Colorado football coach Deion Sanders was glad to leave the Pac-12 Conference this year because he thought it would mean earlier start times against teams in his team’s new conference, the Big 12.

“Who does that?” Sanders said Thursday on the Colorado Football Coaches Show. “I mean, who has power to sit up there and say, `Yeah, I’m gonna make ‘em play at 8:15 (MT)?”

The show’s host, Mark Johnson, told him the television networks decide that, in this case ESPN.

“But how stupid is that?” Sanders said. “How stupid is that?”

“This is what happens when you’ve got a program that everyone wants to see,” Johnson said.

“But it’s not smart for a television executive to say, `We gonna to put the game on at this time,’“ Sanders said. “Because you’re thinking about eyeballs. You’re thinking about selling merchandise on the commercials. You’re thinking about all that. Why would you do that at that time when half of America is asleep?”

ESPN looks at it differently

ESPN would not agree with Sanders’ analysis. Last year, ESPN televised a game between Colorado and Colorado State that ended after 2 a.m. ET. It drew 9.3 million viewers on average and was the most-watched late game ever on the network.

ESPN also still wants to fill its late timeslots with attractive inventory even if the western teams in the old Pac-12 left for leagues based in earlier time zones.

Besides that, Colorado still draws a crowd on television even if the Buffaloes (4-1) are not ranked in the Top 25.

Four of Colorado’s five games this season have started at 7:30 p.m. ET or later. Yet the Buffs still ranked 10th nationally in average viewership through the fifth week of the season with 4.3 million, according to data shared by the university.

It’s a pet peeve for Sanders, who admitted Thursday that 8: 15 p.m. local is normally when he might go to bed. He said he plans to take a nap before the game.

BROOKLYN, New York — Shortly before the New York Liberty learned they’d be playing the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals, Sabrina Ionescu said of the Liberty’s accomplishments — reaching back-to-back Finals — “I don’t see a trophy in our locker room.”

Well, that remains true — and now it gets even harder to get some hardware in the locker room.

After blitzing Minnesota in the first quarter and building as much as an 18-point lead, the Liberty blew Game 1, losing 95-93 to the visiting Lynx in overtime. Minnesota leads the best-of-five series 1-0. Game 2 is Sunday, also at Barclays Center.

Napheesa Collier hit the game-winner, a tough, turnaround fadeaway with 8.1 seconds to go. Breanna Stewart missed a layup at the buzzer.

Courtney Williams led the Lynx with 23 points, Kayla McBride scored 22 and Collier had 21 (plus eight rebounds and six blocks).

Jonquel Jones led all scorers with 24 points, also grabbing 10 rebounds.

Collier, whose team had just one day off – used to travel to New York – since it eliminated the Connecticut Sun in a Game 5 at home, said they could not focus on how far behind they were or how tired they might be.

“We’ve been in that position before. Just stay strong,“ Collier said in an on-court interview after the game of being down 18.

As for how tired they might be?

“You can’t think about that. This is the Finals.“

Game 1 highlights: Lynx 95, Liberty 93, OT

Lynx steal Game 1 from Liberty in OT

The Lynx opened overtime with a burst of energy and put up a quick four points, while the Liberty started slow. New York opened the extra quarter 0-for-6 and surrendered three turnovers before Jonquel Jones got the Liberty on the board with 1:38 remaining. Jones got a steal and broke away for a layup to tie it up 93-93 with 28.1 remaining. The Liberty’s Breanna Stewart blocked a layup attempt from the Lynx’s Courtney Williams on the other end of the court. The Lynx secured an offensive rebound and Napheesa Collier knocked down a difficult fade-away jumper to retake the lead, 95-93 with 8.1 seconds remaining. Stewart had a good look at the basket in the final seconds of the game, but missed what would have been the game-winning layup. 

The Lynx completed an 18-point comeback, tied for the largest in WNBA history. With the loss, the Liberty move to 0-6 all time in Game 1s of the Finals. – Cydney Henderson

Q4: Liberty 84, Lynx 84

The Lynx went on a 14-2 run to come within three points, 83-80, with 42.1 seconds left. The Lynx’s Napheesa Collier denied Jonquel Jones’ layup with 24.1 seconds remaining, her fifth block of the game. The Liberty secured another offensive rebound, but New York turned the ball over on a shot clock violation with 18.1 seconds remaining. Courtney Williams missed a three-point attempt the Lynx’s next possession, but she got the ball right back after an offensive rebound. Williams took another and was fouled by Sabrina Ionescu on the three-point shot. Williams converted the and-1 to give the Lynx the first lead of the game, 84-83. 

