According to a report by LSU insider Wilson Alexander, redshirt freshman quarterback Colin Hurley is currently away from the team for “personal reasons” for the second straight week.

An LSU spokesperson relayed the news regarding Hurley per Alexander, and they also said that he did not travel with the team to Tuscaloosa last weekend for the Bayou Bengals’ loss against Alabama.

A Jacksonville, Florida native, Hurley was rated as a 4-star recruit in the 2024 recruiting cycle per 247Sports, and was also ranked as the 22nd overall quarterback in the country.

Hurley was originally a member of the 2025 class, but reclassified to the 2024 cycle and enrolled early at LSU, joining the team in April of last year. He was redshirted after not seeing any action, and entered this season as the third-string quarterback for the Tigers.

He has yet to take a snap this season as well, and is now reportedly away from the team entirely. The report doesn’t mention the exact reasoning for Hurley’s absence, just that he isn’t with the program at the moment.

The post LSU QB Colin Hurley not with team, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

One of the biggest reasons the Gamecocks have been feasting early on against the undefeated Aggies has been the exceptional play of junior wide receiver Nyck Harbor, who has been having a phenomenal day.

The biggest play of the game so far for Harbor and the entire Carolina offense came right before halftime, when he caught a pass over the middle from LaNorris Sellers and outran everybody in the A&M secondary for an 80-yard touchdown to give the Gamecocks a commanding 27-3 lead.

A former 5-star recruit, Harbor has been an X factor for the Gamecocks for the past few seasons, with his unique blend of size and athleticism making him a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.

He entered the day as the Gamecocks’ leading pass catcher with 401 yards and 4 touchdowns, and he added to both of those totals in a big way with this massive touchdown run right before the break. If South Carolina can manage to hang on and pull out the upset, then this play will be one of the keys to that victory.

The post Nyck Harbor breaks 80-yard TD to put South Carolina up big right before halftime appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The two sides came to an agreement on a multi-year agreement that restored ESPN coverage to the streaming service ahead of Week 12’s massive slate of high-profile matchups.

After not having access to ESPN for the past couple of weeks, YouTube TV subscribers will now have access to games like No. 9 Notre Dame vs. No. 22 Pitt, No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Alabama, and No. 10 Texas vs. No. 5 Georgia.

Having their coverage of ESPN restored has, naturally, led to many college football fans being elated as they can once again catch all the action taking place around the country as the College Football Playoff draws nearer.

Fans and media personalities alike took to social media to express their elation at having college football back on their screens for Week 12, and here’s a sampling of what they had to say on X:

The post College football fans react to having ESPN back on YouTube TV for Week 12 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

There will be a ton of postseason implications riding on the outcome of this game for both squads, with Georgia in particular looking to maintain its standing in the top-5 of the College Football Playoff rankings.

The Dawgs are no strangers to high-pressure situations, though, and Kirby Smart credited his mentor and former boss, Nick Saban, when asked how he managed to keep his team grounded in these massive games.

“Sometimes you can get overwhelmed and consumed with the thought of outcomes and all that,” Smart told SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum. “We try to stay process-oriented. I learned that from a pretty good coach.”

Smart spent 9 seasons on Saban’s staff at Alabama before leaving to become the head coach at Georgia in 2016, helping guide the Tide to 4 national titles during that span as the team’s defensive coordinator.

It’s clear he’s brought a ton of what he learned from Saban to Georgia with him, and this is just the latest example of how he’s implemented the lessons he’s learned from his former boss.

The post Kirby Smart credits Nick Saban when asked how he keeps his team grounded appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Clemson pulled out the gutsy win despite being out-gained on the ground and through the air, making some massive plays late to knock off the Cards and keep their bowl game hopes alive.

Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney had a ton of praise for his team following the win, saying that they have “the heart of a champion,” and that there is no quit in them, or him.

“The tougher it’s gotten, the closer they’ve gotten, the stronger they’ve gotten, and the more they’ve dug in,” Swinney said. “That’s the freakin’ heart of a champion right there. The record don’t define you… A lot of people have quit on ’em! Ain’t no quit in that bunch! And there ain’t no quit in me! Go Tigers!”

Clemson has certainly faced a ton of adversity over the course of this season, currently battling for bowl eligibility after entering the year with national championship aspirations.

Despite all the setbacks, though, they found a way to rise to the occasion against Louisville, and they are still in play for their 15th straight winning season.

The post Dabo Swinney passionately praises team after holding on for win over ranked Louisville appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kiffin has been connected in one way or another to just about every current high-level opening around the sport, with Florida and LSU both being considered by many as significant threats to pull him away from the Rebels.

In addition to SEC powerhouses courting him, The Athletic reported on Friday that Kiffin’s name is starting to emerge in certain NFL coaching searches. According to Ralph D. Russo and Bruce Feldman, the Tennessee Titans are an organization to monitor.

From The Athletic:

While it’s still unclear what Kiffin will do, industry sources say the situation in Oxford seems less volatile than in 2022. Lines of communication are good between Kiffin and the administration.

…

This situation seems to be trending in a positive direction for Rebels fans who would like to keep their coach, but one note of caution: One industry source said there was at least a modicum of interest in Kiffin among decision-makers with the Tennessee Titans.

If Kiffin were to depart for the NFL, it would be his second stint as a head coach at the professional level, as he also famously served as the head coach for the Raiders from 2007-08. That first go-around in the NFL wasn’t a particularly successful one, though. Kiffin was fired by then-owner Al Davis halfway through his second season with the team, finishing his tenure with a 5-15 overall record.

The post Lane Kiffin emerging as possible NFL coaching candidate, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

One coach in particular who has had his name linked to several top openings over the past few weeks has been Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, who is viewed by many as one of the best young coaches in all of college football.

While his name may be getting thrown around in coaching searches by other people, though, Freeman recently told On3’s Chris Low that his focus remains solely on Notre Dame.

“If my name is being mentioned for another job, that’s somebody else’s noise,” Freeman told Low. “That ain’t the noise that Marcus Freeman is putting in his mind.”

Looking for a new Daily Fantasy Sports app? Here’s a Dabble promo code to help you get started with one of the best DFS apps on the market!

Since taking over for Brian Kelly, Freeman has become one of the best coaches in all of college football, keeping the Fighting Irish in the upper echelon of the sport.

As of this writing, he holds a 40-12 record as a head coach, has gone 14-5 against ranked opponents, and led Notre Dame all the way to the CFP National Championship game last season.

Notre Dame will face Pittsburgh in a top-25 matchup on Saturday.

The post Marcus Freeman says focus is on Notre Dame, not coaching rumors appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Tide can more than likely lock up their spot in the SEC Championship game with a win here, while the Sooners can keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive if they can manage to pull off the upset.

ESPN analyst and SportCenter host Scott Van Pelt discussed this pivotal Week 12 tilt during his weekly ‘Winners’ segment on Thursday night, and he actually picked the Sooners to stay close enough with the Tide to cover against the spread, which is currently sitting at 5.5 points, according to the latest college football odds.

“We could be pushing our luck here a bit with the Sooners, who won the last time out on the road in Knoxville,” Van Pelt said. “We like OU to stay close enough in T-Town.”

In addition to making his pick between Oklahoma and Alabama, Van Pelt also picked Clemson to cover against No. 20 Louisville, Air Force to cover against UConn, Baylor to cover against No. 13 Utah, Utah State to cover against UNLV, and TCU to cover against No. 12 BYU.

Oklahoma and Alabama will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon.

The post Scott Van Pelt shares his pick for Oklahoma-Alabama game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

One of the biggest factors in the Tide’s loss was their ineffectiveness on the glass, as they were thoroughly dominated in the rebound department on both ends of the floor, with Purdue finishing the night with a 52-28 advantage in total rebounds.

Alabama head coach Nate Oats touched on his team’s lackluster performance on the boards during his postgame presser, stating that they have “issues” in the crucial area that have persisted since the team’s preseason scrimmages.

“We’ve got issues on the glass,” Oats said. “In our exhibition games, we knew it. In our intra-squad scrimmages, we knew it. … We’ve been sounding the alarm on the rebounding deal. We got exposed tonight. Our guys are gonna have to decide whether they want to have a good season, or whether they’re just gonna get out-toughed every game the rest of the year.”

When asked what it would take for his team to fix their early rebounding struggles, Oats told reporters that it all boils down to desire and who wants the ball more.

“At the end of the day, it’s about desire,” Oats said. “You either want the ball or you don’t. … At the end of the day, if you’ve got the size and athleticism and you want to go get a rebound, you’re gonna go get a rebound. We’re gonna have to determine whether we want to be the tougher team.”

The post Nate Oats sounds alarm on Alabama after loss to Purdue appeared first on Saturday Down South.

One of the biggest reasons for the Tide’s early-season loss to the team that knocked them out of the Final Four a couple of seasons ago was Purdue’s domination of Alabama on the boards. Head coach Nate Oats was none too pleased with the effort on the glass in his postgame presser.

“They’re one of the most disciplined (teams),” Oats said. “They run their stuff in the halfcourt. They know how to attack all your coverages. But, at the end of the day, the tougher team won tonight. They out-rebounded us by 24. That’s embarrassing.

“In life, in sports, the team that plays harder, people that work harder in whatever field they’re in should win. And they won. They deserved to win. They were tougher. My guess is they prepared better coming into the game than we did. And we’re gonna have to fix some stuff.”

In total, the Boilermakers out-rebounded Alabama to the tune of 52-28, and they also collected 19 boards on the offensive glass compared to just 7 for the Tide.

Oats called the offensive glass a “major problem” his team has to get sorted out if they want to beat the nation’s best.

“We’ve got major problems on the backboard. Their starting frontcourt had 24 rebounds. Our starting frontcourt had 6. That’s a problem,” Oats said. “Until we figure out how to make tougher plays, rebound the basketball at a much higher level, we’re going to have a hard time beating the best teams in the country.”

Alabama plays No. 14 Illinois next Wednesday in Chicago.

The post Nate Oats says Purdue embarrassed Alabama in 1 key area appeared first on Saturday Down South.

A win here for the Tide all but guarantees them a spot in Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game, while a win for Oklahoma keeps them firmly in the conversation for a slot in the College Football Playoff come selection Sunday.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide running back and Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram sat down on the latest episode of The Triple Option podcast and made his pick in the game against the spread between his alma mater and the Sooners.

“Listen, man, this game is going to be tough,” Ingram said. “Alabama, they’ve been winning, but it’s been iffy. It’s been very iffy. We can’t run the football. We cannot, like literally cannot, run the football. That’s alarming to me because we’re one-dimensional on offense. We got 4 great receivers, and a great quarterback who knows what he’s doing. Our defense has been carrying us since that early-season loss… 5.5 (points) I think it’s going to be a tough game, but I think we’re going to cover.”

If the Tide manages to secure the win, then it will be their second victory over the Sooners in the last 6 games they have played against them, and the first since the 2 sides met in the 2018 Orange Bowl.

Want to wager on a winner in Saturday’s showdown? Check out prediction market Kalshi and get in on the action!

The post Mark Ingram picks Alabama-Oklahoma showdown against the spread appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Mississippi State, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back from its 41-21 loss to Georgia last Saturday in Athens and secure bowl eligibility for the first time since 2022 with a win over the Tigers.

RELATED: Online sports betting is almost live in the state of Missouri! Follow SDS for how to score a Caesars Missouri promo code and important updates!

ESPN analyst Bill Connelly released his SP+ projection for this SEC matchup earlier in the week, and his model is predicting the Tigers handle business in their last home game of the season.

The SP+ is a predictive model that takes various stats and historical trends and uses them to both craft power rankings for ESPN as well as project the outcome of any given game from week to week.

According to Connelly’s model for Week 12, the Tigers are projected to defeat the Bulldogs on Senior Day by a final score of 33-22, securing their third straight campaign with at least 7 wins in the process.

This would also mark Mizzou’s second straight win over Mississippi State, as MU also defeated the Bulldogs in 2024 on the road in Starkville by a final score of 39-20.

Ready to wager on the game now? Check out the latest at prediction market Kalshi!

The post ESPN’s SP+ projects final score of Mississippi State vs. Mizzou appeared first on Saturday Down South.

At the top of just about every list when it comes to this debate is the Ohio State Buckeyes, who have been the top-ranked team in the nation since usurping the Texas Longhorns from that position back in Week 1.

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky and Josh Pate sat down with Mike Greenberg on Get Up Thursday morning to discuss whether Ohio State will be the ones lifting the National Championship trophy at the end of the year, and Orlovsky believes the Buckeyes haven’t really been tested.

“They’re the least-tested No. 1 team in the history of college football,” Orlovsky said. “They’ve played nobody. Week 1, Texas, but ever since then, they haven’t played anybody. They have been trailing for 1 second in the second half this season. We have no idea how good this Ohio State team is.”

Pate actually agreed with Orlovsky’s assessment of the Buckeyes, saying that if they aren’t who everybody thinks they are, then the CFP could become very wide open.

“He’s actually right, and that’s not a knock on them (Ohio State),” Pate said. “… Ohio State holds all the cards right now, because if they are as good as they look, then it’s them and everybody else… If there are flaws, then we go from one North Star and everybody else to literally 10 different teams who could win this whole thing.”

