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Tommy McClelland made a remark that typically would have amounted to little attention outside of Indiana, but at his introductory news conference as Purdue athletic director made a comment that went nationwide.McClelland continued his media rounds Friday with local and national radio shows. He joined 107.5 The Fan and Jake Query, who asked about his comments on championships and what was meant to be a slight to IU."Off the cuff," is how McClelland described his comments made Thursday about Indiana. In the presence of local boosters and media, the newly appointed athletic director described his words as an "in-state joke that didn't land well."Later on "The Pat McAfee Show" McClelland added, "I knew it the second it left my mouth."Insider: New athletic director Tommy McClelland has creative plan to generate revenue Purdue desiredMcClelland was announced as the fifth Purdue athletic director Wednesday, then spoke publicly Thursday. In front of university personnel, boosters and assembled media, he said: "Every recruit, every current student-athlete will hear this message repeatedly, we are here to win championships. If you don't want to win championships, go to Indiana."This comes seven months after the Indiana football program defeated the Miami Hurricanes in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship. In the same season, the Boilermakers finished 2-10 (0-9, Big Ten) during Barry Odom's first year at the helm and lost to the Hoosiers 56-3. Indiana has won 25 national championships across all sports to Purdue's 3.'Why on Earth would you say this?' Social media reacts to Purdue AD's championships message to IUMcClelland also expressed his vision for Purdue's athletes, placing a priority on graduation and academic success."We want to develop champions, period," mentioning academics and career aspirations as key pillars, to go alongside athletics.Shortly after his appearance with local radio, McClelland continued his media tour and made an appearance on Friday's episode of "The Pat McAfee Show." Hee echoed the same sentiment to the national contingent on his comments about Indiana — this time with a playful reference to golf."Every now and then, you line it up on the first tee and you're really excited, about that round; and I put it right in the water," McClelland said with a smile. "I got 18 more holes to play."Posts by PatMcAfeeShowMcClelland makes the move to West Lafayette after spending the last three years at Rice. Previously, McClelland also spent time at Vanderbilt, Louisiana Tech, and McNeese State.Money matters: Here's what new Purdue athletic director Tommy McClelland will make, salary, buyout info, moreNathan Baird and Sam King have the best Purdue sports coverage, and sign up for IndyStar's Boilermakers newsletter.This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue AD Tommy McClelland 'knew it the second' he made IU championships joke it didn't land

Cameron Hamilton testifies during a hearing to examine his nomination to be Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, June 17, 2026, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)2026-08-07T18:14:29Z The Senate on Friday confirmed Cameron Hamilton as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, returning the former Navy SEAL to the embattled agency he led temporarily last year only to be fired after he publicly opposed eliminating it.Hamilton was among a group of 74 nominations approved by the Senate, including President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Transportation Security Administration, David Cummins, and his choice for ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Perez.Upon his swearing in, Hamilton will take over an agency whose future has been uncertain since Trump threatened to get rid of it days into his second term. Hamilton’s nomination signaled that Trump may be moving on from that idea, but his Republican administration is still promising drastic changes in how the government handles disasters.Hamilton will have to shepherd that overhaul while stabilizing an agency of more than 20,000 employees recovering from Kristi Noem’s chaotic tenure as Department of Homeland Security secretary, during which FEMA saw mass staff departures, disruptions to grant programs and delays of disaster aid. While her successor, former Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, has worked to reverse some of the upheaval, Democrats are accusing Trump of politicizing disaster relief. Trump has approved 80% of disaster requests from Republican governors but only about 60% from Democratic governors, a July analysis by The Associated Press found.In his June hearing before a Senate committee, Hamilton pledged to advocate for FEMA and its workforce while promising to ensure FEMA is “objective, is fair and reasonable, follows the law, and is consistent in the approach to how we adjudicate and process claims and requests for disasters.”He also maintained that the agency is burdened by bureaucracy and cannot be expected to respond to every disaster. “We would need to strike a new balance to encourage cost reasonableness and cost savings,” he said. Hamilton was fired from a temporary role leading FEMAHamilton had limited emergency management experience before Trump named him FEMA’s temporary leader in January 2025. Formerly a critic of the agency, Hamilton has said he came to appreciate FEMA’s mission. His tenure proved short after he broke with Noem and other DHS officials over FEMA’s future.“I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Hamilton told a House panel in May 2025. He was fired the next day. Read More His stand drew admiration among some emergency management professionals. “It tells you exactly who he is and how he will lead when the pressure is highest and the easy answer is the wrong one,” Pete Gaynor, FEMA administrator in Trump’s first term, said in a statement supporting Hamilton’s confirmation.The National Emergency Management Association said it welcomes Hamilton as the FEMA administrator.Still, some FEMA staffers have remained wary of Hamilton’s role in controversial decisions last year like canceling a multibillion-dollar resilience grant program. FEMA has been an agency under siegeHamilton will take over in the middle of a busy summer disaster season that has already brought destructive wildfires and dangerous flooding and as FEMA manages more than 1,000 open disaster declarations. He will be FEMA’s first permanent administrator in Trump’s second term, overseeing an agency eager for stability. More than 4,300 employees separated from FEMA in the 2025 budget year, more than 1,500 through voluntary reductions, resulting in a “loss of institutional knowledge and experienced personnel,” according to a Government Accountability Office report. Since replacing Noem in March, Mullin has rehired for some eliminated positions and rescinded a rule that any expense greater than $100,000 needed to be approved by the secretary’s office — a requirement that backlogged billions of dollars in disaster aid. But DHS has also introduced policies stirring up new controversy. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration last month over new election security requirements in FEMA counterterrorism grants to states.The Trump administration and lawmakers are advocating for sweeping changes to federal disaster response. At a meeting of governors last weekend, Mullin called FEMA “bloated.” “The biggest reform you’re going to see is more responsibility is going to go back to your states,” Mullin said, with “FEMA there for worst of the worst, not every storm.”In May, a Trump-appointed FEMA Review Council recommended major changes to how the federal government supports states, tribes and territories during disasters. That could speed assistance but might reduce how much and how often FEMA helps. Many of the suggested changes require congressional action.Gaynor told the AP he expects that Hamilton will work quickly to make changes within his authority. “I think his biggest priority in general is making the whole recovery system simpler for disaster survivors, for states and locals to navigate, to make it less of mystery, and cut out red tape,” Gaynor said. Senate approves 74 nominations, including for airport securityOther nominees confirmed included Cummins as head of the Transportation Security Administration, an agency also facing persistent challenges, particularly after this year’s record partial government shutdown left TSA employees working for weeks without pay. The funding lapse prompted thousands of officers to call out of work and about 1,100 to quit.Cummins is a former senior vice president at the government contractor Serco, which runs air traffic control towers at 60 American airports. He is taking over as the Trump administration seeks to expand private airport screening and cut thousands of TSA jobs. The Senate also confirmed Perez, a close friend of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a former speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives, to be the next U.S. ambassador to Brazil.Perez has been central to an ongoing diplomatic dispute between the Trump administration and the government of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.Earlier this week, the State Department said the Brazilian government’s refusal to accept Perez’s appointment was a main reason for its decision to revoke the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to the United States. International diplomatic protocols demand that host countries approve any foreign ambassadors before they can take their posts.___Associated Press writers Rio Yamat in Las Vegas; Josh Funk in Omaha, Neb.; and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA Gabriela covers philanthropy’s role in disaster resilience and recovery. She is based in San Diego, California. instagram mailto

