NCAA

Sam Westmoreland, a Mississippi State University football player, has died unexpectedly ... the school announced on Wednesday. He was 18 years old -- and only two days away from his 19th birthday.

No cause of death was revealed.

"My prayers are with Sam's family and friends," MSU president Mark E. Keenum said in a statement, "with his MSU teammates and coaches, and with the Tupelo community during this most difficult time."

Westmoreland joined the school's football team this year after a stellar career at Tupelo H.S. in Miss. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound freshman offensive lineman had yet to play in a game.

Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach described his player as "a beloved son, brother, and teammate, and a tremendous young man with a limitless future." He added that he and his team are "heartbroken" over the passing.

"He will always be remembered and deeply missed by everyone who knew and loved him," Leech said. "Our highest priority is the support of the Westmoreland family and our student-athletes during this troubling time."

Sam -- born in Tulepo, Miss. -- was an offensive tackle and an industrial technology major at MSU.

University officials said they are actively working with authorities -- including the Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office -- to obtain more details about Sam's tragic passing.

R.I.P.

Alabama WR Jermaine Burton allegedly struck a female Tennessee football fan in the head following the Crimson Tide's upset loss on Saturday ... and the incident was captured on video.

The clip, posted by Emily Isaacs on TikTok, appears to show Burton hitting the fan as she walked by him after the game. Isaacs says she's the woman in the video.

"Jermaine Burton smacking me in the head while walking past him after their loss Saturday. 👍," the TikToker wrote in the caption.

Another fan claims they had a similar incident with Burton after the game. A fan posted video online, and it appears JB took a swipe at him, too.

Burton -- who transferred from Georgia in January 2022 -- had 2 catches for 49 yards in the loss.

Of course, to describe the aftermath of the game as hectic would be an understatement. It was the first time Tennessee beat Bama in 16 seasons. Tenn fans even ripped the goalpost down from Neyland Stadium and threw it in a nearby river.

So, yeah ... insanity. The University of Tennessee was even fined $100K for allowing their fans on the football field.

We reached out to Univ. of Alabama and Knoxville police, but so far, no word back.

Deion Sanders gave patients at a Mississippi children's hospital an uplifting surprise Tuesday ... visiting them -- and then showering them with very cool gifts.

The JSU head football coach and NFL legend joined Aflac U.S. Deputy President Virgil Miller for the morning ... and the duo unloaded a gaggle of "My Special Aflac Ducks" to kids in need at the Children's of Mississippi Hospital in Jackson.

The ducks are robots designed by Aflac to help provide emotional support to pediatric cancer patients above the age of 3 years old ... and they're awesome, allowing kids to play doctor while they go through grueling medical treatments.

Prime and Virgil handed out the presents one by one ... and took pictures with the kids as well.

And, judging by all the smiles, it was a much-needed pick-me-up.

Deion has given back to the community repeatedly since taking the gig at JSU ... and he's ramping up the efforts this week as a part of the school's Homecoming weekend.

Bronny James is following in his father's footsteps ... signing a NIL deal with Beats by Dre -- 14 years after LeBron James became the company's first athlete ambassador.

Bronny, 18, is making history with the deal ... becoming the first high school athlete ever to be signed by the company, which was founded in 2006 by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine.

Beats by Dre even dropped a commercial featuring the newest member of its family ... showing 37-year-old James listening to classical music and going one-on-one with Bronny on the court.

In the video, LBJ and Bronny exchange buckets back and forth ... including a series of dunks and jump shots, all while donning Beats by Dre headphones during the game.

"The Chosen One vs. The Chosen Son," Beats by Dre fittingly wrote as a caption for the commercial. At the end of the video, "The Legacy Continues" appears on the screen.

Last week, the Sierra Canyon High School guard inked a NIL deal with Nike, who signed LeBron to a lifetime contract in 2015.

LBJ and Nike have been partners since 2003 ... when LeBron burst onto the NBA scene as an 18-year-rookie dominating the league, so signing Bronny was a foregone conclusion.

The Tennessee Volunteers football team is seeking help to replace the goalpost fans tore down after their upset win over Alabama on Saturday ... by starting a fundraiser for the cause.

They're serious, too -- the Vols shared a link to their campaign via Twitter ... one day after Tennessee fans threw the goalpost into the river to celebrate the victory.

"Y'all remember how we tore the goalposts down, hauled em out of Neyland and dumped em in the Tennessee River? Yeah that was awesome," the team said.

