Folarin Balogun’s return to the English Premier League could have to wait until 2027. According to multiple reports in Europe, the U.S. men’s World Cup striker’s widely expected $50 million-plus move from French Ligue 1 team Monaco to Prem mainstay Everton is in danger of collapsing in the final hours of European soccer’s summer transfer window. The two clubs had agreed on the fee and Balogun to what was surely a significant salary bump. Balogun had been given permission by Monaco to travel to the blue side of Liverpool on Tuesday to complete his “medical” — the routine but nonetheless required physical examination that is almost always a formality for some of the world’s best conditioned athletes. The 25-year-old New York-born, London-raised 25-year-old sat out much of Monaco’s preseason with what was thought to be a minor injury he first sustained at the World Cup. Balogun scored three goals in four games — including the winner in a knockout stage victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina before the Americans were eliminated by Belgium in the round of 16. He also found himself at the center of an international controversy after President Trump asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino for global soccer’s governing body to review the red card that would’ve kept him out of the co-hosts round of 16 match against Belgium. FIFA suspended the suspension, allowing Balogun to play, though the U.S. lost 4-1. Another report, from the highly respected French daily sports newspaper L’Equipe, said that the holdup was caused by Everton needing to first finalize the sale of Senegalese forward Iliman Ndiaye’s to Manchester City. With the deadline looming at 11 p.m. in England (6 p.m. ET), they’re running out of time. Staying at Monaco until the January transfer window opens wouldn’t be the worst thing for Balogun or the U.S. national team if that’s how this shakes out, though the club will miss out on the UEFA Champions League this season after finishing seventh in France’s top flight last term. Balogun was a hot commodity this summer after his breakout performance for the Stars and Stripes, having also drawn interest from Champions League participants Aston Villa and Spanish champions Barcelona, per reports. Everton, which was suddenly left shorthanded up top after sending veteran forward Beto to Italian side Fiorentina on Tuesday, could also circle back on Balogun in the new year. The American would be an ideal supplement to 6-foot-5 target man Thierno Barry under Toffees manager David Moyes. The Gunners product shouldn’t need much time to adapt to life on the blue side of Liverpool, or to the physicality of the Prem, as Balogun made 10 first team appearances for Arsenal over parts of two seasons. In his three years in Monaco, Balogun has scored 31 goals, including 29 in 85 Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League matches. If healthy, Balogun is expected to be included on USA coach Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for home exhibition games later this month against Chile and Peru and in early October vs. regional foes Canada and Mexico.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are slowly getting back to full strength. The Dodgers announced on Tuesday afternoon that they’ve activated catchers Will Smith and Dalton Rushing and left-hander Justin Wrobleski from the injured list. They also added infielder Alex Freeland to the MLB roster. To make room on the roster for the aforementioned returnees, the Dodgers sent outfielder Alek Thomas and catcher Ben Rortvedt — whom they acquired from the New York Mets before the MLB trade deadline — to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Smith, an All-Star in each of the last three complete seasons (2023-25), hasn’t played for the Dodgers since June 5 due to a neck injury. Over the 52 games Smith has appeared in this season, he has totaled six home runs, 23 RBIs and a 101 OPS+, while sporting a .249/.338/.382 slash line. Rushing, who took Smith’s place as the team’s everyday catcher in the wake of his neck injury, hasn’t played since Aug. 1 due to an arm injury. Across 74 games, Rushing has logged 12 home runs, 36 RBIs, a 123 OPS+ and 1.4 wins above replacement, while possessing a .253/.335/.475 slash line. Wrobleski hasn’t made a start for the Dodgers since Aug. 15, as he dealt with a forearm injury. The left-hander was an All-Star this year and boasted a 2.62 ERA entering his July 28 outing before posting a combined 8.69 ERA over his ensuing four starts, with a stint on the 15-day injured list following. In all, Wrobleski has recorded a 3.56 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, a 114 ERA+ and two wins above replacement across 126 â…“ innings pitched (20 starts/21 appearances). The Dodgers could soon have their full starting rotation. Fellow left-hander Blake Snell is four starts back from elbow surgery, and right-hander Tyler Glasnow was activated last week after back spasms kept him off the mound for manager Dave Roberts for roughly 15 weeks. The next piece in the puzzle for the Dodgers’ rotation could be Shohei Ohtani, as the two-way superstar hasn’t pitched since July 3 due to knee inflammation and is also dealing with a biceps issue. Granted, Ohtani has continued to be the team’s primary designated hitter. Los Angeles is the No. 2 seed in the National League at 82-55, good for a half-game lead on the Atlanta Braves (82-56) for the second wild-card round bye and good for being 2.