The Volunteers picked up a commitment from 4-star small forward Christopher Washington Jr., who is regarded as one of the top high school prospects at his position nationally.

Here’s video of the moment Washington announced his decision:

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Washington is currently ranked as the No. 43 overall prospect in the nation for the class of 2026, according to 247Sports Composite rankings. He attends Providence Christian Academy in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Washington is the No. 1 high school recruit in the state of Tennessee for this cycle.

He chose the Vols over offers from programs such as SMU, Oregon and USC, among others. He was previously committed to Alabama but backed off of that pledge back in November.

Rick Barnes and his staff have been hard at work building out Tennessee‘s roster for next season. The Volunteers now have 4 high school recruits signed up for next season and have also secured 4 commitments from players via the transfer portal.

Tennessee is coming off of 3 consecutive Elite Eight appearances. The Vols will be hoping to make another deep NCAA Tournament run next March.

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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 Tennessee basketball adds commitment from 4-star recruit, former Alabama commit appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That official ruling was handed down by Cleveland County judge Thad Balkman on Thursday afternoon. According to SoonerScoop’s George Stoia, Balkman said the NCAA “failed to consider the totality of the case” when initially denying Heinecke eligibility for 2026.

As a result, Balkman decided to grant the injunction, effectively making Heinecke eligible for another season of college football.

This is massive news for the Sooners, as Heinecke is a likely starter at linebacker for Oklahoma in 2026 now that he’s been ruled eligible. Heinecke had a breakout 2025 campaign that saw him record 74 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 3 sacks.

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Heinecke began his college career as a lacrosse player at Ohio State in 2021. He then transferred to Oklahoma and did not play during the 2022 season. He played 13 games in 2023 and 2024, mostly on special teams and as a reserve linebacker before taking on a larger role last fall.

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables was among those who testified on Heinecke’s behalf during the hearing.

Heinecke will re-join an Oklahoma defense that projects to be among the nation’s best in 2026. Last season, the Sooners allowed just 4.28 yards per play, which ranked No. 4 nationally.

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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 Judge rules on Owen Heinecke’s eligibility case appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Wildcats flipped 3-star tight end recruit Trae “Tank” Proctor away from Auburn, according to a report from recruiting insider Steve Wiltfong.

This is a significant addition for the Wildcats. Proctor is ranked No. 761 among all players and No. 41 among tight ends in the class of 2027, per 247Sports Composite rankings.

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Proctor is listed at 6-foot-4, 213 pounds. He attends American Heritage High School (Fla.), which is one of the nation’s top producers of high school recruits. Other alumni include former Alabama defensive back Patrick Surtain Jr., former Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner and current Miami star wide receiver Malachi Toney, among many others.

Proctor adds to a growing recruiting class that’s set to arrive in Lexington following the 2026 season. Kentucky‘s recruiting has taken a big step forward since the hiring of Will Stein, particularly in the transfer portal.

Kentucky’s 2027 recruiting class now includes 9 prospects. The group is led by 4-star quarterback Jake Nawrot, who committed to the Wildcats earlier this week. Overall, Kentucky’s 2027 recruiting class ranks in the top 15 nationally, per 247Sports Composite rankings.

Here are some highlights from Proctor’s junior season of high school football:

The post Kentucky flips highly-touted TE recruit away from Auburn appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On the football side, there’s very little separation between coaches No. 2 and No. 8. All but 1 of my top 8 coaches have a College Football Playoff appearance on their résumé. The order of that group could look drastically different a year from now depending on what happens in 2026.

For men’s basketball, the tiers are a little bit more defined. There’s a clear top 4 followed by another tier that mostly features coaches who are still searching for their crowning achievement.

Ranking the best SEC football and men’s basketball coaches

Before digging into the rankings, a couple of notes about my process that carry over from last week’s rankings. To start, I ranked all 16 head coaches in both sports individually based on a variety of criteria. I considered accolades at their current schools as well as what they accomplished at prior stops. 

When melding the rankings together to make this list, I weighed football and basketball rankings equally. In instances where there was a tie in average ranking, I gave the nod to the school with the higher-ranked football coach (football Just Means More, after all). 

Here are my top 8 SEC football and men’s basketball coach pairings:

8. Missouri

Football coach: Eli Drinkwitz

Men’s basketball coach: Dennis Gates

If there’s one coach I’m probably higher on than the public consensus, it’s Eli Drinkwitz. Do you know how hard it is to win 10+ games at a program like Missouri in a league like the SEC in back-to-back years? If you’re not a blue-blood, it’s extremely difficult. If you exclude the SEC programs that have won national championships this century (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Texas and Georgia), it’s only been accomplished by a handful of coaches: Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Gary Pinkel (Missouri), Steve Spurrier (South Carolina), Bobby Petrino (Arkansas) and Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee). That’s not a bad list to add your name to. The 2025 campaign was a small step back for Mizzou, but the Tigers weren’t far off from top-10 wins over Vanderbilt (loss by 7) and Alabama (loss by 3). I think Mizzou is here to stay as a top-25 program as long as Drinkwitz is in charge and it shouldn’t be too much longer before the Tigers make their CFP debut. 

Dennis Gates is somewhat puzzling. He’s been at Mizzou for 4 seasons, 3 of which have been solid-to-good. The outlier was a true catastrophe — an 0-18 finish in SEC play in 2023. That season, combined with Mizzou not making it to the second weekend under Gates yet, means he checks in at No. 9 in the basketball-only rankings. That may be unfair given that Mizzou has matched Kentucky’s conference-play record over the past 2 years (20-16) with a fraction of the resources. But I still think the range of possible outcomes over the next few years is very wide — everything from “leaves for a blueblood job” to “fired” is on the table over the next 2-3 seasons. 

7. Texas A&M

Football coach: Mike Elko

Men’s basketball coach: Bucky McMillan

If I were to redo this exercise a year from now, I think there’s a chance I’d have Texas A&M in the top 3. I’m exceptionally high on both Mike Elko and Bucky McMillan. Let’s start with Elko, who pulled off the miracle of going 9-7 in ACC play at Duke prior to his move to College Station. That record may not seem spectacular, but remember he was taking over a Duke program that had won 1 of its previous 18 conference games prior to Elko’s arrival. Duke also was forced to play with a backup quarterback for much of the 2023 season due to an injury to Riley Leonard. Since getting to Texas A&M, the Aggies have exceeded expectations with a 12-4 record in SEC play, which is their best stretch of conference results (by winning percentage) since leaving the Big 12. 

McMillan has only been in high-major college basketball for 1 year, but the early returns are promising. The Aggies went 11-7 during SEC play this season, but just as important, their process was excellent. McMillan puts a big emphasis on analytically-optimized offense, which translated to Texas A&M being No. 2 in 3-point attempt rate and No. 1 in average 2-point attempt distance during conference play. It wasn’t perfect, but it was just Year 1. McMillan’s teams had similar offensive profiles at Samford, where his tenure peaked with an NCAA Tournament berth in 2024 (the program’s first since 2000). 

6. Georgia

Football coach: Kirby Smart

Men’s basketball coach: Mike White

This is an admittedly harsh ranking for Georgia. For the record, I have Kirby Smart at No. 1 in my football-only rankings, so the Bulldogs land at No. 6 purely because of where men’s basketball coach Mike White is ranked. There’s not much I need to add about Smart beyond what his résumé says: 2 national championships, 4 SEC Championships and 3 SEC Coach of the Year awards. He’s done all of that in just 10 seasons on the job. He’s by far the most accomplished coach in the SEC and it would be borderline impossible to argue that any other coach in this league is better than Smart. 

I’ve got Mike White ranked 12th out of the SEC’s 16 men’s basketball coaches. That’s partially because the league has a lot of great coaches right now in that sport. It’s also because White has generally fallen short despite a couple of good seasons at UGA in recent years. He missed the NCAA Tournament in his first 2 years in Athens, which is nothing to be ashamed of. The bigger problem is his 1 second weekend appearance in 7 years at Florida. The Gators were a juggernaut before he got there and have been at the top of the sport ever since he left. 

5. Florida

Football coach: Jon Sumrall

Men’s basketball coach: Todd Golden

Jon Sumrall is a difficult coach to rank. He’s won big at Troy and Tulane, but we’ve seen coaches excel at that level before and it doesn’t always translate to the highest levels of college football. But the record speaks for itself — 28-4 in conference play across 4 total seasons as a head coach. I thought hiring Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner was one of the sharpest moves of the offseason that went a little under-the-radar if you weren’t paying attention. I think there’s reason for optimism that Sumrall will be regarded as a top-half SEC coach in the near future. 

The reason why Florida cracks the top 5 on this list is Todd Golden, my No. 1 ranked coach for men’s basketball. He’s won a national championship and has led the Gators to a No. 1 seed in each of the past 2 seasons. I gave him the edge over Rick Barnes for the No. 1 spot, although I do think Barnes has a pretty solid case given his longevity and recent success (3 straight Elite Eight appearances). Golden is also only 39 years old so he has a chance to be at the top of the SEC coaching pyramid for quite some time. 

4. Texas

Football coach: Steve Sarkisian

Men’s basketball coach: Sean Miller

The 2026 campaign is arguably the most important of Steve Sarkisian’s career. It will almost certainly be his last season coaching Arch Manning and expectations are sky-high in Austin and nationally for the Longhorns this fall. That’s especially true after Texas began last year as the preseason No. 1 team before missing the CFP entirely. Still, Sarkisian is clearly a top-5 SEC head coach as he’s regarded as an excellent offensive play-caller and has led Texas to a couple of CFP semifinal appearances. Another big point in Sarkisian’s favor: a 5-1 head-to-head record against his rivalry counterparts Brent Venables and Mike Elko.

Sean Miller is still trying to generate momentum in Austin, but the former Arizona and Xavier coach still has a résumé that favorably compares to most of the coaches in this league. Although a trip to the Final Four has proven to be elusive, Miller has been to the Sweet 16 an impressive 9 times (including a vacated 2017 season at Arizona). That ranks 9th among all active head coaches. 

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Kalshi

Texas

38%

Ohio St.

