By Nick Bartlett, SuperWest Sports
Sports
Nick Bartlett’s 2026 Week 4 Fearless Predictions
Throughout the college football season, I’ll be giving my just-for-fun picks, but I’m competitive, so I do some research.
I’m off to a 28-5 start in my fearless picks this year. Last season I got 70% right.
I went 8-2 a week ago, missing on Colorado and San Diego State.
This week I’m making picks for the following 10 games:
– Clemson at Cal
– San Diego State at Toledo
– Utah at Iowa State
– UCLA at Maryland
– Boise State at Western Michigan
– Oregon at USC
– Arizona at Washington State
– Oregon State at UTEP
– Georgia Tech at Stanford
– Minnesota at Washington
You will also want to read Stephen Vilardo’s Big Ten Column, Dane Miller’s Big 12 Column, and my Pac-12 Column.
Six back and chill.
Let’s get on to the picks!
Clemson at Cal
Friday, September 25
7:30 PM PT, ESPN
This is an important game for both teams; both squads got off to a slow start but are 1-0 in conference play.
It could also serve as a changing of the guard in the ACC. If Cal wins this contest, they’re slowly creeping their way into the upper echelon of the conference.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is probably the biggest game changer on the field, but he’s not the key to this matchup. One of the biggest factors in this game is which team’s rushing attack plays better.
Cal should be able to run the ball against Clemson. The Tigers allowed 214 rushing yards against North Carolina last week, and 309 against LSU. That should allow Adam Mohammed to shine.
Flipping the coast, Cal must find a way to limit the production of Gideon Davidson, who rushed for 105 yards, one touchdown, and averaged 6.6 yards per attempt last week.
The Bears should also find a way to pressure CU signal caller Tait Reynolds, who struggled in his first two outings, but looked a tad better against UNC. If Cal can force him into some early mistakes, his confidence may waver.
Cal has been doing Cal things for awhile and they’ll keep doing Cal things.
Friday Night Lights are bigger in the South.
Clemson 35, Cal 28
San Diego State at Toledo
Saturday, September 26
9:00 AM PT, CBS Sports
Something needs to change in San Diego. The Aztecs embarrassed themselves last week.
It’s one thing to lose to a pretty good UCLA team; it’s another to suffer a loss at home against James Madison, which was treading lightly.
Sean Lewis needs to figure things out immediately, or else a team from where he earned his credibility is going to end his credibility.
The key to this contest is for San Diego State to get better play out of its quarterback.
Jayden Denegal isn’t quite figuring things out, and he has talent around him. Denegal completed 55 percent of his passes for 209 yards and two interceptions in the loss against the Dukes.
Even though Toledo has a new Head Coach in Mike Jacobs, this is a program that hasn’t had a losing season since 2009. If they sense weakness, SDSU is in trouble.
This offense has combined for 23 points in two games against Power Four opponents. If the Aztecs intend to change signal-callers or schemes, the time is now.
Javion Kinnard shined with Lucky Sutton out, who proved to be a dual-threat running back against JMU.
But John Alan Richter is off to a hot start for the Rockets; he’s thrown for 877 yards, nine touchdowns, and one interception.
Lewis needs to get his team moving—FAST.
San Diego State 21, Toledo 17
UCLA at Maryland
Saturday, September 26
10:30 AM PT, BTN
This is one of those annoying contests that UCLA needs to win. The Bruins are off to a phenomenal start under Bob Chesney, but a loss in the DMV would kill the short-term vibe.
The key to this contest is getting Nico Iamaleava in a rhythm. Iamaleava is off to a slow start this year, and Maryland will likely load the box against UCLA.
Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns last week. Hopefully, Iamaleava can find similar success. If he gets going, it feels unlikely the Terrapins will be able to keep pace.
Flipping the nation, the Bruins must find a way to stop Maryland quarterback Malik Washington. Washington’s probably their best player on offense, and has gotten off to a blistering start this season.
He’s thrown for 892 yards, six touchdowns, and zero interceptions. His completion rate is 72 percent.
