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25 minutes ago
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SEC propaganda blitz for College Football Playoff speaks to need for more Big Ten games
If you're explaining, you're losing. I thought about that old Ronald Reagan quote last week at the SEC spring meetings while the conference launched a days-long propaganda campaign explaining why it deserved more respect from the College Football Playoff committee. Advertisement The SEC's best programs lost too often the past few years. Alabama's four losses last season marked its most since 2007. Georgia lost just twice in three seasons from 2021-23 before losing three times last year. LSU hasn't lost fewer than three times in a season since 2019. That 2019 season also marks the last time Florida won more than eight games. The less said the better about Auburn's past five seasons. We can debate whether the playoff committee would have been wiser to select a three-loss SEC team rather than SMU, but there's no arguing this: A Big Ten team won the national championship each of the past two seasons, and the SEC didn't even advance a team to the title game in those years. The SEC's consecutive seasons without a champion mark its longest drought since Florida State and Ohio State won the titles in 2013 and 2014. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) looks to throw during his team's game against Southern California on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nev. It's not that the SEC came unglued. It remains a deep league with few weaklings, but the SEC's cream wasn't as sweet as the Big Ten's last season. Advertisement That left the SEC to explain its mightiness with rhetoric and graphs, rather than pointing to the national championship scoreboard. 'This (league) is not like any other,' SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said on the final day of his conference's propaganda blitz in Miramar Beach, Florida. Sankey paired that quote with a packet of paper several pages in length that sought to explain the SEC's greatness. NO CUPCAKES: If SEC wants playoff respect, it needs tougher games BIG DECISION: SEC's Greg Sankey can be hero or villain in playoff debate While several SEC coaches and administrators tried to prop up the league with their words, LSU coach Brian Kelly broke ranks and spoke some plain truth. Advertisement 'Look, the Big Ten right now holds it on the SEC,' Kelly said. 'They won the last two national championships. That's the reality of it.' Here's more reality: Big Ten teams went 6-4 in games against SEC opponents last season, including postseason results. Kelly, a skilled orator, didn't compliment the Big Ten for no reason. He paired his praise by challenging the SEC and Big Ten athletic directors and commissioners to come to agreement on more interconference matchups between these two super leagues. Count Kelly among those who favor a Big Ten-SEC challenge. 'As (SEC) coaches – and I can speak for the room – we want to play Big Ten schools,' Kelly said. 'You've got to get a partner. You've got to get a partner who says, 'We're in for that, too.' We've made our voice clear. Our ADs know that, as well.' Advertisement Kelly exaggerated when he said he spoke for the room of SEC coaches. In truth, some other SEC coaches sounded more squeamish about the idea of an annual game against a Big Ten foe. Kelly is smart to push the envelope, though, because the SEC needs this interconference challenge more than the Big Ten does. The SEC ruled the four-team playoff, but the conference up north scored the early advantage in the expanded playoff, both in number of qualifiers and bracket advancement. The SEC might be deeper in number of robust teams, but a 12- or even 16-team playoff works well for the Big Ten's quest to qualify its top quartet, even if the conference wavers down ballot. This season, SEC newcomers Texas and Oklahoma will play Ohio State and Michigan, respectively. Alabama's game against Wisconsin is the only other Big Ten-SEC matchup. Advertisement 'We want to get challenged (by Big Ten opponents),' Kelly said, in what amounted to chiding a heavyweight belt holder to step into the ring. The SEC's most authoritative path to gobbling up at-large playoff spots would be to repeatedly beat Big Ten teams in non-conference clashes. Consider the SEC's basketball uprising. It dominated the non-conference schedule last season, including a 14-2 record in the ACC-SEC challenge. Come Selection Sunday, an NCAA record 14 SEC teams qualified for March Madness. The SEC didn't need to explain itself, because it owned the scoreboard. Not too many years ago, that was true of SEC football, too. Advertisement This little Big Ten revolution spurred the SEC to double down on talking points. Anyone that spends that much time explaining must be losing a bit too much for comfort. Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC needs Big Ten in College Football Playoff propaganda blitz
