As Penn State heads into its first game of the season against the Marshall Thundering Herd, there are still things they may be figuring out on game day. After all, with over 24 transfers to implement and a whole new coaching staff, things could look a little shaky to start the season. Still, Penn State will have a game plan they believe in and new players will be ready to showcase their potential this season.
Here are five keys to the game for the Nittany Lions this weekend.
The new-look running back room for the Nittany Lions is seemingly one of the most intriguing on the entire roster. Carson Hansen, the Iowa State transfer, looks to be slotted in as the RB1, bringing a more physical play style to the backfield. However, keep an eye out for Ohio State transfer James Peoples, who has had a fantastic camp and offers a bit more of a speed element in the backfield. Still, players like Quinton Martin Jr. and Cam Wallace will look to contribute as well. Penn State fans may be missing both Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen this season, but a plethora of options under Campbell will make this room sneaky strong. Don't be surprised if all four players get touches on Saturday.
As it stands, it looks as if freshman five-star Malachi Goodman will be tasked with the most key position on the offensive line: protecting Rocco Becht's blindside. While Marshall's D-line isn't the biggest of tests, this is still a step up in competition for the young O-lineman. That being said, expect Matt Campbell to give him easy reps to start. That could mean a lot of quick game elements, such as early screen passes or even play-action bootlegs so that Goodman is not right in the line of fire. For Campbell, it should be paramount that a player as important as Goodman will be this season doesn't feel overwhelmed in his first collegiate game.
This kind of sounds cliche, but in his first game as a Nittany Lion, Rocco Becht is playing with house money. While some fans will expect the QB from Iowa State who broke almost every single record with that program, we truly don't know what he'll look like come Saturday. Still, if Rocco Becht plays fast and loose, proving unafraid to challenge the Marshall defense through the air, then Penn State fans will start to believe that Becht could be the guy that can turn this team around. From what we've heard from camp, Becht has proven to be a great leader in the locker room and on the field as well. If that shows up on Saturday, the Nittany Lions might have just found a gem of a player.

#penn #look

As a team, the Florida State Seminoles did not look as good as expected when they beat the New Mexico State Aggies in Week 0 to start the 2026 season. That was not true of the running backs, who powered the offense to a 34-17 victory with Ousmane Kromah and Samuel Singleton Jr. both having career days.
While Kromah led the team with 115 yards rushing, Singleton finished as the team's top receiver after catching four passes for 54 yards and a touchdown, to go along with 42 rushing yards and another touchdown. His performance was good enough for him to be named the ACC Receiver of the Week, which can be awarded to any player who catches a pass.
Running backs coach Kam Martin was asked about Singleton's versatility on Wednesday, and he did not hold back, comparing him to Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey, who Martin coached while with the UCF Bulls. He also admitted that he thought Singleton was in for a big night due to the work he has put in this offseason.
"He's fun to coach," he said. "Sam's a guy that's in the building all the time. Yesterday, it was a off day, he came up, 'Coach, how can I get better? What's some things I can work on?' You just knew going into that game that Sam was going to have the performance that he was going to have.
"When I saw him catch that 53-yard catch on the screen, I kinda knew he was going to do that cause he played it through practice, and he worked so hard for all these moments. Sam's time is here, Sam's time is here. He put in the work and he's going to continue to make plays."

#going #singleton #yards #work

Serena Williams did not enter the singles draw for the 2026 US Open. That doesn't mean she didn't have a presence in the background.
Years ago, Thea Frodin performed as a body double for actor Demi Singleton's performance as Williams in the Academy Award-winning movie "King Richard." Now 17 years old, she made her Grand Slam singles debut on Tuesday, as the first-round opponent for No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina won 6-3, 6-2, but it was still a special moment in Frodin's young career.
Per the ******* ociated Press, Frodin was invited to audition for the Williams role after she won the singles, doubles and mixed doubles sectional ******* les at the 10-and-under level in California.
Frodin, a lifelong Williams fan, wound up getting the on-court responsibilities and doing the job for six months:

