Chicago — Conference realignment has thrown a wrench in many of college football's traditional rivalries. At least one Big Ten coach says he feels a new one brewing with Michigan.
Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days, USC head coach Lincoln Riley said that the past two season's games against Michigan have taken on the air of a rivalry. And though the Wolverines aren't on the schedule this season, he's looking forward to building more history with the Big Ten's traditional teams.
"This has got a little bit of juice behind it," Riley said. "Whether it's at the Big House or at the Coliseum, those two programs walk on the field, those two helmets walk on the field, it's like, ***** , you know. This is real. It's pretty cool, and I think everybody kind of feels that."
Michigan's Kalel Mullings ran in a 1-yard, fourth down touchdown with 37 seconds left to beat USC, 27-24, in a ranked clash at Michigan Stadium in 2024. The next year, USC pounded Michigan 31-13 in Los Angeles.
No, this quote-unquote rivalry isn't replacing the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh for Southern Cal, or surpassing The Game in importance for Michigan. The Trojans will always have beef with Notre Dame and UCLA — no matter what scheduling drama there may be with the Irish. And the Wolverines' rivals of Ohio State and Michigan State carry a certain regional animosity that is as hot as ever these days.

#michigan

On the ESPN College Football podcast, Dan Wetzel asked: is Michigan football poised to surprise pundits across the sport in 2026? His compatriot there on the writing side, Bill Connelly, notes in his preview that if a few things go right for the maize and blue, a deep run could be in their future.
In his feature-length write-up on the conference, the Wolverines aren't one of Connelly's contenders for the ****** le and beyond -- such belongs to Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana -- but Michigan is in the same category as USC, Penn State, Washington, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, UCLA, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Northwestern as schools that 'could be a couple of breaks away from a run."
Of course, Michigan is thought of much more highly than, say, UCLA, Maryland, and Northwestern, but Connelly asks a couple of questions that the answer will determine the team's ceiling in 2026.
Whittingham's bona fides are top notch, but I do have two big questions.
1. Can the hard-nosed overachiever coach properly connect with and motivate a roster of blue-chippers? Going from managing a roster of chip-on-their-shoulder underdogs (relatively speaking) to leading higher-caliber recruits with higher expectations has tripped up plenty of coaches through the years. And that's without getting into the fact that Whittingham is 66 years old. (Between Patterson and Whittingham, it's a big year for 66-year-olds.)

#whittingham

Peyton Watson is nearing a big payday after his breakout season. The Denver Nuggets are offering the UCLA product a five-year, $70 million deal, according to The Athletic's Tony Jones.
It's a tricky financial situation for Denver, which recently matched the Oklahoma City Thunder's two-year, $12 million offer sheet for sharpshooter Spencer Jones. The Jones move brought the Nuggets into the second apron, so they'll reportedly have to do some roster shuffling to be able to extend Watson.
If Watson and the Nuggets can't make it work, he'll have plenty of suitors. The only holdup is apparently the Nuggets' asking price. Denver is reportedly requesting two first-round picks in exchange for Watson, who took a massive leap in Year 4 but is still relatively unproven.
Watson averaged 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 41.1% from 3 last season. The 23-year-old has steadily improved each year, becoming a trusted NBA role player after hardly playing as a freshman at UCLA in 2021-22.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers have reportedly expressed interest in a sign-and-trade for Watson. Los Angeles has long been a rumored destination for the 6-foot-8 guard, as the Clippers are undergoing somewhat of a youth movement following Kawhi Leonard's (likely) departure.

#ucla

Monday was full of surprises for the Washington Commanders. First, the Commanders announced they had fired tight ends coach Ben Steele. Later on Monday, Washington revealed it had placed veteran linebacker/special teams stalwart Nick Bellore on the reserve/retired list.
Bellore, 37, was set to enter his 16th NFL season in 2026, and his third with the Commanders. He was among Washington's top special teams performers over the past two seasons and is a former two-time Pro Bowl selection.
Bellore was an important player. He was a key figure on all of Washington's special teams units. But while his loss will be felt, it could be a blessing in disguise for one former Commanders' draft pick.
Linebacker Kain Medrano, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, could be the player to most benefit from Bellore's retirement. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder played in nine games as a rookie last season. He did not appear on the field for one defensive snap, but did play 62% of Washington's defensive snaps.
A phenomenal athlete, Medrano had a 9.83 Relative Athletic Score coming out of UCLA. He ran a 4.46 40-yard dash and posted terrific testing numbers across the board. But with Washington's offseason acquisitions of Leo Chenal and Sonny Styles, Medrano's place on the 2026 roster was no longer a given.

