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Texas Tech softball forced decisive Game 3 in finals of WCWS vs. rival Texas

Why Texas Tech, Texas will win 2025 WCWS It’s a Lone Star State Women’s College World Series this year, and reporter Jenni Carlson breaks down one reason Texas Tech will win and one reason Texas will win the WCWS. Texas Tech defeated Texas 4-3 in Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series, forcing a […]

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  • Texas Tech defeated Texas 4-3 in Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3.
  • Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady struck out Kayden Henry with the tying run on third to secure the victory.
  • The Red Raiders rallied from a Game 1 loss, scoring two runs in both the fourth and sixth innings.

OKLAHOMA CITY — It wouldn’t be MAYhem without a little drama spiced in, even if it technically comes in June.

More than 2 million people tuned in to watch the Texas Tech softball team’s contest against Texas in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series on Wednesday night. Those TV viewers were greeted with a tense contest until the final out, a bummer of an outcome for the Red Raiders that put them on the brink of elimination.

Things looked to be heading that same direction in Thursday’s Game 2. Once again, it was NiJaree Canady relatively cruising in the circle until the very end. The Red Raiders added more runs to back Canady this time, taking a 4-1 lead into the seventh.

And once again, Texas mounted a comeback, getting the tying run at the plate with nobody out. If a one-run lead was trouble in Game 1, surely Canady could make a three-run cushion stick 24 hours later, right?

The Longhorns caused more trouble, plating two runs and getting the tying run to third. But Canady had two outs. One more to go and the Red Raiders extend their season another day. At the plate was Kayden Henry, a fellow client of Prestige Management Group, which helped Canady land with Texas Tech a year ago.

“Just go right at her,” Canady said of facing Henry. “I feel like my team, we did a really good job of scoring and getting a good lead, so just having to go right at her.”

Canady threw 88 pitches in Game 1, and the Longhorns made her work into the triple digits in Game 2. But if Canady was tired at that point, she wasn’t about to show it with the game on the line. Three pitches, all over 70 miles an hour, right by Henry for the game-ending strikeout.

About 24 hours after the deflation of letting the late lead slip, Canady and her teammates let out thunderous roars for the 4-3 win to set up the winner-take-all championship game on Friday.

“I think the bottom of the seventh,” head coach Gerry Glasco said, “our fortitude and our determination and the way we reacted there at the end was a testament to the toughness that they’ve acquired by playing these tough games.”

Glasco said he told the Red Raiders after Wednesday’s loss that the team always learns 10-times more from setbacks than triumphs. The lesson from the Game 1 loss? No free bases. Canady attacked Henry from the first pitch and got the job done.

“I was just fighting for my team,” Canady said. “Like I said, last night was on me, so I have to just leave it out on the field just for them.”

Facing an array of pitchers as Texas tried to avoid using ace Teagan Kavan (who wound up coming on in relief in the sixth, giving up a pair of runs from inherited base runners), the Red Raiders scrapped together a pair of two-run innings.

The first came when Texas Tech loaded up the bases for the second time. Alana Johnson, prone to fighting off pitches, went seven pitches deep in an at-bat before getting plunked to drive in one run. A wild pitch on the next offering scored the other.

In the sixth, looking to get some insurance, Glasco again called for Raegan Jennings to pinch-hit. One of three returnees to Texas Tech from a year ago, Jennings missiled a single into center and accounted for one run. Then catcher Victoria Valdez, behind the plate for every one of Canady’s 195 pitches in the two games, ignored Glasco’s sign to stop at third.

Instead, Valdez kept running when Mihyia Davis’ hit got away from the Texas first baseman, sliding in for the fourth run.

“As soon as Mihyia hits a ball I have to go,” Valdez said, “because I was already supposed to be at third and I would have scored anyway. So I had to score from second.”

The Red Raiders have relied on a motto of being selfless and playing for each other. As much of the focus is on Canady, the ace pitcher can’t provide all the scoring as well. It’s taken each member of the lineup coming through at different times throughout the WCWS to be playing on the final day of the season.

“It’s a team effort,” Valdez said. “We all want to be there for NiJa. We want to be there for each other. And like on an off day, you see more than one person going in, and it’s not just one person getting us through.”

