–>

Florida could be without starting quarterback Aaron Philo for Saturday’s game at No. 7 Texas.

Philo has been limited in practice this week because of a shoulder injury, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Philo and the Gators have not disclosed the injury publicly.

Philo is expected to be listed as questionable on the weekly Southeastern Conference injury report released later Wednesday, the person said.

If Philo doesn’t play, sophomore Tramell Jones would make his first career start. Philo beat out Jones for the starting job in training camp.

Philo has completed 70.5% of his passes for 1,341 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions this season. Jones has played in five games in 2026, throwing for 252 yards with two TDs and two INTs.

Philo completed 21 of 28 passes for 227 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 38-19 home loss to South Carolina last Saturday. He ran a career-high 13 times for 32 yards and was sacked three times.

The Gators (4-2, 2-2 SEC) were forced to start backup quarterback Aidan Warner in their last trip to Austin, Texas, in 2024. Warner completed 12 of 25 passes for 132 yards with two INTs in a 49-17 loss. He was filling in for oft-injured starter DJ Lagway.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

–> Get more from the Florida Gators Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more [–>

Source

The Philadelphia Eagles are struggling like never before with QB Jalen Hurts. The Denver Broncos’ offense isn’t any better. Former blue-chip wide receiver prospect Marvin Harrison Jr. has a new team. The New York Jets have a new star defender.

Each week, I dive into the All-22 coaches’ film before offering a few insights to watch. Here are four developments that could be long-term storylines involving some of the best teams and players in the NFL.

1.

It is rare for a Super Bowl MVP to land on the hot seat shortly after feeling the confetti fall on his shoulders, but Philly natives are growing restless after watching the Eagles’ offense sputter and stall again under Jalen Hurts. 

The perennial title contenders are sitting at 2-3, with an offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in most major statistical categories. The Eagles’ anemic running game is accompanied by a scattershot aerial attack that doesn’t appear to have any rhyme or reason under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. 

To be fair, the Eagles are dealing with numerous personnel issues, from injuries (Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith) to departures (A.J. Brown, Lane Johnson, Cam Jurgens) that have wrecked an offensive lineup built to overwhelm opponents with superior talent. Now, Hurts is overseeing a patchwork offense that lacks the star power to roll over opponents, while being asked to do more in a traditional scheme that wants him to operate like a pass-first point guard instead of a playmaker who scores in multiple ways. 

Without an elite wideout on the perimeter, Hurts is expected to get it done with a wide receiver-by-committee approach that features a borderline WR1 (Smith) and a collection of B-list pass catchers (Hollywood Brown, Dontavyion Wicks, Makai Lemon, and Darius Cooper) who don’t scare opposing defensive coordinators or defenders with their individual or collective talents. 

Although some Eagles’ supporters might dispute that sentiment based on the first-round pedigrees of Brown and Lemon, neither has made an impact in Philly that demands attention from their opponents thus far. Until they are able to spark the offense with splash plays, the Eagles will rely heavily on Smith and Dallas Goedert as Wicks makes key contributions in a supporting role. 

While the Eagles have succeeded without a marquee pass-catcher in the past (see: 2017), the lack of five-star perimeter talents puts more pressure on the offensive line and running game to produce results to help the quarterback find positive plays down the field. Barkley has been a non-factor this season due to injuries limiting the bulk of his work to two games (Washington and Chicago). Despite averaging 5.1 yards per carry in those contests, his absence and the losses of Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley have forced the Eagles into a one-dimensional attack that was doomed from the start. 

Eagles ‘should consider trading their stars’, Who’s to blame for the Commanders’ OT mishap? | FTF

In that past, the Eagles’ stellar offensive line could mask their playmakers’ woes because they could dominate the line of scrimmage and allow marginal backs to churn out yards between the tackles. However, the loss of respected offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland and the aforementioned departures of Jurgens and Johnson, leaves the Eagles searching for an identity within the trenches with a bunch of newcomers trying to figure it out in a new system. 

