NCAA

Deion Sanders may remain with Jackson State past Sunday after all.

While Kevin O'Donnell of Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported Sanders has told recruits he will decide between coaching vacancies at Colorado, Cincinnati and USF by Sunday, Carl Reed of 247Sports reported the Pro Football Hall of Famer said "this is not true" during a phone conversation.

Jackson State hired Sanders ahead of the 2020 season, and it didn't take him long to build a powerhouse at the historically Black university program.

The Tigers went 4-3 during his first season, which was shortened and moved to the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They then went 11-2 in his second season with the only losses coming by five points to UL Monroe and in the Celebration Bowl to South Carolina State.

Sanders' team has taken another step this year and is 11-0 ahead of Saturday's SWAC Championship Game against the Southern Jaguars.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is the son of the head coach, has completed 70.3 percent of his passes for 3,063 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions while adding 158 yards and five scores on the ground.

Given the quick turnaround at Jackson State and Sanders' status as a Hall of Famer who is instantly recognizable on the recruiting trail with a proven track record as a head coach, it comes as no surprise he would be an attractive hire to programs such as Colorado, Cincinnati and USF.

Colorado and Cincinnati in particular would give him the opportunity to compete for College Football Playoff spots down the line, especially if it expands from four teams to 12. Colorado is in the Pac-12, and Cincinnati is set to join the Big 12.

There would also be less of a rebuilding process ahead with the Bearcats, who were just in the CFP last season and went 9-3 this season. The job is available because Luke Fickell took the Wisconsin coaching spot, but landing Sanders would be a major hire for the program looking to take another step as it joins a Power Five conference.

The Buffaloes, on the other hand, were an ugly 1-11 this season and have finished with more than five wins just once since the 2007 campaign.

But it seems like Sanders leaving for one of those openings isn't an inevitability at this point given his latest comments.

No. 5 Ohio State is listed ahead of No. 8 Penn State in the College Football Playoff rankings and has a head-to-head win over the Nittany Lions, but that reportedly won't stop the Rose Bowl from potentially passing on the Buckeyes even if given the opportunity to select them.

Nicole Auerbach and Stewart Mandel of The Athletic reported Wednesday that "the Rose Bowl is strongly considering taking Penn State instead of Ohio State this year" if the Buckeyes do not finish in the top four and make the CFP.

While the Rose Bowl traditionally takes the Big Ten champion, Michigan figures to be in the CFP if it defeats Purdue in the conference title game Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium. That would leave the bowl opening for another team, and Ohio State would normally be the selection.

However, as Auerbach noted, the Rose Bowl is not obligated to pick the highest-ranked team of the remaining options.

On paper, passing up on a chance to pick the Buckeyes seems foolish.

Data indicated before the season started that Scarlet and Gray have the biggest fanbase in college football. They are also television ratings juggernauts who routinely draw millions of eyeballs to watch their games.

According to Sports Media Watch, Ohio State had the highest-ranked game of the week four times this year when it faced Michigan, Maryland, Penn State and Notre Dame. It also finished in the top five most-watched games of the week when it played Toledo, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa and Northwestern.

That all adds up to an easy selection for the Rose Bowl, right?

Well, not so fast.

Ohio State was just in the Rose Bowl last year and is one of the programs that approaches every season with a championship-or-bust mentality. Fair or not, the fanbase views a trip to the Rose Bowl and not the CFP as a disappointment, especially if it came after a loss to archrival Michigan.

The Buckeyes lost to the Wolverines for a second straight year when a win would have all but clinched a spot in the top four. Their fans were not enthusiastic about a Rose Bowl game consolation prize last season in the same scenario and didn't even sell out their allotment of tickets for the matchup with Utah, per Auerbach.

There is also the reality that many Ohio State players could opt out ahead of the exhibition game.