What unfolded next was pure chaos. While the Liberty were trying to inbound the ball, Breanna Stewart and Collier both swatted at it as it went out of bounds. A jump ball was called with 3.2 seconds remaining and the Liberty got possession. Williams was called for a jump ball violation, giving New York a sideline inbound. Stewart got the ball but her shot was blocked. New York maintained possession. Stewart drew a foul under the basket with 0.8 remaining. Stewart hit her first free throw, but missed the second one that would have won the game for the Liberty. – Cydney Henderson

Crazy sequence leads to OT in Game 1

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — After a wild sequence of events that took less than six seconds of game time but many minutes in real time, the game is headed to overtime, 84-84.

It started with a crazy 3 from Courtney Williams and an inexplicable foul on that 3 from Sabrina Ionescu. Williams stepped to the line, drained the shot and, after numerous possessions on the other end and — what else? — an agonizingly long review, Breanna Stewart stepped to the line and hit one of two free throws to tie the score.

Can the Liberty recover? Or are the Lynx finally in a game-winning groove? – Lindsay Schnell

Lynx take lead late off crazy 3-pointer

Courtney Williams hit a 3-pointer from the top right of the key and the ensuing free throw after being fouled to give the Lynx their first lead of the game with 5.5 seconds remaining, 84-83. – Heather Tucker

Leonie Fiebich in foul trouble 

New York’s Leonie Fiebich picked up her fourth foul with 6:47 remaining in the fourth quarter after running into a screen set by Minnesota’s Alanna Smith. Fiebich, who has 17 points and five rebounds, remained in the game. – Cydney Henderson

3Q: Liberty 68, Lynx 61

New York has a 68-61 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Lynx trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half, but Minnesota fought its way back in the third quarter and came within two points of the Liberty with 5:29 remaining. New York instantly responded and pushed its lead back to 10 points before Minnesota closed it back to single digits. 

The Liberty have maintained control of the boards, out-rebounding the Lynx 30-20, including a staggering 15 offensive rebounds. Four of New York’s five starters are in double figures. Jonquel Jones is closing in on a double-double, with a team-high 17 points and nine assists. Breanna Stewart has 14 points, Sabrina Ionescu 13 and Leonie Fiebich (4-of-8 on 3-pointers) 12.  

Kayla McBride has a game-high 19 points (3-of-4 on 3-pointers), while Napheesa Collier has 13 points and three assists. 

New York is on the verge of winning Game 1 of the WNBA Finals for the first time. Heading into Thursday, the Liberty were 0-5 all-time in Game 1s. – Cydney Henderson

Halftime: Liberty 44, Lynx 36

The Lynx has appeared to settle in. After allowing New York 32 points in the first quarter, Minnesota held New York to 12 points in the second quarter and used a 10-0 run to cut the Liberty’s double-digit lead to eight by halftime. 

Kayla McBride is the only Lynx player in double digits with 10 points and two assists, while Napheesa Collier has eight points and two rebounds. The Lynx are shooting 43.3% from the field and 3-of-10 from three. 

Jonquel Jones leads the Liberty with 13 points and four rebounds. Sabrina Ionescu has 11 points, two steals and three rebounds. The Liberty are shooting 40.5% from the field and 6-of-20 from three and out-rebounding the Lynx 21-14, including 10 offensive rebounds. – Cydney Henderson

Liberty rely on experience while Lynx appear out-of-sync

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — Goodness, New York looks good — and experienced. While Minnesota feels out the WNBA Finals, which are new to this particular Lynx squad — the Liberty look right at home, and not only because this game is being played in Barclays.

The scoreboard says New York is up eight, but it feels like 18 (and for stretches during the first half, it felt like 80). The Lynx have settled in somewhat since tip, but they’re still not completely in sync.

