Sports
Marshall optimistic ahead of clash at No. 3 Ohio State
Sep 7, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) runs for a touchdown against the Western Michigan Broncos during the second half at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-Imagn Images Marshall coach Charles Huff was in a good mood and optimistic during his session with the media Monday as the Thundering Herd prepared to face No. 3 Ohio State on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.
He first likened the situation to one of his favorite movies, “Moneyball,” where a frugal major league team in the early 2000s turned to analytics and bargain-basement players in an attempt to compete with the big spenders.
“It’s the Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics, their payroll and where we are,” he joked.
Obviously, Marshall (1-1) would play the role of the underdog A’s, but Huff has been there before and succeeded. In 2022, his Thundering Herd defeated No. 8 Notre Dame on the road and the next season beat Virginia Tech.
“No doubt that Ohio State’s a good football team,” he said. “They’re well-coached. They’ve got really good players, but we’ve got good players as well.
“We’ve got a good plan coming up. It’s going to take our best and that’s what you want. It’s going to take our collective best, our individual best. We don’t have to be superstars. This is not David and Goliath. This is not, you know, high school vs. the pros. This is a really good team vs. a really good team, and when you have that, the margin for error is small.”
The good news for Marshall is that after a 31-14 loss at Virginia Tech on Sept. 7, it had an open week to get ready for the Buckeyes (2-0). The bad news is Ohio State was also idle last weekend after its 56-0 thrashing of Western Michigan on Sept. 7.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day took to calling the time between games an “improvement week.”
“The idea was to get better. I think we did do that last week,” Day said. “We had three hard, physical days out there, and got a chance to step away for a couple days and watch some games on Saturday and we asked everybody to do that, get some rest. It gives you a good perspective. You get the chance to see some games, see some situational things to learn from, get to see some other teams out there just watching the games.”
Day spent time studying Marshall and is impressed with its defense.
“They do a nice job. They’re sound in their scheme,” he said. “They have good players; their front is good and strong and powerful. They had a week off as well and they’re going to come in here and play physical.
“I have a lot of respect for their program and what (Huff) does.”
The Thundering Herd will look to weaponize running back A.J. Turner, who has only 14 carries in two games but has produced 222 yards (15.9 average), including an 80-yard touchdown against Stony Brook in the season opener.
Ohio State has big-play capabilities, too. The Buckeyes gained 683 yards of total offense, and the duo of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson has 294 yards on 40 carries (7.4) and five touchdowns against Western Michigan.
The Buckeyes’ defense posted its first shutout since 2019 and limited the Broncos to 99 total yards — just 5 in the second half. It was the first time Ohio State held an opponent to fewer than 100 total yards since allowing 66 in a 62-14 win over Maryland on Oct. 7, 2017.
–Field Level Media
Sports
SoFi workers reach agreement to avoid strike ahead of World Cup
May 25, 2026; Inglewood, CA, USA; A general overall view of Sofi Stadium (Los Angeles Stadium), a host site for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images A potential strike by SoFi Stadium workers, ahead of the United States’ World Cup opening match at the venue Friday, was averted when an estimated 2,000 employees reached a tentative agreement Tuesday through their union.
The union representing hospitality workers at the stadium in Inglewood, Calif., had voted to authorize a strike last Friday, a week before the United States men’s national team was set to play against Paraguay.
Mostly composed of concessions workers as well as cashiers, dishwashers, bartenders and food attendants, the union had voted 96% in favor of the strike, which had been looming for the last few months since the existing deal with stadium operators Legends Global expired.
The new agreement earned workers a 40% pay increase for concession stands attendants and also has a clause allowing workers to walk off the job if the union believes that the presence of federal agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), creates a “reasonable apprehension of harm to the safety and security of workers,” The Athletic reported.
The agreement, which the union announced at a news conference, still has to be ratified by workers on Wednesday.
Kurt Peterson, co-president of the union, said the agreement will make the venue’s concessions workers the highest paid at NFL stadiums, according to a report in The Athletic, with most earning “more than $40 per hour, and many of them significantly more than that.”
Workers also will be able to earn “premium pay for mega-events, including all eight World Cup games,” Peterson told The Athletic.
SoFi Stadium is scheduled to host two of the United States’ three group-stage matches, against Paraguay (Friday) and Turkey (June 25), as well as three tournament knockout-stage matches, one of which is a quarterfinal on July 10.
The venue is the home of both the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers of the NFL. It also is slated to be a co-host for the Opening Ceremonies during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as well as the home for the swimming competitions.
The new agreement lasts until April 30, 2028, giving the union leverage for renegotiations before the Olympics begin.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rangers activate RHP Cole Winn from 15-day injured list
Texas Rangers pitcher Cole Winn (60) throws against Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, May 1, 2026. The Texas Rangers activated right-handed reliever Cole Winn from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday after he was sidelined since May 23 by arm fatigue.
Winn, 26, takes the spot on the 26-man roster vacated by right-hander Luis Curvelo, who was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.
Winn allowed two runs on two hits in a third of an inning of his most recent outing that came during a 5-2 loss to the host Los Angeles Angels. He exited the game after three batters with fatigue and soreness in his right shoulder.
In 22 appearances this season, he is 2-1 with one save, a 5.59 ERA, seven walks and 23 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings.
In 68 career relief appearances, Winn is 2-3 with one save, a 3.91 ERA, 28 walks and 72 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings.
Texas made Winn the 15th overall selection in the 2018 MLB Draft.
Curvelo, 25, had a scoreless inning Sunday in the Rangers’ 10-0 victory over the visiting Guardians. He has a 4.91 ERA, two walks and four strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings over seven relief appearances.
He was on the 15-day injured list with a right biceps strain from April 15 to May 19.
In 24 career relief appearances since 2025, Curvelo is 1-1 with a 5.47 ERA over 26 1/3 innings
–Field Level Media
Sports
Frances Tiafoe outlasts Daniel Altmaier in first round at Stuttgart
Jun 1, 2026; Paris, France; Frances Tiafoe of the United States returns a shot during his match against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy on day nine at Stade Roland Garros. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images Sixth-seeded Frances Tiafoe saved 7 of 9 break points and outlasted Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4 to post a first-round victory at the BOSS Open Tuesday in Stuttgart, Germany.
Tiafoe had 24 winners and 30 unforced errors while prevailing on the grass surface after the end of the clay-court season. Altmaier had 15 aces among his 40 winners but committed 42 unforced errors.
Tiafoe next faces Australia’s Rinky Hijikata, who rallied for a 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over German wild card Tom Gentzsch. Australia’s Nick Kyrgios beat the only other seeded player in action, prevailing 6-3, 6-4 over No. 8 Corentin Moutet of France.
The other winners Tuesday were Marcos Giron, Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff and Yannick Hanfmann, Australia’s James Duckworth, France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro.
Libema Open
Adrian Mannarino of France hit 25 winners while posting a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 victory over defending champion Gabriel Diallo of Canada in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Mannarino ended a nine-match drought in singles play dating back to the Miami Open in mid-March. Diallo had 52 unforced errors against just 20 winners. Mannarino committed 44 miscues.
Martin Damm advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Spain’s Jaume Munar. Also, China’s Zhang Zhizhen registered a 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-1 victory over Jenson Brooksby.
–Field Level Media
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SoFi workers reach agreement to avoid strike ahead of World Cup
