Latest news with #BigTen
USA Today
7 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
The Sporting News predicts Alabama's 2025 season, CFP fate in Year 2 under Kalen DeBoer
The 2025 college football season is just over two months away, and The Sporting News is among several national media outlets making its prediction for the Alabama Crimson Tide in Year 2 under coach Kalen DeBoer. Alabama finished 9-4 last season, hardly the worst start for a coach tasked with enormous expectations following the retirement of Nick Saban. But a stunning loss to Vanderbilt after the Crimson Tide's rollercoaster win over Georgia, followed by a pair of ugly losses down the stretch to Oklahoma and a Michigan team that was a shell of its 2023 self, left something of a sour taste to close 2024. DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb will have to break in a new quarterback in Ty Simpson, but Alabama has a lot of talent returning in 2025 -- particularly in the wide receiver room with Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard leading the way, and in the secondary with cornerbacks Zabien Brown and Domani Jackson, and safeties Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard. The Crimson Tide also have an incoming freshman class that ranks in the top five in recruiting. Earlier this week, the Sporting News made its 12-team playoff predictions for the 2025 season. In the outlet's preseason projections, Alabama makes the College Football Playoff as the No. 7 seed and hosts a first-round playoff game against the Miami Hurricanes at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Per Bender: "Kalen DeBoer gets the Crimson Tide back in the College Football Playoff in his second season, and the Hurricanes are the at-large bid for the ACC. That means Carson Beck delivers as the new starting quarterback, and Mario Cristobal avoids a season-altering upset." A return trip to Tuscaloosa would mark Beck's second game in Bryant-Denny Stadium in as many seasons. As Georgia's starter in 2023 and '24, Beck went 0-2 against Alabama, including last year's 41-34 thriller on Sept. 28 that was clinched by a game-saving interception from the freshman Brown. For its part, Miami looked to be a lock for the ACC Championship Game last year under Heisman Trophy finalist and No. 1 overall NFL draft pick Cam Ward, but the Hurricanes lost its regular season finale in an upset at Syracuse. The Sporting News sees Alabama taking on defending national champion Ohio State in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026. That means a matchup against former 5-star Crimson Tide QB commit Julian Sayin. "The Buckeyes are in the Rose Bowl for the second straight season as the Big Ten champion, and Alabama would be a formidable matchup. Julian Sayin -- who decommitted from Alabama after Nick Saban retired -- would be the center of attention in this matchup assuming he wins the starting job for the Buckeyes." Bender sees Alabama falling to the Buckeyes in Pasadena as part of his overall prediction that Ryan Day's team will return to the national championship game for a second year in a row; this time in a matchup against Texas at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Jan. 20. Alabama football schedule 2025 Alabama opens the 2025 season against Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Aug. 30. Kickoff was announced earlier this spring for 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ABC. Here's the rest of the 2025 Alabama football schedule with updated start times. All times Central. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
7 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
How many Big Ten basketball players were selected in the 2025 NBA Draft?
