Category: College Football

The first pitch of the 2024 softball season is almost here, and the SEC is looking like the deepest conference in the country again.

The SEC has nine teams in the NFCA preseason rankings, with Tennessee softball at No. 2, behind reigning national champion Oklahoma. After the way the top teams in the SEC reloaded in the transfer portal and several highly rated freshman classes, nothing is certain in the last season of the SEC as we know it.

Now, on to the preseason SEC power rankings:

1. Tennessee

Tennessee returns seven of its nine starters from the team that swept the SEC titles last season. But NFCA Pitcher of the Year Ashley Rogers graduated, so we’ll see if the Lady Vols’ pitching holds up to back up its offensive firepower.

2. Georgia

The Bulldogs finished only a few games behind Tennessee and didn’t get a chance to square off last year. But this season, with a few All-ACC additions, they’ll go to Knoxville and get a chance to show who the top team in the SEC is.

3. LSU

The Tigers return nearly all of their starters and brought in the No. 5 freshman class. Can the youngsters take LSU to the next level after it finished sixth in the SEC last season?

4. Alabama

Alabama scored one of the top pitchers in the transfer portal in Kayla Beaver and brought in highly regarded freshman Jocelyn Briski to help fill the Montana Fouts-sized hole in its pitching staff. But the Crimson Tide lost their two best hitters to graduation, and they’ll need a lot more firepower to return to the top of the SEC.

5. Florida

The Gators cleaned up in the portal to add to their No. 1-ranked freshman class. With reigning NFCA and SEC Player of the Year Skylar Wallace and a talented freshman pitching staff, Florida just might turn into a contender this season.

6. Auburn

Auburn’s roster saw a lot of turnover, but when you have Nelia Peralta leading off and…

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The SEC and Big Ten committing to the College Football Playoff for the long haul may be in jeopardy if key issues are not rectified. Speaking to Yahoo Sports, both SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti expressed doubts concerning their respective leagues’ commitment to the CFP as its governance struggles to iron out details surrounding its future format. 

Yep (we’re committed for now), but we’ve got a lot to get right,” Sankey said. “The commitment is we want to see this get right. … We have the reality of meeting to deal with CFP governance with the 2026 season and beyond. That’s a highly important issue.”

No issue looms larger than access to the CFP as college football’s power conference landscape prepares for drastic changes this summer. All of this as the CFP prepares for an expansion from four teams to 12 teams starting with the 2024 season. The previously agreed-to model of six auto-bids for the six highest-ranked conference champions and six at-large berths was expected to be amended by the CFP Board of Managers to a 5+7 model in January to account for the Pac-12’s mass exodus of 10 members last August. That amendment was never finalized, however. 

According to Yahoo Sports, Washington State president Kirk Schulz, whose school is one of only two continuing Pac-12 members along with Oregon State, delayed the vote, which needed unanimity for it to be adopted in time for the 2024 season. Schulz also reportedly proposed that the two schools would be guaranteed voting rights and CFP revenue distribution beyond 2025, which was met with pushback. 

The CFP’s current contract expires after the 2025 college football season, so conferences would theoretically be free to explore other postseason options if…

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Penn State is just days away from officially locking in its Class of 2024 and before you know it the Class of 2025 will be signed, sealed, and delivered. That means the work on the Class of 2026 is already underway on the recruiting of the Class of 2026. Already with one commitment tucked away, Penn State is actively handing out offers to potential Nittany KLions in the Class of 2026. This weekend resulted in more offers being extended.

Among those receiving an offer was Carter Scruggs, an offensive tackle from Virginia who has already received a handful of offers from schools from the ACC and Big Ten. Penn State joined Indiana among the Big Ten offers extended to Scruggs (who has no relation to former Nittany Lion offensive lineman Juice Scruggs). ACC schools with offers extended include Duke, Pitt, and in-state options Virginia and Virginia Tech. Liberty, coming off an appearance in a New Years Six game and also located in Virginia, has extended an offer. West Virginia of the Big 12 (and Penn State’s season-opening opponent next fall) has also offered.

