On3 reported Sunday that Hill, one of the top shooting guards in the current transfer portal cycle, had committed to Tennessee coach Rick Barnes. Tennessee’s official social media account reposted that report on Twitter, seemingly confirming the news.

Hill averaged 15.0 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.7 rebounds this past season for VCU despite starting only 2 games and averaging 25.1 minutes.

In all, Hall – an unranked prospect out of high school – played in 59 games for the Rams in 2 seasons. He has 2 seasons of remaining eligibility.

Hill joins a Tennessee squad that went 25-12 and earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament this past season. The Vols made a third consecutive Elite Eight run in their sixth straight March Madness appearance under Barnes.

The 15-day NCAA transfer portal window opened on April 7, and Hill declared his intention to hit the portal on April 3. Thousands of players entered the portal this cycle in search for their next program.

Hill is one of 5 new Vols by way of the portal, joining guards Dai Dai James (Cal), Tyler Lundblade (Belmont), and Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame), and forward Miles Rubin (Loyola-Chicago).

Amari Evans, Jaylen Carey, Bishop Boswell, JP Estrella, Clarence Massamba, and Cade Phillips departed the Tennessee program via the portal.

The post Tennessee lands transfer pledge from former VCU guard appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That effort vaulted him into serious NFL consideration, one Brazzell and hundreds of others hope comes true during next week’s 2026 NFL Draft.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is so high on Brazzell that he lists the former Vol, along with Georgia’s Zachariah Branch, as his two favorite wide receivers available in his pre-draft breakdown of the players at each position who will outperform their draft slots.

Here is what Kiper said about Brazzell:

Brazzell might come off the board slightly after Branch — think late Round 2 or sometime during Round 3. But he has all the traits coaches want. He’s 6-foot-4 and 198 pounds. He runs a 4.37-second 40. He has a wide catch radius and knows how to adjust to poorly thrown balls to still make the grab. And the stats spell out all that: Brazzell caught 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine TDs last season, averaging 16.4 yards per reception.

Brazzell finished 2025 with 62 receptions for 1,017 yards. His 4-year total, which included 2 seasons at Tulane, featured 136 catches for 2,072 yards and 16 touchdowns.

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft begins Thursday (8 pm ET, ESPN/ABC) in Pittsburgh and runs through Saturday.

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Who will be drafted in Round 1?

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Kalshi

Kadyn Proctor

94%

Jermod McCoy

88%

KC Concepcion

82%

Keldric Faulk

75%

Colton Hood

66%

Ty Simpson

62%

Cashius Howell

23%

Caleb Banks

17%

Christen Miller

16%

R Mason Thomas

15%

Predict

The post Mel Kiper Jr. highlights Chris Brazzell II as one of favorite WRs appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Among the draft hopefuls is former Florida center Jake Slaughter, who was a Rimington Trophy finalist in 2025, along with earning All-SEC first team and second-team All-American honors while starting all 12 games for the Gators.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is so high on Slaughter that he lists the former Gator as his favorite center in the class in his pre-draft breakdown of players who will outperform their draft spots.

Here is what Kiper said about Slaughter:

I like everything about Slaughter’s game. He has a lot of experience – 33 starts and over 2,000 snaps at the pivot – and comes battle-tested, having played in the SEC. And he has allowed only six pressures and three sacks over all that time. At 6-foot-5 and 303 pounds, Slaughter can drive defenders out of the way to open rushing lanes, and he shows good lateral agility and footwork. I really love his awareness on stunts. Overall, Slaughter is just a really good, consistent football player, and I’d expect him to go in Round 4.”

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft begins Thursday (8 pm ET, ESPN/ABC) in Pittsburgh and runs through Saturday.

Prediction Markets

Who will be drafted in Round 1?

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Kalshi

Kadyn Proctor

94%

Jermod McCoy

88%

KC Concepcion

82%

Keldric Faulk

75%

Colton Hood

66%

Ty Simpson

62%

Cashius Howell

23%

Caleb Banks

17%

Christen Miller

16%

R Mason Thomas

15%

Predict

The post Mel Kiper Jr. labels Florida’s Jake Slaughter his favorite center in 2026 NFL Draft appeared first on Saturday Down South.

“I don’t know how long he’s out. You never know how long it is with the ACL,” Smart said to reporters after the G-Day festivities in Athens. “George [Pickens] was able to come back and play – he had a similar injury. You never put a timetable on it. He doesn’t want to put a timetable on it. He wants to do what he can to recover and get better.”

Williams was injured toward the end of a Georgia’s April 14 workout, a setback that typically costs the player between 6 and 9 months. Williams recovering on the aggressive end of that timetable could put his return smack in the middle of the Bulldogs’ rigorous 2026 SEC slate.

Williams transferred from Auburn just months ago, where he piled up six tackles for loss and two sacks in his sophomore campaign. The Bulldogs were counting on Williams to bolster a lackluster pass-rushing attack that ranked dead last in the SEC in tackles for loss per game (4.21) and sacks per game (1.43).

Georgia opens the 2026 season Sept. 5 at home vs. Tennessee State and begins the SEC journey Sept. 19 at Arkansas.

The post Kirby Smart gives update on injured pass rusher Amaris Williams appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Wildcats coach talked after Saturday’s spring game about wanting to engage more with Big Blue Nation – revamping how the team takes the field before Saturdays in the fall.

Currently, the team arrives at the nearby Joe Craft Football Training Center amid celebratory Wildcats fans. But Stein, who replaces Mark Stoops at the helm of the program, wants to turn that tradition into one that happens inside the 61,000-seat stadium itself.

“I want to get dressed in our locker room over there, you know? Before the game,” Will Stein told reporters Saturday. “Come off the field, run all the way up into the crowd center, have their space in there. And have a nice long Cat Walk through the crowd then come in the tunnel and run out. Be able to dab up some fans, some young kids. Engage the fans and players that way.

“That’s on my mind. So I’m going to ask for that.”

Stein played collegiately at Louisville and was the offensive coordinator at Oregon for three seasons before Kentucky tapped him for the job. The Wildcats open the 2026 season Sept. 5 at home against Youngstown State before opening SEC play at home Sept. 12 against Alabama.

RELATED: The 2026 NFL Draft is quickly approaching. Bet on the first-round action using this BetMGM bonus code.

The post Will Stein wants to revamp Cat Walk before Kentucky games appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Rivals reported that the 6-foot-4 Fields chose Texas over offers from Ole Miss, Tennessee, Miami and Georgia. He is the nation’s No. 196 overall athlete in the 247 Sports Composite rankings and the 20^th-ranked edge rusher in the 2027 class.

Fields, who plays at Brookhaven (Miss.) High School, recorded 45 solo tackles and 26 tackles for loss as a junior in 2025. Of those 26 TFL, a team-best 16 went for sacks as the Panthers went 12-3.

Fields is the ninth hard commitment for Texas in the 2027 cycle and second edge rusher, joining 4-star edge Cameron Hall.

The Longhorns entered 2025 with College Football Playoff aspirations but finished 10-3 and just out of the 12-team CFP field. Texas did finish strong, notching an 27-17 upset victory over rival No. 3 Texas A&M in the regular season finale and a 41-27 win against No. 18 Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

Texas begins the 2026 season Sept. 5 at home against Texas State and welcomes Ohio State to Austin for a huge rematch on Sept. 12. The Longhorns’ SEC schedule begins Sept. 26 at Tennessee.

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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 adds commitment from 4-star edge out of Mississippi appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The former USF standout, who transferred to Auburn to join his former coach Alex Golesh, wasn’t exactly sharp – going just 7-of-14 for 85 yards with two interceptions. In fact, Brown was outshined by Oregon State transfer Tristan Ti’a, who finished 15-of-20 for 179 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception.

“I didn’t think Byrum saw it great today,” Golesh said to reporters after the workout at Jordan-Hare Stadium. “Where his game has come in the last 15 practices, he was efficient in what he had to do, but he didn’t see it great today… Mentally, he was fine. Composure, he was fine. Didn’t see it well.”

Brown passed for 3,158 yards and 28 touchdowns last season for USF and transferred from Tampa to Auburn following a Bulls tenure that included 7,690 passing yards, 2,265 rushing yards and 92 total touchdowns.

Auburn fired Hugh Freeze in midseason en route to a 5-7 record before hiring Golesh. The Tigers open the 2026 season with four straight home games – beginning Sept. 5 with Baylor. The SEC slate starts Sept. 19 at home vs. Florida.

