ReportWire

Tag: College Baseball

  • Three takeaways from No. 7 TCU’s baseball series finale against No. 1 UCLA

    [ad_1]

    TCU head coach Kirk Saarloos sits in the back of the dugout during game two of the NCAA super regional between TCU and Indiana State at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday June 10, 2023. Indiana State led 2-0 going into the fourth inning. The game was delayed two hours due to weather. TCU defeated Indians State 6-4 to move on to the College World Series in Omaha.

    TCU head coach Kirk Saarloos sits in the back of the dugout during game two of the NCAA super regional between TCU and Indiana State at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday June 10, 2023. Indiana State led 2-0 going into the fourth inning. The game was delayed two hours due to weather. TCU defeated Indians State 6-4 to move on to the College World Series in Omaha.


    Bob Booth

    Special to the Star-Telegram

    The much anticipated top 10 matchup between No. 1 UCLA and No. 7 TCU was dominated by the Bruins through the first two games, and the Horned Frogs couldn’t buck that trend in a 15-5 loss to UCLA.

    It was a back-and-forth game for much of the day at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles, but the Bruins broke the game open in the sixth with a four-run inning — three of those runs coming off Noah Franco in his first pitching appearance since the team’s second game against Arkansas — that gave them a 9-4 lead .

    TCU’s Sawyer Strosnider came into the game hitting 3 for 8 with and RBI, a run scored and a walk through the first two games with UCLA and had his best game of the series on Sunday going 2 for 2 with two RBIs and three runs scored with a home run, a triple and two walks.

    Strosnider helped spark an offense that scored more runs by the fifth inning of Sunday’s game (4) than they had in the previous two games combined (3).

    Horned Frogs chase Stump early

    Over the first two games of the series Bruins starting pitchers had been lights out, giving up a combined two runs off eight hits in 10 innings with 14 strikeouts.

    The Horned Frogs bucked that trend on Sunday chasing UCLA’s Landon Stump from the game before the third inning’s conclusion and having their most successful offensive game of the series.

    Stump gave up three runs off four hits with two walks in 2.1 innings of work. In Stump’s final inning Sawyer Strosnider got the scoring going with a triple that scored Cole Cramer. The next batter, Chase Brunson, would hit a single, scoring Strosnider — which would be Stump’s last batter faced of the day.

    This was the first multi-run inning in the series for the Horned Frogs offense.

    Uli Fernsler makes collegiate debut

    Freshman Uli Fernsler made his first start for the Horned Frogs, and similar to Stump it was a short stint.

    Fernsler gave up three runs off three hits with one strikeout in two innings of work, with the Bruins using the long ball to attack the young pitcher.

    The runs Fernsler gave up came when Will Gasparino, with a man on base, and Dominic Cadiz had back-to-back home runs in the second which put the Bruins up 3-1 when he exited the game.

    TCU bats wake up

    Sunday’s game was by far the liveliest of the series with the Horned Frogs and Bruins both taking leads and each side tying the game and the Horned Frogs offense having their best showing.

    TCU took the early lead after Strosnider and Nolan Traeger executed a double steal which caused the UCLA defender to fumble with the ball allowing the Horned Frogs to take the early lead in the first inning.

    TCU ended the game with seven hits and five runs scored and was a step in the right direction for an offense that had been scuttling over the past few games.

    TCU will be back in action against Loyola Marymount at 3 p.m. on Monday at Page Stadium.

    Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Lawrence Dow

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.

    [ad_2]

    Lawrence Dow

    Source link

  • Three takeaways from No. 7 TCU baseball’s series opener against No. 1 UCLA

    [ad_1]

    TCU entered Friday’s game against No. 1 UCLA looking to avoid a three-game losing streak after dropping back-to-back games against unranked opponents.

    The trend continued with their 10-2 loss to UCLA.

    TCU head coach Kirk Saarloos said — during the broadcast on FS1 — his team would need its veterans to step up to try and help the Horned Frogs get back on track.

    “We haven’t really got off to the start we wanted to. We started the first two days well, and haven’t played good since. So we’re going to need these veteran guys to kind of weather the storm a little bit here,” said Saarloos.

    Top Horned Frogs out of commission

    The Horned Frogs suffered a major blow when ace Tommy LaPour was sidelined for this series with elbow soreness and will be re-evaluated in a couple of weeks.

    LaPour was the preseason Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and got his season off to a strong start against Vanderbilt, giving up two runs off fives hits in five innings of work with five strikeouts.

    TCU was also missing the reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, Noah Franco, who was out of the game against the Bruins with an oblique injury.

    Without LaPour, TCU turned to Mason Brassfield as their Friday night starter, how did he fare?

    Bruins bounce Brassfield in second inning

    Brassfield did not give up any runs in the first inning: He forced a pop-up to end the inning after allowing back-to-back singles.

    The next inning Brassfield would not be so lucky, after allowing a lead off double to Aiden Aguayo, Will Gasparino came up one batter later and hit his own double that scored the Bruins’ first run of the game.

    The Bruins inning continued with a single and a hit by pitch that loaded the bases for Roch Cholowsky, the presumptive No. 1 pick in the upcoming MLB Draft, Cholowsky broke the inning open with a grand slam that put the Bruins up 5-0.

    Brassfield allowed two more base runners before being pulled for Tyler Phenow.

    Pitching has been a problem for the Horned Frogs in their last three games, with the team giving up a total of 33 runs.

    Saarloos talked about the team’s struggles and injuries after a starting the season with back-to-back wins.

    “We got to keep playing. I mean, we haven’t last couple outings, last couple games, we’ve gotten off to really poor starts with our starting pitching, again tonight obviously, they end up getting seven in the first three [innings],but we got to keep playing. I mean, nobody’s going to feel sorry for injuries or stuff like that. We got to be able to overcome those things,” said Saarloos.

    Horned Frogs hitters stymied

    UCLA pitcher Logan Reddemann had a career day against TCU. He struck out ten Horned Frogs and gave up only one run off five hits in five innings of work.

    TCU’s first run of the game came off a Chase Brunson home run. TCU went hitless with runners in scoring position and went 2 for 16 with runners on base as the offense failed to get into rhythm against the nation’s top team.

    TCU will continue the three-game series at UCLA at 4 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. The Horned Frogs will then stay in Los Angeles and play their next game against Loyola Marymount at 3 p.m. Monday at Page Stadium.

