Sheffield United have signed former Crystal Palace and Leicester City forward Jordan Ayew on a deal until the end of the season.

The 34-year-old, who has won 124 caps for Ghana, was a free agent after leaving the Foxes at the end of last season following their relegation to League One.

Ayew joined Aston Villa from Lorient in 2015 and has spent the past 11 years in the Premier League and Championship.

“We’re talking about someone here with bags of experience from right at the top level of the game,” boss Chris Wilder told the club website., external

“Only a few months ago he was captaining Ghana in the World Cup, so he’s someone with real pedigree.

“He did well at this level last season in difficult circumstances and has played all across the front positions during his career which gives us plenty of options.”

Meanwhile, Blades defender Nils Zatterstrom and midfielder Ehije Ukaki, both 21, have gone on season-long loans to Polish side Rakow Czestochowa and Bulgarian club Botev Plovdiv respectively.

Swede Zatterstrom has not featured for United since joining last August, while Nigerian Ukaki, who joined from Plovdiv in June last year, made his sole appearance in a Carabao Cup defeat by Birmingham City in August 2025.

In the NFL, there are nearly 1,700 players on an active roster, but it’s the stars who make the world go ’round. They can lift good teams to great ones, lift middling teams to good ones or simply provide silver linings for bad teams. And while we may think we know who will be a star every season, there’s beauty in the breakout stars, too.

Last year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba went from promising young receiver to Offensive Player of the Year and was a huge reason the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl. On the other end of the spectrum, team success-wise, the Cleveland Browns struggled again, but second-round pick Carson Schwesinger won Defensive Rookie of the Year and looks to be a pillar going forward in Northeast Ohio.

These types of breakouts make predicting individual awards difficult but also incredibly fun — an opportunity (and a challenge) to think outside the box.

With the 2026 NFL season just a day away, CBS Sports’ team of NFL experts — writers, editors, analysts and more — made their individual award picks.

Voters: Pete Prisco, Bryant McFadden, Emory Hunt, Leger Douzable, Garrett Podell, Josh Edwards, Jared Dubin, Jordan Dajani, Ryan Wilson, Tyler Sullivan, Doug Clawson, John Breech, R.J. White, Bryan DeArdo, Zach Pereles

MVP

1. Bengals QB Joe Burrow (5 votes)
2. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, Bills QB Josh Allen (2 each)

Also receiving votes: Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, Patriots QB Drake Maye, Lions QB Jared Goff, Chargers QB Justin Herbert, Packers QB Jordan Love, Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (1 each)

Burrow is the top choice for the second year in a row. While last year went off the rails for Burrow (and the Bengals) due to his injury, there are plenty of reasons to believe in a major bounce back. Burrow has been Comeback Player of the Year twice, including in 2024, when he led the NFL in passing yards (4,918) and passing touchdowns (43) and finished fourth in MVP voting. Moreover, the Bengals improved their defense this offseason, so if the team can be better, Burrow’s MVP candidacy will get a big boost.

Offensive Player of the Year

1. Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase (5 votes)
2. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs (4)
3. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson, Rams WR Puka Nacua (2 each)

Also receiving votes: Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Colts RB Jonathan Taylor (1 each)

Chase won the receiving triple crown with a healthy Burrow in 2024, but Offensive Player of the Year went to Saquon Barkley, who went for over 2,000 yards on the ground. The argument for Chase is similar to the one for Burrow: If Burrow and Chase are healthy, huge numbers await, and if the defense is much improved, the Bengals should be, too. Fair or not, a player’s team being good gives him a leg up in award voting. Chase’s 6,837 career receiving yards are second-most ever through five seasons, only behind Justin Jefferson.

