Last year, news broke that the ACC had an interest in moving the in-state rivalry off of its traditional Saturday slot to Black Friday. Georgia Tech and Georgia played Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate on Black Friday in primetime last season, which was also an adjustment from the traditional Saturday slate for the Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets.

However, Clemson reportedly put an end to the idea last year. The plan was to play a Black Friday match up in primetime last year, but the Tigers would not budge from Saturday. According to Chapel Fowler with The State, South Carolina had an interest in hosting a Black Friday rivalry game at Williams-Brice Stadium, but backed off when Clemson did not reciprocate.

Despite those decisions, Fowler cited key ACC official, Michael Strickland, who says the league still wants Clemson to consider the move. Strickland is the ACC’s senior associate commissioner for football, and he says the desire for Clemson to play on Black Friday is no different than the league’s interest in other schools being flexible:

“Our job is to try to find ways to maximize opportunities for each individual school and, at the same time, work for the collective good of the ACC,” Strickland said.

According to an email obtained by The State, Strickland previously wrote after last year’s decision by the Tigers that the ACC and ESPN secured scheduling “concessions” for Clemson in order to facilitate the change. That also included an agreement for South Carolina to host Clemson on Black Friday in the future.

Strickland also took time to commend Georgia Tech’s willingness to move its longstanding rivalry with Georgia, and he referenced the iconic overtime affair as a “classic ball game” with longstanding benefits for the Yellow Jackets:

“We talk with our schools all the time about scheduling opportunities, and sometimes it works for schools, and sometimes it doesn’t,” Strickland said in an interview. “Georgia Tech was eager to sign up for that opportunity, and they played a classic ball game. Just came up one second or one point shy, and Georgia Tech will reap a number of benefits from that for a number of years.”

For now, it doesn’t sound like the Palmetto Bowl moving to Black Friday is imminent, but don’t be surprised if Clemson gets another request to move the annual season-ending rivalry away from Saturday.

Last year, Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks pulled out a road upset over Dabo Swinney and the Tigers. We’ll see who gets the last laugh this season in a rivalry that could have serious College Football Playoff implications.

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Unfortunately, Auburn wide receiver Malcolm Simmons was arrested recently on domestic assault charges. Those charges included domestic violence by strangulation or suffocation with a $20,000 bond.

During Wednesday’s press conference, Freeze discussed the situation and said that Simmons is currently clear to practice:

“Based on the information that I’ve been given from our campus administration, who have knowledge of the matter, he’s been cleared to participate in team activities,” said Hugh Freeze.

Asked again about the matter later, Freeze reiterated his original comment and said that was “all the information I have.” According to Davis Baker with WSFA 12 News in Montgomery, Simmons’ preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 8.

Simmons joined the Tigers as a 4-star in-state recruit in the 2024 recruiting class. He was an immediate contributor to the program, finishing 3rd on the team last year with 451 receiving yards to go with 40 catches and 3 touchdowns.

Now, we’ll have to wait and see how his situation develops throughout training camp before we get to the season.

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Entering a 2nd season under head coach Kalen DeBoer, McElroy is predicting a major jump for the secondary of the Crimson Tide. Last season, the team was 7th in the SEC in total yards allowed per game (320.1) but was 3rd in the conference at 182.2 yards per game. Alabama was also 2nd in the SEC and tied for 7th nationally with 17 interceptions.

However, McElroy is ready to predict that Alabama will have the best secondary in the country this fall:

“I really believe, and maybe I’m crazy for thinking this. I think the growth we’re going to see in the secondary — I think they’re going to have the best secondary in college football,” predicted McElroy during the latest broadcast of McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning. “I really think they have that level of potential, I really, really believe that.”

McElroy specifically highlighted safety Keon Sabb, a former Michigan star who was limited to 7 games in 2024 due to a broken foot. Even with those limitations, Sabb had 2 interceptions and 4 pass breakups, and McElroy is excited to see what a healthy season for him looks like.

“I think Keon Sabb, when healthy, is an absolute dude. The thing is, of the games he played last year, I want to say 60% of them were with a broken foot, including chasing down a receiver against Tennessee with a broken foot,” McElroy explained. “That is absolutely insane. The guy is tough as nails and is an absolute war daddy and played the whole season on one leg and was still an impact player.”

If McElroy’s prediction comes true, it would provide a great cushion for the offense with a new starting quarterback adjusting to life leading the Tide. Even with that question mark, Alabama is still a top-10 team in the preseason 2025 national championship odds produced by DraftKings, and fans can keep up with the odds all season long with the sports betting apps available in their area.

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After an undefeated regular season in 2023 that saw Florida State left out of the College Football Playoff entirely, the Seminoles went a horrific 2-10 in 2024. That performance included a 6-game losing streak and just 1 win against an FBS team (Cal).

The offense was among the worst in the country at 15.4 points per game, and the defense did not rank much better. Add it all up, and Norvell and his staff got to work in the offseason to try and turn things around.

The good news is that ESPN’s Bill Connelly believes FSU can turn things around. The creator of the SP+, Connelly has been compiling his list of the teams best poised for a rebound this fall, and he believes the Seminoles will be greatly improved.

Connelly admitted it is some “low-hanging fruit” to grab the Seminoles as a rebound candidate, but he does have the program back around bowl eligibility. Whether or not that’s enough to get Norvell another season remains to be seen, but expect FSU to at least be competitive.

Here’s Connelly’s full comments:

This is some pretty low-hanging fruit — if the Seminoles are average in 2025, that will qualify as solid improvement after last season’s disintegration. I’m not sure what to expect from a remodeled offense; new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn has an awfully Malzahn-friendly QB in the speedy transfer Tommy Castellanos (Boston College) and new potential big-play receivers in Duce Robinson (USC), Squirrel White (Tennessee) and Randy Pittman Jr. (UCF), but it might be hard to get a rebuilt offensive line up to speed. Regardless, the defensive front six has some new playmakers, and again, the bar for improvement is incredibly low. I’m not sure how many games Norvell needs to win to save his job, but the Noles will almost certainly not go 2-10 again.

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Entering the season, Daniels has the 5th-lowest odds at bet365 to take home the MVP award this fall. Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is the preseason favorite at +500, while Daniels checks in at +850. Only the trio of Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow and Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes check in better than Daniels at +600, and fans can grab the bet365 promo code to take advantage of those odds.

While Daniels is not the favorite, ESPN’s Louis Riddick certainly believes the former Tiger has all he needs to put together a push for the honor. Here’s what Riddick had to say about the possibility of Daniels winning the MVP in just his 2nd season during an appearance on Get Up:

“I would tell you that it could very well happen. There’s a good shot that may happen,” said Riddick. “This guy is unique. We talk about unicorns all the time, this guy’s a unicorn in terms of his football character, how mature he is.

“I watched him the other day hold a media session, and I’m going ‘Has this guy played in the league 4 or 5 years?’ He’s the unquestioned leader… He is without a doubt the head of the snake there, and I don’t see him taking a step back at all. Don’t mess with Terry McLaurin. Get (Daniels’s) guy in there to a contract.”

Last season, Daniels was on fire with over 4,400 yards of offense and 31 total touchdowns, even finishing 7th in the MVP voting as a rookie. To Riddick’s point, the biggest question mark for the QB might be Washington’s handling of star wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who has been in search of a new contract this offseason.

If Daniels gets all his pieces back, the sky is the limit in 2025.

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In an interview with Kay Adams for “Up and Adams,” former Alabama star Quinnen Williams, a key defensive tackle for the New York Jets, shared his initial impact on Membou and what the former Tiger brings to the table. According to Williams, Membou is already among the strongest individuals on the Jets.

“He’s extremely strong. Extremely strong, extremely heavy… probably one of the strongest people on the team,” said Williams.

Williams also said Membou has already been challenging 3rd-year defensive end Will McDonald in practice. McDonald is coming off a breakout season that included 10.5 sacks in 2024.

