BNT CFB-CBB

The implementation of neutral replay officials for the College Football Playoff will be a "key agenda item" at the College Football Officiating meeting, according to CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd.

"Centralized replay would put two persons not affiliated with a conference in charge of reviewing plays for all CFP games," Dodd reported. "Bowl games and perhaps even nonconference matchups in Week Zero could be added to that list."

Dodd noted the NFL uses neutral officials to assess replay situations. During games, the on-field referee works together with replay officials stationed at Art McNally GameDay Central in New York City.

That's a stark contrast with the college game, where referee crews have specific conference designations. For example, an SEC team worked the College Football National Championship Game between Ohio State and Notre Dame.

The change makes plenty of sense since it would address the perception, however unfounded, that conference-affiliated referees might be biased in some way when they're calling a game.

Dodd reported any attempt to have neutral replay officials in the regular season "is still considered a heavy lift." Having the concept work in the CFP would seemingly increase the odds it spreads to a bigger portion of the schedule.

Dodd reported conference commissioners and other officials could discuss whether to have one appointed person be the replay overseer.

Dean Blandino, the former NFL vice president of officiating, was cited as one theoretical candidate for his role, though his duties as a rules analyst for Fox complicates things. Fox is firmly aligned with the Big Ten thanks to the seven-year, $7 billion contract the parties signed in 2022.

Ohio State asked defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to skip the team's College Football Playoff national championship celebration while he considered a move before joining Penn State, according to Brett McMurphy of Action Network.

Per McMurphy, Knowles' representatives tried to reach a deal for him to remain with Ohio State but the school's offer fell "well below" the competition before he ultimately signed a three-year, $9.3 million contract with the Buckeyes' Big Ten rival.

Penn State officially announced him as the team's new defensive coordinator on Monday.

Knowles' reported deal with the Nittany Lions has an average value of $3.1 million while his annual base salary with Ohio State was worth $2.2 million, via Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch.

Per Rabinowitz, the Buckeyes previously offered him an extension that would have made him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football before he joined Penn State.

ESPN's Pete Thamel noted that Knowles is believed to be the first coordinator in college football to earn a base salary over $3 million.

He'll be replacing Tom Allen, who left the Nittany Lions to join Clemson in the same role at the end of the 2024 season.

While Knowles may not have been included in Ohio State's national title celebration, he was still an important part of the team's stellar 2024 campaign.

The Buckeyes allowed just 12.9 points and 254.6 yards per game during the season, with both representing the best marks in the country. Knowles' unit also stepped up during Ohio State's CFP run, giving up a mere 18.8 points across four playoff contests.

Now, he'll be joining a Penn State squad that ranked No. 8 in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten by allowing 16.5 points per game. It's worth noting that the Nittany Lions will be losing a major piece of their defense in 2025, as standout pass-rusher Abdul Carter declared for the 2025 NFL draft on Jan. 10.

Abdul Carter is just too good 🔥

He picks up his 6th sack of the season for @PennStateFball 😤

(Brought to you by @ATTBusiness #ATTBusiness #NextLevelNetwork) pic.twitter.com/q874kAswHa

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 2, 2024

While Knowles mulled his decision before choosing to take Penn State's offer, Ohio State reportedly requested that he abstain from showing up to the school's championship ceremony.

Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles agreed to a contract with Penn State to take the same position on the Nittany Lions coaching staff, the school announced on Monday.

It’s official. Welcome to Happy Valley!#WeAre x @CoachJimKnowles pic.twitter.com/XwoyEs20sv

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) January 27, 2025

Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger first reported the agreement on Sunday.

Pete Thamel of ESPN reported Sunday that they agreed to a three-year deal that will average $3.1 million annually.

That's nearly $1 million more than the 59-year-old was getting from the Buckeyes. He joined OSU in 2022 and started with a base salary of $1.9 million, which rose to $2.2 million this past season.

The Columbus Dispatch's Bill Rabinowitz reported Saturday that Ohio State was prepared to give Knowles a bump in pay to $2.75 million.

Signing the reported deal would've made him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football, vaulting ahead of Michigan's Wink Martindale. Instead, it appears he's taking an even bigger payday to bolt for a conference rival.