37%

Notre Dame

16%

Oregon

10%

Indiana

9%

Georgia

3%

Predict

3. Tennessee

Football coach: Josh Heupel 

Men’s basketball coach: Rick Barnes

Josh Heupel deserves a lot of credit for getting Tennessee out of the wilderness. From 2008 through 2021, the Volunteers didn’t win 6 SEC games a single time. Heupel brought competency to Knoxville pretty much overnight, accomplishing that feat twice in his first 4 years on the job. I’m not sure how high Tennessee’s ceiling is with Heupel — Vols fans are still chasing 2022 as their best post-Fulmer team. But he has restored Tennessee as a high-level program. He’s beaten Alabama twice and made the College Football Playoff once. I think there are probably more trips to the CFP in his future, too. 

Rick Barnes’ basketball teams at Tennessee haven’t always been the most aesthetically-pleasing to watch. But Barnes wins. He’s ripped off 3-straight Elite Eight appearances at a Tennessee program that’s only reached that stage 4 times in its history. The Final Four is proving to be elusive, but if Barnes can’t get the Volunteers over the hump, it may be a while longer before they find someone who can. This is one of the best college basketball coaches of his generation and he’s continued to have success in the NIL era when many of his counterparts have either retired or lost effectiveness.  

2. LSU

Football coach: Lane Kiffin

Men’s basketball coach: Will Wade

I have Lane Kiffin at No. 3 in my football-only rankings as he embarks on this LSU journey. He just put together the best 5-year stretch in the history of Ole Miss football. Prior to Kiffin’s arrival, Ole Miss had won 10+ games in a season just 7 times. Kiffin rattled off 4 such seasons in 5 years, including an 11-win campaign in 2023 and 11 more wins in 2025 before he bolted to Baton Rouge (Ole Miss then won 2 more games for a school-record 13 victories). I settled on Kiffin here because he’s won way above what you’d expect at Ole Miss given its history. But now that he’s at LSU, a place known for winning national titles, holding on to a top-3 spot will be much tougher. 

When I first sat down to do this exercise, I expected to have Will Wade outside the top 10. His shine has worn off significantly since his first stint in Baton Rouge given the NCAA scandal and his chaotic exit from NC State. But his résumé is pretty undeniable. Two NCAA Tournament appearances at VCU (including 1 first-round win). Three trips to the Big Dance at LSU, including a Sweet 16 berth. Two more March Madness games at McNeese. And then in 2025-26, he led NC State to another NCAA Tournament appearance. The results in March haven’t been great — he’s only been to the Sweet 16 once. But Wade is clearly an impactful regular season coach and has won everywhere he’s been. 

1. Alabama

Football coach: Kalen DeBoer

Men’s basketball coach: Nate Oats

In my opinion, this is clearly the best combo of football and men’s basketball coaches in the SEC. Kalen DeBoer has maybe fallen a bit below expectations in 2 years at Alabama, but not drastically below. He won a CFP game this year as a road team and missed the postseason in Year 1 by the margin of Clemson upsetting SMU in the ACC Championship Game. DeBoer also previously made the National Championship Game at Washington and was excellent at his prior stops, too. We’ve yet to see what DeBoer can do with an elite quarterback in Tuscaloosa. Perhaps Keelon Russell or Austin Mack make that leap this year and we see what the ceiling of a DeBoer-led blueblood really is. 

What Nate Oats has done at Alabama is remarkable. He wins in the regular season and he wins in March, often without elite NBA prospects (Brandon Miller aside). Oats has produced 5 of Alabama’s 13 Sweet 16 appearances all-time in the last 6 years. He’s also made the Elite Eight twice and led the Crimson Tide to their only Final Four berth in 2024. Oats is an elite talent evaluator who understands how to leverage pace and 3-point shooting better than just about any coach in the country. He’s not perfect — Oats’ defenses are often mediocre and they don’t force turnovers at a high rate. He’s also struggled to find centers who can run the floor with his guards in transition while also being complementary half-court contributors on both ends. But his style wins in college basketball and I think, at some point, he’ll figure out how to mask those flaws and produce a national champion. 

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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 Ranking the SEC’s best football, men’s basketball coach pairings (Part 2) appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Here’s a look at the teams:

Texas A&M players had a significant hand in picking these teams for these rosters. Team captains for the 2 sides picked a trio of players each while the roster of the rosters were filled out by the coaching staff.

Quarterback Marcel Reed and safety Dalton Brooks served as captains of the White team. The Maroon team was led by wide receiver Terry Bussey and linebacker Daymion Sanford.

Star pass rusher TJ Searcy was the first pick of the draft and will play for Team Maroon. Team White’s first pick of the draft was also a pass rusher — defensive end Mario Jones.

Texas A&M released video from the draft process:

Texas A&M is in the midst of a crucial spring practice period. The Aggies are looking to take another step forward this upcoming season after reaching the College Football Playoff in 2025.

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Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Texas A&M announces rosters for 2026 spring game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That’s per a report from DawgCentral’s Graham Coffey, who says Williams suffered the injury “towards the end” of Georgia‘s spring practice on Tuesday.

This is devastating news for a Bulldogs defense that was counting on Williams to provide pass rushing production in 2026. Previously at Auburn, Williams racked up 6 tackles for loss and 2 sacks during his sophomore season with the Tigers in 2025.

Pass rushing was a weakness for Georgia last fall and it’s shaping up to be an area of concern once again. In 2025, the Bulldogs ranked dead last in the SEC in tackles for loss per game (4.21) and sacks per game (1.43).

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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

Elsewhere on the depth chart, Georgia does return outside linebacker Quintavius Johnson as a key starter from a year ago. The Bulldogs may now require more production from a player like Isaiah Gibson, who is entering his second season with the Bulldogs after signing as a 5-star prospect in the class of 2025.

Despite this injury, Georgia will be expected to compete for its third straight SEC Championship next fall.

Georgia’s spring game is scheduled for this Saturday.

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The post Georgia reportedly loses key pass rusher to season-ending injury appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Aggies have landed a commitment from 4-star receiver Jaden Upshaw. According to On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Upshaw picked Texas A&M over offers from programs such as Florida, Miami, Alabama and others.

“Ain’t nothing better than an Aggie,” Upshaw told On3.

Upshaw is a massive addition for Texas A&M in the class of 2027. He’s currently a 4-star prospect, but could reach 5-star status by the end of the cycle as he’s regarded as one of the top-pass catcher in this class. He’s ranked as the No. 64 overall player and the No. 11 wide receiver in the nation for the 2027 cycle, per 247Sports Composite rankings.

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Upshaw is listed at 6-foot-1, 196 pounds. He attends Lee County High School in Leesburg, Georgia.

There’s still several months left in the 2027 recruiting cycle, but the Aggies are off to a great start. Led by Mike Elko, Texas A&M now has 12 commitments in the 2027 recruiting cycle.

The group ranks No. 2 nationally, per 247Sports Composite rankings.

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Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Texas A&M lands commitment from elite WR in class of 2027 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Washington transfer guard Zoom Diallo has committed to play for Mark Pope and the Wildcats in 2026-27, according to basketball insider Jonathan Givony.

Kentucky has been linked to several big-name transfers, but Diallo is the first to join the Wildcats for next season. He’s a potential starter at Kentucky after averaging over 15 points and 4 assists per game for the Huskies this past season.

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Kentucky will need to replace the majority of its back court production from the 2025-26 campaign with Otega Oweh, Denzel Aberdeen, Jaland Lowe, Jasper Johnson and Collin Chandler all set to exit the program this year.

With that much talent leaving Kentucky, the Wildcats will presumably look to add even more back court help via the portal before this cycle is over. Kentucky only has 1 high school recruit currently committed for next season: 4-star point guard Mason Williams.

Kentucky is also reportedly in the mix for 5-star forward Tyran Stokes, who is regarded as the No. 1 overall high school recruit in the class of 2026. Stokes has also been linked to Kansas but it’s not yet clear when he will make a final decision.

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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 adds first transfer commit of 2026 offseason appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Rick Barnes and his staff earned a commitment from Notre Dame guard Jalen Haralson. That’s according to a report from On3’s Joe Tipton, who notes that Haralson is a former McDonald’s All-American.

Haralson is a huge addition for Tennessee. This past season with the Fighting Irish, Haralson started 23 of 27 games and averaged 16 points and 4 rebounds per night. He was one of the best players on a Notre Dame team that struggled in ACC play.

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Despite the lack of team success, it was an impressive freshman season for Haralson, who profiles as a potential starter for the Volunteers in 2026-27. Listed at 6-foot-7, Haralson has excellent size for the guard position and could guard forwards in the SEC next year.

This addition continues Tennessee’s roster makeover for 2026-27. The Vols have lost several key players to graduation or the transfer portal, but have now added highly-regarded replacements in Haralson, Miles Rubin, Dai Dai Ames and Tyler Lundblade.

Tennessee will enter next season looking for another deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Volunteers have reached the Elite Eight in 3 consecutive seasons.

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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 Tennessee basketball adds potential starter via transfer portal appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Pro-style player movement may never reach college football, even as the sport continues to undergo seismic shifts on a seemingly annual basis.

But there’s no better time for hypotheticals than the offseason. This piece will explore 3 college football player trades that would make sense in world where such transactions were permitted.

One important note before we dive in: positional value was given as much credence as possible. That’s why you’ll see an example of a backup quarterback being traded for multiple potential starters.

Hypothetical college football trades

With that being said, here are 3 intriguing trade ideas for the 2026 college football season:

Alabama and Clemson

Alabama trades: Quarterback Austin Mack 

Clemson trades: Wide receiver Bryant Wesco and offensive lineman Brayden Jacobs

Alabama’s quarterback competition features a couple of high-pedigree (but inexperienced) options in Austin Mack and Keelon Russell. I’d guess the Tide’s coaching staff would prefer Russell win this job given his 5-star recruit status and given that he still has 4 years of eligibility remaining. In this hypothetical scenario, Alabama trades its backup quarterback for 2 potential starters on offense. 

Brayden Jacobs was a high-level reserve offensive lineman for Clemson last season as a true freshman. The son of former NFL running back Brandon Jacobs, he played 362 snaps last season and was Clemson’s second highest-graded O-Lineman last year, per PFF. He could play guard or tackle and would give an immediate boost to Alabama’s offensive line. Wesco would also start at receiver for Alabama. The former 5-star recruit hit 700+ yards as a freshman and 500+ yards last season in just 7 games. He’s comfortable lining up outside, which is a good fit alongside someone like Ryan Coleman-Williams, who Alabama deploys in a variety of receiver positions. Alabama also has a need at receiver following a significant injury to NC State transfer Noah Rogers during A-Day.