Another factor to watch in this contest is whether UMD can stop UCLA’s rushing attack. The Bruins lead the nation in rushing yards per game, but Maryland’s rush defense has proven tough in the early season.
Chesney isn’t returning to his old neck of the congress to lose.
Josephine and Joe make tortoise soup.
UCLA 42, Maryland 24
No. 15 Utah at Iowa State
Saturday, September 26
12:30 PM PT, FOX
Iowa State enters this game against Utah hoping to get their marquee victory of the Jimmy Rogers era.
If Rogers’ squad is going to make it happen, they need to find success out of their quarterback Jaylen Raynor, who has thrown for 434 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception this year.
He’s more of a dual-threat signal caller, rushing for 110 yards and two touchdowns.
The Cyclones rank seventh in the nation in rushing yards per game, but Raynor will need to make plays through the air because Morgan Scalley will destroy his soul if they become one-dimensional.
In a lot of ways, U of U is what ISU hopes to become. A big reason for this is the productivity of Devon Dampier. If Dampier does his normal thing, it feels like too much for Iowa State to overcome.
Rogers’ defenses are usually sturdy, but if they’re on the field for extended time, the castle will crumble.
Wayshawn Parker is also proving to be a dual-threat option out of the backfield. Parker has three rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns in 2026.
Braden Pegan is also making an impact at wideout, leading the team with 15 receptions.
The Utes power through the storm.
Utah 31, Iowa St 21
Boise State at Western Michigan
Saturday, September 26
12:30 PM PT, ESPN2
Boise State got a little cocky last week, but they got the win.
This matchup feels unfair in a lot of ways. Western Michigan deserved to get the dub against Michigan, but the Broncos are also gonna be pissed off heading into this matchup.
At the very least, BSU will take the Broncos seriously. It’s Bronco Buster time.
WMU boasts a solid defense, ranking 33rd nationally in points allowed per game.
Last year, Western Michigan ranked ninth in this same statistic. The main difference between the two teams, however, should prove to be Boise State’s rushing attack.
BSU’s firepower in the backfield is Power-Four level. Sire Gaines and Dylan Riley have combined for 688 yards and four touchdowns as rushers.
Riley is the better runner, but Gaines has added a dual-threat option out of the backfield.
The crowd should also be juiced for this contest, but this is where the experience of Maddux Madsen is clutch. Madsen has played in bigger games than this, but results are expected here.
Western Michigan’s defense may be able to stymie Boise for a bit, but it feels unlikely it’ll happen for sixty minutes. WMU woke up the big dawgs when they beat the Wolverines, and big dawgs gotta eat.
Boise State 38, Western Michigan 14
No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 USC
Saturday, September 26
4:30 PM PT, NBC
The marquee matchup in the West this week is Oregon vs. USC.
The Ducks are looking for redemption after Oklahoma State embarrassed them. USC is looking to make a statement that they should be considered a top team in the Big Ten.
The key to this contest is how the Ducks respond to facing another good quarterback. Jayden Maiava is a Heisman contender, and he’s off to a torrent pace this year.
Maiava has thrown for 1,173 yards, 12 touchdowns, and one interception. OSU’s Drew Mestemaker threw for 371 yards against UO, so they need to learn from their mistakes.
Oregon also needs to do a better job of protecting the quarterback. The Ducks rank 102nd in sacks allowed per game.
For the Trojans, it’s all about their confidence. SC has the talent to win this matchup, but they haven’t beaten the Ducks since 2016. If they fall behind early, they may start to feel like pretenders.
It’s also important to see how USC handles Oregon’s rushing attack. The Trojans rank 44th nationally in rushing yards allowed per game, while the Ducks rank 105th nationally in rushing yards per contest.
Making Oregon one-dimensional would give USC’s secondary a chance.
But there are always Ducks on the pond.
Oregon 35, USC 31
Arizona at Washington State
Saturday, September 26
4:30 PM PT, CBS
In a lot of ways, this feels like the Pac-12’s last chance to earn some P4 respect this season.