Speaking of schematics, the addition of Mannion as the offensive coordinator also appears to be a poor fit based on his preferred system and Hurts’ abilities. Mannion, of course, is the fifth OC head coach Nick Sirianni has hired in his six-year joint tenure with Hurts. While the Sean McVay/Matt LaFleur disciple brings over Xs and Os that have helped several quarterbacks flourish in the pocket, Mannion’s traditional dropbacks and play-action concepts from shotgun and under center are a far cry from the RPO (run-pass option) concepts that helped turn Hurts into an unstoppable force as the Eagles’ QB1. 

Although the franchise quarterback should be able to adapt and adjust to a new playbook as an experienced starter with a 59-28 career record, the tactics don’t mesh well with his talent, so his 2026 struggles are not surprising. 

Watching the Eagles’ operation in Week 5, the disconnect between Hurts and the rest of the offense is startling. From the stagnant ground attack due to lackluster runners plunging into clogged holes, to the “dink-and-dunk” throws to covered receivers, the Eagles’ lack the personnel and playbook to challenge heavyweight opponents right now. Perhaps more time on task and the return of their frontline stars can help revive Philly into a title contender, but the offense’s struggles are destined to continue until Hurts is put in an offense that leans more into his playmaking rather than exposes his flaws as a passer. 

2.

After watching his offense sputter under new offensive coordinator Davis Webb, Broncos head coach Sean Payton snatched the call sheet from the former NFL journeyman QB to help Bo Nix and Co. find the balance and rhythm that has been missing in 2026. 

Despite promising to stay out of the way of the first-time playcaller, Payton stepped in to keep the Broncos from missing a potential Super Bowl run while Davis finishes his on-the-job training. With the Broncos ranking 26th in scoring offense and Nix playing the worst ball of his career, the offensive wizard needed to take the call sheet back to help a promising young quarterback rediscover the magic that helped him lead 10 game-winning drives over his first two seasons, while completing 64.8% of his passes with a 54:23 touchdown-to-interception ratio. 

Most importantly, Nix led the Broncos to back-to-back playoff appearances and last season’s AFC Championship Game thanks to his steady play under Payton. Part of his success as a young QB can be attributed to Payton’s conservative approach, which eased the pressure on the former first-rounder. The offense blended a movement-based passing game with a diverse running game to keep opponents from attacking Nix with exotic pressures from every angle. 

Although the Broncos lacked a premier running back in the backfield, their rotation forced opponents to prepare for a creative running game that featured role-playing specialists (Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, J.K. Dobbins and R.J. Harvey) anchoring a mid-ranking running game that was just good enough to keep opponents from loading up against an efficient aerial attack. 

Stretch zone runs and complementary bootlegs, plus the inside run and various RPO combinations, allowed Nix to maximize his playmaking potential as an athletic passer with plus-running skills. Nix’s impromptu scrambles and occasional designed runs added another dimension to the offense as Payton sought to build a ball-control unit that complemented a disruptive defense. 

In Week 5, the Broncos returned to a complementary game, with Payton balancing the call log to feature a 50-50 run-pass ratio. The Broncos ran 29 times and passed 27, while capitalizing on the prime scoring opportunities the defense created. Although the stat sheet was far from impressive, with the team amassing just 224 net yards and Nix finishing with the second-lowest passing output of his career (123 yards), the offense’s flow matched his strengths as a “game manager” with a keen understanding of how to play winning football (avoiding sacks and turnovers) for a playoff contender. 

While Payton must find more ways to incorporate wideouts Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton into the game plan to increase the offense’s explosive potential, he must do it while rebuilding Nix’s confidence with high-completion throws and “chain-moving” plays that keep the offense on schedule. With Nix also thriving in “tempo” situations at the end of games, the Broncos could mix in some no-huddle to help the young quarterback face more vanilla defensive looks that allow him to operate in attack mode from the pocket. 

After taking back the call sheet to help his franchise quarterback and offense get back on track, Payton must continue to take bold measures to get the Broncos back to playing the efficient brand of ball that has made them title contenders under his direction. 

3.

Is one’s trash another’s treasure? That’s what the Texans are betting on after acquiring once-ballyhooed Ohio State standout Marvin Harrison Jr. and reuniting him with quarterback C.J. Stroud. 

