COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Caleb Williams Distances Himself From Pat Mahomes Comparisons

by

Caleb Williams could very well be the first-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Alongside North Carolina’s Drake Maye, the USC signal caller is considered to be one the best QBs at the college level this year. After beginning his career at Oklahoma in 2021, Williams followed head coach Lincoln Riley to USC in 2022. He quickly turned into one of the best D1 passers, throwing for 4537 yards and 42 touchdowns. However, the season was marred by a blowout loss in the Pac-12 Championship and then an embarrassing and improbable loss to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl.

Short of a historic collapse, Williams should be a first-overall candidate while USC stacks as a National Championship contender. However, people are already trying to find the words to describe Williams’ play and perceived collegiate dominance. Those efforts often end in some sort of comparison to Pat Mahomes, widely considered the best pro quarterback in the NFL right now. However, it’s not that Williams himself especially agrees with.

Read More: Bill Belichick Weighs In On Barbie Versus Oppenheimer

Williams Wants To Be Judged On His Own Merits

LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 15: Quarterback Caleb Williams #13 of the USC Trojans looks on during the USC spring game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on April 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

“The Patrick Mahomes thing, I’ve seen it. I don’t think anything of it. I’m my own self. I’m Caleb Williams, number 13 for the USC Trojans. I don’t think too much of it other than, it’s’ respect. Mahomes has been the best guy in the league basically since he got in the league. He’s been playing at the highest level. I just say respect. The man’s got two Super Bowls under his belt, and I’ve got not even one national championship. I just classify it as respect because I’ve been working my tail off to try and be the best,” Williams told The Ringer.

Riley made similar comments when he asked about the subject at the Pac-12 Media Day. “There are some similarities. I think some of the vision and some of the creative arm angle. Also the ability to get the ball out is similar,” Riley said. “Pat played a lot of football though. I have to remind people that Caleb didn’t play his senior year of high school and only half the year his first year at Oklahoma. … Obviously, Pat is the best quarterback in the game and that’s a flattering comparison, but Caleb’s got a long way to go to get to that.”

[via]

The post Caleb Williams Distances Himself From Pat Mahomes Comparisons appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Deion Sanders’ Colorado To Leave Pac-12 After TV Deal Finalized

by

There has been a lot of attention on the University of Colorado’s football team in recent months. It all began when NFL legend Deion Sanders joined the Buffaloes as head coach after three stellar seasons at Jackson State. After going 1-11 in 2022, there was no way but up for the Buffaloes.

Over 70 players have left the program, with nearly 40 joining via the transfer portal. This has led to some criticism of Sanders’ behavior from other members of the NCAA coaching world. However, the hype has never been higher for the Colorado program. Perhaps as a result of this, discussions as to whether Colorado is going to leave the ever-ailing Pac-12 have begun to circulate. Now, it appears that those rumors are gaining even more credibility.

Colorado To Transfer To Big 12 After Pac-12 TV Deal

The Pac-12 is currently at the tail-end of negotiations on a new television deal. This comes at a monumental time for the Pac-12, as USC and UCLA prepare to leave for the Big 10 next year. Furthermore, the status of the deal is uncertain, as talks recently broke down with ESPN. However, it appears that the deal is going to lead to more exits from the embattled conference. “BREAKING: Nothing becomes official until the #Pac12 gets their TV deal finalized, but now multiple sources tell us tonight that the #Buffs and #BearDown will move to the #Big12. No word on the #Utes and #SunDevils, but Yormark may just take two and save some spots for #ACC teams,” NCAA insider Greg Swaim tweeted on June 4.

If Swaim’s information is correct, that means both Colorado and Arizona will be leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 12. Latest reports suggest that the Pac-12 will be adding San Diego State and potentially SMU to mitigate the loss of the two LA schools. However, the loss of Colorado and Arizona is a major blow to the conference. Despite this, it could be the death knell of the Pac-12. Oregon and Washington have both reportedly spoken with the Big 10. Meanwhile, Utah and Arizona State could both look to both away as well in the near future. This is a developing story and we’ll have any updates here at HotNewHipHop.