#williams #demi

Florida State football commenced the 2026 season with a home opener at Doak S. Campbell Stadium against the New Mexico State Aggies on Saturday, Aug. 29., where the Seminoles defeated the Aggies 34-17 in a roller coaster of a performance.
FSU started the game on defense after losing the coin toss. Despite the Aggies gaining some ground early on, the defense held strong. The crowd erupted after senior defensive back Quindarrius Jones intercepted a throw in the end zone to put the 'Noles on offense.
Following the turnover, the Garnet and Gold, led by fifth year quarterback Ashton Daniels, engineered a strong drive that brought them into the red zone. However, after Daniels was sacked on third and goal, Florida State was forced to settle for a field goal from senior kicker Gabe Panikowski to take an early 3-0 lead.
Later on in the first quarter, a screen pass from Daniels to senior running back Samuel Singleton Jr. set the Seminoles up inside the New Mexico State 10-yard line once again.
On third down, Daniels scored his first touchdown of the season as he evaded the blitz to give FSU a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. However, New Mexico State bounced back with a touchdown of their own as New Mexico State junior quarterback Trey Hedden connected with senior receiver Brodie Malone-Bradford to cut the Aggies' deficit to three.

#aggies #early

The FSU Seminoles beat the New Mexico State Aggies 34-17 to start the season, which means one Florida State player was given the honor of breaking the rock after the game. There was a clear choice after the game, with Samuel Singleton Jr. being chosen after an excellent game.
He showcased his ability to affect the game in multiple ways, making explosive plays as a runner, receiver, and returner. The senior finished with a game-high 164 yards from scrimmage and a pair of touchdowns, and head coach Mike Norvell admitted he was proud of him after the game.
"Sam's a guy that's a really talented football player," Norvell said. "He's growing, just in all areas. I was proud of him to see his impact in all three phases of it. The return game had a big kickoff return. Obviously, you had some good runs, but then you're also catching the ball out of the backfield was great to see and to see his confidence growing and what we do."
"It was a great start for him to this season, and we're expecting big things as we continue to move forward," he added.
Singleton has improved each year he has been at FSU, and while there is a long way to go, his senior year is off to an excellent start.

#game #start #season

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Ashton Daniels passed for 202 yards and had a touchdown passing as well as rushing as Florida State defeated New Mexico State 34-17 in a season opener on Saturday.
After starting at Stanford for two seasons and playing at Auburn in four games last fall, Daniels completed 17 of 27 passes with a 4-yard touchdown to Samuel Singleton Jr. and an interception in his debut with the Seminoles. He also had an interception.
Ousmane Kromah had a weaving 52-yard run in the fourth quarter. The sophomore enjoyed his first 100-yard game, picking up 114 yards on 13 carries.
Florida State, which finished with 217 rushing yards on 39 carries, won a season opener for the fourth time in five years.
Singleton Jr. did a little bit of everything. He had nine carries for 42 yards and caught four passes for 54 yards. Singleton's 46-yard kickoff return also set up Florida State near midfield, and he finished off the drive with a 2-yard TD run.

#rushing

When the Denver Broncos watch the film after Friday's preseason showdown with the Green Bay Packers, they will likely evaluate a pair of inside linebackers on Green Bay's roster bubble.
Zach Kruse of Packers Wire believes Green Bay will choose between Nick Niemann and Kristian Welch for the final backup linebacker spot on their 53-man roster later this summer. If Kruse's hunch is correct, the loser of that ILB competition will be cut.
That could be a notable development for the Broncos, who are lacking experienced depth behind starters Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad. It wouldn't be shocking to see Denver monitor the waiver wire for potential ILB targets after roster cuts later this month, and one of Niemann or Welch could become available.
Niemann has appeared in 71 career games (with three starts), totaling 97 tackles, three pass breakups, one interception and one fumble recovery. He has also played 1,412 special teams snaps in his career.
Welch has 80 games (two starts) on his résumé, including six appearances and one start with the Broncos in 2024. He has totaled 43 tackles and one fumble recovery in his career, and he has 1,473 career snaps on special teams.