A total of 10 Big Ten basketball players were selected in the first and second rounds of the 2025 NBA draft on Wednesday and Thursday. Headlined by Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, the Big Ten witnessed eight of its players selected in the first round -- a new conference record. Harper, who averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 32.6 minutes per game for the Scarlet Knights, was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 2 overall pick on Wednesday. His teammate, 6-foot-10 guard/forward Ace Bailey, went No. 5 to the Utah Jazz just minutes later. While both players were projected to land within the draft's lottery, the conference also produced six more high-profile draftees before the beginning of the second round on Thursday. Most notably, the New Orleans Pelicans traded an unprotected first-round pick from the 2026 NBA draft to the Atlanta Hawks for an opportunity to select Maryland big man Derik Queen, the 2024-25 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. New Orleans' decision to shop the pick, which could morph into a No. 1, No. 2, or No. 3 overall selection, epitomizes the franchise's confidence in the 20-year-old. The Miami Heat went on to select Illinois' do-it-all combo guard Kasparas Jakučionis at No. 20, followed by Utah's selection of Fighting Illini center Will Riley at No. 21 and the Orlando Magic's pick of Michigan State guard Jase Richardson at No. 25. The Brooklyn Nets then snagged Michigan big Danny Wolf at No. 27, before the Los Angeles Clippers claimed Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser at No. 30 to round out the first round. While the second round did not produce nearly as many Big Ten talents as the first, the most notable selection of the two-day event for Badger fans arrived late in the second round. After the Thunder selected Northwestern guard Brooks Barnizer at No. 44, Badger star John Tonje heard his name called by the Jazz at No. 53. With the pick, Tonje became the first Badger drafted since Johnny Davis went No. 10 overall to the Washington Wizards in 2022, plus second since Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker were picked in the first round of the 2015 draft. Tonje projects to suit up alongside fellow Big Ten alumnus Bailey during the 2025-26 campaign in Salt Lake City. He'll need to earn his minutes on a competitive second unit. Harper, Bailey, Queen, Richardson and Wolf will likely play a considerable number of minutes for their franchises, while Jakučionis, Niederhauser, Tonje, Barnhizer and Riley will look to earn opportunities. Nonetheless, the 2025 bunch symbolizes the sheer depth in talent across a loaded 18-team conference. The 2026 draft projects to produce another 10 Big Ten representatives, including Badgers center Nolan Winter. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Business
- USA Today
Big Ten and PayPal announce partnership for direct revenue share payments
We all know and love PayPal, and now it appears as though the popular payment platform has entered into an agreement with the Big Ten to be the official payment system for direct revenue-share payments to athletes. This is on the heels of the House Settlement that not only provides the distribution of a settlement to past athletes, but also paves the way for direct revenue share payments to athletes going forward. For Ohio State's part, Athletic Director Ross Bjork announced that the $20.5 million allotted for payments will fund all scholarships, then split between four sports; football, men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball. It's not just the Big Ten that announced the arrangement with PayPal, but the Big 12 as well. 'We're proud to help lead this transformation in college athletics by making it easier and faster for student-athletes to receive funds and continue to bring trusted and innovative commerce solutions to the heart of campus life,' said Alex Chriss, President and CEO, PayPal in a statement. 'From receiving institutional payments to making everyday purchases, we're helping student-athletes, families, and schools engage in new ways that are modern, secure, and built for the future.' 'We look forward to partnering with PayPal to ensure a secure, rapid and reliable way for student-athletes to receive institutional payments as we welcome in this new era in college athletics,' said Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti, also in a statement. I still can't believe we are at this point in college athletics, but time to embrace it and move forward. It's a good thing that these kids are getting what they've deserved for a long, long time. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
Fox Sports
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 CFB Predictions, Picks: Back Penn State To Surpass Win Total
The college football season will be here before you know it. I usually dive into the deep end of the pigskin pool immediately after the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals are finito, so here we are. There aren't many moves I'm ready to make for Week 1 yet — I do love Over 54.5 total points in the Miami-Notre Dame — but I've done a good amount of work on regular season win totals and the power conference betting markets. Here are three future bets I like right now. Clemson to win ACC There aren't many higher on the Tigers than me. I'm far from a "Clemson guy," but Dabo Swinney's offense is loaded with skill and speed, and the Tigers have a first-round quarterback in Cade Klubnik. Sure, it's a younger group of skill position guys, but the talent is serious. And you already know there are four or five NFL players on defense. The ACC should be a two-horse race between Clemson and Miami, another team that's got gobs and gobs of talent. I currently have Clemson 4.5 points better on a neutral and that number might grow during the season. You'll have a nice middle shot if the Tigers are better than the market believes, and they are touchdown