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As much as modern World Cup squads are typically constructed using a forensic examination of data points collected over a four-year cycle combined with the gut feelings of experienced national team coaches and their staffs, the United States’ roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was always going to be different. USA boss Mauricio Pochettino was hired less than two years ago. For much of his tenure, he has been, for various reasons, without whom many would consider some of America’s most essential players, including forward Christian Pulisic, midfielder Weston McKennie, midfielder Tyler Adams, and wing back Antonee “Jedi” Robinson. Out of necessity, Pochettino scoured the fringes of the U.S. player pool, unearthing and/or handing opportunities to the likes of winger Max Arfsten, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, right back Alex Freeman and goalkeeper Matt Freese. The former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea manager brought in a whopping figure of 70-plus players during his first 18 months on the job. Now, he must settle on his final 26-player roster before it is officially unveiled in two weeks on May 26. And then, exactly one month from Tuesday, Pochettino will announce his lineup for the Stars and Stripes’ June 12 World Cup opener against Paraguay in Los Angeles. Here’s my latest USA roster projection for the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Nobody could’ve foreseen Freeman or Freese, who were uncapped this time last year, emerging as projected World Cup starters when Pochettino took over. Things change quickly. And with the tournament almost here, the coach could favor roster candidates who are in top form with their clubs right now over several of those he summoned for the national team’s most recent camp in March. For every team, there’s almost always at least one roster surprise. Timing is everything when the main event finally arrives. Who will make the full squad? Let’s break the full roster down: STRIKERS Starter: Folarin BalogunBackups: Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright Just missed out: Josh Sargent, Patrick Agyemang (injured) The ruptured Achilles tendon that Agyemang suffered on April 6 playing for Derby County made Pochettino’s decision for him; it’s possible he would’ve also picked Pepi and Wright as Balogun’s World Cup understudies even if the 6-foot-4 Agyemang had been available. Now there’s seemingly no doubt, though Pochettino’s sparing use of Pepi is notable. Despite being healthy, the rangy striker from El Paso, Texas, went unused in two of the USA’s four most recent games, logging just 34 minutes off the bench. Yet he’s heading into the World Cup in top form. On May 10, Pepi bagged his 18th goal of the season for PSV Eindhoven. The 23-year-old has started the last four games for the Dutch champions, scoring in each. ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS Starters: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie Backups: Brenden Aaronson, Diego Luna, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman Just missed out: Jack McGlynn, Alex Zendejas This is assuming Pulisic isn’t hurt, of course. The country’s most celebrated attacker missed AC Milan’s loss to Atalanta on May 10 with a glute injury. The ailment isn’t considered serious, however. More concerning is the 27-year-old player’s 19-game goalless streak for club and country dating to Dec. 28, 2025. Fortunately, McKennie is showing no signs of wear as the World Cup approaches. The Juventus live-wire man in the middle, who’s also 27, started his 30th match of the Serie A campaign in 1-0 win over Lecce on May 10. Aaronson has made 28 starts for Leeds United, which secured another season in the Premier League. Luna scored for Real Salt Lake on May 9. As did Reyna, who finally chalked up his first tally of the 2025-26 season for Germany’s Borussia Mönchengladbach. Here’s where things get interesting. Pochettino’s assistant coach Jesús Pérez was in Los Angeles on May 10 watching McGlynn against LAFC. The Houston Dynamo man promptly scored a banger — a strike similar to his missile last year in an exhibition loss to Türkiye, which will also be the Americans’ final World Cup group stage opponent. McGlynn added a second well-taken goal later in the contest. Last year, someone I trust told me that Pochettino “loves” McGlynn. The New York native from Queens apparently (and literally) still has a shot. If he makes it, it wouldn’t be the first time a Houston midfielder has reached the World Cup on the strength of his magical left foot: see Brad Davis in 2014. But who goes out if McGlynn sneaks on? This is a zero-sum exercise. If current form matters, it could be Tillman, who has played just 70 total minutes for Bayer Leverkusen since March 21. Reyna has 88 minutes during the same span and was included in the last two camps when he was featuring even less frequently for his club. Zendejas probably feels like he’s making a better World Cup case than either Tillman or Reyna. Wearing the captain’s armband for Club América on May 10, Zendejas scored twice and added an assist against Pumas in Mexico’s Liga MX quarterfinals. While McGlynn and Zendejas still feel like World Cup long shots, I also wouldn’t be shocked if one of them is the surprise pick this cycle. HOLDING MIDFIELDERS Starters: Tyler Adams, Tanner Tessmann Backups: Sebastian Berhalter, Cristian Roldan, Aidan MorrisJust missed out: Johnny Cardoso (injured), Yunus Musah, James Sands (injured) Adams is near the height of his powers. On May 10, Pochettino was in attendance at London’s Craven Cottage to watch the heart-and-soul destroyer help Bournemouth beat Fulham and extend its unbeaten streak in the Premier League to 16 games. Adams played the final 47 minutes for the visitors. While Adams is one of the first names on Pochettino’s lineup sheet, the spot next to him is more uncertain than ever. Cardoso has been officially ruled out of the World Cup after Atlético Madrid confirmed on May 11 he’ll have surgery on his ankle. Tessmann is also hurt, though The Athletic reported that the muscle strain that ruled him out of Lyon’s final two games of the Ligue 1 season isn’t expected to impact his World Cup availability. The obvious winner here is Morris, who suddenly goes from the roster bubble to seriously contending for a starting spot versus Paraguay. First, Morris will try to vault Middlesbrough into the Premier League in the second-tier playoff decider against Southampton on May 12. WING BACKS Starters: Sergiño Dest, Antonee “Jedi” Robinson Backups: Max Arfsten, Tim Weah Just missed out: Joe Scally, John Tolkin A week after returning from the hamstring problem he suffered in March, Dest made his first start since the layoff, going 65 minutes in PSV’s 4-1 win over Go Ahead Eagles on May 10. That’s great news for a USA team that needs all the attacking help it can get. Pochettino saw Jedi go the distance against Bournemouth, which is also great news. Robinson also played 90 in a May 2 loss to Premier League-leading Arsenal Injury forced Weah to miss his club match on May 10. But as with Pulisic and Tessmann, it’s not serious, with L’Équipe reporting that Weah could return for Marseille’s May 17 season finale with Rennes. Natural lefty Arfsten has three goals and five assists in his last eight MLS games for the Columbus Crew. Scally has a strong case, especially given his experience playing multiple defensive roles with Borussia Mönchengladbach. He’s probably the next choice if anyone else goes down. CENTER BACKS Starters: Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Alex FreemanBackups: Mark McKenzie, Auston TrustyJust missed out: Miles Robinson After missing three games with a tight groin, Ream