Manchester United were left stunned by 15-year-old JJ Gabriel’s decision to inform the club of his desire to leave
14:14, 16 Sep 2026Updated 14:16, 16 Sep 2026
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JJ Gabriel’s Manchester United departure could cost the club millions after news emerged that the 15-year-old wanted his contract ripped up. The teenager refused to train this week ahead of a potential first-team debut and reports suggest that losing the talented forward could see the club pick up a mere six figures.
According to the Daily Mail, Gabriel and his family have dreamt of a move to Spain with Real Madrid and Barcelona among the clubs but a switch outside of England could cost United dearly. It has been said that the club would be due around £300,000 from a move abroad while a move within the country would be worth significantly more.
English players are only allowed to leave the club to go abroad at the age of 18 under current rules, but moves within professional clubs can be lucrative, with Liverpool paying at least £2.8million to Chelsea for a then 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha two years ago.
United were left stunned by the talent’s expression to terminate his current deal in the North West.
Old Trafford figures are unsure of what caused the 15-year-old to want to leave the club, but his recent activity initially sparked concern when he deleted all trace of United on his social media profile last week.
Gabriel has become a first-team regular in preparations under Michael Carrick and was handed his debut in pre-season against Atletico Madrid in Sweden.
The 15-year-old would have become the fourth youngest Premier League appearance maker had he come on against Hull City on the opening day of the season.
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But their defeat and the manner of the game, restricted that opportunity, while the 5-2 win over Ipswich also posed ample opportunity.
MEN understands that United feel like they have done all they can to prove to the teenager that he is the clubs future but he will not be afforded the chance to become the youngest ever player in Wednesday’s League Cup third-round tie.
About 50 minutes after the final out, the Brewers clinched the division when the second-place Chicago Cubs lost to Atlanta. Milwaukee players watched the end of that game on television, raising hands and cheering at the final out.
The flamethrowing Misiorowski (15-5) dropped his ERA to major league-best 1.89 and boosted his season strikeout total to 243. Nine of the towering right-hander’s first 10 pitches topped 100 mph and he worked around five hits — all singles — to win his fourth straight decision.
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Joey Ortiz and Luis Lara drove in two runs each for the Brewers, who have become postseason fixtures for the last decade but are still seeking the franchise’s first World Series appearance since 1982. Swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers last season’s NL Championship Series, Milwaukee has qualified for the postseason for the eighth time in nine years.
The Brewers took the lead early against opener Lake Bachar (1-4) in a sequence that symbolizes the approach that’s helped them carry the major leagues’ best record for much of the season. Jake Bauers led off with a single, moved to second on a groundout, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Lara’s sacrifice fly.
That was enough for Misiorowski, who exited after throwing 82 pitches — 43 at 100 mph or more — to strengthen his grasp on his first Cy Young Award.
Brandon Lowe hit his 30th homer for Pittsburgh and the team’s 171st of the season, tying a franchise record set in 1999. Rafael Flores Jr. added four hits for the Pirates, who fell back below .500 at 75-76 on the day the club celebrated franchise icon and Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente by wearing the outfielder’s famous No. 21.
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The series continues on Wednesday. Logan Henderson (10-3, 2.34 ERA) starts for the Brewers against Pittsburgh’s Jared Jones (4-6, 4.10 ERA).
Indian boxers finishing on the podium at the upcoming Asian Games will directly qualify for next year’s World Boxing Championships, which is the first Olympic qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the BFI announced on Wednesday. The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has released an expansive selection policy focused on having the maximum number of boxers for the LA Games. The policy lays down a four-stage pathway based on the qualification system developed by World Boxing and approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the BFI said in a media release.
According to the World Boxing criteria, the 2027 World Boxing Championships will be the first qualifying event, followed by the Asian Qualifier in China and two World Qualifying Tournaments in 2028.
“Asian Games 2026 medallists will be selected as the main entry in their respective weight categories. The gold medallists of the 10th Elite National Championships shall serve as the reserve entry in that weight category,” said the circular issued by BFI this week.
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According to the policy, for weight categories in which India has not won a medal at the Asian Games as well as for LA 2028 Olympic weight categories that were not part of the Asian Games, the gold medallist of the 10th Elite National Championships shall be selected as the main entry.
Boxers who reach the quota bout round but fail to win a quota place at the World Championships will receive direct entry to the Asian Qualifiers.
The remaining slots will be filled through a ranking selection trial among the national campers, after the boxers have entered the national coaching camp through the dedicated pathways.
A similar process will be followed for the two World Qualifying Tournaments in 2028, to be held in Italy and Hungary.
