Big 12 Commissioner Brian Yormark came out swinging at the conference’s media day on Tuesday.

During his introductory press conference at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Yormark shared some strong opinions about the Big 12 heading into the 2025 football season.

“I believe the Big 12 will be the deepest football conference in America,” Yormark said. “No league offers the competitive balance that we do. Last season the Big 12 led the nation in fourth quarter lead changes and go-ahead scores in the final minute of conference games.”

Yormark also highlighted the Big 12’s star power entering the 2025 season, especially at the quarterback position.

“The Big 12 returns nine starting quarterbacks who threw for over 2,400 yards last season,” Yormark said. “The rest of the power-four combined have just 11.”

Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht and TCU quarterback Josh Hoover headline the Big 12 as key returners to their respective teams.

Leavitt — who led Arizona State to a Big 12 title and College Football Playoff appearance last year — totaled 3,328 offensive yards and 29 touchdowns. Leavitt was already named the conference’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year on Monday.

In addition, Becht is coming off a junior season in which he eclipsed 3,823 yards and 33 touchdowns for the Cyclones, followed by Hoover, who garnered 3,930 yards of offense and 31 touchdowns for the Horned Frogs.

In Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah’s debut season in the conference — and the Big 12’s first season with 16 teams — Arizona State, Colorado, Iowa State and BYU each finished with a 7–2 conference record.

Even with the overall success, the Big 12’s only team in the College Football Playoff was Arizona State, which had an automatic bid from its conference championship win.

Despite the Sun Devils’ double overtime loss to Texas in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Yormark is confident this season’s playoffs will feature more teams from the Big 12.

“I expect the Big 12 to earn multiple College Football Playoff bids this year,” Yormark asserted.

On top of the returning talent and star power, Yormark pointed to the conference’s coaches who will help push the Big 12 to new heights.

“We also boast one of the nation’s top coaching lineups, from Hall of Famers to rising stars,” he said.

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With Big 12 media day Tuesday and Wednesday, Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt and Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez were honored with preseason awards by the conference on Monday.

Leavitt — a redshirt sophomore — was named the Big 12 2025 preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Rodriguez — a senior — was dubbed the conference’s preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Leavitt transferred to Arizona State after redshirting in his freshman season at Michigan State. In his first full season with the Sun Devils, Leavitt led Arizona State to a Big 12 title in the program’s first season in the conference.

Leavitt finished his first season in Tempe, Arizona, as the school’s new record holder for most total yards by a freshman with 3,328. He threw for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions in 13 games.

Jacob Rodriguez, on the other hand, led Texas Tech’s defense in 2024 with a team-high 127 total tackles, five sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss. At season’s end, Rodriguez was named to the All-Big 12 first team by conference coaches and the Associated Press.

After losing an overtime heartbreaker to Texas in the first round of the College Football Playoff last year, Leavitt seeks to lead Arizona State to the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez serves as a vital piece of consistent leadership on the Red Raiders, who are bringing in the No. 2 transfer portal class in the country.

In addition to Leavitt and Rodriguez, Utah junior quarterback Devon Dampier was chosen as the Big 12’s preseason Newcomer of the Year. 

The full All-Big 12 team is below. Texas Tech and Iowa State each lead the conference with three selections each.

Preseason All-Conference Team (Offense)

Quarterback: Sam Leavitt, Arizona State, Redshirt Sophomore

Running Back: Bryson Washington, Baylor, Redshirt Sophomore

Running Back: Jahiem White, West Virginia, Junior

Fullback/Halfback: Will Swanson, Kansas State, Senior

Wide Receiver: Eric McAlister, TCU, Senior

Wide Receiver: Chase Roberts, BYU, Redshirt Senior

Wide Receiver: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State, Redshirt Junior

Tight End: Joe Royer, Cincinnati, Redshirt Senior

Offensive Lineman: Ben Coleman, Arizona State, Graduate

Offensive Lineman: Spencer Fano, Utah, Junior

Offensive Lineman: Bryce Foster, Kansas, Redshirt Junior

Offensive Lineman: Caleb Lomu, Utah, Redshirt Sophomore

Offensive Lineman: Jordan Seaton, Colorado, Sophomore

Place Kicker: Will Ferrin, BYU, Redshirt Senior

Punt Returner/Kick Returner: Josh Cameron, Baylor, Redshirt Senior

Preseason All-Conference Team (Defense)

Defensive Lineman: David Bailey, Texas Tech, Senior

Defensive Lineman: Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati, Redshirt Senior

