NIL
Softball player Cayden Baker owns The Place Nutrition in Halls
Al Lesar | Shopper News Subscribe to Knox News: Local journalists covering local stories Knox News journalists cover the important moments in Knoxville. Support local journalism by subscribing. Cayden Baker is a social media intern for Tennessee Mojo, making regular posts and announcements, and giving top players advice on recruiting and name, image and likeness […]
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- Cayden Baker is a social media intern for Tennessee Mojo, making regular posts and announcements, and giving top players advice on recruiting and name, image and likeness financial deals.
- The former Powell High softball player also is a UT student, owns a business and works part time as a receptionist.
As if owning a business wasn’t enough … or working a second job … or having a time-consuming internship … or carrying a full class load at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville … Cayden Baker’s days — and nights — are full, even without the game of softball that she once loved so much.
Baker, a 2021 Powell High School graduate, had a great softball career at Powell and with the Tennessee Mojo elite summer travel team. She was good enough to get recruited by Texas A&M.
She started 43 games and played in all 52 as a freshman infielder. She hit .261 and didn’t make an error.
However, after a coaching change, the new coach cut four players and Baker was one of them.
She landed at Georgia Tech. Just before the start of the spring season, Baker’s family had an emergency. When the Yellow Jackets’ coach refused to help her through the crisis, she left school and came home.
The last two years, with softball in the rear-view mirror, she has been working on finishing her degree in public relations at UT.
“I would not change anything in my high school or travel (softball) careers,” Baker said. “I had never played for a woman coach (as there were at A&M and Georgia Tech) before. That was hard to get used to. There were way more emotions involved than I had ever seen.”
Knowing customers is essential
Though she has a 3.7 GPA and will graduate at the end of the summer, Baker didn’t come back home to sit back and relax. Her mother, DeLinda, owns Emory Station Nutrition and The Baby Station in Powell. Since they already knew the business, buying Halls Nutrition (which is now The Place Nutrition, 6663 Maynardville Pike in Halls) in December 2022 made sense.
“People think owning a business is a luxury,” Baker said. “It’s a lot of work. You have to prioritize it, keep up with the trends. Customer service is so important. If you don’t know a customer’s name and past order, you’re doing something wrong.”
The Place Nutrition specializes in energy drinks, protein shakes and teas.
Baker, who relies on a quality manager to run the store, works at The Place Nutrition on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Mondays and Wednesdays she is a receptionist at a beauty salon. Weekends are also consumed with work of some sort.
Decision time is coming
Staying in touch with softball by way of a social media internship for Tennessee Mojo scratches her itch for the game. Besides doing regular posts and announcements, she helps top players with advice on recruiting and name, image and likeness financial deals.
“Most of the NIL deals for softball come in the form of equipment or merchandise,” Baker said. “Only a few of the top, top players are getting big money. It’s not like football and (men’s and women’s) basketball.”
By the end of the summer, Baker will have a decision to make: Get more involved with the travel softball team, or dedicate a lot more time to The Place Nutrition.
“I’ve learned a lot about time management by doing all this,” she said. “I’ve learned to hold myself accountable for whatever needs to get done.”
NIL
Adidas deal could land 5-star recruit Tristen Keys
While University of Tennessee was mulling a lucrative offer from Adidas this spring, Tristen Keys, the No. 1 wide receiver recruit in the nation, was doing the same. There’s a chance they could join forces under the Adidas umbrella now that both UT and the blue-chip prospect have signed with the apparel brand. On Aug. […]
While University of Tennessee was mulling a lucrative offer from Adidas this spring, Tristen Keys, the No. 1 wide receiver recruit in the nation, was doing the same.
There’s a chance they could join forces under the Adidas umbrella now that both UT and the blue-chip prospect have signed with the apparel brand.
On Aug. 13, UT announced a 10-year deal with Adidas, beginning in 2026, to become the Vols’ official apparel partner.
