Big 12 Notes

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Big 12 Notes – Spring and Summer

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May 18th

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Surprise! Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby sues NCAA for eligibility reinstatement

From The Athletic … Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in Texas state court on Monday, seeking a temporary injunction that would grant him eligibility for the 2026 college football season. Sorsby is under investigation by the NCAA for gambling violations, including bets he placed on Indiana football while Sorsby was a member of the Hoosiers in 2022, which Sorsby details in an affidavit attached to the lawsuit. Sorsby says he needs clarity on his collegiate status so that he can apply for the NFL’s supplemental draft by late June if his NCAA career is done.

The lawsuit, filed in Lubbock County Court, where Texas Tech University is located, states that Sorsby is “currently ineligible to play for Texas Tech due to prior violations of the NCAA’s sports gambling rules.

“Rather than support a student-athlete’s recovery from a gambling addiction … the NCAA has weaponized his condition to shore up a facade of competitive integrity, while simultaneously profiting from the very gambling ecosystem it polices,” the lawsuit reads.

Sorsby is represented by prominent sports labor lawyer Jeffrey Kessler and Lubbock lawyer Dustin Burrows. According to updated NCAA sports betting guidelines passed in 2023, players who bet on games involving their own team face permanent loss of eligibility.

In the affidavit, Sorsby admits to “placing small bets on the Indiana football team, typically in amounts between $5 and $50” in 2022 when he was a member of the Hoosiers. Sorsby was a true freshman at the time and competing on the scout team “with several quarterbacks ahead of me on the team’s depth chart and there was no reasonable chance that I would play,” according to the affidavit.

Sorsby said the bets were a way to “feel more connected to the team” and that he never used non-public information when deciding what bets to place.

“Because the Indiana football team was not a very strong competitor in 2022, I lost most of the bets I placed,” according to the affidavit.

He later appeared in one game as a true freshman, but the affidavit states that Sorsby “never placed any bets on any Indiana football game that I participated in or that I reasonably expected that I could have participated in.”

Sorsby, 23, announced on April 27 that he would be taking an “immediate indefinite leave of absence” from Texas Tech football to enter a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction. The lawsuit’s timing stands out because of the NCAA investigation timeline. Typically with eligibility investigations, the school must first determine whether an athlete is ineligible, which the lawsuit claims Texas Tech did “promptly” after the NCAA opened its investigation in April. Once that decision has been made, the school can request reinstatement from the NCAA on behalf of the athlete as part of the NCAA’s Student-Athlete Reinstatement (SAR) process.

… Continue reading story here …

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Oregon suing former player for transferring to Oklahoma

From CBS Sports … The University of Oregon has filed a lawsuit against former defensive back Dakoda Fields, alleging that his departure via the transfer portal was accompanied by a financial agreement that Fields failed to pay in full. According to court documents obtained by The Oregonian and filed May 15 in Lane County Circuit Court, Oregon claims Fields — who transferred to Oklahoma this offseason — agreed to pay $39,882.30 in exchange for a release from his contract with the school after deciding to transfer following the 2025 season.

The university alleges the agreement included a $10,000 reduction if Fields submitted payment by April 20, but that deadline passed without payment, per the report. The lawsuit states Fields later paid $29,882.30, though Oregon contends he still owes the remaining $10,000 along with interest and legal costs.

“Pursuant to section 7 of the Contract, the University is entitled to reimbursement of its attorney fees, costs, and disbursements plus statutory interest of 9% from April 21, 2026 until paid,” the filing states, per the report.

The details of the original agreement were not disclosed in the lawsuit. Oregon law shields many details related to athlete revenue-sharing and NIL contracts from public release.

His departure became a storyline late in the 2025 season after reports surfaced in November that Fields planned to enter the transfer portal before the season had concluded. Oregon coach Dan Lanning publicly addressed the situation during a Nov. 5 press conference and indicated there had been little communication between the program and the player.

“He didn’t come to work today,” Lanning said. “I — we haven’t talked to Dakoda, so I guess that’s the way it goes nowadays.”

Oregon’s lawsuit is one of several recent disputes tied to NIL and revenue-sharing agreements as schools increasingly attempt to enforce contracts in the transfer portal era.

In February, Cincinnati sued former quarterback Brendan Sorsby after his transfer to Texas Tech, alleging he violated the terms of a revenue-sharing agreement that included a reported $1 million buyout provision if he left the program before the contract expired. According to court documents obtained by The Athletic, Cincinnati claimed Sorsby breached an 18-month agreement that ran through the 2026 season. Sorsby later signed with Texas Tech on a reported multi-million dollar NIL package following Cincinnati’s 2025 campaign, but has since taken a leave of absence from the program to enter treatment for a gambling addiction amid an NCAA investigation into sports betting allegations.

… Continue reading story here …

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May 16th

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Stop the Madness! Stewart Mandel’s plea to stop the momentum of a 24-team Playoff

From Stewart Mandel at The Athletic …. Who here saw the 2021 disaster satire “Don’t Look Up”?

A comet is heading toward Earth that will surely wipe out civilization. Meryl Streep’s dim-witted president comes up with a plan to send a nuclear weapon into space to destroy it, but calls it off when a billionaire donor convinces her cabinet that they will all get rich by mining it for minerals instead.

Spoiler alert: Civilization gets wiped out.

This exact scenario is unfolding in college football right now. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti (not a billionaire, but certainly a get-rich-schemer) has somehow convinced a growing number of fellow power-brokers — ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua and Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks — that a 24-team College Football Playoff is the answer to all their problems.

Much like the alarmist astronomers in “Don’t Look Up” who can’t get anyone to listen to them, 90 percent of actual college football fans are pleading with these guys: Don’t do it! (That’s a real number, by the way, based on several online polls.) But to this point, no one is listening to them.

Because what would they know? They’re only the folks who buy the tickets and deliver the Nielsen ratings that fund the entire enterprise.

We just went through this to some extent with the 76-team NCAA tournament nonsense, but the consequences of that one — a few more mediocre teams get in and the bracket gets clunkier — are puny compared with the transformation college football is considering.

Doubling the size of the CFP would redefine the entire ethos of the sport. And not in a good way.

What draws tens of millions of people to tune in on fall Saturdays is that the regular season matters. In college football, you can’t go 9-8 and play for the Super Bowl, or go .500 in your basketball conference and still reach the Final Four. No one rests their superstars for a Week 4 road game like in the NBA. But they might now.

Heck, this is a sport where, as recently as 2023, you could go undefeated and not play for a national title (sorry, Florida State). Now, in what would be the grossest overcorrection in modern sports history, we could go from that to 8-4 teams in the Playoff in the span of four years.

… Continue reading story here …

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May 15th

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Behind Oklahoma State’s complete 85-man roster flip: “We’re trying to write the same script as Indiana”

From ESPN … The Cowboys enjoyed a remarkable run of sustained success under Mike Gundy with 18 consecutive winning seasons. Gundy secured his eighth 10-win season in 2023. But the program fell off a cliff over the past two years with a 4-20 record and zero conference wins. The winningest coach in school history was fired last fall three games into a hopeless 1-11 season.

The school brought in the 40-year-old Morris and trusted him to execute a complete shake-up this offseason. He’s practically leading an expansion team in 2026. Oklahoma State’s 105-man roster this season will feature 85 new players, including 60 acquired in the transfer portal. Even for these endlessly transactional times for college football, this is one of the most dramatic roster flips ever attempted.

The to-do list as soon as Morris accepted the job on Nov. 25: Convince Mestemaker to follow his coaches up to Stillwater. Get a dozen more North Texas starters committed to joining him. Restock every position group with the right mix of transfers and high school signees over a marathon month of nonstop recruiting, nearly 90 official visits and daily chaos. And, well, try your best to stay under budget.

The new Cowboys aren’t shy about saying they intend to win big right away. Nobody’s urging patience or calling this a four-year process. They have a plan, and they’re hoping it ends up looking an awful lot like the defending national champions.

