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Fox Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Jackson Arnold, Dante Moore among names to know ahead of FOX College Football Friday
FOX Sports announced a portion of its 2025 college football schedule on Thursday afternoon, and it is stacked with must-see matchups. In addition to announcing the first three "Big Noon Saturday" games of the season and the entire Week 1 slate, which is highlighted by a heavyweight showdown between Texas and Ohio State, FOX also announced the return of "FOX College Football Friday," which will mostly feature a mixture of Big Ten and Big 12 matchups. "FOX College Football Friday" kicks off on Aug. 29 with Auburn taking on Baylor in Waco, Texas, and concludes with the Mountain West Championship on Dec. 5 on FOX. With the likes of Auburn, Nebraska, USC, Oregon and Arizona State all featured on "FOX College Football Friday," there will be plenty of individual star power taking the field. Let's take a look at the complete Friday night slate and then highlight eight names to watch this fall during "FOX College Football Friday." Auburn at Baylor (Friday, Aug. 29 on FOX) Player to watch: Jackson Arnold, QB, Auburn I'm eagerly awaiting to find out if Auburn coach Hugh Freeze believes Arnold is good enough to start for not just one, but two SEC programs in two years. Arnold showed up to Oklahoma after winning National Gatorade Player of the Year at Guyer High School (Denton, Texas) in 2022. In his first start at Oklahoma, he completed 26 of 45 passes for 361 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in an Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona. Every other start after that failed to hit that high-water mark, even after helping Oklahoma get past No. 7 Alabama last season. At Auburn, Arnold enters the building as the most talented prospect in what should be a loaded QB room for Freeze. Kansas State at Arizona (Friday, Sept. 12 on FOX) Player to watch: Avery Johnson, QB, Kansas State Johnson will begin this season as the front-runner to win Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year after passing for more than 2,700 yards and rushing for more than 600 with 32 total touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a sophomore. Alongside the explosive Dylan Edwards, Kansas State's backfield is the fastest in the Big 12. The Wildcats should feel good about their chances of winning the Big 12 title and being selected for the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history this season. Iowa at Rutgers (Friday, Sept. 19 on FOX) Player to watch: Mark Gronowski, QB, Iowa For too long, the Hawkeyes have longed for a quarterback who could simply get out of the way of Phil Parker's otherworldly defense. For nearly the first half of the season last year, Cade McNamara was able to do just that. But after an injury, the Hawkeyes were forced to put their offensive hopes and dreams on the back of departed running back Kaleb Johnson. Now, they need a great QB more than ever and Kirk Ferentz found one in Gronowski. His pedigree is that of a winner. He is 49-6 as a starter, a two-time FCS national champion, Walter Payton Player of the Year (FCS Heisman) and a first-team All-American. His ability to make plays in the passing and rushing game makes him a natural fit for Ferentz's ball-control, complimentary style of football. TCU at Arizona State (Friday, Sept. 26 on FOX) Player to watch: Josh Hoover, QB, TCU After throwing for more than 3,900 yards with 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, Hoover should be expected to be a 4,000-yard, 30-TD QB in 2025. Indeed, his talent on tape is so prodigious that he reportedly t urned down a seven-figure NIL deal to transfer . Last season, Hoover threw for at least 212 yards in every start and at least 300 yards in six of his starts. Nebraska at Minnesota (Friday, Oct. 17 on FOX) Player to watch: Dylan Raiola, QB, Nebraska Raiola enters his sophomore season having led the Huskers to their first bowl game appearance in eight seasons. The next step in his evolution needs to be contending for the Big Ten championship. In a league that has produced the last two national champions, that's a tough task. But so is playing through the middle of the field where many expect Minnesota to be. If Raiola can mature into a credible downfield passer, accumulate 3,500 passing yards and 30 passing touchdowns with Dana Holgorsen calling plays, there's every reason to believe the Huskers can put themselves in position to contend for a CFP spot. Northwestern at USC (Friday, Nov. 7 on FOX) Player to watch: Jayden Maiva, QB, USC After getting his first start against Nebraska last year, Maiva threw for at least 221 yards in each game and accumulated 15 total touchdowns. In partnership with Lincoln Riley, Maiva could turn into one of the upper-tier QBs in the Big Ten. Minnesota at Oregon (Friday, Nov. 14 on FOX) Player