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“This policy has been framed to give our boxers a clear and structured route to Los Angeles 2028, built around consistent performance at the National Coaching Camp and at World Boxing’s qualification events,” said BFI President Ajay Singh.
The national coaching camp will start with the medallist of 10th Elite National Championships, Asian Games medallists and any wild cards to be selected by the BFI selection committee, as per the provisions mentioned in the policy.
For the non-Olympic weight categories, the gold medallist of the National Championships will serve as main entry to the 2027 World Championships, while the silver medallist will serve as the reserve.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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CWG 2026 Weightlifting Gold Medallist, Mirabai Chanu Get Hero’s Welcome in Delhi
The 2026 Biltmore Championship Asheville gets underway this week at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in Asheville, N.C. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the PGA Tour tournament, including a full Biltmore Championship Asheville TV schedule, streaming information and complete tee times for the first and second rounds once they are released.
How to watch Biltmore Championship Asheville
This week’s inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville event marks the first time Asheville has hosted a PGA Tour event in 80 years. It also acts as the first tournament of the FedEx Fall, where players will fight for their 2027 PGA Tour cards.
Bridgeman, 26, captured his first Tour win in February at the 2026 Genesis Invitational, a Signature Event. Koivun, 21, turned pro this summer, then promptly won the 2026 3M Open in Minnesota in just his third start as a pro, kicking off his promising career in style.
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In all, the field features six Tour winners from 2026, as well as two major champions: Lucas Glover and Webb Simpson.
Golf Channel will provide exclusive TV coverage of the 2026 Biltmore Championship Asheville, while PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will offer featured group coverage. Golfchannel.com and the Golf Channel app will offer live simulcasts of the TV coverage.
You can find complete information about streaming or watching the tournament on TV below.
Tournament basics
What: 2026 Biltmore Championship Asheville Where: The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, Asheville, N.C. When: Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 17-20 Purse: $5 million ($900,000 winner’s share)
Golf Channel will air TV coverage of the 2026 Biltmore Championship Asheville this week. Check out the full TV schedule below.
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Thursday, September 17: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel) Friday, September 18: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel) Saturday, September 19: 1-4 p.m. ET (Golf Channel) Sunday, September 20: 1-4 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
How to watch online, streaming
You can watch the 2026 Biltmore Championship Asheville online via PGA Tour Live on ESPN+, including featured group coverage starting at 7 a.m. ET on Thursday and Friday. Golf Channel’s telecasts will be available on Golfchannel.com and the Golf Channel app.
2026 Biltmore Championship Asheville tee times: Round 1 (ET)
Tee No. 1
7:20 a.m. – Lee Hodges, Nick Hardy, Mark Hubbard 7:31 a.m. – Emiliano Grillo, Chad Ramey, John Parry 7:42 a.m. – Chandler Phillips, Will Gordon, Hank Lebioda 7:53 a.m. – William Mouw, Stephan Jaeger, Chris Kirk 8:04 a.m. – Karl Vilips, Cam Davis, Taylor Pendrith 8:15 a.m. – Andrew Novak, Davis Riley, Lucas Glover 8:26 a.m. – Tyler Duncan, Brendon Todd, Rasmus Højgaard 8:37 a.m. – Matthieu Pavon, Max Greyserman, Kristoffer Ventura 8:48 a.m. – Trace Crowe, Keita Nakajima, Chandler Blanchet 8:59 a.m. – Jimmy Stanger, Kensei Hirata, Carson Bertagnole (a) 9:10 a.m. – Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Jeffrey Kang, Austin Duncan 12:10 p.m. – Seamus Power, Pierceson Coody, David Skinns 12:21 p.m. – Camilo Villegas, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, David Lipsky 12:32 p.m. – Austin Eckroat, Jonathan Byrd, Jackson Suber 12:43 p.m. – Jackson Koivun, Jacob Bridgeman, Webb Simpson 12:54 p.m. – J.T. Poston, Tony Finau, Ben James 1:05 p.m. – Peter Malnati, Rico Hoey, Ben Silverman 1:16 p.m. – Patton Kizzire, Tom Hoge, Takumi Kanaya 1:27 p.m. – Cameron Champ, Lanto Griffin, Doug Ghim 1:38 p.m. – Hayden Springer, Zecheng Dou, Davis Chatfield 1:49 p.m. – Jesper Svensson, Gordon Sargent, Pontus Nyholm 2:00 p.m. – Paul Peterson, David Ford, Morgan Deneen
