Strength in Unity.

[Soapy]

Champions, Contenders and Rising League announce members, structure as the rest of college football scrambles
Duke Dodd -- CBS Sports College Football Reporter

After years of plotting, months of negotiations and now weeks of carefully structured press releases, the American National Athletics Conference (formerly the ACC, Big Ten and SEC) announced on Monday all forty-eight members of the new conference.

As expected, all sixteen members of the SEC were included along with Penn State, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Indiana, Iowa, newcomers USC and UCLA from the Big Ten and from the ACC, the conference retained Navy, Notre Dame, Clemson, Georgia Tech, NC State, UCF, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Duke, and Pittsburgh. They also added from the Big XII and Pac-12: Oregon, Stanford, Missouri, BYU, Kansas State, West Virginia, Colorado and Oklahoma State.

Notable former ACC/Big Ten members that were left out include Wake Forest, Boston College, Virginia, Syracuse, Rutgers, Louisville, Maryland, Northwestern and Illinois. Army and Vanderbilt were already set to compete as Independents next season prior to the merger.

It remains to be seen how athletic programs such as Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Kansas State that are more basketball centric than football are able to compete financially in this new league that on the surface appears to be more geared towards football.

The 48 teams are to be divided into three separate 'leagues': the Champions, Contenders and Rising. The top four teams from the Contenders League, based on league standings, each season will be promoted into the Champions League and the bottom four from the Champions League will be relegated into the Contenders league. The top eight teams from the Rising League will be promoted into the Contenders League and the bottom eight from the Contenders League will be relegated into the Rising league.

The initial leagues were announced on Monday as well:
Champions
Oregon
USC
Navy
Texas
USF
Notre Dame
Alabama
Penn State
Ohio State
Minnesota
Stanford
Oklahoma
Michigan State
Clemson
Texas A&M
Michigan

Contenders
Purdue
Tennessee
Georgia Tech
Ole Miss
Georgia
Miami
Wisconsin
UCLA
Florida
Missouri
LSU
NC State
BYU
Nebraska
Auburn
Florida State

Rising
UCF
Kansas
Kansas State
South Carolina
Indiana
West Virginia
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
Mississippi State
Arkansas
Kentucky
Pittsburgh
Iowa
Duke
Colorado
Oklahoma State

The College Football Playoffs committee has maintained throughout this that the process for selecting four teams will not change although it is rumored that a proposal could be on the way which would guarantee the winner of each league a spot in the playoffs with an at-large spot open.

[Soapy]

Texas' Dan Butler rewarded for late game heroics in SEC Championship Game
Jessica West -- SI.com

The term 'Heisman moment' is often used to define when a college football player announced himself to the college football world as a legitimate candidate for the prestigious honor. Cam Newton's touchdown run against LSU, Robert Griffin III's circus touchdown against the Sooners and in the SEC Championship Game, Texas' Dan Butler had his.

The junior's game winning touchdown as time expired not only gave Texas an SEC championship, the last of its kind, and a trip to the college football playoffs but it also secured Butler the Heisman Trophy, the first for a Longhorn player since 2024.

