This the week was not a week where the Big Ten covered itself in glory. The league was involved in the two largest upsets of the opening weekend with UMass beating Rutgers and Western Michigan stunning Michigan in the Big House (more on that later). We have some actual data now on every team in the conference, so why not rank the league on where everyone is after a game (or in USC’s case, two games).

1. Ohio State (1-0, beat Ball State 56-3) – As expected, the Cardinals were a mere speed bump. At least my former pastor got to see his kid play in the horseshoe since his son is a junior safety for Ball State.

2. Indiana (1-0, beat North Texas 52-16) – There was a brief moment there in the third quarter where North Texas was threatening to make it a game. They had it at 24-13, then IU pulled away.

3. Oregon (1-0, beat Boise State 34-27) – Though it was much closer than expected, should we really be surprised that Boise can hang with Oregon in Autzen? They’ve been doing it for a long time now.  

4. Iowa (1-0, beat Northern Illinois 40-0) –A Kirk Ferentz offense scored 20 points in the first quarter of a game. That’s probably weirder than Indiana currently being a national power.

5. Penn State (1-0, beat Marshall 45-0) – Another team that had a light week and was never seriously threatened. A solid debut for Matt Campbell.

6. USC (2-0, beat Fresno State 39-0) – I really expected more from Fresno here, but it appears that USC might be playoff worthy. They are going to be a problem for other teams.

7. Northwestern (1-0, beat South Dakota State 34-18) – This was my surprise team of the week, as I expected them to lose to an always tough South Dakota State team. They blew open a close game late with a couple of big plays.

8. Nebraska (1-0, beat Ohio 49-21) – Another team that blew things open late. The Huskers only led 14-13 at the half, but got four touchdowns from Anthony Colandrea.

9. UCLA (1-0, beat California 45-24) – Bob Chesney gets a big road win at a power conference opponent in year one after UCLA wasn’t great for a while? Great, we have another Cignetti in the conference.

10. Minnesota (1-0, beat Eastern Illinois 59-7) – Javon Tracy returned two punts for a TD in the same game. As a result, no one should punt to him the rest of the year.

11. Washington (1-0, beat Washington State 24-10) – It has to be hard to begin a season with a rivalry game. The Cougars kept this much closer than expected, but two missed field goals played a big difference.

12. Illinois (1-0, beat UAB 42-23) – What a Hail Mary catch to end the half for the Illini! It helped them pull away from a game that was pretty close beforehand.

13. Maryland (1-0, beat Hampton 62-0) – I swear every year Maryland beats Hampton, Howard, or Towson 62-0.

14. Wisconsin (0-1, Lost to Notre Dame 41-13) – I will give the Badgers credit for hanging around for a half. It gave me some hope under the weird transitive logic of “if Purdue is expected to be somewhat close to Wisconsin’s level this year, maybe it can push Notre Dame like this.” The thought was fleeting.

15. Michigan State (1-0, beat Toledo 30-20) – The MAC almost got another Big Ten pelt as the Rockets did lead in the fourth quarter 20-19.

16. Purdue (1-0, beat Indiana State 44-19) – Purdue did its job and got the only win that was a virtual guarantee. For one Saturday, at least, we can be happy.

17. Rutgers (0-1, lost to UMass 37-21) – UMass broke a 16-game losing streak and it really wasn’t even this close. Rutgers got absolutely embarrassed.

18. Michigan (0-1, lost to Western Michigan 12-7) – I know what happened. I refuse to recognize it. A complete and utter screwjob among the worst I have ever seen in sports. I am mad on behalf of WMU.

Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne (PTI photo)

Marnus Labuschagne has survived another selection scare, with Cricket Australia retaining the struggling batter in its 16-member Test squad for the upcoming three-match series against South Africa.The decision came despite growing calls for Labuschagne to be dropped. Australia greats Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden have both questioned his place in the side, but chief selector George Bailey has opted to continue backing the right-hander.Labuschagne’s recent record has done little to strengthen his case. It has been more than three years since he last scored a Test century, with his most recent hundred coming in July 2023. Across his last 43 Test innings, he has averaged just 24.69.His struggles have already cost him his place in Australia’s ODI squad for the series against South Africa. However, the selectors have continued to show faith in him in the longer format.That backing comes despite Labuschagne managing scores of only 1, 31 and 4 across his three innings against Bangladesh.

