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		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 18:56:11 -0400</pubDate>
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					<![CDATA[College Football Week 1 Betting Report: Bettors Hoping Hoosiers Stay Hot]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-week-1-betting-report-bettors-hoping-hoosiers-stay-hot</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-week-1-betting-report-bettors-hoping-hoosiers-stay-hot</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[As Week 1 kicks off, bettors are showing belief in Indiana maintaining its momentum from last season. Patrick Everson has that and more.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 18:18:51 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Last season’s College Football Playoff ended with Indiana lifting the trophy after a 27-21 victory over Miami. So it’s no surprise this season to see the Hoosiers featured in FOX’s opening Big Noon Kickoff. Equally unsurprising in College Football Week 1 odds: Curt Cignetti’s squad is quite popular, even though it’s nearly a six-touchdown home favorite vs. North Texas. "Action is one way. They’re laying the 40 points with Indiana," Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said. Bookmakers and sharp bettors offer their Week 1 college football betting insights on a handful of the most notable matchups. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. High On The Hoosiers Indiana was great on the field all of last season, then late in the year became a betting-window behemoth. In their last five games, the Hoosiers went 5-0 straight up (SU) and 4-1 against the spread (ATS). That included an impressive three-game win-and-cover streak: Indiana then capped its 16-0 SU season with that victory over Miami in the CFP championship game, falling just short of covering as a 7.5-point favorite. The public betting masses often remember what they last saw and react to it. That’s the case at Caesars with North Texas vs. Indiana, in a noon ET Saturday kickoff on FOX. Caesars opened the Hoosiers as massive 40.5-point favorites, briefly went to Indiana -41.5, then actually backed up to -39.5. As of Wednesday afternoon, it’s Hoosiers -40. North Texas was great to bettors throughout last season, going 12-2 SU/10-4 ATS. But things have greatly changed since then. "North Texas is not the same team as last year. Coach Eric Morris and the majority of the team moved on to Oklahoma State," Feazel said, while noting the Hoosiers are 19-10 ATS over the last two seasons. "Indiana has been very good to bettors the past couple years. "We anticipate a lot more bets coming in on Indiana by kickoff." Lane Leads LSU Clemson vs. LSU is arguably the biggest Saturday game in college football Week 1 odds. Dabo Swinney is trying to put Clemson back on the CFP map, while a new era begins at LSU under Lane Kiffin. Caesars opened LSU as a 9.5-point home favorite and stretched to -10.5 on Aug. 19. The line has been at LSU -10 since Monday. "There was a little pushback at 10.5," Feazel said, alluding to Clemson interest. "It’s two-way action, but I anticipate that changing once we get closer to game time. I expect more action on LSU, especially on parlays and moneyline parlays." Feazel also noted early sharp money on Under 51.5, with the total dipping to 50.5. Top-25 Tilt No. 24 Louisville vs. No. 9 Ole Miss is the lone Week 1 meeting of Top 25 teams. The Rebels, behind QB Trinidad Chambliss, are coming off a stellar 13-2 SU campaign (9-6 ATS). Kiffin led that charge in the regular season, before darting to LSU. Pete Golding then guided Ole Miss all the way to the CFP semifinals, where the Rebels lost a thriller to Miami, 31-27, as 3.5-point underdogs. Golding then went from interim to full-time Ole Miss coach. And with Chambliss returning this year, bettors are high on the Rebels in college football Week 1 odds. Ole Miss opened -6.5 at Caesars and is up to -7 as of Wednesday afternoon, for a 7:30 p.m. ET Sunday neutral-site game in Nashville. "No surprise, we’re seeing more Ole Miss action coming in. I wouldn’t expect that to change, with the depth and talent of this team," Feazel said. "The Rebels have one of the better quarterbacks in this draft class, and Chambliss is getting action on Heisman Trophy odds, too." On-Campus Sharp Side Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin is also at 7:30 p.m. ET Sunday, going up against Louisville-Ole Miss. It’s a quasi-neutral-site game at Lambeau Field, 2.5 hours from the Badgers’ campus. College football betting expert Paul Stone picked Notre Dame to win the national title. However, he’s not on the Fighting Irish in Week 1, at least on the spread as a 20.5-point favorite. Stone believes Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph could keep the Badgers within the lofty number. Stone recommends taking the points, and he actually got Wisconsin at +21. Joseph played last season at Old Dominion, where he threw for 2,624 yards and ran for another 1,007, accounting for a total of 34 touchdowns. "In Old Dominion's season-opening 27-14 loss at Indiana last year, Joseph broke free for long touchdown runs of 75 and 78 yards," Stone said. "If Joseph can use his legs to generate some offense, I think the Badgers can keep it within the generous number." On the flip side, the public masses — as expected — are on Notre Dame this week. "Notre Dame has been one of the championship futures darlings, and that’s gonna translate into action on Week 1," Feazel said. "Right now, we’re seeing heavy, heavy action on Notre Dame. "Although 20.5 is a lot of points, that’s not stopping bettors from laying that number here, even for a game in Wisconsin’s backyard." Oh Say Can You ACC College football Week 1 odds wrap up with a Monday night ACC clash. SMU travels to Florida State for a 7:30 p.m. ET kick. The Seminoles are coming off two straight sub-.500 seasons. Then in last week’s season opener, the ‘Noles (1-0 SU/0-1 ATS) were unimpressive in a 34-17 win as hefty 31.5-point home favorites vs. New Mexico State. With those elements in mind, the Mustangs are a growing road favorite this week at Caesars. "Florida State played last week and struggled against the number," Feazel said. "So we saw some line movement as a result, from SMU -1.5 through -2 and -2.5, up to -3. "There’s pressure pushing back on the 3. It’s gonna be a highly bet game, and so far, bettors are backing SMU. I expect action to be one-sided on SMU leading up to game day."]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 INDYCAR Odds: Alex Palou Favored, Pato O'Ward One To Watch At Laguna Seca]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/2026-indycar-odds-grand-prix-of-monterey-laguna-seca</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/2026-indycar-odds-grand-prix-of-monterey-laguna-seca</guid>
				<category>motor</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Will Alex Palou add one more win to his tally to close out the 2026 INDYCAR season? Here are the odds for this weekend's Grand Prix of Monterey.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:59:48 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The confetti has already dropped for Alex Palou, who secured his fifth INDYCAR title and fourth consecutive last week. However, one more race remains on the INDYCAR schedule before the 2026 season comes to an end. This weekend, the series goes to Laguna Seca for the Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 2:30 p.m. ET (FOX). Will reigning champion Alex Palou add another exclamation mark to his already dazzling track record or should bettors keep their eyes on another driver? Here are the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Sept. 2. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. INDYCAR Series: Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey 2026 Alex Palou: 10/11 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)Christian Lundgaard: 18/5 (bet $10 to win $46 total)Pato O'Ward: 15/2 (bet $10 to win $85 total)Kyle Kirkwood: 15/2 (bet $10 to win $85 total)David Malukas: 10/1 (bet $10 to win $110 total)Will Power: 12/1 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Scott McLaughlin: 16/1 (bet $10 to win $170 total)Scott Dixon: 20/1 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Felix Rosenqvist: 20/1 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Rinus Veekay: 25/1 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Josef Newgarden: 25/1 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Marcus Ericsson: 30/1 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Marcus Armstrong: 40/1 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Christian Rasmussen: 50/1 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Alexander Rossi: 50/1 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Louis Foster: 60/1 (bet $10 to win $610 total)Graham Rahal: 60/1 (bet $10 to win $610 total)Romain Grosjean: 70/1 (bet $10 to win $710 total)Santino Ferrucci: 80/1 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Nolan Siegel: 100/1 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Mick Schumacher: 100/1 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Kyffin Simpson: 100/1 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Dennis Hauger: 150/1 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Caio Collet: 150/1 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Sting Ray Robb: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total) Here's What To Know About The Oddsboard: The Favorite This weekend should be a relatively enjoyable one for Alex Palou because, regardless of what happens on the track, he's already wrapped up the 2026 INDYCAR championship. His road to his fifth INDYCAR title (and fourth consecutive) was paved with eight poles, six wins and 673 laps led. When the series raced here in July 2025, Palou got into Winner's Circle, holding off Christian Lundgaard (second) and Colton Herta (third). One To Watch Pato O'Ward comes into this weekend after sweeping both races at Milwaukee. His electric run in the Midwest was exactly what he needed to add some glimmer to an otherwise disappointing year. Before the series stopped at the Milwaukee Mile, Pato had just one other win under his hood this season and that came at Mid-Ohio. Last year at this track, O'Ward just missed the podium, finishing fourth.]]>
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					<![CDATA[USC HC Lincoln Riley: Negative Trojans Crowd Notion A 'False Narrative']]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/usc-coach-lincoln-riley-la-coliseum</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/usc-coach-lincoln-riley-la-coliseum</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley called concerns about the school's attendance at the LA Memorial Coliseum a "false narrative."]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:50:11 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The USC Trojans opened the 2026 college football season in the win column, but that's not the story for the No. 14 ranked team in the country. Instead, the story for USC is its poor attendance at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for its Week 0 win over the San Jose State Spartans, with the standout number of empty seats on a sunny day garnering nationwide attention. "This is USC, right? People are going to pay attention. People are going to have an opinion. It's part of being a blue-blood school. I don't buy into the false narrative," USC head coach Lincoln Riley said in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon about concerns regarding the school's attendance for home games. "I think that comes from a lot of people who don't follow our program and most of those who have never stepped foot in the Coliseum. "The reality is during my years here, attendance has gone up every single year, as has our play in the Coliseum, including running the table last year in front of a lot of epic atmospheres, and I expect that to happen again this year." The esteemed LA Memorial Coliseum currently seats 77,500 people for USC football games, with a reported 51,144 people purchasing a ticket for last week's game, the lowest number for the Trojans since 2018, excluding 2020 (fans weren't allowed in the stands for Pac-12 games in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Last year (2025), USC averaged 67,783 people in attendance per game, which ranked ninth in the Big Ten, according to D1.ticker. "We understand the factors that impacted Saturday’s attendance," USC said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports in response to the backlash about their attendance. "We have high expectations and a premier home schedule this season, and we know the competitive advantage an electric Coliseum atmosphere can provide our program. We thank our fans who showed up Saturday and look forward to seeing increased attendance the rest of the season." Riley is in his fifth season at USC, with the Trojans a combined 36-18 under him from 2022-26. Last season, they went 9-4 overall and 7-2 in Big Ten play. The Trojans haven't made the College Football Playoff with Riley, who came to USC after five seasons as the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners (2017-21) and seven seasons on Oklahoma's coaching staff altogether. As for how the actual Week 0 game went, USC beat San Jose State 42-26 in a victory that saw the Trojans get out to a 28-0 halftime edge and lead by as many as 32 points (USC led 35-3 at the outset of the fourth quarter). USC's offense racked up 504 total yards. Quarterback Jayden Maiava threw for 286 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, while posting a 191.8 passer rating, completing 86.2% of his passes (25 of 29) and rushing for a score. In all, the Trojans rushed for 166 yards and four touchdowns on 4.3 yards per carry. Meanwhile, USC wide receiver Trent Mosley had a game-high seven receptions for 118 yards and one touchdown. Riley's Trojans host the Fresno State Bulldogs on Friday night (9 p.m. ET on FOX/FOX One), with USC's Big Ten opener coming on the road against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Sept. 19.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Joel Klatt's 10 Burning Questions Going Into The 2026 College Football Season]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/joel-klatt-10-burning-questions-going-2026-college-football-season</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/joel-klatt-10-burning-questions-going-2026-college-football-season</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt answers 10 burning questions heading into Week 1, including which teams can actually win it all.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:43:44 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Who runs college football? Can Indiana repeat as national champions? Which team is ready to make the leap? And is LSU officially college football's new villain? The 2026 college football season is here, and the biggest questions in the sport are waiting to be answered. FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt has plenty of thoughts. On the latest episode of "The Joel Klatt Show," Klatt tackles 10 burning questions heading into Week 1, including which teams can actually win it all. Klatt's Thoughts: "I think this is the biggest question in college football. … The last three National Championships have come out of the Big Ten: Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana. But it's been even more than that because, for so long, the SEC dominated. They were the premier conference in college football by a wide margin. They won everything. … It was also that way in the NFL Draft, every single year, it was the SEC with the most players drafted in the first round … Over the last few years, we've seen the shift happen, not just at the top winning the championships, but also in the records in these bowl games, and, last year, in the first round of the NFL Draft. "In the last three seasons, the SEC is 0-4 against the Big Ten in the College Football Playoff. … Every single metric you used to hear about and, candidally, the ones that matter, these games that matter, the first-round draft picks, the elite talent, the Big Ten has overtaken the SEC. … I predict that the Big Ten is going to win another championship this year." Klatt's Thoughts: "This is an emphatic ‘Yes.’ Indiana is a powerhouse right now. Curt Cignetti, I think, is the best coach in college football. That was proven last year. That roster was not as expensive as all the rosters that they were beating in the College Football Playoff. … Cignetti retained all of his staff. This is the one thing that I think is going to be hard to wrap your minds around. They were 16-0 and national champions last year, and the conversations that I'm having with people around the program at Indiana is that they're quietly ahead of where they were each of the last two years right now with this team. There is a chance this is a better team. … "Josh Hoover is further along in the offense and with his comfort in the offense than Fernando Mendoza was last year or Kurtis Rourke was two years ago. That's something that they point to. The offensive line is further along. … Their front seven on defense might be better than last year, and this was one of the best defenses in college football." Klatt's Thoughts: "I think the quarterback class is outstanding. You've got Dante Moore, Arch Manning, CJ Carr, Julian Sayin, Darian Mensah, Jayden Maiava, Sam Leavitt and John Mateer. It is littered with guys who could potentially become that guy in college football … Oh, by the way, I haven't even mentioned the guy who is widely considered the best skill position player we've seen in college football, maybe in our lifetimes, but certainly in over a decade in Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The potential is limitless for college football this year. "It could be an unbelievable year, and the guy that grabs the sport and brings it down and becomes the face of the sport is going to be the one that plays the best in high-leverage moments and on big stages. That's what it becomes, and that guy's ultimately going to be the Heisman Trophy winner. … My pick to win the Heisman Trophy is Jeremiah Smith." Klatt's Thoughts: "I think that [new defensive coordinator] Will Muschamp is going to have a huge impact on this season because if he fixes that defense, then, yes, Arch, Sark and Texas can raise their ceiling, but that's really where it lies. It's not with Arch and Sark. It's with Will Muschamp, the offensive line and the defense. Those are the areas for Texas that have got to change. Obviously, they have a difficult schedule. They've got that Ohio State game. They've got to play at Tennessee. They've got Red River [Oklahoma]. They've got Ole Miss. They've got three road trips in November: Missouri, LSU and Texas A&amp;M. "So this schedule is daunting. There's no doubt, but they are one of the more talented teams in the country. And if they run it and play good defense, then they could easily win a national championship." Klatt's Thoughts: "Eric Morris at Oklahoma State. He goes from North Texas to Oklahoma State and takes a bunch of his guys with him. Does it remind you of anybody? Yeah, this is exactly what Curt Cignetti did when he went from James Madison to Indiana, and they popped right away and went to the College Football Playoff. Bob Chesney, now going from James Madison to UCLA. Now, I think it will be much more difficult for UCLA than it would be for Oklahoma State because I think the Big Ten is more difficult than the Big 12, but this is a guy who has a quarterback in Nico Iamaleava, and they can increase their win total drastically right away. This is a really good coach. "I also feel the same way about James Franklin at Virginia Tech. James is a hell of a football coach. At Penn State, his only problem was that he couldn't get all the way to the mountaintop, but, man, he's a great climber. He built a really solid program at Penn State. He did a great job there, couldn't get to the mountaintop, and now he's at Virginia Tech, and I think he will immediately make them better. Those are guys I think could elevate their programs right away." Klatt's Thoughts: "I've got seven teams that can absolutely win a national championship this year. They've got the roster and everything that you need. … Oregon, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Georgia, Indiana, Texas, Miami: I won't be surprised at all if any of them win the national championship. It's what makes the sport great this year, by the way. I think that's a deeper, more eclectic list than we've had maybe ever in college football, but easily in multiple decades." Klatt's Thoughts: "They're absolutely the villain. … Now, you have the SEC actively against LSU and Lane Kiffin [the Tigers have been trying to add players who appeared on NFL rosters in training camp to their roster]. … There's no doubt in my mind that he's the villain in college football … "It would be the shock of all shocks to me if they came together from a chemistry perspective to run the table, win the SEC and win the national championship. It is a different equation now. I think it takes more than talent and a great offensive mind to go and win a national championship. It takes everything. You've got to have chemistry, depth, experience and togetherness. All these things are really hard to build. That's what it takes. Do they have that? I don't know." Klatt's Thoughts: "Maybe it's BYU out of the Big 12? In the Big Ten, I look at USC, Michigan, Penn State and Washington trying to level themselves up. These teams are very good teams, but you got to prove to me that you can potentially beat one of the top dogs. In the SEC, you got Alabama, LSU, Texas A&amp;M, Oklahoma, and all these different teams. My money would be on three teams that I think have the talent, coaching and potential to actually go up there and beat one of these top-tier teams in these conferences. In the Big Ten, that's USC and Michigan, and in the SEC, it would be LSU, just because of that talent, but we'll see about the chemistry." Klatt's Thoughts: "How about Texas Tech and Ole Miss taking the next step? … I would not have told you at this point last year that Indiana had the roster or the chemistry or the experience or any of that to go win a national championship, and they did. Maybe that's the case for Texas Tech? They beat up on teams that they should and lost to the best team that they faced in Oregon last year. Everyone's overlooking Ole Miss because Lane Kiffin left. What if they galvanize around Pete Golding with their great quarterback, Trinidad Chambliss, and they move forward and win the SEC? Maybe they just run roughshod over college football, and they become this year's 2025 Indiana." Klatt's Thoughts: "It's absolutely ‘Yes.’ For all the things that aren't perfect in this sport, all of these changes, however hard they have been to swallow, to watch and work through, have made the sport better. There's been more engagement than ever with college football. … "Whatever you think about NIL and whatever you think about the transfer portal and whatever you think about the mess that is college football right now from a governance standpoint, these changes, however hard to swallow, have made the sport incredible. We've got great teams. We've got talent all over the country, and we have every single part of this country represented with high expectations and expectations all the way at the top, as high as winning the national championship. That makes it great. We've got great quarterbacks and players. This could be an epic season of college football."]]>
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					<![CDATA[How Packers QB Jordan Love Turned His Biggest Weakness Into His Ultimate Weapon]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/packers-qb-jordan-love-turned-biggest-weakness-into-ultimate-weapon</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/packers-qb-jordan-love-turned-biggest-weakness-into-ultimate-weapon</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Early in his career, Jordan Love couldn't beat the blitz. So exactly how did the Packers QB become the NFL's best at it?]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:58:35 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[GREEN BAY, Wis. — The story of Jordan Love’s development has long been that he had the luxury of sitting safely behind Aaron Rodgers for two years, learning from a master while avoiding bad habits and delaying the pressure of the pass-rush and the immediate weight of NFL stardom. But that narrative isn't true. Not exactly. Love was Green Bay's starter in 2021 for one game. And it was a catastrophe for the rookie quarterback. Even he'll admit it. In a Week 9 matchup, with Rodgers sidelined, the Kansas City Chiefs overwhelmed Love with the most predictable concept you can throw at a rookie: the all-out blitz. He wasn’t ready for it. So the Chiefs kept doing it. They blitzed him on 54% of his dropbacks and pressured him on 46%. Love completed only 55.9% of his passes and threw an interception. It was ugly, and the Packers lost 13-7. "I didn't have answers where I could change the play at the line of scrimmage and feel comfortable enough to do that stuff in that game," Love told me during training camp. "That was kind of a wake-up call." That was the moment that Love started to become an NFL quarterback. It wasn't from sitting and watching. It was from playing and failing. "In that moment, you feel like you let the team down," Love told me. "For me watching it back, there was just so much good stuff to learn from and grow from. A team in the NFL — if you're not able to beat whatever they're giving you, they're gonna keep coming with it, and that's what they did." He added: "I'm glad it happened." When Love returned to the starting lineup two years later, he was prepared. He had answers for the blitz. Love had made it his mission to have full command at the line of scrimmage to set his offensive line protection, to audible to a "kill" call or to change the routes of individual receivers. When it comes to beating the blitz, he’s now the NFL’s best, tied with Rams QB Matthew Stafford, the reigning MVP. Last season, they both had a .30 expected points added per dropback against the blitz, per Next Gen Stats. Love generated explosive plays on 21.3% of his dropbacks against the blitz, and completed 6.2% of his passes over expected, per NGS. And Love did it last year without any one receiver who could’ve been Stafford’s WR2, with Davante Adams ranking above Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and the Packers' other receivers from 2025. It’s Love’s ability to beat the blitz that has quietly made him one of the NFL’s most underrated players. "That's where I've grown the most," Love told me. "That's Aaron's specialty [at the line of scrimmage]. And all that stuff stems from him seeing pre-snap, ‘OK, this is going to be a bad play. Let me change it. Let me get to something else I like.’ And everybody being on the same page when he's signaling stuff out. "I've had to grow into that." Here’s an example. A few Packers offensive linemen brought this play up when I spoke with them in the locker room. Green Bay was playing the Bears in Week 14 when, on third-and-10 in the red zone, Love recognized pre-snap what was once his Achilles heel: the all-out blitz. So the Packers QB calmly signaled to his top receiver, Christian Watson, to adjust his route. With seven rushers coming, Love took just 2.6 seconds to throw. Fading away, he lofted the ball to Watson, who was open for an easy touchdown. "If the quarterback doesn't see it … the play's screwed," Packers guard Aaron Banks said. "We don't really care if they blitz or not. To be honest, we trust [Love]. We trust that he's going to make the right decision, put the ball in the right place, and he trusts us to pick up the blitz." It must be frustrating for a defensive coordinator — developing and designing a play for months, only to see it defeated handily. Defensive coordinators only get to run 10 to 15 plays per game, often trotting out their base defense with standard assignments and rules. So when they get that chance, the play shouldn't crash and burn. Love makes sure that it does. It must be even worse for the pass-rushers. "From my personal experience, I don't think so," Packers superstar edge Micah Parsons said, jokingly, when I asked him if it was difficult to rush Love. But … well, the stats don’t lie, my man. When Parsons was a Dallas Cowboy, he played against Love once. Parsons rushed Love 19 times and managed just one pressure. That was, at the time, the lowest pressure rate of his entire career. And so it made sense that Parsons finally conceded the difficulty. "That six-foot-five frame. He's super elusive in the pocket. He can really just make any throw. Watching it from the sidelines in the family, I don't think people grasp how good he is against the blitz," Parsons said. "He has that ability to look over and still find guys that he needs to." Love has so many redemptive qualities — the physical gifts (like height), the work ethic, the high football IQ and the unique arm talent. They all blend together to make Love into a one-man blitz-beater. Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich called it Love's most underrated quality. "That’s probably it," Stenavich told me. "His ability to stand in the pocket and make those throws for sure. … He has no fear." Love is such a quick thinker and processor — and not just against the rush. Stenavich said he trusts Love to absorb plays in just one day. In rare cases, they’ve put new plays into their game plan in the middle of a game. "He's able to see a picture and then visualize it in his brain and then go out and execute," Stenavich told me. The knock on Love is the counting stats. And with so much focus on fantasy football, that might be all that matters to some fans. He finished the 2025 season with 3,381 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns and six interceptions in 15 games. It is, frankly, nothing special. In 2025, Love didn't throw the ball all that often when compared to Stafford, for example. It's what has kept Love out of the MVP conversation for the past few years. Still, in 2025, Love’s EPA/dropback (.19) tied Stafford for second in the NFL. Patriots QB Drake Maye, the MVP runner-up, finished first at .25. In advanced metrics and efficiency stats, Love is keeping pace with MVP-caliber quarterbacks. "He may not lead the league in passing yards or anything like that, but I think the biggest thing is, like you said, the EPA. When we are throwing the ball, what happens?" Stenovich said. Love’s game might be an acquired taste when you compare him or Josh Allen or even Maye. But it wasn’t long ago that Love had 4,159 passing yards, 36 total touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2023. All these numbers fail to represent all the progress Love has made at the line of scrimmage — which reveals all the progress he’s made behind the scenes in the meeting rooms and on the practice field. Which reveals the quiet truth. He's elite. Love entered the league as a highly-touted but equally-doubted prospect out of Utah State. (That's right: Utah State.) At that point, it didn't take much to stop him — it took just the simplest blitz in a coach's playbook. Now? You can't fool Love. Not with the blitz. Not when you drop seven or eight into coverage. Not when you throw him wrinkles. Yes, he learned from those two years on the bench. But that one time the Packers threw the rookie into action might've put him on the fast track for the MVP hunt in 2026.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Will Aaron Donald Play At Hall Of Fame Level Again After Return? Scouts Differ]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/will-aaron-donald-play-hall-fame-level-again-after-return-scouts-differ</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/will-aaron-donald-play-hall-fame-level-again-after-return-scouts-differ</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Scouts around the NFL tell us what to expect from Aaron Donald this season.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:51:51 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl got even better on Sunday, with Aaron Donald rejoining the Los Angeles Rams as he ended his retirement after two years. But should we expect Donald to play at the level that won him three Defensive Player of the Year awards this season? We asked several scouts around the NFL if they think Donald will have a tremendous impact on the Rams this season and what to expect from the 10-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle. The answers we got varied, with some expressing confidence that he'll play at a high level again and others believing we should lower our expectations for Donald. Here's more about what we learned from our conversations with scouts and people around the league about Donald's return this season. Eric D. Williams: Yes, he’s 35 years old and hasn’t struck a man in anger with pads on in two seasons. Still, according to scouts I spoke to, they expect Aaron Donald to have the same type of impact the three-time Defensive Player of the Year had when he left the game after the 2023 season. "If one man can do it – it’s AD," one longtime scout told me. "He still trains like a player. He’s got a strong appetite for ball! He will be a rotational player, but the snaps will be significant!" Another scout noted the amount of time Donald spent working out before returning to the field last week. Donald said he spent 14 weeks of intense workouts with personal trainers before determining he was in good enough shape to rejoin the Los Angeles Rams. "I thought this would be the time he would return," the scout told me. "It looks like they kept tabs on his conditioning too, with several workouts. I’d say he’s a sub-package, plug-and-play guy the first two weeks and then can be an every-down guy after that. "There will probably be some rust, and the wear and tear may show some. But he’s still a difference maker and leader." However, not everyone I spoke with offered a glowing perspective on Donald’s return. "My guess is he is a good player, but not great anymore," a league source told me. "I think he plays around 35 to 40% of the defensive snaps for the Rams this year. "To me, it’s more about his age than missing time. How many great 35-year-old defensive players are there in the NFL right now?" Donald has played at least 67% of his team's defensive snaps in each season of his NFL career, including 81% of the Rams' defensive snaps in his last season, per Pro Football Reference. But some older defensive linemen turn into one-down players as they reach the later portions of their career. Von Miller, for instance, played just 37% of the Washington Commanders' defensive snaps last season at age 36. Ralph Vacchiano: The rich got a little richer when Aaron Donald returned to the Los Angeles Rams this week. But not everyone is convinced that the addition of the future Hall of Famer is the luxury that it seems. "Look, he’s an all-time great player," an NFL scout told me. "He’s probably still great. I wouldn’t bet against him. But he’s not immune to reality. He’s 35. He retired three years ago. It’s not easy to play at that age. It’s even harder being away for so long." "Wait and see," another NFL scout told me via text. "The guy was a monster. Is he still? I need to see it first." Donald last played in 2023 when he had a respectable eight sacks in 16 games, and his last double-digit sack season was 2021 when he had 12.5. But it certainly seems like he has a chance to reach those numbers again playing on a defensive line with Myles Garrett, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year who set an NFL record with 23 sacks last season. "If he’s healthy, you can’t block them both. It’s a problem for everybody," the first scout told me. "But it’s the health I’m worried about. He’ll say he’s in phenomenal shape. I’m sure he looks it. But working out for a few years is different than playing football for a few years. It just is. "And he’s going to feel it."]]>