#Broncos #green #niemann #later

College football's opening kickoff lies just beyond the horizon as teams across the country prepare for the 2026 edition of the gridiron grind.
Ahead of the first matchup of the fall on Sunday, Aug. 29, between UNC and TCU in Dublin, Ireland, CBS Sports writer Blake Brockermeyer put together his ranking of the top 150 players in the sport — a list that included three Florida Gators.
"My goal for the last few years has been simple: Identify the 150 best players in college football entering the 2026 season and the value they bring to their teams," he stated.
So who cracked the list for the Orange and Blue? Checking in at No. 41 is junior running back Jadan Baugh, who is one of the best backs in the SEC, if not the country. Also included at No. 78 is senior wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr., who arrived in Gainesville via the transfer portal during the offseason and adds a speedy dynamic to the receiver corps.
The third Gator to land among the top 150 players in the nation at No. 126 is junior linebacker Myles Graham, who was named to the **** Butkus Award Preseason Watch List as well as the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List this summer.

#receiver

Texas A&M's ninth preseason practice may not have been open to the media, but thanks to the Aggie media team, one of redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed's best throws of the day was captured, providing media members and Aggie fans alike another glimpse into Reed's improvement as a pocket passer, delivering strike after strike since fall camp began.
The Aggies' offensive line will replace four starters at left tackle, left guard, right guard, and right tackle. Third-year coach Mike Elko landed four SEC starters from the transfer portal, who are all expected to start at this point in the preseason, but nothing is set in stone. If this group comes through, Reed is expected to, yes, take the next step, especially with the addition of Alabama transfer wide receiver Isaiah Horton.
Standing 6'4" and 215 pounds, Horton's size and ability to stretch the field and make contested catches fill the hole that plagued the Aggies last season, despite transfer wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver's elite speed, which led to a combined total of nearly 1,900 yards and 13 touchdowns.
While Concepcion is already the Cleveland Browns' No. 1 wide receiver after being selected 24th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, Mario Craver is back for a final season and, paired with Ashton Bethel-Roman and Terry Bussey, who have also shined, especially Bussey, this preseason, Marcel Reed and Isaiah Horton's connection was on full display during Saturday's first scrimmage.
In tight coverage against freshman cornerback Victor Singleton, Horton made a contested catch off a perfectly thrown ball from Marcel Reed, an area the veteran QB struggled last season. With the 2026 season-opener just three weeks away, this connection could take the Aggie passing game to the next level under first-year OC Holmon Wiggins.

#preseason #aggies

On Sunday, the Tennessee **** ans released their first depth chart of the season ahead of their preseason opener Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers, and there were a few surprises.
As with everything in the NFL during training camp, things are ever-evolving as competition and position battles heat up, and this depth chart will definitely change throughout the preseason, but how things are viewed early on is also important.
This week, the **** ans will have a joint practice and preseason game against the 49ers, and some players will have a chance to open some eyes and potentially move up (or down) the depth chart.
Here are five players/position battles to keep an eye on during the battles with the 49ers.
When the **** ans drafted Singleton, many viewed him as a steal. An explosive back at Penn State, a Senior Bowl foot injury hampered him throughout the pre-draft process and made him slide during the draft. Since camp started, Singleton has looked decisive and explosive and answered the call when given reps with the first team. This week, he will have a chance to shine against a real opponent and could quickly make a move up the depth chart.

#depth #chart #singleton #camp

Welcome to Day 8 of Denver Broncos training camp.
It was great to see the Broncos running game finally get going in Friday's padded practice, but with the caveat that Malcolm Roach, Alex Singleton, and Brandon Jones were all on vet days. That might have played a factor in opening up the run game for the offense yesterday. Even so, both JK Dobbins and rookie Jonah Coleman had big runs during the session. It has been a grueling week of practice, so I am sure the players will be looking forward to Sunday's day of rest after Saturday's practice.
Scotty Payne will update this post from the live camp practice session today.