Colombia's President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella speaks during a press conference in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, July 30, 2026. (AP Photo/John Vizcaino)2026-08-07T18:10:21Z BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — When Abelardo de la Espriella takes office as Colombia’s president on Friday, he’ll become the latest conservative to helm a Latin American country.Conservatives have won seven major presidential elections in Latin America in the past few years, most of them since the January 2025 inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, in a winning streak propelled by concerns over crime, immigration and slow economic growth.Here is a look at the Latin American countries that have elected conservative presidents recently:Colombia’s self-proclaimed ‘tiger’ to take on rebels and drug gangsTrump-endorsed outsider de la Espriella won Colombia’s presidential election in June by a narrow margin, defeating progressive lawmaker Iván Cepeda.De la Espriella, who is nicknamed “The Tiger,” campaigned on a tough-on-crime approach, which includes proposals like canceling peace talks with Colombian rebel groups and building mega-prisons, like those in El Salvador. De la Espriella’s election marks a pivotal moment for Colombia, which was governed for the past four years by a former member of a rebel group, who was critical of the Trump administration’s immigration and anti-drug policies.“The Tiger” has promised to tackle extortion and drug trafficking. He was endorsed by Trump, who described the lawyer and business owner as the candidate who could restore law and order in Colombia. Peru chooses conservative as 9th president in 10 yearsKeiko Fujimori, a business-friendly conservative politician who campaigned on a tough-on-crime platform, took office in July after winning the June presidential runoff by a margin of fewer than 50,000 votes.Fujimori is the daughter of late former President Alberto Fujimori, whose government defeated the Shining Path violent extremist group in the 1990s but also took an authoritarian turn. She has also pledged an aggressive crackdown on crime. She has promised to build four new prisons, including a mega-prison modeled after El Salvador’s CECOT facility, militarize Peru’s borders to curb drug trafficking and deport migrants working in the country without legal residency. Argentina chooses libertarian to tackle inflationJavier Milei, an economist and television commentator nicknamed “The Lion,” won Argentina’s presidential election in November 2023 by promising to slash government spending and tackle the South American nation’s decades-long inflation problem. The libertarian defeated the ruling Peronist movement.During his tenure, Milei has stopped the nation’s central bank from printing money to finance the government deficit and has cut government spending by firing civil servants and halting investment in public infrastructure programs, while reducing subsidies for public utility bills. Argentina’s inflation has fallen from 211% in 2023 to 32% in 2025. However, some have blamed Milei’s austerity policies for decreasing the living standards of many Argentines, including public sector workers. Read More Ecuador reelects leader who favors militaryDaniel Noboa, a member of one of Ecuador’s wealthiest families, was reelected to a four-year term in April 2025, winning the election with 56% of the vote. The conservative leader has given the military a more prominent role in providing security in coastal cities overrun by drug gangs fighting over the control of ports and drug trafficking routes. But the strategy has not substantially reduced homicide rates. The government also has been criticized for human rights abuses, such as extrajudicial executions. Under Noboa’s watch, Ecuador’s military has started to conduct joint operations against drug traffickers with the U.S. Noboa also pushed for the reopening of a U.S. military base in Ecuador, but the proposal was struck down in a referendum last year. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Honduras goes back to conservative partyNasry Asfura, a real estate investor and former city mayor of the National Party, narrowly won the presidential election in Honduras in November, defeating his closest rival by less than a percentage point. Asfura, who belongs to the same party as former President Juan Orlando Hernández who was pardoned by Trump for a drug trafficking conviction, was endorsed by the U.S. president, who threatened to cut off aid to the small Central American country if Asfura was not elected. Under Asfura’s administration, Honduras has received dozens of deportees from third countries through an agreement that was signed with the U.S. in early 2025, most of them Guatemalan nationals. Chile’s Kast defeats the progressive movementIn December, José Antonio Kast, a conservative and a devout Catholic, won Chile’s presidential election with 58% of the vote, defeating a progressive government that had been in power for the previous four years. In his campaigns, Kast capitalized on fears over increasing crime rates in Chile and said he would expel migrants from countries like Venezuela and Haiti who had been working in Chile without residency permits. One of his first moves after taking office has been to expand a trench along Chile’s borders with Peru and Bolivia in a bid, his government says, to stop drug trafficking and migration. Kast’s government has recently faced protests over increasing unemployment and budget cuts that have affected public servants. Costa Rica proposes tough-on-crime approachLaura Fernández, an economy minister under conservative ex-President Rodrigo Chaves, won Costa Rica’s election in February with 48% of the vote, defeating her closest rival by 15 percentage points and surpassing the 40% of votes needed to avoid a runoff election.During her campaign, Fernández proposed tough-on-crime measures, including a state of exception that would enable police to arrest suspects without warrants, and said she would build a mega prison modeled after El Salvador’s notorious CECOT penitentiary. Fernández’s government has received several flights with migrants from third countries deported by the U.S. as she complies with an agreement that was signed by her predecessor last year. In June, one of these flights had migrants from China, Vietnam, Colombia and Azerbaijan.___Follow AP’s Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws a pass during practice at the team's NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)2026-08-07T18:15:39Z HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins and star pass rusher Maxx Crosby got into a scuffle late in practice Friday before their teammates quickly jumped in and separated them.Cousins, who is operating the first-team offense in training camp, remained on the field to finish the drive. Crosby, however, was sent to the sideline.“Those are two leaders of our team going at it, so that is part of camp,” coach Klint Kubiak said. “Obviously, if you fight in a game and throw a punch in game, then you’re out of the game. So we’ve got to be smart and treat it like a game.”Cousins appeared upset that Crosby tipped his pass, forcing an incompletion, and then charged the 6-foot-5, 256-pound defensive end who is three inches taller and 42 pounds heavier.“We don’t want to be throwing punches, but I think on any padded day of camp, there’s going to be some tussles,” tight end Michael Mayer said. “That’s our starting quarterback right now, and you want him to defend your team and you want him to have some edge to him, which he does. He’s always had since the first day I met him when he came in here.“I don’t want him getting thrown out. I don’t want him getting a flag. Nothing like that, but you’ve got to be able to defend yourself.”___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The UNESCO World Heritage Site, which features 40,000 near-perfect hexagonal columns, formed roughly 60 million years ago during a period of intense volcanic activity

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Ohio State continued preseason training camp with a second practice on Aug. 7.Here are five notable developments, including early standouts on offense and rotations at position groups that are more in flux. Transfer receiver off to fast startDevin McCuin has been a standout through two practices.When he was lined up opposite Jeremiah Smith during an 11-on-11 period, he made a string of highlight-reel catches.McCuin beat safety Brenten Jones deep to catch a pass from quarterback Julian Sayin of around 50 yards and later leapt in the air to haul in a high throw over the middle. He also pulled down an over-the-shoulder grab along the sideline.It was little surprise that McCuin, a senior who transferred to Ohio State from UTSA in January, ran with the first-team offense. He took first-team reps throughout spring practice.But his start to camp has generated buzz between his flashy catches and consistency.“I feel like he’s a dog,” safety Earl Little Jr. said. “He gets in and out of his routes smooth. He can block. He’s physical at the point of attack.”McCuin was productive during his previous three seasons at UTSA, catching 152 passes for 1,696 yards and 16 touchdowns from 2023-25.Offensive line movementAustin Siereveld returned to left tackle after he opened camp at right guard the previous day.The move by Siereveld allowed for Josh Padilla to slide in as the right guard with the first-team offensive line.The Buckeyes have multiple options to fill their starting spot at right guard vacated following Tegra Tshabola’s transfer to Kentucky.Siereveld, who made six starts at left guard in 2024 before moving to left tackle last year, could be a candidate for the role on the interior. It would also clear a spot for Ian Moore at left tackle. Both were part of their initial offensive line arrangement at the start of camp.But the second practice revealed the Buckeyes are also giving Padilla a look as another potential starter on the line. Early push in the backfieldIsaiah West continued to build momentum for a larger role in the backfield this year.He saw all of the first-team carries during 11-on-11s while Bo Jackson was with the second-team.Both sophomore running backs had been limited during spring drills following shoulder surgeries. But West has made more of an impression early in camp, especially with multiple breakaway runs during their latest practice.While the Buckeyes have not transitioned into padded practices, West has shown a combination of balance and burst.West found a role as a freshman. He ran for 310 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games, though he was not the breakout star as Bo Jackson ran for 1,090 yards and six touchdowns in his debut, making the initial pecking order an intriguing development.Freshman gets opportunity at nickelJay Timmons was one of the three five-star recruits to sign with Ohio State in December, and it looks as if he’ll be in the mix for an immediate role.He lined up as the nickel back with the first-team defense while Dominick Kelly and Devin Sanchez were the outside cornerbacks.Timmons, the son of Lawrence Timmons, a former Pro Bowl linebacker with the Pittsburgh Steelers, flipped his commitment from Florida State to Ohio State a month before the early signing period late last year.Defensive tackle pairingsWhile the Buckeyes found additions at defensive tackle through the transfer portal in January, their returning linemen have been with the first-team defense.Eddrick Houston and Will Smith Jr. have taken the first-team reps ahead of James Smith and John Walker through two practices.Smith arrived as a transfer from Alabama and Walker from UCF.Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 5 things we saw at Ohio State football's second preseason practice

Some South Marion High Schoolfootball home games won't be played on the campus this season because of multiple voids discovered under the field.Marion County Public Schools officials on Aug. 7 said the voids were found at seven different spots under the football field.Voids were described by school officials as an empty area underground, which could turn into a sinkhole if not addressed properly. They were detected by contractors using radar in early June.Usually, before a building is erected, contractors will perform ground samples to see if the site is safe. In this case, none was done because there wasn't going to be a building on a football field, officials said.2026 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Ocala, Marion County team-by-team schedulesHIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL: Off to Miami, Trenton Ramsey's swansong lives up to hype, leads All-County teamFROM THE ARCHIVES: Marion County School Board moves forward with new high schoolWork is presently being done on the field and it's expected to be wrapped up some time in October.In the meantime, the school's football games will be held on different Marion County high school grounds when available, school officials said.The cost to fix the issue is $617,917, and the funds were approved by the school board.About the schoolWharton-Smith Inc., a Sanford construction company, won the contract to build the school.Located at 1350 SW 165th St. near Marion Oaks, the school was built at a cost of more than $180 million. It sits on 115 acres and is projected to open Monday, Aug. 10, at its capacity of 2,011 students, according to school officials. Once a third floor is completed, the school will be able to have approximately 2,711 students.The school's funding came from "dollars borrowed by the Marion County School Board and secured through Certificates of Participation, a popular financing method for government entities. Local millage proceeds will also pay some of the construction costs," officials said.The groundbreaking was in December 2024. The school was built to relieve enrollment pressure from other schools, officials said.Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.comThis article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: South Marion's first football season hits road after home stadium reconstruction