Defensive Lineman: C.J. Fite, Arizona State, Junior

Defensive Lineman: Lee Hunter, Texas Tech, Senior

Defensive Lineman: Domonique Orange, Iowa State, Senior

Linebacker: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech, Senior

Linebacker: Austin Romaine, Kansas State, Junior

Linebacker: Keaton Thomas, Baylor, Redshirt Junior

Defensive Back: Xavion Alford, Arizona State, Redshirt Senior

Defensive Back: Bud Clark, TCU, Senior

Defensive Back: Jeremiah Cooper, Iowa State, Senior

Defensive Back: DJ McKinney, Colorado, Junior

Defensive Back: Jontez Williams, Iowa State, Redshirt Junior

Punter: Palmer Williams, Baylor, Junior

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Set to launch worldwide on July 19, a full reveal of the modes and features of EA Sports College Football 25 was announced on Friday.

Dynasty and Road To Glory modes will be available in College Football 25, according to a release. Those two modes will allow players “to construct their own powerhouse program as a created coach or vie for the Heisman as a player” in what the video game introduces as CampusIQ, which will be “a suite of features that brings to life the true depth of college football through wide open, fast-paced gameplay across all 134 FBS schools in all areas of the game.”

READ: ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery introduce Venu Sports streaming service

Over 10,000 players have opted into College Football 25, it was announced in March. Any student-athlete who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used will receive $600 and a copy of the video game.

College Football 25 will also offer “the all-new Road to the College Football Playoff and College Football Ultimate Team” that will “bring fresh online experiences and ways to play.”

“EA SPORTS College Football is BACK! We’ve felt the passion and anticipation of college football fans every step of the way since we first announced this game, and we’re ecstatic to finally be able to show everyone what we’ve been building,” EA Sports SVP and Group GM Daryl Holt stated in a release. “College Football 25 is built with authenticity at its core, inspired by experiences our fans have loved from our games, and fully evolved to reflect modern college football – all of which will immerse them in the sights, sounds, and true-to-life gameplay of the sport they love.”

READ: Northwestern announces 2024 schedule, will play 2 games at Wrigley Field

READ: ABC, ESPN unveil Weeks 0-1 broadcast schedule

EA Sports unveiled the cover of College Football 25 on Thursday, showcasing Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Colorado defensive back/wide receiver Travis Hunter. They will star on the covers of the Standard and Deluxe editions.

“Donovan, Quinn and Travis are extraordinary talents who impressed and entertained millions of college football fans on the field last season and are poised to do so again this year,” Holt stated in a release. “We’re proud to be able to incorporate thousands of current athletes in College Football 25, and featuring this trio of playmakers and their iconic college programs on the cover is a perfect fit as we usher in a new era for EA SPORTS and college football. I can’t wait for the world to learn more about the game tomorrow.”

ESPN broadcasters such as Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will “call marquee matchups,” along with other broadcast teams such as Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer and David Pollack will comprise the virtual booth and “take the mic for all other games.”

Among the gameplay features include Homefield Advantage, which will allow players to “through distractions like screen shaking, missing pre-play icons, and moving play art.” Additional features consist of Pre-Snap Recognition and the Wear & Tear System, which means virtual player stamina is affected by more play so it will be important to “manage your players’ health, limit fatigue, assess risk of injury, and avoid on-field mistakes by using strategic substitutions to ensure your players are at their best when it counts the most.”

The traditions within college football that make it one of a kind will be immersed in College Football 25. Along with team mascots and fight songs, the video game will include “unique team run-outs, rivalry rituals, synchronized crowd-chants, loudness meters as well as real game-day audio.”

READ: Colorado-Nebraska primetime kickoff announced for Week 2 matchup on NBC

Dynasty and Road To Glory modes are also offered in the video game alongside Road to the College Football Playoff, where players will “experience a new way to play competitively across consoles” and “earn rank by upsetting the toughest opponents and securing the votes you need to progress and level up divisions,” as well as College Football Ultimate Team.

College Football Ultimate Team will allow players to “build your dream team of college football stars and legends” in Solo Challenges or H2H seasons, and they can test their skill across consoles “in more competitive formats like College Football Ultimate Team Champs and Champs Gauntlet.”

EA Sports College Football 25 is available for pre-order now. According to Matt Brown of Extra Points, the video game will not be available for PC at launch. EA Sports is also offering an MVP bundle on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S that will include deluxe editions of College Football 25 and Madden NFL 25 “with 3-day early access and unlocks a multitude of benefits across both titles.”