“I’ve been watching him going against Will McDonald and challenging Will to be better… (I’m) also challenging Membou to stop that guy,” Williams explained.

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After earning 2nd-team All-SEC honors last season, Membou was at the top of many draft boards. The Jets were fortunate he was still on the board with the No. 7 overall pick, hoping Membou will become an anchor and cornerstone along the offensive line.

So far, all signs point to Membou hitting the ground running this year.

The post Former Mizzou star Armand Membou draws massive praise from teammate Quinnen Williams appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That’s because the Vols were one of the major storylines of the offseason when starting QB Nico Iamaleava left the program over NIL disputes. Now, former Appalachian State starter Joey Aguilar is locked in a competition with Jake Merklinger, George MacIntyre and Mason Phillips.

On Tuesday, Heupel met with the media and tackled a wide range of topics. In that press conference, he was asked about a timeline and if landing on a starter early in training camp would be better.

“Sure, absolutely, that would give u more time to build continuity,” Josh Heupel acknowledged about making a quick decision. “At the end of the day, I think it’s really important that somebody’s gotta go earn it. It’s not on one throw, it’s not on one day, it’s the consistency of who you are and how you continue to grow from practice to practice. The staff sees that, but more importantly, I think the players see that as well.”

While Heupel gave no indication that anyone is in the front in the battle, Aguilar is likely the favorite to start Week 1 for Tennessee. After playing in the JUCO ranks at Diablo Valley Community College, Aguilar showed some big numbers the past 2 seasons at App State.

In 25 career games with the Mountaineers, Aguilar threw for over 6,700 yards with 56 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. He has the most experience in the room and will try to grab control of the battle in training camp.

With all the offseason changes, the Vols are not among the favorites in the 2025 SEC Championship odds. Tennessee is +2500 to win the conference at DraftKings, and fans can grab the TN sports betting apps to track the odds all season long.

The post Josh Heupel discusses timeline for naming Tennessee’s starting QB appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Last week, a report indicated Carter had missed numerous team activities to the point he was confronted by team leaders. That report also referenced Carter’s status with the Vols as “uncertain” due to the absences and potential rift with his teammates.

As of Tuesday, ESPN’s Chris Low offered a new report on the situation, and he is saying that Carter’s status in Knoxville is not in jeopardy. According to Low, Carter is not being dismissed from the Vols, and head coach Josh Heupel is expected to address the situation later on Tuesday.

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At his press conference, Heupel addressed the matter and said that Carter is still a member of the program. However, the head coach also said the defensive back has some work to do to get back on the field.

That’s certainly not the kind of ordeal the Vols were hoping for after dealing with the Nico Iamaleava fiasco in the spring. Carter was an early standout as a true freshman a season ago, appearing in all 13 games with 38 total tackles, a sack and an interception. He was also dynamic as a punt returner, averaging 16.5 yards per return.

The post Boo Carter status: Josh Heupel updates latest on Tennessee DB appeared first on Saturday Down South.

When news of the sign-stealing scandal broke in 2023, videos of an early-season meeting between Michigan State and Central Michigan surfaced with an individual resembling Stalions on the sidelines of the Chippewas, dressed in CMU gear. Former Florida head coach Jim McElwain, then the head coach at CMU, addressed the matter but said the program was “totally unaware” of Stalions’ presence at the game.

According to Tony Garcia with the Detroit Free Press, that incident has resulted in CMU receiving an NOA on the matter. According to documents obtained by Garcia, the NOA was sent to CMU on June 27, and the program now has a 90-day window to respond to the allegations.

The investigation was originally launched in October of 2023, meaning it took roughly 21 months to reach this point in the process. In that time frame, Michigan rolled to an undefeated 2023 season and captured the national title, all while Jim Harbaugh was suspended for a total of 6 games during the 2023 season.

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Entering the 2025 season, Michigan has suspended 2nd-year head coach Sherrone Moore for 2 games. A key assistant under Harbaugh for years, Moore’s suspension is related to the investigation after Stalions’ identity went public, in hopes of appeasing the NCAA from further severe punishment in the matter.

Now, we’ll see how the situation develops for CMU, simply from Stalions’ one-game appearance on the sideline.

The post Connor Stalions saga leads to NOA for CMU, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

For months, there were reports that Sanders was battling with an offseason health issue, but the details were kept private. Until Monday, when Sanders and his medical team revealed that Sanders had his bladder removed, which has resulted in the head coach adjusting to a new normal in his life.

During Tuesday’s broadcast of First Take, Smith dove into his admiration for Sanders and his willingness to divulge the intensity of his private struggle:

“It’s hard to put into words. He’s a beautiful person,” said Smith. “People who know him, who he talks to, he confides in. People see the public persona, he walks into a room, he just has that magnetic effect, and he just takes over. He’s able to disguise a lot of things if he so chooses to do so, and the fact that he has been so open with his struggles throughout the years is just a testament, not only to his will and how blessed he feels he is, but the importance to him of being able to bless others.”

Smith also took the opportunity to reiterate Sanders’s message to the general public: Take care of your health, and get yourself checked regularly. Without health, there’s not much else to do in life:

“There’s no wealth without health. Deion Sanders has it all. I mean, he’s a Hall of Famer, he’s universally recognized as one of the greatest athletes we have ever seen in the history of mankind, now he’s proving to be a phenomenal coach,” Smith explained. “… he’s extending it now to all of us by just reminding us to prioritize taking care of yourself, putting God first and doing everything you can to be the best you can possibly be.”

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After reaching the College Football Playoff semifinals each of the last 2 seasons, Texas will be among the national title favorites this fall. The team will also be led by Arch Manning in his first season as a starter in what many expect to be a meteoric rise for the quarterback with the legendary last name.

In a recent conversation with ESPN’s Rece Davis, Sarkisian was asked why he feels Manning is ready to assume the mantle of leading the Longhorns. The head coach admitted there’s a unique way about the Manning family, and their comfort level guiding Arch has allowed Sarkisian to feel comfortable in the timing.

“I do think there’s something about the Mannings. They have a very unique way of feeling normal,” said Steve Sarkisian. “As big as the brand is, as big as they are, they have this unique way of getting into character when they need to be in character and stepping out of character when they don’t need to be in character and focus on what they need to do. They’re obviously very family-oriented.

“This isn’t about how many eyeballs they can get on (Arch). This is about how many commercials can I do, but yet they understand there are going to be eyeballs on him. There’s a level of comfort in managing that for them that makes me feel good.”

As for Arch’s performance, Sarkisian has plenty of high hopes, but he is also realistic about what to expect. He’s tried to prepare his young QB for that balanced reaction from fans, and Sarkisian also hopes everyone can enjoy the moment as the season progresses.

That may be tough to do, considering Manning is the preseason favorite in the 2025 Heisman Trophy odds, produced by BetMGM. Fans can track the odds and Manning’s potential push for the award through the best sports betting apps.

“I just want him to enjoy it, I really do. And I hope the masses can let this guy enjoy it,” Sarkisian explained. “As much as we’re in revenue sharing and NIL, we still have a wonderful game to play. I hope he goes out and throws 40 touchdowns and no interceptions, probably not going to happen, so I’ve talked him through the fact the boos are going to come, too… let’s just stay focused on what we need to do.”

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It has been a wild journey for the head coach, and one that featured many twists and turns. One such turn included the head coach drafting his will, something that was revealed on a late Sunday night video release from his son, Deion Sanders Jr.

At his press conference, Sanders was asked about the process of crafting his will, and he admitted it was like he was ranking his kids all over again:

“The funny thing about that is you’re sitting up there ranking your kids again,” cracked Sanders. “Shilo deserves how much? … Like you’re really going through this stuff.”

Ultimately, Sanders said he remained positive through the entire process, despite the serious nature of the diagnosis and surgery:

“I’m always positive,” said Sanders. “I would get upset when my body doesn’t allow me to do the things I want to do… I never looked down, I’m always looking up and want to go get, because I’m trying to be the best Prime I can be for everybody.”

