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NCAA, CFP, NIL Draw Attention of Boyle, Shapiro, State House Leader

Published

7 months ago

June 5, 2025

You have heard of the NCAA. But are you familiar with the CFP? How about NIL?

Did you know that Judge Claudia Wilken is one of the most important people in college sports today? Why is that? What is this House v. NCAA case you are hearing so much about?

Remember when college football and collegiate sports was easy. At least four Pennsylvania elected officials do and want to ensure that Penn State, Pitt, and Temple students that participate in college athletics get a fair shake.

Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-02) is concerned that the power structure among the Power 4 conferences in Division I – led by the Big Ten (B1G) and the Southeastern Conferences (SEC) – might be “rigging the system” to reduce postseason football opportunities for those in the Atlantic Coast and Big XII conferences.

Reps. Jesse Topper (R-Bedford/Fulton) and Perry Stambaugh (R-Juniata/Perry) are planning to introduce legislation in the State House that would protect athletes “from poor financial decisions when being paid for name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights.”

And Gov. Josh Shapiro says that NIL, combined with the “transfer portal” which permits students participating in athletics freedom to transfer among schools, is “out of control” and thinks that “real reform” in that space is needed.

The NCAA – or National Collegiate Athletic Association – is currently facing a significant amount of scrutiny under antitrust laws, primarily due to rules restricting athlete compensation and eligibility. The House v. NCAA settlement, which provides for $2.8 billion in back payments to athletes, also allows schools to share a portion of athletic revenue with students with a cap of $20.5 million per school.

Colleges and universities in NCAA Division I – the highest playing level within the 1,100-school association – are scrambling to find ways to pay their students. The largest pile of cash comes from broadcast networks such as Fox, ESPN, Warner Bros. Discovery, and NBC, not only for broadcast rights for regular-season games, but also for the postseason College Football Playoff (CFP).

It was not that long ago when the postseason championships structure in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) consisted of a two-team playoff. Beginning in 2014, the CFP was created and expanded the field to four teams. Last season, the powers-that-be agreed to a 12-team bracket, and in 2026, because things such as this seldom shrink, the field may expand again.

The B1G, of which Penn State is a member institution, and the SEC are holding the best cards in negotiations over the format for 2026 and beyond, as the ACC, which includes Pitt as a member, and Big XII have ceded control to those leagues. That is where Boyle comes in.

College sports officials have spent the last four years seeking federal legislation to regulate the booming market for college athletes without running afoul of federal antitrust restrictions. To the northeast Philadelphia congressman, that causes problems.

Let me state this as clearly as I can: the @bigten and @sec should be very, very careful about some of the decisions they are about to make. Because they appear hellbent on ruining major college football. I think they need congressional hearings into their collusion.

— Congressman Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) May 26, 2025

Boyle explained his tweet during the PoliticsPA podcast, “Voices of Reason.”

“What I was taking issue with, and what so many others have taken issue with, is what the Big 10 and SEC are proposing to do,” he said. “The roughly 34 or so member institutions in those two conferences would break away from the other 100 colleges and universities and, before the season begins, guarantee themselves eight of these 16 spots (in the 2026 CFP playoff). This would be unprecedented and this would be the first sign of essentially a breakaway within major college sports. It would, and I’m not the first one to use this as others have said, this would be rigging the system literally before the season begins.”

It is a fair question to ask why a Congressman who, supposedly has more important things to concern himself with, is spending time on college football? Especially Boyle, who is the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee.

“First I can chew gum and walk at the same time,” he shared. “In the last few weeks I have pulled three all-nighters on the House floor as the budget committee ranking member, the lead Democrat on the budget committee, basically leading the opposition to the reconciliation bill. I was able to do that and still take the 10 seconds to issue the tweet that I did in order to get the Big 10 and SEC’s attention, so that’s number one, these things are not mutually exclusive.

“Number two as to why would a government official and a member of Congress even offer an opinion on these subjects … well, first, anyone who follows my social media knows I’m a passionate Philly sports fan and passionate Notre Dame football fan so I often will opine on sports and express my views.

“But on a more serious point, this is a multi-billion dollar industry,” Boyle continued. “If you were to take the 10-year value of some recent TV contracts, literally over a $1 trillion dollar industry … point to me any other multi-billion dollar or trillion-dollar industry in which government doesn’t have a role in regulating. I think it is appropriate, especially if there’s going to be real harm done to a wide swath of major colleges and universities which, make no mistake about it, would be the impact of the Big 10 and SEC essentially giving the Heisman to the rest of college athletics and separating themselves.”

