Who are College Football Playoff national title contenders for 2026-27?

Who are College Football Playoff national title contenders for 2026-27?

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A new king will be crowned tonight in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship with the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes and No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers facing off at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. The Hurricanes are 60 minutes away from securing the program’s first national title in a nearly a quarter century while a Hoosier victory would solidify the most dramatic two-year turnaround in college football history.

As we wait for these two programs to clash in this heavyweight title fight, we’ll peak ahead to next season and look at a handful of teams who could be standing in this very spot one year from now. Several contenders from this year have already made moves to beef up their rosters through recruiting/the transfer portal and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see one of them hoisting the gold trophy in Las Vegas next January. These are in no particular order, so don’t yell at me. Let’s dive in.

What if we were just a year too early with the Texas hype? The Longhorns entered 2025 ranked as the preseason No. 1 team in the country and didn’t quite live up to expectations, posting a 10-3 record where they were left out of the 12-team playoff. Arch Manning experienced growing pains in his first season as a starter and while he didn’t light the world on fire as the preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, he improved as the season went on and put on a show in their 41-27 victory over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl.

Manning will return to Austin in 2026 with a full year of starting experience under his belt and not only will he have top receiver Ryan Wingo back in the saddle, he’ll have new transfer weapons in Auburn receiver Cam Coleman, Arizona State running back Raleek Brown, and NC State running back Hollywood Smothers. They’ll have a chance to get some payback against Ohio State when hosting the Buckeyes in September and a win there could really get them rolling on a path to Las Vegas.

Oregon’s 2025 season could be considered a success as it won 13 games and got to the doorstep of a title game appearance by reaching the CFP semifinal. Dante Moore was excellent in taking over for Dillon Gabriel at quarterback, Kenyon Sadiq solidified himself as the top tight end prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, and their defensive front seven terrorized opposing QB’s all season long. Great. Cool. The only problem was them having no answers for Indiana, who beat them twice and embarrassed them by 34 points in that Peach Bowl semifinal.

The Ducks’ quest for their first national title once again fell short but you know what, they will be right back in the mix again next season. Moore passed up the opportunity to be the next victim of the Jets enter the NFL Draft and will return to Eugene next season as an experienced veteran. Dan Lanning will once again have one of the more talented rosters in entire country and Minnesota transfer safety Koi Perich could be a difference-maker in the defensive backfield. Oregon is bound to finally break through one of these years and 2026 could be that year.

ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 09: Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Indiana Hoosiers on January 09, 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Win or lose tonight, Indiana isn’t going away and Curt Cignetti has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to quickly assembling a roster that can dominate at the highest level of the sport. The likes of Fernando Mendoza, Roman Hemby, Elijah Sarratt, D’Angelo Ponds, and Louis Moore will all have to be replaced after playing vital roles in the Hoosiers bulldozing their way to the title game with a perfect 15-0 record. They should be alright.

TCU quarterback Josh Hoover will be the man operating the controls for IU next season and with back-to-back 3,000-yard seasons under his belt, he could pick up where Mendoza left off. He’s one of several veteran players headlining a loaded transfer portal class for the Hoosiers, one that includes Michigan State receiver Nick Marsh and Penn State cornerback A.J. Harris, and Kansas State edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi. From what we saw from this year’s Indiana team, to would not be a shock to see this group of transfers lighting it up in the playoffs one year from now.

Ohio State has a top-five roster in the sport almost in perpetuity and even though it was unable to defend its title this season, it will be right back in the national title conversation next year. The Buckeyes carved right through the 2025 regular season with a perfect 12-0 record, only to stumble in December against the eventual title game participants in Indiana and Miami. First-year starting quarterback Julian Sayin had total command of the offense by season’s end and it obviously helps when you can just press the Jeremiah Smith button…and have a 1,000-yard freshman running back in Bo Jackson…and have the top-ranked defense in SP+ led by several future first-round picks.

The good news for the Buckeyes is that Sayin, Smith, and Jackson will be back for OSU and No. 1 wide receiver prospect Chris Henry Jr. projects to be the next pass-catching prodigy for the Scarlet and Gray. The bad news is that NFL-bound defenders like Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs will have to be replaced. But it’s Ohio State. New monsters will emerge and we’ll be talking about them next winter.

The 2026 season will be Year 5 of the Lincoln Riley era in Los Angeles and by all accounts, it’s a do-or-die, all-in season for his tenure. USC had a respectable nine-win campaign this season and was actually hanging onto the periphery of the playoff picture in late November before a 42-27 loss to Oregon ended those dreams. Jayden Maiava had a productive season at quarterback and helps when you have a cheat code in Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon to throw to.

