The UTEP men's basketball team's Mexican travels picked up another destination, as the Miners are headed to the Cancun Challenge.
The Cancun Challenge, which is Nov. 24-25, is a four-team Thanksgiving tournament where they will play the College of Charleston and either Kennesaw State or Eastern Michigan.
Two weeks later, they conclude the multi-national event at Don Haskins Center when they host North Dakota (not to be confused with new Mountain West member North Dakota State) on Dec. 5. That tip-off time has not been set but likely will be 7 p.m.
The Nov. 24 game against Charleston will tip at 6:30 p.m. MT, while the Nov. 25 game against the Kennesaw/Eastern Michigan winner is TBA.
"The opportunity to play in the Cancun Challenge is a great honor for UTEP basketball and we look forward to being tested against three quality opponents," UTEP coach Joe Golding said. "Many great teams have played in this MTE (multi-team event) in the past, and we're excited to add UTEP's name to the list. It's another great chance to play on a big college basketball stage early in the season with a brand-new team."

#Basketball #team #great #charleston

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Bryan Baker of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches against the Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning at Tropicana Field on July 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
In the aftermath of a 3-0 win over the Rangers on Wednesday evening, Ryan Vilade said he did not want to face Bryan Baker. The Rays' infielder/outfielder shares a clubhouse with the righthanded closer, so stepping into the batter's box against Baker is not a concern. For Rays' opponents, facing Baker has been a nightmare in 2026.
"To see 'Big Bake' running in from the bullpen with the lights (flashing on and off) and (music) playing, it gets everyone fired up," said Vilade, whose exceptional work (9 HR, 35 RBI, .804 OPS) in a part-time role has often aided the Rays in getting to their closer. "I'm glad he's on our team and whenever we get to the ninth with him on the ***** p, we feel pretty good."
For good reason. The 6-foot-6 Baker nailed down his 30th save of the season Thursday afternoon in the series finale with Texas to tie with Cleveland's Cade Smith for the MLB lead. The 31-year-old heads into a weekend series versus the visiting White Sox having converted 19 straight save opportunities, a stretch that began May 17. During that span, which totals 24 appearances, Baker has allowed one run. That was a solo homer to Kansas City's Josh Rojas on June 24, an outing in which Baker shrugged it off to record his 20th save.
"I have been feeding off the catchers and going for what they see and what they've kind of seen the whole game and let the defenders work behind me," said Baker, when asked about the run he is on. "It's been a lot more (pitching to) contact lately, which as long as there's zeros are on board, I'm good."

#rays #ninth #work

Celtic's potential Champions League play-off opponents became slightly clearer after the latest second qualifying round ties, including a stunning comeback win by Danish champions AGF Aarhus.
The Scottish champions already knew that Norwegian counterparts Viking Stavanger and Austria's LASK are potential opponents as both have automatically qualified for the play-off round and will be on the unseeded side of the draw.
However, three other potential opponents will be decided by matches with first legs on 4/5 August and second legs on 11 August.
AGF were 4-1 down from their first leg at home to Polish champions Lech Poznan but stunned their hosts by scoring three times in 90 minutes to take the tie into extra time on Wednesday.
Lech, for whom former Celtic winger Luis Palma played the first 68 minutes, scored first in extra-time, but the Danes equalised before winning the penalty shoot-out.

#august #play

Ryan and I are back, a little later than usual this week, due to a myriad of scheduling issues. But rest **** ured it's still the same high quality content you've been looking for. I'm now recording on my new laptop which I think has helped the sound from my end, but I'll leave that for others to confirm.
On this episode of the podcast we start out talking about the Purdue men's basketball trip to Canada and why we aren't too impressed or worried about anyone. Here's a hint, these games don't matter and are more about just seeing some live action rather than playing against each other for the next three months.
Then, we head into the football season to look at the week two opponent Wake Forest. They ended their 2025 season covered in Duke's Mayo, and glory, after winning their bowl game. Purdue meanwhile finished their 2025 season getting beaten down by their rival. Quite the difference. Can Purdue find a way to flip the script this season? Ryan and I discuss.
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#week

