But it’s not that simple for Porter regarding where he ends up next season. According to League Ready’s Sam Kayser, the 6-foot-11 forward has also applied for a waiver just to be eligible for next season.

Porter appeared in just 12 games for the Tigers this past season, averaging 6.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest. He’s already had a whirlwind collegiate career, playing on the West Coast at Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine, but for Porter to extend that time in college and join a 4th program, he’ll have to be granted another year of eligibility via a medical redshirt.

The Columbia product who came home to play at Mizzou this past season doesn’t automatically qualify for that medical redshirt because he played in 36.3% (12 of 33) of the Tigers’ games this past season. That’s slightly above the automatic requirement level to earn a medical redshirt, with players needing to participate in less than 30% of their team’s games to automatically qualify.

Porter had to sit out all of SEC play, along with Mizzou’s loss to Illinois, because of a leg injury he sustained in practice before that game against the Fighting Illini.

Mizzou has now had 2 players enter the transfer portal with the hopes of being granted an additional year of eligibility, with Porter joining forward Jacob Crews.

Porter transferred to Mizzou for his senior season after spending the first 3 years of his college basketball career out west, and he’s also part of a Missouri basketball legacy. Two of Porter’s older brothers, Michael Porter Jr. and Jontay Porter, also played for the Tigers.

Mizzou reached the NCAA Tournament this past season, but the Tigers want to make their stay in the Big Dance a little longer next March. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for those top teams who want to be the last team standing in 2027:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Missouri forward enters transfer portal, will seek waiver for another year of eligibility appeared first on Saturday Down South.

So, Mangum is well-versed in the fact that it’s the fans who are a very important part of what he gets to do for a living, playing a kids’ game. And on Sunday afternoon, while his Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the Tampa Bay Rays, who just happen to be the team that Mangum made his major-league debut for just last year, it was the Pirates’ starting left fielder who endeared himself to some young kids forever.

During a break in the action, Mangum just happened to have a baseball in his possession as he noticed a young fan in the stands well beyond the left-field wall who was wearing a Jake Mangum jersey. But Mangum didn’t just acknowledge the fan. He gave that young fan the gift she’ll always remember by gently tossing that baseball up in her direction.

The MLB social media account captured the tender moment with this post, with a young boy catching Mangum’s toss and then passing the ball along to the girl next to him, who was the one wearing the Pirates’ No. 28 Mangum jersey.

Apparently, there was a twist to this heartwarming moment that made it even sweeter. About an hour after MLB posted the moment on social media, there came another social media post by this woman, who claimed that the young boy and girl were her niece and nephew.

Assuming this is true, then the nephew made the nice catch and then made the even kinder gesture of giving the ball to the niece, who had the Mangum jersey on. And if that wasn’t enough of a tear-jerker, then how about the boy and girl embracing in a hug after the ball got to its proper destination.

Mangum and the upstart Pirates are one of the surprise stories so far in the young season, with a 13-9 record after Sunday afternoon’s victory over the Rays. There’s still a long way to go before we get to October, but here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams in the mix to be holding the World Series trophy this fall:

Prediction Markets

Pro Baseball Champion

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Kalshi

Los Angeles D

33%

New York Y

10%

Seattle

7%

Atlanta

6%

Philadelphia

4%

Detroit

3%

New York M

3%

Toronto

3%

Boston

3%

Chicago C

3%

Predict

The post Jake Mangum, former Mississippi State OF, shares adorable moment with young Pirates fans appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Instead, it has everything to do with the 2027 season and one of the top safety prospects in the class. Four-star safety Junior Tu’upo is a 6-foot-2, 195-pounder who isn’t just 1 of the top safeties available for next season, he’s an Alabama product, currently starring at Thompson High School in Alabaster.

On Sunday night, Tu’upo told On3’s Hayes Fawcett that he’s narrowed his list of collegiate choices to 5 schools, with Alabama being 1 of them, so Tu’upo is obviously in the mix for the Crimson Tide, who hope to keep the top talent in-state. But Alabama will not only have competition for Tu’upo within the SEC, it’ll be pressed by its bitter in-state rival, too.

That’s because Tu’upo also has Auburn as 1 of his final 5, so the Tide and Tigers will be fighting for the current 23rd-ranked safety in the Class of 2027, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

But Tu’upo might just leave the state of Alabama but still land in the SEC, with Texas also among his final 5 collegiate choices. If Tu’upo does leave SEC country and the state of Alabama, it would seem he would end up in the Big Ten, with defending national champion Indiana and fellow Big Ten powerhouse Oregon filling out his final 5 list.

Tu’upo is currently the 246th-ranked player overall in the Class of 2027 and he’s the No. 11 player in the state of Alabama, according to those 247Sports Composite rankings.

While SEC programs like Alabama and Texas scramble to sign Tu’upo for the 2027 season, the Tide and Horns will also be battling each other for the SEC crown in 2026. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for Bama, Texas and the rest of the conference’s elite to capture the SEC trophy in December:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

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Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Alabama, Texas listed among SEC favorites for elite Class of 2027 safety appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The SEC-turned-NBA roll call is headlined by former Kentucky star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is the reigning NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to their first NBA championship last June.

Gilgeous-Alexander, a 4-time NBA All-Star who’s trying to power the Thunder to a repeat this spring, was joined as a finalist for the clutch award by fellow former Kentucky standout Jamal Murray, who has an NBA title ring himself after helping the Denver Nuggets capture the championship in 2023.

And joining Gilgeous-Alexander and Murray as a finalist on Sunday is former Georgia standout Anthony Edwards, who like Gilgeous-Alexander and Murray has established himself as one of the top guards in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In a sign of the times, all 3 ex-SEC stars were only with their chosen SEC program for 1 season. Gilgeous-Alexander was a second-team All-SEC selection during the 2017-18 season, Murray was a first-team All-SEC pick during the 2015-16 campaign, and Edwards was a second-team All-SEC selection in the 2019-20 season.

All it took was 1 season in the SEC for the trio to launch themselves into the NBA, and the results have been spectacular in Oklahoma City, Denver and Minnesota. The trio are in each other’s way this spring as they fight to get their teams out of the Western Conference and into the NBA Finals. Turns out they’ll also be fighting each other for the NBA Clutch Player of the Year award.

The trio of former SEC stars is making the conference proud by owning the finalist list for NBA Clutch Player of the Year, but somebody has to win. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about who has the inside track on capturing the clutch award:

Prediction Markets

NBA Clutch Player of the Year?

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Kalshi

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

96%

Jalen Brunson

8%

Anthony Edwards

7%

Predict

The post Trio of former SEC stars named finalists for NBA Clutch Player of the Year appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The SEC battle between the 13th-ranked Tigers and 20th-ranked Gators came down to Saturday’s rubber game after Auburn dropped Thursday’s series opener. And therein lies the history that the Tigers made 2 days later, after Friday’s 5-3 victory was followed by Saturday’s win.

It was the first time an Auburn baseball team had won a series in Gainesville after dropping the first game since 1997, so it hadn’t happened in almost 3 decades but it happened on Saturday.

Auburn improved to 27-12 overall and 10-8 in the rugged SEC, while Florida dropped to 28-13 overall and now has the same 10-8 conference record after losing the home series.

When Eddie Madrigal snagged this line drive to end Saturday’s comeback victory, Auburn had its third straight series win and secured the program’s first series victory in Gainesville in 13 years.

Auburn starting pitcher Alex Petrovic allowed a 3-run homer by Florida’s Blake Cyr in the first inning, but the sophomore remained unflappable, responding by blanking the Gators in his final six innings of work.

A pair of Florida miscues paved the way for the Tigers to pull ahead in the 9th inning. Auburn tied it with a run in the 8th, then scored 5 times in the 9th to go up 8-3 before holding off a Florida rally in the bottom of the frame.

Auburn’s 9th-inning eruption was highlighted by a 2-run double from Brandon McCraine. After one McCraine brother did his damage, it was time for younger brother Mason McCraine to do his, as he belted his third homer in the past 2 games to put the finishing touches on the Tigers’ late rally.

Here’s a look at the latest odds to win the College World Series, per Kalshi:

Prediction Markets

College Baseball D1 Champion?

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Kalshi

UCLA

17%

Georgia Tech

12%

Texas

11%

North Carolina

6%

Georgia

6%

Mississippi St.

5%

Arkansas

4%

Auburn

4%

LSU

2%

Tennessee

2%

Predict

The post Auburn secures series win over No. 20 Florida, 8-5 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Alex Wilkins told On3’s Joe Tipton on Saturday afternoon that he was heading to the SEC and Kentucky after leaving tiny Furman and the Southern Conference. The All-Southern Conference Second Team selection joins Washington transfer point guard Zoom Diallo, who announced earlier this week that he was heading from the Pacific Northwest to Lexington.

Suddenly, in a matter of days, Kentucky has some prime transfer guard talent on the way after earlier missing out on top transfers like Rob Wright III and Jeremiah Wilkinson. Wilkins’ commitment is a much-needed win for head coach Mark Pope.

The 6-foot-5 Wilkins averaged 17.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this past season, when he earned those postseason honors at Furman. Now comes a much bigger challenge as the Massachusetts product comes to a blue blood program in the SEC.

Wilkins will have 3 years of eligibility left when he arrives at Kentucky after his standout freshman season in the Southern Conference.

Here’s a look at the latest odds to win the national title in 2027, per Kalshi:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

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Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Kentucky basketball adds All-SoCon transfer, former Furman guard appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That’s when talented wide receiver Isaiah Horton decided to bolt from Tuscaloosa and transfer to SEC rival Texas A&M. It was a double whammy of sorts for Elko, taking the Nashville native away from the Crimson Tide and bringing him to College Station to add to the offensive mix along with star quarterback Marcel Reed.

