Tag: SEC

Dec 7, 2024; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck (15) is injured on a play against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the 2024 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia loses QB Carson Beck (arm) during SEC title game

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has been ruled out for the second half of Saturday’s SEC Championship Game against Texas after being injured on the final play of the first half.

Texas’ Trey Moore forced a fumble on Beck’s pass attempt, appearing to injure the Georgia quarterback’s throwing arm. Beck remained motionless on the field for a short time before joining the team in the locker room.

Coach Kirby Smart told ESPN at halftime that Beck was done for the day.

During the third quarter, Beck was seen with ice on his right elbow.

Beck completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards and was sacked once before exiting.

Georgia backup Gunner Stockton entered and led Georgia on a 10-play, 75-yard opening second-half drive, giving the Bulldogs their first lead at 10-6.

Bulldogs punter Brett Thorson injured his left knee in the third quarter and was ruled out of the contest. He was taken off on a cart.

–Field Level Media

Jul 12, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian flashes the hook em sign as he is interviewed during Big 12 football media day at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Stars align as SEC dominates Signing Day again

Posted on | by Field Level Media

College football recruiting typically favors the Southeastern Conference, but National Signing Day on Wednesday turned into pure domination.

Texas, Georgia and Alabama claimed the top three spots in the Class of 2025 rankings according to most recognized services with a total of eight SEC teams in the top 11 at 247Sports.

Spearheaded by one of its newest members, the conference’s stranglehold on the recruiting trail was evident in the stars.

Here are some of the highlights of the early signing period classes around the SEC:

Texas
As of Wednesday afternoon, it was the Longhorns crowned with the nation’s top incoming class.

Unsurprisingly, coach Steve Sarkisian dove into the state’s hotbed of talent in the midst of what appears to be a second consecutive CFP appearance.

On3 credited Texas’ signing of No. 1 athlete Michael Terry III (Alamo High School in San Antonio) for pushing the Longhorns to the top of the ’25 rankings.

“I decided a couple of days ago. Me and my family, we were debating Nebraska and Texas,” Terry said at his announcement ceremony. “We were debating pros and cons. I just want to go somewhere where I can show my best side.”

Texas also signed the eighth-ranked overall player in the Class of 2025 in the 247Sports composite, Jonah Williams, a Galveston native ranked the No. 1 safety in the class.

Georgia
Not far behind the Longhorns in the 247Sports composite rankings is the Longhorns’ opponent in this week’s SEC Championship Game. Georgia is also taking advantage of the wealth of high school talent in its state. Pledging their commitments to stay home were a pair of five-star recruits: defensive lineman Elijah Griffin from Savannah, Ga., and linebacker Zayden Walker, a native of Ellaville.

Smart had one big defection in Lee County running back Ousmane Kromah, a four-star recruit who flipped to Florida State on Thursday. Georgia was left with only one signing at the position.

Alabama
With his first regular season in the books in Tuscaloosa, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has the Crimson Tide’s ‘25 class ranked third in the nation.

DeBoer’s incoming group is highlighted by the No. 2 overall player in the country, five-star quarterback Keelon Russell, of Duncanville, Texas. Current Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has the option to return for a fifth year in 2025, but if he decides to enter the NFL draft, Russell looks to be the next name to know under center for the Tide.

DeBoer said Wednesday that not letting Russell land elsewhere helped his first recruiting class stay together.

“There’s a swagger about him, a confidence about him,” DeBoer said.

Auburn
Head coach Hugh Freeze argued Wednesday that he “won the state” with nine of the 11 top-ranked recruits in Alabama ticketed for Auburn.

When the 2025 season rolls around, it will have been five years since the Auburn Tigers have produced a winning record and seven years since they won a bowl game.

Off the field, the Auburn haul was hailed as a certain victory. Then again, the 2024 class was ranked No. 10.