That was the case last season when Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson were among the players who didn't play to protect their NFL draft status, although that didn't stop the Buckeyes from defeating Utah in a high-scoring thriller.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud has already said he would consider sitting out a non-playoff bowl game, and he likely wouldn't be the only one.

Penn State, on the other hand, hasn't been to the Rose Bowl since the 2016 campaign. It isn't quite in the national-championship-or-bust mode that Ohio State is every year, and its fans would likely be more enthusiastic about such a trip to a prominent bowl game.

All of that means the Rose Bowl may decide to jump at the chance to take the Nittany Lions.

If the Buckeyes have their way, though, Utah will defeat USC in Friday's Pac-12 Championship Game and open up a spot in the CFP after all.

Penn State redshirt junior cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is ready to take his talents to the next level.

Porter announced on social media that he is declaring for the 2023 NFL draft, and he will skip the Nittany Lions' bowl game to prepare for the pre-draft process:

Porter played in 10 games in 2022 and racked up 27 total tackles, 11 passes defended and a fumble recovery. He ends his career with 94 tackles, 19 passes defended and one interception.

Porter was the only Penn State player to be named to the All-Big Ten first team. The No. 8-ranked Nittany Lions finished the regular season with a 10-2 record, with their only losses coming against No. 2 Michigan and No. 5 Ohio State.

NFL teams in need of defensive help will be jumping to the front of the line to draft Porter. B/R's NFL draft big board has him ranked as top defensive back and No. 6 overall prospect in the 2023 class while also listing him as the best cornerback when it comes to man-to-man coverage. B/R's most recent mock draft projected Porter as the No. 8 pick to the Philadelphia Eagles.

"Very few cornerbacks play with the same physicality and zeal as Porter does," the evaluation for Porter stated. "His approach can get him in trouble with his coverage, as he becomes too grabby, but his overall competitiveness might be the best in the entire class."

While Porter leaving for the NFL is a blow to Penn State's defense next year, the Nittany Lions received good news earlier this week when stalwart offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu decided not to enter the draft and instead return for his senior season.

Florida quarterback Jalen Kitna was suspended by the team after being arrested on child pornography charges Wednesday.

“We are shocked and saddened to hear of the news involving Jalen Kitna," the university said in a statement, per Fan Nation's Zach Goodall. "These are extremely serious charges and the University of Florida and the UAA have zero tolerance for such behavior.

"Jalen has been suspended indefinitely from the football program.”

The Gainesville Police Department released a statement Wednesday (via CBS4) saying they received an anonymous tip accusing a user of distributing child pornography on Discord. Officers were able to trace the posts to Kitna, who police said admitted to sharing images he thought were "legal" because he found them online.

A search of Kitna's electronic devices allegedly uncovered three additional images of child pornography. He was arrested and charged with two counts of child exploitation material and three counts of possession of child pornography.

The son of former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna, Jalen Kitna served as the backup to Anthony Richardson during the 2022 season. He threw for 181 yards and one touchdown in three appearances.

Jon Kitna played for the Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys across 17 NFL seasons.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham named former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer its new head football coach on Wednesday.

The move comes as little surprise, as ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Tuesday night that UAB and Dilfer were "expected to come to terms in the upcoming days."

It would be Dilfer's first coaching job at the collegiate level after spending the past four years leading the Lipscomb Academy high school team.

Lipscomb is aiming to win its second straight Tennessee state championship Thursday, and John Brice of Football Scoop reported Dilfer has maintained a "laser focus" on that. However, he added the Blazers are "optimistic" about their chances of reaching an agreement after the title game.

The school's record across the longtime quarterback's coaching tenure stands at 38-8.

Dilfer was a first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1994 NFL draft. He also made stops with the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers during a 13-year pro career.

He earned a Pro Bowl selection with the Bucs in 1997 and captured a Super Bowl title with the Ravens in 2000 with plenty of help from one of the greatest defenses in NFL history.

As well as coaching, the 50-year-old California native has worked as a football analyst for the NFL Network, ESPN and Fox Sports following his playing days. He's also mentored top quarterback prospects with the Elite 11 camp.

