From slightly tweaking its $1.50 hot dog combo to introducing an online cake-ordering process, the chain’s 2026 updates are catching shoppers’ attention.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Day: July 27, 2026
A bee is seen pollinating a backyard chive flower in Alaska. (Photo by Timothy Bundy)
On a bright June morning in Soldotna, a homeowner steps into the yard with a cup of coffee and notices a bumblebee working its way across a patch of blooming chives. It’s a small moment, but one that reflects a larger truth: the choices Alaskans make in their gardens, on their land and in their communities can have a meaningful impact on the state’s native bees.
Alaska is home to more than a hundred species of native bees, from familiar bumblebees to tiny solitary bees that nest in the ground or in hollow stems. These insects pollinate wildflowers, berry bushes and many of the plants that support wildlife and local food production. As Alaska’s climate changes and invasive species spread, the role of everyday Alaskans in supporting pollinators has never been more important.
Plant flowers that feed bees
One of the simplest and most effective ways to help native bees is to plant flowers that provide nectar and pollen throughout the growing season. Early‑blooming willows, mid‑summer fireweed and late‑season asters offer food when bees need it most. Even small patches of flowers in yards, community gardens or along driveways can make a difference.
Native plants are especially valuable because they adapt to Alaska’s climate and support the bees that evolved alongside them. But many common garden plants — such as chives, raspberries and sunflowers — also provide excellent forage.
Plant native flowers in clumps rather than scattering individual plants, because larger patches are easier for bees to find and allow them to gather food more efficiently.
Protect nesting habitat
Unlike honeybees, most native bees in Alaska do not live in hives. Many nest in the ground, while others use hollow stems, old rodent burrows or natural cavities in wood. Leaving parts of your yard slightly wild—with bare soil, dead stems or undisturbed corners—can provide nesting habitat for solitary bees.
Avoiding heavy mulch, landscape fabric or frequent tilling can also help ground‑nesting bees find places to raise their young.
Limit pesticide use
Pesticides can harm bees directly or reduce the availability of flowers they depend on. If you choose to use pesticides, apply them sparingly, follow label instructions carefully and avoid spraying when flowers are in bloom or when bees are active.
Many gardeners find that healthy soil, diverse plantings and natural predators reduce the need for chemical treatments.
Support local efforts to monitor bees
Community science programs, including the Alaska Bee Atlas, rely on volunteers to help document where bees live and how their populations are changing. Participating in these efforts — or simply sharing observations from your yard — helps scientists build a clearer picture of Alaska’s pollinators.
Even small contributions, such as photographing bees or planting a pollinator‑friendly garden, can support statewide conservation efforts.
Reduce the spread of invasive plants
Invasive species such as white sweetclover and bird vetch can outcompete native plants and alter the availability of food for bees. Learning to identify invasive plants, removing them when possible, and choosing non‑invasive garden species can help protect Alaska’s natural habitats.
Local Cooperative Extension offices and conservation districts offer resources to help homeowners manage invasive plants responsibly.
A shared responsibility
Supporting native bees does not require large tracts of land or specialized knowledge. It begins with simple choices — planting flowers, protecting nesting sites, reducing pesticide use and staying informed about changes in Alaska’s ecosystems.
On that June morning in Soldotna, the homeowner watches the bumblebee disappear into the chives and realizes that small actions can add up. Across Alaska, thousands of similar moments are helping create a landscape where native bees can thrive.
This is the fifth of a six commentary series about Alaska’s native bees.
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By: James Brooks and Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
The Alaska Legislature opened its third special session of 2026 with no bill, few lawmakers and little hope.
A handful of legislators gathered Monday in the state Capitol at Juneau to begin a 30-day session called by Gov. Mike Dunleavy after the failure of a compromise bill that would have provided a tax break to the developer of the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline.
Dunleavy and the state House opposed the addition of a corporate income tax on a handful of privately owned oil and gas companies that don’t currently pay one. That provision was intended to get support for the bill in the Senate.
But on Monday, the governor had no new alternative bill ready for legislators as the special session began.