There is potential star power for Horton, too, and that was on display Saturday afternoon during the Maroon & White Spring Game at Kyle Field. Horton, who broke out individually last fall at Alabama, catching 42 passes for 511 yards and 8 touchdowns, continued that momentum with his new program on Saturday, with style points.

The 6-foot-4, 208-pounder who launched his college career at Miami made quite the first real impression with the Aggies faithful. On the final snap of the first quarter of Saturday’s spring game, Horton slid along the sidelines to make a phenomenal catch. The pass came from Brady Hart, it was good for a gain of roughly 35 yards, and it served notice that Horton might just be in for a banner fall in College Station.

Elko took notice of the play, of course, and he raved to reporters about Horton’s spring game performance in general.

“Those balls were thrown into tight coverage, and he came down with contested catches over the DB,” Mike Elko said. “He has had a great spring, and we expect him to be a major player for us this fall.”

Adding Horton to the Aggies’ passing game this fall will surely bolster Texas A&M’s ability to contend for an SEC title. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the Aggies’ chances to lift the SEC championship trophy in December:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Mike Elko lays out big expectations for Isaiah Horton after impressive spring game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Two days after being ruled eligible for the 2026 season, Heinecke sprinted out of the tunnel at Owen Field with a flourish and a renewed fire, with 50 Cent’s “Many Men” blaring on the stadium loudspeaker, of course.

He received a standing ovation from the Sooner faithful, who now know they’ll have Heinecke back in the fold this fall after his breakout 2025 season. Before Oklahoma fans were treated to the spring game, they had a glorious chance to welcome back a fan favorite who was perilously close to not being able to wear a Sooner uniform again.

In Thursday’s official ruling by Cleveland County judge Thad Balkman, he said the NCAA “failed to consider the totality of the case” when it initially denied Heinecke a chance to return for the 2026 season. That was according to a report by SoonerScoop’s George Stoia, and when Balkman chose to grant Heinecke an injunction, it paved the way for the Tulsa native to be able to return for another season in Norman.

Heinecke can likely be penciled into the starting lineup for the Sooners this fall, after an incredible 2025 season that saw him rack up 74 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss and 3 sacks.

On Saturday, all of the joy and relief came to fruition for Heinecke, for his teammates and for the fans, who got to welcome him back during the spring game to those familiar sounds of 50 Cent.

With Heinecke returning to seriously bolster Oklahoma’s defense this fall, the Sooners’ chances to compete for an SEC title are that much better. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently seeing for Oklahoma and the rest of the SEC contenders to raise that conference trophy in December:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

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Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Owen Heinecke makes dramatic entrance at Oklahoma’s spring game after winning eligibility case appeared first on Saturday Down South.

During Saturday afternoon’s Maroon & White Spring Game at Kyle Field, senior Daymion Sanford, one of Texas A&M‘s best returning defensive players and possibly its best returning linebacker, had to be carted off the field with a lower-leg injury. The exact nature of Sanford’s injury wasn’t known yet, but anytime a cart is needed during the otherwise laid-back nature of a spring game, it can’t be considered an innocent situation.

The 6-foot-2, 222-pound in-state product who was born in Katy, Texas, was injured with a little less than 2 minutes left in the 2nd quarter of the spring game. With such little time remaining on the clock, the first half was cut short while Sanford was tended to by medical personnel.

Sanford piled up 57 total tackles, 25 of them solo, during the 2025 season, helping the Aggies reach the College Football Playoff. He added 3.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery and 1 interception, strong production all over the field that Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko was counting on again for the 2026 season.

At this moment, that prospect depends on just how serious Saturday’s injury was and if Sanford will miss significant time.

While Texas A&M hopes for the best going forward with Sanford, the Aggies will be trying to compete for an SEC championship this fall, with or without Sanford. Here is what the Kalshi market currently thinks of Texas A&M’s chances to raise that SEC title trophy in December:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

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Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Texas A&M linebacker Daymion Sanford carted off the field with lower-leg injury appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Rebels did it again on Saturday afternoon, getting a commitment from 4-star prize Keysan Taylor, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound EDGE rusher from Rockford, Ill. Instead of staying close to his roots in Big Ten country, Taylor is heading south to Oxford to play for Pete Golding, who will be kick-starting his head coaching stint this fall at Ole Miss.

Taylor told On3’s Hayes Fawcett of his plans to be front and center in 2027 for Golding’s second seasons in Oxford. Not only did Ole Miss continue building that defensive line in its 2027 class, with Taylor already being the Rebels’ third D-line commit for 2027, but Golding also plucked Taylor out of the Midwest at the expense of some SEC rivals.

With Vanderbilt and Kentucky also being in the mix for Taylor, Ole Miss ultimately won out as it tries to build on last season’s trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Taylor can’t help the Rebels until the 2027 season, but he’ll be joining fellow 4-star defensive line recruits Ben’Jarvius Shumaker and Jamarkus Pittman soon enough in Oxford.

Taylor’s commitment on Saturday gives Ole Miss 6 commits for the 2027 cycle. In addition to his 4-star rating, Taylor is the 329th-ranked player overall in the Class of 2027, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Those Composite rankings also put Taylor as the No. 28 EDGE rusher in the class and the 12th-ranked player from the state of Illinois.

While Taylor is sure to help Ole Miss during the 2027 season, the Rebels will be trying to climb the SEC mountain and win a conference crown this fall. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about Ole Miss’s chances to win an SEC championship in 2026:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

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Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Ole Miss lands commitment from 4-star pass rusher in class of 2027 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to a report on Saturday morning by On3’s Joe Tipton, Wagner has committed to Maryland for next season, meaning his 3-year run in the SEC would be over. The 6-foot-4 Wagner, who came out of Camden, N.J., as a high-profile recruit, began his whirlwind college basketball career with 1 season at Kentucky in 2023-24 before spending the past 2 seasons playing for John Calipari at Arkansas.

Calipari has had Wagner for all 3 of his collegiate seasons, since his last season as head coach at Kentucky was Wagner’s first season at the college level. But after 3 seasons playing for Calipari in 2 different SEC stops, Wagner is reportedly heading to the Big Ten to play for Buzz Williams, who will be trying to bounce back from last season’s 12-21 disaster in College Park.

Wagner has 1 season of eligibility remaining, and he’ll apparently spend that last season closer to his New Jersey roots.

He was a crucial part of Calipari’s rotation this past season, helping the Hogs capture the SEC Tournament crown and advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Wagner made 35 appearances in all for Arkansas in 2025-26, including 19 starts. He averaged 7.4 points, 2.4 assists and 1.6 rebounds while playing 23.6 minutes per game. Wagner shot a career-best 34.6% from 3-point territory.

Wagner’s scoring average did dip this past season, after he averaged a career-high 11.2 points per game during his first season at Arkansas in 2024-25.

His impact at the college level was felt immediately during that first season playing for Calipari at Kentucky, where he started in all but 1 of his 29 appearances with the Wildcats before following Calipari to Fayetteville. Wagner averaged 9.9 points and 3.3 assists during his true freshman season in Lexington.

Arkansas won the SEC Tournament title this past season, but the Razorbacks have bigger things in mind for next season after advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2025-26. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams in the mix to cut down the nets next April:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Former Arkansas guard DJ Wagner reportedly transfers to Big Ten program appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The SEC powerhouse is looking to get back onto the mountaintop of college football after winning those national titles in 2021 and 2022, and Georgia is also looking to remain on that SEC mountaintop this fall after winning conference crowns in 2024 and 2025.

The road to all of those possibilities truly gets going on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET, when Team Black faces Team Red. The scrimmage will be telecast on SEC Network+, and a few hours before kickoff the G-Day rosters were unveiled.

While Smart and his coaching staff are naturally hoping to escape the day without any major injuries, they will also hope for some surprise performances from newcomers as well as some solid showings by Georgia mainstays. Those mainstays are headlined by returning starting quarterback Gunner Stockton, who will lead Team Red’s offensive attack on Saturday.

Standout running back Nate Frazier will line up behind Stockton for Team Red, with the California product hoping to build on a 2025 season that saw Frazier rush for 947 yards and 6 touchdowns. Isiah Canion will also be part of Team Red as the Georgia Tech transfer wide receiver looks to make a strong first impression with the Bulldog faithful.

Meanwhile, Team Black’s roster on Saturday will be headlined by standout safety KJ Bolden. He’ll be joined on Team Black by fellow safety Zion Branch, while defensive back Ellis Robinson also puts on that Team Black uniform to make it a top-heavy roster when it comes to the secondary.

Here are the full Team Red and Team Black rosters for Saturday afternoon:

Smart has led Georgia to 4 SEC titles since he took over in Athens in 2016, and he’ll be trying to lead the Bulldogs to an SEC championship 3-peat after taking the crown in 2024 and 2025. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for Georgia to do just that come December:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Georgia announces rosters for 2026 G-Day appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to a report by Field of 68 college basketball insider Jeff Goodman, Kentucky lost out on what could’ve been a very crucial piece to next season’s team while it waited on a decision from another top transfer. Goodman posted on his social media on Wednesday afternoon that the Wildcats could have snatched prize transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson, which would’ve been a huge boost in adding at the expense of an SEC rival.

But while the Georgia transfer is reportedly staying in the SEC, he’s not heading to Lexington. Instead, the scoring sensation is taking his talents to John Calipari’s machine at Arkansas, so Kentucky missed out on Wilkinson and that’s not even the worst part.

According to Goodman, Pope’s program missed out on Wilkinson because it was waiting on a decision from another top transfer in guard Robert Wright III. Earlier Wednesday, Wright decided to turn down Big Blue Nation to instead return to BYU, so Kentucky in effect lost out on both top transfers because it was waiting on Wright.

Instead of getting possibly both players or at least grabbing Wright, he’s going back to BYU while Wilkinson is heading to an SEC rival in Arkansas that Kentucky is going to have to deal with next season.

