Texas Tech RB Quinten Joyner suffered a season-ending knee injury in a weekend scrimmage
The USC transfer was part of a top-rated Texas Tech transfer class
Texas Tech is the No. 24 team in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll and is among the favorites to win the Big 12

Two weeks before its 2025 season opener, Texas Tech football has lost a player who was expected to be one of its top offensive players.

Red Raiders sophomore running back Quintaelyn ‘Quinten’ Joyner, a USC transfer, will miss the season due to a knee injury he suffered on Aug. 16 during the team’s second preseason scrimmage, the university confirmed to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, a part of the USA TODAY Network, on Aug. 18.

Last season at USC, Joyner rushed for 478 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 7.6 yards per carry. He was rated by 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 145 overall player and the No. 9 running back in the transfer portal last offseason.

Joyner entered fall training camp atop the team’s depth chart at running back. While he’s sidelined, the No. 24 Red Raiders will turn to sophomores J’Koby Williams and Cameron Dickey. Last season, Williams and Dickey each had 41 carries, with Williams rushing for 236 yards and two touchdowns and Dickey running for 225 yards and one touchdown. Williams rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries in the team’s Liberty Bowl loss to Arkansas.

An Austin, Texas native, Joyner was a part of a 22-player Texas Tech transfer class that 247Sports ranked second among all FBS programs, behind only LSU. Joyner was one of 13 players in the class rated as a four-star transfer.

The Red Raiders have enjoyed a sharp rise in spending on name, image and likeness deals for athletes in recent years, buoyed largely by mega-donors Cody Campbell and John Sellers, the co-founders of the school’s Matador Club collective. 

Softball pitcher NiJaree Canady transferred to the school from Stanford and earned a record-setting seven-figure deal before leading Texas Tech to the championship series of the Women’s College World Series. All-American men’s basketball forward JT Toppin was lured back to the school with a deal worth more than $3 million. In all, Red Raiders athletes will reportedly earn a combined $55 million during the 2025-26 academic year.

Texas Tech opens its 2025 season on August 30 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Though the league didn’t conduct an official preseason poll, the Red Raiders are widely viewed as one of the favorites to win the Big 12 and earn an automatic berth to the College Football Playoff.

The defending national champions have their quarterback.

A redshirt freshman from Southern California, Sayin beat out redshirt sophomore Lincoln Kienholz for the starting job. The position battle began in spring practice and continued throughout fall camp before the decision was made less than two weeks before the season starts.

‘It was a close competition,’ coach Ryan Day announced Aug. 18. ‘Julian seperated himself over the last week with consistent play.’

Sayin was a highly-touted recruit out of Carlsbad High School in the 2024 recruiting class as the third-ranked quarterback and 20th ranked recruit overall by 247sports. He originally committed to Alabama and was with the Crimson Tide for a brief period before the retirement of Nick Saban changed his plans, and he transferred to Ohio State.

The signal-caller was the third-string quarterback for the Buckeyes last season as he played 27 offensive snaps in four games. He completed 5-of-12 passes for 84 yards and one touchdown as part of the national championship team.

Last season’s starter Will Howard graduated and backup Devin Brown transferred to California, paving the way for Sayin to take over the starting duties.

Sayin will be the first Buckeyes quarterback since 2021 to take the job without any previous starting experience in college. His first start will come against at home against the Longhorns in Week 1 in the first No. 1 vs No. 2 season opening matchup season in the history of the US LBM Coaches Poll.

The Los Angeles Rams welcomed back their franchise quarterback on Monday.

The Rams posted a video of Matthew Stafford walking onto the practice field dressed in full pads.

Stafford’s practice participation is great news for a Rams team as they ramp up toward the regular season.

“It’s good to be able to have Matthew out there. He did a good job (Monday). I thought he looked good, but I don’t really have any updates,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “We are gonna keep it a day and really a week at a time. But it was great to see him out there today. We’ll see how this afternoon goes and tomorrow.”

Prior to Monday, Stafford’s hadn’t been able to participate in training camp because of an aggravated disk in his back. The veteran quarterback was supposed to practice in some capacity on Monday, Aug. 11, after a throwing session, but he didn’t “feel great” following the workout.

Stafford was scheduled to have another workout on Saturday, Aug. 16, but the Rams have been discreet about whether or not the workout happened.

The 37-year-old quarterback is entering his fifth season with the Rams and 17th overall.

Stafford and the Rams kickoff the regular season in less than three weeks against the Houston Texans on Sept. 7 at SoFi Stadium.

However, neither Garoppolo nor Bennett can run the Rams’ offense like Stafford. Stafford is the engine to the Rams’ offensive attack.

Stafford was named the Rams MVP last year after he completed 340-of-517 pass attempts for 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns. Stafford helped the Rams win Super Bowl 56 in his first season in Los Angeles.