#Monday

The annual preseason Big Ten football poll has been revealed, and the Wisconsin Badgers are outside of the top 10.
In an 18-team conference, the Badgers found themselves earning 207 points, which is good for 12th place, according to cleveland.com.
Team ranked below Wisconsin include: UCLA, Northwestern, Maryland, Michigan State, Rutgers, and Purdue.
The Boilermakers sit at last place with just 45 points, so it's optimistic knowing Wisconsin gets to play them this season.
Even after winning the National Championship, Indiana only sits at No. 3. Their 509 points weren't good enough to take down No. 2 Oregon (527 points) or the expected No. 1 Ohio State (540 points).

#badgers

Iowa women's basketball is among the five finalists for five-star forward Nation Williams.
Williams, a 6-foot-2 forward out of Las Vegas' Centennial High School, revealed to 247Sports' Dushawn London on Friday that she will be choosing between Iowa, Duke, North Carolina, Notre Dame and UCLA.
Williams has already taken an official visit to Iowa. The elite 2027 talent was in town for Iowa's 62-44 Senior Day victory over Michigan last February, where Hawkeye bigs Ava Heiden and Hannah Stuelke combined for 35 points.
Per 247Sports' 2027 rankings, Williams is the nation's No. 11 player, the No. 2 power forward and the top player from Nevada. According to ESPN, Williams is the country's No. 14 player. Per Rivals, Williams is the No. 13 player nationally and the No. 3 power forward.
Williams is rated as a five-star by ESPN, Rivals, and in the 247Sports composite rankings.

#forward

The 2026 Shriners Children's East-West Bowl released its watch list on Thursday. The list contains six returning Huskers and five Nebraska transfers.
Returning Huskers to make the list included wide receiver Nyziah Hunter, tight end Luke Lindenmeyer, edge rusher Williams Nwaneri, defensive back Andrew Marshall, and offensive linemen Justin Evans and Elijah Pritchett. Transfers include quarterback Anthony Colandrea, edge rusher Anthony Jones Jr., defensive back Dwayne McDougle III and offensive linemen Brendan Black and Paul Mubenga.
Colandrea is the standout, playing in 33 games in his career with 31 starts at quarterback. The 2025 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year across three seasons completed 627-of-983 passes for 7,542 yards and 49 touchdowns. He also had 328 carries for 1,151 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Jones Jr. played one season each at Oregon, Indiana, Michigan State and UCLA before transferring to Nebraska. Jones has played in 37 games, totaling 58 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and one pass breakup. McDougle III followed new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich from San Diego State.
McDougle III played in 40 games across four seasons and recorded 143 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions, 12 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Black and Mubenga combined for 56 games and 41 starts. Black played in 36 games across three seasons at Iowa State. Mubenga also played for three seasons, taking part in 20 games at LSU.

#played #black #state

The 2026 season is shaping up to be a very exciting year of college football in Southern California. The USC Trojans have added to their roster and have expectations of making the College Football Playoffs for the first time in program history and the UCLA Bruins are beginning a new chapter with new head coach Bob Chesney.
Things aren't all rosy for the Trojans though, USC booster Brian Kennedy is suing USC after the school, according to Kennedy, breached their agreement. USC's former practice field was named Brian Kennedy Field, after Kennedy donated several million dollars to the university's athletic programs, but over the past two years, the Trojans demolished Brian Kennedy Field along with signage that highlighted Kennedy's contributions.
California Post writer Edward Lewis broke the story on Wednesday, which states that Kennedy paid $400,000 back in the 1990s. Kennedy has since had a falling out with the university, which culminated in 2020 when he used an expletive to describe USC's current football program.
Those hard feelings still persist, with the California Post obtaining Kennedy's lawsuit.
"Plaintiff suffered harm as a result of Defendant's actions," Kennedy's lawsuit stated, "Including reputational harm, embarrassment, humiliation and the loss of the benefit of the deal made with Defendant and the condition upon which Plaintiff paid $400,000."

