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The Heisman race is wide open and the names at the top are ones you already know. Notre Dame's CJ Carr and Texas quarterback Arch Manning are sitting as co-favorites heading into the college football season, but the sportsbooks are telling a clear story here — this thing is anybody's trophy to win, and the field is deep enough to keep it interesting all the way to December.
Shifting to the NFL, Kirk Cousins gets the nod in Las Vegas. The Raiders have named the veteran their Week One starter over rookie Fernando Mendoza, who becomes just the first number one overall quarterback taken since Baker Mayfield not to start opening day. That's a notable footnote for Mendoza, but for the Raiders, it's a clear signal they're not ready to hand the keys to a rookie just yet.
And in baseball, the labor clock is ticking louder than ever. ESPN spoke with more than two dozen major league players anonymously about the state of CBA negotiations, and the tension is real — some players openly questioning whether there will even be a two thousand twenty seven season. That's not background noise anymore. That's a warning shot, and the league would be wise to listen.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
