One of the biggest showdowns of the weekend was the 3 game set between the No. 2-ranked Texas Longhorns and the South Carolina Gamecocks in Columbia that had massive implications for both team’s respective season’s moving forward.

The Gamecocks and Longhorns split the first 2 games of the set with Carolina taking game 1 and Texas bouncing back for the win in game 2, and the Horns rallied back in the rubber match on Saturday to pick up a massive in-conference series win.

Sophomore lefty Dylan Volantis picked up the win on the bump for Texas after tossing 5.2 innings of 1 run ball and fanning 6 batters, and the pullpen comined for 3.1 innings of shutout ball to secure the win.

This massive series win allowed the Longhorns to keep pace in with the SEC-leading Georgia Bulldogs at the top of the conference standings, while the series loss sunk the Gamecocks to the bottom of the table in SEC play.

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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 No. 2 Texas takes rubber game at South Carolina to win series appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The architect of this golden era in Crimson Tide hoops has been none other than head coach Nate Oats, who has taken the program to multiple Elite 8s and its first-ever Final Four since taking over in 2019.

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Oats was rewarded with a substantial pay raise back in 2024 following his team’s run to the Final Four, and it looks like he just got another big extension, with Yea Alabama announcing that Oats has signed a new contract that will make him one of the sports top-5 highest-paid coaches.

“Nate Oats has signed a new contract that will make him one of the top five compensated men’s basketball coaches in the country,” Alabama AD Greg Byrne said, per Yea Alabama. “Appropriate members of the board of trustees have been notified of the proposed terms of the new agreement and it will soon be formally approved through the board process.”

Over the past 7 seasons, Oats has accumulated a 170-73 record and has led the Tide to 2 SEC regular season and tournament championships, 6 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, 2 Sweet 16s, 2 Elite 8s, and that legendary run to the Final Four in 2023.

Oats has completely reshaped the landscape of Alabama basketball, and he will now be locked in down in Title Town for the foreseeable future thanks to this new long-term extension.

The post Nate Oats signs new contract to be among 5 highest-paid coaches, per Greg Byrne appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Auburn Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks entered their weekend series ranked right next to each other at No. 18 and No. 17 with both squads looking to get a massive leg up in both the SEC and national pecking order heading into the home stretch of their respective regular season slates.

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The Tigers and Hogs split the first 2 games of the series, with Auburn taking game 1 on Thursday and Arkansas evening things up in round 2 on Friday, but Auburn came out on top in the rubber match to take the series in a dominant 8-3 showing.

The bats were on fire for the Tigers as 2 Auburn hitters left the yard and 3 others recorded doubles, while sophomore Ace Alex Petrovic got the win on the bump after firing 5 innings of 3 run ball.

This served as a much-needed rebound for the Tigers after suffering 6 losses in their prior 7 games entering the weekend, a stretch the included a devastating sweep at the hands of hated rival Alabama.

Auburn once again has life in the SEC race as they head into the heart of their conference schedule, while Arkansas has been put behind the 8-ball moving forward.

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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 Auburn bounces back to take series against Arkansas appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Junior point guard Elliot Cadeau was instrumental in the Wolverines blowout against the Wildcats at both ends of the court, racking up 13 points, 10 assists, 5 boards, and 4 steals in his 33 minutes of action.

As it so happens, the NIT is also taking place in Indianapolis this year, and Cadeau told reporters following his team’s Final Four win that he plans on attending the final between Auburn and Tulsa on Sunday to support AU guard and childhood friend Tahaad Pettiford.

“I don’t know what time it is, but if it’s not too late, I’ll definitely be there,” Cadeau said. “You know he was in the Final Four last year and I came to support him there, so, you know, it’s like a brotherhood thing.”

The pair grew up together in the New Jersey area, and were longtime AAU teammates before heading off to college. Pettiford has been with the Tigers for the past 2 seasons, while Cadeau spent his first couple of seasons at North Carolina before transferring into Michigan last offseason.

Now the childhood friends will both be playing in the 2 most prestigious postseason championship games college basketball has to offer and they’ll be doing so in the same city.

Will Auburn win the NIT? Predict the championship game on Kalshi!

The post Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau planning to attend NIT championship to support Auburn player appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Likewise, the nation’s top rising high school seniors are starting to narrow their options as they search for the college program and coaching staff they believe best fit their skill sets.

Georgia native and elite 4-star safety Ta’Shawn Poole is being pursued by just about every top program in the country, but Hayes Fawcett reports that the highly coveted defender has officially narrowed his options down to just 6 programs.

Per Fawcett, Poole has 4 SEC schools in his top 6 in LSU, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, with Clemson and FSU rounding out the list of programs still in contention for his commitment.

The Macon, Georgia product possesses prototypical Power 4 safety measurables at 6’1 and 195 pounds, and he currently ranks among the top 60 players in the country according to 247Sports.

Each of these programs will be battling it out over the next 8 months as they look to add one of the most coveted safety prospects in the nation to their respective secondaries for 2027 and beyond.

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Kalshi

Texas

38%

Ohio St.

37%

Notre Dame

16%

Oregon

10%

Indiana

9%

Georgia

3%

Predict

The post Ta’Shawn Poole, elite safety prospect out of Georgia, lists 4 SEC programs in top 6 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The SEC, in particular, has seen this debate crop up more and more recently, with many coaches and ADs from around the nation’s top league openly suggesting that the benefits the extra game represents are outweighed by the negatives in the age of the expanded playoff format.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart chimed in on the discussion Thursday when talking to On3’s Chris Low, saying that the SEC may have to seriously consider getting rid of the championship game if the playoff expands past 12 teams.

“Where we are right now with 12 teams, I don’t necessarily agree that it needs to quit being played,” Smart said. “But if it gets to 16 or 24 and we’ve got to move the end of the season up and we’ve got to get everything done by the second week of January, then I’d say it probably has to go.”

Smart is probably more qualified to discuss this matter than anyone else in the conference, as his team has won both SEC title games since the CFP expanded to 12 teams in 2024. The Dawgs earned a first-round bye each time, but it hasn’t helped much, as they have failed to win a single playoff game across both appearances.

If the powers that be intend to expand the playoff once again and push up the end of the season as Smart suggests, eliminating the 34-year-old tradition could become necessary to both protect players and bolster the conference’s chances of winning national titles.

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Kalshi

Texas

12%

Notre Dame

11%

Indiana

11%

Ohio St.

10%

Oregon

9%

Georgia

8%

LSU

7%

Miami (FL)

7%

Texas Tech

5%

Texas A&M

3%

Predict

The post Kirby Smart weighs in on potential cancellation of the SEC Championship Game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss made headlines in February when he won his lengthy legal battle against the NCAA, gaining a sixth year of college eligibility as a result and further bolstering the Rebels’ roster heading into spring practice.