#california #field #plaintiff

While the Penn State Nittany Lions lost a lot of production in the 2026 NFL Draft, fans were already questioning whether or not several of Penn State's returning options could be seen as draft picks in 2027. Well, after an offseason of change, there certainly seems like the Nittany Lions have a new look about them. So when the Shriners East-West Bowl watch list came out, it should have been no surprise that Penn State was well represented on the list.
Most importantly, it pointed out a major early win for new head coach Matt Campbell. Not only did Penn State place nineteen total players on the watch list, but fifteen of them were transfers from this year's portal cycle. In fact, thirteen of them come from Matt Campbell's former school, Iowa State. The headliners of the list include QB Rocco Becht, linebackers Kooper Ebel, Caleb Bacon, and Tony Rojas, and wide receivers Brett Eskildsen and Chase Sowell.
The other two transfers on the list were influenced by new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn after he came to Happy Valley from UCLA. Still, no matter the former programs each player represented, it's still highly impressive that in his first offseason, Matt Campbell was able to bring over such highly coveted talent. While the main question will still be about his future recruiting efforts, this offseason's transfer haul at least showed signs of positivity in terms of the program's direction.
Perhaps the craziest thing about several of the players on the list is that they may not all enter the draft at the same time. At least five or six players could return to Happy Valley at the end of this season. That continuity could prove to be more important than any preseason hype these players are getting. If they are already receiving this hype with multiple years of eligibility left, that's a good sign for Campbell's long-term planning with the squad.
The bottom line is that a lot of people are still high on the new talent in Happy Valley. The question of whether that translates to on-field success remains to be seen.

#penn #valley

Iowa women's basketball continued its quest to attract some of the nation's top talent to Iowa City. On Wednesday, the Hawkeyes offered four-star small forward and the top player out of Arizona in the 2028 class, Taylor Morris.
Morris is rated as the nation's No. 20 player per 2028 SportsCenter NEXT - Super 60 rankings. According to Prep Girls Hoops' 2028 Arizona rankings, Morris is the No. 1 prospect in the state.
A 6-foot-4 prospect, Morris has averaged 14.7 points per game during her 55 games played at the varsity level in two seasons at Mesa High School, per MaxPreps. Morris also plays for Mountain West Premier, which is the same Nike EYBL program as fellow Hawkeyes prospect Sienna Williams.
Along with Iowa, Morris already has a long list of offers from premier college basketball programs such as Texas Tech, BYU, Missouri, Alabama, Colorado, Florida, and Big Ten foes Oregon, Rutgers, Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and UCLA.
Here's a look at Morris' highlights:

#morris #prospect #hawkeyes #premier

Recruiting may not be on most people's minds with the college football season set to begin in about five more weeks, but Matt Campbell and his staff don't have the luxury of putting it on the mental back burner. They've done a tremendous job of rebuilding Penn State's 2027 recruiting class, while also keeping their eyes further towards the future.
The Nittany Lions already have a top-three Class of 2028 and now they could be getting their hands on another intriguing prospect from that group. Penn State has been recruiting four-star wide receiver Owen Johnson for much of this year, and in a recent interview with NittanyCentral, he spoke about their chances of landing him.
"Penn State definitely has my attention," is how Johnson began his response when asked about which teams he was focused on. Some of the other schools the team will be battling for Johnson's commitment are Nebraska, Notre Dame, and UCLA, but he confirmed that the Nittany Lions are in his top five.
The team has a serious need for wide receivers, with the position seriously lacking in the next two recruiting classes. They did have one of the best pass catchers in next year's group of prospects, four-star receiver Khalil Taylor, but Penn State was unable to land him a second time.
Perhaps the most important piece of information when it comes to Johnson is that he hails from Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania. The Blue and White have had a difficult time keeping recruits in-state, but they have a great opportunity to change their fortunes here. Johnson is clearly keen on playing for the team and becoming one of the crown jewels of a loaded 2028 class — now the onus is on Penn State to make a commitment worth his while.