In addition to being selfless, the Red Raiders also adopted the motto of “our shot at forever,” adapted from the book “One Shot at Forever” by Chris Ballard. The book, set in Macon, Illinois, — about three hours from Glasco’s hometown — follows the Macon High School baseball team, coached by English teacher Lynn Sweet, during the 1971 season.

The Macon Ironmen became the smallest school in modern Illinois history to make the state final. They did so by taking down a powerhouse team in Lane Tech in the semis, adding a bit more magic to the season.

The parallels between the Ironmen and the Red Raiders are hard to miss. From the opponents in the semifinals — Lane Tech for the Ironmen, Oklahoma for the Red Raiders — to the backstory of their head coach — Glasco, who used to lead quail hunting expeditions in Mexico until the cartel made it too dangerous and Sweet, the teacher who did things a bit differently than his counterparts in the late 1960s.

There is one aspect Texas Tech hopes not to replicate: Macon High lost the state championship to Waukegan High after that dramatic semifinal win. The Red Raiders have their sights set on their own Waukegan High: the Texas Longhorns.

“I’m going to enjoy it either way,” Glasco said. “And I’m going to be proud of my kids either way.”



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The Weekender: LSU to Sell Jersey Patch Advertisements, Notre Dame Lands Third 2026 Prospect with NFL Bloodlines and Texas State Joins the Pac-12

Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what’s next. LSU to Sell Jersey Patch Advertisements In the new world of NIL and revenue sharing, colleges are finding every way possible to bring in additional money to help keep up. […]

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Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what’s next.

LSU to Sell Jersey Patch Advertisements

In the new world of NIL and revenue sharing, colleges are finding every way possible to bring in additional money to help keep up.

The latest attempt to do so by LSU is following in the footsteps of professional sports: Sponsored patches on its jerseys, according to The Advocate’s Wilson Alexander.

“LSU has mapped out where the patches would go on every jersey, from cross country to football. Most of them would appear on the chest in purple and gold,” Alexander wrote.

This comes one year after Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin brought up the idea as a potential revenue stream, a topic that was also discussed by SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.

“We’ve had jersey patches in bowl games,” he said. “I would anticipate there’s going to be a continuing push (for new revenues). We’re going to have to come to some agreement in this new environment on where those limits exist.”

According to a report by Sportico in June 2024, the top patch valuation for a college football program is $6 million. For men’s college basketball, it’s $2.2 million.

The range for the upper tier of football programs is between $3.5 million and $6 million, with an average valuation of $4.6 million. For the top 10 men’s basketball programs, the range is from $754,000 to $2.2 million, with an average valuation of $1.2 million.

Among all 50 programs for both sports, the average valuations are $2.2 million for a football team and $590,000 for a men’s basketball team.

Notre Dame Lands Third 2026 Prospect with NFL Bloodlines

At some points in life, you have those “Wow, I’m getting old” moments. It happens far too often nowadays, and the last few days have been another example of that. This past week, Notre Dame football landed two 2026 recruits with NFL bloodlines, giving the Fighting Irish three commits in the cycle who are sons of former NFL stars:

  • Three-star wide receiver Devin Fitzgerald, the son of Larry Fitzgerald
  • Four-star wide receiver Kaydon Finley, the son of Jermichael Finley
  • Four-star linebacker Thomas Davis Jr., the son of Thomas Davis Sr.

Fitzgerald, Notre Dame’s latest commitment, explained that having a former NFL star as his father helps tremendously in the recruiting process.

“Having my dad there to help me throughout the recruiting process has been great,” he told ESPN. “He knows what’s important. You want to go somewhere you feel like you belong and where you fit in.”

Texas State Joins Pac-12

While conference realignment has slowed down quite a bit this offseason, the Pac-12 has continued to add universities to its conference after Oregon State and Washington State were the only two remaining in the conference last year.

Texas State officially joined the Pac-12 last Monday, becoming the league’s ninth member ahead of its relaunch in 2026.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Texas State as a foundational member of the new Pac-12,” commissioner Teresa Gould said in a statement. “It is a new day in college sports and the most opportune time to launch a new league that is positioned to succeed in today’s landscape with student-athletes in mind.”

