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Pitbull Has Purchased The Naming Rights To FIU Football’s Stadium

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Florida International University’s football program plays in a 20,000 seat stadium in Miami. Recently, the university has been on the lookout for a new naming rights sponsor for the building — it is presently known as FIU Stadium after previously being known as Riccardo Silva Stadium from 2017-22, named after the Miami FC owner who wrote a check to take care of renovations. College football is, truly, an insane sport.

Anyway, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, the stadium has a new sponsor, and once again, an individual’s name will be on it. This time, that person is Pitbull, the artist and Miami native who is affectionately known as Mr. 305. The stadium will be known going forward as Pitbull Stadium.

Thamel went on to report what both sides will get out of this deal, and the stipulations are pretty incredible.

As part of the deal, according to the documents, Pitbull will create an anthem for FIU, post about the school on social media 12 times a year and appear at one athletics fundraising event per year throughout the term of the agreement.

Pitbull will get use of the stadium 10 days per year throughout the term of the deal and the vodka company he owns will be the preferred brand distributed in the stadium. There’s also perks like two reserved suites for all home football games.

To return to something I said earlier: College football really is an insane sport. FIU football, which has only been a program since 2002, is coming off of back-to-back 4-8 campaigns, and has not made it to a bowl game since 2019. They’re currently coached by Miami native Mike McIntyre, who has been at the helm since 2022 and is well-known for his stints as the head football coach at San Jose State and Colorado. It is unclear if Pitbull has ever gone to an FIU game, but I hope he does sooner rather than later.

Snoop Dogg Is Getting His Own College Football Bowl Game, Making NCAA History

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Snoop Dogg’s impact on football is rapidly becoming undeniable. In addition to his musical contributions to the sport, like his and Chris Stapleton’s 2023 Monday Night Football theme song and his performance alongside Dr. Dre at the 2022 Super Bowl, Snoop’s efforts in youth football in his hometown, Long Beach (as immortalized in his Amazon Prime comedy film, The Underdoggs), have sent a number of players from the ‘hood to the pros. This December, he’ll make college football history with the first-ever Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented By Gin & Juice By Dre And Snoop.

The Arizona Bowl, established in 2015 and featuring teams from the Mountain West and Mid-American Conferences, will become the first NCAA bowl game to be presented by an alcoholic beverage company. As the Doggfather points out in his press statement for the partnership, The Snoop Youth Football League has become a launching pad for college football, so the connection makes more sense than it may appear on the surface. “I’ve sent many players through my SYFL to colleges (and the NFL) so it’s only fitting that I bring the ‘juice’ back to college football,” Snoop said. “Dr. Dre and I are excited to bring our brand to the next level with this partnership, and we’re going to make the Arizona Bowl into a game day experience like never before.”

The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented By Gin & Juice By Dre And Snoop will air on December 28, 2024, at 2:30pm MST.

Miami Hurricanes Tight End Granted Ninth Year Of College Eligbility

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Cam McCormick has been granted an unprecedented ninth year of college eligibility by the NCAA. “I’m blessed that it was me to go through it because a lot of people would have folded under the pressure — both mentally and physically. But it’s pushed me to be a better person and teammate — everything. I’ve learned so much from every year and everything I’ve had to overcome,” McCormick told ESPN. It will be his second season in Miami.

McCormick first entered college football in 2016 as a three-star prospect for the Oregon Ducks. However, redshirting a true freshman and five seasons in which he has been eligible for a medical redshirt meant that he is now in the unprecedented position that he is now. McCormick has 231 career yards and 4 career touchdowns. He transferred to Miami ahead of the 2023 season to reunite with Mario Cristobal. The Hurricanes ended the season 7-6, ending their season with a 31-24 loss to Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Read More: Pop-Tart Mascot Becomes Instant Highlight Of Bowl Season

College Teammates Share Stores About Jason Kelce

Meanwhile, former college teammates of Jason Kelce have shared stories about the veteran center as he seemingly prepares to retire. “Those two, it was just insane. Like, holy sh-t, these guys are crazy. Those two are really good at drinking beer. They used to love playing Nintendo 64 for hours, smashing the controls and chugging beers at the same time. They would just come up with these random drinking games while playing, and they were incredibly good at it,” Tom DeTemple recalled to The Athletic.

