There's no need to let the AP top 25 and Coaches Poll have all of the fun — let's talk about another poll. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will start the season ranked No. 3 in the first FWAA-NFF Super 16.
NOTES:
Ohio State, last season's Big Ten runner-up, opens the season at No. 1 after receiving 28 of 56 first-place votes. It marks the Buckeyes' 25th all-time appearance atop the preseason poll and their first since 2015. Only Alabama (62) and Georgia (37) have more No. 1 appearances.

Oregon begins the season at No. 2 following an appearance in last season's College Football Playoff Semifinals, marking the highest preseason ranking in program history. The Ducks' previous best was No. 4 in 2024.

Notre Dame also enters the season at its highest preseason ranking ever at No. 3, surpassing its previous best of No. 6 in 2025 and 2022.

Texas is No. 4, joining Ohio State and Georgia as the only teams to open each of the last three seasons ranked in the top five.

Defending national champion Indiana is No. 6 and makes its first appearance in the preseason poll in program history.

Miami (FL) is the ACC's lone ranked team at No. 7, while Texas Tech, at No. 11, is the Big 12's highest-ranked team.

The SEC leads all conferences with seven ranked teams, followed by the Big Ten with five, the Big 12 with two, the ACC with one and the FBS Independents with one.

Since 2015, the eventual national champion has been ranked among the top six of the preseason poll a total of nine times. Alabama in 2017 is the only national champion during that span to open the season at No. 1.
ABOUT THE FWAA-NFF SUPER 16 POLL:
The FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll was established at the conclusion of the 2013 season by long-time partners, the Football Writers ****** ociation of America (FWAA) and the National Football Foundation (NFF). Voters rank the top 16 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, and the results will be released every Sunday of the 2026 season; the individual votes of all members will also be made public. The first regular season poll will be released on Tuesday, Sept. 8 (to account for Labor Day games), and the final poll will be released Sunday, Dec. 6. The pollsters consist of FWAA writers and College Football Hall of Famers who were selected to create a balanced-geographical perspective. The poll utilizes a computer program designed by Sports Systems, a TicketManager company, to compile the rankings and Kellner Ratings to publish the individual votes.
Kind of an interesting note here… Notre Dame received the second most 1st place votes with 9. When you look at the individual ballots, however, you can see a few things that stick out about Notre Dame's ranking — but the one that sticks out the most comes from former Notre Dame defensive lineman, Chris Zorich, who ranked the Irish at No. 10 to start the season.

#season #dame

Fifa has strongly criticised what it calls a "concerted and ongoing effort" to "undermine" the organisation and its president Gianni Infantino.
The statement follows a Daily Telegraph report which claimed Infantino's alleged lover was given a severance payment by Uefa after he had an affair while he was its general secretary.
Fifa hit out at "unsubstantiated ******* ertions and demonstrably false claims", adding that "speculation and insinuation should not be presented as fact".
Infantino has come under increasing pressure from Uefa and European football ******* ociations over his aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.
FFE would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights, with 21% sold off to a private investment company.

#company #european #enterprise

As expected, Zinédine Zidane has been appointed coach of the French men' national team in succession of Didier Deschamps, the French Football Federation (FFF) has said.
FFF president Philippe Diallo named Zidane "a legend of French football" in a news conference and said that Zidane has signed a contract until 2030.
Zidane, 54, won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 as a player of a team captained by Deschamps. His only coaching experience are two terms at Real Madrid 2016-2018 and 2019-2021 during which he won three Champions Leagues and two LaLigas.
"I've said it many times: there's nothing bigger than the French national team. So it's a pleasure and, of course, a great honour to become coach of this French national team. But it's also a responsibility," Zidane said in a federation statement.
The three-time World Player of the Year had long been considered the top contender to take over from Deschamps who stepped down after 14 years in charge after the recent World Cup.

#zidane #player #coach

NEW YORK — Norwegian soccer officials plan to file a complaint formally protesting President Trump's phone call with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, which preceded the surprising reversal of U.S. star Folarin Balogun's suspension from World Cup play.
Balogun received a red card penalty for committing a hard foul against a Bosnia and Herzegovina player during a July 1 match in California. FIFA rules called for the striker from Brooklyn to be barred from participating in Team USA's next game against Belgium. But after Trump spoke to Infantino, with whom he has a friendly relationship, Balogun's suspension was not enforced.
Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) President Lise Klaveness told The Times of London its important that the international soccer community has an "honest" discussion over what transpired.
"We all know that this verdict was influenced from external forces and did not have the proper process," she said. "We need our leader in FIFA to say that this was an error."
Even with Balogun on field, the U.S. was handily defeated by the Belgians. Belgium lost the following game to the Spanish team, which won the tournament. Norway was knocked out of the World Cup by England in a thrilling quarterfinals match.

