PORTLAND, Ore.. (AP) — Vincent Janssen scored early in the second half to finish off a hat trick in his first start and fourth MLS appearance, helping the Portland Timbers outlast Minnesota United 5-4 on Saturday night.
Portland (9-10-4) used two goals by Janssen and an own goal by Minnesota United (7-8-8) keeper Drake Callender to jump out to a 3-0 lead in the first 26 minutes.
Janssen scored on a penalty kick in the 11th minute, taking the shot after Cole Bassett was fouled by Minnesota United's Morris Duggan. The 32-year-old scored again in the 26th, six minutes after the own goal.
Minnesota United answered with goals from Marcus Caldeira in the 32nd minute and defender Anthony Markanich in the 38th to cut it to 3-2 by halftime.
Janssen completed his hat trick in the 55th minute, giving the Timbers a 4-3 lead after Caldeira scored for a second time to tie it 3-3 in the 50th.

#janssen #trick

BATON ROUGE, La. — Mother Nature wanted Lane Kiffin and LSU to sit for a little bit longer and think about what they've done. Kiffin and LSU responded by hanging a 51-10 score on Clemson. Litigation isn't all they're good at, as it turns out.
Yes, it's early September. Yes, LSU beat the orange off an overmatched Clemson squad that's unranked and yet still overrated. But after a Saturday night in Death Valley where LSU ran over Clemson on both sides of the ball, it's not too soon to declare that Kiffin's squad might just be for real, and a real problem for the rest of the SEC.
"Imagine if we had pro players," Kiffin told ESPN's Holly Rowe as he left the field at halftime, and how you view that statement — proudly defiant or infuriatingly smug — probably depends on whether you live in the state of Louisiana. Kiffin delivered the line after LSU put the finishing touches on a half in which they'd outscored Clemson by 28 points, rushing for 213 yards and 21 first downs while holding Clemson to a net minus-4 yards and a single first down.
Matters didn't get any better for Clemson in the second half even after a desperation quarterback change. LSU, meanwhile, grew more confident in real time. The patchwork collection of transfers and new staff answered the most serious question facing LSU by working as an actual team, leaving the 10 ½-point spread far behind.
Kiffin always manages to whip everything around him into a frenzy, and late on Saturday afternoon, that included the skies as well as the rest of college football. For a few minutes there around 6 p.m., it sure looked like the Almighty had a problem with the way that Louisiana State University has been handling business lately.

#saturday

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Nick Sessions returned an interception 26 yards for a score on the first play of the game and Trey Hedden threw two touchdown passes to help New Mexico State roll to a 51-14 victory over FCS member Mercyhurst on Saturday night.
After Sessions picked off Alex Gevaudan and scored to give the Aggies the lead, the Warriors answered with Byron Cardwell Jr's 2-yard touchdown run to tie it 7-all.
TJ Washington Jr. scored on a 16-yard run for New Mexico State (1-1), but the lead was 13-7 after a missed point-after kick.
Camden Lewis caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Gevaudan to give Mercyhurst (0-2) a 14-13 lead with 12:44 left in the second quarter, but it was all Aggies after that.
Ilya Uvaydov kicked a go-ahead 39-yard field goal, and Jones followed with a 48-yard touchdown run to help the Aggies take a 23-14 lead into halftime.

#Mexico

Lane Kiffin had little reason to be upset at halftime of his first game as LSU's football coach, with the Tigers beating Clemson by 28, but before he went back to the locker room, he had one more thing he wanted to say to the millions of fans tuning in.
At the end of his halftime interview with ESPN's Holly Rowe, and as he was walking away from the camera, Kiffin turned around to deliver a final message.
"It took everything not to say 'Imagine if we had pro players,'" Kiffin said before running off to the tunnel at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
REQUIRED READING: Lane Kiffin says 'uncertainties' led him to leave ex-NFL players off LSU roster
For the past several weeks, Kiffin has occupied a familiar role as one of college football's villains, as two of his former players at Mississippi — tight end Dae'Quan Wright and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris — have fought to become eligible to play for LSU this season after signing NFL contracts earlier this year.