The fact that New York has 18 fast-break points is not going to sit well with Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve. You can bet that’ll be a talking point at halftime.

The most impressive stat from the first 20 minutes might be Jonquel Jones’ zero fouls. The Lynx have no answer for Jones — especially when Breanna Stewart is also on the floor — and keeping her in the game, when she’s sometimes prone to foul trouble, could make a huge difference this series. – Lindsay Schnell

Q1: Liberty 32, Lynx 19

The Liberty looked energized out of the gate and jumped to a 16-point lead in the first quarter, while the Lynx looked a little sluggish. The Liberty had three days of rest after closing their semifinal series against the Las Vegas Aces in four games Sunday, whereas the Lynx came into Game 1 of the WNBA Finals with only one day of rest after winning a five-game series against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday.  

“It doesn’t matter if we are tired, we have to push through,” said Napheesa Collier, who has four first-quarter points. 

New York’s Jonquel Jones immediately impacted the game, scoring 10 points and grabbing three rebounds. Sabrina Ionescu also got started early with eight points (2-of-4 on 3-pointers). The Liberty have a size advantage in the series and controlled the boards early in the game, out-rebounding the Lynx 12-5 in the first quarter, including six offensive rebounds. New York dominated the paint (14 points) and converted three turnovers from the Lynx into eight points.

Minnesota’s Courtney Williams and New York’s Breanna Stewart are both in foul trouble early with two. – Cydney Henderson

Stars on sideline in New York

Filmmaker Spike Lee has been a mainstay during the New York Liberty’s playoff run. Game 1 of the WNBA Finals was no different. Lee is among the star-studded crowd at Barclays Center that also includes actor and “Ted Lasso“ star Jason Sudeikis. Both have been long-time basketball fans and have attended games this season involving Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, as well as postseason action in New York. Also spotted were NBA commissioner Adam Silver, rapper Meek Mill, co-anchor of “CBS Mornings“ Gayle King, actress Aubrey Plaza and sports agent Jill Smoller, who represents Serena Williams. – Cydney Henderson and Heather Tucker

Three UConn Huskies in 2024 WNBA Finals 

The 2024 WNBA Finals feature three UConn Huskies —  the Liberty’s Breanna Stewart and the Lynx’s Napheesa Collier and Dorka Juhász.

“No matter what happens, we win,” UConn women’s basketball tweeted ahead of Game 1 Thursday. 

When asked who UConn’s head coach Geno Auriemma is rooting for in the championship series, Collier jokingly declared that Auriemma should be going for the Lynx because “we’ve got two.” – Cydney Henderson

Who is playing in the WNBA Finals?

The New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx.

When is Game 1 of the WNBA Finals?

Game 1 of the WNBA championship series between the Liberty and Lynx is Thursday at 8 p.m. ET at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 

How to watch Game 1 of the WNBA Finals

Game 1 will be broadcast on ESPN with Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play), Rebecca Lobo (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) on the call.

How to stream Game 1 of the WNBA Finals

Game 1 can be streamed on ESPN+ or the ESPN App, in addition to Fubo.

Liberty starters

Lynx starters

WNBA commissioner: Finals expanding to seven games next year

Want more women’s basketball? You got it. 

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced that the Finals will be expanded to a best-of-seven game series, similar to the NBA format, starting next year. Engelbert made the announcement ahead of Game 1 of the 2024 Finals between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx, which will mark the last iteration of the best-of-five game championship series. 

Next year, the first round will be best-of-three, the semifinal round will be best-of-five and the championship series will be up to seven games.

“This will give our fans a championship series format that they are accustomed to seeing in other sports,” Engelbert said.

The best-of-three opening round will change to a 1-1-1 format to allow the lower-seeded team a chance to play at home. The best-of-five series will remain 2-2-1 and the best-of-seven series will follow a 2-2-1-1-1 format. – Cydney Henderson

Liberty vs. Lynx head-to-head

The Lynx have an edge when it comes to their head-to-head record. Minnesota won two of the three regular-season matchups against the Liberty. The teams last faced off Sept. 15, when the Lynx came away with an 88-79 victory on the road at Barclays Center.