On June 8, Adidas announced it had signed Keys to a name, image and likeness contract, continuing its strategy to aggressively land elite high school recruits before they choose a college.
“When we think about our core consumer, they know about that kid, that top high school athlete, more than ever,” Chris McGuire, Adidas Vice President of Sports Marketing, told Knox News when referring to the company’s approach to NIL for high school athletes.
“Social (media) has led all these individual athletes to have their own platform to talk to larger fan bases. They are becoming individuals that kids look up to in their sport.”
How 5-star QB Faizon Brandon can land Tristen Keys
In March, Keys committed to LSU, a Nike school. But it’s been widely reported that he is considering flipping his commitment to Tennessee, Miami or Texas A&M. All three will be Adidas schools when UT joins the fold in July 2026.
Keys is a 6-foot-3, 180-pounder from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The five-star recruit is ranked the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 6 prospect overall in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports Composite.
Tennessee commitment Faizon Brandon, a five-star quarterback, has been trying to convince Keys to flip to the Vols. Notably, Brandon wore bright orange Adidas cleats during a recent high school practice.
It hinted that Brandon and Keys could be fellow Adidas ambassadors as well as future teammates.
That would be a dream pairing for the Vols. It’s only a fantasy unless Keys commits to UT, and there’s no timetable for that potential announcement.
But UT’s deal with Adidas is an encouraging sign for the Vols landing Keys, a centerpiece of the shoe brand’s collection of high school athletes.
What Adidas says about impact on recruiting via NIL
Whether UT can flip Keys won’t define Adidas’ impact on Vols recruiting. But it’s a timely peek into the triangulation that goes into landing premier prospects in the NIL era.
The university matters. The brand and its NIL package matters. And the recruit considers both.
Typically, players wear the shoe brand under contract to their school. In the NIL era, that might change as athletes sign with brands not partnered with their school.
But it’s much easier, and perhaps more financially beneficial to the athlete, if the athlete and school are contracted to the same brand.
Adidas is a leader in NIL because it dove headfirst into the industry once it was adopted by the NCAA in 2021. The company has remained aggressive in the NIL space, and but there’s plenty of competition by other apparel brands like Nike and Under Armour.
Adidas knows its impact on recruiting through NIL is a selling point to potential
“What we want to do is make sure we have a strong base of NIL athletes under contract, and then our college coaches know that they are comfortable talking to them,” McGuire said. “At the end of the day, it’s up to that kid to make that choice of what school they want to attend.”
Adidas is already trying to sign current UT athletes to NIL deals.
Once the partnership begins in July 2026, every UT athlete will be eligible to participate in Adidas’ NIL Ambassador Network, which touts more than 12,000 college athletes who earn a percentage of the sales they drive for key products and campaigns.
The NIL Ambassador Network is only available to athletes at Adidas-partnered Division I schools. It’s part of Adidas’ attempt to lock up athletes from high school to college and possibly professional ranks.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
NIL
PROP approves double first base rule in Division I softball
Story Links The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Wednesday approved requiring a double first base to be implemented in softball for the 2025-26 academic year for Division I. Implementation in Divisions II and III will be delayed until 2026-27. After a thorough discussion in June, the NCAA Softball Rules Committee made […]
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Wednesday approved requiring a double first base to be implemented in softball for the 2025-26 academic year for Division I. Implementation in Divisions II and III will be delayed until 2026-27.
After a thorough discussion in June, the NCAA Softball Rules Committee made the recommendation in an effort to better define a running lane between home plate and first base. This can help umpires make calls when deciding whether the offensive player interfered with a defensive player’s ability to catch a throw.
Video review
The panel approved a measure that allows a team to retain a video review challenge if the call on the field is overturned.
If a game goes into extra innings, all remaining challenges will carry over.
Other tweaks to the video review system include:
- A video challenge will be allowed if interference (including collisions) is not called on the field and the ball remains live.