Butler beat out Virginia Tech's C.J. Lee who won the Maxwell and Walter Camp along with Alabama's Will Tate. As a junior, Butler averaged 232.8 passing yards per game along with 33 touchdowns and five interceptions. He additionally rushed for 943 yards and ten touchdowns.
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CFB Awards
Heisman: QB Dan Butler (Texas): 218 of 344, 3027 yards, 174 carries, 943 yards, 43 total touchdowns.
Maxwell: QB C.J. Lee (Virginia Tech): 185 of 272, 3556 yards, 248 carries, 1487 yards, 41 total touchdowns.
Walter Camp: QB C.J. Lee (Virginia Tech): 185 of 272, 3556 yards, 248 carries, 1487 yards, 41 total touchdowns.
Bednarik: S Wesley Adams (USF): 102 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, sack, 3 interceptions.
Nagurski: CB Kenny Fowler (USF): 53 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 6 interceptions, 4 touchdowns.
O'Brien: QB Joey Spence (USF): 343 of 483, 4655 yards, 49 touchdowns.
Walker: HB Travis Tyler (BYU): 328 carries, 2427 yards, 16 touchdowns.
Biletnikoff: WR George Howell (Ball State): 105 receptions, 1624 yards, 20 touchdowns.
Mackey: TE Chris Wallace (USF): 92 receptions, 1088 yards, 20 touchdowns.
Outland: C Derrick Brown (Alabama): 16 pancakes, 7 sacks allowed.
Rimington: C Derrick Brown (Alabama): 16 pancakes, 7 sacks allowed.
Lombardi: DE Josh Cox (Texas): 85 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, forced fumble, fumble recovery.
Butkus: LB Josh Anderson (USF): 70 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions.
Thorpe: S Wesley Adams (USF): 102 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, sack, 3 interceptions.
Groza: K Gabe Moore (Rutgers): 18 of 19 FG, Long of 51, 48/49 XP.
Guy: P Matt Reddick (Oregon): 41 punts, 35.9 Yd Net, Long of 74, 16 downed inside the 20
Jet: HB Robert Swan (Navy): 875 kick return yards, 308 punt return yards.
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AP First Team All-Americans
QB Joey Spence, USF (So)
HB Travis Tyler, BYU (Sr)
HB Brian Hawkins, Georgia Tech (Sr)
WR George Howell, Ball State (Sr)
WR Randall Sullivan, Texas (Sr)
TE Chris Wallace, USF (Jr)
LT Tony Kelly, USF (Sr)
LG Stephen Calhoun, Texas (Sr)
C Derrick Brown, Alabama (Sr)
RG Josh Cleveland, Miami University (Sr)
RT James Cochran, USF (Jr)
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DE Travis Peters, USF (So)
DE Josh Cox, Texas (Sr)
DT Tim Heath, Oregon (Jr)
DT Ron Cox, USF (Sr)
LB Patrick Paris, South Alabama (Sr)
LB Stephen Dixon, USF (Sr)
LB Josh Anderson, USF (Jr)
CB Kenny Fowler, USF (So)
CB John Bonner, Georgia Tech (Sr)
S Luis Whitehead, Alabama (Sr)
S Wesley Adams, USF (Jr)
K Ben Forte, Middle Tennessee State (Sr)
P Vincent Wilson, Georgia Tech (Jr)

[Google[Bot]]

USF bringing home a lot of trophies


The new league format with relegation is a fire concept I'm excited to see this new wrinkle in effect

[Soapy]

USF bringing home a lot of trophies


The new league format with relegation is a fire concept I'm excited to see this new wrinkle in effect

glad you like it, want to keep this chise competitive

[Soapy]

Fiesta Bowl Preview: vs. #6 Colorado Buffaloes
Record: 10-3, 9-1
Head Coach: Jeremy Walker (37-15 at Colorado, 4th year, 128-91)
Offensive Coordinator: Danny Langsford (Pro)
Defensive Coordinator: Thomas Hayes (3-4 D)

Team Leaders
Passing: Curtis Henry (2400 yards, 19 TD, 5 INT, 169.0 rating)
Rushing: Curtis Henry (1524 yards, 5.2 ypc, 10 TD)
Receiving: Henry Green (62 receptions, 967 yards, 9 TD)
Defense: Scott Pennington (59 tackles, 11 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 2 INT, 5 PBU)

Team Rankings
Points Per Game: 36th
Total Offense: 22nd
Rushing Offense: 9th
Passing Offense: 86th
Total Defense: 44th
Rushing Defense: 31st
Passing Defense: 70th
Turnover Differential: 92nd

Team Schedule
vs. Colorado State: W 40-32
vs. California: W 34-24
at Central Michigan: L 45-36
at Stanford: W 37-25
at #9 Oregon: L 42-19
at USC: W 38-31
at #10 Notre Dame: L 62-33
vs. #22 UCLA: W 17-7
vs. Oregon State: W 28-7
at Arizona State: W 35-18
vs. Arizona: W 38-28
vs. Utah: W 42-30
vs. #9 Oregon: W 30-14

Injuries
COL LB #55 Brandon Henderson, Rs Senior | 6'1", 238lbs | 84 ovr, 82 spd, 88 acc, 62 awr, 75 tkl, 90 bsh, 79 zcv | 32 tackles, 6 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 2 PBU (out - season)
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USF WR #11 Maurice Bennett, Freshman | 81 ovr, 90 spd, 94 acc, 80 cth | 30 receptions, 477 yards, 6 touchdowns (probable)

