UK trailed Vanderbilt 2-1 in the bottom of the 9th inning. The Wildcats loaded the bases, but had 2 outs when Van Cleave came to the plate. On a 1-1 pitch, he hit a walk-off grand slam for the first home run of his career.

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DID WE JUST SEE THAT?????!!!!

FRESHMAN @Braxton_VC WITH A WALK-OFF, TWO OUT GRAND SLAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VICTORY, KENTUCKY!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/DNB7NrzEby

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) April 18, 2026

RELATED: Sports betting is live in the state of Kentucky! Get in on the action today using this BetMGM bonus code from SDS!

Though the walk-off is the big story, especially being a grand slam, it was a fantastic pitching night for both teams, as evidenced by the 2-1 score through 8.5 innings.

Kentucky‘s Jaxon Jelkin was in danger of being the losing pitcher despite a quality outing. Jelkin pitched 8 innings, facing 31 batters. He gave up 2 runs, both earned, on 6 hits while striking out 9 and only walking 1. Vanderbilt had 4 of its 6 hits and both of its runs in the first 3 innings before Jelkin cruised through the next 5 frames.

UK made a pitching change for the 9th inning. Nile Adcock picked up the win for a scoreless top of the 9th.

Vanderbilt starter Connor Fennell went 6.1 innings, earning a no-decision. He allowed 1 earned run on 5 hits, striking out 3 and walking 2. Tim Corbin went with Tyler Baird in relief. Baird struck out 5 over 2.1 IP, but allowed 4 hits in the bottom of the 9th, including the grand slam to end the game.

The Wildcats will go for the series on Saturday, with first pitch set for 2 p.m. ET and streaming on SEC Network+.

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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 Kentucky beats Vanderbilt on walk-off grand slam to take series opener appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Tigers were in the position to win because of a big night from Mason McCraine. He went 2-for-5 on the night with both hits being home runs, accounting for 3 RBIs.

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McCraine’s first home run came when he took advantage of an at-bat he wasn’t supposed to get. In the top of the 4th inning, Brandon McCraine, Mason’s brother, stepped to the plate with a runner on second base and 2 outs. Brandon hit an infield pop-up, but Florida third baseman Kolt Myers missed it. Since it was 2 outs, E Bingaman was running the whole time from second base, and scored with the ball landing fair.

Take 'em however you can get 'em.

We're tied at two. pic.twitter.com/2gnyNVhXay

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) April 17, 2026

Mason McCraine took full advantage of the gifted at-bat, and hit a 2-run homer to swing the gam 4-2 in Auburn’s favor.

Going … going … GONE! @mccraine_mason makes 'em pay! pic.twitter.com/kOEeDr9u5A

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) April 17, 2026

McCraine entered the game with just 1 home run on the season and tripled his total for 2026 with a second dinger in the top of the 6th, making it 5-3.

Have a night, @mccraine_mason!

He smacks one to straightaway CF! pic.twitter.com/az2blKSgFj

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) April 17, 2026

Auburn starter Jake Marciano went 4 innings, allowing 3 runs but only 1 was earned due to fielding issues in the 3rd inning when the Gators scored 2. Jackson Sanders was the winning pitcher, tossing 4.1 shutout innings in relief, allowing only 1 hit and striking out 6 while walking 5. In the 9th, Butch Thompson called on Ryan Hetzler to get the final 2 outs, which came in dramatic fashion after Florida loaded the bases.

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED!

Guevara Rembert Madrigal pic.twitter.com/whXAh3OyfF

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) April 18, 2026

Game 3 will decide the series on Saturday. First pitch is set for noon ET with the game airing on ESPN2.

Who will win it all this year? Predict the college baseball national champion on Kalshi!

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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 picks up thrilling Game 2 win over Florida to even series appeared first on Saturday Down South.

AU calls it the largest and most significant capital project in Auburn Athletics and Jordan-Hare Stadium history. Friday’s announcement notes that the project’s multi-use design for the facility will be geared toward not only the student experience and football gamedays, but a 365-day activation.

The Jordan-Hare North project includes more than 3,000 new premium seating and club experiences. It will also expand campus dining options with the introduction of Shug’s Food Hall and conference and event spaces, retail venues, student activity spaces, and meeting rooms.

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Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

Shug’s Food Hall will use Auburn’s old north end zone scoreboard, set to the time and score before the legendary Kick Six.

Auburn University announced upgrades to Jordan-Hare Stadium’s north end zone including the new Shug’s Food Hall — a modern food court which will feature Auburn’s old scoreboard from the north end zone on the ceiling.

The scoreboard will include the final seconds and score… pic.twitter.com/BS1nXp1uHi

— Auburn Tigers | AL.com (@aldotcomTigers) April 17, 2026

The food hall won’t be the only reference to one of the most celebrated plays in Auburn football history. The project includes the Kick Six Field Suites and the Kick Six Field Club, among the numerous new seating options.

Introducing the Kick Six Field Suites.

Steps from the action—private indoor suite, adjacent terrace, and access to a shared club lounge. Built for energy, flexibility, and connection at field level. pic.twitter.com/TmRuUlHGYz

— Auburn Tigers (@AuburnTigers) April 17, 2026

Introducing the Kick Six Field Suites.

Steps from the action—private indoor suite, adjacent terrace, and access to a shared club lounge. Built for energy, flexibility, and connection at field level. pic.twitter.com/TmRuUlHGYz

— Auburn Tigers (@AuburnTigers) April 17, 2026

Construction on the new project begins this summer, ahead of Alex Golesh‘s first season, with full completion targeted for 2029.

“This is an unbelievable day for the Auburn Family. I want to thank the Board of Trustees, President Roberts and John Cohen for their leadership and vision in making this happen,” Golesh said via the program announcement. “The Jordan-Hare North Project will be an elite space that serves the entire Auburn community 365 days a year. Jordan-Hare is the best gameday environment in the country, and this project is going to take that experience to a completely different level. It’s a great time to be an Auburn Tiger. War Eagle!”

The post Auburn announces approval of massive Jordan-Hare North project appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Ah’Mari Stevens originally pledged to play for the Miami Hurricanes. He told Hayes Fawcett of On3 that he is now committed to LSU.

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hayes Fawcett (@hayesfawcett3)

Out of Hollywood (Florida) Chaminade-Madonna High School, Stevens is listed at 6-feet and 170 pounds. On the 247Sports Composite, Stevens is rated 4-stars, the No. 32 player in the state of Florida, No. 42 wide receiver and No. 334 prospect overall in the Class of 2027.

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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

Stevens was an early commitment for Miami in the 2027 cycle. He pledged to the Hurricanes on Jan. 13, 2025. Since then, however, he other schools, including Texas, Georgia, Florida, continued to show interest.

There were signs that Stevens wasn’t sure to land in Coral Gables when he scheduled visits at LSU, Georgia and Texas. On Friday, he decided to announce his intentions to play for the Tigers.

With Stevens on board, LSU now has 3 commitments for 2027, the first full cycle for Lane Kiffin‘s staff. Fans can get a preview of what he brings to Baton Rouge by checking out his highlights in the video below, via Hudl:

The post LSU lands 2027 commitment from 4-star Florida WR previously pledged to Miami appeared first on Saturday Down South.

“Playing at Humphrey Coliseum has meant a lot to me,” Hubbard said in the video. “It’s very important to me in my life to play here for my home state in this arena. Growing up seeing all the highlights that’s happened in this arena, it’s definitely just been a blessing.

“The kind of memories I’ve made in Starkville will last a lifetime, with friends, family. Here in Starkville, the connections I’ve built, it’s just been a full circle moment for me and my family. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support over the years. Spending your money on tickets and just supporting us, you know, wins or loss, no matter what happens, being behind (us), (having) our back.

“With that being said, let’s call 12 one more time. Let’s run it back. With that being said, let’s call (No.) 12 one more time. Let’s run it back.”

finishing what i started pic.twitter.com/i7NPEpDF2o

— Josh Hubbard (@jhubb_3) April 17, 2026

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Hubbard has been Mississippi State’s top scorer in all 3 seasons with the Bulldogs. In 2025-26, Hubbard posted the highest average of his career, 22.1 points per game.

Though Hubbard was spectacular, it was a rough year for the Bulldogs as a whole. MSU posted a record of 13-19 this past season, missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time under Chris Jans.

Had Hubbard entered the transfer portal, plenty of teams would have been lining up to add the prolific scorer. We’ll see if Mississippi State can take advantage of returning one of the SEC’s most productive players and get things back on track in 2026-27.

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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 Mississippi State star Josh Hubbard announces plans for 2026-27 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have traded the former LSU Tiger. He joins the Atlanta Falcons in a direct swap of defensive tackles, with Ruke Orhorhoro taking his place in Jacksonville.

Sources: the Falcons are trading DT Ruke Orhorhoro to the Jaguars in exchange for DT Maason Smith. pic.twitter.com/SVKnpeBPJx

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 17, 2026

Smith is entering his third professional season. He was selected by the Jaguars with the No. 48 overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

As a rookie, Smith played in 11 games for Jacksonville, making 5 starts. He recorded 17 total tackles in his professional debut season, including 3 sacks. Smith also added 3 passes defended to his rookie stats.

Last year, Smith played in more games (13), but he only started in 2 games. He recorded 15 total tackles, but without any sacks or TFLs. Smith had 1 pass breakup in his second NFL season.

Smith, from Houma, Louisiana, played 3 seasons with the Tigers. He was named Freshman All-SEC in 2021.

What’s in store for Smith and the Falcons next season? Prediction market Kalshi is taking early action on the NFC South division winner!

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Tampa Bay

31%

New Orleans

28%

Carolina

24%

Atlanta

21%

Predict

The post Former LSU DT Maason Smith traded to new NFL team, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Thursday, Mike Band shared his 2.0 mock draft at NFL.com. He has 9 SEC players going in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Here’s what Band is currently projecting:

• LSU CB Mansoor Delane — No. 8 (New Orleans Saints)
• Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy — No. 10 (Cincinnati Bengals)
• Auburn edge Keldric Faulk — No. 15 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
• Georgia OT Monroe Freeling — No. 17 (Detroit Lions)
• Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor — No. 20 (Cleveland Browns)
• Texas A&M OG Chase Bisontis — No. 22 (Los Angeles Chargers)
• Tennessee CB Colton Hood — No. 24 (Dallas Cowboys via trade with Jacksonville Jaguars)
• Mizzou edge Zion Young — No. 25 (Chicago Bears)
• Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion — No. 30 (Miami Dolphins)

If Band’s mock is accurate, Round 1 will have a bit of a different feel for SEC fans this year. When it comes to SEC alumni, Band sees primarily defenders and offensive linemen hearing their names called in the first 32 picks. He notably projects only one offensive skill position player (Concepcion) from the SEC as a first-rounder pick this year.

We’re one week away from seeing how things play out. The 2026 NFL Draft is being held in Pittsburgh.

Who’s going in the top 10? Make a prediction today on Kalshi!