Although the football world has seemingly soured on MHJ after posting 1,578 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 33 career games, the third-year pro needed a winning organization with a demanding culture to get back on track after an up-and-down journey with the Cardinals. The Texans’ impressive track record of turning top picks into stars (see: Stroud, OLB Will Anderson and CB Derek Stingley) bodes well for the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Harrison, who flashed elite receiving skills before falling out of favor amid a slump that exposed his flaws as a playmaker. 

Harrison’s inability to separate against bump-and-run and tight coverage led to too many 50-50 balls for a big-bodied pass catcher expected to anchor the passing game like Larry Fitzgerald once did in Arizona. With MHJ’s effort and concentration waning near the end of his tenure, the Texans are hoping a change of scenery, a new scheme and better connection with his quarterback will help the super-sized pass-catcher regain his swagger as a high-end WR2 for an offense that desperately needs a reliable threat opposite Pro Bowler Nico Collins. 

Studying the All-22 coaches’ footage from MHJ’s rookie season shows he entered the league with the tools to be a designated playmaker in an offense built around his game. In the second game of his career, he totaled 130 receiving yards and a pair of scores on just four catches against the Los Angeles Rams.

The tape reveals a sticky-fingered receiver with outstanding balance, body control, and awareness. As a natural pass-catcher with strong hands, Harrison can climb the ladder on boundary alley-oops or post up smaller defenders on curls and in-breaking routes between the hashes. He also flashes enough speed and quickness to beat squatting defenders on vertical routes that accompany play-action or misdirection fakes in the backfield. 

For a Texans squad that needs a dependable weapon with big-play potential, Harrison’s revival could resurrect the team’s playoff hopes and ignite an offense that has been looking for a spark plug on the perimeter. 

4.

If the 2026 regular season ended today, Jets defensive end David Bailey should be the undisputed choice as the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. The No. 2 overall pick has dominated as expected as a speed-rushing phenom with exceptional first-step quickness and closing burst. 

Through five games, Bailey has recorded five sacks, including a hat trick against the Cleveland Browns that showcased his speed, quickness and burst around the corner. The 6-foot-3, 251-pounder posted a jaw-dropping 40-yard dash time (4.50) prior to the draft, and his explosive quickness shows up repeatedly as he blows past blockers on simple speed-rushing moves. 

In studying each of Bailey’s three sacks against Cleveland, the rookie standout showed he can mix force with finesse to keep blockers guessing on the edges. On his first sack, Bailey attacked rookie offensive tackle Spencer Fano with a two-handed bull rush and dog-walked the blocker into Deshaun Watson’s lap. The explosive move exploited the blocker’s fear of his speed by running through him as he waited for a “dip-and-rip” off the edge. 

Bailey’s second sack came from a cleverly designed blitz from a “Double Mug” (six-man front with linebackers walked up on each side of the center) front that sent Bailey off the edge, with Jarvis Brownlee shooting inside through the B-gap (space between the right tackle and right guard), creating a two-on-one matchup against OT Tytus Howard on the edge. With the veteran opting to protect the inside gap because of the quarterback’s proximity, Bailey waltzed in for an easy quarterback takedown. 

With the Browns unsure how the rookie would attack, given his diverse repertoire of pass-rush moves, the hat trick on his patented “dip-and-rip” rush shouldn’t surprise anyone who studied his game at Stanford and Texas Tech. Bailey exploded off the edge facing OT Dawand Jones, and the veteran couldn’t kick-step quick enough to stay in front of the hard-charging pass-rusher. 

As Jets coach Aaron Glenn continues to find fun and creative ways to deploy Bailey as a designated pass-rusher with elite playmaking skills, the football world can expect to see the rookie continually making splash plays.

]–>

Source

Lamar Jackson was absent again at practice during the portion open to reporters Wednesday, as the Baltimore Ravens superstar deals with an ankle injury that has already caused him to miss one game.

Coach Jesse Minter said Monday that Jackson was “definitely doing better,” though he wasn’t sure how the quarterback’s practice would look Wednesday. “To Lamar’s credit, he’s doing everything he can to get back out there,” Minter said. ESPN reported Wednesday that Jackson has a “realistic chance” to play Sunday, citing a league source.

