Despite breaking numerous NCAA rules regarding gambling as an athlete, a Texas state court on Monday granted Texas Tech University quarterback Brendan Sorsby a temporary injunction, allowing him to play college football in the 2026-2027 season.
Retired Lubbock County Judge Ken Curry made the decision on Sorsby after he was assigned the case when the current judge recused himself. Curry&#8217;s decision comes after the NCAA declared him permanently ineligible in May. The NCAA took action on Sorsby after he admitted to wagering over $90,000 on professional and collegiate athletic events over four years following an investigation in March shortly after he transferred to Texas Tech from the University of Cincinnati. 
Judge Curry stated that Sorsby’s attorneys <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/49000177/brendan-sorsby-granted-injunction-vs-ncaa-eligible-play-2026">explained</a> he would suffer “probable, imminent, and irreparable injury” if he could not suit up for the Red Raiders in 2026, granting him an injunction just three days after the NCAA denied Texas Tech’s appeal.
Curry’s ruling shocked many around the country. ESPN&#8217;s College Football senior writer Pete Thamel discussed the nationwide consensus of the news.
“Reaction from lawyer Tom Mars, a veteran of NCAA cases: ‘In 40 years as a lawyer, I&#8217;ve never been as shocked and surprised by a court ruling.’ That sums the reaction on the college sports landscape today,” Thamel wrote on <a href="https://x.com/petethamel/status/2064001793659433028?s=46">X</a>.
After the ruling, the NCAA defended its decision to punish Sorsby and warned about &#8220;far-reaching&#8221; ramifications from the court&#8217;s decision. 
“The NCAA strongly disagrees with the court’s ruling in Sorsby’s case and is deeply concerned about the damaging, far-reaching and broadly destabilizing ramifications of this outcome — which undermines and corrupts the integrity of sports,” the NCAA <a href="https://x.com/petethamel/status/2063993834862706831?s=46">stated</a>.
NCAA President Charlie Baker also took to X to express his disappointment in Curry’s decision, even calling for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bipartisan-bill-seeks-to-restore-order-to-college-sports">Protect College Sports Act</a> to be passed and signed into law sooner rather than later. 

“There is no better example of why targeted intervention from Congress is necessary. When you have schools and deep-pocketed supporters willing to look the other way on the glaring integrity threat of betting on your own team &#8211; and judges whose rulings effectively strip away our ability to stop them &#8211; only Congress can equip the @NCAA to apply this common sense rule to everyone fairly and consistently,” Baker <a href="https://x.com/charliebakerma/status/2064014366899679736?s=46">wrote</a>. “The Protect College Sports Act would empower the NCAA to enforce rules including the gambling restrictions &#8211; it&#8217;s needed now more than ever.” 
 
The NCAA is expected to appeal the decision. However, the ruling states that the NCAA cannot prevent Sorsby from “practicing, playing or otherwise participating on Texas Tech’s football team for the 2026 season.” If appealed, the four justices in the Texas Seventh Court of Appeals, who are all Texas Tech University law graduates, would be making the decision on their alma mater’s quarterback situation.
Thanks to the ruling, what has long been a major offense in college athletics has been downgraded to a slap on the wrist, as Sorsby will only be suspended for the first two games of Texas Tech’s 2026-2027 season.

2026 Texas Tech Spring Football Game

Court Rules Star QB Can Return After NCAA Banned Him Over Gambling Admission

College Football

gambling

Texas

A little over two months away from their opening game set to be played in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the University of Virginia and North Carolina State University rescheduled the game back in the states, saving themselves from the foreign travel headache and keeping the game accessible for students and fans. 
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) released a statement Wednesday afternoon that both universities relayed to fans, announcing that the in-conference matchup between the Cavaliers and Wolfpack would no longer take place in Brazil. 
“Following extensive review with operational partners and international stakeholders, [the game] will be relocated to Charlottesville, Virginia, for the conference matchup,” the ACC announced on NC State’s X account and UVA’s official <a href="https://virginiasports.com/news/2026/06/3/virginia-football-season-opener-relocated-to-charlottesville">website</a>. “This change follows communication [with game organizer] Athlete Advantage, which informed the ACC and participating schools that the event could not be conducted.”
Neither the event’s organizers nor the ACC or NCAA had any further comments on why the game was canceled and relocated. 
Expanding football overseas at the professional and collegiate levels has become a top focus for leagues seeking to move into more markets. Many fans, however, have criticized the jump overseas as much of the tradition around college football derives from the passionate students, fans, and alumni supporting their college teams. 
The rescheduled Rio game marks the second overseas hassle in 2026 as the University of Michigan and Western Michigan University were scheduled to play in Frankfurt, Germany, before the game was moved to the Big House in Ann Arbor. 
The matchup, announced December 1, 2025, was one of two international games set to take place in “Week 0” of the NCAA football season, with it supposed to be the first-ever college football game to take place in Brazil. The University of North Carolina and Texas Christian University are set to play in Dublin, Ireland, marking the seventh college football matchup ever played at Aviva Stadium.
While the University of Kansas and Arizona State University face off later this year in London, it is unknown if the NCAA will attempt to play more games outside of the countries they usually compete in.
Refunds will be provided only if purchased through the official College Football Brazil website, the ACC added in its statement. 
The trouble of fans paying extreme expenses and making over-the-top travel plans to watch their favorite university compete can be solved by keeping American teams playing in America.
Thankfully, the Wolfpack and Cavaliers will still kick off as scheduled on August 29, 2026, with it now being a home ACC matchup for UVA.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 06 Virginia at NC State

