ESPN, College Football Playoff agree on 6-year deal worth $1.3 billion annually, AP sources say
Two people with knowledge of the agreement say ESPN and the College Football Playoff have agreed to a six-year deal worth $1.3 billion annually that will allow the network to keep exclusive rights to the 12-team playoff through the 2031 season.
Oregon defeats Oregon State 31-7 for a spot in the Pac-12 title game as rivalry ends for now
Bo Nix threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, securing No. 6 Oregon a spot in the Pac-12 championship game with a 31-7 victory over No. 15 Oregon State in the final scheduled matchup between the in-state rivals.
Ohio State, Georgia reloaded after losing stars to NFL draft
Only months after Georgia defensive linemen and Ohio State wide receivers combined to fill five first-round slots in the NFL draft, those positions again boast top talent for the teams preparing to meet in the College Football Playoff Peach Bowl semifinal.
NIL expert predicts $50,000 minimum pay for Power 5 players
College football and menโs basketball players on scholarship in one of the major conferences can expect to soon earn a minimum of $50,000 each year he plays because of the influx of cash from booster collectives brokering name, image and likeness deals.
Looking ahead to the College Football Playoff? This โRSVPโ concept is brilliant
Attending a major sporting event can be overwhelming: You might have to fly or embark on a road trip just to get there, depending on the location of course, and consider your accommodations and where youโll stay, eat and how youโll get around.
Jones, Smith, Harris reconnect at Alabama's pro day No. 2
Patrick Surtain II and Mac Jones had the spotlight at Alabama's Pro Day, Tuesday, March 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)DeVonta Smith was there for quarterback Mac Jones once again, this time it was at Alabama's latest pro day. โHe didn't have to do that,โ Jones told the SEC Network, which aired the pro day. 'โJones showcased his arm strength a week after participating in the Crimson Tide's first pro day. โMac was just on me like, โBro, come catch, come catch, come catch,โโ Smith told the network.
Video game maker EA Sports announces return of NCAA Football
There is no timetable in place for the next release of a college football game, the company said. โWeโve heard from the millions of passionate fans requesting the return of college football video games,โ EA Sports executive vice president and general manage Cam Weber said in a statement. โWe love the energy, tradition and pageantry of college football and I am beyond thrilled to say we are back in development." The NCAA Football video game did not identify players by name, but the game simulated teams and players as they played in real life. The video game was part of a broad legal challenge and a judge ruled the NCAA had been inappropriately using the names, images and likenesses of college athletes.
NFL draft early entry list has 3 national title-winning QBs
Those 128 players, plus three more who inquired about their draft status but didn't need special eligibility, were on the NFL's official list released Friday as available to be drafted after giving up their remaining college eligibility. The 30 players with college eligibility remaining after completing their degree requirements had to notify the NFL of their intentions for the draft. As for those 98 players granted special eligibility without yet finishing their degrees, that was one fewer than last year and the lowest total since 95 in 2017. Players less than four years removed from high school who have not completed a degree need to be granted special entry to the draft by the NFL. Southern California has the most players leaving early for NFL draft eligibility with six.
Thousands party in streets after Alabama win, despite virus
Dr. Scott Harris, the head of the Alabama Department of Public Health, said he expected more cases of COVID-19 to result from the street party. โItโs disappointing to see people not paying attention to the guidance that we try to give to keep them safe. Students and workers also are required to complete online training about reducing the risk of spreading the illness. More than 5,500 people have died in Alabama from the illness caused by the coronavirus, and about 408,000 have tested positive. People lined up to get into the bars an hour before kickoff despite the warnings, The Tuscaloosa News reported.
Perfect Alabama finishes No. 1 in AP Top 25 for 12th time
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. โ Alabama finished the season No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the 12th time, extending its record by completing the programโs first perfect season since 2009. With 12 AP titles overall โ Paul โBearโ Bryant was coach for five and Gene Stallings for one โ Alabama has four more than Notre Dame, in second place with eight. The Big 12 finished with a perfect record in five bowl games. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at https://westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25___This story has been updated to correct the number of national titles for Alabama to 12, not.
COVID-19 shadows title game as college football season ends
From start to finish, the specter of COVID-19 loomed large over the 2020 college football season and the national championship game was no exception. The game, played in the Miami Dolphinsโ stadium, drew the sort of turnout typically found in the fourth quarter of an NFL preseason game. But the challenges college football faced in navigating the pandemic were unique. The Pac-12 and Big Ten postponed their seasons before reversing course, and Ohio State played only eight games. It was a made-for-TV season that ends with an asterisk, and college football now looks toward the 2021 season, which is a big question mark.