returned to Charlotte’s lineup on May 9. That means Pochettino’s preferred captain should be fully match fit when the USA’s pre-World Cup training camp opens in Fayetteville, Georgia on May 27. Freeman’s late-season emergence with La Liga power Villarreal is also a huge boost, increasing the chances of Pochettino opting for a three-man central defense with him on the right, Ream on the left and Richards anchoring the middle. McKenzie has been a consistent call-up ever since Pochettino arrived. He made his 27th start this term for French club Toulouse in a 2-1 win over a Tessmann-less Lyon on May 10. As for Trusty, his timing couldn’t be better. While he’s been playing regularly and well for Celtic in Scotland, Robinson has just returned from the injury that had sidelined him for four of FC Cincinnati’s previous five MLS matches. GOALKEEPERS Starter: Matt FreeseBackups: Matt Turner, Chris Brady Just missed out: Roman Celentano, Jonathan Klinsmann, (injured), Diego Kochen, Patrick Schulte The conventional wisdom is that Freese, Poch’s starter in 13 of the Americans’ last 15 games dating to last summer and superb despite a 2-0 loss to Portugal on March 31, will keep his place and man the U.S. goal on June 12. U.S. assistant Miguel D’Agostino watched the Harvard grad post his second clean sheet of the 2026 MLS campaign on NYCFC’s 3-0 victory over Columbus on May 10. Still, Turner is doing everything possible to outmaneuver Freese and reclaim the job that was his at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar; with a 79.4 save percentage for the New England Revolution as of May 11, the veteran backstop has been the best American keeper by far this season in MLS.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

FOX released three top-tier college football games on Monday, locking in a trio of fall matchups that will unquestionably shape the 2026 national championship race. The loaded slate includes Oklahoma-Michigan, Michigan-Ohio State and the Big Ten Championship Game. I expect this group of games to feature ranked teams, a CFP semifinalist and a Heisman Trophy contender. The Big Ten has ruled college football in recent years, producing the last three national champions. Once again, the conference is set to take center stage. Here are my bold predictions from the three blockbuster games on FOX: Bold prediction: The outcome will tilt early-season perception in the Big Ten–SEC debate At a time when the Big Ten’s grip on college football has never been stronger and the SEC is still sorting out what it means to be the sport’s second-best league, a Michigan win in one of the most highly anticipated non-conference games of 2026 could prove decisive for a conference where it’s supposed to “just mean more.” Oklahoma has made more College Football Playoff appearances than Michigan, yet the Sooners have never won a postseason game, even when they earned the right to host one last December, falling to an SEC opponent (Alabama) and a team it had beaten on the road the season before. Michigan, meanwhile, enters a new era under its third head coach in four years, trying to reinforce its identity as the program that first broke through among the Big Ten’s three consecutive national champions. Still, Oklahoma has never lost to Michigan, having met twice, and the Sooners have historically fared well against Big Ten teams. No Big Ten program owns a winning record against Oklahoma, and head coach Brent Venables already has wins over Nebraska and Michigan from a year ago. Given how the College Football Playoff selection committee increasingly weighs non-conference matchups between Power 4 programs, especially those from the sport’s premier conferences, the winner of this game could be the one that earns another shot at the CFP. Bold prediction: Michigan-Ohio State will feature at least one Heisman finalist The Game has featured at least one College Football Playoff participant in each of the last seven years, produced five of the last seven Big Ten champions, and included two of the last three national champions. It has become appointment viewing not just because of its history, but because of its direct impact on the national title race. I don’t expect that to change, even with Kyle Whittingham assuming the controls at Michigan. With new offensive coordinators at both programs — Arthur Smith at Ohio State and Jason Beck at Michigan — there could be some schematic shifts on both sides. But there will be no drop-off in talent on the field. Each roster features at least one player with legitimate Heisman Trophy potential, and at least one future finalist will be on the field in this game. Is this the year Ohio State accomplishes something it hasn’t done since 2014: win The Game, the Big Ten Championship, and the national title? That question will begin to take shape in earnest on Nov. 28. Bold prediction: The Big Ten Championship will reveal a CFP semifinalist The Big Ten champion has reached the College Football Playoff semifinals every year since 2019. Not even the SEC can say that. Whether it’s been Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, or Indiana, the league’s champion has routinely been among the sport’s final four teams, both in the eyes of the selection committee and on the field. What remains to be seen this year is whether any team can unseat reigning champion Indiana.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

With three weeks remaining in the 2026 UFL regular season, the playoff picture is finally beginning to take shape with three teams deadlocked atop the league standings. However, one team has separated itself in the power rankings after a pivotal quarterback change. Here’s a look at my latest UFL power rankings list of the season: Week 7 result: Lost to St. Louis, 31-20Current odds to win 2026 title: +12000 The Aviators ran the ball well, averaging 5.7 yards per rush, and were perfect in the red zone (3 for 3). But penalties crippled their comeback effort against one of the league’s best teams. The Aviators committed as many penalties (14) as they had first downs. Week 7 result: Lost to Orlando, 24-23Current odds to win 2026 title: +18000 The Gamblers came within inches of upsetting the Storm. Had John Hoyland connected from 63 yards out, Houston would have walked away with the win. Hunter Dekkers threw for 268 yards, and the offensive line didn’t surrender a sack all night. The Gamblers deserved better. Week 7 result: Lost to Birmingham, 21-17Current odds to win 2026 title: +2000 The Renegades are in free fall. After opening the season 3-0, Dallas has now lost four straight. For the first time all year, the Renegades look like a team in danger of missing the playoffs. Week 7 result: Defeated Dallas, 21-17Current odds to win 2026 title: +1000 The Stallions look like a different team with quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center, and it showed in their overtime win against what once looked like the UFL’s best squad. Birmingham’s defense delivered a massive stop in overtime before Robinson sealed the victory with a two-point conversion pass to Jaydon Mickens. Week 7 result: Defeated DC, 30-13Current odds to win 2026 title: +1500 In a dramatic response to their Week 6 defeat, the Kings rallied from a two-score deficit with 27 unanswered points against the hottest team in the UFL. Louisville’s defense led the way with two interceptions and four takeaways. The victory keeps the Kings firmly in the playoff hunt and alive for a trip to the United Bowl. Week 7 result: Lost to Louisville, 30-13Current odds to win 2026 title: +110 DC’s five-game winning streak came to an end, along with its hold on the top spot in these power rankings. The Defenders’ offense was unusually careless in the loss to Louisville. Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu threw for 353 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, but DC was shut out in three of four quarters against a resurgent Kings defense. Week 7 result: Defeated Houston, 24-23Current odds to win 2026 title: +450 The Storm escaped Shell Energy Stadium with a win despite totaling just 185 yards of offense and converting only 2 of 10 third-down attempts. Orlando’s defense stiffened in the red zone, allowing just one touchdown when the Gamblers moved the ball inside the 20-yard line. Week 7 result: Defeated Columbus, 31-20Current odds to win 2026 title: +250 The Battlehawks’ defense maintained its high standard by consistently getting into opponents’ backfields and keeping offenses in check heading into the final three weeks of the season. The Aviators converted just one-third of their third-down attempts and saw their quarterback sacked three times while giving up six tackles for loss. With QB Luis Perez making his first start for St. Louis, the Battlehawks scored 24 first-half points in a double-digit victory.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The Big Ten’s reign begins in earnest with three straight national titles from three different programs, while the once-mighty SEC has been boxed out, wiped out and crossed out of each of the last three national championship games. Washington, Notre Dame and Miami have all entered positions of power — otherwise known as “national title runner-up” — while the SEC has spent this stretch looking like Lincoln Riley-era Oklahoma: dangerous enough to make the College Football Playoff, but not complete enough to survive it. Who knew the Sooners’ particular brand of excellence in ineptitude — 0-5 in five CFP appearances dating back to 2015 — would prove infectious to the very conference that invited them to join their league? Certainly not I, and certainly not the SEC fan who had just watched 20 years of dominance dating back to Tommy Tuberville’s 12-0 Auburn team and ending the moment Nick Saban decided he’d rather talk about the sport for a living than coach it. What has that left us with? A Big Ten standing atop the mountain, daring the SEC to get back on its feet and fight back. So goes the sport here in May, just before we descend into another preseason full of prognostications, declarations and loud opinions. But fear not, my friend. Soon enough, these programs will play ball again. With that, here is a look at my post-spring top 25 rankings: Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has built a program capable of staying competitive in the tumultuous NIL era. But this season, he faces a defining quarterback battle: career backup George MacIntyre versus five-star phenom Faizon Brandon. Getting this decision right could mean the difference between a CFP berth and a second straight loss to — gasp — Vanderbilt. The Utes were preparing to make Morgan Scalley their head coach in everything but name by 2026 anyway. Kyle Whittingham simply forced the timeline up. Utah’s defense should again be fierce. What remains to be seen is how good quarterback Devon Dampier can be without Jason Beck calling plays and Kevin McGiven helping direct the offense. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has his issues, but he’s good enough for the Mustangs to remain in this top 25 all season. Jennings led the ACC in interceptions last season (13) but also put together another season of at least 3,200 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns. However, losing 90% of the pass rush from what was a bad defense in 2025 is Rhett Lashlee’s real problem to solve in 2026. Offensive coordinator Chad Morris is back. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen stayed. Quarterback Christopher Vizzina looks the part. But head coach Dabo Swinney enters 2026 with his back against the wall. Clemson produced more NFL Draft picks (nine) than wins (seven) in 2025, a reality that makes this season about more than merely hanging around the top 25. Swinney knows it, which is why I think Clemson responds. In 2025, I compared Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. to Kyler Murray, and he still looks every bit the part of that kind of dynamo. If the Huskies can develop a wide receiver as productive as Denzel Boston was a year ago, they can win double-digit games in the toughest league in the country. This is also Year 3 of the Jedd Fisch Experience in Seattle and, if his Arizona tenure taught us anything, it’s that this is the year his teams tend to break through. Florida head coach Jon Sumrall might have pulled off his best recruiting win by convincing prized running back Jadan Baugh to stay another year. Getting back a tailback who accounted for 1,380 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns on a 3-9 team is impressive enough. Then again, Sumrall has reached a conference championship game in every season of his head-coaching career. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz cares about throwing the ball about as much as Robert Downey Jr. cares about a thunderclap being quiet. So whether the starting quarterback is Jeremy Hecklinski or Hank Brown isn’t as important as Phil Parker returning to call a defense that has consistently been one of the best in the sport. Eli Drinkwitz’s team returns an abundance of talent, but uncertainty surrounds All-SEC running back Ahmad Hardy, who was shot at a concert in Mississippi early Sunday morning and remains in stable condition following surgery. With no clear timeline for his return to football activities, expect Jamal Roberts to take on a larger role in 2026. Roberts carried the ball 124 times for 753 yards a year ago, including a 110-yard, one-touchdown performance against Texas A&M. Former Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons will lead the Tigers’ offense after beating out Trinidad Chambliss during the 2025 camp competition. That alone is enough reason to believe Simmons could emerge as one of the nation’s top signal-callers in 2026. Matt Campbell brought the best of Iowa State with him to Happy Valley, building his reputation on doing more with less while turning the Cyclones into a Big 12 contender. At Penn State, he’ll get his first opportunity to do more with more. The result should be a drastic turnaround from PSU’s disastrous 2025 season. I didn’t expect QB Bear Bachmeier to have a breakout season as a true freshman, nor did I expect BYU to lose to just one team — twice — in 2025. But after a 12-2 season and some recent turbulence for reigning Big 12 champion Texas Tech, Kalani Sitake’s Cougars look like a legitimate contender to win the league and earn a trip to the CFP. Kyle Whittingham steps into a program with everything needed to reach the CFP for the first time in his career at a program that has made it three times in the last five years and won a national title just two seasons ago. If offensive coordinator Jason Beck can develop quarterback Bryce Underwood into the player his talent suggests, Michigan should remain one of the Big Ten’s elite teams. Yes, head coach Lincoln Riley is great. Yes, QB Jayden Maiava is good. But Gary Patterson is one of the best defensive playcallers the sport has ever seen, and he’s running the defense at SC in 2026. That alone is enough to believe the Trojans can make a real run at their first CFP appearance. Of course, doing it won’t be easy. They’ll have to go through Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana — or, in other words, two of the last three national champions and two of the last three Big Ten champs. Sheesh. Fight On or get moved on. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer will start a third different quarterback in as many years, with either Keelon Russell or Austin Mack under center. Whoever wins the job will need to build a quick rapport with Ryan Coleman-Williams, who has the tools to be the best wide receiver in the SEC with enough accurate service. And that connection will have to come fast. The Tide are also trying to avoid losing in Knoxville for a third straight year, a streak Tennessee hasn’t managed against Alabama at home since 2000. Following Lane Kiffin’s departure, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding answered questions about just how good he can be for the Rebels with the two biggest wins in school history — all while Kiffin raided the Ole Miss roster and staff. Star QB Trinidad Chambliss will return for a sixth season after putting together a Heisman-caliber year in 2025. Golding will have his first chance to prove he’s a better coach than Kiffin on Sept. 19 when LSU shows up to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi. Well, quarterback Brendan Sorsby certainly complicated the math on Texas Tech. Sorsby, one of the top transfer portal additions in college football this offseason, is reportedly under NCAA investigation for alleged gambling activity involving his time at Indiana. Backup quarterback Will Hammond is not expected to be game-ready for Week 1, leaving the Red Raiders potentially forced to turn to a third option — possibly former Tulsa quarterback Kirk Francis — to open their defense of the Big 12 title. The Sooners barely had a run game last season but still managed to win 10 games and earn a home CFP game. If quarterback John Mateer improves his accuracy, offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle diversifies his playcalling, and Brent Venables again fields one of the stingiest defenses in the sport, Oklahoma has a real path back to the CFP. The Sooners also have a chance to make a statement early, traveling to Ann Arbor on Sept. 12 to face Michigan for a second straight year. Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko seems to believe most coaches in his position are one bad season away from getting fired if they don’t reach the CFP. Well, at A&M, he might actually have a point. The good news is the Aggies did just that in 2025, but they crashed out against rival Texas with a chance to make the SEC title game. Eleven wins doesn’t mean much in College Station without one coming against the Longhorns. That reality has to change for Elko to feel secure at the end of this season, and he’ll have to do it with OC Holmon Wiggins leading the offense and quarterback Marcel Reed taking a major leap if A&M is going to chase its first conference title of any kind since 1998. Hoo, boy! If I told you 2026 LSU looks like 2025 Texas Tech with a little seasoning, you’d probably understand what I mean: the Bayou Bengals have decided money ain’t no problem. LSU made Lane Kiffin one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport and the highest-paid ever without a championship on his résumé. They also gave him the resources to bring in former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, Colorado offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, and Ole Miss defensive end Princewill Umanmielen. For a program that hasn’t won a national title since 2019, LSU looks fully built to change that. Former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah broke his contract to join the Hurricanes after leading the ACC in passing yards (3,973) and passing touchdowns (34) while guiding the Blue Devils to a wildly improbable ACC championship on the strength of a 7-5 regular season and the most preposterous tiebreaker protocol in college football history. Now he must follow Cam Ward’s No. 1 overall selection after a 2024 season in Coral Gables, and Carson Beck’s run to the national title game in 2025. The schedule isn’t a joke, but that’s only because the punchline already happened in 2024, when Northern Illinois walked into Notre Dame and left with a win and a $1.4 million payday for the effort. Marcus Freeman’s Fighting Irish won’t play anything close to a ranked opponent until Oct. 17 against BYU, and they shouldn’t drop a game before then — if at all. Miami is the toughest opponent on the schedule, and I have Notre Dame ranked higher than the Canes. But don’t let that stop you from believing in Notre Dame’s ability to lose and then refuse to play in the postseason. Last season was head coach Steve Sarkisian’s first at Texas without a 1,000-yard rusher, so he went out and fixed it. Former Arizona State running back Raleek Brown and former NC State back Hollywood Smothers arrive via the portal, along with former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman, to support the most bankable player in the sport, Arch Manning, as Texas chases its first national title appearance since 2009. The Longhorns simply can’t go ahead and lose to a 3-9 team like they did last year and ruin their chances at making the CFP. We remember the last time this program began the season ranked No. 1: they lost their season-opener, and they never looked capable of getting it back. The Longhorns will get an early measuring stick Sept. 12, when they host Ohio State, the Big Ten title runner-up, on the Forty Acres. Dan Lanning’s program is dealing with coordinator turnover on both sides of the ball for the first time in his tenure. Even so, the Ducks return quarterback Dante Moore, explosive wide receiver Dakorien Moore — who long jumped 24’6.5″ (7.48m) at the Oregon Team Invitational just for giggles — and Evan Stewart back from injury. If Oregon can sustain its usual level of physicality on the line of scrimmage, there’s no reason the Ducks can’t be in position to play for their first national title in 2026. The challenge is that the path won’t be forgiving. Oregon travels to USC, Ohio State and Michigan, in addition to budding Boise State, refreshed Oklahoma State and reformed UCLA. Georgia fans can be forgiven if, while shuffling through Walmart aisles or waiting on an open table at Waffle House, they’ve uttered aloud: “Just what the hell, Kirby?” It comes from winning back-to-back SEC championships while seeing a former starter lead Miami to a national title game and Indiana somehow win the whole thing. Georgia fans know their program has underperformed, but with quarterback Gunner Stockton heading into Year 3, the expectation is nothing short of becoming the first three-peat SEC champion since Florida’s stretch from 1993 to 1996, and a third national title in six years. I’ve said it for two straight years, and I don’t mind repeating myself for a third time: Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the best player in college football. He should have had a chance to become the first two-time winner of the Biletnikoff Award last season, but the voters made that impossible. The talent is there for this Ohio State team to win a true triple crown for the first time since 2014: a victory in The Game, a Big Ten championship, and a national title. Lost in the shuffle of quarterbacks — a third new starter in as many years — and the rather exhausting list of talent and veteran departures in Bloomington are a few very important facts. Curt Cignetti is still the head coach. Indiana owns the best record in college football over the last two seasons (27-2). And the Hoosiers are the reigning national champions and the first 16-0 title team since 1894. In this version of college football’s known universe, Indiana is the Arrakis prophecy personified. “I’m pointing the way,” Paul Atreides once said. He might as well have been talking about Cignetti’s Indiana program.