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Which 68 teams make our first 2026 Bracketology, and which teams may be hoping for NCAA Tournament expansion

With college basketball’s 2025-26 rosters now mostly set, a clearer picture of the season ahead is beginning to emerge. On the heels of a historic NCAA Tournament tally for the SEC, a couple of other power conferences are assembling their horses. The Big Ten has nine of the top 30 and 14 of the top […]

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With college basketball’s 2025-26 rosters now mostly set, a clearer picture of the season ahead is beginning to emerge. On the heels of a historic NCAA Tournament tally for the SEC, a couple of other power conferences are assembling their horses.

The Big Ten has nine of the top 30 and 14 of the top 50 in Bart Torvik’s preseason rankings, while the Big 12 has eight of the top 35. The ACC and Big East don’t have quite such strong collections, but they have amassed enough talent to, at minimum, match their combined tally of nine NCAA Tournament bids from 2025.

Returning to the record-setting threshold of 14 entrants to the Big Dance will be a tough task for the SEC, but it certainly won’t be impossible as the league heads toward a new season with 13 of the nation’s top 40 teams in Torvik’s ratings.

NCAA tables tournament expansion, delaying March Madness decision with 72, 76-team options still possible

Bryan DeArdo

NCAA tables tournament expansion, delaying March Madness decision with 72, 76-team options still possible

Where it gets a bit murky for the league is in the lower half, as there are five SEC teams ranked between No. 31 and 40, per Torvik. Will the conference produce an ironclad non-league run again this season that fortifies its down-ballot squads as NCAA Tournament teams?

The league should be great again, but the Big 12 and Big Ten are stocked with enough talent to cut into the SEC’s haul. If the ACC’s crop of four first-year coaches can breathe some life into that conference, it could also impede the SEC’s effort at producing another tally in the teens. Then, there’s the Big East. Will proud programs at Providence, Georgetown and Villanova continue languishing on the wrong side of the bubble?

Pay attention to the “first four out” teams of Mississippi State, Indiana, Georgia and Kansas State. Those teams would make the field if NCAA Tournament expansion were to be approved to 72 teams ahead of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Potential expansion to 72 or 76 teams remains a possibility, and the additional teams would be at-large participants required to win a preliminary game — like what is currently called the “First Four” — before advancing into the main 64-team bracket.

Here’s our first effort at answering those questions with a summertime edition of Bracketology ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Bracketology top seeds

Since Houston is the host site of the South Regional, the Cougars would be ineligible to compete in that region. However, the Houston Chronicle reported in May that the school is looking for another local university to be the host institution, which would free the Cougars to be eligible to play inside the Toyota Center on the second weekend of the Big Dance. For now, they are slotted as the No. 1 seed in in the Midwest Region.  

On the bubble

Last four in

Cincinnati

Texas A&M

Georgetown

Boise State

First four out

Mississippi State

Indiana

Georgia

Kansas State

2026 Bracketology matchups

First Four (Dayton)

(11) Georgetown vs. (11) Boise State

(11) Cincinnati vs. (11) Texas A&M

(16) LIU vs. (16) Norfolk State

(16) Montana vs. (16) Quinnipiac

West Region (San Jose)

Philadelphia (Fri/Sun)

(1) St. John’s vs. (16) Bethune-Cookman

(8) Wisconsin vs. (9) Texas

Oklahoma City (Thu/Sat)

(4) Auburn vs. (13) Abilene Christian

(5) Arizona (12) Liberty

Greenville (Thu/Sat)

(2) Duke vs. (15) Vermont

(7) Missouri vs. (10) South Florida

Greenville (Thu/Sat)

(3) Tennessee vs. (14) Arkansas State

(6) Creighton vs. (11) Maryland

South Region (Houston)

St. Louis (Fri/Sun)

(1) Purdue vs. (16) Navy

(8) Baylor vs. (9) Vanderbilt

Portland (Thu/Sat)

(4) Iowa State vs. (13) UCSB

(5) Arkansas vs. (12) Akron

Philadelphia (Fri/Sun)

(2) Kentucky vs. (15) Florida Gulf Coast

(7) USC vs. (10) VCU

Tampa (Fri/Sun)

(3) Alabama vs. (14) Towson

(6) Michigan State vs. (11) SMU

East Region (Washington D.C.)

