FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Inter Miami is one match away from raising another trophy during the Lionel Messi era. And they have Messi to thank for leading the way.

Messi scored two second-half goals – a penalty kick (77’) and the game winner (88’) – to help Inter Miami beat Orlando City 3-1 in their Leagues Cup semifinal at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

Telasco Segovia added a goal in the 91st minute, just minutes after Messi saved the night for Inter Miami, who will play on the road against the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final on Sunday, Aug. 31.

Inter Miami desperately needed Messi to return from a right hamstring injury that nagged him for most of the last month to face Orlando City, their in-state MLS rival that outscored them 7-1 in two regular-season losses earlier this season.

They also needed Messi to help them overcome any impact from coach Javier Mascherano’s red-card suspension. Mascherano watched the match from a box atop the stadium, instead of from the first row in the stands while using his iPhone as he did during their quarterfinal win on Aug. 20.

Now, Inter Miami has a chance to contend for at least one trophy during the 2025 season.

“I prepared myself to play in this match because I knew how important the opponent was, a very tough opponent who we hadn’t won any match we faced them this year,” Messi said in a postgame interview with Apple TV. “I felt a little bit of fear (playing) in the first half, but in the second half I loosened up a bit more.”

Messi grimaced several times while warming up before the match, but appeared to get stronger as the match continued, especially as he delivered two game-saving moments.

They were necessary after Orlando City’s Marco Pašalić scored a minute before halftime, putting Inter Miami on the brink of going to the Leagues Cup third-place match.

“This guy is ridiculous, honestly. It’s such a pleasure to have him on the team,” Inter Miami defender Ian Frey said of Messi. “And it’s not surprising. He’s going to do this all the time. And we definitely don’t take it for granted.”

Messi creatively combined with Jordi Alba on a give-and-go, through several defenders, to score the game-deciding goal before added time was added to regulation.

Luis Suarez assisted Segovia’s goal as the match winded to its end, adding to the celebration that had already begun inside Inter Miami’s home stadium. But the turning point was Messi’s penalty kick to tie the match.

Inter Miami’s Tadeo Allende had his jersey pulled on a shot attempt inside the box by Orlando City defender David Brekalo two minutes prior. Inter Miami was also lucky to not get a penalty called on midfielder Sergio Busquets despite his fouling Iván Angulo earlier in the second half.

Orlando City played the rest of the match without Brekalo, who was ejected after receiving a second yellow card. He also elbowed Rodrigo De Paul in the face during the first half.

“After the red card, we lost control,” Orlando City coach Óscar Pareja said in a press conference room, adjacent to Inter Miami’s loud and celebratory locker room, after the match.

Along with Messi’s heroics, Inter Miami’s coaching strategy worked to top Orlando for the first time this season following a 3-0 loss on May 18 (which Messi played in), and a 4-1 loss in Orlando on Aug. 10 (which Messi did not play).

Allende and Segovia, two mainstays in Inter Miami’s starting lineup for much of the season, came off the bench during Wednesday’s victory. Mascherano was able to help his club adjust during halftime, assistant coach Javier Morales said.

Still, the credit goes to Messi, the Argentine World Cup champion, for propelling Inter Miami to its second Leagues Cup final.

Messi led Inter Miami to their first title as a franchise in the 2023 Leagues Cup tournament, one month after his July 2023 arrival in Major League Soccer.

Inter Miami won the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield for having the best regular season in league history with 74 points under former coach Tata Martino. But their first-round exit to Atlanta United in the MLS Cup playoffs spoiled Messi’s first full season with the club.

Now, he has a chance to lead Inter Miami to another trophy in 2025 after falling in the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup and the Round of 16 in the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this year.

They also have a shot to compete again for the Supporters’ Shield and contend for their first MLS Cup title as the 2025 season winds to an end after Leagues Cup with a healthy Messi leading the way.

“He is very important to us, especially his leadership, with the experience he has in tournaments, in the championships he has won,” Morales said of Messi. “The truth is, it’s crazy to have him.”

Inter Miami vs. Orlando City highlights

Inter Miami 3, Orlando City 1: Tadeo Segovia scores late goal, Miami to advance to Leagues Cup final

Inter Miami 2, Orlando City 1: Messi scores potential game-winning goal

Inter Miami 1, Orlando City 1: Lionel Messi scores penalty

Lionel Messi has converted a penalty kick in the 77th minute, and this Leagues Cup semifinal is tied at 1. If the match remains tied at the end of regulation, it will proceed to penalty kicks.