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Alton McCaskill IV earned AAC Rookie of the Year and a spot on the all-conference second team with Houston in 2021 after rushing for 961 yards and 16 touchdowns and then transferred to Colorado before last season. On Thursday, he announced in a social media post his commitment to Arizona State.

READ: Former Mississippi State, Vanderbilt QB Mike Wright transfers to Northwestern

McCaskill redshirted each of the past two seasons. After his breakout freshman year, the Conroe, Texas, native tore his ACL in spring 2022 and missed the next season.

READ: Former Rutgers QB Gavin Wimsatt transfers to Kentucky

READ: Former MLB outfielder Monte Harrison joins Arkansas as walk-on wide receiver

Upon a transfer to join head coach Deion Sanders and Colorado before the 2023 campaign, McCaskill redshirted with the Buffaloes, appearing in four games with one start and rushing for 59 yards and catching 19 more.

McCaskill set Houston’s freshman rushing touchdown record in his debut season. In addition to leading all true freshmen with 16 scores on the ground, he also provided a threat in the receiving game catching 113 yards and two more touchdowns making him second on the team with 1,074 all-purpose yards.

McCaskill helped Oak Ridge High School to its first playoff win in 18 years in his final season. He earned District MVP after running for 1,141 yards and 11 touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound running back was rated a four-star recruit by ESPN and On3 and a three-star recruit by 247 Sports and Rivals as part of the class of 2021, and he also was a member of Oak Ridge High School’s track and field team.

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In the 24 hours after Jayden Daniels heard his name called and he walked on stage in Detroit when the Washington Commanders selected him with the No. 2 overall draft pick, the reality of his childhood dream is setting in more and more.

Daniels thought back to waking up on Friday and texting former LSU wide receiver teammates Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., who were chosen No. 6 overall by the New York Giants and 23 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively. He said it “kind of” set in the night of Round 1 kick-starting the 2024 NFL Draft last Thursday.

READ: Entire UAB football team signs up for Athletes.orgEntire UAB football team signs up for Athletes.org – Saturday Glory

“I was just sitting, laying in bed, and I was texting with Malik and Brian, man, and we were just like, ‘You know, we woke up as pros officially,’” Daniels said. “We’re all on our teams and we’re able to live out our childhood dreams. So it still hasn’t hit me yet but it’s starting to get there.”

READ: Colorado RB Dylan Edwards to transfer to Kansas State

READ: No. 1 pick Caleb Williams says he wants to be part of ‘a big portion’ of winning with Chicago Bears after NFL Draft

Daniels grew up in San Bernardino, California, where he helped lead Cajon High School on multiple deep postseason runs, breaking both school and state records, on the way to becoming a four-star recruit as part of the class of 2019.

He began his college career at Arizona State under head coach Herm Edwards, then transferred before the 2022 season to play for Brian Kelly and LSU. Daniels led the Tigers to a 10-4 record and Citrus Bowl victory his first year before winning the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns to four interceptions as well as a 10-3 record.

Getting to the NFL was a dream Daniels said he’d had since he was a kid. In fact, he knew he wanted to get there when he was 7 years old.

“I got a blank piece of paper, wrote, ‘I’ll play in the NFL,’ and put it above my door so I’ve seen it every morning,” Daniels said. “The workouts with my dad, you know, when I didn’t want to work out, when I started doubting myself when I was younger, like, ‘Can I really do this, man?’ All the perseverance, I’ve been through the adversity in my life, led me to this point now.”

Daniels credited “the stability I was able to have at LSU” under Kelly and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan and others as a reason for his improvement from his first season as Tigers starting quarterback to his second — which ultimately would be the one he won college football’s top award.

“Same coaching staffs, same coordinators, and you know, it’s just the camaraderie and the trust that me and my guys built this past offseason and being able to find ways to take my game to another level,” Daniels said. “I didn’t want to come back to college to do the same thing I did the year before, so I wanted to take my game to another level. And you know, shout out to LSU and the support staff that helped me out whether that’s the Oculus VR stuff that I was doing or even after practice, the equipment people, the equipment assistants, the students catching footballs for me while when I’m the last one on the field, so I appreciate all of them.”

Daniels is the only player in Football Bowl Subdivision history to pass for 12,000 yards and run for 3,000.

In Week 11 last season, Daniels became the first player in FBS history to throw for 350 yards and 200 yards in the same game when he did it in a 52-35 win over Florida. He said that game “catapulted me back to win the Heisman Trophy.”

