NIL

Blue Raiders defeated by Aggies

Next Game: at New Mexico State 4/27/2025 | 12 PM Apr. 27 (Sun) / 12 PM at New Mexico State History LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Middle Tennessee softball fell to New Mexico State, 5-2, on Saturday, April 26, in game two of the series. The Blue Raiders (23-26, 10-13) battled […]

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1 month ago

April 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Middle Tennessee softball fell to New Mexico State, 5-2, on Saturday, April 26, in game two of the series.

The Blue Raiders (23-26, 10-13) battled hard against the Aggies (24-24, 11-12) but ultimately couldn’t complete a late rally. NM State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a two-out fielding error by the Blue Raiders.

In the first at-bat of the following inning, Jana Want tied the game with an opposite-field home run to right — her 10th of the season. The Aggies responded by scoring one run in the bottom half of the inning to retake a one-run lead.

In the top of the fifth, Lilly Pendergrast crushed her third home run of the season to deep left field, evening the game at 2-2. However, the scoring stopped there for the Blue Raiders, and NM State added three more runs over the next two innings to secure a 5-2 win.

By the Numbers

3: Freshman Jana Want reached base in all three of her plate appearances.

2: Mary Martinez struck out two batters in 1.1 innings pitched.

Up next
The Blue Raiders will take on the Aggies in the series finale tomorrow at 12:00 pm CT. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and live stats will be available at Stat Broadcast.

FOLLOW THE BLUE RAIDERS

Follow Middle Tennessee Softball on social media on Facebook (Blue Raider Softball), Twitter (MT_Softball) and Instagram (@mt_softball).

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NIL

Can Collective Bargaining Save College Football From Itself in the NIL Era?

The House v. NCAA settlement has the state of college sports in a standstill as schools try to prepare for a murky future of paying players directly for NIL. With the college football season beginning just months after the expected July 1 date, it’s been a chaotic nightmare of an offseason. There’s not even a […]

Published

2 minutes ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The House v. NCAA settlement has the state of college sports in a standstill as schools try to prepare for a murky future of paying players directly for NIL.

With the college football season beginning just months after the expected July 1 date, it’s been a chaotic nightmare of an offseason.

There’s not even a guarantee the settlement will be approved.

The worst part is that the players at the center of the issue weren’t consulted and don’t know what the future holds.

In the absence of that voice, the need for collective bargaining and a players union grows more critical by the day.

Jim Cavale, founder of the players association for college athletes, Athletes.org, spoke exclusively with NIL Daily On SI about the need for a sustainable solution in the form of collective bargaining.

Name, image, and likeness entered college sports as the result of a pivotal lawsuit filed by former UCLA Bruins basketball player Ed O’Bannon.

College sports have since been shaped by litigation, and is that truly the path it should continue to follow? Cavale doesn’t believe so.

“The only sustainable solution for college athletics to have rules that can be enforced without litigation is collective bargaining,” Cavale explained.

Before launching Athletes.org with former NFL player Brandon Copeland, Cavale founded INFLCR in 2017, which helped support athletes on social media to build their brand.

They were acquired by Teamworks, and Cavale stayed on as CEO as they built payment and reporting software for clients once NIL began.

Cavale observed that within the more than $300 million in transactions, most of the funds originated from donors who funneled money through collectives, essentially creating a pay-for-play model.

As court cases continued to be filed against the NCAA, Cavale saw the problems in an unstructured environment operating under the guise of NIL when it was really pay-for-play and sought to found Athletes.org.

To date, there are a record 4,700 members in the players association, making it the largest in America. Their focus has been on Power Four football and basketball, of which there are 2,300.

That’s where Cavale anticipates collective bargaining taking center stage first, but the reason he expects that is because of foreseen issues with an incomplete solution in the House settlement.

“We need a set of rules that can be enforced without litigation. We need them in all realms: transfer portal, free agency, compensation, health and safety, et cetera. The only way to do that is through collective bargaining.”

Collective bargaining would also give athletes a voice in this process they really haven’t been included in, despite the plaintiffs representing less than 0.1% of all athletes, all of whom are members of the players association.

“Unfortunately, not only has the greater group of college athletes that are going to be impacted [by House] not been included in that negotiation, but no athletes have been educated on anything pertaining to the settlement,” Cavale said. “The schools have said, We’re going to tell our athletes how it’s all going to work once it gets approved. There are tens of thousands of college athletes that are trying to piece together what this new reality is going to look like through media reports, not direct education from their schools.”

