NIL
What to know about $2.8 billion ruling
A federal judge has approved terms of a sprawling $2.8 billion antitrust settlement that will upend the way college sports have been run for more than a century. In short, schools can now directly pay players through licensing deals — a concept that goes against the foundation of amateurism that college sports was built upon. […]

A federal judge has approved terms of a sprawling $2.8 billion antitrust settlement that will upend the way college sports have been run for more than a century. In short, schools can now directly pay players through licensing deals — a concept that goes against the foundation of amateurism that college sports was built upon.
Some questions and answers about this monumental change for college athletics.
Q: What is the House settlement and why does it matter?
A: Grant House is a former Arizona State swimmer who sued the defendants (the NCAA and the five biggest athletic conferences). His lawsuit and two others were combined and over several years the dispute wound up with the settlement that ends a decades-old prohibition on schools cutting checks directly to athletes.
Now, each school will be able to make payments to athletes for use of their name, image and likeness (NIL). For reference, there are nearly 200,000 athletes and 350 schools in Division I alone and 500,000 athletes and 1,100 schools across the entire NCAA.
Q: How much will the schools pay the athletes and where will the money come from?
A: In Year 1, each school can share up to about $20.5 million with their athletes, a number that represents 22% of their revenue from things such as media rights, ticket sales and sponsorships. Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne famously told Congress “those are resources and revenues that don’t exist.”
Some of the money will come via ever-growing TV rights packages, especially for the College Football Playoff. But some schools are increasing costs to fans through “talent fees,” concession price hikes and “athletic fees” added to tuition costs.
Q: What about scholarships? Wasn’t that like paying the athletes?
A: Scholarships and “cost of attendance” always have been part of the deal for many Division I athletes, and there is certainly value to that, especially if athletes earn their degree. The NCAA says its member schools hand out nearly $4 billion in athletic scholarships every year.
How college sports are preparing for ‘seismic change,’ including revenue sharing and new roster limits
But athletes have long argued that it was hardly enough to compensate them for the millions in revenue they helped produce for the schools, which went to a lot of places, including multimillion-dollar coaches salaries. They took those arguments to court and won.
Q: Haven’t players been getting paid for a while now?
A: Yes, since 2021. Facing losses in court and a growing number of state laws targeting its amateurism policies, the NCAA cleared the way for athletes to receive NIL money from third parties, including so-called donor-backed collectives that support various schools.
Under House, the school can pay that money directly to athletes and the collectives are still in the game.
Q: But will $20.5 million cover all the costs for the athletes?
A: Probably not. But under terms of the settlement, third parties are still allowed to cut deals with the players. Some call it a workaround, but most simply view this as the new reality in college sports as schools fight to land top talent and then keep them on campus.
In a big-money era, University of Illinois shrugs off rules on athletes’ NIL deals
Top quarterbacks are reportedly getting paid around $2 million a year, which would eat up about 10% of a typical school’s NIL budget for all its athletes.
Q: Are there any rules or is it a free-for-all?
A: The defendant conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Pac-12) are creating an enforcement arm that is essentially taking over for the NCAA, which used to police recruiting violations and the like. Among this new entity’s biggest functions is to analyze third-party deals worth $600 or more to make sure they are paying players an appropriate “market value” for the services being provided.
The College Sports Commission promises to be quicker and more efficient than the NCAA. Schools are being asked to sign a contract saying they will abide by the rules of this new structure, even if it means going against laws passed in their individual states.
Q: What about players who played before NIL was allowed?
A: A key component of the settlement is the $2.7 billion in back pay going to athletes who competed between 2016-24 and were either fully or partially shut out from those payments under previous NCAA rules. That money will come from the NCAA and its conferences (but really from the schools, who will receive lower-than-normal payouts from things such as March Madness).
Q: Who will get most of the money?
A: Because football and men’s basketball are the primary revenue drivers at most schools, and that money helps fund all the other sports, it stands to reason that the football and basketball players will get most of the money.
But that is one of the most difficult calculations for the schools to make. There could be Title IX equity concerns as well.