The good news is Sanders is in the clear, and the hope and prayer is that he’ll be in good health for the forseeable future.

The post Deion Sanders: Making his will was like ‘ranking your kids again’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Sanders had been away from the program to deal with a health scare, but details were seriously limited. He later addressed the matter on social media, saying he was okay and would be returning to the program, but the matter surfaced again when it was announced he would hold a press conference with his medical team.

That press conference began on Monday, the morning after his son, Deion Sanders Jr., released a video that showed his father discussing the creation of his will. That’s how serious the matter became, and Sanders revealed at the press conference that he has been battling cancer this offseason.

The cancer was revealed during some routine scans and checkups during the offseason, and the specific tumor was an aggressive form of cancer located on Sanders’s bladder. After consulting with his doctors, the decision was made to remove the bladder entirely, and the doctors declared Sanders cancer-free with a new bladder.

“Given his commitments to his family and his team, (Sanders) elected to go with a bladder removal. We performed a full bladder removal and creation of a new bladder, and I am pleased to report the results from the surgery are that he is cured from the cancer,” reported one of Sanders’s doctors.

During the press conference, Sanders went on to say that his whole life has been changed as a result, including some significant weight loss due to the procedures. He also admitted he can’t “pee like I used to, it’s totally different,” admitting there might even be a porta potty on the sidelines this fall.

Despite the challenges, Sanders claims he is fully back into coaching and will be with the team all season long.

“It’s a totally different life. I mean, thank God, now I depend on Depends,” cracked Sanders in the way that only he can for such a serious matter. “You know what I mean? I truly depend on Depends; I cannot control my bladder. So when I get up to go to the bathroom… I’m making a joke of it, but it’s real. So if you see a porta potty on the sidelines, it’s real. Okay? I’m just telling you, you’re going to see it.”

For now, it’s a positive update and miraculous sign for Coach Prime’s health. Here’s praying he stays all clear for the foreseeable future.

The post Deion Sanders reveals offseason battle with cancer appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The player is Joel Wyatt, a premier athlete out of Oakland High School in Murfreesboro. After receiving a host of offers, Wyatt eventually committed to Josh Heupel and the Vols over LSU, Vanderbilt and Louisville, among others.

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Wyatt is listed at 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds and has shone on both sides of the ball in high school. He’s likely to slot in as a defensive back or wide receiver at the next level. According to 247 Sports, his primary recruiter was Tennessee OLB coach Levorn Harbin, and his secondary recruiter was WRs coach Kelsey Pope, so his final spot may still be up in the air.

According to the 247 Sports Composite, Wyatt is listed as the No. 5 ATH nationally and the No. 2 player out of the state of Tennessee for the 2026 recruiting class. He’s also the 48th player in the country, regardless of position.

The addition of Wyatt gives Tennessee a pair of top-50 commitments thus far and 3 players ranked as top-100 recruits. The 2026 recruiting class is now up to 22 hard commitments and is ranked 12th nationally per the team composite rankings.

The post Tennessee reels in pledge from premier in-state athlete for 2026 recruiting class appeared first on Saturday Down South.

During the 2027 season, Notre Dame will face Wake Forest in a matchup at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The venue is the home stadium for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and the site of the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

The matchup will also be dubbed the 2027 Duke’s Mayo Classic for the neutral-site affair. The game will still be played at the regularly scheduled Oct. 9 date.

The matchup does come in North Carolina and just a stone’s throw from Wake Forest’s Winston-Salem home but will serve as a neutral-site showdown:

“Charlotte is an ACC town, and Wake Forest has the largest and most significant academic footprint of any conference institution in the Queen City,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics John Currie. “With our campus just 82 miles from Bank of America Stadium, the 2027 Duke’s Mayo Classic against Notre Dame is a tremendous opportunity to elevate Wake Forest’s presence and celebrate with incredible alumni, fans, and partners across the region.”

So far, Notre Dame’s 2027 schedule already includes ACC matchups against Wake Forest, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. The Fighting Irish also face Navy and Big Ten foes Purdue and Michigan State for a total of 7 games thus far.

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Sanders has been battling some undisclosed health issues this offseason. After reports of those issues surfaced, Sanders addressed the matter on social media, only to say that “everything is okay” and that he would be returning to Boulder for the season.

Even during Big 12 Media Days, Sanders declined to offer an in-depth update on what he has been going through. However, a video released by Deion Sanders Jr. on Sunday evening shed some light on how serious the matter was.

In that video, the eldest Sanders can be seen describing a particularly tough day as the head coach reflected on having to make a will while thinking about the fact he “may not be here.” The video is dated May 9.

“Mentally, emotionally, last night was tough, yesterday was tough, cause I had to make a will. That’s not easy at all, to think that you may not be here,” said Sanders.

Fans will likely get a better understanding of the situation on Monday afternoon, but the details of the video are chilling to consider.

The post Deion Sanders crafted his will this offseason due to health concerns, video reveals appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Monday, Finebaum made his appearance for “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” and was asked about the event overall. He described the B1G’s trek into the desert as “a bust.” That involved B1G commissioner Tony Petitti and the rest of the league attempting to deliver a message that came across disastrously in the court of public opinion.

“I’m looking back at the 4 days of the Big Ten, and I’m going to tell you right now: It was a bust,” shredded Finebaum. “It was a bust from the beginning, and it was a bust all the way to the end, and it was a bust because it seems to me that Tony Petitti and his minions… tried to hand deliver a specific message that went over terribly.”

Part of the messaging involved Petitti tightening his view on a CFP model that involves play-in games and automatic qualifiers for each conference. However, even with the message going sideways, Finebaum said the biggest issue was holding media days in Las Vegas, a move that limited attendance across the board.

“Petitti started it off… he comes out and instead of broadening his approach (to the CFP), which is what Greg Sankey said 2 weeks ago today, Petitti was a lone wolf,” Finebaum described. “The biggest problem with last week wasn’t with what Petitti said or what the coaches said, it’s where it is being said. No one liked the idea of taking the media days to Las Vegas.”

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And, what of the endless shots at the SEC, delivered by Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti and others? Finebaum was unkind, saying Cignetti and other coaches came across as fools by trying to take shots at the SEC’s scheduling:

“The biggest issue all week was the messaging. Curt Cignetti… made a complete fool out of himself trying to try parallels, so did other coaches. It’s like Bret Bielema came up with the game plan about 5 weeks ago, and handed it out to his coaching buddies, and none of them delivered it well,” Finebaum criticized. “If you want to attack the SEC, there are places you can attack, but don’t try to attack on the strength of schedule and don’t try to attack on the nonconference games.”

For now, the B1G has the most recent last laugh after back-to-back national titles. The SEC will try to re-establish itself this fall, but the B1G will be even more insufferable if the conference claims a 3rd straight title.

The post Paul Finebaum eviscerates Big Ten Media Days as a massive bust appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Last year, the league officially welcomed in Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12, bringing the SEC up to 16 programs. However, just last week, it was reported that North Carolina is “aiming” for the SEC if (and when) the Tar Heels reach a decision to exit the ACC.

During Finebaum’s Monday morning appearance for “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning,” he was asked about his take on the report, and Finebaum believes it is representation of the “anxious” programs still within the ACC:

“It sounds very much to me like people close to North Carolina are floating this out there, probably frustrated with their current position,” said Finebaum. “Even though the ACC is now singing kumbaya, we all know there are a lot of anxious schools in there.”

Finebaum also believes UNC is a good fit for the SEC, if the conference expands further. His bigger questions are who would come with the Tar Heels, and what does the timeline look like:

“I think ultimately it’s going to happen,” Finebaum predicted. “Once we get to this next iteration, North Carolina has always been the No. 1 choice of many people in SEC circles. I think the bigger question is when exactly does it happen, and secondly, who would their drafting partner be?”

