All articles tagged with #season opener
The 2026 NFL season will kick off with a Super Bowl LX rematch as the New England Patriots visit the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sept. 9, 2026, with an 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff to celebrate Seattle’s championship; the game is one of nine Patriots road games, which includes a Germany trip to face the Lions in the NFL International Series, and the full schedule will be released May 14.
Breanna Stewart powered the New York Liberty to a 106-75 season-opening win over the Connecticut Sun, scoring 31 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, and reaching 6,000 career points in the first half; Julie Vanloo shined on a hardship contract with 12 points and 11 assists, while Marine Johannès added 17. The night also featured Washington Mystics' 68-65 win over the Toronto Tempo and the Golden State Valkyries' 91-80 victory over the Seattle Storm amid injury updates for Tiffany Hayes and Cecilia Zandalasini.
The Seattle Seahawks will open the 2026 NFL season by hosting the season opener at Lumen Field on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with a 5:20 p.m. PT kickoff on NBC; the opponent will be announced later. The midweek start is due to an Australia international game impacting the schedule, placing Seattle among the few teams to have played on every day of the week.
Tyler Reddick earned his third straight NASCAR Cup Series win to open the season at Circuit of the Americas, marking a historic start for 23XI Racing.
Sounders substitute Paul Rothrock came off the bench to assist Seattle’s first goal and score the second in a 2-0 season-opening win over the Colorado Rapids, delivering a standout performance after a challenging preseason and a personal mental reset.
Florida State exploded for 16 runs and shut out James Madison in the season opener at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium, with Cade O’Leary earning the win and Tyler Muscar taking the loss. The offense included Brayden Dowd’s three-run homer and Brody DeLamielleure’s homer, plus RBI production from Cal Fisher, Noah Sheffield and others to cruise to victory.
Nebraska baseball opened the 2026 season with a 12-2 mercy-rule victory over UConn at the MLB Desert Invitational in Arizona, moving to 1-0 while UConn fell to 0-1. Dylan Carey led the offense with four RBI on three hits, and the Huskers combined for 16 hits as Ty Horn pitched effectively through 4.2 innings. Caleb Clark and Tucker Timmerman finished strong out of the bullpen, and several players had multi-hit games as Nebraska cruised to the win before facing Northeastern next.
UCLA gymnastics, led by Olympians Jordan Chiles and Tiana Sumanasekera, won the Best of the West Quad with a score of 196.975, showcasing strong performances across all events and setting an early season benchmark ahead of upcoming top-tier competitions.
The Utah Red Rocks gymnastics team opened their 2026 season with a win over Big Ten opponents, showcasing strong performances and new talent, but also facing uncharacteristic errors that highlight areas for improvement ahead of a major upcoming meet against top-ranked teams.
Kentucky basketball opened their season with a 77-51 win over Nicholls, struggling in the first half but rallying in the second, highlighted by a standout dunk from Collin Chandler and strong defense, with key contributions from Denzel Aberdeen and improvements in team chemistry and performance.
UCLA's basketball team, led by coach Mick Cronin, struggled defensively in their season-opening win against Eastern Washington, prompting a rare postgame rant from Cronin about their poor effort and adherence to game plans, despite the team winning 80-74.
St. John's basketball team, led by coach Rick Pitino, opened their season with a dominant 108-74 victory over Quinnipiac, showcasing their athleticism and depth, and signaling their potential as a national championship contender, despite some early-game mistakes.
Michigan men's basketball started their season with a dominant 121-78 win over Oakland, showcasing an explosive offense, a fast-paced game, and impressive team depth, despite some injury concerns. The first half set a program record with 69 points, highlighting their offensive efficiency and athleticism. The team displayed strong ball movement, effective paint touches, and a quick tempo, setting high expectations for the season. Next up is a game against Wake Forest.
Wisconsin Badgers opened their season with a dominant 96-64 win over Campbell, highlighted by John Blackwell's 31-point performance, strong contributions from bench players Janicki and Carrington, and solid performances from transfer starters Boyd and Rapp, showcasing team depth and individual talent.
North Carolina basketball team opened their season with a dominant 94-54 win over Central Arkansas, showcasing strong performances from Caleb Wilson and Kyan Evans, and setting the stage for a high-profile game against Kansas later in the week.