Akron failed to meet NCAA-imposed academic standards last season, falling below the organization's minimum Academic Progress Rate score of 930. According to statistics released this week by the NCAA, Akron was last in the nation at the Division I level at 914 and is ineligible to compete in an FBS bowl.

Falling below the 930 benchmark can lead to penalties ranging from reductions in practice time to a bowl ban. If a program falls below 900, it could lose its Division I status.

After the 2022-23 academic year, Akron scored 925 and lost 20 percent of its weekly practice hours for 2024.

Being below the mark for two straight years leaves the Zips unable to compete in the Mid-American Conference title game, too.

With a 1,000 score, national champion Ohio State led the nation in Academic Progress Rate.

Akron is coached by former Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead, who has an 8-28 record in three seasons there.

Rising made the announcement in a post to X.

"Due to a hand injury I suffered during the Baylor game, I've been advised by two orthopedic physicians that I will never be able to return to playing football. I'll be obtaining a 3rd medical opinion and will undergo the recommended surgery. I will continue to rehab and do all I can to get healthy. In the meantime, I will unfortunately be forced to medically retire from the game I love," he posted.

The injury occurred in Utah's second game on Sept. 7, a 23-12 win over Baylor.

Rising injured the finger on his right hand when he was pushed into coolers just off the sideline in the second quarter. He later returned to the bench area with two fingers taped together and wearing street clothes.

He returned Oct. 11 against Arizona State after missing three games. However, he would miss the remaining six games.

Rising missed all of the 2023 season after tearing multiple ligaments and meniscus cartilage in his left knee during a loss to Penn State in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2, 2023.

Rising, who left the Utah program in January, led the Utes to back-to-back Pac-12 championships and Rose Bowl appearances during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

He completed 63.0 percent of his passes for 6,127 yards with 53 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 30 games for Utah. He also rushed for 986 yards and 12 scores.

As a senior in 2024, he caught 39 passes for 472 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games for the Volunteers.

McCoy returned to play last season following multiple surgeries to repair a dislocated and fractured ankle in 2023.

"As many of you know I came back and played last year after what could've been a career ending injury," he posted Tuesday on the social media platform X. "I felt it was my responsibility to myself, coaches, family, and most important the community I have here in Knoxville to give back for all of the love that has been shown for me."

McCoy played one season at Southern California before transferring to Tennessee. His career totals included 129 receptions for 1,592 yards and nine TDs in 35 games for the Trojans (2020) and Volunteers (2022-24).

A five-star prospect out of Santa Ana, Calif., McCoy was ranked No. 10 nationally in the 2019 recruiting class by the 247Sports composite.

"This has been one of the toughest decisions of my life, but after careful consideration with my doctors, family and people closest to me, I've come to the conclusion that it's the right path for my long-term health and well-being," McCoy posted.

"... Although this chapter in my football journey has come to an end, I believe this is just the beginning. I'm excited about the next steps, and I'm determined to continue pushing myself in new directions. This is not the end of my pursuit of greatness, just a new beginning."

Hardrick passed away Tuesday but no cause of death or other details were immediately available.

"William Hardrick was an exceptional young man, and our team is heartbroken by his loss," head coach Jeff Faris said in a news release. "He made everyone around him better and has made a real impact both on and off the field. We lift up the Hardrick family in prayer as we grieve this tragic loss with them."

Hardrick was preparing for his first season with the Governors after playing at Mississippi State from 2021-22 and Miami (Ohio) from 2023-24.

"We are truly saddened by the passing of William Hardrick, a new member of our football program and the Austin Peay family," said APSU athletic director Gerald Harrison. "All of our thoughts and prayers are with the Hardrick family today. We will do everything we can to support his friends, family and teammates at this time."

Hardrick appeared in one game at Mississippi State and 18 games at Miami (Ohio). In 11 games last season, he recorded 26 tackles and four passes defensed.

"Will brought a light to every room he walked into," the Miami (Ohio) football program posted Wednesday on X. "Our thoughts are with his family."