Talk about a double whammy, and we’re not even discussing an in-season loss. This report by Goodman just throws salt in the wound of Kentucky missing out on both Wilkinson and Wright.

The Wildcats will still have chances to rebuild their roster, but this isn’t what Pope or those passionate Kentucky fans wanted during the heat of the transfer portal battle.

While Kentucky struggles through the transfer portal process, the Wildcats are still trying to build a roster that can compete for a national championship as early as next season. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams in the mix to be the last one standing next April:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Kentucky lost out on Jeremiah Wilkinson while waiting on other star transfer, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The 6-foot-11 Condon, who was instrumental in Florida’s national championship victory in 2024-25, revealed on Wednesday afternoon on his Instagram account that he’s not going anywhere next season except back to Gainesville.

In a passionate Instagram post, Condon simply wrote “back to work,” which in this case means back to work at Florida and playing for Todd Golden to try to get the Gators back to glory after their shocking second-round exit in last season’s NCAA Tournament.

In addition to his Instagram post, Condon also spoke to ESPN about his return to Florida, which will significantly boost the Gators’ chances to get back to the Final Four.

“It’s not the result that we wanted at the end of the year,” Condon told ESPN. “I think we’re a better team than that. So, (we) left a bit of unfinished business with the Gators. So to go back to school and compete — we know what it’s like to win a national championship, and that’s the number one goal for me.”

Condon will be a senior next season, and he’ll be ultra motivated to finish his career the right way after the stinging NCAA Tournament loss last month. The 2-time All-SEC selection will be heading back to Florida for his 4th season in the program that he’s helped turn back into a national powerhouse.

He put up strong numbers once again this past season, averaging 15.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Condon was also very efficient, shooting 55.6% from the field. Condon also averaged 1.4 blocks per contest while playing a career-high 30.5 minutes per game.

With Condon back in the mix for Florida next season, the Gators’ chances to win another national title just improved. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about Florida’s chances to win it all for the 2nd time in 3 years:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Florida star Alex Condon reveals plans for 2026-27 season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to a report by On3’s Joe Tipton on Wednesday afternoon, the 6-foot-10 sophomore has committed to Indiana for the 2026-27 season. He was a major part of Alabama‘s frontcourt, with the former McDonald’s All-American averaging 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game this past season.

Sherrell helped lead the Crimson Tide to the Sweet 16, where they were bounced by eventual national champion Michigan. Now, the Detroit native is reportedly headed back to his original Big Ten country roots, to Bloomington, where he would be battling in the same conference with those Wolverines next season.

Nate Oats had Sherrell for 2 seasons in Tuscaloosa, where he blossomed into a starter for the Crimson Tide in 2025-26. After averaging just 8.8 minutes per game during his first season at Alabama in 2024-25, Sherrell became a mainstay this past season, playing a hair under 24 minutes per contest.

But Alabama’s loss appears to be Indiana’s gain, as the Hoosiers try to get back to relevance in the Big Ten and in the national discussion. The Hoosiers finished in 10th place in the Big Ten this past season, going 18-14 overall and failing to make the NCAA Tournament under first-year head coach Darian DeVries.

Adding Sherrell will certainly help DeVries as he tries to establish himself in Bloomington in his second season there and keep up with the likes of Michigan, which snapped the Big Ten’s national championship drought in men’s basketball at 26 years with its national title game victory over UConn earlier this month.

Alabama will move on without Sherrell as it tries to get back to the Final Four and compete for a national championship in 2027. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams in the mix to cut down the nets next April:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Alabama transfer Aiden Sherrell commits to Big Ten program, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Longhorns star quarterback has not been able to be a full participant during spring practice in 2026. But it’s not the end of the world, insists Manning and head coach Steve Sarkisian, who has maintained all along this spring that it was Texas’ plan to scale back Manning’s usage.

Hearing that from Sarkisian is one thing for the Longhorn faithful, but how about hearing it from Manning himself? That’s exactly what happened on Wednesday during Manning’s media session, when he said that if Texas had a football game to play on Wednesday — if there were somehow regular-season college football games on Wednesdays in April — he would absolutely be able to play.

“I feel 100% right now,” Manning told reporters. “We’re taking it slow, but if we had a game today, I would play.”

Manning’s reassurance of a passionate fan base came in the leadup to Saturday’s Fan Day in Austin. Although Manning likely won’t be a big part of what takes place on the field on Saturday, Fan Day will feature a glorified practice for Texas fans who want an early sneak peek at the 2026 Longhorns.

While the Longhorns don’t have a game “today” that Manning insists he could play in, that first game that counts will be here in less than 5 months, when Texas hosts Texas State on Sept. 5. Then Ohio State will arrive in Austin for a rematch of last year’s season-opening loss in Columbus.

That’s when Manning will really take center stage to start his second year at the helm. For now, he’s laying low during the spring, as Sarkisian and his quarterback stick to the long-term plan.

Texas fell short of the College Football Playoff last year in Manning’s first season as the starter. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about Texas and the other top teams in the mix to make the Playoff in 2026:

Prediction Markets

College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post Arch Manning says he could play right now if Texas had a game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Smith was never shy about speaking out during his illustrious football career, and now the 46-year-old gives his hot takes on his podcast, 89 with Steve Smith Sr. Appearing alongside football insider James Palmer, Smith said this last week about the Georgia quarterback despite Stockton leading the Bulldogs to the College Football Playoff last season in his first year as the starter:

I am really perplexed, confused, delusional and just straight up frustrated because let’s just get straight down to it. I don’t know the young man’s name and I don’t want to, because the way I’ve watched him play quarterback, I’m irritated. Goodness gracious, quarterback play from the Georgia Bulldogs, uh, awful. Dog doo-doo. As a wide receiver, I’m going on strike. I’m not working or running a route until I get a better quarterback. And holler at your boy when you get it. I’m out of here.

After Smith fired the first salvo in a big way, it was Smart’s turn to back his quarterback. On Tuesday, Smart made an appearance on Atlanta sports radio station 680 The Fan and did his own unleashing on exactly how he feels about Stockton.

“Do your homework. You know, like, do a little more homework,” Kirby Smart said. “I think if you look at small sections of it, there’s things he can do better. You look at the total body of work he has, it’s been really good, and I think it’s only gonna get better with experience.”

But Smart didn’t stop there.

“You know, I don’t really know Steve Smith personally,” Smart said. “I’ve got nothing to respond to him. I don’t really worry about what he says. I worry about, do we win football games and do we produce.”

Smart hopes Stockton can make Smith eat his words this fall by leading the Bulldogs back to the College Football Playoff. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds of that happening in 2026:

Prediction Markets

College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post Kirby Smart backs Gunner Stockton after Georgia QB ripped by Steve Smith appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Barnes has led Tennessee to 3 straight Elite Eight appearances, with no Final Four trips to show for it, and then came the onslaught of exits when the portal officially opened for business on April 7. But amid the torment and disappointment, there was a breath of fresh air in Knoxville, and it came from the West Coast.

Last Saturday afternoon, talented California transfer Dai Dai Ames committed to Tennessee, bringing a dynamic scorer to the Volunteers’ backcourt for the 2026-27 season. On Wednesday, Barnes officially welcomed the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Chicago product to Knoxville, announcing the signing and singing Ames’ praises while he was at it.

Here is what Barnes had to say about Ames, who will be a senior come next season with 1 year of eligibility left:

We are excited to welcome Dai Dai and his family to the Tennessee basketball program. He is an extremely competitive and coachable individual who really gels with our culture. Dai Dai can make shots in late-clock situations, which is a skill we were looking for in the portal. He is a crafty lefty with a strong frame who can finish at the rim through contact, as well as a superb movement shooter and an elite mid-range scorer. All of that makes him a great fit for our system. Dai Dai really wants to be part of a winning team and contend for championships.

Ames was a third-team All-ACC selection last season at Cal, blossoming into 1 of the premier guards in college basketball during his junior season. He averaged 16.9 points, 2.2 assists and 2.0 rebounds while playing 31.8 minutes per game for the Bears in 2025-26. Ames was also extremely durable, starting all 34 games this past season for Cal.

Before his 1 season at Cal, Ames spent the 2024-25 season at Virginia and the 2023-24 campaign at Kansas State, so he’ll be playing with his 4th program in 4 collegiate seasons with his arrival at Tennessee this fall.

Luring Ames to Knoxville gives Tennessee a much better chance to make yet another run at a spot in the Final Four. After 3 straight trips to the Elite Eight, here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the Volunteers’ odds to finally get to the Final Four and win the whole thing in 2027:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Rick Barnes comments on signing of Cal transfer Dai Dai Ames appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The former Alabama star quarterback, who stands to be 1 of the first signal callers to be selected in next week’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, is visiting the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday. ESPN NFL Draft analyst Field Yates posted on his social media that Simpson will meet with the Cardinals on the final day that draft prospects are allowed to visit prospective teams.

Arizona is suddenly in dire need at the quarterback spot after releasing former Texas A&M and Oklahoma standout Kyler Murray last month. Murray spent 7 seasons with the Cardinals after being the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2019. He was thought to be Arizona’s long-term future at the position, and he did finish his time in the desert ranking third in franchise history in passing yards (20,460) and touchdowns (121), as well as second in completions (1,974).

But the Cardinals decided to go in another direction, and with Murray now a member of the Minnesota Vikings, there is 1 giant spot open in Arizona for a new franchise quarterback. Maybe that person is Simpson, who figures to hear his name called pretty early when the draft begins next Thursday night.

Arizona currently holds the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, and the Cardinals’ next pick after that is the second pick in the second round, which is the No. 34 overall selection.

Perhaps one of those two selections will be Simpson, a prospect made a lot more realistic with the news that Simpson is taking this last-minute visit with Arizona.