Ranked sixth overall this year, the Tigers found talent all across the roster. The headliner is the No. 2-ranked edge in the country, Jared Smith of Alabaster (Ala.).

Texas A&M
If the Aggies have found their quarterback of the future in sophomore Marcel Reed, their top incoming recruits will go a long way in Reed’s success.

The No. 6-ranked offensive lineman nationally, Lamont Rogers will arrive in College Station, not Missouri as originally planned, with one goal: Keeping his quarterback upright. Head coach Mike Elko also found a five-star wide receiver to catch the ball from Reed.

That receiver, Jerome Myles, was committed to Southern Cal but said A&M was an easy flip for him because of the Aggies’ persistence in staying connected with him throughout the process.

“I think this class is going to lay a phenomenal foundation for where we want Texas A&M football to go,” Elko said.

While the Aggies reeled in Myles, they weren’t able to secure five-star quarterback Husan Longstreet. The Californian instead signed with Southern Cal.

LSU
It was a wacky Wednesday in Baton Rouge.

Head coach Brian Kelly let off some steam in the wake of the Tigers losing No. 1 ranked overall recruit and top quarterback Bryce Underwood. The Michigan native flipped to the Wolverines last week with a reported $10 million NIL agreement.

An important consolation for LSU, head coach Brian Kelly gained a commitment from the class’ No. 1 running back in Harlem Berry and third-ranked overall cornerback DJ Pickett, enough for most programs to rejoice.

Kelly said many coveted high school players aren’t seeking the best fit but the biggest paycheck to commit.

“It’s not just about finding the right fit, it’s about the most money I can get,” Kelly said. “That’s unfortunate, but it’s the world we live in. You realign and readjust.”

Florida
Since the Gators made public their commitment to bring back head coach Billy Napier, he’s had one heck of a month.

Florida won three consecutive games, locked in the No. 11 recruiting class and found playmakers at almost every position of need.

That includes Vernell Brown III, the nation’s sixth-ranked wide receiver, and former FSU commit Tramell Jones Jr., a four-star QB out of Mandarin High School in Jacksonville.

Tennessee
Despite verbally committing to the Volunteers in August, No. 1 OT David Sanders didn’t sign on Wednesday’s signing day. However, the No. 10 class did nab the No. 13 defensive lineman, Mariyon Dye, and the 10th-ranked quarterback in the class.

Brentwood Academy four-star quarterback George MacIntyre not only signed, he’s ready to enroll and be part of Tennessee’s pre-playoff postseason practices.

Ole Miss
The Rebels boasted the No. 14 class in the country and stayed in-state for its top guy, five-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham.

Cunningham was the top-ranked player in Mississippi and he’ll team with another coveted wideout, four-star Winston Watkins Jr.

Oklahoma
For what the Sooners’ incoming class lacks in size (18 total commits), it makes up for in potential. Oklahoma’s top newcomer, five-star offensive lineman Michael Fasusi, is the program’s 10th-highest all-time recruit.

Fasusi did make OU sweat.

He took a Thanksgiving week trip to Texas and on Nov. 30 was at Texas A&M before sticking with his commitment to the Sooners in a sea of 30-plus offers.

“Belief and trust is who I am as a person,” Fasusi said of his pick Wednesday. “From the beginning until the end of this process, Oklahoma has been there for me and my family. I want to stick with that type of program.”

The younger brother of Sooners quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. is coming to campus, too. Maliek Hawkins, a consensus top-50 cornerback in the class, also signed with the Sooners.

Missouri
As the Tigers graduate a top-four all-time passing leader in Missouri history, Brady Cook, the program hopes its top recruit can follow in his footsteps, as No. 7 ranked quarterback Matt Zollers contends for a starting role in Columbia.

Four-star defensive end Javion Hilson — ranked No. 42 overall by the 247Sports composite — and running back Marquise Davis, who flipped from Kentucky to the Tigers on Wednesday, helped boost Missouri into the top 25 overall for the fourth time in five years.