Tampa (Fri/Sun)

(1) Florida vs. (16) Montana/Quinnipiac

(8) Marquette vs. (9) Ohio State

San Diego (Fri/Sun)

(4) Texas Tech vs. (13) High Point

(5) Illinois vs. (12) McNeese

Buffalo (Fri/Sun)

(2) UConn vs. (15) Robert Morris

(7) Oregon vs. (10) Ole Miss

St. Louis (Fri/Sun)

(3) Louisville vs. (14) Furman

(6) San Diego State vs. (11) Cincinnati/Texas A&M

Midwest Region (Chicago)

Oklahoma City (Thu/Sat)

(1) Houston vs. (16) LIU/Norfolk State

(8) Iowa vs. (9) NC State

San Diego (Fri/Sun)

(4) UCLA vs. (13) Northern Iowa

(5) Kansas vs. (12) Yale

Buffalo (Thu/Sat)

(2) Michigan vs. (15) Southeast Missouri State

(7) North Carolina vs (10) Saint Mary’s

Portland (Thu/Sat)

(3) BYU vs. (14) South Dakota State

(6) Gonzaga vs. (11) Georgetown/Boise State





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Texas Tech running back Quinten Joyner suffers season

Texas Tech RB Quinten Joyner suffered a season-ending knee injury in a weekend scrimmage The USC transfer was part of a top-rated Texas Tech transfer class Texas Tech is the No. 24 team in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll and is among the favorites to win the Big 12 Two weeks before its 2025 […]

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Texas Tech running back Quinten Joyner suffers season

  • Texas Tech RB Quinten Joyner suffered a season-ending knee injury in a weekend scrimmage
  • The USC transfer was part of a top-rated Texas Tech transfer class
  • Texas Tech is the No. 24 team in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll and is among the favorites to win the Big 12

Two weeks before its 2025 season opener, Texas Tech football has lost a player who was expected to be one of its top offensive players.

Red Raiders sophomore running back Quintaelyn “Quinten” Joyner, a USC transfer, will miss the season due to a knee injury he suffered on Aug. 16 during the team’s second preseason scrimmage, the university confirmed to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, a part of the USA TODAY Network, on Aug. 18.

Last season at USC, Joyner rushed for 478 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 7.6 yards per carry. He was rated by 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 145 overall player and the No. 9 running back in the transfer portal last offseason.

Joyner entered fall training camp atop the team’s depth chart at running back. While he’s sidelined, the No. 24 Red Raiders will turn to sophomores J’Koby Williams and Cameron Dickey. Last season, Williams and Dickey each had 41 carries, with Williams rushing for 236 yards and two touchdowns and Dickey running for 225 yards and one touchdown. Williams rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries in the team’s Liberty Bowl loss to Arkansas.

An Austin, Texas native, Joyner was a part of a 22-player Texas Tech transfer class that 247Sports ranked second among all FBS programs, behind only LSU. Joyner was one of 13 players in the class rated as a four-star transfer.

The Red Raiders have enjoyed a sharp rise in spending on name, image and likeness deals for athletes in recent years, buoyed largely by mega-donors Cody Campbell and John Sellers, the co-founders of the school’s Matador Club collective. 

Softball pitcher NiJaree Canady transferred to the school from Stanford and earned a record-setting seven-figure deal before leading Texas Tech to the championship series of the Women’s College World Series. All-American men’s basketball forward JT Toppin was lured back to the school with a deal worth more than $3 million. In all, Red Raiders athletes will reportedly earn a combined $55 million during the 2025-26 academic year.