With the Cardinals now apparently in the mix to draft Simpson, here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for which NFL team will pull the trigger and select the former Alabama star:

Prediction Markets

Team to pick Ty Simpson in 2026 NFL Draft?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Arizona

53%

New York J

15%

Los Angeles R

13%

Miami

12%

Pittsburgh

6%

Cleveland

5%

Philadelphia

3%

Minnesota

2%

Indianapolis

1%

Las Vegas

1%

Predict

The post Ty Simpson takes last-minute visit with NFL team appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Volunteers softball legend added to that legend in Knoxville on Saturday by tossing her 4th career no-hitter in a 5-0 blanking of Kentucky in Lexington. Making Pickens’ latest SEC softball heroics that much more special is that the senior has now managed to throw a no-no during every season of her brilliant career.

Pickens has spoiled Volunteer softball fans since she arrived in 2023, and now she’s officially made a no-hitter an annual rite of spring at Tennessee. This time, it happened on the road, where she stifled Kentucky batters all afternoon. Pickens helped the ninth-ranked Vols improve to 35-6 overall and 10-6 in the SEC, and she did it by throwing less than 100 pitches.

Tossing 99 pitches, 65 of them for strikes, Pickens walked 1 batter and hit another. But she didn’t give up a hit in the shutout of Kentucky, which fell to 24-20 overall and 1-15 in the SEC. Pickens struck out 12 Wildcat batters in her latest show of greatness on the mound.

The North Carolina native’s list of honors at Tennessee read like a long roll call. She was the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2023, setting the tone for her incredible run in Knoxville. She’s a 2-time All-SEC First Team selection, with those coming in 2024 and 2025. Pickens was also named SEC Pitcher of the Year after the previous 2 seasons.

The 2-time Consensus First Team All-American has become a national star, too, and Pickens still has a few more months to do a few more great things in a Tennessee uniform.

Pickens added yet another chapter to her personal portfolio on Saturday against Kentucky.

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The post Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens tosses no-hitter vs. Kentucky appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Saturday afternoon, Lowry gave another meaning to “Moving Day” at Augusta with a heroic hole-in-one at No. 6 that put him squarely in position to be wearing that coveted green jacket come early Sunday night in Georgia. And the 39-year-old Irishman made some history while delighting the Saturday crowd at Augusta National.

Lowry became just the 7th player all-time to ace the 6th hole at Augusta, and he’s now the only player in the storied history of The Masters to ace 2 different holes. To accomplish his feat on Saturday, Lowry grabbed a 7-iron on the 190-yard hole and did what not many before him had ever done, considering this is the 90th edition of The Masters.

Sitting at 6-under before he made his golfing memory for that lucky gallery, the 2019 British Open champion suddenly thrust himself into contention. With that 1 perfect stroke of the ball, Lowry moved himself into a tie for 2nd place at 8-under-par, just 4 shots back of leader Rory McIlroy.

There was still a lot of golf to be played on Saturday and then of course on Sunday, but no matter what happens for the rest of this Masters, Lowry put himself in select company in tournament history without even winning the event — yet.

Lowry’s hole-in-one certainly made his chances at winning on Sunday a lot more realistic. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about Lowry’s chances to be wearing that green jacket when all is said and done at Augusta:

The post Shane Lowry makes history with hole-in-one at The Masters appeared first on Saturday Down South.

During his latest podcast installment, Smith had a particular SEC football target in mind, and he plays quarterback in Athens. Yes, it was Georgia starting quarterback Gunner Stockton, who led the Bulldogs to the College Football Playoff last season but who also apparently doesn’t measure up to Smith’s standards.

Appearing with football insider James Palmer, Smith had this to say about Stockton, who threw for 2,894 yards with 24 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions during his first season as the Dawgs starter:

“I am really perplexed, confused, delusional and just straight up frustrated because let’s just get straight down to it. I don’t know the young man’s name and I don’t want to, because the way I’ve watched him play quarterback, I’m irritated,” Smith said in his Stockton rant. “Goodness gracious, quarterback play from the Georgia Bulldogs, uh, awful. Dog doo-doo. As a wide receiver, I’m going on strike. I’m not working or running a route until I get a better quarterback. And holler at your boy when you get it. I’m out of here.”

Did we mention to Smith that Stockton also had 462 yards rushing and 10 rushing touchdowns in 2025 while leading the Bulldogs to the Playoff quarterfinals?

Georgia hopes that Stockton will prove Smith wrong this fall as he tries to lead the Bulldogs back to the College Football Playoff. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams in the mix to be playing for the national championship come December:

Prediction Markets

College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post Steve Smith shreds Gunner Stockton for ‘awful’ quarterback play appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Instead, all Rogers did was instill fear in those fans that he might be out for some significant time this offseason. That’s because the much-hyped NC State transfer had to be carted to the locker room with a brace on his left leg during Saturday’s spring showcase, a gruesome site for head coach Kalen DeBoer, his players, assistant coaches and any of the fans who showed up to see how the 2026 roster was shaping up.

According to Mike Rodak, who covers Alabama football for Bama247, Rogers was injured when he fell while going for an incomplete pass in the end zone.

Rogers was in the midst of a strong showing this spring after his transfer from NC State. But things turned bad on Saturday, as he was unable to put any weight on that left leg before being carted to the locker room.

With Ryan Coleman-Williams and Lotzeir Brooks being the assumed No. 1 and 2 wideouts right now for Alabama, Rogers was making a run at the No. 3 spot. Obviously now the most important thing is his condition and status going forward after Saturday’s injury.

Rogers had 919 yards receiving and 3 touchdowns during his 2 seasons at NC State.

Alabama hopes it can overcome whatever seriousness comes out of Rogers’ injury in the spring game and still compete for an SEC title in 2026. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams in the mix to be holding that SEC championship trophy in December:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Alabama WR carted to locker room after fall during A-Day appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That tradition of contending for SEC and national championships has been lost at The Swamp in recent years, and Sumrall wants to see it come back — like, now. The 43-year-old Texas native used Saturday’s Orange and Blue Spring Game stage to talk about what has been missing at Florida and what he wants to return.

“We gotta wake the beast up. It’s time we wake this thing up. This is a sleeping giant,” Jon Sumrall told reporters in Gainesville on Saturday. “And I’m telling you right now it isn’t a matter of if we’re going to win here, it’s how fast we’re going to win. It’s coming.”

Sumrall has done plenty of winning himself in his 2 previous head coaching stops. He’s gone a combined 43-12 during his 4 seasons, with a 23-4 record at Troy in 2022 and 2023 followed by a 20-8 mark at Tulane in 2024 and 2025 before his arrival at Florida.

He knows it won’t be an easy transition back to that winning, but Sumrall was here to say on Saturday that he’s hell bent on getting that tradition back going as soon as possible. The spring game was Saturday’s stage, but soon enough the games will count for real this fall.

Sumrall desperately wants to get Florida back to college football relevance in 2026, and here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the elite teams it believes have the best shot to make the College Football Playoff this season:

Prediction Markets

College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post Jon Sumrall insists Florida will meet winning standard: ‘We gotta wake the beast up’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On3’s Chad Simmons reported on Saturday afternoon that the 4-star stud out of Warner Robins, Ga., has flipped his commitment from South Carolina to SEC rival Florida, with new Gators head coach Jon Sumrall gaining a huge recruiting victory for the 2027 season on the day his 2026 team plays its spring game.

Fountain’s stunning flip in mid-April comes 4 months after he committed to South Carolina in December. But Sumrall didn’t stop recruiting Fountain despite his commitment to the Gamecocks, and now Fountain has officially changed his address for the 2027 season after making 4 visits to Gainesville this calendar year alone.

Besides being a 4-star recruit, the 247Sports Composite rankings has the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Fountain rated as the 195th-best player in the Class of 2027. The Composite rankings also have Fountain as the 26th-ranked cornerback in the class as well as the 23rd-ranked talent from the state of Georgia.

Fountain will join a Florida 2027 recruiting class that currently ranks 17th in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. The Gators now have 6 commits in their 2027 class, and the Fountain get is particularly sweet as it comes at the expense of an SEC rival.

Florida will be trying to turn things around in Sumrall’s first season in Gainesville, and here is what the Kalshi market currently sees for the Gators’ chances to contend for the SEC championship come December:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Elite CB prospect flips commitment from South Carolina to Florida appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Rick Barnes has gotten the Volunteers to the Elite Eight in each of the past three seasons, losing this past year to eventual national champion Michigan, with that lopsided Elite Eight loss coming at the Midwest Region final in Chicago. In that spirit, there was a Chicago connection to the big news that Tennessee fans got on Saturday afternoon, as California transfer guard and Chicago product Dai Dai Ames committed to the Volunteers for next season.

Ames’ agent told On3 of the 6-foot-2 junior’s intentions for the 2026-27 season. The well-traveled Ames averaged 16.9 points per game this past season for the Bears, which helped him earn a spot on the All-ACC Third Team. He made his 1 season at Cal count, also averaging 2.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 46.4% from the field.

This is a breath of fresh air for Barnes’ program, which has suffered a lot of losses in the portal since it officially opened on April 7. But the Vols can file this one under the addition heading, with a talent being added for next season in Knoxville instead of subtracted. In this case, Tennessee is getting one of the most productive guards that was still available in the portal.

Ames will be taking his first crack at the SEC after spending the past couple of seasons in the ACC. Before this past season at Cal, Ames played at Virginia in 2024-25, and he started his whirlwind of a college career with a season at Kansas State in 2023-24.

That whirlwind has taken Ames to Tennessee, which will gladly add his scoring ability to its backcourt for next season.

