General Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 17, 2026, 10:40 PM ET
WNBA Finals
Golden State held court espn.com to take a 1-0 lead over the Atlanta Dream, winning 68-64 in Game. Gabby Williams led the way espn.com with 26 points and late free throws to hold off the Dream.
College Football
Auburn stunned espn.com No. 1 Georgia after a costly Stockton fumble, with QB Byrum Brown's running game driving the upset. Ohio State survived espn.com Indiana after a fourth-down misstep by Nick Marsh, while Indiana ended espn.com its long run of moral victories. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said the Longhorns will evaluate everything espn.com after the loss to Florida, which will start Tramell Jones Jr. at quarterback to snap a two-game slide espn.com. Ohio State will be without Julian Sayin for several weeks espn.com with a shoulder injury. Coastal Carolina's throwback look topped espn.com the Week 7 uniform rankings, and Connelly's breakdown espn.com highlights Notre Dame's test at BYU. ESPN has reached a handshake agreement espn.com to broadcast a 24-team College Football Playoff, though some observers question whether expansion espn.com is the right move.
Boxing
Daniel Dubois retained bbc.co.uk his WBO heavyweight title with a second-round stoppage of Fabio Wardley, their second meeting in five months.
Rugby Union
Munster beat bbc.co.uk Racing 92 33-25 in their Champions Cup opener, while Connacht stunned bbc.co.uk Saracens with a seven-try win. Leinster cruised bbc.co.uk past Clermont 48-23, Glasgow picked up bbc.co.uk a bonus-point win at Sale, and Ulster secured bbc.co.uk a bonus point against Zebre. Montpellier beat bbc.co.uk Bath 32-14, and Stormers beat bbc.co.uk Bristol 49-12. Scarlets thrashed bbc.co.uk Newcastle 47-14, though fly-half Sam Costelow was injured, a worry for Wales. Ospreys opened bbc.co.uk their Challenge Cup campaign with a bonus-point win in Georgia. Tributes were paid to Hyron Andrews before Champions Cup matches bbc.co.uk.
Rugby League
England crushed bbc.co.uk Wales 70-6 in the Women's Rugby League World Cup opener, but Brian McDermott says England's men must fix errors bbc.co.uk after the Tonga loss.
Women's Rugby & Cycling
Australia sent bbc.co.uk Scotland to an eighth straight defeat with an eight-try win, while Canada ended bbc.co.uk England's 41-match unbeaten run in Toronto. Britain's Anna Morris completed bbc.co.uk a hat-trick of golds at the Track Cycling World Championships.
Tennis & Golf
Sonay Kartal beat bbc.co.uk Jelena Ostapenko to reach the Wuhan Open final. Alexander Zverev said he had overachieved bbc.co.uk by reaching the Shanghai Masters semi-finals. Eugenio Chacarra extended bbc.co.uk his lead at the DP World India Championship as Rory McIlroy faded before play was halted. Billy Loughnane became the youngest champion jockey bbc.co.uk since 1923.
Gymnastics & Soccer
The U.S. women's gymnastics team lost Rivera to an ankle injury ahead of the world championships espn.com. Four clubs reached bbc.co.uk the FA Cup first round for the first time.
Coming Up
Dubois and Wardley's heavyweight rematch bbc.co.uk takes place Saturday. The WNBA Finals continue espn.com with the Valkyries and Dream battling for the title.