Category: College Football

The final quarterfinal game of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff had been postponed after an armed man killed 15 people and injured 30 early Wednesday morning after driving a pickup truck through a large crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

The game was pushed from New Year’s Day on Wednesday to Thursday to ensure public safety amid the unfolding incident.

“All agree it’s in the best interest of everybody and public safety that we postpone the game,” said Sugar Bowl committee CEO Jeff Hundley on Wednesday.

The game, set to feature the CFP’s No. 2 seed Georgia taking on the No. 7 seed Notre Dame, was scheduled for 8:45 p.m. ET on Wednesday but will now be played at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck puts in his mouth grad on the final play during overtime of the SEC championship game against Texas.

Bowl game schedule: Breaking down the Sugar Bowl and Gator Bowl matchups on Jan. 2

Bourbon Street attack: What we know

The attack occurred around 3:15 a.m. ET Wednesday morning, according to responders. The driver, later identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, opened fire on police officers in the area.

The gunman was fatally shot by police not long afterwards. The FBI and federal law officials noted that the driver had an ISIS flag, potential IEDs, and multiple weapons in his vehicle.

Sugar Bowl security and safety measures

There should be no issue with security at the game, according to Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy.

In an interview with CNN, Cassidy claimed that he was “extremely confident” the Sugar Bowl would still be played. In the wake of the attacks, additional security will likely be provided at the stadium.

“The standard operating procedure for a big game like the Sugar Bowl, for a Saints game, for the Super Bowl is to go through the building, make sure there’s nothing there that’s wrong, and then to…

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Blowouts were inevitable in the expanded College Football Playoff as 12 teams reached the postseason for the first time. Certainly, no one expected the No. 1 overall (and undefeated) Oregon Ducks would be among those getting blasted out of the field. But in a lopsided 41-21 rout at the hands of Ohio State, Oregon looked the part of a sacrificial lamb. 

In previous years, Oregon would have been in the CFP. Ohio State would have been out as the No. 6 team with two losses. Before the 1990s, the Ducks would have simply been named AP national champions after burning through their regular season schedule undefeated and clinching the Big Ten. 

The Buckeyes came out with an intensity and fervor that Oregon simply wasn’t ready for, jumping out to a 34-0 lead and cruising to the finish line. It was a freshman, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who did the most damage with 187 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Ducks fans must be groaning knowing they have two years of battles remaining against the No. 1-ranked recruit in the Class of 2024, who may be the bet freshman wideout in college football history. 

Now, the focus turns to the offseason as Oregon tries to rebuild from its public flogging at the hands of Ryan Day and the Buckeyes. Heisman finalist quarterback Dillon Gabriel is off to the NFL after the season. So are most of the defensive line contributors, potentially four offensive linemen and the entire receiving corps. 

Oregon’s ascent to the elite of college football under coach Dan Lanning has been rapid. Here’s where the program must go next. 

Stay the course

The first game of the Lanning era was a total disaster. The Ducks coach scraped with the team he just helped lead to a national championship, the 2022 Georgia Bulldogs. Oregon…

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The next generation of college football stars will suit up one last time as high schoolers before heading to their college campus in the Under Armour All-America Game on Thursday.

Numerous college football legends such as quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Kyler Murray have appeared in the game, along with many other future stars and NFL draft picks. Which begs the question: Which players in the latest game will become the next big thing in college football and beyond?

Watch Under Armour All-America Game live with Fubo (free trial)

The All-America Game features 18 five-star prospects across the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings. Some of the top 2026 players nationally are also in the game this year.

Most players have already signed with their program of choice, though there are a handful of players still yet to commit in the 2025 class, which will be something to watch during the game.

Here’s how to watch the Under Armour All-America Game on Thursday:

When is the Under Armour All-America Game?

The 2025 Under Armour All-America Game will take place on Thursday, Jan. 2 at Spec Maritn Stadium in DeLand, Florida.