If hired by UAB, Dilfer will be tasked with continuing the progress started by Bill Clark, who guided the program to a 49-26 record across six years before retiring ahead of the 2022 season.

The Blazers have posted a 6-6 mark this year under interim head coach Bryant Vincent. They'll face Miami (Ohio) in the Bahamas Bowl on Dec. 16 looking to clinch their sixth straight winning season.

The 2022 College Football Playoff is starting to coalesce.

Georgia remained in its perch atop the rankings after closing the regular season with a dominant win over Georgia Tech, while Michigan moved comfortably into the No. 2 slot after a shocking 45-23 blowout of Ohio State.

The Buckeyes dropped all the way from No. 2 to No. 5 after their second straight loss to their Big Ten rival. Ohio State will have to hope TCU or USC loses in its conference championship game to have a realistic shot at earning a berth.

Here is a look at how the entire Top 25 played out:

1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. TCU
4. USC
5. Ohio State
6. Alabama
7. Tennessee
8. Penn State
9. Clemson
10. Kansas State
11. Utah
12. Washington
13. Florida State
14. LSU
15. Oregon State
16. Oregon
17. UCLA
18. Tulane
19. South Carolina
20. Texas
21. Notre Dame
22. UCF
23. North Carolina
24. Mississippi State
25. NC State

Georgia and Michigan are locks to make the playoff regardless of their results this weekend. They made their way through the two toughest conferences undefeated—not even upset losses to LSU and Purdue will take the shine off in the eyes of the committee.

TCU is also undefeated but significantly less secure. A loss to Kansas State on Saturday would give the committee a choice between the one-loss Horned Frogs and one-loss Ohio State, neither of which will carry the weight of a conference championship victory.

"[The Big 12 is] a gauntlet," TCU coach Sonny Dyles said Saturday. "I think people who really study the game know how good the league is. To get through this thing undefeated, to be able to win road games, grind through some of the tough moments we had to grind through, I think, shows we have a good football team."

The Buckeyes would be a significant favorite on a neutral field against the Horned Frogs, which could play a factor in the final decision.

"As we get to [the CFP selection show Sunday], you got to look at the body of work and what we've done," Ohio State coach Ryan Day told reporters. "We got a lot of good pieces on this team and came up short today, but if we were able to get a shot in the Top Four, we would be a dangerous team."

USC also faces a straightforward proposition: Win and you're in, lose and you're out. The Trojans' one loss came by one point at Utah, and they can avenge that defeat Friday night on a neutral field.

USC and TCU would need to lose for Alabama to have any chance to make the playoff. The Crimson Tide have missed out just once since the inaugural CFP in 2014.

Marcus Bagley has appeared in just two of Arizona State's seven games this season, and the forward apparently cost himself some more playing time by explaining the situation on social media.

On Sunday, Bagley tweeted that he wasn't playing because he "made a mistake and said some things to Coach [Bobby] Hurley that I shouldn't have said. Me not playing is 100% punishment for what I said that day."

He then provided an update Tuesday and said he was suspended for that tweet:

Hurley addressed the situation prior to Bagley's latest update during an appearance on Arizona Sports' Bickley & Marotta.

"I think it's a byproduct of other guys playing well and just not having the opportunity to get him out on the floor," Hurley said while revealing he planned to discuss the situation with the player. "That's all it comes down to. ... We have a stacked perimeter and right now there's just no minutes for him."

The junior played against Tarleton State on Nov. 7 and Northern Arizona on Nov. 10, averaging 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 28.5 minutes per game. He also connected on 33.3 percent of his three-point attempts.

Bagley, who is the younger brother of Detroit Pistons forward Marvin Bagley III, appeared to be well on his way to playing major minutes this season considering those were the first two games but then didn't step on the floor at all in any of the next five.

