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Mississippi State lands Brian O’Connor, making major NIL investment

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State made a bold statement hiring Brian O’Connor as their new baseball coach. Now they may be making another one. There are reports the Bulldogs are committing significant Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) resources to rebuild and elevate the program. O’Connor, who arrives after a legendary tenure at Virginia, is now at the […]

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STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State made a bold statement hiring Brian O’Connor as their new baseball coach. Now they may be making another one.

There are reports the Bulldogs are committing significant Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) resources to rebuild and elevate the program.

O’Connor, who arrives after a legendary tenure at Virginia, is now at the helm of a program with unwavering championship expectations and a passionate fanbase eager for a return to national prominence.

O’Connor’s track record speaks for itself. He has 917 wins, a 2015 College World Series title, seven Omaha appearances, 18 NCAA Tournament bids and more than 100 MLB draft picks developed under his guidance.

His arrival in Starkville may signal a new era for Mississippi State baseball. Folks are serious about the Bulldogs being back at the top.

Athletics director Zac Selmon made the school’s intentions clear.

“Brian O’Connor is one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in college baseball,” he said. “He’s a national champion, a Hall of Famer, and a proven leader with a track record of building a championship-caliber program.

“This is a defining moment for Mississippi State Baseball and a powerful step forward for our program, our players and our fans.”

O’Connor may not have been happy at Virginia, according to some insiders. That happens over time as a coach’s bosses come and go. Plans change.

“Mississippi State represents everything I love about college baseball — tradition, passion, and a relentless pursuit of excellence,” he said in a release. “I’ve coached against this program and followed it closely for years. The atmosphere at Dudy Noble Field is nationally recognized as the best in the sport.

“I’m incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead a program with this kind of legacy and fan base.

“Mississippi State has set the standard in college baseball, and I can’t wait to get to work, build relationships, and compete for championships in Starkville.”

The investment in O’Connor is not limited to his coaching salary.

Mississippi State is reportedly making a major push into NIL, providing O’Connor with a large pool of resources to attract and retain top talent through the transfer portal and high school recruiting.

This is a critical step for the Bulldogs, who have recently lagged behind SEC rivals in NIL funding but are now rapidly closing the gap.

According to recent reports, Mississippi State’s NIL collective, The Bulldog Initiative, has an estimated annual budget of $6.48 million, bolstered by an $8 million gift to the State Excellence NIL fund in September 2024.

While this still places the Bulldogs behind some SEC counterparts, the tide is turning as more fans and alumni recognize the necessity of NIL in modern college athletics.

“We are well-equipped to do what we have to do,” said Charlie Winfield, a key figure in the NIL effort. “We still have to be smart, but at the same time, we don’t have to back off anybody.”

The pressure on O’Connor is immense.

He is expected to build a championship-caliber roster quickly, likely leveraging the transfer portal — which opened the same week as his hiring — and the influx of NIL support.

With only three Bulldogs currently in the portal compared to 12 former Virginia players available, O’Connor has work to do, but the resources are now in place to compete for elite talent.

Mississippi State’s storied baseball history includes 41 Regional appearances, 12 College World Series trips, and the 2021 national title under former coach Chris Lemonis.

It didn’t continue long and Lemonis found out how long the honeymoon is in Starkville after a national title.

Recent years have seen inconsistency and a drop in SEC standings, prompting the move to O’Connor and a renewed focus on NIL as a cornerstone of the program’s future.

O’Connor’s expertise in player development and his reputation for building winning cultures make him a strong fit for a program eager to reclaim its place among the nation’s elite.

The Bulldogs’ commitment to NIL is a direct response to the evolving landscape of college athletics.That’s not going to be changing and will get more expensive.

As other SEC schools leverage robust NIL budgets to attract and retain elite recruits, Mississippi State is adapting to ensure it does not fall behind.

The landmark House v. NCAA case, which challenges NCAA restrictions on athlete compensation, could further reshape the NIL landscape, offering new opportunities for schools like State to compete for top talent.

O’Connor’s arrival is not just a coaching change. It is a statement of intent.

Mississippi State is investing in its future, backing a new coach with unprecedented NIL support, and setting the stage for a return to national prominence.

The expectations are clear and O’Connor probably knows what he’s walking into here.

Championships are the goal, both in the SEC and on the national stage. He’s already seen, too, that doesn’t get lifetime security with the Bulldogs, either.



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NIL brands carry over into WNBA

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers are part of the new generation of women’s basketball stars who have been able to profit off their name in college and build brands that have helped them excel off the court in the WNBA. All three players had national star power before stepping foot in the pros. […]

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Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers are part of the new generation of women’s basketball stars who have been able to profit off their name in college and build brands that have helped them excel off the court in the WNBA.