REQUIRED READING: Upset at college football players profiting on sport? Get on train or get run over by it

Under Armour All-America Game time

The 2025 Under-Armour All-America Game is scheduled to kick off at 4 p.m. ET.

What channel is Under Armour All-America Game?

The 2025 Under-Armour All-America Game will air live on ESPN, with streaming options available on the ESPN app or Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

2025 Under Armour All-America Bowl rosters

The 2025 Under Armour All-America Bowl will be played between Team Icon and Team Unstoppable. For a full breakdown of both teams’ rosters, including where players are singing, click here.

We occasionally…

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LOS ANGELES — Tez Johnson can’t help but gush. Being the leading wide receiver for the unanimous No. 1 team in the country isn’t necessarily the reason why, it’s simply that this charming human spigot does not turn off. 

The words come tumbling out of Johnson like rain drops. The assertions drop like those audio greeting cards. 

You’re not offended, you’re beguiled. 

“We think we are the keystone species,” Johnson said ahead of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday. “We’re the top of the food chain.” 

If there is a face of this Oregon team in this monumental season — and there are several candidates — it is this one-time 128-pound high school receiver.  

Not Phil Knight. 

Not Dillon Gabriel. 

Not even Dan Lanning.

They are posers, aliens from another college football planet. Gabriel has spent six years at three schools. Lanning is a product of western Missouri who made his bones in the SEC.

Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, Johnson recalls seeing the Ducks on TV at the age of, maybe, 5. Like scores of fans, recruits and players, he was dazzled by the uniforms. 

Most 5-year-olds grow out of childhood obsessions. Johnson took a long and winding road to feed his. In preparation for the Rose Bowl, he can’t wait to tell the world about it.  

“Every day when I walk outside and wear an ‘O’ on my chest, I’m representing not just Oregon but an entire organization,” Johnson said. “When I carry that football, I’ve got the program in my hands.” 

Sounds hokey, but it’s not. In this age when everything, every day distracts from the game and steals from its innocence, Johnson has retained a part of his. 

In a good way. In an inspiring way. If not, the 22-year-old senior wouldn’t be on a podium here in…

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NORMAN — OU’s 2025 defense got a boost Monday.

Interior defensive lineman Damonic Williams announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he would return next season.

Williams started every game at nose guard for the Sooners this season, playing 416 snaps — the most among OU interior defensive lineman — according to Pro Football Focus.

He finished with 35 tackles, 4.5 for loss, with one sack, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

Williams said in December he was still considering his options for the future.

More: How to fix OU football: Ben Arbuckle, John Mateer are offensive key for Sooners in 2025

“Me, Coach (Todd) Bates, Coach (Brent) V(enables) have been talking about it,” Williams said at the time. “A lot of sit-down conversations on the phone with my family.”

Williams’ return gives the Sooners some stability on the defensive front, which also returns Jayden Jackson and Gracen Halton.

“Honestly, with or without me, they’re some ballers,” Williams said. “Coach Bates, Coach V did a really good job of recruiting the guys they wanted in that room. If I decide to come back, we’ll be ballers. If I don’t, ballers no matter what.”

Williams began his career at TCU, starting 27 games over two seasons in Fort Worth before transferring to Norman last offseason.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Damonic Williams will return to OU football for 2025, boosting defense

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The No. 19 Missouri Tigers (9-3) will look to wrap up a strong campaign as they take on the Iowa Hawkeyes (8-4) in an SEC vs. Big Ten matchup in the 2024 Music City Bowl on Monday. It’s the only bowl game on the schedule that day, making this a spotlight opportunity for programs that have been fighting to get closer to the top of their respective conferences in recent years. Missouri receiver Luther Burden II and right tackle Armand Membou as well as Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson and cornerback Jermari Harris are among the NFL opt-outs for this game.

