Scott Dochterman
@scottdochterman.bsky.social
National college football writer at The Athletic. Completed the last pass in my high school's only playoff victory.
This is deplorable. Yeah, I used that word.
November 15, 2025 at 3:31 AM
This is deplorable. Yeah, I used that word.
Reposted by Scott Dochterman
"The bowls’ contractual ties to specific conferences, which inform which teams receive invitations to each game, expire after this season." (@scottdochterman.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...
With CFP expansion still murky, college football’s bowl system braces for another year of limbo
As December approaches, bowl executives have one eye on their upcoming matchups and another on the years ahead.
www.nytimes.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:41 PM
"The bowls’ contractual ties to specific conferences, which inform which teams receive invitations to each game, expire after this season." (@scottdochterman.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...
College football midseason bowl projections: How 2025’s first half has changed December plans
www.nytimes.com/athletic/672...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/672...
College football midseason bowl projections: How 2025’s first half has changed December plans
Around 35 teams still harbor College Football Playoff hopes. For more than 90 others, hopes of playing in a bowl are the next best thing.
www.nytimes.com
October 17, 2025 at 1:49 PM
College football midseason bowl projections: How 2025’s first half has changed December plans
www.nytimes.com/athletic/672...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/672...
Reposted by Scott Dochterman
I feel like a number of my timeline folks would enjoy this.
Life and college football along the beer highway:
Starting in Iowa City, weaving through Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, veering to New Glarus and then Madison,
heritage, beer and football define the storied Iowa-Wisconsin rivalry.
@theathletic.com
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
Starting in Iowa City, weaving through Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, veering to New Glarus and then Madison,
heritage, beer and football define the storied Iowa-Wisconsin rivalry.
@theathletic.com
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
College football rivalry and life on the Iowa-Wisconsin 'beer highway'
www.nytimes.com
October 15, 2025 at 11:27 PM
I feel like a number of my timeline folks would enjoy this.
Wisconsin’s 37-0 loss to Iowa marked the Badgers’ ninth straight defeat to a power conference opponent and first home shutout since 1980.
“I’m crushed, disappointed in myself and our team,” Fickell said.
And it’s about to get much, much worse for the Badgers.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...
“I’m crushed, disappointed in myself and our team,” Fickell said.
And it’s about to get much, much worse for the Badgers.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...
Luke Fickell and Wisconsin hit a new low — and it’s about to get much worse
Luke Fickell put all the emotional chips on the table for this week’s game with Iowa. His team responded by getting shutout at home.
www.nytimes.com
October 12, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Wisconsin’s 37-0 loss to Iowa marked the Badgers’ ninth straight defeat to a power conference opponent and first home shutout since 1980.
“I’m crushed, disappointed in myself and our team,” Fickell said.
And it’s about to get much, much worse for the Badgers.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...
“I’m crushed, disappointed in myself and our team,” Fickell said.
And it’s about to get much, much worse for the Badgers.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...
Life and college football along the beer highway:
Starting in Iowa City, weaving through Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, veering to New Glarus and then Madison,
heritage, beer and football define the storied Iowa-Wisconsin rivalry.
@theathletic.com
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
Starting in Iowa City, weaving through Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, veering to New Glarus and then Madison,
heritage, beer and football define the storied Iowa-Wisconsin rivalry.
@theathletic.com
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
College football rivalry and life on the Iowa-Wisconsin 'beer highway'
www.nytimes.com
October 10, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Life and college football along the beer highway:
Starting in Iowa City, weaving through Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, veering to New Glarus and then Madison,
heritage, beer and football define the storied Iowa-Wisconsin rivalry.
@theathletic.com
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
Starting in Iowa City, weaving through Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, veering to New Glarus and then Madison,
heritage, beer and football define the storied Iowa-Wisconsin rivalry.
@theathletic.com
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
Sorting through the Big Ten’s second tier: Who still has a shot at contention?
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
Sorting through the Big Ten's second tier: Who still has a shot at contention?
www.nytimes.com
October 9, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Sorting through the Big Ten’s second tier: Who still has a shot at contention?
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
What a CFP selection dry run revealed about college football’s most scrutinized conference room
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...
Inside the CFP selection war room, the committee has plenty to think about
www.nytimes.com
October 7, 2025 at 12:53 PM
What a CFP selection dry run revealed about college football’s most scrutinized conference room
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...
College Football Playoff 2025 bracket prediction: Hello Alabama! Goodbye Penn State!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...
College Football Playoff 2025 bracket prediction: Hello Alabama! Goodbye Penn State!
Right now, three of the SEC’s four unbeatens are in — Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Texas A&M. Alabama, Georgia and LSU are also in the field.
www.nytimes.com
October 5, 2025 at 2:03 PM
College Football Playoff 2025 bracket prediction: Hello Alabama! Goodbye Penn State!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...
