A horse rider in the United Kingdom died last week after she fell off her horse during an event.

According to a statement from British Eventing, England’s governing body for horse trials, 37-year-old Sarah Yorke died on Friday, Aug. 8, after falling off her horse while competing at the Aston-le-Walls Horse Trials in Northamptonshire.

Northamptonshire is located some 70 miles northwest of London. 

Officials said in the statement that medical personnel immediately rushed to help Yorke after her fall, but she ultimately died from her injuries. The chief executive of British Eventing, Rosie Williams, gave her condolences in the same statement.

‘On behalf of everyone at British Eventing, I would like to express our deepest condolences to Sarah’s family and friends,’ she said. ‘The thoughts of the entire eventing community are with (Ms Yorke’s family) at this incredibly difficult time.’

Yorke’s horse, MGH HERA, was assessed following the fall and was found to be uninjured, officials said.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

The top 30 in FedEx Cup points after the BMW Championship will advance.
Justin Rose won the FedEx St. Jude Championship in a playoff against J.J. Spaun.
Scottie Scheffler leads the FedEx Cup standings, followed by Rory McIlroy who skipped the St. Jude Championship.

The first FedEx Cup playoff event of 2025 is in the books and Justin Rose came away with a thrilling win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship that needed its own playoff to be completed. Rose surged past Tommy Fleetwood down the stretch of the back nine in regulation and then outlasted U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun to emerge with the trophy.

The event in Memphis, Tennessee also served as a cut down for the BMW Championship in Owings Mills, Maryland beginning on Thursday, Aug. 14, which serves as the second playoff event before the Tour Championship in East Lake, Georgia. The top 50 in the FedEx Cup points standings after the conclusion of the FedEx St. Jude Championship qualified to play in the BMW Championship.

Only the top 30 in FedEx Cup points after the BMW Championship will play in the Tour Championship, which starts Aug. 21. The player with the lowest stroke total over 72 holes at the Tour Championship will win the FedExCup and earn a bonus of $10 million. Scottie Scheffler still holds a commanding lead, and Rory McIlroy – even though he chose to skip the St. Jude Championship – remains second in points this year.

Here’s a look at the current FedEx Cup standings heading into the PGA Tour’s second playoff event at the BMW Championship in Owings Mills, Maryland:

FedEx Cup playoff standings

Note: These standings reflect results through the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee.

Scottie Scheffler: 5,456 points
Rory McIlroy: 3,444 points
J.J. Spaun: 3,344 points
Justin Rose: 3,220 points
Sepp Straka: 2,783 points
Russell Henley: 2,579 points
Ben Griffin: 2,555 points
Tommy Fleetwood: 2,433 points
Justin Thomas: 2,395 points
Harris English: 2,269 points
Andrew Novak: 1,991 points
Cameron Young: 1,904 points
Ludvig Åberg: 1,839 points
Keegan Bradley: 1,792 points
Maverick McNealy: 1,787 points
Corey Conners: 1,651 points
Collin Morikawa: 1,573 points
Brian Harman: 1,559 points
Patrick Cantlay: 1,555 points
Robert MacIntyre: 1,550 points

Landon Dickerson was helped off the field and taken to the locker room on a cart.
The severity of Dickerson’s injury is unknown at this time.
Dickerson has been a key part of the Eagles’ offensive line success in recent years.

Pro Bowl offensive guard Landon Dickerson of the Philadelphia Eagles had to be helped off the field after suffering an apparent injury to his right leg during the team’s open practice on Sunday night, Aug. 10.

With an estimated crowd of 50,000 watching, Dickerson went down while running a pass play with the first team offense. He was on the ground for several minutes before being helped to his feet. He then left the field on a cart and headed toward the locker room for evaluation.

The team has not yet released any details on the severity of the injury.

Dickerson, 26, was a key part of the Eagles offensive line that paved the way for Saquon Barkley’s record-setting 2024 campaign in which he rushed for a combined 2,504 yards during the regular season and the playoffs. He has been named to the Pro Bowl for each of the last three seasons.

