If it feels like Michigan can’t do much of anything without inviting controversy, you’ve just been paying attention for the past two years. 

Add to that list the seemingly phantom single second of time Big Ten officials found on their clock but not the game clock — the one all of us can see — that allowed the Wolverines to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. All official parties accept the result. College football fans are a different story.

But now the Wolverines get Oklahoma — a program which has more talent, a better defense and a better quarterback coming to the Big House than the one Kyle Whittingham’s team showed up with in Week 1. And this is as, dare I say it, the rest of college football is blowing wind into the Sooners’ sails to avenge what most have come to view as a wrong. Michigan should’ve lost last Saturday night. The Sooners have a chance to turn the conditional part of the aforementioned sentence into a declarative one.

Before we move onto Week 2, here are my top-25 rankings from Week 1.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 15

JJ Buchanan catches Bryce Underwood’s game-winning Hail Mary touchdown pass with no time left against Western Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 13-12 win vs. Western Michigan

Michigan won a game it should’ve lost to a Broncos team that isn’t even in its weight class. Quarterback Bryce Underwood looked shook. He was responsible for two of the Wolverines’ three turnovers, and the Hail Mary touchdown he threw to win the game can mostly be attributed to luck. Luck won’t save the Wolverines on Saturday when they face Oklahoma.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 25

North Dakota State head coach Tim Polasek on the Bison sideline. (Photo by Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 38-0 win vs. Fordham

I’m struggling to find a team on the Bison schedule that is capable of defeating them. After two games, the only program in FBS to never lose an FBS game — cheeky, I know — looks every bit like running the table.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 24

Josh Heupel talks with Faizon Brandon after his touchdown against Furman in Week 1. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 56-9 win vs. Furman

Quarterback Faizon Brandon finished with 13 of 17 completions, 294 total yards and five total touchdowns after becoming the first true freshman to start at quarterback for the Vols since 2004. Keep your eye on him.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 23

Quarterback Byrd Ficklin breaks a tackle against Idaho in Week 1. (Photo by Aaron Baker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 66-14 win vs. Idaho

In the season opener, Utah put up 633 yards, including 364 on the ground, while allowing just 225 total yards by Idaho. This could be a powerful offensive force this season.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 22

Wide receiver Jalen Hale runs after a catch against Florida State in the final Week 1 game. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 27-24 win vs. Florida State

SMU proved you can do almost everything in your power to lose to Florida State, and FSU still simply won’t allow it. SMU committed four turnovers. FSU had zero turnovers. SMU had twice as many penalties (six) as FSU (three). And yet, the Mustangs are 1-0 and 1-0 in ACC competition.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 21

Demond Williams Jr. soars for a touchdown against Washington State in a Week 1 Apple Cup matchup. (Photo by Blake Dahlin/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 24-10 win vs. Washington State

Look, quarterback Demond Williams Jr. did that Kyler Murray thing I’ve been telling you about for the better part of a year. But this game was 17-10 until there were about two minutes left to play because the Huskies are about as disciplined as a newborn puppy: 12 penalties for 130 yards will get you beat in Big Ten play.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 20

Jadan Baugh celebrates with his teammates after scoring a touchdown against Florida Atlantic in Week 1. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 66-21 win vs. Florida Atlantic 

Jon Sumrall’s Gators put up a gaudy 624 yards against the Owls, and running back Jadan Baugh showed why he’s one of the five best tailbacks in the country with 160 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 14 rushes — 11.4 yards per rush.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 19

Conner Weigman scores a touchdown in Week 1 against Oregon State. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 33-20 win vs. Oregon State

Conner Weigman looked the part of a Big 12 championship-contending quarterback for Houston after completing 20 of 30 pass attempts for 305 pass yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 18

Austin Simmons rolls out to throw against Arkansas Pine Bluff in Week 1. (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 54-14 win vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Tigers quarterback Austin Simmons was special in his debut. He completed 17 of 19 passes for 252 passing yards with four passing touchdowns.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 17

Zion Tracy and John Klosterman celebrate in Week 1 after a play against Marshall Thundering. (Photo by Brien Aho/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 45-0 win vs. Marshall

Despite a new head coach and 60 new players — or because of, if you prefer — Matt Campbell’s Nittany Lions will enter Week 2 tied for the No. 1 scoring defense in the country.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 16

Journee Tonga runs against Utah Tech in Week 1. (Photo by Bryan Byerly/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 63-7 win vs. Utah Tech

The strength of the Cougars team was on display in their opener when they rushed for 308 yards.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 14

Coach Joey McGuire talks with Will Hammond after their Week 1 victory against Abilene Christian. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 33-10 win vs. Abilene Christian

Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond looked the part of man leading the defending Big 12 champions with a stellar performance: 26 of 33 completed passes for 298 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 13

Keelon Russell celebrates a Week 1 touchdown against East Carolina. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 48-10 win vs. East Carolina

In his first-ever start, Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell put up 256 passing yards and 86 rushing yards with a rushing touchdown in what was an outstanding debut for a Tide team looking to win its first SEC championship since 2023.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 12

Trinidad Chambliss celebrates a touchdown against Louisville in Week 1 at Nissan Stadium. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 41-38 vs. Louisville

When quarterback Trinidad Chambliss finally found his form, Louisville didn’t just crumble. It disintegrated behind eight penalties — including four in six minutes of the fourth quarter — that contributed to Ole Miss cruising to its season-opening win. Leave it to Chambliss to put up a Heisman-level stat line too, with more than 300 passing yards, 50 rushing yards and four total touchdowns.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 11

Running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. falls out of bounds short of the end zone against UTEP in Week 1.  Oklahoma won 51-0. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 51-0 win vs. UTEP

The Sooners shut out the Miners with true freshman Noah Best starting at center and a ground game that might be worth bragging about come SEC play with 170 yards.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 10

Jide Abasiri and Alex Vansumeren celebrate after a Week 1 play against Fresno State. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 39-0 win vs. Fresno State

Does it matter that fewer folks have seen the Trojans play at the Coliseum through two games (104, 158) than people saw Penn State play against Marshall (108,489) on Saturday? Yes, but only for us who love college football more than anything else that might be going on in Los Angeles on a day ending in Y. Angelinos just don’t.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 9

Carsyn Baker scores a rushing touchdown against Missouri State in Week 1. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 50-0 win vs. Missouri State

Ampersand U enjoyed its first season-opening shutout since 1993 (LSU, 24-0).

