Articles in

FOX Sports

Week 1 of College Football Has Arrived

September 3, 2026

Coach Golesh leads his Auburn Tigers into his and their maiden voyage as a football team in Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Photo courtesy of *Auburn Tigers*).

Good Thursday afternoon, and welcome to Week 1 of College Football. There has been so much controversy and upheaval in the game this summer and early into this season, that it’s mind-spinning every day to read about LSU and the SEC, and everything else going on.

The latest is that the SEC is suing LSU to disallow it from adding players who have signed NFL contracts to its roster. That saga is to be determined. Baton Rouge Judge William Jorden will decide today if the temporary restraining order allowing the professional players to play at LSU will be upheld, allowing them to play until at least September 11th.

It’s a cluster, and that’s all this Blog is going to talk about concerning that, as there is some terrific football going on this weekend around the Southeastern Conference and nationally.

The marquee game actually takes place in Baton Rouge, with Dabo Swinney and his Clemson Tigers visiting Tiger Stadium and Coach Kiffin and LSU. Ole Miss squares off with Louisville in Nissan Stadium in Nashville in another classic on Sunday Night.

Of course, around these parts, the Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers embark on important seasons for both programs, as Kalen DeBoer and new quarterback, the talented Keelon Russell, along with new offensive and defensive lines, take their first test in game 1 versus East Carolina.

And the Auburn Tigers really get challenged as Coach Alex Golesh comes to the Plains from South Florida, and he and his South Florida transfer quarterback Byrom Brown will face the Baylor Bears in an excellent non-conference matchup. It’s one of the marquee games of the weekend.

There are not a lot of blockbusters this first weekend, but all the big names are playing, and there are some key games that we’ll dive into.

Here’s a look at week 1 with previews and predictions.

Record last week, Week 0: SU, 3-4; ATS, 4-3; O/U, 4-3.

Games Saturday, Friday and Thursday. All games Saturday unless otherwise noted. All game times are Central.

Tier One games

East Carolina @ No.13 Alabama, Bryant-Denny Stadium 11 A.M., ABC. Bama by 28 1/2, 52 1/2

The highly talented Keelon Russell takes over the most important position in football at one of the places where it’s the most important job in state, if not the most important. (Photo courtesy of *TikTok*).

Keelon Russell is the highest-rated recruit ever signed by Alabama, according to 247 Sports, which started rating high school players in 2010. Keelon was a .9998 five-star. His senior season at Duncanville, Texas, he was named National Gatorade Player of the Year after throwing for 4,177 yards and 55 touchdowns against only 4 interceptions. His completion percentage was 69.4 as he connected on 238 of 343 passes. He averaged 298 passing yards per game.

It was a heated competition for starting quarterback on this year’s Crimson Tide team, with former four-star recruit from the University of Washington Austin Mack battling it out tooth and nail with Keelon. Russell had a nice spring game with Mack banged up.

Russell completed 21 of 33 passes for 240, 4 TDs and only 1 int. He’s a superb talent. Mack is a highly capable backup.

But he’s got to have protection and a lot of help from the running game. Michael Carroll at right guard and Jackson Lloyd at left tackle will be leaned on for leadership and physical toughnessas they try to clear running lanes for running backs Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley and five-star freshman EJ Crowell, who has battled some injuries in the spring and summer but has been declared ready to go by Coach DeBoer. The wide receivers, led by Ryan Coleman- Williams, whom Alabama fans hope is rejuvenated, will need to produce.

The defense is anchored by Bray Hubbard, Zabien Brown, Dijon Lee and a hyper-talented secondary. Outside linebacker/defensive end Yhonzee Pierre is expected to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.

So what can this team get done this year? Is it a Playoff spot and a deep run? It’s possible if the line can block, Russell can develop quickly, the running backs deliver, the wideouts play high level football, and the defense shines.

I like this team. They should get off to a solid start against East Carolina.

Alabama 42, East Carolina 10

Byrom Brown takes the reins and homes in on making it great to be an Auburn Tiger once again. (Photo courtesy of Facebook).

Auburn vs. Baylor, Mercedes-Benz Stadium,Atlanta 2:30 P.M., ABC, Tigers by 7 1/2, 58 1/2

Alex Golesh and his new quarterback Byrom Brown, take center stage Saturday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium as they challenge themselves against the Baylor Bears.

In 2025 at South Florida, Brown completed 226 of 341, 66%, for 3,158 yards, 28 TDs against 7 interceptions, and also rushed for 1,008 yards and 14 TDs. Those are impressive numbers. Can it translate against SEC defenses in 2026? That’s the sixty-four-thousand- dollar question. He’ll be challenged out of the starting blocks against a pretty good Baylor team.

The Auburn rushing game, along with Brown, will need to help. Jeremiah Cobb headlines that group as the junior rushed for 969 yards and 5 TDs in 2025. Like the Crimson Tide, the Tigers will have to get good production out of their offensive line. The receivers, several of whom are from South Florida, will need to produce, and DJ Durkin’s defense, led by standout outside linebacker Xavier Atkins, will need to play solidly for the squad to make an improvement from the last several years, which Auburn fans are more than ready for.

I like the Tigers to win Saturday. They’ll be challenged by Dave Aranda’s Bears, but I’ll take the Tigers to persevere and start off with a solid out of conference victory.

Auburn 31, Baylor 27

Another marquee matchup features Kiffin versus Sweeney. (Photo courtesy of Facebook).

Clemson @ No.11 LSU, Tiger Stadium, 6:30 P.M. ABC, LSU by 10 1/2, 50 1/2

Quite a matchup of two complete opposite personalities running their respective sidelines.

Dabo Swinney is old guard, by the book: recruit’em, train’em, play hard-nosed football, respect the integrity of the game. Just play solid football.

Lane Kiffin pushes the envelope to the limit. He attacks the transfer portal, has a $50 million team payroll, and plays wide-open, go-for-it on every fourth down type football. He’s a risk taker and causes controversy wherever he is.

LSU first year quarterback Sam Leavitt completed 216 of 350 passes in 2024 for Arizona State, 62%, for 2,885 yards, 24 TDs and 6 interceptions. In an injury riddled 2025, Leavitt was 145 of 239, 61%, for 1,628 yards, 10 TDs and 3 interceptions. He brings a lot of talent, experience and leadership to the LSU Tigers football team.

On the opposite side, Coach Sweeney went with redshirt junior Christopher Vizzina of Briarwood Christian School in Birmingham and a nephew of Birmingham native Davy Bennett, whom several people know on this Blog.

Vizzina completed 45 of 71 passes last season for 406 yards, 4 TDs and 1 interception in more limited play as Cade Klubnik played most of the snaps. Klubnik is trying to make it in the pros now. So it’ll be an interesting quarterback and coaching matchup.

I like LSU only because they’re at home. There are a lot of new players down there, and it might take time for them to jell. Dabo and his team gives them a tussle.

LSU 28, Clemson 24

Sunday

Trinidad Chambliss leads his Rebels into what they hope is a spectacular season. (Photo courtesy of *Yahoo Sports*).

No. 24 Louisville vs. No.9 Ole Miss, Nissan Stadium, Nashville, 6:30 P.M. ABC, Ole Miss by 6 1/2, 55 1/2

Pete Golding takes over for his first full season after taking over the Rebels in the Playoff, and, along with his superstar quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, leading the team to the Semifinals of the Playoff before falling to Miami late in the game. But the team posted two solid playoff victories over Tulane and Georgia.

Chambliss completed 294 of 445 passes last season, 66%, for 3,937 yards, 22 TDs and only 3 interceptions. He also rushed for 537 yards and 8 more TDs. He’s a phenom, and so is running back Kewan Lacy, who rushed for 1,567 yards and 24 scores in 2025. Both these guys are Heisman Trophy candidates, along with several others. But these are two of the best players in the country.

I like Pete, Trinidad, Kewan, and what Golding says is the best defense he’s ever coached to get the job done in Nashville.

Ole Miss 31, Louisville 24

Tennessee State @ No.3 Georgia, Sanford Stadium, 2 P.M., SEC Network+, Georgia by 47 1/2, 54 1/2

Georgia should have no problem here. Gunner Stockton and his teammates commence on what they hope will be a special season in 2026. They always are special seasons at Georgia, but Stockton and his team want to take it to another level.

