Pat Forde
@ByPatForde
Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated. Tips, feedback: [email protected]
New @SInow Cover Story: Fishing with Travis Hunter. He's not just a two-way star -- make it three. The Heisman Trophy winner, cornerback and wide receiver also has elite angling skills. bit.ly/3Y38iv4
Column: Petitti speaks! It wasn't very convincing. bit.ly/4o3nJ1y
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule: "We can play with anybody. We're gonna go make a run at this thing this year." Cornhuskers certainly have a schedule that will give them a chance: bit.ly/4nJubdX
Curt Cignetti declares last season "Number One out of 126" in Indiana history. He's not wrong. "We're not looking to sustain it. We're looking to improve it."
Bret Bielema his own self, notes that Vegas was where he met his wife, at the Wynn Casino. "No more needs to be said about that."
Petitti on whether the SEC and Big Ten can figure out a future playoff model: "We're obviously not in the same place on these discussions. I think the goal would be to bring people back together ... every time when the two leagues have come together good things have happened."
Petitti: "We did submit a letter (to the NCAA regarding the Michigan infractions case)." Declined to discuss the specifics of the letter. ESPN reported that Petitti lobbied for the program to receive no more sanctions.
Tony Petitti, distilled CFP stance: pro-AQ bids, anti-selection committee's influence.
Shots fired in Charlotte:
Rhett Lashlee on the SEC: “The same six schools have won the SEC since 1964. Not a single one is different from 1964. That’s top heavy, that’s not depth.”
No. 24 in the SI preseason top 25: Louisville. After a season of close losses and what ifs, Jeff Brohm once again has a potential ACC contender if another deep transfer portal class winds up working out. si.com/college-footba…
"Petitti says he’s OK with the playoff remaining at 12 teams next season"
In an interview with @YahooSports, Tony Petitti says he is unmoved by proposed CFP selection criteria changes that he calls “incomplete,” and that the Big Ten remains against a 5+11 format. The industry is barreling toward another expansion impasse. yhoo.it/415Z02H
Bryan's one-on-one interview with the longest-tenured FBS coach in the country, Kirk Ferentz:
Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz is about to kickoff his 27th season as head coach of the Hawkeyes. A lot has changed about the sport, but he’s more fired up than ever to keep coaching it. “I feel great and this is what I like doing, and I don’t have a real good reason to stop right now.”…