Latest news with #MattHayes
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
QB of key 2025 Texas Longhorns SEC opponent goes down to injury again
Florida Gators QB DJ Lagway is hurt again. The Willis, TX native has a left calf strain. Lagway, who missed last year's game against the Texas Longhorns in Austin, is quickly getting a reputation as injury-prone. Lagway missed the UT game with a hamstring problem. He also had a shoulder and a core injury during his freshman year in Gainesville. Now, it is his calf. Last month, during SEC Media Days, Lagway told the assembled media, "I'm not an injury-prone guy." Matt Hayes of USA TODAY Sports fears it all could lead to bigger injuries. "Whether it's increased level of competition, intensity of training or just plain bad luck, four injuries (two relatively serious) before the start of Lagway's second season is cause for concern. More problematic: it's not a long or difficult a jump from calf strain to a much bigger problem. Especially since we've seen it of late among the greatest athletes in sports. Aaron Rodgers and Tyrese Halliburton dealt with calf strains in the last two years, and both strains preceded season-ending Achilles injuries. Kevin Durant's Achilles injury in 2019 started with a calf strain, too." - Matt Hayes of USA TODAY Sports Lagway's 6-1 record has Gators fans hoping for a return to prominence, or at least relevancy. But you want a QB that stays healthy. Just ask Texas coach Steve Sarkisian. Each time Quinn Ewers went down over the past three seasons, Sark has had to scramble. Thanks to Lagway, Florida is supposed to be much improved this season. Texas' trip to the Swamp starts a string of road games that doesn't see UT back in Austin for a full month. Some experts are picking the Gators to upset Texas. But that will be more more difficult if Lagway is hurt again.
USA Today
24-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Matt Hayes picks Oklahoma to win SEC
The Oklahoma football team may have been picked to finish in the middle of the Southeastern Conference pack last week during media days, but at least one national writer has tabbed the Sooners to win the whole league. USA TODAY Sports' Matt Hayes told "That SEC Podcast" that OU was his pick at the top of the best football conference in the country. "Many people here have told me that I'm crazy for saying this, I think Oklahoma is going to win the SEC," he said. "I think (quarterback John) Mateer is going to play really well and that defense will be as good as any defense in the league. They're going to shock some people this year," Mateer didn't make any of the preseason All-SEC teams last week during media days. Part of the reason was his relative lack of familiarity in the SEC. The Washington State transfer led FBS in touchdowns last year with 29 passing and another 15 rushing. He transferred from WSU to Oklahoma after Sooners head man Brent Venables hired Cougars offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle for the same job in Norman. "I think Mateer is a lot better than people think he is," Hayes said. "He's a very good player, No. 1. And No. 2, he's going to have that type of impact of it's not just on the field, it's in the locker room." Oklahoma's defense established itself last year as one of the better ones in the country, ranking 19th in total defense and 29th in scoring defense. The return of preseason second-team All-SEC defensive end R Mason Thomas and safety Robert Spears-Jennings should trend the 2025 unit in the same direction. OU opens the season August 30 at home against FCS Illinois State.
USA Today
22-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Are Oklahoma and Texas to blame for college football's current state?
