NIL
Diego Pavia Heisman Trophy Quest Set Up by Historic Legal Victory
It’s safe to say that Vanderbilt quarterback and former JUCO transfer Diego Pavia is one of the most consequential college football players of the modern era.
The 24-year-old has led the 10th-ranked Commodores to a 6-1 record, including wins over SEC rivals South Carolina and LSU; the team is readying to play No. 15 Missouri on Saturday; and ESPN’s College GameDay is heading to Nashville for the game. Pavia is also a leading candidate for the 2026 Heisman Trophy, with stats that seem out of a video game: a 165.2 QB rating, with 15 touchdown passes against four interceptions, along with four rushing TDs.
Meanwhile, Pavia is litigating—and thus far, winning—an antitrust case to remain eligible past his NCAA eligibility limit.
“Without hyperbole, we’ve changed the course of Diego Pavia’s life and the trajectory of Vanderbilt football,” said Pavia’s attorney, Ryan Downton of the Texas Law Group.
Pavia v. NCAA could lead to broader trajectory changes for college athletes, including having relatively older and more experienced players remain as graduate student athletes while earning, in some cases, millions of dollars a year through NIL.
Now in his sixth season of college football, Pavia has challenged the NCAA’s policy of limiting eligibility to four seasons of intercollegiate competition, including JUCO and D-II play, within a five-year period. He played his first two seasons at JUCO New Mexico Military Institute and the last four at New Mexico State and Vanderbilt.
Last December, U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell Jr. granted Pavia a preliminary injunction to play this fall. Shortly thereafter, the NCAA granted Pavia and similarly situated athletes a one-time waiver for the 2025-26 academic year. Pavia’s success has sparked dozens of lawsuits across the country by similarly seasoned athletes who want to keep competing in college. These cases have come to be known as “Pavia lawsuits.”
The gist of Pavia’s legal case is that, like other D-I football players, he is part of a labor market that sells its football services to schools. A cap on how long he and others like him can play harms that market. Antitrust law applies, because the rules are not collectively bargained with a union, and the NCAA—including its member institutions—enjoys monopoly control over the labor market. That means when there is a cap on how long a college athlete can play, develop skills and earn money, that cap could be construed as price-fixing.
Although college football players aren’t (yet) recognized as employees, and although they’re full-time students, they share commercial attributes with NFL players. College football players can sign NIL deals that, like endorsement deals for pro athletes, are supposed to reflect the commercial use of marketable attributes. They can also share in revenue through the House settlement, with colleges (similar to NFL teams) directly paying the players.
Some college football players have good reasons to remain eligible for as long as possible. Pavia is a good example—he is reportedly earning millions of dollars a year as a college star playing for a power conference school, and he recently said he turned down offers of as much as $4.5 million to transfer. Pavia stands 6-feet even, not tall for an NFL quarterback, who average around 6-foot-3. It’s not irrational to conclude that Pavia could earn more in college than in the NFL, or that he could remain a dominant—and highly marketable—power conference quarterback for years to come.
The NCAA has raised several arguments against Pavia. One is that antitrust law should not apply, since antitrust law concerns commercial restraints, whereas eligibility rules arguably concern a non-commercial matter: how long a college student can play a sport. Another defense argument is that, even if antitrust law applies, the five-year rule is reasonable. It is based on the idea that a college athlete should play about as long as a typical college student remains at a school. That framework, the NCAA has insisted, ensures roster spots turn over to incoming freshmen or transfers, and helps to distinguish college sports from pro sports. Campbell wasn’t persuaded by these arguments, and, on account of mootness, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently refused to disturb Campbell’s decision.
If Pavia wins the Heisman Trophy in December, he wouldn’t be the oldest player to do so. That would be Chris Weinke, whose name has appeared in Pavia v. NCAA court filings and who won the Heisman Trophy in 2000 at age 28. (Weinke joined Florida State after a six-year pro baseball career.)
Interestingly, the NCAA now allows former G League players—who are unionized employees—to play men’s college basketball. It stands to reason that other former pros in different sports with remaining eligibility might pursue the same goal, especially with the appeal of NIL deals and House revenue-sharing money. The line between college sports—at least at the power conference level—and pro sports appears to be fraying and, thus far, hasn’t deterred college fans from following their favorite teams.
