Mike Vrabel used his weekly Monday appearance on The Greg Hill Show on Sportsradio 93.7 WEEI to work back through New England's 13-10 loss in Seattle, and the players he chose to talk about were three rookies who had never taken an NFL snap before Sept. 9: tight end Eli Raridon, edge rusher Gabe Jacas and linebacker Namdi Obiazor.
Raridon, the third-round pick out of Notre Dame, caught a two-yard touchdown from Drake Maye that produced the first points of the 2026 NFL season. He played 38 offensive snaps, 54 percent of New England's total, working as the second tight end behind Hunter Henry.
Jacas, taken 55th overall out of Illinois after the Patriots sent three picks to the Los Angeles Chargers to move up, came off a double team for his first career sack and later added a tackle for loss.
Obiazor, a sixth-round pick from TCU, opened the game with a hit on the kickoff and played 20 special teams snaps without seeing a defensive one.
Jun 2, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel holds a press conference before the start of practices at the team's OTA at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

#jacas #obiazor #Patriots #taken

A week after losing to Tulsa and a year after losing by over 60 points to Oregon, the Cowboys shocked the No. 6 Ducks 39-31 on Saturday.
Oregon, a 24-point favorite, was somehow even sloppier than it was in its Week 1 win over Boise State. And the epitome of that adjective came just after the 2-minute warning. As Oregon needed a touchdown and a 2-point conversion to tie the game, RB Dierre Hill simply dropped a toss from QB Dante Moore and Oklahoma State recovered.
THE PITCH IS **** ED AND OKLAHOMA STATE HAS IT!!! pic.twitter.com/HAyEKGLIMM
Oregon had three timeouts after the fumble, but QB Drew Mestemaker kept the ball on a third-down read option to seal the game with a run for a first down.
"I don't know if I can top this," OSU coach Eric Morris told ESPN after the game. "I'm not going to retire but I might think about it tonight."

#week #cowboys

The Buffalo Bills will visit the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on Sunday with an important win on the line. Come the end of the season, these early-year victories come in handy.
For this AFC battle between Joe Brady's Bills and DeMeco Ryan's, it will be the games, within the game, that will make all the difference.
Here are Bills Wire's three key matchup to watch Week 15's Bills vs. Texans matchup in Week 1:
Anderson led the line for a Texans defense that beat up Bills quarterback Josh Allen when these two teams faced off last season. Anderson had 2.5 sacks and the Texans had eight as a team. Brown needs to be a lot better against him in 2026. Brown has noted that he was playing through injury last year.
Expectations are high for Moore's debut with the Bills. Can he be the top playmaker Buffalo's offense has lacked in recent years? If he is, Moore will have a tough task to show it. Stingley is a two-time All-Pro defensive back and will probably follow Moore around all game.

#bills #moore #come #year

NEW YORK – It was a double celebration for Katerina Siniakova and for Taylor Townsend, the final piece of the puzzle to a career Grand Slam.
Siniakova and Townsend, the tournament's No. 1 seed, captured their first U.S. Open women's doubles ******* le together, rallying to beat young Americans Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 in the final in Arthur Ashe Stadium on on Friday, Sept. 11.
Townsend, a 30 year-old American, and Siniakova, a 30-year-old from Czechia, captured their first major ******* le at Wimbledon in 2024 before adding the 2025 Australian Open, the 2026 French Open and this US Open championship.
Townsend and Siniakova found themselves down 0-3, and went on to lose the first set, but then they turned it on, blanking the wildcard entrants in the second set, before slamming and forehand baselining their way to a 6-2 closing set.
MEN'S SEMIFINALS HIGHLIGHTS: Zverev faces Khachanov and Shelton faces Tiafoe for place in final

#open #final

ESPN and Marquee Sports Network reporter Taylor McGregor has had a very eventful few days.
On Monday night, McGregor earned rave reviews for her reporting on ESPN during a power outage that delayed a Florida State-SMU college football game at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.
And on Wednesday, McGregor was yelled at by a security guard during a live radio hit on Chicago's 104.3 The Score.
McGregor, a Chicago Cubs sideline reporter for Marquee, was on 104.3 The Score to talk about the Cubs ahead of Wednesday night's game against the Brewers in Milwaukee. As McGregor shared her thoughts on the Cubs with Spiegel & Holmes hosts Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes, a security guard interrupted her and told her to move the car she was parked in.
"He's yelling at me. Sorry, I'm getting yelled at for sitting on the side of the street," McGregor explained to Spiegel and Holmes.