Orlando City 1, Inter Miami 0: Messi misses free kick shot on goal

Lionel Messi had a chance to tie the match at 1, but his free kick in the 71st minute was over the crossbar.

Messi ran with a head of steam and collided into Orlando’s César Araújo, who was shown a yellow card, just outside the box.

Orlando City 1, Inter Miami 0: Messi tries to score around five defenders

Despite being surrounded by five Orlando City players, Messi tried to make something happen inside the box.

Orlando City 1, Inter Miami 0: Marco Pašalić scores goal

A minute before halftime, Orlando City’s Marco Pašalić scored to take a 1-0 lead against Messi and Inter Miami. The goal was scored after what Inter Miami contested to be a handball by Pašalić before the shot, but VAR concluded the goal will stand. 

Inter Miami 0, Orlando City 0: Luis Suarez misses left boot 

Luis Suarez fired his first shot of the night in the 31st minute, but it veered off target. 

Inter Miami 0, Orlando City 0: Iván Angulo misses golden chance 

Iván Angulo missed a wide open opportunity in the 23rd minute for Orlando City, failing to capitalize on a one-on-one opportunity. 

Inter Miami 0, Orlando 0: Rodrigo De Paul missed shot 

Rodrigo De Paul has the green light, but his second shot toward the goal in the 22nd minute was saved by Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese. The opportunity came after Orlando City picked up two yellow cards, including one where De Paul was elbowed in the face by David Brekalo.

Inter Miami 0, Orlando City 0: Rodrigo De Paul misses shot on goal

Inter Miami’s Rodrigo De Paul was unable to capitalize on an early opportunity in the 8th minutes, missing his shot to the left of the net.

Is Messi playing tonight?

Yes, Messi is in the starting lineup and will play against Orlando City in the Leagues Cup semifinal.

Inter Miami vs. Orlando City starting lineup

What time is Inter Miami vs. Orlando City?

The match is Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 8:30 p.m. ET at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Orlando City Leagues Cup match?

The match is available to live stream on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, and Apple TV+ channel on Amazon Prime, Xfinity and DirecTV.

When is the LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders Leagues Cup match?

The match is Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 10:45 p.m. ET at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. 

How to watch LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders Leagues Cup match?

The match is available to live stream on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, and Apple TV+ channel on Amazon Prime, Xfinity and DirecTV.

What’s at stake in the Leagues Cup semifinals? 

Both finalists and the third-place winner will earn berths to the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup tournament – which determines entries into the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. 

Leagues Cup betting odds 

Inter Miami and Seattle are the favorites to reach the Leagues Cup final, according to BetMGM. 

Inter Miami vs. Orlando City

Inter Miami: -110
Draw: +275
Orlando City: +195

LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders

L.A. Galaxy: +165
Tie: +240
Seattle Sounders: +120

Messi injury update: Here’s the latest

Messi and Jordi Alba — who suffered a knock to his right knee — returned to Inter Miami training on Monday and Tuesday, assistant coach Javier Morales said. 

“We’ll make a decision about the final lineup for the match,” Morales said of Messi and Alba. “But luckily they trained and were able to complete the session, which is a positive thing.”

Messi has missed four games due to the hamstring injury, which he appeared to reaggravate during a premature return in an Aug. 16 match against the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Why is Messi’s return from injury important? 

After the Leagues Cup semifinal Wednesday and the final or third-place match Sunday, Messi will rejoin the Argentine national team for a World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela in Buenos Aires on Sept. 4.

The match will be Messi’s last match in his home country for the foreseeable future, with no other matches scheduled before World Cup 2026. Messi has yet to declare he will play with the defending champions in the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Messi upcoming schedule with Inter Miami and Argentina

Aug. 31: Leagues Cup final OR third-place match
Sept. 4: Argentina vs. Venezuela (World Cup qualifying)
Sept. 9: Ecuador vs. Argentina (World Cup qualifying)
Sept. 13: Charlotte FC vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. (MLS regular season)

USA TODAY Sports’ 48-page special edition commemorates 30 years of Major League Soccer, from its best players to key milestones and championship dynasties to what exciting steps are next with the World Cup ahead. Order your copy today!