    Game schedule dates, times, locations

    • Feb. 3 Boston 110, Mavericks 100
    • Feb. 5 San Antonio 135, Mavericks 123
    • Feb. 7 San Antonio 138, Mavericks 125
    • Feb. 10 Phoenix 120, Mavericks 111
    • Feb. 12 L.A. Lakers 124, Mavericks 104
    • Feb. 20 at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., ESPN, KFAA, MavsTV
    • Feb. 22 at Indiana, 4 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
    • Feb. 24 at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
    • Feb. 26 vs. Sacramento, 6:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
    • Feb. 27 vs. Memphis, 7:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
    • Feb. 1 Colorado 87, TCU 61
    • Feb. 7 TCU 84, Kansas State 82
    • Feb. 10 TCU 62, Iowa State 55
    • Feb. 14 TCU 95, Oklahoma State 92 (OT)
    • Feb. 17 Central Florida 82, TCU 71
    • Feb. 21 vs. West Virginia, 4 p.m., Peacock
    • Feb. 24 vs. Arizona State, 8 p.m., CBSSN
    • Feb. 28 at Kansas State, 5:30 p.m., ESPN2
    • March 3 at Texas Tech, 6 p.m., FS1
    • March 7 vs. Cincinnati, 1 p.m., TNT
    • Feb. 1 Texas Tech 62, TCU 60
    • Feb. 4 TCU 90, Houston 45
    • Feb. 8 Colorado 80, TCU 79
    • Feb. 12 TCU 83, Baylor 67
    • Feb. 15 TCU 59, West Virginia 50
    • Feb. 18 TCU 72, Houston 50
    • Feb. 22 vs. Iowa State, 3 p.m., ESPN
    • Feb. 25 at Cincinnati, 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
    • March 1 vs. Baylor, 3 p.m., ESPN
    • March 4-8 Big 12 tournament (at Kansas City, Mo.), TBA
    • Feb. 13 TCU 5, Vanderbilt 4
    • Feb. 14 TCU 5, Arkansas 4
    • Feb. 15 Oklahoma 12, TCU 2 (seven innings)
    • Feb. 17 UT Arlington 11, TCU 8
    • Feb. 20 at UCLA, 7 p.m., FS1
    • Feb. 21 at UCLA, 4 p.m., BigTen+
    • Feb. 22 at UCLA, 3 p.m., BigTen+
    • Feb. 23 at Loyola Marymount, 3 p.m., none
    • Feb. 27 vs. New Haven, 6 p.m., ESPN+
    • Feb. 28 vs. New Haven, 2 p.m., ESPN+
    • March 1 vs. New Haven, 1 p.m., ESPN+
    • Jan. 27 Stars 4, St. Louis 3
    • Jan. 29 Stars 5, Vegas 4 (SO)
    • Jan. 31 Stars 3, Utah 2
    • Feb. 2 Stars 4, Winnipeg 3 (OT)
    • Feb. 4 Stars 5, St. Louis 4
    • Olympic break
    • Feb. 25 vs. Seattle, 7 p.m., Fox, Victory+
    • Feb. 28 vs. Nashville, 7 p.m., Victory+
    • March 2 at Vancouver, 9 p.m., Victory+
    • March 3 at Calgary, 8 p.m., Victory+
    • March 6 vs. Colorado, 7 p.m., Victory+
    • 2026 season
    • Aug. 29 vs. North Carolina (at Dublin), TBA
    • Sept. 12 vs. Grambling State, TBA
    • Sept. 19 vs. Arkansas State, TBA
    • Sept. 26 at Central Florida, TBA
    • Oct. 3 vs. BYU, TBA
    • Oct. 17 at Baylor, TBA
    • Oct. 24 vs. West Virginia, TBA
    • Oct. 31 vs. Kansas, TBA
    • Nov. 7 at Arizona, TBA
    • Nov. 14 vs. Kansas State, TBA
    • Nov. 21 vs. Utah, TBA
    • Nov. 28 at Texas Tech, TBA
    • 2026 season
    • TBA vs. TBA (at Rio de Janeiro), TBA
    • 2026 opponents (dates and times TBA; one home game will be in Rio)
    • vs. N.Y Giants
    • vs. Philadelphia
    • vs. Washington
    • vs. Arizona
    • vs. San Francisco
    • vs. Tampa Bay
    • vs. Jacksonville
    • vs. Tennessee
    • vs. Baltimore
    • at N.Y Giants
    • at Philadelphia
    • at Washington
    • at L.A. Rams
    • at Seattle
    • at Green Bay
    • at Houston
    • at Indianapolis
    • Feb. 21 Team Texas-David Starr’s Racing School
    • March 6-7 Goodguys: 16th LMC Truck Spring Lone Star Nationals
    • March 12-15 Steak Cookoff Association World Championships
    • March 14 NASCAR Racing Experience
    • March 20-21 POWRi Racing
    • March 28 Mopar Heaven
    • April 11 NASCAR Racing Experience
    • April 18 Team Texas-David Starr’s Racing School
    • April 18 Bubble Run
    • April 23-25 Pate Swap Meet
    • April 25 FuelFest
    • April 30-May 2 High Limit Racing Stockyard Stampede
    • May 1 NASCAR Truck Series: SpeedyCash.com 250
    • May 2 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 340
    • May 3 NASCAR Cup Series: Wurth 400

    This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 10:33 PM.

    Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Lawrence Dow

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.

    [ad_2]

    Lawrence Dow

    Source link

  • No. 12 Florida handles South Carolina, 76-62

    [ad_1]

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Alex Condon had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Rueben Chinyelu also notched a double-double and No. 12 Florida handled South Carolina for the second time in three weeks, 76-62 on Tuesday night.

    Chinyelu finished with 15 points and 17 boards for his 16th double-double of the season. The Gators won their sixth consecutive game and improved to 11-1 since losing at Missouri to open Southeastern Conference play.

    This one was much closer than the previous meeting, a 47-point blowout in Columbia, South Carolina, in late January. 

    Still, the Gamecocks (11-14, 2-11 SEC) trailed by 10 points early and never mounted much of a threat in Gainesville, where Florida improved to 12-1 this season.

    It was lopsided enough that 7-foot-9 walk-on center Olivier Rioux played the final minute after the home crowd chanted for him.

    The best rebounding team in the country dominated inside, with Florida (20-6, 11-2) mounting a 47-30 rebounding advantage and outscoring South Carolina 44-28 in the paint.

    Thomas Haugh added 10 points for Florida, which is trying to win the SEC’s regular season for the first time since 2014 and stay in the Sunshine State to open the NCAA Tournament in Tampa.

    South Carolina leading scorer Meechie Johnson, who had 10 points in the first meeting, led the Gamecocks with 22 this time around.

    Florida held a moment of silence before the game for Bill Donovan, the father of former Gators coach Billy Donovan who died Saturday following a heart attack. Florida’s court is named after Billy Donovan.

    Up next: 

    South Carolina hosts Mississippi State on Saturday.

    Florida plays at Ole Miss on Saturday.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Nick Townley inspired by long line of Plant baseball legends

    [ad_1]

    TAMPA, Fla. — Wade Boggs Field, the baseball stadium at Plant High School, has the footsteps of legends on it.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Plant baseball program has sent multiple players to the MLB

    • Jac Caglionone just got his number retired, meeting the current group of Panthers players

    • Nick Townley hopes to be the next guy in line

    • Townley is the ace of the staff, a senior pitcher who has impressive command on the mound


    “We’ve always had some pretty good players and there’s kind of a long line of tradition to that,” Plant baseball head coach Dennis Braun said.

    The program boasts an impressive list of alums on the outfield wall, which has numbers retired from left field all the way down to right field.

    “We’re one of the few schools that has a Hall of Famer in Wade Boggs and we might have a future couple more if they keep doing the things they’re doing,” Braun said.

    Braun is referring to 5-time MLB All-Star Pete Alonso and 4-time All-Star Kyle Tucker, both former Panthers who are two of the best hitters in baseball.

    The latest pro to get his number retired is Jac Caglianone, a 2021 Plant alum who was a two-way star for the Florida Gators and is already in the bigs with the Kansas City Royals. The current team was able to meet Cagnianone at the ceremony earlier this month, seeing a guy who sat in the same dugout they do move on to accomplish what he has accomplished.

    “Yeah, I think that’s what the motivation is, I think everyone wants to be them not all of them are going to be 6 foot 5 250 pounds and that’s a big part of getting to the level that they get to but I think that motivation is a big deal for them and I think it’s what makes the program grow,” Braun said.

    “It was really nice to see. Obviously, he’s one of the greats of high school baseball, and it was really nice to be able to see the impact he’s made here,” Plant senior pitcher Nick Townley said.