#holmes #reporter #game

The shocks started early at this US Open as 23-time grand slam champion and fourth seed Novak Djokovic suffered his earliest exit at a major in 20 years, losing in the first round.
The Serb broke down in tears as he fell in five sets to Mariano Navone, in a match where he physically struggled with the heat and humidity and threw up several times.
The defeat - his first time losing in the opening round of a slam since the Australian Open in 2006 - brings an abrupt end to his quest for a 25th major **** le.
Third seed and last year's semi-finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime is the biggest name to fall so far, losing in four sets to Russia's Karen Khachanov in the second round, while last year's finalist and 10th seed Amanda Anisimova crashed out in the third round to Anastasia Potapova.
2024 runner-up Taylor Fritz also lost in the third round, falling in five to 24th seed Francisco Cerundolo, as did French Open finalist Flavio Cobolli on a Saturday of shocks.

#Third #shocks

As you may have noticed, my posts around Backing The Pack have become less frequent of late. My work and family commitments have become greater, and those are the areas where my focus should be. I just don't have the time necessary to meet SB Nation's demands for the number of posts required to continue this side gig.
I'll still be hanging around BTP as I have been since the Section Six days, lurking in the comments section with a gif at the ready. So this isn't goodbye, but it is the end of my article writing days.
To those of you who have put up with me over the last nine years, reading the unnecessary number of words I'd shove into articles, I want to say thank you. Hopefully I made a difference in the way you view NC State sports. If my love of baseball helped grow the same love for that sport in you, then I feel accomplished.
I'd also like to offer my appreciation to Steven for giving me an opportunity and providing a platform for my articles. This site and the community that embraces it wouldn't be what it is without Steven. I know we all recognize that, but it's not stated enough and the man deserves the acknowledgement.
See y'all around! Go Pack!

#section #posts

ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP — When Conneaut couldn't get things going through the air, the team was more than happy to shift gears against Friday in a battle of unbeaten county teams.
Wyant Dobran and Isaiah Boles combined for 143 yards of rushing, mostly in the second half, as the Spartans rallied for a 20-17 win at Corlew Stadium.
Conneaut improved to 3-0, while the Warriors fell to 2-1.
Spartans coach Rocco Dobran said the key to win was the Spartans mantra of "Team over Me" that his team lived out on the field Friday night.
"We have a lot of talent this year, but we couldn't get our receivers the ball and the line wasn't throwing great blocks, so instead we went double-tight [formation] and ran the ball, and ******* ody was mad about it," he said.

#ball #ashtabula

Colorado freshman quarterback Julian Lewis hit tight end Charlie Williams for a 20-yard touchdown with 42 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, lifting the Buffaloes to a last-minute, 14-13 win against Georgia Tech on Thursday night in the season opener.
Georgia Tech looked like it could pull off the improbable when quarterback Alberto Mendoza found receiver Dalen Penson for a 42-yard gain, putting the Yellow Jackets in field goal range. But Boo Carter blocked Aidan Birr's 45-yard attempt, and the Buffaloes stormed the field.
More on Georgia Tech's performance in season opener, Saturday on GameDay on 2 airing at 11 a.m. only on Channel 2
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Coach Deion Sanders said his team, despite trailing all second half, never lost hope.

