Top 100 teams in college football

Pete Fiutak Collegefootballnews.com Published 6:57 AM EST Jan 1, 2019 Nothing says college football like New Year's Day bowl games. Here's what you need to know about today's five matchups:  OUTBACK BOWL Iowa (8-4) vs. Mississippi State (8-4) Time, TV: Noon ET Tuesday, ESPN2 Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida Reasons to watch Iowa was really, really close to a massive season. It came up with a win over Iowa State. However, it lost to Wisconsin 28-17, and it had a stretch of three losses in a row by six points or fewer and a total of 12 points. Beating Mississippi State would be the signature moment.  Last year’s Mississippi State team went 9-4. This year’s team can do that with a win, showing off a seamless transition from the Dan Mullen era to Joe Moorhead. The offense was solid, but it was the defense that defined the year.  Players to watch QB Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State: He was OK throwing the ball, completing 53 percent of … [Read more...] about College football bowl schedule: Five matchups on New Year’s Day

Paul Myerberg USA TODAY Published 4:24 PM EST Dec 19, 2018 Good news — no, great news. Your team's head coach believes this year's signing class is chock full of difference-making talent, with a steady mix of plug-and-play athletes and developmental prospects set to contribute once they acclimate themselves to the college game. That quarterback your team signed? Well, he's a future star. Likewise with the rest of the future student-athletes, including that two-star recruit — he's a diamond in the rough. Hope springs eternal during the early signing period. Instituted a year ago in the Bowl Subdivision, this change now gives a prospective recruit a second window to sign his letter of intent, joining the traditional signing day in early February. A year ago, nearly 75 percent of prospects signed in the early period. Some big-name recruits will wait until February to announce their decisions. However, most classes will essentially be complete by the end of … [Read more...] about National signing day: Winners and losers among college football teams

Steve Berkowitz USA TODAY Published 10:11 AM EDT Oct 21, 2018 Everywhere you turn in mid-October, college football teams are getting the wins they need to become eligible for a bowl game. That means, everywhere you turn, coaches are getting set up for bonuses. On Saturday, the season total for head coaches cruised past $1.6 million as a dozen public-school teams recorded their sixth win of the season — the number normally needed to reach postseason play. Assuming they all end up there, the accomplishment will allow head coaches to collect amounts ranging from $5,000 for Georgia Southern’s Chad Lunsford to $200,000 for Fresno State’s Jeff Tedford, according to contracts obtained by USA TODAY Sports as part of its annual survey of coaches’ pay. Kentucky’s Mark Stoops is now set for the minimum of $50,000 he gets if the Wildcats play in a bowl game, but at 6-1 with plenty of season left, he’s in position to do much, much better:  — If … [Read more...] about College football coach bonuses: Total rising, especially for Stoops

Paul Myerberg USA TODAY Published 9:13 PM EDT Oct 6, 2018 Florida’s first-year coach beat rival Tennessee in September and a top-six opponent to open October. The Florida coach could be Dan Mullen, who has the surprising Gators at 5-1 following Saturday’s 27-19 win against No. 6 LSU. The Florida coach could also be Mullen’s predecessor, Jim McElwain, who worked a similar number in his debut season, 2015, with wins against the Volunteers and then-No. 5 Mississippi in leading the Gators to an SEC East Division title and spot in the final Amway Coaches Poll. In other words, we’ve seen this act before. Why is 2018 any different? It was with cautious optimism that Mullen’s tenure began, and for good reason. He helped Urban Meyer lead the Gators to a pair of national championships as Meyer’s top assistant. He worked a lesser miracle in turning Mississippi State into a real national contender, even earning the Bulldogs the top spot in the College … [Read more...] about College football winners and losers from Week 6 topped by Florida

Steve Berkowitz, Randy Peterson, Amanda Caffey USA TODAY Network Published 6:43 p.m. UTC Aug 29, 2018 College football’s version of the gig economy gets rolling Thursday, as teams across the country begin the annual ritual of playing one-time, non-conference games in exchange for huge payouts. This season, well over $175 million will change hands just for teams getting on the field for these so-called “guarantee” games, according to an analysis of more than 275 contracts for matchups involving teams in the NCAA’s top-level Bowl Subdivision. While some of these agreements involve series of games on equal and relatively modest terms, the real money is elsewhere. It’s in about a dozen contests at off-campus sites, like the weekend’s featured matchups: No. 6-ranked Washington vs. No. 10 Auburn on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and No. 8 Miami (Fla.) vs. No. 24 LSU at AT&T Stadium on Sunday night in Arlington, Texas. Those … [Read more...] about College football guarantee games: A gig economy worth more than $175 million this season