Alabama and Michigan are two blueblood programs with rich histories, and five memorable matchups.
Bill Bender
AP college football writer Ralph Russo, who oversees the AP top 25, expects some No. 1 votes for FSU should they be the only unbeaten team, but not many.
Penn State and Ole Miss square off in the Peach Bowl on Saturday. Next year, these teams would find themselves in the College Football Playoff.
In Sporting News' picks and predictions for NFL Week 16, the 49ers flex on the Ravens in a potential Super Bowl 58 preview while the Browns, Colts, Bengals and Bills all win again to maintain the AFC wild-card logjam.
If Florida State is successful – either in court or through a settlement – then it's clear that in the New World Order of college football, anything goes.
Reports of Florida State's discontent with the ACC have swirled for months, and the unbeaten Seminoles being left out of the College Football Playoff appears to have spurred action.
Georgia and Alabama landed in the top 5 once again, and Deion Sanders came up short and landed at the bottom of the Big 12.
The Titans throwback jerseys conjure up memories of former Houston Oilers such as Earl Campbell, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson in the 1970s and Warren Moon in the 1980s and 1990s.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 15, the Lions get back on track against the Broncos, the Ravens roll to another key AFC win and the Eagles bounce back.
It's the ultimate game of don't blink as eight teams enter the weekend with hopes of reaching the four-team College Football Playoff field.
The NCAA announced the 2023 Consensus All-American team on Thursday. Find out which college football stars received the honor.
Jayden Daniels took his game to historic levels in his second season at LSU and walked away with the Heisman Trophy.
Alabama led all teams with six players across The Sporting News 2023 All-America teams. Sporting News is one of five outlets used to determine consensus All-American status each season.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 14, the AFC playoff picture remains cloudy with Steelers and Bengals wins while the Packers and Dolphins stay hot on "Monday Night Football."
Daniels and Jackson put together unbelievable rushing and passing statistics in those seasons, however, and Daniels is closer to Jackson than you might think.
All four finalists have a legitimate case to win the 2023 Heisman Trophy. Here are the pros and cons for each candidate headed to New York: LSU's Jayden Daniels, Oregon's Bo Nix, Washington's Michael Penix Jr. and Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr.
Kyle McCord could still return to the Buckeyes, but if he doesn't, Ohio State has several avenues to replace its 2023 starter.
There is no doubt these matchups will be fantastic.
The College Football Playoff didn't get it right by Florida State, but it won't matter outside of Tallahassee, Fla., after Jan. 1.
Here is the complete college football bowl schedule for the 2023-24 postseason, updated live with announcements during championship weekend.
Is Georgia's run at No. 1 officially over?
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 13, Patrick Mahomes leaves Lambeau with a win over the Packers, the streaking Broncos score a key win over Texans and the Rams deal the Browns a blow to playoff hopes.
The College Football Playoff pairings will be unveiled Sunday, and the final four-team playoff saw major shakeups on conference championship weekend.
Texas is No. 7 in the polls, but the Longhorns are closer to their first College Football Playoff than the rankings might first appear.
Will the Crimson Tide endure a three-year drought in the College Football Playoff?
Will No. 6 Ohio State walk through the back door to the College Football Playoff again?
Yes, there is a scenario where the mighty SEC could be left out of the final four-team College Football Playoff. Let’s sketch that out.
The Pac-12 playoff drought is over.
Oregon is No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings, but the Ducks are a popular pick to crash the College Football Playoff field.
Here is a complete breakdown of the Browns' 2023 schedule, including dates, start times and analysis for all 17 games.
Here is a complete breakdown of the Steelers' 2023 schedule, including dates, start times and analysis for all 17 games.
Here is a complete breakdown of the Vikings’ 2023 schedule, including dates, start times and analysis for all 17 games.
Michigan's win over Ohio State brought some clarity to the bowl picture, but there is plenty still to be determined.
Eight teams remain in the mix for the four College Football Playoff spots as we head into championship weekend. Things could fall nice and clean for the committee with four unbeaten teams emerging. Or there could be eight one-loss teams. Here's how it all could unfold.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 12, the Jets' quarterback change can't solve their offensive woes, the Ravens keep rolling and the Vikings get back on track.
