General Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 15, 2026, 10:33 PM ET
Banana Ball and Emerging Leagues
Banana Ball is adding international contests, and the league also revealed Banana Ball, a new game format announced Thursday.
College Football
The College Football Playoff could expand to 24 teams, and a projected bracket built from the 2025 final committee ranking shows how that field would look. Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State is drawing comparisons to the greatest college receivers, with Larry Fitzgerald and Jaxon Smith-Njigba among those endorsing the Buckeyes star. Bill Connelly ranks the top college receivers of the last 50 years, placing Smith's early career in that context.
Texas lands on the Bottom 10 after a single loss, with no mercy for the Longhorns. Tennessee is sticking with George MacIntyre at quarterback for its clash with Alabama. Week 7 previews a strong Rivalry Week, with Alabama-Tennessee and Ohio State-Indiana headlining an early look at the marquee matchups.
Men's and Women's College Basketball
The men's offseason produced clear winners and losers, from roster movement to coaching decisions, as the preseason hot seat list identifies who is under pressure and who may retire. Among the notable offseason movers, the men's hoops winners and losers column highlights Texas and Illinois as gainers. On the women's side, UNC's Kate Harpring leads a freshman class that includes two USC players expected to contribute quickly.
Transfers to Watch
Ahead of the 2026 season, ESPN ranks the top 20 impact transfers, identifying the players most likely to make an immediate difference.
Fantasy Football
The Playbook for Week 6 covers matchups to target or avoid, along with lineup locks and projected scores.
Combat Sports
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has proposed a superfight against Justin Gaethje, calling for a "send-off" bout. PFL women's flyweight champion Liz Carmouche will compete in her sixth career rematch, a trend that has defined her title run. Promoter Frank Warren wants heavyweight unification fights staged in 2027. Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley meet again in a WBO rematch, and the statistics behind the fight reveal how the first bout played out.
Golf
Jon Rahm has reached a separation agreement with LIV Golf, under which the former world No. 1 agreed to release his contract.
Rally and Athletics
Rally champion Elfyn Evans was greeted by crowds in Dolgellau as he returned to his home county. At the Track World Championships, Great Britain claimed two golds, taking the women's team pursuit and the men's scratch race.
Cycling and Cardiff City
British Cycling will launch an action plan after survey responses described parts of the sport as toxic. At Cardiff City, manager Brian Barry-Murphy confirmed that Bielik has received psychologist support following alleged death threats.
Rugby League and Rugby Union
Australia edged New Zealand in an epic World Cup opener, with Jack Bostock scoring a hat-trick of tries. The physical cost of that match was severe, as Reece Walsh was sick and Ponga suffered pain during the game. Papua New Guinea's passion for the sport was on display as co-hosts' fans drew attention for their enthusiasm. Spain is bidding to host the Rugby World Cup with a Nou Camp final. Canada expect a landmark win over the Red Roses, according to scrum-half Olivia Apps. Leicester's Welsh back-row trio of Aaron Wainwright, Olly Cracknell and Tommy Reffell has been starring for the club.
Cricket
England will include a red-ball game on their India tour as preparation for the Ashes. South Africa have called up Breetzke after a heavy first-Test defeat to Australia. Zak Crawley signed a one-year extension with Kent after losing his England central contract.
Tennis
Britain's Sonay Kartal continued her comeback, beating former Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini in straight sets.
Heavy Tackle and Culture
How an F1 pit stop inspired hospital care changes that have helped save lives shows how sport can influence wider fields. In a lighter note, the weekly sports quiz asks readers how much the cheapest Fury versus Joshua ticket costs. Looking back, Lamar Jackson's Heisman season is remembered as one of the most electric campaigns in college football history.
Irish Provinces in Europe
BBC Sport NI assesses the four Irish provinces ahead of their European Champions Cup campaigns.