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Why House settlement changes little

RALEIGH, N.C. — It has been a week since the House settlement with the NCAA changed everything about college athletics forever, and yet nothing has really changed. As earthshaking as the agreement is, to dole out billions in back pay to former college athletes while opening the door to “revenue sharing” — a phrase concocted […]

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RALEIGH, N.C. — It has been a week since the House settlement with the NCAA changed everything about college athletics forever, and yet nothing has really changed.

As earthshaking as the agreement is, to dole out billions in back pay to former college athletes while opening the door to “revenue sharing” — a phrase concocted to give plausible denial that this isn’t just the semi-pro operation — universities have been planning for this for so long, the actual finalization of the lawsuit and implementation of its provisions actually amounts to business as what is now usual.

Six months ago, North Carolina’s term sheet with Bill Belichick specified $13 million of UNC’s roughly $20.5 million revenue-sharing pool would go to football, at a time when that wasn’t even technically legal yet. And the ink on Judge Claudia Wilken’s signature was barely dry before the NCAA and the power conferences started leaking drafts of favorable legislation in Congress. Their lobbyists have been waiting years for this moment.

All of this has been coming for a long time, and only a dispute over players who were losing their scholarships and roster spots delayed the actual settlement until June. The reality had set in long ago.

The House settlement isn’t perfect. There are major potential Title IX issues and real concerns over what scholarship caps might do to sports that have traditionally had big rosters like track and swimming. The fact that a big part of the back pay for former athletes is coming from NCAA basketball tournament revenue while the College Football Playoff doesn’t pay a dime shifts the financial burden unfairly from big football schools to everyone else.

It is, however, better than nothing. It ushers in a new world of college sports, one where athletes can be openly paid by their universities on top of whatever NIL deals they can still gather, one that’s long overdue. For one thing, all the money that used to change hands under the table will be in plain view now. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

For another, athletes long ago deserved a piece of the bags of money they generated for athletic directors, coaches, administrators, contractors, vendors, lawyers and everyone else who suckled at the sugar teat of a college-athletic industrial complex built on free labor. College athletes always had value, even if the world pretended they did not. Now they can actually collect.

It took a long time for that edifice to fall, and now that it has, none of the fear-mongering from petty tyrants trying to safeguard their turf has come true. Former Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany once said his conference would have to drop to Division III if the O’Bannon lawsuit went through. For real! You know what came out of the O’Bannon lawsuit? Cost-of-attendance payments for players and a long-awaited college football video game that was the best-selling game of last year! The Big Ten seems OK!

Amateurism was always a scam. The ideal of the amateur was created by the British gentry to avoid having to compete against the lower classes, who couldn’t afford to row or play rugby as a hobby. Professionals started competing in the Olympics decades ago and the world kept right on spinning. There was never any reason why you couldn’t be a student and an athlete and get paid to do it.

Teaching assistants get paid. Students with work-study jobs get paid. Natalie Portman appeared in Hollywood blockbusters without compromising her eligibility for Harvard student drama. The only reason athletes were different was because there was so much money coming in that the adults wanted to keep all the profits for themselves. The only reason the NCAA bureaucracy as we know it exists is because those adults didn’t trust each other not to cheat and pay them anyway.

There is going to be more upheaval as everyone adjusts to this new world, even with a headstart, and a lot of the things fans like least about the past few years of college athletics aren’t going to change right away. The transfer portal isn’t going anywhere, although the ability to pay players directly may lead to more mutually beneficial arrangements that somewhat dilute the current annual free-agency system.

There’s a way to fix all that, by moving toward some sort of collective bargaining with athletes that sets terms of pseudo-employment everyone agrees upon. The NCAA would rather push through legislation that sets those terms unilaterally post-House now that it senses favorable winds on Capitol Hill. But House, for all its faults, is a step in the right direction and long overdue. If it doesn’t feel like much has changed yet, it’s because so much already has.



