Mariota happens to be free this Saturday as the Washington Commanders are on a bye.

We have Oregon legend and 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota joining us as this week's guest picker pic.twitter.com/VzUDOGEbrn

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 20, 2025

Mariota was an Oregon Duck from 2011-14. He redshirted his first year on campus and then made an instant impact, winning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2012.

The 2014 campaign was a season to remember for Mariota and the Ducks. Leading Oregon to the College Football Playoff National Championship, Mariota set single-season records with 4,454 passing yards and 42 passing touchdowns. He collected numerous conference and national individual honors, headlined by the Heisman Trophy.

After 4 years in Eugene, Mariota departed Oregon with program records for career total offensive yards (13,089), career passing yards (10,796) and career passing touchdowns (105). He was selected No. 2 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans.

Mariota continues to play professionally. After the Titans, he made stops with Las Vegas, Atlanta and Philadelphia before joining Washington in 2024.

Saturday, Mariota will be asked to pick the biggest college football games of Week 13, joining host Rece Davis and analysts Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit. The show is in Eugene for the Big Ten showdown between No. 7 Oregon and No. 15 USC.

The post College GameDay announces celebrity guest picker for Week 13 show at Oregon appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold began the season as QB1. Ashton Daniels has since made multiple starts, helping jump-start the struggling Tiger offense. Before Thursday’s news, interim head coach DJ Drukin had already stated Arnold and Knight would both play in the Mercer game.

RELATED: Ready to play daily fantasy sports? Sign up today using our Chalkboard promo code!

Sitting Daniels on Saturday helps preserve the quarterback’s redshirt. Daniels has already played in 3 games this season. NCAA rules allow athletes to participate in 4 regular-season games of the college football season and still take a redshirt. By sitting against Mercer, Daniels will be available to play in the Iron Bowl game against Alabama and still redshirt for 2025.

Knight is in his first season on The Plains. As a Class of 2025 recruit, Knight was rated 5-stars, the No. 1 player in Mississippi, No. 5 quarterback and No. 28 prospect overall on the 247Sports Composite. He was a big win on the recruiting trail for former head coach Hugh Freeze, signing with Auburn over 24 other scholarship offers.

Auburn vs. Mercer is set for a 2 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday, with the game streaming via SEC Network+.

The post Auburn expected to start 5-star freshman QB in Week 13, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Original post:

Florida will reportedly meet with Jon Sumrall as the program searches for its new full-time head coach. The news comes via a report from On3’s Zach Abolverdi on Wednesday.

Sumrall, 43, is in his second season as Tulane’s head coach. He has frequently been mentioned as a potential candidate for Power 4 jobs as numerous high-profile positions have become part of this year’s coaching carousel.

This season, Sumrall’s Tulane squad has an 8-2 record entering Week 13. He’s 17-7 with the Green Wave, leading the program to a 9-5 record last season with an appearance in the AAC Championship Game and a Gasparilla Bowl berth against Florida.

Prior to Tulane, Sumrall was Troy’s head coach for 2 seasons, going 23-4 overall and 14-2 in conference play. The Trojans won the Sun Belt both seasons, and Sumrall was the conference’s Coach of the Year for 2022.

Sumrall has SEC roots as a former Kentucky linebacker from 2002-04. He then got into coaching in 2005, serving as a graduate assistant at his alma mater. Sumrall had assistant stops at San Diego, Tulane and Troy before returning to the SEC as Ole Miss’s linebackers coach in the 2018 season.

Kentucky added Sumrall to the staff as inside linebackers coach in 2019. He added co-defensive coordinator responsibilities for the 2021 season.

Want to make some money on the Florida coaching hire? Check out the wagering options at prediction market Kalshi!

The post Florida coaching search: UF reportedly set to meet with Tulane’s Jon Sumrall appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Beamer expressed confidence that in November 2026 his team will be watching the College Football Playoff Top 25 reveals on Tuesdays to see where the Gamecocks are ranked. Jordan Kaye of The State shared Beamer’s remarks from a Tuesday media opportunity.

Beamer is in his 5th season as the South Carolina head coach. With 7 losses already, the Gamecocks are in danger of posting their worst record under Beamer. South Carolina went 5-7 in 2023, the only other time Beamer has not taken the program to a bowl game.

South Carolina was in the Playoff discussion mix last season. The Gamecocks were just outside the top 12, ranked No. 15 in the selection committee’s final rankings of 2024. Beamer’s squad went to the Citrus Bowl last season and lost to Illinois, finishing No. 19 in the final AP Top 25 following the postseason.

While Beamer is already expecting big things in 2026, the ’25 Gamecocks still have two games to play, both against in-state foes. The Gamecocks host Coastal Carolina on Saturday. Then they will wrap up the season facing Clemson in the annual Palmetto Bowl rivalry game.

The post Shane Beamer predicts South Carolina will be in CFP mix ‘next year at this time’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kiffin appeared Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show, a day after The Athletic reported that Ole Miss gave Kiffin a deadline before the Egg Bowl game against Mississippi State on Nov. 28 to make a decision on his future with the program.

“That’s absolutely not true. There’s been no ultimatum, anything like that at all. I don’t know where that came from,” Lane Kiffin said when McAfee asked about the reported ultimatum.

The reported “ultimatum” came amid rampant speculation and rumors surrounding Kiffin’s coaching future. Kiffin is reported to be the top target for both Florida and LSU. Kiffin’s family members reportedly took trips to Gainesville and Baton Rouge on Sunday and Monday.

Both Billy Napier and Brian Kelly were fired in October. Kiffin has been linked to the Gators and Tigers throughout those coaching searches. The Ole Miss coach has repeatedly deflected on questions about his future at Ole Miss, where he has posted a record of 54-19 in 6 seasons with the program.

Kiffin’s 2025 success potentially complicates a move to Florida or LSU. The Rebels are 10-1 entering Week 13 and expected to make the College Football Playoff. The Rebels were No. 7 in last week’s CFP selection committee rankings before a 34-24 win over Florida. The committee will unveil its new Top 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

The post Lane Kiffin denies report of ‘ultimatum’ from Ole Miss amid Florida, LSU speculation appeared first on Saturday Down South.

A vocal portion of the college football community, particularly those without any SEC allegiance or affiliation, feels strongly that ESPN is biased toward the SEC as the conference’s media rights partner. ESPN is also the College Football Playoff’s media rights partner.

Herbstreit is considered the face of ESPN’s college football coverage. As a broadcaster and analyst, he gives his take on the top teams in college football. Some critics accuse Herbstreit of lobbying for SEC teams to make the Playoff over other teams. Those accusations upset the long-time ESPN personality.

“These idiots say, ‘How much do people pay you to say this bulls–?’ F-off,” Herbstreit said.

“We’re talking about the sport. We’re talking about what we care about. I don’t give a s— about the SEC. I give a s— about where these teams are going to come. How are they going to find these 12 teams? Where they are going to split these hairs at No. 11, No. 12, No. 13, No. 14 — it’s fascinating to me.”

Herbstreit had more to say. Addressing claims that he uses his platform to advocate for SEC teams, he said that he doesn’t which conferences are represented in the 12-team field.

“Put Miami in. I don’t care. Put six Group of 5 teams in. Do whatever you want,” Herbtreit said. “I’m just saying — everybody recognizes the depth and the challenge of the SEC.

“You can hate that. You can make fun of that. Do whatever the hell you want with that. That’s the reality of the sport. That’s the reality of the world. You can live in a fake world.”

Herbstreit further addressed the paid shill claims.

“I get so tired of the bulls—. I just get so f—ing tired,” Herbstreit stated. “These people talking about the SEC, ‘How much they pay you’ — are you kidding me? I’ve been here for 30 years.”

It’s not the first time this month that Herbstreit has publicly addressed perceived SEC bias, calling it “BS.” Unfortunately for Herbstreit, talking about a 3-loss Texas team potentially making the CFP won’t quiet his critics any time soon.

ESPN’s College GameDay is headed to Eugene, Oregon in Week 13 for the Big Ten showdown between USC and Oregon. Herbstreit will then travel to Gainesville, Florida, to call the ABC primetime game between Tennessee and Florida.

The post Kirk Herbstreit goes on explicit rant addressing accusations of SEC bias appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to reports from Ross Dellenger and Billy Liucci, Elko is set to be extended for an additional six years, bringing his salary to $11.5 million to make him among the top-5 highest-paid coaches in college football.

Mike Elko and Texas A&M are finalizing a new contract to make him one of the top-10 highest-paid coaches in the country and securing his future amid this historic coaching cycle, sources tell @YahooSports.

Elko is 17-5 in College Station and has the Aggies 9-0 and ranked No. 3.

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 15, 2025

As @RossDellenger reported, Texas A&M is extending head coach Mike Elko.

Per sources, the extension will be for an additional six years with an average salary of $11.5 million per year.

— Billy Liucci (@billyliucci) November 15, 2025

Elko is in Year 2 as the head Aggie. After an 8-5 season in 2024, Elko has Texas A&M sitting at No. 3 in the College Football Playoff as the SEC’s only undefeated team with a 9-0 record. A previous A&M coordinator, Elko was the head coach of Duke for 2022 and ’23, posting a 16-9 record leading the Blue Devils.