Heading into championship weekend, there are four unbeaten teams, and they will line up 1-4 in the committee's rankings on Tuesday. Oregon, Texas, Ohio State and Alabama are lurking should any of those teams slip up next weekend.
Michigan is a serious problem now. Gone are the days of what is supposed to happen with a rivalry the Buckeyes have dominated for most of the 21st century.
Michigan beat its biggest rival again, earning a berth in the Big Ten title game and continuing on a path to the College Football Playoff. The Wolverines aren't just winning this game now. They expect to win this game.
With Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh suspended, there is an extra layer of pressure on the Buckeyes in the matchup between 11-0 teams.
The 2023 college football season enters the final weekend before conference championship weekend, and no rivalry game looms larger than the matchup between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan.
College football and the Big Ten will be different in 2024, and that will affect the league's greatest rivalry. No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan will square off Saturday in a last-of-its-kind classic.
We have No. 2 vs. No. 3 this season, but the best version of The Game involved No. 1 vs. No. 2.
The Ten Year War is the most-hallowed chapter of The Game, and perhaps of any college football rivalry given the two coaches responsible for that segment.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Thanksgiving, the Lions show the Packers how the NFC North's power balance has shifted, while the Cowboys and 49ers assert their dominance atop the conference.
Jordan Travis' ankle injury hasn't knocked the 'Noles out of the top four ... yet.
Florida State had been ranked No. 4 in the first three sets of CFP rankings, with Washington one spot behind at No. 5 each time. That changed after a season-ending injury to FSU quarterback Jordan Travis.
Green Bay is busting out its 1950s throwback uniform for Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lambeau Field.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 11, the crowded AFC North playoff picture gets even tighter with the Steelers beating the Browns. The Bills get ever against their AFC East rival Jets.
Georgia, Ohio State and Michigan should remain inside the top 3, but there is an interesting debate in the wake of a key injury for the fourth spot after Week 12.
The storylines will be plentiful leading up to one of college football's greatest rivalry games when the undefeated Buckeyes and Wolverines meet in Ann Arbor.
The next 18 hours will be very interesting.
Harbaugh is prohibited from being on the sideline for Saturday's game against No. 9 Penn State, a Nov. 18 matchup with Maryland the regular-season finale against No. 1 Ohio State.
Who are the best teams in the country right now? An acceptable answer in most cases would be Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and Alabama.
The Aggies will likely look at the Pac-12 leaders, among others.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 10, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens keep rolling against the Browns, the Lions win a shootout against the Chargers and the Bills get right at home at the Broncos' expense.
Michigan staffer Connor Stalions leads the losers list.
It might be “Michigan vs. Everybody”, and everybody has the same question. Will Harbaugh be on the field before the end of the regular season?
LeBron James took a shot at Michigan's expense after the Los Angeles Lakers' 122–119 victory in the NBA In-Season Tournament on Friday.
The suspension could have an impact on Michigan in its quest to win a third consecutive Big Ten championship and reach the College Football Playoff for the third consecutive year.
An NFL fan's worst nightmare happened on Nov. 17, 1968. Here's the story of "The Heidi Game," when an epic shootout between the Jets and Raiders was interrupted by a Shirley Temple movie at the worst possible time.
It's Week 11, and there are 11 teams with a legitimate chance at the College Football Playoff.
The top two teams in the nation have a chance to prove it in Week 11.
Michigan is be the story now, but this is Penn State’s opportunity to create a new narrative.
The Big Ten and national championship races could rest on a quirky Big Ten tiebreaker.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 9, Joe Burrow and the Bengals stay hot by getting the best of the Bills again, the Ravens roll over the Seahawks and the Chargers avoid a "Monday Night Football" loss.
Why is Bedlam coming to an end? Here's a closer look at the history, heat and uncertain future of the rivalry between the Cowboys and Sooners.
The Big Ten appears to be reluctant to punish Michigan, and Jim Harbaugh looks like he is closing in on a contract extension.
To label Air Force the best story in college football this season would be short-changing what Troy Calhoun has been able to accomplish through 17 seasons as head coach with the Falcons.
