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.”

The post EA Sports College Football 25 features, gameplay shared in full reveal appeared first on Saturday Glory.

EA Sports announced Monday on social media that “10,000+” student-athletes “are in the game.” It was announced in February that any player who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used in the game will receive at least $600 and a copy of “College Football 25.”

READ: 5 takeaways from the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine 

“10k and counting… pretty pretttyyy good,” @EASPORTSCollege posted on X.

All 134 Football Bowl Subdivision schools will be available to play in the new video game.

READ: Texas WR Xavier Worthy breaks 40-yard dash record with 4.21 time at NFL Combine

ESPN broadcasters such as Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit will make up “the voices” of “College Football 25.”

If a player doesn’t opt into the “College Football 25” video game, then “a generic avatar based on the traditional strength or weakness of a position over the past decade for that school” will be created by EA Sports, according to ESPN.

The post EA Sports announces 10K players have opted in to ‘College Football 25’ appeared first on Saturday Glory.

According to multiple reports, U.S. District Judge Clifton Corker made the decision to grant a preliminary injunction that will last the duration of the Tennessee and Virginia lawsuit.

READ: ‘I’m in the game’: CFB players share their participation in upcoming EA Sports ‘College Football 25’

Corker stated “the NCAA’s stance likely violates antitrust law with Congress so far unwilling to give the association an exemption,” according to Teresa M. Walker and Ralph D. Russo of The Associated Press.

It’s a decision that will likely shake up the college football world for the time being, at least the time it takes for the Tennessee and Virginia lawsuit to complete.

And it’s a monumental decision that will, for now, likely have an impact on recruiting. Because of the hold on the NCAA’s ability to enforce its regulations surrounding NIL, the possibility of third parties reaching out to recruits about possible NIL deals becomes more of a reality.

The NCAA is expected to appeal the decision, according to the AP.

READ: Reports: CFP discusses 14-team Playoff possibilities

The attorneys general of Tennessee and Virginia filed a lawsuit Jan. 31 in response to the NCAA launching an investigation into the Volunteers’ program over NIL violations, and they’re challenging the NCAA’s rules over the prevention of NIL compensation in the recruitment of college athletes.

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, the NCAA stated after the preliminary injunction that “the NCAA fully supports student-athletes making money from their name, image and likeness and is making changes to deliver more benefits to student-athletes but an endless patchwork of state laws and court opinions make clear partnering with Congress is necessary to provide stability for the future of all college athletes.”

READ: Alabama announces JaMarcus Shephard, Nick Sheridan join offensive coaching staff

NCAA president Charlie Baker told ESPN “the restriction on recruiting inducements was written because the association wants athletes to choose their future schools based on the best educational opportunities rather than where they could make the most money,” according to Dan Murphy of ESPN.

According to the AP, the NCAA is defending at least six antitrust lawsuits. This latest one remains integral to the application of one’s NIL, and it could be one that impacts the foundation of the NCAA itself.

The post Judge grants injunction in Tennessee lawsuit, prohibiting NCAA from enforcing NIL rules appeared first on Saturday Glory.

College football players around the country shared on social media Thursday their participation in the upcoming EA Sports video game “College Football 25.”

EA Sports confirmed Thursday that all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams will be available to play in the new game.

READ: Reports: CFP discusses 14-team Playoff possibilities

More information about the game will be available in May, according to a release.

Players such as Michigan’s Will Johnson and Ohio State transfer Quinshon Judkins posted on X a graphic designed in their team’s colors promoting the video game.

ESPN broadcasters such as Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit shared posts confirming they’ll also appear as “one of the voices” of the game. Herbstreit posted “I’m so excited to FINALLY announce that I’m part of @EASPORTSCollege. I’m proud to be a partner and one of the voices of the game once again – my 14th year in that role.”

According to Michael Rothstein of ESPN, any player who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used in the game will receive at least $600 and a copy of “College Football 25.”

Additional opportunities such as advertisements, promotion, social media posts and other avenues will be available for players to have a chance to make more, according to ESPN.

READ: Alabama announces JaMarcus Shephard, Nick Sheridan join offensive coaching staff

No Football Championship Subdivision school will be available to play when the game launches, according to ESPN.

If a player doesn’t opt into the “College Football 25” video game, then “a generic avatar based on the traditional strength or weakness of a position over the past decade for that school” will be created by EA Sports, according to ESPN.