A funny thing happened to the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend: They trotted out starting pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow for a three-game series against the American League’s best team.

The results looked a lot like what the Dodgers expected out of this 2025 season.

Their vaunted rotation is almost entirely healthy – rookie Rōki Sasaki is taking the cautious route back from a shoulder impingement – and the results were evident against the dangerous Toronto Blue Jays. Kershaw and Snell picked up wins – Kershaw besting fellow generational star Max Scherzer – while Glasnow left with a lead before the Blue Jays salvaged the final game of the three-game set.

But after many false starts, it’s starting to feel like go time for the Dodgers – who moved up four spots to No. 2 in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings.

Perhaps the biggest boost came from Snell, who signed a $182 million contract yet made just two starts before shoulder inflammation shelved him for four months. Well, he’s two starts into his return and on Friday struck out 10 Blue Jays in five innings – inspiring visions of his epic second half with San Francisco last year that inspired the Dodgers to open their checkbook for him.

Snell and Glasnow’s next starts? That would be next weekend at San Diego, when the West rivals begin a stretch of six games in 10 days against each other; they won’t meet again after that.

A look at our updated rankings:

1. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

Neither rain – tons of it, flooding the ballpark area – nor their Mets-related demons could stop a weekend sweep capped by a walk-off.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (+4)

Shohei Ohtani has 95 homers as a Dodger, and should join Babe Ruth, Alex Rodriguez and Roger Maris as the only players with at least 100 in their first two seasons with a club.

3. Philadelphia Phillies (+2)

Their NL East lead is now 5 ½ games, but Zack Wheeler’s shoulder a moderate concern.

4. Chicago Cubs (-2)

Kyle Tucker with just three extra-base hits since All-Star break, but insists bothersome finger is fine.

5. Toronto Blue Jays (-2)

Likely just one more rehab start for Shane Bieber, and then it’s … a six-man rotation?

6. Detroit Tigers (-2)

Had lost six of seven series before eking out two of three against Angels.

7. San Diego Padres (+1)

Michael King is back, and turbo-charged bullpen keys series win over Red Sox.

8. Houston Astros (+1)

Jose Altuve’s 250th home run puts him in some (almost entirely Hall of Fame) rare air among second basemen.

9. Boston Red Sox (+1)

Congrats to Roman Anthony on his $130 million extension. The Red Sox now have eight years to prove they don’t foul all the relationships with their foundational players.

10. Seattle Mariners (+1)

That’s 45 homers now for Cal Raleigh – just three away from tying Sal Perez’s record for longballs as a catcher.

11. New York Mets (-4)

Seven losses in a row, and getting swept at Milwaukee revealed how far they have to go to re-join NL’s elite.

12. New York Yankees (-)

It is getting harder to imagine Aaron Boone managing this team in 2026.

13. Cincinnati Reds (-)

Hunter Greene back once again, to start against Phillies Wednesday.

14. Cleveland Guardians (+3)

Making a bid to become The Tigers of 2025.

15. Texas Rangers (-1)

Outclassed by Phillies, and division-title hopes look like a longshot.

16. San Francisco Giants (-1)

Justin Verlander records 3,500th strikeout – but drops to 1-9.

17. Miami Marlins (-1)

Joyride finally ends with five losses in seven games.

18. St. Louis Cardinals (-)

Jordan Walker taking another step forward would be a productive end of the season.

19. Kansas City Royals (-)

Rookie Noah Cameron has a 1.03 WHIP and 2.52 ERA in 16 starts.

20. Tampa Bay Rays (-)

A sweep at Seattle more or less extinguishes playoff hopes.

21. Minnesota Twins (+2)

They’re 7-5 in games Luke Keaschall plays, 49-56 when he doesn’t.

22. Los Angeles Angels (-1)

Seeing Shohei Ohtani atop the Angel Stadium mound might sting a little.