“We were having a party after one of the games and Jason was a little bit inebriated, let’s say, and he ripped the sink out of the wall in one of the bathrooms. And everybody was like, “What the hell? Who is this guy? This walk-on just ripped the freaking sink out of the wall,” Craig Carey said of the older Kelce. Additionally, Isaiah Pead, another former teammate, said that Jason was consistently referred to as “Big Kelc” as opposed to his name.

Read More: Travis Kelce Will Play In 2024

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Michigan Wants To “Change The Narrative” Over Past CFP Failings

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After going 0-2 in College Football Playoff games over the last two years, Michigan is looking to change its fortunes this season. “I felt like last year I got caught up in the noise and all the emotions of it. I’m just trying to stay simple, trying to focus on dominating meetings, dominating practice. I’ve just been focusing this entire offseason to make sure I’m locked in on all the little details and that doesn’t happen again,” starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy said.

After falling to Georgia in 2021 and TCU in 2022, Michigan returned to the CFP as undefeated Big 10 champions. They were one of the nation’s best teams wire-to-wire, culminating in a Big 10 title game shutout win over Iowa. However, of course, it’s a season mired in controversy. Head coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended multiple times due to recruiting infractions and a sign-stealing investigation. But now Michigan can put all that behind them as they face Alabama on New Year’s Day. The winner will face Washington or Texas in the National Championship.

Read More: TCU Used “Dummy Signals” To Thwart Michigan Sign-Stealing During CFP

Florida State Considering Raising Banner If Undefeated Season Continues

Meanwhile, Florida State could further defy the institution of college football if they end their season undefeated. Players have admitted to serious discussions about raising a national championship banner if they end the season as the only undefeated Power 5 champion. “It’s only right. Nothing else needs to be said if we’re the only undefeated team,” linebacker Kalen DeLoach told ESPN. There are just two other undefeated Power 5 champions, with Michigan and Washington both playing in the College Football Playoff.

However, the team also stressed that they were strictly focused on their upcoming Orange Bowl matchup with Georgia. “The Orange Bowl is an awesome bowl, one of the best in the country, and we have a great opportunity in front of us playing Georgia. It’s still a big game for us, and we’re taking it serious. We’re focused on the guys we have here to help us win the game,” quarterback Brock Glenn said.

Read More: Florida State Announces Lawsuit Against ACC

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Pop-Tart Mascot Becomes Instant Highlight Of Bowl Season

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Fans have a new favorite part of Bowl Season. However, like Edna St. Vincent Millay’s candle, the Pop-Tart Mascot cast a lovely light but did not last the night. The popular breakfast brand had been teasing the “world’s first-ever edible mascot” for weeks prior to the Orlando-hosted game. Despite this, no one was quite expecting how loveable the dancing Pop-Tart was going to be. As NC State and Kansas State battled back and forth, most viewers kept having their eyes drawn to the mascot. Perhaps it’s because everyone knew that its lifespan was tied to the final whistle. Perhaps it’s because a dancing, human-sized Pop Tart is a once-in-a-lifetime sight.

But then came the end of the game. Kansas State claimed victory, 28-19. However, once again it was the Pop-Tart that was the center of the attention. 31,000 people in Florida, and hundreds of thousands more at home, watched as the giant Pop-Tart was lowered into an appropriately-sized toaster. If the sight was not already surreal enough, the Pop-Tart was holding a sign that read “Dreams really do come true” as he was lowered out of sight. Later, the victorious Wildcats would consume handfuls of the baked mascot. And the world loved it.