Can Ohio State repeat as national champions? Take a look at prediction market Kalshi where you can wager on this year’s CFP champ!

The post ESPN analyst calls Ohio State ‘least-tested No. 1 team in the history of college football’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to Yahoo Sports college football insider Ross Dellenger, Baylor Athletic Director Mack Rhoades, who is also the current CFP Selection Committee chair, is stepping down from his role as CFP Selection Committee Chair following his leave of absence as AD for the Bears.

Per Dellenger, Rhoades initiated the leave, which started on Wednesday, and he did so for “personal reasons,” and he is now expected to also step down as the chair of the CFP Selection Committee, leaving the group at 11 members.

Rhoades has served Baylor’s Athletic Director since 2016, taking over the position following a massive scandal that saw the former AD, school president, and the entire football staff ousted.

He has served as the chair of the CFP Selection Committee for the entire 2025 season, being named to the position after former committee chair Warde Manuel’s term expired.

According to a follow-up tweet by Dellenger, Baylor is also conducting an internal investigation after they were “made aware of allegations involving AD Mack Rhoades,” and it is not yet clear what these allegations entail.

The post Mack Rhoades stepping down as CFP selection committee chair amid leave of absence as Baylor AD appeared first on Saturday Down South.

These 2 squads met twice last season, once in the regular season and once in Atlanta for the SEC Championship, and the Dawgs took care of business both times, handing the Longhorns 2 of their 3 losses in 2024.

RELATED: Ready to bet the spread or over/under based on the SP+ projection? SDS is your guide to the best sports betting apps to get in on the action!

Now, they’ll be looking to extend that winning streak to 3 in a row against SEC newcomer Texas, and ESPN Bill Connelly released his SP+ projections for the massive Week 12 tilt earlier this week.

The SP+ is a predictive model that takes a number of different stats and historical trends and uses them to both craft power rankings for ESPN and project the outcome of any given game from week to week.

When it comes to this top-10 clash between the Dawgs and the Horns, Connelly’s model is projecting Georgia to come out on top once again, beating Arch Manning and Texas by a final score of 27-23.

If Georgia does actually pull out the win, then they will have officially wrapped up their in-conference slate with a final record of 7-1 against SEC opponents, while the Longhorns will have dropped their third game of the year, putting their CFP hopes on life support in the process.

Who’s winning this round between Texas and Georgia? Check out the prediction market Kalshi, and wager today!

The post ESPN’s SP+ projects the final score of Texas at Georgia  appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The speculation regarding Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and whether or not he will leave Oxford to become the next head coach for the Gators is naturally going to be a massive talking point on Saturday, but the Rebels also have a very good shot at securing their spot in the College Football Playoff with a win.

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt broke down the importance of this game for the Rebels’ Playoff chances on a recent episode of The Joel Klatt Show, saying that a win would lock up their spot in the CFP.

“Ole Miss has got to handle Florida,” Klatt said. “Obviously, they were unable to do that a year ago in The Swamp and because of that Ole Miss did not get into the College Football Playoff.”

Klatt also mentioned the Kiffin to Florida speculation as well, and questioned how big a distraction that could end up being for the Rebels, leading into what could be their biggest game of the season.

“There is some question about where is Lane Kiffin going to coach,” Klatt said. “Is it going to be Florida? This becomes kind of the Lane Kiffin Bowl. Is he going to be meeting with the Florida brass the night before the (game)? I mean, who knows? How distracted is Ole Miss? I don’t know. But if they win the game, I … not only like their chances, I think they’re almost guaranteed a spot in the Playoff.”

The post Joel Klatt says Ole Miss can secure its spot in CFP with win over Florida appeared first on Saturday Down South.

There was some debate in the college football community over whether or not No. 3 Texas A&M would jump No. 2 Indiana following the latter’s near upset at Penn State, but the committee remained steadfast in its support of the Hoosiers by keeping them locked in at 2.

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt broke down the decision to keep Indiana at No. 2 and gave his thoughts on the debate between them and the Aggies on Wednesday’s episode of The Joel Klatt Show.

“As I told you in my rankings, that was a coin flip,” Klatt said. “Based on the interview they did with Rece Davis, I think it was for them as well. I didn’t think that there was a clear-cut winner in that conversation.”

Despite how close the decision between Indiana and Texas A&M ended up being in Klatt’s eyes, he went on to say that he agreed with the committee’s decision to keep the Hoosiers above the Aggies in the rankings and that Indiana’s road wins are what set them apart.

“I happen to believe that this was right, and this is how I had them in my rankings,” Klatt said. “Razor-thin margin, and I do think you have to honor some of these road victories. Those big wins don’t even include the Penn State win, which I think is a very big win.”

The post Joel Klatt gives his take on Indiana-Texas A&M debate for No. 2 spot in CFP ranking appeared first on Saturday Down South.

One player who had flown under the radar in the Heisman conversation until recently is Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed, who currently holds the fourth-shortest odds to take home the award (+750) per BetMGM. Reed trails only Alabama’s Ty Simpson (+550), Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza (+175), and Ohio State’s Julian Saying (+175) in the latest Heisman odds.

Reed recently sat down with ESPN to discuss the season for the Aggies thus far, and was asked about how much the Heisman enters his mind heading into the final stretch of the regular season, to which Reed responded by downplaying the buzz he’s been receiving regarding the award.

“Not too much,” Reed said when asked how often he thinks about his Heisman buzz. “We see it on the internet all the time because it’s there, but I’m focused on winning each and every game each week, and I think my teammates are the same way. We’re proud of each other because a lot of people on this team have been praised by some of these awards, but our main goal is the main goal, which is winning.”

The Aggies have certainly done a lot of winning thus far, currently holding their first 9-0 start since the 1992 season, and Reed has played a massive role in that success with his 2,571 total yards and 17 total touchdowns. He may not be focused on the Heisman, but the stats he’s put up could end up giving him a trip to New York nonetheless.

The post Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed downplays Heisman Trophy buzz appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This has led many fans and analysts around college football to adopt a “playoff or bust” mentality when discussing the sport. And Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz isn’t a fan of that.

“I talked about this at SEC Media Days, but we’ve got to get out of this ‘Oh man, it’s playoff or bust’ mentality,” Drinkwitz said during a recent appearance on his Tiger Talk radio show. “Yes, we’re shooting for the moon, we’re going to put our whole selves into that, but only 12 teams make the playoffs… If the season only counts for 12 football teams, and we have 127 Division 1 playing football teams, that math is not going to math very well.”

Drinkwitz and the Tigers are currently sitting at 6-3 on the year, but they still have a lot to play for, including their Senior Day this weekend in the final home game of the year against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

The College Football Playoff may be out of the picture for the Tigers at this point, but Drinkwitz and the rest of his team can still send off their veteran leaders with a win on Saturday to secure their third consecutive campaign with at least 7 wins.

RELATED: The official launch of Missouri online sports betting is near. Grab our BetMGM Missouri bonus code for a sign-up offer when the state goes live.

The post Eli Drinkwitz pushes back against ‘CFP or bust’ mentality in college football appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The 10th-ranked Texas Longhorns are in this grouping, but they have a very difficult path to any potential playoff berth ahead of them, already sitting at 2 losses with matchups against No. 5 Georgia and No. 3 Texas A&M still on the docket.

Given that the Longhorns already have 2 losses, debate has sprung up regarding whether or not a 3-loss Texas team would get into the playoff, and ESPN analyst Greg McElroy recently broke down why he believes they’d have a strong case for making the big dance.

“I think that Texas would be in a really good spot if they were to lose this weekend close (against Georgia),” McElroy said. “We’ve seen the committee reward close losses. We’ve already seen that this year. If they were to lose close this weekend, or close against Texas A&M, then I think that Texas would have a pretty strong argument.”

McElory went on to explain why the Longhorns’ decision to play Ohio State Week 1 instead of a weaker out-of-conference foe would play into their favor when staking a claim against other squads on the bubble.

“They could say ‘Well, we could have played powder puffs in the nonconference,'” McElroy said. “‘Instead, we decided to go on the road and play in Columbus… Yes, we lost to Florida. It wasn’t good. Yes, we lost a close one to either Georgia or Texas A&M, but we at least challenged ourselves.'”

The post Greg McElroy says 9-3 Texas would have ‘pretty strong’ case for the CFP appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Carolina handed the Aggies a shocking 44-20 upset last season, and now they will be looking to do it once again this weekend in hopes of getting to 4-6 on the season and keeping their bowl game hopes alive.

Any key to a potential victory will have to come from the offensive side of the ball, and head coach Shane Beamer touched on the tweaks the team’s new play caller, Mike Furrey, has made over the bye week on Tuesday.

According to the Post and Courier’s David Cloninger, Beamer said that the playbook has had a “pretty good tweaking” with some plays being taken out, and others being added in.

Cloninger also reported that the Gamecocks will probably still end up having the same number of plays as in the past, but more emphasis will be put on what Furrey and the rest of Carolina’s offensive staff want to run.

Furrey, who has served as the team’s wide receivers coach over the past 2 seasons, was named as the team’s new primary offensive play caller after Beamer fired former offensive coordinator Mike Shula following the team’s most recent loss to Ole Miss a couple of weeks back.

Now he’ll be tasked with reviving Carolina’s dormant offense against one of the top defenses in the entire country in front of 100,000+ opposing fans in Kyle Field.

The post Shane Beamer discusses ‘pretty good tweaking’ to offensive playbook following staff changes appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Tide have 2 remaining SEC matchups on their schedule, with one this week against No. 11 Oklahoma, and its season finale against the Auburn Tigers on the road in the Iron Bowl.

While most analysts would point towards the ranked showdown against the Sooners as the tougher of the 2 matchups for Kalen DeBoer‘s team, Mike Griffith recently explained why he believes the Auburn game is actually the more difficult matchup for the Tide.

“I think the Auburn game is more dangerous than Oklahoma,” Griffith said on the 3 Man Front radio show Tuesday. “Auburn impressed me against Vanderbilt, and DJ Durkin coached with an edge, and this guy is taking his best shot and trying to become a head coach. I think he’s a really good coach, and I think that the Auburn players play with a lot of fire.”

Griffith also went on to talk about Oklahoma and how he believes that John Mateer not being the same quarterback he was early on will limit them against the Tide this weekend.

“I just don’t know that John Mateer has been the same since the injury,” Griffith said. “I think that Brent Venables is a really good coach, and I think that they’ve taken a step, but I don’t think that Oklahoma can stay on the field with Alabama, especially when you consider what happened last year… We clearly didn’t see the best version of Alabama against Oklahoma last year, and I think that this year you will.”

The post CFB analyst explains why Auburn game is more dangerous for Alabama than Oklahoma matchup appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Georgia was locked in on Mississippi State, though, and it went on the road and dominated its fellow SEC Bulldogs in all 3 phases of the game, putting up almost 600 yards of offense while only allowing 322.

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt touched on this dominant performance by the Dawgs on Monday, and he broke down why nobody wants to play Georgia down the stretch as they appear to be peaking at the right time.

“Nobody in the country wants to see Georgia all of a sudden establish a rhythm as we get close to the College Football Playoff,” Klatt said. “They might not even go to the SEC Championship Game, and you’re still sitting there like ‘Well, I don’t want to play that team.’ Guess who that reminds me of? Ohio State last year. I know they didn’t take momentum into the Playoff, but nobody wanted to see them in the Playoff, and Georgia’s starting to remind me of that.”

The Dawgs do appear to be clicking at the right time, but they still have a lot of work to do before they can start thinking about any potential playoff run. Georgia will cap off its regular season with home games against No. 10 Texas and Charlotte, and a neutral site game against No. 14 Georgia Tech.

The post Joel Klatt explains why Georgia is a team no one wants to play heading toward the Playoff appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Longtime Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops has taken a ton of flak over the course of the campaign for his team’s lackluster performance on the field, with many fans and pundits starting to question whether or not he is still the right man for the job up in Lexington.

Through all of the struggles Stoops’ squad has endured over the course of this season, he’s maintained the support of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart, who recently reiterated his belief in Stoops during a meeting with boosters, per On3’s Nick Roush.

“Sometimes when you struggle a bit, you’re working your way back up the mountain, you take steps, and we’re taking steps,” said Barnhart. “We just want to continue to take steps… “For a decade plus, he and I’ve been together. We’ve journeyed this thing before, and you know, we’ve been together a long time. He loves Kentucky, and we love him, and we just want to keep making progress and doing what we’re doing.”

Having the backing of the man at the top of the Athletic Department is certainly as massive boost for Stoops, but he’s still going to have to find a way to get things back on track in 2026.

If Wildcats’ put up losing results in back-to-back campaigns, then it’s very likely that Barnhart ends up singing a very different tune at the end of next season. But for now, Kentucky rides a 2-game winning streak into a tricky Week 12 matchup against undefeated FCS foe Tennessee Tech.

The post Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart weighs in on recent success from Mark Stoops appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Anybody who has lived in the south understands how massive high school football is to the region, and they also know that players and coaches are willing to do just about anything to bring back a state title to their hometown.

For one Mississippi private school head coach, that means purposely losing his team’s final game of the regular season in order to get a more favorable draw in the state tournament.