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2025 College Football Odds: Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica’s Expert Picks, Best Bets

Chris Fallica FOX Sports Wagering Expert There are less than two months left until kickoff, which means it’s almost time for fans to switch their focus back to college football.  And with that, sportsbooks have released win totals, game lines and so much more for the regular season.  Let’s dive into my favorite picks for […]

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There are less than two months left until kickoff, which means it’s almost time for fans to switch their focus back to college football

And with that, sportsbooks have released win totals, game lines and so much more for the regular season. 

Let’s dive into my favorite picks for how a few teams will perform this upcoming season. 

Illinois Under 8.5 wins

There is also an Under 7.5 (+135) available out there, but as I’ve said in the past, I do not mind playing for an extra game buffer. 

The Illini are a super-trendy team this season, and while I don’t expect a losing season, the roster does have questions. 

Will the losses of Zakhari Franklin and Pat Bryant affect Luke Altmeyer’s production? The defensive line boasts three newcomers and can the running back room of Aiden Laughery and Kaden Feagin stay healthy? 

Illinois went 9-3 last year, but thrown in there were OT wins against Nebraska and a dreadful Purdue team, as well as a Kansas turnover-implosion early in the season, and a miracle win at Rutgers. So we’re talking about close to 5-7. 

There are five games that immediately appear like possible losses on the schedule — at Duke, at Indiana, USC, Ohio State and at Washington. Heck, maybe the game in Madison late in the year turns into a “let’s beat our old coach” rally. 

Put aside the discussion of this being a playoff team, nine wins in itself will be quite a feat.

PICK: Illinois (-150) Under 8.5 wins

Joel Klatt believes Illinois, Ole Miss could make first CFP appearances

Joel Klatt believes Illinois, Ole Miss could make first CFP appearances

Houston Over 6.5 wins

The Cougars offense was one of the worst in the country a year ago, as Houston was shut out twice and held to 10 points or fewer in three other instances. 

Enter Texas A&M transfer Conner Weigman at quarterback, along with multiple wide receiver and tight end imports via the portal. 

Willie Fritz has a knack for quick fixes and in this league, where we saw the team picked last in 2024 win the league, it’s quite possible another major turnaround happens here. 

Nobody should be surprised if the Cougars bring a 4-0 mark into the home game with Texas Tech and with four of the teams expected to be the worst in the league — Oklahoma State, Arizona, West Virginia and UCF — on the schedule, there’s a definite path to a big Year 2 turnaround here.

PICK: Houston (+120) Over 6.5 wins

Joel Klatt’s objectives for the College Football Playoff

Joel Klatt’s objectives for the College Football Playoff

Miami to make College Football Playoff

A poor defense kept the Canes out of the College Football Playoff last year, but new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman was brought in from Minnesota to fix as many issues as there are. 

The good news for Hetherman is he will have a full year of Rueben Bain to work with, as well as a secondary which could be open of the best in the country, which is saying something after the unit struggled mightily last year. 

Carson Beck will look to return to 2023 form after an elbow injury, and to help him do that, he will have one of the best offensive lines in the country and the deepest running back groups around. 

The Canes’ schedule has two huge non-conference skins on it — a season-opener against Notre Dame and a date with rival Florida — and both are at Hard Rock Stadium. Win one or both of those and Miami will have two premier non-conference wins. This will basically mean it just has to avoid completely throwing up on itself in ACC play to reach the CFP for the first time, as was the case with SMU last year, a team that didn’t have near the same non-conference slate as this and was able to make the Playoff despite a loss in the ACC title game. 

The avenues to make the Playoff are many — winning the ACC, beating Notre Dame and/or Florida and losing the ACC title game. Or, even beat both ND and Florida, happen to lose out on a spot in the ACC title game and make the Playoff at 10-2.

PICK: Miami (+200) to make College Football Playoff

Chris “The Bear” Fallica has covered sports for nearly three decades. While college football has been his focus, he also enjoys the NFL, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, MLB, NHL and Horse Racing, with an “occasional” wager on such events. Chris recently won the inaugural Circa Football Invitational and finished in the Top 10 of the Golden Nugget Football Contest. He’s a multiple-time qualifier for the NHC Handicapping Championship. Remember, “The less you bet, the more you lose when you win!” Follow him on Twitter @chrisfallica.