According to Ryan Kryska of The Associated Press, users who could create and add players of real-life college football players who did not opt into the “College Football 25” video game will be blocked from doing so.

The post ‘I’m in the game’: CFB players share their participation in upcoming EA Sports ‘College Football 25’ appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Reed-Francois will begin her tenure with the Wildcats in Tucson, Arizona, on March 3.

READ: Reports: CFP still awaiting new TV contract

“There are very few institutions that would entice me to leave an SEC athletics department with strong momentum,” Reed-Francois stated in a release. “The University of Arizona has tremendous potential and is an institution — and an athletics program — on the rise, and I want to be a part of shaping that future. We will provide a world-class student-athlete experience, which includes competing for championships and being among the nation’s elite. I am grateful to President (Robert C.) Robbins and the Arizona Board of Regents for this incredible opportunity.”

Reed-Francois had been at Missouri since 2021. She oversaw the Tigers’ first budget surplus in six years and led them into the Name, Image and Likeness era.

According to a release, Reed-Francois agreed to a five-year contract with an annal base salary of $1 million elevating to $1.2 million in the fifth year. There are “additional incentive compensation based on the department’s athletic and academic success, as well as retention bonuses after four and five years of employment with the University.”

Reed-Francois also spent time at Fresno State, Santa Clara, San Jose State, the University of California Berkeley and San Francisco. She also was Deputy Athletics Director at Virginia Tech, Senior Associate Athletics Director at Cincinnati, Senior Associate Athletics Director at Tennessee, and the athletics director at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

READ: Reports: Steve Sarkisian extension details revealed

Reed-Francois earned her juris doctorate from James E. Rogers College of Law at Arizona in 1997. She will have the chance to lead the Wildcats into the Big 12 Conference as they depart the Pac-12 later this year.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Desireé to the University of Arizona family, and we could not be more excited about the leadership experience and outstanding credentials she brings,” Robbins stated in a release. “Respected nationally for her commitment to student-athletes, Desireé has a history of success everywhere she’s served and is exactly the right person we need to modernize our athletics operations and usher in an ongoing culture of success in all aspects of Athletics. This is a tremendous win for our university and I cannot wait for her to get started.”

The post Arizona names Missouri’s Desireé Reed-Francois next AD appeared first on Saturday Glory.

There are some that can lead to the Super Bowl, the grandest stage of them all where the two best teams in football meet one another for the top prize in football: the Lombardi Trophy.

Oklahoma leads the way with six former players who will appear in the Super Bowl. Georgia is close behind with five, and other programs, such as Florida and Michigan, have four each.

Here is the full list of players and their alma maters ahead of Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday.

Arizona

Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (49ers)

Arizona State

Brandon Aiyuk (49ers)

Arkansas

Brandon Allen (49ers)

Dre Greenlaw (49ers)

Army

Cole Christiansen (Chiefs)

Ball State

Nic Jones (Chiefs)

Brigham Young

Fred Warner (49ers)

Central Arkansas

George Odom (49ers)

Cincinnati

Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Clemson

Ray-Ray McCloud III (49ers)

Justyn Ross (Chiefs)

Colorado

Isaiah Oliver (49ers)

Duke

Noah Gray (Chiefs)

Fayetteville State

Joshua Williams (Chiefs)

Florida

La’Michal Perine (Chiefs)

Jawaan Taylor (Chiefs)

Kadarius Toney (Chiefs)

Tommy Townsend (Chiefs)

Georgia

Robert Beal Jr. (49ers)

Chris Conley (49ers)

Mecole Hardman (Chiefs)

Malik Herring (Chiefs)

Charlie Woerner (49ers)

Georgia Tech

Harrison Butker (Chiefs)

Jordan Mason (49ers)

Harvard

Kyle Juszczyk (49ers)

Illinois

Nick Allegretti (Chiefs)

Iowa

George Kittle (49ers)

Iowa State

Brock Purdy (49ers)

Kansas State

Felix Anudike-Uzomah (Chiefs)

Ekow Boye-Doe (Chiefs)

Kentucky

Mike Edwards (Chiefs)

Louisiana

Elijah Mitchell (49ers)

Louisiana Tech

L’Jaruis Sneed (Chiefs)

LSU

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Chiefs)

Neil Farrell (Chiefs)

