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Justin Thomas, Viktor Hovland and Hideki Matsuyama headline the 2026 FedEx St Jude Championship best bets
Golf: the only sport in which the fans care more about the regular season than the playoffs. In fact, most of you thought the PGA TOUR 2026 season ended after the final major, the British Open. But, nope. The FedExCup Playoffs start this week with the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.
Only the top 69 golfers in the FedExCup standings head to Memphis for the first round of the playoffs because Daniel Berger withdrew. With no cut and massive playoff points at stake, only the top 50 in the standings advance to next week's BMW Championship.
TPC Southwind is a 7,288-yard, par-70 that rewards precise iron play more than mindless bombing. Water is in play throughout; the Bermuda greens can get tricky, and missed approaches bring bogey into the equation quickly. Hence, I'm upweighting ball-striking and course management in my handicap.
My betting strategy for the St. Jude Championship is to wager enough on a golfer's outright to profit 20 units (u), while backing them up with top-10 and 20 bets. That said, let's talk about the guys I'm backing in the first round of the FedExCup Playoffs.
2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship Best Bets
The following odds are from when I bet on the golfers listed below. Subject to change.
🇯🇵 Hideki Matsuyama +3300 (0.61u) at DraftKings and Top-10 with ties +240 (0.5u) at Kalshi
🇳🇴 Viktor Hovland +4356 (0.46u) at Kalshi and Top-10 with ties +275 (0.5u) at BetMGM
🇺🇸 Justin Thomas +5146 (0.39u) at Polymarket and Top-10 with ties +275 (0.5u) at BetMGM
🇰🇷 Tom Kim +5500 (0.36u) at DraftKings and Top-20 with ties +146 (0.75u) at Kalshi
🇺🇸 Rickie Fowler +8481 (0.24u) at Polymarket and Top-20 with ties +189 (0.75u) at Kalshi
‘Deki has five straight T20-or-better finishes at TPC Southwind, and I cashed on him when he won the 2024 St. Jude Championship at +3000. Furthermore, he has the best course history in this field, according to Betsperts Golf’s Ron Klos.
Matsuyama has five consecutive T14-or-better finishes entering the 2026 St. Jude, with a T3 (3M Open), T5 (Rocket Classic) and T7 (Wyndham Championship) in his last three tournaments.
Hideki has gained strokes on the field in driving accuracy in six consecutive starts, has picked up strokes putting in four of his last five outings, has a world-class short-game and is dialed in with his irons.
Between his skill set and the course history/fit, Matsuyama should have a shorter price than many names ahead of him on the betting board, so I’m taking the value.
I’m probably missing something, but Hovland shouldn’t have worse odds here than Patrick Cantlay and Si Woo Kim, who haven’t won this season, or in the last couple of seasons for that matter.
Hovland won the 2026 Travelers Championship at another TPC course (River Highlands) three starts back and nearly won the 2024 St. Jude by finishing T2.
Iron play is a separator at TPC Southwind, and Hovland has gained strokes on approach in all four majors this year and eight straight starts. Viktor is a notoriously crappy chipper, but around-the-green is deemphasized at TPC Southwind.
Regardless, as long as he plays his game this weekend — dialed in with his irons and accurate off-the-tee — Hovland will be in the mix on Sunday.
Okay, so JT is down to +3605 at Polymarket now, and I'm sorry. But I gave out my full betting card for the St. Jude via X/Twitter Monday, and I've only hit one outright this season. Meaning, if you don't want to bet Thomas at the current odds, it's a good thing you didn't see it on X.
Also, I'm not even sure why JT's number has come down so far. I know why I bet him, and I'll get into that in a second. However, DataGolf.com, which is like scripture in the golf betting community, makes his true odds +2975. Bookmaker, the sharpest sportsbook for golf, has Thomas at +3002 as of Wednesday at midnight.
Back to why I bet JT. He's won the 2020 St. Jude Invitational, and a couple of his 14 other PGA TOUR wins have come at similar courses with a ton of water hazards, such as TPC Sawgrass (THE 2021 PLAYERS Championship) and PGA National (The 2018 Honda Classic).
Thomas gained strokes on approach in his six visits to TPC Southwind. His biggest weakness is driving accuracy, and he hit a higher rate of fairways than the field in nine of his last 10 starts, including four straight, per DataGolf.com.
JT has played well this season — eight top-20 finishes, highlighted by a T4 at the 2026 PGA Championship — and if he can stay out of the water, he should play much better this week than his odds indicate.
The South Korean cashed a big top-20 bet for me last week by tying for fifth at the Wyndham Championship, so I'm happy to reinvest that money back into him this week. Kim won the 2026 Genesis Scottish Open four starts back, two weeks after nearly winning the U.S. Open, where he finished third.
More importantly, his game is a perfect fit for this course. Because of all the water, accuracy off-the-tee and with your irons is important at TPC Southwind, and Kim is one of the most precise ball-strikers in the world. He ranks second in this field for Strokes Gained (SG): Approach over the last 40 rounds, per Bet The Number.
