Matt Baker
@mattbakercfb.bsky.social
National college sports reporter for The Athletic
Mario and the Canes have arrived in DFW for the Cotton Bowl
December 28, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Mario and the Canes have arrived in DFW for the Cotton Bowl
Georgia Tech’s clock management … yikes.
December 27, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Georgia Tech’s clock management … yikes.
NEWS: Former Georgia DE Damon Wilson II has sued the Bulldogs' athletic association and collective over a six-figure NIL dispute. He alleges they were part of a civil conspiracy to “penalize Wilson for his decision to transfer.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/691...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/691...
Missouri DE Damon Wilson II sues Georgia, setting up landmark player vs. school NIL legal battle
Wilson’s attorneys allege the Bulldogs tried to 'punish Wilson for entering the portal' by lying about the former five-star’s NIL buyout.
www.nytimes.com
December 23, 2025 at 4:01 PM
NEWS: Former Georgia DE Damon Wilson II has sued the Bulldogs' athletic association and collective over a six-figure NIL dispute. He alleges they were part of a civil conspiracy to “penalize Wilson for his decision to transfer.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/691...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/691...
Reposted by Matt Baker
The revelations of the past two weeks prompted questions about how Michigan missed clear warning signs, including persistent rumors about his relationship with a female staffer.
More from The Athletic College Football Staff:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
More from The Athletic College Football Staff:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
Inside Sherrone Moore’s downfall: Instagram messages, emotional outbursts and Michigan’s breaking point
Five women contacted by The Athletic said they had strange or uncomfortable exchanges on Instagram with ex-Michigan coach Sherrone Moore.
www.nytimes.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:10 PM
The revelations of the past two weeks prompted questions about how Michigan missed clear warning signs, including persistent rumors about his relationship with a female staffer.
More from The Athletic College Football Staff:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
More from The Athletic College Football Staff:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
JMU and Tulane both lost big yesterday. Instead of wondering whether they belonged, here’s a better question: Can *any* G5 make a Cinderella CFP run in this era? www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
Is there any hope for Cinderella in the College Football Playoff?
www.nytimes.com
December 21, 2025 at 1:16 PM
JMU and Tulane both lost big yesterday. Instead of wondering whether they belonged, here’s a better question: Can *any* G5 make a Cinderella CFP run in this era? www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
We're live-blogging Ole Miss-Tulane here. Follow along if you'd like:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
Tulane vs. Ole Miss score, live updates: College Football Playoff game highlights, analysis
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2025 at 8:45 PM
We're live-blogging Ole Miss-Tulane here. Follow along if you'd like:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
I don't care how ugly the JMU and Tulane games are later today. After *this*, I don't want to hear a single peep about how the G5 teams don't belong.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
Miami vs. Texas A&M score, live updates: Hurricanes, Aggies scoreless at halftime in College Football Playoff game
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I don't care how ugly the JMU and Tulane games are later today. After *this*, I don't want to hear a single peep about how the G5 teams don't belong.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
We're chatting Miami-Texas A&M here, if you'd like to join us!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
Miami vs. Texas A&M score, live updates: College Football Playoff game highlights, analysis, latest
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2025 at 5:08 PM
We're chatting Miami-Texas A&M here, if you'd like to join us!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
Reposted by Matt Baker
Iowa State QB Rocco Becht plans to enter the transfer portal. Next stop re-joining Matt Campbell and the other old Iowa State coaches in Happy Valley? www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
Iowa State QB Rocco Becht plans to enter portal. Will he join Matt Campbell at Penn State?
A three-year starter at Iowa State, Rocco Becht decided to enter the transfer portal on Friday. Could he join Matt Campbell at Penn State?
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Iowa State QB Rocco Becht plans to enter the transfer portal. Next stop re-joining Matt Campbell and the other old Iowa State coaches in Happy Valley? www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
Reposted by Matt Baker
Maybe 50 cent can punt for OU
December 20, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Maybe 50 cent can punt for OU
There's a lot of time left, but just in case, might as well repost this story from last year:
t.co/UidXpydbZk
t.co/UidXpydbZk
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6012465/2024/12/22/college-football-playoff-scores-blowouts/
t.co
December 20, 2025 at 2:02 AM
There's a lot of time left, but just in case, might as well repost this story from last year:
t.co/UidXpydbZk
t.co/UidXpydbZk
You personally have 10 more rushing yards than Alabama has over its last 73 minutes of football. Congratulations to you!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
Alabama vs. Oklahoma score, live updates: Sooners take early lead on John Mateer's TD run
Follow our live coverage of tonight’s Playoff game between the Crimson Tide and Sooners
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:44 AM
You personally have 10 more rushing yards than Alabama has over its last 73 minutes of football. Congratulations to you!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...
Man, this atmosphere at Oklahoma seems awful on TV. It's a real shame this game isn't being played inside an NFL dome
December 20, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Man, this atmosphere at Oklahoma seems awful on TV. It's a real shame this game isn't being played inside an NFL dome
The first round of the College Football Playoff is, thankfully, on campus. So which of the 4 first-round sites has the best home-field advantage? I crunched a bunch of numbers and reached this conclusion (which I'm sure everyone will agree with!)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
Who has the College Football Playoff’s best home-field edge? Here’s what the numbers say
Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Ole Miss are set to host some of the biggest games in program history. So who has the toughest venue?
www.nytimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 1:48 PM
The first round of the College Football Playoff is, thankfully, on campus. So which of the 4 first-round sites has the best home-field advantage? I crunched a bunch of numbers and reached this conclusion (which I'm sure everyone will agree with!)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
News: Ohio University says it fired head FB coach Brian Smith because he had an affair with an undergrad on campus that was seen by a player's parent. Also a report of being intoxicated at a public appearance.