Australia add three players to Test squad

The upcoming series will be the first meeting between Australia and South Africa since last year’s World Test Championship Final at Lord’s. The results in this series could have a major bearing on which teams eventually qualify for next year’s WTC decider at The Oval.Alongside Labuschagne, the selectors have retained 13 players from the squad that featured in Australia’s most recent Test against Bangladesh in Mackay, which Pat Cummins‘ side won inside two days.Cooper Connolly, Michael Neser and Matthew Kuhnemann are the three additions to the 16-man group.Connolly’s inclusion is notable given his limited experience in first-class cricket. The left-hander is yet to score a first-class century and has batted at No.3 only once. He was also recently dropped by Western Australia for their final Sheffield Shield match last summer.Neser, meanwhile, returns after recovering from a calf strain sustained during a training camp in early August. His inclusion gives Australia five fast-bowling options, with Neser joining captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland.Cameron Green and Beau Webster are the two all-rounders included in the squad and are expected to feature in Australia’s playing XI for the opening Test in Durban.Matt Renshaw has also retained his place as an opener. The left-hander had previously come into the squad in place of Jake Weatherald after Weatherald struggled in the first Test against Bangladesh.Explaining the selection, Bailey highlighted the demands of the South Africa tour, with the Test series coming after six ODIs and featuring short gaps between matches.“This is a reasonably condensed three-game series, on the back of six one-day internationals, with only short breaks between each game. The squad provides balance and options for each Test and the variety of conditions we may face,” Chair of Selectors George Bailey said in an official statement.The three-Test series will begin in Durban on October 9, before moving to Gqeberha and Cape Town.The tour marks Australia’s first Test trip to South Africa since the infamous 2018 series, when the sandpaper gate scandal rocked the team.Only five members of the current touring party have previously been part of an Australian squad that travelled to South Africa for a Test series: Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith and Matt Renshaw.Australia Test squad for tour of South Africa: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.

“I’m done. I’m canceling everything. It’s done.”

After 20 years as a Rutgers football season-ticket holder, one Scarlet Knights fan had finally reached his breaking point.

And Thursday night’s 37-21 loss to UMass — a program that finished 0-12 in 2025 and entered 2026 as the 138th team in FOX Sports’ RJ Young’s Ultimate 138 — was it.

An anonymous caller unloaded on Rutgers during an appearance on “The Zach Gelb Show,” ripping the team’s defense, calling for head coach Greg Schiano and his entire staff to be fired and vowing to cancel everything he had planned for the season.

This wasn’t a casual Rutgers fan. He had plans to follow the Scarlet Knights across the country this season. A ticket to Boston College next Friday. An Airbnb booked in Madison, Wisconsin, for the Nov. 7 game against the Badgers. He was even planning to watch Rutgers alum Kyle Monangai, now a running back for the Chicago Bears, live in action.

No more. 

The Minutemen had just piled up nearly 400 yards of total offense, including 200 on the ground.

“What I saw tonight was the most deplorable, despicable, horrible adjustments on defense,” the caller said. “From being the worst team in college football last year, defensively, to what they did tonight, to what they did this year, I’m done.”

He wasn’t done.

His next call, he said, would be to Rutgers athletic director Keli Zinn.

“My opinion means nothing,” the caller said. “But I’m sorry. I want to root for a home team. I want to root for a New Jersey team.

“We have a great fan base, a great rooting section, people I’ve known for years, but I’m done.”

Rutgers’ struggles have become even more glaring in the NIL era. Zinn recently said the program is somewhere between $20-$30 million in NIL spending on football and believes the Scarlet Knights are “headed in the right direction” financially.

But Thursday’s loss will raise plenty of questions about the direction of Schiano’s program. Rutgers entered the game as a 29.5 favorite against a UMass team that had never defeated a Big Ten program (0-7) or a Power Four conference opponent since transitioning to FBS in 2012.

Greg Shiano has coached Rutgers to a 31-42 record since returning to the program in 2020. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Schiano led the Scarlet Knights to an 11-2 season during his first stint in New Brunswick in 2006, but he hasn’t found the same form since returning to the program in 2020, and throughout the NIL era. 

“Absolutely should be fired tomorrow,” the caller said. “The whole staff.” 

