Heading into 2025, the Texas Tech Red Raiders have a lot to look forward to. Joey McGuire has assembled an incredibly interesting roster that is loaded with talent and he’s brought in a couple of fascinating coordinators to help round out a really solid coaching staff.

As Texas Tech looks to make its mark in the Big 12 this season, the Red Raiders will need to take on a number of conference opponents who could create headaches for McGuire and his Texas Tech football team.

But what is Texas Tech’s most important game in 2025? Well, if you ask CBS Sport’s Will Backus, that’d be the mid October matchup with the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Texas Tech’s October 18 meeting with Arizona State could be one of the most important games in the Big 12 in 2025

While I don’t totally know if I’m convinced of this assertion of this game being the most “important” game for the Red Raiders in 2025, there are certainly more than a few aspects of this game that will be interesting to keep up with. As Backus notes, and as plenty of others are going to point out, Arizona State won the Big 12 this past season.

The Sun Devils were great and a fun team to keep up with. Kenny Dillingham really overhauled that roster in a hurry and implemented a thrilling offense that put up points left and right all the way to a Big 12 title and an appearance in the College Football Playoffs.

But, it’s important to remember that before Arizona State hit that hot streak to claim the conference crown, the Sun Devils lost to the Red Raiders last September. And there will certainly be a storyline there to keep up with.

So, if you take the fact that Arizona State won the conference last year, the Red Raiders beat the Sun Devils in 2024, add in the fact that TTU and McGuire are in a prove it year following some massive roster investments and you get a game that could be pretty dang noteworthy on October 18.

This could be among the most important games in the Big 12 this season, especially as we find out just how good Arizona State will be this season following last year’s stunning (and definitely unexpected) success.

Interestingly enough, Backus doesn’t list Tech as Arizona State’s most important game. Instead, he gives that title to Iowa State.

Name: Kellen Collier
Position: Defensive Tackle
College: Black Hills State University
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 280 lbs
Twitter: @kellen_collier
Instagram: @Kellen_collier99

What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2026 NFL Draft?

My speed and relentless motor set me apart. I play with high intensity and effort from snap to whistle, and I take pride in outlasting my opponent every play.

What is one thing that NFL teams should know about you?

I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get 1% better every day. Over time, those small gains add up—something I believe many players overlook. That’s what separates me from the rest.

If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be?

I would donate to support amputees. My mother is a double amputee, so it’s a cause that hits close to home and means a lot to me.

Who was your role model?

My father.

Who is your favorite NFL team?

I’m a Packers fan—Go Pack Go! Born and raised a cheesehead.

Who is the most underrated teammate at your school?

Cooper Brown. That’s my guy—he’s a dog on the field and doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Wasted talent and lack of discipline. There’s no excuse for not giving your all.

Who is your favorite teacher ever?

Mr. Wankier, my 5th grade teacher. He truly changed my mindset and played a big role in shaping who I am today.

Overcoming adversity is what defines character. What was the hardest moment in your life to overcome?

My freshman year, I had full knee reconstruction surgery. The recovery process—late nights in the gym, constant physical therapy—tested me mentally and physically. But it also showed how far I’m willing to go for the game I love.

If you could have any franchise restaurant in your house, what would it be?

Mo’ Bettahs—my usos know!

What is your favorite snack food?

Beef jerky.

What is your degree in?

Pre-med.

If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

• Kobe Bryant – His mindset was on another level, and I strive to model that same Mamba Mentality.
• Kurt Warner – I admire how he overcame adversity and made a huge impact in the NFL.
• Jon Jones – He’s been dominant in his craft for so long. I’d love to pick his brain about staying on top and maintaining a strong mindset through personal challenges.

What is your biggest weakness?

A perfectly cooked medium-rare steak with potatoes and mac and cheese—hard to say no to that!

NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com

Gatorade announced that Dan Klink of Loyola Blakefield School is the 2025 National Gatorade Player of the Year for boys soccer. The award’s selection committee chose him based on three pillars: athletic excellence, academic achievement, and exemplary character.

