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Top NHL prospect Gavin McKenna charged with assault in downtown Penn State incident, court document shows

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 19:06:42 -0500

Gavin McKenna, a top NHL prospect who plays for the Penn State Nittany Lions’ ice hockey team, is facing an assault charge after an altercation Saturday night.

A criminal complaint was filed Wednesday against McKenna, 18, charging him with felony aggravated assault that "attempts to cause serious bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indolence."

McKenna was also charged with simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct in the Jan. 31 incident.

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"We are aware that charges have been filed; however, as this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not have any further comment," a Penn State official told Fox News Digital in a statement.

The State College Police Department published a media release confirming the charges against McKenna stemmed from an altercation in the 100 block of South Pugh Street on Jan. 31.

McKenna was arraigned on the charges and released on $20,000 unsecured bail. He has a preliminary hearing set for Feb. 11 at Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Penn.

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McKenna reportedly had been at a bar with friends and family after the team’s outdoor game at Beaver Stadium against Michigan State, per Onward State. McKenna scored in the game, but the Spartans won 5-4.

During the incident, McKenna allegedly assaulted an individual, leaving the victim with a broken jaw.

McKenna is considered by many to be the potential first overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft after 24 games with the Nittany Lions and playing in the WHL the last three years with the Medicine Hat Tigers.

McKenna, who grew up in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, totaled 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 games last season with the Tigers before making the jump to NCAA hockey.

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He has also represented Canada at the World Junior U-20 Championships for the past two years, tallying four goals and 10 assists in seven games this year.

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College football fans poke fun at Clemson over fake punt mishap

Sat, 27 Dec 2025 16:20:20 -0500

The Clemson Tigers ended their 2025 season on a sour note.

Clemson faced off against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon and were the subject of mockery on social media over a failed fake punt attempt.

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The Tigers tried some trickery at the end of their first drive. Punter Jack Smith took the snap and looked to throw the ball deep. Ronan Hanafin, the intended target, wasn’t looking at the ball when it was passed to him.

College football fans poked fun at Clemson over the play.

It was a tough day for the Tigers from there on out. Penn State led 6-3 at halftime, and Clemson was only able to get one touchdown on the board in the second half.

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The Nittany Lions scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to help win the game, 22-10.

Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer threw a 73-yard pass to Trebor Peña and then an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Andrew Rappleyea.

The redshirt freshman, who was forced to start seven games this season for an injured Drew Allar, was 23-of-34 with 262 passing yards. Penn State won their final three games to get into a bowl game and finished the year winners of their final four games and with a 7-6 record.

The Matt Campbell era will start from there.

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Questions have swirled around Dabo Swinney’s future and will continue to do so after a disappointing season. Clemson won their last four regular-season games to become bowl eligible. However, the Tigers were ranked No. 4 in the nation to start the season.

Former NFL player condemns Eagles fans for vandalizing coach's home after loss

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:26:13 -0500

Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kavin Patullo’s New Jersey home was vandalized with eggs after a recent loss, and former NFL defensive tackle Spice Adams wants to remind fans that it is just a game.

Adams, 45, played college football at Penn State and said he understands Pennsylvania fans, but stressed that they have to relax.

"That's crazy. My reaction to it is that's that's just wild, man.I know the fans are, you know, passionate about their team, but golly, man. Come on, man. That's crazy to do that. Go and egg somebody's house? Wow, man. That's this is a game, man," Adams told Fox News Digital in a recent interview while talking about Red Baron’s fantasy football punishment.

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"This is a kid's game. Y'all gotta relax out there. I've played at Penn State, so I understand Pennsylvania's fans, but y'all gotta chill. Y'all gotta relax, man."

Adams said he has never heard of anything like that happening when he was playing. The former defensive tackle played in the NFL for nine seasons, from 2003-2011.

He added that not even Santa Claus is guaranteed a warm reception in Philadelphia, where fans infamously booed him.

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The Eagles lost to the Los Angeles Chargers 22-19 in overtime Monday night to drop to 8-5. It was their third straight loss and, once again, the offense, with Patullo as the offensive coordinator, struggled.

Jalen Hurts had a career-high five turnovers in the loss, and angst from the Eagles’ fan base about the offense has grown after winning a Super Bowl last season.

In 2024, with Kellen Moore as the offensive coordinator, the Eagles were fifth in the league in points per game with 29.4. After they won the Super Bowl, Moore departed to take the New Orleans Saints' head coaching job, and the Eagles promoted Patullo to offensive coordinator.

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The Eagles have dropped to 19th in the NFL in points per game in Patullo’s first season, averaging 22.2 points per game, a touchdown less than last year.

The Eagles are still in first place in the NFC East with the Dallas Cowboys in second at 6-6-1. The Eagles will look to turn things around when they play the lowly Raiders (2-11) Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

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Iowa State AD fights back tears after Matt Campbell departs for Penn State coaching job

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 13:00:23 -0500

Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard fought back tears when talking about Matt Campbell leaving the school to take Penn State's head coaching job.

Pollard, 60, said he was sad but that Campbell does not owe Iowa State anything.

"You’re sad. But, you know what, I get it," Pollard told reporters Friday.

"I’ve done this long enough. These jobs are hard, and we make sacrifices that fans will never understand. We do. And he’s had an amazing run as our football coach, and didn’t get to do it in front of his family and friends. He had other times he could have left, and he chose not to.

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"Matt Campbell, though, owes Iowa State nothing because he did more than we could’ve ever, ever dreamed he would do as our head coach. So, yeah, a page turns. But none of us are here forever. Life goes on, and so that’s how I just viewed it. … The sun will come up in the east, like it does every morning, and we’ll go on."

Penn State announced Campbell as its new head coach on Friday, pending board approval on Monday.

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The 46-year-old is the winningest coach in Iowa State history. The three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year went 72-55 in 10 seasons with the Cyclones with eight winning seasons, including this one at 8-4.

Campbell helped lead Iowa State to two Big 12 championship game appearances.

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Prior to coaching at Iowa State, Campbell was the head coach at Toledo for five seasons, where he went 35-15.

Penn State hired Campbell nearly two months after the program fired James Franklin.