The extension comes amid a wild coaching carousel with numerous Power 4 openings. There was some speculation linking Elko to the Penn State opening. Penn is the alma mater of Elko, a New Jersey native.

The post Mike Elko lands multi-year extension, raise with Texas A&M, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The New York Giants dismissed Brian Daboll as head coach this week, and the rumor mill started linking Belichick to the job. The legendary former New England Patriots coach was a Giants assistant from 1979-90, working under Bill Parcells. Despite his deep ties to the organization, however, Belichick says he isn’t interested in the Giants job or any other NFL gig.

Belichick and UNC football shared a statement on the matter via social media.

“I have great respect and genuinely care for the New York Giants organization and both the Mara and Tisch families,” Belichick said in a posted statement. “The New York Giants played an important role in my life and in my coaching journey. It was a privilege for me to work for the Mara family and be a member of Coach Parcells’ staff for over a decade. However, despite circulating rumors, I have not and will not pursue any NFL head coaching vacancies.

“Since arriving in Chapel Hill, my commitment to the UNC Football program has not waivered. We have tremendous support from the university, our alumni, and the entire Carolina community. My focus remains solely on continuing to improve this team, develop our players, and build a program that makes Tar Heel fans proud.

“We’re on to Wake Forest.”

A statement from Bill Belichick, who definitely posted this himself on Instagram, saying “I have not and will not pursue any NFL head coaching vacancies.” pic.twitter.com/YMgxgkldAk

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 15, 2025

Belichick’s Tar Heels are 4-5 entering the Wake Forest game. UNC was 2-5 going into the Syracuse game on Halloween but has turned things around, defeating the Orange 27-10 and making it back-to-back victories with a 20-15 win over Stanford in Week 11.

The on-field disappointments and off-field distractions and drama have led to numerous reports and rumors about Belichick’s Carolina tenure potentially coming to an early finish, but the NFL legend maintains that he is committed to Carolina football.

The post Bill Belichick releases statement shooting down NFL job rumors appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It’s sure to be an electric atmosphere in Sanford Stadium. Georgia enters the game No. 5 in the latest College Football Playoff selection committee rankings. The Bulldogs are on a 5-game winning streak as they aim to get back to the conference championship game.

At No. 10, Texas is also firmly in the mix for the CFP, and with just 1 conference loss, the SEC Championship Game. The Longhorns lost twice to UGA last year, and this is their first time playing between the hedges.

Bell, 63, is originally from Cleveland. In the 1980s, he attended the University of Georgia, where he met the late Michael Houser. The pair later met Dave Schools before beginning to perform as Widespread Panic in 1986.

WSP remains an active band, extremely popular in the jam band scene. Panic’s upcoming shows include 3 nights at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York (Nov. 21-23) and a New Year’s Eve run at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre (Dec. 29-31). All 6 of those shows are sold out. The band’s 2026 schedule notably includes 2 nights in Austin, Texas at the Moody Center (Feb. 14 and 15).

The band’s website notes that JB is scheduled to sing at 7 p.m. ET, ahead of the 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff. Many fans will enjoy the performance, and the game, sipping on a tall boy.

The post John Bell of Widespread Panic to sing national anthem at Georgia-Texas appeared first on Saturday Down South.

There are 8 games involving SEC teams scheduled for Saturday, with kickoffs going from noon to 7:45 p.m. ET. Six of those games are conference contests, while Kentucky and Tennessee are taking breaks from SEC play with nonconference opponents in Week 12. There are two headlining matchups featuring top-15 teams.

RELATED: Need a way to stream this week’s SEC games without a long-term commitment? Sling TV offers fans weekend passes and day passes to catch all the action!

No. 4 Alabama hosts No. 11 Oklahoma in the afternoon window. OU pulled off a major upset last year, keeping the Crimson Tide out of the College Football Playoff. This year, both teams are in the CFP mix.

No. 5 Georgia hosts No. 10 Texas in the evening window. The Bulldogs defeated the Longhorns twice in 2024. This is the first time Texas is playing between the hedges at Sanford Stadium.

Here’s the full schedule for Saturday:

• No. 3 Texas A&M vs. South Carolina — 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN (Stream on Sling TV)
• LSU vs. Arkansas — 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network (Stream on Sling TV)
• Kentucky vs. Tennessee Tech — 1:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ (streaming only)
• No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 11 Oklahoma — 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC (Stream on Sling TV)
• No. 23 Tennessee vs. New Mexico State — 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network (Stream on Sling TV)
• No. 7 Ole Miss vs. Florida — 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN (Stream on Sling TV)
• No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 10 Texas — 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC (Stream on Sling TV)
• Mizzou vs. Mississippi State — 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network (Stream on Sling TV)

Enjoy the games!

The post SEC Football Schedule, Saturday, Nov. 15: Kickoff times and TV listings appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Donald will be back on campus at his alma mater to have his jersey retired. Saturday morning, he will join host Rece Davis and analysts Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit at the desk to pick the biggest games of Week 12.

Aaron Donald is returning to Pitt to be this week's guest picker and have his jersey retired @AaronDonald97 pic.twitter.com/8nljMlE60y

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 13, 2025

A native of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, Donald played at Pitt from 2010-13, a time when the Panthers made the move from the Big East to the ACC, being named first-team all-conference in both leagues in his final 2 seasons.

Donald left Pitt with a career 66 tackles for loss and 29.5 sacks. He went out with a bang in 2013, posting 28.5 TFLs and 11 sacks. His outstanding season led to numerous awards and honors, including the Outland Trophy, Lombardi Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Unanimous All-America.

After Pitt, Donald spent his entire professional career with the Rams franchise. A future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Donald was an 8-time first-team All-Pro and 10-time Pro Bowl selection. He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year 3 times and made the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team.

Pitt announced Donald’s jersey retirement on Sept. 22 and scheduled it for the Notre Dame game. The latest College Football Playoff rankings have the game in the national spotlight as a showdown between the No. 9 Irish and No. 21 Panthers.

The post College GameDay announces celebrity guest picker for Week 12 show at Pitt appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Richard was selected No. 56 overall in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft after helping Florida win its third national championship in program history. Second-round picks often face an uphill battle to make the NBA roster and may find themselves released or sent to the G League. Richard not only made the Golden State roster, but he has also been a Day 1 contributor for the Warriors.

Richard was in the starting lineup for Golden State’s Wednesday night win over San Antonio. It wasn’t a particularly memorable game for Richard, aside from one moment. Richard played 22 minutes in the 125-120 Warrior victory, scoring 3 points. Richard’s 3-pointer got a Gator chomp from Golden State superstar Steph Curry. As an added bonus, the assist came from Florida great Al Horford, a member of UF’s 2006 and ’07 national title teams.

Watch Curry hit the Gator chomp after Will Richard knocks down a three pic.twitter.com/ARiJGxg7OV

— Florida Recruiting (@FLRecruits) November 13, 2025

The Warriors are 7-6 on the season. Richard has played in 11 games, making 2 starts. Richard is averaging 9.4 points per game on 18.1 minutes per outing.

Curry and the Warriors seem to be happy to have multiple Gators on their team.

The post Will Richard draws Gator chomp from Steph Curry after draining 3-pointer appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After weeks of being ruled “out” on every report, defensive tackle Caleb Banks was upgraded to doubtful. In most cases, “doubtful,” would hardly be newsworthy, but the designation turned some heads with Banks having been sidelined since September. According to Zach Goodall of Swamp247, the news is even more positive. Goodall reports, per sources, that Banks is “fully healed.”

Considered an NFL talent, Banks’ decision to return for his final season of college eligibility at Florida was a big deal for the 2025 Gators. His final year, however, has not gone as he planned.

The injury bug has not been kind to Banks. He missed Florida’s bowl game following the 2024 season and was out for spring practice in 2025. After missing the first 2 games of the ’25 campaign, he made his season debut against LSU in Week 3. Banks played only 29 snaps in the game before exiting due to a foot injury that led to him having surgery.

With Banks’ recovery from the September procedure described as long-term, many did not expect his return in the 2025 season. Per Goodall, Banks is trying to get back on the field before the end of UF’s season. Since he has not played in about 2 months, Banks is reportedly more likely to return for upcoming games against Tennessee and Florida State than Saturday’s contest at Ole Miss.

In 2024, Banks had 21 tackles, including 10 solo stops and 4.5 sacks. Banks also logged 2 forced fumbles and recovered a fumble in 10 starts last season.

The post Report details notable upgrade for Caleb Banks on Florida’s availability report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In a report released Wednesday, the NCAA found that MSU provided more than $10,000 in impermissible recruiting inducements over a period from October 2021-March 2023. Tucker was Michigan State’s head coach at that time, and has been given a 3-year show cause.

The NCAA report says it was former Michigan State general manager/player personnel director Saeed Khalif and former assistant coach Brandon Jordan who committed the violations, which included payments for airfare and lodging to prospects and traveling companions during unofficial visits to campus.