Georgia 49, Tennessee State 3

Arch Manning homes in on taking Texas to the highest level. (Photo courtesy of *Instagram*).

Texas State @ No.5 Texas, DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, 2:30 P.M. ESPN, Texas by 30, 59 1/2

The young man from the first family of football will try to lead his Longhorns to a higher level in 2026. Texas has knocked on the door with Steve Sarkisian at the helm, and there were high hopes for Arch last season. While those expectations weren’t met, he showed a lot of promise for what kind of quarterback he can become, as Texas was one of the teams that barely missed the Playoff.

Manning completed 248 of 404 passes, 61%, for 3,163 yards, 26 TDs and 7 interceptions. He rushed for 399 yards and 10 more TDs. He’ll lead a terrifically talented Texas team into 2026, a group that thinks it can win it all. He has the running backs and the wide receiving corps, with Cam Coleman from Auburn leading the way. The offensive line and defense will decide how far the Longhorns go this season.

Texas 52, Texas State 7

Tier 2 games

Friday

UTEP @ No.10 Oklahoma, Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, 7 P.M., SEC Network, OU by 41 1/2, 51 1/2

I like Brent Venables, John Mateer and the Sooners to have a solid start to the season. The OU defense will be stout. Mateer’s play is the key to the Sooners’ success this season.

Oklahoma 45, UTEP 3

If A&M’s Marcel Reed can take it to an even higher level, the talented Aggies will be highly dangerous. (Photo courtesy of *Instagram*).

Missouri State @ No.8 Texas A&M, Kyle Field, 6 P.M., ESPN, Aggies by 40 1/2, 53 1/2

For Mike Elko and his Aggies, it’s all about the play of quarterback Marcel Reed this season.

If Reed excels, so do the Aggies. If he’s inconsistent, they won’t reach their goals of making the Playoff and advancing there.

I like Reed. He seems like a great kid from Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville and has played a lot of good football. He completed 234 of 377, 62%, for 3,169 yards, 25 TDs and 12 interceptions in 2025. He also rushed for 493 yards and 6 more TDs. He’s got a lot of talent. He threw too many interceptions last season and had poor games against Texas in the final game of the season and against Miami in the Aggies first round playoff loss at home.

But he’s got a shot to do well, and so do the Aggies in the SEC and nationally.

Elko has the No.1 recruiting class in the country in 2027 right now.

A&M 45, Mizzou State 7

Florida Atlantic @ Florida, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, 6:45 P.M., Gators by 26 1/2, 59 1/2

Like many schools, Florida has a new coach and a new quarterback. Jon Sumrall comes over from Tulane, where he had good success, and before that at Troy. Aaron Philo, a Georgia Tech transfer, will be under center for Florida in game 1.

In limited play at Tech, Philo completed 21 of 28 passes, 75%, for 373 with a TD and one interception. He played behind established starter Haynes King at Tech.

But Sumrall and the Gators are high on Philo, and they’re ecstatic to have running back Jaden Baugh back. Baugh rushed for 1,170 yards and 8 TDs last season and has the potential, with his physicality and breakaway speed, to really enhance those numbers this season.

I like this Gators squad. They’l be heading in the right direction in 2026.

Florida 41, Florida Atlantic 14

Furman (1-0) @ No. 20 Tennessee, Neyland Stadium, 2:30 P.M., SEC Network+, Tennessee by 46 1/2, 66 1/2

Josh Heupel picked five-star freshman Faizon Brandon as his quarterback over four-star sophomore George McIntyre. Brandon is a specimen at 6’3 1/2″, 225 pounds. This will be interesting to watch. The kid’s got a ton of talent, so it might work out for Heupel and the Vols.

Tennessee 35, Furman 17

Tonight

Arkansas Pine Bluff (1-0) @ No.25 Missouri, Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field, 7 P.M., SEC Network, Mizzou by 55 1/2, 61 1/2

Missouri will start Ole Miss transfer Austin Simmons, who got Wally Pipped by Trinidad Chambliss at Oxford last season. Starting running back Ahmad Hardy was shot this summer but is expected to be back in mid September. Gotta be careful out there.

Jamal Roberts will start at running back. Roberts rushed for 753 yards and 6 TDs last season, so he’s a strong replacement for Hardy while he keeps recovering.

Give me Eli Drinkwitz and his team to have a good night tonight.

Missouri 59, Arkansas Pine Bluff 3

Tier 3 games

Kent State @ South Carolina, Williams-Brice Stadium, 11:45 A.M., SEC Network, SC by 36 1/2, 54 1/2

Shane Beamer hired Kendal Briles from TCU as his offensive coordinator to try to turn his and his team’s fortunes around. I like the hire. If he can get LaNorris Sellers playing good football under center, the Gamecocks have a chance to win 8 or 9 games this season. There’s a lot of talent on this team.

South Carolina 48, Kent State 7

Austin Peay @ Vanderbilt, FirstBank Stadium, 6 P.M., SEC Network+, Vanderbilt by 29 1/2, 60 1/2

Clark Lea had really gained momentum from last season’s 10-3 season, though they did lose in the ReliaQuest Bowl to Iowa, 34-27. They looked like they had mailed it in after not getting in the playoff.

Still, things looked highly optimistic as the Dores signed five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, stealing him away from Georgia.

But Lea has gone with New Mexico State transfer Blaze Berlowitz as his starter versus Austin Peay, saying both quarterbacks will play. I believe in the axiom that if you have two quarterbacks, you have no quarterback. And Curtis’ ceiling is so much higher than Berlowitz’s. I hope it works out for Lea. Seems like a mistake. There’s a lot of talent around the quarterback and on the other side of the ball, Lea has recruited the high schools and portal well, so maybe that can compensate for the two quarterback/no quarterback system.

Vanderbilt 30, Austin Peay 10

North Alabama (1-0) @ Arkansas, Razorback Stadium, 3:15 P.M., SEC Network, Arkansas by 40 1/2, 63 1/2

After a successful tenure at Memphis, Ryan Silverfield tests the hard-charging waters of the SEC. North Alabama’s already played and won a game, so the Hogs may be tested a little more than they think. Probably not, though. North Alabama defeated woeful Samford last Saturday, 22-10.

Arkansas 52, North Alabama 10

Kentucky 35, Youngstown State (1-0) 17

Kroger Field, Lexington, 12 P.M. SEC Network+, Kentucky by 23 1/2, 62 1/2

Mississippi State 35, LA Monroe 10

Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, State by 28 1/2, 54 1/2

National Outlook

No.6 Indiana 45, North Texas 3, Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, 11 A.M. FOX, IU by 40 1/2, 55 1/2

Curt Cignetti has a new quarterback after he and Fernando Mendoza led their team to the national championship in 2025. Mendoza is now waiting his turn behind Kirk Cousins in Las Vegas for the Raiders, and Cignetti has a new quarterback, TCU transfer Josh Hoover.

Hoover completed 272 of 413 passes last season, 66%, for 3,472 yards, 29 TDs, and 13 interceptions. I feel like Cignetti and his coaching staff will figure how to get Hoover to cut down on the interceptions and have a big season, with IU right in the thick of things in December/January.

The prolific Jeremiah Smith will try to be lifting a couple of trophies in 2026. (Photo courtesy of *FOX Sports*).

No.1 Ohio State 56, Ball State 3

Ohio Stadium, Columbus, 11:30 A.M., Big Ten Network

Buckeyes by 50 1/2, 56 1/2

As a freshman, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns in a Buckeye national championship season. Last season, his sophomore year, he caught 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 TDs. He could be lifting the Heisman Trophy in December and the national championship trophy in January if his team pans out.

Dan Lanning tries to take the Oregon Ducks to a place they’ve never been before: on top of the college football landscape. (Photo courtesy of The Daily Emerald, Eugene, OR.)

No.2 Oregon 38, Boise State 10

Autzen Stadium, Eugene, 2:30 P.M., CBS

Oregon by 24 1/2, 51 1/2

Dan Lanning has recruited and developed Oregon into what should be the best team they’ve ever had in his five years at the helm. They have trouble with the final hurdles in the playoff, but this year’s team could be different.