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 8

Sam Leavitt celebrates with his teammates after a touchdown run against Clemson in Week 1. (Photo by Derick Hingle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 51-10 win vs. Clemson

Amateurs only.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 7

Malachi Toney catches the ball before running in his third touchdown against Stanford in Week 1.  (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 45-6 win vs. Stanford

Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney became the first player since LSU’s Malik Nabers to record at least 180 yards, 10 catches and two receiving touchdowns in one half in Miami’s win. He finished with 11 catches for 229 yards, three touchdowns and an early lead in the Heisman Trophy conversation.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 6

CJ Carr drops back to pass against Wisconsin during Notre Dame’s Week 1 win at Lambeau Field. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 41-13 vs. Wisconsin

After a slow start, Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr found the weakness in Wisconsin’s defense — the middle of the field. And he and the Fighting Irish pelted it until the Badgers came unglued under the weight of trying to keep up with a Notre Dame program that was clearly punching down in weight class, even for Wisconsin.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 5

Arch Manning ahead of Texas’ Week 1 game against Texas State. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 59-7 win vs. Texas State

Texas is talented. Texas is capable. But is Texas mentally tough enough to defeat the AP’s No. 1 team in the country? Fortunately for us, the answer to that question is just a few days away.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 4

Evan Stewart runs after a catch against Boise State in Week 1. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 34-27 win vs. Boise State

Oregon survived. So they get to stay here — for now. Is a Boise State team with one loss to this Oregon team a more deserving CFP invitee than an undefeated North Dakota State? Just tossing out something to think about. Now, aside from that, the Ducks owe the Broncos $1.4 million for this threat to their College Football Playoff hopes.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 3

Jeremy Bell celebrates with Terrell Foster and Marcus Harrison during their Week 1 game against Tennessee State. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 63-3 win vs. Tennessee State

No, this ain’t John Merritt’s Tennessee State, but I am impressed with any defense that can hold a college football team to 10 friggin’ rushing yards over the course of 60 minutes. That’s exactly what Kirby Smart’s Dawgs did in their opener.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 2

Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith celebrate after connecting on a three-yard touchdown against Ball State in Week 1. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 56-3 win vs. Ball State

Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith wasted no time reminding folks why he’s the best player in the sport with eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns — in just one half of football.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: 1

Charlie Becker makes a wild touchdown catch against North Texas in Week 1. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

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Week 1 game: 52-16 win vs. North Texas

These Hoosiers gave up more points to a rebuilding North Texas — at home! — than they did against No. 1 Ohio State in the Big Ten title game last season. I don’t love that, and I’m certain neither does Curt Cignetti.

‘Fear Arch Manning’ USC a CFP sleeper, can Indiana repeat as National Champions, Notre Dame | FTF

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Source

I have so many questions. I’ve been thinking about the 2026 season since … well, Feb. 9 at about 12:30 a.m., the morning after Super Bowl LX.

What I didn’t realize was that the next official game we’d see would be a rematch of that title game. But on Wednesday, the first time an NFL season will open on a Wednesday, it’s the Patriots against the Seahawks in Seattle. I want to talk about that this week.

On Thursday, we get a potential preview of the NFC Championship Game, with the Rams playing the 49ers in … Australia (also a first, in many ways). I want to talk about that, too.

I think the Saints and Lions game on Sunday could be a slugfest, in part because I think they’ll both win their divisions. Let’s hit on the Lions while we’re at it, shall we?

The Week 1 schedule is packed. Make sure you order your wings and pizzas early. Make sure your fridge is stocked. Heck, book a babysitter if you need to. NFL season is here. This is Sound Smart, where I try to spin forward, dive deeper, think outside the box and read between the lines.

1.

There’s a reason we haven’t had a Super Bowl rematch to open a season since 2016. It’s an incredible product for the fans. But for the players and the teams? Not so much.

Here’s what former Panthers coach Ron Rivera said about a rematch with the Broncos to open the 2016 season after Carolina lost to Denver in Super Bowl 50. 

“We’re going to make you guys relive it for five more months. That’s how I felt,” Rivera said a decade ago. “So for the next five months I’ve got to put up with it, deal with it, answer the questions and relive it constantly, over and over and over. Honestly, it became a pain in the ass.”

New England will have to watch the Seahawks lift their banner. The Patriots will have front-row seats for the ceremony and pageantry. There’s no getting that salt out of the wound — not even if the Patriots win.

In the Super Bowl, Drake Maye and the Patriots couldn’t handle the Seatte blitz, which came from all angles. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

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So I figured I’d check in with a member of the losing side.

“I ain’t gonna lie: That hurt,” Patriots receiver Demario Douglas told me early in training camp. “That game hurt, you know? … The next week, I went right back to working out. That gave me a good view of, man, how we need to finish.”

Did he speak at all with Drake Maye about the game?

“We watched the film. We were all very hard on ourselves. He was very hard on himself,” Douglas told me. “So I mean, not much to say [to each other]. Coach was already saying it. I don’t feel like you need another voice. … I need [Maye’s] confidence in me. So me coming at him, that doesn’t help anything. He watched the film just like we watched the film. We all had a part in it. It takes a full 11, not just one.”

The bad news for the Patriots in an otherwise magical season was, of course, that they lost the game. The good news is that they get another shot at the Seahawks. But there’s no trophy on the line this time.

Maye mentioned earlier this offseason that the Super Bowl loss was “humbling.” But following the 2026 NFL schedule release, he has struck a positive tone about the rematch.

“Starting off with the bang like that, [it’s] a chance to get an opponent that left a bad taste in our mouth. So, I think it’s something for us that’s going to really make us work,” he said in May. “We’ve got to bring it Week 1 on the road in a tough environment. They’re going to be hanging their banner, and that’s part of it. 

“I think it’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a tough task.”

2.

It was concerning to see the 49ers decide not to invest in their offensive line this offseason. Sure, they drafted Washington guard Carver Willis in Round 4 of the draft. But this is the 49ers’ custom — peppering rounds three and four with dart throws on the offensive line. 

The problem is that they still have issues at guard on both sides. That began to show in 2025, when they didn’t get strong play on the left side and right guard Dominick Puni saw his PFF grade fall from 80.5 as a rookie in 2024 to 69.2 in his second year.

And we recently got a clue that maybe the 49ers are concerned, too. They traded for Texans guard Jarrett Patterson to help with their depth. They’re clearly not panicked — Patterson came for a seventh-round pick. But it doesn’t imbue confidence either.

I’m not the only one who’s worried.

“We’re a week away from the season, and they’re trading for interior offensive linemen because it’s an obvious place of concern,” former NFL star Richard Sherman said on his podcast. “We knew that two years ago. And that’s the part where I don’t really get it.”

The line wouldn’t be such an acute problem if the 49ers weren’t in the NFC West — and if they didn’t have a matchup against Myles Garrett, Byron Young and maybe even Aaron Donald on Thursday. The Rams are an absolute nightmare for any not-sure-of-itself offensive line.

Donald will fly to Australia. His status is still up in the air. (Pun intended.) Either way, the 49ers will come away from this matchup feeling shaky. Donald will almost definitely be there for their second catchup in Week 14. And if the 49ers have Super Bowl plans, they’ll probably see the Rams for a third time in the playoffs.

I don’t see it getting any easier.

3.

It would’ve been easy to write about Caleb Williams here. The expectations. The talent. The everything. It was easy to write about Drake Maye for all the same reasons.

