College Football

EDMOND — Maddox Wilkerson moved through the post-game handshake line with tears streaming down his cheeks. These weren’t tears of happiness after Carl Albert High School won yet another state championship. They weren’t tears of joy shed in the moments after the final game of his senior season either. No, these were tears of abject sadness, painful and hot and …

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish players enter the field wearing gold helmets during the game against the Southern California Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Notre Dame has a long and storied history, but never has it played in a game like the one it’s …

MIAMI — When American Heritage needed to try to regain control of the Class 4A state championship game, it put the ball in the hands of star senior running back Byron Louis. Jones had just rallied from a 14-point deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter. All the momentum was on the Tigers sideline. It didn’t last long. …

HOWELL — Bobby Kanka has spent the last couple weeks reflecting on his final high school football season at Howell, but his focus is about to shift quickly. At 3:20 p.m. next Friday, Kanka will no longer be a high school student. The following day, he will move to the University of Michigan campus to begin his college football journey. …

Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com. Letters are lightly edited for clarity. On Ohio State football To the editor: For full disclosure, I am a supporter of coach Day. I hope that he stays at OSU for as long as he wishes because he is a very good coach. Nevertheless, in paraphrasing an adage in athletics, it …

SOUTH BEND — As the days and hours tick down to Dec. 20 and the first-ever on-campus College Football Playoff game, a three-word mantra will drive Notre Dame football’s top-three scoring defense in its preparation for Indiana. “All chips in.” That’s been the reminder for coordinator Al Golden’s group ever since the calendar flipped to November and the seventh-seeded Irish …

Nov 16, 2024; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack calls defensive plays during the game with Mercer Bears at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images Aside from only a few assistants, this was an all-around new coaching staff for the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2024. With a coaching change at the very top in Kalen DeBoer, …

Oct 5, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive lineman Ty Robinson (9) celebrates after a sack against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images Nebraska football defensive lineman Ty Robinson was named to the Associated Press All-Big Ten second team. The announcement was made on Friday morning. Robinson put together …

ORLANDO, Fla. — Scott Frost never wanted to coach at Nebraska. He had to coach at Nebraska. And maybe, in a strange way, that’s why he failed beyond comprehension. Frost’s departure from UCF after the euphoric, historic undefeated season in 2017 to return to his home state and coach at his alma mater is a cautionary tale — a story …

WACO — Vandegrift is one win away from a state title. Overcoming an early 14-0 deficit and making clutch play after clutch play, the Vipers became the second Austin-area team to send shockwaves through the Texas high school football landscape on Saturday when they defeated Houston Summer Creek 34-31 in a Class 6A Division II state semifinal at McLane Stadium. …

Army has never played as many as 13 football games in a season, nor a six-game late-season stretch that offered no byes and seemed to ramp up in intensity and pressure with every week. Still, the senior leadership for the Black Knights were not buying into any excuses following a crushing defeat to arch-rival Navy on Saturday. Army (11-2) hasn’t …

University of Colorado’s Travis Hunter was crowned the winner of the 2024 Heisman Trophy on Saturday following an impressive season with the Buffaloes. Hunter excelled as a wide receiver and cornerback for the Buffs. His offensive contributions included leading the Big 12 with 92 receptions and 14 touchdowns and ranked third with 1,152 receiving yards. He was also dynamic on …

Dec. 14—A devastating 55-21 loss to Celina in the 4A Div. I Regional Final marked the end of Alvarado’s historic season. As the final seconds ticked down last Friday, the realization of not completing the goal to play at AT&T Stadium in a state championship crept into the minds of players and coaches. However, soon after the disappointment faded, the …

After originally being scheduled to play Sun Belt Conference champion Marshall in the Independence Bowl, Army will have a new opponent for the December 28th tilt. The Knights will now take on Louisiana Tech after it was reported that Marshall had opted out of the game. Marshall’s decision came after more than 30 players on the roster entered the transfer …

Colorado’s Travis Hunter holds the Heisman Trophy after being named the winner of the prestigious college football award Saturday in New York. Colorado’s Travis Hunter was named the winner of the Heisman Trophy, college football’s most prestigious individual award, becoming the first honoree in more than two decades to play significant roles on both offense and defense. Hunter was one of four Heisman finalists …