Why former NBA player says he's declaring for the WNBA originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Enes Freedom has entered the chat.The 11-year NBA veteran said Friday on X that he was "officially declaring" for the 2027 WNBA Draft in a sarcasm-laden post that immediately drew social media condemnation.Freedom is capitalizing on the recent controversy surrounding statements made by the Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham. Though Cunningham has attempted to distance herself from the remarks, she told ESPN that she wanted to use her platform as a WNBA player to "protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men."MORE: Sophie Cunningham points out Caitlin Clark weapon WNBA rivals cannot ignoreFreedom, who has aligned himself with the political far right since his NBA career ended in 2022, has taken advantage on the climate of fear and hatred that Cunningham's comments have created. "If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA," he wrote. " My team and I have carefully examined the WNBA’s eligibility criteria and governing framework surrounding self-identification and inclusion. Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in April 2027."The post featured a video of Freedom sitting at a desk wearing a bright orange sweater on which the WNBA logo is emblazoned. It garnered 2.1 million views in under two hours.After careful consideration and reviewing the current eligibility guidelines,I’m officially declaring myself a @WNBA prospect.If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA.My team and I have… pic.twitter.com/msncUZUT1J— Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) August 7, 2026Obviously, Freedom will not be picked in the 2027 WNBA Draft, and the league's front offices will see right through his comments -- that is, if executives have even bothered to read them.But in the most hypothetical scenario possible -- that someone takes the chance and risks fan backlash by extending Freedom a tryout -- one X user told him he would be the same player in the WNBA that he was in the NBA."You're still gonna be absolute FOOD in the pick and roll,"@yc wrote.More WNBA news:Sparks' Cameron Brink delivered a statement performance in Lynx upsetFever's Caitlin Clark will regret more than missed FTs from Aces lossChelsea Gray makes feelings clear after fans ejected from Aces-Fever gameWhy two male WNBA fans were removed from Fever game over courtside incident with Jackie Young

Training camp isn't simply about installing plays or evaluating talent. It's about creating situations that players would rather avoid, then teaching them how to thrive anyway. That's exactly what the Baltimore Ravens' coaching staff has done with extended drives to test the offense and defense during training camp.In what was the longest practice of camp at 2 1/2 hours, Minter intentionally scripted long drives of eight and nine plays, which can take a toll on a day when the heat index reached 92 degrees."You want to be able to do all that with a high, high level of physicality and also keep your wits about you," Minter said.The periods have tested far more than physical endurance. It's no surprise that this was incorporated during the longest practice of the summer so far. As possessions drag on and fatigue begins to take hold, every snap becomes another opportunity to evaluate communication, discipline and execution. Talent alone isn't enough to survive those moments. Mental toughness becomes just as important, which presents an obvious lesson. The NFL rarely allows players to perform under ideal circumstances. The biggest possessions often come after a defense has already been on the field for several minutes or when an offense must sustain a long march without making the mistake that kills the drive.The Ravens are preparing for football's hardest momentsIt's hard to believe in some ways. It seemed it took forever for training camp to arrive. We blinked, and Baltimore has already logged a week's worth of practices. We've seen a Hall of Fame game. Football is upon us, and the Ravens are making the most of every opportunity to improve.Jesse Minter invited World Cup Champion Ferran Torres to offer his perspective on what it means to have a championship-winning mindset. His staff has helped take the lead in creating in-game situations at practice that Baltimore will no doubt see when the calendar turns its page from August to the NFL regular season.Long drives force players to fight through heavy legs, elevated heart rates, and mental fatigue while still remembering assignments and trusting technique. The physical challenge is obvious. The mental challenge is where the real growth occurs.Anyone can execute when they're fresh. Championship-caliber teams separate themselves by executing when exhaustion tempts them to take shortcuts. That's why these practice periods matter. The focus will, at times, shift to what the offense is doing, but players on both sides of the ball are learning that every additional snap demands continued attention to detail. Linemen must maintain their technique. Quarterbacks must continue making sound decisions. Skill players have to finish routes with the same urgency they showed at the beginning of the possession. The defense faces an equally difficult task. Instead of searching for an excuse, defenders are challenged to line up one more time, communicate one more call, and make one more stop.Those moments reveal habits that don't always appear during shorter practice segments. Training camp statistics won't capture that growth, and highlight reels certainly won't. Still, coaches often learn more from watching players respond to adversity than they do from watching them perform comfortably.The Ravens have made it clear that they're chasing more than execution. They're developing resilience. When the regular season inevitably presents a 14-play drive late in the fourth quarter or a game-defining series with tired bodies on both sides of the ball, Baltimore won't be experiencing those moments for the first time. The coaching staff has already been preparing the team to embrace them.This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens use exhausting practice periods to develop resilience

How to watch CPL 2026 live: Start time, schedule, TV channel and streaming details for Caribbean Premier League matches originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:CPL 2026 runs from August 7 to September 20 with seven teams for the first time.Fans in India can stream the Caribbean Premier League live on FanCode and YouTube.The tournament opener starts at 7:00 PM local time, which is 4:30 AM IST.Caribbean Premier League kick offs for new 2026 seasonThe Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League returns for its 14th season, running from August 7 to September 20, with the tournament expanding to seven teams for the first time in its history. Defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders are joined by Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Kingsmen, Saint Lucia Kings and St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.A total of 39 matches will be played across eight venues, culminating in the first-ever Caribbean Premier League final to be staged in Barbados at the Kensington Oval. The season opens with the Jamaica Kingsmen taking on the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons at the Arnos Vale Stadium in St Vincent.MORE: LA Knight Riders win maiden MLC title: IPL franchises with most trophies around the world listedCPL 2026 start time worldwideThe Caribbean Premier League 2026 gets under way with Jamaica Kingsmen facing Antigua & Barbuda Falcons at the Arnos Vale Stadium in St Vincent on August 7. Most matches begin at 7:00 PM local time.Due to the Caribbean time zone, that translates to an early-morning slot of 4:30 AM IST for fans in India and a late-evening 12:00 AM BST start in the United Kingdom.American and Canadian fans can watch the game at the same time due to the same time zones.Country / RegionStart timeCaribbean (AST)7:00 PMIndia (IST)4:30 AM (next day)UK (BST)12:00 AM (midnight)USA (ET)7:00 PMCanada (ET)7:00 PMAustralia (AEST)9:00 AM (next day)UAE (GST)3:00 AM (next day)South Africa (SAST)1:00 AM (next day)Match timings may vary for afternoon double-headers, which begin earlier in the day.CPL 2026 schedule and venuesStageDatesVenueOpening fixturesAugust 7-9Arnos Vale Stadium, St VincentLeague stageAugust 7 - September 13Eight venues across seven territoriesEliminatorSeptember 16Kensington Oval, BarbadosQualifier 1September 17Kensington Oval, BarbadosQualifier 2September 18Kensington Oval, BarbadosFinalSeptember 20Kensington Oval, BarbadosCPL 2026 TV channels and streaming by countryRegionTV channelLive streamingCaribbeanRush Live & Louder, CNC3, E-Networks, Winners TVRush Live & LouderIndiaJioStarYouTube and FanCodeUKTNTDiscovery+USA & CanadaWillow TVWillow by CricbuzzAustraliaFoxYouTubeUAE & Middle EastCricBuzzCricBuzzSouth Africa / Rest of WorldYouTubeYouTubeWhere to watch CPL 2026 in the CaribbeanTV channel: Rush Live & Louder, CNC3 (Trinidad and Tobago), E-Networks (Guyana), Winners TV (Saint Lucia)Live streaming: Rush Live & LouderPan-Caribbean coverage runs through Rush Live & Louder, the region's first dedicated linear cricket channel, launched by CPL in partnership with Rush Sports on July 1, 2026.MORE:All West Indies cricket newsWhere to watch CPL 2026 in IndiaTV channel: JioStarLive streaming: YouTube and FanCodeFans in India can watch the Caribbean Premier League 2026 live on JioStar, with digital streaming across the Indian subcontinent available through YouTube and FanCode.Where to watch CPL 2026 in the UKTV channel: TNTLive streaming: Discovery+Fans in the United Kingdom can watch the series live on TNT, with streaming available through Discovery+.Where to watch CPL 2026 in USA and CanadaTV channel:Willow TVLive streaming:Willow TV app and websiteFans in the United States and Canada can watch the tournament live on Willow TV, with streaming available through Willow by Cricbuzz.MORE:Cricket's 10 biggest cheating scandals of all timeWhere to watch CPL 2026 in AustraliaTV channel: FoxLive streaming: YouTubeFans in Australia can watch the Caribbean Premier League 2026 live on Fox, with streaming available through YouTube.Where to watch CPL 2026 in the UAE and Middle EastTV channel: CricBuzzLive streaming: CricBuzzFans in the UAE and the wider Middle East and North Africa region can follow the tournament through CricBuzz.For all the latest cricket news, opinion and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