Tennessee will be taking yet another shot at the Final Four under Barnes, and it’ll have Ames in the mix now to help with that. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams it believes have the best shot to win it all next April:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Tennessee basketball lands commitment from transfer guard out of Cal appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That pursuit by Jones officially gets going this spring, as he competes with Aaron Philo for the starting quarterback job in Gainesville. And Jones launched that pursuit with a flourish on Saturday afternoon in the Orange and Blue Spring Game at The Swamp.

Jones put his stamp on the spring game and the runup to the 2026 season by dropping back to pass and finding Auburn transfer Eric Singleton in the end zone for a 38-yard touchdown strike. It got the spring game action rolling on Saturday in Gainesville, and it will no doubt serve Jones well as he tries to make good on his decision to come back to Florida, knowing the starting QB job had come open with Lagway heading to Waco.

Here is the first official highlight of the 2026 Orange and Blue Spring Game, courtesy of Jones and Singleton:

Jones, a 6-foot signal caller who was born in Jacksonville, found Singleton wide open in the front-left corner of the end zone, getting a rise out of those in attendance on the second Saturday of April.

Sumrall is trying to find his first starting quarterback as Florida coach, and Jones certainly put his best foot forward right away as the competition with Philo continues.

Florida will be trying to make a run at an SEC title in its first season under a new coaching regime. This is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams in the mix to raise that SEC championship trophy come December:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Tramell Jones connects with Eric Singleton for first TD of Gators’ spring game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Colorado transfer prize Isaiah Johnson, considered one of the best available guards in the transfer portal, announced on Instagram that he’s heading from the Big 12 to the SEC next season, and that he’ll be playing his basketball in Austin.

The 6-foot-1 Los Angeles native made quite the impression in Boulder during his freshman season, averaging 16.9 points, 3.0 assists and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 48.6%, which is very impressive for a point guard.

Johnson earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors for his efforts, and now he’ll be bringing that dynamic scoring ability to Austin as Miller tries to reload his roster for another run like he just engineered in his first season as Texas head coach. The Longhorns will be getting Colorado’s leading scorer from last season, and Johnson also led the Buffaloes in steals with 1.0 per contest. Johnson was second on Colorado with those 3 assists per game.

After announcing his decision to enter the portal on March 27, Johnson finally made clear where he’ll be playing his sophomore season a few weeks later. With the portal not officially opening for business until April 7, the day after the national championship game, Johnson had to wait a little while before making his plans known for the 2026-27 season.

Now, Johnson’s destination for next season is known, and it’ll be at a program that Miller has on the rise, with this past March being a prime example.

With Johnson in the mix, Texas will have a lot more firepower for a potential run in next season’s NCAA Tournament. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams it thinks have the best shot to cut down the nets next April:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Texas basketball lands transfer commitment from high-scoring Big 12 guard appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The 6-5 sophomore guard told On3 on Saturday that he’s transferring to BYU, the program that he originally committed to coming out of high school. Chandler, a native of Farmington, Utah, is heading back to his home state after spending 2 seasons at Kentucky. He’ll finally get a chance to play for the Cougars after following Mark Pope to Kentucky after Pope left his head coaching post at BYU in 2024 to be the head coach at his alma mater in Lexington.

Chandler was a solid contributor at Kentucky this past season, averaging 9.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 41% from 3-point territory. He played in all 36 of Kentucky’s games in 2025-26, averaging 27.1 minutes per contest.

Before his college basketball detour to Kentucky began in 2024, Chandler did a 2-year mission, decommitting from BYU and then enrolling at Kentucky prior to hitting the floor with the Wildcats. Chandler made his time in Lexington count, progressing from a role off the bench into a starter during his 2 seasons playing for Pope.

Chandler helped Kentucky win 22 games this past season, but the Wildcats flamed out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and Chandler decided he wanted to head back toward home for the 2026-27 season.

Playing for his home-state Cougars had to wait a few years, but now Chandler has made the move to finally make that happen, starting this fall.

Kentucky has lost Chandler to the Big 12, but the Wildcats are trying to reload for a shot at a deep NCAA Tournament run next season. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams in the mix to win it all in 2027:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Collin Chandler, former Kentucky SG, will transfer to Big 12 program appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Now, after getting so close to the Final Four during his entire college career, the 6-foot-11, 240-pounder who came all the way from his native Maine to play in the SEC is now headed to the Big Ten. And, according to Thursday afternoon’s report by ESPN insider Pete Thamel, he’s transferring to Michigan, the program that not only got to the Final Four this year but won the whole thing on Monday night against UConn.

Three days after announcing his plans to hit the transfer portal and leave Tennessee, Estrella told ESPN on Thursday that he’s committed to Michigan for the 2026-27 season. The Wolverines will be getting “one of the most coveted big men in the portal,” according to Thamel’s report.

“He continues the lineage of high-end transfer big men at Michigan, as they played an outsized lineup to win the national title,” wrote Thamel in Thursday’s report.

Estrella spent the first 3 seasons of his collegiate career at Tennessee and took on a much bigger role this past season for Rick Barnes’ program, averaging a career-best 10.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

He also shot a hair under 60% from the field and played in 33 games, helping the Volunteers get all the way to the Elite Eight yet again, where they were sent packing by Michigan, the newly crowned national champion that Estrella is reportedly transferring to.

Tennessee has advanced to the doorstep of the Final Four the past 3 seasons without getting there, so the Volunteers will take another crack at it in 2026-27. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams in the mix to get to the Final Four and win the whole thing next season, like Michigan just did earlier this week:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Former Tennessee center JP Estrella reportedly makes transfer commitment appeared first on Saturday Down South.

He might be a present-day icon for the New Orleans Saints, the only NFL team Kamara has played for since being drafted by the franchise in the third round of the 2017 draft. But in 2015 and 2016, Kamara wore the orange in Knoxville. On Thursday, he gave something back — something so big that the school is working on a prominent naming opportunity inside Neyland Stadium that will properly recognize Kamara’s gift.

The Tennessee athletic department is calling Kamara’s donation “a large philanthropic gift” from the now 30-year-old Atlanta native, who is a 5-time Pro Bowl running back with the Saints. Kamara’s football playing address might be in Louisiana now, but he routinely makes visits to Knoxville that don’t interfere with his NFL requirements and now he has bestowed a generous gift to the program that was the runway toward his successful NFL career.

Kamara, who will be recognized by the school during Saturday’s Orange & White Spring Game, spoke about his feelings toward Tennessee.

“There are certain experiences that shape you throughout your life. In my heart, it was only right that I pour back into the university that gave me an opportunity when I didn’t quite know what was next,” Kamara said in a statement. “The naming recognition space that we are working on, inside Neyland Stadium, will be a representation of perseverance and faith for everyone who enters for years to come.”

Tennessee athletic director Danny White said Thursday that the school is “profoundly grateful for this generous philanthropic gift.”

Kamara started his college career at Alabama in 2013, moved on to Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College in 2014 and then broke out during his 2 seasons at Tennessee in 2015 and 2016, rushing for a combined 1,294 yards with 16 touchdowns as well as posting 683 yards receiving on 74 catches with 7 TDs.

His productive years at Tennessee paved the way for his spectacular NFL career with the Saints. Kamara has broken numerous franchise records, including rushing yards (7,250), rushing touchdowns (61), total touchdowns (87), total yards from scrimmage (12,198), all-purpose yardage (12,856) and first downs (601).

Now, all these years into his NFL career, Kamara is coming back — again — to his collegiate football home and giving back in a giant way.

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The post Alvin Kamara donates major gift to Tennessee athletics appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In Tennessee‘s case, that top newcomer is a player who new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is very familiar with. Defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam followed Knowles from Penn State to Knoxville this offseason, and that will be huge starting this spring as he gets used to his new surroundings, like Knowles is. The 6-foot-2, 302-pound redshirt freshman got his feet wet last season playing for Knowles in the Big Ten, and now in 2026 the pair will reunite in the SEC, just in time to try to bolster a Tennessee defense that’s undergoing an overhaul under Knowles.

On Thursday, ESPN named Gilliam as the “top newcomer” for the Volunteers heading into the 2026 season. ESPN’s Billy Tucker wrote this on what to expect from the first-year Tennessee defensive tackle:

Gilliam is expected to step into a starting role and immediately bolster Tennessee’s run defense, making him a cornerstone of Knowles’ first unit in Knoxville. We expect him to play stout football at the point of attack, where he uses his hands effectively and resists double-teams. While his collegiate sack numbers were modest at Penn State, his tape always suggested a higher pass-rushing ceiling, a skill he has actively focused on improving since arriving in Tennessee. His developing ability to affect the quarterback from an interior position, combined with his strong run-stopping, provides the versatility needed. Gilliam’s continued mental development in understanding blocking schemes and refining his pass-rush moves suggests he will quickly expand his impact beyond just first- and second-down run defense, making him a pivotal player for the Volunteers’ resurgence in 2026.

Gilliam certainly has the credentials on paper to be a top contributor for Josh Heupel‘s program in 2026. He’s a former 4-star recruit who Tucker believes can make an immediate impact along Tennessee’s defensive line. The Volunteers’ D-line lost a lot of experience from last season, so Gilliam’s presence starting this spring could be a huge factor, especiallyl with his prior knowledge of Knowles’ system.

Gilliam can potentially be one of the newcomers who points Tennessee back in the direction of making a College Football Playoff run. Here is what the Kalshi market is saying about the top teams in the mix to make that run toward a spot in the Playoff come December:

Prediction Markets

College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post ESPN highlights defender as top Tennessee newcomer in 2026 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Defensive end/EDGE rusher Jonathan Maldonado arrives at Ole Miss this year from far away Nevada, but with heavy expectations attached to him. There is a new man in charge in Oxford this year, with Lane Kiffin gone and Pete Golding having taken his head coaching spot. After Ole Miss advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2025, there is also a whole new set of expectations for the program, and Maldonado will be immersed in that as he becomes part of a defense that was in serious need with massive departures from last year.

