The seven most compelling QB transfers for the 2026 college football season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Indiana and Miami, the participants in last year’s College Football Playoff championship game, are among several teams who have a transfer portal QB. This strategy paid off for the Hoosiers and Hurricanes each of the last two seasons.

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While Kurtis Rourke led Indiana to its first College Football Playoff appearance in 2024, Miami’s Cam Ward was a Heisman Trophy finalist who ended up being selected with the NFL Draft’s top overall pick. Last season, Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and led the Hoosiers to a victory in the national title game over the Hurricanes and quarterback Carson Beck.

Who are the new quarterbacks for Indiana and Miami? And who else will make an impact in 2026? Here is a closer look at seven transfer quarterbacks capable of creating headlines in 2026 and beyond.

MORE:Order SN’s 2026 College Football Preview magazine

(via Duke)

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A redshirt junior, Mensah was a late addition to the transfer portal. In his one year at Duke, he led the Devils to an ACC championship with an ACC-best 3,973 yards and 34 TDs. Beck and Ward improved their downfield passing the last two years with offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson. Look for Mensah to do the same, which makes him a trendy Heisman candidate.

(via Arizona State)

A redshirt junior, Leavitt will help Lane Kiffin usher in a new era at LSU. Leavitt is coming off foot surgery, but he’s 16-4 as a starter and led Arizona State to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. Assuming Leavitt can still make those improv scrambling plays, he should make an instant impact for the Tigers.

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(via North Texas)

Mestemaker, a redshirt sophomore, followed coach Eric Morris from North Texas to Oklahoma State. Mestemaker led the FBS with 4,379 passing yards and was tied for second with Mensah with 34 TD passes. Mestemaker had a 185.7 QB rating in the fourth quarter—and that will be tested in a Big 12 conference known for frantic finishes.

(via South Florida)

Brown led the nation in total offense with 347.2 yards per game in 2025. The fifth-year senior followed coach Alex Golesh from South Florida to Auburn, which means a chance to compete in the SEC. Brown averaged 268.5 passing yards against Florida and Miami last season, and he added 1,008 rushing yards and 14 TDs.

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(via Iowa State)

Becht, a fifth-year senior and three-year starter at Iowa State, followed Matt Campbell to Penn State. He’s the perfect transition quarterback, one who compiled a 24-12 record with the Cyclones. Becht has 64 TDs and 27 interceptions, and he should thrive in his new surroundings against a friendly Big Ten schedule.

MORE:Comparing the 2026 preseason AP, coaches polls

(via Nebraska)

A junior and two-year starter at Nebraska, Raiola made a bold decision to transfer to Oregon, where he will reset for a year behind Dante Moore. Raiola suffered a broken fibula against USC in 2025. The former five-star quarterback might be out of sight this year, but don’t be surprised if this pays off long term.

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(via Florida)

Lagway, a junior whose father Derek played at Baylor, should benefit from a fresh start. Lagway led the Power 4 with 14 interceptions as a sophomore at Florida, but he maintained a 62 percent completion percentage the last two years. That will play off well in the Big 12, where the five-star quarterback should re-emerge as a playmaker.

MORE: Sporting News 2026 Preseason All-America team

Former New York Knicks forward Charles Oakley’s lawsuit against Madison Square Garden and owner James Dolan was dismissed for a third time Friday.

The legal drama between the former Knicks star and Dolan dates back to February 2017, when Oakley was thrown out of MSG after an altercation with arena security guards.

The case was initially tossed in early 2020, then again in 2021 and revived in early 2023 before once again being tossed this week.

MICHAEL JORDAN AND ADAM SILVER BOTH FAILED TO CONVINCE JAMES DOLAN TO END BEEF WITH LEGEND CHARLES OAKLEY

Former New York Knicks player Charles Oakley exchanges words with a security guard during the first half of an NBA basketball game between the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers at Madison Square Garden in New York Feb. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

After Oakley’s removal from MSG, he was subsequently arrested and, although the charges were eventually dropped, Oakley filed suit claiming false imprisonment and defamation, among other claims.