Scruggs is a 6′-6″, 270-pound offensive tackle for Loudoun County in Leesburg, VA. He does not have a rating from the recruiting outlets yet, but the offers from multiple power conference programs should suggest he is firmly on the radar and will be receiving some star ratings once the Class of 2026 rankings are expanded.

Virginia Tech is considered a favorite at the moment according to the way-too-early calculation from On3’s recruiting prediction machine. The Hokies have a 52.7% chance of receiving a commitment from Scruggs. Penn State is second on the list with a 16.3% chance.

Penn State does already have one commitment on the board for the Class of 2026. That is the top-rated in-state recruit in the Class of 2026, running back Messiah Mickens. The…

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Icon Sportswire

Oregon’s 2024 recruiting class received a major late addition Saturday, when five-star receiver Gatlin Bair announced his commitment to the Ducks. Bair’s commitment comes with a caveat, however. He plans to serve an LDS mission and won’t enroll until 2026, according to 247Sports.

Still, his commitment gives the Ducks a building block to plan around for the future as head coach Dan Lanning continues to impress on the recruiting trail entering his third season on the job. Bair is considered the No. 6 receiver in the class and No. 27 overall prospect by 247Sports.

The former Boise State pledge decommitted from the Broncos after they fired coach Andy Avalos. He was also heavily pursued by Michigan. Bair is the highest-rated prospect ever from the state of Idaho, according to 247Sports, and he just recently picked up his fifth star.

Here is the breakdown of his game from 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks:

Explosive multi-sport star with three-phase playmaking experience who projects as a dynamic receiver. Lean, athletic build with an enormous catch radius given 6-1+ height and elite length (34-inch arm). High-flying basketball context. Owner of rare track and field athleticism for a football prospect with a 10.15 100 and 20.47 200 (also long jumps). Acceleration and top-end speed show on the field. Mixes speed-changing nuance and route-leverage awareness with that volatile explosiveness. Shows impressive ball-tracking ability and adjustment acumen with mid-air body control and spatial awareness. Creative run-after-catch athlete who can stack cuts across the field…

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The 2024 Senior Bowl is Saturday at 1 p.m. ET in Mobile Alabama. It is the final college all-star game for NFL draft prospects.

After that is the NFL combine and then visits, pro days, workouts and more.

Who is in the Senior Bowl?

Below are the rosters for each team, grouped by position.

 

 

Quarterback

National Team

American Team

Running back

National Team

American Team

Cody Schrader, Missouri

Ray Davis, Kentucky

Daijun Edwards, Georgia

Michael Wiley, Arizona

Emani Bailey, TCU

Wide receiver

National Team

American Team

Ryan Flournoy, Southeast Missouri State

Jamari Thrash, Louisville

Jha’Quan Jackson, Tulane

Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Georgia

Ladd McConkey, Georgia

Johnny Wilson, Florida State

Ainis Smith, Texas A&M

Tight end

National Team

American Team

Ben Sinnott, Kansas State

Jaheim Bell, Florida State

Jared Wiley, TCU

Offensive line

National Team

Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State

Trevor Keegan, Michigan

LaDarius Henderson, Michigan

Dominick Puni, Kansas

Isaiah Adams, Illinois

Kingsley Eguakun, Florida

Jordan Morgan, Arizona

Kingsley Suamataia, BYU

Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

Sataoa Laumea, Utah

Roger Rosengarten, Washington

Tanner Bortolini, Wisconsin

Ethan Driskell, Marshall

Zach Frazier, West Virginia

American Team

Defensive line

National Team

Tyler Davis, Clemson

Adisa Isaac, Penn State

Brandon Dorlus, Oregon

DeWayne Carter, Duke

Braiden McGregor, Michigan

Jaylen Harrell, Michigan

Keith Randolph Jr.. Illinois

Michael Hall Jr., Ohio State

Laiatu Latu, UCLA

Javon Solomon, Troy

Austin Booker, Kansas

Gabe Hall, Baylor

Brennan Jackson, Washington State

American Team

Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss

Marcus Harris, Auburn

Jaden Crumedy, Mississippi State

Darius Robinson, Missouri

Jordan Jefferson, LSU

Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Notre Dame

Braden Fiske, Florida State

Eric Watts, UConn

Justin Eboigbe, Alabama

Chris Braswell, Alabama

McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M

Nelson Caeser, Houston

Myles Cole, Texas…

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The Big Ten and SEC announced Friday they are banding together to form a joint advisory group with the goal of addressing the “significant challenges” facing college sports. The move comes as the NCAA struggles to govern intercollegiate athletics amid a sea of change that has imperiled the longstanding amateur model. 