New York Liberty’s path to the WNBA Finals

First round (best-of-three): No. 1 Liberty vs. No. 8 Atlanta Dream

Game 1: Liberty 83, Dream 68
Game 2: Liberty 91, Dream 82

Liberty advance 2-0

Semifinals (best-of-five): No. 1 Liberty vs. No. 4 Las Vegas Aces

Game 1: Liberty 87, Aces 77
Game 2: Liberty 88, Aces 84
Game 3: Aces 95, Liberty 81
Game 4: Liberty 76, Aces 62

Liberty advance 3-1

Minnesota Lynx’s path to the WNBA Finals

First round (best-of-three): No. 2 Lynx vs. No. 7 Phoenix Mercury

Game 1: Lynx 102, Mercury 95
Game 2: Lynx 101, Mercury 88

Lynx advance 2-0

Semifinals (best-of-five): No. 2 Lynx vs. No. 3 Connecticut Sun

Game 1: Sun 73, Lynx 70
Game 2: Lynx 77, Sun 70
Game 3: Lynx 90, Sun 81
Game 4: Sun 92, Lynx 82
Game 5: Lynx 88, Sun 77

Lynx advance 3-2

2024 WNBA Finals schedule

Game 1: Lynx 95, Liberty 93, OT (Lynx lead series 1-0)
Game 2, Sunday: Lynx at Liberty; 3 (ABC)
Game 3, Wednesday, Oct. 16: Liberty at Lynx; 8 (ESPN)
Game 4*, Friday, Oct. 18: Liberty at Lynx; 8 (ESPN)
Game 5*, Sunday, Oct. 20: Lynx at Liberty; 8 (ESPN)
(All times Eastern; best-of-five series; * – if necessary)

USA TODAY staff predictions

Nancy Armour: New York in 4
Scooby Axson: New York in 4
Cydney Henderson: New York in 5
Jordan Mendoza: New York in 4
Lindsay Schnell: New York in 5

How many titles does the New York Liberty have?

The Liberty are in pursuit of their first championship. New York got close last year — the Liberty made it all the way to the 2023 WNBA Finals before losing to the Las Vegas Aces in four games. The Liberty have made WNBA Finals appearances six times (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2023 and 2024).

How many titles does the Minnesota Lynx have?

The Lynx have four titles. In a span of seven years, the Lynx won four WNBA championships (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) and made six Finals appearances, led by the group of Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, Maya Moore, Rebekkah Brunson and Sylvia Fowles. The 2024 WNBA Finals will mark the Lynx’s first championship appearance since their 2017 title.

WNBA Finals, Game 1 odds

The Liberty is the favorite to win the WNBA championship, according to BetMGM, with the money line set at the Liberty (-275) and the Lynx (+225).

Golden State Valkyries name first coach

The Golden State Valkyries, one of three new franchises in the WNBA, named Natalie Nakase as the team’s first head coach during a news conference Thursday.

Nakase comes from the Las Vegas Aces, where she was an assistant under Becky Hammon for the past three seasons and was part of the team that won back-to-back WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023. She now becomes the first female Asian-American coach in WNBA history.

Nakase remembers watching the Golden State Warriors, who also own the Valkyries, win the 2015 NBA Finals and thinking how much fun the team was having under its ownership. She wanted to work for Golden State, and now she’ll get the chance to lead the WNBA team in its inaugural season. – Jordan Mendoza

Sabrina Ionescu brought back the floater. It carried the Liberty to the Finals

In Walnut Creek, California, Ionescu was a short, scrawny sixth-grader playing on an eighth-grade boys team with her twin brother Eddy. Male defenders were considerably bigger and stronger, bumping her and altering her shot. Most days, Ionescu couldn’t get close to the rim. 

So the guard who would set an NCAA record in triple doubles in college (26) figured it was time to add something to her skill set. She developed a floater. 

Fifteen years later, that floater has become maybe the deadliest shot in the WNBA playoffs and a key piece of the New York Liberty’s run to its second consecutive Finals appearance. The Liberty host the Minnesota Lynx in Game 1 on Thursday at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn in the best-of-five series. – Lindsay Schnell

Caitlin Clark rewrites WNBA record books. Again. And again.

The Fever rookie made headlines all summer with her head-turning play. Revisit her accomplishments in this graphic.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY operates independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Gerrit Cole’s assignment was to help carry his team a little deeper into October, and the Yankees’ ace delivered.

