The release of the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll means the college football season is rapidly approaching, and while all teams are eagerly awaiting to kick off the new campaign, some are dreading the daunting slate awaiting them.

The inaugural edition of the 2025 season’s Top 25 gives everyone an early look at how difficult the path to success will be. But for a select group of squads, the preseason poll marks the realization of the gauntlet the year is going to be. There are marquee non-conference matchups, hostile road trips or brutal stretches.

Granted, the preseason rankings aren’t 100% accurate. But as it stands with less than a month to go before the season begins, there’s some difficult schedules several teams.

So who has the toughest? Here’s the top 10 based on the preseason coaches poll.

10. Purdue

Barry Odom gets a difficult welcome as he takes over a Purdue team that went 1-11 last season and hasn’t beaten an Bowl Subdivision team since November 2023. After starting Big Ten play against Southern California, the Boilermakers travel to No. 5 Notre Dame on Sept. 20, which is followed by a home game against No. 12 Illinois. There’s a brutal end to the season where Purdue plays three of its last four games against ranked opponents. It starts at No. 14 Michigan and then No. 2 Ohio State at home the following week, and the season ends with a visit from in-state rival No. 19 Indiana.

9. Rutgers

After getting Rutgers into a bowl game in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013-14, Greg Schiano has a tall task if he wants to do it in three consecutive campaigns. While the front half of the schedule is favorable, the second half that could have the Scarlet Knights getting bruised. They host No. 7 Oregon and two weeks later play at No. 12 Illinois. After hosting Maryland, the Scarlet Knights have a tough finish with a trip to Ohio State on Nov. 22 and Penn State coming to town in the season finale.

8. Vanderbilt

Diego Pavia brought life to the Commodores with their first bowl win since 2013. There’s momentum in Nashville, and it’ll be a challenge to deliver on it. Vanderbilt opens SEC play at No. 13 South Carolina, and Oct. 4 marks the beginning of a tough month-long stretch where it will play at No. 8 Alabama, home against No. 9 LSU and at No. 1 Texas. Then there’s the annual season finale against No. 18 Tennessee at rowdy Neyland Stadium.

7. Texas A&M

The No. 21 ranked team in the preseason poll will be fighting all season to make sure it stays in the Top 25. The Aggies have a highly anticipated non-conference matchup on Sept. 13 at No. 5 Notre Dame. From there, there’s four other ranked matchup sprinkled throughout the rest of the season, with No. 17 Florida visiting on Oct. 11 and a trip to face No. 9 LSU on Oct. 25. No. 13 South Carolina comes into town Nov. 15, and the season ends with the first trip to Austin since 2010 to play No. 1 Texas.

6. Arkansas

Arkansas was able to survive playing seven ranked opponents in 2024, and it will have to almost perform the same task with six games against teams in the preseason poll. The Razorbacks start conference play at Mississippi, and two weeks later, will play host to No. 5 Notre Dame. It starts a three-game stretch against ranked opponents with a trip to No. 18 Tennessee followed a home matchup with No. 21 Texas A&M. Then comes one of the hardest back-to-back road trips by visiting No. 9 LSU and No. 1 Texas in November.

5. Kentucky

Mark Stoops is coming off his worst season at Kentucky since his first in 2013. The Wildcats will play six ranked teams thanks to a rough conference slate. After facing No. 15 Mississippi in Week 2, Kentucky is at South Carolina and then travels to No. 4 Georgia the following week. The Wildcats return home to square off with No. 1 Texas and No. 18 Tennessee. A 0-5 SEC start very possible. If that stretch wasn’t enough, there’s a home game against No. 17 Florida in November.

4. Wisconsin

Luke Fickell’s seat is hot after Wisconsin wasn’t bowl eligible for the first 2001. The Badgers play at No. 8 Alabama on Sept. 13 before starting a rigorous Big Ten schedule that includes three teams from last year’s playoff. The first ranked opponent comes with a visit to No. 14 Michigan on Oct. 4. Two weeks later, the Badgers host No. 2 Ohio State and No. 7 Oregon in back-to-back games. Before playing Minnesota for Paul Bunyan’s Axe in the season finale, Wisconsin has to face No. 19 Indiana on the road and No. 12 Illinois in the final home game.