Another notable quarterback has also been fighting for an extra year of college ball, but his case did not go the way Chambliss’ did. The player in question is Virginia Cavaliers gunslinger Chandler Morris, who, according to 247Sports’ Jacquie Franciulli, saw his quest for a seventh year of eligibility end on Thursday after a judge denied his request for a preliminary injunction.

Morris was originally a 3-star recruit in the 2020 recruiting cycle and committed to play for the Oklahoma Sooners out of high school. He spent 1 season in Norman before transferring to TCU, where he saw minimal action from 2021 to 2023.

He then transferred again ahead of the 2024 season and landed at North Texas, where he had a phenomenal year as a starter, passing for 3,774 yards and 31 touchdowns. He spent 2025 as the starter under center for Virginia, and put together a solid campaign with 3,000 yards and 16 touchdowns while leading the Cavaliers to their first ACC Championship Game appearance since 2019.

Virginia was hoping to have the gunslinger back for one last season, but they will now be forced to find another starting quarterback as Morris closes the book on his collegiate career.

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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 Judge makes ruling on Virginia QB Chandler Morris’ case for 7th year of eligibility appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Tide is losing a bunch of production on both sides of the ball from last year’s squad, but DeBoer and his staff hit the portal hard in order to bring in what figures to be impact players at key positions in 2026.

One of Alabama’s biggest portal additions was hard-hitting linebacker Caleb Woodson from Virginia Tech. Touchdown Alabama’s Stephen Smith recently reported that the former Hokie has already caught DeBoer’s eye.

“Caleb has come in, and you can see that he has been on the football field,” DeBoer said. “He has taken a lot of snaps. He is out there, and the schemes are not too fast for him. He has picked those up, and it allows him to go punch the ball out and cause chaos. He is being the baller that we expected to get when we brought him in.”

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Woodson was a productive 3-year player at Virginia Tech, racking up 152 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and a pair of sacks in his time as a Hokie. The Tide suffered a ton of turnover in their linebacker room during the offseason, and Woodson was brought on to be an immediate contributor at that position.

If these early returns are any indicator, DeBoer and company may have found more than just a rotational linebacker in Woodson.

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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 Kalen DeBoer names incoming transfer that has stood out in spring practice appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Vols knocked out the No. 2 seed in the Midwest region, Iowa State, on Friday in the Sweet 16, and they will have to find a way through the top-seeded Michigan Wolverines if they want to capture that elusive Final 4.

Senior Tennessee guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie spoke with CBS Sports’ analyst Evan Washburn ahead of the monumental matchup, and he said that it represents an opportunity for the Vols to “prove themselves.”

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“It’s definitely exciting,” Gillespie said. “It’s definitely going to be a great opportunity for us, and we’re looking to make history… We have a chance to prove ourselves and prove that we belong in the Final 4.”

Gillespie has been one of the senior leaders for the Vols this season after transferring in from Maryland, being named a first team All SEC selection after leading the team in points (18.3), assists (5.5), and steals (2.0) a game.

He’s been instrumental in their run through the tournament so far, and Barnes will need him to have another huge game if they want to knock of Michigan and reach their first Final 4 in program history.

The post Ja’Kobi Gillespie shares thoughts ahead of Elite Eight matchup: ‘We have a chance to prove ourselves’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Wildcats entered the locker room down 7 to the Boilermakers, but head coach Tommy Lloyd drew up the necessary adjustments, and Arizona ended up cruising to a very comfortable 79-64 win.

In the midst of the postgame celebration, Lloyd was asked what he was feeling after leading his program to the national semi-finals for the first time in 25 years, to which Lloyd responded by paying tribute to legendary longtime Arizona head coach Lute Olson.

“What I’m most happy for is the Arizona fans,” Lloyd said. “You guys deserve this. I know this, I know there’s a good-looking guy with white hair looking down on us right now that’s happy.”

Olson was the legendary head coach of the Wildcats from 1983 to 2007, leading the program to 589 wins, 4 Final 4 appearances, and the 1997 National Championship during his legendary tenure.

Olson passed away back in 2020 at the age of 85, but the program he built is still thriving and is now just 2 wins away from hoisting its second national title in program history.

The post Tommy Lloyd pays tribute to Lute Olson after Arizona punches ticket to Final Four appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Wade was McMahon’s predecessor at LSU, serving as the head man for the Bayou Bengals from 2017 to 2022, and he will now be making his return to Baton Rouge after stops at McNeese and NC State over the past few seasons.

This change in leadership naturally led to some roster turmoil on the recruiting front for the Tigers, with On3’s Joe Tipton reporting on Saturday that 4-star LSU signee Kevin Thomas has officially requested a release from his Letter of Intent.

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The Fort Lauderdale native was a 4-star recruit in the 2026 recruiting cycle and ranked among the top-100 players nationally. He committed to the Tigers over several other Power 4 programs back in October and officially signed with the team in November.

He was the highest rated signee that McMahon managed to bring on in the cycle, but he will now be looking at other options following the dismissal of the head coach he originally signed up to play under.

The post LSU basketball signee requests release days after hire of Will Wade appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This will be the first time the Vols and Wolverines have crossed paths on the hardwood since the 2022 NCAA Tournament, when Michigan pulled off a shocking second-round upset to send the No. 3-seeded Tennessee home early.

The roles have been flipped this time around, with Michigan holding the higher seed, and the stakes are also much higher with a spot in the Final Four on the line. ESPN Analytics recently released its prediction for how this Big 10 vs. SEC clash will play out, and its model isn’t too high on the Volunteers.

According to ESPN, the Wolverines have a 68.3% chance of pulling out the win as of this writing, while Tennessee has a 31.7% chance of putting together another massive upset and advancing to its first Final Four in program history.

There’s no question that Michigan has been the better team so far this season, but crazy things tend to happen the deeper teams get into March. If Tennessee can carry over the momentum from its upset against Iowa State, it could send the Wolverines packing as well.

The post ESPN Analytics predicts outcome of Tennessee vs. Michigan Elite 8 matchup appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The No. 20 LSU Tigers got out to a very strong start over the first month of the season, and they may have just put the conference and country on notice by picking up their biggest win of the entire season on Saturday afternoon against the No. 3-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

The Sooners entered Saturday’s contest riding a 22-game win streak and were coming off a 3-2 win against LSU on Friday night, but the Bayou Bengals bounced back in the second leg of the series to snap Oklahoma’s win streak and pick up their first win against the Sooners in 11 years.

Oklahoma has been the gold standard in college softball over the past 15 years, collecting 7 national championships in that span, including a 4-peat from 2021-2024. They’ve run roughshod over just about every opponent they’ve faced over the past several years, and that included the Tigers.

LSU can finally put that losing streak to rest, though, as they finally got the proverbial monkey off their back with the 3-1 win on Saturday, and they will have a chance to extend that streak in the rubber match on Sunday.