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Don’t plan to eat too much on Thanksgiving this year, or else you might sleep through one of the biggest matchups of the 2026 NFL regular season. The Dallas Cowboys will play host to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26) on FOX and the FOX One app, the network announced on Monday, adding a holiday bonus to one of the NFL’s best divisional rivalries. The matchup should be among the most-watched NFL games this upcoming season, given the holiday window and the fact that it features two of the NFL’s most popular teams. But it should promise to be a thrilling battle between a recent Super Bowl champion and a playoff hopeful, as both games between the Eagles and Cowboys last season were decided by one score. So, as we begin the countdown to the thrilling Thanksgiving matchup, here are five storylines to watch in Eagles-Cowboys with more than six months until kickoff at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Dallas didn’t have many big wins last season, going 7-9-1, and six of those victories came against teams that finished 6-11 or worse. The lone exception? A late November home game against Philadelphia. This one was four days before Thanksgiving, where the Cowboys rallied from a 21-0 deficit — and down 21-7 with three minutes left in the third quarter — for a 24-21 win over their NFC East rivals. Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third in the comeback, capped by Brandon Aubrey’s 42-yard field goal as time expired. The 21-point comeback matched the largest in Cowboys history. The Eagles were 8-2 before that loss, and it started a three-game losing streak. They’d still win the division, but lost in the wild-card round to the 49ers. The Cowboys would beat the Kansas City Chiefs the following week on Thanksgiving, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive at the time. But they then lost four of the final five games to miss the playoffs. The Cowboys’ defense was abysmal last year, giving up a league-high 30.1 points per game and the most passing yards and second-most overall yards per play. That led to the firing of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, and the Cowboys hired Eagles defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Christian Parker. Parker was a part of a Philadelphia coaching staff that helped the Eagles finish fifth in points allowed a year ago, and was also in that same role when they won the Super Bowl in 2024. Parker’s departure from the Eagles was big enough that the likes of Cooper DeJean shared their sadness in his decision to leave for a division rival. Parker, who is only 34, is considered to be one of the top, young-minded assistants in the game, and he’s now tasked with getting the Cowboys’ defense back on track. The team gave him some reinforcements this offseason, too. They traded for former Green Bay Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary before selecting Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The selections were widely praised, particularly the Downs pick. If Parker can find success in turning around the Dallas defense, a head coaching job might not be far off. An easy way to prove his qualifications would be to slow down Philadelphia’s offense on Thanksgiving Day. Jalen Hurts lost his first two starts against the Cowboys, but he’s 4-2 since then, with only one interception thrown in his last 185 passes against Dallas. He’s even better as a scrambler, though. Hurts has rushed for two touchdowns in each of his last three games against Dallas, and since he took over as Philadelphia’s full-time starting quarterback in 2021, he has seven rushing scores against the division rival. The next closest player in that span is new Houston Texans running back David Montgomery, who has four rushing touchdowns since 2021. Being a division rival gives Hurts more chances, but he’s the only quarterback with multiple 50-yard rushing games against the Cowboys over the last five seasons as well. Even if wide receiver A.J. Brown is traded next month as expected, the Eagles will have a much more potent passing game built around Hurts. They traded up with the Cowboys to take first-round pick Makai Lemon, a receiver from USC, after trading for Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks. They also added Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore in free agency to go with star DeVonta Smith. On top of that, the Eagles added a receiving threat to their tight ends room, drafting Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers to pair with veteran Dallas Goedert. Philadelphia is 6-1 all-time in Thanksgiving games, and that .857 winning percentage is the best among NFL teams with more than two such games in its team’s history. The Eagles haven’t played on Thanksgiving since 2015, though. That game featured their lone Thanksgiving loss, falling 45-14 to the Detroit Lions. But a year earlier, the Eagles played a Thanksgiving game against the Cowboys in Dallas, picking up a commanding 33-10 win. LeSean McCoy rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown that day, giving Philadelphia a one-game lead on Dallas in the NFC East. The two teams would meet again 17 days later, with Dallas winning the rematch. The Cowboys would win their last four games of the season and the Eagles would lose their next three, so it was Dallas that won the division at 12-4 and Philadelphia that missed the playoffs at 10-6. Dallas and Detroit are annual Thanksgiving hosts, and the Cowboys are 35-22-1 in their history on Thanksgiving — that’s a .612 winning percentage, compared to .571 overall in their history. The Cowboys have beaten the Eagles in seven of the last eight meetings in Arlington, with the lone Philadelphia win coming in 2024. Dallas has averaged a ridiculous 34.4 points per game in those seven wins. That’s pretty remarkable considering that the Eagles have given up 37 or more points just six times since December 2020, but four of those are against the Cowboys, and three of them were at AT&T Stadium. Prescott has played long enough that he has basically an entire season of games against the Eagles. He’s 10-5 against the Cowboys’ rival, with 3,944 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes and just nine interceptions. It’s reasonable to think Prescott will finish 2026 with the third-most career touchdowns of any NFL quarterback against the Eagles, passing Kirk Cousins (28) and trailing only Sonny Jurgensen (33) and Eli Manning (54).​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

We’ve known for several months who each NFL team will play in the 2026 season. But this week, we’ll learn when all 272 games will be played in the upcoming regular season. The NFL will unveil the entirety of the 2026 regular-season schedule on Thursday. However, the league is announcing the dates of several games before then, like marquee matchups in Week 1. So, as you get your calendars out to prepare for what you’ll be doing this fall, here’s a look at which games we know will be played and when ahead of Thursday’s schedule release. The Seattle Seahawks will open the 2026 season on a Wednesday, marking the first time the NFL has opened a regular season on a Wednesday since 2012. Still, it marks the continuation of the tradition of the defending champion playing in the game’s season-opener. As of Monday morning, there are five potential opponents the Seahawks could face in the season-opener. One of those includes the New England Patriots, which would be a rematch of Super Bowl LX. The other potential opponents for the Seahawks are the Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona Cardinals. The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will play their opener on Sept. 11 in Melbourne. The game is expected to kick off at about 10:35 a.m. that Friday in Australia, which is 8:35 p.m. ET on Thursday night (Sept. 10) in the United States. The Dallas Cowboys are set to visit the New York Giants in the first Sunday night game of the 2026 NFL season on Sept. 13. It’ll mark the eighth time in the past 15 