RALPH D. RUSSO
FILE - Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud throws during the first half in the Rose Bowl NCAA college football game against Utah, Jan. 1, 2022, in Pasadena, Calif. A Buckeyes attack that led the nation with 561 yards and nearly 46 points per game returns quarterback C.J. Stroud, leading receiver Smith-Njigba, 1,200-yard rusher TreVeyon Henderson and an experienced offensive line anchored by 6-foot-8, 360-pound right tackle Dawand Jones. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
AP Top 25 Reality Check: Pouring caution on that optimism

By Ralph D. Russo Aug. 16, 2022 03:02 AM EDT
Low expectations rarely disappoint. That's not to say your favorite

Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin speaks during NCAA college football Southeastern Conference Media Days, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
PICK SIX: Frost, Harsin among coaches in precarious spot

By Ralph D. Russo Aug. 16, 2022 02:50 AM EDT
Last season, 30 major college football programs made coaching changes, including some

FILE - Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (9) during warm ups before the start of an NCAA college football game against Auburn Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, in Auburn, Ala. Alabama is No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 for the second straight season. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)
No. 1 Alabama tops preseason AP Top 25; Ohio St, 'Dawgs next

By Ralph D. Russo Aug. 15, 2022 12:04 PM EDT
With two of the best players in the country leading the way — and a championship game

Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) readies to pass during an NCAA college football practice, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Oxford, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Proposed NCAA transfer rule changes kicked back to committee

By Ralph D. Russo Aug. 03, 2022 06:21 PM EDT
A recommendation to change transfer rules for Division I college athletes that

FILE - Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., talks with reporters as the Capitol in Washington, Aug. 1, 2022. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Manchin are making the case for overhauling the 1800s-era Electoral Count Act. The two senators pushed Aug. 3, for quick passage of their bipartisan compromise that would make it harder for a losing candidate to overturn the legitimate results of a presidential election.(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Senators Tuberville, Manchin working on bill to tackle NIL

By Ralph D. Russo Aug. 03, 2022 05:17 PM EDT
Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Joe Manchin have reached out to college sports leaders,

After the first year of college sports’ name, image and likeness era, the total amount spent was about $917 million according to estimates by NIL platform Opendorse. The following graphic shows the average value of some first year NIL deals.here
New online NIL marketplace connects fans to college athletes

By Ralph D. Russo Aug. 01, 2022 12:14 PM EDT
Fans who want to financially support college athletes through name, image and

Penn State head coach James Franklin talks to reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days, at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 27, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Penn State's Clifford mum on college players organizing

By Ralph D. Russo Jul. 27, 2022 06:28 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford steered away from questions

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh talks to reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days, at Lucas Oil Stadium, Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Big Ten's expansion further damages Rose Bowl's status

By Ralph D. Russo Jul. 26, 2022 06:33 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Playing in the Rose Bowl was the pinnacle of a college football

Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren talks to reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days, at Lucas Oil Stadium, Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Bold, aggressive Big Ten leaves door open for more expansion

By Ralph D. Russo Jul. 26, 2022 12:31 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren talked Tuesday about the

FILE - Kentucky quarterback Will Levis looks for a receiver against during the first half of the team's NCAA college football game against Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., Oct. 29, 2021. The quarterback with the active and entertaining TikTok account has become an intriguing NFL prospect. That combination of personality and athletic potential has never been more valuable in college athletics. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
Kentucky QB Levis balances NIL gains with long-term goals

By Ralph D. Russo Jun. 30, 2022 01:22 PM EDT
ATLANTA (AP) — Heading into last season, the most notable moment of Will Levis'

FILE - Texas players sing "The Eyes Of Texas" after defeating Kansas State in an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Nov. 26, 2021. Texas is one of several states that legally ban using endorsement contracts as pay for play or recruiting, but have shown no interest in questioning the deals, school officials or third-party groups that set them up. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)
No angst about college athletes cashing in at 1st NIL summit

By Ralph D. Russo Jun. 14, 2022 06:15 PM EDT
ATLANTA (AP) — Almost a year into the NIL era in college sports, there has been much

FILE - Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder prepares to take the snap during the second half of an American Athletic Conference championship NCAA college football game against Houston on Dec. 4, 2021, in Cincinnati. The American Athletic Conference announced an agreement, Friday, June 10, 2022, with Cincinnati, Houston and UCF that paves the way for the schools to join the Big 12 in 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean, File)
AAC deal lets UCF, Cincinnati, Houston join Big 12 in '23

