Collins, a 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward from Bellflower, California, is widely regarded as one of the premier frontcourt prospects in the country. His blend of athleticism, scoring ability, and defensive versatility made him a major priority for Kentucky head coach Mark Pope and his staff as they work to build future recruiting classes.

According to Jacob Polacheck of KSR, Collins’ recruitment is being heavily influenced by NIL structure and contract details, a growing trend at the top of the recruiting landscape. That reality was addressed publicly earlier this month by Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart during Will Stein’s introductory press conference as the Wildcats’ new football head coach.

Barnhart pushed back strongly against the perception that Kentucky is at an NIL disadvantage, saying, “Enough about ‘have we got enough?’ We’ve got enough.” He also emphasized that Kentucky will not compromise its standards to land recruits. “We’ve got to do it the right way,” Barnhart said. “We’re not going to break the rules. That’s flat-out.”

While Kentucky no longer holds a crystal ball prediction for Collins, the Wildcats are not out of the race. However, his recruitment now appears far more fluid, underscoring the increasingly complex balance between elite talent, NIL expectations, and long-term program philosophy in modern college basketball.

Kentucky Basketball suffered a notable recruiting setback this week as 247 Sports national analyst Travis Branham removed his crystal ball prediction for the Wildcats to land class of 2026 5-star power forward Christian Collins. Branham originally placed the prediction in early November, fueling optimism that Collins could commit to Kentucky as the early national signing period approached. That announcement never came, and momentum has since cooled.

Collins, a 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward from Bellflower, California, is widely regarded as one of the premier frontcourt prospects in the country. His blend of athleticism, scoring ability, and defensive versatility made him a major priority for Kentucky head coach Mark Pope and his staff as they work to build future recruiting classes.

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According to Jacob Polacheck of KSR, Collins’ recruitment is being heavily influenced by NIL structure and contract details, a growing trend at the top of the recruiting landscape. That reality was addressed publicly earlier this month by Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart during Will Stein’s introductory press conference as the Wildcats’ new football head coach.

Barnhart pushed back strongly against the perception that Kentucky is at an NIL disadvantage, saying, “Enough about ‘have we got enough?’ We’ve got enough.” He also emphasized that Kentucky will not compromise its standards to land recruits. “We’ve got to do it the right way,” Barnhart said. “We’re not going to break the rules. That’s flat-out.”

While Kentucky no longer holds a crystal ball prediction for Collins, the Wildcats are not out of the race. However, his recruitment now appears far more fluid, underscoring the increasingly complex balance between elite talent, NIL expectations, and long-term program philosophy in modern college basketball.

Less than two months after announcing his intention to run for lieutenant governor in Alabama, former three-time national champion Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron has announced he will exit the race.

McCarron is seeking to rededicate himself to football, an effort that will require “100% of my focus, commitment, and attention that I was to give to the office of lieutenant governor, so it is time to end my campaign,” he said in a statement.

A historic career at Alabama

McCarron led the Crimson Tide to back-to-back BCS national championships in 2011 and 2012 and was part of the national title team as a redshirt player in 2009.

A native of Mobile, the quarterback became the first player at his position to win consecutive BCS titles and also received several of college football’s more prestigious awards, including the Maxwell, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, and Kellen Moore Awards.

As a junior, McCarron established an Alabama record with 30 touchdown passes in a season, and broke Greg McElroy’s former record with 3,063 passing yards in a season during his senior campaign in 2013.

McCarron finished his Alabama career with a 36-4 overall record, completing almost 67 percent of his passes with 77 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

McCarron in the NFL

The quarterback emerged as a fifth-round selection in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, playing as a backup for four years.

McCarron spent the next four seasons as a reserve first with the Oakland Raiders, followed by a stint with the Houston Texas, and finally the Atlanta Falcons.

From there, he played in the XFL with the St. Louis Battlehawks, a franchise that then moved to the United Football League.

McCarron’s political ambitions

The former quarterback star was running as a Republican for the second-highest office in his home state, a move he said was inspired by the murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk.

“Alabama’s conservative and cultural values are under attack from every direction,” McCarron said in his announcement for office.