[via]

The post Deion Sanders’ Colorado To Leave Pac-12 After TV Deal Finalized appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Michigan State To Host Penn State In Regular Season Finale At Ford Field

by

2022 was a season to forget for the Michigan State Spartans, finishing 5-7 in a major step back from their 11-2 2021 campaign. The 5-7 record included losses in all three of their rivalry games (Indiana, Michigan, and Penn State). Furthermore, long-time starting quarterback Payton Thorne opted to transfer, choosing to join Hugh Freeze at Auburn.

Meanwhile, Penn State is expected to vie for the Big Ten title this season. They have been building towards this point for a number of years and 2023 feels like the best year to do it. The Nittany Lions have a number of highly-regarded draft prospects, such as offensive tackle Olu Fashanu. Furthermore, they have a new quarterback in Drew Allar after the graduation of Sean Clifford. This could be Penn State’s year. This belief is exacerbated by the loss of major starters for both Michigan and Ohio State. However, both programs still remain at the top of the conference power rankings.

Michigan State V Penn State to Anchor Thanksgiving Coverage

STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 26: Abdul Carter #11 of the Penn State Nittany Lions leaps to knock down the pass by Payton Thorne #10 of the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at Beaver Stadium on November 26, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

The first game between Michigan State and Penn State was played in 1914, with the fixture becoming an annual tradition in 1993 when Penn State joined the Big Ten. The two schools are the the oldest land grant colleges in the United States. Therefore, the rivalry trophy is thus known as the “Land Grand Trophy”. The all-time rivalry record is tied at 18-18-1. Furthermore, the teams are 5-5 in their last 10 matchups. However, Penn State has won three of the last four matchups.

Additionally, the 2023 edition of the game will get an all-star setting. As part of a broadcasting deal with NBC, the game will be played at Ford Field in Detroit. As per tradition, the game is the season finale for both schools. Furthermore, the game will serve as part of NBC’s Thanksgiving Weekend coverage, which will also feature a Lions-Packers game on Thanksgiving as well as the Michigan state football championships. The Spartans-Nittany Lions matchup will have a primetime slot on Black Friday (November 24). “We anticipate that the experience will be so much more than a football game for our Spartan faithful,” Michigan State AD Allen Haller said in a statement.

[via]

College Players Will Be Able To Opt In For 2024 EA Sports College Football Game

by

EA Games once ruled the world of college sports video games. NCAA Basketball and NCAA Football were both beloved franchises that still boast active player bases today. However, NCAA Basketball was discontinued in 2009 due to a lawsuit by former college star Ed O’Bannon. Meanwhile, similar concerns brought an end to NCAA Football in 2013. The games have lived on through passionate fanbases and myriad content on sites such as YouTube and Twitch. Interest in NCAA Basketball spiked during the pandemic thanks to the work of SB Nation journalist Ricky O’Donnell. O’Donnell produced a series of season-by-season breakdowns of his journey trying to break the all-time record for NCAA titles using the worst team in the game, Western Illinois.

However, in 2021, EA announced that NCAA Football would be making a return with EA Sports College Football. Originally slated to release in 2023, the game was delayed to 2024. the return of the game was brought about by the impending implementation of NIL legislation that allowed college athletes to receive money from sponsorship deals and similar sources. Now, news that has broken about a vital part of the game development.

Real Players In “EA Sports College Football”

INGLEWOOD, CA – JANUARY 09: A player holds up a sign after Georgia Bulldogs wins their game versus the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 9, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

While mods have long existed to import real rosters into the NCAA Football games, the restrictions on using player likenesses meant that the games were also filled with fictional players. That may no longer be the case given an interview the developers granted to ESPN. EA is collaborating with NIL agency OneTeam Partners to facilitate the addition of real players and their likenesses to the upcoming game.