The post LSU softball knocks off No. 3 Oklahoma, scores first win over Sooners in 11 years appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The firing of former head football coach and subsequent hire of Lane Kiffin has been well documented and ran up quite the tab for the boosters down in Baton Rouge, and the recent change in the hoops’ department has only added to that tally.

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ESPN insider Pete Thamel sat down on Thursday night following the Will Wade hiring announcement to tally up the exact number the Tigers have spent across both moves, and he estimates that the figure is approaching the $200 million mark.

Per Thamel’s calculations, LSU spent around $148 million to make the switch from Brian Kelly to Kiffin after paying Kelly’s record-breaking $54 million buyout, $3 million to buy out Kiffin’s remaining contract at Ole Miss and following that up by giving him a new $91 million deal.

The firing of Matt McMahon and buyout of Will Wade’s deal at NC State will add between $3-5.3 million to that, and Thamel estimates that Wade’s new deal at around $30 million to bring the grand total to $190 million all in.

It’s a steep amount no doubt, but LSU’s administration has made it clear that championships are the expectation, and they believe that these deals will get them there.

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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 LSU athletics has spent nearly $200 million on coaching changes to hire Lane Kiffin, Will Wade appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The height of this run came back in 2024 when Oats lead the Tide to the Final 4 for the first time in school history, and was rewarded with a handsome extension shortly thereafter. Despite this current contract slated to run through 2030, though, many have begun calling for the brass in Tuscaloosa to give the head ball coach another pay raise in order to stave off any potential suitors who might be tempted to lure him away in the near future.

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This ongoing debate has been simmering in the background of Alabama’s current run, but Oats made it clear to reporters on Thursday night that he isn’t too concerned with whether or not he’ll be receiving a raise, and that his heart is still firmly in Tuscaloosa.

“Listen, I say this a lot. I am a high school coach that caught a couple breaks in life, and there’s probably high school coaches better than me out there that just didn’t get the breaks,” Oats said. “… We’ve had discussions. I’m open to redoing them. But I’m not really looking to leave. I’m pretty honest with them. If they come up with one that makes sense to do, it’s good. I’d love to stay there… I’m a Glorified PE teacher making too much money right now. I’m not going to complain.”

Oats also went on to say that he doesn’t have a new offer in hand, but that there have been discussions between himself and the administration. He also said that an extension is “probably getting close,” and reiterated that he still wants to be at Alabama.

Can Nate Oats take Alabama back to the Final Four? Kalshi is taking action on predictions for which teams make it to Indianapolis!

The post Nate Oats downplays Alabama contract situation, calls himself ‘glorified PE teacher making too much money’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Tide can reach their third consecutive NCAA Tournament Regional Final with a win, but Oats and company will have to find a way to neutralize star Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg if they want to keep dancing past Friday night.

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Lendeborg is plenty familiar with Alabama, as the dynamic wing spent the first 2 years of his college career at UAB. He entered the transfer portal, and indicated he would have been interested in making the move from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa. Despite his desire to join the SEC juggernaut, though, Lendeborg recently said that Oats didn’t bother recruiting him very hard once he entered the transfer portal.

When asked why he decided against pursuing such a dynamic player in his own backyard, Oats explained that the decision had nothing to do with talent, but the Tides’ inability to outbid Michigan and other suitors.

“He was at UAB. We did make a call. It never got very deep,” Oats said. “I think there were some programs that were in a little deeper with a lot more money at the time. It’s one of those, you kind of call, see where the situation is at. Probably wasn’t something we were going to be able to do, so didn’t spend a lot of time on it… It wasn’t for lack of thinking he wasn’t a very good player. He was the best player in the portal.”

It’s clear that Oats holds Lendeborg in high regard, but he will have to find a way to contain the dynamic wing this Friday if he wants to keep his Elite 8 streak intact.

Alabama vs. Michigan in the Sweet 16! Predict the game on Kalshi!

The post Nate Oats explains why Alabama didn’t add Yaxel Lendeborg out of the portal appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Vols will be looking to punch their fourth consecutive ticket to the regional semis under legendary head coach Rick Barnes, while the Cavaliers will be looking to get back to the second weekend in March Madness for the first time since their National Championship-winning run in 2019.

ESPN Analytics released its prediction for how this ACC vs. SEC clash will play out, and its model produced a rather surprising outcome given the seeding of both programs.

As of this writing, the model gives a pretty significant edge to lower-seeded Tennessee, giving the No. 6 Volunteers a 60.5% chance to pull off the upset over the No. 3-seeded Cavaliers.

Virginia, who entered the tournament ranked No. 9 in the AP Poll, cruised through their regular season slate and advanced all the way to the ACC Tournament finals before losing to Duke in a very close contest.

Tennessee, by contrast, struggled for large stretches of its regular season schedule and entered the tourney on a 2-4 skid that included a 15-point loss in the SEC quarterfinals against Vanderbilt.

Virginia seemed to struggle at times with Wright State in the first round, while Tennessee blew Miami (Ohio) out of the gym, so that could play into the model’s preference for the Vols. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out as both squads battle for the right to advance to the Sweet 16 next weekend.

In case you’re wondering, here’s a look at the odds for Tennessee to advance to the Sweet 16 on Sunday, via Kalshi:

The post ESPN Analytics predicts winner of Tennessee vs. Virginia appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The fifth-seeded Commodores and fourth-seeded Huskers went back and forth all game, with Nebraska taking a late 2-point advantage with just seconds left in regulation. Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner inbounded the ball as time dwindled down and almost hit what would have been one of the all-time greatest buzzer beaters from beyond half court, but the ball rimmed out to the relief of Nebraska and dismay of the Commodores.

Cornhuskers’ head coach Fred Hoiberg had a front row seat to Tanner’s last-second heave, and said that he thought that it was going in when asked about the play during his post-game press conference.

“That kid is an unbelievable player,” Hoiberg said. “When that thing was up in the air, I was like ‘Oh man, that’s going in.’ It hit every part of the rim and thankfully bounced out, and we’re looking forward to next week and getting the chance to continue to compete.”

Hoiberg and the rest of the Huskers will now get the chance to regroup and catch their breath as they await the winner of Iowa and Florida for what will be the program’s first appearance ever in the Sweet 16.

The post Fred Hoiberg recalls Tyler Tanner’s close miss on final shot: ‘Man, that’s going in’ appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Cats narrowly escaped the Santa Clara Broncos in Round 1, thanks in no small part to an insane buzzer-beating 3-point heave at the end of regulation from senior guard Otega Oweh, while Iowa State cruised past Tennessee State to set up this classic 7 vs. 2 seed second-round showdown.

ESPN analytics recently released their prediction for how things will play out between the Wildcats and Cyclones in anticipation of the massive Big 12 vs. SEC matchup, and the model isn’t too big on Kentucky.