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (85-53) for the best record in the NL. The Dodgers also hold a 9.5-game lead on the San Diego Padres (73-65) for first place in the NL West. Los Angeles opens a three-game series at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Let’s talk ball. The 2026 NFL season is nearly upon us, so let’s think ahead to what oddities and anomalies are going to take place. Could this be the year that running backs go off like it’s 1990? Could this finally be the year that the Cincinnati Bengals and the Dallas Cowboys stop messing around? Could the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in rebuild mode? Yes, yes and yes. At least that’s what I think. I have some predictions in store for you. Twelve of them. Let’s get weird. Let’s get spicy. Let’s get bold. There’s just not a lot of buzz around the Chiefs that makes me feel optimistic. The one really positive preseason storyline — rookie receiver Cyrus Allen — has totally died out. The fifth-round pick played deep into the team’s final preseason game, perhaps indicating he’s not as impressive as the hype made him out to me. The team wants more from him. And offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy made it clear that the team needs a whole lot more from WR1 Rashee Rice. Patrick Mahomes will probably play Week 1 despite returning (quickly) from his ACL injury, but it remains to be seen whether his offensive line has improved substantially. And that’ll also dictate whether running back Kenneth Walker III will be as explosive as the Chiefs paid the Super Bowl MVP big money to be. Walker has never been a bell cow, but more than that, he’s never really had to run behind a bad offensive line. That concerns me. Meanwhile, the Kansas City defense will be without cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, safety Bryan Cook and linebacker Leo Chenal. McDuffie was traded to the Rams and the others left in free agency. I’ll always fear the Chiefs, because of Mahomes and Andy Reid. But logically, this team can’t possibly make the playoffs, can it? They invested in their defense by trading for three-time Pro Bowl tackle Dexter Lawrence and signing DT Jonathan Allen, edge Boye Mafe and safety Bryan Cook in free agency. And in a way, that was the Bengals investing in Joe Burrow — because he’s gotten killed trying to keep breakneck pace with his putrid defense (after years of getting killed behind his crappy offensive line). Now, it feels like the Bengals have finally turned a corner. They kept Burrow’s weapons on offense. They’ve built a half-decent offensive line. And simultaneously, they’ve invested in defensive playmakers. It seems like Cincinnati might be excellent this year. It seems like Cincinnati can legitimately contend for a Super Bowl for the first time since … well, since the Bengals made the Super Bowl. The Patriots have heavily favored Brown during training camp practices. Quarterback Drake Maye has a connection with Brown that typically takes years to develop. And this Patriots passing game feels like it’s on the verge of doing remarkable things. Brown will be at the center of all of it. He got tired of not getting the ball in Philly. The Patriots will make up for it in spades. Maye is going to feed Brown early and often. The three-time All-Pro is 29 and has a knee issue that might impact his explosiveness down the line, which is all the more reason to get him to the top of the receptions category in 2026. This passing total would put him into contention to lead the league. And it would make him the first Chicago Bears quarterback to top 4,000 passing yards. Ever. I’m not sure that Williams is going to be the total package in 2026. I’m not sure we’ll see his playing style align perfectly with coach Ben Johnson’s scheme at all times. But the QB’s completion percentage will rise above 60%, and that, in itself, will generate more yards. Then I think young receivers Luther Burden and Rome Odunze will continue their upward growth, with both players taking major leaps forward this year. Second-year pro Colston Loveland will be a total menace in Johnson’s tight-end-friendly offense. There are a few ways all this could go wrong. And one of the most obvious questions is left tackle, where the Bears were hesitant to name a starter. There’s also the matter of the youngsters on offense; fans and media members are prone to assume they’ll get better, but that doesn’t always happen. Johnson, however, is what makes everything feel reassuring. If he keeps this offense steady, the Bears will see Caleb’s stats go crazy — and Chicago will make the playoffs again. This one is an easy pick. The Lions struggled last year while dealing with playcalling issues — and, frankly, some bad luck. But they’ve returned their core while addressing some issues, whether it’s right tackle (with rookie Blake Miller) or secondary (safety Chuck