#johnson #five

Following the 2025 season, 31 players departed from the Oregon Ducks roster via the transfer portal, seeking more opportunity elsewhere. Reserve quarterback Austin Novosad was one of the more prominent names to do so.
Rated as a four-star and the No. 13 quarterback in the 2023 class, Oregon managed to flip Novosad from Baylor after five-star Dante Moore spurned the Ducks and himself flipped to UCLA. A top 200 prospect, the flip was considered a significant win for Oregon especially how quickly it came after losing Moore.
But the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Novosad never could quite carve out a role with the Ducks. He saw his most action in 2023 as a freshman, completing 9-of-11 passes for 52 yards in garbage time. That ended up being the peak, as he was the third-string quarterback in 2024 and once again in 2025.
Having transferred to Bowling Green of the MAC, where he's projected to be the starter this fall, intrigue is following the former Oregon passer. While The Athletic ranked Novosad as a Tier 7 (113th out of 138 overall) quarterback in college football, the lowest tier, he was named among seven of the most fascinating signal-callers to keep an eye on in 2026.
"We never saw much of Novosad at Oregon," The Athletic's Antonio Morales wrote. "He spent the 2023 season behind Bo Nix, 2024 behind Dillon Gabriel and Moore, who joined the program after a season at UCLA, and 2025 behind Moore and Brock Thomas, who appeared to unseat Novosad for the backup role last year. Novosad has attempted 15 career passes, and 11 of those came in 2023. It's been a while since he's received extended playing time. For a former top 150 recruit, he's a relative mystery — one we'll learn more about this fall at Bowling Green."

#novosad #season

During the UCLA Bruins NCAA championship season, freshman forward Sienna Betts had to take a backseat. While her older sister, Lauren Betts, was championed as the team's marquee star, Sienna waited on the sidelines.
Not only did the younger Betts get off to a late start to her season, not appearing in a game with UCLA until December, she never got a huge role. As a freshman, Betts played only 14.1 minutes and scored 6.0 per game.
Being buried behind her sister, Angela Dugalic and Gabriela Jaquez, there weren't many minutes for Sienna to snag. UCLA opened up their 2026-2027 season with an exhibition match on Wednesday and it appears that Sienna Betts is ready to become a star.
Betts scored 20 points with 12 rebounds and two blocks despite facing off against the Canadian National Team. Those stats were far from empty, as she kept UCLA in the game until the fourth quarter when Team Canada began to break away.
Even with the strong performance, Betts wasn't completely satisfied with her game.

#sienna #team

The Trump administration has accused UC San Diego's medical school of illegally discriminating against White and Asian applicants in favor of admitting less qualified Black and Hispanic students, putting nearly $1 billion in federal funding at risk.
The findings stem from a months-long Justice Department Civil Rights Division investigation launched in March and come as the Trump administration intensifies its effort to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
According to a letter sent to the school by **** istant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, the admissions committee used applicants' responses to a "hardship" essay question to determine their racial and ethnic backgrounds, using the essays as a proxy for race in deciding who advanced in the admissions process. The investigation found that from 2019 to 2025, Black applicants to UC San Diego Med were admitted at more than twice the rate of White applicants, even though White applicants, on average, had higher MCAT scores and GPAs.
"Rather than rely on MCAT scores or GPA, San Diego Med's shadow application process unlawfully judged applicants for admission based on their race," Dhillon said in a statement. "San Diego Med's blatant efforts to prioritize race are illegal, and we will end these practices."
Justice Department Zeroes In On Ucla For Alleged Illegal Dei Admissions As Elite School Crackdown Expands

#school #Trump

LAS VEGAS — Hurt or not, Jack Layne isn’t making excuses after last season.
“Last year, I think we were good as an offense, but we can be better, and I think we will be better this year,” New Mexico’s fifth-year senior said last Wednesday at Mountain West Media Days. “And, you know, everyone’s dealing with injuries – it’s not just me. Everyone’s got something.”
By all indications, Layne shouldn’t be dealing with something soon.
After undergoing offseason surgery to repair a torn tendon in his elbow, Layne said his arm is “feeling good” entering what’s expected to be a four-player quarterback competition during fall camp.
The 6-foot-2, 209-pound former Idaho transfer tore his common flexor tendon last season during warmups ahead of a 35-10 win over UCLA, the Lobos’ fourth game of the season. But the injury went undiagnosed until Layne underwent a routine clean-up procedure in late December, with the significance of the tear surprising both him and his surgeon.