- Interference called on the field will not be reviewable, and all base runners will remain at the bases they were occupying. The exceptions to nonreviewable interference calls will be spectator and batter interference.
- A “no catch” call within the infield will be reviewable only if it results in the third out with runners on base or any time with the batter/runner only. However, a catch call within the infield area is not reviewable at any time.
- If video review is conducted on-site by the crew chief, the monitors should not be within any team area. At least one umpire should remain on the field during a video review.
- During a video review, the defensive team will remain on the field and can huddle or warm up. Offensive players can leave the batter’s box, the bases and the on-deck circle. However, once the umpire returns with the decision on the video review, both teams must be ready to play. If there is a defensive delay, a ball will be added to the count. If there is an offensive delay, a strike will be added to the count.
Other rules changes:
- One-way electronic communication devices may be used by offensive players. Communication can originate from the dugouts or coaches boxes.
- All protests will be resolved during the game. Games will no longer be played “under protest,” awaiting postgame decisions by the NCAA secretary-rules editor for softball.
- Once a play is under video review, replays of the play can be shown at any speed on the in-game video board.
Rescinded proposal
After reviewing comments from the membership, the NCAA Softball Rules Committee rescinded a proposal that if a hitter has one foot completely out of the batter’s box or stepping on the plate while contacting a pitch, an immediate dead ball would be called.
The rule remains that if any part of a batter’s body is touching home plate or on the ground outside the lines of the batter’s box at the moment of bat-and-ball contact, a delayed dead ball is signaled. The coach of the defensive team can choose either the result of the play or the standard effect for illegal contact, which is a strike on the batter and all base runners having to return to the base legally occupied at the time of the pitch. If the standard effect for illegal contact is chosen and it is the third strike, the batter is declared out.
Obstruction rule
During its meeting in June, the NCAA Softball Rules Committee clarified the obstruction rule.
Obstruction occurs when a defensive player, neither in possession of the ball nor in the act of fielding a batted ball, impedes a batter’s attempt to make contact with a pitch or impedes the progress of any runner who is legally running bases on a live ball. It can be intentional or unintentional.
It is obstruction when a defensive player, while not in possession of the ball, does one of the following:
- Blocks any part of the leading edge of first, second or third base or home plate (as defined).
- Otherwise blocks the runner from advancing or returning to a base.
The defensive player is not considered obstructing if the player is in possession of the ball or if the movement or position of the defensive player did not impede or alter the runner’s path to a base or home plate.
Notes:
- Once in possession of the ball, the defensive player can be positioned between the runner and the base/plate.
- Obstruction may be ruled even though there is no physical contact.
- Obstruction can occur on a force or tag play.
- Blocking the leading edge of the base constitutes obstruction unless the runner’s ability to reach the base is not hindered.
- If the base runner would have been out, regardless of the defensive player’s movement or positioning, the runner would remain out, and the obstruction would be ignored.
NIL
Tennessee football
AI-assisted summary Top-ranked 2026 wide receiver recruit Tristen Keys, already signed with Adidas, is considering flipping his commitment from LSU to Tennessee, an Adidas school starting in 2026. Tennessee’s 10-year apparel deal with Adidas may influence Keys’ decision, as it aligns with his existing NIL contract. Five-star quarterback and Tennessee commit Faizon Brandon is actively […]
- Top-ranked 2026 wide receiver recruit Tristen Keys, already signed with Adidas, is considering flipping his commitment from LSU to Tennessee, an Adidas school starting in 2026.
- Tennessee’s 10-year apparel deal with Adidas may influence Keys’ decision, as it aligns with his existing NIL contract.
- Five-star quarterback and Tennessee commit Faizon Brandon is actively recruiting Keys, adding another layer to the Vols’ pursuit.
While University of Tennessee was mulling a lucrative offer from Adidas this spring, Tristen Keys, the No. 1 wide receiver recruit in the nation, was doing the same.