But what about Commanders QB Jayden Daniels?

Depending upon whom you ask, he’s either quietly poised for a bounce-back season — or on the verge of ruin, not unlike his predecessor Robert Griffin III. The Commanders are, of course, showering Daniels with praise, but I’m just not sure they’ve done enough to set him up to succeed.

Last year, it felt like they were trying to fight regression from their 2024 run to the NFC Championship Game by adding left tackle Laremy Tunsil and receiver Deebo Samuel. Neither had many ripple effects — at least not so far as we could see. All we could see was Daniels struggling on the field — and then, worse, struggling to stay on the field. He missed 10 games due to knee, hamstring and elbow injuries.

This year, the Commanders waited until the third round to add slot receiver Antonio Williams. Then a few weeks into training camp, Washington signed veteran receiver Stefon Diggs. The Diggs addition, in particular, felt too much like an afterthought. It was like they’d forgotten to buy a gift for a party host and picked up a dusty bottle of red at the corner store. And Diggs, like some red wines, isn’t for everyone. His presence in the locker room is sometimes … a lot.

A big key to Daniels’ success in 2026 will be new offensive coordinator David Blough, who replaced Kliff Kingsbury. Blough is widely respected (partially because he’s a former NFL QB), which has led to a precipitous rise — not unlike that of new Eagles OC Sean Mannion. (And coincidentally, Mannion and Blough will duel in Week 1 on FOX.) But Blough is a first-time playcaller and a first-year offensive coordinator. He’s also entering just his fourth year of coaching. For a QB as young and malleable as Daniels, it’s interesting to see him paired with an OC with such little experience.

Two-time All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs signed with the Commanders in August, his fourth team in four years. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

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I’m not saying things won’t work in D.C. In fact, I hope they do. Because it would be a shame to see Washington squander Daniels’ talent.

But while the Commanders seem to want to support behind their 25-year-old QB, they have a funny way of showing it. Changing OCs. Waiting to draft a rookie pass-catcher. Waiting to sign a veteran pass-catcher. Taking a risk on moving guard Brandon Coleman back to his college position, left tackle.

It’s fun to root for a guy like Daniels. But the Commanders might not make it easy in 2026.

4.

I recently waxed poetic about how special Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown are as a QB-WR tandem. That’s because they are special. And I thoroughly enjoy their game.

Well, sorry, here comes the I-love-you-but.

Coach Dan Campbell recently said that Goff is beyond comparison when it comes to facing pressure.

“His processing speed reminds me of [Drew] Brees,” Campbell told Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “Nobody makes a more accurate throw under duress than Jared Goff.”

Unfortunately, the stats don’t lie. Goff is actually the league’s most sensitive quarterback to pressure over the past three seasons. His expected points per dropback ranges between .43 in a clean pocket (best in the league) to -.42 when pressured (28th), per Fantasy Points Data. That’s an .85-point swing.

Goff is absolutely an elite processor and playmaker. But recently, he’s mainly been dangerous when he’s not pressured. And that’s something to watch as the Lions have shuffled their offensive line this year. Perennial All-Pro Penei Sewell moved from right tackle to left. Center Frank Ragnow retired, and his replacement, free-agent acquisition Cade Mays, will miss time with a wrist injury. Tackle Blake Miller is a rookie, albeit a first-rounder.

That’ll be something for the Saints to ponder, as defensive coordinator Brandon Staley tries to unsettle Goff — no doubt with help from edges Chase Young and Cam Jordan.

5.

This post recently made the rounds on X. And I’m just loving it.

Look, Bill Belichick has clearly fallen on hard times. In 2024, he couldn’t get an NFL job when he clearly wanted one. He had to settle for the college ranks, where he wasn’t exactly dominant in 2025. In fact, he has seemingly been steeped in one controversy after another at the college level. To top off his mountain of crap, he missed the first ballot for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But there’s still no question in my mind: He and Tom Brady should get an even split for New England’s dynasty. Anyone who claims Brady is due more credit is playing prisoner to the moment (and focusing too heavily on how their NFL careers ended — not on where their careers began, which was when Belichick did so much heavy lifting).

Former Eagles staffer Ryan Paganetti shared an example of why Belichick is so deserving of credit. Reportedly, the Patriots tinkered with the Gillette Stadium video board when opponents attempted field goals. The board would show the reverse view, creating four yellow lines to seemingly disorient the kicker. From 2001 to 2019, stats show that the Patriots converted 9.4% more of their own field goals than their opponents made.

The dude was an Evil Genius. Capital E. Capital G.

Nobody liked messing with his opponents more. Nobody was more conniving and manipulative of the rules. Nobody was more prepared.

Belichick was ruthless for 20 years. And I love discovering crazy gems like this one.

“If him and Ernie [Adams] came up with that, then I love them even more,” former Patriots safety Devin McCourty texted me.

NFL Related Stories

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The wait is over. It’s been seven months since Seattle and New England met in a surprising Super Bowl matchup. And now they’re squaring off again, on a Wednesday no less, to kick off the new NFL season. It’s one of a few games in Week 1 that promises to shake up the league hierarchy from the jump.

With the 2026 campaign finally upon us, let’s see where the Top 10 teams stand.

Perhaps this is the year the Cowboys finally end their Super Bowl drought with a dynamic offense poised to light up scoreboards like a pinball machine. Quarterback Dak Prescott has a scary set of pass catchers and playmakers around him that will give countless defensive coordinators around the league sleepless nights. 

The high-scoring offense masked the defense’s flaws a season ago, but a new defensive coordinator in Christian Parker and a revamped lineup should help the Cowboys compete at a championship level. 

Dak Prescott will need the Cowboys defense to hold up its end of the bargain this season. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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The football world is seemingly waiting for the clock to strike midnight on last season’s Cinderella despite QB Trevor Lawrence’s emergence as an MVP candidate. While the skeptics question whether Liam Coen can keep the No.1 overall pick playing at an elite level, the Jaguars’ improving supporting cast could help an explosive offense spark a surprise Super Bowl run. 

The pressure is squarely on the shoulders of head coach Joe Brady and quarterback Josh Allen to lead a Super Bowl run, after the Bills moved on from Sean McDermott despite reaching the playoffs eight times in nine seasons. 

With a “Super Bowl or bust” mentality hovering over the team, the Bills are hoping new WR1 DJ Moore and defensive play-caller Jim Leonard can produce better results behind a more aggressive approach under new leadership. 

Quarterback Caleb Williams is poised for an MVP run during his second season under Ben Johnson’s direction. The former first-overall pick proved in 2025 that he is the ultimate closer with six fourth-quarter comebacks and six game-winning drives. 

The “Iceman” can bail the Bears out of bad situations with his late-game magic, but the defense must be more consistent and not rely solely on turnovers to tilt games in Chicago’s favor.