College Football Game Stays In America After South America Plan Goes Up In Flames

Brazil

North Carolina State

University of Virginia

An emerging clash over the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA) has placed former Alabama head football coach Nick Saban and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) on opposite sides of a major debate over the future of college athletics.
As lawmakers considered the legislation on Wednesday, the CBC sent a letter urging senators to delay consideration of the bill until college athletics leadership breaks its “silence” on what the caucus called &#8220;ongoing attacks on black political representation&#8221; — a reference to Southern redistricting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-revolt-and-hand-dems-stunning-win-against-trumps-redistricting">efforts</a> the CBC claims dilute black voting power.
The CBC sent the letter as the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing, where Saban testified in support of the legislation and argued that Congress must establish a national framework for collegiate sports.
“Congress does need to fix the mess in the courts and create a national framework so the people inside college sports can enforce fair rules,” Saban said in his opening <a href="https://x.com/RossDellenger/status/2062132922505740482">sworn statement</a>. “Without that legal certainty, every rule becomes another lawsuit, every standard becomes another risk, and the system keeps drifting toward a professional model without ever admitting that is what is happening.”
WATCH FROM TODAY’S EPISODE OF MORNING WIRE:
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The CBC argued that Congress should not provide additional protections or legal certainty to college athletic institutions until their leadership both speaks out against supposed efforts to weaken black voting power in the South and engages on the caucus&#8217;s concerns about the legislation, including athlete protections and institutional accountability.
“Until college athletics leadership demonstrates a willingness to both engage on these issues and take concrete action in support of the communities that have contributed so much to their success,” the CBC <a href="https://cbc.house.gov/uploadedfiles/cbc_letter_regarding_protect_college_sports_act.pdf">wrote</a>, “Congress should refrain from advancing legislation that would provide additional protections, authorities, benefits, or legal certainty to these institutions.”
The caucus further urged lawmakers to pause consideration of the bill until those concerns are addressed.
Saban, meanwhile, emphasized what he sees as the urgency of congressional action amid ongoing changes in the college sports landscape.
“It’s become an arms race, who spends the most has got the best chance to win,” Saban told the Senate. “But I think it’s a race to the bottom because if you don’t spend to win, you lose your fan base and you don’t have any revenue.”
The proposed legislation has also divided major athletic conferences.
The Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 Conference have endorsed the bill, while the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten Conference have raised concerns about key provisions.
In a joint statement, the SEC and Big Ten thanked Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) for their work on the legislation but argued that significant issues remain unresolved.
“It does not meaningfully preempt the patchwork of state laws or provide the protections needed to make and enforce consistent rules, both essential to long-term stability in college athletics,” the SEC and Big Ten explained in their <a href="https://x.com/PeteNakos/status/2061932342294307112?s=20">statement</a>. “It also shifts ongoing rulemaking to Congress, limiting the ability to adapt quickly as the landscape evolves.”

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: JAN 13 CFP National Championship – LSU v Clemson

Congressional Black Caucus Clashes With Legendary Football Coach Over Future Of College Sports

