UNDATED (AP) — No. 2 Ohio State has an uncertain quarterback situation without the injured Julian Sayin as the Buckeyes prepare to visit Southern California in the Big Ten's biggest game of the week. USC is attempting to bounce back from a 24-7 loss at Wisconsin that dropped the Trojans out of the Top 25. Other notable Big Ten matchups have No. 25 Wisconsin heading to Iowa, Minnesota going to No. 4 Indiana and Chip Kelly returning to Oregon as No. 20 Northwestern's offensive coordinator.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ohio State is in Southern California this weekend with the No. 2 ranking, a sturdy defense and the nation’s best receiver to face an opponent on the verge of disarray. Seems like the only thing the Buckeyes don’t have is a starting quarterback. Coach Ryan Day isn’t saying whether Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair will be behind center against desperate USC in a sold-out Coliseum on Halloween night. USC’s dreams of its first College Football Playoff berth are nearly dead, but an upset win over vaunted Ohio State would be arguably the most significant achievement of coach Lincoln Riley’s five underwhelming years in charge.
UNDATED (AP) — The Indiana Hoosiers offense has suddenly stalled. At Nebraska, a stagnant ground game produced only 65 yards. Against Ohio State, the inability to finish drives with touchdowns resulted in a 19-15 loss. And last week, at Michigan, Josh Hoover completed just eight passes for 81 yards before running for a 4-yard touchdown in overtime to the give Hoosiers a 13-6 victory. So with a November run looming and the defending national champs hoping to make a third straight playoff appearance, the fourth-ranked Hoosiers need to find a solution — even if Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck sees few flaws.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava says he's heartbroken his season has ended due to injury. He was hurt in a win at Oregon on Oct. 11. Iamaleava was tackled by two defenders and twisted his left leg. He returned briefly but didn't play in the second half. He shared his feelings on Instagram on Thursday in his first public comments, saying he’s accepted the season is over but believes everything happens for a reason. Coach Bob Chesney confirmed Iamaleava will miss the rest of the season and is expected to have surgery. Ty Dieffenbach will make his third start in Iamaleava's place as the undefeated Bruins host Nevada on Saturday.
UNDATED (AP) — The eligibility chaos playing out in lawsuits and courthouses all over the country has reached the basketball season. The first Division I men's and women's basketball games start Sunday. Yet that comes as legal cases tied to eligiblity inch their way through the court system. Many cases are centered on the NCAA's adoption of an age-based model giving athletes a fifth year going forward. Others deal with athletes returning to college after signing with professional teams. The cases have created volatility with players still waiting to be cleared or facing hearings that could change their status abruptly during the season.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has filed an order to keep players involved in an eligibility case available to play for teams nationwide. This decision maintains a previous ruling that stayed a lower-court decision declaring the players ineligible. The case involves the NCAA and players like Filip Borovicanin of Xavier. The court was asked to determine the legality of an executive order by Gov. Mike DeWine granting athletes a fifth year of eligibility, defying NCAA rules. The NCAA sued DeWine, claiming the order disrupts fair competition. This issue has led to lawsuits and chaos as coaches finalize rosters.
ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — The Big Ten has approved a new rule limiting schools to $27.5 million in third-party name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals for players. This aligns with the revenue-sharing cap in the proposed Protect College Sports Act. The conference says the rule will ease the transition if the act becomes law and shows their commitment to it. However, attorneys who sued the conferences and NCAA argue the rule violates agreements on paying players. They plan to challenge it. The Senate passed the act in September, and it's awaiting action in the House. The rule takes effect immediately, with penalties for violations.
UNDATED (AP) — March Madness is getting supersized. The men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament fields are growing to 76 teams this season, up from 68. This marks the first time the men’s draw has expanded since it went from 64 teams to 68 in 2011. The women’s draw didn’t go from 64 to 68 teams until 2022. Here's a breakdown of the new men's and women's tournament formats with important dates and locations.