All three players had national star power before stepping foot in the pros. Clark and Reese have made the All-Star Game in each of their first two seasons and are two of the most popular players in the league.

Bueckers was voted a starter in her first All-Star Game this weekend.

The next group up in college that is led by Hannah Hidalgo, Flau’jae Johnson, Olivia Miles and JuJu Watkins has already benefited from the name, likeness and image. According to On3, Johnson’s NIL valuation is $1.5 million.

“NIL, man, it is beautiful,” Johnson said. “This year in March Madness, I had about five commercials running and you know it was so cool watching the game, then seeing myself come on. It’s just a great opportunity.”

Johnson is a guard at LSU, one of the top schools for NIL in a variety of sports from football to women’s gymnastics to women’s basketball. Johnson, who also has a music career, has gained from the exposure the school has given her, doing national media campaigns with Experian and Powerade.

Hildago, who will be entering her junior year at Notre Dame, is happy that players can finally profit off their own images as opposed to the school getting it all.

“It’s a blessing. Schools for decades have been able to make money off of college players’ names. So for now, for student athletes to be able to make money off of how they carry themselves, you know, we’re a brand ourselves,” she said. “I’m a brand myself and so be able to make money off of my name is honestly truly a blessing and just taking advantage of it is the biggest thing.”

Johnson, Hidalgo and Miles, who helped the U.S. qualify for the World Cup next year by winning gold at the AmeriCup earlier this month, all said that they don’t let the NIL deals they have get in the way of their sport. They credit having a strong support system around them as well as people who handle the deals for them.

“I really dedicate one or two times a week to kind of get all my stuff done,” Miles said. “My agent is very good at scheduling that, but most of my money comes from the collective deal, so for that I really don’t have to do much, which is nice. But any other of the other side deals, my agent will send a videographer out to help me or have her edit stuff or whatever it may be.”

Getting deals and earning money hasn’t just helped the players financially. Some have given back to their communities, including Johnson.

“I just want to be one of those people that uses NIL the right way,” she said. “This year I did a campaign with Experian and we relieved $5 million in debt right for families in Louisiana and then every game we won we added $100,000 to the pot.”

Johnson said it was really touching and emotional when she would receive videos on Instagram from people she helped.

“I’m really using my platform for impact for real. So I think that’s the best part of NIL and just making it better for the young girls that’s coming behind us,” she said.

FILE - USC guard JuJu Watkins (12) plays against Purdue during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Ind., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
FILE – USC guard JuJu Watkins (12) plays against Purdue during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Ind., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
FILE - Guard Olivia Miles dribbles up court during practice at USA Basketball women's Americup trials, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at the USA Olympics training center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
FILE – Guard Olivia Miles dribbles up court during practice at USA Basketball women’s Americup trials, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at the USA Olympics training center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
FILE - Guard Hannah Hidalgo during practice at USA Basketball women's Americup trials, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at the USA Olympics training center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
FILE – Guard Hannah Hidalgo during practice at USA Basketball women’s Americup trials, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at the USA Olympics training center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)



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Georgia Bulldogs not on list of the 10 biggest spenders in CFB

On3 released a survey by writer Pete Nakos listing the top 10 biggest spenders in college football this season, which takes a look at the combined amount of money spent on incoming recruits and transfers. Surprisingly, Georgia was not on the list. Kirby Smart has expressed negative opinions about the way the transfer portal and […]

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On3 released a survey by writer Pete Nakos listing the top 10 biggest spenders in college football this season, which takes a look at the combined amount of money spent on incoming recruits and transfers. Surprisingly, Georgia was not on the list.

Kirby Smart has expressed negative opinions about the way the transfer portal and the NIL are going. He called out college collectives for making payments of up to $20,000/month for a recruit to commit and stay at a school, and he is worried that college teams could “buy championships” now.

As a result, Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are more careful with how they spend their NIL money. The Bulldogs have earned praise for how they spend their NIL money, but money was a big factor in Georgia losing five-star offensive tackle recruit Jackson Cantwell to Miami in May.

Georgia also just lost out on five-star linebacker recruit Tyler Atkinson to Texas, who is college football’s biggest spender. The Longhorns also flipped five-star defensive lineman James Johnson from Georgia too.

Three other SEC teams (Texas A&M, Tennessee, Auburn) made the list. Texas A&M currently has the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation for 2026. The Aggies also signed the No. 10 recruiting class and No. 11 transfer class in 2025.

Auburn had the No. 8 recruiting class and transfer class in 2025, even though in 2026, the Tigers have the No. 78 class.

