The College Football Playoff announced game times for the 2026 quarterfinals and semifinals and the national championship game on Tuesday.

• The CFP championship, to be played in Miami Gardens, Fla., will be played on the third Monday in January for the second straight year, Jan. 19, with a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.

  The quarterfinals will be split between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. After the Cotton Bowl is played Dec. 31 at 7:30 ET, Jan. 1 will see a tripleheader of the Orange Bowl, the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl.

  Notably, the Rose Bowl kicks off at 4 ET/1 PT, one hour earlier than it's traditionally played. Famous for its midgame sunset over the stadium, the game's new time means the sunset may occur much later in the game, or after the game ends altogether.

  The Orange Bowl will kick off the tripleheader at noon ET, and the Sugar Bowl will begin at 8 ET.

  The Fiesta and Peach Bowls will take their turns as semifinal hosts in 2026. The Fiesta Bowl will be played Thursday, Jan. 8 at 7:30 ET, and the Peach Bowl will come Friday, Jan. 9 at the same time.

  --Field Level Media

Cincinnati freshman offensive lineman Jeremiah Kelly passed unexpectedly at his home early Tuesday morning.

• No cause of death was released in separate announcements by the Big 12 Conference and University of Cincinnati confirming Kelly's death. He was an early enrollee working out at center during spring practice. Last season he helped Avon (Ohio) High School win the Division II state championship.

  "The Bearcats football family is heartbroken by the sudden loss of this outstanding young man," head coach Scott Satterfield said in a statement. "In the short time Jeremiah has spent with our team, he has made a real impact, both on the field and in our locker room. My prayers are with the Kelly family and those who had the pleasure of knowing Jeremiah."

  Kelly and the Avon Eagles were undefeated and won the program's first state championship last season. He was voted all-conference and all-district in addition to being voted the top offensive lineman in the Southwestern Conference. The 6-3, 320-pound lineman also played defensive line at Avon but was working on the offensive line for the Bearcats.

  "We've suffered a heartbreaking loss today," Cincinnati AD John Cunningham said in a statement. "All of us at UC send our love and prayers to the Kelly family and we will do everything that we can to support them and our Bearcats student-athletes in the difficult days and weeks ahead."

  --Field Level Media

TCU and North Carolina will kick off the 2026 college football season in Dublin, Ireland.

• The Aer Lingus College Football Classic will be held at Aviva Stadium on Aug. 29, 2026.

  This will be the first overseas game for both schools.

  "It's a tremendous opportunity for our program and we're excited to represent the university and our fans on an international stage," first-year Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick said.

  The Horned Frogs will be the designated home team, as the game originally was scheduled for Sept. 5, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas.

  "This is more than just a football game. It's an opportunity to advance TCU's brand globally while having our student-athletes experience a unique educational opportunity and memory of a lifetime," TCU athletic director Mike Buddie said.

  Georgia Tech edged Florida State 24-21 in the 2024 Aer Lingus Classic in Dublin, where the announced attendance was 47,998.

  This season's matchup in the Irish capital will see Iowa State take on Kansas State on Aug. 23.

  --Field Level Media

Tennessee and UCLA have finalized what amounts to an offseason quarterback trade.

• UCLA quarterback Joey Aguilar entered the transfer portal Monday and hours later several outlets reported he committed to Tennessee.

  Aguilar changed schools less than four months after he transferred to UCLA from Appalachian State.

  He was poised to be UCLA's starter in the fall and had participated in spring practices as the No. 1 QB. But the depth chart was altered over the weekend when quarterback Nico Iamaleava left Tennessee and transferred to UCLA.

  Tennessee and coach Josh Heupel moved on from Iamaleava after the quarterback skipped practice and team meetings April 11, the day before the Volunteers' spring game. Iamaleava and his camp were seeking a new NIL deal that would raise his 2025 income from $2.4 million to $4 million.

  Iamaleava will reportedly make less than $2.4 million in his NIL deal at UCLA. Meanwhile, ESPN reported that Aguilar will receive "close to" $1.2 million from Tennessee, which was how much he had left on his initial deal with the Bruins.

