AAC Football

There was more to celebrate on Saturday than just Army's 20-17 double-overtime victory over Navy.

Quinn Maretzki's 39-yard field goal in the second overtime after Army recovered a fumble by Navy running back Anton Hall Jr. at the goal line provided the difference. This was the first overtime game in the 123-year history of the matchup between the United States military academies.

Thanks to two quick touchdowns in the first overtime period, this game hit the over for the first time since 2005.

The over has cashed in this game for the first time in 17 years, thanks to 14 points scored in overtime. https://t.co/BAUZSjq9w5

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 10, 2022

Things got very interesting in overtime. Markel Johnson ran through the Navy defense for a 25-yard touchdown on the first play for either team.

Army responded on Xavier Arline's 25-yard touchdown pass to Maquel Haywood on its first play in overtime. Haywood's score also pushed the game to the over, causing Twitter to rejoice at the milestone moment.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 17 YEARS ARMY NAVY GOES OVER THE TOTAL 😱 pic.twitter.com/1myrWaGrkB

— br_betting (@br_betting) December 10, 2022

Army-Navy goes to overtime and the over hits for the first time in 17 years. pic.twitter.com/IJBR3mdd8s

— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) December 10, 2022

Army-Navy Over bettors heading to OT… pic.twitter.com/KWdb7HRoc8

— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) December 10, 2022

OVER bettors in Army-Navy right now: pic.twitter.com/u5Xhae86HO

— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) December 10, 2022

And the over hits for Army-Navy two plays into OT. Hell of a way to break that streak of unders

— Frank Schwab (@YahooSchwab) December 10, 2022

Could you imagine the first OVER hitting in the last 17 editions of Army vs Navy comes in the first ever overtime game between the two teams! Appointment Television! #ArmyvsNavy #CollegeFootball

— The College Experience (@TCEonSGPN) December 10, 2022

That one buddy who's been betting the Army/Navy over every year pic.twitter.com/pMTYXJqP5n

— Pickswise (@Pickswise) December 10, 2022

Because of overtime, the Army-Navy game goes Over for the first time in 17 years.

We used to be a proper country.

— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) December 10, 2022

Gambling analyst Brad Powers noted coming into this game how much a bettor would have won if they started with a $100 bet on the under and rolled over their winnings for 16 straight years:

The UNDER is on a 16-0 run in the Army/Navy game.

If you started in 2006 with a $110 bet (to win $100) on the Army/Navy UNDER and rolled over your winnings each year for 16 years, you'd have...

$3,424,667.71 in the bank!#SportsGamblingIsEasy

— Brad Powers (@BradPowers7) December 5, 2022

It looked for a long time like we were destined for another low-scoring affair where the offenses had to grind out every single yard.

Army's only touchdown in regulation came on a blocked punt that Jabril Williams recovered in the end zone.

There were only 10 combined points scored in the first half and it looked like Navy was going to hang on for a 10-7 win until Maretzki's 37-yard field goal tied the score in the final two minutes of regulation.

Thanks to Maretzki's leg, not only was Army able to force overtime and get the win to finish the season .500 (6-6), but members of the Sickos Committee who had a financial stake in the over got to celebrate for the first time in 17 years.

The University of South Florida is finalizing a deal to make Tennessee offensive coordinator Alex Golesh its next head coach, per ESPN's Pete Thamel.

USF also pursued reportedly Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders for the vacancy before deciding to hire Golesh.

Golesh has spent the last two seasons as Tennessee's offensive coordinator under head coach Josh Heupel. He followed Heupel to Volunteer country from UCF, and also spent time as an assistant at Iowa State, Illinois, Toledo and Oklahoma State during his career.

As offensive coordinator of the Volunteers, Golesh led one of the most prolific offenses in the country this season, so it's no surprise USF pursued him for its head coaching vacancy.

Tennessee averaged 538.1 total yards and 47.3 points per game, which ranks first in the nation. The Vols had the country's third-best passing offense, averaging 332.3 yards per game, and they averaged 205.8 yards per game on the ground.

Because of his success running the Tennessee offense, Golesh is a finalist for the 2022 Broyles Award, which is given to the country's top assistant coach.