In a statement on social media, Dunleavy said, “Before reintroducing the legislation, my administration is going to continue meeting with all parties to determine the best path forward to an agreement.”
Answering questions about those meetings, the governor’s office said it had nothing more to add.
‘I don’t believe the Legislature can do much now’
The pipeline’s lead developer, Glenfarne, has said that a reduction in the state’s petroleum property tax is necessary for it to obtain the financing needed to build the pipeline.
Passing a bill into law requires 21 votes in the House, 11 in the Senate, and the assent of the governor. In a special session called by the governor, lawmakers may only work on topics designated by the governor. In Dunleavy’s latest proclamation, he limited work to the proposed gas pipeline.
“It sounded like (the governor) is hopeful that there could be maybe some new developments, but that’s going to be his negotiation. I don’t believe the Legislature can do much now at this point,” said House Minority Leader DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, at the Capitol on Monday.
With no legislation to consider, members of the House and Senate held pro forma “technical sessions” before adjourning until Friday, when a bill could be available.
Because no substantive action was expected on Monday, only two legislators traveled to Juneau on the first day of the special session. Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, and Johnson were joined by Rep. Sara Hannan, D-Juneau. In the Senate, Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, presided over an otherwise empty chamber.
The state House has 40 members, the state Senate has 20.
Down the hall from the House and Senate chambers, a group of cruise ship tourists watched a video about the history of the Capitol in a darkened committee room. At 10 a.m., there were more tourists than legislators.
Edgmon said that until the governor introduces a substantive bill, legislators will mostly stay away from the Capitol.
“The plan in the House is to have technical sessions, as you just saw, and to save time and certainly money (by) not bringing the Legislature back until we have something in front of us that’s worthy of bringing the entire body back … because it’s quite expensive to bring the Legislature back into session,” he said.
Typically, legislators have budgeted $1 million for a 30-day special session.
Fate of ‘pass-through’ tax is a key question
The current deadlock in negotiations is a “pass through entities tax” that would levy a form of the state’s corporate income tax on privately owned oil and gas companies, including Armstrong Oil and Gas, HEX, and Hilcorp.
That tax was added to the bill in the Senate to garner the votes of senators who are skeptical of the underlying bill, which would replace the state’s petroleum property tax with a tax on gas pumped through the as-yet-unbuilt pipeline.
The result would be billions of dollars in deferred tax revenue over a 30-year period for the state and municipalities along the route. But some lawmakers worry that the switch could also result in lower oil and gas production taxes because of writeoffs available for companies who spend on oil and gas infrastructure.
The new tax would offset that possibility, but has drawn opposition from the governor and from legislators who worry about the effects of imposing a tax on companies that are actively drilling for oil and gas within the state.
Hilcorp is expected to drill 27 gas wells in Cook Inlet this year, at a time when the region is facing a shortage of natural gas. Some legislators say Hilcorp lobbying was a key factor in the defeat of the compromise bill earlier this month.
Edgmon said he spoke with Dunleavy on Sunday. With the state’s primary election on Aug. 18 and general elections in November, time is running out for any chance of action, Edgmon said.
“Every day that goes by gets that much more difficult to reconvene the Legislature and to get them refocused on a bill,” Edgmon said.
“And so I think the clock is ticking very loudly right now, and the governor realizes that.”
Dunleavy cannot run for another term in office, and January will see a new governor and a new Legislature. If a bill doesn’t pass before then, Johnson said, “general fatigue” about the idea of a gas pipeline is part of the reason why.
“I think it’s the years of times that we tried to take this up and we never moved it forward. And so there’s just this sense that somehow it can’t be done,” she said. “I mean, I know there’s a sense of having this roadblock out there, and I think that’s kind of pervasive.”
Coy “Denver” Parton spent most of his life far from the spotlight, but his death marks another heartbreaking loss for Dolly Parton and her close-knit family. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
What started as a memorable backstage meeting months ago has come full circle, with Ashley McBryde now helping 11-year-old Sawyer June achieve her dream of making her Grand Ole Opry debut.