READ: Missouri hires Memphis’ Laird Veatch as athletic director

Daniels will now move on to professional football in Washington D.C., where he’ll be coached under a new regime led by Dan Quinn, who has coaching ties to both the NFL and college including a two-year stint at Florida as defensive coordinator from 2011-12.

There have been 12 quarterbacks to start at least one game for the Commanders since they moved on from Kirk Cousins following the 2017 season. Daniels aims to be the one to stick around and lead Washington into the future.

“God put me in this place for a reason,” Daniels said. “My life is already written out. He got a plan. I’m just following it. But that comes with the work at the end of the day. Nothing is given to me. It’s not a given I’m a starter Week 1. I got to go out, I got to earn it. I got to put in the work. I got to learn the playbook, earn the respect of my teammates and go out there and try to win football games.”

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According to a release, Arizona State and four individuals who worked for the football team reached an agreement with NCAA enforcement staff on violations that “included impermissible in-person recruiting contacts during the COVID-19 dead period, recruiting inducements, impermissible tryouts and tampering.”

READ: NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approves ‘optional technology rules’ for 2024 season

Among the agreed-upon penalties “include four years of probation for the school, a fine, a self-imposed postseason ban for the 2023 football season, vacation of records for contests in which ineligible student-athletes competed, scholarship reductions and recruiting restrictions in alignment with the Level I-mitigated classification for the school,” according to a release. Arizona State will also dissociate from a booster for five years.

The Sun Devils imposed a postseason ban on the program last season. They will be eligible for a bowl game in 2024.

“Arizona State’s cooperation throughout the investigation and processing of this case was exemplary, and the cooperation began with the leadership shown by the university president,” Executive Director of Athletics Compliance at Oklahoma and Chief Hearing Officer for the Committee on Infractions panel Jason Leonard stated in a release. “The school’s acceptance of responsibility and decision to self-impose meaningful core penalties is a  model for all schools to follow and is consistent with the expectations of the NCAA’s infractions program.”

READ: Arizona State QB Jaden Rashada announces transfer

According to Kyle Bonagura of ESPN, the recruiting violations took place under former head coach Herm Edwards, who was fired after Arizona State began the 2022 season 1-2.

The NCAA stated it found “the underlying violations demonstrated unethical conduct by involved individuals and a head coach responsibility violation.”

Two of the individuals “are contesting portions of their respective cases via written record hearing” after which the Committee on Infractions panel “will release its full decision,” according to the NCAA.

READ: Miami leading rusher Henry Parrish Jr. enters transfer portal

The Division I Committee on Infractions will permit Arizona State and the other parties involved “to immediately begin serving their penalties while awaiting the committee’s final decision on the remaining contested portions of the case,” according to the NCAA.

According to the NCAA, it’s the fifth case “where the committee has used multiple resolution paths.”

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Arizona State redshirt freshman quarterback Jaden Rashada posted on Instagram and X his transfer portal announcement following his first season of college football. Beginning last season as the Sun Devils starter, a knee injury persisted throughout the fall, and Rashada played in three games passing for 485 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions on 53.7% completion.

READ: Miami leading rusher Henry Parrish Jr. enters transfer portal

“To ASU, I want to first start off by thanking my teammates, we shared a bond that I’ll remember forever, love each and everyone of you guys, thankful for the time we spent together and wish you guys the best of luck,” Rashada stated. “I want to thank everybody in academics and the cafeteria that made my time there easier, want to thank coach Joe, coach CC, Alex, and the whole strength staff that has helped me progress in the weight room and on the field. Want to also thank all the coaches that have gotten me better and helped me not only as a player but a person as well, A special thank you to coach Dilly! One of a kind coach who is the same person every day and cares about the university and his players, Thanks for sharing your passion and knowledge of the game with me! With that being said I’ll be entering the transfer portal seeking the best fit for my career! Gods plan!”

READ: Reports: Colorado CB Cormani McClain enters transfer portal

Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham posted on X his support for Rashada amid his transfer.

“Always rooting for you!!!” Dillingham stated. “Go find your spot and go be great like I know you can!”

Rashada joined Arizona State as part of the class of 2023. He’s the son of former Sun Devils defensive back Harlen Rashada who played from 1992-94.

READ: Michigan, NCAA reach agreement over recruiting violations; former coach ‘did not participate’

Jaden Rashada was a member of the 2022 Elite 11 Quarterback class and selected to the Under Armour All-American Game his senior year at Pittsburg High School in California.