The 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup team has been selected, with captain Keegan Bradley’s final six picks forming the final 12-player team that will face off against Team Europe in the highly anticipated golf event at Bethpage Black in New York, just a month away.

The automatic qualifiers for Team U.S. include World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who will lead the team alongside rookie J.J. Spaun. Other players securing their spots are Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson DeChambeau. These players earned their spots through a combination of their world rankings, performance in major tournaments, and points accumulated in the Ryder Cup standings.

U.S. captain Keegan Bradley, who chose not to play and will focus solely on his captaincy, has also selected Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns to complete the team with their ultimate goal is to reclaim the Ryder Cup trophy.

Here are the handful of Team USA snubs that did not make the Ryder Cup team this time around, a moment of disappointment for these golfers.

2025 U.S. Ryder Cup snubs

Maverick McNealy

Despite a stellar season in 2025, where he made 20 cuts in 24 events — including a runner-up finish at The Genesis Invitational and third-place finishes at the Valero Texas Open, RBC Heritage, and the BMW Championship — McNealy was ultimately not selected as a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup. Although he landed in the top 10 of the Ryder Cup standings based on points, as the highest-ranked player not to make the team, it didn’t make a difference in the final selection.

Brian Harman

Despite being part of the 2023 Ryder Cup team, where he recorded a 2-2-0 record and finished No. 12 in this year’s Ryder Cup standings, Harman was not selected to return to the Ryder Cup team. Throughout the season, he achieved 10 top-25 finishes, which included a victory at the Valero Texas Open and an eighth-place finish at the Travelers Championship.

Andrew Novak

Novak secured the 13th position in the Ryder Cup standings, placing ahead of three players who were selected for this year’s Ryder Cup team. He finished the season with five top-10 finishes, including his sole victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Rickie Fowler

Fowler is a five-time U.S. Ryder Cup veteran and has been a part of three Presidents Cup teams. In 2023, he was selected as a captain’s pick but had a limited role, only playing on the final day of the competition. Unfortunately, he lost his singles match to Tommy Fleetwood. Fowler finished in 30th place in the Ryder Cup standings this year. However, he ended his season on a high note, tying for sixth at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and tying for seventh at the BMW Championship. Despite these strong finishes, it was not enough for him to secure a captain’s pick.

Jordan Spieth

Spieth has been part of five Ryder Cup teams and four Presidents Cup teams, but his recent performance in 2025 was disappointing. After undergoing left wrist surgery last year, he has been working hard to regain his form. Despite the challenges, Spieth still achieved four top-10 finishes this season.

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Nineteen Bowl Subdivision games are scheduled for Thursday
Boise State, North Carolina State and Nebraska are hoping to get off to strong starts
Three Big Ten teams face MAC opponents in what could be tricky contests

Thursday action has become a fixture in college football. But while much of the season will have a game or two at most, the Week 1 Thursday slate is quite full.

There are several reasons for this. The participating teams don’t have to be concerned with the short preparation time that come with some Thursday games once the season gets started, and the sport as a whole takes advantage of the full calendar weekend with the spotlight to itself before the NFL ramps up.

So who’s playing Thursday? Glad you asked. In all, there are 19 games on the schedule involving Bowl Subdivision members. Here’s a look at the top games of the day and where you can watch them.

No. 25 Boise State at South Florida

Time/TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Broncos will be the first ranked team to take the field in North America. They won’t travel quite as far as Iowa State and Kansas State did for their Week 0 thriller in Dublin, but this trip to Tampa could be a test for the defending Mountain West champions hoping for a return engagement in the College Football Playoff. The Bulls hope to use this opportunity to show they’re ready to contend in the American. With Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty off to the NFL, Boise State will ask more of veteran QB Maddux Madsen to keep the offense moving. South Florida will counter with QB Byrum Brown, who accounted for 1,105 yards of offense and five total TDs last year before his season was cut short by injury.

East Carolina at North Carolina State

Time/TV: 7 p.m. ET, ACCN

The most recent encounter between these in-state foes ended with some extracurricular activity at the conclusion of last year’s Military Bowl, so it goes without saying that all participants will be admonished to keep their tempers in check prior to this rematch. Before things got ugly, the Pirates won that postseason contest 26-21 to wrap up a strong finish, convincing school officials to remove the interim tag from coach Blake Harrell. The Wolfpack dropped three of their last four in 2024 including the bowl loss and need a positive start to the new year with ACC play looming right away. N.C. State returns QB CJ Bailey, who should benefit now from being pressed into service as a freshman. Pirates QB Katin Houser is also back, but he, too, must cut down on the INTs.