“We’re trying to write the same script as Indiana,” wide receiver Wyatt Young said.

Morris admits he’d lay in bed thinking about potentially losing Mestemaker. “Everybody knew Oregon and Texas A&M and LSU wanted him,” Morris said. Mestemaker did seriously consider Oregon, but Dante Moore had yet to announce whether he was returning or going pro.

Mestemaker wasn’t interested in going on a tour of visits or embracing a bidding war. He wouldn’t do that to Morris.

“They took a chance on me,” Mestemaker said. “I’m not going to make them keep matching these other schools’ offers. I feel like that’s just out of bad faith.”

Oklahoma State named Morris as its new head coach in late November, but Mestemaker waited until after North Texas’ New Mexico Bowl victory to announce he was transferring. The initial offer from Oklahoma State required a bit more negotiating. It was eye-opening to Mestemaker to learn his reps could ask for a new truck, accommodations for his mom to travel to games and other perks.

Mestemaker officially announced his pledge to the Pokes on Jan. 3. He inked the richest deal in program history, a two-year agreement that sources told ESPN will pay around $7 million. As he drove around in his 2026 Ford F-150 Lariat with his girlfriend this spring, he couldn’t help but appreciate how much his life has changed in just 15 college starts.

“If you would’ve told me in three years I would’ve been here, I would’ve told you that you were crazy,” Mestemaker said. “It all happened so fast.”

Once Mestemaker was in, his North Texas teammates in the portal didn’t need too much convincing.

Young, his go-to receiver with 1,264 receiving yards in 2025, was planning to take official visits to Michigan, Louisville and Missouri after his visit to Stillwater. For a former three-star recruit who made around $7,000 last year, it was exciting to be in demand. Several schools offered significantly more money than Oklahoma State could. For Young, it came down to trust.

“I didn’t know these other coaches and they hardly knew me,” Young said. “They’re telling me I can come in and be the guy. ‘You’re my guy, you’re gonna be a 1,000-yard receiver here, we’re feeding you the ball.’ Is that really what’s going to happen? They have a week to get to know me. How do you make relationships with that time?

“Wherever Drew was going, that’s where I wanted to go. Why would I want to play with any other quarterback? I feel like he’s the best in the country.”

For freshman running back Caleb Hawkins, there was no beating his relationship with his position coach Patrick Cobbs. The AAC Rookie of the Year was following Cobbs no matter what. When the portal opened, Hawkins intentionally did not have an agent because he didn’t want anyone to convince him to go elsewhere.

“You didn’t have to convince Caleb,” Mestemaker said. “Caleb didn’t even know Texas and Oklahoma and all these schools wanted him.”

In high school, Hawkins was being recruited by Division II schools before North Texas found him. Young couldn’t get admitted to Rice and thought he’d end up at Blinn College. And Mestemaker was considering walking on at Sam Houston or trying the junior college route at Laney College until Morris gave him a roster spot. They bet on the coaches who had believed in them.

This offseason, Oklahoma State was one of 11 FBS programs with new head coaches who signed double-digit players from their previous school. Penn State led the way when it imported 24 players from Iowa State’s roster.

In all, 20 former North Texas players made the move to Stillwater. The new staff was off to a solid start. Now they just needed to go find 60 more.

… Continue reading story here …

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May 14th

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Big 12 and ACC join the Big Ten in supporting 24-team playoff

From CBS Sports … The ACC wants to double the number of teams in the College Football Playoff. The conference’s coaches and athletic directors voiced their unanimous support for expanding the CFP to 24 teams during a joint meeting Tuesday at the conference’s spring meetings outside Jacksonville.

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips was also in attendance for the meeting, sources told CBS Sports, and he addressed the idea of expansion with reporters on Wednesday morning.

“It’s been very consistent in what I’ve indicated … when you’re leaving national championship-contending teams out of the playoff, you don’t have the right number,” Phillips said.

The development comes on the heels of the American Football Coaches Association’s push for a 24-team field last week, a format first proposed by the Big Ten last year. Conference commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, without the SEC’s Greg Sankey, met during a White House presidential committee meeting earlier this spring and voiced their interest and support for a 24-team field.

The Big 12 also supports a 24-team field, commissioner Brett Yormark told CBS Sports on Tuesday.

“The Big 12 likes 24, subject to doing the work and figuring out the economics,” Yormark said.

The development places pressure on the SEC, which has yet to move beyond public support for a 12- or 16-team format. The SEC’s annual spring meetings with athletic directors, coaches and university presidents are scheduled to begin May 26.

“We’ll see what comes out of SEC meetings — and Big Ten meetings and Big 12 meetings,” said Phillips, who added that ESPN — which broadcasts the event — has been “pretty clear” to commissioners that it would prefer the CFP to remain at 12 teams or an expansion model involving no more than 16.

… Continue reading story here …

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May 13th

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ACC AD’s tiring of Notre Dame getting special treatment: “There’s a widespread perception that we’re all getting used”

From On3Sports … Notre Dame and the ACC always have been strange bedfellows. The Irish have never been fully committed to the ACC; more like friends with benefits.

“Notre Dame,” an industry source told On3, “is the guy that walks in the house, opens the fridge, eats all the food, then (screws) the wife, kicks the dog, doesn’t pay the mortgage and walks out without any skin in the game.”

Notre Dame’s not-all-in relationship with the ACC has mostly worked out, although privately, there is a large contingent at ACC schools that resent the Golden Domers. In December, that was magnified when the Irish became the first 10-win team to opt out of a bowl game after Notre Dame didn’t receive a playoff bid.

At this week’s ACC spring meetings at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, “pathetic,” “100 percent arrogance” and “crybabies” were just a few of the responses from the league’s athletic directors and coaches that spoke with On3 about Notre Dame.

While the bowl snub impacted the ACC’s bowl lineup more than the schools directly, it continued an ACC/Notre Dame narrative that, quite frankly, a lot of folks at ACC schools are sick and tired of.

“There’s a very widespread perception that we’re all getting used,” an ACC athletic director told On3. “And we’re sick of it. If an ACC team did that, it would have been fined. It’s a bad situation creating bad outcomes for organizations that need each other.”

Added another ACC AD: “It seems reasonable to have a consequence if the conference membership agreed to something then an individual institution made a decision counter to that decision.”

“I’m still waiting,” said an ACC coach, glancing down at his watch, “to see how much their fine is going to be.”

Notre Dame was not fined. Technically, there isn’t a specific ACC by-law that addresses bowl opt outs. However, there wasn’t a by-law in the Big 12 either. And that didn’t stop the Big 12 from fining Iowa State and Kansas State $500,000 each for opting out of bowl games last year.

Two years ago, the Sun Belt fined Marshall $100,000 for opting out of its bowl game. All three teams had coaching changes that impacted their rosters. Every program that has opted out of a bowl game, except for COVID issues, has been fined – except Notre Dame.

Miami coach Mario Cristobal, whose Hurricanes received the final at-large spot over Notre Dame, said UM would never opt out of a bowl.

“I want to speak independently of any other school,” Cristobal said. “As far as Miami, Miami has to play in any game its afforded to play. That’s just our belief. This day and age, sometimes certain players play and other players don’t play, but it is my obligation to finish the season. I do not judge anyone or any team for their choices.”

The ACC chose to allow Notre Dame this sweetheart deal in 2012: be an ACC member in all non-football sports and a part of the ACC’s bowl lineup while remaining an independent in football. The Irish, in turn, agreed to play five ACC football opponents annually until 2037.

Notre Dame gets the best of both worlds: maintaining football independence and having a safety net in the bowl system, which guarantees Notre Dame an ACC bowl destination.

… Continue reading story here …

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May 12th

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Inside the Big 12’s private capital (don’t call it private equity) deal with RedBird Capital Partners

From CBS Sports … When Brett Yormark made the call 18 months ago to RedBird Capital Partners, the gap was already hard math, and it was only growing.