Sanford Stadium is widely regarded as one of the best environments to play in across all of college football. The Georgia Bulldogs have been dominant at home throughout history, and the stadium will be as loud as ever throughout the 2026 season.
Georgia will begin the year with one of the most talented rosters in the nation. Sanford Stadium's atmosphere will once again be an essential component to the Dawgs' success this season, as Georgia held an impressive 6-1 record at home in 2025. USA TODAY's Blake Toppmeyer, Paul Myerberg, Jordan Mendoza and Kevin Skiver recently listed their top 10 stadiums in college football, and Sanford Stadium was ranked No. 6.
"The environment 'Between the Hedges' has made the Bulldogs nearly unbeatable at home under coach Kirby Smart. While the literally barking from Georgia fans doesn't always rattle your eardrums, Sanford Stadium can rumble when challenged. Georgia's .918 home winning percentage during the Kirby Smart era is a credit to the program Smart built. It's also a credit to Bulldogs fans."
Georgia will face a handful of tough opponents at Sanford Stadium this fall. The Bulldogs first true test of the season will be against the Oklahoma Sooners in Athens, followed by a highly anticipated matchup against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Dawgs are set to face the Auburn Tigers and the Missouri Tigers at Sanford Stadium during SEC play as well, and Georgia will use the atmosphere to their advantage.
The Bulldogs have lost just one home game dating back to 2019. Georgia had a 33-game home winning streak snapped against the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2025, but UGA rebounded with ranked home wins over Ole Miss and Texas.

#home #smart #kirby

Texas A&M's 2026 season opener vs. Missouri State is a little over five weeks away, while the Aggies' preseason will kick off early next month. It's been a busy but quiet offseason for coach Mike Elko, who is entering his third season at the helm after leading the Aggies to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.
Accomplishing several key goals, including a record 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, Elko signed his six-year extension just weeks before the end of the 2025 season, which was a smart move given his status as one of the top football minds, while Penn State reportedly looked to poach the New Jersey native before ultimately hiring Iowa State coach Matt Campbell.
Retaining 65% of the 2025 roster paired with 17 transfer portal additions and the 2026 signing class, Texas A&M's 2026 roster isn't lacking talent, especially with redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed returning under center for his second full starting season after throwing for a career-high 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions last season.
On paper, Alabama's secondary can be compared to Texas A&M's deep cornerback and safety rotation, now featuring transfer CB Rickey Gibson and former Colorado safety Tawfiq Byard, while the Aggies' defensive line will be led by senior DT DJ Hicks and Northwestern transfer edge Anto Saka, who is already a favorite among NFL scouts.
Texas A&M is not viewed as an overwhelming favorite to make it back to the CFP, mainly due to tough road games vs. LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma, as well as hosting Texas at home. Still, A&M's roster is more than talented enough to compete with every opponent on the schedule, while the new 9-game SEC slate will affect all 16 teams in different ways.

#roster

Miami running back De'Von Achane is aware that the Dolphins are not viewed as contenders this year, and he's happy to be on a team that opponents are overlooking.
Achane said he and his teammates will be ready to make other teams regret looking past them.
"We're kind of used to that," Achane said. "We don't pay no mind to that. If teams feel that way about us, that means when they play us, they're gonna be not taking us seriously. And if you're doing that, then you're gonna have a long day for yourself."
Achane, who said he has a goal of leading the league in rushing, signed a four-year, $64 million contract this offseason. That was a significant investment from the Dolphins, who are a rebuilding team but think Achane is a big part of their future.
As for this season, if Achane likes having people overlook his team, the good news is that a lot of people are: The betting odds say the Dolphins are the least likely to make the playoffs of any team in the AFC.

#achane #Miami

Prince Harry and his fellow claimants may have to cover millions in their opponent's legal fees after losing their high-profile lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail
At a hearing on July 29, **** ociated Newspapers Limited demanded an initial payment of £10m towards its legal costs
The publisher of The Daily Mail and other U.K. outlets also seeks to recoup much more
Prince Harry and his fellow claimants may have to cover hefty court costs after losing a high-profile legal case earlier this month.
Justice Matthew Nicklin handed down the decision on July 7, declaring that the Duke of Sussex and six other high-profile claimants — including Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley and Jude Law's ex-wife, Sadie Frost — had lost their case against **** ociated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday, failing to prove that the publications had engaged in illegal information gathering.