Kickoff at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., is at 2:30 p.m. ET. The Tigers are 2.5-point favorites in the latest Missouri vs. Iowa odds from the SportsLine Consensus, while the over/under is 40.5 points. Missouri is a -136 money-line favorite (risk $136 to win $100), while Iowa is a +115 underdog. Before making any Iowa vs. Missouri picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s Jimmie Kaylor. 

Kaylor is an NFL, college football and DFS expert for SportsLine, who has covered the NFL and college football for close to a decade as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. His background as a former college football All-American and NFL player gives him a unique perspective when building his fantasy lineups and locking in his betting picks. He has his finger on the pulse of the college football landscape and has been cashing in big on sports betting apps for the last two years. 

Kaylor has destroyed the sportsbooks in college football the last two seasons, posting a 232-150-7 record since Week 1 of the 2023 season. His 2024 college football futures picks included Travis Hunter winning the Heisman Trophy at 40-1 odds, bringing his net profit…

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Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Lewis Carter (20) brings down Texas Longhorns running back Savion Red (17) during the Red River Rivalry college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the University of Texas (UT) Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Oklahoma won 34-30. BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Oklahoma Sooners 2024 season came to a close with their Armed Forces Bowl loss to the Navy Midshipmen. This offseason, the Sooners have seen a number of players leave the program via the transfer portal. Arguably, the biggest surprise came on Saturday when it was reported that defensive coordinator Zac Alley would be leaving the Sooners for the same job at West Virginia.

In the wake of Alley’s departure, the first defensive domino has fallen as linebacker Lewis Carter is entering the transfer portal, according to Hayes Fawcett of On3.

Carter was a four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class and the No. 11 linebacker in the cycle. Out of Tampa Catholic, Carter’s speed and athleticism made him one of the more highly-regarded backers in 2023. He had 33 Power Four offers coming out of high school.

This season with the Sooners, Carter saw his most significant playing time with 126 snaps. He played 22 snaps against Tennessee and recorded five total tackles and five stops, according to Pro Football Focus. He saw his highest snap count on Friday against Navy, logging 31 snaps against the run-heavy Midshipmen. Carter recorded four total tackles, according to PFF.

At this point, the Sooners still have good depth at linebacker with Kobie McKinzie, Kip Lewis, Samuel Omosigho, Jaren Kanak, and James Nesta.

This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners former 4-star linebacker entering the transfer portal

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Everything was toasted in the Pop-Tarts Bowl — from the pastries themselves to the secondaries. No. 18 Iowa State got a touchdown in the final minute to knock off No. 13 Miami 42-41 in an exciting game that featured little defense, and plenty of sponsor shenanigans.

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht scored on a 1-yard sneak with 56 seconds left, but it was his arm that did most of the damage. He finished with 270 yards passing and three touchdowns through the air. Miami’s Cam Ward surprised a lot of people by playing in the game — and threw for 190 yards and 3 touchdowns of his own — but didn’t play in the second half. He accomplished it all in the first 30 minutes, and did so without Miami’s leading receiver Xavier Restrepo, Isaiah Horton or Sam Brown (a trio that combined for 161 receptions, 2,252 yards and 18 TD).

Before checking himself out of the game, Ward set the NCAA Division I record for career passing touchdowns with 156.

Even without Ward in the second half, Miami was able to lean on its run game, as Damien Martinez rushed for 179 yards, but as has been the case all season, no matter what Miami’s offense did, its defense couldn’t get the stop when needed most. Becht led an incredible 15-play, 84-yard drive to put the finishing touches on it, but he was not alone. Jaylin Noel, who could’ve opted out, caught eight passes for 117 yards and a touchdown while Carson Hansen paced the Cyclones on the ground with 82 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

The win gives Iowa State a record of 11-3 on the season, the first 11-win season in program history. The loss dropped Miami to 10-3 on the year, and extends their bowl losing streak to six straight and 12 of their last 13.

But while all of that’s important, what matters most is which…

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