AI-assisted summary Oklahoma and Texas's move to the SEC in 2021 set off a chain reaction of college football realignment. The SEC is considering moving to a nine-game conference schedule to match other major conferences and strengthen their case for automatic playoff bids. The proposed changes could lead to further College Football Playoff expansion, potentially to 14 or even 16 teams. In the summer of 2021, college football realignment changed forever. When it was leaked by the Houston Chronicle that the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns were moving from the Big 12 to the SEC, it got the ball rolling on a massive round of program movement. Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC mvoved from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. Cal and Stanford moved from the Pac-12 to the ACC. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah went from the Pac-12 to the Big 12. The ACC later added SMU from the AAC. The Big 12 poached BYU from the FBS Independent ranks and took Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF from the AAC as well. And that's just the moves that affected the Power Five (now the Power Four) conferences. OU and Texas set in motion the demise of the Pac-12 as we knew it and so many other moves on the college athletics landscape. And now, there could be more changes to college football, all potentially a result of the Sooners and Longhorns moving to the SEC in 2024. USA TODAY Sports staff writer Matt Hayes believes that Oklahoma and Texas' decision is to blame for the current state of college football. College Football Playoff expansion is on the table once again. The real debate, though, is in the number of automatic bids allocated per conference. The SEC and the Big Ten are reportedly vying for four auto-bids a piece. But the SEC will have to move to a nine-game conference schedule to make that happen. "Without two of the biggest programs in college football deciding in the summer of 2021 to light the fuse in search of financial stability, none of this happens," Hayes said. "Not an expanding College Football Playoff postseason minimizing the bowl system. Not the unending thirst for more money — from universities and players. So it should come as no surprise that the final piece to this unique moment in college sports, the last step that four years ago was a pipe dream, has finally arrived. The SEC finally looks like it's moving to nine conference games." The SEC's choice to move to nine league games is one of the final moves in the current round of big-time changes to college football. Scheduling equity has been a big talking point in recent realignment as the SEC plays eight conference games while the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC all play nine. A number of teams in the SEC play a school from the FCS. For the SEC to argue for automatic bids in the next round of expansion, they'll have to be willing to play on the same scheduling field as the rest of the FBS. "In one significant offseason, and just weeks after the completion of the first 12-team CFP, college football is moving toward more radical change. Only this time, it looks like the last move," Hayes said. "The fact that there's 'a lot' of interest from SEC coaches and athletic directors to move to nine games shows the financial straits even the heaviest of hitters in college sports face with the looming advent of what will be an effective "pay-for-play" system ... Presidents and athletic directors see the final piece to the puzzle, and how it completes the final coat of paint on the completely rebuilt and reimagined college football." But Hayes' point goes further, as this could lead to another change to the playoff, even though there was a change very recently from four teams to 12. Now, there could be a move to 14, or even 16 spots in the CFP. The reason is the newly-found cohesion between the sport's two most powerful conferences. "The SEC moving to nine games allows for alignment between the two super conferences of college football," Hayes said. The Big Ten has been playing nine conference games since 2016, and the discrepancy between the two conferences has been a postseason qualification argument since," Hayes said. "The potential change by the SEC opens the opportunity for the two conferences to build a non-conference scheduling agreement. Those games, and the nine conference games, is the driving factor behind selling more elite games to media rights partners ― and generating revenue from it." And, college football's postseason could get even weirder after a somewhat lackluster debut for the 12-team edition of the playoff that included plenty of blowouts. The reason for expansion is simple: Money. In fact, if you're looking for someone to blame besides the Red River Rivals, blame the almighty dollar. "That expansion of games has now bled into the possibility of CFP play-in games during championship weekend, and expanding the postseason format to as many as 16 teams," Hayes said. "More games, more money. Playing nine conference games and adding a non-conference scheduling agreement also allows the Big Ten and SEC to demand more access from the new College Football Playoff contract, which begins in 2026. Translation: automatic qualification, and as many as four spots per conference." Hayes also outlined what will happen for the other conferences. "In that scenario, the Big 12 and ACC will receive two automatic qualifying spots each, and Notre Dame will still have access as an independent — if chosen by the selection committee," Hayes said. "That leaves one at-large spot in a 14-team format, or three in a 16-team format. Expanding championship weekend to a College Football Playoff play-in weekend will increase the number of games affecting access from five (four power conference championship games, highest-ranked Group of Five champion) to 13. That's eight more impactful games for media rights partners, and a corresponding increase in revenue. In one potential scenario, the SEC and Big Ten would each have four play-in games among the top eight teams in their respective conference standings, with the winners advancing to the CFP. The ACC and Big 12 would play two games from the top four teams in their respective conferences." College football's NIL era has been hotly debated, to say the least. And expanding the playoff further does even more damage to the regular season, college football's most important facet. And Hayes reiterates who he believes is ultimately to blame. "All of this change from one monumental move four years ago," Hayes said. "Blame Texas and Oklahoma. Or give thanks. Because the SEC finally will get to a nine-game conference schedule." The Sooners and the Longhorns may not be entirely to blame for the current state of college football, but it's tough to deny that they didn't at least have a hand (along with NIL and the desire for playoff expansion) in getting the sport where it's at in 2025.