If Washington State gets blown out by Arizona at home, they will have gotten beaten by a mid-tier team from their old conference.
The Cougars’ defense feels like they should be able to hang in this matchup, but going against a Noah Fifita-led Arizona squad means the offense will need to do things.
The Wildcats found their rhythm against Northern Illinois, scoring 42, and Fifita threw for 325 yards, four touchdowns, and finished with a 91.2 percent completion rate.
He also set the U of A all-time passing yards record in the contest.
WSU played well against Duquesne, but looked pretty bad against Kansas State. The offense cannot play at that level if they expect to compete in this game.
The Cougs’ biggest problem is figuring out who will replace Tony Freeman. He would’ve been Washington State’s best skill player on offense, but he’s out for the year.
Maxwell Woods looked like he could be the guy, but he’s still unproven against better competition. Branden Ganashamoorthy also made nice snags about the Dukes.
The Pac-12 is 0-11 against Power Four teams, but there’s one more chance.
Arizona 27, WSU 24
Oregon State at UTEP
Saturday, September 26
6:00 PM PT, MW+
Oregon State feels like the surprise team that the Pac-12 needs. The Beavers looked nice the first three weeks of the season. The blowout of Montana is also more impressive than it seems.
But if they lose to UTEP, their credibility would take a hit. This feels like a game OSU would have lost in past seasons.
This Beaver team should be different this time, though; they’re battle-tested against two top-25 teams that have both looked the part.
The Miners could be one of the worst teams in the country, but it’s difficult to know where they really stand at this point in the season; they’ve played either elite or subpar competition.
UTEP’s schedule has actually been tougher than Oregon State’s, having already played Oklahoma and Michigan.
The Miners’ best offensive player is probably quarterback EJ Colson Jr., who is playing solid in the early season. He has thrown for 377 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception.
Another important player is safety Xavier Smith, who leads the team with 21 total tackles. Even though UTEP has struggled defensively this season, they’ve forced four fumbles, so the Beavs need to protect the ball.
Oregon State needs to be ready for UTEP, which would love to notch a win over a Pac-12 team for the Mountain West.
Oregon State 38, UTEP 20
Georgia Tech at Stanford
Saturday, September 26
7:30 PM PT, ESPN
The loser of this matchup will need to address some problems immediately. A loss for Stanford sends them to 0-3 in the ACC. Even if they had a tough schedule, 0-3 is 0-3.
This game is the conference opener for Georgia Tech, but a loss to what might prove the worst team in the ACC would be troublesome.
One important key in this contest is whether the Cardinal can get Micah Ford. The Yellow Jackets rank 134th nationally in rushing yards allowed per game, so the Tree should be able to capitalize.
Mercer ran for nearly 200 yards against them last week. Ford’s gotten off to a decent start this year, rushing for 202 yards and three touchdowns.
It doesn’t really matter who’s productive on offense, but they gotta find someone. Averaging 6.5 points per game against conference foes is unacceptable.
It’s also important that Stanford finds a way to beat up GT’s defensive line. Georgia Tech struggled in the early season, ranking near the bottom of the conference in rushing offense and sacks allowed.
Offensive lineman Ethan Mackenny and Jameson Riggs also might miss this contest.
Davis Warren’s experience gives the Cardinal the edge in this one.
Stanford 27, Georgia Tech 17
Minnesota at Washington
Saturday, September 26
8:00 PM PT, FOX
This is a weird season for Washington, but if they want to avoid getting crapped on by the media, they have to beat Minnesota.
The Huskies’ offense has gotten off to a miserable start this year except the Eastern Washington game. They only combined for 40 points against two Group of Six opponents.
The Golden Gophers are always talented on defense, but this is more about UW. Washington’s extremely injured at halfback and needs to find production at the position.
Brian Bonner Jr. played well against the Eagles, but he only carried the ball six times.
Dezmen Roebuck and Rashid Williams look like they’re the top two wideouts, but this game tells the truth.