Jackson was injured two weeks ago in a victory over the Tennessee Titans. The Ravens were able to win on the road last week against the Atlanta Falcons with Tyler Huntley at quarterback. They play on the road against the Cleveland Browns this coming Sunday.

Jackson was sacked on the final play of the first half of the Ravens’ 24-18 win over the Titans when defensive end Jermaine Johnson landed on the back of his leg. He had completed 15 of 20 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns before the injury and didn’t return. Jackson has a sprained left ankle, according to NFL Media.

Huntley finished the Tennessee game, then completed 24 of 32 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns against the Falcons. He scored the winning touchdown on a 1-yard run in overtime of the 30-23 victory.

Baltimore (4-1) has some margin for error after a solid start. That’s in contrast to last season, when Jackson was hurt early on and didn’t come back until the team was 2-5. He rarely looked great after that, so there’s some risk in bringing him back too soon.

Jackson hurt his hamstring in a Week 4 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs last season and missed three games. He returned with four touchdown passes in a 28-6 win at the Miami Dolphins, but over his first eight weeks back, he completed 59.8% of his passes with eight touchdowns and five interceptions while averaging 21.8 rushing yards per game.

Huntley has won all three of his starts for the Ravens since the beginning of last season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source

Michigan’s football team might have some help on the way this season.

A judge granted a temporary restraining order for former Miami tight end Alex Bauman and former Boise State defensive back Jeremiah Earby, a pair of student-athletes who are enrolled at Michigan and hope to join the team for their fifth season.

Judge Julia B. Owdziej, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, ruled that both players are eligible to play this season. She wrote on Tuesday that preventing them from being eligible would be “irreparable and severe,” while the harm to the NCAA would be “negligible.”

A message seeking comment was left with the NCAA on Wednesday. A Michigan spokesman declined comment.

The NCAA ‘s new eligibility rule is being challenged in multiple courtrooms across the country. Plaintiffs say the rule is unfair to the class of 2022 student-athletes, depriving them of the opportunity to earn money through NIL deals and revenue-sharing now flowing from schools to their athletes under the House settlement.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order earlier this week giving the state’s colleges and universities the option of allowing athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 to play a fifth year in defiance of the NCAA. Under the order, public and private universities in Ohio can allow athletes to play, even though the NCAA’s new guidance excludes those who have already played four seasons.

In a letter to the NCAA’s member schools, the governing body’s president, Charlie Baker, said Tuesday that DeWine “cannot legislate NCAA eligibility rules.”

“One elected official seeking to make their own rules for their own schools’ advantage is a terrible way to run athletic competitions,” Baker said, while also pushing Congress to pass the Protect College Sports Act, a sweeping bill aiming to institute guardrails around how colleges pay their players and what those players can and cannot go to court to fight.

The Wolverines, under first-year coach Kyle Whittingham, have started 0-2 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2014 and host Penn State on Saturday.

Bauman and Earby would potentially give them a boost.

Big Ten Related Stories

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Bauman had 18 receptions for 166 yards and a touchdown last season for the Hurricanes after playing for three seasons at Tulane. He has 63 career catches for 610 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The 6-2, 186-pound Earby was an All-Mountain West Second Team player after making four interceptions last season at Boise State, where he was a two-year starter. He spent his first two seasons at California.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

Source

–>

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has been banned for four league matches, including the “clasico” against Barcelona, after pulling the hair of an opponent in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Villarreal.

Vinicius was shown a straight red card in the 73rd minute for having tugged hard on the hair of Villarreal’s Nathan Saliba when they were sprinting down the field, moments before the Madrid player scored a goal. The goal was also ruled out.

The Spanish soccer federation’s disciplinary federation announce the four-match suspension shortly before Madrid’s Champions League match at Roma on Wednesday.

It said he had been banned for two matches for the hair pulling and a further two matches for his subsequent aggressive protests to referee Isidro Díaz de Mera.

Vinícius screamed at Díaz de Mera while his teammates tried to calm him down as he left the field.

Díaz de Mera wrote in his match report that after being shown the red card Vinícius “protested my decision, raising his voice, toward where I was standing in an aggressive manner, and being held back by teammates.”