“The Big Ten and the SEC have substantial investment in the NCAA and there is no question that the voices of our two conferences are integral to governance and other reform efforts,” Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said. “We recognize the similarity in our circumstances, as well as the urgency to address the common challenges we face.”

Participants in the advisory group will include university presidents, chancellors and athletic directors. Athletes and “other constituencies” will be included as necessary, according to the announcement. Specific members of the advisory group have not been determined. Among the challenges the leagues cited in the formation of their partnership are “recent court decisions, pending litigation, a patchwork of state laws, and complex governance proposals.”

“There are similar cultural and social impacts on our student-athletes, our institutions, and our communities because of the new collegiate athletics environment,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said. “We do not have predetermined answers to the myriad questions facing us. We do not expect to agree on everything but enhancing interaction between our conferences will help to focus efforts on common sense solutions.”

Friday’s announcement clarified the body “will have no authority to act independently and will only serve as a consulting body.” Still, this marks the latest move by the nation’s two most powerful conferences to take an active…

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Apple Podcasts | Spotify

• Hosts: Tony Garica (@RealTonyGarcia) and Rainer Sabin (@RainerSabin)

• Editor: Robin Chan

• Executive producers: Anjanette Delgado, Kirkland Crawford

• Producer: Andrew Birkle

• Email: apgarcia@freepress.com

On this episode: It didn’t have the fanfare of Jim Harbaugh’s introductory press conference almost a decade before, but Michigan football formally introduced Sherrone Moore as the program’s next head coach on Saturday. What was the vibe like at the event, and what challenges are ahead for the first-time head coach? Tony and Rainer open the show by breaking it down. After the break, the guys talk about what has gone wrong with the Michigan basketball program after their latest blowout loss to Michigan State.

PARTY MODE: Michigan athletics set to begin alcohol sales at Crisler Center, Yost Ice Arena

NEXT MICHIGAN FOOTBALL COACH: Sherrone Moore has big shoes to fill for Michigan football. But he has been there, done that.

FORMER STAR: Former Michigan football WR Roman Wilson stealing the show at Senior Bowl

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: ‘Hail Yes!’ What challenges are ahead for Michigan’s Sherrone Moore?

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USATSI

Boston College coach Jeff Hafley will depart his post to take the vacant defensive coordinator position with the Green Bay Packers, the Packers announced Wednesday. Hafley spent the last four seasons with the Eagles and will replace former Packers DC Joe Barry, who was fired earlier this month.

“We are excited to welcome Jeff, his wife, Gina, and their daughters, Hope and Leah, to the Packers and the Green Bay community,” Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur said in a statement released by the team. “Jeff has had success at every stop of his coaching career with an impressive track record of developing players at every level. We look forward to him leading our defense”

This will mark Hafley’s second stint in the NFL after serving as a defensive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers from 2011-18. He spent one season as the Ohio State co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach before he was hired by Boston College.

Boston College reached bowl eligibility in three of Hafley’s four seasons at the helm. The 44-year-old most recently guided the Eagles to a 7-6 record – its most wins since the 2018 season – and ended the year with a win over No. 22 SMU in the Fenway Bowl.

Hafley will be charged with improving a Packers defense that ranked 22nd in points per drive (2.0), 25th in scoring percentage (39%), 20th in yards per play (5.4) and 25th in third down percentage in 2023 (41%). 

Hafley is the third sitting college head coach to voluntarily depart for a coordinator position this offseason. South Alabama coach Kane Wommack and…

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