Travel credit cards offer points and miles rewards on your spending, which you can use toward travel-related redemptions, such as flights, hotel stays, and car rentals. You'll often earn the highest rewards rate on travel purchases with a travel credit card. However, many also offer boosted rewards on everyday purchases like groceries, gas, and more.
When you're comparing travel credit cards, it's useful to separate them into two distinct types: general travel rewards cards and co-branded airline and hotel credit cards.
With a general travel credit card, you'll have a number of flexible redemption options when you're ready to redeem your points and miles.
Travel card issuers generally have their own travel portals, like Chase Travel or American Express Travel, where you can book flights, hotels, rental cars, and more. These programs also have a number of travel transfer partners to which you can directly transfer points or miles. For example, American Express Membership Rewards points transfer to Delta SkyMiles at a rate of 1:1.
The flexibility of general travel cards means you can use your rewards to travel with different airlines or hotel brands. Each time you're ready to book, simply shop around between the portal or partners and compare the best options for your specific travel plans.

#rewards #points #you 're

Travel credit cards offer points and miles rewards on your spending, which you can use toward travel-related redemptions, such as flights, hotel stays, and car rentals. You'll often earn the highest rewards rate on travel purchases with a travel credit card. However, many also offer boosted rewards on everyday purchases like groceries, gas, and more.
When you're comparing travel credit cards, it's useful to separate them into two distinct types: general travel rewards cards and co-branded airline and hotel credit cards.
With a general travel credit card, you'll have a number of flexible redemption options when you're ready to redeem your points and miles.
Travel card issuers generally have their own travel portals, like Chase Travel or American Express Travel, where you can book flights, hotels, rental cars, and more. These programs also have a number of travel transfer partners to which you can directly transfer points or miles. For example, American Express Membership Rewards points transfer to Delta SkyMiles at a rate of 1:1.
The flexibility of general travel cards means you can use your rewards to travel with different airlines or hotel brands. Each time you're ready to book, simply shop around between the portal or partners and compare the best options for your specific travel plans.

#credit #hotel #general

The Iowa State men's basketball team's trip to the Phog in March 2027 is going to get an even bigger spotlight.
The Cyclones are slated to make one appearance on ESPN's "Big Monday" during the upcoming season, when they go on the road to Phog Allen Fieldhouse to face the Kansas Jayhawks on March 1, 2027. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT in Lawrence.
ESPN started its "Big Monday" showcase in 1987. This season, beginning Feb. 1, 2027, ESPN will highlight some of the top matchups in the ACC and Big 12 through the final Monday of the regular season. The Iowa State-Kansas game at Allen Fieldhouse will round out the "Big Monday" slate for the 2026-27 season.
Last season, the Cyclones and Jayhawks split the regular-season series. Kansas won the first meeting at Allen Fieldhouse, 84-63, on Jan. 13. The Cyclones comfortably evened the series with a 74-56 victory on Feb. 14 at Hilton Coliseum.
Kansas is coming off of a 24-11 season. It lost on a buzzer-beater in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to St. John's. The Jayhawks reloaded through the transfer portal and secured the No. 1 overall high school recruit. Freshman 6-foot-7 wing Tyran Stokes was the consensus top recruit for the 2026 class and he's already on the top of several 2027 NBA mock drafts.

#season

College football is unpredictable and delightful, which is why we live for what happens on Saturdays. And Week 2 absolutely delivered, from a stunner in Stillwater to an instant classic in Austin.
Each Sunday, I'll publish my biggest takeaways from the college football weekend. I'll highlight the most interesting storylines, track College Football Playoff contenders and specifically shout out individual and team performances that deserve the spotlight.
He beat one of college football's bluest bluebloods. I know he took the Longhorns to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff in back-to-back seasons, but we live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world. And lately, Texas had been overhyped and under-delivering — with three losses to Georgia since joining the SEC, and two losses to Ohio State (in the CFP and last year's season-opener). After starting last year as the preseason No. 1 team, Texas didn't even make the CFP.
But Saturday was different, even after a first half that felt all too familiar. Arch Manning delivered with the game on the line. Hollywood Smothers showed the value of adding the transfer portal's best available running back. And Sarkisian got the kind of win that helps a head coach sleep at night. The kind of win that gives a team a nice cushion heading into conference play, knowing that its CFP resume has a pretty shiny centerpiece.
One note: Sark might want to work on his postgame interview etiquette.

