Official 2025 College Football Thread

[JonInMiddleGA]

Unconfirmed by official sources but with a wide array of friends & colleagues posting remembrances it seems to be sadly, horribly true.

Long-time beat writer / radio journalist covering all things University of Tennessee sports Wes Rucker was apparently killed in a car crash in Knoxville Thursday afternoon.

There hasn't been a more prominent voice about UT sports in the social media era and while I doubt there's anyone who agreed with all of his takes, you knew you were getting his view -- good or bad -- pretty straight.

Just 40 years old, stroke survivor who had to learn to walk again in his early 30s, husband, devoted father with another child on the way ... just a horrible horrible thing.

Rest in peace.

Tributes pour in for Tennessee Volunteers journalist Wes Rucker

[GrantDawg]

Wow, that's terrible.

[Kodos]

Ugh. That’s awful.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aguiar's attempt to get another year was denied by a TN judge today. No word yet whether they'll appeal further.

Bad for UT, but 100% best ruling for college sports.

It was idiotic that Pavia got an extra year last year, it would have been doubly idiotic if Aguilar got one this time.

[albionmoonlight]

So what's the ongoing value of Rivals and other services that people pay to get the inside scoop on recruiting?

With CFB being a transfer-based game now, why do people care as much about the first of three different schools where a 4* recruit happens to go to?

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

So what's the ongoing value of Rivals and other services that people pay to get the inside scoop on recruiting?

With CFB being a transfer-based game now, why do people care as much about the first of three different schools where a 4* recruit happens to go to?

The value of those services is just as much about community and a place to connect and discuss that school's sports as much as anything. They do also heavily cover the portal and transfers now. I'd argue it's actually more value now because otherwise there's almost no way to keep up with all of the roster changes.

[miami_fan]

Judge grants Oklahoma LB Heinecke extra year of eligibility - ESPN

This seems like such an open and shut case I am searching for the reason this was not solved immediately. I understand not wanting to give him a fifth year of football eligibility if he played three football games at Ohio State. But lacrosse?

What does Heinecke playing three lacrosse games have to do with his football eligibility? Before all the recent changes, couldn't a kid play four years of college football, then four years of college baseball and then four years of college golf etc...? Isn't eligibility sport specific?

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Judge grants Oklahoma LB Heinecke extra year of eligibility - ESPN

This seems like such an open and shut case I am searching for the reason this was not solved immediately. I understand not wanting to give him a fifth year of football eligibility if he played three football games at Ohio State. But lacrosse?

What does Heinecke playing three lacrosse games have to do with his football eligibility? Before all the recent changes, couldn't a kid play four years of college football, then four years of college baseball and then four years of college golf etc...? Isn't eligibility sport specific?

You've never had 4 years of eligibility per sport. Eligibility has always been universal. It's another bad ruling on eligibility by the courts.

[JPhillips]

James Franklin VaTech era starts with the parachuter crashing into the scoreboard before the Spring game.

[HerRealName]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

James Franklin VaTech era starts with the parachuter crashing into the scoreboard before the Spring game.

Wow, that scoreboard saved him from something much worse. I'm not going to pretend to know how to parachute but adding a big ass flag to an already dangerous situation doesn't seem like a good idea.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Atocep

It's another bad ruling on eligibility by the courts.

That's almost the only kind they make

[JonInMiddleGA]

And the Va Tech incident had the first fire department ladder truck arrive and discover it couldn't reach ... which feels like a metaphor for their situation for real

[cuervo72]

Just set an age limit. Was stupid when Weinke was playing, it’s stupid now. It’s not like we have GIs coming back after serving in WWII or anything. You’re 24? Play semipro ball or whatever.

[JPhillips]

Former IU, Cincy and now Texas Tech QB B. Soresby checked himself into gambling rehab.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Former IU, Cincy and now Texas Tech QB B. Soresby checked himself into gambling rehab.

I'm guessing he's trying to get ahead of an investigation and possible or likely suspension.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I'm guessing he's trying to get ahead of an investigation and possible or likely suspension.

Oh absolutely. Get it declared a medical condition, find a judge that'll grant eligibilty on the basis of discriminating against his condition.

[JPhillips]

Maybe, but he does appear to have a problem. They have him going to multiple Reds games and betting on each pitch.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

Just set an age limit. Was stupid when Weinke was playing, it’s stupid now. It’s not like we have GIs coming back after serving in WWII or anything. You’re 24? Play semipro ball or whatever.

They should still let those 55 year old guys play D3 or whatever. I like those stories.

[Atocep]

It looks like the NCAA is going to approve and 5 for 5 model with a clock that starts upon high school graduation or the athlete's 19th birthday, whichever occurs first. It would also eliminate the vast majority of waivers.

