Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormak doubled down on his support of the 5+11 model for the College Football Playoff on Friday, despite another proposed model that would guarantee his conference two playoff spots.

• The 5+11 model would give five automatic spots to the highest-ranked conference champions, with 11 at-large berths handed out based on the committee's rankings. Yormark presented this model when the Power 4 commissioners met recently in Charlotte, N.C.

  "I think there's real momentum for 5+11," Yormark said at the conclusion of the Big 12 spring meetings. "Certainly, the public is voting yes for it, which I think is critically important. Yes, the Big Ten, the SEC are leading the discussions, but with leading those discussions, they have a great responsibility that goes with it, to do what's right for college football and not to do anything that just benefits two conferences.

  "I have a lot of faith in the process, and I think we'll land in the right place."

  Last year, when a new six-year CFP deal was announced, the Big Ten and SEC were placed in charge of the playoff's format in 2026 and beyond.

  Another model, which the ACC and Big 12 oppose, would include four automatic qualifiers for both the SEC and Big Ten, two apiece for the Big 12 and ACC and one for the top Group of 6 team.

  When asked why he would oppose that model, Yormark said: "In talking to our ADs and coaches, we want to earn it on the field.

  "The 5+11 might not be ideal for the conference, but it's good for college football, and it's what's fair. We don't want any gimmes. We want to earn it on the field ... and I feel very comfortable with that."

  --Field Level Media

Host teams in the Southeastern Conference whose fans storm the field or the court after an upset will now face a set fine of $500,000, commissioner Greg Sankey announced on Thursday at the SEC's spring meetings.

• The SEC had previously implemented an escalating fine system, starting at $100,000 for a first offense. The fine would then increase to $250,000 for a second offense, then all future offenses would cost the host program $500,000 apiece.

  "The motivation was 'field rushing is field rushing, the first time or the 18th time,'" Sankey said. "The random nature of, if you're the one getting rushed, it doesn't feel good. It might be the first time (it happened) there, but it might be your sixth time in a row, literally."

  The SEC will also have the option to waive the fine if the opponent and the officiating crew are allowed to vacate the field before it is rushed by fans.

  Per SEC policy, "institutions shall limit access to competition areas to participating student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and properly credentialed or authorized individuals at all times. For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest may spectators enter the competition area."

  One of the more memorable field stormings occurred last October, when Vanderbilt shocked then-No. 1 Alabama in Nashville, with fans tearing down the goal posts and carrying them to the Cumberland River. That cost Vanderbilt $100,000, which went to Alabama. The Crimson Tide also received $100,000 apiece from Tennessee and Oklahoma after both host programs upset Alabama last season.

  Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin recently said he understands why fans rush the field after an upset, but he is concerned with the safety of players and coaches when the storming occurs.

  "The fan storming thing is a little tough," Kiffin said. "They don't do it in the NFL. I get it. It's pretty cool, but then it can be aggravating because they're storming and you're worried about them hitting you, what's going on, what are they gonna do?

  "It's very invasive at that point. But I think if they could just let everybody out and then let the fans on so they can tear the goal post down, because that stuff is cool."

  --Field Level Media

Hey Siri, set a reminder for Aug. 30 at noon ET, and block my calendar the rest of that day.

• College football season begins with a bang on the last Saturday in August, and official kickoff times were solidified for multiple must-see games in 2025.

  The Big Noon Kickoff on Aug. 30 and an emphatic start to college football in 2025 opens with defending champion and likely preseason No. 1 Ohio State hosting Texas in Columbus. The game is a rematch of the College Football Playoff semifinal last season, when the Buckeyes scored 14 points in the fourth quarter of a 28-14 win at the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.

  The Buckeyes-Longhorns heavyweight battle on Fox is scheduled to be followed by another set of historic powerhouses: Alabama visits Florida State for a 2:30 p.m. ET start the same afternoon with the nightcap featuring LSU at Clemson in a 7:30 p.m. ET date on ABC.

  The following day features a standalone game in primetime, a Sunday night matchup, with Notre Dame at Miami (7:30 p.m. ET).

  Michigan travels to play SEC foe Oklahoma for only the second time in history on Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

  Defending SEC champion Georgia has the 3:30 p.m. ET slot for three of its biggest annual rivalries: at Tennessee (Sept. 13), against Florida (Nov. 1) and at Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Nov. 28.