years that the Cowboys and Giants are opening the season against each other. Dallas is always a national television draw as “America’s Team,” and New York could get more prime-time exposure with Super Bowl winner John Harbaugh coaching and Jaxson Dart established as the franchise quarterback coming off his eventful rookie year. It is set to be Harbaugh’s Giants debut. If healthy, it would also be the first meaningful game between Dart and Dak Prescott. While each started the season finale on Jan. 4, the teams were eliminated from playoff contention by then. This also could be the NFL debuts for a pair of former Ohio State teammates: Giants linebacker Arvell Reese, taken with the fifth pick, and Cowboys safety Caleb Downs, drafted not long after at No. 11. The Buffalo Bills’ first game at the new Highmark Stadium will be against the Detroit Lions on a Thursday night in Week 2. It’ll mark the start of a new era in Buffalo, as the Bills played the vast majority of their home games from 1973 to 2025 at the stadium previously nicknamed The Ralph. It’ll also mark the start of a new era for the Bills on the field, as it’ll be Joe Brady’s first home game as their head coach. The Baltimore Ravens have been chosen to play the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL’s inaugural game in Rio de Janeiro this season. That game will be played on Sunday, Sept. 27. The NFL previously made a multi-year commitment to bring at least three regular-season games to Rio de Janeiro over the next five years. The NFL has previously played two games in Brazil — Packers-Eagles in 2024 and Chiefs-Chargers in 2025 at São Paulo’s Corinthians Arena — but this will be the first in Rio. One of the NFL’s best rivalries will be featured on Thanksgiving Day and will air on FOX. The Philadelphia Eagles will meet up with the Cowboys in Dallas on the holiday this year as the two NFC East rivals go head-to-head on Thanksgiving for the first time since 2015. Here are five storylines to know ahead of the matchup. The Associated Press contributed to this report.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Here’s what’s happening this week Inside The Garage: Watkins Glen International (Watkins Glen, N.Y.) — Ryan Preece admitted he was surprised when NASCAR penalized him for wrecking Ty Gibbs at Texas Motor Speedway. And he wasn’t the only one. Preece will appeal his penalty of 25 points and $50,000 fine. And his appeal will center on the same May 3 race where Kyle Busch appeared to retaliate against John Hunter Nemechek but didn’t get penalized. NASCAR spokesman Mike Forde, speaking on a NASCAR podcast, said the telemetry data showed that Busch’s car likely was damaged, that he had his steering wheel turned left and his car went straight. So they couldn’t penalize him. The fact that Preece had said “When I get to that 54 [of Gibbs], I’m done with him” was enough to signal to NASCAR some premeditation. Preece is hopeful he can show on appeal that he didn’t wreck Gibbs on purpose as he indicated he just didn’t cut Gibbs a break. The one thing that could be tough for him is that NASCAR changed its appeal rules a couple years ago to where the appeals panel, if they find the rule was violated, can’t eliminate any portion of the penalty issued and can only adjust in the range specified. The 25 points and $50,000 are the lowest for the range of points and money for an intentionally wrecking penalty, so the appeals panel can’t wipe out the points and just increase the fine as has been done in the past. No date has been set yet for the appeal. “I’m a bit surprised,” Preece said at a news conference in Watkins Glen this past weekend. “I’m thankful that NASCAR has an appeals process.” The RFK Racing driver has been encouraged by team leadership to be himself and be bold. So Preece has to weigh that request with not wanting to be penalized if he vents a little on the radio. “At the beginning of the season, we were encouraged to be ourselves,” Preece said. “I’m not going to change being myself, but what I can say is that I’m excited for the appeals process, and I look forward to going through that.” His boss, Brad Keselowski, has been through a few appeals and “generally, I feel like they’re a pretty fair process.” Keselowski is one of two full-time owner-drivers in the sport. The other, Denny Hamlin, could give a view that wouldn’t impact an appeal. Hamlin said he thought Busch would get penalized and Preece would not. Which sparks the question of whether two people can look at the same SMT data and come up with different determinations. “No matter what, common sense has to be the first rule of thumb,” Hamlin told me. “And then you go from there, then you use data to either back up or deny common sense.” Drivers certainly will be watching to see how the NASCAR appeal panel rules. Keselowski said, somewhat in jest, that the line is always moving on what is acceptable and what is a penalty. “I would like to see NASCAR have race stewards,” said Keselowski, referring to other series that have former drivers who make those determinations on the spot in race control. “I think it would probably make it easier on them when calls like that are so difficult.” As far as the two drivers involved, they haven’t spoken. Preece said he would wait until after the appeal. “We got destroyed there and obviously that was last week, and we’ll let NASCAR figure that out,” Gibbs told me and other reporters. “But we got a wrecked race car and lost a lot of points for going three-wide bottom, and not making any contact [with Preece initially].” More Push-To-Pass Drama INDYCAR drivers certainly had something to say over the push-to-pass controversy at Long Beach, where INDYCAR did not disable the system for the restart. Twelve drivers used the system, which gives them a boost of 50 extra horsepower.  INDYCAR didn’t penalize anyone because the rule never said they couldn’t use it at the time, just that INDYCAR would disable it for the start and restarts. INDYCAR changed the rule to just apply to the initial start of the race, but also put the onus on the drivers that if they do push the button and it works when it’s not supposed to, the drivers will get penalized. “I’m surprised I didn’t press it more,” said four-time series champion Alex Palou, who used it for 15 seconds, according to an INDYCAR release of who used it. “I’m very surprised as well that they pinpointed at every single car that used it when it was not our fault, it was INDYCAR’s fault.” Kyle Kirkwood told Palou that he must have had an indicator to know that it was on because nearly all the Ganassi and Ganassi affiliate cars used it. “Everybody would have used it if they’d known it was active,” Kirkwood said. To that, Pato O’Ward said he was told it was active but didn’t use it. Why? “You know the rule,” he said. Blaney Re-Ups With Penske Ryan Blaney signed a contract with Team Penske that likely keeps him with the NASCAR organization at least through 2030. The 2023 Cup Series champion has spent his entire 13-year Cup career with the organization and said he didn’t look anywhere else. It’s been no secret that overall, Team Penske hasn’t had its best season. “I’m happy where I am,” Blaney told me and other reporters Saturday. “I have been happy where I am for a long time now. Roger [Penske] has been an unbelievable person to me. What he’s done for me and my career, I’m extremely grateful for. “No matter where your team’s at — if you’re top of the world, if you’re struggling to find speed, you’re working together to get where you want to be. There was never a moment where, like, ‘Man, I could do this and that somewhere else.’ That just doesn’t ever cross my mind. I work with the people I work with, and we try to all together to be the best we can.” His teammate, Joey Logano, told me he urged his team to get an extension done for Blaney, who at 32 years old with 18 Cup wins would be attractive to other organizations. “Ryan’s probably one of the best, if not the best driver on the racetrack right now,” Logano said. “So it’s a no-brainer to lock him in. That was my suggestion” Don’t be too late on this one. … Having some consistency helps. “Anytime there’s a driver change, you’ve got a year of learning what they’re like right at each track, what’s kind of their trends, and what do they want in their car versus yours. And when you’re looking at their notes versus what you’ve got, or their setups and those type of things, it’s not real clear. The picture is not clear for a couple of years.” In The News –Watkins Glen’s May race weekend was a one-and-done as the Cup Series will have its race at the track in the 2027 Chase sometime in September. The track did not say which support series would be part of that weekend. –The Joe Gibbs Racing-Chris Gabehart-Spire trial over whether Gabehart gave Spire any trade secrets in his move from JGR to Spire will be in January. JGR asked for November; Gabehart and Spire asked for April and the judge pretty much set it in the middle. Huge Winning Weekend Kaden Honeycutt won four races in two days in two states. In a wild Friday and Saturday, Honeycutt won the ARCA Series race at Watkins Glen and then followed it up with his first career NASCAR Truck Series victory with an upset on the road course. He went to Ace Speedway on Saturday and won the CARS Tour pro late model and late model stock events on the North Carolina short track. Social Spotlight Just Being Honest Christian Lundgaard won an INDYCAR race for the first time since 2023 when he captured his second career victory Saturday on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. “I hope that it doesn’t take another three years for another one,” he said. They Said It “Speechless. This is so cool.” — Shane van Gisbergen after his Cup Series win Sunday at Watkins Glen.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Missouri star running back Ahmad Hardy is in stable condition after being shot at a concert in Mississippi, school officials said Monday. Missouri’s football program announced in a statement that Hardy was shot early Sunday morning and that the All-America running back underwent surgery for the gunshot wound later that day. “Ahmad is deeply loved by his teammates, coaches, friends, family and fans,” the statement said. “We will continue to stand beside him and his family through this difficult time, offering our love, prayers, strength and support. A timeline for his return to football activities is unknown at this time.” Missouri said it would provide more information on Hardy’s status as it becomes available. The details of the shooting were not immediately clear. Hardy earned first-team Associated Press All-America honors last season and was one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award given annually to college football’s top running back. He rushed for 1,649 yards to rank second among all Bowl Subdivision players. Hardy is from Oma, Mississippi. He started his college career at Louisiana-Monroe but transferred to Missouri before the 2025 season. Reporting by The Associated Press.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

It’s hope season, when everyone’s team could win the Super Bowl. That hope will only grow from here — all the way up until fans face reality in Week 1 of the 2026 season. For now, this is the first phase of best-shape-of-his-life season. NFL players will soon report to minicamp and some have already reported to OTAs. Rookies have, for the most part, completed their rookie minicamps. And so, if you ask the coaches, every player is in incredible shape — “the best shape of his life.” This is “Sound Smart,” where I try to spin forward, dive deeper and think outside the box. If I do my job, you’ll have a better understanding of what really happened over the past week of the NFL offseason. 1. IF THERE’S ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW, IT’S … Aaron Rodgers is back to his same old stuff. Aaron Rodgers was supposed to sign this weekend. He reportedly was going to be in Pittsburgh to meet with the Steelers to work out a deal to play his 22nd NFL season. But according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he hasn’t yet met with the team, though his agent may have had some discussions. In any case, there is still no deal coming out of the weekend. Which is just so classic for Rodgers. He has a habit of not doing what everyone expects him to do. Everyone thought he’d finally sign this weekend. He didn’t. And so we’re in another holding pattern — waiting for Rodgers. It’s like this every offseason, with the QB dragging out the process and creating uncertainty, like he did with the New York Jets and like he did last year with the Steelers and is doing now with the Steelers. It’s just more of the same from Rodgers. And this is what Pittsburgh should’ve expected: a long wait. Meanwhile, the Steelers have an offense that’s ready to hum. There’s a nice infusion of experience and youth, like at receiver with veterans DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie Germie Bernard. At tight end, there’s up-and-comer Darnell Washington and proven producer Pat Freiermuth. At running back, there’s incumbent starter Jaylen Warren and newcomer Rico Dowdle. The offensive line has plenty of talent, even if it’s not exactly clear yet who will start where. All those guys are waiting for Rodgers. And in all likelihood, he’ll show up — like he always does — in time for training camp. But just because that has happened in the past doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again. And the situation got a little murky when new Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur refused to rule out the possibility of adding Rodgers. “We’re focused on the guys coming in,” LaFleur said on the “Jim Rome Show” last week. “We’ve got a [QB] room that we’re excited to work with, and that’s solely where our focus is.” It’s not a yes. It’s not a no. Rodgers is a free agent. He can sign wherever. The Cardinals, like the Steelers, selected a quarterback in the draft. Arizona snagged former Miami QB Carson Beck to work underneath journeymen Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew. Rodgers could easily show up and be QB1 for the Cardinals. And of course, he could easily leave the Steelers at the altar. No one wants to see Mason Rudolph again, but he’s the one who would probably start if Rodgers doesn’t return to Pittsburgh. The Steelers also have Will Howard, a sixth-rounder last year, and rookie Drew Allar, a developmental prospect who landed in the third round this year. I think Allar has a lot of potential, but the team would probably like to sit him for a full year. All that makes Rodgers a crucial part of Pittsburgh’s plan. And as long as Rodgers is out there — undecided — the Steelers are hanging in limbo. They are essentially committed to him, even if he hasn’t officially committed to them. That’s how it always goes with Rodgers. But it’s at this time of year that I always wonder: Why did the Steelers sign up for this — again? Why did Pittsburgh want more of this? Rodgers isn’t anything more than a bridge quarterback at this point. He isn’t what he was. And yet teams talk themselves into another year with the guy. When they do, this is how he repays them. 2. BUY & SELL BUY: Saints QB Tyler Shough Not only was he a pleasant surprise in his rookie season, he also saw the team throw an enormous amount of support behind him during the offseason. New Orleans added RB Travis Etienne and guard David Edwards. The Saints then drafted receivers Jordyn Tyson and Bryce Lance and tight end Oscar Delp. Second-year head