General Sports 8-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 21, 2026, 6:50 PM ET
College Football Playoff & Heisman Race
The CFP picture is wide open at midseason, with a conference-by-conference breakdown espn.com showing how many contenders remain in contention. After a chaotic Week, bowl projections espn.com have shifted considerably, while the odds boards espn.com now make Notre Dame the new Heisman favorite. ESPN's midseason awards espn.com crown Jeremiah Smith as the leading candidate for the Halfway Heisman.
BYU & Notre Dame
BYU's win over Notre Dame launched the Cougars to No. 2 espn.com and firmly placed them in the playoff conversation.
Ohio State
Buckeyes coach Ryan Day declined to give a timeline for quarterback Julian Sayin's recovery, and the program is preparing to play the postseason without him.
Big 12 & Conference Title Games
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said the league would find a new event espn.com to replace conference title games should the CFP eliminate them.
Miami & the Florida Bar
The Florida Bar suspended an employee espn.com while it investigates social media comments directed at a Miami football player.
WNBA Finals
Six players are finally getting their moment espn.com in the spotlight during the WNBA Finals after years of building their reputations.
Women's Basketball
South Carolina opened at No. 1 espn.com in the AP women's preseason poll, with Dawn Staley's Gamecocks topping the rankings.
Olympics & Rugby
Great Britain's men finished fourth and must wait for a chance at a 2028 Olympic spot. In rugby, Aicha Sutcliffe will make her first Scotland start bbc.co.uk against Australia.
Crime
Police in California are investigating the theft of nearly $1 million in trading cards espn.com stolen from a FedEx truck.
Coming Up
The CFP rankings will be shaped by the remaining regular-season games, as bowl projections espn.com continue to shift. Ohio State's quarterback situation remains unresolved as Day's timeline stays open.