Clemson’s quarterback situation is murky at best with Christopher Vizzina as the favorite to win the job. Vizzina’s production has been rough to say the least so far in his college career. He has 105 passes, nearly all of which have been in low-leverage situations, and is averaging just 5.7 yards per attempt. If there’s a bright spot, it’s that he averaged 7.5 yards per attempt on 42 passes in a 9-point loss to SMU last season. He also threw 3 touchdown passes and had 0 interceptions in that valiant effort. Still, I suspect Clemson would be interested in a potential quarterback upgrade entering the 2026 season. 

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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

Ole Miss and Florida State

Ole Miss trades: Deuce Knight, Terez Davis

Florida State trades: Duce Robinson

When Ole Miss landed Deuce Knight out of the transfer portal this offseason, there was a chance he would end up starting for the Rebels this fall. But Trinidad Chambliss seems to have won his eligibility case and projects to be the Week 1 starter for Ole Miss this fall. Knight is perhaps a bit over-qualified to be a backup in Year 2 given his 5-star pedigree. He was the No. 28 overall player in the class of 2025, per the 247Sports composite rankings.

In this hypothetical deal, I have Knight going to Florida State, where he would be a high-upside alternative to veteran Ashton Daniels, who is currently slated to be the starter in Tallahassee. Daniels has played a lot of football in his career, but he’s never been an efficient passer. He’s a solid runner, but not special. Knight has a chance to be special, although his range of possible outcomes is very wide. Given the hot seat situation with Mike Norvell at Florida State, I think FSU would be interested in aiming as high as possible with the quarterback position. Middling results likely won’t guarantee another season for Norvell and his staff. FSU also gets a high-upside offensive tackle in Terez Davis to help rebuild that offensive line. Davis only played 58 snaps last season for the Rebels but earned very strong PFF grades across the board and has multiple years of eligibility remaining. 

As for the return, Duce Robinson would be a huge get for Ole Miss. He had a breakout campaign in 2025, going for over 1,000 yards while averaging about 19 yards per catch. Receiver looks like it could be a weakness for Ole Miss this season. Harrison Wallace, De’Zhaun Stribling, Cayden Lee and Winston Watkins are all gone. Robinson would do a lot to help that WR room and his upside should make up for the positional value loss of Knight at quarterback. 

USC and Oklahoma

USC trades: Running back King Miller

Oklahoma trades: Cornerback Courtland Guillory 

Now that Oklahoma seems to have fixed its tight end room after hiring Jason Witten and bringing in multiple transfers, OU’s biggest weakness is arguably at running back. The Sooners return Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock from last year’s team, but neither is a game-changer at that position. Both Robinson and Blaylock posted negative EPA-per-rush numbers in 2025. King Miller might be. He had a breakout freshman season at USC, rushing for over 900 yards after taking over as the Trojans’ starter once Waymond Jordan suffered an injury. USC may not want to part with Miller, but the Trojans do have some depth at running back so they’d be dealing from a position of strength. 

To get King from USC, Oklahoma would have to give up a legitimate starter on defense. Courtland Guillory certainly fits the bill as a starter. He led OU cornerbacks in coverage snaps (386) and overall PFF grade (74.4) last season as a true freshman. He was a huge part of that secondary. But Brent Venables has been able to find plenty cornerback production since he got to Norman, so I don’t think the Sooners should be scared to deal Guillory for an elite running back with multiple years of eligibility remaining. Eli Bowen and Jacobe Johnson are still on the roster and could profile as starters in Guillory’s place. The Sooners also brought in 2 cornerback transfers this offseason, further adding to their depth at that position.

USC’s secondary was a mess last season. The Trojans ranked 81st in pass defense efficiency which was a big reason why they ultimately missed out on the College Football Playoff. They gave up 12.3 yards per attempt in a loss to Illinois and 8.5 yards per attempt in a loss to Oregon. USC’s top returning cornerback, Marcelles Williams, had a coverage grade of just 64.4 last season, per PFF. That ranked 32nd out of 50 Big Ten cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps last season. Guillory would be able to step in and be immediately impactful.

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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 3 hypothetical college football trades for the 2026 season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Mack entered the competition as the more experienced option over Russell, who is entering just his second season of college football. Mack is a former 5-star recruit who began his collegiate career with Kalen DeBoer at Washington.

McElroy, a former Alabama quarterback himself, said he thinks the “gap” is closing between Mack and Russell.

“Here’s what I know coming out of Saturday,” McElroy said. “Right now, whatever gap that might’ve existed between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell, just based on experience, I think that’s probably evaporated.

“We’re talking about the Gatorade National Player of the Year in high school. Arguably the highest-rated signee in Alabama’s modern recruiting era … He’s not just a 5-star that’s waiting to get his opportunity. He’s getting his opportunity and, so far, he’s making the most of it.”

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Russell — the No. 2 overall player in the 247Sports Composite rankings for 2025 — may be the favorite at this stage in the competition. He completed 11-of-15 passes for 143 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Whoever wins the starting job will have high expectations in Tuscaloosa next season. Alabama is among the favorites to win the SEC next season on Kalshi:

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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 Greg McElroy shares thoughts on Alabama QB competition following A-Day appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Johnson was picked No. 10 overall by the Indiana Fever, becoming the latest former Gamecock to become a first round pick. Johnson enters the WNBA as one of the most decorated women’s basketball players in recent memory.

Johnson is a two-time National Champion, a 2-time All-American and was the 2025-26 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, among other accolades.

After being picked, Johnson spoke with ESPN’s Holly Rowe on the broadcast.

“You dream of moments like this as a little girl,” Johnson said. “Just to hear my name called, it’s a blessing.”

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Johnson joins an Indiana Fever team that made the Eastern Conference Finals last season despite injuries to key players such as Caitlin Clark. Johnson will join Clark in a loaded backcourt that also includes Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham.

Known for her defense, Johnson is also an effective outside shooter and playmaker. In her final season at South Carolina, Johnson shot 39% from beyond the 3-point line and averaged more than 5 assists per game.

The Fever’s first regular season game is set for May 9.

The post South Carolina star Raven Johnson picked by Indiana Fever in WNBA Draft appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Carey, who entered the transfer portal earlier this month, was a key player for the Volunteers in 2025-26. Carey previously played for James Madison and Vanderbilt, so Mizzou will be his fourth stop since beginning his college career.

News of his commitment to Dennis Gates was first shared by On3’s Joe Tipton on Monday evening:

Carey is one of several key players who departed Tennessee after the Vols lost in the Elite Eight for the third straight season.

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Mizzou is getting an SEC-proven forward who has been consistently impactful as a bench big. For Tennessee this past season, Carey started 8 games and averaged 7.4 points and 6 rebounds per game. He put up similar numbers for Vandy in 2024-25.

Now in Columbia, Carey could have a chance to start for the Tigers in 2026-27. He joins a Mizzou program that has reached the NCAA Tournament in 3 of the last 4 seasons. However, the Tigers have not made it out of the first round since Gates’ first campaign in 2022-23.

Mizzou will be hoping that Carey can be a big part of taking a significant leap next season.

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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 Jaylen Carey announces transfer to SEC program appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Golding was of course asked about the dramatic departure of Lane Kiffin to LSU, which materialized in the days following the 2025 Egg Bowl. Kiffin famously left for Baton Rouge prior to Ole Miss‘s College Football Playoff run.

Golding was asked about the timing of when he knew he would be asked to take over for Kiffin.

“Obviously the Egg Bowl was that Friday,” Golding said. “I rode back with Kiff … I still couldn’t get a real feel. I was with him the whole time and it was like ‘Tuesday, I’m going to Florida. Wednesday, I’m going to LSU. Thursday, I’m staying. I still couldn’t have a real feel.

“Saturday night, I got the first call from [Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter] saying ‘Kiff has decided to go elsewhere. Let’s meet at 7:30.”

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Golding said he then had an offer to take over as the Ole Miss head coach on Sunday.

“It got real at about 12:20 that day,” Golding said. “They called me back over, the chancellor and Keith, and said, ‘hey, we really want you to do this. We think it’s the right time. We think you’re the right guy.'”

Golding was officially named the next head coach at Ole Miss on Sunday, Nov. 30. That decision paid off — at least in the short-term — quickly, as Golding led the Rebels to a pair of CFP wins before bowing out in the semifinals.

With quarterback Trinidad Chambliss set to return for 2026, Ole Miss will once again have CFP aspirations going into next 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 Pete Golding opens up about timing of Lane Kiffin’s departure, promotion to head coach appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Vitale announced that news in a statement via ESPN on Monday afternoon. Vitale said his oncologist informed him on Monday that he has melanoma in his lung and liver cavity.

This is Vitale’s fifth run-in with cancer and his second with melanoma specifically. He said in a statement that he’s also defeated lymphoma, vocal cord cancer and lymph node cancer.

“I will be starting immunotherapy shortly and I plan on winning this battle,” Vitale said in the statement.

“I am truly overwhelmed by the love, support, prayers and messages I’ve received from so many people. I’m incredibly blessed to have my family beside me, and my ESPN family — led by chairman Jimmy Pitaro — has been absolutely terrific. Their support has inspired me to keep fighting and I will do everything in my power to win another battle.”

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Last week, Vitale shared that he had received concerning news after a routine scan. Vitale was most-recently declared cancer-free in late 2024 after defeating lymph node cancer.

Vitale has worked for ESPN as a broadcaster and analyst since 1979. He’s also been a consistent champion of the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research, which honors the legacy of former NC State coach Jim Valvano.

The Jimmy V Foundation’s annual gala is set for May 1.

The post Dick Vitale announces new cancer diagnosis: ‘I plan on winning this battle’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That’s according to TexAgs’ Luke Evangelist, who notes that Vinson had a strong close to the season as a reserve in A&M’s front court in the NCAA Tournament. He played 9 minutes in a win over Saint Mary’s and scored 5 points. He also scored 4 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 10 minutes in Texas A&M’s season-ending loss to Houston.

Vinson has 2 years of eligibility remaining.

Vinson began his career at Texas but transferred to Texas A&M after his freshman season. He appeared in 30 games for Texas A&M this season, averaging 3.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest.

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The 6-foot-11 big could have a more significant role for Bucky McMillan in 2026-27. Rashaun Agee is out of collegiate eligibility, opening up significant minutes in Texas A&M’s front court.