#mail #daily #high #prince

Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly close to agreeing a new contract to coach the United States men's national team, and that's good enough reason for us to dig into the "what's next" for the USMNT under the ex-Spurs and Chelsea boss.
MORE — Zidane takes over France national team
Pochettino could become the first USMNT coach to work consecutive World Cups since Bruce Arena, and he'll have the opportunity to lead the team through qualifying, a Gold Cup, and likely the 2028 Copa America in the United States.
And so Pochettino will look to have the team better prepared to show up against elite competition the next time a Belgium-level opponent is across the pitch in a tournament game.
Pochettino found plenty of success with a back three during the last year with the USMNT, but fullbacks Alex Freeman or Joe Scally were often slid into that back three.

#united

In the 73rd minute of a scoreless match, Malawi forward Temwa Chawinga shot down the field like an arrow to receive a long pass from midfield. The ball dropped into the pocket between the opponent's backline and goalkeeper, a ripe scenario for an attacker whose pace is as blistering as her decision-making.
Chawinga, who plays for the Kansas City Current in the National Women's Soccer League, nudged the ball with her chest to the goalkeeper's left, ran around her right, and found a half volley to begin an extraordinary new chapter of firsts in her career: not only her first goal at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, but also her country's.
Malawi defeated 10-time champions and current continental ***** le holders Nigeria in a dramatic 3-2 upset victory on Tuesday, thanks to two goals from Temwa and one from her older sister and OL Lyonnes forward, Tabitha, at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
The win puts the southern African nation in a crucial second place in their group behind Zambia on goal differential.
"We are going (to WAFCON) to compete, not just to participate," Chawinga told The Athletic before she departed for Morocco.

#temwa #current #goal #city

How he got to the Braves: 2024 6th round pick (#191 overall)
In a farm system full of intriguing young arms, Bagwell continues to fly under the radar despite putting up excellent numbers to begin his career.
Last season, Bagwell made a total of 10 starts with Augusta after dealing with an injury that sidelined him for a majority of the first half of the year. In those starts, he tossed 50 innings of 2.88 ERA ball while holding opponents to a .198 average. While the baseline numbers were solid, Bagwell's strikeout numbers left something to be desired as he only managed 30 strikeouts in those 50 frames.
In 2026, however, Bagwell has seen his strikeout rate jump while also keeping his impressive walk rate in check as well.
Bagwell made 13 starts for Augusta before being promoted to Rome, where he made his first high-A start on July 1 in which he tossed six scoreless innings, striking out six and walking one in the process.

#bagwell #first #strikeout

Bobby Portis boldly claims the Miami Heat now have the best frontcourt in the NBA originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After six years of playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo on the Milwaukee Bucks, Bobby Portis will now be playing for the Miami Heat alongside his longtime teammate. This is a huge change for both players, but it seems they could massively improve a team that has needed a frontcourt boost.
Now, the Heat have one of the most promising teams ahead of the 2026-27 season. Giannis steps in as the #1 guy for Erik Spoelstra, but he is not alone because he will be starting alongside Bam Adebayo.
Combining Giannis and Bam in the same frontcourt is already dangerous for most opponents. They will struggle scoring against them because these two are arguably the best defenders in the league.
Offensively, they are also elite, with Giannis standing as the #1 option. Adebayo may not be as explosive as him, but he does have an 83-point game under his belt from the 2025-26 season.

