Go find my guy Bob. Probably a big blue awning/tent. Last year, he and his crew were on the grass right by the stadium. Super nice guy!

I was at UMass' spring game last year for a story. Met some very nice tailgaters! One of the guys there does it every game and makes sure the parking attendants/cops have something to eat, too

Louisiana Tech, Conference USA reach agreement allowing Bulldogs to join Sun Belt The agreement ends a lengthy dispute between Louisiana Tech and CUSA over the terms of the school's departure.

Louisiana Tech and Conference USA have a settlement in principle on their lawsuit regarding the Bulldogs' exit, per federal court docs. By our @chrisvannini.com:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/719...

Louisiana Tech suing Conference USA in effort to leave league for Sun Belt a year early CUSA bylaws require 14 months notice to depart the conference, and the sides have not come to a financial agreement to allow an early split.

Louisiana Tech and Conference USA have reached a settlement in principle in their lawsuit, per federal court documents. Background from our @chrisvannini.com:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/709...

Leaders agree the CFP rankings show is a problem. But can they do anything to fix it? (Gift Article) Many of the participants in the CFP process want to explore whether the way the rankings are presented can be improved.

✍️ Don't expect expansion news when the CFP commissioners meet this week.

But the rankings TV show? That's going to be a topic of discussion and the potential ways to change it.

Story with @ralphdrussoath.bsky.social free to read:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

Virginia Tech statement on the parachuter getting stuck on the scoreboard:

The future of Auburn football now rests with Alex Golesh, the American dream coach

Auburn, desperate to be a winner again, has staked its future in a Russian immigrant who didn't know about football until he was 7, and never played college football.

But Alex Golesh, the American dream coach, already seems to be improving things at Auburn:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

Item on UCF's board of trustees agenda for today: Potential approval of an athletics strategic investment fund and $22.5M transfer from school auxiliary $.
The money could be used for NIL/rev-sharing infrastructure, facility upgrades, etc.
public.onboardmeetings.com/Meeting/1Zga...

Yes, the business of this for both sides is notable. But how much (if at all) does this affect the casual fan or School X or college football as a whole? If at all? That's my question

My thoughts exactly. When I asked Learfield's CEO broadly about PE in college sports several weeks ago, he correctly and politely pointed out Learfield's PE ownership and how Learfield is as involved in college sports as anybody. So...

The North Dakota pipeline? Tiny Kindred High is home to 2 blue-chip football recruits

The North Dakota pipeline? Tiny Kindred High is home to 2 blue-chip football recruits
www.nytimes.com/athletic/718...

Jon Sumrall after the Gators' spring game (I'm maybe slightly paraphrasing): It’s time we wake this thing up. This is a sleeping giant. It ain’t a matter of if we’re gonna win here. It's how fast we’re gonna win. … It’s coming.

USF becomes the latest school to announce a jersey patch sponsorship. The Bulls' deal is with Tampa General Hospital, which is a big part of the stadium/training facility project, too.

UConn vs. Michigan 2026 national championship score, live updates: Huskies, Wolverines battling in first half Follow our live coverage as the Wolverines and Huskies battle for the national title in Indianapolis

We're chatting UConn-Michigan over here if you'd like to join in: www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

Trinidad Chambliss set to remain Ole Miss QB after NCAA petition denied The ruling again clears the way for Chambliss to return to college football as one of the sport’s most exciting quarterbacks.

The Mississippi Supreme Court denied the NCAA’s petition in the Trinidad Chambliss case.
So it looks as if he will indeed remain the Ole Miss QB. www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

UPDATE: Tiger Woods was arrested and taken to Martin County Jail after his car crash.

Woods exemplified “signs of impairment" while conducting roadside tests.

Updates ⤵️
www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

A Will Wade-LSU reunion was ‘in the works’ for months, and everyone but NC State saw it coming (Gift Article) Wade is once again on the move and stealing the spotlight away from March Madness, but this time around, not everybody is having fun.

NC State's AD said yesterday that Will Wade's resignation came via an email from his agent.
I FOIAed the school for said email. Alas, they said any responsive document would be a confidential personnel record under state law.
Sigh. I tried.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

A Will Wade-LSU reunion was ‘in the works’ for months, and everyone but NC State saw it coming Wade is once again on the move and stealing the spotlight away from March Madness, but this time around, not everybody is having fun.