Sunday

No.4 Notre Dame 31, Wisconsin 7

Lambeau Field, Green Bay. Gotta love that.

6:30 P.M. NBC

ND by 21, 46 1/2

The Fighting Irish under Marcus Freeman are playing with a mad on after being snubbed from the Playoff last season. They start their 2026 journey impressively at the Frozen Tundra.

Friday

No.7 Miami 24, Stanford 21

Stanford Stadium, Palo Alto, CA.

8 P.M., ESPN

Miami by 24 1/2, 47 1/2

Miami has trouble with the rejuvenated Stanford team under coach Tavita Pritchard.

Davis Warren, the Stanford quarterback, is the son of Jeff Warren, who I was a Phi Delta Theta with at Vanderbilt. Jeff was a super guy and Davis seems like a great young guy too.

Predictions for 146th U.S. Open, Recap of Week 0 in College Football Recap

August 30, 2026

Carlos Alcaraz returns from four month layoff due to a broken wrist. (Photo courtesy of *The BBC*).

The great Spaniard, Carlos Alcaraz, is back in New York for the 146th U.S. Open after a four month absence due to a wrist injury. Carlos goes for his eighth Grand Slam and third U.S. Open title after winning in 2022 and last season. Who can stop him?

Novak Djokovic, the 24 time Grand Slam winner, has a shot. German Alexander Zverev is the reigning French Open champion, and Americans Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, among others, have high aspirations in Flushing Meadows.

On the women’s side, as expected, Russian Aryna Sabalenka is the No.1 seed as she is the No.1 player in the world.

ESPN will televise along with ESPN 2 and ABC.

ESPN will broadcast the Women’s Final at 3 P.M. CT/4 ET on Saturday, September 12.

ESPN will carry the men’s final on Sunday, September 13th, at 1 P.M. CT/ 2 East.

Here are my Predictions:

Men’s Final

Ben Shelton over Taylor Fritz 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5

Should be an epic match. I like Shelton to emerge over Carlos in the quarters and over Novak in the semis. I’ve got Fritz over 19 year old Rafael Jodar in the semis.

Champion

Ben Shelton

Women’s Final

Coco Gauff over Sabalenka 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (9-7)

Should be another classic with the 22 year old Gauff winning her third Grand Slam after capturing the 2023 U.S. and the 2025 French.

Champion

Coco Gauff

Recap of Week 0 Games in College Football

College Football was thrilling on Saturday. TCU couldn’t handle all of its own penalties, 11 for 89 yards, and fell to Bill Belichick and North Carolina, 15-10.

Not sure USC is totally back, it’s been a while. They won 42-26 over San Jose State, but looked a little questionable on defense once again.

Virginia was highly impressive with Missouri transfer Beau Pribula throwing for two touchdowns in a Cavaliers blasting of NC State, 34-8.

North Dakota State didn’t miss a beat moving up to FBS as they dominated Jax State, 33-7. The Bison play a hard-nosed physical brand of football. It’s impressive.

Stanford defeated Hawaii, 37-27 giving first year coach Tavita Pritchard a victory in his first game as head coach of the Cardinal.

FSU wasn’t overly impressive in its 34-17 victory over New Mexico State. New Mexico State was scrappy, but Mike Norvell’s team has a ton of improving to do if it wants to have any chance of having a decent season. He’s going to need at least eight victories, and that still may not be enough for the FSU faithful.

Finally, Charles Huff and his Memphis Tigers distinguished themselves as a contender for the Group of Six bid to make it to the 12-team Playoff going on the road to Allegiant Stadium and defeating UNLV, 27-21.

A nice Saturday to kick off the season.

Week 1 begins this Thursday Night.

The color and pageantry of College Football has arrived. Saturday was thrilling and it’s only going to get better as we matriculate into Week 1.

I’ll check in with you Thursday for Week 1 Previews and Predictions. Have a great Sunday.

Week 0 College Football features compelling matchups as teams try to catapult themselves into the national conversation

August 27, 2026

Jaden Craig “matriculates” football-wise, to TCU after a decorated career in the Ivy League. (Photo courtesy of *The Harvard Crimson*).

Week 0 in College Football kicks off Saturday, and after all the upheaval over the summer, it’s time to put the controversy aside and focus on what’s best about the sport: the games.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey took a hard stand against Lane Kiffin and the LSU contingency when he barred any SEC team from adding NFL players to their roster. Players who had already signed NFL contracts.

Sankey put a league-wide penalty on any team that violated this rule. The punishment is severe. If a team does try and take an NFL player, the head coach would be suspended for half the season, the SEC would cut half of the team’s operations budget, and the school would lose SEC voting privileges.

I greatly admire the Commissioner for his strong stand.

That’s a positive for college football.

Now, onto the Week 0 matchups. Teams will be trying to establish themselves in the national landscape right out of the starting blocks. There’s an excellent storyline in every game on the opening weekend slate.

Here’s a look at Week 0, along with White’s World’s Sports Confidential’s Predictions.

Record in 2025: SU-174-58, 75%. ATS: 108-124, 47%. Over/Under: 123-109, 53%. Playoff/Bowls SU:13-8. ATS: 12-9. O/U: 15-6.

Record in 2024: 169-64, 73%; ATS: 121-111, 52%; O/U: 13-13. O/U just for bowls/Playoff, when I started keeping Over/Under. 2024 includes regular season and Playoff/Bowls.

All games are Saturday, and all times are Central. Records from 2025 are in Parentheses.

North Carolina (4-8, 2-6 ACC) vs. TCU (9-4, 5-4 Big 12)

Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, 51,700

11 A.M.

ESPN

Mike Monaco, JRodg, Dana Boyle

TCU by 8 1/2, O/U 46 1/2

Bill Belichick tries to recover from a disastrous first year at the helm in Chapel Hill. He’s got a new quarterback in Billy Edwards Jr., who threw for 2,881 yards with 15 TDs and 9 interceptions in 2024 for Maryland, but only played in three games for Wisconsin last year.

As usual, Belichick’s squad is packed with transfers. A lot of baggage in this program under Belichick, which is typical. A coach, his son, Steve, left the team for a medical leave. Another coach, the General Manager Michael Lombardi, not a coach technically, was suspended after a personnel complaint.

And, with that said, in comes Easy Rider Bobby Petrino to rescue the offense. That’s some serious luggage. He does have success as an offensive mind on his resume, however.

The TCU defense, and particularly its secondary, will be tested by Petrino and Edwards Jr. After a solid 2025 season on offense, as usual under Sonny Dykes, the Horned Frogs needed to bring in a new signal caller as Josh Hoover took his talents to Bloomington and Curt Cignetti; the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers. Hoover had some good moments in Fort Worth, but he’s also a pretty high interception passer. He threw 29 TDs, but also 13 ints last season. We’ll see if Cignetti and company can do better in that department with Hoover.

Jaden Craig comes to Fort Worth from Harvard where he threw for 2,869 yards, 25 TDs and 7 ints in 2025, and 2,430 yards, 23 TDs and 3 ints in 2024. He’s not a big scrambler, but he’s a solid athlete. TCU returns two starting offensive linemen, and 12 more returners, which will help their quarterback stay upright.

Gordon Sammis came over from UConn to replace Kendal Briles as offensive coordinator as Briles took the OC job under Shane Beamer at South Carolina. In 2025, the UConn offense was 16th in the country in points per game at 36.9. They ranked 18th nationally in yards, averaging 456.7 per game. And they led the nation in ball security turning the ball over only once all season. Sammis played offensive line at Virginia. So a possible upgrade for the Horned Frogs.

Prediction

This game may not be as high scoring a game as predicted, due to it being the first game of the season. TCU walloped UNC 48-14 in Chapel Hill last season, but I expect a much more competitive game in Dublin. Belichick and Petrino should have the Tar Heels better prepared, while both teams are breaking in new quarterbacks. I’ll take TCU to win, but UNC to make it interesting.

TCU 24, UNC 20

San Jose State (3-9, 2-6 Mountain West) @ USC (9-4, 7-2 Big Ten)

Jayden Maiava is expected to have a big year for the Trojans. (Photo courtesy of the LA Times).