Newbauer passed for 1,398 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions in nine games as a freshman last season. He started the team's last seven games, including two FCS playoff games.

Newbauer completed spring drills with Mercer early last month before shopping his services. He found the Sooners to be the right fit.

Newbauer provides depth behind starter John Mateer, the former Washington State star who joined Oklahoma earlier this offseason. Holdover quarterback Michael Hawkins also returns; he passed for 783 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions last season.

The schools already had games scheduled at Clemson, S.C., in 2027, 2031 and 2037, with contests in South Bend, Ind., also previously set for 2028 and 2034. The series now will run through the 2038 season.

"We strive to consistently create a football schedule that positions us for success in the College Football Playoff, and that goal requires us to form historic partnerships like this one with Clemson," Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua said Tuesday. "This rivalry has already produced some of the most memorable moments in recent college football history, and our fans deserve these matchups to continue to make those indelible memories."

The two teams have met eight times in the past, with the Tigers winning five of them. In their most recent game, Clemson defeated 12th-ranked Notre Dame at home, 31-23, in 2023.

Among schools that have faced Notre Dame at least twice, Clemson is one of just six programs with a winning record against the Fighting Irish.

Either Clemson or Notre Dame has been ranked in the top 15 ahead of each of the previous eight meetings. Both have been in the top 15 five times, and three times both were in the top five.

"We have immense excitement for the creation of this 12-year series between these two premier programs, as we know these will be must-see matchups for fans at Memorial Stadium and Notre Dame Stadium as well as television audiences nationwide," said Graham Neff, Clemson's athletic director.

Series of a dozen or more games are rare.

Clemson has had three opponents it played at least 12 consecutive years, most recently Georgia (1973-87). Notre Dame played Michigan in 18 consecutive seasons from 2002-19.

The pedigree of each program is unquestioned.

The Fighting Irish lost to Ohio State in the CFP title game at the conclusion of the 2024 season but has won 11 national championships and has 962 total victories, fourth in college football history.

Clemson has three national titles and is 13th all-time with 808 wins.

ESPN first reported that the board of directors had extended his original five-year deal, which was set to expire in 2027.

Yormark, 58, succeeded Bob Bowlsby in 2022. He helped the Big 12 navigate a national realignment of the conference landscape and boost its membership to coincide with the departures of Texas and Oklahoma to the Southeastern Conference.

Yormark landed a new $2.3 billion television deal with ESPN and Fox in 2022 and shepherded the 2024 additions of four former Pac-12 members: Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah. He also oversaw the previously negotiated expansion that brought BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF into the fold in 2023.

Yormark was the CEO of Jay-Z's entertainment company Roc Nation before taking over the Big 12.

Dannen is filling the vacancy of Damon Evans, the former Maryland athletic director who is now at SMU in the same position.

Long, who will serve for one year, replaces Steve Weiberg, who resigned for personal reasons.

Dannen, in his second year as the Cornhuskers' AD, served on the NCAA Constitution Committee and the Division I Transformation Committee from 2021-23. He has also been an executive committee member of the Football Oversight Committee and a chair of the NCAA Football Competition Committee. Before taking over at Nebraska, Dannen held the same title at Washington.

Long returns to the CFP selection committee after serving from 2014-18, which included two seasons (2014-15) as the initial chairman. Long worked in college athletics as a coach and administrator for four decades, including as AD at Eastern Kentucky (1998-2001), Pitt (2003-07), Arkansas (2008-17) and Kansas (2018-21).

In March, former Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio and four other new members were named to the 13-member selection committee responsible for ranking the top 25 teams up for consideration for the 12-team field this fall.

Middle Tennessee AD Chris Massaro, former Ole Miss All-America tight end Wesley Walls and former ESPN college football reporter Ivan Masiel are also part of the incoming group. Baylor AD Mack Rhoades will serve as the committee chair, replacing Michigan AD Warde Manuel, who is leaving the committee.