USC will be running it back with most of its key players except the NFL-bound Lemon, although NC State transfer wideout Terrell Anderson could be a nice substitute. The Trojans have supplemented their roster with the No. 1 recruiting class in the country and top-ranked tackle Keenyi Pepe could be a Day 1 starter as a true freshman. Notre Dame is controversially off the schedule, but they’ll still have a tough Big Ten slate with the likes of Indiana, Ohio State, and Oregon on the docket. If they can reach 10 wins with a victory in at least one of those games, then they should be comfortably in the playoff field. If not, well, we could be talking about a new USC head coach for 2027.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame got left out of the playoff field for Alabama this season and spent an entire week crashing out, going so far as declining to participate in a bowl game. They spent most of the season dropping the hammer on their opponents left and right, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their one-score losses to Miami and Texas A&M in the eyes of the CFP committee. It’s actually a bit of a shame that we didn’t get to see Heisman Trophy finalist Jeremiyah Love tote the rock in the playoffs again before declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.

The good news for the Irish is that they are basically guaranteed a playoff spot if they are ranked in the top 12 at the end of the season and one will assume that Marcus Freeman will have the team ready to prove themselves after the playoff snub (assuming that he doesn’t take an NFL job at the last minute). C.J. Carr will be back at quarterback and he’ll have plenty of talent helping him out with Notre Dame pulling in top classes from both high school and the transfer portal. The Fighting Irish aren’t going away and with a manageable schedule next season, they should be in the thick of the playoff hunt.

STANFORD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 29: CJ Carr #13 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish warms up before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Stanford, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

STANFORD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 29: CJ Carr #13 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish warms up before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Stanford, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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You know what, I could’ve done this with Ohio State earlier, but I don’t have to say much here. It’s Georgia. There’s talent everywhere. They’re most likely going to play Texas in the SEC Championship Game and be off to the playoffs from there. You’ve seen this movie before, you know the deal. Next…

The final weeks of the regular season was consumed by Lane Kiffin abandoning a playoff semifinal-bound Ole Miss for LSU and there will be an intense microscope over his first season in Baton Rouge next year. LSU armed him with a war chest of $25-30 million in NIL funds and he’s made good use of it with the No. 1 transfer portal class in the entire country. The Tigers were able to beat out several suitors for top transfer portal quarterback Sam Leavitt and fellow transfers like Tennessee edge rusher Jordan Ross and Old Dominion wideout Tre’ Brown III should make an immediate impact.

Kiffin has a mandate to win and win quickly in Baton Rouge and the expectation will be to at least have them in the playoff mix by the time they visit Arkansas to close the regular season. If Leavitt immediately hits like fellow Arizona State transfer QB Jayden Daniels did a few years ago, then things can turn around for LSU almost immediately.

A 12-team playoff bracket opens the door for at least one under-the-radar team to insert itself into the national title conversation and I’ll go bold and predict Houston being that team for 2026. If you didn’t notice, the Cougars quietly took a huge step forward in Willie Fritz’s second season, winning 10 games and knocking off LSU in the Texas Bowl to end the campaign. Everyone is searching for the next Curt Cignetti right now and to borrow a catchphrase of his, go Google the amount of winning that he’s done at programs like Sam Houston, Georgia Southern, and Tulane.

Texas A&M transfer quarterback Connor Weigman had a strong season for the Cougars in 2025 and he’ll be back next season alongside leading receiver Amare Thomas. One of the more impactful moves of the transfer portal cycle could end up being former Tulane running back Makhi Hughes deciding to re-unite with Fritz after a disappointing year at Oregon. And while next year’s Cougar offense could be dangerous, the signing of No. 1 prep QB Keisean Henderson could set the program up for even greater success in the future. Buy your Houston stock now, because you could be seeing this program rubbing elbows with the sport’s best real soon.

HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 27: Conner Weigman #1 of the Houston Cougars is named Texas Bowl MVP during the Kinder’s Texas Bowl against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

HOUSTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 27: Conner Weigman #1 of the Houston Cougars is named Texas Bowl MVP during the Kinder’s Texas Bowl against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
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Deadspin | Nationals aim to continue winning ways in finale vs. Blue Jays Jul 28, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (2) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images The Washington Nationals will go for their fourth straight series win since the All-Star break when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon. Washington rebounded from a 3-2 setback Monday in the opener of the three-game series vs. Toronto with an 8-6 win on Tuesday. “Obviously we understand meaningful games going into late July and August,” manager Blake Butera said after Washington’s sixth victory in the past nine games. “Each win just feels like it means more and more every time out.” With an eight-game road trip through Atlanta and Philadelphia awaiting them, the Nationals will look to end their six-game homestand on a high note. Toronto, which is 4-8 since the break, can earn a split of its six-game road trip with a win on Wednesday. The Blue Jays will send rookie Trey Yesavage (4-5, 3.92 ERA) to the mound Wednesday against fellow right-hander Zack Littell (7-8, 5.17), who could be preceded by an opener. Toronto has lost the last four starts by Yesavage, who is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA during that stretch. He gave up three runs on five hits over four innings in his team’s 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday. He tied his career high with nine strikeouts and walked one while throwing 93 pitches. “I was getting ahead early. I think every batter I faced, I got to a two-strike count,” Yesavage said. “It’s just a matter of putting them away, which really drove up the pitch count.” He has never faced the Nationals. After allowing eight runs in a start against the Athletics on July 18, Littell worked behind an opener the last time out, with better results. He took the loss despite giving up one run on four hits over five innings Friday in a 3-2 setback to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Littell is 2-0 with 4.68 ERA in six career games (four starts) vs. Toronto. On Tuesday night, the high-powered Nationals offense used early walks and mid-game power to build an 8-3 lead before holding on late. The Nationals got a team-record six walks in the first inning against Shane Bieber and back-to-back homers from Luis Garcia Jr. and Dylan Crews in the fourth. Crews has reached safely in 10 straight games, batting .314 (11-for-35) with three doubles, three homers, eight walks, nine runs and six RBIs during that span. “It’s unbelievable,” said closer Clayton Beeter, who picked up his 11th save. “One through nine, I feel like everybody’s a tough out. Just talking to guys around the league, everybody’s respecting out lineup, and that’s good to see.” George Springer’s three-run homer in the eighth inning trimmed Washington’s lead to 8-6. He is batting .333 (14-for-42) with two doubles, three homers, five runs and 11 RBIs since the All-Star break to raise his season average to .234. Kazuma Okamoto hit his 24th homer of the season for Toronto. Teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited the game in the fourth inning with right hamstring tightness after legging out an infield single in the third. “He wanted to stay in,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, “and it was just my call to be careful with him and not have anything worse happen.” Schneider did not rule out Guerrero playing on Wednesday. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Nationals #aim #continue #winning #ways #finale #Blue #JaysJul 28, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (2) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals will go for their fourth straight series win since the All-Star break when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon.

Washington rebounded from a 3-2 setback Monday in the opener of the three-game series vs. Toronto with an 8-6 win on Tuesday.

“Obviously we understand meaningful games going into late July and August,” manager Blake Butera said after Washington’s sixth victory in the past nine games. “Each win just feels like it means more and more every time out.”

With an eight-game road trip through Atlanta and Philadelphia awaiting them, the Nationals will look to end their six-game homestand on a high note.

Toronto, which is 4-8 since the break, can earn a split of its six-game road trip with a win on Wednesday.

The Blue Jays will send rookie Trey Yesavage (4-5, 3.92 ERA) to the mound Wednesday against fellow right-hander Zack Littell (7-8, 5.17), who could be preceded by an opener.

Toronto has lost the last four starts by Yesavage, who is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA during that stretch.

He gave up three runs on five hits over four innings in his team’s 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday. He tied his career high with nine strikeouts and walked one while throwing 93 pitches.

“I was getting ahead early. I think every batter I faced, I got to a two-strike count,” Yesavage said. “It’s just a matter of putting them away, which really drove up the pitch count.”


He has never faced the Nationals.

After allowing eight runs in a start against the Athletics on July 18, Littell worked behind an opener the last time out, with better results. He took the loss despite giving up one run on four hits over five innings Friday in a 3-2 setback to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Littell is 2-0 with 4.68 ERA in six career games (four starts) vs. Toronto.

On Tuesday night, the high-powered Nationals offense used early walks and mid-game power to build an 8-3 lead before holding on late.

The Nationals got a team-record six walks in the first inning against Shane Bieber and back-to-back homers from Luis Garcia Jr. and Dylan Crews in the fourth. Crews has reached safely in 10 straight games, batting .314 (11-for-35) with three doubles, three homers, eight walks, nine runs and six RBIs during that span.

“It’s unbelievable,” said closer Clayton Beeter, who picked up his 11th save. “One through nine, I feel like everybody’s a tough out. Just talking to guys around the league, everybody’s respecting out lineup, and that’s good to see.”

George Springer’s three-run homer in the eighth inning trimmed Washington’s lead to 8-6. He is batting .333 (14-for-42) with two doubles, three homers, five runs and 11 RBIs since the All-Star break to raise his season average to .234.

Kazuma Okamoto hit his 24th homer of the season for Toronto. Teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited the game in the fourth inning with right hamstring tightness after legging out an infield single in the third.

“He wanted to stay in,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, “and it was just my call to be careful with him and not have anything worse happen.”