#sporting #best

Over the past few seasons, UCLA Bruin fans got to witness Lauren Betts operate in the post. While Betts is best known for her defense or her dominating frame, which left many college opponents feeling defensive, Betts was also a gifted passer.
With Betts' passing ability it shouldn't be too surprising to hear that her favorite player is Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. Jokic is an NBA champion and is a three-time league MVP.
During the WNBA All-Star Weekend, Betts revealed that she was hoping for a surprise from the Nuggets superstar center.
"This is just me manifesting; if Jokic walked in right now, he would give me a big bear hug," Betts said. "He's like the GOAT and I'm from Colorado so I'm a huge Nuggets fan."
Beyond just Jokic's otherworldly ability on the basketball court, Betts is also impressed by his ability to not make the sport his entire life. Jokic is known to enjoy himself a horse race, owning several horses back in Serbia.

#nuggets #lauren

JanBlachowicz's journey back to ******* le contention has taken anotherunexpected turn.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight ******* leholderwas originally slated to rematch BogdanGuskov at UFC Belgrade on Aug. 1 in Serbia. However, those plans changedwhen Guskov was offered the UFC Abu Dhabi main event spot against MagomedAnkalaev following KhalilRountree's withdrawal.

As such, Blachowicz (29-11-2) will now square off against NavajoStirling in the new co-main event in Belgrade and the Polishveteran is unfazed by the change.
After Guskov accepted the short-notice bout against Ankalaev,Blachowicz was paired with Stirling. The former champion insistslittle has changed in his preparation.

"I am doing this all my life," Blachowicz said in a recentinterview. "It's a new opponent. I have a lot of respect for him,but it's just another fighter who I have to stop. I don't thinkabout this mess around because I don't want to waste energy forthat. Okay, it's a new opponent; that's it. We do small changes andwe are here to win the fight against him, or a different opponentdoesn't matter."

The upcoming matchup gives Blachowicz an opportunity to halt thelongest winless stretch of his UFC tenure. He has gone fourstraight outings without a victory and is coming off a majoritydraw against Guskov this past December. His last win came all theway back in May 2022 when he defeated AleksandarRakic.

He'll have his work cut out for him against the surging Stirling,who boasts a perfect 10-0 record.

#main #opponent

JonJones remains highly confident in his ability.

In a recent interview, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight and lightheavyweight **** leholder weighed in on how he believes a fightagainst fellow former two-division king AlexPereira and a wrestling match against longtime rival DanielCormier would unfold, backing himself in both scenarios.
Jones and Pereira were seemingly on a collision course when thelatter announced his move up to heavyweight for UFC Freedom 250. However, with Jones' ongoing stalemate withthe UFC regarding his future, a fight against "Poatan" has fallenthrough.

Nevertheless, Jones cites size as a key factor at heavyweight,claiming his former opponents StipeMiocic and Ciryl Ganeare bigger than Pereira, who previously competed at 185 pounds.

"I watched Pereira train," Jones said in an interview with AFLGlobal. "I see his level of wrestling and it's way behind. I feelas if Stipe Miocic is a true heavyweight. He's a big, big boy.Ciryl Gane, when you see him in person, he's a big, big boy. AlexPereira is not a big, big boy. He's a lean guy. I think right nowhe weighs maybe 250."

Jones believes his size and grappling would have overwhelmedPereira, predicting a submission win had they collided inside theOctagon.

"I feel as if my physical strength would have been too much forhim," Jones said. "I felt as if the moment I would have gotten himto the ground, my submissions would have come pretty quickly. Imean, everyone knows that. I think that's the clearest path tovictory for me against Alex Pereira. But we're not fighting. I am afan of him. I support him, and I want to see him do well."

"Bones" also discussed his approach towards a potential wrestlingmatch with Cormier, who he's already shared the cage withtwice.

"I think I would have beat D.C. in a wrestling match," Jones said."It wouldn't be easy, but I think I would beat him in wrestling. Ihear that he has problems with his back, so my strategy would be tojust try to wear on him. Not shoot, not go for the takedown, butjust hand fight, hand fight, hand fight and see if I could wear onthat back."