MSG released a statement saying it plans to pursue legal action against Oakley’s lawyer, Douglas Windsor, and his “unscrupulous law firm,” according to the New York Post.

“For more than nine years, Mr. Oakley’s lawyers have pursued claims they knew were false,” MSG said in its statement to the Post. “Those claims have now been dismissed by the court in their entirety — for a third time. 

“We are pursuing legal action against Douglas Wigdor, and his unscrupulous law firm, to hold them accountable for years of frivolous litigation and their blatant abuse of the judicial system.”

In this Feb. 23, 2017, file photo, former New York Knicks player Charles Oakley is shown before an NBA basketball game between the Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland.   (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

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Oakley’s legal team released a statement of its own concerning the dismissal of his lawsuit.

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“We are disappointed with the court’s rulings. We believe there are conflicting accounts, and only a jury can decide what exactly happened. We are hopeful that the Second Circuit will agree for a third time and remand the case for an immediate jury trial.”

The 6-foot-8 Oakley played for the Knicks for more than a decade, helping the team reach the NBA Finals in 1994 and earning All-Star and All-Defensive Team considerations during that same season.

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Lights illuminate the exterior of Madison Square Garden May 8, 2023, in New York City. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

His long-standing public feud with Dolan hasn’t stopped Oakley from supporting the team, though.

The former Knicks enforcer attended several road playoff games en route to New York’s first NBA championship in over 50 years.

FILE – Crypto Arena is viewed before a Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Jan. 4, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)

LOS ANGELES — Five of the six children of former Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss still intend to sell their remaining minority ownership of the NBA team despite the opposition of their sister, Jeanie.

Johnny, Jimmy, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss reiterated their stance Tuesday in a statement issued to ESPN, saying they “remain united in that decision. … We intend to move forward thoughtfully, respectfully and through the appropriate process.”

The five Buss siblings said Monday they had voted to sell the family trust’s remaining 17.8% stake to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, who are acquiring majority ownership from Mark Walter.

READ: NBA: Buss family will sell minority ownership stake in Lakers

President of the Los Angeles Lakers Jeanie Buss speaks during a banner unveiling ceremony for the Los Angeles Lakers 2020 NBA Championship before the game against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center on May 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Harry How/Getty Images/AFP

Jeanie Buss announced her intention to fight back against the plan later Monday through a letter from her attorney, Adam Streisand. Jeanie Buss claims the siblings can’t sell the trust’s ownership shares without her approval.

If the five siblings are able to sell their remaining ownership, Jeanie Buss would no longer be able to serve as the Lakers’ governor, a position she is scheduled to hold until at least 2030 under the deal struck with Walter last year when he purchased majority control of the team at a valuation of $10 billion.

The Buss siblings reportedly made nearly half a billion dollars apiece in that sale, but the 17-time NBA champion team is considered to be worth even more with Walter flipping his ownership to Kushner and Iger at a valuation of $12.5 billion.

READ: Lakers sold in blockbuster $12.5B deal to Josh Kushner, Bob Iger

Jeanie Buss has been the Lakers’ governor since Jerry Buss’ death in 2013, and she led the family’s decision to sell to Walter, who is now under federal investigation for tax issues. Not all of the siblings were in favor of relinquishing majority control of the Lakers last year, and Joey and Jesse were fired from their front-office jobs with the team last November.

The Buss siblings have been in frequent conflict since their father’s death in 2013, with Jeanie firing Jim from his job as the Lakers’ head of basketball operations in 2017, followed a week later by a lawsuit against her brothers amid an attempt by Jim and Johnny to oust Jeanie from her role as the Lakers’ controlling owner.

Former France midfielder Paul Pogba has left Monaco after his contract was terminated after just one season.

Pogba, a 2018 World Cup winner, had a deal with the Ligue 1 side until June 2027 but Monaco said it had ended early because objectives, set by both parties, had only been “partially achieved”.

