An absurd quest to find who can mimic Indiana's unlikely College Football Playoff run

An absurd quest to find who can mimic Indiana's unlikely College Football Playoff run

Before we can attempt to predict the nextIndiana, we must first appreciate the absurdity, the utter improbability, of the 2024 Hoosiers making theCollege Football Playoff. Indianawon three games the previous season and lost to some of the Big Ten's worst teams. The Hoosiers, who were in their first year with coach Curt Cignetti, had only achieved nine victories twice in its history. Never before had they won 10. Oddsmakers set their over/under at 5½ victories, and the media picked them to finish 17th in the 18-team Big Ten. The Indianapolis Star took "a pretty big leap" while predicting an 8-4 regular season for the Hoosiers. Another Big Ten newspaper of record, the Omaha World-Herald, surmised a "bowl bid is not out of the question," while projecting 6-6. Indiana's accommodating schedule aided its thrill ride, but even knowing that schedule, who foresaw the Hoosiers smashing Nebraska, handling a Michigan team that later beat Alabama, and securing playoff viability at 11-1? So, when trying to pinpoint the next Indiana, it becomes an injustice to the 2024 Hoosiers to include any preseason Top 25 team. Illinoisattracts comparisons to the 2024 Hoosiers, as basketball-leaning Big Ten schools without a history of football greatness. But, Illinois returns most of its starters from a 10-win team. Expectations are too great and too reasonable to earmark the Illini as the next Indiana. Like Illinois, Texas Tech could pursue the program's first playoff appearance, but the Red Raiders don't emulate 2024 Indiana. The Hoosiers assembled their playoff squad from the transfer portal's bargain rack. Texas Tech launched an expensive player-buying campaignfueled by billionaire booster Cody Campbell. Hardly comparable. After putting aside playoff hopefuls like Illinois and Texas Tech, what's left? Teams like UCLA,Californiaand West Virginia are ultimate longshots, built from the portal's fires. Hear me, I'm not suggesting those teams as likely playoff contenders, but, that's sort of the point, isn't it? The ultimate dark horse, Indiana stunningly crafted a warp-speed turnabout with the help of 31 transfers, a cocksure coach in Cignetti, and a favorable schedule, of which they took full advantage. UCLA, Cal and West Virginia each brought in more than 30 transfers apiece. Each has an over/under of 5½ victories. That's Indiana territory. TheBruinsmade one of the offseason's biggest acquisitions by plundering a quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, who's a former five-star recruit. He started a playoff game last season for Tennessee. UCLA, fresh off a 5-7 finish in its Big Ten debut, will endure a schedule that includes Big Ten front-runners Ohio State and Penn State, plus a non-conference tilt against Utah. Iamaleava's arrival provides hope for improvement, but it's hard to see that schedule as a recipe toward being the next Indiana. What, then, about California? TheBearsnabbed former Ohio State backup Devin Brown as a transfer quarterback. Cal, which hasn't won more than eight games since 2008, will avoid Clemson and Miami, two ACC favorites. The schedule, though, includes six road games and a matchup with SMU, a playoff qualifier from last year. That's enough to prevent Cal from becoming the next Indiana. West Virginia overhauled its roster with 52 transfers after hiring Rich Rodriguez for a homecoming. It would be more appropriate to view the Mountaineers, though, through the lens of 2024 Arizona State. The Sun Devils won the Big 12 championship after the media picked them to finish last in the conference. In the unpredictable Big 12, any number of teams could ascend and claim the auto-bid entry to the playoff. Missouri profiles as a playoff sleeper, after the media picked it to finish 12th in the SEC. The Tigers secured a fine collection of portal prizes, including former Penn State backup quarterback Beau Pribula. Missouri's accommodating schedule positions it to exceed its Vegas over/under of 7½ wins. But, the Tigers won 21 games the past two seasons. They've been too good recently to aptly compare to Indiana. POWER RANKINGS:Where the Big Ten teams stack from first to worst DEAD PLAN:SEC suffocates the Big Ten's plan to rig playoff As I search for the next Indiana, I circle back to the Big Ten. The conference is so big that teams only play half the membership, and there's no requirement to play a Power Four non-conference opponent. That's a breeding ground for a fortunate schedule draw. Consider Maryland. TheTerrapinswon't play a non-conference Power Four foe, and they avoid Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon. Expectations remain low. Vegas sets the over/under at 4½ wins. Maryland likely will start several transfers after finishing 4-8 last season, and four-star freshman Malik Washington projects as the starting quarterback. Maryland cashing in on a favorable schedule to the extent it could make the playoff sounds highly improbable. When trying to unearth an Indiana sequel, that's the assignment. If the idea doesn't sound absurd, then that team doesn't count as the next Indiana. Blake Toppmeyeris the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him atBToppmeyer@gannett.comand follow him on X@btoppmeyer. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:College Football Playoff's next Indiana is difficult team to find

