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12/27/25 - QB Ethan Grunkemeyer, rSo/2029, Virginia Tech + More +

Ethan Grunkemeyer threw for a career-high 262 yards and two TDs, including a 73-yard strike to Trebor Pena early in the fourth quarter, and Penn State beat Clemson 22-10 Saturday afternoon in the Pinstripe Bowl. Both teams struggled at times with the frigid conditions at Yankee Stadium following a snowstorm. The temperature at kickoff was 28 degrees and the wind chill made it feel like 19 while the snow from Friday's storm was piled in the right and left field corners. In his seventh start since Penn State lost Drew Allar to an injury, Grunkemeyer completed 23 of 34 passes, setting career bests for completions and attempts. His best throw was to Pena, who caught the ball at the Penn State 44, ran by Clemson safety Ricardo Jones and rumbled untouched down the left side for a 15-3 lead with 12:51 left in the fourth.

Grunkemeyer also made a 35-yard throw to Devonte Ross to get the Nittany Lions deep into Clemson territory that set up an 11-yard TD toss to Andrew Rappleyea with 4:56 left for a 22-10 Pena finished with five catches and 100 yards. Pena had the third 100-yard game of his career and was named the game's MVP. Before connecting with Pena, Grunkemeyer moved the Nittany Lions into field goal territory three times for Ryan Barker. Barker made a 22-yard field goal on Penn State's first possession, along with a 48-yard field goal and a 43-yarder. Penn State (7-6) won its final four games under Smith, who took over for James Franklin following a 22-21 loss to Northwestern on Oct. 11 and will be succeeded by Matt Campbell. Clemson's Cade Klubnik completed 22 of 39 passes for 193 yards in his final collegiate game while getting sacked four times. He also had eight passes broken up by Penn State defenders. The Tigers scored their lone touchdown on Adam Randall's 2-yard plunge with 8:47 left to slice Penn State's lead to 15-10. Clemson (7-6) saw a four-game winning streak stopped and was held to its fewest points in a bowl game since a 10-7 loss to LSU in the 1999 Peach Bowl. - Penn StateAP College Football

QB Ethan Grunkemeyer, rSo/2029 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (00)
Recruiting Grade: 4* (08)

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Virginia Tech Player News & Notes

News Source: Penn State/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/26/25 - QB Owen McCown, rSr/2027, Texas-San Antonio + More +

Owen McCown threw three touchdown passes, Will Henderson III scored three times, and UTSA defeated Florida International 57-20 on Friday night at the First Responder Bowl. UTSA (7-6) was making its sixth consecutive bowl appearance - seventh overall - and has won three bowls in a row. FIU (7-6) ended a bowl drought dating to 2019. FIU had an early lead on a touchdown pass by Joe Pesansky and the Panthers made it 14-0 on Maguire Anderson's 97-yard punt return. UTSA then scored the next 38 points. Trailing 14-0, Henderson scored on a 2-yard run then tied the score when he caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from McCown. After a field goal, McCown connected with Devin McCuin on a 23-yard touchdown pass.

A'Marion Peterson capped the first-half scoring with a 10-yard touchdown run and a 31-14 lead for the Roadrunners. UTSA had a 310-93 advantage in total yards in the first half, with 50 yards of FIU's total coming on a late second-quarter drive that ended on a fourth-down sack of Pesansky. In the third quarter, Henderson ran five yards for a touchdown to make it 38-14, then Pesansky connected with Dallas Payne for a 22-yard touchdown pass. However, Pesansky's two-point conversion pass was intercepted and returned for two points by Ahamad Chapman, making the score 40-20. UTSA added a McCown touchdown pass, a field goal and a TD run by Bryson Donnell in the fourth quarter. McCown completed 18 of 28 passes for 295 yards. Pesansky was 11-for-31 passing for 102 yards with two touchdowns. UTSA had 481 total yards compared to 255 for FIU. - UTSA/AP College Football

QB Owen McCown, rSr/2027 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (27)
Recruiting Grade: 3* (52)

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Texas-San Antonio Player News & Notes

News Source: UTSA/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/26/25 - WR Jalen Smith, rSo/2029, Minnesota + More +

Minnesota thrives in an era of bowl opt-outs, even when a national championship is out of reach. These Golden Gophers dig the postseason. Jalen Smith scored his second touchdown on a diving 12-yard catch in the first overtime and Minnesota extended its postseason winning streak to nine games with a 20-17 win over New Mexico in the Rate Bowl on Friday. Minnesota’s bowl winning streak - seven straight under coach P.J. Fleck - matches Southern California and Utah for second-longest all-time, behind Florida State’s 11 in a row from 1985-95. A year after Kansas State beat Rutgers 44-41 in the Rate Bowl, the 2025 version turned defensive in the desert - until a flurry early in the fourth quarter. Minnesota (8-5) went up 14-6 when Darius Taylor scored on a 5-yard touchdown run, but Damon Bankston returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. New Mexico's 2-point conversion on a trick play tied the game at 14-all. The teams returned to trading punts, sending the game to overtime at Chase Field, home of baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks.

New Mexico (9-4) failed to get a first down on the opening possession and Luke Drzewiecki kicked a 36-yard field goal. The Gophers and their fans then got to celebrate Smith's spectacular touchdown twice - once live, the other after an official review confirmed the catch. New Mexico had its chances and took a couple more that failed. It didn't work out, but the Lobos took quite a step forward in coach Jason Eck's first season. A team picked to finish 11th in the 12-team Mountain West Conference, New Mexico went undefeated at home for the first time since 1962, beat a Power Four team (UCLA) for the first time since 2007 and played in a bowl game outside of Albuquerque for the first time since 2004. The Lobos earned a spot in their first bowl game since the 2016 New Mexico Bowl behind a vastly improved defense. Fourth-worst in the FBS a year ago, New Mexico climbed to No. 49 this season, allowing about 222 yards less in total defense. The Lobos shut down Minnesota for most of the first half, recovering a botched snap on a midfield fourth-and-1 attempt and holding the Gophers to 112 first-half yards. - Minnesota/AP College Football

WR Jalen Smith, rSo/2029 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (00)
Recruiting Grade: 3* (801)

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Minnesota Player News & Notes

News Source: Minnesota/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/26/25 - QB Preston Stone, rSr/2026, Northwestern + More +

Preston Stone threw three touchdown passes, and Northwestern turned four turnovers into touchdowns and beat Central Michigan 34-7 in the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field on Friday. The Wildcats (7-6) extended their bowl game winning streak to six. They haven't lost in the postseason since a 45-6 loss to Pittsburgh in the 2015 Outback Bowl. Central Michigan (7-6) is 0-3 against the Big Ten in bowl games, with all three losses coming at Ford Field. The Chippewas lost 51-48 to Purdue in the 2007 Motor City Bowl and 21-14 to Minnesota in the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl. Central Michigan had the first scoring opportunity of the game after stopping Northwestern on 4th-and-1 at the Wildcats 34, but Cade Graham missed a 43-yard field goal attempt. The game was still scoreless midway through the second quarter, but Braden Turner intercepted Angel Flores' pass at the Central Michigan 29. Three plays later, Stone threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Griffin Wilde to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead.

Joe Labas, the other half of Central Michigan's quarterbacking duo, fumbled on the first play after the kickoff to give Northwestern the ball on the Chippewas 18. Caleb Komolafe scored on a 2-yard run to put Northwestern ahead 14-0. Flores fumbled on first down, giving Central Michigan turnovers on three straight plays. Stone hit Lawson Albright for a 23-yard touchdown on the next play - Northwestern's third touchdown in a span of 3:02. Flores fumbled for the second time on Central Michigan's first drive of the second half and Turner returned it 47 yards for a touchdown. Jack Olson missed the extra point to leave the score at 27-0. Stone hit Wilde for another touchdown in the quarter to make it 34-0. Central Michigan avoided the shutout when Labas hit Brock Townsend for a 3-yard touchdown pass with 6:11 to play. - Northwestern/AP College Football

QB Preston Stone, rSr/2026 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (00)
Recruiting Grade: 4* (12)

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Northwestern Player News & Notes

News Source: Northwestern/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/24/25 - QB Luke Weaver, rSr/2027, San Jose State + More +