    Townley hopes to one day be the next guy in line.

    “Yeah it really does help my focus. It just helps me stay concentrated on my main goal here which is competing as a team and winning and focusing on getting better,” Townley said.

    Townley is the ace of the staff, a senior right-hander who doesn’t light up the radar gun with a ton of velocity but makes up for it with an impressive command on the mound.

    “Throughout the fall and early spring I’ve just been working on my pitch location and delivery, getting better at sequencing and finding out where hitters are weak against me so I can get them out in the best way,” Townley said.

    He got some preseason recognition from 813 Preps, a Hillsborough County high school baseball publication, ranking him as the 23rd best player in the area.

    “I thought it was pretty cool but the rankings don’t mean anything until we start playing games so I try not to focus on it much, yeah it for sure adds some pressure but I gotta go into games knowing that I still have a job to throw good pitches and compete with the hitters so that just helps me stay focused,” Townley said.

    “Being ranked means you’ve done something you’ve earned that and every year you’ve gotta earn it. Baseball is a tough game so I think it’s important for him to come back down a little bit and not get too caught up in that throw strikes rely on his defense and if he does those things I think he will have another great year,” Braun said.

    Of course, Townley dreams of making it to “The Show.” Every baseball player does. No program around here has sent more players to the pros than Plant lately, so he’s in a great spot to try and get that dream started here.

    “Even though you may not make it, you may not be them let’s do everything we can so if that day comes that we don’t you can hang your cleats up and say I did everything I could to be the best player I could and that’s what we’re trying to do every day,” Braun said.

    For now, Townley is focused on this season and getting his team to state.

    [ad_2]

    Michael Epps

    Source link

  • Three takeaways from TCU’s baseball game against Arkansas

    [ad_1]

    ARLINGTON

    After winning the season opener, No. 10 TCU was looking to continue its early-season success, and Chase Brunson got a quick start in the team’s 5-4 win over the No. 7 Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday.

    The Horned Frogs have made a statement with two wins over ranked teams to start the season.

    Saturday night, pitcher/utility player Noah Franco talked about what the wins mean early on.

    “We knew we had the talent coming in. We were a good ball club, now we’re good ball brothers. We’re all coming together and playing like one. Yesterday, we’re getting punched in the face, and we’re coming right back,” Franco said. “There’s nothing really affecting us in the dugout, practice, any of that, we’re all in together.“

    Centerfielder Brunson went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a run scored. But it wasn’t just him. The entire Horned Frogs offense got off to a hot start, scoring two runs in two of the first three innings, then one in the ensuing six to open the door for Arkansas.

    Brunson talked about the key to getting off to a fast start.

    “Just get going early and stay going. Our offense is dangerous, and we got a lot of talent on it, so once one guy gets hot, the rest of the lineup will continue to grow and continue to get on base,” said Brunson.

    Franco strong out of the bullpen

    Franco is hitless in eight at-bats to start the season, but the two-way player showed off his bona fides with his first stint out of the bullpen.

    Head coach Kirk Saarloos talked about Franco’s two-way impact.

    “Noah’s great like that, like last year, I remember a couple times he didn’t have the best outing, and then he would come back in, in the DH spot and hit a homer or two. So he doesn’t let one affect the other. He’s gonna get his hits, It’s just a matter of time,” said Saarloos, “He’s gonna get going offensively. We have no doubt in our mind about it.

    “When we came into the season, when we would DH him, we thought we’d use him [as a pitcher], I wasn’t planning on using him quite as long as I did, but after the eighth inning, he rolled back to the dugout and looked me in the eyes and said, ‘I’m not coming out.’”

    Franco explained why he wanted to stay in the game.

    “How competitive I am in that type of situation, I knew I’m not gonna just try to hand it off to the next person on there. I got called for a reason,” Franco said. “Because of the top talent on the field, and I knew I had capability.”

    Franco relieved Zack James, who gave up two earned runs in two innings pitched and was TCU’s best pitcher on the day. He gave up no runs or hits with four strikeouts in three innings of work, also earning the win.

    Wasted opportunities

    Mason Broomfield gave up two runs in four innings of work off three hits with six strikeouts.

    Broomfield’s final stats may belie how much he had to work throughout the game. He had four walks and struggled to consistently find the strike zone, but when it mattered most, he stymied the Razorbacks.

    One of Arkansas’ best chances came in the third inning with the bases loaded and only one out. The Razorbacks got a fielder’s choice to score a run, but a second fielder’s choice by Aloy Kuhio ended the inning without further damage.

    Another great opportunity came in the fourth inning after an overturned call put Ryder Helfrick up with the bases loaded. Broomfield forced Helfrick to hit a soft ground out and TCU escaped the inning.

    The Razorbacks went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and 0 for 9 with runners on base against Broomfield and didn’t fare much better versus the other Horned Frogs pitchers, with only one hit all game with runners on base or in scoring position.

    Saarloos talked about how his pitching staff avoided giving up a big inning.

    “I think it comes down to toughness, like we’ve been talking a bunch about that, [what] you’re going to come up with in situations where you got to be resilient and kind of put the past in the past and be able to move to the next pitch and be 100% behind that pitch.

    “And I think that’s that’s key when you have a good offensive club and a great club over there, you got to make pitches. And for the most part, I thought we made some pretty good pitches.”

    TCU will play Oklahoma at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Globe Life Field.

    This story was originally published February 14, 2026 at 11:17 PM.

    Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Lawrence Dow

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.

    [ad_2]

    Lawrence Dow

    Source link

  • No. 14 Florida beats 25th-ranked Kentucky 92-83

    [ad_1]

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Xaivian Lee scored 22 points, Urban Klavzar added 19 and No. 14 Florida beat 25th-ranked Kentucky 92-83 Saturday for its 10th victory in its last 11 outings.

    Lee and Klavzar took advantage of Florida’s paint presence and hit a combined nine 3-pointers.

    Thomas Haugh (17), Alex Condon (14) and Rueben Chinyelu (10) also scored in double figures for the Gators, who ended a six-game skid against the Wildcats at home.

    Florida (19-6, 10-2 Southeastern Conference) had been 1-4 against Kentucky (17-8, 8-4) under coach Todd Golden. But the Gators led wire to wire in this one and finished with a 45-37 rebounding advantage. Condon and Chinyelu grabbed 11 boards each, both finishing with a double-double.

    The matchup featured a unique subplot. Kentucky guard Denzel Aberdeen, who spent the last three years at Florida and helped the Gators win the national title last March, was “welcomed” back with a chorus of boos.

    Aberdeen led the Wildcats with 19 points while getting taunted with chants of “Gator traitor” throughout. Collin Chandler added 18, and Otega Oweh chipped in 13.

    Florida opened up a double-digit lead early but didn’t put Kentucky away until a second-half spurt that included inside buckets from Condon and outside shots from Klavzar, who finished 5-of-11 shooting from behind the arc.

    The Gators had several former players on hand for the sold-out game, including NBA rookies and Walter Clayton and Will Richard. Clayton, the MVP of last year’s Final Four, and Richard were greeted with standing ovations when they walked to their courtside seats and when they were recognized in the first half. Matt Walsh (2002-05) and Matt Bonner (1999-2003) also made the trip to Gainesville.

    Up next

    Kentucky: Hosts Georgia on Tuesday.

    Florida: Hosts South Carolina on Tuesday.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • One dead, dozens hurt when bus carrying community college baseball team crashes in Iowa

    [ad_1]

    A community college bus carrying the school’s baseball team crashed and overturned in a ditch in rural Iowa on Wednesday, authorities said, killing one person and injuring all the other 32 occupants.