Pavia would need another injunction to play for the Commodores, or for another Division I team, in 2026. Especially with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit siding with the NCAA in a similar case brought by Wisconsin cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean, Pavia’s case could eventually generate a “circuit split”—that is, a situation in which federal circuit courts reach conflicting conclusions of law about the same issue. Such a split can attract the interest of the U.S. Supreme Court. Absent SCOTUS intervention, similarly situated litigants in different federal circuits would effectively have different rights. Alternatively, Pavia could declare for the 2026 NFL draft.
Downton, Pavia’s attorney, met Pavia at the Vanderbilt-Texas game last November, which he says set off the chain of events. “If we didn’t have breakfast Sunday morning, the lawsuit would never have been filed in time for Diego to play this season. If he doesn’t play, Vanderbilt isn’t in the Top 10, and Diego doesn’t have a chance to win the Heisman.”
Whatever happens next, Downton is grateful for the opportunity to seek justice for his client. “Diego’s case has been a reminder to me that God has a plan,” the attorney said, “and you can’t always see it until you look in the rearview mirror.”
NIL
Adam Breneman Highlights Why College Football Will Fail Under Greg Sankey’s Leadership Amid Transfer Portal, NIL Issues
Former Penn State tight end Adam Breneman, on the Will Ventures podcast, revealed his true feelings on the current landscape of college football and the implications of the decisions made by some leaders in the game.
Breneman, on his podcast appearance, highlighted how no one’s actually in charge of college football, whilst also strongly advocating for a college football commissioner.
“No one’s actually in charge of college football. We need a college football commissioner”, Breneman stated on the podcast.
Despite college football not having a designated commissioner, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is one of the most powerful college football figures and is often touted to be in charge of college football as a whole.
Breneman further revealed that Sankey is also in charge of other sports like golf, diving, lacrosse, and men’s & women’s basketball, stating that college football needs a commissioner who will make decisions for the betterment of college football, implying that it’s tough to do that while you have other things on your plate.
“Greg Sankey is also in charge of golf and swimming and diving and men’s basketball and women’s basketball and lacrosse has to make the best decisions for those sports as well. No one’s actually in charge of college football”, Breneman highlighted.
“We need a college football commissioner who actually is in charge of college football and can make decisions for college football because what’s best for college football is not what’s best for men’s basketball”, he further elaborated.
The former ASU tight end coach’s comments come on the backdrop of college football going through a turbulent period as far as player transfers, NIL issues, and the overall backlash the playoff committee is facing as far as the selection of the 2025 playoff teams is concerned.
Greg Sankey Pushes for Expansion to a 16-Team College Football Playoff
Sankey recently appeared on The Rich Eisen Show this December, emphasizing the need to adopt a 16-team playoff format, potentially moving away from the current 12-team format, while also keeping in mind other conferences and their playoff qualification, which was a point of contention amongst analysts and fans alike.
Meanwhile, the college football portal, which is set to officially open in January 2026, has already seen a record number of entries, with the likes of star QBs like DJ Lagway and Dylan Raiola entering, potentially fueled by NIL incentives.
Read More:
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
USC defensive tackle Devan Thompkins, a 6-5, 290-pound veteran who started 12 games in 2025, announced his intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal on December 17.
Thompkins finished the 2025 season with 31 combined tackles (18 solo), three sacks, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble; across three seasons at USC, he compiled 56 total tackles (32 solo), 4.5 sacks, and five pass breakups.
Those figures made him one of the more productive interior linemen on a unit that struggled at times but improved to finish ranked and bowl-eligible.
USC closed the 2025 regular season 9–3 (7–2 Big Ten) and will face TCU in the Valero Alamo Bowl on December 30, a season that left the program ranked inside the top 25 (No. 16) but short of College Football Playoff contention.
The Trojans’ record and bowl bid reflect progress under head coach Lincoln Riley while also exposing lingering gaps across the roster.
Those gaps have since been amplified, as Thompkins’ departure brings USC’s total number of players set to test the transfer market to 15.
The list of known departures is sizable and spread across position groups.
According to 247Sports, the 15 players who have announced portal entries include: WR DJ Jordan, RB Bryan Jackson, CB Braylon Conley, DE Gus Cordova, OL Makai Saina, S Steve Miller, LB Matai Tagoa‘i, DL Carlon Jones, S Anthony Beavers Jr., OL Micah Banuelos, LB Garrison Madden, RB Harry Dalton, WR Prince Strachan, TE Walker Lyons, and Thompkins.