Backup quarterback Luke Weaver threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds left, and Hawaii rallied for a 35-31 comeback victory over California in a thrilling Hawaii Bowl on Wednesday night. Weaver entered the game after Micah Alejado took a hard hit on the previous play. With the Rainbow Warriors (9-4) in range for a tying field goal, coach Timmy Chang took a shot at the end zone, and Cenacle got between two defensive backs and made the contested catch. Chang, Hawaii's fourth-year coach who had a record-setting career as the Rainbow Warriors' quarterback from 2000-04, led his program to its first nine-win season since 2019 - when Nick Rolovich, currently Cal's interim coach, guided Hawaii to a 10-5 record. Alejado finished 32 of 46 for 274 yards and three touchdowns, helping Hawaii rally from an early 21-0 deficit. Pofele Ashlock had 14 catches for 123 yards and two TDs for the Rainbow Warriors, who scored 22 points in the fourth quarter.

Cal (7-6) pulled ahead 31-28 with 1:57 left on a 1-yard touchdown run by Hawaii-born freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who finished with 343 yards passing and a touchdown. Alejado's 17-yard touchdown pass to Brandon White with 7:19 left gave Hawaii a 28-24 lead. The Rainbow Warriors tied it early in the fourth quarter when Alejado connected with Ashlock for their second TD and then completed a 2-point conversion pass to Cam Barfield. Cal took a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter on Anthony League's 8-yard TD run. Rolovich tipped his cap to Chang and the Warriors, who scored on their final six drives. Hawaii improved to 9-6 all-time in bowl games, while Cal fell to 12-14-1. - Hawaii/AP College Football

QB Luke Weaver, rSr/2027 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (00)
Recruiting Grade: 3* ()

+ San Jose State Roster/Recruiting/Scouting
San Jose State Player News & Notes

News Source: Hawaii/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/23/25 - RB Sieh Bangura, rSr/2026, Ohio + More +

Sieh Bangura rushed for 149 yards and a touchdown and Ohio beat UNLV 17-10 on Tuesday night to win the Frisco Bowl. The Bobcats (9-4) have won their last seven bowl games - dating to 2017 - after losing eight of their first 10. Defensive coordinator and interim head coach John Hauser led Ohio to this victory after head coach Brian Smith was fired earlier in the month for having an affair with an undergraduate student. Ohio's Parker Navarro had a 5-yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper five minutes into the second quarter for the only score of the first half. The lead was 6-0 after David Dellenbach's extra-point kick hit the right upright. UNLV (10-4) had a first down on the Bobcats' 33-yard line with 32 second left, but DJ Walker picked off an Anthony Colandrea pass in the end zone to keep it 6-0.

Bangura scored on a 23-yard run less than four minutes into the third quarter, and Navarro passed to Chase Hendricks for the two-point conversion and a 14-0 lead. Hendricks muffed a punt at the end of UNLV's first possession and Kayden McGee recovered at the Ohio 30. The Rebels settled for a career-long 50-yard field goal by Ramon Villela to cut it to 14-3. Dellenbach kicked a 45-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, but Colandrea scored on a fourth-and-goal run from the 2 to get the Rebels within 17-10 with 4:45 remaining. UNLV never got the ball back in falling to 4-4 all time in bowl games. Navarro completed 11 of 15 passes for 143 yards with an interception. Bangura did his damage on 19 carries. Colandrea totaled 184 yards on 19-for-30 passing. UNLV had the nation's longest run of scoring at least 20 points end at 35 games. - Ohio/AP College Football

RB Sieh Bangura, rSr/2026 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (00)
Recruiting Grade: 3* (95)

+ Ohio Roster/Recruiting/Scouting
Ohio Player News & Notes

News Source: Ohio/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/23/25 - QB Maverick McIvor, rSr/2026, Western Kentucky + More +

Quarterback Maverick McIvor came off the bench to lead three second-half touchdown drives and Western Kentucky rallied to beat Southern Mississippi 27-16 on Tuesday night to win the New Orleans Bowl at Caesars Superdome. Head coach Tyson Helton has led the Hilltoppers (9-4) to a bowl game in seven straight seasons, winning five of them. McIvor completed 12 of 19 passes for 199 yards with one interception and rushed for a season-high 48 yards and a score on eight carries. Matthew Henry had seven receptions for 126 yards. Jack Cannon kicked two field goals. Braylon Braxton threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Tychaun Chapman in the first quarter and Creighton Wilbanks kicked two field goals in the second to help the Golden Eagles (7-6) take a 13-6 lead into halftime. Southern Miss piled up 265 yards in the first half, while holding Western Kentucky to 84. The Hilltoppers outgained the Golden Eagles 338-112 after halftime.