Golesh takes over a USF program that finished last in the American Athletic Conference this season with a 1-11 record. It was one of the worst seasons in team history, and Golesh will be tasked with rebuilding a Bulls program that hasn't posted a winning season since 2018.

USF fired Jeff Scott in November after he led the Bulls to a 4-26 record in his three seasons at the helm. He was replaced by Daniel Da Prato, who was named interim head coach for the remainder of the 2022 campaign.

As for Tennessee, Heupel will now have to replace Golesh in Rocky Top. It will be interesting to see how quickly he fills the position, with the early signing period for prospective student-athletes set to begin on Dec. 21.

Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen said it was "unacceptable" that two Cougars players got into a brief shoving match on the sideline during Saturday's 48-30 loss to Kansas.

Holgorsen explained to reporters that wide receiver Joseph Manjack IV challenged fellow wideout Sam Brown Jr. about a penalty Brown committed. Things quickly escalated.

"Manjack took it upon himself to go over there and confront Sam, which is not the right thing to do," Holgorsen said. "He was dead wrong and shouldn't have done it, and knows it, and felt bad about it."

Dana Holgorsen explains what led to @UHCougarFB WR Joseph Manjack IV to shove fellow receiver Sam Brown Jr on the sidelines during the 3rdQ of the loss to Kansas: "(Manjack) saw Sam retaliate (after taking a cheap shot) & was pissed..Two minutes later hugged it out with Sam." pic.twitter.com/NKbfGXWLaU

— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) September 18, 2022

It was a frustrating day all around for the Cougars. They allowed 438 yards to the Jayhawks and committed 10 penalties that cost them 73 yards. That helped to undo a 14-0 lead Houston built midway through the first quarter.

Holgorsen's squad opened the season at No. 24 in the AP Top 25 poll, but successive defeats mean this is a season that could fall well short of expectations.

Temple quarterback E.J. Warner, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner, will reportedly make his first college start Saturday against Rutgers.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Warner will replace D'Wan Mathis, who was benched after losing two fumbles during last week's 30-14 win over Lafayette.

Warner, a true freshman, excelled in relief of Mathis against the Leopards. He completed 14 of his 19 throws for 173 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

"The way he handled the pressure ... he didn't flinch," Owls head coach Stan Drayton told reporters Monday. "He went out there and executed the offense, didn't try to step outside himself, went out there and put the ball where it needed to be."

Brenda Warner, the quarterback's mom, said the change atop the depth chart was made Monday, though it wasn't publicly announced at the time:

https://twitter.com/WarnerBrenda/status/1569363956766240768

The 6'0", 190-pound signal-caller didn't generate a ton of interest coming out of Brophy College Preparatory in Arizona. He was a 3-star prospect and the No. 117-rated QB in the 2022 recruiting class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

He chose Temple over Colorado State, Connecticut, Hawaii and Marshall, among others.

"We loved the city and we thought it was the place I could go with high-level football in a good conference, with a good offense, that I could fit into," Warner told Ryan Wallen of OwlsDaily after his commitment in January.

His first starting test will be a tricky one as he leads Temple against Rutgers, which is 2-0 after wins over Boston College and Wagner.

The Scarlet Knights have allowed just 28 points and 457 total yards while forcing five turnovers through their first two contests.

Temple is 1-1 after dropping its opener against Duke, 30-0.

Cincinnati, Houston and UCF are reportedly in talks with the American Athletic Conference about a settlement that would allow them to leave for the Big 12 in 2023 instead of 2024.

Brett McMurphy of the Action Network reported Tuesday the schools are discussing an agreement worth in the "$17 million to $20 million range" after AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco sought a $35 million early-exit fee.

Sources told McMurphy the three programs are "fully confident" a deal will be finalized this month.

A whirlwind of movement started last July when Oklahoma and Texas accepted offers to join the SEC no later than 2025, which jump-started a battle between the conferences to remain viable once the dust settled from the realignment.

Losing OU and UT, its two most valuable programs, led the Big 12 to seek an expansion to 14 teams that it will achieve with the addition of the three AAC schools and BYU, which will give up its independent status in football.

Now, with most of the conference changes having been agreed to, schools are beginning to seek early departures to avoid the multiyear wait times before the switch.

A fee of up to $20 million is no small thing. In November, Russ Heltman of Sports Illustrated noted Cincinnati spent $74 million on athletics during the 2020-21 school year. So, all other things being equal, adding the settlement on top would represent a 27 percent increase in spending.

The television deal is the equalizer, though. Cincinnati will go from $6 million per year from that revenue stream to $26 million annually following the Big 12 move, per Heltman.

In other words, the early-exit fee could pay for itself in year one and then turn into pure profit from that point forward.

Meanwhile, the timing of the AAC departures is going to have an impact on other changes.

There are six Conference USA programs waiting to join the AAC—Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UT San Antonio—and three other C-USA teams heading to the Sun Belt—Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss.

In turn, C-USA has added Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State and Sam Houston State with discussions to also bring in Eastern Kentucky and Tarleton State, though the latter discussions have been tabled for now, per McMurphy.

So, while the wheeling and dealing continues, college sports fans can expect a lot of new rivalries no later than 2025 and possibly as soon as 2023.

Helping the Cincinnati Bearcats become the first-ever Group of Five conference team to make the College Football Playoff was quite lucrative for head coach Luke Fickell.

Fickell told Justin Williams of The Athletic he and Cincinnati agreed to a contract extension that sources said will pay him $5 million annually and run through 2028. The deal still needs to be approved by the Board of Trustees, which will meet on Feb. 22.

In addition to the pay raise, Williams reported the contract "includes a significant bump in the staff's salary pool and comes with further assurances on a new permanent indoor practice facility."

If nothing else, this further signals Fickell's commitment to the Cincinnati program. That is significant because he was connected to the Michigan State job and the Notre Dame job the past two years and seemed like a logical candidate to continue being included in speculation whenever a Power Five conference job opened.

The Bearcats are poised to become a Power Five program soon with a move to the Big 12, and they apparently have their coach for the foreseeable future.

An extension comes as no surprise seeing as how Fickell is 48-15 in five years at the helm for Cincinnati. While last year's undefeated run to the CFP stands out even with a loss to Alabama in the semifinals, it was a continuation of the progress he has quickly made with the program.

The Bearcats went 4-8 in his first season in 2017 before making a head-turning jump to 11-2 in 2018, 11-3 in 2019 and 9-1 in 2020. That 9-1 effort in 2020 included an undefeated regular season with the only blemish coming in a three-point loss to Georgia in the Peach Bowl.

Fickell only figures to continue building momentum for the Bearcats with more recruiting pitches.

With the extension as further proof of his commitment to the program, he can highlight the improved competition the team will face when it joins the Big 12 and likely be able to show off a path to the NFL when players like cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner and quarterback Desmond Ridder are drafted in April.

Throw in the improved facilities that will also apparently come with this extension, and Cincinnati is trending upward.                  

Quarterback Elijah "EJ" Warner announced Wednesday he's committed to play college football at Temple as part of the Owls' 2022 recruiting class.

100% committed to Temple University!!! @StanDraytonTU pic.twitter.com/cP4IqSwP1N

— Elijah "EJ" Warner (@elijah13warner) January 26, 2022

Warner, the son of Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, is rated as a 3-star prospect by 247Sports coming out of Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix.

Brophy head football coach Jason Jewell told Richard Obert of the Arizona Republic the signal-caller is ready to conquer the challenges of college football.

"EJ is one of the sharpest and smartest football players I have ever been around," Jewell said. "He absolutely loves football and is a student of the game."

Warner held scholarship offers from several other programs, including Colorado State, Hawai'i, Marshall and UConn, before choosing Temple, per 247Sports.

Jewell explained to Obert the Broncos "asked him to do a ton" in their offense and he rose to the occasion.

"He was our point guard. Got us in the right plays and protections," Jewell said. "So happy that he landed at Temple. No doubt in my mind that he has the intelligence, quick release and arm strength to be a good football player for them."

Warner is a bit undersized (5'11'', 185 pounds) but has otherwise displayed impressive arm talent and a high football IQ. He could immediately compete for the Owls' backup quarterback role behind D'Wan Mathis after the transfer of Justin Lynch to Northern Illinois.