#pereira #hand

UFC Fight Night 282 took place Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, featuring Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov in the main event. The former champion Ankalaev sat at No. 2 in the light heayvweight division ahead of the event, and holds his spot after a final-round TKO win.
In the co-main event, former flyweight **** le challenger Steve Erceg was stopped by Ramazan Temirov. Erceg loses his No. 11 spot, falling to No. 13. Temirov enters the ranks, claiming the No. 12 spot, while Asu Almabayev moves up to No. 11.
PFL Washington took place in the nation's capital, where Thad Jean claimed the vacant welterweight **** le by defeating short-notice replacement Ernesto Rodriguez. Jean enters the honorable mentions at 170 pounds, while his original opponent, Shamil Musaev, falls out.
Check out all of the moves in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, July 28: Ramazan Temirov enters top 15

#enters #jean

Caroline Dubois spends some time talking about her disappointment in not being able to secure a ****** le unification fight just yet as she aims to go undisputed, and keeping busy in the meanwhile rather than sitting around and waiting for the big fights to come her way. Dubois would also call out some rivals who she believes to be ducking the smoke.
"It's very disappointing. The goal was to fight either Elif Turhan or Stephanie Han. Unfortunately the Elif Turhan fight fell apart and unfortunately the Stephanie Han fight is something that has to wait, she just fought recently. So, she's resting or recovering and hopefully we can get that fight end of the year, that's the plan. I'm disappointed with Elif. We sent her an offer, she turned it down and, yeah, at the end of the day you can't force someone into the ring."
"There's a few reasons, I'm not going to go into them. At the end of the day, all I can say is the facts. I'm so happy with what we've achieved, I'm so happy for where I'm at, and I'm so excited for the future. And I know another fact is I want to be better…I want to dominate. You have to train to dominate. You have to train, you have to push yourself and I think the definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect a different result. So if you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done.
"Working with Manny Robles now, I've been with him for three weeks now and it's been really good, really positive, great sparring, the work is good…I'm just happy to be in an exciting, booming gym."
"I think she's a coward. At the end of the day I think she knew I was going to be here, she knew that Mikaela Mayer was going to be here — she probably just thought 'nah, I don't want it'. She doesn't want it and I think it's a lame move. You come all the way out to the UK and you don't turn up? You don't want to be in the mix of some big fights? You got a table full of opponents that could possibly be in [with], you're not about it?! I think it's real disappointing and it shows her character."

#going #don 't

Well this is a peculiar first move for trade deadline season. Jake Rogers, the longest tenured Detroit Tigers player, has been designated for ***** ignment. Eduardo Valencia was recalled on Sunday and will be taking over the backup catcher duties. Rogers' roster spot will go to Javier Báez, who returns from a three-month absence after suffering a high ankle sprain at the end of April.
The 31-year-old Rogers made his major league debut with the Tigers back on July 30, 2019 after coming to the Tigers in the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros in August of 2017. He finally became the Tigers primary catcher in 2021 before tearing his UCL and requiring reconstruction surgery that cost him all of the 2022 season. In 2023 and 2024 Rogers put together good seasons based around his defensive ability, plate discipline, and the occasional burst of home run power. He was worth 4.7 fWAR across those two years, but since that point his offensive contributions collapsed as Dillon Dingler took over the everyday catching role. This season, Rogers' defense finally showed real signs of cracking as well. He's hitting .161/.266/.301 for a 60 wRC+ which ranks him 48th out of 59 catchers with 100 plate appearances or more this season.
Despite his struggles, two part-time White Sox catchers, and numerous others, are even worse offensive players than Rogers. It won't be a surprise if he gets claimed, but it's too bad no one would flip a lottery ticket prospect to acquire him. The problem is that Rogers defensive numbers have declined this year and he's finally grading out a little below average as a defender. Whether that's partly the result of lack of playing time is hard to say, but hopefully he'll be claimed somewhere. If he clears waivers and is outrighted the Tigers will still be on the hook for the rest of his $3.05M salary for 2026.
Valencia is far and away a better hitter than Rogers, so that should provide a little support to the offense. On the other hand, Valencia isn't that good behind the plate, particularly in terms of holding opponents' running game in check. Still with Rogers defensive numbers in decline, perhaps Valencia won't do worse.
Getting Báez back could be pretty helpful to the Tigers although it's just funny to look at Báez as a way to trim strikeouts in the lineup by taking over some of the workload from James Outman. It will be interesting to see how he's deployed. With Kerry Carpenter out with a foot injury, the outfield needs help. It needed help anyway. We'll see if Báez is back to full speed and can get back to playing a solid enough center field. If he's back to 100 percent, that also gives the Tigers options, with Báez getting some time at shortstop and around the infield to get another right-handed bat into the lineup. Either way, it's good to have Javy Báez back, and hopefully further support for the outfield isn't too far away as Max Clark will be available to be called up without spoiling his 2027 rookie eligibi

