General Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 19, 2026, 4:31 PM ET
Basketball
Golden State took a 1-0 lead over Atlanta in the WNBA Finals, holding court 68-64 in Game. Natalie Nakase's hypercompetitive, detail-obsessed style has been central to the Valkyries' rise, with one profile describing a basketball obsessive who texts at 4 a.m. and watches endless film. On the NBA side, ESPN previewed the 2026-27 betting storylines, including superteams, long shots and the MVP race.
College Football
Miami climbed to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2002, with BYU moving up to No. 2 after a chaotic Week. Miami survived two Hail Mary attempts from Florida State to win a double-overtime thriller. Bill Connelly described an upset-filled Saturday unlike almost any other, and ESPN's Week 7 power rankings reflect the shakeup. Playoff projections were redrawn, with analysts examining how the selection committee could rank the top teams and how bowl and CFP projections shifted after the wild week.
Off the field, Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart was arrested early Sunday on a DUI charge. Maryland fired defensive coordinator Ted Monachino after a five-game slide. Florida State lost running back Ousmane Kromah for the season with an ankle injury. Oregon's Dylan Raiola rebounded from a week on the bench to lead the Ducks past his former team. The Big 12 admitted an error in the Notre Dame-BYU ending, saying the Irish had one second left.
Other Sport
Ruoning Yin won the LPGA Shanghai by one stroke after a late birdie. Tyler Reddick won in Phoenix as Kyle Larson failed to finish, tightening the NASCAR playoff race. Shane Lowry moved to Boston Common in TGL's first trade. Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili meet again at UFC 333 in a rare trilogy bout. Duke cornerback Kimari Robinson apologized for swatting away a trainer's arm as she checked on an injured player.
Rugby & Boxing
Former Wales captain Ieuan Evans is stepping down as British and Irish Lions chairman, and the Lions are looking for a successor. Wales boss Steve Tandy's squad selection drew late claims from several Dragons, Ospreys, Scarlets and Cardiff players. Northampton's security incident at Franklin's Gardens is believed to have been a hoax. Former world champion Liam Smith was charged over an alleged attack in which a man was left with serious facial injuries.
Coming Up
Dalton Smith defends his WBC light-welterweight title against Puello. Over 400 gymnasts from 84 nations compete at the World Championships in a bid for Olympic places.