Read More: Florida State Considering Raising Banner If Undefeated Season Continues

Pop-Tart Mascot Consumption Rivals Mayo Bath

However, a human-sized, pro-vore Pop-Tart being consumed on ESPN isn’t the only food-related oddity of Bowl Season this week. On Wednesday night, Charlotte played host to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Bowl game sponsors since 2020, Duke’s, a southern staple of the condiment realm, have long been the kings of bizarre bowl game promotion. Duke’s has readily embraced chaos and memery, especially on social media.

This culminates in the thing that the Pop-Tart Bowl was trying to one-up. Prior to Wednesday’s game, a fan was seen chugging the “sandwich-elevating” condiment outside the stadium. And after West Virginia dominated North Carolina, it was time was the thing ever viewer was really there to see. Mountaineers head coach was seated in an impromptu throne before a sentient jar of mayo gave him a Gatorade cooler bath of the condiment. But as the week, and year, ends, does that really compare to watching the Mayfly life of a 6ft Pop-Tart whose only goal in life was to be eaten?

Read More: Mikal Bridges Reveals He Eats Chipotle Every Day, Speaks On Nets’ Load Management

Fans Commemorate The Pop Tart

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Deion Sanders Confident Colorado Will Improve, Other Coaches Aren’t So Sure

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Several college coaches are skeptical that things will improve for Deion Sanders and Colorado in 2024. Six coaches spoke anonymously to The Athletic. All six cast doubt on Sanders’ notion that the Buffaloes are headed in the right direction. Many of the coaches pointed to Sanders’ recruiting as a major sticking point. While Sanders did well recruiting at the skill positions, both the offensive and defensive lines were some of the worst in college football. Colorado gave up the second most sacks in the country with 56. Furthermore, as one coach noted to The Athletic, the transfer portal will contain around 30 “Power 5-caliber” offensive linemen. However, 65 Power 5 schools are vying for their commitment. Furthermore, the same coach noted that consistency was one of the most important qualities of an offensive line. Swapping out starters every year while also not developing recruits is not a recipe for success.

Furthermore, many coaches noted that Sanders has not been good to his coaches. He demoted offensive coordinator Sean Lewis after a 3-1 start because the Buffs were blown out by Oregon. Lewis has since left to become the head coach at San Diego State. The coaches who spoke with The Athletic predicted an exodus of coaching talent out of Colorado, with Sanders struggling to attract the game’s top assistants. For his part, Sanders has so far teased that former NFL star Warren Sapp will be joining his coaching staff next season. Sapp has no coaching experience at any level. However, he is the sort of headline-grabbing name Sanders has chased throughout his time at Colorado.

Read More: Deion Sanders Says He “Loves” His Players Fighting During Practice

Is Colorado Ready For The Big 12?

Next season, Colorado joins the Big 12. Alongside them comes Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State. All three schools either beat Colorado or lost by less than a score this season. Traditional Big 12 powerhouses Texas and Oklahoma will be gone. However, Colorado is by no means expected to suddenly become a title contender. Nine of the conference’s teams finished with a better record than Colorado this year. So did all three of the other Pac-12 teams also moving to the conference.

Shedeur Sanders is expected to return under center for the Buffs, but is that really the right move? Sanders missed the final game of the Buffs due to a back fracture. With no real improvement on the offensive line expected, Sanders can expect to take another pummelling behind the line next season. Not only will that affect his draft stock, but it could also impact his innate ability to play. However, the “Deion Doubters” will have to wait until commitment days, the portal, and the 2024 season itself to see if Sanders sinks or floats in Year 2.

Read More: Deion Sanders Isn’t Leaving Colorado Anytime Soon, Manager Claims

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Bobby Petrino Wants To “Make Things Right” In New Tenure With Arkansas

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Bobby Petrino has said he wants to “make it right” with the Arkansas fanbase. The sentiment came in his first statements after being hired as the team’s new offensive coordinator. “It’s something I hoped would happen. Wasn’t sure if it ever would. But it is a dream come true to be able to go back to the University of Arkansas and do anything I possibly can to make it right this time. I’m grateful to coach [Sam] Pittman and [athletic director] Hunter Yurachek for making it happen,” Petrino told ESPN.