Former Oregon State and Nebraska coach Mike Riley, Virginia AD Carla Williams, former Nevada AD and coach Chris Ault, Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek, former Arizona State All-America offensive lineman Randall McDaniel and Miami (Ohio) AD David Sayler return from last season.

Former Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe, former Nebraska offensive lineman and Pro Football Hall of Famer Will Shields, former sportswriter Kelly Whiteside and Navy AD Chet Gladchuk, whose terms have expired, will be replaced by the new members, who begin their three-year terms this spring.

The No. 2 overall prospect according to the 247Sports composite made the announcement at a ceremony at his high school in Nashville, Tenn., selecting Georgia over Oregon. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Curtis originally committed to the Bulldogs in March 2024 before rescinding the pledge seven months later.

In 2024, his junior season, Curtis completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 2,830 yards and 40 touchdowns against just three interceptions. He also rushed for 637 yards and 18 scores.

Curtis' commitment is certainly a boon for the Bulldogs, who will certainly rely on returning junior Gunner Stockton to lead Georgia back to the College Football Playoff.

Stockton filled in late in the 2024 season after Carson Beck went down with an arm injury in the SEC championship game. Stockton helped the Bulldogs complete the overtime win over Texas before Georgia fell to Notre Dame in the CFP quarterfinals. Beyond Stockton, as of now, the Bulldogs have three freshmen in potential backup roles.

On April 1, the five employees responsible for administering the U.S. government's primary TBI program were placed on paid administrative leave by the CDC.

Dr. Owen Perlman, a board member of the Brain Injury Association of America's board of directors, said the budget cuts would "roll back decades of progress" on TBI research and education.

"For many people with concussions or certainly moderate or severe brain injuries, there's no endpoint," Perlman said. "It's a lifetime problem, and there needs to be lifetime funding for it."

Heads Up, which administers concussion-prevention programs for youth and high-school coaches in 45 states, would be disbanded if the budget proposal is approved. The CDC employees who were put on leave managed the program, whose website says more than 10 million people have taken part in its training programs online.

"We're really worried about the hundreds of thousands of coaches who have to take this training," a CDC official told ESPN. "This is really built in, and we've lost the whole team (behind the program)."

As part of the Trump administration's budget, the National Institutes of Health, which focuses on medical issues including stroke and migraines, would maintain an institute for brain research. It's unknown if any TBI programs would be included.

Moore will reportedly miss the Wolverines' third and fourth games this season: Sept. 13 at home against Central Michigan, and the Sept. 20 Big Ten opener at Nebraska.

Michigan opens the season against New Mexico in Ann Arbor on Aug. 30 before playing at Oklahoma -- Moore's alma mater -- on Sept. 6.

Moore was the Wolverines' offensive coordinator in 2023 when former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions allegedly operated a sign-stealing scheme by having friends and family attend the games of future opponents and videotape sideline signals.

Per ESPN, Moore's suspension is tied to allegations that he deleted a thread of more than 50 text messages with Stalions in October 2023.

The NCAA cited Michigan for 11 violations in an August 2024 notice of allegations, including six Level I (the most serious) violations. The school and the NCAA are still working on a final resolution of the matter.

Moore, 39, succeeded Jim Harbaugh and guided the Wolverines to an 8-5 record (5-4 Big Ten) last season, ending with a 19-13 win against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31.

Osborne, a 5-foot-100, 200-pound back from Forney, Texas, is ranked as the No. 6 running back in the country and No. 12 overall prospect in Texas, according to the 247Sports composite.

"They're known for running the ball and Notre Dame is O-line U," Osborne told ESPN. "They have a lot of great guys that went there and went to the NFL. What running back wouldn't want to be part of a program that breeds offensive linemen?"

In three seasons at Forney High School, Osborne has amassed 4,522 rushing yards and 72 touchdowns on the ground. In his impressive sophomore campaign, he rushed for 2,231 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2023. Last season, he scored 25 rushing touchdowns and compiled 1,227 yards.