Q: What about all the swimmers, gymnasts and other Olympic sports athletes?
A: The settlement calls for roster limits that will reduce the number of players on all teams while making all of those players — not just a portion — eligible for full scholarships. This figures to have an outsize impact on Olympic-sport athletes, whose scholarships cost as much as that of a football player but whose sports don’t produce revenue.
There are concerns that the pipeline of college talent for Team USA will take a hit.
Q: So, once this is finished, all of college sports’ problems are solved, right?
A: The new enforcement arm seems ripe for litigation. There are also the issues of collective bargaining and whether athletes should flat-out be considered employees, a notion the NCAA and schools are generally not interested in, despite Tennessee athletic director Danny White’s suggestion that collective bargaining is a potential solution to a lot of headaches.
NCAA President Charlie Baker has been pushing Congress for a limited antitrust exemption that would protect college sports from another series of lawsuits, but so far nothing has emerged from Capitol Hill.
Originally Published:
NIL
Have NIL Deals Affected the MLB Draft for the Hokies?
NIL (name, image, and likeness) is in front of our eyes, transforming the world of college sports. Whether you agree or disagree with NIL, collegiate athletes have a tougher choice when deciding between college and the pros nowadays. On July 1, 2021, the NCAA announced an interim policy that allowed college athletes to profit off […]

NIL (name, image, and likeness) is in front of our eyes, transforming the world of college sports. Whether you agree or disagree with NIL, collegiate athletes have a tougher choice when deciding between college and the pros nowadays.
On July 1, 2021, the NCAA announced an interim policy that allowed college athletes to profit off their NIL rights. This transitioned a step further with the House v. NCAA settlement on June 6, 2025, officially enabling universities to pay their athletes directly and removing the scholarship limit. Part of the settlement resulted in a trimming of baseball roster sizes from 40 to 34, but it now means that more of those players can be under scholarship.
Larger universities with better outreach and more NIL opportunities can use this as a selling point in landing many high school recruits. This gives the new incoming class of recruits expectations of what they can earn while playing in college — while at the same time developing their game at a collegiate level and obtaining an education while enrolled.
During interviews at the combine that MLB organizations hold with prospects, players now have the leverage of naming their price based on what they would earn in college. Organizations can then decide if a prospect is worth the pick value.
Before the draft each season, MLB announces slot values for each draft slot. That is the maximum amount of money a particular draft pick can earn based on their selection. Compared to last season, according to MLB.com, the average pick’s value has increased by 4.8% from 2024. The number one pick in 2025 is now worth a slot value of $11,075,900.
Every selection in the first 10 rounds has an assigned slot value, the lowest being pick number 315 at a slot value of $187,300, a high value that even the most prestigious baseball NIL deals cannot match.
The highest NIL baseball deal is with the No. 4 overall draft pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, Ethan Holliday. With his NIL deal not reaching the seven-digit count, and the Rockies slot value for the selection being $8,770,900 — leaving an obvious route for the talented prospect.
Baseball America’s Kyle Bandujo interviewed former Oklahoma State and Brewers minor league pitcher Jonathan Perrin for insight about NIL deals:
“This also affects the draft decision for high school prospects. Initially at the onset of the NIL era, some draft-eligible players were asking for higher figures to sign because they had NIL leverage. But the increased age of Power 4 rosters could lead some players to opt for the clearer developmental path of pro ball.
“It’s really hard for freshman right now to get playing time, especially at P4 schools. Agents and parents are starting to realize that, ‘Wait a second, if my end goal is to get to the big leagues, what is the best opportunity to make that happen?’
“That $150,000 bonus is not what it used to be. There are a lot of kids in college baseball this year who are going to make more than that … If you’re getting $150K to go play for the Royals, and Arkansas or LSU are paying you $250K to stay here, I can’t speak for everybody, but I’m going back to school in that situation.”
The Hokies have seen two commits in both the 2024 and 2025 draft fall and go undrafted after landing in the mid-100s on many draft prospect boards. Catcher Anderson French dodged the draft in 2024 and joined Tech’s 2025 roster, just as pitcher Ethan Grim will do this year. This comes despite Grim’s invite to the 2025 MLB Draft Combine.
