UCLA football boosted its team with the arrival of top transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava and offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri.
Coach Deshaun Foster has implemented a highly secretive approach to fall camp, limiting what people know about UCLA.
The Bruins face another challenging schedule in 2025, which will test if they are a dark horse playoff team.

LOS ANGELES — It’s a mystery what’s brewing in Westwood.

After a middling debut season in the Big Ten, UCLA went from a hazy future to suddenly one filled with optimism.

It landed arguably the top transfer in the country, a College Football Playoff-experienced quarterback in Nico Iamaleava. He was part of a transfer portal haul that’s top 20 in the country according to 247Sports. The high school recruiting class isn’t bad either. Plus, Tino Sunseri – instrumental in Indiana’s electric offense last season – is now offensive coordinator. 

Quickly, the Bruins looked like they could make some noise. Maybe become a surprise College Football Playoff contender.

But for a team that has struggled to generate interest recently, the Bruins haven’t been doing much outwardly excited the fan base.

In his second season at his alma mater, coach Deshaun Foster has restricted how much the outside world can get a glimpse into preseason preparations. The team left Los Angeles and started fall camp 41 miles away in Costa Mesa. He has limited media viewing and interviews, and not revealed much when he does talk. No photos or videos from practice, including a session open to the public at the Rose Bowl.

His reasoning? Not letting an opponent get an edge into what is happening.

“You guys film our practice and put it online,” Foster told the media. “If I was an opponent for another team, I’d look right at you guys and stuff and see what’s going on. So for them not to get a beat on (Sunseri) or depth or anything that’s going on, that’s why it’s closed.”

Well then. While it can be interpreted several ways, especially when it’s a team in need of connecting with its fans and generating hype, maybe Foster does have something worth hiding. With 50 new players and eight new assistants, it’s unknown how the Bruins will look. Keeping it secret has advantages.

Nico Iamaleava will be in UCLA spotlight

But we do know it starts at quarterback.

Iamaleava hasn’t talked much − and it isn’t just because he’s a quiet person. He has avoided reporters, but when he spoke to the media three days before the season opener, he was smiling about playing his first game at the Rose Bowl.

It was a weird offseason full of twists and turns. Now, he can put it all behind him and showcase what made him such a highly-praised recruit.

‘It’s been an exciting moment for me just to get out there and go play football again,’ Iamaleava said. ‘I can’t wait to just get out there.’

Not much speaking, but his coach and teammates have been doing plenty of that for him, praising his actions and reinvigorating excitement in the program.

“Since he’s came here, he just had his head down. He kept his nose down and he worked,” said offensive lineman Julian Armella. “Whenever he comes out here, you see the leader. Whenever he steps out on the field, he commands a presence.”

Iamaleava brings a resume UCLA hasn’t experienced this century. The Bruins last played in a major bowl game in the 1999 Rose Bowl, the first season of the Bowl Championship Series. In his first season as starter, Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns at Tennessee last season, leading the Volunteers to the College Football Playoff. 

There’s no media footage of him at Bruins practice, but the school has shown him off on social media with several throws showcasing the arm strength that made him such a prized recruit. 

“Nico at quarterback, he’s one of the most impressive players I’ve ever been around,” said tight end Hudson Habermehl.

The arrival of Sunseri, who is a rising offensive mind in the sport, is a coup for Iamaleava. With Indiana last season, Sunseri was influential in helping the Hoosiers to the second-best scoring offense in the country. 

Since he was quarterbacks coach at James Madison in 2021, Sunseri’s signal-callers have thrown for at least 2,600 yards and 25 touchdowns with a 63% completion percentage every season. 

Iamaleava also credited his offensive coordinator for helping him get out of his comfort zone and be more vocal. Sunseri stressed his quarterback’s voice is important, and when he speaks, everyone in the room is listening.