Notre Dame beat out Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, Miami and SMU for Osborne, who is the No. 90 overall player in his class, per 247Sports. Osborne narrowed it down to Notre Dame and Michigan in late March, visiting both schools in April before making his announcement.

"I've heard a lot of people say it, but you have to go where your heart is," Osborne said. "At the end of the day, all this NIL stuff, that can't help you when it's fourth-and-goal and you have to score. You have to want to be there. I fell in love with the school and the program."

His directive came after a meeting on Thursday with former Alabama football coach Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where Trump was the school's commencement speaker.

Since 2021, and under pressure from states and the courts, the NCAA has allowed student-athletes to profit from their name, image or likeness. It is too early to know what a Trump executive order would entail.

Saban has been critical of the NIL funding in the past, largely because he was concerned about the effect on college football. The NIL era also has brought a rise to the transfer portal era, with thousands of students across all sports seeking to move schools -- some of them for bigger paydays.

"Each year, it's gotten a little worse," Saban said last December on "The Pat McAfee Show" on ESPN. "The first year we had name, image and likeness four, five years ago, we had a $3 million [roster], and everybody was happy. Then the next year it was $7 million, then the next year it's $10 million. Then this year it's $13 million. Now they're looking at $20 million. I mean, where does it end?"

A Houston Chronicle report earlier this week projected the Texas Longhorns would have a budget of $35 million to $40 million for its 2025 football roster.

Trump also has discussed NIL funding with Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), the former head football coach at Auburn.

Saban has previously said the current model is unsustainable for college sports, and Trump apparently agreed.

The NCAA declined to comment to The Wall Street Journal on a potential executive order.

Schieffelin announced Friday he has taken Tigers football coach Dabo Swinney up on his offer to play tight end on his team.

The 6-foot-8 Schieffelin posted a photo on Instagram that showed him clad half in a basketball jersey, half in a football one, with the caption, "Next chapter."

He wasn't a major NBA draft prospect -- an overseas team or the G League was more likely -- so he decided to see where football could take him.

"I've been just training for basketball, getting ready for the next level," Schieffelin told ESPN. "Dabo just walked me through the opportunity he was willing to give me, and it all sounded great, something I wanted to jump on. It really just sparked my interest in wanting to try, and being able to put on a Clemson jersey again was very enticing to me. To be able to be coached by Dabo and (tight ends coach Kyle) Richardson is just a huge opportunity I couldn't pass up."

For the Tigers in 2024-25, Schieffelin averaged 12.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game last season. He started all 70 games he played in over the past two seasons.

"I'd never rule out me going back to basketball," Schieffelin said. "I'll see how these next six months go, see how development goes, see if I really like playing football. But I think this is a good opportunity for the next six months."

Most famously, Antonio Gates transitioned from playing basketball at Kent State to becoming a Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end for the San Diego Chargers. Schieffelin told ESPN he spoke with Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo-Alie Cox, who played four seasons of basketball at VCU, about the opportunity.

Swinney apparently has thought about the idea for a while. In a news conference in the fall that coincided with the start of the college basketball season, he was asked whether Schieffelin could play football -- a sport Schieffelin gave up early in high school. The answer was an enthusiastic yes.

"He could play tight end, D-end. He could play whatever he wanted to play. He'd be an unbelievable left tackle," Swinney said. "I'll definitely have a spot. We have a lot of rev share ready too if he wants to pass up wherever he's going (after basketball)."

Schieffelin is in training and excited to see what the future holds.

"Maybe I'll be really good, maybe I'll be really bad. It's something that was worth a shot. And being able to put a Clemson jersey on again is really special to me, and to do it this time in Death Valley is going to be amazing."

Hood had been expected to take over for Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter in the Buffaloes' secondary.

He had 24 tackles and two interceptions in 13 games in his lone season playing for coach Deion Sanders in 2024.

