“THE SCOREBOARD”
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
METS 8, BRAVES 5
TWINS 9, ORIOLES 5
BLUE JAYS 2, RED SOX 1
PHILLIES 6, CARDINALS 5
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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
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WNBA SCOREBOARD
DREAM 107 TEMPO 95
STORM 07 SKY 88
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MLS SCOREBOARD
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULES
https://scoreboard.homestead.com/football/teams.htm#load
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/volleyball
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/girls
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/boys/cross-country
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/girls/cross-country
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TENNIS
https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/boys/tennis
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 1
ALL TIMES EASTERN
ADAMS CENTRAL AT FORT WAYNE LUERS 7:00 PM
ALEXANDRIA AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL 7:00 PM
ANDREAN AT MERRILLVILLE 8:00 PM
ANGOLA AT GOSHEN 7:00 PM
ATTICA AT FAITH CHRISTIAN 7:00 PM
AVON AT DECATUR CENTRAL 7:00 PM
BATESVILLE AT TRITON CENTRAL 7:00 PM
BELLMONT AT MADISON-GRANT 7:00 PM
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH 7:00 PM
BOONVILLE AT EVANSVILLE BOSSE 7:30 PM
BROWN COUNTY AT OWEN VALLEY 7:00 PM
BROWNSBURG AT LAWRENCE NORTH 7:00 PM
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL AT CORYDON CENTRAL 7:00 PM
CARROLL (FLORA) AT SEEGER 7:00 PM
CASCADE AT MONROVIA 7:00 PM
CASTLE AT EVANSVILLE NORTH 7:30 PM
CASTON AT WHITKO 7:00 PM
CENTRAL NOBLE AT CULVER 7:30 PM
CHRISTEL HOUSE AT BOWMAN ACADEMY 7:30 PM
CHURUBUSCO AT BREMEN 7:00 PM
CLINTON CENTRAL AT FRANKFORT 7:00 PM
CLINTON PRAIRIE AT FRONTIER 7:00 PM
COLUMBUS EAST AT MOORESVILLE 7:00 PM
COLUMBUS NORTH AT WHITELAND 7:00 PM
COVENANT CHRISTIAN AT PARK TUDOR 7:00 PM
COVINGTON AT TRI-COUNTY 7:00 PM
CRAWFORDSVILLE AT PARKE HERITAGE 7:00 PM
DELPHI AT BENTON CENTRAL 7:00 PM
DELTA AT MUNCIE CENTRAL 7:30 PM
EASTERN (GREENTOWN) AT OAK HILL 7:00 PM
EASTERN (PEKIN) AT WEST WASHINGTON 7:00 PM
ELKHART AT CONCORD 7:00 PM
ELWOOD AT SOUTHERN WELLS 7:00 PM
EVANSVILLE HARRISON AT EVANSVILLE REITZ 7:30 PM
EVANSVILLE MATER DEI AT EVANSVILLE CENTRAL 7:30 PM
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL AT JASPER 7:30 PM
FAIRFIELD AT CALUMET 7:30 PM
FISHERS AT CARMEL 7:00 PM
FLOYD CENTRAL AT GIBSON SOUTHERN 7:30 PM
FORT WAYNE NORTH AT EAST NOBLE 7:00 PM
FORT WAYNE SNIDER AT WARSAW 7:00 PM
FORT WAYNE WAYNE AT LEO 7:00 PM
FRANKLIN AT SOUTHPORT 7:00 PM
FRANKLIN CENTRAL AT PLAINFIELD 7:00 PM
FRANKTON AT TIPTON 7:00 PM
FREMONT AT FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK 7:00 PM
GARRETT AT DEKALB 7:00 PM
GARY WEST AT FORT WAYNE NORTHROP 7:00 PM
GREENCASTLE AT CLOVERDALE 7:00 PM
GREENSBURG AT SHELBYVILLE 7:00 PM
HAGERSTOWN AT KNIGHTSTOWN 7:00 PM
HAMILTON HEIGHTS AT LAPEL 7:00 PM
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) 7:30 PM
HAMMOND CENTRAL AT SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON 7:30 PM
HAMMOND MORTON AT PORTAGE 8:00 PM
HAMMOND NOLL AT SOUTH BEND RILEY 7:30 PM
HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) AT WEST LAFAYETTE 7:30 PM
HENRYVILLE AT CLARKSVILLE 7:00 PM
HERITAGE HILLS AT SOUTH SPENCER 8:00 PM
HIGHLAND AT GRIFFITH 8:00 PM
HOBART AT CHESTERTON 8:00 PM
HUNTINGTON NORTH AT EASTBROOK 7:00 PM
INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECH AT NOBLESVILLE 7:00 PM
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL AT BEN DAVIS 7:00 PM
INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD AT LAFAYETTE JEFF 7:00 PM
INDIANAPOLIS HOMESCHOOL AT CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN 7:00 PM
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN AT INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS 7:00 PM
INDIANAPOLIS RITTER AT DANVILLE 7:00 PM
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI AT FORT WAYNE DWENGER 7:00 PM
INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA AT FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA 7:00 PM
INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY AT EDINBURGH 7:00 PM
JAY COUNTY AT BLACKFORD 7:00 PM
JEFFERSONVILLE AT LAWRENCE CENTRAL 7:00 PM
JENNINGS COUNTY AT PAOLI 7:00 PM
JOHN GLENN AT BOONE GROVE 7:30 PM
KNOX AT NORTH JUDSON 8:00 PM
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC AT MITCHELL 7:30 PM
LAPORTE AT NEW PRAIRIE 8:00 PM
LAVILLE AT TRITON 7:00 PM
LAWRENCEBURG AT EAST CENTRAL 7:30 PM
LOGANSPORT AT PERU 7:00 PM
LOWELL AT CROWN POINT 8:00 PM
MARION AT FORT WAYNE SOUTH 7:00 PM
MARTINSVILLE AT BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 7:00 PM
MCCUTCHEON AT GUERIN CATHOLIC 7:00 PM
MICHIGAN CITY AT HANOVER CENTRAL 8:00 PM
MILAN AT RUSHVILLE 7:00 PM
MISHAWAKA AT MISHAWAKA MARIAN 7:00 PM
MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) AT KOKOMO 7:00 PM
MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) AT FOREST PARK 7:30 PM
MUNSTER AT LAKE CENTRAL 8:00 PM
NEW CASTLE AT FRANKLIN COUNTY 7:00 PM
NEW HAVEN AT HERITAGE 7:00 PM
NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) AT NORTH VERMILLION 7:00 PM
NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) AT BREBEUF JESUIT 7:00 PM
NORTH DAVIESS AT WASHINGTON 7:00 PM
NORTH DECATUR AT SOUTH DECATUR 7:00 PM
NORTH HARRISON AT SALEM 7:00 PM
NORTH NEWTON AT WHITING 8:00 PM
NORTH POSEY AT SOUTHRIDGE 7:30 PM
NORTH PUTNAM AT SOUTH PUTNAM 7:00 PM
NORTH WHITE AT TAYLOR 7:00 PM
NORTHEASTERN AT EASTERN HANCOCK 7:00 PM
NORTHFIELD AT NORTH MIAMI 7:00 PM
NORTHRIDGE AT WEST NOBLE 7:00 PM
NORTHVIEW AT TERRE HAUTE NORTH 7:00 PM
NORTHWESTERN AT MANCHESTER 7:00 PM
NORTHWOOD AT COLUMBIA CITY 7:00 PM
NORWELL AT MISSISSINEWA 7:00 PM
OSCEOLA GRACE AT PURDUE ENGLEWOOD 8:00 PM
PENDLETON HEIGHTS AT LEBANON 7:00 PM
PERRY MERIDIAN AT BEECH GROVE 7:00 PM
PHALEN ACADEMY AT INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON 7:00 PM
PIKE CENTRAL AT EASTERN GREENE 7:00 PM
PIONEER AT LEWIS CASS 7:00 PM
PLYMOUTH AT TIPPECANOE VALLEY 7:00 PM
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS AT WOODLAN 7:00 PM
PRINCETON AT TECUMSEH 8:00 PM
PROVIDENCE AT NEW ALBANY 7:00 PM
RENSSELAER CENTRAL AT KANKAKEE VALLEY 8:00 PM
RICHMOND AT CONNERSVILLE 7:00 PM
RIVER FOREST AT EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL 8:00 PM
RIVERTON PARKE VS. LINTON 7:30 PM
SCOTTSBURG AT MADISON 7:00 PM
SEYMOUR AT GREENWOOD 7:00 PM
SHENANDOAH AT BLUFFTON 7:30 PM
SILVER CREEK AT CHARLESTOWN 7:00 PM
SOUTH ADAMS AT EASTSIDE 7:00 PM
SOUTH BEND ADAMS AT CULVER ACADEMY 7:00 PM
SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH AT LAKELAND 7:00 PM
SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) AT WHEELER 8:00 PM
SOUTH NEWTON AT LAKE STATION 8:00 PM
SOUTHMONT AT FOUNTAIN CENTRAL 7:00 PM
SOUTHWOOD AT ROCHESTER 7:00 PM
SPEEDWAY AT HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 7:00 PM
SPRINGS VALLEY AT EDGEWOOD 7:00 PM
SULLIVAN AT NORTH KNOX 7:00 PM
SWITZERLAND COUNTY AT CRAWFORD COUNTY 7:00 PM
TELL CITY AT PERRY CENTRAL 8:00 PM
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH AT VINCENNES LINCOLN 7:00 PM
TRI-CENTRAL AT WES-DEL 7:00 PM
TRINITY LUTHERAN AT INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE 7:00 PM
TWIN LAKES AT NORTH MONTGOMERY 7:00 PM
UNION CITY AT TRI 7:00 PM
UNION COUNTY AT MONROE CENTRAL 7:30 PM
VALPARAISO AT PENN 7:30 PM
WABASH AT MACONAQUAH 7:00 PM
WALNUT HILLS (OHIO) AT SOUTH DEARBORN 7:00 PM
WARREN CENTRAL AT CENTER GROVE 7:00 PM
WAWASEE AT JIMTOWN 7:00 PM
WEST CENTRAL AT WINAMAC 7:00 PM
WEST VIGO AT SOUTH VERMILLION 7:00 PM
WESTERN AT INDIAN CREEK 7:00 PM
WESTERN BOONE AT TRI-WEST 7:00 PM
WESTFIELD AT HOMESTEAD 7:00 PM
WHEATON ST. FRANCIS (ILL.) AT NEW PALESTINE 7:00 PM
WINCHESTER AT CENTERVILLE 7:00 PM
YORKTOWN AT ANDERSON 7:00 PM
ZIONSVILLE AT PIKE 7:00 PM
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 1 SCHEDULE/TV
FRIDAY, AUG. 28
IDAHO AT CAL POLY | 10 P.M. | ESPN
SATURDAY, AUG. 29
TCU VS. NORTH CAROLINA (AVIVA STADIUM IN DUBLIN, IRELAND) | 12 P.M. | ESPN
SAN JOSE STATE AT USC | 3 P.M. | NBC
ALABAMA STATE VS. SOUTHERN (LEGION FIELD IN BIRMINGHAM, ALA.) | 3 P.M. | ESPNU
NC STATE AT VIRGINIA | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
JACKSONVILLE STATE AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE | 5:30 P.M. | CBSSN
SACRAMENTO STATE AT EASTERN MICHIGAN | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
HAWAI’I AT STANFORD | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
NEW MEXICO STATE AT FLORIDA STATE | 7 P.M. | THE CW NETWORK
EAST TEXAS A&M AT MERCER | 7 P.M. | ESPN
HOWARD VS. ALABAMA A&M (CENTER PARC STADIUM IN ATLANTA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT TARLETON STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN2
MEMPHIS AT UNLV | 10 P.M. | FOX
WEEK 1
THURSDAY, SEPT. 3
UMASS AT RUTGERS | 6 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
BETHUNE-COOKMAN AT UCF | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
AKRON AT WAKE FOREST | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
MERRIMACK AT DELAWARE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
WEST GEORGIA AT KENNESAW STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UALBANY AT BUFFALO | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF AT MISSOURI | 8 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
COLORADO AT GEORGIA TECH | 8 P.M. | ESPN
EASTERN ILLINOIS AT MINNESOTA | 8 P.M. | PEACOCK
IDAHO AT UTAH | 9 P.M. | ESPNU
UAB AT ILLINOIS | 9 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
FRIDAY, SEPT. 3
SAN JOSE STATE AT EASTERN MICHIGAN | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
INDIANA STATE AT PURDUE | 7 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
NORTH CAROLINA A&T AT GEORGIA STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UTEP AT OKLAHOMA | 8 P.M. | SECN+
LIU AT KANSAS | 8 P.M. | ESPNU
TOLEDO AT MICHIGAN STATE | 8 P.M. | FS1
MIAMI (FLA.) AT STANFORD | 9 P.M. | ESPN
FRESNO STATE AT USC | 9 P.M. | FOX
SATURDAY, SEPT. 4
EAST CAROLINA AT ALABAMA | 12 P.M. | ABC
OREGON STATE AT HOUSTON | 12 P.M. | ESPN
COASTAL CAROLINA AT WEST VIRGINIA | 12 P.M. | TNT/HBO MAX
NEW HAMPSHIRE AT SYRACUSE | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
NORTH TEXAS AT INDIANA | 12 P.M. | FOX
OHIO AT NEBRASKA | 12 P.M. | FS1
BRYANT AT ARMY | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
TARLETON STATE AT BOWLING GREEN | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
LIBERTY AT JAMES MADISON | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
MIAMI (OHIO) AT PITT | 12:30 P.M. | ESPN UNLIMITED AND THE CW NETWORK
BALL STATE AT OHIO STATE | 12:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
KENT STATE AT SOUTH CAROLINA | 12:45 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
YOUNGSTOWN STATE AT KENTUCKY | 1 P.M. | SECN+
SE MISSOURI STATE AT IOWA STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
DUQUESNE AT AIR FORCE | 1 P.M. | MW+
RHODE ISLAND AT TEMPLE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE STATE AT GEORGIA | 3 P.M. | SECN+
AUBURN VS. BAYLOR (MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM IN ATLANTA) | 3:30 P.M. | ABC
FURMAN AT TENNESSEE | 3:30 P.M. | SECN+
TEXAS STATE AT TEXAS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
BOSTON COLLEGE AT CINCINNATI | 3:30 P.M. | FOX
TULANE AT DUKE | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
BOISE STATE AT OREGON | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
MARSHALL AT PENN STATE | 3:30 P.M. | FS1
THE CITADEL AT CHARLOTTE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
TOWSON AT NAVY | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
UT RIO GRANDE VALLEY AT UTSA | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
FORDHAM AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN UNLIMITED AND THE CW NETWORK
MAINE AT APP STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
OKLAHOMA STATE AT TULSA | 3:45 P.M. | ESPNU
NORTH ALABAMA AT ARKANSAS | 4:15 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
NORTHERN ILLINOIS AT IOWA | 4:15 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
ALCORN STATE AT SOUTHERN MISS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
WYOMING AT COLORADO STATE | 6 P.M. | USA NETWORK
NORFOLK STATE AT OLD DOMINION | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
MISSOURI STATE AT TEXAS A&M | 7 P.M. | ESPN
AUSTIN PEAY AT VANDERBILT | 7 P.M. | SECN+
ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT TEXAS TECH | 7 P.M. | FS1
NICHOLLS AT KANSAS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
IDAHO STATE AT UTAH STATE | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
ARKANSAS STATE AT MEMPHIS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN AT RICE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AT SOUTH FLORIDA | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MURRAY STATE AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN KENTUCKY AT JACKSONVILLE STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SE LOUISIANA AT SOUTH ALABAMA | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SAM HOUSTON AT TROY | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
CLEMSON AT LSU | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
UL MONROE AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
VMI AT VIRGINIA TECH | 7:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
NORTHWESTERN STATE AT LOUISIANA TECH | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT FLORIDA | 7:45 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
UTAH TECH AT BYU | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
HAMPTON AT MARYLAND | 8 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT NORTHWESTERN | 8 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
LAMAR AT LOUISIANA | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
MORGAN STATE AT ARIZONA STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
MERCYHURST AT NEW MEXICO STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHERN ARIZONA AT ARIZONA | 9:30 P.M. | ESPN+
PORTLAND STATE AT SAN DIEGO STATE | 9:30 P.M. | USA NETWORK
UNLV AT HAWAI’I | 10 P.M. | ESPN UNLIMITED AND THE CW NETWORK
CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT NEW MEXICO | 10 P.M. | FS1
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE AT SACRAMENTO STATE | 10 P.M. | ESPN+
UCLA AT CAL | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
WESTERN KENTUCKY AT NEVADA | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
SUNDAY, SEPT. 6
TEXAS SOUTHERN AT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M | 12 P.M. | ESPN2
FLORIDA A&M VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE (HARD ROCK STADIUM IN MIAMI GARDENS, FLA.) | 3 P.M. | ESPN
WASHINGTON STATE AT WASHINGTON | 4 P.M. | NBC
OLE MISS VS. LOUISVILLE (NISSAN STADIUM IN NASHVILLE, TENN.) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
NOTRE DAME VS. WISCONSIN (LAMBEAU FIELD IN GREEN BAY, WIS.) | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
MONDAY, SEPT. 7
SMU AT FLORIDA STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
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NFL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
DETROIT AT CINCINNATI, 7:00
GREEN BAY AT PITTSBURGH, 7:00
INDIANAPOLIS AT NEW ENGLAND, 7:30
L.A. CHARGERS AT HOUSTON, 8:00
ARIZONA AT LAS VEGAS, 8:00
TENNESSEE AT SAN FRANCISCO, 9:00
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
DENVER AT ATLANTA, 7:00
TAMPA BAY AT N.Y. JETS, 7:00
MIAMI AT WASHINGTON, 7:00
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15
CAROLINA AT BUFFALO, 1:00
CLEVELAND AT CHICAGO, 1:00
MINNESOTA AT N.Y. GIANTS, 1:00
L.A. RAMS AT KANSAS CITY, 4:00
JACKSONVILLE AT NEW ORLEANS, 4:00
PHILADELPHIA AT BALTIMORE, 7:00
DALLAS AT SEATTLE, 8:00
WEEK 2
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20
LAS VEGAS AT HOUSTON (ESPN), 8:00
SAN FRANCISCO AT L.A. CHARGERS, 10:00
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
N.Y. JETS AT PITTSBURGH, 7:00
CAROLINA AT JACKSONVILLE, 7:30
GREEN BAY AT DENVER, 9:00
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22
WASHINGTON AT DETROIT, NOON
BUFFALO AT CLEVELAND, 1:00
ATLANTA AT INDIANAPOLIS, 1:00
BALTIMORE AT MINNESOTA, 1:00
NEW ORLEANS AT L.A. RAMS, 4:00
N.Y. GIANTS AT MIAMI, 4:00
CHICAGO AT CINCINNATI, 7:00
PHILADELPHIA AT NEW ENGLAND, 7:00
KANSAS CITY AT TAMPA BAY, 7:30
DALLAS AT ARIZONA, 10:00
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23
SEATTLE AT TENNESSEE (FOX), 8:00
WEEK 3
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27
PITTSBURGH AT BUFFALO, 7:00
NEW ENGLAND AT CLEVELAND (PRIME VIDEO), 8:00
SAN FRANCISCO AT LAS VEGAS, 8:00
L.A. RAMS AT L.A. CHARGERS, 10:00
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28
WASHINGTON AT BALTIMORE, 6:00
HOUSTON AT CAROLINA, 7:00
ATLANTA AT MIAMI, 7:00
TAMPA BAY AT JACKSONVILLE, 7:30
N.Y. GIANTS AT N.Y. JETS, 7:30
NEW ORLEANS AT DALLAS, 8:00
ARIZONA AT GREEN BAY, 8:00
SEATTLE AT KANSAS CITY, 8:00
CINCINNATI AT PHILADELPHIA (CBS), 8:00
MINNESOTA AT DENVER, 9:00
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
DETROIT AT INDIANAPOLIS, 1:00
CHICAGO AT TENNESSEE, 6:00
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2026 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS SCHEDULE
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TV / TIME (ET)
WEEK 1 THU, AUG 13 @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS LOCAL (7:30 PM)
WEEK 2 SAT, AUG 22 VS. ATLANTA FALCONS LOCAL (1:00 PM)
WEEK 3 SAT, AUG 29 VS. DETROIT LIONS LOCAL (1:00 PM)
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2026 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET) TV / STREAMING
1 SUN, SEPT 13 VS. BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00 PM CBS
2 SUN, SEPT 20 @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 8:20 PM NBC
3 SUN, SEPT 27 VS. HOUSTON TEXANS 1:00 PM CBS
4 SUN, OCT 4 @ WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 9:30 AM NFL NET
5 SUN, OCT 11 @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00 PM CBS
6 SUN, OCT 18 VS. TENNESSEE TITANS 1:00 PM FOX
7 SUN, OCT 25 @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS 1:00 PM CBS
8 SUN, NOV 1 @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 1:00 PM CBS
9 SUN, NOV 8 VS. DALLAS COWBOYS 1:00 PM FOX
10 SUN, NOV 15 VS. MIAMI DOLPHINS 1:00 PM CBS
11 THU, NOV 19 @ HOUSTON TEXANS 8:15 PM PRIME VIDEO
12 SUN, NOV 29 VS. NEW YORK GIANTS 1:00 PM FOX
13 BYE WEEK
14 SUN, DEC 13 @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 1:00 PM FOX
15 SUN, DEC 20 @ TENNESSEE TITANS 1:00 PM CBS
16 TBD – FLEX VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS TBD TBD
17 SUN, JAN 3 @ CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00 PM FOX
18 TBD – FLEX GAME VS. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS TBD TBD
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TOP NATIONAL SPORTS HEADLINES
NFL NEWS
NFL TO ALLOW HEAD COACHES TO TAP STAFF MEMBER FOR CHALLENGES
Head coaches will no longer be the only people who can throw the red challenge flag during an NFL game.