23. Arizona Diamondbacks (-1)

New first baseman Tyler Locklear off to a 5-for-32 start since trade from Seattle.

24. Baltimore Orioles (-)

2023 ace Kyle Bradish not far away from big league return after elbow surgery.

25. Athletics (+1)

Yolo County magic: Carlos Cortes plays outfield left-handed, infield right-handed in same game.

26. Atlanta Braves (-1)

Earnings report says profit is up, payroll is down. Standings reflect the same thing.

27. Pittsburgh Pirates (-)

Machine: Paul Skenes has 1.94 ERA – and it’s now 1.95 for his career.

28. Washington Nationals (-)

They’ve lost series to the Nos. 25, 26, 27 and 30 in these power rankings. Season-ending series vs. White Sox gonna be tense.

29. Chicago White Sox (-)

Kind of a shock: Rookie Colson Montgomery with eight homers in barely 100 at-bats.

30. Colorado Rockies (-)

Kyle Karros arrives, singles in first major league at-bat.

Paramount secured a $7.7 billion deal to bring UFC to CBS and Paramount+ for seven years starting in 2026.
The deal includes exclusive rights to 30 UFC Fight Nights and 13 marquee events annually.
This agreement doubles the annual value of UFC’s current deal with ESPN+.

On the heels of its megamerger with Skydance Corporation, Paramount has announced a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal to bring UFC to CBS.

The agreement, announced Monday, Aug. 11, will give CBS and streaming service Paramount+ exclusive rights to broadcast 30 UFC Fight Nights and 13 marquee events each year, beginning in 2026.

The deal doubles the annual value of UFC’s current U.S. rights deal with ESPN+, according to Sportico, and it signals the end of the existing pay-per-view model currently in effect.

‘Live sports continue to be a cornerstone of our broader strategy – driving engagement, subscriber growth, and long-term loyalty,’ Paramount’s new CEO David Ellison said in a statement. 

The deal also paves the way for an anticipated UFC event at the White House next July, which President Donald Trump has previously said was part of his plans for an elaborate celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026.

Ellison and Trump have been seen together at several recent UFC matches.

Meanwhile, ESPN won’t be left out in the cold when it comes to combat sports.

Starting in 2026, the network will take over as the exclusive U.S. home for WWE’s marquee events such as ‘Wrestlemania,’ ‘Summer Slam’ and ‘Royal Rumble’ under a new five-year deal. Those rights had been held by NBCUniversal, which streamed the matches on Peacock.

Those events will be available on ESPN’s new soon-to-launch streaming service, with some potentially simulcast on ESPN’s linear outlets.

WWE and UFC both share the same parent company, TKO Sports.

Hezly Rivera won won her first title at the U.S. gymnastics championships.
Skye Blakely made her return at the national championships.
‘The Pommel Horse Guy,’ Stephen Nedoroscik, did not qualify for the world championships.

Hezly Rivera has the spotlight all to herself.

A year after her unexpected inclusion on the Paris Olympic team, Rivera served notice that she’s going to be a gymnast to watch in the leadup to the Los Angeles Games. The 17-year-old won her first title at the U.S. gymnastics championships on Sunday night, establishing herself as a favorite for the all-around at the world championships this fall.

“It means the world to me,” Rivera said. “I’ve worked so hard for this. It was not easy coming back after the Olympics.”

The world championships are Oct. 19-25 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The women’s team will be announced later, while national champion Asher Hong; Paris Olympian Brody Malone; Brandon Dang; Patrick Hoopes; Kameron Nelson and Donnell Whittenburg made the men’s team.

Then 16, Rivera was a longshot to make the Paris team. But injuries to world medalists Shilese Jones and Skye Blakely at the Olympic trials gave Rivera an opportunity, and she grabbed it.

Rivera was the youngest member of all of Team USA. Though she only did two events in qualifying and did not compete in the team final, she will forever be an Olympic champion alongside Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey.

Now, with her Olympic teammates all taking a break, Rivera is showing she can hold her own.

