Three huge matchups to kick off the college football season, the XFL, a new Australian Open agreement and two new “30 for 30” documentaries were announced Tuesday by ESPN as part of its presentation to advertisers in New York.
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — T.J. Finley once again spent spring practice battling for a starting job he'd previously held as an injury fill-in.
The Auburn quarterback and onetime LSU starter faces challenges after the Tigers brought in three potential contenders during the offseason, including two Power Five transfers: former Texas A&M starter Zach Calzada and Oregon's Robby Ashford.
Miami is hiring Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis to run new coach Mario Cristobal’s offense with the Hurricanes.
A person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Sunday that Gattis was leaving Michigan after three seasons to join Cristobal’s staff.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lincoln Riley says he didn't — and couldn't — talk to Caleb Williams between the day the coach left Oklahoma and the day his once-and-future star quarterback entered the transfer portal five weeks later.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA football coach Chip Kelly agreed to a new four-year contract Friday after leading the Bruins to their best season since 2015.
The agreement came two days before the $9 million buyout on Kelly’s original contract would have expired.
Dan Lanning was all-in as Oregon's new head coach the moment he stepped off the field from celebrating Georgia's national championship.
Lanning was hired by the Ducks last month, but first he finished out his run as defensive coordinator for the Bulldogs, who on Monday beat Alabama 33-18 for the national title.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Bob Stoops and Oklahoma were winners together again, just like old times.
Kennedy Brooks ran for 142 yards and three touchdowns, Caleb Williams passed for three more scores and the 14th-ranked Sooners rode a dominant first half to a 47-32 win over No.
Alamo Bowl: No. 14 Oklahoma (10-2) vs. No. 15 Oregon (10-3), Dec. 29, 9:15 Eastern ( ESPN).
Line: Oklahoma by 7, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Oklahoma heads into the Alamo Bowl against Oregon with all eyes on quarterback Caleb Williams, searching for answers about his future and whether it will be with the Sooners.
For now, the fact that he will play Wednesday night against the No.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning is leading a double life.
Early in the day, he is still locked into his current job, helping the third-ranked Bulldogs prepare for a College Football Playoff semifinal against No.
New Oregon coach Dan Lanning promises to bring a workmanlike mentality with him to Eugene.
“We will be relentless in our pursuit of excellence and we will be built on what we do, not what we say,” Lanning said.
Oregon hired Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning as head coach Saturday, completing a search for Mario Cristobal's replacement that took less than a week.
Cristobal was hired away from Oregon by Miami on Monday.
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada has hired Oregon co-defensive coordinator Ken Wilson as the Wolf Pack's new head coach.
Nevada athletic director Doug Knuth announced Friday that Wilson will take over the program after Jay Norvell accepted the head coaching job this week at Colorado State.
With everything Utah endured — and accomplished — this season, it's no surprise coach Kyle Whittingham was named The Associated Press Pac-12 Coach of the Year for 2021.
Utah is going to the Rose Bowl for the first time after defeating Oregon in the Pac-12 championship, a game the Utes reached after righting themselves following a rocky start on the field.
Just three days after losing the Pac-12 championship and their chance to salvage an up-and-down season with a Rose Bowl berth, the Oregon Ducks are looking for a new coach.
Mario Cristobal became the head coach at Miami on Monday, returning to his alma mater, and Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said his phone was “blowing up.”
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Mario Cristobal is going home again.
Cristobal is leaving Oregon and returning to Miami, accepting an offer to become head coach at his alma mater, where he won two national championships as a player.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Utah's football program has come a long way since the last time it faced Ohio State.
In 1986, the Utes were a struggling program in the Western Athletic Conference when they went to Columbus and were drilled 64-6 by the Buckeyes.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Oregon coach Mario Cristobal said he fully expects to be approached with job offers from other schools.
“It happens every single year,” Cristobal said after the 10th-ranked Ducks lost 38-10 to Utah in the Pac-12 title game on Friday night.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — As the Utah players celebrated the Pac-12 championship surrounded by roses and confetti, the memories of two teammates who couldn't share in the moment was paramount.
The past year marked by tragedy following the deaths of Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe will end with the long-coveted Rose Bowl bid.
Just 13 days after Utah knocked Oregon out of contention for a College Football Playoff berth, the two teams meet again to decide the Pac-12 champion.
The winner of Friday night's game in Las Vegas will be going to the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.
No. 10 Oregon (10-2, 7-2 Pac-12, No. 10 CFP) vs. No. 14 Utah (9-3, 8-1, No. 17), Friday at 8 p.m. EST (ABC) in Las Vegas.