The league on Monday published an update to the rulebook concerning who can initiate instant replay reviews, revealing that head coaches can now designate one specific member of their staff to do so on their behalf.
“The Head Coach or head coach’s pregame challenge designee can initiate a challenge by throwing a red flag onto the field of play before the next legal snap or kick,” Rule 15, Section 1, Article 1 of the 2026 NFL rulebook reads.
If a head coach designates a staff member to handle initiating challenges before the game, then that decision must last for the entirety of the game — rather than there being two people on staff who can toss the red flag.
According to reports, this update was not announced at the league’s annual meeting, but not all rulebook changes require a vote from the team owners.
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2026 NFL PREVIEW: CHICAGO BEARS
Changes ::
Offense: Ben Johnson returns for his second season in control of the Bears organization and looks to take the Bears offense to new heights.
Defense: Dennis Allen had an impressive opening season as the Bears defensive coordinator and returns for a second year.
Personnel Changes ::
Caleb Williams returns for his third season as the Bears starting QB after an exciting sophomore season in Ben Johnson’s system. A year of familiarity and growth should
The Bears, somewhat surprisingly, did not make any major moves in their backfield this offseason. Talented and versatile veteran RB D’Andre Swift returns to lead their backfield and second year RB Kyle Monangai should once again be involved on early downs and near the goal line.
The Bears traded veteran WR DJ Moore to the Bills in March, leaving the talented duo of Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III as their top perimeter options.
Undrafted second year receiver Jahdae Walker has solid chemistry and trust with Caleb Williams, which gives him an inside track to the third receiver role.
Chicago added WR/KR Kalif Raymond, who has familiarity with Johnson’s scheme from his time in Detroit, to improve their return game and give them receiving depth. They also drafted Zavion Thomas out of LSU in the third round. Thomas has blazing speed and a unique skill set similar to Raymond’s in terms of return ability and potential for schemed usage.
Colston Loveland was slow out of the gates in 2025 after recovering from shoulder surgery most of the offseason, but was absolutely dominant down the stretch and is in the conversation among top tight ends in the league.
Veteran TE Cole Kmet will still be involved, while rookie Sam Housh was selected in the third round and is likely to be involved at some point this season.
Schedule ::
Divisional Games (6)::
GB x2, DET x2, MIN x2
NFC South (4)::
@ ATL, @ CAR, vs. TB, vs. NO
AFC East (4)::
@ BUF, @ MIA, vs. NE, vs. NYJ
vs. PHI, vs. JAX, @ SEA
The Bears had an extremely impressive 2025 season in their first year under Ben Johnson as the benefits of disciplined coaching and strong game planning were on full display. One of the “critiques” for the Bears last season was that they were winning “in spite of” their passing game (actually a direct quote from Johnson at one point), rather than because of it. However, the argument can easily be made that this bodes well for their long-term outlook and potential to take another step in 2026. Chicago’s game plan after their Week 5 bye was to establish a strong running game, control the clock, and limit turnovers. They accomplished those things and their offensive line emerged as one of the stronger units in the league as the season progressed. The Bears further bolstered their offensive line personnel this offseason and with their scheme having a year to spread its roots, they are in position to have a very efficient running game as the backbone of their offense. In addition, their strong trio of tight ends along with their moves at wide receiver seem to indicate a likely shift towards heavier personnel in 2026.
A lot of their running game success in 2026 was dependent on volume and tempo, but this year they could see a spike in running game efficiency that would turbo charge their passing game. As QB Caleb Williams continues to grow under the tutelage of Johnson, we could truly see him take his game to new levels. The argument can be made that the Bears have the best trio of young receiving options in the game with wide receivers Rome Odunze (24 when the season kicks off) and Luther Burden III (22) alongside dynamic TE Colston Loveland (22). Williams has always had elite playmaking and scrambling ability, but is now learning to also play within structure, make pre-snap reads, and play with timing and anticipation. The marriage of his skill set and Johnson’s scheme could be a match made in heaven when you consider the likely efficient running game and dynamic weapons at his disposal. When an offense has a head coach who is so aggressive on fourth down like Johnson, while having so many different ways of creating positive yardage it will make getting off the field very difficult for opposing defenses.
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2026 NFL PREVIEW: DETROIT LIONS
Changes ::
Offense: The Lions struggled to replace departed offensive coordinator Ben Johnson in 2025 and made a mid-season change at play caller. This offseason they hired offensive coordinator Drew Petzing from the Cardinals to take over.
Defense: Kelvin Sheppard enters his second season as the Lions’ defensive coordinator. Detroit ranked in the bottom half of the league in total points and yards allowed, as well as takeaways.
Personnel Changes ::
Jared Goff remains the Lions’ quarterback, with veteran Teddy Bridgewater serving as his backup.
The Lions let RB David Montgomery leave via free agency, leaving Jahmyr Gibbs in the unquestioned feature role for the first time in his career. They signed Isiah Pacheco from the Chiefs to be the complement to Gibbs this season in what will likely be a similar, but less involved version of what Montgomery did.
Amon-Ra St. Brown had his third consecutive season as the overall WR3 in 2025 and Jameson Williams set career highs across the board in 2025. They are complemented by impressive second year WR Isaac TeSlaa and veteran free agent acquisition Greg Dortch.
Sam LaPorta remains the primary tight end for the Lions after an injury-plagued 2025 season. Detroit signed veteran TE Tyler Conklin to provide depth behind him alongside Brock Wright.
Schedule ::
Divisional Games (6):
GB x2, CHI x2, MIN x2
NFC South (4):
@ ATL, @ CAR, vs. TB, vs. NO
AFC East (4):
@ BUF, @ MIA, vs. NE, vs. Jets
@ ARI, vs. TEN, vs. Giants
The Lions have one of the softer on-paper schedules in the league thanks to the schedule pitting them against the NFC South and AFC East, along with being matched up with the Cardinals, Titans, and Giants (who were all among the five worst teams in the league in 2025). After a couple of seasons with brutal schedules, this is a welcome change for Detroit and gives them a clear path to bounce back from their disappointing 2025 campaign.
Detroit’s offense should be extremely concentrated this year, with Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jameson Williams likely to command upwards of 70% of the team’s usage. Those three are explosive and talented, with skill sets that complement each other well. A concentrated and talented offense with a soft schedule is a match made in heaven. Gone are the days of Detroit spreading the ball around to eight different skill players with no one seeing excessive usage besides St. Brown—this is a team whose clock is ticking on their organizational window and will not be messing around with player usage. They know where their bread is buttered. The Lions defense was average to below average in most metrics last season and nothing drastically changed to signal a likely spike in performance, which means the likelihood of them being pulled into shootouts with the few stronger opponents on their schedule is relatively high. For their weaker opponents, we know the Lions are not afraid to pile on. There is a case to be made that Detroit could end the season with the overall RB1, two top-10 WRs, and a top-10 QB and TE. That’s an offense you want to invest in. Guys like Pacheco and TeSlaa also have massive contingent ceilings and are good enough to fill in and keep the offense afloat should they be called upon.
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2026 NFL PREVIEW: GREEN BAY PACKERS
Changes ::
Offense: Long time head coach Matt LaFleur returns to run a Packers offense that has ranked in the top half of the league every season he has been at the helm.
Defense: Green Bay lost defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to the Dolphins this offseason and he will be replaced by former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, who was also previously the defensive coordinator for the Eagles.
Personnel Changes ::
Jordan Love enters his fourth season as the starting quarterback for the Packers, but Green Bay lost talented backup Malik Willis to free agency. Mobile veteran QB Tyrod Taylor will be the primary backup for Love, who has missed multiple games in each of the last two seasons.
Josh Jacobs enters his age-28 season as the Packers primary running back and has touched the ball 250+ times in each of his seven seasons, proving to be very durable at a demanding position.
Marshawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks appear to be the primary candidates for backup work behind Jacobs after Emanuel Wilson left in free agency. Lloyd is a wildly explosive player whose career has been short-circuited by soft tissue injuries.
The Packers wide receiver room is likely to be more concentrated after the departures of Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks.
Christian Watson and Matthew Golden should be the primary perimeter wide receivers, while Jayden Reed continues his role as the slot receiver. Explosive second year player Savion Williams is likely to be involved in some way as a gadget and change of place type player, as well as a returner.
Tight end Tucker Kraft was in the midst of an electric 2025 campaign when he tore his ACL in November. He is expected to return early in the season, but will likely be eased back into his role. Luke Musgrave is the other primary tight end Green Bay will utilize.
Schedule ::
Divisional Games (6)::
CHI x2, DET x2, MIN x2
NFC South (4)::
vs. ATL, vs. CAR, @ TB, @ NO
AFC East (4)::
vs. BUF, vs. MIA, @ NE, @ NYJ
vs. HOU, vs. DAL, @ LAR
The Packers have a lot of potential shootouts on their schedule, as well as several games against what project to be very weak defenses. This sets them up for an opportunity to be a top-10 team in points and yards. The tough part for the Packers in recent years has been the combination of how often they rotate receivers, spreading out their target distribution, and their run-based philosophy combined with a slow pace of play. Those two things could easily be tied together, however, and we could see an increased tempo if the Packers are not subbing as often. The primary players left are also the most explosive from last year’s group, as Christian Watson and Matthew Golden both have blazing speed and Jayden Reed is a dynamic threat when able to stay healthy. Combining that with the after catch ability of Tucker Kraft and you have an incredibly talented group of skill players who should compromise their base personnel.
As we see Josh Jacobs enter the latter part of his career and mediocre options behind him in the backfield, a logical shift towards a higher pass rate would make sense. We are also at the point in Jordan Love’s career where we often see coaches give more leash and responsibility to their QB. After the disappointing finish to last season, this seems like the perfect time for LaFleur to open things up a bit. Combining all of these factors together you have a situation that could provide a lot of value. The NFC North is once again stacked and the Packers defense is solid, but not dominant. We could see a simultaneous spike in production and condensing of their player usage that makes this a situation that is ripe for profit.
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2026 NFL PREVIEW: MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Changes ::
Offense: Offensive-minded head coach Kevin O’Connell returns to the Vikings along with offensive coordinator Wes Phillips.
Defense: Brian Flores returns for his fourth season as the defensive coordinator for the Vikings, who continue to give opponents fits with their exotic schemes.
Personnel Changes ::
The Vikings brought in mobile veteran QB Kyler Murray on a veteran minimum contract, as he is still being paid massively by the Cardinals after they cut him. Murray will compete with disappointing former first round pick JJ McCarthy for the starting quarterback job.
Veterans Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason are once again in line to split backfield duties, with rookie Desmond Claiborne added to the mix on the third day of the draft.
Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are still the top two WRs for Minnesota and one of the top duos in the league. There are still trade rumors swirling around Addison, however. Minnesota let Jalen Nailor leave in free agency and signed productive veteran Jauan Jennings to a one-year contract in early May.
T.J. Hockenson is once again the primary tight end for Minnesota in 2026, with veteran Josh Oliver operating in a complementary role.
Schedule ::
Divisional Games (6)::
CHI x2, DET x2, GB x2
NFC South (4)::
vs. ATL, vs. CAR, @ TB, @ NO
AFC East (4)::
vs. BUF, vs. MIA, @ NE, @ NYJ
vs. WAS, vs. IND, @ SF
Minnesota’s offense was tanked in 2025 by ineptitude and inconsistency at the quarterback position. A solid and talented running game was given a tall task as defenses were able to shrink boxes and give very few running lanes. Likewise, the receivers were constantly frustrated and unable to perform at their usual high level that matches their talent due to a lack of rhythm and consistency. Simply put, the best passing games have aspects of timing and chemistry that are required to be successful against modern NFL defenses. As JJ McCarthy struggled massively to make reads and see the field or play with any semblance of timing, accuracy, or anticipation that became a huge problem. This also led to more drops for the receivers as they were constantly having to adjust to passes and, quite frankly, were often surprised when a pass was actually on target.
All of that said, the optimistic view on the Vikings is that they have basically nowhere to go but up in terms of quarterback play. McCarthy will be entering his second actual season and is still only 23 years old. He has tools that made him a highly touted prospect and now has a season under his belt to learn from. Never lacking for confidence, McCarthy is the type of player with a mindset that could potentially overcome his disastrous 2025 season. The Vikings now have “two shots on goal” at the position as well, with Kyler Murray looking to revitalize his career after falling out of favor in Arizona. Both players have mobility to extend plays and the ability to make tough throws. Murray has performed at a high level at times throughout his career and head coach Kevin O’Connell is easily the best offensive mind Murray has played with in his NFL career. Simply put, if either of McCarthy or Murray were to bounce back with a great season in 2026 it would not be an overly surprising development. They both have great physical tools, great weapons, and an elite coach.
From there, this is a team with a major opportunity to return to being a very strong offense or even reach new heights. The Vikings ranked sixth in yards per game and eighth in points per game in 2022. In 2023, they dealt with major injuries. In 2024, Sam Darnold led them to rank 12th in yards per game and ninth in points per game. This is consistently a top-10 offense when things don’t totally go off the rails as they did in 2023 and 2025. Returning to being a top-10 offense is squarely in play if they get the QB situation fixed. Their line is solid, their backfield is not elite but certainly above average, and their receiving options can flat out play. Justin Jefferson is still one of the best in the league and Jordan Addison has off the field issues, but his talent has never been in doubt. Now adding Jauan Jennings along with T.J. Hockenson as consistent underneath options makes this offense even more dynamic.
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MAHOMES, PARSONS AND TRIO OF 49ERS HIGHLIGHT THE NFL STARS RETURNING FROM INJURIES THIS SEASON
The list of players who finished the 2025 season injured was almost a who’s-who of some of the NFL’s biggest stars.
There was two-time MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes, who could only watch the end of a disappointing six-win season for Kansas City after going down with a torn ACL in Week 15.
Three-time All-Pro Micah Parsons was only a spectator in the postseason in his first season in Green Bay after suffering his own torn ACL in December, while the San Francisco 49ers were down three big stars of their own for the end of the playoffs with Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and George Kittle all going down with major injuries during the season.
Indianapolis had its promising season derailed when quarterback Daniel Jones tore his Achilles in early December and the New York Giants missed 2024 rookie sensation Malik Nabers for most of the season after he went down with a knee injury in the fourth game of his second season.
Training camp for those stars has been about getting back up to full strength so they can get back on the field either for the start of the season or at least early on.
“It was always the goal to be able to practice when I got to training camp. We kind of hit that step,” Mahomes said at the start of camp. “Now, it’s about building and keep getting better and better, so when the regular season comes around, I can be available.”
Most of those other stars are aiming to be back for Week 1 but Parsons will have to wait a little longer. He is hoping to return in October and vows the pent-up energy from his time away will only make him better.
“People are worried about the knee. They should be worried about how I’m going to play when I get back,” Parsons said. “The anger, the frustration, the things that I’m going to have to let out because of how long it’s been since I played.”
Here’s a look at some of the biggest stars returning from injuries:
Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes
When Mahomes tore his ACL on Dec. 14 in a loss that eliminated the Chiefs from the playoffs, it was uncertain if he’d be able to make it back in time for Week 1. But he got back on the field for part of the offseason program and was fully cleared for the start of training camp. That was great news for the Chiefs, who managed just one touchdown in three games after Mahomes went down last season.
Now the key is what form will Mahomes be in when he takes the field in Week 1 against Denver. His production has dipped in recent seasons as the talent around him has dropped off. He has also been asked to run more with a career-high 422 yards rushing last season but might need to stay in the pocket more to protect his knee.
Green Bay edge rusher Micah Parsons
The Packers traded for Parsons before the start of last season to add the defensive superstar who could elevate them in the playoffs. That never happened as Parsons suffered the knee injury in early December after recording 12 1/2 sacks in 14 games.
Green Bay’s defense lacks difference-makers and will need a healthy Parsons to make a long playoff run. The team is being cautious in his return and plans to start him on the PUP list for the regular season. Parsons would have to miss at least four games but said he’d like to be back in time to face his former Cowboys teammates in Week 6.
San Francisco stars Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and George Kittle
The 49ers were one of the most injured teams in the league last season with Bosa going down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 3, Warner breaking his ankle in Week 6 and Kittle rupturing his Achilles in a wild-card win at Philadelphia. That trio has seven career All-Pro honors and were a major reason why San Francisco has reached two Super Bowls under coach Kyle Shanahan.
Warner has been full-go since the start of camp and is ready to return for the opener. Bosa has only taken part in individual drills so far but also is expected back Week 1. Kittle remains on the physically unable to perform list and it’s uncertain whether he will return on Sept. 11 in Australia against the Rams or shortly after that.
New York Giants WR Malik Nabers
After recording 1,204 yards receiving as a rookie in 2024, the Giants had big hopes last season for Nabers only to see him suffer a season-ending knee injury in Week 4. Nabers’ rehab had a few setbacks early but he was able to make it back on the field at the starting of training camp.
New York is relying heavily on Nabers this season to be Jaxson Dart’s No. 1 option.
“Every time he’s on the field, everybody knows where he’s at,” Dart said. “There’s an aura that he has on the field that is exhilarating. It makes me happy. It makes everybody happy just to see him out there.”
Indianapolis QB Daniel Jones
Jones had a breakthrough campaign in his first season with the Colts, completing a career-high 68.0% of his passes for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdown passes and only eight INTs in 13 games before getting injured.
Indianapolis had one of the most dynamic offenses when Jones was healthy and rewarded him with a two-year deal worth $88 million in the offseason. The Colts are hoping his return will lead to more of the same. Jones managed to make it back on the field to practice on the first day of training camp less than eight months after getting hurt.
Jones has struggled to stay healthy over his career, missing time for injuries almost every season outside of 2022, when he started 16 games for the Giants.
Baltimore DT Nnamdi Madubuike
Madubuike missed most of last season with a neck injury and it was uncertain until this summer if he would ever return. But he came off the PUP list early in camp and appears on track to get back on the field this season for a Ravens defense that sorely missed him in 2025.
Madubuike made the Pro Bowl in 2023 and ‘24 with 19 1/2 sacks those two seasons as one of the game’s best interior pass rushers. He had two sacks in the first two games last season before getting shut down with the neck injury.
Baltimore’s defense fell off last season in his absence and is looking to get back in form in the first year under new coach Jesse Minter.
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AS LAREMY TUNSIL NEEDS SURGERY, THE COMMANDERS TURN TO BRANDON COLEMAN AT LEFT TACKLE
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Commanders will be without their best offensive lineman for the foreseeable future.
Coach Dan Quinn confirmed Monday that left tackle Laremy Tunsil needs surgery on his left triceps and will be sidelined indefinitely. Quinn said the team won’t know how long Tunsil’s absence will last until after the procedure is done.
“It’s always tough to talk about a player missing time, and especially a great player like LT,” Quinn said. “He is an absolutely fantastic teammate, and he’ll be missed. We certainly can’t wait to get him back.”
Tunsil was injured Saturday during an individual drill against pass rusher Odafe Oweh. Tunsil immediately took a knee after the play and was quickly ushered into the facility following a chat with the training staff.
Losing Tunsil is a significant blow for the Commanders after the franchise made him the highest-paid tackle in the NFL in March. Tunsil, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, is one of the sport’s best pass protectors and a force in the run game.
“He is really on the top of his game right now,” Quinn said. “Both in the run and pass, this is an equally strong player, and so it’s a big deal.”
With Tunsil out, the Commanders pivoted to Brandon Coleman to fill the void. It’s a natural transition for Coleman, who started 12 games at left tackle as a rookie for Washington in 2024 and played well. He made three starts at left tackle last year.
“He’s played a lot of winning football at left tackle here, and we know that he’s ready for it,” Quinn said. “He’s put in an excellent offseason, and the team is very confident in him.”
It has been just one practice, but Coleman said returning to left tackle has been a smooth transition — “like riding a bike.” He’s excited to return to his natural position, where he feels he can showcase his athleticism and footwork.
“My feet are good,” Coleman said. “Being able to dance with those guys, I’m able to keep up. Now that I’m getting my hands under control in terms of knowing where to punch, knowing what I want to do, that stuff just helps me out even more.”
Coincidentally, Coleman — along with right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. — traveled to Alabama this summer to work out with Tunsil. Spending nearly a month training together, Coleman said the experience completely changed his training habits.
“He basically revamped my whole approach to how I treat camp and the season,” Coleman said. “There’s a lot of stuff that I took from him, from his nutritionist to his strength guy, working with a chef, just taking care of my body a lot better. My prep for practice is a lot different. Seeing how a guy like that prepares every day, how he treats his body, what he does in his off time and how he recovers, that’s the price of stuff that you can’t (get) anywhere.”
Shifting Coleman to tackle allows the Commanders to maintain continuity along the rest of the offensive line. Coleman and Chris Paul entered training camp in competition for the starting left guard spot. Now, they’re working alongside each other.
“We played together last year a little bit,” Coleman said. “We trained together last year. Close, always talking, always joking around. (He is) arguably one of the strongest humans I’ve ever met. It definitely helps you out, especially having that chemistry beforehand.”
The plan is to for the Commanders to give Coleman an extended look in Tunsil’s old spot, with veteran Andrew Wylie staying in his backup swing tackle role. Quinn consulted with general manager Adam Peters and said they don’t expect to explore help in free agency right now.
Washington hopes that Tunsil can return at some point this season. His teammates expect him to do everything he can in rehab to make that happen.
“It’s tough to see a guy who put all that work in go down like that,” tackle Trent Scott said. “But he’s a stud. I’m pretty sure he’s going to attack rehab and he’ll probably be back sooner (than later).”
In the interim, Coleman will do his best to fill Tunsil’s void — something Coleman knows himself is nearly impossible to replicate.