South Carolina
As the Gamecocks deal with the disappointment of likely missing out on their closest-ever CFP bid, the program will welcome in the No. 20 recruiting class. Rock Hill, SC., native Malik Clark is the class star, a four-star wide receiver.

The Gamecocks were successful in a bid to reconnect with 2022 commitment Zavion Hardy. A massive defensive lineman (6-foot-6, 280 pounds), he was the top-ranked junior college recruit via East Mississippi Community College.

Kentucky
Owners of the No. 29-rated class, Kentucky cashed in on a pair of homegrown talents, picking up commitments from safety Martels Carter Jr. and edge rusher Javeon Campbell, the No. 1 and No. 2 players in the state, respectively, in the 247Sports composite.

Mississippi State
Head coach Jeff Lebby’s top two in-state targets committed on Wednesday, in Tyshun Willis, an edge rusher from Camden, and KaMario Taylor, a quarterback from Macon. Both are four-star gets for the Bulldogs.

Arkansas
In their 28th-ranked ‘25 class, the Razorbacks signed four-star linebacker Tavion Wallace of Appling County High in Baxley, Ga. He’s the No. 13 linebacker and No. 124 player in the 247Sports composite. Arkansas’ haul also includes Hutchinson Community College offensive lineman Bubba Craig (6-8, 320), a three-star ranked No. 30 in the 247Sports’ junior college rankings.

Vanderbilt
Rounding out the SEC is Vanderbilt, slated as the No. 71 class. The upstart Commodores top get was four-star safety Carson Lawrence of Chattanooga, Tenn.Car

–Field Level Media

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo is stopped by Georgia Bulldogs defensive back KJ Bolden short of a first down on a fourth down play late in the fourth quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium Saturday October 19, 2024.

No. 2 Texas gets second crack at No. 5 Georgia for SEC crown

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On the heels of gritty rivalry week victories, No. 2 Texas and No. 5 Georgia will square off again in hopes of earning a Southeastern Conference title and a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.

Texas (11-1, 7-1 SEC) clinched a spot in Saturday’s conference championship in Atlanta after grinding out a 17-7 win at then-No. 20 Texas A&M. The Longhorns’ defense was able to quiet a raucous Aggies crowd, allowing just 248 total yards.

Texas’ defense has been its calling card, surrendering just 11.7 points per game, second only to Ohio State (10.9) nationally. The Longhorns’ lone loss this season was also the only game in which they allowed 30 points, falling to Georgia 30-15 at home on Oct. 19.

For head coach Steve Sarkisian and Co., all they could ask for was another chance at the Bulldogs.

“We knew when we had the matchup with Georgia earlier in the year, we didn’t play great football,” Sarkisian said. “They beat us pretty handily that night, and our margin for error was very small. We’d have to win every game and hope that it would be enough to control our destiny to get ourselves in this position. Our guys were able to do that. Credit to our coaches, and credit to our players for getting that done.”

Since that loss, Quinn Ewers has thrown for 13 touchdowns and just three interceptions, while Quintrevion Wisner has averaged 96.4 rushing yards per game, including outputs of 186 against Texas A&M and 158 in the prior week’s win over Kentucky.

“I think the key for us was to really get recentered, refocused on one game,” Sarkisian added. “That’s what we’ve been doing here probably over the last month or so, is not getting caught up in what’s down the road, but what do we need to do this week to play our best football, whether that’s physical, mental, emotional.”

The Bulldogs (10-2, 6-2) enter on a three-game winning streak, most recently rallying for an improbable 44-42, eight-overtime home win over Georgia Tech last Friday. Trailing 27-13 with less than four minutes remaining, Georgia mounted a comeback that resulted in the longest game in SEC history. Carson Beck threw for 297 yards and five touchdowns, helping the Bulldogs effectively clinch a spot in the CFP.