There’s a chance they could join forces under the Adidas umbrella now that both UT and the blue-chip prospect have signed with the apparel brand.
On Aug. 13, UT announced a 10-year deal with Adidas, beginning in 2026, to become the Vols’ official apparel partner.
On June 8, Adidas announced it had signed Keys to a name, image and likeness contract, continuing its strategy to aggressively land elite high school recruits before they choose a college.
“When we think about our core consumer, they know about that kid, that top high school athlete, more than ever,” Chris McGuire, Adidas Vice President of Sports Marketing, told Knox News when referring to the company’s approach to NIL for high school athletes.
“Social (media) has led all these individual athletes to have their own platform to talk to larger fan bases. They are becoming individuals that kids look up to in their sport.”
How 5-star QB Faizon Brandon can land Tristen Keys
In March, Keys committed to LSU, a Nike school. But it’s been widely reported that he is considering flipping his commitment to Tennessee, Miami or Texas A&M. All three will be Adidas schools when UT joins the fold in July 2026.
Keys is a 6-foot-3, 180-pounder from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The five-star recruit is ranked the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 6 prospect overall in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports Composite.
Tennessee commitment Faizon Brandon, a five-star quarterback, has been trying to convince Keys to flip to the Vols. Notably, Brandon wore bright orange Adidas cleats during a recent high school practice.
It hinted that Brandon and Keys could be fellow Adidas ambassadors as well as future teammates.
That would be a dream pairing for the Vols. It’s only a fantasy unless Keys commits to UT, and there’s no timetable for that potential announcement.
But UT’s deal with Adidas is an encouraging sign for the Vols landing Keys, a centerpiece of the shoe brand’s collection of high school athletes.
What Adidas says about impact on recruiting via NIL
Whether UT can flip Keys won’t define Adidas’ impact on Vols recruiting. But it’s a timely peek into the triangulation that goes into landing premier prospects in the NIL era.
The university matters. The brand and its NIL package matters. And the recruit considers both.
Typically, players wear the shoe brand under contract to their school. In the NIL era, that might change as athletes sign with brands not partnered with their school.
But it’s much easier, and perhaps more financially beneficial to the athlete, if the athlete and school are contracted to the same brand.
Adidas is a leader in NIL because it dove headfirst into the industry once it was adopted by the NCAA in 2021. The company has remained aggressive in the NIL space, and but there’s plenty of competition by other apparel brands like Nike and Under Armour.
Adidas knows its impact on recruiting through NIL is a selling point to potential
“What we want to do is make sure we have a strong base of NIL athletes under contract, and then our college coaches know that they are comfortable talking to them,” McGuire said. “At the end of the day, it’s up to that kid to make that choice of what school they want to attend.”
Adidas is already trying to sign current UT athletes to NIL deals.
Once the partnership begins in July 2026, every UT athlete will be eligible to participate in Adidas’ NIL Ambassador Network, which touts more than 12,000 college athletes who earn a percentage of the sales they drive for key products and campaigns.
The NIL Ambassador Network is only available to athletes at Adidas-partnered Division I schools. It’s part of Adidas’ attempt to lock up athletes from high school to college and possibly professional ranks.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Emailadam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
NIL
Tennessee football
AI-assisted summary Top-ranked 2026 wide receiver recruit Tristen Keys, already signed with Adidas, is considering flipping his commitment from LSU to Tennessee, an Adidas school starting in 2026. Tennessee’s 10-year apparel deal with Adidas may influence Keys’ decision, as it aligns with his existing NIL contract. Five-star quarterback and Tennessee commit Faizon Brandon is actively […]
- Top-ranked 2026 wide receiver recruit Tristen Keys, already signed with Adidas, is considering flipping his commitment from LSU to Tennessee, an Adidas school starting in 2026.