The country star first met Sawyer back in February during a chance encounter backstage at the Opry. The young girl and her family were visiting town and decided to attend a show at the iconic venue, followed by a group tour backstage. McBryde, who was performing that day, noticed Sawyer in the crowd, singing along to every word of “Light On In the Kitchen.”
Later on, the two crossed paths backstage, where McBryde learned that the young fan was also a singer herself, leading to a special moment neither of them would forget.
“I stopped and said hello to everybody. And the front of the tour was the young girl and her mom and her dad. I went over and shook her hand, and I found out her name and they gave me some pecans from their farm, which I love pecans,” she shared at the time. “And then they let me know that she is a singer as well. And her mom said that she sings ‘Bible And A .44’ really well.”
The Arkansas native instinctively grabbed her guitar and invited Sawyer to sing a few lines of the song with her. The two sat together, effortlessly harmonizing and creating a special moment that McBryde said left her amazed by Sawyer’s talent and passion at such a young age. She later followed Sawyer on social media and promised to keep up with her musical journey.
McBryde kept her promise and was recently given the opportunity to share some very special news with Sawyer, during her recent visit to the WSM studio. The young girl was on-air with one of the show’s hosts, Eryn Cooper, who explained that there was someone calling in to speak with her.
McBryde’s voice appeared on the other end of the line as she asked Sawyer how her week was going. She also called attention to the fact that the talented singer recently performed in her Redemption Bar on Nashville’s lower Broadway.
“Oh that was awesome, that was amazing,” Sawyer said while still getting over the shock of realizing she was talking to the country star again.
“Us becoming friends is one of the best things that’s happened to me in a long time,” McBryde stated.
Sawyer echoed that sentiment saying, “It’s one of the best things that’s happened to me in a really long time.”
The “One Night Standards” singer went on to say that she had a very important question for the young artist.
She said, “As a proud member myself, and on behalf of the folks at the Grand Ole Opry, we’d love to invite you to stand in the circle and make your Opry debut. What do you say?”
Overwhelmed by the surprise, Sawyer took a moment to process the invitation before enthusiastically accepting. The emotional moment quickly turned into tears of joy, with Sawyer telling McBryde she was “the best friend I’ve ever had.”
“I told you I’m gonna watch you walk across that stage and here we are…you’re a star Sawyer June,” added McBryde.
“Thank you so much this is the biggest honor I’ve ever had in my life,” she responded.
The Grand Ole Opry has yet to share a date for Sawyer June’s big moment in the circle.
The post Ashley McBryde Creates Full-Circle Moment by Inviting 11-Year-Old Singer Sawyer June to Make Her Grand Ole Opry Debut appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
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Sure, Ella Langley might be the country crossover artist of the summer.
But Kacey Musgraves has been delivering twangy chart-toppers since Obama’s first term, and she’s here to remind us that she’s still got it in more ways than one.
In order to promote her new single “Mexico Honey,” Kacey posted an Instagram carousel that’s attracting a whole lot of attention across social media.
The reason? Well, all of the pics are cool, but we’re gonna assume most people are fixating on the ones in which Kacey is seen wearing nothing but a parrot on her shoulder.
Fans know that Kacey has a long history of horny posting, and they love her for it.
But because we live in very prudish times, Ms. Musgraves occasionally experiences some pushback for her boundary-testing content, but thankfully, she hasn’t let that stop her.
We can’t share her latest post directly — this is a family-friendly scandalous gossip site, thank you very much! — but you find Kacey’s glorious parrot pics here.
“That Kacey Musgraves post on insta. Boy oh boy,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).
“Boy oh boy is an understatement. Kacey really woke up, chose violence against the timeline, and posted pure unfiltered art with that parrot shot. Composition, colour, confidence — all of it hits different. Some people just move different,” another wrote.
“She really opened Instagram today and decided to drop a casual lethal weapon on everyone’s feed,” a third person opined.
“Ella was getting too much attention,” a fourth chimed in. You get the idea.
Some wondered how Kacey was able to get away with that level of skin. But it’s important to note that the site has a no-nipples policy.
Its terms of service are surprisingly vague on the topic of unclothed backsides.