The Big 12’s revenue was less than half of the Big Ten’s $928 million, and with revenue-sharing on the horizon and NIL contracts draining the schools’ coffers and lightening boosters’ pockets, it was time to act.

Yormark, who became Big 12 commissioner in August 2022, was left with two problems on his desk. The first was the revenue gap. The second was that no one at the conference level had ever been built to close it.

What he reached for was something major college sports had never tried at the conference level: a private-capital partner. After working informally to help close two sponsorship deals worth roughly $100 million over the last year, RedBird and the Big 12 officially became partners.

That is the test case college athletics is watching. Many in the Big 12 are curious, too. After all, their future, whatever the next iteration of college sports resembles, depends on their financial viability.

“The onus is on the schools to innovate,” said Robert Klein, president of RedBird Capital Partners. “If they embrace new business models that reflect today’s economic framework, we can help them to unlock value.”

Schools and conferences across the country are desperate to carve out new revenue streams to counter rising operational costs, coaches’ salaries and the latest line item, revenue-sharing contracts with players, which is set to enter its second year after the House v. NCAA settlement paved the way for sharing the financial pie with thousands of players.

Inside the three-part RedBird model 

The first leg is commercial. RedBird Development Group, the firm’s in-house sales arm, has signed two major sponsors on behalf of the Big 12, generating roughly $100 million in new revenue that flows down to the schools. The marquee partnership is with PayPal, a deal that includes on-field logos, co-branded credit cards for the conference and its member schools, and a Venmo system to deliver NIL payments to athletes.

The second leg draws on Cardinale’s actual track record. The $12.5 million CAS has invested directly into the conference is earmarked for new EBITDA-generating businesses owned at the conference level. This is the playbook he ran with the NFL through On Location, and with the Yankees through YES. He builds businesses that monetize intellectual property rather than simply taking minority stakes in teams and waiting for them to appreciate.

The third leg has drawn the most questions. The private capital credit line CAS has offered to the Big 12’s 16 schools, allowing athletic departments to draw up to $30 million over the next year, with repayment taken from the Big 12’s annual revenue distribution to schools. At least 11 schools have initially declined the line of credit from CAS.

The label “private equity” is a dirty word for some, particularly in college athletics, where universities had long raised money on their own and generated millions in revenue without the overhead of paying players. Private equity firms are often fingered as vultures seeking short-term profits at the expense of a company’s long-term stability, leading to cuts and a diminished product.

“Private equity gets lumped into this amorphous monolithic group, which misses the point,” said Cardinale, founder and managing partner of RedBird Capital. “I don’t think of myself as private equity, which has a pejorative connotation for many people and therefore overshadows the importance of capital at this table.  The question at hand should be what to do with the capital, and with that answer comes which type of capital is most appropriate.

“The one thing I’ve learned in the several years that we’ve been engaging within the college athletics ecosystem is that one size does not fit all, and the flexibility to offer bespoke capital solutions to address individual university objectives is an important prerequisite for any actionable capital relationship.”

The traditional private-equity sports playbook, Klein said, is to take secondary stakes in teams or leagues, discount them and wait for the equity to appreciate. RedBird’s track record is the inverse, he said. They build companies around the intellectual property a team or league already controls, rather than buying into the team itself. “We approach it as business guys,” he said, “not as private equity guys [who] want to take minority stakes in teams.”

The pressure on Big 12 athletic departments is substantial. The 16 schools averaged roughly $131.7 million in operating expenses in 2025, according to NCAA reporting, with average annual operating losses of approximately $57.4 million per school — a rise of nearly $9 million compared to the previous year. Those operating losses are offset, though not always fully, by booster contributions and university support from student fees and redirected funding.

… Continue reading story here …

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May 11th 

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Ohio State 2026 roster: $43.48 million 

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White House committee draft proposals include salary cap for coaches and a Group of Six playoff

From CBS Sports … The White House committee tasked with reforming college athletics is circulating a draft of ideas for discussion that suggests capping coaches’ salaries, creating a Group of Six playoff and shielding the NCAA from antitrust litigation in what would be the most ambitious federal government intervention into college sports ever.

The preliminary recommendations, reviewed Friday by CBS Sports, were circulated this week within President Donald Trump’s College Sports Reform Committee. The committee marked the draft for “discussion purposes only” and wrote that it is actively seeking input from industry participants and athletes before moving toward formal policy.

The committee calls for a new entity to oversee a plan it believes should be implemented in three phases. A new College Sports Reform Task Force would be established within the existing NCAA structure, armed with limited antitrust exemptions and the authority to override state laws. The task force would operate for two years, and any rules it sets during that period would carry permanent antitrust protection, meaning they would remain in effect even after the body dissolves, unless a future governing body or Congress changes them.

Congress would also oversee the College Sports Reform Task Force.

But none of the ideas work without Congressional intervention. The plans all hinge on Congress passing legislation to shield the NCAA and its membership from antitrust lawsuits. The committee is pushing for legislation to be adopted before Congress’s summer recess, “even if such legislation is inconsistent with any recommendations made in this memo.”

The long-gestating SCORE Act is expected to be presented on the House floor the week of May 18, though leaders believe the bill is at least half a dozen votes short of passing the Senate and becoming law.

The committee’s document outlined a three-phased approach, with a focus on “decisive near-term action and long-term structural reforms aimed at permanent sustainability.”

The ideas: Salary caps, media rights reform, Group of Six playoff

The document outlines three phases: stabilization, media rights reform and permanent governance.

Phase 1 is where the most consequential ideas live.

The document calls for salary caps for coaches and administrators, the most direct intervention into athletic department spending ever proposed at the federal level. It’s aimed at addressing rising costs in college athletics, which have led some programs to cut non-revenue sports and shrink staff sizes in athletic departments. Coaches’ salaries have never been higher. At least 13 major football coaches are set to be paid at least $10 million next season.

Also outlined in the document is the prohibition on NIL-based salary cap circumvention, a growing concern as booster collectives and athletic departments redirect multimedia rights and apparel revenues to supplement the $20.5 million that schools are permitted to share with players under the terms of the House v. NCAA settlement.

The committee also wishes to modify the CFP’s revenue distribution and create a separate playoff for the Group of Six conferences. They also suggest possibly shaking up conference membership for non-revenue sports “to decrease travel costs and burden on schools and student athletes.”

… Continue reading story here …

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May 8th

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Adding insult to injury? Even in a projected 76-team field, CU doesn’t make the cut

… Ten Big 12 teams are projected to make the 2027 men’s NCAA tournament – CU still on the outside looking in … 

From CBS Sports … NCAA Tournament expansion cleared a major hurdle Thursday on the path to becoming official, when a push to increase the field from 68 teams to 76 for the 2026-27 season passed unanimously through the Division I men’s and women’s basketball committees.

While a few steps still remain within the NCAA’s robust bureaucratic structure, they are viewed as formalities on the inevitable path to the tournament’s biggest reshuffle since the Ronald Reagan administration.

The eight new spots will go to eight at-large teams, who will participate in what will henceforth be known as the “Opening Round.” Additionally, the 12 worst-seeded automatic qualifiers will now be sent to the Opening Round instead of only the four worst-seeded teams.

Subsequently, the field will now include eight No. 16 seeds and six No. 15 seeds. The new at-large teams will slot in as either No. 11, No. 12 or No. 13 seeds, depending on where they fall in the seeding hierarchy relative to automatic qualifiers.

In total, there will be 12 Opening Round games in the 2027 NCAA Tournament, meaning just 20 of the 32 first-round matchups will be known when the full bracket is revealed on Selection Sunday.

The Big East benefited the most in this Bracketology run. The league jumped from three teams in the 2026 Big Dance to seven in the 2027 field during our simulation. Here is the full rundown of the multi-bid leagues. The other 26 conferences placed one team apiece in the field.