#think #better #dealing

The top rivalry out on the West Coast between the UCLA Bruins and Gonzaga Bulldogs will officially return on Dec. 5 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The Zags are looking to make it nine victories over the Bruins in their 12 all-time matchups.
The biggest storyline with the offseason starting to dwindle away that could potentially influence this specific game is whether former UCLA lead guard Donova Dent will receive a fifth year of college eligibility from the NCAA and choose to transfer to Gonzaga.
Here is the full update to the 2026-27 non-conference schedule, with not all dates/locations/times finalized.
*at Arkansas Razorbacks (Oct. 2026, at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas)
vs. Purdue Boilermakers (Nov. 2, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada)

#bruins #gonzaga #west

A popular college football social media account believes the Spartans will reach a bowl game for the first time in five seasons.
CFB Home -- a social media account with nearly 125,000 followers on X -- released their game-by-game predictions for the Spartans this upcoming season, and they are higher on Michigan State than most. CFB Home has Michigan State finishing the 2026 season with a 6-6 overall record and 4-5 mark in Big Ten play.
CFB Home has Michigan State opening the year with a pair of victories over Toledo and Eastern Michigan. From there, they see the Spartans dropping a pair of games against Notre Dame and Nebraska before winning ripping off three straight wins against Wisconsin, Illinois and Northwestern.
Michigan State is sitting at 5-2 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play following this impressive three-game winning streak. But from there, things get rough, with CFB Home predicting four straight losses against UCLA, Michigan, Washington and Oregon. Luckily, Michigan State is able to beat to Rutgers on the final game of the season to reach bowl eligibility.
Michigan State is entering the season with low expectations. The Spartans' wins over/under total is set at 4.5, meaning CFB Home has the Spartans clearing the over by two games this fall.

#home #Social

Look, everyone, you need to come to grips with the reality that Indiana really did win the College Football Playoff National Championship under Curt Cignetti, and it might do it again.

This isn't stopping.

Anecdotal, I know, but let me sum up the prevailing attitude of just about all the various media hits I've done since the Hoosiers had, arguably, the greatest season in the history of college football.

Wonderful story, amazing job done by Cignetti. Now Ohio State, Alabama, Notre Dame, and the other bluebloods will restore order, and Indiana will go back to waiting for basketball season.

Well done, Hoosiers, here are your commemorative t-shirts, off you go ...

Nope.
Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It's not just that Indiana took a blowtorch to everything the stodgy world of college football knows to be holy, right, and true.

It's that now everyone - from Kentucky to UCLA to insert-your-Power-Four-school-here - has some glimmer of hope that maybe, with the right mix of miracles, can have the type of success that fans of most schools have been generationally conditioned to not dare dream possible.
It's also that the bar has been raised for the powerhouses.

Alabama didn't just lose in the College Football Playoff. Ala-FREAKING-Bama is still recovering from the atomic wedgie applied by ... Indiana?! It offends the sensibilities.

And if you think that's not sitting well for an Alabama, try Nebraska, and USC, and Florida and all the other traditional football schools that expect to compete for giant things every year, and can't.
But no, this doesn't necessarily mean Indiana will win the national ****** le again this year, or next year, or five years from now. It means that it'll at least be in the mix.

Ohio State doesn't win it all every year. Texas still hasn't won one since Vince Young. Notre Dame hasn't won one since 1988.

#alabama #done #playoff

Tony Rojas and former Cyclone Caleb Bacon are set to lead the way at linebacker for Penn State in 2026. But who might be ready to take the leap and develop into an impact player this fall?
Alex Tatsch (So.)
Tatsch was the immediate name to come to mind as a likely breakout player. He earned meaningful playing time as a true freshman, and impressed despite his lack of experience. The rising sophomore seemed to improve each with each game as he became more noticeable and found his way to the football more and more often. Tatsch contributed 14 tackles, one TFL, and a pass defended in 2025, and those numbers should greatly increase this fall.
Tatsch should also benefit from playing under D'Anton Lynn, who has done an impressive job of developing linebackers at UCLA and USC. While he may not be a week one starter with so many veteran linebackers coming from Iowa State, don't be surprised if he snags a starting spot at some point in the season – and a very productive one at that.
Cam Smith (RS Fr.)

