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Sports Business Journal: Big 12 expansion not sitting well with Fox, ESPN

By JJ StankevitzAug 1, 2016, 10:49 AM EDT

Could the Big 12’s expansion plans actually hurt its relationship with college football’s most important TV partners?

John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal reported Monday morning that, actually, the answer to that question could be yes.

Ourand reports ESPN and Fox are non-plussed with the thought of the 10-team conference adding the likes of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis and/or UConn, programs which would “water down the Big 12 and make it less valuable.”

ESPN and Fox would owe the Big 12 a combined $20 million per team added to the conference — so $40 million for two teams or $80 million for four teams. The Big 12’s TV deal with both networks runs through 2024-2025.

Read Ourand’s full story here.

The question now becomes for the Big 12: Is the short-term financial windfall worth damaging its relationship with ESPN and Fox?

Both networks easily could walk away from renewing with the conference — or put in a lowball offer — after 2025 if they feel the quality of play decreased because of, for example, Houston and Cincinnati’s presence. That’s a significant risk for Bob Bowlsby and the Big 12 to take, especially without the safety net of a conference network (as the ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC will all have by 2019).

But nine years is a long time in today’s media landscape. If the TV rights bubble is already beginning to burst, what will rights payouts look like in 2025? Will cable TV still hold a certain level of importance with alternative offerings proliferating over the the last few years? Will ESPN and Fox even be the best destinations for distributing the Big 12’s product?

In a sense, it’s a risk either way. The Big 12 may very well damage beyond repair its relationship with ESPN and Fox over expansion, but it also may not matter when those networks’ contracts are up. But in the short term, it’ll be fascinating to see how — or if — ESPN and Fox are able to influence the Big 12’s expansion efforts, given that, to paraphrase the Wu-Tang Clan, C.R.E.A.C.F. (Cash Rules Everything Around College Football).

Deshaun Watson earns Manning Award as nation’s top QB

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By John TaylorJan 14, 2016, 4:54 PM EDT

Late last night, Dabo Swinney took home honors as the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year. A day later, a player who was instrumental in the Clemson head coach’s 2015 success has been honored as well.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl announced Thursday that true sophomore Deshaun Watson has been awarded the Manning Award, given annually to the nation’s top quarterback. The award, named in honor of the quarterbacking Mannings — Archie, Peyton and Eli — is the only one to take into account a player’s performance in the postseason.

There were 11 other finalists for this year’s trophy: Brandon Allen (Arkansas), Trevone Boykin (TCU), Connor Cook (Michigan State), Brandon Doughty (Western Kentucky), Kevin Hogan (Stanford), Chad Kelly (Ole Miss), Paxton Lynch (Memphis), Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma), Dak Prescott (Mississippi State), Keenan Reynolds (Navy) and Greg Ward, Jr., (Houston).

“We are honored to present this year’s Manning Award to Deshaun Watson,” Archie Manning said in a statement. “Deshaun led his team to a perfect regular season and then an impressive win in the Playoff Semifinal before his 478-yard performance in the national championship. He may not have won the title but he showed the world what an outstanding talent he is and what a tremendous competitor he is.”

Watson, a consensus All-American and Heisman finalist, becomes the third player from the ACC to win the Manning, joining Boston College’s Matt Ryan (Boston College, 2007) and Florida State’s Jameis Winston (2013).

North Dakota State QB Carson Wentz ready to prove doubters wrong

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By Kevin McGuireJan 11, 2016, 2:42 PM EDT

Just days after helping FCS power North Dakota State win its fifth straight national championship, with a victory over Jacksonville State, Bison quarterback Carson Wentz had the opportunity to discuss his rising NFL Draft stock with Dan Patrick on The Dan Patrick Show (simulcast on NBC Sports Network). Wentz was asked about his return from injury, his height and more by the veteran sports radio host.

“What the writers have to say, it is what it is. You try not to focus on that, everyone has a different angle, a different approach,” Wentz said. “What really matters is what the teams think of you, what the scouts and the ownership thinks of you. I’m not concerned with what writers have to say to be honest with you.”