#lane #halftime #clemson #imagine

Vanderbilt football defeated Austin Peay 28-9 in a weather-shortened game after it was called with 2:16 remaining in the fourth quarter of the season opener Sept. 5 at FirstBank Stadium.
As promised, the Commodores (1-0) played two quarterbacks, with both five-star freshman Jared Curtis and senior Blaze Berlowitz seeing action.
Vanderbilt's defense clamped down after halftime, allowing the Commodores to increase their lead from 15-9 to 28-9.
Here were five things we noticed:
Berlowitz and Curtis each displayed strengths and weaknesses.

#berlowitz #austin

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Blaze Berlowitz threw for 149 yards and ran for 45 yards and a touchdown as Vanderbilt beat Austin Peay 28-9 in the Commodores' season opener Saturday night that ended with 2:16 left after lightning near the stadium stopped play.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea and Austin Peay coach Jeff Faris huddled with the referees and officials on the field. Then the public announcer said the game was over with the stands mostly emptied before fireworks went off.
Berlowitz made the first start of his career with some of the biggest cheers were reserved for freshman quarterback Jared Curtis, who flipped his commitment from Georgia last December. Curtis made his debut just before halftime and finished up in the fourth quarter after Vanderbilt went up 28-9.
Brock Taylor kicked two field goals, his second from 37 yards putting Vanderbilt ahead to stay at 8-6 in the second quarter. Martel Hight returned a blocked extra point for a 2-point conversion, and Sedrick Alexander ran for 60 yards and an 18-yard TD.
Josiah Broxton returned a rushed punt after a high snap 27 yards for a TD to pad Vanderbilt's lead to start the fourth quarter.

#austin #peay #field #went

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Jax Leatherwood threw two touchdown passes and Tennessee Tech turned a solid defensive effort into a 24-9 victory over Norfolk State on Saturday night in the Southern Conference opener for both teams.
Leatherwood threw for 161 yards on 19-of-32 passing and the Golden Eagles turned two interceptions into touchdowns.
Tennessee Tech (2-0), ranked No. 12 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25, did not score until about a minute remained in the first half. Marcus Harris II's 1-yard touchdown run finished off a 45-yard drive that was set up by Jameson Wharton's interception. Tennessee Tech led 7-6 at halftime.
Leatherwood's two touchdown passes came in the second half, the first a 16-yard connection with Maury Sullivan following an interception by Omari Philyaw. Early in the fourth quarter, Leatherwood hit Gabe Nunez for an 11-yard score.
The game had less than 500 yards of total offense with Tennessee Tech gaining 237 yards and Chattanooga 227.

#yards #turned

It's been roughly three months since the New York Knicks became champions of the basketball world. For the first time in 53 years, and after long stretches of misery, the franchise finally reached the pinnacle of success, but the journey was not easy.
In fact, throughout the playoffs, the Knicks found themselves down big on several occasions, only to mount amazing comebacks that defined their run. Recently, Knicks swingman Mikal Bridges spoke about the comebacks and the conditions that made it possible to survive overwhelming odds.
"The Cavs series, that Game 1, being down 22 in the 4th. Last year in the playoffs, being down a lot," said Bridges in a chat with Men's Health. "We had opportunities where we had been in the same situations and succeeded. It's having that faith of being here before. Obviously, it's different being in the Finals than any other playoff series, but it's still just another game. It's just having that belief and taking it one possession at a time; we've been here before, we've done it before. Ain't gonna get it back in one possession, still a lot of time left. A lot of us have been in the league for a long time, and we know in this day and age, with the fast pace and a lot of threes, that even down 27 points at halftime, you still have a lot of time. And being at home, having the crowd behind your back, it's gonna put pressure on them."
The Knicks went 53-29 in the 2025-26 season, and most critics had them a tier below the Cavaliers, Celtics, and Pistons in the East. In the playoffs, however, the Knicks dominated the field, going 16-3 in an impressive performance. Along the way, they faced fierce resistance, overcoming a 22-point deficit in the opening game against the Cavaliers.
Their unlikeliest win, however, was in the Finals. In Game 4 of the series, the Knicks went down by as much as 29 points, but somehow came back and won (107-106) off a buzzer-beater from OG Anunoby. It seemed impossible at the time, but the Knicks always felt that victory was within reach.

