ACC votes to add Stanford, Cal and SMU. Plus, our college football Week 1 picks, including LSU-Florida State

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Good morning to everyone but especially ...

THE NO. 14 UTAH UTES

The biggest question for No. 14 Utah against Florida on Thursday night was how it would respond without its star quarterback. It took one play to find out. Bryson Barnes found Money Parks for a 70-yard touchdown on the Utes' opening offensive play of the season, and Kyle Whittingham's team cruised from there, winning 24-11 to start the season 1-0.

With Cameron Rising still recovering from an ACL tear, Barnes got the start and delivered immediately. The 70-yard pass was Utah's longest passing touchdown since 2020.
As expected, Nate Johnson also played some under center. He helped, too, taking a 27-yard carry to the house. Barnes also scored on a 5-yard run.
That was more than enough for Utah's swarming defense. The Utes held Florida to 13 yards rushing on 21 carries (including five sacks of Graham Mertz). Sione Vaki also picked off the Gators' signal caller. Mertz did finish with a career-high 333 passing yards and a score to Caleb Douglas.

Barrett Salle praised Whittingham's masterful use of his quarterbacks Thursday night.

Sallee: "Whittingham is wildly regarded as a stickler for preparation, and he was incredibly prepared for Florida's defense despite the absence of Rising. He said at halftime that the Utes have come out conservative early in the last few season-openers. So, what did he do? Whittingham came out firing with a backup QB going deep on the first play from scrimmage. After that, all he asked Barnes to do was manage the game. He did it perfectly."

Honorable mentions

Ronald Acuña Jr. has the first 30-homer, 60-steal season in MLB history.
T.J. Hockenson signed a four-year, $68.5-million extension with the Vikings that makes him the highest-paid tight end in average value. Meanwhile, the Dolphins made Alec Ingold the highest-paid fullback in the AFC.
Tyreek Hill won't face NFL discipline for an offseason incident.
Minnesota stunned Nebraska with a crazy touchdown and a walk-off field goal.
Anthony Volpe became the first 20-home run, 20-steal rookie in Yankees history.
The Brewers added Josh Donaldson.
The White Sox promoted Chris Getz to general manager.
We have UEFA Champions League groups! We also have winners and losers from the draw, courtesy of Jonathan Johnson.
Erling Haaland and Aitana Bonmatí won UEFA Player of the Year awards.
Julie Ertz called it a career.
Anthony Edwards scored all 17 of his points in the final 20 minutes to lift Team USA past Montenegro, 85-73.
JaVale McGee is signing with the Kings.

Not so honorable mentions

Cooper Kupp (hamstring) had a setback and is day-to-day.
The Mets let go several members of their front office.
Chase Young (stinger) still hasn't been cleared for contact.

🏈 ACC votes to expand with Stanford, Cal and SMU

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 22 Pitt at Louisville — Getty Images

We have big breaking news on this Friday newsletter where the ACC presidents and chancellors have voted to extend invitations for Stanford, California and SMU from the AAC, sources told CBS Sports college football insider Dennis Dodd this morning.

If the invite is accepted, the three schools will join the ACC in time for the 2024 football season and it brings the league to 18 schools, including Notre Dame. The move likely signals the last straw for the Pac-12, which is down to just Washington State and Oregon State.

Here's more from Dodd:

Dodd: "The ACC is expected to receive around $72 million in additional media rights revenue as a result of expansion, per multiple reports, with $50 million to $60 million of that revenue being made available for the ACC to distribute as part of either a revised financial model or incentive program. All three schools, along with the rest of the league, may be eligible to earn additional revenue based on incentives tied to success in major sports, specifically football and men's basketball. An incentive distribution model is still under discussion by the ACC, but many expect one to be formally introduced for the 2024 athletic season."

🏈 College football Week 1 picks: No. 5 LSU vs. No. 8 Florida State leads slate

Here we are! The first full college football weekend is nearly upon us, and that means Tom Fornelli's Six Pack of picks!