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Tee No. 10
7:20 a.m. – Ryan Brehm, Troy Merritt, Justin Lower 7:31 a.m. – Nick Dunlap, Henrik Norlander, Zach Bauchou 7:42 a.m. – Ben Kohles, Johnny Keefer, Danny Walker 7:53 a.m. – Nico Echavarria, Corey Conners, Ryo Hisatsune 8:04 a.m. – Nick Taylor, Billy Horschel, Blades Brown 8:15 a.m. – Andrew Putnam, Michael Kim, Dylan Wu 8:26 a.m. – Taylor Moore, Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Hadwin 8:37 a.m. – Rafael Campos, Ben Martin, A.J. Ewart 8:48 a.m. – Isaiah Salinda, Christo Lamprecht, Keller Harper 8:59 a.m. – Alejandro Tosti, Luke Clanton, Spencer Oxendine 9:10 a.m. – Jeremy Paul, Marcelo Rozo, Tyler Jones (a) 12:10 p.m. – Adam Svensson, Joel Dahmen, Beau Hossler 12:21 p.m. – Brice Garnett, Eric Cole, Zac Blair 12:32 p.m. – Luke List, Kevin Streelman, Max McGreevy 12:43 p.m. – Steven Fisk, Adam Schenk, Kevin Yu 12:54 p.m. – Ricky Castillo, Davis Thompson, Aaron Wise 1:05 p.m. – Erik van Rooyen, Denny McCarthy, Kevin Roy 1:16 p.m. – Kevin Kisner, Fabián Gómez, Mac Meissner 1:27 p.m. – Vince Whaley, Harry Higgs, Austin Smotherman 1:38 p.m. – Neal Shipley, John VanDerLaan, Phillip Yribarren 1:49 p.m. – Michael Thompson, Patrick Fishburn, Tyler Watts (a) 2:00 p.m. – Haotong Li, Marco Penge, Brendan Valdes
2026 Biltmore Championship Asheville tee times: Round 2 (ET)
Tee No. 1
7:20 a.m. – Adam Svensson, Joel Dahmen, Beau Hossler 7:31 a.m. – Brice Garnett, Eric Cole, Zac Blair 7:42 a.m. – Luke List, Kevin Streelman, Max McGreevy 7:53 a.m. – Steven Fisk, Adam Schenk, Kevin Yu 8:04 a.m. – Ricky Castillo, Davis Thompson, Aaron Wise 8:15 a.m. – Erik van Rooyen, Denny McCarthy, Kevin Roy 8:26 a.m. – Kevin Kisner, Fabián Gómez, Mac Meissner 8:37 a.m. – Vince Whaley, Harry Higgs, Austin Smotherman 8:48 a.m. – Neal Shipley, John VanDerLaan, Phillip Yribarren 8:59 a.m. – Michael Thompson, Patrick Fishburn, Tyler Watts (a) 9:10 a.m. – Haotong Li, Marco Penge, Brendan Valdes 12:10 p.m. – Ryan Brehm, Troy Merritt, Justin Lower 12:21 p.m. – Nick Dunlap, Henrik Norlander, Zach Bauchou 12:32 p.m. – Ben Kohles, Johnny Keefer, Danny Walker 12:43 p.m. – Nico Echavarria, Corey Conners, Ryo Hisatsune 12:54 p.m. – Nick Taylor, Billy Horschel, Blades Brown 1:05 p.m. – Andrew Putnam, Michael Kim, Dylan Wu 1:16 p.m. – Taylor Moore, Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Hadwin 1:27 p.m. – Rafael Campos, Ben Martin, A.J. Ewart 1:38 p.m. – Isaiah Salinda, Christo Lamprecht, Keller Harper 1:49 p.m. – Alejandro Tosti, Luke Clanton, Spencer Oxendine 2:00 p.m. – Jeremy Paul, Marcelo Rozo, Tyler Jones (a)
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Tee No. 10
7:20 a.m. – Seamus Power, Pierceson Coody, David Skinns 7:31 a.m. – Camilo Villegas, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, David Lipsky 7:42 a.m. – Austin Eckroat, Jonathan Byrd, Jackson Suber 7:53 a.m. – Jackson Koivun, Jacob Bridgeman, Webb Simpson 8:04 a.m. – J.T. Poston, Tony Finau, Ben James 8:15 a.m. – Peter Malnati, Rico Hoey, Ben Silverman 8:26 a.m. – Patton Kizzire, Tom Hoge, Takumi Kanaya 8:37 a.m. – Cameron Champ, Lanto Griffin, Doug Ghim 8:48 a.m. – Hayden Springer, Zecheng Dou, Davis Chatfield 8:59 a.m. – Jesper Svensson, Gordon Sargent, Pontus Nyholm 9:10 a.m. – Paul Peterson, David Ford, Morgan Deneen 12:10 p.m. – Lee Hodges, Nick Hardy, Mark Hubbard 12:21 p.m. – Emiliano Grillo, Chad Ramey, John Parry 12:32 p.m. – Chandler Phillips, Will Gordon, Hank Lebioda 12:43 p.m. – William Mouw, Stephan Jaeger, Chris Kirk 12:54 p.m. – Karl Vilips, Cam Davis, Taylor Pendrith 1:05 p.m. – Andrew Novak, Davis Riley, Lucas Glover 1:16 p.m. – Tyler Duncan, Brendon Todd, Rasmus Højgaard 1:27 p.m. – Matthieu Pavon, Max Greyserman, Kristoffer Ventura 1:38 p.m. – Trace Crowe, Keita Nakajima, Chandler Blanchet 1:49 p.m. – Jimmy Stanger, Kensei Hirata, Carson Bertagnole (a) 2:00 p.m. – Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Jeffrey Kang, Austin Duncan
Is Blake Brandel going to be good enough as the Vikings’ starting center? He was in Week 1.