Cincinnati vs. Nebraska

Time/TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

Ostensibly a neutral-site contest in Kansas City, Missouri, there will be a much larger presence from Cornhusker faithful. Those in attendance will be expecting big things from Big Red in coach Matt Rhule’s third season, but they could get restless quickly if the team struggles early. Cincinnati’s first two years of life in the Big 12 could have gone better, but the Bearcats did improve from 3-9 to 5-7 and hope that trend continues. Cornhuskers QB Dylan Raiola could be poised for a breakout year with more big-play threats entering the program. UC also has an experienced hand at the controls in Brendan Sorsby, who is perhaps not as flashy but keeps the chains moving.

Big Ten vs. MAC challenge

Ohio at Rutgers, 6 p.m. ET, BTN

Buffalo at Minnesota, 8 p.m. ET, FS1

Miami (Ohio) at Wisconsin, 9 p.m. ET, BTN

The Thursday slate also features a trio of Big Ten teams hosting Mid-American Conference opponents. While the power conference home teams will be favored, they’d be advised to take their visitors seriously, as Minnesota learned the hard way back in 2021 when Bowling Green stunned the Gophers on their own field. There are other such pairings sprinkled through the first few weeks of the season, including a couple others later in the weekend, but here are the ones getting it started on Thursday.

Travis Kelce, recently engaged to Taylor Swift, stated his focus is solely on winning another Super Bowl.
While Kelce has one year left on his contract, he expressed his desire to remain with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kelce acknowledges his recent divided attention but reaffirms football as his top career priority.

‘I’m only interested in Super Bowl rings,’ Kelce told reporters during a June 18 news conference, his first formal appearance with the media since making his decision to return for a 13th NFL season with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025.

Evidently, Kelce also had an engagement ring on his mind. Pop star Taylor Swift announced her engagement to the three-time Super Bowl champion on Tuesday, less than two weeks after she made her first-ever podcast appearance on ‘New Heights,’ hosted by Travis and Jason Kelce.

Kelce is coming off his worst statistical season as a professional (outside of his rookie year, when he barely played). Despite catching 97 passes, he averaged 8.5 yards per reception. He was critical of his performance (four catches, 39 yards) in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl 59 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Entering 2025, the now-betrothed Kelce said his focus does not extend beyond this year.

‘I got one year left on this contract, I know that, and we’ll try and figure out something for next year,’ Kelce said. ‘The Chiefs organization knows how much I love them. I can’t see myself ever playing anywhere else. So we’ll deal with that down the road when the time is right, but right now I’m focused on winning a championship this year.’

Leaving the season with another Lombardi Trophy is his lone focus, he said, and the only way he determines success at this stage in his career.

‘It’s the only way I’m wired now,’ he said.

If 2025 is indeed the last ride for Kelce, nobody would know it yet, according to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

‘The way he’s talking about football, the way he’s talking about working and trying to be even better this year than he was last year, he’s not – he doesn’t seem like a guy that it’s his last ride, like he’s tired of the job,’ Mahomes said. ‘He’s in there, he’s working and I know his body feels good. I think it feels better than even last year before going into the last season. Just because I think he’s motivated to go out there and have an even better year than he had this last (year).’

Kelce admitted to GQ that he was not as dedicated to football in recent years as he’d previously been. Such is life when you are dating the most famous person in the world, hosting a highly-ranked podcast, appearing in dozens of commercials and launching an acting career.

‘Football is always going to be number one,’ he said, adding that he is focused on siphoning as much as he can from the game he loves. ‘This will always be number one in terms of my business world and my career path.’

And if he wants another ring – this one of the championship variety – he’ll have to lean on the work he’s put in throughout the offseason, a regiment that started in the spring, he said.

‘Trying to win Super Bowls, man,’ Kelce said. ‘It’s the only way you get there. I think it starts in the offseason.’

Luka Dončić continues to embrace everything that comes with being a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, even more so in recent months ahead of his first full season with the team.

Dončić, who was traded to L.A. on Feb. 2 in a late-night shocking move by the Dallas Mavericks, is in line to serve as the face of the Lakers’ franchise.

While the start of the 2025-26 NBA season is in the foreseeable future, he is currently in Poland working with the Slovenian national team for the EuroBasket tournament.