With attention now focused on Atlanta, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart understands the challenge ahead.

“Their defense is one of the best in the country,” Smart said of Texas. “They’ve got explosive skill players. Did a tremendous job in the portal. Their quarterback is playing at a high level, and the backs they’ve got are doing a great job. So, all in all, it should be an exciting, challenging SEC championship. … They’re the same challenges as they were the first time you played them. You know, I’m a big guy of statistics and philosophies and things like that. The previous matchup does not determine this matchup. You can’t overstate that to your players.”

Following a four-week stretch that saw Beck throw nine interceptions, the fifth-year senior has passed for nine touchdowns and zero picks over the last two games against UMass and Georgia Tech.

Facing a tougher task Saturday, Beck says he doesn’t mind seeing the Longhorns again.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever had to play a team twice in a season. So it’s a little bit different obviously,” Beck said. “We kind of know what their identity is as a team. They know what our identity is as a team. We faced each other before. It will be interesting as we prepare through the week, what we like, what we don’t like. Seeing the film, how they changed since the last time we played them. It’s an exciting challenge. We’re looking forward to it.”

Beck, who has thrown for 3,429 yards, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, struggled against Texas the first time around, passing for just 175 yards and three picks.

–Field Level Media

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart leads his two-loss team into unfamiliar territory against Tennessee this week. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

No. 7 Tennessee heads to No. 12 Georgia in pseudo-elimination game

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Playoff football arrived early in the Southeastern Conference where two losses became the new cut line for the 12-team College Football Playoff.

No. 12 Georgia enters uncharted territory and leans into head coach Kirby Smart’s history of avoiding consecutive losses with No. 7 Tennessee coming to Athens, Ga., on Saturday night for what amounts to a playoff elimination game.

Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC) is coming off a 28-10 loss at then-No. 16 Ole Miss. The Bulldogs fell to a non-Alabama team for the first time since 2020, which was also the last time the Bulldogs had two losses in a season.

Looking to avoid a second straight defeat for the first time since Smart’s debut season in 2016, Georgia’s current ranking places them outside of the 12-team playoff bracket. That’s because No. 13 Boise State would be the 12th team in the field as it stands as the fifth-best conference champion.

Winning the final three games on the schedule would likely be enough for Georgia to fit into the field of 12. The Bulldogs fell nine spots in Tuesday’s CFP rankings and at No. 12, hold the lowest ranking entering a game since they were No. 13 in November 2020.

The Volunteers (8-1, 5-1) enter on a conference-best, four-game game winning streak and beat common opponent Alabama, 24-17. The Crimson Tide outlasted Georgia 41-34 on Sept. 28.

Georgia hasn’t lost to Tennessee since 2016. Volunteers’ quarterback Josh Dobbs connected on a 43-yard Hail Mary as time expired for a 34-31 shocker.

If the Bulldogs are going to beat Tennessee for an eighth straight time, they’ll need more from quarterback Carson Beck.

After a 24-touchdown, six-interception season in 2023, Beck entered this season among the preseason Heisman Trophy favorites, but the fifth-year senior’s campaign has left much to be desired.

In Saturday’s loss at Ole Miss, Beck threw for 186 yards and an interception while fumbling twice. Beck is now tied with an FBS-most 12 picks on the season, including nine in his last four games. Despite the underwhelming numbers, Smart won’t entertain the idea of making a change under center.

“Absolutely not,” Smart said. “We’ve got the quarterback we’ve got who is completely competent, capable and understanding of our system that gives us the best chance to win.”

Georgia’s 10 points represent their lowest output since Week 1 of 2021, when they beat Clemson 10-3. Smart knows his offense will have to step up against a Tennessee defense that allows just 12.6 points per game — fifth fewest in the country.

“(Tennessee) is playing defense at an extremely high level,” Smart said. “They get after people with four guys rushing. They platoon a lot of guys. They’ve got elite rushers on the edge, which we all know about, but nobody talks about how hard they play internally.”

