Zane Smith escaped with no serious injuries following a violent crash in Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway. The driver of the No. 38 suffered a brake failure in the closing laps of Stage 2, causing him to spin out and slam driver's side first into the outside retaining wall in turn 1.
As Smith climbed from his car, it was evident he was in pain. The 27-year-old was slow to get out of his battered Front Row Motorsports Ford and was leaning on two NASCAR safety workers as they helped him into the ambulance to take him to the infield care center.
Thankfully, Smith took to social media on Monday with a positive update on his condition.
Immediately after Smith careened with the outside wall following the brake failure, his spotter, Ryan Blanchard, tried to summon his driver over the radio to check on his condition.
"We lost brakes here. Let me know if you're OK. Really big hit. Talk to me when you can, please. Let me know if you're OK," he said.

#brake #failure #wall

While Youngstown State quarterback Beau Brungard received the Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week honor on Monday, Indiana State quarterback Elijah Owens was listed among others for honorable mention.
Brungard, a fifth-year senior, accounted for a touchdown in all eight of the Penguins' series possessions, with him at QB, in YSU's 70-13 rout of Duquesne on Saturday. He completed 20 of 23 passes for 290 yards and six TDs, while also running for two touchdowns.
Five other players received honorable mention for the weekly award, including Owens, former Sycamore running back Plez Lawrence (now at North Carolina Central), Montana running back Eli Gillman, Stonehill quarterback Jack O'Connell, and Alcorn State quarterback Jaylon Tolbert.
Owens delivered his best performance as a Sycamore in Indiana State's 42-35 win at Eastern Illinois on Saturday night. The redshirt junior quarterback threw for 284 yards, ran for 98 yards, and scored five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing). Overall, Owens was 21-of-33 through the air for 284 yards and three passing touchdowns, while adding 18 carries for 98 yards and two additional scores.
Meanwhile, Lawrence — who played at ISU from 2023-25 and rushed for 1,164 total yards in 270 carries — ran for 210 yards and three touchdowns in North Carolina Central's 30-22 win against North Carolina A&T on Saturday in Durham. Lawrence also had a 200-plus-yard game as a Sycamore, gaining 203 yards in 29 carries at Murray State on Sept. 30, 2023.

#state #owens #sycamore #carolina

It was difficult for Alex Bowman to hold back his emotions after Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway. The driver of the No. 48 turned in his best performance of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, placing runner-up to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson.
The strong run at Gateway meant a little more to Bowman. Just prior to Sunday's race, Bowman revealed that his dog, Finn, who he called his best friend, sadly passed away. As the Arizona native reflected on his top-five performance at Gateway, he fought back tears in what has been an emotional weekend.
One day prior to Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway, Bowman took to social media to announce the heartbreaking passing of his dog.
"I don't know how to say this out loud, but last night I lost my best friend. You only get a dog like Finn once in a lifetime. He was just the best," he wrote.
As Bowman spoke to USA Network's Dave Burns, he tried to keep himself together as he expressed appreciation for his No. 48 HMS team for helping him through the devastating loss.

#illinois #back #performance

The WNBA learned in early September that commissioner Cathy Engelbert has decided to step down and retire from her position following this season. Engelbert has overseen a successful tenure that has helped elevate the WNBA's profile and grow the league's brand.
Now, the league will need to find Engelbert's successor. Several names have already been suggested as potential candidates. However, some of the WNBA's biggest stars may also have a voice in who should succeed Engelbert.
MORE: Sophie Cunningham showered with gifts at NASCAR race
One star has already offered her thoughts on the type of person who should take over. Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham was asked what kind of person she expects to be named the next WNBA commissioner.
Aug 23, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) reacts while warming up prior to a game against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