Schneider did not rule out Guerrero playing on Wednesday.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Nationals #aim #continue #winning #ways #finale #Blue #Jays">Deadspin | Nationals aim to continue winning ways in finale vs. Blue Jays Jul 28, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (2) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images The Washington Nationals will go for their fourth straight series win since the All-Star break when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon. Washington rebounded from a 3-2 setback Monday in the opener of the three-game series vs. Toronto with an 8-6 win on Tuesday. “Obviously we understand meaningful games going into late July and August,” manager Blake Butera said after Washington’s sixth victory in the past nine games. “Each win just feels like it means more and more every time out.” With an eight-game road trip through Atlanta and Philadelphia awaiting them, the Nationals will look to end their six-game homestand on a high note. Toronto, which is 4-8 since the break, can earn a split of its six-game road trip with a win on Wednesday. The Blue Jays will send rookie Trey Yesavage (4-5, 3.92 ERA) to the mound Wednesday against fellow right-hander Zack Littell (7-8, 5.17), who could be preceded by an opener. Toronto has lost the last four starts by Yesavage, who is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA during that stretch. He gave up three runs on five hits over four innings in his team’s 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday. He tied his career high with nine strikeouts and walked one while throwing 93 pitches. “I was getting ahead early. I think every batter I faced, I got to a two-strike count,” Yesavage said. “It’s just a matter of putting them away, which really drove up the pitch count.” He has never faced the Nationals. After allowing eight runs in a start against the Athletics on July 18, Littell worked behind an opener the last time out, with better results. He took the loss despite giving up one run on four hits over five innings Friday in a 3-2 setback to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Littell is 2-0 with 4.68 ERA in six career games (four starts) vs. Toronto. On Tuesday night, the high-powered Nationals offense used early walks and mid-game power to build an 8-3 lead before holding on late. The Nationals got a team-record six walks in the first inning against Shane Bieber and back-to-back homers from Luis Garcia Jr. and Dylan Crews in the fourth. Crews has reached safely in 10 straight games, batting .314 (11-for-35) with three doubles, three homers, eight walks, nine runs and six RBIs during that span. “It’s unbelievable,” said closer Clayton Beeter, who picked up his 11th save. “One through nine, I feel like everybody’s a tough out. Just talking to guys around the league, everybody’s respecting out lineup, and that’s good to see.” George Springer’s three-run homer in the eighth inning trimmed Washington’s lead to 8-6. He is batting .333 (14-for-42) with two doubles, three homers, five runs and 11 RBIs since the All-Star break to raise his season average to .234. Kazuma Okamoto hit his 24th homer of the season for Toronto. Teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited the game in the fourth inning with right hamstring tightness after legging out an infield single in the third. “He wanted to stay in,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, “and it was just my call to be careful with him and not have anything worse happen.” Schneider did not rule out Guerrero playing on Wednesday. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Nationals #aim #continue #winning #ways #finale #Blue #Jays

Few expansion teams in the modern history of American sports have ever established an identity as quickly and successfully as the Golden State Valkyries. As they debuted in the WNBA last season, the Valkyries immediately became known as a nasty defensive team that shut off the paint, pressured the ball, and got back in transition. It was a formula that helped Golden State punch a ticket to the playoffs, break the league record for most wins by a first-year team, and earn Natalie Nakase Coach of the Year honors.

The Valkyries’ defense has only gotten better this season, and it’s turned them into one of the best teams in the WNBA. Golden State exits the All-Star break with the W’s second-best record at 19-8, including a recent nine-game winning streak. The Valks are No. 1 in defensive rating, and only the Lynx are within shouting distance.

At this point, the Valkyries are simply too good to settle for being an uplifting story. If they’re really going to compete for a championship, they have to address the other end of the floor. Golden State’s offense is middling, ranking No. 8 out of 15 teams in points per 100 possessions. The best thing you can say about the Valkyries’ offense is they limit turnovers, jack threes, and hit the offensive glass hard. That works for the regular season, but creation is king in the playoffs, and the Valkyries still don’t have a ton of it.

With the Aug. 2 trade deadline looming, the Valkyries have a golden opportunity to load up for a championship run, and there’s one name that makes a ton of sense.

Kelsey Plum is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and she doesn’t intend to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks, according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile. Costabile reports that the Sparks haven’t shopped Plum, but they also can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Los Angeles is sitting at 10-16 on the year, and it sure feels like the only thing left to do this season is tank for JuJu Watkins ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft.

Plum could be a perfect fit in Golden State. The Sparks will want future draft picks, and the Valkyries have all of theirs moving plus, plus an additional second-round pick from Seattle via the Flau’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State could seemingly send Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, and a first-round pick or two to Los Angeles for Plum. In my mind, that would immediately make Golden State a real threat to win it all.

Why Kelsey Plum is perfect for the Valkyries

Plum has been out for the last month with a soft tissue strain in her left leg. If she can heal from that injury before the end of the regular season, she could give Golden State the halfcourt scoring and playmaking it desperately needs to make a deep playoff run.