Head coach Demeco Ryan’s swarming defense can single-handedly keep the Texans in title contention, with edge rushers Will Anderson, Jr. and Danielle Hunter, linebacker Azzez Al-Shaair and cornerback Derek Stingley leading the way. 

If quarterback CJ Stroud can shake off a disappointing playoff run that led to concerns about his status as the team’s franchise quarterback, the Texans are a top-five contender lurking in the shadows.

Trading away wide receiver A.J. Brown might have cost the Eagles a WR1, but the improved chemistry between QB Jalen Hurts and his perimeter playmakers should lead to more consistency in the passing game. While the former Super Bowl MVP must adapt to another offensive system, the drama-free huddle should help him return to his efficient playmaking. 

With the ultra-talented defense capable of bottling up opponents until the offense hits its stride, the Eagles are a dark-horse contender to keep an eye on.

The Super Bowl LX runner-ups surprised opponents last season as a worst-to-first squad who responded well to a culture change ushered in by a Patriots’ legend. 

While head coach Mike Vrabel deserves credit for pulling a rabbit out of a hat in 2025, the team’s chances of being a title contender hinge on their ability to handle the burden of expectations with an upgraded roster featuring more star power on the perimeter. 

Drake Maye faces a tough test in Week 1, when the travel to face the reigning-champion Seahawks. (Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

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After falling short in the AFC Championship Game, the Broncos come back with a squad that is built to make a deep playoff run with quarterback Bo Nix and newly promoted offensive play-caller Davis Webb at the helm. Although Sean Payton has handed off the call sheet to his protégé, the one-time Super Bowl champion will make sure wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is featured prominently throughout the opening script. 

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has spent the off-season concocting more blitzes and simulated pressures that will keep quarterbacks running for their lives.

Mike Macdonald has the motivation and manpower to pull off a rare back-to-back in a league that has not seen a repeat champion since the 2023 and 2024 Kansas City Chiefs. The Seahawks could pull it off with QB Sam Darnold and WR Jaxson Smith-Njigba spearheading an offense that should benefit from the extra possessions generated by their turnover-obsessed defense, which is loaded with big-play specialists. 

Despite the defending champs needing to adjust to the target on their backs, the Seahawks have the pieces in place to hang another banner at season’s end.

General manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have assembled a “Dream Team” with a roster littered with MVPs, All-Pros and Pro Bowlers, surrounded by a collection of late-round picks and undrafted studs who perfectly complement the Rams’ premier players. 

With McVay cleverly moving the Xs and Os around the gridiron like a chess master, the Rams’ combination of talent and tactics could produce an easy run to a title. 

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Christopher Bell had a simple plan on how to win races in a year when he has had seven runner-up finishes and no victories.

“The same way that we finished second seven times, that’s how we’re going to win in The Chase,” he told me Wednesday.

He did just that on Sunday night. 

He took our tires on a pit stop and outdueled the competition over the final 24 green-flag laps to capture the Southern 500, the first race of the 10-race Chase.

Here are my takeaways:

1. Bell’s Big First Win Of 2026

Christopher Bell’s first win of 2026 came at the perfect time.

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Kyle Larson was leading but on older tires. So Christopher Bell had to be patient and wait for Larson to start struggling before passing him with 12 laps to go.

Earning his 14th career victory, he led five other Chase drivers across the line as he was followed by Ty Gibbs, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Larson and Chase Briscoe, 

“There is no other track that’s harder to drive, that rewards a talented driver more than Darlington and the Southern 500,” Bell said in his post-race news conference. “This is the epitome of NASCAR, and I’m just super grateful to be here.

“It’s better than a dream come true.”

2. Denny Hamlin Leads Despite Hiccup

Denny Hamlin got back on the lead lap after a hiccup and finished 18th.

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Regular-season champion Denny Hamlin broke a toe link in a tight battle with Michael McDowell, and repairs eventually put him a lap down. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver got his lap back late and finished 18th.

By finishing third in each of the stages, he still had a decent 35-point day. He saw his points lead of 25 over Ryan Blaney be cut to 12 over Bell, 16 over Blaney and 24 over Reddick.

It’s not great, but it could have been much worse.

3. Kyle Larson’s Gamble Doesn’t Pay

Kyle Larson’s decision to stay out on older tires didn’t pay dividends at Darlington.

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Larson’s gamble to stay out on older tires that had about 10 green-flag laps on them didn’t prove all that great, as he ended up finishing fifth. Only Larson and three other drivers opted not to pit.

“I thought more people would stay out,” he said, according to a Chevrolet news release. “I think another two or three people staying out would have helped.

“I think, ultimately, they would have got to me. I was just hoping I could get some laps where I could take care of my tires.”

4. William Byron Biggest Points Loser

William Byron’s misfortune at Darlington could have looming impact on his Chase fate.

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An apparent engine issue ended the night for William Byron, who now sits 16th among all Chase drivers. He’s last in the standings and 114 points behind Hamlin.

The Hendrick driver’s Chase might already be over before it really began. The trouble had started laps earlier when he thought something was broken in one of the wheels.

“I don’t know if I was blowing up in that process and got oil on my tire or what,” he said in a Chevrolet news release. “We had an eighth- or ninth-place run going, but it was just an unfortunate end to the evening.”

4 ½: What’s Next — WWTR Gateway

Gateway is up next in The Chase.

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The Cup Series makes its one visit to World Wide Technology Raceway, commonly known as Gateway. It’s a 1.25-mile oval on the Illinois side near St. Louis.

This will be one of the tracks where Toyota might not have a distinct advantage.

With the new version of The Chase, there are no eliminations, so drivers are keenly aware of the dynamic of a 10-race mini season to determine the champion.

“We’re off to a great start but no off weeks,” Bell said. “Right back to work next week at Gateway … I still believe that I will have to win more races in The Chase if I want to be the champion.”

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With four wins on the season, Denny Hamlin is favored to take home the title as NASCAR drives toward The Chase.

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Week 1 of the college football season showed me enough to feel at least half decent about my updated rankings. 

I have some questions about a few title favorites, and I’m sure the fans of those teams do, too.

Also, I feel better about Texas than I do Ohio State heading into their Week 2 showdown.

Rankings time.

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10.

To Make CFP: +134
Title Odds: +2500

I have my questions about the Tide this season, but against overmatched ECU, Bama had little trouble. It was 38-10 at halftime and Keelon Russell accounted for 342 yards (86 rushing). Two conference games and a visit from Florida State await and that’s when we’ll continue to learn if this season will be a special one in Tuscaloosa.

9.

To Make CFP: +160
Title Odds: +2800

We didn’t expect UTEP to do much and it didn’t. John Mateer was solid, and the defense just suffocated a totally outclassed opponent. After what we saw from Michigan’s offense on Saturday night, the OU defense has to be licking its chops. Last year, the Sooners limited the Wolverines to 13 points and Bryce Underwood was 9-for-24 passing for 142 yards. 

8.

