Matt Baker
@mattbakercfb.bsky.social
National college sports reporter for The Athletic
Here's where the Lane Kiffin saga currently is: He declined, one way or the other, to say whether he has spoken with the governor of Louisiana.
November 19, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Here's where the Lane Kiffin saga currently is: He declined, one way or the other, to say whether he has spoken with the governor of Louisiana.
Over the course of the season, I've spent some time mingling at tailgates. I've met:
*A guy who hunted gators to cook in his pregame meal before UF-LSU
*A dad who uses his auto shop to make Miami gear
*The fine folks at UGA's Tailgate Island
t.co/lYcUfsrcPB
*A guy who hunted gators to cook in his pregame meal before UF-LSU
*A dad who uses his auto shop to make Miami gear
*The fine folks at UGA's Tailgate Island
t.co/lYcUfsrcPB
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6816935/2025/11/19/college-football-tailgating-culture-parking-food/
t.co
November 19, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Over the course of the season, I've spent some time mingling at tailgates. I've met:
*A guy who hunted gators to cook in his pregame meal before UF-LSU
*A dad who uses his auto shop to make Miami gear
*The fine folks at UGA's Tailgate Island
t.co/lYcUfsrcPB
*A guy who hunted gators to cook in his pregame meal before UF-LSU
*A dad who uses his auto shop to make Miami gear
*The fine folks at UGA's Tailgate Island
t.co/lYcUfsrcPB
A federal judge has set a date for the Mountain West/Pac-12 conference realignment lawsuits: July 6, 2027, per this week's case management order.
Obviously, a thing or two can change between now and then...
Our previous coverage:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
Obviously, a thing or two can change between now and then...
Our previous coverage:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
Judge denies Mountain West’s motion to dismiss Pac-12’s conference realignment lawsuit
The lawsuit stems from the poaching fees surrounding the Pac-12 adding five Mountain West schools for next season.
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:41 PM
A federal judge has set a date for the Mountain West/Pac-12 conference realignment lawsuits: July 6, 2027, per this week's case management order.
Obviously, a thing or two can change between now and then...
Our previous coverage:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
Obviously, a thing or two can change between now and then...
Our previous coverage:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...
You know that one Dr Pepper commercial with the Aflac duck, about how the brands are taking over college football?
Well, there's one spot where the soul of the sport still lives.
An ode to the tailgating lots far from the stadium:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
Well, there's one spot where the soul of the sport still lives.
An ode to the tailgating lots far from the stadium:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
Where can the soul of college football still be found? Check the tailgate lots
Walk around parkings lots before a college football game, and you can feel the blend of petty and pure that’s unique to this sport.
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:32 PM
You know that one Dr Pepper commercial with the Aflac duck, about how the brands are taking over college football?
Well, there's one spot where the soul of the sport still lives.
An ode to the tailgating lots far from the stadium:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
Well, there's one spot where the soul of the sport still lives.
An ode to the tailgating lots far from the stadium:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
Reposted by Matt Baker
To play, or not to play, in a conference championship game.
SEC fans are openly rooting for their teams not to make the title game. Are they right?
Maybe, but they may be operating on outdated data:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
SEC fans are openly rooting for their teams not to make the title game. Are they right?
Maybe, but they may be operating on outdated data:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
To play or not to play: The case for and against making the conference championship
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:14 PM
To play, or not to play, in a conference championship game.
SEC fans are openly rooting for their teams not to make the title game. Are they right?
Maybe, but they may be operating on outdated data:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
SEC fans are openly rooting for their teams not to make the title game. Are they right?
Maybe, but they may be operating on outdated data:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
Reposted by Matt Baker
I returned to Bloomington and covered an Indiana football game for the first time since I was a student there 30 years ago.
I was amazed at what I found. ⤵️
I was amazed at what I found. ⤵️
I covered an Indiana football game for the first time in 30 years – and I was amazed
Last season's run to the CFP was hard to understand. Perhaps a fluke. But the unbeaten Hoosiers are doing it again.
www.nytimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:24 AM
I returned to Bloomington and covered an Indiana football game for the first time since I was a student there 30 years ago.
I was amazed at what I found. ⤵️
I was amazed at what I found. ⤵️
Franklin made sense as a potential target for Florida State if the Noles fired Mike Norvell. I wonder if this changes the calculus, or if it should.
James Franklin to Virginia Tech long looked like a perfect fit. After weeks of discussion between the sides, it's happening, sources confirm to @theathletic.com
Story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...
Story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...
November 17, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Franklin made sense as a potential target for Florida State if the Noles fired Mike Norvell. I wonder if this changes the calculus, or if it should.