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Kim has gained strokes with his irons and in driving accuracy in all three St. Judes from 2022-24. He's picked up strokes on approach in 15 of his last 16 starts, including 11 straight, according to DataGolf.com. Yeah, it's unlikely he'll win again in a short span, but Kim's fair odds are roughly +4000.
Fowler has had a roller coaster season, but he comes into the St. Jude with strong lead-in form. He has 10 top-20 finishes in 19 events this season, including three straight: T15 at the John Deere Classic, T18 at the British Open and T8 at the Rocket Classic.
At last year's St. Jude, Fowler ranked fifth in SG: Ball-striking (driving and approach) in a T6 finish, per Betsperts Golf, and he was playing worse last season. Based on how well he is ball-striking and putting this year, Fowler can get into the mix this weekend and definitely cash a top-20 ticket.
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2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship 'One-and-Done' Pick: Viktor Hovland
Mayo Cup season standings: 4,307th with $5,760,849
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Follow me on X @Geoffery-Clark, and check out my "OutKick Bets Podcast" for more betting content and random rants.
Accused Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson asks judge to take potential death penalty off table
Lawyers for accused Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson are arguing that prosecutors haven't established a case for the potential death penalty in a new court filing made public Tuesday night.
"The facts and the law require this Court to strike the sole aggravating factor," defense attorneys Kathy Nester, Michael Burt, Richard Novak and Staci Visser wrote in a 41-page brief.
After a week-long preliminary hearing in early July, Judge Tony Graf Jr. gave both sides in the case time to file briefs before he makes a decision on whether there is enough probable cause to send the case to trial — which he is expected to announce on Sept. 1.
Robinson, 23, is accused of shooting the 31-year-old Kirk at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, during a Turning Point USA event. Kirk had founded the group to promote conservatism on campuses around the country and was speaking in front of a crowd of more than 2,000 in the courtyard when he was struck and killed by a single bullet.
Robinson's defense argued in Tuesday's filing that prosecutors didn't establish probable cause concerning the aggravating factor — that the shooting created a high probability of death to someone other than Kirk and that Robinson knew of that "high probability."
Without the aggravator, the potential death penalty would be taken off the table.
"The State had over ten months to investigate the shooting death of Charlie Kirk and to develop legally sufficient evidence that Mr. Robinson 'knowingly created a great risk of death to another other than Charlie Kirk and the defendant,' the sole aggravator alleged in the Information which in theory exposes Mr. Robinson to the potential punishment of death," Robinson's attorneys wrote. "The State’s presentation of its evidence as to this alleged circumstance in aggravation at the preliminary hearing in July 2026 wholly fails to carry its burden of proof."
Robinson's lawyers noted that there was only one shot fired and that it struck Kirk. No one else was hit.
They also argued that no one else was in the line of fire — noting that the bullet came from the rooftop, following a downward trajectory before striking Kirk.
"The only evidence presented supports that the bullet travelled above, not through, the crowd," they wrote.
When the suspected murder weapon was recovered, a .30-06 bolt-action Mauser rifle, there was a spent casing in the chamber and three unfired rounds.
And the evidence introduced by Utah County prosecutors indicates Kirk was the lone target, according to the defense filing.
TYLER ROBINSON'S DEFENSE SUFFERS DUAL SETBACKS AS JUDGE HOLDS OFF ON DEATH PENALTY DECISION
"The communications the State admitted between Mr. Robinson and Mr. Twiggs indicate Mr. Robinson’s intention to kill Charlie Kirk," the defense wrote, citing an alleged message from Robinson: "I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I took it."
"There is no mention of any threat or intended harm to any other individual(s)."
Prosecutors have a deadline next week to reply to the brief. Graf's decision is expected at the Sept. 1 hearing.
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Donna Rotunno, a Chicago-based lawyer and Fox News contributor, said Robinson's argument is a long-shot, especially at the probable cause stage of the case.
"The evidence in the preliminary hearing has already proven that there were many people there," she told Fox News Digital Wednesday. "The evidence has shown where the shooter was vs where Charlie was and where the shot was taken from, the amount of people who were in the line of fire. They can argue those facts from other pieces of evidence that they've introduced. They didn’t need somebody specifically to get on the witness stand and say there were all these people in danger."
Prosecutors have alleged that Robinson is the man who appears on surveillance video approaching a sniper's perch. According to investigators, the killer opened fire from a rooftop on the far side of the packed courtyard, which was full of spectators.
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"If you drive a car into a crowd, that whole crowd is in danger," Rotunno added. "I don’t think that argument is a stretch."
TYLER ROBINSON ASKS FOR MORE SECRET HEARINGS AFTER LOSING FIGHT OVER CAMERAS IN COURT
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Robinson's lawyers also renewed their attempt to throw out hearsay evidence from the preliminary hearing , arguing that prosecutors haven't established its reliability.
Similar objections failed in July, and Rotunno said she expects them to fail again.
"They're relitigating many issues that the judge has already ruled on, and they're going nowhere," she said.
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The defense is also asking Graf to strike two lesser charges — witness tampering and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child — arguing that Robinson was advising his roommate Lance Twiggs to exercise his constitutional rights and that prosecutors failed to show Robinson knew children were present at the time of the shooting.