According to Football Scoop’s Doug Samuels, Marshall Academy, based in Holly Springs, Mississippi, entered their final game of the regular season at 8-1 and needed a win over the Washington School, which was also 8-1, to secure a district title.

A win in this game would also secure the victor a slot in the much harder half of the Mississippi private school playoff bracket, while the loser would find themselves with a far more favorable path to a state title.

Given this reality, Marshall Academy head coach Chris Burino decided to purposely lose the final game of the regular season to secure the more favorable draw in the state tournament, sitting at least 13 starters and taking multiple delay of game penalties while already down by over 40 points, among other questionable in-game decisions.

The Mississippi high school athletic association naturally caught on to what Burino was trying to do, and they fined him $1,000 and gave him an indefinite suspension. They also fined the school and banned it from hosting any home playoff games.

The post Mississippi high school coach fined and suspended for intentionally throwing game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel dropped some new details in the Kelly firing via X on Tuesday morning, reporting that LSU never actually “formally terminated” its former head coach, and that it is now reportedly seeking to terminate him “for cause.”

Kelly and the university have been engaged in a legal battle over the former’s $54 million buyout over the past week, and now it looks like LSU is attempting to get itself off the hook for what would be the second-largest buyout in college football history.

Attorney Tom Mars weighed in of the report from Wetzel on X Tuesday morning as well, stating that the position that LSU is taking by trying to fire Kelly for cause is “absolutely absurd.”

Mars also pointed out that no school has ever won a “termination for cause” lawsuit, even when they had legitimate grounds to allege potential wrongdoing, and he also stated that it seems unlikely that LSU could set a new precedent here.

All of this has added to the intrigue surrounding Kelly’s departure from the LSU football program, and it looks like things are far from settled when it comes to any potential buyout.

The post LSU reportedly seeking to fire Brian Kelly ‘for cause’; attorney Tom Mars weighs in appeared first on Saturday Down South.

An SEC squad that fits into that last category is the Arkansas Razorbacks, who have endured a truly dreadful season, currently sitting at 2-7 on the year and yet to record a single conference win.

According to On3’s Brett McMurphy, the Hogs are 1 of 14 FBS teams that have yet to record a single win against a conference opponent in 2025, and they are the only team in the SEC with that distinction.

Arkansas is currently 0-5 in SEC play so far in 2025, but the Hogs have actually been far more competitive against their conference foes than their record indicates. Outside of a 33-24 loss to the Auburn Tigers, every other SEC game the Razorbacks have played has been decided by a single possession.

The overall record might not reflect it, but the Hogs have been playing very competitive football in 2025, and they’ll have another shot at picking up that elusive first SEC win this Saturday against the struggling LSU Tigers.

The post 1 SEC team among 14 FBS squads without a conference win appeared first on Saturday Down South.

He was instrumental in moving the chains for Georgia in the first half, and he exploded for a 59-yard rushing touchdown coming out of the locker room to extend their lead even further.

Frazier burst onto the scene for Georgia in 2024 as a true freshman with 671 yards and 8 touchdowns, becoming the first true freshman to lead the Dawgs in rushing since Nick Chubb did so a decade prior in 2014.

He was also a very highly sought-after player coming out of high school as a four-star recruit, ranking as the second-best back in the nation according to the 247Sports composite.

He chose to commit to the Dawgs over a number of other top programs around the nation, including the Alabama Crimson Tide, Oregon Ducks, Auburn Tigers, and USC Trojans.

Coming into today’s matchup against Mississippi State, the true sophomore was the team’s second leading rusher behind freshman Chauncey Bowens, but he could end up retaking the team lead after his dominant rushing performance today.

The post Nate Frazier hits 59-yard TD run to extend Georgia’s lead appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After starting slow in every conference game of the season so far, though, Georgia came out against their fellow Bulldogs and exploded for a dominant 24-7 lead through the first couple of quarters.

Capping things off for the Dawgs was an electric touchdown run from junior wide receiver Zachariah Branch, who motioned to the short side of the field and took a screen pass all the way to the house to put Georgia up big heading into the locker room.

Branch, who is in his first season with Georgia, has become the best receiving threat for Gunner Stockton over the course of the season, currently leading the team in receiving yards and touchdowns coming into the game.

A 5-star recruit coming out of high school, Branch spent his first 2 seasons of college ball with the USC Trojans, racking up 1,316 total yards and 5 total touchdowns as a receiver and kick returner.

He was the top wideout available in the transfer portal last winter, and he’s become one of the best pickups by any team so far in 2025.

The post Zachariah Branch explodes for easy TD to give Georgia a commanding halftime lead in Starkville appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The energy was very high in the Lone Star state in anticipation for this high-octane Big 12 showdown between the top 2 teams in the conference, and Pat McAfee was feeding off that energy from the crowd all morning long.

In classic Pat McAfee fashion, the GameDay host capped off the show by delivering one of the most electric picks of the year for the Texas Tech-BYU game that fired up the crowd inside Jones AT&T Stadium right before kickoff.

“If you step foot in this town one time, you say to yourself, ‘this is a football God’s dream’, and this is God’s country,” McAfee said. “This is the Texas Tech Red Raiders’ time, and I’m rolling with the Texas Tech Red Raiders,” McAfee said, standing up on his chair and ringing a massive cowbell next to Red Raiders’ legend Patrick Mahomes.

This perfectly illustrates McAfee’s elite ability to play into the crowd, and also shows why he’s become such a fan favorite since joining the GameDay crew back in 2022.

The post Pat McAfee gives electric pick for BYU-Texas Tech game to close out College GameDay appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The highest-ranked ACC squad in the first edition of the CFP ranking was the Virginia Cavaliers at No. 14, with Louisville right behind them at No. 15, and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets slotted in at No. 17.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide running back and current CBS Sports analyst took some exception with where the CFP committee had the Yellow Jackets ranked on Saturday morning, saying that they were being “criminally underrated.”

“Georgia Tech was criminally, criminally underrated not being ranked inside the top-12,” Harris on the CBS College Football Pregame show. “They are the sole No. 1 spot in the ACC. They have knocked off team after team, they’ve beaten the teams on their schedule. They’re going to look good in their matchup against Georgia. Haynes King should be in the Heisman conversation… They are going to wreak havoc come championship time.”

Harris certainly has some strong belief in the Yellow Jackets, and if they can take care of their business the rest of the way, then they should be able to prove him right by getting into the final CFP field, either as ACC champs or as an at-large bid.

The post Damien Harris says that Georgia Tech is ‘criminally underrated’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Now that the format has been expanded, conversations have turned to the number of teams each conference should have, and what should qualify a team for an automatic bid or potential first-round bye.

CBS Sports analyst Danny Kanell sounded off on the Group of 5 getting a guaranteed playoff spot on Saturday morning during the College Football Pregame show, saying that it makes “zero sense.”

