College football playoff rankings

The pandemic and rise in the cost of living has led to 2,600 grassroots football clubs folding in last 12 months, a report has found. A further 6,000 are at risk of closure between now and the end of next season. The Price to Play Report asked 1,000 parents of grassroots footballers, aged 5-16, how their football had been impacted by the pandemic and, latterly, by the cost-of-living crisis. It found seven per cent of clubs have closed, and a further 16 per cent of parents fear their child’s club could be the next to go. The new report is the sequel to energy company Utilita’s State of Play Report, published in 2020, which revealed the devastation caused by the pandemic on grassroots football. As the previous report had warned, 10 per cent of players have not returned to the pitch, with 58 per cent of parents saying affordability got in the way of play. And the number of people who can’t afford kit has almost doubled from 18 - to 34 per cent of families. Utilita worked … [Read more...] about Covid and cost of living rise sees 2,600 grassroots football clubs fold, study finds

For the second straight day, LSU picked up a four-star recruit. Cornerback Daylen Austin (Long Beach, Calif.) verbally committed Monday with an announcement on Twitter, giving the Tigers their sixth player and third defensive back in the 2023 class. Austin chose LSU over offers from Michigan State, Alabama, Oregon, Georgia, Southern Cal, Nebraska and Penn State. He's the No. 16 cornerback in the country, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. Prolific Louisiana running back Trey Holly announces commitment to LSU Four-star running back Trey Holly, one of the most prolific rushers in Louisiana the last few years, announced his commitment Sunday afternoon… Austin's decision came the day after four-star Louisiana running back Trey Holly committed to LSU. They joined tight end Mac Markway, safety Ryan Yaites, wide receiver Omarion Miller and safety Michael Daugherty. All of them are four-star recruits, and with Austin's … [Read more...] about LSU football recruiting heats up as this 4-star cornerback announces commitment

Alisson's dramatic late header away at West Brom kept Liverpool in the race for top four - which could be decided by the tightest of margins. Jurgen Klopp 's former champions were in desperate need of three points at the Hawthorns on Sunday, but Hal Robson-Kanu's early goal left them trailing. Mohamed Salah then equalised just after the half-hour mark, before Alisson headed home the most astonishing of stoppage-time winners right at the death - becoming only the sixth goalkeeper to score in the Premier League. His goal means Liverpool are now only one point adrift of fourth-place Chelsea and three behind Leicester in third, and the latter pair are due to play each other on Tuesday. The Reds' two remaining fixtures come away at Burnley on Wednesday and at home to Crystal Palace next Sunday, while Leicester and Chelsea have tough outings against Tottenham and Aston Villa respectively after their meeting on Tuesday. Winning both would all but secure Champions League … [Read more...] about Liverpool’s top-four chances explained in race to hunt down Chelsea and Leicester

Primary voters are going to the polls in five states, with closely-watched contests for House seats happening in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Oregon. Freshman Rep. Madison Cawthorn is facing several primary challengers, one of whom is endorsed by Senator Thom Tillis, who said Cawthorn had "fallen well short of the most basic standards Western North Carolina expects from their representatives." Also in North Carolina, in the open seat for retiring Democratic Rep. David Price, a crowded field includes former "American Idol" contestant Clay Aiken, state Sen. Valerie Foushee and Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam, who would become the first Muslim woman to serve in public office in North Carolina if she wins. In Oregon's 6th District, Sen. Jeff Merkley called the involvement of House Majority PAC, a group aligned with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, "flat-out wrong." That race is turning into one of the most expensive primary races in the country. Democratic voters in Pennsylvania's … [Read more...] about House primaries to watch Tuesday: Madison Cawthorn faces several challengers and more

New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen says a cryptic tweet by Drew Brees , who hinted at a possible return to football, was likely "made in jest." Brees created a social media stir Sunday night when, as part of a tweet to address "speculation" about his future, he said he "may play football again." Brees, 43, retired from football in March 2021 and spent last season as an NFL analyst for NBC. The 13-time Pro Bowl quarterback tweeted Sunday in apparent response to the New York Post, which reported that Brees will not return to NBC for the 2022 season. Allen, speaking Monday at the Saints' Hall of Fame golf tournament from Kenner, Louisiana, said there have been no discussions about a Brees comeback in New Orleans. "I think it was a comment made in jest, and we certainly haven't had any conversations in that regard," Allen said. Brees also tweeted his excitement over the Saints' recent signings of former LSU stars Tyrann Mathieu and Jarvis Landry . Brees is second … [Read more...] about Drew Brees tweet hinting at possible comeback likely ‘made in jest,’ New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen says