Her score Sunday of 56.4 points was the highest in the world this year (I put no stock in Russian Cup scores), and her two-day score of 112 was 0.800 points ahead of Leanne Wong.

Rivera also tied with Blakely for the top score on uneven bars and was first on balance beam and floor exercise.

Now, this doesn’t mean Rivera is a lock for Los Angeles. Of the women who were on the podium at the last two national championships following an Olympic Games, only Jordan Chiles went on to make the next Olympic team. (Chiles was the silver medalist in 2017 and the bronze medalist in 2022.)

But Rivera is carrying herself like the Olympic champion she is. If she stays healthy, this title will be the first of many.

Here are other takeaways from the U.S. gymnastics championships:

Skye Blakely returns

Skye Blakely looks as good as ever.

The two-time world championship medalist was considered a lock for Paris before tearing her Achilles during training at the Olympic trials. This after she’d torn an elbow ligament during the 2021 Olympic trials.

But Blakely, 20, hasn’t been deterred, saying she plans to go through Los Angeles.

She made her return at the national championships, tying with Rivera for the top score on uneven bars, her signature event. Blakely was second to Rivera on balance beam, though her 14.4 on Day 2 was the highest score on the event of the entire competition.

Joscelyn Roberson’s floor routine

Joscelyn Roberson isn’t messing around with her floor routine.

The Paris alternate, who trained with Simone Biles before going to Arkansas last year, has a monster 6.5 start value on floor. That’s the highest for any American on any event right now, and is the toughest floor routine being done in the world right now.

(Biles had a 6.8 start value on floor last year, but she’s otherworldly.)

Roberson had some issues with some of her landings, and she crunched her ankle when she came up short on a pass Sunday night. But give her a few more months to train the routine, and she should be in contention for a medal at the world championships.

Men’s title

Asher Hong is the U.S. champion, but Brody Malone remains the U.S. man to beat.

Malone, a three-time U.S. champion, only did four events at nationals because of a knee injury. But his 16.251 on high bar on Day 2 was the highest score of the entire meet and is a routine that will put him in contention for a medal at the world championships.

Malone also had the highest two-day score on parallel bars, was second on still rings and third on pommel horse.

Hong won his second U.S. title easily, finishing more than 7 points ahead of fellow Paris Olympian Frederick Richard. That’s the largest margin of victory ever at the U.S. championships.

Neither Richard nor Stephen Nedoroscik made the world team. Nedoroscik, who endeared himself to the entire country as “The Pommel Horse Guy,” has only been training for three months and fell on his routine on Day 2.

Paul Juda retires

Paul Juda went out on top.

Juda announced his retirement during an in-meet interview with NBC on Saturday night. He was the only member of the bronze-medal-winning U.S. men’s team who didn’t compete at the national championships.

“I just realized, in this moment, there was nothing more that I wanted to achieve in this sport,” Juda said. “… Sometimes you’ve got to know when to walk away. And I’m happy doing that today.”

Juda making the Paris squad was something of a surprise, but he made the most of his Olympic moment. He helped the U.S. men win bronze, their first Olympic medal since 2008, and was the top American in the all-around.

After joining Simone Biles’ G.O.A.T. tour, Juda returned to Michigan for his final season. He helped the Wolverines win the NCAA title and finished second to Frederick Richard in the all-around, then proposed to longtime girlfriend Reyna Guggino after the meet.

“This has been the journey of a lifetime,” Juda said Saturday. “I’ve got no regrets. I’m full of joy and I’m ready to move on with my life. So thank you so much for the ride and the emotions and the highs and the lows. It’s been the best, best, best years of my life.”

Follow Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

The first week of the preseason is in the books. Many positional battles were on full display and now all 32 teams have experienced their first live game action in 2025.

As is the nature of the NFL, multiple players are dealing with injuries and could potentially miss time. Here is the latest injury status for star players that could affect your fantasy rosters as draft season heats up.