So Kacey knew the rules and made a conscious decision about which ones were worth breaking, as great artists have done since the dawn of time.
The sultry post comes on the heels of news that Kacey has decided to cancel several tour dates, but her team says the decision was solely a logistical one, and there’s no cause for concern.
So fear not — Kacey will still be hitting the road starting August 20. If you’re lucky enough to make her acquaintance, don’t make it weird by mentioning the parrot.
Kacey Musgraves’ Nude Instagram Pics Test Site’s Policies, Delight Fans was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
The Alaska House gavels in for the third special session in 2026 on the proposed AKLNG gasline project, with House Speaker Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, presiding and Reps. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, and Sara Hannan, D-Juneau, in attendance on July 27, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
The Alaska Legislature opened its third special session of 2026 with no bill, few lawmakers and little hope.
A handful of legislators gathered Monday in the state Capitol at Juneau to begin a 30-day session called by Gov. Mike Dunleavy after the failure of a compromise bill that would have provided a tax break to the developer of the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline.
Dunleavy and the state House opposed the addition of a corporate income tax on a handful of privately owned oil and gas companies that don’t currently pay one. That provision was intended to get support for the bill in the Senate.
But on Monday, the governor had no new alternative bill ready for legislators as the special session began.
In a statement on social media, Dunleavy said, “Before reintroducing the legislation, my administration is going to continue meeting with all parties to determine the best path forward to an agreement.”
Answering questions about those meetings, the governor’s office said it had nothing more to add.
‘I don’t believe the Legislature can do much now’
The pipeline’s lead developer, Glenfarne, has said that a reduction in the state’s petroleum property tax is necessary for it to obtain the financing needed to build the pipeline.
Passing a bill into law requires 21 votes in the House, 11 in the Senate, and the assent of the governor. In a special session called by the governor, lawmakers may only work on topics designated by the governor. In Dunleavy’s latest proclamation, he limited work to the proposed gas pipeline.
“It sounded like (the governor) is hopeful that there could be maybe some new developments, but that’s going to be his negotiation. I don’t believe the Legislature can do much now at this point,” said House Minority Leader DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, at the Capitol on Monday.
With no legislation to consider, members of the House and Senate held pro forma “technical sessions” before adjourning until Friday, when a bill could be available.
Because no substantive action was expected on Monday, only two legislators traveled to Juneau on the first day of the special session. Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, and Johnson were joined by Rep. Sara Hannan, D-Juneau. In the Senate, Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, presided over an otherwise empty chamber.
The state House has 40 members, the state Senate has 20.
Down the hall from the House and Senate chambers, a group of cruise ship tourists watched a video about the history of the Capitol in a darkened committee room. At 10 a.m., there were more tourists than legislators.
Edgmon said that until the governor introduces a substantive bill, legislators will mostly stay away from the Capitol.
“The plan in the House is to have technical sessions, as you just saw, and to save time and certainly money (by) not bringing the Legislature back until we have something in front of us that’s worthy of bringing the entire body back … because it’s quite expensive to bring the Legislature back into session,” he said.
Typically, legislators have budgeted $1 million for a 30-day special session.
Fate of ‘pass-through’ tax is a key question
The current deadlock in negotiations is a “pass through entities tax” that would levy a form of the state’s corporate income tax on privately owned oil and gas companies, including Armstrong Oil and Gas, HEX, and Hilcorp.
Corporate income tax change remains key sticking point for Alaska gas pipeline bill
That tax was added to the bill in the Senate to garner the votes of senators who are skeptical of the underlying bill, which would replace the state’s petroleum property tax with a tax on gas pumped through the as-yet-unbuilt pipeline.
The result would be billions of dollars in deferred tax revenue over a 30-year period for the state and municipalities along the route. But some lawmakers worry that the switch could also result in lower oil and gas production taxes because of writeoffs available for companies who spend on oil and gas infrastructure.
The new tax would offset that possibility, but has drawn opposition from the governor and from legislators who worry about the effects of imposing a tax on companies that are actively drilling for oil and gas within the state.