The Volunteers’ defense has yet to allow 20 points in a game, its most coming in its only loss, a 19-14 defeat at Arkansas on Oct. 5.

Since that upset, Tennessee has smothered opposing offenses, most recently holding Mississippi State to 271 total yards in a 33-14 victory. Offensively, quarterback Nico Iamaleava threw for 174 yards and two touchdowns before exiting in the second quarter with an upper-body injury.

Volunteers’ head coach Josh Heupel is confident that the sophomore will be good to go.

“I feel like he’ll be in great shape for Saturday. … I certainly feel like he’ll be in a good spot,” Heupel said.

With Tennessee eyeing its first-ever CFP appearance, Heupel understands his team will have to earn a season-defining win.

“Obviously getting ready to go play a great opponent,” Heupel added. “You look at them really in every phase of the football game, extremely talented, coached extremely well. They play hard. They play fundamentally sound. They make you earn it in every way. … In these games, you’ve got to do ordinary things at a really high level consistently. For us, that means you’ve got to prepare at an elite level. You’ve got to practice really well and put yourself in a position to go play good football.”

Georgia beat Tennessee 38-10 last season, and leads the all-time series record 28-23-2.

–Field Level Media

Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier 13 scores a touchdown as the LSU Tigers take on the South Alabama Jaguars at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.

No. 13 LSU touting balance ahead of SEC showdown vs. No. 9 Ole Miss

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The SEC season is just getting started, but already all but three teams have at least one conference loss.

That means the margin for error has shrunk for several contenders seeking a trip to the SEC championship game as a path to the college football playoff.

Two potential CFP contenders meet when No. 9 Ole Miss (5-1, 1-1) visits No. 13 LSU (4-1, 1-0) on Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La.

“We know where we’re at in terms of having SEC opponents in the next seven weeks,” said Tigers coach Brian Kelly, whose team is coming off an open date. LSU is joined by No. 1 Texas (1-0) and No. 15 Texas A&M (3-0) as teams undefeated in SEC play.

The Tigers, who lost a non-conference game to USC to start the season, saw their CFP hopes all but vanish last season when a 55-49 loss to the Rebels dropped them to 3-2. Another loss to Ole Miss could have a similar impact on this team’s hopes.

LSU allowed 706 yards to the Rebels and couldn’t keep up in the shootout, even with eventual Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels.

“Last year clearly we were tilted to one side of the ball and unfortunately we had to play the game that way,” Kelly said. “I didn’t like it, but that’s what we had. … That’s not the right way but it was the only way to play.”

The Tigers started this season with similar defensive struggles but have shown improvement in their last two games: a 34-17 victory against UCLA and a 42-10 victory against South Alabama.

“I think there’s much more balance in our football team,” Kelly said. “We’re much further along. This isn’t the same defense.”

Ole Miss has been known mostly for its offense during head coach Lane Kiffin’s five seasons, but the defense has played very well this season. It kept the Rebels in the game while the offense struggled in a 20-17 loss to Kentucky Sept. 28 and was dominant in a 27-3 victory at South Carolina last week.

The offense might have to play without star wide receiver Tre Harris, who left last week’s game with a lower leg injury late in the first half and didn’t return.

“He certainly wouldn’t be playing (Monday),” Kiffin said of Harris’ availability this week.

Harris leads the country with 885 receiving yards and is second with 52 receptions.

“We’ve got to perform better than we did in the second half without him when we had three points,” Kiffin said. “(His absence) makes us move people to different spots, so we’re preparing to do that and preparing to play without him.”

Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. is second to Harris with 371 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. Jordan Watkins is next with two receiving touchdowns.

The improved defense can make everyone’s job easier if Harris isn’t available.

“It’s a different feeling just knowing that you don’t have to go out there and score every drive, just having that ability to not be stressed out,” Watkins said. “We’ve got a really good defense that flies around. They play together and they play sound.”