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, 77,500

2 P.M.

NBC

Noah Eagle, Todd, Kathryn Tappen

USC by 38 1/2, 60 1/2

Lincoln Riley secured the No.1 high school recruiting class in 2026 (On3 Rankings), and has declared that USC is back. They had a good year in 2025, not great, but have aspirations of making the Playoff this season. If they don’t, Riley may start feeling some more heat. Riley is expecting big things from quarterback Jayden Maiava, who in 2025, completed 265 of 403 attempts for 3,711 yards, 66 percent, 24 TDs and 10 ints. Those are probably more interceptions than Riley is looking for, but Maiava is in his fourth season, and that’s not terrible. He rushed for 6 touchdowns in 2025.

USC is planning on a big season in LA, and they aren’t backing down from their belief that they’re one of the best teams in the country. Lincoln Riley has done it before at Oklahoma, so you have some trust in his comments that USC is ready to compete. He could very well be right.

This’ll be tough for the Spartans.

USC 49, San Jose State 7

North Carolina State (7-6, 4-4 ACC) @ Virginia (11-3, 7-1)

CJ Bailey is stellar under center for the Wolfpack. (Photo courtesy of *Queen City News, Charlotte N.C.*)

Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, 61,500

2:30 P.M.

ESPN

Wes Durham, Max Browne, Madison Fitzpatrick

UVA by 4, 52 1/2

The ‘Hoos had a terrific 2025 under Tony Elliott as they reached the ACC Championship Game, losing to Duke, unfortunately in that one, but winning the Gator Bowl over Missouri, 13-7. Missouri transfer Beau Pribula will take the snaps for the Cavaliers this season. For Eli Drinkwitz and Missouri last season, Pribula completed 68% of his passes with 11 TDs and 9 interceptions. He rushed for 6 TDs.

On the other side, CJ Bailey completed 69% of his passes with 25 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He also ran for 6 scores.

Prediction

Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren is 4-0 against Virginia, including last season’s 35-31 comeback victory over Virginia in Raleigh, and the Pack hasn’t lost @ C-Ville since 1996. I like CJ Bailey and company to keep that momentum going and propel the Wolfpack into the 2026 season with an upset victory at Scott Stadium.

NC State 28, Virginia 27

Jacksonville State (9-5, 7-1 C-USA) @ North Dakota State (12-1, 8-0 MVC)

Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome, 18,700

4:30 P.M.

CBS Sports Network

Rich Waltz, Adam Breneman, Brian Kelly? Are you kiddin’ me?

NDSU by 7, 46 1/2

After winning 10 national championships in FCS, which included five in a row from 2011-15, and the most recent one in 2024, the Bison left the Missouri Valley Conference and now begins their journey into FBS play as one of the now 138 teams in FBS this season. Jax State is solid, but I like the Bison at the Fargodome. Don’t know a ton about the Dome except that it is a definite home field advantage from what I’ve researched on it.

The Bison aims to make a statement in FBS this season. They had massive success in FCS ball and plan on the same at the FBS level. They play big, tough, physical football and that translates well to any level of the game. The home field will be an advantage at the end, too.

North Dakota State 24, Jacksonville State 16

Hawaii (9-4, 5-3 Mountain West) @ Stanford (4-8, 2-6 ACC)

Stanford Stadium, Palo Alto, 50,424

6 P.M.

ACC Network

Jorge Sedano, Rodney McLeod, Kendra Douglas

Stanford by 4 1/2, 48 1/2

Stanford had a tough transition into the ACC last season, and have a new coach, Tavita Pritchard, who is a former quarterback at Stanford from 2006-09. But Hawaii is pretty tough and defeated the Cardinal last season. I like the upset.

Hawaii 27, Stanford 24

New Mexico State (4-8, 2-6 C-USA) @ Florida State (5-7, 2-6 ACC)

Former Auburn quarterback Ashton Daniels takes the reins in Tallahassee (Photo courtesy of x.com)

Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, 67,277

6 P.M.

CW Network

Thom Brennaman, Jason Cabinda, Wes Bryant

FSU by 32 1/2, 52 1/2

I really like former Auburn and Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels, who is now the new FSU starting quarterback . He completed 68 of 119 last season, 57 percent, for 797 yards, 3 TDs and 2 ints last year for the Tigers, playing at the end of the season, but gave Vanderbilt everything it wanted as he and Cam Coleman, now with Texas, wore out the Commodores secondary; though Diego Pavia and Vanderbilt prevailed in the end.

But Daniels and Coleman put on a clinic. I believe the ‘Noles will be improved with Daniels under center. Mike Norvell certainly needs him to be with Norvell’s job in jeopardy again with a bad season if Florida State can afford Norvell’s massive buyout.

FSU 34, New Mexico State 7

Memphis (8-5, 4-4 American) @ UNLV (10-4, 6-2 Mountain West)

Jackson Arnold, also from Auburn, will be under center for UNLV. (Photo courtesy of *Hudl*).

Allegiant Stadium, Vegas, 65,000

9 P.M.

FOX

Tim Brando, Devin Gardner, Josh Sims

UNLV by 4, 56 1/2

Charles Huff takes over at Memphis. Ryan Silverfield secured the Arkansas job after six solid seasons in the River City where he posted a 50-25 record and a 4-1 bowl record.

Memphis head coaches can have trouble with the transition from the Group of Five to Power 4 jobs. The Group of Five is now the Group of Six with the PAC-12 joining the American, the Sun Belt, the Mountain West, C-USA and the MAC.

Two examples of Memphis coaches struggling are Justin Fuente, who struggled at Virginia Tech before being fired, and now Norvell, who has been really slogging through the last couple of years at FSU, though he had good success in 2023, just missing the then four team playoff.

Both are good coaches. It’s just a tough row to hoe. Huff, a former running backs coach for Nick Saban in 2019 and 2020, has compiled a 39-25 overall head coaching record with a four year stint at Marshall, and last season at Southern Miss.

He’ll take on Dan Mullen and Jackson Arnold, a quarterback that has to be hungry to prove himself. Arnold completed 63 percent of his passes at Auburn last season with 6 TDs and 2 ints, but was benched later in the year. In 2024 at Oklahoma, he completed 63% of his passes for 1,421 yards with 12 TDs and 3 ints and led the Sooners to a victory over the Crimson Tide, 24-3. He rushed for 8 TDs at Auburn, and 3 for the Sooners.

Prediction

I like Huff to do a really good job at Memphis and for Memphis to keep this game close. But I like Mullen, Arnold and the Rebels to prevail.

UNLV 34, Memphis 30

Smart, Stockton home in on bigger things in 2026

August 18, 2026

All SEC Championship hopes run through Athens, but can Georgia and Gunner Stockton and Georgia do better than an SEC Championship? (Photo courtesy of *The New York Times*).

The Georgia Bulldogs won the SEC Championship in 2024 and 2025, but failed to get past the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff both seasons. Can Kirby Smart and Gunner Stockton shift the narrative to both SEC and national champions in 2026?

Smart, 50 years old and born in Montgomery, has amassed a 117-21 overall record in 10 seasons at Georgia (85%), and authored a 75-19 SEC record (80%). He has four SEC Championships on his resume, 2017, 2022, 2024 and 2025, and national championships in 2021 and 2022.

The resume is impeccable, but there seems to be some frustration with how the last two seasons have ended in Athens, as the Bulldogs have failed to advance beyond the quarterfinals of the 12-team playoff.

Smart has a team capable of running the table all the way to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Monday, January 25th, 2027. But some things have to fall into place for the Bulldogs. And the schedule, like all schedules in the SEC, is intensely demanding.

Here’s a look at the keys to Georgia’s success in 2026.

Quarterback Gunner Stockton

Gunner Stockton returns for his senior season. The 6’1″, 215 pounder from Tiger, Georgia,

completed 269 of 386 passes in 2025, 70%, for 2,894 yards, 24 TDs, and only five

interceptions.

He also rushed for 462 yards and 10 TDs.

If Stockton can throw the ball downfield even better this season, and keep progressing as

both a player and a leader, the sky’s the limit.

Running backs

Nate Frazier will anchor the running game this season. (Photo courtesy of *Instagram)*.

Nate Frazier will anchor the running game. The 5’10”, 205-pound junior, rushed for 947 yards and six touchdowns. He brings excellent running power between the tackles, solid speed, and an ability to break tackles and create explosive plays.