Payment and revenue structuring for players who want to appear in the game is still being finalized. However, but OneTeam told ESPN that payment would be “as inclusive and equitable as possible.” Furthermore, the company outlined on its website that “revenue will be divided equally among the athletes included in each licensing program” if individual sales couldn’t be agreed on. Players who do not opt-in will be replaced by a generic fictional player. At the time of writing, Tulane and Northwestern have both publicly opted in. Notre Dame has also been “in contact” about NIL implementation, but has not formally opted in or out.

[via]

C.J. Stroud Felt “Disrespected” By Ohio State State QB Recruitment

by

C.J. Stroud is the presumptive starter for the Houston Texans. The ailing AFC South team took Stroud second overall in the recent NFL Draft. Furthermore, Stroud has the most promise of success in a quarterback room that also includes, Davis Mills, Case Keenum, and E.J. Perry. Furthermore, the Texans are clearly in a win-now mode given their aggression on draft night.

However, there have been rumors that Stroud was a pick forced by Texans ownership. Many believe that several key members of the Texans coaching staff would have preferred to pick Kentucky’s Will Levis. But not being the first choice is something that Stroud has experienced before and motivates him to prove others wrong.

Stroud Found Ewers Recruitment “Disrespectful”

KANSAS CITY, MO – APRIL 27: CJ Stroud poses after being selected second overall pick by the Houston Texans during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 27, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

In 2021, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields left for the NFL. It was expected that Stroud, the redshirt freshman, would take the starting job. However, the Buckeyes also brought in the #1 recruit in the country, quarterback Quinn Ewers. That didn’t sit well with Stroud, who would go on to win the starting job. “I kind of felt disrespected. I didn’t like that,” Stroud told The Shop podcast. Furthermore, Stroud alleges that he didn’t know about Ewers’ recruitment until “the day he arrived”. The starting gig was considered a battle between Stroud and Ewers, with some Ohio State fans believing that, given his massive potential, Ewers should at least be given a shot.

However, Stroud eventually won the quarterback battle and would lead the Buckeyes’ offense for two seasons. Meanwhile, Ewers would transfer after the 2021 season, landing with the Texas Longhorns. Ewers could be a first-round draft pick in the 2024 draft and is considered the third or fourth-best prospect at the position. Regardless, all of this comes as Stroud is once again challenged despite his pedigree. “I think that’s up to him and how he plays and the coaches, how they see him,” CEO Cal McNair said. “He’ll earn his spot, wherever that is. And he’ll feel like he’s earned it, and the team will feel like he’s earned wherever he winds up.”

[via]

Iowa State Football Player Arrested On Rape Charges

by

Aidan Ralph, a redshirt sophomore at Iowa State, was arrested on Wednesday. Ralph was charged with the violent rape of a woman that allegedly occurred at Ralph’s home in December 2022. According to an affidavit, Ralph allegedly accused the woman of cheating on him and assaulted her. Ralph reportedly shoved her into the staircase, fracturing her spine. Instead of calling an ambulance, Ralph reportedly laid on top of the woman and raped her. Ralph was also charged with misdemeanor domestic violence charges.

It’s the latest high-profile rape case stemming from the college sphere in recent years. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza was accused of raping a minor at a party, an accusation that led him to be cut soon after being drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft. He and a number of other players were accused of gang-raping the minor at a frat party. However, no charges were filed in Araiza’s case. The records in the investigation of accusations surrounding Araiza were recently unsealed.

Ralph Granted Bond But Remains Jailed

According to reporting from the Ames Tribune, a judge has set an $11,000 bond for Ralph. However, at the time of writing on May 4, Ralph remains in jail. Furthermore, the judge granted a protective order for Ralph’s alleged victim, meaning that Ralph cannot contact her. Ralph will face a hearing on the charges on May 15. Iowa State has suspended Ralph indefinitely. Ralph had never taken the field for the Cyclones.

