TAMPA, Fla. – Camryn Compton’s three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth pushed No. 5 seed Wichita State to a 5-2 win over No. 8 seed Tulsa in the second round of the American Athletic Conference Championship Wednesday afternoon.

Wichita State (29-24-1) advances to Thursday’s American quarterfinals where they will face No. 4 North Texas at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN+.

The Shockers were limited to just four hits in the game, but Compton’s 12th home run of the season proved to be the difference. Taylor Sedlacek doubled and scored two runs, Ellee Eck singled and drove in a run and Brookelyn Livanec singled to round out the hits.

Co-Freshman of the Year Ryley Nihart (11-7) went the distance in the circle, allowing only one earned run on seven hits and three walks.

A leadoff double to start the game turned into an early run on a Camryn Compton throwing error, giving Tulsa a 1-0 lead after the first inning.

Tulsa doubled its lead to 2-0 in the top of the second on a one-out, solo home run.

Wichita State cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third on Eck’s RBI single after a Livanec single and Sami Hood sac bunt.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Shockers tied the game at 2-2 on Jodie Epperson’s sac fly. Sedlacek led off the inning with a double and then moved up to third on Compton’s sac bunt.

To open the bottom of the sixth, Eck and Sedlacek both reached on hit by pitches to set the scene for Compton. On the very first pitch of the at bat, Compton smashed a no-doubter over the wall in left.

 

© Gary Cosby Jr./Imagn

Nick Saban believes the college athletics landscape, particularly in college football, is broken. The legendary Alabama head coach believes NIL is a large reason that it is broken. He believes that someone needs to step in quickly in order to fix it, lest we risk the sport imploding altogether. And as the saying goes, if you want something done right, sometimes you have to do it yourself.

Ralph Russo of The Athletic reports that Saban will serve as the co-chair of the President Donald Trump’s commission for college sports. Saban is expected to serve alongside Texas Tech board of regents chairman Cody Campbell in the position. The commission is expected to examine several issues facing the future of college sports, not the least of which is how NIL is regulated.

Back in January, Saban spoke passionately about his concern for the future of college athletics should NIL continue to go unregulated.

Nick Saban Expressed Concerns About Unregulated NIL Prior To Taking New Position

“All I’m saying? The people out there need to know this model is unsustainable,” he said during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show ahead of Monday’s national championship game. “It’s not good for players.”

“Players need to get compensated, no doubt. But it has to be done in a way where, you know, in some kind of way, have competitive balance, you know, and that every school has the same thing,” he continued. “One school can’t spend $30 million for players while another school’s spending $3 million.”

His comments drew criticism from fans who believed he enjoyed a similar advantage while at Alabama. But they’re also not without merit. Administrators at several universities have expressed concerns about the future viability of their programs. Ohio State president Ted Carter already acknowledged his intent to cut programs in order to further spend on revenue sports, and other schools are widely expected to follow suit.

Who knows whether Saban and the commission find a solution within the law? But it’s nice to see that someone is at least trying.

In a move that could reshape the landscape of college athletics, Texas Tech collective founder Cody Campbell is stepping into a new role alongside legendary football coach Nick Saban. The two will serve as co-chairs of President Donald Trump’s college sports commission. This panel is designed to tackle the evolving challenges of collegiate athletics. The most important topic they hope to address is Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and other financial deals for college athletes.

A Powerhouse Duo

Campbell is a former Texas Tech football player and current Board of Regents chairman. He is also one of the most prominent donors for the Red Raiders. He is the co-founder and co-executive of Double Eagle Energy Holdings. It is an oil and gas company that operates extensively in the Permian Basin region of West Texas. Campbell made headlines when he sold Double Eagle for a staggering $4.1 billion in April of this year. His contributions financial to the school have landed his name on the field at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock.

Meanwhile, Saban, the former LSU and Alabama head football coach, has been a vocal critic of the current state of college athletics. Specifically, he has been advocating for more structure and regulation in the NIL era. It’s become commonplace to see Saban ranting about the need for change on College GameDay in the fall. Together, these two figures bring a unique blend of business acumen and coaching expertise. Campbell’s experience in high-stakes financial deals and Saban’s deep understanding of college athletics could prove instrumental in shaping policies that ensure fairness, sustainability, and competitive balance.

The Commission’s Mission

The commission, spearheaded by President Trump, aims to address key issues plaguing college sports. This includes unrestricted player movement via the NCAA transfer portal, unregulated booster payments, athlete employment status, and Title IX implications. Calls on Congress to get involved are not new to any of these situations in the history of college athletics. But once NIL deals became a part of the landscape, the calls to D.C. grew in number and volume. The commission’s work could set the foundation for a more structured approach to collegiate sports governance.