The Seattle Seahawks will be throwing it back to the 1990s for two of their nine home games this regular season.
Seattle's widely acclaimed throwback uniforms will be worn in primetime against a pair of high profile opponents:
Week 7 (Oct. 25) vs. Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football
Week 13 (Dec. 7) vs. Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football
The Seahawks are permitted up to three throwback games under the NFL's alternate uniform policy. Last year they had an iconic double throwback thriller with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were also celebrating their 50th season and came out of Lumen Field as 38-35 winners. Seattle took its throwbacks on the road to Maryland for a 38-14 beatdown of the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football, before scoring a 26-0 shoutout win in the same unis against the Minnesota Vikings.

#night #throwback #seahawks

This might sound odd coming from someone who just released his Fantasy Strength of Schedule Matrix, but you need to be careful to not overweigh those types of season-long metrics.
As I mentioned in that article, the full-season strength of schedule is good to use as a tiebreaker between players you're targeting in drafts — just don't get overconfident and let it dictate your outlooks for later in the year. That's because injuries and changes in performance on both sides of the ball can have a significant impact in the latter stages of a campaign.
Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season
The best way to gain an advantage using strength of schedule is by focusing on the first few weeks and drafting players set for hot starts or avoiding those likely to struggle through a tough streak of opponents. Players with difficult schedules in the early going are prime trade targets when managers begin to question their value in the opening month.
So let's take a look at each position and identify who has the hardest early-season slates.

#fantasy #Football #might

Florida State basketball's preseason slate is beginning to take shape, with head coach Luke Loucks heading into his second season. The Seminoles will host the LSU Tigers in an exhibition game on Oct. 24 at the Donald L. Tucker Center, adding another high-profile tune-up before the start of the 2026-27 regular season.
The matchup became public as LSU released its complete schedule on Tuesday, which includes an exhibition trip to Tallahassee under the NCAA's expanded preseason format.
The exhibition gives Florida State another opportunity to face high-level competition before the games begin to count. The Seminoles are already scheduled to meet the Auburn Tigers in the Ballin in Boutwell preseason showcase on Oct. 14 in Birmingham, Alabama, making LSU the second SEC opponent on Luke Loucks' preseason slate.
The addition of LSU is particularly notable as programs continue taking advantage of the NCAA rule allowing Division I schools to play up to three preseason exhibitions against fellow Division I opponents. Rather than facing lower-division competition, teams are increasingly scheduling power-conference opponents to better prepare for the regular season.
Florida State is scheduled to begin the regular season on Nov. 2 against Florida A&M in the Orion180 Tip-Off Classic in Tampa. By then, the Seminoles will have already faced Auburn and LSU in what projects to be one of the more challenging preseason schedules in the country.

#seminoles

Caleb Williams has quickly emerged as a clutch quarterback after one special season with the Chicago Bears. That trait has carried him into elite NFL quarterback territory. Yet there is still much more room for him to grow.
In a recent article, Mike Pendleton takes a look at Caleb Williams' game following his special 2025 season. Here is what he had to say:
"One of the biggest impressions that Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams made during his standout sophomore campaign was his clutch performance, earning himself the nickname of "The Iceman" as he captivated the NFL audience and ***** ysts alike.
Williams, who orchestrated an NFL record seven comebacks for the Bears last season, still has shown there are areas in which he needs to progress his development and going into his second year under Ben Johnson. If he can make those leaps, he'll continue to turn heads."
Caleb Williams will be feared in games late by opponents because of the rare clutch gene he has. If he takes another step in improving his all-around game as a quarterback, the Bears will have something truly special on their hands. Caleb Williams' clutch ability saves all of his weaknesses, and that was evident in many games last season. As not attainable as 6 game-winning drives seems, Caleb Williams will need to improve so another trait of his can be the reason the Bears win games. If Caleb can do that, the Bears will be able to withstand anything with Williams at the helm, and Williams will be viewed in a totally different regard.