That grouping hits starters across the trenches, secondary, and skill positions — areas that will require immediate replacements via the portal, incoming freshmen, and retained depth.
After a successful five-year run at Oklahoma from 2017 to 2021, Riley took over as USC’s head coach in November 2021 and has delivered steady results built on quarterback development, high-powered offenses, and aggressive recruiting, highlighted by USC securing the No. 1-ranked 2026 recruiting class.
The current exodus provides the latest test for Riley as USC works to build toward a stronger Big Ten finish in 2026.
Read More at College Football HQ
- College Football Playoff team has ‘significant interest’ in 4,000-yard QB
- College football quarterback enters transfer portal after 4,000-yard season
- No. 1 ranked transfer portal player predicted to join College Football Playoff team
- SEC program listed as highest-valued college football team with $1.4 billion valuation
Texas Tech Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire spoke to the media ahead of the Orange Bowl against the Oregon Ducks, and McGuire was quite complimentary of Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks program. Much has been made about Texas Tech’s increased spending in the name, image, and likeness (NIL) era of college football, and similarities between the Red Raiders and the Ducks have come up ahead of their College Football Playoff matchup.
Powered in part by Nike co-founder and philanthropist Phil Knight, Oregon’s rise in the college football world has been a unique one. On the other hand, Texas Tech’s NIL collective is led by billionaire booster Cody Campbell, whose investment into the Red Raiders program has helped the team climb up the ranks.
What Joey McGuire Said About Oregon and Texas Tech
McGuire was asked to compare Oregon’s rise to Texas Tech’s, and the Red Raiders coach gave a thoughtful answer:
“First, they’ve done a good job of hiring coaches, and Dan (Lanning) was a slam dunk. Second, you know, they made it cool to be an Oregon Duck,” McGuire said. “I mean, they’ve got every uniform known to man, and players love that. So I think we’re really fortunate with Adidas, our partnership with Adidas and Patrick Mahomes, that we’re doing the same thing. We’ve got some some great looks.”
“And then, they have a great booster in Phil Knight that really said, ‘Hey, we’re going to go win at the highest level, and there’s no excuses whenever it comes to finance.’ You know, you turn around, and I think that we’ve shown that we’re doing that, and I think we’re really comparable,” McGuire continued.
“We’ve got guys that have really stepped up and done a great job. I kind of call them the big five whenever you talk about Cody and John and Mike, Dusty, and Gary. I mean, those guys have, along with everybody else in Red Raider Nation, but those guys really led the charge. And so whenever you’re talking, we’re kind of comparable on and off the field in this team. They’ve just done it for a little bit longer and that’s what we’re trying to do,” McGuire continued.
Oregon Ducks’ Sustained Success
As mentioned by McGuire, Oregon has been on the cutting edge of college football uniforms as well as facilities, thanks in part to the program’s relationship with Knight and Nike. In the NIL era, fans often mistake how often Nike is involved in recruiting other than the brand power that Oregon has. Still, Ducks quarterback Dante Moore and wide receiver Dakorien Moore have NIL deals with Nike.
MORE: Oregon Ducks vs. Texas Tech Playoff Betting Odds Make A Clear Statement
MORE: Oregon Loses Two More Players to Transfer Portal Amid College Football Playoff Run
MORE: Dan Lanning’s Frustration Could Ignite Oregon vs. Texas Tech
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE!
Under the leadership of Oregon coach Dan Lanning, Oregon has had success on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal, bringing in top prospects like Moore and Moore. Other contributors on the Ducks’ current roster came through the portal, including safety Dillon Thieneman, defensive lineman Bear Alexander, and offensive linemen Alex Harkey, Emmanuel Pregnon, and Isaiah World.
While financial stability and resources are paramount in the current era of college football, Lanning has also created a culture at Oregon that is seemingly built to last. After the Ducks’ dominant win over James Madison in the first round of the CFP, Lanning and his team were quick to acknowledge that they can play better.
Oregon and Texas Tech will kickoff from Miami, Florida, in the Orange Bowl at 9 a.m. PT on New Year’s Day.
The last of the Power Four college football head coaching openings remains available at Michigan.
The Wolverines decided to part ways with head coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10 due to inappropriate relations with a staffer. Michigan had its sights set on Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham and Washington head coach Jedd Fisch.
Though nothing was made official, Fisch was the first to bow out of the race. Alabama’s College Football Playoff victory over Oklahoma eliminated DeBoer from the conversation, and Dillingham inked an extension with Arizona State on Saturday.
