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Add Adam Breneman to the chorus of college football analysts who believe Penn State is a national-championship contender this season. The former Penn State tight end, now a rising voice in college football media, said Penn State "has everything it takes" to win the College Footall Playoff title.
"Penn State has been investing at the highest level, I think as well as anyone in the country," Breneman said in a recent interview. "You think about keeping [quarterback] Drew Allar, keeping [running back] Nicholas Singleton, keeping [running back Kaytron Allen] and then getting the receivers that they got from the portal.
"You think about the defense and having probably the best secondary in the country, and then you get Jim Knowles, the best coordinator in America who just won a national championship. To keep [offensive coordinator] Andy Kotelnicki another year and keep him away from a head coaching job. I mean, it is about as 'all-in' as you can imagine in college football."
Breneman, who was part of the 2014-15 Penn State teams coached by James Franklin, has had a unique view of the Nittany Lions over the past few years. Breneman is a co-founder of The College Sports Company, which helps athletic departments and NIL collectives build media brands and content around their teams and athletes. He is involved with State Media, the outlet that produces content regarding Penn State athletics.
On his podcast, "Next Up With Adam Breneman," the former Nittany Lion has interviewed Franklin several times, along with players and assistant coaches. During those interviews, Breneman has seen a program building toward another playoff run.
"The chips are all on the table right now," Breneman said, "and I think it's time to go get it done. And if there's one guy that's great at keeping the team focused and not thinking too much about the future, it's coach Franklin. They are built for this moment, and I'm excited to see it play out. And you can look at last season. I mean, you're a play away from the national-championship game with some real pieces missing on that offense and on the team. Now they have some big additions, and getting Jim Knowles has been huge."
Breneman recently sat down to interview Franklin at the Lasch Football Building. He found a coach who has a long memory in addition to an eye on the future.
"One of the fun things we talked about is the time when he got the Penn State, when he was still dealing with sanctions," Breneman said. "He alluded to how he didn’t know what he he was walking into. He didn't quite get the full story during the interview process of what was going on as they were selling him the job. And I thought he was pretty open about that.
"We talked about some of the adversity. He talked about 2016 and the crowd chanting. 'fire Franklin' as he walked off the field [at halftime of the Minnesota game]. And then they turn around and win the Big 10 Championship. I thought was really cool. I asked him in my last interview, 'Do you ever think that the fans will fully appreciate what you've done here in your 10 years?' And he said, 'No, but no one gives a s---.' I think it was his exact quote. So I thought that was a pretty neat answer."
Check out Breneman's latest interview with Franklin via the Next Up With Adam Breneman podcast.
More must-reads:
- Oregon suspends former five-star WR recruit indefinitely
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- The '2023 NFL AP second-team All-Pro' quiz
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Tennessee Tech making historic change by leaving Ohio Valley Conference
The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles are planning on shaking up their corner of the college sports landscape. Located in Cookeville, Tennessee, the Golden Eagles have been a part of the Ohio Valley Conference since 1949. Tennessee Tech has been in the same conference for nearly 80 years, but that will change in the 2026 season. Tennessee Tech will be joining the Southern Conference. "This historic move changes the trajectory of our athletic aspirations and makes a statement to our campus and our community that Tech sports will be a part of a vibrant conference with new geographic rivalries," Director of Athletics Casey Fox said in a statement. "Our student-athletes and coaches will benefit from the reputation and competition the SoCon offers." This move will make the SoCon an 11-school outfit, with Tennessee State joining East Tennessee State, Chattanooga, Furman, Mercer, UNC Greensboro, Samford, The Citadel, Virginia Military Institute, Western Carolina and Wofford. All but one sport will compete in the SoCon, with beach volleyball remaining a nonconference sport. It does sound like geography played a big role into this decision for the Golden Eagles. "Geographically, the states with SoCon teams fit the footprint of our students and alumni, so our move makes sense in those terms," Tech president Phil Oldham said. "Beyond that, our students and fans will have a chance to be a part of new rivalries and traditions that can create lifetime memories." Tennessee Tech will leave the OVC with claims to 11 football championships, 19 women's basketball regular-season championships and three NCAA titles by the men's rifle team.
Yankees Announce Paul Goldschmidt News After Loss to Twins
The New York Yankees won their first series of August in a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins from Monday to Wednesday, but they're still in trouble. They're only one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final AL Wild Card spot with six weeks left in the regular season. The Yankees beat the Twins 6-2 on Monday and 9-1 on Tuesday before losing 4-1 on Wednesday, but Tuesday's victory came at a price. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt left early and didn't play on Wednesday, a night in which New York especially needed his bat. The Yankees released an update on Goldschmidt after Wednesday night's game, via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. The 37-year-old has a low-grade knee sprain with inflammation. He's slashing .276/.331/.422 with 10 homers and 40 RBI over 112 games. Fellow first baseman Ben Rice went 1-for-4 in Goldshmidt's stead on Wednesday. The 26-year-old is slashing .233/.326/.456 with 17 homers and 38 RBI over 101 contests. Paul Goldschmidt comments on injury Goldschmidt said that he hopes he can avoid the IL with a "short-term" absence, via Hoch. While Rice is a high-upside player in his second year, the seven-time All-Star is still a more dependable contact hitter at this point. Goldschmidt is third on the squad with 110 hits, although his younger counterpart's OPS is 30 points higher. The Yankees need the veteran back as soon as possible to help them maintain their Wild Card spot. His presence allows Rice to play catcher, which is optimal given Austin Wells's struggles. The 26-year-old is slashing just .206/.264/.408 with 15 homers and 56 RBI over 94 games. Up next for New York is a road series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Goldschmidt's former team.