Congress

Sports

Did AOC just do the impossible and unite the entire Southeastern Conference?
A college football hype video featuring New York Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has brought together SEC fanbases that normally can&#8217;t stand each other. Not just the kind of disdain where you root against your conference opponents. SEC rivalries go further than fandom: they determine marriages, children&#8217;s names, and whether or not your parents pay for your college.
Now it’s only May, but this could be a contender for best hype video of the 2026 season — and it’s simply an AOC speech where she rails against what&#8217;s wrong with the South, and, arguably, the best part of the South — SEC football.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
NEW TREND: AOC – COLLEGE FOOTBALL EDITS. <a href="https://t.co/LjP2WjoKrb">pic.twitter.com/LjP2WjoKrb</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2059261406021550543?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a fiery speech from behind a bulletproof shield in Montgomery, Alabama, on May 16 at the “All Roads Lead To The South” rally, where she encouraged northern liberals to &#8220;pull up to the South&#8221; and fight what she describes as political injustice below the Mason-Dixon Line.
While she never specified what she meant by &#8220;pull up&#8221; (according to <a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pull+up">Urban Dictionary</a>, &#8220;pull up&#8221; when used as a phrase means to fight somebody), it didn’t take too long for college football fans to troll the New York native.
Using clips from her rally speech, the now-viral TikTok shows the University of Alabama running onto Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium after AOC says, &#8220;It is time for New York to pull up to Alabama.&#8221;
AOC continued, &#8220;It’s time for all of us to come to Georgia&#8221; — a perfect intro to show the University of Georgia Bulldogs taking the field in Sanford Stadium.
Let’s be honest, AOC doesn’t scream SEC, which is largely made up of conservatives — but man, did she say the perfect words to show off what some claim are the best college football programs in the country. With the help of this football hype video, she may get more conservative eyes on her speeches than ever before.
&#8220;AOC is now being mocked by SEC fans,&#8221; OutKick founder and avid college football fan Clay Travis said alongside the video on <a href="https://x.com/ClayTravis/status/2059263688935153680?s=20">X</a>.
A University of Tennessee fan noticed his on-the-field rivals had the same opinion of the AOC SEC football mashup.
&#8220;She has temporarily united the SEC fanbase against her and her far left socialist lunatics,&#8221; Brandon Harbin <a href="https://x.com/brandonh42/status/2059273902803615887?s=20">wrote</a>. &#8220;We don&#8217;t do socialism in the South.&#8221;
Even fellow politicians couldn’t help but put their college football rivalries aside to give this hype video some love.
&#8220;I never repost LSU Football, but this is so awesome, it must be the exception,&#8221; Texas Governor Greg Abbott <a href="https://x.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/2059079637636894810?s=20">posted</a> alongside the video from a Tigers fan account. &#8220;Bring it AOC. See you on game day.&#8221;
The kickoff to college football is 95 days away, and there will be plenty more hype edits made, though having an AOC/SEC crossover is an unexpected move that will forever be meme’d … sorry … remembered.

Credit: Matthew Hatcher/Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

WATCH: SEC Fans Troll AOC With College Football Hype Video And The Internet Loves It

News

The mistress and former assistant of disgraced ex-Michigan coach Sherrone Moore spoke out Friday in her first televised interview since Moore&#8217;s December arrest on stalking and home invasion charges.
Paige Shiver, 32, appearing on <a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/assistant-felt-trapped-relationship-fired-michigan-coach-knew-132314433">Good Morning America,</a> reflected on her relationship with Moore, 40, describing it as controlling, and said she felt pressured throughout the affair, which began while she worked under Moore.
Shiver said she became pregnant during the relationship, but medical professionals encouraged her to abort the unborn child.
&#8220;Multiple doctors and experts told me that it wouldn&#8217;t be right or healthy for me to keep the baby,&#8221; Shiver said. Recalling how Moore responded to the news, she said he told her, &#8220;You have to do what&#8217;s right for your body.&#8221;
Shiver, who has Pompe disease, a serious muscle-weakening condition, said the relationship began in 2022 when she was an intern with the Michigan football program and Moore was the team&#8217;s offensive coordinator. In 2024, after Moore was promoted to head coach following Jim Harbaugh&#8217;s departure to the NFL, Shiver became his executive assistant.
Shiver said she initially believed she loved Moore but now sees the relationship differently.
&#8220;Looking back at things and really reflecting on what happened, what was happening &#8230; it&#8217;s not love at all,&#8221; Shiver said.
She said she tried to end the relationship multiple times but felt unable to do so because of Moore&#8217;s influence over her career.
&#8220;He and other coaches had control over my career, especially him,&#8221; Shiver said. &#8220;He could fire me in a second.&#8221;
Shiver also claimed Moore repeatedly pressured her to stay, telling her his life would fall apart without her.
&#8220;Every time I tried to pull away, he always had a story&#8230;always had a way to pull me in and making me feel that I couldn&#8217;t leave him because he was so miserable without me,&#8221; Shiver said.
The relationship came to a screeching halt after Shiver reported the affair to university officials. Moore was subsequently fired as Michigan&#8217;s head coach, where he had been earning $5.5 million annually.
Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel cited an &#8220;inappropriate relationship&#8221; with a staffer as the reason for Moore&#8217;s termination.
Shortly after his firing, Moore broke into Shiver’s home, where she says he grabbed butter knives and scissors, then threatened to kill himself.
&#8220;I hear footsteps, and they’re getting closer and louder … I run to my door to lock it, and he barges in,&#8221; Shiver said. &#8220;He comes in with his hood up, looking down at me, saying I ruined his life and is crying.&#8221;
Moore was initially charged with home invasion and stalking, offenses that carried potential prison time. But those charges were dropped last week as part of a plea deal. Moore pleaded no contest to trespassing and malicious use of a telecommunication device.
He was sentenced to 18 months&#8217; probation and ordered not to contact Shiver.
Moore&#8217;s wife, Kelli, has stood by him during his court appearances.
Shiver said she believes the punishment was insufficient.
&#8220;I think he should have gotten more punishment for what he did,&#8221; she said.
Shiver is no longer employed by the university. Moore was replaced by former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham.