#WNBA #Chicago

The week 1 game between Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers produced a 59-37 game in which Bears dominated the Panthers defense. In the high-scoring game, Bears quarterback did something interesting after the game while he was shaking hands with the Panthers head coach Dave Canales.
Interestingly the conversation was covered as the fields were mic'd up. The brief exchange of words now went viral and made headlines.
In the record-breaking 59-37 Week 1 blowout of the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams delivered one of the most talked-about postgame moments of the early 2026 NFL season. During the handshake line after the Bears' historic 96-point combined scoring, the mics on the field caught his exact words in Dave Canales' face. "Y'all are a great defense man," Caleb Williams said.
Feb 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams watches in the second half of the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Southern California Trojans at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
It's a short, deadpan six-word line. No sarcasm in tone, no raised voice. It was a calm, straightforward compliment delivered right after Carolina's defense surrendered 59 points, 552 total yards, and multiple explosive plays.

#bears #Chicago #caleb

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

Gigi Chasco of Wisconsin Lutheran girls volleyball was the winner of last week's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel high school athlete of the week poll for the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 5.
Vikings head coach Megan Mache described the Florida Gulf Coast commit as the "glue" for Wisco in its five-set thriller over New Berlin West on Thursday, Sept. 3. Chasco tallied 26 ******* ists, 14 digs, 12 kills, four blocks and a pair of aces in a 25-17, 23-25, 25-18, 19-25, 15-8 nailbiter in the all-Vikings battle.
Chasco received 11,462 out of a possible 21,352 total votes cast.
Claire Baldwin of Sussex Hamilton girls volleyball was the runner-up in last week's poll. The Chargers bounced back in a massive way during the previous week with a 6-0 record, including a tournament victory at the Summers End event in Winnetka, Illinois. The sophomore Baldwin had a huge week for the Chargers, tallying 54 digs and 52 kills on the week, which also included a win over Greater Metro Conference foe Wauwatosa West in a 3-0 sweep.
Other nominees in the poll included Ethan Potthast of Brookfield Academy football, Bear Bonk of Marquette football and Noah Gailey of Hartford boys cross-country.

#Vikings

Gigi Chasco of Wisconsin Lutheran girls volleyball was the winner of last week's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel high school athlete of the week poll for the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 5.
Vikings head coach Megan Mache described the Florida Gulf Coast commit as the "glue" for Wisco in its five-set thriller over New Berlin West on Thursday, Sept. 3. Chasco tallied 26 **** ists, 14 digs, 12 kills, four blocks and a pair of aces in a 25-17, 23-25, 25-18, 19-25, 15-8 nailbiter in the all-Vikings battle.
Chasco received 11,462 out of a possible 21,352 total votes cast.
Claire Baldwin of Sussex Hamilton girls volleyball was the runner-up in last week's poll. The Chargers bounced back in a massive way during the previous week with a 6-0 record, including a tournament victory at the Summers End event in Winnetka, Illinois. The sophomore Baldwin had a huge week for the Chargers, tallying 54 digs and 52 kills on the week, which also included a win over Greater Metro Conference foe Wauwatosa West in a 3-0 sweep.
Other nominees in the poll included Ethan Potthast of Brookfield Academy football, Bear Bonk of Marquette football and Noah Gailey of Hartford boys cross-country.

#week #Vikings

The Wisconsin Badgers comfortably beat the Western Illinois Leathernecks on Saturday, but the score didn't capture the full picture, as it was an up-and-down game for the home team at Camp Randall Stadium.
There were a lot of questions about the defense for Wisconsin, as they struggled to contain the run at times against a team that lost 41-10 to Illinois State the week before.
Here are the snap counts and PFF grades for every player on defense for the Badgers against Western Illinois.
Hammond Russell IV – Snap Count: [23], Grade: 64.1
Michael Garner – Snap Count: [23], Grade: 62.8