The effectiveness of Brandel has been a longstanding Vikings concern. On Sunday, Brandel played at a level that made people forget that there was reason for pause. Seeing that continue would mean the Vikings proved wise to shift the snapping responsibility to the veteran.
Blake Brandel Not a Vikings Concern in Week 1
At no point did the mental and verbal component of the job appear to be an issue.
Blake Brandel precedes Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota, meaning he’s a well-respected leader who understands the scheme as well as anyone. Being able diagnose the defense before the snap before then adjusting the blocking based on the threat that’s being presented isn’t too much to demand of the 29-year-old blocker who got drafted in the 2020 NFL Draft.
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The college offensive tackle began as an NFL offensive tackle, albeit as a depth option. He then kicked inside to guard before then sliding further inward, adding snapping to his list of responsibilities. Brandel’s journey has mostly involved being an injury fill-in but he did function as the starter at left guard for all of 2024.
Sep 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) takes a snap during the first half against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The snaps were gloriously boring on Sunday. Like the hold on a field goal — a different concern but one that Brett Thorson quietly overcame in Week 1 — Brandel did things at such a level that people got lulled into watching the play rather than wondering if the play could begin with a clean snap.
Now, Mr. Brandel wasn’t perfect. He committed a false start at one point, an obvious blemish where he appeared to get tangled up mentally. The end result was being caught leaning prior to the ball getting sent back to the quarterback. Some yellow laundry hit the field shortly thereafter.
More promising is that he allowed just a single pressure in Week 1 (PFF). No sacks or QB hits appear on his report card.
Added together, Brandel’s positive and negative pass blocking snaps led to a 78.4 grade. Minnesota’s coaching staff (and fans) will be doing cartwheels if that sort of effort can get repeated throughout the season.
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Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Blake Brandel (64) blocks for quarterback Sam Darnold (14) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
On Sunday, the Vikings will be taking on the Bears at Soldier Field. That’s an environment that’s going to be a lot more difficult.
Look for the Chicago fans to be loud. As a result, the communication is going to be tougher to sort through. Guys such as Dayo Odeyingbo, Montez Sweat, Devin Bush, and various others are going to be tough to corral. Is Brandel up to the challenge?
The Week 2 game sees kickoff scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT.
The Florida Panthers are set to begin the 2026-27 season without Brad Marchand in their lineup, but it’s not something that’s keeping general manager Bill Zito awake at night.
While meeting with reporters ahead of training camp on Wednesday, Zito said that he expects Marchand to return from off-season surgery “early in the season,” but added that the team will be conservative in getting the veteran winger back on the ice.
Regardless of the timing of Marchand’s return, though, Zito said, it’s “not a worry or concern for (him).”
Marchand confirmed in early August through a social media post that he underwent an undisclosed procedure to get back to full health as the Panthers look to bounce back from their injury-riddled 2025-26.
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“Unfortunately, I had to have a surgery,” Marchand said in the post on Aug. 15. “I was trying to fix (the injury) without surgery, but unfortunately that wasn’t able to happen and had to kind of do it last minute.”
Marchand dealt with a lower-body injury for most of the 2025-26 season, and with the Panthers out of the playoff picture, he was shut down for the final 19 games of the regular season.
Even while being limited by the injury, the 38-year-old forward still put up 27 goals and 27 assists in 52 games. Marchand joined the Panthers ahead of the 2024-25 trade deadline and helped the team win a second straight Stanley Cup title.