#buffaloes

VfB Stuttgart will have to manage without Tiago Tomás in the coming weeks.
As head coach Sebastian Hoeneß revealed at a press conference on Thursday, the winger is set for a spell on the sidelines.
"Tiago suffered a minor muscle injury in training yesterday," Hoeneß said ahead of Friday's Bundesliga clash with 1. FC Köln.
"He will probably be back after the international break," Hoeneß added.
Tomás started Stuttgart's first two competitive games of the 2026/27 season.

#tiago #stuttgart #bundesliga #coming

The Green Bay Packers had little reason to keep Kyle McCord with Jordan Love firmly established as the starter and veteran Tyrod Taylor ahead of him on the depth chart. With limited room in the quarterback room, Green Bay opted to move McCord to the Miami Dolphins rather than keep him buried behind the team's top two options.
The Packers have moved quickly to add another quarterback, bringing a new arm into the practice squad, according to The Athletic's Matt Schneidman.
"Packers are adding Kedon Slovis as QB3 on the practice squad, Gutekunst says. He just played for the Cardinals here on Friday." wrote the NFL insider.
Sep 11, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) in the huddle against the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Slovis began his college career at USC before later stops at Pittsburgh and BYU, but he went undrafted in 2024. The Indianapolis Colts gave him a chance as an undrafted free agent, only to release him during their final roster cuts.

#mccord #keep

Will he manage to bounce back?
It had been in the works for days, and it is now official: Jonathan David is leaving Juventus Turin!
The 26-year-old striker joins Atlético Madrid on a loan deal with an option to buy.
Los Colchoneros are expected to cover more than 50% of the Canadian international's salary.
After a very difficult final season (6 goals in 35 Serie A matches), the former Lille striker will discover a new league as he looks to revive his career.

#turin #canadian #serie

Over the weekend, images went viral on social media showing a mostly empty stadium for the USC Trojans' home opener against the San Jose State Spartans. The attendance was so poor that USC's athletic department even felt the need to issue a statement. Now, Fox Sports' Joel Klatt is explaining the issue with the attendance the best way he can.
On Monday's episode of The Joel Klatt Show, Klatt explained that the attendance at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday afternoon was so sparse for one simple reason: people in Los Angeles are "soft."
While there are likely a lot of factors that went into the low attendance for Saturday's game – the week 0 schedule, an inferior opponent, and a noon local kickoff – Klatt blames one thing for the lackluster crowd: the weather.
While there were sunny skies throughout Saturday's contest, Klatt claims it was simply too hot for the Southern California residents, who have grown accustomed to "perfect" weather throughout the year.
"We in the Los Angeles area, in Southern California, are soft," Klatt said simply. "I am as soft as they come. And I have now been here since 2013. And guess what – over 90 [degrees] is too hot, below 56 [degrees] is too cold."

#attendance #went #weather

Aaron Donald has returned from retirement after three years away for the 2026 NFL season with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams are making their push for a Super Bowl even stronger after successfully convincing Donald to return to the sport on a one-year, $20 million contract for another ring.
While the Rams will have Myles Garrett as their primary defensive star, Donald is a three-time DPOY who rejoins as a secondary defensive option behind the reigning DPOY. It's going to be a fun year for them.
After the news of Donald's return was confirmed, Erica Donald took to X and addressed the fans by joking about finally letting her husband back out of the house again.
"I let him out of the house, y'all."

#defensive

Arsenal have reportedly agreed a deal to sign 17-year-old attacking midfielder Andria Bartishvili, beating competition from Liverpool and other European clubs after months of work on the transfer.
The Georgian youngster is expected to join ****** nal in March 2027, when he turns 18. UK regulations prevent the Gunners from bringing him to London before then.
It is believed to be a five year deal with a fee of around €4.5m. He is expected to have a medical on Tuesday, 1 September.
Arsenal opened talks for Bartishvili two months ago with the player on loan at Iberia 1999 from Kolkheti Poti. His current loan runs until the end of the Georgian season in December, with domestic football there operating on a calendar-year basis.
An ****** nal pre-contract was presented to Bartishvili last week, although at that stage it was not certain that he would choose ****** nal, with other offers still on the table.