Baseball NIL deals cannot rival those of college football, with numerous athletes comfortably bringing in deals worth seven figures. With the final 10 rounds of the MLB Draft having no slot value, these contracts are closer to the average rookie-ball contract, closer to the average NIL baseball agreement at a Power 4 university.
For players in farm organization complex leagues up to low single-A action, contracts on average range from $4,800 upwards of $26,200, leaving little leverage for athletes wanting to compete at a P4 level.
Signing bonuses play a factor in whether athletes make the decision to venture into the professional landscape. With a favorable signing bonus and access to professional development strategies, athletes may still be eager to test the waters in the minor leagues.
With the current value of MLB selections and the current NIL deal market, for most P4 programs, athletes outside of the top 10 rounds will likely receive the same value for either choice, making the option more personal: either trusting in one’s self in the professional circuit, or holding back and developing alongside other college athletes in the hopes of raising draft stock.
NIL
Paul Finebaum emphatically pushes back on Brian Kelly hot seat talk: ‘Read my lips, that is not happening’
LSU finished shy of its ultimate goal of qualifying for the College Football Playoff in 2024. After a promising start to the season, many fans were disappointed with the Tigers’ 9-4 finish last year. It marked the first time in three seasons that Brian Kelly hadn’t led LSU to a 10-win season. Given his reputation […]

LSU finished shy of its ultimate goal of qualifying for the College Football Playoff in 2024. After a promising start to the season, many fans were disappointed with the Tigers’ 9-4 finish last year.
It marked the first time in three seasons that Brian Kelly hadn’t led LSU to a 10-win season. Given his reputation as one of the longtime successful coaches in the sport — it wouldn’t come as a surprise that some fans are getting impatient in Baton Rouge. SEC Network host Paul Finebaum doesn’t see Kelly on any time of hot seat, however.
“Read my lips, that is not happening,” Finebaum said during an appearance on McElroy & Cubelic in the Morning. “What has happened is that, because of who he is and where he came from, people expect instant success, which is fine, that’s expected of everyone at that level. And I think most would agree, including Brian Kelly, that last year was a setback.
“I mean, there were some games when they just looked miserable, notably the Alabama game, other games, Texas A&M in the second half. So I think because of this, because of who he is, people are going to say, well, he hasn’t gone to the playoffs.”
Kelly’ Tigers are coming off a 2024 season in which LSU jumped out to a 6-1 start, which saw them win six straight after dropping the season opener. The Tigers looked to be in contention for a spot in the College Football Playoff before three consecutive losses in SEC play hindered their postseason bid.
LSU ended up finishing the season with a 9-4 record during quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s first season as starting quarterback. However, his numbers were among the best in the SEC last season. Nussmeier is expected to lead the high-powered LSU offense to great heights in 2025. There are still questions surrounding the defense, but all signs point toward the Tigers being in the mix in 2025.
Additionally, Kelly and his staff have pieced together the No. 2 overall transfer portal class this offseason. LSU also has the No. 9 incoming recruiting class, so there is expected to be no shortage of talent throughout Kelly’s roster this season.
The Tigers will kick off regular season action on the road against the Clemson Tigers during Week 1. LSU’s highly-anticipated true road game is set for Aug. 30, and Clemson is an early favorite to win the matchup according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
NIL
Former Standout Linebacker Kwiatkoski Giving Back to His Alma Mater
Story Links MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Nick Kwiatkoski never expected to become an NFL player when he signed to play with West Virginia University in 2011, but circumstances can sometimes change. Kwiatkoski believes the growth and development that he made during his five years spent at WVU helped turn him into the person […]

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Nick Kwiatkoski never expected to become an NFL player when he signed to play with West Virginia University in 2011, but circumstances can sometimes change.
Kwiatkoski believes the growth and development that he made during his five years spent at WVU helped turn him into the person he’s become today, and consequently, he feels compelled to give something back to the place that has done so much for him.