  The next day, Michigan hosts Ohio State at noon ET.

  Projected Big Ten and national title contenders Oregon and Penn State are set for a 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff, airing on NBC, on Sept. 27.

  Notre Dame has three known primetime games in South Bend for the first time since 2018. Those 7:30 p.m. ET kickoffs are against Texas A&M (Sept. 13), USC (Oct. 18) and Navy (Nov. 8).

  --Field Level Media

A rule change announced on Thursday makes the late Mike Leach eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame.

• The National Football Foundation dropped the minimum required winning percentage for coaches from .600 to .595, a change that goes into effect with the 2027 ballot.

  Leach, who died on Dec. 12, 2022 at 61, compiled a .596 winning percentage (158-107 record) over 21 seasons at Texas Tech (2000-09), Washington State (2012-19) and Mississippi State (2020-22).

  All other eligibility requirements for coaches remain unchanged, including minimums of 10 seasons and 100 games.

  Coaches become eligible for consideration three full seasons after retirement or immediately following retirement if they are at least 70 years of age. Active coaches become eligible upon reaching the age of 75.

  "The NFF is committed to preserving the integrity and prestige of the NFF College Football Hall of Fame," NFF president and CEO Steve Hatchell said in a news release. "This adjustment reflects thoughtful dialogue with leaders across the sport and allows us to better recognize coaches whose contributions to the game extend beyond a narrow statistical threshold."

  Leach was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2008 and the Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2018. He led his teams to 17 bowl games.

  Leach passed away following complications related to a heart condition. Three weeks later, interim coach Zach Arnett guided Mississippi State to a 19-10 win against Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

  --Field Level Media

Former Penn State and Ohio State receiver Julian Fleming was injured in an ATV accident that killed a woman, police said.

• The woman, 23-year-old Alyssa Boyd, was identified as his girlfriend by multiple sources.

  Pennsylvania State Police said the accident occurred Friday night in Columbia Township when the ATV on which the two were riding hit a deer that had jumped into the roadway.

  Fleming, 24, was driving the ATV, and Boyd was the passenger. She was pronounced dead at the scene from "extensive injuries," while Fleming was transported to the hospital, police said. Neither had on safety equipment, according to the police report.

  A deceased deer was found at the site. The accident investigation is continuing.

  Lions247 reported Fleming has been released from the hospital.

  In high school, Fleming was ranked by the 247Sports composite as the No. 1 receiver and No. 3 overall player in the Class of 2020 while playing at

  Southern Columbia High School in Catawissa, Pa. He was Gatorade's Pennsylvania Player of the Year in 2019.

  He spent his first four seasons at Ohio State, where he caught 79 passes for 963 yards and seven touchdowns.

  Given the strength of the Buckeyes' wide receiver room, he spent his final season at Penn State as a graduate transfer. He appeared in 16 games and caught 14 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown, but injuries limited his opportunities.

  Fleming was not selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. Reports Sunday said he had been expected to sign as an undrafted free agent with the Green Bay Packers but failed a physical because of hip and back injuries.

  According to Boyd's Instagram account, she graduated from Central Columbia High School in Bloomsburg, Pa., in 2020 and went on to study at Alabama. Her most recent post was a photo of her with Fleming, dressed in his Nittany Lions uniform, that she captioned, "Proud of you 3," followed by a white heart.

  --Field Level Media

According to reports, plans to create a presidential commission to oversee key issues in college sports have been placed on hold.

• The commission championed by President Donald Trump was slated to be headed by former Alabama football coach Nick Saban and ex-Texas Tech offensive lineman Cody Campbell, who's now the chairman of the Texas Tech Board of Regents.

  The commission idea gained steam after May 1, when Trump spoke at the University of Alabama's graduation ceremony that also included an address from Saban. With multiple issues clouding the college sports landscape - including powerful Name, Image, Likeness questions that the courts and Congress have been trying to answer - the presidential commission sounded like another avenue to find solutions.

  But two weeks after meeting with Trump in Tuscaloosa, Saban appeared on "The Paul Finebaum Show" and claimed the commission might not be necessary.

  "I think that a lot of people know exactly what the issues are in college football and exactly what we need to do to fix them," Saban told Finebaum. "I think the key to the drill is getting people together so we can move it forward. I'm not opposed to players making money. I don't want anybody to think that. I just think the system, the way it's going right now, it's not sustainable and probably not in the best interests of the student-athletes across the board or the game itself."