Wentz said the best thing that’s been said about him is that he is a winner, which is always a nice character trait to have when looking to make a splash in the NFL. On the flip side, Wentz said he is no fan of the FCS bashing done by some. Asked if he feels he belongs in the conversation along with players like Jared Goff of Cal and Paxton Lynch of Memphis, Wentz said “I definitely believe in that group, no doubt about it.”

Wentz will get a chance to play with some of the top seniors in college football later this month at the Senior Bowl.

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Arkansas chugs past K-State in Liberty Bowl blowout

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By Zach BarnettJan 2, 2016, 7:05 PM EDT

With a pair of first-half rushing touchdowns, Alex Collins had already done his part to stake Arkansas to a 31-23 lead over Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl.

But then he did this, and that was basically that.

Take another look at this. Collins broke not one, not two, not three, not four … but five tackles on this TD run. https://t.co/nUa1qhIaFD

— Greg Ostendorf (@GregO_ESPN) January 2, 2016

The junior’s 14-yard touchdown charge staked the Razorbacks to a 38-23 lead with 12 minutes remaining, effectively putting Kansas State away for good en route to a 45-23 victory.

Collins closed the day, and possibly his collegiate career, with 23 carries for 185 yards and three touchdowns. His three scores gave him 20 on the season, an Arkansas single-season record, and his 3,703 career rushing yards are the second-most in Hogs history. Brandon Allen added 315 passing yards with a touchdown and an interception, Kody Walker rushed 11 times for 56 yards and a score, and Jared Cornelius produced 62 yards and a score on four total touchdowns. The only negative of the afternoon came when Dominique Reed left the game on a stretcher after corralling a 15-yard reception, but ESPN reported Reed could speak and had feeling in his fingers while leaving the Liberty Bowl floor on a stretcher.

The Wildcats started strong, intercepting Allen on the first possession of the game and turning the pick into a 27-yard touchdown drive and an early 7-0 lead, but K-State quickly fell in a whole when the Razorbacks’ next three possessions turned into scoring marches of 72, 24 and 64 yards.

After trailing 24-13 at the half, Kansas State produced a nifty touchdown when Kody Cook found fullback Winston Dimel wide open for a 48-yard touchdown scamper, pulling the deficit to 24-20, but Arkansas again answered with two straight touchdown drives — this time traveling 82 and 78 yards — the last of which was capped by Collins’ bowling ball impression.

Arkansas put the exclamation point on the win when nine consecutive running plays turned into an 80-yard touchdown drive.

The Razorbacks out-gained Kansas State 569-242 and held a 30-13 edge in first downs. Cook hit 12-of-24 passes for 163 yards with a score and a pick, and Charles Jones led the Kansas State rushing attack with six carries for 40 yards — 35 of which came on one run.

The win allows Arkansas to close on a high note for the second consecutive season. After a 2-4 start, the Hogs won six of their final seven games, the one loss being a 51-50 setback to Mississippi State, for an 8-5 record. The loss dropped Kansas State to 6-7 for the season.

Cal QB Jared Goff officially off to the NFL

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By Kevin McGuireDec 31, 2015, 1:33 PM EDT

As expected, California quarterback Jared Goff will enter the 2016 NFL Draft. Goff made his decision official on Thursday and he will skip his final year of eligibility at Cal.

Goff is expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL Draft, which will also include early entrants Paxton Lynch from Memphis. Goff is the first Cal quarterback to leave for the NFL early since Aaron Rodgers left following the 2004 season. Josh Norris of Rotoworld ranked Lynch as his number one quarterback in his quarterback rankings in mid-November. Goff was ranked second.

“Goff’s worst two performances have come against Utah and Oregon, Norris said at the time. “65 percent of his attempts are thrown in the middle of the field, a huge percentage. Part of that could be due to Cal’s tendency to cut block on run/pass reads, forcing Goff to get the ball out of his hands or face plenty of pressure.”

Goff is coming off a record-setting performance in the Armed Forces Bowl victory over Air Force. Goff tossed six touchdowns to set a Cal and Armed Forces record for most touchdowns thrown in a (bowl) game and he passed Oregon’s Marcus Mariota for most touchdown passes in a season.

So Cal head coach Sonny Dykes will need a new starting quarterback in 2016. That could be freshman Chase Forrest, who appeared in just three games this season. Forrest attempted just 18 pass attempts, and he completed 10 for 162 yards and a touchdown with one interception.

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