Sports
Arch Manning may get first start as No. 1 Texas faces ULM
Sep 14, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs for a touchdown during the first half against the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images No. 1 Texas will showcase its considerable depth and look to stay on the improve when it hosts Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday evening in Austin, Texas, in the Longhorns’ final tune-up for Southeastern Conference play.
Texas (3-0) ascended to the top of the Associated Press Top 25 poll this week after a 56-7 win over UTSA on Saturday. The Longhorns, who were No. 2 in the previous ranking, moved ahead of Georgia after the Bulldogs struggled to beat Kentucky later that evening.
It’s the first time Texas has headed the poll since midway through the 2008 season, after which the Longhorns ended up 12-1 and No. 4 upon beating Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said his team has had little discussion of the ranking and would not dwell on it.
“Back in the day, the polls were huge because they dictated who got to play for a national championship, and ultimately who won the national championship. Now you’ve got to go earn it,” Sarkisian said. “Our guys, I don’t even think they talk about it. They’re not sitting in the locker room talking about it. They’re focused on what they need to improve.”
The Longhorns rang up a 614-260 advantage in total yardage in the win over UTSA in a coming-out party for freshman quarterback Arch Manning, perhaps the most ballyhooed backup signal caller in the nation.
Manning entered in relief of the injured Quinn Ewers and threw a touchdown pass on his first snap, one of four he amassed in about two quarters. Manning completed nine of his 12 throws for 223 yards; he also ran 67 yards for another score that had Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium shaking at its foundation.
On Monday, Manning was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week for his performance. He appears likely to start Saturday against ULM after Sarkisian labeled Ewers as questionable with a strained oblique.
“We’re going to monitor (Ewers) day to day and see what this looks like,” Sarkisian said.
The Warhawks (2-0) have been better this season under first-year coach Bryant Vincent but will have to take a huge jump forward this week to be anything but fodder for the deep and talented Longhorns.
ULM had an open week on Sept. 14 after producing a 32-6 home win over UAB on Sept. 7 behind a dominating second half.
The Warhawks tallied 296 yards of offense, including 209 on the ground. They capped the win with 22 consecutive points that included a safety in the third quarter and a 30-yard pick-six by Car’lin Vigers early in the fourth.
“We have built a culture here in a short amount of time,” Vincent said. “We have tremendous relationships with our players. Our players play for each other, they play for (Monroe, La.) and they play for our coaches.”
ULM defeated Jackson State in its season opener. It’s the second consecutive year that the Warhawks have started their campaign with two victories; last year’s team ended up 2-10.
“We have to understand what got us to this point and the work and preparation and focus that got us here,” Vincent said. “There’s no need to change.”
ULM might not have a quarterback as famous as Manning, but it does have one with a unique name – General Booty. The junior QB has passed for a total of 191 yards and a score in the Warhawks’ first two games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Courage transfer M Manaka Matsukubo to Chelsea
May 8, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; North Carolina Courage midfielder Manaka Matsukubo (34) controls the ball against the Orlando Pride in the second half at Inter&Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images The North Carolina Courage transferred 2025 NWSL Midfielder of the Year Manaka Matsukubo to Chelsea FC on Friday.
The 21-year-old Japan international signed a five-year contract with the English club, which competes in the Women’s Super League.
“I’m so excited to be joining Chelsea, a club with a lot of history,” Matsukubo said in a Chelsea press release. “As a small child, I followed Chelsea because it is a club everyone in the world knows about.
“The club has a strong history of winning trophies and has done so well at the top of the game, so I couldn’t pass up this opportunity, and I want to help continue this club’s tradition of winning trophies for years to come.”
Matsukubo joined the Courage on loan in 2023. She tallied 19 goals and 10 assists in 58 matches with North Carolina, including 11 goals last season and five goals through nine matches in 2026.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees place Carlos Rodon on IL, reinstate Trent Grisham, Ryan McMahon
Jun 23, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) takes the ball to relieve pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images The New York Yankees returned center fielder Trent Grisham and third baseman Ryan McMahon to their active roster prior to Friday’s home game against the Minnesota Twins.
To make room for them on the 26-man roster, left-handed starting pitcher Carlos Rodon was placed on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation and utility man Oswaldo Cabrera was sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Grisham, 29, has not played since June 12 due to a hamstring strain and was on the 10-day IL. The Yankees’ frequent leadoff hitter has posted a .232/.341/.406 slash line with eight home runs, 35 RBIs and six stolen bases in 66 games this season.
McMahon, 31, has not been in the Yankees’ lineup since June 21 due to ear and throat issues and was on the 10-day IL. An All-Star in 2024 with the Colorado Rockies, McMahon has delivered a .210 batting average, eight homers and 23 RBIs in 69 games this year.
Rodon, a three-time All-Star including in 2025, hits the injured list after one of his best starts of the year. The 33-year-old surrendered one hit and no earned runs over five innings on Sunday at Boston. In nine starts this season, Rodon has fashioned a 4-2 record and 3.30 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 26 walks over 46 1/3 innings. He began the season on the IL following offseason elbow surgery and later injured his hamstring in March before making his season debut on May 10.
He was slated to start Saturday against the Twins.
Cabrera, 27, appeared in three games while McMahon was sidelined. He went 0-for-9 with two sacrifice bunts in his 11 plate appearances.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Williams sisters to play doubles Saturday at Wimbledon
Jul 6, 2015; London, United Kingdom; Serena Williams (USA) and Venus Williams (USA) hug at the net after their match on day seven of The Championships Wimbledon at the AELTC. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images Serena and Venus Williams will play their Wimbledon first-round doubles match on Saturday after organizers gave Serena time to recover from a knee injury.
The sisters, who won the grass-court Grand Slam doubles title six times (most recently in 2016), take on Argentina’s Solana Sierra and Colombia’s Camila Osorio at the All England Club.
Playing her first singles match in nearly four years on Tuesday, the 44-year-old Serena tweaked her knee in the first set of a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 loss to Australia’s Maya Joint.
Tournament director Jamie Baker told the Associated Press the first-round doubles match was pushed back to give Serena “as much time” as possible to recover. All other first-round matches in the Ladies’ Doubles draw were contested Thursday and Friday.
“We want her to play if she … possibly can,” Baker said Friday.
Venus, 46, and Serena last played doubles at the 2022 U.S. Open, losing in the first round to Linda Noskova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic.
The winner of Saturday’s match will face ninth-seeded Ellen Perez of Australia and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands in the second round.
–Field Level Media
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Courage transfer M Manaka Matsukubo to Chelsea