Minnesota has struggled against elite quarterbacks during the P.J. Fleck era. Demond Williams Jr. may not be off to a hot start, but he has enough talent to fit this mold.
Flipping time zones, UMN features a traditional pocket passer in Drake Lindsey. While Lindsey lacks speed, he’s got a live arm, meaning the Huskies better be in the right spots in coverage.
TJ Thomas and Javon Tracy are their other playmakers on offense.
The Dawgs should win this contest; a loss would be Fischy.
Washington 28, Minnesota 14
Writes about football and basketball as a Senior Writer and hosts “The Nick Bartlett Show” for SuperWest Sports.
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India In Athletics, Asian Games 2026 LIVE Updates: India’s Manpreet Kaur Wins Bronze In Women’s Shot Put; Gurindervir Singh Flops In 100m Semi-Finals
Indian Athletes In Action At Asian Games 2026, Day 6 LIVE Updates: Manpreet Kaur has won bronze for India in the women’s shot put final, sealing the nation’s first athletics medal of Day 6 of Asian Games 2026. Manpreet finished third with a best throw of 17.17m, while compatriot Krishna Jayasankar Menon came fifth. The highly-anticipated men’s 100m semi-finals ended in disappointment, as both Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur failed to qualify for the final. As the day goes on, medal opportunities will also arise in women’s pole vault and men’s hammer throw. Gulveer Singh in the men’s 10,000m final is also one to watch out for. (Asian Games 2026 Day 6 LIVE Updates)
Yesterday, the evening session brought a sense of relief as the mixed 4x400m relay quartet of TS Manu, MR Poovamma, Vishal TK and Vithya Ramraj lived up to expectations to clinch a third consecutive and second successive silver medal at the Games. This came after Seema fetched a surprise bronze medal in the women’s 10,000m race to give the country’s athletics campaign a strong start.
Here are the LIVE Scores and Updates from India’s athletics action on Day 6 of the Asian Games 2026:
Man Utd have secured the future of talented winger Noah Ajayi, who was outstanding in youth games last season.
Manchester United youngster Noah Ajayi has signed his first professional contract with the club.
The Manchester Evening News reported last month that Ajayi was close to signing his pro deal. The talented winger has now put pen to paper, signing what the club have described as a “long-term” professional contract.
Ajayi was excellent for the U18s last season. JJ Gabriel dominated the headlines during the FA Youth Cup campaign, but Ajayi scored twice in the Youth Cup and ended the campaign with nine across all competitions.
United released a statement announcing Ajayi’s contract, reading: “Exciting youngster Noah Ajayi has committed his future to Manchester United. The 17-year-old winger has signed a long-term professional contract.
“Ajayi was a stand-out for Darren Fletcher’s Under-18s side last season, making important contributions to help the young Reds reach the FA Youth Cup final.
The youngster has also featured for United’s Under-21s. Born in Hamburg, the forward has earned caps at youth level for Germany.
“Everyone at Manchester United is delighted that Noah has signed a new deal and looks forward to seeing him progress.”
United’s announcement of Ajayi’s professional deal comes a day after the unveiling of academy Karim Cassim from Manchester City. David Eze is set to be announced imminently, while Isaac Konde has also signed from Liverpool.
Did President Donald Trump impact the fourth quarter of the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship?
According to what started as a game of telephone between two former Nick Saban acolytes: yes.
Ahead of President Trump’s expected appearance at Saturday’s No. 1 Texas at No. 14 Tennessee game, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian was asked about the impact of having the president in attendance. Sarkisian went through it when Trump attended a 2019 Alabama vs. LSU game in Tuscaloosa that the Tigers won 46-41.
He revealed that when President Trump moves within the stadium, all communication is killed, including the headsets that coaches use to signal plays. Then Sarkisian told a never-before-heard anecdote about last year’s national championship, which Indiana won 27-21 over Miami.