Cavale also pointed out that the compensation provided by schools does not truly qualify as NIL deals. These agreements are a form of pay-for-play. However, the contracts will pertain to NIL publicity rights.

Athletes may sign deals that limit their ability to use their likeness for outside endorsement deals because they’re disguised from their true purposes: their performance on the field.

“Leave real NIL endorsement opportunities open to those athletes, should they have the value, to go command those deals,” Cavale said. “Instead of trying to disguise these deals in a way where you now own their rights to do endorsements or can block them from doing certain endorsements because those brands might conflict with the brand sponsors of your school. That’s going to be a mess. There’s a real crux with how these contracts are being structured that will create a flurry of lawsuits.”

That void in education has created an opportunity for Cavale and his team, as their app educates their members on the topics of roster limits, how money will be dispersed, and why football is commanding a higher amount of $20 million.

The athletes also benefit from pro bono partnerships with law firms, accounting firms, mental health, and more as part of the free membership. Ultimately, they just want to know what the settlement means.

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NIL

USC Trojans 5-Star Commit Mark Bowman Rumored To Make $10M In NIL Deal

The USC Trojans landed a major recruiting victory with the commitment of five-star tight end Mark Bowman, a Mater Dei standout and the No. 1 player at his position in the 2026 class. Bowman’s decision to join the Trojans not only strengthens USC’s grip on the top recruiting class in the country, but it also […]

Published

18 minutes ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Lincoln Riley. — Dec 27, 2023; San Diego, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the second half against the Louisville Cardinals during the Holiday Bowl at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC Trojans tight end Lake McRee (87) runs the ball against Utah State Aggies cornerback D.J. Graham II (4) — Dec 27, 2023; San Diego, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the second half against the Louisville Cardinals during the Holiday Bowl at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Rep. Brendan Boyle Says B1G, SEC Are Rigging the College Football Playoff

On this edition of the PoliticsPA podcast, Voices of Reason, host Steve Ulrich talks with Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-02) about the changing landscape of college sports. From NIL policies and Title IX to the growing influence of major conferences, Boyle shares his concerns about fairness, the impact on Pennsylvania schools, and why this issue is […]

Published

56 minutes ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

On this edition of the PoliticsPA podcast, Voices of Reason, host Steve Ulrich talks with Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-02) about the changing landscape of college sports.

From NIL policies and Title IX to the growing influence of major conferences, Boyle shares his concerns about fairness, the impact on Pennsylvania schools, and why this issue is gaining attention in Congress.

We talk about the CFP (College Football Playoff), NIL (Name, Image and Likeness), SEC (Southeastern Conference), the B1G (Big Ten Conference) and the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association).

We did not forget about politics, as we delved into the Trump Administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” and its impact on Pennsylvania.

A timely and informative discussion you won’t want to miss. “Voices of Reason” is the antidote to a political environment too often mired in animosity and hidden agendas. This podcast cultivates intelligent discussions that give way to real-world solutions even when guests don’t share the same perspectives. The key: everyone gets a fair shake. Visit www.politicspa.com for news and updates.

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NIL

Wisconsin Badgers will get chance to avenge NCAA tournament loss with added rematch

The Wisconsin Badgers’ NCAA tournament run last season ended earlier than fans wanted or expected. Greg Gard will get a chance to avenge that loss with a rematch added to the schedule for 2025-26. The program announced Tuesday that Wisconsin will face BYU in a non-conference matchup on Nov. 21. The game will be played […]

Published

57 minutes ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Wisconsin Badgers’ NCAA tournament run last season ended earlier than fans wanted or expected.

Greg Gard will get a chance to avenge that loss with a rematch added to the schedule for 2025-26.

The program announced Tuesday that Wisconsin will face BYU in a non-conference matchup on Nov. 21.

The game will be played at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, the home arena for the Utah Jazz.

The Badgers lost to the Cougars when they played in the Round of 32 last march, falling two points short in a valiant comeback effort 91-89.

John Tonje set a school record for points in an NCAA tournament game that night with 37, but the team trailed by double-digits for much of the contest.

Tonje won’t be there to avenge the loss, but John Blackwell should still have the bad taste in his mouth from defeat when he gets his second shot at it in November.

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Steve Spurrier describes Florida’s baseball season as ‘above average’

Saturday brought a close to the 2025 baseball season for Florida, even if some off-field headlines have dominated since then. East Carolina was the one to eliminate the Gators before Coastal Carolina took the honors of advancing out of the Conway Regional and into the Super Regionals. While the end result was not what everyone […]

Published

1 hour ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Saturday brought a close to the 2025 baseball season for Florida, even if some off-field headlines have dominated since then. East Carolina was the one to eliminate the Gators before Coastal Carolina took the honors of advancing out of the Conway Regional and into the Super Regionals.