coach Kellen Moore is not hesitating to build out a core of playmakers in New Orleans. Shough should play point guard in the middle of it all. SELL: Browns QB Shedeur Sanders If Deshaun Watson has the advantage in the QB competition, then something has gone very, very wrong for Sanders. And if Sanders can’t make things work in Cleveland this year, he might be out of the league by 2028 — and maybe even 2027. BUY: Vikings edge Dallas Turner Minnesota traded Jonathan Greenard, and given the fact that he had 12 or more sacks in 2023 and 2024, the Vikings did it in a relatively quiet way, netting a third-rounder in a package during the draft. That felt like a real show of support of one of the league’s quickly ascending players in Turner. The Vikings also drafted a pair of defensive tackles to work with Turner and help take away some of the attention. It should be a big year for the young edge player. SELL: Cowboys edge Donovan Ezeiruaku Ezeiruaku figures to get more playing time in 2026, but only because the Cowboys did little to bring in competition. In his final five games of the 2025 season, Ezeiruaku managed just 11 pressures. On the season, he finished with two sacks, and he played the most snaps among the Cowboys’ defensive ends. It was a staggering lack of production for a defense that desperately needed edge help. BUY: Eagles WR Makai Lemon With A.J. Brown likely leaving town and the Eagles (yet again) installing a new offensive system, Philly must have targeted USC All-American Lemon in the draft with a role in mind for OC Sean Mannion’s offense. That’s why you trade up for a player you love (which is what the Eagles did). Lemon might have the most catches of any rookie receiver. SELL: Browns WR Jerry Jeudy The Browns drafted receiver KC Concepcion in the first round and then took receiver Denzel Boston in the second round. Cleveland just hired coach Todd Monken, whose background is in offense. When there’s a new crop of skill players and a new coach, those new guys are often going to get every opportunity to succeed. And that means the veteran Jeudy likely will not. BUY: Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa Remember when the Lions traded three third-round picks to move up and get TeSlaa? They loved him in the draft last year. And while he didn’t see crazy volume as a rookie, he had a touchdown on nearly half of his catches. His stat line was 16 receptions for 239 yards and six touchdowns. There’s something there. I bet the Lions try to get more out of him this year. SELL: Saints TE Juwan Johnson I just listed all of Shough’s playmakers and — if I’m being honest — I forgot to mention Johnson. He has, for a long time, seemed like a player on the verge of a breakout year. And he finally got it in 2025. Unfortunately, his successor arrived in the draft (Delp) and the team brought in more pass-catchers to eat into Johnson’s workload. It looks like it’s downhill from here for Johnson. BUY: Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt This dude was supposed to be the next big thing at running back in Washington, especially after Austin Ekeler went down with an injury. The Commanders, however, refused to trust Croskey-Merritt with a sizable workload. But even with Washington throwing darts at running back — adding Rachaad White, Jerome Ford and rookie Kaytron Allen — I think Croskey-Merritt is the most talented, by far. Talent should win, especially in that group of ho-hum RBs. 3. HE SAID WHAT!? “We kind of viewed him as a problem, not a prototype.” Buccaneers edge Rueben Bain Jr. took one of the draft’s most notable slides. Early in the process, he looked like a potential top-five pick — and then his arm length measured shorter than anticipated. At that point, he looked like a top-10 draft choice — but then news broke that he was involved in a 2024 car accident in which a person later died. Whether because of those factors or not, Bain landed at No. 15 to the Bucs. A tough draft day, however, can lead to a long career. Bain is a sensational fit for the Todd Bowles defense in Tampa. “Everybody’s got a prototype. And we kind of viewed him as a problem, not a prototype,” Bucs GM Jason Licht told “The Pat McAfee Show.” “I’ve seen that movie and it’s called: ‘A.Q. Shipley playing a decade in the league.’ Rueben’s arms are a lot longer than A.Q.’s, too — probably by about five inches. … We just saw him as a game wrecker at the college [level].” Bain was a full-time player at Miami, where he had 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last season. He also added an interception for good measure. He’ll likely settle right into a starting role alongside defensive tackle Vita Vea and emerging pass-rusher Yaya Diaby. During the pre-draft process, I spoke with Bain about how much he played in his final college season on the path to the national championship game. “Just want to be on the field at all times,” Bain told me. He should get the chance to do just that in Week 1. Consider him a legitimate option to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. [2026 NFL Draft Superlatives: Who Wins OROY, DROY? Biggest Steal? Best Upside?] 4. OFFSEASON ODDITY The NFL and the officials have a new collective bargaining agreement, and fans should be absolutely thrilled. I don’t blame you for not paying attention to the officiating negotiations with the NFL. I don’t blame you if this is the first you’ve heard of it. Labor disputes don’t make for the most compelling news, particularly when the players aren’t involved. But the NFL and the NFLRA have agreed to a deal that will keep the officials on the field for 2026 and beyond. The NFL product is vastly better when it has its officiating teams in place. Some may remember just how badly and quickly things fell apart in 2012 when the officials staged a lockout. Infamously, that was the year of the “Fail Mary,” where a game ended on a Hail Mary catch that, on the field, one official called incomplete at the same time another official called the play a catch. The touchdown counted, and the Seahawks beat the Packers 14-12. But it was a messy controversy, and the clearest example that the NFL needed its officials back on the field. That’s because the fill-in officials came from all sorts of backgrounds, including the high school level. The training wasn’t enough to prepare them for the NFL game. And their experience came from a version of the game that was much, much slower than the NFL’s product. Bottom line is, this was a massive win for fans. The current officials might not always get it right, but they are — without a doubt — the best referees out there. The NFL is lucky to have them back for years to come.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The early-season dust has settled, but the trade market is already heating up as front offices across the league begin to separate the contenders from the sellers. Here are the latest whispers and trade rumors currently shaping the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline. May 10 The San Francisco Giants could be headed toward a fire sale after a sluggish 16-24 start that has them sitting fourth in the National League West. The Giants are exploring ways to move several major contracts as they look toward the future, according to USA Today. That includes the remaining money owed to Jung Hoo Lee ($85 million), Willy Adames ($161 million), Rafael Devers ($226 million) and Matt Chapman ($125 million). If they are able to unload those contracts, it would mark a dramatic shift toward a long-term rebuild. The San Francisco Giants are expected to make pitcher Robbie Ray their biggest trade chip at the deadline, while several executives told USA Today that the club could also listen to offers for ace Logan Webb.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports