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Big Ten wins playoff selection derby, followed by SEC despite notable Alabama omission
Read full article: Big Ten wins playoff selection derby, followed by SEC despite notable Alabama omissionCollege football’s conference shakeup left concerns about two super conferences dominating the playoff field.
Unintended consequences: How NIL in college sports has raised questions about nonprofits
Read full article: Unintended consequences: How NIL in college sports has raised questions about nonprofitsThe entrance of name, image and likeness deals in college sports has raised questions about what it means to be a tax-exempt charitable organization.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey: 'Time to update your expectations for what college athletics can be'
Read full article: SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey: 'Time to update your expectations for what college athletics can be'Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey unofficially opened the league’s first football season as 16-team league in North Texas.
Proposal to create new tier for big-money college sports is just a start, NCAA president says
Read full article: Proposal to create new tier for big-money college sports is just a start, NCAA president saysA day after NCAA President Charlie Baker made an aggressive and potentially groundbreaking pitch to allow some schools to pay their athletes, his proposal was met with praise, caution and questions from around college sports.
AP Top 25 Takeaways: Turns out, Oklahoma's back; Tide rising in West; coaching malpractice at Miami
Read full article: AP Top 25 Takeaways: Turns out, Oklahoma's back; Tide rising in West; coaching malpractice at MiamiThe final Red River Rivalry in the Big 12 before it moves to the Southeastern Conference felt like a chance for No. 3 Texas to lay claim to being the best team in the country.
With Pac-12 unsettled, CFP managers meet to make difficult decision on number of reserved bids
Read full article: With Pac-12 unsettled, CFP managers meet to make difficult decision on number of reserved bidsCollege Football Playoff managers will meet this week at the Big Ten offices outside Chicago.
Realignment prompts fresh look at the number of automatic bids in 12-team College Football Playoff
Read full article: Realignment prompts fresh look at the number of automatic bids in 12-team College Football PlayoffThe conference commissioners who manage the College Football Playoff have met for the first time since a wave of realignment tore apart the Pac-12.
SEC to play 8-game conference football schedule in 2024; long-term model still TBD
Read full article: SEC to play 8-game conference football schedule in 2024; long-term model still TBDThe Southeastern Conference will play eight league games in 2024 when it expands to 16 teams with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas, but beyond that the schedule model is to be determined.
SEC puts emphasis on gambling after college sports roiled by multiple wagering scandals
Read full article: SEC puts emphasis on gambling after college sports roiled by multiple wagering scandalsA month highlighted by gambling-related firings and potential NCAA infractions in college sports motivated the Southeastern Conference to put extra emphasis on the issue at this week’s spring meetings.
SEC coaches' opinions on schedule debate range from overrated to undecided to ambivalence
Read full article: SEC coaches' opinions on schedule debate range from overrated to undecided to ambivalenceThe Southeastern Conference began four days of meetings on the Florida Gulf Coast for a second straight year, debating what to do with its football schedule.
8 or 9 conference games? SEC heads to spring meetings still debating schedule formats
Read full article: 8 or 9 conference games? SEC heads to spring meetings still debating schedule formatsSoutheastern Conference leaders will continue debating what to do with their football schedule when they meet in the Florida Panhandle next week.
CFP expansion 'not finished,' still working toward 12 in '24
Read full article: CFP expansion 'not finished,' still working toward 12 in '24The third in-person meeting of conference commissioners who manage the College Football Playoff since August ended without a resolution on expansion, but not without optimism.
CFP talks stall, dimming hopes of expansion before 2026
Read full article: CFP talks stall, dimming hopes of expansion before 2026College Football Playoff expansion talks remain stalled and the possibility of implementing a new format by the 2024 season dimmed after three days of meetings failed to produce an agreement.
SEC, Sankey agree to contract extension through 2026
Read full article: SEC, Sankey agree to contract extension through 2026The Southeastern Conference has extended the contract of Commissioner Greg Sankey, whose league is set to grab even more prominence and wealth with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas.
SEC welcomes Texas, Oklahoma after boards accept invitations
Read full article: SEC welcomes Texas, Oklahoma after boards accept invitationsAfter the boards of regents for the universities of Texas and Oklahoma voted Friday to accept invitations to the Southeastern Conference, the league announced the Big 12 rivals would start competing in the SEC in the fall of 2025.
SEC votes to admit Texas, Oklahoma -- in 2025
Read full article: SEC votes to admit Texas, Oklahoma -- in 2025The news comes after the SEC voted to invite UT and the University of Oklahoma to join its 14-member league during a meeting with the league members’ presidents and chancellors Thursday afternoon.
In AP survey, ADs raise worries about women's college sports
Read full article: In AP survey, ADs raise worries about women's college sportsA new AP survey of athletic directors and conversations with ADs and conference commissioners during March Madness show concern about what would happen to women's college sports under proposals that would put more money in the pockets of some athletes.
SEC on ABC: ESPN to be exclusive TV home, starting 2024
Read full article: SEC on ABC: ESPN to be exclusive TV home, starting 2024The deal makes ESPN the exclusive media rights holder of SEC football and men's basketball, and will end the conference's relationship with CBS after three decades. “So that’s a point of consistency.”The SEC football championship game will also air on ABC. The SEC and ESPN are already in the midst of a 20-year deal that includes a partnership on the SEC Network. For the first time, SEC games will be available to be slotted into ABC's Saturday Night prime-time slot, too. "So Saturday night, prime time on ABC is the highest profile window, the biggest stage in terms of college football.
