RALPH D. RUSSO
FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2018, file photo, University of Kansas new NCAA college football coach Les Miles makes a statement during a news conference in Lawrence, Kan. In his first season in charge, Miles is trying desperately to change the culture of Kansas football. He has pounded the pavement in recruiting, established relationships with influential boosters and generated newfound excitement in the Jayhawks. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)
AP Top 25 Podcast: New coaches facing toughest challenges

By Ralph D. Russo Apr. 17, 2019 03:28 PM EDT
Not all new coaches face the same challenges in college football. Who

FILE - In this July 25, 2018, file photo, Stanford head coach David Shaw speaks at the Pac-12 Conference NCAA college football Media Day in Los Angeles. The NCAA’s Division I Council meets this week in Indianapolis, and it is expected to vote by Friday, April 19, 2019, on an amendment to the rules regarding graduate transfers and financial aid. If passed the proposal would require a grad transfer to count against a team’s scholarship total for two years no matter how much eligibility the player has remaining. Shaw, whose program routinely operates below the major-college maximum of 85 scholarship players, said he would not hesitate to bring in a star-level player as a grad transfer even if it meant having an vacant scholarship the next season. But teams could be less inclined to take that hit with a lesser player. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
To slow flow of grad transfers, NCAA could constrain schools

By Ralph D. Russo Apr. 16, 2019 03:21 PM EDT
Football and basketball coaches may be less likely to add graduate transfers to their

FILE - In this March 6, 2019, file photo, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields runs through a drill during an NCAA college football practice, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State is ready to unveil its new quarterback at the Buckeyes’ spring game. On the latest AP Top 25 College Football Podcast, Bill Bender of the Sporting News joins AP’s Ralph Russo to chat about the new-look Buckeyes. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon, File)
AP Top 25 Podcast: Big Ten talk and surprise team encores

By Ralph D. Russo Apr. 11, 2019 03:09 PM EDT
Ohio State is ready to unveil new quarterback Justin Fields at the Buckeyes' spring

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2012, file photo, Baylor's Matt Ritchey (45) stands by the Big 12 Conference logo on the field during an NCAA college football game against TCU in Waco, Texas. The Big 12 has agreed to a deal with ESPN that gives the network rights to all football championship game through 2024 and makes the league the first Power Five conference to provide exclusive content to ESPN+, the cable giant’s subscription online streaming service. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
New ESPN deal with Big 12 lands 3 football title games

By Ralph D. Russo Apr. 10, 2019 12:55 PM EDT
The Big 12 has agreed to a deal that gives ESPN the rights to all football

Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurst throws during practice in norman, Okla., Monday, April 1, 2019. Jalen Hurts is now at Oklahoma and apparently he is bringing a bit of Nick Saban’s process to the Sooners. On the latest AP Top 25 College Football Podcast, George Schroeder of USA Today joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about the transition from Alabama to Oklahoma for Hurts. (Kyle Phillips/The Norman Transcript via AP)
AP Top 25 Podcast: Hurts brings 'Bama process to Oklahoma

By Ralph D. Russo Apr. 04, 2019 01:18 PM EDT
Jalen Hurts is now at Oklahoma and apparently he is bringing a bit of Nick Saban's

FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2018, file photo, Ohio State quarterback Tate Martell runs against Tulane during an NCAA college football game in Columbus, Ohio. Martell says he is transferring from Ohio State to Miami. Martell originally wanted Miami to notice him in 2016. The Hurricanes got around to it in 2019. Martell took a long, winding road to Coral Gables before transferring from Ohio State earlier this year, and the quarterback insists that he's finally ready to start succeeding. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)
What to make of Tate: Can Martell make Miami great again?

By Ralph D. Russo Mar. 27, 2019 03:46 PM EDT
Quarterback Tate Martell has been ruled eligible to play for Miami this season and it

American touts ESPN deal as similar to conference network

By Ralph D. Russo Mar. 27, 2019 01:57 PM EDT
American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco says the league's new media

Southern California cornerback Iman Marshall runs through a drill during USC Pro Day, Wednesday, March 19, 2019, in Los Angeles. The Pro Day is intended to showcase talent to NFL scouts for the upcoming draft. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
AP Top 25 Podcast: Overachievers and underachievers for 2019

By Ralph D. Russo Mar. 21, 2019 05:38 PM EDT
Don't let the brackets fool you. College football is in full swing, too.

FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2019, file photo, Duke's Zion Williamson (1) dunks during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Clemson, in Durham, N.C. Williamson was named both The Associated Press ACC player and newcomer of the year, Tuesday, March 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
AP Top 25 Podcast: Talkin' basketball_ March Madness edition

By Ralph D. Russo Mar. 13, 2019 01:25 PM EDT
The madness of March has already begun with conference tournaments in full swing and

FILE - In this March 21, 2013, file photo taken with a fisheye lens, the NCAA logo is displayed at mid-court before Albany's practice for a second-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Philadelphia. A judge has ruled against the NCAA in a federal antitrust lawsuit, saying football and basketball players should be permitted to receive more compensation from schools but only if the benefits are tied to education. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
NCAA can claim victory after losing federal antitrust case

By Ralph D. Russo Mar. 08, 2019 09:28 PM EST
The NCAA was able to claim victory Friday night after a judge ruled against the

Mississippi State defensive lineman Montez Sweat runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 3, 2019, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
AP Top 25 Podcast: NFL combine winners, losers, takeaways

By Ralph D. Russo Mar. 06, 2019 01:00 PM EST
Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray is not so short and Mississippi State defensive end

FILE - In this Nov. 20, 2012, file photo, Big Ten Conference Commissioner Jim Delany answers a question during a news conference, at Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J. Delany, one of the most influential figures in college athletics for three decades, will step down as Big Ten commissioner when his contract expires June 30, 2020. The Big Ten announced Delany’s plans on Monday, March 4, 2019. The 71-year-old has been commissioner since 1989. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)
Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany will step down in June 2020

By Ralph D. Russo Mar. 04, 2019 12:34 PM EST
Jim Delany helped the Big Ten grow to 14 schools, launched the first athletic

FILE - In this Nov. 24, 2018, file photo, LSU coach Ed Oregon yells at the officials during overtime of an NCAA college football game against Texas A&M, in College Station, Texas. Texas A&M won 74-72 in seven overtimes. The NCAA football rules committee has proposed giving replay officials more leeway to overturn targeting fouls and recommended that games reaching a fifth overtime period be decided by alternating 2-point conversion tries. The rules committee met in Indianapolis this week and announced on Friday, March 1, 2019, its proposed changes, including tweaks to kickoffs and blind-side blocks. The proposals must be approved by the football oversight committee in April. They would go into effect next season.(AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
NCAA proposes replay tweak to targeting, 2-pt OT shootouts

By Ralph D. Russo Mar. 01, 2019 02:50 PM EST
The NCAA football rules committee announced several proposed changes Friday,

Duke's Zion Williamson, right, is greeted by a teammate on the court before the team's NCAA college basketball game against Syracuse in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi)
AP Top 25 Podcast: Major court case could upend NCAA

By Ralph D. Russo Feb. 27, 2019 02:21 PM EST
A federal judge is soon expected to hand down a decision that could lead to sweeping

AP Top 25 Podcast: Crunching numbers and projecting 2019

By Ralph D. Russo Feb. 13, 2019 12:32 PM EST
The 2019 college football season is seven and a half months away. Time to start

FILE - This is an April 25, 2018, file photo, showing NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis. The NCAA is facing more than 300 lawsuits from former college football players who claim their concussions were mistreated, leading to medical issues spanning from headaches to depression and in some cases early onset Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's disease. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)
Wave of concussion lawsuits to test NCAA's liability

By Ralph D. Russo Feb. 07, 2019 02:20 PM EST
NEW YORK (AP) — The NCAA is facing more than 300 lawsuits from former college

Kansas forward Silvio De Sousa, right, points to teammates during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech in Lawrence, Kan., Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. Kansas defeated Texas Tech 79-63. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
AP Top 25 Podcast: NCAA critics from Miami to Mizzou

By Ralph D. Russo Feb. 06, 2019 04:49 PM EST
The NCAA has handed down harsh penalties recently to two college basketball players

Washington head coach Chris Petersen talks to reporters about his 2019 NCAA college football recruiting class, Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Florida State, Miami try to flip narrative on signing day

By Ralph D. Russo Feb. 06, 2019 02:17 AM EST
Florida State and Miami were hoping signing day could help put to the negativity of

AP Top 25 Podcast: 2019 recruiting wraps up with signing day

By Ralph D. Russo Jan. 30, 2019 01:13 PM EST
There are still blue-chippers to sign and holes to fill for some traditionally strong

FILE - In this Nov. 24, 2018, file photo, Texas A&M wide receiver Kendrick Rogers, right, celebrates with Charles Oliver (21) after their 74-72 win in seven overtimes against LSU in an NCAA college football game in College Station, Texas. Marathon overtime games in college football, like the one Texas A&M and LSU played last season, are rare. The NCAA would like to make them extinct by tweaking its overtime format. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
2-point shootouts? NCAA looks to limit OT football games

By Ralph D. Russo Jan. 29, 2019 04:26 PM EST
Marathon overtime games in college football, such as the one LSU and Texas A&M