Shaking off a rough Game 1 outing, Cole tossed seven strong innings in Thursday night’s Game 4, and the Yankees left Kauffman Stadium with a 3-1 victory against the Kansas City Royals to clinch the best-of-five AL Division Series.

Fueled by RBI singles from Juan Soto, Gleyber Torres and Giancarlo Stanton – the first two coming off Royals starter Michael Wacha – the Yanks advanced to the AL Championship Series.

They’ll await their opponent, either Cleveland or Detroit, with Game 1 set for Monday night at Yankee Stadium.

In 2024, the Yanks’ bullpen has never been better than right now, and Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver helped prove that point again, getting the final six outs without drama.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

And for a moment on Thursday night, the series flashed back to the nasty Yankees-Royals playoff meetings of the 1970s.

This wasn’t anything like Graig Nettles taking a swing at George Brett, or Willie Randolph nearly being roadblocked into left field on a Hal McRae slide – but it was tense for a moment.

With the Yankees ahead 3-0 in the Royals’ sixth inning, Yanks shortstop Anthony Volpe’s right forearm caught Maikel Garcia in the throat as he applied a double play tag.

Volpe seemed to give a “didn’t mean that’ gesture, patting Garcia on the back, but soon the benches and bullpens were spilling onto the field.

After order was restored in fairly quick order, the Royals got on the board with a Vinnie Pasquantino RBI double.

Cole had a bigger scare in the seventh, when Kyle Isbel’s bid for a game-tying, two-run homer landed in Juan Soto’s glove against the right field wall.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Bronny James continues to see limited action for the Los Angeles Lakers this preseason.

James has played in all three preseason games but his impact has remained fairly minimal. He was on the court for just 6 minutes Thursday night as the Lakers earned a 107-102 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

There’s still a chance that James could spend some time on the roster during the regular season. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that there’s a likelihood that James and his father, LeBron James, could play together during the season opener. They would become the first father-son duo to play in a regular season game together.

LeBron and Bronny played together last week against the Suns in Palm Desert, California.

Here’s a breakdown of Bronny’s latest performance:

Bronny James’ stats vs. Bucks

Points: 0
FG: 0-for-4
3PT: 0-for-2
Rebounds: 0
Assists: 0
Steals: 0
Blocks: 0
Turnovers: 0
Fouls: 0
Minutes: 6

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — No matter where you find Jim Phillips, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s perpetually buoyant commissioner, and no matter what storm he’s navigating at any given moment, his weather forecast seems to be the same. 

It’s always sunny in Phillipsdelphia.

“I feel great about the league,” he told USA TODAY Sports. “I feel great about its future.”

Not everyone around the country shares his optimism. Once considered an equal partner among the power conferences, the 71-year old ACC finds itself in a strange position.

Despite continuing to win across the board —it had three Elite Eight teams in the most recent NCAA men’s basketball tournament, a women’s Final Four team, robust success in Olympic sports and two of the top 11 teams in the football poll — the narrative that surrounds the ACC these days centers largely on the bruising legal fight with Florida State and Clemson, two prominent members who are suing to break the contract that binds them to the conference until 2036. 

There is also, on this particular Thursday, the not-so-small matter of what’s going on 400 miles west of here. As the ACC holds its annual preseason basketball media event, administrators from the SEC and Big Ten are meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, for a strategic conversation that could be interpreted as a step toward the two richest conferences reshaping college sports. 

Notably, there was no invitation for the league that has won three of the last 11 football national titles, three of the last 10 men’s basketball championships and a conference-leading 23 NCAA titles across all sports over the last three years. 

“I don’t want to read too much into it,” Phillips said. “I think you have to pay attention, you have to understand what’s happening in order to chart your course. We’ve spent a lot of time together, the four (power conference) commissioners, about how we’re going to move forward with a new structure and governance and we’ve worked collaboratively. I don’t want to be paranoid about anything. I’m pretty level about it, and in all of these things I think there needs to be transparency. That’s how you build trust and that’s how you’re able to work together. So we’ll see what comes out of it.” 