  Presumably, putting the presidential commission on the back burner suggests other legislative avenues are making headway. According to The Athletic, a bipartisan Congressional group led by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has devoted "hundreds of hours" to solving what ails college sports.

  --Field Level Media

College Football Playoff executives unanimously agreed Thursday to adopt a straight-seeding model for the 2025 season, Yahoo Sports reported.

• Last season's controversial 12-team format gave the top four seeds -- and the accompanying first-round byes -- to the four highest-ranked conference champions.

  Those four schools in 2024 were Big Ten champion and No. 1 Oregon and Southeastern Conference champion and No. 2 Georgia along with No. 9 Boise State (Mountain West) and No. 12 Arizona State (Big 12).

  Under the straight-seeding model, the No. 3 and 4 seeds would have gone to Texas (SEC) and Penn State (Big Ten), respectively.

  In 2025, the teams will be seeded 1-12 based on their final CFP ranking.

  As it turned out, all four of the teams that received byes last season lost their first playoff games.

  No. 8 seed Ohio State won the national championship with a 34-23 win against No. 7 seed Notre Dame.

  --Field Level Media

North Carolina fully expected the hiring of NFL coaching legend Bill Belichick to put a spotlight on its football program.

• The fact that the coach's girlfriend has grabbed much of that spotlight has not dampened the school's enthusiasm, however. After all, there's no such thing as bad publicity, right?

  "We wanted when we hired Coach Belichick, to bring Carolina football to another level," UNC chancellor Lee Roberts said Thursday, according to a Charlotte Observer post on X. "... We increased the price of our season tickets and we sold them out. ... We're delighted about all the attention being paid to Carolina football."

  As the 73-year-old Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach of the New England Patriots, prepares for his first season in the collegiate ranks, much of the attention instead has gone to his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.

  According to reports, Hudson was perhaps overly involved in a "Hard Knocks" deal that fell through. She also sparked controversy during Belichick's April appearance on "CBS Sunday Morning" by interrupting the interview over questions about their personal life.

  Belichick has defended Hudson and recently insisted that she "doesn't have anything to do with UNC football."

  North Carolina officials may be delighted by the added attention, but the fans will want to see results on the field.

  The Tar Heels open the season against TCU on Sept. 1 in Chapel Hill, N.C.

  North Carolina finished 6-7 last season in coach Mack Brown's final campaign. The Tar Heels lost their bowl game for the fifth straight year.

  --Field Level Media

BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff was accused of sexual assault in a civil lawsuit filed Wednesday in Salt Lake (Utah) County, according to multiple media reports.

• The lawsuit alleges that Retzlaff committed the assault in November 2023 at his home in Provo, Utah. The woman filing the lawsuit -- listed as Jane Doe A.G. -- has sued Retzlaff for alleged battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

  According to the lawsuit, one of the reasons for the delay between the alleged incident and the filing of the civil charges is that Provo police, when the alleged victim linked Retzlaff's name to the assault, suggested that she stay quiet because "sexual assault victims never get justice."

  In a statement, Retzlaff attorney Mark Baute declared his client to be "factually innocent."

  "I have met him, and he is a nice young man," said Baute, who successfully defended former NBA star Derrick Rose on federal sexual assault charges in 2016. "He is also factually innocent, and we look forward to proving that innocence. Jake's focus this year will be on football. We don't try cases in the media. We will respect the process and establish Jake's innocence through the judicial system."

  The lawsuit describes Retzlaff, then 20, and the alleged victim as initiating contact via social media before Jane Doe and her friend visited Retzlaff's home in November 2023. After a period of time, the friend left and Retzlaff and Jane Doe started to watch a movie in his room and began kissing. The lawsuit says Jane Doe did not want to go any further and asked him to "stop," but Retzlaff eventually found a condom and assaulted her.

  A few days later, she went to the hospital and a rape kit was used for purposes of gathering and preserving any potential evidence of assault. Doe also reportedly told Provo police of the incident at this time, yet did not invoke Retzlaff's name.

  BYU released a statement Wednesday: "BYU became aware today that a civil lawsuit involving Jake Retzlaff had been filed this morning. The university takes any allegation very seriously, following all processes and guidelines mandated by Title IX. Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment."