Miami

Deon Bush (Chiefs)

Jon Feliciano (49ers)

Michigan

Ronnie Bell (49ers)

Mike Danna (Chiefs)

Jake Moody (49ers)

Ambry Thomas (49ers)

Michigan State

Taybor Pepper (49ers)

Middle Tennessee State

Darius Harris (Chiefs) 

Richie James (Chiefs)

Charvarius Ward (49ers)

Mississippi State

Willie Gay (Chiefs)

Chris Jones (Chiefs)

Missouri

Nick Bolton (Chiefs)

Blaine Gabbert (Chiefs)

Missouri S&T

Tershawn Wharton (Chiefs)

Nebraska

Randy Gregory (49ers)

North Carolina State

Joe Thuney (Chiefs)

Notre Dame

Aaron Banks (49ers)

Drue Tranquill (Chiefs)

Ohio State

Nick Bosa (49ers)

Chase Young (49ers)

Oklahoma

Blake Bell (Chiefs)

Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)

Wanya Morris (Chiefs)

Trent Williams (49ers)

Brayden Willis (49ers)

James Winchester (Chiefs)

Oregon

Arik Armstead (49ers)

Deommodore Lenoir (49ers)

Pennsylvania

Justin Watson (Chiefs)

Penn State

Ji’Ayir Brown (49ers)

Kevin Givens (49ers)

Donovan Smith (Chiefs)

Purdue

Jalen Graham (49ers)

George Karlaftis (Chiefs)

Rutgers

Sebastian Joseph-Day (49ers)

Isiah Pacheco (Chiefs)

Logan Ryan (49ers)

SMU

Rashee Rice (Chiefs)

Stephen F. Austin

BJ Thompson (Chiefs)

South Alabama

Darrell Luter Jr. (49ers)

South Carolina

Javon Kinlaw (49ers)

Deebo Samuel (49ers)

South Carolina State

Javon Hargrave (49ers)

South Dakota

Jack Cochrane (Chiefs)

South Florida

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Chiefs)

Southern California

Sam Darnold (49ers)

Stanford

Christian McCaffrey (49ers)

Justin Reid (Chiefs)

St. John’s (Minnesota)

Ben Bartch (49ers)

TCU

Lucas Niang (Chiefs)

Matt Pryor (49ers)

Dee Winters (49ers)

Tennessee

Jauan Jennings (49ers)

Trey Smith (Chiefs)

Texas

Charles Omenihu (Chiefs)

Texas Tech

Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

Toledo

Samuel Womack III (49ers)

UCLA

Jake Brendel (49ers)

Utah

Mitch Wishnowsky (49ers)

UTSA

Spencer Burford (49ers)

Vanderbilt

Oren Burks (49ers)

Virginia Tech

Chamarri Conner (Chiefs)

Washington

Trent McDuffie (Chiefs)

Washington State

Jaylen Watson (Chiefs)

West Virginia

Colton McKivitz (49ers)

Western Michigan

Mike Caliendo (Chiefs)

Jaylon Moore (49ers)

Wisconsin

Leo Chenal (Chiefs)

Wyoming

Tashaun Gipson Sr. (49ers)

The post Full List: Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers college football alumni in Super Bowl LVIII appeared first on Saturday Glory.

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, former Oregon quarterback Ty Thompson will transfer to Tulane.

READ: Former Kansas State QB Will Howard to transfer to Ohio State

Thompson posted a commitment graphic on X on Friday.

Thompson spent three seasons with the Ducks program. He appeared in 17 games including seven in each of the past two years.

Thompson became the first five-star quarterback to sign with Oregon when he arrived as part of the class of 2021.

READ: Reports: Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins enters transfer portal

Across his 17 games, Thompson threw for 456 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed for 56 yards including a career-high 48 yards this season.

Tulane will look to build off its 11-3 season in which it appeared in the American Athletic Conference Championship and made it to the Military Bowl against Virginia Tech.

The post Former Oregon QB Ty Thompson to transfer to Tulane appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee released its final rankings of the season on Sunday, and they delivered a Playoff feature No. 1 Michigan battling No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl and No. 2 Washington taking on No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl. 

READ: Stat Pack: Week 14

As non-Playoff teams were selected into other bowl games, matchups began to take shape all across the Power 5 conferences. 

Each of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Southeastern conferences will take part in bowl season. The ACC leads the way with 11 bowl games. 

