College Football

Every year (and every week of the season) we have a little friendly competition among our writers for world domination when it comes to picking the Big Ten football games and some of the bigger college football contests as the season goes on. However, with the regular season now complete and just the conference championship games to go, we are switching gears …

Florida quarterback Graham Mertz throws during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Missouri Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Graham Mertz will be back at Florida next season. Mertz, a transfer quarterback from Wisconsin who had a strong season with the Gators, announced Thursday that he will return to Gainesville …

The ever-shifting landscape of college football has brought another change, this time in the Mid-American Conference on Thursday. The MAC will be scrapping its East and West divisions heading into the 2024 season. Instead, the two teams with the best records are guaranteed to meet in the MAC championship game, played annually at Ford Field in Detroit. As for its …

Pac-12 cheerleaders (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) The Pac-12 may be shrinking next year. There still is time to remember the greatness of the conference, the games, moments and cheerleaders throughout its history. Fight on! Pac-12 cheerleaders (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) Pac-12 cheerleaders (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) Pac-12 cheerleaders (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) Pac-12 cheerleaders . (Photo …

The importance of USC’s upcoming defensive coordinator hire is self-evident, and yet the stakes are getting higher with each passing moment. Over at Buckeyes Wire, Ohio State is dealing with the possibility that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles could take the open head coaching job at Duke. At Spartans Wire, Michigan State is trying to identify its own defensive coordinator candidates. …

Ohio State’s late bid to upset No. 2 Michigan on Saturday in Ann Arbor came to a screeching halt when Wolverines defensive back Rod Moore picked off Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord on the Michigan 22-yard line with 25 seconds to play to ice away the 30-24 win. In theory, the Buckeyes’ bid for the College Football Playoff was put on …

Buffs offensive coordinator heading to SnapDragon Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire All but official San Diego State seems to have found its next head coach to replace Brady Hoke who announced he would be retiring. The choice is Colorado offensive coordinator Sean Lewis. ESPN’s Pete Thamel first had the news lf Lewis being the top target. Then the San Diego-Union Tribune …

Nov. 28—Brayden Richards couldn’t have dreamed it up if he tried. As the Perry football team prepared for an early-week practice heading into the Division V state championship football game Dec. 2 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Richards took a quick inventory what all he’s been part of while donning the Pirates’ red and white. A …

Nov. 28—Penn State placed three players from its top-ranked defense on the All-Big Ten first team and 13 others also received recognition, it was announced Tuesday. Defensive end Chop Robinson made the first team on the coaches and media teams. Defensive end Adisa Isaac received the vote from the media, and linebacker Abdul Carter was on the coaches first team. …

Nov. 28—Hawaii receiver Steven McBride today was named to the All-Mountain West Conference’s second team. McBride, who transferred from Kansas in January, had 63 receptions for 1,024 yards and nine touchdowns during the Rainbow Warriors’ recently completed season. Quarterback Brayden Schager, slotback Pofele Ashlock, safety Peter Manuma, cornerback Cam Stone and kicker Matthew Shipley received honorable mentions. Schager completed 63.24% …

After days of rampant speculation and fair amount of criticism, Sam Pittman has reportedly found his next offensive coordinator. In a move that not many saw coming, Bobby Petrino is making a return to Fayetteville. Petrino is back for a second stint at Arkansas, this time as offensive coordinator. He served as Arkansas’ head coach from 2008-2011, but his tenure …

Former Middle Tennessee State defensive end Zaylin Wood has committed to transfer to Vanderbilt football, he said on Instagram on Tuesday. Wood, who entered the portal Monday, is a grad transfer with one year of eligibility remaining. In 2023, he had 16 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble. According to Wood’s social media, he had …

USATSI Oklahoma has elevated analyst Seth Littrell and tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley to co-offensive coordinators, according to 247Sports. The pairing replaces Jeff Lebby, who left to take the head coaching job at Mississippi State after two seasons.  Both coordinators played for Oklahoma during Sooners coach Brent Venables’ tenure as an assistant with the program. Littrell was a running …

The College Football Playoff committee made its opinion of the Texas Longhorns clear on Tuesday night. Without saying it, the committee made it evident that it does not want Texas in the 2023 playoff. The Longhorns are certainly deserving. The schedule speaks for itself headlined by a decisive 34-24 win over No. 8 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The team knocked off …

Oregon State is promoting defensive coordinator Trent Bray to head coach to replace Jonathan Smith, the program announced Tuesday. Bray, 41, has been with the Beavers since 2018, serving first as linebackers coach and as defensive coordinator for the past two and a half seasons. “I’m excited to be able to announce Trent as our next head coach,” Oregon State …