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Texans EDGE Will Anderson Jr. (9 votes)
2. Rams EDGE Myles Garrett, Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt (2 each)

Also receiving votes: Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Broncos EDGE Nik Bonitto (1 each)

Anderson Jr. was an overwhelmingly popular pick in what, hypothetically, could be a crowded race. In 2025, he was an absolute terror with 12 sacks, 93 pressures, 70 hurries and a 21% pressure rate. The last two numbers were tops in the NFL. If it hadn’t been for a record-setting year for Garrett, Anderson would be looking to go back-to-back for Defensive Player of the Year this year. Also worth noting: An edge defender or defensive lineman has won this award in 10 of the last 12 seasons.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

1. Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love (7 votes)
2. 49ers WR De’Zhaun Stribling (4 votes)
3. Seahawks RB Jadarian Price (2 votes)

Also receiving votes: Titans WR Carnell Tate, Browns WR Denzel Boston (1 each)

Love suffered a high ankle sprain in the preseason, but that didn’t scare off too many voters apparently. The Cardinals’ No. 3 overall pick looked electric in his lone preseason appearance and combines outstanding long speed with an impressive array of jukes. At Notre Dame last year, he scored 21 touchdowns en route to a third-place finish in Heisman Trophy voting.

Defensive Rookie of the Year

1. Jets EDGE David Bailey, Buccaneers EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. (5 votes each)
2. Cowboys DB Caleb Downs (3)

Also receiving votes: Bengals EDGE Cashius Howell, Commanders LB Sonny Styles (1 each)

Bailey vs. Bain was a popular debate leading up to the NFL Draft, and it transferred over to Defensive Rookie of the Year predictions, too. Bailey went No. 2 overall to the Jets after tying for the FBS lead in sacks (14.5) last year at Texas Tech. Bailey’s 19.5 tackles for loss were second-most in FBS, too. Bain, meanwhile, fell to the Buccaneers at 15th overall due to concerns about his arm length, but he might have found the perfect home with blitz-happy coach Todd Bowles. Bain had 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last year at Miami.

Comeback Player of the Year

1. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (10 votes)

Also receiving votes: Rams DL Aaron Donald, Vikings QB Kyler Murray, Giants WR Malik Nabers, Packers TE Tucker Kraft (1 each)

Mahomes winning Comeback Player of the Year was the most popular pick across all of the categories. The three-time Super Bowl MVP is returning from a torn ACL suffered in December but has been on track for Week 1 for months. The Chiefs are in somewhat of a rebuild/retool season having traded away or lost via free agency several key pieces from past Super Bowl teams, but Mahomes remains. Kansas City will look to rebound from its worst record (6-11) since 2012.

Protector of the Year

1. Lions RT Penei Sewell (9 votes)

Also receiving votes: Chargers RT Joe Alt, Chargers LT Rashawn Slater, Eagles RT Jordan Mailata, Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley, Buccaneers LT Tristan Wirfs (1 each)

Bears guard Joe Thuney won the inaugural Protector of the Year award last year, but our voters focused on tackles this year, with Sewell demolishing the competition. A first-team All-Pro each of the last three seasons, Sewell is switching from right tackle to left tackle, but that didn’t give our voters any pause.

Coach of the Year

1. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer, Ravens coach Jesse Minter, Bills coach Joe Brady, Jaguars coach Liam Coen (2 votes each)

Also receiving votes: Jets coach Aaron Glenn, Giants coach John Harbaugh, Saints coach Kellen Moore, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, Packers coach Matt LaFleur, Broncos coach Sean Payton (1 each)

This vote was, predictably, quite spread out. Interestingly, all four coaches who received multiple votes are either in their first year of head coaching (Minter, Brady) or their second (Schottenheimer, Coen).

Michigan started 1-0 in the Kyle Whittingham era because of the most controversial win in recent memory for the sport.

The Wolverines are not going to be able to shake this.

On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, Spencer McLaughlin reacts to a couple of Top-25 teams that struggled.

Should Houston or Washington be concerned after struggling against Pac-12 foes?

Cal began the Tosh Lupoi era with a missed opportunity against UCLA, while the Bruins began the Bob Chesney era 1-0.

The Bears felt, unfortunately for their fans, like the Bears of old.