Working with Kyle Poland and John Patterson in the Mountaineer Athletic Club, Kwiatkoski recently made a significant leadership gift to the football program that now places him in the Summit Society – WVU athletics’ philanthropic giving group which recognizes donors making transformational gifts to help impact Mountaineer athletics.
For Kwiatkoski, it was about helping a place that really helped him during an important time in his life.
“I had a blast during my time there,” he said recently. “I never expected to get a Division I offer and when I arrived at West Virginia, I wasn’t one of those guys who was saying, ‘I’m going to go to the NFL.’ I was just happy to be there when I got on campus, and just going through (strength and conditioning coach) Mike Joseph‘s program in the weight room it brought out a side of me I didn’t know I had.
“I grew tremendously as a player in the weight room, mentally, and in the film room. That time there was huge part of my life and helped me grow into the football player I became and just the person that I became,” Kwiatkoski admitted. “Once you get there, the time you put in before you leave is a huge chunk of your life.”
A native of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, Kwiatkoski falls into the category of overlooked and underappreciated Pittsburgh area players who made a name for themselves at nearby West Virginia. Standouts such as Major Harris, Mike Logan, Marc Bulger and Charles Fisher were outstanding Steel City area players who, for one reason or another, didn’t attract much interest from Pitt.
Kwiatkoski’s personal story is very similar to theirs.
“Growing up, (the top) guys from the WPIAL were going to Pitt,” he recalled. “Their facilities were 15 minutes down the road from me and there weren’t too many guys going to West Virginia from Pittsburgh.
“You have a lot of great football schools in this area and, of course, high school football is huge, too. Growing up in Pittsburgh, you saw the Flying WV around some, but it was definitely outweighed by Pitt and Penn State.”
Penn State’s Tom Bradley once made a visit to his high school, but it was West Virginia that saw his potential. Kwiatkoski got a call one day from Mountaineer assistant coach Dave McMichael and soon he handed Kwiatkoski off to assistant coaches Jeff Casteel and Steve Dunlap.
After a good junior season that included a place on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Preseason Fabulous 22 List, Kwiatkoski suffered a back injury and missed the first two months of his senior season. Once he called Casteel to commit to West Virginia, the Mountaineers continued to remain committed to him after his injury.
Then, when Dana Holgorsen took over the Mountaineer program in 2011, Kwiatkoski was among the group of talented football players gifted to him from Bill Stewart’s staff.
Kwiatkoski played for three different defensive coordinators during his college career, finishing up with Tony Gibson in 2015. His best season came in 2014 as a junior when he made 103 total tackles and had 11 ½ tackles for losses while playing outside linebacker.
His four-year totals include 303 total tackles, 28 tackles for loss, six interceptions and two sacks, while demonstrating the versatility on special teams desired by pro scouts.
“I played multiple positions at West Virginia and went through a handful of coordinators, from Joe DeForrest to Keith Patterson to Tony Gibson,” Kwiatkoski recalled.
“I played a few different schemes at West Virginia. I was recruited by Coach Casteel to play in the 3-3-5 as a safety, and oddly enough, I think those two years with Coach DeForrest and Coach Patterson it was kind of a multiple 3-4 defense, which is ultimately what I ended up playing a lot during my NFL career. Then it was back to the 3-3-5 with Gibbie during my senior year,” he explained. “Playing different positions and different schemes definitely helped me gain an overall understanding of defenses.”
Following his senior year in 2015, Kwiatkoski was invited to play in the Senior Bowl and then after the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, the Chicago Bears selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft as the 113thoverall pick.
However, Kwiatkoski’s rookie season with the Bears got off to an inauspicious start. He injured his hamstring during the first day of full pads and missed most of training camp. Although he signed a four-year, $2.91 million contract, only the signing bonus portion of it was guaranteed.
“As a rookie, you are going into a completely new environment, and you see guys get cut all the time. For me, I was pretty confident I was going to make the team, but there was some uncertainty there until week one,” he recalled.