Real Madrid have supported their squad’s right to express differing views after forwards Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr covered up a display of solidarity with the people of Ceuta prior to Tuesday’s La Liga game against Elche.
Both teams entered the pitch wearing t-shirts bearing the words “Todos somos caballas” (“We are all mackerels”), referencing a nickname for inhabitants of the Spanish territory of Ceuta, which shares a border with Morocco in North Africa.
However, Mbappe and Vinicius hitched their shirts up to chest level, rendering the slogan unreadable, before removing them completely as they left the tunnel. Teammate Ibrahima Konate chose simply to carry his shirt in his hands.
This act of support follows more than 70,000 irregular crossings into Ceuta from Morocco recorded during July, which triggered solidarity movements across Spain.
A Real Madrid official said the club accepted Elche’s request to display solidarity by wearing the shirts, while also underlining their desire to accept differing opinions, with players afforded the chance to wear the t-shirt or not.
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Real previously staged a tifo display in their singing section during last Tuesday’s Champions League match against Inter Milan, where supporters held up placards depicting the Ceuta flag.
The garment initiative was backed by the Valencian Business Association, though Barcelona opted against wearing the shirts during Sunday’s fixture against Levante.
Morocco and Real Betis winger Ez Abde refused to apologise for wearing a T-shirt with the same “Todos somos Caballas” slogan (Disney+)
On Monday, Moroccan international Ez Abde was targeted with abusive social media posts after wearing the top ahead of Real Betis’ game against Villarreal.
Abde issued a statement asserting he would not apologise, explaining the message supported a community and social cause rather than carrying political intent.
“At no point was the shirt referring to the people of Ceuta used with a political purpose or as a sign of disrespect toward my people, the Moroccan people,” Abde said on Instagram.
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“It was a shirt with a social purpose, intended to support a community. That said, this is not an apology to anyone, and anyone who wishes to use this to question my love for my country is free to do so. I will continue to live each day with my head held high.”
Real Madrid went on to win Tuesday’s match as they edged a five-goal thriller thanks to a stoppage-time winner.
Jose Mourinho’s men had been appeared on course for a comfortable victory after moving into a two-goal lead following a Matias Dituro own goal and an Mbappe strike.
However, Elche got back on level terms with seven minutes remaining thanks to goals from Abiel Osorio and Fer Nino.
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It was left to Carlos Espi to rescue a hard-earned win for Real Madrid, as he tapped home into an empty net after an unselfish pass from Mbappe.
For the first time since the season opening Week 0, the Mountain West does not see a conference matchup.
Seven teams in the league step out of conference play in Week 3.
I highlight six of those contests here, with the NIU vs. Arizona game being the seventh. For that matchup, you can read Dane Miller’s Big 12 column on Thursday.
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I am expecting a mixed bag for the conference this week.
I think New Mexico will prove themselves worthy on a national stage, and Nevada and North Dakota State will get wins.
Meanwhile, look for Wyoming, UTEP, and San Jose State to continue their struggles.
Here are my previews of key Mountain West games this week.
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Wyoming at Central Michigan
Saturday, September 19 10:00 AM PT, ESPN+
Line: CMU –1.5 Over/Under:39.5
A showdown awaits in Mount Pleasant on Saturday.
Central Michigan has played twice, getting blown out by New Mexico before evening their record by squeaking out a win over FCS Colgate 13-10.
The narrow win over a lower division side is never ideal, but it is a lot better than losing one of those games. And that is exactly what the Cowboys are coming off of.
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At 0-2, UW followed up their opening loss to rival Colorado State with an eight-point defeat at the hands of Northern Colorado.
So, yeah, this one will be something.
Through the first two weeks of the season, the Cowboys have been one of the worst teams offensively, ranking 126th nationally with 2,885 yards of offense per outing.
Markell Holman | Kirk Miller/For WyoSports
One of the 12 teams that have been worse offensively this season? The Chippewas!
CMU is 137th with only 212.5 yards of production per game. So, the under 39.5 looks pretty darn good this week.
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While the offenses have been problematic for both teams, the Chips have been decent on defense, holding opponents below 300 total yards on the season. The Cowboys have not been as good on that side of things, either.
Against Northern Colorado, Wyoming only managed 304 yards of offense and only ran for 155 yards in the game. That is a game in which UW should have been able to churn out yardage.
One bright spot was the production of Markell Holman and his 80 yards on 11 carries. On the season, the back is averaging 7.83 yards per carry. Getting him hot along with Tote Harris could turn this attack around.
New Mexico pounded the Chips on the ground in their season-opening win. If Wyoming can have similar success, they can pull the upset.