Why Would Campbell Join?

It’s no secret that the wild, wild West nature of NIL and collectives has greatly benefited Texas Tech. Campbell, head football coach Joey McGuire, and his Red Raider team have burst into the national landscape. After seemingly coming out of nowhere to be the most active team in the fall portal window, Texas Tech has continued to add key pieces in the spring window. So why would Campbell want to actively corral the NIL landscape. Why change when it has positioned his alma mater in a position it’s never been in before? Campbell has called for reform publicly multiple times in the past. His most recent came in light of the Nico Iamaleva unceremonious exit from Tennessee. Campbell’s public comments appear to be looking out for the rest of college athletics beyond the big revenue sports (football and men’s basketball).

In a piece penned on The Federalist on April 14th, Campbell said, “Lost in all of this are the 500,000+ student athletes who are not receiving multi-million dollar deals and have no voice at the table”. Campbell is calling for rules that allow NIL contracts to be enforced. In addition, he is seeking one set of laws to be followed, and not state legislature ruling the day. He also wants to ensure athletes remain student-athletes and not employees. Campbell argues, “establishing this non-employee status will help to limit the cost burden of sponsoring an intercollegiate sport, and ensure that benefits like a scholarship are not taxable as income.” Perhaps the most significant reason, though he is calling on action, is to get everyone to play on the same money field.

Searching For Equal Money Sharing

“College sports do not currently have the right to take the same approach [as the NFL], as they do not have protection under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, as do the professional leagues. Through inclusion in the Sports Broadcasting Act, colleges would gain the right to pool and jointly market their media rights, and install a media revenue distribution system that would significantly increase total revenue and would promote parity.” Campbell’s quest to protect all of college athletics appears noble. The cynic would argue that if Campbell played is football at a Big 10/SEC school, he would not have this same stance.

What’s Next?

There is no way to determine the exact impact the commission would have on the college sports landscape. After all, there are still potential landmark agreements to settle in a trio of antitrust lawsuits facing the NCAA. Most notably, it would allow for the first time a system of direct payments from schools to athletes.

Campbell and Saban’s leadership will be pivotal in shaping the future of college athletics. As the commission begins its work, all eyes will be on these two. College athletics will see how, or even if, they can properly steer the future of college athletics in a direction that works for all.

Main Image: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News

There’s a better-than-decent chance the preseason AP Top 25’s release will represent a shift in the college football landscape. The last decade has seen only four teams — Ohio State (1), Alabama (5), Clemson (2), Georgia (2) — hold the distinction of preseason No. 1. That’s likely to change in a few months. 

Texas is the favorite to start in the top spot. It did so in 247Sports’ post-spring Top 25. CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello has Ohio State at No. 1 in his post-spring top 25. Penn State could find itself ranked No. 1 like it did in Joel Klatt’s post-spring Top 25.

LSU, Oregon, and Notre Dame at least belong in the conversation. Clemson, which hasn’t really been part of the national title discussion since the advent of NIL, got my vote for preseason No. 1 in 247Sports’ too-early Top 25 voting.

There’s a fluidity among the 2025 projected contenders we haven’t seen in the last decade. Obviously, Ohio State, Georgia and Alabama haven’t gone away. But it no longer feels obvious that one of those recruiting juggernauts — they’ve made up the top three of the 247Sports Team Talent Composite rankings for seven straight years — is destined to win the national championship.

There’s a new era of parity in college football … sort of.  

Parity to a degree

Yes, NIL and the transfer portal have closed the gap in college football. But it also depends on what gap you’re talking about. In the end, high school recruiting remains the ultimate separator.

Have portal boons led to leaps in talent level for teams like Arizona State or Texas Tech? Absolutely. But there’s a reason why every national champion since 2013 reached Bud Elliott’s Blue Chip Ratio (in which 50% of its roster made up of four-star recruits or better). There’s a baseline of talent required to win in college football, especially in an era where teams must win three or four playoff games to earn a national title. Last year, Arizona State came within an eyelash of upsetting Texas, but the Sun Devils still had Ohio State and Notre Dame between them and a national title.

But it’s worth noting the difference between Georgia at No. 2 in the 2024 Team Talent Composite and say, Penn State at No. 11, is smaller than it’s ever been. That’s not because of the number of five-stars on each roster. Georgia is still more top heavy. Instead, it’s about depth. 

Blue Chip Ratio for 2024 season

Take Texas, for example.

The Longhorns — which came in at No. 4 in the 2024 Team Talent Composite — had two defensive tackles drafted on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft. No problem, right? Just plug and go thanks to your recruiting wins. 

Not so fast. 

Seven DTs played 10-plus snaps behind that drafted pair for Texas last season. Two graduated. Four entered the transfer portal.

