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Jack Bech Wins 2025 Senior Bowl MVP After Brother Died in New Orleans Attack

Feb 1, 2025
MOBILE, ALABAMA - JANUARY 29: Jack Bech #7 of TCU during Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium on January 29, 2025 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images)
MOBILE, ALABAMA - JANUARY 29: Jack Bech #7 of TCU during Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium on January 29, 2025 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images)

Jack Bech won the 2025 Senior Bowl MVP on Saturday just a month after his brother, Tiger, tragically died during the New Orleans truck attack.

Bech, a senior wide receiver at TCU, had six receptions for 68 yards and the game-winning touchdown for the American Team. He wore his brother's No. 7 in the game.

"His wings were on my side," Bech said, per The Times-Picayne's Rod Walker. "... All the big brother does in life is want to see his little brother succeed. He's been my role model my whole life. The person I looked up to. The person I wanted to be. He's the best big brother I could ask for."

Bech discussed the wild ride of emotions during the Senior Bowl week.

"It's been surreal, just to be able to come and take place in this game," he said. "It's a goal you set for yourself. But if I had the option to come here and have the worst week ever, ruin my draft stock and that meant I could give my brother a hug right now, I would take that. On the flip side of that, I don't think I could have had the week I had if all that wouldn't have happened."

Bech's brother, Tiger, was a wide receiver at Princeton, earning All-Ivy League as a kick returner.

Jack Bech, who started his career at LSU before transferring to TCU ahead of the 2023 season, is coming off the best year of his career. He racked up 1,034 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, both career highs.

He'll now look to build off of his strong Senior Bowl showing with a big performance at the NFL Combine later this year.

ASU's Hurley Hints Arizona's Caleb Love Won't Get All Big-12 Vote After Altercation

Feb 1, 2025
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 01: Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love (1) and Arizona State Sun Devils guard BJ Freeman (10) trash talk each other during the college basketball game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Arizona State Sun Devils on February 1, 2025 at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 01: Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love (1) and Arizona State Sun Devils guard BJ Freeman (10) trash talk each other during the college basketball game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Arizona State Sun Devils on February 1, 2025 at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Arizona's Caleb Love may have lost ASU head coach Bobby Hurley's All-Big 12 vote after Saturday's mid-game altercation with BJ Freeman.

"I do get a vote for all-conference, and I can tell you who's not getting the vote," Hurley said Saturday, per Arizona Sports.

Both players were assessed technical fouls and ejected from Saturday's rivalry game following a scuffle in the second half that involved Freeman head-butting Love.

Hurley responded by clearing the bench with 30 seconds remaining and forgoing handshakes after ASU's 81-72 loss.

When asked about the decision to not shake hands with Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd after the game, Hurley answered: "If you were right near our bench, it was relentless, constant chatter from a couple of the Arizona players that was not being policed properly."

"And of course, they're going to be happy with winning, but it was done with no class," Hurley said (h/t 247Sports' Chris Karpman.) "And words that were said, back and forth, led to the moment where Freeman lost it, and lost his cool, because of the constant talk that was allowed to go on.

"So, I had to make the tough decision to obviously, in the best interest of our team, to get them into the locker rooms so there would be no further incidents in the rest of the game."

Lloyd meanwhile said the clash at the end of the game was "disappointing, probably on all sides."

"We want to be a program that, when tough things happen, we want to respond with class, and I don't know if we did or didn't," Lloyd said (h/t Mark McClune.) "Just a tough moment in an emotional game."

Love, who is playing in his fifth college season and second with Arizona, was named Pac-12 Player of the Year last season. It looks like Hurley would like to push against him earning more honors in his new conference following the Wildcats' move to the Big 12 ahead of the 2023-25 season.

Saturday's loss marked the fourth straight game the Sun Devils have dropped to their in-state rivals. ASU is now 1-9 in their last ten matchups with Arizona, with their lone win over that streak coming in February 2023.

Hurley and Lloyd's teams will meet again on March 4, when Arizona hosts the rivalry matchup at McKale Center.

Nebraska Likely to Cancel CFB Spring Game amid Transfer Portal Tampering, Rhule Says

Feb 1, 2025
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Matt Rhule of the Nebraska Cornhuskers on the field against the Wisconsin Badgers at Memorial Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Lincoln, Nebraska.  (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Matt Rhule of the Nebraska Cornhuskers on the field against the Wisconsin Badgers at Memorial Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

Nebraska's spring game will likely be canceled moving forward due to transfer portal concerns, according to head coach Matt Rhule.