Freshman quarterback Rodney Tisdale Jr. completed 9 of 20 passes for 65 yards with an interception for Western Kentucky before leaving right before halftime after taking a hard hit. McIvor, who hadn't played since starting the first seven games, led the second-half charge. McIvor capped an eight-play drive with an 11-yard touchdown run to tie it 13-all midway through the third quarter before Wilbanks kicked a 41-yard field goal to put Southern Miss up 16-13 heading to the fourth. McIvor had a 23-yard run to the Golden Eagles' 1 and George Hart III plunged into the end zone two plays later for a 20-16 lead 7:48 remaining. McIvor completed a 14-yard pass to Matthew Henry on third-and-11 and Marvis Parrish raced 54 yards for a score on the next play to set the final margin with 3:38 left. The Hilltoppers were successful on all eight third-down opportunities in the second half after going 1 for 9 in the first. Braxton totaled 258 yards on 24-for-47 passing with an interception. - Western Kentucky/AP College Football

QB Maverick McIvor, rSr/2026 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (08)
Recruiting Grade: 3* (00)

+ Western Kentucky Roster/Recruiting/Scouting
Western Kentucky Player News & Notes

News Source: Western Kentucky/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/23/25 - QB Miller Moss, rSr/2026, Louisville + More +

Miller Moss took a knee to run out the clock on Louisville's season, then flipped the ball to an official. The official had the presence of mind to flip it right back to Moss. After all, he earned the souvenir. Moss closed his college career by throwing for 153 yards and two touchdowns, Isaac Brown ran for a pair of scores - including a 53-yarder in the final minutes - and Louisville topped Toledo 27-22 in the Boca Raton Bowl on Tuesday. Keyjuan Brown rushed for 112 yards, Treyshun Hurry and Antonio Meeks had touchdown catches and Moss completed 16 of 24 passes for the Cardinals (9-4), who survived a wild fourth quarter to finish their season with back-to-back wins. Toledo (8-5) got three points from its first eight possessions, then scored 17 points in three possessions in the fourth - nearly rallying from an 18-point deficit. Avery Smith ran a blocked extra point back for 2 points with 5:03 left, and Chip Trayanum scored on a 3-yard run on the ensuing possession to get the Rockets within 27-22.

Kalieb Osborne completed 17 of 28 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown for Toledo, which played under an interim coach, Robert Weiner, after Jason Candle departed for UConn earlier this month. The Toledo comeback bid started in the fourth. Jacob Peterson caught a 26-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-11; he made the catch around the Louisville 5 and took three defenders with him into the end zone with 10:42 left. The 2-point conversion got Toledo within 21-11. A 50-yard field goal by Robert Hammond III got the Rockets within 21-14, but Louisville kept the lead the rest of the way. Osborne got his first start, with regular starter Tucker Gleason - who played for Weiner at Plant High School in Tampa - out with a pair of fractures in his back. Gleason was with the Rockets as an assistant coach of sorts for the bowl trip. - Louisville/AP College Football

QB Miller Moss, rSr/2026 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (08)
Recruiting Grade: 4* (11)

+ Louisville Roster/Recruiting/Scouting
Louisville Player News & Notes

News Source: Louisville/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/22/25 - QB Zevi Eckhaus, rSr/2026, Washington State + More +

Zevi Eckhaus threw for a season-high 334 yards with three touchdowns and Washington State piled up 628 yards of offense, beating Utah State 34-21 to win the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Monday at Albertsons Stadium. Eckhaus completed 26 of 44 passes but also threw three interceptions for the Cougars (7-6), who will return to a rebuilt Pac-12 Conference next season - along with the Aggies (6-7), and host school Boise State. Maxwell Woods carried nine times for 117 yards, becoming the first Cougar to top 100 this season. Defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit filled in as interim head coach after the Cougars lost their third head man in three seasons when Jimmy Rogers left for Iowa State after one season. The Cougars lost head coach Jake Dickert to Wake Forest prior to Rogers’ arrival. WSU hired Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore to take the reins next season. Moore was in attendance. Eckhaus fired a 41-yard touchdown pass to freshman Mackenzie Alleyne for a 7-0 lead after one quarter. Alleyne had one catch for 9 yards entering play.