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Fernando Mendoza

99%

Arvell Reese

98%

David Bailey

97%

Jeremiyah Love

96%

Sonny Styles

92%

Carnell Tate

80%

Caleb Downs

80%

Rueben Bain Jr.

63%

Francis Mauigoa

62%

Mansoor Delane

53%

Predict

The post 9 SEC players featured in Mike Band’s latest mock draft for NFL.com appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Robinson, a native of Tallahassee, Florida, has decided to transfer to Florida State for the 2026-27 season. His agents shared the news with Joe Tipton of On3. Mizzou coach Dennis Gates was an FSU assistant coach from 2011-19 before taking the Cleveland State head coaching job.

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NEWS: Missouri transfer guard Anthony Robinson II has committed to Florida State, his agent Alex Ersoff of 3V Group tells @On3.

The 6-3 junior and Tallahassee native averaged 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game this season. Was SEC All-Defensive Team… pic.twitter.com/IpyfDQSKDS

— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 16, 2026

Robinson spent 3 seasons with the Tigers. He was recognized as a member of the SEC All-Defensive Team for the 2024-25 season.

This past season, Robinson was one of four Tigers to appear in all 33 games. A 19-game starter, Robinson was MU’s fourth best scorer with 8.9 points per game. He was third on the team in assists with 3 per game.

In 2024-25, Robinson started 31 times, making 33 appearances on the year. He averaged 9 points per game, good for fourth on the team. He led the Tigers in assists with 3.5 per game, posting a 2.04 assist-to-turnover ratio, which ranked seventh in the conference.

As a freshman, Robinson played 13.4 minutes per game over 30 appearances. He was the first MU freshman to lead the team in steals (38, 1.3 per game) since the 2015-16 season. Robinson also averaged 3.9 points per game.

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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 Mizzou transfer guard Anthony Robinson II commits to ACC program appeared first on Saturday Down South.

We’re in Week 10 of the college baseball season and beginning the second half of conference play as we enter the sixth week of the SEC slate. After the first 5 weeks of conference action, the SEC is looking like it will be well-represented in the postseason once again. Ten SEC teams are currently ranked in the D1Baseball Top 25, and a few unranked squads are also projected to make the NCAA Tournament field of 64.

The SEC has claimed the last 6 national championships dating back to 2019. Will a conference team make it 7 in a row? Predict this year’s College World Series winner on Kalshi!

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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 8 series to be played Thursday-Saturday and Friday-Sunday feature some exciting matchups. We previewed the series and assigned them watchability ratings.

Auburn at Florida (Thursday-Saturday)

The Tigers head to Gainesville this weekend. Here’s what you need to know:

Auburn at a glance:

• Overall record: 25-11
• Road record: 3-4
• SEC record: 8-7
• Last SEC series: 2-1 vs. Kentucky
• RPI: No. 8

Florida at a glance:

• Overall record: 27-11
• Home record: 17-7
• SEC record: 9-6
• Last SEC series: 2-1 at Georgia
• RPI: No. 5

This should be a fun one in Gainesville. Series winners last week, Auburn and Florida both enter Thursday with notably higher RPIs (Nos. 5 and 8) than their top 25 rankings (No. 13 AU, No. 20 UF).

One of the most intriguing aspects about this matchup is that both teams are battle-tested. Auburn ranks No. 1 in strength of schedule, while Florida is right behind at No. 2. In addition to 5 weekends of SEC series, these teams have also faced notable nonconference opponents such as Florida State (Auburn, Florida), Georgia Tech (Auburn), Miami (Florida) and Nebraska (Auburn).

The big question is what to expect from Auburn on the road. AU is 3-4 in true road games, and those trips have varied between the SEC’s last-place team, Mizzou (3-0), and highly ranked Alabama (0-3) and Georgia Tech (0-1).

Florida is 17-7 at home this year, a solid mark but not without blemishes. One could say to ignore the midweek losses since the best starters are saved for the weekend, but most of Florida’s home losses are in weekend games against UAB (1), High Point (2) and Ole Miss (2).

Both teams are playing well in the SEC right now. Only one, though, can make it back-to-back series wins.

SDS watchability rating: Tape-measure power

Georgia at Arkansas (Thursday-Saturday)

The first-place Bulldogs head to Fayetteville trying to get back on track after losing last weekend’s series:

Georgia at a glance:

• Overall record: 30-8
• Road record: 6-1
• SEC record: 11-4
• Last SEC series: 1-2 vs. Florida
• RPI: No. 20

Arkansas at a glance:

• Overall record: 25-13
• Home record: 15-8
• SEC record: 8-7
• Last SEC series: 3-0 at Alabama
• RPI: No. 34

Georgia was (pardon the pun) top dog in the first half of SEC play. At 11-4, UGA is 2 wins ahead of anyone else. Wes Johnson’s team was also the first SEC squad to crack 30 wins on the year. Despite those feats, the Bulldogs enter this series in bounce-back mode.

Last weekend, Georgia dropped its first SEC series of the year when it was upset by Florida in Athens. Most surprising is that the Dawgs’ big bats were held homerless in their own ballpark.

Arkansas, on the other hand, made a statement with a sweep of a then-top-10 Alabama team in Tuscaloosa. The Razorbacks are looking to keep the momentum rolling and further extend a winning streak that has reached 5 games.

Despite UGA’s recent stumble, having the SEC leader come to Baum-Walker Stadium will still make for an electric atmosphere. The Hogs are solid at home (15-8), but the environment won’t faze the Bulldogs. Two weeks ago, UGA went into Dudy Noble Field and swept Mississippi State.

SDS watchability rating: Tape-measure power

Vanderbilt at Kentucky

One of these teams will be over .500 in league play at the end of the weekend:

Vanderbilt at a glance:

• Overall record: 22-16
• Road record: 2-5
• SEC record: 7-8
• Last SEC series: 1-2 vs. Oklahoma
• RPI: No. 94

Kentucky at a glance:

• Overall record: 25-10
• Home record: 16-3
• SEC record: 7-8
• Last SEC series: 1-2 at Auburn
• RPI: No. 19

It’s not every day you see 2 SEC teams have the same conference record and be 75 places apart in RPI. But that’s the case with Vanderbilt and Kentucky.

The Vandy Boys are having a tough time playing outside their home ballpark. Not only are the Commodores 2-5 in true road games, they also have a 1-5 record in trips to Arlington, Texas and Las Vegas for early-season neutral-site games. With such a weak RPI, Vanderbilt is currently off the NCAA Tournament radar in the last projections from D1Baseball and Baseball America.

Kentucky, meanwhile, is on track to make the field of 64 if the Wildcats can keep the current pace and finish above 13-17 in SEC play. It would probably take a particularly strong finish for UK to enter the hosting conversation, as Baseball America currently projects Kentucky as the No. 29 overall seed, well south of being in the top 16 to host a Regional.

The Bat Cats have an impressive home record of 16-3. Both teams are in bounce-back mode, and Vandy figures to be especially desperate.

SDS watchability rating: Seeing-eye single

Ole Miss at Tennessee

A pivotal series for both squads will take place on Rocky Top this weekend:

Ole Miss at a glance:

• Overall record: 27-11
• Road record: 3-5
• SEC record: 8-7
• Last SEC series: 3-0 vs. LSU
• RPI: No. 10

Tennessee at a glance:

• Overall record: 25-12
• Home record: 18-6
• SEC record: 7-8
• Last SEC series: 3-0 at Mississippi State
• RPI: No. 29

Prepare for fireworks whenever Ole Miss and Tennessee meet, especially on the diamond. Adding to this weekend’s fun is that both teams have turned things around and enter this series fresh off sweeps.

The Rebels didn’t get off to a great start in SEC play, standing at 3-6 after being swept in Oxford by rival Mississippi State. Since then, however, things have started to click.

Mike Bianco’s squad is one of the hottest teams in the conference, going 8-2 in its last 10 games. That recent hot streak includes going 5-1 against Florida and LSU, as well as a win over a ranked Southern Miss team.

What a difference a week makes for Tennessee. The Vols were 4-8 through 4 SEC series and looked to be in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament. Josh Elander’s team is back on track at 7-8 after a big sweep of Mississippi State at Dudy Noble Field.

Tennessee has a solid home record of 18-6, but the Vols went just 1-2 to LSU in the last series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The Rebels are 3-5 on the road, but will be playing with plenty of confidence after the recent series win at Florida.

SDS watchability rating: Over the wall

Mississippi State at South Carolina

Two programs trending in opposite directions after last weekend:

Mississippi State at a glance:

• Overall record: 27-10
• Road record: 5-3
• SEC record: 7-8
• Last SEC series: 0-3 vs. Tennessee
• RPI: No. 23

South Carolina at a glance:

• Overall record: 19-19
• Home record: 15-9
• SEC record: 5-10
• Last SEC series: 3-0 at Mizzou
• RPI: No. 75

It’s not often a team may find itself excited to hit the road, but that might be the case for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs started the year as one of the top SEC squads, but Brian O’Connor’s team is sitting in the middle of the pack and trending downward after back-to-back home sweeps.

Though things have been quite rough lately, there are plenty of reasons for MSU to avoid panicking just yet. Mississippi State has a strong overall record and solid RPI, so 7-8 through the first 15 SEC games is on track for the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs, though, didn’t want to just make the tournament. They wanted to get back to Omaha this year, and that’s not looking very likely at the moment.

South Carolina fired Paul Mainieri in March after starting 0-4 in SEC play. The coaching change didn’t fix all of SC’s issues, however, as the Gamecocks are .500 overall and 5-10 in conference contests. Three of South Carolina’s 5 SEC wins notably this past weekend against Mizzou, the Gamecocks’ first 3 true road victories of the year. Is South Carolina figuring things out, or was it just a good time to face Mizzou?

Outside of the above fanbases, external interest in following the outcomes of this series around the conference may be limited to some morbid curiosity to see which team is struggling. One would expect Mississippi State to get back on track and take out some recent frustrations. If the Bulldogs drop a third consecutive series, it’s time to hit the panic button.

SDS watchability rating: Bloop single

Texas A&M at LSU

LSU is running out of time to start looking like the preseason No. 1 team:

Texas A&M at a glance:

• Overall record: 28-7
• Road record: 4-3
• SEC record: 9-5
• Last SEC series: 2-0 vs. Texas
• RPI: No. 13

LSU at a glance:

• Overall record: 23-15
• Home record: 17-8
• SEC record: 6-9
• Last SEC series: 0-3 vs. Ole Miss
• RPI: No. 65

Both Texas A&M and LSU begin every season with high expectations. Ten weeks into 2026, they find themselves moving in opposite directions entering the second half of conference play.

The Aggies got to remind Jim Schlossnagle of what the homefield advantage is like at Olsen Field. It was shortened to only 2 games thanks to the weather in College Station, but A&M made a statement heard around the league, sweeping the Longhorns 2-0.

Michael Earley’s team has only played 7 true road games so far this year, making it tricky to know what to expect from the Aggies in a hostile road environment. Texas A&M is 4-3 in road games, having lost 2 at Oklahoma, sweeping Mizzou in Columbia and dropping a midweek game to Texas State.