“There’s only one Laremy Tunsil in my opinion,” Coleman said. “The best tackle in the league.”
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REPORT: FALCONS SIGNING VETERAN DE CAMERON SAMPLE
The Atlanta Falcons are signing veteran defensive end Cameron Sample, CBS Sports reported on Monday.
A fourth-round draft pick by Cincinnati in 2021, Sample has seven sacks and 26 quarterback hits in 61 career games.
The move comes with Atlanta anticipating a lengthy suspension for edge rusher James Pearce Jr., according to The Athletic.
The Falcons also lost pass rusher Jalon Walker to a season-ending torn ACL last week in training camp.
Sample, 26, had two sacks, 17 tackles and one forced fumble in 14 games (two starts) with the Bengals last season.
Sample signed with the San Francisco 49ers in April but was released last week.
Pearce, 22, could be suspended “at least eight games” under the NFL’s personal conduct policy following his February arrest in a domestic dispute, The Athletic reported.
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PATRIOTS SIGN TE HUNTER HENRY TO 2-YEAR, $16M EXTENSION
The New England Patriots announced a contract extension with veteran tight end Hunter Henry on Monday.
Terms were not disclosed. ESPN reported it was a two-year, $16 million deal worth up to $20 million with incentives and includes a $4.2 million signing bonus and $14.5 million in guaranteed money.
“Hunt’s here to stay,” the Patriots posted on X along with a photo of Henry signing a contract.
Henry, 31, caught 60 passes for 768 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 starts last season. He added nine receptions for 112 yards and a score as New England reached Super Bowl LX.
Henry has hauled in at least 40 passes in each of his five seasons with the Patriots, the second-longest streak in club history by a tight end behind Ben Coates’ six-year run from 1993-98.
A second-round draft pick by the then-San Diego Chargers in 2016, Henry has 455 catches for 5,295 yards and 47 TDs in 136 career games (116 starts) with the Chargers (2016-20) and Pats.
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LIONS EXPECT RB ISIAH PACHECO (KNEE) TO BE READY FOR OPENER
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco is dealing with a sprained MCL but is expected to be ready for Week 1, head coach Dan Campbell confirmed Monday.
Pacheco, 27, missed his third consecutive practice session on Sunday. It was not immediately clear when he sustained the injury, or to which knee.
Also on Monday, Campbell announced center Cade Mays sustained a “significant” wrist injury and will be sidelined indefinitely.
“One of those freak things,” Campbell said of the injury to Mays, who signed a three-year, $25 million contract this offseason.
Pacheco, who signed a one-year, $1.81 million deal in March to back up Jahmyr Gibbs, played his first four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and won two Super Bowls.
“We feel pretty good about him being ready to go, especially when the season gets here,” Campbell told reporters at training camp.
Pacheco rushed for 462 yards and one touchdown and caught 19 passes for 101 yards and a score in 13 games (12 starts) last season for the Chiefs, who picked him in the seventh round (251st overall) in 2022.
Pacheco has accumulated 3,091 yards from scrimmage (2,537 rushing and 554 receiving) with 17 touchdowns in 51 games (42 starts). He has rushed for 547 yards and four touchdowns in 10 postseason starts, including victories in Super Bowls LVII and LVIII.
Mays, 27, made 14 appearances (12 starts) for the Carolina Panthers last season.
He has appeared in 52 games (27 starts) since being selected by the Panthers in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
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COWBOYS AND DEFENSIVE STAR QUINNEN WILLIAMS AGREE ON $105.9 MILLION EXTENSION
The Dallas Cowboys and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams agreed Monday on a $105.9 million, three-year extension going into his first full season with the team.
The contract includes $101 million guaranteed and will be added to the two years on his existing deal. The $35.3 million annual average on the extension is second among defensive tackles to Jalen Carter of NFC East rival Philadelphia.
The lucrative extension could keep Williams with the Cowboys through 2030 after they traded for him during the 2025 season. Dallas gave up one of the two first-round picks acquired in the shocking trade that sent star pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers just a week before the opener last year.
Executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones said at the opening of training camp the club was working with Williams’ agents on an extension. Just shy of two weeks later, an agreement was in place.
“It’s a big part of all the moving parts that went with our trade last year,” Jones said on the team’s website. “I think this kind of, at the end of the day, puts a bow on top in terms of knowing that we’re going to have Q here for the next five years long term.”
The addition of Williams from the New York Jets provided an initial boost to one of the NFL’s worst defenses a year ago. The Cowboys won their first three games after the trade before a 44-30 loss to Detroit that started a season-ending run of four losses in five games as Dallas missed the playoffs for the second year in a row.
The Cowboys had one of the league’s best offenses while finishing 7-9-1 in coach Brian Schottenheimer’s first season, and they spent the offseason overhauling the defense while believing Williams would be a centerpiece among the many changes.
Dallas hired defensive coordinator Christian Parker to replace Matt Eberflus, who was fired after one season when the Cowboys allowed the most points (511) with the fewest interceptions (six) in franchise history.
The Cowboys traded with Green Bay again to get pass rusher Rashan Gary, drafted safety Caleb Downs and defensive end Malachi Lawrence in the first round and added cornerback Cobie Durant and safeties P.J. Locke and Jalen Thompson in free agency.
Dallas also targeted linebacker, drafting Michigan pass rusher Jaishawn Barham with the belief he could play off the line of scrimmage and acquiring Dee Winters in a trade with San Francisco.
Williams is part of a returning group that includes fellow defensive tackle Kenny Clark — acquired in the Parsons deal — along with second-year defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, cornerbacks DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel Jr. and safety Malik Hooker.
The 28-year-old Williams was the third overall pick by the Jets in 2019 and was an All-Pro three years later despite the Jets’ 7-10 finish. Williams has yet to play on a winning team, and the former Alabama standout was quick to remind everyone after the trade that he’s still waiting for his first NFL playoff game.
“You’re just happy about it for a guy like that,” defensive line coach Marcus Dixon said. “Like he’s been rewarded for his hard work, the way he approaches the game, how he is with his teammates, his love for the game, how he’s always trying to perfect his craft. But he wants to win, and he’ll tell you that.”
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DOLPHINS NEW HEAD COACH JEFF HAFLEY SEES VALUE IN MISTAKES AS HIS YOUNG TEAM PREPARES FOR PRESEASON
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jeff Hafley wants to see the mistakes.
Of course the Miami Dolphins first-year head coach does not want his players missing assignments, lining up offsides or running the wrong routes on game days. But he has stressed to his young team the importance of pushing beyond their comfort zones during training camp, even if that means getting things wrong.
“Some guys get so comfortable, right?” Hafley said Monday. “And they’re so scared to make a mistake that they play things safe. How do you grow if you’re going to play things safe? That doesn’t make any sense to me because you’re comfortable or you don’t want to look bad? It’s not about looking bad.”
Hafley has taken that approach himself, testing out different snap counts for quarterbacks and living with pre-snap penalties if they come early on. Similarly, the former defensive coordinator wants players to test different techniques and learn what works for them. During a recent practice, that meant encouraging a cornerback to use his hands and length more during team drills.
“Like step out of your comfort zone. Don’t worry about the results,” Hafley said. “That’s what practice is for. That’s why I get mad in practice. I think bad coaching is when a guy gets beat and you just go up and you yell at him. No, ask him, ‘What did you do? What did you see? What did you try? Did it work? Let’s go back and watch it on film.’ If a guy’s not running to the ball or he’s (showing) lack of effort or physicality then yeah, yell at him. But this is where these guys get paralyzed in their minds, and I just don’t want that to happen.
“So when I see a long corner and I get a flashback, ‘You’re not using your length. Step and punch and try something different.’ I think that’s huge for everybody on our team, and it’s just how we need to coach these guys.”
That approach will be tested this week as the Dolphins prepare for Wednesday’s joint practice against Washington ahead of Friday’s preseason opener.
Hafley hasn’t said whether starters like quarterback Malik Willis or running back De’Von Achane will suit up, but the coach said Monday everyone on the team “needs to be ready to play.”
“You never know what to expect, but you kind of just go out there, and it’s like a regular practice. You just start,” said tackle Patrick Paul, whose brother, Chris, is an offensive lineman for the Commanders. “There’s no like pre-anything. It’s just from the jump you’re going. It’s going to bring the best out of a lot of people because you’re going against new competition. These aren’t your teammates. These are people you’re about to play, so you need to go out there and compete.”
Making Moves
The Dolphins agreed to acquire offensive tackle Caedan Wallace and a 2029 seventh-round pick from the New England Patriots on Monday in exchange for a 2028 sixth-rounder. That deal is pending a physical.
Wallace, a third-round pick out of Penn State by the Patriots in 2024, has played in 10 games with two starts over the past two seasons.
Also Monday, the Dolphins placed kicker Zane Gonzalez on injured reserve and signed cornerback Nick McCloud as they deal with injuries in their secondary.
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CHARGERS ADD OLB ANDRE CARTER TO TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
The Los Angeles Chargers signed outside linebacker Andre Carter on Monday while waiving wide receiver Mante’ Morrow to create a roster spot.
An undrafted free agent out of Army, Carter, 26, played 12 games as a rookie for the Minnesota Vikings in 2023, recording two tackles. He played three games for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024, making one tackle.
Carter was waived by Las Vegas last August and spent time across the on the practice squads of the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins last season. He signed a futures contract with the Washington Commanders in January but was released on July 29.
Morrow, 24, was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free-agent rookie out of Upper Iowa University.
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NINERS SIGN OL DOUG KRAMER JR. TO 1-YEAR DEAL
The San Francisco 49ers signed offensive lineman Doug Kramer Jr. to a one-year deal on Monday and released offensive lineman Nick Zakelj to clear a spot on the roster.
Kramer, 28, has played all 18 of his career games (no starts) with the Chicago Bears, including 16 in 2024. He was drafted by the Bears in the sixth round in 2022 out of Illinois. Football news
Waived for the second time by the Bears last August, Kramer spent two weeks on the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad before he was released in December.
Zakelj, 27, has spent his entire NFL career with San Francisco, which drafted him in the sixth round in 2022. He was selected 20 picks before Kramer came off the board.
Zakelj appeared in 29 games (two starts) over the last four seasons, with both of those starts and 17 of the games coming in the 2024 season. He signed a one-year extension with the team in February.
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COULD STEELERS KEEP 4 QBS? PRAISE FOR MASON RUDOLPH CROWDS PICTURE IN PITTSBURGH
It’s sounding more feasible by the day that the Pittsburgh Steelers could keep four quarterbacks when they set their initial 53-man roster later this month.
Following the selection of Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 draft and the return of Aaron Rodgers for one last hurrah, the Steelers boasted a crowded QB room that included veteran backup Mason Rudolph and 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard. The question all offseason has been whether the club would keep all four — an unusual move, but not unheard of.
Given recent glowing comments from Mike McCarthy about Rudolph, the belief that the quartet could all make the squad is growing.
“I can’t tell you how pleased I am with him,” McCarthy said of Rudolph last week, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “The experience that he’s gained, I think, is incredibly valuable to us. But the footwork is different. [The] throws are better than I knew. Just like anything in the quarterback room, you really don’t know until you stand next to them or you’re out there on the field, really how each guy throws the ball.”
Couple McCarthy’s comments with general manager Omar Khan backing the possibility of keeping four, and it doesn’t sound like Rudolph is going anywhere. Veteran Steelers beat reporter Mark Kaboly took things a step further, writing over the weekend that “Rudolph isn’t getting released, cut, traded, or put on the practice squad. Full stop.” Alrighty then.
While Rudolph could net a draft pick in a trade with a club looking for a veteran backup, that would leave the Steelers with two QBs behind a 42-year-old who have never taken an NFL snap. Pittsburgh doesn’t want to risk its season spiraling if Rodgers has to miss time. Rudolph might not be an every-week starter, but he’s shown he can hold his own in spot action.
So, if Rudolph isn’t moved and Allar, the No. 76 overall pick back in April, isn’t going anywhere, then it comes down to whether Howard can show enough during the preseason to win a roster spot. The club showered Howard with praise early in the offseason, but that didn’t stop the Steelers from drafting Allar. The 24-year-old missed all of last season with a hand injury, including preseason action, but he likely wouldn’t make it through waivers if he flashes during the next three weeks.
Preseason action, starting with Thursday’s tilt against the Green Bay Packers, will go a long way in determining how the QB room is sorted out. The need to see the youngsters take reps is why it’s interesting that McCarthy is considering giving Rodgers significant reps in the first two preseason games.
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
RB ISMAIL MAHDI, LB MAX HARRIS REJOIN ARIZONA FOR FIFTH YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY
Arizona running back Ismail Mahdi and linebacker Max Harris are back with the Wildcats after earning an extra year of eligibility, the school announced Monday.
The two 2025 honorable mention All-Big 12 players secured eligibility for this season when U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney of Colorado recently ruled that the NCAA’s new five-in-five rule allows some Class of 2022 athletes to compete this year.
Mahdi and Harris are part of the group granted the extra season. Both had played just four college seasons.
The NCAA has declared it intends to appeal the ruling.
Mahdi rushed for a team-best 859 yards last season in his first campaign at Arizona. He scored five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) and caught 17 passes for 119 yards.
He began his career at FCS program Houston Christian in 2022. He then rushed for 2,322 yards and 14 touchdowns in two seasons at Texas State before transferring to Arizona.
Harris was third on the Wildcats with 78 tackles and notched 3.5 sacks last season in his first campaign with Arizona.
He previously played one season apiece at FCS Incarnate Word (2022), Louisiana-Monroe (career-high 79 tackles in 2023) and Texas State (2024).
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SMU QB KEVIN JENNINGS (FINGER) LIMITED IN PRACTICE BUT GOOD FOR WEEK 1
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings will be limited for the next few weeks after severely jamming a finger on his throwing hand, head coach Rhett Lashlee told reporters on Monday.
The injury, which was caused by a door as Jennings was entering a room and someone else was leaving early in fall camp, isn’t expected to cause the veteran to miss any regular-season action.
“Kevin, the last few days, has been limited,” Lashlee said. “Just to give an update: so, everything’s fine. … There’s no issues, it’s just a really bad jam. But we’re just gonna take a week, maybe two.
“He’s gonna be fine by Game 1 and have plenty of time to prepare.”
Jennings, who saw the school launch a Heisman campaign for him ahead of the 2026 season, tallied career highs of 3,641 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes last season while also being intercepted a career-worst 13 times. He’s thrown for 7,709 yards, 55 touchdowns and 26 interceptions over four seasons for the Mustangs, also rushing for 559 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Getting Jennings back in time for the start of the regular season will be critical for SMU, which travels to face Florida State in Week 1 on Sept. 7.
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6 COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHES UNDER THE MOST PRESSURE ENTERING THE 2026 SEASON
Patience for poor performance is a rarity in college football and that’s only become more clear in recent years. Eight power four coaches were jobless by November in 2025, and fifteen Bowl Subdivision coaches were fired throughout the season, totaling a record $270 million in buyout packages.
As the 2026 season arrives, here are six coaches entering the fall under the most pressure for instant results:
Mike Norvell, Florida State
Florida State peaked too early last season with a 31-17 Week 1 upset of Alabama and two blowouts against East Texas A&M and Kent State, cruising to a 3-0 start. And then things got shaky for the Seminoles, winning just two of their final nine games. Coach Mike Norvell is just above .500 in his six years at FSU (38-34). Thirteen of those wins came during the Noles’ playoff run in 2023. Since then, FSU has landed in the win column just seven times and finished bottom five in the ACC in back-to-back years — leaving Norvell in the win now bucket.
Bill Belichick, North Carolina
Bill Belichick arrived at UNC as a first-time college coach who had won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, but the hyped hiring fell flat in Year 1. The Tar Heels had 70 new players while ending up with more double-digit losses (five) than total wins (four) and missing a bowl for the first time since 2018, and there were multiple helpings of unwanted off-field headlines, too.
Belichick enters this year with 60 new players in another roster overhaul. The Tar Heels are picked to finish 15th in the 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference and have a tougher schedule in Year 2, including home games against Notre Dame and preseason ACC favorite Miami. Another off-field issue hit before camp: General manager Michael Lombardi is on leave as the subject of a school investigation.
Belichick originally signed a five-year, $50 million contract paying him $10 million in base and supplemental pay each year, though only the first three years were guaranteed. That means the school would owe the 74-year-old Belichick roughly one year’s pay if it decided to move on after the season.
Shane Beamer, South Carolina
Shane Beamer ’s fifth year at South Carolina didn’t quite go to plan, with the Gamecocks finishing 4-8 and 15th (1-7) in the SEC. South Carolina’s stint in the AP Top 25 was short-lived, entering the season at No. 13 in the preseason poll and falling out of the rankings entirely after a Week 3 loss to Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks lost six of their final eight games.
Beamer returns with something to prove and he has quarterback LaNorris Sellers, standout edge rusher Dylan Stewart and receiver Nyck Harbor to help.
Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
It’s no secret Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell is back on the hot seat — he acknowledged it himself at Big Ten media days. A 4-8 record in 2025 was Wisconsin’s second straight losing season for the first time since the early 1990s. The Badgers reached lows they hadn’t seen since the 70’s this past season with shutout losses against Iowa and Ohio State in back-to-back weeks. Fickell hasn’t been able to replicate the level of success he had in Cincinnati yet, with a 17-21 record. Wisconsin opens against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
Bill O’Brien, Boston College
After leading Boston College to a 7-6 record and Pinstripe Bowl appearance his first season, the Eagles regressed in 2025, finishing with a 2-10 record and ahead of only Syracuse in the ACC. Boston College’s two wins came in the first and last weeks of the season against Fordham and Syracuse, sandwiching 10 straight losses. The sharp decline after an encouraging first season has left little margin for error heading into Year 3.
Mike Locksley, Maryland
Maryland’s Mike Locksley remains squarely on the hot seat after nearly identical seasons in 2024 and 2025, finishing 4-8 overall and 1-8 in Big Ten play. In eight seasons, Locksley is 37-49 for the Terps and the best years in the stretch were back to back 8-5 seasons in 2022 and again in 2023, where Maryland won its third bowl game in as many years.
Locksley said the tough days are behind the program at Big Ten media days, looking forward to ramping up this season with what he described as one of the most talented rosters during his time at Maryland.
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TOP GAMES TO WATCH THIS SEASON
Oregon at Ohio State, Nov. 7
Calling our shot now — the loser of this game will not reach the Big Ten Championship and could be vying for one of the league’s final at-large spots in the CFP. The Ducks host Michigan and Washington after this one, and this will be Ohio State’s third straight matchup against a top-15 league opponent. Something has to give here. Dan Lanning going head-to-head with Day is the ultimate chess match, and this is the first meeting between the two elite coaches since the Buckeyes’ 20-point beatdown at the Rose Bowl two seasons ago.
Miami at Notre Dame, Nov. 7
Judging by our way-too-early playoff projections, the Hurricanes and Fighting Irish should be two of college football’s best teams next fall. In fact, we expect this contest to be the only blemish on either team’s entire schedule, leading to top-4 postseason billing. Enjoy the final matchup of this home-and-home agreement while you can. It’s likely the last we’ll see of it for a long time unless Notre Dame bucks its preference for independence.
Ohio State at Indiana, Oct. 17
Despite six straight wins to open the season with TCU transfer Josh Hoover at quarterback, the jury will still be out on the Hoosiers heading into this seismic opportunity at home against the Buckeyes. It’ll mark Indiana’s first game against an opponent of comparable talent since taking out Miami for a national title and should give Curt Cignetti a better understanding of his team’s chances of repeating. Indiana plays Michigan, USC and Washington as well, with those games narrowly missing this group despite their importance.
Georgia at Ole Miss, Nov. 7
Go ahead and cancel all weekend plans on Nov. 7 next season. Three of college football’s most important games of the year with playoff implications will all be played that Saturday. The selection committee’s debut rankings are relatively meaningless, considering this slate is coming a few days after their reveal. This is where the end-of-season SEC hierarchy is established.
Ohio State at Texas, Sept. 12
As much as Steve Sarkisian wanted to blame his team’s season-opening loss at Ohio State for their failure to reach the CFP last fall, the differentiator was actually a forgettable performance at Florida a few weeks later that damaged hopes. That said, it’s easy to see why programs across the country are canceling various upcoming series with elite opponents, given the disadvantages in the CFP era with conferences moving to nine-game schedules. This will be one of the last such meetings between two preseason titans and, once again, will have a significant impact on the CFP committee later in the year.
Texas at Texas A&M, Nov. 27
Graced with three chances to leave a lasting impression on the CFP committee in November against bowl-bound programs from last season, Texas A&M will have revenge on its mind against Texas after the Longhorns halted the Aggies’ unblemished run in 2025. Texas A&M never recovered, losing to Miami in the first round of the CFP a few weeks later to disrupt an otherwise impressive showing and top-10 finish from Mike Elko in Year 2. This matchup could decide a bid in the SEC Championship Game as well.
Texas at LSU, Nov. 14
Turn your heads, Texas fans. Your team is going to face immense pressure several times next season on the road in the SEC. Unfortunately, all of last season’s losses came away from Austin for the Longhorns, who struggled to generate firepower on offense in two of those contests. Should the road woes continue, especially during the final month of the 2026 season, Texas will fall short of expectations despite its star-studded roster.
Michigan at Ohio State, Nov. 28
The stakes here are always high, regardless of CFP and Big Ten reflections. But for the Wolverines, Kyle Whittingham’s debut against the Buckeyes holds a significant indication of where this program is headed under his watch at the end of his first campaign. Implications are enhanced if Michigan takes the next step with Bryce Underwood and remains in playoff contention throughout.
Georgia at Alabama, Oct. 10
As long as the Crimson Tide avoids being upset at home early or fails to escape a pair of SEC road games against programs that failed to reach bowl eligibility last fall, this one has all the trimmings of an expected top-10 matchup between unbeatens in Week 6. Georgia’s SEC Championship romp in December was only Kirby Smart’s second win in nine tries against Alabama, with five losses coming by a single possession.