Hilcorp is expected to drill 27 gas wells in Cook Inlet this year, at a time when the region is facing a shortage of natural gas. Some legislators say Hilcorp lobbying was a key factor in the defeat of the compromise bill earlier this month.
Edgmon said he spoke with Dunleavy on Sunday. With the state’s primary election on Aug. 18 and general elections in November, time is running out for any chance of action, Edgmon said.
“Every day that goes by gets that much more difficult to reconvene the Legislature and to get them refocused on a bill,” Edgmon said.
“And so I think the clock is ticking very loudly right now, and the governor realizes that.”
Dunleavy cannot run for another term in office, and January will see a new governor and a new Legislature. If a bill doesn’t pass before then, Johnson said, “general fatigue” about the idea of a gas pipeline is part of the reason why.
“I think it’s the years of times that we tried to take this up and we never moved it forward. And so there’s just this sense that somehow it can’t be done,” she said. “I mean, I know there’s a sense of having this roadblock out there, and I think that’s kind of pervasive.”
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Wild Rice Veggie Burger Recipe
This wild rice veggie burger recipe features nutrient-dense, veggie-rich patties along with a creamy tahini sauce to top it all off.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Audrey McGraw is showing that the musical talent in her family runs deep.
Over the weekend, the daughter of country superstars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill joined her soon-to-be Country Music Hall of Fame dad during his Pawn Shop Guitar Tour stop at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York.
McGraw welcomed Audrey to the stage, where she delivered a stunning performance of her mother Faith Hill’s 2002 hit “Stronger.” With her powerful vocals and undeniable stage presence, Audrey left fans impressed, and many couldn’t help but notice the similarities between her voice and her famous mom’s.
Following the performance, fans flooded TikTok with comments praising Audrey’s vocals and resemblance to Hill.
“She sounds so much like her mom,” one fan wrote.
“She looks and sounds like her Mom! Wow, absolutely beautiful,” another added.
“Lord she looks just like her mom except with dark hair,” another person commented.
“Her mama’s twin,” another fan shared.
Martina McBride even weighed in. “This brings up so much emotion. I love your mom and you’ve always had “it” since you were like 6 and we were all doing karaoke in the Bahamas.”
After the show, Audrey reflected on the unforgettable moment of performing one of her mom’s songs during her dad’s concert.
“I don’t have words to express the honor I feel to sing my mama’s song last night, and for it to be at dad’s show. To be your daughter is an infinite gift. I love y’all so much, I am always so proud and so inspired by you. Thank you for sharing this crazy life with us. Proud to be a road dawg forever,” she wrote.
Audrey also gave a shoutout to McGraw’s longtime band, adding, “Plus The Dance Hall Doctors, baby!!!! The sickest band out there!! Hell yeah. Family always. Love y’all.”
She later shared a special message for her dad, writing, “LOVE YOU DAD!!! Jones Beach rocked! Thanks for having me out there. So proud of you.”
Audrey McGraw is quickly making a name for herself. She released her debut single last year with a cover of Neil Diamond’s 1971 classic “I Am… I Said,” followed by her original song “Thunder.” Beyond releasing music of her own, Audrey has toured with Brandi Carlile and made an appearance in the hit Paramount+ series Landman.
Audrey’s appearance came at a special time for McGraw, who will soon be officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame alongside his fellow Class of 2026 inductees.