–Field Level Media

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (9) runs the ball as Auburn Tigers take on Oklahoma Sooners at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. Oklahoma Sooners defeated Auburn Tigers 27-21.

SEC notebook: Sooners savor rest; Florida, Georgia happy to be home

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Oklahoma is getting healthy while getting a freshman quarterback ready for No. 2 Texas at the Cotton Bowl.

Sooners coach Brent Venables expects an immense benefit to true freshman Michael Hawkins — and seven injured starters — with a bye this week before taking on the rival Longhorns.

“It’s a benefit for Mike and the offensive staff, so here’s your first body of work, good, bad and ugly and some things where we need to get better,” Venables said. “For him, you would expect there to be great growth from the first game to the second game from everything that takes place from a practice standpoint.”

Venables used a total of 28 underclassmen at Auburn to secure OU’s first SEC road win in its first attempt. Hawkins replaced a struggling Jackson Arnold and finished 10 of 15 for 161 yards plus 69 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Tigers.

The bye week timing stands to be a victory in and of itself for Venables.

“Every year is different,” he said. “It’s unique from trying to get some guys healthy is the biggest thing. This is one of the most challenging schedules we’ve had. From an opponent’s view, certainly they’re going to be able to do the same thing as well.”

–Florida coach Billy Napier said the Gators enjoyed their open date and practiced with purpose to prepare for UCF.

“For us, in-state opponent, UCF program continues to grow. It’s a big week here in Gainesville,” Napier said.

Big games are a near-term trend for Florida with successive games against Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia up next.

The Gators are committed to playing two quarterbacks, Napier said, but how they deploy the tandem of Graham Mertz and freshman DJ Lagway will differ every game.

“Based on how they practice, the opponent. We’ll execute that regardless,” Napier said.

The critical component Saturday night in The Swamp for Florida is the run defense. Former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn runs to set up the rest of the offense and the Knights are doing it better than almost everyone in college football, averaging 326.0 yards per game.

Running back R.J. Harvey had 16 TDs last season and is putting up video-game numbers in 2024. He opened with 11 carries for 142 yards and two touchdowns against New Hampshire, had 19-126-4 against Sam Houston and 29-180-2 at TCU. Last week in a loss to Colorado, he caught four passes for 92 yards with a touchdown and rushed for 77 yards.

“Gus has always been a very good game-planner. The run-play-action system,” Napier said. “The quarterback is involved in about every play. There’s some option elements. There’s some Wildcat elements. I think they’re really well-coached up front. It is a true challenge. I think they had close to 500 yards offense (vs. Colorado) they just struggled in the red zone, had a couple critical turnovers.

“Harvey is at the core of everything they do for sure.”

For Florida, running the ball might be its best defense. Napier calls on his core starting offensive line to set the tone Saturday night.

“We’re trying to develop some of the younger players, mostly in a practice setting, but we’ve committed to getting those guys some reps in the game,” Napier said of his offensive line. “We’re going to continue to do that. Pick our spots. But ultimately we’ve got five guys taking the majority of the reps.”

–Disappointment lingers for Kirby Smart as Georgia moves past the high-profile defeat at Alabama that ended a 42-game regular-season winning streak.

“We’re excited for our first SEC home game,” Smart said on Wednesday during the SEC coaches teleconference.

Georgia dropped three spots to No. 5 in the Top 25 poll with Auburn headed to Athens this week.

Alabama lost a 30-7 lead but held off the Bulldogs with a 75-yard touchdown pass by Jalen Milroe and a game-sealing interception of Carson Beck on Georgia’s final possession.

Smart is usually allergic to hypothetical questions but said he would have leaned toward going for the two-point conversion and win had the Bulldogs’ last drive ended with a touchdown.