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Penn State to hire Iowa State's Matt Campbell as next head coach: reports

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 15:48:48 -0500

Almost two months after firing James Franklin, Penn State is reportedly nearing the finish line with a new head coach.

The Nittany Lions are reportedly hiring Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell to replace Franklin. Campbell and Penn State are working on a deal and getting formal approval for compensation, according to ESPN.

The 46-year-old is the winningest coach in Iowa State history. The three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year went 72-55 in 10 seasons with the Cyclones, with eight winning seasons, including this one at 8-4.

Campbell helped lead Iowa State to two Big 12 championship game appearances.

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Prior to coaching at Iowa State, Campbell was the head coach at Toledo for five seasons, where he went 35-15.

Penn State fired Franklin after three straight losses. The Nittany Lions' three-game losing skid began with a 30-24 overtime loss to Oregon at home, and the team never bounced back.

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The team’s second loss came on the road, when they lost 42-37 to UCLA, which entered the game at 0-4. The third loss came in a 22-21 loss to Northwestern at home, dropping Penn State to 3-3. Franklin was fired a day later.

Franklin was largely successful at Penn State during the regular season, going 104-45, but he was never able to win a national championship. Franklin won the Rose Bowl in 2022, the Cotton Bowl in 2019 and the Fiesta Bowl in 2017.

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Dating back to Franklin’s three seasons at Vanderbilt, the veteran coach is 8-7 in bowl games.

Penn State named Terry Smith its interim head coach, and the 56-year-old has gone 3-3 in his six games at the helm. Penn State is 6-6 this season and will look to turn things around in Campbell’s first season.

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Nick Saban makes case for Brian Daboll to fill Penn State’s head coaching vacancy

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 20:01:47 -0500

Penn State parted ways with head coach James Franklin Oct. 12, just one day after Northwestern upset the Nittany Lions.

Franklin has since accepted a job at Virginia Tech, while Penn State continues to search for someone to fill its head coaching vacancy. Multiple reports have linked Brian Daboll to Penn State. The New York Giants relieved Daboll of his coaching duties earlier this month after 3½ seasons.

Amid the chatter, legendary college football coach Nick Saban threw his support behind Daboll. Saban said Daboll would be an "outstanding hire" for Penn State.

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Saban has familiarity with Daboll's coaching. Daboll worked under Saban when Daboll was Alabama's offensive coordinator during the Crimson Tide's run to the College Football Playoff national championship in 2017.

Saban cited the successful one-year run he had with Daboll and also highlighted Daboll’s other successes as an assistant coach in the NFL.

"I love Brian. He did a great job here with us. Offensive coordinator, we won the championship with him calling the plays. He's been to the Super Bowl several times with [Bill] Belichick and won," Saban said Wednesday during an appearance on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show."

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Before landing the head coaching opportunity with the Giants, Daboll had assistant coaching stints with the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.

"I think he was in a tough situation with the Giants, but I do think that he's a very good coach. He's a bright guy. He's a good recruiter," Saban continued.

"He relates well to the players. He's a good teacher. He's got a good offensive mind. He'll be able to put a good staff together. I think that would be an outstanding hire."

Earlier this month, The Athletic reported that Daboll was "believed to have interest" in and "expected to get some consideration" for the Penn State job.

The report added Daboll received support from "some former NFL players with strong ties to Penn State."

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After dropping a close game to No. 2 Indiana in Week 11, Penn State has won its last two games. The Nittany Lions travel to New Jersey for a regular-season finale with Rutgers Saturday.

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Penn State commits visiting Virginia Tech after James Franklin becomes head coach

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 15:11:04 -0500

The James Franklin effect is already taking shape.

Franklin was fired from Penn State last month after a dreadful start proved to be the last straw, given his lack of success against top 10 teams throughout his tenure. But, last week, Virginia Tech officially hired him to lead its football program, and he is already apparently making his mark.

According to Rivals, five Penn State commits have taken, or are set to take, official visits to Franklin's new school.

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Offensive linemen Benjamin Eziuka and Roseby Lubintus both told the outlet they would be making visits, as did the father of four-star quarterback Troy Huhn.

Franklin was fired by Penn State after the Nittany Lions’ loss to Northwestern, the program’s third straight defeat and another shocking result after a loss to UCLA the previous week. The Nittany Lions are 4-6 on the season and 1-6 in Big Ten play.

It’s been a lackluster few seasons for Virginia Tech under head coach Brent Pry and his predecessor, Justin Fuente. However, Franklin’s adaptive approach to the modern college football landscape could turn things around quickly in Blacksburg.

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Franklin will be the most accomplished head coach for the program since Frank Beamer retired in 2015 after 29 seasons leading the Hokies. Franklin, who coached at Vanderbilt before joining Penn State, went 128-60 over his 15 seasons as a head coach.

Despite this season’s struggles, Franklin was coming off a 2024 campaign that included a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance and a 2016 Big Ten championship.

"I can’t wait. ... I’ve been watching that intro to college football my entire life," Franklin said in his opening news conference. "It’s something special.

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"We were a drive away from playing in the national championship, so I know what it looks like," Franklin added.

Fox News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

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James Franklin finalizing deal to become Virginia Tech's new head football coach: report

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:42:03 -0500

James Franklin has already found a new team to coach in college football following his firing by Penn State.

Franklin and Virginia Tech have reportedly finalized a deal to make him the next Hokies head football coach, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Over the weekend, a report surfaced stating Franklin and Virginia Tech were "engaged in the early stages of talks" about the role.

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Franklin was fired by Penn State following the Nittany Lions’ loss to Northwestern, the program’s third straight defeat and another shocking result after a loss to UCLA the previous week. The Nittany Lions are now 4-6 on the season and 1-6 in Big Ten play.

Franklin will replace Brent Pry, his former defensive coordinator, after Pry was fired in September. The Hokies went 0-3 to start the year, and Pry had a 16-24 record through four seasons with the program.

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It’s been a lackluster few seasons for Virginia Tech under Pry and his predecessor, Justin Fuente. However, Franklin’s adaptive approach to the modern college football landscape could turn things around quickly in Blacksburg.

Franklin would be the most accomplished head coach for the program since Frank Beamer retired in 2015 after 29 seasons leading the Hokies. Franklin, who previously coached at Vanderbilt before joining Penn State, went 128-60 over his 15 seasons as a head coach.