3. Mississippi State

The Bulldogs were picked to finish last in the SEC after failing to win a conference game in Jeff Lebby’s debut season. The schedule doesn’t do them any favors with seven games against teams in the preseason poll. Mississippi State hosts No. 11 Arizona State on Sept. 6 and three weeks later is the start of a four-game stretch against ranked foes. It hosts No. 18 Tennessee and then travels o No. 21 Texas A&M. After a bye week, the Bulldogs go into The Swamp to face No. 17 Florida before returning home to play No. 1 Texas. On Nov. 8, they welcome No. 4 Georgia and play the annual Egg Bowl against No. 15 Mississippi on Black Friday.

2. Oklahoma

The expectation is for Brent Venables to turn things around in Norman with a loaded roster, but he will face several tests that could derail those hopes. No. 14 Michigan comes to town Week 2 and the Red Rivalry matchup in Dallas against No. 1 Texas on Oct. 11 starts a monstrous second half with six of the final seven games against ranked opposition. After facing their biggest rival, the Sooners head to No. 13 South Carolina before returning home to play No. 15 Mississippi. They have consecutive road games at No. 18 Tennessee and No. 8 Alabama. The final two games at home aren’t much easier with a visit from Missouri and a matchup with. 9 LSU in the regular-season finale.

1. Florida

There’s palpable hype in Florida after the strong finish to last season, and the Gators get rewarded with the toughest schedule in the country. Week 3 starts a stretch of three consecutive games against top 10 opponents: at No. 9 LSU and at No. 10 Miami ahead of a home game with No. 1 Texas. The grind doesn’t stop afterward with a trip to No. 21 Texas A&M the following week. There’s the annual meeting with No. 4 Georgia to start a November schedule tht also includes heading to No. 15 Mississippi and playing host to No. 18 Tennessee.

The Indiana Fever guard revealed on the second episode of her new podcast, ‘Show Me Something,’ that she was recently fined again by the league office for comments she made about WNBA officiating during the podcast’s debut. It comes on the heels of a TikTok post Cunningham made last month regarding WNBA refs that prompted action from league executives.

Cunningham, 28, has emerged as a more visible and vocal figure in the WNBA after signing with the Fever this past offseason as one of several veteran reinforcements brought in to help Caitlin Clark. She has been vocal about the WNBA’s recent controversy involving sex toys being thrown onto the court during games.

Here’s a breakdown of what Cunningham has said about the WNBA refs and a timeline of her known fines with the WNBA:

Sophie Cunningham fine history, timeline

August 5, 2025: $1,500

Cunningham revealed on her podcast that the WNBA had fined her $1,500 for comments she made about the league’s refs during the premiere episode of the podcast. Cunningham emphasized on the show that ‘I am someone who says what everyone else is thinking or talking about … but if you ask our league, they feel the same exact way.’

“If I was a ref, I know I would mess up all the time,’ Cunningham said, according to the Indianapolis Star. ‘Like, I’m not saying that your job is easy, but when it is a simple call right in front of your face multiple times, what are you doing? What are you doing? … They’re just so inconsistent, like that’s one thing. If you’re on the other team, and you’re going to be fouling the **** out of me, cool. But let me do it to you… I think players across the league, and new fans across the country are like, what is going on with the refs? And I’m like, ‘I don’t know.’ And you fining me $500 is not going to do ****.’

Cunningham predicted her remarks would earn her a fine from the WNBA. She was right. The league emailed Indiana Fever General Manager Amber Cox, according to Cunningham.

‘She pulls me aside and says, ‘Sophie, I’ve got to talk to you,’ and this is front of everybody,’ Cunningham said. ‘I’m like, ‘What did I do now?’ And just smiled and she goes, ‘Hey, they’re going to fine you again.’ I was like, I even told them I credited them that their job was hard. I did say that. I said that I would not be good at it. I did say that. Like, look at the whole picture. What are we doing? Ugh. But yeah, so I got fined for that.”