- Tennessee’s 10-year apparel deal with Adidas may influence Keys’ decision, as it aligns with his existing NIL contract.
- Five-star quarterback and Tennessee commit Faizon Brandon is actively recruiting Keys, adding another layer to the Vols’ pursuit.
While University of Tennessee was mulling a lucrative offer from Adidas this spring, Tristen Keys, the No. 1 wide receiver recruit in the nation, was doing the same.
There’s a chance they could join forces under the Adidas umbrella now that both UT and the blue-chip prospect have signed with the apparel brand.
On Aug. 13, UT announced a 10-year deal with Adidas, beginning in 2026, to become the Vols’ official apparel partner.
On June 8, Adidas announced it had signed Keys to a name, image and likeness contract, continuing its strategy to aggressively land elite high school recruits before they choose a college.
“When we think about our core consumer, they know about that kid, that top high school athlete, more than ever,” Chris McGuire, Adidas Vice President of Sports Marketing, told Knox News when referring to the company’s approach to NIL for high school athletes.
“Social (media) has led all these individual athletes to have their own platform to talk to larger fan bases. They are becoming individuals that kids look up to in their sport.”
How 5-star QB Faizon Brandon can land Tristen Keys
In March, Keys committed to LSU, a Nike school. But it’s been widely reported that he is considering flipping his commitment to Tennessee, Miami or Texas A&M. All three will be Adidas schools when UT joins the fold in July 2026.
Keys is a 6-foot-3, 180-pounder from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The five-star recruit is ranked the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 6 prospect overall in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports Composite.
Tennessee commitment Faizon Brandon, a five-star quarterback, has been trying to convince Keys to flip to the Vols. Notably, Brandon wore bright orange Adidas cleats during a recent high school practice.
It hinted that Brandon and Keys could be fellow Adidas ambassadors as well as future teammates.
That would be a dream pairing for the Vols. It’s only a fantasy unless Keys commits to UT, and there’s no timetable for that potential announcement.
But UT’s deal with Adidas is an encouraging sign for the Vols landing Keys, a centerpiece of the shoe brand’s collection of high school athletes.
What Adidas says about impact on recruiting via NIL
Whether UT can flip Keys won’t define Adidas’ impact on Vols recruiting. But it’s a timely peek into the triangulation that goes into landing premier prospects in the NIL era.
The university matters. The brand and its NIL package matters. And the recruit considers both.
Typically, players wear the shoe brand under contract to their school. In the NIL era, that might change as athletes sign with brands not partnered with their school.
But it’s much easier, and perhaps more financially beneficial to the athlete, if the athlete and school are contracted to the same brand.
Adidas is a leader in NIL because it dove headfirst into the industry once it was adopted by the NCAA in 2021. The company has remained aggressive in the NIL space, and but there’s plenty of competition by other apparel brands like Nike and Under Armour.
Adidas knows its impact on recruiting through NIL is a selling point to potential
“What we want to do is make sure we have a strong base of NIL athletes under contract, and then our college coaches know that they are comfortable talking to them,” McGuire said. “At the end of the day, it’s up to that kid to make that choice of what school they want to attend.”
Adidas is already trying to sign current UT athletes to NIL deals.
Once the partnership begins in July 2026, every UT athlete will be eligible to participate in Adidas’ NIL Ambassador Network, which touts more than 12,000 college athletes who earn a percentage of the sales they drive for key products and campaigns.