With all of those candidates off the board, one who has emerged in the next round is current Wolverines interim Biff Poggi. The interim said he had been interviewed for the job on multiple occasions this offseason.
Biff Poggi says he’s had multiple interviews for Michigan’s HC position. He also has some blunt words about the program’s shortcomings under Sherrone Moore, calling Michigan a “malfunctioning organization.”
“Everything that happens in this building has to be reevaluated.”
— Austin Meek (@byAustinMeek) December 22, 2025
Poggi began his college football coaching career as an assistant with stops at Brown, Temple and the Citadel in the late 1980s. He coached at his high school alma mater, The Gilman School, as an offensive coordinator and offensive line coach from 1988 to 1995. He spent the next 20 seasons as Gilman’s head coach before returning to the college ranks.
The now 65-year-old spent two prior stints with the Wolverines under Jim Harbaugh. He worked as an analyst with the 2016 team and served as Michigan’s associate head coach in 2021 and 2022.
Poggi was hired away from Michigan to succeed Will Healy as Charlotte’s next head coach in the 2023 offseason. The 49ers were 3-9 in Poggi’s first year at the helm, tying for eleventh place in the American Athletic Conference.
After a 3-7 start to the 2024 season, Charlotte decided to part ways with Poggi. The 49ers hired Tim Albin as his replacement for 2025.
This will not be the first time Poggi has served as the Wolverines’ interim head coach. He was the interim for Michigan’s games against Central Michigan and Nebraska.
The Wolverines accepted an invitation to the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. No. 18 Michigan (9-3, 7-2) will face No. 13 Texas (9-3, 6-2) on Dec. 31 (3 p.m. EST, ABC).
Get 50% off a BRO annual subscription!! Join the No. 1 independent source on UCLA sports and recruiting with one of our best offers!! Get unmatched insider Bruin coverage of UCLA football as it begins the Bob Chesney era for the equivalent of 16 cents a day, $1.10 a week, $5 a month and billed at just $60 for the entire year!! There is no promo code required for this offer, just HIT THIS LINK now, and you’ll be good to go!! Offer ends Monday, January 5th at 9 p.m!!
Bob Chesney was hired at UCLA at the beginning of December, with the official announcement released Dec. 6th.
He spent two whirlwind days — Dec. 8th-10th — in Westwood for his introductory press conference and a few other media moments.
He then spent most of his time back in Harrisonburg, Virginia, preparing his James Madison team to face Oregon in the first round of the College Football Playoffs.
On Saturday, the Dukes lost, valiantly, to Oregon, 51–34. That ended the JMU season and Chesney’s coaching tenure there.
And the Bob Chesney era at UCLA begins.
Of course, the coach was doing UCLA-related things for the past three weeks, but now he’ll be fully focused and engaged as UCLA’s new coach.
What to do, what to do?
One of college football’s greatest rivalry games is set to come to an abrupt end as it was about to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
The annual Notre Dame vs. USC football rivalry game is no more after the schools failed to reach an agreement on future matchups, ending one of college football’s most recognizable traditions, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.
Representatives from both schools had been involved in negotiations to preserve the rivalry over the last several months, but could not agree on terms going forward, at least temporarily ending a football series that had been ongoing since 1926.
Gone, but not for good?
Yes, there is some hope that we could see USC and Notre Dame on the same field in the future.
Administrators from both schools did reach an agreement to resurrect the series as soon as the 2030 season, according to the report.
Until now, just a world war and a global pandemic had prevented Notre Dame and USC from playing each other every season, but now the pressures of the modern college football season, and its postseason format, appear to have played a role.
Whose fault is this?
Concerns about scheduling and how the game would affect College Football Playoff positioning were the decisive factors in bringing an end to the rivalry, according to the report.
Most of that concern seemed to arise from the USC side of the equation, which felt that certain precedents established by the selection committee in punishing teams for losses put the program in a disadvantageous position.
USC hinted this would come
USC head coach Lincoln Riley signaled as much when speaking on the future of the rivalry last year.
“There [have] been a lot of teams that sacrifice rivalry games,” Riley told reporters at Big Ten Media Days last summer.
“As we get into this playoff structure, and if it changes or not, we get into this new conference, we’re going to learn some about this as we go and what the right and best track is to winning a national championship, that’s going to evolve.”
Still, even amid those comments, reps from USC signaled a desire to keep the Notre Dame rivalry, and Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman was adamant on keeping the matchup, too, reflecting the position of his school.
