General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: August 22, 2026, 8:55 AM ET

College Football Landscape

The NCAA has received a legal reprieve as a federal appeals court has temporarily halted a court order that would have granted thousands of athletes who left college an extra year of eligibility, marking a significant win for the NCAA. In other college football news, Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables has agreed to a new six-year contract extending through the 2031 season, reportedly worth more than $63 million. The University of Utah is suing former assistant Freddie Whittingham for breach of contract after he joined his brother's coaching staff at Michigan. Meanwhile, seven former college football players who were granted a temporary restraining order have entered the NCAA transfer portal. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has asked a judge to uphold NCAA rules preventing athletes from returning to play in college, stating that pros returning to school "fuels disruption". Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman has stated it is "too late" to add players from the 2022 recruiting class who could be eligible to play this fall.

Golf and Tennis Updates

Rory McIlroy is currently five shots behind Wyndham Clark after a challenging second round at the BMW Championship in St. Louis. McIlroy, however, played a bogey-free round of 64 on Thursday at Bellerive, which put him in a share of the lead at the BMW Championship. The FedEx Cup playoffs continue in St. Louis, with 50 golfers competing for a spot in the Tour Championship. In tennis, Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the US Open due to a right knee injury that has sidelined him since Wimbledon. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is set to return at the US Open after a four-month absence due to a wrist injury. Aryna Sabalenka's preparations for her US Open title defense have been disrupted by a surprise defeat to Sara Bejlek at the Cincinnati Open. Elena Rybakina's bid to become world number one also ended prematurely as she retired injured against Iga Swiatek in Cincinnati. Alex Eala is poised for a potential career breakthrough at the upcoming US Open.

WNBA and Basketball News

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx have a new owner in a deal valuing the franchises at $4.5 billion, making them the fourth-most expensive NBA franchise ever sold. WNBA players are reportedly spending their newfound higher salaries on a variety of luxury items, including cars, watches, investments, and property. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert stated that the league is being used as a "political football" by those who do not watch the WNBA. Sophie Cunningham believes the WNBA needs a "bold" commissioner who prioritizes the players' best interests. Wings star guard Azzi Fudd will undergo a procedure on her injured right knee and miss the remainder of the season. Nneka Ogwumike's leadership for the players' union is considered as significant a legacy as her 15-year on-court career. The New York Liberty have moved up two spots in the rankings and appear to be contending for a top-four seed in the playoffs. In a legal victory, an Alabama jury awarded $9.25 million in damages after finding The New York Times defamed an Alabama basketball player. The three-part docuseries about the UConn Huskies will be available on Apple TV on August 21.

Boxing and MMA

Cris Cyborg is set to defend her PFL belt on Saturday in what could be her final MMA fight, having already competed in 19 career title fights. Cyborg also stated that opening the door for other women in MMA was the proudest moment of her career. Rolando "Rolly" Romero believes boxing is "dying" due to overpayment of fighters and argues that fights like his against Teofimo Lopez are what the sport needs. Two former champions and a boxing analyst have offered their predictions for the Rolando Romero-Teofimo Lopez title fight. Most Valuable Promotions has dismissed an offer from Boxxer for undisputed bantamweight world champion Dina Thorslund to fight Francesca Hennessy. Claressa Shields remains the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, with Dina Thorslund entering the top. Seven-division champion Amanda Serrano discussed fighting on TikTok, her pursuit of the women's boxing knockout record, and her retirement plans.

Motorsports and Cycling

Mercedes' George Russell secured pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix sprint race, ahead of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. In practice, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli outpaced McLaren's Lando Norris at the Dutch Grand Prix. Max Verstappen has extended his contract with Red Bull through 2030, stating he was "closer to retiring" from F1 than changing teams. The severity of Nick Kyrgios' ban for testing positive for cocaine depends on whether he can prove he took the drug out of competition. Kyrgios announced his positive cocaine test, leading to questions about his career. The Manx Grand Prix qualifying session saw the death of 37-year-old Sam Naughton following a crash. In cycling, Kim Le Court won stage three of the Tour of Britain Women to take the overall leader's green jersey. Maeve Plouffe reported a near-miss with a car during the first stage of the Tour of Britain Women. The death of Finlay Tarling, in a collision has led to calls for increased safety in cycling, with riders expressing that parents should not fear their children not returning home from races.

Rugby and Cricket

The cases of hundreds of players involved in rugby's multi-million-pound concussion legal battle will continue to proceed following a High Court ruling. Wales' Donna Rose shared how rugby union has aided her in managing Borderline Personality Disorder. Former England bowler Kate Cross will retire from cricket at the end of the summer, having made an "incredible contribution" to the women's game. England batsman Harry Brook's recent performance is suggested as a blueprint for his future batting, though Jonathan Agnew believes he was not ready to be Test captain. Harry Brook’s performance at Headingley helped build England’s commanding lead over Pakistan on a shortened second day of the first Test. Michael Vaughan expressed significant concern for Pakistan following their heavy defeat in the first Test at Headingley. England began Joe Root’s second tenure as captain with a decisive victory over Pakistan within three days at Headingley. Joe Root stated that "it would be nice to have a choice" regarding the venues for England's Ashes matches, as Headingley is not scheduled until 2029. On his return as England Test skipper, Joe Root took advice from Harry Brook and adopted a hands-off approach with his bowlers.

Other Sports News

Wigan Warriors have moved to the top of the Super League table after a hard-fought victory against Wakefield Trinity, with Jai Field scoring a length-of-the-field try. Castleford Tigers head coach Ryan Carr has departed the club for "personal reasons." Olympic bronze medalist Jenny Simpson announced her retirement from running following a cardiac arrest and a diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Simpson stated that her running "chapter has ended." Swedish pole vault star Armand Duplantis has released a song titled 'Gold' for the upcoming inaugural Ultimate Championship, believing that music and sport unite people. The Edmonton Marathon organizers have admitted that their course this year was more than half a kilometre too long. England women's hopes of success at the FIH Hockey World Cup concluded at the group stage after a draw with India. In a significant move, Manchester United has agreed to a fee of up to £70 million for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.

College Athletics and Records

Georgia's women's soccer team is set to play at the Sanford Stadium, which has a capacity of 93,033, with the potential to break NCAA attendance records. The top 25 rankings for women's college basketball recruits in the 2027, 2028, and 2029 classes have been released, with Kaleena Smith identified as the top high school player. The rebuilt Pac-12 conference is aiming to establish itself in "a tier of its own."

Individual Achievements and Events

Rory McIlroy said that Scottie Scheffler should be the PGA Tour Player of the Year, despite his own achievements. Amy Hunt secured a second-place finish in the women's 200m at the Diamond League in Lausanne, following Kayla White. Ben Stokes contributed with 53 runs and took 2-14, helping Division Two leaders Durham take control of their match against Derbyshire. Former UFC fighter Jack Shore has ventured into combat sports promotion with the first "Stand and Bang" show. English athletics coach Leon Baptiste received a 10-month prison sentence in Morocco for sexually assaulting a minor. The BBC Sport weekly quiz celebrated its one-year anniversary of relaunch.