“Playing for my country is an honor for me,” Dončić told KCAL News Sports Central. “I try to bring medals to the country, and I’m just getting ready for the season.”

While he is away from the Lakers, two of the organization’s most notable figures, team governor Jeanie Buss and president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, were among the team’s contingent that traveled to Poland to visit with the international superstar during his final practice before the tournament.

Dončić had an injury scare in recent weeks when a Slovenian teammate fell on his right knee during an exhibition game against Latvia.

He was cleared to return after he was diagnosed with a minor contusion (bruise) on his knee, but did not suffer any structural damage.

The Lakers’ front office has continued to express its support for Dončić and his desire to play for his home country.

“Zero problems (with Dončić’s decision),” Pelinka said. “It’s something that we believe in, for the Lakers organization and (the Slovenian) leadership and their executives have been great. It’s been a collaborative partnership with them.”

Part of that collaboration has included having Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean on the Slovenian coaching staff.

Luka Dončić remains active with Lakers during offseason

Despite his preparation for the EuroBasket Tournament, he’s managed to stay active and present when needed with the Lakers.

After holding a press conference with the Lakers in Los Angeles, he took a trip to Las Vegas along with the team’s players and executives to a Backstreet Boys concert earlier this month.

Dončić’s extension puts him at the forefront of the Lakers’ future going forward as the face of the franchise.

He told reporters during his introductory press conference in February after the trade that he wanted to win a championship for the Lakers.

He hasn’t backed down from that same statement during various interviews this week.

“I’m just trying to be the best I can be,” Dončić said during an interview with Complex. “At the end of the day, I’m playing basketball, and I want to win. That’s our goal from the start to the finish of the season.

Luka Dončić partners with Overwatch

While Dončić continues his quest for his first NBA championship, he’s also continued to hold firm on his ranking among the world’s best players on Overwatch.

It was recently announced that the NBA All-Star had partnered with the team-based multiplayer first-person shooter video game.

He’s expected to be featured in the game in some capacity, with the game’s players having the opportunity to earn exclusive Dončić-related rewards and play in his “custom Stadium builds” during Season 18 of the game, which began Tuesday.

In 2024, he shared a screenshot on Instagram that he had reached the Top 500 milestone on the tank role in the game.

Dončić told Complex that he hasn’t had much time to play the game while he was overseas with the national team, but believes he still ranks in the 400s.

“I’ll probably start playing when I’m back in L.A.”

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JD Vance expressed concern over potential NFL bias towards the Kansas City Chiefs after Travis Kelce’s engagement to Taylor Swift.
Vance, a Cincinnati Bengals fan, worries the Chiefs will receive preferential treatment from referees.
Vance’s comments fuel existing conspiracy theories about NFL bias towards the Chiefs dynasty.

Vice President JD Vance has stoked claims the NFL is partial toward the Kansas City Chiefs.

Vance, a former senator from Ohio, said in an exclusive interview with USA TODAY that he hopes the NFL doesn’t favor the Chiefs following Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s engagement announcement.

‘I will say as a football fan − as a Cincinnati Bengals fan − I hope that the NFL does not put a thumb on the scale for the Kansas City Chiefs just because Travis Kelce is now getting married to maybe the most famous woman in the world,’ Vance said in a wide-ranging interview that covered topics including President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to fight crime, the Swift-Kelce engagement, and the president’s controversial efforts to oust a Federal Reserve governor.

‘You guys can’t sort of have this, I’m worried they’re going to have a Super Bowl wedding thing this season,’ Vance said. ‘Can’t do it. The Kansas City Chiefs have to follow the same rules as everybody else.’

‘So if we see the refs being particularly friendly to Kansas City Chiefs players, then I think all football fans should be willing to push back on the NFL and say, look, you guys got to be fair. Just because Travis is getting married to Taylor, you still can’t put your thumb on the scale for the Kansas City Chiefs.’

Vance’s words are red meat for NFL conspiracy theorists who believe the NFL has been biased toward the Chiefs during their dynasty. The Chiefs have won nine consecutive AFC West titles and have won three of the past six Super Bowls.

It also adds another layer to the Chiefs and Bengals rivalry.

Vance did congratulate the couple for their recent engagement in the same interview.

Who are the most powerful people in college football? The USA TODAY Sports Network decided to figure it out.