The combination of quarterback and play caller should give the UCLA a needed boost; the Bruins had the eighth-worst scoring offense and were 16th-worst in total offense. In addition to scoring more points, improvement on that side of the ball will help a defense that was mainly the reason UCLA was able to rebound from a 1-5 start. 

Even though he’s known for his work quarterbacks, what really drew Foster to Sunseri was his approach to the running game, noting he ‘checked all the boxes’ for what he wanted in a balanced offense. It was tough for Foster, a former NFL running back, to have see his running game in 2024 average 86.6 yards per game, third-worst in FBS.

“We’re going to be able to make sure that we’re going to be able to stretch the field vertically and horizontally. To be able to make sure the defense blade guards every single blade of grass,” Sunseri said. 

UCLA looking to build on strong finish

The improved offense and a close knit team that connected over “Brotherhood” meetings during fall camp intends to build on optimism from the improved play at the end of last season. UCLA finished 5-7 and didn’t qualify for a bowl game in a full season for the first time since 2019, but four wins in its last six games showed signs of a team that could be competitive in the Big Ten.

This season will put Foster’s theory on growing his team’s popularity to the test. When asked if he was worried limited media would hurt the marketing of it, he responsed there’s only one true way to do it, and that’s to produce results.

“If you win games, you’re marketed,” he said. “We’re going to go out there and focus on winning games.”

The summer sun sure does shine in Southern California. When the team was in Costa Mesa, Foster said he felt like he needed to put his sunglasses on.

It wasn’t because of the sun. Rather, because Foster feels his team’s future is incredibly bright. 

Corny? Sure, but the man in charge of the Bruins feels like his team is on the rise.

We’ll soon find out if we’ll need a pair of shades too.

The unfortunate truth of fantasy football is that every year, there will be players who end the season as busts.

It’s statistically impossible for every player to reach his exact fantasy-point projection. Just as many players might overperform their draft position in a given year, others will fall short (maybe even well short) of their expectations.

Here are four wide receivers we feel have the highest potential to be a bust in the 2025 season. In other words, do your best to avoid this quartet in fantasy football drafts over the coming weeks.

Fantasy football WR busts to avoid in 2025

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks

In some ways, Smith-Njigba has the upside to be a WR1 in fantasy leagues as he comes off of a breakout season with the Seahawks last year. He finished his second season as WR17 in fantasy points per game, thanks in part to a second-half stretch between Weeks 9-18 that had him in top-10 fantasy wide receiver territory.

Add in the fact that the Seahawks brought in a new quarterback, Sam Darnold, with better marks in passer rating, touchdowns and average depth of target in 2024 than previous starter Geno Smith, and the outlook looks brighter.

On top of that, Seattle traded away Smith-Njigba’s biggest competition for targets: DK Metcalf.

However, the Seahawks did bring in wide receiver Cooper Kupp, which could limit some of Smith-Njigba’s upside. But more concerning is how Klint Kubiak, Seattle’s new offensive coordinator, has historically liked to run his offenses. He’s generally been the kind of guy who leans far heavier on the run game than the pass, and a vast majority of Kubiak’s plays as the Saints’ offensive coordinator last year used personnel groupings with two or fewer wide receivers.

That’s concerning for a receiver like Smith-Njigba, who thrives far more from the slot (as a ‘third’ receiver) than he does on the outside.

Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders

McLaurin was the talk of the town on Monday after finally signing his contract extension to stick around in Washington through 2028. But is he set up for success in fantasy football in 2025? Signs point to … maybe not.

Reasons to be excited about McLaurin this season include the fact that he’s been the model of consistency. Despite years of turmoil at Washington’s quarterback position, last year was the wideout’s fifth straight year with more than 1,000 receiving yards. Add in that Jayden Daniels seems to have solved the Commanders’ quarterback problem and that it led to a career-high touchdown total (13) for McLaurin last year, and it’s easy to see the hype.