"The word 'tampering' doesn't exist anymore," Rhule said Saturday, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "It's just an absolute free open common market. I don't necessarily want to open up to the outside world and have people watch our guys and say, 'He looks like a pretty good player. Let's go get him.'"

In the week following the Cornhuskers' 2024 spring game, six players entered the portal (via ESPN).

Nebraska's spring game has always drawn one of the largest crowds in the country. Despite coming off a 5-7 season in 2023, 60,452 fans showed up to Memorial Stadium and watched the Huskers' 2024 spring game.

While injuries in the contest are also a concern, Rhule confirmed that he's primarily focused on potentially exposing his players to other schools.

"I dealt with a lot of people offering our players a lot of opportunities after that," Rhule said, via ESPN. "So you go out and bring in a bunch of new players and showcase them for all the other schools to watch? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me."

Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen confirmed that the school will still have an event to celebrate the players and prepare for the fall season on April 26, but it won't have the format of a traditional game.

"I am not going to call it a spring game," Dannen said during his radio show on Husker Sports Network (h/t On3.com's Sean Callahan). "And do not call it a spring game because I do not expect it to be a game. I don't know what it's going to be just yet. Really, that's going to be Matt [Rhule's] call."

"I expect something that's not going to be televised, but something that will be a celebration of our athletes and get to see some skills and see what they got, and go from there," he added.

The Huskers are coming off a 2024 campaign in which they finished with a 7-5 record and defeated Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl.

They started the year by winning five of their first six games, but they faltered down the stretch of the season. Before Nebraska's bowl victory, the team had dropped five of its prior six contests.

As the Huskers attempt to take another step forward in 2025, Rhule doesn't want to risk other schools trying to land his players in the transfer portal following another spring game.

Notre Dame AD Aims to Build on CFP Success: 'We're Going to Keep Our Foot on the Gas'

Feb 1, 2025
College Football: CFP National Championship: Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman in action, instructs players prior to game vs Ohio State at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 
Atlanta, GA 1/20/2025 
CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) 
(Set Number: X164668 TK1)
College Football: CFP National Championship: Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman in action, instructs players prior to game vs Ohio State at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta, GA 1/20/2025 CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X164668 TK1)

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have no intention of stepping back from the top tier of the college football landscape.

Notre Dame advanced to the College Football Playoff National Championship and fell to Ohio State 34-23. Despite the disappointing end, it was a productive season that saw the program go 14-2 and claim notable victories over Indiana, Georgia and Penn State.

As they move to the offseason, athletic director Pete Bevacqua said the 2024 season will be something the Fighting Irish build off of and will be the standard for the program.

"This is not a one and done," Bevacqua said, per Pete Sampson of The Athletic. "This has to be the new normal for us."

Bevacqua elaborated by saying that the University has full faith in head coach Marcus Freeman and that the University is "all-in."

"We're going to keep our foot on the gas and hopefully be here a lot more often," Bevacqua said, per Sampson. "I believe we have the perfect coach for Notre Dame. What Marcus does on the field and off the field, he's accepting everything that Notre Dame is. You don't want to play Notre Dame football to do just 'ok' or be respected. We want to win national championships. So I really do think we're all in, provided it's still a student-athlete experience."

Notre Dame reached the National Championship for the first time since 2012 and the program has still not won it all since 1988. However, the Fighting Irish have been in the mix over throughout the playoff era and the step forward in 2024 was promising for the team in the new landscape of college sports.

Freeman signed a six-year extension with the University and has compiled a 33-10 overall record since taking over in 2022. The Fighting Irish also have the No. 12 recruiting class in the nation for 2025, per 247 Sports.

While the 2024 team was a special group for Notre Dame, Bevacqua, Freeman and the University appear poised to make Playoff and National Championship appearances more frequent in the expanded playoff era.

Photo: Bill Belichick Offering to Buy Pizza for UNC Frats Ahead of Duke Rivalry Game

Jan 31, 2025
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 14: Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels addresses the crowd during halftime in the game against the La Salle Explorers at the Dean E. Smith Center on December 14, 2024 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 14: Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels addresses the crowd during halftime in the game against the La Salle Explorers at the Dean E. Smith Center on December 14, 2024 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Bill Belichick is doing what he can to become a fan favorite at North Carolina.

And that includes feeding the fraternities.

As Ross Martin of 247Sports relayed Friday, the new Tar Heels football coach is planning on purchasing pizzas and having them delivered to fraternity houses for students to eat as they watch the men's basketball team take on Duke on the road in the latest edition of college basketball's fiercest rivalry.

