Four Gators make Preseason All-SEC Team, Florida projected to win East

Four Gators made the preseason All-SEC Team on Thursday, and the Gators are the early favorites to win the East division in 2024.

Four Florida Gators made the 2024 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team on Thursday.

Two-way star Jac Caglianone made the First Team as a first baseman and the Second Team as a pitcher. Caglianone is slated to be the Sunday starter for the Gators this year.

Joining Caglianone on the First Team are second baseman Cade Kurland, shortstop Colby Shelton and closer Brandon Neely.

Kurland broke out as a freshman, setting a new pace for middle infielders with 17 home runs. There are very few second basemen in the country with the kind of pop Kurland has, and he’s still developing physically.

Shelton transferred from Alabama after a Freshman All-American season with the Crimson Tide. He hit 25 home runs last season, so Kurland’s record may be in jeopardy. The big question is whether his glove will play at shortstop or not. Shelton primarily played third last year, but he was brought over to make the transition and replace Josh Rivera.

Neely was the SEC’s best closer last year, at least in terms of saves. There was talk of him moving back into the starting rotation this year, but the emergence of freshman Liam Peterson should keep Neely in the bullpen for now.

Still, he’s often called upon to make three-inning saves, which very few college arms can be trusted to do. There’s little doubt that he’s among the SEC’s best.

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Eagles sign former Saints WR Shaquan Davis to reserve/future deal

The Eagles signed former Saints wide receiver Shaquan Davis, a fan favorite from the 2023 preseason:

The Philadelphia Eagles signed former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Shaquan Davis to a reserve/future contract on Thursday, the team announced. Davis signed with the Saints last year as an undrafted rookie out of South Carolina State, having received more guarantees than many other first-year pros around the league.

Davis spent his rookie year on the practice squad and was sidelined by an injury at one point, but returned to health and was active in practice by the end of the season. But he never got into a game. It was a disappointing showing after he quickly became a fan favorite during the 2023 preseason.

It’s never good for an older team to lose young talent, though you have to wonder how much of this was Davis’ decision. It’s just as possible the Saints chose to let him go. With wide receivers coach Kodi Burns being shown the door, Davis would’ve returned to a very different situation in 2024 than what he experienced in 2023.

The Saints will need to start signing receivers at some point just to fill out the roster. They have only three under contract for 2024: Chris Olave, A.T. Perry and Michael Thomas, whose contract effectively contains a poison pill that will require him to be extended or released in March. Rashid Shaheed will be back as an exclusive rights free agent, but the Saints need to add more players here — fast.

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Broncos are likely a top contender for ‘Hard Knocks’ in 2024

If the NFL asks the Broncos to be featured on Hard Knocks in 2024, the club can’t turn them down.

Each summer, NFL Films follows a team through training camp and preseason to film Hard Knocks, HBO’s behind-the-scenes look at life in the NFL.

Teams can volunteer for the show, but they rarely do. (The Denver Broncos have been asked to be featured in the past and have politely declined.)

If the Broncos are asked to feature on the show in 2024, they can’t say no.

If a club has a new head coach or has been on the show within the last ten years or has made the playoffs within the last two years, the league can’t force them into Hard Knocks. If a team does not fall under any of those categories, they’re fair game.

The Broncos do not have a new coach, they have never been featured on Hard Knocks and they haven’t made the playoffs in eight years. If so desired, the NFL can choose them for 2024, and Denver couldn’t say no.

Other options could include the Chicago Bears, who may or may not use the No. 1 overall pick on a quarterback, and the Indianapolis Colts, who will be going into Year 2 with Anthony Richardson under center.

Those are interesting stories, but the post-Russell Wilson era (presumably with a rookie QB coming in) likely makes Sean Payton and the Broncos a top candidate for the show. The fact that Payton has already hinted at the slightest of openness to Hard Knocks might be a sign of things to come.

The NFL announced the 2023 Hard Knocks team (the New York Jets) last July. Two years ago, the 2022 team (the Detroit Lions) was announced in March. So there’s a big window for an announcement to be made.

Nothing is official yet, and Denver certainly isn’t a lock, but the Broncos would be a logical choice for Hard Knocks in 2024.

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How to watch Jaguars vs. Saints: TV channel, kickoff time, stream

Here’s how to tune in tonight when the Jaguars try to make it four straight wins by beating the Saints.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints will be in the national spotlight when they play in primetime on Thursday night at the Caesars Superdome.