For the Level I case, Michigan State is facing the following penalties, per the NCAA release:

• Three years of probation.
• A fine of $30,000, plus 1.5% of the football program budget.
• A reduction in football official visits by two home games during the 2025 football
  season and one home game during each of the 2026 and 2027 football seasons.
• A reduction in football unofficial visits by a total of 12 weeks during the 2025-26,
  2026-27 and 2027-28 academic years, with at least one week each year coinciding
  with a home game.
  • Michigan State previously self-imposed and is credited with a reduction of
    two weeks during spring 2025.
• A total six-week ban on recruiting communications in football during the 2025-
  26, 2026-27 and 2027-28 academic years.
• A reduction of permissible recruiting person days in football by a total of 30 days
  over the 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28 academic years.
  • Michigan State previously self-imposed and is credited with a reduction of
    five days in spring 2025.
• A one-week ban on off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations in football
  during each of the 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28 academic years.
• Vacation of team wins and records in which the ineligible student-athletes
  competed.

Because of the violations, MSU was found to be playing ineligible players from 2022-24, meaning all wins from those seasons must be vacated. Smith’s first season was 2024, in which the Spartans went 5-7 on the field. Michigan State is 3-6 in 2025.

The post Michigan State to vacate wins from multiple seasons for NCAA recruiting violations appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The updated rankings were announced by the CFP selection committee on Tuesday evening. They follow the first 11 weeks of the college football season, which concluded this past Saturday.

College Football Playoff rankings, Week 12

Here’s a look at the second top-25 of the season:

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Texas A&M
4. Alabama
5. Georgia
6. Texas Tech
7. Ole Miss
8. Oregon
9. Notre Dame
10. Texas
11. Oklahoma
12. BYU
13. Utah
14. Vanderbilt
15. Miami
16. Georgia Tech
17. USC
18. Michigan
19. Virginia
20. Louisville
21. Iowa
22. Pittsburgh
23. Tennessee
24. South Florida
25. Cincinnati

College Football Playoff changes

The College Football Playoff made some notable changes ahead of the 2025 season. The headlining change is that the 4 highest-ranked conference champions no longer receive an automatic bye to the quarterfinal round. In last year’s inaugural 12-team format, the 4 highest-ranked conference champs were awarded the top 4 seeds. This year, teams will be seeded 1 through 12 based on the committee’s rankings.

It is important to remember, however, that the 5 highest-ranked conference champions will still receive an automatic berth for the 12-team bracket. While there is no guarantee which 5 conference champions get the 5 automatic bids, it is expected to play out as the Power 4 champions (SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC) and top Group of 5 champ securing those 5 spots.

In addition to the seeding change, the other big change centers around the strength-of-schedule metric. The CFP previously announced it will use a new SOS model this season that rewards or punishes teams based on the quality of win or loss.

Odds to make the College Football Playoff

This time of year, certain teams are starting to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. As expected, undefeated teams Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M lead the favorites to make the 12-team field.

Here’s a look at where the top teams currently sit in National Championship odds:

The post College Football Playoff rankings, Nov. 11: Second Top 25 revealed by committee appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Buffalo Bills announced the signing of Hardman to their practice squad on Tuesday. Hardman, 27, has been playing professionally since the 2019 season.

We have made the following roster moves:

– Signed WR Mecole Hardman Jr. to the practice squad
– Released WR Kristian Wilkerson and DE Kingsley Jonathan from the practice squad
– Placed DE Landon Jackson on Injured Reserve pic.twitter.com/C1yXpkJrTG

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) November 11, 2025

Hardman has been a free agent since Sept. 23. He spent time with the Green Bay Packers this year, but was let go after a practice squad.

A second-team All-Pro selection and Pro Bowl in 2019, Hardman is best known for two stints with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2019-22 and 2023-24. He collected 3 Super Bowl rings in his time with the Chiefs (LIV, LVII and LVIII).

In between his stops in Kansas City, Hardman was a member of the New York Jets in 2023 before a trade back to the Chiefs. In 80 regular-season games, Hardman has 178 catches for 2,302 yards and 16 touchdowns. He has also logged 26 rushes for 190 yards and 3 scores.

Hardman will be seeking to make his 2025 regular-season debut with Buffalo. The Bills host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

The post Former Georgia WR Mecole Hardman lands new NFL opportunity appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kelly’s ouster came on quickly after LSU‘s blowout home loss to Texas A&M last month. While the football program made a coaching change, it has become clear that the two sides did not have an agreement on Kelly’s massive buyout.

The coaching contract between LSU and Kelly stated the coach would be owed more than $53 million to be bought out of his contract. It also contained offset and mitigation language. Documents obtained by reporters have revealed that Kelly was initially offered $25 million and the elimination of mitigation and offset language. A second offer was made for a total of $30 million and the elimination of mitigation and offset language.

Kelly rejected both offers and set a Monday deadline for a written guarantee of his buyout to be paid. Early Tuesday morning, it was reported that LSU is now claiming Kelly was not formally terminated and the program is seeking to fire him for cause, in which case he would not be owed a buyout.

The Attorney General’s involvement is only the latest development in what has become a politically-charged coaching change at LSU. Gov. Jeff Landry was reportedly directly involved in Kelly’s dismissal due to the absence of a full-time university president at the time. Landry then slammed since-fired LSU athletic director Scott Woodward in public comment and spoke out about the influence of agents while deriding coaching contracts.

The post LSU reportedly hands over Brian Kelly lawsuit to Louisiana Attorney General appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Houston is the new No. 1 team in the land, overtaking Purdue. The Cougars, last season’s runner-up, are off to a 2-0 start. The Boilermakers were dinged for only defeating Oakland 87-77.

There has also been an SEC shakeup. Alabama is now the highest-ranked conference squad, sitting at No. 8 after starting the 2025-26 campaign 2-0. Nate Oats’ team picked up a 103-96 win over then-No. 5 St. John’s on Saturday in Madison Square Garden. Rick Pitino’s squad dropped to No. 13 with the early-season loss.

Defending national champion Florida began the season as the SEC’s highest-ranked squad at No. 3. The Gators, however, stumbled out of the gate, losing to Arizona in Las Vegas. UF bounced back with a lopsided home win over UNF and checks in at No. 10 in the new poll.

Here’s the full top 25, including 6 SEC teams:

1. Houston
2. Purdue
3. UConn
4. Duke
5. Arizona
6. Michigan
7. BYU
8. Alabama
9. Kentucky
10. Florida
11. Texas Tech
12. Louisville
13. St. John’s
14. Illinois
15. UCLA
16. Iowa State
17. Michigan State
18. North Carolina
19. Gonzaga
20. Tennessee
21. Arkansas
22. Auburn
23. Creighton
24. Wisconsin
25. Kansas

Others receiving votes:

NC State 87, San Diego St. 67, Indiana 45, Oregon 43, Vanderbilt 37, Ohio St. 17, Baylor 14, Southern Cal 12, Kansas St 5, Missouri 4, Mississippi 4, Mississippi St. 3, Georgia 2, Stanford 1, Oklahoma St. 1, Texas 1, Georgetown 1, Utah St. 1, Iowa 1, Virginia Tech 1.

The post College Basketball AP Top 25: Alabama leads 6 SEC teams in new poll appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Tigers and Sooners are set for an early kick. The game is set for noon ET, meaning a morning kickoff of 11 a.m. local time in Norman. The game will be broadcast on either ABC or ESPN, with finalized details coming after the Week 12 games.

RELATED: Need a way to watch Mizzou-Oklahoma and all the Week 13 games? Check out the many streaming options from Sling TV so you don’t miss out on all the college football during Disney’s dispute with YouTube TV!

OU leads the all-time series with MU 67-25-5. Mizzou won last year’s game, the first meeting since 2011, 30-23 in Columbia. This time around, the Sooners will be hoping to stay on track for a possible College Football Playoff bid, while the Tigers will try to play spoiler.

Oklahoma was ranked No. 12 in the previous CFP selection committee rankings and will learn its new ranking on Tuesday. The Sooners were off in Week 11 and sit at 7-2 entering a key Week 12 clash with Alabama.

Mizzou has seen its Playoff hopes slip away, dropping 3 of its last 4 to Alabama, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M. The Tigers lost standout QB Beau Pribula to injury in the Vandy game. MU is 6-3 on the season and hosts Mississippi State in Week 12.

The post SEC announces kickoff time, TV info for Mizzou at Oklahoma appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Gonzales revealed that Wilson suffered a high ankle sprain during the Week 10 game against Georgia, his standout performance of the season. Wilson did not play in this past Saturday’s loss at Kentucky and will now have a procedure.

RELATED: Sunshine State residents can get in on the action today using the SDS guide to Florida sports betting apps!

“Tough son of a gun,” Gonzales said Monday. “I talked to our training staff. He got hurt during the Georgia game and pushed through it. Came back in the second half and just battled. I’ve said I’ve not seen a lot of people be able to do what he did, be able to come back and play in that second half with the injury that he had. So, we’re going to get cleaned up.”

Gonzales said that Wilson will have the tight-rope procedure on Wednesday, giving the wideout the best opportunity to return for spring.

Wilson is in his third year at Florida. In 2025, he logged 27 catches for 239 yards and 3 touchdowns. Nine of those catches for 121 yards and 1 TD came in the 24-20 loss to Georgia on Nov. 1.

