ESPN, College Football Playoff agree on 6-year deal worth $1.3 billion annually, AP sources say
Two people with knowledge of the agreement say ESPN and the College Football Playoff have agreed to a six-year deal worth $1.3 billion annually that will allow the network to keep exclusive rights to the 12-team playoff through the 2031 season.
Florida State AD rips playoff decision to exclude โNoles from semis: โcommittee failed college footballโ
Michael Alford, Florida Stateโs vice president and athletics director, spared no words by ripping the College Football Playoff committeeโs decision to leave the Seminoles out of the national semifinals.
Oregon defeats Oregon State 31-7 for a spot in the Pac-12 title game as rivalry ends for now
Bo Nix threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, securing No. 6 Oregon a spot in the Pac-12 championship game with a 31-7 victory over No. 15 Oregon State in the final scheduled matchup between the in-state rivals.
NIL expert predicts $50,000 minimum pay for Power 5 players
College football and menโs basketball players on scholarship in one of the major conferences can expect to soon earn a minimum of $50,000 each year he plays because of the influx of cash from booster collectives brokering name, image and likeness deals.
Looking ahead to the College Football Playoff? This โRSVPโ concept is brilliant
Attending a major sporting event can be overwhelming: You might have to fly or embark on a road trip just to get there, depending on the location of course, and consider your accommodations and where youโll stay, eat and how youโll get around.
Could former Bolles QB Mac Jones be highest drafted player in Jacksonville history?
From his days starring at Bolles where he led the Bulldogs to the state finals, to the top of the college football world at Alabama, where the Mac Jones has had quite the football career already. Thursday, he could become the highest-drafted player from Jacksonville.
Jones, Smith, Harris reconnect at Alabama's pro day No. 2
Patrick Surtain II and Mac Jones had the spotlight at Alabama's Pro Day, Tuesday, March 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)DeVonta Smith was there for quarterback Mac Jones once again, this time it was at Alabama's latest pro day. โHe didn't have to do that,โ Jones told the SEC Network, which aired the pro day. 'โJones showcased his arm strength a week after participating in the Crimson Tide's first pro day. โMac was just on me like, โBro, come catch, come catch, come catch,โโ Smith told the network.
Trevor Lawrence has shoulder injury
FILE - Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence passes against LSU during the second half of a NCAA College Football Playoff national championship game in New Orleans, in this Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, file photo. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguarsโ likely selection for the top pick in the NFL draft has a shoulder injury. Projected #1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence will throw for NFL teams on Feb. 12 instead of participating in Clemsonโs pro day next month, per agents MGC Sports. Throwing early will allow him to have a newly discovered injury to his left (non-throwing) shoulder labrum repaired. If Lawrence has the surgery around Feb. 15, he could be back at full strength as early as the NFL Draft or shortly thereafter.
Video game maker EA Sports announces return of NCAA Football
There is no timetable in place for the next release of a college football game, the company said. โWeโve heard from the millions of passionate fans requesting the return of college football video games,โ EA Sports executive vice president and general manage Cam Weber said in a statement. โWe love the energy, tradition and pageantry of college football and I am beyond thrilled to say we are back in development." The NCAA Football video game did not identify players by name, but the game simulated teams and players as they played in real life. The video game was part of a broad legal challenge and a judge ruled the NCAA had been inappropriately using the names, images and likenesses of college athletes.
Alabama QB, Bolles product Mac Jones opts for NFL draft after record season
The Alabama quarterback and Bolles School product announced his decision on Thursday afternoon, along with three teammates, defensive lineman Christian Barmore, cornerback Patrick Surtain II and receiver Jaylen Waddle. He passed for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns during a dominant season for Alabama. Jones could be positioned as the highest draft pick from Bolles should he go where some projections have him as. One CBSSports mock draft has Jones going sixth to Carolina, although others place him in the mid- to late first round. Tight end Hayden Hurst was the 25th overall pick by the Ravens in 2018, the highest draft spot for a Bolles football alum.
Thousands party in streets after Alabama win, despite virus
Dr. Scott Harris, the head of the Alabama Department of Public Health, said he expected more cases of COVID-19 to result from the street party. โItโs disappointing to see people not paying attention to the guidance that we try to give to keep them safe. Students and workers also are required to complete online training about reducing the risk of spreading the illness. More than 5,500 people have died in Alabama from the illness caused by the coronavirus, and about 408,000 have tested positive. People lined up to get into the bars an hour before kickoff despite the warnings, The Tuscaloosa News reported.
Perfect Alabama finishes No. 1 in AP Top 25 for 12th time
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. โ Alabama finished the season No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the 12th time, extending its record by completing the programโs first perfect season since 2009. With 12 AP titles overall โ Paul โBearโ Bryant was coach for five and Gene Stallings for one โ Alabama has four more than Notre Dame, in second place with eight. The Big 12 finished with a perfect record in five bowl games. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at https://westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25___This story has been updated to correct the number of national titles for Alabama to 12, not.
COVID-19 shadows title game as college football season ends
From start to finish, the specter of COVID-19 loomed large over the 2020 college football season and the national championship game was no exception. Along with masks for almost everyone except the players, there were lots of empty seats โ around 50,000 โ for the College Football Playoff showdown. Fittingly, the championship game took place at a COVID-19 vaccination and testing site. It was a made-for-TV season that ends with an asterisk, and college football now looks toward the 2021 season, which question marks of its own. ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
Quite a few local connections in College Football Playoff championship game
Alabama QB Mac Jones (left) and Ohio State CB Shaun Wade are two of the prominent players in Monday night's College Football Playoff national championship game. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ Alabama and Ohio State face off Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at 8 p.m.Five players from the Jacksonville area are on the rosters of the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes. Player, Class (*redshirt), Local tie, CollegeRB Marcus Crowley, So., Trinity Christian, Ohio State, Took some time to get back on the field after tearing his ACL late last season. *, Trinity Christian, Ohio State, Has played in five games this season and has five tackles, four of those coming in a Nov. 7 game against Rutgers. Consensus All-American selection, earning those honors from the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press and Sporting News.