    The 11 a.m. crash involved the Iowa Lakes Community College bus and no other vehicles, the Iowa State Patrol said in a statement. It occurred on a highway near Twin Lakes, about 110 miles northwest of Des Moines.

    The name of the deceased victim was not immediately released. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Paul Gardner confirmed to CBS News that the other 32 occupants aboard the bus were hurt.

    Three people were airlifted to trauma hospitals in Des Moines, said Bruce Musgrave, director of Calhoun County Emergency Medical Services, and others were taken by ambulance to four hospitals in the area.

    KTIV-TV reported that the college’s baseball team was on board.

    Iowa State Patrol is investigating.

    In:

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Colorado Sports Hall of Fame tabs Avalanche star Cale Makar as Pro Athlete of the Year

    [ad_1]

    On the fast-track to another Norris Trophy, Cale Makar received another distinction on Tuesday for his body of work in 2025.

    The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame named Makar its Pro Athlete of the Year after the Avalanche star defenseman became only the fourth player in the 21st century to win at least two Norris Trophies. Makar also finished sixth in voting for the Hart Trophy, the NHL MVP, in 2024-25 while leading the league’s defensemen with 30 goals and 92 points.

    In addition to Makar’s selection, the Hall also announced honors for five other individuals on Tuesday who will be recognized alongside the six-member Hall of Fame class at the banquet in April.

    Regis University catcher Adam Paniagua and CSU Pueblo shot putter Katherine Higgins were named College Athletes of the Year, Legend softball/flag football star Lucy Thompson and Montrose running back Elijah Womack are the High School Athletes of the Year, and Ri Armstrong earned the Athlete with Disabilities Award.

    Paniagua hit .448 with 27 homers, 100 RBIs and a .970 slugging percentage, leading Division II in the latter two categories to earn first-team All-American honors. He was a catalyst behind Regis’ program-record 35 victories in 2025. Higgins won the Division II women’s shot put national title.

    Thompson was a two-sport star last fall for Legend, helping the Titans to state runner-up finishes in both softball and flag football. The shortstop is committed to Nebraska, and on the gridiron, she led the state with 1,970 receiving yards while racking up 32 TDs. Womack was also a force, with 2,157 yards rushing and 33 TDs a year after posting a state-best 2,285 rushing yards while helping Montrose to deep playoff runs both seasons.

    Armstrong, who competed in slalom and giant slalom in the Paralympics in 1980 and ’84, has been a volunteer for the National Sports Center for the Disabled for the last 38 years as one of the organization’s most influential instructors.

    Last year, the Hall named a trio of Colorado stars as Pro Athlete of the Year: the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic (2023-24 NBA MVP), the Broncos’ Pat Surtain II (2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year) and the Avs’ Nathan MacKinnon (2023-24 NHL MVP).

    The Hall’s 61st annual awards banquet and Hall of Fame induction is April 16 at the Hilton Denver City Center. Tickets are $250 each and sponsor tables start at $3,000.

    [ad_2]

    Kyle Newman

    Source link

  • Florida hires Tulane’s Jon Sumrall as head coach with six-year, $44.7M deal

    [ad_1]

    UPDATE: An introductory news conference is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. today.

    Watch live coverage on Spectrum News 13

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida hired Tulane’s Jon Sumrall as its next coach Sunday, settling for its second choice after Lane Kiffin reportedly picked LSU over the Gators.

    Sumrall finalized a six-year, $44.7 million contract that comes with incentives, according to a person familiar with the search. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because financial details were not released. The deal averages $7.45 million annually.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tulane’s Jon Sumrall finalized a six-year, incentive-laden contract worth nearly $7.5 million annually with the Florida Gators as their new head coach
    • Sumrall will remain with the 22nd-ranked Green Wave for next week’s American Conference title game and through the College Football Playoff if Tulane makes the 12-team field

    • Sumrall had been considered a possibility at Auburn, Arkansas and Ole Miss. Florida made a late push when Lane Kiffin’s interest in the Gators waned

    • The Gators (4-8) ended a dismal season with one of their best performances, a 40-21 victory against rival Florida State in the Swamp in which running back Jadan Baugh ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns and DJ Lagway threw for three scores


    The 43-year-old Sumrall will remain with the 22nd-ranked Green Wave for next week’s American Conference title game and through the College Football Playoff if Tulane makes the 12-team field.

    The Gators also are on the verge of signing general manager Dave Caldwell, who won a Super Bowl during his five seasons with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. He also spent eight years (2013-20) with the Jacksonville Jaguars and built a roster that made the AFC title game.

    Caldwell is expected to help manage Florida’s salary cap and evaluate college talent as demands on coaches have expanded with the burgeoning transfer portal and name, image and likeness payments.

    Sumrall played linebacker at Kentucky (2002-04) and returned to his alma mater for a three-year stint before becoming Troy’s head coach in 2022. He won consecutive Sun Belt championships in two seasons with the Trojans and then enjoyed similar success at Tulane.

    Sumrall is 19-7 in two years in New Orleans and led the Green Wave to the American championship game both seasons. So he has made four league title games in four years as a head coach. The Gators are hoping he’s Urban Meyer 2.0 and not Billy Napier 2.0.

    “Not many coaches win big at two different non-Power programs, and even fewer do it as quickly as Jon has done it,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said. “He joins rare company — coaches like Urban Meyer, Brian Kelly and Willie Fritz — who’ve delivered immediate success at multiple stops. Jon’s track record of rapid turnarounds speaks directly to his leadership and the culture he establishes.”

    Sumrall had been considered a possibility at Auburn, Arkansas and Ole Miss. Florida made a late push when Kiffin’s interest in the Gators waned. Florida fans are likely to view him as a consolation prize, another gamble from a Group of Five conference.

    Sumrall replaces Napier, who was fired in mid-October and went 22-23 over four seasons in Gainesville. Napier was nicknamed “Sun Belt Billy” because he often looked in over his head in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference.

    Going back to Louisiana for another G5 coach? And a defensive guy to boot? That’s a bold move for Stricklin, who is sure to draw the ire of the Florida faithful for failing to land Kiffin.

    He was roundly booed at a championship celebration to honor men’s basketball coach Todd Golden and his title-winning team in April. Now, the fan base is calling for his job.

    A website titled FireScottStricklin.com documents Stricklin’s shortcomings, and some fans organized a rally Sunday outside Florida Field to promote Stricklin’s “immediate removal.”

    But Stricklin seemingly has the support of the Board of Trustees, which gave him a three-year contract extension in June and allowed him to conduct a coaching search that included roughly 10 interviews without interference.

    There were rumors and reports about boosters getting involved and straining relationships with Kiffin and his camp. But Stricklin made it clear he was the only one making the hire. Kiffin reportedly chose LSU after a public tug-of-war involving all three schools.

    Kiffin’s family members took scouting trips to Gainesville and Baton Rouge, and he met with administrators and fundraisers on several occasions. The trip to Gainesville was underwhelming, according to people familiar with the search, and high school football in the area left plenty to be desired.

    Florida even turned to Heisman Trophy winners Steve Spurrier and Danny Wuerffel during its pursuit of Kiffin, who eventually slowed communication with UF officials to the point where the Gators decided they had to move on in a crowded market.

    Now, Sumrall will be counted on to lead a downtrodden program back to prominence in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference.

    Tulane’s numbers are far from gaudy: The Green Wave rank 39th in the country in total offense and 64th in total defense. Sumrall is expected to hire outside coordinators and an NFL-style general manager to help him rebuild in Gainesville.