It is notable that he explained he is healthy because injury concerns limited him to just 15 games during his first two seasons. He arrived at Arizona State as a highly regarded 4-star prospect in the class of 2020, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

There may be some regrets regarding his decision as a recruit at this point considering he also tweeted: "ATHLETES please please please make a well thought through decision where you go to school. These people will tell you anything to build you up just to tear you down."

While Bagley has not been a major contributor, Arizona State is off to a 6-1 start and counts a win over Michigan on its early resume.

Next up for the Sun Devils is their Pac-12 opener against Colorado on Thursday. They are attempting to make the NCAA men's tournament for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign, which was Hurley's fourth season as the head coach.

Class of 2023 4-star wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. has the chance to join a long lineage of talented pass-catchers when he steps on campus for the LSU Tigers next season.

Sampson, who announced his commitment to the Tigers in August, will follow in the footsteps of Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. as the next potentially great receiver to don the Purple and Gold.

A 6'4", 181-pound speedster who attended Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Sampson is ranked as the No. 6 wide receiver in the nation, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He was named an Under Armour All-American in March.

He also had offers from Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, Florida and Florida State, among others.

As a senior, Sampson displayed the ability to put up big numbers consistently. According to 247Sports recruiting analyst Gabe Brooks, he "averaged six-plus catches, about 90 yards, and 1.3 TD catches per game during 10-game regular season."

Brooks described Sampson as a "gifted natural wideout with immense long-term upside given physical tools and functional athleticism displayed over multiple seasons" who "should become an eventual impact starter with the long-term ceiling to develop into an early-round NFL draft candidate."

Sampson is the highest-ranked player in LSU's 2023 recruiting class. He will likely have the opportunity to contribute immediately on a team that doesn't have even an 800-yard receiver this year, LSU's third consecutive season without one after Chase and Jefferson each registered 1,500-plus yards in 2019's national championship season.

Sophomore Malik Nabers leads the Tigers with 58 receptions and 726 yards in 2022, but he found the end zone just once. He will benefit if Sampson can draw attention from the defense on the opposite side. Jaray Jenkins leads the team with five touchdowns, but he is a senior.

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels has one more year of eligibility remaining. While it remains to be seen whether he will enter the 2023 NFL draft, the dual-threat signal-caller would surely enjoy having a target such as Sampson on the outside. Daniels has thrown 15 touchdown passes and rushed for a team-high 11 scores, so he may not have to rely on his legs as much.

No matter who is behind center for the Tigers in 2023, Sampson can be expected to make an impact as he embarks on what could be an exciting college career.

Defensive lineman and 5-star recruit Vic Burley announced his intention to attend Clemson in June and should instantly find himself competing for playing time next season.

The Warner Robins star announced his commitment in June and is the No. 52 overall player in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Burley is already listed at 6'5" and 265 pounds, making him a ready-made star at the next level from a physical standpoint.

"Of course he has the size and the length and all that," Warner Robins head coach Marquis Westbrook said of Burley. "But I think his preparation at his age makes him stand out even more because his approach to the game is unlike any other. Last year as a sophomore, he was really focused, really dedicated to his craft. I think that makes the difference in his game.

"We try to tell our players, 'You can't turn it on at any time.' He's one of those guys who can do that, but he keeps it there. He's different from that standpoint. I think his preparation and his mentality, the way he approaches Monday through Thursday for practice is different, which makes it easy on Friday for him."

Burley is joined in Clemson's 2023 class by 5-star defensive lineman Peter Woods, one of the crowned jewels of Dabo Swinney's haul, and fellow 4-star linemen Tomarrion Parker and Stephiylan Green. The Tigers' defensive line class should help replenish the depth chart that will see several departures this offseason.

Myles Murphy and Bryan Bresee are potential first-round picks, while Tyler Davis and K.J. Henry will also be playing on Sundays next season.

The holes across the front seven should give Burley, Woods, Parker and Green a chance to battle it out in camp for significant playing time early in their careers.