The post Audrey McGraw Channels Mom Faith Hill During Special Onstage Moment With Tim McGraw appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
The 2026 college football season doesn’t start for another month, but for some head coaches, the pressure is already on. FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt examined how much pressure some of the top head coaches in the sport are dealing with ahead of the 2026 season in the most recent episode of the “Joel Klatt Show.” Which coaches are on the hot seat? Which coaches could be on the hot seat? Klatt placed the coaches dealing with some sort of pressure into five categories: Just Happy You’re Here; We Like You, But …; Just Trying To Be Patient; Is This Going To Work and It’s Time. So, here’s Klatt’s pressure index for 10 of the top coaches ahead of the 2026 season. Just Happy You’re Here Klatt: “All in LSU has gone — not only on the roster, but with Lane. I know they’re in a honeymoon phase after Brian Kelly. LSU always has high expectations. They spent plenty of money right away. I don’t think there’s a pressure point right now. I think they’re just happy he’s there. “I think that is a realization of what LSU has been recently. LSU has only finished in the top 25 two times since they’ve won a national championship in 2019. That was their only College Football Playoff appearance. Lane’s going to be under pressure Nov. 7 against Alabama. Not an easy schedule. I do have this sneaky feeling that Lane and LSU are going to roll out against Clemson, and we’re all going to open our eyes and go, ‘Oh, that’s one of the best rosters in all of college football.’ They’ve certainly spent enough money on it. … They might just be really, really good.” Klatt: “Kyle’s one of the best head coaches in the entire sport, and you’re just happy he’s there. The way that things ended with Sherrone Moore, things could have gone south in a hurry for Michigan, particularly with the timing of everything that happened. Then they get Kyle Whittingham. Instead, they bring in, I think, one of the best coaches in America. “Michigan got a full offseason with Whittingham, so they should be in pretty good shape. By the way, that was a nine-win team. In the middle of all that dysfunction, they still won nine games with a true freshman quarterback. Now, the pressure point game for Michigan, I think, is a home game against Penn State [on] Oct. 17. Ohio State is always a huge one. Oklahoma is going to be a monster one.” We Like You, But … Klatt: “Didn’t go well last year. They started No. 4. Finished 7-6. Clemson has not finished in the top 10 since Trevor Lawrence; that was five seasons ago. Dabo’s in his 18th full year at Clemson. He’s been heavily criticized for not adapting to the new world of college football. He has slowly come around. “I think Clemson fans at this point are saying to themselves, ‘We like you, but …’ there’s a huge pressure point for Dabo: Miami in their fifth game. Could be LSU, but Miami is in conference. Clemson has run the ACC. They have dominated the ACC. Now it seems like Miami’s conference. Then you wonder, what’s the gap? Is Miami head and shoulders above Clemson? They were a year ago. Miami is going to be loaded again.” Just Trying To Be Patient Klatt: “They made the SEC Championship Game. They won a playoff game. But they did get hammered by Georgia in the championship game, and they got absolutely crushed by Indiana. I think Kalen DeBoer took the hardest job in America, at, maybe, the most difficult time ever. Following Nick Saban, he did get a two-year extension in April through the 2032 season, and he’s gone 20-8. I actually really like Kalen DeBoer; 20-8 in his first two seasons is not terrible, but four losses in each season — we haven’t seen four losses from Alabama since Saban’s first year in 2007. Going into this season, I think the pressure’s on him. “With a quarterback who hasn’t started a game in his career, whether it’s Austin Mack or Keelon Russell. The schedule’s not terrible, but their first five games are very winnable. Then they’ve got this critical four-game stretch in the middle of the season … right now, this fan base is trying to be patient.” Is This Going To Work? Klatt: “Let me just start with this. Let’s put him in the category right away: Is this going to work? Year 3 for Rhule and his history has always been a huge bump. Temple and Baylor. Last year was Year 3 and this year is Year 4. He’s gone 19-19; he’s .500. Rhule was known for that Year 3 pop. And they did win seven in the regular season. That was the first time they won seven in the regular season since 2016. You can say it was a step forward. But the way that they finished doesn’t feel like that. “He did get a two-year contract extension through 2032. They lost four of their last five. To be fair, they lost their quarterback; [Dylan] Raiola got hurt. It wasn’t the same after he got hurt. They are moving forward, but there is a question for this fanbase: ‘Is it going to work?’ The schedule sets up for a hot start. Really good shot at being 5-0 for the Cornhuskers. Nobody is expecting them to beat Indiana or Oregon. The Washington game on Oct. 31st, that’s the game that could send the entire season in a different direction.” Klatt: “Belichick going to North Carolina was one of the biggest surprises I had on my bingo board, and that we’ve seen in recent years. First year, 4-8. Those four wins were against Charlotte, Richmond, Syracuse, who was terrible, and Stanford. We didn’t see a buttoned-up, fundamentally sound team that we are accustomed to seeing from Belichick. That’s a big adjustment to coaching the pros, and men, to 19-year-olds. “Belichick made one major change in the offseason. He did not bring back Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator, and Bobby’s a very good offensive coach. I think the pressure point is right out of the gate, Week 0, TCU in Dublin. I mean, TCU hammered them last year, hammered them. That wasn’t even close. After TCU, they’ll face Clemson in the third game, Notre Dame in the fourth game. Again, those aren’t measuring sticks for me for North Carolina.” Klatt: “Year 6 for Beamer at South Carolina. He’s 33-30. I think they wanted more out of Beamer. They gave him an extension after that 2024 season. They finished with nine wins. He had more wins than any other South Carolina coach in four years. But then last year went really poorly. Really poorly. Last year they started in the top 15, and got all the way up to 10 before the wheels absolutely came off. They finished 4-8. He needs to get things stabilized; otherwise, things could get uncomfortable for him. They do have LaNorris Sellers. They do have Dylan Stewart—cornerstones to build around for this roster. There’s no doubt. “Their schedule does not do Beamer any favors. The fans are looking around and asking themselves ‘Is this going to work?’ I think the pressure point is Tennessee at home on Oct. 24. Lose that one and, yikes. They’re going to have at Oklahoma, Texas A&M, at Arkansas, Georgia and at Clemson. Things could go south in a hurry.” It’s Time Klatt: “I think there’s some pressure there. I’m a big fan of this USC team. This is Year 5 of Lincoln at USC. I think Trojan fans expected a start that they got, when they almost made it to the playoffs, and then sustaining that. And they obviously took a couple of steps back in their next couple of years. 27 teams have made the College Football Playoff, and USC is not one of them. They should be better than this and we know that. “I think the mood of Trojan fans about Lincoln Riley is that it’s time. There’s a real opportunity to make a mark with this team. This is a team that went 9-3 last year in the regular season; this is a team that beat Michigan physically on their home field. … The pressure point is not Oregon at home …they go to Penn State. That’s the pressure point. That’s likely going to be a whiteout, Oct. 10. This would be a monumental win for USC. If they win that game, they might just go to the playoff.” Klatt: “Year 6 in Austin for Sark. They’ve been to the semifinals twice. Texas opened as the No. 1 team in the country, and then missed the playoff. He does have three straight 10-win seasons, but he’s got Arch Manning. And they just spent a lot of money, he’s been doing some talking in the offseason. “They loaded up with weapons around, they’ve got that huge game against Ohio State and a really difficult schedule. One of the most difficult schedules in the country. And yet, don’t you get the sense that after those two semifinals appearances, and last year maybe an underwhelming performance from the Texas Longhorns, I think it’s time. I think that this fanbase looks at Sark and looks at Texas and says ‘Alright, it’s time. It’s time to win the SEC. It’s time to really play for that national championship.’” Klatt: “I think he’s one of the best coaches in America. Every single year, Oregon has taken a step forward under Dan Lanning. They were good his first year. Then, in his second year, they won the Big Ten. They were the No. 1 seed and got beat by the eventual national champion, the Ohio State Buckeyes. Then, he goes to the semifinal, so he wins a playoff game. They beat up on Texas Tech. And then Indiana housed them, and scored over 50 points. “He’s averaged 12 wins per year in his first four years as a head coach. Lanning has a group that is built to win it all. Stud experienced quarterback, talented defensive line, also experienced, could’ve gone to the National Football League but came back. They’ve got a ton of talent at wide receiver, running back. At 40 years old, he’d be the youngest to win a title since Bob Stoops did in 2000 at Oklahoma. “But I get the sense that Oregon fans are thinking to themselves … ‘It’s our time.’ Their toughest game is going to be going to USC … going to Ohio State … Michigan at home, Washington at home. Those are all decently difficult games. The pressure index really heats up for Dan Lanning once they’re in the CFP.”Latest Sports News from FOX Sports