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Eleven Grizzlies named Scholar Athlete

Eleven players from the 2025 Montana softball team have been named Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athletes, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced this week.   The players honored all recorded a GPA of at least 3.5 for the 2024 fall and 2025 spring semesters.   This year’s honorees: Hailey Boer (Biology), Anna Cockhill (Business Administration), Grace […]

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Eleven players from the 2025 Montana softball team have been named Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athletes, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced this week.
 
The players honored all recorded a GPA of at least 3.5 for the 2024 fall and 2025 spring semesters.
 
This year’s honorees: Hailey Boer (Biology), Anna Cockhill (Business Administration), Grace Haegele (Elementary Education), Siona Halwani (Communication Studies), Grace Hardy (Management and Entrepreneurship), Hannah Jablonski (Math Education), Grace Lopez (Psychology), Cameryn Ortega (Communication Studies), Makena Strong (Communication Studies), Sveva Sweeney (Business Administration), Madison Tarrant (Journalism).
 
Haegele, Hardy and Strong become three-time All-America Scholar Athlete, while Jablonski and Tarrant were recognized for the second time.
 
Haegele, Strong and Tarrant were named Academic All-District last month by College Sports Communicators.



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College athletics the way it was meant to be still exists at Barton

When he was named head football coach at the University of North Carolina, seven-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick proudly proclaimed that the Tar Heels would become the “NFL’s 33rd team.” It’s been reported that former Duke basketball star Cooper Flagg earned upwards of $28 million in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation and endorsements […]

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When he was named head football coach at the University of North Carolina, seven-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick proudly proclaimed that the Tar Heels would become the “NFL’s 33rd team.”

It’s been reported that former Duke basketball star Cooper Flagg earned upwards of $28 million in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation and endorsements during his one year with the Blue Devils.

And new N.C. State basketball coach Will Wade was investigated and subsequently fired for allegedly paying players during his time at LSU. With no trace of irony, his ability to pay players and construct a winning roster, primarily through the transfer portal, was cited as the primary reason for his hire by the Wolfpack.

To quote the famous line from Bob Dylan: “The times they are a-changin’.”

The NCAA that most of us know is virtually unrecognizable now. Terms like NIL, transfer portal, conference realignment and House settlement have forever altered the landscape of college sports. There is no question that we are looking at the professionalization of college football and basketball at the Division I level. The term “student-athlete” is nothing but a quaint reminder from the past, and the reality is that most football and basketball players are now more employees than students, and the whole enterprise has become transactional.

NIL legislation started with good intentions a few years ago. Student-athletes should be compensated for their name, image and likeness, especially now that college athletics has become a multi-billion-dollar business. However, NIL is a misnomer, as there were few guardrails put in place by the NCAA, and it quickly evolved into a recruiting inducement and pay-for-play system. To be clear, I don’t begrudge the athletes who are capitalizing; I wish NIL had been around in the 80’s when I played basketball at William & Mary. Back then, I was thrilled with an occasional post-game sandwich and maybe a pitcher of beer!

This new era of college sports is still wildly popular. Stadiums remain full, TV ratings go up every year and donors are spending millions to help build championship-caliber rosters. There is a never-ending chase for more money, and increased spending. And like many of you, I remain a fan and am still captivated by the College Football Playoff and March Madness (both of which are looking to expand, by the way).

I believe strongly in the power of sports to lift people up, to teach valuable lessons and forge lasting relationships. I know it because I lived it as a college basketball player and coach, and now as an athletic director. I know that coaches are educators, leaders, role models and mentors. I know the incredible value that a college degree holds, and the way it can impact a family for generations.

At Barton College, we approach athletics from a transformational standpoint, not a transactional one. We offer life-changing opportunities to our 700 student-athletes, and our focus is guiding them down the path of resilience and growth. You’ll see them not only on the field or court, but also serving as orientation leaders, resident assistants and research associates. While we play to win — and we do it a lot — the biggest “game” on the schedule is always graduation day. Athletics supports the mission and business model of the college, providing a positive and nurturing student-athlete experience, and competing to win in the classroom, in competition and in the Wilson community.