USA Today
an hour ago
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- USA Today
College World Series: Analyzing LSU, Coastal Carolina finals
College World Series: Analyzing LSU, Coastal Carolina finals Show Caption Hide Caption Arkansas' Gage Wood throws historic no-hitter in College World Series Arkansas' Gage Wood tosses the third no-hitter in Men's College World Series history as Arkansas tops Murray State. NCAA And now, the end is near, and so we face the final series. Sorry, Frank, couldn't resist. The college baseball season will soon reach its conclusion at the Men's College World Series, with the last two teams standing set to square off in the best-of-three finale at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. One program has already claimed seven championship banners, the last coming just two years ago. But the other is no underdog, having also won this championship before despite not representing one of the so-called power conferences. Here's all you need to know about the finalists and how to watch the last showdown on the collegiate sports calendar. No. 6 LSU (51-15) vs. No. 13 Coastal Carolina (56-11) Game 1, June 21, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN Game 2, June 22, 2:30 p.m. ET, ABC Game 3 (if necessary), June 23, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Both teams negotiated their respective four-team brackets in Omaha unscathed, although LSU did so with a bit more drama. The Tigers' ninth-inning rally, admittedly aided by Arkansas' miscues in the field, nonetheless demonstrated that an opponent can't afford to leave the door open against this batting order. The Chanticleers, however, might just be the team best-constructed to keep LSU at bay, with pitching depth and sound defensive fundamentals. Coastal coach Kevin Schnall has options regarding his rotation, but it's fairly certain that Jacob Morrison and Cameron Flukey will start Games 1 and 2 in some order. The Chanticleers can also be confident that Riley Eikhoff can be called upon if a Game 3 is needed, and Ryan Lynch and Dominick Carbone anchor a deep bullpen that is well-rested. The primary threats they'll face from LSU's formidable lineup include Jared Jones (.330, 22 HR, 76 RBI) and Derek Curiel (.348, 53 RBI, 66 runs scored). Of course, there's the other side of the matchup, where the Tigers also have some accomplished arms. LSU generates 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings, and that's usually the M.O. to get out of jams. Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson are the K leaders, with closer Casan Evans also able to miss bats. Coastal might not have LSU's power, but the Chanticleers' ability to make contact and get timely hits has served them well. Coastal catcher Caden Bodine and first baseman Colby Thorndyke are just a couple of the clutch producers from a lineup whose top six hitters have an average above .275.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
College World Series: Analyzing LSU, Coastal Carolina finals
And now, the end is near, and so we face the final series. Sorry, Frank, couldn't resist. The college baseball season will soon reach its conclusion at the Men's College World Series, with the last two teams standing set to square off in the best-of-three finale at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. Advertisement One program has already claimed seven championship banners, the last coming just two years ago. But the other is no underdog, having also won this championship before despite not representing one of the so-called power conferences. Here's all you need to know about the finalists and how to watch the last showdown on the collegiate sports calendar. No. 6 LSU (51-15) vs. No. 13 Coastal Carolina (56-11) Game 1, June 21, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN Game 2, June 22, 2:30 p.m. ET, ABC Game 3 (if necessary), June 23, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Both teams negotiated their respective four-team brackets in Omaha unscathed, although LSU did so with a bit more drama. The Tigers' ninth-inning rally, admittedly aided by Arkansas' miscues in the field, nonetheless demonstrated that an opponent can't afford to leave the door open against this batting order. The Chanticleers, however, might just be the team best-constructed to keep LSU at bay, with pitching depth and sound defensive fundamentals. Advertisement Coastal coach Kevin Schnall has options regarding his rotation, but it's fairly certain that Jacob Morrison and Cameron Flukey will start Games 1 and 2 in some order. The Chanticleers can also be confident that Riley Eikhoff can be called upon if a Game 3 is needed, and Ryan Lynch and Dominick Carbone anchor a deep bullpen that is well-rested. The primary threats they'll face from LSU's formidable lineup include Jared Jones (.330, 22 HR, 76 RBI) and Derek Curiel (.348, 53 RBI, 66 runs scored). Of course, there's the other side of the matchup, where the Tigers also have some accomplished arms. LSU generates 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings, and that's usually the M.O. to get out of jams. Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson are the K leaders, with closer Casan Evans also able to miss bats. Coastal might not have LSU's power, but the Chanticleers' ability to make contact and get timely hits has served them well. Coastal catcher Caden Bodine and first baseman Colby Thorndyke are just a couple of the clutch producers from a lineup whose top six hitters have an average above .275. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LSU, Coastal Carolina CWS finale: How teams match up