According to ESPN’s model, the Cats have a 29.4% chance to pull off the upset against Iowa State, which has a 70.6% chance of advancing to the Sweet 16 for the third time in the past 5 seasons.

There’s no denying that the Cyclones have been the better team this year, as they finished the regular season ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll and made it all the way to the Big 12 tournament semi-finals before falling to eventual champions Arizona 82-80.

Kentucky, on the other hand, has had a very up-and-down campaign by comparison as they struggled to get past the top squads in their own league and finished in the middle of the pack in the SEC.

If Pope, Oweh, and the rest of the Wildcats want to make it to the second weekend this March, then they will have to find a new level of play that has eluded them thus far.

The post ESPN Analytics predicts second round outcome between Kentucky and Iowa State appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Hofstra possesses uncharacteristic size in the front court that makes them a tough opponent on the glass for any team to deal with, a reality that Alabama head coach Nate Oats touched on during a Thursday presser.

“They’re good. They’ve got real size,” Oats said. “(Silas) Sunday is a big shot blocker, rim protector, rebounder. I’ve been at that level. I was at Buffalo for six years before I was a head coach, and having legitimate size inside is something maybe you don’t always have at that level. They have it. But Sunday. And then — I don’t want to pronounce his name wrong, No. 6, Victory Onuetu — between Sunday and Onuetu, they had 11 O-boards just between the two of them in their last game they played.”

The Crimson Tide have had issues on the glass all season long, and Oats is well aware that Hofstra’s prowess on the boards could present a big problem for his team if those issues crop up again on Friday. As such, Oats went onto say that he’s made his guys “fully aware” that rebounding the ball will be of the upmost importance when they take on the Pride.

“Our guys are fully aware,” Oats said. “We have had an issue rebounding the ball too many times this year. If we don’t make a concerted effort to go to the glass, box out, it’s going to be a problem. Because if you keep giving their backcourt multiple chances — they make tough shots, so you get them to miss one, great, you did a good job on defense. You have to get the rebound.”

Oats clearly understands that the key to a first-round victory for his team is controlling the glass, so it will be interesting to see whether or not his guys can overcome their season-long struggles in that department against a lengthy Hofstra front court.

The post Nate Oats comments on rebounding matchup vs. Hofstra appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After an up-and-down regular season, Cal and the Hogs ran through the SEC tournament for their first conference title since 2000, and they made very quick work of Hawaii in the first round of the tourney on Thursday afternoon.

Arkansas is now set for a second round show down against the High Point Panthers, who upset the Wisconsin Badgers in their first round meeting, and Cal made it known that he isn’t looking past this mid-major foe.

“I’ve got 3 tapes that I’ve got to watch of High Point,” Calipari said during his post-game presser on Thursday. “They’re good. Wisconsin found out they are good, and they are not afraid. I recruited Cam (Fletcher) to Kentucky so I know how good he is… We’re not walking in thinking ‘Okay, well this will be an easy one.’ None of them are easy.”

Cal has certainly suffered his fair share of early exits from the tourney, and he doesn’t seem to be keen on letting his guys look past a team that just handed a 5 seed a shocking first-round upset.

It will be interesting to see how he prepares SEC Player of the Year Darius Acuff and the rest of the Hogs’ talented roster for what’s sure to be a very tough second-round test against a dangerous Panthers’ squad.

The post John Calipari shares early impressions of High Point matchup appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The University of Arkansas Little Rock is among this group after they fired longtime head coach Darrell Walker following a disappointing 12-20 campaign. Darell had been the head man for the Trojans for 8 seasons, but the team never reached the NCAA Tournament during his tenure.

The Spartans have been searching for their next coach over the past couple of weeks, and it looks like they are closing in on their guy, with ESPN insider Pete Thamel reporting on Thursday that the Spartans are expected to hire former Kentucky standout and longtime head coach Travis Ford to take the reins in Little Rock.

Ford was a star point guard for the Kentucky Wildcats in the early 90s, earning All-SEC first-team honors during his junior and senior seasons. After a short stint in the NBA, Ford made the jump to coaching and found great success.

He has over 20 years of D1 head coaching experience, dating back to 2000, with stops at Eastern Kentucky, UMass, Oklahoma State, and, most recently, Saint Louis. Over that span, he has racked up 491 wins and made 7 NCAA Tournament appearances.

No stranger to March Madness, Ford will now be tasked with guiding the Spartans back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016.

The post Former Kentucky player Travis Ford reportedly lands head coaching job appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The SEC is widely viewed as the deepest conference in the nation, and, as such, the league is home to several programs that will be forced to wait and see whether the committee believes they deserve to compete for a National Championship.

ESPN analyst Neil Paine broke down, from an analytical standpoint, how many bids each conference is projected to land, and he believes that Auburn, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas are the 4 SEC teams who will be waiting with bated breath to see whether they get in.

Paine says that the Longhorns were on track to earn an at-large bid entering the SEC tournament, but an upset loss in the first round to an upstart Ole Miss squad pushed them onto the bubble.

He also said that the Sooners played themselves onto the bubble with a strong finish to the regular season, while Auburn did the same by collapsing down the stretch and losing 9 of their last 12 regular-season contests.

When it comes to Mizzou, Paine says that their standing “remains strong,” but their biggest threat at the moment is Oklahoma, which could use that late-season surge, which included a win over Mizzou, to bump them out.

For each of these teams, their entire season has come down to Selection Sunday, and it will be interesting to see how the committee views each team’s resume relative to the others and the rest of the field.

The bracket will be revealed at 6 p.m. ET on CBS.

The post ESPN names 4 SEC teams who are ‘sweating out Selection Sunday’ ahead of bracket reveal appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The headliner of the game in terms of pure basketball stardom was none other than star Razorbacks’ point guard Darius Acuff Jr., who entered Sunday’s championship tilt as the SEC Freshman and SEC Player of the Year.

Acuff showed everyone in attendance why he earned those honors during the waning seconds of the first half, as the soon-to-be NBA Lottery Pick hit an insane 3-pointer while falling out of bounds to give the Hogs the lead heading into the locker room.

Such plays have become routine for Acuff, as the freshman phenom has quickly emerged as one of the nation’s top scorers under legendary coach John Calipari.

The dynamic scorer entered the SEC tournament as the conference’s leading scorer, averaging 22.7 points a game, and is the conference’s third-best shooter from deep, connecting on just under 44% of his 3 pointers on the year.

Acuff’s elite ability to score from deep was illustrated perfectly on this acrobatic 3, and it’s one of the many facets of his game that has scouts at the next level salivating over his potential as an NBA scorer.

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After setting the all-time record for teams in the NCAA tournament last season with 14, the SEC has once again been arguably the deepest conference in the country this season, which means they are likely to be represented by yet another sizable contingent.

ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi has been keeping up with each division 1 program’s play all season long and projecting the NCAA bracket after each week. Lunardi’s latest projection has the SEC leading the pack once again, with 10 squads earning bids to the tournament.

While this projection is a far cry from last year’s record-setting bid count, it still has the SEC out in front of every other league in the country, with the Big 10 right behind them in second with 9 projected bids.

Here’s a list of every team from the Southeastern Conference that Lunardi has getting into March Madness, and where he believes they will be seeded:

• Florida: No. 1 Seed (South)
• Alabama: No. 4 Seed (West)
• Vanderbilt: No. 4 Seed (East)
• Arkansas: No. 5 Seed (Midwest)
• Tennessee: No. 6 Seed (South)
• Kentucky: No. 7 Seed (East)
• Georgia: No. 8 Seed (Midwest)
• Texas A&M: No. 10 Seed (South)
• Missouri: No. 11 Seed (East)
• Texas: No. 11 Seed (West)

The post Joe Lunardi projects seed for every SEC team expected to make NCAA Tournament appeared first on Saturday Down South.

While many teams already have a virtually guaranteed spot in the big dance, many others will see their final game of the season played during conference championship week after disappointing campaigns.

Barring a miracle run at the Big 12 title, the Arizona State Sun Devils are one of the teams that will be wrapping up their 2025-26 season this week, and it will also reportedly mark the end of the Bobby Hurley era out in Tempe, according to CBS Sports.

A 2-time national champion as a player, Duke legend, and the 7th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft, Hurley has spent the past 11 seasons as the head coach for the Sun Devils.

During that time, he led the program to an overall record of 184-166, including 3 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, during which his team never advanced past the Round of 64. The last of these appearances came in 2023, and the Sun Devils have had a losing record in 2 of the 3 seasons since.

Hurley was a longtime staple at Arizona State, but the Sun Devils will now be looking to start a new chapter on the hardwood without him.

The post Arizona State, Bobby Hurley to part ways after 11 seasons, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Plenty of former SEC standouts landed lucrative deals to either stay where they already were or move to an entirely new city in hopes of realizing greater individual and overall success with a new team.

Former Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson was one of the many players who found themselves in a new home during the first day of free agency, signing a multi-year deal with the Tennessee Titans.

A former standout at Kentucky, Robinson spent one season with the Wildcats in 2021, where he racked up over 1,400 all-purpose yards and 7 touchdowns en route to picking up second-team All-SEC honors.

This led to him being drafted in the 2nd round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, where he has spent the past 4 seasons and had a breakout campaign in 2025, recording his first 1,000-yard season and a career-high 4 touchdowns.

Robinson has now parlayed that success into a 4-year, $78 million deal that will reunite him with his former head coach Brian Daboll in Tennessee, where he will become the newest weapon for 2025 first overall draft pick Cam Ward.

Prediction Markets

AFC South Division Winner?

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Kalshi

Houston

35%

Jacksonville

33%

Indianapolis

19%

Tennessee

12%

Predict

The post Wan’Dale Robinson, former Kentucky WR, signs deal with Tennessee Titans appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The fallout from these wholesale changes has led many prominent schools in the SEC and beyond to begin questioning whether they even need the NCAA anymore, and whether it would be better for them in the long term to break away from the institution that has governed college athletics for well over a century.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey touched on this very subject on Monday when he called into the Paul Finebaum show. While he admitted that some SEC member schools have expressed an interest in breaking away from the NCAA, he also expressed his opposition to the proposal.

“I’ve acknowledged there are those who have said we should go our own way,” Sankey said. ” I don’t think that’s the right decision. We have relationships and responsibilities within Division I.”

Sankey also expressed that, while the NCAA has its problems that need to be sorted out, he believes the best course of action is for the SEC and the other power conferences to come together and find a solution together before venturing out on their own.

“I think, properly, that’s where our focus should be. How do we work with colleagues to solve problems? Can we do that collectively?” Sankey said. “If there’s a point at which we cannot do so, I think the conversation that informs the question that you ask, ‘Is there something you’d do alone?’ I think that that starts to generate more and more interest. But right now, I think for the medium term, we’re certainly focused on, how do we keep the opportunities connected in Division I, while still (focusing on), how do we make decisions that are effective for those of us, particularly in the four (power) conferences.”

The SEC tournament is right around the corner. Here’s a look at the top odds to win the tournament, per Kalshi:

The post Greg Sankey admits some member schools want to break away from NCAA, explains why he is opposed appeared first on Saturday Down South.

For consensus first round picks, the combine really allows them to further cement their status in the pecking order, but it also allows some under-the-radar prospects to put the league on notice with a stellar showing.

Former Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. did just that on Saturday afternoon when he took the field for the 40-yard dash and blew everybody in attendance away by posting a blazing fast 4.33 time.

This incredible run immediately became one of the top stories from the combine as it was the fastest time posted among all running backs in attendance. Afterward, Washington Jr. was overtaken by emotion when learning just how fast he ran.

The 40-yard dash is widely viewed as the most important event at the combine for skill position players, with a good time quite literally meaning the difference in millions of dollars.

Nobody knows where Washington Jr. will end up landing in the draft at this point, but it’s safe to assume that his performance in the 40-yard dash most likely bumped him up a few spots on a few teams’ draft boards.

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Beck and the Hurricanes’ run to the National Championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers brought this story to the forefront of the media landscape, with many pundits and analysts commenting on how the gunslinger seemingly regained his love for the sport after a very up-and-down 2024 campaign with the Dawgs.

All of this was brought up once again during Beck’s media appearance at the NFL Draft Combine, where Beck finally cleared the air by stating that there is “no bad blood” between himself and his former head coach, Kirby Smart.

“I’m super grateful for Coach Smart and what he was able to instill in me, and obviously the teams that I was a part of,” Beck said. “The discipline, the structure, the resiliency, the toughness that Coach Smart was able to instill in me personally is something I’ll take on the rest of my life.”

Beck also went on to discuss his departure from Georgia and shed some light on his thought process following his season-ending injury at the tail end of the first half of the 2024 SEC Championship game against Texas.

“I feel like people take that a little bit the wrong way,” Beck said. “When the injury happened, I was still going to go to the NFL. I’d declared for the draft. I was going to go through the process. From that point on, I’m gone. Gunner’s next up.”

Following up on that, Beck further emphasized that at the time of his exit, he believed that the torch had been passed to Stockton and that from then on out, it was his team to lead. He further emphasized that there was never any bad blood between him and anybody at Georgia.

“It was his turn to be the quarterback at the University of Georgia. So, when I decided not go to the NFL, come back, I’m gonna go somewhere else. That’s how it all worked out. There was no bad blood. I’m really not sure where that came from. I love the University of Georgia. I love Coach Smart, Coach Bobo, Coach Monken, all the other coaches I had there.”