Texas State will remain in the Sun Belt Conference through the 2025-26 athletic seasons before joining the Pac-12 in all sports for the 2026-27 school year.

The Bobcats will pay a $5 million buyout to the Sun Belt Conference.

ICYMI

Ohio State Tight End Bennett Christian Using Time at the “Very Bottom” to Inspire Others

Bennett Christian is drawing on his experiences at the “very bottom,” a year-long suspension in 2023, to play a leadership role in Ohio State’s crowded tight end room.

What to Know About Revenue Sharing, Ohio State’s Approach As New Era of College Sports Begins

As the new era of college sports officially begins, we take a look at how Ohio State is approaching revenue sharing, NIL, roster limits and its commitment to keeping 36 sports.

Ohio State Star Jeremiah Smith Vows to Beat Michigan the Rest of His College Career: “For The Next Two Years, I Promise You, I Will Not Lose to Them”

Jeremiah Smith says he hates Michigan and vows not to lose to the Wolverines the rest of his career: “For the next two years, I promise you, I will not lose to them.”

What’s Next

  • 55 Days: Ohio State kicks off the 2025 football season against Texas
  • 118 Days: Jim Knowles returns to Columbus
  • 146 Days: The Game





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A CFB commissioner and the Presidential Commission are beginning to look like pipe dr

As the era of NIL, the transfer portal, and now revenue share started to bubble over nearly out of control, it looked like help was on the way with the announcement of a Presidential Commission on College Sports in May 2025. When it was announced that the legendary Nick Saban was going to co-chair this […]

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As the era of NIL, the transfer portal, and now revenue share started to bubble over nearly out of control, it looked like help was on the way with the announcement of a Presidential Commission on College Sports in May 2025.

When it was announced that the legendary Nick Saban was going to co-chair this committee, even more hope blazed throughout the country, as it seems we were about to lasso in some of the madness.

Joining Saban was Texas businessman Cody Campbell, a former Texas Tech offensive lineman, whose experience with the Texas Tech NIL collective would have brought real world experience to the committee.

Most could see (and hoped for) Saban moving from a seat on the committee to eventually becoming the first (and sorely-needed) college football commissioner. But, as with most things that have government ties, things have not progressed in an expeditious manner.

Shortly after the announcement of this commission, the White House brought the idea to a grinding halt, citing Senate negotiations regarding payments to college athletes as the reason for the stall.

Those Senate negotiations were over the NCAA settlement, which was finally announced in late June, and has now taken effect.

With that settlement now in the rearview, and the fall quickly approaching, we find ourselves in an all-too familiar position. A toothless NCAA making little effort to improve the situation, a transfer portal that has spiraled out of control, and players being promised more money than that might make in their NFL or NBA rookie deal before they’ve played a single minute of college ball.

The idea of real leadership for both college football and basketball seems to have become more of a dream than a balanced federal budget, and while the settlement temporarily solved some issues, it has also raised more questions and created its own set of problems.

Ask any international player who would like to profit from his name, image and likeness. Per sports business expert Kristi Dosh, author of The Athlete’s NIL Playbook, there are many limitations that international athletes face that are not obstacles for those in the United States. Varying Visa types, passive vs active income-generating activities, and other risks make it nightmarish for those outside the U.S. borders.

“Unfortunately, navigating NIL opportunities as an international athlete ultimately boils down to your risk tolerance because of the lack of clear guidance from the federal government on these issues,” Dosh stated in her book.

This is one of the many problems that a Presidential Commission could work to solve. But instead, the student-athletes are once again left to navigate their own way through unfriendly obstacles.

Why isn’t it happening? Follow the money would be the most obvious reasons. Who stands to benefit, and who stands to lose if the current unstable, yet somehow profitable (for some) situation?

The longer things go on, the more our hope for strong leadership becomes a pipe dream, and the more damage will be done to collegiate sports. We seem to be approaching a point of no return already.