But the caller saved his best line for last, referencing the awkward fireworks show that played for an empty crowd following Thursday’s loss.

“Forget fireworks,” he added. “We need a firing squad.”

Ever since the 2026 NFL season schedule was released in May, win totals have attracted lots of wagers and NFL bets. These totals range from 4.5 for teams like the Dolphins and Cardinals to 10.5 for squads such as the 49ers, Patriots and Seahawks. But one doesn’t simply have to make picks on just how many wins a team will collect by the end of the year, as they can also make NFL predictions on every single game for every single team. Bet NFL games at DraftKings. Claim their new user offer here:

That’s quite a task, with 272 regular season contests plus another 13 in the postseason. Eleven teams exceeded 10.5 regular season wins last season, so there could certainly be value in betting the Over for several teams’ win totals with your 2026 NFL futures as the regular season approaches in one week. Before locking in any 2026 NFL win total picks or 2027 Super Bowl picks, you should see what SportsLine NFL expert Eric Cohen has to say.

Cohen, SportsLine host of the weekly Early Edge NFL Props Show, is simulating the entire regular season and playoffs. In his season picks article in 2024, Cohen hit three of four win totals best bets, two of four division winner best bets, and had the Eagles to win the NFC at +600 at betting sites. Last year, he went 180-91-1 (66%) on his NFL straight-up picks in the regular season. Anyone who followed Cohen’s best bets could be way up.

Now, he has predicted every 2026 NFL regular season game in a grid format to determine each team’s final regular season record.  Plus he’s made his 2027 NFL playoff projections and provided best over/under bets for team wins, as well as Super Bowl LXI futures for NFL betting sites. You can only find these picks at SportsLine. 

New to sports trading? Visit our Kalshi promo code review to see their latest offers and get started. Claim the Kalshi signup offer here now:

Top 2026 NFL win total predictions

One team Cohen is bullish on is the New Orleans Saints, as he predicts they exceed their projected win total of 7.5 at the best betting apps. New Orleans went 4-1 down the stretch of last season, which coincided with rookie Tyler Shough being under center after Spencer Rattler went 1-13 over two years as a starter. Shough ranked second in completion percentage, fourth in passer rating and sixth in passing yards over this five-game stretch while also rushing for 135 yards and 3 touchdowns. He’s now complemented by Travis Etienne in the backfield and has the luxury of a defense that was top 10 in yards allowed last season. Additionally, the Saints have the second-weakest schedule in 2026 as Cohen sees them winning 9 games.

On the other side, Cohen is fading the Green Bay Packers’ win total of 10.5 and predicts they’ll go from a playoff team in 2025 to placing last in the NFC North at 8-9 in 2026. Playing in a division where every team was over .500 last season, just two teams have a harder strength of schedule than the Pack. They lost five straight games to close out last season, including blowing a 21-3 lead to Chicago in the Wild Card Round. Micah Parsons (knee) isn’t expected back until Week 6 at the earliest, while Tucker Kraft says he’ll be on a snap count until midseason. Plus, Green Bay lost both its leading receiver in Romeo Doubs and leading tackler in Quay Walker in free agency, and when you add in Josh Jacobs’ legal situation, Cohen sees attrition catching up with the Packers. See which other surprising winners Cohen is picking only at SportsLine.

How to get 2026 NFL season picks, projections, and best bets

Cohen has evaluated all 285 NFL games in 2026-27 and locked in his best bets for NFL win totals and Super Bowl futures. They include a potential Super Bowl result that pays approximately 60-1 and win total bets that pay back plus-money. Anyone who backs these NFL picks could hit it big. See who it is at SportsLine.

Which Super Bowl result of around 60-1 could bring a huge payout, and which NFL win totals should you back for all 32 teams, including several that pay plus-money? Join SportsLine now to get Eric Cohen’s 2026 NFL projections, all from the expert who went 180-91-1 (66%) on his NFL straight-up picks in the 2025 regular season.

The showdown between No. 11 LSU and Clemson was always going to be a showcase Week 1 game given Lane Kiffin’s debut in the bayou.

But few could have imagined the discussion surrounding the game would be anything like this. The heated on-field rivalry between two national powerhouses that share a stadium nickname (Death Valley) and mascot (Tigers) has been largely overshadowed by court cases involving NFL players returning to college football to use their final year of eligibility.