#denver

Yahoo Sports' new college fantasy football platform allows followers of the sport to draft players from their favorite programs. With a revamped roster, featuring more than 50 additions, the Gators may have more uncertainty than established star power for owners to consider. However, there are a number of surefire producers to target in the draft's initial rounds.
Star running back Jadan Baugh is the clear No. 1 option for the Gators under new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner. The returning 1,000-yard rusher is likely to sustain his productive level from 2025 as the junior becomes more of a focal point for the Orange and Blue. Inexperience at the quarterback position makes Baugh the centerpiece for Jon Sumrall and company in 2026. The All-SEC playmaker will see an increased workload with plenty of red zone opportunities. Baugh projects as a potential high-end fantasy starter.
Behind Baugh is last year's breakout freshman Vernell Brown III. He led Florida in receiving yards last season in his first year with the Gators, making history by becoming the first true freshman in program history to earn All-SEC honors at three different positions in a single season. Brown enters 2026 as one of the team's most important players; the Gainesville, Florida, native's 773 all-purpose yards ranked second among all true freshman wide receivers, highlighting his versatility and impact — a big reason many feel he'll continue improving.
Auburn transfer Eric Singleton Jr. provides a more experienced option and is the only receiver on Florida's roster who has eclipsed 600 yards in a single season. Dallas Wilson also deserves attention after showing flashes of elite potential during an injury-shortened freshman season.
Florida's eventual starting quarterback will no doubt have fantasy relevance, but managers should be wary of both Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr., treating the pair as valuable backup options.

It worked pretty well to have a former Arizona State Sun Devil in charge of Arizona softball’s offense the past two years. The Wildcats replaced the departing Amber Freeman with fellow former Sun Devil Danielle Gibson Whorton as ***** istant coach.
Gibson Whorton spent 2018 at ASU before transferring to Arkansas for her final four years, wrapping up her collegiate career in 2022. She was an NFCA Freshman of the Year finalist as a Sun Devil and a two-time NFCA All-American as a Razorback. She has been both a coach and a professional player since then.
“Danielle has distinguished herself at every level of the game,” Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe said in the program’s press release. “She brings an exceptional understanding of offensive development, a relentless work ethic, and a genuine passion for mentoring student-athletes. Our hitters will benefit tremendously from her experience, energy, and competitive mindset.”
The former infielder spent last season as the hitting coach at California. The Golden Bears went 15-37 overall and 5-19 in the ACC under first year head coach Scott Singleton. She helped Aniya Toga earn All-ACC Third Team recognition with a .345 average and a .964 OPS. As a team, Cal hit .270 with an .802 OPS. The Bears hit 50 home runs.
She returned to her home state of California after two seasons coaching at Arkansas. She helped the team reach the postseason both years while coaching four NFCA All-Americans, 13 NFCA All-Region honorees, and the 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.

Despite their 5-7 record, Florida State had one of the nation's top offenses last season. Lost in the shadows even further was how effective freshman running back Ousmane Kromah was when he was given opportunities.
The explosive through-the-hole and vision that made FSU push so hard to flip Kromah from the Georgia Bulldogs was clear, and it set up the Peach State native to be RB1 going forward. Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz of 247Sports think Kromah won't just perform well as a sophomore, but they think he'll have a breakout season.
The headliner from Florida State's 2025 class, Kromah had a strong true freshman season with 408 yards on 5.7 yards per carry. The Seminoles did make a big transfer swing at running back by adding Tre Wisner of Texas, but Kromah had a very strong spring and looks to be in a strong position to start even with the Wisner's addition.
Kromah leads a talented group that also features Quintrevion Wisner, Sam Singleton Jr., and freshman Amari Thomas. According to running backs coach Kam Martin, Kromah has taken the bull by the horns this offseason in preparing for a bigger role as a sophomore.
"He's taking that next step. He's taking that next step as a person and as a player," Martin said back in March. "Every morning, me and him have been watching film at 5:30 in the morning, and I can tell you this: he's taking that next step to be the guy he wants to be. He wants to be great.