So, uh, this is interesting
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
Ole Miss gives Lane Kiffin deadline of Egg Bowl to decide coaching fate
www.nytimes.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:59 PM
So, uh, this is interesting
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
Dan Mullen's UNLV team tops Utah State in double OT. The Rebels improve to 8-2 in Mullen's first year
November 16, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Dan Mullen's UNLV team tops Utah State in double OT. The Rebels improve to 8-2 in Mullen's first year
Ole Miss goes for it and fails on fourth and goal. Gators get the ball left with 2 minutes and change trailing 27-24...
November 16, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Ole Miss goes for it and fails on fourth and goal. Gators get the ball left with 2 minutes and change trailing 27-24...
In other news, Florida State's Randy Pittman just rushed for a score. Seminoles up 24-7 on Virginia Tech. Noles doing what they should do there
November 16, 2025 at 2:52 AM
In other news, Florida State's Randy Pittman just rushed for a score. Seminoles up 24-7 on Virginia Tech. Noles doing what they should do there
Lane Kiffin just burns a timeout before the first play of the fourth quarter....🤨
November 16, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Lane Kiffin just burns a timeout before the first play of the fourth quarter....🤨
Utah gets a 74-yard TD rush by the awesomely named Byrd Ficklin.
November 16, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Utah gets a 74-yard TD rush by the awesomely named Byrd Ficklin.
Ole Miss converts twice on fourth down this drive but not the third time. Gators get the stop inside the 5, and Florida's still leading 24-20
November 16, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Ole Miss converts twice on fourth down this drive but not the third time. Gators get the stop inside the 5, and Florida's still leading 24-20
Totally normal play
JUST HOW WAKE DREW IT UP
50 YARD TD AFTER RECOVERING THEIR OWN FUMBLE
50 YARD TD AFTER RECOVERING THEIR OWN FUMBLE
November 15, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Totally normal play
Some takeaways from Notre Dame crushing Pitt:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
Notre Dame strengthens Playoff case with blowout win at Pitt: 3 takeaways
www.nytimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Some takeaways from Notre Dame crushing Pitt:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
Navy tried to help USF out by giving the Bulls one more play. But USF's pitchy pitchy woo woo fails. Navy wins 41-38. Midshipmen remain in the American Conference title race. USF's CFP hopes almost certainly end
November 15, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Navy tried to help USF out by giving the Bulls one more play. But USF's pitchy pitchy woo woo fails. Navy wins 41-38. Midshipmen remain in the American Conference title race. USF's CFP hopes almost certainly end
Well well. USF gets a 41-yard touchdown (equal parts a nice play by the Bulls and bad tackling by Navy). Not over...
November 15, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Well well. USF gets a 41-yard touchdown (equal parts a nice play by the Bulls and bad tackling by Navy). Not over...
Another explosive TD rush for Navy, which extends its lead to 41-30 on USF with 3:59 left.
November 15, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Another explosive TD rush for Navy, which extends its lead to 41-30 on USF with 3:59 left.
Pitt gets a pick-six...and then Notre Dame intercepts the 2PC attempt in the end zone and takes it to the house. Totally normal football thing that just happened.
Irish up 30-9
Irish up 30-9
November 15, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Pitt gets a pick-six...and then Notre Dame intercepts the 2PC attempt in the end zone and takes it to the house. Totally normal football thing that just happened.
Irish up 30-9
Irish up 30-9
Byrum Brown with a breakaway 60-yard TD for USF. Bulls cut Navy's lead to 27-24 early in the fourth
November 15, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Byrum Brown with a breakaway 60-yard TD for USF. Bulls cut Navy's lead to 27-24 early in the fourth
Pitt misses on fourth and goal, then gets another set of downs because of a Notre Dame penalty.
The Irish stop Pitt on that set, too.
The Irish stop Pitt on that set, too.
November 15, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Pitt misses on fourth and goal, then gets another set of downs because of a Notre Dame penalty.
The Irish stop Pitt on that set, too.
The Irish stop Pitt on that set, too.
USF gets a little cute on fourth and short, and the Bulls get stuffed. If you had to draw up a loss to Navy in the lab, it ... looks a lot like what's happened so far.
November 15, 2025 at 6:31 PM
USF gets a little cute on fourth and short, and the Bulls get stuffed. If you had to draw up a loss to Navy in the lab, it ... looks a lot like what's happened so far.
Pitt's defense gets a stop on fourth and goal. Can the Panthers make it interesting here at the end of the first half?
November 15, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Pitt's defense gets a stop on fourth and goal. Can the Panthers make it interesting here at the end of the first half?