The 33-year-old played six matches for Monaco last season, five of which came as a substitute.

“Representing this club and the principality was an incredible experience,” said Pogba.

“AS Monaco is an incredible club and although I did not play as many games as I had hoped, I will always be grateful for the opportunity to wear their colours.”

Pogba joined Monaco last summer after he was permitted to return to professional football following a doping suspension he received while at Juventus.

Pogba maintained that it was a mistake and he was permitted to return to football in March 2025 following the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision to reduce his ban from four years to 18 months.

BBC Sport understands Pogba is attracting interest from Major League Soccer. He has previously been linked to DC United and Inter Miami.

However, he sustained a hamstring injury at Monaco’s pre-season training camp in England last week, which could delay any move.

Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro said: “When [Pogba] joined, we explained that this was a major challenge, that was audacious and ambitious.

“While the outcome is not what we had hoped for, it should not overshadow the enthusiasm that surrounded his return to club football, nor the fact that Paul was able to return to the pitch and to professional football during this period.

“We wish Paul all the very best for the future.”

Teofimo Lopez has won and lost big fights in a series of good nights and bad nights in the boxing ring. On Saturday, he fights Rolly Romero in Las Vegas for the WBA’s Super version of the welterweight title, and nobody is sure which Teo will climb through the ropes at the T-Mobile Arena.

Romero is equally inconsistent, and that is what makes the fight such an entertaining proposition; they are both capable of boxing out of their skin and are equally likely not to deliver when the lights go down.

The truth is that it will take a very good performance from the winner to walk out of the ring with the WBA bauble, which is one of 37 that the sanctioning body currently recognises in their male category. Three different men hold versions of the WBA’s welterweight title.

The pair have held several versions of world titles at different weights during the last five or six years; it is Lopez’s first fight at welterweight, and it will be the first fight for Romero since dropping and outpointing Ryan Garcia in May last year.

Romero missed the chance to take full advantage of the win, which was surely a mistake. Activity is certainly not an affliction in modern boxing; it is a business where boxers wait and wait and wait for a big payday. Luckily for Romero, it came along, and the WBA rewarded his inactivity by upgrading him from regular champion to Super champion.

Garcia is fighting Conor Benn in a massive fight in Las Vegas next month, and the winner of Romero vs Lopez will inevitably be linked with a huge payday against the winner of that one. However, there is a disorderly queue of contenders holding out for the riches attached to the Garcia and Benn fight.

Lopez has held world titles at lightweight and super-lightweight and has beaten, in style, excellent fighters like Josh Taylor, Vasyl Lomachenko and several other quality boxers. His points defeat by Shakur Stevenson earlier this year only highlighted how good Stevenson is, but he was unimpressive in the 2021 loss to George Kambosos.

There were also wins where he looked uninspired; Lopez has acted like a man on the very edge in fights, his self-doubt dominating his performances. It has made for uncomfortable viewing at times.

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Romero dropped Garcia last year en route to a decision win, with which he easily won the vacant title, but the stoppage defeats by Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz were disturbing. Romero was considerably lighter in both fights, and weight might have been an issue.

Romero has fought just five times in over four years, losing twice and gaining 13lb; his resume is typical of too many quality modern boxers who are simply circling and waiting for a payday. The Garcia win has kept him in the game and rightly so.

Lopez has been a young veteran for a long time, which is often a compliment in the boxing business. At just 29 years old and after 24 fights, he is still young and fresh and should be too slick for Romero.

These are the unknowns that make the fight such an attraction; can Romero repeat the Garcia form, and will Lopez enter the ring with a head full of swirling demons?

It’s a good fight, and the WBA’s gaudy belt is an irrelevance – just a tool to allow the sanctioning body to acquire a few seats and levy a few dollars for the dubious pleasure of being their champion.

