How did we get here? How did we get to this place where, under the fig leaf of Name, Image, and Likeness rights, sports boosters have organized to effectively pay some star players seven-figure salaries?

How did we get here? How did we get to this place where, under the fig leaf of Name, Image, and Likeness rights, sports boosters have organized to effectively pay some star players seven-figure salaries?
Below are the Top 25 rankings based on the Sagarin rankings for the week ending April 3rd. These rankings are amongst the now 88 schools participating in the spring schedule. Joining Illinois State, who opted out the prior week, to opt out of the season after starting their season are Albany, Chattanooga, and Cal Poly […]
Below are the Top 25 rankings based on the Sagarin rankings for the week ending March 28th. These rankings are amongst the now 91 schools participating in the spring schedule. NOTE: the Ivy League and Mid-Eastern (MEAC) conferences are not participating in the 2021 spring schedule. The Big Sky Conference was the big winner […]
Below are the Top 25 rankings based on the Sagarin rankings for the week ending March 21st. These rankings are amongst the now 91 schools (Illinois State just announced it will forgo the rest of its spring schedule) participating in the spring schedule. NOTE: the Ivy League and Mid-Eastern (MEAC) conferences are not participating in […]
Below are the Top 25 rankings based on the Sagarin rankings for the week ending March 14th. These rankings are amongst the 92 schools participating in the spring schedule. NOTE: the Ivy League and Mid-Eastern (MEAC) conferences are not participating in the 2021 spring schedule. North Dakota State moves back into the top spot […]
The conference schedule for the eight teams that will play in the Pioneer Football League begin this week. The PFL will play a six-week sprint of a spring season before the champion of the league advances to the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs.
Below are the Top 25 rankings based on the Sagarin rankings for the week ending March 7th. These rankings are amongst the 92 schools participating in the spring schedule. The Missouri Valley Football Conference is well represented with the Top 4 teams in the rankings. In total, the MVFC has eight teams in the […]
Below are the Top 25 rankings based on the Sagarin rankings for the week ending February 28th. These rankings are amongst the 92 schools participating in the spring schedule. North Dakota State lost to Southern Illinois this week and moved down to the #2 spot in the rankings. South Dakota State moves up to […]
Below are the Top 25 rankings based on the Sagarin rankings for the week ending February 21st. These rankings are amongst the 92 schools participating in the spring schedule. Three-time defending champion North Dakota State stays in the top spot following its spring season opening win at home over Youngstown State. South Dakota State […]
Below are the Top 25 FCS preseason rankings based on the Sagarin rankings for the spring 2021 season. These rankings are amongst the 94 of the total of 127 schools participating in the spring schedule. Three-time defending champion North Dakota State is the preseason top spot with the team the Bison defeated in the last […]
This has been an unprecedented past 12 months for college football with the Division I ranks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This past fall, we saw the FBS subdivision of Division I play through what right now looks like the peak of the pandemic of November and December. All FBS conferences did not start the […]
A total of 29 bowl games, including the College Football Playoff semi-finals and championship, are scheduled to take place beginning Dec. 21 with the Myrtle Beach Bowl and ending Jan. 11 with the College Football Playoff National Championship in Miami. Of the 29 bowls, 14 of the bowls will include at least one team from […]
In this unique year with COVID-19, the college football season still played on for the Group of Five. Some conferences like the Mid-American and the Mountain West Conferences joined the season late, while the American Athletic, Conference USA, and Sun Belt Conference started their seasons on time. With COVID-19, several bowl game have been canceled […]
BYU at Coastal CarolinaWhen: Friday, Dec. 5th, 5:30 PM ESTWhere: Brooks Stadium, Conway, S.C.TV/Streaming: ESPNU/WatchESPN (subscription req’d) Wow, how things can change in the course of just a few days. I was set to write up a preview for Liberty visiting Coastal Carolina but that game was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns with the Liberty program. Within hours […]
At the campuses at Lehigh and Lafayette, and the communities that surround them, there is a void in the third week in November, that most are trying to fill with virtual Rivalry activities and hope for a spring football season, making it not a cancelling of The Rivalry, but merely a delay to contest the game when it’s safer to have a more normal gameday experience.
Five players including Zach Wilson from BYU, Dillon Gabriel from UCF, Jarell White from Cincinnati, Jamal Ligon from UTSA, and Nate Snyder from Louisiana have been selected as the College Sports Journal All-Stars for the week ending Sept. 28th, 2020 from the NCAA Division I FBS Group of Five schools. Zach Wilson, BYU, QB, Jr., […]
Five players including Dillon Gabriel from UCF, Elijah Mitchell from Louisiana, Tavante Beckett from Marshall, Diego Fagot from Navy, and Chris Naggar from SMU have been selected as the College Sports Journal All-Stars for the week ending Sept. 21st, 2020 from the NCAA Division I FBS Group of Five schools. Dillon Gabriel, UCF, QB, Soph. […]
Five players including Jonathan Adams, Jr. from Arkansas State, Sincere McCormick from UTSA, Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina, Cameron Sample form Tulane, and Chris Smith from Louisiana have been selected as the College Sports Journal All-Stars for the week ending Sept. 14th, 2020 from the NCAA Division I FBS Group of Five schools. This week’s […]
As a long-overdue paradigm shift regarding the student-athlete voice envelops the most high-profile yet taboo culture in higher education, three outdated mantras within college athletics must change.