  A native of Northern California, Aguilar played at the junior college level at Diablo Valley before he transferred to Appalachian State. In two seasons at Appalachian State, he completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 6,760 yards, 56 touchdowns and 24 interceptions in 25 games.

  With Tennessee in 2024, Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns, with the Volunteers going 10-3 and making the College Football Playoff.

  Iamaleava's younger brother, Madden Iamaleava, is following him and transferring from Arkansas to UCLA, ESPN reported Monday. An incoming freshman, Madden Iamaleava was originally committed to the Bruins before flipping to Arkansas. The brothers grew up in Long Beach, Calif.

  --Field Level Media

Missouri State safety Todric McGee died Saturday after sustaining what authorities described as a "possible accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound." He was 21.

• A Springfield (Mo.) police spokesman said after officers found McGee during a wellness check on Friday morning, he was then transported to the hospital, according to the Springfield News-Leader.

  The school reported McGee's death on Saturday morning. The investigation is ongoing.

  "Our football family is in shock and in mourning at the loss of Todric," Missouri State head coach Ryan Beard said in a statement. "Join us in praying for Todric and the people who loved him."

  Missouri State athletic director Patrick Ransdell said via release:

  "On behalf of the university and our entire department, we want to express our condolences to Todric's family, friends and teammates. This tragedy has shaken our football program to the core, and we want them to know we are here to support them in every way possible at this extremely difficult time."

  McGee, a native of Wichita, Kan., was entering his senior year with Missouri State and was expected to play a major role for the Bears, who are going into their first season in Conference USA. The Bears' starting safety in 2023 and 2024, McGee earned MVC all-conference honors in 2023.

  An injury cut short McGee's 2024 season after five games, but he still finished eighth on the team in total tackles with 42. He also had one interception and four pass deflections.

  - Field Level Media

Nico Iamaleava is officially headed to UCLA, one week after the quarterback's messy, NIL-driven departure from Tennessee.

• Iamaleava's representation went to Tennessee seeking to renegotiate the former five-star prospect's name, image and likeness deal, On3 first reported last week. The deal Iamaleava originally signed with Tennessee's collective out of high school paid him $2.4 million per year; Iamaleava's camp was seeking $4 million annually.

  When Iamaleava skipped practice and team meetings April 11, the day before the Volunteers' spring game, it prompted coach Josh Heupel to part ways with the QB.

  Iamaleava entered the transfer portal when it opened for the spring window this week. UCLA was long considered a potential destination, partly because he is from Long Beach, Calif., and his younger brother Madden was once committed to the Bruins before reneging and choosing Arkansas.

  "My journey at UT has come to an end," Iamaleava wrote in an Instagram post Sunday. "This decision was incredibly difficult, and truthfully, not something I expected to make this soon. But I trust God's timing, and I believe He's leading me where I need to be.

  "Even though this chapter is ending, a new chapter has begun and I am committed to UCLA!"

  The details of Iamaleava's NIL agreement at UCLA were not yet known, but he is presumed to be the Bruins' new No. 1 quarterback entering the 2025 season.

  --Field Level Media

Quarterback Ryan Browne has opted to transfer back to Purdue after joining North Carolina earlier this offseason.

• Browne transferred to the Tar Heels in December after two seasons with the Boilermakers. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound quarterback went through spring practice under new North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick before making his intentions known on social media Friday.

  That came one day after the Tar Heels landed a commitment from South Alabama transfer quarterback Gio Lopez.

  Browne threw for 636 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 240 yards in nine games over the past two seasons with Purdue.

  He is expected to compete for a starting job on the Boilermakers with Arkansas transfer Malachi Singleton, Washington State transfer Evans Chuba and former Arizona State transfer Bennett Meredith.

  --Field Level Media

Iowa quarterback Brendan Sullivan recently entered the transfer portal, but it doesn't look like he'll be there for too long.

