Sports
Miami QB Cam Ward jumps to front of Heisman Trophy race
Sep 21, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) drops back to pass against the South Florida Bulls in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Cam Ward has taken advantage of Miami’s relatively soft opening schedule along with an injury to a key rival to become the last favorite in the Heisman Trophy race.
Ward threw for 404 yards and three touchdowns in the Hurricanes’ 50-15 rout of South Florida on Saturday. That followed blowout wins over Florida, Florida A&M and Ball State, with the senior having compiled 1,439 passing yards and 14 touchdowns through four games.
Ward is now the +450 Heisman Trophy favorite at DraftKings, followed by Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart (+500), Alabama’s Jalen Milroe (+700), Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel (+1000). Ward is the +350 favorite at FanDuel, followed by Dart (+500) and Milroe (+750).
Gabriel opened the season as the favorite, but has slid down the list with Oregon escaping upset bids by Idaho and Boise State in their first two games. He was supplanted by Texas’ Quinn Ewers, who has fallen all the way to seventh after sustaining an oblique strain and missing the Longhorns’ Saturday win over Louisiana-Monroe.
HEISMAN TROPHY ODDS*
PLAYER, TEAM, JULY ODDS, WEEK 1, Week 2, CURRENT
Cam Ward, Miami, +2200, +950, +850, +450
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss, +1400, +850, +800, +500
Jalen Milroe, Alabama, +1500, +1100, +1200, +700
Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee, +1800, +1200, +1300, +950
Carson Beck, Georgia, +800, +900, +1000, +1400
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon, +750, +800, +1100, +1000
Quinn Ewers, Texas, +1000, +1400, +600, +1500
Travis Hunter, Colorado, N/A, N/A, N/A, +2000
Ashton Jeanty, Boise State, N/A/, N/A, +3000, +2000
Will Howard, Ohio State, +1500, +1600, +2000, +2000
Miller Moss, Southern California, N/A, +2200, +1800, +2500
Drew Allar, Penn State, N/A, N/A, +3000, +3500
Arch Manning, Texas, N/A, N/A, N/A, +4000
Cade Klubnik, Clemson, N/A, N/A, N/A, +4500
Riley Leonard, Notre Dame, N/A, N/A, N/A, +5500
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, +2200, +3500, +2800, +5500
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado, N/A/, +2200, +8000, +10000
*DraftKings
Arch Manning, who made his first college start in Ewers’ absence, entered the Heisman picture at +4000 this week. However, he’s still a heavy longshot, while the fastest-rising candidate is Colorado’s two-way star Hunter.
Hunter has the shortest odds among non-quarterbacks. He is viewed by many as the best athlete in college football, but the legitimacy of his Heisman candidacy likely will hinge on how the Buffaloes fare against the likes of Kansas State, Utah, Oklahoma State and other Big 12 opponents this season.
Another quickly rising threat is Milroe, who opened the season at +1500. He now has the shortest odds after Ward and Dart, with a critical early-season test coming against Beck when the Georgia Bulldogs visit Tuscaloosa on Saturday.
Among the biggest fallers this week was Southern California quarterback Miller Moss, who is now a +2500 longshot after the Trojans were unable to hold a late lead at Michigan.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves' Reynaldo Lopez a reliever 'for now' to work on delivery flaw
Mar 28, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (40) throws against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images Braves right-hander Reynaldo Lopez is moving to the bullpen “for now” to work out a mechanical flaw in his delivery, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss told reporters Sunday.
Lopez began the season as Atlanta’s No. 2 starter after making just one start in 2025 before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. He had a 2.18 ERA through four starts this season before he gave up four runs on five hits and three walks in one inning of last Tuesday’s 11-4 loss at Washington.
“We see him as a starter,” Weiss said. “He’s working through some things, delivery wise, that type of thing, and he’s getting right there. And when he’s right, he’s one of our best starters. He was our No. 2 coming out of camp, even with some of the issues at the end of spring training.
“So we see him as a starter long term, but right now, trying to iron some things out. He’s going to help us out of the pen in the short term.”
Lopez has extensive experience both as a starter and reliever at the major league level. He’s posted a 48-55 career record and 3.93 ERA over 273 appearances (128 starts) over 11 seasons.
He earned his first All-Star nod and finished 11th in National League Cy Young Award voting during his first season with the Braves in 2024 when he finished with a 1.99 ERA, 148 strikeouts and 42 walks over 135 2/3 innings.
Atlanta kept 22-year-old right-hander JR Ritchie on its major league roster after he allowed two runs on five hits and struck out seven over seven innings in his major league debut Thursday vs. Washington. He’s set to make his first home start Wednesday against Detroit.
The Braves are also expecting right-hander Spencer Strider to make his season debut as soon as this weekend at Colorado after he started the season on the injured list with a strained oblique.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Alex Fitzpatrick officially accepts PGA Tour membership
Apr 26, 2026; Avondale, Louisiana, USA; Alex Fitzpatrick walks on the green on hole 18 during the final round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Alex Fitzpatrick officially accepted PGA Tour membership following his emotional victory alongside his brother, Matt, in last week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
His decision hardly is a surprise, given he said as much following the win, which their parents were on hand to witness.
“I am, indeed, yeah, yeah. I signed as quick as I could. I’m still shaking, and yeah, it was crazy,” the 27-year-old Englishman said during a media interaction at TPC Louisiana on Sunday.
The win was the first on the PGA Tour in his 11th career start for Fitzpatrick, who is now exempt through the 2028 season and is eligible to compete in this week’s Cadillac Championship, the fifth of eight Signature Events this season. The DP World Tour player also qualified for the remaining three — the Truist Championship, the Memorial Tournament and the Travelers Championship — as well as the 2026 PGA Championship and the 2027 The Players Championship.
Fitzpatrick turned professional in 2022 after his collegiate career at Wake Forest.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Steelers place rare contract tender on Aaron Rodgers
Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws during the first half of an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images If Aaron Rodgers plays another season, the Steelers want to make sure it’s with Pittsburgh.
The franchise placed the rare right-of-first-refusal tender on unrestricted free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, ESPN reported on Tuesday morning.
The move means Rodgers can accept a 10-percent raise from last year’s salary ($13.65 million), pushing the four-time NFL MVP to approximately $15 million in base pay. The Steelers guarantee the raise and in return are granted the right to match any offer sheet Rodgers can sign with another team as a free agent.
The Steelers can gain exclusive negotiating rights with Rodgers if he does not sign by July 22 or the first day of NFL training camp.
If Rodgers signs with a new team before that date, he would be a potential compensatory free agent lost by the Steelers and a potential CFA gained by the new team, provided all other requirements are met under the Compensatory Draft System’s rules.
Pittsburgh hired a familiar face in Mike McCarthy as head coach following Mike Tomlin’s resignation in January. Rodgers played under McCarthy during his time with the Green Bay Packers.
Rodgers, 42, posted his 15th season with at least 3,000 yards and 20 touchdown passes with Pittsburgh in 2025.
He ranks fourth in NFL history in passing touchdowns (527) and fifth in passing yards (66,274). His career passer rating of 102.2 ranks No. 1 all-time as does his 1.4% interception percentage.
The 10-time Pro Bowl selection won Super Bowl XLV with Green Bay after the 2010 season. He owns a 163-93-1 record as a starter in the regular season with the Packers (2005-22), New York Jets (2023-24) and Steelers.
–Field Level Media
Braves' Reynaldo Lopez a reliever 'for now' to work on delivery flaw
Alex Fitzpatrick officially accepts PGA Tour membership
