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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Agit Kabayel has been given until this evening to sign his contract and face an unbeaten heavyweight, who claims he is waiting patiently for the WBC champion to put pen to paper.
The Kurdish-German was elevated from ‘interim’ to full world champion in June, immediately after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his three major belts.
Prior to that, he had retained his secondary WBC title with a third-round finish over Damian Knyba, who now comes off a points victory over Andy Ruiz Jr.
Previous stoppages also saw Kabayel dismantle Zhilei Zhang, Frank Sanchez and Arslanbek Makhmudov with body shots and, in turn, establish himself as one of the world’s leading heavyweights.
In terms of his first WBC title defence, meanwhile, the 34-year-old is expected to return to Germany later this year, before pursuing unification matches with Filip Hrgovic and the winner of Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2.
As for his next opponent, an announcement is expected soon enough after promoter Frank Warren confirmed that they were ‘moving on’ from Nelson Hysa.
According to Hysa, however, he has signed the contract and is now urging Kabayel to make a decision by close of play today.
Taking to social media, the 42-year-old offered his interpretation of the situation.
“Agit, I don’t want to play and I don’t want to waste time with you. You have started the training camp. Meanwhile, you left me without a response.
“The contract is in my hand. Since you wanted the facts, this is the contract signed by me. So sign the contract within 24 hours. If you don’t, I’ll make the contract public so everyone can see who hasn’t signed.”
Hysa seemingly emerged as a potential opponent last month, with the Albanian confronting Kabayel after stopping Thomas Narmo in two rounds.
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Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu send Michael Carrick message as Man United boss looks for quick fix
Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu have given Michael Carrick something to think about ahead of Manchester United’s return to Premier League action
Manchester United duo Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu were both on target for Cameroon and Denmark respectively during the international break, providing under-pressure head coach Michael Carrick with an encouraging reminder of the attacking options at his disposal. Carrick is beginning to feel the pressure, with United winning just two of their seven matches in all competitions this season.
Those victories came against Ipswich Town in the Premier League and Sabah in the Champions League, while they were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham in their final game before the international break. It is not just the results that have raised concerns, but also the quality of the opposition and the manner of some of United’s defeats.
Performances have not been good enough, with issues evident at both ends of the pitch. Defensively, United have looked vulnerable, while questions have also been raised about their fitness levels.
After the international break, United return to action against Tottenham at Old Trafford in a fixture that could have major implications for Carrick. It is a game United will be desperate to avoid losing.
A victory would go some way towards easing the pressure on Carrick, while anything less could see the scrutiny intensify once again. Things then become even more challenging, with United facing a demanding run of away fixtures against Atletico Madrid, Leeds United and Como in the space of just over a week.
It may be too early to describe that run as make or break, but if things do not go to plan against Spurs, it could quickly start to feel that way.
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There is little point getting caught up in hypotheticals over what each result might mean just yet, but there is no denying that the next couple of weeks could prove hugely important for Carrick and his United project.
With Carrick reportedly given just a handful of games to save his Manchester United job, criticised duo Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu sent their boss a timely message during the international break by both finding the net. Dorgu even produced a stunning strike from the right wing.
While both players have faced their share of criticism this season, their goals provided a timely reminder that they can be relied upon to deliver in front of goal when the Reds need them most.
They will now be hoping to carry that goalscoring form into United’s crucial clash with Tottenham on October 10 (5:30pm).
Mbeumo’s Cameroon beat Comoros 3-1, while Dorgu’s Denmark suffered a 3-2 defeat to Erling Haaland’s Norway.
The Super Eagles are expected to have enough attacking quality and home support to begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a win when they face Madagascar in Uyo on Friday, September 25.
Éric Chelle’s side will host the Barea at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 5:00pm Nigerian time.
Nigeria will be without Victor Osimhen, who has been ruled out with a muscle injury, but Chelle still has several attacking options available, including Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, Tolu Arokodare and Akor Adams.
Nigeria vs Madagascar Preview
Friday’s Group L match is an important one for both teams. Tanzania have already qualified as one of the hosts of AFCON 2027, leaving Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau competing for the remaining qualification place in the group.
That makes a strong start important for Nigeria, especially with the Super Eagles set to face Guinea-Bissau four days after Friday’s match.
Nigeria come into the game with some encouraging recent results. The Super Eagles defeated Iran 2–1, Zimbabwe 2–0 and Jamaica 3–0 before drawing 2–2 with Poland and losing narrowly to Portugal.
Madagascar have also produced some good results, beating Kyrgyzstan 5–2, Equatorial Guinea 2–0 and Comoros 2–1. However, they lost 4–0 to Morocco in June.
Head-to-Head
Nigeria have won three of their five previous meetings with Madagascar, while one match ended in a draw.
