Before the Rose Bowl, Indiana coach Curt Cignetti was asked about preparing his players to face Alabama and its considerable “mystique.”

“Our guys just know what they see on tape,” Cignetti said.

Translation: This Alabama team just isn’t that good.

Indiana would go on to dominate the Tide 38-3. The win not only propelled the Hoosiers to the national semifinals to play Oregon but also left college football to wonder what had happened not merely to the once-mighty Crimson Tide but to the SEC as a whole.

After decades of clearly establishing itself as the nation’s best conference, both the top-end excellence and the depth of the league have fallen. The SEC’s hopes now rest with Ole Miss, which is still going through coaching shake-ups and distractions heading into its semifinal matchup with Miami.

It’s not that the SEC isn’t still “good” or even capable of winning a national championship — Ole Miss might very well do it. Top to bottom, it might still be the best league, with the majority of schools all-in on football.

That said, the days of complete domination, all-SEC national title games or deep, juggernaut teams are clearly gone, perhaps forever. This isn’t the same.

The SEC ruled the old era of college football, when rosters were built through high school recruiting that favored proximity first, followed by opulent facilities and rabid fan bases.

It was perfect for the SEC since the Southeast was rich with talent and league schools invested heavily in infrastructure while playing in front of massive crowds (some of whom might have been willing to offer some under-the-table sweeteners).

The new era of direct revenue sharing, the transfer portal and NIL possibilities, has caused talent to disperse, weakening depth as athletes seek playing time, opportunity and out-in-the-open money.

Suddenly the great teams aren’t as great, and the rest of the teams are better.

“This is the most fun I’ve ever had in coaching because you know you’re on a more equal playing field,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema told ESPN on Tuesday. “The introduction of the portal, NIL and revenue sharing, is the most game-changing development in my 32 years of coaching.”

Bielema took over at Illinois in 2021 after previous stops at Arkansas (2013-17) in the SEC and Wisconsin (2006-12) in the Big Ten. He has won 19 games during the past two seasons.

“It’s hard when you would do what you have to do as long as you possibly could and in the end, sometimes it just didn’t matter,” Bielema said of trying to recruit back in the day. “Now you just come to work every day knowing that blue blood, red blood, orange blood, whatever, everybody’s got a chance, man.”

That’s why Bielema says that while he understands why so much focus is on the SEC stepping back of late, this really applies to everyone.

He notes that he just signed the best recruiting class of his entire career, including when he led Wisconsin to three league titles. He even flipped a running back away from Alabama on signing day. “I’ve never been able to do that,” he said.

Where power programs — and the SEC had more than any other league — could once hoard talent, both improving their roster and starving others, now the gap is smaller. Almost anyone can pick off a high school recruit or two. Then the transfer portal steps in. The days of Alabama having four eventual first-round wide receivers, as it did in 2019, are over. Kirby Smart and Georgia can’t have a two-deep defense full of future NFL stars like the one during the Bulldogs’ back-to-back titles.

“The second[-string] guard at a university doesn’t want to be the No. 2 anymore,” Bielema said. “He wants to be a starter, so he’ll leave. That is unprecedented.”

During the BCS era (1998-2013), the SEC won nine of the 16 championships, including seven in a row 2006-12. In the 10 years of the four-team playoff, the SEC went 16-6, with two of those losses coming in SEC vs. SEC title games. Alabama, Georgia and LSU combined to win six championships.

The past two national champions (Michigan and Ohio State), however, hail from the Big Ten. With Oregon and Indiana matching up in one semifinal, that league is guaranteed a spot in a third consecutive title game. Penn State, meanwhile, reached the semis last season.

The SEC is just 4-9 this postseason (other bowls included) and just 2-7 against teams from other conferences. The Big Ten is 9-4. The ACC is 8-4. While bowl results carry only so much meaning these days, the starkness of the numbers is notable.

After all, the SEC has built much of its brand on being superior to all others — commissioner Greg Sankey was lobbying for seven SEC schools to appear in this year’s playoff (five got in). Postseason losses suggest perception wasn’t reality — middle-of-the-pack SEC teams such as Vanderbilt, Missouri and Tennessee all went down.

The SEC has benefited from circular reasoning (when top SEC teams win league games, it’s a sign of strength at the top; when they lose league games, it is a sign of the conference’s unmatched depth). But the most undervalued segment of the sport might have been the middle of the Big Ten and ACC, notably Big Ten teams Iowa (which defeated Vanderbilt) and Illinois (which beat Tennessee).

No one would dare suggest that the SEC is doomed. If anything, it is just doubling down, even in unlikely places.

Former also-ran Vanderbilt is fully committed to winning now, for example. Kentucky, which once saw football as a way to pass the time before basketball, just spent $37 million to fire its coach and is investing heavily in the portal, including flipping Notre Dame quarterback Kenny Minchey from Nebraska.

The SEC remains the most popular league and the most watched on television. The passion is there. The investment is there.

It’s just that the new rules provide more opportunity at more places. Competition is fiercer, inside the league and out, which means the days of domination are likely over.

“Anybody can beat anybody these days,” Bielema said.

Even the SEC.