• In fact, early indications are that Sullivan, 22, could wind up playing elsewhere in the Big Ten.

  That's because Michigan reportedly has reached out to Sullivan, according to On3.com. Sullivan entered the portal after the arrival of quarterback Mark Gronowski from South Dakota State. Gronowski was highly decorated at the FCS level, including being named the 2023 player of the year.

  Last season as a backup, Sullivan completed 38 of 53 passes for 475 yards for the Hawkeyes. He threw three touchdown passes and three interceptions.

  He spent one season at Iowa following two seasons at another Big Ten program, Northwestern.

  Coming out of high school in Davison, Mich., Sullivan was a three-star recruit ranked No. 49 among quarterbacks in the Class of 2021, according to the 247Sports composite.

  Michigan already has brought in quarterback Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall player in the 2025 class, according to the 247Sports composite. From Belleville, Mich., Underwood was a January enrollee.

  -Field Level Media

A day after newly arrived quarterback Ryan Browne announced that he is leaving North Carolina, the Tar Heels landed Gio Lopez out of the transfer portal.

• Lopez was the starting quarterback as a redshirt freshman at South Alabama last season as the Jaguars went 7-6 and won the Salute to Veterans Bowl.

  Lopez tweeted, "Excited and grateful, go Heels! @UNCFootball"

  According to ESPN, Lopez landed a two-year, $4 million deal from North Carolina.

  Lopez, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound Alabama native, connected on 66 percent of his passes last season for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns with five interceptions. He added 83 carries for 465 yards and seven TDs.

  With new coach Bill Belichick's Tar Heels, Lopez joins a quarterback corps that also includes Max Johnson and incoming freshman Bryce Baker. Johnson, who previously played at LSU and Texas A&M, started the 2024 opener for North Carolina but sustained a season-ending broken leg in that contest.

  Senior Jacolby Criswell wound up as the Tar Heels' primary QB last season as the team went 6-7 with a loss in the Fenway Bowl.

  Browne arrived briefly from Purdue but quickly re-entered the transfer portal.

  --Field Level Media

Steve Angeli, who was part of Notre Dame's quarterback competition this spring, is entering the transfer portal, several outlets reported Thursday.

• Angeli was up against CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey in a three-way battle this spring.

  As the backup to Riley Leonard last year, Angeli got into 11 games and completed 24 of 36 passes for 268 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

  The former four-star prospect out of New Jersey has thrown for 772 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception while completing 72.5 percent of his passes (58 of 80) for his career.

  Angeli is set to be a junior this season, while Carr is a redshirt freshman (and the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr) and Minchey is a sophomore.

  The Fighting Irish are coming off a national championship game loss to Ohio State, and Leonard was out of eligibility after his lone season in South Bend.

  --Field Level Media

Lee Corso is hanging up his headgear and ending a nearly four-decade broadcasting run with ESPN's "College GameDay" in August, the network announced Thursday.

• Corso, who turns 90 on Aug. 7, has been a host of the college football television staple since 1987. He will make his farewell appearance on Aug. 30.

  "My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and College GameDay for nearly 40 years," he said in a statement released by ESPN. "I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement."

  Corso is perhaps best known for his Saturday pregame headgear picks, donning the helmets or mascot "heads" of the team he predicts will win that day's marquee matchup. According to ESPN, his picks are 286-144 since he began that segment in October 1996.

  "Lee Corso has developed a special connection to generations of fans through his entertaining style and iconic headgear picks," ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. "Lee is one of the most influential and beloved figures in the history of college football and our ESPN team will celebrate his legendary career during his final College GameDay appearance this August."

  Before joining ESPN, Corso was the head coach at Louisville (1969-72), Indiana (1973-82) and Northern Illinois (1984). He compiled a 73-85-6 record, highlighted by the Hoosiers' win in the 1979 Holiday Bowl.

  Corso was the head coach of the USFL's Orlando Renegades during the 1985 season, finishing 5-13.

  Corso, who suffered a stroke in 2009, had limited his travel in recent years.