For LSU, the pressure is on. At 6-9 in SEC play, the Tigers aren’t far off from meeting the 13-17 mark traditionally needed to make the NCAA Tournament. But Jay Johnson’s squad probably needs a better SEC showing down the stretch than simply 7-8. LSU’s RPI is No. 65. The Tigers need some resume wins against quality opponents, like A&M.

Having one of the SEC’s top teams visit Alex Box Stadium never disappoints.

SDS watchability rating: Over the wall

Mizzou at Oklahoma

Can the Tigers steal a game in Norman?

Mizzou at a glance:

• Overall record: 20-17
• Road record: 3-6
• SEC record: 3-12
• Last SEC series: 0-3 vs. South Carolina
• RPI: No. 116

Oklahoma at a glance:

• Overall record: 24-12
• Home record: 14-5
• SEC record: 7-8
• Last SEC series: 2-1 at Vanderbilt
• RPI: No. 17

Mizzou is playing better in Kerrick Jackson’s first season, but the Tigers are still having a tough time. The series win over Kentucky in Lexington was very impressive, but far too many series are still ending in sweeps, like last weekend against South Carolina. At 3-12 in SEC play, Mizzou doesn’t look like an NCAA Tournament team, but the Tigers might play spoiler now and then.

As the conference record suggests, it’s been an up-and-down Year 2 in the SEC for the Sooners. After getting off to a solid start, Oklahoma had a rough two-week stretch, going 1-5 against Texas and Alabama. The series skid ended by taking 2-of-3 at Vanderbilt, a good way to bounce back.

With OU at No. 17 in RPI, a lot is in play for the Sooners over the last five SEC series. It should be a resume-boosting weekend for the Sooners.

SDS watchability rating: Bloop single

Alabama at Texas

Both of these teams were swept last weekend. Who will bounce back?

Alabama at a glance:

• Overall record: 27-11
• Road record: 5-6
• SEC record: 8-7
• Last SEC series: 0-3 vs. Arkansas
• RPI: No. 4

Texas at a glance:

• Overall record: 28-7
• Home record: 20-2
• SEC record: 9-5
• Last SEC series: 0-2 at Texas A&M
• RPI: No. 2

Alabama and Texas went a combined 0-5 last weekend – and they’re still both sitting top-5 in RPI as of Thursday morning.

The Crimson Tide started SEC play by getting swept at Kentucky. Then they won 8-of-9 their next 9 conference games against Florida, Auburn and Oklahoma. So, how will UA respond after being swept at home by Arkansas?

Texas has proven nearly impossible to beat in Austin with a 20-2 record at Disch-Falk Field this season. Only Ole Miss and Tarleton State have defeated the Longhorns on their home field. The Rebels needed 11 innings to secure a 1-run win (9-8). Tarleton State won in a midweek game, which SEC fans know can be a bit fluky.

Neither team has dropped back-to-back series in 2026, but it’s about to happen to one of them.

SDS watchability rating: Over the wall

RPI via Warren Nolan

The post SEC Baseball Preview: Watchability ratings for every Week 10 series (April 16-19) appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Kansas forward is transferring to Mizzou. He announced the news in a social media post.

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Tiller, from Atlanta, signed with KU as part of the 2024 class. He enrolled in January 2025, using his redshirt for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

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As a redshirt freshman, Tiller started 31 of the last 32 games of the 2025-26, only missing the Senior Day game. For the season, he averaged 7.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game over 35 appearances. He was also second on the team with 45 blocked shots.

Tiller was a starter in the most recent Border War clash. Playing 27 minutes, Tiller scored 13 points against the Tigers on 4-of-5 shooting from the field and 5-of-8 at the free-throw line. Tiller added 5 rebounds and 5 blocked shots, his season-high, in the game.

We only recently closed the book on the 2025-26 college basketball season, but there are already markets for next year’s national champion! Make a prediction today at Kalshi!

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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 Mizzou lands commitment from Kansas transfer forward appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to The Guardian, a criminal information document indicating Davis has agreed to a plea deal, state that he and CJ Evins, “obtained at least thirteen fraudulent loans totaling more than $19,845,000.” The Guardian’s article states that the CI document lists 3 of 13 loans.

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Davis and Evins are said to have impersonated Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku in a loan for $4.025 million, Green Bay Packers defensive back Xavier McKinney in a loan for $4.35 million and Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. in a loan for $3.3 million.

“Beginning no later than in or around May 2023 and continuing through in or about October 2024, the defendant, Luther Davis, and CJ Evins, executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in loans from multiple lenders, including, but not limited to, Aliya Sports and All Pro Capital Funding, by impersonating professional football players and falsely claiming those players were seeking multi-million dollar Loans,” federal prosecutors stated in the charges against Davis and Evins.

Davis and Evins’ scheme reportedly had several stages. The pair would register at the Georgia Secretary of State companies with names closely related to the impersonated player’s name or initials. They then would open bank accounts for the fake companies and also create related email accounts.

The next step involved obtaining fake identification documents. Upon contacting loan brokers, the duo would provide fraudulent documents, including fabricated personal financial statements and bank statements for the fake companies. Davis, per prosecutors, appeared at virtual loan closings using wigs and makeup to disguise himself as the athletes he was impersonating.

“Unbeknownst to the broker and the lender, none of the players who were supposedly receiving the loans attended any of these closings,” the criminal information document reads, per The Guardian. “Rather, defendant Davis dressed in disguise and impersonated the players, providing fake identification documents to convince the notary.”

Davis was part of Nick Saban‘s 2007 class at Alabama. He played 4 seasons for the Crimson Tide, helping UA win the BCS national championship for the 2009 season.

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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 Former Alabama player charged with fraud for allegedly impersonating multiple NFL players in loan scam appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Georgia transfer will reportedly continue his career playing for John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks. ESPN’s Jeff Borzello reported the decision, per sources, on Tuesday evening.

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BREAKING: Georgia transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson has committed to Arkansas, sources told ESPN. One of the best scorers in the portal, Wilkinson averaged 17.4 points as a sophomore this past season. Another big-time bucket-getter for John Calipari. pic.twitter.com/4QVbwUXwf6

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 15, 2026

Wilkinson, from Powder Springs, Georgia, began his collegiate career at Cal. A productive scorer, he earned ACC Sixth Man of the Year averaging 15.1 points per game over 32 contests, including 14 starts with the Golden Bears in 2024-25 before deciding to come back to the Peach State.

In 2025-26, Wilkinson was UGA’s leading scorer, averaging 17.4 points per game. He added 2 rebounds per game and 1.7 assists per game. For the season, Wilkinson played in 31 games, missing a couple of contests due to a shoulder injury. He started 21 games before the injury, and played off the bench over the final 8 games.

Highlights for Wilkinson include a 32-point game against Ole Miss. On Jan. 17 against Arkansas, Wilkinson scored 20 points over 32 minutes, shooting 7-of-16 from the field, including 4-of-10 from 3-point range.

Wilkinson elected to enter the transfer portal on March 30.

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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 Georgia transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson commits to SEC team, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

For coaches, there are pluses and minuses to the new rules. Speaking to the media, Pete Golding noted that the lack of a spring portal window places more emphasis on evaluations and building quality depth in case of injuries. The Ole Miss head coach, entering first full season after stepping into the role for the College Football Playoff, ultimately approves.

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“I think that was the biggest thing, that the old spring portal allowed you to do, if there was injuries or you took a guy that wasn’t who you thought he was, then you had the opportunity,” Golding told reporters, per Michael Katz.

“But I love the fact of, there’s not another period here where we’re negotiating and super concerned on losing players that you invested a lot in this short to the season. So, I’m a fan of it, obviously, but it did make sure that you really had to do a great job not only in the portal but also in your high school guys – who could we get in here early, as far as getting in in spring and seeing what they have so we have a good plan.”

On that note, Golding further explained that the lack of a looming portal window brought a different dynamic to spring practice.

“What I think it also allowed us to do is be a little more real during spring ball. I think last year, you’re really worried about, how do you manage the roster, and you’re not doing depth charts and all those things because a guy could get pissed off and leave at the end of April if he’s not thinking he’s the guy. So, it’s allowed them to self-assess a little bit and do a better job grading and tell them exactly where they’re at, and this is what they have to improve on because you know they can’t go anywhere, which I think is really important for everybody. So, I’m a fan of it.”

Asked Ole Miss HC Pete Golding his thoughts on the elimination of the spring portal window. While it creates some challenges, Golding is “a fan of it.”

It’s allowed coaches to be real with where players stand, Golding said, because they can’t leave if they don’t like the answer. pic.twitter.com/tNZI7Ctqr4

— Michael Katz (@MichaelLKatz) April 14, 2026

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College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

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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 Pete Golding explains how new portal rules made spring practice more ‘real’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After one season at Kentucky, the Arizona State transfer is on the move again. He told Kentucky Sports Radio on Tuesday that he has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft.

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He reflected on being a John Calipari recruit who began his career at ASU before transferring to UK for 2025-26.

“The last two years have been the most challenging and rewarding of my life,” Quaintance wrote in a note shared to KSR. “I experienced highs I could only dream of as a kid, and lows that are every athlete’s worst nightmare. Through it all, I learned so much about myself and grew as a man.

“My college journey didn’t end the way anyone hoped, but I’m thankful for the unwavering support along the way. Thank you to Coach Cal for taking a chance on me out of high school, and Bobby Hurley and Mark Pope for believing in me and preparing me for this moment.

“My full-circle experience with Kentucky has been the opportunity of a lifetime. I still remember that roar at Rupp Arena after I signed in 2024, and seeing it through with the St. John’s win in Catlanta for my first game back is something I’ll always cherish.

“Like you, I wanted more, but I hope Big Blue Nation continues to support me as I chase my dreams. I’ll always bleed blue and proudly represent the Wildcats. With that being said, I’d like to announce that I will be entering the 2026 NBA Draft!”

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Quaintance was limited to just 4 games during the 2025-26 season as he dealt with a knee injury. As referenced in his note, he made his Kentucky debut in the St. John’s game. He made his lone start of the season against Mizzou.

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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 Jayden Quaintance formally declares for the 2026 NBA Draft appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After 2 seasons at Florida, Me’Arah O’Neal is entering her name in the transfer portal. Her representative shared the news with Talia Goodman of On3.

BREAKING: Florida’s Me’Arah O’Neal plans to enter the transfer portal, her representative at @LIFTSPORTSMNGMT told @On3.

The 6-4 sophomore averaged 13.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.4 spg and 1.4 bpg this season.

pic.twitter.com/GMiRqK2vzP

— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) April 14, 2026

O’Neal played in 35 games as a freshman in 2024-25, making 8 starts. Averaging 13.8 minutes, she contributed 4.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.

As a sophomore, O’Neal took a big step forward, stepping into a greater role with increased production. A 33-game starter, O’Neal played 25.1 minutes per game in 2025-26. She averaged 13.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

O’Neal’s decision to enter the transfer portal follows a coaching change in Gainesville. Kelly Rae Finley was dismissed as head coach after Florida’s season came to an end at 18-15 overall with a 5-11 record in conference play.

