A few weeks ago, I locked myself in my film cave and meticulously analyzed every snap of coaches’ film to evaluate the six quarterbacks stepping in to replace the outgoing 2024 first-round picks from the 2024 NFL Draft. Some took a long time (new Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel), while others, thanks to a smaller sample size, were much shorter, though …

Steelers receiver George Pickens has superstar potential. For whatever reason (and part of the problem is the team hasn’t given him enough chances), it has yet to fully emerge. With a revamped offensive coaching staff, led by new coordinator Arthur Smith and including new receivers coach Zach Azzanni, Pickens in his third year might finally become what the Steelers need …

Coach Jim Harbaugh (brown hoodie) is pointing the Chargers in a new direction. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Over the franchise’s last 19 games, the Chargers have won five times. This is a team that has beaten one opponent that finished with a winning record since Dec. 5, 2021, a stretch covering 40 games. The over/under win total …

The Colorado Buffaloes have a talented group of receivers in Boulder, arguably the best in the 16-team Big 12 Conference. Pro Football Focus college analyst Max Chadwick thinks so, ranking Travis Hunter and Co. on his list of college football’s top 10 best receiving corps. The black and gold were the only team in the Big 12 to make the …

Rams coach Sean McVay was surrounded by prospects during OTA practices this spring. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Optimism abounded, though it was tempered by uncertainty. That is how the Rams entered their summer break. Players emerged last week from voluntary offseason workouts without major injuries, star receiver Cooper Kupp appeared to regain his form, and coach Sean McVay …

The SEC just got more dangerous. Football powerhouses such as Georgia and Alabama already call the conference home. But now OU and Texas, two heavyweights from the Big 12, are also in the mix. The SEC boasts numerous teams capable of reaching the College Football Playoff. And with the 2024 season set to begin in late August, the conference hierarchy …

The Tuesday commitment of Michael Thomas III gives Rutgers football a high-level athlete with elite attributes. Thomas from Donovan Catholic (Toms River, New Jersey) has elite speed, great footwork, strong hands, a solid frame, and excellent hands. He is the kind of player who could be special for Rutgers. He is a multi-sport athlete, recording a 10.76-second 100-yard dash in …

The Big 12, as you once knew it, is long gone. Half of the membership from the original dozen teams vamoosed. The conference’s name itself might be the next to go. What’s in a name? Money, in this case. The Big 12 preserved its name even while it operated with 10 and later 14 teams. Now, that it’s back to …

Welcome to SEC Unfiltered, the USA TODAY NETWORK’s newsletter on SEC sports. Look for this newsletter in your inbox Monday through Friday. Today, SEC columnist Blake Toppmeyer takes over: P.T. Barnum got a new idea. This one pertains to college sports. How fitting, considering college athletics is a bit of a circus. Excuse me, it’s not Barnum who thought up this bright …

Fans and media are notorious second-guessers when it comes to college football. But I gave my literary contributors an opportunity to offer opinions beforehand. I asked them what advice they would have for Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel as he enters his fourth season with the Vols. Their responses reminded me just how far UT has advanced in three years …

The Birmingham Stallions will play for their third consecutive spring football championship when they take on the San Antonio Brahmas in the United Football League Championship on Sunday at 4 p.m. CT in St. Louis. After winning back-to-back USFL titles in 2022 and 2023, the Stallions (10-1) won the USFL conference in the first season of the UFL. With a …

Greg Wyshynski, ESPNJun 16, 2024, 01:00 AM ET CloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. EDMONTON, Alberta — The Florida Panthers said their blowout loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final was a learning experience. What a harsh education it was: Losing 8-1 on Saturday night, watching their star goaltender get pulled, and squandering …

Kaj Sanders took a leap of faith when he committed to Rutgers football last July. Now the former blue-chip recruit is very much the face of what could well be a resurgence for Rutgers. In short, the impact of Rutgers landing Sanders in the last recruiting cycle is something that is still resonating within the state. Sanders was not only …

Jun 15, 2024, 11:50 PM ET Oilers captain Connor McDavid set the NHL record for most assists in a single postseason, picking up his 32nd on Saturday night during Edmonton’s 8-1 win over the visiting Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. McDavid broke the record previously held by Hall of Fame center Wayne Gretzky, who led …

The quarterback of Notre Dame‘s 2025 recruiting class, Deuce Knight of Mississippi, has been rumored to be interested in ditching the Fighting Irish to Ole Miss. How much of that is Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss refusing to take no as an answer, and just how interested Knight is, isn’t exactly known. As the rumors continue to swirl though, Knight …