Tag: texas

Abilene High defensive back DeMarco Upshaw intercepts a pass meant for Aledo wide receiver Kaydon Finley during Friday s Region I-5A Div. I final in Stephenville Dec. 1, 2023. Final score was 56-21, Aledo.

WR Kaydon Finley shuns dad’s alma mater, picks Notre Dame

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Four-star wide receiver Kaydon Finley has committed to Notre Dame’s 2026 recruiting class.

He is the son of former NFL tight end Jermichael Finley, who played his college ball at Texas before being selected by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He spent all six of his NFL seasons with Green Bay, winning a Super Bowl.

Kaydon Finley is ranked by the 247Sports composite as the No. 14 wide receiver in the 2026 class and the No. 15 player in prospect-rich Texas.

He plays at Aledo High School and tallied 81 receptions for 1,432 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024. He had nine 100-yard games.

Finley took an official visit to his father’s alma mater two weeks ago. He also made official trips to Texas A&M, Louisville and Arizona State, as well as Notre Dame.

Notre Dame’s 2026 schedule shows the first possible game Finley could play with the Irish would be Sept. 6 against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, home of the Packers.

247Sports projects that the Irish will land the commitment of another NFL legacy this weekend — Devin Fitzgerald, the son of former Arizona Cardinals great Larry Fitzgerald.

The younger Fitzgerald is a three-star receiver from Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix. His father played at Pitt.

Notre Dame’s 2026 class currently is ranked No. 3 by the 247Sports composite, trailing Southern California and Georgia. It is anchored by a pair of five-star prospects — edge Rodney Dunham of Charlotte, N.C., and safety Joey O’Brien of Pennsylvania.

–Field Level Media

Former Indiana coach Lee Corso picks the Ohio State Buckeyes for the win over his former Hoosiers on ESPN's College Game Day before Thursday's NCAA Division I football game at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind., on August 31, 2017.

Lee Corso’s final ‘College Gameday’ to be at Texas-Ohio State

Posted on | by Field Level Media

ESPN announced that it’s long-running “College GameDay” will take its show to Columbus, Ohio for commentator Lee Corso’s final ever broadcast on Aug. 30.

The Week 1 contest between Ohio State and Texas figures to be a highly ranked affair, with both the defending national champion Buckeyes and Longhorns having title aspirations in 2025.

The network announced Corso’s retirement in April, noting the legendary college football personality would make his final appearance during Week 1 of this upcoming season, after a nearly four-decade run on the show.

“Lee Corso has developed a special connection to generations of fans through his entertaining style and iconic headgear picks,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. “Lee is one of the most influential and beloved figures in the history of college football and our ESPN team will celebrate his legendary career during his final College GameDay appearance this August.”

The former collegiate head coach and Florida State player has become well known for his tradition of donning the mascot heads of teams he predicts will win the show’s featured matchup.

According to ESPN, Corso, 89, boasts a 286-144 record picking games with headgear since he began that segment in October 1996.

“ESPN has been exceptionally generous to me, especially these past few years,” Corso said. “They accommodated me and supported me, as did my colleagues in the early days of College GameDay. Special thanks to Kirk Herbstreit for his friendship and encouragement. And lest I forget, the fans … truly a blessing to share this with them. ESPN gave me this wonderful opportunity and provided me the support to ensure success. I am genuinely grateful.”

Ohio State begins its title defense with three straight home games, also hosting Grambling State and Ohio before taking to the road for a Sept. 27 matchup with Washington. The Buckeyes bring back a talented roster but are replacing both coordinators and will have an entirely new backfield.

For Texas, the game marks the highly anticipated turn to Arch Manning at quarterback following a semifinal run a season ago. The Longhorns’ schedule lightens up after the trip to Ohio, with home games against San Jose State, UTEP and Sam Houston to close out September.

–Field Level Media

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day and Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian shake hands following a press conference at AT&T Stadium prior to the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 9, 2025.

Official start times set for Ohio State-Texas, other marquee matchups

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Hey Siri, set a reminder for Aug. 30 at noon ET, and block my calendar the rest of that day.

