General Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: November 4, 2026, 10:40 PM ET
College Football Playoff
The first College Football Playoff rankings are out, and Miami espn.com sits at the top with two Heisman contenders in quarterback Darian Mensah and its receiving corps. Georgia espn.com has become the new favorite to win the 2027 national championship after the initial poll. Conference races are tightening, with each contender's weak spot espn.com now under scrutiny, and the bubble picture espn.com remains unsettled. The committee's decisions are drawing criticism, as the weekly anger index espn.com ranks the teams most upset by the first rankings.
Miami Injury Concerns
Miami receiver Malachi Toney espn.com has a high ankle sprain and will undergo surgery, sidelining him for the season. Toney is also uncertain espn.com for Saturday's clash with Notre Dame. The injury is a significant blow to a Hurricanes offense that has been among the most dangerous in the country.
Notre Dame and Bottom Rankings
Notre Dame's supporting cast, including a lacrosse player, NFL legacy sons espn.com, and a running back rotation, is central to the Irish title push. Florida State has slid onto this week's bottom-10 list espn.com after Mike Norvell's departure. Odds makers have also published betting previews espn.com for the Miami-Notre Dame matchup in South Bend.
Basketball Rankings and Recruiting
The early women's power rankings espn.com place the Big Ten and SEC in a close battle for the top spot, while the men's conference rankings espn.com ask whether the Big Ten can repeat. Kentucky landed a commitment from 7-foot-5 center Cherif Millogo espn.com, the No. 8 hoops recruit in the 2027 class. The WNBA Finals espn.com drew 1.88 million viewers on average, the most-watched since 1999. Golden State's Draymond Green espn.com was ejected after a scuffle with Suns players, and Steph Curry said the incident "lit a fire" in the Warriors.
NFL and MLB
New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore confirmed that Charlie Smyth bbc.co.uk will return as the starting kicker against the Browns on Sunday. MLB's labor dispute is intensifying, with the league's latest CBA proposal espn.com raising questions about a possible lockout and a salary cap as the current agreement nears expiry.
Golf and LIV
LIV Golf bbc.co.uk is set to announce that it will wind down after its financial backers withdrew. BC Partners has pulled out of its financing deal espn.com, with liquidation looming after not enough top golfers committed to return in 2027. Rory McIlroy backed the DP World Tour's decision to take former members back, saying there has to be a reset espn.com. Nelly Korda won her second bbc.co.uk LPGA player-of-the-year award.
Tennis
Novak Djokovic is out of contention bbc.co.uk for the ATP Finals in Turin after a Paris Masters defeat. Alexander Zverev, now world number one, complained about the reaction bbc.co.uk to his ranking. Britain's Jodie Burrage is receiving WTA support bbc.co.uk after online death threats.
Rugby
Finn Russell targets a historic All Blacks win bbc.co.uk with Scotland and is frustrated by questions about his retirement. England's discipline problems bbc.co.uk were flagged by RFU chief Bill Sweeney. Ireland name Casey, Jansen and Timoney bbc.co.uk to start against Argentina, and Wales recalled Harry Wilson bbc.co.uk while giving debut recognition to Joe Duncan. Jac Morgan aims to show bbc.co.uk a new attacking threat for Wales. Tonga and Samoa meet in the rugby league World Cup final, a boost for the sport's future bbc.co.uk.
Boxing and Combat Sports
Deontay Wilder will fight Jai Opetaia on the Fury-Joshua undercard bbc.co.uk in Cardiff. Canelo Alvarez returned to the top 10 espn.com of the pound-for-pound rankings after defeating Christian Mbilli. WWE's Roman Reigns espn.com looks to extend his unbeaten year at Crown Jewel. Willy Hutchinson talks about finding happiness bbc.co.uk after emotional turmoil.
Other Sports
Olympic bronze medallist Ana Barbosu has been banned for two years bbc.co.uk for a doping violation after the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the decision. The USOPC is evaluating private investment bbc.co.uk in Team USA's commercial rights. Esteban Ocon has been dropped by Haas bbc.co.uk, raising doubts about his F1 career. Leicestershire's relegation was confirmed bbc.co.uk from Division One after its appeal was dismissed. A 24-year-old runner died after collapsing espn.com two miles from the finish of the New York City Marathon.
Coming Up
Miami and Notre Dame meet in South Bend on Saturday, with Toney's availability espn.com still uncertain. Wilder faces Opetaia on the Fury-Joshua card bbc.co.uk in Cardiff.