Oregon at USC, Sept. 26
The Trojans will be unbeaten and rolling with Jayden Maiava at quarterback as Dante Moore and the Ducks come to the Coliseum in Week 5, marking the Big Ten’s first showcase game of the season. The date with Oregon is USC’s first of three straight against quality conference competition that will determine where this team stands at the midyear point. The placement of this one gives the Ducks a chance with two new coordinators to establish themselves against Boise State and Oklahoma State early before battling the Trojans.
LSU at Ole Miss, Sept. 19
This isn’t your typical former coach vs. old program narrative. The bad blood is real, at least from the Ole Miss side, after Kiffin left the Rebels at the CFP alter last fall for an opportunity in Baton Rouge. His welcome back to Oxford will not be warm, and LSU’s defense has Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy — two transfers Kiffin landed at Ole Miss — to deal with as the early pecking order within the SEC starts to sort itself out near the top.
Ohio State at USC, Oct. 31
One of potentially six games against ranked opponents for Ryan Day’s team, this Halloween matchup in Los Angeles should set the stage for quite a bit of poll fluctuation within the Big Ten before the first CFP rankings reveal of the season. This is the Buckeyes’ first contest with the Trojans since the 2017 Cotton Bowl, a victory that snapped a seven-game skid against USC dating back to 1974. Lincoln Riley hasn’t yet reached the CFP at USC, but his 2026 team could give him a shot.
Oklahoma at Michigan, Sept. 12
Arguably the Sooners’ most pivotal matchup in 2026, a road win over a nationally-ranked Wolverines squad would come in handy during final playoff deliberations later in the season. A loss before opening the SEC gauntlet diminishes the likelihood of a return CFP trip for Oklahoma. The Sooners used last year’s win over Michigan in September as a catapult of sorts, establishing early confidence under quarterback John Mateer and a new offense.
BYU at Utah, Nov. 7
One of the toughest calls to make in this ranking of important games was which matchup to pick in the Big 12. Can BYU repeat last season’s success? Are the Utes going to be a factor inside the top 15 with Morgan Scalley? These are questions no one has answers to in February, but the expected two-deeps for both offer some inclination that we’ll be talking about the Cougars and Utes in November as league threats behind Texas Tech.
Ole Miss at Texas, Oct. 24
Heisman odds will take a turn once this battle on the Forty Acres between two high-profile returning quarterbacks is done. Arch Manning was terrific late in his first season as the Texas starter and punctuated the 2025 campaign with a multi-touchdown outing against Michigan that put him back at the top of the sport at the position. No number will be safe in this one between two of 2026’s most prolific offenses.
Alabama at LSU, Nov. 7
A barometer matchup for both programs, this one’s vital for Kalen DeBoer and his future with the Crimson Tide. Arch-rival LSU is one of those handful of annual games you’re graded on in Tuscaloosa from a variety of angles. Going into Tiger Stadium and winning would buy DeBoer more time and put the Crimson Tide on the path to a second playoff appearance in his three seasons as coach.
Texas vs. Oklahoma, Oct. 10
The theatrics and pageantry of Red River stand alone among early-season rivalries, and the 2026 installment should feature two teams inside the top 15. There’s no promise of a competitive game, however, after Texas has won three of the last four meetings by an average of 32.3 points per game. Last year’s loss to the Longhorns did not derail Oklahoma’s season, and it’s imperative that both of these teams are able to bounce back from this one quickly, regardless of the victor.
Notre Dame at BYU, Oct. 17
Notre Dame’s playoff assurance in 2026 means the Fighting Irish need to reach the 11-win threshold to essentially guarantee an appearance inside the top 12. Ten wins might be enough, too. BYU, SMU and Miami are the only notable opponents of relative talent, and even then, there’s a considerable gap between the Fighting Irish and the Mustangs and Cougars. A win against BYU on the road means Notre Dame’s unbeaten season is possible under Marcus Freeman and top-seed billing in the CFP entering the second half of the campaign.
Oklahoma at Georgia, Sept. 26
Two touchdowns should be enough to win this one between the hedges, pitting two hard-hitting and technically-sound defenses. You’re not going to find two head coaches better at their crafts defensively matched up against one another next season. These two blue bloods haven’t played since Georgia’s overtime thriller against Baker Mayfield’s Sooners back in the 2017 Rose Bowl.
Texas A&M at Alabama, Oct. 24
The loser here faces an uphill climb back in the SEC race and at-large playoff picture, given this game’s midseason placement. Alabama is 10-2 against Texas A&M since the Aggies joined the conference, but has not hosted them since 2022. The last three games in the series were decided by six points or less.
Miami at Clemson, Oct. 3
Maybe the Tigers are playing spoiler here against a top-ranked playoff hopeful and early ACC unbeaten? A win for Clemson would change the narrative a bit at the top of the league with plenty of games to play. Swinney had beaten Miami four straight times before the Hurricanes’ win in 2023, the last time these two programs met.
Penn State at Michigan, Oct. 17
USC and Michigan are two opponents we’ve circled on the Nittany Lions’ slate entering Matt Campbell’s first campaign, but there are a couple of others within the Big Ten equally worrisome if Penn State flatlines again. Michigan will be coming off an open date for this one, with plenty of time to plan for what the Nittany Lions are bringing to the table. The winner here stays in the conference title discussion, while a loss complicates matters expeditiously.
Virginia Tech at Miami, Nov. 20
Anyone else buying stock in James Franklin’s first season with the Hokies? There’s a small chance Virginia Tech is 7-0 going to Clemson at the end of October, thanks to a favorable early slate. By then, the Hokies will no longer be disguised under the cloak of anonymity as a team in the ACC driver’s seat. And for Miami to match last season’s success under Mario Cristobal, it may take a league championship to get there before the final CFP reveal.
Clemson at LSU, Sept. 5
Will this mark a further indictment of Dabo Swinney’s program, or can Clemson spoil Lane Kiffin’s opener at Tiger Stadium? Takeaways after the first game of the season are often futile, but this one feels extremely important for the visiting team. Swinney has stuck to his guns with his recruiting philosophy and picked Chad Morris as his new play-caller to try to get back to explosive plays offensively. And considering the resources exhausted in the portal at LSU, Kiffin need not swing and miss here as a favorite.
Memphis at UNLV, Aug. 29
Group of Six projections are widely skewed, given mass coaching and personnel changes at various programs after James Madison and Tulane reached the 12-team bracket last season. But we’re expecting these two to each win double-digit games in 2026. Dan Mullen’s resurgence at UNLV may lead to a bigger opportunity next coaching cycle if the Rebels are as advertised. Memphis, one of several top-end programs in the wide-open American with a new coach, signed 53 transfers.
Houston at Texas Tech, Sept. 19
The reigning Big 12 champions somehow avoid BYU and Utah during the regular season, which means the Red Raiders should feel good about their chances of getting back to the CFP if they get past Houston in Week 3. The Cougars won 10 games in 2025 under Willie Fritz and retained quarterback Conner Weigman and others in an effort to continue their ascension. This is a spotlight game for new Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who comes over from Cincinnati as one of this portal cycle’s top signal callers.
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ACC TOP CONTENDERS PREVIEW
#4 CLEMSON TIGERS
The transfer portal has exploded since 2020 and changed how programs build their rosters. Thousands of players shift schools every offseason in what has become the biggest Musical Chairs in sports. While every other program doubled down and tripled down on the transfer market, Clemson and head coach Dabo Swinney remained committed to traditional recruiting with an anti-transfer stance. Without the steady influx of proven college talent to patch up roster holes or cover for recruiting/scouting misses, the Dabo model meant the strength of the team would be cyclical year to year: developmental years with younger rosters, but then eventually the proven, veteran roster to cash in for championship runs. With 17 starters returning from an ACC title team, Clemson was set to cash in. This was it – the year of vindication for Dabo’s model. They entered 2025 as unanimous ACC favorites to repeat, and started with a high #4 preseason ranking. Far from a title run, the whole thing collapsed in September.
Clemson lost the opener to LSU, needed a 16-point comeback to survive against Troy, and then lost ACC games to Georgia Tech and Syracuse. The offense was unproductive, the defense couldn’t get the ACC offenses off the field, and they hit their first 1-3 start to a season since 2004. Another wave of losses dropped Clemson to its worst season in 15 years. “I feel like I’m in 2010 all over again,” Swinney said. Though they did take back the rivalry crown from South Carolina, Swinney’s “greatest turnaround team in Clemson history” praise rings hollow. Clemson remained committed to the old strategy and signed the ACC’s second-fewest transfers this cycle and notably did not sign a quarterback or a single offensive lineman. Multi-year starter Cade Klubnik graduated, the entire starting line is gone, but they kept the reload in-house. That strategy, along with Swinney’s change at offensive coordinator, will define the 2026 season.
OFFENSE
It does feel like 2010 with the hire at offensive coordinator. Clemson brought back Chad Morris, whose so-called “Smashmouth Spread” offense helped end the school’s ACC title drought in 2011 and eventually his successors kept the scheme through the dynasty years. Morris said he wants a two-back offense, a commitment to a physical rushing attack, and vertical shots downfield in the pass game. That was all missing last year, as Clemson fell to #105 in rushing yards/game – Swinney’s lowest – and below average marks in Offensive Line Run Push and Explosive Passing. And that was with the most
veteran offense in America. It’s a full transition heading into 2026 with just three returning starters. Multi-year starter Klubnik graduated and Clemson doubled down on their quarterback room. Chris Vizzina was the #6 ranked quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class, and the former Top100 prospect spent three years as a backup.
Vizzina started the SMU game and went 29/42 for 317 yards and three touchdowns but is otherwise an unknown. Against Furman, dual-threat Chris Denson posted Clemson’s first 100-yard quarterback rushing game since Trevor Lawrence. But after spring, Swinney said the fall camp battle will be between Vezzina and incoming freshman three-star Tait Reynolds. The other surprise was Clemson signing zero linemen from the portal to help fuel a reload as all five starters depart. Blake Miller earned first-team All-ACC honors after 50+ career starts while three others joined him with all-league honors. Despite the individual accolades, the unit struggled to get a run push and fell by 60 spots in all key stat categories. Aside from Harris Sewell and Collin Sadler getting bowl game starts, this is a completely fresh starting five. Four of them are former Top 200 four-star recruits but they collectively lack game experience. All-ACC Adam Randall graduates and the staff signed SMU co-starter Chris Johnson who brings explosiveness, speed, and a high 7.1 yard/carry average. 2025 Top100 Gideon Davidson got some carries as a true freshman and gets a bigger role this year. Clemson was able to retain two all-league stars in outside receivers Bryant Wesco and TJ Moore. Wesco had a season-ending injury but at full strength he is a potential All-American. They do lose Antonio Williams in the slot, but Tyler Brown returns there, and they signed near-five-star Naeem Burroughs.
Both tight ends return, and it sounds like Morris will be using both much more this season. Christian Bentancur and Olsen Patt-Henry combined for 36 catches last year but should get more this fall with one at end and one in an H-back role.
DEFENSE
From 2014-2023 Clemson posted 10 straight Top 10 defenses in my opponent-adjusted rankings – a full decade of elite defense. The 2024 and 2025 units ranked #43 and #39 of 68 Power 4. Tom Allen took over as coordinator last year and helped boost the rush defense into the Top 25. The second-year coach bonus may be muted due to the loss of star power with six All-ACC defenders leaving. TJ Parker and defensive tackles Peter Woods and Demonte Capehart all depart, but the productive Will Heldt is back at end after a 15.5 tackle-for-loss, 7.5 sack season. Jahiem Lawson moves up into the other
end spot and the staff signed All-Freshman London Merritt (Colorado) who was second on his team in tackles-for-loss. Both tackle spots are open but could remain a strength again with Oklahoma transfer Markus Strong and five-star Amare Adams in his second season. First-team All-ACC Sammy Brown returns at linebacker as the star of the defense. Brown finished second in the ACC with 106 tackles and should push for All-America consideration. His co-star Wade Woodaz graduated, and Clemson lost a late transfer battle for Cal’s Luke Ferrelli, so Kobe McCloud will battle former five-star Jeremiah Alexander for the starting role. Three more all-league stars are gone from the secondary as Avieon Terrell graduated and safeties Ricardo Jones (Vanderbilt) and Khalil Barnes (Georgia) transferred out. The staff used the transfer portal here and signed three
projected starters in three-stars Corey Myrick (Southern Miss), Jerome Carter (Old Dominion), and Elliot Washington (Penn State). Myrick and All-Sun Belt Carter will be the safety pair, while Washington drew huge Dabo praise: “by far the best guy in camp.”
Ashton Hampton takes over as the new #1 corner, Corian Gipson is back at nickel, and Donovan Starr (Auburn) and Branden Strozier add talent to the room.
OUTLOOK
2025 was a total disappointment. With nine eventual NFL Draft picks, and the most veteran lineup in the league, they fell to their worst season since 2010. Swinney doubled down on his anti-transfer plan, added zero offensive linemen or quarterbacks, but Clemson’s high school recruiting still keeps them in ACC contention. They are no longer on the Dynasty Tier but should remain a Top 25 team with a roster packed with former four-star recruits.
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#3 SMU MUSTANGS
In 2024 SMU moved back up to the Power 4 level, ending a decades-long rebuild from their crippling NCAA sanctions. They became the first program ever to move up and post an 8-0 regular season in their new league, and then came a field goal short from winning the ACC title game. Far from a one-hit wonder, the 2025 team showed the program has
staying power. SMU went into Clemson’s Death Valley and avenged the ACC title loss, gave their home fans a field-stormer by beating #10 Miami in overtime, and went into the final day of the season with a win-and-in scenario to another ACC title game. SMU rallied from a 17-point deficit to take a late lead on California, but the Bears drove right down the field to steal back the win, leaving SMU on the bad end of a five-team title tiebreaker.
It was a missed opportunity, and along with the Baylor, TCU, and Wake Forest games, SMU held fourth-quarter leads in all their eventual losses. Even though it ended without a return trip to Charlotte or another Playoff appearance, head coach Rhett Lashlee found plenty of positives – and rightfully so: “this senior class is special, they put SMU back on the national stage, and we’re just getting started.” The seniors set a program record with 31 wins over three years and added SMU’s first ranked bowl win since the 1984 Aloha Bowl over Notre Dame. Along with the 2024 accolades, Lashlee’s comments are certainly backed up. The on-field success is paying off in other areas too. Gerald Ford Stadium had the nation’s highest year-over-year boost in attendance from 2023 to 2024-25. Then they signed consecutive #32 ranked recruiting classes – 12 four-stars — to set a program record in the modern recruiting era.
OFFENSE
SMU retained their most important star in quarterback Kevin Jennings. The dual-threat
gunslinger enters his third and final season as the starter. Simply put, he is a highlight reel and with him under center SMU can score on any given snap. Jennings posted back-to-back 3,000+ yard seasons and placed in the ACC’s top five in QB Rating
both times. In 2025, he cut down on his turnover-collapse games and did so despite suffering a leg injury that limited his mobility. When he gets back to 100% this fall, his elusiveness and speed add another element to his game, and he should contend for All-ACC honors. He loses his top two targets with Jordan Hudson and Romello Brinson both graduating. Yamir Knight caught 54 balls for 637 yards last year and emerged over the second half of the season. Knight steps up as the featured receiver this fall and is joined by two impact transfers in four-star Yannick Smith (East Carolina) and Jalen Hale (Alabama) who was a former five-star recruit. Top200 Jalen Cooper impressed as a freshman last season, true freshman Aljour Miles got huge praise from Lashlee this spring, and SMU stocked the room with another round of young blue-chippers. The staff has also stacked recruiting wins in the trenches, with four four-star linemen in the past
two recruiting cycles. While the freshmen spend 2026 as a developmental growth year, SMU has a veteran starting five again. First-team All-ACC guard Logan Parr leaves as a program legend, but the right side of the line is back. Right tackle PJ Williams is the star this season, center Joshua Bates also received ACC honors, and Addison Nichols returns at right guard. Alex Woods and Andrew Chamblee are projected starters on the left side, though Top100 Dramodd Odoms could push at left tackle as a redshirt freshman. They need some improvement in Offensive Line Run Push (#98) but landed
another Top 25 rank in Pass Protection, even with a less-mobile Jennings in November.
SMU loses their one-two punch in the backfield with the physical TJ Harden graduating and the explosive Chris Johnson transferring out to Clemson. The staff signed California starter Kendrick Raphael who grinded out a 900-yard season and ACC honorable mention despite getting no help from the #135 offensive line at Cal. Dramekco Green got experience in the bowl game, and versatile pass-threat Derrick McFall returns and may even get some reps in the slot. All three tight ends depart, including All-ACC Matthew Hibner. The staff signed three Power 4 tight ends from the portal: Florida State starter Randy Pittman, four-star Theo Melin Ohrstrom (Texas A&M), and Trey Jackson (Texas Tech). Offensive coordinator Casey Woods took the head coach job at Missouri State, and Lashlee promoted receivers coach Rob Likens. Lashlee is still the playcaller though, so there won’t be changes to the high-tempo spread offense. This should be a Top 15 offense again.
DEFENSE
The coordinator change on this side is more uncertain. Over the past three-year average, SMU ranks #10 in my opponent-adjusted defense rankings and they lose mastermind Scott Symons to the NFL. Lashlee promoted internally here too – linebackers coach Maurice Crum and cornerbacks coach Rickey Hunley – but the loss of Symons is an uncertainty. It doesn’t help losing six All-ACC stars. The entire starting defensive line is gone along with four starting defensive backs. The linebacker trio returns as one of ACC’s best groups. Alex Kilgore is a proven star, Brandon Booker is ready for a breakout season, and former walk-on Brandon Miyazono continues to impress. The trio combined for 174 tackles, 11 for loss, and 3 picks. Outside of the linebacker room it is a complete rebuild. SMU allowed 283 pass yards/game, second-worst nationally, but from a per-play, efficiency perspective they checked in at #56 in QB Rating, and #34 of 68 Power 4 in my opponent-adjusted passing number. All-ACC stars Ahmaad Moses, Isaiah Nwokobia, and Deuce Harmon are all gone, and corner Marcellus Barnes is the only returning starter in the secondary. Jarvis Lee (USF) and All-AAC Jimmy Wyrick (UTSA) are three-star transfers projected as starters at nickel and safety. There’s even more attrition up front with all four defensive linemen gone: Isaiah Smith, Jeffrey M’ba, Terry Webb, and Cam Robertson. SMU does get two original starters back from injury recoveries with former Liberty transfer Aakil Washington at edge, and Jonathan Jefferson finally back at tackle. Former Missouri transfer Jahkai Lang started four games at end here last year, and a pair of three-star transfers battle at tackle: Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder (Kansas State) and All-MAC Marques White (UMass).
OUTLOOK
Lashlee is leveling up the roster talent from the high school ranks, and each year of development it will pay off more and more. SMU is on an upward trajectory but in the short-term, there are some obstacles in 2026: a double coordinator change, and the loss of nine of their 12 All-ACC stars. Jennings is a Heisman darkhorse, he’s got plenty of weapons to throw to and a stout line blocking for him. SMU is a legit ACC title contender but the talent drain on defense, as well as the loss of ace coordinator Symons, keeps
them in the #3 spot.
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#2 LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
Jeff Brohm made it three-in-a-row at his alma mater: three transfer quarterbacks, three 9-win seasons. But this time Louisville did it with defense and a run game. Ron English’s defense made drastic improvements, especially against the pass, and Louisville finished ranked in the national Top 40 in all 17 of my defensive stat categories. They joined Oregon as the only units to do so. That pass defense made the difference by picking off Carson Beck four times in Louisville’s 24-21 win over #2 Miami for their second Top 2 win
in program history (2016 FSU). The statement win helped push Louisville up as high as #15 in the polls. Instead of his usual pass-heavy scheme, Brohm doubled down on the run game with his trio of explosive running backs and they finished with the #7 rushing attack in my opponent-adjusted numbers. Even with the roster crushed with injuries, Louisville lined up and powered the ball between the tackles in their 41-0 destruction of rival Kentucky. It was a nice consolation prize for a season that had several missed opportunities separating Louisville from a potential ACC title spot in such a wide-open league race. Their first three losses came by a combined seven points. Louisville gave away two defensive touchdowns to Virginia in the 30-27 overtime loss, lost another overtime game to California 29-26, and then held Clemson to 1/13 on third downs but blew it late 20-19 with a run of self-inflicted penalties. Brohm now has eight one-score losses in his three seasons, but opponent-adjusted Game Grader shows just how close they are to a breakthrough: 2nd in the ACC (2023), 4th (2024), and 3rd (2025).
The staff has excelled in talent acquisition and this 2026 transfer haul has Louisville reloaded for perhaps Brohm’s best roster yet.