#knicks #time #game

The Cantera Rojiblanca enjoyed a perfect Saturday, as both Guadalajara's Sub-21 and Sub-19 teams earned three points on the road against Atlético de San Luis in Jornada 7 of the Apertura 2026. The action began with the Sub-21, who put together a strong first half and ultimately secured a 3-1 victory over the Potosí side, while the Sub-19 closed out the day with another Rojiblanco win, defeating the tuneros 2-0.
That's why we've put together all the details from these 2 matches below:
Sub-21 secures 3-1 victory!
Guadalajara came out with great intensity and quickly found the breakthrough. Just 6 minutes into the match, Raúl Martínez opened the scoring to put the Rebaño in front. The Rojiblanco side continued creating chances and doubled its lead in the 31st minute through Gael García.
The Rojiblanco advantage continued to grow, and in the 39th minute, Hugo Mata found the back of the net to make it 3-0 before halftime. Facing that deficit, Atlético de San Luis responded in the second half and pulled one back in the 51st minute through Jesús Borjas. However, Guadalajara held onto its advantage and ultimately secured a 3-1 victory.

#rojiblanco

Jared Curtis has entered Vanderbilt football's season opener against Austin Peay on Sept. 5 at FirstBank Stadium.
He entered with 1:32 to go before halftime with the Commodores leading, 15-9, as a loud cheer went up.
Curtis was a 5-star recruit who was the No. 2 quarterback in the class of 2026 who flipped to Vanderbilt from Georgia. He is an in-state product from Nashville Christian School. He battled with returner Blaze Berlowitz for the starting job throughout the preseason, but Berlowitz was tagged to start the opener.
That doesn't mean the competition is over, though. Coach Clark Lea didn't commit to Berlowitz starting any games beyond Austin Peay, saying instead he would decide the starting quarterback on a week-to-week basis as both quarterbacks would play in the opener.
Berlowitz was 8-for-11 passing for 127 yards. He also rushed seven times for 31 yards and a touchdown.

#vanderbilt #austin #entered #quarterback

Oklahoma State entered a new era on Saturday, as for the first time since 2004, the Cowboys opened the season with a head coach who wasn't Mike Gundy.
Unfortunately, the change in head coach didn't lead to better results on Saturday as Oklahoma State suffered an embarrassing loss to Tulsa.
OSU poached North Texas' Eric Morris to take over for the long-tenured head coach to try and bring the success he had with the Mean Green to Stillwater.
Morris helped North Texas to an 11-2 record last year, while Oklahoma State finished 1-11. The Cowboys had won a combined four games over the last two seasons, leading to the program moving on from Gundy.
Oklahoma State couldn't get anything going on Saturday. The Golden Hurricane got on the board first with a field goal, but OSU was able to tie it up with a field goal of their own in the second quarter. When Tulsa scored a one-yard touchdown right before halftime, the Golden Hurricane took the lead and never gave it back.

#oklahoma

Texas football had its first scoop-and-score of the season.
With just over 6 minutes left in the second quarter, Texas State running back Taji Atkins took a carry up the middle. But Rasheem Biles punched the ball out of Atkins hands and Graceson Littleton scooped up the ball to the house for a 59-yard touchdown to push the score to it 28-0 Texas.
On the next drive, the Bobcats avoided the shutout with a touchdown drive against the Longhorns to make it 28-7 with about 4 minutes left until halftime.
Arch Manning then led the Longhorns on a long drive to give UT a chance to extend its lead, but an interception in the end zone kept the deficit at 21 points.
Texas Longhorns defensive back Graceson Littleton (29) celebrates after making an interception for Texas in the fourth quarter of the Red River Rivalry, as the Sooners play the Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Oct. 11, 2025. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)

#drive #atkins

HARPERFIELD — For a second straight game, the Geneva Eagles surpassed on the scoreboard.
The Eagles moved to 2-1 after shutting out Parma Normandy 42-0 at SPIRE Academy.
"Guys got off to a great start [Friday night]," Geneva coach Don Shymske said. "We hit a little rough patch in the second quarter, but did a nice job coming out aggressively after halftime."
The Eagles defeated Lakeside 41-6 in it second game.
Against Normandy, Geneva rushed for 308 yards, led by Owen Davis with 147 and four touchdowns. Brody Hamm contributed 94 yards and one score.