You can root for the Heels, Devils, Pack, or Pirates, but we are Wilson’s hometown college team, and we have no doubt you’ll root for the Bulldogs.

We have great coaches and staff, beautiful facilities, and talented student-athletes who compete at a high level. You know what we are? We’re what college athletics used to be, and what it was meant to be. We may have some navigate the transfer portal and a few Bulldogs dipping their toes into the NIL waters, but most of our student-athletes, including football and basketball players, are here to get a first-class education and to learn and grow as people.

Our games are affordable and many are free, and you can bring your kids onto the field or court after the game for a photo, no problem.

I look forward to seeing how Belichick and Wade do, and I’ll be rooting for Cooper Flagg.

But mostly, I’m proud to be part of the team, Wilson’s hometown team, at Barton College, where we still do it the right way.

Ken Tyler is Vice President and Director of Athletics at Barton College. A former NCAA Division I basketball player and coach in Divisions I, II and III, Tyler has spent over 30 years in college athletics. Prior to Barton, he served as Director of Athletics at the University of Mary Washington and West Virginia Wesleyan College. Tyler resides in Wilson with his wife Dr. Leona Ba Tyler.



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College Football Analyst Believes NIL Issues Aren’t the Only Reason James Franklin Lost Penn State’s Recruiting Battles

James Franklin has turned Penn State into a consistent winner, but one recruiting expert believes the Nittany Lions are falling behind in the battles that matter most. While Franklin’s 101-42 record speaks for itself, the question remains: why can’t Penn State land the elite recruits needed to compete for championships? Why Is Penn State Losing Top […]

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James Franklin has turned Penn State into a consistent winner, but one recruiting expert believes the Nittany Lions are falling behind in the battles that matter most.

While Franklin’s 101-42 record speaks for itself, the question remains: why can’t Penn State land the elite recruits needed to compete for championships?

Why Is Penn State Losing Top Recruiting Battles Despite James Franklin’s Success?

James Franklin left Vanderbilt after winning 61.5% of his games there. That performance ranks as one of the best coaching jobs of the last 25 years. No one wins that many games at Vandy, a school rich in academics but a football pauper.

When he arrived at Penn State, he encountered another, unexpected problem. Franklin needed to help distance the program from the Joe Paterno Era, which was filled with championships but also controversy.

Bill O’Brien succeeded Paterno, but you could still sense the ghosts of bad memories that overshadowed greatness. Franklin built the Nittany Lions into perennial winners. In 11 seasons, his teams finished with double-digit victories. Plus, the school keeps turning out NFL stars, like Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons.

However, in the NIL era, the school cannot get over the metaphorical hump. Recruiting expert Brian Smith stopped by the “Locked On Nittany Lions” podcast to discuss why the team cannot secure the best of the best in the new money period of the sport.

“NIL is a big part of it, but I think the biggest is still relationships. They just lost (recruits) to teams with excellent assistant coaches. Penn State will have some of the battles go their way. It’s just par for the course.”

Breaking down that quote reveals the real issue. NIL money matters, and when you share a conference with Ohio State, Michigan, and Oregon, you must find a workaround or get creative. According to 24/7 Sports, Franklin’s Lions hold down the 15th spot in the 2026 rankings. In most conferences, that would guarantee a championship. However, the Big Ten is no ordinary conference.

What Can Franklin Do to Fix Penn State’s Recruiting Problems?

Jumping into the pool for four- and five-star recruits sounds good, but what’s the backup plan when they don’t arrive? Hitting the portal for above-average players isn’t always a guaranteed bonus.

Hiring great recruiters is something Franklin can fix. Recruiting remains the lifeblood of the college game. Building connections with area, state, regional, and national high school programs matters. Walking into a high school coach’s office and dropping your business card on the desk isn’t enough for Penn State. They are not Alabama.

RELATED: James Franklin, Penn State Lose 2026 4-Star QB Peyton Falzone to Auburn in Shocking Flip

One underdiscussed aspect of the recruiting issues is that Franklin’s name perennially appears as a candidate for just about every major coaching job. From afar, that hangs above the program. Is it a ploy to earn a raise or a more extended contract? Or does Franklin actively search for jobs?