The Washington Commanders are set to play the Cincinnati Bengals on ‘Monday Night Football’ to close Week 2 of the 2025 NFL preseason. The Commanders will be without a couple of key offensive players during the contest.

Notably, quarterback Jayden Daniels will sit out the game as Washington looks to preserve the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year for 2024.

Perhaps more interestingly, Brian Robinson Jr. will be out of action as the fourth-year running back has become the subject of trade rumors with NFL roster cuts rapidly approaching.

Here’s what to know about Robinson’s absence and what it may mean for the Commanders.

Why isn’t Brian Robinson Jr. playing today?

Robinson and the Commanders reached a ‘mutual decision’ for him not to play in the team’s preseason game against the Bengals, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Robinson had been subject to trade rumors in the lead-up to the preseason ‘Monday Night Football’ clash between the Commanders and Bengals. Washington could opt to trade the fourth-year back, who led its committee approach over the last three seasons.

Keeping Robinson out of Monday’s game will ensure he remains healthy as the Commanders attempt to trade him. It isn’t clear whether Washington will find a suitor for the 25-year-old or if they will cut him if they cannot find a suitable trade.

Commanders RB depth chart

The Commanders currently have seven players on their roster at running back. Below is the projected pecking order among the group, according to the team’s most recent depth chart:

Brian Robinson Jr.
Austin Ekeler
Jeremy McNichols
Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Kazmeir Allen
Demetric Felton

If the Commanders do move on from Robinson, Ekeler would likely retain his role as the top pass-catching back. Meanwhile, McNichols and Rodriguez would likely be first in line to take on Robinson’s role as an early-down back.

Croskey-Merritt would be the wild card of the group, as he has the most upside among the players on the roster. The seventh-round rookie has flashed during training camp and could emerge as a key part of the rotation in short order.

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has spoken glowingly of Washington’s running back depth.

‘All six or seven guys in there have a place in this league,’ Kingsbury said recently, per ESPN. ‘They all have dynamic traits, all have things to do really well and guys when they had their opportunity have played at a high level. It’s a deep group and we just got to see how it shakes out.’

The Miami Dolphins were looking for some reinforcements for their pass rush and that’s exactly what they got on Aug. 18.

Following a successful visit, Matthew Judon is expected to sign a one-year deal worth up to $6 million with the Dolphins, according to reports.

The four-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher is set to join a group that already includes Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and Chop Robinson. While Chubb missed the 2024 season with a knee injury, Phillips is also coming off a shortened 2024 thanks to a torn ACL.

Signing Judon provides some much-needed depth and some insurance for the players just returning from injury.

Miami’s defense has undergone somewhat of a remodel this offseason, especially after the trading of Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a reunion with Minkah Fitzpatrick.

It was clear that the depth of the Dolphins’ defense needed to be addressed, which they attempted to do by drafting Kenneth Grant in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Judon will only help solidify that. The nine-year veteran brings a wealth of experience from his days with the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons.

The 33-year-old hasn’t been the same player since a torn biceps ended his 2023 season prematurely. Prior to that, Judon was coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 12 1/2 sacks to begin his time in New England.

Judon was traded to the Falcons ahead of the 2024 season, with the hopes that he could bolster Atlanta’s rush. The Falcons instead struggled to generate pressure all season long, finishing with the second-fewest sacks in the league.

Now on his fourth team, Judon won’t have to worry about being the focal point of the Dolphins’ pass rush and instead focus on recapturing the magic.

The Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Commanders went head-to-head on ESPN’s ‘Monday Night Football’ in Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season, with Washington earning a 38-33 victory over Cincinnati.

The Bengals will look to get a measure of revenge against the Commanders as the two square off in a preseason ‘MNF’ battle.

Cincinnati is planning to play its starters for at least part of the game against Washington. Coach Zac Taylor outlined the Bengals’ plan to do this as the team looks to buck its recent trend of slow starts to the regular season.

While Joe Burrow and Co. will be in action for preseason Week 2, the Commanders aren’t expected to play Jayden Daniels. It isn’t clear how many of their starters will be sitting, but Washington fans will still have plenty to look forward in the game, as rookies Josh Conerly Jr. and Jacory Croskey-Merritt look to prove they deserve sizable roles in the team’s offense this season.

USA TODAY Sports is tracking live updates from the Bengals vs. Commanders contest. Here’s a look at the major highlights and scoring updates from the preseason Week 2 NFL battle.

Bengals vs Commanders start time

Date: Monday, August 18, 2025 
Time: 8 p.m. ET

The Bengals vs. Commanders preseason matchup will kick off at 8 p.m. ET Monday.