  Retzlaff, a California native who began his career playing for Riverside (Calif.) City College, transferred to BYU prior to the 2023 season. After starting the final four games of the 2023 season, Retzlaff won a training-camp battle to become the Cougars' regular quarterback in 2024. He led them to an 11-2 record that included an Alamo Bowl win over Colorado.

  He finished the year with 2,947 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound redshirt senior is expected to reprise his role this fall.

  --Field Level Media

Rice transfer quarterback Shawqi Itraish committed to Ole Miss on Wednesday.

• The former 3-star recruit threw for 216 total yards and six interceptions in eight career games at Rice in 2022 and 2023. He did not throw a pass for the Owls in 2024.

  He joins Oklahoma State transfer QB Maealiuaki Smith, who committed to the Rebels earlier in the offseason.

  --Field Level Media

Notre Dame and Wisconsin will meet at Lambeau Field on Sept. 6, 2006, in a game postponed from 2020.

• The two teams were set to meet there on Oct. 3, 2020, but it was taken off the schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  The Fighting Irish and Badgers met in what was dubbed the "Shamrock Series" at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2021, with No. 12 Notre Dame topping No. 18 Wisconsin 41-13. The teams had been set to play in consecutive seasons.

  The rescheduled game is set for a Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, a day usually set aside for the Packers. But with weekend play not beginning in the NFL until the following weekend, the date was open on the calendar and put on the Labor Day weekend slate of college games.

  Wisconsin last played at Lambeau Field on Sept. 3, 2016, when it beat No. 5 LSU 16-14.

  Notre Dame will be making its Lambeau Field debut.

  --Field Level Media

In the wake of a report by The Athletic that the docuseries "Hard Knocks" featuring North Carolina fell apart due to the involvement of coach Bill Belichick's girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, he denied that was the reason.

• Making a recent appearance on Ryan Clark's "The Pivot" podcast, Belichick said the show "didn't fit" with the program's approach to the season.

  "The ‘Hard Knocks' thing, just for the record, ‘Hard Knocks' is training camp," the 73-year-old Belichick told Clark. "We're not training camp. We're just not. That's not what we are. The drama of training camp and who's gonna get cut and all that.

  "We're a season, and they don't want that. There's film issues, too, but forget about the film issues. Just say you can straighten all those out, the ‘Hard Knocks' just didn't fit for us. That's the bottom line."

  Per The Athletic, Hudson, 24, was behind the docuseries stopping before it even began, stating she "played an instrumental role in stopping the production, related to her request to be heavily involved in the project."

  The report went on to state that Hudson "demanded she be granted content approval and partial ownership of the show," adding that NFL Films decided to nix the series shortly after that request.

  The Athletic obtained an email to North Carolina from one of the series' executive producers that read, "The conversation took a turn we were not comfortable with."

  UNC apparently remains interested in being part of a series in the vein of "Hard Knocks" that uses the regular season as its focal point, Tar Heels general manager Michael Lombardi said in March on "The Pat McAfee Show."

  As for Belichick and Hudson's relationship status, there are conflicting reports. Hudson has told at least one person -- per The Athletic -- that they are engaged.

  However, Meadowlark Media reported on Tuesday that Belichick, who has said the pair met on a flight in 2021, told a friend in March that he and Hudson are not engaged.

  --Field Level Media

Florida and Georgia will each receive $7.5 million for staging their rivalry game at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2026, the Athens Banner-Herald reported Tuesday.

• AMB Sports & Entertainment, a company owned by Atlanta Falcons owner and chairman Arthur Blank, is putting up the money, according to information that the newspaper obtained through an open records request.

  Known informally as "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party," the annual clash of the Gators and Bulldogs has been played in Jacksonville, Fla., since 1933.

  Florida and Georgia will meet in Jacksonville this season at EverBank Stadium, but the home of the NFL's Jaguars is set to undergo a $1.4 billion renovation project.

  The 2027 meeting between the SEC's Bulldogs and Gators will be held at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium before returning to Jacksonville in 2028 (with a contract through 2031).

  The City of Jacksonville guarantees a minimum of $10 million to each school in 2028 and 2029 and $10.5 million for 2030 and 2031, according to the Banner-Herald.

  --Field Level Media

Bill Belichick eventually cut off personal questions and told "Good Morning America" host Michael Strahan he wouldn't further discuss his relationship with 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson in a televised interview Friday morning.