Belichick certainly understands how important the rivalry is to North Carolina fans.

After all, he mentioned in his introductory press conference that while he doesn't remember much from when he was very young when his father was an assistant coach with the Tar Heels football team, he was told by his family that his first words were "Beat Duke."

He will have the opportunity to do just that on the football field during his first season, but Duke and North Carolina is a basketball rivalry first and foremost.

And those on North Carolina's campus will surely be dialed into the game on Saturday as the Tar Heels attempt to pick up an important Quadrant 1 win on the road to bolster their precarious NCAA tournament chances.

ESPN's Joe Lunardi updated his Bracketology page Friday, and North Carolina is one of the final four teams included in the field. That would put the powerhouse program in the play-in games ahead of the start of the traditional round of 64.

They will have a number of key opportunities to improve their standing during the stretch run, including during the rematch against Duke at home on March 8.

It wouldn't be surprising if Belichick was in attendance for that one after making sure fraternities on campus ate well for the first one.

Video: Travis Hunter Hits Half-Court Shot, Shows Off Dunking Skills with Colorado CBB

Jan 31, 2025
SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 28: Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) on the field before  the football game between BYU Cougars and Colorado Buffalos on December 28, 2024, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 28: Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) on the field before the football game between BYU Cougars and Colorado Buffalos on December 28, 2024, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Many athletes believe they could play two sports at a high level if they really dedicated themselves to it, but Travis Hunter might be one of the few who could actually pull it off.

The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner once again showed off his basketball skills during pregame warmups with the Colorado team, including making a half-court shot and executing a between-the-legs dunk (starts at 7:55 mark).

It's not a surprise that Hunter has more than enough athleticism to be an electrifying talent in basketball. There have been many highlights of him on the court during his two years at Colorado.

It's too bad Hunter didn't actually play in a game with the Buffaloes' basketball team. They could use his help, as they are 9-11 overall this season and have lost each of their first nine Big 12 games.

On a recent episode of The Travis Hunter Show, Hunter said he can play basketball, run track, long jump, high jump and 400 meters. He even joked about possibly shifting from football to baseball after seeing some of the recent high-dollar contracts that have been handed out to players like Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto:

"I ain't gonna lie. Baseball making that money, so I might make the transition soon. Be like a Coach Prime, Deion Sanders—get my millions over there while I get my millions in the NFL. I could go out there and be a good outfielder. Steal bases—I can steal bases for you. I might not be able to hit for nothing, but I can learn that."

Until Hunter learns how to hit baseballs, though, he will most likely focus a lot of his immediate attention of getting ready for the NFL. The 21-year-old is expected to be one of the top players selected in the 2025 draft.

B/R's NFL scouting department has Hunter ranked as the No. 1 overall player in this year's draft class. He will almost certainly become the first Colorado player selected in the first round since 2011 when both Nate Solder and Jimmy Smith were taken.

Hunter won the Heisman Trophy this year after a historic season that saw him dominate on both sides of the ball. He finished with 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on offense, along with 11 pass breakups and four interceptions as a cornerback.

Shilo Sanders, Croskey-Merritt Excite CFB Fans as East Beats West in 2025 Shrine Bowl

Jan 31, 2025
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 18: Shilo Sanders speaks onstage at the AT&T stage during the 2025 CFP National Championship Playoff Fan Central at Georgia World Congress Center on January 18, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 18: Shilo Sanders speaks onstage at the AT&T stage during the 2025 CFP National Championship Playoff Fan Central at Georgia World Congress Center on January 18, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

The East crushed the West 25-0 in the 100th East-West Shrine Bowl, which took place Thursday in AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

The bowl annually highlights some of college football's pro prospects en route to the NFL draft. In recent years, NFL stars such as San Francisco 49ers running back Brock Purdy, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers and Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco have participated in the contest.

This year, Arizona running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt led the East with 97 rushing yards and two scores on just 11 carries.

On defense, East showed no mercy. South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back O'Donnell Fortune took a 65-yard interception to the house for six. That helped the East take a 22-0 halftime lead.

The defensive dominance continued in the second half, with the highlight being a one-handed interception from Ole Miss defensive lineman JJ Pegues.

Colorado safety Shilo Sanders also impressed for East, making plays in the secondary and helping his team pitch a shutout. He played quite well in coverage and served an integral role in the defense's dominance.

He and Croskey-Merritt got much recognition from fans during this big win.

https://twitter.com/LTB_Muse/status/1885139144399036423

College football showcases will continue Saturday with the Senior Bowl from Mobile, Alabama.