For the Jaguars, the lead up to the game has been focused on the left knee of quarterback Trevor Lawrence. After injuring it in the final minutes of the team’s Week 6 win against the Indianapolis Colts, the 24-year-old passer is officially questionable for the game against the Saints.

New Orleans has plenty of injuries of its own, though. The Saints will be without two starting offensive linemen, James Hurst and Ryan Ramczyk. Star linebacker Demario Davis is also listed as questionable.

Here’s how to tune in from home Thursday when the Jaguars attempt to win at the Superdome for the first time in franchise history:

Jaguars Vs. Saints, Week 7

  • Date: Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023
  • Kickoff Time: 8:15 p.m ET
  • Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans
  • TV Channel: FOX 30 (locally in Jacksonville only)
  • Live Stream: Amazon Prime, NFL+
  • Commentators: Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung

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Texas A&M’s Wade Taylor IV named preseason SEC Player of the Year as all-conference teams released

The results of the preseason media vote are in for the 2023-24 SEC men’s basketball season, and the projected all-conference teams are out.

Texas A&M guard Wade Taylor IV was voted the preseason choice for SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year by media members ahead of the 2023-24 season, the conference announced.

The Aggies junior averaged 16.3 points and 3.9 assists in 28.7 minutes per game last season. He scored 25 or more points four times last season, including two of his final five games as Texas A&M reached the conference tournament final. He shot 39.6% from the floor and 35.6% from behind the arc.

The voters also assembled the projected all-conference teams ahead of the season. Seven players were named to the first team, including Taylor IV,

Eight of the 14 teams in the conference had at least one representative among the 12 honorees. Four SEC teams had multiple players selected for one of the two teams: Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Arkansas.

Here’s who the voters think will be the best players in the conference this season.

Preseason All-SEC First-Team

Position Player Team
G Wade Taylor IV Texas A&M
G Santiago Vescovi Tennessee
G Justin Edwards Kentucky
F Tolu Smith Mississippi State
F Johni Broom Auburn
F Trevon Brazile Arkansas
F Grant Nelson Alabama

Preseason All-SEC Second Team

Position Player Team
G Mark Sears Alabama
G Davonte Davis Arkansas
G Riley Kugel Florida
G Antonio Reeves Kentucky
G Zakai Zeigler Tennessee

Kansas, Purdue lead the preseason men’s basketball coaches poll

Kansas is the clear No. 1 in the preseason Coaches Poll.

We are halfway through the college football season which means that the start of the 2023-34 men’s college basketball season is just around the corner. Last year the UConn Huskies were able to capture their fifth national championship. This year they will start as the No. 5 team behind Kansas, Purdue, Duke, and Michigan State in the preseason coaches poll.

The Kansas Jayhawks were unable to defend their title from 2021-22 with an early exit that coincided with head coach Bill Self not being on the bench due to a personal health scare. They are viewed as the overwhelming favorites based on the preseason polls. They received 23 of the 32 first-place votes.

The 2023-24 season will officially tip-off on Nov. 6. With just a few weeks until the start of the season, the preseason coaches poll was unveiled on Monday.

A look at the full Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports:

Rank Team Points
1 Kansas Jayhawks 785 (23)
2 Purdue Boilermakers 742 (5)
3 Duke Blue Devils 716 (3)
4 Michigan State Spartans 667
5 UConn Huskies 626 (1)
6 Houston Cougars 615
7 Marquette Golden Eagles 614
8 Creighton Bluejays 552
9 Florida Atlantic Owls 548
10 Tennessee Volunteers 496
11 Arizona Wildcats 449
12 Gonzaga Bulldogs 407
13 Miami Hurricanes 390
14 Arkansas Razorbacks 315
15 San Diego State Aztecs 277
16 Kentucky Wildcats 261
17 Baylor Bears 258
18 Texas Longhorns 251
19 Texas A&M Aggies 231
20 Villanova Wildcats 217
21 North Carolina Tar Heels 197
22 USC Trojans 176
23 Saint Mary’s Gaels 147
24 Alabama Crimson Tide 142
25 UCLA Bruins 52

Others Receiving Votes

Illinois 45; Wisconsin 43; Maryland 29; TCU 26; Colorado 21; Xavier 17; Ohio State 16; Virginia 13; St. John’s 13; Kansas State 8; Indiana 7; Washington 5; Florida 5; Auburn 5; Missouri 4; Oregon 3; Memphis 3; Mississippi State 2; Iowa State 2; Yale 1; Boise State 1

How to watch Colts vs. Jaguars: TV channel, kickoff time, stream

The Jaguars are hoping to finish a season sweep of the Colts by picking up a Week 6 win. Here’s how to tune in from home:

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts will play for sole possession of first place in the AFC South when they meet Sunday in a Week 6 matchup at EverBank Stadium.