#arsenal #deal #loan

NASHUA — Alex Brandt scored on an ***** ist from Stella Hoium as Portsmouth High School girls soccer team opened its season with a 1-1 tie against Nashua South on Saturday, Aug. 29.
"An amazing effort today from all the girls on a very hot pitch," Portsmouth coach Rick Hugener.
Brooke Ford and Molly Flynn both played well for Portsmouth, while goalie Abby Craig had five saves.
Nashua South 1
Portsmouth 0

#portsmouth #alex #hoium

Jacksonville State football is back this week as the Gamecocks head north to face North Dakota State.
To start the 2026 season, Jax State is heading on the road to the FargoDome. The game will kick off at 4:30 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network. Jax State has not lost a Week 0 game since moving to the FBS level four years ago.
The Gamecocks are trying to make a third straight Conference USA ***** le game, and will look to win it after dropping the 2025 game to Kennesaw State at AmFirst Stadium. The Gamecocks went 9-5 finishing the year with a Veterans Bowl win over Troy.
It will be the first FBS game for the Bison, who are making the move after dominating the FCS level with 10 national ***** les since 2011. This game is a rematch of the 2015 ***** le game, where NDSU beat Jax State for the FCS ***** le.
Keep up with the game below as the Gamecocks take on the Bison.

#title #jacksonville

Brentford boss Keith Andrews has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Leeds United at Elland Road (kick-off 14:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Andrews said there are no injuries to his squad and the team "came through midweek really well".
New defender El Hadji Malick Diouf is a "very good player". Andrews said: "I thought he had some eye-catching performances [last season at West Ham]. He fits what we are about, age profile, attributes and he comes into it in an already competitive squad."
On 25-year-old Keane Lewis-Potter: "He is versatile, it is a super strength. Before we signed Malick I said we could play Keano in different positions throughout the season. I don't think that will change."

#squad #leeds

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko said the SEC's ruling earlier this week about whether athletes who signed pro contracts can play in the conference says a lot about the state of the college sports landscape in 2026.
"It's a statement about where we are from a governance standpoint that we are having conversations about what the rules are going to be regarding roster management on August 27th," Elko said during a Thursday press conference. "There's games tonight, there's games Saturday, and we're not even really sure what the rules are around who can play on our teams this fall."
BOHLS: SEC sends unmistakable message about pros returning to college
The SEC announced earlier this week that any players who declared for the NFL draft and didn't withdraw, signed an NFL contract or was listed on an NFL roster aren't allowed to play for one of its teams. The conference also included men's and women's basketball players until the policy as well.
The Big Ten has also announced a similar ruling.

#week #college

Is Matt Olson being overlooked in the National League MVP race? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Matt Olson isn't the favorite to win the National League MVP award.
But dismissing the Atlanta Braves first baseman from the conversation would be increasingly difficult.
Olson has put together one of the strongest seasons of his career, entering the final stretch with 36 home runs, 77 RBIs, 31 doubles and an .865 OPS. He has accumulated 4.1 Baseball-Reference WAR while once again providing Atlanta with durability in the middle of its lineup.
So, is Olson the NL MVP?

#league

Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran EdsonBarboza has made it clear that his retirement is final and hehas no plans to reverse his decision.

Just days after announcing the end of his 17-year professionalmixed martial arts career, the Brazilian has a message for managersand promoters who might try to entice him back intocompetition.
Barboza announced his retirement after suffering a fourthconsecutive defeat, getting finished by EstebanRibovics at UFC330 in Philadelphia. The 39-year-old then removed his glovesinside the Octagon as the crowd gave him a standing ovation andchanted his name.

For Barboza, having his children beside him made the momentparticularly emotional.

"The entire arena spontaneously chanting 'Barboza,' with my kids bymy side inside the Octagon — they had never been to one of myfights before," Barboza told Sherdog. "Definitely, that was themost emotional moment of my career."