Fantasy football injury report: Preseason

WR Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons: Questionable (shoulder)

Mooney suffered a shoulder injury in practice on July 25 while diving for a deep pass. He remains without a timetable to return to the field, and head coach Raheem Morris has been noncommittal on Mooney being ready for Week 1.

TE Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens: Questionable (foot/ankle)

The Ravens tight end suffered an ankle sprain and a broken bone in his foot during practice on July 29. The injury required surgery, and his timetable to return at the time was five to six weeks, which aligns closely with Week 1.

WR Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills: Questionable (ankle)

The Bills’ top target from 2024 suffered a high ankle sprain during practice on Aug. 1. He is expected to miss the preseason but head coach Sean McDermott has said Shakir is expected to be healthy in time for Week 1.

RB Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers: Out (knee)

The first running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft suffered his second ACL tear in his right knee in as many years. He has been placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and won’t play in the upcoming 2025 season. The Panthers will move forward with Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle as their primary running backs.

RB Jaydon Blue, Dallas Cowboys: Questionable (heel)

The rookie fifth-round pick left practice early on Thursday, Aug. 7 and an MRI revealed a bone bruise in his heel. He is in a wide-open backfield competition with veteran Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders for touches. He is not expected to miss extended time.

WR Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers: Questionable (foot)

Reed has been dealing with a sprained foot, and head coach Matt LaFleur has said he is hopeful Reed will be ready for Week 1, listing him as ‘day-to-day’. The 25-year-old receiver was seen wearing a walking boot during the preseason game on Saturday, Aug. 9.

WR Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers: Out (knee)

Watson suffered a torn ACL in Week 18 of the 2024 season and appears ahead of schedule in his recovery. Still, he is expected to begin the season on the PUP list. This designation would keep him out at least the first four weeks of the regular season.

RB Joe Mixon, Houston Texans: Questionable (foot/ankle)

Mixon opened training camp on the non-football injury list (NFI) after dealing with a foot injury he suffered earlier in the offseason. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has reported that Mixon will be re-evaluated closer to the start of the regular season and he reportedly has not suffered any setbacks.

WR Tank Dell, Houston Texans: Questionable (knee)

Dell is on the PUP list and has no timetable for a return after suffering a gruesome knee injury in Week 16 of the 2024 season. The Texans’ top healthy receivers are Nico Collins, Christian Kirk and rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.

QB Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts: Questionable (finger)

Richardson suffered a dislocated right pinky finger in the Colts’ preseason opener on Aug. 7. He isn’t expected to miss time after throwing at practice on Saturday, Aug. 9.

WR Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown, Kansas City Chiefs: Questionable (ankle)

The veteran receiver suffered a high ankle sprain during practice on Tuesday, July 29. He has not practiced since, but head coach Andy Reid has said it will not require surgery, and it doesn’t sound like something that will keep him out for the start of the regular season.

RB Najee Harris, Los Angeles Chargers: Out (eye)

The veteran running back suffered a superficial eye injury on July 5 as a result of a fireworks accident. He was later placed on the NFI list on July 17. Head coach Jim Harbaugh was noncommittal on Harris’ status for Week 1 when speaking to reporters on Friday, Aug. 8. He added that ‘there’s a chance’ Harris is ready for the start of the season. This remains a situation to monitor.

QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams: Questionable (back)

The 37-year-old has not practiced fully in training camp. On Wednesday, Aug. 6 NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Stafford was ‘dealing with an aggravated disc’ in his back and had an epidural shot to relieve the pain. Head coach Sean McVay announced Stafford was to make his 2025 camp debut Monday, Aug. 11. However, the veteran QB apparently has not made enough progress to return to the field, as Adam Grosbard of the LA Daily News reported that Stafford was still in street clothes during Monday’s practice.

TE Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints: Out (knee)

The Swiss Army Knife player for the Saints is on the PUP list. He is working his way back from an ACL tear that he suffered in Week 13 of the 2024 season. He has been seen working off to the side throughout camp.