#Football #playoff #texas #lately

It's the middle of September and Pat Kelsey and company are still active in the transfer portal.
LJ Wells, a 6'8 power forward who played the last four seasons at Northern Kentucky, has committed to play for Louisville in 2026-27. Wells is the namesake plaintiff in the ongoing Wells vs. NCAA case in Jefferson County Circuit Court that earned a fifth-year of eligibility for players like Wells, D'Angelo Hutchinson, Jabari Mack, and Missouri hooper Mark Mitchell.
Wells started all 33 games for the Norse last season, posting career-best averages of 15.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He also earned All-Horizon Tournament Team honors after averaging 22.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.7 ***** ists while helping NKU to the Horizon League semis, where they fell to eventual champion Wright State.
It feels weird to be adding players like this, especially when you can't be 100 percent sure if they're even going to be able to play this winter, but this is a nice depth add at a position where U of L could definitely use some additional depth.
Welcome aboard, LJ.

#last

Senator Ted Cruz sent a dire warning if Congress does not pass the Protect College Sports Act. In about five years, in Cruz's estimation, football and other sports will be in an unrecognizable state.
The biggest things for Cruz are the transfer rules and a hard out on eligibility for college athletes. You get one free transfer and five years of eligibility in total, which ends regardless of how many years used once you turn the age of 24. Keeping that in place, along with an even playing field when it comes to NIL, this is the best solution for football, basketball, wone's sports and other Olympic sports, per Cruz.
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"There are no rules, and the situation with the transfer portal, where kids go and transfer two, three, four, five times, it's terrible for the game. It's terrible for the players. It's terrible for the schools, and it's terrible for the families," Cruz said on College GameDay. "And so the reason Congress is acting is because Congress created this problem. It was the federal antitrust laws that were used to bring the lawsuits that struck down all the rules, and so the Protect College Sports Act is bipartisan legislation that's very simple.
"It brings order to chaos. It protects the students, protects the student's ability to be compensated to receive name, image, and likeness compensation, I think that's only fair. It's only right."

#sports #congress #transfer

Well STS readers, I come to you this week recovering from an extremely sobering experience last Saturday night. I predicted a fight even in a loss, and if it even qualified as a fight, it resembled Drago vs. Apollo in Rocky IV. Probably an adequate ******* ogy because Apollo USED to be great, but he was no match for the modernized superweapon Drago. Did the Soviets cheat to develop him? Absolutely, but at that point they were doing whatever it took to be superior no matter the morality of it. Clemson fans like me could be heard yelling "throw in the ******* towel!" by maybe the fourth possession of the game. It was that obvious that Clemson was completely and totally outmatched at the lines of scrimmage and the surrounding skill had zero chance because of it on either side of the ball.
How did it come to this? I posted this in a comment on the game review thread and will paste it here as it summarizes what I have painfully allowed myself to realize: "I hate it for Dabo and others who really want to do this the way it is supposed to be done, which is to develop men and grow boys to men and that takes time more often than not. That is what the transfer portal and NIL and lack of tampering control has created and as much as Dabo has tried to evolve I just don't see how he could ever get to what actually has to be done now if you want to be elite. I bet if you begin to track LSU, Ohio State, Texas, etc, going forward, you will see that maybe 50% of their rosters will start and finish with them and the other half will be brought in from elsewhere at some stage of their five-year playing window. Dabo swallows hard just to have the maybe 15% we are up to now that would check that box. I totally understand why, but either Dabo has to let go of that OR Clemson needs a huge break and actual sane rules return to CFB. Otherwise, we are back to 1995 where we might be able to beat ok teams and bad teams but are done beating anyone that is legit top 15 in stature."
I am a Clemson Tiger for life and lived through the lean years between Ford and Dabo. I'll still tune in and attend games when I can, but I know now that something has to give if Clemson is ever going to hope to compete at the highest level and it may get worse before it can get better. I'm still looking for pathways to wins, as many wins as this team can find a way to manage. I agree they are likely better than that product we saw in Baton Rouge, but that is not saying a lot either considering how FCS level the Tigers looked in that game.
I also want to add that I highly recommend gear from our sponsor Section 103. Their polos in particular have already become some of my favorites in the closet.
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#apollo

There's no doubt who the biggest star for Texas is right now. Arch Manning is the projected top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, and likely would have been the first pick in April's draft had he declared.
After opening up last season throwing for 170 yards and a touchdown against Ohio State, Manning finished the season with 26 passing touchdowns and 3,163 yards, while adding 10 rushing touchdowns. Manning is one of the favorites to win this year's Heisman Trophy.
The biggest acquisition for Texas in the transfer portal during the offseason was wide receiver Cam Coleman from Auburn. In two seasons with the Tigers, Coleman grabbed 93 passing touchdowns for over 1,300 yards and 13 scores.
In his first game in the burnt orange, Coleman hauled in three passes for 70 yards, finding the end zone twice. The junior is expected to be in the mix for the Biletnikoff Award this season, trying to keep up with Ohio State wideout Jeremiah S,it's in their pursuit for the honor.
Prior to last year's game Simmons provided Ohio State with some bulletin board material when he boasted how eager he was to sack new Buckeye quarterback Julian Sayin.