Another week, another slew of finishes on Dana White’s Contender Series. Week 2 of this year’s action saw a night for the underdogs as three of them cashed out and earned their way to the UFC. 

Roman Gabriel Puga and Taner Trembley put on a show to open the festivities on Tuesday. The back-and-forth affair eventually saw Puga emerge victorious on all three scorecards 29-28, but the action was so good that UFC CEO and president Dana White offered both men UFC contracts for their willingness to trade.

Elsewhere, Alik Lorenz scored a stunning upset knockout at light heavyweight to earn his spot on the UFC roster. Lorenz was a big underdog against Aly, but he utilized his strength against him to earn the stoppage.

Sign up for Paramount+ and watch Dana White’s Contender Series on Tuesday night for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with the price of your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!

Speaking of underdogs, Trent Miller made his presence felt as a big one against Douglas Henry Rodrigues at middleweight. After surviving an early flurry from Rodrigues, Miller rallied back in the second half with a scoop takedown before locking in the rare Von flue choke on Rodrigues. 

Then in the main event, one of the most brutal knockout punches imaginable connected when Kaik Brito stopped Namo Fazil. Brito and Fazil went back-and-forth for two rounds of high-paced action. Then to start the third, it appeared as though Fazil had Brito hurt in the corner when the Brazilian uncorked a vicious overhand right that left Fazil out cold. 

“What could you not say about the main event. The main event was incredible,” White said. “The fact that Fazil had so many fans in here going crazy. Brito, I love your style, the way you fight. And, you had a guy in your face all night, taking your shots and coming at you. Came out and had a flying knee in the third round, tried to finish the fight and finished it in spectacular fashion. I cannot wait to see you fight in the UFC.”

DWCS Week 2 results

*Denotes contract won
** Denotes both fighters earned contracts

Man Utd will begin the new Premier League season against Hull this weekend.

Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot believes Michael Carrick is creating “something special” at Old Trafford.

Carrick was appointed on a permanent basis at the end of May after guiding United to a Champions League return with three games to spare in the Premier League.

The 45-year-old will look to better a third-place finish in 2026/27. United have wrapped up their pre-season schedule and will kick off the new campaign against Hull at the MKM Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Dalot spoke about his expectations for the season in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, and he suggested that United could clinch silverware because Carrick is building a promising team.

He said: “My expectations are always the same: being able to be the best version of myself, trying to help the club as much as I can and being in the best position mentally and physically to help the team.

“And then try to build around me the energy that the club needs for us to fight for every competition, for every trophy. I think that’s the minimum for this club, is for you to go to every season thinking that you can win every competition.

“And I think we are creating something special. Hopefully we can do it this season and arrive at the end of the season fighting for those competitions.”

Dalot returned to Carrington at the start of the month following his post-World Cup break. The defender reached the Round of 16 with Portugal alongside Bruno Fernandes.

“I think the way it ended was obviously disappointing because we aimed for more,” he reflected. “I think we had the quality to do much more than what we did. But that’s part of football sometimes.

“Having a lot of talent, a lot of quality, it’s not enough to win this kind of tournament. You always need something more, and I think that’s what we need to find out.

“What is that bit that is missing for us to be able to go and fight in a competition like this. But it’s also a learning process and a learning point for us as a country, as a team, and hopefully we can get better in the next competitions, go further and win them.”

United will take on Ipswich Town at Old Trafford after their opening game of the season against Hull. The Reds will then play Everton before taking on Manchester City and Fulham before the international break.

India vs Sri Lanka Highlights, 1st Test Day 5: Manav Suthar took six wickets (10 wickets in total) in the second innings as India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test of the two-match series on Tuesday in Galle.