There's no NFL on Sunday, and college football is taking full advantage with an absolute dandy between No. 5 LSU and No. 8 Florida State in Orlando. It's the only ranked-vs-ranked game of the week, and history says LSU has the advantage. The Tigers have won 11 straight nonconference games against AP top-10 teams, while the Seminoles have lost their last four such games. Then again, Florida State won this matchup, 24-23, to open last year thanks to a blocked extra point. Will the Tigers avenge that result? Here's what Tom says:

Fornelli: "I don't know if this year's game will have as much insanity baked into it, but I expect it to be close again. I also expect LSU will be the team to come out on top. To be clear, I'm high on both of these teams and believe they'll compete for their conference titles and the College Football Playoff berths that could come with them. However, Florida State was active in the portal during the offseason, and I always worry a little more about teams working with a lot of new faces. Meanwhile, LSU has a bit more roster consistency from last year. While I have concerns about the Tigers secondary, it matches up well with Florida State everywhere else. The Bayou Bengals get their revenge. Pick: LSU -2.5 (-111)"

Jerry Palm also has his best Week 1 bets.

And finally, we spend so much time analyzing the big games and big names, but a huge part of what makes college football great is the small-school stars. Seventh-year UTSA quarterback Frank Harris is one of those players, and Shehan Jeyarajah has an awesome story on him.

🏈 Preseason All-NFL Team and division champion picks

You didn't think we were going to let college football have all of the fun, did you? With the NFL season under one week away, we have two huge preview stories, and let's start with the stars: the 2023 Preseason All-NFL Team, as selected by our experts.

This roster includes 53 players, just like that of an NFL team. And while quarterback may have been a relatively straightforward group -- Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow -- the six cornerback spots were hotly contested. Ultimately, here's who made it:

Sauce Gardner (10 votes)
Patrick Surtain II (10)
Jaire Alexander (9)
Darius Slay (7)
Trevon Diggs (6)
Jaycee Horn (4)

We also have predictions for all eight divisions. There are several that seem wide open, both because all four teams should be good (AFC East, AFC North) and because all four teams we're, uh, not so sure about (NFC South). We'll go back and forth debating the "best" division, but I'm intrigued by the AFC East -- and especially the top three teams. All three received votes as division champion.

Will Brinson: "Bills. The lack of respect and interest in the Buffalo Bills this offseason is wild to me. This team has the second-most wins in the NFL behind the Chiefs over the last three years, has morphed into the new dominant franchise in their division and no one wants to back them to win this year, even in the division. Thank Aaron Rodgers and the Jets for the free chip on Buffalo's shoulder."
Jordan Dajani: "Jets: This defense is a top-five unit and the offense finally has some consistency at the most important position in the game. The Jets have a nice wide receiving corps and a loaded running back room. Plus, a motivated Aaron Rodgers is the best Aaron Rodgers."
Bryan DeArdo: "Dolphins: The Bills should get a wild card spot, though, along with Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. Semi hot take: One of these three teams will be in the AFC Championship game, if not the Super Bowl."

I had a blast reading through all of the opinions, and you will, too.

⚾ Guardians lead way with three waiver claims

Cleveland is the rock 'n' roll capital of the world, an, apparently, the 2023 MLB waiver claim capital of the world, too. The Guardians added three of the six waiver-claimed players Thursday, bringing in ...

RHP Lucas Giolito
RHP Reynaldo López
LHP Matt Moore

All three join the Guardians from the Angels, who unloaded six players onto waivers Tuesday. The Guardians are five games back of the Twins in the AL Central and have an 11.1% chance to make the postseason, according to SportsLine. Giolito, the headliner, had a 3.79 ERA before a tough stretch with the Angels, but he once again gets a clean slate as Cleveland makes a last-ditch effort at a run. Matt Snyder says he has "ace upside in there, though, and it's worth a shot to see if he reaches that ceiling here the rest of the way."

The three others claimed Thursday were ...

OF Harrison Bader (Reds)
OF Hunter Renfroe (Reds)
RHP Dominic Leone (Mariners)

🏈 Hall of Fame executive Gil Brandt dies at 91

Hallof Fame executive Gil Brandt -- best known for helping build the Cowboys from an expansion team to a dynasty -- died Thursday at 91 years old.

After short stints with the Rams and 49ers, Brandt joined the Cowboys in their inaugural 1960 campaign.
Alongside coach Tom Landry and general manager Tex Schramm (also both Hall of Famers), Brandt served as Dallas' vice president of player personnel until 1988. The team made five Super Bowls -- winning two -- and posted 20 consecutive winning seasons during Brandt's tenure.
Brandt revolutionized the scouting industry with computers and algorithms and helped create the NFL Combine. Among his biggest out-of-nowhere successes were Roger Staubach (10th round) and undrafted free agents Drew Pearson, Cliff Harris and Everson Walls.
Brandt joined the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 2018 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.