Texas Tech opens its 2025 season on August 30 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Though the league didn’t conduct an official preseason poll, the Red Raiders are widely viewed as one of the favorites to win the Big 12 and earn an automatic berth to the College Football Playoff.

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South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers signs NIL deal with Rhoback, Gamecocks fans get special offer

On Sunday night, activewear company Rhoback and South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers announced a NIL apparel deal. Sellers, a redshirt sophomore from Florence, S.C., is the latest college football player to partner with Rhoback, joining Ohio State defensive back Caleb Downs, Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed and Penn State running back Nick Singleton. Support LaNorris Sellers’ […]

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On Sunday night, activewear company Rhoback and South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers announced a NIL apparel deal.

Sellers, a redshirt sophomore from Florence, S.C., is the latest college football player to partner with Rhoback, joining Ohio State defensive back Caleb Downs, Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed and Penn State running back Nick Singleton.

Support LaNorris Sellers’ partnership with Rhoback

“LaNorris brings a unique spark to everything he touches, and we knew from the start he’d be a perfect fit for Rhoback,” Rhoback spokesperson Shalen Moore said in a statement announcing the deal with Sellers. “He’s a natural leader, a competitor, and someone who’s building momentum fast. We’re excited to welcome him to the family and to help bring his story and style to life through this partnership.”

Last season, Sellers was named SEC Freshman of the Year after finishing with a pair of 300-yard passing games and two 100-yard rushing performances. He was voted as a Rex Enright team captain, the first freshman in school history to earn that award.

Sellers was the Steve Wadiak Team MVP and shared the Steve Spurrier MVP (offense) with running back Raheim Sanders.

“Joining Rhoback is a big-time move for me. The energy around the brand is real, and it’s something I’ve noticed for a while,” Sellers said. “Their gear is next level — whether it’s training, game day, or just everyday comfort. I’m hyped to be part of what they’re building and to rep it with pride. We’ve got some creative stuff coming that I think my people are going to really mess with. This isn’t just a collab — it’s a full partnership.”

In 12 games last season, Sellers completed 196-of-299 passes for 2,534 yards with 18 touchdowns. He finished second on the team in rushing with 166 carries for 674 yards and seven touchdowns.

Rhoback offers a variety of apparel for both men and women, including polos, quarter-zips, hoodies, t-shirts, vests, shorts, joggers, and hats. South Carolina fans can support Sellers and Rhoback U right here by placing an order through Rhoback.



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Mark Murphy excited for his new role helping UW-Green Bay Phoenix fundraise for athletics

GREEN BAY (WLUK) — The retirement of former Green Bay Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy didn’t last long. Murphy has traded in his green and gold for the UW-Green Bay green and white, joining the athletics staff at UWGB as the college’s first Executive in Residence. “I really missed my days in college athletics […]

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GREEN BAY (WLUK) — The retirement of former Green Bay Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy didn’t last long.

Murphy has traded in his green and gold for the UW-Green Bay green and white, joining the athletics staff at UWGB as the college’s first Executive in Residence.

“I really missed my days in college athletics and being involved in the campus,” said Murphy during an exclusive interview with FOX 11 Monday at the Kress Events Center on UWGB’s campus.

A former college football player who served as the athletic director at both Colgate University and Northwestern University, Murphy became involved at UWGB shortly after starting with the Packers. He currently sits on the Chancellor’s Council of Trustees.

As he approached the Packers’ mandatory retirement age of 70, discussions began between Murphy and UW-Green Bay administrators about his future plans.

According to Chancellor Michael Alexander, “We started to talk to Mark before he retired about what he was planning to do after he retired, and we’re really excited that we were able to work this out.”

The Green Bay Phoenix created its first Executive in Residence position for Murphy. It’s truly a return to his roots.

“It’s a great university and it serves the community, so to be involved and be helpful is something that’s really exciting to me,” Murphy told FOX 11.

Between the introduction of the transfer portal and the name, image and likeness (NIL) deal that allows college students to profit financially on their athletic ability, Murphy believes it’s an interesting time in college athletics.