    The Gators (4-8) clearly have talent and ended a dismal season with one of their best performances, a 40-21 victory against rival Florida State in the Swamp in which running back Jadan Baugh ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns and DJ Lagway threw for three scores.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Ohio State stays on top of playoff bracket, while Miami makes a big move

    [ad_1]

    Not surprisingly, Ohio State stayed at the top of the rankings, and there was a healthy debate about whether last weekend’s action warranted keeping Indiana at No. 2, one spot ahead of Texas A&M.

    But while those top three remained the same in the Week 2 rankings released Tuesday, it was a game back in August that led the College Football Playoff selection committee to its biggest shakeup.

    The committee vaulted Miami to No. 15, one spot ahead of Georgia Tech, to hand the ‘Canes the Atlantic Coast Conference’s only spot in this week’s projected bracket.

    That decision came not so much on the strength of last weekend’s action, — when Miami easily handled Syracuse and Georgia Tech was idle — but rather, thanks to Miami’s season-opening win against Notre Dame.

    “Certainly, the win versus Notre Dame was a key factor for placing Miami ahead of Georgia Tech,” committee chair Mack Rhoades explained. “In general, with the ACC, I think their lack of nonconference signature wins other than Miami over Notre Dame” hurts the conference.

    Following the trio of undefeateds — Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M — were Alabama and Georgia, who rounded out the same top five as in last week’s season-opening rankings.

    Texas Tech jumped two spots to No. 6 on the strength of its win over BYU, moving one notch ahead of Mississippi, which dropped to 7 despite a romp over Citadel in a nonconference game.

    At No. 8 was Oregon, followed by Notre Dame and Texas.

    No. 11 Oklahoma and No. 12 BYU would be the first two teams out in this week’s bracket due to the automatic spots handed to the ACC (Miami) and the highest-ranked league leader out of the Group of 5 conferences, which is now an honor that belongs to South Florida, ranked at No. 24.

    “They’ve always been part of (the conversation),” Rhoades said of the Bulls. “South Florida is the most consistent of the Group of 5, to date.”

    The final bracket comes out Dec. 7, with the 12-team playoff beginning Dec. 19 and closing a month later with the title game.

    Indiana-A&M and Texas Tech-Ole Miss are two toughest calls

    Rhoades said the decision to keep Indiana at No. 2 over Texas A&M provoked the committee’s second-longest conversation.

    The Hoosiers needed last-second heroics to win at Penn State, while the Aggies got a romp on the road at Missouri.

    “Certainly, discussion about those two games, but also discussion about body of work,” Rhoades said. “There was conversation about Missouri. Missouri is a really good team but not the team they’ve been,” due to injuries at quarterback.

    The longest conversation involved moving Texas Tech a spot past Ole Miss.

    “Texas Tech’s win this last weekend — really convincing,” Rhoades said.

    Conference watch

    ACC: Of the five teams in the conference ranked 15-22, maybe No. 22 Pitt is the team to watch. The Panthers have a 7-2 record with games against Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and Miami the next three weeks. Winning any two of those might give them a chance at somehow getting into the bracket.

    Big Ten: Outside of the top three, there are no sure things. No. 18 Michigan would work its way into the conversation with a win over you-know-who at the end of the month, and No. 17 USC has a season-making game at Oregon on Nov. 22.

    Big 12: There’s Texas Tech. And then there’s BYU (8-1). And then there’s No. 13 Utah (7-2), the team the Cougars beat last month and seem destined to stay ahead of if they finish with one loss and the Utes finish with two. Only two — and perhaps only one — will make it.

    SEC: No wonder the conference wants to do away with automatic qualifiers. A&M, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi feel like locks. Texas, Oklahoma and No. 14 Vanderbilt all control their own destiny. (Especially OU, which is at Alabama this week.)

    Group of 5: With early wins over Boise State and Florida, South Florida looked like a good bet to earn that fifth conference-champion slot earlier in the season, and reclaimed the position after Memphis lost to Tulane last week.

    The projected first-round matchups

    No. 12 South Florida at No. 5 Georgia: How many teams have won at the Swamp and between the hedges in the same year … or ever?

    No. 11 Miami at No. 6 Texas Tech: ‘Canes won last meeting 45-10 in 1990, and closed that season with a 46-3 drubbing of Texas in the Cotton Bowl.

    No. 10 Texas at No. 7 Ole Miss: They haven’t played since UT joined the SEC last year.

    No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 8 Oregon: Unfinished business from their 13-13 tie in 1982, Gerry Faust’s second season with the Irish.

    ___

    Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • No. 10 Florida holds off rival Florida State 78-76

    [ad_1]

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Thomas Haugh had 20 points and 13 rebounds, Boogie Fland added 18 points and No. 10 Florida handed rival Florida State its first loss under new coach Luke Loucks, 78-76 on Tuesday night.

    The defending national champions nearly squandered a nine-point lead in the final six-plus minutes before making enough plays down the stretch to extend their winning streak in the series to five.

    Fland hit two free throws with 15.8 seconds remaining to put Florida (2-1) up 76-73, and Robert McCray V missed 3-point attempt on the other end. Alex Condon, who committed three turnovers that allowed the Seminoles (2-1) to rally late, seemingly closed it out by hitting two free throws with five seconds left.

    But it wasn’t over until Chauncey Wiggins’ 80-foot shot came up short. Wiggins got a chance because Haugh missed two free throws.

    McCray scored nine consecutive points for Florida State down the stretch, but he missed the second of two free throws with 17 seconds to go. He finished with 29 points. Wiggins added 11, and Kobe MaGee chipped in 14 points and nine rebounds.

    Florida dominated the boards, finishing with a 58-36 rebounding advantage.

    Rueben Chinyelu had 10 points and 16 rebounds for the Gators. Condon added 11 points, six rebounds and six turnovers.

    The Gators trailed 40-35 early in the second half and looked to be in trouble as they couldn’t get any long-range shots to fall. They missed 18 of 21 from 3-point range before Fland got hot.

    Fland hit two 3s in a two-minute span, the first being his first of the season and the second bouncing off the side of the rim and the backboard before dropping through the net.

     

    Up next

    Florida State hosts UT Martin on Tuesday night.

    Florida plays Miami in nearby Jacksonville on Sunday.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Ohio State gets top billing in opening College Football Playoff rankings; Indiana, Texas A&M next

    [ad_1]

    The closest thing resembling drama for the first big reveal of this season’s College Football Playoff rankings hinged on which undefeated team would receive top billing.

    Answer: The defending champions at Ohio State.

    The Buckeyes took the top spot in the first set of 2025 rankings Tuesday night, followed by Indiana and Texas A&M.

    In choosing the two Big Ten teams ahead of Texas A&M, the 12-person committee appeared to give less weight to A&M’s tougher schedule and its 41-40 win over tenth-ranked Notre Dame and more to the way the Buckeyes and Hoosiers have mowed down opponents this year, with only two games between the two of them decided by less than 10 points.

    “I think statistically when we looked at A&M defensively, they’re just lower than both Ohio State and Indiana,” committee chair Mack Rhoades said. “We had to make a hard decision, and you’re trying to find separators, and that was a separator for us.”

    Another team with no losses, BYU of the Big 12, was ranked seventh.

    Nos. 4, 5 and 6 went to Southeastern Conference teams with one loss each — Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. All of the top six came from either the Big Ten or SEC, a dose of business as usual despite a season that has been anything but predictable.

    This marked the first of six weekly rankings the committee will release this season, ending Dec. 7 when the final list will set the bracket for the second 12-team playoff in major college football history.