Transparent Action, a parent-led initiative in the UK, sent the government a report detailing how kids were faring in school under different policies regarding trans students. The group urged the government to use 2026’s Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance (which sets out legal duties for schools) to protect trans children. The ministers never responded, and now the new guidance will ostracize and harm trans children. “We want what any parent wants—for our children to be happy and safe at school, to learn, make friends, be nurtured and take part in activities,” a representative for Transparent Action told LGBTQ Nation. “The new KCSIE guidance was an opportunity to bring all schools on board to be more inclusive but instead makes it more difficult for trans+ children and young people to understand their own identity, come out, and socially transition at school and college.” Related The UK’s new plan for trans students: bathroom bans, forced outing, & no social transitions Transparent Action describes itself as “proud parents taking a stand” to “form a collective voice to take action in support of our children and all trans people.” Earlier this year, it surveyed more than 100 families of trans, nonbinary, and gender-non-conforming children and asked about their school experiences. The median age was 14, but also included responses from families with adult children about their past experiences. The results showed some heartening stories of acceptance and trans-inclusive school policies. But they also showed how much harm schools that othered trans children and allowed bullying were doing. The new KCSIE guidance will also make it more difficult for those schools with inclusive policies to continue with them. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today They found that 45% of respondents said that their trans and nonbinary children had a negative experience at school. 58% of trans children said they had experienced problems with using the toilets at school, with 54% saying they were bullied for their gender identity. Transparent Action’s representative noted, “What’s so frustrating is our survey showed that many schools have been managing an inclusive environment where trans, nonbinary and gender diverse pupils thrive alongside their peers but, sadly, many more schools are failing their trans+ pupils.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Transparent Action (@transparentactionuk) Many of the children have not come out as trans at school, and either go to school as the wrong gender or live stealth, fearing what would happen in the current climate if people knew. One parent said, “He won’t come out at school as he doesn’t believe they will be able to protect him.” When it came to toilets, many schools prevented trans children from using the single-sex bathrooms at all and forced them to use the single-user disabled bathrooms, while other children were forced to use the wrong bathroom. “[They’re] forcing him to go into the wrong bathroom. He’s been presenting as a boy since he was five and nobody thinks he’s a girl. It’s really strange to have a boy go in the girls’ room.” This sort of policy led to students simply avoiding using the toilet, with one parent reporting their child “refused to drink all day for fear of having to use the toilet and being bullied regardless of which toilet they chose to use.” When it comes to physical education (PE), the stories around being barred from the appropriate changing room highlighted uncomfortable ways to avoid changing, or fully opting out of part of the school experience to avoid harassment. “There is no changing space for trans kids for PE. My child wears his PE kit under his uniform,” said one parent, while another said, “he opts out of PE due to inadequate changing arrangements.” The report also paints a picture of the dangers of not having policies in place to ensure that trans and nonbinary children are appropriately named and gendered by staff and faculty. “A lot of transphobic bullying, including physical violence,” one parent reported, was exacerbated because of “several teachers continually misgendering him, bolstering the bullies.” All of this, the report explains, worsened children’s depression and anxiety (a conclusion which is supported by past studies by The Trevor Project). “My child has missed an entire year of school due to stress and anxiety in school,” explained one parent. Another said, “My child started self-harming due to the way they are treated at school.” All of these issues will get worse when the new KCSIE comes into effect on September 1. Those schools that have been providing trans-inclusive spaces and ensuring that children are correctly gendered by staff will, in most cases, be forced to desist. Schools where the situation was already bad for trans kids will get worse as the harassment will be effectively sanctioned. While allowances such as single-user disabled bathrooms might seem like an acceptable workaround, the avoidance of gendered bathrooms raises questions that can prompt speculation and bullying. “It is scary having to look around before to see if anyone will see me going into the single-user restroom, as I worry about people gossiping and speculating about me being transgender,” said a trans student in Idaho shortly before dying by suicide earlier this year. Transparent Action told LGBTQ Nation of one UK parent’s trans child who died by suicide. In the coroner’s report, the child’s treatment at school over their gender identity was considered a contributing factor. “Anti-trans attitudes are already harming trans+ pupils, who often struggle to attend, and as parents we are extremely anxious about the start of the new term in September,” Transparent Action said. Transparent Action’s 40-page report, as well as a summary highlighting the key details, was sent in April to then-Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, and the Chair of the UK House of Commons Education Committee, Helen Hayes. They also provided a pledge which now has over 2,000 signatures in support of trans people, and when the original draft of the KCSIE guidance was released, they also used the report as a basis for an official response and comment. After ensuring that the government had all the facts on how much the KCSIE draft and other school policies would harm trans, nonbinary, and gender-non-conforming children, Transparent Action received no reply or acknowledgment beyond automated receipts. Lucy Powell replaced Phillipson in July after Andy Burnham became Prime Minister, but there is still no reply. The UK government has a track record of ignoring the experiences of the trans people their policies will affect. The UK Supreme Court case that decided trans women were not women for the purposes of the 2010 Equality Act and led to the dangerous EHRC guidance that has just gone into effect did not hear from any trans women. The Cass Review famously discounted the opinions of trans children. It’s unclear what direction the Labour government will take on trans issues under Prime Minister Andy Burnham. While he has spoken in favor of trans rights, he has also said that the EHRC guidance should be enforced but in a way that will not “marginalize already marginalized communities.” He has claimed his is a politics of change, but he has not yet made any moves to change the harm the government is doing to trans people in the country. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The collection of treasures, many of them connected to the Medici family, includes Italian Renaissance masterpieces, a palace and a courtly garden

Lindsay Clancy waits for the judge to call a prospective jury member into court in her murder trial where she is charged in the 2023 killing of her three children, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in Plymouth Superior Court in Plymouth, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)2026-08-07T18:34:24Z Lindsay Clancy ‘s murder trial zeroed in Friday on the nearly five days that the Massachusetts mother spent in a psychiatric hospital a few weeks before she killed her three children.Her stay is a key chapter in both the prosecution and defense narratives about her mental state when she strangled the children in their suburban home and then jumped out a second-story window. In questioning one of her McLean Hospital psychiatrists on Friday, a prosecutor underscored that Clancy denied to hospital clinicians that she wanted to hurt anyone else or planned to kill herself. Clancy’s lawyer, meanwhile, aimed to flesh out the defense’s claim that she sought mental health help for months, wasn’t properly diagnosed as she went from provider to provider, and was put on a series of medications that left her worse off. ___EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. ___Clancy has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the January 2023 strangling deaths of Callan, Dawson and Cora Clancy, who ranged from 8 months to 5 years old. They were found in the basement of the family’s home in coastal Duxbury, Massachusetts, and their mother was lying, badly injured, in the yard. She remains paralyzed from the waist down. Prosecutors argue that Clancy, a 35-year-old former labor and delivery nurse, was an intentional killer who attacked her children after getting her husband out of the house by asking him to run errands. The defense doesn’t dispute that she killed the children but says she shouldn’t be held criminally responsible, contending that she was so mentally ill that she heard voices telling her to kill them and herself. In the criminal trial and a medical malpractice lawsuit, Clancy’s attorneys say she had bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis — a break with reality that a small fraction of women have after childbirth — that weren’t fully diagnosed until after the killings, though one of her outpatient providers considered bipolar disorder in 2022. Read More Clancy recounted that provider’s opinion and disagreed with it after she checked herself into McLean early on New Year’s Day 2023, psychiatrist Dr. Alia Goodheart told jurors Friday. When Goodheart joined Clancy’s lineup of providers that Jan. 3, the patient expressed concerns about an antipsychotic medication she’d previously been prescribed to help with insomnia, and about feeling numb, which can be a side effect of that drug, Goodheart said. She diagnosed her with insomnia with a mental health condition and tapered down the medication. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Clancy then reported she could sleep, was eager to go home in time for a long-planned belated birthday party for Cora, and booked herself follow-up outpatient care, the psychiatrist testified. The hospital discharged her that Jan. 5 with prescriptions for an antianxiety drug and a sleep aid.“She had never stated that she had any thoughts of harming anybody else,” Goodheart told jurors. And although Clancy said she’d had suicidal thoughts, she denied having them in the moment and indeed said she had reasons not to take her own life: “her children and her family, her mother,” Goodheart recalled.When defense lawyer Kevin Reddington had his turn to question the psychiatrist, he emphasized that the hospital care team didn’t do various tests — Goodheart said they weren’t necessary — or learn that she had called a suicide hotline that fall. Nor did the providers talk to various outpatient clinicians who had treated Clancy over the prior months, though they did speak to her husband. “She was very sick, wasn’t she?” Reddington asked at one point.“I don’t know what you mean,” Goodheart responded. If convicted of murder, Clancy faces life in prison without parole. If found not guilty due to a lack of criminal responsibility, she would be committed to a state mental health facility.