Leaving for another Big Ten school would be bad enough in the eyes of Buckeyes fans. This news is also breaking on the same day Ohio State is staging a celebration at Ohio Stadium to honor its national title triumph over Notre Dame. It doesn't look like Knowles in attendance as the final details of his negotiations with Penn State are coming together.

Ryan Day gives Jim Knowles a shoutout at Ohio State’s championship celebration

Haven’t seen the defensive coordinator here yet today. pic.twitter.com/kDfkRXMOrz

— Stefan Krajisnik (@skrajisnik3) January 26, 2025

I asked Ross Bjork about Jim Knowles contract status. He said “today is a day to celebrate but these things have a way of working themselves out.” pic.twitter.com/JIbSlpbtCX

— Dave Holmes (@DaveHolmesTV) January 26, 2025

Ohio State DC Jim Knowles was asked by school not to attend Buckeyes’ national title celebration while he deliberated his options, source said. Knowles’ representation tried to reach deal w/OSU week before title game & immediately after, but eventual offer was “well below” the…

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 27, 2025

Penn State wasn't the only school to pursue Knowles. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg noted Oklahoma and Notre Dame also coveted him as his stock skyrocketed thanks to the success of the Ohio State defense.

The Buckeyes allowed the fewest points (12.9) and yards (254.6) per game in the FBS. During the College Football Playoff, they successfully stifled Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame in succession. The Longhorns were the only one from the group to finish with 300 or more yards of offense.

One way or another, Knowles was going to cash in.

LTFI!!! #WeAre

— James Franklin (@coachjfranklin) January 26, 2025

Beyond the salary on offer, he may have selected the Nittany Lions because the Philadelphia native gets to return to his home state. He might relish the challenge of helping Penn State overcome an opponent that has been a consistent thorn in its side as well.

Head coach James Franklin has dropped eight straight to Ohio State, which symbolizes a larger trend during his tenure. Already regarded as a defensive guru, Knowles will boost his reputation further if he can help Penn State flip the current head-to-head dynamic.

ESPN's bracketologist, Joe Lunardi, believes the SEC is well on its way to sending 13 teams to the 2024-25 men's NCAA tournament, which would be a new record.

"I can't believe I keep typing the number 13 and the same conference in the same line, but here we are," he said during Sunday's SportsCenter. "And that Texas highlight you showed of Tramon Mark's layup to beat Texas A&M is what kept the SEC with 13 of its 16 teams in the field. Of course, Auburn is at the top of that list and rightfully so. I think there is an excellent chance that we're going to break the record of bids from a conference in a year. The record is 11, 11 out of 16 by the Big East back in 2011. And I think the SEC getting at least a dozen, I would bet your mortgage payment on that."

Final at Moody: Tramon Mark hits a running layup in the closing seconds and Texas knocks off No. 13 Texas A&M 70-69. Big-time comeback from 22-point hole for Rodney Terry’s bunch. pic.twitter.com/6PvrRjXQbl

— Brian Davis (@byBDavis) January 25, 2025

There isn't an SEC team at the moment with a losing record, and only South Carolina—currently 10-10—doesn't have an overall winning record. That will likely change down the stretch, as teams face the meat of their conference schedule. South Carolina, for instance, is already 0-7 in the SEC, while LSU is 1-5 in conference play and Arkansas is 1-6. But those three teams are currently at the bottom of the SEC picture anyway.

Lunardi also believes that North Carolina—which is 13-8 on the year but doesn't have many signature wins on its résumé—is sitting firmly on the bubble.

"We remember two years ago, the Tar Heels where the preseason No. 1 rank team consensus, not only on the bubble, didn't make the tournament that season. Here we go, a top 10, top 15 team at worst coming into the year, and now 1-7 against Quad 1," he said. "The only win in that category, a neutral court triumph over UCLA. Next two weeks are going to tell the tale. They play all the top teams in the ACC. They're at Pitt, they're at Duke, and then home for Pitt and again Clemson. All four teams Quad 1, all likely to make the tournament. It's time for Carolina to put a couple of notches in their belt."

Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes had high praise for Duke freshman Cooper Flagg following the Blue Devils' 63-56 win over the Deacons on Saturday.