The Big 12 is close behind at 10 bowl games, while the Big Ten has nine and the Pac-12 and SEC both have eight. 

Here is the full list of Power 5 bowl games this season. 

Atlantic Coast Conference (11) 

76 Birmingham Bowl: Duke versus Troy  

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Miami versus Rutgers  

Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 5 Florida State versus No. 6 Georgia 

DIRECTV Holiday Bowl: No. 15 Louisville versus USC  

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: North Carolina at West Virginia  

Military Bowl Presented by GoBowling.com: Virginia Tech versus Tulane 

Pop-Tarts Bowl: No. 18 NC State versus No. 25 Kansas State 

RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl: Syracuse versus South Florida 

TaxSlayer Bowl: No. 22 Clemson versus Kentucky 

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Georgia Tech versus UCF 

Wasabi Fenway Bowl: Boston College versus No. 24 SMU 

Big 12 Conference (10) 

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Iowa State versus Memphis 

CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Texas versus No. 2 Washington 

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: West Virginia versus North Carolina 

Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Kansas versus UNLV  

Pop-Tarts Bowl: No. 25 Kansas State versus No. 18 NC State 

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Texas Tech versus Cal 

Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Texas versus No. 2 Washington 

TaxAct Texas Bowl: No. 20 Oklahoma State versus Texas A&M 

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: UCF versus Georgia Tech 

Valero Alamo Bowl: No. 12 Oklahoma versus No. 14 Arizona 

Big Ten Conference (9) 

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Rutgers versus Miami  

CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game Pres. By Prudential: No. 1 Michigan versus No. 4 Alabama  

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: No. 17 Iowa versus No. 21 Tennessee 

Chick Fil A Peach Bowl: No. 11 Penn State versus No. 10 Ole Miss  

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 7 Ohio State versus No. 9 Missouri 

Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota versus Bowling Green 

ReliaQuest Bowl: Wisconsin versus No. 13 LSU 

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: Northwestern versus Utah 

TransPerfect Music City Bowl: Maryland versus Auburn 

Pac-12 Conference (8) 

CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Washington versus No. 3 Texas 

DIRECTV Holiday Bowl: USC versus No. 15 Louisville 

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Cal versus Texas Tech 

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: Utah versus Northwestern 

Starco Brands LA Bowl: UCLA versus Boise State 

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: No. 19 Oregon State versus No. 16 Notre Dame 

Valero Alamo Bowl: No. 14 Arizona versus No. 12 Oklahoma 

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl: No. 8 Oregon versus No. 23 Liberty 

Southeastern Conference (8) 

Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 6 Georgia versus No. 5 Florida State 

CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game Pres. by Prudential: No. 4 Alabama versus No. 1 Michigan 

Chick Fil A Peach Bowl: No. 10 Ole Miss versus No. 11 Penn State  

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 9 Missouri versus No. 7 Ohio State 

ReliaQuest Bowl: No. 13 LSU versus Wisconsin 

TaxAct Texas Bowl: Texas A&M versus No. 20 Oklahoma State  

TaxSlayer Bowl: Kentucky versus No. 22 Clemson 

TransPerfect Music City Bowl: Auburn versus Maryland 

The post Full list of Power 5 bowl games  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Georgia reclaimed the No. 1 spot and is now atop both the CFP and Associated Press Top 25 rankings. 

PODCAST: Week 11 Recap: Are things getting any clearer?

The Bulldogs won their 27^th-consecutive game in dominant fashion over No. 13 Ole Miss, holding the Rebels to three points in the second half while quarterback Carson Beck threw for over 300 yards and two touchdowns. 

Here are several players and notes to keep a tab on in this week’s Big Board. 

Taking a look at the Atlantic Coast Conference title picture 

The conference title picture is shaping up, and this week the ACC is under observation. 

No. 4 Florida State sits atop the ACC standings at 10-0 and 8-0 in conference play. The Seminoles have a firm grip on heading to the conference championship game under head coach Mike Norvell and quarterback Jordan Travis. 

Hot on the heels are the No. 10 Louisville Cardinals, who received their highest College Football Playoff ranking since 2016 last week when they checked in inside the top 10. 

While Florida State and Louisville won’t face one another in the regular season, it very likely could happen that the two face off in the ACC championship on Dec. 2. The Seminoles already have their spot sealed up. 