The Gators are also without freshman standout WR Dallas Wilson for the rest of the season. UF faces No. 6 Ole Miss on Saturday.

The post Florida WR to have surgery, miss remainder of 2025, Billy Gonzales announces appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kanell touts Ohio State and Indiana as the two “most deserving teams.” Texas A&M is the highest-ranked SEC squad at No. 3 in Kanell’s top 12. Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas and Oklahoma are the other SEC squads

There are some notable differences between the way Kanell ranks teams and the College Football Playoff selection committee poll. Kanell, a Florida State alum, is higher on the ACC. Georgia Tech and Miami entered Saturday Nos. 17 and 18 in the CFP ranks. The Yellow Jackets and Hurricanes both won on Saturday, and Kanell is ranking them Nos. 9 and 12 in his Sunday rankings.

Kanell’s ranking of Miami at No. 12 may be part of his point about the current CFP system. On Saturday, Kanell argued against giving the highest-ranked conference champion from the Group of 5 an automatic bid. He noted how it may lead to USF getting in over Miami. The Hurricanes defeated the Bulls 49-12 in Week 3.

Here is Kanell’s full top 12:

After Week 11 the most deserving teams continue to rise. This week’s #DKtop12

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Texas AM
4. Oregon
5. Bama
6. Georgia
7. Texas Tech
8. Ole Miss

9. Georgia Tech
10. Texas
11. Oklahoma
12. Miami

— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) November 9, 2025

The post Danny Kanell shares updated top 12 after exciting Week 11 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In the SEC, we’ve got 6 games on tap. Ole Miss is taking a break from SEC play, hosting The Citadel, but the other 5 games are conference contests.

RELATED: Don’t miss out on SEC football because of the YouTube TV dispute with ESPN! With Sling TV, fans can stream all the games!

The battle of the bulldogs gets things started. The cowbells will be going loud when Mississippi State hosts No. 5 Georgia in the early window.

No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 22 Mizzou is the only ranked-on-ranked showdown. The hype surrounding the game has calmed with the injury to Mizzou QB Beau Pribula. The Tigers are turning to true freshman Matt Zollers in Pribula’s absence.

The afternoon window also features Auburn on the road at No. 16 Vanderbilt. AU is playing its first game since the dismissal of Hugh Freeze. Defensive coordinator DJ Durkin is the interim head coach.

The evening window features another interim head coach. Frank Wilson is leading LSU at No. 4 Alabama after the firing of Brian Kelly.

Florida and Kentucky are also in the evening window. UF interim coach Billy Gonzales is coaching his second game after the firing of Billy Napier.

Here’s the full schedule for Week 11:

• No. 5 Georgia at Mississippi State — 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN (Stream on Sling TV)
• No. 6 Ole Miss vs. The Citadel — 1:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ (streaming only)
• No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 22 Mizzou — 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC (Stream via Sling TV)
• No. 16 Vanderbilt vs. Auburn — 4:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network (Stream with Sling TV)
• No. 4 Alabama vs. LSU — 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC (Stream on Sling TV)
• Florida at Kentucky — 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network (Stream via Sling TV)

Enjoy the games, everyone!

The post SEC Football Schedule, Saturday, Nov. 8: Kickoff times and TV listings appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Arizona’s move comes as the club sends Kyler Murray to the injured list, keeping him out for at least 4 games. Driskel was with the Cardinals back in 2023, giving him familiarity with the system used by offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.

Driskel’s former Florida teammate Jacoby Brissett is leading the Cardinals in Murray’s absence. The two quarterbacks played for Will Muschamp’s Gator team in 2011 and ’12. Brissett transferred to NC State after the 2012 season. Driskel remained at Florida through the 2014 season.

After transferring to Lousiana Tech in 2015 for his final collegiate season, Driskel began his pro career in 2016. He has bounced around the league. In addition to the Cardinals, Driskel has also spent time with the San Francisco 49ers, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders and Las Vegas Raiders.

In his NFL career, Driskel has made 25 appearances, including 12 starts. He has completed 229-of-391 passes for 2,394 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Driskel last saw regular-season action with Washington in 2024 and was most recently a practice-squad QB with the Raiders.

The post Former Florida QB Jeff Driskel lands new NFL opportunity appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Wednesday evening, initial availability reports were released for all the Week 11 SEC games. Florida will be without multiple top wide receivers, Dallas Wilson and Eugene Wilson III. Vernell Brown III, who missed the Georgia game due to injury, is currently considered questionable.

Dallas Wilson is second on the team in receiving yards per game with 43.5. The true freshman has appeared in 4 contests this season, logging 12 catches for 174 yards and 3 touchdowns. Wilson had a sensational debut in the Texas game, snagging 6 receptions for 111 yards and 2 scores.

RELATED: Looking to bet on the Gators and Cats? Check out the SDS guides to Florida gambling apps and Kentucky sportsbook promos!

Against Georgia, Wilson was limited to just 1 catch for 7 yards before he left the game due to a foot injury. On Sunday, it was reported that the injury is season-ending.

Eugene Wilson III, a third-year sophomore, had his biggest game of the season in Week 10. Against Georgia, Wilson led Florida receivers with 9 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown, bringing his season totals to 27 receptions for 239 yards and 3 scores.

Wilson was stepping up in the absence of Brown. A true freshman, Brown leads the Gators in receptions and receiving yards on the season with 32 catches for 451 yards, an average of 64.4 per game.

The Gators are looking for their first win at Kentucky since 2019. Saturday’s conference contest is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, airing on the SEC Network.

The post Florida announces key WR ruled out for Kentucky game; injured wideout questionable appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In a blockbuster trade, the New York Jets are sending Williams to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for two draft picks and Mazi Smith.

Full trade:

Cowboys receive DT Quinnen Williams.

Jets receive 2026 second-round pick and 2027 first-round pick and DT Mazi Smith. https://t.co/rea59x9G9h

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2025

Williams has been in the NFL since 2019. The Jets selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in 2019.

In 2025, Williams has been an 8-game starter for the Jets. He has 32 total tackles on the season, including 17 solo stops, 7 TFLs and 1 sack with 3 forced fumbles.

RELATED: Daily fantasy sports makes following your favorite players more fun! Check out the SDS guide to the best DFS apps to get started today!

Williams is on a run of 3 consecutive Pro Bowl selections. In 2022, he was selected first-team All-Pro and named the Defensive Player of the Year after posting a career-high 12 sacks and 28 QB hits.

In his pro career, Williams has played in 98 games, making 94 starts. He has recorded 322 total tackles, 199 solo stops, 101 QB hits and 40 sacks.

Williams spent the 2016-18 seasons at Alabama playing for Nick Saban. After redshirting, Williams logged 6.5 TFLs in the 2017 campaign. He had a breakout season in 2018, recording 19.5 TFLs with 8 sacks. Williams was named first-team All-American and All-SEC for 2018, winning the Outland Trophy for best interior lineman.

The post Jets deal former Alabama DT Quinnen Williams in blockbuster trade appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The CFP revealed the full schedule on Tuesday. Playoff action begins on Dec. 19 with the first of four first-round games to be played on campus. The New Year’s Six bowls then serve as the sites of quarterfinal and semifinal games. It all wraps up on Jan. 19 with the CFP National Championship.

The first 2 first-round games are set to air on ABC and ESPN. The other two first-round games will air on TNT & truTV and stream via HBO Max thanks to a sublicensing agreement with ESPN. The quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game will air on ESPN.

RELATED: Looking for a way to stream college football action on ESPN? Check out Sling TV today!

Here’s the full Playoff schedule:

The post College Football Playoff releases postseason schedule with kickoff times, TV info appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Nov. 15 SEC slate features 8 total games. Six of those are conference contests, while Tennessee and Kentucky are hosting nonconference opponents. The slate includes Texas’s first trip to Georgia for a rematch of last year’s SEC Championship Game. The Bulldogs topped the Longhorns in Austin and in Atlanta last year.

Here’s the full schedule for Week 12:

RELATED: Need a way to watch all the SEC action? Check out Sling TV with its many options for college football fans to catch every SEC game!

• South Carolina at Texas A&M — 12:00 p.m. ET on ABC or ESPN
• Arkansas at LSU — 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network
• Kentucky vs. Tennessee Tech — 1:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ (streaming only)
• Oklahoma at Alabama — 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC
• Tennessee vs. New Mexico State — 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network
• Florida at Ole Miss — 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Texas at Georgia — 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC
• Mississippi State at Mizzou — 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network

#SECFB on TV: Nov. 15

Updates: https://t.co/MxrzbnjcHW pic.twitter.com/yEv0w9xdwu

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) November 3, 2025

The post SEC announces kickoff times, TV information for Week 12 games appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The defending national champions started the 2025-26 season with a big test and came up short. No. 13 Arizona defeated No. 3 UF 93-87 on Monday night in Las Vegas.

Todd Golden’s team got off to a strong start. The Gators opened up a 12-point lead in the 1st half, going up 32-20 in the opening period. Arizona, though, was able to get going and get the Wildcat fans in Vegas involved in the game. The Gators would lead for the last time 41-39 at the 4:23 mark in the first period.