#tatsch #linebackers #rojas #cyclone

The Washington Huskies secured a commitment from one of the nation's top quarterbacks in the 2027 cycle in four-star Blake Roskopf, and in Rivals' latest rankings update, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound product of Desert Edge High School found himself among the top prospects in the class.
The recruiting outlet ranked Roskopf as the No. 101 overall player and No. 8 quarterback in the 2027 class, as the promising signal caller, who chose Jedd Fisch's program over 29 other offers, including Mississippi State, North Carolina, and UCLA, continues to see his stock rise after an impressive junior season.
Even without one of his top targets, fellow Washington commit Zerek Sidney—who was limited to just one game in 2025 due to an injury—Roskopf posted some gaudy numbers. He completed over 66 percent of his passes for 2,815 yards with 37 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, while showing off a skill set that could help him turn into a starter at the Big Ten level.
"Blake Roskopf has the look of a riser coming out of his junior season at Goodyear (Ariz.) Desert Edge," Rivals' Charles Power wrote in his scouting report.
"He's a jumbo quarterback at around 6-foot-5, 230 pounds and touts one of the stronger arms in the cycle. While Roskopf easily generates impressive velocity, we're most impressed with his ability to get the ball up and out with a snappy, quick release. He cut down on turnovers and increased his production year over year."

#roskopf #rivals

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The LPGA on Tuesday unveiled the inaugural Nanea Cup, an event being held in Hawaii next March that includes a mix of pro golfers and collegians as a way to showcase the present and future of women's golf.
The event, which will be held March 11-14 at the Nanea Golf Club in Kailua-Kona, on the Big Island, features a $4 million purse. The field will include 95 LPGA Tour players along with 25 of the nation's top college golfers representing five universities: Stanford, Texas, Arkansas, Texas A&M and UCLA.
"As we continue to focus on routing, courses and purses, this event checks every box," LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler said in a statement. "Nanea is a spectacular venue, our athletes will compete for a strong purse, and fans will get their first look at one of the most celebrated golf courses in the world."
All competitors will play Thursday and Friday before the field is cut to the low 50 players and ties. College players who don't make the cut will still play Saturday to help determine team champions.
The Golf Channel will broadcast stories on college athletes and coaches to give a glimpse of the next generation of players.

#nanea #Event #texas #held

It's rare to find something new in the ancient game. Yet next spring at the ultra-exclusive Nanea Golf Club, an innovative LPGA event will feature the best pros and collegiate players in the country on the No. 1-ranked course in Hawaii.
"It is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful, arguably spiritual golf courses on planet Earth," said LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler, "and it's never been seen on TV before."
That will change March 11-14 when Golf Channel's "Live From" show at the Players Championship leads into primetime tournament coverage for the LPGA on the Big Island.
A field of 95 LPGA pros and 25 collegiate players will play alongside each other, from the same tees, in two competitions that will run concurrently, the tour has announced. The five teams will include Stanford, Arkansas, Texas A&M, the University of Texas and UCLA.
A women's college golf event has been held at Nanea, and hosted by Stanford, since 2013. What started as the Pac 12 Preview became the Nanea Invitational, with an impressive champions list that includes Alison Lee, Bronte Law, Andrea Lee, Rose Zhang and Megha Ganne.

#golf #stanford

JAKARTA, INDONESIA - OCTOBER 21: Leanne Wong of Team United States reacts after competing in the balance beam during the Women's qualification on day three of the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at Indonesia Arena on October 21, 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
Next stop: Hartford, Connecticut. The 2026 U.S. Classic competition caps the final stretch ahead of August's U.S. Championships, and many of the nation's top female gymnasts will take the stage from July 17-18 to vie for medals, gain competitive experience and qualify for nationals.
With the 2028 LA Olympics just two years away, this year's field is significantly stronger than the last, and recent comeback announcements point to more competitive battles ahead. From Olympic gold medalists to up-and-coming rookie stars, here are the top athletes to watch at the 2026 U.S. Classic.
Watch the 2026 U.S. Classic: TV channel, streaming, and start times.
Two-time NCAA Champion, UCLA Gymnastics star, and former Olympic hopeful Katelyn Ohashi is in the midst of a comeback that few saw coming. Ohashi announced her return to the sport in June and made her comeback days later at the American Classic, marking her first elite gymnastics routine in over 13 years.