To Make CFP: -310
Title Odds: +950

IU was never seriously threatened, but the final score was a little deceiving, as the Hoosiers scored 21 fourth-quarter points. North Texas did as good a job as it could, controlling the ball for 37 minutes, but Turbo Richard and Charlie Becker made the big plays to keep IU at a comfortable distance despite an inconsistent running game. 

7.

To Make CFP: -750
Title Odds: +610

We’re not expecting every team to come out and be at its best in its opener, but the Irish showed some cracks in the first half. Their TD came on a 13-yard drive after a muffed kickoff fumble recovery which should have been reversed by VAR and Wisconsin had some success on offense. Notre Dame cleaned a good bit of it up in the second half and pulled away, but I have some concerns about the offense following losing two great backs and its continued search for a game-breaker at WR. Good thing is the Irish have plenty of time to get there prior to the trip to BYU. 

6.

To Make CFP: -300
Title Odds: +950

The Ducks came out looking like a team that might have heard how good it was and thought it was supposed to hammer Boise State. Well, it didn’t quite work out that way. Oregon was sloppy and undisciplined, committing 10 penalties. There was a time when I honestly thought Boise was going to get the outright win, but Dante Moore provided a big play each time the Ducks needed an answer in the second half. Boise is certainly better than I and the oddsmakers gave it credit for, but Duck fans have to be slightly alarmed at that performance. 

5.

To Make CFP: -125
Title Odds: +1400

I’m not sure the final score was indicative of how big a keister-beating this game was. First downs were 38-8. Clemson was 1 for 13 on third down. Total yards were 644-145. The teams looked like they were playing different sports. Clemson might prove to be a very bad team, but what LSU did to a Power 4 opponent has to be respected this week, as many other teams hammered G6 teams. 

4.

To Make CFP: -290
Title Odds: +720

So much for Georgia never covering a big number. This was as ugly as it should have been. Georgia played 120 guys as well, so that was a nice touch for so many guys to get into a real game. That game on Sept. 26 vs Oklahoma is looking mighty juicy.

3.

To Make CFP: -500
Title Odds: +550

The Buckeyes did what they should have done as a 50-point favorite. Jeremiah Smith answered Malachi Toney’s insane effort Friday with a big game of his own, and UTSA transfer Devin McCuin looked as if he will have a huge role in the offense. Unlike last year, both Ohio State and Texas have a game under their belts before the showdown, and it is not one of the starting QBs’ first career starts. The eyes of the college football world will indeed be on Austin come Saturday night.  

2.

To Make CFP: -430
Title Odds: +900

Watching that game Friday night reminded me of watching the 2001 Canes open at Penn State. Miami got shafted by the BCS in 2000, returned the majority of the team in 2001, went to State College and put together a performance that basically said, “Last year we got screwed, and everyone will pay this year.” The effort at Stanford told me Miami wants to leave no doubt this time aroud. There might be a doubt though as to who will be the top Heisman candidate from Miami — QB Darian Mensah or WR Malachi Toney. 

1.

To Make CFP: -230
Title Odds: +650

The Longhorns did anything they wanted offensively against outgunned Texas State. Arch Manning looks like he’ll have quite the enjoyable experience with Ryan Wingo and Cam Coleman at wide receiver. I debated whether I should put Texas here, but said why not? If the Longhorns beat Ohio State in Week 2, they will go to No. 1 anyway. 

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One week of college football was enough for Joel Klatt to switch things around in his rankings. 

After his preseason No. 1 team, Oregon, was taken down to the wire against Boise State, Klatt has a new team at No. 1 in his top 10. And many teams made strong cases to be considered as the best program in the nation this weekend, with Ohio State, Texas, Georgia, LSU and Miami (Fla.) all making big statements in their season-opening wins. 

So, as we now have one week of college football in the books, here are the 10 teams that Klatt thinks are the best in the country. 

10.

Klatt’s thoughts: I thought USC, over their first two games, did a lot to enhance my view of what they can be this year. They were good upfront running the football. Quarterback Jayden Maiava is outstanding — I hope he’s healthy; he got nicked up a little bit late in that game against Fresno State. 

And then their defense ends up pitching a shutout. I don’t think Fresno State is anywhere close to a Boise State, but we were questioning, “What was USC’s defense going to be?” They were outstanding in the first three quarters of their opener and then didn’t play well in the fourth quarter and gave up some points after the game was already out of hand. Then you could tell that that was a serious point of emphasis for the team and for Gary Patterson, USC’s coordinator, specifically, in their second game against Fresno State. And they played hard throughout, and they got the shutout.

9.

Klatt’s thoughts: I don’t think UTEP is great, but Oklahoma was dominant. They beat UTEP 51-0. John Mateer threw three touchdowns. Isaiah Sategna was electric. He had a punt return for a touchdown, he was great on offense. 

Oklahoma faces Michigan next. I have one question for Oklahoma and one only: can they run the ball independently of John Mateer? I think that’s a question. I don’t think that’s going to be answered against UTEP. We’ll see against Michigan, because as much as Michigan struggled, I thought their defense was still pretty strong.

I liked what I saw from Oklahoma. I think that they’ve got future NFL players all over the place. I think that’s an elite team.

8.

Klatt’s thoughts: Josh Hoover comes to Indiana, and a lot of us were wondering how he would do replacing last season’s Heisman winner and national champion Fernando Mendoza. I think what got lost in the conversation leading up to this season is that Mendoza did not start out hot. In fact, one of his worst games was against Old Dominion in the opener a year ago. It took him a little bit of time.

It did not take Josh Hoover much time. He was excellent — he did a lot of things well, he threw the ball on time, he threw it accurately, he’s got guys down the field that can really go and get it, he created plays out of the pocket, he played on schedule, he took the throws that were there, he put them on the money, he created yards after the catch with ball placement. 

I was incredibly impressed with Josh Hoover, even if I wasn’t blown away by Indiana. Indiana did not play great on the defensive side of the ball. I did not think they ran it as effectively as they wanted to run it or as they thought they would be able to run it. Maybe some injuries played into that. What I did see was a passing game that was elevated from a year ago — that passing game is elite.

7.

Klatt’s thoughts: This felt very different from the Michigan near-upset, where I was watching Michigan and was like, “Oh no.” Caution lights, panic, all of it. Oregon, I don’t feel like that. Now, I had Oregon at No. 1. I’m not just going to keep them No. 1, and I’m not going to just explain this away. I don’t think it was a great performance — I think that they showed that they can get into a dogfight and win. I’m going to move Oregon all the way down, and they’re going to be my No. 7 team in the country.

Do they still have enough talent to win the national championship? Yes. Does one game define them? No. Did they want to play better? Absolutely. And we’re going to see if they can do that when they’re on the road against Oklahoma State.

The QB play was the difference in Week 1; Dante Moore was the difference for Oregon, elevating the Ducks and getting them into a position where they can come back and win that football game.

6.