• The North Carolina head coach, on a publicity tour to promote his memoir "The Art of Winning: Lessons from a Life in Football," said Hudson brings him balance and has been "terrific through the whole process, and she's been very helpful to me."

  "We have a good personal relationship, and you know I'm not talking about personal relationships, Michael," the 73-year-old Belichick said.

  Hudson and Belichick's relationship has been a hot topic around football and in popular culture discussions for months, and recently became even more prevalent when she began cutting off questions to Belichick during a recent junket interview with CBS Sunday Morning.

  North Carolina administrators denied reports the university banned Hudson from the football program, and Belichick said Friday that she continues to have an important role.

  "She does the business things that don't relate to North Carolina that come up in my life so I can concentrate on football. And that's what I really want to do," he said.

  In the Sunday Morning interview, CBS journalist Tony Dokoupil asked Belichick how he met Hudson. She quickly shut down the question.

  "We're not talking about this," she said.

  Dokoupil turned to her and asked, "No?"

  Belichick claimed in a statement two days later that his publisher and CBS had an agreement to only discuss his book in the interview. CBS refuted the claim later the same day.

  --Field Level Media

Maryland named former Atlanta Braves executive James E. Smith as its new athletic director on Thursday.

• Smith had been the Braves' senior vice president of business strategy for the past five years.

  Smith previously served as president and CEO of the Ohio State University Alumni Association.

  "We are proud of the athletics tradition here at the University of Maryland and of the accomplishments of our coaches and student-athletes who represent the red, black, white and gold," Maryland president Darryll J. Pines said in a release. "As college athletics rapidly evolves, Jim brings valuable administrative and business experience, plus the energy, vision and passion to lead our athletics program to new levels of success and impact."

  Smith's background also includes a series of executive positions at Arthur M. Blank Sports & Entertainment, where he was in charge of revenue and marketing for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and MLS club Atlanta United.

  "It is a great honor to be chosen to lead the athletics department at the University of Maryland and to guide UMD's storied programs into the next era," Smith said. "I am highly motivated to build upon excellence and lead Maryland forward in a dynamic and pivotal time for intercollegiate athletics, with a sharp focus on student-athlete health, well-being and academic success."

  Smith replaces Damon Evans, who left in March to take the same position at SMU. Evans had been the Maryland athletic director since 2018.

  --Field Level Media

Five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin has decommitted from Southern California's 2026 recruiting class.

• The Gainesville, Ga., native committed to the Trojans' top-ranked class last July but reopened his recruiting on Wednesday ahead of the summer official visit window.

  The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Griffin has upcoming visits scheduled to Ohio State, Alabama, Texas and Florida State.

  Ranked as the No. 2 linebacker and No. 22 prospect overall by the 247Sports composite, Griffin recorded 21 sacks during his sophomore and junior seasons at Gainesville High School.

  --Field Level Media

Five-star prospect Jermaine Bishop Jr. committed to Texas in the Class of 2026 on Wednesday, giving the Longhorns a potential two-way player.

• The 247Sports composite lists him as the No. 8 athlete in the nation, and he covets the chance to put his name in the same conversation as Travis Hunter, who played both cornerback and wide receiver at Colorado en route to the Heisman Trophy. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected him with the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft last month.

  "Being able to watch Travis Hunter do that at the college level was great for me," Bishop said, per 247Sports. "Now that people know that it's possible to do it, they know it can be done at that level. It was an eye-opening experience for the rest of the world."

  Bishop plays for Willis High School in Texas. As a junior, he pulled in 1,565 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns and had three interceptions, two forced fumbles and six passes broken up on defense, according to 247Sports. He is 796 yards away from becoming the all-time leader in receiving yards in the Greater Houston area, per the outlet.

  The 5-foot-11, 155-pound Bishop had two dozen offers, including from Houston and Texas A&M.

  --Field Level Media

Offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, the nation's highest-rated overall player in the Class of 2026, will head to Coral Gables, Fla., to join the Miami Hurricanes, he announced during a Tuesday ceremony.

• A five-star prospect out of Nixa High School in Missouri, Cantwell stands as the highest-rated offensive lineman in the modern recruiting era and is ranked No. 1 overall in the 247Sports composite rankings. He's No. 3 in the country and tops at his position and in his state, according to 247Sports' own rankings, and No. 3 overall in the 2026 ESPN 300. He selected the Hurricanes over the likes of Georgia, Oregon and Ohio State.