#spire

South Africa edged another ferocious and bruising clash against New Zealand to win the third Test 29-24 on Saturday and go 2-1 up in the four-Test Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.
Both teams scored ⁠four tries in front of 87,976 fans at Soccer City, with the Springboks coming back after trailing in the first half to add to their narrow success in last weekend's second test in Cape Town.
It ⁠proved another classic contest of Springbok forward power against the All Blacks' pacey passing attack, with New Zealand starting furiously but eventually being ⁠worn down by the physicality of their hosts.
Ardie Savea went off nine minutes before halftime with a shoulder injury in a blow to the tourists and he looks uncertain for the final match, which will be played in Baltimore, in the United States, next Saturday.
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus said: "It was epic and intense, fierce battle in all departments. The scoreboard in the end showed how close it was. Were just happy to win."

#springboks #four #rivalry

Inter produced an epic comeback to beat bitter rivals Napoli 3-2 in a breathless Serie A showdown at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. Despite trailing by two goals at the 55-minute mark, Cristian Chivu's side summoned their champions' mentality to overturn the deficit and preserve their perfect start to the Scudetto defense.
There was nothing to separate Inter and Napoli at halftime, with both teams squandering several promising chances to open the scoring. Massimiliano Allegri's team enjoyed a dream start to the second half as Matteo Politano broke the deadlock against his former club only five minutes into the second half.
Buoyed by the Italian winger's opener, Napoli continued to push forward and quickly found what they may have considered a crucial second goal. Rasmus Hojlund launched a perfectly placed low shot into the bottom corner to put clear daylight between the sides, giving Inter a mountain to climb in the final 40 minutes of the game.
However, Lautaro Martinez couldn't have picked a better time for his first goal of the season. El Toro cut Napoli's lead in half only three minutes after Hojlund's goal to initiate the comeback. Still, Inter had to wait until the 82nd minute and Marcus Thuram's thumping header to level the score.
When it looked like they would share the spoils with Napoli, just like they did at this venue last season, Lautaro latched onto the loose ball inside the six-yard box and completed the turnaround. As a result, Inter maintained their 100% start to the season, while Napoli suffered their second consecutive defeat after losing to Como last week.

#season

At halftime, the Huskers have come back from an early deficit started by an Ohio 68-yard completion on the games first play. True freshman Jamal Rule found the end zone twice, once by land and once by air. The 2nd half is commencing now.

#true #jamal #halftime #early

Small-town club Elversberg continued a dream start to its first-ever Bundesliga season with another upset win, beating Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-3 with a stoppage-time winner on Saturday.
In Spain, Athletic Bilbao struck three times in the second half to beat Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid 3-0, while Erling Haaland led Manchester City to another victory in the Premier League.
From a town of just 13,000 people, Elversberg stunned another former champion after its win over Bayer Leverkusen last week.
This time, Elversberg did it without coach Vincent Wagner, who was sent off at halftime, only for Maurice Krattenmacher to score the dramatic late winner.
Wagner will miss hosting champion Bayern Munich next week.

#week #small

Venice has only had two road games this year.
The Indians now have two overtime wins as well.
Venice downed longtime foe Lakeland 32-25 on Friday, Sept. 4, needing two extra periods of overtime to notch the win. The Indians won their other road game at Rabun Gap (Ga.) in overtime on Aug. 21.
The Indians jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and looked primed to run away from the Dreadnaughts. Venice had no issues moving the ball in their first two possessions, scoring on a 4-yard carry from Dorien Jones, then cashing in on a Lakeland interception with an 8-yard touchdown run from Mike Blakely.
A lightning delay came right as the horn marked the end of the first quarter, and it could not have been timed better for Lakeland. With the Indians rolling and up two scores, the Dreadnaughts got a mini halftime to talk things over after the opening frame.