Plum dropped 43 points in 37 minutes in an overtime thriller against Phoenix on June 13 in her third-to-last game before the injury that showed the full extent of her brilliance. At age-31, she still has plenty of burst as a ball handler to get into the paint and collapse the opposing defense. Though she’s only 5’8, Plum has always been a very good rim finisher at 64.7% within three-feet, per basketball-reference. She’s money in the short mid-range area too when she can’t get all the way to the rim, with an astounding 48% career field goal percentage from 3-10 feet.

Plum is also one of the league’s better three-point shooters. She’s making 38.3 percent of her triples on 9.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions this year, which is an outstanding blend of both volume and accuracy. She has a super quick trigger on spot-up attempts, which makes her a valuable floor spacer when she doesn’t have the ball.

Golden State has been a terrible two-point scoring team this season, ranking dead last with a 47.8% field goal percentage inside the arc. Plum is making an absurd 63.6% of her twos in a small sample of 12 games this year. Her two-point scoring efficiency had fallen off a bit the previous two seasons, but she’s still good enough to help Golden State majorly in that department. She’s also a natural fit for a team leading the WNBA in three-point attempts this season.

Plum’s playmaking is still really good, too. While Veronica Burton has done an excellent job as Golden State’s de facto point guard this season, Plum is a more natural floor general who brings increased downhill scoring juice, which helps unlock the Valkyries’ drive-and-kick game. Plum has always blended scoring and playmaking at a high level, and that’s exactly what Golden State needs to take the next step offensively.

The issue for Plum has always been defensively. She’ll get targeted on that end because of her lack of length, and she can have issues fighting over a good screen. The Valkyries could insulate her defensively better than anyone, with two defensive monsters in Burton and Gabby Williams on the wings, plus a really good rim protector in Kiah Stokes inside. The Valkyries’ whole defensive system is geared toward shutting off the paint, and they have the bodies to keep Plum out of trouble.

Golden State has the cap space to re-sign Plum in the offseason. Even if they have bigger plans for the winter, Plum would make a lot of sense even as a rental. The championship picture in the W is pretty wide open with Napheesa Collier yet to play a game (though she’s returning soon) and the Aces aging a bit and also lacking depth around A’Ja Wilson.

The Valkyries are already so good that maybe they feel like they don’t need to take a big swing on an iffy defensive player like Plum who doesn’t really fit their identity. It’s just hard to win it all without real balance, and Plum would give Golden State the halfcourt offensive boost it needs to reach another level.

The Sparks already gave up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft (All-Star Dominque Malonga) to get Plum, but it hasn’t worked out. They can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Golden State feels like the ideal partner with the trade deadline approaching.

