Sports
Our favorite bowl game moments: Mascots, mayhem and more
After five months of college football, the season is down to two teams and one game. But as we wait for Miami and Indiana to meet in their College Football Playoff title throwdown, it is time for our annual lookback on the postseason contests that led up to this one.
All of them.
Since Dec. 13, when the Cricket Celebration Bowl and Bucked Up LA Bowl kicked off 2,200 miles apart, this great nation has been covered up in bowl games. And those bowl games have been covered up in mayonnaise, eggnog, baked beans and Frosted Flakes.
If you don’t like fun, stop reading now. If you don’t love college football, stop reading now. And if you are one of those Ebenezer Scrooge/mall-parking-lot-road-rage Karens who spent their holidays trying to convince the rest of us that bowl games are outdated, stop … well, OK, you probably already stopped reading anyway. And that’s cool with us. Because it’s time for our annual celebration of all that is right with this greatest of sports at a time when so many are so obsessed with what is wrong.
Welcome to the 2025-26 edition of Best of the Bowls.
Best Performance by a Game Winner: Hawai’i’s two-headed QB
In the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl, Rainbow Warriors starting quarterback Micah Alejado threw for 274 yards and three TDs, and rushed for another 33 yards, but suffered a hard hit in the closing seconds of the game with his team trailing Cal 31-28. Backup QB Luke Weaver, who hadn’t played since mid-September, came off the bench and threw a 22-yard TD pass with 10 seconds remaining to win the game 35-31.
Timmy Chang. Loyal to the soil. #BRADDAHHOOD x @CoachTimmyChang pic.twitter.com/9nRmqJpsEy
— Hawaii Football (@HawaiiFootball) December 25, 2025
The Tigers QB threw for 267 yards and three TDs, and nearly saved the day in the fourth quarter, but the team playing out the pre-Kiffin era string blew an early 14-point lead and lost to Houston 38-35 in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl.
Best Finish You Might’ve Missed: Rate Bowl
You might remember the Rate Bowl as the Artist Formerly Known as the Copper Bowl, but now you’ll know it as the Game Forever Known as the Golden Gophers’ Last-Second Dagger Bowl.
MINNESOTA WALKS OFF THE RATE BOWL ON A GAME-WINNING TD 🤯
THE GOLDEN GOPHERS WIN THEIR 9TH-STRAIGHT BOWL GAME 🔥 pic.twitter.com/da2gMvOcwM
— ESPN (@espn) December 27, 2025
Best Float: Prince Cheddward’s Dragon
OK, OK, yes, we know that nothing will supplant the Rose Parade when it comes to rolling street artistry. However, those flower-and-seed covered floats never come close to the Rose Bowl itself. Prince Cheddward rode into the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl atop a smoking dragon slathered entirely in Cheez-Its.
THE TRUE PRINCE OF CHEESE HAS RETURNED
Prince Cheddward is back on the throne here at the @CitrusBowl pic.twitter.com/5NQECCm0VW
— Daren Stoltzfus WESH (@DarenStoltzfus) December 31, 2025
Best Sideline Interview: Snoop Dogg
Dude doesn’t just sponsor a game, the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, he broke off the pregame interview of the game with his name because he looked up and saw he was game for making an actual play in the game with his name, fielding a kick in the end zone adorned with, yes, his name.
Snoop Dogg jumped out of the interview to catch the kickoff in his OWN bowl game 😂
(via @BleacherReport)
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 28, 2025
Best Trophy You Already Know About: Pop-Tarts Bowl
What could possibly top a giant toaster that cooks human-sized Pop-Tarts, so giant that we all held our breath when one of those tarts leapt for its life? How about a trophy that is also a toaster (even if the coaches can’t figure out how to operate it)? If you don’t know about the Pop-Tarts Bowl accolade/kitchen appliance, then you need to read this story by the great Dave Wilson.
