Overrated, underrated teams in college football Coaches Poll; MLB trade deadline full report card

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🏈 Five things to know Wednesday

1. Ohio State tops a wide-open preseason Coaches Poll. The six teams to receive first-place votes in the college football rankings are the most since 2008. The Buckeyes stand atop the bunch for the first time in 11 years, and while the margin between them and the other contenders is nothing to scoff at, the fact that Oregon, Georgia, Texas, Notre Dame and Indiana also picked up first-place votes is telling of how competitive the 2026 season may be. The Hoosiers, at No. 6, were at the top of 14 ballots and just received more good news with star defensive end Stephen Daley expected to return for a fifth season. Are the reigning national champions underrated? Our Cody Nagel identified the teams which voters placed too high and too low.
2. Zay Flowers is the recent NFL star to receive a lucrative extension. New contracts continue to fly in for the league’s best players during training camp, and Flowers joined the signees with a four-year, $140 million extension that gives him the fourth-largest annual salary among wide receivers. Baltimore locked in Lamar Jackson’s top weapon, and in doing so, it solidified the market price for elite receivers — one which will likely be too steep for the Cowboys to keep George Pickens beyond this year.
3. NFL training camps include position battles, an ejection and more injuries. While some teams saw pleasantly productive starts to camp from their rookies (like the Buccaneers with linebacker Josiah Trotter), others have been mired in bad news. Such is the case with the 49ers already stacking up injuries, the Falcons ending practice early with Jalon Walker feared to have torn his ACL and the Jets seeing Kenyon Sadiq suffer a setback with his hernia surgery. And in Tennessee, Jeffery Simmons worked out on a side field after he was ejected from practice for throwing a punch.
4. Brock Lesnar declared his retirement from WWE. Lesnar appeared to be on his way out of the wrestling world in April when he took off his gloves and boots after a loss to Oba Femi at WrestleMania 42, and in the wake of his defeat to Femi at SummerSlam, he passed the torch and called it a career. Lesnar leaves WWE with one of the greatest résumés in combat sports history as an 11-time world wrestling champion and a former UFC heavyweight champion.
5. Cleveland’s WNBA expansion team will be known as the Sirens. The franchise leaned into an aquatic theme to honor its location on the shore of Lake Erie. Instead of revitalizing the Rockers mascot from Cleveland’s previous WNBA franchise, owner Dan Gilbert went in a new direction with the mythical branding. President of business operations Allison Howard mentioned that “a Siren commands attention” and that the team will be “sharp, unapologetic, relentless, fearless, and representative of our great region, our Great Lake, and our great future.”

🔠 Do not miss this: MLB trade deadline grades

MLB teams are done trading for the year (well, unless they use this exception) now that the deadline has come and gone. A bevy of blockbusters flew in over the weekend as clubs positioned themselves for the stretch run, and some were more successful than others at accomplishing their buying or selling goals. We determined which front offices made the best moves with our trade deadline report card.

There are, of course, the obvious ones. The Dodgers acquiring Tarik Skubal made them the biggest winners of all, and the Red Sox bolstered their red-hot lineup with Adley Rutschman in a move that could keep them in control of their own postseason destiny. But what about the teams that made sneaky good trades?

Our Matt Snyder loves what the Padres did in acquiring Casey Mize, which is the main reason why they received an “A” for their deadline moves.

• Snyder: “I loved the Padres swooping in for Casey Mize after having already added Robbie Ray. And they kept their entire bullpen intact. We can’t be sure the Padres will make the playoffs, but if they do, they’ll have excellent run prevention with Michael King, Ray and Mize, along with that stellar relief corps of Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Bradgley Rodriguez, et al.”

Some clubs left us (and their fans) wanting a whole lot more, though. These are among the teams who graded out the poorest:

• Tigers: F
• Rangers: D
• Reds: C-

⛳ Cameron Young surges in Power 18 Rankings

The top spot in the Power 18 Rankings has been untouchable all year with Scottie Scheffler retaining his status as the World No. 1. The contenders behind him, though, have shuffled throughout the season, and another big climber is breathing down his neck and Rory McIlroy’s. Cameron Young is up to No. 3 in this month’s rankings following consecutive top-10 finishes.

Young was fantastic at The Open with three rounds below par, and he followed up his second-place result at Royal Birkdale with a tie for eighth at the Rocket Classic. Here’s our Robby Kalland on Young’s late-season return to form:

• Kalland: “The four-event downturn in quality has emerged from the other side for Young. Sat around, waited and looked oh so good for oh so long at The Open before Ryan Fox’s birdie on the 72nd hole left him one shy of a playoff. The Players Championship winner then contended at the Rocket Classic with a top-10 finish. Despite a nice run of form, Young’s putter is not the weapon it was earlier in the year.”

With just one month left in the PGA Tour season, these other players are also trending up:

6. Tommy Fleetwood (↑4)

7. Xander Schauffele (↑4)

11. Russell Henley (↑2)

👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest

• In case you missed it: Kelsey Plum made history in her Mercury debut just one day after being traded from the Sparks.
• Tarik Skubal made his Dodgers debut, and while he pitched fairly well, he took the loss as Los Angeles dropped its fifth straight.
• College Football Playoff expansion talks are heating up again ahead of the management committee’s Aug. 10 meeting.
• Heading into his final season, Aaron Rodgers is comfortable in his own skin, which could help him go out on top.
• Boston College denied that its basketball broadcast team’s firing was tied to new coach Luke Murray.
• Mauricio Pochettino’s new contract runs through 2030, but will he actually stay with the USMNT until the next World Cup?
• Yair Rodriguez and Jean Silva will headline the Noche UFC main event on Sept. 12, and Jai Opetaia will defend his Zuffa and Ring cruiserweight championships against Noel Mikaelian on the same day.
• Our picks for the Wyndham Championship are in.
• Browns owner Jimmy Haslam suggested making this bet on the 2026 squad.
• Incoming MLS commissioner Larry Berg hinted at significant changes he wants to bring to the league.
• The Pac-12 and Mountain West let bygones be bygones. The conferences reached a settlement on their legal battle.
• Mike Renner’s NFL Draft scouting series continues with a ranking of the top 10 linebackers in the 2027 class.
• Here is where things stand on a potential Anthony Davis extension with the Wizards.

📺 What we’re watching Wednesday

🥎 LLWS: New Jersey vs. Japan, 10 a.m. on ESPN2

🥎 LLWS: Washington vs. Canada, 1 p.m. on ESPN2

⚾ Dodgers at Cubs, 2:20 p.m. on MLB Network

⚾ Giants at Rangers, 2:35 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited

⚾ Rays at Rockies, 3:10 p.m. on Peacock

🏀 Storm at Liberty, 7 p.m. on USA Network

⚽ Leagues Cup: San Luis at Inter Miami, 7 p.m. on Apple TV

⚾ Pirates at Brewers, 7:40 p.m. on ESPN

⚽ Leagues Cup: Leon at Nashville, 8 p.m. on Apple TV

🏀 Sparks at Sky, 9 p.m. on USA Network

⚽ Courage at Summit, 10 p.m. on CBS Sports Network

⚽ Leagues Cup: Sounders at Toluca, 10 p.m. on FS1

⚾ Tigers at Mariners, 10:30 p.m. on MLB Network

⚽ Leagues Cup: Guadalajara at LAFC, 10:30 p.m. on Apple TV