Clark and Christian Izien). Even offensive coordinator Drew Petzing is a compelling candidate in his new gig after putting up video-game numbers with the Cardinals’ offense. The Lions are angry and hungry. And they’re simply way, way too talented to stay in the basement of the NFC North. It’s interesting to see a Jalen Hurts replica starting to appear in the NFC South. Shough is sort of Hurts’ reincarnation, via the voodoo of coach Kellen Moore, who used to be the Eagles’ OC. Because Shough looked like he was rapidly ascending at the back end of his rookie season — and because the Saints added first-round receiver Jordyn Tyson (out with a hamstring injury to start the season) — I think he can jump into the top 10 in passing stats. It’s totally doable. Baker Mayfield was the 10th-best passer in 2025 with 3,693 yards. In 2023, Hurts threw for 3,858 yards under Moore. The NFC South is winnable, as usual. And I think the New Orleans rebuild starts to go exponential this season, in large part because I believe in the way Moore and Shough are clicking. This team is going to be bad. Like, tremendously terrible. On Monday, the Dolphins claimed seven players off waivers — effectively wiping away 13% of their current roster (players who actually attended their training camp) to bring in new guys who have never worked in the Miami system. Think about that for a second. They’d prefer to school up those seven players with just 10 days until the season-opener — rather than keep working with the guys who have spent their entire offseason with the team. That reflects extremely poorly on the talent that is and was in Miami. (This shouldn’t come as much of a shock either. The joint practices were bloodbaths, with the Dolphins getting dominated by the Giants and Commanders.) So they’re in a race with the Browns — to the bottom of the NFL. This might sound really crazy, but hear me out. The Rams have a mind-bogglingly large number of sack artists. Edge Myles Garrett is the obvious candidate to lead the team — and the league — in sacks. But before last season, when he set the record with 23, he’d had two consecutive seasons of 14 sacks. I think it’s possible that’s where he lands in 2025. It might even land lower, given that Rams edge Byron Young had 12 sacks last year. If teams are double-teaming Garrett, which would be reasonable, then that could open up things for Donald. He’s fresh after two seasons in retirement. He’s probably going to play in a pass-rushing-specific role. It’s reasonable to think he could get 14 sacks this year. And if that’s the case, he could also lead a deep group of L.A. sack artists. Here’s my list: Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, James Cook, Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor and either Christian McCaffrey, De’Von Achane or Javonte Williams. Last year, it was just Cook, Henry and Taylor. But given how much we’ve seen teams invest in their running backs — with new contracts for Robinson, Gibbs, Achane and Cook — I think they’re going to do what they can to help them succeed. Barkley will be back to being an offensive centerpiece for the Eagles in 2026. And don’t count out second-year Cowboys back Williams, who will likely be the uncontested RB1 on what I expect to be the NFL’s most explosive offense. I really liked Eagles first-round receiver Makai Lemon to win OROY, but a lingering hamstring issue sidelined him for most of camp, so I’m concerned about how immediately he’ll produce. Price, the final pick of the first round, will split touches with George Holani in Seattle’s backfield to start the year because Zach Charbonnet will miss at least the first four games after tearing his ACL in January. And though Charbonnet (and Holani) will probably steal touchdowns, Price is likely to rack up major yardage totals. That should be enough for him to edge any of the receivers and/or No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, whom the Raiders insist they plan to sit behind veteran QB Kirk Cousins this season. The Raiders will spend this season playing from behind, but I sense that the aborted trade of Crosby to Baltimore in March shifted something in his brain. He seems to have a newfound fire. He might even get traded again before the deadline. With ample opportunities and increased intensity, Crosby should be able to tee off on quarterbacks and land at the top of the leaderboard for sacks. I want to go absolutely nuts and pick the Cowboys for a Super Bowl. But I’m apprehensive about doing that, given how little we know about this defense. We know that Jerry Jones did what he implied he was going to do. He split up the money that he was going to give to Micah Parsons and completely rebuilt the appalling unit using some of the picks he got by trading Parsons. But I’m not certain that the rebuild on that side of the ball is complete. I am certain, however, that the Dallas offense is going to be incredible again. And if the defense is even middling, the Cowboys will probably feel some pressure to put up points and yardage totals. It’s going to be fun to watch. They’re going to make the playoffs. And when that happens, Prescott’s numbers and win totals will put him in the MVP race.