By Ralph D. Russo Jun. 10, 2022 11:23 AM EDT
The American Athletic Conference announced an agreement Friday with Cincinnati,

FILE - Alabama celebrates after their win against Ohio State in an NCAA College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. College football and men's basketball players on scholarship in one of the major conferences can expect to soon earn a minimum of $50,000 each year he plays because of the influx of cash from so-called booster collectives brokering name, image and likeness deals.That prediction, based on market trends, was made this week by Blake Lawrence, co-founder and CEO of a company that helps athletes and schools navigate the ever-changing NIL landscape. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
CFP board chair: New format ideally in place by June 2023

By Ralph D. Russo Jun. 02, 2022 08:54 PM EDT
DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — By this time next year, the university leaders who oversee the

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher addresses a new conference in Destin, Fla., Wednesday, June, 01, 2022. A jovial Fisher said repeatedly on Wednesday he was “moving on” from the war of words between he and his former boss that sprinkled soap-opera drama on the Southeastern Conference's spring meetings this week. (AP Photo/Ralph Russo)
It just means more: SEC weighs expanding conference schedule

By Ralph D. Russo Jun. 01, 2022 07:59 PM EDT
DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference's slogan, “It just means more,” could

FILE - Alabama head coach Nick Saban yells instruction before an NCAA college football game against LSU, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Southeastern Conference spring meetings will be held in person for the first time since 2019 in a little less than two weeks. It is unlikely two of the league's superstar coaches will be chumming around Destin, Florida, together. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
Saban on feud with Fisher: 'I have no problem with Jimbo'

By Ralph D. Russo May. 31, 2022 03:00 PM EDT
DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — Alabama coach Nick Saban tried to put an end to his feud with

FILE - Mid-American Conference Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher speaks to reporters in Cleveland on March 12, 2020. With sports betting now legal in more than half the states and generating millions in revenue for once-apprehensive professional sports leagues, college conferences are starting to explore ways to cash in, too. The MAC was the first to jump in, selling the rights to its data and statistics to a company called Genius Sports, which will in turn sell it to sportsbooks. Steinbrecher said it is impossible to ignore the changing reality. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)
College sports eye gambling money amid safeguard concerns

By Ralph D. Russo May. 26, 2022 02:23 AM EDT
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The NCAA stance against gambling on sports by its athletes

FILE - Alabama coach Nick Saban watches players warm up for the College Football Playoff championship NCAA football game against Georgia on Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. Saban called out Texas A&M on Wednesday night, May 18 for “buying” players in its top-ranked recruiting class with name, image and likeness deals, saying Crimson Tide football players earned more than $3 million last year “the right way.” (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
SEC spat: Fisher, Saban exchange accusations over NIL deals

By Ralph D. Russo May. 19, 2022 07:28 PM EDT
The Southeastern Conference spring meetings will be held in person for the first time

FILE - At left, Alabama head coach Nick Saban yells to the sideline during the first half of Alabama's NCAA college football scrimmage, Saturday, April 16, 2022, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. At right, Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher reacts to an official's call during the second half of the team's NCAA college football game against Mississippi, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, in Oxford, Miss. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher called Nick Saban a “narcissist” Thursday, May 19, 2022. after the Alabama coach made “despicable” comments about the Aggies using name, image and likeness deals to land their top-ranked recruiting classes. Saban called out Texas A&M on Wednesday night for “buying” players. (AP Photo/File)
'We're done': A&M's Fisher fires back at 'narcissist' Saban

By Ralph D. Russo May. 19, 2022 11:42 AM EDT
The Southeastern Conference spring meetings will be held in person for the time since

FILE - The Pac-12 logo is shown during the second half of an NCAA college football game between Arizona State and Kent State, in Tempe, Ariz. on Aug. 29, 2019. The Pac-12 announced, Wednesday, May 18, 2022, it was scrapping its divisional format for the coming season Wednesday, May 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso, File)
Pac-12 scraps divisions moments after NCAA paves way

By Ralph D. Russo May. 18, 2022 04:30 PM EDT
The Pac-12 announced Wednesday it was scrapping its divisional format for the

FILE - Ohio State athletics director Gene Smith answers questions during a news conference, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. The NCAA seems to have inadvertently opened the door for boosters when it comes to college athletes cashing in on their fame. The latest guidance was developed by a group of college sports administrators that included Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)
Keeping schools out of NIL dealings opened door for boosters

By Ralph D. Russo May. 13, 2022 01:46 PM EDT
By trying to limit how much schools can help college athletes cashing in on their