Louisville will have Miami and Kentucky to close out the regular season. Both of the Cardinals’ future opponents have been ranked this season, and it won’t come easy for them. 

READ: Georgia climbs to No. 1 in third CFP rankings

Awaiting a chance to be opportunistic are North Carolina and NC State, which are both tied for third in the conference at 4-2. 

The Tar Heels have Clemson and NC State to finish the year, and the Wolfpack will play at Virginia Tech this week. 

The ACC title picture is becoming clearer. Now it just remains to be seen who the Seminoles will face. 

Blake Corum, Jayden Daniels and Marvin Harrison Jr. 

Nine hundred nineteen yards, 10 touchdowns and three victories. 

That’s what Michigan’s Blake Corum, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. did last weekend by themselves combined. 

It’s time to start considering this trio as viable contenders for the Heisman Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in college football. 

Corum currently leads the NCAA with 18 rushing touchdowns. Daniels leads the country in passing efficiency at 202.12, and Harrison is second with 12 receiving touchdowns. 

Daniels had a more than impressive game against Florida last weekend. He passed for 372 yards and three touchdowns, then added 234 yards on the ground along with two rushing touchdowns, totaling five scores against the Gators. 

Harrison had a season-high three touchdowns in the Buckeyes’ win over Michigan State. He ran in the first rushing score of his career from 19 yards out. 

Corum had a season-high 145 rushing yards in Michigan’s win at Penn State without head coach Jim Harbaugh. He also had two rushing touchdowns. 

Corum’s current Heisman odds are north of +25000, Daniels’ are +370 and Harrison’s are +600, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. With the regular season dwindling down, this trio could be waiting for their Heisman moments. 

The head coaching carousel is beginning to spin 

Every year in college football there is coaching turnover. 

That’s no different this season. 

READ: San Diego State head coach Hoke to retire at end of season

Texas A&M made the decision to fire head coach Jimbo Fisher despite more than $76 million remaining in his contractual buyout. It was the first head coaching move of the season. 

Boise State also fired head coach Andy Avalos on Sunday, and Penn State relieved offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich of his duties as well. 

Also, a head coaching job opened up in the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State moved on from head coach Zach Arnett on Sunday afternoon. 

There will be more moves to come, but for now, these openings are available. Indiana and Iowa are also looking for new offensive coordinators in the Big Ten Conference as the Hoosiers moved on from Walt Bell and the Hawkeyes will replace Brian Ferentz. 

Among the names of potential head coaching replacements thus far include Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, Duke’s Mike Elko and Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. 

The post Big Board: Week 12  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The ACC Board of Directors announced it voted Friday “to formally admit” a trio of programs: Cal and Stanford of the Pac-12 Conference and Southern Methodist University.

“We are thrilled to welcome three world-class institutions to the ACC, and we look forward to having them compete as part of our amazing league,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips stated in a release. “ Cal, SMU and Stanford will be terrific members of the ACC and we are proud to welcome their student-athletes, coaches, staff and entire campus community, alumni and fans.” 

The announcement comes after nearly three-plus weeks of discussions surrounding the possible decision to expand and include Cal and Stanford, and later factoring SMU and the “big guns” into the conversation. 

The ACC revisited and picked back up conversations in a “series of meetings” last week to reconsider a possible vote to allow the three programs into the conference. A meeting originally scheduled for Monday among ACC presidents was postponed due to the on-campus shooting at North Carolina, according to Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic. 

Finally, after much discussion and possibilities, the ACC has its hand involved in conference realignment. 

The Big Ten will increase to 18 programs beginning in 2024 and the Big 12 and Southeastern conferences will up to 16 teams apeice in the same year. 

SMU will officially join the ACC July 1, 2024, and Cal and Stanford will later join Aug. 2, 2024, according to a release. All three will begin competing in ACC athletics among all sports. 

According to Auerbach, North Carolina State “flipped and voted yes” in order to admit the group of three programs, and SMU will receive no ACC television revenue for nine years. Four ACC programs originally voted against the additions of Cal, SMU and Stanford.

According to a release by Florda State, Seminoles university president Richard McCullough stated that there “are many complicated factors that led us to vote no” on adding Cal, SMU and Stanford, and athletic director Michael Alford stated “our vote against expansion does not reflect on their quality.”