Gone is sack leader Princewill Umanmielen and also gone is a lot of production from the linebacker position. That means Maldonado should immediately assume a ton of responsibility as he arrives in the SEC. The 6-foot-6, 233-pounder will be a huge part of Golding’s defensive overhaul in 2026, and ESPN has taken full note of this.

On Thursday, ESPN named Maldonado as the “top newcomer” for the Rebels heading into the 2026 season. ESPN’s Billy Tucker wrote this on what to expect from the first-year Ole Miss defensive end/EDGE rusher:

Maldonado is projected to make an immediate impact off the edge, quickly developing into a valuable chess piece for Golding’s scheme. Similar to Umanmielen, his upside is huge and he should continue to progress throughout the season. While he’s a bit undersized to consistently hold up against the run in the SEC, his quickness and disruptive presence on passing downs are undeniable. Maldonado also offers valuable scheme flexibility due to his ability to play off-ball in coverage, highlighted by a game-winning interception return for a touchdown against Sacramento State in 2025. Golding will leverage Maldonado’s unique skill set, potentially lining him up opposite returning starter Suntarine Perkins to significantly upgrade the Rebels’ ability to generate pressure and negative plays in 2026.

Tucker also mentioned Maldonado’s ability to affect the opposition’s run game as a vital part of his potential contribution this fall. Maldonado should combine with returners like Kam Franklin and William Echoles to become a crucial part of what Golding is trying to do defensively as he takes over in Oxford. For Maldonado and Golding, it’ll be uncharted territory at Ole Miss, and for different reasons but with the same goal — to get the Rebels back to the Playoff this year.

Ole Miss will be trying to get back to the College Football Playoff under a new regime in 2026. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for the top teams in the mix to be playing for a national championship come December:

Prediction Markets

College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post ESPN highlights defensive transfer as top Ole Miss newcomer in 2026 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

But on June 6, with soccer’s World Cup fast approaching this summer, the iconic stadium in College Station will provide a different kind of backdrop for a slightly different kind of football. Instead of American football, it’ll be soccer, “the beautiful game,” that takes center stage at Texas A&M, and it’ll be international powerhouse and defending World Cup champion Argentina coming to College Station.

Argentina will be going through its final rehearsal steps in defending its World Cup crown when it faces Honduras on June 6 at Kyle Field in an international friendly. It’ll be the second-ever international soccer match held at Kyle Field, so it’ll be quite the change from the action that usually goes down at the home of the football Aggies.

The friendly will be part of the “Road to 26” and will kick off at 8 p.m. ET.

“We look forward to seeing international soccer return to Kyle Field, especially ahead of the World Cup this summer,” Texas A&M athletic director Trev Alberts said in a statement. “This is a very exciting time for soccer across the world as well as in the state of Texas. It will be a great opportunity to welcome fans from all over to our campus and one of the most elite venues in college sports.”

Argentina has won 3 World Cup titles, including the last one in 2022 led by soccer icon Lionel Messi, while Honduras is always a strong contender in the sport and had a solid showing at last summer’s Gold Cup, when it advanced to the semifinals.

Mexico faced Brazil in the only other international soccer match held at Kyle Field, back in June of 2024, when an astounding 85,249 fans showed up to the College Station venue.

Argentina’s stop at Texas A&M will be its first of 2 at venerable SEC football stadiums. On June 9, Argentina will face Iceland at Auburn‘s Jordan-Hare Stadium in another friendly prep for this summer’s World Cup.

Argentina is gunning for back-to-back World Cup crowns in 2026, and the perennial soccer powerhouse will gear up for another run at the World Cup title when it comes to College Station. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for the top countries in the mix to capture that World Cup this summer:

Prediction Markets

World Cup Winner?

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Kalshi

Spain

17%

France

17%

England

12%

Brazil

9%

Argentina

9%

Portugal

8%

Germany

6%

Netherlands

4%

Norway

2%

USA

2%

Predict

The post Texas A&M to host defending World Cup champs, Argentina, for June friendly appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Two days later, on the first official day of the transfer portal window, Steven Pearl’s program found out that Overton would be right back on the Plains next season. Auburn announced on Tuesday afternoon that the junior guard won’t be going anywhere in that portal, as he’ll return to the Tigers to try to help Pearl build on that NIT title.

Overton’s clutch 3-point dagger in the final seconds of regulation tied the NIT championship game against Tulsa on Sunday night, forcing overtime, which Auburn dominated to take the crown and take a trophy back to the Plains. Not surprisingly, the 6-foot-5 Oklahoma City native was named the MVP of the Tigers’ NIT championship run.

He thrived down the stretch of the season even before leading Auburn on that magical carpet ride in the NIT, averaging 17.7 points and shooting 49.3% from 3-point territory over the Tigers’ last 13 games of the season. Overton will be sticking around next season to try to continue that momentum from this season, opting not to transfer yet again after already spending time at Drake and Texas Tech before arriving at Auburn.

Overton’s shooting numbers during the 5-game NIT run were off the charts, as he shot 56% from 3-point territory on 8.2 attempts per game. For the season, Overton averaged 14.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per contest.

As Auburn braces for the future plans of its other possible returning players, it can at least breathe a sigh of relief that Overton is going nowhere for the 2026-27 season.

With Overton coming back to the Plains next season, Auburn will look to build on that NIT championship by contending for an NCAA Tournament berth. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the teams it thinks have the best shot to cut down the nets as national champions in 2027:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Auburn starter to return for Tigers next season, program says appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Talented guard Kam Williams has decided to spurn the transfer portal and return to Kentucky next season. The 6-foot-8 Louisiana native told On3 of his decision to stay put in Lexington on the first official day of the transfer portal window.

According to the On3 report, Williams won’t be a 1-and-done at Kentucky after all following his transfer to UK from Tulane last offseason. The system that Kentucky head coach Mark Pope runs in Lexington fit Williams’ style well, as his ability as a 2-way player and 3-point shooter shined through during Williams’ first season at UK.

Williams will apparently run it back in Lexington next season, hoping for a clean bill of health all the way through after this past season was interrupted by a broken foot he suffered in January. The injury kept Williams out of action through the month of February, but he returned for the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament.

Despite the injury that threatened to derail his first season at Kentucky, Williams still managed to average 6.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists per contest. He also shot a hair under 45% from the field.

Williams will look to increase those numbers sizably and stay healthy next season, which reportedly will be spent right back in Lexington.

With Williams reportedly back in the fold for Kentucky next season, the Wildcats will look to take another step toward contending for a national championship. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams it thinks will be in the mix to win it all in 2027:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Kentucky basketball to retain sophomore guard in 2026-27, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to a report on Tuesday morning by NFL.com insider Ian Rapoport, the 2025 SEC Offensive Player of the Year had a visit lined up with the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday. The Panthers currently hold the 19th pick in the first round of the draft.

Because Pavia played 6 years of college football, he’s a little older than the average NFL rookie-to-be, turning 24 in February. But Pavia didn’t explode onto the college football scene until he transferred from New Mexico State to Vandy, where in 2 years he transformed a mostly moribund football program into a factor in the SEC.

During those 2 special seasons in Nashville, Pavia threw 49 touchdown passes and just 12 interceptions. After throwing for 2,293 yards during his first season at Vanderbilt in 2024, he stepped it up even more in 2025 with 3,539 yards through the air.

Passing was only half of his dynamic as a player, with Pavia piling up the rushing yards, too. He rushed for an even 800 yards in 2024 and matched that in 2025 with 862 yards on the ground, combining for 18 rushing touchdowns in those 2 seasons at Vandy.

He was invited to New York City last December as a Heisman Trophy finalist and nearly won the prestigious trophy, finishing second to Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. Now, Pavia is trying to make his case that he’s an NFL quarterback despite his short stature. That case reportedly continued on Tuesday with Pavia’s visit to Carolina.

Pavia turned Vanderbilt into a relevant force in the SEC the past 2 seasons, but now the Commodores will look to contend for a conference title without him. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about those top teams in the mix to win the 2026 SEC championship come December:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Ex-Vanderbilt star Diego Pavia has visit scheduled with NFL team, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to a report by On3 on Tuesday afternoon, guard Amari Evans is planning to enter the transfer portal after just 1 season at Tennessee. The 6-foot-5 Evans showed his promise as a freshman on the defensive end for Rick Barnes’ team this past season, helping the Volunteers advance to the Elite Eight for the third straight year.

Evans also showed glimpses of offensive stardom this past season, scoring 24 points against Vanderbilt in a late-season home loss to the rival Commodores. The Pittsburgh product averaged 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in his 1 and apparently only season in Knoxville, and also averaged about 1 assist per contest.

He was also pretty durable as a freshman, playing in 35 of Tennessee’s 37 games this past season. Evans’ shooting percentages weren’t great though, as he shot just 41.9% from the field and 22% from 3-point territory, but he’s still another valuable loss for Barnes’ program among many who have already chosen to hit the transfer portal and leave Knoxville.

Before coming to Tennessee, Evans played for Overtime Elite in Atlanta, and now after 1 season at Tennessee he’s apparently set to head elsewhere for his sophomore season.

Besides losing a slew of frontcourt players to the portal, Evans’ reported departure is another hit to the Vols’ backcourt for next season. Fellow guard Bishop Boswell has also decided to enter the transfer portal after spending 2 seasons at Tennessee.

Tennessee advanced to the Elite Eight for the third straight year, once again contending for a national title. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams it thinks have the best shot to contend for the national championship in the 2026-27 season:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Tennessee loses promising freshman to the transfer portal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It was Russell, the ex-LSU standout quarterback, who returned to Baton Rouge on Tuesday to attend spring practice. And Kiffin, who’s running his first spring practices at LSU after leaving Ole Miss last season, loved having the now 40-year-old Russell on hand for the latest spring practice.