Story w/ @chrisvannini.com & @williamsjustin.bsky.social:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
Story w/ @chrisvannini.com & @williamsjustin.bsky.social:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
Ohio cites affair with undergrad, public intoxication as causes for firing coach
www.nytimes.com
December 18, 2025 at 8:27 PM
News: Ohio University says it fired head FB coach Brian Smith because he had an affair with an undergrad on campus that was seen by a player's parent. Also a report of being intoxicated at a public appearance.
Story w/ @chrisvannini.com & @williamsjustin.bsky.social:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
Story w/ @chrisvannini.com & @williamsjustin.bsky.social:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...
Reposted by Matt Baker
✍️ Tulane has become the model program of the Group of 5, over four years of winning, two coaches and three quarterbacks.
How a school that voluntarily left the SEC 60 years ago got back to the highest stage of college football:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
How a school that voluntarily left the SEC 60 years ago got back to the highest stage of college football:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
Tulane was once an afterthought. Now it wants to be the model of Group of 5 sustainability
Once a team that left the SEC because it wanted to focus more on academics, Tulane has become the standard-bearer for the Group of 5.
www.nytimes.com
December 17, 2025 at 3:05 PM
✍️ Tulane has become the model program of the Group of 5, over four years of winning, two coaches and three quarterbacks.
How a school that voluntarily left the SEC 60 years ago got back to the highest stage of college football:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
How a school that voluntarily left the SEC 60 years ago got back to the highest stage of college football:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
Reposted by Matt Baker
College Football Playoff coach confidential: We polled more than two dozen coaches from the Power 4 and Group of 5 and asked them: Who will win it all? Who is the biggest fraud? Who is the best coach and the biggest sleeper?
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
College Football Playoff coach confidential: Love for Georgia, concern for Ole Miss
There's some group concern for Ole Miss, predictions for Miami to advance, and a lot of fear of the Bulldogs.
www.nytimes.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:29 PM
College Football Playoff coach confidential: We polled more than two dozen coaches from the Power 4 and Group of 5 and asked them: Who will win it all? Who is the biggest fraud? Who is the best coach and the biggest sleeper?
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
Reposted by Matt Baker
ACC league members to play uneven conference schedules in 2026
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
ACC league members to play uneven conference schedules in 2026
The five teams to play eight ACC games are Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and North Carolina.
www.nytimes.com
December 17, 2025 at 1:00 AM
ACC league members to play uneven conference schedules in 2026
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
I have no idea what happened as the Troy-Jax State bowl went to halftime, but it was glorious. Exactly the kind of entertainment I crave on a weeknight mid-December bowl game.
December 17, 2025 at 3:31 AM
I have no idea what happened as the Troy-Jax State bowl went to halftime, but it was glorious. Exactly the kind of entertainment I crave on a weeknight mid-December bowl game.
Reposted by Matt Baker
I asked the ACC what happens if you have to compare a 7-1 team against an 8-1 team, for example, and that kind of uneven tiebreaker for conference championship purposes remains TBD.
Story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
Story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
ACC league members to play nine-game conference schedule
The five teams to play eight ACC games are Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and North Carolina.
www.nytimes.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:14 PM
I asked the ACC what happens if you have to compare a 7-1 team against an 8-1 team, for example, and that kind of uneven tiebreaker for conference championship purposes remains TBD.
Story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
Story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
Just how far apart are James Madison and Oregon financially? Oregon's *defensive coordinator* makes more than JMU's head coach and JMU's roster* COMBINED.
*per rev-sharing figures JMU provided through a public records request
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
*per rev-sharing figures JMU provided through a public records request
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
How do College Football Playoff teams compare financially? The gap can be tens of millions
With two Group of 5 teams in the College Football Playoff, the financial gap between teams in the bracket is especially pronounced.
www.nytimes.com
December 16, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Just how far apart are James Madison and Oregon financially? Oregon's *defensive coordinator* makes more than JMU's head coach and JMU's roster* COMBINED.
*per rev-sharing figures JMU provided through a public records request
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
*per rev-sharing figures JMU provided through a public records request
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
I looked through some tax returns, FOIAs and U.S. Department of Education data to see how the 12 CFP contenders stack up against each other financially. Take some numbers with a grain of salt, but some are very telling! www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
How do College Football Playoff teams compare financially? The gap can be tens of millions
With two Group of 5 teams in the College Football Playoff, the financial gap between teams in the bracket is especially pronounced.
www.nytimes.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:40 PM
I looked through some tax returns, FOIAs and U.S. Department of Education data to see how the 12 CFP contenders stack up against each other financially. Take some numbers with a grain of salt, but some are very telling! www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
In August, I asked DJ Lagway's dad about leaving Florida, either during the recruiting process or the portal. He shot it down but said if there's ever a coaching change, you might" need to look at something different."
Welp:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
Welp:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
Florida’s DJ Lagway entering transfer portal after 2 seasons with Gators: Potential market for QB
Lagway, perhaps Florida's most pivotal recruit since Tim Tebow, battled injuries during his time in Gainesville, hampering his development.
www.nytimes.com
December 15, 2025 at 4:29 PM
In August, I asked DJ Lagway's dad about leaving Florida, either during the recruiting process or the portal. He shot it down but said if there's ever a coaching change, you might" need to look at something different."
Welp:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
Welp:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...
Florida 5-star QB DJ Lagway announces he intends to enter the transfer portal.
December 15, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Florida 5-star QB DJ Lagway announces he intends to enter the transfer portal.