#state #season #biggest

During a beach outing, then-5-year-old Terry Potter Hedden III — now "Trey" to NMSU teammates and fans — picked up a football and threw a perfect spiral to his stepmom. It was then Hedden was destined to be a quarterback with a supportive blended family. His parents and stepparents "made sure I made every tryout. They took me to camps. They helped me meet the coaches I wanted to learn from." And they attended every game, including during his two years at Furman and this season with the Aggies. After a 10-percentage-point jump in accuracy from his freshman season, Hedden entered the portal to "raise the ceiling a little bit" in pursuit of future pro opportunities. NMSU head coach Tony Sanchez's spread attack offered protection (312 pounds an O-lineman) and speedy targets. Slot receiver TK King has been GPS-clocked at nearly 23 mph and laser-timed at 20.74 seconds over 200 meters. "The biggest thing for me is I've got to remember that on game day, he's a little bit faster than he is in practice," Hedden said of King. "When he's running a route, you can throw it out there and he'll turn it on. We talk about it in the meeting room. Go make him run 100 meters to catch the ball." King's average target depth is 21 yards. He has catch-and-dashes of 46, 42 and 34 yards. The Aggies have sets of four and five receivers or up to two tight ends. Running back James Jones has no fumbles or negative-yard rushes in 30 carries. Jones also is an effective blocker who can roll into the flats. Hedden is 80% accurate on screens, hitches and check-down throws. "The quarterback in this offense is really a distributor," Hedden said. "We really focus on the things we're good at, and we repeat those things, and find new ways to do those things every week. It's really been a lot of fun to play in this offense with these coaches."
The Aggies' base is chaos, with shifts, movements and glove-to-glove combat in the trenches and running lanes. "When things get so cranky, like how many blitzes and stunts, it looks like Star Wars to us," weakside linebacker Sone Aupiu said. His first two NMSU seasons, Aupiu played middle linebacker. He moved to will linebacker last year but still trains at all second-tier positions, including jack, the stand-up edge defender. Helped by playing on the narrow side of the formation, Aupiu has freedom to jump lanes. "When it comes to gap schemes, that's what I love," he said. "Coming my way to the boundary, I'm looking to hit 'em." His father grew up in Samoa, his mother in New Zealand, where rugby was the favored sport. He said he aspires to play professional rugby. But for now, Aupiu said, "I chose a different route, which was football. Everybody else on my mom's side chose rugby." Aupiu received a few college offers. But after an official visit to Las Cruces, he decided to be an Aggie. He said he had to adjust to the culture change from Long Beach, Calif., such as green chili served with everything. And to fatherhood — he and his wife have a 3-yea

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

Happy game week and we hope that you're ready for tomorrow's Penn State game at Temple. Ahead of this matchup, I sent a few questions to Steve Helwick of Underdog Dynasty to preview this game. Steve is a regular around these parts with our opponent Q and A and you should head to our sister site to read more about Temple – and the rest of their conference brethren. Here's what Steve had to say about tomorrow's game.
It's year two for K.C. Keeler at Temple. He went 5-7 in his first year in Philadelphia. What do you make of his fit at Temple and what are expectations for the Owls the rest of this season?
K.C. Keeler has already proven to be an excellent fit at Temple. His résumé speaks for itself, and he is a proven winner even with a lack of resources. He won FCS national championships at both Delaware and Sam Houston, but his 10-win season at Sam Houston in year two of FBS membership might be his magnum opus. Additionally, he's a great fit since he has publicly declared this will be his final job, which promises Temple players and staffers a sense of stability.
Keeler walked into Philadelphia last year and immediately turned Temple into a 5-win team, after the Owls hadn't won more than three games in the entire 2020s. Temple fell one point short of both service academies, and flipping either result would have pushed the program into the postseason.
Temple played incredibly sound football in Keeler's first season, only losing four turnovers the entire year. The Owls should have lofty expectations considering they didn't lose a single starter to the transfer portal. However, they lack experience at quarterback and replacing Evan Simon is no easy task, which could present some challenges offensively. I would label bowl eligibility as a reasonable and attainable goal for this 2026 team.

2. There's a quarterback controversy right now, including former Penn Stater Jaxon Smolik. Where does that stand now and what do you expect from the offense against Penn State?