Though there’s no expectation the SEC and Big Ten are going to immediately pull away from the NCAA or unilaterally overhaul the structure of college sports with the snap of a finger, there is undeniable creep toward a world where those two leagues control at minimum what the top level of football looks like and perhaps a lot more. 

Automatic bids for the College Football Playoff? Revenue hoarding? Stacking the deck in an expanded basketball tournament? Writing the rules that will govern player compensation and movement if the NCAA can’t get stop its losing streak in federal courts? 

It might all be on the table. And if the ACC isn’t an equal partner in that conversation despite all of its success, its history, its major markets and its current success, is it still a power conference? What is its future? Does it have one that even remotely resembles what the ACC has looked like for nearly three-quarters of a century? 

“We line up and we compete and we play well and we win,” Phillips said.

WEEKEND FORECAST: Expert picks for every Top 25 game in Week 7

MAJOR KEY: The one indicator that predicts transfer quarterback success

In a sane world, that should be enough. But when’s the last time college sports seemed sane? Even here — let’s be honest — it’s a little strange to see an ACC basketball event that now includes California, Stanford and SMU. The ACC may be the most idealistic of the four major conferences in some ways, but it is also interested in survival.

And make no mistake, that survival has been under some form of threat since last year when the Pac-12 fell apart, minting a new power structure where nearly all of college football’s biggest brands and the lion’s share of its television riches are now providence of the Big Ten and SEC. 

That shift was the breaking point of some longstanding agitation between the group of ACC schools that provide the league’s football heft and those who don’t move the needle. Clemson and Florida State, in particular, see the growing revenue gap with the SEC and Big Ten and wonder how long they can continue to keep up (even though neither of them have shown any need to slow their spending).

The bottom line is that if Clemson and Florida State win their free agency in court, the ACC is going to be in legitimate, perhaps existential trouble. Recent reports have indicated that Florida State and Clemson are open to some type of negotiation to stay in the league, perhaps with a boost in their guaranteed revenue distribution, but there’s no timeline on when and how this ultimately gets resolved.

Meanwhile, the ACC exists in a state of long-term uncertainty, with Phillips playing the happy warrior and constantly talking up his league’s strengths rather than its challenges. 

“In the simplest form, there are three destinations to this thing, right?” he said. “One is the legal process, and you either win or you lose. Or there’s some type of reconciliation. I expect the legal case to be lengthy.” 

Phillips can’t say much more than that, but the ACC has no choice other than to fight. After all, Clemson and Florida State signed the league’s grant of rights in 2016 — a document that literally grants its media rights to the conference for 20 years. If Clemson and Florida State successfully get out of that agreement, it essentially makes every school a free agent to change conferences at will. 

Though every conference understands how disastrous that could be for college sports — think about the chaotic state of the transfer portal, only for entire athletic departments — there are buzzards swarming over the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, waiting for a carcass to emerge. 

The SEC would almost certainly have interest in North Carolina and maybe Virginia. If the Big Ten wants to look to the Sun Belt, Miami and Georgia Tech would be interesting academic and market fits. The Big 12 has held off on more additions, in part, because they want to see what might play out in the ACC. Imagine Duke in a basketball conference with Kansas, Baylor and Arizona.

But in the end, none of these realignment fantasies should be necessary. If the venerable ACC of all conferences isn’t good enough to sit at the big boy table in college sports — and if it members don’t feel like this conference provides a platform for the athletes to compete, win and thrive — who and what is this whole thing for? 

The ACC isn’t a failing league or business. If anything, it’s never had more to brag about. It wins in every sport. It has its own conference network. It just surpassed $700 million in revenue for the first time in a fiscal year.

If the schools can’t make this work, the ACC may not be the problem.

“Things are good,” Phillips said. 

But it only matters if the schools in his league believe it. 

The SEC and Big Ten commissioners are evaluating the College Football Playoff format. Two words sum up whether the conferences want this format to continue: We’ll see.
SEC, Big Ten wield biggest sticks in determining future College Football Playoff format. This current format is on the books for this season and next, but then it’s open to change.
Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti says he’ll be watching how playoff committee considers strength of schedule when awarding bids.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Do the SEC and Big Ten want this current 12-team College Football Playoff format to extend beyond next season?