Hood, a native of Georgia, played his freshman season at Auburn, appearing in four games in 2023.

Hood told On3.com Friday that he liked the "culture and history" at Tennessee and the "genuineness" of Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel.

"They basically said I can come in and play and be a big factor of what they got going on immediately," Hood said. "So I think that's big, too."

He also said he is excited to play closer to home and test his skills against Southeastern Conference opponents.

"That's really big because I was just at Colorado, which is really far, really, really far from home," Hood said. "So being able to come closer to home is big for myself.

"It is appealing going against the best. I pride myself on competitiveness, so that is very appealing."

Coming off a 10-3 season, Tennessee kicks off the 2025 campaign against Syracuse on Aug. 30 in Atlanta.

One of the top passers in the 2027 recruiting class, Taylor cannot formally sign with Nebraska until the early signing period in December 2026. However, that did not stop the 6-foot-3, 185-pound QB from pledging his allegiance to the Cornhuskers.

Taylor broke out as a sophomore at Carmel Catholic High School in Illinois last fall, throwing for 3,061 yards and 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions. The four-star prospect is the No. 35 recruit in the country, No. 3 quarterback and No. 2 player in Illinois, according to the 247Sports composite rankings for the Class of 2027.

In an interview with ESPN, Taylor said he has been recruited since sixth grade and received a scholarship offer from Maryland the following year. Taylor also said he will not visit campuses other than Nebraska, which he opted for over Illinois, LSU and Texas A&M.

"Sitting down with (Nebraska coach Glenn) Thomas and getting into the offense, seeing how he coaches (starting QB) Dylan (Raiola) and how he can prepare me for the next level -- I really just can't wait," Taylor told ESPN. "For me, it's kind of hard committing too early because I have to wait so long to get there."

"Coming Back Home," the Class of 2026 prospect posted to social media platform X.

Home is Long Beach, Calif., and he is a student at IMG in Bradenton, Fla. The 247Sports composite ranks him as a four-star prospect but the No. 6 player at his position in the 2026 class and No. 68 player overall.

ESPN, however, lists him as a five-star commit who is the No. 3 offensive tackle and the No. 17 overall prospect in the class.

Keenyi chose the Trojans over Florida, Georgia, Miami and Texas.

He measures 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds.

His older brother, defensive tackle Kobe Pepe, will be a redshirt senior for the Trojans in 2025. The elder Pepe played in high school at local powerhouse St. John Bosco in Bellflower, Calif.

The 247Sports transfer portal list was updated with the move Wednesday afternoon.

Brown ran for 1,181 yards and 15 touchdowns. He carried the ball 244 times in 16 games, including the playoffs.

The 5-foot-11 Brown, a Nebraska native, won the Jerry Rice Award, given each year to the top FCS freshman. He had four 100-yard games.

At the running back position, Miami returns Mark Fletcher and Jordan Lyle. Fletcher ran for 607 yards and nine TDs last season, with Lyle contributing 400 yards and four touchdowns. Leading rusher Damien Martinez, who had 1,002 yards and 10 scores, was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the draft last weekend.

The Hurricanes finished the 2024 season with a 10-3 (6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) record. They open the new season Aug. 31 at home against Notre Dame, who lost to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff championship game.

That is according to The Athletic, which reported Wednesday that 24-year-old Jordon Hudson wanted to be heavily involved in the production.

Backed by documents, The Athletic said NFL Films was set to start taping March 1 on campus in Chapel Hill, N.C., to document Belichick's first season with his team. However, two days later, North Carolina's lawyers received an email from Jessica Boddy, the NFL's vice president for commercial operations and business affairs that the project was off.

"The conversation took a turn we were not comfortable with," Boddy wrote in the email, according to The Athletic. She also is an executive producer of "Hard Knocks."

The university said it was not a decision by its staff to nix "Hard Knocks" and added it was more appropriate for the production company to comment. The NFL, which oversees the show, declined to comment, and Boddy and Hudson did not respond to messages left, per The Athletic.