1920 saw the game regain some of its stronghold across the nation as the game continued making its way back on college campuses across the nation.
On July 21st, 2020, when David Pollack went on air to suggest that FCS football should permanently become spring football, I cringed.
Hope is not a strategy, and the truth is any form of national strategy has failed in an effort to have college football this fall. In a community like the Lehigh Valley, it’s a crushing loss to the coronavirus.
Anyone who wants to know why we won’t have college football this fall ought to sit in on their local school board meeting to understand exactly why.
The Patriot League’s dilemmas, whether the rest of FCS admits it or not, is the FCS’ dilemmas. And as we inch closer to an alleged 2020 college football season, the NCAA needs to make some things very clear before a huge mess happens.
Its been a rollercoaster ride in the past three-to-four months when thinking about a college football season for the Group of Five and really all of college football amid the COVID-19 pandamic. As it is today our countries Independence Day and inching closer to the scheduled 2020 college football season, I poised the question what […]
The writing has been on the wall for months, but many seem unable or unwilling to accept what is now reality. The college football season will not be starting on time, if it happens at all.
During an ordinary offseason, during an ordinary May, the writers here at College Sports Journal would be in the middle of looking over 2020 fall rosters and doing football team evaluations for the upcoming year. But this isn’t an ordinary offseason by any definition.
Though it might not be the time to make definitive plans to tailgate at Michigan/Ohio State this November, the latest news on mitigation strategies for COVID-19 inform potential strategies on trying to form answers some of the big questions still out there.
Below are the Final 2019 Top 25 FCS rankings based on the Sagarin rankings after all postseason games have been completed in Division I play. These rankings include all FBS Bowl games and the entire FCS playoffs, including both the FCS and CFP National Championship games. North Dakota State remains in the top spot following […]
Louisiana vs. Miami (OH) (Lending Tree Bowl) When: Monday, January 6th 7:30 PM EST Where: Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala. TV/Streaming: ESPN, WatchESPN (subscription req’d) Lending Tree Bowl History (Last Seven) The bowl has been titled several different things since it began following the 1999 season. The game was known as the Mobile Alabama Bowl for its first […]
Southern Miss vs. Tulane (Armed Forces Bowl) When: Saturday, January 4th 11:30 AM EST Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Tex. TV/Streaming: ESPN, WatchESPN (subscription req’d) Armed Forces Bowl History (Last Seven) December 29, 2012 Rice 33 Air Force 14 December 30, 2013 Navy 24 Middle Tennessee 6 January 2, 2015 Houston 35 Pittsburgh 34 […]
Nevada vs. Ohio (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl) When: Friday, January 3rd 3:30 PM EST Where: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho TV/Streaming: ESPN, WatchESPN (subscription req’d) Potato Bowl History (Last Eight) December 17, 2011 Ohio 24 Utah State 23 December 15, 2012 Utah State 41 Toledo 15 December 21, 2013 San Diego State 49 Buffalo 24 December 20, […]
Boston College vs. Cincinnati (Birmingham Bowl) When: Thursday, January , 2nd 4:00 PM EST Where: Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala. TV/Streaming: ESPN, WatchESPN (subscription req’d) Birmingham Bowl History (Last Five) January 3, 2015 Florida 28 East Carolina 20 December 30, 2015 Auburn 31 Memphis 10 December 29, 2016 South Florida 46 South Carolina 39 (OT) December 23, 2017 […]
Georgia vs. Baylor (Sugar Bowl) When: Wednesday, January 1st, 8:45 PM EST Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La. TV/Streaming: ESPN, WatchESPN (subscription req’d) Sugar Bowl History (Last 7) January 3, 2012 Michigan 23 Virginia Tech 20 January 2, 2013 Louisville 33 Florida 23 January 2, 2014 Oklahoma 45 Alabama 31 January 1, 2015[CFP] #4 Ohio State 42 […]
Kentucky vs. Virginia Tch (Orange Bowl) When: Monday, December 31st, 12:00 PM EST Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C. TV/Streaming: ESPN, WatchESPN (subscription req’d) Belk Bowl History (Last 7) December 27, 2011 NC State 31 Louisville 24 December 27, 2012 Cincinnati 48 Duke 34 December 28, 2013 North Carolina 39 Cincinnati 17 December 30, 2014 Georgia […]
Boise State vs. Washington (Las Vegas Bowl) When: Saturday, December 21, 7:30 PM EST Where: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev. TV/Streaming: ABC, WatchESPN (subscription req’d) Las Vegas Bowl History 18-Dec-92 Bowling Green 35–34 Nevada 17-Dec-93 Utah State 42–33 Ball State 15-Dec-94 UNLV 52–24 Central Michigan 14-Dec-95 Toledo 40–37 (OT) Nevada 18-Dec-96 Nevada 18–15 Ball State 20-Dec-97 Oregon 41–13 […]