Matt Moscona, a sports radio talk show host with 104.5 ESPN in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said the issue has dominated the airwaves this week. He estimates that 10 of the 12 segments on his three-hour talk show on Thursday were devoted to the topic, while only one was about the actual game.

He said LSU fans are genuinely worried. Not about Clemson, but about the long-term impact that Kiffin’s desire to recruit and play former NFL players in defiance of SEC rules will have on the football program.

Dae’Quan Wright signed   professional contracts with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns before he was reunited with Lane Kiffin at LSU. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

“The phrase everyone here is using is, ‘Is the juice worth the squeeze?,’” Moscona said. “Why go through this big public ordeal to add a couple of backup players? Which is what we’re talking about, quite honestly. The overriding sentiment is people are fearful of the punishments.”

He said that fear includes speculation that Kiffin might be suspended for ignoring SEC’s stance, or even the Tigers being kicked out of the conference altogether after being a founding member in the early 1930s.

“People here are wondering if we are really thinking about the long-term ramifications of playing a few backups,” Moscona said.

Kiffin recruited two of his former players at Ole Miss — defensive tackle Zxavian Harris and tight end Dae’Quan Wright — after both spent time with NFL clubs this offseason. That stirred up a hornets’ nest, with the Southeastern Conference suing LSU in federal court this week and potentially tainting a partnership dating to the Depression.

Several coaches have been outspoken against NFL players returning to college, including Clemson’s Dabo Swinney who called the notion of ex-NFL players suiting up on Saturdays “embarrassing” for the sport.

Zxavian Harris participated in the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this year, then signed with the New Orleans Saints before being waived in August.(Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

All four Power Four conferences last week reiterated their rules against pro players and some outlined stiff penalties including fines and suspensions. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey testified that “the line between professional sports and college sports needs to be maintained,” even in an era where top college players command million-dollar compensation packages through revenue sharing and NIL deals.

Kiffin, one of the most outspoken and polarizing figures in college football long before his recruitment of NFL players, sees things a little differently than most in college football.

He said he talked with LSU team leaders and all backed the idea of bringing in players who can help the Tigers — whether they tried out for NFL teams or not. He shrugged off the idea that it would wreck any final notion that college is meant for amateur athletes.

“This is how it works at the next level,” Kiffin said this week. “This is how the real world works.”

Moscona noted that other teams have landed former NFL players including South Carolina, which recently signed kicker Ethan Sanchez after he attended camp with the San Francisco 49ers. He blames for the NCAA for not granting a blanket waiver to allow athletes from the 2022 high school class to return for a fifth year after changing its eligibility model in June.

“The problem here is those players would have never left had they known they would have had another year of eligibility,” Moscona said. “… The NCAA did not heed advice that lawsuits would follow. And, the lawsuits have followed. And now it’s awful.”

Regardless of what happens, this is clearly not your average high-profile college season opener. LSU has a received a record number of requests — more than 900, according to the school — from media and VIPs.

“I think that speaks volumes of the eyeballs on us and people wanting to be around the program and watch the program,” Kiffin said. “All that is important nowadays. No. 1 is winning but after that you have a very marketable program.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre has issued a firm warning, urging one of the sport’s reigning world champions to avoid calling out Terence Crawford.

According to the esteemed trainer, ‘Bud’ is happily retired after having cemented his greatness by becoming a three-division undisputed champion against Canelo Alvarez.

As the naturally smaller man, he was widely considered to be a pre-fight underdog, yet Crawford nonetheless scored a unanimous decision victory in his first outing at 168lbs.

The American then announced his exit from the sport last December, only to be repeatedly called out by active fighters such as Jaron Ennis and Ryan Garcia.

‘Boots’, in fairness, has long been vocal about wanting a showdown with Crawford, essentially since he became the IBF mandatory challenger at welterweight in 2023.

Since then, he has become a two-division unified champion at 154lbs, while Garcia only claimed his WBC world welterweight title by dethroning Mario Barrios in February.

Nevertheless, the 28-year-old feels as though he deserves a clash with Crawford, who has denied any talk of him plotting a comeback.

Even the 38-year-old’s former trainer, BoMac, has told Fight Hub TV that Bud will never return unless he feels the urge to dish out a beating against someone like Garcia.