The elder Warner took a unique path to NFL stardom, famously spending time working at a grocery store and playing in the Arena Football League before finally getting a chance to shine leading the St. Louis Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" offense to the Super Bowl XXXIV title at the end of the 1999 season and winning the game's MVP.

The 50-year-old was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2017 and a movie about his journey, American Underdog, was released in December.

Now his son will continue writing his own football story at Temple beginning next season.

After helping lead Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff, cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner is turning pro. 

Gardner told Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports in a phone interview that he is declaring for the 2022 NFL draft. 

“I talked things over with my family,” Gardner said Tuesday. “My work at Cincinnati is done. I came in and did everything I was supposed to do. I listened to everything the coaches were telling me to do to get in a better position to take care of my family.”

Thamel noted Gardner is projected as a first-rounder, with some scouts believing he could go off the board within the top 15 picks. 

Per B/R's NFL Scouting Department, Gardner is the No. 5 cornerback and the No. 26 player overall in the 2022 draft class.   

ESPN's Todd McShay wrote that Gardner is "tall and long, and he smothers coverage underneath," as well as having "strong recognition ability in zone" and "is an adequate wrap-up tackler and flashes playmaking skill."

Gardner was a key player for the Bearcats during their run to the College Football Playoff this season. He started 13 games, setting career highs with five tackles for loss, three sacks and tying his career high with three interceptions. 

A native of Detroit, Gardner was a 3-star recruit coming out of Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School in 2019. He was named to the All-AAC first team in each of his three seasons at Cincinnati. 

As a junior in 2021, Gardner was named AAC Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. He recorded five total tackles and one tackle for loss in a 27-6 loss to Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal on Dec. 31. 

Gardner can become the third player in Bearcats history selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Quarterback Greg Cook (No. 5 overall in 1969) and defensive tackle Bob Bell (No. 21 overall in 1971) are the only Cincinnati alums drafted in the first round.    

A group of SMU alumni has come together on an NIL program that will provide more than $1 million annually to football players.

The group is led by businessman Paul Loyd and former NFL running back Eric Dickerson. Luke Crossland, Dick Anderson, Kelvin Beachum and Richie Butler, all former football players, have also joined the cause.

Loyd said in a statement:

“One of SMU’s biggest assets is the success and connectivity of SMU alums, of Dallas, and in combination the support for SMU student athletes. SMU is Dallas’s team and has made huge progress in every aspect of the program, so businesses stepping up for SMU NIL’s is yet another signal that SMU football is continuing the momentum and ready to take another huge step.”

SMU was once one of the preeminent college football programs in the country before receiving the so-called "death penalty" in 1987 for repeated violations of NCAA rules—most notably paying players. 

While SMU football hasn't recovered to its former heights in the decades since, the school still boasts powerful and rich boosters—ones who seem eager to spark the program. The press release announcing the Pony Up program says it hopes to "expand quickly."

The NCAA began allowing players to make money off their name, image and likeness earlier this year. 

The Navy Midshipmen won their second straight game on Saturday with a 17-13 win over the Army Black Knights at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It was Navy's first victory over Army since 2019, as the Black Knights took last year's rivalry game 15-0. 

It was also Navy's second win in the series over the last six years as Army has dominated the annual rivalry game as of late.  However, Navy won 14 straight games against Army between 2002-15. Maybe the tides are beginning to shift in the Midshipmen's favor. 

Navy finishes the regular season with a 4-8 record, while Army finishes 8-4.

Notable Stats

Tai Lavatai, QB, NAVY: 4/6 for 82 YDS and 20 CAR for 62 YDS and 2 TDs

Christian Anderson, QB, ARMY: 7/15 for 108 YDS and 9 CAR for 67 YDS, 1 TD

Carlinos Acie, RB, NAVY: 9 CAR for 34 YDS 

Jakobi Buchanan, RB, ARMY: 4 CAR for 24 YDS

Mychal Cooper, WR, NAVY: 1 REC for 28 YDS

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Recap and Reaction

Saturday's Army-Navy game began with some pretty great trash-talking ahead of kickoff. 