Credit: Good Morning America

Tearful Mistress Says She Had To Abort Baby During Affair With Former Michigan Coach

Michigan

Sherrone Moore

Former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore will not serve jail time after being convicted of stalking his ex-mistress, Paige Shiver.
Moore was instead sentenced Tuesday to 18 months of probation by Judge Cedric Simpson in Washtenaw County Court, as The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/14/sports/ex-michigan-football-coach-sherrone-moore-sentenced-to-probation-for-stalking-incident-involving-ex-mistress/">reported</a>. The former head coach appeared in court arm-in-arm with his wife, with whom he shares three children.
Prosecutors said Moore threatened to kill himself in front of Shiver, with whom he had been having a relationship. The 40-year-old had faced charges including felony home invasion, stalking, and breaking and entering. Shiver was Moore&#8217;s executive assistant during their two-year affair.
Details of the charges were first revealed during Moore&#8217;s arraignment in December, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sherrone-moore-charged-with-home-invasion-threatened-to-kill-himself-prosecutors-say">reported</a>.
According to prosecutors, Moore forced his way into Shiver&#8217;s apartment in mid-December, grabbed several butter knives and a pair of scissors, and threatened to take his own life after repeatedly calling and texting her. 
“I am going to kill myself. I am going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You’ve ruined my life,” Moore said, according to prosecutors.
First Assistant Prosecutor Kati Rezmierski said Shiver, 32, was terrorized by a &#8220;series of very intimidating and terrifying statements and behaviors&#8221; inside the apartment.
Prosecutors said Shiver and Moore had been in an intimate relationship for years before she broke it off, which they argued led to Moore’s erratic behavior. 
Judge Simpson noted the seriousness of Moore’s crimes during sentencing. 
“You had no right to do what you did,” the judge stated, per the Post. “I know that [Shiver] was placed in fear. It was a traumatic experience that day for you. It was certainly a traumatic experience for her.&#8221;
“You had no right to spread your pain to her,” Simpson added. “I don’t know where your wife, Kelli, finds her strength… you, sir, took her for granted.”
Moore’s lawyer said he has taken steps to address his behavior since the incident. 
“Sherrone has engaged in counseling, gained insight into his life … recentered himself around his family and taken responsibility, expressing genuine remorse,” attorney Ellen Michaels said.
The judge ordered Moore to have no contact with Shiver. His probation is set to be reviewed in October.

Former Michigan Football Coach Sentenced After Stalking Ex-Mistress

College sports

Crime

Football

University of Michigan

President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to reshape college sports, targeting what the White House described as &#8220;an out-of-control financial arms race&#8221; driven by Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules.
Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/04/urgent-national-action-to-save-college-sports/">order,</a> signed last week, places new limits on eligibility and transfers, allowing collegiate athletes five years of eligibility and restricting most to one transfer, with an additional transfer permitted after earning a four-year degree. The order seeks to &#8220;ensure that the transfer window does not incentivize interference with athletic seasons or the academic year, or otherwise undermine the integrity of participation and competition in college athletics.&#8221;
&#8220;Fair competition cannot occur without a consistent set of rules concerning pay-for-play or player eligibility that cannot be endlessly relitigated in court,&#8221; Trump&#8217;s order states.
The policy is set to take effect on August 1 and threatens to withhold federal funding from universities that do not comply.
The order follows a series of court rulings, including a Supreme Court decision, that weakened the NCAA&#8217;s ability to restrict athletes&#8217; compensation, fueling the rapid expansion of NIL deals and a more fluid transfer portal. Under the current NIL system, athletes can move freely between programs while negotiating compensation.
The shift has increased financial pressure on universities, which the order says is &#8220;driving universities into debt, threatening to siphon resources from other sports, and damaging student-athletes’ educational and graduation opportunities.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s order also prohibits professional athletes from returning to collegiate competition, closing a loophole that allowed some players who had played professionally in Europe or in the NBA&#8217;s G League to join college teams.
The White House argues that the current system is straining universities and could jeopardize non-revenue sports.
&#8220;Absent a comprehensive national solution, therefore, the escalating financial demands to succeed in football and basketball combined with the significantly loosened rules governing eligibility, transfers, and pay-for-play schemes may force curtailment of women’s and Olympics sports, and may even jeopardize the overall financial well-being of universities with which the Federal Government has important financial relationships,&#8221; the order continues.
College sports fans and many coaches have criticized the apparent lack of structure for the transfer portal after the introduction of NIL. Since college football and basketball players have begun receiving compensation, with some athletes negotiating massive contracts, many fans argue that major college sports have turned into semi-professional leagues.
Coaches, meanwhile, have complained that NIL paired with a wide-open transfer portal hurts player and program development. With college athletes now eligible to sign contracts, players effectively become free agents immediately after the season as they or their agents shop for more favorable contracts.
The order, which will likely face a flurry of lawsuits, urges Congress to codify the president&#8217;s policies into law and protect college sports in the long term. Courts have consistently ruled in favor of athletes on NIL matters, making it nearly impossible for the NCAA to impose restrictions on transfers and eligibility.
The &#8220;Power 4&#8221; college sports conferences lauded Trump&#8217;s action last week and renewed their calls for Congress to pass legislation addressing the issue. A piece of legislation, called the SCORE Act, was introduced in the House last summer to address some of the issues around NIL and college athlete eligibility. The bill has bipartisan support but faces scrutiny from lawmakers and has stalled in committee.
Hall-of-fame former Alabama football coach Nick Saban also praised Trump for leading the effort to enact &#8220;regulation that would help us manage and fund all sports, so that we can continue to create opportunities for young people.&#8221;
Former University of Michigan quarterback David Cone, the co-host of On3&#8217;s sports talk show &#8220;Crain &amp; Cone,&#8221; told The Daily Wire that Congress ultimately needs to act for anything to change with the current college sports structure, otherwise Trump&#8217;s order could be overturned by the courts. Still, he added that he&#8217;s skeptical Congress will take up the issue anytime soon.
&#8220;I haven&#8217;t seen anything from Congress over the last few years that tells me they&#8217;re all going to get their act together and, pun intended, pass one of these acts. I think this was a great showing by President Trump to attempt to solve some of the problems that will ultimately end up going nowhere.&#8221;