#lakeland

The NFL is loaded with young players entering the 2026 season with the opportunity to take their games to another level. Some have already shown flashes of becoming stars, while others are stepping into much larger roles for the first time. With the regular season about to begin, here are 13 players that are poised for breakout seasons.
MORE: Previewing all 16 NFC teams & predicting every record in 2026
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) walks off the field at halftime during a preseason opening game between the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
Dart showed enough as a rookie to make Giants fans believe they finally have their quarterback of the future. With a full season ahead of him, the second-year quarterback has legitimate breakout potential. A new coaching staff and a healthy Malik Nabers could make all the difference.
Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) leaves the field following a game against the Green Bay Packers in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

#season

The Colorado Buffaloes got the ending they needed Thursday night, even if the route to it was about as uncomfortable as any season opener can get.
Julian Lewis found Charlie Williams on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 37 seconds left, then Colorado's field-goal block by defensive back Boo Carter closed the door at the horn for a 14-13 win over Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Buffaloes were out of timeouts and down six points when they started the final possession at their own 25-yard line, which made the finish feel larger than a typical Week 1 play.
Lewis had not found much consistency through the air before that drive. Colorado had dropped passes, missed downfield opportunities and left yards on the field during a first half in which both teams struggled with the humid conditions. The freshman quarterback had a rough sequence late in the second quarter, losing his grip on the football before recovering it and taking a 15-yard sack. Colorado followed with three incompletions before punting to close the half.
Georgia Tech held a 10-7 lead at that point, and the game never settled into a normal rhythm after halftime. Colorado's rushing attack gave the Buffs control of the ball, but Georgia Tech stayed close because Colorado could not finish possessions.
When Georgia Tech's Aidan Birr hit a 29-yard field goal with 1:40 remaining, Colorado had one last chance and Lewis took it.

#found #left

LEXINGTON, Va. (WFXR) – Facing Virginia Tech for the first time since 1984, the VMI football team will renew the all-time series with the Hokies after a 42-year hiatus.
VMI looks to bounce back from last week's 38-10 loss to Idaho State in Pocatello, Idaho. The Keydets trailed just 10-0 at halftime, but the Bengals pulled away in the third quarter with four touchdowns en route to the win.
Virginia Tech is eager to start the season under First-year Head Coach and former Penn State Head Coach James Franklin, who takes over a team that finished 15th in the ACC last season with a 3-9 record overall and 2-6 mark in conference.
Although the landscape of college football has changed dramatically since 1984 – the last time the two schools played each other – the Keydets do own 25 all-time wins in the series dating back to 1894.
The Hokies have won the last three matchups which were played in 1982, 1983 and 1984. The last time the Keydets took down the Hokies was November 21, 1981, a 6-0 win in Blacksburg.
The Keydets (0-1) and Hokies (0-0) will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Lane Stadium.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.

#hokies #keydets #Tech

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Katin Houser threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score in his Illinois debut as the Illini defeated UAB 42-23 on Thursday night in a season opener.
Houser, who transferred from East Carolina, completed 13 of 17 passes for 182 yards. Collin Dixon caught six passes for 70 yards and two TDs, and Ca'Lil Valentine rushed 11 times for 88 yards and a score.
UAB's Ryder Burton completed 18 of 33 passes for 219 yards and a TD. He also rushed for a score. Jonah Delange kicked three field goals for the Blazers.
Illinois scored two TDs on its first six plays and led 21-13 at halftime.
A 65-yard punt return by Mac Resetich set up the first TD — an 18-yard pass from Houser to Dixon. Valentine scored on a 51-yard run.