#year #penn

Former LSU center Kate Koval has been granted a waiver by the NCAA to enter the transfer portal. The junior will be immediately eligible to compete for her next school, according to several reports.
The 6-foot-5 Ukrainian native decided to leave the LSU program two weeks ago for what was announced as "personal reasons." Speculation followed that Koval's decision was spurred by LSU coach Kim Mulkey adding Russian center Anna Minaeva to the roster.
Koval confirmed that was her reason for leaving LSU in a social media post.
"At the conclusion of last season, I fully intended to return and continue my collegiate career at LSU," Koval wrote. "However, in April, several days after the transfer portal had closed, I was informed of the decision to sign a Russian player."
"My father serves in the Ukrainian military and takes tremendous pride in defending his country against Russian aggression," she continued. "For me, this war is not distant or abstract. People close to me have been killed and wounded in Russian attacks, and places where I grew up and first began playing basketball have been destroyed by missile strikes."

#koval #ukrainian #several #kate

Former LSU center Kate Koval is officially in the transfer portal and will be immediately eligible to compete after being granted a waiver, a source confirmed to The Athletic. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because the source was not authorized to speak publicly about the situation.
Per NCAA rules, waivers to transfer outside of sport-specific transfer windows are granted only in an "exigent event outside the student-athlete's control unrelated to athletics opportunities or participation at their current institution that demands the student-athlete's immediate departure from the institution."
Koval, who was born and raised in Ukraine, recently said in an Instagram post that she was departing from LSU due to the Tigers' signing of Russian center Anna Minaeva, who had played for a professional team in Moscow. In late August, LSU had announced that Koval was leaving the program for "personal reasons."
"For me, this war is not distant or abstract," Koval wrote in her social media post. "People close to me have been killed and wounded in Russian attacks, and places where I grew up and first began playing basketball have been destroyed by missile strikes."
Koval's father serves in the Ukrainian military, which has been at war since Russia's 2022 invasion.

#source #granted

When Iowa landed Tony Diaz from University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, there was immediate hype and intrigue about what he could bring to this Iowa offense. There was the fact that he lead FCS freshman in receiving. There was the fact that he had a late Alabama offer in the portal. Mainly though, it was about just trying to inject some life in the Iowa passing game that has been missing for some time.
In his debut, Diaz was targeted 15 times and ended with seven catches for 84 yards and a touchdown – the most of any WR in their debut during the Ferentz era (for some context, DJK had zero catches in his 2007 debut and Mo Brown's 102-yard game in the 2002 Akron opener wasn't a debut — he had three catches across 2000-01 before it. RVZ is a close second with 5 catches for 65 yards and a freshman record 2 TDs in his debut back in 2024).
Also in those targets were two third down pass interference calls to keep drives alive. Oh, and don't forget about the other two likely touchdowns he would have scored on passes that were just off target.
This is now my 13th year of charting Iowa's passing game and through my data the most targets for an individual wide receiver during that time (Sam LaPorta, TE, was targeted 17 times vs Illinois in 2022). Iowa's Offensive Coordinator, Tim Lester, used ****** e and traffic to help free up Diaz giving him an opportunity to make a 1-on-1 catch or an opportunity to catch the ball in ****** e and use his quickness to create yards after the catch (55 of his 84 yards were YAC).
This is a look at the route trees for Diaz on his seven receptions and two defensive penalties. Diaz recorded 46 snaps on the day with 31 of those being lined up out wide and 15 lined up in the slot.

#debut #iowa #passing

BYU coach Kalani Sitake gave a shoutout to the fans following the Cougars' season-opening 63-7 win over Utah Tech late Saturday night.
Even with BYU taking on an FCS opponent, Sitake was impressed not just with his team's play, but with the fan support in the home opener at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
He believes it set an impressive standard for players who transferred in from other schools, in their first experience playing at home in Provo.
"Really proud of the team, proud of the way the guys played, proud of the energy that we had. And just want to tell all the fans, thank you so much for your energy. They stayed here till the very end. The ROC (BYU's student section) was here the whole entire time," Sitake said.
"(That) impressed a lot of our players that came from the portal, been other places. They couldn't believe the support that the fans had for the team and the energy — made a lot of noise. And you know, we're going to need them next week (vs. Arizona). It's going to be a lot of fun, but we need them all year long."