A Pop-Tart jumped off the toaster to escape its fate shortly after this. You can’t tell me this sport isn’t perfect. pic.twitter.com/4Jy2RSFDHH
— Michael Katz (@MichaelLKatz) December 28, 2025
Best Trophy You Need to Know About: Isleta New Mexico Bowl
During the first sunrise of September, on the sacred ground of the Zia Pueblo, Elizabeth and Marcellus Medina’s family gathers clay from the land their family has occupied for centuries, which is used to craft the pot that is awarded to the winner of the New Mexico Bowl every December. It is hand-painted except for one blank space reserved for the name of the winning team, carefully inscribed as soon as the game is over. One part history, one part art and all parts glory.
The New Mexico Bowl trophy is so freaking cool. A couple in Zia Pueblo hand crafts a new design every single year.
Here’s four of the designs we’ve seen between CSU and UNM the last few days pic.twitter.com/ohzKLWNOlc
— GFed (@GfedGoCrazy) October 8, 2025
Best Trophy the Coach Didn’t Want: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
Miami’s Mario Cristobal, like Kirby Smart and others from the Saban coaching tree, has taken on his mentor’s model of postgame celebration following any win that isn’t a national championship. In his defense, Cristobal’s focus was to get his players on the stage instead of “all these extra people,” but when he was handed the golden football from atop the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl trophy he looked at it like he’d just opened a Christmas present that he thought was going to be a PlayStation but ended up being socks.
This entire sequence is incredible.
No notes.
Cristobal: “Can we get our players up here instead of all these extra people?”
VRBO lady: *Awkward speech that has way too many pauses and it’s clear she doesn’t know ball.*
Cristobal: *has zero interest in trophy*
Cinema. pic.twitter.com/q9bhWQhAef
— Adam Spencer (@AdamSpencer4) January 9, 2026
Still the Best Bowl Perk: NASCAR Ride-Alongs
No matter the name of its game, from Continental Tire and Meineke Car Care to Belk and Duke’s Mayo, Charlotte’s bowl game continues to both electrify and terrify its participants by taking them to Charlotte Motor Speedway for some 180 mph hot laps via the NASCAR Racing Experience.
Boogity, boogity, boogity 🏎️💨 pic.twitter.com/oRkzlXlQni
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) December 30, 2025
Best Educational Experience: Is this where the dentist lost his tooth?
No doubt Nebraska was bummed to lose the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl to Utah, but at least they were able to get in some great learning opportunities. Isn’t that right, Huskers wideout Dane Key?
Nebraska WR Dane Key may be prepping for a game in Vegas, but the highlight so far?
Seeing where The Hangover was filmed!😂 @KETV pic.twitter.com/YX0PTJuPT5
— Lauren Michelson (@LaurenMichelson) December 27, 2025
Best Surprise Game Tweeter: Steven Van Zandt
Social media can be the worst. But when Bruce Springsteen’s righthand man, aka Miami Steve, aka Little Steven aka Silvio Dante starts randomly live-tweeting about the Go Bowling Military Bowl because he likes East Carolina’s logo because it wears a bandana like he does, well, then social media can be the best. Especially when he kept on tweeting all the way through bowl season and into the CFP.
East Carolina Pirates! My new favorite team! My kind of logo!(and just got screwed on that bad call!) pic.twitter.com/edng7hTKIx
— 🇺🇸🇮🇱🇺🇦🕉Stevie Van Zandt☮️💙 (@StevieVanZandt) December 27, 2025
The ‘Hang It In the Louvre’ Award: Duke WR Que’Sean Brown
Brown did what Arizona State’s Jalen Moss had done earlier, taking a post-TD dive into a giant bowl of Frosted Flakes at the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, but the image that emerged from Brown’s backward flop was pure art.
This is an all-time bowl game picture pic.twitter.com/vHS6wz3Llt
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) December 31, 2025
The ‘Isn’t This Actually in the Louvre?’ Award: The Beaneater by Annibale Carracci
After Louisville defeated Toledo in the Bush’s Boca Raton Bowl of Beans, the Cardinals partook of said beans … and legendary social media follow @ArtButSports partook of some art education.