The post Alex Golesh offers critique of Byrum Brown’s spring game performance appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On3 reported that Hannah’s agency Seros Partners confirmed the 6-foot-6 freshman and former top 50 recruit is seeking a new program after appearing in 10 games – all before the calendar turned over – and delivering 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds per outing in 2025-26. He averaged 12.7 minutes per game played and shot 46.2 percent from the field.

Hannah last played for Alabama on Dec. 17 before coach Nate Oats said a reported medical condition would sideline him for the rest of the season. Oats also confirmed that the Milwaukee product would seek a medical redshirt, which would maintain Hannah’s four full years of remaining eligibility.

A 4-star prospect coming out of Branson (Mo.) Link Academy, Hannah was the No. 46 overall player in the 247 Sports Composite rankings. Oats praised Hannah’s defensive ability in the offseason, saying he would be a valuable contributor early as a result.

“I think Davion Hannah is maybe as good a perimeter defender as this program has seen since maybe Herb Jones,” Oats said. “He’s elite. He moves. He’s 6-foot-6, athletic, tough, can guard one through four.”

Hannah is the fourth Alabama player to hit the portal this cycle, joining forwards Taylor Bol Bowen and Aiden Sherrell along with guard Jalil Bethea.

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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 Alabama guard, former top-50 prospect, to enter transfer portal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Saturday’s win, coupled with Friday night’s 10-2 victory over the Crimson Tide, improved Texas to 30-7 overall and 11-5 in SEC play. Alabama (27-12, 8-8) has lost five of its last six games. Game 3 of the series is set for Sunday (2 pm ET, SEC Network+).

Alabama grabbed an early 1-0 lead Saturday in the top of the first when Brady Neal doubled home Bryce Fowler.

The Crimson Tide made that margin stick until the seventh inning – which is when Texas broke open the defensive battle for good. Jayden Duplantier began the rally with an RBI single to right, Carson Tinney added an RBI single up the middle and Adrian Rodriguez lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1.

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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

Aiden Robbins finished 3-for-4 for Texas, which finished with eight hits. Reliever Haiden Leffew (3-1) earned the victory, while Sam Cozart struck out all three Alabama hitters he faced in the ninth for his sixth save. Longhorns starter Ruger Riojas gave up just three hits and struck out 11 in five innings of work.

In all, 19 of the Crimson Tide’s 27 outs came via strikeout. Reliever Matthew Heiberger (2-2) took the loss for Alabama.

The post No. 4 Texas baseball clinches series victory over No. 11 Alabama appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Sanford, who was named a 2026 captain earlier in the week, went down with an apparent lower-leg injury in the first half – with a cast placed on his injury before being carted off the field.

“He got injured, lower body,” Texas A&M coach Mike Elko told reporters after the game. “We will figure it out.”

Fellow Aggies linebacker Noah Mikhail also discussed Sanford’s injury.

“Daymion (Sanford) is a one-of-a-kind type of player. Losing someone like that is really tough on the whole team, especially as linebackers,” Mikhail said. “We went and prayed in the huddle. We are hoping we can get him back as soon as possible.”

Bethel-Roman, on the other hand, departed Saturday’s game in the first quarter with an apparent arm injury, though Elko said post-practice that “Ashton will be fine.”

Sanford has racked up 52 solo tackles and 94 total stops in his Texas A&M career, adding 3½ sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. Bethel-Roman caught 24 passes for 503 yards and five touchdowns last season as the Aggies advanced to the College Football Playoff.

The post Mike Elko comments on spring game injuries of Daymion Sanford, Ashton Bethel-Roman appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Junior running back Nate Frazier limped off the Sanford Stadium field after the first play Saturday, receiving medical attention before spending the rest of the scrimmage on the sideline.

Following the G-Day festivities, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart discussed Frazier’s injury with reporters.

“Precautionary. He had an ankle injury in the last game,” Smart said, referring to an injury Frazier sustained in the Sugar Bowl against Ole Miss. “He re-aggravated it on the first play and we shut him down after that.”

Georgia’s Red team, consisting of the Bulldogs’ first-team offense and second-team offense, beat the Black team 27-17.

Frazier rushed for 947 yards on 173 carries and six touchdowns in 2026. His two-year stats in Athens include 1,819 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns.

Counting Frazier, Georgia listed 13 players who were either injured Saturday or sustained an injury at some point in spring practice that kept them out of G-Day.

Georgia captured the SEC championship in 2025 and finished the season with a 12-2 record – ultimately falling to Ole Miss 39-34 in the CFP quarterfinals in New Orleans. The Bulldogs begin the 2026 season Sept. 5 at home against Tennessee State and also play a non-conference home game Sept. 12 against Western Kentucky before SEC play opens Sept. 19 at Arkansas.

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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 Kirby Smart gives injury update on starting running back Nate Frazier appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Lexington native Jasper Johnson became the latest to announce his 2026-27 destination, announcing on social media that he will play for the Oregon Ducks next season.

A 6-foot-5 combo guard, Johnson delivered 4.9 points, 1.6 assists and 1.1 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per contest across 35 games as a freshman in 2025-26. He played just 20 combined minutes in three SEC Tournament games and eight combined minutes in two March Madness games with just 10 points on 11 total shot attempts in that stretch.

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Johnson was Kentucky coach Mark Pope’s highest-rated recruit at No. 25 overall in the 247 Sports Composite ranks last season. Johnson’s father, Dennis, was an All-SEC pass rusher for Kentucky’s football program from 1998-2001.

The younger Johnson now joins coach Dana Altman’s squad in Eugene, an Oregon unit that finished 12-20 overall and 5-15 in the Big 10 in 2025-26. He will have three years of remaining eligibility.

Oregon now has four incoming players via the portal – as Johnson will be joined by power forwards Pharaoh Compton and Andrew Meadow along with small forward Tyrone Riley.

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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 Former Kentucky guard Jasper Johnson announces transfer commitment appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After the scrimmage to conclude Kentucky’s spring session, Stein was asked about why Saturday’s workout wasn’t made available via broadcast.

“You never know who is in the stands. We are close (in proximity) to a lot of (programs),” Stein said. “That’s just a fact. We huddled a lot, we hid our signals, we didn’t do any special teams.

“Because, I mean, shoot, you can go on YouTube and look up spring football games around the country watch what spring ball look like on other schools. … That’s why we wanted to keep it really simple. The playbook was minimal on both offense and defense.”

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Stein takes over Kentucky’s program after Mark Stoops was let go following a 13-year run in Lexington. It is Stein’s first head coaching job, as he served as offensive coordinator for three seasons in Oregon before landing the UK job.

Kentucky (5-7 overall, 2-6 SEC in 2025) opens Stein’s first season Sept. 5 at home against Youngstown State before beginning conference play Sept. 12 at home against Alabama.

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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 Will Stein talks secrecy around spring game: ‘You never know who is in the stands’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Ginn, whose Aviators are set to take on the Dallas Renegades in Frisco, Texas, on Sunday (Noon ET, ABC) was booked by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department and later released after posting a $1,000 bond Saturday.

WSYX-TV in Columbus, Ohio, reported that the Euless Police Department stopped the 41-year-old Ginn at 12:58 am Saturday and was given a field sobriety test.

“We are aware of an incident involving Head Coach Ted Ginn Jr. over the weekend and are in the process of gathering more information,” UFL president and CEO Russ Brandon said in a statement. “Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley will handle the head coaching duties for the Aviators game on Sunday.”

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Ginn was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins after a stellar career at Ohio State that saw him rack up 4,068 all-purpose yards and score 26 touchdowns. He played 14 seasons in the NFL with six teams – the Dolphins, 49ers, Panthers, Saints, Cardinals and Bears – before retiring in 2020.

Ginn was named the Aviators’ coach in December and was off to an 0-2 start to the 2026 season.

The post Former Ohio State star, current UFL head coach Ted Ginn charged with DWI appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Auburn released a video Sunday morning showing players and coaches competing in a chipping contest during a recent spring workout – with 11 different position groups competing against both each other and the coaching staff.

First prize? The winning group got dinner on new head coach Alex Golesh wherever they wanted.

One player per position competed in a 40-yard chipping challenge with predictably hilarious results… as the athletes clearly are on campus for their football skills and not their golf prowess.

Despite being clear underdogs before the competition began, Auburn’s offensive line took down the coaching staff in the final. Which means Golesh’s new six-year, $44.25 million contract at Auburn will soon be dented by a hefty dinner bill somewhere in Lee County.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young tee off Sunday afternoon tied for the lead at the 90^th Masters Tournament, one shot clear of Sam Burns and two clear of Shane Lowry. Auburn begins Golesh’s first season on the Plains on Sept. 5 at home against Baylor.