July 23, 2025: $500

Cunningham was previously fined $500 this season due to a July 23 TikTok post lip-synching to Sabrina Carpenter’s song, ‘Manchild,’ that featured references to ‘some refs’ being ‘stupid,’ ‘slow’ or ‘useless.’

June 18, 2025: Undisclosed fine

Cunningham was fined for her involvement in a late-game altercation between the Fever and Connecticut Sun on June 17. Cunningham committed a Flagrant 2 foul on Connecticut’s Jacy Sheldon with less than a minute remaining to ignite the ensuing scuffle. Cunningham was ejected from the game and, fined $400 according to league rules.

The WNBA later confirmed in multiple reports that Cunningham was penalized further for the hard foul, but the exact figure was not disclosed.

The U.S. Open will once again offer the largest total prize pool in tennis history when it begins in New York later this month. 

The USTA announced Wednesday it will distribute $90 million to players, a 20 percent increase from the $75 million it offered last season. It also puts the U.S. Open far ahead of the other three Grand Slams, as Wimbledon distributed roughly $71 million, the French Open $65.5 million and the Australian Open approximately $63 million this year. 

This year’s men’s and women’s singles champions will each make $5 million, up from the $3.6 million that Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka took home last year. 

According to the USTA, the increase in prize money includes ‘double-digit percentage increases from 2024 in all rounds of all events for all players.’

Notably, that includes the new-look mixed doubles event that will take place at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center the week before the singles main draw. In an attempt to incentivize top singles players to play mixed doubles, the USTA is offering a $1 million prize to the winning team and $400,000 to the runners-up in a shortened 16-team format. 

The mixed doubles entry list includes eight of the top-10 men’s players and six of the top-10 women, with two more teams still to be awarded wildcard entry. 

The prize money increase comes at a time when some players have questioned whether they are getting a fair share of the revenues created by the pro tennis tours and the Grand Slams. 

‘I’m just going to state a fact,’ Novak Djokovic said at a news conference earlier this year in Australia. ‘The pie split between the governing bodies in major sports, all major American sports like NFL, NBA, baseball, NHL, is 50 percent. Maybe more, maybe less, but around 50 percent. Ours is way lower than that.’

While the Grand Slams offer by far the biggest purses – for many lower-ranked singles players, just getting in the main U.S. Open draw and losing in the first round is worth $110,000, often representing the bulk of their prize money for the year – reporting in the Athletic earlier this year showed that players earn somewhere in the teens as a percentage of total revenue generated by the four biggest tournaments. 

The Professional Tennis Players Association, an organization co-founded by Djokovic, filed an antitrust lawsuit earlier this year against the sports’ governing bodies, including the ATP and WTA. 

US Open prize money pool breakdown

Men’s and women’s singles champion $5 million

Runner up $2.5 million

Semifinals $1.26 million

Quarterfinals $660,000

Round of 16 $400,000

Round of 32 $237,000

Round of 64 $154,000

Round of 128 $110,000

Men’s and women’s doubles

Champion $1 million

Runners-up $500,000

Semifinals $250,000

Quarterfinals $125,000

Round of 16 $75,000

Round of 32 $45,000

Round of 64 $30,000

Mixed doubles

Champion $1 million

Runners-up $400,000

Semifinals $200,000

Quarterfinals $100,000

Round of 16 $20,000

The Boston Red Sox reached an agreement to keep one of the top young stars in baseball in town for the foreseeable future.

The Red Sox agreed to an eight-year contract extension with 21-year-old outfielder Roman Anthony on Aug. 6, according to USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale. The extension is worth $130 million and will keep Anthony under contract through his age-30 season.

The deal includes a club option for the 2034 season and with incentives can max out at $230 million. Anthony will have the opportunity to hit the open market at his age 31 season in 2035, giving him another chance to cash in on a major deal.