Arizona’s Koa Peat had a sensational collegiate debut. He was the game’s high-scorer with 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting from the field and 8-of-12 at the line. Peat also had 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Guard Jaden Bradley had 27 points for Tommy Lloyd’s team, leading the way down the stretch.

The Wildcats led by as many as 9 points, including an 85-76 advantage with 2:20 to go. Florida, however, didn’t go away quietly. The Gators cut the deficit to 90-87 with 29 seconds to go, but were unable to score again.

Florida entered the season with questions of how it would replace Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin. Transfers Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee are the new starting guards.

Lee was 5-of-17 from the field and 3-of-11 behind the 3-point line, adding 1 free throw for 14 points with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Fland finished in single digits, scoring 9 points on 3-of-9 field goals, going 0-for-2 from 3-point range. He added 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

Returning big Thomas Haugh did his best to keep the Gators in the game. He scored a team-high 27 points, including 16 in the 2nd half.

The Gators lost Alex Condon (11 points, 4 rebounds) and Rueben Chinyelu (4 points, 1 rebound) to foul trouble during the game. Big man Micah Handlogten led the way with 12 rebounds.

The post Florida falls to Arizona in top-15 season-opening showdown appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In the first half of Florida vs. Arizona in Las Vegas, UF’s starting center had to get the attention of the officials to inform them that the front of his jersey had been completely ripped off. Though there was obvious contact, no foul was called.

Rueben Chinyelu's Florida jersey was "completely torn off the front" against Arizona.

Brian Andreson and Grant Hill with the call for TNT Sports. pic.twitter.com/aPZFJlK0DS

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 4, 2025

Chinyelu’s normally wears jersey No. 9. He’ll be wearing No. 34 the rest of the night after the tear. Reporter Andy Katz noted on the TNT broadcast that the Gator staff brought 1 backup jersey and 2 pairs of shorts.

Florida trails Arizona 50-46 at the half after leading by 12 points in the early going. Chinyelu played 12 minutes in the half, logging 2 points on 1-of-4 shooting with 1 rebound.

We’ll see if Chinyelu and the No. 3 Gators can make a second-half comeback against the No. 13 Wildcats.

Looking to bet on the Gators and more? Check out the SDS guide to Florida sports betting apps so you can get in on the action today!

The post Florida C Rueben Chinyelu has to switch numbers after jersey ripped up against Arizona appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The SEC has announced a morning kickoff locally in Baton Rouge. The game is set for 11:45 p.m. CT/12:45 p.m. ET, airing on the SEC Network.

RELATED: Looking for a way to catch The Battle for the Boot and more SEC football? Sling TV has exciting options for fans, including day passes and weekend passes!

11:45 a.m. kick for The Battle of The Boot pic.twitter.com/R1YYs7984l

— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) November 3, 2025

Both teams will enter this game with interim head coaches.

Arkansas fired Sam Pittman as head coach on Sept. 28 after the Razorbacks fell to 2-3 on the season with a blowout home loss to Notre Dame. Under interim head coach Bobby Petrino, the Hogs have dropped all 4 games, falling to 2-7 overall and 0-5 in SEC play. Arkansas is off in Week 11 before heading to Death Valley.

LSU, meanwhile, is gearing up to play its first game under interim head coach Frank Wilson. The Tigers moved quickly to fire Brian Kelly after a Week 9 loss to Texas A&M. The Tigers were off in Week 10 and are gearing up to play Alabama on Saturday. On the season, LSU is 5-3 overall and 2-3 in conference contests.

Looking to bet on the Tigers and more? Use the SDS guide to find the Louisiana sports betting app for you!

The post SEC announces kickoff time, TV network for LSU vs. Arkansas rivalry game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Last season, the Sooners pulled off a shocking upset of the Crimson Tide in Norman, keeping UA from making the College Football Playoff. This year, both teams are fighting to stay in the CFP hunt.

RELATED: Don’t miss out on the action! If you’re looking for a way to catch all the SEC action on Saturday, Sling TV has exciting options for you!

Alabama stumbled out of the gate with a Week 1 loss at Florida State, but Kalen DeBoer‘s squad has looked like a new team since then. Alabama is currently 5-0 in SEC play, knocking off ranked opponents in 4 consecutive conference contests (Georgia, Vanderbilt, Mizzou and Tennessee). UA was off in Week 10 and will look to keep things rolling against LSU on Saturday.

Oklahoma stumbled twice in October, but the Sooners kept their Playoff hopes alive in Week 10 by defeating Tennessee 33-27 in what was widely considered a CFP elimination game. The Sooners are 7-2 overall on the year with a 3-2 mark in SEC play. Brent Venables‘ team gets some extra rest before the Alabama showdown thanks to a Week 11 bye.

Next Saturday in Tuscaloosa! pic.twitter.com/VA8mdu8sFQ

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) November 3, 2025

The post SEC announces kickoff time, TV network for Alabama vs. Oklahoma appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Freeze’s firing comes with the Tigers 4-5 overall on the season, with a 1-5 mark in SEC play. Auburn went just 6-16 in SEC play under Freeze.

Auburn’s latest loss came against Kentucky, a home loss by the score of 10-3. The Tigers had a 4-game stretch against ranked SEC teams and dropped all contests by 10 points or fewer. Their remaining games are against Vanderbilt, Mercer and Alabama.

AU posted losing records in Freeze’s first 2 seasons. The Tigers ended 2023 6-7 after a Music City Bowl loss. They did not go bowling in 2024 with a 5-7 finish in the regular season.

For Freeze, it was his second stint as an SEC head coach. He previously spent 5 seasons at Ole Miss (2012-16), taking the Rebels to 4 bowl games, including a New Year’s Six Sugar Bowl win to cap the 2015 season.

Freeze’s Ole Miss tenure was marked by personal and program scandals. After multiple seasons away from college football, Freeze returned to the sport by taking the job at Liberty ahead of the 2019 season. He guided the Flames for 4 years, posting a 34-15 record with 4 bowl berths.

The post Hugh Freeze fired as Auburn head coach, per reports appeared first on Saturday Down South.

There are 6 SEC games on tap today. There are 6 ranked squads in action, including 2 ranked-vs-ranked showdowns.

RELATED: Don’t get shutout by the YouTube TV drama with ESPN! Sling TV has SEC football fans covered with ways to stream every game this Saturday and the rest of the season!

It all gets started with the top-20 clash between Vanderbilt and Texas. If you expected before the season that the Commodores to be ranked higher than the Longhorns in November, you should probably play the lottery or try your luck in Vegas. Vandy heads into Austin as the No. 9 team to face the 20th-ranked Longhorns.

In the afternoon, it’s time to have a drink or two. The latest edition of the rivalry affectionately unofficially known as The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party has No. 5 Georgia facing Florida in Jacksonville. The Bulldogs will look to keep all their championship goals alive facing a Gator squad led by interim head coach Billy Gonzales.

Either Mississippi State or Arkansas will pick up its first SEC win of the season as the Bulldogs and Razorbacks face off in the afternoon block. A loaded night window features Ole Miss-South Carolina, Tennessee-Oklahoma and Auburn-Kentucky.

Here’s the full schedule for Week 10:

• No. 9 Vanderbilt at No. 20 Texas — 12:00 p.m. ET on ABC (Stream on Sling TV)
• No. 5 Georgia vs. Florida (Jacksonville) — 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC (Stream it on Sling TV)
• Mississippi State at Arkansas — 4:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network (Stream via Sling TV)
• No. 7 Ole Miss vs. South Carolina — 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN (Use Sling TV to stream ESPN)
• No. 14 Tennessee vs. No. 18 Oklahoma — 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC (Stream via Sling TV)
• Kentucky at Auburn — 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network (Sling TV streaming)

Enjoy the games, everyone!

The post SEC Football Schedule, Saturday, Nov. 1: Kickoff times and TV listings appeared first on Saturday Down South.

College GameDay announced on Thursday that Smith will be Saturday’s celebrity guest picker. GameDay is visiting Utah for the Utes’ showdown with Cincinnati.

Alex Smith knows a thing or two about Utah football

The Utes' legend will be back on campus as this weekend's guest picker pic.twitter.com/EYDnAE87An

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 30, 2025

In his decorated Utah career, Smith was a first-team All-American and a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2004. He finished his collegiate career with 5,203 passing yards and 47 touchdowns, adding 1,072 rushing yards and 15 rushing scores. Smith was a two-time All-Mountain West selection, earning MWC Offensive Player of the Year and National Player of the Year by Sports Illustrated in his final season with the Utes. In 2024, Smith was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

After Utah, Smith was a first-round NFL Draft pick in 2005. His rehabilitation from a life-threatening leg injury earned him NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2020. He was the NFL’s passer rating leader in 2017 and made the Pro Bowl 3 times (2013, ’16, ’17).

Smith became a broadcaster after his playing career, joining ESPN as an NFL analyst. On Saturday, he’ll sit at the GameDay desk with Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit to pick the biggest games of Week 10.

The post College GameDay announces celebrity guest picker for Week 10 show at Utah appeared first on Saturday Down South.

A Week 10 preview from ESPN includes the story that Lawrence Stockton, Gunner’s grandfather, passed away from a heart attack after attending the 2010 game.