Colorado Buffaloes Projected Starters
QB #2 Curtis Henry, Rs Senior | 6'3", 202lbs | 92 ovr, 79 spd, 78 acc, 84 awr, 90 thp, 88 tha
HB #49 Tyler Thomas, Rs Senior | 5'11", 213lbs | 94 ovr, 96 spd, 91 acc, 99 btk, 78 car, 89 trk
FB #33 Richard Patton, Junior | 6'1", 242lbs | 86 ovr, 85 spd, 84 acc, 85 btk, 87 car, 81 str, 76 trk, 77 rbk
WR #84 Henry Green, Rs Senior | 6'3", 203lbs | 85 ovr, 84 spd, 82 acc, 88 cth
WR #86 Doug Watson, Freshman | 6'1", 194lbs | 75 ovr, 87 spd, 96 acc, 63 cth
WR #87 Tony McKinley, Sophomore | 6'0", 193lbs | 69 ovr, 90 spd, 82 acc, 71 cth
TE #81 Rodney Thompson, Junior | 6'3", 252lbs | 90 ovr, 83 spd, 85 acc, 86 cth, 82 rbk
LT #66 Clarence Reddick, Rs Sophomore | 6'4", 339lbs | 74 ovr, 75 pbk, 82 rbk, 81 str
LG #73 Brian Todd, Senior | 6'1", 286lbs | 80 ovr, 81 pbk, 91 rbk, 80 str
C #70 Will Stevenson, Junior | 6'4", 306lbs | 86 ovr, 88 pbk, 84 rbk, 85 str
RG #71 Taurean Stovall, Senior | 6'3", 320lbs | 82 ovr, 81 pbk, 90 rbk, 77 str
RT #78 Calvin Carter, Rs Junior | 6'5", 305lbs | 77 ovr, 76 pbk, 86 rbk, 85 str
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DE #95 Antonio James, Rs Senior | 6'3", 276lbs | 85 ovr, 76 spd, 88 acc, 81 str, 88 pmv, 81 fmv, 83 bsh
DE #90 Jaymond Jenkins, Rs Junior | 6'1", 259lbs | 82 ovr, 79 spd, 86 acc, 76 str, 82 pmv, 83 fmv, 88 bsh
NT #65 Dan Stone, Senior | 6'2", 284lbs | 89 ovr, 81 acc, 82 str, 93 pmv, 89 fmv, 87 bsh
OLB #52 Stephen Taylor, Rs Senior | 6'0", 218lbs | 81 ovr, 78 spd, 90 acc, 59 awr, 83 tkl, 93 bsh, 78 zcv, 80 pmv, 82 fmv
ILB/S #21 Donald Dickens, Rs Senior | 6'0", 194lbs | 86 ovr, 87 spd, 89 acc, 85 awr, 80 tkl, 84 bsh, 93 zcv
ILB #94 Scott Pennington, Rs Senior | 6'3", 240lbs | 80 ovr, 81 spd, 92 acc, 60 awr, 80 tkl, 86 bsh, 79 zcv
OLB #53 Danny Scales, Rs Senior | 6'2", 260lbs | 83 ovr, 84 spd, 85 acc, 70 awr, 83 tkl, 83 bsh, 76 zcv, 62 pmv, 63 fmv
CB #34 Greg Horne, Rs Senior | 6'0", 170lbs | 85 ovr, 91 spd, 89 acc, 81 awr, 93 mcv, 92 zcv, 92 press
CB #23 Jeff Ray, Rs Junior | 6'2", 184lbs | 84 ovr, 90 spd, 86 acc, 70 awr, 96 mcv, 96 zcv, 92 press
NB #24 Corey Smith, Rs Senior | 5'10", 182lbs | 84 ovr, 91 spd, 94 acc, 79 awr, 91 mcv, 90 zcv, 90 press
S #39 Terry Sullivan, Junior | 6'2", 212lbs | 90 ovr, 99 spd, 94 acc, 64 awr, 87 tkl, 79 mcv, 83 zcv
S #48 Mark Ford, Sophomore | 6'4", 219lbs | 77 ovr, 87 spd, 87 acc, 64 awr, 81 tkl, 68 mcv, 72 zcv
K #13 Dennis Clark, Junior | 5'10", 162lbs | 87 ovr, 89 kpw, 87 kac
P #18 Marcus Jackson, Sophomore | 5'10", 173lbs | 81 ovr, 79 kpw, 85 kac

[Google[Bot]]

This is gonna be interesting.. just looking back at the Texas scouting report and looking to see how Colorado stacks up. Both 3-4 D's with a similar makeup of the roster. Although Colorado doesn't have as good a line and the corners aren't as fast - but Terry Sullivan

[Soapy]

Francois Jr. makes an appearance at bowl practice while Sr. continues to rail against CFP Committee
Anthony Washington -- The Tampa Bay Chronicles

USF head coach Malcolm Francois Sr. has not held back when asked about his thoughts on playing in the Fiesta Bowl as opposed to the College Football Playoffs.