Petrino spent the 2023 season as the OC under Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M. Now he returns to the Razorbacks 12 years after his infamous firing. After turning Arkansas into a genuine threat in the SEC, Petrino was fired in 2012. A motorcycle crash revealed that he was in an extramarital relationship with a female football staffer he had personally hired. Since leaving Arkansas, Petrino has spent time with Western Kentucky, Louisville, Missouri State, and the aforementioned Texas A&M.

Read More: Machine Gun Kelly Makes Travis Kelce Hilarious Offer To Leave The Chiefs

Petrino Ready To Make Amends

Furthermore, in his conversation with ESPN, Petrino was candid about how people are going to make a big deal about his infamous exit. “I’m more excited than anything, just to be able to go back and give back to all the great people of Arkansas,” Petrino said. “I can’t do anything about the past, but I know how hard Coach Pittman and his coaches have worked. It was great to see when he first got there and the way he changed the culture and then had that good season his second year and won the bowl game. I’ve always been a Razorback fan and rooted for them. I know how hard this last season has been for all of them, so when Coach Pittman had the idea of me coming back, I was immediately interested. Like I said, it was almost a dream,” Petrino said.

The Razorbacks were one of the weaker teams in the SEC this season. They finished 1-7 in the conference and 4-8 overall. However, Petrino, Jimbo Fisher firing aside, helped guide Texas A&M to a 7-5 record. The Aggies are projected to play in the Texas Bowl versus a Big 12 opponent. Oklahoma State and West Virginia are among the commonly projected opponents.

Read More: Aaron Rodgers Cleared For Practice With The Jets

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“Bahamas Bowl” To Be Played In North Carolina This Year

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The Bahamas Bowl, an annual bowl game between schools from the MAC and Conference USA, will not be played in the Bahamas this year. Instead, the game will be played in Charlotte, North Carolina under a temporary name. The news was broken via a press release from ESPN. The game cannot be hosted at its traditional site of Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau due to ongoing renovations. Instead, the game will be hosted by UNC Charlotte. The 2022 edition of the game saw UAB defeat Miami (Ohio) 24-20.

“We appreciate the support and willingness of Charlotte and its administration, specifically Director of Athletics Mike Hill, to work with us on relocating this game to Jerry Richardson Stadium. We are fortunate to have great partners who understand the importance of the college football postseason and the positive impact these games have on both student-athletes and the participating programs,” said Clint Overby, Vice President of ESPN Events. Furthermore, the game is expected to return to the Bahamas in 2024.

Read More: Deion Sanders Approves Of Kenan Thompson’s SNL Impression

Peach Bowl Reportedly Enquired About Colorado

In other bowl season news, rumors emerged earlier this season that the organizers of the Peach Bowl had reportedly met with representatives of the Colorado Buffaloes. Originally reported on an episode of Undisputed, the organizers of the Peach Bowl have reportedly met with Colorado officials about having the Buffs participate in the game this year. The Peach Bowl is one of the most prestigious bowl games during bowl season. The game forms part of the New Year’s Six. That typically means that it features teams that were in contention for the College Football Playoff. The game has not featured an unranked team since 2011. Furthermore, outside of years it has been a CFP semifinal, it typically featured teams ranked in the top 15 of the AP poll.

Colorado is currently 4-3 and may struggle to be bowl-eligible given their tough schedule to close out the year. 6-6 is widely considered the record needed to be considered for a bowl game. However, Colorado still has to face #25 UCLA, #11 Oregon State, #13 Utah. Arizona, and a Washington State team that has spent multiple weeks in the top 25 this season.

Read More: Usher Invites Las Vegas Aces To Residency Show After Missing Championship Parade

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Deion Sanders Labels Blowout Loss To Oregon “A Good, Old-Fashioned Butt-Kicking”

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Deion Sanders spoke candidly after his Colorado team’s 42-6 blowout loss to Oregon on Saturday. He described the game as a “good, old-fashioned butt-kicking” and made no excuses for his squad. Colorado was ranked No. 19 coming into the contest while Oregon was positioned at No. 10.