A year later, Beck is preparing for the NFL Draft and Stockton is readying for his second season running the show in Athens. He has the Dawgs positioned as the favorite to win another SEC crown, according to Kalshi.

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 Carson Beck says there’s ‘no bad blood’ with Georgia, Kirby Smart appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Quarterback is the one position group that receives the lion’s share of the coverage every time this event rolls around, and former Vanderbilt gunslinger and 2025 Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia is perhaps the most intriguing prospect from the entire group this draft cycle.

Pavia sat down with media members on Saturday to field questions about what the draft process has been like for him thus far, and he said that former Texas A&M quarterback and 2014 first-round draft pick Johnny Manzi has been guiding him through the entire process.

“He’s giving me what to look out for, what it’s like, how to stay in the process,” Pavia said. “He’s given me some good advice, for sure. And he always reaches out, too, checks up on me, makes sure I’m good, and he just, like, he’s just a friend to me, you know? And so he’s giving me some mentorship. He’s been around me, he’s been around my family. He’s just a great person for those that really don’t know him.”

Manziel and Pavia formed a strong bond during the 2025 college football season, with the former serving as a mentor to the up-and-coming Pavia throughout his historic campaign with the Commodores.

With Pavia now turning his sights towards making it to the NFL, it looks like Manziel is remaining firmly in his corner as he continues to mentor the player many believe is a direct comparison to himself when he was coming out of Texas A&M over a decade ago.

The post Diego Pavia says Johnny Manziel is giving him advice as he preps for NFL appeared first on Saturday Down South.

As things currently stand, Florida is the top team in the SEC. However, 8 squads are within 3 games of them in the standings, and 3 are within just 2 games.

Arkansas is one of those squads within striking range of Florida, and ESPN’s College GameDay announced Saturday that they will be heading down to Gainesville on Feb. 28 to see the Razorbacks take on the Gators in an SEC matchup with massive regular-season championship implications.

This will be each team’s final game in February, and both squads will have just 2 regular-season matchups left once the calendar flips to March. As such, this matchup is likely to have a significant impact on whether either team ends up atop the SEC table heading into the conference tournament in Nashville.

According to Kalshi, the Hogs (9-4 in SEC play) and the Gators (11-2) are the only 2 programs left with a realistic shot at bringing home the regular-season title, with Florida currently holding a commanding 91% chance to finish the season on top, while Arkansas has a meager 7% chance.

The Gators are clearly in the driver’s seat to take home their first regular-season SEC crown since the 2013-14 season, but the Razorbacks can flip those odds if they can manage to pull off a massive road upset.

The post ESPN’s College GameDay to feature massive SEC battle on Feb. 28 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Sixty-eight teams will end up punching their ticket to the big dance come Selection Sunday, but several of the nation’s top squads have already begun to separate themselves from the pack as the odds-on favorites to land the 4 coveted 1-seeds.

In anticipation of this final push towards March Madness, the NCAA selection committee released a preview of its bracket on Saturday and revealed who would be on the top seed line if the tournament began right now.

As things currently stand, the selection committee has the Michigan Wolverines as their top overall seed, followed by the Duke Blue Devils, the Arizona Wildcats, and the Iowa State Cyclones, who round out the top 4.

The folks over at Kalshi are in agreement with the selection committee on the first 3 squads earning a 1-seed, with both Michigan and Duke being virtual locks with 96% and 94% odds, respectively, and Arizona right behind them with 78% odds to land a 1-seed.

Kalshi isn’t as high on the Cyclones, though, currently giving them the fifth-best odds to land a top seed at 26%. Instead, Kalshi has the Houston Cougars as the fourth-best odds to earn a 1 seed, despite Iowa State just beating them.

Outside of these top 4, Florida came in as the highest-seeded squad from the SEC in its bracket preview, with the selection committee slotting them in as a 3 seed. At this point, Kalshi is also giving the Gators an 11% chance to earn a 1 seed.

The post March Madness 2026: Selection committee reveals preview of its 1-seeds appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Wolverines and Blue Devils are set to face off in a rare late-season out-of-conference matchup that could serve as a preview of a potential Final Four meeting between the 2 stacked squads.

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas has been calling games like this for a long time, and he sat down with the College GameDay crew on Saturday morning to explain why this game has Final Four vibes.

“You just don’t see games like this,” Bilas said. “You’ve got the only 2 teams in college basketball that are ranked in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency with Michigan ranked in the top 5 in both. You’ve got 2 National Player of the Year candidates, Yaxel Lendeborg at Michigan and Cameron Boozer at Duke. It’s an amazing game to play, and with this practice with fans in here it simulates what you’ll get in a Final Four.”

There’s no denying that this monumental clash between the Wolverines and Blue Devils has all the makings of a Final Four showdown, and Kalshi agrees.

The prediction market currently lists Michigan (58% chance) as holding the best odds of making the semifinal in Indianapolis. Duke sits just behind them in third with a 42% chance.

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Rick Barnes’ squad is still firmly in the mix for the SEC regular season crown, but they have very little margin for error down the stretch if they want to be in a position to challenge for the crown heading into March.

Tennessee should be able to dispatch the middling Sooners on paper, but they could be shorthanded as forward JP Estrella was listed as “doubtful” on Tuesday’s injury report. Tennessee insider Mike Wilson also reported on Tuesday that Estrella was “limited” in practice on Tuesday as well.

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Estrella has served as a key rotational piece for Barnes’ so far this season, averaging 9.5 points and 5.2 rebounds a game off the bench while also playing solid defense for the Volunteers.

The redshirt sophomore has also served as a veteran presence for Tennessee this year, representing one of the most experienced players currently on the roster for the Vols. If Estrella is unable to go to Tennessee against Oklahoma on Wednesday night, it will be very interesting to see how Barnes navigates his bench.

The post Key Tennessee player ‘doubtful’ for Oklahoma game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Smart shook up his offensive staff by promoting Phil Rouser to offensive line coach, with Stacy Searles taking a step back, and also brought on former West Virginia staffer Larry Knight to take over for departing outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe.

In addition to these moves, CBS Sports’ insider Chris Hummer reports that Smart is also bringing on a promising young staffer, Kennesaw State wide receivers coach David Whitlow, as the Dawgs’ new assistant quarterbacks coach.

A former standout DB at Alabama State, Whitlow has been rising up the coaching ranks over the past 7 seasons, making stops at Auburn, Ole Miss, and Georgia State before landing at Kennesaw State last year as the Golden Owls’ wide receivers coach.

In his single season with Kennesaw State, he helped lead one of the best passing attacks in the Group of 5 en route to securing the program’s first conference title since joining the FBS level in 2024.

Smart is well known for sniffing out elite young coaching talent, and Whitlow could end up being that latest in what’s become a very expansive coaching tree for the 11th-year head man in Athens.