College football season begins with a bang on the last Saturday in August, and official kickoff times were solidified for multiple must-see games in 2025.

The Big Noon Kickoff on Aug. 30 and an emphatic start to college football in 2025 opens with defending champion and likely preseason No. 1 Ohio State hosting Texas in Columbus. The game is a rematch of the College Football Playoff semifinal last season, when the Buckeyes scored 14 points in the fourth quarter of a 28-14 win at the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.

The Buckeyes-Longhorns heavyweight battle on Fox is scheduled to be followed by another set of historic powerhouses: Alabama visits Florida State for a 2:30 p.m. ET start the same afternoon with the nightcap featuring LSU at Clemson in a 7:30 p.m. ET date on ABC.

The following day features a standalone game in primetime, a Sunday night matchup, with Notre Dame at Miami (7:30 p.m. ET).

Michigan travels to play SEC foe Oklahoma for only the second time in history on Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Defending SEC champion Georgia has the 3:30 p.m. ET slot for three of its biggest annual rivalries: at Tennessee (Sept. 13), against Florida (Nov. 1) and at Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Nov. 28.

The next day, Michigan hosts Ohio State at noon ET.

Projected Big Ten and national title contenders Oregon and Penn State are set for a 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff, airing on NBC, on Sept. 27.

Notre Dame has three known primetime games in South Bend for the first time since 2018. Those 7:30 p.m. ET kickoffs are against Texas A&M (Sept. 13), USC (Oct. 18) and Navy (Nov. 8).

–Field Level Media

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; The cheer team celebrate Texas touchdown in the second quarter as the Texas Longhorns play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sara Diggins/USA Today Network via Imagn Images

5-star Jermaine Bishop Jr. commits to Texas, eyes 2-way role

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Five-star prospect Jermaine Bishop Jr. committed to Texas in the Class of 2026 on Wednesday, giving the Longhorns a potential two-way player.

The 247Sports composite lists him as the No. 8 athlete in the nation, and he covets the chance to put his name in the same conversation as Travis Hunter, who played both cornerback and wide receiver at Colorado en route to the Heisman Trophy. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected him with the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft last month.

“Being able to watch Travis Hunter do that at the college level was great for me,” Bishop said, per 247Sports. “Now that people know that it’s possible to do it, they know it can be done at that level. It was an eye-opening experience for the rest of the world.”

Bishop plays for Willis High School in Texas. As a junior, he pulled in 1,565 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns and had three interceptions, two forced fumbles and six passes broken up on defense, according to 247Sports. He is 796 yards away from becoming the all-time leader in receiving yards in the Greater Houston area, per the outlet.

The 5-foot-11, 155-pound Bishop had two dozen offers, including from Houston and Texas A&M.

–Field Level Media

Texas Tech alum and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes attends a press conference at Jones AT&T Stadium, Friday, August 23, 2024.

Patrick Mahomes enters high school HOF, partners with Texas schools

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Three-time Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes was among nine people enshrined in the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame on Saturday — and he left a piece of himself in his home state.

Mahomes played at Whitehouse High School, near Tyler, Texas, and went on to Texas Tech before the Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Mahomes announced on Instagram after the ceremony that he and his sponsor, Adidas, will be partnering with 15 high schools, including his alma mater.

“Whitehouse, Texas is where it all began,” Mahomes said. “It’s an honor to be inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.”

He continued:

“As a part of this recognition, I’m proud to announce that @adidasfballus and I are signing 15 high schools to Team Mahomes that will represent my Gladiator logo on uniform, starting with Whitehouse High School. This is just the beginning.”

Mahomes played football, basketball and baseball at Whitehouse, graduating in 2014. As a senior, he passed for 4,619 yards and 50 touchdowns, and he also ran for 948 yards and 15 scores.

Last summer, Texas Tech signed on to the Gladiator team, becoming the first program to have the logo featured on official collegiate apparel.

Other benefits available to the high school team under the partnership were not announced.

Also enshrined Saturday was Robert Griffin III, the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner. He played at Copperas Cove High School, near Waco, Texas, before enrolling at Baylor in 2008.