Sophomore Chauncey Bowens is a 5’11”, 225- pound powerful runner who may have even better take-it-the-house ability than Frazier. Bowens rushed for 546 yards and 6 TDs last season.

Dante Dowdell, a transfer from Kentucky who rushed for 560 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, was seriously injured in an ATV accident this summer, and his status for this season is uncertain.

He is out of the woods as far as any major repercussions to his health, but playing is not in the plans for the foreseeable future.

Dwight Phillips is a 5’10”, 185 junior who rushed for 210 yards and a touchdown, but Frazier and Bowens, if they remain healthy, will do the heavy lifting.

With four of five starters returning on the offensive line, led by center Drew Bobo, 6’5″, 305, the Dawgs will be formidable once again on the ground.

Through the air, there is talent, but not a lot of proven production.

The most experienced receiver is London Humphreys, who caught 18 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns in 2025. Isiah Canion is a 6’4″, 205 junior transfer from Georgia Tech who caught 33 passes for 480 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2025 for the Yellow Jackets.

Sacovie White-Helton caught eight passes for 70 yards but no touchdowns last season as a Bulldog. He is 5’9″, 180.

There are several players behind those starters on the depth chart, but no proven players in that group.

It’s a talented room, but untested for the most part.

Defense

KJ Bolden will anchor the secondary at free safety. (Photo courtesy of X.com).

Last year’s defense had trouble getting to the quarterback, and it really cost the team in its loss to Ole Miss in the quarterfinal playoff game. Georgia simply could not stop Trinidad Chambliss.

The Bulldogs will have to be better in that area this season.

The defense is led by senior defensive end/OLB Gabe Harris Jr., a 6’4″, 260-pounder who is expected to have a tremendous season.

In his junior year, Harris Jr. finished with 6 1/2 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble, but is expected to take on a more dominating role this season.

Senior middle linebacker Raylen Wilson, 6’1″, 235, finished with 74 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks in 2025.

Free safety KJ Bolden leads the back end for Georgia.

The 6’0″, 195-pound senior finished with 76 tackles last year, added two ints and recovered a fumble. He’ll quarterback the secondary.

Key Games

The key games for Georgia include-all Saturdays- September 19 @ Arkansas (11 A.M. CT/noon ET, ABC), September 26 vs Oklahoma, October 10 @ Alabama, October 17 vs Auburn, the Deep South’s oldest rivalry going on its 131st meeting.

Georgia leads the series, 66-56-8, and has won the last nine dating back to 2017.

Smart and the Dogs have not had as much success against the Crimson Tide, as Alabama leads the series 45-27-4, with Smart going 1-5 against Nick Saban and 1-2 against Kalen DeBoar so far.

The October 10 game at Bryant-Denny Stadium is a major contest for both teams, and then the Auburn Tigers invade Sanford Stadium the following Saturday.

The Florida game in Jacksonville on October 31 will be tough as well, as people in Gainesville and pundits around the SEC like this Florida team that Jon Sumrall has taken over.

On Nov. 7, the Bulldogs travel to Oxford to face Pete and the Rebels.

Nov. 14 is Missouri at home. Nov. 21 is @ South Carolina, a challenge for sure. And Nov. 28 is Georgia Tech at Sanford Stadium.

This gauntlet would challenge anybody in this conference, but Smart and Georgia embrace it.

Prediction

I’m looking at a team that can go 11-1 overall and win the SEC Championship again.

A loss at Alabama is possible, and games against Oklahoma, Florida in Jacksonville, @ Ole Miss, Trinidad and Kewan Lacy again will severely test the Bulldog defense, are all difficult. And @ South Carolina ain’t no bargain.

Auburn at home will be demanding, as it’s always a tough game, though I like the Bulldogs to emerge victorious in that one.

The key is, if the Dogs can matriculate through the SEC and win the SEC Championship over Texas, can they finally break through in the Playoff?

It’s about Stockton becoming an even more proficient downfield passer, and having a receiving corps that can be more explosive, and doing a better job catching the football than it has the last couple of seasons.

The running game and the line look strong if both units can stay healthy, which is always a question mark. The defense will face some electric quarterbacks this season.

Can it get pressure on the opposing quarterbacks and get’em on the ground?

That will be critical to this team’s success.

Saban always talked about affecting the quarterback, so Georgia will need to do that. But with the likes of Trinidad Chambliss, John Mateer, LaNorris Sellers, Keelon Russell or Austin Mack, Byrum Brown and potentially Arch Manning, this defense will be pushed to the limit to contain those explosive players.

Georgia can certainly win the SEC, but there will be a grueling stretch of games it’ll need to survive and advance.

Then, in the playoff, the Bulldogs could see the likes of Ohio State, Oregon, Notre Dame, defending national champion Indiana, Miami, and teams like Texas, Texas A&M, and possibly Alabama, Oklahoma, LSU or Ole Miss.

The Dawgs can win it all if they can stay reasonably healthy and Stockton and company can be even better this season, while the defense, which is loaded once again, plays the way Kirby Smart’s defenses used to play.

I give Georgia a 55 percent chance to win the SEC and finish 12-1.

To win it all, they’ll have to get stellar play from Stockton, his supporting cast and the defense.

Georgia fans are ready to get over the top again.

But there are major obstacles along the way.

The talent is there to run the table, though.

Auburn Football aspires to change the narrative in 2026

August 11, 2026

Alex Golesh is now on the Plains with high goals for the future of Auburn Football. (Photo courtesy of Auburn Tigers).

The Auburn Tigers enter the 2026 season with high hopes for a turnaround from the last three disastrous years under Hugh Freeze, as Auburn hired Alex Golesh from South Florida, who brought in several players from the portal, and in recruiting, and retained some quality returners to try and turn Auburn Football’s fortunes around. Freeze is back on the golf course working on his handicap, where he spent most of his time instead of coaching football.

Golesh did retain stellar defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, which was a no doubter given the results Durkin has gotten out of the Auburn D in the last two years. In his third season on the Plains, Durkin will bring another aggressive, attacking NFL style of defense, which will go along with Golesh’s uptempo, spread’em out offense. It could possibly work well.

Here’s a look inside the Auburn Tigers and a prediction on how great it’ll be to be an Auburn Tiger in 2026 and beyond…

Auburn Offense

Golesh brought along several of his South Florida players with him to the Loveliest Village. He was 23-15 in four years at Tampa, and 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the American in 2025. The Bulls posted victories over Florida and Boise State last season, but lost in the Cure Bowl at Orlando to Old Dominion, 24-10, after Golesh had taken the Auburn job on November 30th.

The man under center in 2026 is Byrum Brown, who put together a stellar career at USF, completing 616 of 950 passes, 65%, for 7,690 yards, 61 TDs against 19 ints.

In 2025, Brown completed 226 of 341, 66%, for 3,158 yards, 28 TDs against 7 ints. He also rushed for 1,008 yards and 14 more TDs, so he was responsible for 42 TDs in 2025.

He’s promising, though he has an unusual side-arm throwing motion, which could still work. Arch Manning uses that throwing motion as well, and it’s worked out OK, not great, for him so far. But Arch has a year of starting under his belt and his talent is unquestionable. So is Brown’s, however not in the SEC. That’ll be something to watch. But the numbers are absolutely impressive. His size is also impressive at 6’3″, 235. He’s electric.

He’ll be working with a few veterans around him, and guys who’ve been through the wars, just not the SEC wars. But a few have. Jeremiah Cobb rushed for 969 yards and 5 TDs last season, his sophomore season as a Tiger. Cobb brings terrific, hard-nosed toughness running between the tackles at 5’11”, 205, and an ability to take it to the house. Bryson Washington, a 6’0″, 210 pound junior transfer from Baylor, brings power running the ball as well. The Tigers offensive staff is high on what USF transfer wide receiver Chas Nimrod can bring to the Tigers passing game. Nimrod is 6’2″, 200. Bryce Cain, a sophomore and returning player, is a guy whom Golesh and wide receivers coach/co-offensive coordinator Kodi Burns expect to bring it this season out wide. Those are just some of the potential weapons. There will be 5 transfers starting on the offensive front, so that’s a transition, though all have experience in FBS ball. Six-four, 322 pound center, and USF transfer Cole Best, looks like a leader up front. Golesh has recruited a lot of depth on the O Line, so it just depends on how these guys progress the rest of this month and early in the season. With Brown, Cobb, Washington and some others, the running game could be outstanding if the blocking can hold up.