#infantino #suspension

The Norwegian Football Federation is considering filing a formal complaint to Fifa's ethics committee about the decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's automatic one-man ban during the World Cup.
United States forward Balogun was expected to miss his side's last-16 tie against Belgium after being shown a straight red card during their 2-0 win over Bosnia- Herzegovina.
But, after an intervention from US President Donald Trump, the one-match ban was suspended for 12 months. No reason was given, beyond citing a rule that allows punishments to be suspended.
Balogun started the match, which Belgium won 4-1.
In a statement provided to the BBC, NFF president Lise Klaveness said the federation had reacted with "strong concern" and a decision on whether or not to make a complaint would be made at its next board meeting.

#president #decision #Football

Norway's football chief told The Times they are set to make a formal complaint to FIFA over the suspension of Folarin Balogun's World Cup ban because it has put "the whole game at risk".
Lise Klaveness, the president of the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF), says she will seek the backing of her board at a meeting on August 6 to lodge the complaint with FIFA's ethics committee over an incident that "should not have happened".
Klaveness told AFP the intention is to "include the Balogun affair" in a complaint already filed by the NFF over FIFA president Gianni Infantino awarding football's governing body's inaugural Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump, which was widely ridiculed.
"I will bring it to a board meeting and discuss with my board, and then we do it," Klaveness told The Times in an interview published on Thursday.
"To me, it should be in the same sphere of ethical complaint."

#klaveness #Football

A week of celebration and sadness as we remember Lazio-Campobasso of 1987 and the passing of Lazio legend Vincenzo D'Amico.
Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2020Venue: Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, TurinFixture: Torino Lazio 1-2The Biancocelesti win a very difficult game coming from behind thanks to Immobile and Parolo
Date: Sunday, July 1, 1923Venue: Campo Rondinella, RomeFixture: Lazio Savoia 4-1, Southern Division Final, Second LegLazio thrash Savoia with a Bernardini hat-trick and reach the Scudetto final.
Date: Sunday, July 4, 1937Venue: Stadio PNFFixture: Lazio Grasshoppers 6-1, Central European Cup, Quarter FinalsLazio fall behind but then score six with a Piola hat-trick.
Date: Sunday, July 6, 1958Venue: Stadio del Vomero, NaplesFixture: Napoli Lazio 0-4, Coppa Italia, Group PhaseLazio beat Napoli thanks to three goals in the first half with a Burini brace and Pozzan while Bizzarri scores in the second.

Being forced to eat dog biscuits off the floor was part of life for young children at an educational referral unit, former pupils have said.
One was left with a fear of football after being pelted with "rock-solid" ***** , while another had a pint of blackcurrant juice poured over her head.
And they say this wasn't even punishment - it was fun for the staff. When pupils were disciplined at Canolfan Brynffynnon in Y Felinheli, some could also expect to be locked in a dark toilet or have their nose flicked until it bled.
Cyngor Gwynedd admitted abuse took place and has apologised to victims while two former staff members allegedly involved have strongly denied the allegations.
Rhiannon Evans, who was 10 when she was sent, and Levi Lewis, who was four, are among 21 people who solicitor Katherine Yates said are currently pursuing claims.

Hockey, well, hockey romance, is booming.
Canadian streamer Crave’s breakout hit Heated Rivalry — one of the most talked about shows of the last year — became a pop culture phenomena. The queer hockey romance drama not only took social media by storm in late 2025, it made certified stars out of its at-the-time unknown leading actors, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie and the source material, a string of novels by Rachel Reid, bestsellers years after release. The Jacob Tierney-created show became appointment television, a rarity in the streaming age.
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Four former Pitt stars are on the 2027 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
Players Matt Cavanaugh, Craig “Ironhead” Heyward and Antonio Bryant, along with former head coach Jackie Sherrill, have been named to the 2027 National Football Foundation (NFF) College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
These four individuals are recognized for their significant contributions to the University of Pittsburgh football program.
Cavanaugh led the Panthers to a national ****** le, Heyward had one of the school’s finest rushing seasons, Bryant won the Biletnikoff Award and Sherrill guided the program to an impressive winning percentage and multiple top-10 finishes.
Cavanaugh served as the Panthers’ starting quarterback from 1975 to 1977. During his time, he led the program to three bowl victories and the 1976 National Championship. In 1977, Cavanaugh completed 87 of 151 passes for 1,457 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning First Team All-America honors. He was also named Most Valuable Player of both the 1977 Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia and the 1978 Gator Bowl.

Ifeanyi believes that ‘Corruption’ and ‘Poor Administration’ is the reason why Nigerian Athletes are not treated well.

Do you agree with him?

#PulseSportsTheHeat #NFF #SuperEagles #SuperFalcons