  "ESPN has been exceptionally generous to me, especially these past few years," Corso said. "They accommodated me and supported me, as did my colleagues in the early days of College GameDay. Special thanks to Kirk Herbstreit for his friendship and encouragement. And lest I forget, the fans ... truly a blessing to share this with them. ESPN gave me this wonderful opportunity and provided me the support to ensure success. I am genuinely grateful."

  Herbstreit and Corso have shared the "College GameDay" set since 1996.

  "Coach Corso has had an iconic run in broadcasting, and we're all lucky to have been around to witness it," Herbstreit said in a statement. "He has taught me so much throughout our time together, and he's been like a second father to me. It has been my absolute honor to have the best seat in the house to watch Coach put on that mascot head each week."

  Chris Fowler, who hosted the show for 25 years, echoed Herbstreit's sentiments.

  "Lee has been an indelible force in the growth of college football's popularity," Fowler told ESPN. "He's a born entertainer and singular television talent. But at his heart he'll always be a coach, with an abiding love and respect for the game and the people who play it."

  --Field Level Media

North Carolina quarterback Ryan Browne announced on Wednesday that he is re-entering the transfer portal before ever playing a game for the Tar Heels.

• Multiple outlets also reported that North Carolina's sack leader, Beau Atkinson, is among a handful of other Tar Heels to enter the portal. Atkinson is expected to visit Georgia and Ohio State, according to On3 Media.

  The others included offensive tackle Zach Rice, who played in 21 games in his three seasons with the Tar Heels. He is a former five-star recruit. Defensive back Zion Ferguson and brothers Cade Law and Crews Law, both linebackers, are also in the portal.

  Browne transferred to North Carolina in December after two seasons in Purdue. In 2024, he threw for 532 yards and four touchdowns in eight games, including two starts.

  New Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick reportedly is interested in luring South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez, who played in 11 of the team's 13 games as a redshirt freshman. Lopez threw for 2,559 yards and 25 touchdowns for the Jaguars.

  Atkinson, an edge, had 7 1/2 sacks last season and 11 in his two years at North Carolina. He also finished with 35 tackles, including 12 tackles for a loss, last season.

  --Field Level Media

It didn't take long for quarterback Nico Iamaleava to find a new home.

• Days after Iamaleava entered the transfer portal following a disagreement with Tennessee over his name, image and likeness money, multiple reports indicate the former Vols starter is headed to UCLA.

  Iamaleava is from Southern California and went to high schools in Downey, Calif., and Long Beach, Calif., before heading to Tennessee with an NIL deal for $8 million over four years.

  But after a season in which he threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns, with Tennessee going 10-3 and making the College Football Playoff, Iamaleava didn't show up for practice last week and eventually decided to transfer.

  "It's the state of college football," Volunteers coach Josh Heupel said last week. "At the end of the day, no one is ever bigger than the program. That includes me too."

  UCLA, in its first year in the Big Ten with new head coach Deshaun Foster, went 5-7 after a 1-5 start.

  Bruins senior quarterback Ethan Garbers threw for 2,727 yards with 16 touchdowns and a conference-high 11 interceptions.

  UCLA did bring in a transfer QB, Joey Aguilar of Appalachian State, this offseason. Aguilar passed for 6,740 yards with 56 TDs and 24 INTs in two seasons with the Mountaineers.

  --Field Level Media

Cal running back Jaydn Ott has transferred to Oklahoma, the Sooners' football program announced Tuesday.

• The spring transfer window officially opens Wednesday, but Oklahoma did not wait to announce the additions of Ott and Stanford offensive lineman Jake Maikkula.

  It was first reported Monday that Ott would enter the transfer portal, months after he told his fans he was "not leaving" Cal in a social media post.

  Ott captured All-Pac-12 first-team recognition in 2023, when he topped the soon-to-be-altered conference in rushing yards (1,315) and second in rushing touchdowns (12) on 245 carries. He added 169 yards and two TDs on 25 receptions.