Vinícius will miss Sunday’s home match against Sevilla and the following week’s trip to Barcelona. He will also miss away matches at Racing Santander and Valencia.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

–> Get more from the Soccer Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more [–>

Source

–>

Good news: If you’re really excited about the National League Championship Series, you can watch it an hour earlier on Thursday night!

MLB announced on Wednesday afternoon that Game 4 of the NLCS between the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium has been moved up from 9 p.m. ET on Thursday night to 8 p.m. ET. The game can be viewed on FS1, with pregame coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

This news comes in the wake of Game 3 of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays being moved up from 6 p.m. ET on Thursday night to 1 p.m. ET ahead of projected inclement weather in Cleveland.

Regarding the NLCS, right-hander Tyler Glasnow is the Dodgers’ projected Game 4 starting pitcher, while the Brewers are yet to project their respective starter.

The Brewers won Games 1 and 2 of the series in Milwaukee, getting a 2-1 victory in Game 1 and a 7-4 victory in Game 2 that saw them knock Dodgers star right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto out of the game in the bottom of the third inning.

Game 3 of the series is on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET. Los Angeles is sending left-hander Blake Snell to the hill, while Milwaukee will counter with fellow southpaw Robert Gasser.

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

Shohei Ohtani will be in the Dodgers’ lineup for Game 3 of the NLCS against the Brewers.

–> Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more [–>

Source

Jim Leonhard’s patience is being tested by a porous Buffalo Bills defense that’s giving up too many points, too many yards and having difficulty stopping opponents on fourth down.

And the first-year defensive coordinator is done making excuses regarding a new-look unit experiencing growing pains five weeks into the season.

“It’s time to be good at something, and that’s our struggles right now,” Leonhard said. “It’s too inconsistent to pretend that we’re building and working and making improvements. Everything’s being evaluated.”

Leonhard maintained confidence in his players, but cautioned the next step could involve roster changes.

“This is professional football. If we don’t feel like the answers are there then, yeah, then there gets to be some big conversations,” he said.

Leonhard addressed reporters over a Zoom conference call on Tuesday, a day after quarterback Josh Allen bailed out the defense in a 37-34 overtime win at the Los Angeles Rams.

The Bills (4-1) are staying in Southern California before leaving for Las Vegas to face the Raiders (3-2) on Sunday.

In thanking Allen for playing what he called the role of Superman, Leonhard said relying on the offense to carry the load isn’t a recipe for success.

“It has to change. It has to get better,” he said. “We plan on being in a lot of big games, and it’s our job as a defense to go close them out for wins.”

Familiar Issues Keep Cropping Up

And while the Rams high-octane attack presented a steep degree of difficulty, he said it doesn’t make up for the ongoing problems that continue arising.

__ Buffalo allowed 33 first downs against LA, matching the most the defense has surrendered dating to 1991. The Bills have allowed 20 or more first downs in each of their five outings, one short of last season’s total.

__ A re-shuffled secondary experienced coverage and communication issues in allowing Matthew Stafford’s 383 yards passing. The Bills have allowed 250 or more yards passing four times already, twice more than last year.

__ Fourth-down stops are a problem, with Buffalo allowing opponents to convert 8 of 9 attempts after the Rams went 2-for-2.

__ The inability to get off the field is not only reflected in Buffalo allowing the third-most yards per outing (389) and fifth-most points (141) in the NFL thus far, it’s tiring out a unit that’s played 350 snaps, the second most behind Detroit.

“You play that many snaps, it’s hard to sustain,” Leonhard said, referring to the defense playing 78 snaps on Monday — the most by Buffalo since 2023.

“We have to get some bigger wins earlier in the game,” he added. “I have to be more aggressive in helping us get off the field in some situations to help these guys not get to that fourth quarter and be burned out.”

In taking over the defense following Sean McDermott’s firing, Leonhard anticipated more from a unit entering the season making the switch to a 3-4 system and breaking in four new starters.

Though injuries have played a role, the weak spot has involved the secondary, with the starting cornerback position unsettled opposite Christian Benford. After starting the first four games, second-year player Maxwell Hairston was replaced by rookie Davison Igbinosun on Monday.