The logo of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors is seen before a news conference with Federal Reserve Board Chairman Kevin Warsh at the Federal Reserve in Washington, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)2026-08-07T18:44:35Z WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is moving ahead with its efforts to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, two months after the Supreme Court allowed her to retain her job while she fights the president’s effort to terminate her over mortgage fraud allegations that she has denied.The justices, in a 5-4 decision in June, said Cook, who was nominated to the Fed’s Board of Governors by President Joe Biden, could remain in her post at least as long as her lawsuit challenging her firing goes on. The Trump administration is appealing a lower-court ruling in Cook’s favor.Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in a footnote in his opinion that nothing forbids President Donald Trump from “trying again” to fire Cook, provided she is given proper notice and a chance to contest it. Trump indicated, after the opinion, that he would do just that, vowing to “take appropriate action immediately.” In a letter this week obtained by The Associated Press, White House aide Dan Scavino told Cook that Trump was “considering removing you from your position” but cited the Supreme Court’s requirement of proper notice in giving her until August 26 to challenge it.The attempt to fire Cook is rooted in a criminal referral made last August by Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, that accused her of committing mortgage fraud by declaring two different homes – one in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and one in Atlanta – as “primary residence.’’ Homebuyers can get lower mortgage rates or smaller down payments on their primary homes compared to second or vacation homes. Cook has aggressively defended herself against the allegations, saying the president had attempted to oust her “on a manufactured pretext because I refused to bow to political pressure and continued to set interest rates based only on what would best serve the American people.’’ Read More Her lawyer, Abbe Lowell, argued in a November letter that Cook has mostly lived in the Ann Arbor property since first purchasing it in 2005. As a result, it was accurate for her to refer to it as her “primary residence” in a June 2021 application to refinance its mortgage, the letter said. A month later, she purchased a condominium in Atlanta and, in a July 2021 document, also referred to it as her “primary residence.” Lowell said that it was an “isolated notation” that did not reflect an intent to defraud. An earlier mortgage application to the same lender in May 2021 had referred to the Atlanta condo as a “vacation home,” Lowell said. Cook also referred to it as a second home in federal filings during her confirmation process to become a Fed governor.The latest White House letter largely rehashes the year-old allegations.“These allegations are as baseless now as they were a year ago when President Trump tried to remove Governor Cook and interfere with the independence of the Federal Reserve,” Lowell said in a statement. “No matter what President Trump tries to do next, this much is clear under the facts and Supreme Court precedent — there is no valid cause for removing Governor Cook. As we did before, we will challenge this latest pretext and preserve her position and the historic role of the Fed,” he added. ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department. twitter mailto

FLE - A crew removes the statue of Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson, July 1, 2020, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)2026-08-07T18:34:33Z ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — A federal judge has sided with the Virginia NAACP in its lawsuit against a county school board’s reinstatement of Confederate military names to two schools, saying the decision discriminated against Black students and ordering the board to change the schools’ monikers again.In an opinion filed Thursday in U.S. District Court of Virginia, Judge Michael F. Urbanski said the school board in Shenandoah County violated Black students’ rights under the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, which forbids racial discrimination in state-supported institutions. The decision also violates the Equal Educational Opportunities Act, the court found. Confederate army officers’ names are “vestiges” of Shenandoah County’s segregationist history that required separate schools for Black and white students.“The Confederate names were restored with complete awareness of their historic legacy and ongoing discriminatory impact,” Urbanski wrote. “In the court’s view, the affirmative act of reinstating these vestiges of segregation is far more problematic than a passive failure to remove a long-standing name or symbol.” The judge ordered the board to settle on new school names “on a racially nondiscriminatory basis with all deliberate speed.” Unlike memorials named after Confederate figures, schools are places where children should have an “educational environment free of vestiges of racial discrimination,” Urbanski added. Jim Guynn, the attorney representing Shenandoah County, did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment. Read More In a statement Friday, the NAACP Virginia State Conference called the ruling “a decisive victory” for students.“For decades, the practice of honoring Confederate leaders in Virginia schools has been steeped in a history of racial discrimination,” said its president, the Rev. Cozy Bailey. “The school board’s 2024 renaming decision is impossible to explain except through the lens of race.”The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs represented the NAACP. “The court acknowledged that such names inflict real, racially disproportionate harm,” said Kaitlin Banner, deputy legal director. The Virginia NAACP filed the suit on behalf of six students and their parents in June 2024 after the school board voted 5-1 to change Mountain View High School back to Stonewall Jackson High School and Honey Run Elementary back to Ashby-Lee Elementary, which combines the names of Gen. Robert E. Lee and Turner Ashby, a Confederate cavalry officer. The board reversed a 2020 decision to remove the original names against a backdrop of nationwide protests over racial injustice.The NAACP argued in its lawsuit that Black students, who make up less than 3% of the school system’s population, would be “required against their will to endorse the violent defense of slavery pursued by the Confederacy and the symbolism that these images have in the modern White supremacist movement.”Under President Donald Trump’s second administration, some statues honoring Confederate figures have been restored after being removed in 2020. It is part of Trump’s ongoing efforts to control how American history is framed at Smithsonian museums, monuments in national parks and in classrooms.Board members who voted to restore the Confederate names said they were honoring popular community sentiment. They said the previous board members who voted to remove the names in 2020 had ignored constituents and due process on the matter. 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Detroit Lins running back Jahmyr Gibbs runs a drill during practice at the NFL football team's training camp, in Allen Park, Mich., Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)2026-08-07T18:33:45Z ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Lions Pro Bowl running back Jahmyr Gibbs finally got what he wanted.A record-setting contract brought financial security, but for Gibbs, it also ended an anxious wait that had kept him off the practice field.“This process has been extremely stressful,” Gibbs said Friday, one day after signing a three-year contract extension that made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. “I just wanted to play ball. I missed being out there with my teammates and coaches and it’s just fun being out there now.”The extension, agreed to Thursday, is worth $67.5 million over three years and could reach $75.75 million with incentives. It includes $51.5 million in guaranteed money, according to multiple reports, surpassing the deal Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson signed earlier this week.After signing the contract, Gibbs participated only in individual drills Friday, but said the biggest relief was putting the negotiations behind him. Three years ago, many questioned whether the Lions had reached by selecting a running back with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.Gibbs said the criticism never bothered him. “For me, I didn’t really care, because I knew what I could do, and I was confident in myself,” he said.Three seasons into his career, Gibbs has put together one of the most productive starts by a running back in NFL history.Despite sharing the backfield with David Montgomery, Gibbs has scored 49 total touchdowns in his first three NFL seasons, the most by any player during that span. He broke the previous record of 47 set by Hall of Famer and former Lion Barry Sanders. Read More Last season, Gibbs totaled 1,839 yards from scrimmage, including 1,223 rushing yards and 616 receiving yards, while scoring 18 touchdowns. He also set career highs with 77 receptions, 616 receiving yards and five touchdown catches.Since entering the league, Gibbs has rushed for 3,580 yards — seventh-most in the NFL during that span — while averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He has topped 1,200 rushing yards in each of the past two seasons and caught at least 50 passes in all three years. Lions Associate Head Coach Scottie Montgomery said Gibbs earned the extension through both his production and his professionalism.“He has came in from day one and did everything we asked him to do,” Montgomery said. “He is what a pro should be.”Montgomery said Gibbs has continued to improve each season while maintaining the same approach that made him the 12th overall pick.“I hope a lot of kids, a lot of people are watching the way that he went about the process,” Montgomery said. “Going from year one to year two to year three and continually getting better.”Montgomery also pointed to Gibbs’ versatility as one of the reasons he has become such an important part of Detroit’s offense.“When you got a guy like Jah, you can be a bell cow and touch it 10 times and have 200 total yards,” Montgomery said. “He can play at the receiver position. He can play at the wing position. He can play at the back.”Gibbs said he heard from several fellow NFL running backs after agreeing to the extension, including Robinson, Montgomery, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey, James Cook and De’Von Achane. Gibbs said signing the extension also means he gets to remain in a city he has embraced since arriving in 2023.“Before I got here, everything you hear about Detroit is negative,” Gibbs said. “Since I’ve been here, all I can say is positive things. The people, there’s a lot of good food, the culture.“I love being here. I’m so glad I get to be here for the next five years.”___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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NFL teams have dolled out plenty of cash to guards this offseason. The Tennessee Titans have reportedly reset the market in that department.Tennessee has inked Peter Skoronski to a four-year, $100 million extension that comes with $88 million guaranteed and makes him the highest-paid player at the position in the NFL, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.Sources: The #Titans and standout G Peter Skoronski have agreed to terms on a huge new extension to make him the highest-paid guard in the NFL.Skoronski gets a 4-year, $100M deal with $88M guaranteed, as the former No. 11 overall pick, a Cam Ward bodyguard, cashes in. pic.twitter.com/mQGeUr6r1F— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 7, 2026This story is being updated.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Four teams had claims to the 1960 national championship in college football. The U.S. Senate is adding Missouri to that list.Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., introduced a resolution during a meeting Thursday recognizing the Tigers for a claim to the national title. The measure was passed with no objections; resolutions don’t have the force of law and by the chamber’s definition reflect the Senate’s “sentiments,” according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.Still, it adds another odd wrinkle to college football history for a sport decided by polls and rankings decades ago before the arrival of the Bowl Championship Series or today’s College Football Playoff. Missouri hadn’t previously claimed the 1960 team as a national champion.Team spokesman Dave Matter didn't immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press for comment Friday afternoon.Missouri went 10-1 on the field after beating Navy and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Bellino in the Orange Bowl. The lone loss had come to “Border War” rival Kansas in a game to decide the then-Big Eight Conference title, though the league ordered the Jayhawks to forfeit for using an ineligible player because of recruiting violations.In a past interview with the The Post-Dispatch, author Brendon Steenbergen — who wrote a book detailing that season — said: “I’ve been beating the drum to try to get the university to recognize it because I think they have as much a right as anyone in the country to be national champions in 1960.”Minnesota was crowed champion by the AP and United Press International polls, though that took place before the Gophers lost to Washington in the Rose Bowl. The Football Writers Association of America voted Mississippi its post-bowl champion.The Helms Athletic Foundation, created in 1936 to promote amateur athletics until dissolving in 1983, recognized Washington as its champion. Meanwhile, the Litkenhous Rating system chose Iowa with its mathematical formula utilizing scoring margins and opponent strength, according to The Athletic.___AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