Barboza said age wasn't the primary factor behind his decision.Instead, a severe left-eye injury suffered against LeroneMurphy proved to be the turning point. He emphasized that hecan still beat many fighters but acknowledged that competing at thehighest level is no longer realistic for him. Barboza then made hismessage to potential suitors clear.

"Managers, event promoters, please leave me alone. Don't offer meany fights," he said.

After dedicating his life to combat sports since childhood, Barbozaknows walking away will be an adjustment. However, retirement doesnot mean leaving the sport behind.

"Over these 32 years, I've had the opportunity to train with dozensof coaches from all over the world, and they taught me so much,"Barboza added. "Keeping all that knowledge to myself would beunfair, so I definitely want to pass it on."

#barboza

Toafofoa Sipley will miss the rest of the Super League season after suffering a leg fracture.
The 31-year-old prop picked up the injury in last Tuesday's 38-24 win over reigning Super League champions Hull KR.
Head coach Sam Burgess delivered the injury update speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside in the aftermath of Sunday's 34-24 win over Huddersfield Giants.
"Unfortunately Toff has fractured his leg, so he is going to miss the rest of the season, which is a big loss," said Burgess.
Sipley has made 17 appearances for the Wire so far this Super League campaign, scoring four tries as the club sits two points off the top of the table in third with three games of the regular season left.

#super #burgess #miss #toafofoa

Minnesota United was putting the final touches on a 5-1 win over the Earthquakes on Saturday when the MLS match was interrupted by cuteness.
"Oh, there's a baby on the field," said Apple TV commentator Kyndra de St. Aubin said from PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif.
A toddler had escaped seats along the sideline and wandered onto the field, with a stadium staff member shown picking up the smiling kid and delivering him back to an adult. A woman who grabbed him appeared to say, "I'm so sorry."
With the game in hand during stoppage time, Loons head coach Cameron Knowles wondered what the commotion was and looked away from the game to see what it was.
"Oh, man, it's a little bit too early to get a lifetime ban from a stadium," Knowles joked.

#stadium

The 2026 Little League World Series is back on track after a busy Friday, which was loaded with eight games after rain delays earlier in the week led to an action-packed day in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
On Saturday, the action continues with four games on the schedule throughout the day.
All four games will air live on ESPN, beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET in the International Bracket with Canada (Vancouver, British Columbia) taking on the team from Australia (Sydney, New South Wales).
MORE: 2026 Little League World Series teams, full list of USA & International participants
The action will continue at 3:00 p.m. ET, when we move to the United States bracket for a showdown between New England (Bridgewater, Massachusetts) and Great Lakes (Hamilton, Ohio).

#league #series #four #Friday

Apple TV's "Friday Night Baseball" returns Aug. 21, 2026, as the Tampa Bay Rays take on the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Angels face the Texas Rangers. The game is available exclusively on the Apple TV app. Here's broadcast information for tonight's action:
Tampa Bay Rays at Baltimore Orioles, 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers, 7:30 p.m. Eastern
Freddy Peralta (Rays) vs. Trevor Rogers (Orioles)
Reid Detmers (Angels) vs. MacKenzie Gore (Rangers)

#rays #Angels #baltimore #eastern

The San Francisco 49ers emphatically earned their first preseason win with a 41-17 (we can mention the final score this week since the 49ers won) thumping of the Los Angeles Chargers.
It was a thorough beating from the 49ers, who dominated the Chargers in all three facets of the game. A win that will likely keep Jim Harbaugh up late on Thursday night, an attitude that 49ers fans are far too familiar with. But as upset as Harbaugh will be, Kyle Shanahan will be just as excited, as there wasn't much to complain about – outside of that little left guard issue, which Austen Pleasants is apparently very involved in.
But let's focus on the positives. Three of them to be exact. Here are the three stars from Thursday's preseason win:
3rd Star – CB Jack Jones
Garret Wallow was in consideration for the honor, but Jones's performance stood out just a smidge more.