Klatt’s thoughts: Now I know Georgia won big and you heard all these statistics, like they averaged 11 yards per play. OK, it was Tennessee State. So, we get it. It was 63-3. Quarterback Gunner Stockton was 15 of 16, over 200 yards and three touchdowns. Georgia ran for 10 yards per carry as a team. 

All of that is great. We still don’t know anything about Georgia as far as their skill position players. I still really love Georgia. I love head coach Kirby Smart. I think they’re going to be there all the way until the end. And I still think that the SEC goes through Georgia. 

But, I saw two other SEC teams that I felt like were more talented on Saturday. And maybe that was just Tennessee State, and we’ll see. We’ll come to find out as Georgia’s schedule starts to get a little bit more difficult.

5.

Klatt’s thoughts: A team that I was very high on, but I’m going to move down. Notre Dame won the game on Sunday night, but it was a close game against Wisconsin. And maybe Wisconsin is a lot better — and I think that they probably are, based on what we saw. Notre Dame beat Wisconsin 41-13, they outscored them 28-3 in the second half, so they kind of pulled away.

I didn’t love the run game — that was something that I just thought, and maybe this was a fool’s errand on my part, that Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price were fantastic, but man, you know they’ve got that offensive line back and they’re going to have more threats on the outside and they should be able to run it just the same. It was not the same. Price and Love were dynamic, and so that’s going to be an issue for them at some point. 

Now, who’s going to exploit that on their schedule? That remains to be seen. Is it BYU? Maybe. Is it Miami? Certainly. But Notre Dame’s schedule is just so light that I don’t know if we’re going to know a lot about Notre Dame until we get into the playoff.

4.

Klatt’s thoughts: Miami goes out to Stanford and wins, 45-6. They were dominant. Dominated the line of scrimmage. Darian Mensah looks like he could be a star. He threw for 400 yards, 27 of 30. 

And then there was the real star: Malachi Toney. Now you know why, when I did my preseason All-Americans, it was so easy for me to just say like, “Yup, Jeremiah Smith and Malachi Toney are your preseason All-American wide receivers.” Malachi Toney is unbelievable. Twelve catches, 234 yards and three touchdowns. 

I think Miami is better than last year. They went all the way to the national championship game — I don’t see this team losing some of those games that they shouldn’t during the course of the year. 

3.

Klatt’s thoughts: This is a program that I watched on Saturday night, and I thought to myself, “OK, yup, that’s real.” Lane Kiffin is real. He’s answered his critics. That is one of the happiest fan bases in college football when they wake up on Sunday and when they wake up on Monday. It worked. It worked! Now we’ll see how they can navigate that schedule, but this is a team, based on what I saw from everybody in college football, that is going to be my No. 3 team in the country — they move from No. 8 to No. 3.

LSU is absolutely a title contender from a talent perspective. And I thought that this would be the case. It was a bit of a wild card in the offseason just to see, all right, is it going to gel? Is it going to work? Yes. Yes, it’s going to work. Now, can they navigate the perils of a season, an SEC schedule, the adversity that comes with it? We’ll see, because I do still think that it’s a bit of a transactional roster. But it’s pretty clear to me that Lane is trying to build the combination of the Nick Saban discipline and toughness, and the flash and star power of the early-2000s Pete Carroll teams. 

2.

Klatt’s thoughts: Texas was outstanding against Texas State. Some of those questions about the run game and defense — I thought they answered them. I think Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator is going to work out really well for them. They’ve got talent everywhere. We might see three or four Longhorns picked in the first 10 or 15 picks of the NFL Draft. Quarterback Arch Manning looked really good, first-year wide receiver Cam Coleman looked really good, running backs Hollywood Smothers, Raleek Brown, wideout Ryan Wingo —  that is a really, really good football team. 

1.

Klatt’s thoughts: Ohio State is No. 1. They beat Ball State again. It’s like Georgia and even Texas — Ohio State didn’t get threatened whatsoever, but all of these teams did exactly what you should do. They went out there and just totally took care of business.

The run statistics look a little inflated compared to the way they actually ran it on a play-by-play basis. They had a couple of long touchdown runs in the third quarter that elevated some of that production. But what you see is that quarterback Julian Sayin is still the real deal. Jeremiah Smith is still the best player in college football — eight catches, 151 yards and two touchdowns. Ohio State broke a couple of long runs there, both Jacksons — Bo and Ja’Kobi. I thought that they looked good and they did exactly what you would expect. They didn’t mess around. I know that Ball State isn’t as good as Boise State. Ball State’s nowhere close to Clemson. But Ohio State just went out there and totally dominated, 56-3, and they went about their business, and they’re No. 1.

Now, was it close? Yes. This is not like an easy, absolutely far and away, “Ohio State is No. 1.” … All of these teams in the top eight, I still think very highly of. This is not an indictment of any of these teams: this is as solid a top 10 as I can remember putting together early in a season in my career.

Joel Klatt reveals his first top 10 of the 2026 season

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Tua Tagovailoa has been named the Atlanta Falcons’ starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team announced Monday.

The decision comes after Tagovailoa’s months-long competition with Michael Penix Jr., who started nine games for the Falcons in 2025 before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in November. Prior to the injury, Penix had a 60.1% completion percentage and 1,982 passing yards, with nine TDs against three interceptions in his second season as a pro.

Coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Cooper Rush will back up Tagovailoa and Penix will be inactive. He declined to speculate on who the team might start at signal-caller beyond Week 1.

Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. were in competition all camp long, but with Penix never playing in a preseason game, Tagavailoa had the edge. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

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Tagovailoa outnumbered Penix in valuable reps throughout training camp. Penix was cleared for 11-on-11 drills on Aug. 22 but did not appear in any preseason games for the Falcons.

“Of course, Mike just getting back to 11-on-11, wanted to make sure we gave him an opportunity in these practices, and we did,” Stefanski said Monday. “But feel strongly about our decision with everything, all the information available to us.”

Tagovailoa started the Falcons’ first and final preseason games. He was 7 of 8 for 95 yards in three drives against his former team, the Miami Dolphins, in Atlanta’s third exhibition. He led an eight-play, 60-yard touchdown drive in Atlanta’s opening drive and lost a fumble in his second. The Falcons beat the Dolphins 17-12.

Stefanski first addressed the quarterback unit as a whole, which consists of Tagovailoa, Penix, Rush and undrafted rookie Jack Strand.

“Really, really proud of those guys,” he said. “Those guys have worked like crazy all offseason, and they’ve pushed each other, supported each other, and that’s what we’ll do for Tua. We’ll continue to support him and understand that this is a collective group that is constantly looking to help each other.”

Falcons Related Stories

Tagovailoa signed a one-year deal with the Falcons in March following a six-year stint with the Dolphins. Miami is on the hook for $99.2 million over the next two seasons after awarding Tagovailoa a four-year, $212.5 million contract extension in 2024. Tagavailoa started 14 games in 2025, the second-most in his career, with 20 TDs against 15 picks; both he and the Dolphins were far off from their 2022 and 2023 pace, when Tagovailoa earned MVP votes and made the Pro Bowl while leading the NFL in passing yards in the latter campaign.

