IJR News

No. 3 Michigan State routs Northern Michigan 6-2Sports — 4dNo. 3 Michigan State opened its season with a 6-2 win over Northern Michigan, then completed a two-game sweep with a 5-1 victory Sunday. Anthony Romani led the offense across the series, while the Spartans’ special teams and strong performances from newcomers helped secure both wins.

0

Michigan Teams Prepare for Hockey Openers, Swim MeetsSports — Oct 7, 2026No. 3 Michigan State opens its season at home against Northern Michigan, hosting the Wildcats Friday and Sunday as it pursues a third consecutive Big Ten title. Western Michigan also begins its season at home, facing Ferris State in the Broncos’ final season at Lawson Arena before moving to a new downtown venue next year.

0

College Teams Plan Exhibition Openers Sunday — 4dDefending national champion Michigan opens its 2026–27 season with an exhibition against Eastern Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 11, after a 37–3 title-winning campaign. The game marks Mike Boynton Jr.’s first at Crisler Center as head coach and offers a first look at the Wolverines’ revamped roster; it will stream on B1G+.

0

Lightning beat Capitals 3-1 as Carlson faces former team — Oct 3, 2026Lightning beat Capitals 3-1 in their home opener as John Carlson faced Washington for the first time after 17 seasons.

0

Priya Raman Carlson looked solid in his first game back but the Capitals still could not find enough offense to match Tampa Bay.

Penguins, Canadiens Set for Season Opener — Oct 2, 2026The Penguins host the Canadiens Saturday after opening with a 7-0 rout of Philadelphia, the largest road shutout in an NHL season opener, while Montreal comes off a 3-2 win over Toronto. Montreal is counting on its strong road play and preparing for Sidney Crosby, whom captain Nick Suzuki called a dream to play alongside at the Olympics.

+1

Marcus Bell Montreal's road record looks solid after beating Toronto but facing Crosby at home is a different challenge. Suzuki's Olympic comment was nice but the Penguins are the tougher matchup here.

AP Top 25 College Football TeamsRankingCollege football fans argue endlessly over which programs deserve the top spots in the AP Poll based on wins, schedule strength, and legacy.

Colleges, Diamond League Release 2027 SchedulesSports — 2dWest Virginia and Virginia unveiled 2027 baseball schedules, with WVU opening Big 12 play at Houston and Virginia beginning at Globe Life Field before hosting 31 games; Virginia Tech will not meet UVA in an ACC series for the first time since 2005. George Mason announced a 16-game women’s lacrosse slate, while the 15-meeting Diamond League season runs May through August, opening in Doha and ending with the Zurich Final.

0

Oregon Coach Dana Altman Retires After 16 Seasons — 6dOregon's Dana Altman retires after 16 seasons and a 382-182 record, announced Oct. 7, 2026, less than three weeks before the Ducks' opener.

0

Georgia-Alabama Betting Line Shifts Before Tuscaloosa ShowdownSports — Oct 4, 2026Betting markets have swung sharply toward Alabama for its home matchup with Georgia, moving the Crimson Tide from an opening underdog to a 1.5-point favorite after Georgia initially opened as a roughly 2.5- to 3-point favorite. The shift comes as both teams enter unbeaten, and Alabama is poised to be a home underdog for only the second time in 19 seasons if the line changes back.

0

Flyers reportedly sign Bunting to $1.2M deal — Oct 6, 2026The Philadelphia Flyers signed forward Michael Bunting to a one-year, $1.2 million contract as they seek a spark after opening the season 0-2-2. Bunting had 14 goals and 33 points in 74 games split between Nashville and Dallas last season.

0

Braves Even NLDS; White Sox, Rays Take Leads — Sep 30, 2026The Braves face a win-or-go-home Game 3 against the Phillies, opening with left-hander Ray Kerr before turning to Grant Holmes in an effort to contain Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. Atlanta will also need to generate offense against Aaron Nola to keep its season alive.

0

Arkansas Women’s Basketball Releases 2026-27 ScheduleSports — Oct 7, 2026Arkansas women’s basketball enters 2026-27 with a largely rebuilt roster after a difficult first season under Kelsi Musick, and its schedule includes key tests against Wake Forest, Arkansas State and SEC opponents. The Razorbacks open Nov. 2 and begin SEC play Dec. 31, with 13 opponents having reached the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

0

Most Influential Women in World HistoryYourlist — RankingFrom ancient queens who ruled empires to modern activists who changed laws, these women left indelible marks on politics, science, and culture. Vote for who you think shaped history most profoundly.

Golf Course Housing Debates Span 369 LocationsSports — Oct 7, 2026Cities are making different decisions about municipal golf courses: Edmonton’s courses are closing for the season after a rain-disrupted year, while Virginia Beach approved selling a 350-acre course for a housing development, pending rezoning and amid a federal lawsuit. The sale reflects broader local debates over redeveloping golf-course land versus preserving open space.

0

Wisconsin Routes Michigan State 31-3Sports — Sep 28, 2026Wisconsin hosts Michigan State after its upset of Penn State, with the Badgers favored as they look to carry that momentum into their conference opener. The Spartans arrive on a two-game losing streak with season-ending injury to key running back Cam Edwards and mounting offensive problems, including turnovers and sacks, though both teams’ coaches emphasized moving forward and staying focused.