If more former LSU players choose to come back for a day or whatever like Russell did on Tuesday, Kiffin welcomes it, as he told reporters.

“Our building’s open to former players, and I’ve talked to a number of them,” Lane Kiffin said. “Some have come around, and I’ve reached out to others to make sure that they understood that. This is a place they put together and built.”

Russell was certainly part of that building, playing at LSU from 2003-06 before being the No. 1 overall pick of the 2007 NFL Draft. He was named first-team All-SEC and won the Manning Award during his final season in Baton Rouge in 2006. Russell threw for a whopping 6,625 yards with 52 touchdown passes during his illustrious career at LSU, and Kiffin was just happy to see him return.

“It was really neat to see JaMarcus,” Kiffin said. “The first time I was in this building was for his NFL Pro Day.”

Russell was used to winning in Baton Rouge and Kiffin will attempt to win big in his first season as head coach at LSU. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about LSU’s chances among the other top SEC teams to win the conference championship in 2026:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Lane Kiffin welcomes JaMarcus Russell to LSU practice, says building is ‘open to former players’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Aggies’ talented shooting import from the top pro league in Spain has decided to enter the transfer portal, according to a report on Tuesday afternoon by TexAgs. Dominguez was a key piece for head coach Bucky McMillan this past season, averaging 10.2 points per game and shooting an impressive 40% from 3-point territory.

Dominguez had an equally impressive 87.1% clip from the free throw line and also averaged 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest. In his 1 and apparently only season at Texas A&M, the native of Puerto Real, Spain, helped the Aggies advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The European sharpshooter made his time in College Station count, breaking the program’s single-game record for most 3-pointers made in a game with 10.

The 22-year-old Dominguez is a little older than the typical college player, coming to the United States after playing for Bilbao Basket in the Liga Endesa, which is the top professional basketball league in Spain.

Not only did Dominguez prove his worth as a dynamic shooter for the Aggies, he was incredibly durable last season, playing in all 34 of Texas A&M’s games.

His reported departure from College Station will leave a giant hole in McMillan’s rotation for next season, with Dominguez reportedly bolting from Texas A&M on the first official day of the transfer portal window.

With Michigan celebrating its national title on Monday night, it’s time to turn the page toward the 2026-27 season. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for those top teams in the mix to win it all next season:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Texas A&M swingman to enter transfer portal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It finally fended off UConn to capture its second national championship and first since 1989.

The injured but courageous Yaxel Lendeborg came through on his promise to the Fab Five to win the national championship in their honor.

And when the buzzer sounded, ending the Wolverines’ 69-63 grind-it-out national title game victory over the gritty Huskies, it also ended the Big Ten’s men’s basketball hardware drought that stretched back over a quarter-century.

That’s right. A Big Ten men’s basketball team hadn’t won a national championship since the year 2000, when a much younger Tom Izzo led Michigan State to the crown. It had been that long for a proud basketball conference that has been doing nothing but winning national titles in football recently.

There was Michigan football winning it all in 2023, followed by Ohio State in 2024 and Indiana last season.

But in men’s basketball, all the glory (and confetti) had run dry since those Spartans got it done 26 years ago.

Until Michigan outlasted UConn on Monday night, and created these vibes:

Like that social media post said, these Wolverines could feel it, alright. And it was a championship feeling over 25 years in the making for a conference that likes to boast about titles.

Finally, Michigan has another crown in men’s basketball and, finally, the Big Ten can boast about a championship in men’s basketball.

The post Michigan basketball finally ends Big Ten title drought after more than 25 years appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Carey told On3 of his intentions to head elsewhere for the 2026-27 season. The 6-foot-8 junior was a key contributor for a Rick Barnes team that became the third straight Volunteers squad to advance to the Elite Eight. Carey averaged 7.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this past season, which ended with the Vols falling to Michigan in the Midwest Region final.

He’ll have 1 more year of eligibility left after a collegiate career that’s already been a whirlwind. Carey spent his freshman season at James Madison before transferring to Vanderbilt for his sophomore campaign. When that was over, he headed to SEC in-state rival Tennessee for his junior year, and now Carey appears to be headed for a 4th destination in 4 years of college basketball.



Carey’s looming transfer would already be the 5th Tennessee player to enter the portal, as Barnes faces a big challenge in replacing a ton of talent for next season. He can add Carey to the list after he made 37 appearances and 8 starts for the Volunteers this past season. Carey averaged 18.5 minutes per game.

Tennessee’s frontcourt is taking a particular hit, with Carey joining JP Estrella and Cade Phillips on the way out of Knoxville.

Carey played his high school basketball at Westminster Academy in Florida, and after 3 programs in 3 years during his college career, he has another decision to make about where he’ll end up next season.

Tennessee fell just short of making the Final Four for the third straight year, falling to Michigan, which is facing UConn right now with a chance to win it all in Indianapolis. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for that battle on Monday night:

The post Tennessee loses another frontcourt member to the transfer portal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The 6-foot-4 guard will apparently be heading elsewhere for the 2026-27 season after playing in 33 games and making 14 starts for Dennis Gates’ team this past season. Barrett, a former in-state standout at Link Academy in Branson, averaged 8.6 points, 3.0 assists and 2.7 rebounds per contest for the Tigers, helping them earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Barrett was also a clever defender for Mizzou, averaging 1.2 steals per game this season, which apparently will be his last in Columbia. He played in 22.8 minutes per game for this season’s Tigers, who were eliminated in the first round of the tournament by Miami.

A member of the Class of 2024, Barrett committed to Mizzou way back in the summer of 2023, so he made up his mind early in the process that he was going to stay in the state of Missouri. Barrett was a 3-star product during his recruiting cycle.

During his freshman season at Mizzou, Barrett appeared in 19 games and averaged just 1.9 points per game, so he made a big jump in every way during his sophomore season. Now, the college basketball world and the SEC awaits what destination Barrett will choose for his junior season.

Mizzou made it to this year’s NCAA Tournament, getting knocked out in the first round. But there are 2 teams right now battling in Indianapolis for all the marbles, with a shot at the national title. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for who will be left standing late Monday night:

The post TO Barrett, Mizzou guard, announces plans for 2026-27 season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The 6-foot-6, 215-pounder from Sarasota, Fla., told On3’s Hayes Fawcett of his timeline intentions. The 4-star signal caller’s announcement in a few days has the supreme attention of the SEC football world, with a list of the conference’s programs going hard after Davidson.

The SEC roll call of schools who are after Davidson begins with Mississippi State and Kentucky, but it certainly doesn’t end there. Other SEC programs in the mix for a commitment from Davidson include Florida and Auburn, with Georgia also having a shot to land Davidson.

Notre Dame and Virginia Tech are 2 other programs to watch out for as Davidson’s decision day on Thursday looms, along with that slew of SEC schools.

The Cardinal Mooney standout in Sarasota has the glossy 4-star rating and, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Davidson is currently rated as the 154th-best player in the Class of 2027. Davidson is also the 13th-ranked quarterback and the 15th-ranked player from the state of Florida, according to those 247Sports Composite rankings.

In just a few days, that long list of suitors, including all those SEC programs, will know where Davidson is heading to start his college career in 2027.

Davidson’s decision ultimately doesn’t affect college football until the 2027 season, but there are a host of top teams gunning to make the College Football Playoff in 2026. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about those elite programs in the mix to be in the Playoff come December:

Prediction Markets

College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Notre Dame

88%

Ohio St.

79%

Oregon

76%

Georgia

70%

Texas Tech

70%

Texas

69%

Indiana

67%

Miami (FL)

65%

LSU

45%

Ole Miss

40%

Predict

The post Class of 2027 SEC target out of Florida sets official commitment date appeared first on Saturday Down South.

While the freshman who was born down the road from Lexington in Georgetown, Ky., intends to test the draft waters this spring, he’s also going to maintain his college eligibility. That means if Moreno doesn’t like what his draft status looks like, he can come back to the college game for his sophomore season.

And if the 7-foot, 250-pounder does come back to college, he wished to make 1 thing clear in a passionate message on his Instagram — he’ll be returning to Kentucky if things don’t work out with his draft intentions.

“If I’m back in college next season, it’ll be right here with Big Blue Nation,” wrote Moreno on Instagram.

Here is Moreno’s full Instagram message to Kentucky fans on Monday:

Moreno played in all 36 games for the Wildcats this past season, averaging 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He also shot an impressive 58.2% from the field during his freshman season in Lexington, which could also be his final one at UK or, just maybe, it won’t be.

Time will tell on that hot topic, which was part of the point of Moreno’s social media message on Monday.

While Kentucky fell short this season of playing for another national title, there are 2 teams waiting to clash on Monday night in Indianapolis for all the marbles, and here is what the Kalshi market currently says about the odds for who will win it all:

The post Malachi Moreno declares for NBA Draft, sends message to Kentucky fans regarding future appeared first on Saturday Down South.

And just when it looked like Auburn had gathered itself, refocused and was about to hang a banner on the Plains with an NIT championship, it suffered an epic second-half meltdown on Sunday night against Tulsa that threatened to throw away that dream, too.

But everything changed at the end of regulation for the Tigers in Indianapolis, when after Elyjah Freeman made the second of 2 free throw attempts to cut Auburn’s deficit to 3, Tulsa committed the cardinal sin in the closing seconds. With the Golden Hurricane’s win probability still a robust 95.3% after Freeman’s free throw, according to the ESPN play-by-play, Tulsa failed to even inbound the ball, being called for a 5-second violation.

There were still 8 seconds left and naturally Auburn made Tulsa pay the ultimate price, with Kevin Overton drilling a 3-point dagger to tie the game at 78. When the Golden Hurricane missed a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer, overtime was needed, the whole vibe changed and the Tigers were suddenly in charge of the momentum meter.