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					<![CDATA[Can Kirby Smart, Georgia Buck Historic Betting Trend in Week 1?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/georgia-bulldogs-kirby-smart-historic-betting-trend</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/georgia-bulldogs-kirby-smart-historic-betting-trend</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Georgia has dominated under Kirby Smart, but one surprising betting trend has followed the Bulldogs. Can they finally end it in Week 1?]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 14:26:05 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Under Kirby Smart, the Georgia Bulldogs have been one of, if not the, premier programs in college football. Smart has led Georgia to two national championships, a 117-21 record, four SEC championships and five College Football Playoff appearances. But there is one thing the Bulldogs have never done during his tenure in Athens: cover a spread of 40 points or more. According to Bet Labs, Georgia is 0-10 against the spread when favored by at least 40 points under Smart. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Since 2017, here are the results of every game in which Georgia was favored by 40 points or more: While the Bulldogs failed to cover all 10 of those spreads, they won every game outright, and usually with ease. Only one game was decided by fewer than 28 points. But whether it's because Georgia pulls its starters early, takes its foot off the gas or simply doesn't care about beating an overmatched opponent by 70 points, the Bulldogs have never been able to cover a spread this large under Smart. But they'll have another opportunity to end that trend in Week 1. Georgia hosts Tennessee State on Saturday as a 46.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Dawgs are coming off a 12-2 season in which they won the SEC Championship before falling to Ole Miss in the CFP quarterfinals (Sugar Bowl). Georgia finished with a top-10 scoring defense (17.6 PPG allowed) and the No. 4 rushing defense in the country (81.5 YPG allowed), but its offense held the team back, ranking only 51st nationally. Meanwhile, Tennessee State is an FCS program that is already 0-1 this season after losing 26-24 to Jackson State last week. The Tigers finished just 2-10 last season, including a dreadful 0-8 record in OVC-Big South play. There may never be a better opportunity for Smart and the Dawgs to finally cover a 40+ point spread. Will this be the week Georgia finally bucks the trend?]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NASCAR Chase Odds: Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin Tied On Board For Darlington]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-odds-darlington-southern-500-the-chase</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-odds-darlington-southern-500-the-chase</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Could the Southern 500 at Darlington be a toss-up between two of The Chase's top contenders? Here's what the odds say.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:54:33 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The first race of the NASCAR Cup postseason will get the green flag this Sunday, Sept. 6 at Darlington. Drivers will take the track for the Cook Out Southern 500 as The Chase makes its comeback. It's fitting that Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin are tied atop the early board. Reddick secured his fourth win of the 2026 season at this very track; Hamlin enters the weekend as the favorite to win the title and also as the regular-season champion. Let's take a look at the oddsboard as of Sept. 2 at FanDuel Sportsbook. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Cook Out Southern 500 Tyler Reddick: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)Denny Hamlin: +500 (bet $10 to win $50 total)Chase Briscoe: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)Kyle Larson: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)Christopher Bell: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)Ryan Blaney: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)William Byron: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Ty Gibbs: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)Joey Logano: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Chase Elliott: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Bubba Wallace: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Brad Keselowski: +2500 (bet $10 to win $250 total)Chris Buescher: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Erik Jones: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Corey Heim: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Carson Hocevar: +3500 (bet $10 to win $350 total)Austin Cindric: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Ryan Preece: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Ross Chastain: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total) Alex Bowman: +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total)Daniel Suárez: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Josh Berry: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Austin Dillon: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Shane van Gisbergen: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)John Hunter Nemechek: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Zane Smith: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Austin Hill: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Connor Zilisch: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Michael McDowell: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Riley Herbst: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Todd Gilliland: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)AJ Allmendinger: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Noah Gragson: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Ty Dillon: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Chad Finchum: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Cole Custer: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Cody Ware: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total) Here's What To Know About The Oddsboard: The Favorite Reddick and his team started the 2026 season off with a magical run. He won the first three races and added two more to the tally before losing momentum. At one point, Reddick boasted a 100-point lead in the overall standings. Looking ahead to this weekend, the driver of 23XI's No. 45 Toyota should feel relatively confident, considering he won at this track when Cup raced here in March for the Goodyear 400. One To Watch Denny Hamlin — who's at the top of the early oddsboard along with Reddick — is one to watch in this race and throughout the entire postseason. In fact, FOX Sports motorsports insider Bob Pockrass put Hamlin at the very top of his Chase contenders rankings, and he also notes that Denny has won at all 10 tracks on The Chase schedule. That, of course, includes Darlington. When the series raced at this track earlier this year in March, Hamlin got an 11th-place finish after starting ninth. Hamlin goes into Darlington as the points leader in The Chase.]]>
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					<![CDATA[With SEC Expulsion Threats, Could LSU Really Operate As An Independent?]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/lsu-sec-sankey-lane-kiffin-feud-nfl-recruiting</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/lsu-sec-sankey-lane-kiffin-feud-nfl-recruiting</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[As LSU and the SEC clash, FOX Sports' Ben Portnoy examines the money, power and business decisions reshaping college sports.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:10:58 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[In Follow The Money, Ben Portnoy will bring you into a weekly deep dive into the business of college sports. Before we jump in, I thought it would be helpful to briefly explain what we’re doing here. College sports have never experienced a more topsy-turvy era. Longtime traditions and the increased need for commercialization are clashing at every turn. Quarterbacks are signing multi-million dollar deals. Television contracts are popular fodder for fan bases. Even jersey patch deals are becoming mainstream. Each week we’ll capture some of the angst and inherent fluidity of the ecosystem as we look at the off-the-field storylines that are shaping what you’re seeing on Saturdays. With that, let’s get into it. There is no place quite like Baton Rouge. This is a city where football is king, where politics and the Tigers intertwine like PB&amp;J and where power struggles and backroom dealings are the currency of the day. So what better place to begin the 2026 football season than a Louisiana courtroom? For those who haven’t spent the last two weeks locked into PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) tracking court cases, let’s rehash what’s happening down on the bayou: Yeah, it’s a lot. That said, the LSU situation got me thinking: What if the SEC really did kick the Tigers from the league? And, if it did, what kind of brand value or sponsorship dollars might LSU command on the open market as an independent? "A conference like the SEC is just bigger than a single school," Rob Temple, CEO of Pivotal Sports &amp; Entertainment, told me. "A team moving out of it may have a change or an impact on its sponsors tied to the school or whatever, but the big money around advertising and distribution of content, all that kind of flows to another place. "But the idea of private equity coming into college sports — just like Americans have gone and become owners in the EPL — if that dynamic ever came into college sports, and you got into valuations of franchises, that’s different. That's a huge hypothetical." Independence isn’t anything new in college sports. Notre Dame is the poster child, but others have played this game — BYU in the 2010s and Miami in the 1980s immediately come to mind. Pulling it off these days, however, is increasingly complicated. For one, scheduling is its own challenge. Independent UConn and its administrators have long addressed the issues this poses in trying to piece together a coherent ledger. There’s also a matter of whether LSU would subsequently control its own media rights or whether it'd remain tied to the SEC’s ongoing deal with ESPN. The rights would likely revert to the school, but that’s no guarantee — see Clemson and Florida State’s lawsuits against the ACC in recent years for further proof. Media rights control aside, the most obvious parallel in all of this is Notre Dame, which brings home an annual payout that neighbors the SEC and Big Ten’s media rights distributions in the $75 million range through its NBC deal and arrangement with the ACC. Could LSU fetch that on the open market? That’s less clear. "It's no knock on LSU; it’s just Notre Dame has been Notre Dame, and they've operated independently for so long that to assume LSU would immediately have that same level of independent value is probably unlikely," one media rights consultant told me. "Do they have a good shot of it? Sure, perhaps in the Southwest, but I think the point is, I don't know if they have that same level of national recognition and standing to be considered independent." There’s also the matter of the school’s broader business value. The Athletic conducted a study in July that suggested LSU would be the 11th-most valuable program in the country at around $1.3 billion. That shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. LSU athletics has reported north of $120 million in revenue every year since 2015 and almost $200 million or more since 2022, per the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database. It also reported at least $60 million in donor contributions annually since 2022, while corporate sponsorship and licensing dollars have jumped from $3.3 million in 2022 to $5 million in 2025. Pro sports exist in Louisiana, but it’s fall Saturdays at Tiger Stadium that capture the consciousness of the state in a way the Saints and Pelicans can’t quite muster — and why a pending game of chicken between LSU and the SEC has everyone paying attention. "The SEC and Commissioner Sankey are prepared to contest the allegations in the plaintiffs’ petition at Thursday morning’s hearing," the league wrote in a statement released on Sunday night, "and defend the SEC’s rights as a voluntary association to fulfill its mission to its member institutions." "This whole thing is ridiculous. Don’t hate the player, hate the game." — Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry in a statement to Front Office Sports on the ongoing eligibility fight in the state. Duke announced a five-year agreement with Edward Jones, which, at face-value, isn’t going to force eyebrows to raise. That the Blue Devils brass is allowing the company to place its branding on the floor at Cameron Indoor Stadium, however, is noteworthy. "It’s balancing our needs with the history and tradition, evolving with the current landscape and figuring out what is right to do here," Duke athletics director Nina King told me by phone. "I'm just really excited by how this looks. It's not like, ‘Oh my goodness, we turned into NASCAR.’" Michigan added signage within the Big House for the first time in recent weeks. Now, Duke is following suit. Such is life in college sports these days.]]>
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					<![CDATA[The 13 Storylines That Will Define The 2026 NFL Season]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/13-storylines-define-2026-nfl-season</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/13-storylines-define-2026-nfl-season</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Aaron Donald and Patrick Mahomes are back, while the Cowboys and Bengals are stacked. Here are the storylines that will define the NFL season.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:10:49 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[With you know who coming out of retirement for the Rams, it’s already a wrap for the Super Bowl … or is it? The Bears? Must-see TV. The GOAT of this generation? He’s coming back with a vengeance. Oh, and Joe Burrow is talking big. There will inevitably be significant storylines this NFL season that we can’t predict. But we do have an idea of the narratives that will have the biggest impact on how we view this year.Here are the top 13: Aaron Donald's return after two years in retirement is the cherry on the top for the Rams, who’ve built one of the most talented rosters in NFL history. They’ve revamped their defense in a significant way by adding Donald, Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett (trade), former All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie (trade) and cornerback Jaylen Watson (free agency). And that’s on top of their top-ranked offense from a year ago that returns all 11 starters, including league MVP Matthew Stafford. The Rams are the heavy favorite to win Super Bowl LXI. Anything less than a Lombardi Trophy would mark a major disappointment. But it's certainly no lock: Over the past 30 years, the preseason Super Bowl favorite has entered the season with +500 or shorter odds 20 times. They’ve gone 0-for-20. Mahomes is coming off the first major injury of his career — and his first time missing the postseason. He suffered a torn ACL in a Week 15 loss to the Chargers that eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention. This generation’s most accomplished player, Mahomes intends to return to the postseason. With offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy back, the return of a healthy Rashee Rice as WR1 and the addition of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in the backfield, Kansas City could have its most dynamic offense in years around the three-time Super Bowl MVP. Released by the Cardinals in the spring after seven seasons, Murray signed a one-year deal at the veteran’s minimum with the Vikings and beat out 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy to become QB1. If the former No. 1 overall pick regains Pro Bowl form, Minnesota becomes a dark-horse contender to win the NFC North and one of the better teams in the conference. The Bears returned to national prominence in 2025 in Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach — 11 regular-season victories, an NFC North title and the franchise’s first playoff win since 2010. Second-year Bears quarterback Caleb Williams led Chicago to seven comeback victories after trailing in the final two minutes of regulation, the most since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger. But will the Bears keep ascending in 2026? Or will they come down to earth? Reliance on late-game heroics isn’t a formula for sustained success. The Bears rebuilt their secondary this offseason but are already facing major injury concerns. Their marquee free-agent acquisition, safety Coby Bryant, will miss four to six months after undergoing knee surgery. The A.J. Brown shadow is gone, with the star receiver traded to the Patriots in the offseason. But the Eagles will have to replace his production and adjust to significant coaching changes, including yet another new offensive coordinator and the loss of legendary offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, who stepped down. First-time OC Sean Mannion will have to improve an offense that regressed last season from the unit that helped the franchise win Super Bowl LIX. Last season, the Eagles dropped from seventh to 19th in scoring and from eighth to 24th in total offense. Even with Mahomes and the Chiefs out of the playoffs last season, neither Allen nor Jackson could take advantage. Allen’s Bills suffered an overtime loss to the Broncos in the AFC divisional round, while Jackson’s Ravens failed to even make the playoffs. So the pressure continues to ramp up on the MVP quarterbacks, both entering their ninth season, to make a Super Bowl. The stakes are particularly high in Baltimore, considering that Jackson has no guaranteed money left in his contract after next season. Injuries have become an annual concern for the Niners, a perennial contender under coach Kyle Shanahan. San Francisco is hopeful that it will have tight end George Kittle (Achilles) and edge rusher Nick Bosa (ACL) for Week 1 in Australia, but their statuses remain uncertain. The team had 23 players sidelined in its final training camp practice. Despite having one of the league's oldest rosters, the 49ers should have one of the best teams in the NFL. But injuries can derail their hopes of a deep postseason run. With quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, the Cowboys had one of the NFL’s elite offenses last season. But they were held back by a porous defense — ranked last in points allowed and third-worst in yards allowed — leading Dallas to miss the playoffs for a second straight year. The Cowboys, though, poured significant resources into that side of the ball this offseason. Five of their seven draft picks were defensive players, including first-rounders Caleb Downs, an All-American safety out of Ohio State, and Malachi Lawrence, a star defensive end from UCF. Dallas also added a slew of veterans — safety Jalen Thompson, cornerback Cobie Durant and edge rushers Rashan Gary and Von Miller among them. On paper, the Cowboys have one of the more complete teams in the NFC. Owning one of the NFL’s most lethal offenses, the Bengals are viewed as a major AFC contender for the first time in years after the upgrades they’ve made on defense. Cincinnati traded the 10th pick in the draft to the Giants for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, and also added edge rusher Boye Mafe, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and safety Bryan Cook in free agency. Quarterback Joe Burrow says this year’s Bengals team reminds him of his legendary 2019 LSU team, which went 15-0 and won the CFP national championship. The three-time Pro Bowler is "trying to manifest" a return to the Super Bowl. If Cincinnati returns to prominence in 2026, the AFC landscape becomes significantly more competitive at the top. A future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Rodgers will spend his 22nd and final NFL season with new Steelers coach Mike McCarthy, who was his coach in Green Bay for 13 years. Rodgers will have a deeper cast of wide receivers around him than he had a year ago — the Steelers traded for Michael Pittman Jr. and drafted Germie Bernard in the second round — as Pittsburgh begins the post-Mike Tomlin era and aims for its first playoff victory since 2016. Since putting together one of the best rookie quarterback seasons in NFL history in 2023, Stroud has regressed in consecutive years. His uninspiring playoff run last season, including a four-interception performance in the Texans’ division-round loss to the Patriots, has thrust his future in Houston into question. The franchise picked up the fifth-year option in his rookie contract, which will pay him $25.9 million fully guaranteed in 2027, but a long-term deal doesn’t appear to be imminent. Texans general manager Nick Caserio said Tuesday that if a deal isn’t reached before Week 1, all contract talks will pause until next offseason. An improved Stroud would make the Texans one of the top Super Bowl contenders, as they already have one of the NFL’s most feared defenses. New Browns coach Todd Monken named veteran Deshaun Watson the starting quarterback for Week 1 over second-year pro Shedeur Sanders following a months-long competition. But the 30-year-old Watson, who’s appeared in just 19 games for Cleveland since signing a five-year, fully-guaranteed $230 million deal with the franchise in 2022 due to suspension and injuries, has long been a shell of himself. