August always does this. The record books are wiped clean, every fan base can squint at the schedule and talk itself into something bigger, and the preseason dark-horse conversation starts heating up before a single meaningful snap. That’s where college football is now: three weeks from kickoff, with everyone sitting at 0-0 and plenty of optimism to go around.
If you want the first pass at the teams worth circling, South Carolina is the sleeper to know. Yes, the Gamecocks have been a favorite of pundits for the last two years, and yes, that has gone nowhere fast before.
They finished 4-8 last season. But that schedule was brutal, with six ranked opponents and three straight games against top-10 teams.
The roster has also been rebuilt around superstar quarterback LaNorris Sellers. A title charge in Columbia is not the call here, but a path to an 11-seed in the CFP?
That’s on the table.
Penn State sits in a different bucket: the big-spending longshot. The Nittany Lions have lived in that frustrating middle ground for a long time, talented enough to make noise but never quite punching through into the true title-contender tier.
This year, though, there’s a different feel, and a lot of it comes down to new coach Matt Campbell. The roster is mostly new, Campbell has to re-establish himself, and the schedule is manageable outside a two-game stretch against USC and Michigan.
Ten wins could be enough to get them in the conversation.
Then there’s Notre Dame, which is the cleanest bet of the bunch. Marcus Freeman has already done a strong job shaping the program in his image, and the Irish come in off a 2024 season that ended with them as national runners-up.
The schedule is soft, and the path is straightforward: finish in the top 12 of the final rankings and the Playoff spot is guaranteed. That makes a first title since 1988 easy to imagine.
It also means the pressure will be real if Freeman can’t cash in.
Those picks were shaped in part by Manny Navarro’s college football ambition tiers, which went live this morning and cover every Power 4 team, including the ones treading water.
Elsewhere in the news cycle, LIV Golf says it has found a new investor to keep the league afloat through 2027, though the details are being kept quiet. The identity of the investor and the amount involved remain secret, and Bloomberg later reported that private equity firm BC Partners was “considering” a loan to LIV Golf. The situation remains murky.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also remains under the microscope, even if the organization’s senior leadership is still standing behind him. After a full-day meeting in Morocco, FIFA issued a statement backing Infantino following two difficult weeks and addressing the “mistakes” tied to his push to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors.
Back in the NFL orbit, Aaron Donald worked out at the Rams facility yesterday, and Sean McVay thinks Donald can make the team. The Commanders also made a move, agreeing to a one-year deal with wide receiver Stefon Diggs, which likely takes Brandon Aiyuk off the D.C. board.
On the injury front, Yankees star Aaron Judge has been cleared to begin rehabbing and said he plans to return this season. Anthony Davis and the Wizards, meanwhile, are waiting until the season begins to discuss a contract extension.
For now, call it a talking stage.
The Pirates, after signing Marcell Ozuna with high hopes this offseason, released him yesterday. Maryland also moved the Preakness back by eight days in an effort to remain in the Triple Crown circuit.
And if you need one thing to watch, make it Mets reliever Jefry Yan. He has spent years building a reputation for his mound celebrations in the minors, and last night, 12 years after his pro debut, he made his MLB debut. His first career strikeout came with the kind of celebration that made him famous in the first place.
Tonight’s board is loaded. The WNBA gives us Aces-Fever at 7 p.m.
ET on Prime Video, with A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark headlining one of the league’s best matchups. MLB has Twins-Royals at 7:40 p.m.
ET on ESPN, with Minnesota trying to stay in the wild-card chase. Leagues Cup brings Necaxa-Chicago Fire FC at 8:30 p.m.
ET on Apple TV. And yes, football is back with Panthers-Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game at 8 p.m.
ET on NBC.
If you’re digging into the rest of the sports menu, there’s also Adam Vinatieri’s improbable Hall of Fame story, a fantasy football regression list that includes Emeka Egbuka and Jonathan Taylor, a new Draft Assistant for your drafts, a look at the NL MVP race after Dodgers-Cubs, and a fresh “Ted Lasso” return with plenty of NWSL inspiration.
In Other News...
Gamecocks Alum Alyssa Lang Lands Bigger ESPN College Football Role
Alyssa Lang is getting a bigger platform in ESPNs college football plans for 2026, moving into a new studio hosting role that puts her at the center of the networks Friday and Saturday wrap-around coverage from Bristol, Connecticut. For Gamecocks fans, it is another reminder of how far the South Carolina alum has climbed since joining ESPN and SEC Network in 2018, where she has built her rsum across sideline reporting and studio work in a range of sports.
Lang is not leaving the SEC stage behind, either. She will still make one weekly appearance on SEC Networks SEC Now, giving her a continued presence around the league while taking on a more prominent national assignment. For a broadcaster who has steadily expanded her role year after year, the promotion feels like the next logical step, even if the full scope of what this means for her ESPN footprint is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolinas Rebuilt O Line Is Starting To Reveal Its Identity
South Carolinas offensive line is taking shape in a way that fits a summer of transition. With 14 first-year players in a group of 21, first-year line coach Randy Clements has spent the offseason sorting through a roster full of newcomers, transfers and holdovers while keeping the install simple enough for everyone to grow together. The goal, as much as anything, has been to build a unit that can play fast, communicate cleanly and avoid the kind of mistakes that can derail drives before they start.
The next step comes when preseason practice opens Aug. 7, with a scheduled run of workouts through Aug. 11 giving Clements and the staff their first real chance to see how the pieces fit under full camp conditions. Blake Franks is one of the players drawing attention as he continues his recovery path, and the lines early identity will depend on how quickly that mix of experience and new blood settles in. For a position group that has been reshuffled so heavily, the margin for error is already clear: stay disciplined, limit negative plays and let the chemistry catch up to the talent. [Read more 🡒]
Lamont Paris Leaves Door Open After South Carolinas Roster Overhaul
South Carolinas offseason roster reset already looks just about complete, with Lamont Paris saying it is unlikely the Gamecocks will add anyone else even after a recent court injunction opened the possibility for some athletes to gain a fifth season of eligibility. The team is sitting at the NCAA maximum of 15 players, and after bringing in 12 newcomers through the transfer portal, the rebuilding work has been extensive enough that the lineup picture is largely set.
Still, Paris left a small bit of flexibility in case something unexpected changes. He pointed to a theoretical loophole that could allow the Gamecocks to add one more player if needed, which keeps a sliver of intrigue alive around a roster that already looks dramatically different heading into the upcoming season. [Read more 🡒]