That vibe carried into overtime, as Auburn dominated those final 5 minutes, helped by yet another Overton 3-point dagger, to dance off with a 92-86 victory and an NIT championship trophy to cherish forever. The Tigers didn’t get their shot in the NCAA Tournament with their mediocre 17-16 overall record on Selection Sunday, but their second opportunity in the NIT brought another chance at glory, which they seized in stunning fashion.

Auburn blew a 17-point halftime lead and looked dead in the water in the dying seconds of regulation, but Overton was there to rescue the Tigers and send it to overtime with this stunning 3-pointer from the right corner off an inbound pass from Tahaad Pettiford. Overton didn’t hesitate, drilling the shot that changed everything on Sunday night.

The Tigers only trailed at the very beginning of overtime after Tulsa (30-8) scored the first 2 points of the extra session. It was all Auburn after that, with Sebastian Williams-Adams’ 2 free throws giving the Tigers the lead for good at 84-82. After another Golden Hurricane turnover, Pettiford’s layup made it a 4-point lead, and then came Overton’s 3-pointer shortly thereafter with 2:06 left in OT that gave Auburn some breathing room with a 5-point cushion.

Auburn’s lead never got below 3 points, as it just wouldn’t be denied in turning that 17-16 record into a 22-16 season-ending mark that came complete with a trophy at the finish line. It wasn’t an NCAA Tournament trophy, like the one the Tigers got close to last year in getting to the Final Four. But it was a trophy nonetheless for Steven Pearl in his first year as head coach after replacing his legendary coaching dad, Bruce Pearl, who was sitting courtside on Sunday night rooting on Auburn with Tigers basketball legend Charles Barkley.

Of course, Overton led the Tigers in scoring on this magical night with 26 points in 42 brilliant minutes, while Pettiford finished with 24 points and 8 assists in 43 minutes.

Williams-Adams chipped in 13 points off the bench for Auburn, which showed the ultimate recovery power late in regulation after that second-half meltdown looked like it was going to be it for these Tigers. Tulsa got 25 points from David Green, but it shot just 6 of 26 from 3-point range, which helped do the Golden Hurricane in by game’s end.

It was ultimately Auburn’s night, and it was Auburn’s NIT.

While Auburn and Tulsa battled it out for the NIT title, UConn and Michigan will square off on Monday night in Indianapolis for the national championship. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for the final 2 teams standing for the biggest trophy of all:

The post Auburn pulls off miracle late rally, turns back Tulsa in overtime thriller to win NIT championship appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The South Carolina women’s basketball coach didn’t win that 4th championship of her illustrious time in Columbia, as the Gamecocks fell and fell hard to UCLA, 79-51, in a national title game beatdown in Phoenix.

Afterward, during a somber postgame press conference, Staley was asked to rehash the Geno Auriemma controversy that stemmed from Friday night’s skirmish after South Carolina had eliminated Auriemma’s UConn team in the national semifinals. Staley and Auriemma, the 2 women’s basketball coaching legends, had some words as they came together when the game ended and had to be separated.

It’s sparked a few days of massive attention, as South Carolina tried to regroup and go win a national title on Sunday. On Saturday, during her off day press conference, Staley sidestepped a question from a reporter about Auriemma issuing an apology to South Carolina over his actions the previous night.

“For me, no distractions at this time,” Staley said. “Concentrating on a national championship.”

And on Sunday, when a reporter asked again about the Auriemma ordeal, Staley again sidestepped the issue, this time because she didn’t want to take away from the championship that UCLA had just earned.

Telling reporters that she hadn’t heard from Auriemma, Staley quickly changed gears, saying: “But let’s keep it UCLA, them winning the national championship. Again, I will address all of that at another time. It’s not this weekend. We’re not gonna dampen UCLA’s day with it.”

And with that, the Staley-Auriemma sideshow was left to be continued on another day, to be determined by when Staley chooses to address it. Sunday was UCLA’s day in the sun, and Staley wasn’t about to rain on the Bruins’ parade.

The post Dawn Staley declines to address Geno Auriemma controversy appeared first on Saturday Down South.

But on the off day in between Saturday night’s national semifinals and Monday night’s national championship game, there were other topics in the sport to talk about. One of them is the coaching search that has gotten huge attention over the past couple weeks, since North Carolina fired Hubert Davis and started sifting through a ton of top names in the college world as well as the NBA.

Speaking of the NBA, that’s where Goodman focused his attention during Sunday’s report on North Carolina’s coaching saga. The NBA is where Billy Donovan resides right now, with the former Florida coaching legend leading the Chicago Bulls. Donovan won 2 national titles in Gainesville in 2006 and 2007, building his legend at Florida until 2015, when he left for the NBA. Donovan coached the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2015-20 before starting his run in Chicago the next season.

Goodman believes that run in the NBA could be ending because North Carolina is squarely focused on Donovan right now as it potentially tries to lure him back to the college game. During a roundtable discussion Sunday on a number of topics, Goodman revealed where UNC is right now and who that focus is on.

“North Carolina is now solely focusing its effort on Billy Donovan. They’re going to go hard after him, per sources. They expect to know more in the next 24 hours,” Goodman said.

With North Carolina’s coaching search continuing, the Kalshi market has weighed in with its current odds on the top candidates to ultimately land the illustrious position in Chapel Hill:

The post College basketball insider reveals North Carolina’s ‘sole focus’ for next head coach appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Then the Sooners fell apart in overtime, and their dreams of winning the second annual College Basketball Crown evaporated in a sea of West Virginia points. After Oklahoma scored the first 6 points of overtime to take an 82-76 lead, the Sooners took their foot off the gas pedal and went in reverse, and the Mountaineers stormed back.

They scored the next 13 points of the game, which also happened to be the last 13 points of the game, to prevail 89-82 in a CBC championship game that was full of runs on either side.

Oklahoma basketball social media was ready for a coronation, but instead had to post the final score without any emotion after the dust settled in Vegas:

Nijel Pack’s driving layup with 3:19 remaining in overtime gave Oklahoma that 6-point cushion, and everything seemed to be falling into place for the Sooners. According to ESPN’s play-by-play winning percentage probability, Oklahoma had an 82.5% chance to be holding that championship trophy after Pack put the Sooners up 6 in OT.

But West Virginia roared back, scoring the next 6 points to square things at 82-82 with just a few minutes left in overtime.

Honor Huff’s 3-pointer tied the game for West Virginia, and then the Mountaineers from the Big 12 zoomed past their former conference rival to own the day and steal that championship trophy.

Jasper Floyd’s 27-foot 3-pointer with 1:23 left in OT gave West Virginia an 85-82 lead, and the Mountaineers tacked on the last 4 points of the game as Oklahoma’s offense completely fell apart with the championship win in its grasp.

Once the teams got to overtime, the last 5 minutes of the game were completely unorthodox, just like the first 40 minutes of this title game battle were.

The Sooners finished an up-and-down season at 21-16, while West Virginia ended up at 21-14 with a shiny championship trophy to take back to Morgantown.

Oklahoma fell short despite shooting 53% from the field, with Pack leading the way as he usually did this season for the Sooners. Pack finished with 24 points and 7 assists in 44 exhausting minutes, playing all but 1 minute of Sunday’s battle.

Meanwhile, Huff poured in a game-high 38 points, shooting 8 of 15 from 3-point territory, which was part of Oklahoma’s 3-point barrage. The Sooners went 15 of 33 from long distance, and in overtime they were just too much for the suddenly stagnant Sooners.

Oklahoma was playing for a title on Sunday in Las Vegas, and on Monday night there will be 2 teams playing for the national championship in Indianapolis. Here is what the Kalshi market currently sees for the odds on the Michigan-UConn showdown for all the marbles:

The post Oklahoma falls to West Virginia in OT thriller in CBC title game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It’s a whole new world in a whole different part of the country for the former Tennessee head baseball coach, and on Sunday during a home game against the New York Mets, Vitello got to experience something in the big leagues for the very first time.

He got to experience the frustration and intensity of being thrown out of a Major League Baseball game.

It happened during the bottom of the 7th inning, with his Giants leading the Mets, 2-1. There was 1 out, nobody on base, and the first pitch was coming from New York right-hander Huascar Brazoban. The pitch was chopped meekly by San Francisco’s Jerar Encarnacion to the third-base side of the pitcher’s mound. Brazoban fielded the ball and fired to first base, with his throw getting away from the first baseman despite it being somewhat on target and the Giants TV announcers thinking that Encarnacion had reached base safely on an error.

Not so fast.

The umpires ruled that Encarnacion had left the runner’s lane on his sprint to first base and because of that they ruled him out.

Here is the video of the controversial call that fired up Vitello and ultimately led to a big argument and his first ejection as Giants manager:

Vitello, who coached Tennessee from 2018-25 and led the Vols to a national championship in 2024, was sent to the showers early on Sunday. Making matters worse, the Giants’ 2-1 lead evaporated during a 4-run 8th inning by the Mets, who won the game 5-2.

So, it was a forgettable afternoon all around in San Francisco for Vitello, with the loss piled onto the ejection. But it didn’t take long for Vitello to get his first MLB ejection out of the way, in the 10th game of his first season as Giants manager.

Vitello isn’t at Tennessee anymore, but this season’s Volunteers are trying to do what Vitello did in Knoxville, which was lead the program to glory at the College World Series. Here is what the Kalshi market currently says about Tennessee and other top teams in the mix to prevail in Omaha in June:

Prediction Markets

College Baseball D1 Champion?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

UCLA

17%

Georgia Tech

12%

Texas

11%

North Carolina

6%

Georgia

6%

Mississippi St.

5%

Arkansas

4%

Auburn

4%

LSU

2%

Tennessee

2%

Predict

The post Tony Vitello earns first ejection with San Francisco Giants for fiery response to ump appeared first on Saturday Down South.