Anthony ― who was the No. 79 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida ― made his MLB debut against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 9 after opening the season as the top prospect in baseball. He has a .283/.400/.428 slash line with two home runs and 19 RBI in 46 MLB games.

His .400 on base percentage leads all American League rookies.

Roman Anthony stats

Here’s a look at Anthony’s stats during his rookie season with the Red Sox. Anthony is currently seventh in the MLB and fourth in the American League with a 1.6 WAR, according to Fangraphs. He is the second-best rookie behind teammate Carlos Narváez (2.5 WAR).

2025: .283 batting average, .400 on base percentage, .428 slugging percentage, .828 OPS, two home runs, 19 RBI, 27 runs scored in 190 plate appearances in 46 games

Son Heung-min helped Tottenham win its first trophy in 17 years in the 2025 Europa League final.
Son Heung-min isn’t the only big name from a European league to join an MLS team this summer.

LOS ANGELES — One of the Premier League’s biggest stars is coming to Major League Soccer, as Los Angeles FC has acquired Tottenham icon Son Heung-min in a transfer deal that might set an MLS record.

On Tuesday, Aug. 5, Son, 33, attended LAFC’s Leagues Cup game against Tigres, where fans cheered as he was shown on the stadium video board.

He is considered to be arguably the greatest Asian soccer player ever, having appeared for South Korea 134 times (scoring 51 goals). In a decade with Tottenham, Son scored 173 goals and added 101 assists, captaining the London-based club to its first trophy in 17 years as Spurs won the 2024-25 Europa League final in May.

The fee LAFC shelled out to seal his move to MLS is believed to be the largest in league history. While MLS clubs have rarely been willing to share exact transfer fees, GiveMeSport reported Tuesday that the transfer will surpass Emmanuel Latte Lath’s move to Atlanta United this past winter for $22 million, according to ESPN and The Athletic, which would make the move a new MLS record for a player joining the league.

‘He’s a star in the Premier League and he will be a star in the MLS and that will be what will make things easy to play with him,’ LAFC forward Denis Bouanga said following the Black and Gold’s shootout win over Pachuca in Leagues Cup on Friday, Aug. 1.

Son is far from the only big name from a European league to join an MLS team this summer. Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul joined Lionel Messi at Inter Miami in a convoluted loan deal structured to keep the Herons salary cap-compliant, while U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper Matt Turner has made an important move for his career, signing with the New England Revolution on loan shortly after French side Olympique Lyon had signed him from Nottingham Forest in a $9.2 million transfer.

Son is not likely to end that trend, either. Bayern Munich legend Thomas Müller, having confirmed his departure from Germany’s top side some time ago, is joining the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Here’s what to know about South Korea forward Son Heung-min’s move to LAFC:

Son Heung-min: Who is new LAFC signing?

Son Heung-min spent the last decade at the pinnacle of global soccer, starring as a high-scoring, versatile attacking player for Tottenham in the English Premier League. After joining the club in 2015 following a successful spell at Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, he quickly emerged as one of the top players in the English top flight.

Son was prolific as a scorer and creator throughout his 10-year run at Spurs, pairing with striker Harry Kane to form one of European soccer’s best attacking duos over that time. With those two leading the way, Tottenham – long regarded as a club that tended to trip over themselves on the brink of success – enjoyed the best run in their modern history.

Tottenham clinched a spot in the top four in four consecutive seasons, gaining access to the UEFA Champions League (widely considered the toughest competition in the sport). Before Son’s arrival, Spurs had only qualified for that tournament once in their history, after a fourth-place finish in the 2009-10 season. Son’s final act in serious competition at the club was to captain Tottenham to victory in this past season’s Europa League final, its first trophy in 17 years.

Beyond his success on the field, Son is a behemoth in the advertising world, particularly in his native South Korea. Adidas, Burberry, Calvin Klein, and Tumi have all named Son a brand ambassador and launched major ad campaigns around him, while he is one of just five soccer players to have a custom character ‘skin’ in one of the most popular video games in the world, Fortnite.