WR Allen Lazard, New York Jets: Questionable (shoulder)

Lazard suffered a shoulder injury in the Jets’ preseason opener on Saturday, Aug. 9. He was seen wearing a sling on his right arm after the game. He is set to undergo further tests.

TE Mason Taylor, New York Jets: Questionable (ankle)

The Jets’ second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft suffered a high ankle sprain during practice on Aug. 4. The LSU product has received praise from his teammates and coaches and appears ready to be the Week 1 starter, but he will miss some time and does not have a timetable to return.

WR A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles: Questionable (hamstring)

The Eagles’ star wideout has been held out of practice since Aug. 1 as he nurses a hamstring injury. There doesn’t seem to be concern about Brown’s status, but it’s a situation worth monitoring.

WR Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers: Out (knee)

Aiyuk is not expected to be ready for Week 1 as he works his way back from an ACL injury he suffered in Week 7 of the 2024 season. He remains on the PUP list and general manager John Lynch told reporters Thursday, Aug. 7, he ‘doesn’t think’ Aiyuk will be cleared for Week 1.

RB Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Questionable (groin)

White exited the Buccaneers’ preseason opener on Aug. 9 after suffering a groin injury. He is set for further testing to determine the severity of the injury. An extended absence would open the door for Sean Tucker to take on a complementary role to starter Bucky Irving.

WR Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Out (ankle)

Godwin is on the PUP list as he works his way back from a dislocated ankle he suffered during Week 7 in 2024. General manager Jason Licht told reporters on Tuesday, Aug. 5, that Godwin is ‘exactly where’ the team hoped he would be in his recovery, but there’s still no decision on his Week 1 status. Rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka stands to gain the most if Godwin misses the start of the regular season.

RB Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans: Questionable (ankle)

Spears suffered a high ankle sprain in the team’s preseason opener on Aug. 9. Head coach Brian Callahan announced that the running back will ‘miss a couple of weeks at least.’

(This story has been updated with new information.)

Let’s embark on a scavenger hunt to find the next college football coach who will win his first national championship. Kirby Smart, Dabo Swinney and Ryan Day account for the only active championship coaches.

Who’s next?

Reflecting on past winners and adhering to some guiding principles will help identify top candidates.

Sixteen coaches won their first national championship during either the Bowl Championship Series or College Football Playoff era that started in 1998.

We’ll use that group of coaches as our guide, as we try to winnow the list:

∎ Each of the 16 first-time championship coaches from the BCS and CFP eras coached a school that’s now in the Power Four ranks. So, we’ll confine our search for the next champion to the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC, plus Notre Dame.

∎ Miami’s Larry Coker was the only coach from our control group of 16 who won a national championship in his first season. Coker inherited a team that went 11-1 the prior season. He stepped into a ready-made winner. No current first-year coach enjoys a situation so nice, so let’s eliminate the Power Four’s six coaches who are entering Year 1. Sorry, Bill Belichick, that includes you.

Second-year coaches like Michigan’s Sherrone Moore remain in the mix. Bob Stoops, Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer and Gene Chizik won a national championship in their second season, making Year 2 a time to shine. Looking at you, Kalen DeBoer.

∎ Programs rarely go from the outhouse to the penthouse overnight. The 16 coaches who won their first national title during the CFP or BCS eras coached teams that finished 7-5 or better the season before the championship. The majority of first-timers won at least 10 games in the season preceding their first title. Let’s eliminate coaches whose teams didn’t achieve at least a .583 winning percentage last season. That cuts 29 more coaches from our list, leaving 30 coaches still alive.

Eliminated coaches include Southern California’s Lincoln Riley, Utah’s Kyle Whittingham and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy. They built accomplished careers before losing the plot last year.

∎ Each of the 16 first-time championship coaches from the BCS and playoff eras steered teams that were ranked in the preseason Top 25. So, let’s consult the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, and trim from our list nine more coaches, whose teams are unranked. We’re down to 21 contenders.

