Christian McCaffrey won the NFL’s offensive player of the year award while handling more touches than any player in the league, so the running back provided the 49ers with both quality and quantity on the field. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hinted that they might like to dial back the quantity a bit as they try to maintain the quality …

Rivalries are a big part of what makes college football so special. Few sports have as many meaningful feuds, many of which span well over a century. Some rivalry games are as entertaining and intriguing as the national championship, if only for the tradition and surrounding fanfare.  The SEC isn’t short on featured conflicts. Some date back to the formation …

Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporterJun 29, 2024, 01:00 PM ET CloseRyan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN. After a dearth of player-centered trades on Day 1 of the 2024 NHL draft, there was a blockbuster to begin Day 2. One team might be able to keep its captain and possibly add another big player, while the other showed …

Christian McCaffrey has pretty much always been a high-usage player. Since a rookie season where he total 197 touches in 16 games for an average of 12.3 per week, McCaffrey has averaged at least 19.4 touches per game in each of the last six seasons. He’s had two years over 25 per game, and the two seasons where he dipped …

USC football plays at Michigan on Sept. 21. The Trojans might still be getting used to their new defensive scheme. The offensive line and Miller Moss might still be immersed in a feeling-out process. The Trojans might not yet be fully aware of who they are as a football team. They might not be entirely sure of what they can …

The NFL has now been playing regular-season games abroad since 2007. The first such game took place in London, which has hosted more NFL games than any other international city. It’s long been rumored that if the NFL were to expand beyond the United States, it would be London that got the first crack at it. According to brothers Jason …

Atmosphere is a word routinely heard when discussing college football, particularly when comparing the game to its professional counterpart, the NFL. The stadiums in which the games are played provide much of that atmosphere. While many NFL stadiums, particularly the newer ones, look and feel the same every Sunday, college football stadiums have unique personalities. Some are gigantic, while others …

Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporterJun 29, 2024, 01:30 PM ET CloseRyan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN. The Washington Capitals’ offseason of change continued Saturday with the club getting Logan Thompson in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights. Washington parted with a 2024 third-round pick and a 2025 third-round pick to get Thompson in a move that …

Former Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell’s NFL career is remembered as an infamous one. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, Russell went just 7-18 as a starter over parts of three seasons, completing only 52.1% of his passes at an average of a paltry 6.0 yards per attempt, with 18 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions. He …

While LSU doesn’t necessarily have a true natural rival as the only power conference program in the state of Louisiana, it has quite a few around the SEC that have developed due to both regional factors and others. The Tigers’ biggest rival historically is probably Ole Miss, and they also have a long-running series with Arkansas, known as the Battle …

New York Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux has a lofty goal for the 2024 season. Well, really for every season. He wants to become the NFL’s all-time single-season sack leader, taking down the mark held by a former Giants legend.  “We’re just going to start this off, if you were wondering, I’m going for the record — so don’t ask,” …

Active NFL players are prohibited from promoting alcohol. That hasn’t stopped Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, arguably the most recognizable face of the league, from skirting the rule in recent years. Now the reigning Super Bowl champion is at it again, filming a new Coors Light commercial … that will be buried in a time capsule, only to be …

Penn State football analyst Marty Leap, from Rivals’ Happy Valley Insider, talked to us on our USC football show at The Voice of College Football. He explained that Drew Allar has all the tools and he has the arm talent to be an elite quarterback. Allar had issues which were similar to the ones Caleb Williams faced in 2023, with receivers …

The current expectation is that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will be playing for the 49ers in 2024, but he has thought about what other options might be in play. Aiyuk met with the 49ers this week and a report said that the meeting ended with both sides saying they were not looking for a trade ahead of the season. Aiyuk …

The Georgia Bulldogs have the highest-rated offense in EA Sports’ College Football 25 video game. Georgia has an offensive rating of 94, which is No. 1 in the game. The Oregon Ducks also have an offensive rating of 94, but are still considered the No. 2 offense. Alabama (rating of 91), Texas (91) and Ohio State (89) round out the …