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

An absurd quest to find who can mimic Indiana's unlikely College Football Playoff run

An absurd quest to find who can mimic Indiana's unlikely College Football Playoff run Before we can attempt to predict the nextIndiana, ...

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NFLPA controversies: What to know about Lloyd Howell, JC Tretter resignations

NFLPA controversies: What to know about Lloyd Howell, JC Tretter resignations

The NFLPA isn't usually the subject of significant attention unless it is negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with theNFL. However, in recent weeks, the labor union representing the NFL's players has found itself in the spotlight often thanks to a variety of scandals within its ranks. These controversies have caused the NFLPA's executive director, Lloyd Howell Jr., to resign just two years after taking over the role from DeMaurice Smith. JC Tretter, who served as the union's president from 2020 to 2024, is also set to step down from the organization as it undergoes a shake-up. Why is there so much turmoil within the NFLPA? Here's what to know about the recent controversies surrounding the labor union. Several controversies have rocked the NFLPA in recent weeks. Below are the full details of the two most notable ones. In January, arbiter Christopher Droney ruled on a grievance filed by former NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith. The grievance alleged NFL teams had colluded to limit guaranteed money in deals to top quarterbacks after the Cleveland Browns signedDeshaun Watsontoa fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract. Droney ruled that there was insufficient evidence of collusion by the NFL's owners. However, he stated in his decision that the NFLPA had clearly shown that Goodell and Pash had urged owners to keep guarantees lower at the March 2022 league meeting, which occurred just weeks after Watson inked his deal. Shortly after Droney's ruling, the NFL and NFLPA struck a confidentiality agreementto keep the findings secret. As a result, information about Droney's 61-page ruling did not become public until"Pablo Torre Finds Out"reported on it in June. The ruling includedmentions of several quarterbacksand a series of text messages between Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell and Los Angeles Chargers owner Dean Spanos after Arizona signed quarterbackKyler Murrayto a long-term extension. "Congratulations on signing Murray," Spanos texted Bidwill. "Thanks Deno! These QB deals are expensive but we limited the fully guaranteed money and have some pretty good language," Bidwill wrote back. "Thankfully, we have a QB that's worth paying." "Your deal helps us for our QB next year," Spanos texted. "I think many teams will be happy with it once they have a chance to review. Cleveland really screwed things up, but I was resolved to keep the guaranteed [money] relatively 'low,'" Bidwill responded. None of the quarterbacks mentioned in the evidence – a group that included Murray,Lamar JacksonandRussell Wilson– were made aware of what had happened because of the confidentiality agreement. LLOYD HOWELL:What's next for the NFLPA after stunning resignation? The NFL filed a grievance against the NFLPAin September 2023, which accused the union of encouraging players to fake injuries. The grievance stemmed from comments made by former NFLPA president JC Tretter, which implied faking injuries was a way for players to avoid fines during contract negotiation holdouts. "I think we've seen issues – now, I don't think anybody would say they were fake injuries, but we've seen players who didn't want to be where they currently are, have injuries that made them unable to practice and play, but you're not able to get fined, and you're not able to be punished for not reporting," Tretter said at the time. "So there are issues like that. I don't think I'm allowed to ever recommend that, at least publicly, but I think each player needs to find a way to build up leverage to try to get a fair deal. And that's really what all these guys are looking for, is to be compensated fairly." A non-injury grievance arbitrator ruled in favor of the NFL on Feb. 20, 2025. However, neither the NFL nor the NFLPA publicly disclosed this outcome in the immediate aftermath of the ruling. "The Arbitrator upheld the Management Council's grievance in its entirety and found that Mr. Tretter's statements violated the CBA by improperly encouraging players to fake injury," read a July statement given by the NFL to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. The statement also clarified the NFL did not allege any specific player faked an injury. Its main issue was with Tretter's comments being representative of the union condoning or encouraging that behavior, which the league alleged would violate an article in the two parties' collective bargaining agreement. Howell is the former executive director of the NFLPA. He resigned amid scandal after further scrutiny was applied to his two-year tenure in the role. Howell wasn't only responsible for his role in suppressing the two rulings outlined above. It was also revealed he hadexpensed multiple strip club trips on the NFLPA's dimeand hada part-time consulting gig at The Carlyle Group– a private equity firm that the NFL approved to seek minority ownership stakes in its teams – in addition to his job with the NFLPA. "It's clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day. For this reason, I have informed the NFLPA Executive Committee that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the NFLPA and Chairman of the Board of NFL Players effective immediately," Howell said in a statement. "I hope this will allow the NFLPA to maintain its focus on its player members ahead of the upcoming season." OPINION:Former NFLPA head Lloyd Howell was sunk by his own secrets Tretter – an eight-year NFL veteran who played with the Green Bay Packers and Browns before serving as the NFLPA's president from 2020 to 2024 – resigned after scandals rocked the organization. "Over the last couple days, it has gotten very, very hard for my family. And that's something I can't deal with," Tretter toldCBS Sports. "So, the short bullet points are: I have no interest in being [executive director]. I have no interest in being considered; I've let the executive committee know that. I'm also going to leave the NFLPA in the coming days because I don't have anything left to give the organization." Initial reporting indicated Tretter had support as a potential executive director of the NFLPA. Instead, the labor union will have to search elsewhere for a replacement for Howell. It isn't clear who will be the next head of the NFLPA. However, Tretter revealed in his interview with CBS Sports there had been a strong preference among the NFLPA executive committee for David White, the former SAG-AFTRA leader, when Howell was selected. Could the NFLPA executive committee target White after Howell's failed tenure? Only time will tell. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFLPA controversies, explained: Why Lloyd Howell, JC Tretter resigned