The post Auburn football holds chipping contest among players, coaches in honor of 2026 Masters appeared first on Saturday Down South.

New defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who comes to the Volunteers after stints running defenses at Ohio State and Penn State, has been busily installing his system during Tennessee’s 15-workout spring practice session that wrapped up Saturday with the Orange & White game at Neyland Stadium.

And both potential new starting quarterbacks – George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon – said there is plenty of disguise and surprise on deck for the Tennessee defense this fall.

“Coach Knowles has really mastered disguise. I would also say, with the new defense there is very [minimal] complete busts throughout spring ball,” MacIntyre said to reporters after Saturday’s scrimmage.” You might expect guys running wide open a lot when you’re doing installs, but I feel like our DBs are really locked in with what they are doing and disguising stuff.

“I feel like the second half of spring ball, they really got good at disguising pressures and we had to really understand our protections and know where we’re hot and stuff like that.”

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Brandon, a 5-star incoming freshman who is locked into the QB1 battle with the redshirt freshman MacIntyre, added that the different looks the Vols defense gave all spring will definitely improve Tennessee’s offense as well.

“I would definitely say all the different coverages and stuff will definitely make us better,” Brandon said. “It made us have to be on top of our game, as George said, with the checks and just knowing where to put our eyes in certain looks that we get.”

Tennessee opens the 2026 season against Furman at home on Sept. 5 and begin SEC play Sept. 26 at home against Texas.

Prediction Markets

College Football SEC Championship Winner (2026)

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Kalshi

Texas

24%

Georgia

23%

LSU

15%

Texas A&M

12%

Alabama

11%

Florida

11%

Missouri

10%

Oklahoma

10%

Arkansas

6%

Vanderbilt

3%

Predict

The post Tennessee quarterbacks share what they saw from Jim Knowles’ defense in spring camp appeared first on Saturday Down South.

MacIntyre, who saw brief mop-up duty behind Joey Aguilar in 2025, hopes to ascend to the starting spot following Aguilar’s unsuccessful bid to gain additional eligibility. The redshirt freshman appeared in two games last season, going 7-of-9 for 69 yards.

“I feel a good bit more comfortable,” MacIntyre said to reporters after the game. “I think a lot of that growth happened between practice 1 and practice 15. Not necessarily between now and last year. A lot more comfortable and a lot more clear visions, operationally, getting in the playbook and once you have 15 days stacked on top of each other everything felt really clear.”

MacIntyre is still technically in a battle for the QB1 spot with 5-star freshman Faizon Brandon, and neither signal-caller exactly shined in Saturday’s public scrimmage in front of an estimated 48,000 on hand at Neyland Stadium.

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Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said he was not inclined to name a starter during the 15-session spring session and did not do so following’s Saturday’s final workout of the spring.

It is possible MacIntyre and Brandon could be locked into a position battle heading into Tennessee’s 2026 season opener against Furman at home on Sept. 5 and even beyond, as the Vols don’t begin SEC play until Sept. 26 at home against Texas.

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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 Tennessee QB George MacIntrye talks improved ‘comfort level’ after 2026 spring camp appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The first-year slugger belted her 31^st home run of the season Saturday night – a new NCAA record for a freshman – as the Sooners downed No. 4 Texas 4-3 to earn an SEC series victory in Austin.

Wells’ homer, a three-run blast in the fifth, broke a three-way tie for the previous NCAA freshman single-season home run record – which was shared with Oklahoma legends Lauren Chamberlain and Jocelyn Alo as well as Hawaii’s Kelly Majam. The NCAA record for single-season home runs is 37, set by Arizona’s Lauren Espinoza in 1995.

Oklahoma (40-3 overall, 13-1 SEC) can sweep the series Sunday (2 pm ET, ESPN). Texas (32-6, 9-5) has now lost four straight games.

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The Longhorns went up 1-0 in the first inning via a Viviana Martinez RBI single, but the Sooners tied it back up in the second when Gabbie Garcia homered to left field. Texas retook a one-run advantage in the fourth on Jaycie Nichols’ infield single.

Following Wells’ record-breaking blast in the fifth, Texas narrowed the margin to 4-3 on a Leighann Goode RBI single.

Miali Guachino (12-0) earned the victory for Oklahoma, scattering seven hits over six innings with six strikeouts. Audrey Lowry pitched the seventh inning to earn her second save. Citaly Gutierrez (5-1) took the loss.

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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 Oklahoma’s Kendall Wells sets freshman HR record with dramatic blast vs. Texas appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Draft Express reported Saturday that Wilkins’ agent, Darrell Comer of CSE Talent, confirmed Wilkins to Cal. A top-100 talent in the Class of 2025, the 6-foot-9 Wilkins delivered 4.9 points and 1.8 rebounds for the Bulldogs last season and has 3 seasons of remaining eligibility.

Wilkins heading to Berkley also completes a roundabout trade that began last year when former Cal guard Jeremiah Wilkinson transferred to Georgia after the 2024-25 season. Wilkinson went off for 17.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists for the Bulldogs in the 2025-26 campaign.

Georgia finished 22-11 in 2025-26 and earned a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament. But the Bulldogs fell to No. 9 seed Saint Louis 102-77 in the first round – the second straight March Madness that saw Georgia tumble out without a victory.

Wilkins is one of seven Bulldogs who entered the transfer portal after the 2025-26 season was compete. Wilkinson is also in the portal, as is Jaden Newell, Dylan James, Somto Cyril, Jackson McVey and Jordan Ross. Two Georgia players (Justin Bailey and Justin Abson) depart having exhausted their eligibility, three players have announced their return to Athens and two have not publicly indicated their future plans.

The post Jake Wilkins, former Georgia forward, reveals transfer destination appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Tyran Stokes, a consensus 5-star prospect from Rainier Beach (Wash.) High School, will visit Kentucky on Monday as he mulls where he will play as part of the 2026 recruiting class.

“It’s a different coaching staff since the last time I was on campus so just being able to go out there and talk to them and see what their plan is for me,” Stokes said Hoops HQ’s Krysten Peek.

Stokes, a 6-foot-7 small forward, is the No. 1 player in the nation according to 247 Sports Composite. In addition to the Wildcats, Stokes is considering Kansas, Oregon, Louisville and USC.

A McDonald’s All-American, Stokes sports a 7-foot wingspan and possesses guard-like skills that make him especially valuable at the collegiate level.

Kentucky coach Mark Pope and his staff hope to make a favorable impression on Stokes before the late signing period starts April 15. Kansas remains high on Stokes’ consideration list, as the Jayhawks look to pair him with fellow 5-star prospect Tay Kinney.

The Wildcats went 22-14 in 2025-26 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed before falling to No. 2 seed Iowa State.

The post Tyran Stokes, No. 1 prospect in Class of 2026, schedules visit to Kentucky basketball appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Texas starter Ruger Riojas was serenaded/tormented with “Ball Five” and “Ball Six” chants from the 7,664 that packed Blue Bell Park in College Station on Friday night as he struggled to find his control early in Game 1 of a pivotal SEC series between the second-ranked Longhorns and 18^th-ranked Aggies.

Aggies traditions are like nothing else. Check out the scene below:

Riojas issued a four-pitch walk to Nico Partida to put Aggies on first and second with no outs in the second inning when the ruckus began – and continued – with Terrence Kiel II at the plate. Riojas finally found the strike zone after five straight misses, as Kiel was able to lay down a bunt and move the runners to second and third.

Riojas was further able to master the situation, getting Jorian Wilson to strike out swinging and Bear Harrison to fly out to left to avoid any damage.

Texas A&M (26-7 overall, 8-5 SEC) was able to hold off a late Longhorns rally to earn a 9-8 victory over Texas (26-7, 9-4) in a pivotal SEC series opener. The Aggies look to clinch the series in Game 2 on Saturday (3 pm ET, ESPN2).

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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 Texas A&M fans torment Texas pitcher with incredible ‘ball 5’ chant appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Aggies (26-7 overall, 8-5 SEC) can earn a series victory in Saturday’s second game (3 pm ET, ESPN2). The Longhorns (27-6, 9-4) have not dropped an SEC series yet this season.

Nico Partida was 2-for-2 with a solo homer and 2 runs scored for Texas A&M, while Gavin Grahovac doubled, tripled, scored twice and drove in 2 runs.

Aiden Robbins went 3-for-5 with 2 home runs and 3 RBIs for Texas, and both Anthony Pack Jr. and Carson Tinney hit solo homers in the ninth inning and each drove in 2 runs for Texas.