“A good friend of mine is Mario Cristobal,” Sarkisian told the Longhorn Network on Thursday. Cristobal also worked under Nick Saban at Alabama during the 2010s. “Last year, when they were playing Indiana in the national championship, they had that drive at the end of the game; they had no communications because he was leaving early before the game ended. You get no warning; it just cuts out. You have to be prepared for that.”
Multiple Miami football sources say Trump’s movement impacted communication during the fourth quarter, but they were mixed on whether it came during the final drive as Sarkisian claimed. CBS Sports spoke with multiple sources in the Miami program who had varied recollections on the exact timing of the communications lapse. Two of the sources said the communication lapse did not happen on the final drive.
All sources were adamant that the lack of communication lasted only couple plays and did not notably impact the outcome of the game.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti told ESPN that headset communication went down at around the 6:45 mark of the fourth quarter but quickly returned.
“We couldn’t hear (on the TD), then it came back,” Cignetti told ESPN. “It came back before kickoff. We both had communication from that point on.”
A source indicated that it impacted a few plays for Indiana’s defense as the Hurricanes had a 41-yard pass to Malachi Toney and then a 22-yard Toney touchdown two plays later to cut Indiana’s lead to 24-21.
Indiana was able to hold on and win its first national championship when it stopped Miami’s final drive. Down 27-21 with less than two minutes remaining in the game, Miami drove downfield into Indiana territory. On first-and-10 from Indiana’s 41-yard line, Miami quarterback Carson Beck attempted a deep pass that Indiana defensive back Jamari Sharpe intercepted to preserve the Hoosiers’ title victory.
Attempts to reach Miami and Indiana for comment were not returned.
The Green Bay Packers are booed by their own fans during their 35-14 home defeat to the Atlanta Falcons.
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2026 WNBA playoffs bracket, schedule: The first-round match-ups are set after Valkyries rally for No. 2 seed
The 2026 WNBA season has been historic, on and off the court. It launched on the heels of a contentious and extended labor battle that resulted in a historic raise for the players (the salary cap increased from $1.5 million in 2025 to $7 million in 2026), a condensed and chaotic offseason, the introduction of two new expansion teams and a slew of exciting rookies — one of which, Olivia Miles, has already proven to be a generational talent.
During five months of play this year, Kelsey Mitchell broke A’ja Wilson’s single-season points record, Miles broke Caitlin Clark’s rookie scoring record, Clark became the first player in WNBA history with a 40-point, 10-assist game, Angel Reese broke the single-game rebounding record with 26 and Marina Mabrey merely tied the single-game scoring record with 53 points. It has been electric from start to finish.
And after Thursday night, when the Golden State Valkyries overcame a 16-point deficit to take down the Los Angeles Sparks in Nneka Ogwumike’s farewell game and claim the No. 2 seed, the playoff bracket is finally set.
Thankfully, fans don’t have to wait long for the postseason, either. The best-of-three first round tips off Sunday with a quartet of Game 1s. The No. 1 Minnesota Lynx will host the No. 8 New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals, the No. 2 Valkyries will host the No. 7 Dallas Wings, the No. 3 Las Vegas Aces will begin their title defense against the No. 6 Indiana Fever and the No. 4 Atlanta Dream will welcome the No. 5 Washington Mystics to town.
The WNBA does not separate teams by conferences for the playoffs, it merely features the top eight squads from across the league. In the first round, the higher seed hosts the first game, the lower seed hosts the second game and then the higher seed hosts the decider, if necessary. The second round is best-of-five and the Finals will be a best-of-seven series for just the second time in league history.
Here’s how you can follow what is sure to be a thrilling month of hoops.