The 6-foot-3 midfielder won his second Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year Award after scoring 17 goals and making eight assists. His contributions were essential to the Dons finishing the season with a 17-2-2 record and winning their second consecutive Maryland Independent Athletic Association A Conference tournament championship.

Mount St. Joseph High School head coach Mike St. Martin praised Klink’s game by saying, “Dan has good size, a good work rate, is good with his feet, and good in the air. He’s the total package.”

In addition to the championship, Klink won his second Maryland Association of Coaches of Soccer State Player of the Year and the United Soccer Coaches National High School Player of the Year. He continued his excellence in soccer while maintaining a 3.89 weighted GPA.

Klink is also the founder and president of Loyola Blakefield’s Sports Analytics Clubs. Likewise, he volunteered his time with the Francis X. Gallagher Service and Beans and Bread. He also attends church, where he facilitates community service initiatives through his youth group.

Klink joins the likes of Ben Bender and Ransford Gyan as winners of the National Gatorade Player of the Year award for boys’ soccer. Each year, they recognize one winner from the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 12 high school sports. From those state winners, they select a national winner based on the Selection Committee, composed of scouts, media members, and coaches.

Dan Klink will also get a grant that he can donate to a social impact partner he identified. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has donated over $5.6 million in grants to over 2,000 organizations.

Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge scored second-half goals and Joe Willis posted his fifth clean sheet of the season as Nashville SC blanked the Chicago Fire 2-0 on Saturday night.

Neither team scored until Mukhtar took a pass from substitute defender Andy Najor and found the net in the 56th minute. It was Mukhtar’s eighth goal of the campaign.

Surridge gave Nashville a two-goal lead in the 75th minute with his 12th netter of the season — matching his career high set last year. Surridge trails the Philadelphia Union’s Tai Baribo by a goal in the race for the Golden Boot Award.

Najor and Mukhtar had assists. Najor has made 151 career appearances with all seven of his assists coming this season. Mukhtar’s helper was his seventh this season — three off his career high set last year.

Willis finished with eight saves for Nashville (9-4-5) in his 72nd shutout over 278 career starts.

Jeffrey Gal totaled one save for the Fire (7-6-4) in his second career start.

Nashville improves to 3-3-2 on the road this season in climbing to third place in the Eastern Conference.

Chicago is 6-4-0 on the road this season and 1-2-4 at home.

Both clubs return to action on June 25 when the Fire host the Philadelphia Union and Nashville travels to play the New England Revolution.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

The game of college basketball has been favorited by fans for plenty of decades now. From the atmosphere and competition to all the components that make it what it is today. However, the NCAA is trying to change it. Besides speculation about expanding the 64-team format, which arguably creates the most incredible postseason event in all of sports, there are discussions about changing the game from teams playing halves to quarters, similar to the NBA.

College Basketball Report shared on X (formerly Twitter) on the matter:

What are the chances this idea goes through? Who knows, really?

Personally, I believe that the college game is perfect as it stands. Why change something that has been working so well for so long? What’s the idea? Who truly wants to have quarters instead of halves? The audience members should be taken into account when decisions like this are surfacing.

If there are quarters, there will be more stoppage time and less fluidity in the pace of the game. Rather than two 20-minute halves, there may be four 10-minute quarters. Don’t forget that fouls delay the game’s rhythm, too. College games may end up feeling longer than ever, even though watching them typically lasts two hours (assuming overtime does not occur).

Whether the format of the game changes is entirely up to the NCAA, but its fans are probably not going to enjoy a different kind of college basketball. There’s a reason viewership for big games is high, and part of that are the two halves implemented into the product’s structure.

North Carolina has a hefty non-conference schedule next season, playing Michigan State in the Fort Myers Tip-Off, Kentucky on the road in Rupp Arena for the SEC-ACC challenge, Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic, and, of course, Duke inside the Dean Dome and Durham. Just imagine if those games had quarters.