Big Ten (12): Michigan, Illinois, Michigan State, USC, Purdue, Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio State, UCLA, Maryland, Wisconsin, Oregon
SEC (11): Florida, Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Kentucky, Georgia, Missouri, Auburn
Big 12 (10): Iowa State, Arizona, Houston, BYU, Kansas, Texas Tech, Cincinnati, Baylor, West Virginia, Oklahoma State
ACC (8): Duke, Virginia, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Clemson, Florida State
Big East (7): UConn, St. John’s, Villanova, Xavier, Creighton, Marquette, Providence
Atlantic 10 (2): VCU, Saint Louis

… Read full story here …

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May 7th

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Spirit of ’76: NCAA makes 76-team fields official – How it will work

From ESPN … It’s finally official: The NCAA is expanding the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments by eight teams to new fields of 76, set to take immediate effect with this upcoming season.

Of the 68 teams in last season’s tournaments, 31 were automatic bids — each conference receives one apiece — and 37 were at-large bids, chosen by the selection committees based on various metrics. The increase to 76 teams means 44 at-large bids will now be handed out, with 32 automatic bids needed due to the return of the Pac-12.

The latest expansion raises the question: What does it mean for the sport of college basketball? Here’s everything you need to know.

How will the eight additional teams be bracketed?

The First Four is out, the Opening Round is in. Instead of eight teams playing in four games for a chance to advance to the round of 64, there will now be 24 teams playing in 12 such games. Half of said teams will be the lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers, the other the lowest-seeded at-large teams.

The NCAA will visually present the new Opening Round at the top of the bracket, with winners feeding into the classic 64-team field.

When and where will the new ‘Opening Round’ take place?

On the men’s side, the 12 games will be played on the Tuesday and Wednesday between Selection Sunday and when the round of 64 begins that Thursday. Instead of scheduling two games each day in Dayton, as has been the case with the First Four, there will be three games each day in Dayton and three games each day in a second city yet to be determined. ESPN’s Pete Thamel has reported the second site is expected to be west of the Eastern time zone to help with logistics.

On the women’s side, the 12 Opening Round games will be played on the Wednesday and Thursday between Selection Sunday and when the round of 64 begins that Friday — and across 12 of the campus sites designated as first- and second-round hosts.

What does this mean for the bubble and potential Cinderellas?

The bubble will get bigger, with more teams seeing their chance to make the tournament rise entering the final stretch of the season, in part by minimizing some of the “bubble elimination” games we have seen during Champ Weeks, when teams often go head-to-head for an at-large bid. And the biggest beneficiary of the expansion will undoubtedly be the power conferences.

With realignment, we’ve already seen teams that finished in the middle of the pack make the field, which will happen more frequently with more bids up for grabs. For instance, an Auburn team that finished 7-11 in the SEC and 17-16 overall was among the first four teams out of this past season’s tournament; the Tigers would have gotten a bid if the field was expanded.

There might be room for another mid-major at-large team or two, particularly those that dominate the season but lose early in their conference tournaments (i.e. Indiana State in 2024) or those with gaudy records and impressive metrics but not the marquee wins of the power-conference teams (i.e. Miami Ohio in 2026).

The bottom line, though: After a 2025 men’s tournament that featured zero teams seeded lower than 12 advance to the second round and a 2026 men’s tournament that saw just one double-digit seed reach the Sweet 16 — and a 2025 women’s tournament that featured zero teams seeded lower than 10 advance — Cinderellas could have even more of an uphill climb in the expanded field.

… Continue reading story here …

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May 5th 

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It’s good to be the king: Big Ten fans weigh in on whether their conference has surpassed the SEC 

From The Athletic … It’s good to be the king of college football — at least that’s how Big Ten football fans feel this spring.

The Athletic conducted a reader survey to gauge opinions about the Big Ten, its television arrangement, its 18 football programs and other major issues facing the conference and the sport after spring football. After nearly 3,600 responses, it’s clear that in the wake of three straight CFP titles, fans of Big Ten teams are feeling bullish about the conference and how it compares with the SEC. Most seem to like the football leadership at their favorite school but are skeptical of Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti. Many expressed concerns related to name, image and likeness money and nostalgia for the days of smaller conferences.

“The conference is too big, but it definitely beats being in the Pac-12 given its state in the final few years,” said Peter, an Oregon fan. “The TV setup is way better, and the travel has not seemed to affect my team’s performance too much.”

Added Sam, a Nebraska fan, “The Big Ten’s on-field performance has been a boon for the conference’s prestige, but I have significant concerns about the future. Private equity, insisting on additional playoff autobids, a wonky TV deal, and a conference spread thin over multiple time zones are issues that remain.”

Every school was represented in the responses, with self-described Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana and Iowa fans each accounting for at least 10 percent of the votes, and Maryland, Rutgers and UCLA were at less than 2 percent. We’ve split the survey results into two parts: This story focuses on Big Ten and college football issues; Part 2, coming later this week, concerns the individual schools.

“The conference as a whole has enjoyed (more) success the last 2-3 years than any other time in my memory,” said Ethan, a Michigan State fan. “I am happy for the Big Ten as a whole, especially Indiana, whose fans are some of the best in the Big Ten, but there are a few complaints I do have for them.”

“At some point, I realized the Big Ten is no longer the underdog,” said Cara, a Penn State fan. “We are now the bad guy. We have the money and will happily drive all of college football off a cliff if it means more money.”

More than 90 percent of respondents believe the Big Ten is at least on par with the SEC, and nearly two-thirds believe the league has surpassed its fellow superconference. Since the 12-team CFP was instituted in 2024, the Big Ten is 8-2 head-to-head against the SEC in the postseason, including a 3-0 mark in Playoff games with an average margin of victory of 24.7 points

“The Big Ten can finally compete with the SEC by openly paying athletes and investing in the best coaching, training, and facilities in the nation,” said Alex, a Purdue fan. “All of a sudden, you see the SEC humbled.”

“The Big Ten is catching up with the SEC due to the deep pockets of their established alumni base having the funds to buy players versus just putting names on buildings,” said Keith, an Illinois fan.

Big Ten readers are less bullish when it comes to the league’s lower-tier programs. None of the more than 400 comments that mentioned the SEC argued that the Big Ten was the better league at the bottom. Whether that’s related to on-field results, vibes, brands or fan interest, it’s a shared opinion.

“The Big Ten is better at the top than any conference, but the SEC has more good teams and is tougher from top to bottom,” said Bob, an Ohio State fan. “Outside of Mississippi State, the SEC lacks doormats. Rutgers, Northwestern and Maryland stink every year.”

“As a college football follower for the last 25-plus years, I can honestly say this is the first I can remember the top of the Big Ten being on par or slightly above that of the SEC,” said Aaron, a fan of a team outside the Big Ten. “With that being said, the mid-to-lower portion of the conference is still behind. The SEC is still above when it comes to brand and fan gameday experience.”

… Continue reading story here …

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May 4th

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Big Ten distributed $1.37 billion to its members, most receiving $76-$79 million (Big 12’s overall revenue: $460 million)

From The Athletic … The Big Ten generated nearly $1.47 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year and distributed $1.37 billion to its 18 members, the league announced Friday.

Revenue surged $540 million above the conference’s previous high, and the league disbursed $490 million more to its schools in fiscal 2025 than in the previous year. The total distribution was $340 million higher than what the Southeastern Conference ($1.03 billion) announced in February. For perspective, the Big 12 reported $460 million in overall revenue in its most recent available tax return.

The league’s 55 percent revenue increase stemmed from several factors. It marked the league’s first 18-member season, its first full year under the Big Ten’s media rights agreement — which brought in more than $1 billion — and coincided with the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Four Big Ten teams qualified, two advanced to the semifinals, and Ohio State won the tournament.

