall RB Saquon BarkleyRisk: 3.5/5Reward: 4/5At 29-years-old, off a down year with limited receiving, Barkley still brings some concern on draft day. The offense should get better, but it remains to be seen with new, and first-time, play caller Sean Mannion.ADP: 12th Overall WR Justin JeffersonRisk: 4/5Reward: 4/5Similar to Barkleys situation, the offense has to get better, right? I trust in Kevin O'Connel, but all the chips are in on Kyler Murray. If Murray doesn't live up to expectations, or the downfield consistency isn't there, Jefferson could face similar struggles as 2025. He is still Justin Jefferson though and has been a fantasy superstar every other season.ADP: 13th Overall RB De'Von AchaneRisk: 4/5Reward: 4/5The Miami offense is projected to be bottom-three in scoring this year, which is often too much for star RBs to overcome, at least at the level they are drafted. With new coaching and QB play, so much of the Dolphins offense is unknown. On the ceiling side, we've seen overall RB1 spurts from De'Von Achane and he will have the volume to pull it off if the offense is average.ADP: 14th Overall RB Kenneth Walker IIIRisk: 3/5Reward: 4/5The small injuries have been the issue for Walker. He can score 20+ PPG as he did in the NFL playoffs, but he's not been able to have a full season of domination, with his best year resulting as a fringe RB1. Switching teams is often the biggest risk-reward scenario.ADP: 15th Overall RB Chase BrownRisk: 2/5Reward: 4/5Brown isn't going to go out and get 350+ touches, but he has been an RB2 or better in 21 of 22 career games as the Bengals' RB1 with Joe Burrow. Ridiculous consistency that can only be ruined by another injury to his QB.ADP: 16th Overall RB Ashton JeantyRisk: 4/5Reward: 4/5We've seen the talent, but not (fully) the production. It's a projection, although there's good reason for it with Kubiak coming in and a new offensive line. The uncertainty around the offense as a whole and the Week 1 injury still make Jeanty a risk, especially to begin the year.ADP: 17th Overall RB Derrick HenryRisk: 4/5Reward: 3/5Im sorry, but I can't help myself have to put a 4/5 risk. Some offensive line concerns and another first time play caller add to it, but the main issue is in fact the age. Yes, I know, he's different, but he truly has to be one of a kind. Lots of hall of fame talents have been "different," but it wasn't enough. Since 2000, Henry is one of five RBs in Year 10 to score 15+ PPR PPG, and the first since 2010! Zero of those four did it the next season.We haven't had a 15+ PPG scoring RB in Year 11 this century. The closest was Marshall Faulk at 13 PPG, Frank Gore at 12 and Emmett Smith at 11. Fingers crossed.ADP: 18th Overall RB Omarion HamptonRisk: 3/5Reward: 4/5Hampton has a golden opportunity in front of him. The risk is primarily in the unknown. Hampton was a fringe RB1 for half a season and that's all we have to go off of. Mike McDaniel is a huge bump, but is it 100% guaranteed that Hampton gets the volume? The ceiling is huge if the answer is yes, as McDaniel has had a top-seven RB in three straight seasons.ADP: 19th Overall WR Drake LondonRisk: 5/5Reward: 4/5With Michael Penix Jr., London is dominant when healthy. The problem is Penix may not even start the season, and the Falcons have not looked hot in camp without him on the field. If Tua Tagovailoa is the starting QB, the confidence I have in London getting productive downfield targets plummets. If everyone stays healthy in Atlanta, I have confidence London can finish top-five, but that is not certain to happen.ADP: 20th Overall QB Josh AllenRisk: 3/5Reward: 3/5Both the risk and reward here is positional. Compared to QBs, he's basically a 1/5 risk, 5/5 reward, but QBs going Round 2 need to smash. Around five QBs will score 20+ PPG this season, meaning Allen better score well over that. Even as the overall QB1 last year, he ranked outside the top 12 in value over replacement. He has been top-two in six straight seasons, but will need to be top-one to pay off his price.ADP: 21st Overall TE Brock BowersRisk: 3/5Reward: 4/5Similar to Allen, but to a lesser extent, TEs in Round 2 better work. You're sacrificing a shot at a top WR or RB and need a big season. Bowers had the best rookie season in history so that's a good start when talking upside. Kubiak will make him the focus of the passing offense as the top WR and should be creative in getting him the ball. If Kyle Pitts Sr. can score over 16 PPR PPG with Kirk Cousins, imagine what Brock Bowers can do.ADP: 22nd Overall WR Nico CollinsRisk: 3/5Reward: 4/5Very similar case to Kenneth Walker III, Collins has shown he can be a force, but needs to have a season where he stays on the field consistently. After the Jayden Higgins season-ending injury, Collins is set up to have a crazy target share, and will have a shot to get back to his 2024 self: a top-three fantasy WR when healthy.ADP: 23rd Overall WR George PickensRisk: 2/5Reward: 3/5Exactly the same situation as CeeDee Lamb at a lesser cost. Pickens was out-targeted 116-99 in games together, but that gap shrinks to 103 versus 95 when removing Pickens first ever game with Dak Prescott (and his being shadowed by Quinyon Mitchell). Lamb has the edge, but it's close.ADP: 24th Overall WR A.J. BrownRisk: 5/5Reward: 5/5Are you worried that the Rams got scared off by A.J. Brown's medical tests? Should we be? It's the epitome of high-risk, high-reward. A 29-year-old with lingering lower body issues goes to a New England team that ranked first in fantasy points per target without a WR1. Two-point-oh-six points per target to the likes of Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, etc. You do the math on A.J. Brown being a 10-target per game player in 2026.