“He had a heart attack there at the stadium,” Gunner Stockton told ESPN. “Every time we go to Florida, I really want to beat them bad in Jacksonville.”

Lawrence Stockton’s widow offered an incredible quote when speaking to ESPN about her late husband.

“He said something about [then-Bulldogs defensive coordinator] Todd Grantham and collapsed,” said Suzanne Frederickson, per Mark Schlabach.

The 2010 season was Grantham’s first of 4 at Georgia. In that year’s Cocktail Party, he memorably taunted Florida Chas Henry with a choke gesture before the punter (filling in as place kicker) made a walk-off field goal to give the Gators the 34-31 win in overtime.

Grantham would later switch sides in the rivalry. He was hired by Dan Mullen as Florida’s defensive coordinator in 2018. Grantham was on the UF side of 4 Florida-Georgia games before his firing, which preceded Mullen’s dismissal in 2021.

If anything can bring Georgia and Florida fans together, it’s a shared frustration of watching Grantham’s defenses.

The post Widow recalls death of Gunner Stockton’s grandfather at Georgia-Florida game: ‘He said something about Todd Grantham and collapsed’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

A recent article from John Talty of CBS Sports includes the amusing tidbit that Kelly was unable to enter the LSU football facility when he arrived for work on Sunday morning. Per Talty, a glitch was to blame for Kelly’s fingerprint not unlocking the facility door.

When Brian Kelly arrived at LSU football facility Sunday morning, he couldn't get in. His fingerprint didn't work.

It felt like a weird omen but still a glitch. By the time of the day, it was real. Kelly was out.

More on the end of Kelly and LSU: https://t.co/k5ePriJDaJ pic.twitter.com/HRBTePs1sq

— John Talty (@JTalty) October 28, 2025

Kelly’s inability to open the door calls to mind the viral clip of Jamal Adams being unable to enter the New York Jets facility. The Adams clip is frequently used on social media when fans joke about a coach getting fired. In the case of Kelly, any fan who used the Adams clip on Saturday night during the Tigers’ meltdown against Texas A&M was accurately predicting what happened to the LSU coach on Sunday morning.

The whole situation was reminiscent of a famous clip involving former LSU Tiger Jamal Adams and the New York Jets. pic.twitter.com/d0bQY5kVZR

— John Talty (@JTalty) October 28, 2025

The glitch is just a brief anecdote from Talty’s post mortem on what went wrong for Kelly at LSU, including his staff decisions, recruiting approach, CEO delegation, golfing and more.

The post Glitch prevented Brian Kelly from entering LSU football facility Sunday morning appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kelly’s Sunday firing came up on Monday’s Pardon the Interruption, and Wilbon did not hold back. The ESPN commentator slammed Kelly as arrogant, recalling how he left Notre Dame for Baton Rouge.

“Part of this makes me smile a little bit,” Wilbon said. “Because he was so arrogant about it, about the transition. ‘I’m gonna leave Notre Dame and go some place I can win a national championship.’ Do you think the rest of us are fools? And he sort of got what was coming.

“Now, is it the right move (to fire him in October)? Probably not. Because LSU, like so many other schools, are led by administrators and boosters who are so damn arrogant themselves. They think it’s their birthright. … Don’t tell me they can automatically, just because everybody else had won a championship in four years — (Ed) Orgeron, (Nick) Saban — don’t tell me they are automatically going to find the coach who is going to deliver a championship in a couple of years.”

Michael Wilbon, with what little is left of his voice on PTI, about LSU firing Brian Kelly: "Part of this makes me smile a little bit, because he was so arrogant about it, about the transition (from Notre Dame)… Do you think the rest of us are fools?" #CFB pic.twitter.com/OqUHO9VNhk

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 28, 2025

Be warned, college football coaches, if you say your former program was holding you back from winning a national title, you’re likely to draw Wilbon’s ire. Les Miles, meanwhile, is glad that Tony Kornheiser remembered he also won a national championship early in his LSU tenure.

The post Michael Wilbon shreds Brian Kelly after LSU firing, calls out arrogance from Notre Dame departure appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In a Monday mailbag, Pete Sampson of The Athletic shared that Freeman shot down interest from UF and PSU.

Freeman keeps showing up on the lists of possible replacements at big-name schools because those big-name schools really like Freeman,” Sampson writes. “Athletic directors like Pat Kraft (Penn State) and Scott Stricklin (Florida) aren’t doing their jobs if they don’t put in a call to Freeman’s representatives. And both have. Likely more than once until they get “no” for an answer … which they both have.

Freeman, 39, was named Notre Dame’s head coach after Brian Kelly left the Irish to take the job at LSU. Freeman has a 38-12 overall record, guiding Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff National Championship last season. ND is currently 5-2, fighting to stay alive in this season’s CFP race after early losses to Miami and Texas A&M.

Marcus Freeman reportedly turned down interest from Florida and Penn State, per @TheAthletic pic.twitter.com/fl3rE3rPFN

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 27, 2025

Sampson writes that Freeman would likely only consider leaving Notre Dame for alma mater Ohio State or select NFL head coaching jobs. Freeman, though, may have another college job come calling. Pete Nakos of On3 includes Freeman on his latest LSU hot board following Kelly’s midseason firing.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by On3 (@on3)

While Freeman’s representatives may be dealing with more calls from athletic directors and power brokers, he and the Irish have a game to play in Week 10. Notre Dame travels to Boston College on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Interested in DFS? Check out the SDS guide to the best apps for daily fantasy sports!

The post Marcus Freeman has turned down interest from 2 major CFB openings, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The No. 20 LSU Tigers are hosting the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies in a highly anticipated ranked SEC showdown. Our friends at Sling TV have fans covered who are looking to stream the big game.

Why stream tonight’s game? This one will impact both the SEC race and the College Football Playoff picture. Though Texas A&M is an undefeated squad ranked No. 3, the Aggies are only slight favorites playing at LSU, one of the toughest road environments in college football.

Brian Kelly‘s team needs to win to stay in it. The Tigers have already lost this season to Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. A third loss would almost certainly eliminate them from the College Football Playoff picture. But win out with victories over Texas A&M, Alabama and Oklahoma, and it’s hard to see the Bayou Bengals getting left out.

Kelly is also thought to be dealing with job uncertainty. A loss wouldn’t get Kelly fired on Sunday, but frustrations are growing as the veteran coach is in Year 4 and has yet to take the Tigers to the CFP.

Can Kelly lead LSU to victory in a must-win game to keep the Tigers’ postseason hopes alive and quiet his own critics?

Here’s a look at the broadcast info for tonight’s game:

• When: Saturday, October 25, 2025
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV channel: ABC
• Live stream: Sling TV (starting at $4.99)

So what about the Aggies? What have they done this season to earn the No. 3 ranking? Put simply, they’ve done everything asked of them, which many teams can’t say. Texas A&M has won in a variety of ways this season.

A&M’s first big test came on the road at Notre Dame. The Aggies won a 41-40 shootout in South Bend.

The following week, the Aggies found themselves in a defensive battle with Auburn. Texas A&M held on for a 16-10 win, its first SEC victory of the season.

In Week 8, the Aggies won another shootout, 45-42 over Arkansas. But A&M has more complete wins over Mississippi State (31-9) and Florida (34-17) at home. Now, the Aggies will try to win on the road for only the second time this season.

What is Sling TV?

Sling TV is one-stop shop for fans to stream all of their favorite games. For college football fans, it offers ESPN, ABC and the SEC Network for all the SEC games. Sports fans will have access to stream Monday Night Football, the World Series and more!

Fans have lots of streaming options using Sling TV! Weekly and monthly options are available, but for those who only need a specific game like Texas A&M-LSU, you can buy a weekend pass or a day pass. Options start at $4.99.

Sign up now and stream all the SEC Week 9 games, including Texas A&M vs. LSU!

The post How to stream Texas A&M vs. LSU top-25 showdown on Oct. 25 with Sling TV appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Bye weeks are being taken in Week 9, so it’s not quite the 8-game conference slate of Week 8, but it’s still a full Saturday of SEC football with 7 kickoffs spread out from noon to 7:45 p.m. ET.

RELATED: Need a way to watch all the SEC games on Saturday? Stream all of the action in Week 9 with Sling TV, the top streaming provider in the business!

Things get started with the first of three ranked-vs-ranked matchups. The top-15 matchup in Norman featuring No. 8 Ole Miss and No. 13 Oklahoma gets a noon ET kickoff.

There are ranked-vs-ranked SEC matchups in all 3 windows. In the afternoon, we get the top-15 matchup between No. 10 Vanderbilt and No. 15 Mizzou. College GameDay is in Nashville for the big conference clash.

The evening window features No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 20 LSU. A&M is the conference’s only undefeated team in Week 9.

Here’s the full SEC slate for Week 9:

• No. 8 Ole Miss at No. 13 Oklahoma — 12:00 p.m. ET on ABC (Stream on Sling TV)
• Arkansas vs. Auburn — 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network
• No. 4 Alabama at South Carolina — 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC (Stream with Sling TV)
• No. 10 Vanderbilt vs. No. 15 Mizzou — 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN (Use Sling TV to stream ESPN)
• No. 22 Texas at Mississippi State — 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network
• No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 20 LSU — 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC (Stream via Sling TV)
• No. 17 Tennessee at Kentucky — 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network (Sling TV streaming)

Enjoy the games, everyone!