  Ott was slowed in the 2024 season by an ankle injury he sustained in the opener. He managed just 385 yards and four scores on 116 carries. He also made 24 receptions for 222 yards and a TD.

  Maikkula made 11 starts at multiple positions across the Stanford offensive line in 2024 and had five starts at guard in 2023.

  Oklahoma is trying to bounce back from a 6-7 campaign in 2024 and previously added top transfer quarterback John Mateer from Washington State.

  --Field Level Media

Wisconsin left tackle Kevin Heywood will miss the 2025 season with an ACL injury, Badgers coach Luke Fickell said on Tuesday.

• The 6-foot-8, 325-pound sophomore had been in line to replace Jack Nelson, a four-year starter and projected late-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

  Heywood was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class, ranked No. 50 in the nation, No. 4 at his position and No. 1 in Pennsylvania by 247Sports.

  Heywood appeared in all 12 games for the Badgers as a freshman last season, mostly on special teams.

  --Field Level Media

Colorado is retiring the uniform numbers for Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders at the Buffaloes' spring game on Saturday in Boulder, Colo.

• The school announced its plans Monday to honor the No. 12 of Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, and the No. 2 of Sanders, the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

  Hunter, a wide receiver and cornerback, also won the Walter Camp Award and the AP and Sporting News player of the year honors. He finished his two seasons at Colorado with 153 receptions for 1,979 yards and 20 touchdowns. On defense, Hunter recorded seven interceptions and 16 passes defensed.

  Sanders won the 2024 Johnny Unitas Award as college football's best quarterback. In two seasons with Colorado, the son of Buffs coach Deion Sanders completed 71.8 percent of his passes for 7,364 yards with 64 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions in 24 games.

  The four previous Colorado players to have their jersey numbers retired are: QB/halfback Byron White (No. 24); guard/linebacker Joe Romig (No. 67), QB/tailback Bobby Anderson (No. 11) and running back Rashaan Salaam (No. 19).

  --Field Level Media

Months after declaring that he would remain at Cal, running back Jaydn Ott entered transfer portal on Monday, multiple media outlets reported.

• Ott was slowed in the 2024 season by an ankle injury he sustained in the opener, a large reason why his stats declined significantly from the prior year.

  On Dec. 28, Ott tweeted a movie clip from "The Wolf of Wall Street," showing Leonardo DiCaprio's character saying, "I'm not leaving. I'm not (bleeping) leaving!"

  Ott captured All-Pac-12 first-team recognition in 2023, when he topped the soon-to-be-altered conference in rushing yardage (1,315) and rushing touchdowns (12) on 245 carries. He added 196 yards and two TDs on 26 receptions.

  Last season, Ott managed just 385 yards and four scores on 116 carries. He also made 24 receptions for 222 yards and a TD.

  Cal went 6-6 in each of the past two regular seasons before losing in a bowl game.

  On3 reported that Oklahoma is an early contender to land Ott, who is listed at 6 feet, 205 pounds.

  In addition to Ott, Golden Bears running backs Kadarius Calloway, Byron Cardwell Jr. and Justin Williams-Thomas also are entering the transfer portal, according to multiple reports.

  --Field Level Media

Star pass rusher Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders became the first active NFL player to take an administrative position with an NCAA team, joining the Eastern Michigan football program as its assistant general manager on Monday, the university announced.

• Crosby, 27, who starred at Eastern Michigan from 2016-18 and set the program record with 20 career sacks, will assist his alma mater in evaluating prospects, manage the NIL budget and assist the athletic director with alumni relations, student-athlete support and fundraising efforts.

  "There is no place more important to my personal and athletic development than Eastern Michigan University," Crosby said in a statement. "It truly is an honor for me to not only be named the Assistant GM of the EMU, but together with my wife Rachel, make another donation aimed at creating opportunities for other athletes to be impacted by the EMU program, community, students and alumni."

  Crosby, who along with his wife donated $1 million to Eastern Michigan's football program in 2023, will match all donations to the football program made before the end up of May -- up to $100,000 -- as part of " Maxx Match," a fundraising challenge that he launched.