"I don't know what people were watching all year long," said Francois Sr. of finishing fifth in the final CFP rankings, "I'd love to see four teams better than us, I'll be watching. They can count on my viewership, that's for sure."

Francois Sr's mood might have improved over the week as he was joined by all three of his sons at one of the open practices for their bowl game against Colorado, including former Kentucky head coach Malcolm Francois Jr.

The former USF receiver and offensive coordinator was recently relieved of his duties as Kentucky's head coach after going 16-21 in four seasons with the Wildcats. Francois Jr. did not speak with the USF media although rumors have already surfaced that a Co-OC title could be on the way for Francois Jr. It remains to be seen if current USF offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, in his second season with the team, is as open to that.

Some other notes from media day and practices:

• Chris Wallace not ruling out returning for a senior season
  USF junior tight end Chris Wallace, a two-time Mackey Award winner, might be looking at a Triple Crown.
  
  The talented South Florida native is a puzzling draft prospect as six-foot-one and 224 pounds, likely requiring him to make the transition to wide receiver in the NFL. It's a transition that might have to wait another year as the All-American says he's still undecided on what he'll do.
  
  "Who knows what the future holds," says Wallace, "If I had to pick right now, I'm probably coming back but things change, new information will be presented to me once the entire season is over with and then I'll meet with my family, the coaching staff, my teammates and make a decision.
  
  Despite missing three games this season, Wallace already owns the Bulls record for most receiving touchdowns in a season and in his career. He needs 197 more receiving yards to break Corey Montgomery's record for most career receiving yards.
  -
• A hefty extension likely on the way for DC Prince
  In his first season as USF's defensive coordinator, former Bulls player Gary Prince has led the defense to the 5th ranked scoring defense in the country and the second best against the run.
  
  Prince will likely be a top coaching candidate this cycle at G5 programs but the expectations internally are for Prince to return next season as USF's defensive coordinator with a raise in his salary.
  
  LSU is expected to be one of his suitors if they decide to move away from Jason Malloy after fourteen seasons as Prince is from the state and almost picked the Tigers over USF as a recruit back in 2013.
  -
• Spence looking to move on from SEC Championship Game
  Even several weeks after the fact, USF quarterback Joey Spence still isn't sure what happened in the SEC Championship Game.
  
  "I missed a lot of throws that I normally make," Spence told the media, "In watching the film, there wasn't a whole lot of glaring things that I saw from a technique standpoint. We were in position to make a lot of plays and I just didn't make them. At some point, you just have to move on and make the next set of plays."
  
  Spence will look to put the worst game of his career behind him against the Buffaloes. Colorado features one of the better secondary's in the nation despite their middle of the pack pass defense ranking.
  -
• New NCAA rule could impact USF's recruiting
  The NCAA updated their recruiting guidelines, effective January 1st, to limit the number of recruits a school can have on campus at the same time. Previously unrestricted, schools are now limited to just three student-athletes on campus at any given time on an official visit.
  
  USF is known for hosting big recruiting events that feature several high profile recruits on visits at the same time. This new rule will put an end to such events for the Bulls and all other college programs that fall under the NCAA's legislation.

[Soapy]

This is gonna be interesting.. just looking back at the Texas scouting report and looking to see how Colorado stacks up. Both 3-4 D's with a similar makeup of the roster. Although Colorado doesn't have as good a line and the corners aren't as fast - but Terry Sullivan

im lowkey scared of that secondary and they got a safety as their linebacker, we running the ball.

[James]

So this league is combined but will still participate in the CFB playoffs and recognize that as the ultimate goal?

[Soapy]

So this league is combined but will still participate in the CFB playoffs and recognize that as the ultimate goal?

I'm they're still meeting and deciding. a few different outcomes:
- like you said, same format as before where 4/8 teams are picked by a committee
- a "new" playoffs that features the top two teams from the champions division as the top two seeds (conf champ would decide top seed) and then an 4/8 team playoffs where its the winner of the two other leagues and then the rest of the top 4/8 are voted
- winner of the three divisions get an automatic bid and then the final spot is for someone outside of the mega conference.
- get rid of bowl season altogether

accepting recommendations.