#wisconsin #badgers #team #leathernecks

Sep. 14—The term sabermetrics was first coined by Bill James in 1980. It took quite a bit longer, however, for the idea to catch on with the baseball populace, but eventually acronyms like WAR, VORP and UZR caught on as a way to ****** yze the sport.
Analytics are equally as important these days in college basketball. It's why you hear Illinois coach Brad Underwood constantly referencing his team's adjusted offensive efficiency and offensive rebounding rate. Paid services like Synergy give coaching staffs an ****** ytical breakdown of their team to the finest detail.
Publicly available sites like , and , however, have broadened the usage and acceptance of a different way to follow and break down the sport. (KenPom and CBBAnalytics do have a subscription piece but are drastically cheaper than Synergy).
It's through those sites Illinois fans could track one of the most efficient offenses in the modern era during the 2025-26 season. The Illini eventually finished second in adjusted offensive efficiency behind Purdue last season. That particular metric was helped by the Illini not turning the ball over (eighth in turnover rate) and dominating the offensive glass (third in offensive rebounding rate).
One particular metric Illinois tracks is shot volume.

#like #rate #synergy

Sep. 14—It was an extraordinary football weekend that saw the two Big Ten favorites, Ohio State and Oregon, join the Illini in stunning disappointments. What follows are four burning takes from Saturday's scramble.
(1) Is the new UI defensive system unworkable at this level, or are the linemen simply lacking in NFL-level talent required of conference contenders?
Conclusion: It's equal proportions of both as the Illini permitted 43 first downs in two outings.
In the opener against UAB, the defense permitted 17 rushes of five yards or more, and gave up 194 ground yards while managing one sack. The Illini won with four huge plays, including a 65-yard punt return and a Hail Mary, avoiding early trouble because four UAB drives were chilled by Blazer penalties. Illinois tackling was already a major concern.
Against Duke on Saturday, the Illini again had a single sack amid surprisingly effective passes by Walker Eget (15 of 21 for 206 yards), and never got sensational Nate Sheppard under control. Sheppard bulled and darted for 147 yards, caught five passes for 41 and scored three touchdowns.

#four #level #sack

MADISON – Already in Week 2, the Wisconsin football team has been anything but immune to injuries at some key positions.
Wide receiver Malachi Coleman and linebacker Mason Posa both exited the Badgers' 36-9 win over Western Illinois with injuries. Posa could have returned if necessary, coach Luke Fickell said afterward, but Coleman could not.
Quarterback Colton Joseph, meanwhile, was "a little dinged up from last weekend," Fickell said in his postgame press conference. Fickell similarly said that running back Abu Sama III may have gotten "a little bit of a ding on the shoulder."
Those are in addition to first-team offensive lineman Emerson Mandell's continued absence as he recovers from an injury that he suffered in fall camp.
Fickell said that Joseph – the Old Dominion transfer who has been UW's presumed starter since January – was not ready to go in Tuesday's practice. (He took a significant hit in the Badgers' 41-13 loss to then-No. 5 Notre Dame.)

#coleman #posa #team #madison

MADISON — A motivated Justin Allgaier is a dangerous Justin Allgaier, and is he now motivated.
The Riverton native finished 13th in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Nu Way 225 at World Wide Technology Raceway Saturday evening on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, and lost his lead atop the points standings.
Jesse Love won the race and Sheldon Creed, who finished second, moved up into the lead for The Chase, leading Allgaier by three points, 2,175-2,172 with seven events remaining.
"As bad of a night as we had and all the stuff happening, three points back," Allgaier said. "I lost 70 points in one race one week. So, that three points to me is like, 'All right, whatever.'"
It was the first win this season for Love, who won the series points ***** le last year.