  "Maxx Crosby's return to EMU in this leadership role is a transformative moment for our football program," athletic director Scott Wetherbee said in a release. "His passion, vision, and generosity are inspiring, and the Maxx Match is a powerful example of that. ... With him on board, we're building a better football program and a stronger future for EMU athletics."

  A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension last month to become the highest paid defensive player in NFL history. The new leader is Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, who landed a four-year, $160 million deal.

  Crosby has 366 tackles and 59.5 career sacks in 95 games (89 starts) since the Raiders selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

  He recorded a team-leading 7.5 sacks to go along with 45 tackles in 12 games (all starts) in 2024 before undergoing season-ending ankle surgery.

  --Field Level Media

ESPN is retaining longtime "College GameDay" host Rece Davis on a seven-year contract worth "tens of millions" of dollars, The Athletic reported Sunday.

• Fox Sports reportedly had made a strong push to hire Davis to host its "Big Noon Kickoff" pregame show, the main competitor to "College GameDay" on college football Saturdays.

  Davis, 59, worked as a sports anchor and reporter at a television station in Flint, Mich., from 1993-95 immediately prior to joining ESPN, where he had roles in a variety of coverage areas before becoming the founding host of "College GameDay" in 2005. He also hosts the college basketball version of the show.

  The Athletic said he accepted "a slight hometown discount" to stay with ESPN, which will guarantee him lead college football hosting duties until 2032 -- the end of the network's College Football Playoff deal. Per the report, the Fox offer included leading the coverage of the men's 2026 World Cup and calling college basketball games.

  At Fox, Rob Stone hosts "Big Noon Kickoff" alongside a panel that includes Charles Woodson, Brady Quinn, Matt Leinart and Urban Meyer.

  Davis' colleagues at ESPN include Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbstreit, Nick Saban, Lee Corso and Pat McAfee.

  --Field Level Media

Former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a police chase in Texas on Saturday night, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said on Sunday.

• Police deputies said they got a call that Lacy, 24, had argued with a family member and shot a gun into the ground, FOX 26 Houston reported. Officials said they searched for Lacy after he fled the scene, leading to an attempt at a traffic stop. Instead, he led them on a car chase for several miles and crashed in Spring, Texas, authorities said.

  When deputies removed Lacy from the car to take him into custody, they found him with the wound and he was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders, the sheriff's office said.

  "Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Detectives and Crime Scene Units conducted an investigation of the incident," a statement read, via FOX 26 Houston. "Preliminary information indicates Lacy shot himself during the pursuit and prior to the vehicle crashing. A handgun was recovered from the interior of the vehicle. A review of the Pct. 4 units body camera and in car dash mounted video did not indicate any shots were fired after the pursuit ended."

  The Harris County of Institute of Forensic Sciences will conduct an autopsy, CNN reported. Lacy's death came 11 days before he was hoping to be picked in the NFL draft.

  "We're saddened to learn of the tragic passing of former LSU Football student-athlete Kyren Lacy," LSU said in a statement earlier Sunday. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones, as well as his former teammates and coaches impacted by his passing."

  Lacy was facing negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle charges related to a car accident in Chackbay, La., on Dec. 17, 2024, that killed a 78-year-old man. He turned himself in the following month and was out of jail on $151,000 bail.

  Baton Rouge TV station WAFB reported that a grand jury was scheduled to hear evidence in the Lacy case beginning Monday.

  Lacy, a native of Thibodaux, La., caught 58 passes for 866 yards and shared the Southeastern Conference lead with nine touchdown receptions in 12 games in 2024.

  He finished his collegiate career with 162 catches for 2,360 yards and 26 touchdowns in 64 games with Louisiana (2020-21) and LSU (2022-24).

  --Field Level Media

Starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava is out at Tennessee amid a contract dispute, multiple outlets reported Saturday.

• Tennessee will play its spring Orange & White game without Iamaleava on Saturday, and he is no longer with the program, per reports.