Despite this season’s struggles, Franklin was coming off a 2024 campaign that included a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance and a 2016 Big Ten Championship.

With Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors approving a plan to add $229 million to its athletics budget over the next four years, hiring someone like Franklin – with his recruiting acumen – could make the Hokies an attractive destination for top talent nationwide.

Franklin was never expected to be available for hire, as the Nittany Lions opened the year ranked No. 3 in the country. But after three straight blowout wins to open the season, a double-overtime loss to No. 6 Oregon sent Penn State into a spiral. That may now benefit the Hokies as they look to get the program back on track in an ACC that lacks a true powerhouse.

Franklin never saw his Nittany Lions lift a national championship trophy, as the team went 4-21 against AP Top 10 opponents during his tenure in State College.

The Hokies last won double-digit games in a season in 2016. Franklin achieved that mark six times, including three straight campaigns from 2022 to 2024.

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Virginia Tech will hope Franklin can bring one next season—and many more after that.

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James Franklin in 'early talks' to become Virginia Tech's next head coach: report

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 11:51:50 -0500

James Franklin may soon find a new home.

ESPN reported Saturday morning that Franklin is "engaged in the early stages of talks" to become the next Virginia Tech head coach.

According to the report, Franklin will find out his fate in the coming days, but there is mutual interest.

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Franklin was fired from Penn State after the Nittany Lions' upset loss to the Northwestern Wildcats. It was the school’s third straight loss and second consecutive shocking defeat. The team lost to the UCLA Bruins on the road the previous week.

Franklin took over as Penn State’s head coach before the 2014 season after spending three years with the Vanderbilt Commodores, leading the school to back-to-back nine-win seasons.

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He was in his 12th season at Penn State. He led the Nittany Lions to the College Football Playoff semifinals last season, finishing 13-3.

Franklin was 104-45 as the school’s head coach, but he went 4-21 against top 10 teams.

Philip Montgomery is the interim head coach for the Hokies after they fired Brent Pry following an 0-3 start.

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Penn State has since fallen out of the rankings and has lost each of its last three games since Franklin was fired. They almost pulled off the upset against No. 2 Indiana, but the Hoosiers scored a touchdown in the final minute.

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Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr sends college football fans into frenzy with incredible TD catch vs Penn State

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 09:52:59 -0500

The No. 2-ranked Indiana Hoosiers escaped Penn State with a 27-24 victory on Saturday thanks to a strike from Fernando Mendoza to Omar Cooper Jr. in the closing seconds of the game.

Cooper made the catch and an incredible toe-tap for the touchdown with 36 seconds left in the game. The dream season that the Hoosiers were putting together stayed alive as Indiana moved to 10-0 on the season and 7-0 against Big Ten Conference opponents.

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The touchdown pass drew excitement from college football fans on social media.

"It was the most improbable victory I have ever been a part of," Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. "And there couldn’t have been a better place to make it happen."

Penn State came back from down 13 points in the third quarter and was a few first downs away from pulling off an improbable upset. Penn State took a 24-20 lead on a touchdown catch from Nicholas Singleton.

The Hoosiers quieted the 107,000 strong crowd in State College, Pennsylvania. The Nittany Lions owned a 25-2 record in head-to-head battles. Penn State had won all the previous matchups that took place on their home field.

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"It’s just a rocking crowd, when you hear that silence when you get hit when you throw, then you know it’s a completion," Mendoza said.

Mendoza was 19-of-30 with 218 yards, a touchdown pass and an interception. He also had a rushing touchdown. Roman Hemby led Indiana in rushing with 55 yards on 12 carries. Kaelon Black also had a touchdown.

Charlie Becker led the Hoosiers with seven catches for 118 yards. Cooper had six catches for 32 yards and a touchdown.

The downtrodden Nittany Lions fell to 3-6 on the year and 0-6 against Big Ten opponents.

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Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer was 22-of-31 with 219 passing yards, a touchdown pass and an interception. Singleton led the team with 71 yards on 10 carries and two scores.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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No. 2 Indiana caps off comeback win over Penn State with sensational touchdown, keeps undefeated season alive

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 17:01:09 -0500

Penn State was on the verge of a massive upset of No. 2 Indiana, but Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. had other ideas.

Indiana survived Penn State, winning 27-24 Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium thanks to a 10-play, 73-yard drive authored by Mendoza.

The Nittany Lions were up 24-20 with 1:51 left in the fourth quarter, and Indiana had no timeouts. On the first play of the drive, Mendoza was sacked by defender Zane Durant for a loss of seven yards.

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The Indiana quarterback rallied his team back to the line of scrimmage and completed a 22-yard pass to Cooper to negate the sack and get a first down. Mendoza spiked the ball to stop the clock.

On the ensuing play after the spike, Mendoza connected with E.J. Williams Jr. for 12 yards and another first down. Two plays later, Mendoza hit Riley Nowakowski for a 29-yard gain to move into Penn State territory.

Mendoza then connected with Charlie Becker for another 17 yards to move to the Penn State 7-yard line. With 45 seconds left, Indiana gave themselves a chance to win the game.

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It looked like Mendoza completed the comeback on second down. The Hoosiers quarterback connected with Becker on a slant in the end zone for a touchdown, but the referees blew the play dead because Penn State got a timeout at the last second. The Nittany Lions forced an incomplete pass on second down to force third down after the timeout.

On third and goal, with the Hoosiers’ undefeated record on the line, Mendoza and Cooper saved the day.

Mendoza, who was about to be clobbered by oncoming rushers, stepped into a throw and delivered a high pass to Cooper. The wide receiver skied for the catch and, in acrobatic fashion, just got his toe down in the end zone to complete not only an incredible touchdown, but the comeback as well.

Penn State got the ball back with 35 seconds and one timeout, down 27-24, but couldn't get into field goal range, and a Hail Mary attempt fell short.

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Mendoza threw for 218 yards and had one touchdown with one interception in the win. Cooper had six catches for 32 yards and a touchdown.

Indiana improved to 10-0 with the win and will look to keep it rolling against Wisconsin (2-6) next week. Penn State dropped to 3-6 with the loss and will look to rally against Michigan State (3-6) next week.