Donald Trump/College Sports

Trump Steps In As College Sports Turn Into A Money-Driven Free-For-All

College basketball

Donald Trump

NCAA

Legendary Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz has died at the age of 89, the university <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/legendary-national-championship-coach-lou-holtz-passes-away/">announced</a> on Wednesday.
A cause of death was not immediately stated.
Holtz was considered one of the most influential coaches in college football history, winning 249 games as a collegiate head coach. He began his coaching career at William &amp; Mary in 1969 and spent one season in the NFL before returning to college football.
One hundred of those wins happened at Notre Dame, where he served as head coach from 1986 until 1996.
“Notre Dame mourns the loss of Lou Holtz, a legendary football coach, a beloved member of the Notre Dame family and devoted husband, father and grandfather,” University of Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. said in a statement published on their website.
“Among his many accomplishments, we will remember him above all as a teacher, leader and mentor who brought out the very best in his players, on and off the field, earning their respect and admiration for a lifetime. In the years since leaving the head football coach position, Lou, together with his beloved wife, Beth, supported Notre Dame in innumerable ways, among them making possible the refurbishment of four residence hall chapels and the construction of the Beth and Lou Holtz Grand Reading Room on the first floor of Hesburgh Library — tangible signs of their great love for their Catholic faith and the mission of Our Lady’s University.”
The statement went on, “Whenever Notre Dame called to ask for his help, Lou answered with his characteristic generosity, and he will be sorely missed. The prayers of the entire Notre Dame community are with his family and many friends in this time of sorrow. May he rest in the peace and love of Christ.”
Holtz called coaching for Notre Dame “the dream of a lifetime.” 
&#8220;I remember at school that we would pray every Friday before a game for Notre Dame&#8217;s success,” he said, per <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/48103098/legendary-football-coach-commentator-lou-holtz-dies-89">ESPN</a>. “So, it&#8217;s just part of our religion. It&#8217;s a part of the way we are, and the football team should reflect the values of Notre Dame. That means we had to play with great enthusiasm, we had to play together. We had to play with great character, great integrity, but we also should be playing for our lady on the Dome.&#8221;
After retiring from coaching, Holtz worked in television, including spending more than a decade with ESPN.
The coach was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008, the university website noted, and was the man behind several honored Notre Dame football traditions including the “Play Like A Champion” sign in the locker room.
Holtz was also a close friend and longtime supporter of Donald Trump. The president honored Holtz with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in December of 2020 for his contributions to the nation. 
Holtz is survived by his four children, Luanne, Lou “Skip” Junior, Kevin and Elizabeth. The latter three graduated from the University of Notre Dame.
&#8220;He was successful, but more important he was Significant,&#8221; his son Skip <a href="https://x.com/CoachSHoltz/status/2029313222537253174">shared</a> on X.