The Beaneater, by Annibale Carracci, 1580s pic.twitter.com/MtqaQvUOX6
— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) December 24, 2025
The ‘Is There Something Opposite of the Louvre We Can Hang This In?’ Award: Holiday Bowl
The Trust & Will Holiday Bowl is an underrated classic, from BYU’s 1984 national title game to Kevin from “The Office” slinging eggnog over the coach’s head and onto photographers (which he did on purpose). But this year’s end zone paint jobs were like some sort of wintertime beach Rorschach test.
💪 POWER 💪 FOOTBALL 💪
📺 @CFBONFOX x @SMUFB pic.twitter.com/4qt5SlD25D
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) January 3, 2026
Best Odd Couple: Butch Jones and Master Chief
The Xbox Bowl made its debut this year, played at The Star in Frisco, Texas. If you’re going to be an Xbox game then who else should present the trophy but the hero of THE Xbox game, Master Chief from Halo, who handed over the hardware to Arkansas State and coach Butch Jones. I can’t accurately explain why that juxtaposition is so funny, but you have to admit that it totally is.
Brand new sentence: Halo presents Arkansas State’s Butch Jones with the @XboxBowl game trophy. pic.twitter.com/gL8Fg45sFG
— Kara Richey (@Kara_Richey) December 19, 2025
Best Gatorade Bath Chase Won by Players: UTSA
As the Roadrunners finished off Florida International in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, head coach Jeff Traylor responded by dashing more than 50 yards to try to avoid getting doused in the cold December Dallas air, but the plastic sideline thingy did him in.
UTSA forced its coach to take a Gatorade bath after winning the ServPro First Responder Bowl 😂 pic.twitter.com/BK4AxymeQL
— ESPN (@espn) December 27, 2025
Best Gatorade Bath Chase Almost Won by Coach: Army
As the Black Knights put away UConn in the much-colder New England air of the Wasabi Fenway Bowl, Army head coach Jeff Monken ran a bazillion yards zigzagging like Barry Sanders before a definite should-have-been holding penalty against D-lineman Jack Bousum did the frozen deed.
Army coach Jeff Monken was juking his team to get out of the Gatorade shower 🤣 pic.twitter.com/pz2TTQdJom
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 27, 2025
Best Season: Bowl Season
The ratings were up, the fun was up, and transfer portal be damned, the football was up … especially for those who knew their time together was up, too.
This is why I love bowl games. The weirdness and all that is awesome, but really it’s about guys who’ve been through so much having one last game together. And for SO many it’s the final time they’ll wear a uniform. Call me a softie. But it’s true. pic.twitter.com/ktEZrkrHbW
— Ryan McGee (@ESPNMcGee) December 23, 2025
Sports
2026 NFL Draft Odds: Draft Positions for Ty Simpson, Jeremiyah Love, More
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Fernando Mendoza is the biggest name, but not the only big name in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Let’s check out the Over/Under odds (at DraftKings Sportsbook as of April 22) for where some of the biggest names in this year’s draft might land.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
Ty Simpson
Alabama — QB
Over 24.5: -270 (bet $10 to win $13.70 total)
Under 24.5: +195 (bet $10 to win $29.50 total)
What to know: Only two quarterbacks went in the first round last season, after the first three picks of the 2024 NFL Draft were QBs. The last Alabama QB to go in the first round was Bryce Young back in 2023, when he was selected No. 1 by the Panthers. Simpson is heavily favored (-2500) to be the second quarterback off the board in 2026.
Jeremiyah Love
Notre Dame — RB
Over 5.5: +275 (bet $10 to win $37.50 total)
Under 5.5: -400 (bet $10 to win $12.50 total)
What to know: The last time a running back went in the top five was back in 2018, when the Giants selected Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick. Ashton Jeanty went sixth to the Raiders last season.
Sonny Styles
Ohio State — LB
Over 5.5: -150 (bet $10 to win $16.67 total)
Under 5.5: +115 (bet $10 to win $21.50 total)
What to know: The last linebacker to go in the top five just so happens to be the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, Will Anderson Jr. He went to the Texans with the third pick in 2023. Now, Anderson mostly plays edge rusher for Houston.