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College football fans furious as Ohio State star avoids ejection after brutal hit to Penn State receiver

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 10:08:10 -0500

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs faced backlash on Saturday during the team’s win against the Penn State Nittany Lions to stay undefeated on the year.

The play in question occurred in the fourth quarter of the No. 1 Buckeyes’ 38-14 win over the Nittany Lions. Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer overthrew wide receiver Khalil Dinkins. It appeared Downs put his head down and nailed Dinkins with the crown of his helmet.

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College football fans demanded that the officials call a targeting penalty on Downs, which would have led to an ejection. However, officials said there was no foul for targeting, but Downs was called for unnecessary roughness. He was elated after the call was announced.

Downs took advantage of his extra time in the game with an interception.

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Fans expressed their furor on social media.

Downs was asked about the play after the game.

"God gave me one right there," Downs told reporters, via WSYX-TV. "Really just appreciative of the moment that they showed mercy on me."

Downs finished with five tackles in the game, including one for a loss.

Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin was 20-of-23 with 316 passing yards and four touchdown passes. Ohio State wide receivers Carnell Tate (124) and Jeremiah Smith (123) each had more than 120 receiving yards. Tate had one touchdown and Smith had two.

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Ohio State running back Bo Jackson had 105 rushing yards on 13 carries.

The Buckeyes improved to 8-0 this season as Penn State fell to 3-5. The Nittany Lions have yet to win a game against a Big Ten opponent.

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The big money takeover is wrecking college sports. It doesn't have to be that way

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 05:00:34 -0400

College sports are being re-engineered in real time — not by coaches, campus leaders or even Congress, but by hedge funds. The Big Ten is advancing a multibillion-dollar private-capital deal that would spin up a new commercial arm, extend control of media rights through 2046, give investors a say in a new entity, and tier distributions toward the biggest brands. That’s not a tweak; it’s a restructuring of who controls college sports’ core assets.

Public officials are flashing warning lights. My colleague and fellow Washington state lawmaker Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell warned in a letter to Big Ten presidents that selling stakes in university athletics to private equity may conflict with academic missions, jeopardize tax-exempt purposes and is advancing without full trustee briefings at some schools. Families and taxpayers deserve transparency before public assets are auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Meanwhile, campus leaders say the financial framework governing college sports is harmful. Their top concern is House v. NCAA, a settlement to an antitrust lawsuit brought by college athletes against the NCAA for the power conferences' anti-competitive behavior. It lets schools pay athletes under a salary cap that only the richest schools can afford, while the NCAA and the rest of Division I schools pay $2.8 billion in back damages. An overwhelming 76% of leaders—including nearly nine in 10 college presidents — say the settlement will harm athletics.

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The financial disparities don’t stop there. Every week there seems to be a new scandal. Take the Big Ten: Penn State just fired its coach with a buyout of more than $49 million — an amount that rivals or exceeds the entire annual athletics budget at hundreds of Division I universities outside the top tier. USA Today’s public-school finance database shows only a few dozen programs above $50 million.

There’s more money than ever — but fewer opportunities as "non-revenue" programs get cut to keep up. Public university athletics are heavily subsidized — billions in tax-exempt bonds, deductible gifts, federal and state funding, land grants and federal student aid. I agree with Cantwell: the assets under their control should serve an educational mission, not be carved into a new private equity asset class.

Congress should act — starting with my PROTECT Act. It would draw a bright line around public-purpose assets: universities, conferences and their affiliates may not sell, pledge or outsource control of core athletics revenues and media rights to outside financiers. My bill would bar private-equity and foreign sovereign-wealth stakes or voting rights in college sports media and revenues.

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If outside financing is needed for facilities or ticketing systems, fine — just not control of the sports themselves, or in partnership with non-transparent financiers like private equity and sovereign funds.

Now consider the SCORE Act. Proponents pitch it as order amid chaos. In practice, it codifies the House settlement — a TV-revenue model built for the largest programs — and pairs it with broad antitrust protections for conferences and their new commercial subsidiaries. Do we really want to entrench the very structure that leaders say is bad for college sports, while conferences explore investor-backed "commercial arms" and decades-long grants of rights?

We can choose differently. Give the president’s "Saving College Sports" executive order time to take root: curb third-party pay-for-play, clarify athlete status so scholarships and rosters are protected, and keep women’s and Olympic sports from being crowded out. Let the agencies do their part while Congress fixes what only Congress can fix, guided by commonsense principles:

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Treat college sports as a public good: Keep core media and revenue control under universities, not investors.

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Cap excess and restore balance: Use the same competitive-balance logic Congress already allows in professional sports. Adopt spending caps and revenue sharing that protect scholarships, roster spots and Title IX across all varsity sports.
Equal footing for athletes, consistent with Title IX: Provide a baseline per-athlete revenue share across all varsity sports, with no differentiation between men's and women’s sports.

Cut costs that don’t help students learn or graduate: Ban cross-country regular-season games on school days; encourage regional scheduling to reduce travel miles, expenses and missed class time.

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Clean up market behavior: Establish a national name, image or likeness (NIL) standard with transparency and real anti-tampering penalties; right-size transfer rules so every offseason isn’t wholesale free agency.

Congress should stop the sell-off, cool the bidding wars and put education first. Pass the PROTECT Act’s guardrails, let the executive order run, and write rules that preserve opportunities in women’s and Olympic sports while keeping Saturdays special. Parents, presidents, fans — this is your moment to insist that college sports remain a public trust, not a private asset class.

Nick Saban's wife talks possibility college football coaching legend returns to sidelines

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 11:37:20 -0400

Terry Saban, the wife of former Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach Nick Saban, threw some cold water on the possibility of her husband returning to the sidelines.

ESPN "College GameDay" host Pat McAfee said that the legendary college football coach’s name has been in the rumor mill when it came to who was a possibility to take the Penn State Nittany Lions’ job.

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McAfee asked Saban’s wife whether he would return for $50 million.

"I have no doubt if Nick wanted to go back to coaching, he could win his eighth national championship. But we're having too much fun, and we wouldn't want to take the opportunity away from all of our baby coaches," she said. "I haven’t heard a number yet."

Nick Saban appeared to agree with her.