“You are watching good players get let go and you are standing there on the sidelines watching, so it was definitely a sense of doubt,” Kwiatkoski admitted. “I didn’t know how anything worked, and the roster is getting cut down every day.”
But he made the team and ended up starting seven games during his rookie season in 2016. A year later, Pro Football Focus rated Kwiatkoski the league’s third-best inside linebacker in run-stop percentage, and he continued to be an important contributor on the Bears’ defense until signing a lucrative three-year free agent deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020.
He played two full seasons with the Raiders, another with the Atlanta Falcons and was in Pittsburgh’s training camp in 2023 when he was released.
Although Kwiatkoski has never officially submitted his retirement papers to the NFL, he says he is pretty much done with pro football.
“There are things I wished would have gone differently here and there, but overall, I enjoyed my career, and it was more than I ever expected when I went to college at West Virginia,” he noted. “I feel like I got what I wanted out of it and for seven years, I had a blast, honestly.”
Kwiatkoski has enough service time to receive an NFL pension, so he said he’s taking his time to consider what he wants to do next with his life.
His permanent residence is in Las Vegas, and he also owns an apartment in Pittsburgh where he frequently spends his time with family and friends.
“I’m enjoying retirement right now,” he says. “I feel great physically. Thank God I had no major, major injuries. It was all minor stuff, so overall, I feel great.
“I want to do something I enjoy,” he adds. “It would be great to remain close to football, but in my mind that’s not a need. I’m still trying to figure that out. It’s not like I’m looking for something and can’t find it, but more so finding the right thing.”
Up until the time he was released by the Steelers, football was a year-round proposition for a good portion of his life.
“Last year was the first year I didn’t go to a training camp,” he pointed out. “After Pittsburgh let me go, I still trained every day, and I kept in shape last year, but I’d be lying if I told you I was working out as hard as I would if I was going to training camp.”
Today, Kwiatkoski has more time to follow his favorite college team. He said he’s encouraged with the direction the Mountaineer program is taking under Rich Rodriguez, whom he met for the first time earlier this summer.
It was Rodriguez’s success in the mid-2000s that got Kwiatkoski interested in West Virginia football in the first place.
“I’m excited,” he said. “I got to spend some time with Rich Rod a few weeks ago when they had a camp, and I crossed paths with a lot of guys on his staff. It’s encouraging to see them put it out there on the field.
“I’ve gotten to know Pat White and some of the other former players and that’s something I love about West Virginia,” Kwiatkoski continued. “I feel like among the players, past, present and future, somehow relationships are built with the guys. I remember when I was playing for the Raiders and Pat was coaching with the Chargers and just seeing him after games and talking to him. There is always that West Virginia tie that bring players and coaches together.
“Kyzir White, when he was with the Chargers, we would talk after games, and I also got to play against Tavon (Austin) once or twice. I traded jerseys with some of the West Virginia guys, and I have those in my house in Vegas.”
Kwiatkoski admits he is still wrapping his arms around the business nature of college sports these days, but he understands the importance of supporting his alma mater.
Fortunately, he is in a financial position to do so.
“(WVU) had such a big impact on me as a football player and as a person,” Kwiatkoski explained. “There was a lot of uncertainty when I arrived on campus with my injury, and then for them to stick with me, I turned into an NFL player while I was there, mentally and physically. I owe a lot for that.
“With the state of college football these days, it’s always good to give back and help them build what they’re trying to build, whatever that may be,” he said. “I don’t know all of the ins and outs today and I’m curious to sit down and learn more about it.”
Kwiatkoski indicated the details of his contribution are still being worked out.
NIL
House subcommittee advances NIL framework for college sports
A House subcommittee on Tuesday advanced legislation that seeks to address recent seismic changes in how college athletes are compensated. The legislation, introduced last week by Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., would create national standards for name, image and likeness deals, while preempting a patchwork of existing state laws on the topic. It would bar student-athletes […]

A House subcommittee on Tuesday advanced legislation that seeks to address recent seismic changes in how college athletes are compensated.