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire was named one of eight finalists Wednesday for the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award after leading the Red Raiders to their first Big 12 Conference title and an appearance in the College Football Playoff.

The award, now in its 40th year, is given annually to the college football coach for contributions that make the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life – both on and off the field. McGuire was joined as a finalist by Indiana’s Curt Cignetti, James Madison’s Bob Chesney, Miami’s Mario Cristobal, Texas A&M’s Mike Elko, Virginia’s Tony Elliott, Oregon’s Dan Lanning and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea.

The Bear Bryant Award is the only college football coaching honor given after the National Champion has been determined. It will be presented Jan. 21 during an awards ceremony hosted at the Post Oak Hotel in Houston. The event will be broadcast by CBS Sports Network on a tape-delayed basis beginning at 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 22.

In addition to being named a finalist for the Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year Award, McGuire was also named Wednesday the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year by the organization. The finalists and Coach of the Year recipient are voted on by members of the National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards’ executive leadership team and the Bryant family.

This is the fourth national coaching award to name McGuire as a finalist this season as he was previously one of the final candidates for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, the Eddie Robinson Award and the Dodd Trophy. It is the first time in his career McGuire has been a finalist for any of the national coaching awards.

The Red Raiders reached new heights this past season under McGuire, who pushed Texas Tech to a school-record 12 wins and its first Big 12 title. McGuire led the Red Raiders to their first College Football Playoff appearance at the Capital One Orange Bowl after downing BYU, 34-7, in the Edward Jones Big 12 Championship, securing Texas Tech’s first outright conference crown since 1955.

Texas Tech proved to be one of the most-dominant teams in recent history on its way to a 12-2 record, with all 12 wins coming by at least 20 points. The Red Raiders are joined by Alabama in 2018 as the only teams in the Associated Press era (since 1936) to record 12 or more wins by 20-plus points prior to a bowl game. Texas Tech is just the fifth FBS team with 12 wins by 20-plus points in a season period during that span.

Despite a loss to No. 5 Oregon in the Orange Bowl, Texas Tech will likely end its season ranked in the top 10 of both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches’ polls for the first time in history behind one of the most-balanced rosters in college football. Texas Tech currently ranks in the top-11 of several statistical categories, namely rushing defense (1st), scoring defense (3rd), total defense (4th), scoring offense (7th) and total offense (11th).

The Red Raiders have been the winningest Big 12 program under McGuire as Texas Tech has won 25 conference games in his four seasons, the most for any league school during that span. The Red Raiders are 35-18 overall under McGuire, which is the most wins by a Texas Tech head coach through 53 games since Jim Carlen was 35-17-1 midway through his final season of his five-year tenure from 1970-74.

Former Texas wide receiver Parker Livingstone crossed a Red River Rivalry line this week, committing to Oklahoma via the 2026 college football transfer portal. Livingstone, who roomed with quarterback Arch Manning and became one of his favorite targets during the 2025 season, ranked No. 3 on the Longhorns with 516 receiving yards and No. 2 with six touchdown receptions.

247Sports college football and transfer portal analysts Chris Hummer and Cooper Petagna provided insights into the breakup between Manning and Livingstone, detailing how NIL money and agent involvement played a significant role in the decision.

“It’s a surprising situation,” Hummer said Wednesday on CBSSports HQ.

Mark Cuban reportedly made a donation to Indiana football for the 2026 transfer portal cycle, according to Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports. The billionaire most known for his time as the majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks is a 1981 graduate of the school.

“Already committed for this portal,” Cuban wrote to FOS in an email. “Let’s just say they are happier this year than last year.”

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Indiana already made splashes in the transfer portal, such as TCU QB Josh Hoover committing for the 2026 season. They also landed Michigan State WR Nick Marsh and Boston College RB Turbo Richard. That’s only the tip of the iceberg and Indiana is still playing in the College Football Playoff!

Cuban reportedly gave a “big number” to the Indiana athletic department in the past, as he told CBS Sports in October. He cited his connection with head coach Curt Cignetti as the biggest factor.

Cuban is also no stranger to donating to his alma mater. In 2015, he gave the school around $5 million for a sports media center and gave $6 million to fund Indiana’s rugby club.

But first thing’s first, Cuban will be watching Indiana play Oregon in the Peach Bowl in the CFP semifinals. It’s all about what’s in front of them and nothing’s changed for Cignetti and IU.

“Yeah, excited to be a part of the Peach Bowl,” Cignetti said. “Playing a great opponent in Oregon, Coach Lanning. Like I said so before we played earlier in the year, one of the young superstars you know in the coaching profession. I think they’re 26-2 the last two years.

“And, you know, really an excellent football team, offense, defense, and special teams. Do a great job of coaching. Be a big challenge. We were fortunate, you know, to win the game out in Eugene. It’s hard to beat a great team twice. You know, very difficult. So, edge to Oregon there. But tough to be a great team twice. Looking forward to the challenge.”

Indiana and Oregon are set to square off Friday night in the Peach Bowl. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and the winner will play for the College Football Playoff National Championship.