Sonny Styles of Ohio State (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Carnell Tate
Ohio State — WR
Over 7.5: -135 (bet $10 to win $17.41 total)
Under 7.5: +105 (bet $10 to win $20.50 total)
What to know: If you count Travis Hunter as a wide receiver, then two wide receivers went in the top 10 in 2025: Hunter to Jacksonville at No. 2, and Tetairoa McMillan to Carolina at No. 8. Three wideouts went in the top 10 in 2024: Marvin Harrison Jr. to Arizona at No. 4, Malik Nabers to the Giants at No. 6 and Rome Odunze to Chicago at No. 9. Tate is favored (-175) to be the first wide receiver to come off the board in 2026.
Jordyn Tyson
Arizona State — WR
Over 8.5: +140 (bet $10 to win $24.00 total)
Under 8.5: -185 (bet $10 to win $15.41 total)
What to know: Jordyn Tyson’s odds to be a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft opened at +400 in March. They have since surged to -500 for him to go inside the top 10.
Caleb Downs
Ohio State — S
Over 9.5: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)
Under 9.5: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)
What to know: No safety has gone top-10 in the NFL Draft since Jamal Adams went sixth to the Jets back in 2017. Minkah Fitzpatrick went 11th to the Dolphins in 2018. Malaki Starks was the first safety selected last season, going 27th to Baltimore.
Rueben Bain Jr.
Miami FL — DL
Over 8.5: -400 (bet $10 to win $12.50 total)
Under 8.5: +270 (bet $10 to win $37 total)
What to know: Defensive linemen always go in the top 10. Since 2013, only twice has the top 10 not featured a defensive lineman — back in 2021 and then again in 2024.

Rueben Bain Jr. of Miami (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)
Spencer Fano
Utah — OL
Over 10.5: +100 (bet $10 to win $20.00 total)
Under 10.5: -130 (bet $10 to win $17.69 total)
What to know: Fano is a close second choice to be the first offensive lineman drafted on Thursday at +110, just behind Francis Mauigoa, who leads the market at -125.
Makai Lemon
USC — WR
Over 14.5: -130 (bet $10 to win $17.69 total)
Under 14.5: +100 (bet $10 to win $20.00 total)
What to know: Lemon is expected to be the third wide receiver off the board, behind Tate and Tyson. He’ll look to follow in the footsteps of recent USC wide receivers Jordan Addison (2023) and Drake London (2022), who were both selected in the first round.
Olaivavega Ioane
Penn State — OL
Over 14.5: +225 (bet $10 to win $32.50 total)
Under 14.5: -310 (bet $10 to win $13.23 total)
What to know: Ioane has the fifth-best odds (+1800) to be the first offensive lineman selected. That said, he is still firmly expected to be a first-round pick.
Kenyon Sadiq
Oregon — TE
Over 15.5: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)
Under 15.5: -120 (bet $10 to win $18.33 total)
What to know: Colston Loveland (No. 10 to Chicago) and Tyler Warren (No. 14 to Indianapolis) both went in the top 15 last season. Brock Bowers went 13th to Las Vegas in 2024, and Kyle Pitts went fourth to Atlanta in 2021. In other words, the tight end position is on the rise when it comes to the first half of the first round. Sadiq is expected to be the first tight end off the board in 2026.
Kadyn Proctor
Alabama — OL
Over 16.5: +145 (bet $10 to win $24.50 total)
Under 16.5: -195 (bet $10 to win $15.13 total)
What to know: Proctor is the third choice (+950) to be the first offensive lineman drafted, behind Mauigoa (-125) and Fano (+110).
Dillon Thieneman
Oregon — S
Over 17.5: -215 (bet $10 to win $14.65 total)
Under 17.5: +155 (bet $10 to win $25.50 total)
What to know: Thieneman is heavily favored (-400) to be the second safety off the board, behind Downs. In 2025, only one safety was selected in the first round. That likely won’t be the case this year, with Thieneman expected to be selected in the middle of the first round.