According to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN, Jaden Rashada “initially signed with Florida but was released from his national letter of intent after a $13 million name, image and likeness agreement fell through with Florida’s Gator Collective.”

Jaden Rashada also missed Arizona State’s spring practice “following offseason thumb surgery,” according to ESPN.

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According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, the former Georgia Bulldog will join Kenny Dillingham and Arizona State’s coaching staff as wide receivers coach ahead of the 2024 season. Ward’s agreement with Arizona State “is expected to be finalized in the near future.”

READ: Report: Boston College WR Joseph Griffin Jr. enters transfer portal

Ward has previous college coaching experience at Florida Atlantic in 2021. In his coaching career, Ward had been an offensive intern with the Pittsburgh Steelers — with whom he played over 13 years in the NFL — before becoming an offensive assistant with the New York Jets in 2019.

Ward spent the 2023 season as the head coach of the San Antonio Brahmas, a team in the United Football League.

READ: O.J. Simpson passes away

Ward played from 1994-97 at Georgia. He amassed 1,965 receiving yards and 1,066 rushing yards compiling 16 total touchdowns.

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Lubick will join Nevada following two seasons with the Jayhawks.

READ: Malik Nabers showcases ‘dog mentality’ at LSU’s Pro Day

“I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to work for Coach Choate Nevada. He has assembled an elite staff that I am excited to be a part of,” Lubick stated in a release. “I have been a believer in Coach Choate ever since he coached me in college. His energy, passion, and drive are contagious. He is an exceptional leader and makes everyone around him better.”

Lubick is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia which he was diagnosed with in October 2023, according to a release.

Lubick began his coaching career as a student assistant and academic supervisor for his father Sonny Lubick at Colorado State in 1995.

READ: Jayden Daniels says he’ll ‘be ready’ for NFL after LSU Pro Day

Since then he’s been offensive coordinator at Oregon in 2016, Washington in 2017-18 and Nebraska from 2020-21.

Lubick also has stops at Duke as wide receivers coach from 2010-12, safeties coach at Arizona State from 2007-09, and wideouts at Ole Miss and Colorado State from 2005-06 and 2001-04, respectively.

Lubick was college teammates with Choate at Western Montana in 1991. The two will reunite with the Wolfpack after leading long coaching careers.

“Matt has obviously had a long battle, and it’s really gratifying to see him come out the other end,” Choate stated in a release. “One of the things he talked about with our team was gratitude, how grateful he was for the opportunity to coach at Nevada. And I can say the same thing—I’m extremely grateful that Matt is going to be our offensive coordinator. We’re very excited to have him in a position where he can engage with us now. Matt’s an extremely accomplished coach, and even better person, and I’m looking forward to what he’s able to bring. Whether it was at Oregon, or Nebraska, or Kansas, he’s been a guy that has really done a great job of pairing the run game with the play-action pass game. I think it’s going to be a great combination to have he, Brian (Armstrong), and Mike (Lynch) combining our front end and what we do with our play-action game and our drop-back game.”

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LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is seeing his NFL Draft prospects ramp up.

The NFL Draft is less than a month away, and LSU held its Pro Day on Wednesday in front of six NFL head coaches and 100 assistants, scouts and other personnel.

READ: Reports: NCAA Football Oversight Committee exploring coaching staff size changes

Daniels put a stamp on his Pro Day performance with back-to-back deep balls to Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. that impressed the crowd on hand. Daniels didn’t participate at the NFL combine, instead choosing to go through drills on campus so his LSU teammates could also get pro eyes on them.

“It meant a lot,” Daniels said. “They had multiple eyes out here, all 32 (teams) and more, so that was great for them to go out there and showcase their talent, showcase how they move, write their own journey. They get an opportunity, I know they’re going to crush it.”

Daniels measured in a 6-foot-3 5/8 inches weighing 210 pounds. His hand size came to 9 3/8 inches while his wingspan reached 76 3/4 inches.

He didn’t participate in the 40-yard dash or other drills such as broad jump or bench press. But Daniels continued meeting with NFL teams so they could get to know him better and he could learn what to expect at the pro level.

“Who’s going to invest in me, who’s going to believe in me?” Daniels said. “Kind of like LSU on and off the field as a man and a player, so I’ll say it’s kind of the biggest thing. But they probably already did their homework. They know who I am as a person and who I am as a player.”