Twenty-eight years after Sammy Sosa beat Mark McGwire in a National League MVP race for the ages, the Cubs’ all-time home run leader offered some prophetic words of encouragement for Chicago’s newest MVP contender. As part of the Cubs’ 150th anniversary celebration, Sosa and other members of the franchise’s all-time roster were in attendance Saturday at Wrigley Field as they watched Pete Crow-Armstrong launch three home runs against the Reds. It was the latest statement in a season full of them for the phenom center fielder, who has leapfrogged Shohei Ohtani as the heavy MVP favorite. “Sammy did say I was going to hit three today,” Crow-Armstrong said afterward. “Sammy Sosa told me I was going to hit three, and I hit three, so put that on the record.” Crow-Armstrong is a player built for the spotlight. Even on a weekend devoted to the greatest Cubs of all time, it was PCA who again took center stage. As an encore, he added two more blasts on Sunday, giving him five home runs on the weekend and 38 on the season, a total that trails only Kyle Schwarber for the most in MLB. Crow-Armstrong also joined Sosa, Alfonso Soriano, Ryne Sandberg and Andre Dawson as the only players in franchise history with at least 14 home runs in a calendar month. Crow-Armstrong, MLB’s leader in wins above replacement, has catalyzed his team with leadoff blasts — he has nine this year, trailing only Soriano for the most in a season in franchise history — and dazzled with walk-off winners. He has astounded with highlight-reel defensive plays, leading all outfielders in outs above average, and amazed with his speed, ranking second in MLB in both steals (32) and triples (seven). He has also hit for the cycle, among his many accomplishments this season. But it’s his consistency as a complete offensive force that might have him winning MVP over Ohtani, something no player has done since Aaron Judge’s 62-homer season in 2022. Even a couple of months ago, the thought that anyone could push Ohtani for the award seemed far-fetched, if not outright impossible. Ohtani seemed to have his eye on winning his first ever Cy Young Award in his return as a full-time two-way player this year. When he puts his mind to something, it tends to happen. At the end of May, Ohtani was pitching himself into the conversation with a 0.82 ERA through nine starts. But his performance began to suffer after he started dealing with knee pain in early June. By the end of the month, his ERA had doubled. Still, even as his Cy Young chances started to fade, it was hard to imagine anyone standing in the way of him winning a fifth MVP award. On July 3, Ohtani had a 1.79 ERA as a pitcher and a .927 OPS as a hitter. But he has not pitched since that date, due to left knee discomfort that required an injection over the All-Star break and a recurring right bicep problem. The lingering issues have not stopped him from being a mainstay in the Dodger lineup, but they continue to prevent his return to the mound. They also opened a door for another MVP contender. “If you guys want to talk about all this back and forth, I really should go get in the lab and start pitching,” Crow-Armstrong quipped a few weeks ago. He probably won’t have to resort to that, the way he is hitting so dependably now. The Cubs’ star outfielder demonstrated his upside last season in an All-Star and Gold Glove campaign while finishing ninth in NL MVP voting. But his production ebbed and flowed. He had an .888 OPS in May, a .771 OPS in June and a .984 OPS in July before falling off a cliff last August (.446). He slashed just .216/.262/.372 in the second half of 2025. The peaks and valleys were part of the package for a young player still adjusting to the big-league game. He chased too often (only four qualified players swung at a higher rate of pitches out of the zone), reached base too seldomly (he had the fifth-lowest walk rate and on-base percentage in MLB) and struggled too much against southpaws (.595 OPS) to sustain his success. This year, he looks like a different force altogether, not unlike the superstar jump Bobby Witt Jr. took from his age 23 to 24 season. After a slow start to the year, Crow-Armstrong has produced an OPS over 1.000 over each of his last three months. Even beyond the consistent production, there are underlying reasons to believe this steady uptick can endure. He has become a much more selective hitter, lowering his swing rate by more than 10% and his chase rate by more than 7% from last season. Those are both the largest drops among all qualified hitters this year. His walk rate, meanwhile, has swelled from 4.5% last year to 11.5% this year, the biggest jump in MLB, and it’s not at the expense of driving the baseball. In fact, he’s swinging harder and mashing the ball better than ever before. Crow-Armstrong raised his hard-hit rate from 41.6% last year to 48.8% this season, the second-highest jump in the sport behind only Bryson Stott. It took some physical adjustments to get here, some more obvious than others. Most notably, Crow-Armstrong has dropped his hands lower before getting into his load. He has also moved farther back in the box and closer to the plate, especially against lefties, while narrowing the distance between his feet in his stance. It all seems to be working, allowing him to cover pitches better on the outer edge while still being able to turn on pitches and get to his pull-side power. His OPS against lefties has jumped nearly 400 points from last year to this year (.978). By wRC+, he went from the seventh-worst hitter against lefties last year to the seventh-best this year. The end result is an all-around force capable of pushing Ohtani for the league’s greatest individual honor. Crow-Armstrong