Eckhaus threw interceptions on WSU’s next two drives but the Aggies failed to score. Eckhaus had a 1-yard touchdown toss to junior tight end Hudson Cedarland in the second quarter for a 14-0 lead at halftime. Cedarland entered with one career catch for 4 yards. Stevens kicked short field goals in the third quarter before Bryson Barnes scored on a 2-yard keeper to cut it to 20-7 heading to the fourth. Eckhaus had a 39-yard touchdown pass to Landon Wright in the fourth quarter as 12 different receivers finished with at least one catch. Backup quarterback Julian Dugger scored on a 34-yard run with four minutes remaining. Barnes had 116 yards on 9-for-21 passing for Utah State before a hard hit sent him to the sidelines in the second half. Backup Jacob Conover completed 5 of 7 for 78 yards with fourth-quarter touchdown throws to Brady Boyd covering 21 yards and a 26-yarder to Javen Jacobs with 1:48 remaining. It was the Cougars’ first postseason victory since beating Iowa State 28-26 in the 2018 Alamo Bowl. - Washington State/AP College Football

QB Zevi Eckhaus, rSr/2026 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (00)
Recruiting Grade: 0* (00)

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Washington State Player News & Notes

News Source: Washington State/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/20/25 - QB Dante Moore, rJr/2028, Oregon + More +

Had the first College Football Playoff game at Autzen Stadium ended at halftime, it would have been a clinical performance by No. 5 Oregon. Even with a lackluster second half, the Ducks breezed by No. 19 James Madison for a 51-34 win on the heels of four touchdown passes by Dante Moore, who also ran for a score. The Ducks (12-1) advanced to face Texas Tech in a quarterfinal game at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1. Oregon won a playoff game for the first time since 2014, when the Ducks beat Florida State in the Rose Bowl semifinal before losing to Ohio State. James Madison (12-2) dropped Group of Five teams to 0-4 in CFP games. No. 17 Tulane fell 41-10 at No. 6 Mississippi as well Saturday. Moore completed a 41-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson less than two minutes into the game to give Oregon a lead it would not relinquish. Johnson hauled in Moore's pass with his right hand, and romped into the end zone while dragging a pair of defenders. James Madison responded with a 30-yard field goal from Morgan Suarez on its next drive, one which required 15 plays and burned 8:03. The Ducks took over from there, rattling off four straight touchdowns before the Dukes snuck in another field goal from Suarez ahead of halftime, which brought the score to 34-6.

In falling behind by such a wide margin, James Madison went away from its rushing attack, which ranked fifth in the nation in average yards per game entering the evening. Coach Bob Chesney lamented James Madison's struggles on the ground outside of a 49-yard rush by running back Wayne Knight. With James Madison chasing the lead most of the night, Sun Belt Player of the Year Alonza Barnett III completed 23 of 48 passes, including a 47-yard touchdown pass to Nick DeGennaro on James Madison's first drive of the third quarter. Oregon promptly responded with two touchdowns, including wide receiver Malik Benson's second TD and a blocked punt that Jayden Limar scooped and returned 15 yards for a score. James Madison scored the last three touchdowns, which left a sour taste for Lanning and the defense. The victory was the Ducks' seventh straight since losing to No. 1 Indiana 30-20 on Oct. 11. James Madison had won 11 in a row. - Oregon/AP College Football

QB Dante Moore, rJr/2028 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 5* (02)
Recruiting Grade: 5* (03)

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Oregon Player News & Notes

News Source: Oregon/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/20/25 - QB Justin Lamson, rSr/2027, Montana State + More +

Justin Lamson accounted for four touchdowns, Adam Jones had 131 yards rushing and two TDs, and second-seeded Montana State beat No. 3 seed Montana 48-23 on Saturday in the semifinals of the FCS playoffs. Montana State (13-2) will play unseeded Illinois State - a 30-14 winner at 12th-seeded Villanova later Saturday - for the national championship on Jan. 5 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Bobcats will make their fourth appearance in the title game and third in coach Brett Vigen's five seasons. Montana State, which won the 1984 national championship, lost to North Dakota State in the 2021 and 2024 title games. Bryce Grebe returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown that capped the scoring with 7:01 to play. Lamson was 13-of-19 passing for 209 yards and two touchdowns and ran for TDs of 4 and 7 yards. Taco Dowler had five receptions for 125 yards, which included an 87-yard touchdown. Keali'i Ah Yat completed 27 of 42 for 251 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception and Taco Dowler's twin brother, and added a 5-yard TD run. Eli Gillman had 106 yards rushing and a touchdown on 16 carries for Montana.