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Reece Potter believes this Kentucky team would be banned in a college basketball video game with ‘all 99s’

On June 30, EA Sports announced that it is reviving its college basketball series, starting in 2028. While this year’s Kentucky team won’t be in the game, center Reece Potter didn’t mind daydreaming about what the Wildcats would look like if they were included. “We’d definitely be one of those teams that you’d probably have […]

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On June 30, EA Sports announced that it is reviving its college basketball series, starting in 2028. While this year’s Kentucky team won’t be in the game, center Reece Potter didn’t mind daydreaming about what the Wildcats would look like if they were included.

“We’d definitely be one of those teams that you’d probably have to ban, I’m gonna be honest with you,” Potter said. “In (EA Sports) College Football (25), there was a couple schools, where everybody was like — ‘You can’t use those teams because they’re too good.’

“I feel like we’d definitely probably be one of them. We’re gonna have all 99s probably, definitely going to be on the X-list, ‘You can’t use Kentucky basketball versus me.’”

Potter transferred to Kentucky this offseason after spending two years at Miami (OH). Potter is a Bluegrass State native and went to Lexington Catholic Academy, which is just a few miles down the road from the University of Kentucky.

Potter averaged 6.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game last season while shooting 46.6% from the field and 36.7% from beyond the arc. Despite Potter’s successful campaign, he isn’t expected to see much action for the Wildcats this season.

Potter’s jokes about the team’s 99 ratings aside, Kentucky loaded up on legitimate talent this offseason. The Wildcats secured the No. 2 class in On3’s 2025 Team Transfer Portal Rankings.

The class includes standouts such as former All-ACC guard Jaland Lowe and projected 2026 lottery draft pick Jayden Quaintance. Moreover, Kentucky is returning a significant portion of its talent from last season.

The ‘Cats only lost two players to the transfer portal last season — neither of which were starters. In contrast, Kentucky is returning 2024 All-SEC Second-Team selection Otega Oweh, along with other contributors: Brandon Garrison, Collin Chandler and Trent Noah.

Kentucky is ranked No. 5 in On3 college basketball expert James Fletcher III’s “way-too-early” 2025-26 rankings. Additionally, the Wildcats are tied with Florida for the third-best odds to win the national championship next season. Simply put, Kentucky will be a handful for any opponent next season.

“We always say we’re the deepest team in the country, one through 15 guys, everybody can probably play anywhere in the country,” Potter said. “Every single day, it’s a challenge. Every single day, everybody is trying to bring it, fighting for spots. Our whole team can go… I feel like that’s what is gonna make us a national championship (team).”



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Texas Tech FB Commit Felix Ojo Lands Eye-Popping Revenue-Sharing Deal

Texas Tech commit Felix Ojo is one of the first big winners in the revenue-sharing world that has now begun in college sports. As part of his commitment to Texas Tech, the five-star offensive tackle recruit agreed to a three-year, $2.3 million revenue-sharing deal with the school, The Athletic reported. Ojo’s deal is believed to […]

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Texas Tech commit Felix Ojo is one of the first big winners in the revenue-sharing world that has now begun in college sports. As part of his commitment to Texas Tech, the five-star offensive tackle recruit agreed to a three-year, $2.3 million revenue-sharing deal with the school, The Athletic reported.

Ojo’s deal is believed to be one of the largest revenue-sharing agreements between a school and a student-athlete since the approval of the House v. NCAA settlement in June, which allowed schools and student-athletes to agree to revenue-sharing deals starting on July 1. The deal will pay Ojo $775,000 per year, according to The Athletic.

When news first broke about Ojo’s commitment, his agent, Derrick Shelby of Prestige Management, told ESPN that the revenue-sharing deal he received was worth $5.1 million. While that figure isn’t fully guaranteed, Ojo’s revenue-sharing deal can climb to that number if there’s a large jump in the cap schools can spend on revenue-sharing deals with student-athletes, The Athletic added in its report. 

Entering the 2025-26 academic year, schools are allowed to spend roughly $20.5 million in revenue-sharing deals per year across all sponsored sports. However, that number is expected to increase on a yearly basis. 