OFFENSE
Miller Moss posted an average passing season – 10th in the ACC in both yards/attempt and QB Rating – but struggled in crunch time. His sack-turned Pick Six cost them the Virginia loss, and then in the three-game November stretch he threw just one touchdown. Explosiveness was missing from the pass game and Louisville dropped 90 spots year-over-year in long-yardage passing. Brohm went back to the portal for a fourth-straight transfer quarterback but this is the first one without Power 4 starting experience. Louisville signed Lincoln Kienholz (Ohio State) who spent his freshman seasons backing up Kyle McCord and Will Howard, and then lost the fall camp
competition to Julian Sayin in 2025. Stuck in a crowded NFL quarterback room, he comes to Louisville with minimal game experience but last year in blowouts he showed off a strong arm, good reads in the RPO game, mobility in the pocket, and even some strength in QB power runs. The former Top200 high school recruit brings the most athletic skillset that Brohm has had here. Louisville lost their top four receivers including the productive All-ACC duo of Chris Bell and Caullin Lacy (1,552 combined receiving yards) but they reloaded with highly-touted transfers for Kienholz to throw to. They signed a one-two punch with speedster Tre Richardson (Vanderbilt) and Lawayne McCoy (Florida State) who were both graded as four-star transfers. Richardson led Vanderbilt with 806
receiving yards and seven touchdowns and also ranked #7 in the SEC in yards after catch. Both guys should help fix the offense’s lack of explosive pass plays. TreyShun Hurry returns as the third Receiver. Brody Foley (Tulsa) earned first-team All-AAC honors and was ranked the #4 transfer tight end. Another four-star, Foley will be a mismatch nightmare and will pair up well with returning starter Jaleel Skinner. The running back room was the strength of the offense last year and two of the three return for 2026. Isaac Brown was a 2024 Freshman All-American and was off to an insane pace in 2025 with
an 8.6 per-carry average and five 100+ yard games in the first eight. He was injured but then Keyjuan Brown stepped up and averaged a high 7.3 per carry. Both Brown’s are back, and the staff added a Top200 recruit in redshirt freshman Marquise Davis (Missouri). Three multi-year starting offensive linemen graduated – center Pete Nygra and tackles Rasheed Miller and Trevonte Sylvester – and the staff hit the portal hard. Eryx Daugherty (Boston College) and Cason Henry (South Carolina) are both Power 4 starters with a combined 25 starts while Anwar O’Neal (Delaware) and Johnnie Brown (Georgia Southern) were all-league linemen at the non-AQ level. All-ACC honorable mention guard Lance Robinson is the lone returning starter.
DEFENSE
The staff hit home runs in the transfer portal last cycle and it paid off with an elite pass rush, #11 pass defense, and #19 overall defense per my opponent-adjusted numbers. Coordinator Ron English stepped down for family reasons and Brohm hired from within, elevating cornerbacks coach Steve Ellis and defensive line coach Mark Ivey to be co-coordinators. They will continue the 4-2-5 scheme that has worked here. Their pass rush duo of Clev Lubin and AJ Green combined for 12.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles-for-loss.
Both return, and while Wesley Bailey graduated, the staff backfilled with Tyler Thompson (UNC) who placed in the ACC’s top ten in sacks last year. The ends are a clear strength, but they lost three tackles: Rene Konga, Jordan Guerad, and Jerry Lawson (Oklahoma State). They added three Power 4 transfers and Demeco Kennedy (Purdue) got huge spring praise from Brohm. There are no question marks at linebacker, as they return a top unit for 2026. TJ Quinn graduates after leading the team in tackles for three straight seasons, but the other three are back including All-ACC Antonio Watts, veteran Stanquan Clark, and TJ Capers who had the game-sealing pick against Miami. Tayon Holloway had two picks in the Kentucky win and also earned All-ACC honors as a lockdown corner. The other starting spots in the secondary are up for grabs, but again, the staff pumped in highly-touted transfers. Koen Entringer (Iowa) was ranked a Top 10 safety transfer, and Kaleb Beasley (Tennessee) and TJ Banks (Ole Miss) are former Top200 recruits. DJ Waller (Kentucky) is projected to start at the other corner spot and he brings several years of Power 4 experience.
OUTLOOK
Louisville joined national runner-up Miami as the only ACC teams to place in the Top 25 of both my opponent- adjusted Offense and Defense rankings. They were painfully close to an ACC title breakthrough, but now Brohm has his best roster yet. The staff excelled in the transfer portal again and now Louisville ranks in the ACC top three in every position unit ranking except quarterback, but few coaches can match Brohm’s track record developing signal-callers. Louisville faces only one of the ACC’s top six, and is my pick to play Miami in the ACC title game.
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#1 MIAMI HURRICANES
Behind their nation-best lines of scrimmage, and one of the most improved defenses,
Miami closed out another 10-2 regular season. They swept their in-state rivals again,
and then closed with four wins by an average of 28 points/game. Their most important win actually came way back in the opener. Miami’s pass rush finished off a physical 27-24 win over Notre Dame and they snapped their eight-year drought against Top 10 opponents. In 2024, Miami’s 10-2 record landed them just outside the Playoff field. This time 10- 2 was enough, due to their critical head-to-head win over the other final 10-2 team in question: Notre Dame. It was the correct decision. “Let us never, ever devalue the importance of head-to- head competition, please,” said head coach Mario Cristobal.
Miami found another gear in the postseason. They went into Kyle Field and beat Texas
A&M 10-3 behind a breakout performance by running back Mark Fletcher and a game-
sealing pick in the endzone by Bryce Fitzgerald. Another interception flipped the Cotton Bowl, as Keionte Scott jumped a screen pass and took back a Pick Six 72 yards as Miami knocked out the defending champs Ohio State – 2002 payback. Miami got more late-game heroics from the offense in the semifinal as freshman phenom Malachi Toney
zig-zagged through the Ole Miss defense for a score. Then veteran Carson Beck scrambled in for the game-winner in the final seconds. Miami returned to the national title stage for the first time in a generation, and like the old days, they got to play for it on their home turf. Ultimately, Indiana made two critical fourth-down plays – the back
shoulder fade to Charlie Becker, and a Heisman-tier scramble by Fernando Mendoza – and Miami fell six points short of their sixth ring. As Cristobal put it: we say, ‘The U is Here,’ we are here right now. Despite falling a few plays short, the postseason run accelerated Cristobal’s program build, and all the elite talent acquisition is paying dividends.
OFFENSE
Beck went pro, so the staff went back for a third-straight transfer quarterback. They hit home runs with Cam Ward and Beck, and this round should be no different. Darian Mensah led Duke to a rare ACC title with his 3,973 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and high 67% completion rate. He was graded a Top 5 transfer quarterback this cycle and all season long he showed off both touch and arm strength, and a gunslinger attitude.
Mensah had the most downfield pass attempts in Power 4 last year. Their quarterback selection addresses one of the only weaknesses of the offense last year: a lack of downfield, vertical shots in the pass game. Miami was one of five Power 4 offenses to feature a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher, and 1,000-yard receiver. Duke was one of the others, and Mensah brought his receiver Cooper Barkate with him to join
Miami’s workhorse back Fletcher, and highlight-reel Toney. Fletcher found an extra gear in the Playoffs, averaging 126 rushing yards/game which was nearly double his regular season average. Marty Brown also returns, plus another round of Top200 blue-chippers in Jordan Lyle and Girard Pringle. The receiver room could be the nation’s best. Toney is a no-brainer All-America pick after breaking Miami’s school records for receptions (109) and yards (1,211) as a true freshman. Barkate put up 1,106 yards for Duke last year, earned All-ACC, and was ranked a Top 10 transfer receiver this cycle. Toney is
the best screen pass receiver, while Barkate actually led the nation in the 10-19 yard intermediate range last year. The staff signed four-star transfers Vandrevius Jacobs (South Carolina) and Cam Vaughn (West Virginia) who were Power 4 starters and combined for 1,089 yards last year. The spring surprise was sophomore Joshua Moore’s surge up the depth chart to a starting role. The 6’4, 220-pound former Top100 moved ahead of the veteran transfers. Plus, another round of Top100’s are incoming from the 2026 class: Milan Parris and Somourian Wingo. The tight end room had one of its lowest outputs in decades last year. Elija Lofton is a returning starter and more top recruits join the rotation with four-star Luka Gilbert and Top100 Gavin Mueller. Cristobal’s program was built intentionally from the inside out, with attention on the lines of scrimmage.
He and ace line coach Alex Mirabal built one of the nation’s best last year. Four linemen earned All-ACC honors, all four are gone, and anchor Francis Mauigoa was drafted in the first round. Miami signed the #1 offensive lineman this cycle Jackson Cantwell and he is projected to start at left tackle right away. Cristobal has started true freshmen successfully in the past like Penei Sewell and Mauigoa. Another five-star Samson Okunlola is next to him at left guard, oft-injured Ryan Rodriguez takes over at
center, and veteran Matthew McCoy shifted out to right tackle. The final guard spot is a battle between four-star Max Buchanan and Top100 SJ Alofaituli who are both second-years.
DEFENSE
Cristobal made one of the best coordinator hires of the entire 2025 cycle with Corey Hetherman here on defense. Hetherman inherited a below-average unit and with a more aggressive scheme, and an elite pass rush, vaulted Miami up to #4 in my opponent-adjusted number.
Six starters are gone, including two first-round draft picks off the edges. Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor were game-wreckers and combined for an insane 150 quarterback pressures, 33 tackles for loss, and 22 sacks. Normally that loss of star power would be enough to sink the defense, but Miami is absolutely stacked in the trenches. Of the eight linemen in the two-deep, four are five-stars, three moreare Top200’s, and the other is All-ACC tackle Ahmad Moten. Former five-star tackle Justin Scott (Saint Ignatius) is poised for an All-ACC season, Keona Davis (Nebraska) was a full-year starter, and Jarquez Carter (Ohio State) was Top200 in the 2025 class. At end, five-stars Armondo Blount and Marquise Lightfoot are joined by the nation’s #2 transfer edge Damon Wilson (Missouri) who posted 10 sacks last year. Wesley Bissainthe is gone but All-ACC Mo Toure was granted an eighth college season and is the leader in the middle. Chase Smith enters his sixth season and moved up into a starting role in spring. The secondary loses nickelback Scott and safety Jakobe Thomas, but the room is overflowing with talent. All four of the starting corners are back: Xavier Lucas, OJ Frederique, Damari Brown, and Ethan O’Connor. The staff signed four- star transfer Omar Thornton who started for Boston College last year and showed off excellent open-field tackling and got ACC honorable mention. Zechariah Poyser is back at safety, then three more Top100s pack the room with playoff hero Fitzgerald and incoming freshmen JJ Dunnigan and Camdin Portis.
OUTLOOK
The U came alive in the Playoff spotlight and accelerated Cristobal’s program build. I projected Playoff bids in 2024 and 2025 – the ’24 team was one of the last teams out, ’25 was the final team in – and a college football giant is awakening. It seems odd, since they still haven’t won the conference title game, but Miami is the new ACC dynasty program. The talent that Cristobal has stockpiled is head and shoulders above the rest of the league and they are my pick to win the ACC, and make another Playoff run in January.
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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: BRETT BATY BASHES GRAND SLAM AS METS DOWN BRAVES
Brett Baty’s first-inning grand slam set the pace and the visiting New York Mets held on to beat the Atlanta Braves 8-5 on Monday in the opener of a three-game series.
The Mets ended Atlanta’s nine-game home-field winning streak and improved their record against the Braves to 7-4. New York has won six out of seven on its nine-game road trip.
Francisco Lindor went 3-for-5 and added a home run to help the Mets’ 12-hit attack. Jared Young had two hits and two RBIs. New York reliever Daniel Duarte (1-0) tossed two hitless innings, and Kodai Senga pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his first career save.
Bryce Elder (8-7) worked five innings and allowed seven runs on 10 hits, ending a string of 18 consecutive games in which Atlanta starters allowed three runs or fewer. Mauricio Dubon hit a two-run single.
Twins 9, Orioles 5
Josh Bell went 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs, and Minnesota held on for a win over Baltimore in Minneapolis.
Ryan Jeffers finished 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs for the Twins, and Austin Martin finished 4-for-5 with a homer, a double and an RBI. Dean Kremer (2-4) beat his former team, which dealt him to Minnesota before the trade deadline. Kremer limited the Orioles to one run on one hit in seven innings with seven strikeouts.
Coby Mayo went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs to lead the Orioles. Trevor Rogers (7-8) allowed two runs on four hits in four innings.
Blue Jays 2, Red Sox 1
Charles McAdoo, recalled from Triple-A Buffalo before the game, hit a solo home run and Toronto held off visiting Boston.
Andres Gimenez added an RBI single for the Blue Jays, who have won three of their past four games. Simeon Woods Richardson (2-7), also promoted from Triple-A on Monday, allowed four hits and a run in three innings of relief. Toronto starter Jameson Taillon left after four scoreless innings due to right forearm discomfort.
The Red Sox, who had been the hottest team in the majors, have lost three in a row. Sonny Gray (14-3) gave up two runs and six hits in six innings.
Phillies 6, Cardinals 5
Edmundo Sosa had two hits and drove in three runs against his old team as Philadelphia prevailed at St. Louis.
Kyle Schwarber collected two hits and two walks and drove in a run for the Phillies. Andrew Painter (2-8) didn’t allow a hit until the sixth, and he wound up permitting two runs on two hits in 5 1/3 innings. Jonathan Bowlan pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first career save.
Alec Burleson had two hits and three RBIs for the Cardinals, and Ivan Herrera added two hits and two runs. Hunter Dobbins (2-3) yielded three runs, one earned, in five innings.
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GOLF NEWS
DANIEL BERGER OUT OF FEDEXCUP PLAYOFF OPENER DUE TO INJURY
Daniel Berger won’t compete in the FedEx Cup playoffs despite qualifying for the second straight year.
Berger did not commit to play in this week’s playoff opener in Memphis, the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The PGA Tour told Golfweek that Berger’s decision was due to injury.
Berger, 33, missed the better part of two years on tour due to a serious back injury. He returned in 2024 and made the FedEx Cup playoffs in 2025, reaching the second of three tournaments but withdrawing after three rounds of the BMW Championship.
This season, Berger finished 60 in the points race even as he withdrew from last week’s Wyndham Championship, the PGA Tour’s regular-season finale. Berger had not teed it up since the Open Championship a month ago.
The top 70 players in the season-long points race qualify for Memphis, and Berger won’t be replaced in the field, leaving 69 competitors at the St. Jude. Without playing this week, Berger has no way to reach the top 50 who’ll move on to the BMW Championship.
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REPORT: WYNDHAM ENDING 20-YEAR RUN AS PGA TOUR TITLE SPONSOR
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts will not return as a PGA Tour sponsor, Sports Business Journal reported on Monday, halting a 20-year run after its deal ran out this year.
Worth roughly $5.4 billion, Wyndham had sponsored the Greensboro, N.C., tournament since 2007, but per the report, is walking away instead of renewing its sponsorship with new terms.
SBJ reported that Raymond James is likely to take over the Greensboro tournament, which will slide into the Tour’s top-tier Championship Series in 2028. Raymond James also holds naming rights for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ stadium through 2027.
The cost for a Championship Series sponsor is reportedly $30 million or higher per year and increases annually. Lawmakers in North Carolina proposed $40 million in state funding to help Greensboro secure a Championship Series, tied to a binding four-year agreement that would have the Tour holding Championship Series events from 2028-31 at Greensboro’s Sedgefield Country Club.
Five other PGA Tour events — the Sompo Championship, The Sentry, the Travelers Championship, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Cadillac Championship — have secured spots for the 2028 Championship Series.
Current Signature events, including the Truist Championship, RBC Heritage and Genesis Invitational, are expected to secure their spots for 2028. The 3M Open is among tournaments seeking one of the remaining spots, per the report.
With shares of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts down roughly 17% from their 52-week high, the company’s market cap is at approximately $5.4 billion. That leaves the stock below analyst price targets, which makes renewing a 20-year sponsorship at a higher cost a tough decision.
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TOP INDIANA SPORTS HEADLINES
COLTS FOOTBALL
DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
WR: Alec Pierce*, Laquon Treadwell, E.J. Horton Jr., Sahmir Hagans, Eli Pancol
LT: Bernhard Raimann, Blake Freeland, Bayron Matos
LG: Quenton Nelson, Dalton Tucker, Josh Sills
C: Tanor Bortolini, Jimmy Morrissey, Geno VanDeMark, Josh Kreutz
RG: Matt Goncalves, Jalen Farmer
RT: Jalen Travis, Luke Tenuta, Nolan Rucci
TE: Tyler Warren, Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory, Carson Towt, Pharaoh Brown
WR: Josh Downs, Anthony Gould, Coleman Owen, Raylen Sharpe
WR: Ashton Dulin, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Deion Burks, Ben Nikkel, D.J. Montgomery
QB: Daniel Jones, Riley Leonard OR Anthony Richardson Sr., Easton Stick
RB: Jonathan Taylor, DJ Giddens, Seth McGowan, Ulysses Bentley IV, Anderson Castle, Roydell Williams
DEFENSE
DE: Arden Key, Jaylahn Tuimoloau, George Gumbs Jr., Mitchell Melton
DT: DeForest Buckner, Colby Wooden, Adetomiwa Adebawore
NT: Grover Stewart, Derrick Nnadi, Jerry Tillery, Cam Ball, Tim Smith
DE: Laiatu Latu, Micheal Clemons, Caden Curry, Durrell Nchami
WLB: Akeem Davis-Gaither, Jaylon Carlies, Bryce Boettcher, Tahj Chambers
MLB: CJ Allen, Austin Ajiake, West Weeks, Devin Versuk
CB: Charvarius Ward Sr., Cam Taylor-Britt, Johnathan Edwards, Mekhi Rodgers
FS: Camryn Bynum, Jonathan Owens, Trey Washington
SS: AJ Haulcy, Hunter Wohler, Daniel Scott, Juanyeh Thomas, Austin Brown
N: Justin Walley, Jai’Onte’ McMillan
CB: Sauce Gardner, Mekhi Blackmon, Jaylon Jones, Robert Carter Jr.
SPECIALISTS
P: Rigoberto Sanchez
PK: Blake Grupe OR Spencer Shrader
H: Rigoberto Sanchez
LS: Luke Rhodes
KR: Anthony Gould, Coleman Owen
PR: Anthony Gould, Coleman Owen
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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson finds himself in the same position he wanted to shed earlier this year.
He’s still on the roster, still battling Riley Leonard for the backup job to Daniel Jones.
No, this is not what Richardson or the Colts envisioned as the former Florida star entered his fourth pro season, again trying to prove he can stay healthy, be productive and become the franchise quarterback Indy thought it selected with the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2023.
“I’m here right now trying to make sure I can stamp my foot on this team and be the best version of myself I can be,” Richardson said Sunday at training camp in suburban Indianapolis. “I’m just ready to showcase what I can do and be a winning piece to help the team.”
Richardson sounds content, for now, even though he requested and received permission to find a trade partner during the offseason.
But because general manager Chris Ballard still believes Richardson can reach the potential the Colts saw in college, he’s not willing to cut ties that easily.
“We’re not just giving him away, we’re not going to do that,” Ballard said when players first reported to camp. “He is a great teammate and he’s fun to be around. He has really grown and worked. It’s been fun to watch, especially when you take a guy as high as we took him, you want him to come in and be the savior right away. Well, everybody’s developmental plan is different, and his was a little different. I still think he has got a future. We’ll see how that plays out here.”
But as Richardson tries to right the ship, his first two weeks of camp have been up and down.
On Sunday, he led his unit to a touchdown in the two-minute drill. Last week, though, he struggled to catch snaps out of the shotgun.
And it’s that kind of inconsistency that’s coach Shane Steichen wants to see fixed before naming Richardson QB2.
The athletic, strong-armed 6-foot-4, 244-pound Richardson won the starting job in camp as a rookie, but he managed to play in only four games that season. In 2024, he appeared in 11 of 17 games, posting the lowest completion percentage (47.7%) of any regular starter in the league. He was also benched for two games after pulling himself out of a game because he was “tired.”
So in 2025, the Colts signed Jones to compete with Richardson to be the starter.
It was no contest. Jones won the job and played so well through Indy’s first nine games he became part of the MVP conversation. Jones struggled after breaking a bone in his left leg in November and suffered a season-ending torn right Achilles tendon in December.
Richardson, meanwhile, missed the final 12 games because of a fractured orbital bone.
Leonard made his NFL starting debut in the Colts season-finale, and when the Colts re-signed Jones to a two-year, $88 million in March, they set up the competition between Leonard and Richardson.
“I think maybe this camp, I’ve taken a step further in understanding what the defense is doing a lot better,” Leonard said while calling Richardson a “great friend.” “When you get to know the offense for a whole year, you don’t have to think about things as much and it saves you time. If you break the huddle at 15 seconds, I feel like last year I spent the first eight seconds figuring out what the motions were and who was supposed to be where. Now I’m able to save those eight seconds and really figure out what the defense is doing and get my eyes up.”
Will that be enough to win the No. 2 job?
Time will tell.
“If that’s what the team wants, that’s what I want. I just want to help the team,” Richardson said when asked if he thought he’d stay in Indy all season. “Regardless, if I’m with the first, second or third team, my reps count. I’ve got to make them count. I feel if I put my best foot forward, then the team will make a decision that’s for the betterment of the team.”
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INDIANA FEVER
FEVER ADD C MERCEDES RUSSELL TO ROSTER
The Indiana Fever signed Mercedes Russell on Monday, one week after fellow center Damiris Dantas underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn meniscus in her left knee.
Russell, 31, averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds during 20 games off the bench last season with the Los Angeles Sparks.
A two-time WNBA champion with the Seattle Storm, Russell has averaged 4.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 209 career games (79 starts) with the New York Liberty, Storm and Sparks. The 6-foot-6 Tennessee product was selected by the New York Liberty in the second round of the 2018 WNBA Draft.
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By Madie Chandler-Donahue | FeverBasketball.com
Indiana Fever vs. New York Liberty
Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026
Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 7:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST INFO
TV: ESPN
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – John Nolan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst)
PROBABLE STARTERS
Indiana Fever (20-12)
Guard – Caitlin Clark
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell
Forward – Lexie Hull
Forward – Makayla Timpson
Center – Aliyah Boston
New York Liberty (20-13)
Guard – Sabrina Ionescu
Guard – Pauline Astier
Forward – Rebecca Allen
Forward – Breanna Stewart
Center – Jonquel Jones
GAME PREVIEW
The Fever are back in Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday as they take on the streaking New York Liberty following a gritty win in Chicago on Saturday. Indiana defeated the Sky, 90-86, over the weekend and stopped a two-game skid. The Liberty have won four straight, including a 40-point victory over the shorthanded Las Vegas Aces on Sunday.