Week 10 isn't just about the ranked matchups, which includes four matchups between teams in the AP Top 25. It's also about the rivalries that will be lost through Big 12 realignment.
Ohio State's body of work landed the Buckeyes at No. 1 in the selection committee's first ranking, with two-time defending champion Georgia checking in at No. 2.
Will the Big Ten send both Ohio State and Michigan to the playoff?
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 8, the Bills and Lions rebound from painful losses while the Browns and Vikings pull off upsets.
We will find out Tuesday what the committee thinks of the five remaining undefeated Power 5 teams.
This was a season-shifting upset for the Big 12 and the College Football Playoff – one that could hurt the conference in the long run.
Colorado needs two wins its last five games to become bowl eligible in Sanders' first season. A 46-43 double-overtime loss to Stanford on Oct. 23 was a setback.
Can the Ducks break the Utes' 18-game home win streak? This is the best game of the week.
The Michigan sign-stealing scandal has entered its second week, and more details about suspended staffer Connor Stalions' alleged scouting methods are coming into the light.
Hatchell, a Colorado alum, knows what he is seeing this season is good for the growth of college football in the United States.
This year's Michigan-Ohio State game will have even more stakes than last season's.
As if the looming matchup between No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 Ohio State needed more drama, the Heisman Trophy could be at stake.
The first set of College Football Playoff rankings will be released in one week. Who will the four teams in and the first two out?
There still remains a scenario where each conference could have an unbeaten team considering Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and Florida State all remain unbeaten in addition to Washington and Oklahoma.
Ewers suffered a Grade 2 AC join sprain against Houston. He will now miss some time because of the injury.
The Eagles' beloved uniforms are a throwback to the late 1980s and early 1990s, the years that featured Randall Cunningham, Reggie White and Jerome Brown.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 7, the Lions continue their rise to Super Bowl contender while the Chiefs and Browns score critical wins.
Let's be clear. Penn State does not suck. Allar does not suck. Ohio State just has a team that can make you feel that way.
No. 2 Michigan travels to Michigan State for a prime-time matchup at Spartan Stadium on Saturday – and the focus needs to stay on the field this time.
Jimbo Fisher has a contract that protects him from being let go, but Texas A&M has underwhelmed in his first six seasons. The Aggies have the sixth-best record in the SEC since he has been hired.
For the second time this season, Michigan is the source of a NCAA investigation.
Week 8 features a top-10 showdown, two elimination games and a loaded college football schedule that will start the second half of the season off right.
Is the Pac-12 so good that it might be bad for its College Football Playoff hopes?
The outgoing Pac-12 has been the top story on the field for the first half of the college football season, and the 2023 Sporting News Midseason All-American Team reflects that.
Sporting News' bowl projections are back, and our Week 8 playoff picks are a little different than the preseason prognostications.
Orange jerseys. Red stripes. White helmet. Bucco Bruce. If a NFL uniform could scream "K-Billy’s Super Sounds of the 70s," then this is the one.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 6, the Bills get back on track against old friend Brian Daboll while the Lions continue their hot start and the Bears pull off a surprise.
The Big Ten showdown between No. 6 Penn State and No. 3 Ohio State leads that loaded slate with a Big Noon Kickoff on Fox.
Colorado is looking to get one win closer to bowl eligibility under first-year coach Deion Sanders on Friday.
Caleb Williams was the No. 1 recruit in the nation, a Heisman Trophy winner and projected to be the No. 1 player in the NFL Draft. The first step on that spectacular path happened when he was a sophomore in high school.
No. 8 Oregon travels to No. 7 Washington in a rematch of last year’s 37-34 thriller, and there are Heisman Trophy, Pac-12 and College Football Playoff implications on the line.
The nation's best passing attack, led by Michael Penix Jr., will be on display against Oregon on Saturday.
Texas, Notre Dame and Miami take a tumble after losses in a wild Week 6.
We have five conferences trying to squeeze into four spots, and those races are compelling enough that a deserving conference champion likely will be left out of the mix.