READ: NCAA President Charlie Baker advocates for removal of college sports prop betting

Daniels earned the Heisman Trophy after a 3,812-passing yard, 40-touchdown campaign in 2023. It was a long time coming for the gunslinger from San Bernardino, California, who originally started his college career at Arizona State.

According to NFL.com and Eric Edholm’s 2024 NFL mock draft, Daniels is projected to be picked No. 3 overall by the New England Patriots. That would make him the highest drafted Tigers player since Derek Stingley Jr. went third to the Houston Texans in 2022.

Daniels has the tools to succeed in the NFL. In less than one month he’ll realize his dream, and then the countdown toward his pro debut will begin.

“God wouldn’t put me in nothing that in the NFL I can’t handle so obviously he put me in this position, my life calling, mapped out,” Daniels said. “Only He knows so I was just going out there. I feel like I’d be ready. There’s a learning curve for everything. I’m just ready to hear my name called and then go in there just ready to learn and meet my new teammates.”

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Baker released a statement Wednesday calling for sportsbooks to discontinue prop bets within college contests. He stated “the NCAA is drawing the line on sports betting to protect student-athletes and to protect the integrity of the game.”

READ: Washington names Washington State’s Pat Chun new AD

“Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity of competition and leading to student-athletes and professional athletes getting harassed,” Baker stated. “The NCAA has been working with states to deal with these threats and many are responding by banning college prop bets. This week we will be contacting officials across the country in states that still allow these bets and ask them to join Ohio, Vermont, Maryland and many others and remove college prop bets from all betting markets. The NCAA is drawing the line on sports betting to protect student-athletes and to protect the integrity of the game – issues across the country these last several days show there is more work to be done.”

Baker is the latest leader to put in question prop bets, which some states already disallow including Maryland and Ohio.

Irregular betting patterns have become a popular topic in recent years as mor states legalize sports gambling. Prop bets are unique because bettors gamble on outcomes unrelated to the final score.

According to Ralph D. Russo of The Associated Press, there are 38 states that allow some form of sports betting.

READ: Reports: Oregon State, Washington State finalize settlement with outgoing Pac-12 teams

The NCAA also “has partnered with a data science company called Signify, which also works with the NBA Players Association and WNBA, to identify online threats made to athletes during championship events that are linked to wagering,” according to the AP.

Here are where some states stand on sports gambling, according to the AP:

Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon and Pennsylvania “have rules prohibiting prop betting on college athletes that predate the NCAA’s recent push.”

Connecticut, Illinois and Iowa “do not allow college athlete prop bets involving in-state teams.”

READ: Cincinnati hires Brad Wittke as chief of staff

Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan and Wyoming “allow bettors to place prop bets on college athletes regardless of where they play.”

Ohio, Maryland and Vermont “have removed prop betting on college athletes online and in sportsbooks.”

Baker figures to lead an important effort to remove prop betting on college competition from sportsbooks. There have been instances around the NCAA, such as when a Temple men’s basketball regular season game was flagged by U.S. Integrity “for wagering irregularities,” according to the AP.

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According to The Associated Press, Oregon State and Washington State came to an agreement “in principal late last year” with the group of departing Pac-12 teams: Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford, Utah, UCLA, USC and Washington.

READ: Cincinnati hires Brad Wittke as chief of staff

Each of the 10 outgoing teams “will have $5 million withheld during the 2024 fiscal year for a total of $50 million under the deal” and “also will pay a $1.5 million ‘supplemental contribution’ to the conference that will be used by the remaining schools to navigate an uncertain future,” according to the AP. This totals to $65 million during the 2024 fiscal year.

According to the AP, after this year the outgoing Pac-12 schools won’t receive any revenue generated and “will have no ‘vote, direction input or other power with the conference’s use, allocation of expenditure of the supplemental contribution.'”

“We are pleased to finalize an agreement with OSU and WSU that provides support for all our student-athletes while ensuring an equal distribution of the vast majority of funds earned by all 12 schools during the 2023-24 academic year,” the 10 programs departing the Pac-12 stated via The Associated Press. “Under this agreement, our schools will have the right to vote on matters that affect all 12 schools this year, while OSU and WSU will have control over future Conference revenue and decisions.”

READ: SEC’s 2025 schedule format features 8-game conference slate

Oregon State and Washington State will schedule its contests accordingly with the Mountain West Conference, which the two schools will join in every sport except baseball and football beginning next season.

There were talks previously about the Pac-12 “merging” with the Mountain West in the fallout from conference realignment.

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