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Browns turn to Sanders at some point this season. Cleveland currently holds two first-round picks in the 2027 draft (one was acquired in the Myles Garrett trade), so the team is positioned to land a quarterback of the future next spring. Mayfield will play out the final year of his contract, as the former No. 1 overall pick and the Bucs failed to reach agreement on a multi-year extension before his self-imposed training camp deadline. Apart from being a rare situation — established starting-level quarterbacks and their teams typically stay multiple years ahead of contract expiration — it also represents a big gamble for both sides. Mayfield risks injury or a downward trajectory before he can get a big-money deal next offseason, while Tampa risks Mayfield playing himself out of its price range and hitting free agency. The Bucs could franchise-tag him next spring to prevent that from happening, but that would limit their salary cap flexibility for 2027.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Cowboys COO Stephen Jones: 'Difficult' To Pay Both CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/stephen-jones-george-pickens-contract-ceedee-lamb-cowboys-salaries</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/stephen-jones-george-pickens-contract-ceedee-lamb-cowboys-salaries</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Cowboys COO Stephen Jones expressed pessimism over the team's ability to have both CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens on long-term deals.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:03:28 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Maybe Dallas Cowboys fans should enjoy having CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in the same offense while they still can. "I don't know of any teams that really can pay two top receivers top of the market [money], so that's going to be a really difficult situation as we move forward," Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said about Pickens' future in Dallas in an interview on the DLLS Cowboys podcast on Tuesday. "We've managed to figure out how we can do it for this year. If everything works out the way we think it is, [in] which CeeDee and George both have huge years again, then it'll be a bigger challenge next year." Coming off a breakout 2025 campaign that saw Pickens total 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns — all three totals led the Cowboys and were career highs — and earn his first career Pro Bowl, Dallas placed the $27.3 million franchise tag on the now-fifth-year receiver in February, whom they acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers the offseason prior. Meanwhile, the Cowboys signed Lamb, a 2023 All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in each of the last four years, to a four-year, $136 million deal in Aug. 2024. Last season (2025), Lamb totaled 75 receptions for 1,077 yards and three touchdowns across 14 games (he missed three games due to an ankle injury). From 2021-25, Lamb averaged 99.4 receptions for 1,296.2 yards and 7.2 touchdowns per year. Regarding the wide receiver market, Jaxon Smith-Njigba became the highest-paid receiver in NFL history this offseason, inking a four-year, $168.6 million extension ($42.2 million average annual value) with the Seattle Seahawks. On the paying multiple wide receivers top-line money front, the Cincinnati Bengals are paying roughly $69.1 million in salary to Ja'Marr Chase ($40.3 million AAV) and Tee Higgins ($28.8 million AAV), while the Detroit Lions are paying roughly $56.7 million in salary to Amon-Ra St. Brown ($30 million AAV) and Jameson Williams ($26.7 million AAV). Dallas is paying a combined $61.3 million to Lamb and Pickens this season. For perspective, the Bengals haven't made the playoffs since 2022, while the Cowboys haven't reached the playoffs since 2023. "George is really wanting to put back-to-back years on top of one another, so it'll help his market," Jones said. "And certainly, I know at some point, as does every player in this league, he'll want to be rewarded with a long-term contract. So that certainly puts pressure on us to have a unique situation there at wide receiver." Dallas opens its 2026 regular season on the road against the New York Giants on Sept. 13.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Vikings Reportedly Sign Edge Rusher Kyle Van Noy, Reuniting Him With Brian Flores]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/vikings-reportedly-sign-edge-rusher-kyle-van-noy-reuniting-him-brian-flores</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/vikings-reportedly-sign-edge-rusher-kyle-van-noy-reuniting-him-brian-flores</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Minnesota Vikings have signed edge rusher Kyle Van Noy, reuniting him with defensive coordinator Brian Flores. They won two Super Bowl championships together during their time together with the New England Patriots.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 12:57:28 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[With the NFL season about a week away from kickoff, Minnesota Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley isn’t slowing down constructing the roster. On Tuesday night, the Vikings signed veteran edge rusher Kyle Van Noy, first reported by The Ringer. The 35-year-old veteran reunites with defensive coordinator Brian Flores, with whom he won two Super Bowls on the New England Patriots. Van Noy has bounced around the league over his career. After being drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions in 2014, he went on to play for the Patriots, the Miami Dolphins under Flores, the Los Angeles Chargers, and most recently, the Baltimore Ravens. ESPN reported early Tuesday morning that Van Noy was visiting Minnesota, and with the visit now wrapped up, the signing is officially done. His 2024 season with the Ravens was highly productive, highlighted by a career-high 12.5 sacks. Van Noy has built a career on leadership and mentorship inside winning organizations, which are qualities head coach Kevin O’Connell could be looking to add in Minnesota. After trading away Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard during the draft, the Vikings were left needing depth and experience upfront. Pairing Van Noy with first-year starter Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel instantly stabilizes their pass-rush rotation. The Vikings also added raw Cincinnati hybrid linebacker Jake Golday in the second round of this year's draft. Adding Van Noy to the fold gives O’Connell and Flores a well-balanced group featuring proven veteran leadership and high-upside depth to start the season. Flores' defense was top-tier last season, ranking third in total yards allowed (282.6) and seventh in points against (19.6). Adding Van Noy as a rotational pass rusher could give the Vikings the extra edge they need for a fast start when they host the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Raiders Name Kirk Cousins Starting Quarterback Over Fernando Mendoza]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/raiders-name-kirk-cousins-starting-quarterback-over-fernando-mendoza</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/raiders-name-kirk-cousins-starting-quarterback-over-fernando-mendoza</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Las Vegas Raiders have named Kirk Cousins their starting quarterback over No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 12:45:37 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Las Vegas Raiders are choosing the veteran over the rookie. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak announced on Wednesday morning that Kirk Cousins will be the team's starting quarterback to open the 2026 regular season, beating out No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza for the starting job. "He played really good football," Kubiak said about naming Cousins the starter. "I'm really happy with all three of our quarterbacks. Kirk's had a really good offseason, very good camp and he's earned it." Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler, started the Raiders' Week 1 and 3 preseason games, with Mendoza starting their Week 2 preseason tilt and playing in each of their three games. Cousins combined to throw 101 passing yards, one passing touchdown and zero interceptions over two games, while completing 76.4% of his passes (13 of 17). Over the three games Mendoza appeared in, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner totaled 240 passing yards, one passing touchdown and two interceptions, while completing 55.5% of his passes (25 of 45). The 38-year-old Cousins signed a two-year, $12.6 million deal with the Raiders in April after spending the last two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (2024-25). After being benched for the final three games of 2024, Cousins became Atlanta's starting quarterback again when starter Michael Penix Jr. suffered a torn ACL in November of last season. Across the eight starts and 10 appearances altogether that Cousins made in 2025, he totaled 1,721 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, five interceptions and an 84.8 passer rating, while completing 61.7% of his passes. The Raiders open the regular season at home against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 13.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Don't Put Alex Palou On INDYCAR's Mount Rushmore Just Yet]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/alex-palou-indycar-mount-rushmore-rank-among-the-greats</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/alex-palou-indycar-mount-rushmore-rank-among-the-greats</guid>
				<category>motor</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Carve out a place for Alex Palou on INDYCAR's Mount Rushmore? Well, not so fast.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 12:38:31 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Alex Palou continues his epic run, rattling off championship after championship after championship after championship. Four in a row. Five in the last six years. So does that put him on the Mount Rushmore of INDYCAR drivers? Well ... He sits third in all-time championships, his five only behind A.J. Foyt (seven) and Scott Dixon (six). Some would say that puts him on there. But his all-time win total of 25? That ties him for 17th. He needs 17 more to reach the top five. And then there’s Indianapolis 500 victories. Palou has one. Four drivers have won it four times. So my Mount Rushmore doesn’t include Palou — not just yet. I am thinking it will eventually. Maybe in 2028 or 2029 when he shows he can adapt and win in the new INDYCAR. If he accomplishes that, he will just further amaze everyone with his versatility. My Mount Rushmore? It begins with Andretti and Foyt. Andretti, also a Formula 1 champion, has 52 victories and four titles and Foyt owns 67 victories and seven titles. Both also won a Daytona 500. Dixon is on there, too, having won races throughout his 25-year career (this year could end a streak of 21 years with at least one win). Dixon’s 59 victories are second only to Foyt. And then I have Al Unser with his combination of 39 victories (sixth all-time), which include four in the Indianapolis 500 and three titles. Palou will probably rattle off dozens of more victories. But at the moment, and only because he hasn’t raced as long, he currently has fewer wins than active drivers Dixon, Will Power (45) and Josef Newgarden (32). Dixon has 23 seasons with at least one win. Foyt earned his wins in 18 separate seasons (Power has, too). Andretti won at least once over 16 seasons. And Unser in 14 (nine drivers have won in at least 14 different seasons). Palou? He’s won in six separate seasons. Of course, he has only raced in INDYCAR over the last seven years. Has he been dominant the last four years? For sure and especially the last two with 14 victories. A Mount Rushmore, to me, signifies consistent success over decades. So I totally think Palou will be on my Mount Rushmore after he continues to climb up the win charts (and probably adding more championships as well as more Indianapolis 500 wins). I'll even start doing the designs. But I'm not ready to sculpt just yet.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Sammy’s Sportsbook Whispers: What To Make Of The Crimson Tide]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/sammys-sportsbook-whispers-what-make-crimson-tide</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/sammys-sportsbook-whispers-what-make-crimson-tide</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Bookmakers are trying to figure out exactly how they feel about Kalen DeBoer and Alabama. Sammy P shares what he's hearing in the shadows.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 11:59:38 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[It’s time for this week’s Sportsbook Whispers. Alabama is a fascinating case study this year because it is ranked outside the preseason AP Top 10 for the first time since 2008. That was Nick Saban’s second season in Tuscaloosa and the Tide exceeded expectations, finishing 12-2 after a Sugar Bowl loss to undefeated Utah. Time flies, eh? Last year, Alabama finished 11-4, but the lasting image of its season was a 38-3 dismantling at the hands of eventual champion Indiana. "Alabama could not run the ball last season," newly retired bookmaker Ed Salmons told me from Las Vegas. "That was never an issue at the height of their powers under Nick Saban. I like Kalen DeBoer and there’s always going to be talent there, but they must get back to running the ball." This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Most wise guys I know who make power ratings have Bama just outside the top 10 with room to grow. I frequently share notes with handicappers, like Motoi Pearson and Brad Powers, who rank the Tide 11th and 13th respectively. One former bookmaker turned bettor is higher. "I have Alabama eighth," he admitted. "I have Ohio State one, Notre Dame and Oregon tied at two, Texas four, Georgia and Indiana tied at five. Miami seven. "Alabama acquired a ton of talent in the transfer portal, and they added five transfers in the offensive line room. So DeBoer clearly addressed their weaknesses. And the quarterback is young, but he’s a five-star recruit. "I admit I’m probably a little high, mostly because I believe in team pedigree and I like their coaching staff. That said, the market took 28.5 and 28 with East Carolina over the last few days, so that was interesting." What else? "One big disagreement I have is Houston-Oregon State," he continued. "I think the market is almost a touchdown light. I make Houston -27. Maybe I’m missing something. "We bet Florida State +3 against SMU, too. There’s only one way to bet that game. It’s Florida State or pass. My preseason number was pick ‘em, and you can’t over adjust to one result. This number shouldn’t be 3. "The books are going to write all SMU tickets, though, so I get it." Caesars Sportsbook head of football Joey Feazel expects an avalanche of tickets on Kevin Jennings and the Mustangs in Monday night’s standalone. "[Florida State] left a lot to be desired against New Mexico State," Feazel said. "They’ve struggled for a couple years now, and it looks like it’s going to be one-way action. The line is holding steady around 3, but we were at 1.5 and 2 before Week 0. "It’ll be one of our biggest handled college games of the year because it’s the only game Monday night and the NFL isn’t back yet." If you’ve been around this racket as long as I have, you know every sportsbook has an uncomfortable liability on a player to win the Heisman. Obviously, customers tend to bet players near the top, but there’s always a code-red long shot that would clean a book’s clock if he won the award. "For us, it’s Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz," Feazel reported. "We wrote a sizable bet on him at 80/1 for a big number. So that’s the easy answer. There are a lot more tickets on John Mateer and Arch Manning, but Kienholz would be the worst result for us at this point in time." Finally, we must give Bill Belichick his flowers. North Carolina was as high as 9.5-point dogs last week against TCU and pulled the outright upset at Dublin's Aviva Stadium. Or maybe the market was just too high on the Horned Frogs, who ironically lost outright as a 20.5-point favorite three years ago to Colorado in Deion Sanders’ first game as head coach in Boulder. Quarterback Josh Hoover ain’t walking through that door. He left TCU to be the new starter for Curt Cignetti as Indiana tries to win back-to-back titles. "I downgraded TCU 2.5 points," professional bettor Corbie Craig told me. Craig did have a bet on UNC plus the points. "It is worth noting TCU’s No. 1 wide receiver didn’t play Saturday, but I still moved my number nicely."]]>