The post Georgia reportedly hiring rising young staffer from Kennesaw State appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Rashada initially signed with the Florida Gators under former head coach Billy Napier as part of the 2023 recruiting class, but disputes over his 4-year, $13.85 million NIL contract led to the gunslinger being released from his letter of intent and eventually suing Napier and several other parties involved in the negotiations.

This litigation has been ongoing for the past couple of seasons, but things finally appear to be coming to an end, with On3’s Pete Nakos reporting on Tuesday evening that Rashada has settled his suits against Napier and the other parties involved.

According to Nakos, the terms of the settlement are confidential, but it puts an end to the year-and-a-half-long legal battle between Rashada and his one-time college team and coach.

Rashada ultimately signed with Arizona State in 2023 before transferring to Georgia in 2024, where he filed his lawsuit as a member of the team. He spent the entire 2024 campaign riding the bench in Athens before transferring once again to Sacramento State.

He racked up 264 yards and a touchdown across 5 games with the Hornets last season, and he will now be looking to carve out a role for himself with Mississippi State in 2026.

The post Jaden Rashada settles lawsuit with Billy Napier, other Florida parties appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This surprise departure left a pretty sizable hole on the Dawgs’ defensive staff for head coach Kirby Smart to fill, and 2-time national championship winner wasted little time filling Uzo-Diribe’s role.

According to an official statement from the Georgia head man himself, Smart has brought on West Virginia staffer Larry Knight to become the next outside linebackers coach for the Bulldogs.

“We are excited to add a coach and a man of Coach Knight’s caliber to the staff,” said Smart.  “He has produced on the field at all of his coaching stops and has also proven his worth as one of the best recruiters around.  Coach Knight was a conference champion on the field when he played for Central Michigan, and I know he is ready to get to work in his home state.”

Knight spent his college playing career with Central Michigan from 2006-2010 as a pass rusher, helping guide the Chippewas to 3 seperate MAC titles during his time with the program and earning All-Conference honors in 2009.

Since then, he has made multiple stops at both the NCAA and NFL levels as a defensive assistant, spending the 2025 season as the defensive ends coach at Arkansas State, where he helped mold the Red Wolves into one of the top pass-rush squads in the nation.

Knight initially joined West Virginia’s staff in January, but Smart convinced him to move to Athens to lead one of the most talented groups in college football.

The post Kirby Smart announces hiring of new Georgia OLB coach appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This season has seen the University of Miami-Ohio Redhawks have their turn in the limelight, bolting out to a dominant 25-0 start and finding their way into the AP top 25 for the first time since 1999.

Much of this success has been due to fourth-year head coach Travis Steele, who joined ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday. GameDay host Rece Davis asked Steele about the Miami-Ohio men’s swim team wearing Speedos during home games.

“The first time it happened, I was absolutely shocked,” Steele said. “I told them after the game that obviously we really appreciate them doing what they were doing, and told them we would return the favor and show up to one of their meets, but we weren’t going to wear the Speedos though.”

Davis followed this up by asking Steele if he would wear a Speedo during Selection Sunday if his team could manage to make it through the MAC tournament undefeated, a wager that the Warhawks’ head man agreed to without hesitation.

“Done,” Steele said. “It’s done.”

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Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is no exception in this regard, as he managed to add a last-second addition to his 2026 roster by picking up a commitment from JUCO wide receiver Tyler Henderson.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College product announced his commitment to the Crimson Tide on his personal Instagram on Friday night, choosing Alabama over several other programs, including Washington State, Kennesaw State, and Southern Mississippi.

A Vicksburg, Mississippi native, Henderson joined Mississippi Gulf Coast out of high school as part of the 2024 recruiting cycle, and he made an immediate impact for the Bulldogs as a true freshman by racking up 414 yards and 6 touchdowns across 10 games.

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He made a massive leap in production last season as a sophomore, hauling in 67 passes for a nation-leading 1,207 yards and 12 touchdowns across 11 games en route to picking up NJCAA All-American Honors. Now, he’ll be making the jump to the SEC, where he’ll join one of college football’s most electric offenses in Tuscaloosa.

Here are some highlights from his 2025 season:

The post Alabama makes late addition to 2026 roster with JUCO receiver commit appeared first on Saturday Down South.

One squad that looks to be out of the running for March Madness already, though, is the LSU Tigers, who are currently sitting in second-to-last place in the SEC standings as of this writing with a 2-9 record in league play.

It’s been a rough campaign for the Bayou Bengals on the hardwood, and it looks like things got even worse on Saturday with CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein reporting that star guard Dedan Thomas is set to have season-ending foot surgery.

A former top-40 recruit coming out of high school, Thomas joined the Tigers last offseason after spending a couple of years at UNLV and made an immediate impact for head coach Matt McMahon’s squad.

The nagging foot injury has limited Thomas to just 16 games this season. Still, he’s been the Tigers’ best scorer when he’s played, averaging a team-leading 15.3 points on 45.9/30.2/83.3 shooting splits while also averaging a team-leading 6.5 assists per game.

With LSU’s March Madness chances all but eliminated, it looks like the star guard has decided to shut things down early to prepare for what would be his final season of eligibility in 2026-27.

The post LSU guard Dedan Thomas to have season-ending surgery, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Kentucky Wildcats were 1 of 8 SEC programs selected to host a regional in 2025, and they look primed to make another run at a trip to Omaha this season after returning several guys from last year’s squad.

One of the most important returnees for the Wildcats was starting shortstop Tyler Bell. However, it looks like they’ll be forced to play without him for the foreseeable future, with ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel reporting that the projected first-round MLB draft pick is out indefinitely after injuring his shoulder in the Cats’ season opener against UNC Greensboro.

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The Illinois native was drafted in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, but elected to join the Wildcats instead of immediately turning pro. Bell made an immediate impact for Kentucky last season, slashing .296/.385/.552 with 46 RBIs and 10 homers.

A projected first-round draft pick this summer, Bell was expected to take an even bigger role for the Cats this season, but this injury has put a bit of a wrench into those plans. Now, Kentucky will have to navigate the foreseeable future without one of its best hitters.

Kentucky is set to finish its series with UNC Greensboro on Saturday.

The post Kentucky baseball star Tyler Bell ‘out indefinitely’ with injury, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

As Calipari has done for so many years, the top-flight recruiter is finding ways to translate his team’s success on the court this season into continued success on the recruiting trail for the 2026 cycle.

Cal already signed 2 of the nation’s top prep players in the 2026 cycle back in January, and he added the commitment of another on Saturday in the form of 5-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr.

The 6’2, 200-pound athletic guard is currently rated as the third-best player in the entire country, and committed to Cal and the Hogs over several other top-flight programs, including Louisville, Kentucky, and Duke.

