Sports
AP Top 25: Texas keeps No. 1 ranking ahead of Georgia visit; Oregon moves up to No. 2
Oregon moved up to No. 2 behind top-ranked Texas in the AP Top 25 college football poll Sunday after their dramatic win against Ohio State.
The Ducks jumped a spot after beating Ohio State 32-31 in a thriller at Autzen Stadium on Saturday night for their highest ranking since finishing the 2014 season at No. 2. The fourth-ranked Buckeyes’ first loss of the season cost them only two spots, as they also fell behind Penn State, which moved up to No. 3 after beating USC in overtime.
Texas received 56 first-place votes after blowing out Oklahoma, while Oregon had six. The Longhorns’ hold on No. 1 will be on the line next Saturday night when No. 5 Georgia visits Austin in another top-five matchup in the SEC. It’s the third AP top-five matchup in four weeks.
The biggest mover is LSU, which jumped five spots to No. 8 after beating Ole Miss, which plummeted nine spots to No. 18. The Tigers have won five games in a row since their opening loss to USC. Undefeated Iowa State also cracked the top 10 at No. 9 after a win at West Virginia.
Tennessee dropped three spots despite winning, slipping to No. 11 after needing overtime to beat Florida.
AP Top 25 after Week 7
|
Rank
|
Team
|
Record
|
Prev.
|
Matt’s vote
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
6-0 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
2 |
6-0 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
6-0 |
4 |
4 |
|
|
4 |
5-1 |
2 |
3 |
|
|
5 |
5-1 |
5 |
7 |
|
|
6 |
6-0 |
6 |
5 |
|
|
7 |
5-1 |
7 |
6 |
|
|
8 |
5-1 |
13 |
15 |
|
|
9 |
6-0 |
11 |
9 |
|
|
10 |
5-1 |
10 |
8 |
|
|
11 |
5-1 |
8 |
16 |
|
|
12 |
5-1 |
11 |
13 |
|
|
13 |
6-0 |
14 |
10 |
|
|
14 |
5-1 |
15 |
14 |
|
|
15 |
5-1 |
17 |
11 |
|
|
16 |
6-0 |
18 |
12 |
|
|
17 |
5-1 |
18 |
17 |
|
|
18 |
5-2 |
9 |
24 |
|
|
19 |
5-1 |
21 |
22 |
|
|
20 |
6-0 |
22 |
18 |
|
|
21 |
5-1 |
25 |
19 |
|
|
22 |
5-1 |
23 |
25 |
|
|
23 |
6-0 |
NR |
21 |
|
|
24 |
4-2 |
24 |
NR |
|
|
25 |
5-0 |
NR |
20 |
|
|
NR |
4-2 |
NR |
23 |
Others receiving votes: Vanderbilt 68, Nebraska 62, Arizona State 39, Oklahoma 36, Washington State 32, Iowa 29, Texas Tech 18, Syracuse 13, Arkansas 13, Utah 7, Louisville 6, Southern Cal 5, Liberty 2, UNLV 1
In and out
Oklahoma fell out of the rankings for the first time since 2022 after the Sooners were routed by Texas in the Red River Rivalry. Utah is also out of the rankings for the first time this season after the Utes lost their second consecutive game on Friday night to Arizona State.
In their spots are undefeated Army (No. 23) and Navy (No. 25). It’s the first poll the Black Knights and Midshipmen have appeared in together since 1960. Vanderbilt just missed after its wins against Alabama and Kentucky, as it’s the first team out.
Why I voted Oregon No. 1
Most of my adjustments this week were relatively subtle, with moves of one or two places for much of the top 20. I did, however, decide to vote for another new No. 1: Welcome to the top of my ballot, Oregon.
Yes, it feels odd to move a team like Texas down after the Longhorns beat their rival by 31 points, but the decision was much more about giving Oregon the respect it deserves for notching what could be the best win of the season so far against Ohio State, which I dropped only one spot to No. 3. Plus, the Ducks also have a win against a Boise State team I have ranked 11th behind Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty. The Ducks have the best combination of talent and resume.
Of course, if Texas beats Georgia next week, I’ll likely make another swap at the top of my rankings. — Matt Brown, college sports managing editor
Does Penn State deserve to be No. 3?
The Nittany Lions have their best ranking since reaching No. 2 in 2017, but it feels like they are more the beneficiary of the results of other big games than truly worthy of that lofty ranking.
Penn State is only 23 points ahead of No. 4 Ohio State, so it’s not as if voters went flocking to the Nittany Lions.
To be clear, Penn State has done good work against respectable opposition. Especially when you take into consideration road games at West Virginia and USC and a thorough handling of Illinois.
Voters are rewarding the unbeaten record, but it feels like a stretch to make the case that the Nittany Lions are actually better than Ohio State and Georgia, with their narrow and dramatic losses to Oregon and Alabama, respectively.