2026 WNBA playoff bracket
Adam Eargle, CBS Sports
2026 WNBA playoff schedule
First round
Sunday, Sept. 27
- Game 1: No. 1 Lynx vs. No. 8 Liberty, TBD
- Game 1: No. 2 Valkyries/Aces vs. No. 7 Wings, TBD
- Game 1: No. 3 Aces vs. No. 6 Fever, TBD
- Game 1: No. 4 Dream vs. No. 5 Mystics, TBD
Tuesday, Sept. 29
- Game 2: TBD vs. TBD, USA/fubo
- Game 2: TBD vs. TBD, Prime
Wednesday, Sept. 30
Thursday, Oct. 1
Friday, Oct. 2
- Game 3*: TBD vs. TBD, ESPN2/fubo
- Game 3*: TBD vs. TBD, Prime
Semifinals
Sunday, Oct. 4
Wednesday, Oct. 7
- Game 2: TBD vs. TBD, ESPN/fubo
- Game 2: TBD vs. TBD, NBCSN
Friday, Oct. 9
- Game 3: TBD vs. TBD, NBCSN
- Game 3: TBD vs. TBD, ESPN2/fubo
Sunday, Oct. 11
Wednesday, Oct. 14
- Game 5*: TBD vs. TBD, ESPN/fubo
- Game 5*: TBD vs. TBD, NBCSN
WNBA Finals
Saturday, Oct. 17
- Game 1: TBD vs. TBD, 3:30 p.m. ET | NBC/fubo
Monday, Oct. 19
- Game 2: TBD vs. TBD, 3:30 p.m. ET | USA/fubo
Thursday, Oct. 22
- Game 3: TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m. ET | USA/fubo
Saturday, Oct. 24
- Game 4: TBD vs. TBD, 3:30 p.m. ET | NBC/fubo
Monday, Oct. 26
- Game 5*: TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m. ET | USA/fubo
Thursday, Oct. 29
- Game 6*: TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m. ET | USA/fubo
Saturday, Oct. 31
- Game 7*: TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m. ET | USA/fubo
* – denotes if necessary
Prior to the NFL season beginning, Minnesota made a move to bring edge rusher Kyle Van Noy to the Twin Cities, albeit on the practice squad.
Soon enough, the Vikings will need to make the call on the veteran pass rusher.
A team has three free elevations from the practice squad per player. Already, Van Noy has been bumped up for the Week 1 and Week 2 games. Opting for the same move in Week 3 will mean having burned up all of the free elevations. Wanting (needing?) him for more work will mean needing to clear out room on the 53-man roster for him.
Vikings Will Have to Make Van Noy Call Soon
Lately, Dallas Turner has been gobbling up the attention in Minnesota. And why not? The long-and-strong 23-year-old defender has been terrific (despite what some have insisted).
A bit lost in the shuffle has been Mr. Van Noy.
The veteran newcomer hasn’t been elite but he has been solid. As an EDGE3 who got picked up late, that’s about all the Vikings could reasonably demand. After all, he’s currently accounting for just $485,044, per Over the Cap. Mr. Van Noy has played in both games, starting one. He’s sitting atop 2 tackles with 1 tackle for loss.
Ask a spot like PFF and there will be some reasonably solid praise.
Kyle Van Noy is being listed as the 29th-best edge rusher out of the 112 who are being considered. He does so due to his healthy 71.6 grade. Nobody thinks that Minnesota is getting an elite edge rusher, but the recent add has been what the Vikings’ sophisticated, aggressive defense needs.
Van Noy’s workload has consisted of 43 snaps on defense. If that’s where he lands for the 2026 season — about 20 solid snaps per game — then the Vikings will be pleased.
Best guess at this stage is that Kyle Van Noy is going to get bumped up for the Week 3 Buccaneers game. If so, then Minnesota will have burned up all three of the free elevations. A decision will then await the coaching staff and front office on the best way to proceed.
Signing Van Noy is a pretty straightforward decision insofar as he’s a good ball player who won’t cost a ton. The issue is that a 53-man roster needs to give ground somewhere. Going +1 on the pass rusher means needing to go -1 somewhere else. Put differently, a player will need to get cut or shuffled to the IR to clear out an open roster spot.
Kyle Van Noy, 35, will try to chase down Baker Mayfield on Sunday, September 27th. Afterwards, his attention will turn towards getting a spot on the full roster.