“I was happy when they got the 12-team playoff, but guaranteeing a Group of 5 team in the 12-team playoff makes zero sense,” Kanell said. “USF, if they win the American, will be in as a 2-loss team. One of those losses was 49-12 to the Miami Hurricanes, who are probably going to be on the outside looking in. There has to be some sort of minimum requirement that the Group of 5 has to meet in order for them to gain access to the playoff.”

Kanell’s comments here are certain to stir even more debate amongst fans and analysts, but there is really nothing that can be done about the current format at this time. Any potential change, like the one Kanell mentions, will have to wait until the season is over.

The post Danny Kanell says guaranteeing a Group of 5 playoff spot makes ‘zero sense’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This means that fans and students at Texas Tech get to take in all the festivities that come along with ESPN’s iconic pre-game broadcast coming to campus, and that includes Pat McAfee’s field goal challenge.

The student who was chosen out of the raffle this week stepped up to the plate with a total $500k on the line ($250k for himself and $250k for charity). He missed the first one with tortillas flying through the air, but he didn’t miss the second, nailing the redemption kick that McAfee gave him to take home the cash.

With the made field goal, this Texas Tech student becomes the eighth person this season to win the Pat McAfee kicking contest, pushing the total amount McAfee has paid out in 2025 to over $5 million.

This field goal contest has been a mainstay on College GameDay since the 2023 season, and every dollar that the former Indianapolis Colts’ kicker puts on the line comes right out of his own pockets.

It’s become one of the many things that make GameDay such a unique experience for college football fans everywhere, and what has also made McAfee such a fan-favorite on the program.

The post Texas Tech student nails second-chance field goal on College GameDay for $250K appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This includes Saturday’s noon kickoff between the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs and the Mississippi State Bulldogs, which is slated to air on ESPN’s main channel.

How to watch Georgia vs. Mississippi State

Fans may not be able to watch this battle of the Bulldogs on YouTube TV, but SlingTV could serve as a viable alternative for fans that are still hoping to watch the game, with the platform currently offering all new customers a “Day Pass” for just $4.99.

Here’s what you need to know about Georgia vs. Mississippi State:

• Kickoff time: 12 p.m. ET
• Location: Starkville, Mississippi
• TV: ESPN (via SlingTV)

Fubo is also a potential alternative for fans hoping to watch this game. Fubo is currently offering a free trial for new customers.

Georgia vs. Mississippi State betting odds

No. 5 Georgia is entering this matchup against Mississippi State as decent favorites, but the line has been dropping all week as kickoff draws nearer. Georgia currently holds a 7-1 record, and is looking to keep pace in the SEC title game picture, while Mississippi State holds a 5-4 record, and is coming off their first conference win in the last 2 seasons against Arkansas.

Here’s a look at the up-to-date college football betting lines for this Week 11 showdown:

Georgia vs. Mississippi State history

These 2 SEC founding members of the SEC have met on the gridiron a total of 27 times dating all the way back to 1914. Georgia holds a 21-6 advantage over Mississippi State all-time, and they have beat their fellow Bulldogs 5 straight times. Their most recent meeting came last season in Athens, where Georgia escaped with a 41-31 victory.

The post YouTube TV-ESPN dispute: How to watch Georgia vs. Mississippi State in Week 11 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On the extreme side of this dynamic is Kentucky quarterback Zach Calzada, who is currently in his seventh season of college football and playing for his fourth different team.

A former 3-star recruit coming out of high school in the 2019 cycle, Calzada originally committed to play for Texas A&M, but transferred to Auburn following the 2021 season. He then spent 2 seasons at Incarnate World after failing to find playing time with the Tigers, and transferred to Kentucky during this past offseason.

Calzada entered the 2025 campaign as the starter for the Wildcats, but was benched in Week 2 following an abysmal start to the year, and hasn’t seen the field since for Kentucky.

His lack of playing time isn’t stopping Calzada from flexing his NIL earnings on social media, though, as the 25-year-old college backup recently made waves by making a rather cringey post counting a stack of $100 bills.

This, naturally, led to people over on X clowning Calzada for the post, and here’s a sample of what they had to say:

The post Kentucky QB Zach Calzada clowned for flexing NIL money on social media appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Aggies are taking their first 8-0 start since 1992 into this weekend’s game. In Columbia, they’ll find a showdown with a Mizzou squad that has lost 2 of its last 3 SEC games yet remains a dangerous squad despite the recent road bumps.

SportsCenter host Scott Van Pelt discussed this SEC clash on his weekly Winners segment Thursday night, and he actually picked the Tigers against the spread at home against the Aggies.

“A&M folks, you think I dislike your team,” Van Pelt said. “Not at all. Couldn’t be further from the truth. You’re fantastic, I just like a home team giving around a touchdown. Mizzou’s feisty, and I think that it’s going to be a close game.”

Note that Van Pelt isn’t picking Mizzou to pull off the upset here; he’s just taking them against the 6.5 point spread (via bet365) that currently favors Texas A&M on the road.

SVP also picked Penn State (+14.5 point underdogs) to cover against No. 2 Indiana, No. 20 Iowa (+6.5) to cover against No. 9 Oregon, and Wake Forest (+6.5) to cover against No. 12 Virginia.

The post Scott Van Pelt includes Mizzou in his Week 11 winners appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This battle of the Dawgs will feature one of the nation’s top teams in Georgia, which is looking to keep pace at the top of a very crowded SEC title game picture, and an upstart MSU squad that has played every team extremely close this year.

ESPN analyst Jordan Rodgers joined Get Up on Friday morning to discuss this pivotal early November SEC clash, and he told Mike Greenberg that Georgia could be on upset alert.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Starkville or seen a game there, but the cowbells are as intimidating as they are annoying,” Rogers said. “One thing Georgia has done this year is they’ve given everybody a head start. They’ve had to come from behind in 5 of their 6 SEC games, and at some point, it’s going to bite them in the butt.

“… If Georgia gives the cowbells a bit of a head start and gives up some explosive plays, this is a bad matchup in a bad way for them.”

If Mississippi State can manage to pull off the upset, it will snap a 5-game skid against UGA, and all but eliminate Kirby Smart‘s team from SEC title game contention heading into the final few weeks of the season.

Kickoff is set for noon ET on ESPN. Georgia is a 9.5-point favorite, per DraftKings.

The post Jordan Rodgers puts Georgia on upset alert in Week 11 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This includes this Saturday’s pivotal Week 11 showdowns between the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies and the No. 22 Missouri Tigers, which is scheduled to kick off on ABC at 3:30 ET.