The House judgment, which has yet to be approved by Wilken, who sits on the 9th District Circuit Court in California, is expected by college administrators any day now. This development has drawn the legislative pen of Topper and Stambaugh, as a lot of money will be flowing to those who have not had it before.

Topper, the state’s House Republican leader, and Stambaugh are introducing legislation that “seeks to minimize student-athlete vulnerabilities and provide stronger institutional frameworks to protect student-athletes’ financial interests. It balances athlete empowerment with reasonable protections.”

Their language will state that institutions of higher education will be required to offer all student-athletes the option to place a portion of their revenue sharing or NIL earnings into trust accounts. The institutions may partner with established financial institutions experienced in educational trust management to minimize administrative overhead. Additionally, institutions will be mandated to provide financial literacy education and resources to their student-athletes.

“NIL is one of the most dynamic and evolving spaces in the national sports market that has become a life-changing positive for many student-athletes and families. As the NIL landscape continues to advance at the federal level, it is appropriate for state legal supplements to ensure student-athletes are protected at a vulnerable time in their lives,” Topper said.

“It’s the wild, wild west in college sports,” said Stambaugh on the current state of college athletics. “It’s probably the biggest change in college sports since the NCAA was created 120 years ago. “This is something Pennsylvania needs to address, and we need to address it right now.”

Shapiro, a huge sports fan, said Wednesday that he has yet to see Topper and Stambaugh’s proposed legislation, but said that he believes that students who participate in college athletics should be able to get paid.

“I think student athletes should be able to have the freedom to pick which college they want to attend and where they want to bring their talents,” the governor said. “So those underlying principles have to be part of this. But what we have to do is make sure there is some ability for all schools to be able to compete in this space, in all sports, and that it not be the situation where we end up losing athletics for both men and women as a result of this process. The NIL can drive a lot of dollars into one particular sport and choke off others, or one particular area and choke off others. I think it is important that we’re in a position where we’re able to really compete.”

There are states that have codified laws that enable their FBS institutions to not be obligated to follow NCAA rules that are deemed anticompetitive. Tennessee signed Senate Bill 536 into law, giving major protection to college sports programs in the state, including the flagship University of Tennessee, a member of the SEC, as they traverse the new, chaotic NIL landscape. It is one of the most “athlete-friendly” NIL laws in the country, as the law will protect UT and others in the state from antitrust lawsuits while taking some shots at the terms within the settlement.

“I don’t want to do anything that limits their ability to compete,” said Shapiro. “What I want to do is see how we can get schools to be lifted up. I know that there’s been a lot of talk about a broader settlement in this space, in the NCAA. I think that’s a piece of it. I’ve talked to Senator (Cory) Booker, who’s been a leader on this at the federal level. I know they’re thinking about something to do, but I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to exploring what we could do here in the Commonwealth.”

Boyle echoed that sentiment while also sounding a warning about a power play by the B1G and the SEC could drastically hurt two Pennsylvania FBS schools.

“The schools that really have to be nervously watching this, frankly, are schools like Pitt and Temple and the other 100 colleges and universities that are outside the Big 10 and SEC,” he said. “Besides the fact their second class status would now be established for the first time ever, this would really limit their ability to make the playoff which means it would limit their ability to earn a pretty significant amount of revenue.”

Boyle also reinforced why this is becoming more of an issue in Washington, D.C.

“A number of colleges and universities – actually all of them basically – and the major conferences have been coming to Congress asking us to pass legislation on these issues,” he said. “So, in my tweet and in other conversations, I have reminded them that if you’re coming to Congress expecting help, and then you’re turning around and rigging the system and trying to exclude most of the other colleges and universities and doing so in a grotesquely patently unfair way, don’t be surprised if you find an unsympathetic audience in Congress.”

When asked what the end game might be, Boyle sided more with the fan than with the schools. And colleagues on the other side of the aisle agree with his line of thinking.

“If I can make one generalization of what I’m looking out for, I want what is in the best interest for the game,” he said, “the students, and the fans whose passion for all of this is what has led to to all of this money. Any conference or conferences who are going to act in a completely selfish monopolistic way or duopolistic way, that is where I draw the line and have a real problem with. The ramifications of that will not just be for 2026. They will be for many years and and decades to come.”

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Miami WR Malachi Toney Announces Career News Amid College Football Season

Published

6 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The No. 10 seed Miami Hurricanes defeated the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies 10-3 in the first round of the College Football Playoff. It was a defensive battle, ultimately decided by a late fourth-quarter score and red-zone interception by Miami.