Ojo can’t officially put pen to paper on his revenue-sharing agreement with Texas Tech just yet, though. Recruits can’t sign their revenue-sharing deals with schools until the signing period begins, which is Dec. 3 for FBS football. Student-athletes enrolled for the 2025-26 academic year could begin negotiating revenue-sharing deals with their current schools starting on July 1. 

Still, Ojo will likely become one of the richest players in college football, at least through revenue sharing, when he takes the field in 2026. To put his agreement in perspective, the total potential value of Ojo’s agreement ($5.1 million) would be equal to what a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft would make over the totality of their rookie deal, per Spotrac. Ojo could actually make more on a per-year basis than those players as well, as NFL rookie deals are four years long. 

“Football is a brutal sport, and athletes are not able to play professionally until their graduating class has been in college three years,” Shelby told ESPN of Ojo’s deal. “It was important to be able to secure Felix Ojo’s future and give him and his family some security as he continues to develop into a first-round NFL draft pick.”

Prior to landing Ojo in a rich revenue-sharing deal, Texas Tech has made major financial commitments in obtaining and securing student-athletes as of late in the name, image and likeness (NIL) era. Softball phenom NiJaree Canady has reportedly received two $1 million deals through Texas Tech’s NIL collective, reciting one to transfer from Stanford in 2024 and earning another to remain with the school in June. 

Basketball star JT Toppin also remained at Texas Tech following his All-American season in 2024-25 by reportedly signing a $3 million deal with the school’s NIL collective. That deal has made Toppin one of the most valuable players in all of college sports. 

Texas Tech’s JT Toppin has been one of the biggest beneficiaries in the school’s financial commitment to athletics. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

That spending has also carried into the football program. The Red Raiders spent more than $10 million through their NIL collective to land 21 players in the transfer portal this offseason, according to The Athletic. Its transfer portal class ranked as the second-best this offseason, via 247 Sports. 

Ojo, who also had offers from and visited Michigan, Texas, Florida, Ohio State and others, headlines a 2026 recruiting class that currently ranks 26th in the nation, via 247 Sports. He’s currently 247 Sports’ fifth-best prospect in the Class of 2026 and is the best recruit the program has ever landed, according to the recruiting service. 

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Former College Athlete Launches App to Help High School Athletes

Former College Athlete Launches App to Help High School Athletes ✕ Crown App FREE VIEW 0

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Former College Athlete Launches App to Help High School Athletes






Former College Athlete Launches App to Help High School Athletes

































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Urban Meyer shares comical response after being approached to fill a college GM role this off season

No role in college football has become more important in the past 12 months than the General Manager position. While the GM position has been around for several years now, the evolution of NIL, revenue sharing, and the transfer portal have quickly made it a post where experience is key, so much so that we’ve […]

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No role in college football has become more important in the past 12 months than the General Manager position.

While the GM position has been around for several years now, the evolution of NIL, revenue sharing, and the transfer portal have quickly made it a post where experience is key, so much so that we’ve profiled some of the high profile pursuits of guys like Texas Tech’s James Blanchard by Notre Dame for their opening, and more recently Louisville poaching top Kentucky assistant Vince Marrow to the vital off-field role.

With a premium on experience, it’s only logical that former head coaches who have successfully built championship rosters would be high on a team’s short list for the position.

One of those coaches fitting that mold is Urban Meyer, who shared this past week during a podcast where they welcomed first-year Oklahoma GM Jim Nagy onto the show that he was brought in by an unnamed program to talk about filling their GM role.

“I don’t know if I even told Rob and Mark this, but I had a school come see me this year and ask if I wanted to be the GM, and a couple other phone calls,”  

“You start to think, ‘OK, they actually came to see me,’ so I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll meet and I’ll sit down with you guys.’”

When Urban asked about the job description for the role, it was a full and immediate stop for the coaching veteran and 2025 College Football Hall of Famer.

“I said, ‘OK, what is the job description?’ They said, ‘Well, basically you meet with all the agents of the 17 and 18-year-olds, and I thought, ‘I’d rather step on a rusty nail and pull it out myself.’”

Safe to say Meyer is comfortable with his spot on Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff show for the foreseeable future.

Hear Meyer’s story, as well from more on Nagy on the GM role in Normal in the clip.



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