The Fairfax, Virginia native possesses all the physical tools to excel at the collegiate level as a guard on both ends of the court, including elite athleticism, dynamic scoring ability, and dynamic defense.

With Smith’s commitment, Arkansas now has the fifth-ranked recruiting class in the 2025 cycle, a class that includes fellow 5-stars JJ Andrews and Abdou Toure.

The post Arkansas lands 2026 commitment from 5-star guard appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Both the Aggies and Commodores are currently sitting 2 games back of the conference-leading Florida Gators, with Vanderbilt coming off a massive road win against Auburn and A&M riding a 3-game losing streak.

The Aggies are in desperate need of a big win to keep their season on track, and they will be looking to pick up that win against a Vanderbilt squad that will once again be missing 2 of its best players.

According to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, Vanderbilt head coach Mark Byington has confirmed that Duke Miles and Frankie Collins have been ruled out yet again against the Aggies with knee injuries.

Collins hasn’t seen the court for the Dores since they faced Memphis back on December 17th, while Miles has missed the past 4 games for Vanderbilt due to a knee injury that required cleanup surgery.

Vandy has been able to hold its own fairly well so far with both Miles and Collins on the sideline, but their depth could be tested against an A&M squad that is still firmly in the mix for a top 10 seed come March.

The post Vanderbilt to be without 2 key players Saturday against Texas A&M appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to Rocky Top Insider, 6,977 fans made their way into a newly renovated Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Friday to see sophomore ace Tegan Kuhns and the rest of the Vols, setting a new attendance record in the process.

Everyone in attendance certainly got their money’s worth from Kuhns, as the electric righty tossed 6.2 scoreless innings against the Colonels, allowing just 2 hits and 1 run, and striking out 8 batters in the process.

Fans in attendance also got to enjoy all the new upgrades completed at Lindsey Nelson Stadium over the offseason, including expanded seating, renovated concession stands and bathrooms, and luxury suites.

All of this and more was added as part of a multi-year, $100-million renovation project that has completely transformed Tennessee’s home ballpark into one of the best venues in college baseball.

Vol fans are sure be packing out Lindsey Nelson Stadium all spring and summer long as Tennessee looks to chase down another trip to Omaha and the College World Series come June.

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Kiffin made several impressive hires while also retaining several key staffers from Brian Kelly’s staff on defense, but it looks like he will once again be forced to search for another assistant to fill a crucial role on that side of the ball.

According to a report by CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, current Bayou Bengals’ safeties coach Jake Olsen is expected to make the jump to the NFL ranks and join the Washington Commanders.

A seasoned defensive assistant, Olsen spent the past 2 seasons in Baton Rouge as the safeties coach on Kelly’s staff, helping the Tigers finish as one of the top 25 passing defenses in the country in 2025.

Before joining LSU, Olsen spent 2 seasons as the linebackers coach at Missouri and had several prior stops at various programs, including Nicholls State, Louisiana-Monroe, and Southwestern Oklahoma State.

Getting Olsen to stay on board at LSU was a massive win for Kiffin, and it now looks like he’ll be forced to fill his spot heading into spring workouts.

The post LSU expected to lose key defensive assistant coach to NFL job, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Bayou Bengals bested their fellow Tigers on the road in a top-10 showdown during Week 1 this past season, and now they’ll have the opportunity to complete the sweep at home to secure Kiffin’s first win in the purple and gold.

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Vegas recently released an early betting line for the highly anticipated rematch, with LSU as an early favorite at 10.5 points. Kiffin saw this and, in typical fashion, took to social media to dispel the early line as rat poison.

The phrase that Kiffin used here is something he undoubtedly picked up from his former boss Nick Saban, who was very fond of using it whenever the media hyped one of his teams up a little too much for his liking.

The emoji formatting is a bit different from when Saban first popularized the saying, but the sentiment is still the same. The game is still a little over 7 months away, but it’s very clear that Kiffin isn’t going to let his team buy into any outside hype.

The post Lane Kiffin dismisses early betting line for LSU vs. Clemson as rat poison appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kiffin landed another big win in the staffing department on Saturday, with CBS Sports insider Matt Zenitz reporting that LSU is keeping on former Brian Kelly and Ed Orgeron football ops staffer JR Belton as the program’s new assistant general manager.

A Louisiana native and former standout quarterback at Louisiana Tech, Belton has been with the Bayou Bengals since 2021, where he was hired on as director of scouting for former head coach Ed Orgeron.

Brian Kelly kept him on when he took over in 2022 and elevated him to director of recruiting, a role he held throughout Kelly’s tenure down in Baton Rouge. During this time, Belton oversaw several top recruiting classes and signed 59 players with 4 or 5-star ratings.

It’s clear that Belton has been a very valuable piece of the LSU football program over the past several years, which has led Kiffin to keep him on with yet another reported promotion.

The post Lane Kiffin retaining ‘valued’ LSU staffer under Brian Kelly, Ed Orgeron with expanded role, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Star Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson was faced with this very dilemma recently, as reports surfaced that several major programs were offering the former Crimson Tide gunslinger upwards of $6 million to take his name out of the NFL Draft and enter the transfer portal instead.

Despite these massive offers, Simpson decided to remain in the NFL Draft, and he recently sat down with AL.com reporter Nick Kelly to explain why he’s turning down other programs and heading to the pros.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the last jersey I wanted to wear in college was the Alabama Crimson Tide jersey,” Simpson told AL.com. “I came there. I stayed there. The last thing I wanted to do was tarnish my legacy and go somewhere else where I didn’t go out of high school and I didn’t want to play. I love Coach DeBoer, I love the University of Alabama. I love the fans. I love everything about it. Hopefully in the draft whenever my name gets written on a card, they write the University of Alabama on there. It’s going to give me great pride.”

In today’s day and age, it’s very rare to see a player have such loyalty when multi-million dollar NIL offers are on the table, but Simpson is clearly a rare exception to this new norm.

The post Ty Simpson breaks down decision to stay in NFL Draft despite massive offers to stay in college appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Aggies have been dominant thus far in league play, winning 6 of their 7 SEC contests and riding a 3-game win streak, while the Dawgs are licking their wounds following two ugly back-to-back losses.

A lot is riding on the outcome of this game for both squads heading into February, and ESPN Analytics recently dropped a prediction for how this one will play out inside Stegman Coliseum this Saturday.

According to ESPN’s model, Georgia is a slight favorite with a 56.9% chance to earn the win over Texas A&M.

The Dawgs do boast one of the best home-court advantages in the conference, currently sitting at 11-2 when playing in front of their home crowd, and the Georgia faithful are sure to be very loud all game long.

If the Aggies can outlast the noise, though, they will have added yet another feather to their already impressive cap and will have extended their SEC lead even further heading into the back half of their SEC slate.

The post ESPN Analytics predicts the outcome of Texas A&M vs. Georgia appeared first on Saturday Down South.