Texas A&M could also bring in front court depth via the transfer portal. However, the Aggies only have 1 transfer commit as of this writing — former Kansas State guard PJ Haggerty. Texas A&M has one high school recruit signed for the 2026 class in 4-star center Josh Irving.

Texas A&M will be hoping to take another big step forward in Year 2 under McMillan. Vinson figures to play a role in those efforts.

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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’s Jamie Vinson reportedly makes decision on future plans appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Volunteers earned a commitment from former Loyola Chicago center Miles Rubin on Sunday afternoon. On3’s Joe Tipton shared that news, noting that Rubin averaged over 11 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks per game for the Ramblers in 2025-26.

Tennessee has been in the market for a new center this offseason. Felix Okpara won’t be back with the Vols next season as he’s exhausted his collegiate eligibility. Another Tennessee big, JP Estrella, entered the transfer portal earlier this month and has already committed to Michigan.

Rick Barnes and his staff will hope that Rubin can stabilize things for the Vols in the front court.

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Tennessee is also set to lose Jaylen Carey, who played both center and power forward during the 2025-26 season. However, DeWayne Brown is set to return and will likely play a bigger role in Tennessee’s front court next season.

Rubin is Tennessee’s third transfer addition so far this cycle, joining guards Tyler Lundblade and Dai Dai Ames. Tennessee currently has the No. 1-ranked transfer portal class in the nation, per 247Sports Composite.

Here’s an early look at the odds for the 2027 National Championship on 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 Tennessee basketball lands commitment from key transfer center appeared first on Saturday Down South.

With the draft set to take place later this month, ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote about 7 prospects who have significantly improved their draft stock over the past year.

Legwold notes that Freeling was considered a potential Day 2 pick at this time last year because of his impressive athleticism and physical traits. However, in his first year as a starter, Freeling proved he could be a first-round pick.

Here’s some of Legwood’s analysis about why Freeling has risen up draft boards:

Scouts who monitor the SEC said they could see Freeling’s pass-protection technique improve in real time. His hand placement got better throughout the season against some of the most explosive defensive players on this draft board. Games against Auburn and Texas last season are frequently mentioned by evaluators.

According to the latest odds on Kalshi, Freeling even has a slight chance of being a top-10 draft pick: Here’s a look at that market:

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Kalshi

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

UGA has not produced a top-10 pick since defensive lineman Jalen Carter in 2023.

Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft is set for April 23.

The post Former Georgia star makes ESPN’s list of biggest NFL Draft risers appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Bulldogs signed an elite recruiting class and a strong crop of transfers this offseason. ESPN’s Billy Tucker chose to highlight former Georgia Tech receiver Isiah Canion as UGA’s top newcomer.

Canion had a breakout sophomore season with the Yellow Jackets in 2025, going for 480 yards and 4 touchdowns. In his final game at Georgia Tech, he caught 4 passes for 54 yards against Georgia.

Here’s analysis from Tucker on what the Bulldogs can expect from Canion:

Canion, coming off a 2025 season with 33 receptions, 480 yards, and four touchdowns at Georgia Tech, is expected to immediately compete for a starting role opposite Humphreys. His size, ball skills, and ability to create separation on vertical and crossing routes make him an ideal intermediate and deep target in the Georgia offense. While his current ankle injury is a minor setback for spring, he’s a physical receiver who tracks the ball well and makes difficult grabs look easy. He’s much like CJ Daniels who starred for Miami last fall. Though not a primary YAC target, his powerful frame allows him to break tackles after the catch, ensuring he’s more than just a jump-ball specialist. Georgia needs him healthy to provide the consistent big-play threat they need for CFP contention.

Georgia’s passing offense will be looking to take a step forward in 2026. Quarterback Gunner Stockton is back for another season under center. In 2025, the Bulldogs were tied for 4th in the SEC in passer efficiency rating.

At 6-foot-4, Canion could be a big help in getting Georgia’s passing attack to the next level. The Bulldogs will be looking for a third straight SEC Championship in 2026.

Here’s the current Kalshi odds for next year’s SEC title:

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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 ESPN analyst names Georgia’s ‘top newcomer’ for 2026 season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The program officially announced that news on Thursday evening. Cain had not previously decided if he was going to enter the transfer portal or come back to play under Mike White for another season at UGA.

In a press release, Georgia confirms that Cain has officially signed with the Bulldogs for next season. With this announcement, Georgia has now secured one of its top offensive options for another season.

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In 2025-26, Cain averaged a career-high 13 points and 5 rebounds per contest. He struggled from the 3-point line, shooting just 30% from downtown this season, but has shot higher percentages in prior years. Georgia will be hoping Cain can improve on that 30% number during his senior campaign.

Cain’s return means Georgia is now expected to bring back at least 4 players from its 2025-26 roster, which resulted in an NCAA Tournament appearance. The Bulldogs are also set to return Marcus Millender, Kareem Stagg and Kanon Catchings.

One key player the Bulldogs will have to replace is guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, who entered the transfer portal earlier this week.

Georgia has made the NCAA Tournament in both of Cain’s full seasons as a starter. It’s the first time UGA has made the Big Dance in back-to-back seasons since 2001-02.

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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 Georgia starter Blue Cain announces plans for 2026-27 season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Isaacs spent the 2025-26 season with the Aggies but previously played at Texas Tech and Creighton. He only played 8 games in 2024-25 with the Bluejays due to a season-ending injury, qualifying him for a medical redshirt for that campaign.

Despite initially enrolling at Texas Tech back in 2022, Isaacs will have 1 year of eligibility at his next destination.

Isaacs was a productive player for Texas A&M in 2025-26. He made 8 starts and played in 33 total games, averaging about 10 points and 2.5 assists per game. He scored 18 points in a triple overtime win over LSU late in the year, which helped the Aggies win an SEC Tournament game in Year 1 under Bucky McMillan.

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Isaacs also had a significant role in Texas A&M’s brief NCAA Tournament run. He played 20+ minutes in both games, although he shot just 2-for-9 from the field in those contests.

Texas A&M is expected to lose several key players to the transfer portal or graduation this offseason, including forward Ruben Dominguez.

So far, Texas A&M has signed just 1 high school prospect for this upcoming class — 4-star center Josh Irving. That suggests the Aggies will be looking to add significant talent via the portal this offseason.

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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 guard Pop Isaacs reportedly makes decision on future plans appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to KSR, Washington transfer Zoom Diallo will be in Lexington from April 10-11 on a visit. The report notes that Diallo is Kentucky‘s first transfer visitor of the cycle.

Although Diallo is the first transfer prospect to visit Lexington, the Wildcats are expected to be very active in the transfer portal this offseason. Kentucky is set to lose key players like Otega Oweh, Collin Chandler, Jasper Johnson, Jaland Lowe and Denzel Aberdeen, among others.

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If Kentucky can land Diallo, he would profile as a potential starter in the back court next season for the Wildcats. As a sophomore at Washington this year, Diallo averaged 15.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Diallo’s scoring efficiency improved significantly as a sophomore. He brought his true shooting percentage up over 56% this past season after he was closer to 52% as a freshman with the Huskies.

This is an important offseason for head coach Mark Pope, who is entering his third year at the helm in Lexington. During his first 2 seasons in charge, Kentucky has gone just 20-16 in SEC play.

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

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Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Kentucky set to host elite transfer guard on visit, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It’s a great time to evaluate SEC head coaches for both of the biggest revenue sports — football and men’s basketball. The SEC had a historically busy coaching carousel on the football side of things this year, but only 1 change in men’s basketball (barring any additional surprises). There’s plenty of data on most of these coaches to build out an educated ranking of football and basketball coaches as we exit the 2025-26 season.

Ranking SEC football and men’s basketball coaches

Let’s talk about my process for this before we dive in. To start, I ranked all 16 head coaches in both sports individually based on a variety of criteria. I considered accolades at their previous schools as well as what they accomplished at prior stops. 

When melding the rankings together to make this list, I weighed football and basketball rankings equally. In instances where there was a tie in average ranking, I gave the nod to the school with the higher-ranked football coach (football Just Means More, after all). 

Today’s edition has the bottom-8 programs in our rankings, with the top-8 to come next week.

16. Auburn

Football coach: Alex Golesh

Men’s basketball coach: Steven Pearl

It may be a surprise to see Auburn coming in at dead last in this ranking, but frankly it’s not even close. I think Alex Golesh did a great job at South Florida and could be a great coach on the Plains, but he’s not proven to the degree that most of his counterparts are. He has 3 years of head coaching experience and is 14-10 in conference play at one of the better jobs in the AAC (South Florida). 

As for the basketball program, Steven Pearl was underwhelming in his first season at the helm. Auburn missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a non-Covid-impacted campaign since 2017. The Tigers were dead last in defensive efficiency during SEC play. Time will tell if promoting Pearl was a good move or not, but the early returns are underwhelming. 

15. South Carolina

Football coach: Shane Beamer

Men’s basketball coach: Lamont Paris

Shane Beamer has spent 5 seasons with South Carolina and has gone above .500 in SEC play just once. Unlike many other coaches on this list, Beamer doesn’t have any prior head coaching experience or play-calling prowess he can hang his hat on to boost his résumé. The results are what they are — a 16-24 record in SEC play and, most recently, a massively disappointing 2025 campaign that saw a team with CFP aspirations go just 1-7 in league play. 

Lamont Paris has delivered 1 good year out of 4 so far since he took over for Frank Martin. The Gamecocks were a 6-seed in 2024 but lost in the first round. In the other 3 seasons, South Carolina has won a total of 10 SEC games. I’ve got Paris ranked 15th among SEC basketball coaches coming out of the 2025-26 season. I could see a world where both Beamer and Paris are on the hot seat midway through their respective 2026-27 seasons. 

14. Kentucky

Football coach: Will Stein

Men’s basketball coach: Mark Pope

I’m actually quite optimistic about the Will Stein era in Lexington, but I had no real choice other than to rank him 16th among SEC football coaches for this exercise. He’s the only SEC head coach without any prior experience (truth be told, I’d bet he has more staying power than guys like Jeff Lebby and Ryan Silverfield). He’s a talented offensive play-caller who landed a borderline top-10 transfer portal class in his first cycle. 