TEXAS' ARCH MANNING FACES CRITICISM FOR STRUGGLES IN WIN OVER KENTUCKY

"Mrs. Always Right has spoken," he said.

Saban stepped down as the head coach of the Crimson Tide before the 2024 season. Kalen DeBoer replaced him at Alabama. Since then, he’s been one of the "College GameDay" hosts, offering his opinion and expert analysis on some of the biggest topics in the sport.

Penn State fired James Franklin last week following a loss to Northwestern. There have been several high-profile names linked to the job.

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For now, Terry Smith was named the interim head coach. The Nittany Lions lost to Iowa on Saturday, 25-24.

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Indiana extends Curt Cignetti on massive 8-year deal as Penn State loses out on coaching target

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 18:48:11 -0400

If the Nittany Lions were banking on Curt Cignetti heading to State College, they need to go to Plan B.

Indiana University agreed to a massive eight-year contract extension with Cignetti, their head football coach, making him the third-highest paid coach in college football.

Cignetti’s new deal is worth $93 million over eight years, giving him an estimated $11.6 million per season. The contract runs through Nov. 30, 2033.

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This extension comes after rumors of Cignetti being a coach Penn State could pursue to replace James Franklin, who was fired after three straight losses this season.

"At Indiana University, we are committed to performing at the highest levels in everything we do, and no one has exemplified that more than Coach Cignetti," Pamela Whitten, Indiana University’s president, said in a statement. "Put simply, Cig is a winner."

PENN STATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR EXPLAINS DECISION TO FIRE HEAD COACH JAMES FRANKLIN: 'I FELT IT WAS TIME'

Cignetti is behind only Georgia’s Kirby Smart ($13.3 million per season) and Ohio State’s Ryan Day ($12.6 million).

"From last year’s College Football Playoff appearance to this year’s top-3 national ranking, the IU Football program’s success has been tremendous. Curt and Manette Cignetti are home in Indiana and are delighted that the Cignetti family will be Hoosiers for many years to come," Whitten continued.

Cignetti has turned the Hoosiers’ football program around. He won the national and Big Ten Coach of the Year honors last season after Indiana finished 11-1 during the regular season to reach the College Football Playoff. They were knocked out by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but it was clear Indiana was heading in the right direction.

This season, with Heisman frontrunner Fernando Mendoza leading the way at quarterback, the Hoosiers are 6-0. Only Ohio State owns the same record in the Big Ten through six games.

Indiana’s recent victory over Oregon on the road cemented the Hoosiers as a national title contender this season.

Before the extension, Cignetti was making $8.3 million this season without any bonuses in his deal. That was the 18th-highest figure in college football and just No. 7 in the Big Ten.

So, with Penn State potentially looking to take Cignetti away from the Hoosiers, Indiana moved quickly to keep their coach in place to continue building his program. Arkansas is also looking for a new head coach.

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Cignetti and the Hoosiers will look to remain undefeated this weekend in a bout with Michigan State.

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Penn State athletic director explains decision to fire head coach James Franklin: 'I felt it was time'

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:12:13 -0400

Penn State Nittany Lions athletic director Pat Kraft made the decision to fire head football coach James Franklin, and he told reporters on Monday that it wasn’t just the three-game losing streak that led to the decision.

Franklin’s departure is a shock to college football, as the leader in the locker room since 2014 parts ways with the Nittany Lions, who will have a whopping $50 million buyout to pay him.

Kraft said he was "looking at everything" after Penn State’s loss to Northwestern, 22-21, on Saturday.

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"I felt after sitting down Saturday and looking at everything, at where we were in terms of the best interest of the athletes and where the program was going that we had to make the hard decision," Kraft told reporters, via Sports Illustrated. "Looking at where the program was, where it is, and where we want to be, I felt that there was no other course. I felt it was time."

This is a Penn State program that was ranked No. 2 in the country before the season started. They went 3-0 to begin, but have been in a free fall since. It came to a head against an unranked Northwestern team, as fans’ chants to fire Franklin roared even louder than they were when Oregon went into Beaver Stadium and handed them their first loss.

PENN STATE FIRES JAMES FRANKLIN AFTER STUNNING LOSS TO NORTHWESTERN: REPORT

Kraft and Franklin have had a longstanding friendship as well as a professional relationship, making his firing hard on many levels.

"James Franklin is a good friend who has always carried himself with dignity, and represented Penn State with absolute class," Kraft explained. "We are all fortunate to have had James Franklin to lead this program for more than a decade and we wish nothing but the best for him and his family."

The Nittany Lions will be led by Terry Smith, Franklin’s assistant coach, who has been named the interim head coach.

Franklin took over as Penn State’s head coach before the 2014 season after leading Vanderbilt for three seasons in the same role. He was in his 12th season at Penn State, having brought the team to the College Football Playoff semifinals last season.

As the team’s head coach, Franklin was 104-45.

Looking ahead, Penn State will be without quarterback Drew Allar for the remainder of the season due to a leg injury suffered in the loss to Northwestern. They will head into a matchup with Iowa next week, but the schedule gets much harder from there.

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Penn State will see No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 1, No. 7 Indiana on Nov. 8, and four or more losses would keep them out of the College Football Playoff for this season.

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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Penn State fires James Franklin after stunning loss to Northwestern: report

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 14:21:07 -0400

Penn State reportedly fired head football coach James Franklin on Sunday.

The decision came after the Nittany Lions suffered an upset loss to the Northwestern Wildcats, ESPN reported. It was the school’s third straight loss and second consecutive shocking defeat. The team lost to the UCLA Bruins on the road last weekend.

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The school reportedly owes Franklin more than $49 million. Assistant coach Terry Smith was named the interim head coach, according to ESPN.

Franklin took over as Penn State’s head coach before the 2014 season after he spent three years with the Vanderbilt Commodores, leading the school to back-to-back nine-win seasons.

He was in his 12th season at Penn State. He led the Nittany Lions to the College Football Playoff semifinals last season, finishing 13-3.

DEION SANDERS SEEMINGLY STUNNED OVER POTENTIAL FINE FOR COLORADO FANS STORMING FIELD AFTER WIN

Franklin was 104-45 as the school’s head coach.