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

NFLPA controversies: What to know about Lloyd Howell, JC Tretter resignations

NFLPA controversies: What to know about Lloyd Howell, JC Tretter resignations The NFLPA isn't usually the subject of significant attenti...

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What's the answer to college football's playoff problem? Big Ten commish points at 'play-in games' for his rationale

What's the answer to college football's playoff problem? Big Ten commish points at 'play-in games' for his rationale

LAS VEGAS — A month ago, as he tuned into a College Football Playoff meeting through Zoom, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti felt a wave of sudden enlightenment wash over him. As he watched CFP staff members share potential changes to the criteria and data used by the selection committee, as he witnessed mathematicians deliver ideas on adjustments, Petitti pulled away from the Zoom and had a thought. What the heck are we doing? "I found myself sitting there thinking that play-in games seem so rational as we look at folks talk about points and subtracting numbers and adding numbers. I'm thinking, 'This is the rational system and the one where we play games is radical?' "I admire the work they're putting into it and all the stuff they're talking about and adding and subtracting and listening to mathematicians and scheduling experts. But all of that is more valuable than two teams playing on the field? OK." In an interview on Monday with Yahoo Sports from the site of this week's Big Ten football media days, Petitti emphasized that his league's position on a future playoff format remains unchanged — a position, he says, that is unlikely to change until the power conferences agree to play the same amount of conference games (nine) and until the selection process is rectified. The conference continues to support a playoff structure with more automatic access spots as opposed to the so-called "5+11" format that features more at-large selections. The Big Ten's long-discussed playoff format — a "4-4-2-2-1" model — would grant four automatic qualifiers to the SEC and Big Ten, two each to the ACC and Big 12, one to the highest-ranked Group of Six champion and three at-large selections. The model, vehemently opposed by the ACC and Big 12, would reduce the subjectivity of the selection committee, incentivize more perennial non-conference matchups and, Petitti says, provide an avenue for inner-conference play-in style games pitting, for instance, the third-place Big Ten team against the sixth-place finisher for a spot in the playoff. Any format with a bigger at-large pool such as the 5+11 — it grants qualifiers to the top five conference champions and 11 at-large spots — relies too heavily on a subjective selection committee, he says. Petitti believes proposed alterations to the data used by selection committee members to seed teams and determine at-large selections remains "incredibly incomplete" and, he suggested, may never reach the point of satisfying his membership. "I've heard my colleagues around other leagues say that a lot of work has to be done to the selection committee and that's where I have a hard time on what that actually means," Petitti said. "In talking to some of the folks in our room, our ADs that have been on that (selection) committee, I've yet to hear someone say they need more data or stuff to look at. You can come up and make metrics, but ultimately it's just people evaluating what's put in front of them." While acknowledging that his league must agree with the SEC on a playoff format in order for it to advance forward — the two conferences control the matter — Petitti says he's OK with the playoff remaining at 12 teams next season instead of the proposed 16-team expanded model. "Earlier on, we felt expansion would be a good thing, but we're not