In this volunteer position, where he will take no salary, Murphy’s main focus will be to help with fundraising for the Phoenix through partnerships and sponsorships.

“It’s the reality of college athletics now, and you’re going to have to put together a program where student athletes are being compensated. Good thing about Green Bay is you have a lot of people that are supportive of UWGB athletics that want them to be competitive, and I’m looking forward to working with [athletic director Josh Moon] in identifying people that might be helpful in moving the program forward,” said Murphy.

While his office is in the Kress Events Center, Murphy won’t only be focused on athletics. He will also work with Chancellor Alexander on other special university projects, too.

“He doesn’t have to learn the university. He knows the university and can help it immediately,” added Alexander.



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Sonic features Ryan Wingo, Colin Simmons, Marcel Reed in 'Terry Crews School of Acting …

Texas and Texas A&M don’t collaborate on much. However, several players for the Longhorns and Aggies were featured together today in an advertisement for Sonic, alongside Terry Crews. Sonic released their new ad titled as ‘Terry Crews School of Acting for Athletes’ on Monday. It features five football players between the two programs with DE […]

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Sonic features Ryan Wingo, Colin Simmons, Marcel Reed in 'Terry Crews School of Acting ...

Texas and Texas A&M don’t collaborate on much. However, several players for the Longhorns and Aggies were featured together today in an advertisement for Sonic, alongside Terry Crews.

Sonic released their new ad titled as ‘Terry Crews School of Acting for Athletes’ on Monday. It features five football players between the two programs with DE Colin Simmons, WR Ryan Wingo, and S Michael Taaffe representing Texas while QB Marcel Reed and RB Reuben Owens represented for A&M.

“Brands are rushing to put college athletes in their ads, but no one’s bothered teaching them how to act…Until now,” opens the commercial.

“Endorsements mean you actually have to be good on camera. That’s where I come in,” Crews jokes in the opening, preparing the athletes with vocal warmups, on vulnerability, on technique, and on emotion among other lessons, like biting perfectly into a Sonic hamburger on camera.

This is the first commercial for Sonic featuring athletes for NIL. With that, the restaurant capitalized in the state of Texas, which has the most locations of any in the United States.

As five of the better players in their respective programs, they’re each marketable when it comes to name, image, and likeness. Wingo (No. 44 – $1.5 million) and Simmons (No. 45 – $1.5 million) are each among the highest valuations in college sports in the Top-50 overall, and in the Top-30 in college football, per the NIL 100. Reed ($435K) is also valued well entering his first season as the starting quarterback in College Station.

(Courtesy of Sonic Drive-In)

Simmons and Wingo, a pair of former Top-40 recruits, are each entering their sophomore seasons in Austin. Simmons led their defense with nine sacks while being second or tied for second with fourteen tackles for loss and three forced fumbles, along with posting 48 total tackles, a pair of deflections, and a pick. Wingo was then one of their top receivers with 29 catches for 472 yards, fourth-most among their corps, and two touchdowns, which was tied for fifth-most. Meanwhile, Taaffe is coming into his fifth and final season at Texas after a career-best campaign at safety last fall with 78 tackles and 10 deflections, which were both second-most on the defense, with two sacks and picks apiece and a forced fumble.

Then, for A&M, Reed comes into his first full year as their starting quarterback after throwing for 1,864 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions on 61.3% completion, while also rushing for 543 yards and seven more scores. Owens, who’s then coming into his junior year, then was limited to just two games last season because of a foot injury after rushing for 385 yards and three touchdowns as a true freshman.

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Wheeling Athletics Announces Influxer Partnership for NIL Apparel

Story Links Wheeling, W. Va. – In the ever expanding world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) the Wheeling University Athletics Department is looking to give their student-athletes a leg-up. On Monday the department announced a partnership with Influxer, an officially licensed vendor that allows student-athletes to sell unique and custom apparel through […]

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Wheeling, W. Va. – In the ever expanding world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) the Wheeling University Athletics Department is looking to give their student-athletes a leg-up. On Monday the department announced a partnership with Influxer, an officially licensed vendor that allows student-athletes to sell unique and custom apparel through a NIL agreement. Cardinal fans can purchase customized apparel to benefit Wheeling University student-athletes and their hard work on and off the field. 