Five weeks ago, the Jaguars opened their season with a 31-21 win against the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. While Jacksonville lost its next two games, the team got back on track during a 10-day trip to London where the Jaguars got wins against the Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills.

Indianapolis has similarly bounced back from a slow start, winning three of its last four to enter a rematch with the Jaguars with a matching 3-2 record. Unlike the first matchup, though, the Colts will start former Jaguars starter Gardner Minshew II with Anthony Richardson now on injured reserve.

Here’s how to tune in from home Sunday when the Jaguars attempt to earn the season sweep:

Colts Vs. Jaguars, Week 6

  • Date: Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023
  • Kickoff Time: 1 p.m ET
  • Location: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.
  • TV Channel: CBS (check local listings), NFL Sunday Ticket (subscription)
  • Live Stream: Paramount+ (local markets), fuboTV (local markets)
  • Commentators: Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

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Warriors at Lakers Preseason: How to watch, stream, odds, lineups and broadcast info for Friday

Before the Warriors meet the Lakers for their second preseason game, here’s everything you need to know about Friday’s game, including how to watch.

After securing a win over the Los Angeles Lakers in their preseason opener, the Golden State Warriors will travel to Hollywood for a rematch on Friday in their second preseason contest of the 2023 campaign.

While the starters played limited minutes in the first half of the first preseason game, Jonathan Kuminga registered an impressive performance off the bench against the Lakers with 24 points and eight rebounds in almost 24 minutes off the bench. However, Kuminga is listed as questionable for Friday’s contest due to a thumb injury.

Rookie Brandin Podziemski also impressed, scoring 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field with six rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block in 26 minutes off the bench.

It’s still unclear what playing time will look like for starters like Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis and LeBron James on Friday night.

Before the Warriors proceed with game two of the preseason, here’s a look at everything you need to know for Friday night, including how to watch the game.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

How to watch Jaguars vs. Bills: TV channel, time, stream

It’s an early kickoff for the Jaguars and Bills this morning. Here’s how to tune in from home:

For the first time in their history, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be the road team for a game in London. On Sunday, it’ll be the Buffalo Bills serving as the “home” team for a Week 5 matchup at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

While the Bills made the trip across the Atlantic on Thursday night, the Jaguars have been in the United Kingdom for more than a week after playing the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium in Week 4.

While the Jaguars hope that a week of acclimation to the time change will prove to be an advantage, they’ll have their hands full either way. Buffalo enters Sunday as a favorite after blowing out three straight teams by at least 28 points.

Here’s how to tune in from home Sunday when the Jaguars attempt to pull off the upset:

Jaguars Vs. Bills, Week 5

  • Date: Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023
  • Kickoff Time: 9:30 a.m ET
  • Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England
  • TV Channel: National coverage: NFL Network; Local coverage in Jacksonville: WFOX-TV (channel 30)
  • Live Stream: NFL+
  • Commentators: Rich Eisen, Kurt Warner, Jamie Erdahl

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How to watch ‘Toy Story’ Falcons vs. Jaguars: Time, stream, channel

Here’s how to tune in for the virtual game between the Jaguars and Falcons live from Andy’s room:

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons will meet each other at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, but a virtual version of both teams will face off in the bedroom of Andy from “Toy Story.”

It’ll be the first NFL broadcast of its kind with animated versions of the Jaguars and Falcons competing in real time.

The kid-focused stream will have characters like Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and plenty of others making appearances. It’ll also include “how to” videos and trivia to teach the sport of football to viewers.

The stream will even have a special halftime show with toy stuntman Duke Caboom attempting a massive motorcycle jump.

Here’s how to tune in to the alternate broadcast:

Falcons Vs. Jaguars, Week 4

  • Date: Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023
  • Kickoff Time: 9:30 a.m ET
  • Location: Andy’s room
  • TV Channel: “Toy Story” broadcast is only available via streaming
  • Live Stream: ESPN+, Disney+
  • Traditional broadcast: WFOX (local in Jacksonville), ESPN+
  • Commentators: Drew Carter, Booger McFarland, Pepper Persley

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