Texas A&M did its most damage in the sixth inning, scoring 2 runs on a pair of base-loaded walks and a third on a Grahovac sacrifice fly.

Ethan Darden (3-0) earned the victory on the mound for the Aggies, throwing 2 innings of relief pitching after starter Shane Sdao struck out 6 Longhorns in 4 innings. Clayton Freshcorn pitched the final 3 innings to pick up his 7th save. Texas reliever Haiden Leffew (2-1) absorbed the loss.

The post Texas A&M baseball outlasts rival Texas to take Game 1, 9-8 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

And until Nate Oats arrived in Tuscaloosa, that single-season résumé would have indeed been lauded in the history books as one to remember. But after the program’s first-ever Final Four run in 2023-24 and an Elite Eight appearance last season, expectations rightly have changed with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

No longer just a football school, Oats now must retool and reload the Tide in a hyper-competitive SEC and in the even more hyper-competitive NIL/transfer portal college basketball environment to which he elevated the program.

So how does Oats do it? We have some suggestions…

1. Get a big man who can shoot

Granted, 7-footers with range don’t exactly grow on trees here in America. But they seem to in Europe, where coaches are now turning to cherry-pick pro ballplayers of advanced age to start their collegiate clock back here at home.

Alabama certainly suffered from a lack of height in 2025-26, especially after The Charles Bediako Experiment went awry after just 5 games. But if Davidson can pluck Ian Platteeuw from Spain, Creighton can deliver Aleksa Dimitrijevic from Serbia and Illinois can lure Tomislav Ivišić from Croatia… you better believe there is a 7-footer that can venture out to the arc and hoist the 3 somewhere on the European continent for the Tide.

Finding a reliable big – or 2 – became even more important Tuesday when 6-10 junior forward Taylor Bol Bowen announced he was hitting the transfer portal. So it is time for Oats to fire up the University of Alabama jet and roam the European countryside looking for some big-time big talent.

2. Portal up to replace Labaron Philon Jr. and Latrell Wrightsell

Philon’s decision Tuesday to forego his remaining 2 seasons at Alabama and head to the NBA Draft (the second time in 2 years, incidentally…) doesn’t come as a huge shock to Oats and the Crimson Tide coaching staff. But replacing Philon’s 22 points per game won’t come easy, and it could be compounded with a potential NBA loss of forward Amari Allen (11.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg) – who has yet to decide if he will turn pro.

Wrightsell’s eligibility expired, which means there is 13.2 ppg out the window as well. The Tide have 3 talented small forwards coming in as freshmen – Tarris Bouie, Qaden Samuels and Jaxon Richardson – but they probably won’t be immediate fixes. Which means Oats is probably waving around the checkbook in the portal as you read this looking for a 20 ppg scorer.

Two potential targets out there are LSU guard Dedan Thomas Jr. and Colorado’s Bangot Dak. Thomas just finished up his junior season in Baton Rouge, a campaign that saw him deliver 15.3 ppg. Kentucky is also in the mix for Thomas, though, so he isn’t a guarantee for the Tide quite yet. But Alabama’s “finding a 7-footer who can shoot” problem might just get immediately solved by Dak – a 7-foot forward who is departing Colorado with 2 seasons remaining and after averaging 11.5 ppg this season with 28 3-pointers made in the last 2 seasons.

3. Hope Aden Holloway can contribute

Ah yes, Holloway. When last we checked with the Crimson Tide’s suspended junior guard, he was planning to enroll in fall classes and return to the team pending the outcome of his legal case – which stems from police finding 2.1 pounds of marijuana in his apartment days before the NCAA Tournament began.

Holloway was indicted by a grand jury April 2 on a Class C felony drug possession charge, “not for personal use,” but the campus ban on him has since been reversed after a hearing – meaning he can now attend classes and enroll in future courses.

Holloway’s status as a basketball player will likely hinge on how the court system adjudicates his case – and whether his legal team can arrange a settlement negotiation or pretrial diversion, because a trial on a felony case like Holloway’s might not come to fruition for 2 years.

But if Holloway can return to Alabama’s roster in 2026, not only does he bring the 16.8 ppg from last season with him, but also the continuity of Oats’ system along for the ride. If Oats decides Holloway’s return is just too big a risk to take, he could well target a guard like Washington’s Zoom Diallo or Villanova’s Acaden Lewis in the portal.

The post Alabama’s Nate Oats facing roster reconstruction amid heavy expectations appeared first on Saturday Down South.

April, after all, is when the long and winding road of March Madness culminates for a quartet of fortunate programs in the Final Four – with one team ending up cutting down the nets and watching itself triumph during the final notes of “One Shining Moment.”

Only one team in the NCAA Tournament gets to finish its season with a victory, of course. But there is more than one team that finished off its season as the April began and also claimed a very important* trophy.

The Auburn Tigers.

The asterisk behind “very important” right there is the question at hand right now: just how valuable, how important, is Auburn’s win the National Invitation Tournament?

Ask that question 70 years or so ago, of course, and you get a decidedly different answer. The NIT used to be the tournament to win in college basketball, after all, as the combination of limited national media coverage of games outside of New York City and the tournament’s more burnished reputation mean the NIT champ was often held in higher regard than the NCAA champ.

All that started changing in the 60s and 70s, though, as the NCAA Tournament kept expanding and the combination of the NCAA eliminating the one-team-per-conference rule in 1975 along with the requirement that teams accept its bids soon relegated the NIT to a collection of teams that did not make the NCAA grade.

That brings us to 2026 and the Auburn Tigers. There was a minor kerfuffle, as there seems to be every year, whenever the NCAA Tournament bracket is announced and whomever the “First Four Out” are identified. This time around, it was Auburn – a team that sported high-profile victories against SEC regular-season champion Florida as well as Big East Tournament champ St. John’s on its ledger… but also had a ledger that read 17-16 come Selection Sunday.

Due to a confluence of events that included Miami (OH) chosen as an at-large team, Auburn – despite the third-best strength of schedule in the country – was left with nothing. Nothing, that is, until the NIT called later that night.

Sure, first-year coach Steven Pearl could have turned down the NIT bid like some teams have done, but Pearl and the Tigers instead leaned into the opportunity. Well, most of the Tigers… as starting forward KeShawn Murphy decided to take his proverbial ball and go home and call it a career instead of toiling with his teammates for the duration of the second-rate NIT.

Murphy’s opt-out could have sunk Auburn’s chances right out of the gate, but instead it galvanized the Tigers – who powered past South Alabama, Seattle U and Nevada in NIT games at Neville Arena, smacked around Illinois State in the NIT semifinal at Hinkle Fieldhouse and then earned a gritty 92-86 overtime victory over Tulsa in Sunday’s NIT championship game.

That win – Auburn’s first NIT title – was rightfully celebrated by the Tigers on Sunday night in Gainbridge Fieldhourse, where the NBA’s Indiana Pacers play.

Pearl also will undoubtedly benefit from his team’s 5-game run to an NIT banner. Coaching a team to wins in April, any wins in April, delivers quite a bit of positive exposure on the eve of the college basketball transfer window opening – and Auburn is poised to capitalize on that exposure to level up through the portal for 2026-27.

Like it or not, Auburn turned a resounding negative into a resounding positive with its NIT experience. Not only did it send off a senior like Keshawn Hall on a great note, but it poised Pearl in the best way possible to replace Tahaad Pettiford should the sophomore opt for the portal.

Auburn’s NIT triumph was also a not-so-insignificant “we told you” nod-wink to the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee as well as its conferees in the SEC. The Tigers kept right on playing very good basketball despite missing one of their starters and ended up hoisting a trophy amid falling confetti.

Would Auburn rather have punched its March Madness dance card instead of settling for the more winding road to a championship win in April? Sure. But wins are wins are wins, and Auburn deserves all the kudos for running the NIT table.

The post Auburn basketball should be proud of NIT triumph appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Michigan (37-3) added the 2026 title to the crown won by Glen Rice, Rumeal Robinson and Co. in 1989 and with the Wolverines’ famed Fab Five inside the cavernous home of the Indianapolis Colts. The Wolverines’ triumph was also the Big Ten’s first basketball national championship since Michigan State won it all in 2000.

The Wolverines, the top seed in the Midwest Region, tipped off as a 6½-point favorite against the No. 2 seed in the East Region. For coach Dusty May, it was a triumphant return trip to the Final Four in his home state after taking Florida Atlantic to within two wins of a national title in 2023.

Michigan cut down the nets to culminate March Madness despite its most ineffective offensive performance of the entire tournament. Entering Monday, the Wolverines had racked up 94.4 points per game – becoming the first team in NCAA Tournament history to record 90-plus points in five games.