While the end result was not what everyone in Gainesville wanted, Steve Spurrier still gave Florida a thumbs up on the season. Especially considering how SEC play began, the Ol’ Ball Coach gave the Gators credit for responding well and getting into the NCAA Tournament.

“To start off 1-11 in conference play and come back and make a run through the tournament,” Spurrier said via Another Dooley Noted Podcast. “It was an above-average year. I know Coach Sully (Kevin O’Sullivan) would say it’s not a great year, by any means. But it was above average.”

Six of the final SEC series resulted in wins for Florida, including a pair of sweeps against Missouri and South Carolina. The Tigers coming to Condron Family Park is what got the run started, as Florida went 14-4 against conference foes down the stretch. Just enough to put them into position for the NCAA Tournament.

Getting a win in Hoover, even if it was against South Carolina, certainly helped. Florida heard its name called when the full bracket was released on Monday, extending the postseason streak to 17 years.

However, results were not the same once in the field. The previous two years for O’Sullivan have produced runs to Omaha for the College World Series. Florida was even runner-up back in 2023, falling in the championship series to the LSU Tigers.

East Carolina was able to take Florida down twice this go-round. Once in the opening game and again in an elimination game on Saturday. Fairfield is the lone win the Gators could scrap together, earning a massive 17-2 win.

Spurrier describing the season as “above average” might speak to where the program, as a whole, is at the moment. Florida expects a lot of success and wants to get back to dogpiling soon. One national championship came back in 2017 and everyone wants another shot at college baseball’s crown.

This was not the season Florida would achieve that goal. O’Sullivan will get another opportunity in 2026, hoping to put together another great team. Hopefully, the overall assessment from Spurrier is a little more positive this time next year.

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Kentucky debuts in Top 35 of ESPN’s Football Power Index Rankings

ESPN revealed its first Football Power Index rankings for the 2025 season this morning, and I’m sad to report that your University of Kentucky Wildcats are not in the Top 25; however, they’re not too far outside of it. Kentucky is No. 34 in the debut rankings, one of just three SEC teams outside the […]

Published

1 hour ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The SEC may have taken a tiny step back last season, but the FPI forecasts a season in which it just means more. The top three teams are all from the SEC, led by Texas (No. 1), Georgia (No. 2), and Alabama (No. 3). The Cats host the Longhorns on October 18 and travel to Athens to play the Bulldogs two weeks prior on October 4. Nine SEC teams are in the top 15 and 13 in the top 25.

Even though Louisville beat up Kentucky to end the 2024 season, the Cards are No. 41 in the FPI, seven spots behind the Cats. Toledo, which opens the season at Kroger Field on August 30, is No. 73, and Eastern Michigan is No. 124. Tennessee Tech plays in the FCS, so they weren’t included in the rankings.

1. Texas – Oct. 18, home
2. Georgia – Oct. 4, away
3. Alabama
8. Texas A&M
10. Tennessee – Oct. 25, home
12. LSU
13. Ole Miss – Sep. 6, home
14. Auburn – Nov. 1, away
15. South Carolina – Sep. 27, away
16. Oklahoma
18. Florida – Nov. 8, home
22. Arkansas
23. Missouri
34. Kentucky
52. Mississippi State
56. Vanderbilt – Nov. 22, away

Other Kentucky opponents:

41. Louisville – Nov. 29, away
73. Toledo – Aug. 30, home
124. Eastern Michigan – Sep. 13, home

Kentucky has the 7th hardest schedule in the country

The FPI projects Kentucky’s record to be 5.6-6.4. Of course, that isn’t actually possible, but the fancy computer model gives the Cats a 50.7% chance of getting six wins. Kentucky will have to do it against one of the toughest schedules in the country. The FPI ranks Kentucky’s schedule as the seventh hardest in the FBS. Not surprisingly, all of the teams ranked ahead of Kentucky are also from the SEC: Florida, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi State.

The FPI is higher on Kentucky than another computer model, Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings. Kentucky is No. 43 in the SP+ rankings, with the Cats’ offense coming in at No. 79, the defense No. 31, and the special teams No. 14. Like the FPI, only two SEC teams rank lower than Kentucky in the SP+: Vanderbilt (No. 55) and Mississippi State (No. 71). The SP+ also ranks Kentucky’s schedule as one of the toughest in the country, No. 8 in the SOS rankings.

Only 88 days until the season opener vs. Toledo.

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