Tennessee is a surprising addition. The Volunteers’ class is ranked No. 13, but last year’s transfer class ranked No. 81 in the league, and they lost starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava to UCLA via the spring transfer portal.

There are four Big Ten teams (Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, USC) that make the list, along with one ACC school (Miami) and one Big 12 school (Texas Tech). Georgia added the No. 2 recruiting class in the 2026 cycle, so it is impressive that the Bulldogs did it without being one of the biggest spenders.

Biggest spenders in college football this season

  1. Texas Longhorns
  2. Texas Tech Red Raiders
  3. Ohio State Buckeyes
  4. Oregon Ducks
  5. Texas A&M Aggies
  6. Miami Hurricanes
  7. USC Trojans
  8. Michigan Wolverines
  9. Tennessee Volunteers
  10. Auburn Tigers

Follow UGAWire on Instagram or Threads for more UGA football coverage!





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Pat Kelsey reveals ugly truth behind Louisville and Kentucky’s worst game date ever

Louisville basketball’s non-conference schedule is expected to be one of the most thrilling schedules in all of college basketball. Kelsey’s statement schedule is proving to the selection committee that Louisville is not “ducking the smoke” and is playing the best of the best, including their in-state rivals, the Kentucky Wildcats. The Cardinals and Wildcats’ blockbuster […]

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Louisville basketball’s non-conference schedule is expected to be one of the most thrilling schedules in all of college basketball. Kelsey’s statement schedule is proving to the selection committee that Louisville is not “ducking the smoke” and is playing the best of the best, including their in-state rivals, the Kentucky Wildcats.

The Cardinals and Wildcats’ blockbuster showdown caused mayhem for the fans of both programs, as well as for college basketball fans in general. The rivalry matchup is expected to be one of the best games next season, as both programs have National Title dreams and aspirations.

However, the game is one of the first on the schedule, as it will take place on Nov. 11 at KFC Yum! Center. The fans were outraged when the date was initially announced, and Kelsey has just revealed the painful reality behind Louisville and Kentucky scheduling the rivalry game on the worst date imaginable.

Related: Louisville basketball schedules Kentucky rivalry game on worst date imaginable

Pat Kelsey reveals the painful reality behind Louisville and Kentucky’s rivalry game date

The Cardinals and Wildcats are set to play at KFC Yum! Center on a Tuesday night in early November. College basketball fans were dreaming of this game later in the week in mid-December, with a lot more on the line and the teams gelling together.

However, fans got the game on Nov. 11, making it the earliest this game has ever been played, and in fact, the basketball game will take place before the Governor’s Cup is played on the football field. The basketball game will tip off 18 days before the football game at L&N Stadium, which suggests that this date is the absolute worst possible choice.

This rivalry showdown has been played 57 times, and this year’s date doesn’t mark the earliest the rivalry showdown has taken place, shattering the previous record by 15 days. Before the Nov. 11 date, the earliest these two teams played was on Nov. 26 back in 1983.

Kelsey was asked about the rivalry game date, and he just revealed the painful truth of what happened and how the two programs agreed on November 11.

“Scheduling is hard,” Kelsey stated at his press conference Wednesday morning. “It’s like putting a square peg in a round hole sometimes. When you are setting up dates with a program, they have dates, you have dates that work, and you are going back and forth, and the one that we were able to land on is that one. That is just the way it goes.”

The rivalry showdown, being that early in the season, is one thing, but the worst part is that it’s happening this season, the year when both programs are legitimate National Championship contenders. Louisville has the tenth-best odds, and Kentucky has the fifth-best odds to win the 2025-26 National Title. These two programs and their fan bases hate each other, and it was fitting for a game in December. However, Kelsey’s answer is painfully acceptable, as both schools are trying to put together a National Championship schedule, making it hard to agree on dates.

This game will kick off the season with a massive bang and serve as a significant recruiting pitch to 5-star recruits. The Louisville and Kentucky rivalry showdown is set to feature many future NBA All-Stars in this year’s matchup, and while fans may have wanted this game later in the season, it is time to accept the date and move forward.

Related: Louisville basketball’s Mikel Brown Jr. has Kentucky fans admitting the hype is real

For all the latest on Louisville basketball’s offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.



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Why Deion Sanders’ Salary-Cap Proposal Wouldn’t Fix College Football

For all the pandemonium and commotion he has produced in a few short years, Deion Sanders is plenty sensible. He’s thoughtful. And he’s certainly never shy. At a time when the sport is large on issues and short on fixes, Colorado’s head football coach has an idea. Although the fix is imperfect, easily manipulated and […]

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For all the pandemonium and commotion he has produced in a few short years, Deion Sanders is plenty sensible. He’s thoughtful. And he’s certainly never shy.