The legislation, introduced last week by Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., would create national standards for name, image and likeness deals, while preempting a patchwork of existing state laws on the topic. It would bar student-athletes from being considered as university employees and carve out exceptions to antitrust law for conferences and the NCAA.
The bill advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade on a party-line, 12-11 vote. Democrats on the subcommittee opposed the measure, saying it would transfer power back to the NCAA and impede progress made over the last few years by student-athletes.
“We’re here today to consider the SCORE Act, but a title like the NCAA Wish List Act would better reflect its true objectives,” said Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, D-N.Y.
Next the full committee is expected to consider the proposal, which was also referred to the Education and Workforce Committee. Its prospects on the House floor are unclear, but it already has the backing of two Democratic co-sponsors: Reps. Janelle Bynum of Oregon and Shomari Figures of Alabama.
The latest congressional effort to create a nationwide NIL standard comes just a month after a federal judge approved a settlement resolving antitrust lawsuits brought by former Division 1 athletes. Those athletes sought damages for NIL deals they were forced to forgo and the ability to share in revenues generated from broadcasting.
The settlement now allows universities to directly share revenues with college athletes, capped at roughly $20.5 million per school for the 2025–2026 season, in a watershed change for college athletics. But lawmakers agreed Tuesday that athletes and universities still face a confusing mishmash of NIL policies across the country.
“The fractured NIL landscape that has developed in recent years has left athletes, schools and conferences without certainty or guardrails,” said Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., who chairs the full Energy and Commerce Committee. “Across the country, athletic departments are trying to compete in a system that is anything but fair or stable, where chaos makes it difficult to understand, let alone meet their compliance obligations.”
The debate over NIL began more than a decade ago, when former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon sued the NCAA after his likeness was featured in the 2009 edition of EA Sports’ NCAA basketball video game. In 2019, California passed a law allowing student-athletes in the state to make money on NIL deals, and in the intervening years many other states have followed suit.
Interest in NIL only increased when the NCAA implemented new transfer rules that made it easier for players to jump from one school to another, shopping the best options without the past penalty of having to miss a year of playing time. Since the rule change, boosters at major schools — particularly those with renowned basketball and football players — are competing for top talent, sometimes offering north of a $1 million a year in deals for college athletes.
The legislation, according to its proponents, would level the playing field by requiring all eligible universities to maintain at least 16 varsity sports teams and would require schools to report on revenue from media rights and on fees charged to students used for athletic programs.
“With revenue-sharing as the new norm in college athletics, we must ensure that all athletic programs, from powerhouse football teams to smaller sports, have the tools to thrive,” Guthrie said.
Democrats on the subcommittee argued the measure goes too far in shielding the NCAA from antitrust lawsuits and not far enough when it comes to benefits and protections for students. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., herself a former Division 1 volleyball player at Georgetown University, pressed for changes to the bill.
“As currently drafted, the SCORE Act would grant sweeping power to the NCAA and athletic conferences, power that comes at the expense of the very athletes who make college sports possible,” Trahan said.
She proposed carving out room for states to “go further in protecting college athletes and strengthening their rights if states so choose,” withdrawing an amendment to that effect after receiving assurances that Republicans would work with her to find “common ground.”
Other amendments from her and Clarke were voted down. California Rep. Kevin Mullin offered, then withdrew, an amendment that would ask the Federal Trade Commission to study the idea of creating an independent entity to regulate agents, while also clarifying that agents have a fiduciary duty to their student-athletes.
NIL
Which 68 teams make our first 2026 Bracketology, and which teams may be hoping for NCAA Tournament expansion
With college basketball’s 2025-26 rosters now mostly set, a clearer picture of the season ahead is beginning to emerge. On the heels of a historic NCAA Tournament tally for the SEC, a couple of other power conferences are assembling their horses. The Big Ten has nine of the top 30 and 14 of the top […]

With college basketball’s 2025-26 rosters now mostly set, a clearer picture of the season ahead is beginning to emerge. On the heels of a historic NCAA Tournament tally for the SEC, a couple of other power conferences are assembling their horses.