#Kelsey #Plum #trade #Golden #State #Valkyries #sense #happen">Kelsey Plum trade to Golden State Valkyries makes too much sense not to happen Few expansion teams in the modern history of American sports have ever established an identity as quickly and successfully as the Golden State Valkyries. As they debuted in the WNBA last season, the Valkyries immediately became known as a nasty defensive team that shut off the paint, pressured the ball, and got back in transition. It was a formula that helped Golden State punch a ticket to the playoffs, break the league record for most wins by a first-year team, and earn Natalie Nakase Coach of the Year honors.The Valkyries’ defense has only gotten better this season, and it’s turned them into one of the best teams in the WNBA. Golden State exits the All-Star break with the W’s second-best record at 19-8, including a recent nine-game winning streak. The Valks are No. 1 in defensive rating, and only the Lynx are within shouting distance.At this point, the Valkyries are simply too good to settle for being an uplifting story. If they’re really going to compete for a championship, they have to address the other end of the floor. Golden State’s offense is middling, ranking No. 8 out of 15 teams in points per 100 possessions. The best thing you can say about the Valkyries’ offense is they limit turnovers, jack threes, and hit the offensive glass hard. That works for the regular season, but creation is king in the playoffs, and the Valkyries still don’t have a ton of it.With the Aug. 2 trade deadline looming, the Valkyries have a golden opportunity to load up for a championship run, and there’s one name that makes a ton of sense.Kelsey Plum is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and she doesn’t intend to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks, according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile. Costabile reports that the Sparks haven’t shopped Plum, but they also can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Los Angeles is sitting at 10-16 on the year, and it sure feels like the only thing left to do this season is tank for JuJu Watkins ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft.Plum could be a perfect fit in Golden State. The Sparks will want future draft picks, and the Valkyries have all of theirs moving plus, plus an additional second-round pick from Seattle via the Flau’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State could seemingly send Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, and a first-round pick or two to Los Angeles for Plum. In my mind, that would immediately make Golden State a real threat to win it all.Why Kelsey Plum is perfect for the ValkyriesPlum has been out for the last month with a soft tissue strain in her left leg. If she can heal from that injury before the end of the regular season, she could give Golden State the halfcourt scoring and playmaking it desperately needs to make a deep playoff run.Plum dropped 43 points in 37 minutes in an overtime thriller against Phoenix on June 13 in her third-to-last game before the injury that showed the full extent of her brilliance. At age-31, she still has plenty of burst as a ball handler to get into the paint and collapse the opposing defense. Though she’s only 5’8, Plum has always been a very good rim finisher at 64.7% within three-feet, per basketball-reference. She’s money in the short mid-range area too when she can’t get all the way to the rim, with an astounding 48% career field goal percentage from 3-10 feet.Plum is also one of the league’s better three-point shooters. She’s making 38.3 percent of her triples on 9.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions this year, which is an outstanding blend of both volume and accuracy. She has a super quick trigger on spot-up attempts, which makes her a valuable floor spacer when she doesn’t have the ball.Golden State has been a terrible two-point scoring team this season, ranking dead last with a 47.8% field goal percentage inside the arc. Plum is making an absurd 63.6% of her twos in a small sample of 12 games this year. Her two-point scoring efficiency had fallen off a bit the previous two seasons, but she’s still good enough to help Golden State majorly in that department. She’s also a natural fit for a team leading the WNBA in three-point attempts this season.Plum’s playmaking is still really good, too. While Veronica Burton has done an excellent job as Golden State’s de facto point guard this season, Plum is a more natural floor general who brings increased downhill scoring juice, which helps unlock the Valkyries’ drive-and-kick game. Plum has always blended scoring and playmaking at a high level, and that’s exactly what Golden State needs to take the next step offensively.The issue for Plum has always been defensively. She’ll get targeted on that end because of her lack of length, and she can have issues fighting over a good screen. The Valkyries could insulate her defensively better than anyone, with two defensive monsters in Burton and Gabby Williams on the wings, plus a really good rim protector in Kiah Stokes inside. The Valkyries’ whole defensive system is geared toward shutting off the paint, and they have the bodies to keep Plum out of trouble.Golden State has the cap space to re-sign Plum in the offseason. Even if they have bigger plans for the winter, Plum would make a lot of sense even as a rental. The championship picture in the W is pretty wide open with Napheesa Collier yet to play a game (though she’s returning soon) and the Aces aging a bit and also lacking depth around A’Ja Wilson.The Valkyries are already so good that maybe they feel like they don’t need to take a big swing on an iffy defensive player like Plum who doesn’t really fit their identity. It’s just hard to win it all without real balance, and Plum would give Golden State the halfcourt offensive boost it needs to reach another level.The Sparks already gave up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft (All-Star Dominque Malonga) to get Plum, but it hasn’t worked out. They can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Golden State feels like the ideal partner with the trade deadline approaching. #Kelsey #Plum #trade #Golden #State #Valkyries #sense #happen

according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile. Costabile reports that the Sparks haven’t shopped Plum, but they also can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Los Angeles is sitting at 10-16 on the year, and it sure feels like the only thing left to do this season is tank for JuJu Watkins ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft.

Plum could be a perfect fit in Golden State. The Sparks will want future draft picks, and the Valkyries have all of theirs moving plus, plus an additional second-round pick from Seattle via the Flau’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State could seemingly send Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, and a first-round pick or two to Los Angeles for Plum. In my mind, that would immediately make Golden State a real threat to win it all.

Why Kelsey Plum is perfect for the Valkyries

Plum has been out for the last month with a soft tissue strain in her left leg. If she can heal from that injury before the end of the regular season, she could give Golden State the halfcourt scoring and playmaking it desperately needs to make a deep playoff run.

Plum dropped 43 points in 37 minutes in an overtime thriller against Phoenix on June 13 in her third-to-last game before the injury that showed the full extent of her brilliance. At age-31, she still has plenty of burst as a ball handler to get into the paint and collapse the opposing defense. Though she’s only 5’8, Plum has always been a very good rim finisher at 64.7% within three-feet, per basketball-reference. She’s money in the short mid-range area too when she can’t get all the way to the rim, with an astounding 48% career field goal percentage from 3-10 feet.

Plum is also one of the league’s better three-point shooters. She’s making 38.3 percent of her triples on 9.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions this year, which is an outstanding blend of both volume and accuracy. She has a super quick trigger on spot-up attempts, which makes her a valuable floor spacer when she doesn’t have the ball.

Golden State has been a terrible two-point scoring team this season, ranking dead last with a 47.8% field goal percentage inside the arc. Plum is making an absurd 63.6% of her twos in a small sample of 12 games this year. Her two-point scoring efficiency had fallen off a bit the previous two seasons, but she’s still good enough to help Golden State majorly in that department. She’s also a natural fit for a team leading the WNBA in three-point attempts this season.

Plum’s playmaking is still really good, too. While Veronica Burton has done an excellent job as Golden State’s de facto point guard this season, Plum is a more natural floor general who brings increased downhill scoring juice, which helps unlock the Valkyries’ drive-and-kick game. Plum has always blended scoring and playmaking at a high level, and that’s exactly what Golden State needs to take the next step offensively.

The issue for Plum has always been defensively. She’ll get targeted on that end because of her lack of length, and she can have issues fighting over a good screen. The Valkyries could insulate her defensively better than anyone, with two defensive monsters in Burton and Gabby Williams on the wings, plus a really good rim protector in Kiah Stokes inside. The Valkyries’ whole defensive system is geared toward shutting off the paint, and they have the bodies to keep Plum out of trouble.

Golden State has the cap space to re-sign Plum in the offseason. Even if they have bigger plans for the winter, Plum would make a lot of sense even as a rental. The championship picture in the W is pretty wide open with Napheesa Collier yet to play a game (though she’s returning soon) and the Aces aging a bit and also lacking depth around A’Ja Wilson.

The Valkyries are already so good that maybe they feel like they don’t need to take a big swing on an iffy defensive player like Plum who doesn’t really fit their identity. It’s just hard to win it all without real balance, and Plum would give Golden State the halfcourt offensive boost it needs to reach another level.

The Sparks already gave up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft (All-Star Dominque Malonga) to get Plum, but it hasn’t worked out. They can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Golden State feels like the ideal partner with the trade deadline approaching.

#Kelsey #Plum #trade #Golden #State #Valkyries #sense #happen">Kelsey Plum trade to Golden State Valkyries makes too much sense not to happen

Few expansion teams in the modern history of American sports have ever established an identity as quickly and successfully as the Golden State Valkyries. As they debuted in the WNBA last season, the Valkyries immediately became known as a nasty defensive team that shut off the paint, pressured the ball, and got back in transition. It was a formula that helped Golden State punch a ticket to the playoffs, break the league record for most wins by a first-year team, and earn Natalie Nakase Coach of the Year honors.

The Valkyries’ defense has only gotten better this season, and it’s turned them into one of the best teams in the WNBA. Golden State exits the All-Star break with the W’s second-best record at 19-8, including a recent nine-game winning streak. The Valks are No. 1 in defensive rating, and only the Lynx are within shouting distance.

At this point, the Valkyries are simply too good to settle for being an uplifting story. If they’re really going to compete for a championship, they have to address the other end of the floor. Golden State’s offense is middling, ranking No. 8 out of 15 teams in points per 100 possessions. The best thing you can say about the Valkyries’ offense is they limit turnovers, jack threes, and hit the offensive glass hard. That works for the regular season, but creation is king in the playoffs, and the Valkyries still don’t have a ton of it.

With the Aug. 2 trade deadline looming, the Valkyries have a golden opportunity to load up for a championship run, and there’s one name that makes a ton of sense.

Kelsey Plum is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and she doesn’t intend to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks, according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile. Costabile reports that the Sparks haven’t shopped Plum, but they also can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Los Angeles is sitting at 10-16 on the year, and it sure feels like the only thing left to do this season is tank for JuJu Watkins ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft.

Plum could be a perfect fit in Golden State. The Sparks will want future draft picks, and the Valkyries have all of theirs moving plus, plus an additional second-round pick from Seattle via the Flau’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State could seemingly send Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, and a first-round pick or two to Los Angeles for Plum. In my mind, that would immediately make Golden State a real threat to win it all.

Why Kelsey Plum is perfect for the Valkyries

Plum has been out for the last month with a soft tissue strain in her left leg. If she can heal from that injury before the end of the regular season, she could give Golden State the halfcourt scoring and playmaking it desperately needs to make a deep playoff run.

Plum dropped 43 points in 37 minutes in an overtime thriller against Phoenix on June 13 in her third-to-last game before the injury that showed the full extent of her brilliance. At age-31, she still has plenty of burst as a ball handler to get into the paint and collapse the opposing defense. Though she’s only 5’8, Plum has always been a very good rim finisher at 64.7% within three-feet, per basketball-reference. She’s money in the short mid-range area too when she can’t get all the way to the rim, with an astounding 48% career field goal percentage from 3-10 feet.

Plum is also one of the league’s better three-point shooters. She’s making 38.3 percent of her triples on 9.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions this year, which is an outstanding blend of both volume and accuracy. She has a super quick trigger on spot-up attempts, which makes her a valuable floor spacer when she doesn’t have the ball.

Golden State has been a terrible two-point scoring team this season, ranking dead last with a 47.8% field goal percentage inside the arc. Plum is making an absurd 63.6% of her twos in a small sample of 12 games this year. Her two-point scoring efficiency had fallen off a bit the previous two seasons, but she’s still good enough to help Golden State majorly in that department. She’s also a natural fit for a team leading the WNBA in three-point attempts this season.