Lou Holtz

Beloved Notre Dame Football Coach Lou Holtz Dies At 89

Death

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza continues to impress even after leading the Hoosiers to their first College Football Playoff National Championship title in school history.
The Heisman winner took to LinkedIn to share what he learned from Monday&#8217;s title game in a lengthy post that has already garnered quite the response from the corporate world.
&#8220;Monday night, my teammates and I had the honor of raising the National Championship trophy and bringing a CFB title back to Bloomington, Indiana, for the first time in history. With the guidance of our coaches and the unwavering support of Hoosier Nation, our band of brothers made the unbelievable believable,&#8221; Mendoza wrote.
The MBA student continued to share what winning has taught him about putting his major to use:
<blockquote>Here’s what winning a National Championship taught me about B2B sales 🏆 (kidding…kinda)
1. Believe in yourself: Four years ago, I was a two-star recruit playing high school football 30 minutes from Hard Rock Stadium with a dream of playing at the highest level. Two days ago, I became a National Champion in that same stadium, surrounded by the family who never stopped believing in me.
2. Take the risk: When it’s 4th and 5 at the 12-yard line, go for it.
3. Remember who got you there: Thank you to my teammates, coaches, support staff, professors, and everyone behind the scenes who helped make this happen.&#8221;
This isn&#8217;t his first update on the networking app. After winning the Heisman Trophy in December Mendoza shared the news on LinkedIn and updated his Honors and Awards section to reflect college football&#8217;s highest achievement.
This weekend, I was incredibly honored to be named the 2025 Heisman Trophy recipient. To the Heisman Trophy Trust, the voters, and the legendary winners who have come before me, it is a privilege to be recognized alongside such an esteemed fraternity.</blockquote>
Of course, now the awards section reflects winning the College Football Playoff National Championship.
LinkedIn is showing the world what Mendoza can do off the field. His football skills include insane runs on 4th and 5 that result in touchdowns, setting Indiana&#8217;s single-season touchdown record, and a nation-leading 33 passing touchdowns on the year. But off the field, he lists the following skills on his LinkedIn profile: Microsoft Excel, Accounting, Commercial Real Estate, Event Management, to name just a few.
There shouldn&#8217;t be a need to add the common LinkedIn headline &#8220;Open to work&#8221; to Mendoza&#8217;s profile. For someone who is projected to be the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Mendoza keeps his LinkedIn job-interview ready.
The Raiders, who desperately need a franchise quarterback and have the number one pick, sent executives to Miami to watch Mendoza ball out on college football&#8217;s biggest stage.
With a degree from Cal and Indiana, the football star has his business-to-business sales experience to fall back on if, for some reason, the whole NFL quarterback thing doesn&#8217;t work out. Either way, his 55,000+ followers on LinkedIn will eagerly await a profile update.

Illustration by Daily Wire staff

Hoosiers Quarterback Shares What Winning The National Championship Taught Him … On LinkedIn

Fernando Mendoza Shares What Winning The National Championship Taught Him On...LinkedIn

Indiana University

Fernando Mendoza has made a name for himself. You can call the Indiana quarterback &#8220;Heisman Winner,&#8221; &#8220;Player of the Year,&#8221; or by the nearly dozen other awards the junior has won from his record-setting season. Mendoza is using his name in this new Name, Image, and Likeness era to make millions, but he&#8217;s also using it to fight multiple sclerosis, a disease his mom Elsa has battled for 18 years.
With the help of local restaurants in Bloomington, Indiana, Mendoza is raising money for MS through the National MS Society.
The quarterback teamed up with BuffaLouie&#8217;s to make the &#8220;Mendoza Bros. Burger&#8221; and Gable&#8217;s Bagels for the &#8220;Mendoza Bros. Cubano.&#8221; Proceeds from both of those items go directly to the National MS Society.
&#8220;My mom means the world to me,&#8221; Mendoza said on his fundraiser <a href="https://events.nationalmssociety.org/participants/FernandoMendoza">site</a>. &#8220;She’s the most caring and positive person I know, and I’ll keep doing everything I can to support her and others living with MS.&#8221;
Mendoza&#8217;s goal is to raise $150,000 for the foundation. He has received $144,443 so far through his campaign.
In a letter penned to <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/fernando-mendoza-elsa-mom-ncaa-football-indiana-hoosiers">The Players&#8217; Tribune</a>, Elsa said her son has helped her not feel embarrassed about the degenerative disease.
&#8220;When you have to carry me up the stairs, you’ve always kept that same spark in your eye,&#8221; Elsa wrote. &#8220;No matter what kind of state I’ve been in, or day I’ve been having, you’ve never once looked away. You’ve never once treated me like I’m embarrassing, or deficient, or anything other than someone you love and are standing by.&#8221;
In the emotional letter, Elsa opened up about raising Mendoza as a young mom in Boston. She said her firstborn always felt like her closest buddy. Together, the two navigated the Miami native&#8217;s first Boston winter. All these years later, Mendoza is still helping his mom, just in different ways.
&#8220;Even as my condition has gotten worse, and as our lives continue to change around that fact. You manage to make me feel like I’m still every part of myself,&#8221; Elsa said. &#8220;Like I’m still that same person you’ve been teammates with since we got through our first Boston winter together. Like I’m still that same mom.&#8221;
Their bond took center stage at the Heisman ceremony in December, where Mendoza, through tear-filled eyes, dedicated the trophy to his mom.
&#8220;Mommy, this is your trophy as much as mine. You&#8217;ve always been my biggest fan. You&#8217;re my light. You&#8217;re my why. You&#8217;re my biggest supporter. Your sacrifices, courage, love, those have been my first playbook and the playbook that I&#8217;m going to carry through my entire life. You taught me that toughness doesn&#8217;t need to be loud. It can be quiet and strong. It&#8217;s choosing hope. It&#8217;s believing in yourself when the world doesn&#8217;t give you much reason to. Together, you and I are rewriting what people think is impossible. I love you.&#8221;
Mendoza said he&#8217;s using his platform to achieve his goal of &#8220;a world free of MS.&#8221;
&#8220;The money raised through this campaign will help fund MS research, programs, and services so people affected by MS can live their best lives.&#8221;
Mendoza is arguably living his best life right now as he gears up to take on Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinal Friday night. He credits the success he and Indiana are having this season to his mom.
&#8220;To see her optimistic and positive approach with all that she&#8217;s battling has given myself no excuse for complacency throughout my life — whether it&#8217;s academics or football,&#8221; Mendoza said on a recent <a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/HpN2MEnKoD4?si=DXGcv7bl2wba38FL">podcast</a>. &#8220;To see her fight and see her struggle and then get better &#8230; it&#8217;s been so inspiring to myself.&#8221;
When Mendoza takes the field against Oregon, the spotlight will shine bright on college football&#8217;s best player, and he embraces it — knowing he&#8217;s making an impact for his mom, the person he cares about most.