Montana State defensive back Caden Dowler, the Big Sky Conference's defensive player of the year, left the game in the first quarter due to an apparent wrist injury. Dowler went into the semis with six interceptions - two of which were returned for touchdowns - in the last five games. Grizzlies wide receiver Brooks Davis, tight end Evan Shafer, and defensive lineman Jereb Ramos left the game due to injury and did not return. Micah Harper was ejected early in the second quarter after he was called for targeting. A crowd of 25,437 jammed into Bobcats Stadium to make the 125th meeting between the programs - the first in the playoffs - arguably the biggest sporing event in the history of the state. The Grizzlies lead the all-time series 75-45-5, but Montana State has won three straight and eight of the last 10. Montana State beat the Grizzlies 31-28 on Nov. 22 to clinch the Big Sky Conference regular-season title. - AP College Football

QB Justin Lamson, rSr/2027 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (36)
Recruiting Grade: 3* (78)

+ Montana State Roster/Recruiting/Scouting
Montana State Player News & Notes

News Source: AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/20/25 - WR Daniel Sobkowicz, rSr/2026, Illinois State + More +

Tommy Rittenhouse threw two touchdown passes to Daniel Sobkowicz and Victor Dawson rushed for 155 yards and a score to lead Illinois State to a 30-14 victory over Villanova in a FCS semifinal on Saturday night at Villanova Stadium. The Redbirds (12-4) put an emphatic end to the Wildcats' 11-game win streak and will play Montana State in the title game on Jan. 5 in Nashville, Tenn. The Bobcats beat Montana 48-23 to advance. Illinois State lost 37-7 to Southern Illinois to close out the regular season before pulling off road wins over Southeastern Louisiana, North Dakota State, UC Davis and the Wildcats (12-3) to reach the final. Rittenhouse and Sobkowicz teamed up for a 53-yard score late in the first quarter to give Illinois State a 7-0 lead.

Dawson scored on a 1-yard run at the end of a 13-play drive - aided by three Wildcat penalties - for a two-score lead in the second quarter. Rittenhouse threw a short pass on first down that Seth Glatz turned into a 68-yard gain and then hit Sobkowicz two plays later for an 8-yard touchdown and a 21-6 lead at halftime. Michael Cosentino did all the Redbirds' scoring in the second half with two third-quarter field goals and another in the fourth. Rittenhouse completed 18 of 38 passes for 251 yards with an interception. Sobkowicz had seven receptions for 97 yards and Dawson did his damage on 34 carries. Pat McQuaide had 199 yards on 13-for-30 passing for Villanova. That included a 16-yard touchdown throw to Antionio Johnson with 3:18 remaining. Jack Barnum kicked two field goals. Illinois State gets its second shot at a championship. The Redbirds were runners-up in 2014, losing 29-27 to North Dakota State. It was the fourth of five straight championships for the Bison. Villanova beat Montana 23-21 in 2009 in Chattanooga, Tenn., in its only appearance in the title game. - AP College Football

WR Daniel Sobkowicz, rSr/2026 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (56)
Recruiting Grade: 0* (00)

+ Illinois State Roster/Recruiting/Scouting
Illinois State Player News & Notes

News Source: AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/20/25 - QB Wyatt Bower, rSo/2029, Ferris State + More +

Wyatt Bower threw for two touchdowns and rushed for three more as Ferris State won its fourth NCAA Division II championship in the past five years, taking down Harding 42-21 on Saturday. The Bulldogs, ranked first in the AFCA coaches' poll, conclude their season at 16-0 (7-0 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) and stretch their win streak to 30 consecutive games, last losing on Aug. 31, 2024. Bower scored two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter to put the Bulldogs up 14-0, and threw for another with just over two minutes remaining in the half. Ferris State led 21-14 at the break.