  "I think relationships won out in the end," Cantwell said after his announcement, citing tight relationships built with various Miami coaches over the past year, including head coach Mario Cristobol and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal.

  "We've talked so much about offensive line development, what my potential there is at the U, and I think their history with guys like Penei Sewell, Francis Mauigoa and some of those guys from recent (memory), I just feel like it's a place I can develop and be something great."

  Listed at 6-foot-7 1/2 and 325 pounds, Cantwell represents Miami's first top-100 prospect -- and 10th overall commit -- for the Class of 2026.

  ESPN reported that the Hurricanes offered him a multiyear NIL package valued at more than $2 million a year.

  Cantwell also is an elite track and field athlete in the discus and shot and could continue in that sport in college. His parents are former Olympian shot-putters -- Christian Cantwell, a silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing Games, and Teri Steer.

  --Field Level Media

Bill Belichick made it as clear as he could: His girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, "doesn't have anything to do" with North Carolina football.

• Appearing on ESPN on Tuesday to discuss the coming 2025 Tar Heels season, Belichick, 73, responded to a question regarding his 24-year-old girlfriend and whether she has affected his ability to coach as he gets set for his debut year in Chapel Hill.

  "That's really off to the side," Belichick said, emphasizing that "it's a personal relationship."

  A six-time Super Bowl-winning coach with the New England Patriots, Belichick signed a five-year, $50 million contract to become the UNC head coach in December. While that created excitement around Chapel Hill, much has been made of his relationship with Hudson -- particularly after Belichick's "CBS Sunday Morning" interview last month, when Hudson stopped the discussion following a question regarding how the two met in 2021.

  After that, a report surfaced that Hudson was banned from campus, although UNC released a statement last week denying the claim. Rather, the university said, Hudson would continue to manage "all activities related to Coach Belichick's personal brand outside of his responsibilities for Carolina football and the university."

  Belichick certainly has some work ahead of him after the Tar Heels went 6-7 in 2024 in Mack Brown's last season. More than 70 players from that team have departed and around 40 new faces arrived via the transfer portal.

  Still, Belichick said, UNC progressed well during spring practices.

  "Hard-working group," Belichick said, "really care, been very responsive to what we've asked them to do."

  The Tar Heels have not won an ACC championship since 1980.

  --Field Level Media

A likely top-10 matchup highlights the opening week of prime-time Saturday college football coverage on ABC this season, as LSU will visit Clemson in South Carolina on Aug. 30.

• The matchup will feature two highly touted quarterbacks in Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik, respectively.

  The battle of the Tigers takes center stage at 7:30 p.m. ET, with ABC's other Saturday coverage during Week 1 featuring Syracuse against Tennessee in Atlanta (noon ET) followed by Alabama at Florida State at 3:30 p.m. ET.

  The next day, Notre Dame will take on Miami in Coral Gables, Fla., at 7:30 p.m. ET, which will follow Virginia Tech against South Carolina in Atlanta on 3 p.m. ET. Bill Belichick's anticipated North Carolina debut will air on ABC on Labor Day, with the Tar Heels hosting TCU in Chapel Hill, N.C.

  Opening week will kick off on Thursday, Aug. 28, with a doubleheader consisting of Boise State at South Florida (5:30 p.m. ET) and Nebraska versus Cincinnati (9 p.m. ET) in Kansas City, Mo.

  What makes Aug. 30 a little more special is that ESPN announced that day's edition of College GameDay will be the last for 89-year-old Lee Corso, leading many to believe that the show will broadcast from Florida State, where Corso played from 1953-57.

  The full broadcast lineups for the first three weeks at each major network are expected to be announced on May 29.

  --Field Level Media

Miami quarterback Carson Beck will be able to participate in summer activities with his new team following his elbow surgery in December, ESPN reported Monday night.

• "He's good to go. He's exceeding every benchmark," Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal told the outlet at the Atlantic Coast Conference's spring meetings.

  Beck had surgery to repair his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) on Dec. 23, ending his season and his career at Georgia in the midst of the College Football Playoff. The quarterback was injured on the last play of the first half in Georgia's win over Texas in the SEC championship game.

  Without their two-year starter, the Bulldogs turned to Gunner Stockton for their playoff opener in the quarterfinal round. They lost to Notre Dame 23-10 at the Sugar Bowl.