–Field Level Media

Nov 9, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) passes the ball during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Giants trade up to grab QB Jaxson Dart at No. 25

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The New York Giants, who tied for the worst record in the NFL last season, made a bold move in the draft on Thursday in their bid for improvement.

Having already added Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the third overall pick, the Giants swung a trade with the Houston Texans and chose Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart 25th overall.

Houston received two picks to be made on Friday (No. 34 overall in the second round and No. 99 overall in the third round) plus a 2026 third-rounder.

The move adds Dart to a suddenly crowded Giants quarterback corps. In March, New York signed 36-year-old veteran Russell Wilson to a one-year, $10.5 million deal and gave 31-year-old Jameis Winston a two-year, $8 million contract.

“Russ will be our starter,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said after Dart was selected. “(Dart) can come in, sit behind a couple veteran quarterbacks and learn.”

Dart acknowledged he isn’t accustomed to sitting and watching, but said he relishes the opportunity before him.

“Yeah, (not starting is) definitely new, but for me, this is just where my journey starts,” Dart said.

“I’m stepping into an amazing room with a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who can see it from a different lens at such an elite level. I can’t wait to go learn from him, go learn from all the other guys in (quarterback) Tommy (DeVito) and (quarterback) Jameis (Winston) in the room and then just the team as a whole,” he added.

Dart and Cam Ward, selected No. 1 overall by the Tennessee Titans, were the only quarterbacks chosen in the first round. By obtaining Dart in the opening round, the Giants ultimately would be able to keep him on a fifth-year option. General manager Joe Schoen said the Giants were determined to keep the No. 65 pick to help add to the roster on Friday night when the draft continues.

He said the process of hunting for a quarterback to be the future of the franchise was gratifying but also trying.

‘It’s been exhausting, to be honest with you. We’ve been, whether it’s here all week and then you go on the road in the fall or all the way up to Easter weekend, we’re still on the road,” Schoen said. “Credit to the coaches, my staff, the film they watch, the area scouts putting us in the correct direction on the quarterbacks to go see.”

Dart started his college career at Southern California in 2021 but transferred to Ole Miss when Caleb Williams was set to take over as the Trojans’ QB. Williams was chosen No. 1 overall in the 2024 draft by the Chicago Bears.

As a three-year starter for the Rebels, Dart completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 10,617 yards and 72 touchdowns with 22 interceptions. Last season, he guided Ole Miss to a 10-3 record, including a win over Duke in the Gator Bowl, while connecting on 69.3 percent of his throws for 4,279 yards. He threw for 29 TDs and was picked off six times.

–Field Level Media

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas wideout Isaiah Bond (WO05) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFL draft prospect Isaiah Bond surrenders on sexual assault warrant

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Wide receiver Isaiah Bond, a prospect in this month’s NFL draft, turned himself in to police in Frisco, Texas, on a sexual assault warrant on Thursday.

Bond posted bail and was released. He posted a statement to Instagram to deny that he committed the act.

“Regarding the accusation made against me, I would appreciate the time and opportunity to defend myself and prove the claims made, patently false,” Bond wrote. “I am in full cooperation with the authorities and will remain a willing and active participant in the investigation. Unfortunately, claims like these prove to be harmful to all involved, absent full review. I kindly request that all reserve judgement until the authorities provide a complete report based on truth and evidence. Humbly, Isaiah Bond.”

Details of the accusation against Bond were not yet known.

Bond transferred to Texas in 2024 after spending two seasons at Alabama. He had 34 receptions for 540 yards and five touchdowns and added four carries for 98 yards and a rushing touchdown in 14 games this past season.

Bond tallied 99 receptions for 1,428 yards and 10 touchdowns in his three-year college career. Several outlets project him as a second- or third-round draft pick.

–Field Level Media

Ohio State Buckeyes mascot Brutus interacts with Texas Longhorns fans during the first half of the Cotton Bowl Classic College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 10, 2025.

Ohio State reaches into SEC turf, gets commitment from S Blaine Bradford

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Ohio State landed a commitment Monday from five-star safety Blaine Bradford, plucking the Louisiana native from the grasps of hometown LSU and Texas.