Georgia's Brock Bowers is the best tight end in the FBS, and he belongs in the "best player in the country" conversation.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 5, the Bills keep rolling with Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars struggling overseas, while the Ravens and Texans manage close wins.
Texas took a 30-27 lead with 1:17 remaining in the typical back-and-forth battle at the Cotton Bowl. That is when Gabriel put his signature on rivalry lore.
The Buckeyes don't have a great track record of turning out productive NFL quarterbacks, but the latest generation is trying to change that.
Deion Sanders appears to have arrived at the perfect time. Is this the Generation Alpha version of "The U" from the 1980s?
Georgia still has the remarkable opportunity to win a third straight national championship – which hasn't been done since Minnesota won three in a row from 1934-36. But it's not going to be easy.
The Red River Showdown is the highlight of the Week 6 college football schedule.
In Sporting News' NFL picks against the spread for Week 4, the Bills and Dolphins live up to the hype in an early-season 'Game of the Year' candidate while the Cowboys close out the Patriots and the Ravens get back on track.
Expect the Heisman Trophy odds to tilt back toward Caleb Williams after USC's 48-41 win over Colorado.
Colorado coach Deion Sanders might see an old rival on the sidelines when the Buffaloes meet No. 5 USC on Saturday.
The SEC has one team in the top 10, while the Pac-12 has four.
Do not look for many underdogs to pull an upset this week.
Could Williams and Sanders be future overall No. 1 picks in the NFL Draft in the next two seasons?
Colorado is the most watched college football team in 2023, with four of the seven highest rated games to date.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 3, the Commanders can't keep pace with the Bills in their first loss, the Bengals avert an 0-3 disaster while Brandon Staley and the Chargers aren't so fortunate.
One second, one yard and one play made the difference in an emotional battle between two of college football's bluebloods.
This is another big stage for Ohio State coach Ryan Day, and that adds to the intrigue.
Will Deion Sanders lead the Buffaloes to a 4-0 start on Saturday?
Penn State's 'White Out' tradition will be on display Saturday against Iowa, a team that beat Penn State in one of the early White Out games.
The Fighting Irish are breaking out new uniforms for their showdown with Ohio State.
Did Colorado climb past Alabama in the latest rankings?
Ohio State knocks off Notre Dame, Colorado's unbeaten start comes to an end.
How many wins does Colorado need for Shedeur Sanders to win the Heisman Trophy?
You have to go back to 1935-36 to find the Irish's victory in this series. So, yes, we're going to come out and declare it: A Notre Dame victory against Ohio State would be the biggest victory for the program in the last 30 years.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions for Week 2, the top of the AFC sorts itself out with the Chiefs, Bengals and Bills all on the rebound from 0-1 starts while the Packers and Rams come down from their Week 1 highs.
Tim Tebow – who won the 2008 Heisman Trophy and two nationals championships at Florida – has watched Sanders on "All 22" film the last two weeks. Three areas stand out: Third down, fourth down and red-zone throws.
Texas' win at Alabama has the Longhorns in the top 5 and knocks the Tide out of the top 10.
Tennessee is in the spotlight as it tries to break a losing streak at Florida that dates back 20 years.
Quinn Ewers directed Texas to the biggest win any team has recorded in the first two weeks of the season.
Tim Tebow knows what a victory against No. 11 Tennessee would mean for Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday.
In Sporting News' NFL picks and predictions straight up for Week 1, the Packers show they still own the Bears even without Aaron Rodgers, Kenny Pickett and the Steelers open with a statement win and the Dolphins start hot.
Alabama has little room for error after a 10-point loss to Texas, and it must determine if Jalen Milroe is the QB that will lead them the rest of the way.
Before pulling the most surprising decisions in recruiting history, Colorado's Travis Hunter, the two-way college football sensation, formed a bond with Deion Sanders, who snatched him from the clutches of FBS powers Florida State and Georgia.
The Deion Sanders hype train rolls into week 2 with his first home game. The Nebraska Cornhuskers are coming to town.
Aaron Rodgers is taking on the Big Apple in the latest late-career transition by a Hall of Fame quarterback. How will he fare compared to these 11 others before him?
Duke barges into the Top 25 with a Monday upset of Clemson.