The post SEC Football Schedule, Saturday, Oct. 25: Kickoff times and TV listings appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It will be Bargatze’s second appearance on the show. The comedian was previously the celebrity guest picker in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 4, 2023, when Alabama hosted LSU.

This is gonna be good

Excited to have comedian and Vanderbilt fan @natebargatze return as our guest picker this week pic.twitter.com/NY95l1n6mz

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 23, 2025

GameDay has upset some fanbases in recent weeks by having celebrity guest pickers that are not fans of the host school. Bargatze, though, is a Vandy fan through and through.

As noted by The Vanderbilt Hustler, Bargatze, a Nashville native, has deep ties to the program. Ronnie Bargatze, Nate’s second cousin, was a Vanderbilt assistant basketball coach in the 1970s before serving as color commentator for over 3 decades. Nate Bargatze’s mom also worked in the Vanderbilt ticket office for more than 10 years in the 1990s. Last year, Bargatze was hosting Saturday Night Live when Vanderbilt upset then-No. 1 Alabama, and gave the Commodores a shoutout during the closing segment.

Saturday’s show will be live from Wyatt Lawn, beginning at 9 a.m. ET. Bargatze will join host Rece Davis and analysts Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbtreit at the desk.

The post College GameDay announces celebrity guest picker for Week 9 show at Vanderbilt appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Gonzales played wide receiver at Colorado State, and Meyer was his position coach. When landing his first head coaching job at Bowling Green, he turned to Gonzales to coach wide receivers. Gonzales would follow Meyer to Utah and Florida in the same role.

On the latest episode of The Triple Option, Meyer described his call with Gonzales.

“So he calls me, and he said, ‘I’m the interim coach now at Florida.’ And I was like, ‘Whoa.’ … And then he said, ‘I have a staff meeting coming up, I have a team meeting coming up.’ And I was like, I mean, I was taking a deep breath saying, I got to help my guy here, and this is not easy.”

Meyer went on to reveal some of his advice for Gonzales.

“And I said the first thing, and most importantly, and he agreed, you know, don’t you dare take a shot at the previous (coach). Don’t. Stay completely away from that.”

Gonzales was one of the only staff links between the Billy Napier and Dan Mullen eras. Upon his hiring, Napier did not retain any of Mullen’s assistant coaches, including Gonzales. When Napier needed to hire a wide receivers coach ahead of his second season, though, he brought back Gonzales, who coached the position under Mullen at Mississippi State and Florida.

Meyer also told Gonzales to be focused on the players.

“… The most important thing are these darn players,” Meyer said. “And everything is going to be on film. A player can ruin his (NFL) Draft stock or his career by screwing around right now, or not getting coached.”

It’s also important for the coaches who might be looking for new jobs to stay focused on the task at hand, Meyer noted.

“Say you’re an offensive line coach at Florida… If I was going to hire someone, I’m going to watch that film and see if he coached those last 5, 6 games. And you can tell probably in about 30 seconds if they have or have not,” Meyer said.

Florida has 5 remaining regular-season games on the schedule, starting with Week 10’s rivalry showdown against No. 5 Georgia in Jacksonville.

@3xoptionshow

After Billy Napier’s firing, Urban says his former player Billy Gonzales called him for advice on stepping in as Florida’s interim coach.

♬ original sound – The Triple Option

The post Urban Meyer describes conversation with Billy Gonzales, shares message for Florida interim HC appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Billups’ arrest in Oregon was reportedly due to his involvement in an illegal poker operation tied to the Mafia. The 49-year-old began his NBA playing career in 1997 after playing for Colorado from 1995-97. Playing until 2014, Billups was an NBA champion in 2004 with the Detriot Pistons and was named the NBA Finals MVP. The 5-time NBA All-Star began his coaching career in 2020 as an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers and became head coach of the Trail Blazers in 2021.

Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups has been arrested by the FBI for alleged illegal gambling, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2025

ESPN’s article on the arrests notes that sportsbooks in multiple states flagged betting interest on Rozier’s statistics. In 2023, there was a noted surge of bets on under for Rozier’s points, rebounds and assists. He played 10 minutes in the game before exiting due to a foot injury.

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested early Thursday morning as part of an FBI sports betting gambling probe, sources tell ESPN. The Eastern District of New York and FBI director Kash Patel will hold a press conference at 10 am ET to announce arrests from investigation.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2025

Rozier, 30, has been playing professionally since 2015. The former Louisville standout was a first-round pick in 2015 by the Boston Celtics. After multiple seasons with the Hornets, Rozier joined the Miami Heat in 2024.

The post Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier arrested by FBI in illegal gambling cases appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Gators are currently in fall practice. Chuck Jeroloman will lead the team during O’Sullivan’s absence.

“I appreciate the support of the University and athletic department,” O’Sullivan said in a released statement. “I have some personal and family issues that need my full attention at this time.”

“Coach O’Sullivan has our full support as he takes the time he needs to focus on personal matters,” athletic director Scott Stricklin added in the program release. “We appreciate his openness in communicating this decision, and respect his need for privacy.”

O’Sullivan, 56, has been Florida’s head coach since 2008. Last season, Florida posted a 39-22 record, improving O’Sullivan’s overall mark to 756-371. Under O’Sullivan, Florida has won one College World Series (2017), 9 NCAA Super Regionals and 10 NCAA Regionals. O’Sullivan has also led UF to 6 regular-season SEC titles and 2 conference tournament championships.

In August, the program announced that O’Sullivan will serve a suspension for the first 3 games of the regular season for his conduct at the NCAA Regional in Conway, South Carolina, this past June.

Florida baseball coach Kevin O'Sullivan to take leave of absencehttps://t.co/sNiLkJxIHG

— Florida Gators (@FloridaGators) October 22, 2025

The post Florida announces baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan to take leave of absence appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Volunteers are holding fall practices and the 2026 season is roughly 4 months away, meaning UT will be moving quickly to replace Vitello. White revealed that pitching coach Frank Anderson will serve as the interim head coach while a national search is conducted.

“The players are our number one priority right now, we’ll be visiting with them later today, as I always do, embarking on a search,” White told reporters. “I’ll be letting them know, I’ve asked Frank Anderson to serve as our interim head coach. The terminology I used with Frank is, I need a shepherd right now, I need a day-to-day leader.”

When Vitello to San Francisco was announced, Tennessee associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Josh Elander emerged as a leading option to be the next UT head coach. White acknowledged the possibility, saying he considers Elander a candidate for the full-time job.

“I’m asking Josh Elander to be a candidate and we are going to conduct a national search and expect a ton of interest because of what Tony and his staff and our fan base and everyone is built here,” White said. “I think it’s an extremely attractive position, obviously a little bit unique time of year.

“I’m going to work as fast as I can and get through this process and eliminate the uncertainty that our players are feeling right now as quickly as possible. We have a lot of talent here and expect to have an extremely competitive baseball team this spring.”

White was later asked to detail what went into making Anderson the interim head coach as opposed to Elander.

“Yeah, combination of factors. Frank’s obviously been a head coach, but probably more importantly, as quickly as I’d like to move, I’d like Josh to be able to focus on his candidacy and he’s kind of in the middle of all this too,” White said. “Up until this morning, the entire staff didn’t know the decision that Tony was going to make. So (Elander’s) been focused on recruiting and coaching his players.

“We have an incoming class. There’s a lot going on. I didn’t want to throw this on him now while also, uh, maybe treating an interview as an afterthought. I want him to be able to focus on the interview process.”

More from White on finding Vitello’s replacement can be heard below:

The post Danny White names Tennessee’s interim head baseball coach, comments on coaching search appeared first on Saturday Down South.

RELATED: Interested in betting on Gator football, basketball and more? Check out the SDS guide to Florida sports betting apps and get in on the action today!

O’Hara had coached on the sideline. Gonzales said the QB coach and new play-caller will move up to the box alongside offensive coordinator Russ Callaway.

“He wanted to go upstairs and thought it would give him an advantageous opportunity to see what the defense is doing,” Gonzales said, per Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun. “And I think it’s actually going to play out pretty darn good. He’ll be sitting right next to our offensive coordinator, Russ Callaway. They’ll be sitting up there. They’ll have a chance to converse in between series.”

With O’Hara up in the box, Gonzales is calling on Steve Spurrier Jr. to be more involved in coaching quarterback DJ Lagway on the sideline. Spurrier, 54, has been in coaching since 1994, when he got his start as a graduate assistant on his legendary father’s UF coaching staff.

The younger Spurrier’s stops over the years have included Oklahoma (1999-2001, 2016), South Carolina (2005-15), Washington State (2018-19) and Mississippi State (2020-22). He also coached alongside his father in the NFL with the Washington Redskins in 2002 and ’03. After spending the 2023 and ’24 seasons at Tulsa, Spurrier returned to Florida, joining the staff as an offensive analyst.