The 247Sports composite lists Bradford as the No. 1 safety and No. 23 overall prospect in the Class of 2026.

He made the announcement on social media and told On3 that head coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes were the right choice.

“Ohio State is the best place for my development and for my future,” he said.

Bradford, from Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, La., had offers from throughout the nation — especially the Southeastern Conference — and also was considering Oregon, per On3.

Bradford was among a group of elite prospects to visit Columbus, Ohio, over the weekend.

Ohio State’s 2026 class also includes Chris Henry Jr., the No. 2 wide receiver in the nation from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif.

–Field Level Media

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) looks into the crowd after the 28-14 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal game in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on Friday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.

Report: Quinn Ewers plans to throw at Combine

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Shedeur Sanders already has said he won’t throw at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week, and Cam Ward hasn’t committed. But Quinn Ewers, the former Texas quarterback looking to move up the draft board, is in, NFL Network reported Tuesday.

A strained oblique suffered early in the 2024 campaign left Ewers at less than 100 percent throughout the season, and with that behind him, he apparently is eager to take a shot at showing NFL scouts and executives just what he can do.

NFL Network reported that he’s been working with former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy as he prepares for the combine. Draft experts currently peg Ewers as a mid- to late-second round pick.

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., in his latest list of top quarterbacks in the draft, listed Sanders and Ward as the top two prospects, with Ewers No. 9.

Quarterbacks set to throw in Indianapolis include Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss), Jalen Milroe (Alabama) and Riley Leonard (Notre Dame).

In 2024, Ewers completed 65.8 percent of his passes (293 of 445) for 3,472 yards with 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions for Texas (13-3), which lost to Ohio State in a College Football Playoff semifinal.

A three-year starter, he threw for 9,128 yards with the Longhorns.

–Field Level Media

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian leads the team onto the field as the Texas Longhorns prepare to play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, Dec. 21, 2024.

Texas, USC follow ‘NFL approach,’ punt annual spring game

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Texas and Southern California are part of the growing wave of prominent programs punting their annual spring game, eliminating the “live scrimmage” element from the offseason practice schedule in favor of an “NFL model.”

Coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed the Longhorns won’t pack Darrell K. Royal Stadium in April as has been tradition for Texas and almost every college football program in response to the length of the season.

“Over the last two years we played 30 games. That’s a lot for college football: 14 two years ago, 16 this year,” Sarkisian told Kay Adams in an appearance on “Up and Adams.”

“And I just mentioned we’ve had 25 guys get invited to the NFL combine the last two years, so we’ve got a lot of young players on our roster. We have 21 mid-year high school kids that just showed up. And so the development that’s needed for these guys to get ready for the fall is a little bit different than it used to be.”

USC, one of Sarkisian’s previous employers, reportedly will move forward with the public engagement elements of the spring game and involve well-known former players and coaches in a replacement event yet to be officially announced.

Sarkisian, who also coached in the NFL, emphasized process and individual player development in leading Texas to the first 12-team playoff in 2024. The Longhorns will double down on that plan.

“Our approach is going to be a little bit more NFL driven. Kind of more of an OTA style early on and as we grow into more of the scrimmage formats in the second half of spring ball, that I just don’t know if rolling the ball out, playing the game, when we only get 15 practices is the best for us to maximize the opportunities that we get,” Sarkisian said. “So it’s going to be a little bit of a different approach, but I think college football is changing right now. And we need to do a great job as coach of adapting to college football and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

While the spring game can be a showcase for a program’s stars of tomorrow, the complexities — and potential unintended consequences — involved in the modern game pushed other programs to pull the plug on the end-of-semester games. Nebraska’s Matt Rhule felt the Cornhuskers’ spring game because more of a platform for transfer portal poachers to scout and contact players. National champion Ohio State and Southern California also are done with the spring game as we know it.

Ohio State, one of the most active programs in the transfer portal between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, sold 80,012 tickets to its 2024 spring game according to school estimates, ahead of Alabama (72,358) and Penn State (67,000). Nebraska and Georgia each had more than 50,000.

The Texas spring game drew “a tad under 50,000” fans, according to athletic director Chris Del Conte.

–Field Level Media