HAMDEN - Arguably, no program in Connecticut has been more affected by college basketball's ever-changing NIL, revenue sharing, transfer portal, and eligibility rules than Quinnipiac men's basketball.
With the season approaching, the Bobcats have lost all five starters from last season either to transfers or to the ambiguity of the new fifth-year eligibility rule.
The five starters lost accounted for the majority of Quinnipiac's scoring and rebounding last year.
"I am not fond of the changes that have been made in the college game," coach Tom Pecora said. "I started coaching in the early 80s and you were thrilled to get a scholarship, meal money and a chance to travel somewhere outside of your region or your state. I think it would be great if you paid kids after they graduated. Motivate them to graduate even if they go to several schools."
Two-time first-team All-Metro forward Amarri Monroe transferred to Syracuse while Jaden Zimmerman left for Grand Canyon, Grant Randall moved on to Dayton and Spence Wewe is now at Hofstra.

#starters #hamden

A former No. 9 overall pick from UConn, Kemba Walker put together the strongest career in franchise history to this point. While Walker is famous for wearing the No. 15, he wore the No. 1 during his rookie season with the Charlotte Bobcats. Over his career with the franchise, Walker would play eight seasons in Charlotte, averaging 19.8 points, 5.5 **** ists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.4 blocks in 605 appearances.
Following his time with the Hornets, he'd land with the Boston Celtics in a sign-and-trade deal that brought Terry Rozier to Charlotte. After two seasons in Boston, Walker would play a season for the New York Knicks and finish his NBA career after nine games for the Dallas Mavericks. In 12 seasons total, Walker played 750 games while averaging 19.3 points, 5.3 **** ists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.4 blocks. He now works with the Hornets as a player development coach and has opened up "Kemba Walker Sports Academy" in Concord, North Carolina.
Throughout the season, Rookie Wire is documenting the jersey number history of the Charlotte Hornets
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#franchise

SAN MARCOS - As UTSA quarterback Owen McCown was preparing for his final season, he felt a lingering weight on his shoulders.
He carried the burden of two straight losses to rival Texas State, of slow starts and road woes and missed opportunities in close losses. No matter what drills or exercises the Roadrunners devised, he knew he couldn't replicate those moments. He dove into the mental aspect as much as he could, searching for answers that might pay off when the situation finally arrived.
With UTSA trailing in the final two minutes against Texas State in a pivotal early season showdown Saturday in San Marcos, McCown delivered. The Roadrunners orchestrated a drive that ended in a 25-yard touchdown run by Brandon High with 14 seconds remaining, providing the final blow in a 30-26 win over the Bobcats.
"Obviously that's something we've been working on, and it showed today," McCown said. "To go out my last year against a rival here, a road win on a two-minute drill, it's big time. It says a lot about our team."
UTSA's Owen McCown, on the mindset entering his game-winning drive to beat Texas State: "Go win the game. And I think the last two years, you look at where we need to work the most with road games, was two-minute drill. … For this to happen the way it did is super special." pic.twitter.com/RFflc5dTIZ

#state #utsa #owen #season

SAN MARCOS - Texas State football coach GJ Kinne said Saturday's 31-26 loss to UTSA was one of the weirdest games he's ever experienced.
The Bobcats (0-2) outgained the Roadrunners (2-0) offense by 83 yards. The Texas State running backs averaged 7.15 yards per carry on 35 attempts. UTSA was 3-of-15 on third down; Texas State was 9-of-17. UTSA quarterback Owen McCown faced pressure from Texas State's defensive line all afternoon.
MORE: Texas State recap from loss to UTSA
And yet, the Bobcats were the team desperately tossing laterals across the field when the clock hit zero, hoping for a miracle play. UTSA stormed the field afterward, whooping and hollering in celebration. For the first time in the rivalry, Texas State was the program defending its status. UTSA clearly had a chip on its shoulder that its San Marcos neighbours used to have. After the game, Kinne treated the loss like any other.
"We can't let this one define us," Kinne said. "It's not the end-all, be-all."