The NIL Ambassador Network is only available to athletes at Adidas-partnered Division I schools. It’s part of Adidas’ attempt to lock up athletes from high school to college and possibly professional ranks.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Emailadam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
NIL
The college football season is here. Which matchups are must-watch? :: WRALSportsFan.com
By MAURA CAREY, AP Sports Writer The 2025 college football season kicks off with fireworks, featuring eye-catching Week 1 showdowns like No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Ohio State, No. 9 LSU vs. No. 4 Clemson and No. 10 Miami vs. No. 6 Notre Dame. Despite the excitement of preseason powerhouses and Heisman Trophy contenders […]
The 2025 college football season kicks off with fireworks, featuring eye-catching Week 1 showdowns like No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Ohio State, No. 9 LSU vs. No. 4 Clemson and No. 10 Miami vs. No. 6 Notre Dame. Despite the excitement of preseason powerhouses and Heisman Trophy contenders going head-to-head, early stumbles in September rarely end postseason dreams, certainly not in the new 12-team playoff era of college football. The real pressure hits as the season progresses and playoff standings are on the line.
Here are six high-stakes matchups that you won’t want to miss (using preseason AP Top 25 rankings):
After falling short of the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, pressure is building for LSU’s Brian Kelly and Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer. Both historically successful programs are not far removed from recent title victories, with LSU in 2020 and Alabama the following year.
Both are coming off matching 9-4 seasons, each with a 5-3 conference record in the rugged SEC. Alabama should be favored in every game ahead of this one except for a late September visit to No. 5 Georgia. If LSU can knock off Clemson, the Tigers should be favored in all their games too ahead of this tilt.
Last fall, a two-interception game from Garrett Nussmeier hurt the Tigers, who struggled to stop Jalen Milroe and Co. Now Nussmeier is considered a Heisman contender and he will get a chance for a marquee conference road win over the Tide and DeBoer, who wants to distance himself from last year’s 9-4 debut season.
Texas and Georgia, the two highest-ranked SEC teams in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, square off in Athens less than a month before the league title game, which is where they last met (a 22-19 Bulldogs win in December).
Texas has a new quarterback in charge in Arch Manning; he briefly entered both games against Georgia in 2024, completing 3 of 6 passes for 19 yards after a slow start by Quinn Ewers and a 20-point deficit in Week 8.
Both teams have a lot of football to navigate before this one but it could be a dandy — and a precursor to another meeting or even two before the season ends?
Penn State earned the No. 2 seed in the Top 25, surpassing the reigning national champions, Ohio State, who came in at No. 3. The Big Ten rivals meet on Nov. 1 in Columbus in a matchup likely to carry league title game and playoff implications.
Drew Allar, a two-headed rushing attack and a stout defense should have the Nittany Lions favored in every game before this one, with all due respect to No. 7 Oregon (Sept. 27). Same for the Buckeyes, who are a 2.5-point favorite over the higher-ranked Longhorns in the opener.
Ohio State is 24-8 against Penn State and has won eight in a row. Coach James Franklin’s sole victory against the Buckeyes was in 2016 during his second year at the helm.
This year, the playoff format shifts to straight seeding, meaning the top four teams will be rewarded with a bye. A good showing here might impress the CFP committee before its first rankings of the season, too.
Expectations are high for Clemson, which is loaded. After LSU, the Tigers could be on cruise control when SMU comes calling for a game that matches two CFP teams from a year ago (both lost in the first round).
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, a Heisman favorite, had a standout outing against the Mustangs in 2024, throwing for 262 yards and four touchdowns. Receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. had a career-high eight receptions, 143 yards and two TDs. The two are expected to pick up where they left off.
SMU QB Kevin Jennings is back amid some question marks elsewhere, but the schedule isn’t daunting ahead of the trip to Clemson.
The Sun Devils went 11-3 and grabbed an automatic bid to the College Football Playoff last season, thanks in part to a dominant 45-19 Big 12 championship game victory against … Iowa State.
The Cyclones have some challenging games ahead of this one but wins there set this up nicely for a chance to impress the CFP committee.
Power Four conference champions still earn a spot in the 12-team bracket, but they won’t have the luxury of a first-round bye unless they’re ranked in the top four. The Sun Devils could be in the running either way, but every win counts for both teams in pursuit of a playoff berth.
After consecutive underwhelming seasons, USC coach Lincoln Riley could use a major road win, and is there a bigger statement to make than against a storied rival?