5-Star SG Alijah Arenas Commits to USC; Son of Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas

Jan 30, 2025

Five-star class of 2025 shooting guard Aljah Arenas announced his commitment to USC on Thursday during the latest edition of the Gil's Arena podcast, hosted by his father, ex-NBA star guard Gilbert Arenas.

Arenas called USC head coach Eric Musselman while on air to reveal his decision.

It's a huge win for the program, as Arenas is ranked seventh on the 247Sports Composite list of high school class of 2025 men's basketball players.

Arenas plays for Chatsworth High School in Chatsworth, California. Scouts have glowed over his work, including Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports.

"Arenas is a smooth scoring guard with terrific positional size and length," Finkelstein wrote in part in Oct. 2024.

"He's a bit of a late-bloomer who has continued to grow throughout his high school career and now stands at nearly 6-foot-6 with a massive 7-foot wingspan and 8-foot-9 standing reach. He also has elite, almost glue-like hands."

Finkelstein also called Arenas "a glaring talent in the mist of a late growth spurt" with
"significant long-term potential."

Per 247Sports, 20 teams offered Arenas, including his father's old school, Arizona. Other big-name programs that sought Arenas included Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky and UCLA.

But he'll be playing for USC, which also has two 4-stars in the class of 2025 on the way in shooting guard Jerry Easter (No. 45 overall) and combo guard Elzie Harrington.

Texas' Arch Manning Lands Red Bull Endorsement Deal; Has Reported $6.6M NIL Valuation

Jan 30, 2025
ATLANTA, GA  JANUARY 01: Quarterback Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns warms up prior to the start of the Texas Longhorns versus Arizona State Sun Devils College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on January 1, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.  (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA JANUARY 01: Quarterback Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns warms up prior to the start of the Texas Longhorns versus Arizona State Sun Devils College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on January 1, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Texas quarterback Arch Manning is already expected to be the team's starter for the 2025 season, and he scored another win off the field.

Manning announced on Thursday that he has secured an NIL deal with Red Bull. According to Dan Morrison of On3.com, the 19-year-old now has an NIL valuation of $6.6 million, the highest of any college or high school sports athlete.

Manning addressed his NIL deal with Red Bull in an interview with ESPN's Marty Smith.

"I really like this partnership. Everyone at Red Bull has been super nice to me and my family and I can't wait to get it going," Manning said. "Plus, I like a Red Bull in the morning... We got early meetings, need a little energy."

After redshirting his freshman year in 2023, Manning spent the 2024 season as the primary backup to Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers. He appeared in 10 games and made two starts, showing a glimpse of his famous family lineage as the nephew of legendary quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning.

In his 10 appearances, the youngster threw for 939 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 67.8 percent of his passes. He also added 108 rushing yards and four more scores, and Texas won both of the games he started.

The 2025 season will be Manning's opportunity to establish himself as the top quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL draft, and he's already on the right track.

NBA Draft Prospect Dylan Harper Out with Ankle Injury for Rutgers vs. Northwestern

Jan 29, 2025
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 25: Dylan Harper #2 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights dribbles during the first half against the Michigan State Spartans at Madison Square Garden on January 25, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 25: Dylan Harper #2 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights dribbles during the first half against the Michigan State Spartans at Madison Square Garden on January 25, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

One of the most enticing NBA draft prospects will miss his team's game on Wednesday.

Per ESPN's Jeff Borzello, Rutgers star freshman Dylan Harper is out of the Scarlet Knight's matchup against Northwestern. Brian Fonseca of the Star-Ledger added that Harper has been seen wearing a walking boot multiple times since Saturday and is evaluated as day-to-day.

Harper has been tremendous this season, putting up 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. He's had a pair of 30-point-plus outings, dropping 36 against Notre Dame before posting 37 against Alabama.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projects Harper to go to the Utah Jazz with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, only behind Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg.

Harper was a 5-star prospect and the No. 3 player in the country, according to 247Sports Composite. The New Jersey native picked Rutgers over Duke, Auburn and a handful of other top programs.

As good as Harper has been, it hasn't translated to wins for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are 10-10 on the year and 3-6 to start conference play, sitting in 13th in the Big Ten. They're coming off back-to-back losses to Penn State and Michigan State and are hoping to get back on track against Northwestern.

Without Harper, Rutgers will lean heavily on their other star freshman, Ace Bailey. The former No. 2 player in the nation is leading the Big Ten in scoring at 19.8 points per game while hauling in 7.9 boards.

Wasserman projects Bailey to go after Harper with the No. 3 pick in this year's draft.