“In the growing landscape of NIL, it is important to us to open opportunities to our student-athletes to take advantage of all it has to offer,” said Wheeling University Athletics Director Carrie Hanna. “We are dedicated to open new opportunities for our student-athletes both on and off the field, and this is one way we are helping prepare our student-athletes for the professional world.” 

Influxer’s mission is to help student-athletes navigate NIL by presenting income opportunities, providing professional education, and supporting a future beyond college athletics. They have partnered with over 500 schools across the country to create co-branded apparel customized with player’s names and numbers. As the company has continued to grow, they have expanded their product line and partnered with local sports organizations, growing to serve a diverse range of athletes. Their expertise will help Wheeling Student-Athletes navigate the complicated field of NIL, leading to success and growth both on and off the field. 

The platform empowers student-athletes to create their own personalized store, manage their merchandise, and maximize their earning while connecting with fans and brands. Influxer will work with each student-athlete to create their own store and help them keep track of and update their merchandise. It also offers opportunities to connect with brands to take part in their campaigns, creating opportunities for athletes to further elevate their profiles. Each store offers analytics that will help student-athletes track their performance and continue to grow their brand. 

“The NIL landscape is constantly evolving and working with Carrie Hanna and the administration has been an amazing opportunity to see the vision they have for Wheeling University providing great options through Influxer for their student-athletes,” said Influxer VP, Keith Miller. “They see this as not simply a transactional opportunity, but as an opportunity to develop long term skills for life.” 

To visit the Wheeling University Influxr site and purchase co-branded apparel of Wheeling University student-athletes, please click HERE



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Which Nevada football alums are pushing for NFL spots with strong camps?

Nevada football opens the season at Penn State in just 12 days, and we got relatively few questions about this year’s team in this week’s Monday Mailbag. Go figure. Let’s get the questions. Thanks, as always, for the inquiries. There’s an extensive list of players with Northern Nevada ties in NFL training camps with 18 […]

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Nevada football opens the season at Penn State in just 12 days, and we got relatively few questions about this year’s team in this week’s Monday Mailbag. Go figure. Let’s get the questions. Thanks, as always, for the inquiries.

There’s an extensive list of players with Northern Nevada ties in NFL training camps with 18 fighting for spots on the 53-man roster. Here’s an overview.

* WR Brandon Aiyuk (McQueen High), San Francisco 49ers: Rehabbing from a torn ACL and MCL and is expected to miss at least the first five weeks of the season.

* OG Joel Bitonio (Nevada Wolf Pack), Cleveland Browns: Entering his 12th season as a starter in the NFL; do you know how hard it is to start in the NFL for a decade-plus?

* WR Elijah Cooks (Nevada Wolf Pack), Philadelphia Eagles: On a new team this season, Cooks has yet to record a stat in the preseason and is angling for a practice squad spot.

* OG Austin Corbett (Reed High/Nevada Wolf Pack), Carolina Panthers: Corbett’s goal will be to make it through the year healthy after three straight season-ending injuries (last year was a bicep tear).

* DB Kitan Crawford (Nevada Wolf Pack), Arizona Cardinals: Crawford has seven tackles and an interception in two preseason games and is making a strong push for the 53-man roster.

* OL Ben Dooley (Churchill County High), Los Angeles Rams: An undrafted free agent, Dooley will try and make the depth chart on an iffy Rams offensive line. Practice squad is more likely.

* WR Romeo Doubs (Nevada Wolf Pack), Green Bay Packers: Doubs has played in one of two preseason games with two targets (no catches). He’s a free agent next offseason, so this is a big year for him.