Instead, Notre Dame is poised to finalize a home-and-home series with BYU over the next two seasons that will take the place of USC on its schedule, according to the Yahoo report.
We saw this coming
A recent Sports Illustrated report indicated that USC was hesitant to pledge itself to a long-term agreement with Notre Dame, citing concerns over the future of the College Football Playoff format and the Trojans’ existing schedule and travel demands.
“I want to play USC every year because I think it’s great for college football, that rivalry, USC-Notre Dame,” Marcus Freeman said.
“Before I even got to Notre Dame, everybody watched that game. Everybody remembers moments from that game that just stick out in their mind.”
Another college football tradition bites the dust
Losing a historic rivalry of this pedigree would be another stark reminder of the very strict conditions that schools have to work in in a new environment where playoff selection, and appeasing the College Football Playoff committee, is king.
Known as the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football, USC and Notre Dame have met almost every year since 1926, with World War II and the Covid pandemic being the only exceptions.
Now, to that list of historical anomalies, the very format of modern college football itself could be the decisive factor that puts this great rivalry on the shelf.
(Yahoo)
Read more from College Football HQ
Utah Volleyball Adds Three Transfers to the 2026 Roster
Orange Bowl Committee and AutoNation Unveil New $600,000 STEAM Center in Miami Gardens
Lambda Legal 2025 Recap: 8 Key Moments
Johan Dulfer Announced as Next Hartford Volleyball Head Coach
PARTICIPATING TEAMS ANNOUNCED FOR THE ECNL INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT, POWERED BY COACHES’ VOICE AND IN ASSOCIATION WITH EVERTON INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY
BYU, Notre Dame agree to football series in 2026 and 2027 – BYU Athletics – Official Athletics Website
Wildcats of the Week: December 15-21
Adam Breneman Highlights Why College Football Will Fail Under Greg Sankey’s Leadership Amid Transfer Portal, NIL Issues
Four repeat honorees highlight 2025 #SummitVB Academic All-League Team
Wisconsin volleyball starter Una Vajagic enters transfer portal
Kaulig CEO knows new NASCAR playoff format and predicts reactions – Motorsport – Sports
SLU Names Angie Simpson Head Beach Volleyball Coach
UniFirst Corporation: Seeking New Paths?
Assistant Director of Athletic Communications in York, PA for York College of Pennsylvania
Major college football program loses 15 players to transfer portal
First Tee Winter Registration is open
Fargo girl, 13, dies after collapsing during school basketball game – Grand Forks Herald
CPG Brands Like Allegra Are Betting on F1 for the First Time
F1 Las Vegas: Verstappen win, Norris and Piastri DQ tighten 2025 title fight
Sycamores unveil 2026 track and field schedule
Utah State Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field Schedule
Two Pro Volleyball Leagues Serve Up Plans for Minnesota Teams
SoundGear Named Entitlement Sponsor of Spears CARS Tour Southwest Opener
Jo Shimoda Undergoes Back Surgery
Redemption Means First Pro Stock World Championship for Dallas Glenn
Bowl Projections: ESPN predicts 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, full bowl slate after Week 14
Texas volleyball vs Kentucky game score: Live SEC tournament updates
Robert “Bobby” Lewis Hardin, 56
How this startup (and a KC sports icon) turned young players into card-carrying legends overnight
Black Bear Revises Recording Policies After Rulebook Language Surfaces via Lever
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoSoundGear Named Entitlement Sponsor of Spears CARS Tour Southwest Opener
-
Rec Sports3 weeks agoBlack Bear Revises Recording Policies After Rulebook Language Surfaces via Lever
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoDonny Schatz finds new home for 2026, inks full-time deal with CJB Motorsports – InForum
-
Rec Sports2 weeks agoHow Donald Trump became FIFA’s ‘soccer president’ long before World Cup draw
-
Rec Sports2 weeks agoDavid Blitzer, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoJR Motorsports Confirms Death Of NASCAR Veteran Michael Annett At Age 39
-
Sports2 weeks ago
Elliot and Thuotte Highlight Men’s Indoor Track and Field Season Opener
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoRick Ware Racing switching to Chevrolet for 2026
-
Sports2 weeks ago
West Fargo volleyball coach Kelsey Titus resigns after four seasons – InForum
-
Sports1 week ago#11 Volleyball Practices, Then Meets Media Prior to #2 Kentucky Match