UNDATED (AP) — Sometimes a team just has another team’s number until it doesn’t. That’s part of what makes college football so fun. Several matchups Saturday pit teams that had seasons ruined by an upset loss to opponents they otherwise dominated throughout history. Sometimes the loss fueled the fire for the future. Ohio State's playoff hopes died when it got blown out by Iowa in 2017. A loss to Vanderbilt launched Georgia's run to the national championship game the following year. A loss to North Carolina in 2008 was the beginning of the end for Charlie Weis at Notre Dame.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame’s defense seems to have turned a corner. Four games into last season, it was answering question about whether it was stout enough to help the Fighting Irish make a title run. Four games into this season, the numbers indicate there’s not much doubt. The third-ranked Fighting Irish allow the fewest yards per game and second-fewest points per game in the Football Bowl Subdivision heading into Saturday’s game at North Carolina. And while the Irish have given up 23 points, the defense has nearly offset that total by scoring three touchdowns. They’ve done all that despite losing preseason All-American safety Brauntae Johnson and his replacement, Luke Talich, to injuries.
UNDATED (AP) — The ability of No. 8 Florida, No. 14 Iowa and No. 16 Mississippi State to avoid letdowns after emotional victories will be put to the test. Florida goes to No. 25 Missouri off a win over Mississippi. The Gators are in the same position as Ole Miss a week ago when the Rebels were coming off a win against LSU and former coach Lane Kiffin. Iowa beat Michigan on the last play on the road and now hosts No. 5 Ohio State. Mississippi State rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Missouri and now host No. 7 Alabama.
UNDATED (AP) — The Senate has passed a bill aimed at controlling spending and addressing issues in college sports. The bill, which took over four months to pass, faces challenges in the House. Sen. Ted Cruz hopes the House will pass it within four weeks, but the House isn't scheduled to return until after the midterm elections. Some Republicans and Democrats have concerns about the bill, including antitrust protections and the employment status of student-athletes. The bill offers lawsuit protections to the NCAA and increases revenue-sharing with athletes. If the bill doesn't pass, conferences may consider self-governance models.
UNDATED (AP) — The Senate passed a bill that would bring new rules to college sports covering a wide range of issues including how colleges pay their players, what those players can and cannot go to court to fight and how many transfers between schools the players can make. Senators voted 77-22 to pass The Protect College Sports Act, which sends it over to the House where supporters are hoping the large margin and bipartisan nature of the bill will give it momentum to pass before the end of the year.
UNDATED (AP) — The Big Ten Conference has gained bragging rights with three straight national titles while the Southeastern Conference struggles to land a team in the championship game. An Associated Press analysis reveals a shift in recruiting trends, with fewer top high school recruits from SEC states choosing to stay home. The percentage dropped from 72% in 2022 to a projected 53% for 2027. Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference schools are increasingly attracting these players, suggesting a slow drain of talent from the SEC. Coaches attribute this trend to factors like NIL payments and increased national exposure changing the recruiting landscape across college athletics.