“Coach Spurrier – he’s got a wealth of knowledge,” Gonzales said Wednesday. “So he’ll be on the ground and in between series he’ll be the voice that gets to talk and gets to start and start to sit down with DJ and quarterbacks and review the film.”

Per Brockway, Gonzales also noted that he would be taking a more active management role and analysts Chad Lucas, David Doeker and Eric Kiesau will work together coaching the wide receivers, Gonzales’ role prior to his promotion to interim head coach.

Gonzales has quite the assignment for his first game as interim head coach. Following the Week 9 bye, Florida returns to action to take on No. 5 Georgia in Jacksonville.

The post Florida interim HC Billy Gonzales details changes to offensive coaching, increased role for Steve Spurrier Jr. appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Tuesday’s announcement states that the National Coordinator of Football Officiating reviewed game video from Texas A&M’s Oct.18 win over Arkansas. The National Coordinator concluded that the sequence reviewed was more likely than not a feigned injury. Here’s how the SEC described the sequence of events and the review:

Video of the questionable action, submitted to the National Coordinator by the Southeastern Conference office, occurred with 12:55 remaining in the game after Arkansas completed a pass for a first down just outside the Texas A&M 10-yard line.  After the ball is spotted by officials, No. 7 for Texas A&M goes to the ground, creating the appearance of an injury. Just prior to the player going down, a Texas A&M staff member can be seen in the video standing in the team area near the 25-yard line signaling demonstratively to the player, pointing to the ground. It was noted that the Texas A&M player had no contact during the play and returned to the game on the second play of the ensuing defensive possession.

“As determined by the National Coordinator, the action by player, especially with the concurrent action by the coach in the team area, is a clear attempt to gain an unmerited advantage by stopping the game to be awarded an injury time out. The action violates the spirit of the injury timeout and fair play and was conducted in a manner that appears to attempt to circumvent the NCAA’s injury time out rule to avoid the team being charged a time out.

NEWS | National Coordinator of Officiating determines violation of injury timeout: https://t.co/sXMjfVRR5i

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) October 21, 2025

Elko responded in a statement released by Texas A&M. He said that the program respects the SEC’s decision and accepts the ruling, but does not agree with the National Coordinator’s finding. Elko maintains that Texas A&M players are not coached to feign injuries.

In reference to today's SEC ruling. pic.twitter.com/Jc3nwqjpBL

— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) October 21, 2025

Texas A&M is the only undefeated team in the SEC, improving to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in SEC play with the win over Arkansas. The Aggies travel to Baton Rouge to face No. 20 LSU on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

The post SEC fines Texas A&M, reprimands Mike Elko for Aggie player faking injury against Arkansas appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Wisconsin AD Chris McIntosh released a statement on Monday acknowledging frustrations but maintaining support for Fickell.

“On Saturday at Camp Randall, I was honored to join my former Rose Bowl champion teammates and coaches on the field as the University community celebrated our collective successes,” McIntosh’s statement opens. “My years as a student-athlete at Wisconsin were among the best of my life; I loved my teammates and coaches, our passionate fans and the joy that Wisconsin Football brings to our campus and entire community. It is with those experiences, along with my love and deep respect for our university, that I share in the disappointment with this football season to date; it has fallen well short of our standards.

“At Wisconsin, we do not shy away from setting lofty expectations – for our teams, our coaches, and for myself. We embrace them and accept the responsibility of meeting those goals. While our coaches, staff and student-athletes continue to demonstrate the work ethic and values that represent UW Football, the results simply are not where any of us want them to be. Coach Fickell sees the potential in what this team can be, as do I, and he shares the same disappointment and frustration. Our student-athletes continue to stand and fight with character and pride as they battle through this moment of adversity, and they deserve all our support.”

McIntosh’s statement included a commitment to increase investment in the football program.

“While we still have a lot of football to play this season, with the support and significant involvement of Chancellor Mnookin, Athletics is committed to elevating the investment into our football program to position us to compete at the highest level,” McIntosh’s statement continued. ” As a department, we must provide our coaches the tools necessary to succeed. That means more Athletics-funded investments into infrastructure, staffing and, most importantly, student-athlete recruiting and retention. In this new era of collegiate athletics, the clear reality is that high expectations must be matched with an equal level of support.

“The results of this elevated support may not be immediate, but we are confident that the impact will be positive and long-term. Wisconsin Football and Wisconsin Athletics are important to our campus, to our community, to our entire state and to all our loyal fans and alumni. They matter deeply to Chancellor Mnookin, who has been a strong partner since her arrival in Madison. And they matter to me. I bleed red and white, and I will not rest in the pursuit of our goals: fielding championship-caliber teams and delivering the pride and joy of success to a new generation of Badgers. You have my unrelenting commitment to do what is necessary to make that happen. Thank you for your dedication, loyalty and passion. ON, WISCONSIN!”

Fickell took the Wisconsin job in November 2022 and made his debut that postseason, replacing interim coach Jim Leonhard. In his first full season leading the Badgers, Fickell notched a 7-6 record. UW went 5-7 last season, missing out on the postseason. With the 2-5 start, Fickell’s record with the Badgers is currently 15-18.

Wisconsin AD Chris McIntosh sends a letter to Badgers fans and shares his support for Luke Fickell

Wow pic.twitter.com/QK2mHnxQDD

— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) October 20, 2025

The post Wisconsin AD voices support for embattled coach Luke Fickell appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In his Sunday teleconference with the media, Beamer was asked about a recent article by Brad Crawford of CBS Sports. Crawford wrote that, per sources, Beamer to Virginia Tech was “more than speculation” and had “legitimacy.” Crawford laid out that South Carolina‘s struggles in a disappointing 2025 season could have Beamer looking for an “escape hatch.”

As most college football fans are familiar, Virginia Tech is Beamer’s alma mater. He played wide receiver and long snapper from 1995-99, coached by his father, Frank Beamer. The elder Beamer had a decorated coaching career, leading Virginia Tech from 1987-2015. Frank Beamer was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

On Sunday night, Shane Beamer addressed the story and maintained that South Carolina is his dream job.

“I have no idea where that story came from,” Beamer said. “I have conveyed publicly many times how much I want to be here. And I respect the question, I understand you asking it, and I’m not mad. I’ve conveyed many times how much I want to be here. This is my dream job. I said that when I came here. Nothing has changed. I am pissed off at the way we are performing right now, and it’s not acceptable.

“I came here to win a championship, and right now we’re not getting it done, and my focus right now is on getting it fixed, and getting back to, last year, we were two points away from being in the College Football Playoff, and I am working my rear end off to get us back to where we’re in that mix and playoff talk. And that’s the same thing I told our football team today, that I guess the gist of that article was that would be a parachute or something for me to get out of here and have a soft landing spot. Well, I’m not happy with where we are right now, and I’m determined to get it fixed. We’re in a storm right now that I’m going to get us out of.”

South Carolina is 3-4 heading into a Week 9 showdown with No. 4 Alabama. The Gamecocks started the year 2-0, but have gone 1-4 in conference play.

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer on his Sunday teleconference responding to a question about Virginia Tech rumors:

“I have no idea where that story came from. I have conveyed publicly many times how much I want to be here. And I respect the question, I understand you asking it,… pic.twitter.com/i4KfOgFjeG

— Wes Mitchell (@WesMitchellGC) October 19, 2025

The post Shane Beamer calls South Carolina ‘dream job’ amid Virginia Tech coaching search appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In a released statement, Alford says that a “comprehensive assessment of the football program” will be completed at the end of the season, but he’s “fully committed to helping Coach Norvell.”

“Florida State football benefits from unmatched passionate support from the entire FSU family, and the commitment to our football program is unwavering,” Alford’s statement opens. “We rightfully have high expectations in everything we do to represent Florida State in the manner that built our reputation as one of college football’s best programs, cultivating an extraordinary group of supporters nationally and globally. We embrace those expectations while also sharing the deep disappointment when results on the field are short of that standard. As we continue to move forward this season, our comprehensive assessment of the football program will be completed at season’s end. Meanwhile, we are fully committed to helping Coach Norvell and the 2025 Seminoles strongly rebound in the coming weeks.”

Norvell, 44, is in his 6th season as Florida State’s head coach. He has a 36-31 record with the Seminoles. In 2022 and ’23, Norvell’s teams went 23-4. Outside those 2 seasons, though, FSU’s record is 13-27, including a 3-4 mark in 2025 after going 2-10 last season.

The Noles shocked the college football world with a 31-17 Week 1 upset of Alabama. They added wins over East Texas A&M and Kent State for a 3-0 start, but are currently on a 4-game losing skid, falling to Virginia, Miami, Pitt and Stanford.

FSU’s ACC losing streak is now at 9 games, dating back to last season. Florida State’s last ACC victory was a 14-9 win over Cal on Sept. 21, 2024.

The Seminoles are on a bye in Week 9 and return to action on Nov. 1 to face Wake Forest.

New: Statement from Florida State AD Michael Alford, who says a comprehensive review of the football program will happen when the season ends: pic.twitter.com/kokbYsgsNi

— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) October 20, 2025

The post Florida State AD issues statement on Mike Norvell’s status amid firing rumors appeared first on Saturday Down South.