Fly War Eagle

Big 12 Media Days kicked off in an unexpected way for the Baylor Bears. Head coach Dave Aranda missed the mark with a strange comment on quarterback DJ Lagway's career with the Florida Gators before arriving in Waco. I mean, really strange. Meanwhile, ahead of the 2026 American Century Championship, I got the chance to speak to LSU Tigers legend Andrew Whitworth about a recent recruiting win for the Bayou Bengals in Louisiana over an increasingly fierce blood rival in the SEC.

Stateline, NV -- Taylor Twellman doesn't believe Team USA men's soccer has an adequate talent pipeline. Twellman thinks that's why the USMNT fell short in the World Cup's round of 16 to Belgium, losing 4-1 in an embarrassing blowout this past Monday. Ahead of the 2026 American Century Championship, I got the chance to ask Twellman a question at a Wednesday presser in the Edgewood Tahoe Resort's media room. Twellman is one of 90 celebrities participating in NBC's celebrity golf tournament.

Stateline, NV -- In anticipation of the 2026 American Century Championship this weekend, I got the chance to speak with Auburn Tigers legend DeMarcus Ware at The Caesars Celebrity Pro-Am on Wednesday. The former seven-time All-Pro Dallas Cowboys EDGE and Super Bowl champion on the Denver Broncos is one of 90 celebrities in NBC's annual golf tournament from the Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, Nevada.

Former Florida Gators head coach and current James Madison Dukes headman Billy Napier made serious waves with UF's fanbase after making some very interesting comments during a conversation with On3's Wilson Alexander that was published on Tuesday. Elsewhere, some major recruiting wins took place. None, though, was more shocking than Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes edging out Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs for an offensive trench product from the Midwest.

One of the Auburn basketball team's biggest struggles under first-year head coach Steven Pearl was its defense, which was somewhat surprising seeing as the younger Pearl was previously Auburn's defensive coordinator. "Pearl obviously did not fully dictate Auburn's practices last year until Bruce Pearl retired in September, though anyone around the program knows he was largely running the show well before that," writes Nathan King for Auburn Undercover.

The law was the main storyline arc on Monday across SEC hoops. Several stories broke with varying levels of controversy. Nothing was more controversial than former Kentucky Wildcats, West Virginia Mountaineers, Cincinnati Bearcats, and Arizona Wildcats guard Kerr Kriisa getting arrested by the FBI. More on that below. Elsewhere, Vanderbilt Commodores center Jalen Washington is suing the NCAA to seek an extra year of eligibility.

The Michigan State Spartans reportedly had no interest in keeping athletic director J Batt before his jump to the Kentucky Wildcats. MSU had every interest in keeping President Kevin Guskiewicz away from Clemson University. Michigan State accomplished that goal. Meanwhile, 5-star Tennessee Volunteers and Ole Miss Rebels recruiting target, Baylor (TN) running back David Gabriel Georges, will make his decision soon. Apparently, it's already made up as we speak.

As Auburn football fans found out over the last two seasons, top-level recruiting doesn't always translate to success on the field. Still, it's a crucial part to having a successful program, and something that some fans worried about when Alex Golesh was hired as the Tigers' head coach last fall. Fast forward to the present, and the former South Florida head coach has effectively quashed those fears.

The Auburn track and field program has had quite a bit of success in recent years, and the Tigers' newest head coach has been a major factor. On Monday, Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen announced that Ken Harnden, a former assistant coach, has been promoted to head coach of the track and field program.

The Auburn Tigers have a Keldric Faulk-sized hole at the EDGE spot after he was drafted in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans. Perhaps outside linebacker recruit Jaquez Wilkes could step in immediately and help fill that void. That's CBS Sports' Brad Crawford's thinking, anyway. Crawford listed Wilkes as an SEC freshman to watch during the 2026 season.