NIL
Panama's Barmore makes EA Sports College Football 26 debut, will do the same at Arizona

After transferring to the University of Arizona this past winter, Cameron Barmore is “in the game” for the first time, making his debut in the popular video game EA Sports College Football 26.
Images courtesy of EA Sports College Football 26
TUCSON, Ariz. — Cameron Barmore doesn’t own a gaming console.
He rarely plays video games.
But earlier this week, he received a private message from a young boy in western Chautauqua County saying “You just won me the Rose Bowl.”
The boy was referencing Barmore’s character in the popular video game EA Sports College Football 26. After transferring to Arizona University this past winter, Barmore is “in the game” for the first time.
Such is the life of a big-time NCAA Division I athlete from a small town.
ı ı ı
Barmore, a 2020 graduate of Panama Central School, spent the first five years of his collegiate career at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania.
While with the Lakers, the 2019 New York State Sportswriters Association Class D co-Player of the Year who led the Wolfpack to back-to-back state titles in high school, caught 165 passes for 2,319 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Mercyhurst, which was an NCAA Division II program prior to this past season, earned its first Division I win on Nov. 23, 21-20 over St. Francis University. It was a bittersweet final game for Bamore, who caught eight passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns — the last coming with 42 seconds remaining to essentially give the Lakers the win and complete a 4-7 season.
“I was just happy to get the win,” Barmore said. “I had a feeling in the back of my head that would be my last game there.”
Following the season, with the blessing of Mercyhurst head coach Ryan Riemedio, Barmore entered the transfer portal hoping to end his collegiate career on an even bigger stage.
“It was tough leaving my brothers there,” Barmore said. “I was there for five years and I loved it there.”
Once Barmore received his transfer portal number Nov. 25, he officially announced on X that he was entering the transfer portal.
The response was immediate.
“I entered right before a night class … I gained 700 followers in an hour,” Barmore said. “From there on, that first week, I was probably on my phone 11 or 12 hours a day.”
Offers from Austin Peay, Old Dominion, Liberty, Western Michigan and others came. Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State followed.
Along with scholarship offers came NIL offers.
“I wasn’t really making any decision based on money,” Barmore said, “it was more about football.”
Power programs came calling: Stanford, Virginia Tech, Houston and Ole Miss.
“I do have an agent and they helped, but the majority was on Twitter and reaching out that way,” Barmore said. “I was pretty much going in blind. I didn’t really have an idea at all. I was just hoping and grateful for anything.”
But Barmore’s decision ultimately came down to Texas Tech and Arizona. He first visited Texas Tech and nearly committed to the university in Lubbock, but a last-minute commitment from another tight end prospect turned Barmore to the Wildcats.
“I would’ve gone back to Mercyhurst,” Barmore said. “I don’t know if I was expecting bigger schools like Arizona and Texas Tech to actually offer.”
During a visit to Tucson, he talked to second-year head coach Brent Brennan and first-year offensive coordinator Seth Doege before officially committing on Dec. 23.
“I didn’t really know anything about Arizona football. After the visit, I loved the coaching staff — head coach Brennan and (offensive coordinator) Coach Doege,” Barmore said. “It was about more than football at that point. They were looking at players like they’re real people.”
ı ı ı
Barmore will certainly have competition for snaps at Arizona.
He says he is one of at least eight in the tight end room and figures to be one of at least four who travel for the Wildcats’ road games.
“It’s been a lot more tight end than receiver,” Barmore said about a shift he’s been making since leaving Mercyhurst. “The spring was a big change going from outside receiver to kicking out defensive ends and pulling for linebackers. I hope they use me like more of a receiving tight end.”
For what it’s worth, he’s listed as the third tight end on the depth chart in the video game with an overall rating of 74. Barmore’s highest individual rating is his strength (82), followed by agility (78), acceleration (77), speed (76), awareness (76), change of direction (75), ball-carrier vision (74), break tackle (73), stiff arm (72) and trucking (69).
But his jersey number is incorrect — he will wear No. 80, not No. 88 — his hair is too light and his mustache is missing.
Listed at 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, Barmore is labeled a physical route runner in the game.