Plum’s playmaking is still really good, too. While Veronica Burton has done an excellent job as Golden State’s de facto point guard this season, Plum is a more natural floor general who brings increased downhill scoring juice, which helps unlock the Valkyries’ drive-and-kick game. Plum has always blended scoring and playmaking at a high level, and that’s exactly what Golden State needs to take the next step offensively.

The issue for Plum has always been defensively. She’ll get targeted on that end because of her lack of length, and she can have issues fighting over a good screen. The Valkyries could insulate her defensively better than anyone, with two defensive monsters in Burton and Gabby Williams on the wings, plus a really good rim protector in Kiah Stokes inside. The Valkyries’ whole defensive system is geared toward shutting off the paint, and they have the bodies to keep Plum out of trouble.

Golden State has the cap space to re-sign Plum in the offseason. Even if they have bigger plans for the winter, Plum would make a lot of sense even as a rental. The championship picture in the W is pretty wide open with Napheesa Collier yet to play a game (though she’s returning soon) and the Aces aging a bit and also lacking depth around A’Ja Wilson.

The Valkyries are already so good that maybe they feel like they don’t need to take a big swing on an iffy defensive player like Plum who doesn’t really fit their identity. It’s just hard to win it all without real balance, and Plum would give Golden State the halfcourt offensive boost it needs to reach another level.

The Sparks already gave up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft (All-Star Dominque Malonga) to get Plum, but it hasn’t worked out. They can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Golden State feels like the ideal partner with the trade deadline approaching.

#Kelsey #Plum #trade #Golden #State #Valkyries #sense #happen
CWG 2026 Glasgow LIVE Score, Day 7: Tajinderpal, Samardeep qualify for shot put final; Sanjana eliminated from 77kg weightlifting Plenty to keep track of today. Here’s hoping you keep up.WEIGHTLIFTING2:00 PM – Women’s 77kg final (medal event) – SanjanaATHLETICS AND PARA ATHLETICS3:35 PM – Men’s shot put qualifying – Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Group A), Samardeep Singh Gill (Group B)4:02 PM – Men’s 200m, Round 1 – Animesh Kujur (Heat 4)11:54 PM – Men’s long jump final (medal event) – M. Sreeshankar, Lokesh Sathyanathan12:03 AM (July 30) – Men’s 400m hurdles Round 1 – Yashas Palaksha (Heat 1), Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan (Heat 2)12:31 AM (July 30) – Women’s shot put final (medal event) – Manpreet Kaur12:55 AM (July 30) – Men’s discus throw F42-44/F61-64 final (medal event) – Devender Kumar, Sagar Thayat1:42 AM (July 30) – Men’s 100m T47 final (medal event) – Mohammed Basil Morssinganakath, Dilip Mahadu Gavit2:05 AM (July 30) – Women’s 3000m steeplechase final (medal event) – Parul ChaudharyBOXING4:45 PM – Women’s 51kg quarterfinal – Sakshi Chaudhary vs Caitlyn Fryers (Northern Ireland)5:30 PM – Women’s 70kg quarterfinal – Arundhati Choudhary vs Morgan Henderson (New Zealand)6:15 PM – Men’s 60kg quarterfinal – Sachin Siwach vs Treasure Moremi (Botswana)7:00 PM – Men’s 80kg quarterfinal – Ankush Panghal vs Jade Micock (Seychelles)7:30 PM – Men’s 90+kg quarterfinal – Narender Berwal vs Michael Seko (Samoa)11:00 PM – Women’s 57kg quarterfinal – Jaismine Lamboria vs Elise Glynn (England)SWIMMING AND PARA SWIMMING3:12 PM – Men’s 200m freestyle heats – Sajan Prakash (Heat 4), Aneesh S. Gowda (Heat 5)3:44 PM – Men’s 50m freestyle S7 Heats – Chaitanya Kulkarni, Suyash Jadhav11:51 PM – Men’s 200m freestyle final (medal event) – Sajan Prakash, Aneesh S. Gowda (Subject to qualification)12:46 AM (July 30) – Men’s 50m freestyle S7 final (medal event) – Chaitanya Kulkarni, Suyash Jadhav (Subject to qualification)1:14 AM (July 30) – Men’s 1500m freestyle fastest heat (medal event) – Aryan NehraBOWLS AND PARA BOWLS8:55 PM – Men’s pairs Sectional Play, Section B Round 2 – India (Navneet Singh and Dinesh Kumar) vs Namibia (Waylon Wentzel and Christo Steenkamp)1:10 AM (July 30) – Women’s Singles Sectional Play, Section C Round 2- Nayanmoni Saikia vs Caroline Whitehead (Isle of Man) #CWG #Glasgow #LIVE #Score #Day #Tajinderpal #Samardeep #qualify #shot #put #final #Sanjana #eliminated #77kg #weightlifting

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