EA Sports College Football 27, the highly anticipated video game from Electronic Arts, is set for its official release on July 9. Ahead of the launch, EA revealed the individual player ratings for every student-athlete who opted into the game.
Topping the list for the Florida Gators is running back Jadan Baugh at 91 overall, while wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. earned a 90 overall rating, representing the team's two players above the 90 mark. Safety Bryce Thornton (87), wide receiver Vernell Brown III (87) and linebacker Myles Graham (85) round out the top five players according to their overall ratings.
In total, 28 UF players were rated 80 overall or better.
As a team, Florida is ranked No. 19 with an 84 rating overall, while the offense earned an 84 rating and the defense earned an 83 rating. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is rated as the game's seventh toughest place to play, behind LSU's Tiger Stadium, Ohio State's Ohio Stadium, Penn State's Beaver Stadium, Georgia's Sanford Stadium, Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium and Oregon's Autzen Stadium, respectively.
Player

Broncos Wire's 91-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at seventh-year inside linebacker Justin Strnad, No. 40.
Before the Broncos: Strnad (6-3, 245 pounds) attended Wake Forest for four years from 2016-19. As a member of the Demon Deacons, Strnad played in 46 games, making 244 total tackles (145 solo, 99 **** isted, 22.5 tackles for loss), eight sacks, four interceptions, 10 pass deflections, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. After college, Strnad was selected by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round (178th overall) of the 2020 NFL draft.
Broncos tenure: Strnad missed his entire rookie season after being placed on the season-ending IR with a wrist injury. In 2021, Strnad saw action in 16 games (five starts), making 36 total tackles (23 solo, 13 **** isted) in his first taste of pro action. Strnad saw limited action on defense in 2022 and 2023, making only 10 total tackles in that time. His first real long-term service came in 2024, where he started eight of 17 games, making 73 total tackles (48 solo, 25 **** isted, eight tackles for loss), three sacks, and three pass deflections.
In 2025, Strnad was the beneficiary of an injury-riddled linebacker room (Drew Sanders-foot, Dre Greenlaw-thigh) and he began the season starting alongside Alex Singleton in the middle of the field. When Greenlaw was suspended following the Broncos' miraculous 33-32 win over the New York Giants (a game in which Strnad had a crucial interception), Strnad again took the field. Strnad played in 16 regular season contests (eight starts), as well as Denver's two playoff games, making 62 total tackles (24 solo, 38 **** isted, five tackles for loss), 4.5 sacks, three pass deflections and an interception last fall. Prior to the start of 2026 free agency, the Broncos re-signed Strnad on a three-year, $18 million contract.
Chances to make the 53-man roster: Near lock. Strnad will be a starter in the middle of the field alongside Alex Singleton, thanks in large part to the team releasing Greenlaw. While Singleton will likely wear the green dot in 2026, Strnad is a solid partner in crime who always seems to be flying around the field.

One of the big offseason talking points surrounding the Broncos was edge rusher Jonah Elliss potentially moving to inside linebacker. Head coach Sean Payton mentioned he would be “getting some snaps” at linebacker, but never really clarified what that meant.
However, Sean Payton did meet with the media after the Broncos’ first OTA practice, which was open to them for the first time this offseason, and stated that Elliss would be staying at edge rusher after all.
Payton added that Jonah’s “home” will be on the outside, and that “he’s doing too good on the outside” to be moved. He did leave the door open for some inside work for Elliss, saying they could have some packages for him, but he’ll primarily be an edge rusher moving forward.
So, with Elliss staying at edge rusher, this move impacts both the edge rusher and linebacker positions. At edge rusher, the group remains very deep with Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper as your starters and Elliss, second-year player Que Robinson, and Dondrea Tillman as your rotational/situational depth pieces. Elliss will likely remain the top reserve player, but I would keep an eye on Que Robinson, who flashed some real potential last season. Regardless, the Broncos have a deep and talented edge rushing group.
As for the linebackers, we have a little more questions than answers. We do know that veterans Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are your starters, but everything behind those two is up in the air. They did draft big hitting/force fumbling machine Red Murdock, but he was Mr. Irrelevant (the final pick in the draft), so he has to earn his spot on the roster. They also signed promising UDFA linebacker Taurean York, but he’s undersized and will need to prove he can survive in the NFL. Returning are second-year and former UDFA linebackers Jordan Turner and Karene Reid, as well as Levelle Bailey, who is entering his third training camp for the Broncos. So, they have some young developmental players at the position but lack true veteran depth, for now at least. I would anticipate the Broncos adding a veteran to this group before camp to provide some insurance at the position.