* LB Daiyan Henley (Nevada Wolf Pack), Los Angeles Chargers: Henley has two tackles this preseason. He’s one of the NFL’s top returning tacklers.

* WR/PR Tory Horton (Nevada Wolf Pack), Seattle Seahawks: In two preseason games, Horton has caught four of nine targets for 43 yards and a touchdown. He’ll make the roster.

* WR John Jackson III (Nevada Wolf Pack), Chicago Bears: Jackson has caught one of his four targets for seven yards. He’s looking to make the practice squad.

* DB Emany Johnson (Nevada Wolf Pack), Los Angeles Chargers: Johnson has got a lot of playing time and leads the NFL in tackles this preseason with 19 in three games (only two teams have played three games). He’s making a run at the active roster.

* LB Ale Kaho (Reno High), Washington Commanders: Kaho has one tackle in the preseason and will look to make the practice squad.

* TE Keleki Latu (Nevada Wolf Pack), Buffalo Bills: Latu has one catch for nine yards on two targets in two preseason games. His goal is to make the practice squad.

* LB Nephi Sewell (Nevada Wolf Pack), New Orleans Saints: Sewell has two tackles in the preseason and is a good bet to make the 53-man roster as a special teams ace.

* WR Jaden Smith (Nevada Wolf Pack), Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Smith joined the Bucs after camp began but has played in both preseason games with one catch (on two targets) for nine yards. He’s a practice squad candidate.

* RB Toa Taua (Nevada Wolf Pack), Cleveland Browns: Signed after camp began, Taua has seven rushes for 37 yards (5.3 ypc) and two catches for 16 yards. The Browns’ second-round pick, RB Quinshon Judkins, will not face charges from a post-draft arrest (domestic violence/battery charge) but still might not sign with the Browns until the NFL investigation concludes, which helps Taua’s odds of making the active roster. At minimum, practice squad seems like a lock.

* TE Cole Turner (Nevada Wolf Pack), Washington Commanders: After spending all of last season on the practice squad, Turner has one target this preseason (no catches) in one game.

* OLB Kyle Van Noy (McQueen High), Baltimore Ravens: Van Noy hasn’t played in the preseason and is a lock to make the Ravens’ roster after a career-high 12.5 sacks last season.

High. This is Chubba Purdy’s last season of college, but Nevada’s true freshman quarterback, Carter Jones, has looked impressive in spring and fall camp. It’s early, but I would not be surprised if Jones is Nevada’s 2026 starter as a redshirt freshman. In fact, if Purdy goes down with a long-term injury this season, I would guess Jones ultimately gets the 2025 starting job. A.J. Bianco would get first crack if Purdy is out multiple games, but Jones doesn’t seem that far behind him at this point despite some rough moments in Friday’s fall camp scrimmage, which included a pick-six. The staff is clearly high on Jones.

“It was a really good growing and learning day for Carter Jones,” Nevada coach Jeff Choate said. “He was in some situations, crowd noise, not paying attention to the play clock, a veteran linebacker saying, ‘Go ahead and throw it there,’ and then stepping in front of him and taking it the other way. I think he’s gonna learn and grow a lot from that. Practice is about stressing yourself. You can’t go out there to not make mistakes. You gotta rip it, you gotta cut it loose, you gotta stress yourself in those situations, know what works, know what doesn’t work so you’re ready to go in the game. I thought today will probably be one of the biggest learning days Carter will have in his entire college career.”

The Wolf Pack will almost certainly add a transfer quarterback next offseason for added competition. It didn’t do so this offseason because it didn’t want to scare its top-three quarterbacks into the portal. But I would say there’s a 65 percent shot Nevada’s 2026 starting quarterback is already on campus (either Jones or Bianco).