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According to the initial report, the 2030-31 season, when ACC departure fees dip significantly, could serve as a “final line of demarcation,” but only if the Tar Heels haven’t made their exit before then. While no decision appears imminent, it’s safe to safe conference realignment is far from over.

The post Paul Finebaum reacts to UNC’s reported goal of joining the SEC appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to Jim Callis with MLB Pipeline, LaViolette has signed a rookie contract for $4 million with the Guardians. He was selected with the 27th overall pick in the first round, a slot that had a value of just under $3.4 million.

Callis reports that LaViolette’s contract is the richest overslot deal in the first round of this year’s draft:

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The 2024 season was a rough year for Texas A&M baseball after the Aggies missed the NCAA Tournament despite entering the year as the preseason No. 1 team in the country. However, LaViolette added to his elite career, rewriting the home run record books for Texas A&M.

LaViolette also sustained a broken bone in his hand during the SEC Baseball Tournament, but he came back to fight through the pain shortly after. It did not lead to a title for the Aggies, but it furthered his case as a true program legend willing to do anything for his teammates.

Now, LaViolette is off to MLB.

The post Jace LaViolette signs overslot contract with Guardians, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Saturday, Shane Beamer and his staff reeled in a commitment from defensive back Kosci Barnes, a lengthy 6-foot-2 prospect out of Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. Barnes generated over a dozen offers and was a late-rising recruit on some radars, but South Carolina won out in the end.

The Gamecocks landed the eventual commitment over Kentucky and Miami:

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Barnes is listed at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds and helped lead his Grimsley squad to an undefeated North Carolina 4A state title in 2024. In that campaign, Barnes produced 59 tackles, 5 pass breakups and 3 interceptions.

According to the 247 Sports Composite, Barnes is a 3-star recruit and the 27th overall player out of North Carolina for the class of 2026. He’s also the No. 49 CB in the entire country.

July has been a hot month for the Gamecocks on the recruiting trail, especially after landing 4-star quarterback Landon Duckworth. The addition of Barnes brings South Carolina’s class up to 14 hard commitments, a group that ranks 22nd nationally per the team composite.

The post South Carolina lands 2026 commitment from impressive North Carolina DB appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Originally a 7th-round pick for the Seattle Seahawks in 2023, McIntosh did not see much action as a rookie and was only deployed in a limited role during the 2024 season. Unfortunately, his 2025 season may already be over after reports out of training camp.

According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, McIntosh was carted off the field from Saturday’s practice. The initial belief is that McIntosh has sustained an ACL injury but will undergo further testing before a final decision is reached.

Such an injury would more than likely require surgery and keep McIntosh out of commission for the season.

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During the 2024 season, McIntosh rushed for 172 yards on 31 carries but appeared in all 17 games. He also worked as a kick returner for the franchise and was likely to get more special teams work this year.

The ground attack for the Seahawks was in good hands with Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet anchoring the top 2 spots in the backfield when healthy. However, Seattle’s offense has undergone a makeover this offseason and is moving forward with new quarterback Sam Darnold after trading Geno Smith and DK Metcalf.

While playing for Kirby Smart, McIntosh rushed for over 1,500 yards and over 800 yards receiving with 20 total touchdowns. He was a member of back-to-back national titles for the program, including leading the team in rushing (829 yards) and yards from scrimmage (1,334 yards) during the 2022 title run.

The post Former Georgia RB feared to have ACL injury during NFL training camp, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Commissioner Tony Petitti set the tone with his preferred model for the Playoff with built-in automatic bids and play-in games within the conferences. The rest of the league followed his lead with the head coaches continually hammering on the difficulty of playing 9 conference games as a reason for needing built-in qualifiers for the Playoff.

The leaders within the Big Ten are also mostly unified on another key topic. According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, he asked many coaches and league officials in Las Vegas about the topic of preseason polls, and the response was resounding.

According to Rittenberg, there was a consensus among those that he asked that the preseason polls should be “obliterated.” The reasoning was pointed at their being too much value placed on teams ranked to begin the season and the way they shape debates before anything is known about the season.

While B1G teams might not want to see the preseason polls, there’s a good chance the league benefits from them this year. Ohio State, as the reigning national champs, has a stake in being No. 1 to start the season, as does Penn State with a wealth of returners, and those teams are also among the teams with the best 2025 national championship odds at BetMGM.

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Parks’s commitment came on Saturday, and his final group boiled down to Auburn, Georgia, Florida State and Kentucky. Ultimately, he landed on a commitment to play for Mike Norvell and the Seminoles, giving the program a major pickup to boost the offensive line.

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As a junior, Parks played for Cardinal Mooney High School in Florida. Originally from West Virginia, he’s listed as playing for Nitro High School in Nitro, West Virginia, for the 2025 campaign.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 350 pounds, Parks is rated as an interior offensive lineman for the next level. The 247 Sports Composite rates him as a 4-star recruit and the 25th IOL nationally, along with being the No. 1 overall player out of West Virginia for the cycle.

Here’s a look at what Parks brings to the table via his Hudl highlights:

The addition of Parks brings FSU’s 2026 recruiting class up to 22 hard commitments for the cycle, a group that currently ranks 13th nationally per the team composite. It’s shaping up to be another strong class for Norvell and his staff and is closing in on solidifying a top-15 class.

The post Da’Ron Parks, SEC and ACC o-line target, reveals commitment appeared first on Saturday Down South.

During Saturday’s training camp practice inside the main stadium for the Tennessee Titans, Burks delivered a beautiful, diving grab down the sideline. He came up a bit shaken from the catch, according to those in attendance, and a report has since revealed the reason why.

According to NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Burks suffered a broken collarbone during the collision on his highlight-reel grab. That injury is expected to keep Burks sidelined when the NFL season begins.

It’s a disappointing outcome for the former Razorback, who was limited to 5 games last season. The former first-round pick was hopeful to be healthy and develop some chemistry with new quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, but that will be delayed at least in part.

To this point in his career, Burks has not lived up to the hype after becoming the 18th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has just 699 receiving yards and 1 touchdown in 17 starts (27 total appearances) across his first 3 seasons.

The post Former Arkansas WR Treylon Burks to miss start of the NFL season, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The player is Nassir ‘Nascar’ McCoy, a 3-star safety out of powerhouse program Buford High School. McCoy eventually committed to Lane Kiffin and the Rebels from a final group that consisted of Georgia and Michigan. Prior to cutting down his final group, McCoy had generated over 2 dozen offers, including from most of the heavy hitters in the SEC.

Now, he heads to Ole Miss as a key pickup for Kiffin and his staff:

McCoy is listed at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, and the 247 Sports Composite gives McCoy a 3-star rating for the cycle. He’s also rated the 39th overall safety prospect in the country.

Here’s a look at what he brings to the table via his Hudl highlights:

The addition of McCoy brings Ole Miss up to 15 hard commitments for the 2026 recruiting class, a group that ranks 30th nationally per the team composite rankings. Ole Miss has just 6 commitments from top-300 prospects, but there is plenty of time for things to improve across the summer and fall.

Last year, the Rebels produced the 16th overall recruiting class in the country. Along with the elite work in the transfer portal, it has worked out quite well for Kiffin’s program thus far.

The post Ole Miss beats out SEC competition for 2026 DB out of Georgia appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The former Texas A&M star was the last remaining first-round pick from this year’s draft to be unsigned, even as the Bengals launched training camp this week. That dispute reportedly revolved around language in the contract that could have removed a full guarantee from Stewart’s deal.

As of Friday evening, the contract matter has been resolved, according to reporting from NFL insider Adam Schefter. He reports that Stewart’s deal is for 4 years and is fully guaranteed at $18.97 million, with a signing bonus of $10.4 million. That is a positive development for the franchise and the 17th overall pick in the draft.