The move also leaves the Pac-12 with two member programs: Oregon State and Washington State.

The expansion is a sign of the latest step in an evolving college athletics landscape. More than 2,200 student-athletes will join the ACC from Cal, SMU and Stanford, and the move will “enrich the leagues’ competitiveness in all sports and further demonstrate the ACC’s commitment to broad-based programs for both women and men,” according to a release. 

“This expansion will enhance and strengthen the league now and in the future,” University of Virginia President and chair of the ACC Board of Directors James E. Ryan stated in a release. “We greatly appreciate the tireless efforts of Commissioner Jim Phillips throughout this entire process, especially his focus on minimizing travel burdens for student-athletes, and we are excited about the ACC’s collective future.” 

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According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, “a series of meetings will be held this week to further vet and discuss different financial models that would come with the additions” of Cal, Southern Methodist University and Stanford. 

And according to Ralph Russo of The Associated Press, conversations are “gaining momentum” when it comes to Cal, SMU and Stanford becoming potential members of the ACC. 

The ACC has been largely unimpacted by conference realignment in recent years. The Big Ten will expand to 18 programs and the Big 12 and Southeastern conferences will up to 16 apiece beginning in 2024 while the ACC will not see change. That could be different over time. 

The increased discussions come nearly a week after several of the programs of question, SMU and Stanford, enlisted the “big guns” and have supporters such as Condoleezza Rice lobbying for the schools to become new members of the ACC. 

According to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo! Sports, one new financial model of the additions of Cal, SMU and Stanford would project “a financial boon of roughly $72 million in annual additional revenue for the conference.” 

Cal and Stanford are proposing to “take a significantly reduced revenue distribution for multiple years, starting at about 30%,” while SMU “is proposing to take no distribution for as many as seven years,” according to Dellenger. 

Finances remain near the center of discussions according to multiple reports. Yet to be addressed is “a performance pool for success initiatives,” according to Thamel. 

Twelve of the 15 ACC programs must vote in approval to add another school to its conference. Though, there are four programs already against the potential expansion, and this, too, could change over time. 

No meeting of the full board of presidents and chancellors has been scheduled, according to Russo, but the ACC is “trying to arrange a meeting of its athletic directors” for sometime this week, perhaps Thursday. 

The post Reports: ACC picks up expansion talks in ‘series of meetings’ surrounding 3 programs  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

And other programs are reportedly enlisting the “big guns” and voicing support for possible expansion moves. 

Not impacted by conference expansion despite the impending increases of the Big Ten to 18 programs in 2024 and the Big 12 and Southeastern conferences upping to 16 each, the ACC has a matter of addition and subtraction on its hands. 

According to Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated, Florida State has shown it likely is aiming for a departure from the ACC “as soon as feasible.” The Seminoles reportedly were among four to five ACC programs that voted against the additions of Pac-12 member schools Cal and Stanford, and also raised concern over revenue distribution when it comes to Florida State’s own possible expansion efforts to leave for another conference. 

Tuesday was the deadline for ACC programs to notify the conference of any departure decision for the 2024 season. The 2025 season, though, remains up in the air. 

According to Forde, it may not come as a surprise to anyone if Florida State formally notified the ACC of its departure ahead of the 2025 season “in a matter of days or weeks.” 

Connected well to Florida State is Clemson, according to Forde, which could follow the Seminoles in a number of directions. 

There “could be resistance” from SEC programs that rival Florida State and Clemson in-state that could stand in the way of the pair joining the conference, according to Forde. 

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham “is a key administrator” among the programs opposed to adding schools near San Francisco such as Cal and Stanford, according to Forde. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has reached out to Cunningham in regards to discussing what “the diminishment of Stanford and Cal’s athletic programs would mean to the American Olympic movement.” 

In addition to Cal and Stanford’s efforts to join potentially the ACC or another conference, Southern Methodist University is also part of discussions. It was part of the ACC’s evaluations when it considered the potential membership of the three schools. 

According to Forde, the “big guns” being enlisted to help “lobby” the three programs to other conferences include Jerry Yang and Condoleezza Rice, who’s “making calls on behalf of Stanford,” and George W. Bush on behalf of SMU. 

A leadership call is scheduled for Wednesday among executives in the ACC, according to Forde. Expansion is sure to be a topic, just as it has been a persisting one across the Power 5 and all of college athletics during the past several years.

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