#bears #quarterback

Just before the Chicago Bears opened training camp this week, big news came out that could grab the attention of the front office with a position player they could use having requested a trade. According to several NFL insiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea, a former first-round pick in 2018, has requested a trade due to stalled contract negotiations.
While it could just be a ploy to get the franchise to bite into his favor during contract talks, Vea's trade request should immediately perk the ears of Bears general manager Ryan Poles. Coming into this season, the Bears really only have Gervon Dexter Sr. and Grady Jarrett as their production leaders at the defensive tackle but severely lack depth behind him, and Jarrett underperformed in his first season with Chicago last year.
The question now becomes if the Bears should entertain a trade for Vea, and if they do, what would that look like to acquire him, as there's no doubt he'd be a big upgrade to the defensive line as a whole. Here's our examination of a potential Bears pursuit of acquiring the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle.
A trade for Vea, at the very minimum, is going to likely start with a second-round pick, and another Day 3 pick going back to Tampa Bay, but the Bears may also want to consider dangling Gervon Dexter in return. The issue with potentially including Dexter is that he would be the youngest of the three between Vea, Jarrett, and himself, and he's a free agent after the 2026 season, so a contract is going to be on the table for both players. For Chicago, there would need to be a contract extension on the table for Vea, which could be very difficult with limited cap ******* e, especially with the veteran defensive tackle likely looking to get paid among the top players at his position, approximately over $20 million a season.
The Bears were one of the worst run defenses in the NFL last year, allowing 134.5 yards per game to opponents, as well as a 5.0 yard per carry average to opposing running backs. Over the last several seasons, Vea has been among the best run stoppers in the league, and in 2024 he had the best season of his career with 7.0 sacks and 10 tackles for loss on the year. If Chicago believes that Vea could lead the defensive tackle position, and improve their run defense, they should swing big if they can make it work from a financial fit, because he would most certainly be a big upgrade on the field.

#defensive #dexter

Chelsea vs. Western Sydney Wanderers score, result, highlights: Joao Pedro hits hat-trick in chaotic friendly originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Chelsea began their preseason preparations in earnest on Tuesday with a thrilling friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers.
Xabi Alonso's first match in charge of the Blues ended in a 10-goal thriller in which Joao Pedro scored a hat-trick.
The Premier League side trailed their A-League opponents three times before the Brazilian forward struck all three goals in the ****** e of nine minutes to settle the contest.
Chelsea will now continue training Sydney before facing London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Accor Stadium on Saturday.

#joao #pedro #sporting

The Illini will open the year under the lights on the first Thursday of September, and the stadium should be packed with Illinois fans. Illinois will be one of three Big Ten teams in action that night and should take care of business.
The Illini will be looking to win at least nine games for the third consecutive season. The schedule features a mix of manageable opponents, national championship contenders, and everything in between. Let's take a closer look at the schedule and predict each game.
Opening night should be an exciting one in Champaign as Illinois enters as a heavy favorite against UAB. The Blazers compete in the American Athletic Conference and simply shouldn't be able to match Illinois' talent level. The Illini are a 27.5-point favorite and should have little trouble cruising to a blowout victory. Fans will also get their first look at the new video board inside Memorial Stadium as Illinois starts the season 1-0.
Duke will be Illinois' first Power Four opponent of the season. The Illini will look to build on last year's 45-19 road victory over the Blue Devils.
Duke finished 9-5 last season and captured the ACC ******* le over Virginia, but the Blue Devils are expected to take a step back after quarterback Darian Mensah transferred to Miami along with second-team All-ACC wide receiver Cooper Barkate. Illinois is the better team and should defend its home field to improve to 2-0.