∎ Most first-time championship coaches were winners before they won it all. The 16 new champions from the BCS and CFP eras compiled a combined .684 winning percentage before ever winning a national title. This excludes records compiled coaching in the Championship Subdivision.

Auburn’s Gene Chizik became notable exception. Before Cam Newton spurred Chizik to brief glory, Chizik’s career winning percentage had been .351 across stints at Iowa State and Auburn. Not surprisingly, Chizik didn’t last long after Newton departed. LSU’s Ed Orgeron had a .532 career winning percentage before Joe Burrow propelled the Tigers to an undefeated national championship.

Acknowledging outliers exist to our .684 guideline winning percentage, let’s create a buffer and eliminate any coaches that do not have at least a .650 career winning percentage coaching in the FBS.

Also, trim any coaches who aren’t above-.500 at their current school. Each of the past 16 first-time championship coaches were above .500 at their school entering their breakthrough season, except for Coker, who won his title in his first season.

Applying the winning percentage parameters trims 12 more coaches and leaves nine coaches standing: They are Kalen DeBoer (Alabama), Brian Kelly (LSU), Lane Kiffin (Mississippi), Josh Heupel (Tennessee), Dan Lanning (Oregon), James Franklin (Penn State), Curt Cignetti (Indiana), Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame) and Rhett Lashlee (SMU).

That’s a strong list, with a couple of notable omissions. More on the omissions in a bit. First, let’s examine the nine names to whom our scavenger hunt guided us.

DeBoer, Kelly, Lanning, Franklin and Freeman are obvious contenders. DeBoer, Kelly and Freeman previously coached a team to a national runner-up finish. Each of these five coaches have teams ranked in the preseason top 10.

The list also includes four wild cards. Kiffin, Heupel, Cignetti and Lashlee coach teams with longshot national championship odds, but the stock of each coach is on the rise, and it’s no guarantee the next championship coach will emerge this season. Day, Smart or Swinney could win another ring and prolong this exercise. It’s not unthinkable that Heupel or Kiffin would win a title from his current job – just perhaps not this season.

Also, this next coaching carousel projects to be more active than the last, especially if Brent Venables doesn’t ignite Oklahoma. Any of four wild-card names our scavenger hunt surfaced could nicely suit the Sooners.

As for notable omissions, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian stands most prominently. His .618 career winning percentage resulted in his name being trimmed, but he’s coming off the best two seasons of his career. His Longhorns rank No. 1 in the preseason, after back-to-back playoff semifinal appearances.

In February, I picked Sarkisian as the best-positioned coach to win his first national championship. He’d need to become another exception to the career winning percentage trend. His winning percentage is superior to what Orgeron had amassed before Burrow led LSU to glory. Might Texas’ Arch Manning produce a Burrow effect?

Our scavenger hunt also nixed Michigan’s Moore. Officially, his career winning percentage is .643, resulting in his cut, but that clip does not include his three victories in 2023 while he served as acting coach during Jim Harbaugh’s Big Ten suspension. Moore is entering his second season as Harbaugh’s replacement. He, too, could be an exception to the career winning percentage rule, like Stoops was when he won a national title in his second season at Oklahoma, after a 7-5 debut.

Michigan’s roster features freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruit. If Day, Smart or Swinney wins another title and prolongs the runway for the next championship coach, Moore could look like a stronger contender in 2026.

If we could combine some common sense with the results of our scanvenger hunt, I’d insert Sarkisian and Moore onto the list in place of Cignetti and Lashlee, for a nine-name collection of DeBoer, Kelly, Kiffin, Heupel, Freeman, Lanning, Franklin, Sarkisian and Moore.

Or, perhaps, this scavenger hunt serves as little more than a wild-goose chase, and the real exercise in this NIL era should be to follow the money to Texas, where the Longhorns’ handsomely paid roster seems capable of making a champion out of Sarkisian, just as the pricy Buckeyes did for Day.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.