Sports
Miami (Ohio) not last team in NCAA field, but treated like it with First Four trip
Miami RedHawks guard Peter Suder (5) reacts to a turnover in the second half of Mid-American Conference Tournament first round game between the Miami RedHawks and the UMass Minutemen at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Top-seeded Miami was eliminated from the tournament with an 87-82 loss to the Minutemen. According to NCAA Tournament committee chair Keith Gill, Miami (Ohio) was not on the edge of being excluded from the 2026 NCAA Tournament field.
Gill, the Sun Belt Conference commissioner, asserted that the RedHawks received the 34th of 37 at-large invites into the 68-team field.
But when it came time for the committee to create the matchups, the RedHawks might as well have been the last team in. Miami received a No. 11 seed in the Midwest Region, but the squad that went 31-0 during the regular season must face fellow No. 11 Midwest seed SMU in the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, just to advance to the final 64.
“Miami came into the field before NC State, Texas and SMU,” Gill said on ESPN Sunday night. “So they came in before those schools. And when we put them on the seed line and we scrubbed them against those schools, they ended up falling, so they ended up being kind of the last at-large on our seed list — but they weren’t the last at-large selected into the field.”
Why did the committee treat Miami (31-1) like No. 34 in the selection process, but No. 37 in the seeding process? Gill declared that the committee followed its principles.
“One of the things that’s really important is, we look at the resume metrics and what you’ve accomplished as a way to kind of figure out who gets into the field,” Gill said. “And when you look at Miami’s resume metrics first, they have a historic 28-0 regular season against Division I competition. They have a WAB (Wins Above Bubble) that is 37th (in the nation). They have a Strength of Record (ranking) that’s 28. So they have some really strong kind of resume metrics that show their accomplishments.
“And then they’re obviously a quality team in terms of their offensive kind of work in terms of being second in scoring offense in the nation and also being first in field goal percentage. And so when we look at those things and we put those together, we felt like Miami was certainly one of the 37 best at-large teams.
“I think what happens when we do our scrubbing process, we’re looking a little bit more at the predictive metrics. Their predictive metrics aren’t quite as good — and that’s why they ended up falling against some of those teams on the seed line.”
The Mid-American Conference regular-season champions won 31 consecutive games to start the season before an upset loss in the conference tournament quarterfinals on Thursday. Akron became the three-time defending champions by claiming the MAC title, which cast doubt on whether the NCAA Tournament selection committee would grant the MAC two bids for the first time since 1999.
In the end, VCU wound up being the team that should have felt the most pressure on Sunday. Though the Rams appeared to be a legitimate at-large candidate with a WAB ranking of 40 and a Strength of Record that stood 39th in the nation, they apparently would have fallen short if they had not defeated Dayton in Sunday’s A-10 final.
“With regards to VCU,” Gill told CBS during the Selection Sunday show, “(the Rams) would not have been in the field if they had not won the Atlantic 10 automatic qualifier.”
The RedHawks made the field with a NET rating of 64 over Oklahoma (38) and Auburn (44). Auburn had wins over Florida, St. John’s and Arkansas — all teams that received a five seed or better — but wasn’t one of the 10 SEC teams awarded a bid.
Gill elaborated about the process with ESPN without delving into many specifics.
“I think a lot of times when it comes down to that last team in the field — and, so, this year that was SMU — and so that conversation between them and some of those teams that are outside the tournament is really challenging,” Gill said. “All those teams had good years and some really good things on their resumes. They also had some things that were probably not as good, so when you’re trying to compare those and get to that last team in the tournament, it is tense and you’re just trying to make sure you’re making the best decision.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
French superstar Antoine Griezmann joins Orlando City
[Subscription Customers Only] Jun 15, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann (7) reacts during a group stage match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Cole-Reuters via Imagn Images Orlando City SC completed the long-anticipated signing of Atletico Madrid superstar Antoine Griezmann on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old French attacker is signed from July 2026 through the 2027-28 season with an option for 2028-29. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“Bringing Antoine to Orlando is a landmark moment not only for our club, but for our city, our supporters and for Major League Soccer,” team owner and chairman Mark Wilf said. “He is one of the most gifted, accomplished and influential players of his generation, and his decision to choose Orlando City reflects the mission and culture of our club. Our focus is on consistently building a championship-caliber roster every year, and adding a world-class player like Antoine reinforces that commitment and our belief in what the Club can achieve.”
Griezmann will join the Lions as a designated player when the MLS secondary transfer window opens in July, pending medical clearance and receipt of his international paperwork.
“I am very excited to begin this next chapter of my career with Orlando City,” Griezmann said. “From my first conversations with the Club, I could feel a strong ambition and a clear vision for the future, and that really spoke to me. I look forward to making Orlando my new home, meeting the supporters, feeling the energy at Inter&Co Stadium, and giving everything I have to help the team achieve great things.”
Griezmann has recorded 13 goals and four assists across all competitions with the La Liga side this season.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner spent 10 seasons at Atletico Madrid, where he is the club’s all-time leader with 211 goals across all competitions from 2014-19 and 2021-26. He was the La Liga Player of the Year in 2015-16 and placed third in the Ballon d’Or voting in 2016 and 2018.
“Antoine is a complete footballer–creative, intelligent, clinical–and he is a proven winner on the biggest stages of the game,” Orlando City general manager Ricardo Moreira said. “Beyond his talent, he brings leadership, a relentless drive and a championship mentality that will elevate everyone around him. This is a statement signing for our club and ownership group, and we are thrilled to welcome Antoine and his family to Orlando.”
Griezmann has tallied 298 goals and 132 assists across 792 professional appearances in Spain. He had 44 goals in 137 caps for France before retiring from international competition in 2024.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kylian Mbappe: Knee is 100%, 'false things were said'
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid’s game against Sevilla in Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, on Dec. 20, 2025 .
French striker Kylian Mbappe disputed reports about the severity of the left knee sprain that has limited his availability of late for Real Madrid.
“My knee is fine. It’s getting better,” he said at a promotional event in France on Monday. “It’s going quite well, and I know there’s been a lot of speculation about it and some false things have been said.
“It’s the life of a top athlete, and we’re used to people saying things without verifying them or having any basis in fact.”
Mbappe, 27, came off the bench in Real Madrid’s two most recent matches: Sunday’s 3-2 La Liga defeat of Atletico Madrid and a 2-1 win at Manchester City on March 17 in the second leg of a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match.
His last appearance before that, and his most recent start, was on Feb. 21. In 24 La Liga matches this season, Mbappe has 23 goals and four assists.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner is on the roster for France’s upcoming friendlies in the United States against Brazil (March 26) and Colombia (March 29).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Falcons add veteran Trevor Siemian to QB room
Jan 7, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New York Jets quarterback Trevor Siemian (14) throws the ball against the New England Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images The Atlanta Falcons are signing veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian, his agent confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.
Siemian, 34, adds depth behind newcomer Tua Tagovailoa and 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr.
Terms weren’t disclosed for Siemian, who last appeared in an NFL regular-season game in 2023 with the New York Jets. He spent most of the 2024 and 2025 campaigns on the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad.
Siemian is 15-18 as a starter, completing 58.5% of his passes for 7,751 yards, 44 touchdowns and 32 interceptions in 40 games with the Denver Broncos (2015-17), Jets (2019, 2023), New Orleans Saints (2021) and Chicago Bears (2022). He has rushed for 251 yards and two scores.
The Broncos drafted Siemian in the seventh round in 2015.
–Field Level Media
French superstar Antoine Griezmann joins Orlando City
Kylian Mbappe: Knee is 100%, 'false things were said'
