Category: College Football

SANDESTIN, Florida — The College Football Playoff’s power players are locked in a showdown on the future format of the postseason tournament, and High Noon is fast approaching.

The CFP’s executives have conducted several meetings over the last several months to attempt to finalize the format for the 2026 postseason and beyond. The lack of unanimity in discussions has led to an alliance between the ACC and Big 12 to counter the Big Ten and SEC’s power. The nature of the arrangement, as was described to CBS Sports, sets the stage for a showdown between two wildly different 16-team formats.

During an in-person meeting of power conference heavy-hitters on May 15, reps from the ACC and Big 12 presented a 16-team playoff proposal that would reward automatic berths to the five highest-ranked conference champions with 11 at-large spots. Sources tell CBS Sports the ACC and Big 12 prefer the 5+11 format over the one floated by the Big Ten and SEC: a 4-4-2-2-1 format that would reward four automatic-qualifiers for the Big Ten and SEC, two for the ACC and Big 12, one for the highest ranked Group of Six champion and three at-large teams.

The Big Ten and SEC’s discussions have happened internally and have yet to be socialized formally with the four autonomous conferences or the CFP Management Committee. 

“We’re not committed at this point to something,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday evening, the day before his conference’s annual spring meetings.

One factor behind the Big Ten and SEC’s format preference is that it paves the way for lucrative playoff play-in games in each power conference. Both the Big Ten and SEC would send their top two teams — both in the conference championship game — to the playoff, and would schedule play-in games…

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Wisconsin football top-ranked class of 2026 offensive line target Kamari Blair will officially visit Madison the weekend of May 30.

Considered a four-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals, Blair received his offer from UW on May 7. The Clarksville, Tennessee, native will also officially visit the South Carolina Gamecocks (June 6), Florida State Seminoles (June 9), Ole Miss Rebels (June 13) and Tennessee Volunteers (June 20) throughout the summer.

Wisconsin also landed in Blair’s list of final schools on May 16, a group that includes the Gamecocks, Seminoles, Rebels, Volunteers, Badgers and Kentucky Wildcats. The 6-foot-6 lineman also received offers from notable programs, including Penn State, Indiana, North Carolina, Missouri, Louisville and Cincinnati.

247Sports currently ranks Blair as the No. 287 overall player in the class of 2026, the No. 25 offensive tackle and the No. 9 player from his home state of Tennessee. While the outlet’s analysts have yet to produce a crystal ball prediction for his landing spot, On3’s recruiting prediction machine pegs Tennessee as the favorite at 30.7% — an alteration from its May 16 forecast with South Carolina as the frontrunner at 36.4%.

Blair joins a sizable list of 2026 prospects with plans to officially visit Madison the weekend of May 30. That list includes four-star wide receiver Jayden Petit, offensive tackle Evan Goodwin, athlete Jackson Ford and running back Amari Latimer, all of whom have emerged as significant recruiting targets for Luke Fickell and the Badgers’ staff.

As of May 25, Wisconsin’s class of 2026 features seven athletes, with two offensive linemen committed — three-star interior lineman Benjamin Novak and three-star tackle Maddox Cochrane. If he chooses the Badgers, Blair would immediately become their highest-rated addition to the class, regardless of…

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Penn State football coach James Franklin got a premium seat for Sunday’s SEC Baseball Tournament championship game clash between Vanderbilt and Ole Miss in Hoover, Alabama. Franklin, who just wrapped up his 12th spring practice with the Nittany Lions, is hanging out in the Commodores’ dugout as they take on the Rebels. 

Franklin, who coached at Vanderbilt from 2011-13, remains close friends with Commodores skipper Tim Corbin, dating back to their time together in Nashville. 

“I was in Destin (Florida) with my family, we checked the schedule, saw that they were playing today, so we got up early this morning and drove down,” Franklin said in a mid-game interview with the ESPN broadcast. “Me and Tim have been very close since my first year at Vanderbilt.” 

Franklin was seen celebrating after Vanderbilt third baseman Brodie Johnston hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to give the Commodores a 2-0 lead. 

Current Vanderbilt football coach Clark Lea is also in attendance at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, though he’s occupying a seat behind Vanderbilt’s dugout. 

Here’s Lea’s reaction in the stands to a fifth-inning homer from Jacob Humphrey, who went on to receive a congratulatory high five from Franklin at the end of the dugout. 

In three seasons at Vanderbilt, Franklin amassed a 24-15 record with three bowl appearances (and two wins) prior to his hiring at Penn State ahead of the 2014 season. Before Franklin’s arrival, Vanderbilt had four bowl appearances in program history. 

Franklin has remained a steady Vanderbilt baseball supporter…

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Flag football is changing the landscape of college athletics. With growing numbers of four year universities building teams in the next five seasons it’s opened the door for players throughout the country.

The 2024-25 season certainly opened up for the eyes to several flag football players in Marion county. With the level of talent the all county football teams have several players you’ll be able to follow at the next level.

Game statistics and more were considered when choosing the 2025 Star-Banner All-County Girls Flag Football team. On May 27, every Athlete of the Year winner will be announced at the MESPY’s. We’re announcing our finalists with their accolades and feats to hold you over until the big day.

Flag Football player of the year nominees

Jakyra Bostick, Belleview, Senior

Some athletes break records and other put them out of reach. Bostick falls in the second category after compiling the first 1,000-receiving-yard, 25-touchdown season in Marion County flag final history.