Dillon Thieneman of Oregon (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Monroe Freeling
Georgia — OL
Over 19.5: +185 (bet $10 to win $28.50 total)
Under 19.5: -250 (bet $10 to win $14.00 total)
What to know: In 2025, eight offensive linemen were selected in the first round, and a similar number is expected in 2026, with Freeling projected to be among them.
Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana — WR
Over 23.5: +120 (bet $10 to win $22.00 total)
Under: 23.5: -160 (bet to win $16.25 total)
What to know: Cooper is projected to be the fourth or fifth wide receiver selected. If he goes in the first round, he would become the first Indiana receiver drafted in the opening round since Thomas Lewis in 1994.
KC Concepcion
Texas A&M — WR
Over 24.5: +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total)
Under: 24.5: -130 (bet to win $17.69 total)
What to know: Counting Travis Hunter as a wide receiver, four total wide receivers were selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. In 2024, seven wide receivers went in the first round. This year, the line is set at 5.5 wide receivers selected in Round 1, with the over juiced to -165.
Akheem Mesidor
Miami FL — EDGE
Over 25.5: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total)
Under 25.5: -125 (bet $10 to win $18.00 total)
What to know: Mesidor is expected to be the fourth or fifth edge rusher selected, behind Arvell Reese, David Bailey, and his college teammate Rueben Bain Jr. He and Auburn’s Keldric Faulk are likely next in line.
Denzel Boston
Washington — WR
Over 26.5: -125 (bet $10 to win $18.00 total)
Under 26.5: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total)
What to know: Boston will look to follow in the footsteps of former Washington Huskies wide receivers Rome Odunze and John Ross, who were both selected in the first round. He is expected to be among the five or six wide receivers selected in this year’s first round.
Jermod McCoy
Tennessee — CB
Over 28.5: -150 (bet $10 to win $16.67 total)
Under: 28.5: +115 (bet to win $21.50 total)
What to know: After Mansoor Delane (-5000 to be the first cornerback selected), McCoy is tied with Colton Hood and Chris Johnson at +175 to be the second cornerback drafted. In 2025, three cornerbacks were selected in the first round.
Chris Johnson
San Diego State — CB
Over 32.5: +180 (bet $10 to win $28.00 total)
Under 32.5: -250 (bet $10 to win $14.00 total)
What to know: At the beginning of April, Chris Johnson’s odds to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft opened at +550. He is one of the fastest rising prospects and is now -250 to go in the first.
Sports
Men’s college basketball buzz: State of blue blood rebuilds
Roster overhauls are not uncommon in today’s era of men’s college basketball.
This offseason is no different, with around a dozen power-conference schools returning zero or just one player from this past season. It has been a growing trend as the sport has become more reliant on the transfer portal, with salary caps dictating roster construction and teams adding seven to eight players in the spring becoming the new norm.
Last week, we looked at how the Final Four teams — and Duke — have been approaching the offseason. This week, we’re putting the same focus on the three winningest programs in college basketball history: Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina. None made it out of the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, and each face massive rebuilds heading into next season.
All information as of 9 a.m. ET on April 20
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Players leaving: Bill Self faces arguably the biggest rebuild of the three programs featured here.
Potential No. 1 pick Darryn Peterson was gone regardless, but All-Big 12 big man Flory Bidunga‘s decision to enter the portal and head to Louisville was a difficult loss. Starting wings Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White were seniors, and six more players joined Bidunga in the portal. The biggest loss among that group was Bryson Tiller, who started 31 games and looks poised for a breakout season in 2026-27. Making matters worse, Tiller committed to rival Missouri.
Players staying or incoming: The retention list is short. Kohl Rosario, who started the first six games of this past season before seeing his role diminish as the year progressed, is back and still has a high ceiling.
Self has the fifth-best class of incoming freshmen, led by five-star point guard Taylen Kinney. Two more SC Next 100 recruits, Davion Adkins and Trent Perry, and four-star guard Luke Barnett round out the group.
