The ‘Protect College Sports Act’ has stalled in the U.S. Congress and faces an uncertain fate.

Meanwhile, Josh Pate hinted at a Playoff model that has barely been discussed.

On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, Spencer McLaughlin makes his 2026 record prediction for the Texas A&M Aggies.

Could they be one of the Playoff teams that fails to be in the 12-team field this year?

North Dakota State has joined the Mountain West as a football member after a dynastic run at the FCS level.

Will the Bison be a legit contender in the league alongside UNLV and New Mexico?

00:00 Discussing 24-team college football playoff
03:59 College football playoff structure debate
08:57 Challenges after playoff bye week
12:28 Evaluating Football Team’s Readiness
14:05 Texas A&M vs Arizona State matchup
19:10 Picking Texas vs Oklahoma games
22:15 North Dakota State Bison dominance
24:49 NDSU’s future in Mountain West
27:19 NDSU’s successful football season

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

Manchester United have been one of several sides linked with a summer move for Roma midfielder Manu Kone as they look to strengthen an area of concern in Michael Carrick’s squad

Chelsea could be set to rival Manchester United for Roma star Manu Kone this summer. It comes amid uncertainty over the future of £100million-rated Enzo Fernandez at Stamford Bridge.

The Reds have been heavily linked with Kone in their search for midfield reinforcements. It comes after Casemiro’s exit, and with Manuel Ugarte facing a lengthy period out injured.

Kone impressed with his performances for France at the World Cup this summer. The 25-year-old helped his nation to a fourth-placed finish in North America – losing to England in the third-placed play-off after being beaten by Spain in the semi-finals. Reports in France last month claimed that United had opened talks with Roma over a deal, but faced competition from Premier League champions Arsenal.

And now Italian publication Il Messaggero, via Voce Giallo Rossa, have claimed that Chelsea could be in the mix for Kone’s signature. It is said that the Blues have been monitoring him for months amid uncertainty over Fernandez’s future in west London.

Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini has recently addressed questions over whether players could leave, but remained uncertain.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

He said: “I don’t know. We have a CEO now, and you’ll have to ask him these transfer market questions.

“Asking him what Roma can and can’t do. As for the numbers and transfer market possibilities, the ball is in his court.”

Advertisement

Kone made 37 appearances across all competitions for Roma last term – helping the Italian side finish third in Serie A and qualify for the Champions League.

Italian publication Corriere dello Sport have previously claimed that the Giallorossi’s stance on their star midfielder remains firm, with €55million (£47m) set as the absolute minimum asking price. The report added that even an offer of €50m (£42.5m) would not be enough.

It followed reports in mid-June that Premier League champions Arsenal agreed personal terms. According to Italian outlet Corriere della Sera, the Gunners held talks with Kone’s representatives, but no agreement has been reached with Roma.

Last September, Terence Crawford dethroned Canelo Alvarez in an iconic win that will be forever etched into the history of boxing, but despite Canelo’s continuous call-outs, a rematch never has or will take place. Now, Crawford’s trainer, Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre, has explained why.

Crawford got his hands on the undisputed welterweight title before reports of a three-weight jump and a showdown with undisputed super-middleweight champion, Canelo, began to emerge.

On his way up to 168lbs. ‘Bud’ trumped Israil Madrimov to claim the WBA super-welterweight world title but then made the leap up into Canelo’s division and became the first man to defeat the Mexican superstar at his natural weight, outthinking and outboxing Alvarez in a career-best win.

Almost immediately, Canelo called for a rematch, but the Omaha southpaw instead opted to vacate all four of the super-middleweight marbles and retire from the sport, with his 42-fight undefeated record intact. 

Since then, Crawford has refused to be tempted into a return, despite receiving a lucrative offer in order to collide with Canelo for a second time. On ‘The Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer’, McIntyre said Alvarez was at fault for never inserting a rematch clause into the contract.