00:00 Questioning the two-clock situation
06:14 Confusion over replay clock issues
08:37 Handling the Kalamazoo controversy
13:51 Indiana vs North Texas review
15:00 Huskies struggle against Washington State
20:52 Close games against top teams
26:24 Frustrations with Cal’s defense performance
28:26 Comparing Big Ten teams and JMU

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

Sony Sports Network has acquired the exclusive television broadcast rights for the three-match T20I series between Afghanistan and India, starting September 13 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

The deal adds another India bilateral series to Sony Sports Network’s cricket portfolio, while digital viewers will be able to follow the matches on FanCode after the platform secured the exclusive digital streaming rights earlier this week.

Sony adds another cricket series

Sony Sports Network will broadcast all three matches across its television network, covering viewers in India, Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan.

Rajesh Kaul, Sony Pictures Networks India’s chief revenue officer and business head for sports and international, said the Afghanistan series strengthens the network’s cricket portfolio and forms part of its ongoing Festival of Sports offering.

FanCode holds digital streaming rights

The television deal comes alongside FanCode’s acquisition of the exclusive digital rights for the series. The matches will be available on the FanCode app across mobile devices, the web and connected televisions.

FanCode is also making the series available through distribution partners, including Jio TV/Jio TV+, Amazon Prime, Crex, Jagran, Playbox and Watcho, among others.

The acquisition gives FanCode another India bilateral series as it expands its cricket portfolio. The platform recently streamed India’s tour of Zimbabwe and also holds rights partnerships with Cricket West Indies, the ICC, Zimbabwe Cricket and Ireland Cricket.

Iyer eyes success in first home series as T20I captain

India will begin the series with Shreyas Iyer leading the side, in what will be his first T20I series as captain on home soil. The squad includes Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Varun Chakravarthy, giving India a mix of established players and emerging talent. The availability of Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana remains subject to fitness.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, will be led by Ibrahim Zadran, with Rashid Khan spearheading a strong spin department. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib and Mohammad Nabi provide further experience to the visiting side.

Afghanistan eye strong showing in India

Playing in India carries particular significance for Afghanistan, given the strong following the team enjoys in the country.

Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive Naseeb Khan said the series provides the side with an important opportunity to showcase its talent against one of the strongest teams in international cricket. He also said the contest could strengthen sporting ties between the two countries and reflect Afghanistan’s progress on the international stage.

The 2026 NFL season is almost here and it’s time to start tinkering with your fantasy football rosters going into Week 1. It was a wild offseason in which we welcomed a new rookie class, saw players switch teams via free agency and trades, and got the usual coaching carousel.

Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season

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Now, the dust has settled and you’ve likely drafted your team (or are going to do so before the 2026 opener between the Seahawks and Patriots on Wednesday night). Below you can find our consensus rankings at each position from analysts Matt Harmon, Justin Boone, Joel Smyth, Scott Pianowski and Hayden Winks.

Note: Our fantasy football draft rankings are for half-point per reception scoring, which is the Yahoo default.

With the countdown to Aichi-Nagoya nearing its final stretch, India’s Asian Games campaign took a significant step forward on Monday as the country’s contingent received its formal send-off from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Athletes, coaches and support staff gathered in New Delhi ahead of the September 19 opening, marking the transition from preparation to competition for a team seeking to build on India’s record 107-medal haul from the 2023 Asian Games.

The send-off ceremony also featured messages from Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and IOA president PT Usha, who urged athletes to embrace the challenge and focus on delivering their best.

Sports minister urges athletes to turn pressure into performance

Addressing the contingent, Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted India’s growing pool of sporting talent and urged athletes to channel the pressure of competing at the Asian Games into performance.

He encouraged them to treat their opponents as opportunities to test themselves and convert those opportunities into achievements, while adding that he expected the contingent to raise India’s standing at the Games.

PT Usha asks athletes to embrace the occasion

Usha urged the athletes not to be overwhelmed by the scale of the Asian Games, reminding them that they had already earned their place among the best in Asia.