Neither conference boss would answer that question Thursday.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey offered two words in response to whether he’d like to continue this format past next season.

“We’ll see,” Sankey said.

Commissioners and athletics directors from the Big Ten and SEC gathered for a summit here Thursday to discuss topics including the future format of the playoff, the possibility of more Big Ten vs. SEC nonconference matchups, and the implications of the House legal settlement that will unlock revenue-sharing for athletes.

The commissioners had plenty to say about private equity, with both Sankey and Big Ten counterpart Tony Petitti slamming the idea of third-party investors taking the reins of college football’s direction.

They had far less to say about their preference for the playoff format, but their meeting and remarks afterward amounted to a show of strength that could be interpreted as: Either the playoff committee rewards the Big Ten and SEC with a sizable number of at-large bids, or else Sankey and Petitti could bust out their collective sledgehammer and smash this format.

“Who qualifies, how the committee evaluates strength of schedule,” Petitti said, as to what he’ll be closely monitoring from the playoff process this season.

WEEKEND FORECAST: Expert picks for every Top 25 game in Week 7

MAJOR KEY: The one indicator that predicts transfer quarterback success

The current playoff format guarantees automatic bids for the top five conference champions. The remaining seven playoff spots are decided via at-large selection by a 13-member selection committee.

“I want to see what happens with the evaluation (of those at-large bids),” Sankey said.

Teams seeded Nos. 5 through 8 will host first-round games. The top four conference champions will receive a bye.

This format ensures participation from a minimum of five conferences, but it does not guarantee any more than one bid to any conference. Mathematically, a conference could qualify up to eight teams, but a conference qualifying up to four or five teams seems like a more realistic ceiling.

This format is approved for this season and next. After next season, the format is subject to change. The future format will not feature a field smaller than 12 teams, but it could be more. And, how bids are assigned could evolve, too.

“Our focus on future format comes after we go through this first cycle of the expanded College Football Playoff,” Sankey said.

The Big Ten and SEC don’t enjoy unilateral control over the playoff format, but they wield the biggest sticks in determining the playoff’s direction.

“We do have a defined role where we have to be clear participants at the end of the conversation,” Sankey said, regarding the Big Ten and SEC’s role in influencing the future playoff format.

And, at least by appearances Thursday, the leaders of these two conferences plan to be united as they offer that final word in determining the future playoff format.

Representatives from other conferences were not present at Thursday’s summit. Sankey stressed that the SEC and Big Ten are not working toward a full-fledged separation from the other conferences.

“I think that’s a created perception,” Sankey said. “… We recognize that we’re part of a bigger ecosystem, but we’re also interested in what we might achieve together.”

And, together, they could bend the future playoff format to something more to their liking, if they decide they desire a change.

What about more Big Ten vs. SEC football games?

Sankey had a thought while in Ann Arbor, Michigan, last month, waiting for Texas-Michigan to begin: Why not do this type of SEC vs. Big Ten matchup more often?

Historically, the SEC and Big Ten have not played an abundance of non-conference football games, but that’s changing. This season, the conferences met for four non-conference matchups. Three were played on campus sites, while LSU and Southern California met in Las Vegas.

There are three games slated for 2025 with Oklahoma hosting Michigan, Ohio State traveling to Texas and Wisconsin visiting Alabama after playing the Crimson Tide at home this season. Five Big Ten vs. SEC games are scheduled for 2026.

Sankey and Petitti sound interested in increasing the number of Big Ten vs. SEC matchups. Non-conference games pitting teams from those conference superpowers tend to draw big television ratings.

Such matchups also collectively boost the strength of schedule of each conference.

Four SEC schools play annual rivalry games against ACC opponents: Florida-Florida State, South Carolina-Clemson, Kentucky-Louisville and Georgia-Georgia Tech. Sankey acknowledged those existing non-conference matchups and expressed no desire to interrupt those series.

“We respect where we have in-state rivalries that take place in non-conference scheduling,” Sankey said, “but we had a real general conversation about the what-ifs in football and basketball.”

The commissioners also discussed the possibility of increasing the number of Big Ten vs. SEC matchups in other sports other than football and basketball.