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I think the home team holds serve in a contest that will be lacking points.
Winner:CMU ATS:CMU O/U:Under
UTEP at No. 19 Michigan
Saturday, September 19 12:30 PM PT, Big Ten Network
Line:Michigan –35 Over/Under:48.5
The round-robin play in the Okla-TEP-igan cup concludes this week with the Miners traveling to the Big House as Michigan looks to conclude the non-conference slate 3-0 (ish).
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Of course, UTEP played Oklahoma to open the season, hence the round-robin slate. UTEP is hoping the trip to Ann Arbor is a bit better than that trip to Norman was, with the Miners falling 51-0 and not even topping 200 yards of offense.
The go-go attack of UTEP rebounded in week two with a convincing win over Texas Southern. The Miners put up 51 points and were balanced on offense with 252 on the ground and 239 through the air.
It was a big improvement over the shutout loss to Oklahoma. Obviously, the competition was a bit different as well.
Kyle Whittingham admitted that he and the staff did not have a good game plan in the opener for Bryce Underwood. They rectified that in game two against Oklahoma as Young was electric with the ball in his hands.
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Kam Thomas | UTEP Athletics
Underwood still has not been able to throw with any real effectiveness, but he was a problem for the Sooners on the ground. The QB accounted for 87 of the Wolverines 152 yards on the ground.
So which Michigan team shows up—the one that struggled with Western Michigan or the one that rebounded against the Sooners?
I think we will see more of the latter this season and definitely that version this week. Underwood will need to get better throwing the football, but he won’t need to make a jump this week.
Michigan should be able to run all over the Miners, and the defense of the Wolverines will stymie UTEP throughout.
Winner: Michigan ATS:Michigan O/U:Under
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Nevada at Middle Tennessee
Saturday, September 19 4:00 PM PT, ESPN+
Line:Nevada –4 Over/Under:51.5
Last season, the Blue Raiders stormed back for the win over Nevada in Reno. This season sees the Pack make the return trip to Murfreesboro with hopes of paying their hosts back.
If they are to pull off the feat, they will need to be better this week than they were last time out.
Carter Jones missed the loss to Montana State with a shoulder injury, and Jeff Choate expects to have his QB back for this one.
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The Wolf Pack did not miss much with AJ Blanco throwing the ball, but Jones ability to make more plays with his legs was missed against MSU.
Dominic Kelley | Derek Raridon/MW Connection
The Blue Raiders defense did a good job of bottling up Marshal in their loss last week but allowed FCS Murray State to run for over 5.3 yards per carry in the opener.
Nevada will need a strong performance on the ground, and I look for Dominic Kelley to produce. The back has run for 236 yards in the first two weeks of the season and ran all over Western Kentucky in the opener.
I think Nevada grinds it out on the ground and is able to head back west with a win. This one stays close in the 20s but the Pack get the win.
Winner:Nevada ATS:MTSU O/U:Under
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New Mexico at No. 24 Oklahoma
Saturday, September 19 4:30 PM PT, ESPN+
Line:Oklahoma –22.5 Over/Under:46.5
The Lobos are going to get an angry Sooners squad smarting from their loss to Michigan.
The 24th-ranked team in the nation will have plenty of things to fix following their loss last week, particularly on offense.
If the Lobos were hoping to catch Oklahoma overconfident, think again. The offense had a difficult time getting things going against Michigan, but will the Lobo defense have the same effect? If they can, then it will be a good day for New Mexico.
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But if ever there was a week to catch the Sooners, it might be this week. Following the visit from UNM, they get No. 2 Georgia and No. 1 Texas in consecutive weeks.
New Mexico is well coached; they have looked dominant in their opening two games and look to vie for the title of the best Group of Six in the nation. This week they have the opportunity to cement that.
Now, let’s look at how the Lobos can pull this upset.
Last week saw John Mateer turning the football over. A late interception by the OU QB set up the game-winning score for a Michigan team that still had plenty of offensive deficiencies.
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Cade Keith | New Mexico Athletics
Well, who leads the nation in interceptions this season? The New Mexico Lobos, with five on the season. If the Lobos can force errors this week, they will be in good shape.
The Lobos have also been able to run the ball well this season. Scottre Humphrey has churned out yards at a ridiculous rate.
While the Lobos have used both Luke Moga and Toa Fa’avae this season, Fa’avae could be effective with his legs.
Last week the Sooners had a hard time containing Bryce Underwood when plays broke down. This week Fa’avae could have a similar impact.
Alas, I don’t think things line up for the Lobos this week, but they don’t have to win this one to prove they belong. This is the Lobos’ chance to make a statement as a playoff hopeful, and a strong performance will do just that even if it results in a loss.