Last year's Texas-Alabama clash went down to the wire. What will the rematch bring in Tuscaloosa?
Alabama and Texas will play a rematch of last year's one-point Tide win on Saturday. Here are the predictable reactions to prepare yourself for.
A Week 2 Heisman Trophy poll would be flush with Pac-12 quarterbacks.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders will keep Colorado in the spotlight even more than his hyped-up father and two-way star Travis Hunter.
Florida State put LSU in a difficult spot after pounding the Seminoles 45-24 in Week 1. Next year, the loser of these early season clashes will have an easier path to a playoff spot.
Travis Hunter is starting at wide receiver and cornerback for Colorado against TCU.
Sunday night's LSU-Florida State clash is the headliner, but several teams will try to make statements in Week 1.
Ohio State will start Kyle McCord at quarterback in its opening game, but backup Devin Brown will play after a tight battle during fall camp.
The former Pac-12 is down to two as the makeover of the college athletics landscape continues.
Just 34 major conference teams (plus Notre Dame) have not switched conference affiliations in the last 40 years. Would you rather just rewind the clock?
LSU and Florida State played an instant classic last year, won by the Seminoles. Will the Tigers get revenge?
Gary Danielson has never been short on opinions, and he has a few of those as he enters the Big Ten booth.
When will Arch Manning take his first snap for the Longhorns?
Deion Sanders kicks off his Colorado coaching tenure at No. 17 TCU on Saturday in a season that will draw eyeballs to the Buffaloes win or lose.
Matt Rhule makes his anticipated debut at Nebraska on Thursday night. Have the Cornhuskers finally found the marriage of their appreciation for the past and vision for the future?
Notre Dame jumped into the Top 10 after an impressive Week 0 blowout in Ireland.
The average college football game took three hours and 21 minutes in 2022, and the powers that be would like to see that number reduced this season.
The Longhorns will head to the SEC next season with a final Big 12 title in their back pocket.
The Pac-12 – a conference that was founded in 1915 – will have its final season as we know it in 2023.
Stanford, Cal and SMU may find homes yet in the latest round of realignment as ACC changes stance on expansion.
No. 13 Notre Dame and No. 6 USC are in action – and their quarterbacks and coaches will be the focus of Week 0.
HBO tells the story of a fraudulent high school football program in Ohio that somehow worked its way up to a nationally televised game without ever having established itself as an actual school.
Florida State and Clemson will play in late September, and may see each other again in December for the ACC championship.
The Sporting News 2023 preseason All-American team has a huge Big Ten presence from its three College Football Playoff contenders.
Florida won two national championships in three years in the 2006 and 2008 seasons, and the NFL talent on the roster was staggering. There was another side to that run, however.
Michigan will overcome Jim Harbaugh's season-opening suspension and win the league title in the final season before the Big Ten expands to 18 teams.
How significant was the moment when then-Florida coach Urban Meyer landed a commitment from five-star quarterback Tim Tebow on Dec. 13, 2005? "It changed the history of college football in the South," ESPN analyst Paul Network said on episode one of "Swamp Kings."
Will the conference claim a seventh national championship in 10 seasons? That would match the seven national titles SEC schools won during the Bowl Championship Series era.
Which teams in the AP Top 25 are we buying? Which ones are we selling? We picked three of each – and one team we can't go in on just yet.
Georgia returns another team flush with blue-chip talent that could be in position for that that third straight national championship. That road, however, will not be easy.
For the first time since 2008, Georgia will start the season at No. 1.
It's not about where you start. It's where you finish. A look at the AP Preseason No. 1 and the actual national champions over the past 20 years.
So, what are Notre Dame's motives? We make sense of the Irish pushing for ACC expansion.
"Johnny Football" became a legend on Nov. 10, 2012.
There will be some changes given this is the first 18-team power conference in college football. The Big Ten could be another innovator on that front if it pushes to a 10-game conference schedule in the future.
Johnny Manziel's troubles ranged from NCAA suspensions to controversial viral moments to multiple arrests.
Director Ryan Duffy described the Johnny Football phenomenon in 11 words: "Monoculture, crossover, pop celebrity from a 19-year-old football player."
