This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports.
🏈 Five things to know Monday
One game remains in a surprisingly dramatic college football Week 1. No. 19 SMU and Florida State put the finishing touches on the first full slate of the year in tonight's clash in Tallahassee. Perhaps the ACC matchup will deliver even more chaos to what was supposed to be a relatively calm week. Maybe it was the heat wave that swept the nation, but something was in the air across college football, because the late-night thriller in the lone top-25 matchup was all kinds of wild, and, uh, there was that debacle that happened at the Big House. Actually, there were two things we should learn from the unfathomable finish to No. 16 Michigan's win over Western Michigan. One is that the Wolverines have serious flaws. The other is that we should not fully trust the game clock we see on television.
LSU steamrolled Clemson without any NFL players. Neither Dae'Quan Wright nor Zxavian Harris made LSU's roster for Week 1 as Lane Kiffin cited "uncertainties" about the potential ramifications of playing the former professionals. There are still two open spots on the 105-man roster, though, so there is still a chance Kiffin will test the SEC and its threats of punishment. The Tigers on Saturday did not look like a team that needed any extra help. They obliterated Clemson in a 51-10 laugher that was effectively over by the end of the first quarter. The blowout win was a statement by Kiffin's inaugural LSU squad, and on the other side, it might finally signal the beginning of the end for Dabo Swinney at Clemson. But keep in mind that it would cost the university a near record amount of money to fire him.
Team USA reached the Women's World Cup quarterfinals. But not without a scare. A 55-52 win over Italy on Sunday marked the lowest-scoring game for the Americans at the World Cup since 1971. Team USA tallied 14 turnovers compared to just 16 made field goals in their second group stage game, which was a stark contrast from Friday's opener. Behind a historic performance from Caitlin Clark, in which she scored 14 points and tallied 11 assists off the bench, the United States rolled past China for a 33-point win in the rematch of the 2022 gold medal game.
It was a roller coaster weekend for the Americans at the US Open. On Friday, the home-soil players soared through the third round with terrific upsets as Taylor Townsend, Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul each topped higher-seeded opponents. A day later, the narrative flipped upside down when Taylor Fritz, Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys came up on the wrong side of upsets. The Americans got back on track Sunday when Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton won in straight sets, and Jessica Pegula set up a battle with Navarro in Tuesday's quarterfinal.
John Breech dropped his NFL season predictions. He picks every team's final record, along with an MVP and a surprising Super Bowl LXI matchup, with the Cincinnati Bengals -- yes, those Bengals -- beating the Dallas Cowboys and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy for the first time.
🚨 Do not miss this: College football winners and losers, overreactions, grades
For most teams in Week 1, the goal was simple: Beat a team you are supposed to beat. The opening slate was light on marquee matchups and heavy on contests between heavy favorites and massive underdogs. But even in an era where the powerhouses have all the resources in the world at their disposal, college football is college football. Surprises happen.
Look no further than No. 2 Oregon, which only narrowly escaped a very real upset bid from Boise State. The Ducks won in the end, but their defensive line was one of the nation's biggest losers of Week 1. It was supposed to be an elite, impenetrable unit but instead looked vulnerable against a Group of Six squad. And that wasn't Oregon's only shortcoming in a game it trailed by double digits.
On the flip side, other national championship hopefuls took care of business and left no doubt. No. 7 Miami, for one, might have the best offense in the country. Is that an overreaction? It sure won't be if Malachi Toney keeps playing like a Heisman Trophy contender.
And how about No. 13 Alabama? The Crimson Tide was a touch underwhelming in the early years of the Kalen DeBoer era, but it did everything it was supposed to do in a 48-10 thumping of East Carolina. We'll give the team as a whole a "B" grade for turning in a mostly great but still imperfect effort. As for new starting quarterback Keelon Russell, our Brad Crawford graded his debut.