Hudson and Belichick, 73, reportedly have been in a relationship since early 2023, People reported.

But it is the question of how they met that put Hudson squarely in the spotlight this week.

In an interview that aired Sunday on "CBS Sunday Morning," Belichick discussed his new book and more. But when CBS' Tony Dokoupil, who described Hudson as a "constant presence" during the interview, asked how the couple met, she balked.

"We're not talking about this," Hudson said.

Hudson apparently has moved right in as first lady of Tar Heels football. Reporting over the past few weeks said she is being copied on emails and other communications to Belichick from UNC staff, and she has appeared on the practice field. She lists herself on emails as chief operating officer of Belichick Productions, though The Athletic said it couldn't find any registered business in that name.

The Athletic reported that Belichick himself wanted the "Hard Knocks" gig, and North Carolina stood to be paid $200,000 in fees for the five-part series to run on HBO.

The show was supposed to be announced during the NFL Scouting Combine.

Players who were coached by Belichick during his career as a six-time Super Bowl winner with the New England Patriots are taking sides in the saga.

Speaking on their "Dudes on Dudes" podcast, retired Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman and tight end Rob Gronkowski defended Belichick and his partnership with Hudson.

"People are giving an unfair reality of what's going on," Edelman said, contending Hudson was serving as Belichick's "representative" during the CBS interview and that she interrupted the conversation "just like any PR person would jump in when there's an unnecessary question that probably [they] didn't go over in the pre-production meeting."

Retired linebacker Ted Johnson, who played for New England from 1995 to 2004, had a much different take when he spoke to Boston radio station WEEI on Tuesday. He said Hudson was a source of embarrassment to Belichick and suggested her presence had cost him a chance at an NFL coaching job after he and the Patriots split after the 2023 season.

"I hold college coaches to a higher standard than I do NFL coaches when it comes to morally, they are supposed to leaders of men, set a good example that kind of thing," Johnson said, according to transcription of his comments by the New York Post. "I'm surprised UNC never called Atlanta on why they passed on hiring Bill Belichick. My feeling is that the Atlanta Falcons are kinda looking at the UNC and going, ‘You should have called us.'

"I say all that to say this: I think the ... Tar Heels should consider firing Bill Belichick. They should consider letting him go at this point. It's a lot of money and they're deep into, obviously, their preparation for next year, but I look at Bill Belichick and I wonder if he's fit to coach an NFL team, let alone fit to coach a college team which, again, I put more onus on the character and personality and just overall character, if you will, of a college coach than I do a pro coach. I'm worried that Bill Belichick just isn't fit to coach college kids and UNC should consider cutting ties with Bill Belichick."

In January, Belichick signed a five-year contract with North Carolina. Only the first three years are guaranteed with $10 million per year in salary and $3.5 million in bonuses possible.

The Pac-12 made the deals with an eye toward the 2026 season, when the league will add five current members of the Mountain West Conference -- Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State, Colorado State and Boise State -- along with Gonzaga from the West Coast Conference.

Gonzaga does not have a football program, so to qualify for the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the Pac-12 will need to bring in at least one additional full-time member with a football program.

The CW will handle nine games while ESPN and CBS (along with Paramount+) will get two games apiece. In 2024, The CW broadcast nine games, with the other four shown on Fox.

In Week 2 on Sept. 6, The CW will showcase previews of the new Pac-12 with Washington State hosting San Diego State and Fresno State visiting Oregon State. Washington State and Oregon State will meet in a home-and-home series in November.

ESPN will broadcast Cal at Oregon State on Aug. 30 and Houston at Oregon State on Sept. 26. CBS has the Apple Cup on Sept. 20 featuring Washington State at Washington and Washington State at Oregon State on Nov. 1.

Financial terms were not disclosed for the deal.

Despite having just two schools in the conference in 2024, Pac-12 football averaged 431,000 viewers over 12 telecasts last season on The CW and 1.99 million on the two Fox games.