Our panel of experts debated and discussed the topic for hours and settled on the top 25 going into the 2025 season, with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey taking the top spot in a vote after the list was determined.

Names like Sankey, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, Colorado coach Deion Sanders and retired coach Nick Saban will be familiar to college football fans, but others like Jimmy Sexton, Cole Gahagan and Dave Brown hold tremendous sway behind the scenes. And some members of this exclusive club, like President Donald Trump, may surprise you.

Our panel of experts from our network who decided on this ranking included national college football writers Matt Hayes and Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY sports writers Paul Myerberg and Brent Schrotenboer, former USA TODAY sports columnist Dan Wolken and beat writers Frank Bodani (Penn State), Scott Wright (Oklahoma State) and Marc Weiszer (Georgia). Editors Erick Smith, Andrew Birkle and Tommy Deas helped shape the discussion.

Here are the top 25 most powerful people in college football as the 2025 season gets underway.

1. Greg Sankey, SEC commissioner

Why he is on the list: Sankey blends the credibility he’s earned from a career working in college athletics with the respect he amassed from guiding college football throughout the pandemic season and the gravitas that accompanies leading a “Super Two” conference steeped with powerful brands to shape the sport in an unparalleled way.

2. Burke Magnus, ESPN president, content

Why he is on the list: He oversees the live content, studio shows and journalism for a company that is paying billions of dollars to league partners for the rights to televise games, including the College Football Playoff and postseason bowl games. His company controls much of what you see and learn about the game.

3. Tony Petitti, Big Ten commissioner

Why he is on the list: Petitti leads the richest conference in college football –  the one owning the past two College Football Playoff champions. His power and influence, however, don’t quite match the SEC’s Greg Sankey in shaping and leading the sport.

4. Mark Silverman, Fox Sports president and COO

Why he is on the list: He oversees live event, studio programming, production, marketing and digital for Fox Sports, the television partner of the Big Ten Conference. His company funded the Big Ten’s expansion and is a 61% owner of the Big Ten Network, where he previously served as president.

5. Steve Berman/Jeffrey Kessler, antitrust attorneys

Why they are on the list: They are the lead attorneys who helped dismantle the NCAA’s amateurism model with class-action lawsuits, including the landmark case, House v. NCAA. Because of their work, schools are now paying players for the names, images and likenesses. They remain positioned to advance players’ rights.

6. Claudia Wilken, federal judge

Why she is on the list: Wilken approved the massive, landmark $2.8 billion dollar House settlement that paved the way for the current era of college sports, allowing schools to directly reimburse their student-athletes. Just over a decade ago, Wilken presided over O’Bannon v. NCAA and ruled the ban on athletes being compensated for their NIL rights represented illegal restraint.

7. Pete Bevacqua, Notre Dame athletics director

Why he is on the list: Notre Dame remains one of the biggest brands in college football, and Bevacqua’s influence on the sport matches it. Notre Dame’s value on the national landscape gives Bevacqua a valuable seat at the table with major conferences and TV networks when the future of the sport is being molded.

8. Brett Yormark, Big 12 commissioner

Why he is on the list: While his conference doesn’t carry the weight of the Big Ten or SEC, Yormark’s innovative approach to leading his conference and generating revenue streams has strengthened his impact. His aggressive style and business background have elevated the Big 12’s relevancy in an evolving college football environment.

9. Rick Cordella, NBC Sports president

Why he is on the list: The president of NBC Sports since September 2023, Cordella oversees the Big Ten Saturday Night package that brought regular-season games not involving Notre Dame back to the network for the first time since 1959. While not to the level of ABC/ESPN or CBS, NBC is now an influential player at the crossroads of TV and college sports.

10. Jimmy Sexton, agent to coaches

Why he is on the list: Sexton represents a cavalcade of prominent coaches. Clients include Kirby Smart (Georgia), Steve Sarkisian (Texas) and Kalen DeBoer (Alabama). No agent has fueled the soaring coaching salaries and buyouts and the advent of fully guaranteed contracts more than Sexton.

11. Donald Trump, United States president

Why he is on the list: Trump has involved the federal government in the interest of policing college sports, the focus on big-money college football. It seems a daunting bureaucratic lift. Will his actions – creating a presidential commission on college sports and signing an executive order to reform it – prove more symbolic than policy-changing?