Chase Carter racked up 111 yards rushing on seven carries, and broke free for a 64-yard touchdown to start the third quarter. The Bulldogs ran for 363 total yards. Bower scored his third rushing touchdown of the day and threw his second TD pass to Carson Gulker to put the game on ice and secure the repeat for the Bulldogs. Bower finished 10 of 16 for 177 yards passing, along with 39 rushing yards on five carries. Andrew Miller had 70 rushing yards and a touchdown on 22 carries for the Bisons (15-1, 11-0 Great American Conference), who are ranked second in the coaches' poll. Ferris State is now tied for the second-most Division II titles with four in all, joining Grand Valley State and Valdosta State. Northwest Missouri leads with six titles. - AP College Football

QB Wyatt Bower, rSo/2029 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (00)
Recruiting Grade: 0* ()

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Ferris State Player News & Notes

News Source: AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/20/25 - QB Trinidad Chambliss, rSr/2027, Mississippi + More +

Trinidad Chambliss ran for two touchdowns and passed for another, and No. 6 Mississippi looked unfazed by the defection of coach Lane Kiffin, beating No. 17 Tulane 41-10 on Saturday in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Scoring runs of 20 yards by Kewan Lacy and 4 yards by Chambliss gave Ole Miss (12-1) a 14-0 lead before eight minutes had elapsed in the coaching debut of Pete Golding, who was promoted from defensive coordinator after Kiffin left for LSU on Nov. 30. Next up for Golding and Ole Miss: a CFP quarterfinal against No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 Tulane (11-3) and quarterback Jake Retzlaff moved the ball effectively at times, but the Rebels - who beat the Green Wave 45-10 on Sept. 20 - remained comfortably ahead throughout. Cornerback Jaylon Braxton had an early interception, and the Rebels’ defense had multiple fumble recoveries and fourth-down stops. While Kiffin had asked to keep coaching Ole Miss through the playoff even while working for its Southeastern Conference rival, athletic director Keith Carter would not allow it. So the Rebels entered arguably the most significant game ever played at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium with a new coach - not to mention an unprecedented level of looming staff and roster uncertainty for a team contending for a national title.

Chambliss, who briefly left the game late in the first half after a big hit during an 11-yard scramble, finished with 282 yards passing. Lacy rushed for 87 yards before heading to the locker room in the fourth quarter with an apparent left shoulder injury. De’Zhaun Stribling caught five passes for 79 yards, including a 13-yard TD. LSU transfer Logan Diggs added a 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Retzlaff finished with 306 yards passing and a TD for Tulane, whose loss dropped non-power conference teams to 0-3 in CFP games (with James Madison playing at Oregon later Saturday night). Jamauri McClure gained 84 yards on 15 carries. - Mississippi/AP College Football

QB Trinidad Chambliss, rSr/2027 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 3* (08)
Recruiting Grade: 0* (00)

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Mississippi Player News & Notes

News Source: Mississippi/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here

12/20/25 - WR Malachi Toney, So/2029, Miami + More +

Malachi Toney's tiebreaking 11-yard touchdown reception with less than two minutes left lifted No. 10 seed Miami to a 10-3 victory over No. 7 Texas A&M on Saturday in the College Football Playoff. Mark Fletcher Jr. had a career-high 172 yards rushing to help the Hurricanes (11-2) advance to the Cotton Bowl to face No. 2 seed Ohio State on Dec. 31. Toney's big play came a series after what looked a devastating mistake for the freshman. Toney made a reception, but Dalton Brooks knocked the ball out and Daymion Sanford recovered it on the Texas A&M 47 with about seven minutes to go. Teammates surrounded a visibly upset Toney on the bench, encouraging him and trying to keep him positive.

He and Miami's offense got another chance when Rueben Bain Jr. sacked Marcel Reed on two of three plays on the ensuing drive to force a punt. A career-long 56-yard run by Fletcher on the first play of the next drive got the Hurricanes to the Texas A&M 30 with about three minutes to go. Miami used four more runs by Fletcher to get into scoring position before Toney took the short toss from Carson Beck and dashed into the end zone. The Aggies had a chance to tie it after that but Bryce Fitzgerald intercepted Reed for the second time - this time in the end zone - to end it. - Miami/AP College Football

WR Malachi Toney, So/2029 Draft Class
Pro Scouting Grade: 5* (00)
Recruiting Grade: 4* ()

+ Miami Roster/Recruiting/Scouting
Miami Player News & Notes

News Source: Miami/AP College Football, Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here