6 years later, Alabama and Ohio State go at it again
Six years later, Ohio State and Alabama meet again, the Tide still rolling and the Buckeyes again looking for an upset. How Fields is feeling will be the main story line heading into the title game. Alabama was the top seed in the first four-team playoff after the 2014 season, but Ohio State beat the Tide 42-35 in the semifinal Sugar Bowl behind Meyer, Ezekiel Elliott and Cardale Jones. That Ohio State even got to play at all was surprising after the Big Ten canceled its fall season in August only to reverse course in September,"With everything this team has been through this last 10 months or so, Iโm just so happy for this group of guys,โ Ohio State linebacker Tuf Borland said. Alabama opened as a touchdown favorite over Ohio State, riding a prolific offense that features two Heisman Trophy finalists.
Jacksonville Beach sports apparel shop already selling Jaguars Trevor Lawrence t-shirts
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence passes against LSU during the first half of a NCAA College Football Playoff national championship game Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, in New Orleans. 1 Clemson, let by the high-profile tandem of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne, puts its perfect record on the line on Saturday, Oct. 17. The Sports Mania store in Jacksonville Beach is doing its part to encourage the Jaguars to select Lawrence, 21, as the teamโs quarterback of the future. On Wednesday afternoon, a shipment of Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars t-shirts came in and already some people are buying them. Sports apparel store in Jacksonville Beach has Trevor Lawrence t-shirts for sale.
Ohio State still 4th in CFP rankings after cancellation
Ohio State (4-0) had to cancel its game at Illinois last week because of a spike in COVID-19 cases in the program. HERBSTREIT APOLOGYESPN's Kirk Herbstreit caused a commotion with some of his analysis regarding Ohio State, Michigan and teams using COVID-19 as an excuse to not play. The Wolverines (2-4) are scheduled to host Maryland this week and play at Ohio State on Dec. 12. โI still think Michigan waves the white flag, potentially avoids playing Ohio State next week,โ Herbstreit said. the former Ohio State quarterback said.
AP Top 25: Clemson remains overwhelming No. 1 over Alabama
POLL POINTSWhen it comes to winning games against ranked teams, Alabama coach Nick Saban is the best ever. Even before beating Georgia, Saban held the record for most victories against AP top-five teams (now 25) and top-10 teams (now 42). The average number of games played in a college football season is also longer now than ever before. The conference has had three of its teams ranked at one point or another. 23 North Carolina State is ranked for the first time since 2018.
Commissioners decline CFP expansion after Pac-12 request
The conference commissioners who manage the College Football Playoff decided to stick with a four-team format during this pandemic-altered season after the Pac-12 made a request to consider expansion. Conferences are not playing the same number of games, are starting play at different times and there are no interconference matchups between Power Five leagues. Hancock added any decision on expansion would need the approval of the CFPโs presidential oversight committee after a recommendation by commissioners. The Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 are already up and running among the Power Five leagues. AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco is the one member of the management committee who has publicly suggested playoff expansion in the past.
CFP selection committee set to release 1st ranking Nov. 17
The College Football Playoff unveiled a revised schedule Monday for its weekly rankings, with the first set pushed back two weeks to Nov. 17 and the final list now on tap for Dec. 20. Hancock said the CFP selection committee still plans to rank its top 25 teams each week, but nothing isnt open for tweaking if necessary. The six conferences have announced their intention to play, so the committee just established its meeting scheduled to be prepared, Hancock said. This is another way we're planning for a College Football Playoff to happen with a championship in Miami.The Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, Southeastern Conference, American Athletic Conference, Conference USA and Sun Belt are move toward playing in the fall. The playoff management committee, which consists of the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame's athletic director, met last week, Hancock said.
NCAA football oversight asks board for time on fall sports
FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2020, file photo, LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson (2) is tackled by Clemson during the first half of an NCAA College Football Playoff national championship game in New Orleans. The NCAA's latest guidance for playing college sports during the COVID-19 pandemic recommends testing players once a week within 72 hours of competition. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)The NCAA football oversight committee is asking the associations Board of Governors to avoid making a decision later this week on whether to conduct fall championships as college sports tries to find a path to play through the pandemic. The board could decide to call off NCAA championship events in fall sports such as soccer, womens volleyball and lower-division football. The NCAA has no authority to postpone or cancel specific seasons, a decision that would be up to individual schools or their conferences.
Gators Breakdown: Florida in the College Football Playoff?
Expectations for the Gators 2020 season are pretty high, but many out there still pick Florida to be on the outside looking in as far as the College Football Playoff is concerned. Brett Ciancia (Pick Six Previews) joins David Waters to explain why he sees Florida as a College Football Playoff Team. Also, the two discuss Kyle Trask as a Heisman Trophy candidate, Kyle Pitts as the nations best tight end, and in-depth look at coaches Dan Mullen and Todd Grantham. LISTEN: Catch up on previous episodes of Gators BreakdownFollow David Waters on Twitter @GatorDave_SEC to stay plugged in, or click one of the following to tune in:Megaphone | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Google Play | Stitcher