The Cleveland Browns' elite defense will have an uphill battle heading into the 2026-27 NFL season following the departure of star EDGE Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams this offseason.Garrett, the former No. 1 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, was the cornerstone piece of the organization since his arrival nearly a decade ago. Still, despite the loss of the future Hall of Famer, the Browns' defense will try to prove itself without Garrett on the field this season.When asked how the defense will move on from Garrett in 2026 and beyond on 92.3 The Fan, veteran defensive end Alex Wright claimed that the defense has a "chip on our shoulder" this season."Myles is Myles. The spotlight will be on Myles, but at the same time, we were top 3 in sacks," Wright stated on 92.3 The Fan. "There were other people producing also. That's the chip on our shoulder. Just because he's not here...he's just one person. [There's] 10 other people out there making plays and producing."Browns' defensive outlook post-GarrettWith Garrett off to Los Angeles this offseason, the Browns will now need to find a new anchor on its elite defensive unit heading into the upcoming season.Luckily for the struggling organization, the trade that sent its star pass rusher to a Super Bowl contender gave the Browns 2024 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse in return. The 2024 first-round pick was nothing short of impressive in his first two seasons, recording 124 tackles, 21.5 stuffs, 12 sacks, and five forced fumbles. Verse's ability to consistently apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks (99 total regular-season quarterback pressures since 2024) will create more opportunities for the rest of the defensive line in 2026 and beyond.The addition of Verse, however, will force Cleveland's other pass rushers, such as Wright and Isaiah McGuire, to take the next step in their careers. Both defensive ends were terrific complementary pieces for Garrett, combining for 38 tackles and 7.5 sacks last season. But without the potential of Garrett recording a 20+ sack season for the Browns this year, it's clear that the veteran duo will take on a bigger role on defense.Fortunately for the newly revamped defensive line, the linebackers and defensive backs will play a significant role within the unit this year. Second-year star Carson Schwesinger is primed for another incredible season after being named the 2025 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, while the secondary unit features the likes of cornerback Denzel Ward and a lethal safety rotation of Grant Delpit, Ronnie Hickman, and 2026 second-round pick Emmanuel McNeil Warren.This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns' defense has "chip on its shoulder" for 2026-27 NFL season

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — New Zealand's first full-scale tour of South Africa in 30 years began with an underwhelming 38-21 win over the Stormers on Friday.The scoreline flattered a scratch All Blacks side which was favored by at least 30 points.The makeshift Stormers in preseason mode rallied twice to tie the score, which was knotted at 14 until there were 13 minutes to go. When the Stormers lost their second scrumhalf and had no more reserves backs, the patched-up backline was ruthlessly exposed by New Zealand, which scored three tries in the last eight minutes.But the result only papered over a performance that was blighted by ill-discipline — three yellow cards — and a struggling set-piece. They overcame those with six tries to three by the Stormers in front of a non-sell-out crowd of 47,130.The good news for the All Blacks was they appeared to finish with no major injuries, seven players made their first appearance in the black jersey this year, and two more made their debuts off the bench; prop Siale Lauaki and inside back Josh Jacomb.But the most impressive players in the stadium were Stormers flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed, who looked comfortably cool in his first-class debut at age 20, and flanker Deon Fourie, the dynamo who will be 40 next month.___AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Aston Villa Handed Opening As £21.5m Star’s Future Hinges On Hong Kong: Should They Eye Permanent Deal?Aston Villa’s pre-season meeting with Bayern Munich in Hong Kong could shape far more than preparations for the new campaign. According to Sport 1, via Sport Witness, senior officials from both clubs are expected to use the occasion to restart discussions over João Palhinha after negotiations lost momentum during the summer.Aston Villa transfer news: Hong Kong meeting could revive stalled deal for João PalhinhaThe Portugal international has returned to Bayern following his loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur, yet Vincent Kompany’s plans no longer include the experienced midfielder. Bayern are open to selling him, though their asking price has created a sizeable gap between the two clubs.Villa have kept their interest alive despite that obstacle. Face-to-face talks offer a chance to settle differences over the structure of a deal rather than exchanging proposals from afar. Palhinha has publicly spoken about wanting to stay in Munich, although German reports suggest those comments may have formed part of his negotiating position instead of reflecting his preferred outcome.T4O take: Why Aston Villa should avoid a permanent dealLONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 24: Joao Palhinha of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after the team secured safety from relegation during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Palhinha enjoyed an impressive individual campaign in difficult circumstances. During the 2025/26 Premier League season, he scored five goals and produced two assists in 33 appearances for Tottenham, playing 2,197 minutes. His stoppage-time winner against Everton on the final day secured Spurs’ survival and cemented his place as one of their standout performers.Even so, Aston Villa shouldn’t commit £21.5 million plus substantial wages for this transfer. Unai Emery has already reshaped his midfield. João Gomes arrived from Wolves in a £35 million deal and brings the same aggressive ball-winning qualities while offering greater mobility and a much younger profile. That signing alone changes the picture.Why Aston Villa already have enough depthBoubacar Kamara has recovered from his long-term injury, while Amadou Onana and John McGinn provide strong competition across central midfield. Palhinha would struggle to arrive as an automatic starter despite reportedly earning around €192,000, or £165,000, per week.Those figures matter. Villa continue working within Profit and Sustainability Rules, and spending heavily on a 31-year-old with little resale value makes limited financial sense. The squad still requires investment elsewhere after Ezri Konsa‘s imminent departure, leaving more urgent priorities than another holding midfielder.Nobody questions Palhinha’s commitment or his ability to break up attacks. His reading of danger remains excellent. Yet the physical traits that once separated him have started to fade, especially during quick transitional matches. Unless Bayern slash the asking price or agree to a subsidised loan, Villa would be paying premium money for a player whose role already belongs to somebody else.