leads MLB in fielding run value, Statcast’s metric for capturing a player’s defensive performance. He also leads the NL in batting run value and is tied for fifth in MLB in baserunning run value, demonstrating his ability to impact the game in myriad ways. The only thing he doesn’t do is pitch, but neither does Ohtani at the moment as the Dodger superstar’s MVP case hits a lull. Ohtani was expected to be back on the mound Sunday or Tuesday to begin his build-up toward October, but his knee and biceps issues haven’t fully subsided. It’s now unclear when he’ll return to the mound. “I don’t think he’s 100%,” Roberts told reporters this weekend. Ohtani’s offensive performance has also declined since he started ramping his throwing program back up. After a weeks-long break from throwing, Ohtani threw his first bullpen session on Aug. 14. In the 15 games before that date, he had a 1.119 OPS. Over the 15 games since that date, he has a .716 OPS. Meanwhile, Crow-Armstrong’s push for MVP is full steam ahead. His achievements seem to get more spectacular by the day. On Saturday, two of his three home runs came off left-hander Andrew Abbott. On Sunday, his leadoff homer came off All-Star Chase Burns. His 14 home runs in August were the most by any player 24 or younger in a calendar month since Ken Griffey Jr. in May 1994. Crow-Armstrong has already become the first player in franchise history to record back-to-back 30-homer, 30-stolen base seasons. He’s now just two homers and eight steals short of a 40-40 season, a feat that has only been accomplished six times in MLB history — most recently during Ohtani’s 50-50 campaign in 2024 — and never by a Cubs player. While Ohtani’s having another incredible year and doing something no other player can (.909 OPS as a hitter, 1.79 ERA as a pitcher), what Crow-Armstrong is accomplishing in Chicago could be historic. The club’s all-time leader in fWAR for a single season is Rogers Hornsby (11.0), a total that’s not out of reach for Crow-Armstrong (9.3) if he can keep this pace up. Of course, one month remains to sort everything out. Maybe Ohtani, focusing solely on hitting, goes on a tear. Maybe he returns to the mound and reminds everyone why the value he provides as a two-way titan can’t be matched. As of this moment, though, Crow-Armstrong holds the edge in nearly every offensive category (Ohtani has a slight lead in OBP) as well as WAR and stolen bases while also bringing elite defense at a premium position every day. And if he does become the first Cubs player to take home MVP honors since Kris Bryant in 2016, we might look back at this past weekend as the defining moment, when Crow-Armstrong put on a show for the ages while Ohtani’s return to the mound was put on hold. Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.
The doubleheader at The Milwaukee Mile was certainly unique. INDYCAR started a race on Saturday but then had to suspend it because of rain. It then conducted an entire race early Sunday afternoon before finishing the Saturday race in the early evening … on Sunday. And also unique — Pato O’Ward won both races. That vaulted him back into these power rankings, an indication of how much his season has been a disappointment. Alex Palou clinched the INDYCAR title to add to his collection of four titles he had earned in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025. So you can imagine where he remains in these power rankings. Here are my power rankings going into the season finale Sunday at Laguna Seca, a road course in Monterey, Calif. Dropped out: Kyffin Simpson (Last Week: 8) On the verge: Scott Dixon, Louis Foster, Kyffin Simpson Power did not have a good day at Milwaukee, as he had a pit-road speeding penalty in the Sunday race and then wrecked when trying to get by Nolan Siegel in the finale Sunday night. Newgarden wrecked in the Sunday race and then rebounded to finish seventh in the finale Sunday evening. He had hoped for more at a short oval but he was never all that happy with the car. Ericsson, who had a win and a fourth in his last two starts, had a ninth and an eighth in the two Milwaukee races. It wasn’t great, but it was a pair of respectable days. It also helps that he was the best Andretti Global car in the finale. VeeKay enjoyed his first podium on an oval. He finished third on Sunday evening, which was a great result and not a total surprise after he finished seventh — and led 25 laps — in the race Sunday afternoon. What a weekend for O’Ward. He swept Milwaukee and became the first driver to win two races in one day since 1981. That was back when the series had some regularly scheduled “twin” sprint races. He had four finishes outside the top 10 in his last six starts. Following his victory at Washington, Kirkwood’s weekend got off to a sour start with a wreck with Christian Rasmussen in practice Friday. He was sixth and 15th, dropping to third in the standings. Malukas had a solid weekend with a fourth and a second, but the second was a disappointment when he lost the lead in the finale on the last restart. But that gives him eight top-five finishes in the 17 races this year. McLaughlin also had a second and a fourth in the two Milwaukee events. For a driver who hasn’t won in two years, it’s good to know you are knocking on the door. He has six top-five finishes this year. Lundgaard had a third and a sixth in the Milwaukee races. Quite good for someone who has had his oval performance questioned. Does it matter where he finished at Milwaukee? A fifth and 10th were high enough for him to clinch his fourth consecutive crown and his fifth in the last six years. One day, he won’t be No. 1 at the end of a season, but it’s hard to see when that day will come.
Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney’s thoughts on the LSU Tigers trying to add players who were in NFL training camps to their roster are simple. “It’s kind of embarrassing. Honestly, it’s embarrassing that’s where we are,” Swinney said in a press conference on Tuesday morning about LSU and any school attempting to add former college players to their roster. “I don’t blame the kids, but people trying to take advantage of the system. It’s embarrassing, but we’ve been there for a while. … “No pun intended, but we’re just going to stay in our lane.” Two weeks ago, a Louisiana judge granted temporary restraining orders and a fifth year of college eligibility to 16 players who graduated from high school in 2022. On that note, LSU added a handful of individuals who previously played for Kiffin on the Ole Miss Rebels, including tight end Dae’Quan Wright, defensive tackle Zxavian Thomas and safety Wydatt Williams. This promptly led to the Big Ten and SEC each banning players who have appeared on an NFL or professional football roster from playing in their respective conferences. All that said, there’s a hearing in Baton Rogue, Louisiana on Thursday regarding the SEC banning players who have appeared on pro rosters from appearing on a conference roster (e.g., LSU), according to Yahoo Sports. Earlier in the week, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian called adding a player with pro experience of any kid to a college roster “morally wrong.” Fortunately for college football fans alike, LSU hosts Texas on Nov. 14. And, of course, Clemson opens its 2026 season on the road against LSU on Saturday night in what’s Kiffin’s first game as the Tigers’ new head coach following six seasons coaching SEC-rival Ole Miss (2020-25). Senior quarterback Christopher Vizzina will get the Week 1 starting nod for Clemson, beating out freshman Tait Reynolds, among others, for the job. Vizzina has spent his entire collegiate career at Clemson (2023-25) and will succeed three-year starter Cade Klubnik, who was selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft and will be the team’s backup signal-caller. LSU defeated Clemson on the road to open the 2025 season; the Tigers fired head coach Brian Kelly after beginning the season 5-3. Meanwhile, Clemson is coming off a 7-6 season after opening the year as the No. 4 ranked team in the country. It marked the fewest games that Clemson has won since going 6-7 in 2010, Swinney’s third season as the Tigers’ head coach.
When the initial NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds came out, wide receiver Jordyn Tyson had the fourth-best odds to win the award at +600, after the Saints selected him with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL Draft. However, after suffering a hamstring injury in a joint practice with the Jaguars, Tyson is set to miss about two months. As a result of the injury, Tyson’s odds have tumbled. Let’s check out the latest odds to win OROY at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 17. 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. Jeremiyah Love: +475 (bet $10 to win $57.50 total)Fernando Mendoza: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)Carnell Tate: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)Makai Lemon: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)De’Zhaun Stribling: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)KC Concepción: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Ja’Kobi Lane: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Carson Beck: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Denzel Boston: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Jordyn Tyson: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total) Here’s what to know about the oddsboard: Tyson’s Tumble: The timetable for Tyson’s injury points to a return around the middle of October, meaning the rookie could be back against the Giants in Week 6. However, he is expected to begin the season on injured reserve and will likely miss the first portion of the year. While Tyson is not completely out of the running for the award, he will need a monster season once he returns to make up for the missed time. Over the last decade, the fewest games played by an OROY winner is 15, a mark shared by Justin Herbert in 2020 and C.J. Stroud in 2023. Love Affair: Arizona has found its new soulmate in the backfield, as Love is favored to win the OROY. He had 1,372 rushing yards and 18 rushing scores for the Fighting Irish last season, after having 1,125 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns the year prior. FOX Sports NFL analyst Rob Rang had this to say after the Cardinals made the pick: “Throw out the narrative about positional value. Love’s ability to immediately boost rookie coach Mike LaFleur’s offense justifies this selection. Frankly, GM Monti Ossenfort needed a slam dunk and Love should provide it. His creativity, elusiveness and breakaway speed have earned comparisons to NFL superstars like Saquon Barkley and Bijan Robinson from scouts traveling through South Bend for the past two years.” In his first preseason game against the Raiders, Love had 11 carries for 58 yards and three catches for 14 yards. However, he suffered a high ankle sprain that will most likely sideline him for the remainder of the preseason. Despite the injury, Love remains the favorite at +475 to win OROY. What About Nando?: The first pick in this past NFL draft came as no surprise, with Mendoza landing in Las Vegas. He threw for 3,535 yards and 41 scores last season, winning both the Heisman and College Football Playoff title for Indiana. Said Rang, “An ideal fit for the Raiders, both from a physical and intangible perspective, Mendoza isn’t just the right pick, he’s the perfect one. His prototypical size, pre- and post-snap recognition and accuracy from both the pocket and on the move should make him a star in rookie coach Klint Kubiak’s offense. Even better, Mendoza has the composure on and off the field needed for a team based in a city with the many, varied distractions of Las Vegas.” Mendoza is expected to start the season as the backup quarterback to Kirk Cousins. In his first preseason game last week, Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown.