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I think the Sooners win the game, but the Lobos prove something themselves.
Winner: Oklahoma ATS: New Mexico O/U:Over
North Dakota State at Sacramento State
Saturday, September 19 7:30 PM PT, ESPN
Line:NDSU –27.5 Over/Under:51.5
The former FCS programs are facing drastically different expectations in their first seasons at the FBS level.
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The Hornets are looking to stay afloat in the MAC while the Bison are suddenly looking like one of the powers of the Mountain West.
The Bison are 3-0 and have a conference win over Air Force in the bag already. Sacramento State is 1-2 with the lone win over an FCS opponent, a lopsided loss to Fresno State, and falling in their conference opener to Eastern Michigan.
The Hornets are set to take some lumps this season, and this game will be another one of those bumps in the road.
The Bison defense shut down their first two opponents, then allowed 207 on the ground to Air Force, but that is to be expected. The Hornets will not run the ball at the same level as the Falcons did.
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NDSU will win this one going away.
Winner:NDSU ATS:NDSU O/U:Over
Fresno State at San Jose State
Saturday, September 19 8:00 PM PT, FS1
Line:Fresno State –6.5 Over/Under:50.5
The rivalry game takes on a new look this season as the programs will meet as non-conference foes.
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The line at only six and a half made me do a double take at first, but this is a rivalry game, and anything can happen.
The Spartans have an explosive offense behind Luke Weaver, and the rushing attack was also effective, led by Jabari Bates, who finished with 163 rushing yards.
To succeed this season and in this game, SJSU will need to keep things balanced on the offensive side of the ball.
Fresno State shook off their shutout loss to USC with a beatdown of Sacramento State last week.
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Jabari Bates | Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group
In the win, Jayden Mandal was nearly perfect and had a clean pocket to work with. With time to operate, the Fresno State signal-caller will be able to pick apart defenses this season.
The Bulldogs will need to get pressure on Weaver, especially in third-down situations. If they can make things uncomfortable for the Spartans, they should be able to feast on defense.
I think this one stays tight for a bit before Fresno State pulls away late. The Bulldogs get the cover in the end, and the score goes over the 50-point offering.
Winner:Fresno State ATS:Fresno State Over/Under:Over
writes about various topics for SuperWest sports, including stats and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and runs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).
The final number of runners for Chris Waller in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield will hinge on barrier draws and the predicted race shape.
Six horses are entered by Waller for the Group 1 weight-for-age contest over 1800 metres on Saturday: Aeliana, Buckaroo, Lindermann, Birdman, Asterix, and Soulcombe.
Aeliana and Lindermann also have entries for the Group 2 7 Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, while Asterix and Soulcombe are nominated for the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.
Waller is leaning towards sending Aeliana and Lindermann to Melbourne but will wait until acceptances and the barrier draw are known before making a final decision.
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“Blake Shinn is booked to ride in the Underwood if he comes down, so we’re well prepared,” Waller stated. “He deserves his chance in a Group 1 race. The whole of last year was built around getting his confidence up and running against the best horses. He did run second in the Queen Elizabeth, so it was good to see him bounce back to form last start.”
Lindermann returned to winning form in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 5, after finishing ninth behind Autumn Glow in the Winx Stakes (1400m) last month.
Aeliana, who finished behind Lindermann in the Winx Stakes, remained in Sydney following her scratching from the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday.
Aeliana’s only start since her spell resulted in a last-place finish behind Autumn Glow.
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“Her first-up run was disappointing,” Waller conceded. “We thought she was out of her comfort zone, and we saw Lindermann bounce back off a flat run in the Winx Stakes, so there is no reason why she can’t. I would like to see her draw well and when you want to get a horses confidence levels up, and you draw wide in an Underwood Stakes and well in a 7 Stakes, I’d rather keep her in Sydney, but if she draws well in the Underwood, I would say she will come down.”
Birdman and Buckaroo are confirmed to participate in the race.
Both were withdrawn from the Makybe Diva Stakes last weekend and completed a 1000m jump-out at Flemington last Friday.
Waller felt that bypassing the Makybe Diva Stakes was the correct choice for the pair.
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“It would have been hard to win last week, and Autumn Boy was good running second behind Sheza Alibi which was great for their team, and it franked the form behind Autumn Glow,” Waller noted. “I think we made the right decision and Birdman and Buckaroo will be here on Saturday. They had a trial on Friday and will have a maintenance gallop. Birdman was terrific first-up, so was Buckaroo and they’re ready to peak over 1800 metres.”