#illinois #three #completed

For many San Antonio-area schools, Week 2 of the Texas high school football season is really more like Week 1 or Week 1½ as many teams called off their games around halftime because of last week's storms.
Defending state champion Smithson Valley is still hunting for its first win Thursday against Sotomayor after rain and lightning spoiled the Rangers' opener. Express-News No. 1 Johnson is in the same situation Friday against Austin Vandegrift. Both teams looked sharp in limited action in Week 1, and they and several other teams aim to do that for a full game in Week 2.
Here is the full schedule of high school football games for Week 2 in the San Antonio area.
Stay updated with the latest in San Antonio high school football with the Express-News high school sports newsletter.
Clark (0-1) vs. Cedar Park (1-0)
7 p.m. Thursday, Gupton Stadium
First meeting

#week #high #Football #thursday

NEWBURGH, Ind. — One of the best players in Castle High School football history will be honored on Friday.
Graig Hoffman will be inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame during halftime of the Knights' game against Bosse on Sept. 4. The 1993 graduate was a standout two-way lineman for Hall of Fame coach John Lidy before a successful collegiate career at the University of Louisville.
More: What to know for third annual Panther Classic high school girls soccer tournament
He becomes the fifth member of the Hall of Fame connected with Castle, joining Lidy, Joe Huff, Deon Chester, and Scott Bonnell. Kickoff is currently scheduled for 7 p.m. CT, but is subject to change due to high temperatures this week.
Hoffman was a dominant two-way starter in the trenches for the Knights, earning All-State honorable mention and All-Star Game selection as a senior. That final season was cut short by a knee injury – Hoffman played the first three before requiring midseason surgery. The 1992 Kiwanis Award winner returned for the final three games.

#knights #school #Football

On the two-month anniversary of Juventus Women hiring Isaac Guerrero as their new head coach, the Spanish tactician got his new-look squad past the final hurdle necessary to see them qualify for the Women's Champions League league phase once again.
For some, that was going to be quite the task with so much turnover this summer and Guerrero having little time to get to work with his new team before the qualification process got underway last month.
But in front of the hometown crowd — and some very notable front office member from both the men's and women's sporting area — in Biella on Wednesday night, Guerrero's Bianconere got the result they needed, a 1-1 draw, against Austrian side St. Pölten to qualify for the UWCL league phase. Portuguese midfielder Tatiana Pinto scored Juventus Women's lone goal of the night five minutes before halftime, but it was the 3-0 victory last week in Austria that allowed the Bianconere to see out the game and claim the 4-1 advantage on aggregate in the final round of the qualification path.
And with it came a ticket into the 16-team league phase — which is in effect for a second season after they made the switch to replicate the men's setup at the beginning of last season's competition.
Juve got through the four-team mini tournament last month. They then got a much less complicated draw against St. Pölten as compared to two years ago when they had to go through a Paris Saint-Germain side that was one of the last teams standing the season prior to make the group stage.

#league #phase #final

Micah Parsons had the perfect reaction to the Los Angeles Rams bringing Aaron Donald back, responding to one of the most stunning moves of the 2026 NFL season with a comparison that captured how intimidating the team's defense could become. The star pass rusher saw the addition as the latest sign that the Rams are **** embling a roster built to overwhelm opponents.
Donald's return immediately changed the conversation surrounding Los Angeles and its championship ambitions. Already equipped with an imposing collection of defensive talent, the Rams added back one of the most dominant interior defenders in NFL history and gave opposing offenses another major problem to solve.
Former Pittsburgh Panther and retired NFL defensive tackle Aaron Donald waves to the crowd while walking out onto the field during his jersey number retirement ceremony during halftime of the Pittsburgh Panthers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2025.
Parsons reacted to the news by comparing the Rams to an Avengers villain, a reference that reflected the seemingly unstoppable collection of talent now gathered in Los Angeles. His response quickly resonated because it mirrored the reaction of many around the league, where the move has been viewed as a dramatic boost to an already dangerous roster.
The admiration also carries added weight coming from Parsons, one of the NFL's premier defensive players. He understands better than most how difficult it is for offensive lines to prepare for an elite pass rusher, and Donald's ability to disrupt plays from the interior has historically created opportunities for teammates throughout a defense.