Six NBA players most likely to be traded
NBA teams won't assemble for training camp until September, but some players may not be on those teams for long. Here are six NBA players likely to get traded in the upcoming season. 1. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz Some NBA teams go all-in. The Utah Jazz have gone all-out, ditching veterans Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and John Collins this summer. Their lone remaining high-priced player is Lauri Markkanen, a 2023 All-Star who has four years and $196M left on his contract. He had a down year in 2024-25, playing just 47 games and dropping to 19 points per game, but the Jazz were also holding Markkanen out so much that they got fined. Markkanen's shooting would fit on nearly any NBA team, and he's still only 28 years old. The Jazz have amassed a lot of future draft picks, but many of them aren't great — pick swaps with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves, and a 2027 Los Angeles Lakers first-rounder. Trading their Finnish superstar could get them a huge return, especially if NBA teams are seeing him dominate in EuroBasket exhibition games. 2. Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors It seems like a foregone conclusion that Jonathan Kuminga will resign with the Golden State Warriors and equally inevitable that the Warriors will then try to trade their 22-year-old forward. The only holdup is that the restricted free agent and his team can't agree on a new contract. The Warriors need to get something back for their former lottery pick, but they also need to preserve his salary slot. Kuminga and his agent couldn't work out a sign-and-trade this summer, but once free agents who signed this summer can be traded Dec. 15, far more trade options will open up. Kuminga doesn't want to be on the Warriors. The Warriors don't want to guarantee him playing time. The breakup looks like it's coming. 3. Anfernee Simons, Boston Celtics In a year where the Boston Celtics have dramatically slashed their payroll in Jayson Tatum's absence, they have a huge incentive to deal Anfernee Simons, the guard acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers in the Jrue Holiday trade. Getting rid of Simons gets them under the luxury tax, which is worth tens of millions of dollars, while also keeping the Celtics out of penalties for repeatedly being a tax team. It all depends on whether the Celtics will settle for the financial savings or hold out to get assets back for the impending free agent. But Simons is almost certainly headed somewhere. 4. P.J. Washington, Dallas Mavericks P.J. Washington was a huge part of the Dallas Mavericks' run to the NBA Finals in 2024. Unfortunately, he plays the same position as the guy the Mavericks just took with the No. 1 pick in the draft, Cooper Flagg. The Mavericks also have Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and the newly-extended Daniel Gafford. Washington and his expiring contract are now expendable. 5. CJ McCollum/Khris Middleton, Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards took on McCollum and Middleton in trades in the past year, moves that were primarily made to shed the long-term salaries of Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma. But even though those players were both born in 1991, they should still be able to contribute to winning teams in 2025-26. The Wizards may value their veteran leadership, but they also have a roster full of recent draft picks who need playing time — and you can never have too many future draft picks.
Steelers' Free Agent Addition Shaping Up To Be A Disappointment After Several Weeks Of Training Camp
Rory McIlroy regrets his 'horrific' purchase after cashing first PGA Tour paycheck
Rory McIlroy has made enough money to buy whatever he wants without even looking at the price tag. The five-time major champion has banked $107 million in on-course earnings alone in his PGA Tour career, but he still regrets the first major purchase he made after cashing his first big paycheck. Ahead of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club, a reporter asked McIlroy if he remembers how he spent his first PGA Tour paycheck. It was clear from his response that he still regrets it today. "Yes," McIlroy said without hesitation, "a watch with diamonds around it. It was horrific. I can't believe—it's like the worst purchase ever. It was so bad." McIlroy, who has a long-running endorsement deal with Omega, wisely declined to reveal which company the watch came from. "It's not the make and model that I'm sponsored by now, so I'm not going to say it," he said with a chuckle. It's hard to blame McIlroy for making an immature decision when he got his first taste of wealth. Wouldn't we all? McIlroy was just 19 years old when he made his PGA Tour debut at the 2009 WGC-Accenture Match Play, where he finished in a tie for fifth place. Anyone in his position would've splurged on a guilty pleasure after cashing a life-changing check. McIlroy can laugh about the purchase now because he has enough money to buy a million more watches if he wants. The Northern Irishman is the second-richest golfer of all time in terms of on-course earnings, and he's only $14 million behind Tiger Woods' record of $120.99 million. Considering McIlroy is just 36 years old and still has many years of great golf left in him, he's going to finish his career as the highest-earning golfer in PGA Tour history.
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