Over the last 10 years, a No. 1 seed has won the World Series five times. A 50% clip — not bad. Which teams will nab the 1-seeds this season? And will it catapult them into the Fall Classic? Let’s look at the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 26, as well as what to know about each league race. 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. Rays: -155 (bet $10 to win $16.45 total)Yankees: +240 (bet $10 to win $34 total)Red Sox: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)White Sox: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Blue Jays: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Rangers: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Mariners: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Twins: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Angels: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Royals: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Astros: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Tigers: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Guardians: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Orioles: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Athletics: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total) What To Know: What an odd beginning to this list — three AL East teams and the White Sox. Consider this: An MLB season is 162 games. The White Sox had 162 wins … over the previous three seasons. But this year, they are first AL Central. Wild. As for that even wilder AL East, the top three teams are separated by just a handful of games. There are eight teams in baseball with at least 73 wins (as of Aug. 26) and three of them are in the AL East. Furthermore, no other AL squad has 70 wins (as of Aug. 26) outside that division. Tampa Bay, New York and Boston are each at 99% or above in terms of playoff probability, and each of them have seven total games remaining against the other two. Buckle up. Dodgers: -185 (bet $10 to win $15.41 total)Brewers: +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)Braves: +1700 (bet $10 to win $180 total)Cubs: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Phillies: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Nationals: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Cardinals: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Giants: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Padres: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Pirates: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Mets: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Marlins: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Rockies: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Reds: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Diamondbacks: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total) What To Know: As of Aug. 26, only two teams in all of baseball have 80 wins — Milwaukee and the L.A. Dodgers. However, L.A. recently lost 3-1 in a four-game series against the Brewers in Southern California. The Dodgers won the World Series last season as the 3-seed in the NL, beating second-seeded Philadelphia and top-seeded Milwaukee en route to the Fall Classic, where they beat the AL’s top seed, Toronto, in seven games. In 2024, the Dodgers and Yankees made the World Series as the two 1-seeds, and L.A. won in five games.
The Big Ten is firmly in its golden era of college football. Over the last three seasons, the conference has produced three straight national champions, with the Michigan Wolverines winning in 2023, the Ohio State Buckeyes on top in 2024 and the Indiana Hoosiers shocking the sport in 2025. Now, the conference enters 2026 loaded once again with national title contenders and College Football Playoff hopefuls across the league. The 2026 Big Ten Championship Game will take place on Dec. 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on FOX. Getting to Indianapolis, however, will be anything but easy as several of the conference’s top contenders face brutal schedules throughout the season. Have the tides fully shifted with Indiana now emerging as the team to beat in the Big Ten? Can Ohio State get its revenge from last year’s title game loss? Or can Oregon return to its Big Ten dominance from two seasons ago? Let’s take a look at the 2026 Big Ten title odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 17. 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. Ohio State: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)Oregon: +240 (bet $10 to win $34 total)Indiana: +260 (bet $10 to win $36 total)USC: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)Michigan: +1700 (bet $10 to win $180 total)Penn State: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Washington: +2400 (bet $10 to win $250 total)Iowa: +4200 (bet $10 to win $52 total)Wisconsin: +13500 (bet $10 to win $1,360 total)Nebraska: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Illinois: +16000 (bet $10 to win $1,610 total)UCLA: +17000 (bet $10 to win $1,710 total)Minnesota: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Northwestern: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Maryland: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Michigan State: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)Rutgers: +600000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)Purdue: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total) Here is what to know about the Big Ten title oddsboard: The Favorites: The two teams that met in the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game are currently two of the three teams atop the oddsboard, with Ohio State opening as the +180 favorite and the defending champion Hoosiers just behind at +260. Despite