Line: Utah by 2½, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Those conference championship upsets with the potential to create College Football Playoff chaos scenarios never actually happen.
As AP Top 25 college football poll voter Brett McMurphy of Action Network pointed out, only six teams that went into championship weekend holding a top-four spot in the selection committee's rankings did not end up making the field.
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — John Metchie caught a scoring pass from Bryce Young in the fourth overtime to give No. 3 Alabama a 24-22 comeback victory over rival Auburn on Saturday, rescuing the Crimson Tide’s national title hopes.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Oregon quarterback Anthony Brown Jr. got one chance to face rival Oregon State in his career with the Ducks, and he made it count.
Brown threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns while running for another score, and No.
While wounded, No. 11 Oregon can still play for another Pac-12 championship and a Rose Bowl berth.
But the Ducks (9-2, 6-2 Pac-12) have to get through Oregon State first.
Oregon is coming off a 38-7 loss last Saturday at Utah, which dropped the Ducks from No.
Oregon State (7-4, 5-3 Pac-12) at No. 11 Oregon (9-2, 6-2), Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST (ESPN).
Line: Oregon by 7, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Things to watch in Week 13 of the Pac-12 Conference:
GAME OF THE WEEK
Oregon State (7-4, 5-3 Pac-12) at Oregon (9-2, 6-2): The Ducks will capture the North Division and a spot in next week's championship game against Utah with a win in their annual rivalry game against the Beavers on Saturday.
Florida has been added to the lengthy list of schools looking for a head coach that already includes LSU and USC.
On the latest AP Top 25 College Football Podcast, Bruce Feldman from Fox joins the AP's Ralph Russo to discuss who is going to fill all these jobs.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah ended Oregon’s College Football Playoff hopes in dominant fashion. The Ducks’ 38-7 loss Saturday night also ended any chance the Pac-12 champion will claim one of the bids in the four-team playoff.
STARS
—C.J. Stroud, Ohio State, threw for 432 yards and six TDs as No. 5 Ohio State blew out No. 7 Michigan State 56-7
—Bryce Young, Alabama, passed for a school-record 559 yards and five TDs, and the No.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Britain Covey returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the first half, giving Utah 14 points in 27 seconds and a 28-0 lead, and the No. 24 Utes ended No. 4 Oregon’s College Football Playoff hopes with a 38-7 victory Saturday night.
No. 4 Oregon (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12, No. 3 CFP) at No. 24 Utah (7-3, 6-1, No. 23 CFP), Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EST (ABC).
Line: Utah by 3½, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham played it cool. He mentioned how this was just another game and how the Utes were treating it exactly as such.
That's a hard sell.
In reality, there’s a heap riding on Saturday night's clash between No.
Things to watch in Week 11 of the Pac-12 Conference:
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 4 Oregon (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12) at No. 24 Utah, Saturday. A potential preview of the Pac-12 Championship game could also have a huge impact on the College Football Playoff.
Georgia, Alabama, Oregon and Ohio State held their places in the College Football Playoff ranking Tuesday, with Cincinnati still sitting at fifth.
There was no movement in the selection committee's top seven after all those teams won last week.
For the Bruins and the Beavers, well, it's been a while.
Both UCLA and Oregon State are bowl eligible this season, ending extended droughts without a postseason appearance.
The Beavers (6-4, 4-3 Pac-12) haven't played in a bowl since 2013 — that's all the way back to Mike Riley's second stint as head coach.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux says it's at that point of the season where every team wants to knock off the Ducks.
Anthony Brown Jr. threw for 135 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 123 yards and another score as No.
WACO, Texas (AP) — Gerry Bohanon threw a touchdown pass and ran for two scores, Baylor’s defense constantly pressured Caleb Williams and Spencer Rattler and the No. 18 Bears beat No. 4 Oklahoma 27-14 on Saturday to end the Sooners’ nation’s-best 17-game winning streak.
Four games matching ranked teams in Week 11 could start bringing some clarity to the conference races Saturday.
In the Big 12, No. 4 Oklahoma (CFP No. 8) faces No. 18 Baylor (CFP No. 13) in the first game of a difficult stretch run for the unbeaten Sooners.
SEATTLE (AP) — Washington’s Bob Gregory already knew the drill as he stepped into the role of interim head coach for this week.
He did it once before when he was at Boise State, even if the result was a rather forgettable loss.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — No. 5 Oregon sure appears to be on a roll toward the Pac-12 North title and a spot in the conference championship game.
Beyond that, it's anyone's guess. But first the Ducks need to get past Washington State.