[Ghost Econ]

That's gonna piss off a lot of parents who have been "redshirting" their kids.

[HerRealName]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

That's gonna piss off a lot of parents who have been "redshirting" their kids.

They'll just have to submit a religious exemption. The age part is doomed to fail in court eventually.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by HerRealName

They'll just have to submit a religious exemption. The age part is doomed to fail in court eventually.

As are virtually any sort of rules apparently.

It's why a broad antitrust exemption is the only hope I see.

[Ghost Econ]

There are some 18 year olds on her school's high school baseball team that are in her grade. She's a sophomore.

[cuervo72]

I thought high schools actually had age limits?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I thought high schools actually had age limits?

You actually made me look that up. It'll vary by state obviously but in Georgia:

Students can enroll in general education unless they have attained the age of 20 by September 1, or unless they have attained the age of 21 by September 1 and have not previously dropped out of school for one quarter or more, or unless they have already received a high school diploma or equivalent. (i.e. can't turn 20 before your "senior year" begins, at least in a public high school, can't go back if you've already graduated or gotten your GED)

The Georgia High School Association (GHSA): a student-athlete is eligible to participate in high school sports only if they have not reached their 19th birthday prior to May 1 preceding the school year of participation. Students who turn 19 on or before April 30 are considered overage and ineligible.

[albionmoonlight]

Saints sign Ole Miss DT and multiple time arrestee Zxavian Harris as a UDFA.

Apparently, the team talked to Lane Kiffin, who assuaged their fears about character concerns.

What kind of world do we live in when Lane freaking Kiffin is vouching for the morality of other human beings?

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Former IU, Cincy and now Texas Tech QB B. Soresby checked himself into gambling rehab.

Saw an interesting possibility here. If he is banned from college football, he could enter the supplemental NFL draft this July. He was going to be projected as a late day 1, early day 2 pick if he had come out. And with how terrible this recent draft class was for QBs, I'd wager a few teams would put in a bid for him.

[JPhillips]

In a vote last week, the AFCA Board swung its support behind (1) a playoff with the max participants (likely 24); (2) discontinuing conference championships; and (3) ending CFP by second week of January, they tell @YahooSports.

Killing conference championships and adding playoff teams is not the direction I'd like to see.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Killing conference championships and adding playoff teams is not the direction I'd like to see.

Even if you are for expanding the playoff, why not stick to a number like 16 that doesn't include byes?

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Even if you are for expanding the playoff, why not stick to a number like 16 that doesn't include byes?

It is all greed, and just dumb. I still believe it should be 8, but they are never going to give up the revenue.

[JPhillips]

They want it as big as possible(see men's basketball) but realize they can't have it beyond the Top 25. This basically adds a round. If this proposal was in effect last year it probably would have meant,

8 games weekend of Dec 6
8 games weekend of Dec 13
4 games weekend of Dec 20
2 games weekend of Dec 27
Championship on Jan 5

I'm with Grant, there's not much point in anything past 8, but that ship has sailed.

[HerRealName]

The FCS playoff system was widely considered a great postseason model until the FBS started discussions to adopt it.

[JPhillips]

I'm still anti-playoff, so I haven't switched. There are too few games to think we're really finding an undisputed best team.

[Danny]

When my kids are my age I am sure they will enjoy the 64 team FBS playoffs and thd 208 team March Madness tournament

[flere-imsaho]

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by Danny

When my kids are my age I am sure they will enjoy the 64 team FBS playoffs and thd 208 team March Madness tournament

And when you talk about the bowl system and how we didn't even have a national championship game, you'll sound very "uphill both ways"

[Atocep]

If you're not following the Sorsby case, i don't see any way he is ruled eligible.

Over 40 bets placed on Indiana football while playing there, $30k in wagers total as a freshman and over $90k overall during his college career. He was using friends and families accounts to avoid scrutiny. The feds tipped off the sportsbook which then tipped off the NCAA. Much higher dollar figures and overall betting than his PR team was alluding to when they tried to get ahead of this.

As the NCAA stated in its court documents, if he's allowed to play he would be the first North American athlete to have been caught betting on his own team and not face a ban.

[JPhillips]

Yeah. I think the bigger question is whether he can enter the NFL directly or have a suspension. You have to play pro ball now isn't much of a deterrent.

[RainMaker]

If he didn't do anything illegal, can the NFL suspend him?

Seems like his best shot now is to go into the supplemental draft. I know it's rarely used but I have to imagine someone is willing to bid a 4th for someone of his talent. He was considered a 2nd-3rd round talent and the draft was so weak.