Credit: CFP via Getty Images

Indiana’s Heisman QB Fernando Mendoza Fights For Wins On The Field While Leading The Fight Against MS

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Heisman

U.S.

Lane Kiffin has mastered passive income, continuing to profit from his former team&#8217;s postseason success just over a month after leaving Ole Miss to become head coach at LSU.
When Kiffin stepped down on November 30 to take the LSU gig, his contract included guarantees ensuring he would still benefit financially if the Rebels went on a College Football Playoff run, according to <a href="https://frontofficesports.com/lane-kiffin-earns-500k-bonus-from-ole-miss-win-over-georgia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Front Office Sports</a>.
Under the deal, LSU agreed to pay Kiffin $150,000 after Ole Miss made the College Football Playoff. That increased to $250,000 after Ole Miss beat Tulane in the first round, matching the payout Ole Miss had promised.
But wait, there&#8217;s more. After Ole Miss upset Georgia in the quarterfinals, Kiffin&#8217;s bonus grew to $500,000, per the outlet.
If the Rebels advance to the national championship game, LSU will owe him $750,000, and if they shock the world and win it all, Kiffin would receive $1 million from LSU within 30 days, the report said. The bonuses are not cumulative. Instead, each postseason win increases Kiffin&#8217;s total bonus to the next tier.
Not bad for not calling a single play for Ole Miss in the postseason.
Considering those numbers, it&#8217;s no surprise that Kiffin is still publicly supporting his former team. After Ole Miss&#8217;s win over Georgia at the Sugar Bowl on New Year&#8217;s Day, he posted photos of his family, appearing to count down to a potentially even bigger payday, <a href="https://x.com/Lane_Kiffin/status/2006955341963993373?s=20">saying</a>: &#8220;What a great finish!!! So much fun!! Only two more to go.&#8221;
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Kiffin said he wanted to attend the Sugar Bowl, but did not, to the relief of many of his former players, who view the entire situation as their former coach trolling them.
&#8220;That&#8217;s all he&#8217;s trying to do. That&#8217;s all he&#8217;s been trying to do is steal our shine,&#8221; Ole Miss senior defensive tackle Zxavian Harris told <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47479549/ole-miss-cfp-staff-uncertain-kiffin-plots-lsu-transfer-portal-period">ESPN</a>. &#8220;He was trying to be a troll. We&#8217;re going to troll him. We got something for him.&#8221;
Ole Miss&#8217;s postseason run continues next weekend in the Fiesta Bowl, with a trip to the National Championship on the line.
It remains unclear how many Ole Miss assistant coaches joining Kiffin&#8217;s LSU staff will remain with the Rebels through the semifinal on January 8 against the Miami Hurricanes. ESPN reports that offensive coordinator Charlie Weiss Jr. is expected to coach in the Fiesta Bowl, while three other assistants are expected in Baton Rouge this weekend.
That scenario is pending, but Ole Miss&#8217;s postseason run has already proven profitable for Kiffin.

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It Pays To Be Lane Kiffin, LSU Coach Still Raking In Cash Off Former Team’s Success

