ATLANTA – They will be opponents on Monday, but for James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman, it will be a brief pause in a deep friendship. Their bond formed as Ohio State linebackers two decades ago. Freeman was the new Notre Dame coach when he gave Laurinaitis his first coaching job as a graduate assistant in 2022. Laurinaitis is now the …

MADISON – Up until Saturday the discourse in the ongoing battle between Xavier Lucas and the University of Wisconsin has been one-sided with Lucas and his attorney offering their side of the story. That changed Saturday. Wisconsin issued a statement on the situation involving the freshman’s departure from the school, and it offered some interesting details. * On Dec. 2, …

ATLANTA — Notre Dame’s athletic director said “I think there’s a chance” for tweaks to the way the College Football Playoff awards byes next year — an issue that will be discussed this weekend but that would need unanimous approval from the 10 conferences and the Fighting Irish. Speaking at media day Saturday in advance of the national title game, …

When it comes to Monday’s College Football Playoff championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame, former Florida football coach Urban Meyer has mixed emotions. Meyer was a wide receivers coach at Notre Dame from 1996-2000, but grew up in Ashtabula, Ohio, and worked as a graduate assistant at Ohio State from 1986-87 under Earle Bruce. After leaving Florida, Meyer …

ATLANTA – Embrace the abnormal. It’s everywhere in this College Football Playoff and it’s awesome. Everything abnormal about this Notre Dame football postseason — another playoff game in another city on another non-Saturday — feels so normal. Four to watch: Four players to watch for Notre Dame football against Ohio State for a national championship Noie: Why did Notre Dame …

DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 18: Teddy Bridgewater #12 of the Detroit Lions throws the ball during the second quarter against the Washington Commanders in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Ford Field on January 18, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) It’s been a wild month for Teddy Bridgewater. A few weeks ago he was celebrating a big …

ATLANTA — Mike Mickens, defensive pass-game coordinator for Notre Dame football, had no problem with freshman cornerback Leonard Moore announcing publicly the Irish will play man coverage against Ohio State. “That’s fine; that’s fine,” Mickens said at Saturday’s media day for the College Football Playoff championship. “Our system is our system. That’s just what we do. We play it to …

The Brief The Texas Longhorns and Steve Sarkisian have agreed to a contract extension, according to reports. The extension will reportedly keep the Longhorns coach in Austin through 2031. Sarkisian has a 38-17 record as head coach for Texas. AUSTIN – The University of Texas and head football coach Steve Sarkisian have reached an agreement on a contract extension, according …

ATLANTA — Long before he became Notre Dame’s football coach, Marcus Freeman loved professional wrestling. He still enjoys it, taking his family to a “Friday Night SmackDown” card in Chicago last June. “I grew up watching it,” Freeman said at Saturday’s media day ahead of the CFP Championship against Ohio State on Monday night. “I liked it.” What was the …

ATLANTA — Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, on the verge of seeing the football program’s 36-year national championship drought end in his first calendar year at the helm, called the new 12-team College Football Playoff format “a wonderful success” on Saturday. Seventh-seeded Notre Dame (14-1) is more than a touchdown underdog against No. 8 seed Ohio State (13-2) on …

After the first year of the expanded 12-team playoff, the national championship game is almost ready to kick off. Notre Dame (14-1) will try to win its first national championship since 1988 when it plays Ohio State on Monday night (7:30 p.m. ET) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Fighting Irish defeated Penn State in the Orange Bowl to advance …

The 2025 college football season season is months away for Florida State. Even so, after Mike Norvell made coaching changes, actively participated in the transfer portal, and added new signees to the 2025 freshman class following last season’s 2-10 mark, fans can discuss what the team could look like on paper. Starting with the offense. From adding Boston College transfer …

It did not take very long for former Penn State wide receiver Tyler Johnson to find his new home in college football. Less than a week after officially entering the NCAA transfer portal, Johnson has reportedly signed with his new school. Johnson is heading to East Carolina out of the transfer portal. Johnson is coming off a redshirt sophomore season …

The Big Ten Conference has taken a side in the ongoing Wisconsin vs. Xavier Lucas transfer portal saga. For those unaware, Ross Dellenger reported on Friday that Lucas was leaving Wisconsin for Miami despite the Badgers blocking him from officially entering the transfer portal. The dispute, one which is far from resolved, revolves around Lucas signing a “binding two-year NIL …

Jan. 18—Here is the McAlester News-Capital’s All-Area Football Team for the 2024 season as chosen by MN-C staff. PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Will Spears, McAlester, Senior COACH OF THE YEAR: Rick Cherry, Savanna FIRST TEAM OFFENSE QB: Kacin Washington-Mazey, McAlester, Junior 1435 passing yards, 14 passing TDs, 143 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD RB: Jordan Clark, McAlester, Junior 1167 rushing …