Mark Pope has a middling SEC résumé. He never made the NCAA Tournament at Utah Valley. He got to the Big Dance twice at BYU, but the Cougars were knocked out in the first round both times. At Kentucky, the Wildcats are 20-16 in SEC play and have gone just 3-2 in the NCAA Tournament. Pope also hasn’t prioritized high school recruiting, which was such a big driver behind Kentucky’s success under John Calipari. Perhaps more damning is the fact that his transfer classes have been underwhelming. Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen were not difference-makers at their previous stops. Jayden Quaintance was a known injury risk. Pope needs to get a lot better at evaluation and development — quickly. 

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13. Mississippi State

Football coach: Jeff Lebby

Men’s basketball coach: Chris Jans

I don’t have much faith in Jeff Lebby at this point. I’ve got him ranked 15th, ahead of only rookie head coach Will Stein. The Bulldogs are 1-15 in SEC play, which is only a little bit better than you, reader, would do if you had Lebby’s job. That may be harsh given Mississippi State’s place in the SEC funding hierarchy. But plenty of other coaches would love to have more resources in this league and almost all of them have at least 1 great season or résumé point to hang their hat on. Lebby is still searching for his signature season. 

Chris Jans has made NCAA Tournament 3 times at New Mexico State and at Mississippi State. How many college coaches would be able to replicate that level of success at programs like that? I’m guessing not many. Jans did miss the Big Dance this year, but the Bulldogs were due for a downturn after 3 straight 21-win campaigns. He doesn’t have the high-level success that the top coaches in the SEC have, but he’s a proven winner at this level.

12. Ole Miss

Football coach: Pete Golding

Men’s basketball coach: Chris Beard

Earlier I wrote that Will Stein is the only rookie head coach in the SEC this year. That’s only barely true. Pete Golding is gearing up for his first full campaign, but he did have the trial-by-fire that was 3 College Football Playoff games in the wake of Lane Kiffin’s departure. It’s impossible to know how much weight to put on those 3 games given the chaos that this program was in during those few weeks. But I’m inclined to give Golding quite a bit of credit (enough to boost him to the top 10 of the football-only rankings). He’s long been lauded as a great defensive coach and now we’ll see his head coaching chops for a full season. I’m cautiously optimistic. 

Chris Beard is an unusual evaluation. Off-the-court issues aside, Beard’s on-court results have fallen significantly since he almost led Texas Tech to a national championship in the pre-NIL era. Beard is 21-33 in conference play in 3 SEC seasons at Ole Miss. Despite his previous success in Lubbock, that’s concerning enough to slide him into the bottom 4 of my basketball-only rankings. 

11. Oklahoma

Football coach: Brent Venables

Men’s basketball coach: Porter Moser

A year ago, Brent Venables would have been a bottom-5 coach in the football-only rankings. But then he rattled off an excellent 2025 campaign, leading the Sooners to the College Football Playoff despite facing one of the nation’s most difficult schedules. Oklahoma‘s defense is genuinely elite and Venables is the biggest reason why. Even as the sport has fundamentally changed at every level over the last couple of decades, Venables delivering consistently great results on defense is a strong constant.

You won’t find an unluckier coaching tenure in college basketball than Porter Moser at Oklahoma. Moser has made the NCAA Tournament once in 5 years in Norman, but the Sooners have been among the first teams out 3 times during that span. The 2024 campaign was particularly unlucky as OU barely missed the 68-team field due to a record number of bid-stealers. Moser is currently on track to be the first OU coach in more than 50 years to not record a Sweet 16 appearance. 

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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

10. Arkansas

Football coach: Ryan Silverfield

Men’s basketball coach: John Calipari

Ryan Silverfield arrives at Arkansas after a good-but-not-great tenure at Memphis. The Memphis program is extremely well-funded by AAC standards and yet Silverfield only delivered 2 seasons of 10+ wins. The Tigers lost at least 2 conference games in every Silverfield campaign. To me, that’s a worrying sign as Silverfield takes over an Arkansas program that’s decidedly at the bottom of the SEC food chain. 

John Calipari was my most difficult evaluation on the basketball side. I ended up having him 4th behind Todd Golden, Rick Barnes and Nate Oats. While Calipari is more accomplished than all of them, the recent results haven’t quite been there. Back-to-back Sweet 16s at Arkansas is impressive, but Calipari hasn’t reached the Elite Eight since 2019. He hasn’t been to the Final Four since 2015. To the extent that this list is forward-looking and not a pure résumé ranking, I think having Calipari at No. 4 is fair. 

9. Vanderbilt

Football coach: Clark Lea

Men’s basketball coach: Mark Byington

Oh, what to do with Clark Lea. On one hand, he just won 10 games at Vanderbilt. That carries a lot of weight. On the other hand, he’s 5-27 in SEC play outside of a 2025 campaign that was led by 23-year-old Diego Pavia. I think it’s fair to question whether or not Vanderbilt can repeatedly sustain relative success, although that would be true of any coach. I think Lea is pretty good but it’s difficult to justify having him any higher than 9th. 

Mark Byington was linked to the North Carolina job vacancy but it seems as though he’ll be back in Nashville for another season. That’s great news for Vandy fans as Byington looks like one of the better evaluators in the SEC. Not many would have expected a back court featuring Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles to be among the best in the SEC, but that’s exactly what happened this season. Miles will need to be replaced, but it’s possible Tanner will be back at Vandy next season, too. Regardless, Byington has won at every level. He’s clearly in the top half of SEC basketball coaches after just 2 years at Vandy. 

That’s all for now. Next week, we’ll conclude this list with the top 8 SEC football and men’s basketball coach combo rankings. 

The post Ranking the SEC’s best football, men’s basketball coach pairings (Part 1) appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Ahead of play beginning on Thursday morning, it’s a good time to take a look at what prediction markets like Kalshi are projecting for former college golf standouts.

This story will focus on a handful of former SEC golfers. For the sake of the exercise, we’ll be including former Texas and Oklahoma golfers who represented schools that are now in the SEC (but were in the Big 12 during their college days).

Masters Contenders 2026

With that in mind, let’s break down some of the top contenders with SEC ties.

Scottie Scheffler (Texas)

Scottie Scheffler needs to introduction. The former Texas golfer is the favorite to win the 2026 Masters and has piled up elite performances year after year at Augusta. He has 2 Masters wins on his résumé and has 4 consecutive finishes in the top-10.

Here’s where Scheffler stands among the top contenders to win at Augusta on Kalshi:

Jordan Spieth (Texas)

While Jordan Spieth is still chasing the highs he experienced in 2015, his Augusta track record speaks for itself. He has 3 top-5 finishes over his last 5 trips to the Masters (he missed the cut in the other 2 tournaments). Overall, he’s placed in the top-5 in 6 Masters Tournaments during his career, most recently with a 4th-place finish in 2023. He has 4 top-25 finishes in 8 events so far in 2026.

RELATED: Interested in exploring other Masters markets on Kalshi? Here’s a Kalshi promo code from SDS to help you get started!

Georgia’s quartet

Georgia has 4 golfers who could be in contention late into the weekend: Bubba Watson, Russell Henley, Sepp Straka and Harris English.

Watson is perhaps the most well-known of the group, given that he’s won The Masters twice in his career. However, those wins came back in 2012 and 2014. He’s missed the cut in 2 of his previous 3 appearances at Augusta, but finished T-14th last year. His most-recent top-20 showing was in 2018. In general, Watson has not been as competitive in high-level events. Now with LIV Golf, Watson’s most recent win on the PGA Tour came in 2018. According to DataGolf’s model, Watson has a 44.8% chance to make the cut.

Henley has 4 top-10 finishes in Major Championships over the past 2 years, but none at Augusta. His best-ever finish at Augusta was T-4th in 2023. He missed the cut at this tournament in 2025. As for his recent form, Henley has a pair of top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour so far this year. Per DataGolf’s model, Henley has a 21.4% chance to finish in the top-10 this weekend.

Straka will be making his 5th start at Augusta this weekend. He’s never finished better than T-16th in his career so far. The Austrian has 5 professional wins on Tour, including a pair of victories in 2025. Straka has a 25% chance of earning a top-20 finish, per DataGolf.

Last but not least, English is coming off of his best-ever season at the Major Championships. In 2025, English finished 2nd at The Open, T-2nd at the PGA Championship and 12th at The Masters. That was his first top-20 finish at Augusta in 6 starts. Although he’s rarely shined at Augusta, he only has 1 missed cut during his Masters career, which came back in his debut in 2014.

Here’s what the Kalshi marketplace says about the chances each of these ex-Georgia golfers have to finish in the top-20 this weekend:

Justin Thomas (Alabama)

Another huge name in golf, Justin Thomas was a standout college golfer at Alabama. Thomas is also very experienced at The Masters. He’s made the cut 8 times and finished in the top-25 in 6 of his 10 starts. He missed the cut in 2023 and 2024 before rebounding with a T-36th finish in 2025. Thomas has only played 3 events so far in 2026, but he had a good showing at The Players Championship in early March, finishing in the top 10. Per DataGolf, Thomas has a 6.9% chance to finish in the top 5.

Chris Gotterup (Oklahoma)

The last golfer we’ll mention here is Chris Gotterup, who began his collegiate career at Rutgers before transferring to Oklahoma. Gotterup is interesting because this will be his first-ever start at Augusta and only his 5th time to play in a Major Championship. He got 3rd at The Open in 2025 and had a T-23 finish at the US Open last year as well. Despite being a debutant at The Masters, Gotterup has been a trendy pick this week because of his recent form. He’s already won 2 PGA Tour events in 2026 and finished T-6th at the Houston Open in late March.

Over on Kalshi, fans can make predictions on players to make or miss the cut at Augusta. Here’s a look at that market for each of the players mentioned in this story with SEC ties:

The post Here’s what prediction markets are saying about former SEC golfers at The Masters appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to a report from Sam Kayser, Alabama, Arkansas and LSU have all reached out to the former Wildcat. Bashir is one of college basketball’s best 3-point shooters. He made 44.4% of his long-range attempts this season on a volume of 8.4 3PA per game.

There will be stiff competition for Bashir’s services. According to Kayser, Duke has also reached out to express interest and he’s already planning to set up a visit to St. John’s.

Bashir would be a big get for any of the SEC programs mentioned above. He’s listed at 6-foot-7 and is a very experienced player. He’s played in 78 career games and has spent the past 2 seasons as starters at Monmouth and Kansas State.