“A good, old-fashioned butt-kicking. No excuses,” Sanders said afterward, according to The Athletic‘s David Ubben. “Their coaches did a good job preparing their team. Obviously, we didn’t.” From there, he addressed his confidence in the game prior to kickoff. On that note, he added: “People around the country will say this is what they needed to humble themselves. We weren’t arrogant. We’re confident people. Our confidence offends their insecurity.”

Read More: Charleston White Goes Scorched Earth On Deion Sanders, Puts Bounty On His Son’s Head

Deion Sanders Arrives At Autzen Stadium

EUGENE, OREGON – SEPTEMBER 23: Head coach Deon Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes walks on the field before their game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on September 23, 2023, in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)

Oregon won’t be the last test for Colorado. The team is set to take on No. 5 USC, next week, on September 30. Since taking over as head coach, Deion Sanders has brought historic excitement to the Colorado program. His son, Shedeur Sanders, is the starting quarterback for the team and has helped lead them to a 4-1 start with victories over TCU, Nebraska, and rival Colorado State. For their latest game, the team was without their star wide receiver/cornerback, Travis Hunter.

Hunter went down with a lacerated liver injury suffered during the game against Colorado State, last week. “Travis is always missed. He’s the best dern player in college football. That’s like you writing an article and your pen is missing,” Deion Sanders said of Hunter’s absence. He expects Hunter to miss three weeks with the injury. For Oregon, quarterback Bo Nix was instrumental in the victory, completing 28 of his 33 passes for a total of 276 passing yards and three touchdowns. Be on the lookout for further updates on Colorado’s season on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Cam’ron Links Up With Shannon Sharpe While Supporting Deion Sanders

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Mark Dantonio Returns To Michigan State Amid Mel Tucker Scandal

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Michigan State legend Mark Dantonio has returned to the Spartans amid the scandal surrounding the football team. With head coach Mel Tucker suspended pending a sexual harassment investigation, Dantonio has returned to help pivot away “the MSU of old”. It’s the first time Dantonio has returned to the sidelines since his abrupt retirement in 2020. “Mark Dantonio is a man of integrity. Since his retirement, he’s continued to be a presence and a unifying force in the MSU community. When I called him, he selflessly offered to do whatever he could to help the football program,” athletic director Alan Haller told ESPN.

However, Dantonio’s return has raised some questions. Dantonio’s tenure as head coach coincided with allegations and accusations of its own. Back then, Michigan State was accused of mishandling sexual assault complaints leveled at athletes. Furthermore, Dantonio himself was accused of interfering in at least one case being investigated by the athletic department during his tenure. However, for the time being, he is being seen as Michigan State’s savior.

Read More: Deion Sanders claims Boulder made $18 million during Colorado’s home opener weekend

Michigan State Attempt To Focus Amid Scandal

Amid the chaos and uncertainty, Michigan State still has to play a season of football. They had started 2-0 with easy wins over Central Michigan and Richmond. However, now they must take on the hardest team on their non-conference slate. A visit from #8 Washington is on the books for the Spartans this weekend. Behind Michael Penix Jr., the Huskies have dispatched Boise State and Tulsa. This is not a team that Michigan State would want to face before their sideline chaos. However, this will likely be a battle between whether the Spartans’ defense or the Huskies’ rush defense can step up.

Dantonio will not lead the team on Saturday. That job will be left to interim head coach Harlon Barnett. However, it’s likely that there will be a level of deference to Dantonio, whom Barnett served under as an assistant. Barnett referred to Dantonio as a “calming presence” who would “aid [the team] in all aspects of operations.” Additionally, Barnett praised the addition of Dantonio to the coaching squad. “I’m glad he’s here. I love me some Coach D. That’s my guy.”

Read More: Jay Norvell takes shots at Deion Sanders ahead of Rocky Mountain Showdown

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