0

Falcons Rout Packers 35-14 at Lambeau Field — Sep 22, 2026The Green Bay Packers host the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football at Lambeau, with Green Bay chasing a NFL-record 14th consecutive home-opener win as they aim to extend their early-season momentum behind quarterback Jordan Love. The short week spotlight includes Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. returning from injury and a heavy emphasis on tight game-planning, while fans can tune in via Prime Video and various NFL streaming options.

0

Astros top Mets 3-1 as Brown fans season-high 10 in series opener — Aug 28, 2026Hunter Brown struck out 10 over 6 2/3 innings to lift the Astros to a 3-1 win over the Mets at Citi Field, with Daulton Varsho delivering a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth and Yainer Diaz adding an RBI. Houston reinforced its grip on the AL West as they went 3-1 in New York, while Mets starter Christian Scott struggled with control in a pivotal late frame.

0

Toy Story vs ShrekYourlist — VS BattleThe toy box vs the swamp: two animation revolutions, one inevitable playground argument.

NFL season kicks off Wednesday, raising fresh scheduling questions — Sep 4, 2026As the NFL season kicks off, analysts highlight potential waiver-wire paths to league-wide success, discuss opening-week challenges, and engage in on-air season previews, while critics argue the league’s ongoing anti-racism messaging remains performative without meaningful accountability. The conversation also spotlights under-the-radar high school football storylines in California and Colorado, including Mater Dei’s looming test against Valor Christian and Santa Ana Valley’s bid for a 3-0 start.

+2

Maya Lindstrom Mater Dei vs Valor Christian on opening week is basically a bowl game, ridiculous talent on both sides.

Sakamoto beats retiring Nishikori, earns US Open spot — Aug 28, 2026Japan’s Rei Sakamoto defeated Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-6(3) in the US Open qualifying final to earn a main-draw spot, signaling a changing of the guard as Nishikori—who has said this will be his final season—continues toward retirement. Sakamoto, 20, fired 19 aces and spoke of idolizing Nishikori, whose farewell is framed against the backdrop of the rising Japanese talent.

0

No. 3 Kentucky sweeps No. 6 Wisconsin in Milwaukee — Aug 22, 2026Kentucky, ranked No. 3, swept No. 6 Wisconsin 3-0 at the AVCA First Serve to open the 2026 season, riding a blistering .385 team hitting percentage while Wisconsin struggled at .186 and was outblocked 10-5. The Wildcats were balanced across the lineup with Brooklyn DeLeye and Morgan Gaerte each reaching double-digit kills and Carr, DeLeye, and Gaerte fueling a high-powered attack, though Wisconsin showed bright spots in Audrey Flanagan and Eva Travis as the Badgers edge closer to competing with top teams.

0

Seahawks’ Darnold Diagnosed With Glute Injury — Sep 10, 2026Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a muscle-related hip/glute injury early in the season opener, with no fracture detected and the team holding him out for at least Week 2 as Drew Lock steps in; the timeline for a return ranges from a couple of weeks to potentially Week 3 or later, depending on recovery. Coaches and insiders have indicated the injury is muscular and not catastrophic, keeping Seattle optimistic about Darnold’s eventual return while Lock leads the team in the short term.

0

Air Force Opens Season With 34-0 Shutout of Duquesne — Sep 6, 2026Air Force opened the 2026 season with a 34-0 shutout of Duquesne, piling up 431 rushing yards while holding the Dukes to 107 total yards and no red-zone entries, anchored by Liam Szarka’s two rushing touchdowns. The dominant ground game and stout defense set up a Week 2 matchup with North Dakota State.

+3

Priya Raman Holding Duquesne to zero red-zone trips says everything about that defensive front. NDSU will be a real test though.

Rays Beat Tigers 4-1 as Rasmussen Extends Win Streak — Aug 24, 2026Drew Rasmussen worked six strong innings to earn the win against Detroit, allowing one run on three hits as the Rays opened their three-game series with a 3-1 victory and continued his solid run this season. With a 14-5 record and a 2.95 ERA, he’s poised to face the Mets next as Tampa Bay tries to maintain its AL East lead and rebound from recent struggles.

0

Patriots Kicker Borregales Takes Diggs’ Former No. 8 — Sep 6, 2026Patriots kicker Andy Borregales switched from No. 36 to No. 8, a number that traces back to his earliest days in football and became available after Stefon Diggs left the team. Entering his second season, he aims to build on a strong rookie year (27 of 32 FG, 53 of 55 XP, 134 points) and establish himself in the season opener against the Seahawks after a rocky preseason.

+2

Rachel Meyers Funny how a jersey number just becomes available and it means so much to a guy. Good story, hope he balls out against Seattle.

Kim 59 Leads 3M Open; Sub-60 History — Jul 23, 2026Michael Kim shot a 59 at the 3M Open, the first sub-60 round of the PGA Tour season and the 16th such score in Tour history, setting a course record at TPC Twin Cities. He finished with a dramatic 24-foot birdie at No. 18 to seal a 12-under performance.

0

Mizzou golf finishes eighth as Trent Mierl cracks top 10 in opener — Sep 1, 2026Several college programs posted solid early-season results: Mizzou opened the Visit Knoxville Collegiate with an eighth-place finish led by Trent Mierl’s top-10, while Chattanooga led the same event after Day 1 and Belmont stood third after 36 holes at the Jaguar Invitational; RMU also started with an eighth-place showing at the Virtues Intercollegiate. The performances featured consistent contributions from veterans and newcomers, with Mierl, Hawkins and others delivering noteworthy rounds as teams gauge depth and form early in the season.

+2

Priya Raman Belmont sitting third after 36 holes is encouraging, hope they can close strong on the final round.