#support #home

College football is weirder than ever. It's always been the weirdest sport in the country, and it's why there are so many crazies out there that worship the game. Now with the transfer portal, it really does make these early season games tougher to predict.
Notre Dame was a 20.5 point favorite going into the game against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, and as the first half unravelled, fans and media alike were wondering what was happening with the Irish. Notre Dame held a 13-10 lead going into halftime and they were getting the ball first in the second half — but the struggle was so real in the first 30 minutes that it was hard to imagine this game turning into the blowout it became.
So yeah — it took a half for the Irish to find out what team they could be in week one. There have been bigger crimes in the sport over the years than a slow-bulldozer. This wasn't the coming out party for CJ Carr and the Heisman, and that needs to be okay.
On some of the most hallowed grounds in sports, Notre Dame lost the narrative for 2026, but regained the plot. They struggled, and slipped, and fell down — and then rose back up by just being who they are as a team.
Marcus Freeman said he didn't go into too much detail about 2nd half changes for the team, and Adon Shuler provided an answer with even more brevity. This game didn't go the way they thought it would, so they had to change that for themselves.

#notre #half #first #irish

LSU football QB Sam Leavitt made his anticipated Tiger Stadium debut on Saturday night. LSU signed Leavitt as the top-ranked quarterback in the transfer portal. Leavitt spent the last two years at Arizona State before searching for a new home.
Leavitt's 2025 was cut short by foot surgery. That injury kept Leavitt out through much of spring practice and he didn't hit full stride until the summer. There were questions. Would Leavitt be rusty? Would the foot injury linger and affect his mobility? How would Leavitt gel with a transfer-heavy offense?
Those concerns were put to rest on Saturday night. Leavitt's mobility was more than find -- it was elite. Leavitt ran for over 100 yards and averaged 9.3 yards per carry. The LSU QB found the end zone twice with his legs.
Leavitt put up strong numbers in the air, too, throwing for 230 yards and finding Winston Watkins for a touchdown. Here's a look at Leavitt's LSU debut by the numbers.
16/28, 230 yards, 8.2 yards per attempt, one touchdown, one interception, 95.0 QBR

#yards

The North Texas Mean Green were ransacked by the transfer portal harder than almost any other college football program. After losing head coach Eric Morris to Oklahoma State, North Texas lost nearly the entirety of its production from a 12-2 team, including the nation's leading passer Drew Mestemaker and rushing touchdowns leader Caleb Hawkins.
Head coach Neal Brown, formerly of Troy and West Virginia, was tasked with reassembling a roster in Denton, TX. North Texas was one of two FBS teams returning zero starters, and instead, it brought 70 newcomers in attempt to recapture the magic of 2025.
However, the newcomer laden roster faced the ultimate test out of the gate. North Texas' first challenge was a road matchup at Indiana, immediately after the Hoosiers their 2025 National Championship banner. Indiana hadn't lost a game since 2024, and the Hoosiers' FBS-best 16-game win streak extended to 17 against the Mean Green. The reigning champions left no question in a 52-16 domination in Bloomington, IN.
Indiana made efficient work of North Texas, scoring seven touchdowns and notching one field goal on nine total possessions. TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover, called upon to replace Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, collected more touchdowns (4) than incompletions (3) in a 13-of-16, 231-yard passing performance. Wide receiver Charlie Becker recorded a team-high 64 receiving yards and two touchowns in the Hoosiers' third-straight season opener win under Curt Cignetti.
North Texas also debuted a transfer quarterback, bringing UCF transfer Tayven Jackson to campus this offseason. But before spending 2025 as UCF's primary starter, Jackson played two seasons at Indiana and logged six starts. Saturday marked a homecoming for the Greenwood, IN native, who registered 192 passing yards on a 22-of-28 showing. Jackson briefly exited the game with a lower-body injury, causing East Carolina transfer Chaston Ditta to take over, but he ultimately returned and finished the day for the Mean Green.

#north #texas #indiana

Ranking the new quarterbacks' debuts, from Darian Mensah masterclass to DJ Lagway head-scratcher originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
In today's modern era of college football, teams have new guys starting at quarterback seemingly every season. From true freshmen, to guys who worked their way up the depth chart or transfer-portal stars, we have several guys who made their starting debuts in 2026.
Miami started Duke transfer Dariah Mensah, Indiana turned to TCU transfer Josh Hoover and Tennessee started true freshman Faizon Brandon.
Let's take a look at how 16 new 2026 quarterbacks did during their Week 1 debuts.
MORE:College football Week 1 overreactions: Is Dabo is done? Is Oregon a fraud?