Sixteen of the league’s schools are fully vested members and received full shares, but their total amounts varied by CFP participation. Ohio State secured $91.55 million, Penn State earned $88.9 million, and Indiana collected $81 million, while 13 other members collected between $76 million and $79 million. Oregon and Washington receive only partial shares until 2030 and earned $48 million and $46 million, respectively. Oregon competed in the 2024-25 CFP, which explains the $2 million difference.

As part of his retirement package, former Commissioner Jim Delany totaled $5.82 million in bonuses and deferred compensation plus $600,000 in consulting fees. Delany retired on Jan. 2, 2020. Current Commissioner Tony Petitti reported more than $4.5 million in compensation.

Among other expenses, the Big Ten spent more than $6 million on legal fees and $5 million on officiating technology.

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May 2nd

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National Transfer Portal numbers: 88% found new homes

… But less than half of Power Four transfers landed in Power Four conferences … 

From The Athletic … The transfer portal has been closed since mid-January. Rosters aren’t completely set — players in the portal can sign with a new school up until the start of classes in the fall — but the majority of transfers have selected their next destination.

So it’s a good time to crunch some portal numbers and compare the findings to what transpired in previous years.

The NCAA has tracked FBS football transfers since 2023 but hasn’t released its numbers for 2026 yet. We’ll share our own calculations shortly, but one thing is clear: Despite a narrative to the contrary, scholarship football players are finding homes.

Last year, of the 3,264 FBS scholarship players who entered the transfer portal, 85 percent (2,762) transferred and received aid at their next school, 12 percent remained active in the portal (399) and 3 percent (103) transferred to a new school and did not receive aid. (The players who remained active in the portal either returned to school or stopped playing football.)

That 85 percent represents an increase from the 81 percent of transfers who received aid at their new schools in the 2024 cycle and the 77 percent who did so in 2023.

This year, close to 76 percent (2,556) of the more than 3,300 FBS scholarship players who entered the portal have signed with a new school, according to SportSource Analytics and Tracking Football. More than 450 are still in the portal and can sign with a school until classes begin in the fall.

Where did the departures end up?

Of the 1,760 players who left Power 4 schools, nearly half (859) ended up staying at the P4 level, roughly 32 percent (559) moved down to the Group of 6 and a little under 8 percent (135) signed with programs below the FBS level.

No Power 4 program signed more transfers than Oklahoma State’s 53. New coach Eric Morris brought 16 players from his former school, North Texas, headlined by star quarterback Drew Mestemaker and standout running back Caleb Hawkins.

Six of the next seven teams on the list — Iowa State (47), Colorado (43), Arkansas (42), UCLA (41), LSU (40), Auburn (39) and Penn State (38) — are led by new head coaches as well. Colorado’s Deion Sanders, who has signed 171 transfers combined since landing in Boulder in 2023, is the only returning coach in the top eight.

No program lost more players to the portal than Oklahoma State, which saw 66 players leave Stillwater after the coaching change. Less than half (29) signed with other P4 programs. Iowa State was next on the list with 55 departures, with 23 following coach Matt Campbell to Happy Valley. No program was a bigger feeder to other P4 schools than the Cyclones, with 37 ending up in the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 or SEC.

West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez said goodbye to 50 players via the portal following his first season back in Morgantown. Only nine of those players ended up at other P4 programs.

Penn State (47 departures) and Michigan State (44) were the only other P4 programs to lose more than 40 players to the portal.

… Continue reading story here …

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May 1st

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What to make of Texas Tech’s playoff chances if Brendan Sorsby loses eligibility

From Stewart Mandel at The Athletic …

Will Brendan Sorsby even play one down for Texas Tech? — Ben C.

If Brendan Sorsby loses eligibility due to gambling, Texas Tech will be unable to land another QB in the portal for 2026, and backup Will Hammond, who tore his ACL last year, won’t be ready to begin the season. How much is this going to torpedo Tech’s season, and how much will it cause teams to reevaluate their process of throwing millions of dollars to players they barely know? — Andrew G.

The first answer is simple: If Sorsby bet on even one of his own team’s games — and sources have told The Athletic he did so in 2022 at Indiana — then he’s done. It’s the cardinal sin of sports gambling, and the NCAA will show no leniency.

As for Texas Tech, I liked what I saw from Hammond before his injury last season, most notably his big second half in relief of Behren Morton in the Red Raiders’ 34-10 rout of Utah (13-of-16 passing for 169 yards and two TDs, plus eight carries for 61 yards). Tech coach Joey McGuire said this spring that Hammond could be back by the Red Raiders’ Week 3 Big 12 opener against Houston, missing only two early scrimmages against Abilene Christian and Oregon State. If so, Tech’s prospects might remain intact, provided Hammond is the same player he was before the injury.

But Tech didn’t shell out $4 million (at least) for Sorsby with the intention he’d play at the 2025 Morton/Hammond level. After being shut out by Oregon in its CFP game, the dual-threat Cincinnati transfer was seen as the guy to elevate their offense. Dane Brugler told me Sorsby was going to be in his early 2027 mock draft this week before the gambling news hit, and he’s a far more qualified QB evaluator than I’ll ever be.

Andrew makes an excellent point about the scattershot nature of the portal. I don’t know if Texas Tech could have uncovered Sorsby’s gambling addiction even if it had tried, but it speaks to the larger issue that schools have little chance of vetting these players before making offers. In high school recruiting, they may have two years or more to ask around about possible issues.

In this case, though, Tech should be able to avoid paying whatever he’s still owed. Every college contract I’ve seen includes a clause about abiding by NCAA rules.

I’m glad Sorsby is getting help. Hopefully, his story encourages others in his position to seek help.

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April 29th

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A game changer? Big 12 strikes a five-year deal with capital partner RedBird 

… The deal offers schools an opt-in capital credit line of $30 million each … 

From YahooSports.com … The Big 12 has struck its long-discussed private capital deal — the first such publicized conference-wide agreement in major college sports.

The league’s presidents and chancellors ratified the five-year agreement with capital partner RedBird last week, as well as Weatherford Capital, finalizing a three-prong package: to deliver an infusion of capital — at least $12.5 million — to the league office to drive commercial development and business growth; offer schools an opt-in capital credit line of $30 million each; and create a strategic business partnership that could pay off when the conference next goes to market for its media rights contract.

The Big 12 is describing the deal as the “RedBird Business Development Partnership.” As part of their Collegiate Athletic Solutions partnership, the firms are co-investing the infusion into the conference with an expected return. However, the capital partners will hold no ownership in the league and the deal will not change the operation or governance of the conference, commissioner Brett Yormark told Yahoo Sports.

The vote from presidents and chancellors last Thursday finalized an agreement that’s been under discussion now for more than two years — a deal spearheaded by Yormark and his board chair, Doug Girod, the Kansas president.

“At the highest level what I hope to get out of this is a really strong partnership that positions our conference well into the future, including for our next media deal by creating increased value,” Girod told Yahoo Sports in an interview this week.

The $12.5 million in capital to the league — a number that could grow — will be invested in “revenue-generating opportunities,” Girod said.

Perhaps one of the most noteworthy benefits of the deal is the exclusive college partnership with RedBird, a New York-based investment management firm with $15 billion in assets and an array of companies within its portfolio, including Paramount Global.

Paramount holds ownership of CBS and soon is expected to acquire TNT — two of the leading broadcast partners within the college sports ecosystem. The Big 12’s current media deal — primarily owned by ESPN and Fox — ends in 2031. A league’s media rights deal usually accounts for a majority of a conference’s revenue distributed to its member schools.

“We did the necessary due diligence in order to land in a great place,” Yormark told Yahoo Sports. “I appreciate the board and athletic directors for all of their feedback and guidance and support. In times of uncertainty, RedBird provides us with incredible bench strength.”

