MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Colston Loveland chose Michigan for the allure of playing for coach Jim Harbaugh on a team that’s been to the last two College Football Playoffs. He was struck by the good vibes around the program on his official visit. Loveland wanted to be a Big Ten tight end. No conference has a stronger track record of producing receiver-blocker hybrids. There were 34 tight ends taken over the last two NFL drafts. The Big Ten had the most with nine, followed by the Pac-12 with five. The Big Ten also had the most top-100 draft picks over the last 10 years.
UNDATED (AP) — Mel Tucker’s attorney says Michigan State does not have cause to fire its suspended football coach after Tucker acknowledged having phone sex with an activist and rape survivor because he did not “engage in unprofessional or unethical behavior” or violate his contract. Attorney Jennifer Belveal denied in a statement Monday that Tucker’s actions were acts of moral turpitude at the university that operates in the shadow of Larry Nassar’s abuse of more than 100 athletes. Michigan State informed Tucker it planned to fire him last week. Activist and rape survivor Brenda Tracy said Tucker sexually harassed her during a phone call in April 2022. Tucker says the phone sex was consensual.
UNDATED (AP) — College Football Playoff managers will meet this week at the Big Ten offices outside Chicago. With the future of the Pac-12 still unsettled, it will be difficult for them to make a final decision on whether the number of places reserved for conference champions in the soon-to-be expanded field should remain six or be reduced to five. The CFP management committee will gather Tuesday and Wednesday at the Big Ten offices. The playoff expands from four teams to 12 next season, but conference realignment has led to a reconsideration about the selection process.
UNDATED (AP) — Colorado fell out of The Associated Press college football poll after a resounding loss in one of the weekend’s showcase games and the teams toward the top of the rankings were shuffled and tightened. Six teams received first-place votes. Georgia is still where it started at No. 1 but down to 55 first-place votes. Michigan remained No. 2 and got a first-place vote. Texas stayed at No. 3 with two first-place votes. Ohio State moved up two spots to No. 4 and got a first-place vote after beating Notre Dame. Colorado went from 19th to out after losing 42-7 to Oregon.
UNDATED (AP) — The top tier of The Associated Press college football poll is getting crowded. Georgia remains a clear No. 1 in the AP Top 25. The Bulldogs received 55 first-place votes this week. Five other teams split the remaining eight first-place votes: No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 5 Florida State and No. 7 Washington. That’s the most teams with a first-place vote during the regular season since November 2015. Ranking the very best teams is getting tougher for voters, so Reality Check will try not to be too judgmental.
UNDATED (AP) — Iowa’s 31-0 loss at Penn State didn’t help Hawkeyes offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz in his bid to meet metrics set for him by the administration. It was Iowa’s first shutout loss since 2000 and lowered its season average to 21.3 points per game. Ferentz’s contract was revised after last season and requires Iowa to average 25 points per game. The Hawkeyes’ 76 total yards Saturday were the second-fewest in head coach Kirk Ferentz’s 25 seasons. Nine of the 17 games in which Iowa has failed to gain 200 yards since 1999 have come with Brian Ferentz calling the plays.