favorites or so in the ACC title game. PICK: Clemson (+120) to win ACC Penn State Over 10.5 wins A few people that I respect believe this is the most complete team James Franklin has ever had in Happy Valley. Obviously, that phrase gets overused in sports, but it's pretty difficult to disagree in this specific situation. The defense could be better than last year's and Penn State added a couple of legit receivers from the portal to go along with its returning quarterback Drew Allar, top two running backs and offensive coordinator. Stability is not an issue. One bettor flashed me a $5,000 ticket on Penn State to win the whole enchilada at 9/1. It'll pay $45,000 if it comes home. I certainly respect the play but just can't get there. My issue is that Franklin seems to find a way to flub a major decision in the biggest games. It's cruel, but fair. I'm pumping the brakes on a Big Ten title or national championship, believing it's a better bet to back the Nittany Lions to reach 11 wins. PICK: Penn State (+120) Over 10.5 wins Notre Dame Under 10.5 wins My "Bet Sweats" co-host Joe Ostrowski and I bet Notre Dame to win the national title at 10-1 a week before the College Football Playoff. We rode the wave over Indiana, Georgia and Penn State only to see the Irish get shoved against Ohio State in the championship game. Right size, wrong shape. The Irish are likely handing the keys on offense to freshman quarterback CJ Carr, a kid who is decidedly less experienced than transfers Sam Hartman and Riley Leonard were the last two seasons. And if Carr doesn't win the job, sophomore Kenny Minchey doesn't have much seasoning either. Notre Dame will run the ball a ton and their defense will carry the load for most games, but I can't ignore the quarterback youth or the schedule. And games against Miami, Texas A&M, Arkansas and USC are no walks in the park. PICK: Notre Dame (-140) Under 10.5 wins Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and the BetMGM Network. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Three years after USC and UCLA led mass defections, Pac-12 adds Texas State as 8th member
Three years after USC and UCLA triggered a mass exodus by bolting for the Big Ten, the Pac-12 has extended an invitation to Texas State to give the conference eight football-playing members. Texas State, currently part of the Sun Belt Conference, is expected to accept the offer Monday, according to several media outlets. The school would join the Pac-12 in July 2026. Advertisement USC and UCLA transformed the college sports landscape by leaving the Pac-12 on June 30, 2022, citing the Big Ten's $8-billion media-rights deal as the primary motivation. Ten Pac-12 teams eventually departed, leaving only Washington State and Oregon State as members. The Pac-12 contemplated folding, but instead added five state schools from the Mountain West Conference and Gonzaga, a private, non-football playing school from the West Coast Conference. When it accepts the invitation, Texas State will be the next addition. The school made its first bowl appearance in the program's 121-year history in 2023, defeating Rice in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. The Bobcats won the same bowl in 2024, this time against North Texas. Read more: Full coverage: USC, UCLA leaving Pac-12 to join Big Ten Advertisement Texas State will give the Pac-12 eight football-playing teams, the minimum number of members to continue as an NCAA conference. Although long in the shadow of Texas, Southern Methodist, Texas Christian, Texas A&M, Baylor and Texas Tech, Texas State is a growing university located in San Marcos, a booming suburb located on Interstate 35 about halfway between Austin and San Antonio. The Bobcats also bring a reasonably strong portfolio of non-revenue sports, having won an award as the top-performing school in the Sun Belt across all sports in three of the last four years. The Pac-12 had courted Memphis as the eighth football-playing school, but Memphis athletic director Ed Scott told the Memphis Commercial Appeal a week ago that the school was working to join a Power 4 conference — a nonofficial term for the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, four conferences that operate with relative autonomy. 'I know [Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould is] worried about finding her eighth full member," Scott said. "I'm worried about trying to get us into a Power 4 conference. That is our first goal, unequivocally. That's always been our goal.' Advertisement The Pac-12 has long lagged in media exposure, especially on television, but on Monday announced a multimedia deal with CBS as the anchor partner from 2026 to 2031. Texas State was encouraged by the TV deal, and the Pac-12 was under pressure to add the Bobcats before July 1, when their exit fee from the Sun Belt would double from $5 million to $10 million. Read more: 'It was a real blessing': Ben Howland remains grateful long after leaving UCLA Under the deal, CBS will broadcast a minimum of four football and men's basketball games per season on its main network and provide a cable and streaming presence. All Washington State and Oregon State games will be broadcast on The CW, CBS or ESPN this fall. The new deal with CBS and other media partners would begin in 2026 when Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State and Gonzaga join the Pac-12 along with Texas State. Texas State's move would trigger a domino effect, with the Sun Belt looking toward Conference USA for a replacement. Louisiana Tech, Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee have been mentioned as possibilities. Advertisement The new Pac-12 is expected to be strongest in men's basketball because of the inclusion of Gonzaga and San Diego State, but the conference could be solid in football as well. Boise State made the College Football Playoff last season, one of five schools joining the Pac-12 that played in a bowl. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