The Big Ten has nine of the top 30 and 14 of the top 50 in Bart Torvik’s preseason rankings, while the Big 12 has eight of the top 35. The ACC and Big East don’t have quite such strong collections, but they have amassed enough talent to, at minimum, match their combined tally of nine NCAA Tournament bids from 2025.
Returning to the record-setting threshold of 14 entrants to the Big Dance will be a tough task for the SEC, but it certainly won’t be impossible as the league heads toward a new season with 13 of the nation’s top 40 teams in Torvik’s ratings.
NCAA tables tournament expansion, delaying March Madness decision with 72, 76-team options still possible
Bryan DeArdo

Where it gets a bit murky for the league is in the lower half, as there are five SEC teams ranked between No. 31 and 40, per Torvik. Will the conference produce an ironclad non-league run again this season that fortifies its down-ballot squads as NCAA Tournament teams?
The league should be great again, but the Big 12 and Big Ten are stocked with enough talent to cut into the SEC’s haul. If the ACC’s crop of four first-year coaches can breathe some life into that conference, it could also impede the SEC’s effort at producing another tally in the teens. Then, there’s the Big East. Will proud programs at Providence, Georgetown and Villanova continue languishing on the wrong side of the bubble?
Pay attention to the “first four out” teams of Mississippi State, Indiana, Georgia and Kansas State. Those teams would make the field if NCAA Tournament expansion were to be approved to 72 teams ahead of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Potential expansion to 72 or 76 teams remains a possibility, and the additional teams would be at-large participants required to win a preliminary game — like what is currently called the “First Four” — before advancing into the main 64-team bracket.
Here’s our first effort at answering those questions with a summertime edition of Bracketology ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Bracketology top seeds
Since Houston is the host site of the South Regional, the Cougars would be ineligible to compete in that region. However, the Houston Chronicle reported in May that the school is looking for another local university to be the host institution, which would free the Cougars to be eligible to play inside the Toyota Center on the second weekend of the Big Dance. For now, they are slotted as the No. 1 seed in in the Midwest Region.
On the bubble
Last four in
Cincinnati
Texas A&M
Georgetown
Boise State
First four out
Mississippi State
Indiana
Georgia
Kansas State
2026 Bracketology matchups
First Four (Dayton)
(11) Georgetown vs. (11) Boise State
(11) Cincinnati vs. (11) Texas A&M
(16) LIU vs. (16) Norfolk State
(16) Montana vs. (16) Quinnipiac
West Region (San Jose)
Philadelphia (Fri/Sun)
(1) St. John’s vs. (16) Bethune-Cookman
(8) Wisconsin vs. (9) Texas
Oklahoma City (Thu/Sat)
(4) Auburn vs. (13) Abilene Christian
(5) Arizona (12) Liberty
Greenville (Thu/Sat)
(2) Duke vs. (15) Vermont
(7) Missouri vs. (10) South Florida
Greenville (Thu/Sat)
(3) Tennessee vs. (14) Arkansas State
(6) Creighton vs. (11) Maryland
South Region (Houston)
St. Louis (Fri/Sun)
(1) Purdue vs. (16) Navy
(8) Baylor vs. (9) Vanderbilt
Portland (Thu/Sat)
(4) Iowa State vs. (13) UCSB
(5) Arkansas vs. (12) Akron
Philadelphia (Fri/Sun)
(2) Kentucky vs. (15) Florida Gulf Coast
(7) USC vs. (10) VCU
Tampa (Fri/Sun)
(3) Alabama vs. (14) Towson
(6) Michigan State vs. (11) SMU
East Region (Washington D.C.)