going to expand unless we really feel like the format and access makes sense," Petitti said. "It has to make the regular season better. If it doesn't do that, why are we doing it?" Such a possibility — remaining as a 12-team playoff in 2026 — is growing more likely by the day as the two conferences remain at an impasse, both with one another over the number of conference games they play (SEC eight and the Big Ten nine) and with the CFP's selection process. The SEC is yet to decide on whether it is moving from eight conference games to nine in 2026, though signs point to the conference remaining at eight games at least for next year, especially if the selection committee process is unsatisfactory. Even SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said last week during his media days there's"not a lot of warmth" from the football coachesin adding an extra conference game. The SEC's head coaches hold sway in the conference. In fact,their pushback to the Big Ten's 4-4-2-2-1 modelin May shifted the league's consideration of that format. Meanwhile, neither league seems necessarily agreeable to proposed alterations to data in the selection process. The CFP staff proposed to commissioners an adjustment to the committee's strength-of-schedule ranking that gives more weight to games played, for instance, against the top 30-40 programs in the country. Secondly, a new data point, "strength of record," has been created that grants more weight to good wins and doesn't penalize as much a program for losses against ranked or top teams. Petitti is unmoved. He is against widening the at-large pool from seven to 11 teams as it gives the 12-member selection committee — a rotation of mostly athletic directors and former coaches — more authority. "It's not that we think the selection committee does a poor job. I'm just not sure how you make it better. The more teams you add, the more tough decisions you create," he said. "We're going to give the committee more to do? What's the reason to do that? Giving them more work to do and more discretion?" Despite the disagreement with the SEC, both commissioners say that they continue to speak regularly and the two leagues remain close. Petitti hopes the conferences can hold a third joint athletic director meeting soon. "Anybody who is writing that the fact we might not be on the same page today on format changes means we don't have a great working relationship is in the wrong place," Petitti said Monday. Said Sankey last week: "There is no rift between the SEC and Big Ten commissioners. We have different views. That's OK." They disagree on something else too: the timing of the transfer portal. A committee of power conference football administrators and athletic directors is expected to make a formal recommendation on the portal soon. The expectation is for a single portal in January. The Big Ten remains the only FBS conference that is against such a move.Big Ten coaches and administrators are pushing for an April portal. "That's not where the other three (power) leagues are," Petitti said. "At the end of the day, when you govern with others, there are going to be issues where you know you're going to have to agree that your position wasn't the one adopted. But having player movement occur during the postseason seems something that is not ideal. It puts players in tough spots. It's not good for the game." In an interview with Yahoo Sports last week, Sankey said he was seeking a portal date that is "the right thing for the educational enterprise," and both leaders believe there should be a single portal as opposed to the two currently existing. "We have to get back as a collegiate enterprise to say we have a responsibility and expectation that you pursue your education in a consistent way," Sankey said. "Transferring every semester or five schools in five years is not consistent with those objectives."