The Wolverines also got it done despite a less-than-spectacular effort from star forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who sprained the MCL in his left knee and also his left ankle in the national semifinals against Arizona. Lendeborg admitted after his four-point first half that he was feeling “awful”, but found a bit more momentum in the second half to finish with 13 points.

Even with Lendeborg ailing and ineffective, Michigan led 33-29 at the break (despite shooting just 38.1 percent from the floor) and continued to lean on the Huskies in the second half. Solo Ball picked up his fourth foul with 16:20 to play and both Taris Reed Jr. and Silas Demary Jr. had three fouls with 15 minutes remaining. Demary fouled out with 1:07 to play having scored just two points.

Michigan capitalized, as Elliot Cadeau launched a 28-foot 3-pointer – the Wolverines’ first made trey of the game – to make it 48-37 with 12:47 remaining. UConn trimmed that deficit to five and had a chance for more, but Aday Mara threw down a two-handed dunk after a Huskies turnover to make it 52-45 with 7:43 to go.

The Wolverines fiercely defended UConn at the arc, as the Huskies misfired on its first 11 3-point attempts in the second half before finally connecting with 5:23 to go. UConn’s 63 points were its fewest in the NCAA Tournament and its worst offensive performance since losing to St. John’s 72-52 in the Big East Tournament final.

UConn still didn’t quit, though, as Solo Ball banked in a 3-pointer off a Michigan turnover to make it 67-63 with 37.2 seconds to play. Michigan’s Roddy Gayle Jr. then missed two free throws, but UConn’s Alex Karaban missed a 3 that would have cut the deficit even further.

Cadeau led Michigan with 18 points and Morez Johnson Jr. added 12 points. The Wolverines scored 36 points in the paint, 14 more than UConn’s 22. And Michigan also dominated at the free-throw line, making 25-of-28 to UConn’s 12-of-16.

Karaban led UConn (34-6) with 17 points, Reed scored 13 points, Braylon Mullins dropped 11 points and Ball chipped in 11 points.

The post Michigan outlasts UConn 69-63 to win 2026 NCAA Tournament championship appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Lendeborg posted just four points in the game’s first 20 minutes, one game after spraining his left MCL and left ankle in the first half against Arizona in Saturday night’s national semifinals. Despite Lendeborg’s poor effort, Michigan still led UConn 33-29 at intermission.

“I feel awful, I feel super weak right now. I can’t make anything,” Lendeborg admitted to sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson at halftime. “Ah man, I’m trying to push through obviously because championship game and all that, but man. I’m missing plays I don’t usually miss, I’ve had many opportunities to take advantage of smaller defenders, haven’t been able to do it.”

Lendeborg entered the game averaging 15.1 points per game for the Wolverines, who dropped an average of 94.4 points per game during the first five games of this year’s March Madness. He finished the first half just 1-for-5 from the floor (missing both of his 3-point attempts) with two free throws. Lendeborg also committed two fouls, but did play the full 20 minutes while wearing a wrap on his left knee.

The post Yaxel Lendeborg provides brutally honest assessment of first-half play: ‘I feel awful’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Huskies did just that through the first half at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis – limiting Lendeborg to just four points. Despite Lendeborg’s tough start, the Wolverines led UConn 33-29 at the break.

Lendeborg warmed up without showing visible effects Monday night and took the floor against UConn without a visible brace on either joint – though he knee was wrapped. Lendeborg started the game, but he was 1-for-5 from the field (missing two 3-point attempts) and scoring from the field for the first time on a layup with 3:06 to play. Lendeborg also made two free throws and committed two fouls while playing all 20 minutes.

“I feel awful, I feel super weak right now. I cant make anything,” Lendeborg said to sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson as the teams headed to the locker room. “Ah man, I’m trying to push through obviously because championship game and all that, but man. I’m missing plays I don’t usually miss, I’ve had many opportunities to take advantage of smaller defenders, haven’t been able to do it.”

Social media reacted to Lendeborg’s tough start. Here’s some of the best reaction we found:

We’re in for a great finish. Here’s a look at the latest odds to win, via Kalshi:

The post Social media reacts to sluggish start for Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Huzzie is the Razorbacks’ third verbal commitment in the 2027 class, joining 3-star running back Isaiah Stephens and 3-star offensive lineman Bradley Sturdivant, and joins Stephens as the second Hogs commitment for new coach Ryan Silverfield as his staff.

“I’m blessed to announce I’m 1000% committed” Huzzie said in his post on X (formerly Twitter) feed.

The 6-foot Huzzie is ranked 89^th nationally at his position by 247Sports Composite and chose Arkansas following an unofficial weekend visit to Fayetteville and over offers from Appalachian State, Florida Atlantic, South Florida, Troy and FIU among others.

Huzzie and the LaGrange Grangers went 11-3 in 2025, falling to Sandy Creek in the third round of the AAA Georgia state tournament.

Silverfield replaced the fired Sam Pittman at Arkansas on Nov. 30 and joined Arkansas after his Memphis Tigers lost to NC State in the Gasparilla Bowl in December. Silverfield went 50-25 overall and 27-21 in American Athletic Conference play during his seven seasons at Memphis.

Arkansas opens the 2026 season at home against North Alabama on Sept. 5 and travels to play Utah on Sept. 12. The Razorbacks begin SEC play Sept. 19 at home against Georgia.

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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 Arkansas adds commitment from Class of 2027 CB appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Alabama (25-8 overall, 8-4 SEC) took Thursday’s first game 10-7 but lost Friday’s second game 4-2. Oklahoma (21-10, 5-7) dropped its second straight SEC series and lost for just the fifth time at home all season.

The Crimson Tide scored its’ three first-inning runs with a lot of help from the Sooners. Bryce Fowler scored via a Trent Collier wild pitch, Justin Lebron scored on an Oklahoma passed ball, and Brady Neal came home via a fielding error.

Oklahoma would score in the bottom of the first via Brendan Brock’s RBI single to right field. The Sooners would make it 3-2 on Kyle Branch’s RBI single to center.

Alabama starter Myles Upchurch (3-2) earned the victory, with Hagan Banks picking up his fifth save. Fowler finished 2-for-5 for the Crimson Tide, which left seven runners on base.

Collier (0-1) absorbed the loss for Oklahoma. Drew Dickerson went 2-for-3 for the Sooners, who stranded nine runners.

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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 Alabama bounces back to beat Oklahoma, pick up first road series win of season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Gators took a 1-0 lead on a Rebels wild pitch in the third inning and then doubled that margin via a Kolt Myers RBI single in the seventh.

But Ole Miss wiped that gap away with one swing of the bat in the ninth, as Judd Utermark belted a two-run homer to left field.

Tie Ballgame. Utermark answers. pic.twitter.com/OIAwN2OFZ9

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 5, 2026

Ole Miss kept pouring on insurance runs in the inning, as Brayden Randle lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to make it 3-2 and Hayden Federico smacked a two-run single to center for the final tally.

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Rebels reliever Walker Hooks (2-0) earned the victory, striking out three in the final 2 1/3 innings. Florida reliever Joshua Whritenour (2-1) took the loss. Landon Stripling went 3-for-4 for Florida and Myers finished 2-for-3.

COMEBACK REBS pic.twitter.com/v9PDMXe4nR

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 5, 2026

Which teams are bound for Omaha? Kalshi is taking early action on predictions to win the national championship this year in college baseball!

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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 Ole Miss stuns Florida with a 5-run 9th inning to win rubber game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kentucky (23-7 overall, 6-5 SEC) has a chance to rally and win the weekend series against Mizzou (18-14, 2-9) in Sunday’s season finale (1 pm ET, SEC Network).

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Scott Campbell Jr. hit a grand slam and Tyler Bell added a solo shot for the Wildcats on Saturday. Bell started the game with his blast to left-center, and Campbell’s homer was the keystone of Kentucky’s 5-run third inning. Tagger Tyson and Luke Lawrence added RBI singles for the Wildcats.

Missouri did all its damage in the fifth inning, as Mateo Serna singled home a run and Tyler Macon drove home the Tigers’ other run with a fielder’s choice grounder.

Nate Harris (4-2) scattered five hits and struck out three in five innings of work to earn the win for Kentucky. Brady Kehlenbrink (3-4) took the loss for Missouri. Serna and Kaden Peer each had two hits for the Tigers. Tharnish went 3-for-5 for Kentucky and both Lawrence and Tyson finished with two hits.

Missouri finished with two errors defensively, and Kentucky stranded seven baserunners.