Kansas has also landed two players out of the portal thus far: Utah transfer Keanu Dawes and Toledo transfer Leroy Blyden Jr. Dawes was one of the Big 12’s best rebounders last season, ranking in the top 50 nationally at 8.8 per game. Blyden, a 6-foot-1 point guard, was the MAC Freshman of the Year.
Players in limbo: Freshman big man Paul Mbiya has been an interesting follow. He suddenly played a key role in the NCAA tournament, reports emerged that he planned to enter the portal … and yet, he’s still on the Jayhawks and hasn’t portaled yet.
Work to do: Kansas has a massive amount of work to build a roster that can compete next season. The Jayhawks’ top target is No. 1 recruit Tyran Stokes, who they appeared on track to land until a recent trip to Kentucky cast doubt on their status as the front-runners.
Kansas has hosted a long list of players from the portal, although Terrence Hill Jr. (Tennessee) and DeSean Goode (Miami) have committed elsewhere. Charlotte big man Anton Bonke was on campus last week, as was Utah transfer Terrence Brown, though UNC appears to be the favorite for Brown.
With Blyden committed, Self needs a scorer with size on the wing. Vyctorius Miller (Oklahoma State) is among the players on the Jayhawks’ list for that role. In the frontcourt, Cincinnati transfer Moustapha Thiam — one of the best bigs left in the portal — is among their targets, though he is visiting Michigan this week.
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Players leaving: A roller-coaster season that started with the nation’s largest payroll and ended with a second-round loss to Iowa State in the NCAA tournament portended a roster overhaul.
The starting backcourt of Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen is out of eligibility (although Florida is attempting to secure an extra year for Aberdeen), while Jayden Quaintance was expected to declare for the NBA draft. Six more players also entered the transfer portal, including starting guard Collin Chandler and frontcourt mainstays Andrija Jelavic, Mouhamed Dioubate and Brandon Garrison.
Players staying or incoming: Two key contributors are back from last season: starting center Malachi Moreno and rotation wing Kam Williams, who missed most of the second half of the campaign with a broken foot. Moreno has a chance to be one of the best centers in the country next season.
Role player Trent Noah and redshirts Braydon Hawthorne and Reece Potter are also back. And Kentucky’s lone high school commit is four-star guard Mason Williams, son of new assistant coach Mo Williams.
After missing on a few early portal targets such as BYU’s Robert Wright III and Georgia’s Jeremiah Wilkinson, Mark Pope finally landed his 2026-27 backcourt last week with Washington transfer Zoom Diallo and Furman transfer Alex Wilkins. Diallo averaged 15.7 points and 4.5 assists last season for the Huskies, while Wilkins was one of the most electric first-year point guards in the country and boosted his stock with 21 points against UConn in the NCAA tournament.
Players in limbo: Barring a surprise return from Quaintance, Pope isn’t waiting on any stay-or-go decisions.
Work to do: Kentucky still has plenty of targets left on the board, with overall No. 1 recruit Stokes at the top of the list.
Stokes is down to the Wildcats and Jayhawks, with a decision expected to come at any point. Pope could use a statement signing to help the overall vibe in Lexington, and they don’t get much bigger than Stokes. Kansas had the lead entering Stokes’ recent visit to Kentucky; did Pope flip momentum on the trip?
Kentucky needs shooting, and NC State transfer Paul McNeil Jr. is on the short list. Utah transfer Terrence Brown was also a target but visited North Carolina and Kansas and hasn’t rescheduled a visit to Kentucky. Up front, the Wildcats are prioritizing Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman, one of the best players available. Former USC center Gabe Dynes is expected to visit this week; the 7-foot-5 Dynes would provide interior depth.
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Players leaving: With Hubert Davis out and Michael Malone in, extensive roster turnover was inevitable.
Projected top-five pick Caleb Wilson was headed to the NBA regardless, while Seth Trimble is out of eligibility. Still, nine players entered the portal following the coaching change, with Derek Dixon and Luka Bogavac the most notable, although two have since opted to withdraw and return to Chapel Hill to play for Malone.