#utsa #loss #marcos #roadrunners

The Ohio Bobcats play their 2026 home opener Saturday when they welcome the Jacksonville State Gamecocks to Frank Solich Field at Peden Stadium for a rematch of the 2024 Cure Bowl.
Aug 28, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Jacksonville State Gamecocks player takes a personal moment before the game against the UCF Knights during the first quarter at Acrisure Bounce House. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM ET
Channel: ESPN+

#state #bobcats #peden

The I-35 Rivalry returns to San Marcos, as Texas State football hosts UTSA on Saturday in a clash between two of Texas' biggest midmajor programs.
The Bobcats' rise has coincided with increased success against the Roadrunners. Head coach GJ Kinne has led Texas State to two straight wins over UTSA and his former mentor, Jeff Traylor, after a 20-13 loss in Kinne's debut year. The Bobcats handed the Roadrunners a 49-10 drubbing last time they met in San Marcos, and Traylor made it clear in the days leading up to the game that he hasn't forgotten that embarrassment.
MORE: Is Texas State football or UTSA favored? The I-35 Rivalry's keys to victory
Although Texas State was thoroughly outmatched against Texas in Week 1, there were a few positive takeaways. There is no doubt in the offense led by quarterback Brad Jackson and his dynamic wide receiver duo of Chris Dawn Jr. and Beau Sparks, but the defense left a lot to be desired. UTSA quarterback Owen McCown and running back Will Henderson will test how effective Texas State's offseason changes were in improving the unit that has been its kryptonite the past three seasons.
Traylor adjusted his offseason approach, bringing in veteran transfers and a new offensive coordinator. UTSA kept things vanilla against UTRGV last week and will likely have some nasty surprises for Texas State. Here are live updates from the I-35 Rivalry.

#rivalry #marcos #bobcats #Football

Backup center Ryan Hollins was the fourth player in Charlotte Hornets franchise history to wear the No. 1, doing so for a brief stretch as a member of the Charlotte Bobcats. A former No. 50 overall pick out of UCLA, Hollins played two and a half seasons in Charlotte before being traded along with Matt Carroll to the Dallas Mavericks for DeSagana Diop.
In 105 games for the Bobcats, Hollins averaged 2.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.2 **** ists, 0.2 steals and 0.5 blocks. Following his time in Charlotte, Hollins would go on to play seven more seasons, giving himself an impressive 10-year NBA career. In 518 career appearances, Hollins averaged 3.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.3 **** ists, 0.2 steals and 0.5 blocks. Since his playing days, Hollins has served as a basketball **** yst and pundit for a variety of different outlets.
Throughout the season, Rookie Wire is documenting the jersey number history of the Charlotte Hornets
Previous: Tony Delk, Robert Parish, Spencer Hawes, Theron Smith, Jeff McInnis, Larry Hughes, Bismack Biyombo, Briante Weber, Miles Bridges, Muggsy Bogues, Baron Davis, Jason Hart
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#hollins #seasons

Two quarterbacks, one mission.
Arch Manning versus Julian Sayin with the whole country watching.
And their teams are pretty good, too.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) signs autographs for young fans after winning their game against the Texas State Bobcats 59-7 at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin, Sept. 5, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
We're here for it, even if the face of the Texas Longhorns nearly broke his in the moments before authoring a comprehensive season-opening beatdown of the Texas State Bobcats: Unbeknownst to the 102,000 at Royal-Memorial Stadium who watched him lead the Horns, Manning took his biggest hit long before the opening kickoff.

#austin

Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers had a strong scouting presence at the Texas vs. Texas State matchup on Saturday. Green Bay's general manager got a first-hand look at the Longhorns dismantling the Bobcats 59-7.
The Longhorns will likely have four players get drafted in the first round in the 2027 NFL Draft and they'll have plenty of prospects who could be on Green Bay's radar on Day 2 and 3 of the draft.
Let's dive into some of the Longhorn prospects who stood out during their season-opening victory on Saturday.
If the Packers take a Longhorn prospect in the Top 150 of the upcoming draft, the leader in the clubhouse is Hero Kanu. Kanu flashed his quickness and power and finished the day with 1.5 tackles for loss. He's going to be a problem for teams all season.
Fellow defensive tackle Ian Geffrard was impressive in his Longhorns debut. The Arkansas transfer was a hoss recording three run stops.