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Alabama, Arkansas and LSU could all use an experienced wing who can shoot next season. However, the Crimson Tide may have the biggest need of that group. Nate Oats’ offense is built around a high volume of 3-point attempts and Alabama is set to lose sharpshooter Latrell Wrightsell to graduation this offseason.

There’s no known timetable for Bashir to make his final decision.

Here’s an early look at the National Championship odds for 2027 on Kalshi:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

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Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Multiple SEC programs linked to elite 3-point shooter, top transfer appeared first on Saturday Down South.

College basketball insider Jeff Goodman was first to share that news on Wednesday morning, citing confirmation from Magwood’s agency. A former elite recruit, Magwood played just over 10 minutes per game for Auburn as a freshman.

Magwood’s departure is a tough blow for Auburn, as he could have been in line for a larger role next season. Magwood was the No. 60 overall recruit and the No. 10 combo guard in the country for the class of 2025, per 247Sports Composite rankings.

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However, Magwood didn’t have a significant role on this year’s team. He played sparingly in the Tigers’ run to the NIT Championship. Magwood did see the floor for 8 minutes in the championship game against Tulsa, but did not score or attempt a shot in that contest.

It’s unclear at this time whether or not starting point guard Tahaad Pettiford will be returning to Auburn for the 2026-27 campaign. Pettiford could opt to enter the transfer portal as well or test NBA Draft waters after averaging about 15 points and 4 assists per game as a sophomore in the SEC.

If Pettiford returns along with Kevin Overton, Auburn’s starting back court would be solidified for next season as Steven Pearl begins his second year at the helm.

Here’s a look at the early odds for next year’s National Championship on Kalshi:

Prediction Markets

2027 College Basketball Champion

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Kalshi

Michigan

15%

Duke

12%

Illinois

9%

UConn

8%

Florida

6%

Arizona

5%

St. John's

3%

Tennessee

2%

Alabama

2%

Saint Mary's

0%

Predict

The post Auburn loses freshman guard to transfer portal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Via a statement from ESPN, Vitale said that doctors found “abnormalities” in his latest round of tests, which included a PET scan and multiple MRIs. Vitale, who is a cancer survivor, said doctors have recommended additional tests in order to pinpoint a diagnosis.

“I’m hoping for the best and we will see what the roadmap looks like after an upcoming biopsy,” Vitale said in the statement. “As always, I plan to remain as active as ever and fight as hard as can be.”

Vitale has endured multiple rounds of cancer treatment in recent years. Most recently, in July of 2024, Vitale announced he had been diagnosed with lymph node cancer. Later that year, following surgery, Vitale announced he was cancer-free.

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Vitale has also been a staunch advocate for The V Foundation for many years, which raises money for cancer research. Vitale wrote about the importance of that research in his statement.

“This is why I’m OBSESSED with the incredible work of The V Foundation,” Vitale said. “We need to raise money and bring hope to the millions that are battling and suffering, especially the youngsters.”

Vitale will presumably issue another update on his health after his next round of tests.

The post Dick Vitale issues health update following latest round of scans, tests appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Huskies are looking to cement their dynasty with a 3rd national title in 4 years. Michigan, though, is a big favorite as it looks to cut down the nets for the first time since 1989.

Michigan vs. UConn DFS picks

Here are a couple of DFS pick ’em predictions for this game on Underdog Fantasy:

Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan: higher than 13.5 points

This is a complicated pick because Yaxel Lendeborg is dealing with a leg injury in the lead-up to this game. His points projection is lower than it otherwise would have been, but he’s still expected to play in the title game on Monday night. Unless Lendeborg is meaningfully compromised, I still think this projection is too low. He took 12, 13 and 19 shots in the 3 games that preceded the semifinal where he got hurt. Against Arizona, he took 4 shots in 14 minutes (making a trio of 3-pointers). Lendeborg has been the focal point of Michigan’s offense during these high-stakes tournament games and I think he’ll maintain enough usage even with the injury to get to 14 points. 

Braylon Mullins, UConn: lower than 12.5 points

I took the low side of Braylon Mullins’ points projection on Saturday and got burned. He busted out of his shooting slump, scoring 15 points behind 4-of-7 from 3-point range. But against a Wolverines defense that ranks No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency and No. 21 in opponent 3-point percentage, I’m fading Mullins again. I don’t think he’ll be taking 14+ shots again like he did against the Illini and we should see some 3-point percentage regression in this contest after he hit 57% in the semifinals. One other thing to consider (albeit a small sample): 3-point percentage in championship games has been abysmal in recent years, even relative to semifinal production. Combined 3-point percentage has been 30% or worse in each of the last 4 National Championship Games. If that trend holds up, it will put a cap on Mullins’ scoring potential more so than any other player in this game.

Here’s the current odds for this game on Kalshi:

The post Michigan vs. UConn: DFS picks for the National Championship Game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Tar Heels intend to hire former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone for the vacancy. Malone led the Nuggets to the NBA Championship in 2023 but was fired near the end of the 2024-25 season.

Malone would succeed Hubert Davis in Chapel Hill, taking over one of college basketball’s most-desirable head coaching jobs:

This is surprising development as Malone’s name had not been publicly linked to the job. Malone also has very little experience at the collegiate level. He was previously an assistant at Manhattan, Providence and Oakland prior to beginning his NBA coaching career. His most recent stint at Manhattan ended in 2001.

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He’s the son of Brendan Malone, who made his name as an NBA head coach as well but spent time in college basketball before joining the pro ranks. Most notably, his father was an assistant at Syracuse from 1978-84 before becoming the head coach at Rhode Island for 2 seasons.

Michael Malone was well-respected as an NBA head coach prior to his firing in 2025. He was let go along with then-general manager Calvin Booth amid a dispute.

He’ll take over a North Carolina program that’s reeling following its first-round NCAA Tournament exit. Malone will have to get started right away, as the transfer portal officially opens up on Tuesday.

The post North Carolina intends to hire former NBA head coach for vacancy, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Taylor Rooks broke the news on Monday morning, reporting that the Chicago Sky have traded Reese to the Atlanta Dream.

Reese has been immediately impactful early on in her WNBA career, earning All-Star nods in each of her first 2 pro seasons. She’s averaged about 14 points and 13 rebounds per game over 64 career regular-season contests.

However, Reese was suspended by the Sky toward the end of the 2025 season after she made comments that were “detrimental to the team.”

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According to Front Office Sports’ Annie Costabile, Chicago’s return for Reese is Atlanta’s first-round draft selections in both 2027 and 2028. The Dream will also have the right to swap second-round picks in 2028, per the report.

Reese’s trade to the Dream strengthens a team that was already one of the best in the WNBA. Atlanta had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season but was eliminated by the Indiana Fever in the first round of the playoffs.

The Dream will open the 2026 season against the Lynx on May 10.

The post Angel Reese traded in blockbuster WNBA move, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Monday morning, Baseball America unveiled its updated top-25 following an eventful weekend on the diamond. UCLA, which is on a 23-game winning streak, took the No. 1 overall spot just ahead of Texas.

There are 5 SEC teams in the top-10, led by the Longhorns. Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi State and Auburn also made the top-10. No other conference has more than 3 teams in this week’s top-10.

Elsewhere in the top-25, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Florida and Arkansas all remain ranked, giving the SEC a total of 9 programs in Baseball America’s new rankings. Here’s a look:

Although Texas leads all SEC teams in this poll, Georgia currently has the SEC’s best record. The Bulldogs are 10-2 in conference play, one game ahead of the Longhorns at 9-3. Only one other program, Alabama (8-4), has an SEC record better than 7-5 so far this season.

Georgia is coming off of a huge sweep on the road at Mississippi State this past weekend. Next up is another ranked opponent, Florida, this weekend after a mid-week game vs. Presbyterian.

Here’s a look at the latest College World Series odds on Kalshi:

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College Baseball D1 Champion?

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Kalshi

UCLA

14%

Georgia Tech

12%

Texas

11%

North Carolina

6%

Georgia

6%

Mississippi St.

5%

Arkansas

4%

Auburn

4%

LSU

3%

Tennessee

2%

Predict

The post Baseball America includes 9 SEC teams in updated top-25 ranking appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That news was first shared by On3’s Joe Tipton on Monday morning. The men’s basketball transfer portal will officially open on Tuesday.

Massamba played sparingly for the Vols during his freshman season in 2025-26. He appeared in just 12 games, scoring a total of 4 points on the season.

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Massamba initially signed with Tennessee as a highly-touted international recruit. The former AS Monaco player was regarded as the No. 183 overall prospect in the class of 2025, per 247Sports Composite rankings.

Tennessee is expected to be active in the transfer portal this offseason as the Vols look to build out their 2026-27 roster. With Massamba transferring, Rick Barnes and his staff will have an additional scholarship to work with in the portal.

The Vols have already signed Belmont graduate transfer Tyler Lundblade for next season and are expected to make more additions in the coming weeks.

The post Tennessee guard Clarence Massamba reportedly decides on future plans appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Long believed to be among the best teams in the country, the Wolverines and Wildcats have both had relatively comfortable journeys to Indianapolis. Both teams won each of their previous 4 NCAA Tournament games by double digits.

Michigan vs. Arizona DFS picks

This story will attempt to identify a couple of picks worth considering on Underdog. Here’s a breakdown:

Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan: Higher than 16.5 points

Taking the high side of the star player’s points projection in a massive game is usually going to be -EV. But in this case, I don’t think the market is properly adjusting for Yaxel Lendeborg’s role increase during the NCAA Tournament. He’s taken 13, 12 and 19 field goal attempts over Michigan’s past 3 games, hitting over 50% of his shots in each game. He also had 14 shot attempts in the Big Ten title game against Purdue. This is a pretty big departure from Lendeborg’s role during the regular season when he averaged under 10 field goal attempts per game in Big Ten play. 

Interested in learning more about Underdog? Here’s SDS’s Underdog review, which covers all the pros and cons of the app.

Aday Mara, Michigan: Lower than 6.5 rebounds

This is juiced to 1.05x on Underdog but I’d still like the play at even money. Aday Mara is Michigan’s tallest player, but he’s not its best rebounder. Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. are both excellent on the glass for forwards, so Mara only nabbed about 6 rebounds per game this season. I’m not expecting a huge minutes boost for him in this game, although he could get into the mid-to-high 20s depending on how the game goes (he averaged 22 during the regular season). Unlike most of Michigan’s opponents this year, Arizona also has a giant front court led by a 7-footer. I think the Wildcats will be more than competitive on the glass and do enough to ensure that Mara goes lower than 6.5 rebounds. 