“Ryan, stop. I don’t care if Crawford got one hand – you cannot touch him, so leave him alone. Let the man be happy in retirement before you wake a giant up. [He would] whoop your ass.”

While having set his sights on an unlikely encounter with Crawford, Garcia must remain focused on retaining his title against Conor Benn on September 12.

Man Utd have conceded six goals in three games this season and Michael Carrick knows that is a pattern that cannot continue.

Michael Carrick accepted that Manchester United have to improve defensively after seeing his side concede twice for the third game in a row at the start of the Premier League season.

United have shipped two goals to each of Hull, Ipswich and Everton at the start of the season and that is a concern given the quality of opposition is about to rise considerably.

They hit five against Ipswich last week to mask their defensive issues, but they were beaten at newly-promoted Hull on the opening day and twice threw away a lead against a mediocre Everton side at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

United have now conceded twice in half of Carrick’s 20 Premier League games in charge and while the 45-year-old insists that isn’t a mentality issue, he knows improvements have to be forthcoming.

“The mentality is there, I think,” he said. “There’s obviously things we need to get better at as a team. That’s two strikes from a distance really that are two really good strikes from their point of view. Sometimes they fly in the top corner, and more often than not, they probably don’t.

“So there’s a little bit of that. But we obviously can’t ignore it. We need to concede less goals to give us a better chance of winning games, but we’ll certainly look at that and keep improving.”

United conceded a first equaliser to Tyrique George after 83 minutes, only for Benjamin Sesko to restore their lead five minutes later. But United failed to see the game out and invited pressure before Ainsley Maitland-Niles struck from distance in the last minute of added time.

“I think that one strike from there, that goes in the top corner, obviously changes the whole feeling of that few minutes,” said Carrick.

“When you look back, there’ll be loads of little things that you can do a little bit differently, of course. But he’s put it in the top corner from well outside the box, so sometimes it’s one of those things.”

EST Cola’s Papatchaya Phontam tries to score against Ho Chi Minh City in the PVL Invitational Conference.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

EST Cola of Thailand eyes the PVL Invitational Conference crown, riding the brilliance of Papatchaya Phontham once again in a 25-19, 26-24, 26-24 sweep of also-ran Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The left-handed attacker led EST Cola with 21 points on 19 kills and two blocks as this batch of Thais—a far better version of what played in the last edition of this tournament—won a fourth straight game after opening up with a loss to PLDT to make the championship match sated on Tuesday also at the fabled Big Dome in Cubao.

“I feel good, but I have to give credit to everyone on the team,” said Phontham through an interpreter. “If we didn’t have our receivers and our setter, I wouldn’t have been able to attack and score. Everyone contributes to the team. It’s all about teamwork.”

EST Cola completed its turnaround from fourth-place in 2024 to a finalist—the fourth guest team to reach the final after silver medalist King Whale Taipei in 2022, 2023 champion Kurashiki Ablaze of Japan, and last year’s runner-up Kobe Shiwa University, also from Japan.

Phontham, who was part of the Volleyball Nations League lineup of the Thai national team this year, is eager to apply her international experience and continue to work on the same page as her teammates in two days.

“I have experience from playing with the senior national team, and I’ll try to use whatever experience I gained there to help the team, whether I can contribute a lot or a little,” she said.

Nannaphat Moonjakham backstopped Phontham with 18 points and 17 excellent receptions.

EST Cola could face Creamline or Nxled—teams it took down during its impressive run—in the title match.

Creamline can make the finals with a win over PLDT at press time. If the Cool Smashers lose, Nxled will take the other finals berth after finishing the elimination round at 3-2 with 10 points and the tiebreak advantage.

Nxled did its part. Now, the Chameleons can only wait and hope for a breakthrough Finals appearance.

MJ Phillips erupted for 25 points, as Nxled secured a spot in at least the bronze medal match after fending off Farm Fresh, 25-20, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22, earlier.

Regardless if they play in the championship or bronze medal game, Nxled coach Ettore Guidetti is already proud of their run amid missing three-time MVP Brooke Van Sickle.

Ho Chi Minh City finished the elimination round at 1-4 and will face Farm Fresh in the battle for fifth place on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. Dang Thi Kim Thanh led the Vietnamese with 14 points. INQ