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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
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa softball names sixth head coach in program history
Iowa softball names sixth head coach in program history Following a relatively successful 35-18 season, considering the multiple in-season head coaching changes endured throughout the 2025 campaign, Iowa Director of Athletics, Beth Goetz, announced on Wednesday that former Hawkeyes star Stacy May-Johnson would become the program's sixth head coach. May-Johnson played at Iowa from 2003-06, where she was a three-time All-Big Ten selection and the 2003 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. In 2003, she was a part of the Hawkeyes squad that won both the Big Ten regular-season and tournament championship. She still ranks in the top 15 in program history in career games played, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, and batting average. 'I am thrilled to be coming back to Iowa City and to once again be a Hawkeye,' said May-Johnson. 'I look forward to leading Iowa softball to Big Ten Championships and the Women's College World Series, and creating a championship culture both in the classroom and on the field.' In addition to playing at Iowa, she served as a student assistant for the Hawkeyes in 2007 and later as an assistant coach from 2011-14. Outside of Iowa, May-Johnson gathered plenty of coaching experience, including head coaching stints at Utah Valley (2020-21) and, most recently, Fresno State (2022-25). She was also a volunteer assistant at Louisville (2008-10), an assistant at Louisville (2015-16) and Purdue (2017), and associate head coach at Eastern Kentucky (2018-19). 'We are thrilled to welcome Stacy May-Johnson back to Iowa as the new head coach of our softball program,' said Goetz. 'Stacy is a proven leader with a deep understanding of what it means to be a Hawkeye. Her experience as a standout student-athlete, combined with her coaching success and commitment to developing young women on and off the field, makes her the ideal person to lead our program into its next chapter. We are excited for the future of Iowa softball under her leadership.' During her time at Fresno State, May-Johnson saw the Bulldogs improve their win total year-over-year, notching 112 victories in four seasons. In 2025, she led Fresno to 37 wins and the Mountain West Championship title game. In her tenure, May-Johnson coached one Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, two MWC Pitchers of the Year, three NFCA All-Region, and nine All-Mountain West honorees. In the classroom, the Bulldogs had 41 Academic All-Mountain West selections and 28 Mountain West Scholar-Athletes. Before moving to California, May-Johnson spent two seasons as head coach at Utah Valley, where she coached seven All-WAC selections. Following her collegiate career, May-Johnson played professionally for the Chicago Bandits of the NPF (National Pro Fastpitch) and was a member of the United States National Team. She spent five years in the NPF where she was a two-time NPF Most Valuable Player. She was the 2006 NPF Rookie of the Year, a three-time All-Star and led the team to two titles. May-Johnson, who is one of six players to have her number retired with Chicago, led the NPF in home runs, hits and runs scored in each of her MVP seasons in 2008 and 2010. As a member of the U.S. Women's National Team, May-Johnson helped Team USA win gold medals at the 2011 Pan American Games, the 2011 and 2012 World Cups, and a silver medal at the 2012 World Championships. She was named the 2011 USA Softball Female Athlete of the Year. With the hire of May-Johnson, Iowa hopes her experience and knowledge of the game will elevate the program to new heights in the new-look Big Ten and on the national stage. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
New York Post
22-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Major shakeup emerges for 2025-26 College Football Playoff
Another wrinkle has developed for the second year of the 12-team College Football Playoff. CFP executives unanimously voted Thursday on a pivot to a straight seeding format for the upcoming year, according to Yahoo Sports. Teams will now be seeded 1-12 based on the selection committee's rankings rather than reserving the top four seeds for the conference champions. Advertisement In the straight seeding format, the top four seeds will get byes into the quarterfinals. The CFP will pivot to a straight seeding format for the upcoming season. Getty Images The vote went through the management committee, the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, after an unbalanced bracket emerged last season under last year's format. Advertisement For instance, Boise State was the No. 3 seed while 11-win Texas and Penn State endured tougher, competitive schedules. They went on to win the Mountain West championship and benefited from the highest-ranked conference champion rule. The four teams that received first-round byes last season were Oregon, Boise State, Arizona and Georgia. None of them moved on past the quarterfinals. Advertisement Oregon, the Big Ten champion, drew eighth-seeded Ohio State for their Rose Bowl matchup and were left in the dust, losing 41-21 against the eventual national champions. Ducks coach Dan Lanning didn't blame the seeding format. Safety Seyi Oladipo of the Boise State Broncos celebrates a sack during the first half of the Mountain West Championship against the UNLV Rebels at Albertsons Stadium on December 6, 2024 in Boise, Idaho. Getty Images 'We had an opportunity,' Lanning said. 'We didn't take advantage of the opportunity. I am not going to make excuses for our opportunity.' Advertisement The vote also kept in place a hefty payout for the top-four conference champs. The four highest-ranked conference champions still are expected to earn $8 million — $4 million each for winning the conference and making it to the quarterfinal — even if they do not rank within the top four seeds, at least for this year. But starting in 2026, the playoff will include a new revenue-distribution system with conferences earning a base amount rather than performance-based payments. More changes — including expanding the field — are expected to be discussed, as the 12-team expanded playoff model's contract ends after the 2025 season.