And if voters are deferring to the zero in the loss column, a similar case can be made for Miami ahead of the Buckeyes and Bulldogs.
Of course, Penn State will get its chance to prove it on the field in a few weeks at home against the Buckeyes, who they have not beaten since 2016. — Ralph Russo, college sports senior writer
What’s next in Week 8?
No. 5 Georgia visiting No. 1 Texas is the headliner, and it’s the first time the Longhorns have hosted a matchup of two AP top-five teams since a loss to Ohio State in September 2006. The SEC has a pair of high-profile matchups, as No. 7 Alabama will visit No. 11 Tennessee in a game between two one-loss teams that have been on shaky ground the past couple of weeks.
The other ranked matchup is No. 24 Michigan at No. 22 Illinois, though also keep an eye on Nebraska going to undefeated No. 16 Indiana in the Big Ten.
Oregon, meanwhile, will try to avoid a hangover on Friday night at Purdue. Penn State and Ohio State are both idle.
Required reading
(Photo: Sam Hodde / Getty Images)
Sports
Pacers president apologizes to fans after team’s ‘risk’ backfires in NBA Draft Lottery
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The Indiana Pacers’ risky move backfired after the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery saw them lose their top pick altogether in a disastrous turn of events on Sunday afternoon.
Heading into the lottery, the Pacers, who went 19-63 just one season after reaching the NBA Finals out of the Eastern Conference, had a 52.1% chance of having a top-four pick.
However, when they didn’t see their team chosen in the first four picks – Indiana also had a 14% chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick – it was time to panic.
Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard speaks during a press conference to announce center Miles Turner’s contract extension at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on Jan. 30, 2023. (Marc Lebryk/USA TODAY Sports)
The reason? The Pacers included their first-round pick in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers for Ivica Zubac, but they only made it a top-four protected pick. That means, if the Pacers were chosen in the lottery as a top-four selection, they would be able to keep it.
But the Pacers were chosen as the No. 5 pick, and the Clippers now own the selection in next month’s draft.
NBA LOTTERY CHAOS: WASHINGTON WIZARDS STRIKE GOLD, PACERS PAY FOR TANKING GAMBLE NIGHTMARE
As a result, Pacers team president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard took full responsibility for the move, apologizing on social media.
“I’m really sorry to all our fans,” he wrote on X. “I own taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck. But please remember – this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient.”
Signage is displayed during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, on May 10, 2026. (Melissa Tamez/NBAE/Getty Images)
The Pacers were viewed as a team that were actively tanking despite the NBA’s attempt to crack down on such a season, with the lottery being one way of that. And it clearly worked this time around.
Pritchard was trying to be transparent and honest with the Pacers fan base, but people were quick to jump in the comments to make their thoughts, and gripes, known.
“You lose Myles Turner and add Zubac,” one X user began. “You lose [Benedict] Mathurin and the number 5 pick with absolutely nothing in return. This is why fans are upset, for a center who not even a top 5 center in the NBA. Who trades their future away for Ivan [sic] Zubac???”
Another X user called this a “generational draft,” and couldn’t fathom the Pacers won’t be picking from a deep class.
“If I were a Pacers fan and my team traded away a top 5 pick for Ivica Zubac in the middle of a tanking season I would be beyond devastated,” a fellow X user wrote.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton shoots around on the court before an NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Indianapolis on April 7, 2026. (Doug McSchooler/AP)
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The Pacers were without their All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton all season long after he suffered an Achilles injury during the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But Indiana still has key members of that team returning next season, including Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith.
However, this 2026 draft class is quite the spectacle, with many believing it to be deep considering the talent of BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, UNC’s Caleb Wilson, and Duke’s Cam Boozer, among others.
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Sports
‘They punched us in the face.’ Sparks can’t keep pace with Aces in season-opening loss
Before the Sparks opening day loss to the Las Vegas Aces, coach Lynne Roberts said that this year “felt different.”
After one game, though, it feels a lot like the same.
During their season opener, the Sparks couldn’t get momentum against the defending champion Aces and fell 105-78 behind a remarkably efficient shooting day from the visitors at Crypto.com Arena.
After posting the worst defense in the WNBA last season (88.2 points per game), the Sparks made a flurry of offseason moves prioritizing stopping opponents. It’s why they brought in Nneka Ogwumike, Ariel Atkins and Erica Wheeler.
But the Aces shot 63% from the floor and the Sparks had few answers.
“Today was on us,” Ogwumike said. “Defense is not something that gels. You either want to do it or you don’t.”
Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson led the Aces with 19 points, Jackie Young had 20 points and nine assists and Chennedy Carter added 22 points in her first WNBA game since 2024.
The Aces, who were coming off a 33-point blowout opening day loss to Phoenix on Saturday, scored 33 of their points in the third quarter and that’s when the wheels fell off for the Sparks. Las Vegas shot 73.7% during the quarter.
Sparks coach Lynne Roberts reacts during a 105-78 loss to the Las Vegas Aces at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday.