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					<![CDATA[College Football Is Back: Catch Up On 6 Key Storylines Ahead Of Week 1]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-cfb-week-1-texas-arch-manning-cfp-lsu-indiana</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-cfb-week-1-texas-arch-manning-cfp-lsu-indiana</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[College football is back! FOX Sports' Laken Litman offers up six storylines to know before Week 1.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 10:47:33 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Let the chaos begin: College football's offseason is fully over, Week 1 has arrived and here's your cheat sheet for the sport's biggest storylines. If you’ve been a little checked out of college football, we get it — there’s been a lot going on. The World Cup took over this summer, and with college football somehow evolving into a nearly six-month commitment, everybody needs a break. But now it’s time to tune back in. For those who’ve been away from the college football universe, here are six quick storylines — in no particular order — to get you caught up before Week 1 kicks off this weekend with a full slate of games across five days. From Heisman Trophy favorites and College Football Playoff contenders to coaches at new programs, we've got you covered. What does success look like for Texas this year? It’s national championship or bust. Head coach Steve Sarkisian enters his sixth season in Austin, and over these last five years, his team has already done everything outside of winning a national title: The Longhorns won the Big 12 before leaving the conference, they've played for an SEC title and they’ve made two College Football Playoff semifinals. Last season was a dud by program standards after getting off to a shaky start before ending the year with wins over rival Texas A&amp;M and Michigan and finishing 10-3. The Longhorns didn’t make the CFP, which is where this season’s retooled team comes into play. Quarterback Arch Manning has a full year of starting experience under his belt. While Texas is a top preseason team and Manning is in the Heisman Trophy conversation, the hype and expectations surrounding him aren’t nearly as intense as they were a year ago. His growth, along with all the talent Sarkisian picked up in the transfer portal on both sides of the ball, is enough to get anyone believing in the Horns. Now, can they get it done? Last season, the Hoosiers were the best story in the country. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman and led Indiana to a perfect season and its first-ever national championship before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Can Curt Cignetti’s program captivate the college football world again? It would not be smart to doubt this coach who turned the losingest program in college football history into a national champion. The Hoosiers have reloaded in the transfer portal, adding former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover and Michigan State receiver Nick Marsh, among others. And Indiana has several elite playmakers returning from last year’s team. But repeating the magic — particularly an undefeated run — will be a much tougher task. Indiana faces Ohio State and Michigan on back-to-back weekends in October, followed by USC and Washington on consecutive Saturdays in November. If Cignetti can navigate that gauntlet, maybe Indiana really is a dynasty in the making. This is obviously the blockbuster storyline of the season: Lane Kiffin’s debut at LSU after ditching Ole Miss before last year’s CFP. Since his arrival in Baton Rouge, every move has been watched. From the FBI reportedly sweeping the Rebels' football facility for potential Kiffin bugs to the Tigers’ interest in pursuing former NFL players who want to return to college, Kiffin has owned recent headlines. LSU will undoubtedly remain at the center of attention, especially if it wins. The Tigers have a challenging schedule, opening with Clemson at home in prime time before a trip to Oxford to play the Rebels on September 19. Get your popcorn ready for that one. LSU has five preseason top-25 teams on its schedule, including a rough November when it plays Alabama, Texas and Tennessee in three straight weekends. Penn State famously fired James Franklin last October after 12 seasons, just one year removed from a CFP appearance. The 2025 campaign didn’t go as planned and quickly unraveled. After an epic double-overtime loss to Oregon at home in late September, the Nittany Lions lost six straight games. Franklin was fired after the third, following inexplicable losses to UCLA and Northwestern. In November, Franklin was given a second chance when Virginia Tech named him its next head coach. After reloading in the transfer portal — which included luring former Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer to Blacksburg — Franklin is reinvigorated by a new challenge. The Hokies’ schedule, however, won’t make the transition easy. They play Clemson, SMU, Miami and Virginia, though they avoid Louisville. It might take time for Franklin to get Virginia Tech where he wants it, but he brings a proven track record as a recruiter, gets a clean slate and has a passionate fan base hungry to see the program matter on a national stage. It’s the Big Ten’s world right now with the conference claiming the last three national championships. Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana are the most recent winners and there’s a good chance the league contends for a fourth. Oregon is certainly a favorite with Dante Moore at quarterback. If the Ducks make their third consecutive CFP appearance, can they avoid getting blown out like they have in the past? If not, Indiana is motivated to defend its title, Ohio State has a ton of firepower and USC is anxious to make its first CFP. The SEC hasn’t won it all since Georgia did it twice in a row in 2021 and 2022. Early prognosticators predict the conference might produce the most playoff teams with some combination of Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Alabama making runs. While there’s been plenty of chatter regarding another CFP expansion, the field remains at 12 this season. However, there are some small changes. The Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Big 12 champions will receive automatic bids. Notre Dame will be guaranteed a spot, as long as it finishes in the top 12 of the final CFP rankings. Then, the highest-ranked Group of 6 team — regardless of whether it’s a conference champion — will also receive an automatic bid. In previous years, the five highest-ranked conference champions received automatic bids. And as we’ve grown accustomed to, the first round will still be played on campuses. Then, the quarterfinals this year will be hosted by the Fiesta Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl and Peach Bowl and the semifinals will be in the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl. The CFP national championship game will be played on Jan. 25 in Las Vegas.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Last Night In Baseball: The Pirates Walk Off In A Wild (And Necessary) Game]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/pirates-cardinals-yankees-rays-bryce-harper-wild-card</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/pirates-cardinals-yankees-rays-bryce-harper-wild-card</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Pirates and Giants played a wild one, the Yankees and Cardinals went back-to-back, the Brewers got one back, Bryce Harper had himself a night and more from Tuesday's MLB action.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 10:42:45 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[A walk-off error. Back-to-back jacks. Bryce Harper can't make outs. Tuesday's MLB action provided all that and much more. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball: The Pirates aren’t done with 2026 just yet. Pittsburgh isn’t having a red carpet rolled out for it by any means, but with 23 games to go the Bucs are five games back of the third wild-card spot in the National League — a tough assignment, like, "the Pirates’ playoff odds are less than 2%" tough, but the percent chance still exists, which is more than you can say about the Nationals, Reds, Mets and more. Helping Pittsburgh out on Tuesday was a wild win against the Giants, that was coupled with losses by (1) the current holder of the NL’s final wild-card slot, the Padres and (2) the Diamondbacks, who are just half-a-game behind San Diego. The Marlins and Cardinals both won, so it wasn’t a perfect evening for the Pirates, but picking up a game on the teams furthest away is something. And the Pirates pulled it off in a ridiculous way. Paul Skenes couldn’t get out of the fifth and allowed five runs on eight hits and three walks, bringing his ERA for the season to 3.97. Logan Webb was even worse: the Giants’ starter gave up nine runs in two innings of work, with all nine coming in the second, and while San Francisco’s bullpen was better than Pittsburgh’s, the latter team had a great head start, so a five-run eighth by the Giants merely tied the game at 12-12. Then, disaster struck for the Giants, who had mostly kept the Pirates in check from the third onward. Carson Seymour came on in relief to face Pittsburgh in the ninth, and allowed the fourth hit of the day to second baseman Brandon Lowe to start. DH Nick Gonzalez would then single, and center fielder Oneil Cruz hit a grounder to force a ground out at second, but Lowe advanced to third and Cruz would move to second on defensive indifference shortly after. Catcher Rafael Flores Jr., who had entered as a defensive replacement earlier when Henry Davis was lifted for a pinch-hitter, hit a ball to third baseman Osleivis Basabe… and it never found the mitt at first. It was a great scoop by Basabe, but he left the throw too short for it to get into Rafael Devers’ glove with ease — it just cleared the grass to the left of the infield dirt, and didn’t come to him clean enough to snag. The official scorer charged the error to Basabe, not Devers, and Lowe scored the walk-off run. The Mets took the first game of their series against the Rays on Monday, and on Tuesday it looked like it might be more of the same when shortstop Francisco Lindor started with a leadoff homer. And off former Mets starter Freddy Peralta, to boot. That would be all the offense Peralta would allow, however: he ended up looking more like his Brewers’ iteration than his Mets’ one, giving up three hits and no walks against seven strikeouts over six innings. And the Tampa Bay offense made sure that didn’t go to waste, either. Third baseman Junior Caminero tied the game in the bottom of the first with a single to left… …and Tampa Bay got another in the bottom of the third on another single by first baseman Ryan Vilade. In the sixth, left fielder Chandler Simpson showed off his wheels scoring from first base to make it 3-1 — that ended up being the game-winning hit. The Rays would add another three runs, but New York scored just one off the Tampa Bay bullpen. The Rays have 83 wins — no one else in the AL has 80 yet, but the closest is just 4.5 behind them in the AL East. And that team, the Yankees, had their own success on Tuesday. Facing the Angels, New York opened the scoring with back-to-back homers by right fielder Spencer Jones and second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the first. The Yankees would never trail in this one: the Angels put three on the board through six, but by that time the Yankees had already scored again, and would add another three for good measure to lead to a 7-3 dub. New York might be just far enough behind Tampa Bay to not catch them in the East — Baseball Prospectus has its AL East title odds at under 14%, there but not likely — but with the Red Sox losing and the Guardians trying to stay ahead of a bunch of sub-.500 teams, being up +8.5 in the wild-card race means New York is all but mathematically assured of a postseason spot barring true disaster. The aforementioned Diamondbacks’ loss came at the hands of the Phillies, who had the best record in MLB in August and kicked off their September with another W. Philadelphia won 7-1, with right fielder Bryce Harper the standout thanks to a 4-for-4 effort. Harper drove in one and scored another, with each knock a single — Harper has reached base in 34-straight games, too, and picked up a walk for five total times on base last night. Jesús Luzardo was the other standout for the Phillies, going 6 ⅔ innings mostly scattering six hits in a 7-1 win for Philadelphia — his ERA is now down to 3.02 after a rough start to the year that saw it at 4.56 after his first June appearance. It’s 1.86 in 15 starts and 96 ⅔ innings since, which has done a lot for the Phillies’ success in the same stretch. The Cardinals also pulled off back-to-back jacks, in their case against the Dodgers. Third baseman Ramón Urías hit the first dinger, and shortstop Thomas Saggese followed it up with a 415 footer, both off starter Eric Lauer. St. Louis built up a seven run lead before the Dodgers responded with a three-run Mookie Betts double, but the Cardinals quickly erased most of that progress with a two-run long ball by right fielder Jordan Walker. That one went 409 feet and 109.3 mph off the bat — what a season Walker is having, as he’s batting .288/.345/.505 with 28 homers. While the Cardinals would score four more, Walker’s blast turned out to be the game-winner, as St. Louis would win, 13-8. The Cards are now 69-70 and four games out of the last wild-card spot — like with the Pirates, winning when the Padres and D-backs did not is huge. The Brewers were demolished by the Cubs on Monday, 17-3, but got a measure of revenge on Tuesday with a 9-4 victory. The good thing about baseball is that most of the time there’s another game the next day, and the losses all count the same in the standings no matter how lopsided they are. Here, Robert Gasser was pulled after 4 ⅓ innings and three runs, but five relievers came on after he did and combined for just one more run allowed. The Cubs had built up a 3-0 lead, but the Brewers chipped away, and in the sixth DH Christian Yelich made it a 5-3 ballgame for Milwaukee. Yelich would come around to score in the eighth when a Joey Ortiz homer served as an exclamation point on the game: he had just one hit, but scored twice and drove in two. Chicago isn’t mathematically eliminated from overtaking the Brewers in the NL Central, but at eight games back with the season’s remaining duration now measured in weeks, it’s no wonder the Cubs’ have a less than 5% probability of pulling it off. The Guardians were in danger of losing possession of the third wild-card spot in the AL on Tuesday, as Cleveland began the day half-a-game up on the Orioles, with the Rangers creeping behind Baltimore at 1.5 back. While Texas won, the O’s did not, and the Guardians were able to pick up a win against the Blue Jays, who were also just 1.5 back on Tuesday morning. The AL wild-card race is just like that right now. Cleveland got a pair of homers from Angels, but not in the "the Guardians traded for Jo Adell" sense. In the "the Guardians have an infielder named Angel Genao and an outfielder named Angel Martinez" one. Genao pinch-hit for Travis Bazzana in the seventh and bopped his second homer of the season to put Cleveland up 4-1, then Martinez hit his own two-run shot in the next inning to make it 6-1. The Guardians are 1.5 up on both Texas and Baltimore, and now 2.5 ahead of Toronto. The Twins — who won a 15-2 laugher against the Tigers on Tuesday — are 3.5 behind. It’s going to be some last few weeks to secure that final postseason spot in the American League.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 Aaron Donald Odds: How Will Former DPOY Perform In Return Season?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-aaron-donald-odds-how-will-former-dpoy-perform-return-season</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-aaron-donald-odds-how-will-former-dpoy-perform-return-season</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[What can Aaron Donald produce in his first season back after retirement? See what the odds have to say.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 10:38:18 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Surely you've heard the news that Aaron Donald is back. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year retired after the 2023-24 season, but now he's back, two seasons later, to join Myles Garrett with the Rams. And just like that, arguably the most formidable defensive line tandem in history has been formed … if Donald is the Donald we remember. How will he perform in his return? Let's see what the odds say at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Sept. 2. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. To have 8+ sacks: +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total) To have 10+ sacks: +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total) To have 12+ sacks: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total) To have 15+ sacks: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total) Most sacks: +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total) Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett to combine for 30+ sacks: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total) Here's what to know about this odds list: Will History Repeat?: History says that Donald will cross the eight-sack mark. In nine of his 10 professional seasons, he had at least eight sacks, and in the one year he didn't, he only played 11 games, finishing with five sacks. Donald has had 10 or more sacks in six seasons, 12 or more four times, and over 15 once, when he racked up a league-leading 20.5 in 2018-19. However, Donald is now 35 and hasn't taken the field in two full seasons. How many snaps will he take? Will he start all 17 games? Dynamic Duo: One thing Donald will have this season that he never had is a defensive player currently regarded as better than him. Garrett has twice been named Defensive Player of the Year, including winning the award last year. The soon-to-be 31-year-old Garrett had an NFL record 23 sacks last season, and had at least 14 sacks in each of the four seasons prior to that. The odds say the duo won't reach 30, but it's not farfetched simply based on Garrett's form. Conventional wisdom says Garrett could open up doors to the opposing quarterback that Donald has never witnessed, right?]]>