On March 23, Florida announced the hiring of Rhode Island’s Tammi Reiss as the new women’s basketball head coach.

Considering O’Neal’s family ties to LSU and the status of Kim Mulkey’s program, there figures to be plenty of speculation about a transfer to Baton Rouge.

The post Me’Arah O’Neal, Shaq’s daughter, entering transfer portal after 2 seasons at Florida appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Moore’s sentencing follows last month’s no-contest pleas to trespassing and malicious use of a telecommunications device, a charge that could have carried up to 6 months in jail, part of a deal with the prosecution.

“I don’t believe, when I look at the entirety of this situation, that incarceration should be appropriate,” District Court Judge Cedric Simpson said during Tuesday’s sentencing in Washtenaw County Court, per ESPN. “I warn you Mr. Moore, should there be a violation, all bets are off. I don’t like sending people to jail, but I don’t have a problem doing it.”

Judge Simpson agreed with the prosecution dropping the felony stalking charge against Moore.

“The people could have just decided to proceed with this case and let the chips fall where they may,” Simpson said, per ESPN. “… Instead, they did the right thing. … The criminal charges that Mr. Moore would have been guilty to, he pled to. No more, no less.”

The judge also said that his sentencing decisions were influenced by the support Moore received from his wife during the process.

“The person who is saving you from the full wrath of this court is the person who you betrayed,” Simpson said. “When all of the circumstances are happening to her, and she is absorbing them in real time, she not once loses her focus, not once bats an eye to doubt you, not once wants something terrible to happen to you. As I listened to the terror in her voice that day, I don’t think there would be anybody in the world who would have blamed her from saying, ‘I am done here.’

Moore was fired as Michigan head coach on Dec. 10 after a staffer informed Michigan administration of the inappropriate relationship, which she had recently broken off. Police reported that Moore drove to the woman’s apartment, confronting her and threatening self-harm.

Michigan hired former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham to lead the program for 2026 and beyond.

The post Sherrone Moore receives probation, avoids jail time appeared first on Saturday Down South.

“So we’re going to we’re going to go offense versus defense,” Golesh told reporters. “We got a cool scoring format. Offense will get points for touchdowns, field goals, first downs, explosive plays, defense will get points for tackles for losses, three-and-outs, turnovers, (and) sacks.

“So explosive plays on both sides and then stops.”

Auburn HC Alex Golesh on this year’s A-Day format.

“We’ll play it like a real game”

https://t.co/4PB1p17qcm pic.twitter.com/hWoHcdiNdd

— Patrick Bingham (@PatrickABingham) April 14, 2026

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While Auburn quarterbacks will not be live to reduce injury risks, Golesh is trying to give it the feel of a “real game.”

“We’ll play four 15-minute quarters,” Golesh noted. “We’ll (have a ) running clock. We’ll stop it for injuries, stop it for the 2-minute warnings. So we’ll play it like a real game.

“We need it. Our team needs it. Our coaches need it. We all kind of need it, but it’ll be uber-competitive.”

A-Day is set for 2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET on Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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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 Alex Golesh details format for his first Auburn A-Day spring game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The SEC is as strong as ever. The conference has claimed the last 7 national champions, and it is set to have numerous postseason contenders again this June. But before Omaha, and even before the SEC Tournament in Hoover, what about the regular-season conference title?

Here’s where the 16 SEC teams stack up in the standings after 5 weeks of conference play:

• Georgia — 11-4 SEC (29-8 overall)
• Texas A&M — 9-5 (27-7)
• Texas — 9-5 (27-7)
• Florida — 9-6 (27-10)
• Alabama — 8-7 (26-11)
• Ole Miss — 8-7 (26-11)
• Auburn — 8-7 (24-11)
• Arkansas — 8-7 (24-13)
• Mississippi State — 7-8 (26-10)
• Kentucky — 7-8 (25-10)
• Oklahoma — 7-8 (24-11)
• Tennessee — 7-8 (24-12)
• Vanderbilt — 7-8 (21-16)
• LSU — 6-9 (22-15)
• South Carolina — 5-10 (18-19)
• Mizzou — 3-12 (20-17)

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UCLA

17%

Georgia Tech

12%

Texas

11%

North Carolina

6%

Georgia

6%

Mississippi St.

5%

Arkansas

4%

Auburn

4%

LSU

2%

Tennessee

2%

Predict

Top Takeaways of the Week

Here are the biggest takeaways we had from last week in the SEC:

Tennessee turnaround

There’s still a long way to go, but if Tennessee is packing its bags for Omaha in June, this past weekend will likely be remembered as the point in the season in which Josh Elander’s team turned things around.

The Vols were having a rough go in things in the first 4 weeks of SEC play, standing at 4-8. Baseball America wasn’t even projecting UT to make the NCAA Tournament field entering the weekend. Things have changed in a significant way.

A sweep of the top-10 Mississippi State Bulldogs in Starkville is a big deal. Yes, the Diamond Dogs are struggling mightily with back-to-back home sweeps, suffering the same fate against Georgia last week. Still, going into Dudy Noble Field and leaving 3-0 is no small feat.

At 7-8 in conference play, Tennessee is firmly in the middle of the pack in the SEC standings. But, most importantly, it’s safe to say the Vols are solidly in the NCAA Tournament picture with a much-improved outlook entering the second half of the SEC grind.

Sully’s still got it

Kevin O’Sullivan turned some heads when he made an adjustment to the weekend rotation, rarely seen in his long tenure as Florida’s head coach. O’Sullivan moved Aidan King to the Friday night “ace” spot and pushed veteran starter Liam Peterson to the Saturday No. 2 spot.

King proved his skipper right by facing the minimum through 6 perfect innings. Don’t let the 8-2 final score discount the impact of King’s stellar outing. It was a 1-0 game through the first 6. The Gator bats didn’t really get going until the 7th inning. King ended up pitching into the 8th, allowing 2 earned runs against the SEC’s top team.

O’Sullivan also could not have asked for a better response from Peterson. Again, don’t let the final score fool you (5-1 Georgia), Peterson pitched a career-high 7 innings, allowing only 1 run in a no-decision for him. UGA scored its 4 runs in the 8th inning against UF relievers Cooper Walls and Caden McDonald.

If King and Peterson can consistently give these kinds of performances, they’ll be a 1-2 punch that has UF competing for the SEC title, and more, over the next few weeks.

Pressure’s on for LSU

As has been clear all year, this is not the same LSU team from last year. That much was obvious before SEC play, as the defending national champions had some surprising midweek stumbles.

Last year, LSU went 53-15 to win the College World Series. This year, the Tigers are 22-15 with 5 weekends of SEC play remaining.

Jay Johnson’s team is 6-9 in conference contests. That’s 1 game off the desired 13-17 pace for making the NCAA Tournament, but no one is going to sound the alarm just yet.

LSU has been here before. In 2024 — coming off a national championship season — the Tigers were 3-12 through their first 15 SEC games. Their record was also 22-15 overall.

The good news is the ’24 Tigers turned it around and finished 13-17 in regular-season play. They even stayed hot and went 4-1 in the SEC Tournament. The bad news is that that team did not make it out of the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, falling to North Carolina in the Chapel Hill Regional.

Right now, obviously, it’s too early for LSU to be worrying about NCAA Tournament Regionals. LSU’s RPI is 74 with 5 Quad 4 losses. The Bayou Bengals need to add some SEC wins to that tournament resume.

The (abbreviated) Lone Star Showdown delivers

Last year, Jim Schlossnagle led Texas to 3 one-run wins over Texas A&M (2-1, 3-2, 6-5). As bad as those losses stung the Aggies, the A&M faithful were still as excited as ever about hosting the Lone Star Showdown as an SEC series and offering their former coach a hostile return to College Station.

We all saw the screenshots; Texas vs. Texas A&M was the hottest ticket in college baseball this past weekend. Mother Nature, however, didn’t cooperate, and we were only treated to 2 out of 3 games. The delay got to be so late on Sunday that social media reports indicated tickets were not going to be needed to enter Blue Bell Park on Sunday night. Unfortunately, the weather never allowed the game to begin before the 10 p.m. cutoff for first pitch.

Instead, we got 2 games of Jim Schlossnagle’s much-anticipated return to Olsen Field. Coaching in the visitor’s dugout, Schlossnagle found his team on the losing end of both games. Game 1 was 9-8 in Texas A&M’s favor. The Aggies took the series with a lopsided 11-4 victory in Saturday’s Game 2.

Texas entered the weekend having won its first 4 SEC series of 2026. With the Aggies taking 2 from the Longhorns, the Lone Star State rivals are now all knotted up at 9-5 in conference play, good for second in the SEC standings, and 27-7 overall.

Here’s hoping for Game 3 in the SEC Tournament, or a Super Regional, or Omaha. Make it happen, baseball gods.

The post Halfway home: SEC baseball standings, takeaways after 5 weeks of conference play appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Damon Stoudamire has been hired by LSU as an assistant coach. He joins former SEC coaches Rick Stansbury and Johnny Jones on Wade’s staff ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Learn more about Coach Stoudamire

https://t.co/ZiQFmLAYU6 pic.twitter.com/7owfGhdIBy

— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) April 13, 2026

Stoudamire heads to Baton Rouge after spending the past 3 seasons as Georgia Tech’s head coach. A standout at Arizona, Stoudamire also played 13 seasons in the NBA.

“We are happy to welcome Damon Stoudamire to the LSU Basketball family,” Wade said in a program release. “His NBA success and his years of college basketball coaching experience brings a perspective to our coaching staff that will be very useful as we move forward.”

Stoudamire had a 42-55 record at Georgia Tech. He only guided the Yellow Jackets to the postseason once, making the NIT in 2025 during a 17-17 season.

A former Arizona star, Stoudamire was a first-round NBA Draft pick in 1995. He played professionally until 2008.

After his playing career, Stoudamire got into coaching. He was an assistant at the college and pro levels before landing the Pacific head coaching job in 2016. He had a 71-77 record coaching Pacific from 2016-21.

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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 LSU announces hiring of Damon Stoudamire to Will Wade’s coaching staff appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The departing Kentucky guard is transferring to Georgetown. Lowe’s father shared the news with college basketball insider Jon Rothstein on Monday.

Kentucky transfer Jaland Lowe has committed to Georgetown, per his father.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 13, 2026

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Lowe was only with the Wildcats for the 2025-26 campaign. He was limited to just 9 appearances, making 2 starts. He injured his shoulder in the Blue-White Game in October and eventually had season-ending surgery in January.

In limited action, Lowe averaged 8 points, 2.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game. He memorably scored 21 points in Kentucky’s game at Alabama, adding 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. He also scored in double figures against St. John’s and Indiana.

Kentucky added Lowe to the 2025-26 roster via the portal after he spent his first 2 seasons at Pittsburgh. As a freshman, Lowe appeared in all 33 games for the Panthers and made 19 starts. Lowe’s production increased greatly from his freshman to sophomore season. He was Pitt’s leading scorer in 2024-25, averaging 16.8 points per game. He earned third-team All-ACC recognition for the standout season.