It’s unclear how many of the Big 12’s 16 universities plan to accept the option of up to $30 million in credit. Schools have one year to make a decision on the one-time capital infusion. Those within the conference believe that as few as two and as many as a half-dozen programs plan to take the money, which comes at a rate just south of 10%.

… Continue reading story here …

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April 28th

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NCAA initiates final steps to expand men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to 76 teams

From ESPN … The NCAA has initiated the final steps to expand the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to 76 teams, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

The expansion, which has been discussed for well over a year, is on track to be formalized in the upcoming weeks and would begin this coming season. Sources indicated mid-May as a potential timeline for an announcement.

Though there are still steps to take in terms of approvals via various NCAA committees, a source indicated “those are just formalities.”

“They have what they need to move forward,” a source said.

NCAA officials met with media partners for the men’s tournament last week, sources told ESPN. The sides were in the final steps of the media contracts, per sources, but they had not been signed.

Once the contracts are completed, the NCAA also would need approval from various committees that include the men’s and women’s basketball committees, the men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees, the Division I cabinet and the Division I board of governors.

For the various NCAA committees to vote, the contracts would need to be signed for their approval.

The expansion wasn’t expected to be a financial windfall for the NCAA and its members, but sources stressed there would be a profit.

… Continue reading story here …

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April 27th

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Texas Tech transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby checks into treatment program for gambling addiction; could face suspension

From ESPN … Texas Tech transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby, one of college football’s top returning players, is checking into a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction, sources told ESPN.

Sorsby’s decision to seek treatment for gambling addiction, according to sources, came in the wake of the discovery of Sorsby making thousands of online bets on a variety of sports via a gambling app, which jeopardizes his eligibility with Texas Tech.

The NCAA is investigating Sorsby’s gambling, according to sources, as the organization forbids athletes from betting on both college and pro sports.

According to sources, Sorsby bet on Indiana football while redshirting for the Hoosiers as a true freshman in 2022, a season in which he played in a single game as a reserve. The bets in 2022, according to sources, were on Indiana to win and none came in a game in which Sorsby appeared.

Sorsby’s gambling has not drawn the attention of law enforcement, according to sources, nor has he been linked to anyone attempting to influence the outcome of a game. Sorsby’s gambling, sources said, was a steady flurry of small bets over a period of time.

There’s no timetable for Sorsby’s treatment, as sources say his situation is being treated as a mental health issue and Sorsby will be afforded all the time he needs. His decision as a high-profile college athlete to enter a facility to treat his gambling addiction while enrolled is unprecedented.

Sorsby’s transfer to Texas Tech this offseason positioned him as one of the faces of the sport for 2026, as he was No. 1 in ESPN’s transfer portal rankings. Sorsby entered the 2026 season projecting as a potential high-end NFL draft pick in 2027.

Sorsby projects as one of the highest-paid players in college football, as ESPN has reported he was in line to make more than $5 million this year at Texas Tech. He transferred to Texas Tech from Cincinnati , where he was one of the most sought-after players in the NCAA transfer portal this offseason.

As for his on-field future, the NCAA has a strict policy against any type of gambling by athletes on “intercollegiate, amateur or professional athletics competition” and violators are ineligible for competition subject to appeal.

The NCAA declined comment when contacted by ESPN.

Any NCAA gambling case would be investigated by NCAA enforcement and then handled by the organization’s Division I Committee on Infractions.

Betting on Indiana football while on the roster looms as a significant obstacle for Sorsby to return, according to the NCAA’s punishment structure.

According to amended NCAA guidelines that came out back in 2023, “student-athletes who wager on their own games or on other sports at their own schools” face “permanent loss of collegiate eligibility in all sports.”

Other potential gambling punishment guidelines include: If a college football player, for example, bets on a different school in their own sport, “the loss of 50-percent of one season of eligibility will be considered.”

The guidelines in 2023 include guidance that wagers “greater than $800” would lead to the potential loss of 30% of a season of eligibility. For “cumulative wagering” that “greatly exceeded $800,” the staff is directed to consider whether additional loss of eligibility, “including permanent ineligibility” is appropriate.

… Continue reading story here …

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April 26th

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2026 NFL Draft by conference – SEC sets new standard with 87 picks

2026 NFL Draft picks by conference

• 87 – SEC*
• 68 – Big Ten
• 38 – ACC
• 38 – Big 12
• 7 – ND/FBS Ind.
• 4 – FCS
• 4 – American
• 4 – MAC
• 3 – MWC
• 2 – Sun Belt
• 1 – CUSA 1
• – International
• *new record

Draft picks from 2017 to 2026 … Proof positive how money has changed the sport

• Division 2 went from 6 to 0 picks
• FCS went from 15 to 4 picks
• G5 went from 49 (incl. BYU) to 15 picks (incl. UConn)
• The SEC went from a record 53 picks to a record 87 picks

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Big 12 sets conference record with 38 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft

… Only three Big 12 teams … Colorado, West Virginia, and Oklahoma State … were shut out of the 2026 Draft … 

Press release from the Big 12 … The 2026 NFL Draft produced 38 total picks from Big 12 programs, marking the most ever in Conference history. The 38 selections surpass the league record of 35 that was set in 1997 and 2003. Texas Tech led all Big 12 schools with a school record of nine selections in this year’s draft, while Arizona, Arizona State and Cincinnati each tallied four draft picks.

Thursday’s opening round saw six Big 12 players hear their names called, beginning with the trio of Texas Tech’s David Bailey (2nd to New York Jets), Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson (8th to New Orleans Saints), and Utah’s Spencer Fano (9th to Cleveland Browns). The Conference’s three top-10 picks marked its most since the 2012 NFL Draft.

The top three Big 12 picks were joined by Max Iheanachor from Arizona State (21st overall to Pittsburgh), Malachi Lawrence from UCF (23rd overall to Dallas) and Utah’s Caleb Lomu (28th overall to New England) to push the Big 12 first round count to six.

Seven Big 12 programs combined to produce 11 selections through the second round, which equaled the most first and second rounds picks in Conference history since the 2011 NFL Draft.

The Big 12 had six players selected on the first day, eight taken on day two, and 24 draftees during Saturday’s final rounds.

First Round Selections (6)
2^nd Pick – David Bailey (Edge Rusher) from Texas Tech – New York Jets
8^th Pick – Jordyn Tyson (Wide Receiver) from Arizona State – New Orleans Saints
9^th Pick – Spencer Fano (Offensive Line) from Utah – Cleveland Browns
21^st Pick – Max Iheanachor (Offensive Line) from Arizona State – Pittsburgh Steelers
23^rd Pick – Malachi Lawrence (Edge Rusher) from UCF – Dallas Cowboys
28^th Pick – Caleb Lomu (Offensive Line) from Utah – New England Patriots

Second Round Selections (5)
38^th Pick – Treydan Stukes (Defensive Back) from Arizona – Las Vegas Raiders
43^rd Pick – Jacob Rodriguez (Linebacker) from Texas Tech – Miami Dolphins
49^th Pick – Lee Hunter (Defensive Line) from Texas Tech – Carolina Panthers
51^st Pick – Jake Golday (Linebacker) from Cincinnati – Minnesota Vikings
64^th Pick – Bud Clark (Safety) from TCU – Seattle Seahawks

Third Round Selections (3)
70^th Pick – Romello Height (Defensive End) from Texas Tech – San Francisco 49ers
75^th Pick – Caleb Douglas (Wide Receiver) from Texas Tech – Miami Dolphins
82^nd Pick – Domonique Orange (Defensive Lineman) from Iowa State – Minnesota Vikings

Fourth Round Selections (2)
126^th Pick – Kaleb Elarms-Orr (Linebacker) from TCU – Buffalo Bills
131^st Pick – Genesis Smith (Safety) from Arizona – Los Angeles Chargers