#points #allgaier #three #race

Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA)'s long-idled Belvidere ******* embly Plant in Illinois has been a case study for how a plant reopening can be pushed further into the future. The plant has been dormant since February 2023, when Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) ended the Jeep Cherokee production and laid off over 1,300 employees. A 2027 production target for Belvidere has now shifted, with Stellantis targeting pilot production of the next-generation Cherokee in the first half of 2028 and retail production in the second half of 2029, even as Stellantis portrays the news as a larger investment rather than a delay.
Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) announced an increase in its Belvidere investment to more than $800 million, up from a previous commitment of $600 million or more, and confirmed that the plant will produce the next-generation Jeep Cherokee on its new STLA One platform, the first vehicle built in the US on that modular design, which the company claims will improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce costs.
However, according to UAW Local 1268 president Matt Frantzen, citing internal records and talks with company executives, the updated schedule pushes pilot production into the first half of 2028, while retail production is not targeted to begin until the second half of 2029, roughly two years later than Stellantis' previous 2027 initial-production target.
The Belvidere news is a grave situation developing north of the border. Unifor, the Canadian union that represents Detroit Three autoworkers, stated that Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) has signed an MOU with Canadian armored-vehicle maker Roshel outlining a potential sale of its Brampton, Ontario ******* embly plant, which has been idle since 2023. According to union president Lana Payne, Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) has yet to provide the official year's notice required by the collective agreement. Payne described it as a "lose-lose scenario," claiming Stellantis' 2023 commitment to keep Brampton staffed had been broken.
The two stories are directly related. Brampton had been scheduled to build the Jeep Compass, with retooling beginning in early 2024 before Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) paused it in 2025 and then, that October, moved Compass manufacturing to the US completely, the same reassignment that sent the model to Belvidere.

#stellantis #NYSE

Facing 4th-and-1 with a four-point lead and 1:54 left on the clock, Duke decided to go for the jugular and clinch the game.
The 60,000-plus people in Gies Memorial Stadium knew where the ball was going. Illinois' defense knew who was getting the ball. Duke's offense definitely knew who they trusted.
Nate Sheppard, who had already scored three touchdowns on the day, ran up the middle for two yards, and the Blue Devils were able to run out the clock for a massive 31-27 victory in Champaign against the Fighting Illini.
"I think everybody knew right there where the ball was going," Sheppard said. "I think the whole stadium knew where the ball was going. It was just a matter of could we execute."
It was the 24th carry of Sheppard's day, with the sophomore running for 147 yards and a touchdown while also catching five passes for 41 yards and two scores. Despite the three trips to the end zone, his most impressive run might have been the one that set up his first touchdown of the game: a 19-yard run where he continued to evade would-be tacklers somehow and keep his balance.

#ball #three

The Wisconsin Badgers beat the Western Illinois Leathernecks 36-9 on a night that started on a high note but ended with many questions as Wisconsin improved to 1-1 on the season.
Wisconsin entered the week as a 36.5-point favorite, and that jumped all the way to 42.5 ahead of kickoff. Things looked great on the first snap of regulation, as Abu Sama III bounced a run to the edge for a 72-yard touchdown to give the Badgers an early 7-0 lead.
The Badgers forced a quick three-and-out and faced their first minor issue as Tyrell Henry fumbled on the punt return, but Wisconsin was able to recover and got great starting field position at their own 46-yard line. Sama quickly got the Badgers moving with a 31-yard run on the first play of the drive, once again bouncing to the edge and winning with speed.
One play later, the Badgers got into the red zone, but the drive stalled there as a first-down Sama run went for negative yards. Wisconsin couldn't recover from there, and they kicked a field goal in the red zone for an early 10-0 lead.
Wisconsin's defense looked sharp once again on the ensuing drive with their second consecutive three-and-out, and the punt unit made a major play for the second week in a row. After Liam Danitz blocked a punt against Notre Dame last week, Carson Van Dinter got a blocked punt early on Saturday, which he returned for an easy touchdown. Suddenly, Wisconsin was up 17-0 less than halfway through the first quarter.