#longhorn

The hype for next week's game between No. 5 Texas football and No. 1 Ohio State officially began Saturday, when the two blue-bloods overwhelmed their opponents by a collective score of 115-10.
But before the Longhorn faithful fully turn their attention to the Buckeyes, let's take one more look at Texas's 59-7 victory over Texas State.
The Longhorns (1-0) unleashed a balanced offense that racked up 516 yards, and a revamped defense held the dangerous Bobcats (0-1) to 349 yards and forced three turnovers.
GOLDEN: Texas football, Will Muschamp's defense draw raves in Texas State blowout
Here's how the Longhorns graded out in a 59-7 win over Texas State:

#texas #ohio #buckeyes

Texas State football head coach GJ Kinne didn't hold back much after Saturday's 59-7 loss to Texas.
Sure, the Longhorns' talent was glaring. They tore through the Bobcats' defense, while their punter never left the sideline. Texas State's offense showed some signs of life against a front seven that features a couple of future NFL players. But Kinne said the mental mishaps frustrated him more than anything else.
"I can deal with physically getting beat," Kinne said. "But when you're playing someone like Texas Week 1 on the road, every time you make a (mental) mistake like that, they're going to make you pay for it."
Texas State can't afford to be as sloppy next week. It hosts UTSA in a rivalry matchup that could be a tipping point for both teams' 2026 season. Here are some takeaways from Texas State's loss:
MORE: What the Pac-12 learned from past failures

#like #make #sure

On Saturday, Arch Manning opened the Texas football season on a positive note.
Manning completed 74.1% of his passes while throwing for 305 yards and four touchdowns in a 59-7 win over Texas State. The senior's 305 yards were the most for a Texas quarterback in a season opener since Sam Ehlinger's 426-yard, five-touchdown outburst against UTEP in 2020.
Manning was intercepted once. He also took one sack.
Texas Longhorns running back Hollywood Smothers (2) runs the ball 45 yards in the first quarter the Longhorns' game against the Texas State Bobcats at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin, Sept. 5, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
MORE: Arch Manning may not talk much publicly but he's found his voice as Texas' leader

#manning #utep

What did Texas football get out of Saturday's 59-7 win over Texas State, a not-too-competitive season opener at Royal-Memorial Stadium that came down either to the Bobcats being literally out of their league or the Longhorns ready to take the country by storm. (More on that next week, though.)
Actually, the No. 5 Longhorns got quite a lot out of Saturday:
• Arch Manning was efficient and productive, threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns, completed 74% of his passes and led Texas to touchdowns on six of his seven drives on the day. He gave way to KJ Lacey (6 of 7 for 55 yards) in the third quarter. Manning looked good on deep ******* , too.
• The Horns got some big plays from both of their new running backs, including a 45-yard run and a receiving TD by Hollywood Smothers and 13- and 21-yard TD runs from Raleek Brown.
• Texas' drives went TD, TD, TD, INT, TD, TD, TD, FG and TD on the day. The Horns scored on a defensive TD in there, too.

#manning

Texas football had its first scoop-and-score of the season.
With just over 6 minutes left in the second quarter, Texas State running back Taji Atkins took a carry up the middle. But Rasheem Biles punched the ball out of Atkins hands and Graceson Littleton scooped up the ball to the house for a 59-yard touchdown to push the score to it 28-0 Texas.
On the next drive, the Bobcats avoided the shutout with a touchdown drive against the Longhorns to make it 28-7 with about 4 minutes left until halftime.
Arch Manning then led the Longhorns on a long drive to give UT a chance to extend its lead, but an interception in the end zone kept the deficit at 21 points.
Texas Longhorns defensive back Graceson Littleton (29) celebrates after making an interception for Texas in the fourth quarter of the Red River Rivalry, as the Sooners play the Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Oct. 11, 2025. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)

#drive #atkins

Eastern Kentucky stays on the road Saturday when the Colonels visit Jacksonville State at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama, with kickoff set for 7:00 PM ET on ESPN+. The former conference rivals renew a series that Jacksonville State leads 11-8, with the Gamecocks winning the most recent meeting in 2022.
Dec 20, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Jacksonville State Gamecocks edge Curley Young Jr. (41) reacts after a play against the Ohio Bobcats in the third quarter at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Date: Saturday, September 5, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Channel: ESPN+