She asked them to draw strength from the expectations surrounding the team rather than treating them as a burden. Usha also encouraged the athletes to enjoy the competition and approach their events with courage, humility and belief in their ability.

Athletes discuss the challenge ahead

The ceremony also featured a panel discussion involving Olympic medallist Swapnil Kusale, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Asmita Dey, Commonwealth Games medallist and weightlifter Gyaneshwari Yadav, and kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat.

India seeks to build on 107-medal haul

India’s campaign in Aichi-Nagoya will cover a wide range of disciplines as athletes take on leading sporting nations from across Asia.

The contingent enters the Games after India’s best-ever Asian Games medal tally in 2023, when the country won 107 medals in Hangzhou. The IOA and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will hope the current team can build on that performance when competition begins in Japan.

The send-off brought together athletes, coaches and members of the support staff, highlighting the collective effort behind India’s Asian Games campaign.

A former undisputed champion has expressed his desire to face any of the big names between 154 and 160lbs, including Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, Vergil Ortiz Jr and Tim Tszyu.

The man in question is Jermell Charlo, who has not fought since September 2023, back when he moved up to 168lbs and lost a unanimous decision to Canelo Alvarez.

Prior to that, he became the undisputed super-welterweight king but, given his age and inactivity, is unlikely to return to action at 154lbs.

Instead, Charlo has predominantly been linked to fights at middleweight, with former world champion Tszyu representing a potential opponent following his unanimous decision victory over Errol Spence Jr in July.

According to ‘Iron Man’, though, the Australian has gone “quiet” despite his best efforts to explore the opportunity with long-term advisor Al Haymon.

Equally, Charlo has suggested that the team of Ortiz, who he is rumoured to be facing later this year, has no real intention to negotiate their showdown.

Taking to social media, the American also questioned why unified super-welterweight champion Ennis and Sebastian Fundora, who holds the WBC strap at 154lbs, have expressed no interest in facing him.

“[Tszyu] got quiet after Errol. Boots tryna build a name bullying retired fighters [Terence Crawford]. The 6ft 6in giraffe [Fundora] still figuring out what he wanna do. Vergil Ortiz and them doing all that lying just to spark some s**t. Meanwhile, I’m still right here.

“Stop talking around my name and put one of ’em in front of me. Tim. Boots. Vergil. The giraffe. LINE ’EM UP.”

The only fighter out of the aforementioned four to have an official date in the diary is Fundora, who will defend his world title against mandatory challenger Ermal Hadribeaj on October 17, while Ennis, Ortiz and Tszyu await their next fight confirmations, with Tszyu likely to remain at middleweight and Tszyu reported also considering a move up.

Fans will only be convinced any of the fights happen when Charlo books a ring return, which will likely be at a lower level given the major inactivity.

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell entered the 2026 college football season on the hot seat following back-to-back losing years in Tallahassee. 

After leading Florida State to a 13-0 regular season and an ACC championship in 2023, Florida State finished 2-10 in 2024 and 5-7 in 2025. 

Norvell holds an overall record of 38-34 at Florida State, including a 22-26 record in ACC play through six seasons. As FSU aims to meet fans and boosters’ expectations, questions surrounding Norvell’s contract and potential buyout details have emerged.

What Is Mike Norvell’s 2026 Salary?

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell takes the field ahead of the Seminoles’ matchup against No. 19 SMU, which was delayed nearly two hours. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)

Norvell signed an eight-year contract extension prior to the 2024 season valued at more than $84 million through 2031, averaging roughly $10 million annually. Following the 2024 season, Norvell agreed to a restructured arrangement that directed $4.5 million toward institutional revenue-sharing initiatives. His contract includes a scheduled $150,000 salary increase each season.

How Much Is Norvell’s Buyout After This Season?

If Florida State terminates Norvell without cause during or before the conclusion of the 2026 season, the university would owe him approximately $51 million, according to On3.com. If the decision occurs after the 2026 season, the buyout figure drops to roughly $45.6 million.