#early

Duke improved to 2-0 on the season with a hard-fought 31-27 victory over Illinois on the road in Champaign in a sold out Gies Memorial Stadium. A non-conference Power Four win is a huge accomplishment in Week Two of the season.
Quarterback Walker Eget completed 15 of 21 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Nate Sheppard rushed 24 times for 147 yards and one touchdown, and caught five passes for 41 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Jonah Burton caught four passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Cornerback Evan Smith accounted for the game's only turnover when he intercepted a pass from Illinois quarterback Katin Houser.
Play One: Illinois was leading 17-7 and Duke was facing a 4th down and four yards to go with nine minutes and 41 seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter. Duke lined up to punt but hiked the ball to Nate Sheppard instead of punter Kade Reynoldson and Sheppard ran for 15 yards and a 1st down. This play switched momentum from the Illini to the Blue Devils. Four plays later Nate Sheppard rushed two yards for a touchdown cutting the Illini lead to 17-14.
Play Two: At the eight minutes and 28 seconds mark of the 1st quarter, quarterback Walker Eget hit wide receiver Jonah Burton for a 12 yards touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7. Burton did a great job securing the ball as he went to the ground.

#illinois

Chris Buescher's Gateway weekend hit a snag before his No. 17 Ford ever reached the starting grid.
NASCAR ejected two car chiefs Saturday after a pair of Cup Series cars failed pre-race inspection twice at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Buescher's No. 17 RFK Racing Ford and Cody Ware's No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet each required three trips through inspection before being cleared. The two failures resulted in the ejection of No. 17 car chief Joshua Sisco and No. 51 car chief Dave Jones for the remainder of the race weekend.
Both teams also lost their pit-stall selection for Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300, leaving them with the final available stalls on pit road regardless of where their drivers qualified.
The consequences stop there, however. Both cars passed inspection on their third attempts, avoiding the additional penalties that would have come with another failure.

#racing #race #chris #nascar

CHAMPAIGN, Ill — Katin Houser and the Illini are off to a hot start against the Blue Devils. It the first drive of the game, Illinois methodically picked apart the Duke defense and ended the 9-play drive with a Collin Dixon touchdown.
Houser looked ultra efficient throwing 5-5 for 55 passing yards. His connection with Dixon was also on display, who caught three passes for 31 yards.
The cherry on top being the 13-yard strike to the back of the end zone with Dixon making the athletic grab. The kick was good giving Illinois the 7-0 lead.

#houser #blue #devils

Gateway is paying tribute to the late Kyle Busch by introducing the track's new trophy prior to Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race. Busch, who passed away suddenly on May 21, earned his 63rd and final Cup Series win at Gateway, also known as World Wide Technology Raceway, back in June 2023.
Gateway is calling it the "Rowdy" trophy, an homage to Busch's signature nickname he earned during his illustrious NASCAR career. The trophy will be presented to the winner of Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300, which is the second race of the Chase.
In the media center at WTT Raceway sits the new "Rowdy Trophy" dedicated to the late Kyle Busch. Engraved on the trophy is a special message that reads:
"The Rowdy Trophy … In recognition of his contribution to the sport and his final win at WTT Raceway"
Jeff Gluck, motorsports writer for The Athletic, shared an up-close look at the trophy in a social media video.

#nascar

For the 73rd time, Iowa and Iowa State will meet on the gridiron on Saturday. Iowa owns a 46-25 advantage in the all-time series, but the Hawkeyes are looking to put a stop to a two-game Iowa State winning streak in the rivalry.
The 21st-ranked Hawkeyes opened their 2026 season with a 40-0 shutout victory over Northern Illinois. It was the 10th shutout victory Iowa has recorded since 2018, matching Penn State for the most in all of the Football Bowl Subdivision during that timeframe.
Meanwhile, Iowa State began the Jimmy Rogers era with a 38-10 win over Southeast Missouri State.
As kickoff arrives, follow along here for live updates, including the latest score, highlights and ***** ysis:
Refresh for live updates once game has started

#updates

The state's big game will be on a big stage.
The Sept. 12 Cy-Hawk football showdown in Iowa City will be televised nationally on NBC at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Both teams are coming off easy Week 1 victories.
Iowa State picked up a 38-10 win over SEMO to kick off the Jimmy Rogers era. The No. 21 Hawkeyes dominated Northern Illinois with a 41-0 victory.
This is the first road game for Iowa State.