#eastern #colonels

AUSTIN, Texas — A season with high expectations gets under way for the No. 5 Texas Longhorns on Saturday against the Texas State Bobcats at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in a prelude to the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes coming to the Forty Acres next week.
After Texas State received the opening kickoff, a touchback deep into the end zone, Texas gave up a first down on three short completions, but inflicted a tackle for loss on a second-down running play and got pressure on Bobcats quarterback Brad Jackson to force a throwaway on third down under pressure from fifth-year defensive tackle Hero Kanu.
A bad snap to the Texas State punter impacted his rhythm, leading to a shank out of bounds only 17 yards past the line of scrimmage, affording Texas favorable field position at its own 44-yard line.
Lined up in 12 personnel, the first touch went to senior running back Hollywood Smothers, who bounced the run outside behind blocks from sophomore tight end Nick Townsend and junior wide receiver Ryan Wingo, made two defenders miss in the open field, and got down the sideline for a 45-yard gain.
Two plays later, on 3rd and 5, junior wide receiver Cam Coleman beat an attempt to jam him at the line of scrimmage and left the Texas State cornerback falling to the ground on an easy six-yard touchdown catch, his first touch for the Longhorns.

#state #first #bobcats

Texas State football begins its 2026 season Saturday, visiting Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium to take on the Texas Longhorns.
The Bobcats are heavy underdogs in their second-ever matchup against the burnt orange. Texas has one of the nation's most talented rosters led by quarterback Arch Manning, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate who could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
MORE: What the Pac-12 learned from past failures
Texas State has some firepower of its own. Starting quarterback Brad Jackson enters his second year starting under head coach GJ Kinne with two top wide receivers flanking him: Chris Dawn Jr. and Beau Sparks. The Longhorns paid proper respect to their opponent throughout the week; head coach Steve Sarkisian even called the Bobcats a potential College Football Playoff candidate.
Sarkisian's offense will be a difficult test for Texas State defensive coordinator Will Windham to solve. The Bobcats are fielding a new scheme and have to go toe-to-toe with one of the best offensive play-callers in the nation.

#texas #Football #second #Potential

Texas football opens its season with a rare meeting against Hill Country neighbor Texas State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Royal-Memorial Stadium.
The No. 5 Longhorns boast one of the most impressive rosters in college football. Arch Manning returns as one of the country's best and most ballyhooed quarterbacks, and Texasopened its thick wallet in the transfer portal to bolster holes on the offensive line and sign star playmakers such as receiver Cam Coleman and running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers.
Sixth-year head coach Steve Sarkisian also overhauled the defense by firing defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and bringing in the fiery Will Muschamp, who has been dissecting SEC defenses for 25 years.
Texas State, which hasn't played Texas since a 36-0 loss in 1930, is making a jump up to the Pac-12, albeit a watered-down version of the legendary West Coast-based league following several years of conference realignment.
Read below for live scores and updates as the No. 5 Texas Longhorns take on the Texas State Bobcats Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin.

#royal #stadium #Football

We've made it.
After the long offseason, the No. 5 Texas Longhorns are finally back in action on Saturday against the Texas State Bobcats at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Kick is at 2:30 p.m. Central on ESPN and this is your gamethread.

#saturday #bobcats

AUSTIN, Texas — Kickoff is approaching at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium between the No. 5 Texas Longhorns and the Texas State Bobcats and there's finally a depth chart for head coach Steve Sarkisian's program.
Position
Name
No.
Name

#state

Texas football is a heavy favorite in its opening week game against Texas State. So much so that some fans are already looking forward to the marquee Week 2 matchup against Ohio State.
UT coach Steve Sarkisian isn't getting ahead of himself. He acknowledged Wednesday on the Southeastern Conference coaches' call that the Bobcats are not a typical mid-major opponent, dropping a bold statement ahead of Saturday's contest.
PAC-12 REVIVAL: How historic conference's failures informed its future
"Don't be surprised at the end of November if they're not in the talk of making the College Football Playoff," Sarkisian said. "I think Texas State's a really good team. So they've got our attention, they've got our players' attention and that's where our focus is."
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian walks into the stadium ahead of the Longhorns' game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Nov. 22, 2025. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)