Central Michigan vs. San Diego State (New Mexico Bowl) When: Saturday, December 21, 2:00 PM EST Where: Dreamstyle Stadium, Albuquerque, N.M. TV/Streaming: ESPN, WatchESPN (subscription req’d) New Mexico Bowl Bowl History December 23, 2006 San Jose State 20 New Mexico 12 December 22, 2007 New Mexico 23 Nevada 0 December 20, 2008 Colorado State 40 […]
I may be in a unique situation as my crossover for football is not the FBS Power Five (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, & SEC, as well as Independent Notre Dame) and Group of Five (AAC, C-USA, MAC, Mountain West, & Sun Belt) schools like many college football reporters. Rather, my take is both […]
Here are the Top 25 FBS Group of Five (G5) rankings based on the Sagarin rankings for the week ending Dec, 7th, 2019. Memphis retains the top spot following its AAC Conference title win over Cincinnati this week. This will be the last rating until after after the national championship game in January. A final […]
Hawai’i at Boise State When: Saturday, December 7, 4:00 PM EST Where: Albertson’s Stadium, Boise, Idaho TV/Streaming: ESPN / WatchESPN Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (9-4, 5-3 MWC) Mountain West West Division Champions Location: Honolulu, Hawai’i Enrollment: 18,056 Season Recap: The Rainbow Warriors clinched a spot in the league title game for the first time after edging San Diego State 14-11 two weeks […]
Cincinnati at Memphis When: Saturday, December 7th, 3:30 PM EST Where:Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, Tenn. TV/Streaming: ABC / WatchESPN Cincinnati Bearcats (10-2, 7-1 AAC) AAC East Division Champions Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Enrollment: 43,691 Season Recap: The Bearcats won the AAC East, one game better in the division standings than Central Florida. Cincinnati is looking for its sixth conference championship […]
UAB at FAU When: Saturday, December 7, 12:30 PM CST Where:FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Fla. TV/Streaming: CBS Sports Network / CBS Sports App UAB Blazers (9-3, 6-2 C-USA) Conference USA West Division Champions Location: Birmingham, Ala. Enrollment: 22,080 Season Recap:UAB, the reigning Conference USA Champion, looks to win back-to-back titles on Saturday when the Blazers visit Florida Atlantic for […]
Central Michigan vs. Miami (OH) When: Saturday, December 7th, 12:00 PM EST Where: Ford Field, Detroit, Mich. TV/Streaming: ESPN2 / WatchESPN Central Michigan Chippewas (8-4, 6-2 MAC) MAC West Division Champions Location: Mount Pleasant, Mich. Enrollment: 28,389 Season Recap: The Chippewas come into this game with some momentum as CMU had a 49-7 throttling of Toledo in […]
Louisiana at Appalachian State When: Saturday, December 7, 12:00 PM EST Where:Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, N.C. TV/Streaming: ESPN / WatchESPN Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (9-2, 7-1 SBC) Sun Belt West Division Champions Location: Lafayette, La. Enrollment: 19,188 Head Coach: Billy Napier, 2nd Season (Career Record: 17-9) Season Recap:With its 31-30 win over ULM, Louisiana clinched its first 10-win season in […]
Here are the Top 25 FBS Group of Five (G5) rankings based on the Sagarin rankings for the week ending Nov. 30th, 2019. Memphis retains the top spot following its showdown with Cincinnati this week. CSJ will show weekly rankings from the Sagarin rankings throughout the season and will have a final ranking after the […]
The final regular season week in the Group of Five had a number of fire works and many others that went as expected. The four teams ranked in the College Football Playoff Top 25 were in action and all have found their way to their respective conference championship game. The biggest game of the week […]
Six players including Caleb Evans from ULM, Malcolm Perry from Navy, Victor Tucker from Charlotte, Dustin Crum from Kent State, Ivan Pace Jr. from Miami (OH), and Jose Borregales from FIU have been selected as the College Sports Journal All-Stars for the week ending Nov. 25th, 2019 from the NCAA Division I FBS Group of […]
The regular season is over but four Missouri Valley Football Conference teams will be playing in the FCS postseason tournament. Two MVFC teams were seeded with North Dakota State getting the #1 seed and South Dakota State getting the #7 seed. Northern Iowa and Illinois State also received bids. Those four teams were expected to […]
Here are the Top 25 FBS Group of Five (G5) rankings based on the Sagarin rankings for the week ending Nov. 23rd, 2019. Memphis retains the top spot following its easy win at South Florida this week. CSJ will show weekly rankings from the Sagarin rankings throughout the season and will have a final ranking […]
Here are the final Top 25 FCS rankings of the regular season based on the Sagarin rankings for the week ending Nov. 23rd, 2019. North Dakota State continues to hold down the top spot as the Bison had this position since the preseason. CSJ will show the final FCS Sagarin rankings following the national championship […]