#game #week #rogers

MADISON, Ill. - Organizers are expecting a fifth straight sell-out crowd at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill., ahead of Sunday's "Enjoy Illinois 300." The race is part of the NASCAR Cup Series.

The event forms part of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, bringing motorsport fans to the venue in the St. Louis area. In recent years, the Madison track has hosted several major NASCAR events featuring close photo-finishes.

Ahead of the race, professional driver Ross Chastain made a promotional appearance at Ballpark Village. Chastain, a champion racer participating in Sunday's event, served as a celebrity bartender pouring Busch Light for fans.

"They put a party on here as a racer. I just want people to come watch us. We don't get to do all this unless people are watching us in the grandstands and watching us at home on TV or listening on the radio," Chastain said. "Very cool atmosphere here and a place that was wanting cup racing for a really long time. And now that we're here, we're thriving."
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 FOX 2.

#chastain #series

It's hard to compete with the offensive fireworks of a 20-0 game, but a Navy World War II veteran got as big an ovation as anybody Sept. 11 during the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds.
Sverre Vinje, age 102, sang "God Bless America" in the middle of the seventh inning during Milwaukee's playoff-clinching performance, and you simply have to see it for yourself.
The Rockford, Illinois, resident was there at the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, according to WIFR in Rockford. He told the station he decided to enlist after hearing about the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Vinje's hometown gave him a surprise birthday celebration in June.
He's sung the tune at sporting events before, including at games for the Rockford IceHogs hockey team.

#navy

Week 4 of the Illinois high school football season includes an important duel in the Mid-Illini Conference between Morton and Washington.
The Panthers have a 27-game Mid-Illini Conference win streak on the line.
East Peoria running back R.J. Jackson, who this season became the program's all-time leading rusher and touchdown scorer, is leading the Raiders through a road showdown at Metamora against a Redbirds defense considered one of the best in the area.
There is a full slate of games from teams in the Peoria area.
Here is the Journal Star preps experience for Week 4, your one-stop shop as we look around the Peoria-area football landscape in the fourth week of the 2026 high school season:

#area

Iowa football news: Hawkeyes make huge QB decision for Iowa State clash appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Iowa football offense has been one of the most maligned in college football over the past few years but performed well in Week 1's 40-0 blanking of North Illinois, led by 129 yards and a passing touchdown from quarterback Hank Brown.
Iowa suffered a tough-luck running back injury during the game, which could place added pressure on its passing game in Week 2 versus rival Iowa State tomorrow night at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
On Friday, huge news broke on the Hawkeyes' quarterback situation, as reported by journalist Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#iowa #huge #quarterback

The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series returns to action Saturday night as the playoff battle continues at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois.
The Nu Way 225 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, with drivers looking to make a major statement as the championship fight begins to heat up. The race will be the second event of the 2026 O'Reilly Series chase.
World Wide Technology Raceway is one of the most difficult tracks on the O'Reilly Series schedule because of its unique layout.
The 1.25-mile oval features different corner characteristics, forcing teams to find a setup that works in both ends of the track. Drivers will also have to manage tire wear, track position and restarts throughout the night.
Gateway is a track where experience can make a major difference. With the championship battle underway, mistakes could become extremely costly.

#technology #night

This year has been tougher than most, with absolutely nothing to go off of for Week 1, but now the belief systems start to kick in. While I lean a bit too heavily on the flaky historical trends this week, I'd be doing America a disservice if I didn't at least point them out.

It's Week 2. Let's have some fun.

Results So Far: 13-12
– CFN Week 2 Expert Picks
– Week 2 Schedule, Picks
Line: Michigan State -17.5
ATS Pick: Michigan State
– Game Prediction and Preview

Along with Michigan State being far better than an Eastern Michigan team that just lost to San Jose State and struggled against Sacramento State, there's a historical thing happening here.

Michigan State is 7-0 all-time against Eastern Michigan, and … fine. This is a goofy trend, but the Spartans really should roll in this.