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					<![CDATA[College Football Rankings: North Dakota State Enters The Mix After Week 0]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-rankings-top-25-week-0</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-rankings-top-25-week-0</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports' RJ Young offers up his latest college football rankings following North Dakota State's impressive showing and TCU's Week 0 flop.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 10:07:07 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Like a child with a sandcastle finally built and ready to show it off to a parent who (secretly) couldn't care less, we made it! Like a grown man tossing free weights at his local gym for the first time in months after hearing the words, "I just think of you as a friend," we're back, baby! Like a player who could not make a 53-man roster in the NFL, so he sues the NCAA for the right to return to LSU, we are the main character once more. That means the scoreboard matters, the results come with consequences and there's no hiding from your record, which is a direct reflection of who your team is here and now. TCU and North Dakota State are Week 0 reflections of what awaits teams playing their first games of the season on Thursday to kick off Week 1. TCU did not look like or play like a top-25 team in its season debut. The Horned Frogs not only lost, 15-10, to the same North Carolina program they beat by 28 points last season, but they also committed enough unforced errors to make me believe they'll absolutely struggle against Big 12 competition if both the offense and defense don't improve in a hurry. TCU committed 11 penalties, allowed a safety because its punter couldn't catch a wet ball and played 11 straight drives without a score. Meanwhile, North Dakota State looked every bit like a program expecting to win a lot in the FBS following its resounding 33-7 win over Jacksonville State at the Fargodome on Saturday. The Bison looked like they have for the last decade: a team that plays fundamentally sound football, doesn't make a habit of beating itself and knows how to finish in the fourth quarter. Their 26-point win is what I'd expect from a top-25 team against an unranked opponent in its weight class. Now, with the knowledge that TCU is 0-1 against a team I ranked at 100 in the preseason and the Bison were knocking on the door of the top 25, it's time to make the first change of the season to my rankings. I expect we will see more movement by Labor Day's end. 2025 Record: 12-1 Nathan Hayes has the honor of being the only quarterback to play four years of FCS football without a start and then make his first career start as a member of an FBS program — and against FBS competition. That’s what NDSU is now, an FBS program, and it's hit the ground running. I believe the Bison have everything they need — including a favorable schedule — to earn an invitation to the College Football Playoff in their first season in the FBS. And they're already 1-0. Win total odds: Over 8.5 (-150), Under 8.5 (+125)Odds to win Mountain West: +245 (first) 2025 Record: 8-5 Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has built a program capable of staying competitive and successful in the tumultuous NIL era. But this season, he has tabbed five-star phenom Faizon Brandon as the starting quarterback when the Vols take the field against Furman in Week 1. Getting this decision right could be the difference between a College Football Playoff berth and a second straight loss to — gasp — Vanderbilt. The Vols have a tough schedule, but they also get Alabama, Texas and LSU at home this season. Keep an eye on running back DeSean Bishop, who I think could be another Dylan Sampson. Bishop rushed for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns on 182 carries last season and should be a valuable weapon for Brandon in 2026. Win total odds: Over 7.5 (-125), Under 7.5 (-105)Odds to win SEC: +2000 (eighth) 2025 Record: 11-2 Utah was preparing to make Morgan Scalley its head coach in everything but name by 2026 anyway. Kyle Whittingham's move to Michigan simply forced the timeline up. The team's defense will once again be fierce. What remains to be seen is how good quarterback Devon Dampier can be without offensive coordinator Jason Beck calling plays and Kevin McGiven helping direct the offense. Dampier has totaled 33 rushing touchdowns in 33 career games. With Dampier returning and 900-plus-yard tailback Wayshawn Parker next to him, I don't see why Scalley’s Utah squad can't challenge for the Big 12 title again in 2026. Scalley is just the fourth head coach at Utah since 1990 and the second-straight hire made from the previous year’s coaching staff. And that's for good reason: It ain't broke, so they don't fix it. Win total odds: Over 8.5 (-150), Under 8.5 (+125)Odds to win Big 12: +650 (third) 2025 Record: 9-4 SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has his issues, but he’s good enough for the Mustangs to remain in this top 25 all season. Jennings led the ACC in interceptions last season (13) but also put together another season of at least 3,200 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns. However, losing 90% of the pass rush from what was a bad defense in 2025 is coach Rhett Lashlee’s real problem to solve in 2026. The Mustangs have gone 22-2 over the last three years in the ACC, and now, they've added former five-star wide receiver Jordyn Adams, who is 26 years old and a former first-round MLB Draft pick. Win total odds: Over 8.5 (-136), Under 8.5 (+115)Odds to win ACC: +650 (second) 2025 Record: 9-4 In 2025, I compared Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. to Kyler Murray, and he still looks every bit the dynamo. If the Huskies can develop a wide receiver as productive as Denzel Boston was one year ago, they can win double-digit games in the toughest league in the country. This also is Year 3 of the Jedd Fisch experience in Seattle, and, if his Arizona tenure taught us anything, it’s that this is the year his teams tend to break through. Linebacker Jacob Manu is the best player on the Huskies’ defense. He has notched 241 tackles in 37 games, which ranks first among Big Ten defenders returning this season. Win total odds: Over 7.5 (-170), Under 7.5 (+140)Odds to win Big Ten: +2400 (seventh) 2025 Record: 4-8 Florida coach Jon Sumrall might have pulled off his best recruiting win by convincing prized running back Jadan Baugh to stay another year. Having a tailback who accounted for 1,380 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns on a 3-9 team is impressive enough. Sumrall has reached a conference championship game in every season of his head-coaching career. I’m betting on Sumrall’s record as a head coach and Baugh’s ability to carry the offense here. But I’m also betting on former Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner — who has the most SEC name of any coach in the country — and his ability to make his offense work with transfer quarterback Aaron Philo and budding wideouts Dallas Wilson, Eric Singleton and Vernell Brown III. Win total odds: Over 7.5 (+130), Under 7.5 (-156)Odds to win SEC: +2500 (ninth) 2025 Record: 10-3 Forget Willie Fritz’s 14-11 record through his first two years in Houston. You live long enough, and you cover this sport long enough, you'll come to realize Fritz is one of the 10 best living coaches in college football. His résumé includes two junior college national titles, two FCS national title game appearances, leading Georgia Southern to a 9-3 record in its first-ever season of FBS play, two American Conference Coach of the Year awards and all the piss-and-vinegar that comes from playing football in "The Jungle" at Pittsburg State. (If you know, you know.) If Houston offensive coordinator Slade Nagle — football name! — and former five-star quarterback Conner Weigman can take the leap, look for the Cougars to be a force in Fritz’s Year 3 in H-town. He’s also got one of the nation’s most prolific tailbacks in his backfield in Makhi Hughes. Despite redshirting last season at Oregon, Hughes is the second-leading returning rusher in the sport with 2,849 yards in 32 games. Win total odds: Over 8.5 (+130), Under 8.5 (-156)Odds to win Big 12: +1600 (fifth) 2025 Record: 8-5 Eli Drinkwitz's team returns the best tailback in the sport in Ahmad Hardy and one of the nation's most intriguing transfer quarterbacks in former Ole Miss signal-caller Austin Simmons. Simmons beat out Trinidad Chambliss during the 2025 camp competition before an early season injury made way for Chambliss to take over. That alone is enough reason to believe Simmons could emerge as one of the nation’s top signal-callers in 2026. Add in Hardy's 1,649 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns from last season, and the Tigers have the makings of one of the SEC's most dangerous offenses. The one concern is Hardy's availability. He sustained a gunshot wound that will delay the start of his season, leaving Jamal Roberts to shoulder much of the workload early. Win total odds: Over 6.5 (-120), Under 6.5 (+100)Odds to win SEC: +3200 (10th) 2025 Record: 7-6 Matt Campbell brought the best of Iowa State with him to Happy Valley, building his reputation on doing more with less while turning the Cyclones into a Big 12 contender. At Penn State, he’ll get his first opportunity to do more with more. The result should be a drastic turnaround from the Nittany Lions' disastrous 2025 season. Campbell also has the luxury of avoiding Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon in his first season. Iowa State transfer quarterback Rocco Becht is the second-leading returning passer in the sport with 9,274 yards in 42 career games, and that experience should help ease Penn State's transition into Matt Campbell's first season with the Nittany Lions. Win total odds: Over 8.5 (-166), Under 8.5 (+130)Odds to win Big Ten: +2100 (sixth) 2025 Record: 12-2 I didn’t expect quarterback Bear Bachmeier to have a breakout season as a true freshman, nor did I expect BYU to lose to just one team — twice — in 2025. But after a 12-2 season and some recent turbulence for reigning Big 12 reigning champion Texas Tech, Kalani Sitake’s Cougars are now a solid bet to win the Big 12 title and earn a trip to the College Football Playoff. The Cougars face Utah and TCU on the road and host Notre Dame this season. If those games are close in the fourth quarter, BYU should like its chances. The Cougars trailed by double digits in seven games last year and came back to win five of them. I expect this team will know how to finish, too. The Big 12 conference featured just two 3,000-yard passers last year, and Bachmeier was one of them. Win total odds: Over 8.5 (-150), Under 8.5 (+125)Odds to win Big 12: +550 (second) 2025 Record: 9-4 Kyle Whittingham has everything he needs to reach the CFP for the first time in his career at a program that has made it three times in the last five years and won a national title just two years ago. If offensive coordinator Jason Beck can develop quarterback Bryce Underwood into the player his talent suggests, Michigan should remain one of the Big Ten's elite teams. That's the good news. Now the bad. First, the man who brought the former Utah coach to Ann Arbor, Warde Manuel, is (in)voluntarily stepping down on December 31, leaving behind a scandalous tenure. Looking to the field, Whittingham has already messed up the messaging of just how much the Wolverines' rivalry with Ohio State means and should mean for its head coach and team. And then, Michigan's schedule does it no favors. Not only do the Wolverines face a top-15 Oklahoma team in Week 2, but they also take on five Big Ten teams ranked inside the top 25 — including Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State. Win total odds: Over 8.5 (+140), Under 8.5 (-180)Odds to win Big Ten: +1600 (fifth) 2025 Record: 12-2 Well, quarterback Brendan Sorsby certainly complicated the math on Texas Tech. Following his admission that he gambled on his own team while at Indiana, the legal wrangling that followed and his decision to forgo a fight for eligibility in 2026, the Red Raiders have been forced to move on. Backup Will Hammond is expected to be ready for Week 1. The good news for Hammond is that the supporting cast remains loaded. Cam Dickey and Quinten Joyner give the Red Raiders one of the better backfields in the conference, while the defense should be as devastating this season as it was last season. Linebacker Ben Roberts is like a real Bobby Boucher tackling machine, recording 280 tackles in 40 career games, the most among returning FBS linebackers. Win total odds: Over 10.5 (-200), Under 10.5 (+160)Odds to win Big 12: -105 (first) 2025 Record: 11-4 Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer will start a third different quarterback in as many years, with sophomore Keelon Russell under center. Russell will have to build a quick rapport with wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, who has the tools to be the best wide receiver in the SEC with enough accurate service. And that connection will have to come fast. The Tide are also trying to avoid losing in Knoxville for a third straight time (while the Vols try to achieve that first since 2000). It’s easy to forget that Alabama was the home team in the SEC championship game against Georgia, and that the Tide became the first program to win a CFP game on the road. DeBoer’s job in 2026 is to create a memorable season rather than just a few memorable moments. Win total odds: Over 8.5 (-120), Under 8.5 (+100)Odds to win SEC: +850 (third) 2025 Record: 13-2 Following Lane Kiffin’s departure, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding answered questions about just how good he can be with the two biggest wins in school history — beating Tulane and Georgia to make the College Football Playoff semifinals — all while Kiffin raided the Ole Miss roster and staff. Star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss will return for a sixth season after putting together a Heisman-caliber year in 2025. Golding will have his first chance to prove he’s a better coach than Kiffin on September 19 when LSU shows up to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi. It’s not overselling it to call LSU-Ole Miss the most highly anticipated SEC game of the season. Win total odds: Over 7.5 (-166), Under 7.5 (+130)Odds to win SEC: +1100 (sixth) 2025 Record: 10-3 The Sooners barely had a run game last season but still managed to win 10 games and earn a home CFP game. If quarterback John Mateer improves his accuracy, offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle becomes less predictable in his play-calling and head coach Brent Venables, again, fields one of the stingiest defenses in the sport, Oklahoma has a real path to the playoff. The Sooners also have a chance to make a statement early on, traveling to Ann Arbor on September 12 to face Michigan for a second straight year. And that's just the start: Oklahoma plays Georgia, Missouri, Texas and Florida away from home. Win total odds: Over 7.5 (-156), Under 7.5 (+130)Odds to win SEC: +1150 (seventh) 2025 Record: 9-4 Yes, head coach Lincoln Riley is great. Yes, QB Jayden Maiava is good. But Gary Patterson is one of the best defensive play-callers the sport has ever seen, and he’s running the defense at USC in 2026. That alone is enough for me to believe the Trojans can make a real run at a CFP appearance. The more I think about this team, the more I believe the Trojans have the best offensive strategist (Riley) and defensive coordinator (Patterson) of any team in the country. That includes Indiana and Ohio State. In order to achieve the lofty expectations I’ve set for the Trojans, they’ll have to go through Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana — or, in other words, two of the last three national champions and two of the last three Big Ten champs. Sheesh. An impressive 42-point offensive explosion against San Jose State in Week 0 was a good start. Win total odds: Over 8.5 (+115), Under 8.5 (-136)Odds to win Big Ten: +1500 (fourth) 2025 Record: 11-2 Texas A&amp;M head coach Mike Elko seems to believe most coaches in his position are one bad season away from getting fired if they don’t reach the CFP. Well, with the Aggies, he might actually have a point. The good news is that the Aggies did just that in 2025 (losing to Miami), but they also crashed out against rival Texas with a chance to make the SEC title game. Eleven wins doesn’t mean much in College Station without one coming at the expense of the Longhorns. That reality has to change for Elko to feel secure at the end of the season. Offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins and quarterback Marcel Reed must take a major leap if Texas A&amp;M is going to chase its first conference title of any kind since 1998. Reed is one of just two returning SEC quarterbacks to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for at least 550. The other is Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Ampersand U better come ready. It faces LSU, Alabama and Oklahoma — all on the