  "It's the state of college football," coach Josh Heupel said Saturday of the situation on Vol Network. "At the end of the day, no one is ever bigger than the program. That includes me too."

  Iamaleava and the school had been in discussions over his name, image and likeness money. The Knoxville News Sentinel reported that Iamaleava, 20, wanted an increase from his more than $2 million annual NIL package, with ESPN adding he was seeking to double that amount.

  He didn't show up to practice on Friday and is not speaking with coaches, and that apparently was the final straw for Heupel and Tennessee.

  The spring transfer portal opens Wednesday, and Iamaleava already has filled out the papers to enter. As a redshirt sophomore, he will have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

  Without Iamaleava, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and freshman George MacIntyre move into the lead for the starting job. Heupel also could look to the portal for an experienced QB.

  "We got two guys in that room, excited to watch them go play," Heupel said. "They've had a really good spring. They've grown throughout it. Excited about having a chance today to get out in front of our fans and watch them go compete today."

  ESPN reported that officials from Tennessee's NIL collective already are in contact with representatives for potential 2025 quarterbacks.

  Iamaleava played sparingly as a freshman in 2023 before taking over the starting role last fall. In his first season as a starter, he completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns against five interceptions, leading Tennessee to a 10-3 record and a College Football Playoff appearance.

  The Vols finished ninth in the final AP poll following their 42-17 first-round loss to eventual champion Ohio State.

  When Iamaleava was in high school in Southern California, 247Sports ranked him as the No. 2 quarterback and the No. 2 player in the nation, behind Arch Manning, in the Class of 2023.

  --Field Level Media

Tennessee football received a surprise when quarterback Nico Iamaleava opted not to attend Friday's spring practice, according to multiple media reports.

• Iamaleava, 20, is attempting to negotiate for more NIL money, per On3.com, with his absence presumably tied to those conversations.

  Tennessee is scheduled to hold its Orange & White Spring Game Saturday, while the spring transfer portal window opens on Wednesday.

  The current situation might qualify as one of college football's first-ever contract holdouts.

  ESPN reported that Iamaleava's existing deal, which is scheduled to pay him more than $8 million over his entire college career, is being rejected by Iamaleava and his camp, who desire $4 million a season instead.

  Iamaleava played sparingly as a freshman in 2023 before taking over the starting role last fall. In his first season as a starter, he completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns against five interceptions, leading Tennessee to a 10-3 record and a College Football Playoff appearance.

  The Vols finished ninth in the final AP poll following their 42-17 first-round loss to eventual champion Ohio State.

  --Field Level Media

Kent State fired football coach Kenni Burns on Friday on the heels of a 0-12 season in 2024.

• Burns, 41, was placed on administrative leave on March 27 and departs with a 1-23 record in two seasons.

  Offensive coordinator Mark Carney will serve as the Golden Flashes' interim coach for the 2025 season.

  "At this time, our focus will be to support our student-athletes and provide them with the best opportunity to have a positive and competitive experience," athletic director Randale L. Richmond said in a statement.

  The school did not provide a specific reason for Burns' termination. CBS Sports reported in November that he was being sued by an Ohio bank for an unpaid credit card debt of nearly $24,000.

  Kent State, which competes in the Mid-American Conference, was outscored by a 529-167 margin in 2024.

  The Golden Flashes open the 2025 season against FCS program Merrimack on Aug. 30 in Kent, Ohio.

  The school said it will conduct a national search after the season. Kent State alumnus Josh Cribbs, a three-time Pro Bowl receiver who played 10 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, publicly has expressed interest in the job.

  --Field Level Media

Former Florida recruit Jaden Rashada's lawsuit against Gators football coach Billy Napier and a prominent booster over a $13.85 million name, image and likeness (NIL) deal that went awry can continue to discovery, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

• Though three of the counts were dismissed in the 40-page order out of the U.S. District Court's Northern District of Florida, the judge allowed three fraud-related accounts and another count of conspiracy to commit fraud to proceed.