Marine Johannes came off New York’s bench on Sunday to lead all scorers with 27 points against Las Vegas. The Liberty had six players score in double figures, and are carrying serious momentum into Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Both teams own a top-5 offensive rating heading into Tuesday’s matchup – the Fever have the league’s best offense, and the Liberty are fourth behind the Lynx and the Aces.
Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell continue to be a historically dangerous backcourt as the pair have combined to score 516 points over Indiana’s last 10 games. That is the most scored by a duo in a 10-game span in WNBA history. Mitchell broke a league record on Saturday as her 27 points against Chicago notched her 16th consecutive game scoring 20 or more points. She now owns the single season record for such games, and is barreling towards the overall mark of 20 straight games with 20 or more points.
Both Clark and Mitchell average north of 20 points per game this season.
New York’s Breanna Stewart notches an average of 21.3 points nightly, and is the steadying force of the Liberty offense. Stewart is shooting at a 47 percent clip from the field, but is less efficient from deep at just 27 percent from 3-point range. Ionescu is the Liberty’s shooting threat as she takes 6.4 3-pointers per game and makes 34 percent of her attempts from deep.
The Fever are in a good position in the standings heading into Tuesday’s meeting with the Liberty. They sit at fourth – the top-4 teams in the overall standings receive home court advantage in the WNBA playoffs – with 12 games remaining on the schedule. New York is currently seventh and looking to rise down the stretch of the regular season.
After Indiana hosts the Liberty on Tuesday, the Fever will complete a two-game homestand by welcoming the Dallas Wings to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday. Both the Liberty and Wings are in position to be playoff teams come postseason play. Indiana will test its grit this week as the Fever aim to remain steady in the standings and pursue home court advantage in the playoffs.
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INDIANA VOLLEYBALL
LEXINGTON, Ky. – With just over a week until the start of the 2026 season, the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) unveiled its preseason top-25 rankings. Head coach Steve Aird’s Indiana squad was picked 16th by the voting coaches, the first time the program has opened the season in the national polls.
During its record-breaking campaign in 2025, IU was ranked on 10 different occasions. That includes finishing the season ranked 13th nationally during its run to the regional semifinals. This is just the 15th week in program history that the Hoosiers have made the national poll.
The Hoosiers are set to play 10 of the teams in this year’s preseason rankings. That includes top-10 non-conference tilts against Louisville (Aug. 28) and Texas A&M (Sept. 2). No. 1 Nebraska, No. 9 Purdue and No. 10 Penn State will all visit the friendly confines of Wilkinson Hall in the upcoming campaign.
IU will begin its season at No. 7 Louisville on Friday, August 28th. It’s the earliest match of a season in program history where both IU and its opponent are ranked at the same time. Aird and his group will see three of the nation’s 22 best programs in the first two weeks of the year.
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PURDUE VOLLEYBALL
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – In the first American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll release of 2026, Purdue was picked No. 9. The preseason prediction is just just one spot shy of the program’s record in the preseason standings (No. 8 in 2024 and 2014). Meanwhile, it is the second time in the last three seasons the Boilermakers have earned the top-10 preseason ranking.
Ahead, Purdue will face a total of 11 matchups against top-25 teams, including eight top-16 teams and either four or five top-10 teams (depending on if the team plays No. 11 SMU or No. 8 Kentucky at the Paradise Invitational) throughout the season.
Among the Big Ten, the Boilermakers were one of eight programs recognized in the top-25, one of 11 receiving votes, and rank third among those teams.
Coming off arguably its best season in program history behind a program-record five All-Big Ten First Team honorees, which includes Taylor Anderson, Grace Heaney and Kenna Wollard as first team selections, rides its momentum into the 2026 season, returning five of its 2025 Regional Final starters. Anderson, Heaney and Wollard were also tabbed 2026 AVCA Player of the Year Watch List honorees and preseason All-Big Ten. Purdue is one of three programs in the nation with three national POTY contenders on its team (joined by Nebraska: 3 and Kentucky: 4).
With exhibition matches set to begin this Friday for the Boilermakers, single-match tickets for Purdue home matches are available now. Purdue will host two ticketed exhibition matches on August 14 vs. Ball State and August 21 vs. Butler leading up to the season-opener vs. Creighton on August 28.
Schedule Notes
Purdue will begin the year with back-to-back ranked opponents in No. 13 Creighton (State Farm Volleyball Showcase in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 8/28) and No. 8 Texas A&M (Mackey Arena, 9/1)
Three of Purdue’s first four matches will come against top-18 programs. Meanwhile, four of Purdue’s first seven matches of the season will come against top-18 foes
The Boilers will face two top-11 programs in the span with hosting the reigning national champions No. 8 Texas A&M (in Mackey Arena on 9/1) and either No. 8 Kentucky or No. 11 SMU (in Nassau, Bahamas on 9/13)
Purdue’s schedule is slated to see multiple back-to-back top-25 matchups: vs. No. 13 Creighton (8/28) followed by No. 8 Texas A&M (9/1), No. 6 Wisconsin (9/27) followed by at No. 25 Oregon (10/2), at No. 1 Nebraska (10/17) followed by vs. No. 14 Minnesota (10/23)
Purdue’s docket will include seven matches against a team with at least one National Player of the Year Watch List honoree. In total, the Boilermakers will face eight or 10 honorees, depending on if they face the SMU Mustangs (who has two named) or the Kentucky Wildcats (who have four named) in the Paradise Invitational tournament.
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NOTRE DAME SWIMMING
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame graduate student Marcus Reyes-Gentry will need a larger trophy case after competition this summer.
Reyes-Gentry, who hails from Central Point, Ore., represented Mexico at the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from July 20 to August 8.
Reyes-Gentry won four gold medals, touching first in the 50M back, 100M back, men’s 4×100 medley relay and mixed 4×100 medley relay, setting four Central American and Caribbean Games records along the way. Reyes-Gentry’s times of 24.63 in the 50 back and 53.68 in the 100 back were also Mexican records.
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BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The Butler women’s basketball team will host Ball State for an open scrimmage on Saturday, October 24. Tip is scheduled for noon at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
This will be Bulldog fans first opportunity to see the Dawgs in action ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Additional games on Butler’s non-conference schedule are expected to be announced soon.
Maria Marchesano (05′) enters her first season leading the women’s basketball program at her alma mater. Marchesano’s 14-year head coaching career includes 234 wins across four stops, with the five most recent seasons at Purdue Fort Wayne. She was a four-year letterwinner at Butler, graduating in 2005. She finished her Butler career as the second best three-point shooter in program history (41.8 percent).
The Bulldog roster is set for the 2026-27 campaign. Saniya Jackson returns for BU after leading the team in both rebounding and steals (in addition to finishing second on the team in scoring) a season ago. Her twin sister, Nevaeh, is also back for the Bulldogs. Karina Bystry, a Horizon League All-Freshman selection from Northern Kentucky, and Tamar Singer, a MAC All-Defensive team selection from Miami (Ohio), will make an immediate impact. Lili Krasovec follows Marchesano from Purdue Fort Wayne, where she averaged double figures last season. Those five Bulldogs are joined by additional exciting newcomers to compose the 12-player roster.
Season tickets for the upcoming 2026-27 basketball season are on sale now at butlersports.com/seasontickets. The Bulldogs will once again host all 10 BIG EAST rivals at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Fans can email tickets@butler.edu or call the ticket office at 317-940-3647 for more information on securing season tickets.
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EVANSVILLE MEN’S SOCCER
Head Coach Robbe Tarver and the UE men’s soccer program have named Omar Dizdar as a graduate assistant coach.
Dizdar joins the Purple Aces after a standout playing career at Hanover College. In four seasons with the Panthers, Dizdar appeared in 77 matches with 41 starts. A prolific forward, Dizdar tallied 16 goals and 15 assists, eclipsing 10 points in three separate seasons.
In 2024, Dizdar earned First Team All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference honors, scoring a career-high seven goals along with four assists.
Over the course of his career, Dizdar helped Hanover post a 42-20-15 record with a 27-4-6 mark in HCAC play, reaching three HCAC Tournament finals. He graduated from Hanover in the spring of 2026 with a degree in Business & Economics.
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VALPO WOMEN’S TENNIS
The Valparaiso University tennis program has revealed its schedule for the 2026-2027 season, the first year of James Gleghorn’s head coaching tenure at Valpo.
Gleghorn will make his Valpo debut against his former team, as the Beacons host Indiana Wesleyan on Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. at The Valpo Tennis Complex. The season opener against the Wildcats will be the first of two matches that day for the Beacons, who will host Huntington at 3 p.m.
The fall slate continues with a pair of visits to Normal, Ill. for events hosted by Illinois State – the Redbird Duals (Sept. 26-27) and the Redbird Invitational (Oct. 2-4). Valpo will wrap up the fall by taking part in the ITA Midwest Regional (Oct. 8-11), hosted by the University of Illinois.
The Beacons will face three power-4 conference opponents this season, starting with the spring opener on Jan. 16 at Big Ten foe Indiana. Valpo will head to Madison, Wis. on Feb. 14 to play at Big Ten member Wisconsin and a neutral-court match against Arkansas. The Badgers were an NCAA Tournament team last season. Valpo has not played a dual match against a power-conference (Big 12, Big Ten, SEC, ACC or the old PAC-12) opponent since March 9, 2011 against Virginia Tech. The season opener against Indiana will be Valpo’s first match against a Big Ten opponent since April 13, 2006 against Michigan State.
Valpo will host a trio of nonconference road matches, welcoming Chicago State (Jan. 18), Oakland (Feb. 13) and IU Indy (March 27). Other nonconference road opponents include Milwaukee (Feb. 20), Marquette (Feb. 21), Southern Indiana (March 7), Charleston Southern (March 11), Eastern Michigan (March 20) and Purdue Northwest (March 30), plus a neutral-site match against Campbell in Charleston, S.C. on March 10.
The Beacons will face a road-heavy conference slate this season, with five of the seven matches and each of the first five slated to take place away from home. Valpo will play at Illinois State (April 3), Bradley (April 4), UIC (April 11), Drake (April 17) and UNI (April 18) before finally coming home to host Murray State (April 24) and Belmont (April 25) in the final two regular-season matches prior to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
Home matches will take place at the Valpo Tennis Complex when weather permits, or at The Courts of Northwest Indiana when weather forces the match to be played indoors. The Beacons are coming off a 12-8 record and the program’s highest win total in 20 years.
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INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES
UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/
MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
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TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1864 – The Atlantics of Brooklyn finish a four-game series in Philadelphia‚ beating the Athletics‚ 43 – 16. The visitors whipped Camden‚ 64 – 10, on the 8th‚ beat the Keystone Club‚ 65 – 10, on the 9th‚ and won, 58 – 11, over the 30-year-old Olympic Club yesterday.
1868 – In Rockford, IL‚ the Unions of Morrisania play before 5‚000‚ their biggest crowd on their tour. They win their 11th straight‚ beating the Forest City Club‚ 23 – 17. George Wright hits a homer off Al Spalding.
1879 – Providence posts its third consecutive extra-inning victory and eighth straight overall‚ beating Syracuse, 3 – 2, in 12.
1881 – In the most one-sided game of the National League season‚ Chicago trounces Detroit‚ 17 – 0. Fred Goldsmith pitches for Chicago against Frank Mountain‚ and Silver Flint is 5 for 5. He also catches his ninth straight game without a passed ball.
1883:
Boston P Jim Whitney muffs a pop-up‚ but catcher Mike Hines catches it before it hits the ground and starts a triple play. All the runners had taken off with the apparent error. Providence still wins‚ 6 – 2.
The Mets please 9‚000 fans by defeating the first-place Athletics in the bottom of the 9th‚ 3 – 2.
Frederick Thayer‚ the inventor of the catcher’s mask‚ and George Wright sue the Spalding Brothers Company for copyright infringement. The two will eventually win their case in 1886, obtaining royalties from the sporting goods business.
1889 – Eighteen St. Louis hits and ten Brooklyn errors add up to a 14 – 4 victory for the Browns (American Association)‚ to the delight of 14‚000 St. Louis fans.
1891 – The Boston Reds beat Kelly’s Killers, 9 – 3, for their seventh straight victory.
1894:
James “Bug” Holliday hits a two-run home run with two out in the bottom of the 9th to carry the Reds to a 7 – 6 win over St. Louis.
Emulating Holiday‚ Brooklyn’s Candy LaChance slugs a bottom-of-the-9th homer to overcome Boston‚ 11 – 10.
John Tanner‚ a pitcher at Hebron‚ Kentucky‚ is struck by lightning and killed while trying to catch a fly ball.
1896 – Cincinnati suffers its first shutout of the season in a 6 – 0 setback to Chicago.
1898 – Lefty Frank Killen‚ released by Pittsburgh‚ hurls Washington to a 4 – 1 win over New York.
1899 – Brickyard Kennedy triumphs over Bert Cunningham and Brooklyn beats Louisville, 1 – 0, on a hit batsman and a steal of home by Bill Dahlen in the 2nd inning.
1900 – The Giants tally four singles‚ a double‚ and triple in the first two innings against the Reds‚ but get only a run out of it. It’s enough as they win‚ 1 – 0.
1903 – A crowd of 10‚600 cheer as the Boston Americans’ Tom Hughes defeats the A’s ace Rube Waddell‚ 5 – 1.
1904 – Cardinals’ player/manager Kid Nichols strikes out 17 Superbas in a 15-inning, 4 – 3 win.
1906 – Before 15‚000‚ the White Sox whip the Highlanders‚ 8 – 1. New York 3B George Moriarty gets into a fight with a fan in the 8th inning before police break it up.
1907:
Ed Karger of the Cardinals throws a perfect game against the Boston Doves in the second game of a doubleheader, shortened to seven innings by prior agreement.
Just enough to win. The first-place Cubs beat the visiting Phillies twice by scores of 1 – 0. Orval Overall and Jack Pfiester apply the calcimine.
1908 – The Cards fall to Boston‚ 2 – 0‚ as Boston pitcher Tom Tuckey gets his only shutout in his first major league game.
1909 – John McGraw puts 49-year-old coach Arlie Latham at 2B in a 19 – 3 romp over St. Louis. Latham goes hitless but handles two assists. Cy Seymour scores five runs.
1910:
The White Sox trade P Frank Smith‚ whose best days are behind him‚ and 3B Billy Purtell to the Red Sox in exchange for 2B Amby McConnell and 3B Harry Lord. On July 10th‚ a Walter Johnson fastball broke Lord’s finger‚ and the stellar play of his substitute Clyde Engle has made Lord expendable. Lord becomes the one threat in the weak White Sox lineup‚ hitting .297 through the end of the year‚ but the Sox will still finish last in hitting‚ slugging‚ and homers.
At New York‚ the Giants take two from Cincinnati‚ 5 – 4 and 3 – 2. Christy Mathewson wins the opener‚ despite allowing 11 hits and four walks, as the Giants play long ball, scoring all their runs on two home runs, by Larry Doyle and Fred Snodgrass. The two blasts come off Reds right-hander Jack Rowan, and they are the first home runs surrendered in his career, breaking a run of 74 straight homerless games, the longest streak to start a modern era career. The Reds load the bases in the 9th with no outs and needing just one to tie, but Matty shuts the door to preserve the win, his 19th of the season.
1911 – The Phillies reach Christy Mathewson for 11 hits‚ but fail to score as New York triumphs‚ 6 – 0. The Giants toast Bill Burns for four runs in the first two innings.
1912 – In an 8 – 3 win over the Highlanders‚ Cleveland’s Joe Jackson becomes the second American League player to steal home twice in a game. He steals home in the 1st inning‚ and then in the 7th‚ he steals second base‚ third‚ and home.
1914:
Boston Braves P Lefty Tyler begins a string of 23 shutout innings‚ but Red Ames of the Reds matches him today in a 13-inning, 0 – 0, tie.
After missing six weeks‚ first with broken ribs‚ then a broken thumb‚ Ty Cobb signs a new three-year contract and returns to the lineup. He and Sam Crawford had been offered double their salaries to jump to the Feds. Cobb will get into just 97 games‚ but he will win another batting crown at .368. Under existing rules his 345 at bats are enough to qualify.
At Brooklyn‚ the Cubs lose‚ 3 – 2. Chicago teammates Roger Bresnahan and Heinie Zimmerman are ejected for fighting with each other.
White Sox pitchers Mellie Wolfgang and Ed Cicotte both toss 2 – 0 shutouts against Cleveland.
1917 – Hugh McQuillan of the Worcester Busters no-hits the New Haven Murlins in Eastern League action. McQuillan hits an RBI triple in the 1 – 0 win.
1919 – Cleveland’s Tris Speaker ties an American League record‚ scoring five runs in a 15 – 9 win at New York.
1921 – The Yankees move one percentage point ahead of the Indians with a 7 – 3 win over the A’s.
1923 – The Tigers beat the Yanks‚ 10 – 4‚ in a series that features the top two hitters in the American League. Babe Ruth goes 3-for-8 against the Tigers‚ while Harry Heilmann is 5-for-10 against the Yanks. The two are neck and neck at .390 for the year. After the game‚ AL President Ban Johnson rules that Babe Ruth must give up his Sam Crawford bat‚ made for him by the future Hall of Famer. The bat is “four pieces of seasoned wood‚ carefully glued together.” On August 21st‚ Johnson rules that only one-piece bats will be allowed‚ a rule that also affects Ken Williams‚ who is using a plugged bat.
1926:
Robins rookie Babe Herman collects his eighth and ninth hits in a row‚ but flies out to Kiki Cuyler in the 6th to fall short of the record of ten straight‚ held by Cuyler and Ed Konetchy. Brooklyn tops the Pirates‚ 4 – 2.
At Philadelphia‚ the Reds kick the Phils‚ 21 – 3‚ as Wally Pipp contributes a grand slam in the 3rd off Clarence Mitchell.
1927 – At St. Louis‚ Pete Alexander allows just four hits‚ including Lloyd Waner’s first big league homer‚ to beat the Pirates‚ 2 – 1. Jim Bottomley’s two-run homer in the 7th wins it.
1928:
Carl Hubbell’s first major league victory is a 4 – 0 shutout of the Phils. He’ll be 10 – 6 down the stretch and will pitch 16 years with the Giants.
The A’s win the 22nd of their last 26 games‚ edging the Senators‚ 3 – 2. Mickey Cochrane’s hit in the 9th gives the win to George Earnshaw.
In Chicago‚ the Browns beat the White Sox‚ 4 – 2‚ behind Sammy Gray’s 18th victory. Gray leaves after seven innings with the score tied‚ 2 – 2‚ but the Browns score in the 8th and 9th and Gray is awarded the win.
1929:
Babe Ruth hits his 500th career home run, this one off the Indians’ Willis Hudlin. Second place all-time is currently held by Cy Williams with 237 homers.
A three-run homer by Bubbles Hargrave and another run on a throwing error by Joe Cronin allows the Tigers to tie the A’s‚ 8 – 8, in the 9th. Bengal OF Roy Johnson wins it in the 11th by stroking a two-out inside-the-park homer‚ off Ossie Orwoll.
1930 – The Cubs displace Brooklyn for the league lead‚ completing a four-game sweep with the Braves. Cubs P Bud Teachout wins the final game‚ 4 – 3‚ in ten innings.
1931 – Lefty Grove reaches 14 straight wins‚ beating the Browns‚ 8 – 1.
1932 – Rookie SS Arky Vaughan makes a crucial error in the 10th inning‚ and the Cubs top the Pirates, 3 – 2, to retake first place.
1933 – The Senators score six times in the final inning to top the Red Sox as both teams use a record-tying 11 pitchers in the game. Washington wins‚ 8 – 4.
1934:
At Boston‚ Babe Ruth hits a homer and then departs in the 9th with the Yankees leading‚ 2 – 1. The Sox tie it up‚ and in the 13th Tony Lazzeri lands a homer to put New York ahead again. Wes Ferrell‚ batting for Fritz Ostermueller‚ wins the game for Boston‚ 3 – 2.
In a battle of the Smiths‚ New York defeats the Braves‚ 7 – 4. New York’s Al Smith allows just one hit in the five innings he pitches to defeat reliever Bob Smith. The latter gives up a three-run homer to Travis Jackson in the 7th.
1935
The East-West Game is held at Comiskey Park. Mule Suttles’ three-run homer off Martin Dihigo in the bottom of the 11th wins it, 11 – 8, for the West. Josh Gibson goes 4 for 5 with three runs.
Eddie Rose of the New Orleans Pelicans hits a high fly ball against the Birmingham Barons which strikes a pigeon, killing it instantly. Rose is credited with a hit.
Wally Berger hits a home run‚ two doubles‚ and a triple‚ to tie the modern major league record for extra-base hits in a game‚ but his Braves lose to the Dodgers‚ 7 – 5. Berger drives in all of Boston’s runs and his homer‚ his 25th of the year‚ puts him one ahead of Mel Ott in the home run race.
1940:
Pitcher Stan Musial of the Daytona Beach Islanders lands on his left shoulder while making a shoestring catch in the outfield, ending his pitching career. Musial will become a full-time outfielder in 1941.
Hanshin defeats Hankyu, 1 – 0 in just 56 minutes, a record for a nine-inning game that will stand until 1946.
1941:
At Sportsman’s Park‚ a first in Cubs history occurs in the 5th inning when Phil Cavarretta‚ Stan Hack‚ and Bill Nicholson hit consecutive homers. It’s not enough as the Cards win, 7 – 5‚ but it’s a costly victory as they lose Enos Slaughter for the season. Chasing a line drive‚ Enos tries to avoid colliding with teammate Terry Moore and he hits the right field wall, breaking his collarbone.
Pitcher Kirby Higbe leads the Dodger charge against the Giants‚ as he collects three singles and a double‚ good for four RBIs. Brooklyn wins‚ 15 – 7.