Well, Nevada doesn’t play Air Force this season, so the Wolf Pack isn’t beating the Falcons. Of those other three games, the best chance of a win is over San Jose State, which will play at Mackay Stadium. Nevada plays at Fresno State, which is always a tough place to win, and hosts Boise State. I could see the Wolf Pack beating the Bulldogs, who have a first-year head coach in Matt Entz. After going 2-6 in one-score games last season, Nevada should be close to .500 in those games this year. Nevada’s penalties and special teams were the biggest reasons behind that poor one-score record. I wrote about that here.

Nevada vs. UC Davis is going to happen because the Aggies are joining the Wolf Pack in the Mountain West (except for football) in 2026-27. Nevada football doesn’t have a game with UC Davis on its future schedule, but the Wolf Pack doesn’t have any FCS opponents on its schedule past 2026, so some need to be added and there’s a solid shot the football teams meet in the relatively near future. I wonder if UC Davis would wear its Lake Tahoe-themed helmet for that game, as those have drawn some derision from Wolf Pack fans and Nevada football coach Jeff Choate.

The legalization of name, image and likeness (NIL) deals added a wrinkle for the fundraising arms of athletic departments because all of a sudden the same boosters are making the choice between donating to NIL (essentially player salaries) or facility upgrades. Some donors have enough money for both. But there’s a limited numbers of big-money donors for schools like Nevada, and some don’t want to donate to NIL, which is a one-year roster boost, compared to facility upgrades, which have a longer-lasting impact. Post-NIL, the Wolf Pack has still got major donations for facility upgrades (Mackay Stadium’s new playing surface; baseball’s new locker room; football’s upgraded strength center), but it definitely forces some boosters to pick between NIL or facilities when making donations. A change has come this season with schools now allowed to share revenue with players, so NIL deals don’t only come from donors. That could allow schools to refocus the attention of its donor base on facility improvements, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be a focus on garnering donations for NIL. It comes down to understanding each of your boosters and where they want their money going. There’s certainly a donor defraying element at play.

Well, $300 million is a lot of money, but Nevada does actually have an alum who could make a pledge like this in Fatih and Eren Ozmen, who both graduated from the university and own the Sparks-headquartered Sierra Nevada Corporation. The Ozmens’ net worth is a reported $4.4 billion. I’m not aware of any donations they’ve made to Wolf Pack athletics, but they’ve made major donations to academics before with the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship established in 2014 after a $5 million pledge.

Too light. Take the title away. Almost every Power 4 school has at least one donor who would pay a $30 million fine for their football team to win a tainted national championship, as Michigan did. I wrote about this topic in last week’s Week in 1,000 Words column here.

It depends if you’re going solo or trying to set up a larger tailgate. For larger groups, Nevada has four tiers of tailgating where the department has full setup and takedown service (the packages are listed here and cost $500, $870, $993, $1,063). If you’re going solo, just DM “Fake Coach Mumme” on Twitter and he’ll take care of you. There better be some folding tables involved, ala Bills Mafia.

Speaking of Fake Coach Mumme, here he is. Nevada has announced its game themes for the 2025 home football season (story here), and Beerfest is slated for the Middle Tennessee game Sept. 13. More details to come, I’m sure. That’s also Educators Day, Vamos Pack Day and Band Day. I’d pay extra to see the band perform after taking part in Beerfest (minimum five drinks per band member could lead to some interesting things).

Yes. Nevada basketball has averaged 3.6 blocks per game in each of the last two seasons, and no football team is averaging 3.6 picks per game. Wolf Pack men’s basketball has averaged at least 3.0 blocks per game in each of the last 24 seasons. To hit three interceptions per game, Nevada football would need 36 picks this season; last year’s college leader had 22 (or 1.7 per game). A better goal would be Nevada football’s offensive touchdowns per game (3.1 last year) surpassing Nevada men’s basketball’s blocks per game.

The Raiders have two winning records since 2003 (out of 22 seasons), so I’ll take the under on a 9-8 record for Las Vegas; the betting odds are 7.5 wins. The Raiders play the NFC East (Eagles, Cowboys, Commanders, Giants), which is the NFL’s hardest division. I’ll go 7-10 for the Raiders. As for coach Pete Carroll, he has a reputation for valuing the building of genuine relationships. He once described the culture of his teams as “trying to help people find their best, one person at a time,” and that seems to resonate. I’m not a huge Dave Roberts fan in terms of his in-game decisions for the Dodgers, but, like Carroll, he has the ability to connect with players, and that’s worked well for him and his teams.