“We had discussed it previously, and I felt very strongly that if the clock was under 30 seconds that we would probably go for two. But talking to the analytics afterwards, it would have suggested to not do it, you know — to play overtime, to kick it,” Smart said. “And there’s a lot that goes into that because when you give a team enough time and they know what they need, meaning it’s not tied, they have more aggression. They had three timeouts. They would have only needed a field goal. It would have played out, you know, a possibly different way, but we had discussed it and leaning towards going for two if it was under 30 (seconds), which I think happened around 43 (seconds) or something.”

–Field Level Media

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) and running back Quintrevion Wisner (26) celebrate a touchdown by Manning during the game against UTSA at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024.

Texas new No. 1, Georgia No. 2 in AP Top 25 poll

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Texas is No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll for the first time since 2008, knocking Georgia down to No. 2 after the Bulldogs eked out a one-point win on Saturday.

The Longhorns routed UTSA 56-7 after Arch Manning stepped in for injured star quarterback Quinn Ewers on Saturday and accounted for five touchdowns.

Texas received 35 first-place votes, 12 more than Georgia, which had been No. 1 since the preseason poll but struggled in a 13-12 win over Kentucky on Saturday. Since 2021, Georgia has made 39 appearances at No. 1.

The rest of the top five — Ohio State, Alabama and Ole Miss — remained unchanged, but Tennessee moved up to No. 6, switching places with No. 7 Missouri.

Rounding out the top 10, Miami moved up two spots to No. 8, Oregon remained No. 9 and Penn State dropped to No. 10.

Just like last week, the SEC held six of the top seven spots in the poll. The conference has nine teams in the Top 25, followed by seven for the Big Ten.

Boston College had a short stay in the Top 25, losing to Missouri after joining the poll for the first time since 2018. With a loss to Kansas State, Arizona also fell out of the rankings.

At No. 24, Illinois makes its first appearance this season, with Texas A&M back in at No. 25 after defeating Florida on the road.

The full AP Top 25 poll after Week 3:
No. 1 Texas
No. 2 Georgia
No. 3 Ohio State
No. 4 Alabama
No. 5 Ole Miss
No. 6 Tennessee
No. 7 Missouri
No. 8 Miami
No. 9 Oregon
No. 10 Penn State
No. 11 Southern California
No. 12 Utah
No. 13 Kansas State
No. 14 Oklahoma State
No. 15 Oklahoma
No. 16 LSU
No. 17 Notre Dame
No. 18 Michigan
No. 19 Louisville
No. 20 Iowa State
No. 21 Clemson
No. 22 Nebraska
No. 23 Northern Illinois
No. 24 Illinois
No. 25 Texas A&M

–Field Level Media

Nov 13, 2021; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; A detailed view of the Southeastern Conference SEC logo at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

SEC puts six teams in top seven of AP Top 25 poll

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Georgia remained the top team in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 college football poll, with the Southeastern Conference dominating the upper echelon of the rankings.

For the first time in the 88 years of the AP rankings, a single conference has six of the first top seven spots of the poll. Following Georgia is No. 2 Texas, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 6 Missouri and No. 7 Tennessee.

No. 3 Ohio State of the Big Ten is the only non-SEC team in the top seven. The Buckeyes moved down one spot, even with a 56-0 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday.

Rounding out the top 10 is No. 8 Penn State and No. 9 Oregon, both of the Big Ten, and No. 10 Miami (FL).

Before this week, the most spots in the top seven ever held by a single conference was four.

Georgia received 54 of a possible 63 first-place votes. Texas received four first-place votes and Ohio State picked up the other five.

Crashing out of the top 10 was Notre Dame, which fell from No. 5 to No. 18 after a 16-14 loss at home to Northern Illinois.

Michigan also dropped from No. 10 to No. 17 after a 31-12 home loss to Texas.

Northern Illinois moved into the No. 25 spot with the last-second victory at South Bend, Ind. The Huskies are ranked for the first time since 2013.

No. 23 Nebraska is ranked for the first time since 2019.