U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), a Trump-endorsed ally since his first run for Congress in 2022, lost his primary in Tennessee on Tuesday to a well-funded Republican challenger, according to projections. Ogles, a diehard MAGA loyalist, is notorious for attacking LGBTQ+ people, Muslims, and other targets of the Trump administration’s xenophobia. Related GOP lawmaker demands congressional investigation into Bad Bunny’s “gay sexual acts” But in June, Ogles alienated even Republicans when he asserted online that “Homosexuality has no place in America. Happy Nuclear Family Month.” GOP colleagues called the comment “idiotic” and “insane.” A Democratic leader said Ogles was a “malignant clown.” Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Though he later blamed the post on an unnamed “staffer,” Ogles had already said the same about Muslims earlier this year. “Muslims don’t belong in American society. Pluralism is a lie,” the Tennessee Republican posted in March. In the heat of New York’s mayoral campaign last summer, Ogles argued that the federal government should revoke candidate Zohran Mamdani’s citizenship and deport him. Tennessee Republicans may or may not have rejected Trump along with the provocative congressman. The winner of Tuesday’s primary is former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, who outraised Ogles, pulled in a late endorsement from the state’s Republican Gov. Bill Lee, and saw a flood of outside money on his behalf from a renewable energy super PAC, NBC News reports. But while Hatcher didn’t have Trump’s endorsement for the primary, he embraced the president nonetheless. “Think what President Trump could do if our congressman spent less time talking and more time doing,” Hatcher’s website reads. And he’s sure to have Trump’s endorsement in the general. Ogles has a long history of attacking the LGBTQ+ community He’s said publicly available HIV and trans-related healthcare information is “a grave moral evil.” He called the most recent Super Bowl Halftime Show featuring Bad Bunny “gay pornography,” and claimed it “glorified sodomy”. He’s advocated for overturning marriage equality. In 2023, Ogles chose to “honor” Pride Month by introducing two anti-LGBTQ+ bills in Congress, including one that would ban drag queen performances in elementary schools and another that would ban “federal funds from being used for the creation of any federal forms that include gender options beyond those of ‘male’ and ‘female.’” “Parents should not have to worry about sending their children to places of education, wondering whether hyper-sexualized drag queens will introduce inappropriate subject matter content to their children,” he said at the time. “My bill would ensure that not even a dime of taxpayer money is spent on drag queens in schools.” Ogles got a score of “0” on last session’s HRC Congressional Scorecard. The Tennessee incumbent was the second Trump-endorsed candidate for the House to lose his election this week. In Michigan, Republican voters’ distaste for Amir Hassan, a Christian candidate with a Muslim-sounding name, was so great that he lost to an opponent, Tom Smith, a Republican who had already dropped out of the race a month beforehand. Hassan said last December that a trans woman using a restroom spurred him into politics. “When my 18-year-old daughter was younger, a man identifying as a woman walked into the same restroom as her,” Hassan said. “That’s why I drew the line.” Hassan said that one of his top priorities was “keeping education on LGBTQ+ issues out of schools.” He’s claimed that children are LGBTQ+ people’s “target.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called for cisgender gay, lesbian, and bisexual people to stand in solidarity with transgender people, who are facing numerous attacks from Republicans all over the country. “I think everybody else has to stick up for them,” he said. In an interview with YouTuber Andrew Callaghan, published yesterday, Buttigieg discussed a range of topics, including AI, the New York mayoral race, and military service. Related Why Pete Buttigieg’s comments on trans athletes are so disappointing Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today They also talked about LGBTQ+ issues, including a rightwing commentator’s accusation that Buttigieg is faking being gay, how many gay conservatives are still closeted, as well as the removal of all mentions of transgender people from the website for the Stonewall National Monument (despite their key role in the Stonewall uprising). “How did you feel about the T getting removed from the Stonewall website?” Callaghan asked. “It’s terrible,” Buttigieg responded. “I mean, look, you know, if you look into the history of what made it possible for people like me to have rights — like we do to get married — like, a lot of that was advocates and activists who were transgender in the ’60s or ’70s… who stuck up for everybody’s rights.” Buttigieg then talked about how some cisgender gay and bi people want to somehow drop transgender people from the community. “So I get the politics of it,” he said. “I get that it would be politically convenient, honestly, for people to pull up the ladder after them and leave out others, but that’s not OK. People have to stick together. And that’s not just across the LGBTQ community, it’s like, anywhere somebody is getting beat up or having, literally or figuratively, because of who they are, I think everybody else has to stick up for them.” Just prior to being asked about the Stonewall monument’s website, Callaghan asked Buttigieg about what it was like to come out in the public eye. Buttigieg talked about how his life is more “normal” now that he isn’t hiding a big part of himself, and Callaghan asked, “Speaking of Mike Pence, do you think there’s a pipeline between homophobia and people being closeted?” “I would like to think that it’s different than when I was in high school, but I think even now a lot of people get the message that, like, you don’t get to just be who you are and not have that define you,” he said. “That’s the part I think we’re still really working on in the gay community, is being able to have that just be like a thing that’s like true about you, among many other things that are true about you.” The discussion of LGBTQ+ issues starts at around the 6-minute mark in the video below, and the discussion of the National Stonewall Monument starts at 12:40. Numerous federal webpages began removing all mentions of trans people and gender identity after a January 29 directive from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) telling federal agencies to “end federal funding of gender ideology” in programming, policies, and outward-facing media. The directive reflects Republicans’ larger crusade against all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts by government bodies and private businesses. Buttigieg commented on transgender rights earlier this year as well. In a July interview with NPR, he said that Democrats have to approach the issue of trans sports participation “with compassion… compassion for transgender people, compassion for families, especially of young people who are going through this, and also empathy for people who are not sure what all of this means for them.” He then said that “most reasonable people” think that there are “serious fairness issues” with trans girls and women participating in girls’ and women’s sports. “And that’s why I think these decisions should be in the hands of sports leagues and school boards and not politicians,” he explained, “least of all politicians in Washington trying to use this as a political pawn.” “I think that chess is different from weightlifting, and weightlifting is different from volleyball, and middle school is different from the Olympics,” he added. “So that’s exactly why I think that we shouldn’t be grandstanding on this as politicians. We should be empowering communities and organizations, and schools to make the right decisions.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The BBC logo is displayed at its headquarters in London, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)2026-08-07T19:11:19Z President Donald J. Trump, Plaintiff, got a welcome break this week in one of his battles with the media — but for the moment, only a temporary one.As his $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC proceeds, a federal judge in Florida granted the president a temporary reprieve on Thursday from an order that he begin divulging details of his business empire’s financial performance — something he is clearly loath to do. U.S. District Judge Roy Altman agreed to put that order on hold while he considers an amended complaint from Trump that would narrow his claim that he suffered damage to both business and reputation. By focusing only on the latter, Trump’s lawyers hope to avoid the need for the financial disclosures. That updated complaint has not been made public.Trump filed the lawsuit in December over the way the British broadcaster, in a 2024 documentary, edited a speech he gave on Jan. 6, 2021, before protesters attacked the Capitol in Washington. It is one of many actions he has taken in his second term against media coverage that displeases him — in the courts, with executive action and in the overall presidential bully pulpit. Trump contends that the BBC’s editing was misleading because it cut out, among other parts, a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully. The claim seeks $5 billion in damages for defamation and $5 billion for unfair trade practices. The publicly funded broadcaster has apologized to Trump over the edit but rejects claims it defamed him. The furor produced the resignations of the BBC’s top executive and its head of news. Judge finds new Trump argument noteworthyIn Thursday’s order, Altman said he found “compelling” Trump’s argument that an amended complaint might remove the need for financial disclosures, an argument the BBC disagrees with. Under the order from a Miami-based magistrate judge, Enjoliqué Lett, Trump had been required to start releasing financial records by Thursday from businesses held by his family trust. “If the plaintiff’s amendment obviates the need to compel a non-party to disclose confidential financial information,” wrote Altman, a 2019 Trump appointee, “we think it’s prudent to enter a brief stay of the Order until the amendment request is resolved.” Read More But where will the case go from here. And did the Trump legal team overreach in this case?Seth Stern, advocacy director at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, notes that the president can simply drop the lawsuit if the BBC proves successful in arguing that disclosure of financial data is also relevant to reputational harm. “Trump has a history of filing lawsuits and then just dismissing them before they get to discovery,” Stern said. “So there’s a chance he’ll do that and I’m sure it’ll give him a day or an hour of embarrassing headlines. But as we’ve seen countless times with Trump’s administration ... no one headline seems to stick for very long, and I suspect that one would be no different.” Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Stern thinks the BBC would be correct in arguing that financial data would still be relevant in the case. After all, the president is contending he suffered $10 billion worth of reputational harm. “You cannot claim $10 billion in reputational damages when you’re the president of the United States and you won the presidential election after the reporting that you’re complaining about,” he said. “That makes no sense.”He added: “For him to say that discovery into his economic damages is intrusive or in any way problematic, after he placed such an outrageous damages number on his lawsuit, is absurd.” For now, the BBC trial is set for FebruaryHow long the legal maneuvering will take remains unclear. A trial is provisionally set for February in the case, which is just one of a host of legal actions Trump has initiated against media organizations whose coverage draws his ire.The president is also seeking $10 billion in an ongoing defamation case against The Wall Street Journal over a sexually suggestive letter to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that the newspaper said bore Trump’s signature. His Justice Department recently issued and then withdrew subpoenas to several New York Times journalists who reported on security concerns about his new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet.Trump and his administration is also engaged in a battle with ABC, whose coverage he often objects to. His Federal Communications Commission has launched an early review of eight ABC local broadcast licenses well before they expire. Its chairman, Brendan Carr, also appears to be seeking to penalize ABC’s “The View,” where some hosts speak out against Trump, by revoking its exemption from equal-time rules. The Associated Press has also sued Trump over access to the White House press pool, from which the news organization was curtailed for sticking with the name “Gulf of Mexico” after the administration ordered it rechristened the “Gulf of America.” The AP said it was retaining the term because the body of water crossed borders, but that it would would also note Trump’s renaming. Stern, at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, feels that Trump will continue to press lawsuits — even those he may have no expectation of winning — unless courts suddenly decide to sanction his attorneys for filing frivolous lawsuits. “Trump doesn’t care about losing a lawsuit or about spending a little bit of money on legal fees,” Stern says. “He understands full well that these aren’t cases he’s going to win. (But) he’s counting on them costing the defendants more than they cost him, in money, time and distraction. He’s counting on the initial headlines when he files a $10 billion lawsuit, making a big splash, and then his subsequent losses being an afterthought.”___Jocelyn Noveck covers the intersection of media and entertainment for The Associated Press. JOCELYN NOVECK Noveck is an Associated Press national writer specializing in culture and gender, and a film critic. twitter mailto