Lowe, from the Greater Houston area, was a Texas All-State honoree and standout of Fort Bend Marshall High School.

Who’s winning it all next year? Kalshi is already taking action on predictions for which team wins the title in 2027!

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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 guard Jaland Lowe decides on transfer destination appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Sunday’s Game 3 will not be made up, meaning Texas A&M’s 2 wins will now be considered a sweep for the 2026 regular-season Lone Star Showdown series.

Dear fans, today’s game has been canceled and will not be rescheduled. Your Fightin' Texas Aggies have secured another point in the restored Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown Rivalry. Thank you for your loyalty and Gig ‘Em pic.twitter.com/aCgVG71hrS

— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) April 13, 2026

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Kirk Bohls of the Houston Chronicle shared some comments from Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle after the game was officially canceled. He said the Longhorns were disappointed not to get another shot at Texas A&M, but acknowledged the effort that was made to play the third game.

“The A&M administration and field crew did an outstanding job of attempting to find windows around the lightning and impending weather. The SEC rule is you can’t start a game after 10 pm so we basically exhausted every option and ran out of time,” Schlossnagle said.

— Kirk Bohls (@kbohls) April 13, 2026

“Obviously a disappointing weekend for us,” Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “0ur guys were looking forward to playing in that atmosphere again. The Aggies outplayed us in every way in the two games, and we look forward to getting back on the field Tuesday.”

— Kirk Bohls (@kbohls) April 13, 2026

Texas A&M returns to action on Tuesday when the Aggies host Houston. Michael Earley’s team will then go on the road to play LSU Friday-Sunday.

Texas next plays Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday. The Longhorns host Alabama in SEC play Friday-Sunday.

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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 Texas A&M vs. Texas series finale canceled due to weather appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Kentucky transfer forward has reportedly committed to Alabama. Joe Tipton of On3 reported the news on Sunday evening.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joseph Tipton (@tiptonedits)

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Garrison heads to Tuscaloosa for Year 4 of his college basketball career. He played at Oklahoma State before spending the past 2 seasons with the Wildcats.

In 2025-26, Garrison made 36 appearances, including 5 starts, for Mark Pope’s Wildcats. This season, he averaged 4.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He was UK’s leader in rebounds 4 times and top shot-blocker in 9 games, with multiple blocks in 7 contests. Garrison ended his Kentucky career on a high note, logging 10 points, 7 rebounds and a career-high 6 blocked shots in the NCAA Tournament win over Santa Clara.

Last season, Garrison played 35 times for the Cats in Pope’s first season. He averaged 5.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, adding 1.9 assists.

Garrison gained his most starting experience at Oklahoma State as a freshman. He started OSU’s last 29 games of the 2023-24 season. Over his 32 appearances as a freshman, Garrison averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds over 22.7 minutes.

Kalshi is already taking action on next year’s national champion! Make a prediction today!

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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 transfer Brandon Garrison commits to SEC team, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Rebels didn’t wait to start the scoring action. Ole Miss put up 2 runs in the bottom of the first inning. Mike Bianco’s squad scored in 3 of the first 4 frames, leading 7-0 after a 4-run 4th. The Tigers, though, weren’t going away quietly.

RELATED: LSU pulls SP early as Ole Miss threatens weekend sweep in Oxford

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Ole Miss starter Taylor Rabe had not given up a hit through the first 6 innings. He returned for the 7th inning, but his final line shows only 6 IP. LSU chased Rabe by breaking up the no-no with back-to-back solo homers by Derek Curiel and Cade Arrambide.

Bianco pulled Rabe, bringing on Wil Libbert. The pitcher changed, but the result remained the same. Jake Brown continued the solo home run parade, cutting it to 7-3.

Libbert gave up back-to-back singles. He then notched 2 outs, but gave up a 2-RBI single to Brayden Simpson, as LSU cut it to 7-5.

It was time for another, as Ole Miss turned to Hudson Calhoun in relief of Libbert. Calhoun gave up back-to-back singles and had the tying run score on a wild pitch to make it 7-7 before recording the third out of the inning.

After the stretch, it was a whole new ball game at 7-7. Ole Miss grabbed the lead back on a 1-out RBI single to left field by Brayden Randle.

Randle with the RBI pic.twitter.com/ltX9Thilyt

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 12, 2026

Calhoun, the winning pitcher, tossed a scoreless 8th. Bianco turned to Walter Hooks for the 9th, and he did not allow a baserunner, ending the game on back-to-back strikeouts.

Will LSU figure things out and get it going? Can Ole Miss keep things rolling? Kalshi is taking early action on predictions to win the College World Series!

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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 Ole Miss wins wild series finale to complete sweep of LSU appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Dave Van Horn used 4 pitchers in the rubber game. Alabama scored its 2 runs off of Arkansas starter Tate McGuire in the 2nd and 3rd innings. McGuire finished with a line of 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER.

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The Hogs trailed 2-0 at the end of the 3rd inning. They wouldn’t score until the 6th inning. Fortunately for Arkansas, the bullpen did its job.

Parker Coil tossed 2 scoreless innings to keep it 2-0 through the fifth. Then the Razorbacks broke through at the plate. Arkansas scored its first run of the day on Maika Niu’s sacrifice fly to plate Ryder Helfrick.

Hogs on the board! pic.twitter.com/DFn3QaA3dp

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) April 12, 2026

That was all for Arkansas in the 6th inning. The Razorbacks tied it up in the 7th with an RBI single by Nolan Souza.

NOLAN SOUZA. TIE BALLGAME. pic.twitter.com/mZh3wlIiUv

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) April 12, 2026

The Hogs scored in their third consecutive inning with Camden Kozeal’s RBI double to make it 3-2.

Camden ALWAYS Clutch pic.twitter.com/R2xRIQf3Fc

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) April 12, 2026

Gabe Gaeckle was the game’s winning pitcher for his 2 scoreless frames before the lead change. Ethan McElvain picked up a 6-out save by sending the Tide 6 up, 6 down through the 8th and the 9th.

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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 No. 22 Arkansas completes sweep of No. 8 Alabama in Tuscaloosa appeared first on Saturday Down South.

For Rothrock, it was the third no-hitter of her career. It was her first time no-hitting an SEC opponent. No. 7 Florida topped No. 24 South Carolina 5-0 in Columbia.

NO HITTER!!! KEAGAN ROTHROCK!!!

SEC Network pic.twitter.com/qmDtS5kdre

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 11, 2026

The Gators and Gamecocks found themselves in a tight game much of the night. Florida broke the scoring ice in the top of the 2nd, but it was a 1-0 game through the 5th inning.

RELATED: SDS is your guide to the best Florida sports betting apps!

In the top of the 6th inning, the Gators gave Rothrock a bigger cushion, adding 2 runs on a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly. Townsen Thomas delivered more insurance runs in the top of the 7th, hitting a 2-run homer that plated Kenleigh Cahalan and extended the lead to 5-0, the game’s final score.

outta hereeeee @TownsenThomas44

SEC Network pic.twitter.com/R6oU4Akuta

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 10, 2026

Florida improves to 38-5 on the year and 12-4 in SEC play. The Gators will try for the series on Saturday. Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET, airing on the SEC Network. Sunday’s series finale is set for 1 p.m. ET, streaming via SEC Network+.

The post Florida softball’s Keagan Rothrock tosses 3rd career no-hitter in win at South Carolina appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It was a tight ballgame in Athens through the first 6 innings. Florida broke the scoring ice in the top of the 1st, taking advantage of 2 Georgia errors. The Gators, however, left the bases loaded, and it remained a 1-0 game until the top of the 7th.

It was the 7th inning when the Gators busted it open at Foley Field. Georgia starter Volchko went 6 innings, allowing 1 unearned run on2 hits and 2 walks, striking out 7. UF was glad to face a new pitcher, and the bats got going, teeing off on Paul Farley (0.2 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 1 BB).

It all started with nine-hole hitter Kolt Myers reaching on the third Bulldog error of the night. The bags were juiced when Karson Bowen singled to right field, plating Myers. Blake Cyr opened things up with a 3-run double to clear the bases, making it a 5-0 game.

Blake Cyr CLEARS EM

5-0 Florida leads Georgia in Athens pic.twitter.com/2BESgqhc3o

— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) April 10, 2026

Cyr came home on a Stripling home run that made it 7-0. Cole Stanford got in on the big inning with a solo shot of his own, extending the lead to 8-0.

LANDO LIFTOFF

SECN+ pic.twitter.com/VqziCpXy4A

— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 10, 2026

CLE WRLD

SECN+ pic.twitter.com/FoNlr0WAho

— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 11, 2026

O’Sullivan’s decision to move Aidan King to the Friday night “ace” spot in the rotation proved to be the right call. King was perfect through the first 6 innings. His first baserunner came when the leadoff hitter singled to start the 7th. In the 8th, Georgia chased King by scoring 2 runs on 1 hit and 2 walks.

King finished with a final line of 7.2 innings, 2 hits, 2 earned runs, 6 strikeouts and 2 walks. He allowed only 1 extra-base hit while tossing 107 pitches, a season high.

O’Sullivan turned to Ricky Reeth to finish it out after King’s exit. Reeth recorded the final 4 outs on 25 pitches, allowing 1 hit and 1 walk.

The Gators and Dawgs will be back at it on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for noon ET, with the game airing on ESPN2.

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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 Florida uses big inning, stellar outing from Aidan King to take series opener from No. 4 Georgia appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Falcons officially announced the signing on Friday. Earlier in the week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared that Taylor is joining the club on a 1-year deal with a base value of $5 million and an additional $1 million in incentives. Atlanta pursued Taylor as a replacement for retiring offensive lineman Kaleb McGary.

Welcome to Atlanta, @jawaan_taylor74!https://t.co/bEJgUUs8oO pic.twitter.com/mOTkngzqq5

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) April 10, 2026

It’s the second move of Taylor’s professional career. He began his career in Jacksonville and was later acquired by the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Jaguars selected Taylor No. 35 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. Taylor started every game for the Jaguars over 4 seasons (66 regular-season, 2 playoff). Jacksonville finished top-10 in rushing yards per play during the 2021 and ’22 seasons.

Entering Year 5, Taylor landed a megadeal with the Chiefs. In March 2023, Kansas City inked Taylor to a 4-year, $80 million contract that included $60 million guaranteed. Before the end of the contract, however, Taylor was let go. He collected his first Super Bowl ring in his first season with the Chiefs.

How will the Falcons fare in 2026? Predict the NFC South winner today on Kalshi!

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NFC South Division Winner?

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Kalshi

Tampa Bay

31%

New Orleans

28%

Carolina

24%

Atlanta

21%

Predict

The post Former Florida OL Jawaan Taylor signs with new NFL team appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Haggerty, a native of the Lone Star State, announced Friday that he has committed to play for Bucky McMillan’s Aggies.

Aggie land let’s do it pic.twitter.com/lfgGkuWBqx

— PJ Haggerty (@HaggertyPj) April 10, 2026

A former Crosby (Texas) High School standout, Haggerty was Texas Mr. Basketball in 2022. In 4 years of college basketball, he has been with 4 schools.