"Anywho, turns out that in order to play next week's game, we need goalposts on our field. Could y'all help us out?"

FYI, Tennessee will need that goalpost to play their Oct. 22 home game against UT Martin.

The team even found a way to troll the Crimson Tide on the donation page -- including using the final score as a dollar amount.

"Give $52.49. Final score of the breathtaking game."

There's also a $16 option -- the number of seasons since Tennessee beat 'Bama -- and a $1,019.15 choice ... which is the number of fans who sold out the Vol's stadium.

Of course, many ripped the team for the launch ... one person saying, "Is this real? You have a $130,000,000 budget. Get a new set. Problem solved. Good win."

As of Monday morning, the fundraiser has already received over $75k -- half of what they need -- from over 1,911 donors.

If you watched the SMU/Navy game Friday night, it was just a bunch of horses**t, right?

Well, thanks to Peruna, the game abruptly stopped in the third quarter, after SMU scored a TD and the mascot bolted onto the turf to celebrate. Thing is ... Peruna has loose bowels, and left an unhappy trail behind.

Officials tried to ignore it, but SMU's head coach Rhett Lashlee thought better and asked to hit the pause button while the poop was removed.

Now this is where a lack of preparation became a glaring problem.  There was no plan, no equipment, to remove the feces ... something you'd think SMU would have at the ready given its choice of mascots. So the staff had to walk out on the field and pick up horse poop by hand.

It took 15 minutes to make the field properly playable again.

ESPN announcers lost it trying to explain what happened.

Brittany Renner dusted off her cleats and hit the soccer field this week ... showing she's still got it when it comes to juggling balls.

The former college soccer star had the camera rolling when she got in a workout ... juggling the soccer ball for a minute straight without letting it hit the ground.

Brittany's skills are truly impressive -- she juggles at her feet and thighs ... and tops it off with a header.

Of course, Brittany -- who has a child with Charlotte Hornets hooper P.J. Washington -- previously showed off her skills while playing with rapper 6ix9ine.

Renner played college ball at Jackson State ... and has remained close to her old stomping grounds, hitting up JSU to talk to Deion Sanders' football team about groupies.

Eastern Michigan basketball star Emoni Bates was deeply emotional as he sat handcuffed in the back seat of a cop car ... breaking down in tears and talking to his mom on the phone right after his gun arrest, footage obtained by TMZ Sports shows.

18-year-old Bates -- one of the top prospects in the class of 2021 -- was pulled over in Superior Township, Michigan after allegedly running through a stop sign around 10:45 PM on September 18.

During the traffic stop, Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies -- who immediately recognized Bates -- told him there was a strong scent of weed coming from his vehicle and asked if there were guns or drugs in the Mitsubishi Outlander.

Bates -- who was driving without a license -- initially claimed he didn't, but eventually came clean ... admitting he had marijuana and a gun, putting his hands up and complying with the officers.

The 6'9", 190-pounder was then placed under arrest and put into the back seat of the cop car. While his vehicle was being searched, cops allowed him to use his phone ... and he called his mother to apologize for the arrest -- breaking down in tears in the process.

During the search, cops found what appeared to be a bag of marijuana ... as well as the gun.

Emoni's mom, Edith, calmed him down during the phone convo ... and then handed the phone over to a man, who seemingly said he is the owner of the gun.

The man appears to ask if cops found "my stick in your car?" ... to which Bates replied, "Yeah."

Bates was hit with two felonies -- carrying a concealed weapon and altering ID marks on a firearm -- but on Thursday, Bates' attorney, Steve Haney, told ESPN he expects the charges to be dismissed after agreeing to a plea deal.

Haney says he will plead to a misdemeanor count of attempted illegal transportation of a weapon ... which will be dismissed off his record if he completes a diversion program.

The school confirmed the news to TMZ Sports ... saying, "The Eastern Michigan University department of athletics has received notification that there is an agreement between the Washtenaw County prosecutor's office and Emoni Bates' defense team that would result in the felony charges being dismissed."

Eugene Quaynor -- a team captain on the Oral Roberts University men's soccer team -- was tragically killed in a fiery car crash in Oklahoma this week. He was just 23 years old.

The Tulsa Police Department said Thursday it received calls around 10:20 PM on Wednesday about a collision at 71st and S. Yale in Tulsa -- five minutes from the university.

According to cops, Quaynor was inside a silver Nissan at a stoplight when it was rear-ended by an SUV. Cops say Quaynor's car was hit so hard, it was pushed through the intersection and struck a retaining wall.

The vehicle then caught fire with Quaynor inside. Cops say bystanders tried to get him out by using rocks to break the vehicle's windows, but the flames became too intense.

Authorities say they found Quaynor deceased in the car when they arrived.

The Tulsa Police Department said the driver of the SUV initially attempted to flee the scene, but was detained by EMSA paramedics until officers came on the scene.

TPD says "charges against the driver who caused the crash will be recommended to the District Attorney's office" after they said the man "was unsteady on his feet, unable to walk, and appeared to be severely intoxicated."

Quaynor transferred to ORU from the University of Ghana and started playing for the Golden Eagles in 2019. He scored four goals during his first three seasons.

Quaynor played his last game for the Golden Eagles on Sept. 24. ORU announced Thursday it has postponed Saturday's game against St. Thomas in wake of Quaynor's death.

"He was a team captain and known for his captivating smile," the team said in a statement. "Eugene's presence is missed."

"Thank you for your prayerful support of the family in this time of bereavement."

Reggie Bush still doesn't have his Heisman Trophy back -- and his old USC teammate, LenDale White, is still furious over it ... saying the NCAA "looks absolutely foolish" for its role in it all.

Bush initially earned the trophy back in 2005 -- but it was pulled from him after investigators found he and his family received impermissible benefits during his time as a Trojan.

But, following the implementation of the new name, image and likeness rules in 2021, Bush argued it should be returned.

The Heisman Trust said it would have no issues with that if the NCAA reinstated his status -- but the org. declined to do so ... and White said he LOATHES that it's effectively barring Bush from getting the trophy by doing that.

"It's despicable," said the former Trojans tailback, who was in the TMZ office with former NFL star Chris Johnson. "When you think about it, obviously we know he made a mistake back then and he paid for it. He knows it. It was 20 years. Now, it's time to just finally welcome him back. It's been too long."

Bush himself would clearly still welcome the award back to his mantle -- in fact, he just recently starred in a Wendy's commercial poking fun at the NCAA over the drama.

White says he's optimistic the organization will eventually come around on the issue ... and help return the trophy to Bush.

"Hopefully, they come within their senses," he said, "and make something right."

Johnson and White spoke about a bunch of other hot-button NFL topics in a lengthy chat with Babcock ... check out the full interview below!

Penn State ain't letting a great opportunity slip through its fingertips ... TMZ Sports has learned the school will capitalize on the "Chad Powers" craze -- with plans to sell merch this weekend on the heels of Eli Manning's hilarious bit at the university.

A spokesperson for the school said T-shirts with Eli/Powers' images on them will hit the Beaver Stadium bookstore on Saturday. They'll be available at trailer locations during the Nittany Lions' home game against Central Michigan as well.

The shirts are hilarious -- they feature the character and jersey number from Manning's "Eli's Places" episode earlier this week.

If you missed it -- click play right now ... the skit is laugh-out-loud funny, showing Manning caking on makeup and donning a wig in order to "try out" for PSU's football team.

In addition to the shirts, a PSU official tells us there will also be a Chad Powers-themed promotion going on at the school's Beaver Stadium Block Party on Saturday.

At the event, if people run faster than 5.49 seconds in a 40-yard dash (the time Manning recorded as Powers during the workout), they'll get a free Powers T-shirt!

No word on what one of the for-sale tees will cost or if Manning's getting a cut.

"While Chad was not eligible to make our roster as a run-on," a PSU official added, "he is still part of our Penn State Family."

Eli Manning's portrayal of "Chad Powers" -- a dude trying out for the Penn State football team -- was so damn funny, the production company behind the 2x Super Bowl winners skit has been fielding offers from entertainment execs wanting to work with the signal-caller.

TMZ Sports posted the clip from "Eli's Places" on Monday ... showing Powers doing everything from running the 40-yard dash (5.49 seconds) to throwing deep balls, all while providing hilarious commentary ("Chad Powers. Ya ain't seen nothin' like him. Not just good looking. I can throw it, baby!").

The clip has already been viewed millions of times across the internet ... and our sources tell us Omaha Productions, owned by Peyton Manning, has been flooded by people in the entertainment industry who wish to work with Manning/Powers.

One of the ideas ... a "Ted Lasso"-type show. Of course, Jason Sudeikis plays Lasso ... an American football coach hired to manage an English soccer club.

'TL' is one of the biggest shows to premiere over the last few years ... and it's won a bunch of awards.

Manning -- who retired after the '19 NFL season -- hosts the "Manningcast" during "Monday Night Football" with Peyton.

Eli also has an online show, "The Eli Manning Show," co-hosted by his former center, Shaun O'Hara, on the NY Giants YouTube page ... in addition to a bunch of endorsements.

Eli Manning was back in a pair of cleats and tossin' around a pigskin on the gridiron this month -- but he didn't do it as Eli ... rather, he did it as "Chad Powers," and it was HILARIOUS.

Manning went undercover as part of the latest episode of "Eli's Places" (produced by Peyton & Eli's Omaha Productions on ESPN+), where the former New York Giants star wanted to get the full walk-on experience at Penn State.

He spoke with head coach James Franklin and decided to get in on a "try out" -- but making sure he caked on the makeup and donned a wig so he wouldn't be recognized.

Manning called his alter ego "Chad Powers" -- and when he took the field, he stayed in character the entire time.

The 41-year-old ran a 5.49 40-yard dash ... and then threw the football all over -- seemingly impressing Nittany Lions coaches.

"Not just good looking," he said during the bit, "I can throw it, baby!"

Of course, Manning, who played his college ball at Ole Miss, has exhausted all of his eligibility -- so Chad Powers won't be getting in PSU games anytime soon.

Emoni Bates -- the No. 5-ranked high school basketball player in the country in 2021 -- has been charged with two felonies after he was arrested on Sunday, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

According to court records, the 18-year-old -- who now plays for Eastern Michigan University -- was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and altering ID marks on a firearm.

The charges stem from an arrest Sunday in Superior Township, Michigan. The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office told WXYZ Detroit officers initially pulled over Bates for allegedly failing to stop at a stop sign -- and cops say they found a gun on him during the ensuing investigation.

Jail records show he was booked at 11:19 PM and is currently still in custody as of Monday morning.

Bates' attorney, Steve Haney, told ESPN on Monday, "Reserve judgment on this ... There's way more to the story. He borrowed someone's car, was pulled over and a gun was located in the car."

Bates was a star basketball player at Ypsi Prep Academy in Michigan -- and finished his 2020-2021 season just below Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero on national H.S. rankings lists.

He ultimately signed with Memphis -- but transferred to Eastern Michigan after starting just 13 games in his freshman season.

He's expected to be a key player on this year's Eagles team.

The Univ. of Oregon has issued an apology ... after some of its students were seen and heard chanting "f*** the Mormons" during the Ducks' game against BYU on Saturday.

The school released the mea culpa on social media on Sunday -- calling their fans' chants "offensive and disgraceful."

"These types of actions go against everything the university stands for, and it goes against the spirit of competition," the school said. "We can and will do better as a campus community that has no place for hate, bias or bigotry."

The chants broke out at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon following a Cougars touchdown in the second quarter of BYU's 41-20 loss ... with multiple people screaming the crass comments while clapping their hands.

Video shot by bystanders shows the chants were repeated at least one other time during the game.

Some fans in attendance were outraged -- and Utah's governor, Spencer Cox, slammed the Ducks supporters over it all following the game.

"Religious bigotry alive and celebrated in Oregon," he said on Twitter.

Cox later tweeted a heart emoji following Oregon's apology.

For its part, Oregon's student section -- dubbed the "Oregon Pit Crew" -- also tweeted an apology after the game, saying, "We do not condone or support any hateful speech directed towards one’s religion and are ashamed of those who participated."

Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee will be playing games this season with a heavy heart ... he just revealed his sister, Ella, has tragically died following a battle with brain cancer.

She was just 15 years old.

"My beautiful sister Ella you amazed me every single day with the fight that you put up and how joyful you were constantly through this battle," Bresee wrote on his social media page Thursday morning. "Never did I think I would be sitting here today saying bye to you."

Ella was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in 2021. Bresee and the Tigers had shown support for her throughout her fight with the disease -- with the defensive lineman leading the Tiger Walk last weekend while he and his teammates wore "Ella Strong" shirts.

In announcing her passing, Bryan thanked Ella for "bringing happiness to not only me but so many people," saying she's "the best sister a brother could ask for."

"I know for a fact heaven has gained a beautiful angel today, Love you forever and always Ella bear.❤️"

Ella was originally supposed to attend the Clemson vs. Furman game on Saturday, according to the Associated Press, but had a setback and went to the hospital instead.

Coach Dabo Swinney said Bresee could miss this weekend's game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday night while he's away from the team with his family.

"He's got more important things that he needs to focus on right now than football," Swinney told reporters. "Lot more important things than the game of football for that young man right now."