Here’s the up-to-date Kalshi market for this game:

The post Michigan vs. Arizona: DFS picks, predictions for Final Four battle appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Neither of these teams were expected to be here when the NCAA Tournament started. Illinois took down 9-seed Iowa in the Elite Eight while the Huskies needed a last-second comeback against Duke in order to advance to the Final Four.

Illinois vs. UConn DFS picks

Here are a couple of DFS predictions for this game via Underdog:

Braylon Mullins, UConn: Lower than 12.5 points

I’m fading Braylon Mullins even after he hit one of the most iconic shots in March Madness history in the Elite Eight against Duke. The reality is that Mullins has been in a giant shooting slump. Even with that make vs. the Blue Devils, Mullins has converted on just 11 of his last 58 3-point tries (19%). He’s gone higher than this total in just 2 of his last 11 contests and is only averaging about 10 field goal attempts per game over that span as well. I don’t think he has the volume or the efficiency history to justify a projection this high. 

Looking for a new DFS app ahead of the Final Four? Here’s an Underdog promo code to help you get started with one of the best DFS sites on the market in 2026!

Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois: Lower than 18.5 points+rebounds+assists

I’m taking the low side of this projection for Andrej Stojakovic. This is roughly his season average and he’s not seen a big minutes increase during the NCAA Tournament. He’s put together some high-profile scoring performances recently, including a 17-point showing on 7-of-9 scoring against Iowa in the Elite Eight. But UConn’s defense is not Iowa. The Huskies are elite on that end of the floor. Stojakovic doesn’t offer much in the way of assists and isn’t a high-volume rebounder, either. Stojakovic probably has to score at least 13 points to have a chance of hitting 19 PRA, but even then it’s not a certainty. 

The post Illinois vs. UConn: 2 DFS picks on Underdog for Final Four showdown appeared first on Saturday Down South.

One major storyline is the future destination for ex-Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who is expected to be the second quarterback off the board in this year’s draft after Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

Simpson’s landing spot, though, is still very much up for debate. NFL Draft analyst Chad Reuter published his latest mock on Friday afternoon and has Simpson going off the board at No. 16 overall to the New York Jets. Here’s his analysis:

The Jets need a quarterback and Simpson is still on the board. There is sufficient depth at receiver and cornerback in this draft that the team could address both early in the second round while still securing the second-best passer in the draft in Simpson.

On prediction markets like Kalshi, users can make predictions on what team will pick Simpson on draft day. As of publication, the Jets are the second-favorite to draft Simpson behind only the Arizona Cardinals.

However, teams like the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers are also viable landing spots.

Here’s the latest market for Simpson on Kalshi:

Prediction Markets

Team to pick Ty Simpson in 2026 NFL Draft?

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Kalshi

Arizona

53%

New York J

15%

Los Angeles R

13%

Miami

12%

Pittsburgh

6%

Cleveland

5%

Philadelphia

3%

Minnesota

2%

Indianapolis

1%

Las Vegas

1%

Predict

The 2026 NFL Draft will begin on April 23.

The post New NFL mock draft predicts Ty Simpson’s pick number, new team appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Lloyd announced that news at a press conference on Friday, one day before his Wildcats will take on Michigan in the Final Four. Lloyd had been linked to the UNC job since the Tar Heels parted ways with Hubert Davis.

“I’m happy to announce I’m staying at Arizona,” Lloyd said. “North Carolina is an amazing place … It’s an honor to even be considered for that job.”

Lloyd has been viewed as one of the top candidates to take over at UNC alongside former Florida coach Billy Donovan. With Lloyd out of the picture, Carolina will now focus on Donovan or perhaps other candidates throughout college basketball.

Here’s a look at the latest odds on Kalshi:

Other candidates include Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland and Iowa coach McCollum, among others.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Lloyd has agreed to a new deal with Arizona that will make him one of the five highest-paid coaches in college basketball.

Arizona and Michigan will tip off at the Final Four on Saturday night at 8:49 p.m. ET.

The post Tommy Lloyd announces decision on North Carolina candidacy appeared first on Saturday Down South.

McElroy’s opinion on the popular conspiracy theory came to light on Friday’s edition of McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.

McElroy made a brief reference to the Artemis II launch that happened earlier this week and quipped that it was the “first time” humans will have been to the moon. Cubelic then returned to that comment and pressed McElroy for his thoughts.

“Do you honestly believe we’ve never been to the moon?” Cubelic said.

“I honestly believe we never went to the moon,” McElroy replied.

The former Tide QB then doubled down.

“There is a zero percent chance we went to the moon,” McElroy said. “Zero. Total, genuine propaganda.”

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The conversation starts at approximately the 2:30 mark of this video:

McElroy went on to explain a few more reasons why he doesn’t believe in the 1969 moon landing, citing a lack of technological advancements at time as well as a distrust of government officials in the 1960s.

“All I’m saying is that we didn’t go to the moon in 1969,” McElroy said. “We didn’t have microwaves, but we can go to the moon? We didn’t have color television.

“It has to do with technology. All of a sudden we’re going to travel deep, deep, deep into space … The sitting American Presidents of the time are not exactly known for being 100 percent honest.”

McElroy played quarterback for Alabama from 2007-10 and is currently a college football analyst for ESPN.

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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 Greg McElroy insists 1969 moon landing didn’t happen: ‘Genuine propaganda’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Gamecocks landed a commitment from 3-star quarterback Jerry Meyer III on Friday morning. Meyer, a Texas native, was previously committed to TCU and has offers from other SEC programs such as Arkansas and Mississippi State.

Meyer decommitted from TCU on Feb. 4 and has formalized new college plans less than 2 months later.

He told GamecockCentral that new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles was a big part of his decision to commit to South Carolina. Shane Beamer hired Briles to run South Carolina’s offense in 2026 earlier this offseason.

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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

Meyer is currently regarded as the No. 56 quarterback in the nation for the class of 2027, per 247Sports Composite rankings. However, his ranking could rise before the end of the cycle given that his offer list includes numerous power-conference programs. He’s currently a 3-star prospect.

South Carolina now has 4 commits in the class of 2027. The class is currently led by 4-star safety Jernard Albright. The Early Signing Period for the class of 2027 is scheduled for December, so there’s still a few months before Meyer and other prospects can formally join the South Carolina program.

Here are some highlights from Meyer’s junior season of high school football:

The post South Carolina earns commitment from QB recruit in class of 2027 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The versatile linebacker signed with the Crimson Tide as a 5-star recruit and the No. 2 linebacker in the country for his cycle, per 247Sports Composite rankings.

On Friday morning, ESPN published a story breaking down all the top true freshman linebackers and their fit at their respective schools in 2026. Here’s an excerpt of analysis on Griffin from Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill:

Griffin is an ideal “flex” defender, capable of playing various linebacker roles and bringing pressure from the edge, which should allow him to stay on the field. He has even worked inside as a defensive lineman in high school, though that’s not expected to be part of his responsibilities in Tuscaloosa. His ability to impact every snap and chase after the quarterback aligns perfectly with Alabama’s vision for the defense. Griffin’s instincts and all-around playmaking skills position him to quickly become a disruptive defender for the Crimson Tide this fall and an anchor on their defensive front for years to come.

Griffin also drew a comparison to former Alabama standout Jihaad Campbell, who was a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Griffin could be an early contributor for the Crimson Tide on defense and special teams. He’s listed at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds.

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Alabama will be looking to take another step forward on defense in 2026. Last year, the Crimson Tide got off to a slow start defensively but finished the season ranked 3rd in the SEC in yards-per-play allowed.

Alabama will hold its annual spring game on April 11.

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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 ESPN analyst breaks down how Xavier Griffin will fit at Alabama in 2026 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Gilgeous-Alexander has been leading in the betting odds for months, but a late charge from San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama has tightened the race.

However, Gilgeous-Alexander has picked up some separation. On Friday morning, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps published his influential MVP straw poll, which asks 100 media members to log their top-5 picks for the award.

Gilgeous-Alexander earned 88 of the 100 first-place votes, with Wembanyama nabbing just 8. Wembanyama (63) also split second-place votes with Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic (20).

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Over on Kalshi, Gilgeous-Alexander is nearing a 90% chance to take home his second straight MVP. With about 10 days remaining in the regular season, here’s a look at the market:

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Who will win NBA MVP?

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Kalshi

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

96%

Nikola Jokic

2%

Luka Doncic

2%

Victor Wembanyama

2%

Predict

If Gilgeous-Alexander does capture the MVP, he’ll be just the 14th player ever to win the award in back-to-back seasons. He’s already the first ex-Kentucky player to ever win the NBA’s top individual prize.

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.6 points per game on 55% shooting from the floor this season.

The post Former Kentucky guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander favored to win 2nd straight MVP appeared first on Saturday Down South.

With Joey Aguilar unsuccessful in his efforts to be ruled eligible in 2026, the Vols are set to have a QB competition featuring 3 inexperienced options this offseason: George MacIntrye, Ryan Staub and Faizon Brandon.

According to McElroy, MacIntrye has been taking reps first in practice, followed by Brandon and then Staub. He also emphasized how much Tennessee’s coaching staff liked MacIntrye in 2025 while Aguilar served as the team’s starting quarterback.

“They loved him last year, by the way,” McElroy said. “They liked him last year. That’s an encouraging spot to be in. That’s good language to hear when describing a young player. But you’ve also got to acknowledge that Faizon Brandon, he’s kind of the wildcard that could change everything in this competition.”

Here’s a video breakdown of McElroy’s analysis:

MacIntrye stands at 6-foot-6 and will be entering his second season with the program. He was a 4-star prospect out of high school with the Vols back in the class of 2025.

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Brandon was a more highly-touted recruit, coming in as a 5-star prospect and the No. 3 overall quarterback in the country for his class, per 247Sports Composite rankings. However, he’s going through his first spring in Josh Heupel‘s system and may take more time before challenging for the starting job.

Staub is a veteran transfer from Colorado who is the most experienced of the bunch, but is more of a long-shot to win the starting job out of fall camp. Staub has a career completion percentage of 53.5% and averaged 6.9 yards per attempt over 99 passes during his Colorado career.

Tennessee will hold its annual spring game on April 11.