(Luiza Moraes / Getty Images)
“I think that was probably one of my worst one-on-one defending nights,” Ogwumike said. “But defense is definitely not something that you guys should be sitting here watching and hoping we get it down by the end of the month. You should see it on Wednesday.”
Kelsey Plum scored 11 of her 27 points in the fourth quarter, but by then the Aces had opened a 20-plus point lead.
The Sparks narrowed the deficit to one by halftime following an Ogwumike (19 points, 10 rebounds) three-pointer and backhand layup late in the second. But mostly, the Sparks’ defense activated, forcing 10 Las Vegas turnovers, led by two steals apiece from Atkins and Wheeler to fuel the comeback.
That energy was gone by the third quarter after the Aces started doubling Ogwumike, and aside from Plum, the Sparks’ offense had no answers.
“They punched us in the face,” Plum said. “We didn’t respond. And obviously, they’re a great team, right? When someone is shooting 63% it’s going to be hard to win that game. … I’m disappointed in our effort.”
Of the Sparks’ 19 turnovers, 10 came in the second half. The Aces scored 26 points off those giveaways, which made things even more difficult on the defense.
“Turnovers are, you’re just leading the other team to a fast break,” Roberts said. “And so we were giving them the turnovers, then there are two individual players who are expected to get a defensive stop after the turnover.”
They also need more from reserve center Cameron Brink (0 points, 0-for-0 shooting, three rebounds, three fouls in eight minutes) and Wheeler (two points, 1-for-11 in 20 minutes) going forward. Once Brink got in foul trouble, the Aces could continue blitzing Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby (12 points, five rebounds) without worry.
“We need Cam to produce,” Roberts said. “We need Cam to bring that defensive energy. We have so much confidence and belief in her. She’s got to get out on the floor with some confidence and do what she’s capable of doing, but we’re going to need her.”
If the Sparks have turned a corner from last season, they will need to find consistency on the defensive end of the floor. It won’t get easier with Caitlin Clark and Indiana (0-1) coming to town on Wednesday.
But the reason the Sparks built the roster that they did was to stop opponents after falling short of the postseason with the league’s third-best scoring team in the league.
“The good thing about this league is that we play in a day or two,” Plum said. “So, we’ll fix things.”
Sports
2026 NASCAR Odds: Pole-sitter Shane van Gisbergen Favorite for Watkins Glen
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Last August, when the NASCAR Cup Series went to the road course at Watkins Glen, Shane van Gisbergen captured the checkered flag.
Now SVG finds himself at the top of the oddsboard to win again when the series goes Bowling at The Glen on Sunday, May 10 (3 p.m. ET, FS1).
Let’s take a look at where the rest of the field sits as of May 10 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at the Glen 2026
Shane van Gisbergen: -135 (bet $10 to win $17.41 total)
Connor Zilisch: +360 (bet $10 to win $46 total)
Christopher Bell: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Tyler Reddick: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Ty Gibbs: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Chris Buescher: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Michael McDowell: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Austin Cindric: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Ross Chastain: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Chase Elliott: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Carson Hocevar: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Ryan Blaney: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Chase Briscoe: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
William Byron: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Kyle Larson: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
AJ Allmendinger: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Joey Logano: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
Kyle Busch: +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total)
Denny Hamlin: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Alex Bowman: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Daniel Suarez: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Brad Keselowski: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Bubba Wallace: +13000 (bet $10 to win $1,310 total)
Ryan Preece: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)
Riley Herbst: +40000 (bet $10 to win $4,010 total)
Austin Dillon: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)
Zane Smith: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)
John Hunter Nemechek: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)
Erik Jones: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)
Todd Gilliland: +70000 (bet $10 to win $7,010 total)
Josh Berry: +70000 (bet $10 to win $7,010 total)
Noah Gragson: +80000 (bet $10 to win $8,010 total)
Cole Custer: +80000 (bet $10 to win $8,010 total)
Ty Dillon: +90000 (bet $10 to win $9,010 total)
Katherine Legge: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Josh Bilicki: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Cody Ware: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
The Favorite: Last year at Watkins Glen, Shane van Gisbergen finished eighth in Stage 1, 22nd in Stage 2 and led 38 laps on the day before getting into Victory Lane. And as it stands currently, SVG could use a win; the driver of the No. 97 car hasn’t won yet in 2026. He’s also 19th in the standings. However, he has two top 10s this year and one top-five finish. Bettors also might want to note that van Gisbergen won five of the six NASCAR road courses in 2025 and finished second at COTA earlier this year.
One to Watch: Another driver fans might want to keep their eyes on is Ryan Blaney. At The Glen in 2025, Blaney won the pole, finished seventh in Stage 1, won Stage 2 and finished the race sixth overall after leading 35 laps. On No. 12’s resume so far this year are seven top 10s, three top-five finishes and one win. He’s currently fourth in the standings.
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