Lorenzo Palmisani has been linked with a summer move to Juventus, a prospect that would represent a dream scenario for his parents, who are Juventus fans.
The 22-year-old has been one of the best goalkeepers in Italian football since the start of this season, and his form has contributed to the success Frosinone have enjoyed this term.
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Juventus are expected to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer, with their current options having both joined the club on loan for this campaign. The club are also attempting to find a solution to their ongoing goalkeeping situation.
Juventus monitoring Palmisani
Juventus reportedly view Palmisani as one of the best goalkeeping options available at present, and if he continues to perform at his current level, they could make an approach for him.
Frosinone are not expected to stand in his way provided that Juventus meet their asking price. The situation could therefore develop further during the summer, particularly if Palmisani maintains his impressive form.
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The goalkeeper has already attracted attention with his performances this season, while his family have also acknowledged the significance of the reported interest from Juventus. For his parents, the possibility of seeing their son represent the club they support would carry particular meaning.
(Photo by Reinaldo Coddou H./Getty Images for DFB)
Palmisani’s parents discuss Juventus interest
When asked about the reported interest from Juventus in their son, his parents said, according to Tuttomercatoweb: “We don’t know what to say, we’re all Juventus fans, and to think that fate allowed Lorenzo to make his Serie A debut against Juve. We hoped Calvani would score the 1-1 draw; it would have been wonderful. It’s clear that Juve is a dream, but for us, all that matters is that our son is always happy.”
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Their comments underline the personal significance that a potential move to Juventus would have for the family. However, they also stressed that their primary concern is their son’s happiness, rather than the prospect of him joining the club they support.
For now, Palmisani remains focused on his performances with Frosinone, while Juventus continue to assess their options in goal. His form this season has placed him on their radar, and his future could become clearer if the club decide to make an approach during the summer.
 "Sajan Prakash")
Sajan Prakash (Photo: Twitter/@swim_sajan)
Seasoned Indian swimmer Sajan Prakash, Rishabh Das and Utkarsh Patil qualified for the finals of their respective events at the Asian Games here on Friday.
Prakash, competing in his last Asian Games, clocked 2:00.94 to qualify for the men’s 200m butterfly final in sixth place.
The duo of Das and Patil, on the other hand, made the 200m backstroke final.
Das was particularly fast, finishing the heats in overall fourth place with a time 2:00.53 while Patil, who clocked 2:02.13, was ninth.
The top 10 swimmers across heats move to the final. Check Asian Games 2026 latest news here Check Asian Games 2026 medal tally here
However, there was disappointment in the men’s 400, freestyle event with both Dhanshan Shashikumar and Aneesh Gowda failing to make the final.
While Gowda finished 17th with a time of 3:58.08, Shashikumar signed off in 18th place, clocking 3:58.73.
Dhanush Suresh too failed to make the final’s cut finishing a disappointing 21st (28.40) in the 50m breaststroke heats.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
First Published: Sep 25 2026 | 12:31 PM IST
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‘He was abusing him nonstop’: Dhruv Jurel reveals what triggered Yashavi Jaiswal’s clash with Asitha Fernando | Cricket News
Jurel reveals Jaiswal Fernando confrontation (Image: IANS)
The on-field confrontation between India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando during the second Test in Colombo had become one of the talking points of the series. Nearly a month after the incident, India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has revealed what Jaiswal told him about the exchange.The incident took place during the opening session on Day 1 of the second Test. Jaiswal was batting aggressively on 45 and had already struck Fernando for three boundaries in the over before the Sri Lankan pacer dismissed him with the final delivery of the 17th over.Fernando celebrated the wicket with an animated send-off as Jaiswal began walking back towards the dressing room. However, the Indian batter soon turned around and walked back towards the Sri Lankan pacer, leading to a heated confrontation.