Traditionally, individual schools’ athletic department officials enjoy autonomy over non-conference football scheduling, but Petitti and Sankey are evaluating whether the conference offices should get involved in making Big Ten vs. SEC matchups happen.

 “The conversation is, is there a structure where the two league offices work together to create more of those matchups?” Petitti said, without answering his own question.

Much like the playoff format conversation, the answer seems to be: We’ll see.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

Subscribe to read all of his columns.

(This story has been updated with additional information.)

Mike Tyson is aware of Jake Paul’s offer to pay Tyson $5 million if the former heavyweight champion can get past the fourth round of their fight scheduled for Nov. 15. The catch: If Tyson fails, he would have to get a tattoo that says, ‘I love Jake Paul.”

The price isn’t right, says the erstwhile Baddest Man on the Planet.

“He should offer more,’’ Tyson told USA TODAY Sports Thursday.

How much?

“Tell him probably about 20 (million),” Tyson said.

At 58, Tyson is thought to have the best chance of beating Paul, 27, if he scores an early knockout. But Tyson indicated the KO blow won’t come too early.

‘Listen, I don’t expect him to come head on and fight me, so I’m have to catch him for a couple of rounds,’ he said.

During a Zoom interview, Tyson sat next to David Cynamon, chairman at LF*GO!, a company that makes flavored, caffeine-infused pouches. Tyson has partnered with the company.

“I believed in the product,’’ Tyson said. “I thought (it was) the right product for my energy. I mean, my image and who I (am). And it happens to work, believe it or not.’’

With the fight about five weeks away, Tyson said he’s sparring six to seven rounds a session.

“I feel great,’’ Tyson said. “I am ready right now.’’

Cynamon attested to as much.

“I am right here live and I can see his arms up,’’ Cynamon said. “I’m betting on him when I leave this room.’’

The Golden State Valkyries, one of three new franchises in the WNBA, named Natalie Nakase as the team’s first head coach during a news conference Thursday.

Nakase comes from the Las Vegas Aces, where she was an assistant under Becky Hammon for the past three seasons and was part of the team that won back-to-back WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023. She now becomes the first female Asian-American coach in WNBA history.

Nakase remembers watching the Golden State Warriors, who also own the Valkyries, win the 2015 NBA Finals and thinking how much fun the team was having under its ownership. She wanted to work for Golden State, and now she’ll get the chance to lead the WNBA team in its inaugural season.

‘Thank you for this opportunity, and thank you for entrusting me in leading the Golden State Valkyries,’ Nakase said in her introductory press conference. ‘I really appreciate it, and I understand the expectations here.’

Nakase said during her interview process, she spoke with owner Joe Lacob about the expectations for the job. Lacob told her in the next five years the team will have to win a championship and the team will be provided with its own practice facility and locker room in Chase Center.

‘I remember just sitting there thinking, (Lacob) is setting me up for success, right? Like I can’t fail in this situation, because he’s just providing me with so many great resources.

‘I’m gonna pour all my energy and my heart and my soul into this organization, and I just can’t wait to build a championship team because that’s what the fan base here deserves,’ she said.

Who is Natalie Nakase?

A Southern California native, Nakase was a walk-on player at UCLA and worked her way to becoming the team’s starting point guard for three seasons.

Nakase played two seasons in the National Women’s Basketball League with the San Jose Spiders and San Diego Siege, followed by one season playing in Germany. After a career-ending knee injury, she stayed in Germany to coach from 2008-10 and then coached a professional men’s team in Japan from 2010-11. The next season, she took over as coach of the Saitama Broncos midway through the year to become the first female head coach in league history.

Afterward, Nakase spent 11 seasons in several roles with the Los Angeles Clippers. She was an assistant for the team’s G League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers, and later became the player development/assistant coach for the Clippers for three seasons. She joined the Aces staff in 2022.

The Valkyries were awarded a franchise in 2023 and will start playing next season. Golden State is the first expansion WNBA franchise since the Atlanta Dream in 2008 and will have a violet, black, and white color scheme. The team will play its home games at the Chase Center in San Francisco, home of the Warriors.

Nakase is currently the only member of the team. She next will hire her assistant coaches. The team will add its first players during the expansion draft on Dec. 6, when they can select from available players designated by each of the 12 teams.