And they argue that the enhancement that Kirk was targeted for his political expression should also be dropped, disputing an alleged text from Robinson to Twiggs stating, "I had enough of his hatred."
"It is the State that argues that because Mr. Robinson and Mr. Twiggs are two men who love each other and/or, it speculates, because Mr. Twiggs (and not Mr. Robinson) was at least intermittently identifying as a female to his close friends, it is Mr. Kirk’s views on these topics which are the 'hatred' Mr. Robinson was referring to," the defense wrote. "These circumstances are not sufficient to establish, even by probable cause which if any political expression of Mr. Kirk motivated Mr. Robinson to select Mr. Kirk for an act of violence."
Robinson has not yet entered a plea.
Blakeman cuts into Hochul's New York governor's race lead in new poll, as likely voters give DSA judgment
New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s lead over Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman is slipping, according to a new Siena University poll released Wednesday, as likely voters in New York also gave a negative 30-47% favorability rating to the Democratic Socialists of America.
With under three months to go until Election Day, Hochul leads Blakeman 49-39% among likely New York State gubernatorial voters, down from 52-32% when registered voters were asked the same question in June.
"At this point four years ago, August 2022, when Hochul was just finishing her first year as governor, she led her opponent, former Republican Congressman (and current EPA Administrator) Lee Zeldin by 14 points, 53-39%, before going on to ultimately win the election by six points, 53-47%," Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said in a statement.
Blakeman, who is the current Nassau County executive, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital on Wednesday that "All of the polls we have seen in the last two months have us virtually tied with Kathy Hochul," and, "This poll is always off and continues to be off."
HOCHUL SAYS STEFANIK WOULD'VE BEEN TOUGHER GOP OPPONENT THAN BLAKEMAN IN SURPRISING SWIPE AT RIVAL
"We know and she knows this race is neck and neck. Kathy Hochul is desperate for people to believe that she is way ahead when she knows that her high taxes, soaring electric bills, and increased crime have made her the worst governor in America," Blakeman added.
The latest Siena University Poll was conducted between Aug. 3-6 among 811 New York likely voters, with an overall margin of error of +/- 4.6 percentage points for those who answered the entire survey.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Hochul’s campaign for comment.
The Siena poll found that likely voters believe Hochul will do a better job than Blakeman on making prices more affordable for average New Yorkers, 48-41%, and increasing the supply of affordable housing, 51-35%.
NEW YORK SHERIFFS 'MAD AS HELL' AS HOCHUL PUSHES TO BAN KEY LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP
Respondents were more divided over the issues of keeping New Yorkers safe, where Hochul led 47-44%, and addressing undocumented immigrants living in the state, where she was ahead 45-44%, according to the Siena Research Institute.
"Not surprisingly, both candidates are holding on to their partisan bases, as Hochul leads among Democrats 80-8% and Blakeman leads among Republicans 84-9%. Likely independent voters favor Blakeman by a narrow five-point margin, 45-40%," Greenberg said.
"Hochul holds a commanding 64-19% lead in New York City, but trails Blakeman in the downstate suburbs by eight points, 49-41%. They are running virtually even in upstate, as well as among men and with white voters; Hochul has large leads with women, Latinos and Black voters," he added.
The Siena Research Institute also said it asked voters about the Democratic Socialists of America for the first time. The progressive political group has been exerting its influence on elections across America, with member Zohran Mamdani winning the New York City mayoral race last year.
The poll found that the group had a negative favorability rating.
"Democrats view the DSA favorably, 50-21%, while 82% of Republicans and 57% of independents have an unfavorable view of the DSA," the Siena Research Institute said.
Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
Iran-backed Houthi threat in Red Sea could lead to major US policy shift, analysts say
JOHANNESBURG: As the Iran-backed Houthis step up their threat to Red Sea shipping, analysts say the U.S. could consider a major change in strategy.
Houthi attacks on ships passing through a vital chokepoint may lead Washington to cement relations with more reliable partners along Africa’s coastline.
Somaliland is a pro-U.S. outpost, having broken away from war-torn Somalia in 1991, and is offering the U.S. the use of one of the longest runways in Africa, an air base and a deep sea port on the Red Sea.
IRAN AND HOUTHI TERROR PROXY FACING RED SEA THREAT FROM PRO-US AFRICAN NATION
The Houthis have vowed to close the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow waterway through which Saudi Arabia exports up to 7 million barrels of oil a day, now that access to the Strait of Hormuz is severely restricted. In the past month in the Red Sea, the Houthis have reportedly attacked Saudi-flagged ships, are said to have sunk an Indian commercial cargo vessel and, on Aug. 13, an Egyptian cargo ship was hit, with at least four of its crew killed.
The U.S. already has a large military base on the Red Sea in Djibouti, but this is claimed to be increasingly problematic. "China is significantly expanding its military and commercial presence in Djibouti," Edmund Fitton-Brown previously told Fox News Digital.
Fitton-Brown, the former British ambassador to the Houthis’ home country, Yemen, and a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, (FDD), added, "There is a sense that Djibouti is not a reliable ally for the U.S. So Somaliland’s time has probably come."