Stewart shot up NFL Draft boards throughout the process, shining with his impressive blend of size and athleticism. His limited sack production while with the Aggies (4.5 in 3 career seasons) did not diminish his overall outlook based on his physical profile.

Now, the Bengals and Stewart can put this matter behind them with the rookie under contract. Here’s hoping he can shine out of the gate and be an early catalyst for a defense looking to put a horrific 2024 performance well in the rearview with Joe Burrow leading the Bengals’ offense.

The post Shemar Stewart, Bengals reportedly reach agreement on rookie contract appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Last year, Chark spent just one season with the Los Angeles Chargers. He appeared in just 7 games and had the lowest statistical season of his career with just 4 catches for 31 yards and a touchdown.

Now, he’s reportedly heading to the NFC and back to the Southeast. According to NFL insiders Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport, Chark spent Friday visiting with the Atlanta Falcons, and he turned that visit into a one-year contract.

Atlanta already had a stable of weapons in the passing attack, led by Drake London, Darnell Mooney and tight end Kyle Pitts. However, Mooney sustained an injury during training camp, and the signing of Chark could mean the Falcons are anticipating a longer absence from the team’s 2nd-leading receiver a year ago.

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Chark left the Tigers as a 2nd-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he spent the first 4 seasons of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2019, he posted his first and only Pro Bowl appearance with a 1,000-yard season.

Chark had posted back-to-back seasons with 500+ receiving yards in 2022 and 2023 before signing with the Chargers, but did not replicate that success in LA. Now, he returns to the Southeast to try and rejuvenate his career with the Falcons.

The post Former LSU WR DJ Chark lands with new NFL team, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

More than one traditional rivalry has fallen by the wayside in the new era of college football, and it’s possible the Trojans vs. the Fighting Irish could follow a similar path. However, Riley was adamant at Big Ten Media Days that he wants the series to continue.

On Thursday, Riley was asked about the series, and he doesn’t believe the timing of the matchup in the season has a major impact. He did point to the future format for the College Football Playoff as a significant factor in determining not only the future of the series but when the game might be played, but he also said getting to coach the rivalry was “the first thought” Riley had after accepting the job at USC.

“The rivalry — all these rivalries mean a great deal to me. They mean a great deal to anybody who cares about college football,” said Riley. “Yes, I mean, do I want to play the game? Hell, yeah, I want to play the game. Absolutely. It’s one of the reasons I came here. All right?”

At the end of the day, Riley said his ultimate focus is on the best interests of USC and what works for the Trojans. He also pointed to adopting automatic qualifiers to the Playoff as a key consideration in the rivalry, as such a system would “preserve nonconference games that mean a lot to the history of the game.”

“I’m very hopeful we can get to a point where it makes sense. It’s one of those situations right now where the two schools are in radically different situations,” Riley conceded. “I think we can all agree with that, with one having a conference affiliation and one not.”

This year, the historical rivals are set for an Oct. 18 matchup in primetime, and DraftKings has set Notre Dame as an early 10.5-point favorite at home. The Fighting Irish have won the last 2 games in the series, giving Marcus Freeman a 2-1 head-to-head edge over Riley thus far.

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The post Lincoln Riley says he wants to keep Notre Dame rivalry, points to CFP format as crucial appeared first on Saturday Down South.

During Friday’s broadcast of ESPN’s Get Up, Finebaum was asked to set his expectations for Belichick’s initial season in Chapel Hill. Finebaum admitted those expectations are “very low” for the Tar Heels, despite what Belichick was able to achieve in the NFL as the head coach with the New England Patriots.

“They are very low, for this reason: He doesn’t have a very good team, although he’s in a workable league,” said Finebaum. “I think he can win 7 games, maybe steal one to go 8. But ladies and gentlemen, this is not Deion Sanders coming back to college.”

Belichick will ultimately go down as one of the best head coaches in the history of the NFL, but Finebaum reminded viewers that the backstretch of his tenure in New England did not resemble the one that led to 6 Super Bowl titles. In fact, Finebaum believes there are only a couple of reasons for Belichick’s move, and it has a lot less to do with football on the field.

“It’s not going to be must-see TV… the end of his (NFL) career was a disaster… this is just trying to make good, he’s trying to impress his girlfriend, he’s trying to make some money, and ultimately, I don’t think it’s going to work,” Finebaum delivered.

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The post Paul Finebaum savagely describes Bill Belichick at UNC as ‘trying to impress his girlfriend’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

As part of McGee’s buildup for the 2025 season, he broke down the best mascots in the entire country. He broke down the mascots into costumed, mechanical, human and live animal categories before ranking the top 5 in each section.

The SEC was featured prominently, including in the live animal category where Auburn’s War Eagle, LSU’s Mike the Tiger and Texas’s Bevo made an appearance. However, none of those could take the top spot, which McGee reserved for Georgia’s beloved bulldog mascot, Uga.

Here’s what McGee had to say about Uga:

Despite Bevo’s best efforts, the pampered bulldog who lives “between the hedges” is still the leader of college football’s animal kingdom. The Seiler family of Savannah is keeper of the direct Uga bloodline that runs back to the 1950s, bringing His Royal Mugness up to Athens on game weekends, where he has the presidential suite in the on-campus hotel (Rece Davis was once booted from that room to accommodate the dog, for real) and a customized SUV traveling compartment and hangs out in a temperature-controlled doghouse during games. Uga wasn’t the first dog mascot (shoutout to Yale’s Handsome Dan) and he is one of dozens of college canines, but he’s still top dog.

Georgia is now up to Uga XI, a bulldog known as “Boom.” He received the mantle ahead of the 2023 season and already has one SEC Championship Game title and College Football Playoff appearances, but is also looking to replicate the success of his predecessor, who won 2 national titles during his tenure.

The post ESPN’s Ryan McGee names Georgia’s beloved Uga as top live mascot in college football appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Thursday, Notre Dame landed the commitment from Teddy Jarrard, a 4-star quarterback out of North Cobb High School in Georgia. A rising junior, Jarrard already held offers from a laundry list of top schools, including Auburn, Arkansas, Georgia, Clemson, Florida State, Miami and Michigan, along with many others.

Now, he joins Marcus Freeman and his staff for a hot start in the 2027 recruiting class:

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Jarrard is rated as the No. 14 QB nationally by the 247 Sports Composite. He’s also the 23rd overall player out of Georgia and the 162nd overall prospect in the country for the 2027 recruiting class.

Here’s a look at what Jarrard brings to the table via his Hudl highlights:

Already, Notre Dame is up to 3 hard commitments in the early work for the 2027 recruiting class, with Jarrard the current highest-ranked prospect from that trio. The class currently ranks 11th nationally per the team composite, but that is bound to change as we move through the process.

The post Notre Dame lands its 2027 QB with commitment from Georgia prospect appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to the details of the new deal, Drinkwitz is now under contract through the 2029 season. The head coach is entering his 6th season leading the Tigers, and he has presided over one of the most consistent stretches in program history.

Drinkwitz is 38-24 overall in his tenure, breaking the program record for most wins in a head coach’s first 5 seasons at Mizzou. He also holds the best home winning percentage (minimum 4 seasons) in program history.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the continued belief in our vision for Mizzou Football,” Eli Drinkwitz said via press release. “The Board of Curators, President Choi, Laird Veatch and our donors and fans have shown a deep commitment to building a championship-caliber program. That means investing in the people throughout our building who work tirelessly for our student-athletes. I’m proud of the staff we’ve assembled and excited to keep pushing forward together.”

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According to Eli Hoff with The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, it does not appear that there is a raise attached to Drinkwitz’s salary, which is still set to be $9 million this fall before escalators to $9.25 million and eventually to $9.5 million in the final seasons of the deal. However, the deal includes a raise to the assistant coaches’ salary pool.