Chasing an unlikely target of 372, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 206 in 77.4 overs during the post-lunch session, handing India a comfortable victory. Manav Suthar starred with the ball, claiming his maiden five-wicket haul and finishing with impressive figures of 6/55. Veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja provided excellent support, returning figures of 2/16. The 24-year-old left-arm spinner, who made his Test debut against Afghanistan in June, had also played a key role in Sri Lanka’s first innings, where his 4/76 helped India dismiss the hosts for 284 in response to the visitors’ total of 462. (Scorecard)

Here are the Highlights from Day 5 of the India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test:

Fans watch from a general view at Chase Center during the first half of a WNBA basketball game between the Golden State Valkyries and the Dallas Wings in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

SAN FRANCISCO — WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert will never forget the anticipation and energy she felt from an adoring crowd surrounding the Golden State Valkyries’ first home game last year as a new franchise.

“It was the Valkyries’ first game ever, and somehow it felt like this arena was filled with lifelong fans who had been following this league for 30 years,” Engelbert recalled. “It was the true sense that the team already belonged here.”

Now, Engelbert is bringing the WNBA All-Star Game to the Bay Area and “Ballhalla” next summer so all of women’s basketball can experience what she did that night in May 2025.

READ: WNBA denounces ‘bad-faith’ transgender debate

Engelbert made the announcement Tuesday that the WNBA showcase game will be held July 31, 2027, at Chase Center after a weekend of All-Star activities around the San Francisco region.

“I remember looking around that night and thinking to myself, ‘This place is going to be special,’ and in less than two seasons the Valkyries family has proven just how special it can be,” Engelbert said. “The Bay Area community hasn’t simply welcomed the Valkyries, this community has embraced the Valks as their team.”

And Golden State has waited for this moment all along. For Warriors and Valkyries owner Joe Lacob, this is decades in the making since he first began supporting women’s basketball.

Lacob has loved women’s basketball for decades and became one of the original investors in the former American Basketball League with the San Jose Lasers. He bought the Warriors in 2010 then Golden State was granted an expansion team in October 2023.

“It is actually a great honor to be hosting the All-Star Game. All I will say for all of us at Golden State but me in particular, it is a full-circle moment, well it will be full circle when we win the championship,” Lacob said.

At the All-Star Game in Chicago last month, players’ union president Nneka Ogwumike, who played in college at Stanford, said many players felt that Golden State would be a great host for next year’s mid-summer exhibition game.

READ: WNBA All-Star Game: Jones, Clark help Team Spoon beat Team Coop

Warriors coach Steve Kerr and guard Gary Payton II were among those in the audience for the announcement at Chase Center, where a cable car was set up inside the arena for the occasion.

“When you walk into this building for a Valkyries game, it is unlike any experience,” San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said.

Hosting world-class events was always in the plans since long before Chase Center opened in 2019. The Valkyries have sold out all of their home games since the franchise’s inception last year — and the team became the first expansion organization to make the playoffs in its inaugural year. Golden State lost to the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx. The Valkyries clinched a playoff berth for this year on Monday night with a win over Dallas.

The NBA All-Star Game was played at Chase Center last year.

“Hosting AT&T WNBA All-Star in only our third season is an incredible honor and a reflection of everything this fanbase, this region, and this organization have built together,” Valkyries President Jess Smith said. “From day one, the Bay Area has shown up for this team in a way that’s redefined what’s possible in women’s basketball, and we can’t wait to put that same energy on display for the entire league next summer.”

Last week, Major League Baseball announced the 2028 All-Star Game would return to nearby Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.

The Super Bowl was played in February at Levi’s Stadium, which then hosted the World Cup this summer.

Smith can’t wait for her team to add to that list — saying such an opportunity will never be taken for granted “to have a chance to be a part of the WNBA’s growth.”

“But it’s part of what we knew was possible from Day 1 with this organization,” she said. “We have embodied the bay’s energy in every decision that we’ve made, along with the community and our fans and our players, and one of the things we keep in mind is this that we understand this is where the world looks to see what comes next, whether it’s technology, innovation or how we treat people, how we connect what it means to gather, and we’re doing that at Ballhalla. The opportunity to do that in honor of all those stakeholders here, on behalf of this league with the best players in the world, is immense.”