“I’m disappointed for our fans, and I’m disappointed for our university that we’re here today,” NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan said Thursday.

@brendanmarks.bsky.social, @ralphdrussoap.bsky.social and @mattbakercfb.bsky.social on how the move unfolded ⤵️
www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

It's especially interesting because players aren't getting paid to play football/basketball. They're getting paid for their NIL rights. That, to me, adds another layer to this. How can $ going to someone for something that isn't educational be an educational record?

How do Sweet 16 men’s basketball programs compare financially? There’s a clear No. 1 (Gift Article) It’s clear you’ve got to spend money to make money — and to make the Sweet 16.

In other money news, our Lindsay Schnell and I took a look at the college basketball finances of the Sweet 16 teams. Our takeaways:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

How much do players get paid? Colleges don't want you to know — but you should

My point in brief: Everything about college sports is changing because players are getting paid.
Yet we have very little public insight into how that works.
Given the stakes (the future of the enterprise) and money (especially for state schools), that's an issue!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

How much do college players really get paid? Schools don’t want you to know — but you should Out of 70 schools The Athletic requested payrolls and budgets from, only one provided the information.

Here's why the lack of transparency around revenue-sharing matters to you.
Not to me, a curious reporter who likes to FOIA.
To you, as a taxpayer, student, parent of a student or just a fan or a school or sport.
(Gift link): www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

How much do college players really get paid? Schools don’t want you to know — but you should (Gift Article) Out of 70 schools The Athletic requested payrolls and budgets from, only one provided the information.

Would you like to know how much your school is paying its quarterback? Or how much your rival is paying the guy it poached?
Me, too! Unfortunately for us, schools treat such information as literal state secrets. I wrote about it...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

North Carolina's wish list includes some of the best coaches in the country.

And sources familiar with the program’s thinking indicate two coaches as the Tar Heel's present priorities:

◽️ Billy Donovan, Chicago Bulls
◽️ Tommy Lloyd, Arizona

NEWS: North Carolina has officially split with coach Hubert Davis, the school announced on Tuesday night, officially opening one of the sport’s premier jobs.

The move comes days after UNC’s stunning NCAA Tournament collapse against VCU.

College football leaders support moving season start date up to Week 0 as soon as 2027: Sources Starting the season earlier would not be directly tied to potentially moving up the start of the College Football Playoff.

Momentum is building to move the college football season start date up to Week 0 as soon as 2027: Sources:

Chandler Morris details mental health struggles cited in eligibility suit vs. NCAA The "fire was kind of fizzling out inside of me,” Chandler Morris told The Athletic in a joint interview with his father, Chad Morris.

Our Justin Williams spoke with Chandler Morris and his dad about his eligibility lawsuit against the NCAA and the mental health struggles at the center of it.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

The timeout, play and player that dethroned a champion and sent Iowa to the Sweet 16 (Gift Article) The ninth-seeded Hawkeyes made their first Sweet 16 since 1999 under first-year coach Ben McCollum.

Iowa’s biggest play in a quarter century wasn’t exactly how they drew it up. It was better, thanks to a backup forward who doesn’t believe in confidence.
How Alvaro Folgueiras and the Hawkeyes toppled the reigning national champs (free link). www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

The timeout, play and player that dethroned a champion and sent Iowa to the Sweet 16 (Gift Article) The ninth-seeded Hawkeyes made their first Sweet 16 since 1999 under first-year coach Ben McCollum.

Iowa’s biggest play in a quarter century wasn’t exactly how they drew it up. It was better, thanks to a backup forward who doesn’t believe in confidence.
How Alvaro Folgueiras and the Hawkeyes toppled the reigning national champs (free link). www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

Men’s March Madness 2026 second round scores, live updates: St. John's leads Kansas at the half, Tennessee-Virginia underway

We're live-blogging Florida-Iowa, Alabama-Texas Tech and the rest of the games here, if you'd like to join. I'm courtside and ready for action here in Tampa.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...