#debuts #transfer

Michigan narrowly pulled off the victory on Saturday night, defeating Western Michigan by a 13-12 final score on a last-second Hail Mary. Across the board, this was a pretty disappointing game despite the victory.
Here's a look at each position group on the roster with grades for how each of them performed.
Bryce Underwood looked to be in control of the offense on the opening drive, but after that, all the old habits seemed to return with questionable decision-making and some throws that just weren't precise. The worst of it was in the final minutes of the game when he fumbled with the game on the line to allow Western Michigan a chance to run out the clock. However, he made a heck of a throw on the last play of the game to J.J. Buchanan to seal the victory. There's still much to improve, though.
What was expected to be the strongest position group on the team ended up having a rather underwhelming night. It wasn't all their fault (more on that later), but the running backs didn't capitalize on their chances either. Jordan Marshall had just 44 yards on 11 carries. Savion Hiter wasn't all that involved in his first game, getting just six touches. What was expected to be a dominant rushing attack didn't get off to a good start at all, and there's also going to need to be big improvement over the next week.
To be clear, this is JJ Buchanan's A+. He was as advertised coming out of the transfer portal, making some impressive grabs, including the game-winning catch for 47 yards as the clock hit zero. He had six receptions for a total of 126 yards. For the rest of the group, they weren't really asked to do much, with just 12 completions on the night. The lack of a big showing from the passing attack wasn't exactly their fault.

#final

It's not Thanksgiving and it's not the Apple Cup of old. The Dawgs and Cougs will kick off the '26 season by renewing their rivalry at Husky Stadium. WSU is part of the new-look Pac-12 with a new-look roster and a new-looking coaching staff. Kirby Moore arrives for his first head coaching job after serving as an Offensive Coordinator at Missouri and Fresno St. They welcome QB Caden Pinnick from Cal-Davis. The combination of Moore and Pinnick give WSU a good foundation for the offense. However, they did lose a lot of players in the transfer portal, particularly to Iowa St, where former coach Jimmy Rogers took over. It has only been three years since UW went to the Big 10, but the talent on each roster shows how much the talent has diverged in that time.
The game will kick off at 1:00 PM PT from Husky Stadium. It will air on NBC with Paul Burmeister, Yogi Roth, and Zora Stephenson on the call. It will stream via the NBC Sports app. It will also be the debut of new UW Football PBP voice Elise Woodward. Cam Cleeland will join her in the booth on KJR 93.3.
This is your thread to discuss all things UW and Apple Cup. Go Dawgs!

#moore #roster #Coaching

DAZN referee expert Luca Marelli has offered his **** sment on a series of controversial refereeing calls that overshadowed Inter's thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against Napoli on Saturday evening.
Referee Simone Sozza found himself at the center of several heated moments at the San Siro and Inter players were left furious when Napoli's Stanislav Lobotka appeared to handle the ball during a challenge with Nicolò Barella inside the penalty box. Play was allowed to continue without a VAR intervention, leading directly to Matteo Politano's opener for the visitors on the counter-attack.
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Matteo Politano of Napoli celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Reviewing the incident on DAZN, with quotes via Sportal, Marelli admitted the footage remained inconclusive: "There are many doubts. It is impossible to tell for sure whether there was contact, even though his arm was extended. Looking at all the available footage, you simply cannot determine if he touches it with his hand or not."
The officiating remained under the spotlight late into the second half. In the 82nd minute, Marcus Thuram headed home Inter's equaliser while Napoli defender Amir Rrahmani lay grounded directly in front of goalkeeper Alex Meret. Sozza allowed the goal to stand, deeming that Rrahmani had gone down too softly rather than as the result of a foul by an opposition player.

#napoli #matteo #rrahmani

Texas football opens its season with a rare meeting against Hill Country neighbor Texas State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Royal-Memorial Stadium.
The No. 5 Longhorns boast one of the most impressive rosters in college football. Arch Manning returns as one of the country's best and most ballyhooed quarterbacks, and Texasopened its thick wallet in the transfer portal to bolster holes on the offensive line and sign star playmakers such as receiver Cam Coleman and running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers.
Sixth-year head coach Steve Sarkisian also overhauled the defense by firing defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and bringing in the fiery Will Muschamp, who has been dissecting SEC defenses for 25 years.
Texas State, which hasn't played Texas since a 36-0 loss in 1930, is making a jump up to the Pac-12, albeit a watered-down version of the legendary West Coast-based league following several years of conference realignment.
Read below for live scores and updates as the No. 5 Texas Longhorns take on the Texas State Bobcats Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin.