Plz don’t do this 😅 pic.twitter.com/fTGMKj7vIR

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 11, 2021

We refuse to believe this is true pic.twitter.com/K6qSVAgu6K

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 11, 2021

THE WORST 🥶 pic.twitter.com/KjvOE6ydko

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 11, 2021

🤨 pic.twitter.com/1eNKYJQXlW

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 11, 2021

Respectfully 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/MJ49t9JaeW

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 11, 2021

Aside from the trash-talking, it was a well-fought contest between Army and Navy, and the Black Knights kicked things off with a 56-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Christian Anderson. 

CHRISTIAN ANDERSON IS GONE. TOUCHDOWN ARMY. pic.twitter.com/xwiI0p0Dia

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 11, 2021

However, Navy quarterback Tai Lavatai responded with an 8-yard rushing score of his own on the following drive to tie the game at seven a piece. 

Tai Lavatai would not be denied. pic.twitter.com/5mH7Glq3Lq

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 11, 2021

Army outplayed Navy in the first half of Saturday's rivalry game. The Black Knights had 175 yards of total offense compared to the Midshipmen's 130 yards. Army also had eight first downs compared to Army's five, and Anderson undoubtedly outplayed Lavatai. 

PERFECT. PUNT. pic.twitter.com/GMKVSrelqw

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 11, 2021

Army is out here throwing the ball all over the place. pic.twitter.com/34bdJrdlnF

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 11, 2021

Army enters halftime up 13-7 on the back of two Cole Talley FGs and 148 yards from scrimmage from Christian Anderson, who was 5 of 7 passing in the first half.

— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) December 11, 2021

Early Army-Navy review:

Hands, Christian Anderson

— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) December 11, 2021

Pass defense is really letting @NavyFB down. QB Christian Anderson has guys running wide-open almost every time he throws the ball.

— Bill Wagner (@BWagner_CapGaz) December 11, 2021

However, many were quick to note that Lavatai still had a strong first half despite entering the locker room down 13-7, and he didn't disappoint to open up the third quarter. 

Halftime: Army 13, Navy 7.

I'm really liking what I'm seeing from Tai Lavatai's passing, I hope we see more.

— Kat Fominykh (@katfominykh) December 11, 2021

What a hard-nosed run by @NavyFB Tai Lavatai, who scores on third-and-goal from the 8-yard line.

— Bill Wagner (@BWagner_CapGaz) December 11, 2021

Lavatai and the Midshipmen came out buzzing after halftime, with a major turning point in the game being the quarterback's two-yard rushing score to help give Navy a 14-13 lead, an advantage they would never surrender. 

10 Plays.
74 Yards.
Touchdown. @NavyFB grabs the lead. pic.twitter.com/QouhRmxVdK

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 11, 2021

Navy then added a field goal with 6:10 remaining in the fourth quarter to extend their lead to 17-13, and many praised Lavatai for his second-half performance, which is a big reason why the Midshipmen came out victorious on Saturday.

This is Tai lavatai’s heisman game

— Zac Celedonia (@ZeFlashNFL) December 11, 2021

Tai Lavatai with a block downfield as well to help spring Warren. https://t.co/eizgc5PhVe

— Scott Strasemeier (@ScottStras) December 11, 2021

It should also be noted that the Midshipmen defense stood tall, too, allowing the Black Knights just 102 yards in the second half and forcing the team to punt three straight times before forcing a turnover on downs to seal the win. 

Saturday's game marked Army's lowest scoring output since a 20-14 Oct. 16 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers, further emphasizing how good the Midshipmen defense was at MetLife Stadium.

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Player and Coach Reaction

"It was a mistake." - Ken Niumatalolo confirms the fake punt was an accident.

Hey, whatever works. https://t.co/bHKjjfyeLj pic.twitter.com/tyiJVOEggU

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 11, 2021

One of the best traditions in sports.

Navy earns the right to sing second. pic.twitter.com/noLZUya4b1

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 11, 2021

The bragging rights belong to Navy. pic.twitter.com/xax3fEDgaq

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 11, 2021

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What's Next?

While Navy's season is officially over, Army will move on to face Missouri in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 22.