    That tournament begins Dec. 19-20 with four games on the campus of seeds No. 5-8. The top four seeds play winners of those games over the New Year holiday and the title game is set for Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium outside Miami.

    Texas Tech was ranked eighth and Oregon came in at No. 9. Rounding out the top 12 were Notre Dame — the only team in the Top 25 not from a power conference — then Texas and Oklahoma.

    But if the bracket were set today, the Longhorns and Sooners would miss out,- bumped by No. 14 Virginia of the ACC and Memphis of the American. That’s thanks to a rule that places the five best-ranked conference champions into the bracket even if they’re not in the top 12.

    Memphis wasn’t among the committee’s top 25 but was still the highest ranked leader in a Group of Five conference.

    There is, of course, plenty of time for teams to make their cases, with four more weeks of the regular season, then a slate of conference title games set for the first weekend in December.

    “If we go back to last year, Arizona State wasn’t even in the rankings for our first two rankings,” Rhoades said of the Sun Devils, who won the Big 12 and made the field. “Again, to everybody out there, this is the first ranking and still a lot of ball left to be played.”

    The final tally in the top 12: The SEC has six teams, the Big Ten three, the Big 12 two, and the ACC none, with one independent.

    Among those still holding out hope are teams such as 16th-ranked Vanderbilt and 17th-ranked Georgia Tech, each of whom spent time in the AP top 10 this season thanks to upsets that turned college football upside down in September and October.

    The first-round matchups based on CFP rankings

    — No. 12 Memphis at No. 5 Georgia, winner vs. No. 4 Alabama. You can almost hear SEC commissioner Greg Sankey breaking his TV wondering how an unranked team is in here over one of his.

    — No. 11 Virginia at No. 6 Ole Miss, winner vs. No. 3 Texas A&M. Virginia’s only Top 25 meeting this season was against Florida State, which does not resemble a Top 25 team now.

    — No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 7 BYU, winner vs. No. 2 Indiana. The Fighting Irish have to hope some of the teams immediately below them — like Texas and Oklahoma — do not put up impressive wins since they close with Navy, Pitt, Syracuse and Stanford.

    — No. 9 Oregon at No. 8 Texas Tech, winner vs. No. 1 Ohio State. A Booster Bowl pitting teams backed by billionaires Phil Knight (Ducks) and Cody Campbell (Red Raiders).

    Tweaks in this year’s bracket

    The biggest change in the setup of this year’s bracket was eliminating the first-round bye for the four best conference champions. It would mean that Virginia, instead of jumping from a No. 14 ranking to a No. 3 seed, would be seeded 11th with a road game against Mississippi.

    Rhoades also spent time discussing Oregon, which is ranked sixth in the AP poll but ninth in the playoff rankings. The Ducks’ best win this year was a 20-point victory over Northwestern, while its double-overtime win at Penn State early in the season has become less impressive as last year’s semifinalist fell apart.

    “When we looked at and evaluated Oregon, we really looked at the quality of the team and how they looked on film,” Rhoades said.

    ___

    Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Florida State has 5 rushing TD in 42-7 rout of Wake Forest

    [ad_1]

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Tommy Castellanos threw for 271 yards and had one of Florida State’s five rushing touchdowns in a 42-7 rout of Wake Forest on Saturday.

    Sam Singleton had 14 carries for 91 yards and a 10-yard touchdown as the Seminoles (4-4, 1-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) halted a four-game slide and earned their first ACC victory since a 14-9 win over California on Sept. 21, 2024.

    Gavin Sawchuk added a pair of 1-yard TD runs, while tight end Randy Pittman had a 7-yard TD run out of the wildcat formation.

    Castellanos completed 12 of 16 passes for 217 yards, connecting with Duce Robinson five times for 148 yards and an 11-yard touchdown.

    Robby Ashford completed 12 of 21 passes for 93 yards and ran 12 times for 59 yards for Wake Forest (5-3, 2-3), which was coming off an upset of SMU.

    The takeaway

    Wake Forest: The Deacons had a pair of long runs erased by holding calls, among six first-half penalties. Wake trailed 14-0 at the half and finished with just 247 total yards

    Florida State: The Seminoles, who hadn’t won a power-conference game since the opener against Alabama, dominated and quieted the criticism of coach Mike Norvell.

    Up next

    Wake Forest plays at Virginia on Saturday.

    Florida State plays at Clemson on Saturday.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • No. 5 Georgia rallies and escapes with a 24-20 victory against Florida

    [ad_1]

    JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Gunner Stockton threw two touchdown passes, Chauncey Bowens scored on a late 36-yard run and No. 5 Georgia escaped the rivalry known as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” with a 24-20 victory against Florida on Saturday.

    It was the Bulldogs’ fifth consecutive victory in the series and their eighth in the last nine meetings. But this one was closer than any of those others. 

    Georgia stopped Florida on a fourth-and-1 at the Bulldogs 18-yard line with a little less than eight minutes to play, a momentum-turning moment in a back-and-forth game. Stockton and Zachariah Branch took over from there, putting Georgia (7-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) in position for its fourth come-from-behind victory in six league games.

    Bowens darted up the middle following the duo’s second connection and scampered untouched to the end zone.

    Florida (3-5, 2-3) had a chance late, but DJ Lagway’s deep pass short-hopped intended receiver J. Michael Sturdivant. Sturdivant got behind the defense and probably would have scored had the pass not been badly underthrown.

    Stockton, a noted alligator hunter in the offseason, completed 20 of 29 passes for 223 yards. Branch caught 10 passes for 112 yards. 

    Bowens and Nate Frazier combined for 115 yards on the ground.

    Florida played inspired football in its first game since firing coach Billy Napier. Receiver Eugene Wilson III was the biggest benefactor of Napier’s departure. He more than doubled his receiving yards on the season, finishing with nine catches for 121 yards and a touchdown.

    Interim coach Billy Gonzales made an aggressive call to go for it on fourth down, but giving the ball to Jadan Baugh up the middle was as predictable as anything Napier did in his four seasons with the Gators.

    Poll implications 

    Georgia avoided becoming another top-10 team to lose Saturday and should stay put in the top five. No. 9 Vanderbilt and No. 10 Miami lost on the road, with the Commodores falling at Texas and the Hurricanes dropping a game at SMU.

    Georgia loses two defenders 

    The Bulldogs lost two starting defenders in the first half.

    Defensive lineman Jordan Hall injured his right knee on Georgia’s first defensive series. Hall’s leg got slammed into when teammate Raylen Wilson tackled Eugene Wilson III over the middle. Hall was helped off the field and into the locker room. The team quickly ruled him out for the game.

    Defensive back KJ Bolden was ejected for targeting in the second half. He was penalized 15 yards for leading a tackle with his helmet.

    Florida receiver watches second half in a walking boot 

    Florida freshman receiver Dallas Wilson came out of the locker room after halftime wearing a walking boot on his right foot. Wilson caught one pass for 7 yards in the first half.

    He missed the first four games this season with a left foot injury. He scored three touchdowns in his first two college games but has been relatively quiet since.

    The takeaway 

    Georgia: The Bulldogs have too many holes to be considered a threat in the playoffs. Branch is the team’s only offensive star, and the Dawgs rank last in the SEC in sacks. 

    Florida: Trey Smack set a school record with his ninth career field goal of 50 yards or longer, breaking a tie with Caleb Sturgis. Smack’s 54-yarder in the fourth put the Gators ahead 20-17. 

    Up next 

    Georgia plays at Mississippi State next Saturday.