HARTFORD, CT - MAY 18: Jade Carey competes in the floor exercise during the 2024 Core Hydration Classic on May 18, 2024, at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The 2026 U.S. Classic gymnastics competition should be one for the books. While the event serves as the final qualifying opportunity for the nation’s top elite gymnasts, in 2026, it also serves as the first televised outing for a pair of highly anticipated gymnastics comebacks.
Held from July 17-18 in Hartford, Connecticut, the event begins Friday with podium training sessions for the senior and junior elite competitors, as well as the Hopes Championships for aspiring youth gymnasts.
Three-time Olympic medalist Jade Carey and former UCLA gymnastics star Katelyn Ohashi will continue their elite gymnastics comebacks this week in Hartford. World champions Leanne Wong and Skye Blakely also headline the event, leading a roster full of U.S. National Team contenders.
Olympic Champion Jade Carey returns to her first U.S. Classic since 2024, after taking a break from elite competition following her medal-winning performances at the Paris Olympic Games.

CHICAGO (AP) — Roch Cholowsky has agreed to a contract with the Chicago White Sox that includes a record-breaking $10.35 million signing bonus after he was the No. 1 overall pick in last weekend's amateur draft.
A person familiar with the contract confirmed the agreement to the AP on Tuesday because it hadn't been announced by the team.
The slot value for the top pick this year was $11,350,600. Cholowsky's bonus tops the previous mark of $9.25 million for the amateur draft that belonged to Reds pitcher Chase Burns and Rockies prospect Charlie Condon, two of the top three selections in 2024.
Cholowsky, a 6-foot-2 shortstop who turned 21 in April, hit .320 with 21 homers, 60 RBIs and a 1.088 OPS in 60 games this season for UCLA.
___

The 2026 football season for the Auburn Tigers is on the horizon. As we anticipate the start of the season, let's introduce you to a key member of the 2026 roster.
For the first time since this series began, we will highlight a member of Auburn football's transfer portal haul. Andre Jordan Jr. joined Auburn's roster this offseason after spending three seasons on the West Coast. He signed with Oregon State out of high school and played for the Beavers for two seasons before transferring to UCLA ahead of the 2025 season. This year, he looks to bring his disruptive mentality to the Plains and become a problem for opposing wide receivers.
Jordan's ability to hinder the opposition's passing game jumps off the page immediately. Over the last two seasons, Jordan has broken up 14 passes, 10 of which were recorded last season with UCLA. Opposing wide receivers have also found it difficult to haul in passes when guarded by Jordan in recent years. After allowing 80% of passes to be caught as a freshman in 2023, Jordan has improved his numbers each season. As a sophomore in 2024, 63% of passes thrown his way were caught, and that number decreased to 51% in 2025 at UCLA, according to Pro Football Focus data.
Jordan joins Rayshawn Pleasant as one of the elder members of the cornerback room. As seniors, Jordan and Pleasant will lead a group of talented, young corners, including Blake Woodby, Shamar Arnoux, Scrap Richardson, and Kamari Todd. Will Jordan continue to be a nuisance in the passing game while taking on an important leadership role?
Get to know senior cornerback Andre Jordan Jr below.