1942 – At Cleveland‚ in the first game of a twi-nighter‚ Indians P Al Milnar has a no-hitter until Doc Cramer singles with two out in the 9th. But the duel with Detroit’s Tommy Bridges ends in a 14-inning scoreless tie because the rules state the game cannot be continued under the lights. Milnar allows just two hits and his catcher, Gene Desautels, catches the entire game without a putout or assist.
1943 – St. Louis P Steve Sundra stops the Yankees on just one hit‚ a home run by King Kong Keller. The Browns win, 9 – 1.
1945 – Chicago’s Claude Passeau limits the Braves to two hits – both coming with two out in the 8th – as the Cubs win‚ 8 – 0. The Cubs score six in the 9th after starter Bob Logan is lifted.
1946
Stan Musial has eight hits in nine at-bats in a doubleheader sweep for the Cardinals against the Reds. The Reds lose the opener despite Grady Hatton‚ Max West‚ and Ray Mueller banging consecutive homers in the 8th inning‚ a first in Reds history.
Floyd Hooper Triplett, younger brother of Coaker Triplett, of the Columbus Cardinals is suspended indefinitely and fined $500 for betting $20 on the Columbia Reds on August 3rd. Triplett won the South Atlantic League batting title in 1940 with a .369 average.
The Phillies sweep Brooklyn, 7 – 6 and 6 – 4, to end the string of 18 consecutive Brooklyn wins in Philadelphia‚ a major league mark. The last Phillies victory at home against the Bums was on May 5‚ 1945.
1947 – Cardinals farmhand Harvey Haddix‚ pitching for Winston-Salem (Carolina League) no-hits Danville‚ 8 – 0‚ in seven innings. The young Kitten strikes out 14.
1948:
Tony Freitas gets his 220th Pacific Coast League win in the Sacramento Solons’ defeat of the Seattle Rainiers. The losing pitcher is Dick Barrett who has 211 wins in the PCL.
At Brooklyn‚ Chicago’s Johnny Schmitz goes 11 innings to beat the Dodgers‚ 4 – 2. Schmitz scores the winning run‚ coming home on an Eddie Waitkus double.
1950:
Boston P Vern Bickford no-hits the Dodgers in Boston before 29‚008 fans. Bickford has lost only once to Brooklyn since joining Boston in 1948.
Hitting just .279‚ Yankee great Joe DiMaggio is benched for the first time in his career. He is currently languishing in a 4 for 38 slump. His replacement‚ Cliff Mapes‚ wallops a 7th-inning home run to give the Yankees a 7 – 6 win over the A’s.
RF Ken Wood of the Browns nails two Tigers runners in the 8th inning of the second game of a doubleheader‚ tying a major league mark. The Browns prevail, 2 – 1‚ after winning the first game‚ 4 – 3‚ in ten innings.
1951:
In Philadelphia‚ the Giants lose to the Phils‚ as Robin Roberts shuts them out‚ 4 – 0‚ for his 16th win. Putsy Caballero hits his first major league homer‚ off George Spencer, for the Phils.
The Dodgers take the first of two games against the Braves‚ winning, 8 – 1, behind Ralph Branca. The Braves take the nitecap‚ 8 – 4‚ behind Max Surkont and a home run by Sid Gordon. With Red Barber and Connie Desmond making the calls‚ the doubleheader is the first major league game to be telecast in color.
Behind the four-hit pitching of Early Wynn‚ the Indians defeat the White Sox, 2 – 1, in front of a Ladies Night crowd of 70‚119. Wynn’s homer in the 7th breaks the tie created by 2nd-inning homers by Eddie Robinson and Al Rosen. It’s the Tribe’s ninth straight win to stay deadlocked with the Yankees for first place. Loser Joe Dobson‚ who has beaten Wynn twice this year‚ gives up just six hits.
Eddie Joost homers in the 9th for the A’s‚ to tie the Yanks 4 – 4‚ but the Yanks win in 11‚ 7 – 4. Sloppy fielding and a two-run single by Yogi Berra account for the scoring. The win goes to reliever Bob Kuzava‚ late of the Senators‚ while Alex Kellner takes the loss.
1952 – At Yankee Stadium‚ the third-place Red Sox‚ trailing first-place New York by four games‚ manage just two hits off Allie Reynolds‚ as the Chief wins, 7 – 0. For Reynolds‚ it’s his fourth two-hitter of the year. Mickey Mantle’s 1st-inning homer‚ off Sid Hudson‚ is all the scoring New York needs‚ but Mantle adds a double in the 4th and a two-run homer‚ again lefty‚ in the 5th‚ off Ralph Brickner.
1955 – Ted Williams hits a single off Bob Turley of the Yankees for his 2,000th career hit. The Red Sox lose anyway, 5 – 3.
1956:
Mickey Mantle hits his 40th homer‚ off Hal Brown‚ as the Yankees clip the Orioles‚ 10 – 5. Mantle is the first Yankee since Joe DiMaggio‚ in 1937‚ to hit 40 homers.
Don Newcombe’s consecutive scoreless innings streak is snapped at 39 2/3‚ but the Dodgers righty wins his 18th of the year and ninth in a row‚ beating the Phils‚ 5 – 2. Stan Lopata’s two-run homer in the 7th is the Quaker scoring.
1957:
Don Nichols wins his 20th game of the season for the Peoria Chiefs of the Three-I League. Nichols has a 20-3 record for the year – all in relief.
At St. Louis‚ the Braves complete a three-game sweep of the reeling Cards with a 5 – 1 win by Gene Conley. Eddie Mathews completes the Braves’ scoring with a homer to center field in the 5th‚ off reliever Willard Schmidt‚ and Ken Boyer accounts for the Cards’ score with a home run in the 9th.
At the Polo Grounds, the Giants and Phils trade shutouts. New York takes the opener, 5 – 0, behind Curt Barclay’s three-hitter. Danny O’Connell hits a three-run homer off Harvey Haddix, and Willie Mays bangs two triples. Willie has 15 so far and will top the 20 mark this year in doubles, triples and homers, just the fourth player in history to accomplish that. George Brett will join the list in 1979, the last 20th century player to do so. In the second game, Mays has two of the three hits off Jack Sanford, who stops the Giants, 2 – 0.
1959:
Gil Carter of the class-D Carlsbad Potashers hits a home run that is estimated to go over 650 feet on the fly in Sophomore League action. Carter will play three seasons of minor league ball, two in D ball and one in C ball, and hit 72 homers.
At Crosley Field‚ Joe Nuxhall fans four Braves in the 6th inning – Eddie Mathews‚ Joe Adcock‚ Del Crandall‚ and Johnny Logan – and ten overall as the Redlegs win, 4 – 3, to move into second place. The third strike to Crandall gets by catcher Dutch Dotterer‚ giving Nuxhall the chance for the four K’s. In the 1st inning‚ Adcock wishes Vada Pinson a happy birthday by nabbing him at first base with a hidden ball trick.
1961
Warren Spahn of the Braves beats the Cubs, 2 – 1, for his 300th career win.
The Vancouver Mounties of the Pacific Coast League steal nine bases in one inning against the Salt Lake City Bees. Included in the pilfering are two triple steals. The Mounties score five runs in the frame.
In a classic pitching duel‚ White Sox lefty Billy Pierce and Kansas City’s Jim Archer walk none and neither go to a full count. Luis Aparicio’s home run is the only score as the Sox win, 1 – 0, in 1 hour‚ 32 minutes.
1962:
The Dodgers protest the wetting down of the field at Candlestick Park‚ a tactic they claim is to stop Maury Wills. Billy Pierce then hands 21-game winner Don Drysdale his fifth loss‚ and the first after 11 straight wins‚ as the Giants win, 5 – 4, to take the second game in their series. Willie McCovey’s pinch-homer with two on is the big blow off Drysdale. The watering ploy earns Giants manager Alvin Dark the sobriquet “The Swamp Fox.”
At Fenway Park‚ the Red Sox sweep a day-night pair from Baltimore‚ winning, 3 – 0 and 7 – 3. Ike Delock shuts out the Orioles‚ giving the Red Sox their third shutout in a row. Gene Conley and Bill Monbouquette had previously whitewashed the Indians. Whitey Herzog’s home run in the 6th inning of the second game ends the Sox string of 32 2/3 scoreless innings.
The White Sox score seven in the 4th and beat Kansas City‚ 11 – 2. Joe Cunningham and Jim Landis each collect a single‚ double and triple‚ with Cunningham’s extra-base hits coming in the 4th.
1963 – Paul Alspach of the Auburn Mets strikes out 24 Batavia Pirates in a 1 – 0 victory.
1964 – Hank Aaron passes Joe DiMaggio with his 362nd career home run in the Braves’ 9 – 6 win over the Colt .45’s.
1966:
At Wrigley Field‚ the Cubs down Houston‚ 9 – 8‚ in 11 innings. The Cubs are led by C Randy Hundley who hits for the cycle and drives in three runs. Houston is ahead 8 – 5 at the end of seven innings in the nitecap when the game is suspended on account of darkness. It will be completed on August 26th‚ with Houston winning‚ 9 – 8.
It is déjà vu all over again‚ as Frank Robinson makes another game-saving catch against the Yankees. Robby dives into the stands to rob Clete Boyer of an 11th-inning homer‚ preserving a 6 – 5 Orioles’ win. Robby did it two months earlier.
1967:
In the 2nd inning of the first game of a doubleheader‚ Al Downing of the Yankees strikes out the side on just nine pitches. The Yanks beat the Indians, 5 – 3.
The Braves edge the Astros‚ 6 – 5‚ in 16 innings‚ winning on a game-ending home run by Joe Torre. Both teams score once in the 14th and Mack Jones cuts down Rusty Staub trying to score a second run for Houston. Felipe Alou ties it up with a homer.
The Mets’ Danny Frisella picks up his first major league win‚ but he’s long gone when the win is posted. Frisella pitches 6 2/3 innings before being lifted‚ then races to the airport to catch a plane to take him to an Air National Guard meeting in California. Don Shaw picks up the save in the 3 – 2 win over the Pirates.
1968:
Satchel Paige‚ 62 years or so old‚ and needing 158 days on a major league payroll to qualify for a pension‚ is signed by the Braves. He will not pitch a regular-season game for Atlanta and will become a coach on September 30th and stay for another year.
Gates Brown wins the opener for the Tigers by poling a pinch homer – one of two pinch homers the Tigers hit – in the 14th to beat the Red Sox‚ 5 – 4. In the nightcap‚ he singles home the winning run as the Tigers score four in the 9th to win‚ 6 – 5.
1969 – Don Drysdale, the last Dodger to have played in Brooklyn, announces his retirement due to shoulder problems.
1970 – Jim Bunning of the Phillies achieves his 100th National League win to go with his 100 victories in the American League, the first pitcher since Cy Young to accomplish the feat. Bunning beats the Astros, 6 – 5.
1971:
Skip Lockwood accounts for the only Brewer tally when he homers off Detroit’s Joe Niekro. Each starter goes seven innings in Detroit’s 2 – 1 victory. The next homer by a Brewer pitcher will come when Milwaukee is in the National League.
Dave Roberts for the Padres and Tom Seaver for the Mets lock up in a classic pitchers duel, both pitching shutout ball for ten innings, at which point Seaver is replaced by a pinch-hitter, having compiled 14 strikeouts. Roberts stays in the game, though, and wins a 12-inning, 1 – 0 shutout when Larry Stahl hits a lead-off double in the bottom of the 12th and scores after Mets C Jerry Grote throws the ball into the outfield when he attempts to steal third base.
1972 – The A’s defeat the White Sox, 5 – 3, on Joe Rudi’s two-run homer in the 19th inning off Stan Bahnsen. The game had been suspended with a 3 – 3 score after 17 frames had been completed yesterday.
1973 – White Sox rookie Brian Downing cracks his first major league hit‚ a home run off Detroit’s Mickey Lolich. Downing’s debut dinger is a first in the majors since at least 1945 – an inside-the-park homer. It will be matched in two years by the Giants’ Johnnie LeMaster‚ who will do it in his first at bat.
1975 – George Foster has five hits to lead the Reds to a 9 – 3 win over the visiting Cubs.
1976 – At Wrigley Field‚ the Cubs take a 10 – 1 lead after three innings‚ only to lose to the Reds‚ 13 – 10. Cincy scores two runs in the 6th‚ four in the 7th helped by a Johnny Bench three-run homer‚ one in the 8th and two runs in the 9th. Ken Griffey’s two-run homer in the 9th ties the game. The Reds continue scoring with three in the 10th off Bill Bonham to hand the win to Pat Zachry.
1977 – Two losses at Fenway Park today. The Red Sox lose to the Angels‚ 7 – 3‚ snapping their 11-game win streak‚ and the Bristol Red Sox lose‚ 5 – 3‚ to the Eastern League All-Stars.
1979:
The Pirates’ Ed Ott hits a grand slam off Phillie reliever Tug McGraw in the 8th inning as the Bucs win, 14 – 11. It is the fourth grand slam that McGraw has yielded this year‚ setting a new National League mark and tying him for this questionable honor with Detroit’s Ray Narleski (1959).
Against the Brewers at Fenway Park‚ Jim Rice belts his 30th homer‚ giving him three straight seasons with 30 or more homers. But Milwaukee wins‚ 9 – 6.
1980 – Reggie Jackson hits his 400th career home run, off Britt Burns, in the Yankees’ 3 – 1 victory over the White Sox at Yankee Stadium.
1982:
Terry Felton of the Twins loses to fall to 0-11 on the season and 0-14 for his career‚ the worst individual start in major league history. Felton will never win a big league game‚ finishing his career with an 0-16 record.
Houston’s Nolan Ryan pitches his eighth career one-hitter, 3 – 0 at San Diego. Terry Kennedy’s 5th-inning single is the only Padres hit.
The Brewers purchase veteran P Doc Medich from the Rangers. With the addition of Medich‚ the Brewers will sell Randy Lerch to Montreal on August 14th. Doc will win five games for the Brewers.
1986:
The Cubs parade a record ten pitchers in a 17-inning, 10 – 8 loss to the Pirates. Pittsburgh uses seven hurlers. The game is the continuation of a contest that started on April 20th but was suspended because of darkness. Barry Jones‚ the winning pitcher, who strikes out the side‚ and Barry Bonds‚ who hits the game-winning RBI‚ were in the minors when the game started. Loser Frank DiPino started the season with Houston.
45-year-old Pete Rose of the Reds bangs out five hits for the National League-record tenth time in his career. The Reds lose to the Giants‚ 13 – 4.
1988 – After going 225 at bats‚ Gary Carter finally hits his 300th career home run as the Mets beat the Cubs, 9 – 6.
1991 – Wilson Alvarez, pitching his first game for the White Sox and second major league game ever, no-hits the Orioles, 7 – 0.
1993 – Tigers OF Dan Gladden hits a grand slam in Detroit’s 15 – 5 win over the Orioles. Gladden also hit a grand slam in yesterday’s game against Baltimore‚ making him the 14th player in history to do so in consecutive games. Earlier this year‚ Mike Blowers became the 13th player to match the mark.
1994 – The Mariners beat the A’s, 8 – 1, in the last game before the players go on strike.
1995 – Two big-time stars of the 1980s, Kirk Gibson and Steve Bedrosian, announce their retirements.
1996 – Clemson University P Kris Benson becomes the highest-paid draft choice ever. He logs on with the Pirates for a $2 million signing bonus.
1998 – The Yanks’ David Wells stops the Twins on a four-hitter to win‚ 7 – 0. In his last start the Yankee lefty pitched a perfect game against the Twins.
2001:
Joe Borowski serves up home run No. 50 to Barry Bonds and the Giants roll to a 9 – 4 win over the Cubs. Winning pitcher Livan Hernandez is 4 for 4‚ including his first major league homer. He now has eight straight hits and is 12 for 13.
Led by the two Giambi brothers‚ Oakland beats the visiting New York Yankees‚ 8 – 6‚ for its tenth straight win. Jason and Jeremy each club two-run homers‚ the second time they’ve both gone deep in the same game. They did it twice last year as well.
In the Twins’ 4 – 3 loss to Tampa Bay‚ Minnesota 1B Doug Mientkiewicz makes all three putouts in the bottom of the 2nd without touching first base. The Devil Rays have Toby Hall on third base and Randy Winn on first with no outs in the inning when Aubrey Huff hits a weak grounder to Mientkiewicz. The first sacker crosses the diamond to chase Hall back to third, then tags out Winn who had run all the way around from first. Mientkiewicz then catches Hall wandering off the base to complete an unassisted double play. The next Rays’ batter‚ Jared Sandberg‚ hits a towering foul pop-up that Mientkiewicz catches for the third out.
2003:
The Royals beat the Yankees‚ 12 – 9‚ as the teams set an American League record by stroking 19 doubles. Kansas City strokes 11 of the two-baggers‚ just one shy of the AL mark.
The Astros down the Cubs‚ 3 – 1. Chicago’s Kerry Wood becomes the youngest pitcher in history to reach the 1‚000 strikeout mark‚ doing so in 134 games. Roger Clemens achieved the feat in 143 contests.
2005:
Jason Kendall and the A’s steal a win from the Angels‚ 5 – 4‚ and move into first place in the AL West. When reliever Francisco Rodriguez muffs a routine throw from the catcher‚ Kendall alertly sprints from third base to score the winning run in the 9th.
In Kansas City‚ Jeff Liefer hits a 7th-inning grand slam‚ off D.J. Carrasco‚ to propel the Indians to a 4 – 2 win over the Royals. For the Royals it is their 13th consecutive loss.
Greg Maddux stops the Cubs’ eight-game losing streak with an 11 – 4 complete game victory over St. Louis. It is his 314th career win‚ tying him for 16th on the all-time list.
2006 – For the second time in three days, Texas INF Mark DeRosa drives in six runs in a game. He has six ribbies on three hits as Texas beats Seattle, 14 – 7.
2008:
Less than two weeks after trading Ken Griffey Jr., the Reds send another slugging outfielder away. Adam Dunn, the co-leader in home runs in the National League with 32, is sent to the Diamondbacks for Dallas Buck and two players to be named later.
Carlos Quentin of the White Sox gets plunked by Josh Beckett; he has now been hit by pitch in five games in a row, the first player since 1920 to accomplish that painful feat. Quentin has been hit by pitches 19 times so far this season.
2009:
Boston’s 7 – 5 win over Detroit at Fenway Park is marred by a brawl in the 2nd inning. When Kevin Youkilis is hit by a Rick Porcello pitch, he charges the mound and both benches empty. Youkilis and Porcello are both ejected, and Youk’s replacement, Mike Lowell, hits two home runs to power the Red Sox.
Australian Trent Oeltjen continues his hot streak since being purchased from AAA Reno on August 6th. The Diamondbacks outfielder bangs out four hits in a 6 – 2 win over the Mets and is now 12 for 24 since joining the team, earning the nickname “The Thunder from Down Under”.
2010:
The Diamondbacks tie a major league record by hitting four consecutive home runs against the Brewers in their 8 – 2 win today. With one out in the 4th, Adam LaRoche, Miguel Montero, Mark Reynolds and Stephen Drew all connect for long balls, to turn a 2 – 0 deficit into a 4 – 2 lead. Chris Young then flies out to deep center to nearly make it five homers in the inning. David Bush gives up all four homers, matching a dubious feat last accomplished by Chase Wright of the Yankees on April 22, 2007.
Mike Fontenot does not have far to go after being traded by the Cubs two hours before today’s game with the Giants: he just grabs his belongings and walks across the hallway to the home clubhouse at AT&T Park. The Cubs receive Class-A OF Evan Crawford in return for the veteran infielder. The Giants go on to beat the Cubs, 5 – 4, as Pat Burrell hits a decisive homer in the 8th inning.
Closer Francisco Rodriguez of the Mets is arrested at Citi Field after allegedly assaulting his father-in-law following tonight’s 6 – 2 loss to the Colorado Rockies in which he did not pitch. He remains in police custody all night before a court appearance on August 12th and is placed on the restricted list by the Mets.
2011:
The Diamondbacks get a 9th-inning, two-out, two-run pinch homer from rookie 1B Paul Goldschmidt to tie their game with the Astros at 5 – 5, then win it, 8 – 5, on another homer, a walk-off three-run shot by Chris Young off Sergio Escalona in the 10th. The dramatic win allows Arizona to remain in first place in the NL West.
Justin Verlander is the first 17-game winner in the majors after defeating Cleveland, 4 – 3. The Tigers avoid a three-game sweep and leave the shores of Lake Erie with a three-game lead over the Indians. It is the 100th win of Verlander’s career; he is the only active major leaguer under 30 to have reached the total. Jose Valverde converts his 33rd consecutive save opportunity for a team record.
Seung-hwan Oh of the Samsung Lions notches his 200th career save. It only took him 333 games, setting a new world record; Jonathan Papelbon had taken 359 contests.
2012:
Jason Marquis pitches a two-hitter to lead the Padres to a 5 – 0 win at Pittsburgh, where the Padres have won 11 consecutive games. Marquis takes a no-hitter into the 7th until Travis Snider manages a single to lead off the inning. The Padres are the only team remaining for which no pitcher has ever thrown a no-hitter, after Johan Santana broke the New York Mets’ drought earlier this year.
The Yankees beat the Blue Jays, 5 – 2, behind the pitching of Ivan Nova and a three-run homer by Casey McGehee. Derek Jeter collects his league-leading 150th hit of the season, joining Hank Aaron as the only two players to have 17 seasons of 150 or more hits.