How to watch Texas A&M vs. Mizzou

Fans may not be able to watch the Aggies take on the Tigers on YouTube TV, but SlingTV may serve as a viable alternative for those who still wish to watch the game, as they are currently offering a “Day Pass” to all new users for just $4.99.

Games broadcast on ABC, which includes Texas A&M vs. Mizzou this week, are simulcast ESPN 3. Sling TV’s “Orange” package includes ESPN 3.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch Texas A&M vs. Mizzou:

• Kickoff time: 3:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Columbia, Missouri
• TV: ABC (or ESPN 3 via SlingTV)

Another potential alternative is Fubo, which is currently offering a free trial for new users.

Texas A&M vs. Missouri betting odds

The undefeated Aggies will enter this pivotal road matchup against the 6-2 Tigers as slight favorites, with No. 3 A&M looking to move to 9-0 for the first time since 1992. Mizzou, on the other hand, will be looking to pull off a massive upset and keep their dwindling College Football Playoff hopes alive as they head into the last few games of their regular season schedule.

Here’s a look at the up-to-date betting odds for this game:

Texas A&M vs. Mizzou history

These 2 programs share a history with one another that dates back all the way to the 1957 season, meeting a total of 18 times. The Aggies currently hold the all-time series lead at 11-7, but the Tigers hold a 7-4 advantage in the series since the year 2000. Texas A&M does hold wins in the 2 most recent matchups, however, including a 41-10 beatdown in 2024.

The post YouTube TV-ESPN dispute: How to watch Texas A&M vs. Mizzou in Week 11 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

One man who knows a lot about the best-looking college football has to offer is former Florida Gators and Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer, who has coached against just about every team there is during his time walking the sidelines.

The 3-time National Championship-winner recently broke his view on what the top uniforms in college football are on a recent episode of the Triple Option podcast, and gave his top-3 looks in the sport.

pic.twitter.com/Qdjo6fb5pn

— The Triple Option (@3xOptionShow) November 6, 2025

At No. 3, Meyer has the iconic all-white road uniforms of the Texas Longhorns, which is a look that they have been rocking on the road since at least the 1950s, and was featured most prominently in the 2006 Rose Bowl against the USC Trojans when Vince Young led them to their last national title.

Coming in at No. 2 on Meyer’s rankings are the all-blue alternates that the Florida Gators rock whenever they are playing in a big-time matchup, a combination that the Gators wore a lot when Meyer was the head coach down in Gainesville from 2005-2010.

Lastly, the former coach has the all-black Ohio State Buckeyes’ alternates as his best uniforms in all of college football, a look that he pioneered during his time in Columbus.

The post Urban Meyer reveals his top-3 college football uniforms appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Among these 9 SEC sides that made their way into the initial CFP rankings were the Texas Longhorns, who the selection committee had slotted in as their No. 11 team in the country heading into Week 11.

At first glance, this appears to be a very solid position for the Longhorns to find themselves in, but Josh Pate believes that Steve Sarkisian‘s team is actually in a “precarious” spot heading into the final few weeks of the regular season.

“Texas has a stiff test right now,” Pate told ESPN’s Mike Greenberg on Get Up Thursday morning. “They still go on the road to Georgia, they’ve still got Texas A&M, and they’re already on the bubble. The good news for them is that their fate is in their hands, and they could end up securing it. A fun side exercise would be what happens to a 3-loss Texas, because one of those wins would be A&M or Georgia.”

The Longhorns will go on the road to Athens next weekend, and will finish their season up with the Aggies at home, and will more than likely have to at least split those 2 matchups if they want a shot at making the final 12-team CFP field come selection Sunday.

The post Josh Pate says Texas is in ‘precarious’ position in CFP rankings appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Several of the nation’s top quarterbacks have all found themselves in the mix for the coveted award, with Alabama’s Ty Simpson, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin currently leading in the betting odds department.

CBS analyst Brian Jones also believes another gunslinger deserves to be mentioned in the Heisman talks, though, and that’s Texas A&M‘s Marcel Reed, who Jones actually had No. 2 in his current Heisman rankings.

Reed has been the driving force on offense that has led the Aggies to their first 8-0 start since the 1992 season, currently boasting 2,321 total yards and 23 total touchdowns on the season.

Reed’s dual-threat ability is what truly sets him apart from his peers, as he has proven time and time again that he can beat teams both with his arm and with his legs in a way A&M fans haven’t seen since Johnny Manziel was running the show in College Station.

He’ll likely have some work to do if he wants to surpass the names in front of him, but there’s no doubt that Reed still has an outside shot at making his way to New York come December.

The post CBS Sports analyst has Texas A&M Marcel Reed as top-3 Heisman contender appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This also means that rising stars and established names alike at other schools around the country have also been seeing their names linked to the top jobs available, and this includes Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key.

Per On3’s Kelly Quinlan, Key was recently asked what he thought about having his name linked to several prominent openings around the country, and he had a very blunt response to the question that reaffirmed his commitment to the Yellow Jackets.

The fourth-year head coach for Georgia Tech has some of the deepest ties any head coach can have to a university, as he was a 4-year starter on the Yellow Jackets’ offensive line from 1997-2000.

During his time as a player, he helped anchor one of the best offenses in all of college football and was named a First-Team All-ACC selection during his senior year in 2000.

Since taking over the reins as the head coach for Tech in 2022, Key has been the architect of the Yellow Jackets’ return to prominence, with his current squad holding a 7-1 record and being ranked inside the CFP top-25 for the first time since 2014.

The post Brent Key offers strong response to speculation linking him to open jobs appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This extension comes in the middle of one of the wildest coaching carousels in recent memory, with many top jobs around the country currently open, including Lashlee’s alma mater in Arkansas.

Lashlee would have probably received interest from the Razorbacks and other programs, but he explained his decision to stick with SMU to Danny Kanell and Dusty Dvoracek on the College Sports Radio on SiriusXM Thursday morning.

“SMU chose us,” Lashlee said. “They were the first to choose us. They gave us an opportunity to be a head coach, and that matters to us. So, when things line up, and we have full support from our administration, and full support from our donors and our fanbase, and we can recruit here, and our staff believes in what we’re doing, just from a timing standpoint, this is where we want to be.”

Lashlee has certainly turned the Mustangs around over his 4 seasons at SMU, and this new extension ensures that he will continue building on what he and his staff have started into the future.

The post Rhett Lashlee explains decision to stick with SMU amid openings at Arkansas, Auburn appeared first on Saturday Down South.

A second-round pick out of Western Michigan, the Cowboys selected Kneeland with the 56th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after a stellar collegiate career with the Broncos.

Across his 5 seasons at Western Michigan from 2019-2023, Kneeland had 148 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks, and was viewed as one of the best pass rushers available coming out in the 2024 draft cycle.