Major General Ken Ekman, who retired last year from being the Department of War’s West Africa Coordination Element Lead, said, in essence, the Houthis could force the U.S. into recognizing Somaliland as an independent state. "The Houthis could compel a different U.S. strategy in Africa."
TRUMP THREATENS 'MAJOR MILITARY PUNISHMENT' FOR IRAN OVER FUTURE HOUTHI ATTACKS
Ekman said the Houthis are building up a second front in this Middle East conflict. "It distracts the U.S. and stretches our assets," he added.
"The Houthis have a strategy of their own. They are testing U.S. military ability, and are likely to pull the trigger in a major way when Iranian influence in the Strait of Hormuz wanes in leverage."
He said that recently the U.S. Africa Command, AFRICOM, has concentrated on looking at land-based threats. "To date, our Africa strategy is driven by counterterrorism missions against Islamist al Qaeda and ISIS-linked groups based in Africa."
He continued, "These groups pose a limited and not immediate threat to the U.S. homeland. Overall, Red Sea basing to date has focused more on crisis response in East Africa, countering and competing against Russia and China."
COULD THIS AFRICAN NATION BECOME TRUMP'S NEXT TERROR TARGET AS JIHADISTS CLOSE IN ON POWER?
Ekman added, "orienting a Horn of Africa strategy against the Houthis would place a premium on freedom of navigation. Somaliland is proximate and overcomes some of the limitations imposed by other regional hosts like Djibouti and Middle East partners."
Limitations and an apparent sense of frustration with Somalia, Somaliland’s neighbor and rival, have been expressed in a warning from U.S. Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).
In a recent interview with a Somali journalist, he was asked whether the U.S. was pulling out of the nation and turning its back on it.
Anderson said the U.S. has not turned its back on Somalia, having been committed to the country for several years, he noted the success of its counterterrorism group known as DANAB, which he said is "one of the most capable forces on the continent." He noted that "it was up to Somalia to sustain that force… to build it and continue to make it effective going into the future and use it as it was designed to counterterrorism."
Referring to the Somali government’s apparent lack of ability to deal decisively with Islamist al-Shabab terrorists, Anderson seemingly hinted at pulling some or even all military support. "If Somalia steps up and the government steps up and takes the lead on this, we will continue to be there because there is mutual interest."
He continued, "But if we can’t see that in, the political instability and political infighting continues, then it’s going to be very hard for us to continue to stay engaged."
Bill Roggio, editor of the Long War Journal, said Washington is fed up with Mogadishu, but currently not enough for the U.S. to change allegiance to Somaliland.
He told Fox News Digital, "The U.S. has expressed displeasure with the Somali government's rampant corruption and internal infighting with local and regional governments, and with various clans. However, full recognition of Somaliland independence would create a major rift between the U.S. and Somalia."
Roggio didn’t rule out the U.S. operating a second Red Sea base in Somaliland, saying "U.S. forces situated at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti are far better situated geographically to deter the Houthis from shutting down the Bab el Mandeb Strait than a potential base in Somaliland. That being said, redundancy (back up plan) is a good thing in military operations."
"The United States needs reliable partners on Africa's coastline," Bashir Goth, Somaliland Representative to the United States, told Fox News Digital.
Goth said, "Somaliland is that partner and our defense officials have been in active dialogue with AFRICOM on Red Sea security. Somaliland has the geography, the stability and the will to work closely with Washington — and will continue to do so."
TRUMP SAYS IRAN WILL PAY — WHAT IT TAKES TO END THE WAR REMAINS UNCLEAR
Officially, the U.S. still stands with Somalia, in preference to Somaliland.
A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "The United States works with Somali and international partners to address terrorist threats in Somalia when necessary and appropriate to protect U.S. national security interests."
In the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia and 13 other nations established a new maritime defense coalition to combat the Houthi threat. Publicly, at least, the U.S. is not part of this coalition.
Responding to questioning on this issue, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "The United States stands firmly with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against Houthi terrorism. We are in close consultation with our Saudi allies and remain committed to their security."
The U.S. does appear though to be stepping up interaction with Somaliland. AFRICOM Commander Anderson again visited Somaliland this past week, with an official statement saying he "traveled to the port city of Berbera to assess the security environment and review the port’s operational capacity."
In the same week, the U.S. reportedly hosted a delegation of Somalilanders led by the state’s defense minister at AFRICOM HQ in Stuttgart, Germany, where Red Sea security was reportedly again discussed.
AFRICOM and the Department of War did not respond to Fox News Digital requests for information about the visits.
Former MLB star calls for salary fix as owners, Players Association talk 'two different languages'
The current collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and the Players' Association expires in roughly three and a half months, and there seems to be no resolution in sight.
Players are adamant that they will not play under a salary cap, which has been formally proposed by owners for the first time since 1994 — and we all know how that worked out.
"It really does feel like the players' union and the commissioner's office are speaking two different languages right now," former MLB star Nick Swisher said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
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It's horrible timing for the game amid a recent boom, as attendance has increased for three consecutive years for the first time since it did each year from 2004 to 2007. In 1995, after a players' strike that cost the '94 postseason, attendance was grim at MLB ballparks.