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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 Kentucky bounces back against Mizzou to even series appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The South Carolina basketball coach sidestepped a question Saturday about UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who had issued an apology to the Gamecocks for his actions during a mid-court dustup Friday night at the Women’s Final Four in Phoenix.

“For me, no distractions at this time,” Staley said to the media after being asked about Auriemma’s apology. “Concentrating on a national championship.”

Auriemma and Staley had a heated exchange at mid-court in the closing seconds of South Carolina’s 62-48 national semifinal victory in Phoenix. Auriemma approached Staley for a postgame handshake, then angrily got in the South Carolina coach’s face before Staley started chirping back.

The two coaches were separated by assistant coaches and officials, with Staley still shouting toward the UConn bench. Auriemma said in his postgame news conference that he was frustrated that he waited three minutes for the pregame handshake with Staley.

Staley has South Carolina on the doorstep of a fourth national championship in 9 seasons. The Gamecocks take on UCLA on Sunday in the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament national title game (3:30 pm ET, ABC/ESPN).

Staley also coached the Gamecocks to the national title in 2017, 2022, and 2024. She has taken the program to 8 Final Fours (including 6 straight) and is 511-113 overall in her coaching career in Columbia.

RELATED: South Carolina is the favorite on Kalshi to take home the title. Get started with the prediction market today.

The post Dawn Staley sidesteps Geno Auriemma question after apology appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Bediako played in five games before the judicial system shut down his return, a ruling Alabama coach Nate Oats continues to decry as inconsistent compared to European players who were similarly drafted the same year as Bediako.

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“We had a head coaches meeting. I made it clear: the rules are not cut and dried,” Oats said Friday to ESPN 1100/100.9 FM in Las Vegas. “They’re not clear. A guy was deemed eligible that was drafted in that same draft. I do think they’re trying to clean them up. And I do think part of Bediako getting eligible is letting the entire country know how inconsistent they’re applying the rules.”

Bediako averaged 10.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in the five contests he played for Alabama this season, games in which the Crimson Tide went 3-2.

“I think they’ve got to update the rules to where it’s not tilted toward the international kids so extreme, at all to be honest with you,” Oats added. “It needs to be an even playing field for domestic and international kids both.”

The post Nate Oats reacts to NCAA’s potential eligibility rule changes appeared first on Saturday Down South.

“There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina,” Auriemma said in the statement released by the Huskies. “It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut. I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina.

“It was uncalled for in how I reacted.”

Auriemma and Staley had a heated exchange at mid-court in the closing seconds of South Carolina’s 62-48 national semifinal victory in Phoenix. Auriemma approached Staley for a postgame handshake, then angrily got in the South Carolina coach’s face before Staley started chirping back.

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The two coaches, who have won 15 national championships between them (Auriemma 12, Staley three), were separated – with Staley still shouting toward the UConn bench. Auriemma said in his postgame news conference that he was frustrated that he waited three minutes for the pregame handshake with Staley.

“The story should be on how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that,” Auriemma added in his statement Saturday. “I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them.”

Will South Carolina win it all? Check out the latest market at Kalshi!

The post Geno Auriemma apologizes for conduct after UConn’s loss to South Carolina appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Tyler Hansbrough, who played at North Carolina from 2005-09 and was a member of the Tar Heels’ 2009 national championship team, appeared on The Field Of 68: After Dark on Friday to discuss Lloyd’s decision to remain with the Wildcats instead of replacing Hubert Davis with the Tar Heels.

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“This is a surprise, well, not really a surprise, but to a lot of the higher-ups and boosters, that’s who they were really pulling for,” Hansbrough said. “It is difficult to make a transition from one program to another, and the fact that Arizona is so good and at the Final Four.

“It’s tough to leave when you’re having a season like this, and especially if they win it it’s even more difficult. … But right now, there may be just a bigger gap and Carolina might not be as heralded as we once thought.”

Davis, also a former North Carolina player, was fired earlier this month after five seasons in Chapel Hill – having compiled a 125-54 overall record but not making it past the first round of March Madness the last two seasons.

Who will be the next Carolina coach? Predict the hire on Kalshi!

The post Tyler Hansbrough reacts to Tommy Lloyd turning down UNC to stay at Arizona appeared first on Saturday Down South.

During an interview on the College Sports on Sirius XM channel, Oats said that he and girlfriend Alex Accetta are now engaged – dropping it casually while telling a story about attending an NBA game in New York City.

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“Me and Alex – my fiancee now, she was my girlfriend at the time – we were at a Knicks playoff game, and I’m sitting there at [Madison Square] Garden,” Oats said. “I’m like, ‘Hold on.’ I’m a high school coach and I got an opportunity to coach in here, and I’m gonna say no?”

The 51-year-old Oats divorced his first wife, Crystal, in 2023. Having just completed his seventh season at Alabama with a 25-10 record and a trip to the Sweet 16, Oats is 170-73 overall and 87-38 in the SEC in Tuscaloosa – including a Final Four appearance in 2024 and an Elite Eight run in 2025.

Oats previously coached Buffalo for four seasons, leading the Bulls to three NCAA Tournaments and 96 victories. Before then, he was a boys basketball coach for 11 years at Romulus (Mich.) High School.

The post Nate Oats reveals engagement during radio interview appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The victories, coming off a 14-8 loss to the Commodores in Thursday’s season opener, gave Texas A&M (25-6 overall, 7-5 SEC) a series victory. Vanderbilt (19-14, 6-6) fell to 1-5 in road games with the consecutive losses.

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The Aggies’ 8-4 victory in Friday’s doubleheader opener was powered by Nico Partida, who hit a two-run homer in the first inning, and Gavin Grahovac, who added a solo shot in the sixth. Brodie Johnston and Mike Mancini each hit solo homers for Vanderbilt in the loss.

Texas A&M reliever Gavin Lyons (4-0) earned the victory, while Wyatt Nadeau (1-2) absorbed the loss.

Four Aggies provided home runs in the 12-0 nightcap victory, as Partida, Chris Hacopian and Bear Harrison each hit two-run homers and Blake Binderup added a three-run blast in a 13-hit barrage.

Aiden Sims went the distance for Texas A&M in the victory, scattering three hits and striking out eight Commodores to improve to 6-0. Aiden Stillman (0-1) took the loss for Vanderbilt.

All eyes on Omaha! Predict the college baseball national champion at Kalshi!

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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 Texas A&M sweeps doubleheader to take series against Vanderbilt appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Florida (24-8 overall, 7-4 SEC) can win the series in Saturday’s finale (7:30 pm ET, SEC Network). Ole Miss (21-11, 4-7) took Thursday’s opener 6-4.

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King scattered four hits and struck out eight, throwing 70 strikes in 93 total pitches over seven shutout innings to improve to 4-2. Joshua Whritenour earned his fifth save.

The Gators scored all the runs they would need in the third inning off Ole Miss starter Hunter Elliott (3-1). Cade Kurland singled through the right side to score Kyle Jones, and Jacob Kendall drew a bases-loaded walk two batters later to score Karson Bowen.

Jones finished 2-for-3 for Florida, while Judd Utermark went 2-for-4 and Hayden Federico went 2-for-3 for Ole Miss. Florida left nine runners on base, while Ole Miss stranded eight runners.

Elliott struck out nine Gators in his four innings of work in the loss, and Will Libbert added five strikeouts in the final two innings as part of a 16-strikeout effort for the Rebels pitching staff. Florida’s staff struck out 11 Rebels.

Who’s winning it all? Predict the college baseball national champion at 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 Florida evens series with shutout of Ole Miss behind stellar outing from Aidan King appeared first on Saturday Down South.

LSU (21-10 overall, 5-5 SEC) picked up just its second road victory of the season. Tennessee (19-11, 3-7) dropped its fourth straight conference decision. The Tigers and Vols continue the series Saturday (6 pm ET, ESPN2).

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Curiel launched a 1-0 fastball the other way to left field against Volunteers reliever Bo Rhudy (0-1) in the top of the eighth to make it 5-4. Curiel had only one home run this season heading into the final game of last weekend’s series against Kentucky but has now gone deep in three straight contests.

Seth Dardar added a solo shot to right in the eighth to extend the lead and Chris Stanfield smacked a solo shot to left in the ninth. Tennessee’s Blake Grimmer homered to right to cut it to 7-5, but the Vols could get no closer.

Jake Brown hit a solo homer for LSU in the third, and both Levi Clark and Reese Chapman answered with homers for Tennessee in the third and fourth, respectively.