It’s also worth noting that Carolina had a commitment from top-10 incoming freshman Dylan Mingo until he reopened his recruitment last week.
Players staying or incoming: The lone starter guaranteed to return from last season is Jarin Stevenson, who helped fill Wilson’s shoes after his injury and played well, averaging 10.7 points and 6.4 rebounds over the Tar Heels’ final 10 games. Jaydon Young and Isaiah Denis are returning after initially exploring the portal. And while Mingo opted to decommit, top-25 recruit Maximo Adams kept his commitment to the Tar Heels after the coaching change.
Since the portal opened, Malone added Virginia Tech transfer Neoklis Avdalas. The 6-foot-9 guard was inconsistent for most of his freshman season but generated first-round NBA draft buzz early in the campaign and has an intriguing combination of size and playmaking ability.
Players in limbo: All-ACC big man Henri Veesaar has yet to announce his intentions.
The proven big man could return to Carolina, enter the NBA draft or head into the transfer portal. Veesaar is essentially the linchpin to Malone’s first season who would be in the preseason All-American conversation should he return to college after averaging 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds last season.
Work to do: There are two priorities for Malone right now.
One, as we just mentioned, is keeping Veesaar. He provides an anchor on the interior and would give the new head coach a player to build around. But given the timing of Veesaar’s pending decision, the lack of legitimate replacements at his position is glaring.
The second focus is a couple of perimeter scorers and playmakers, and the Tar Heels have a few players on their shortlist. Utah transfer Terrence Brown is atop the board; he has visited UNC and Kansas. Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris met with the Carolina staff a couple weekends ago, although he’s also going through the NBA draft process. NC State’s Matt Able and Paul McNeil Jr. have also been linked to the Tar Heels.
Sports
Kentucky governor blasts UK athletics’ decision-making
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has publicly questioned the decision-making at the University of Kentucky, including the seven-figure gig retiring athletic director Mitch Barnhart was recently given.
Beshear’s chastisement, rare for a sitting governor, comes at a turbulent juncture for Kentucky athletics, which is falling behind its peers on the gridiron and the hardwood.
Barnhart, who will step down on June 30, was recently named executive in residence for the UK Sport and Workforce Initiative by Kentucky president Eli Capilouto. The contract for the gig, which will pay Barnhart $1 million per year beginning July 1, does not provide a concrete job description. That has prompted prominent supporters to ask the school to reverse the offer.
“I am losing confidence and growing increasingly concerned with the management and decision-making at the University of Kentucky,” Beshear said in a statement Tuesday. “My concerns include the creation of a new $1 million job that has no defined duties and the announcement that the new dean of law was the only candidate not recommended by law school faculty.
“I’ve been told that despite previously saying the dean must be approved by UK’s Board of Trustees, the university has shifted and now states approval is not needed. I worry that these actions are related to certain donors pushing partisan and undue outside influence onto the university. I hope students, faculty, trustees and the community attend this week’s board meetings and ask the tough questions that should be answered.”
Beshear’s criticism also follows the recent firing of football coach Mark Stoops in December after four consecutive sub-.500 seasons. He was replaced by Will Stein, who was the offensive coordinator at Oregon.
It’s also a difficult time for Mark Pope and the men’s basketball program, which is the winningest Division I team in NCAA history but hasn’t reached the Final Four since 2015. Last year, Pope made a run to the Sweet 16 in his first season. But that success didn’t last as his second season was filled with injuries and inconsistent efforts, ending with a 19-point loss to Iowa State in the second round of the NCAA tournament in March — only 48 hours after the team needed Otega Oweh‘s half-court heave at the end of regulation to force overtime in a win over Santa Clara.
Pope will enter his third season under a powerful spotlight after missing on major targets in the portal, including BYU guard Robert Wright III and Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman, who picked St. John’s and Rick Pitino, Pope’s mentor. While Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class, is still considering Kentucky, the Wildcats have not landed a top-100 prospect in the current recruiting class, according to ESPN.
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