I would bet my life NSN has given more coverage to non-large-class high school teams (in all sports and not just football) than the rest of the Reno-based sports media combined since we were established in 2018. Is it always appreciated? Certainly not. Most people always want more, more, more and don’t realize we’re a seven-person regional sports network that broadcasts more than 125 live games annually, write eight to 10 locally produced stories each day, get millions of views on our social media each month and produce and broadcast a local sports show every weekday. That takes a lot of manpower. We do the best we can with our staff size, which has included plenty of shine for non-5A high school teams and athletes. We already have this week’s Friday Night Lights schedule and are covering games that include Elko, Spring Creek, South Tahoe, Incline, Sparks, Churchill County and North Valleys. That’s seven non-5A/4A teams we’ll be shooting.

Nevada’s athletic budget (using revenue and not expenses) in 2023-24 was $47.9 million, which ranked 71st in the nation, per USA Today’s database. Washington was 25th at $145.1 million. Ohio State led the way at $251.6 million.

Yes, I think the ACC will fall apart and the Big Ten, SEC and Big 12 will move forward with a new college athletics hierarchy, which would leave some ACC teams behind as the new Power 3 forms (most likely to be left behind are Cal, Stanford, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Boston College, Louisville, Virginia Tech). The Power 3 would still play teams from other leagues, so those “money” games would be protected. But you’re going to see more consolidation in the future rather than expansion of the Power 3/4 level.

Starting pitching.

The Dodgers’ starting pitchers allowed 15 earned runs in 14 innings in the three-game sweep loss to the Angels (that’s a 9.64 ERA). The Dodgers’ starting pitchers allowed three earned runs in 17 innings in the three-game sweep win over to the Padres (that’s a 1.59 ERA). Starting pitching is important. And has anybody seen Manny Machado? He was nowhere to be seen in the Dodgers series, going 1-of-12 with four strikeouts in three games. That’s Michael Conforto-level productivity.

After a bunch of injuries to their starting staff, the Dodgers’ rotation is healthy and fully formed, which makes them dangerous in the playoffs, although their bullpen is still a mess. The team needs to get back a healthy and productive Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech, Brock Stewart and Brusdar Graterol (at least three of them) if it’s going to do anything in the postseason.

This season, the Mountain West has the best Group of 6 conference. Next season? It will be the Pac-12 or American Conference. I’d lean Pac-12 due to men’s basketball. That’s going to be an elite college basketball conference.

And I’ll take original Mike & Ike over any variant Mike & Ike.

My favorite local French Dip used to be Redwood Rotisserie and Grill, which all of a sudden vanished in July 2023. They literally knocked the building down less than two weeks after I ate there. Rumor was an In-N-Out was going in that location, but I’m still waiting. Now that Redwood Rotisserie is gone, I’ll go with Great Basin Brewing Company’s French Dip. I haven’t tried the French Dip at Full Belly Deli. I always get the meatball sub there. Maybe I should give that a try.

It was a great show. Glass Animals joins my “three time” club after previously seeing the band at Red Rocks in Colorado and Shoreline Amphitheatre in the Bay Area. I still haven’t seen them play “Pools” live, and that’s my favorite Glass Animals song, although “The Other Side Of Paradise” is the band’s best live song. That one rocked last night. They also played their new single “Vampire Bat” twice last night, which was odd, but I guess they’re going to make it into a music video, which should be cool.

See y’all next week!

Sports columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. He writes a weekly Monday Mailbag despite it giving him a headache and it taking several hours to write. But people seem to like it, so he does it anyway. Contact him at crmurray@sbgtv.com or follow him on Twitter @ByChrisMurray.





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