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

What's the answer to college football's playoff problem? Big Ten commish points at 'play-in games' for his rationale

What's the answer to college football's playoff problem? Big Ten commish points at 'play-in games' for his rationale LAS VEG...

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US citizen among eight Druze family members executed during Syria’s sectarian violence

US citizen among eight Druze family members executed during Syria's sectarian violence

An American citizen from Oklahoma was among eight men, all family members, rounded up and killed in an execution-style attack during the sectarian violence that flared in Syria last week. Hosam Saraya, a 35-year-old Syrian-American, was identified by friend Bahaa Imad and a US relative as one of eight men whose killing was captured on a video that circulated on social media over the weekend. The video, which has been geolocated by CNN, shows a group of armed men wearing military uniforms and face masks firing on eight captives while shouting "God is great." CNN cannot independently verify the identify of the gunmen in the video. It has reached out to the Syrian government for comment. Saraya's brother Kareem and other family members were also executed, according to the US relative, who asked not to be named for her safety. She spoke directly with relatives in Syria who said the family's male members had all been killed – leaving only their wives and daughters. The killings occurred on July 17 amid an outbreak of sectarian violence between Syrian Druze groups and Bedouin tribes in the Druze-majority Suwayda province. Saraya, who had studied in Oklahoma before returning to Syria, belonged to the Druze community, an Arab religious group of roughly one million people who primarily live in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. He had gone to Syria to care for his father who was ill, the US relative said. The relative said female family members who survived the massacre recalled how militants had stormed the family's multi-story home early in the morning, prompting the residents to fight back in defense. After one of the family members was wounded, the rest surrendered their weapons, she said, and the men were taken outside. Bahaa Imad, a 20-year-old friend of the Saraya family, corroborated these details, saying he witnessed the militants storm the home and forcibly remove eight men, while leaving female family members inside. The US relative first learned of the attack when one of the female survivors sent her a desperate message: "Pray for us, they kidnapped the boys, they shot the house, they stole stuff". Twelve hours passed as the family desperately waited for news, hoping their relatives would return safely. It wasn't until another overseas relative saw the videos circulating of their execution that they realized the eight men had been killed. Imad said relatives later told him the captives were marched 200 meters to Tishreen Square, where they were lined up and executed. One of the men had sent a final message to friends that read, "Come and help us if you can. They surrounded us," Imad said. Imad identified Hosam Saraya's body after watching the video. "I don't know how monsters can do that," the US relative told CNN. Asked about Saraya, the US State Department confirmed Monday that an American citizen had died in Suwayda. It did not offer details about the death but said it was "greatly concerned when any US citizen is harmed overseas, wherever they are" and called "for accountability in all cases where US citizens are harmed abroad." Oklahoma Sens. James Lankford and Markwayne Mullin also confirmed the killing of an American from the state in Syria. "Hosam was an Oklahoman and member of the Druze community who was tragically executed alongside other members of his family in Syria," Lankford wrote on X. "We are praying for his family, friends, and the entire community as they grieve this senseless loss." Mullin wrote on X that an "American citizen from Oklahoma" was "brutally executed alongside his family members in Syria," adding he was working with partners in the region to learn more. His tweet did not name the Saraya family. Widespread violence between the Druze minority and Bedouin tribes in southern Syria erupted on July 13 and has left hundreds dead in the latest explosion of sectarian bloodletting since the authoritarian rule of Bashar al-Assad was toppled by a coalition of Islamist rebels. The violence drew Israeli intervention in support of the Druze, as well as US condemnation and an international scramble to stop the fighting spiraling further. The Syrian government said over the weekend thatclashesin Suwayda had stopped after a ceasefire agreement was reached between the government,Druze groups, and Bedouin tribes. A separate ceasefire was agreed between Syria and Israel. The deal was announced by US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who said it was "embraced" by Turkey, Jordan and other neighboring countries. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 21, 2025

US citizen among eight Druze family members executed during Syria’s sectarian violence

US citizen among eight Druze family members executed during Syria's sectarian violence An American citizen from Oklahoma was among eight...