LSU reliever Santiago Garcia (1-0) earned the victory and Deven Sheerin picked up his second save.

Who will win the College World Series? Predict this year’s national champion at 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 Derek Curiel grand slam carries LSU to series-opening victory over Tennessee appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Razorbacks (20-12 overall, 5-6 SEC) can win the pivotal SEC series by way of taking Saturday’s finale (3 pm ET, SEC Network+). Auburn (21-9, 5-6) has lost five of its last six games.

Auburn grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first two innings Friday night courtesy of RBI singles from Chris Rembert and Ethin Bingaman.

But Helfrick began the Arkansas comeback in the sixth, smacking a solo homer to left center. Helfrick then gave the Razorbacks the lead for good in the eighth with a two-run shot to center field.

Helfrick and Carter Rutenbar each had two hits for Arkansas. Eric Guevara went 2-for-4 for Auburn.

Arkansas starter Hunter Dietz (3-2) struck out 11 Tigers and scattered six hits over seven innings to earn the victory. Ethan McElvain struck out three over the final two innings to earn his first save. Auburn reliever Jett Johnston (0-1) took the loss, spoiling an eight-strikeout start over seven innings for Jake Marciano.

Could one of these teams win it all in Omaha? Predict the college baseball national champion on Kalshi!

Prediction Markets

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 Ryder Helfrick powers Arkansas to bounce-back win over Auburn, evening series appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Sooners (21-9 overall, 5-6 SEC) can pick up a series victory by downing the Crimson Tide on Saturday (3 pm ET, SEC Network+). Alabama 24-8, 7-4) has seen six of its eight losses this season come on the road.

After allowing Alabama a first-inning run via a wild pitch, Oklahoma settled into the game in the second via a Jason Walk RBI single. The Sooners tacked on two more runs in the third via a Crimson Tide wild pitch and a Deiten LaChance sacrifice fly to make it 3-1.

Oklahoma added an insurance run in the fourth on a Camden Johnson RBI groundout. Alabama cut the deficit to 4-2 in the seventh via a Bryce Fowler RBI single but could get no closer.

Cameron Johnson (4-1) was stellar on the mound for Oklahoma, scattering eight hits and striking out eight in 6 1/3 innings to earn the victory. Kaydn Leon struck out five more Tide hitters over the final 2 2/3 innings to earn his first save of the season.

Zane Adams (4-2) allowed all four runs and struck out seven Sooners over five innings en route to the loss.

Prediction Markets

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 Cameron Johnson leads Oklahoma in bounce-back win over Alabama to even series appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Texas (25-5 overall, 8-3 SEC) can win the series by taking Game 3 on Saturday (2 pm ET, SEC Network+). South Carolina (15-17, 2-9) can earn its first conference series victory of the season with a win Saturday.

Carson Tinney blasted two home runs for Texas in Friday night’s win, a solo shot to left in the first and another on nearly the identical track in the top of the ninth. Ethan Mendoza, who singled home a Longhorns run in the second, also hit a solo homer in the ninth.

South Carolina relied on the long ball for its runs, as Luke Yuhasz belted a two-run homer to left in the fifth inning and Will Craddock added a solo shot to left in the ninth.

Texas starter Luke Harrison (4-0) allowed just one hit – the Yuhasz homer – over 5 2/3 innings to pick up the victory. Sam Cozart struck out four Gamecocks in 1 1/3 innings to earn his third save. South Carolina starter Josh Gunther (2-3) took the loss for the Gamecocks.

Is this the Longhorns’ year to win it all? Predict the college baseball champion on Kalshi!

Prediction Markets

College Baseball D1 Champion?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

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 Texas outlasts South Carolina in Game 2, evens series appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Mizzou (18-13 overall, 2-8 SEC) can win the weekend series by taking Saturday’s second game (Noon ET, SEC Network+). Kentucky (22-7, 5-5) lost for just the second time at home and is 14-2 in Lexington this season.

Dono Jordan was the difference-maker for the Tigers on Friday, singling home Kee Knutson with one out in the ninth. Reliever Trey Lawrence (2-0), who pitched the final three innings for Mizzou, delivered a flawless ninth on the mound to secure the victory.

Trailing 1-0, Mizzou stormed to a 3-1 lead in the third on a Kentucky wild pitch and RBI singles by Jase Woita and Blaize Ward. Kam Durnin added an RBI single in the fourth for a 4-1 lead.

Kentucky cut that lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth via RBI singles from Carson Hansen and Luke Lawrence and then tied it up in the sixth with a Jayce Tharnish RBI single.

Jackson Soucie (0-1) took the loss for Kentucky. Tharnish and Hansen each had two hits for the Wildcats. Durnin went 3-for-5 for Mizzou and Ward finished with two hits.

Prediction Markets

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 Mizzou scores last, takes series opener from Kentucky for ranked road win appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Georgia (26-6 overall, 9-2 SEC) took Game 1 of the weekend series 10-9 on Friday night and can sweep the series with a victory Saturday (11 am ET, SEC Network+). Mississippi State (25-6, 7-4) fell to 18-2 at home with Friday’s loss.

Georgia won its sixth straight game Friday with outstanding pitching, allowing only a first-inning groundout run and striking out eight Mississippi State hitters while scattering five hits.

Trailing 1-0 through six innings, Georgia finally got to Mississippi State starter Tomas Valincius (who came into the night with a 6-0 record and an 0.91 ERA) in the seventh. Michael O’Shaughnessy blasted his seventh home run of the year, a solo shot to tie it at 1-1, and was the first run Valincius had allowed in 26 SEC innings.

Valincius departed later in the seventh after striking out struck 10 Georgia hitters, but the visitors kept up the long-ball presence in the eighth – as Ryan Winn led off the inning with his second homer of the season to make it 2-1. Kolby Branch lifted a sacrifice fly for Georgia’s final run in the ninth.

Georgia reliever Paul Farley (3-0) earned the victory, with Matt Scott picking up his first save. Valincius (6-1) took the loss.

Prediction Markets

College Baseball D1 Champion?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

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 Georgia scores late to beat Mississippi State, take series appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Combustible.

Psychopath.

Wild man.

Out of control.

A jerk.

Those are all phrases used to describe Connecticut basketball coach Dan Hurley. Heck, some of them Hurley has even used himself trying to define perhaps the most intense coach this side of Bob Knight.

And like the legendary – and ultimately disgraced – former Indiana coach, Hurley shares another trait with Knight…

Winner.

Whether you like Hurley or not – and there is certainly a preponderance of college hoops fans who find themselves firmly on one side or the other with the guy – he can flat-out coach. Back-to-back national titles at UConn in 2023 and 2024 didn’t happen by accident. Neither did the Huskies’ current run to the 2026 Final Four.

Unlike those many if not most college hoops aficionados that file Hurley’s on-court, ahem, antics under “wow, that dude is nuts!”, there are those who see the 53-year-old Hurley as a refreshing burst of authenticity in an increasingly bland world.

The son of a Hall of Fame high school coach and brother of one of the most gifted college point guards in recent history, Dan Hurley doesn’t just wear his heart on his sleeve. If anything, Hurley snatches his heart straight out of his chest and waves it madly in front of the world every time the Huskies take the floor.

That raw, unfiltered emotion is sure to manifest itself once again this weekend, when UConn makes its eighth trip to the Final Four – taking on Illinois in 1 of the 2 national semifinals Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis (6:09 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV).

And yes, that raw, unfiltered intensity reared its head in the closing moments of UConn’s miraculous 73-72 victory over Duke in the East Region final. Moments after Huskies guard Braylon Mullins drained a 35-foot 3-pointer to secure the win, Hurley was caught on camera seemingly head-butting game official Roger Ayers.

That gesture, which Ayers dramatically downplayed to ESPN’s Seth Greenberg, and the simultaneous swell of fresh outrage about Hurley’s intensity is precisely what mystifies many of Hurley’s defenders. His guy had just made a miracle 3 to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, for crying out loud, was Hurley supposed to shove his hands in his pockets and offer a shoulder shrug?

Of course, not everyone feels the same Hurley feels. Lack of situational awareness is a concept Hurley himself has both admitted and embraced as UConn’s second crest of national dominance has risen. A coach that bordered on completely losing his team from within due to being just too miserable and too mad now sprinkles in moments of – gasp – levity with his team to assure them that he is, indeed, human.

“You lose your mind sometimes when you have that type of success,” Hurley said to The Athletic last month. “I feel so much better as a coach. And just, much more human.”

It wasn’t that being unable to, in Hurley’s mind at least, properly defend those back-to-back national titles in 2024-25 went down easy. He also admits he was at such a career inflection point following last season that abandoning a 6-year, $50 million contract was rattling around in his brain.