to watch: Dante Moore, QB, Oregon At this point in the season, quarterback Dante Moore and wide receiver Dakorien Moore ought to have generated a partnership worth national recognition. This quarterback-wideout combo features one of the most entertaining passers of the 2023 class with the best wide receiver in the 2025 class. Following Heisman finalists Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, Dante Moore has the physical tools to lead Oregon to another Big Ten championship. Arizona at Arizona State (Friday, Nov. 28 on FOX) Player to watch: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Not many wideouts were more dependable and prolific as Tyson was at Arizona State last season. In four of his last six games for the Sun Devils, Tyson recorded 100 receiving yards or more — one game with 99 — and ended the season with 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdown catches. With Sam Leavitt back at QB, Tyson could be the best wideout in the Big 12. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football recommended Get more from College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Auburn Receives Major News on No. 3 Overall Recruit
Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers are looking to get back to the top of the mountain in college football. After a disappointing 2024 campaign, they have put together a solid class heading into the 2025 season. With Oklahoma Sooners transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold now at the helm, the Tigers could make some noise this season. Advertisement The 2026 recruiting window is kicking into gear, and Auburn is making some headlines with the nation's top recruits. The No. 3 overall recruit in the country, five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho, has announced that he will be making an official visit to Auburn on June 6. Auburn Tigers head football coach Hugh Freeze.© John Reed-Imagn Images The young tackle from Baltimore, Maryland has been targeted by all of the top teams in the country. After being linked heavily to the Oregon Ducks and LSU Tigers, a visit to Auburn gives Freeze and his staff an incredible opportunity. Auburn has seven commits so far in their 2026 recruiting class, putting them at No. 13 in the country. They earned the No. 8 recruiting class for 2025, and have a chance to do even better the year after. Advertisement If Iheanacho chooses Auburn, he would be their first recruit in the top 100, and could start a domino effect of top recruits making their way to Auburn, Alabama. With his visit less than a month away, the Tigers' staff have plenty of time to prepare for one of the biggest visits of the year. For the time being, fans get to look forward to their first season under a new quarterback, and newly given hopes of their goals to make it into the College Football Playoff. Related: Caitlin Clark Reveals Real Reason She Went Back into Game Against Sky Related: Auburn Receives Huge Commitment News for 4-Star Lineman
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Auburn football: Hugh Freeze says Jackson Arnold is QB1. He still wants a competitive room.
HOOVER — Hugh Freeze isn't anticipating much of battle for Auburn football's starting quarterback position in 2025. He said Wednesday at the Regions Tradition pro-am that Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold "is the No. 1." Still, he "absolutely" wants to see a competitive room heading into the regular season. Advertisement "Do I want Jackson feeling like it's his and him getting that confidence and swagger? Yes," Freeze said. "Do I want him looking over his shoulder saying, 'Dang, Deuce (Knight) and Ashton (Daniels) had two really good practices today'? Yes. I want both." In two seasons with the Sooners, Arnold completed 62.9% of his passes for 1,984 yards. He threw 16 touchdowns to six interceptions and added another 560 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. He also caught two passes for 16 yards and a touchdown. He started 10 games in 2024, throwing for 1,421 yards and 12 touchdowns while completing 62.6% of his passes and throwing just three interceptions. He also rushed for 444 yards and three touchdowns. Between two stops in high school, Knight threw for 3,976 yards, 28 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 56.8% of his passes and averaging 8.6 yards per attempt. He also rushed for 982 yards and another 23 touchdowns. Advertisement Daniels, who wasn't on campus this spring, spent three seasons at Stanford. He logged 3,986 pass yards and 30 total touchdowns, nine of which were rushing. Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@ or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Hugh Freeze talks Auburn football's QBs, Jackson Arnold's starter status
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What did Auburn football QB Jackson Arnold learn last season at Oklahoma? Let him explain.