What’s concerning about McLaurin is that the improved quarterback play didn’t significantly enhance production in other key stats. His targets in 2024 were his fewest since his rookie season, and his yardage total didn’t jump significantly, keeping his realistic ceiling around the 1,100 mark. A big reason for his improvement in fantasy football was that leap in touchdown output, rather than other factors.

The addition of fellow receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. to this offense won’t exactly help McLaurin in that regard. He’ll poach more of the Commanders’ lead receiver’s targets in general, and there will be more competition in red-zone targets specifically.

McLaurin went from being Washington’s No. 1 receiver by a wide, wide margin to still being Daniels’ lead wideout, but without as big a drop-off to the second option.

Garrett Wilson, New York Jets

As with McLaurin and Smith-Njigba, there are signs of a potentially big season for Wilson. But there are also some red flags that could hold him back from reaching that high ceiling.

First, the good. Wilson is easily the leading receiver in the Jets’ passing offense, and there isn’t much of a competition there. The second option for new quarterback Justin Fields is either Josh Reynolds, Allen Lazard or rookie tight end Mason Taylor. Wilson is also coming off of a season in which he set career-high marks in receptions (101) yards (1,104) and touchdowns (7), which is only more encouraging.

But here comes the bad. His quarterback is former college teammate Fields, a passer who hasn’t managed to stay healthy for a full season in his career and one who spent most of last year on the bench. A passer who also struggled to throw the ball accurately and with consistency throughout much of training camp and in preseason matchups. A passer who appears to trust his legs far more than his arm.

So while the floor may be high for Wilson – thanks to the higher volume he will likely see due to the lackluster receivers room in New York – his ceiling is capped significantly by Fields’ limitations as a passer.

DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers

Once again, we come to a receiver whose outlook for 2025 appears phenomenal on the surface. Little serious competition for targets and due to catch passes from a well-established quarterback.

However, Metcalf’s landing in Pittsburgh means he ends up in a fantasy wasteland for pass-catchers.

Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has a well-established history of tanking the fantasy value of his top receivers. Outside of A.J. Brown’s 2019 and 2020 seasons in Tennessee, no player in a Smith-led offense has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards or more than five touchdowns.

Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts had 770 yards and five scores in 2021. Receiver Drake London had 866 yards, four touchdowns and 905 yards, two touchdowns in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Last year, then-Steelers receiver George Pickens had 900 yards and three touchdowns in his first year under Smith, one season after leading the league in yards per reception.

So, like Wilson, Metcalf has a decent floor because of the volume potential in Pittsburgh’s otherwise unimpressive receivers room. But his ceiling is capped hard by the Smith-run offense.

ESPN cameras captured the confrontation that ensued after the match. Ostapenko, of Latvia, approached the net for a customary post-match handshake, and words were immediately exchanged.

Ostapenko, who did not have a post-match press conference, went to Instagram to explain her side of the story.

‘Today after the match I told my opponent that she was very disrespectful as she had a net ball in a very deciding moment and didn’t say sorry, but her argument was that she doesn’t have to say sorry at all,’ she said. ‘There are some rules in tennis which most of the players follow and it was the first time ever that this happened to me on tour. If she plays in her homeland, that doesn’t mean she can behave and do what she wants.’

Apparently, that explanation didn’t sit too well with some on the internet, who called Ostapenko, the No. 26th-ranked player in the world, ‘racist’ because of her behavior after the match.

‘I was never racist in my life,’ she wrote in a follow-up post. ‘I respect all nations of people in the world, for me it doesn’t matter where you come from. Unfortunately, I come from such a small country that I don’t have huge support and a chance to play in my homeland.’

Townsend said after the match she’s ‘looking forward to’ playing Ostapenko again in the future.

‘Still, there’s no beef. But again, like you guys saw, I didn’t back down because you’re not going to insult me, especially after I carried myself a certain type of way with nothing but respect,’ Townsend said. ‘If I show respect to you, I expect respect as well. That’s just the fact of the matter.

Townsend will take on the winner of Anastasia Potapova and No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva in the third round.

This story has been updated with new information.

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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.