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China rallies for opposition as Taiwan gears up for mass parliamentary recall

China rallies for opposition as Taiwan gears up for mass parliamentary recall

By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard TAIPEI (Reuters) -As Taiwan gears up for a recall vote that could reshape its parliament, opposition lawmakers being challenged at the ballot box are getting two unusual supporters: Chinese officials and state media outlets rallying to their cause. While President Lai Ching-te won the election last year, his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its legislative majority. The opposition has flexed its muscles since then to pass laws the government has opposed and impose budget cuts, complicating efforts to boost defence spending in particular. The political drama has been happening against a backdrop of China ramping up its own military and diplomatic pressure campaign against Taiwan to assert territorial claims Lai and his government resolutely reject. Lai has offered talks with Beijing many times, but been rebuffed. Civic groups formally started the recall campaign earlier this year, and on Saturday voters will decide on the fate of 24 lawmakers from Taiwan's largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), around one-fifth of all lawmakers. The recall groups say theirs is an "anti-communist" movement, accusing the KMT of selling out Taiwan by sending lawmakers to China, not supporting defence spending, and bringing chaos to parliament. The KMT rejects those accusations, denouncing Lai's "dictatorship" and "green terror" - the DPP's party colour. China has not sat quietly on the sidelines, to the KMT's unease, ever wary of being "painted red" by its opponents. In June, two senior Chinese officials overseeing Taiwan policy denounced the recalls as a "political scheme" of Lai's. Lai is "engaging in dictatorship under the guise of democracy" and "using every means possible to suppress the opposition," China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian told a news briefing in June. Taiwanese tycoon Robert Tsao, one of the most prominent recall campaigners, said such comments would only support their cause. "It shows they (the KMT) are together with the communist party. It helps us," he told reporters at a campaign event on Monday. 'OUR BUSINESS' The KMT says it neither asked for nor wants China's support, can't control what China says, and that it is not pro-Beijing. "We feel the same way as all the people of Taiwan - this is our business. It is the two parties, the DPP and the KMT, fighting for public support, for public recognition. It has nothing to do with the mainland," party spokesperson Crystal Yang told Reuters. Chinese state media outlets and their affiliated social media accounts published some 425 articles or videos describing the recall campaign as "dictatorship" or "green terror" in the first half of 2025, according to Taiwan research organisation IORG, which analyses Chinese state media. In an April commentary, China's ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily said Lai was "presumptuously abusing the recall system to crack down on the opposition party, attempting to establish a 'green dictatorship.'" Pointing to the similarity between China and the KMT's arguments against the recalls, Wu Szu-yao, secretary general of the DPP's legislative caucus, said Beijing is "offering ammunition" to the KMT to sway voters. "China is really concerned that the mass recall will be successful and win the support of Taiwan's public," she said. China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to a request for comment. The KMT says its China engagement is vital given Beijing's refusal to talk to Lai, who it says is a "separatist", and to advocate for Taiwan's interests, such as promoting agricultural exports. "This is an unfair criticism," Tony Lin, chair of the KMT's Culture and Communication Committee, said, referring to the accusations they are pro-Beijing. "What we have always stressed is that we are pro-communication." The KMT hopes people will turn out to also express their dissatisfaction with Lai, whom they say is incompetent and has stoked tensions with China. "The DPP uses its overwhelming propaganda network to bring up a sense of fear (about China) in Taiwan society," said Huang Kwei-bo, a professor of diplomacy at Taipei's National Chengchi University and a former KMT deputy secretary general. (Reporting by Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Lincoln Feast)

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 21, 2025

China rallies for opposition as Taiwan gears up for mass parliamentary recall

China rallies for opposition as Taiwan gears up for mass parliamentary recall By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard TAIPEI (Reuters) -As Taiwan ge...

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