USA Today
22-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Are Oklahoma and Texas to blame for college football's current state?
Are Oklahoma and Texas to blame for college football's current state? In the summer of 2021, college football realignment changed forever. When it was leaked by the Houston Chronicle that the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns were moving from the Big 12 to the SEC, it got the ball rolling on a massive round of program movement. Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC mvoved from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. Cal and Stanford moved from the Pac-12 to the ACC. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah went from the Pac-12 to the Big 12. The ACC later added SMU from the AAC. The Big 12 poached BYU from the FBS Independent ranks and took Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF from the AAC as well. And that's just the moves that affected the Power Five (now the Power Four) conferences. OU and Texas set in motion the demise of the Pac-12 as we knew it and so many other moves on the college athletics landscape. And now, there could be more changes to college football, all potentially a result of the Sooners and Longhorns moving to the SEC in 2024. USA TODAY Sports staff writer Matt Hayes believes that Oklahoma and Texas' decision is to blame for the current state of college football. College Football Playoff expansion is on the table once again. The real debate, though, is in the number of automatic bids allocated per conference. The SEC and the Big Ten are reportedly vying for four auto-bids a piece. But the SEC will have to move to a nine-game conference schedule to make that happen. "Without two of the biggest programs in college football deciding in the summer of 2021 to light the fuse in search of financial stability, none of this happens," Hayes said. "Not an expanding College Football Playoff postseason minimizing the bowl system. Not the unending thirst for more money — from universities and players. So it should come as no surprise that the final piece to this unique moment in college sports, the last step that four years ago was a pipe dream, has finally arrived. The SEC finally looks like it's moving to nine conference games." The SEC's choice to move to nine league games is one of the final moves in the current round of big-time changes to college football. Scheduling equity has been a big talking point in recent realignment as the SEC plays eight conference games while the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC all play nine. A number of teams in the SEC play a school from the FCS. For the SEC to argue for automatic bids in the next round of expansion, they'll have to be willing to play on the same scheduling field as the rest of the FBS. "In one significant offseason, and just weeks after the completion of the first 12-team CFP, college football is moving toward more radical change. Only this time, it looks like the last move," Hayes said. "The fact that there's 'a lot' of interest from SEC coaches and athletic directors to move to nine games shows the financial straits even the heaviest of hitters in college sports face with the looming advent of what will be an effective "pay-for-play" system ... Presidents and athletic directors see the final piece to the puzzle, and how it completes the final coat of paint on the completely rebuilt and reimagined college football." But Hayes' point goes further, as this could lead to another change to the playoff, even though there was a change very recently from four teams to 12. Now, there could be a move to 14, or even 16 spots in the CFP. The reason is the newly-found cohesion between the sport's two most powerful conferences. "The SEC moving to nine games allows for alignment between the two super conferences of college football," Hayes said. The Big Ten has been playing nine conference games since 2016, and the discrepancy between the two conferences has been a postseason qualification argument since," Hayes said. "The potential change by the SEC opens the opportunity for the two conferences to build a non-conference scheduling agreement. Those games, and the nine conference games, is the driving factor behind selling more elite games to media rights partners ― and generating revenue from it." And, college football's postseason could get even weirder after a somewhat lackluster debut for the 12-team edition of the playoff that included plenty of blowouts. The reason for expansion is simple: Money. In fact, if you're looking for someone to blame besides the Red River Rivals, blame the almighty dollar. "That expansion of games has now bled into the possibility of CFP play-in games during championship weekend, and expanding the postseason format to as many as 16 teams," Hayes said. "More games, more money. Playing nine conference games and adding a non-conference scheduling agreement also allows the Big Ten and SEC to demand more