Swisher, though, has been on both sides of the coin — he won a World Series with the New York Yankees in 2009 and now has a role in their front office as well as the league itself. So, he has advice for both sides.
"I think just in general, the players have a lot of things that they can give, and I think the commissioner's office has some things that they can give, too. So, I think one of the things that I've always realized, especially now being in the business world, is you can't go into a negotiation trying to win. That always ends up bad," he said.
"I'm interested to see how these negotiations are going to come. Are we trying to come to an agreement or are we trying to win the negotiation? So, regardless if it's [MLBPA interim executive director] Bruce Meyer, if it's Rob Manfred in the commissioner's office, I just want the boys to figure it out. Man, we're in such a great spot right now. We need to continue to keep this game going because I don't want it to stop, because when it stops, the fans, they get angry about that. All of a sudden, the money starts coming into play and then people don't support us as much anymore. We just need to continue to keep pushing forward and try and figure out how to make this happen because come 2027, baby, in April, I want to start that season off right."
Players will place blame on small-market teams for not spending money. Those small-market owners, however, will claim they cannot afford big contracts, leaving the superstars to the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Yankees, and a small handful of others. But rather than a cap, Swisher wants to see a salary floor.
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"You can't have teams paying $60 million a year, because statistically, it shows that those low-market teams don't make it very far into the playoffs. That's just statistics. But I think just in general, if you all of a sudden start bringing that floor into play and then all of a sudden the 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th guy on the roster is all of a sudden making some good money, I think that both sides have some things to give and take, and I hope that it works itself out," Swisher said.
"We're in a good spot right now. The game is really, really great. Whether you want to blame the commissioner's office, whether you want to blame the Players' Association, either way, bro, for me, man, I just want to get it done. Get it done. I don't care who's at fault. I don't care who bets against what. Let's just find a way to get our boys back on the field next year."
Swisher was back on two fields this past weekend — after attending the Yankees' Old Timers' Day in the Bronx, he was in Central Park on behalf of Angry Orchard to surprise one of the worst recreational adult softball teams in the country and play for them to hopefully get a win (they did with the 2010 All-Star).
"To be part of something absolutely new and untraditional, to not only invest in the winners but to invest in the underdogs, bro. They say, don't get angry, get orchard," Swisher said. "Just being able to be part of this and to play with the Sons of Pitches today was absolutely legendary and an epic, man.
"To be able to team up with an organization in a company like Angry Orchard who stands for the right things and wants to invest in everybody. The inclusivity of all of this is something I really enjoy, and to be able to not only handle the winners of the world but to be able to invest in the underdogs too, I think is great. So, for me to be part of the underdogs today, to pull off a W, it was legendary."
NCAA has no plans to surrender, as eligibility lawsuits for 2022 class turn into an all-out legal war
During one of the most chaotic periods college athletics has seen when it comes to athlete eligibility, the NCAA made one thing clear Tuesday night: It has no plans to stop fighting the wave of lawsuits coming its way.
Right now, in courtrooms across the country, athletes who were part of the 2022 class are suing the NCAA over what they feel is a misguided and illegal decision that is preventing them from participating this academic year.
When the NCAA adopted its new age-based eligibility model, giving athletes five years to play five seasons, it made one critical decision that is currently being argued on a daily basis: it excluded the 2022 recruiting class from the new rule.
Athletes who believe they are being denied an extra season of competition began filing civil lawsuits in courtrooms from Colorado to South Carolina, arguing they should receive the same benefits as those covered under the new eligibility structure.
Now, the NCAA might simply be too deep into this fight to let go of the rope.
Or, perhaps more importantly, the organization understands what could happen if it grants a blanket waiver to every member of the 2022 class who would otherwise have another season of eligibility remaining under the new guidelines if grandfathered in.
Outside courtrooms, some athletic administrators have hinted to Fox News Digital-OutKick that the NCAA's thinking on not granting a blanket waiver or including the 2022 class could center around the fact that there are too many players and not enough roster spots across the country for this to work.
Right now, thanks to an injunction granted by U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney of Colorado, athletes from the class of 2022 were granted the ability to join rosters, provided there was a spot available.
That ruling has already led numerous football and basketball programs to add players who had another year of eligibility under Sweeney's order.
But the NCAA quickly responded, filing an emergency motion for a stay with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which it mentioned in their hard stance on Tuesday night.
"The Tenth Circuit has ordered an expedited briefing on our request for a stay pending appeal," the NCAA noted about the appeal. The deadline for the class members to file a response to the emergency motion is Friday, August 14. The NCAA's reply brief must be filed no later than Monday, August 17. In the meantime, the Wisne injunction remains in effect."
That still left one major question hanging over college athletics: Would the NCAA eventually give in to the pressure and grant a blanket waiver rather than continue fighting lawsuits that have already been filed — and the additional ones still to come?
On Tuesday night, the NCAA delivered its answer.
It's not tapping out.
"The Division I Cabinet, including its student-athlete members, carefully considered whether to make the age-based eligibility rule apply retroactively, and decided that doing so would not be in the best interest of all current and future college athletes," the NCAA announced. "We stand behind and will continue to fully defend the membership's decision. The injunction should never have been granted, and we have asked the Tenth Circuit to permanently reverse it."