road. Win total odds: Over 8.5 (+100), Under 8.5 (-120)Odds to win SEC: +1000 (fifth) 2025 Record: 7-6 Hoo boy! If I told you 2026 LSU looks like 2025 Texas Tech with a little seasoning, you’d probably understand what I mean: The Bayou Bengals have decided money ain’t no problem. LSU made Lane Kiffin one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport and the highest-paid ever without a championship on his résumé. They also gave him the resources to bring in former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, Colorado offensive tackle Jordan Seaton and Ole Miss defensive end Princewill Umanmielen. For a program that hasn’t won a national title since 2019, LSU fully looks built to change that. Win total odds: Over 8.5 (-115), Under 8.5 (-105)Odds to win SEC: +900 (fourth) 2025 Record: 13-3 Quarterback Darian Mensah broke his contract with Duke to join the Hurricanes after leading the ACC in passing yards (3,973) and passing touchdowns (34). And he did all that while guiding the Blue Devils to a wildly improbable ACC championship on the strength of a 7-5 regular season and the most preposterous tiebreaker protocol in college football history. Now, he must follow Cam Ward’s No. 1 overall selection after a 2024 season in Coral Gables and Carson Beck’s run to the national title game in 2025. Along with Mensah, running back Mark Fletcher and wideout Malachi Toney could give the Canes the best quarterback-running back-wide receiver trio not just in the ACC, but in the entire country. Win total odds: Over 10.5 (-110), Under 10.5 (-110)Odds to win ACC: -140 (first) 2025 Record: 10-2 Notre Dame's schedule isn't a joke this year, but that's only because the punchline in 2024 was Northern Illinois walking out of South Bend with a victory and depositing $1.4 million for the effort. Coach Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish won't face anything resembling a ranked opponent until October 17 against BYU, and they shouldn't lose before then — if they lose at all. Miami is the toughest team on the schedule, and I don't rate the Hurricanes higher than Notre Dame. But don’t let that stop you from believing Notre Dame will lose and then refuse to play in the postseason. Win total odds: Over 11.5 (+160), Under 10.5 (-190)(Notre Dame is independent and does not have conference odds.) 2025 Record: 10-3 Last season was coach Steve Sarkisian’s first at Texas without a 1,000-yard rusher. So he traded his running backs out. Former Arizona State running back Raleek Brown and former NC State running back Hollywood Smothers enter the fold, as well as former Auburn receiver Cam Coleman. They should help the most bankable player in the sport, Arch Manning, propel the Longhorns to what they hope will be their first national title appearance since 2009. Just last year, Texas began the regular season ranked No. 1 and lost it after falling to Ohio State in Week 1. The Longhorns later lost to a 4-8 Florida team, which essentially ruined their chances of making the College Football Playoff. Texas will get its shot at revenge against Ohio State, September 12 in Austin. It certainly will help that the Longhorns return edge rusher Colin Simmons, who has more career sacks (21) than any other player in the FBS. Win total odds: Over 9.5 (+120), Under 9.5 (-142)Odds to win SEC: +310 (second) 2025 Record: 13-2 The Ducks are dealing with new offensive and defensive coordinators in the same season for the first time since Dan Lanning took over as head coach, as they promoted Drew Mehringer and Chris Hampton from within. Still, Lanning returns quarterback Dante Moore, dynamite wideout Dakorien Moore — who long-jumped 24 feet, 6.5 inches (7.48 meters) at track and field's Oregon Team Invitational just for giggles — and wide receiver Evan Stewart, who is back from injury. Provided Oregon runs the ball and plays defense the way it did a year ago — and it should — there's no reason the Ducks can't win the first national championship in program history. The schedule, however, is anything but a cakewalk. Oregon must travel to USC, Ohio State and Michigan while also navigating games against a rising Boise State, a refreshed Oklahoma State and a retooled UCLA. Returning cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. and transfer safety Koi Perich should form the backbone of one of the nation's best secondaries. The Big Ten is Oregon's for the taking if the Ducks' new coordinators can coach like the last two. Win total odds: Over 10.5 (+100), Under 10.5 (-120)Odds to win Big Ten: +260 (third) 2025 Record: 12-2 The SEC still belongs to Georgia. The Bulldogs have lost just once at home since 2019, but they still haven't won a CFP game after earning a first-round bye in the 12-team era. That's why so much of this season centers on returning quarterback Gunner Stockton. If Georgia fans will be happy with Stockton becoming Stetston Bennett 2.0 — 34 total touchdowns and just five interceptions — then so be it. Georgia fans can be forgiven if, in the course of shuffling the aisles at Walmart or waiting on an open table at Waffle House, they’ve uttered aloud, "Just, what the hell, Kirby?!" to no one in particular. This is because they’ve seen their program win back-to-back SEC titles while also watching their former starting quarterback lead Miami to the national championship game and Indiana winning the whole thing. The expectation is to become the first program since Florida's 1993-96 run to win three straight conference championships — and then bring another national title back to Athens. The defense should help. Safety KJ Bolden and cornerback Ellis Robinson IV look like future All-Americans. The question is whether enough pieces emerge around them in the secondary to give the Bulldogs another national championship-caliber defense. Win total odds: Over 9.5 (-180), Under 9.5 (+150)Odds to win SEC: +260 (first) 2025 Record: 12-2 Look, I've said it for two years, and I don't mind repeating myself for a third: Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the best player in college football. He should've had a chance to become the first two-time winner of the Biletnikoff Award for the nation's best receiver last season, but those voters had other ideas. Regardless, the good news for Ohio State is that replacing NFL talent becomes a lot easier when the sport's most dominant player is lining up on your side. And if Buckeyes fans really are Viltrumite refugees temporarily stranded on Earth like in Robert Kirkman's "Invicible," then 2026 is the year they reclaim the throne. A win over Michigan. A Big Ten championship. A national championship. Ohio State hasn't completed that triple crown since 2014, but the pieces are in place to make it happen. That doesn't mean the road will be easy. The Buckeyes must replace 11 NFL Draft picks, including three first-round selections, while also breaking in a new offensive coordinator. Arthur Smith — who came from the Pittsburgh Steelers to be Ohio State's newest offensive coordinator — has a track record of designing physical, effective rushing attacks in the NFL, and should be a welcome addition to a ground game that struggled against Power Four competition at times last season. Win total odds: Over 9.5 (-180), Under 9.5 (+150)Odds to win Big Ten: +180 (first) 2025 Record: 16-0 Lost in the shuffle of quarterbacks — a third new starter in as many years — and the rather exhausting list of talent and veteran leadership that departed Bloomington are a few important facts. 1. Curt Cignetti is still the head coach. 2. The best record in the sport over the last two seasons (27-2) belongs to Indiana. 3. The Hoosiers are the reigning national champions and the first team since 1894 to finish 16-0. In the college football universe, Indiana has become the Arrakian prophecy from "Dune" personified. As Paul Atreides once said, "I’m pointing the way." He could have been talking about Cignetti. TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover is a big reason why Indiana remains as formidable in 2026 as it was during last year's title run. The nation's leading returning passer has thrown for 9,629 yards in just 36 career games. With Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh catching passes, the Hoosiers have the firepower to make another run at the top of the sport. Win total odds: Over 10.5 (+105), Under 10.5 (-125)Odds to win Big Ten: +255 (second)]]>
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					<![CDATA[Three Things Texas QB Arch Manning Must Prove Before The 2027 NFL Draft]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/three-things-texas-qb-arch-manning-must-prove-before-2027-nfl-draft</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/three-things-texas-qb-arch-manning-must-prove-before-2027-nfl-draft</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Arch Manning is aiming to become the third member of his family to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. Here's how he can solidify that spot.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:00:52 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Texas quarterback Arch Manning enters his redshirt junior season as the most celebrated and scrutinized quarterback in the country and thus is the most intriguing NFL prospect. But he's not a shoo-in to be the No. 1 overall pick of the 2027 NFL Draft. There is no denying Manning’s appeal. He’s supremely talented, boasting an ideal blend of size, arm talent and mobility with the Hall of Fame bloodlines every QB-needy NFL franchise would seemingly love to build its team around. But is it as simple as Manning, whose 2026 season kicks off Saturday against Texas State, "just staying healthy" before earning the distinction of being the top pick next spring? To put it bluntly, no. In a class this gifted, no one can afford to simply rest on their résumé. Not Manning nor Ohio State phenom receiver Jeremiah Smith nor any of the top QBs. But, if Manning can improve in three particular areas, I believe he will follow in his famous uncles’ footsteps and hear his name called first on draft day. 1. Improve In The Quick Game Like most quarterbacks drawing attention from NFL scouts, Manning will ultimately get drafted because of his ability to accurately throw the football long distances. It is easy to assume that if a quarterback is accurate on longer passes, he’ll also be precise on shorter throws. That was not the case with Manning last year, however. In fact, he was arguably at his worst on the shortest throws — a flaw that simply must be corrected if he is to earn an early first-round selection next spring. The so-called quick game — i.e. slants, bubble screens, pop passes — is as fundamental to the modern era of football as shooting 3-pointers is to modern basketball. These routes have gained importance in recent years with today’s elite pass-rushers and all the exotic scheming and blitzing done to pressure quarterbacks immediately. Signal-callers absolutely must be able to get the ball in and out of their hands efficiently. When operating out of the shotgun — as Manning typically did in 2025 — quarterbacks are taught to first secure the snap and then simultaneously turn their feet in the direction of the intended receiver while spinning the ball to allow their fingers to grip the laces. Once the ball is comfortably in their grasp, a quick, strong throw should be out long before the pass rush has any chance to get home. Experienced quarterbacks can make these throws seem like little more than extended handoffs, collecting and distributing in one fluid motion. Manning is as quick as you’ll see in this regard. In fact, he’s quicker than most. However, his technique was off and therefore so was his accuracy. Manning didn’t consistently pair his upper and lower body last season, failing to either grip the laces or turn his feet properly (or both), resulting in the ball spraying erratically. These issues were further exacerbated by a sloppy sidearm release that left potential pass-catchers struggling to pick up the ball in flight. With less distance for the ball to cover, receivers had a hard time locating and corralling throws that came in at the head or knee level just as often as they did near the chest, as intended. Manning’s inconsistent accuracy forced receivers to adjust, contributing to a whopping 22 charted drops by Texas receivers, per PFF. It also disrupted opportunities to create yards after the catch. Fortunately, this is a coachable skill that a lot of young quarterbacks struggle with. Manning did improve in this area over the course of last season, eventually showing both greater poise and precision. I expect he will be even better in his second year as the Longhorns’ starter. 2. Work Through His Progressions Better Too often last year, Manning stared down his primary target and either tried to throw him open or resorted to scrambling. While he was fairly successful at improvising, the competition will be much better in the NFL. It is difficult to convey Manning’s struggles in this area with statistics, but consider this: Per Pro Football Focus, Manning had 10 passes batted down at the line of scrimmage last year. Of all the quarterbacks selected in the NFL Draft in April, only fellow first-year starter Ty Simpson had this many throws knocked down — and that's with the 6-foot-1 Simpson attempting 69 more passes at Alabama last year than the 6-foot-4 Manning did for Texas. It is the same story if we compare Manning to the rest of this year’s loaded quarterback class. There were four other quarterbacks to make the first round in my way-too-early 2027 mock draft from April, and none of them cracked double-digits in this category. The same goes for Notre Dame’s CJ Carr (four), Miami’s Darian Mensah (seven) and Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker (eight), who are also receiving first-round buzz heading into this season. Now, just as Manning's receivers deserve some of the criticism for the aforementioned drops, at least partial blame for batted down passes belongs to his blockers. But Manning greatly contributed to these deflections at the line of scrimmage by too often telegraphing his throws. This allowed rushers to time their leaps and, sometimes, tip his passes for their teammates to potentially intercept. Part of Manning’s appeal to NFL teams is his prototypical height and lightning-quick release. Frankly, there is only one excuse for a quarterback of Manning’s size and arm talent to have this many passes knocked down in Steve Sarkisian’s shotgun-based offense, and that is inexperience. NFL teams will forgive Manning’s "rookie mistakes" if they were, indeed, just that. But to be the No. 1 overall pick next spring, Manning must prove he can scan the entire field, efficiently moving from his primary target to second or third options while protecting the ball. 3. Just Win, Baby (Including On The Road) Fans would be amazed at how much value NFL teams place on wins as a starting QB. It isn’t that professional scouts fail to recognize the impact that a leaky defense, turnovers by others or a porous offensive line might play in determining the outcome of a game. They know that football is the ultimate team sport and, while quarterback is the most important position on the field, he’s still just one of 22 players in a given play. But a QB meriting strong consideration for a first-round pick — especially No. 1 overall — must demonstrate the ability to uplift his teammates. Never mind the Heisman hype; he simply needs to be great when the lights shine brightest. Manning will surely be under that spotlight (and microscope) while trying to lead a Texas program to its first national title in 21 years. A lot of Fernando Mendoza’s skeptics quieted down last year once he guided the Indiana Hoosiers past Ohio State in the Big Ten title game, much less past Alabama, Oregon (for a second time) and Miami in the College Football Playoff. Mendoza completed 70.0% of his passes with 10 touchdowns against just two interceptions in those five games. For the year, he completed 72.0% of his throws with 41 touchdowns against six interceptions. In other words, his performance was largely the same all year long, regardless of opponent. Now contrast that with Manning, who was picked off in all three of Texas’ losses last year and completed 58.8% of his passes against Oregon, Florida and Georgia with a 4:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. (It is worth noting that each of those losses came on the road.) He threw 22 touchdowns with just three interceptions while completing 62.2% of his passes in his 10 other starts. Manning won’t have many opportunities this fall to slay any perceived road demons, at least not during the regular season, making his performance in a select few contests that much more important. Only three games on the Longhorns' schedule — at Tennessee, at Missouri and at LSU — are outside the state of Texas. That's not to say UT's schedule will be comfortable, however. Matchups against fellow preseason top-10 teams such as Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas A&amp;M and Ole Miss are sure to challenge Manning and Co. How he responds will not only define the 2026 Longhorns but very likely the top of the 2027 NFL Draft.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NFL Catchup: Christian McCaffrey Back At Practice; Bears Unsure On DB Kyler Gordon]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-christian-mccaffrey-back-practice-bears-unsure-kyler-gordon</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-christian-mccaffrey-back-practice-bears-unsure-kyler-gordon</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Keep up with the latest news from around the NFL as the calendar flips to September and opening night a week away.