Bengals vs Commanders TV channel

Cable TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN+ | Fubo

ESPN will broadcast the Bengals vs. Commanders game in preseason Week 2. The contest figures to serve as a tune-up for the network’s ‘Monday Night Football’ broadcast, with Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (analyst), Lisa Salters (sideline reporter) and Laura Rutledge (sideline reporter) on the call.

Watch ‘Monday Night Football’ with Fubo (free trial)

Bengals vs Commanders odds, moneyline, over/under

The Bengals are favorites to defeat the Commanders, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2025 including the ESPN BET app and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code. 

Spread: Bengals (-3) 
Moneyline: Bengals (-165); Commanders (+140) 
Over/under: 43.5

Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered. 

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Is Joe Burrow playing tonight?

Burrow will play about a quarter along with many of the other Bengals starters in the team’s second preseason contest. Head coach Zac Taylor has taken a different approach to playing the starters in the preseason this year, as he hopes to avoid a slow start to the regular season. Burrow and the starting offense led two touchdown drives against the Philadelphia Eagles in the preseason opener before checking out for the evening.

Is Jayden Daniels playing tonight?

Daniels is set to make his preseason debut on Monday night against the Bengals. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn announced that he won’t be in the game for long, but the team is hoping to play the quarterback for a few series.

Is there Monday Night Football today?

There is a ‘Monday Night Football’ game on today as Week 2 of the NFL preseason wraps up. The Washington Commanders are set to host the Cincinnati Bengals at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.

Deng Mayar, a graduate student forward on the Omaha men’s basketball team, died over the weekend in a drowning incident, the school announced on Sunday, Aug. 17.

He was 22 years old.

‘Our entire program is devastated to learn of Deng’s passing. After competing against him for two years, we were elated to add him to our team and he made tremendous progress this summer,’ said Omaha men’s basketball coach Chris Crutchfield in a statement. ‘Deng was a joy to be around and made our culture better. We will miss him greatly. Jodi and I, along with our entire program, send our hearts and prayers to Deng’s family, friends and teammates.’

Added Omaha chancellor Joanne Li:

‘We are devastated to learn of Deng’s passing. On behalf of our university community, our love and sincere condolences are with his family during this difficult time. We also wish his friends and teammates in Omaha, North Dakota, and Salt Lake City family, peace as they process this tragic loss.’

Officials in Herriman, Utah told Fox 13 in Salt Lake City that Mayar was swimming at the Blackridge Reservoir on Saturday, Aug. 16, when he went under the water and didn’t resurface. Mayar was with a friend who was also struggling in the water, but managed to reach the shore before going back in to try to help Mayar.

Local rescue crews searched for hours for Mayar after he went underwater about 35 feet from the shore. A submersible robot located him late Saturday night and his body was pulled out of the water. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mayar’s friend, Sa Mafutaga, was hospitalized and is expected to recover.

Mayar, who was raised in Salt Lake City, was preparing to play his first season at Omaha after spending the previous two seasons at North Dakota, where he averaged 6.3 points and four rebounds per game last season.

Lionel Messi and his new Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul have been called up by the Argentine national team for their final two World Cup qualifying matches in early September.

Argentina, the defending World Cup champions, has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Messi, 38, has not yet declared he will play in the World Cup. But his upcoming reunion with the national team could be noteworthy.

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Argentina will host Venezuela on Sept. 4 at Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires, which could be Messi’s last match in his beloved home country for the foreseeable future. Argentina will visit Ecuador on Sept. 9.

It’s unclear whether Argentina will host any matches next year in the leadup to the World Cup, held June 11, 2026 to July 19, 2026. Messi will turn 39 years old on June 24, 2026.

Messi has been eager to return from a recent right hamstring injury. He scored a goal with an assist in Inter Miami’s last match against L.A. Galaxy, a 3-1 win on Aug. 16, but was seen stretching his hamstring at multiple points in his appearance off the bench in the second half.

“He clearly wasn’t 100% comfortable,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said of Messi after the match. “Now, the reality is that as the minutes went by, he loosened up a little bit more. We’ll have to see how he ended up in terms of fatigue.”

Messi and De Paul, who joined Inter Miami last month, were listed on a preliminary roster by Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni on Monday, Aug. 18. The Inter Miami teammates have at least three matches to play before they rejoin the national team.

Inter Miami will host Tigres on Aug. 20 in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals. Inter Miami also has two regular season matches: at D.C. United on Aug. 23, and home against the Chicago Fire on Aug. 30.

If Inter Miami advances in the Leagues Cup, the semifinals would be played on Aug. 26 or 27, while the final and third-place matches are set for Aug. 31.

Messi was scoreless with Argentina in two matches earlier this year: He came off the bench in a 1-0 road win against Chile on June 5, and played 78 minutes in a 1-1 draw against Colombia on June 10.

The last time Messi scored with Argentina, he had a hat trick and two assists in a 6-0 victory over Bolivia on Oct. 15, 2024.