There are a lot of new faces, but the talent level remains high for the defensive backfield. Daryus Dixson figures to jump into a starting spot at cornerback after playing in all 13 games in 2025. Audavion Collins and Zion Tracy should compete for the other starting spot. It would not surprise me to see them split snaps, and Tracy has experience as a nickel corner if Penn State chooses to run 4-2-5 schemes. The depth is a bit of a question mark, but Terry Smith has plenty of talent to work with.
Two Iowa State transfers- Marcus Neal and Jeremiah Cooper- will fill the void at safety left behind by Zakee Wheatley and King Mack. Neal has received significant NFL Draft attention for 2027 and has All-Big Ten potential after a breakout 2025 season. Cooper is a solid playmaker against the pass, though he is coming off an injury.
With no Ohio State, Oregon, or Indiana on the schedule, Penn State does not face many overwhelming passing offenses this year. USC and Washington should be the toughest tests for the secondary, and one of them is at Beaver Stadium.
Losing Tony Rojas to injury was not the deciding factor in Penn State’s 2025 meltdown, but his absence was felt immediately. Rojas tore his ACL after the Oregon game, and the Nittany Lions immediately gave up 42 points to UCLA the following game. He is a dynamic playmaker against the run and pass and the unquestioned leader of a rebuilt Penn State linebacker corps. There are a lot of questions around Penn State’s front seven, so Rojas’ health will be vital to the success of this defense. If he returns to form, the Nittany Lions should have one of the top linebackers in the conference.
Penn State is on its fifth defensive coordinator in the last six seasons, but D’Anton Lynn’s track record speaks for itself. He inherited a UCLA defense that finished No. 87 in total defense in 2022 and elevated them to No. 10 in 2023. When Lincoln Riley poached him away to coach the defense at USC, he took a Trojans defense that was a complete disaster when he arrived and made them serviceable immediately. Hiring Lynn appears to be a good fit for 2026 Penn State. With new players at all three levels of the defense and roughly half of last season’s production gone, the Nittany Lions need someone who can provide results on defense right away. The schedule is favorable and there are enough veteran players on the roster to make the transition smooth for Lynn.

Nebraska football extended an offer to three-star offensive tackle Aiden Owolabi. The tackle is the 35th overall player at his position and the 27th overall player in the 2028 class from the state of California, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.
His recruitment is rising steadily, as he has several offers from big-time programs. California, Stanford, UCLA, Minnesota, and BYU are all schools that have extended offers his way. Owolabi measures at six-foot-six, 280 pounds.
His recruitment is still very much growing, especially as programs continue to finish and fill out their 2027 classes. Currently, the Huskers have no commitments in their 2028 class. However, they have been extending offers and doing their due diligence on several top-level prospects.
The program has done a solid job of recruiting the offensive line, particularly in the 2026 class. They were able to snag six commitments. Now, they're continuing to build out the group, and Owolabi will be a player to watch, especially since offensive line coach Geep Wade has had a high success rate on the recruiting trail.
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Tubby Smith, who spent two seasons as Memphis basketball coach, was announced as a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame's 2026 induction class on July 13.
Rounding out the class are coaches Jay Wright and Ted Owens, as well as former BYU superstar Danny Ainge, former Michigan Wolverine standout Glen Rice, and late UCLA legend Walt Hazzard. The induction ceremony is set for Oct. 22 at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City, Missouri.
"The Class of 2026 represents the very best of college basketball – individuals whose performance, leadership, and impact helped shape the game at the highest level," said Kevin Henderson, CEO of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. "Their legacies will forever be preserved as part of the sport's rich history."
In addition to Smith's time at Memphis — where he was fired in 2018, before the school hired current coach Penny Hardaway — he also served as head coach at Tulsa (1992-95), Georgia (1996-97), Kentucky (1998-2007), Minnesota (2008-13), Texas Tech (2014-16), and High Point (2019-22). He has a career record of 642-370, and he won the 1998 national championship in his first season at Kentucky.
Smith, 75, is one of four coaches in college basketball history to lead as many as five programs to the NCAA tournament. Memphis and High Point are the only programs that did not reach March Madness with him as coach. During the most successful stretch of his coaching career, Smith guided his teams to the Big Dance 16 out of 17 seasons. But his last season at Texas Tech (2015-16) is the only time he reached the NCAA tournament over his final nine seasons as a Division I coach.

Lakers officially beat out Knicks, Warriors for elite $50 million rebounder, three-time NBA champion originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Lakers have finally completed all of their free agent signings.
With the organization officially outbidding the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks for a $50 million (career earnings) former Golden State Warriors elite rebounder and three-time NBA champion, Los Angeles has move one step closer to rounding out their roster.
"Welcome to the squad, Kevon (Looney)," the Lakers wrote on X/Twitter Monday, which is six days after ESPN's Shams Charania first announced the signing.
Before signing with the Lakers, Looney received significant free agent interest from the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors. On June 28, the Stein Line's Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported that the new NBA champions were eyeing the UCLA product as a potential backup option if Mitchell Robinson departed the franchise (which he ultimately did, signing a multi-year deal with the Boston Celtics.