“This maniacal pursuit,” Hurley said in that same interview, “it’s never going to go away.”

Which precisely is what many if not most don’t understand about Hurley – and what the minority that do get it see more clearly. The intensity, the focus, the combustibility is probably healthier being shown to the world than steadily eating Hurley from within.

Hurley’s players, obviously, get it. In this generation of participation trophies and “we just hope everyone has a good time,” the players Hurley chooses to be Huskies want to be coached hard. They thrive on being coached hard. They win because they are coached hard.

“As a player, and somebody who has big goals and aspirations, that’s what you want,” UConn forward Jayden Ross told The Athletic earlier this month. “A coach that has that sense of urgency, and is willing to push you and, you know, keep it real with you.”

And while Hurley can most definitely seem to lose his mind on the sideline, it is also important to note he has only picked up 2 technical fouls this season during a 33-5 campaign – which could signal that Hurley at least has the emotional bandwidth to know where the proverbial line is and is able to reel himself in before stomping all over it.

Hurley detractors, of which are legion on social media, rebut the above nugget by saying that officials give the coach way too much rope. That any other coach would have 20 T’s by now. That Hurley is inches away from hurling a chair across the floor a la Knight.

It is quite possible that 2 things can be true at the same time – that Hurley is an insufferable lunatic who also loves his players and intensely squeezes every ounce of greatness out of them and toward immortality.

Is that a bad thing? Are Hurley’s antics really bad for the game, for his players, for his program and for himself?

No matter where you fall with your opinion of Hurley, consider this: He is within shouting distance of winning a third men’s national championship in 4 years – something no one not named John Wooden has ever since accomplished. Not Knight. Not Krzyzewski. Not Calhoun, Williams, Donovan, Pitino or any other Hall of Famers could claim.

If the object is to win – games, conference titles, national championships – then Hurley is a success. A hot-headed, combustible, psychopathic, wild, out-of-control jerk of a success. Something tells me UConn Nation wouldn’t have it any other way.

The post Presenting the defense of UConn coach Dan Hurley appeared first on Saturday Down South.

For the first time in 29 games (h/t Anthony Dasher), not the seventh-ranked Georgia Bulldogs – who kept the baseball inside the park during a 9-7 victory over South Carolina on Sunday at Foley Field.

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The Bulldogs (23-6 overall, 7-2 SEC) earned a series sweep of the Gamecocks – who fired veteran coach Paul Mainieri last week. South Carolina (13-16, 1-8) has lost four straight.

Georgia broke open a 7-7 tie in the bottom of the eighth and took the lead for good when Daniel Jackson roped an RBI double and Bryce Calloway engineered an RBI infield single.

The two teams combined for 27 hits in Sunday’s getaway game. Jackson and Tre Phelps each went 3-4 for Georgia, with Calloway, Henry Allen and Kolby Branch adding two hits apiece.

“Everybody loves homers, good for the crowd, good for the team morale. It is one of the greatest plays in baseball,” Calloway said. “But on a weekend like this, where the wind’s blowing straight in and you have to figure out a way to just play baseball. Take it back to wiffle ball, or you’re just trying to put the bat to the ball and make things happen.”

KJ Scobey went 3-for-4 for South Carolina, and Luke Yuhasz, Jake Randolph, Talmadge LeCroy and Beau Hollins each added two hits. Randolph and Patrick Evans each hit solo homers for the Gamecocks.

Georgia reliever Justin Byrd threw the final 1 1/3 innings to improve to 2-1. Alex Philpott (0-2) took the loss for South Carolina.

Prediction Markets

College Baseball D1 Champion?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

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 Georgia completes sweep of South Carolina despite end of HR streak appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Famed comedic actor Bill Murray, a celebrated UConn basketball fan, was in the stands celebrating with the Huskies after their thrilling 73-72 last-second East Region final victory over Duke on Sunday night.

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Murray’s jubilation spilled over to courtside following the win at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., as the Caddyshack, Stripes, Groundhog Day and Ghostbusters actor exchanged high-fives with the UConn student band.

Murray’s son Luke is a UConn assistant coach who was hired earlier this month as the head coach at Boston College. Bill Murray is often spotted in the stands, either at Gampel Pavilion or whenever the Huskies are on the road, cheering on his second son.

Luke Murray has been an assistant for Dan Hurley since 2021, and before UConn served as an assistant at Louisville, Xavier, Rhode Island, Towson, Wagner and Post. Friday’s national semifinal game against Illinois (6:09 pm ET, TBS/TruTV) will be Murray’s third coaching appearance in the Final Four – backing up the Huskies 2023 and 2024 national title runs.

UConn will be seeking its seventh NCAA Tournament championship, having also won the national title in 1999, 2004, 2011 and 2014 under legendary coach Jim Calhoun. The Huskies eight Final Four appearances are tied with Indiana for eighth most all time.

The post Bill Murray celebrates with UConn band after Huskies’ thrilling win appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Just ask David Shumate, the radio voice of Duke basketball, who somehow mistakenly thought on a UConn player came off the bench and onto the court in the immediate aftermath of Braylon Mullins’ miracle 3-pointer to give the Huskies a 73-72 East Region final victory and a trip back to the Final Four.

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“Malachi Smith ran off the bench! That should be a technical!” Shumate exclaimed as the Huskies were celebrating following Mullins’ 35-foot game-winner, not realizing that Smith had substituted into the game with 10 seconds remaining and teammate Silas Demary Jr. at the free-throw line.

Needless to say, Shumate’s home-town reaction elicited some humorous responses on X (formerly Twitter)…

Mullins’ 3 capped a furious rally for second-seeded UConn (33-5), which advances to play third-seeded Illinois in Friday’s national semifinals (6:09 pm ET, TBS/Tru TV). The Huskies trailed Duke by 19 points in the first half and 44-29 at halftime.

Duke (35-3) became the first No. 1 seed to lose when leading by at least 15 points at halftime in 135 previous games.

For comparison’s sake, here is Mike Crispino on the UConn radio call… Absolute bedlam in March Madness, indeed.

The post Duke radio broadcast mocked for suggesting UConn technical foul after last-second 3-pointer appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Mississippi State (24-4 overall, 7-2 SEC) extended its winning streak to eight games with the win, which was coupled with Friday’s 5-4 victory and Saturday’s 6-1 triumph. Ole Miss (19-10, 3-6) lost its fourth straight game Sunday.

The Bulldogs belted four home runs against Rebels pitching in the series finale, with Ace Reese smacking a two-run shot in the top of the first inning. Jacob Parker hit a solo shot in the fourth and Andrew Raymond added a two-run blast in the same inning, and Kevin Milewski added a solo homer in the ninth.

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Ole Miss’ lone run came in the first inning via a Collin Reuter RBI single. Bulldogs pitchers struck out 14 Rebels batters in the season finale.

Teel went 2-for-5 to lead Mississippi State, which racked up nine hits. Will Furniss and Brayden each went 2-for-4 for Ole Miss.

Duke Stone scattered four hits and struck out eight over 5 2/3 innings for Mississippi State to improve to 5-0.  Ole Miss starter Cade Townsend (2-1) took the loss.

The post No. 6 Mississippi State completes sweep of No. 18 Ole Miss appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The victory, combined with Friday’s 9-4 win and Saturday’s 7-4 triumph, gave Florida (23-6 overall, 6-3 SEC) its first road sweep of a Top-5 team this century – as well as the Gators’ fourth straight win against a Top 10 team.

Arkansas (19-10, 4-5) endured just its seventh sweep at home of Arkansas in coach Dave Van Horn’s 26-year tenure. It was also Florida’s first sweep of the Hogs in Fayetteville since 2016.

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Brendan Lawson and Ethan Surowiec each hit two-run homers for Florida. Blake Cyr drove in three runs for the Gators, and Ashton Wilson and Cade Kurland each had RBI singles.

Ryder Helfrick and Kuhio Aloy each homered for Arkansas in the loss. Reese Robinett delivered an RBI double, Zack Stewart added an RBI single and the Hogs also scored a run on a double-play groundout.

Florida starter Russell Sandefer (2-1) scattered six hits in 5 2/3 innings to earn the victory. Arkansas starter Colin Fisher (2-3) lasted just 2 1/3 innings in absorbing the loss. Luke McNeillie threw 2 1/3 innings of relief to earn the save.

Prediction Markets

College Baseball D1 Champion?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

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 Florida completes historic sweep of No. 4 Arkansas in Fayetteville appeared first on Saturday Down South.