Tampa (Fri/Sun)
(1) Florida vs. (16) Montana/Quinnipiac
(8) Marquette vs. (9) Ohio State
San Diego (Fri/Sun)
(4) Texas Tech vs. (13) High Point
(5) Illinois vs. (12) McNeese
Buffalo (Fri/Sun)
(2) UConn vs. (15) Robert Morris
(7) Oregon vs. (10) Ole Miss
St. Louis (Fri/Sun)
(3) Louisville vs. (14) Furman
(6) San Diego State vs. (11) Cincinnati/Texas A&M
Midwest Region (Chicago)
Oklahoma City (Thu/Sat)
(1) Houston vs. (16) LIU/Norfolk State
(8) Iowa vs. (9) NC State
San Diego (Fri/Sun)
(4) UCLA vs. (13) Northern Iowa
(5) Kansas vs. (12) Yale
Buffalo (Thu/Sat)
(2) Michigan vs. (15) Southeast Missouri State
(7) North Carolina vs (10) Saint Mary’s
Portland (Thu/Sat)
(3) BYU vs. (14) South Dakota State
(6) Gonzaga vs. (11) Georgetown/Boise State
NIL
Class 3A Blog: North Clayton’s Justin Murphy signs NIL deal with Phenom Elite
North Clayton athlete Justin Murphy recently announced on social media that he has signed an NIL deal with popular sports brand Phenom Elite. Murphy is listed as a 4-star recruit on Rivals and a top-15 player in the state in the Class of 2027. Phenom Elite is very popular among high school athletes. The brand […]


North Clayton athlete Justin Murphy recently announced on social media that he has signed an NIL deal with popular sports brand Phenom Elite. Murphy is listed as a 4-star recruit on Rivals and a top-15 player in the state in the Class of 2027.
Phenom Elite is very popular among high school athletes. The brand sells football gear such as gloves, cleats, and more. The brand has signed multiple players in the state of Georgia before, including Douglas County’s Aaron Gregory. Murphy told me nothing can be said yet about what he is going to do with Phenom Elite, but based on some of the things athletes did from last season, it is sure to be interesting.
Murphy is hyped to sign his first major NIL deal with such a major brand.
“I have been seeing the brand since the age of nine or 10, so to be a Phenom Elite athlete and rep the brand now feels good,” said Murphy. “As of right now it is the cleats, shorts, and the shirt,” he said when mentioning his favorite products.
As for Murphy, the 2027 athlete holds offers from 17 schools to play at the next level. He holds offers from Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, and Tennessee to play quarterback and from LSU to play defensive back. Murphy blew up as a sophomore at North Clayton along with teammate Kelsey Adams (who has since transferred).
Murphy has had a busy offseason, competing in many events. One of those events was the Elite 11 regional camp in Atlanta, and more can be read about that here. Murphy also runs track and was named an all-sophomore team honorable mention. North Clayton’s team also participated in multiple 7-on-7 tournaments this offseason.
North Clayton went 4-6 last season in what was arguably the most loaded region in all of 3A. With schools like Stephenson, Cedar Grove, and others in its region, North Clayton will have to rely on Murphy heavily in 2025.
The Eagles open up their 2025 schedule by taking on McDonough on August 15th. Some other notable matchups are versus Riverdale (September 5th), Stephenson (September 26th), and at Douglass-Atlanta (October 17th). The Eagles are led by Cap Burnett, who is heading into year 10 as head coach of the team. The North Clayton graduate returned to his alma mater after playing at UGA. His son Cayden Burnet is also on the team.
No official details about the contracted deal between Murphy and Phenom Elite are available at this moment.
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Pet fitness and wellness trends for a healthier and happier dog
-
College Sports3 weeks ago
WAC to Rebrand to UAC, Add Five New Members in 2026
-
College Sports3 weeks ago
A new era of Dickinson hockey begins behind the bench – The Dickinson Press
-
Motorsports2 weeks ago
Why Cosmetics are Making Up for Lost Time in Women’s Sports
-
Health3 weeks ago
Florida assault survivor shares hope for change with new mental health law
-
Motorsports2 weeks ago
Team Penske names new leadership
-
Motorsports3 weeks ago
NASCAR This Week – Patriot Publishing LLC
-
Sports7 days ago
New 'Bosch' spin
-
Youtube2 weeks ago
BREAKING: NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signs the RICHEST annual salary in league history
-
Sports1 week ago
E.l.f Cosmetics Builds Sports Marketing Game Plan Toward Bigger Goals