On top of being one of the most dynamic offensive players in the state she was one of the best defenders. Her 10 interceptions are second in the county and she had the most pass break ups in the county with 17.

Tony’ah Boggs, Dunnellon, Sophomore

In Boggs’ debut flag football season she turned a winless Dunnellon team into a district champion. She was one of the best offensive players in the state totaling 1,965 yard and 27 touchdowns.

On the defensive end of the field she was a ball hawking play stopper. Boggs led the Tigers with seven interceptions and a team second 42 flag pulls.

Hannah Mason, Belleview, Senior

Mason has it all when she’s under center. She led the county with 50 total touchdowns, 44 in the air, 5 on the ground and 1 as a receiver.

She total 3,000 total yards of offense, including 335 rushing yards. Mason’s 33 flag pulls…

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Before crowning Texas quarterback and 2025 Heisman frontrunner Arch Manning as college football’s next great quarterback, a bigger sample size is needed, according to former Georgia signal-caller Aaron Murray. The SEC’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns warned this week the hype surrounding Manning entering his first season as the Longhorns’ starter needs to be scaled back a bit.

Manning made three early-season appearances last fall, including a pair of starts following an injury to Quinn Ewers. As a redshirt freshman, Manning completed 50 of 72 passes for 806 yards and 10 total touchdowns.

“I am not sold like so many other people are that this guy is going to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, that he’s just going to be unbelievable,” Murray said this week on SiriusXM’s College Sports Channel with Dari Nowkhah. “That he’s going to be the next coming of Peyton and Eli, but that’s mobile. If you are so good, and everyone has you projected as the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft come 2026, why in the hell are you not playing above a seventh-round quarterback?”

Murray said Manning “doesn’t scream first-round talent” after watching his film and kept coming back to Ewers — the Longhorns’ 2024 starter — keeping his spot over the former five-star and top-ranked player in the 2023 recruiting cycle.

Manning is projected as No. 1 overall pick in one of CBS Sports’ latest 2026 NFL mocks and has been power-rated as a top-tier quarterbacks in various rankings entering the new campaign. DraftKings sportsbook has Manning as the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy (+700).

“If Steve Sarkisian knows what he’s doing and he knows how good their roster is, which I’ve talked to a lot of coaches and a lot of different teams and I asked them,…

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The Texas Longhorns currently have one commitment in their 2027 recruiting in four-star linebacker Taven Epps. This week, they made efforts to bolster their class for that cycle by offering four-star running back Amir Brown.

247Sports composite rankings have Brown as the nation’s No. 317 player and the No. 23 running back of his class. When it comes to prospects in North Carolina, Brown is No. 11 in the rankings.

The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder is coming off a productive campaign for Rolesville High School. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry on 93 attempts as he racked up 612 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. Brown was also effective as a pass catcher with 269 yards on 15 receptions and two scores.

Brown has 30 offers from some of the elite programs in the country like Notre Dame, Ohio State, Georgia, Florida State, Oregon, and more. With that being said, the Longhorns need to get him on campus for an official visit soon.

Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on X (Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience

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United States Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a former longtime coach at the collegiate level, is expected to run for governor of Alabama in 2026, his associates told the Associated Press. Tuberville, who has served in his capacity as senator since January 2021, previously announced his candidacy for reelection to the U.S. Senate last November. 

Prior to breaking into politics, Tuberville, a native of Camden, Arkansas, spent 36 years as an assistant and coach at several different programs across the nation. Notably, Tuberville coached at Ole Miss from 1995-98 and then at Auburn from 1999-2008. 

In 10 seasons with the Tigers, he amassed an 85-40 record with five SEC West titles and one SEC championship. Auburn posted a perfect 13-0 record in 2004, capped by a win against Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl and a final AP Poll Top 25 ranking of No. 3. 

Tuberville resigned from Auburn in 2008 after a 5-7 season and returned to coaching in 2010 at Texas Tech. He also led the Cincinnati Bearcats from 2013-16. 

Tuberville isn’t the only former high-profile college coach to consider a gubernatorial bid. In February, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine picked legendary Ohio State coach Jim Tressel to serve as his lieutenant governor. Tressel is still mulling a potential run for Ohio governor after current Attorney General Dave Yost exited the race in May, according to The Columbus Dispatch. 

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Colorado’s defensive back room is one of the deepest positions the Buffs have, and head coach Deion Sanders could add even more talent.

The Buffs made the final four schools for safety Jordan Deck, a four-star recruit out of Frisco, Texas. Deck is the No. 24 safety prospect in the 2026 class according to 247Sports. Colorado will have to compete with Michigan, Baylor and Penn State for the standout safety.

The 6-foot-1, 190 190-pound safety is also the No. 39 recruit out of Texas. Heading into his senior year, Deck has shown out in his time at Lone Star High School, recording 117 tackles, five interceptions and 22 pass breakups.

Colorado hosted Deck earlier this month on May 9. However, the safety will visit his other top schools before deciding. He visits Michigan on May 30, Penn State on June 6 and Baylor on June 20.

“I had a great experience, ” Deck said after his official visit to Colorado. “Got to see what Colorado was all about…I was educated on how Colorado is for the players. They give their players a lot of opportunities and then some. After visiting Colorado, I’m very fond of them and seriously considering them. But what really caught my eye was how Colorado is for the players.”

If Deck were to commit to the Buffaloes, he would be the third recruit Sanders added this summer. Colorado got commitments from three-star tight end Gavin Mueller on May 14 and Juco prospect Domata Peko Jr. in April.

Contact/Follow us@BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.

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