Fifth Round Selections (9)
143^rd Pick – Reggie Virgil (Wide Receiver) from Texas Tech – Arizona Cardinals
144^th Pick – Sam Hecht (Offensive Line) from Kansas State – Carolina Panthers
150^th Pick – Dalton Johnson (Safety) from Arizona – Las Vegas Raiders
157^th Pick – Keith Abney II (Defensive Back) from Arizona State – Detroit Lions
164^th Pick – Tanner Koziol (Tight End) from Houston – Jacksonville Jaguars
166^th Pick – Keyshaun Elliott (Linebacker) from Arizona State – Chicago Bears
170^th Pick – Joe Royer (Tight End) from Cincinnati – Cleveland Browns
176^th Pick – Cyrus Allen (Wide Receiver) from Cincinnati – Kansas City Chiefs
179^th Pick – Enrique Cruz Jr. (Offensive Lineman) from Kansas – San Francisco 49ers

Sixth Round Selections (6)
184^th Pick – Jackie Marshall (Defensive Lineman) from Baylor – Tennessee Titans
191^st Pick – Josh Cameron (Wide Receiver) from Baylor – Jacksonville Jaguars
193^rd Pick – Jack Kelly (Linebacker) from BYU – New York Giants
199^th Pick – Emmanuel Henderson Jr. (Wide Receiver) from Kansas – Seattle Seahawks
205^th Pick – Skyler Gill-Howard (Defensive Lineman) from Texas Tech – Detroit Lions
212^th Pick – Namdi Obiazor (Linebacker) from TCU – New England Patriots

Seventh Round Selections (7)
228^th Pick – VJ Payne (Safety) from Kansas State – New York Jets
234^th Pick – Behren Morton (Quarterback) from Texas Tech – New England Patriots
235^th Pick – Gavin Gerhardt (Offensive Line) from Cincinnati – Minnesota Vikings
244^th Pick – Cole Wisniewski (Safety) from Texas Tech – Philadelphia Eagles
248^th Pick – Carsen Ryan (Tight End) from BYU – Cleveland Browns
255^th Pick – Michael Dansby (Defensive Back) from Arizona – Seattle Seahawks
256^th Pick – Dallen Bentley (Tight End) from Utah – Denver Broncos

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April 25th

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Big 12’s 11 first- and second-round draft picks – matches highest total since 2005

Press release from the Big 12 … Eight more players from the Big 12 Conference heard their names called on the second day of the 2026 NFL Draft, which included five selections in the second round and three in the third.

The Conference’s five picks in the second round gave it 11 selections in the first and second rounds. That total equaled its highest since the 2005 NFL Draft, matching the 2011 draft.

Through the first three rounds, Texas Tech leads all Big 12 programs with five total selections. Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, defensive lineman Lee Hunter, edge rusher Romello Height and wide receiver Caleb Douglas were the Red Raiders’ quartet of picks on Friday after edge rusher David Bailey went No. 2 overall on Thursday.

Of the Big 12’s 14 draft selections through the first three rounds, nine have come from the defensive side of the ball.

The Big 12 Conference had six players taken in Thursday’s first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, led by a trio of selections in the top 10. The six first round picks match the Conference’s high since 2011, alongside the 2023 draft.

After Bailey was selected by the New York Jets before Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson went eighth to the New Orleans Saints and Utah’s Spencer Fano was picked ninth by the Cleveland Browns. The three marked the most top-10 picks for the Conference since the 2012 NFL Draft.

Three Big 12 players were selected in a six-pick span near the end of the first round, beginning with ASU’s Max Iheanachor, who the Pittsburgh Steelers picked at 21^st. Malachi Lawrence from UCF went to the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 23 pick, and Caleb Lomu was the second Ute selected when the New England Patriots took him with the 28^th overall pick.

The NFL Draft will conclude on Saturday with the remaining four rounds, beginning at 11 a.m. CT on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network.

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April 24th

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Big Ten leads the way in first round picks; G6 schools? One pick

From On3Sports … The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books. Through the first 32 picks, the Big Ten was the big winner, headlined by No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

Mendoza went to the Las Vegas Raiders atop the board and was part of a strong group of Big Ten players selected in the first round. All told, 10 players from the conference were selected, marking the first time since 2015 the SEC did not have the most picks in the first-round. The SEC had the second-most selections on Thursday.

On3 is tracking the most picks by conference throughout the 2026 NFL Draft. Here’s how things shook out from the first round on Thursday night in Pittsburgh.

Big Ten: 10

SEC: 7

Big 12: 6

• David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech – New York Jets
• Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State – New Orleans Saints
• Spencer Fano, OL, Utah – Cleveland Browns
• Max Iheanachor, OL, Arizona State – Pittsburgh Steelers
• Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF – Dallas Cowboys
• Caleb Lomu, OL, Utah – New England Patriots

ACC: 6

Notre Dame/Group of 6: 3

• Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame – Arizona Cardinals
• Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State – Miami Dolphins
• Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame – Seattle Seahawks

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April 22nd

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College Football Playoff – powers that be (even in the SEC) warming to idea of 24 teams

From On3Sports … At the heart of the debate is whether the playoff will expand after the two conference behemoths that were granted the power to make such changes, the Big Ten and SEC, were unable to agree on a format during the latest round of discussions back in January. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti proposed a 24-team format. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey preferred 16 teams. What resulted from the stalemate is that the playoff will remain at 12 teams for the 2026 season.

But as we approach the third season of a 12-team format, there are more people, even in the SEC, warming up to the idea of 24 teams.

One Big Ten athletic director told On3 on Tuesday he sees a scenario where the playoff moves to 16 teams in 2027, with a next step of 24 teams by 2028 or 2029.

“SEC folks would go to 24 now. Greg has a mixed room he has to manage,” the Big Ten athletic director said.

In the end, that same AD said two years of 16 teams in 2027 and 2028 might make sense to give TV contract rights time to be signed and convert the start of the season to Week Zero.

“And then try to end the season no later than January 8th or 10th,” he said.

Sankey, wearing a wry smile, told On3 last month he wasn’t “giving my thoughts away for free” when expressly asked about the Big Ten’s 24-team proposal.

He then added: “I think the playoff should expand. I’ve said that. I think that 16 is the right number. We’ve done the research. If it doesn’t (expand), hey, we’ll take a look at our position on things. But 12 has worked really well. We have two years of a 12-team playoff. The amount of interest and intensity in the game at the end of the year in the regular season in the two years we’ve had 12 has been off the charts. So the notion that you just jump to some other large number and there aren’t impacts, I mean, my gosh, we just talked about name, image and likeness and how people said at first, ‘Oh, this will be great, won’t be an issue.’ I was a prophet then, based on what’s happened. I said, ‘Hey, you need to stop and slow down.’ I’m not always right, but I think you should exercise a lot of discernment when you just jump to something.”

Yahoo Sports reported Tuesday that a presidential committee, supported by the White House, is now holding discussions about an expanded playoff and that there is a “coalescing around 24,” according to a CFP governance committee member.

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips told On3 on Tuesday that the current playoff model is not the “right format.” Miami made it to the national championship game last season and was the last team to make it into the field. In 2023, Florida State went unbeaten, won the ACC championship and was left out. That was the year before the playoff expanded to 12 teams.

“As I’ve consistently stated in discussions both with my colleagues and publicly, we are leaving teams out of the College Football Playoff that could win the national championship — which means we don’t have the right format,” Phillips said. “As leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure we are providing the appropriate access to the playoff, and I look forward to continuing to work with our ACC athletic directors and head coaches along with my fellow commissioners to find the appropriate format.”

As On3 has made the rounds this spring to different campuses, the opinions have varied as to what the right number is for the playoff and how it should be structured. But within the SEC, especially going to nine league games in 2026 and with a requirement to play a Power Four non-conference opponent, it’s obvious there’s genuine interest in going to 24 teams.

Georgia’s Kirby Smart told On3 he’s about 50 percent in terms of the playoff going to 16 teams and 50 percent for it going to 24 teams.