And beyond the potentially massive ramifications of the Tenth Circuit's eventual decision, confusion remains over another important issue: Which athletes are allowed to enter the transfer portal?
On Tuesday night, attorney Ryan Downton noted to Fox News Digital-OutKick that a vast number of coaches he has spoken with during this process are siding with the athletes.
"The NCAA keeps calling it "the Membership’s decision" to exclude the Class of 2022," Downton noted. "But neither the NCAA schools nor the coaches got to vote on this proposal. The overwhelming majority of coaches I talk with want these kids to have a chance to play."
In states such as Tennessee and Ohio, injunctions granted in separate cases allow players who are plaintiffs in those lawsuits to use the transfer portal.
But in the Colorado case that athletic departments across the country are closely watching, the plaintiffs have not been granted an additional portal window.
The opinion of some is that the organization knew that implementing its new eligibility rule in June — rather than before the last portal window for each sport — could trigger a wave of lawsuits from athletes who suddenly found themselves on the wrong side of the new guidelines.
The roots of the current fight can be traced back to the Diego Pavia case and, maybe more importantly in the future, former Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson's lawsuit against the NCAA in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Patterson is currently challenging the NCAA over the number of years athletes are allowed to participate in college athletics.
And the concept behind the NCAA's new "age-based eligibility" rule had already been presented in court.
Attorney Ryan Downton, who represents Patterson and athletes in more recent lawsuits filed after the NCAA implemented its new eligibility rule, previously argued for what became known as the "five-for-five" model.
"We asked the NCAA to give everyone five years last year when we filed the Patterson lawsuit. They said no," Downton told Fox News Digital-OutKick last week.
"Now they’ve done it, but excluded the athletes asking for the change. It feels like the NCAA is saying, ‘you had a good idea, but we can’t let you enjoy the benefits of it.’ Just like they changed the name. We called it ‘five-for-five.’ They call it ‘age-based eligibility.’ It’s the same thing, but the NCAA tries to pretend it isn’t."
That's the part of this fight that will continue to fuel frustration among members of the 2022 class.
They wanted five years to play five seasons. The NCAA ultimately adopted a system that does essentially that. But the athletes who were already pushing for the change were left out.
Now, the NCAA has drawn a line in the sand and appears prepared to defend its stance across multiple states, with its most recent loss coming on Tuesday in a Texas courtroom.
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Maybe the organization believes that refusing to make the rule retroactive is genuinely the right thing to do.
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Or maybe NCAA officials understand they have little choice, given the potential fallout that could come with granting a blanket waiver and opening thousands of additional roster spots that don't actually exist.
Either way, the NCAA isn't waving the white flag.
And now, we wait on an appeals court in Colorado to deliver what will ultimately be a monumental decision.
Spanberger’s rough rural reception draws Hillary Clinton parallels
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger was roasted for her visit to a nearly century-old fiddling convention in southwestern Virginia, with the area’s state delegate comparing her unfavorably to failed presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Clinton famously surprised the hosts of New York’s "Breakfast Club" radio program in 2016 when she said she regularly carries hot sauce in her purse — a remark critics said echoed Beyoncé Knowles and amounted to political pandering to Southern and Black voters during her 2016 race against then-businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump.
Del. Wren Williams, a Republican who represents Galax, where the 90th Annual Old Fiddlers’ Convention took place, told Fox News Digital he was proud of constituents who made their feelings about the governor known peacefully but strongly.
DEM GOVERNOR BOOED AT VIRGINIA OLD FIDDLERS' CONVENTION
Williams said it was clear to those assembled that Spanberger was trying to "pander" to rural residents, who have pushed back on several of the governor’s priorities, including the judicially halted redistricting effort and a slew of what Richmond Republican leaders have called "the bad bills."
"[It was] about like Hillary Clinton and her hot sauce – nobody was buying it," Williams said.
Over the weekend, Spanberger and her public safety chief, Galax native Stanley Meador, were booed after Meador introduced the governor. Meador previously served as special agent in charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office during the "anti-Catholic memo" controversy that drew congressional scrutiny.
Williams told Fox News Digital that people in Galax and surrounding Carroll County — atop the Blue Ridge and just over the border from Andy Griffith’s "Mount Pilot" area of North Carolina — have felt ignored by Spanberger and said their reaction was justified.
SUPREME COURT DEALS BLOW TO VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS IN FIGHT OVER STATE COURT ELECTION MAP RULING
"These are my constituents, the same ones that she just disarmed, tried to force into one single congressional district that represented their political views, and lied every step of the way while jockeying for the national Democratic Party nod for her shot at first female president," Williams said, referring to another parallel between Spanberger and Clinton.
Galax, currently represented in Congress by Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., would have sat at the edge of the only remaining Republican-held district under Richmond Democrats’ proposed 10-1 congressional map, which a bipartisan group of Virginia Supreme Court justices blocked earlier this year.
Virginia's top state Republican — whose district is not far west of where Spanberger got booed — told Fox News Digital the incident proved to the governor that her policies run counter to what his neighbors want from Richmond:
"Southwest Virginians have never been shy about standing up for their values and their way of life," said House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore of Gate City.