At a time when the sport is large on issues and short on fixes, Colorado’s head football coach has an idea. Although the fix is imperfect, easily manipulated and short of what college football needs—and we’ll get to that—it’s worth celebrating a coach who’s willing to offer up a solution on the heels of criticism.

In the era of the transfer portal and NIL, the premise of Sanders’ remedy is simple: College football needs a salary cap.

“I wish there was a cap,” Sanders said while speaking to reporters at Big 12 media days (via ESPN). “Like, the top-of-the-line player makes this, and if you’re not that type of guy, you know you’re not going to make that. That’s what the NFL does.”

Sanders, of course, has never been reluctant to speak his mind. He’s also taken full advantage of the transfer portal and NIL at Colorado since he arrived. Despite having less resources than other schools, Sanders has utilized his persona to masterfully resurrect a roster that needed fixing.

Still, things are much different now than when he arrived before the 2023 season. While Sanders has shown the ability to thrive in an unstable environment, he’s keenly aware of how certain programs will carry an even larger advantage moving forward.

Big 12 Football Pro Day

“You understand darn near why they’re in the playoffs,” Sanders said about some teams having an easier path to the postseason due to resources. “It’s kind of hard to compete with somebody who’s giving $25-30 million to a freshman class. It’s crazy.”

None of what Sanders is saying is wrong. The way college football has implemented its new era of financial compensation—from NIL to direct revenue sharing to the transfer portal—has been nothing short of a colossal failure rife with manipulation.

The NCAA’s unwillingness to embrace change sooner, coupled with a flurry of legal rulings, have forced teams to act in their best interests without guardrails. The ultra-competitive landscape has essentially transformed the way teams operate, starting with talent acquisition first and foremost.

It’s an utter mess. Sanders is right about that. But to assume a salary cap would solve these woes is where the idea quickly loses steam.

A noble idea? Sure, even if the outcome is undeniably personal.

A realistic idea? Presently, not at all.

Limits on revenue sharing are loosely in place, as schools can now spend a maximum of roughly $20.5 million directly on student-athletes. The sport is at least trying to curtail some of the madness. With that being said, the existence of NIL (albeit in its newly mutated form) along with the possibility of paying players the good old-fashioned way—under the table with no paper trail whatsoever—still persists.

New rules have brought these handshake agreements out in the open, but the practice is by no means forgotten. A salary cap of any kind would simply generate new off-the-radar ways to convince players to play for a specific team or coach.

Oklahoma State v Colorado

For proof of this practice, look at how recruiting played out over the past few decades. In the end, programs with more resources will still find more ways to utilize them.

Such has been the case for college football for as long as it has existed in this form. Such will be the case as it continues to operate in this financial era, whether the contributions are reported or not.

In many ways, Sanders is the greatest counter to this movement. His stardom is so robust and his reputation so large that high schoolers will choose to play for him, even if it means taking a pay cut of some kind.

In this era, Sanders is the ultimate equalizer. But even he recognizes that there are limits to his gifts—that his presence can only do so much.

His suggestion, in many senses, comes from a source of frustration. Given his situation, it’s not hard to see why. It also doesn’t mean he’s necessarily wrong.

If all things were considered equal, he would have a point. But the sport is too far gone to think a simple salary cap could solve it. The schools and their many tentacles will find a way, whether it’s widely recognized or not.

Things are not equal, and they won’t be equal moving forward, either.

More structure is needed. More leadership is necessary. More guidance would only help a sport that desperately needs it. But a salary cap won’t suddenly shift the landscape; decades of results tell us just that.

In many respects, college football’s problems run far deeper.



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Bulldog Basketball Earns NABC Team Academic Excellence Award, Six Named to Honors Court

Story Links The University of Minnesota Duluth men’s basketball team again showed its prowess extends on and off the court after last season’s squad was named a 2024-25 NABC Team Academic Award winner.  The Bulldogs also had six players named to the the NABC Honors Court, including  Austin Andrews (Structural Engineering, Sr.), Caleb Siwek (Finance, R-Jr.), […]

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The University of Minnesota Duluth men’s basketball team again showed its prowess extends on and off the court after last season’s squad was named a 2024-25 NABC Team Academic Award winner. 

The Bulldogs also had six players named to the the NABC Honors Court, including  Austin Andrews (Structural Engineering, Sr.), Caleb Siwek (Finance, R-Jr.), Jayden Johnson (Communications, Sr.), Karon Abdullah (Graphic Design, R-Jr.), Mattie Thompson (Business, R-Sr.) and Noah Paulson (Business, R-Sr.).

