Louisiana judge rules against NCAA, clearing path for former NFL players to join LSU roster
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU coach Lane Kiffin’s chances of fielding former NFL players improved Thursday night when a Louisiana judge issued a preliminary injunction against the NCAA in a high-profile eligibility case. East Baton Rouge Parish Judge William Jorden issued his ruling the night before LSU was due to submit its 105-man roster to the Southeastern Conference, which last week announced heavy potential punishment for teams that bring in ex-pros. The ruling clears the way for LSU to list some former NFL players on its roster. How many games they might be eligible to play remains to be seen.
Colorado QB Julian Lewis leads touchdown drive with 42 seconds left in 14-13 win over Georgia Tech
ATLANTA (AP) — Colorado freshman quarterback Julian Lewis hit tight end Charlie Williams for a 20-yard touchdown with 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter lifting the Buffaloes to a last-minute, 14-13 win against Georgia Tech in a season opener. The Yellow Jackets had a chance to win when quarterback Alberto Mendoza hit receiver Dalen Penson for a 42-yard gain, putting them in field goal range. But Boo Carter blocked Aidan Birr’s 45-yard attempt, and the Buffaloes celebrated their victory. Lewis finished the night 14-of-27 for 124 yards and a touchdown.
Eala, Osaka and Zverev advance, while No. 3 Auger-Aliassime falls at the US Open
NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Eala and her fans are headed to the weekend at the U.S. Open, along with two-time champion Naomi Osaka and 2023 winner Coco Gauff. So is Madison Keys — just barely — but not No. 3 Felix Auger-Aliassime, who became the highest-seeded player knocked out of the tournament thus far. Osaka recovered after a mid-match lapse to advance to the third round with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 victory over Katerina Siniakova on Thursday, before Eala beat Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-1, 6-4. No. 1 seed on the men’s side, Alexander Zverev, needed more than 4 1/2 hours to beat Quentin Halys and reach the third round.
Ex-Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez plans guilty plea to charges stemming from fight outside hotel
Former Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez plans to plead guilty rather than go forward with a trial next week stemming from an October 2025 fight with a truck driver outside an Indianapolis hotel. The motion on Thursday asks Marion County Superior Court to schedule a hearing for Sanchez to plead guilty and be sentenced. Online records didn’t indicate which charges Sanchez plans to plead guilty to. Sanchez faces a felony battery charge and three misdemeanor charges for what prosecutors have said was a fight over parking. The ex-NFL quarterback’s jury trial had been set to start Tuesday. Sanchez was let go by Fox Sports in November.
Balogun omitted from Monaco’s Conference League squad and will also miss PSG game
U.S. striker Folarin Balogun has been left out of Monaco’s squad for the Conference League amid uncertainty over his future after the collapse of his proposed transfer to Everton this week. Balogun will also miss Monaco’s match at Paris Saint-Germain in the French league on Friday after being omitted from the group traveling to the capital. Monaco says Balogun is back in group training. He hasn’t featured in any of the team’s four games so far this season. The American striker was close to joining Everton on Tuesday but opted to pull out of a deal because he felt uncomfortable that the English club raised doubts about his health in a medical examination, according to Monaco’s sporting director.
Duo standing 7-foot-3 and 6-10 will have teams looking up to China at women’s FIBA World Cup
BERLIN (AP) — Opponents will be looking up to China during the women’s FIBA World Cup, starting with the the United States. The Americans and everyone else will have to navigate around and over China’s 19-year-old Zhang Ziyu, who stands 7-foot-3. The U.S. team is already familiar with 6-10 Han Xu from her WNBA games with the New York Liberty. If that wasn’t enough, they were to be joined by fellow 6-7 center Li Yueru, another WNBA player with the Dallas Wings. But she posted on social media Wednesday that her passport was lost in the mail and she won’t be able to compete. China opens its campaign against the four-time defending champion Americans in Berlin on Friday.
A 30-game win streak for US on the line at the FIBA women’s World Cup with France and others waiting
BERLIN (AP) — The women’s FIBA World Cup begins with the U.S. in search of a fifth consecutive championship. The Americans have won 30 straight games in the tournament, dating back to their loss to Russia in the semifinals of the 2006 contest. There has been a youth movement with this year’s team with Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers making their debuts Friday in the event.
FIFA accuses European body UEFA of ‘smear campaign’ in filing related to World Cup sell-off plan
FIFA has accused European soccer body UEFA of a “smear campaign” in a court filing. Thursday’s motion was related to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and other competitions. Last week, lawyers for UEFA filed requests for discovery of evidence in three U.S. courts. UEFA has said in court documents that it is preparing a criminal complaint against Infantino in Swiss courts for possible financial mismanagement. FIFA says in its filing that UEFA’s legal pleadings “are little more than press releases in further support of UEFA’s smear campaign.”
Completion of the NBA’s investigation of the Clippers could facilitate Leonard trade to the Raptors
TORONTO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard’s return to the Toronto Raptors could be back on now that there’s a resolution to the NBA’s investigation into salary cap circumvention rules during the seven-time All-Star’s time with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Raptors and Clippers struck a deal on June 30 on a trade that would send Leonard back to the team he helped lead to the 2019 NBA championship. In July, the trade was put on hold pending the outcome of an NBA investigation into salary cap circumvention rules. The NBA imposed a sweeping punishment against the Clippers on Wednesday. The Raptors declined to comment on the status of the deal to acquire Leonard now that the league has announced the fallout.
Athletic’s review of former NFL reporter Dianna Russini concludes she didn’t comply with standards
An investigation by The Athletic has concluded that former NFL reporter Dianna Russini violated the company’s standards because of her relationship with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel that led to her resignation in April. The report drew no conclusions about the nature of Russini’s relationship with Vrabel, who took accountability for his actions without ever addressing photos released of the coach and the reporter at an Arizona resort. He stepped away from the team on the third day of the NFL draft to begin counseling and returned soon afterward.