    Florida plays at Kentucky next Saturday.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Mississippi’s AD prepares again to keep Lane Kiffin

    [ad_1]

    OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi’s athletic director might go pretty far to keep Lane Kiffin away from Florida, LSU or any other high-profile college football job opening.

    But Keith Carter seems done attending hot yoga class with his coach.

    “He didn’t go this week,” Kiffin said with a grin during his weekly press conference. “He went in for the first time against Georgia but he says he’s not going now because we lost.”

    Both men have other priorities, anyway.

    Kiffin and the No. 7 Rebels (7-1, 4-1 SEC) host South Carolina (3-5, 1-5 SEC) on Saturday to continue their chase for a conference title and a berth in the College Football Playoff.

    For Carter, it’s the annual contract negotiation process as he tries again to turn away suitors for Kiffin.

    Kiffin has a six-year contract that has already been extended twice since 2022 and is scheduled for another renewal in early December that stretches into the next decade. Kiffin is set to make $9 million this season, 10th-highest in the country, and Carter has repeatedly said Ole Miss will do what it takes financially to keep Kiffin in Oxford.

    Carter said earlier this month he’d already been talking with Kiffin’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, and would “be proactive with working out a deal with Lane and Jimmy.”

    Carter grew up in the small town of Perryville, Arkansas, the son of a banker who emphasized that personal relationships were as critical to success as the accompanying finances. Carter remembered the life lesson while building his athletic reputation.

    Carter became an All-SEC and honorable mention All-American guard at Ole Miss in the late 1990s, playing on three NCAA Tournament teams. After a professional career in Italy, Carter joined the athletic department in 2009 and became the athletic director in 2019, approximately the same time Ole Miss named a new chancellor, Dr. Glenn Boyce.

    Kiffin’s hiring in 2020 was the first of several shrewd hires but was criticized at the time. Kiffin’s best success as a head coach had been a pair of Conference USA titles at Florida Atlantic.

    Kiffin had missed out on openings at Power Five schools after high-profile exits from the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, Southern Cal and Alabama. He had a reputation as an offensive savant but was candid regarding the need for changes in his personal life.

    Carter identified with Kiffin personally, especially regarding overlooked talent and rejection. Growing up in Arkansas, Carter was bypassed as a recruit by the talent-laded Razorbacks and joined a struggling Ole Miss basketball program, lifting them to a pair of SEC division titles, national rankings and NCAA Tournament play.

    Since the Kiffin hire, Carter has shored up his program by repeating the script in the hire of men’s basketball coach Chris Beard, who left Texas after charges of domestic violence. The charges were dropped shortly afterward and an exonerated Beard rewarded Carter by leading the Rebels to a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament appearance last season.

    Carter emphasizes advantages offered at Ole Miss, such as first-class facilities and a friendly fan base. His son, Knox, is the quarterback of the Oxford High Chargers, coached by Chris Cutcliffe, the son of former Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe, whose reputation as a quarterback “whisperer” includes Peyton and Eli Manning.

    The lifestyle pace of Oxford is slower than most major college towns. The daily media demands are less and the smaller group of sports writers have personable relationships with Kiffin, especially compared with other SEC schools. Kiffin’s eccentricities, such as an extensive social media presence, are not just tolerated, but embraced and celebrated by Ole Miss fans.

    When asked if Kiffin, Carter and Boyce have an atypical relationship among staff members, Kiffin quickly agreed.

    “Dr. Boyce and Keith have been amazing. They’ve done everything they can to help us win and I’ve been very appreciative of them as my two bosses and my friends. They’ve been amazing people for me to be around and I consider them really good friends.”

    Good enough that Kiffin understands if Carter won’t join him for hot yoga sessions anymore.

    “It’s not about who is the best in there,” Kiffin said. “But maybe we liked getting Keith in there and watching him struggle.”

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • LSU fires coach Brian Kelly in the 4th season of his 10-year, $100 million deal

    [ad_1]

    NEW ORLEANS — LSU fired coach Brian Kelly during the fourth season of a 10-year contract worth about $100 million, athletic director Scott Woodward announced Sunday night.

    The move comes on the heels of Saturday night’s 49-25 loss to No. 3 Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium — a second straight loss, and third in four games for LSU (5-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference).

    “When Coach Kelly arrived at LSU four years ago, we had high hopes that he would lead us to multiple SEC and national championships during his time in Baton Rouge,” Woodward said. “Ultimately, the success at the level that LSU demands simply did not materialize.”

    Associate head coach Frank Wilson, who also serves as a running backs coach, has been tapped as the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season.

    Kelly was hired away from Notre Dame when his predecessor, Ed Orgeron, stepped down following the 2021 regular season.

    He has gone 34-14 with the Tigers, even taking LSU to the 2022 SEC title game. But LSU did not qualify for the College Football Playoff in his first three seasons, and was virtually eliminated from contention with its loss to the Aggies.

    The playoff was expanded from four to 12 teams for the 2024 season.

    “I will not compromise in our pursuit of excellence and we will not lower our standards,” said Woodward, an LSU graduate who was hired to his current post in 2019, the same year the Tigers won their last national title under Orgeron.

    Orgeron left after not posting a winning record during his final two seasons.

    While Kelly did not coach LSU to a playoff berth, he oversaw quarterback Jayden Daniels’ development into a Heisman Trophy winner in 2023.

    “I am confident in our ability to bring to Baton Rouge an outstanding leader, teacher and coach, who fits our culture and community and who embraces the excellence that we demand,” Woodward said.

    LSU could have to pay Kelly more than $52 million to not coach through 2031, but the precise figure was unclear on Sunday night.

    “We will continue to negotiate his separation and will work toward a path that is better for both parties,” Woodward said.

    The development is an awkward one for Woodward, who was Texas A&M’s athletic director when that university hired Jimbo Fisher, only to have to buy him out for a historic $77 million after he struggled to win consistently during his six seasons there from 2018 to 2023.

    Kelly, 64, has coached in the top tier of Division I college football since being hired by Central Michigan in 2004.

    In the 22 years since, he has gone 200-76, including a 34-6 record at Cincinnati and a 113-40 record at Notre Dame.

    He was lured away from Notre Dame by Woodward, who saw Kelly as a coach who could win a national title if he had access to the resources at an SEC power like LSU, where the previous three coaches — Nick Saban, Les Miles and Orgeron — all had won national championships.

    But Kelly’s arrival at LSU also overlapped with a major paradigm shift in the sport: the advent of the transfer portal, which allowed players to more freely jump to different schools from year to year without having to sit out a season, and the approval to pay players for the use of their name, image and likeness.

    Last offseason, LSU launched a campaign to dramatically increase funding available to pay players, and the Tigers brought in numerous transfers to step into starting roles, particularly on the offensive line, defensive line and secondary.

    The Tigers also were able to lure 2024 starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who was eligible for the NFL draft, to return for his senior season, further raising expectations that LSU would contend for a CFP berth.

    Instead, LSU not only has lost to Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and A&M, but the three power conference teams the Tigers have beaten — Clemson, Florida and South Carolina — all currently have losing records.

    ___

    Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Kansas’ defense stymies UCF to escape with 27-20 win

    [ad_1]

    ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Kansas’ defense came up with two decisive plays near the goal line, setting up the Jayhawks’ go-ahead touchdown with a strip sack and fumble recovery to stop UCF on three consecutive plays from the 1 with less than two minutes remaining to help Kansas beat the Knights 27-20 on Saturday night.