Madagascar’s only victory came in the most recent meeting between the teams, when the Barea defeated Nigeria 2–0 at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.
That result will serve as a reminder that the Super Eagles cannot afford to underestimate their opponents.
Team News
Osimhen will miss the match after being ruled out with injury, with Taiwo Awoniyi called up as his replacement.
Chelle still has an experienced squad featuring Lookman, Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey and Stanley Nwabali.
Isaac James and George Ilenikhena are also in line to make their senior international debuts.
Madagascar will look to experienced players such as Rayan Raveloson, Marco Ilaimaharitra, Loïc Lapoussin and Warren Caddy for inspiration.
Prediction: Nigeria 2–0 Madagascar
Nigeria’s attacking options should give them an advantage, even without Osimhen.
Lookman can provide a threat from wide areas, while Iwobi offers creativity in midfield. The Super Eagles also have several options in attack who can trouble the Madagascar defence.
The Barea have enough quality to make the game competitive, but Nigeria’s home advantage and greater experience could help Chelle’s side secure all three points.
Former WWE star Mandy Rose is married to former NFL player and WWE superstar Sabby Piscitelli. The couple recently welcomed their first child, a son. In a recent Instagram video, Piscitelli posted footage of Mandy filming the baby monitor as he lovingly admired their newborn.
The video showed Piscitelli sharing a quiet, intimate moment as he leaned over his newborn son’s bassinet and talked to him with nothing but care. Mandy Rose filmed the moment, showing her husband handling fatherhood with the softest touch.
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“When your wife catches you on the baby camera admiring God’s greatest gift, my son.. Life’s changed forever since my son has arrived.🙏🏻😂😂,” wrote Sabby Piscitelli.
In her previous posts, Mandy said Sabby would help with things like feeding the baby and changing diapers. She added that she didn’t want to get back to her daily routine immediately, as she wanted to spend time with her son.
Mandy Rose reflected on her postpartum experience
Mandy Rose recently reflected on her journey into motherhood, opening up about the physical and emotional realities of giving birth. Speaking on TMZ’s Inside the Ring, Rose admitted she experienced a brief panic attack when seeing her post-pregnancy body in the mirror for the first time.
“Don’t get me wrong, when I got home from the hospital after my whole birth experience, um, it was wild. You know, I looked in the mirror and I had a little bit of like, a panic attack. Of course, it’s I have this beautiful child and super healthy and that’s all you ever all you ever want, right? But then you look at your body and you’re like, “Whoa, like what what happened,’ you know? And it’s it’s (…) and then your hormones are dropping, and it’s just like a whole crazy situation,” said Mandy Rose.
Despite initial anxiety, Rose noted that her physique began to recover just weeks later. The former NXT Women’s Champion credited her genetics, intense pre-pregnancy training, and an active lifestyle for the quick recovery.
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It looks as if Case Keenum is going to start at quarterback for the Chicago Bears on Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. Tyson Bagent and Caleb Williams are two more possibilities, depending on their health.
When it comes to the QBs for the Bears, very little is certain at the moment.
The 38-year-old Keenum practiced on Wednesday as Chicago ramped up its preparation for its matchup with Philadelphia. Keenum hasn’t played in a regular-season game since Dec. 24, 2023, but at least he is healthy right now.
“We feel really good about whoever ends up playing for us and that showed in the preseason, shows up in practice every single day,” coach Ben Johnson said. “So we’re at a point right now, not sure who the starter is going to be on Monday night. We’ll let this thing play out, and we’ll go from there.”
Williams left Sunday’s 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings with a right hamstring injury after he got hurt on a scramble midway through the fourth quarter. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft hasn’t been ruled out for the contest against the Eagles, but mobility is a big part of his game and cautiousness is the most likely approach for Chicago when it comes to the franchise’s biggest star.
Bagent, 26, was 5 for 9 for 54 yards after he replaced Williams against the Vikings. He was sacked by Dallas Turner on the final play of the game.
Bagent was in line to make his fifth career start. But Johnson got a text message on Tuesday morning that Bagent was going to get evaluated for concussion symptoms, and he had been placed in the concussion protocol.
The timeline for his return is unclear.
“Honestly, I’m not even in that,” Johnson said. “They’ll let me know when he’s available.”
Chicago, which opened the season with a 59-37 win at the Carolina Panthers, also has rookie Miller Moss on its practice squad. The team has no plans to add another quarterback this week.
Johnson said he is looking at the uncertainty as an “opportunity.”
“I think our guys see it as that as well,” he said. “One of those things that everyone outside the building, I am sure, is writing us off and telling us it can’t be done and we really relish that. And so guys will step up to the plate, guys that maybe we don’t anticipate or expect. We have a really talented team.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
Sports
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
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