“I believe that the champion has the option to say that he wants a rematch [clause], but it was never brought up. It was never in the contract, so that is his fault, it ain’t ours.”

Canelo has shared a similar opinion during the aftermath of the defeat, admitting that it was a mistake on his part to not insert a rematch-clause into the contract of the fight.

Yorkshire secured second spot in Group B with a seven-wicket win over Essex to book a home quarter-final at York on Friday.

Captain Dom Bess (3-32) and seamer Ben Coad (3-22) helped bowl out already-eliminated Essex for 151 inside 41 overs.

The Tykes then slipped to 15-2, but a second first-team half-century for England Under-19s man Will Bennison, who hit 60 off 59 balls, helped the visitors to their sixth win in eight group matches with more than 18 overs to spare – and a second quarter-final place in successive seasons.

Durham gained third place in the group but not before some late dramatic twists against the holders Worcestershire at New Road.

Worcestershire won the game by 77 runs on the back of being bowled out for a competitive 291, thanks largely to Tom Taylor’s quickfire 86.

Ben McKinney then plundered 82 from just 70 balls but when he was out with Durham on 141-6, they still needed a further 63 to be sure of finishing above the hosts in the group.

When three more wickets went down in eight balls for the addition of just five runs, at 199-9, Durham still needed five more to reach that initial target of 204. They got them but not long before being bowled out for 214.

Hampshire had their hopes of reaching the knockout stages for a fifth successive year ended by Derbyshire in a thriller at Southampton.

Martin Andersson made 125, his fourth hundred of the summer across all formats, enjoying century stands with Harry Came (62) and Brooke Guest (67) as Derbyshire totalled 317-5.

But former Hertfordshire player Andrew Neal then almost turned the game on its head in Hampshire’s reply.

Coming to the crease at 134-6, with 183 still required, he smashed 10 sixes in a 63-ball 110, his maiden professional century at the age of 26, before being caught on the boundary edge with nine runs still needed as Hants were bowled out for 309, with 10 overs to spare.

James Cracknell shared a third-wicket partnership of 202 with Nathan Fernandes (92) as Middlesex recovered from losing two early wickets to post a formidable 354-8 as they cruised to a 92-run win over Sussex at Radlett.

Half-centuries by former Middlesex man John Simpson (65) and Oli Carter (58) enabled Sussex to mount a respectable reply, but they were dismissed for 262 to finish bottom of Group B with just one win.

Trainer Jason Warren is nurturing a significant ambition: to have Grand Pierro participate in the 2026 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3.

The clock has started ticking, with Grand Pierro resuming his campaign last month in the Mildura Cup, where he finished fourth. His progression now leads him to the Travis Harrison Cup (1800m) at Caulfield this Saturday.

Warren’s goal is to have Grand Pierro ready for the next Melbourne Cup qualifying event, The Archer (2500m), set to take place at Flemington on September 12.

Victoria features four more Cup qualifiers: The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on October 3, the Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 21, and the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) – this year held at Flemington – on October 24, all following The Archer.

Nominations for the Melbourne Cup close on September 1.

“He will be entered in the chance that he could qualify,” Warren commented.

“He’s proven over the distance in the Bagot and Adelaide Cup.”

“He’s not that obvious Melbourne Cup horse, but he stays and he could finish in the first half of the field if he got the chance.”

Grand Pierro’s spring campaign last year commenced in Melbourne, including a third-place finish behind Half Yours in the Naturalism Stakes.

Last year, Warren pursued a Melbourne Cup entry via The Bart Cummings (eighth) and the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (fifth) before the stayer travelled interstate. He had a three-start campaign in Newcastle and then Perth, culminating in the Perth Cup on January 1.

After completing three jump-outs, Grand Pierro competed first-up at Mildura, a run that satisfied Warren.

“I thought his run in the Mildura Cup was terrific,” Warren stated.

