College Football

How a decade of transition led to college football’s new 12-team playoff format

From the very beginning, the brains behind the development and implementation of the College Football Playoff wanted to hit the sweet spot of “a generic name that was catchy,” said playoff executive director Bill Hancock. One suggestion was “College Bowl,” which was discarded for any possible confusion between the longtime radio and television quiz show of the same name. Another …

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USA TODAY Sports projects Auburn’s bowl destination ahead of week one’s action

Sept 19, 2009; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers receiver Darvin Adams (89) catches a touchdown pass as West Virginia Mountaineers defensive back Robert Sands (2) makes the tackle during the second half at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports College football, in its entirety, gets underway this weekend. To celebrate, USA TODAY Sports’ Erick Smith has …

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Watch Ohio State commit Jake Cook live on NFHS Network: Westerville North vs. Orange

Offensive linemen usually aren’t the high school football players who receive the most attention, but there are times when one sets himself apart. That is the case for Westerville North’s Jake Cook, a senior who has committed to Ohio State. Cook originally committed to Louisville, but Ohio State hosted him for multiple summer recruiting camps. When he announced his commitment …

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Mike Bianchi: Get ready for a college football season like no other in history

The cover of this football special section has an obvious musical concept with illustrations of LPs, CDs and even an old-school cassette tape. If you were to plug that cassette into your tape deck, you would undoubtedly hear David Bowie singing the theme song for the 2024 college football season. “Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, Turn and face the strange ch-ch-changes.” The chorus of …

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Purdue football predictions 2024: Our game-by-game picks are in for Boilers

INDIANAPOLIS – Purdue football improved since last season, raising its across-the-board talent level — and by extension its depth — and further buying into Ryan Walters’ system. Will its record improve? On the eve of the season, those two questions seem only marginally related. Based on historical precedent, the Boilermakers face understandable skepticism as to whether they can beat projected …

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5 takeaways from Ohio State football’s press conference

The opening week of Ohio State’s season has finally arrived. The Buckeyes are a 50-point favorite over Akron for Saturday afternoon’s game at Ohio Stadium, so the level of anticipation is nothing like the 2022 opener against Notre Dame or even last year’s opener at Indiana. Aug 27, 2024; Columbus, OH, United States; Ohio State football coach Ryan Day speaks …

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Sports: The floodgates open on new season

Aug. 27—Football season began like the first few drops of a rain shower last week but this week the floodgates are open. Last Saturday, I was, thanks to the Dish Network DVR able to keep up with the action, downing a few snacks along the way. This weekend, we add the first weekends of the high school season. It seems …

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Kirk Ferentz comments on Michigan football sign-stealing allegations

What once appeared to be fading into the background has been thrust into the spotlight once again. That would be the sign-stealing allegations that are currently pointed at the Michigan Wolverines football program. This time, it involves the Iowa Hawkeyes and a game that took place against Michigan. In 2022, Michigan took down Iowa 27-14 in Kinnick Stadium. At the …

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Saints announces moves reducing roster to 53

The Saints have reduced their roster to 53 players as of the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Tuesday. New Orleans released safety Jonathan Abram, safety Uno Amadi, guard Tremayne Anchrum Jr., offensive tackle Jesse Davis, linebacker Andrew Dowell, linebacker Khaleke Hudson, offensive lineman Shane Lemieux, receiver Stanley Morgan, running back James Robinson, receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, safety Roderic Teamer, and …

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Bears announce moves to reduce roster to 53

The Bears have announced their moves reducing the roster to 53 players. Chicago has waived quarterback Austin Reed, tight end Brenden Bates, offensive lineman Theo Benedet, offensive lineman Jake Curhan, defensive lineman Jamree Kromah, defensive lineman Dashaun Mallory, linebacker Micah Baskerville, linebacker Carl Jones Jr., defensive back Leon Jones, defensive back Reddy Steward, defensive back Ro Torrence, long snapper Cameron …

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