Latest news with #SECChampionship
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
ESPN's FPI Predicts Winner of 2025 SEC Championship Game
ESPN's FPI Predicts Winner of 2025 SEC Championship Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Texas Longhorns completed their first season in the SEC in 2024, reaching the conference championship and the College Football Playoff. While Texas ultimately lost to the Georgia Bulldogs 22-19 in overtime, it was the No. 5 seed in the playoff and reached the semifinal. ESPN's FPI recently updated its odds and predicted that the Longhorns will not only reach the SEC Championship Game again in 2025 but also win it. It gave Texas a 34.1% chance to win the conference. Texas will have a different look this season after losing key contributors like quarterback Quinn Ewers, receiver Mathew Golden, offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., and cornerback Jahdae Barron to the NFL. Fans will finally see Arch Manning start for the Longhorns under center after backing up Ewers for the last two seasons. The Texas faithful caught a glimpse last year after Manning started two games following an oblique injury to Ewers in Week 2 versus the Michigan Wolverines. Ewers played in the following game against UTSA but was forced to exit. Manning led Texas to wins over UL Monroe and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. From 2023-24, the young quarterback has 12 games of experience, having thrown for 969 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions. While fans eagerly await the start of the 2025 season, Texas is already looking ahead to the 2027 class. The Longhorns received some great news regarding top offensive tackle Kennedy Brown. Brown is a five-star prospect, whose frontrunners are Texas and the Oregon Ducks. The Longhorns already have a solid group of commits from the 2026 class and received some good news lately. Five-star quarterback commit Dia Bell was named as one of the top 25 recruits regardless of class by ESPN's Billy Tucker. A consecutive trip to Atlanta for the Longhorns would be quite the story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Carson Beck calls decision to leave Georgia ‘very difficult' but says Miami is the right fit
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carson Beck planned to leave Georgia only for the NFL Draft. The transfer portal was never an option, and it wouldn't have been if he hadn't injured his right (throwing) elbow in December's SEC Championship Game. But, Beck said Tuesday, the injury forced his hand, sending him from one marquee program to another, Miami. Advertisement 'I made the decision to come here, and I feel like it's worked out pretty well so far,' Beck said during ACC football media days in one of his first public appearances since joining the Hurricanes in January. Beck said the decision to leave Georgia was 'very difficult,' but five years is a long time to stay in one place and the NFL wasn't the right option. Though his exit wasn't ideal, it could have been worse. Beck injured his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in the first half against Texas. Neither he nor Georgia's staff knew how bad it was at first. That's why he reentered the game briefly after his replacement, Gunner Stockton, got his helmet knocked off in overtime. Beck, fortunately, still had his helmet on the sidelines. He took a few practice snaps and felt comfortable enough to reenter in the emergency situation. Beck asked his teammates if they could end the game as quickly as possible, just in case. With his right arm frozen, Beck short-armed a handoff to Trevor Etienne, who scored on a 4-yard run. 'People are like, jumping on me and stuff,' Beck said. 'Yo, chill. I'm injured. That was a really cool moment, I think, to be my last play for Georgia and not (have) the injury be my last play.' As Beck considered his next stop, he said he was quickly impressed by the culture coach Mario Cristobal has instilled at Miami, which was a College Football Playoff contender into November last year. The demeanor of the staff matched his own, and the talent level is good enough for Miami to contend in the ACC. Beck is also a good fit for offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson's balanced attack, which helped another transfer, Cam Ward, develop into the No. 1 overall pick. 'It's just that freedom aspect and the trust that coach Dawson had in him,' Beck said. 'Ultimately, I hope that I can earn the same trust from coach Dawson, as well, through fall camp and then ultimately getting into games and making good decisions and being efficient.' Advertisement The Hurricanes didn't need much convincing to add Beck. Cristobal said 'everything' drew them to a veteran who went 24-3 as Georgia's starter. 'He's played in monster games, and he's played at a high level,' Cristobal said. 'He is ultra competitive, and his football IQ is off the charts. It didn't take long to realize that he's a team player, and that his work ethic is also through the roof.' Beck was limited in what he could do and show during spring practice as he recovered from elbow surgery. He said the time on the sideline forced him to study the playbook like a coach, potentially boosting his development. When Beck was fully cleared to throw in April, he still felt tentative. 'The last time that I had thrown a football,' Beck said, 'my elbow literally ripped.' During a workout in his hometown of Jacksonville, a trainer told him to let a throw rip. Beck did, and it spun out perfectly. 'I was like, 'OK, I'm good,'' Beck said. 'From that moment on, it was almost, like, compounding and got significantly better from there.'