Haggerty stayed in his homestate to begin his career, starting out at TCU. He played in just 6 games during his season with the Horned Frogs, taking a redshirt for the year.

For his first transfer, Haggerty chose Tulsa. He was a 31-game starter in 2023-24, averaging 21.2 points over 33.7 minutes per game.

After Tulsa, it was on to Memphis for the 2024-25 season. Haggerty saw the most playing time of his career with the Tigers. He appeared in 35 games, all starts, logging a career-high 36.6 minutes per game. The 2024-25 season was Haggerty’s best from 3-point range (36.4%) and at the free-throw line (81.8%). He averaged 21.7 points per game, earning AAC Player of the Year and second-team All-American honors.

Haggerty transferred to Kansas State last season. A 31-game starter, Haggerty averaged a career-high 23.4 points per contest with the Wildcats.

For his career, Haggerty averages 21 points per game. He’s a 48.6% shooter from the field, including a 33.9% mark from 3-point range.

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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 Texas A&M lands commitment from Kansas State guard, 2025 All-American via transfer portal appeared first on Saturday Down South.

As a first-round selection, Robinson’s fifth year comes up for decision ahead of his fourth professional season. On Friday, the club announced that it is exercising the fifth-year option.

We have exercised the fifth-year option on Bijan Robinsonhttps://t.co/njLQLfAn0U pic.twitter.com/2s2TS7V1nK

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) April 10, 2026

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It’s safe to consider Friday’s announcement a formality of a decision that was made long ago. Robinson is off to a stellar start in Atlanta.

Selected No. 8 overall out of Texas in the 2023 NFL Draft, Robinson has already collected numerous honors, including multiple Pro Bowls and All-Pro recognition, as a Falcon. In 51 games, Robinson has over 5,500 yards of total offense and 34 career touchdowns.

Robinson was named to the PFWA’s All-Rookie Team in 2023. He rushed 214 times for 976 yards and 4 touchdowns in his debut season, adding 58 catches for 487 yards and 4 scores.

In 2024, Robinson upped his rushing touchdown mark to 14, a career-high. He logged 304 carries, the most in his 3-year career, for 1,456 yards. He continued to be used in the passing game, as well, adding 61 catches for 431 yards and 1 TD.

Last season was a career year in many ways for Robinson. He posted career highs in rushing yards (1,478), yards per carry (5.1), receptions (79) and receiving yards (820). The banner year earned Robinson his first All-Pro selection.

How will Robinson and the Falcons fare in 2026? Kalshi is taking action on predictions to win the NFC South!

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NFC South Division Winner?

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Kalshi

Tampa Bay

31%

New Orleans

28%

Carolina

24%

Atlanta

21%

Predict

The post Atlanta Falcons elect to pick up Bijan Robinson’s contract option appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Alabama basketball standout is facing 4 charges, 2 felonies and 2 misdemeanors, after his recent arrest. His arraignment hearing in circuit court is set for June 16.

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In March, Halloway was arrested on charges of first-degree possession of marijuana not intended for personal use and failure to affix a tax stamp. The misdemeanor charges are illegal possession of a prescription and possession/use of drug paraphernalia.

Alabama basketball player Aden Holloway was indicted on four charges, two felonies and two misdemeanors, per court records.

He has an arraignment (a hearing for him to plead guilty or not guilty) in circuit court scheduled for June 16. Judge Allen May will oversee his case.

— Nick Kelly (@_NickKelly) April 10, 2026

Holloway was arrested on March 16, days before the start of the NCAA Tournament. He was removed from campus and away from the team following the arrest. Though a judge later gave Holloway to travel, the star guard did not join the Crimson Tide during the tournament.

During the 2025-26 campaign, Holloway was Alabama’s second-leading scorer, averaging 16.8 points per game. He was UA’s top shooter from 3-point range, making 43.8% of his attempts from beyond the arc.

Alabama went 2-1 during the Big Dance without Holloway. The Crimson Tide defeated Hofstra and Texas Tech to advance to the Sweet 16, where they fell to eventual national champion Michigan.

Can Alabama break through in 2026-27? Kalshi is taking early action on next year’s national champion!

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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 Aden Holloway formally indicted on 4 charges, arraignment set appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Aberdeen has committed to transfer to Florida, according to a report from college basketball insider Jon Rothstein. The standout guard has played 4 seasons of college basketball, but is seeking additional NCAA eligibility. He spent his first 3 seasons with the Gators before making the decision to transfer to Kentucky for the 2025-26 campaign.

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Sources: Kentucky transfer Denzel Aberdeen has committed to Florida.

The 6-5 guard — who was an integral part of the Gators' run to the 2025 national title — averaged 13.5 PPG last season and will now be reunited with Todd Golden in Gainesville.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 10, 2026

This season, Aberdeen posted the best numbers of his career. A 35-game starter, Aberdeen averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 assists and 2.5 rebounds per contest. He scored in double figures 27 times, including leading UK’s offensive effort in 8 contests.

Aberdeen is an Orlando, Florida native and Dr. Phillips product. He spent the first 3 seasons of his career playing at Florida under coach Todd Golden.

In 2022-23, Aberdeen logged just 41 minutes of playing time over 12 appearances. His minimal participation as a freshman is reported to be at the center of his case for a fifth season of NCAA eligibility.

Over the next 2 seasons at Florida, Aberdeen saw his role steadily increase. He played 312 minutes off the bench in the 2023-24 season. On the 2024-25 national championship, Aberdeen upped his participation to 773 minutes over 39 appearances (19.8 per game), including 5 starts. He averaged 7.7 points per game for the season, but 14.4 ppg in his 5 starts. He was a double-figure scorer in 10 games, including back-to-back outings of 20 points or more.

Aberdeen was expected to be part of Florida’s 2025-26 lineup following the departures of Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin. He surprised many when he instead opted to continue his career with the Wildcats. Now, we’ll see if he gets the opportunity to finish his career where it started at Florida.

Denzel Aberdeen won a national championship at Florida in 2025. Can he lead the Gators to another title? Predict next year’s champion at Kalshi!

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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 Denzel Aberdeen seeking return to Florida after season at Kentucky, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Thursday, Chandler released a statement to On3. He concluded it by saying he’s going home. Chandler, a Utah native, is expected to transfer to BYU. He originally committed to play for Mark Pope at BYU, but went on his mission trip. Upon returning, he entered the portal and followed Pope to Lexington.

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“I am so grateful to Coach Pope, the assistant coaches and staff, my teammates, and the University of Kentucky and BBN for the last 2 years,” Chandler wrote. “You welcomed me into your family with open arms, were patient with me, and supported me every step of the way. You helped me grow so much — not just as a player, but as a man. You will always be family to me.

“I am returning home and excited for the work and challenges ahead.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by col (@collinxchandler)

Chandler took a big step forward in 2025-26, his sophomore season. His production increased from 2.7 points per game to 9.7 as his playing time went up from 10.4 minutes per outing to 27.1 this season. In his second year, Chandler made 43.5% of his field-goal attempts, including 41% from 3-point range.

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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 Collin Chandler releases statement on transfer from Kentucky appeared first on Saturday Down South.

A day after landing 5-star offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller, Jon Sumrall‘s staff added a blue-chip QB to the 2027 class. Four-star QB Davin Davidson is the newest UF pledge.

WATCH: The moment four star QB Davin Davidson committed to Florida. pic.twitter.com/Iquhu00E7C

— Nick Marcinko (@marcinko_nick) April 9, 2026

A Cardinal Mooney product from Sarasota, Florida, Davidson is listed as measuring over 6-6 and 215 pounds. On the 247Sports Composite, Davidson is rated 4-stars, the No. 13 quarterback, No. 15 player in the state of Florida and No. 154 prospect overall in the Class of 2027.

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During his recruitment, Davidson has collected 32 scholarship offers. For Thursday’s commitment announcement, Davidson named Florida, Auburn, Georgia and Kentucky as his finalists.

Davidson told ESPN’s Eli Lederman that he felt prioritized by the new Florida coaching staff, particularly Sumrall, offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and quarterbacks coach Joe Craddock.

“My relationship with Coach Craddock and Coach Sumrall was big. Coach Faulkner, too,” Davidson said, per Lederman. They really put an emphasis on making sure I knew I was their No. 1 guy.”

Fans can get a preview of what Davidson brings to Gainesville by checking out his highlights in the video below:

New #Gators commit Davin Davidson

155 NATL. | 13 QB | 15 FL.
#1 QB in FL
6’6, 215 pounds
Jr szn: 2,360 yards with 23 TDs as first year starter. Led team to state title
One of the biggest risers in the 2027 class. Outside the top-70 QBs in Jan.
Elite arm talent pic.twitter.com/PGJLjEF14o

— Dylan Olive (@DylanOlive_UF) April 9, 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 Florida keeps recruiting momentum rolling with commitment from 4-star in-state QB appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Here are the projections:

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• Texas — Austin Regional host, No. 2 overall seed
• Georgia — Athens Regional host, No. 4 overall seed
• Mississippi State — Starkville Regional host, No. 8 overall seed
• Alabama — Tuscaloosa Regional host, No. 9 overall seed
• Auburn — Auburn Regional host, No. 10 overall seed
• Texas A&M — College Station Regional host, No. 12 overall seed
• Oklahoma — Norman Regional host, No. 15 overall seed
• Florida — Los Angeles Regional 2-seed, No. 19 overall (No. 14 USC host)
• Arkansas — Hattiesburg Regional 2-seed, No. 20 overall (No. 13 Southern Miss host)
• Ole Miss — Atlanta Regional 2-seed, No. 30 overall (No. 3 Georgia Tech host)
• LSU — Westwood Regional 2-seed, No. 32 overall (No. 1 UCLA host)
• Kentucky — Orlando Regional 3-seed (No. 16 UCF host)
• Vanderbilt — First Four Out

One thing that sticks out about 2026 projections is that national seedings extend beyond the 16 Regional hosts. This year, the NCAA selection committee will assign national seeds to the top 32 teams, helping dictate the Regional matchups. For example, LSU is the No. 32 national seed in the Baseball America projections. The Tigers, as such, would be the 2-seed in the Westwood Regional, hosted by projected No. 1 national seed UCLA.

Kentucky is the only SEC team projected to make the field and be a Regional’s 3-seed outside the top 32. Vanderbilt is notably in the First Four Out pool, while Tennessee, South Carolina and Missouri are even further outside the tournament picture at the moment.

Will the SEC keep its Omaha streak going? Predict this year’s college baseball national champion at Kalshi!

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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 Baseball America projects 12 SEC teams to make 2026 NCAA Tournament, 7 Regional hosts appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Aidan King is sliding into the Friday night spot, typically when power conference teams throw their ace. Liam Peterson, who had been the Friday night starter, is sliding to Saturday. The Gator Diamond Pod was first to report the rotation change. It has also been reported by On3 and Gator Country.