Lane Kiffin

Editor’s note: This week, we’re reprinting some of our best stories from the past year. In this piece, originally published in November, Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan hits the road for some good old fashioned football with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
***
BOSTON—On a brisk November morning, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shipped up to Boston with two goals: making his forgotten Merchant Mariners remember who they were, and bringing home the Secretaries’ Cup.
That’s the trophy that goes to the victor of an annual college football game that pits the Merchant Mariners against the Coast Guard, a smaller but beloved version of the annual Army-Navy game. Fans, alumni, and family of the “Kings Point” mariners and the Coast Guard travel from all over the country to support their teams.
This year, Duffy and Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem — whose agency includes the Coast Guard — joined their teams for the final showdown of the season. They had a bet: whoever lost would host the other team at their agency back in the nation’s capital. It was a rare non-political event attended for the two high-profile politicians, who were there to cheer on their teams and talk trash to each other.
“Our Merchant Marine Academy, they’re excited to play on a on a big venue like this,” Duffy told The Daily Wire ahead of the game. “And sometimes they don’t get the attention that they deserve … they’re critical as part of America’s infrastructure and making sure that we can defend ourselves.”
“The Merchant Marine Academy, our young men and women go out and make sure we have the capability of supporting the military in doing sea lifts, making sure products are moving, supplies are moving, and our midshipmen provide those services,” he explained.
The Merchant Marine Academy is housed under the Department of Transportation, which formerly also housed the United States Coast Guard. The “Coasties” were moved under Homeland Security’s umbrella in 2003. But the reshuffling did nothing to the football rivalry, which dates back to 1949.
The Daily Wire spent the day with Duffy as he wandered around Fenway Park, even down to the locker room, where he aggressively hyped up the mariners before they headed out onto the field. “You guys have more heart, more grit,” Duffy told the animated mariners. “So please go kick some Coast Guard ass today!”
<div class="fluid-width-video-wrapper"><iframe title="The Military Game at Fenway Park You’ve Never Heard Of" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dK1sGZB3qwM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Many of the midshipmen who were at the game were delighted to chat with the transportation secretary, who spent a big chunk of his time hanging out in the stands with them.
“Oh, yeah,” Edward Lippert told The Daily Wire, asked if he was a Duffy fan. “He’s the man. He’s the man.”
“I love that guy,” added Christian Meyers. “I can’t wait to see him.”
The two young men, who are both seniors at the academy, responded emphatically when asked what it means to them to be mariners. Meyers will go into Navy aviation after graduation, and Lippert will be sailing on his third mates license in the maritime industry.
“Oh man, it’s everything,” said Lippert. “I mean, it’s how cargo moves around the world right? World needs mariners.”
“Pretty much everyone here will graduate with a license in the US Coast Guard that’s capable of operating any boat or vessel in the American fleet,” he added.”We move cargo, whatever it be, cars, containers from point A to point B. We’re what puts food on your shelves.”
The second mariner conceded that without their work, American lives would be significantly impacted.
“It’d be really hard to live,” he said, asked where Americans would be without them. “Costs would be insane. I mean, there would be no food in supermarkets. There’d be nothing. There’d be nothing without us.”
Duffy feels that the Merchant Marine Academy has been not only forgotten but downright neglected by other secretaries of transportation, including his predecessor, Pete Buttigieg (“Boot-edge-edge,” as Duffy chuckled aside to his kids).
“They’ve been shunned,” Duffy said of the mariners. “They haven’t had the investments. They have one of the most beautiful campuses, but no one has  reinvigorated it. No one has invested in it.”
When Duffy first arrived in Kings Point, New York to visit the Merchant Marine Academy, he found out that these midshipmen had gone four months without hot water. A green energy effort brought in an electric boiler that didn’t work and ultimately led to the midshipmen going without water for months, he said with a shake of his head.
“So they’re taking cold showers. They have mold in in their dorms. Their dishwasher broke. They didn’t have regular plates and silverware. They had plastic plates, plastic silverware.”
When he brought it up to the midshipmen, he expected that they would be angry. Instead, he joked, they beat their chests and were proud of their tough situation: “I said, ‘No hot water?’ And they’re like, ‘ROAR!! You’re damn right we did! No hot water!&#8217;”
He also found out that President Joe Biden’s administration removed a mural of Jesus Christ on the water from the academy and put it in the basement.
“Shameful,” said Duffy. “It’s been in the academy for over 50 years!”
“I said that’s it, we are going to we are going to resurrect the painting of Jesus on the water out of the basement and put him back in his place of prominence. And when I mentioned it to the to the midshipman, they lost their minds.”
He doesn’t have to “bring faith back to the academy,” he said, questioned about the move: “These are faithful young men and women.”
One way that he’s boosting morale is by telling the mariners that the “black sheep” is their mascot, leaning into the idea that they are the “black sheep” of the academies and need to fight to reclaim their identity. Duffy himself was sporting a Merchant Mariners sweatshirt with the black sheep on it, as were his daughters and son who attended the game with him.
“I just I think it’s wrong that we have a great American academy with great young American men and women, that we don’t respect them,” Duffy shared. “They are the black sheep of all the academies, right? And sometimes when you feel a little beaten, you’re an underdog, you come back, have a little more heart, a little more energy, a little more fight.”
“You can see we have our black sheep shirts on,” he added. “And we embrace it and we still kick ass. We still have grit. We still crush it like what’s going to happen today on the football field here at Fenway.”
The mariners did indeed crush the Coast Guard that day in the very final seconds of the game. Duffy joined them on the field, holding the trophy high above his head as he cheered, exuberantly celebrating with the young men — and even jokingly trash talking Noem, who didn’t come down to the field for the Merchant Marine Academy victory.
“Well done man,” he told the mariners as they left the field, shaking their hands and slapping them on the back. “Thank you for fighting! Well done.”

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Best Of 2025: Sean Duffy Puts The Merchant Mariners On The Map — Starting With A Football Win.

Marines

Sean Duffy

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