Notre Dame has beaten the Trojans seven times in the last eight meetings, including the last two in which the Fighting Irish averaged 48.5 points. USC last won a game in Notre Dame Stadium in 2011.
The Irish have national title hopes. The Trojans have hopes that Riley is finding the right formula to turn things around in what could be one of the last games in this longstanding series. The contract for a rivalry that dates to 1926 expires after their game in 2026.
No. 8 Alabama at No. 5 Georgia (Sept. 27), a chance for ‘Bama to improve to 10-1 against the Bulldogs since 2008 or for Kirby Smart to cut into his 1-6 record as a head coach against the Crimson Tide … No. 3 Ohio State at No. 14 Michigan (Nov. 29), a matchup of the last two national champions in a series that has seen the Wolverines win four straight … No. 25 Boise State at No. 6 Notre Dame (Oct. 4), a rare shot for a top Group of Five team to put up a marquee midseason win on the road … No. 3 Ohio State at No. 12 Illinois (Oct. 11), a chance for Bret Bielema’s Illini to show if last year’s 10-win season was a fluke.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
NIL
South Carolina’s Rahsul Faison releases NIL apparel while awaiting eligibility decision
As he awaits an eligibility decision from the NCAA, Rahsul Faison released NIL apparel. Through a partnership with Fan Arch, the South Carolina running back launched #FreeSul apparel Tuesday. Faison released T-shirts and sweatshirts on Fan Arch’s website Tuesday. The T-shirts start at $29.99 and sweatshirts are listed at $49.99. Faison is still seeking another […]
As he awaits an eligibility decision from the NCAA, Rahsul Faison released NIL apparel. Through a partnership with Fan Arch, the South Carolina running back launched #FreeSul apparel Tuesday.
Faison released T-shirts and sweatshirts on Fan Arch’s website Tuesday. The T-shirts start at $29.99 and sweatshirts are listed at $49.99.
Faison is still seeking another year of eligibility from the NCAA after applying for a waiver. He’s still waiting on a response, and Shane Beamer said the program still had not heard anything as of Tuesday.
Beamer also confirmed Faison did not practice Sunday, though it was not due to the eligibility situation. Instead, he has a bruised shoulder, which is why he wasn’t on the field.
“I know I’m going to get asked about Rahsul,” Beamer told reporters. “I don’t have an update for you right now. He wasn’t at practice Sunday. That wasn’t because of his situation with the NCAA, he just got hit a little bit on the shoulder in our scrimmage on Saturday night. It’s nothing serious, just a bruise. But he was in the training room or actually getting some extra work done on that Sunday night when you guys were at practice.”
Beamer also said the hope is Faison and South Carolina get an answer “soon” on the former Utah State running back’s situation. The head coach also said the program is respecting the NCAA’s process.
“He was back out there today in good spirits,” Beamer said. “Hope to get some good news on that soon. But we’ll see. But again, extremely respectful of the NCAA and the job they have. I know they’re analyzing other cases besides Sul’s. And appreciate them taking it under consideration or into consideration and optimistic that we’ll get some good news hopefully soon.”
More on Rahsul Faison’s waiting game
Rahsul Faison spent the last two years at Utah State and put up the best numbers of his career in 2024. He ran for 1,109 yards and eight touchdowns while adding 99 receiving yards. He graduated high school in 2019 and enrolled at Marshall, though he didn’t play a snap with the Thundering Herd. Faison then took online classes at Lackawanna College in 2020, though he didn’t play football.
In 2021, Faison enrolled at Snow College and didn’t get onto the field until 2022. A year later, he transferred to Utah State, and he’s seeking another year of eligibility in light of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s legal victory last year.
Pavia’s motion for a preliminary injunction was granted in the U.S. District Court of Middle Tennessee in December. The NCAA released guidance in March to its membership, issuing a blanket waiver to former junior college players.
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