“I’ve gotten to see Tua work from the spring until now,” Stefanski said. “New system for all these guys, and like I told them, there’s a lot of newness with our players, coaches and, you know, everybody getting up to speed, and he’s done a really nice job of working at it. … I think he’s really put himself in position to go be the best version of himself.”

Tagovailoa’s first start for Atlanta will be at the site of his last with Miami. The quarterback was benched for rookie Quinn Ewers following the Dolphins’ 28-15 loss in Pittsburgh on Dec. 15.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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WRIGLEY FIELD (Chicago) — Wrigley Field is, of course, known throughout the sports world as the home of the Chicago Cubs. But in the 112-year history of the Friendly Confines, the venue has also hosted myriad other sporting events, including women’s pro baseball (as depicted in “A League of Their Own”) and pro soccer, plus high school, college and pro football games. 

In addition to the Cubs, the Chicago Bears, Blackhawks, Sting and Red Stars have played there, not to mention the Harlem Globetrotters, Savanah Bananas and the legendary Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League. There was also lacrosse, golf, wrestling, boxing, rodeo and even ski jumping. 

But never volleyball. Until Sunday night. 

To cap off Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week, No. 3 Kentucky played No. 13 Penn State in the opener, followed by No. 1 Nebraska taking on Missouri. It was a night to remember. 

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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Sunday’s matchups were broadcast in prime time on FOX, with Connor Onion and Emily Ehman calling the action. Meanwhile, “The Simpsons” got a rare Sunday night off. 

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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The No. 13-ranked Nittany Lions feature six players who are daughters of former pro athletes. They include Alexis Ewing (above left), whose dad is NBA Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing, and Finley Krystkowiak (42), the daughter of Larry Krystkowiak, who played nine seasons in the NBA. The third daughter of a former NBA player is sophomore Gabrielle Nichols, whose dad Demetris Nichols played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks. 

Penn State redshirt junior Caroline Jurevicius and sophomore Ava Jurevicius are the daughters of Joe Jurevicius, who spent 10 seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver and won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Finally, senior opposite hitter Kennedy Martin is the daughter of former NFL receiver Ruvell Martin, who played a total of seven years for the Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills. 

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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Kentucky is led by All-American outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye, the 2024 SEC Player of the Year. DeLeye paced the Wildcats with 21 kills in UK’s 3-1 win over Penn State.

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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Penn State head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley was back on home turf Sunday night. In high school, she led Mother McAuley, an all-girl Catholic school on Chicago’s south side, to a state volleyball title and also excelled in basketball. As a result, Schumacher-Cawley is a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. 

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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The iconic ballpark proved a beautiful setting for women’s college volleyball. 

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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Ahead of the nightcap, the Cornhuskers entered the arena like rock stars. 

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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A crowd of 43,067 packed into Wrigley Field, the second-largest attendance in the ballpark’s history. It was a sea of Nebraska red. Three years ago, the Cornhuskers drew 92,003 for an outdoor match at Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium to set a record for the largest crowd ever to watch a women’s sporting event in the United States.

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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Not long into the Nebraska-Mizzou match, condensation of the court started to become a problem. Even the players helped out with towels. 

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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During a delay, the Tigers led the crowd in sing-alongs. The team’s motto this season is LFG, but it’s not exactly Tom Brady’s version of LFG. The Mizzou motto stands for Love, Family, Grit.

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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Later, Nebraska opposite hitter Ryan Hunter (18) showed off her dance moves on the video boards, thrilling the crowd and her teammates.

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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After just 18 points in the first set, officials postponed the match for player safety. In a touching address, Bergen Reilly (2), Nebraska’s star setter, thanked the fans for their support. 

Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports

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But the night wasn’t officially over until Cornhuskers star Andi Jackson (15) grabbed the mic for an impromptu a cappella sing-along of Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone,” getting everyone involved, including the Missouri players. Quite a night.

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Mauricio Pochettino’s first U.S. men’s national team roster since the World Cup will be young, but it won’t include 19-year-old German-American defender Noahkai Banks.

Pochettino on Monday said during a video conference with reporters that he’s been in contact with Banks in the two months since the USA was eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup by Belgium in the round of 16, but that the Hawaii-born center-back still hasn’t decided whether to represent the Stars and Stripes or four-time World Cup champ Die Mannschaft.

“Noahkai didn’t change his mind and is waiting — still no decision, and of course we cannot consider him for the next camp,” Pochettino said ahead of stateside exhibitions against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada later this month.

But the Argentine coach, who signed a new four-year contract with the U.S. Soccer Federation last month, indicated that the squad, which he said would include around 26 field players and four goalkeepers, will mix members of the World Cup roster with promising newcomers who could play a big role during qualifying for the 2030 World Cup — and at the main event itself.

Perhaps the most interesting name potentially in the mix is 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan, who has starred for the Philadelphia Union since MLS returned from its World Cup break in mid-July. Sullivan has scored in each of the Union’s last three games.

(Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)

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On a recent episode of Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union podcast, Sullivan said he believes he could’ve helped Pochettino’s side against Belgium. “I think I could come into that game on the right side and make a difference,” he told the FOX Sports analyst and former USA defender. “You have to believe in yourself; you have to think you can help your team win.

“It’s not my team yet,” Sullivan added. “But I’m obviously always dreaming and hoping call-ups.”

Although Pochettino didn’t mention Sullivan by name, he seemed to allude to the interview when specifically asked about Philadelphia’s cache of youngsters. Quinn Sullivan, Cavan’s older brother, and Nathan Harriel both played for the U.S. in 2025, while defenders Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield are quickly emerging as two of the promising young players in the program.

“We are very happy about to have all these potential good players,” Pochettino said. “Only we need to be careful, no? We need to be careful, because when you are young, of course, you need to be confident, you need to have the trust in yourself and belief that you can perform and you can do well.

“But the thing is, there is a limit,” he continued. “The balance is the most important, and one of our responsibilities is to protect these guys because sometimes if you play well and you are 17, 16 or 18, people start to talk about that you are Messi or you are a big star in the world because you do some few good things.

“That can be dangerous for your career, and that is what we don’t want,” Pochettino added.  “I say you only are entitled to talk a little bit out of order if you are Messi. If you win eight Ballon d’Ors, you can talk with a certain arrogance, but even Messi, you are never going to hear him talking in this way.”

Another teenager who could receive his first senior team invite is Crystal Palace forward Zavier Gozo. Pochettino included Gozo, who scored six goals in 16 games for Real Salt Lake before transferring to the Premier League side this summer, on his 55-player provisional World Cup roster but not the final 26.

(Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)

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But other Americans who recently moved from MLS to England could be allowed to skip FIFA’s new extended September-October window as they adapt to a new club environment, Pochettino said, noting that 2026 World Cup veterans like Middlesbrough’s Max Arfsten and Sebastian Berhalter are known quantities at this point.

With the Steve Cherundolo-coached U.S. under-23 team idle until November, Pochettino will have access to as many youngsters as he wants. But he also wants to win. The U.S. is 0-2 against chief rival Mexico under the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager, and also lost to Canada — led by American Jesse Marsch — in the 2025 Concacaf Nations League finals.

“I think we cannot bring a whole squad of young players,” he said. “They need to have next to them some guys with experience already.”

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Kyle Larson didn’t enter The Chase trying to win a race or win his third NASCAR Cup Series title.

The defending champion insisted Wednesday that he and his team just want to “do the best job” they can every week. 

The best Sunday at Darlington Raceway might have been fifth. 

Staying out on older tires for a restart with 24 laps remaining, he held everyone off for 12 laps before falling to fifth. He had hoped more than four cars would stay out, giving him enough of a buffer.

Kyle Larson (No. 5 car) led 99 laps at Darlington before finishing fifth.

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So on a Sunday where he led a race-high 99 laps but also had a hiccup on a pit stop, he came up empty once again. 

Ultimately, he saw his winless streak extend to 51 races.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver just can’t seem to find enough speed when it matters or be able to make something happen as he has done so many times in the past. Part of that has been the transition to a new body for the Chevrolets, as the manufacturer has six wins this year in 27 races.

Kyle Larson said he and his team are doing the best they can every week.

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Only two of those have come from Hendrick, with Chase Elliott earning two victories earlier in the year.

“At times, it has been sad meetings,” Larson said about the competition debrief they do every week. “At times it’s been happy meetings. At times, it’s been where we need a little pick-me-up from the boss of motivation and stuff.

“But I would say the good thing with Hendrick Motorsports is there’s no — at least in my time of being there — there’s no finger pointing. There’s nobody calling anybody out. It’s just, especially in these moments, it’s like ‘All right, we know we have an issue, let’s try and just figure it out.'”

And despite it all, Larson said he has enjoyed this season. 

After the fifth-place finish Sunday, he’s seventh in the standings and still within striking distance of winning a title at 49 points behind Denny Hamin.

“As challenging as this year has been, I’ve had a lot of fun with it because it’s been just encouraging and just cool to see everybody working so hard,” Larson said. “As weird as that sounds, I’ve enjoyed this year as much or more than some others — just because of the effort that’s been put in.”

Despite his winless streak, Larson said he’s having fun. 

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The effort has gotten them to the point where they can lead laps again. And to Larson, that shows progress.

“It’s been a challenging season for sure,” Larson said. “I’m proud of the effort and proud of the work and fight that we put in because in those first few months, I thought there’d be for sure no way we’d have even opportunities to win.

“And I feel like we’ve had a few this year that narrowly slipped away. I feel like our race cars have gotten better.”

Larson said the team has changed its outlook somewhat.

“You’ve just got to kind of, you know, adjust your expectations from early in the year and then set out to try and do as good a job as you can,” Larson said. “We’re trying really hard. I know it might not seem like that, but we’re probably trying harder than we’ve ever tried before.”

And that includes in the races because they can’t compensate for mistakes. Or even just choosing what could turn out to be not the winning strategy. 

He was fourth when he stayed out on old tires and finished fifth. So they lost one point while taking a swing at a strategy that, if they won, would have been 22 points more than where they were running.

“I feel like we have to execute a perfect day right now to finish fifth,” Larson said in that interview on Wednesday. “That still doesn’t change the fact that I’m proud of the team for the effort and all that. You can not have as much speed as you want, but it’s going to be more annoying if everybody’s content with that — and nobody’s content with that.

Kyle Larson won the 2025 NASCAR championship. Can he repeat that success in 2026?

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“We’re all working hard. That keeps me motivated. … We know what success feels like. So we’re just itching to get there. It’s just been fun to see the hard work and everybody maintaining their processes and trying to get back there.”

Part of the process is keeping a notebook. And Larson wants to follow that notebook each weekend in The Chase unless there is good reason to take a huge swing. The Toyotas have been the dominant manufacturer this year with 15 wins in the 27 races.

“There’s some tracks in The Chase like Phoenix where we’re garbage at that I’m totally open to trying anything new. … We’re in a good spot with what we need to maximize our car, but just finding that next level — we’re still working hard to figure out.” 

New INDYCAR Performance Standards

Josh Pierson has been pushing to take the next step up to INDYCAR.

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INDYCAR has set standards for Indy NXT drivers to be eligible to compete in INDYCAR. 

Any driver who finishes in the top three in the series or has at least two wins in the last two years is automatically qualified.

A driver with one Indy NXT win is “evaluation eligible,” meaning the driver can do an INDYCAR driver evaluation test. If not, then a résumé review is required before even getting to do an evaluation test.

Drivers from other series will be judged based on their performance in those series. 

The driver this could impact the most is Josh Pierson, who apparently has been pursuing an INDYCAR ride with funding he brings. Pierson won his first career Indy NXT race Saturday, a few days after the standards were announced.

“I know a lot of people have put a lot of stuff out there about me. People seem to talk about stuff that I don’t even know about,” Pierson said during his winner news conference Saturday. 

“For me, it really hasn’t been my concern. I’ve been able to focus on myself, do what I need to do to improve, find my footing. I feel like this has been a huge confidence boost, morale boost for the team coming off a rough year.”

In The News

Josh Bilicki has his sights set on Daytona 2027.

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— Alpha Prime Racing will change manufacturers for its two-car, full-time O’Reilly Series program as it moves from Chevrolet to Ford. It will field Fords in select events this year before going fully Ford in 2027. It will get engines from Roush Yates Engines.

— Dreyer & Reinbold will move from Chevrolet to Honda as it goes from an Indianapolis 500 program only to a full-season INDYCAR program. It will have an alliance with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The specifics of the alliance are still to be determined.

— Josh Bilicki will attempt to make the 2027 Daytona 500 with Garage 66. 

— Laguna Seca has named its infamous corkscrew section after Alex Zanardi who made an incredible pass 30 years ago to win the race. Zanardi, a beloved two-time series champion who lost his legs in a 2001 racing accident and later won Paralympic gold medals, died earlier this year. 

— Nikita Johnson won the Indy NXT title with runner-up finishes in both races at Laguna Seca. The rookie outlasted another rookie, Enzo Fittipaldi, in the final standings. Fittipaldi led the series with four wins.

— Longtime motorsports journalist and key figure in the creation of the Motor Racing Network, Jim Foster, will be awarded the 2027 Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. He’s also a former Daytona track president.

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They Said It

“It’s been too damn long.”
— Christopher Bell after his first win of the year

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

With four wins on the season, Denny Hamlin is favored to take home the title as NASCAR drives toward The Chase.

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