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Rotation Change

Fri – King
Sat- Peterson
Sun-Sandefer

— Gator Diamond Pod (@GatorDiamondPod) April 8, 2026

A sophomore right-hander from Jacksonville, King had a sensational freshman season and has continued to be Florida’s top hurler in 2026. Last year, King was named a first-team Freshman All-American by numerous publications and selected for the SEC All-Freshman Team after posting a 2.58 ERA over 73.1 innings in 17 appearances, including 12 weekend starts.

King’s 2026 stats make him the clear ace on the staff. In 8 starts, King has thrown 39 innings, allowing just 7 earned runs on 31 hits, striking out 41 while walking 9. He has an ERA of 1.62 entering Friday’s showdown at No. 4 Georgia.

Peterson, a junior, has also made 8 starts. He has a 4.03 ERA over 38 IP, with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 62-to-25.

In the Ole Miss series, Peterson posted a line of 3.2 IP, allowing 3 earned runs on 6 hits while striking out 7 and walking 3. King tossed 7 shutout innings against the Rebels, allowing 4 hits and no walks while striking out 8.

Florida at Georgia is a Friday-Sunday series in Athens. Last weekend, the Gators stumbled, dropping 2-of-3 to Ole Miss. They take some momentum to UGA, however, after picking up an impressive road win at No.5 Florida State on Tuesday night in Tallahassee.

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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 Kevin O’Sullivan reportedly shuffles Florida’s rotation ahead of series at No. 4 Georgia appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Out of Coatesville (Pennsylvania) Area High School, Hiller is listed at 6-5 and 300 pounds. As one might expect, Phil Trautwein was key in Hiller’s recruitment. Trautwein, a two-time national champion as a Gator lineman, spent the past 6 seasons as offensive line coach at Penn State before joining Jon Sumrall‘s first UF coaching staff.

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“I took so many visits to Penn State while he was there,” Hiller said to ESPN about his bond with Trautwein. “I’ve trained with him. I’ve watched him work with players. He’s more than a coach for me. He’s my guy. That relationship right there is a huge part of why we got interested in Florida.”

I’m home, Go gators https://t.co/cACfepSMEg

— Maxwell Hiller 5 OL (@HillerMaxwell) April 8, 2026

Hiller is rated 5-stars, the No. 1 interior offensive lineman, No. 1 player from Pennsylvania and No. 5 prospect overall in the Class of 2027 on the 247Sports Composite. That makes him Florida’s highest-rated offensive lineman pledge in over a decade. Martez Ivey was rated the No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 5 overall recruit in the Class of 2015.

With Hiller on board, Florida now has 4 verbal commitments for 2027 in the early stages of the recruiting cycle. Fans can get a preview of what Hiller brings to The Swamp by checking out his highlights in the Hudl video below:

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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 Florida lands 2027 commitment from 5-star offensive lineman appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Johnson has decided to decommit from UA. On Wednesday, he shared the news with Hayes Fawcett of Rivals.

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A post shared by Hayes Fawcett (@hayesfawcett3)

Out of Powder Springs (Georgia) McEachern High School, Johnson is listed as measuring 6-feet and 170 pounds. On the 247Sports Composite, Johnson is rated 3-stars, the No. 68 cornerback, No. 75 player in the state of Georgia and No. 658 prospect overall in the Class of 2027.

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Though not a blue-chip prospect, Johnson is sought after with an impressive offer list. Auburn, Miami, Tennessee and Ole Miss are the programs that have lined up upcoming visits. Johnson has also collected offers from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Mizzou and others during his recruitment.

Johnson had verbally pledged to Kalen DeBoer‘s Alabama staff back on Oct. 4. With his removal from the class, UA stands at 3 commitments in the early stages of the 2027 cycle.

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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 2027 CB out of Georgia decommits from Alabama appeared first on Saturday Down South.

“I thank God and give him all the glory for blessing me with the last two years in Tuscaloosa,” Philon wrote in a note posted to social media. “Returning for my sophomore season and representing my home state was one of the biggest blessings in my life. Being a kid from Mobile, wearing the Script A on my chest means everything to me and it has been one of the greatest honors to represent the Crimson Tide.

“This school and fan base has given me endless support since I stepped foot on campus two years ago. Thank you to Coach Oats and the entire coaching staff for helping me develop into the player I am today. To my teammates, thank you for pushing me to be a better player and the friendships we have created will last a lifetime.

“To my family, I wouldn’t be the man 1 am today without the unconditional love and support you have given me throughout my life. Thank you for all the sacrifices you have made for me and allowing me to pursue my dreams. The University of Alabama has prepared me for the next step in my career and I am excited to officially declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. I cannot wait to start the next chapter of my life!”

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A post shared by labaron philon ♱ (@b1rron)

Philon leaves Alabama after a standout 2 seasons with the Crimson Tide. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2025 and recognized as first-team All-SEC for this past season. He went from averaging 10.6 points per game in 2024-25 to 22 per outing this past season. His 3-point shooting notably improved. After making 39-of-124 as a freshman (31.5%), Philon made 79-of-199 3-pointers in his sophomore season.

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Players Drafted Top 10 in 2026 NBA

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Kalshi

Darryn Peterson

99%

AJ Dybantsa

99%

Caleb Wilson

99%

Cameron Boozer

96%

Darius Acuff Jr.

95%

Keaton Wagler

93%

Mikel Brown Jr.

69%

Nate Ament

40%

Labaron Philon Jr.

25%

Jayden Quaintance

19%

Predict

The post Labaron Philon announces decision on 2026 NBA Draft appeared first on Saturday Down South.

“With the college women’s basketball season behind us, it’s time to move forward and close the chapter on how our semifinal game with UConn ended,” Staley said in a statement posted via the South Carolina women’s basketball team.

“I spoke with Geno, and I want to be clear – I have a great deal of respect for him and what he’s meant to this game. One moment doesn’t define a career, and it doesn’t change the impact he’s had on growing women’s basketball. The standard at UConn is what it is because of him, and that’s something this game has benefited from.

“So, I’m asking everyone to turn the page. Let’s refocus on what matters most – continuing to elevate our game, creating opportunities and pushing it forward.

“That’s always been my mission, and it’s not changing.”

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The mission is unchanged – let's grow our game pic.twitter.com/mJxqlUy6CK

— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 7, 2026

ESPN cameras captured a tense exchange between Staley and Auriemma after South Carolina’s win over UConn in the Final Four. Auriemma vented about waiting for a pregame handshake at midcourt before the game, though the @MarchMadnessWBB X account posted a photo of the two shaking hands, and Staley maintained that she shook hands with the UConn coaching staff before the game.

By beating UConn, Staley’s Gamecocks advanced to the women’s basketball championship game. They fell to UCLA 79-51 in Sunday’s title game.

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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 Dawn Staley releases statement asking everyone to ‘turn the page’ on postgame incident with Geno Auriemma appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Jelavić’s agent, Miško Ražnatović, told Jonathan Givony that the forward is entering the NCAA transfer portal. Tuesday marks the official opening of the portal for entry.

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NEWS: Kentucky's Andrija Jelavić will enter the transfer portal, agent Miško Ražnatović told DraftExpress.

The 6'11, 21-year-old Croatian sophomore started 18 SEC games, averaging 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16 minutes per game on the season. pic.twitter.com/dQBpAoBrB0

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 7, 2026

Jelavić signed with Kentucky in May. The 6-11 forward from Croatia was considered one of the top European prospects in the 2025 class. He was considered a sophomore by the NCAA in 2025-26, his first collegiate season.

In his season playing for Mark Pope’s Wildcats, Jelavić appeared in 32 games, starting the last 20. He averaged 5.5 points and 4 rebounds per game, scoring in double figures 4 times.

Jelavić scored 11 points on 3 occasions. He first posted his season high on Nov. 14 against Eastern Illinois and matched the output twice in SEC play against LSU (Jan. 14) and South Carolina (Feb. 24). He also had a 10-rebound game against Tennessee Tech on Nov. 26.

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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 sees starting forward enter transfer portal after season with Wildcats appeared first on Saturday Down South.

LSU added the big man via the transfer portal last year. After one season in Baton Rouge, Nwoko is re-entering the portal, according to college basketball insider Joe Tipton of On3. Nwoko appears to have his next stop already in mind, as he is entering the portal with a “Do Not Contact” tag.

NEWS: LSU big man Mike Nwoko is entering the @TransferPortal with a ‘Do Not Contact’ tag, he tells @On3.

The 6-10 junior averaged 13.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this season. Previous stops at Miami and Mississippi State. Represented by @lamfsports.… pic.twitter.com/CU1lLhvZPt

— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 7, 2026

Nwoko started 29 of 32 games for LSU in the 2025-26 campaign. He averaged an impressive 13.4 points and 5.6 rebounds over 21.8 minutes per game. Nwoko posted some of the best numbers of his career, shooting 61% while scoring 428 total points, more than his combined output in the previous two seasons.

A 6-10, 261-pound forward from Toronto, Nwoko is well-traveled already. He previously played for Mississippi State (2024-25) and Miami (2023-24).

After a disappointing 2025-26 season, LSU decided to dismiss coach Matt McMahon. The program hired away Will Wade from NC State. Wade previously coached at LSU from 2017-22 before being fired for NCAA rules violations.

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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 LSU big man elects to enter transfer portal after season with Tigers appeared first on Saturday Down South.

UT used just two pitchers in the game. Starter Tegan Kuhns tossed the first 4 innings, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits and 2 walks. Cam Appenzeller took over and quieted the LSU bats. Appenzeller gave up a single to the first batter he faced before retiring the next 15 Tigers in a row to finish the game. Appenzeller had 6 strikeouts over 5 scoreless frames with just the 1 hit and no walks.

Cam Appenzeller DOMINATED for @Vol_Baseball tonight

5 IP
1 H
0 ER
0 BB
6 K

The freshman retired the final 15 batters he faced

(@Vol_Baseball) pic.twitter.com/3xCh3aLWiU

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) April 5, 2026

Saturday’s scoring action all took place in the first 4 innings. The Vols took advantage of a fielding miscue in the 1st inning, jumping out to a 2-0 lead. Blake Grimmer hit a solo home run in the 3rd inning and Jay Abernathy hit an RBI double in the 4th to plate Trent Grindlinger.

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LAUNCHED!!

https://t.co/jwD4iWfdSR #GBO // #OTH pic.twitter.com/hINVI12IJ5

— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) April 4, 2026

Tennessee and LSU will decide the series on Sunday. Game 3 is set for first pitch at 1 p.m. ET., streaming on SEC Network+.

The Vols and Tigers know about winning in Omaha. Predict this year’s College World Series champion at Kalshi!

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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 Tennessee pitching carries Vols to series-evening win over LSU appeared first on Saturday Down South.

ESPN’s cameras captured a heated postgame exchange between the two coaches. According to reports, Auriemma was upset over a perceived snub of a pregame handshake.