winning the national title in 2024, the last time Ohio State won the Big Ten title was in 2020. Even though the Buckeyes had four of the top 11 NFL draft picks, they return two of the best players in all college football in quarterback Julian Sayin and superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. They also return four starting offensive linemen, as well as running back Bo Jackson. On the other hand, Indiana brought in former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover via the transfer portal to replace Fernando Mendoza. While losing the Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft is a big blow, the Hoosiers are not going anywhere as long as Curt Cignetti remains at the helm. Best Bet: With all the attention on Ohio State and Indiana, Oregon (+240) seems to be flying under the radar. The Ducks have lost just three games over the last two seasons, with all three losses coming against the eventual national champion — one against Ohio State in 2024 and two against Indiana in 2025. Oregon might have the most talented and deepest roster in the Big Ten, led by quarterback Dante Moore and one of the conference’s best groups of returning starters. That returning talent includes Dakorien Moore, Jeremiah McClellan, Jordon Davison, Jamari Johnson, Matayo Uiagalelei, A’mauri Washington, Bear Alexander, Teitum Tuioti and Brandon Finney Jr. Longshot Pick: One team to potentially take a flyer on at a huge price is UCLA at +17000. The Bruins landed one of the hottest names in the coaching cycle when they hired Bob Chesney. Chesney led James Madison to the College Football Playoff last season after a 12-1 campaign before falling to Oregon. He also posted an impressive 21-6 record at JMU after taking over for Curt Cignetti in 2024. Nobody is saying Chesney will immediately replicate what Cignetti accomplished at Indiana by winning a national title in Year 2, but UCLA has the potential to take a major step forward in 2026, especially with Nico Iamaleava returning at quarterback and Derek Carr as a new special adviser.
The wait is over. Fall is upon us, and college football is here. Over the last three years, a Big Ten team has won the national championship, with Michigan winning in 2023, Ohio State in 2024 and Indiana shocking the sport in 2025. So, will the Big Ten make it four straight, or will a new conference emerge on top in 2026? Let’s check out the odds for who will win the College Football Playoff at FanDuel Sportsbook as of Aug. 31. 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. Ohio State: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)Notre Dame: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)Oregon: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)Georgia: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)Texas: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)Indiana: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)Miami: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Texas Tech: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)LSU: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Oklahoma: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Ole Miss: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Texas A&M: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Alabama: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)USC: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Michigan: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total) Here is what to know about the oddsboard: The Favorite(s): The two teams that faced off in the 2024 national title game are favored to win it all in 2026: Ohio State and Notre Dame. Ohio State has made the CFP in 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025, most recently winning the national championship in 2024. The Buckeyes return quarterback Julian Sayin, who threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns as a freshman. He will once again have one of the best receivers in the country in Jeremiah Smith, who recorded 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns last season after posting 1,315 yards (the most by a true freshman since 2000) and 15 touchdowns the year before. Smith will lead a talented receiving corps that also features five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. and veteran Brandon Inniss. The Irish, meanwhile, have not won a national championship since 1988. Notre Dame was the last team left out of the Playoff in 2025 and will enter this season with a chip on its shoulder, a loaded roster and preseason Heisman favorite CJ Carr under center. The Buckeyes host Ball State in Week 1 while the Irish play Wisconsin at Lambeau Field. Ones To Watch: Miami came oh-so-close to spoiling the Hoosiers’ perfect season a year ago, falling just short in the national title game. Heading into 2026, the Hurricanes sit seventh on the oddsboard at +1200. Two teams just behind Ohio State and Notre Dame are Texas and Oregon, with the Ducks at +750 and the Longhorns at +800. The Longhorns opened last season as the favorites to win it all behind the arm of Arch Manning, but their title hopes faded quickly after losing two of their first five games. Manning is back, though, and will once again be expected to have the Burnt Orange in title contention after finishing 2025 on a high note. From Week 9 on, Manning ranked seventh in the country in touchdown passes (12) and 10th in passing yards (1,493), leading the SEC in both categories over that span. Meanwhile, Dante Moore will return for Oregon after completing 71.8% of his passes for 3,565 yards and 30 TDs last season. FOX Sports’ lead CFB analyst Joel Klatt believes the Ducks are the best team in the country heading into the season.