The other area of interest is Drinkwitz’s buyout, but it’s unclear if that remains unchanged. During the spring, one anonymous SEC coach singled out Drinkwitz and described the head coach and his staff as “underrated” and said that Drinkwitz “should be on everyone’s shortlist” for future head coaching openings.

If a significant job opens up this year, Mizzou may find itself needing to throw another raise at Drinkwitz before long.

The post Eli Drinkwitz inks long-term extension with Mizzou entering 2025 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Last season, the Fighting Irish overcame a dreadful early-season loss to roll all the way into the Playoff. Once in the field, Notre Dame knocked off Indiana at home before impressive wins over Georgia and Penn State in the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl.

The Fighting Irish nearly did the unthinkable, too, before falling to Ohio State in the national title game. Now, the team must replace some key production on the defensive side of the ball and quarterback Riley Leonard for 2025.

Even with those question marks, Finebaum isn’t daunted by the idea of the Irish getting back to the postseason:

Yes, and the reason is the head coach. Marcus Freeman is elite,” said Finebaum about Notre Dame returning to the Playoff. “He showed that last year, beating and out-coaching James Franklin in the crunch at the Orange Bowl. It was brilliant, it was a masterclass, and he nearly pulled it off against Ohio State.

“He has done more with less talent than anyone in college football, so therefore, even though this team has serious question marks. They have a difficult schedule opening with Miami, I think he will find a way to mold them and push them back into the Playoff and maybe a decent run.”

That prediction is not a crazy one with Notre Dame coming in at -200 via bet365 in the odds to make the CFP this fall. The Irish are also among the top-10 odds to win the national title this year, coming in at +1400, and fans can grab any of those odds with a great offer through the bet365 promo code.

The post Paul Finebaum praises Marcus Freeman as reason Notre Dame can return to the CFP appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Unfortunately, that chance with the Jets may have just hit a major bump in the road. Early Thursday morning, reports surfaced that Fields was carted off the field with a lower-leg injury, and the early signs were not promising. Reports of the injury made their way to ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, who is an avid Jets fan and the host of Get Up.

With the broadcast still rolling, Greenberg addressed the reports as only a true superfan could, sending him into a frustrated tizzy:

“The tone of all the tweets I am seeing from the people who are there makes it sound like this is something bad, and I  turn to others to speak on my behalf, because quite candidly, if I were to speak right now, I don’t know how well that would go for anyone,” said Greenberg. “It is the first freaking day of practice, they aren’t even in pads, and Justin Fields is being carted off the field.

“I have been touting all this time that this is going to go so well, the Jets are much better than everybody thinks they’re going to be, and all of a sudden, Justin Fields is being carted off the field at a practice.”

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Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has since labeled Fields’s injury a toe ailment, so hopefully it turns out to be something minor.

The post Justin Fields injury sends ESPN’s Mike Greenberg into on-air tizzy: ‘I am speechless’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Unfortunately, the top seed did no favors for Oregon when the final draw came out. Though the Ducks had a bye, they were matched up with the winner of Tennessee-Ohio State and were ultimately blown out by the Buckeyes in Pasadena.

Oregon was not alone, with every top 4 seed losing in the quarterfinals after receiving a bye in the first round. Now, Lanning wants to see shorter layoffs in the Playoff, telling ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg that “you’d love the rust to be knocked off when you step on the field” for those big games.

Lanning went on to describe his disdain for the long layoffs, pitching a system that would mirror other sports:

“I’d be in favor of creating our playoff system to mirror every other playoff system in sports,” Lanning told ESPN. “The season’s over, and the playoffs start shortly after. The long break is something I’m not crazy about. I wish we played every single Saturday in college football. I wish college football ended Jan. 1.”

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Lanning was asked if the long layoff affected his team entering the Rose Bowl, but he sidestepped around the question. He described the layoff as “a long time” for a healthy team but also said his team lost on the field.

“We lost. It is what it is, right? But we were a healthy team coming in. … It’s almost a month. That’s a long time,” said Lanning.

While future formats of the Playoff have been the hot topic this offseason, the schedule has also come under question after the performances of the top 4 seeds. We’ll see if the length of the Playoff and the layoffs throughout get adjusted moving forward.

The post Dan Lanning blasts long layoffs in CFP: ‘Something I’m not crazy about’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

During the latest episode of The Triple Option Podcast, co-host Rob Stone reminded the group of their way-too-early 2025 predictions. Those came at the conclusion of the 2024 season before embarking on the wild and tumultuous offseason that has since taken place.

For Ingram, he had Texas as his early title pick and Alabama as a dark horse contender entering Year 2 under Kalen DeBoer. Those are picks that Ingram is standing by with the offseason now fading into the rearview mirror.

“I still like ‘em still to this moment,” said Ingram about his picks. “You talk about Texas with Arch Manning taking over at the helm. He had some big game experience last year, some very important reps he took last year with Quinn Ewer’s being injured… They return 6 starters (on defense). You talk about Steve Sarkisian and what he’s been able to do. 

“It pains me to say it, but I like Texas with their outlook right now with what they have going on… and then Alabama, man, they’re still the Alabama.”

It’s no surprise to see Ingram remain high on his former Crimson Tide program, but there’s some merit to that pick. DeBoer made it through the offseason without losing the key pieces of his roster.

As for Meyer, he’s sticking with a split pick of Ohio State and Texas as the potential national champions. However, he had said Tennessee was his dark horse, but that pick is long gone with the Nico Iamaleava saga playing out.

“I like Ohio State (and) Texas, that makes sense. Tennessee is gone. I had them (as my dark horse). This was before the Nico transfer, which still to this day, I’m scratching my head saying, ‘What in the world happened there? There’s going to be a story some day about what happened there,” predicted Meyer. “I don’t know what it is. Why would you leave a team that just made the College Football Playoff?”

For a new dark horse, Meyer is going with Penn State under James Franklin:

“Penn State is the one team that is kind of following the pattern that the Wolverines did and the Buckeyes did with their extremely veteran team, which I think is now the playbook to go win a championship,” Meyer claimed.

To no surprise, the teams picked by Ingram and Meyer all reside in the top-6 odds to win the national championship, according to the latest preseason odds produced by BetMGM. Fans can grab those latest odds through the top sports betting apps.

The post Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram make national title and ‘dark horse’ picks for 2025 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Last season, CBS aired the showdown between Michigan and Illinois that had historical significance for college football. The game came just shy of the 100-year anniversary of the legendary Red Grange game that featured the Illini stunning a heavily favored Michigan team.

CBS got things rolling that Saturday with an old-time homage to the 1924 meeting between longtime Big Ten foes, complete with black-and-white video and Danielson and Brad Nessler donning old-school outfits. The introduction received widespread approval, but Danielson recently admitted it was something the production team had some concerns about.

“We… mapped out a plan that we thought on a really important day for Illinois football, we wanted to pay justice to the game,” said Danielson. “… Our crew worked so hard at it, and it was risky, because if it didn’t go well, we would’ve been panned. Even our management team, our suits in New York discussed with us ‘Are you sure?'”

Ultimately, the introduction worked, and the game didn’t disappoint, either. Illinois stifled Michigan all afternoon long and won 21-7.

“I think it was a once in a lifetime game, it really was,” admitted Danielson. “And we’re really proud of the fact that the Illini fan took pride in it… it’s one of the highlights of my career.”

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With Danielson set to soon retire, we’ll see if any game in the 2025 season can provide a similar joy for Danielson.

The post Gary Danielson reveals 2024 broadcast that was ‘one of the highlights of my career’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Tuesday, Cignetti was included in the Day 1 schedule and addressed the contingent in Las Vegas. At one point, he was asked about the schedule from 2024 that has been heavily criticized by outside sources nationally, but Cignetti pointed to types of schedules he sees in the SEC.

“That was a scheduling philosophy that began before I was hired, but I did sign off on it upon being hired before our first season, okay? Look, here’s the bottom line: We pick up an extra home game and we play 9 conference games,” said Cignetti. “The 2 best conferences in college football, any football guy that’s objective will tell you it’s the Big Ten and the SEC. 12 of the 16 SEC teams play 3 Group of 5 teams and an FCS team… and one less conference game.