Franklin can coach and run a top football program. His 101-42 record with Penn State solidifies that fact. However, at what point are 10 wins during the regular season insufficient?

Always the bridesmaid, the football program must find a way to break through. Getting to the CFP isn’t enough, nor is winning a few games. To cement his legacy, Franklin must bring a championship to State College. Can the team find a way to not only survive the conference grind but also catch fire in the playoffs?



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Amended college sports bill expected to be introduced in U.S. House of Representatives

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are expected to introduce an amended college sports bill, a source told On3’s Pete Nakos. The Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act could be introduced as early as Thursday. The bill – which codifies the House v. NCAA settlement – could easily pass the House […]

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Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are expected to introduce an amended college sports bill, a source told On3’s Pete Nakos. The Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act could be introduced as early as Thursday.

The bill – which codifies the House v. NCAA settlement – could easily pass the House of Representatives, but would need seven Democratic votes to pass the Senate. If introduced Thursday, the first subcommittee markup could come as early as next Tuesday, and a committee markup would happen by the end of the month.

Last month, Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) released a discussion draft of the bill. They described it as a “tri-committee effort to stabilize” the NIL marketplace.

“As a part of a coordinated multi-Committee effort to improve the student-athlete experience and preserve the educational mission of the institutions they represent, Energy and Commerce plans to consider a discussion draft to help address the broad set of challenges facing college athletics,” Guthrie said in a statement.

“NIL presents outstanding opportunities for student-athletes, but the volatility and frequency of changes have left both teams and players without a reliable foundation on which to plan. I want to thank Chairman Bilirakis for his hard work on this issue and this draft, and I am hopeful that upcoming conversations can build a strong coalition and make college athletics the best it can be.”

The amended version of the act, obtained by Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger, would grant liability protection and preempt state NIL laws. It would also include an anti-employment clause and usher in regulation for agents. NIL deals would also need to hold a “valid business purpose.”

More on the NCAA’s push for federal legislation

Following approval of the House v. NCAA settlement, another college sports bill was introduced. U.S. Representatives Lisa McClain (R-Mich.)and Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.) introduced the “College Student-Athlete Protections and Opportunities through Rights, Transparency and Safety Act“, dubbed the College SPORTS Act.

President Donald Trump has also shown interest in the future of college sports and was in the process of forming a commission earlier this year. Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban and Texas Tech board chairman Cody Campbell – who founded the school’s NIL collective, The Matador Club – were expected to co-chair the commission. However, the plans were paused last month amid an anticipated push for federal legislation.

Trump also reportedly considered an executive order regarding college sports. That came about after he met with Saban at a commencement event at Alabama in May.





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Deion Sanders Says the Quiet Part Out Loud About the College Football Playoff and NIL Spending

Due to an undisclosed health issue, college football fans haven’t heard much from Colorado coach Deion Sanders this offseason. However, that changed on Wednesday as Sanders was on hand for the Big 12 Media Days in Frisco, Texas. The third-year head coach, who is coming off a 9-4 season in 2024, discussed everything from Colorado’s quarterback […]

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Due to an undisclosed health issue, college football fans haven’t heard much from Colorado coach Deion Sanders this offseason.

However, that changed on Wednesday as Sanders was on hand for the Big 12 Media Days in Frisco, Texas. The third-year head coach, who is coming off a 9-4 season in 2024, discussed everything from Colorado’s quarterback battle, his theme music and what is going wrong with college football.

Oddly enough, while the latter may be the most complex, it was the only one for which he had a definitive answer. When asked about how NIL should be patrolled with the implementation of revenue, Sanders did what he does best: he said what everyone is thinking but not willing to say.

“I wish it was a cap,” Sanders said. “You know, like the top of the line player makes this. And if you’re not that type of guy, you know you’re not gonna make that. That’s what the NFL does. So the problem is you got a guy that’s not that darn good. He could go to another school and they give him a half a million dollars. You can’t compete with that, it don’t make sense … All you have to do is look at the playoffs and see what those teams spent and you understand darn near why they in the playoffs.

“It’s kind of hard to compete with somebody who’s giving $25-30 million to a darn freshman class.”





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