12. Jim Phillips, ACC commissioner

Why he is on the list: Phillips remains in an impactful position as the future of power-conference college football evolves. He offers another influential voice in the fight for fair and equal treatment of power conferences moving forward, particularly in the College Football Playoff.

13. Mark Keenum, Mississippi State president

Why he is on the list: Keenum is the president of the College Football Playoff’s board of managers, an 11-member group comprised of university presidents and chancellors that holds authority over all aspects of playoff operations. Keenum has been the president of Mississippi State since 2009 and has previously served as the president of the SEC and leader of the league’s executive committee.

14. Cody Campbell, Texas Tech booster and board of regents chair

Why he is on the list: He’s changing the paradigm on both ends: he has spent, and will continue to spend, hundreds of millions on Texas Tech sports with notable gains in football and softball. He’s also President Trump’s point man in the White House’s push for college sports reform.

15. Cole Gahagan, Learfield CEO 

Why he is on the list: Founded as a farm radio network, Learfield has morphed into a major player in the business of college sports, serving as a conduit for a variety of deals, from stadium naming rights to media rights to engineering more than $140 million in NIL sponsorship agreements in 2025.

16. Dave Brown, Gridiron founder and president

Why he is on the list: Brown’s company provides the go-to software for college football scheduling. Gridiron serves as a matchmaker platform where schools can view and connect with potential opponents for their scheduling needs. If you’re watching a non-conference game, there’s a good chance Gridiron helped procure the matchup.

17. Chris Del Conte, Texas athletics director

Why he is on the list: Oversees a department that generated the most total operating revenue nationally in fiscal year 2024 at $331.9 million with $325 million in operating expenses. Helped spearhead Texas going to the SEC where it started league play in 2024. That move set off a round of conference realignment.

18. Nick Saban, ESPN analyst and retired coach

Why he is on the list: Even after exiting the sidelines, Saban remains a visible presence on ESPN’s College GameDay and a voice that resonates across the sport. President Donald Trump met with him when he spoke at Alabama’s spring graduation and turned to him for guidance on the changing landscape in college athletics.

19. Chad Chatlos, Turnkey ZRG search firm managing director

Why he’s on the list: ZRG is the most respected search firm in college sports, and Chatlos has led searches for some of the top jobs in football, including Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan State and Ole Miss. He also played key role in searches for NCAA president, and Big Ten and Big 12 commissioners.

20. Ted Cruz, U.S. senator, R-Texas

Why he is on the list: Cruz, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, is the face of congressional efforts to reform college athletics. Working within his own party and across the aisle on an issue with largely bipartisan support, Cruz has wielded substantial influence in the college space.

21. Deion Sanders, Colorado coach

Why he’s on the list: He is the single highest-viewership attraction in a sport where eyeballs are the currency of the realm. His heavy reliance on the transfer portal has influenced recruiting nationally. His success pushed the door open wider for former Black athletes to become college coaches.

22. Bryan Seeley, College Sports Commission CEO

Why he’s on the list: Potential. Because there’s a whole lot of unknown with a position that has the framework to be the “czar” of college football as his organization oversees NIL deals, but could easily devolve into a front man for the most powerful presidents and chancellors of the SEC and Big Ten.     

23. Shannon Terry, founder of On3 Sports, 247 Sports and Rivals

Why he’s on the list: A visionary in the multimedia world of delivering content, his On3 brand crossed over into NIL valuations that are now the industry standard. Previous companies (Rivals, 247Sports) are trendsetters in recruiting coverage, and used by many FBS and FCS coaching staffs.

24. Kirby Smart, Georgia coach

Why is on the list: Entering his 10th season, the former Alabama defensive coordinator is winning at Saban-like levels and looks like he will be a mainstay competing for national titles. Served as co-chair for the NCAA Football Rules Committee and isn’t shy about voicing his take on issues of the day across the national landscape like transfer portal windows.

25. Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN personality

Why he is on the list: Herbstreit, an ESPN college football fixture since 1996, is the anchor of College GameDay and is arguably the preeminent TV analyst in the sport. His national cache (which includes his ever-popular golden retrievers) has been fueled by his pointed commentary on the sport and his social media interaction with fans.

Brent Schrotenboer, Paul Myerberg, Matt Hayes, Blake Toppmeyer, Marc Weiszer, Scott Wright and Frank Bodani all contributed to biographies.

(This story was updated to add a video.)