6 years later, Alabama and Ohio State go at it again
Six years later, Ohio State and Alabama meet again, the Tide still rolling and the Buckeyes again looking for an upset. How Fields is feeling will be the main story line heading into the title game. Alabama was the top seed in the first four-team playoff after the 2014 season, but Ohio State beat the Tide 42-35 in the semifinal Sugar Bowl behind Meyer, Ezekiel Elliott and Cardale Jones. That Ohio State even got to play at all was surprising after the Big Ten canceled its fall season in August only to reverse course in September,"With everything this team has been through this last 10 months or so, Iโm just so happy for this group of guys,โ Ohio State linebacker Tuf Borland said. Alabama opened as a touchdown favorite over Ohio State, riding a prolific offense that features two Heisman Trophy finalists.
CFP semifinal moved from Rose Bowl to AT&T Stadium in Texas
FILE - This Jan. 2, 2017, file pool photo, shows an aerial view of the empty Rose Bowl stadium before to the Rose Bowl NCAA college football game between Southern California and Penn State in Pasadena, Calif. The Rose Bowl asked the state for an exception to the restriction, but was denied twice, including earlier this week. Hancock said it had not yet been determined if the semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Arlington would still be called the Rose Bowl. The first Rose Bowl was played Jan. 1, 1902. The last time the Rose Bowl game was played outside Pasadena, California, was 1942.
'Bama, ND, Clemson, OSU enter champ weekend in CFP position
(AP Photo/Michael Woods)Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State will enter championship weekend in position to make the College Football Playoff with very little drama. The unbeaten Bearcats host Tulsa, which is 23rd, in the American Athletic Conference title game. The semifinals are scheduled to be played Jan. 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The current COVID-19 restrictions in California will prohibit the Rose Bowl from having any fans in attendance, including family members of the players. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick is also a part of the management committee.
Ohio State still 4th in CFP rankings after cancellation
Ohio State (4-0) had to cancel its game at Illinois last week because of a spike in COVID-19 cases in the program. HERBSTREIT APOLOGYESPN's Kirk Herbstreit caused a commotion with some of his analysis regarding Ohio State, Michigan and teams using COVID-19 as an excuse to not play. The Wolverines (2-4) are scheduled to host Maryland this week and play at Ohio State on Dec. 12. โI still think Michigan waves the white flag, potentially avoids playing Ohio State next week,โ Herbstreit said. the former Ohio State quarterback said.
Doaks, Ridder help No. 6 Cincinnati run past Houston 38-10
Doaks rushed for a career-high 184 yards, Desmond Ridder ran for three scores and threw for another, and No. The Bearcats' read option with Doaks and Ridder kept the Cougars defense off balance all afternoon. โWeโre just opening holes for each other.โRidder capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a 10-yard TD run to make it 14-0 in the second quarter. An acrobatic 34-yard catch by Bryson Smith led to Kyle Porter's 3-yard TD run that cut the Cougars' deficit to 14-7. Ridder added a 12-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter.
AP Top 25: Clemson remains overwhelming No. 1 over Alabama
POLL POINTSWhen it comes to winning games against ranked teams, Alabama coach Nick Saban is the best ever. Even before beating Georgia, Saban held the record for most victories against AP top-five teams (now 25) and top-10 teams (now 42). The average number of games played in a college football season is also longer now than ever before. The conference has had three of its teams ranked at one point or another. 23 North Carolina State is ranked for the first time since 2018.
Commissioners decline CFP expansion after Pac-12 request
The conference commissioners who manage the College Football Playoff decided to stick with a four-team format during this pandemic-altered season after the Pac-12 made a request to consider expansion. Conferences are not playing the same number of games, are starting play at different times and there are no interconference matchups between Power Five leagues. Hancock added any decision on expansion would need the approval of the CFPโs presidential oversight committee after a recommendation by commissioners. The Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 are already up and running among the Power Five leagues. AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco is the one member of the management committee who has publicly suggested playoff expansion in the past.
CFP selection committee set to release 1st ranking Nov. 17
The College Football Playoff unveiled a revised schedule Monday for its weekly rankings, with the first set pushed back two weeks to Nov. 17 and the final list now on tap for Dec. 20. Hancock said the CFP selection committee still plans to rank its top 25 teams each week, but nothing isnt open for tweaking if necessary. The six conferences have announced their intention to play, so the committee just established its meeting scheduled to be prepared, Hancock said. This is another way we're planning for a College Football Playoff to happen with a championship in Miami.The Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, Southeastern Conference, American Athletic Conference, Conference USA and Sun Belt are move toward playing in the fall. The playoff management committee, which consists of the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame's athletic director, met last week, Hancock said.
NCAA football oversight asks board for time on fall sports
FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2020, file photo, LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson (2) is tackled by Clemson during the first half of an NCAA College Football Playoff national championship game in New Orleans. The NCAA's latest guidance for playing college sports during the COVID-19 pandemic recommends testing players once a week within 72 hours of competition. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)The NCAA football oversight committee is asking the associations Board of Governors to avoid making a decision later this week on whether to conduct fall championships as college sports tries to find a path to play through the pandemic. The board could decide to call off NCAA championship events in fall sports such as soccer, womens volleyball and lower-division football. The NCAA has no authority to postpone or cancel specific seasons, a decision that would be up to individual schools or their conferences.