What did Auburn football QB Jackson Arnold learn last season at Oklahoma? Let him explain. AUBURN — During Auburn football's team Bible study Tuesday, the verse of the night was James 1:12. "Blessed is the person who perseveres under trial," it reads, "because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." Advertisement That verse hit Jackson Arnold hard, he said Wednesday, "because last year, that's exactly what happened." COMMITTED: Auburn football lands Jackson Arnold. Here's why the former Oklahoma QB chose the Tigers Arnold transferred to Auburn from Oklahoma, where his 2024 season saw a benching, an offensive coordinator change, and eventual return to his season-opening role as the Sooners' starting quarterback. Arnold described it as "probably one of the hardest things I've gone through in my entire life." But now at Auburn, he feels like he's receiving the crown of life that the Lord promised. After starting the year as Oklahoma's starter, the Sooners were 3-0 heading into a matchup with Tennessee. They lost 25-15, and after throwing for 54 yards and an interception in the first half, Oklahoma made a switch at quarterback. Advertisement Arnold returned to the field nearly a month later, in Oklahoma's 35-9 loss to South Carolina. He threw for 225 yards and a touchdown, and he returned to the starting role. "For me, that was a wake-up call from God, just to kind of take a step back and root my identity in something other than the game," Arnold said of the benching. "Really, just to go through that and just learn how to persevere through hard times. ... Just really being strong, being able to persevere is something I feel like I learned a lot last year." In Oklahoma's final five games, Arnold threw for another 658 yards, averaging 6.1 yards per attempt, while completing 69.4% of his passes and throwing another four touchdowns. He also ran for another 335 yards and a touchdown in that span. Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@ or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football: What QB Jackson Arnold learned in difficult season at OU
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Oklahoma Sooners QB impressing in spring football
Former Oklahoma Sooners starting quarterback Jackson Arnold didn't have the career anyone expected he'd carve out in Norman. Now, he's trying to rebound at Auburn, and he's impressed his new head coach in the process. After head coach Brent Venables hired Ben Arbuckle as the Sooners' new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach this winter, Arnold entered the transfer portal, hoping to get his career back on track with the Tigers. Advertisement So far this spring, it seems that Arnold could be well on his way to doing so. His new head coach, Hugh Freeze, has been impressed with the junior quarterback's performance in spring ball. Freeze appeared on "The Paul Finebaum Show" and praised Arnold's play. "He obviously has all the tools to be one of the top quarterbacks in the nation," Freeze said. "He's got the arm talent, he's got the legs, he's got the football IQ. I think he just needs confidence, and I think that confidence grew this spring, along with his rapport with our receivers." Confidence, along with turnovers, was one of the biggest things that seemed to hold Arnold back in Norman. At times, it seemed the pressure of being the starting quarterback at a place like Oklahoma got to him. His performances in winnable games against Tennessee and Missouri left Sooner Nation wanting more out of the position. Arnold, a former five-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, signed with OU out of Denton Guyer High School in Texas after winning the Elite 11 Finals and being named the Gatorade National Player of the Year for 2022. He sat behind Dillon Gabriel in 2023, before being handed the reins of the Sooners in 2024. He was expected to become the next great OU quarterback. Advertisement Instead, Arnold struggled mightily over just 10 career starts in crimson and cream, winning only five games. He was benched, re-inserted into the lineup, saw his offensive coordinator Seth Littrell get fired, and led Oklahoma to a dismal 6-7 record in Year 1 in the SEC. His team-leading passing yardage total was the lowest for an Oklahoma QB since 1998. But perhaps a change of scenery will be just what Arnold needs. The split between he and the Sooners was in no way contentious, but maybe both sides will benefit. Arnold gets a new start at Auburn, where he still has the opportunity to prove himself in the country's toughest conference. Meanwhile, Oklahoma upgraded in a big way under center with John Mateer, who Sooner fans hope truly is the next great OU quarterback. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin. This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Auburn head coach praises former Sooners QB Jackson Arnold