With the score tied at 3 and 1 minute, 44 seconds left in the game, Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney scored on an 11-yard touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Carson Beck.

Up next for the Hurricanes is a Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic matchup against the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes. It’s an uphill battle, as ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Hurricanes a 29.5% chance of winning.

Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10).© Robert Myers-Imagn Images

Before his heroic performance, though, the wide receiver revealed an exciting Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) update. In a joint Instagram post, Toney revealed a new NIL partnership with Hellstar, a popular clothing brand that has a sports training component.

“We are so proud to announce our first Hellstar Sports College Athlete NIL signing – Malachi Toney🌟.,” the post caption read. “We had the privilege to coach @malitoney10 while he was apart of our high school 7 on 7 program, so now seeing him shine on the collegiate level we couldn’t be more proud.”

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What Colorado’s Athletic Department Valuation Says About Buffaloes’ Growth

Published

7 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

In the growing landscape of college athletics, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals play a vital role in sports. Some programs are set up better than others based on a program’s valuation. Programs with higher valuations can help some of the top-performing teams stay successful.

CNBC released its valuation rankings for the country’s athletic departments, showing their growth from the 2024 fiscal year. The Colorado Buffaloes are ranked No. 47 in the nation, a rise from No. 55 in 2024.

Colorado Buffaloes valuation NIL transfer portal Deion Sanders Coach Prime Big 12 College Football Basketball Folsom Field — Nov 25, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion ‘Coach Prime’ Sanders on the field against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

Breaking Down Colorado Buffaloes’ Valuation Ranking

Colorado’s 2025 valuation is $574 million, with a year-over-year value change of 22 percent. The program’s 2024 revenue is set at $147 million, with a 16 percent year-over-year revenue change.

A program’s valuation determines its monetary worth, and it is important to look at the growth, which shows that Colorado is trending in the right direction. It is also important to note that the valuation rankings are based on all of the athletics, not just the football program.

Where Colorado Ranks In The Big 12

When focusing on the Big 12 conference, several of the programs are in the same vicinity with their valuation ranking.

No. 39 Kansas: $620M
No. 41 Oklahoma State: $600M
No. 42 Baylor: $585M
No. 46 Iowa State: $575M
No. 47 Colorado: $574M
No. 49 Texas Tech: $570M
No. 50 TCU: $568M
No. 55 Arizona: $529M
No. 57 BYU: $500M
No. 58 West Virginia: $481M
No. 60 Utah: $451M
No. 62 Kansas State: $435M
No. 63 Arizona State: $430M
No. 68 Cincinnati: $280M
No. 70 UCF: $262M
No. 73 Houston: $222M

MORE: Colorado Gets Hit With Biggest Transfer Portal Loss Yet

MORE: Michael Irvin Gets Real On Blame Surrounding Shedeur Sanders

MORE: Deion Sanders Faces Recruiting Problem After Omarion Miller Transfer News

While from the top valuation of Kansas to the bottom, which is Houston is a significant difference in the Big 12, the conference teams are still in a similar vicinity overall. With it having to do with all athletics, the programs that have consistently strong teams, such as Kansas’ basketball team, make sense to have a higher valuation.

Looking at the Big 12 as a whole shows that the Colorado Buffaloes are in the top five for their valuation and trending upward.

Calling Back To Deion Sanders’ Comments On Fairness

While valuation is not the same as revenue, seeing the difference in the conferences does call back to Colorado coach Deion Sanders’ comments on the fairness between programs. The schools in the top five for their valuation are either in the Big Ten or the SEC, and all are in the billions.

“You talk about equality,” Sanders said during the Big 12 media day. “All you have to do is look at the playoffs and see what those teams spent, and you understand darn near why they’re in the playoffs. It’s kind of hard to compete with somebody who’s giving $25, $30 million to a darn freshman class.”

Although the valuation is on the programs’ overall athletics, Sanders has been outspoken about money when it comes to building the football program. With the Buffaloes facing a mass exodus through the transfer portal, Sanders has highlighted that several players are leaving because of money.

The positive side is that the Buffaloes’ valuation is growing with a 22 percent increase. This shows that the school’s athletics overall are being valued higher, and will help lead to more money poured into the program. With more money, the Buffaloes can put more of an emphasis on NIL as they look to build their roster and compete in the Big 12.