#royal #stadium #Football

Quarterback
Kamario Taylor is entering his first season as the full-time starter for the Bulldogs. In two starts and some snaps taken throughout the season, Taylor completed 55.8% of his passes for 629 yards and five touchdowns to go with 458 yards and eight scores on 82 carries. His counterpart will be Aidan Armenta, who is heading into his third year as the starter for the Warhawks. Last season, Armenta completed 58.5% of his passes for 1,629 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is not much of a runner, totaling 57 yards and two scores on 60 carries.
Edge: MSU
Running back
Mississippi State is returning its top rusher from last season in Fluff Bothwell. The junior had 677 yards and six touchdowns on 142 carries. Those were all team highs, even though he missed two games due to injury. Behind him, Xavier Gayten and Kolin Wilson will jostle for the RB2 spot, while the likes of freshmen Cooper Crosby and J.J. Hill expect to get carries this season. Louisiana-Monroe went portaling for its top rusher, eventually landing Louisville transfer Don Chaney. In five seasons between there and Miami, Chaney ran for 1,030 yards and nine touchdowns on 225 carries. He will be backed up by Derrick Jameson.

#yards #season #taylor #last

The 2026 college football season is underway, and the Oklahoma Sooners will kick things off at home on Friday night against the UTEP Miners. OU's roster has been mostly set since the transfer portal madness died down in January, but the madness of eligibility lawsuits in college football has given the Sooners the opportunity to make some very last-minute additions to their roster.
According to multiple reports, former Boise State defensive lineman Braxton Fely has been granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA. That TRO allows him to enter the transfer portal and play this season.
Fely was invited to an NFL minicamp, but he never signed an NFL contract. He plans to transfer to and play for Oklahoma in 2026. Fely spent four seasons with the Broncos. He was listed at 6-foot-1 and 296 pounds last season, and he was a starter at defensive tackle for Boise State. Fely was a second-team all-conference player for each of the last two years, and was a starter for three straight years.
Of course, Fely's status still depends on a preliminary injunction hearing, a process college football fans have become all too familiar with this offseason. The same goes for defensive lineman and incoming Arkansas transfer Danny Saili, who had an update in his case on Thursday as well. Saili committed to OU out of the transfer portal in August, having never pursued the NFL.
According to multiple reports, Saili was also granted a temporary restraining order on Thursday in a separate ruling from Fely's case. His situation is also pending a preliminary injunction hearing. However, Saili now appears on OU's official roster, and head coach Brent Venables stated that he is on the team and practicing. Saili has been allowed to go through team activities, but not play, at least until he was ruled eligible to play.

#saili #fely #play #college

Boston College head coach Bill O'Brien's college coaching résumé spans Georgia Tech, Maryland, Duke, Penn State, Alabama, Ohio State (briefly), and now the Eagles of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
In the NFL, he's been with the Patriots and was head coach of the Houston Texans.
Saturday, Sept. 5 marks the first head-to-head matchup between O'Brien and UC head coach Scott Satterfield when the Eagles come to Cincinnati. Both coaches need positive results out of the gate for their respective fan bases.
"Just like us, they have a lot of new players," O'Brien said. "Their secondary is out of the portal. They have a veteran offensive line that's very, very good. They have some transfers at wide receiver. So, we don't really know (about UC). We have an idea, but it's the first game, and there are a lot of unknowns."
The series is tied 4-4, but UC has won the last two, including the Jan. 2, 2020 Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field, 38-6. In that game, sophomore quarterback Desmond Ridder ran for three touchdowns and threw for another to take game MVP honors.

#head #coach #o 'brien #first

Can first-year head coach Bob Chesney really replicate the magic that he created at James Madison University with the UCLA Bruins? That's become the expectation as Chesney has yet to scuffle so far in his NCAA coaching career.
To accomplish the feat, Chesney brought over many of his James Madison players through the transfer portal to UCLA. One of those players is tight end Josh Phifer, who spoke to California Post writer Ben Bolch about the similarities between JMU and UCLA.
"I was getting goosebumps," Phifer said to Bolch. "Because I was like, holy s–t, it's happening, I can feel it. … This almost feels like JMUCLA – it feels like the same thing except it's beautiful every day, it's 75 degrees and all that."
Bruin fans would love for their football program to turn into JMUCLA, with Chesney leading the Dukes to a conference championship and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2025. Chesney has been laying the groundwork for a smooth transition, bringing over much of the roster, coaching staff and values to the Bruins' program.
Kicker Mateen Bhaghani spoke on the difference between last year's UCLA program and what he has experienced so far this season, which has been a much more lively experience.