  M. Casey Rodgers said the suit's allegations "advance a compelling narrative that the Defendants were all marching to the beat of the same drum throughout Rashada's failed recruitment to UF, each taking interwoven and often overlapping steps designed to lure Rashada away from Miami all while knowing they would never make good on the NIL promises made and leading Rashada on until his other NIL offers dried up."

  The lawsuit filed in May 2024 alleges that Napier and prominent Gators booster Hugh Hathcock made "false and fraudulent promises" to induce Rashada to sign with the program in 2022.

  Rashada initially committed to the University of Miami, where he reportedly had a $9.5 million NIL deal on the table. He flipped to Florida after agreeing to a $13.85 million deal with the now-defunct Gator Collective.

  "(It) doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand how a purportedly fraudulent NIL deal initially valued north of $13 million could induce a teenager to choose a university he otherwise would not have," Rodgers wrote in Tuesday's order.

  The lawsuit claims that Napier promised a $1 million "partial payment" to Rashada's father when the quarterback prospect signed his national letter of intent, but that the payment never was received.

  Hathcock and a former Florida staffer, Marcus Castro-Walker, are named in the lawsuit along with Napier.

  "Once Jaden committed to UF, rather than make Jaden ‘rich' as promised, these people -- with Hathcock leading the charge -- changed their tune and went back on their word. The amount of UF-affiliated NIL money available for Jaden decreased drastically," the lawsuit states.

  Rashada ended up withdrawing his letter of intent with Florida and enrolled at Arizona State. He appeared in three games for the Sun Devils as a freshman in 2023, passing for 485 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

  He transferred from Arizona State to Georgia for the 2024 season but did not play in any games. He entered the transfer portal in January.

  "We appreciate the thorough and thoughtful opinion," Rashada's attorney, Rusty Hardin, said in a statement Wednesday. "It will serve as a North Star for other athletes seeking justice after being done wrong on the NIL front by coaches and boosters. We look forward to discovery fully exposing the defendants' conduct for all to see."

  There has been no date set for the next court appearance.

  --Field Level Media

A group of football players agreed to settle its lawsuits against Northwestern that concerned allegations of hazing and abusive behavior under previous coach Pat Fitzgerald.

• Per Bloomberg News, "master settlement agreements" were signed but the final documentation was still being finalized. The group of plaintiffs, believed to total 25, will drop their claims against both Northwestern and Fitzgerald, who was fired in July 2023.

  Fitzgerald's attorneys confirmed the settlement in a statement released to news outlets. However, their client is still pursuing wrongful termination action against Northwestern.

  "He continues to assert that Northwestern illegally terminated his employment, violated an oral contract and defamed him, causing significant damage to his sterling reputation," attorneys Dan K. Webb and Matthew R. Carter wrote in a statement.

  "(Monday), Northwestern tried to postpone the trial of Coach Fitzgerald's claims by nearly five months. The Court denied that motion and Coach Fitzgerald's trial will take place on November 3, 2025. He looks forward to having his day in court, where he expects a jury will hold Northwestern and President (Michael) Schill accountable for the extreme harm done to his personal and professional reputation."

  A former Northwestern player accused hazing within the program in November 2022, but the university investigated and did not find evidence that Fitzgerald or his assistants knew about the hazing.

  Fitzgerald was given a two-week suspension the following July, which prompted a letter signed by Northwestern players defending their coach, calling the allegations "exaggerated and twisted." Then three former players came forward to the student newspaper accusing Fitzgerald of racist remarks, and Northwestern decided to fire Fitzgerald.

  Fitzgerald -- a star linebacker at the university who is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and coached the Wildcats from 2006-22 -- filed suit against Northwestern later in 2023 claiming there was a verbal agreement from Schill that Fitzgerald would face no more punishment besides the initial two-week suspension.

  Fitzgerald's attorneys said in Tuesday's statement that there is no evidence supporting the claims against Fitzgerald after an extensive discovery period.

  "As previously stated," they wrote, "Coach Fitzgerald committed no wrongdoing."

  --Field Level Media