access from the new College Football Playoff contract, which begins in 2026. Translation: automatic qualification, and as many as four spots per conference." Hayes also outlined what will happen for the other conferences. "In that scenario, the Big 12 and ACC will receive two automatic qualifying spots each, and Notre Dame will still have access as an independent — if chosen by the selection committee," Hayes said. "That leaves one at-large spot in a 14-team format, or three in a 16-team format. Expanding championship weekend to a College Football Playoff play-in weekend will increase the number of games affecting access from five (four power conference championship games, highest-ranked Group of Five champion) to 13. That's eight more impactful games for media rights partners, and a corresponding increase in revenue. In one potential scenario, the SEC and Big Ten would each have four play-in games among the top eight teams in their respective conference standings, with the winners advancing to the CFP. The ACC and Big 12 would play two games from the top four teams in their respective conferences." College football's NIL era has been hotly debated, to say the least. And expanding the playoff further does even more damage to the regular season, college football's most important facet. And Hayes reiterates who he believes is ultimately to blame. "All of this change from one monumental move four years ago," Hayes said. "Blame Texas and Oklahoma. Or give thanks. Because the SEC finally will get to a nine-game conference schedule." The Sooners and the Longhorns may not be entirely to blame for the current state of college football, but it's tough to deny that they didn't at least have a hand (along with NIL and the desire for playoff expansion) in getting the sport where it's at in 2025.
USA Today
12-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Can John Mateer lead the Oklahoma Sooners to a College Football Playoff Berth?
The Oklahoma Sooners are in the midst of a playoff drought. They haven't been to the postseason since 2019 when now Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts led the Sooners to the Big 12 title and the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff. The Sooners' best chance to make the playoff came in 2021, but a loss to Oklahoma State in the Bedlam regular-season finale knocked them out of the Big 12 title discussion and College Football Playoff race. In 2020 and 2023, back-to-back Big 12 losses stunned their playoff hopes. In 2022 and 2024, the Sooners weren't anywhere close to playoff contention. But USA TODAY Sports College Football analyst Matt Hayes thinks the Sooners could be heading back to the playoff. Hayes included OU in his early College Football Playoff projection for 2025 as the No. 9 seed in the bracket. What's good: John Mateer, the difference between an ugly first season in the SEC, and a CFP run in 2025. The transfer quarterback from Washington State was the No. 1 player in the transfer portal, and is a dynamic dual threat (44 total TDs). The Sooners couldn't get first downs in 2024; they'll score in bunches with Mateer and transfer wideout Isaiah Sategna (Arkansas), and high-volume Championship Subdivision transfer receivers Keontez Lewis and Javonnie Gibson. - Matt Hayes, USA TODAY Sports Network As John Mateer goes in 2025, so will the Oklahoma Sooners. He has the ability to threaten defenses as a true dual-threat option in the offense. His familiarity with new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle's system could create a similar offensive efficiency as we saw with Dillon Gabriel and Jeff Lebby. But it isn't all on Mateer. The rest of the offense has to be good around him as well, which wasn't the case in 2024. The offensive line took a while to get going in the run game and it was a roller coaster ride in pass protection. Bill Bedenbaugh's unit played better as the season went along, and they had more consistency up front, the offensive line play better. That group played great against Alabama in the Sooners 24-3 win over the Crimson Tide. And if they can build upon that with better health and better depth, the offensive line should be in a better spot than it was to start the 2024 season. If there's an issue that Hayes has with the Sooners it's the schedule. It's brutal like it was a year ago. But the saving grace is the relative inexperience of the quarterbacks they'll be facing. Missouri, Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama, and maybe even Michigan will all have first-time starters at quarterback. Only LSU, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Auburn bring back quarterbacks with significant starting experience in Garrett Nussmeier, Nico Iamaleava, LaNorris Sellers, and Jackson Arnold. The Sooners' defense will be a problem for SEC signal-callers in 2025. If the offense can return to respectability, the Sooners will be in a good spot to contend for a College Football Playoff berth this season.