“So, we figured we’d just adopt the SEC scheduling philosophy. Some people don’t like it. I’m more focused on those 9 conference games.”

Cignetti even went and took things a step further when it comes to future CFP models. B1G commissioner Tony Petitti is still backing a model built on play-in games and automatic bids, something Cignetti claims would solve the strength of schedule debate within each conference.

For now, the other power conferences have been tied to the 5+11 format that features more at-large bids based on the CFP Committee rankings.

“You want to decide (the Playoff spots) on the field and make sure everyone’s strength of schedule is what it needs to be? Let’s make everybody play 9 conference games and on championship weekend, 3 will play 6 and 4 will play 5,” said Cignetti.

For anyone wondering what this year holds in store for Cignetti’s brash arrival last season, it’s clear he’s still coming out swinging once again.

The post Curt Cignetti says Indiana’s 2024 schedule adopted the ‘SEC scheduling philosophy’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

One thing that Petitti took extensive time to address and field questions on is the future of the College Football Playoff. He made it clear his preferred model for the future Playoff is allocated bids per conference and play-in games, even with the support for a 5+11 system seemingly growing nationally.

At one point, Petitti specifically referenced the idea of an 8-4 overall record for a team hailing from the Big Ten as a “good record.” He described that scenario for a team that went 6-3 in a premier conference with a 9-game slate and “stumbles” in the nonconference.

“If you’re 6-3 in the Big Ten, I would argue that’s a good record. And if you stumble in the non-conference, I don’t know why that disqualifies you,” said Petitti.

As for the 8-4 overall record, Petitti made the case that such a winning percentage would get you in the postseason “across every other sport.” He also said college football has “conditioned ourselves” into the belief that teams with a blemished record do not get to play for a national title.

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There are many ways to discuss the strength of a conference’s teams, but Petitti likely missed the mark to most fans and analysts when discussing a potential 8-4 team reaching the Playoff.

The post Tony Petitti lobbies for B1G teams with an 8-4 record: ‘That’s a good record’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

During his first season in Bloomington, Cignetti delivered double-digit wins in a massive turnaround for Indiana. The end result was a trip to the first-ever 12-team Playoff, a journey that would ultimately end with a loss to Notre Dame on the road.

While the Hoosiers had a strong regular-season record, many around the country outside of the Big Ten were critical of Indiana’s inclusion. The schedule was not especially tough, though the team did blow out many overmatched opponents, and a trio of 9-win teams in the SEC that consisted of Ole Miss, Alabama and South Carolina was especially vocal about the fact they played tougher schedules during the year.

Ahead of Big Ten Media Days, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg caught up with Cignetti and asked him about the “grumbling” about his team’s inclusion. Cignetti admitted it always creates “some waves” when a new person breaks up the old status quo, but it shows that his team earned it:

“When a newbie like us breaks into the status quo, that’s going to create some waves. A team comes out of nowhere. But everything’s earned, not given. There’s no entitlement,” Cignetti claimed.

Specifically asked about SEC circles that felt his team didn’t belong, Cignetti said no team should be given a leg up because they’ve been in the field in the past:

“Nobody deserves to be in the playoffs because they’ve been in the playoffs four of the last five years,” said Cignetti. “Do it on the field. If you get upset by a couple teams, you shouldn’t get upset by it.”

In other words: If you don’t like it, do something about it.

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We’ll see if the Hoosiers can double up on trips to the Playoff this fall, but they won’t have the element of surprise on their side this time. It’s also worth monitoring if the CFP Committee shows any adjustments to their selection criteria after the way Indiana performed against Notre Dame.

The post Curt Cignetti pushes back on SEC criticism of IU’s Playoff bid: ‘You shouldn’t get upset’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This time, the commitment comes from Tayden Kaawa, a 4-star recruit originally out of Hawaii. He plays for Orem High School in Utah and is a multisport athlete who also shines on the basketball court.

BYU was also in the mix for Kaawa, but he wound up committing to Alabama as the 2nd QB piece for the Tide:

Kaawa is listed at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds and is one of the top quarterback prospects nationally for the cycle. According to the 247 Sports Composite, Kaawa is a 4-star recruit and the 26th QB in the country. He’s also the No. 6 overall player out of Utah for the cycle.

During the 2024 season, Kaawa posted over 3,500 yards of offense with 35 total touchdowns. Here’s a look at what Kaawa brings to the table via his Hudl highlights:

This offseason has been a massive success for DeBoer with recruiting results heating up for the Crimson Tide. Kaawa brings Alabama up to 20 hard commitments, a group that ranks 4th nationally in the entire country per the team composite.

The post Alabama adds 2nd QB commitment for 2026 with elite Utah prospect appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Tuesday, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips announced during ACC Media Days that the league will introduce mandatory status reports in football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball. Those reports are specifically required for ACC contests.

Initial status reports will be issued 2 days before a league game with final updates issued on gameday. All status reports will also be published via the official ACC website.

“In the sports of football, men’s and women’s basketball, as well as baseball, the ACC will implement a player availability reporting policy for each conference game,” said Phillips. “In football, an institution will submit an availability report two days before each league game with updates one day before and on game day. All submitted reports will be publicly available on theACC.com. This decision is directly connected to our ongoing commitment to best protect our student-athletes… “

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On Tuesday, Beck took his turn at ACC Media Days ahead of his first season with the Hurricanes and reflected on his move from Athens to South Beach. It’s clear Beck is not looking over his shoulder at the past, declaring the 2025 season as his future and one of the best decisions he’s made.

While Miami may not have some of the massive expectations that the Bulldogs regularly face, the Hurricanes are expected to be a contender in the ACC and to reach the College Football Playoff. According to BetMGM, Miami also has the 2nd-best odds to reach the ACC Championship Game at +125, trailing only preseason favorite Clemson in that regard.

The good news is that Beck has been cleared from his season-ending injury and offseason elbow surgery, head coach Mario Cristobal confirmed. He also said the team is looking for the best version of Beck in order to achieve their goals.

“We are looking for the first and best version of Carson Beck. Carson Beck has as good as experience of a quarterback that you can have,” said Cristobal.

Last year, Miami was led by Cam Ward, a Heisman Trophy contender before he left school as the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Now, Beck will need to show he can improve from his performance in 2024, which was particularly lackluster.

After leading the SEC with over 3,900 passing yards in his first season as the starter, Beck’s completion percentage and yardage took a step back last year while throwing a career-high 12 interceptions, which tied for the SEC lead. We’ll see if a new system and different weapons around him can help Beck unlock his full potential.

The post Carson Beck reflects on Miami transfer: ‘One of the best decisions I have made’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Fisher last coached in the 2023 season, when he was with the Aggies. Texas A&M ultimately fired Fisher with 2 games left to go in the season, and he spent the 2024 season outside of coaching.

Now, Fisher is stepping into a broadcast role with the ACC Network, it was announced on Tuesday. Fisher, who won 3 straight ACC titles from 2012-14 with Florida State and led the program to the 2013 BCS national title, will serve as an analyst and appear on ACC Huddle this fall.

Fisher’s first stop with ACC Huddle will be for the major Week 1 showdown between LSU and Clemson. Illinois at Duke in Week 2 and Clemson at Georgia Tech in Week 3 highlights the early-season schedule for ACC Huddle.

“I’m looking forward to joining ACC Network and the Huddle team this season,” Fisher said via statement. “I’ve always had tremendous respect for this conference, and I’m looking forward to breaking down the action each week with such a talented group.”

As a head coach, Fisher went 128-48 overall during his stints at Texas A&M and Florida State with the lone national title. Unfortunately, he was never able to reach double-digit wins with the Aggies or appear in an SEC Championship Game as a head coach.