Defense

Defensive Coordinator DJ Durkin is totally trustable for the Tigers. (Photo courtesy of The Auburn Observer).

The great Durkin will have his bell cow back, the 6’0″, 210 pound outside backer Xavier Atkins. All Atkins did in 2025 was lead the Tigers in tackles with 84, posting 17 for loss, 9 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and he took an interception back to the tune of 73 yards versus Texas A&M at College Station, which led to an Auburn TD on the next play, though the Tigers dropped that game, 16-10, in another frustrating close Freeze loss. Atkins will anchor the defense. He’ll be alongside some other stellar second level players in middle backer Elijah Melendez and Buck linebacker Jared Smith. The secondary will feature free safety Champ Anthony and corner Rayshawn Pleasant. They both have good ball skills and leadership ability. There are a lot of transfers up front on D for Durkin and the Tigers too. Cody Sigler is a 6’2″, 308 defensive tackle, who transferred from Arkansas State. He brings a big body to Durkin’s 3-3-5 D. There are some other big, but new players up front, just like at Alabama. There are question marks for both teams on both sides of the line of scrimmage. But if anybody can develop this defense and the d line, it’s Durkin.

Everybody at Auburn knows the stellar Xavier Atkins will anchor this defense. (Photo courtesy of *AL.com)*.

2026 Schedule

The schedule looks imposing in the SEC, but that’s rhetorical as every team has to survive this gauntlet. The Tigers open on September 5th versus Baylor at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Outside, in the city, it might be 95 degrees with 104 heat index, but it won’t be inside, which is good for both teams. Brutal right now in the South, maybe everywhere. This contest is a rematch from last season’s game at Waco, a game which the Tigers won 38-24 in what was a promising start, but one that didn’t last as the Tigers finished 5-7 and AD John Cohen dismissed Freeze with three games left in the season. Game time for the Tigers-Bears is 2:30 P.M. CT/3:30 ET on ABC. It’s one of the best games of week 1. There are some pretty good games the week before in week 0. I’ll cover and predict those when that time comes. TCU-UNC is the best game of week 0. It’s at 11 A.M. CT/12 East on ABC, and it’s being played @ Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.

Then Auburn faces Southern Miss at Jordan-Hare on Saturday, 9/12, at 6:45 P.M. CT/7:45 East on the S-E-C Network. In week 3, the Tigers square off with Florida and its new head coach, Jon Sumrall, at Jordan-Hare on Saturday, 9/19, at 6 P.M. CT/7 ET on ESPN. Some pundits are high on what Sumrall can do in his first year for the Gators after successful stints at Troy and Tulane, but we’ll see. Should be a highly competitive game. Vanderbilt comes to Jordan-Hare the next Saturday, 9/26, with the time and TV to be determined. Game 5 is Saturday, 10/3, @Knoxvegas versus the Vols. It’s either a 2:30/3:30 P.M. game or a 7/8 game with TV to be determined. Will know towards the latter part of September. The Tigers will have earned a nice off week on Saturday, 10/10, then they head to Athens to face “Dem Dawgs” on Saturday, 10/17. Looking at a 2:30/3:30 or 3:30/4:30 kick with TV TBD. The Tigers host Lame and his Bengal Tigers the next Saturday as LSU visits Jordan-Hare on 10/24, with an 11 A.M./12 P.M. kick preliminarily scheduled on ESPN. On Saturday, 10/31, Auburn’s @ Ole Miss with an 11 A.M./ 12 P.M kick likely. Arkansas at home on Saturday, 11/7 (11/12 kick), then the Tigers are @ Mississippi State on Saturday, 11/14, with an 11/12 kick possible. On Saturday, 11/21, the Tigers host Samford. And on Saturday, 11/28, they travel to Tuscaloosa to play for 365 days of bragging rights and a possible important showdown for both teams if things go better than predicted.

Prediction for the Auburn Tigers 2026 season

From what I’m reading and hearing from Golesh, things seem positive. He’s got some talent, a talented coaching staff, and an electric quarterback. Tiger fans should look for progress, not perfection. Games against Florida and LSU at home are toss ups, depending on the health of the teams.

There are some extremely difficult road games @ Oxford, @ Georgia and @ Tuscaloosa. Tennessee, like the East Course at BCC, is no bargain on the road either. Vanderbilt will put up a fight. They’re all tough in this conference. There are no Saturdays off in this conference.

A first game victory over Baylor in game one is critical for the Tigers to establish momentum and progress on a positive note moving into the rest of the season.

I’m looking at a ceiling of 8 wins if things go very well, an 8-4 season, and a floor of 5-7, if things don’t go as well and there are some critical injuries. I like what Golesh is saying and I love what Durkin does on defense.

Auburn’s got a shot to have a solid season and keep building for the future. The 2026 high school recruiting class was ranked 40th by Rivals/On3, but the 2027 class is already ranked 12th by Rivals/On3. The 2026 transfer class was ranked 47th.

But 2027 recruiting looks extremely promising.

Golesh just has to prove to the Tiger fans and recruits that he’s for real.

Open Championship into day 3 with controversy swirling. World Cup Prediction. What’s coming up next week

July 18, 2026

Lionel Messi aims to lead Argentina to their fourth World Cup Championship. (Photo courtesy of *Wikipedia*).

As the 154th Open Championship has matriculated into day 3, there is some phenomenal golf being played at Royal Birkdale and some controversy from one controversial dude.

New Zealander Ryan Fox, who shot 8 under 62 today, for another 62 joining Australia’s Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns of the U.S. (LSU) who both shot that number yesterday, which tied the all time major one day scoring record. It’s wide open with a really prominent leaderboard of savvy veterans and young lions.

Fox and Herbert are tied at 8 under with a crowded leaderboard including Cam Young and the always controversial DeChambeau, after a run in with rules officials yesterday after he was assessed for moving the grass behind his ball, both at 5 under and tied for seventh along with Sam Burns, Tommy Fleetwood and several others. Si Woo Kim, Cam Young Jackson Suber, the 26 year old Tampa native by way of Ole Miss, and North Carolina alum Ryan Gerard are tied for third at -6.

Even if DeChambeau doesn’t know the rule that you can’t move the grass or ground around the ball or it’s a two stroke penalty, the Diva HAS to accept the penalty and act like a grown man instead of a whining little teenager. Those are the rules. DeChambeau, as a professional golfer, should know them. A lot of controversy around that guy.

Despite DeChambois’s antics, it’s a compelling and crowded leaderboard today with NBC and Peacock providing coverage until 2 P.M. CT/3 ET or later depending on how long it takes to complete the round. Will be a riveting two days.

As for the World Cup with Spain playing Argentina in the World Cup Final, this will be an epic. The game is being played at New Jersey Stadium in the Meadowlands, or MetLife Stadium, where the Giants and Jets play football, if you want to call it that, though the Giants should be much improved in 2026. I don’t know about the Jets. Could be another long year.

FOX will broadcast the Cup with the game kicking off at 2 P.M. CT/3 ET.

My record for the World Cup is:

5-1, Straight up.
4-2, Against the Spread
3-3, on the Over/Under.

Spain is favored by a 1/2 goal and the over/under is 2 1/2 goals. By my picking Spain to win in extra time I’m taking the under because if it’s tied after 90 minutes and penalty time, 90+ minutes, before the two,15 minute extra time sessions commence, and then penalty kicks, if the game’s not decided by then, then the over under, if it’s 1-1, will be that, 2 goals. So I’m taking the under for this game.

I like Spain with their terrific defense to hold down Messi and the Argentinians and claim the Cup. It’s first and only other Cup victory came in 2010, as it defeated the Netherlands, 1-0, in South Africa.

The Argentinians have won three previous World Cups, with the first in 1978 as they defeated the Netherlands, 3-1, in extra time. The game was played in Argentina.

Then in 1986, they defeated West Germany, 3-2, in Mexico.

And in the most recent World Cup, played in Qatar in 2022, they defeated France, 4-2, on penalty kicks after playing to a 3-3 draw in regulation and extra time.