Forbes called Flagg "generational" when speaking to reporters after the loss.

"He can score off the bounce, he can score off the catch, he can post you up, he can score in transition, he's gonna play a long time in the NBA," he added.

Steve Forbes calls Cooper Flagg a “generational” talent.

You’ll want to hear the players Forbes associated Flagg with — including Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant — and his stories facing them. pic.twitter.com/1mkH6ZCAO0

— Josh Graham (@JoshGrahamShow) January 26, 2025

Forbes also compared Flagg to standout forwards that he previously coached against at the college level, listing Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant and Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard.

"He's on that level, I think," Forbes said (1:54 mark).

Wake Forest nearly pulled off an upset win over Duke, leading by four points with roughly seven minutes remaining in the second half. The Blue Devils eventually pulled away for a seven-point victory to improve to 17-2, though.

Flagg finished with a game-high 24 points, shooting 8-16 from the field despite connecting on just one of his six attempts from three-point territory. He also recorded seven rebounds, six assists and one block.

The 18-year-old entered Saturday's action averaging 19.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game on 48.8/34.8/80.9 shooting splits.

COOPER FLAGG POSTER 🔥

(via @DukeMBB) pic.twitter.com/JDqOFK06Ue

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 8, 2025

Flagg has met the lofty expectations that were placed upon him to begin the 2024-25 season, as he was ranked as the No. 1 player in the country as part of the 2024 recruiting class (via 247Sports).

He's expected to be the top pick in the 2025 NBA draft, as he was projected to go No. 1 overall in the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman.

For now, Flagg is still operating as a key piece for the Blue Devils and earning star comparisons from opposing head coaches as he navigates through his freshman campaign.

After leading Ohio State's offense to a national title, former NFL head coach Chip Kelly could be set for a return to the pros.

Kelly is "at the top of the list for several teams" looking for an offensive coordinator ahead of the 2025 season, according to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones.

Jones listed the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as potential NFL destinations for Kelly.

Kelly last coached in the NFL when he led the San Francisco 49ers during the 2016 season. He then served as UCLA's head coach for six seasons before joining Ohio State in 2024 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

According to Jones, the Jaguars have "had interest in pairing new head coach Liam Coen with Kelly."

Jones noted it is "unclear how involved Kelly would be" in play-calling with the Jags given Coen's experience as offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Kelly is also seen as the "logical successor" in Houston given his connection to head coach DeMeco Ryans, whom he coached when Ryan played for the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Jones.

Because Ryan was formerly the 49ers' defensive coordinator, Kelly could be a better fit as play-caller in Houston, Jones noted.

Kelly's previous stint in the NFL began in 2013, when he spent three seasons as head coach of the Eagles.

After leading the Eagles an NFC East title and a playoff game in his first season with the team, Kelly's team missed the playoffs in 2014. He was fired before the final game of the 2015 season after the Eagles were again eliminated from playoff contention.

Kelly then spent just one season with the 49ers before he was fired after the team finished the 2016 campaign with a 2-14 record.

After six seasons leading UCLA to a 35-34 overall record, Kelly said he was glad to be moving from head coaching to a coordinator position when he joined Ohio State last spring.

"To me, the best part of football is the football," Kelly said last May, per CBS Sports' Cameron Salerno. "So you got to do football, and not some of the things that are involved with the head coaching deal."

Ohio State then went to the national championship game in Kelly's first season with the team, where his offensive unit put up 445 total yards against Notre Dame to claim the title.

The Buckeyes paid a $1.5 million buyout to UCLA in order to sign Kelly to a three-year deal last spring, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. If Kelly gets an offer from an NFL team, Ohio State could end up losing him after just one season.

Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils narrowly avoided a loss to unranked Wake Forest on Saturday, with Flagg scoring 24 points to lead his team to a 63-56 victory.

In addition to his 24 points, Flagg recorded seven rebounds and six assists, shooting 50 percent from the field and going 7-of-9 from the free throw line. With the win, Duke improved to 17-2 on the season, while Wake Forest dropped to 16-4.