#three #chargers

Burnley have signed Feyenoord defender Anel Ahmedhodzic for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal.
The 27-year-old Bosnia international joined the Dutch side from Sheffield United last summer and made 35 appearances in all competitions.
He is Burnley's seventh summer signing as they look to win promotion back to the Premier League this season.
"I've played at Turf Moor against Burnley before and it's always been a really good atmosphere, I'm excited to call it home," he told the club website.
He could feature for the Clarets in Sunday's Championship trip to West Bromwich Albion.

#anel #ahmedhodzic #dutch

Paris St-Germain have been forced to move their opening Ligue 1 game after the summer's "exceptional heatwaves" left their Parc des Princes pitch "severely damaged".
The French champions had been due to start their ***** le defence against Rennes in the capital on Sunday, but the fixture will be reversed and held in Brittany instead.
Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) officials said an ***** sment of the pitch in Paris "did not allow the match to be played under satisfactory conditions, particularly with regard to the safety and physical integrity of the players".
PSG say they will replace the pitch at the Parc des Princes before their next home fixture against Monaco on 4 September.
The club said they "fully understand the inconvenience caused by this change" but stressed it was an "exceptional situation".

#pitch #french

The Browns' quarterback battle is the lone one left among NFL teams, but it seems to be over after one week of the preseason. Head coach Todd Monken announced last week that Deshaun Watson would start the first preseason game while Shedeur Sanders would start the second.
Despite the plan being laid out, ESPN's Ben Solak does not have high hopes for the situation as a whole.
In a recent column posted to ESPN, Solak laid out what he deemed to be the most cursed camp battle, and the winner was the Browns quarterback battle. He writes, "Sanders might have a higher ceiling than Watson, in that he's a younger player about whom we know less. But Watson, who is in the final year of his deal, carries a (pre-June 1) dead cap hit of $86 million in 2026. That's a pretty penny. If the Browns can get palatable play from Watson, they're financially incentivized to keep him for another season and spread the cap hit out even further. So this competition might end up being decided not with on-field performance but rather on financial ramifications."
After the first preseason game, it seems that Watson is in the driver's seat in a solid fashion. Shedeur Sanders will have a chance on Saturday, but that might not even be him getting to play with the same players as Watson did. A lot could happen over the next week, but it seems Watson is going to get the nod based on both the financials, as Solak pointed out, and the play on the field.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: ESPN labels the Browns QB battle as 'cursed'

#watson #solak #seems

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: It's preseason!
We are back! Sort of. The Eagles' preseason opener was hardly an inspiring return to watching the Eagles. I am not interested in using a preseason game featuring almost no established starters to make sweeping declarations about Sean Mannion. The Eagles have repeatedly demonstrated that they are happy to sacrifice preseason entertainment to protect important players and conceal the more meaningful parts of the playbook. Whether you agree with that approach or not, this organization does not treat these games as rehearsals for its actual offense.
There were still some early indications of Mannion's influence, particularly in the running game. As part of the run-game data we are tracking for our Patreon this season, I charted six Outside Zone runs and three Duo runs. That is not a large enough sample to declare that the Eagles have transformed their offensive identity, but the emphasis was noticeable. The structure of the running game was more interesting than the results, especially when you add in more under center runs.
The other important piece of context is that Baltimore's defense was not nearly as vanilla as the Eagles' offense. Jesse Minter called several creative pressures and tested the communication and protection rules of an inexperienced offensive line. By comparison, the Eagles kept everything extremely basic.
The opening clip summarizes much of the first-team offense. The Eagles used Grant Calcaterra and Eli Stowers together, but neither currently looks capable of giving them the blocking they would need from a legitimate two-tight-end package. Calcaterra is fortunate not to be penalized here, while Stowers' usage throughout the game was strange. We repeatedly asked a player drafted primarily for his receiving ability to perform difficult ****** ignments as an attached blocker.

#game #offense #calcaterra #running