According to On3.com, Norvell is owed 85% of his remaining salary and supplemental compensation. The buyout would reportedly be paid in monthly installments of approximately $800,000 through 2031 if fired after this season. 

What Is Florida State’s Toughest Games And Remaining Schedule?

Florida State opened the 2026 season with a home win over New Mexico State before taking on SMU. 

The remaining schedule includes a non-conference road contest at Alabama on Sept. 19 and the regular-season finale against rival Florida on Nov. 27 in Tallahassee. 

Florida State’s 2026 Football Schedule:

• Aug. 29: vs. New Mexico State
• Sept. 7: vs. SMU
• Sept. 19: at Alabama
• Sept. 26: vs. Central Arkansas
• Oct. 3: vs. Virginia
• Oct. 9: at Louisville
• Oct. 17: at Miami
• Oct. 31: vs. Clemson
• Nov. 7: at Boston College
• Nov. 13: at Pitt
• Nov. 21: vs. NC State
• Nov. 27: vs. Florida

For programs wanting to leave no doubt and impress the College Football Playoff Selection Committee after the first week of the season, Miami and LSU answered the call against Power Four opponents in blowout fashion with style points to boot.

Malachi Toney eviscerated Stanford’s secondary in his sophomore debut during a scintillating 234-yard, three-touchdown performance, while Lane Kiffin’s LSU debut signaled the Tigers as an immediate threat in the SEC thanks to one of the most complete rosters in the country.

LSU will play five nationally ranked opponents this fall, compared to only one for the Hurricanes. That gives Kiffin’s group margin for error, especially after beating Clemson and grabbing a quality non-conference victory.

We’ve updated our CFP bracket projection along with every other postseason matchup after Week 1. The most significant change? Boise State sliding into the Group of Six’s top choice despite a season-opening loss at Oregon.

If the Broncos take out unbeaten Memphis in Week 2, the path is abundantly clear for Boise State to get to the playoff from the Pac-12. Memphis handled UNLV on the road in Week 0 before holding off Arkansas State over the weekend, proving Charles Huff is ahead of schedule in his first season with the Tigers.

College Football Playoff projections 

First round 

Don’t see your team? Check out Brad Crawford’s complete bowl projections for every game.

Projected College Football Playoff field breakdown

No. 1 Miami (ACC champion): My preseason No. 1 and only projected team to get through the regular season unscathed this fall, the Hurricanes looked the part in Friday night’s drubbing of Stanford. The Darian Mensah-to-Malachi Toney connection looks unstoppable, and the former Duke quarterback finished with 401 yards through the air. It’s unlikely Miami will be tested this season before a Nov. 7 showdown at Notre Dame, so the focus here is execution and avoiding an unexpected trip up in the ACC.

No. 2 Georgia (SEC champion): How’s a 60-point win to open the season for Kirby Smart and his boys? The SEC was a perfect 16-0 over the weekend, disposing of several out-manned opponents along with marquee wins for LSU and Ole Miss against Power Four competition. Georgia was perfect against Tennessee State, scoring four first-quarter touchdowns in the rout. Gunner Stockton was sharp, Nate Frazier piled up three touchdowns, and Mike Bobo did enough to get a fifth quarterback into the game.

No. 3 Ohio State (Big Ten champion): The Buckeyes played it safe against Ball State with a seismic matchup coming at Texas this weekend, and Ryan Day couldn’t have scripted a better first showing for Ohio State’s new-look offense. Play-caller Arthur Smith’s game plan was to get the football to Jeremiah Smith in the first half — eight catches for 151 yards — and get him out of there for the second. Quarterback Julian Sayin completed 21 of 25 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns before coming out of the contest midway through the third quarter.

