College Football

With only 21 days left until college football returns, let’s remember Barry Sanders from Oklahoma State who wore #21.

Oklahoma State University from 1986-1988

• 1988 Heisman Trophy
• 1988 Maxwell Award
• 1988 Walter Camp Award
• 1988 Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year
• 1988 Unanimous All-American
• 1988 First-team All-Big Eight
• 1987 Second-team All-American
• Oklahoma State Cowboys No. 21 retired
• Oklahoma State Cowboys Ring of Honor
• 2003 inducted into College Football Hall of Fame

The Big 12 is rapidly getting bigger, as the school's presidents and chancellors voted unanimously to formally add Utah and Arizona State on Friday night. They were introduced along with Arizona, which was approved Thursday. The additions bumped the league's membership to 16 teams beginning in the 2024-25 academic year.

At least I think this means it’s official.

With only 22 days left until college football returns, let’s remember Doug Flutie from Boston College who wore #22.

Boston College from 1981-1984

• 1984 Heisman Trophy
• 1984 Maxwell Award
• 1984 Walter Camp Award
• 1984 Davey O'Brien Award
• 1984 UPI Player of the Year
• 1984 Sporting News Player of the Year
• 1984 Unanimous All-American
• 2007 inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
• Boston College Eagles No. 22 retired

LSU has a new, more "transparent" injury reporting policy that football coach Brian Kelly described Thursday as a "proactive" response to the proliferation of legalized sports betting.

For Kelly, one concern is the specter of gamblers hounding football staffs for insider information. "I'm not saying that happened. I'm not saying that would happen," Kelly said. "I think it's better to be proactive in those situations and take away even the temptation to even have that in this building and not be that next school that goes down that path."

To the surprise of no one.

In an interview with 99.9 The Fan in Raleigh, N.C., Cunningham responded to comments Florida State president Richard McCullough made during a board of trustees meeting Wednesday. McCullough told the board that the Seminoles would "very seriously" consider leaving the ACC unless there is a radical change to the conference's revenue distribution model.

"I don't think it's good for our league for them to be out there barking like that," Cunningham said on "The Adam Gold Show." "I'd rather see them be a good member of the league, support the league and if they have to make a decision, then so be it. Pay for the exit fee, wait for your grant of rights that you've given and then in 2036, when those rights return to you, do whatever you want."

The ACC has a television contract with ESPN that runs through 2036.

With only 23 days left until college football returns, let’s remember Leroy Keyes from Purdue who wore #23.

Purdue University from 1966-1968

• 1966 Second-team All-Big Ten
• 1967 Chicago Tribune Silver Football
• 2× Unanimous All-American (1967, 1968)
• 2× First-team All-Big Ten (1967, 1968)
• 1967 Finished third in Heisman voting
• 1968 Heisman Runner-up

Gambling investigations at Iowa and Iowa State have now resulted in criminal charges filed against seven current or former athletes, with ex-Hawkeyes basketball player Ahron Ulis and Cyclones quarterback Hunter Dekkers the ones with the highest profiles. Each is accused in the complaints of tampering with records related to an Iowa Criminal Division investigation into sports gambling. Current athletes also could face a loss of eligibility for violating NCAA gambling rules. According to Johnson County online court records, charges have been filed against Ulis, Iowa baseball player Gehrig Christensen and Iowa kicker Aaron Blom.

While several options were presented, the Apple streaming deal emerged as the likely leader at this point, bringing some clarity to a lengthy process that frustrated many within the league and ultimately played a role in Colorado’s decision last week to join the Big 12. Monetary and exposure questions still loom, though, and outside pressure from the Big 12 remains.

There are not expected to be any imminent decisions on whether this TV deal is enough to appease Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, which are being heavily courted by the Big 12. The Arizona board of regents, which oversees Arizona and ASU, is scheduled to meet later Tuesday, but no decision is expected after the meeting.

An affidavit included with the criminal complaint filed Monday in the Iowa District Court for Story County alleges approximately 366 bets totaling $2,799 were placed on a Draft Kings sportsbook account linked to Dekkers, including 26 on Iowa State sporting events.

The affidavit alleges he bet on an Iowa State football game against Oklahoma State on Oct. 23, 2021. Dekkers did not play in the Big 12 contest, and the affidavit does not reveal which team or what type of bet he made on the game, which the Cyclones won 24-21.

The affidavit alleges Dekkers was under 21, the legal betting age in Iowa, when most of the bets were placed, but disguised his identity with the help of his parents, Scott and Jami Dekkers. Draftkings did not respond to a request for comment.

With only 24 days left until college football returns, let’s remember Nile Kinnick from Iowa who wore #24.

University of Iowa from 1937-1939

• 2× All-Big Ten (1937, 1939)
• 1939 Heisman Trophy
• 1939 Maxwell Award
• 1939 Walter Camp Memorial Trophy
• 1939 Consensus All-American
• 1939 AP Male Athlete of the Year
• Iowa Hawkeyes No. 24 retired
• 1972 Iowa’s football stadium renamed Kinnick Stadium in his honor