Give me:
Espana 2, Argentina 1 in extra time.

I like for it to be a spectacle. Messi and his teammates, the defending champions, will be very difficult to take down. But like Bama Golf so presciently pointed out in one of my earlier posts on the WC, that Spanish defense is stellar, and it’ll take them to the mountaintop in what has been a terrific event for the U.S. and the world.

****Monday-Thursday- SEC Media Days Coverage. College Football is getting closer to coming to fruition.Week 1, August 29th, a Saturday, kicks it off.****

Jannik goes back to back at the Championships, Wimbledon, All Star home run derby and game forecasts; World Cup Semifinal picks. Brief Preview of the 154th Open Championship

July 13, 2026

Jannik Sinner takes down the field at Wimbledon for his fifth Major title. (Photo courtesy of NPR).

The great 24 year old champion Jannik Sinner of Italy just put another notch in his championship career after capturing his second Wimbledon Championship in a row with a 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, 6-4 victory over 29 year old German Alexander Zverev. It was a nice effort by Zverev, but the elite Sinner proved to the world he’s here to stay once again. Sinner will be 25 on August 16th, two days after my oldest daughter’s 31st birthday (I’m getting older). The 139th edition of Wimbledon didn’t disappoint after the somewhat catastrophic French Open in late May/early June. Sinner’s first serve was excellent. His forehand is getting better, maybe not as sharp as usual, but his backhand was super and he started figuring things out with his forehand as the tournament progressed.

Maybe one of the best sportsmanship moves I’ve seen in quite a while was when Zverev fell in the third set after the two players had split the first two sets and were tied 3-3. Sinner came across the net to help Alexander up. He’s a total class act. He’s a warrior as a competitor, but also a kind, gentle guy. Really like this guy. The future looks electric for Jannik. Jannik’s been fortunate that Carlos Alcarz broke his wrist before the French and was unable to play Wimbledon. Carlos also missed the French, but Jannik struggled with the heat in Paris and lost in the second round to world No.56 Juan Manuel Cerundolo. He had a 2 set lead but fell to the heat. There were a lot of people doubting him, but not his coach Darren “Killer” Cahill, his team, and my wife! She’s passionate about tennis and loves Jannik. I love the guy, too. It’ll be awesome when Carlos returns and we can get that rivalry renewed. Jannik said in the press conference tennis needs Carlos back. Carlos is undetermined whether he’ll be back for the US Open, but everybody is very hopeful he will return. Novak is still a factor, though it’s getting harder and harder for him to get through Sinner and Alcaraz. Zverev has come on winning the French and putting forth an awesome effort at Wimbledon. Should be a classic 146th edition of the US Open at Flushing Meadows in the City. That phenomenal Major starts Monday, August 31st.

And Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic beat fellow countrywoman Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. Noskova is 21 and with a high level future.

Home Run Derby

Kyle Schwarber could be tough to defeat today in the Derby. (Photo courtesy ofFox Sports).

There are 8 competitors in the Home Run Derby today as the superb prelim event to the All Star game commences at Citizen’s Bank Ballpark in Philly. Netflix will cover with first pitch at 7 P.M. CT/ 8 ET.

The 8 competitors in alphabetical order are: 1. Jac Caglianone, KC Royals. He’s hitting .260 with 15 homers and 35 Ribeyes. He caused me a lot of headaches when he played at Florida against Vanderbilt. Needed my “Excedrin.” 2. Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays. Junior has hit 28 long balls and driven in 59. He’s batting .279. Junior is an absolute stud, and has a real shot today, albeit against a loaded field. I’m a big Rays fan as they drafted my Vanderbilt pitcher David Price first overall in 2007. David had some really nice years at Tampa and won a World Series as a key member of the 2018 Red Sox. I’ve been a Rays fan ever since David was there. Junior is electric. 3.Wilson Contreras. BoSox. I had a math teacher in high school who was a passionate Red Sox fan. In his “Baastan” accent he would talk about “going to Fenway, drinking a Schaffuh Beir and watching duh Sox.” Contreras is hitting .285 with 20 homers and 61 Ribbies. The Sox are a team to watch in the AL in the second half. After a very tough start to their season, which led to the firing of managerAlex Cora, they have now won 9 in a row at the break. They are 46-48 and 10 back of the Rays and 7 back of the Yankees in the AL East, but they are just a half game back of the Seattle Mariners in the AL Wild Card race. Should be a riveting second half. My Vandy man, Sonny Gray, who will be pitching for the AL in the All Star Game, is 11-1, with a 2.54 ERA and 1.10 WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched). He’s making a run at the AL Cy Young if he can keep “matriculating” and the Red Sox keep surging.

4. Bryce Harper, Phils, .260, 20, 57 RBIs. Harper is always a factor, though my son in law, a Philly native, calls him a disappointment for them. I kind of agree with him. You would think Harper might lead the Phils to a World Series championship by now. He doesn’t hit for great average. 5. Munetaka Murikami, ChiSox. Don’t know a lot about the 26 year old Japanese player, but the White Sox are vastly improved this season and are tied for the AL Central lead with the Guardians at 50-45. The Guardians are 51-46. He’s hitting .232, not so swift, but has launched 20 homers and thrown in 42 Ribbies. 6. Ben Rice, Yankees. Hitting .279 with 29 homers and 68 RBIs. When I picked the Braves over the Yankees in my preseason MLB predictions and picked Matt Olson of the Braves to be the Fall Classic MVP, a friend of mine, whom I went to high school and college with, and who lived in New York for a while, wrote me an email and said, “Eddie, I agree with you, except the Yankees are going to win the World Series and Ben Rice is going to be the Fall Classic MVP!” Eddie was a nickname I acquired in college. It had to do with me dressing up as Eddie Munster at the Phi Delta Theta Halloween Party when I was a freshman, and Van Wadlington, my friend who’s a Neuroradiologist in Birmingham now, dressed up as Herman putting a couple of 2 by 4’s under a pair of boots. He was already 6’5″. He was 7’4″, as Herman. He had the laugh down to a T. We were both green. He had a few too many on Halloween Night and woke up under a swing set in a park that Saturday morning with some children running away saying, “Mommy, mommy, Herman Munster is dead!” Classic stuff from Wad.

No.7, Kyle Schwarber, Phillies. Schwarber doesn’t ‘t hit for a great average, but does he ever pound the ball. He’s hit 32 jacks and added 59 Ribeyes. He’s a power machine. The Braves are 55-40 and leading the NL East right now, but the Phillies are 54-43 and 2 back. The astonishing story in the NL is the Miami Marlins. They are 52-45 and 4 back of the Braves. The lowest budget team in baseball. The Rays are 28th out of 30 and they’re leading the AL East at 56-38. That’s superb stuff from teams that have to be judicious with their finances. You gotta be smart to compete with the Dodgers, Yankees and others, who have the massive payrolls. The Dodgers are around $320 million this year. Insane. The Yankees aren ‘t far behind. No.8, Jordan Walker, Cards. Walker is hitting .294 with 22 home runs and 74 Ribbies. The Cardinals are 50-45 and 8 1/2 back of the 59-37 Brewers in the NL Central. The Cubs are 54-42, and 5 back of the Brews. The Cards are 1 back in the NL Wild Card. This young stud is excelling.

Winner

Junior Caminero, Rays.

I’ll go with Junior Caminero of the Rays to win the Home Run Derby tonight in Philly. (Photo courtesy of MLB.com).

All Star Game Prediction

FOX will televise starting at 7 P.M. CT/8 East. I’m going to take the Senior Circuit this year.

NL 6, AL 5

MVP, Drake Baldwin, catcher for the Braves.

Having a really fine year for “the Atlanta team” as the great Skip Caray used to say. I saw Skip and Harry in the mid 80’s in a restaurant in Atlanta after a Bravos game. We were all partaking a little, and I asked Skip about Pascual Perez, who had missed his start recently because he got lost on I-285. Skip said, “He’s been having some nasal problems.”

The Braves All Star catcher Drake Baldwin is having a huge year. I like him to lead the NL team to victory. (Photo courtesy of MLB.com

World Cup predictions

Tuesday, 2 P.M. CT/3 P.M. East, FOX

Spain 2, France 1, Extra Time, Overtime. France favored by a goal. Over/under is 2 1/2 goals.