The shakeup came as the school announced that quarterback Drew Allar, who was thought of as a possible NFL prospect, was out for the season. Allar suffered a leg injury in the team’s 22-21 loss to Northwestern.

Penn State will now try to salvage its season as it continues into the thick of its Big Ten schedule. The Nittany Lions will be on the road for a game against the Iowa Hawkeyes, but it gets more difficult from there.

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The Nittany Lions will have No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 1 and No. 7 Indiana on Nov. 8. Four or more losses will likely keep Penn State out of the College Football Playoff this season.

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Penn State drops third consecutive game, grapples with star player Drew Allar's season-ending injury

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 22:35:29 -0400

Penn State returned to State College, Pennsylvania, looking to bounce back from last week's upset loss against the UCLA Bruins. But the Northwestern Wildcats had other plans on Saturday.

Wildcats running back Caleb Komolafe sprinted for 72 yards and scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter to help lift Northwestern to a 22-21 win at Beaver Stadium. The narrow victory secured Northwestern's third consecutive victory, while Penn State dropped its third straight.

"I truly believe that our football team expected to win today," Northwestern coach David Braun said. "Ultimately, the message was you’ve got a football team that’s got their back up against the wall, but also a football team that may be questioning who they are."

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The Wildcats ended their 11-year windless drought at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State got the ball back with just under five minutes remaining following Komolafe's touchdown, but quarterback Drew Allar suffered an apparent leg injury on a third-down play.

After the game, Penn State coach James Franklin confirmed Allar would miss the remainder of the season with an unspecified injury. Backup Ethan Grunkemeyer replaced him, was stopped on a fourth-down run, and the Wildcats ran out the clock.

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Backup Ethan Grunkemeyer replaced him and was immediately stopped on a fourth-down run and the Wildcats ran the clock out from there.

Allar finished 13 for 20 for 137 yards passing and added 25 yards rushing and a touchdown. Allar returned for his senior season to make better of the season-ending interception he threw in last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal against Notre Dame.

The Nittany Lions committed six penalties for 71 yards in the first half.

Franklin took responsibility for Penn State's recent struggles. "I take full responsibility for all of it," Franklin said. "I hired all the staff, I recruited all the players. I believe in all of them. But we’re not getting it done right now."

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Iowa will host Penn State next week, and Grunkemeyer is expected to start at quarterback for the Nittany Lions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Former Penn State, Ohio State player charged with homicide, DUI after girlfriend dies in fatal ATV crash

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 16:58:01 -0400

A former Penn State football player is facing charges relating to an ATV crash back in May that injured him and killed his girlfriend.

Julian Fleming, 24, and Alyssa Boyd, 23, were driving down a rural road in Bradford County near the Pennsylvania-New York border on the night of May 22 when they struck a deer, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

Documents obtained by TMZ Sports, though, stated that Fleming had a blood-alcohol level of .118 shortly after the crash.

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Fleming was charged with homicide by vehicle, driving under the influence and aggravated assault by vehicle.

"In my view, the prosecution here took a tragic and unavoidable accident and turned it into a crime when the facts don't support that," Fleming's attorney, David Bahuriak, told TMZ Sports. "The facts don't support criminal homicide."

Neither Fleming nor Boyd was wearing safety equipment, police said, via The Citizens’ Voice.

BILL BELICHICK IS 'WORKING TOWARD BEING THE WORST COACH IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY,' PAUL FINEBAUM SAYS

Fleming was a standout wide receiver who played for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2020 to 2024. He committed to Ohio State after he was a standout at Southern Columbia High School in Pennsylvania. He was the No. 1 prospect out of the state in 2020.

He transferred to Penn State before the 2024 season to finish his NCAA eligibility.

He played in 16 games for the Nittany Lions last season. He had 14 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown. At Ohio State, he had 79 catches for 963 yards and seven touchdowns in 38 career games.

Fleming signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent. However, his contract was rescinded after he failed a physical with the team.

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Boyd suffered "extensive injuries" in the crash, police said, via the New York Post, and died at the scene. She was a student at the University of Alabama.

Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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Penn State's James Franklin faces scrutiny following bad loss to UCLA

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 11:57:39 -0400

The Penn State Nittany Lions suffered a humiliating 42-37 loss at the hands of the winless UCLA Bruins on Saturday.

The defeat marked the second straight loss for the seemingly reeling Nittany Lions. Penn State came up short against Oregon last week, and the second loss of the season hampered their chances of making the College Football Playoff with a tough road ahead of them.

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Penn State head coach James Franklin came under scrutiny from fans after the loss.

UCLA used all the tricks it had in its bag to throw Penn State off guard early. Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava led a touchdown drive to open the game. Then, the Bruins recovered a surprise onside kick, which eventually led to a field goal.

OKLAHOMA WIDE RECEIVER KEONTEZ LEWIS CRASHES INTO BRICK WALL IN SCARY MOMENT VS KENT STATE

It was only tougher from there.

"The opening sequence of the game for a touchdown, then the surprise onside kick. We talked all week long that they could take significant risks all game," Franklin said. "Those were two significant drives and plays. From that point on, we were battling. We made a ton of mistakes we don’t normally make and had penalties at critical times. Things we don’t do and haven’t done for a very long time."

Penn State will go up against Northwestern next week – the Wildcats are 3-2 this season as well. The team then hits the road for Iowa and No. 1 Ohio State. The hellish streak ends with No. 8 Indiana coming into Happy Valley.

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Even with the tough journey ahead, quarterback Drew Allar said he still believed the team could make the College Football Playoff.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Charlie Kirk shirts seen in Penn State football stadium as his favorite team Oregon wins thrilling game

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 12:15:51 -0400

A number of Penn State football fans were seen wearing Charlie Kirk's "FREEDOM" T-shirts at Saturday night's game against Oregon.

Footage and photos of the students in the shirts went viral across social media.

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Oregon, which was Kirk's favorite college football team, went in to win the game in a 30-24 thriller. Oregon defensive back Dylan Thieneman pulled in a game-sealing interception in overtime, ensuring Kirk's favorite team won in front of thousands of supporters wearing his signature shirt.

Conservative influencer Benny Johnson organized an event that handed out 5,000 of the shirts to fans ahead of Saturday's game in the Beaver Stadium parking lot.