"When you try to take away their voice in Congress, go after their Second Amendment rights, and drive up their power bills to pay for a green energy agenda they don’t want and can’t afford, folks are going to let you know how they feel," he said.
Former Attorney General Jason Miyares, a top figure in the "Vote No" coalition opposing Spanberger’s redistricting effort, said in a statement that the crowd’s response was predictable.
"Governor Spanberger booed in Galax. Turns out when you break your campaign promise, attempt a leftist power grab pushing an unconstitutional gerrymandering effort in order to silence rural Virginia voices, coupled with massive tax increases, it results in a frosty reception," Miyares said.
"Spanberger finally had to face the music," another Virginia user wrote on X.
Other critics contrasted Democrats’ strength in Northern Virginia with opposition to Spanberger in more rural parts of the state.
"These folks booing are showing how the vast majority of those of us in Virginia feel… not those communists in the blue suburbs of DC," Diane Cheesbrough wrote on X.
"She needs to go and take Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and Eugene Vindman with her."
Radio host Scott Adams added that rural voters "are not forgetting" the redistricting controversy.
"Southwest Virginia just delivered the message in person," he said.
"Virginians are done with her," added former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.
Some observers, however, credited Spanberger with going to Galax and Carroll County despite her weak electoral support in the area.
VIRGINIA VOTERS CEMENT SWING DISTRICT REMATCH AFTER DEMS’ REDISTRICTING FAIL
"Abigail Spanberger lost [the independent city of] Galax 68 to 32 and showed up anyway," said Democratic strategist Matt Royer.
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"A Republican would have tucked tail and stayed at home when it comes to events in places they lost, like Jason was yesterday. She won Virginia by 15 and still went to one place that booed her. That is the job."
Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger and Clinton for comment.
Three school safety steps every parent should know before classes begin
I reviewed my children’s back-to-school shopping lists last week. After wrapping my head around the dizzying array of required items, I was struck by what was missing: safety.
Across America, parents will spend the next few weeks buying everything from notebooks, pens, and pencils to dorm fridges, shower caddies, and laundry baskets.
No parent wants their child to be "that kid" — the one who accidentally shows up on the first day with the wrong calculator or without gym shoes. Yet whether dropping them off at the bus stop or at the quad, almost none of them will send them away with an honest, practical conversation about safety — the one thing they need most.
IS CYBERBULLYING HIDING IN YOUR CHILD'S GROUP CHAT?
Why? Sometimes, because we assume our kids already know what to do or that someone else will teach them. Mostly because it’s uncomfortable. It’s easier to talk about spiral notebooks and extra-long twin sheets than about what to do if the unthinkable happens. But silence has not made our schools safer — and it has not made our children more prepared.
Real back-to-school readiness means facing potential threats head-on. As parents gear up for the school year, there are three essential steps they should take.
1. Demand that educators be trained and equipped for an emergency.
Teachers and other school staff are often the first line of defense in a crisis. That’s an enormous responsibility for people whose emergency training is often little more than a checklist and an afternoon seminar. This is not a knock on teachers and staff. It’s a gap in what schools have been asked and funded to provide.
Genuine school safety requires much more than a plan on paper. It means a strong physical footprint (single-point entry, rapid classroom door locks), modern safety tools (mass notification system, AI-assisted surveillance), and emergency training. Parents shouldn’t hesitate to ask direct questions. How are teachers trained? What safety tools are actually available in the classrooms? How quickly can the school communicate with families during an emergency? Teachers and staff deserve real support, and parents deserve transparency.
2. Talk about safety early — and often.
It’s a natural human instinct to want to shield a seven-year-old from a worry they haven’t asked for or to protect a college freshman’s first weeks from worst-case scenarios. I feel that pull every fall. But while it’s natural, it doesn’t protect our children from risk.
The goal isn’t to scare children. It’s to prepare them — to build awareness, confidence, and the ability to respond if something ever goes wrong. As parents, we can’t shy away from these discussions.
WE GREW UP BEFORE SCREENS TOOK OVER. OUR KIDS DESERVE THAT CHANCE TOO
Obviously, what you say should be age-appropriate. The message you give a second-grader shouldn’t sound like the one you give a high school senior or college freshman.
For my wife and me, this meant walking through our kids’ schools ourselves, understanding the layout and emergency plans, then sitting down with our kids and having the conversation more than once. It’s not a one-time "big talk." It’s something we bring up naturally before school starts and revisit throughout the year. We remind them to pay attention to their surroundings, trust their instincts, and know what to do if something feels wrong.
Will older kids roll their eyes? Of course. "Yeah, mom. Yeah, dad. I know." That’s part of parenting. Say it anyway. Sometimes, the things our kids hear for the hundredth time are the things they remember when it matters most. And if they’re ever faced with danger, there’s a good chance they’ll remember exactly what you told them.
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The same approach applies online. First-day-of-school photos are a tradition in our home, like many others. But we’ve started thinking twice before posting them. Sharing a school’s name, a daily routine, or a child’s interests online creates unnecessary exposure. Teaching our kids to pause before they post has become another safety habit we’re trying to build.