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:09:31 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Teams across the league continue managing injuries and fine-tuning rosters as the regular season inches closer. San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was back at practice Tuesday, while Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles addressed ongoing uncertainty surrounding cornerback Kyler Gordon's return. New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson remains sidelined while rehabilitating an ankle injury and when Pittsburgh Steelers Joey Porter Jr. was asked about whether or not he will play for the Steelers in Week 1, he responded, "I don't know." Keep up with the latest news from around the league on Tuesday. After weeks of speculation, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is back on the field practicing. He was seen on a Tuesday afternoon making cuts and looking explosive during team drills, showing he's ready for the Week 1 opener. McCaffrey missed more than two weeks of training camp while dealing with what was described as general "tightness." It’s unclear if the issue was related to the Achilles tendinitis that sidelined him in 2024 or simply a precaution for other injuries he’s dealt with over his career. However, this should be an encouraging sign as he looks fully healthy heading into Australia, when the 49ers take on the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1. McCaffrey is coming off the heaviest workload season of his career, accumulating a career-high 413 total touches. He logged 311 rushes for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns, while adding 102 receptions for 924 yards and seven touchdowns in the passing game. If McCaffrey stays healthy, the 49ers offense could make serious noise in a competitive NFC West. The additions of Mike Evans and rookie De’Zhaun Stribling, alongside a healthy McCaffrey and Brock Purdy, make this offense one of the most intriguing units in the league. Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles expressed uncertainty Tuesday regarding when defensive back Kyler Gordon will return to action as he continues to recover from a lingering calf injury. Gordon, who signed a three-year, $40 million contract extension in April 2025, has appeared in just five games since signing the deal and has been sidelined throughout the entire offseason. When asked Tuesday if he envisions Gordon playing for Chicago during the upcoming 2026 season, Poles offered a guarded response. "I don't know. I would hope so," Poles said to reporters Tuesday. "I still have hope there. He's going to have to continue to work hard and get back to playing." Poles declined to provide specifics on Gordon's recovery process, confirming that the defensive back is working with team trainers while also consulting outside medical personnel. "When people come back from injuries, there's different things that happen," Poles said. "Sometimes they return fast, sometimes they're slow. So it's really a timing thing and a healing thing and a confidence thing. Anytime you have an injury and you're coming back from something, there's discomfort that you have to push through, and that's what it comes down to. So we haven't been able to get over that hump, and we're not progressing as fast as we would like." As Gordon remains on the reserve list, the Bears made additional roster moves Tuesday. Chicago placed safety Coby Bryant and tight end Hayden Large on injured reserve, leaving open the flexibility to designate both for return later in the season. To fill those roster spots, the Bears signed defensive tackle James Lynch and linebacker Jack Sanborn to the active 53-man roster. Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. returned to practice on Tuesday after dealing with a back injury, but remained noncommittal about whether he will play in the season opener without a new contract. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Porter addressed his Week 1 availability when asked if he would suit up against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 13. "I don't know," Porter said. "I've got to talk to the front office and my agents about that one." General manager Omar Khan stated Monday that the team wants Porter to remain with the franchise long-term, but Pittsburgh holds a long-standing policy of ceasing all contract negotiations once the regular season begins. While Porter acknowledged that navigating the business side has been difficult, he noted that teammates and coaches have offered support as he continues preparing. "I could hope and think all day, but it’s really up to the front office and what they want to do with this team," Porter said. "So all I can do is just show up every day to work and be prepared." New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson hasn’t practiced in over a week due to an ankle injury suffered in training camp. It’s an injury that has flown under the radar, especially with Ashton Jeanty also grabbing headlines after suffering a scary ankle injury of his own.Henderson returned to Patriots practice on Tuesday afternoon but has not yet been cleared for full participation, ESPN first reported. While he continues to rehab a right ankle injury on the side, he was seen walking normally in the locker room, but his Week 1 status is unclear. He is coming off a productive rookie season in the Patriots offense. On just 180 carries, Henderson racked up 911 yards and nine touchdowns, while adding 35 receptions for 221 receiving yards and a score in the pass game.If Henderson can’t suit up next Wednesday night against the Seattle Seahawks, Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to see a full workload. Even though Stevenson is already the featured back, he could turn into a true three-down workhorse early in the season.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Angels Get Much-Needed 'Fresh Start' As Arte Moreno Plans Sale To Stan Kroenke]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/angels-get-much-needed-fresh-start-arte-moreno-plans-sale-stan-kroenke</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/angels-get-much-needed-fresh-start-arte-moreno-plans-sale-stan-kroenke</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The only direction from here is up, Angels fans.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 23:48:24 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[ANGEL STADIUM (Anaheim, Calif.) — The only direction from here is up, Angels fans. Amid an 11th straight losing season, after a decade of destitution, owner Arte Moreno is finally heeding his fans’ advice and selling the team. Stan Kroenke, the owner of the Los Angeles Rams, is acquiring a controlling interest in the Angels for a reported $4 billion, a Major League Baseball record. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to MLB approval, according to the Angels and Kroenke Sports &amp; Entertainment. Moreno, who bought the Angels in 2003 for $183.5 million, will retain a minority stake in the club. But it’s the dawn of a new day in Anaheim. "Fresh start," said Mike Trout. "You kinda felt that was needed. No hard feelings against Arte, but we’re super excited. The guys are excited. There’s a good vibe around the clubhouse, vibe around the stadium." Trout was among the many Angels players and executives stunned by the news but encouraged by what it could mean. The Rams have made the playoffs seven times in the last nine years. In 2016, Kroenke moved the team from St. Louis to Los Angeles. The Rams hired Sean McVay as their head coach in 2017, went to the Super Bowl in 2018 and won it in 2021, a year after moving into their brand-new SoFi Stadium. (For what it's worth, the Angels' lease at Angel Stadium runs through 2032.) KSE, Kroenke’s holding company, also owns the Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Avalanche (NHL), Arsenal F.C. (Premier League) and the Colorado Rapids (MLS), among its vast sports portfolio. The Rams, Nuggets, Avalanche and Arsenal have all won championships since 2022 under KSE’s ownership. "What a track record," Trout said. "Wherever he buys, he wins." Trout, who has never won a playoff game in 16 years with the Angels, and teammate Zach Neto both reached out to Rams players shortly after hearing the news of the sale. The feedback they received about Kroenke was encouraging. "Most important thing that they said is he just wants what’s important for us," Neto said. "That’s to make the clubhouse better, in the sense of whatever we need, we get — whether that’s amenity-wise, speakers, whatever it is. He’ll make sure we get those." That has not always been the case under Moreno, whose tumultuous tenure started promisingly and ended hopelessly, with the owner unwilling to invest in the resources or put the infrastructure in place to return the Angels to relevance. Moreno bought the team in 2003, a year after the Angels won the World Series. The next year, he brought in Vladimir Guerrero and watched him win MVP. The Angels made the playoffs five times from 2004-09. Since 2010, however, they’ve made the postseason just once, in 2013, when they were swept in the American League Division Series. They wasted the primes of Shohei Ohtani and Trout, unable to get them to the postseason over their six years together or acknowledge the reality of their plight. The Angels sought quick fixes, routinely rushing prospects through the system. Moreno’s unwillingness to make the difficult choice to rebuild prevented the kind of change necessary to chart a prosperous path forward. In July 2023, instead of trading Ohtani to get the requisite pieces to reshape the farm system, the Angels dealt more prospects away and finished the year 73-89. Ohtani left in free agency and won the World Series in each of his first two seasons with the Dodgers. This year has marked a season of change in Anaheim. The announcement of the ownership sale comes months after team president Molly Jolly dismissed general manager Perry Minasian in June. John Mozeliak, who spent 18 years running baseball operations for the Cardinals — a stretch that included 10 postseason appearances, six division titles and a World Series championship — took over as the interim GM and began charting a new path forward. In an effort to revive a rudderless franchise, he started making the wholesale changes the team refused to do for years, including a deadline fire-sale that injected the Angels’ lagging farm system with needed talent. He has also started making changes to the coaching staff — pitching coach Mike Maddux, bullpen coach Dom Chiti and assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott were fired in August — and reshaping the front office. Just a day before the announcement of the ownership sale, Mozeliak promoted Matt Swanson and Michael Lord as assistant general managers while restructuring the scouting department. Then, on Tuesday morning, Jolly dropped a folder down on his desk and let him know his day was going to change. "Obviously, this was news to me," Mozeliak said of the ownership change. "When I first came here, I spoke with Arte, and he had mentioned that this was a possibility. But to learn it this morning from Molly, I was definitely surprised. But it wasn’t a shocker. I think it’s exciting news for everybody. I think change is what I came in to try to start doing." Mozeliak plans to continue to do that with an eye toward the future, until he’s told otherwise. "Obviously, the new ownership is going to have to give us some direction on what they want to see that to look like," Mozeliak said. "But I do think they should be part of that calculus." Moreno explored a sale in 2022 before ultimately remaining in place, much to the chagrin of fans whose chants to "sell the team" have reverberated throughout Angel Stadium in recent years. If a change was going to be made, many expected it would come after the next collective bargaining agreement. The timing took most by surprise. Jolly was one of the few who did not sound shocked. She didn’t divulge exactly how long Moreno had been in talks with Kroenke, other than to say it did not come together quickly. "I knew he was contemplating it as far as, what is your legacy and your exit strategy?" Jolly said. "So, that didn't surprise me at all that, at some point, he was going to transfer to the right next person." How long Mozeliak and the current Angels regime remain in place is to be determined. Kroenke could start with a clean slate, should he choose to do so. Mozeliak’s contract goes through December. Kurt Suzuki is managing on a one-year deal. The only players under contract beyond this year are Trout and Yusei Kikuchi. For many years, the Angels under Moreno maintained a top-10 payroll in the sport. That has since changed in recent seasons. But under Kroenke, who now becomes MLB’s richest owner, there is hope for a brighter future. "We’re excited for the new guy to come in and hopefully change things around and get some new life in here," Neto said. It couldn’t be much worse. "You look at the track record, I know the No. 1 thing on his mind is going to be to get to the World Series and win a championship," Trout said. "As a player, it makes you feel good to have that and to feel that." Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.]]>
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					<![CDATA[AFC West Predictions: Can Patrick Mahomes Reclaim The Division From Bo Nix?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/afc-west-predictions-can-patrick-mahomes-reclaim-division-from-bo-nix</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/afc-west-predictions-can-patrick-mahomes-reclaim-division-from-bo-nix</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
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				    <![CDATA[Nick Wright and Chris Broussard make their AFC West predictions.]]>
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				<pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 23:14:00 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The NFL kickoff is officially one week out, triggering the annual wave of hot takes, hot seats, and high expectations. From chaotic division battles to dark-horse contenders, no outcome is off the table for this season. With two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes returning from a season-ending injury, all eyes shift to a wide-open AFC West. The Denver Broncos came within a game of the Super Bowl, but was their breakout season a real power shift in the division or was it just fool's gold? During Tuesday's segment on FOX Sports’ show First Things First, hosts Nick Wright, Chris Broussard and Danny Parkins made their predictions. Here's how they see the division unfolding. Nick Wright's AFC West Prediction To no one's surprise, Wright has the Chiefs reclaiming the AFC West title, with the Broncos hot on their heels. However, his Chargers' third-place analysis stood out, as he predicted them for third place, largely due to a brutal Week 3 through 10 schedule. "I don’t think they’re gonna be terrible," Wright said. "Weeks three through 10…how’s this work for you? Bills, Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, Rams, Texans, Ravens. Around week nine is when we’re gonna start hearing, guys year eight is the year Justin Herbert pops." Wright's doubt regarding Herbert is nothing new, but his Broncos take relies on simple regression. Denver and Chicago were incredibly clutch in the fourth quarter last year, but Wright foresees those close-game bounces leveling off this season. "They played 17 games in the regular season last like everyone, but they trailed in 15 of them," Wright said. "They had a historically good record in one-score games. John Franklin Meyers is gone and Jonathan Cooper’s on the exempt list." Despite the adversity facing the Broncos this season, Wright still sees them as a playoff team. He projected them to finish 11-6 and finish second in the AFC West, driven largely by his confidence in head coach Sean Payton. As a self-proclaimed Chiefs fan, Wright’s division pick comes as no surprise, but his logic is sound. The Chiefs have dominated the AFC West with nine titles in the last decade, and their defense looks noticeably stronger heading into this season. "My pick for defensive player of the year was going to be Chris Jones because all of a sudden he has someone next to him," Wright said. "Yeah, Peter Woods, who was projected to go top-five in the draft 14 months ago." Wright’s praise of the young Chiefs defense didn’t slow down. "They’ve got R. Mason Thomas as another edge coming around and then Mansoor Delane, a top-six pick at cornerback," Wright said. "So you’re going to have three months for this young defense, young secondary to learn [Steve] Spagnuolo’s scheme." Chris Broussard’s AFC West Prediction Broussard saw things entirely differently, dropping Kansas City to third place in his division standings. Unlike Wright, Broussard is buying into Los Angeles, picking the Chargers to dethrone the Chiefs and take the AFC West title. "The schedule is kind of light for them [Chiefs]," Broussard said. "So I got them sneaking in [the playoffs]. I really am high on the Chargers. I think [Jim] Harbaugh is excellent. [Jesse] Minter is a big loss, but Harbaugh has always had good defenses in the NFL himself." Not only is Broussard picking the Chargers to win the AFC West, but he is fully sold on the new pairing of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and quarterback Justin Herbert. In fact, he even expects Herbert to finish as an MVP finalist this season. "So look, [Mike] McDaniel, maybe I’m giving him too much credit," Broussard said. "But Tua [Tagovailoa] led the league in passing with Mike McDaniel. Herbert’s got talent. I think McDaniel and Herbert are going to be great together. I expect Herbert to be in the MVP conversation." Danny Parkins' AFC West Prediction Unlike Wright and Broussard, Parkins has the Chiefs missing the playoffs as they finish in third place in his AFC West predictions. "Lotta questions for the Chiefs," Parkins said before unveiling 10 reasons why they won't make the playoffs, including their young roster, stars like Travis Kelce and Chris Jones aging and he believes that they're no longer invincible. Parkins added that Kansas City's schedule is tough (it ranks fifth in opponents' winning percentage from last season) and that wide receiver Rashee Rice isn't trustworthy. As for the rest of the division, Parkins said that the Raiders have a "pretty solid foundation for a last-place team" before calling on them to trade star edge rusher Maxx Crosby. For the Broncos, Parkins said that he thinks this year's team is better than the squad that went 14-3 a year ago and likes their addition of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. However, he doesn't think they'll have the same luck they had in one-score games last season. Finally, Parkins picked the Chargers to finish in first for a "simple" reason. "You have Justin Herbert. You have Jim Harbaugh. You have Mike McDaniel. You have the inevitability of Herbert's talents," Parkins said.]]>
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