The Bills’ depth was already thin at the position in opening the season with five cornerbacks, including Dee Alford filling the nickel position.

Part of the problem, Leonard said, is players trying to do too much.

“There’s a fine line of trying harder and trying smarter,” he said. “I have that tendency. You want to do more, you want to do extra. Sometimes, it’s just relax, take a step back and simplify. Slow down.”

Reporting by the Associated Press.

Source

This week in sports features a desperate Dodgers team trying to get in the win column and the last two college football national champions facing off against one another.

What better time than now to throw those matchups and a few others into a parlay.

Here’s what I’m looking at. 

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Dodgers Win Game 3 (-176)

It’s now or never for the back-to-back champs, as they head home trailing the Brewers 2-0. The Dodgers certainly don’t look like the Dodgers of old. Instead, they seem more like just old Dodgers. However, at home, desperate, and with a pitching advantage, I’ll take them to win and get this series to 2-1.

Ohio State Over 27.5 (-110)

The battle of the last two national champions should be a fun one on Saturday, but I’m betting on the Buckeyes to get their points against Indiana. 

Indiana is at home and hasn’t lost a game since a week before Christmas 2024. However, the Hoosiers’ defense looks vulnerable. It gave up nearly 300 yards passing to Northwestern and almost 400 total yards last week against Nebraska. 

Ohio State star receiver Jeremiah Smith should have yet another big day.

BYU Under 17.5 (-135)

It will be an electric atmosphere in Provo, Utah, on Saturday, as BYU gets a rare visit from Notre Dame. 

The crowd can only take you so far, though. 

Without running back LJ Martin, BYU and its limited weapons will struggle to find much success offensively against this unforgiving defense of Notre Dame. 

Jaguars Moneyline (-148)

The Jaguars were sloppy, despite their victory last week in London over the Eagles. I expect a much more efficient performance this week, with an emphasis on eliminating penalties. 

The Jaguars have been in London all week preparing. Meanwhile, the Texans will head there following a road win against the Titans. There’s a big situational and travel edge for the Jags, who can all but finish the playoffs hopes of the Texans with a win. 

   Over 52.5 (-115)

When these teams met a year ago, it was a 40-40 tie. The Cowboys are still just as lethal on offense as they were a year ago and might somehow be worse defensively this season. It’s hard to go wrong betting the Over in Cowboys games.

Hill’s Pick: 5-Leg Parlay +1546 (bet $10 to win $164.60 total)

Source

Shea Ralph finally has Vanderbilt right where the reigning AP women’s Coach of the Year is most comfortable going into her sixth season.

Chasing championships.

“I think every year it’s like, ‘Vanderbilt! Surprise. We’re good!’ It’s not a surprise,” Ralph said. “We came here to be good. We came here to be great. I’m excited. This is what I’ve trained for. And I’m excited to be able to share that with our players.”

Revitalizing a team whose lone Final Four berth was back in 1993 is why athletic director Candice Storey Lee lured Ralph away from UConn, where she won a national title as a player and six more as an assistant coach.

“I’ve spent the better part of my life working with great players, playing with great players,” Ralph said.

Shea Ralph and guard Mikayla Blakes, who led the nation in scoring last season, are in the third year of their relationship at Vanderbilt. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)

–>

Vanderbilt is coming off its best season in nearly 20 years. The Commodores went 29-5 and reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2008-09. Ralph has seven players back from that team, led by All-American Mikayla Blakes and point guard Aubrey Galvan, who was the Southeastern Conference freshman of the year in her debut.

“We have to prove ourselves first,” Galvan said.

Blakes led the nation in scoring with 27 points per game and was even better in SEC play, averaging 30.5 points per game.

That’s why she won SEC player of the year and now is the conference’s preseason player of the year. Blakes is only the 13th player in league history to win both player of the year and freshman of the year and first since five-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson to win the awards back-to-back.

Blakes is working to be more of a leader and overall player now that the 5-foot-8 guard has more help going into her third season at Vanderbilt. Blakes knows the more confidence she helps her teammates build keeps her from being the focal point.

“My role is going to change,” Blakes said. “We have a lot of good scorers this year and really a lot of good players. So I feel like doing whatever the team needs me to do and continue to read defenses really well.”