“That’s why Charlie Kirk’s assassination affected so many of us so deeply. His example convinced me to get off of the sidelines, get into the game, and stand tall for our conservative beliefs.”

McCarron currently serves as a college football commentator as part of The Dynasty podcast, which he presents with fellow Alabama alum Trent Richardson and Crimson Tide broadcaster Chris Stewart.

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USC will get its starting signal-caller back in 2026.

On Tuesday, the program announced that quarterback Jayden Maiava has signed a new NIL deal to return to the Trojans next season. Maiava, who previously played at UNLV, would have had a significant transfer portal market and also ranked as a top-10 quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL draft, per ESPN’s Mel Kiper.

Maiava started 11 games at UNLV in 2023 before transferring to USC, where he ultimately lost the starting job to Miller Moss ahead of the 2024 season. However, amid subpar play from Moss, coach Lincoln Riley made a change as he started the final four games.

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State is taking a significant step forward in the modern landscape of college athletics with the formation of the OSU NIL Alliance.
 
Created to fully-fund revenue share and to grow endorsement opportunities for Oklahoma State student-athletes, The Alliance pairs the POSSE Excellence Fund with Learfield’s Cowboy Sports Properties.
 
The POSSE Excellence Fund provides more than $31 million in scholarships and revenue share for student-athletes across all of OSU’s ticketed sports. Cowboy Sports Properties integrates NIL opportunities for student-athletes into OSU’s existing sponsorship, media and marketing ecosystem.
 
“The OSU NIL Alliance will streamline how our supporters can maximize new opportunities for our student-athletes and continue to position OSU for championship-level success.” Athletic Director Chad Weiberg said.
 
Weiberg appointed Brakston Brock to lead this next step in OSU’s NIL evolution. Brock has climbed the ranks during his six years in Stillwater and now elevates into the role of Senior Associate Athletic Director for NIL Strategy and Revenue Generation.
 
For more information on the OSU NIL Alliance, visit https://okstate.com/nil.
 

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech seniors David Bailey and Jacob Rodriguez were named first-team selections to the Sporting News 2025 College Football All-America Team, as announced Wednesday by the organization. The Sporting News is the fourth of five NCAA-recognized selectors to name the Red Raider duo as first-team All-Americans toward the NCAA’s consensus All-America team.

If Bailey and Rodriguez receive first-team honors Thursday from the final selector, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), they would join Mark Bounds (1991), Zach Thomas (1995), Byron Hanspard (1996), Michael Crabtree (2007–08), and Jace Amaro (2013) as Texas Tech’s all-time unanimous All-America selections.

Bailey, an edge rusher, and Rodriguez, a linebacker, were previously named first-team All-Americans by the Walter Camp Football Foundation on Friday, the Associated Press on Monday, and the AFCA on Tuesday. The NCAA will officially recognize its consensus All-America selections on Friday.

Before the 2025 season, 27 Texas Tech players had earned first-team All-America honors, accounting for 49 all-time All-America selections (first-, second-, or third-team). In addition to Bailey and Rodriguez’s first-team recognition, the Associated Press named A.J. Holmes Jr. to its second team and defensive tackle Lee Hunter to its third team on Monday, marking an unprecedented season of national honors for the Red Raiders. Texas Tech’s most recent All-American prior to 2025 was Tyree Wilson, who earned first-team honors in 2022.

Texas Tech, which earned its first bid to the College Football Playoff, will face the winner of the first-round matchup between Oregon and James Madison on Dec. 20. The Red Raiders will play the victor in the CFP quarterfinals on Jan. 1 at the Capital One Orange Bowl.

To view the complete Sporting News All-America first and second teams, visit SportingNews.com.

Sporting News History

Founded in 1934, the Sporting News All-America Team—then awarded by The Sporting News—has long been one of college football’s most respected individual honors. Originally selected by panels of sportswriters, the team later incorporated evaluations from scouts and football observers as the sport evolved. Today, Sporting News is one of the NCAA’s five recognized selectors, with its first-team selections counting toward Consensus and Unanimous All-America status.

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