  Beck entered the transfer portal instead of the NFL draft given his injury situation, and he signed with Miami, which needed a new starter to replace No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Ward.

  Beck could not practice during the spring, but Cristobal said the QB has been throwing for the past three weeks. He was described as "approaching 100 percent," per ESPN.

  --Field Level Media

NCAA president Charlie Baker told reporters Monday that the Trump administration's interest in issues affecting college sports could help make progress.

• President Donald Trump is planning a presidential commission on college athletics, according to reports that surfaced last week, with former Alabama coach Nick Saban in a lead role.

  Yahoo Sports reported that the commission's goal would be to seek solutions for the present landscape -- in which unlimited transfers, unregulated compensation from boosters under the guise of NIL deals and continued conference realignment have had a profound impact on college football, basketball and other sports.

  Baker has been president of the NCAA since 2023, when he succeeded Mark Emmert. He was the Republican governor of Massachusetts from 2015-23.

  Baker was attending Atlantic Coast Conference meetings in Florida when he had an informal meeting with reporters there.

  "I think the fact that there's an interest on the executive side on this, I think it speaks to the fact that everybody is paying a lot of attention right now to what's going on in college sports," Baker said.

  "I'm up for anything that can help us get somewhere."

  Baker added that representatives of his office have "talked to folks who are working on this," though he did not believe there was a framework ready yet.

  ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, meanwhile, said in an ACC Network interview that he believes Congress can help the college sports ecosystem.

  "We have been very bold in the desire for a national standard when it comes to name, image and likeness. We need to make sure that we have something that comes out of Washington that connects all 50 of the states because we've had a piecemeal project and it's really undermined college sports. It's been a race to the bottom," Phillips said.

  But it remains to be seen whether Trump will work with members of Congress or bypass them. Sen. Tommy Tuberville -- the former Auburn football coach -- hinted that Trump was considering using an executive order, which he did for a similar presidential commission on religious liberty.

  --Field Level Media

Miami Hurricanes linebacker Adarius Hayes has been released from the hospital following a car accident that left three people dead, the school said Monday.

• Hayes was driving a Dodge Durango on Saturday afternoon in Largo, Fla., when the SUV collided with a Kia Soul at an intersection.

  Three people in the Kia died in the crash, including two children, and another passenger in that vehicle is in serious condition, according to police.

  No criminal charges have been filed and no tickets have been issued, although the accident remains under police investigation. A police spokesperson said there were no signs of impairment with either driver.

  "We are deeply saddened to learn the crash resulted in three fatalities, as confirmed by Largo Police, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those lost," the university said in a statement.

  Hayes played in 12 games as a freshman in the 2024 season, primarily on special teams. He had four tackles and one interception. Coming out of Largo High School, he was a four-star prospect in the Class of 2024.

  --Field Level Media

Sophomore Miami linebacker Adarius Hayes was injured in a two-car crash that left two children dead and several others in the hospital.

• Police in Largo, Fla., the hometown of Hayes, said the crash occurred at 1:45 p.m. Saturday as a Dodge Durango collided with a Kia Soul that was making a left turn at an intersection.

  Killed were 10-year-old Jabari Elijah Solomon and 4-year-old Charlie Herbert Solomon Riveria, according to police.

  It was unclear Sunday whether Hayes was a driver or a passenger and which car he was traveling in.

  University officials have not commented on the crash or the extent of Hayes' injuries.

  Hayes played in 12 games as a freshman in the 2024 season, primarily on special teams. He had four tackles and one interception.

  Coming out of Largo High School, Hayes was a four-star prospect in the Class of 2024.

  --Field Level Media

Corey Barber Jr. needed just one official visit to become convinced that Ole Miss is the place for him.

• A speedy four-star wide receiver from Hoover, Ala., Barber announced his commitment to the Rebels on Friday, selecting coach Lane Kiffin's program over Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.

  Barber visited Ole Miss toward the end of April with visits to Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia scheduled for June 6, June 13 and June 20, respectively.

  The 30th-ranked wideout in the class of 2026 according to Rivals250, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Barber recorded 1,429 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns on 74 catches as a junior at Spain Park High in 2024.

  "The thing that I like about Ole Miss," Barber told Rivals, "is the way they use their wide receivers and their dynamic passing game. ... I feel this school is a wide receiver's dream."

  --Field Level Media