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jets Rookie Gets Rave Review From Rival Coach
Jets Rookie Gets Rave Review From Rival Coach originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Jets needed a boost at the tight end position, and that led the franchise to draft LSU stud Mason Taylor in the second round. Advertisement Coming to a tight end room with Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt, Taylor has every chance to be the Week 1 starter if he can prove he is up to the task. More known for his blocking than pass-catching ability, Taylor has all the tools that Aaron Glenn is looking for, and with the Jets wanting to be a run-first football team, there is a place on the field waiting for he's good enough. For ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, he spoke to an anonymous NFC offensive coach, who had a glowing endorsement for Taylor. "Jets selecting TE Mason Taylor at No. 42: 'He's (expletive) awesome," the offensive coach said. "He was my No. 2 tight end (behind Chicago's Colston Loveland). He's athletic, he's young (21), and he's got upside in the passing game." © SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images So, hopes are high for what Taylor can do in his rookie season. Advertisement Mason has already been seen catching touchdown passes from Justin Fields at OTAs and minicamp, so it appears he is settling in quite well to Tanner Engstrand's offense. Yes, it's against the air, but Mason is showing the potential to not only be a good blocker for the offense but to be a genuine passing option for Fields. With only Garrett Wilson seen as a genuine threat, having Taylor working the underneath routes to help keep the chains moving could be the ace up Engstrand's sleeve. Once training camp begins, we will be able to truly evaluate Taylor as a member of this offense, but one NFC coach already seems sold. Advertisement Related: Jets' Aaron Glenn/Justin Fields Tandem Labeled 'Ideal Match' Related: Jets Sign UFL 'Thiccer Kicker' For Training Camp Competition This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
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College World Series stunning favorite between LSU, Coastal Carolina
The post College World Series stunning favorite between LSU, Coastal Carolina appeared first on ClutchPoints. The 2025 College World Series has been yet another banger, and we now have the two finalists competing for the championship. LSU Baseball will take on Coastal Carolina Baseball in a best-of-three series starting on Saturday. Advertisement Coastal Carolina is one of the hottest sports teams on the planet. They have won a miraculous 26 straight games and have used almost all of their momentum to reach the CWS Final. After defeating Louisville handily, 11-3, winning 26 straight games, you would think that Coastal Carolina would be the favorite to win it all. That is not the case. The LSU Tigers, who won the 2023 College World Series, are favorites to win it all according to FanDuel. LSU Tigers: -192 Coastal Carolina: +154 These odds will change game to game. It's expected that the odds would be close, but the Tigers are almost -200 favorites facing a team that has rammed through everyone. Coastal Carolina's train is very hot, and they will be a tough out this weekend. Advertisement LSU defeated Arkansas thanks to a walk-off on Wednesday night. They took down an Arkansas team that recently made history. Starting pitcher Gage Wood threw the 3rd ever no-hitter in the College World Series. It took 65 years, and what Wood did was one of the coolest moments in sports. LSU did not have to face Wood and took advantage of that by capitalizing in clutch moments. LSU's top player, Jared 'Bear' Jones, hit the walk-off after tying the game earlier with a monster home run against Arkansas to send them to the final. The right-hander is projected to be one of the top 100 players drafted in the upcoming MLB Draft. Advertisement Here are the Game 1 odds on Saturday. LSU: -1.5 (+122), LSU Moneyline: -174 Coastal Carolina: +1.5 (-156), Coastal Carolina Moneyline: +136 Over 8.5 Runs (-115) Under 8.5 Runs (-111) Related: LSU books ticket to CWS championship series with walk-off win over Arkansas Related: Louisville eliminates Oregon State from College World Series after wild 9th inning