His main competition in the tight end room — virtually and in real life — are Keyan Burnett, who transferred to Kansas in December, but returned this spring, and Sam Olson.
Burnett caught 18 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown while Olson had 13 catches for 196 yards and two touchdowns last year.
“It was great. I’ve never learned that much football that fast. It was a lot of learning, figuring out the game speed,” Barmore said of the Wildcats’ 13 spring practices. “There are probably eight or nine tight ends. Everybody has their different strengths.”
ı ı ı
Barmore admits he’d rather be 30 minutes from home than 36 hours, but “had to be selfish and do what I thought would be best for me,” leaving Mercyhurst.
Arizona’s season gets underway in Tucson on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Mountain Time against Hawaii. The Wildcats will then host Weber State on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. before opening Big 12 play Friday, Sept. 12 against Kansas State.
“I feel like Game 1, playing in front of the biggest crowd I ever have will be a fun one,” Barmore said. “That’s the one I’m most looking forward to.”
Following a bye week, Arizona will go on the road for the first time when it travels to Iowa State University on Saturday, Sept. 27.
The closest Barmore and the Wildcats will come to Western New York will be Saturday, Nov. 15 when they visit the University of Cincinnati.
Senior Day will take place Saturday, Nov. 22 against Baylor inside Arizona Stadium and the Wildcats will finish the regular season with the 99th edition of the Territorial Cup against Arizona State University at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe.
NIL
Robert Griffin III blasts College Football Playoff committee for not punishing Alabama, references BYU
The College Football Playoff bracket was revealed — and it wasn’t without controversy. Among those who took issue with how the rankings were made was Robert Griffin III, who called the CFP selection process, “a complete joke.”
His problem with the bracket lies in where Alabama was ranked. The No. 9-seed, the Crimson Tide lost 28-7 against Georgia in the SEC Championship and dropped to 10-3 on the season as a result. Meanwhile, BYU lost in similar fashion and was the second team out of the field.
“Getting blown out in the Conference Championship matters for a Big 12 team like BYU, but doesn’t matter for an SEC like Alabama who had more losses and a bad loss to a 5-7 team? Unbelievable SEC bias,” he wrote on X.
Griffin III said that the College Football Playoff committee had the opportunity to do the “most right thing” with the “smallest backlash.” Instead, controversy reigned supreme on selection Sunday as Miami was slotted as the No. 10 seed while Notre Dame was omitted from the bracket entirely despite being ranked ahead of the Hurricanes for several weeks.
“Alabama and BYU getting blown out in their conference championship games opened the door to put both Notre Dame and Miami in,” Griffin wrote in another tweet. “Instead they dropped the ball and punished BYU for losing, didn’t punish Alabama for losing and then flipped Notre Dame and Miami despite neither of them playing a game.
“None of it makes sense. They did the thing that would give them the most backlash just to have 5 SEC teams in the playoff. That makes everyone question the integrity of the process and rightfully so.”
Now, Alabama will travel to Oklahoma to play the Sooners in Norman. One of Alabama’s three losses this season came against the Sooners — in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 15. Miami will play the one-loss Texas A&M Aggies on the road in one of the toughest environments in college football.
Notre Dame, meanwhile, will likely be playing in one of the top non-CFP bowl games sometime in the next few weeks. In the end, five teams from the SEC make the playoffs, including the Crimson Tide, Sooners, Aggies, as well as Georgia and Ole Miss.
NIL
BCS Formula adds to the Final College Football Playoff Rankings controversy
The 2025 college football season is over and the College Football Playoffs are officially set to begin. And not without significant controversy after a 10-2 Notre Dame team was left out.
But what might the playoff look like if the committee wasn’t involved and it was left up to a less subjective system, like the BCS? Well, the fine folks at BCSKnowHow.com have clued us in on exactly what that would look like.
On3 stops to compile BCSKnowHow’s top 25, breaking it down into the hypothetical matchups it would create. Let’s dive into it below.
Indiana’s win in the Big Ten Championship Game was enough to cinch the No. 1 seed in both reality and in the BCS simulation. The Hoosiers are clearly the top team in the country and as such have earned a bye in the playoff.