WORRIED about password security? Hackers are getting more sophisticated, so you're right to be concerned. We've got some handy guidance on how to check your password security – plus tips on boosting your cyber-security. Read all the latest Phones & Gadgets news Keep up-to-date on Apple stories Get the latest on Facebook , WhatsApp and Instagram How secure is my password? A few years ago, security firm Dashlane teamed up with Virginia Tech to analyse more than 61million passwords. The most common 8-character password base is "12345678". A password base is a password that other variants could be spawned from. So "password" is the second most common base, but "password1" and "password2" are also very common. Single words rank very highly in the top 10 most common password bases, including "football" and "princess". These repeat offenders are so common because people struggle to remember complicated passwords – even though weak passwords put … [Read more...] about How secure is my password? Tips to boost your privacy

MUCH has been written about how the only winners in the Wagatha Christie saga are the lawyers. But no. Trundling up on the rails is one Wayne Rooney . A man who, after 19 years of patchy form, is finally stepping, nay galloping, up to the front. While Rebekah Vardy’s husband, Jamie , is conspicuous by his absence, day after day former racehorse owner Wayne has been glued to Coleen’s side. To paraphrase Martine McCutcheon, this is his perfect moment. Dutifully lugging in his wife’s wheelbarrow-sized Fendi bags — she has been sporting a collection of decidedly more delicate Chanel ones — Wayne has been little short of stoical at London’s High Court. Read more on Wagatha ROON WITH A VIEW Wayne & Coleen staying at exclusive £3,500 a night hotel during trial 'MENACING' Becky Vardy brands Coleen 'school bully' who wanted to make her 'feel paranoid' Daily court sketches, surely etched by a Liverpool … [Read more...] about Wayne Rooney’s behaviour has tested Coleen to the limit, now he’s repaying the debt in court

When Ashleigh Barty walks out to play her first-round match in Paris this week, she will be on day 73 of a world tour that has already taken in Miami, Charleston, Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome. Barty and her long-serving coach Craig Tyzzer expect to continue on through the Tokyo Olympics and the American hard-court swing before heading home. When the last stop finally arrives, they might be tempted to yell “Goodnight, New York!” as if they were the Roxette of tennis. Twas ever thus for Australian tennis players. Where their European counterparts nip back between tournaments to wash their socks, Aussies spend nine months of the year marooned 10,000 miles from their families, effective orphans except for the odd Skype or Zoom call. The impact on a young player’s mental health can be significant. When she was 18, Barty became so demoralised that she stepped away from the game for 18 months. Her father Robert has acknowledged that “We never thought she would be back,” so this was … [Read more...] about Ashleigh Barty back at the French Open with a smile and new perspective

Manuel Santana, who has died aged 83, became the first Spaniard to win the Wimbledon singles crown. His elegantly crafted victory over the powerful Californian net-rusher Dennis Ralston in the 1966 final broke the near-stranglehold which the Americans and Australians had exerted on the Championship since 1947. This, combined with his heroics spearheading Spain’s astounding Davis Cup defeat of the highly fancied Americans the previous year, made him a national hero and hugely boosted the game’s popularity throughout Spain. He later became a much-loved coach, tournament director and senior circuit player who influenced a generation of Spanish stars including Rafael Nadal. Manuel Santana was born on May 10 1938 in Madrid into a dirt-poor, working-class family living in a crowded tenement. His father Braulio, an electrician, fought on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War and was imprisoned for his anti-Fascist views during the early years of Franco’s dictatorship. Manuel, … [Read more...] about Manuel Santana, Wimbledon’s first Spanish singles champion, whose charm endeared him to British crowds – obituary

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The specifics of former New York Giants head coach Joe Judge's role as a New England Patriots offensive assistant became clearer Monday, as he told reporters that he's working with Mac Jones and the quarterbacks. It's a key position on Bill Belichick's staff, given Jones' promise and the departure of longtime, innovative offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to become the Las Vegas Raiders head coach. Meanwhile, former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia -- who spent the 2021 season as a senior advisor to Belichick in New England -- said he is working with the offensive line. Belichick had previously identified Judge and Patricia as two leading coaches on offense, but had not publicly specified their roles, or if they would replace McDaniels as the playcaller on game day. Judge was asked if he would call plays in 2022 and said: "Look, I'll tell you directly and honestly right now, nothing has been declared or decided or voiced to me. ... In … [Read more...] about Patriots offensive assistant Joe Judge says he’s working with Mac Jones, quarterbacks