“He drops in weight again for Saturday and I think it’s a nice race for him as the 1800 (metres) will suit him and it will give him the chance to get into a nice rhythm.

“He’s worked very well since his first-up run and he would need another run between now and The Archer, and I’ve planned to run him over 2000 metres at Caulfield in three weeks which would then give him two weeks to that race.

“If he could win on Saturday, or win in three weeks’ time, he could be well placed in The Archer.”

Consider the available betting markets for the upcoming Melbourne Cup.

Away-game victories as a favorite indicate that a college football program is performing as expected on the road, under pressure.

The table below shows the wins, losses, and win percentages for the region’s top programs as the away team favorite over the last 10 seasons.

UNLV and Colorado lead the way, followed by Stanford, New Mexico State, and San Diego State.

Winning % and Records as Away Favorite by Program Since 2016

ARDMORE, Pa. — Drue Nicholas has achieved a lot in the world of competitive amateur golf. The 23-year-old from Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, etched his name right next to Jay Sigel, the greatest amateur golfer since Bobby Jones, in 2025 when he became the first player since Sigel to win the BMW Philadelphia Amateur and the Philadelphia Open in the same year. Nicholas backed that up by winning the 2026 Philadelphia Open in a playoff before punching his ticket to the 2026 U.S. Amateur at Merion via a two-under round at the Llanerch Country Club qualifier.

That’s an impressive resume, but nothing could’ve prepared him for what he faced on Monday morning

The U.S. Amateur is a marathon golf week filled with white-knuckle moments for the world’s best amateur players, be they 17-year-old Miles Russell or 34-year-old accounting professor Brett Patterson. But the most terrifying shot of the week might belong to Nicholas.

The Drexel University graduate became a Merion member in April and was given the honor of hitting the opening tee shot at this week’s U.S. Amateur at his home club.

Asked to send the opening shot of the latest Merion U.S. Amateur into the sky, Nicholas struggled to sleep on Sunday night, with visions of both embarrassment and grandeur dancing in his head.

“I was nervous. I didn’t sleep great,” Nicholas said on Monday. “When I woke up, I felt good. I was a little nervous and it was tough getting to sleep, but it was all right.”

As he approached the tee box, Nicholas, who is used to playing in big amateur events, felt a type of nervousness he had never experienced.

“I was really nervous. I was nervous to make contact with the ball,” Nicholas said. “Just shaky. It’s like I had a lot of caffeine, but I didn’t have any caffeine. Just overly jittery.”

Nicholas pegged it at the 353-yard opening par-4 and took several deep breaths. The crowds following Merion’s local hero are bigger than Nicholas is used to. He said he had around 40 friends and family walking with him this week at his home course. Nicholas said he could feel the support from the crowd but also that it elevated his already high stress levels.

“The first couple holes, with people walking around, I’m not used to that. It was a little different, but I got used to it,” Nicholas said. “I was really nervous because of it.”

Nicholas stared down the first fairway with a host of supporters crowding the tee box. He took a deep breath and unleashed what he hoped would be a memorable strike. It was, but not in the way he envisioned.

The ball sailed right off the club and landed in the rough, leading to an opening bogey.

“Probably when I saw the ball going right. I was just like, “Damn.” Really disappointed in that effort there,” Nicholas said, laughing. “But it was a great experience, once in a lifetime.”

The hand-numbing nerves hung around for six holes, Nicholas said. He hit a nice 5-iron into the third hole for birdie to settle in, but then made a double bogey on the par-4 fifth. He turned in three over but made birdies at 11 and 12 to shoot a one-over 71 and give himself a chance to make the cut for match play.

That will require Nicholas to go low on Tuesday afternoon at co-host Philadelphia Country Club, where the nerves are expected to be significantly lower now that he has already faced the hardest shot of the week.

“Maybe a touch,” Nicholas said about facing less pressure in Round 2. “The first day is always a little bit more stressful.”

Even more so when you’re asked to hit the most important shot on home turf.