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New Mexico State's fall camp is well underway and into its second week. Nine practices will be completed by the end of Saturday, Aug. 8. Five more will be left before the Aggies enter a normal practice schedule ahead of their season opener against Florida State on Aug. 29. One of those five practices will be a scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 15.MORE AGGIES FOOTBALL: 2026 New Mexico State Defense Preview — Aggies look to field a more respectable unitMORE AGGIES SPORTS: NMSU President speaks on AD Joe Fields, fundraising efforts | ExclusiveHere's a look at the highlights from NM State's first two weeks of camp:July 29thQuarterback Trey Hedden, who was named the starter after practice, completed his first pass of the day. Backup quarterback Adam Damante followed with two short completions to tight end Josiah Thomas and wide receiver Lyndon Ravare. Two safeties, returner DJ Cloyd and Cincinnati transfer Tayden Barnes, each made pass breakups. Cloyd's was on an out route thrown by junior college recruit Kalani McLeod, while Barnes' was thrown by Damante over the middle. Damante then threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Izayeh Wright, hitting him in the soft spot of a Cover 2 look on a vertical route. Defensive end Gabe Peterson made an impressive run stop off the edge after this, one of several quality run stops from the defensive line during team periods.Transfer cornerbacks Amaurey Brooks (Fordham) and De'Marcus Peters (Texas A&M-Kingsville) each made pass breakups on fades to wide receiver AJ Williams III. Both passes were thrown by Hedden. The Aggies then moved on to a red-zone period.During red-zone plays, McLeod threw a touchdown to wide receiver TK King, cornerback Josiah Charles intercepted Damante in the end zone after being step-for-step with his man and getting in front of the throwing lane and Damante threw a touchdown to a toe-tapping Williams in the top-left corner of the end zone. Defensive tackle Henry Davis III also made a camp sack (they're not allowed to actually sack the quarterback) and junior college recruit and linebacker Fa'apaia Fualema dropped an interception after Hedden scrambled to his right and threw left.Some of my notes from team sessions during NMSU's first day of fall camp:- QB Trey Hedden connected on his first pass- QB Adam Damante had two good completions on his first drive, hitting TE Josiah Thomas short after doing a good job reading the field and WR Lyndon Ravare…— Nick Coppola (@Nick_Coppola__) July 29, 2026July 30thThe most notable occurrence of the day was Thomas being kicked out of practice early.Thomas took himself out of a team period after coming up sore after a play. He went near a tent at around midfield of the practice field for a few plays. Thomas appeared not to have consulted a trainer, who could have informed a coach that he needed to sit out, before taking himself out.Aggies coach Tony Sanchez took exception to this and threw Thomas out of practice. Among the many things he said to him, Sanchez said Thomas should've talked to a trainer before leaving the team period.July 31stNews breaks of David Cobb being fired as NM State's general manager, running backs coach and assistant head coach. He was placed on administrative leave before fall camp started before being fired.August 3rdJamie Christian was named the Aggies' new running backs coach before practice began.The defense made six total interceptions during team periods. Hedden and McLeod each threw one, and Damante and Jackson State transfer Parker Stofa each threw two. One interception was returned for a touchdown after a running back dropped a pass, while two other interceptions were made on deep passes. Linebacker Tory Gethers dived to make his interception on a pass to the left from Stofa. Merrimack transfer safety RJ Chapman made three interceptions. Peters earned an interception on a pass over the middle from Damante.Reps were split between a lot of different quarterbacks today. Trey Hedden, Adam Damante and Kalani McLeod all got roughly equal reps today (I didn’t count exactly as Hedden has already been named the starter). Parker Stofa even got reps in team.Out of the 6 INTs the defense… https://t.co/XzlA1P0H2d— Nick Coppola (@Nick_Coppola__) August 3, 2026Tennessee Tech transfer defensive tackle Jeremiah Sandiford also earned a moment when he made a camp sack on Hedden.August 4thNM State went to Aggie Memorial Stadium for its first practice in full pads.New Mexico State is out at Aggie Memorial Stadium for today’s practice. First day in full pads for the Aggies. pic.twitter.com/7YCVoZQcyo— Nick Coppola (@Nick_Coppola__) August 4, 2026Peters leaped to make another interception on a deep pass intended for Williams, who was visibly frustrated upon leaving the field. The offense bounced back later on when Hedden connected with a deep post over the middle to King.The Aggies then entered red-zone periods where the offense and defense went back and forth. The defense earned forced field goals three times, including on the offense's first two drives, but the offense scored three times. Running back James Jones rushed for the offense's first red-zone touchdown of the day, Thomas caught the second touchdown on a pass from Hedden, and a big run from running back TJ Washington Jr. to the two-yard line set up a Damante rushing touchdown on a read option.Some notes from today’s NMSU practice:- Trey Hedden connected with a really long deep ball to TK King. Right up the middle of the field for about 40 yards- CB De’Marcus Peters got a jump ball INT against AJ Williams III on a deep passRed zone period- Defense got a few good…— Nick Coppola (@Nick_Coppola__) August 4, 2026Interior offensive linemen and interior defensive linemen also went up against each other in gauntlet drills.This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Notes from the first two weeks of New Mexico State football fall camp

The 2026 Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List was announced on Friday and it was a bit of a surprise to see that UCLA Bruins kicker Mateen Bhaghani was not chosen as a member of the list after making the list in 2025.Bhaghani has had an impressive collegiate career as a kicker, as he enters his third season with UCLA after beginning his career with one season with Cal. As Bhaghani enters his senior season, he’s connected on 83% of his career field goal attempts and has not missed a single extra point throughout his career.The success hasn’t come in a limited sample size, Bhaghani has been a starting kicker throughout his 34-game career in the NCAA. Last year, Bhaghani was a solid piece on an otherwise disappointing Bruin team, hitting 16 of his 20 field goal attempts. The 80% success rate on field goals was actually the lowest of Bhaghani’s career, but that was related to UCLA trusting Bhaghani to attempt deep field goals. The San Diego, California native had hit 14-straight field goals before missing a 56-yard field goal in UCLA’s upset win against Penn State.Bhaghani’s longest field goal of the season was a 54-yarder in the win versus Penn State. Bhaghani’s career-high was a 57-yarder he hit in 2024 with UCLA against Iowa, which was the second-longest field goal in school history.Even if Bhaghani’s success rate on field goals was down slightly in 2025, it’s hard to imagine there being 35 better kickers than him across college football. The expectation is that UCLA will be playing in more close games this season under Bob Chesney, which could allow for Bhaghani’s value to be fully realized.This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA's kicker snubbed from Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List

Are the USC Trojans underrated at No. 14 in the preseason edition of the US LBM Coaches Poll, presented by USA TODAY Sports? Probably not. USC has to earn its College Football Playoff (i.e., top-12) spot. The Trojans have not earned the benefit of the doubt. Another team which has not earned the benefit of the doubt is Trojan opponent Penn State. The Nittany Lions are overrated in the estimation of College Sports Wire:"Penn State's decision to fire James Franklin last season was bold, and it created the imperative to land a home-run hire who would raise the ceiling in Happy Valley. Though Matt Campbell has been one of the most successful coaches in the country over the last decade, it's hard to see the Nittany Lions reaching new horizons in Year 1. Campbell's unit is heavily portaled and includes quite a few former Iowa State players, including quarterback Rocco Becht. Penn State should be ranked entering the season, but I question how this import will fare in the Big Ten. I would have ranked Campbell's squad in the 20s, not at No. 17."USC versus Penn State figures to be a College Football Playoff elimination game. It seems the loser of this game will have a very hard time going 10-2, which is what both teams will need to make the College Football Playoff.Contact/Follow @TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion.This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC Big Ten opponent viewed as overrated in US LBM Coaches Poll

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 28: Peter Skoronski #77 of the Tennessee Titans at the line of scrimmage during a game against the New Orleans Saints at Nissan Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Saints defeated the Titans 34-26. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) | Getty Images Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Tennessee Titans and Peter Skoronski have agreed to a 4-year $100 million contract extension with $88 million guaranteed. The deal makes him the highest-paid guard in the league.Sources: The #Titans and standout G Peter Skoronski have agreed to terms on a huge new extension to make him the highest-paid guard in the NFL.Skoronski gets a 4-year, $100M deal with $88M guaranteed, as the former No. 11 overall pick, a Cam Ward bodyguard, cashes in. pic.twitter.com/mQGeUr6r1F— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 7, 2026Skoronski officially signed the deal this afternoon:The deal is sealed. @PSkoronskipic.twitter.com/cJHVzTIkRh— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 7, 2026It is nice to see a homegrown guy get an extension. That is how you build a winning franchise, and with the exception of Jeffery Simmons, they haven’t drafted and then signed a player to a huge extension in a long time. Skoronski is by far the best player on the offensive line.Now, they just have to figure out what they are doing at all of the other spots on the offensive line. We know that Dan Moore is the left tackle. They signed him to a big contract last offseason, and the results were mixed at best. JC Latham will play right tackle, and honestly, we still aren’t really sure if he is good or not. The center and left guard spots are up for grabs in training camp.You can debate the merits of drafting a guard with the 11th pick in the draft, but at least they hit a home run on the guard they drafted.

Outside of his “you like that” moment in Washington, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins has never been viewed as a fiery guy.However, Cousins showed he is very capable of being that guy after a heated exchange with star edge rusher Maxx Crosby during training camp practice on Friday.According to Vincent Bonsignore of The California Post, Cousins got frustrated with Crosby after the five-time Pro Bowler hit his throwing arm twice during the session.After the second time, Cousins got into Crosby’s face, shoved him and had some words for the Raiders defender.MORE: Maxx Crosby trade rumors reignited with training camps underway“Immediately after Crosby again made contact with Cousins’ throwing arm following a pass, the quarterback charged toward him, delivered a not-so-subtle shove to the chest and accompanied it with some choice words and a stern warning to knock it off,” Bonsignore wrote.Thankfully, things did not escalate beyond that and the Raiders’ practice continued on without incident.There’s certainly nothing wrong with Cousins showing a little fire as long as it doesn’t lead to something bad, which did not happen here.Training camp fights between teammates are the norm at this time of year and this amounts to a very tame version.Raiders react to Crosby-Cousins exchangeLas Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak (left) and quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) during minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. (Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak had no issue with the confrontation.“That’s training camp. Those are two leaders of our team going at it. That is part of camp,” Kubiak said, per The Athletic’s Sam Warren.Tight end Michael Mayer lauded his quarterback for getting in Crosby’s face.MORE: Raiders draw attention with unique 2026 NFL season ticket package“That’s our starting quarterback right now and you want him to defend your team. You want him to have some edge to him, which he does. He’s always had that, since the first day I met him when he came in here,” Mayer said.It isn’t often you see a Raiders player stand up to Crosby, so Cousins definitely scored some points with his teammates on Friday.Kirk Cousins’ 2026 outlookLas Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) warms up during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. (Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)Despite drafting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it’ll be Cousins starting for the Raiders come Week 1.Earlier this offseason, Kubiak made it clear he prefers to sit a young quarterback in Year 1 and he is clearly sticking to that plan with Mendoza.However, if Cousins struggles and things go south for the Raiders, it may not be long before we see Mendoza under center.Maxx Crosby’s 2026 outlookLas Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) speaks during a news conference during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. (Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)Crosby was nearly traded earlier this offseason before the Baltimore Ravens decided to back out of the deal because of a failed physical, or at least that is what the team has said publicly.Many believe the Ravens really backed out of the deal because of buyer’s remorse in a trade that saw the team give up two first-round picks.Whatever the case may be, Crosby has re-committed to the Raiders, although it’s still possible he requests another trade at some point down the line if Las Vegas has another losing season.— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —