Sports
Akshay Bhatia Wins 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational in Playoff After Stunning Comeback
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — Akshay Bhatia delivered a fearless comeback Sunday, winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational in a playoff at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge and further cementing his reputation as one of the most clutch playoff performers on the PGA Tour.
Bhatia rallied from five strokes behind after missing a short putt on the ninth hole, then ignited a late charge with four consecutive birdies. The turning point came on the par-5 16th, when the 24-year-old struck a precise cut 6-iron from 191 yards toward a tightly tucked flag.
Bhatia nearly holed the approach and tapped in for eagle, a defining moment that propelled him into contention and ultimately into a playoff victory.
Akshay Bhatia celebrates with trophy kissing after winning the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational in a playoff at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge. Photo credit: Harry Castiblanco / Florida National News.
The win at the $20 million signature event moves Bhatia into the top 20 in the world rankings and places him firmly among the game’s rising stars as golf enters a critical stretch leading to The Masters next month.
With the victory, Bhatia becomes just the eighth player in PGA Tour history to win his first three titles in playoffs — a rare feat that has earned him a new reputation. Florida National News called him “the PGA Tour playoff master.”
The dramatic finish echoed the philosophy of tournament namesake Arnold Palmer, who famously said, “You must play boldly to win.”
Bhatia did exactly that, repeatedly firing at difficult pin locations down the stretch and embracing the aggressive style that defined Palmer’s own career.
What’s Next for Bhatia
With momentum from his biggest career victory, Bhatia now heads into a pivotal stretch of the PGA Tour schedule that includes several elite events before the season’s first major. His rising world ranking and growing confidence could make him a serious contender at Augusta National in April.
For now, the Bay Hill triumph marks another milestone for a young player quickly building a reputation for thriving under the pressure of sudden death.
Bulls overcome early deficit behind defensive touchdowns and a record-tying performance from C.J. Hicks.
TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The University of South Florida (USF) secured its sixth victory of the season Saturday, October 31, defeating the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) 30–10 at Raymond James Stadium. The victory improved the Bulls’ record to 6–2 overall and 2–2 in American Conference play, making the program bowl-eligible for the fourth consecutive season.
Defense Turns the Game Around
UAB opened the game with a 10–0 first-quarter lead, but South Florida responded with 30 unanswered points, highlighted by two defensive touchdowns.
Defensive end C.J. Hicks delivered one of the game’s most significant performances, recording four sacks to tie the USF single-game record. Two of those sacks forced fumbles that resulted in touchdowns.
Late in the second quarter, Hicks forced a fumble by UAB quarterback Ryder Burton, allowing USF defender Asani Redwood to recover the football and return it six yards for a touchdown. The play gave South Florida a 17–10 halftime lead.
Asani Redwood and UAB #71 UAB defensive lineman #71 attempts to tackle USF’s Asani Redwood during the October 31, 2026, matchup at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News
Hicks created another scoring opportunity in the fourth quarter, forcing a second fumble that linebacker Grayson Howard recovered and returned 13 yards for a touchdown, extending USF’s lead to 27–10.
South Florida’s defense finished with six sacks and 11 tackles for loss, limiting UAB to just 177 total offensive yards, including 17 rushing yards.
Offensive Adjustments Provide Momentum
Following an injury to starting quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr., sophomore Luke Kromenhoek entered the game and helped shift momentum in South Florida’s favor.
Luke Kromenhoek (#17) USF quarterback Luke Kromenhoek (#17) carries the football while facing pressure from a UAB defender during the Bulls’ 30–10 victory at Raymond James Stadium on October 31, 2026. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News
Kromenhoek finished with a career-high 92 rushing yards, including a 42-yard run that helped establish the Bulls’ offensive rhythm.
Running back Jason Collins Jr. added a six-yard rushing touchdown late in the second quarter to tie the game at 10–10.
Kicker Nico Gramatica contributed three field goals, connecting from 31, 30 and 33 yards to help secure the victory.
Bowl Eligibility Marks Another Program Milestone
With its sixth win, South Florida secured bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive season, matching the second-longest such streak in program history.
The accomplishment allows USF to qualify for postseason bowl consideration, although an official bowl invitation and destination have yet to be determined.
The victory also kept the Bulls competitive in the American Conference standings, with four regular-season games remaining following the UAB matchup.
Looking Ahead
USF will return to conference competition Friday, November 6, traveling to face East Carolina as the Bulls continue their pursuit of a stronger conference finish and a postseason bowl invitation.
Final Score: USF 30, UAB 10
– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – The Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) beat the Indianapolis Colts (2-6) 42-7 at EverBank Stadium today. Today’s victory tied the second-longest home winning streak in stadium history, with seven straight wins. The Jaguars also tied the record held by two other teams by winning seven straight games at home scoring 34 or more points in each game. The Denver Broncos had seven such victories from Dec. 23, 2012 to Oct. 27, 2013, while the Los Angeles Chargers had a similar streak from Nov. 27, 1960 to Nov. 5, 1961. This was also the Jaguars 12th straight victory at home against the Colts, dating back to Dec. 13, 2015.