Geno Auriemma exchanged words with Dawn Staley in the final seconds of South Carolina and UConn’s Final Four matchup. pic.twitter.com/S6anlPKqwe

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 4, 2026

“I have no idea. But I’m gonna let you know this: I’m of integrity. I’m of integrity,” Staley said postgame, per CBS Sports. “So if I did something wrong to Geno — I don’t know what I did. I guess he thought I didn’t shake his hand at the beginning of the game. I didn’t know. I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff’s hand. I don’t know what he came with after the game. Sometimes, things get heated. We move on.”

Two legendary coaches meet again #WFinalFour pic.twitter.com/yB1EdTOxTC

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 3, 2026

Auriemma maintained that Staley snubbed him of a midcourt pregame handshake and was upset about the incident.

“For 41 years I’ve been coaching and, I don’t know, 25 Final Fours,” he said. “The protocol is before the game, you meet at halfcourt. Anybody see that before? Two coaches meet at halfcourt and they shake hands, correct? Ever see it? They announce it on the loudspeaker. I waited there for like three minutes. So it is what it is.”

Can South Carolina win it all? Dawn Staley’s team has one game left. Predict the championship game on Kalshi!

The post Geno Auriemma, Dawn Staley have heated exhange after South Carolina beats UConn appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Under the new policy, coaches would be suspended for 50% of the season if they play an athlete who transferred to their program without transferring via the portal process. The school would also face a fine of 20% of the sports budget.

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The rule change was proposed by Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee and has been adopted for all sports in Division I. It is effective immediately and applies to all transfers on or after Feb. 25, 2026.

The new rules prevent any college football players from transferring in the process used by Jake Retzlaff last year. Facing a BYU honor code suspension, Retzlaff joined the Tulane football team in time for the 2025 season. Since his decision was made outside the window for transfer portal entry, Retzlaff manually withdrew from BYU and enrolled at Tulane. Because he was not listed as in the transfer portal, prospective teams and coaches were not allowed to recruit Retzlaff.

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea provided a quote for the NCAA press release.

“I am grateful the DI Cabinet approved the FBS Oversight Committee’s recommendation to impose significant penalties on head coaches and programs who circumvent transfer rules, along with immediate accountability,” Lea said. “This is a necessary step to address a critical roster management issue facing our sport and to protect the integrity of football’s transfer window.”

DI Cabinet adopts new rules to address ‘ghost transfers’ for all sports.https://t.co/wVZWWoGZ7Q

— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) April 1, 2026

There was a sense of urgency to pass the rule in the spring. There is no spring transfer portal window this year, and there were concerns about players potentially transferring on their own via withdrawal and enrollment, with possible tampering, to play in this fall’s college football season.

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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 NCAA announces new rules addressing ‘ghost tranfers’ with harsh penalties for coaches, schools appeared first on Saturday Down South.

“You’ve just got to take some time with it,” Van Horn said Tuesday on the Razorback Sports Network before the Missouri State game, per Matt Jones of Whole Hog Sports. “We’re very fortunate he didn’t tear it, but he really hurt his patellar tendon. They’re doing all they can to get him back.” 

Despite the injury, Ruiz is on the road trip. The Hogs are in Springfield, Missouri to face Missouri State. They’ll play Auburn in a 3-game series beginning Thursday.

“He wanted to come on the trip,” Van Horn said, per Jones. “I gave him the option to stay back and relax and rest that thing, and he wouldn’t have any of it. He’ll be traveling and limping and being with the team.” 

Ruiz joined Arkansas baseball ahead of the 2026 season, Year 4 of his college career. He played his first 2 seasons at Houston Christian before a 2025 stop at Lamar, where he was the Southland Conference Hitter of the Year and all-conference first team after slashing .388/.511/.607 with 7 home runs and 46 RBIs.

This season, Ruiz was off to a strong start for the Hogs. A 26-game starter, he’s slashing .330/.456/.484 with 30 hits in 91 at-bats, notching 3 home runs and 12 RBIs, adding 8 stolen bases.

Arkansas and Missouri State have been locked in a back-and-forth battle on Tuesday night. Arkansas struck first, but Missouri State went up 6-1 in the bottom of the 2nd. The Razorbacks took a 7-6 lead in the top of the 4th. Missouri State retook the lead 9-7 in the bottom of the 4th, but the Hogs responded with 3 runs in the top of the 5th to go up 10-9. Missouri State has gone in front again, leading 12-10 in the bottom of the 6th.

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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 Arkansas to be without key OF for 1 month, per Dave Van Horn appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Golding spoke on the addition of Ferrelli during a Tuesday media opportunity. The Cal transfer linebacker signed with Clemson out of the portal but ultimately ended up at Ole Miss. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney blasted Golding and the Rebels in a press conference.

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“Obviously, there’s two sides to every story, right?” Golding said, per CBS Sports. “So I’m not going to sit up here and use the podium as a grandstand and all of that. That’s why there is enforcement. That’s why we have our compliance office. They do all that.”

The Ole Miss coach also emphasized that the Rebels had engaged Ferrelli as a transfer recruit earlier in the process.

“The bottom line with the recruitment of Luke, he came here on an official visit prior to the Fiesta Bowl,” Golding said.

As for why Golding’s staff went to so much trouble to add Ferrelli, Golding pointed out the need to fill an important spot on the Rebel defense.

“I told him, ‘I want you to be our green-dot mike, but right now we’ve got a green-dot Mike (linebacker),'” Golding said. “And that spot’s not going to be available until we have one available.”

The “green dot” signifies the one player who can use helmet communication with the coaches. For Ole Miss, that spot opened up with the departure of TJ Dottery for LSU.

Golding notably did not comment on the timeline of communication with Ferrelli. Swinney alleged that Ole Miss continued to recruit Ferrelli after he had enrolled at Clemson.

Is Ole Miss a Playoff team in 2026? Predict it on Kalshi!

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College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

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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 Pete Golding comments on controversial recruitment of transfer LB Luke Ferrelli appeared first on Saturday Down South.

There was plenty of speculation as to whether Chambliss might follow Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weiss Jr. to LSU. Chambliss, though, decided to stick with Pete Golding‘s program with John David Baker as offensive coordinator and Joe Judge coaching quarterbacks. At a Tuesday media opportunity, Chambliss was asked about differences in playing for Golding and Kiffin.

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“The personalities are a little different than our old coach and Coach Golding. I’d say he’s more of like a team guy,” Chambliss said.

“And, you know, we really value, you know, his leadership, you know, whatever he says. He’s kind of show you faster than I could tell, or he’s show you faster than I could tell you. He leads by his actions, and we really appreciate that.”

NEW: Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss on the difference between Pete Golding and Lane Kiffin:

“The personalities are a little different than our old coach and coach Golding. I’d say he’s more of a team guy. We really value his leadership, whatever he says. He shows you faster… pic.twitter.com/WxaJHwH5zx

— On3 (@On3) March 31, 2026

Chambliss’s comments are sure to get a lot of play in the Ole Miss and LSU fanbases, are turn some heads around the SEC. It’s also unlikely to be the last time the star quarterback is asked to compare his current and former head coaches.

Will Chambliss and the Rebels make it back to the CFP in 2026? Check out the Kalshi prediction market!

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College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

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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 Trinidad Chambliss on how Pete Golding differs from Lane Kiffin: ‘I’d say he’s more of a team guy’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Zyron Forstall is the newest Texas A&M commitment. He announced his plans to play for Mike Elko‘s program on Tuesday via social media.

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Out of the prominent IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Forstall is listed as meauring over 6-3 and 225 pounds. On the 247Sports Composite, Forstall is rated 4-stars, the No. 5 edge rusher, No. 5 recruit in the state of Florida and No. 42 prospect overall in the Class of 2027.

I’m HOME!!!#GigEm pic.twitter.com/ls5glBi0cW

— Zyron Forstall (@ZyronForstall) March 31, 2026

As one would expect, Forstall’s talent had many of the country’s top programs recruiting him. He has collected scholarship offers from 27 schools, including Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, LSU, Miami, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon and Texas.

Elko and his staff are off to a hot start recruiting for 2027. With Forstall in the fold, Texas A&M now has 11 verbal pledges for a class that ranks No. 2 overall nationally on the Composite.

Fans can get a preview of what Forstall brings to College Station by checking out his highlights below, via Hudl:

While this is big news for 2027, there’s plenty of excitement for 2026! Will the Aggies make the College Football Playoff again? Make a prediction on Kalshi today!

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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 Texas A&M lands 2027 commitment from elite edge, top-50 prospect appeared first on Saturday Down South.

“I just stopped the spring game a few years ago,” Kiffin said, per TigerDroppings.

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“At one point, it was on TV, so you are giving team film away, but then there was another portal coming too, so you’re basically giving people an evaluation of your players, especially your newer ones, and how they’re doing.

“And then it became a financial piece, with how much you’re investing in the players and how significant injuries are, and looking at the big picture of that. Just feel like it’s not worth it.

“It’s no different than the NFL… in the middle of the spring, they don’t have a tackling scrimmage.”

With no spring game, LSU fans will have to wait until Sept. 5 to see Kiffin’s team in game action. The Bayou Bengals start off the season with a bang, hosting Clemson in Tiger Stadium for another “Death Valley” battle.

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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 Lane Kiffin explains why LSU won’t hold a spring game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This offseason, Stockton has dealt with what Smart called a “little off-season (knee) injury,” but the Georgia head coach indicated that all is well.

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“Yep, he’s great. He’s practicing. He had a little off-season injury in our workouts, but he’s fine now,” Smart said. “He’s limited a little bit the first couple days, but he’s out there competing, doing a good job, focusing on the things he needs to improve on and compete with those other guys.  So I’ve been really pleased with Gunner.”

With the departure of Carson Beck, Stockton took over as the full-time starter last season. In 14 games, he completed 69.7% of his passes at a clip of 7.5 yards per attempt for just under 3,000 yards while posting a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 24-5.

While there’s no doubt about Stockton being the starter again this fall, there’s always curiosity about the other QBs on the depth chart. Ryan Puglisi made 7 appearances last year, while Ryan Montgomery played in 1 game. This year’s QB room includes Hezekiah Millender and Bryson Beaver. At this point, Smart is pleased with the group as a whole.

“All doing a great job,” Smart told reporters. “They’ve been able to get some reps.We’re doing a lot of work around practice to spot, to guarantee extra seven on seven time. I don’t think you get better at the quarterback position without reps. So we’ve been pouring into those guys, and we tell them to value every opportunity they get.

“So many teams across the country can’t get the reps we can get from a volume standpoint because they don’t have the depth and the pieces. And all those guys are getting quality reps, quality work, growing in that room. In between practice days, they’re getting 20, 40 reps of walkthrough, position meetings, extra.

“So when you talk about Buddha (Millender) , and the two Ryans (Ryan Puglisi and Ryan Montgomery), and Bryson (Beaver), all those guys. I’m pleased with where they are, and need them to keep growing, because they’re gonna get some loud looks and some scrimmage looks here coming up soon.”

Can Georgia get back to the College Football Playoff this season? Kalshi is currently taking action on predictions!

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College Football Playoff Qualifiers 2026

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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 discusses Gunner Stockton’s recovery, QB depth appeared first on Saturday Down South.