    Kansas’ Trey Lathan recovered a fumble at the 2 late in the third quarter off a strip sack from Jalen Dye, setting up the go-ahead 2-yard touchdown run from Leshon Williams. Lathan then tackled Cam Fancher on fourth-and-goal from the 1 with 1:47 to secure the victory.

    “You are expecting to lose in that situation,” Lathan said. “But when you come out with a W, it’s a great feeling.”

    Kansas (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) lost last week’s game to Cincinnati after a goal line battle, ending with a Bearcats’ 2-yard touchdown run with 30 seconds remaining.

    UCF drove to the Kansas 22 after getting the ball back, but four straight incompletions that included a pass breakup in the end zone by Austin Alexander, ended the Knights’ final threat.

    Kansas erased an early 14-0 lead from UCF (3-2, 0-2) after Myles Montgomery and the Knights ran all over the Jayhawks in the first half.

    Jalon Daniels led the charge for Kansas, throwing for 235 yards on 18-for-26 passing. Williams rushed for 58 yards and three touchdowns for the Jayhawks.

    “These guys are growing,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “I think this can be a big one for them to gain some confidence.”

    Montgomery rushed for 99 of his 110 yards in the first half, scoring two touchdowns to stake the Knights to an early lead.

    UCF’s Tayven Jackson finished with 97 yards on 14-for-23 passing. He left the game after his turnover and came out of the locker room with his left arm in a sling. Coach Scott Frost said X-rays on his shoulder were negative.

    Fancher, who started UCF’s opening game against Jacksonville State before leaving with an injury, completed 8 of 14 passes for 79 yards.

    The Knights could not find answers in the second half and lost for the second straight game.

    “I think we’re one of the most talented teams in the Big 12, we’ve just got to finish,” UCF receiver Duane Thomas Jr. said. “We have to play a complete football game. We can’t go out the first two quarters and lay down the next two.”

    Off Suspension

    Part of the shift in the game came from Kansas linebacker Bangally Kamara, who was coming off suspension in the first half after a second-half targeting penalty last week against Cincinnati. Kamara finished with four tackles and provided a boost for the Jayhawks’ defense.

    Memorializing Coach Clark

    Both teams stayed on the field after pregame warmups for a moment of silence to recognize UCF offensive line coach Shawn Clark. Clark passed away Sept. 21. He joined UCF’s staff after five years as the head coach at Appalachian State.

    Fighting through injury

    Several players for Kansas were fighting through injury, including Williams. The biggest was to kicker Laith Marjan, who made two field goals. His 41-yarder in the third quarter just made it over the crossbar, clipping it before going through.

    Leipold admitted Marjan was probably a bit fatigued after he kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds following the short field goal.

    The Takeaway

    Kansas: The Jayhawks have been known for their offense throughout the season, but their defense stepped up in a big way to stymie the Knights.

    UCF: The Knights will again face quarterback questions after Jackson left the game with an injury. Jackson left last week’s game with a shoulder injury. Backup quarterback Jacurri Brown also missed the game with a shoulder injury.

    Up Next

    Kansas travels to face No. 11 Texas Tech on Saturday.

    UCF hits the road to face Cincinnati on Saturday.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • No. 3 Miami holds off No. 18 Florida State, 28-22

    [ad_1]

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Carson Beck threw four touchdown passes — two apiece to Malachi Toney and CJ Daniels — and No. 3 Miami held off No. 18 Florida State 28-22 on Saturday niht.

    Miami’s offensive line mostly kept Beck’s jersey clean, and the senior completed 20 of 27 passes for 241 yards.

    A true freshman, Toney caught seven passes for 107 yards for the Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). They won their first road game of the season and captured a third win over an Associated Press Top 25 team (Notre Dame, South Florida and Florida State).

    Florida State’s Tommy Castellanos threw two interceptions, both leading to drives where Miami scored touchdowns. The Seminoles (3-2, 0-2) also fumbled, although the turnover didn’t lead to any points.

    A week after focus and turnovers were a problem for Florida State with three turnovers in the double overtime loss at Virginia, the sloppy plays again popped up.

    Miami led 28-3 going into the fourth quarter. Castellanos then connected with Lawayne McCoy and Randy Pittman on a pair of touchdown passes. The Seminoles added a 35-yard field-goal attempt to cut it to 28-22 with 20 seconds to go.

    Florida State attempted an onside kick after each score but was unable to recover.

    The takeaway

    Miami stopped Florida State on seven straight drives — four punts and three turnovers. The Seminoles were held to a season-low 22 points.

    Florida State accumulated 230 rushing yards or more in its first four games, but was held to 132 yards on 38 carries (3.5 yards per carry) against Miami.

    Up next

    Florida State: Hosts Pittsburgh on Saturday

    Miami: Hosts Louisville on Oct. 17.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Gramatica’s kick lifts USF to an 18-16 upset at No. 13 Florida

    [ad_1]

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Nico Gramatica hit a 20-yard field goal as time expired and South Florida stunned No. 13 Florida 18-16 on Saturday to give the Bulls consecutive wins against ranked opponents to start the season.

    Gramatica missed a 58-yarder with 2:52 remaining but got a chance to redeem himself after Florida defensive lineman Brandon Bett spit at a South Florida player on the Bulls’ next possession. Bett was ejected with a little more than two minutes to play, and the Bulls (2-0) got 15 yards and an automatic first down to spark an 87-yard drive.

    It was the latest setback for embattled Florida coach Billy Napier, whose team is 1-1 for the fourth consecutive year.

    The Gators looked as though they would rally after freshman Vernell Brown III returned a punt 40 yards to set up DJ Lagway’s lone touchdown pass. But the Gators flopped down the stretch, an all-too-familiar feeling during Napier’s tenure.

    Napier’s play-calling was scrutinized as much as Lagway’s rehabilitated throwing shoulder, and the Gators found themselves trailing 15-9 in the fourth quarter following a defensive breakdown and a safety caused by a poor snap.

    Poll implications

    The Bulls will break into the AP Top 25 College Football Poll after upsetting then-No. 25 Boise State last week. The Gators surely will drop.

    The takeaway

    South Florida became only the third unranked team since 2000 to start 2-0 by beating two ranked teams, joining 2012 Oregon State and 2008 East Carolina.

    Florida: The Gators have bigger issues than Lagway’s rust. Their offensive line allowed too much pressure and failed to create enough holes against USF.

    Up next

    South Florida: Plays at No. 5 Miami next Saturday, the Bulls’ third consecutive game against a ranked team.

    Florida: Plays at No. 3 LSU next Saturday. The Gators last won in Baton Rouge in 2016.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • FSU baseball hosts Stetson; events held to remember shooting victims

    [ad_1]

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State baseball returned to the field Tuesday in the school’s first sporting event in the wake of Thursday’s shooting that killed two people and injured others.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Seminoles, ranked No. 4 in the country, hosted Stetson at Dick Howser Stadium

    • It was the first sporting event at the school since last week’s fatal shooting

    • First responders and health care workers were honored during the game

    The Seminoles, ranked No. 4 in the country, hosted Stetson at Dick Howser Stadium.

    A “period of reflection” was held before the first pitch.

    In a news release, the baseball program said, “With FSU faculty, staff and students welcomed onto the field, a moment of silence will be held, the Marching Chiefs will play, and a doctor from Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s trauma surgery team will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.”


    During the fourth inning of the game, first responders and health care workers were to be recognized.

    Free hot dogs were made available for early-arriving fans, courtesy of FSU President Richard McCullough’s Office, the program said.

    Limited tickets were available for FSU students.

    The game was to be broadcast on the ACC Network (Spectrum channel 99).

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum News Staff

    Source link