Reposted by Scott Dochterman
What we learned about the Big Ten after the conference’s most consequential Saturday
Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana pass major road tests
Concern, yes, but not all bad for Penn State
The league's "mushy middle"
QBs making strides
What if ... play-in edition
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana pass major road tests
Concern, yes, but not all bad for Penn State
The league's "mushy middle"
QBs making strides
What if ... play-in edition
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
What we learned about the Big Ten after the conference’s most consequential Saturday yet
The Big Ten’s first major weekend of conference games provided clarity on which teams have championship potential and which have work to do.
www.nytimes.com
September 29, 2025 at 2:19 PM
What we learned about the Big Ten after the conference’s most consequential Saturday
Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana pass major road tests
Concern, yes, but not all bad for Penn State
The league's "mushy middle"
QBs making strides
What if ... play-in edition
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana pass major road tests
Concern, yes, but not all bad for Penn State
The league's "mushy middle"
QBs making strides
What if ... play-in edition
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
What we learned about the Big Ten after the conference’s most consequential Saturday
Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana pass major road tests
Concern, yes, but not all bad for Penn State
The league's "mushy middle"
QBs making strides
What if ... play-in edition
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana pass major road tests
Concern, yes, but not all bad for Penn State
The league's "mushy middle"
QBs making strides
What if ... play-in edition
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
What we learned about the Big Ten after the conference’s most consequential Saturday yet
The Big Ten’s first major weekend of conference games provided clarity on which teams have championship potential and which have work to do.
www.nytimes.com
September 29, 2025 at 2:19 PM
What we learned about the Big Ten after the conference’s most consequential Saturday
Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana pass major road tests
Concern, yes, but not all bad for Penn State
The league's "mushy middle"
QBs making strides
What if ... play-in edition
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana pass major road tests
Concern, yes, but not all bad for Penn State
The league's "mushy middle"
QBs making strides
What if ... play-in edition
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
College Football Playoff 2025 bracket prediction: A wide-open field after a chaotic Saturday
(And good luck choosing among the SEC teams)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/666...
(And good luck choosing among the SEC teams)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/666...
College Football Playoff 2025 bracket prediction: A wide-open field after a chaotic Saturday
Welcome to the impossible task of selecting the College Football Playoff field after Week 5.
www.nytimes.com
September 28, 2025 at 1:00 PM
College Football Playoff 2025 bracket prediction: A wide-open field after a chaotic Saturday
(And good luck choosing among the SEC teams)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/666...
(And good luck choosing among the SEC teams)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/666...
Indiana’s gut-check win at Iowa could form backbone of special season: ‘Now we know’
www.nytimes.com/athletic/666...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/666...
Indiana’s gut-check win at Iowa could form backbone of special season: ‘Now we know’
Winning in gutsy fashion at Iowa could help the Hoosiers form positive recall for future away games at Oregon and Penn State.
www.nytimes.com
September 28, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Indiana’s gut-check win at Iowa could form backbone of special season: ‘Now we know’
www.nytimes.com/athletic/666...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/666...
‘I had to find out if the fan base was dead or just on life support.’
At Indiana, Curt Cignetti stepped out of his comfort zone and now is forcing fans to embrace a surprising football frontrunner. The infrastructure says IU could stay there.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/665...
At Indiana, Curt Cignetti stepped out of his comfort zone and now is forcing fans to embrace a surprising football frontrunner. The infrastructure says IU could stay there.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/665...
‘Is this real?’ At Indiana, Curt Cignetti is forcing fans to embrace a football frontrunner
Cignetti's direct approach to turning Indiana from a basketball school into a perennial CFP hopeful, one blowout at a time, is taking root.
www.nytimes.com
September 25, 2025 at 11:48 AM
‘I had to find out if the fan base was dead or just on life support.’
At Indiana, Curt Cignetti stepped out of his comfort zone and now is forcing fans to embrace a surprising football frontrunner. The infrastructure says IU could stay there.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/665...
At Indiana, Curt Cignetti stepped out of his comfort zone and now is forcing fans to embrace a surprising football frontrunner. The infrastructure says IU could stay there.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/665...
Illinois and Indiana share a history of losing. That’s why their matchup is so intriguing
www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...
Illinois and Indiana share a history of losing. That’s why their matchup is so intriguing
Indiana and Illinois are both ranked heading into their matchup for the first time since 1950.
www.nytimes.com
September 17, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Illinois and Indiana share a history of losing. That’s why their matchup is so intriguing
www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...
Big Ten football mailbag:
Penn State’s schedule
Disparities on Friday night games
Illinois optimism
Oregon concerns
And more here ⬇️
www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...
Penn State’s schedule
Disparities on Friday night games
Illinois optimism
Oregon concerns
And more here ⬇️
www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...
Big Ten football mailbag: Illinois optimism, Oregon concerns as conference play ramps up
Also, why Penn State played a weak conference schedule and thoughts on Big Ten schedule discrepancies.
www.nytimes.com
September 16, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Big Ten football mailbag:
Penn State’s schedule
Disparities on Friday night games
Illinois optimism
Oregon concerns
And more here ⬇️
www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...
Penn State’s schedule
Disparities on Friday night games
Illinois optimism
Oregon concerns
And more here ⬇️
www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...
Iowa's Kirk Ferentz set the Big Ten wins record without fanfare. Iowa's governor didn't hand him a cake, like with Hayden Fry in 1991. No B1G official was on hand to celebrate it.