Reuters
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Report: Boise State's Spencer Danielson gets 5-year deal
Dec 2, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Boise State Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson celebrates after 44-20 victory over the UNLV Rebels in the Mountain West Championship at Allegiant Stadium. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab Boise State coach Spencer Danielson finalized a new five-year, $11 million contract after leading the Broncos to the College Football Playoff last season, ESPN reported Tuesday. The average annual value of $2.2 million reportedly doubles the salary Danielson earned in his first full season running the program in 2024. The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here. Danielson, 36, guided the Broncos to a Mountain West Conference title and finished 12-2 following a 31-14 loss in the CFP to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. He was named the MWC Coach of the Year. Danielson is 15-3 overall, including his tenure as Boise State's interim coach in late 2023 following the firing of Andy Avalos after a 5-5 start that season. His new deal will start at $2 million per year and increase by $100,000 each year during the five-year term. The only Mountain West coach who earns more annually is UNLV's Dan Mullen at $3.5 million for 2025. Danielson has been coaching at Boise State since 2017 when he arrived as a graduate assistant. He served as the defensive coordinator from 2021-23. --Field Level Media Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
USA Today
16-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Joe Lunardi's Saturday night bracketology update has UNC in outside looking in
Joe Lunardi's Saturday night bracketology update has UNC in outside looking in UNC's NCAA Tournament hopes don't look so promising. Entering their Friday, March 14 ACC Tournament Semifinals matchup with archrival Duke, the North Carolina Tar Heels were a "Last Four In" team for the NCAA Tournament. When the final buzzer sounded, UNC suffered a heart-breaking, 74-71 loss that lessened its likelihood of making the Big Dance. North Carolina (22-13, 13-7) got some help from fellow bubble teams, most notably Boise State, which got walloped by Colorado State in the Mountain West Championship. The Tar Heels' glaring issue, though: a 1-12 record in Quad 1 games. As of Saturday, March 15 at 8:28 p.m., Joe Lunardi moved UNC to one of his "First Four Out." Joining North Carolina in this close-but-no-cigar group is Boise State, Texas and Ohio State. As mentioned earlier, Boise State (24-10, 14-6) got walloped earlier Saturday in its conference championship game. Texas (19-15, 6-12 SEC) lost to Tennessee in the SEC Tournament, while Ohio State (17-15, 9-11) lost its Big 10 Tournament opener to Iowa. Beating the Blue Devils was a tall task for the Tar Heels entering Friday night, but certainly a doable one. UNC overcame a double-digit, first-half deficit and led by seven in Chapel Hill on Senior Night, then nearly erased a 20-point deficit Friday. A missed free throw and unfortunate lane violation later, Duke iced the game on a pair of Kon Knueppel free throws. North Carolina had plenty other opportunities to pick up quad one victories. The Tar Heels should've beaten Michigan State in the Maui Invitational. Kansas was within UNC's reach. Yet North Carolina, as talented a team it is, struggled down the stretch so many times. As we prepare to all nervously sweat during Selection Sunday, all the Tar Heels can do is hope the Selection Committee sees them worthy of a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