#texas #sarkisian

Texas football will open the season with its top offensive linemen ready to play, head coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday.
That means left tackle Trevor Goosby and left guard Laurence Seymore III will both play Saturday against visiting Texas State despite missing time in training camp with injuries. Both returned to practice earlier this week, and Sarkisian said both are "good to go" for the 2:30 p.m. kickoff against the Bobcats.
The news on Goosby is especially welcomed since the 6-foot-7, 325-pound senior All-American returns as one of the best pass blockers in the nation and the primary bodyguard for quarterback Arch Manning. Goosby went down with a noncontact knee injury in an Aug. 17 practice, but a diagnosis of a bone bruise instead of a season-ending ligament tear may have been the best news of the summer for Sarkisian and his squad.
Texas offensive lineman Trevor Goosby speaks during SEC football media days at Tampa Marriott Water Street on July 23, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images)
"I thought he had a really good practice on Monday," Sarkisian said. "We increased his workload on Tuesday. He had a really good practice Tuesday. He came back good. We increased his workload Wednesday. He looked good again. We increased his workload even more today. Looked good again. So, he's kind of been building throughout the week. I thought he's been playing with really good pad level, good physicality. I think that he needs to play football; linemen are really the most important ones in that they need that physicality."

#good

It's here — following the non-contact injury sustained by Texas Longhorns senior left tackle Trevor Goosby on Aug. 17, the preseason All-American has achieved the best-case scenario in his recovery after head coach Steve Sarkisian declared Goosby "good to go" for Saturday's season opener in Austin against the Texas State Bobcats.
In returning from the bone bruise to his knee, Goosby practiced for the first time on Monday and continued to ramp up his participation throughout the week.
"It was about him getting back out to practice. I thought he had a really good practice on Monday. We increased his workload on Tuesday. He had a really good practice Tuesday, came back good. We increased his workload Wednesday, he looked good again. We increased his workload even more today, looked good again. So he's kind of been building throughout the week," Sarkisian said on Thursday.
From a mental and technical standpoint, the Texas head coach saw what he wanted to see from the 6'7, 325-pounder.
"I thought he's been playing with really good pad level, good physicality. I think that he needs to play football and linemen are really the most important ones that they need that physicality," Sarkisian said.

#sarkisian

Nebraska's season-opening opponent has announced its starting quarterback. The Ohio Bobcats have named Nick Poulos the starter for the Bobcats' game against the Huskers in Lincoln.
This will be Poulos' first season as the starter after spending his last two seasons as a backup. In 12 games, he has thrown for 290 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception while completing only 45.6% of his passes.
The quarterback's legs will also be a factor in Ohio's spread option offense. He has also run for 184 yards and one touchdown in his career.
Ohio is coming off a 2025 season that saw the Bobcats finish with a 9-4 record and a victory over UNLV in the Frisco Bowl. The 2026 MAC coaches preseason poll picked Ohio to finish fourth with zero votes to win the MAC Championship.
Nebraska opens the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5, when the Ohio Bobcats visit Memorial Stadium. Kickoff time is set for 11 a.m. CT and can be seen on FS1.

#starter

Nebraska's season-opening opponent has announced its starting quarterback. Pete Thamel has reported that Ohio has named Nick Poulos the starter for the Bobcats' game against the Huskers in Lincoln.
This will be Poulos' first season as the starter after spending his last two seasons as a backup. In 12 games, he has thrown for 290 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception while completing only 45.6% of his passes.
The quarterback's legs will also be a factor in Ohio's spread option offense. He has also run for 184 yards and one touchdown in his career.
Ohio is coming off a 2025 season that saw the Bobcats finish with a 9-4 record and a victory over UNLV in the Frisco Bowl. The 2026 MAC coaches preseason poll picked Ohio to finish fourth with zero votes to win the MAC Championship.
Nebraska opens the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5, when the Ohio Bobcats visit Memorial Stadium. Kickoff time is set for 11 a.m. CT and can be seen on FS1.