Like “La Roja” over “Les Blue.” As Joseph said last week on my quarterfinals predictions’ blog, the Spain defense hadn’t given up a goal all tournament. They defeated Belgium 2-1 giving up their first goal. Defense wins most championships.

Wednesday, 2 P.M. CT/3 East, FOX

England 3, Argentina 2. Extra time. England by a 1/2 goal. Over/Under 2 1/2.

Seems like the over/under is usually 2 1/2 in this World Cup. I’ll take Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and the Three Lions side over the defending World Cup Champs from 2022. Messi and company won’t go down without a fight though.

Record so Far: SU-4-0, ATS-2-2, O/U-1-3.

Give me Jude Bellingham and the Three Lions over the Albiiceleste (The White and Sky Blues). (Photo courtesy of the **New York Times)**.

Finally, the 154th Open Championship commences Thursday at Royal Birkdale in Southport England. The last time it was played there in 2017, Jordan Spieth won it. It’s been a long, hard road for him ever since then. Tom Kim won the Genesis Scottish Open yesterday and is the hottest golfer right now. He shot a 64 on Sunday, and so did Rory. Rory looking strong. He’s such a good putter now from seven feet and in. That’s made a tremendous difference in his game. Scottie Scheffler is an enigma to me right now. Just not getting it done in the clutch. He’s the opposite of Rory. His putter is as “cold as ice,” as Foreigner once said. Guys like Xander Schauffele, Min Woo Lee and his hideous mustache, Fitzie, Morikawa, and several others are in the mix. Should be epic. Will have full preview on Wednesday. Have a good evening.

2026 FIFA World Cup Quarterfinals Predictions; Previews of Other Classic Sporting Events forthcoming

July 9, 2026

Kylian Mbappe’leads France into the Quarterfinals today versus Morocco in Boston. (Photo courtesy of WSJ).

I didn’t know how engaged I would be in this year’s World Cup. It’s always been a highly regarded sporting event that happens only every four years. But this time of year for me it’s PGA/Majors Golf, Pro Tennis/Majors, MLB and any Vanderbilt information, football, basketball, baseball, recruiting stuff/ news that I can get to my Vanderbilt readers.

However, this year has been spectacular in the World Cup. As good as ever. I am an avid World Cup watcher now. The tournament has been scintillating, and such a pleasure to watch. So much drama with such tremendous superstars. Lionel Messi of Argentina, Kylian Mbappe’ of France, Harry Kane of England and Erling Haaland, among others, have made this a particularly riveting sporting event.

The Quarterfinals start today and continue through Saturday. Here are my predictions for each game. I will have the semifinals, which take place next Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Championship game, which takes place Sunday, 7/26 in New Jersey Stadium or MetLife Stadium, predictions next Tuesday, 7/14.

The 139th Championships, Wimbledon is coming down to the wire in the men’s, another sport that generates so much global attention in late June and early July. Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic are on a collision course Friday at approximately 10:30-11 A.M. CT, 11:30 A.M. to 12 P.M. ET depending on how the German, Alexander Zverev, vs the Englishman, Arthur Fery, match goes before that. Fery has been a diamond in the rough in this fortnight, but he’s got a tough task ahead of him. That match starts at 7:30 A.M. CT/8:30 ET. Both semifinals will be broadcast by ESPN.

If your work schedule allows, I’d turn it on at 7:30 A.M./8:30 ET for the full semis, or around 9:45-10 A.M. CT/10:45-11 A.M. ET for Sinner/ Djoker.

Had Sinner over Ben Shelton in the final in my predictions column before the tournament started, but the Shelton prediction didn’t pan out. Nevertheless, Sinner is very much alive. Should be an electric Friday across the pond as well.

And, finally, but just as importantly for many of my golfing friends, the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England commences next Thursday, 7/16, through Sunday, 7/19. Excedrin likes for me to call it the British Open, so it can go by either name. Will have full coverage on that iconic sporting event next Wednesday. NBC, USA and Peacock will broadcast. Can Wyndham Clark, the best player in the game right now, continue his powerful driving and mastery on the greens. Can Scottie Scheffler finally break through in a major this season. Rory is definitely a favorite. Jon Rahm is another. I like Chris Gotterup’s chances. Xander Schauffele, a resurgent Justin Thomas, the savvy veteran Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and many others will have a shot at this coveted Open championship and the Claret Jug as the champion golfer of the world, according to the Brits. Will preview and predict next Wednesday.

Here are Predictions for the World Cup Quarters starting today.

FOX will Broadcast all games

Today

France versus Morocco

Boston Stadium, Boston. It is Gillette Stadium where the Patriots play in Foxborough. But the World Cup takes away the sponsor’s name to make it more special to the World Cup

3 P.M. CT/4 ET

France by 0.5 goals, 2 1/2 goals over/under

France’s Kylian Mbappe’ is second to only Lionel Messi of Argentina in goals scored in the history of the World Cup. Mbappe’, 27, has 7 goals in this Cup while Messi has converted 8. For the all time record, the great 39 year old Messi leads all time with 21, and Mbappe’ is second at 19. They call Messi the GOAT, but it’s debatable. Mbappe’ is only 27, and has at least three more World Cups ahead of him, if he stays healthy. And then you have the former great Brazilian, Pele’, who finished with 12 goals in his career in the World Cup, but, wow, was he ever a fantastic player in the 1960’s and early 70’s. But Messi and Mbappe’ are goal scoring machines and leaders on each of their respective teams. All the players on each of their teams love those two guys. France is the favorite right now to capture the World Cup, but it’s a major war of attrition to determine who captures this World Cup. Everybody still has to go through Argentina, the defending champion.

I like Mbappe’ and France to advance to the semis.

France 3, Morocco 1

Friday

Spain vs Belgium

Los Angeles Stadium, SoFi Stadium, where the Rams and Chargers play

2 P.M. CT/3 ET

Spain by 0.5 goals, Over/Under 2 1/2 goals

Belgium was the team that knocked out the U.S. on Monday Night in Seattle, 4-1, in a controversial game as FIFA had allowed U.S. player Folarin Balogun to play despite him getting a red card for a foul in the previous game versus Bosnia-Herzogovina, which was supposed to suspend him from the next game. FIFA overruled the call, so Balogun played. But the controversy was over quickly as Belgium dominated the match. They have superb players, but give me Espana to win at LA Stadium. Viva Espana. Should be a classic. These are two very tough teams to defeat.

Spain 3, Belgium 2

Saturday

Norway’s Erling Haaland is a scoring machine. (Photo courtesy of The New York Times).

England vs Norway

Miami Stadium, Hard Rock, where the Dolphins play

4 P.M. CT/5 ET

England by 0.5 goals, O/U, 2 1/2 goals

This will be a total classic. Norway’s Erling Haaland is the soccer equivalent of Steph Curry. All he does when his foot touches the ball is score. And he makes it look so easy. It’s not though. The guy is an outright stud. Haaland, 25, and in his first World Cup, has seven goals in the tournament.

But England’s Harry Kane is spectacular as well. Kane, 32, has six goals in this World Cup and 14 in his career. England went to Mexico City and defeated Mexico 3-2 last Sunday Night. That’s hard to do. Kane and the Englishmen barely outlast Haaland and Norway in a must see match.

England 3, Norway 2

Harry Kane leads his England team to victory. (Photo courtesy of *The Seattle Times*).

Switzerland vs. Argentina

Kansas City Stadium, Arrowhead where the Chiefs play.

8 P.M. CT/9 ET

Argentina by 0.5 goals, O/U, 2 1/2 goals

The defending champions from 2022 and their hero, Messi, looked dead in the water versus Egypt on Tuesday. Down 2-0 with just 15 minutes + extra time left in the game (there are 90 minutes in regulation and an estimated time usually 6 to 10 minutes for any stoppage of play earlier in the game), the Argentinians scored three times to improbably defeat Egypt and advance to the quarters. The Argentinians were a clear favorite, but Egypt played with so much passion and dominated the majority of the game, though Argentina had taken some really prolific shots on goal that Egyptian Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir had made tremendous stops on. But Argentina was not going to be denied. I like Messi to at least score once and quite possibly twice in this game as the great Argentinians advance to the semifinals.