Several teams this season were left on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff—teams many believed had a legitimate case to be included in the 12-team field.

But with the current criteria and format, that’s always going to happen, especially with Group of Five champions earning automatic bids. That’s exactly what we saw this year with Tulane and James Madison securing the final two spots.

That left out teams like Notre Dame, BYU, Vanderbilt, and Texas—four programs that didn’t always make things easy on themselves but would likely be heavy favorites in a head-to-head matchup against either of those two schools.

During a recent appearance on “The Pivot” podcast, Vanderbilt quarterback and newly named Heisman Trophy finalist Diego Pavia made a bold claim: if a Group of Five team like Tulane or James Madison ever wins the College Football Playoff, he’ll give all of the NIL money he’s earned—worth several million dollars—to that school, because he doesn’t believe it will ever happen.

“It’s a 12-team field. You put every team that’s good in there. If a Group of Five team wins it, I would donate whatever I had in NIL back to that school. I would do that—if a G5 team ever wins it,” Pavia said.

More news: Lane Kiffin Sends 4-Word Message to Ole Miss Before College Football Playoff

More news: Nick Saban Has Strong Reaction to Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff Snub

This year’s scenario was unusual because the ACC, one of the Power Four conferences, had an extremely down year. The Duke Blue Devils, who finished with five losses, won the conference championship but didn’t receive one of the automatic CFP bids, opening the door for two Group of Five teams to sneak into the field.

In most seasons, four of the five teams that make the playoff come from the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC, with just one Group of Five team earning a spot. But after an outcome like this year, there have been calls to revise the rules.

The committee now faces a key question: should the priority be putting the 12 best teams in the field, or rewarding teams for winning their conference championship and being among the five highest-ranked title winners, while filling the remaining seven spots with at-large bids?

More news: Big 12 Coach Admits College Football is Broken After Missing Out on CFP

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech senior outside linebacker David Bailey and senior linebacker Jacob Rodriguez were recognized Tuesday with the Pony Express Award, which honors college football’s most-outstanding teammate duo, regardless of position.

The award, named in honor of former SMU running backs Eric Dickerson and Craig James, is back in its second year, highlighting the nation’s top tandems such as Bailey and Rodriguez, who have helped build one of the nation’s top defenses this season for the Red Raiders. Bailey and Rodriguez were named the winners of this season’s Pony Express Award over fellow talented duos in Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Georgia linebackers CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson and Notre Dame running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price.

 

“Jacob Rodriguez and David Bailey played with relentless energy and absolute trust in each other,” said Dickerson, who joined with James to form one of college football’s all-time great rushing duos from 1979-82. “They embody the team-first mindset that defines this award.”

 

Bailey has lived up to his reputation as one of the nation’s top pass rushers since arriving at Texas Tech this past offseason, ranking among the FBS leaders with 13.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss. Bailey leads all power conference players in sacks, ranking second overall in the category, while his 17.5 tackles for loss are third in the FBS.

 

Pro Football Focus credits Bailey with 74 total pressures this season, which easily leads all of college football. The publication has awarded him a 93.0 overall defensive grade, which is tied for second nationally among all positions behind only his teammate in Rodriguez. This is easily the most-productive season of Bailey’s career, pushing the Red Raiders to a 12-1 record and their first Big 12 title after a 34-7 victory this past Saturday over BYU.

 

This is the third national award for Rodriguez in the past week, meanwhile, as he previously was named the winner of the Butkus Award, presented to the nation’s top linebacker, and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which celebrates the nation’s premier defensive player. He and Bailey are also two of four finalists for the Lombardi Award, which will be announced in Houston on Wednesday night.

 

Entering bowl season, Rodriguez leads the FBS with seven forced fumbles and ranks among the top 15 nationally with 117 tackles. He is also the first FBS player since 2005 to record at least five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four interceptions in the same season. His impact anchored a Texas Tech defense that leads the nation with 31 takeaways and ranks third nationally in scoring defense at 10.9 points per game. Rodriguez was responsible for nine takeaways himself — all in Big 12 play.

 

“These two leaders showed how much impact a committed partnership can have,” James said. “They performed at a high level, inspiring everyone around them.”