Insider Reveals Biggest Reason Behind Colorado’s Transfer Portal Mass Exodus

Published

7 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

From a player retention standpoint, the first few weeks of the offseason haven’t been kind to the Colorado Buffaloes.

Several key Buffs have announced their intentions to enter the college football transfer portal when it opens next month, including wide receiver Omarion Miller, safety Tawfiq Byard and freshman defensive end Alexander McPherson. While every situation is unique, one Colorado insider believes money has been a common denominator among players’ reasons for leaving Boulder.

Insider Reasons Colorado Transfer Portal Exodus Buffaloes NIL Deion Sanders Alexander McPherson Tawfiq Byard Omarion Miller — Oct 25, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Omarion Miller (4) is tackled by Utah Utes defensive back JC Hart (14) during the second half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

“The super majority of those people, I’m talking 95 percent, are going to be leaving for a bigger bag,” Thee Pregame Show’s Uncle Neely said on his YouTube channel. “This ain’t transferring in 1990. This ain’t transferring in the year 2000. This is 2025. This is business now. This isn’t, ‘Oh, I don’t like the coach. Oh, I don’t want to be treated the way they treat me.’

“This doesn’t mean something is wrong. These are business decisions now. But what we like to do is run with the narrative that woe is me, something must be wrong, something must be going on. How are all these people leaving?”

The NIL (name, image and likeness) era has rocked college football, and the depressing truth is that schools with more money will ultimately land the best players. In the Big 12, no school better exemplifies that trend than new conference champion Texas Tech.

Who’s Leaving Colorado?

As of Sunday, 16 Colorado players will enter the transfer portal next month. That group includes 12 defensive players, six members of the Buffs’ 2025 high school signing class and a few other Buffs who spent only one season in Boulder.

Below is an updated list of Colorado players who plan on entering the transfer portal:

Safety TJ Branch
Defensive lineman Jehiem Oatis
Cornerback Noah King
Cornerback Teon Parks
Linebacker Mantrez Walker
Safety Terrance Love
Safety Tawfiq Byard
Wide receiver Omarion Miller
Defensive tackle Brandon Davis-Swain
Offensive lineman Carde Smith
Defensive end Alexander McPherson
Offensive lineman Tyler Brown
Defensive tackle Gavriel Lightfoot
Defensive tackle Christian Hudson
Defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas
Wide receiver Dre’lon Miller

Uncle Neely shared his take that Colorado’s losses should be replaceable via the transfer portal.

“Have you ever stopped to say, what am I actually losing by those people leaving?” Uncle Neely said. “Have you ever looked at the numbers production-wise of who has announced that they’re getting up out of here and what you’re actually losing by them leaving?… Is it replaceable via the portal? And in this business in college football, is it replaceable cheaper? I would wager to say the answer is yes in all regards.”

MORE: Colorado Gets Hit With Biggest Transfer Portal Loss Yet

MORE: Michael Irvin Gets Real On Blame Surrounding Shedeur Sanders

MORE: Deion Sanders Faces Recruiting Problem After Omarion Miller Transfer News

The college football transfer portal will open on Jan. 2 and close Jan. 16. Colorado coach Deion Sanders and his staff can begin adding players from the portal at the start of that period.

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Report: LSU finalizes deal to hire Ole Miss’ Kevin Smith, puts him among highest paid RBs coaches

Published

8 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Lane Kiffin is bringing another Ole Miss assistant with him to LSU. According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the Tigers have finalized a deal to hire Rebels running backs coach Kevin Smith for the same role.

Smith is reported to have a salary of close to $1 million, which would make him one of the highest-paid running backs coaches in the country. He is the sixth Ole Miss assistant to follow Kiffin to Baton Rouge.

The other coaches joining Kiffin at LSU are offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., tight ends coach Joe Cox, receivers coach Joe McDonald, inside receivers coach Sawyer Jordan and quarterbacks coach Dane Stevens. So far no defensive assistants from the Rebels have made the jump to Baton Rouge.

Smith worked with Kiffin as a running backs coach at Florida Atlantic form 2017-19 and joined his very first staff at Ole Miss in 2020. He stayed for the next two seasons in Oxford before leaving to take the running backs coach position at Miami in 2022.

Smith’s stint with the Hurricanes was a short-lived one as he returned to Ole Miss in 2023 and stayed through this season. Now he’ll look to continue the success he has enjoyed with Kiffin while building up the running backs room at LSU.