No. 4 Notre Dame: After going the speed limit in the first half of Sunday night’s 41-13 victory over Wisconsin, the Irish outscored the Badgers 28-3 after intermission and kicked into overdrive with impressive execution on both sides of the football. They’ve found their RB1 in Aneyas Williams and Nolan James, another running back in Notre Dame’s by-committee approach, who torched the Badgers out of the backfield as a pass-catcher. DJ McKinney‘s pick six in the third quarter broke it open as the Irish passed the eye test in the opener.

No. 5 Texas (SEC runner-up): We’ll know more about the Longhorns and their CFP path after this weekend’s battle with Ohio State, but this renovated offense with new additions looked superb in the opener. Cam Coleman scored two touchdowns, Arch Manning threw for 305 yards and four scores, and Will Muschamp’s defense forced three turnovers during a 52-point beatdown of Texas State.

No. 6 Texas Tech (Big 12 champion): After a pair of first-quarter touchdown runs from J’Koby Williams and Quinten Joyner, the Red Raiders went six consecutive possessions without a touchdown against Abilene Christian. The 33-10 win was never in doubt for the heavy Big 12 favorites, but several drives stalled out, leading to field goals. Will Hammond went 26 of 33 for 298 yards, an interception and a 64-yard touchdown pass late for the Red Raiders, who may not be as dominant as they were last season. But this is a one-game sample size, and we’re not pulling hard narratives, yet.

No. 7 Indiana (Big Ten runner-up): The Hoosiers pulled away from North Texas with a 21-point fourth quarter to extend their nation-leading winning streak to 17 games under Curt Cignetti. That’s going to end against a Big Ten opponent later this fall, but Indiana will be back in the playoff if it gets to double-digit wins. It’s a new, annual expectation in Bloomington after winning a national championship.

No. 8 Oregon: See what happens when you open against a respectable opponent with two new coordinators making their highly anticipated debuts? There’s no need to panic if you’re the Ducks after narrowly escaping Boise State at home. No one on the selection committee is going to point to that one unless the conversation centers around the Broncos and their Group of Six hopes. Oregon overcame a sputtering start, delivered in the second half when it mattered and avoided Week 1’s biggest upset. All is well in Eugene.

No. 9 LSU: We’re not altering our projected playoff seed just yet for the Tigers, but if there’s any team that created value for itself in Week 1, it was LSU. It looked personal for Lane Kiffin, whose squad abused Clemson in Baton Rouge to hand Dabo Swinney his worst career loss. It was a necessary primetime statement for an LSU team facing a plethora of distractions coming into the campaign as college football’s public enemy No. 1 and a transfer-infused roster that, at least on paper, looks unstoppable. The first test was aced with precision. Ole Miss in Week 3 will provide further anecdotes.

No. 10 BYU (Big 12 runner-up): The Cougars chose not to play with their food the first time out, running off 42 first-half points during a 63-7 blitzkrieg of Utah Tech. BYU forced four turnovers, delivered 9 of 11 third-down conversions and piled up 308 yards rushing against a team that essentially amounted to a practice squad opponent. Bear Bachmeier‘s continued development at quarterback is an area to watch this fall.

No. 11 SMU (ACC runner-up): Opening the season with a key conference win at Florida State is better than most contenders can say after Week 1, considering the majority of preseason top-25 teams enjoyed glorified practices against weak competition. We’re projecting the winner of SMU-Louisville later this month to reach the ACC Championship Game against Miami this fall. The Cardinals could’ve strengthened their CFP hopes with a win over Ole Miss, but it wasn’t to be during Sunday night’s epic 41-38 tussle in Nashville.

No. 12 Boise State: The Broncos fought valiantly at Oregon during one of Week 1’s best games, showing fight and resiliency throughout. Sans a coverage breakdown midway through the fourth quarter that Dakorien Moore exploited for a go-ahead 62-yard touchdown reception, Spencer Danielson has to like what he saw from his team — clearly one of the most complete in the Group of Six. Boise State’s upcoming matchup with Memphis (2-0) provides an early glimpse at the frontrunner for the auto-bid from outside the Power Four.