Instead, Ferentz joined The Swarm & kissed his wife, which was perfect for him.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/662...
Instead, Ferentz joined The Swarm & kissed his wife, which was perfect for him.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/662...
From 2-18 to No. 206: Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz breaks Woody Hayes’ Big Ten wins record
With a 47-7 win against UMass, Ferentz collected his 206th win as a Big Ten coach.
www.nytimes.com
September 14, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Iowa's Kirk Ferentz set the Big Ten wins record without fanfare. Iowa's governor didn't hand him a cake, like with Hayden Fry in 1991. No B1G official was on hand to celebrate it.
Instead, Ferentz joined The Swarm & kissed his wife, which was perfect for him.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/662...
Instead, Ferentz joined The Swarm & kissed his wife, which was perfect for him.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/662...
From 2-18 to 206: Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz breaks Woody Hayes’ Big Ten wins record
www.nytimes.com/athletic/662...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/662...
From 2-18 to No. 206: Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz breaks Woody Hayes’ Big Ten wins record
With a 47-7 win against UMass, Ferentz collected his 206th win as a Big Ten coach.
www.nytimes.com
September 14, 2025 at 3:18 AM
From 2-18 to 206: Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz breaks Woody Hayes’ Big Ten wins record
www.nytimes.com/athletic/662...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/662...
Iowa State once looked up to Kansas State and Iowa. After winning 3 straight against the Wildcats and 3 of 4 against the Hawkeyes, it’s now the other way around.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...
Iowa State is no longer looking up at Iowa (or Kansas State). It's the other way around
www.nytimes.com
September 7, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Iowa State once looked up to Kansas State and Iowa. After winning 3 straight against the Wildcats and 3 of 4 against the Hawkeyes, it’s now the other way around.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...
Reposted by Scott Dochterman
This week, The Broadside tackled… what else? The Belichick effect.
Big thanks to @scottdochterman.bsky.social and @themhartman.bsky.social for explaining the money-sucking machine behind college athletics. And why winning may not matter when you can’t lose in college football.
Big thanks to @scottdochterman.bsky.social and @themhartman.bsky.social for explaining the money-sucking machine behind college athletics. And why winning may not matter when you can’t lose in college football.
The Belichick effect and the money-sucking machine of college football
College football has become a money-sucking machine, with schools spending every dollar possible to keep up in an athletics arms race.
www.wunc.org
September 4, 2025 at 3:34 PM
This week, The Broadside tackled… what else? The Belichick effect.
Big thanks to @scottdochterman.bsky.social and @themhartman.bsky.social for explaining the money-sucking machine behind college athletics. And why winning may not matter when you can’t lose in college football.
Big thanks to @scottdochterman.bsky.social and @themhartman.bsky.social for explaining the money-sucking machine behind college athletics. And why winning may not matter when you can’t lose in college football.
In college football’s new era, is it better to be Iowa or Iowa State? A breakdown of the pros and cons ranging from financial data to CFP access.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...
A Cy-Hawk would-you-rather: Is it better to be Iowa or Iowa State in 2025?
www.nytimes.com
September 3, 2025 at 12:14 PM
In college football’s new era, is it better to be Iowa or Iowa State? A breakdown of the pros and cons ranging from financial data to CFP access.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...
10 things you need to know about the Big Ten as mega-conference kicks off 2025
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
10 things you need to know about the Big Ten before 2025 kicks off
www.nytimes.com
August 28, 2025 at 12:32 PM
10 things you need to know about the Big Ten as mega-conference kicks off 2025
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
Who has the easiest, hardest Big Ten schedules? Ranking all 18, from Wisconsin to Michigan
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
Ranking the Big Ten's conference schedules, from Wisconsin to Michigan
www.nytimes.com
August 26, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Who has the easiest, hardest Big Ten schedules? Ranking all 18, from Wisconsin to Michigan
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
How college football players spend NIL money, from muscle cars and fishing gear to wedding rings and long-term investments.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
How college football players spend NIL money, from cars to fishing gear to wedding rings
This summer, The Athletic asked 57 current football players about their first major purchase funded by an NIL check.
www.nytimes.com
August 26, 2025 at 11:55 AM
How college football players spend NIL money, from muscle cars and fishing gear to wedding rings and long-term investments.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...
Reposted by Scott Dochterman
What if there were a Big Ten vs. SEC challenge: Who would win a 16-game showdown?
For the second straight year @scottdochterman.bsky.social and I draw up matchups and make picks, and don’t always agree:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...
For the second straight year @scottdochterman.bsky.social and I draw up matchups and make picks, and don’t always agree:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...
Big Ten vs. SEC challenge: Who would win a 16-game showdown?
If the sport's two premier conferences played a nonconference series, who would prove to have more depth? We played it out.
www.nytimes.com
August 24, 2025 at 2:36 PM
What if there were a Big Ten vs. SEC challenge: Who would win a 16-game showdown?
For the second straight year @scottdochterman.bsky.social and I draw up matchups and make picks, and don’t always agree:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...
For the second straight year @scottdochterman.bsky.social and I draw up matchups and make picks, and don’t always agree:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...