#10: With the hype surrounding the release of EA Sports College Football 25, Kansas AD Travis Goff got into a back-and-forth with the Missouri Football X account on social media. It started when someone posted a photo of his individual score in a Kansas vs. Missouri version of the video game, in which the Tigers beat the Jayhawks 184-0. The Missouri account responded “We’re in the game … (Maybe they shouldn’t be),” to which Goff replied “Bold coming from the official University account. You can all play video games all you want… Kansas will focus on the real life stuff.” (link)
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#9: Former Utah State Deputy AD Jerry Bovee speaks out: “This has been the toughest thing I’ve ever dealt with. I’ve had a lot of people reach out and say, ‘I know you; you’re going to be fine. …We know your integrity. …But it doesn’t really make you feel better because they can’t do anything for me. I mean, maybe I can find a job from someone that will say, ‘Despite all of this, I know you’re a good guy, and I’ll hire you.’ But this has done irreparable damage to me working in this industry. … I didn’t do what I was accused of doing. I’m not perfect, but on these points, I didn’t do it. And I would never do anything to hurt the institution.” Also of note from KSL Sports’ Amy Donaldson, “In the Findings and Conclusions section of the Husch Blackwell report summary given to Bovee and shared with KSL, investigators said, ‘Based on review of all information from witnesses interviewed and documents reviewed, our investigation found that Mr. Bovee failed to adhere in multiple ways to the terms and spirit of reporting obligations attendant to student-athlete arrest for charges involving sexual misconduct or domestic violence.’ But then the report also said, ‘Given the totality of the information gathered during the investigation, we find there is insufficient evidence to conclude that Mr. Bovee failed to fulfill his 24-hour reporting obligation pursuant to USU Policy 340.’” Lots more. (link)
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#8: The Oregon Duck made its presence known during Big Ten media day by taking over the White River in Indianapolis. (link)
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#7: Here’s former Utah State Football HC Blake Anderson’s full response to USU's notification of intent to terminate shared by his attorney, Tom Mars. (link)
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#6: ESPN’s Pete Thamel: “College sports leaders are targeting the end of the week to finalize the terms of the long form agreement of the House Settlement, sources tell ESPN. The expected target remains a roster limit of 105 football and 34 for baseball. From this expected step the settlement will proceed through the judicial approval process. There’s a few steps left, sources caution, but there’s optimism for the end of the week.” (link)
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#5: Northwestern Deputy AD/AVP for Development Jesse Marks shares an updated picture of progress on the Martin Stadium buildout as press boxes have been added. Check it out. (link)
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#4: Arizona State AD Graham Rossini shows off the new football field inside the Verde Dickey Dome, ready just in time for monsoon season in Tempe. (link)
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#3: Memphis Deputy AD Jeff Crane, who has served as the Tigers’ interim AD for the past few months, is reportedly heading back to South Carolina as Deputy AD. Reporting also indicates Tennessee Deputy AD of Championship Resources/CRO Ryan Alpert was the third finalist for the Memphis AD opening. (link)
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#2: Houston Christian’s motion to intervene in the proposed House settlement has been denied by U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken. Wilken writing: “Plaintiffs contend, and HCU does not dispute, that HCU’s membership in the NCAA and participation in Division I sports is voluntary. HCU also does not dispute that it is impacted by the NCAA’s decisions about how much money NCAA member schools should spend on Division I sports or Division I student-athletes, whether in connection with the settlement agreement in this action or otherwise, only because it chooses to be subject to them. Because HCU’s membership in the NCAA and participation in Division I sports is optional, and because HCU is subject to the NCAA’s decisions and rules only because it chooses to be, the Court cannot conclude that HCU lacks “other means,” besides intervention, to protect its claimed interest in deciding for itself how to allocate its funds. HCU has not shown that it cannot avoid the NCAA’s determinations about how much money NCAA member schools should spend on Division I sports or payments to student-athletes by, for example, simply ceasing to participate in Division I sports. […] HCU’s arguments in support of its motion for intervention are essentially objections to the settlement agreement, which are premature because the settlement agreement has not yet been filed. But even if they were not premature, the Court would not consider them because HCU, as a non-class member, lacks standing to object to the settlement agreement. Accordingly, HCU may not re-package the arguments it made in support of the present motion to intervene as objections to the settlement agreement once the settlement agreement is filed for the Court’s approval.” (link); In response, Houston Christian attorney James Bryant tells Sportico’s Daniel Libit: “Obviously, we respect the judge and know she spent a lot of time trying to apply the law correctly. We don’t believe we have been heard. There are avenues we may be heard in and a possibility of further litigation at other times and places.” USA Today’s Steve Berkowitz had the news first. (link)
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#1: Power conference commissioners have finalized roster limits for Football (105), Men’s and Women’s Basketball (15), Baseball (34), Softball (25) and Volleyball (18) starting in 2025-26, pending approval of the House settlement, per Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger, who adds: “The details around roster sizes of other sports — many of which will see increases in scholarship slots — are expected in the document. No sport will see a reduction in scholarship spots, according to plaintiff attorneys. As part of the agreement, roster limits must be set at or more than current scholarship restriction for each sport. Another key change to the scholarship structure: All sports will be considered ‘equivalency sports,’ meaning partial scholarships can be distributed to players.” Dellenger goes on to note that the added scholarship costs for power conference schools are expected to total between $3-7M, with as much as $2.5M to count towards the revenue sharing cap, and “Some administrators are in the process of ‘tiering’ their sports by decreasing investment on certain programs and increasing investment in others. This includes staff and salary cuts as well as the reduction in scholarships from Olympic sports, especially those that generate little to no revenue.” (link)
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