#james #madison #bruins #bolch

The ACC/SEC Challenge matchups have quickly become some of the most anticipated games on the college basketball calendar. This year's slate once again features several high-profile programs going head-to-head in important early-season tests. With intriguing storylines, talented rosters, and plenty of national implications, a few games stand above the rest. Here are the three must-watch matchups in the 2026 ACC/SEC Challenge.
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats reacts in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
Despite losing their top scorer, Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama head coach Nate Oats has reloaded his roster by retaining key pieces and targeting the transfer portal. After testing NBA waters, Amari Allen felt it was best to return to Alabama. This is massive for the Crimson Tide as they return one of the nation's better defenders. Allen was tasked with the toughest ****** ignments game after game. The expectations will be high for him. This is similar to Philon Jr., who, in his first year, was great and turned into a phenomenal scorer. Philon led the Crimson Tide in scoring last season.
Alongside Allen's return, Oats has also brought in a talented freshman class that could make an immediate impact for the Crimson Tide. The first of the group is five-star McDonald's All-American Jaxon Richardson. The six-foot-six wing is known to be one of the most athletic and bouncy freshmen in the class. Richardson does a great job of running the floor, creating easy transition points for himself. This is a perfect match for Oats, who likes to play fast on offense.
Richardson moves exceptionally without the ball, showing that he does not need the ball in his hands to make an immediate impact. Richardson can make a major impact on the glass, consistently creating second-chance opportunities by securing offensive rebounds and finishing putbacks. Defensively, his long wingspan and high motor allow him to contest shots, protect the rim, and bring consistent energy.

#oats #richardson #philon

It's important to remember that the strength of non-conference schedules can differ wildly from team-to-team. However, don't be fooled by thinking that an SEC team playing a lowly FCS program translates to piles of fantasy points for your respective players. Oftentimes the marquee players are on ice by the time the second half rolls around in these lopsided matchups.
Play Yahoo's new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!
Accordingly, I prefer to target players on respectable P4 offenses that have something to prove and are facing reasonably competent G6 opponents who can hang around long enough for the starters to stay in the game for three quarters. With that in mind, here are my starts and sits for college fantasy football Week 1.
In last year's Apple Cup, Williams eviscerated the Cougs, completing 16-of-19 passes for 298 yards with four passing touchdowns, while rushing for 88 yards and another rushing score. This prodigious production came against a credible Wazzu defense that allowed 20 PPG and 174 passing yards per game with 31 sacks. This year, Wazzu loses all 11 starters and bring in from Missouri new HC Kirby Moore, who is an offensive-minded coach. I expect the Huskies to do anything they want and give Wazzu a little extra since they're rivals and they want to score some style points in Game 1, meaning Williams should have another huge fantasy game in this year's Apple Cup.
West Virginia is going to run the ball with aplomb in Year 2 of the Rich Rodriguez resurgence in Morgantown. WVU went 4-8 last year as Rich Rod reorganized the roster in his visage, but this year the Mountaineers boast 120 line starts after portaling in four FBS starting offensive linemen and hiring OL guru Rick Trickett, which should greatly increase their middling 161 rushing yards per game average last year. For their part, CCU and new HC Ryan Beard are just serviceable enough to keep WVU's starters in the game until Q4. That is important since CCU was gorged for 5.1 YPC and 208 rushing yards per game in 2025. Cook should clear 100-yards and punch in at least one TD against the soft underbelly of the Chanticleers defensive front.

#yards #fantasy #starters

This one is going to be one of the more impossible opponent previews you'll see, as the ECU Pirates have nearly turned over their entire team after a nice 9-4 record last year under coach Blake Harrell. Guys like running back London Montgomery and safety Ja'Marley Riddle (two of their top players last year) have made the jump up to join the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs, and even starting QB Katin Houser transferred to Illinois. Ultimately, the Pirates lost 24 players to the transfer portal, and the best I can tell, wide receiver Brock Spalding and linebacker DJ Johnson Jr. are the only returning starters on the team.
Not only was there major roster turnover for the Pirates, but they also lost both of their coordinators. Offensive coordinator John David Baker, who's taken a promotion up to be the OC for Ole Miss, was replaced with North Texas OC Jordan Davis. Davis was the OC behind the Mean Green's nation-leading 44.8 points per game offense in 2026. It was an up tempo, air raid-like offense and there's a lot of reason for ECU fans to be excited – however, Davis comes with a big caveat: he was the OC in name only, as UNT's head coach Eric Morris was actually the playcaller.
Eric Morris runs many of the same concepts he learned from being a player. He has expanded the run game using a lot more gap runs. WSU and MSST under Leach used mostly inside and outside zones with some DART (backside tackle pulls and leads) to change things up.
How much will Davis's iteration of this offense at ECU look like the Morris offense at UNT? We'll just have to see, so this will be an experience for everyone.
Defensively, the Pirates lost DC Josh Aldredge to USF, and replaced him with Memphis's DC, Jordon Hankins. Memphis was decent on defense under Hankins the last couple of years, and generally ran a 3-high safety look

#offense #morris #eric #hankins