3. Evaluate appropriate personal safety tools.
Everyone has the right to feel safe, and families should take full advantage of every lawful tool their school or college permits. Families should familiarize themselves with campus policies and equip their students with the protective options they’re comfortable carrying. Depending on a student’s age and school policy, those options range from personal safety alarms to ballistic backpack inserts.
For college students, families should review campus safety policies and consider permitted personal safety tools — such as noise alarms, location-sharing emergency apps, and, where allowed by university policy, standard pepper spray. Faculty should consider other non-lethal options with greater range and stopping power.
We insure our homes against fires that may never happen. We buckle seat belts hoping they’ll never be needed. Preparing our children for a school emergency is no different. We all pray they’ll never have to use what we’ve taught them. But hope has never been a safety plan.
We can’t control every danger our children may face. We can control whether we’ve prepared them for it. That’s a responsibility no parent should leave to chance.
DoorDash mom left with skull fractures, brain bleeds after man allegedly follows her and attacks with bat
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
"I had multiple skull fractures and brain bleeds," said Christen Phillips.
She's a mother of three currently recovering in the hospital with a serious brain injury after deputies say she was attacked by a man who beat her with a baseball bat as she was delivering food for DoorDash.
Her suspected attacker, Stanley Shockley, 44, is behind bars.
DOORDASH GETS FAA APPROVAL FOR ITS OWN DELIVERY DRONES
The Onslow County Sheriff's Office says the assault happened in broad daylight when the suspect allegedly hunted the woman down and beat her with the bat when she exited her car to drop off food.
It all started on Aug. 1 in Jacksonville, North Carolina, as Phillips was stopped in her car at an intersection and was waiting for the driver in front of her to move.
Shockley was reportedly behind the wheel when Phillips honked her horn alerting him to move his car forward.
After the honk, the situation took a dangerous turn.
The sheriff's office said, "The vehicle moved out of her way and began following her."
Phillips arrived at her delivery drop-off point, carried out the order, and tried to walk back to her car when Shockley allegedly jumped out, attacked her with the bat, then ran off.
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"He came around to my door with a small wooden bat or baton and beat me in the head and face with it," Phillips said in a post to social media.
"I don’t remember it at all. I woke up an unverified amount of time later," she said.
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She was able to drive herself to a nearby hospital after the attack.
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"I had multiple skull fractures and brain bleeds and blood and cerebral fluid draining from my left ear for hours. My cheek bone on my left side is also fractured," she said.
The Onslow County Sheriff's Office confirmed Shockley was arrested on Monday in connection to the incident.
He is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury, records say.
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Sheriff Chris Thomas said in a statement:
"We understand the public does not see what goes into every investigation and a case like this can make citizens uneasy. We appreciate the number of tips and leads the public provided us. Our detectives follow every lead, carefully work through the evidence, and continue to pursue answers even when the investigation presents challenges. Their hard work ultimately led them to identify a suspect and make an arrest."
In a statement sent to Fox News Digital a spokesperson for DoorDash said, "What this Dasher went through is horrific, and we're relieved she's safe and on the road to recovery. We're grateful to law enforcement for making an arrest and will continue to assist their investigation in any way we can."
Trump-backed Michael Alfonso wins crowded GOP primary for his father-in-law's former Wisconsin seat
Michael Alfonso, the son-in-law of Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, has won the Republican Party’s nomination in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District.
The 26-year-old, endorsed by President Donald Trump, defeated a crowded field of contenders as he seeks the same northern Wisconsin congressional seat once held by his father-in-law, who represented the district from 2011 to 2019.
"It is my Great Honor to endorse MAGA Warrior, Michael Alfonso, a young ‘STAR’ who is running to represent the incredible people of Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District," Trump wrote on Truth Social on the eve of Tuesday’s Election Day.
"As your next Congressman, Michael will work tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Champion our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Military/Veterans, Safeguard our Elections, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment," Trump added.
DEMOCRAT ESTABLISHMENT STRIKES BACK AS SOCIALIST CANDIDATE DOWNED IN BATTLEGROUND PRIMARY
The seat is currently held by Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., who on Tuesday won the Republican nomination in the Wisconsin governor’s race.
Tiffany was first elected to the seat in a May 2020 special election after Duffy resigned due to one of his children's health issues.
District 7 has been under control of Republicans for 15 years, and it is deemed a solid Republican by Cook Political Report. Trump carried the district with about 60% of the vote during the 2024 presidential election.
NEW MIDTERM BATLEGROUND TAKES SHAPE AS PARTIES BUILD ELECTION ARMIES
Alfonso will face off against Fred Clark in November, who won Tuesday’s Democratic primary for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District.
Clark, a former Wisconsin state assemblyman, said on his website that he believes northern Wisconsin has the "makings of a new rural majority."
"That’s a majority not based on old right wing and left wing politics, but a majority made up of real people who live and work in our communities," Clark’s website said. "Fred Clark will become part of a new majority of leaders in Congress who will stand up, represent their communities, and do the work we expect from our elected representatives."
Fox News Digital’s Elaine Mallon contributed to this report.