UNDATED (AP) — Dennis Franchione, the longtime college football coach who turned around TCU before stops at Alabama and Texas A&M, has died at the age of 75. TCU announced his death in a statement Tuesday. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which first reported the news, reported that Franchione battled cancer for a decade. Franchione worked his way up the college football coaching ranks during a career that spanned more than 30 years. He was one of nine Football Bowl Subdivision coaches who in June were announced as nominees for the 2027 College Football Hall of Fame class. Franchione led his teams to nine conference championships, nine bowl games, four NAIA playoff games and one NCAA Division II playoff appearance.
UNDATED (AP) — Oklahoma State is making waves in college football under new head coach Eric Morris. The Cowboys have climbed to No. 18 in the AP poll with a 3-1 record, including a big win over then-No. 6 Oregon. Morris brought talent from North Texas, including quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who's now a dark horse Heisman candidate. Morris has revitalized the program with 91 newcomers, and the Cowboys are now in the mix with top conference teams such as No. 8 BYU (4-0), No. 11 Texas Tech (5-0), No. 12 Utah (4-0) and No. 22 Houston (4-1). Of those teams, the Cowboys only face Houston and the Red Raiders this season.
UNDATED (AP) — Former Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy is going to be part of Big 12 football again. He will be a guest analyst Saturday for TNT Sports in the studio during the network’s coverage of Arizona’s game at West Virginia. Gundy will join the network’s panel in Atlanta as part of pregame, halftime and postgame coverage. Gundy was fired by Oklahoma State on Sept. 23, 2025, three games into his 21st season as head coach. The former Cowboys quarterback had a 170-90 record with winning seasons each year from 2006 to 2023. He spent 34 years at the school as a player, assistant coach and head coach.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Deion Sanders is still capturing hearts at Colorado, but wins aren’t following. Colorado's recent 29-7 loss to Texas Tech highlights ongoing challenges. Sanders, who arrived before the 2023 season, has a record of 18-24. A key booster, Rob Wilhite, praises Sanders for revitalizing the program but acknowledges the need for more financial support. Colorado struggles in the name-image-likeness era, losing players to wealthier programs. Despite the setbacks, Sanders brings energy and attention to the team. However, the Buffs face a quarterback crisis and risk sliding back into irrelevance. Fans are frustrated, and Sanders admits they deserve better.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona leading receiver Tré Spivey will miss the remainder of the season with a broken foot suffered against Cincinnati on Saturday. Wildcats coach Brent Brennan said that Spivey will have surgery this week for an injury similar to the one Tetairoa McMillian suffered in 2024. Spivey was injured on the final play of the first half of Arizona’s 34-7 win over the Bearcats and limped to the locker room at halftime. Spivey leads Arizona with 22 catches for 314 yards and four touchdowns this season, his second with the Wildcats after transferring from Kansas State.
MANHATTAN, Kansas (AP) — Kansas State has reached a settlement with former basketball coach Jerome Tang, agreeing to a $12 million payment. The athletic department and Tang announced the agreement, ending a dispute that arose after Tang was fired for cause in February. The firing threatened to void an $18.7 million buyout. Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor expressed gratitude for Tang's contributions, including a memorable first season in which he led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight and was named Naismith Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year. In June, Tang rejoined Baylor's staff as associate head coach.