A pair of Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury minority owners have filed a lawsuit against controlling owner Mat Ishbia, alleging conflicts of interest, mismanagement and a lack of transparency in an attempt to dilute ownership shares.

The lawsuit, obtained by USA TODAY Sports, also alleges that Ishbia may have cut “multiple undisclosed side deals with other investor members,” which would breach the ownership agreement the investors had entered.

The suit, filed Wednesday, Aug. 27 in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, lists a pair of limited liability companies, Kisco WC Sports II and Kent Circle Investments, as the plaintiffs. They are seeking for Ishbia and the company to provide the financial documents and records they allege have been withheld, as well as the payment of legal fees and further damages.

Suns Legacy Holdings (SLH), the company that operates the franchises, and ISH Suns, the controlling stakeholder of SLH, declined to comment on the lawsuit.

USA TODAY Sports, however, obtained a letter sent from the company’s counsel, lawyer David Marroso of O’Melveny & Myers LP, to the attorney representing the plaintiffs.

The letter, sent Tuesday, Aug. 26, says that Kisco and Kent Circle have demanded that Ishbia buy out the remaining shares they hold, at a valuation of $825 million. Per the letter, that figure represents a 60% increase from the valuation during the time of the sale to Ishbia in December 2022 for $4 billion.

The letter does not dispute the appreciation of the company and states that its value “is approaching $7 billion,” but the letter goes on to say that the company’s “market value is not the point” in question.

“Your clients have no right to insist that ISH Suns acquire their interest at all, much less at the valuation and premium they are demanding,” the letter states. “Let us be clear: ISH Suns does not object to your clients marketing their interests and obtaining offers from any other person, subject to the rights and obligations set forth in the parties’ agreement and applicable league rules.”

Andrew Kohlberg (Kisco) and Scott Seldin (Kent Circle) are the minority owners behind the companies suing Ishbia. According to the letter Marroso sent, both Kohlberg and Seldin had the opportunity to sell their interests in the team to Ishbia in 2023, when he completed the purchase of the company. Fourteen of the 16 minority owners invested in SLH sold their shares, with Kohlberg and Seldin being the lone holdouts.

“Kohlberg and Seldin have resorted to threatening baseless litigation and sensationalized press coverage as a means of intimidating and coercing ISH Suns into unprincipled and unjustified buyout negotiations,” the letter states. “That will not work. ISH Suns and the Company will not be bullied by these sharp and abusive tactics.”

At the center of the lawsuit is a capital call on Monday, June 2 that Isbhia initiated, seeking more money from investors. The lawsuit alleges that the call was announced on short notice and that it “appears to be part of a leverage strategy to exert pressure on and dilute the Company’s minority owners.”

The lawsuit alleges that the cost per unit that Ishbia was seeking during the call was “strikingly low and bears no relationship to the actual value of the Company.”

The suit, which is redacted in some parts, goes on to illustrate Kohlberg and Seldin’s dissatisfaction with Ishbia’s management of the company.

The Suns have not been shy about spending money on players in an attempt to compete in the Western Conference. In February 2023, right after Ishbia took control, Phoenix traded for Kevin Durant in a blockbuster deal, pairing him with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

The experiment, however, did not work out, with Durant traded to the Rockets and the Suns buying out Beal this offseason.

The Suns finished 36-46 in the West, placing just outside of the play-in window, and will have Jordan Ott coach the team in 2025-26 — their fourth coach in as many seasons.

Freddie Freeman was not in the lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ game against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, Aug. 27. 

Freeman was a late scratch from the lineup, considering he was third in the Dodgers’ lineup on Tuesday.

Manager Dave Roberts stated that Freeman will be “day-to-day,” and it’s something he’s dealt with before.

“Freddie is down today,” Roberts said during his pregame availability. “He’s got a little kind of neck stinger that’s got from his neck to his shoulder on the right side.”

Roberts decided to have the 2020 NL MVP skip Wednesday’s game, so he will have a few days off while the team is not playing on Thursday.

Freeman is expected to be back in the lineup on Friday.

How did Freddie Freeman get injured?

There’s no specific event that’s led to Freeman’s neck injury, but it has been something that’s shown up in recent years.

“It’s something that is recurring, but he finds a way,” Roberts said. “It’s shown itself a little bit over the last few days, but it didn’t really feel good coming out of last night.”

Roberts explained that it’s unlikely he will be examined or undergo any imaging in the upcoming days.