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Nick Saban's Coaching Future Receives Major NFL Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Nick Saban is one of the best head coaches in football history. His success at the college level, especially with the Alabama Crimson Tide, was nothing short of amazing. After taking a full season off from coaching, rumors have started circulating about Saban's future. Could he consider making a comeback to coaching? He enjoyed working in the media during his off year, but he's still capable of being an elite level head coach. With that in mind, questions have started coming up about where Saban could coach if he did decide to open up to a return to the sideline. Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts to a play during the third quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 02, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts to a play during the third quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 02, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Most college programs would likely love to have a chance to hire Saban. There are only a few teams across the country who would have no interest in the coaching legend. Read more: Longhorns' Arch Manning Sends Strong Message Ahead of Season However, there is also the possibility that Saban could look to take his talents back to the NFL. Paul Finebaum, one of the most notable reports in college football, has now weighed in on Saban's future. He doesn't see a return to the college game for Saban. "I think it's impossible to believe he will come back to college football," Finebaum said. "Nick Saban walked away two years ago for a specific reason. He had had enough of it. I think if Saban ever returned to working in sports, it would be to the NFL. That could happen; I don't think it will. I think mostly this was a non-starter [on Monday]. " Saban has coached two seasons in the NFL throughout his career. Both of those years came with the Miami Dolphins. He compiled a 15-17 record during the 2005 and 2006 seasons with the Dolphins. Read more: Cam Newton Delivers Strong Words About Detroit Lions His college career boasts a much more impressive resume. Saban ended his college coaching tenure with a 292-71-1 overall record. He won seven total college football national championships as well. Fans would love to see Saban coaching again. A return to college doesn't seem likely with his distaste for the NIL and transfer portal changes, but the NFL could be an option. More than likely, the scenario of Saban returning isn't going to become a reality. Finebaum is likely correct with his opinion on the matter. For more NFL and college football news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Where Alabama lands in preseason SEC football power rankings
How good will Alabama be in 2025, and will it be enough to carry them back to the College Football Playoff or the SEC Championship Game? USA TODAY Sports college football analyst Paul Myerberg has made an early evaluation of the Crimson Tide and the rest of the SEC with just over a month remaining until the 2025 college football season kicks off. In his preseason SEC football power rankings this week, the veteran college football scribe has Alabama at No. 3 behind Texas and Georgia -- the two teams who met in last year's conference title game. Myerberg said of the Crimson Tide: "It won't hurt to have slightly lower expectations and a somewhat softer spotlight on Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide after winning nine games in his debut. Ty Simpson is expected to take over under center and will operate behind a very strong offensive line with plenty of weapons at his disposal. The defense is the best in the front seven. Overall, this is a very talented team capable of winning the SEC and the national title." Anything related to "lower expectations" for Alabama is highly debatable; expectations for the Crimson Tide are always high. That was true long before Nick Saban, as previous coaches at Alabama can attest all too well. Still, Myerberg's overall point is solid. Alabama does have playmakers -- Ryan Williams being the most explosive on offense, with LT Overton, Tim Keenan, Deontae Lawson, Domani Jackson and others on defense -- that could put them back in the SEC title game or even the national championship if things break their way. Alabama football schedule 2025 Alabama will open the 2025 season against Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Aug. 30. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ABC. Aug. 30: at Florida State, 2:30 p.m., ABC Sept. 6: vs. Louisiana-Monroe, 6:45 p.m., SEC Network Sept. 13: vs. Wisconsin, 11 a.m., ABC or ESPN Sept. 27: at Georgia, 6:30 p.m., ABC Oct. 4: vs. Vanderbilt, TBA Oct. 11: at Missouri, 11 a.m., ABC or ESPN Oct. 18: vs. Tennessee, TBA Oct. 25: at South Carolina, TBA Nov. 8: vs. LSU, prime time Nov. 15: vs. Oklahoma, TBA Nov. 22 vs. Eastern Illinois, 1 p.m., ESPN+ Nov. 29: at Auburn, TBA Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama football, Kalen DeBoer high in preseason SEC power rankings
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former SEC QB thinks Georgia's Gunner Stockton is being underestimated
Even though Georgia Bulldogs projected started quarterback Gunner Stockton has drawn some doubters this offseason, but there was one notable person at the SEC media days that believes he is being over scrutinized. SEC Network analyst and former Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Jordan Rodgers had some words that can have Georgia fans hopeful. "I just think people are really underestimating how talented Gunner Stockton actually is," Rodgers said. "Probably because he sat behind Carson Beck who is one of the most gifted throwers in the country. Like he is a dual-threat guy, he is a legitimate threat to run the football. And I think in that Sugar Bowl, he played good enough to win that game. His offensive line couldn't block anybody, his receivers let him down over and over again. He continued, under pressure, to work the ball in tight windows. I think a lot of people are overlooking just how good Gunner Stockton is." In his first collegiate start, after replacing the injured Carson Beck after the SEC Championship, Stockton delivered a strong performance against Notre Dame, throwing for 234 yards and a touchdown while completing 62.5% of his passes. Now with a full season ahead, Stockton has a chance to make sure that his doubters and prove people like Jordan Rodgers right. Stockton will have a couple of weeks to adjust to starting where he'll play against a pair of non-Power Four opponents to start the season before playing at Tennessee in Week 3. Follow UGAWire on Instagram or Threads for more UGA football coverage!