How to watch Son Heung-min, LAFC in MLS

Son Heung-min and LAFC have 12 more MLS regular-season games to play, as well as the ongoing Leagues Cup and potentially MLS Cup playoff matches later this fall.

Whether it’s Leagues Cup, MLS regular season, or playoff action, the only place to catch Son and LAFC is Apple TV.

Watch Son Heung-min and LAFC on Apple TV

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – The Leagues Cup scenario is simple for Inter Miami: Win and they’ll advance to the knockout stage.

Inter Miami will host Pumas UNAM on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at Chase Stadium in their final match in phase one of the 2025 Leagues Cup tournament.

The competition brings positive memories for the club and will fuel their desire to win, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said, as the team won the inaugural Leagues Cup in 2023.

If Inter Miami is going to advance, they must do so without their best player.

Watch Leagues Cup matches on Apple TV

Here’s the latest on Lionel Messi, and everything you need to know about the Inter Miami-Pumas Leagues Cup match:

When is the Inter Miami vs. Pumas Leagues Cup match?

The match begins at 7:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. in Argentina).

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Pumas Leagues Cup match?

The match is available on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

Is Messi playing tonight?

No, Messi is not playing against Pumas. He was ruled out a day before the match, according to Mascherano.

Why is Messi not playing tonight?

Inter Miami announced Messi has a minor muscle injury in his upper right leg. He sustained the injury in Inter Miami’s last Leagues Cup match against Necaxa on Aug. 2.

How long will Messi be out?

It’s unclear how long Messi’s recovery will take. Mascherano did not divulge a timetable for Messi’s potential return, but said the club’s diagnosis of Messi’s injury is “good news.”

“He’s a special player, and he normally recovers from the injuries quickly,” Mascherano said. “Once he’s ready, he’ll come back.”

Leagues Cup: Who’s in and who’s out?

Only one team has advanced to the quarterfinal: LIGA MX side Toluca. Here’s the status of the MLS and Liga MX clubs in the Leagues Cup before the final two matchdays of phase one:  

MLS clubs eliminated: Atlanta United, Charlotte FC, Houston Dynamo, CF Montréal, New York City FC and San Diego FC.
Liga MX clubs eliminated: Club América, Atlas FC, Atlético de San Luis, Chivas de Guadalajara, Club Léon, Cruz Azul, Mazatlán FC, CF Monterrey, Querétaro FC and Santos Laguna

What does Inter Miami need to advance in Leagues Cup?

The scenario is simple for Inter Miami without Messi: Win vs. Pumas, and they’ll advance to the quarterfinals (Aug. 19-20).

Inter Miami would have eight points in the MLS side of the Leagues Cup table, clearing them from a pack of six other MLS clubs in the standings.

Inter Miami would be among the top four clubs in the MLS table to reach the knockout stage.

Any other result, and Inter Miami would need some help from the Liga MX sides to beat their MLS counterparts to ensure a Top 4 finish in the MLS side of the Leagues Cup table.

How did Inter Miami get to this point in the Leagues Cup?

Inter Miami has five points in the MLS Leagues Cup standings, after a 2-1 win vs. Atlas on July 30, and a penalty shootout win vs. Necaxa on Aug. 2.

Inter Miami upcoming schedule

Aug. 6: Inter Miami vs. Pumas, 7:30 p.m. ET (Leagues Cup)
Aug. 10: Orlando City vs. Inter Miami, 8 p.m. (MLS regular season)
Aug. 16: Inter Miami vs. LA Galaxy, 7:30 p.m. (MLS regular season)
Aug. 19 or 20: Leagues Cup quarterfinals (if applicable) 
Aug. 23: D.C. United vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS regular season)
Aug. 26 or 27: Leagues Cup semifinals (if applicable)
Aug. 30: Inter Miami vs. Chicago Fire, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS regular season)
Aug. 31: Leagues Cup final and third-place match (if applicable)