ESPN predicted the outcomes of both College Football Playoff semifinal games coming Thursday and Friday. Now down to the final four teams, we are that much closer to crowning this year’s national champion.

Miami, Ole Miss, Indiana and Oregon are the last teams standing following two rounds of competitive and dominant football. But what do ESPN’s metrics say, specifically their SP+ projections?

Putting player rankings, strength of schedule, game projection and everything else under the sun together, ESPN put out its College Football Playoff predictions for the semifinals. Let’s start at the Fiesta Bowl.

No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 10 Miami (Fiesta Bowl)

SP+ Projection: Ole Miss 28.1, Miami 25.2

Ole Miss seemingly has the quarterback advantage with Trinidad Chambliss over Carson Beck in this one. He’s played at a different level over the last two weeks and found a new gear in the upset over Georgia. With Kewan Lacy helping the cause at running back, Ole Miss has a dynamic offense to deal with.

But defense wins championships, right? At least that is what Miami hopes for in this College Football Playoff. They stifled explosive offenses in Texas A&M and Ohio State to get to this point. Mario Cristobal will look for his team to grind it out. But ESPN projects Pete Golding and crew to get to the national title game.

No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 5 Oregon (Peach Bowl)

SP+ Projection: Indiana 26.7, Oregon 23.7

Indiana keeps winning, make sure you Google it. Curt Cignetti and crew learned from last year’s College Football Playoff mistakes and dominated Alabama in the Rose Bowl, 38-3. The Hoosiers are two wins away from the program’s first national title and have a Heisman QB in Fernando Mendoza to boot. On paper, especially with a win over the Ducks already, Indiana is rightly favored.

But Oregon is coming in guns blazing. Dan Lanning, like Cignetti, preaches toughness and grittiness. That’s exactly what Oregon is going to do and it has a pretty darn good quarterback, too, in Dante Moore. Which Nick Saban disciple is going to end up on top? The metrics say Indiana, again, by a hair.

Based on ESPN’s SP+ projections, No. 1 Indiana and No. 6 Ole Miss will square off for the College Football Playoff national championship. The game is scheduled for January 19th in Miami.

The annual NHL Winter Classic game is a favorite of hockey fans.

The marquee game of the NHL’s regular season is coming to Salt Lake City next year.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman joined Utah Mammoth owners Ryan and Ashley Smith on Wednesday in announcing that the 2027 Winter Classic will be held outdoors at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The Mammoth will play the current NHL leaders, the Colorado Avalanche. The game will take place at the beginning of next January.

“I think this venue is going to be incredible,” Ryan Smith said. “This is a dream.”

The NHL selected Rice-Eccles Stadium as the venue over competition from BYU’s Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo and several other markets around the NHL that wanted to host the event.

“I wanted it here in Salt Lake. This is right,” Smith, a BYU alum, said. “I mean, I do enough down there. This is my NIL donation here. It’s a good one.”

And unlike at University of Utah football games, the stadium will sell alcohol for the event, university director of auxiliary services Collin Simmons told reporters. “We’re able to sell beer and seltzer for all private events,” he explained. “This is a private event.”

The exact date for the event has yet to be selected, as the NHL experiments with different dates at the beginning of January that conflict least with the NFL and college football. The game has traditionally taken place on either Jan. 1 or Jan 2.

The Winter Classic began in 2008, as the NHL sought to bring new fans to its games by returning to its roots in outdoor pond hockey. Since then, Winter Classic games have occurred annually with limited exceptions and have proven to be extremely popular with fans and players alike. Fans also enjoy that teams typically wear special-edition uniforms for the event, which Bettman said have not yet been designed.

The 2025 edition of the game took place at Wrigley Field between the Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues. This year, the game moved to sunny Miami, Florida, as the Panthers played the Rangers in a matchup that drew significant criticism from hockey fans. Choosing Salt Lake City as the 2027 hosts reflects a league return to a cold-weather site.

League officials toured Rice-Eccles Stadium in recent months to determine its suitability for the game. It will be the fourth time the Winter Classic has been held at a college football stadium, with Michigan Stadium (2014), Notre Dame Stadium (2019), and the Cotton Bowl (2020) the previous three hosts.

“This stadium sets up very well. From a sightline perspective, there’s an intimacy here. We expect to have 50,000 plus here. We’re not anticipating any problems,” NHL commissioner Bettman said. “And the Governor” — Spencer Cox, who attended Wednesday’s announcement — “has promised me that the weather will be perfect.”

The Avalanche should prove formidable opposition to the Mammoth; through 42 games this season, they have suffered just four regulation losses against 31 wins. Team stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar have pushed the Avs to one of the greatest starts to a regular season in NHL history this season, and should provide additional juice to the matchup.

The Mammoth, meanwhile, are led by team captain Clayton Keller and newly-extended Logan Cooley, who provided a player’s perspective at the announcement.

“Being outside, it’s a whole different experience,” Cooley said, while noting the last time he played outdoors was when he was 4 or 5 years old. “That whole experience will be a challenge. And as players, as competitors, we like those.”

“Just being outside, you see the mountains in the background. As a player, I hope it’s pretty cold and there’s a lot of snow,” he said.