Virus postponements hit SEC, Big Ten; 8 games across FBS
Read full article: Virus postponements hit SEC, Big Ten; 8 games across FBSAmong the three SEC games still on for this Saturday, Arkansas will visit No. Orgeron said he expects most of his players in quarantine due to contact tracing back next week. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said his team only had two positive cases as of Wednesday afternoon, but contact tracing had taken a toll. “Candidly, the numbers around contact tracing have emerged as one of our biggest challenges to playing. “The contact tracing has the potential to magnify even one positive test,” Sankey said.
SEC threatens fines, suspensions for breaking mask protocols
Read full article: SEC threatens fines, suspensions for breaking mask protocolsA Sept. 30 memo after the opening weekend of the SEC season included a reminder to coaches to be mindful of masking up and following other sideline protocols. According to the latest memo, going forward SEC schools will be “assessed a $100,000 reduction in Conference revenue” for failure to adhere to requirements. Repeat offenders will face an increase in lost revenue by $100,000 per offense and even suspensions, the memo said. The NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, earlier this week issued a similarly stern warning to follow protocols as the league grapples with positive cases. Georgia coach Kirby Smart acknowledged this week he had been talked to by the commissioner and others about keeping his mask on.
Former UGa player says he experienced racism, manipulation
Read full article: Former UGa player says he experienced racism, manipulationStill, Smarts Bulldogs may lean on their experienced defense in the pandemic-delayed season. Georgia, which is ranked fourth in the country, denied the allegations and said it would share its full response to Reese’s waiver application if he is granted permission. Reese released a statement Tuesday night on Twitter expressing frustration that his waiver had yet to be granted. Reese said he decided to transfer because his 1 1/2 years at Georgia “took a devastating mental toll on me. Another Georgia transfer, offensive lineman Cade Mays, is still awaiting a decision on whether he can play right away for Tennessee.
The Latest: Irish rugby ‘under threat’ unless without fans
Read full article: The Latest: Irish rugby ‘under threat’ unless without fans___Southeastern Conference teams can elect to cancel or reschedule games if they either don’t have 53 scholarship players available or can’t meet some position minimums. They can opt out if they don’t meet certain position minimums for available scholarship players, including seven offensive linemen, with one center, one quarterback and four defensive linemen. A school could opt to play with fewer players or position players available. The Irish government this week said clubs can let 200 fans attend matches in stadiums with capacities of more than 5,000. ___Indianapolis Motor Speedway will open to fans for the first time in 2020 for the IndyCar doubleheader Oct. 3-4.
Trump, coaches push for college football as cracks emerge
Read full article: Trump, coaches push for college football as cracks emerge(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)President Donald Trump joined a U.S. senator and a number of coaches Monday in the push to save the college football season from a pandemic-forced shutdown. There was speculation that two of the five most powerful conferences the Big Ten and the Pac-12 might call off their seasons. The Virginia school canceled football and other fall sports less than a week after Conference USA set out a plan to play a football season. There are no guarantees that college football will be completely safe thats absolutely true; its always true, he wrote. Please dont cancel college football.___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
SEC announces new football start date, conference-only football competition
Read full article: SEC announces new football start date, conference-only football competitionHOUSTON The Southeastern Conference announced its 2020 football season will begin on Sept. 26, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey announced Thursday. The season will be comprised of a 10-game conference-only schedule with the SEC Football Championship Game played on Dec. 19 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The schedule will include one mid-season open date for each school and an open date on Dec. 12 for all schools. The SEC will continue to monitor developments related to COVID-19. This new schedule supports the safety measures that are being taken by each of our institutions to ensure the health of our campus communities.To view the complete press release from the SEC, visit here.
Sankey: federal NIL law needed to ensure fair competition
Read full article: Sankey: federal NIL law needed to ensure fair competition(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey told a U.S. Senate committee Wednesday that there needs to be a uniform federal law to regulate the compensation of college athletes instead of a series of state-level versions with differing requirements. Sankey was part of a panel discussing the potential impact of allowing athletes to profit from the use of their name, image or likeness (NIL). It would be difficult and confusing, Sankey said when asked about managing various state laws among the leagues 14 member schools. Knowing the competition within my 11 states, I can foresee quickly the other 10 one-upping each other. Former Miami and NFL player Eric Winston also testified with University of Baltimore law professor Dionne Koller.
Power Five leagues ask Congress for athlete compensation law
Read full article: Power Five leagues ask Congress for athlete compensation lawFILE - In this March 11, 2020, file photo, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey speaks at a press conference in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)The Power Five conference commissioners are asking Congress to move forward with federal legislation regarding compensation for college athletes. The commissioners of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference sent a letter dated May 23 to congressional leaders. Some lawmakers are skeptical of the NCAA's desire to place what it calls guardrails on a compensation model. So, time is of the essence.___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and https://appodcasts.com/category/ap-top-25-college-football/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/APTop25CollegeFootballPoll and https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25