The Jaguars also introduced their Nike NFL “Rivalries” alternate uniform, nicknamed “Bold City,” with a teal helmet and leopard-print accents. The helmet includes the 904 area code on the front bumper and “DUUUVAL” on the back bumper. The inside of the back collar says “Bold City,” while the outside says “Since ‘95” (the Jaguars’ inaugural season). Hidden within the spots on the pants are the names of Jacksonville neighborhoods.
Jaguars’ RB Bhayshul Tuten scores twice in new “Bold City” uniform. Photo credit: Arthur “Dell” Morgan, Florida National News
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence threw a 12 yard touchdown pass to WR Brian Thomas Jr., followed by K Cam Little’s extra point to put the first points on the scoreboard. The score remained 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Jaguars DE Bryan Thomas Jr. recovered a fumble by Colts RB Jonathan Taylor, but the Jags lost DT DaVon Hamilton to a knee injury on that play, and he had to be taken off the field in a golf cart. But Jacksonville’s drive ended four plays later with a 31 yard touchdown pass by Trevor Lawrence to TE Nate Boerkircher, with Little adding the XP. On the Jags’ next drive, RB Bhayshul Tuten ran 39 yards for a touchdown, followed by another Little extra point. Late in the quarter, Jaguars S Rayuan Lane III intercepted a QB Daniel Jones pass intended for TE Tyler Warren and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown, and after Little’s XP, the Jaguars were up 28-0 at halftime.
DT DaVon Hamilton had to be taken off the field in a golf cart after a knee injury. Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News
RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. ran for a 28 yard touchdown, with another Little extra point for the first points of the third quarter, extending the Jaguars lead to 35-0. But the Colts did manage to score their first points of the game as Daniel Jones threw to WR Josh Downs for a 6 yard touchdown pass, with an extra point by K Spencer Shrader. But Lawrence threw a 25 yard touchdown pass to Bhayshul Tuten, and Little’s XP put the Jaguars ahead 42-7 at the end of the third quarter, which remained the score at the end of the game.
Trevor Lawrence finished with 210 passing yards and 3 TDs. Bhayshul Tuten led the Jaguars’ rushing with 104 yards and 1 TD. Tuten was also the leading receiver with 55 yards and 1 TD. To hear Bhayshul Tuten discuss the factors that led to his success in today’s game, click here: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1WgGP3j5FA/?mibextid=wwXIfr
The Jaguars will be on the road for the next three games. They face the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, November 5th at 8:15 p.m., the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, November 15th at 1:00 p.m., and the New York Giants on Sunday, November 22nd at 1:00 p.m. The Jags return to The ‘Bank on Sunday, November 29th at 1:00 p.m., when they host the Titans in an AFC South matchup. Be sure to follow www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.
Shooting struggles and a costly third quarter leave Orlando winless through two games under first-year coach Sean Sweeney
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — A new coaching era has opened with consecutive losses for the Orlando Magic, who fell 115-93 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night at Kia Center.
Orlando dropped to 0-2 under first-year head coach Sean Sweeney as shooting struggles again slowed its offense. The Magic also struggled with turnovers and missed free throws, repeating problems from their season-opening loss to Atlanta. Yahoo Sports
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards handles the ball as Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero contests the play at Kia Center in Orlando on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. Minnesota defeated Orlando 115-93. Photo by Harry Castiblanco / Florida National News.
Third-quarter struggles prove costly
Minnesota led 57-45 at halftime before taking control in the third quarter. The Timberwolves closed the period with a 17-3 run, building an 86-60 advantage heading into the fourth. Orlando could not recover from the 26-point deficit. reuters.com
Carter leads Orlando
Wendell Carter Jr. finished with 20 points and nine rebounds to lead the Magic. Franz Wagner scored 18 points before fouling out, while Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs added 14 apiece.
Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels each scored 15 points for Minnesota, which improved to 2-0. Rudy Gobert contributed 14 points and nine rebounds. Reuters
Perimeter shooting remains a concern
Orlando made just eight of its 39 attempts from 3-point range, shooting 20.5%. Minnesota connected on 37.8% of its attempts from beyond the arc. reuters.com
Two games offer a limited measure of Sweeney’s tenure, but the early results identify an immediate challenge: improving offensive execution and preventing difficult stretches from becoming decisive runs.
Jacksonville3 days agoJaguars Continue to Dominate Colts in Duval
Florida13 hours agoHISTORIC WIN: Byron Donalds elected Florida’s first Black governor
Central Florida News1 day agoUSF Defeats UAB 30–10, Secures Fourth Consecutive Bowl-Eligible Season
Central Florida News9 hours agoHISTORYMAKER: Tiffany Moore Russell makes history as first Black woman elected Orange County mayor
Politics4 hours agoVoters Give Democrats Congressional Majorities as Affordability and Iran War Shape Trump Rebuke