The post Jimbo Fisher lands new broadcasting role for 2025 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After the Big 12 went public with its support of a 5+11 Playoff format, the SEC, led by commissioner Greg Sankey, was less committal to a preferred model. It was then reported that Petitti would not support a 5+11 format without the SEC moving to 9 league games, and he reinforced his beliefs with Dellenger.

“I found myself sitting there thinking that play-in games seem so rational as we look at folks talk about points and subtracting numbers and adding numbers,” said Petitti. “I’m thinking, ‘This is the rational system and the one where we play games is radical?’

“I admire the work they’re putting into it and all the stuff they’re talking about and adding and subtracting and listening to mathematicians and scheduling experts. But all of that is more valuable than two teams playing on the field? OK.”

Petitti went on to say his position remains unchanged, preferring the 4+4+2+2+1+3 Playoff model with play-in games built into the system. He also admitted that position is unlikely to change until the power conferences agree to play the same number of conference matchups (likely 9), and the selection process is solidified.

Other systems, particularly the 5+11 model, would put too much weight into the hands of a subjective selection committee for Petitti’s liking. He also downplayed the idea that more data and criteria to determine the at-large spots are truly needed.

“I’ve heard my colleagues around other leagues say that a lot of work has to be done to the selection committee and that’s where I have a hard time on what that actually means,” Petitti said. “In talking to some of the folks in our room, our ADs that have been on that (selection) committee, I’ve yet to hear someone say they need more data or stuff to look at. You can come up and make metrics, but ultimately it’s just people evaluating what’s put in front of them.”

Petitti also confirmed that he is just fine with the Playoff remaining at 12 teams for 2026 if an agreeable consensus cannot be reached with the SEC:

“Earlier on, we felt expansion would be a good thing, but we’re not going to expand unless we really feel like the format and access makes sense,” Petitti said. “It has to make the regular season better. If it doesn’t do that, why are we doing it?”

With the power to determine the future model(s) in the hands of the SEC and the Big Ten, it seems unlikely a change is near barring a sudden change.

The post B1G commissioner hails play-in games as ‘rational’ system for CFP selection appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Earlier this week, Meyer and his co-hosts on The Triple Option Podcast were breaking down the preseason win total set for South Carolina. That line is at 7.5 via BetMGM, and the over 7.5 number has +110 odds. Fans can track all the odds and get into the action through the best sports betting apps.

For what it’s worth, Meyer and Mark Ingram are taking the over number, with Ingram especially pointing to a Heisman Trophy contender under center.

“I’ve got them going over 7.5 because of LaNorris Sellers,” said Ingram.

Meyer quickly followed and also said he likes head coach Shane Beamer and his work in Columbia. That’s when Meyer dropped his personal opinion on Williams-Brice Stadium.

“I do too, and I’m going to say this too: I like their coach, and I think it’s the most underrated place in college football to play,” said Meyer. “That stadium, wow. Williams-Brice.”

Ingram went along with Meyer’s assessment, recalling his personal challenges inside Williams-Brice Stadium.

“It is tough to play there, that’s why you said Alabama at South Carolina. I was No. 1 in the country, went to South Carolina and we got ambushed, so that is not an easy place to play,” Ingram conceded. “And then with LaNorris Sellers, and then Dylan Stewart on the opposite side, I like this team to win over 7.5 games.”

The schedule is a tough one to be sure, but the Gamecocks return some key production across the field. Now, we’ll see if they can also ride the homefield advantage of Williams-Brice Stadium to a potential College Football Playoff appearance.

The post Urban Meyer names SEC stadium as most underrated venue in college football appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Unfortunately, the Bengals have had a mess with Stewart ever since he was selected, and the first-round pick remains unsigned as of Saturday, according to ESPN’s Ben Baby. That’s a problem for many reasons, but especially because Cincinnati’s other rookies reported to the team on Saturday in preparation for training camp beginning next week.

Training camp officially begins on Wednesday, and veteran players report on Tuesday, so there is time for this situation to be resolved in time for Stewart to get a full training camp. But there has been no indication publicly that the two sides are closer to a resolution.

Earlier this week, there was a report that Stewart was actually considering a return to Texas A&M to play another season with the Aggies before re-entering the draft in 2026. There are multiple issues with that, including the fact that Stewart would have to fight the NCAA to be eligible this fall.

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Fortunately, Mike Elko was able to provide clarity on the A&M situation during SEC Media Days. According to Elko, Stewart is just working out to get ready for the NFL and claimed there is no chance Stewart will play for A&M this year.

As for the Bengals situation, we will just have to wait and see when Stewart finally puts ink to paper and begins his NFL career.

The post Shemar Stewart remains unsigned as Bengals training camp looms appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The star of that showdown would be receiver Brysen Wright, a member of the Jacksonville team and a budding prospect for the 2028 recruiting class. In fact, he turned heads with a catch that was eerily reminiscent of the iconic catch produced by former LSU star Odell Beckham Jr.

Here’s the insane grab produced by Wright that had the football world talking on Saturday:

That grab was his best of the day, but it was not Wright’s only highlight-reel moment. He was a problem on both sides of the ball and showcased impressive hands throughout.

According to 247 Sports, Wright is a rising sophomore for Mandarin High School in Florida. He recorded 646 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns during his high school season last year, and he’s already racked up an offer sheet that includes Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Ohio State and Colorado, among others. Wright is listed at 6-foot-2.5 and 200 pounds but fans will have to wait a little longer to find out his full star rating when the 2028 composite rankings come out.

In the meantime, Wright’s grab was more than enough to light up social media with the football world still stuck in the dark period of summer before training camps get started. Here’s how fans far and wide reacted to the catch:

The post Flag football star, class of 2028 WR, reels in ridiculous OBJ-style grab appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The latest commitment for Shane Beamer comes in the form of Landon Duckworth, an elite quarterback prospect out of Jackson (AL) High School. It’s a major win for South Carolina, especially after landing Duckworth’s commitment over SEC rival Auburn.

Duckworth’s commitment is also significant as he was one of the top-rated QBs in the 2026 recruiting class still uncommitted.

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Duckworth is listed at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds. According to the 247 Sports Composite, Duckworth is a 4-star prospect and the No. 6 QB in the country for the class of 2026. He’s also the 64th player nationally, regardless of position.

The elite QB prospect is also a multisport athlete who performs in basketball and in track and field. Duckworth produced a state title on the football field in 2024 and is a 2-time state champion in basketball who averaged over 10 points per game as a junior.

On the football field, Duckworth is an elite dual-threat QB who posted over 3,400 pass yards and nearly 650 rushing yards in 2024. He racked up 51 total touchdowns last season and has 111 total touchdowns throughout his 3-year career.

Here’s a look at what he brings to the table for South Carolina:

The post South Carolina lands its QB commit for 2026 from prominent Alabama prospect appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This time, Texas A&M pulled a commitment from Tylan Wilson, a 4-star recruit out of Mississippi. Wilson was also considering Arkansas and Clemson before committing to the Aggies, giving another boost to a top-5 recruiting class.

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Wilson is rated as a 4-star defensive back out of Pascagoula High School in Mississippi. He’s listed at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds and is a multisport athlete who also plays basketball.

According to the 247 Sports Composite, Wilson is a 4-star safety and the 20th overall safety in the entire country for the 2026 recruiting class. He’s the No. 10 prospect from Mississippi for the cycle.

At this point, the Aggies are pushing toward the top of the overall class ratings for 2026. The team composite currently gives A&M the No. 3 recruiting class in the entire country with 25 hard commitments for the cycle. The average rating for the prospects committed to the Aggies is 92.22, also among the best in the entire country.

Last season, Elko cracked the top-10 recruiting classes in the country for the first time ever, and he’s closing in on even better things for the 2026 recruiting class.

The post Texas A&M lands elite DB out of Mississippi for 2026 appeared first on Saturday Down South.