Crawford: "There were first-start moments, and the timing will sharpen with additional reps, but the raw ingredients are undeniable. … Let's offer up a B+ in Russell's first start, which offered encouraging poise, several high-level flashes and enough command to believe bigger performances are coming soon."
🏀 Assessing Cathy Engelbert's legacy and potential replacements
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced her retirement on Friday. The league's first commissioner, who took office in 2019, will step away from the role at the end of the year.
Over more than seven years, Engelbert oversaw the league's most dramatic period of growth. With the introduction of three expansion teams (plus three more on the way by 2030), the signing of a massive $3.1 billion media rights deal, multiple collective bargaining agreements and numerous other achievements on her résumé, she leaves her post as an immensely successful commissioner.
But players and fans alike are not exactly sad to see her go. Our Lindsay Gibbs explains the other side of the equation.
Gibbs: "Her frayed personal relationships with the players and her inability to deftly publicly navigate the league through an explosion of controversies that have enveloped it -- be it racist and homophobic attacks against players, poor officiating, concerns over player safety on and off the court and the recent uproar around the league's lack of a policy about transgender participation -- has severely held back the same league that she helped to grow."
Engelbert said there are already internal and external candidates for her replacement. She will remain on board until early 2027 if the league does not find a successor by Dec. 31. Who is worthy and capable of stepping into what is a more highly scrutinized role than ever? We have a few ideas:
Bethany Donaphin, WNBA head of league operations
Swin Cash, ex-WNBA player
Marc Tatum, NBA deputy commissioner
Amy Brooks, NBA president of global business development
Nneka Ogwumike, active WNBA player and WNBPA president
👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest
What happened to the NFL's massive passing numbers? Will quarterbacks ever air it out again? Coaches and players helped our Pete Prisco get to the bottom of it.
Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes set the stage for their marquee bout on Sunday Night's Main Event with a war of words on SmackDown (where CM Punk survived an upset bid to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship, by the way). Orton got the last laugh when he finished off Rhodes with an RKO.
Driveline Baseball helped countless MLB players reach a new level at the plate. But for Kristian Campbell, it completely derailed his major-league career.
In the wake of Bill Belichick's snub, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced sweeping changes to the voting process.
We might have just witnessed the most egregious example of an MLB umpire making the game all about himself.
Ben Simmons returns to the NBA as a low-risk, high-reward addition for the Kings.
The battle for a vacant title headlines the UFC 332 fight card.
Roger Goodell is not going anywhere. The NFL commissioner just landed another contract extension.
Charlie Woods secured a major NIL deal, partnering with a company that already sponsors his father.
Sky owner Michael Alter did not mince words about Enes Kanter Freedom's First Amendment lawsuit.
The 2026 NFL Survivor Squad is here. Check out Jared Dubin's seventh-annual roster.
Salahdine Parnasse scored a knockout in his UFC debut and set his sights on Max Holloway. And you have to see this celebration from Losene Keita earlier at UFC Fight Night.
What happens when you get cut from an NFL roster while in Australia? This 49ers player just found out.
Ilia Topuria broke his silence on his brutal loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250.
Here are all of the matchups for the league phase of the UEFA Women's Champions League.
📺 What we're watching Monday
🎾 US Open: Round of 16, 11 a.m. on ESPN and 6 p.m. on ESPN2
⚽ Lecce at Cagliari, noon on Paramount+
⚾ Braves at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. on Peacock
⚾ Angels at Red Sox or Guardians at Orioles, 1:35 p.m. on MLB Network
⚾ Cubs at Brewers, 2:10 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited
⚽ Lazio at Udinese, 2:45 p.m. on Paramount+
🏀 World Cup: United States vs. Czechia, 2:45 p.m. on TNT
⚾ Nationals at Padres, 5:10 p.m. on MLB Network
🏈 No. 19 SMU at Florida State, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
🤼 WWE Raw, 8 p.m. on Netflix
⚾ Cardinals at Giants, 8:10 p.m. on NBC
⚾ Blue Jays at Athletics, 11 p.m. on MLB Network
