General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: September 5, 2026, 3:40 PM ET

College Football Week 1

The college football season is officially here, and Week 1 is packed with storylines. LSU opens against Clemson in a marquee matchup pitting Lane Kiffin against Dabo Swinney, with both teams on upset watch. Across the landscape, there are 34 games to watch as the season gets going, including Lane at LSU, Arch Manning's next steps, and Indiana's title defense. Kiffin, who chose LSU as the path of least resistance to win a title, is anything but boring as he enters a new era, and anything short of a championship will bring a legion of critics. Meanwhile, LSU has left ex-pros Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris off its roster for the Clemson opener, despite both being cleared earlier this week to return to college football after brief NFL stints. In other roster news, an Indiana circuit court judge issued a temporary restraining order that clears the way for defensive linemen Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt to return to the Hoosiers this season. The CFP also weighed in, strongly supporting the recent positions of conferences prohibiting players from returning after entering the NFL, though it stopped short of implementing new rules.

College Football Results

Miami's Malachi Toney started his sophomore campaign in electric fashion, delivering 12 catches for a school-record 234 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Hurricanes to a 45-6 blowout of Stanford. The performance was a record opener for the Canes, with quarterback Darian Mensah also shining in the win.

Tennis

The US Open continues to deliver drama, both on and off the court. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz underlined his title credentials by sweeping aside Wu Yibing to reach the fourth round as the draw opens up further. Feeling better than he expected after a four-month absence, Alcaraz is planning more breaks during the tennis season. The Williams sisters may have lost in their US Open doubles return, but Serena and Venus proved they can still compete on an entertaining night in New York. For the first time in four years, the pair played doubles together, and there were key moments throughout their match on Friday. A preview of what to expect from the sisters had broken down how the reunion would go. There will be no British interest in the second week of another Grand Slam, but the LTA sees reasons to be positive despite the early exits. Off the court, the influencer controversy at the tournament has been a hot topic — those lacking tennis etiquette are not credentialed content creators but influencers and fans, and their presence signals a growing audience. Tournament director Eric Butorac handles player and broadcast scheduling requests, and it's a never-ending puzzle that's hectic and tough to please everyone. The US Open is also the loudest and smelliest of the majors, a unique distinction compared to Roland Garros's chic, Wimbledon's tradition, and the Australian Open's "Happy Slam" label.

Basketball

The FIBA Women's World Cup opened with a stunner as Mali shocked Spain 82-73 in the tournament's first big upset. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark and Rhyne Howard had 14 points each in the United States' 33-point win over China to open World Cup play. In the WNBA, commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who oversaw massive growth in the league while also facing recent scrutiny in her handling of multiple issues, will retire at the end of the year. Her legacy and what comes next for the league is now a key question — is the WNBA better off now than when she took over? The Sparks, who will miss the playoffs for the sixth straight season, are hiring Ariana Andonian as their new general manager from the Sixers' front office.

Boxing & Combat Sports

Katie Taylor gets the ending few athletes ever receive: one last walk, one packed Croke Park and 80,000 fans cheering her on Saturday night in Dublin. Ireland's most beloved fighter weighed in under the light-welterweight limit with Flora Pili at a sun-kissed Trinity College, an emotional final step on the scales before they fight for the undisputed title. American heavyweight Andy Ruiz Jr, who shocked Anthony Joshua in 2019 to take his world titles, lost his comeback fight to Poland's Damian Knyba. In the UFC, Kurtis Campbell, introduced to combat sports as a seven-year-old after being bullied at school, is now chasing success in the octagon.

Cycling & Motorsports

Five-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar will not race again this season after suffering injuries including a fracture in his neck at the Vuelta a Espana crash. In Formula, BBC Sport heads to Monza to find out if Italians want Kimi Antonelli to win the F1 title or if it is all about Ferrari, as the young Italian is disrupting the rules of fandom. The FIA court of appeal has refuted a claim by Alpine boss Flavio Briatore which it says would "question the independence and impartiality of the judges."

Rugby League & Union

Leigh Leopards secured a Super League top-six finish by thrashing St Helens 48-10, ending Saints' hopes of reaching the play-offs. Reigning Super League champions Hull KR made sure of their place in this season's play-offs with a dominant win over Huddersfield Giants. Hull FC threatened an incredible comeback from 30-0 behind against Toulouse, but the French side regrouped to register their third successive Super League victory with a 44-30 win. In rugby union, captain Siya Kolisi is calling on the Springboks to summon inspiration from Soweto as they host New Zealand on Saturday.

Athletics & Other Sports

Amy Hunt's strong late-season form showed no signs of letting up as she clocked a season's best to finish third in the 200m at the Diamond League final in Brussels, calling it the "best bend I've ever run." Judd Trump thrashed world number one Zhao Xintong 5-1 as he moved into the semi-finals of the British Open. As Jonny Brownlee retires, former coaches and teachers recall his and brother Alistair's impact, and how Yorkshire shaped the Brownlee era.