Key Transfer Portal Additions

Ralph wanted more rebounding and scoring, and she added two players through the transfer portal. Forward Mia Woolfolk is used to the SEC grind after leading Georgia in rebounds, averaging 5.4 a game as a sophomore. Woolfolk also ranked second in scoring with a career-best 13.9 points a game, which is why Ralph is happy the 6-2 forward is on her team now.

“I tell her every day, ‘You used to torch us,’” Ralph said.

Vernell Atamah was the Southland Conference player of the year last season after leading that league scoring with 19.2 points a game for Northwestern State. Ataman ranked 29th nationally in scoring. She also shot 39.4% from 3-point range, ranking 11th nationally making 2.9 3-pointers a game.

Best Recruiting Class Yet

Ralph brought in her highest-ranked freshman class yet with a trio led by Olivia Jones, a consensus five-star recruit who played in the McDonald’s All-America Game. ESPN ranked Jones 14th nationally. Jones joins Blakes as the only five-star recruits to sign with Vanderbilt out of high school.

Jones also helped the U.S. win gold at the 2026 FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup. Ralph is trying hard not to compare Jones to Blakes.

“In terms of her impact on our program, on our team, the intensity that she practices with, the determination, the attitude she brings every day, her personality, it reminds me a lot of some of the greatest players I’ve coached, including Mikayla,” Ralph said.

This class also features 6-4 forward Jhai Johnson and Sther Ubaka, a forward from Brazil who played two seasons at DME Academy in Florida and is on her country’s national team. Johnson’s ability to play both in the paint and outside will be a big boost to a program that has struggled to rebound.

Blakes Still The Key For Vandy

All the talent has Ralph busy figuring out exactly what she has and where to move the players around to help Blakes tap into all of her skills for a simple reason.

“So that she becomes unguardable in every way,” Ralph said.

Women’s College Basketball Related Stories

Reporting by The Associated Press.

Source

After trailing two games in the National League Championship Series, all eyes shift toward the Los Angeles Dodgers and four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani.

The Milwaukee Brewers pitching staff rivals the best in baseball, but the Dodgers’ real problem might be internal. The Dodgers offense has been inconsistent through two games, followed by a rare and painful slump from Ohtani.

With Ohtani’s slump showing very few signs of improvement, manager Dave Roberts made the decision to move him down in the lineup. 

Ohtani has been moved from fourth to sixth in the Dodgers’ lineup, with Kyle Tucker sliding up to take his spot. Batting sixth marks the lowest spot Ohtani has ever occupied in a starting order throughout his career.

“Yeah, I mean, obviously it hasn’t been good,” Roberts told The Athletic on Monday. “He doesn’t feel great. I think for me, it’s having a conversation with him [Tuesday], kind of try to figure out what’s best for him, what’s best for us. He certainly has earned that conversation and deserves it.”

This isn’t an ordinary slump for Ohtani. 

For the first time in his career, he is nearly unplayable offensively. Since September 1, Ohtani’s recorded only nine hits for a .180 batting average, with just one extra-base hit and one RBI, while striking out 21 times in 50 at-bats.

The postseason hasn’t gotten any better for Ohtani at the plate. 

Across six postseason games, Ohtani is hitting just .150 with three singles, zero RBIs and seven strikeouts in 20 at-bats. For a slugger who routinely changes games with one swing – Ohtani went deep 54 and 55 times in his first two seasons with the Dodgers, leading the NL in 2024 – his home-run drought stretches all the way back to August 18.

Ohtani has been noticeably playing through injury after spending roughly two weeks on the IL with left knee and right biceps pain before the end of the regular season. Prior to the NLDS, he told reporters that he didn’t feel 100% and thought he could play through it.

“I haven’t been able to get a good grasp of the root cause of all this,” Ohtani said. “I think that process is going to happen during the offseason when I’m going to have a little bit more time to be able to address it. But as of now, it’s something I’m just going to have to manage.”

For a player of Ohtani’s caliber, the thought of dropping him in the Dodgers lineup was once unimaginable. But down two games, Roberts now has all the pressure on his shoulders to make the right call.

Source