Soulcombe completed a gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday with Blake Shinn in the saddle, and the jockey reported no issues with the stayer.
The 2023 Melbourne Cup runner-up has had just one run since, finishing near the back in the Heatherlie Handicap (1700m) on August 29, following an injury-forced absence.
“I think we might have had him a bit overdone in terms of his weight first-up,” Waller said. “We worked really hard during his prep work to get weight off him to help his legs, and we might have left him with no energy. We’ve upped his energy levels, and I think he looks better in his coat. He was disappointing last start, so there is no reason why he could not bounce back. It’s a big step to win second-up, but I would like to see him be competitive.”
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Considering the Underwood Stakes? Explore the latest racing odds at these popular betting sites.
Jul 11, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; UFC president Dana White in attendance during UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Week 6 of Dana White’s Contender Series arrives Tuesday, September 15, live from Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Paramount+ at 7 p.m. ET.
This card leans heavily on unbeaten prospects trying to survive their first real step up in competition, with three separate fights pairing a spotless record against a battle-tested veteran.
Here’s a full breakdown of every matchup and my picks.
Welterweight: Zevan Hunt (7-0) vs. Mayton Perea (8-3)
This main event is the classic “prospect versus gatekeeper” script. Hunt is unbeaten and physically gifted, but he hasn’t faced anyone with Perea’s fight IQ or experience absorbing adversity across three professional losses. Perea’s resume shows he knows how to weather adversity mid-fight and adjust, which matters against a younger opponent who has never had to problem-solve from behind. If Hunt’s power doesn’t connect early, Perea’s craft and durability should let him find openings as the fight extends into the second and third rounds, where his experience should start to outweigh Hunt’s rawer physical tools.
Pick: Mayton Perea by decision
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Middleweight: Igor Cavalcanti (13-2) vs. Oscar Ravello (13-3-1)
Cavalcanti is a genuine finishing machine, all 13 of his professional wins have come by stoppage, split between 10 knockouts and three submissions, and his adaptable, opportunistic style makes him difficult to game-plan against because he refuses to be pigeonholed into one approach. Ravello, by his own admission, transforms into a far more aggressive fighter once the cage door closes, but that aggression can also be a vulnerability against someone as versatile and finish-hungry as Cavalcanti. Given Cavalcanti’s perfect finishing rate and stylistic unpredictability, Ravello’s aggression is more likely to walk him into a finish than to create one of his own.
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Pick: Igor Cavalcanti by KO/TKO, Round 2
Lightweight: Akbar Abdullaev (13-0) vs. Ednilson Santos (14-7-1)
Abdullaev enters as one of the most disproportionately favored fighters of the season, and the gap in output speaks for itself, a spotless 13-0 record against a veteran who has already absorbed seven professional losses. Santos brings championship-rounds experience that Abdullaev hasn’t needed yet, but volume of experience alone doesn’t offset the technical and physical gap this matchup appears to present. Santos’ durability could keep him in the fight into the later rounds, but expect Abdullaev’s superior technical tools to control the pace and separate himself clearly on the feet or on the mat.
Pick: Akbar Abdullaev by KO/TKO, Round 1
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Featherweight: Tyshawn Williams (8-0) vs. Antonio Monteiro (18-5-1)
Williams brings a wrestling foundation dating back to age five, refined through a collegiate career and international training stints in Liverpool before he settled in Las Vegas, giving him a technical base that should translate well against a striking-oriented opponent. Monteiro is the far more experienced fighter by fight count, with 24 professional bouts to his name, but that experience has also produced five losses, suggesting a fighter who can be beaten by opponents with a clear game plan. Williams’ wrestling should give him a direct route to neutralize Monteiro’s experience advantage by controlling where this fight takes place.
Pick: Tyshawn Williams by decision
Middleweight: Luis Hernandez (7-0) vs. Hugo Guillon (7-1)
This is the most evenly matched fight on the card, pitting two fighters with nearly identical experience levels and unbeaten-or-close-to-it records against each other. Hernandez’s unblemished mark suggests a fighter who has consistently solved whatever puzzle has been placed in front of him, while Guillon’s lone loss shows he has already been tested and adjusted since. Without a clear physical or technical mismatch, this profiles as a competitive three-round affair where whoever imposes their pace first, Hernandez’s undefeated confidence or Guillon’s battle-tested composure, should edge the scorecards.
Wyoming at Central Michigan 
UTEP at No. 19 Michigan
Nevada at Middle Tennessee
New Mexico at No. 24 Oklahoma
North Dakota State at Sacramento State
Fresno State at San Jose State
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