Few teams are firing on all cylinders the way Indiana is right now, and the Hoosiers are pretty battle-tested after knocking off the next two best teams in the league. There’s a whole lot of excitement around the program right now, and rightly so.

The simulated BCS continues to match up with the actual College Football Playoff rankings, keeping Ohio State up at No. 2 despite the loss on Saturday in the Big Ten title game. It was a close loss that could have cut either way, and it certainly won’t be a deterrent for the Buckeyes.
Now the question becomes how quickly Ohio State can turn the page on that loss? Will it linger or will the Buckeyes march on with a unified front and a clear goal? Something tells us Ryan Day will have his squad ready.
The Georgia defense kept Alabama off-balance all day long in the SEC Championship Game, paving the way for a blowout win. The offense did what it needed to apply pressure, and it eventually caused the Crimson Tide to cave.
Though the Bulldogs end up with the No. 3 seed, they’ll still have a nice path in the playoffs that begins with a first-round bye. That’s important in getting everyone healthy and ready to roll for the College Football Playoff run.
Texas Tech, like in the College Football Playoff rankings, takes the No. 4 spot in the BCS simulation. That keeps the Red Raiders in position to earn a first-round bye and avoid playing right away.
The Red Raiders might be playing as well defensively as any team in the country, even after impressive showings by Ohio State and Indiana on Saturday. Can that power Texas Tech to a deep playoff run?

The first team to check in outside the top four, Oregon earns a first-round home game by virtue of checking in at No. 5. It also gets the lowest-ranked conference champion by virtue of doing so, and this matchup is the same as the actual CFP.
Oregon probably hasn’t quite played its best football just yet, but getting a home game to start a playoff run can potentially kick things into gear. Say this: Nobody’s exactly going to be lining up wanting to face the Ducks.
The second SEC team in the field in both the College Football Playoff rankings and the simulated BCS, Ole Miss earns a first-round home game in the playoffs. Oxford should be downright insane.
Throw in the fact that the Rebels now have a new coach for the playoffs and the intrigue for this one is off the charts. The rankings do, however, include a rematch for Ole Miss. More on that below.
Again, the CFP continues to track perfectly with the BCS simulation through the first seven teams. That’s been the case each of the first two years in the playoff; the committee is often not much different than the BCS.
Kyle Field gets tapped to host a playoff game, and in this edition the opponent actually does change. Alabama checks in as the No. 10 team and thus the opponent for Texas A&M in the first round.

Still the same as the College Football Playoff rankings, and Oklahoma gets to host a home playoff game as a result. The Sooners have certainly earned it after compiling some excellent wins, including a win over Alabama.
The weather is even shaping up such that we could have a potential snow game in Norman in two weeks. That would certainly be something for two powerhouse teams vying for a national title, ultimately.
The first drastic change the BCS simulation produces against the College Football Playoff rankings is the inclusion of Notre Dame in the field at No. 9. Because Alabama slipped behind Notre Dame, there was a buffer with Miami.
That’s ultimately what did the Fighting Irish in when the real field was unveiled on Sunday. Alabama did not slide, leaving Notre Dame vulnerable to the head-to-head result with Miami and out of the field. Not so in the BCS.
Alabama checks in only one spot lower than the actual CFP in the simulated BCS, falling to No. 10 overall. That puts it as the last team to make the field as an at-large.
The Crimson Tide have a lot of work to do to prove they’re worthy of the bid after falling to the Bulldogs in blowout fashion on Saturday evening. Can Alabama regroup and put up a fight on the road at Texas A&M?

Miami doesn’t get the benefit of sidling up next to Notre Dame in the rankings in the BCS simulation. Thus, the Hurricanes end up left out of the field in this edition of the would-be playoffs.
Ultimately, Miami had a strong season but the loss to Louisville would prove costly in this scenario. Luckily for Hurricanes fans, this is just an exercise. In reality, Miami is readying for a first-round playoff game at Texas A&M.
BYU falls to the same spot in the simulated BCS rankings as the College Football Playoff, which is to say outside of the playoff field. Even with a closer game in the Big 12 Championship Game it’s not clear that BYU would have had enough juice to make the field.