After appearing in 11 games as a rookie in 2024, Kneeland was starting to see his role in the Cowboys’ defense increase in 2025, appearing in all 7 games for the team and making 3 starts.

His most recent appearance came this past Monday against the Arizona Cardinals, where he scored his first career touchdown on a blocked punt recovery during Monday Night Football.

The official cause of Kneeland’s passing has yet to be announced, but he is survived by his girlfriend Catalina, his mother Wendy, father Shawn, and the rest of his extended family.

The post Dallas Cowboys announced that second-year DE Marshawn Kneeland has passed away appeared first on Saturday Down South.

If the Bayou Bengals want to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the season, their defense will have to find a way to slow down Ty Simpson and the high-powered Alabama offense in one of the most hostile road environments in the SEC.

Getting junior linebacker Whit Weeks back would certainly be a massive boost for interim head coach Frank Wilson and the rest of the LSU defense, but Wilson said during the SEC coaches teleconference call on Wednesday that the Tigers’ defensive captain is “more doubtful.”

Weeks, who has been dealing with a lingering ankle injury, has missed the past 2 games for LSU against Texas A&M and Vanderbilt, both of which ended up being losses for the Tigers.

There was some hope that the recent bye week would give the star linebacker for the Tigers the time he needed to finish rehabbing the injury, but this doesn’t appear to have been the case.

Weeks entered 2025 as a preseason First-Team All-American selection, and has racked up 26 total tackles and 1 sack across the 5 games he has played in so far this year for the Tigers.

The post LSU LB Whit Weeks gets injury update ahead of Alabama game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

One player who many have been wondering about on the injury front has been junior cornerback Jermod McCoy, who has missed the entire season while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered back in January.

According to Knox News’ Adam Sparks, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel was asked whether or not he thinks McCoy will see the field this season, to which he responded by saying it’s “not fair” for him to put a timeline on any potential return for the preseason All-American.

“I don’t think it’s fair for me to put a timeline on it,” Heupel said. “He had a real injury that he’s been working hard to get back from. He continues to make progress. Great teammate in the way that he’s tried to get himself back.”

A 2024 transfer portal addition, McCoy made an immediate impact in the Vols’ secondary last season, racking up 44 combined tackles and 4 interceptions en route to being named to the All-SEC First Team.

He tore his ACL this past January during an off-season training session, and while there was some hope he could see some playing time in 2025, Heupel’s comments here have put any sort of return this season into doubt.

The post Josh Heupel gives injury update on Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Shula presided over a Gamecocks’ offense that currently ranks dead last in the SEC in points per game at 19.7, and at or near the bottom in every other major offensive category as well. As a result, the Gamecocks have lost 6 of their last 7.

Now with Shula out in Columbia, head coach Shane Beamer appears to have tabbed the man who will take up the play-calling duties for Carolina for the rest of the season as the team looks to salvage what remains of their campaign.

According to On3’s Chris Low, the Gamecocks have reportedly given wide receivers coach Mike Furrey offensive play-calling responsibilities for the rest of the year in place of the now-fired Shula.

A former NFL player and head coach at Limestone College, Furrey is in his second season with the program, serving as the wide receivers coach during his entire time with the program.

He brings over a decade of collegiate and NFL coaching experience to the table, and will now be tasked with getting things back on track for LaNorris Sellers and the rest of the Gamecocks’ offense over the final few games of the season.

The post Shane Beamer reportedly decides who will call plays for rest of 2025 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The ACC was prominently featured in these initial CFP rankings, with 5 squads making the cut, but some were surprised to see that the highest ranking any of these squads received was the Virginia Cavaliers at No. 14.

CBS Sports analyst Rick Neuheisel discussed the ACC’s positioning in the first CFP rankings on Tuesday night, following their official reveal, saying that the selection committee “devalued” the Power 4 conference.

“Jim Phillips (ACC Commissioner) is watching this and scratching his head because they have devalued the entire conference,” Neuheisel said. “Miami is sitting there at 6-2, having beaten Notre Dame, and yet they find themselves 8 spots behind them with the same record. You’ve got an 8-1 Virginia team sitting there at 14. Louisville, with 1 loss, is sitting right there behind them at 15, and Georgia Tech, who just lost their first game, is sitting at 17.”

The ACC does feature the third-most teams in the initial CFP rankings with 5, but the positioning of these squads does the conference no favors as they head into the final stretch of the season.

Given the nature of how things have shaped up so far this season and how many great teams are stacked up inside the top-12 already, it will be hard for an ACC program to find its way into an at-large bid come playoff time.

The post Rick Neuheisel says ACC was ‘devalued’ by CFP selection committee appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Texas A&M Aggies were the highest-ranked SEC team in the CFP ranking at No. 3, coming in just behind the Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 1 and the Indiana Hoosiers at No. 2, but ESPN analyst Booger McFarland believes that the Aggies are too low.

McFarland discussed the initial rankings on the CFP reveal show on ESPN Tuesday night alongside a panel of several other ESPN analysts, saying that Texas A&M was most deserving of the No. 1 slot.

“I think that Texas A&M’s resume, the way they’ve looked, and what they’ve done, deserves to be No. 1,” McFarland said. “I think that when you look at Indiana going on the road to Autzen (Stadium) and beating Oregon, I would even put them No. 1… Indiana and Texas A&M, I think they’ve done more so far.”

Joey Galloway also spoke up in defense of the Aggies during the discussion as well, saying that when it comes to ranking and analytics, Texas A&M has been the best team in the nation thus far.

“This tells me they’re going a lot on eye test here,” Galloway explained. “If we’re going on rankings and analytics, Texas A&M is best analytically over Indiana and Ohio State, and they’re sitting at No. 3.”

The post Booger McFarland says Texas A&M is deserving of No. 1 spot in CFP ranking appeared first on Saturday Down South.

CBS Sports covered all the action from this past weekend, and they have now released their selections for the college football Head Coaches of the Week from every Division 1 conference from this past Saturday.

Oklahoma Sooners‘ head coach Brent Venables picked up the nod for SEC Head Coach of the Week for his team’s 33-27 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers on the road in Knoxville.

Lincoln Riley and Rich Rodriguez were selected as the Big Ten and Big 12 Head Coaches of the Week, respectively, while SMU Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee and North Carolina State head coach Dave Doeren were named co-ACC Head Coaches of the Week.

Former Tennessee Volunteers’ head coach Butch Jones also made an appearance on the list, as he picked up the nod for Sun Belt Head Coach of the Week at Arkansas State after the Red Wolves picked up a massive 23-10 win against the Troy Trojans this past Saturday.

The post CBS Sports names SEC Head Coach of the Week for Week 10 appeared first on Saturday Down South.