Johnson shared footage earlier on Saturday that showed a line of people waiting for the shirts. The line wrapped around multiple sections of the parking lot, with the crowd cheering as he bragged about the length.

Eventually, a loud "USA!" chant broke out.

Turning Point USA (TPUSA) announced its event to give away 5,000 of the T-shirts to fans who attend the at the Oregon vs. Penn State game at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa., Saturday.

Kirk wore the now-iconic shirt on Sept. 10 as he spoke at a Utah Valley University event when a single shot was fired from the roof of a nearby building, which killed the 31-year-old husband and father of two. The assassination has devastated the nation, and TPUSA has vowed to continue the mission that Kirk worked so passionately for.

DODGERS RELIEF PITCHER BLAKE TREINEN PAYS TRIBUTE TO CHARLIE KIRK ON MOUND WITH PERSONALIZED HAT

"In the vein, and in honor of Charlie Kirk, we are going to fight cultural battles, and we are going to win them in an arena that Charlie loved so very much — college football," Johnson announced Thursday on "Will Cain Country."

"Turning Point USA, at the game of the week, Penn State versus the Oregon Ducks, this is going to be a massive game. This was a game that Charlie Kirk was going to attend. Charlie Kirk loves Oregon, but he also has a bunch of fans at Penn State and has done huge events there," Johnson continued. "Turning Point USA is going to be handing out 5,000 Charlie Kirk freedom shirts at that game."

Johnson, who held up a "freedom" shirt identical to the one Kirk was wearing when he was killed, said it was going to be a whiteout game, which is a Penn State tradition where fans dress in all white.

Kirk has been frequently honored at major football events since his assassination earlier in September.

Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning previously offered his condolences to Kirk's wife, Erika, and their two children following his team's 34-14 victory over Northwestern earlier this month.

But in a prolonged answer regarding the current culture of the United States, Lanning implored Americans to look at his own locker room, saying, "The people in this world can learn a lot from [it]."

"You walk in that locker room, you've got guys of different races, guys of different backgrounds, different religions and you got a team that loves each other. Tons of differences. Where they come from, what they deal with and, ultimately, you've got a team that loves each other, and I think we’re missing some of that in our country," Lanning said.

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"I recently found out Charlie Kirk was an Oregon fan, right? I didn't know that. I hurt for his wife, Erika, and their kids. That sort of evil should never exist in our country, and that's what it is — evil. I remember having to explain that to my family, right? I remember sitting down with my kids and explaining what happened, and they're talking about people talking about it at school. And it's just sad, right?" Lanning said.

"But it's just as sad every day it seems like we deal with some sort of violence that's going on in our country, whether it's school kids in Colorado or kids in Minnesota at churches. I mean, life matters, and I think we've lost sight of that. But I just wish the world could learn a little bit of something from our locker room because we've got a bunch of people with differences, and what you've got in there is a bunch people there."

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Line to get Charlie Kirk 'FREEDOM' shirt at Oregon-Penn State game floods parking lot

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 15:55:27 -0400

Conservative influencer Benny Johnson posted footage on Saturday about a large crowd of people in line to get a Charlie Kirk "FREEDOM" t-shirt in the parking lot of Penn State's Beaver Stadium. Penn State is set to play Oregon, which was Kirk's favorite football team.

Johnson's footage showed the line wrapping around multiple sections of the parking lot, with the crowd cheering as he bragged about the length.

Eventually, a loud "USA!" chant broke out.

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Turning Point USA (TPUSA) announced its event to give away 5,000 of the T-shirts to fans who attend the at the Oregon vs. Penn State game at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa., Saturday.

DODGERS RELIEF PITCHER BLAKE TREINEN PAYS TRIBUTE TO CHARLIE KIRK ON MOUND WITH PERSONALIZED HAT

"So, it’s gonna look great in the stands," Johnson said. We want the student section to be popping with Charlie Kirk freedom shirts for the whiteout at Penn State this weekend."

Kirk has been frequently honored at major football events since his assassination earlier in September.

Oregon football Head Coach Dan Lanning offered his condolences to Kirk's wife, Erika, and their two children following his team's 34-14 victory over Northwestern earlier this month.

But in a prolonged answer regarding the current culture of the United States, Lanning implored Americans to look at his own locker room, saying, "The people in this world can learn a lot from [it]."

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TPUSA to give away 5,000 Charlie Kirk ‘freedom’ shirts at Penn State-Oregon game that Kirk planned to attend

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 14:51:42 -0400

Turning Point USA (TPUSA) will give away 5,000 Charlie Kirk freedom T-shirts to fans who attend the at the Oregon vs. Penn State game at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa. on Saturday.

Kirk wore the now-iconic "freedom" shirt on Sept. 10 as he spoke at a Utah Valley University event when a single shot was fired from the roof of a nearby building, which killed the conservative activist. The tragic assassination has devastated the nation, and TPUSA has vowed to continue the mission that Kirk worked so passionately for.

"In the vein, and in honor of Charlie Kirk, we are going to fight cultural battles, and we are going to win them in an arena that Charlie loved so very much – college football," conservative podcaster and Kirk’s longtime friend Benny Johnson announced Thursday on "Will Cain Country."

COMCAST EXECUTIVES SCOLD STAFFERS TO ‘DO BETTER’ OVER MSNBC COVERAGE OF CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION

Johnson, who held up a "freedom" shirt identical to the one Kirk was wearing when he was tragically assassinated, said it’s going to be a whiteout game, which is a Penn State tradition where fans dress in all white.

UTAH STUDENTS LIFT VOICES IN PRAYER AT VIGIL FOR CHARLIE KIRK’S CHRISTIAN LEGACY: 'FELT CALLED BY GOD'

"So, it’s gonna look great in the stands," Johnson said. We want the student section to be popping with Charlie Kirk freedom shirts for the whiteout at Penn State this weekend."

Kirk rose to prominence after he dropped out of college to pursue political activism and founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA) to serve as an organization that promotes conservative youth activism at high school and college campuses.

TPUSA was founded as a non-profit by Kirk in 2012 after Tea Party activist Bill Montgomery encouraged him to pursue political activism in lieu of attending college and helped him launch the group.

COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CHARLIE KIRK

TPUSA told Fox News Digital that approximately 90,000 people attended Kirk's memorial service on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, making it one of the largest public turnouts for a private citizen.

Another 10,000 people gathered at the nearby Desert Diamond Arena, a designated overflow venue, according to estimates provided by TPUSA. Additionally, another 10,000 people watched Kirk's memorial service from nearby viewing areas.

Tyler Robinson, 22, is accused of assassinating Kirk. He surrendered to authorities in his hometown in southern Utah 33 hours after the slaying, after his parents and a family friend convinced him to turn himself in rather than take his own life, according to authorities.

Robinson faces charges including aggravated murder.

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Fox News Digital's Eric Revell, Amanda Macias and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.

7 quarterbacks not named Arch Manning college football fans should know

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 09:57:28 -0400

There is a tremendous amount of hype around Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning going into the 2025 season – and rightfully so.

Manning has all the intangibles any college football coach would want in a quarterback in today’s game. Plus, he has the famous football name on the back of his jersey. He’s also not going to back down from a challenge as Texas gets ready to take on the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes to kick off the 2025 season.

Fans can get lost in the hype over one player and forget there are several other quarterbacks who are very good and even better than Manning.

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There are at least seven other college football quarterbacks the average fan should know before settling in for a big weekend of top-tier matchups.

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU Tigers

Garrett Nussmeier has shown exactly what he can bring to the table for Brian Kelly’s offense. He threw for 4,502 passing yards and 29 touchdown passes last season as LSU went 9-4 and won the Texas Bowl over Baylor.

This year, the pressure is a bit stronger. Nussmeier has shown flashes of being a star quarterback but putting together wins in one of the toughest conferences in the nation is something he’ll have to focus on moving forward this year.

His first challenge? Oh, just No. 4 Clemson.

Cade Klubnik, Clemson Tigers

Waiting for Nussmeier on the other side of the field on Saturday night will be Cade Klubnik.

Klubnik is likely in his final season at Clemson and played a major role in keeping the Tigers’ season from spiraling out of control. He led Clemson to the ACC Championship, putting together a win over SMU. Clemson made it to the College Football Playoff but lost in the first round to Texas.

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He had 3,639 passing yards and 36 touchdown passes last season. He improved from his sophomore year to his junior season with the expectations being high for his senior year.

LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina Gamecocks

The SEC has had its fair share of amazing quarterbacks run through each program. But it’s been quite a while since anyone talked about who was under center for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

LaNorris Sellers is a redshirt sophomore for the Gamecocks and started to draw some attention last season when South Carolina nearly defeated Alabama and then went on a run of wins over Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Clemson.

Shane Beamer’s squad now has an interesting talent at the QB position that everyone will want to see. He had 2,534 passing yards and 18 touchdown passes in 2024. He added 674 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns as well.

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South Carolina begins the year against Virginia Tech on Sunday.

Julian Sayin, Ohio State Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes will go with Julian Sayin to start its national championship defense after Will Howard led the offense last season.

Sayin is a relative unknown but the rest of the nation will be introduced to him when he goes up against Manning and the Longhorns to begin the year. He transferred from Alabama in 2024 and won the job over Lincoln Kienholz.

On Saturday, he’ll get to start in the biggest game of his life so far. Luckily, he has weapons like Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate around him which would make it easier to transition into that starting role.

Drew Allar, Penn State Nittany Lions

Drew Allar could very well be one of the first quarterbacks to be selected in next year’s NFL Draft. It’s why this season at Penn State is so crucial for him and the Nittany Lions.

Allar had 3,327 passing yards and 24 touchdown passes last year. The dream season was thought to have been in reach. Penn State made a deep run in the College Football Playoff. However, it turned out to be a nightmare as they suffered a three-point loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl.

The 2025 season could be the year for Penn State. Fans should get used to Allar now.

DJ Lagway, Florida Gators

The Florida Gators have been hit or miss in the Billy Napier era and the 2025 season will be crucial for a lot of personnel in the program.

A lot of the hopes are on the shoulders of quarterback DJ Lagway. He’s set to start Week 1 when the Gators take on the Long Island Sharks. It should be a walk in the park for a powerhouse school like Florida and give Lagway some momentum to start off the season.

As a freshman, Lagway had 1,915 passing yards and 12 touchdown passes. There are high expectations he will be able to lift the Gators to more than eight wins in 2025.

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Sam Leavitt, Arizona State Sun Devils

Sam Leavitt may have played under the cloud of the Big 12 Conference last season but he announced his presence with authority when the Sun Devils made a run to the College Football Playoff. There’s no room to hide anymore.

Leavitt will enter his second season at Arizona State coming off a year when he had 2,885 passing yards and 24 touchdown passes. He played his best football down the stretch, leading Arizona State to eight straight wins before losing to Texas in the College Football Playoff.

Under Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State will have heightened expectations going into 2025. Arizona State will start as the No. 11 team in the nation with Northern Arizona coming to town on Saturday.

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Micah Parsons issues 4-word response as contract drama with Cowboys continues

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 20:05:19 -0400

Micah Parsons watched from the sideline Wednesday as the Dallas Cowboys went through a padded practice in Oxnard, California.

But as the team prepares to return to Texas, Parsons' contract dispute remains an issue.

While Parsons stood near longtime Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones Thursday, talks between Parsons' representatives and the team's front office have not progressed.

Last week, Jones said he had not spoken with the star pass rusher since his request to be traded to another team was made public.

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Jones did make it clear he does not intend to trade the All-Pro edge rusher. On Wednesday, Parsons was asked to share an update on where contract extension negotiations stood.

"My mouth is closed," Parsons told reporters, according to The Athletic.

COWBOYS' JERRY JONES REMAINS CRYPTIC ON MICAH PARSONS' STATUS AFTER STAR'S TRADE REQUEST

Parsons missed four games last season but still finished the year with 12 sacks. He has recorded double-digit sacks in each of his four seasons in the NFL.

As it currently stands, Parsons will enter the 2025 regular season in the final year of his rookie deal. Parsons is seeking a new contract during a summer in which other star passer rushers, like Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt, landed lucrative extensions from their respective teams.

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The Cowboys visit the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles Sept. 4 to open the regular season.

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