#starter #yards

The Nebraska Cornhuskers have named the starting quarterback for the season opener. Anthony Colandrea will start for the Huskers on September 5 against the Ohio Bobcats.
Colandrea joins Nebraska following a breakout junior year with the UNLV Rebels. The St. Petersburg, Florida, native finished the 2025 season throwing for 3,459 yards, 23 touchdowns, and nine interceptions with a 65.9 completion percentage. He also added 649 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
The former Rebel's play earned him the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year award. Before UNLV, Colandrea played two seasons at Virginia. He joined a Nebraska team that was looking for a new opening-day starter after Dylan Raiola transferred to the Oregon Ducks.
The Husker quarterback room also includes sophomore and bowl game starter T.J. Lateef and former Virginia quarterback Daniel Kaelin.
Nebraska opens the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5, when the Ohio Bobcats visit Memorial Stadium. Kickoff time is set for 11 a.m. CT and can be seen on FS1.

#colandrea

Aug. 21—Gonzaga hasn't released its final nonconference schedule, but anyone willing to do some digging can probably discover a few of the missing pieces.
For example, a quick internet search of Montana State's schedule would've led someone to the third known home game of Gonzaga's 2026-27 nonleague slate.
According to Montana State's athletics website, the Bobcats are scheduled to visit Gonzaga on Nov. 17, one week before Mark Few's program takes on the 16-team Players Era Festival in Las Vegas.
A tipoff time and television broadcast details will be announced at a later date.
SB Nation's Gonzaga website, Slipper Still Fits, identified the matchup with Montana State hours after The Spokesman-Review discovered another home game against NAIA Eastern Oregon, thanks to an updated schedule on the Mountaineers' site.

#bobcats

Iowa women's basketball will host Big Sky foe Montana State on Thursday, Nov. 19 as part of its nonconference schedule in the 2026-27 women's college basketball season. It will mark the first-ever meeting between Iowa and Montana State.
Montana State finished last season with a 27-8 (16-2 Big Sky) record. The Bobcats advanced to the Women's NIT quarterfinals.
The Hawkeyes are coming off a 27-7 (15-3 Big Ten) campaign that saw Iowa earn the right to host and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The date joins a list of known Iowa nonconference dates:
Nov. 2: vs. Towson (Iowa City)

#montana

The Bloomfield Bobcats are going to have a prominent new face among the chase pack.
The two-time defending Class 4A state football champions open 2026 strongly poised to earn a three-peat. St. Pius, the team Bloomfield beat in the last two finals, remains a prominent challenger as the Sartans go after their first **** le in 10 years.
And other faces are hunting on the Bobcat trail. Taos and Bernalillo, for example. Perhaps also the Belen Eagles, a Class 5A quarterfinal team a year ago.
But the one most noticeable addition to the 4A division is the Lovington Wildcats, a team that could very well end Bloomfield's run.
"I think 4A is the most competitive classification," Portales coach Jaime Ramirez said.

#team #class #sartans #taos

It didn't take Nasir Wyatt far into his freshman season with the Oregon Ducks before he began impressing, as he recorded his first career sack in the Ducks' second game against the Montana State Bobcats. He logged only 39 snaps but made the absolute most of them, finishing the year third on the team with three sacks, a forced fumble and 11 total tackles.
Primarily deployed on third-down blitzes and various pressures, Wyatt used his 6-foot-2, 228-pound frame to blast past would-be blocker and get to the quarterback in a flash. But what proved to be his superpower also turned out to be his downfall, as a sub-230-pound edge rusher had to be schemed into action. If he were to be on the field on early downs, teams would likely target his side and run the ball right at him, capitalizing on his lean frame.
No more in 2026. With his newly-chiseled, bulky frame, Wyatt arrived at fall camp already impressing and has continued that sentiment through one week, with CBS Sports' Brad Crawford tabbing him as one of the biggest risers thus far infall camp.
"From failing to bulk up early in his career to now tipping the scales at a muscular 245 pounds, Wyatt finally looks the part as one of the Ducks' outside linebackers," Crawford wrote. "Defensive coordinator Chris Hampton said after Oregon's second day of fall camp that Wyatt has a chance to be an "every-down player" this fall, which speaks to his offseason body makeover and what he's shown on the field early. That level of consistency must continue, Hampton says, to warrant extended reps at an uber-talented position group for one of the Big Ten's frontrunners."
Reps won't come easy for Wyatt, who, as a hybrid linebacker/edge rusher, is behind starters Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti, two players garnering early-round buzz in the 2027 NFL Draft class.

#camp