“I’d split it right down the middle, and most coaches are going to say more is better than less,” Smart said. “But I can live with either one of those two. I don’t think there’s a huge difference. There are some TV things that factor into that, but I think at this point, it has to be more than 12 teams to be comfortable with the kind of scheduling that the fan bases want. They want to see these great non-conference games, but you’re not going to see many of them until the playoff grows.”

Tennessee’s Josh Heupel told On3 that, with the way college football is constantly changing, 24 teams “probably makes the most sense.”

The SEC head coaches and athletic directors met in New Orleans in February, and Texas’ Steve Sarkisian told On3 that there was sentiment in the room among the coaches to strongly consider the Big Ten’s 24-team proposal. He added that the impression among coaches was that the playoff would be expanding to 16 when the decision was made last year to go to nine league games in the SEC.

“But I was adamant in our meeting that if we’re not going to go to 16, I’d rather go back to four,” said Sarkisian, whose Longhorns lost a close game to Ohio State in Week 2 a year ago, finished 9-3 and were left out of the playoff. “I’ll play nine conference games with a four-team playoff because at least I know the SEC champ is in the semifinals and they earned it. But if we’re going to go to 24, if we’re going to go up, OK. But 12 is the worst number. Go to 16 or go to 24. But again, there’s TV involved. Other things are involved that are out of our control.”

Sankey told On3 that any notion of the SEC going to nine league games being dependent on the playoff expanding was incorrect.

“We looked at a value-based decision, the ability to play more (SEC) games, to have a more balanced and fair rotation, which is what we were asked for by our membership,” Sankey said. “The expansion beyond four was introduced and acted upon after USC and UCLA moved (to the Big Ten), and then everybody in the nation forgot they were mad at the SEC and decided to advance from four to 12, if you remember that.

“The introduction of 14 happened two years ago, somewhat 16, and we continued along. I thought last year we’d go to 16. I thought we could seek the agreement on 14 or 16. We didn’t, but the timing and the need to decide was always misaligned (because of the deadline imposed by TV rights holder ESPN). We had to make a decision based on the best available information, and I think it’ll be a great season. I don’t just submit that we won’t have teams in the playoff. We’ll have a great 2026 season, and we’ll continue to explore whether or not the playoff can be expanded.”

… Continue reading story here …

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April 18th

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Brother of Heisman trophy winner wins starting quarterback job for Georgia Tech

From ESPN … Alberto Mendoza has used spring practice to establish himself as the favorite to start at quarterback for Georgia Tech following his transfer from Indiana.

“Alberto is the guy,” coach Brent Key said when asked about the Yellow Jackets’ quarterbacks room after Saturday’s spring game.

Mendoza was named offensive captain for the spring game, and he didn’t disappoint, completing 12 of 16 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown.

“Obviously, he still has to compete and still has to win the job, but he’s done nothing to disappoint me and think that’s not going to be the case,” Key told Georgia Tech’s radio network during the spring game.

Grady Adamson, also competing to replace dual-threat star Haynes King, completed 8 of 11 passes for 104 yards and one touchdown and also ran for a score.

Mendoza announced his decision to transfer less than 24 hours after winning a national title at Indiana, where he was the backup for his older brother, Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to be the No. 1 pick in next week’s NFL draft.

Running back Justice Haynes, who had six 100-yard rushing games in seven games for Michigan last season before being injured is also among Georgia Tech’s class of 19 players added through the transfer portal.

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April 17th

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Texas Tech has two open nonconference slots in its 2027 schedule

From ESPN … Reigning Big 12 champion Texas Tech has open slots on its 2027 football schedule after the cancellations of two nonconference games, the school said Friday.

Texas Tech officials said NC State cited changes in Atlantic Coast Conference scheduling when utilizing a buyout clause in the home-and-home agreement between the schools. The Wolfpack were supposed to play in Lubbock in 2027 after beating the Red Raiders at home in 2022.

With the loss of that home game, Texas Tech in turn canceled its scheduled 2027 game at North Texas.

Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said the school hopes to soon finalize new agreements with a power conference and FBS school.

North Texas will now play at TCU, another Big 12 team, on the second weekend of the 2027 season. TCU had an open slot then after Stanford, also citing ACC schedule changes, canceled its contract to play the Horned Frogs.

The ACC this year is moving to a nine-game league schedule for football while having teams play at least 10 games against power-conference opponents.

North Carolina State was already set to host Big 12 team Kansas State in 2027, which will satisfy the ACC’s new nonconference P4 requirement.

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April 16th 

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NCAA one step closer to approving Week Zero schedule with two bye weeks

From ESPN … Beginning in 2027, college football could have an earlier official start to the season, as the NCAA’s Football Oversight Committee on Thursday recommended a standard start before Labor Day weekend.

Under the proposal, the regular season would begin on the Thursday of what is now called Week Zero, and still end on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Schools would have 14 weeks to schedule 12 games. This model would give teams two open dates and allow for “flexibility for potential changes to the postseason.”

That’s significant, as leaders of the College Football Playoff continue to discuss how and when to expand the current 12-team field. The proposed calendar change would also preserve standalone weekends for conference championship games and the Army-Navy game.

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea, who is a member of the Football Oversight Committee, told ESPN the football season calendar has been a “health and safety issue” that needed to be addressed.

“To go through a season without two bye weeks is challenging to a roster,” he said, “and in a time where we’ve imposed roster limits, and in our league where we’re playing nine league games now, on the off years where we weren’t able to get that second bye, we believe there’s a negative impact mentally, physically, emotionally, to the players, coaches, everyone involved. So from our vantage point, it was something we’ve supported and feel strongly about.”

Under the proposal, the NCAA would also eliminate exceptions for teams to play before the official start of the season. The sport has seen an uptick recently in schools applying for waivers to start their seasons earlier. In 2025, there were five games on Saturday, August 23. This season, there are eight games scheduled for Aug. 29, including North Carolina and TCU playing in Dublin, and NC State and Virginia in Rio de Janeiro.

For the proposal to become official, the Division I Cabinet still has to adopt the legislation, and that group is scheduled to discuss the recommendation in June.

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April 10th

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Big 12 Friday night games: CU home game against Houston moved to a Friday night

… As a result of the move, the home game against on October 3rd against Texas Tech will now designated as CU’s Homecoming game … 

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April 8th

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NCAA proposing age limits for eligibility (five years from 19th birthday)

From YahooSports.com … The NCAA is considering a significant change to its eligibility rules.

An NCAA committee next week is expected to explore a new age-based standard for athlete eligibility as part of a proposal that’s been in the works for weeks, but only recently has been socialized with high-level conference and school administrators.

Those with knowledge of the proposal spoke to Yahoo Sports under condition of anonymity.

According to the concept, NCAA athletes would have five full years of eligibility from the time of their 19th birthday or their high school graduation, whichever is earliest. No waiver requests, redshirts or exceptions will be permitted, except for a small group of outliers (those on maternity leave, military service or religious missions).

Members of the NCAA Division I Cabinet are set to review the proposal at their meeting next week. While a timeline for approval remains unclear — it is likely weeks or months away — the legislation is considered an urgent matter with potential for implementation as soon as this coming academic year (fall 2026).

Any implementation is expected to be phased in as is the case with most new NCAA policy. For instance, leaders will take strides to avoid adversely impacting any current athlete’s long-term eligibility under existing rules. What’s unclear is if those players completing or having completed their final, fourth season of eligibility will regain a fifth season if they fall within the new policy’s five-year window.

The policy seeks to bring some semblance of stability to a growing landscape of inconsistent court rulings regarding eligibility. Though it predates President Donald Trump’s executive order, the proposal aligns with a concept embedded in Trump’s Friday announcement, which instructed the NCAA to pass legislation over a variety of issues, including a five-year eligibility standard for athletes.

… Continue reading story …

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This post, about the Spring/Summer game, from the 2026 Season, is filed under Article.
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