2013 – It’s an eventful afternoon at New Yankee Stadium as the Yankees defeat the Tigers, 5 – 4. First, Alex Rodriguez hits his first homer of the year off Justin Verlander in the 2nd and in the process passes Stan Musial for fifth place on the all-time RBI list with 1,951. Then, leading off the 4th, Alfonso Soriano also goes deep off Verlander, for the 2,000th hit of his career. The Yankees hand a 4 – 2 lead to Mariano Rivera in the top of the 9th, but for the third straight time, Mariano blows the opportunity by allowing solo homers to Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez. However, Brett Gardner homers in turn, off José Veras with two outs in the bottom of the inning, ending the game.
2014 – It looks like a passing of the torch in the AL Central. The Royals win their eighth straight in defeating the Athletics, 3 – 2, to move past the Tigers, 11 – 6 losers to the Pirates, into first place in the division. The Royals have won 16 of 19, and are adding strength to their line-up, as they obtain OF Josh Willingham in a trade with the Twins in return for P Jason Adam. The Tigers get additional bad news when they learn that ace pitcher Justin Verlander must undergo an MRI for “shoulder soreness”.
2015:
Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin announces he is stepping down from his position, although he will continue to hold the fort while owner Mark Attanasio searches for a successor. The Brewers reached the postseason twice during Melvin’s 13-year tenure, breaking a dry spell of 26 years, but they have struggled badly this year.
In a statistical quirk, all 15 home teams in the major leagues are winners today, the first time this has ever happened. The most wins by home teams without a loss until now had been an 11-0 record, accomplished six times, most recently on September 16, 1989.
2016 – David Dahl of the Rockies ties a major league record set by Chuck Aleno with the 1941 Cincinnati Reds by getting a hit in his 17th straight game since making his major league debut July 25th.
2017 – Reports emerge that a group that includes former player Derek Jeter has made a successful bid of $1.2 billion to acquire the Miami Marlins from Jeffrey Loria. The main financier behind the group is New York-based businessman Bruce Sherman.
2018 – Barry Bonds gets a measure of redemption, 11 years after breaking Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record amidst rumors of steroid use. Before today’s game, his number 25 is officially retired by the Giants and he is met with thundering cheers, in contrast with the almost indifference which greeted his record-breaking feat. At 87, all-time great Willie Mays, who has known Bonds since he was a small child, steals the show by calling for a statue of him to be erected alongside his outside AT&T Park and for Bonds’s election to the Hall of Fame.
2020 – In the first major league game played in Buffalo, NY since the demise of the Federal League, the Blue Jays defeat the Marlins, 5 – 4, to inaugurate their “home away from dome” – the newly spruced-up Sahlen Field. The Jays appear to be cruising to an easy 4 – 1 win when Francisco Cervelli hits a three-run homer off Anthony Bass with two outs in the 9th. But the Jays and A.J. Cole keep the Marlins from scoring in the top of the 10th, and a bases loaded line-drive to right field by Travis Shaw off Stephen Tarpley scores “designated runner” Anthony Alford with the winning run in the bottom of the inning.
2021 – For the second time this season, a pitcher strikes out ten consecutive batters, tying the all-time mark set by Hall of Famer Tom Seaver in 1970. After Aaron Nola of the Phillies had matched Seaver’s feat on June 25th, Corbin Burnes of the Brewers becomes the third, by striking out the side in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings against the Cubs, and then starting off the 5th by striking out 1B Frank Schwindel, who had been his first victim in the 2nd. The next batter, Matt Duffy, hits a single, but Milwaukee cruises to an easy 10 – 0 win.
2022 – The Cubs win the second annual Field of Dreams Game, played in a temporary ballpark near Dyersville, IA, next to the site where the eponymous movie was shot, 4 – 2 over the Reds. Nick Madrigal leads the way, going 3 for 5 as both teams wear retro uniforms for the occasion. Before the game, Ken Griffey Sr. sets the tone by playing a friendly game of catch with his son, Junior, soon joined by a group of kids and then legendary players from both teams in a scene straight out of the iconic movie.
2023:
The Rays appear to be cruising to an easy win, leading the Guardians, 8 – 4, after seven innings until Myles Straw ends a homer drought of 298 games with a long ball off Jason Adam in the 8th. Pete Fairbanks then implodes in the 9th, loading the bases on two walks and a hit batsman; all three runners cross the plate on three successive wild pitches by Fairbanks and Robert Stephenson to tie the score. But Tampa Bay bounces back when Wander Franco leads off the bottom of the 9th with the first walk-off homer of his career, against Nick Sandlin, for a final score of 9 – 8.
The Leñadores de Las Tunas sweep their way to the 2022-2023 Cuban Serie Nacional. They beat the Industriales, 6 – 1, in Game 4 today. Yordanys Alarcón hits a two-run dinger and Alejandro Meneses throws five shutout innings. Keniel Ferráz is named finals MVP after going 2-0.
Births[edit]
1846 – Eb Smith, umpire (d. 1875)
1853 – Doc Kennedy, catcher (d. 1920)
1862 – Henry Zeiher, catcher (d. 1951)
1864 – Dick Knox, minor leaguer (d. unknown)
1868 – Dan O’Connor, infielder (d. 1942)
1874 – Ed Walker, pitcher (d. 1947)
1876 – Danny Murphy, infielder (d. 1955)
1878 – Harry McNeal, pitcher (d. 1945)
1878 – Frank McQuade, owner (d. 1955)
1881 – Doc Tonkin, pitcher (d. 1959)
1884 – Pete Knisely, outfielder (d. 1948)
1887 – Ducky Swan, pitcher (d. 1946)
1891 – Karl Adams, pitcher (d. 1967)
1891 – Walter Barbare, infielder (d. 1965)
1893 – Red Causey, pitcher (d. 1960)
1899 – Frank Brazill, infielder (d. 1976)
1902 – LeRoy Taylor, outfielder; All-Star (d. 1968)
1906 – Ted Mayer, minor league catcher and manager (d. 1959)
1907 – Jim Galvin, pinch hitter (d. 1969)
1907 – Woody Jensen, outfielder (d. 2001)
1907 – Bobo Newsom, pitcher; All-Star (d. 1962)
1907 – Gordon Rhodes, pitcher (d. 1960)
1909 – Yuji Koseki, composer; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (d. 1989)
1911 – Ron Roncetti, scout (d. 1992)
1913 – Gready McKinnis, pitcher; All-Star (d. 1991)
1913 – Bob Scheffing, catcher, manager (d. 1985)
1917 – Lefty Hoerst, pitcher (d. 2000)
1918 – Luis Castro, Dominican national team pitcher
1919 – Luis Olmo, outfielder (d. 2017)
1922 – John Banks, Negro league pitcher (d. 2011)
1922 – Cal Cooper, pitcher (d. 1994)
1922 – John Miles, outfielder (d. 2013)
1922 – Bobby Wilkins, infielder (d. 2010)
1923 – Robert Mazer, owner (d. 2013)
1924 – Gene Sylvester, minor league pitcher (d. 2014)
1928 – Bill Bartholomay, owner (d. 2020)
1928 – John Masuga, minor league pitcher (d. 2012)
1928 – Bob Stephenson, infielder (d. 2020)
1929 – Dave Brown, minor league pitcher (d. 2017)
1932 – Paul Ebert, USA national team pitcher (d. 2009)
1932 – Steve Korcheck, catcher (d. 2016)
1934 – Rafael Luis López, Dominican national team manager
1936 – Bill Monbouquette, pitcher; All-Star (d. 2015)
1938 – Vada Pinson, outfielder; All-Star (d. 1995)
1942 – Sal Campisi, pitcher
1942 – Mike Szemplenski, minor league pitcher (d. 2022)
1943 – Leroy Reams, pinch hitter
1944 – Takeshi Shibata, NPB catcher and manager
1946 – Mike Hedlund, pitcher
1946 – Eddie Leon, infielder
1949 – Luis Melendez, outfielder
1949 – David Rubenstein, owner
1950 – Hideyuki Okue, NPB pitcher
1953 – Rex Hudson, pitcher
1953 – Dennis Lewallyn, pitcher
1954 – Gary Holle, infielder
1955 – Bryn Smith, pitcher
1957 – Wilfrido Cordoba, minor league pitcher
1958 – Dorn Taylor, pitcher
1960 – Al Pedrique, infielder, manager
1960 – Vin Soreca, minor league pitcher
1961 – John Caianiello, minor league catcher
1962 – Mitatsuya Yoshina, Japanese national team coach
1963 – Mike Huff, outfielder
1963 – José Leiva, minor league outfielder
1963 – Van Snider, outfielder
1963 – Motoyasu Wakai, NPB infielder
1964 – Carlos Martinez, infielder (d. 2006)
1965 – George Canale, infielder
1965 – John Mitchell, pitcher
1966 – Kevin Tahan, minor league catcher-outfielder
1966 – Ryoichi Ueoka, NPB pitcher
1967 – Mike Conte, college coach
1967 – John Salles, minor league pitcher
1969 – Dana LeVangie, scout
1970 – Pierpaolo Illuminati, Serie A1 catcher
1970 – Weijun Luo, Chinese national team catcher
1970 – Cha-hun Son, KBO infielder
1970 – Atsushi Watanabe, Japanese national team outfielder
1971 – Ricardo Badenas, Division Honor catcher
1971 – Michael Dunn, Australian national team outfielder
1971 – Charlie Nelson, minor league outfielder
1972 – Kazuyuki Atsuzawa, NPB pitcher
1972 – Andrew Lorraine, pitcher
1972 – Luis Juan Ruiz, Spanish national team pitcher
1973 – Nobuaki Arai, NPB catcher
1974 – Marc Cerbone, minor league pitcher
1975 – Randi Mallard, minor league pitcher
1975 – Pepe McNeal, minor league catcher
1975 – Tomohiro Nagai, NPB pitcher
1975 – Enohel Polanco, minor league player
1976 – Bubba Crosby, outfielder
1976 – José García, Cuban league manager
1976 – Travis Hake, minor league infielder
1976 – Tatsuhito Kato, NPB pitcher
1977 – Zane Carlson, minor league pitcher
1977 – Rob Purvis, minor league pitcher
1977 – Hiroshi Sato, NPB pitcher
1978 – Eric Crozier, designated hitter
1978 – Saúl Soto, minor league catcher
1979 – Jorge Padilla, outfielder
1980 – Kurt Birkins, pitcher
1980 – Sandy Madera, minor league infielder and manager
1980 – J.J. Sherrill, minor league player
1981 – Makoto Moriyama, NPB outfielder
1982 – Wang-sik Moon, South Korean national team coach
1983 – Francis Candela, Philippines national team infielder
1983 – Manuel Möller, Bundesliga pitcher
1984 – Melky Cabrera, outfielder; All-Star
1984 – Arshad Khan, Pakistani national team infielder
1984 – Sho Ueno, Japanese national team infielder
1985 – Matt Cavagnaro, minor league infielder
1985 – Pao-Lo Tseng, CPBL pitcher
1985 – Bo Zhao, China Baseball League pitcher
1986 – Dwayne Bailey, minor league infielder
1986 – Seiko Hayashida, Peruvian national team outfielder
1986 – Colby Rasmus, outfielder
1986 – Pablo Sandoval, infielder; All-Star
1986 – Chris Swauger, minor league outfielder and manager
1986 – Masanobu Tanaka, Japanese national team outfielder
1986 – David Washington, minor league outfielder
1987 – Minke Blok, Dutch women’s national team catcher
1987 – Rich Poythress, minor league infielder
1987 – Daisuke Sobue, NPB pitcher
1988 – Yuto Morikoshi, NPB infielder
1988 – Jake Sabol, college coach
1990 – Mayckol Guaipe, pitcher
1990 – Ryosuke Oguma, NPB pitcher
1990 – Edinson Rincón, minor league infielder
1990 – Harmen Sidhu, college coach
1991 – Wilfredo Tovar, infielder
1992 – Kohei Arihara, pitcher
1992 – Jacob Caples, minor league coach
1992 – Dominique Taylor, minor league outfielder
1993 – Min-ho Lee, KBO pitcher
1993 – Go Matsumoto, NPB outfielder
1993 – Kotaro Yamasaki, NPB outfielder
1994 – Max Clarijs, Hoofdklasse catcher
1994 – Harutomo Tsuji, NPB infielder
1995 – Ben Andrews, Bundesliga infielder
1995 – Cole Nieto, minor league coach
1995 – Michael Chavis, infielder
1996 – Mena Florio, Canadian women’s national team pitcher
1996 – Brendon Little, pitcher
1996 – Tzu-Hao Tung, CPBL infielder
1997 – Jesus Azuaje, minor league infielder
1997 – Nguyễn Ngọc Bảo, Vietnamese national team catcher-infielder
1999 – Nicholas Fischer, Swiss national team catcher
1999 – Shinya Hirosawa, NPB infielder
1999 – Doug Nikhazy, pitcher
1999 – Asaka Tsuru, Japanese women’s national team pitcher
2001 – Dylan Beavers, outfielder
2001 – Alejandro Torres-Skerrett, Greek national team outfielder
2001 – Rintaro Tsujimoto, NPB infielder
2002 – Donovan Holmes, Costa Rican national team pitcher
2004 – Matias Asa Bartol, Argentinian national team pitcher
2005 – Konosuke Fukuda, NPB pitcher
2005 – Tai Peete, minor league outfielder
2005 – Wetphisit Raknoi, Thai national team designated hitter
2006 – Ching-Hsien Ko, minor league outfielder
Deaths[edit]
1919 – Frank Todd, pitcher (b. 1869)
1922 – Sam King, infielder (b. 1852)
1929 – Red Long, pitcher (b. 1876)
1935 – Jack Zalusky, catcher (b. 1879)
1938 – Cliff Hill, pitcher (b. 1893)
1941 – Michael Hurley, umpire (d. 1859)
1943 – Fred Woodcock, pitcher (b. 1868)
1947 – Harry Davis, infielder, manager (b. 1873)
1950 – Frank Smykal, infielder (b. 1889)
1955 – Jerry Byrne, pitcher (b. 1907)
1955 – Babe Ellison, infielder (b. 1896)
1960 – Harry McChesney, outfielder (b. 1880)
1962 – Jake Volz, pitcher (b. 1878)
1965 – Byrd Douglas, college coach (b. 1894)
1966 – Ellis Ryan, owner (b. 1904)
1969 – William Marriott, infielder (b. 1893)
1970 – Paul Gillespie, catcher (b. 1920)
1971 – Rusty Pence, pitcher (b. 1900)
1974 – A.M. Walker, manager (b. 1886)
1975 – Rollin Cook, pitcher (b. 1890)
1977 – Frank Pearson, pitcher (b. 1919)
1980 – Frank Dascoli umpire (b. 1915)
1981 – Walt Huntzinger, pitcher (b. 1899)
1986 – Tom Gorman, pitcher (b. 1916)
1987 – John McGillen, pitcher (b. 1917)
1993 – Bill Wilson, pitcher (b. 1942)
1995 – Al Smith, pitcher (b. 1903)
1996 – Conklyn Meriwether, minor league player (b. 1918)
1997 – Rex Barney, pitcher (b. 1924)
2000 – Frank Mediamolle, minor league infielder (b. 1921)
2005 – Ted Radcliffe, pitcher/catcher, manager; All-Star (b. 1902)
2005 – Diego Raudez, Nicaraguan national team pitcher (b. ~1951)
2006 – Eduardo Acosta, minor league pitcher (b. 1948 or 1949)
2008 – Jimmy Wilkes, outfielder; All-Star (b. 1925)
2010 – Nellie King, pitcher (b. 1928)
2011 – Joe Trimble, pitcher (b. 1930)
2011 – Bob Will, outfielder (b. 1931)
2012 – Mitsuo Inaba, NPB pitcher (b. 1948)
2014 – Bob Ottesen, minor league outfielder (b. 1930)
2023 – Alex Cole, outfielder (b. 1965)
2023 – Dick Tomanek, pitcher (b. 1931)
2025 – Steve Reed, minor league pitcher (b. 1955)
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TV SPORTS TODAY
(All times Eastern)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Tuesday, Aug. 11
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL
11 a.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
1 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
3 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
5 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
7 p.m.
ESPN2 — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
9 p.m.
ESPN2 — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
MILB BASEBALL
7:30 p.m.
MLBN — Triple-A: Iowa vs. St. Paul, Dyersville, Iowa
MLB BASEBALL
7 p.m.
TBS — Seattle at N.Y. Yankees (7:05 p.m.)
10:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Kansas City at L.A. Dodgers (joined in progress) (10:10 p.m.) OR Tampa Bay at Athletics (joined in progress) (9:40 p.m.)
WNBA BASKETBALL
7:30 p.m.
ESPN — New York at Indiana
_____
Wednesday, Aug. 12
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
2 p.m.
MLBN — 2026 MLB High School All-American Game: Team Thome vs. Team Hunter, Dyersville, Iowa
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL
11 a.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
1 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
3 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
5 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
7 p.m.
ESPN2 — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
9 p.m.
ESPN2 — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
MLB BASEBALL
4 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Milwaukee at San Diego (4:10 p.m.) OR Houston at San Francisco (joined in progress) (3:45 p.m.)
7 p.m.
ESPN — Seattle at N.Y. Yankees
10 p.m.
ESPN — Texas at L.A. Angels
WNBA BASKETBALL
8 p.m.
USA — Toronto at Dallas
10 p.m.
CNBC — Chicago at Golden State
USA — Chicago at Golden State
_____
Thursday, Aug. 13
GOLF
9 a.m.
ESPN — PGA Tour: FedEx St. Jude Championship, First Round, TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tenn.
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL
1 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
3 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
5 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
7 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
9 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
MLB BASEBALL
1 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Cleveland at Detroit (1:10 p.m.) OR Pittsburgh at Miami (1:10 p.m.)
7:30 p.m.
NETFLIX — Philadelphia vs. Minnesota, Dyersville, Iowa
11 p.m.
MLBN — TBA
NFL FOOTBALL
7 p.m.
NFLN — Preseason: Green Bay at Pittsburgh
9 p.m.
NFLN — Preseason: Tennessee at San Francisco
WNBA BASKETBALL
8 p.m.
PRIME VIDEO — Los Angeles at New York
10 p.m.
PRIME VIDEO — Washington at Las Vegas
_____
Friday, Aug. 14
AUTO RACING
3 p.m.
FS2 — NTT IndyCar Series: Practice, Streets of Markham, Markham, Ontario
7:30 p.m.
FS1 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race at Richmond, Richmond Raceway, Richmond, Va.
GOLF
9 a.m.
ESPN — PGA Tour: FedEx St. Jude Championship, Second Round, TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tenn.
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL
1 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
3 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
5 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
7 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
9 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: TBD, Regional
MLB BASEBALL
2:20 p.m.
APPLE TV — St. Louis at Chicago Cubs
6:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Boston at Pittsburgh (6:40 p.m.) OR Chicago White Sox at Detroit (6:40 p.m.)
7:15 p.m.
APPLE TV — N.Y. Yankees at Toronto
9:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Kansas City at L.A. Angels (9:38 p.m.) OR Colorado at San Francisco (10:15 p.m.)
NFL FOOTBALL
7 p.m.
NFLN — Preseason: Tampa Bay at N.Y. Jets
WNBA BASKETBALL
7:30 p.m.
ION — Dallas at Indiana
10 p.m.
ION — Portland at Seattle
_____
Saturday, Aug. 15
AUTO RACING
10 a.m.
FS2 — NTT IndyCar Series: Practice, Streets of Markham, Markham, Ontario
2:25 p.m.
FS1 — NTT IndyCar Series: Qualifying, Streets of Markham, Markham, Ontario
7 p.m.
USA — NASCAR Cup Series: Cook Out 400, Richmond Raceway, Richmond, Va.
LACROSSE (MEN’S)
2 p.m.
ESPN — PLL: Maryland at Philadelphia
5 p.m.
ESPN — WLL Playoffs: TBD, Championship, Philadelphia
MLB BASEBALL
1 p.m.
MLBN — Chicago White Sox at Detroit (1:10 p.m.)
4 p.m.
FS1 — Washington at N.Y. Mets (4:10 p.m.)
7 p.m.
FOX — Regional Coverage: Arizona at Atlanta (7:15 p.m), Boston at Pittsburgh (7:15 p.m) OR Milwaukee at L.A. Dodgers (7:15 p.m)
NFL FOOTBALL
1 p.m.
NFLN — Preseason: Cleveland at Chicago
4 p.m.
NFLN — Preseason: L.A. Rams at Kansas City
8 p.m.
NFLN — Preseason: Dallas at Seattle
SOCCER (MEN’S)
Noon
ABC — LaLiga: TBA
7 p.m.
ESPN2 — USL Championship: Charleston at Pittsburgh
SOFTBALL
7 p.m.
ESPNU — Athletes Unlimited All-Star Cup: TBD, Rosemont, Ill.
WNBA BASKETBALL
8 p.m.
CBS — Minnesota at Las Vegas
_____
Sunday, Aug. 16
AUTO RACING
8:30 a.m.
FS2 — NTT IndyCar Series: Warmup, Streets of Markham, Markham, Ontario
Noon
FOX — NTT IndyCar Series: Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham, Streets of Markham, Markham, Ontario
LACROSSE (MEN’S)
1 p.m.
ABC — PLL: New York at Philadelphia
MLB BASEBALL
Noon
NBCSN — Baltimore at Tampa Bay (12:15 p.m.)
PEACOCK — Baltimore at Tampa Bay (12:15 p.m.)
1:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: N.Y. Yankees at Toronto (1:37 p.m.) OR Arizona at Atlanta (1:35 p.m.)
3 p.m.
ABC — St. Louis at Chicago Cubs
7 p.m.
NBCSN — Seattle at Houston (7:20 p.m.)
PEACOCK — Seattle at Houston (7:20 p.m.)
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
9 p.m.
ESPN — NWSL: Washington at Angel City
SOFTBALL
8 p.m.
MLBN — Athletes Unlimited All-Star Cup: TBD, Rosemont, Ill.
WNBA BASKETBALL
5 p.m.
ESPN — Indiana at Atlanta
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