Kansas, Iowa, Georgia Tech and North Carolina state all were dropped from the Top 25 following losing games.

The rest of the AP Top 25 poll:

No. 11 Southern California
No. 12 Utah
No. 13 Oklahoma State
No. 14 Kansas State
No. 15 Oklahoma
No. 16 LSU
No. 17 Michigan
No. 18 Notre Dame
No. 19 Louisville
No. 20 Arizona
No. 21 Iowa State
No. 22 Clemson
No. 23 Nebraska
No. 24 Boston College
No. 25 Northern Illinois

–Field Level Media

The SEC logo in the hallway at the Hilton Sandestin in Destin, Fla. on Tuesday May 31, 2022 at the annual SEC spring meetings.

Report: Power 5, NCAA reach historic agreement to pay players

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The SEC and Pac-12 joined the three other power conferences – the Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 – and the NCAA in agreeing on a multi-billion-dollar settlement that would allow schools to directly pay student-athletes for the first time in NCAA history, ESPN reported on Thursday.

“The five autonomy conferences and the NCAA agreeing to settlement terms is an important step in the continuing reform of college sports that will provide benefits to student-athletes and provide clarity in college athletics across all divisions for years to come,” NCAA president Charlie Baker and the five power conference commissioners said in a joint statement Thursday evening.

With the NCAA’s board agreeing to the terms of the settlement — which would also resolve three federal antitrust cases — former college athletes are one step closer to getting over $2.7 billion in back damages over the next decade because of previous restrictions on name, image and likeness (NIL) deals.

Future athletes also would benefit, as the Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference and Big Ten — three of the defendants in the case — are hoping to put a system in place that would give schools the power to pay them about $20 million per year in permissive revenue sharing.

Such payments wouldn’t start until fall of 2025.

The ACC and Big 12 accepted the terms of the settlement on Tuesday. The Big Ten joined in on Wednesday.

Per the terms of the agreement, athletes won’t be able to sue the NCAA in future antitrust lawsuits and must drop their complaints in three current lawsuits: Carter v. NCAA, Hubbard v. NCAA and House v. NCAA.

Former Colorado football player Alex Fontenot’s lawsuit against the NCAA is not included in this pending settlement. Fontenot’s suit is regarding how the NCAA shares TV revenues with players.

The settlement is not yet official as it requires the approval of U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken, who is presiding over the three antitrust cases. Also, if players choose to join Fontenot’s lawsuit, the settlement agreed on by the NCAA and Power 5 could be rendered null and void.

–Field Level Media

Nov 11, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; A detailed view of the SEC logo on a chain marker during the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Report: NCAA agrees to settlement in House v. NCAA

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Former college athletes are due for a payday after the NCAA Board of Governors voted to agree to settle House v. NCAA and other antitrust cases related to it, ESPN reported Wednesday.

With the NCAA’s board agreeing to the terms of the settlement, former college athletes are one step closer to getting over $2.7 billion in back damages over the next decade because of previous restrictions on Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals.

Future athletes would also benefit, as the Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference and Big Ten — three of the defendants in the case — are hoping to put a system in place that would give schools the power to pay them about $20 million per year in permissive revenue sharing.

Such payments wouldn’t start until fall of 2025.

The ACC and Big 12 had already accepted the terms of the settlement, doing so on Tuesday. The Big Ten joined in on Wednesday, and now the Southeastern Conference and Pac-12 just need to submit their approval.

Both the SEC and Pac-12 are expected to approve the terms later this week, per ESPN’s report.

It is expected that a settlement will officially be reached, and if that were the case, the schools and the NCAA would avoid going to court, where they could have had to pay over $4 billion in damages if they lost.

Per ESPN’s report, the plaintiffs in the case could also dismiss two other antitrust cases against the NCAA that are currently pending and could possibly add billions of dollars in damages to the association’s plate.

–Field Level Media