College Football Rankings Are Here — And Some Teams Already Feel Snubbed

The College Football Playoff committee released its first rankings of the season this week, giving fans their first look at which 25 teams are in the mix for a national title. One surprising result: Alabama is ranked eight spots ahead of Tennessee, which has many fans scratching their heads. Last year, the first CFP rankings only got about half the teams right. With seven games between ranked teams coming up this weekend, the list is sure to look different soon.

Will Wade is back as the head coach of LSU's men's basketball team, and his story is one of the strangest in college sports. He was first hired by LSU in 2017 and won the SEC regular season title in 2018. But in 2019, he was caught on an FBI wiretap offering money to recruits, which broke the rules at the time. After more investigations, LSU fired him in 2022.

After getting fired, Wade did not stay away from coaching for long. He was hired by McNeese State, where he led the school to its first-ever NCAA Tournament win. He then moved to NC State and made the Tournament again before LSU brought him back. It is a remarkable comeback for a coach who many people thought was done at the highest level.

Here is the twist in Wade's story: the things that got him fired are now legal. College athletes can now earn money through NIL deals — which stands for Name, Image, and Likeness. Wade was pushing for player payments before they were allowed, so he was ahead of his time in a way. Now that the rules have changed, he is pushing the limits all over again by recruiting former professional players.

The WNBA also had a big moment this week. Golden State's Game 7 win in the WNBA Finals drew 3.3 million viewers, which is the highest number ever for a WNBA playoff game. Those numbers even beat every college football game that aired on the same day. Experts say the league is at a major turning point and needs strong leadership going forward.

Manchester United gave its fans quite a ride in the Champions League this week. Upset supporters threw tennis balls onto the field in the first half while the team trailed Roma 2-0. But United came back with three second-half goals to win 3-2. Forward Mathias Cunha scored twice and celebrated by leaping into the stands with fans.