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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 ESPN analyst reveals order of Tennessee QB reps during spring practice appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That news was first shared by 247Sports on Thursday afternoon, citing confirmation from Stricklin. The renovation project, which is scheduled to begin in 2027, was originally slated to reduce capacity at the Swamp by over 4,000 seats.

However, Florida seems to be finalizing a construction proposal that would allow the stadium to stay at or near its current capacity of 88,548.

This is significant news for a Florida fanbase that’s hoping to get improved on-field results in the near future. The Gators haven’t won more than 8 games in a season since the 2019 campaign when Dan Mullen led the program to an 11-2 record.

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Florida parted ways with Billy Napier at the end of the 2025 season and hired Jon Sumrall to replace him. Optimism — and expectation — is high in Gainesville as the Gators go through their first spring practice with Sumrall at the helm.

Florida is not among the favorites to win the 2026 SEC Championship, but is expected to take a big step forward from last year’s 4-8 campaign. Here’s the latest SEC Championship odds on Kalshi:

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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

Florida’s spring game is set for April 11.

The post Florida reverses course on plans to reduce stadium capacity in Swamp renovations appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Cowherd spoke at length about Mendoza on his show Thursday, comparing him to former Tennessee great and NFL Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning. Cowherd praised Mendoza for the leadership that was on display during his Indiana Pro Day this week.

“He literally announced the routes his receivers would be running because he wanted to make sure that all his receivers were showing to the NFL scouts that they know how to run the route tree,” Cowherd said. “He literally told everybody ‘this is what we’re going to do on this play’ because he was so self-aware and wanted to ensure that he didn’t get all of the love. That people there saw how great his wide receivers were.

“Folks, you’re looking at Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning was big, smart, self-aware, and understood the NFL game. Leadership is not cool. It’s not cool. Leadership is hard.”

Here’s a clip of Cowherd’s full comments:

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Mendoza is the favorite to be picked No. 1 overall in this year’s draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. Manning, of course, was the No. 1 overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts back in 1998. He went on to win 5 NFL MVP awards and was a 2-time Super Bowl champion.

Mendoza will enter the NFL as a highly-decorated college player, but it remains to be seen whether or not his game will translate to the NFL level.

Prediction Markets

Players Drafted Top 10 in 2026?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

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 Colin Cowherd compares Fernando Mendoza to Peyton Manning after Indiana Pro Day appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Tigers were one of the first teams left out of the NCAA Tournament, so it’s not a surprise to see them make a deep run in the NIT. New Mexico and Tulsa are on the other side of the bracket, so the Tigers would meet one of those programs in the finals if they can beat Illinois State.

Over on Kalshi, users can make predictions about individual NIT matchups and the outcome of the championship game. Here’s the current market for Auburn vs. Illinois State, which prices the Tigers as significant favorites:

Predicting who will win the NIT

While Auburn is the favorite to win the 2026 NIT, the Tigers will still face significant challenges. New Mexico could be a threat to pull off the upset if it can beat Tulsa in the semifinals.

The advanced metrics would project an Auburn vs. New Mexico matchup as a close matchup. The Tigers enter Thursday ranked No. 40 in KenPom‘s season-long rankings while New Mexico isn’t far behind at No. 43.

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Per EvanMiya, Auburn would be a significant favorite. That model gives Auburn a 58.4% chance to beat New Mexico on a neutral court.

It’s worth noting that Auburn is not at full strength (although that’s captured in EvanMiya’s projection). Starting forward KeShawn Murphy has not been with the team during the NIT.

Here’s the current Kalshi market for the NIT Championship:

Both semifinal matchups will take place on Thursday night. First, New Mexico and Tulsa will play at 7:00 p.m. ET at Hinkle Field House in Indianapolis. Auburn and Illinois State will tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The post Will Auburn win the NIT? Here’s what prediction markets are saying appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Heupel was asked about true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon, who signed with the Vols as a 5-star prospect this offseason. Heupel was complimentary of Brandon while also emphasizing that he still has plenty of room to grow in key areas.

“For a true freshman, getting here in January … he’s been really sound in what he’s done,” Heupel said. “The pass game, certainly. There’s a lot on our quarterbacks in the run game too. That’s an area that at times can be the hardest part for our quarterbacks. But he’s continued to progress in that. There’s still a lot left for him and everybody in that room for us to do what we need to.

“But as a true freshman, certainly pleased with what he’s done up to this point.”

Brandon may not start for Tennessee in 2026, but he’s certainly expected to be a big part of the Vols’ future at quarterback. He finished the 2026 recruiting cycle as the No. 10 overall player in the nation, per 247Sports Composite rankings.

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Heupel was also pleased with Tennessee‘s entire quarterback room as the team ramps up in spring ball. George MacIntrye and Ryan Staub have been competing with Brandon for the starting job as Joey Aguilar remains ineligible per NCAA rules.

“In general, I’ve been really pleased with their decision-making,” Heupel said. “Taking care of the football. There’s been a couple of things where they’ve maybe not seen it right … There’s a couple things that each of them have to continue to grow in but that’s spring ball.”

Tennessee will hold its spring game on April 11.

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Josh Heupel offers early impressions of Faizon Brandon, other quarterbacks appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Byrne delivered that sentiment in an exclusive interview with USA TODAY’S Blake Toppmeyer this week.

“I think the ship has sailed. It’s run its course,” Byrne said.

In an era with a 12-team College Football Playoff, the future of all conference title game has been in doubt in recent years. The SEC Championship Game nearly caused some complications for Alabama in 2025.

The Crimson Tide lost to Georgia in the conference title game, picking up their third loss of the year in the process. That result theoretically could have knocked Alabama out of the CFP, but the selection committee kept the Crimson Tide in the field as the No. 9 seed.

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“It’s a great event,” Byrne told USA TODAY. “I don’t like the idea of it going away, but I think it’s reality, with an expanded playoff.”

Back in 2024, Lane Kiffin claimed there were coaches who didn’t want to be in the SEC Championship Game due to the added wear-and-tear ahead of the CFP.

A decision on the future of the SEC Championship Game and other conference title games does not appear to be imminent.

The SEC has had a conference championship game since 1992. Alabama has the most conference titles with 11.

Over on Kalshi, fans can already make predictions about the 2026 SEC Championship Game:

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Alabama AD Greg Byrne calls for end of SEC Championship Game: ‘The ship has sailed’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Thursday morning, Yormark responded to complaints from Campbell about the Red Raiders potentially playing a Friday night game in 2026. The Big 12 and FOX are in the process of moving Tech’s game against Houston to Friday, Sept. 18, per Campbell.

Campbell objected to the idea, citing the importance of high school football in the state of Texas.

Yormark fired back in a brief statement to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on Thursday:

“Cody Campbell does not run the Big 12,” Yormark told the Avalanche Journal. “Our Board and our ADs approved playing 12 games a year off of Saturdays in an effort to raise the profile, narrative, and viewership of Big 12 Football. Texas Tech hosting a primetime game on Friday night delivers that.

“Friday night Big 12 football games outperformed the Conference’s average rating by 64% in 2025. All of our schools are treated equally during the TV scheduling process and this game fits within our scheduling parameters. I am thankful that our TV partners provide us with these opportunities.”

Campbell took exception to those comments, sharing this message on social media in response to Yormark:

Something similar has happened in the Big 12 in the recent past. In 2021, Oklahoma‘s athletic department publicly expressed frustrations after its marquee nonconference game against Nebraska was scheduled for an 11 a.m. kickoff rather than its preferred primetime slot. Oklahoma and Texas announced intentions to leave for the SEC just a couple of months later.

It will be interesting to see how this particular rift plays out between Texas Tech and the Big 12 office.

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The post Big 12 commissioner, Texas Tech’s Cody Campbell involved in public dispute appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Artemis II crew launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning a 10-day journey to the moon.

As the spaceship made its way to the moon, softball players at nearby Patricia Wilson Field took notice. The game between Stetson and Florida was briefly paused as participants and spectators marveled at the shuttle.

Here’s a clip of the moment:

The NASA flight is expected to arrive at the moon on April 11. Per CNN, this would be he first time astronauts have reached the “vicinity of the moon” in more than 50 years.

As for the softball game, Florida prevailed 8-2 over Stetson to move to 34-4 on the season. Star catcher Jocelyn Erickson also crossed a milestone, recording her 200th career RBI since joining the Gators.

Florida is one of several SEC teams with Women’s College World Series aspirations this year. The Gators will face Mississippi State in a weekend series next.

The post NASA space flight interrupts Florida softball game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to On3’s Joe Tipton, the Vols have earned a commitment from Belmont transfer guard Tyler Lundblade. The sharpshooter hit 43% of his 3-point attempts this season while playing for a Belmont team that went 26-6 this season.

Lundblade is a huge addition for Tennessee‘s 2026-27 roster. The Vols hope to once again be Final Four contenders after making it to the Elite Eight in 3 consecutive seasons, and Lundblade gives them an elite shooter to help their offense thrive.

Lundblade, who began his career at SMU before transferring to TCU, averaged 15.6 points per game this season for the Bruins.

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Tennessee could bring back several key players from its 2025-26 team, including Bishop Boswell and JP Estrella. However, contributors like Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Felix Okpara and Nate Ament are not expected back next season due to either graduation or NBA Draft early entry (in Ament’s case).

In addition to adding talent via the transfer portal, Rick Barnes signed 3 high school recruits in the class of 2026. That group is led by 4-star forward Ralph Scott.

The post Tennessee basketball lands commit from Belmont transfer appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Michigan confirmed Cadeau is “fine” and his status for the Final Four is unchanged.

“Before the team departed the Player Development Center today, Elliot Cadeau alerted the medical staff that he may have had an allergic reaction to something that he ate. The doctors evaluated Elliot and he is fine.”

Cadeau is expected to head to Indianapolis on Wednesday to re-join his teammates ahead of the Final Four.

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Cadeau is a big part of Michigan’s identity on both ends of the floor. He averaged 10 points and 6 assists per game this season while starting 38 contests. Cadeau notably scored 17 points in a blowout win over Alabama in the Sweet 16.

Michigan will need another big game from Cadeau if the Wolverines are going to beat Arizona and advance to the National Championship Game. Here are the current Kalshi odds for the National Championship:

The post Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau treated for possible allergic reaction ahead of Final Four appeared first on Saturday Down South.