Overall it was a strong season for the Cougars, but they were blown out both times by the Red Raiders. Wins over Utah and Arizona were reasonably impressive, though.
Rest of the CFP Top 25: 13-25
- Vanderbilt Commodores
- Texas Longhorns
- Utah Utes
- USC Trojans
- Michigan Wolverines
- Tulane Green Wave
- James Madison Dukes
- Arizona Wildcats
- Virginia Cavaliers
- Navy Midshipmen
- North Texas Mean Green
- Iowa Hawkeyes
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
First-Round Byes
- Indiana Hoosiers
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Texas Tech Red Raiders
5. Oregon Ducks vs. 12. James Madison Dukes
Oregon will get to play host to James Madison in this matchup that mirrors the actual College Football Playoff selections. It’s hard to see James Madison coming away with a win in that tough an environment, but that’s why they play the games.
6. Ole Miss Rebels vs. 11. Tulane Green Wave
Another true-to-life matchup, Ole Miss will be set to host Tulane in the first round of the playoffs. The two teams have already met once this year, with the Rebels winning in an absolute blowout in Oxford. Can the Green Wave tighten the margin a bit? Maybe even make it competitive?
7. Texas A&M Aggies vs. 10. Alabama Crimson Tide
In previous years this would have consistuted a rematch, but Alabama and Texas A&M did not face each other this year or last year. Still, it’s a game in which both programs — if not the coaches — will be plenty familiar with each other. That could make for a fun game.
8. Oklahoma Sooners vs. 9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
In the final first-round playoff game, Oklahoma plays host to Notre Dame, which makes the field over Miami in the simulated version of the BCS. This has all the makings of a classic, particularly depending on how the weather shakes out.
NIL
UGA suing former Bulldog, Missouri DE for transfer damages
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A University of Missouri defensive end is now at the center of what could become a landmark legal battle in college football.
The University of Georgia has filed a lawsuit against former Bulldog Damon Wilson, seeking nearly $400,000 in damages after the player transferred schools.
Wilson, who spent his first two seasons at Georgia, signed a new NIL agreement with the school in December of last year. However, shortly after finalizing the deal, he entered the transfer portal and committed to Missouri about a month later.
According to court documents, Georgia paid Wilson $30,000 of what was structured as a $500,000 NIL contract before his departure. The university argues that because Wilson left before fulfilling the terms of the agreement, he now owes the school a $390,000 lump-sum repayment.
The case highlights the growing tension and legal complexity surrounding NIL contracts and player mobility, and could set a precedent for how schools and athletes navigate similar agreements in the future.
This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First for updates.
Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.
NIL
IU football is No. 1 seed in College Football Playoff, headed to the Rose Bowl – The Daily Hoosier
Indiana football is three wins from a national title, and they’ve earned the most favorable path to get there.
After a perfect 13-0 season and Big Ten title, IU is the No. 1 overall seed in the 2025 College Football Playoff. The Hoosiers are also the No. 1 team for the first time ever in the new AP Poll released Sunday afternoon.
The CFP bracket was revealed live on ESPN Sunday afternoon and can be seen below.
In the Rose Bowl, Indiana will face the winner of No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 9 Alabama. The Rose Bowl kicks off at 4 p.m. ET on Jan. 1 (ESPN).
If the Hoosiers advance to the national semifinals, that game will be the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Jan. 9. Texas Tech, Oregon and James Madison are the possible opponents in that game.
Three teams from the Big Ten were in the national top-5, as Ohio State (No. 2) and Oregon (No. 5) were also included in the CFP.