The Spartans won 73-14 in 2014. 23-7 in 2012, 42-10 in 2008, 52-20 in 2006, 56-7 in 2002, 51-7 in 1999, and 47-0 in 1996. Six total wipeouts and one outlier on the 17.5 in 2012.
Line: Oregon -23.5
ATS Pick Oregon
– Game Prediction and Preview
If Oklahoma State is about to turn the machine on, fine, I'll tip my cap and move on. But I just can't get past this. It's not like 2025 North Texas, and all its star players now with Oklahoma State, did anything against the powerhouses.

The best win was against … Navy?

The Cowboys didn't look anywhere near close to being ready for primetime last week in the loss to Tulsa, and now they get an Oregon team coming off a mediocre performance against Boise State.

What happened the week after the last time Oregon had a tough fight against the Broncos? In 2024, it followed up the 37-34 win with a 49-14 domination at Oregon State.
Line: Indiana -56.5
ATS Pick Indiana
– Game Prediction and Preview

I have a personal rule to always pick the underdog that walks into a building up 50 or more against the spread. I whiffed on that last week, taking Utah Tech +51.5 against BYU – the Cougars won 63-7.

I ****** umed Miami -59.5 would stop scoring at some reasonable point against Florida A&M on Thursday night. The Hurricanes won 77-7. Indiana beat Indiana State 73-0 last season.

In the first year under Curt Cignetti, it beat Western Illinois 77-3. I'll take the chance that 56.5 might be laughably low against another FCS team if history repeats itself.

#line

On Aug. 27, 18-year-old Addisyn Baird was in Hartford, Connecticut, preparing to play in a hockey tournament when she received a life-changing phone call.
The call was from Justine Siegal, commissioner of the Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL). The Los Angeles Queens needed another player after one of their outfielders left to play for Curaçao's national team and the team wanted to sign Baird as a replacement for the remainder of the season.
"How fast can you get here?" Siegal asked.
The next morning, Baird played in one hockey game. Then she and her dad jumped in the car and drove more than 20 hours to Springfield, Illinois, where the WPBL plays all its games. On Sept. 3, Baird made her professional debut for the Queens, whose roster includes former Little League World Series phenom Mo'ne Davis.
Baird is the only current high school student playing in the inaugural season of the WPBL, which launched in August with four teams. The WPBL playoffs are underway this month, with two best-of-three semifinal series preceding a best-of-five championship series scheduled to begin Sept. 16.

#wpbl #series #sept #call

The Gophers originally opened as high as 2.5-point betting favorites for this week's game against Mississippi State. According to The Action Network, the consensus odds have continued to flip back and forth throughout the week, with the Bulldogs being favored by as much as 1.5. As of Friday morning, Minnesota is currently a one-point favorite. Could we be looking at a potential classic on Saturday afternoon?
Realistically, the consistent change in betting odds is pretty standard for a nonconference matchup in Week 2. Mississippi State and Minnesota were both viewed as potential wildcard teams with young quarterbacks heading into the season, and blowout wins in Week 1 didn't tell us much. **** ody really knows who should be favored in Saturday's game. But approaching college football with common sense and reason is boring.
Sep 3, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive lineman Anthony Smith (0) and defensive lineman TJ Bush Jr. (3) celebrate during the second half against the Eastern Illinois Panthers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
With the current total set at over/under 54.5 points, there's a scenario where Minnesota and Mississippi State easily clear that number, and we see a back-and-forth shootout. Both teams made improvements to their defenses in the offseason after rather disappointing 2025 campaigns.
The Gophers made transfer portal splashes with Cal pass rusher TJ Bush Jr. and Michigan State cornerback Aydan West, while the Bulldogs brought in Zach Arnett as their new defensive coordinator. After Mississippi State opened with a 62-13 win over UL Monroe and the Gophers comfortably beat Eastern Illinois 59-7, their new-look defenses will be tested in Week 2.

#state