#already

Ten months ago, the Los Angeles Rams conducted an audacious experiment.
They sought to reduce the toll that transatlantic travel takes on players' bodies by approaching a game in London like a hit-and-run mission.
Instead of flying out a few days before kickoff the way most NFL teams do, the Rams arrived in London just a day before facing the Jacksonville Jaguars and began their journey home soon after the final whistle. There would be no need for body clocks to adapt to the eight-hour time difference, the Rams theorized, if the trip was as short as possible.
Poking holes in the Rams' tactics became harder over the course of a crisp 35-7 pummeling of a Jaguars team that only lost three other games last regular season. "The way the guys played showed it was the right decision," Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters after his team brushed off the absence of injured star receiver Puka Nakua, charged to a 21-0 halftime lead and coasted to a blowout victory.
Emboldened by last year's successful trial run, the Rams are getting even more daring. They're applying the same philosophy to the longest trip in NFL history, a 16-hour flight to Melbourne, Australia, covering nearly 8,000 miles. Australia hosts its first NFL game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, September 11 when the Super Bowl favorite Rams open their season against the San Francisco 49ers. Kickoff is at 10:35 a.m. in Melbourne so that the game airs in prime time on Thursday, September 10 back in the U.S.

#jaguars

EDITOR'S NOTE: Coaches are reminded to send in game results each weeknight, from 6-10 p.m., by emailing them to pjsportsprovidencejournal.com.
Emily Flynn's highlight strike in the third minute put the Rams on their way to an opening victory over the visiting Huskies at Cimini Stadium in Providence on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
Flynn found the top right corner from all of 25 yards and La Salle was razor-sharp from there while playing for the first time this season as defending state champions. Mila Falcone tucked one under the crossbar in the 13th minute and Allie Scott headed home a rebound off a Falcone shot in the 35th as the Rams took complete command before the break.
Scott added her second shortly after halftime to continue what was a strong performance along the left wing for La Salle (1-0-0). Grace Keenan made a sliding left-handed save on Mt. Hope striker Sara Nencka in the 70th minute to preserve the shutout. The Huskies (0-2-0) played without All-Stater and Boston College commit Emma Goglia, who was nursing a minor injury.
Both teams scored in first half on a rain soaked evening at Augeri Field in Westerly, with the Purple's Lucy Weber striking in the first two minutes, and the Bulldogs finding the equalizer at the 30-minute mark.

#first #coaches

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti and his staff have the tough task this week of trying to game plan for a North Texas team that welcomed more than 50 transfers and 75 new faces.
One area where IU has a leg up on their homework is at quarterback.
Last week, North Texas announced a familiar face as starter when it named Tayven Jackson to oppose IU. The Center Grove alum from outside Indianapolis made six starts over two seasons in Bloomington and won a game over Washington in 2024 while Kurtis Rourke was sidelined with a thumb injury.
"Tayven played really good football for us in '24, came in at halftime in the Nebraska game, and played a great second half, and started next week against Washington, a game that we won," Cignetti said.
Buy 2026 IU football tickets!

#Football #bloomington #cignetti #played

The days of cakewalks for the U.S. women's basketball team are over.
Anyone shrugging at the news A'ja Wilson will not play at the upcoming FIBA World Cup, ***** uming the Americans are so loaded with talent they won't miss the greatest player on the planet, hasn't been paying attention. The world has caught up to the U.S. women and, even with a roster of All-Stars, the World Cup is going to offer a glimpse for players and fans alike of what's in store at the Los Angeles Olympics.
The World Cup begins Friday, Sept. 4, in Berlin, Germany, with the U.S. playing 2022 silver medalist China.
For seemingly forever, the U.S. women have dominated the international game. They've won an unprecedented eight consecutive Olympic gold medals, and nine of the last 12 World Cups. The last game they lost at the Olympics or World Cup — not the ***** le, just a game — was back in 2006, before Caitlin Clark had even started grade school.
Most of the U.S. women's wins have come easily. Games that were over by halftime. Games that were even bigger blowouts than the double-digit victory margins indicated.

#game #women