Despite committing seven turnovers, fans praised Flagg for overcoming the team's second-half struggles to keep the No. 1-ranked Blue Devils' season alive:

Cooper Flagg on the road against Wake Forest:
24 PTS | 8- 16 FG | 7 REB | 6 AST pic.twitter.com/JEzsyqL1yz

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) January 25, 2025

I’m sorry guys, Cooper Flagg is really the goods. Dude plays with an A+ teammate grade at all times

— Kazeem Famuyide 🇳🇬 🍎 (@Kazeem) January 25, 2025

Cooper Flagg has all the tools to be #1 scoring option. Being able to score from all 3 levels even though your team's offense is rough is a special gift 🔥🔥🔥

— Mike O (@coolguy551_) January 25, 2025

COOPER MF FLAGG

— Kaitlin Tomassoni (@ktomassoni1) January 25, 2025

Cooper Flagg is halfway to a triple-double entering the half with 9/5/5 😈 pic.twitter.com/oVOnbKMN8p

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 25, 2025

Cooper Flagg is something else on the defensive end man.

Instincts
Athleticism
Hands
Motor
IQ

All just so elite. Will make so many ALL NBA defensive teams

— riley ｼ (@rileyricharrds) January 25, 2025

Cooper Flagg: 21 points on 15 shots

Everyone else on Duke: 32 points on 38 shots

— Brian (@BrianJNBA) January 25, 2025

Cooper Flagg is one of the best Duke freshman I have ever seen

— Colton Steiner™ 🎙️ (@s_colton) January 25, 2025

Cooper Flagg fun to watch. #Duke

— Mike Leonard (@MArdenLeonard) January 25, 2025

Behind Flagg, Freshman guard Kon Knueppel finished the night with 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists to help extend their win streak to 13 straight games and hold their first place spot in the ACC.

Flagg went 4-of-4 from the field in the first half but missed all of his three-point attempts as the Blue Devils took a 35-22 lead at halftime.

After the break, the Deacons mounted a quick 7-0 run, prompting a Duke timeout as they cut the lead to 35-29. Flagg ramped up his play in the second half, carrying his team to a victory that was capped off with two game-clinching free throws.

Flagg is averaging 19.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season while shooting 48.8 percent from the field as a true freshman with Duke. His impressive performance has garnered significant hype from college basketball fans and NBA hopefuls eager for a future with the phenom.

Duke and Flagg will look to keep their streak alive when they face NC State at home on Monday.

Ohio State has reportedly offered defensive coordinator Jim Knowles a contract extension that would make him the highest-paid DC in college football.

According to Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch, Knowles signed a three-year extension with a base salary of $2.2 million per year in January 2024, but if he signs the new deal, it would exceed the contract Wink Martindale signed with Michigan last year.

Martindale was the highest-paid DC in college football last season with a salary of $2.5 million, and he is set to make $2.75 million in 2025.

Per Rabinowitz, both Penn State and Oklahoma have reportedly expressed interest in poaching Knowles from OSU and making him their defensive coordinator.

With Knowles leading the way, OSU led all FBS schools in total defense and scoring defense en route to going 14-2 and winning the national championship.

On Monday, the Buckeyes defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-23 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, securing the program's first national title since 2014.

The 59-year-old Knowles has been at Ohio State since 2022, but he has coached at the collegiate level since 1988.

Knowles spent time as a defensive coordinator at Western Michigan (2001-2002), Duke (2010-2017) and Oklahoma State (2018-2021).

He was also the head coach at his alma mater, Cornell, from 2004 to 2009, posting a 26-34 record during his tenure.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day hired Knowles away from Oklahoma State in 2022 after the Buckeyes ranked 38th in scoring defense in 2021, allowing 22.8 points per game.

By comparison, Oklahoma State allowed just 18.1 points per game in 2021, which helped the Cowboys finish with a 12-2 record.

After Knowles' arrival, OSU allowed 21.0 points per game in 2022, but the defense took a big leap forward after that, allowing just 11.2 points per game in 2023 and 12.9 points per game in 2024.

Oklahoma lost defensive coordinator Tom Alley to West Virginia where he will serve as the DC and assistant head coach under Rich Rodriguez, while Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen left to take the same role at Clemson at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

Both schools appear to be making a strong run at Knowles, but Ohio State clearly places immense value on Knowles' contributions as evidenced by the big contract offer it has reportedly extended.

Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy announced Saturday that all 2025 Senior Bowl participants will wear a helmet decal honoring former Princeton wide receiver Tiger Bech, who was killed in the New Year's Day terror attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

Nagy noted that Bech's brother, TCU wide receiver Jack Bech, will switch from No. 18 to his brother's No. 7 for the Senior Bowl in addition to all players wearing a tiger-striped No. 7 sticker on their helmets:

𝘽𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙆𝙄𝙉𝙂: Every player in this year's Reese's Senior Bowl will have helmet sticker to honor TCU star WR Jack Bech's brother, Tiger, who was tragically lost in NYE terror act on Bourbon Street.

Bech, who wore #18 at TCU, will switch to #7 in Mobile, the same number Tiger… pic.twitter.com/DPZ0lgfbIB

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_Sooners) January 25, 2025

Tiger Bech, who was 27 at the time of his death, was one of 14 people killed when a truck was driven through a crowd of people amid New Year's celebrations on Bourbon Street, per CNN.

The suspect, 42-year-old Texas man Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was shot and killed by police after exiting the vehicle. The FBI considered the attack "an act of terrorism."

Tiger Bech played at Princeton from 2016 to 2018, registering 53 receptions for 825 yards and three touchdowns. He made his biggest impact as a return specialist, earning All-Ivy League Second Team honors in that role twice.

Bech, who won a pair of Ivy League titles at Princeton, had recently begun working as a stockbroker in New York at the time of his death. The Lafayette, Louisiana, native was visiting family in New Orleans for the holidays.

Tiger's younger brother, Jack, is coming off a breakout season at TCU, as he set career highs with 62 receptions for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024.

Jack spent his first two collegiate seasons at LSU before transferring to TCU in 2023. Overall, he finished his college career with 133 catches for 1,869 yards and 13 touchdowns.

At the Senior Bowl, Jack Bech will look to impress NFL scouts and talent evaluators enough to convince a team to select him in the 2025 NFL draft.

The Senior Bowl was created in 1950, and it has long been viewed as the top college All-Star game for players coming off their senior seasons.

The 2025 Senior Bowl will be played on Feb. 1 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.

Some of the biggest names participating in the 2025 Senior Bowl include quarterbacks Jaxson Dart, Dillon Gabriel, Jalen Milroe, Will Howard and Riley Leonard, and running backs Ollie Gordon and Donovan Edwards.

Ohio State superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith seemed to shut down rumors and speculation he could leave the Buckeyes after receiving an alleged NIL offer of $4.5 million-plus to enter the transfer portal based on this response to a fan's post on X.

💯 https://t.co/7xmfmW5jIv

— Jeremiah Smith (@Jermiah_Smith1) January 24, 2025

Smith appears quite happy with Ohio State based on this post too.

😁 https://t.co/o5zK0K29gL

— Jeremiah Smith (@Jermiah_Smith1) January 24, 2025

Pete Nakos of On3 reported on Smith's offer.

NEW: Ohio State is working to retain its top talent after winning the National Championship...

Jeremiah Smith has a $4.5M+ offer and Carnell Tate has a $1M+ offer to enter the Transfer Portal, @PeteNakos_ reports.

Intel: https://t.co/FYiQsM5iyt pic.twitter.com/CYjzGbY5y1

— On3 (@On3sports) January 24, 2025

In his first year at Ohio State, Smith caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns to help lead the Buckeyes to their first national title since 2014 and ninth overall. He amassed 19 catches for 381 yards and five touchdowns in four College Football Playoff games.

Needless to say, the No. 1 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class (per 247Sports' composite rankings) met the hype and then some.

Smith is currently listed with a $4 million NIL valuation, per On3, but one can guess that'll be on the rise. He has two years of college left before he can leave for the NFL draft.

Smith very well could contend for a couple more national titles and perhaps a Heisman Trophy as well given his production.

So he could see more well-deserved money head his way, but it certainly appears that will happen while he's a member of Ohio State, which should be back in the national championship picture once again.