That’s how you get to a place where Texas, after four straight top-six recruiting classes, must sign FIVE defensive tackles in the portal. 

You can see examples like that across all the top rosters. Georgia lost the No. 3 player in the portal, Damon Wilson, to Missouri. Alabama lost its starting right tackle Elijah Pritchett to Nebraska. Clemson lost part-time starting DT Tre Williams to Michigan.

The top programs still have more talent than anyone, but other teams spend big to upgrade their rosters through the transfer portal. That makes keeping

depth pieces happy more difficult than it was a decade ago — when Nick Saban could basically stash a high-profile recruit for two or three years before they emerged as fully formed monsters. In this era, those players transfer after a season or two to get on the field. 

So, yes, there’s a still a gap in talent between Georgia and Penn State. But it’s a lot smaller than it was five years ago.

Legit roster questions for the usual favorites

Let’s run through the usual list of favorites — all of which ranked in the top five of the 2024 Team Talent Composite — and poke some holes in their 2025 chances.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes will either start Julian Sayin (12 career pass attempts) or Lincoln Kienholz (22 career pass attempts) at quarterback. They’re replacing two first-round picks on the offensive line, two Day 2 picks at running back and eight draft picks on defense. I haven’t even mentioned the loss of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. That’s a lot!

Georgia: Gunner Stockton solidified the starting QB role for Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. But it’s worth noting the Bulldogs were hunting transfer portal quarterbacks before that performance. He’s got a lot to prove. So do his receivers in a reworked room that suffered from drop issues a season ago.

Georgia faces questions along its defensive front after losing four starters to the NFL. The Bulldogs also produced their worst pass defense since 2020 last season and lost starting safeties Malaki Starks and Dan Jackson to the draft.

Alabama: We all watched the Vanderbilt and Georgia games from last season. Alabama, despite returning the 35th most production in the FBS, has a ton to prove next season in Year 2 under Kalen DeBoer.

Texas: Yep, the Longhorns belong here after two straight trips to the CFB semifinals. But Arch Manning, despite all the hype, has only really played significant snaps against UTSA, ULM and Mississippi State. His receivers are unproven. Both Texas’ offensive tackles got drafted. The defensive tackle room — the source of Texas’ defensive dominance the last two years — is completely reworked.

Will those teams be fine? Probably! I’d be shocked if any won fewer than nine or 10 games. But their rosters present enough questions to ponder some teams outside the usual suspects. 

The other options

Penn State: NIL usually is mentioned with roster acquisitions: “Who can my favorite team go out and buy in the portal?” But Michigan and Ohio State have shown retention is the key over the past two seasons. Not necessarily retention with portal, though that’s important. Instead, retention with the NFL Draft.

Both Michigan and Ohio State convinced critical starters to return to school, largely because the NIL dollars they received were comparable to what they could have earned in the pros. This year Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen and defensive lineman Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant all passed on the draft.

Thus, Penn State has the 33rd-most returning production in college football coming off a season where they were a few snaps away from a national title berth. Throw in a few key acquisitions in the portal, particularly at wide receiver, and the Nittany LIons are in the best position they has ever been under James Franklin.

Clemson: The latest CBS Sports mock draft has two Clemson players going in the top 10 next year, and other outlets have as many as six Tigers going in the first round. That shows the level of talent in Death Valley for a program brings back the most production of any team in the FBS. Throw in a few key portal additions — Dabo Swinney’s first ever non-walk-on-QB transfer takes — and the Tigers have the most proven roster in college football, including the potential No.1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in Cade Klubnik. 

Again, I have Clemson right now as the best team in college football and believe the Tigers are a strong favorite to win the ACC. Clemson being +1400 to win the national championship is tasty. There’s great value there. The Tigers are also +145 to win the ACC, per FanDuel Sportsbook. 

LSU: There’s an argument that Garrett Nussmeier is the top returning quarterback in college football this season. Add his presence to the No. 1 transfer portal class in the country, and the Tigers have filled almost every roster hole you can think of this offseason. If a re-armed defense can take a step forward, Brian Kelly will have a playoff team (and maybe much more) in Year 4. 

Meanwhile, Oregon and Notre Dame both also profile as contenders once again if their new QBs pan out the way the recruiting industry expects them to. That’s nine legit contenders entering 2025, and that’s not even counting teams like Auburn, Florida, Miami, Michigan and Texas A&M that all have an outside chance to force their way into the conversation if things break right. 

The run up to the preseason feels different for a reason. For the first time in a decade, more than just a handful of teams profile as contenders. It’s not true parity. It’s still very difficult to imagine a team outside the top 20 of the Team Talent Composite winning a national title. But for a sport so long occupied by just a handful of programs, the door finally feels like it’s cracked open for a few more.