The Pony Express Award is determined by a vote of current college football players, making it one of the most unique recognitions in the sport. The award was previously presented to Colorado teammates Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter following the 2024 season.

LUBBOCK, Texas – Dave Campbell’s Texas Football unveiled its 2025 All-Texas College Football Team following championship weekend, with the seven Power Four programs in the Lone Star State accounting for 40 of the 56 players selected. Texas Tech led all programs with eight honorees.

Butkus Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner Jacob Rodriguez was tabbed the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Defensive Player of the Year, in addition to being selected as one of Texas Tech’s four First-Team All-Texas Defense picks. Joining the standout linebacker on the first team were defensive end David Bailey, defensive tackle Lee Hunter, and cornerback Brice Pollock. That quartet played a key role in elevating the Red Raiders to top-five national rankings in turnovers gained (1st, 31), rushing defense (1st, 68.5 yards per game), scoring defense (3rd, 10.9), total defense (5th, 254.4), and sacks (T-5th, 3.0 per game).

Defensive end Romello Height, an integral part of Tech’s pressure-heavy front, was named to the Second-Team All-Texas Defense. Height recorded 54 pressures this season, according to Pro Football Focus, the seventh most in the FBS. Bailey led all of college football with 74 pressures.

On the offense, running back Cameron Dickey and offensive lineman Howard Sampson were each named First-Team All-Texas Offense, while running back J’Koby Williams was tabbed to the second team.

A total of 56 players were selected, with 28 on offense and 28 on defense. Texas Tech’s eight selections led all teams, followed by seven for Texas A&M, and six for the Texas Longhorns. The six Group of Five programs had a combined 16 players on the list, led by North Texas with six. 

Eddie Robinson and George Munger Coach of the Year finalist Joey McGuire was named the DCTF Co-Coach of the Year alongside Texas A&M’s Mike Elko. Both head coaches have their teams in this year’s College Football Playoff, with the Red Raiders earning the No. 4 seed and the Aggies the No. 7 seed.

DCTF 2025 ALL-TEXAS COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM (Texas Tech selections)

First-Team All-Texas Offense

RB: Cameron Dickey, So. 

OL: Howard Sampson, Jr. 

First-Team All-Texas Defense

DE: David Bailey, Sr. 

DT: Lee Hunter, Sr. 

LB: Jacob Rodriguez, Sr. 

CB: Brice Pollock, Jr. 

Second-Team All-Texas Offense

UTL: J’Koby Williams, So. 

Second-Team All-Texas Defense

DE: Romello Height, Sr. 

Defensive Player of the Year: LB, Jacob Rodriguez

Co-Coach of the Year: Mike Elko (Texas A&M), Joey McGuire (Texas Tech)

To view the complete 2025 All-Texas College Football Teams, visit TexasFootball.com.

– TECH –

 

I’m emptying my notebook on the football coaching searches at Washington State and Portland State. Also, I have thoughts on the bowl game opt-outs by a growing number of schools. And I have some information on James Madison University, Oregon’s first-round opponent in the College Football Playoff.

Plus, a cameo in today’s installment by the front-desk manager at Planet Fitness.

Let’s go…

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and Fox Sports NFL color analyst Troy Aikman wanted to help UCLA football through name, image and likeness donations, but his experience has made him apprehensive about contributing again.

Aikman shared his experience on Monday’s episode of “Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch,” hosted by The Athletic’s sports media reporter Richard Deitsch.

“I gave money to a kid,” Aikman admitted. “I won’t mention who. I’ve done it one time at UCLA. I never met the young man. He was there a year, but he left after the year. I wrote a sizable check and he went to another school. I didn’t even get so much as a thank-you note, so it’s one of those deals where I’m done with NIL. I want to see UCLA be successful, but I’m done with it.”

NIL has become big business in college football. According to 247 Sports, the top five schools in spending (Texas, Ohio State, LSU, Georgia and Texas A&M) spent a combined $98 million in NIL money in 2025, and the number will likely increase next season.

Aikman still believes NIL money should go to players, but he says the system needs changes that benefit the sport without creating a convoluted mess.

“There has to be some leadership at the very top that kind of cleans all of this up, starting with players who accept money. There has to be some accountability and responsibility on their behalf, to have to stick to a program.”