FINAL CFP BRACKET
FINAL CFP RANKINGS
| RANK | TEAM | OVERALL RECORD |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | 13-0 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 12-1 |
| 3 | Georgia | 12-1 |
| 4 | Texas Tech | 12-1 |
| 5 | Oregon | 11-1 |
| 6 | Ole Miss | 11-1 |
| 7 | Texas A&M | 11-1 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 10-2 |
| 9 | Alabama | 10-3 |
| 10 | Miami | 10-2 |
| 11 | Notre Dame | 10-2 |
| 12 | BYU | 11-2 |
| 13 | Texas | 9-3 |
| 14 | Vanderbilt | 10-2 |
| 15 | Utah | 10-2 |
| 16 | Southern California | 9-3 |
| 17 | Arizona | 9-3 |
| 18 | Michigan | 9-3 |
| 19 | Virginia | 10-3 |
| 20 | Tulane | 11-2 |
| 21 | Houston | 9-3 |
| 22 | Georgia Tech | 9-3 |
| 23 | Iowa | 8-4 |
| 24 | James Madison | 12-1 |
| 25 | North Texas | 11-2 |
For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
Related
NIL
Miami Selected to College Football Playoff – University of Miami Athletics
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The Miami Hurricanes football program was selected Sunday to the 2025 College Football Playoff, receiving an at-large bid to secure the team’s first-ever trip to the CFP.
The Hurricanes are seeded tenth in the CFP field and will travel to College Station, Texas, to face seventh-seeded Texas A&M on Saturday, Dec. 20, at noon ET on ABC.
“We are excited to be making our first appearance in the College Football Playoff,” Vice President/Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich said. “Congratulations to Mario Cristobal, our coaching staff and our student-athletes on a terrific regular season that was justly rewarded by the CFP Committee. We look forward to facing Texas A&M in the opening round and I know Miami fans will make their presence felt in College Station.”
Miami (10-2) closed the regular season as one of the most complete teams in the country, ranking second in the ACC in scoring offense at 34.1 points per game while leading the league in scoring defense at just 13.8 points allowed per contest. The Hurricanes also led the ACC in total defense, surrendering only 277.8 yards per game.
On offense, Miami averaged 425.8 yards per game. The Hurricanes posted 5,110 total yards with 50 total touchdowns across 12 games, including 27 passing touchdowns and 23 rushing scores.
Through the air, Miami led the ACC in passing efficiency at 165.47 while completing 73.88 percent of its throws for 3,310 yards. Defensively, Miami held opponents to just 86.8 rushing yards per game, the best mark in the ACC, while allowing only 190.9 passing yards per contest.
To stay up to date with the University of Miami football team, be sure to follow @canesfootball on Instagram, X and Facebook.
NIL
Forget Kiffin — NIL is the real villain here
I am not an Ole Miss fan… Hail State. So, when Lane Kiffin left for LSU, “ne’er a tear fell.” Most likely, the same could have been said about our Egg Bowl rivals when Dan Mullen left MSU to go coach at Florida in 2017, leaving the Dawgs without a head coach for the TaxSlayer Bowl.
It’s just something about having a winning season that gets our Mississippi coaches snapped up for bigger and better things.
As history has shown us, however, these grandiose positions don’t always pan out. But as luck would have it for these men, the money keeps rolling in thanks to lucrative contracts that payout even when you’re fired.
Life is just not fair!
I guess some of you may be curious as to why I am even bringing up this topic. It’s not like I am any kind of football fanatic or guru.
Sure, I enjoy watching a game now and again, particularly when Mississippi State is having a winning season — I guess you can deduce that it’s not been too often these days — but what little enjoyment I have had in the past is certainly waning. And it seems this Kiffin contract is becoming the nail in the coffin.
-
Rec Sports2 weeks agoFirst Tee Winter Registration is open
-
Rec Sports2 weeks agoFargo girl, 13, dies after collapsing during school basketball game – Grand Forks Herald
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoCPG Brands Like Allegra Are Betting on F1 for the First Time
-
Sports3 weeks agoVolleyball Recaps – November 18
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoF1 Las Vegas: Verstappen win, Norris and Piastri DQ tighten 2025 title fight
-
Sports2 weeks agoTwo Pro Volleyball Leagues Serve Up Plans for Minnesota Teams
-
Sports2 weeks agoUtah State Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field Schedule
-
Sports2 weeks agoSycamores unveil 2026 track and field schedule
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoRedemption Means First Pro Stock World Championship for Dallas Glenn
-
NIL1 week agoBowl Projections: ESPN predicts 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, full bowl slate after Week 14