‘He didn’t say anything’
The two players came face-to-face before teammates and the Sri Lankan captain intervened to separate them. Jurel has now claimed that Jaiswal told him Fernando had been verbally abusing him continuously following the dismissal.“When he got out, he was quietly walking back to the dressing room. He didn’t say anything. If you look at the footage, Jaiswal immediately turned around. The Sri Lankan pacer was abusing him. Jaiswal told me that he was abusing him nonstop,” Jurel told former India batter Aakash Chopra.According to Jurel, Jaiswal did not object to Fernando celebrating the wicket but drew the line at personal abuse.“Jaiswal told him, ‘It’s okay. You took my wicket, you can show normal aggression, but you can’t abuse me,’” Jurel added.
‘He never starts it’
Jurel, who is also Jaiswal’s teammate at Rajasthan Royals, described the opener as someone who does not generally initiate verbal exchanges but is willing to respond when provoked.When Chopra suggested that Jaiswal is a “feisty guy” who gives it back when someone provokes him, Jurel agreed.“100 per cent. He will never start it; I have never seen him do that. He is always in the zone; he is always thinking about his batting. But if you provoke us, we will also return it,” Jurel said.The confrontation eventually required the intervention of players from both sides, bringing an end to the tense exchange on the field. Both Jaiswal and Fernando were subsequently sanctioned by the International Cricket Council for breaches of its Code of Conduct following the incident.
Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes was made to play in a different position as Portugal beat Wales 1-0 and his manager has taken a swipe
Bruno Fernandes operated as a left-winger in Portugal’s 1-0 win over Wales in the Nations League on Thursday night. But the Manchester United attacker’s new international boss, Jorge Jesus, thinks the 32-year-old was lacking.
Since arriving at Old Trafford in 2020, Fernandes has been nothing short of talismanic for United. His 111 goals and 106 assists to date have sealed countless results, including a 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town last month courtesy of a Fernandes hat-trick. He was named club captain in July 2023 and has retained the armband ever since.
However, last year the Portugal star found himself at the centre of tactical discourse as ex-United boss Ruben Amorim altered his position. Traditionally, Fernandes had always been utilised as a No. 10, pulling the strings and getting into dangerous areas. But Amorim’s set-up did not feature a No. 10.
Instead, Fernandes was either used as a deeper dual No. 8 or No. 6 in a two-man double pivot, or as an inverted left winger. Amorim eventually lost his job and Fernandes, who was less effective under him, found solace as a No. 10 in Michael Carrick’s system. He broke the Premier League single-season assist record last term and was named PFA Player of the Year.
The 32-year-old was once again shifted to a wider area on Thursday by debuting boss Jesus, as often occurred under his predecessor, Roberto Martinez. He was enlisted as a left-sided forward as his national team bested Wales 1-0 in a Group D Nations League clash at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon.
Ex-Chelsea star Joao Felix played centrally, where Fernandes usually operates for United. Felix’s first-half strike was the difference-maker for the reigning Nations League champions, but Jesus was far from impressed with the sometimes isolated Fernandes’ performance.
Speaking on Fernandes, who was substituted for Joao Neves in the 90th minute, Jesus told RTP: “Every game has its own story. With Ruben Amorim, he played like that. It’s a position he knows perfectly. The only difference is that, defensively, he has to drop deeper. He could have been better with the ball. The team needed him more.”
Fernandes had his own take on the match and his positioning. He said: “If you notice, I was rarely on the wing. Defensively, yes, tracking back, pressing the full-back in higher positions on the pitch.
“Otherwise, it’s very much about what the manager’s idea is, which is to have a player inside who can link up play, drop deep to play, also support the striker and the second striker, create a triangle in the middle and on the wings, help in both areas.
“That’s what I did. The manager asked me for this role in this game. He’s already told me I can play in different positions with him, so for me, the most important thing is that what I do helps the team, and I will always do my best in whatever position the manager puts me in.”
On the result, Fernandes added: “We created many opportunities, we were almost always in the opponent’s half. We were very capable of having the ball, of dominating the game.
“Obviously, there are always aspects to improve in every game, regardless of the result, but I think it was a very good performance. After three days of work, the team assimilated the ideas well and what the manager asked of us, but there are aspects to improve.”
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