Smith helped to develop running backs such as Quinshon Judkins and Kewan Lacy during his time in Oxford. This past season, Ole Miss ranked fifth in the SEC with 185.6 rushing yards per game as Lacy led the conference with 21 rushing touchdowns and ranked second with 1,366 yards.

Ole Miss had its best season in program history this year to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time. However, Kiffin was not granted permission from the school to finish out the season with the Rebels after he accepted the LSU job.

Other assistants, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., were allowed to complete the playoff run with Ole Miss. The Rebels defeated Tulane in the first round and will face No. 3 Georgia, which they lost to earlier this season, in the quarterfinals.

As of right now, it looks like most of the Ole Miss offensive staff will follow Kiffin to Baton Rouge. The defensive side keep defensive coordinator Blake Baker, who has been on staff at LSU since 2024.

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Former 4-star QB announces plans to enter college football transfer portal

Published

12 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The quarterback market is expected to be extremely competitive this offseason.

A ton of experienced signal-callers have announced their decisions to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, including Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, North Texas’ Drew Mestemaker, Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, and TCU’s Josh Hoover, among countless others.

The right move can benefit young quarterbacks, as players such as USC’s Jayden Maiava and Oregon’s Dante Moore benefited from transferring early in their careers.

An offseason coaching change has led one former blue-chip recruit to explore his options in the portal.

Former Four-Star Quarterback Expected To Enter Portal

On Sunday, Memphis true freshman quarterback Antwann “AJ” Hill announced his plans to leave the program after one season, per On3.

Hill appeared in two games in 2025, earning a redshirt. His most extensive action came in a 31-24 loss to UAB on October 18. Hill entered the contest after starting quarterback Brendon Lewis went down with an injury. In roughly two quarters of action, he completed 13/25 passes for 176 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

On the season, Hill connected on 19/32 passes for 223 yards with 1 touchdown to 1 interception.

Hill is transferring after Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield was hired away by Arkansas. The Razorbacks don’t have a ton of depth at quarterback. Redshirt freshman KJ Jackson holds the most experience on the roster with five appearances and one start last season.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Arkansas is involved in Hill’s transfer recruitment.

Hill was one of the highest-ranked prospects in program history to sign with Memphis. He was regarded as the No. 15 QB and a top-200 recruit in the 2025 class. Hill chose the Tigers over Florida following official visits to both schools.

During his prep career at Houston County High School, Hill compiled over 11,000 passing yards and led his team to at least one playoff victory in all three seasons as a starter.

Overall, Hill completed 800-of-1239 passes for 11,020 yards with 123 touchdowns to 20 interceptions. He added six more scores on the ground.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback is expected to have four seasons of eligibility remaining.

Former Carolina wide receiver set for WWE main roster debut

Published

13 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Former South Carolina wide receiver Matrick Belton is reportedly going to get a real shot on the main roster in the WWE. Belton, who goes by Trick Williams in the top professional wrestling and sports entertainment company, joined WWE in 2021 in the NXT brand. Now, he’s going to move up to either the Raw or Smackdown roster.

NXT is basically the developmental arm of WWE while Raw and Smackdown – shows on Mondays and Fridays, respectively – are considered the main roster. According to this report from PWInsider.com, Belton will make an appearance on the upcoming Smackdown, which was pre-taped.

Whether Belton moves to Raw or Smackdown is to be determined. Here’s the reporting from PWInsider:

Former WWE NXT and TNA Champion Trick Williams will debut on Smackdown on 12/26 with the storyline being he’s a free agent looking to sign with the brand. We are told Williams has not been officially listed internally on a brand yet, so he could appear on Raw in the upcoming weeks as well, but he’ll be moving to the main roster in 2026.

Belton is a two-time NXT champion and also held the TNA World Championship for 140 days earlier this year. Belton, a former SEC football player who was in the Philadelphia Eagles’ minicamp in 2018, recently got engaged to another former SEC athlete – women’s basketball player Anriel Howard, who played for three years at Texas A&M and her final year at Mississippi State.

Belton, a Columbia native who played for Keenan High School, joined the program in 2014 after spending his first two years out of high school at Hampton University. After sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules, Belton played in every game for South Carolina in 2015 and made five starts. He caught 11 passes for 121 yards his first season on the field.

As a senior in 2016, he played primarily on special teams, appearing in nine games. He played in 21 games over the course of his two-year career with the Gamecocks and made five starts.

Belton also spent time in training camp with Philadelphia Eagles. However, he decided to take a chance on pro wrestling and started training at the Combat Zone Wrestling Academy in New Jersey.

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