Excellence Awards and NABC Honors Court, representing achievement in the classroom by men’s college basketball teams and individual players. Team Academic Excellence Awards recognize programs that completed the 2024-25 academic year with a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. The NABC Honors Court, meanwhile, includes junior, senior and graduate student men’s basketball players who finished the 2024-25 year with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. The NABC’s academic awards are presented annually to teams and athletes from all levels of college basketball.

The Bulldogs finished 20-9 overall last season — their fourth-straight season with 20 or more wins.





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Dexcom Unveils Season 4 Roster for Game-Changing NIL Program at Signing Day Camp Hosted by Mark Andrews

The 2025 Dexcom U roster consists of 21 athletes, with 13 new and eight returning team members, who all use Dexcom CGM to monitor their glucose levels and manage their diabetes. The powerful, high-energy day brought together athletes with diabetes across all levels, including pro, college and youth sports, to redefine what’s possible with diabetes. […]

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The 2025 Dexcom U roster consists of 21 athletes, with 13 new and eight returning team members, who all use Dexcom CGM to monitor their glucose levels and manage their diabetes.
The 2025 Dexcom U roster consists of 21 athletes, with 13 new and eight returning team members, who all use Dexcom CGM to monitor their glucose levels and manage their diabetes.
The powerful, high-energy day brought together athletes with diabetes across all levels, including pro, college and youth sports, to redefine what’s possible with diabetes.
The powerful, high-energy day brought together athletes with diabetes across all levels, including pro, college and youth sports, to redefine what’s possible with diabetes.
To officially welcome and celebrate the newly selected Dexcom U athletes, Dexcom and Mark Andrews hosted a Dexcom U Signing Day Camp earlier this month in Baltimore, Maryland.
To officially welcome and celebrate the newly selected Dexcom U athletes, Dexcom and Mark Andrews hosted a Dexcom U Signing Day Camp earlier this month in Baltimore, Maryland.
  • Dexcom’s first-of-its-kind NIL program welcomes 13 new athletes and eight returning team members, including San Diego State University basketball standout Miles Byrd and Alabama A&M University’s Shelomi Sanders

  • The trailblazing program empowers college athletes with Type 1 diabetes to break barriers in sports and inspire their communities, as showcased at the Dexcom U Signing Day Camp, a new addition to the program, earlier this month

SAN DIEGO, July 17, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–DexCom, Inc. (NASDAQ: DXCM), the global leader in glucose biosensing, announced today the launch of the fourth season of Dexcom U, the company’s one-of-a-kind NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) program exclusively for college athletes with diabetes.

This year’s Dexcom U roster welcomes 13 new athletes from colleges and universities across the country — including the University of Oregon, San Diego State University, and Northwestern University — representing 12 sports such as football, basketball, lacrosse, track & field, soccer, and more, alongside eight returning team members. The new athletes were selected following a dynamic, first-of-its-kind nationwide open call that drew over two hundred submissions, as Dexcom searched for the next great college athletes with diabetes to join the program.

To officially welcome and celebrate the newly selected Dexcom U athletes, Dexcom hosted its Signing Day Camp earlier this month in Baltimore, Maryland. The event was hosted by Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens tight end and Dexcom Warrior, who relies on Dexcom G7 to manage his Type 1 diabetes and perform at the highest level. Mark was joined by Mike Golic Sr., NFL legend and sports broadcaster, who uses Stelo, Dexcom’s over the counter glucose biosensor, to manage his Type 2 diabetes. The powerful, high-energy day brought together athletes with diabetes across all levels, including pro, college and youth sports, to redefine what’s possible with diabetes. Both new and returning Dexcom U team members connected with Baltimore youth athletes and celebrated the resilience and determination that unite them.

“It was incredibly inspiring to witness athletes of all ages come together at the Dexcom U Signing Day Camp to show what is possible while living with diabetes,” said Mark Andrews, Dexcom Warrior and Baltimore Ravens tight end. “I know how impactful it would have been to have a support system like this in the early stages of my career, so for me, getting to be the role model I never had is really special.”

Dexcom U was created to elevate college athletes with diabetes who are breaking boundaries in sports and achieving their goals, despite their diagnosis. Since its inception in 2022, the program has directly impacted more than 40 college athletes across 38 schools and 19 sports. Each Dexcom U athlete relies on Dexcom continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology like Dexcom G7 to manage their diabetes with real-time data delivered directly to their smartphone or smartwatch,* empowering them to take control of their health and discover what they’re made of.



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