The arrest comes during a period of uncertainty within the NCAA. A recent survey of 70 male college athletes found some disturbing results. “The majority of the athletes It’s On Us spoke with had minimal awareness of their institution’s policies, procedures, and resources for survivors, and many did not know who their Title IX Coordinator was,” the study states. “This lack of awareness was a barrier for athletes who desired more direction and resources when experiencing a disclosure.” Title IX is a collegiate mandate that covers everything from fair representation in sports to the handling of sexual assault. While campuses have spent millions on sexual assault awareness, it’s clear that the problem is still prevalent as ever.

[via]

College Football Playoff Unveils Format For 12 Team Bracket

by

The College Football Playoff was one of the most significant changes in college sports. However, the change by the NCAA has been seen as the greatest move by the league in recent memory. Before the playoff, the national championship game was decided by computers and numbers. Now the biggest game in college football is earned by the best teams winning their way to the game. However, now the chances of making the big game just got a little bit harder.

The NCAA has announced that the four-team playoff will soon be expanding to twelve. Fans longed for the opportunity to see a college playoff. Now the desire for more teams will be coming soon. On Friday, the NCAA unveiled the first look at the new playoff system. With each game in the format earning the title of an already-titled bowl game. According to the new format, each game will be named after one of the series’ iconic New Year Six Bowl Games. Take a look at the new format in the tweet below.

College Football Playoffs Set To Expand

At the same time, many fans believe the NCAA already had the format right. Since its inception, the playoff has been four teams. However, even with just four teams, blowouts still occurred. Including last year when TCU thrashed Michigan for a shot at the National Championship. So many believe that adding more teams will only bring more blowout scores in the process. However, adding more teams will undoubtedly bring more cash to the NCAA. Which we all know is the ultimate end goal.

Now the debate on who should make the playoff should be settled. If twelve teams are a part of the series, then no one will be missing out. However, one should still expect to see the same suspects making a run at the championship. Including the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama, and Ohio State. But now, teams that may not always get the chance will at least get to say they were a part of the moment. Do you think the College Football Playoffs committee is making the right choice to expand the format? Let us know what you think in the comment section. For the latest news in sports, keep it right here with HNHH.

[Via]

Deion Sanders Continues Breaking Milestones At Colorado

by

When Deion Sanders accepted the head coaching job for the Colorado football program, many took notice. Sanders’s recent success with Jackson State caught the eyes of a few Division One programs. However, it was Colorado who took the leap in bringing Sanders in. Since his arrival in Boulder, Sanders has been nothing but a positive impact on the program. The Colorado program was in dire need of a facelift, and they may have found their answer. At least the fanbase is already believing.

The program should have no issue bringing fans to the stadium this season. For the first time since 1996, the Buffaloes have sold their entire allotment of season tickets for 2023. An incredible feat considering the team only won one game last season. However, this is a fanbase starving to see a competitor on the field again. With Sanders, the fans know they will at least have a competitor running the program. Sanders is just as outspoken as a coach as he was a Hall-of-Fame player. For now, it seems to be working just fine with those around the Colorado program.

Deion Sanders Has Colorado Fans Thinking Primetime

Fans may want to temper their expectations for what they expect the product to look like on the field. Turning a football program from worst to first doesn’t happen overnight. It takes momentum and hard work. Which are two things Sanders has already started working on. The Buffaloes currently have the 24th-best recruiting class in the entire country. A feat that wouldn’t have been possible without Sanders running the show. Currently, the team has the second-best class in the entire PAC-12.

The college athletics landscape changes by the day. NIL has been one of the leading charges in those changes. However, it does feel that the sport is slowly moving to a mega-conference model. But that will not stop the same good teams from getting the same good players. However, there could be a new threat to the top of the college football food chain. Do you think Deion Sanders can turn Colorado into a dominant football program again? Let us know your thoughts on the Sanders-Colorado experiment in the comment section. For the latest college football news, keep it right here at HNHH.

[Via]

Deion Sanders First Spring Game Set To Break Records

by

Colorado has yet to play a game in the 2023 college football season, but it’s already one of the game’s hottest programs. That’s thanks to the sensational hiring of Deion “Primetime” Sanders as head coach. Sanders was named head coach in December 2022 after three incredibly successful seasons with Jackson State. Colorado is coming off a 1-11 2022 season and, excluding the shortened 2020 season, hasn’t posted a winning record since 2016.

Sanders turned things around almost immediately. He encouraged players to enter the transfer portal. He brought in the school’s best-ever recruiting class and took big-name players from the portal. Demand for tickets became so intense, long-term boosters were often left without one. Sanders makes bold moves for Colorado as the Pac-12 reaches a crossroads, namely in the impending loss of UCLA and USC. All of Coach Prime’s work will be tested come the start of the season but early signs already highlight the energy in Colorado.

Sanders’ First Spring Game Breaks Records

The first look at Sanders’ new Buffaloes squad will come at the annual Spring Game on April 22. However, unlike previous editions of the annual intra-team scrimmage, a few things have changed. The game will be aired nationally on ESPN. It will be the only Spring Game to air on ESPN’s primary channel and one of only two to air on ESPN’s main channels. Furthermore, the 2023 Spring Game has shattered Colorado records. The game has sold out for the first time in program history. The 45,000+ expected attendance destroys the previous record of 17,800. Additionally, 2023’s expected attendance is higher than the last nine Spring Games combined.

Sanders has taken Colorado from the laughing stock of the Pac-12 to a legitimate threat to the status quo. Colorado was once a dominant football force, winning a National Championship in 1990. Sanders has made it clear that he wants to return the school to its glory and made the moves to kickstart the process. Speaking to ESPN about the game, Sanders set the tone in no certain terms. “I can’t wait for the spring game, really looking forward to it, because I want to see the difference in the atmosphere and the feeling and the spirit of everything,” Sanders said.

[via]

Stetson Bennett, Georgia QB, Arrested For Public Intoxication Charge

by

Authorities arrested Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett on Sunday (January 29) for a misdemeanor public intoxication charge. While college football fans just saw them win national championships back-to-back with a 2022 season victory, this shocked many. Moreover, the incident reportedly occurred in the morning hours of Sunday in Dallas.

INGLEWOOD, CA – JANUARY 09: Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) drops back into the pocket during the Georgia Bulldogs game versus the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 9, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Furthermore, police took Bennett into custody at around 6 a.m. CT after they received calls about a man banging on doors. After arriving near 1600 Tribeca Way in Dallas and apprehending him, they transported the QB to the City Detention Center. Overall, not much is known about the incident except for the charge: public intoxication.

“The preliminary investigation found when officers arrived, they located the man, Stetson Bennett, 25, and determined he was intoxicated,” police stated to ESPN. “Bennett was taken into custody, transported to the City Detention Center and charged with public intoxication.”

Although this news would turn heads on any day, it’s particularly notable to see it happen so close to championship season. Moreover, the Bulldogs finished the 2022 season with a 15-0 record and SEC championship. What’s more is that the year prior, they obtained their first national championship since 1980.

As for Bennett, he passed for 4,127 yards with 27 passing touchdowns, 10 rushing touchdowns, and seven interceptions. All things considered, he capped off his Georgia career with a big win over TCU for the second championship in a row. Also, authorities did release him from jail after this arrest.

With all that in mind, ESPN‘s NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper thinks Bennett could go as early as the third round of April’s draft. However, this news continues a tough off-season for the Bulldogs. Previously this month, offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy passed away after a car crash.

Moreover, on January 15, Willock was riding in the passenger seat of an SUV that crashed in Athens at close to 2:45 a.m. local time. While LeCroy drove the vehicle, the car left the roadway and struck two power poles and several trees. Willock, who was a 20-year-old redshirt sophomore, passed away at the scene. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old LeCroy succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.

Still, what do you think of Stetson Bennett’s arrest for public intoxication? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, as always, stay tuned to HNHH for the lates news and notable events in the world of football.

[via]