#stadium

The "NFL Top 100 Players" is an annual NFL offseason tradition. There are a few names from the Kansas City Chiefs expected to make the cut, but there are also many opponents featured in this year's rankings. Player No. 59 is a player they are scheduled to see across from them this coming season.
No. 59 is Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.
Nix started all 17 games for the Broncos in 2025, finishing with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for 3,931 yards. He set the record for the most wins in a single regular season by a Broncos quarterback with 14 while tying Russell Wilson for the league record of the most wins by a quarterback through two seasons with 24.
Nix and the AFC West rival Broncos will play the Chiefs twice in the 2026 season. They will play in Week 1 on Monday Night Football, September 14, at Arrowhead Stadium, and in Week 8, on November 1, at Empower Field at Mile High.
Produced by NFL Films and the X Original Series, the new season of NFL Top 100 features short-form episodes that reveal the league's top players, as voted on exclusively by current NFL players. Episodes debut on X on weekdays through Friday, September 4, and will air later on NFL+, as well as on other NFL-owned and operated social media platforms.

#Broncos #quarterback #week

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever open their post‑All‑Star slate of games against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday, July 28.
The Fever are coming off a five‑day break and are on a three‑game winning streak in which they outscored opponents by an average of 19 points per game.
Indiana, 17-10, sent three players to Chicago for All-Star weekend: Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and Clark, with the latter helping Teresa Weatherspoon's team to a 129-122 win over fellow women's basketball legend Cynthia Cooper.
Here's how to watch the Fever's 28th regular-season game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information.
Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. CT at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, and fans can watch on ESPN, WOI Local 5 in Des Moines and WQAD in the Quad Cities.

#clark

Good morning BBN!
Football season is quickly approaching as we are a little under six weeks away from kickoff at Kroger Field, but that has not stopped the news on the Basketball side of things.
With so much more positive mojo around the Kentucky Wildcats the last several months, that excitement hit another gear on Monday as the team released the dates for their conference schedule.
Although we already knew their opponents, we get a closer look at how it lays out. A few highlights include a trip to Norman to start SEC play and a tough trip to Gainesville to end the regular season.
Right in the middle of January and the start of February, the Cats hit a stretch that includes trips to Texas and Ole Miss, while welcoming Alabama and Tennessee to Rupp Arena.

#season

La Familia advanced to the Alumni Bracket championship after knocking off Boeheim's Army on Sunday afternoon, but would have to wait until Monday night to figure out who their next opponent would be. Now, we officially know who La Familia will face off against, and it's an old friend that UK has a ton of history with: The Kansas Jayhawks (JHX Hoops).
JHX Hoops took down the defending champs from Wichita State, also known as the AfterShocks, on Monday night, 64-59, with a big-time 3-pointer as the dagger by former Wooden Award winner Frank Mason III.
Zeke Mayo (Kansas 2024-25), who transferred in from South Dakota State, where he had quite the collegiate career before making his way to Lawrence. In the game versus the AfterShocks on Monday, he led JHX Hoops in scoring with 25 of his own.
Kentucky and Kansas have a ton of history in college basketball, facing off a grand total of 36 times, with the Cats coming out victorious in 24 of those games. So now it's only right that the two face off in another level of basketball in The Basketball Tournament.
Wednesday's matchup will decide which TBT team will be the champion of the Alumni bracket and ultimately face off against the Non-Alumni bracket champion for $2 million.

#aftershocks

There was no mistaking the message being emphasized to the Ohio State men's basketball team.
Starting with a July 20 practice, the Buckeyes were spending a full week focusing on one side of the court. It's the end where opponents have gotten what they have mostly wanted for the past several seasons, and it was the primary focal point as coach Jake Diebler looked ahead to a looming exhibition trip to Puerto Rico.
Defense topped the plans, an emphasis that even carried over to the weight room.
"At any moment, (Diebler) makes us drop down, get in a stance and hold it," guard Curtis Givens III said after a July 21 practice. "This week we're just trying to get better at defense and understanding our defensive concepts better."
That emphasis is not just for the two games the Buckeyes will play in Puerto Rico. It wasn't until the end of the week that Ohio State even got copies of the rosters for its forthcoming foes.

#diebler #rico