NCAA News: Ryan Day’s Comments On Notre Dame Ahead Of Matchup, More, Update On Texas & Oklahoma SEC Move

Ryan Day Praises “Strong” and “Powerful” Notre Dame Defense

One of the most highly-anticipated games of the 2022 NCAA football season will take place this Saturday, with the Ohio State Buckeyes set to host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at 7:30 p.m. EST.

The two historic programs will meet for only the seventh time in history. Saturday will mark the first showdown between the teams since the 2016 Fiesta Bowl, when future two-time NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott powered the Buckeyes to a 44–28 victory.

Ahead of the hyped-up showdown, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day commended the Fighting Irish’ coaching and “powerful” defense.

“They are coached very, very well,” Day said on Tuesday, per Tyler Horka of On3Sports. “They do a great job of mixing up the different styles of defenses they play. And they have a new defensive coordinator. Certainly (Notre Dame head coach) Marcus (Freeman) has his hands all over the defense, but now that you have Al Golden there it is a little bit of a different staff.”

Day described Notre Dame’s defense as “strong,” “powerful”, and “athletic”, adding that the group does “a good job against the run.”

Barring any setbacks, Ohio sports betting is scheduled to launch by Jan. 1, 2023. If The Buckeyes reach high expectations and go on a deep playoff run, Ohio State fans will be able to bet on their team early in the new year.

Futures, prop bets and point spreads are among the different types of wagers that residents of Ohio will be able to place. The Buckeyes have the second-best national championship odds of +300 at FanDuel, behind only Alabama (+180). The sportsbook also lists C.J. Stroud as the +200 favorite to win the Heisman.

Notre Dame allowed just 19.7 points per game last season, but the unit will look quite different this time around. That’s because stalwart do-it-all safety Kyle Hamilton was drafted 14th overall by the Baltimore Ravens in April.

Two seasons ago, Notre Dame lost to Alabama in the College Football Semifinal by a final score of 31-14. The Buckeyes got past Clemson 49-28 in the other semifinal game, but they were no match for the Crimson Tide in the finals, as Alabama cruised to a 52-24 victory.

Both the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish failed to qualify for the Playoffs last year. Alabama beat Cincinnati 27-6 in one semifinal outing, and Georgia took care of business against Michigan 3-411 in the other. The Bulldogs went on to beat Alabama 33-18 in the championship game.

Texas & Oklahoma Reportedly Holding “Active Discussions” To Leave For SEC Early

The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners programs just might end up moving from the Big 12 to the SEC earlier than expected.

The Longhorns and Sooners are currently scheduled to leave for the SEC in 2025. Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Big 12 Conference announced Wednesday that they’ll start discussions with the FOX and ESPN networks about the next TV contract.

Citing sources, Dennis Dodd of CBS reported that due to the Big 12 starting TV contract discussions early, “there are now active discussions regarding Texas and Oklahoma leaving early for the SEC.”

The Longhorns will open their season at home against the UL Monroe Warhawks on Saturday (8:00 p.m. EST). Oklahoma will welcome the UTEP Miners on Saturday (3:30 p.m. EST) in their season opener.

Deion Sanders Addresses Criticism Over Coaching Style

Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback and two-time Super Bowl champion Deion Sanders is entering his third season as the head coach of the Jackson State Tigers.

Sanders’ outgoing personality and coaching style has drawn plenty of reactions across the football world. Last week, the former NFL and MLB star told ESPN that he enforces a dress code for his players. The code features a ban on sandals and sleeveless shirts.

What does “Prime Time” have to say regarding the criticism of his coaching style? Sanders addressed it during an interview with Complex Sports.

“I don’t care. My team knows me, with social media I’m talking to the country but I’m really addressing my team,” Sanders said. “So, I’m telling my team there are only two starters here, everyone else is going to have to work.”

The only two players with confirmed starting spots are Sanders’ son and quarterback, Shedeur, and five-star cornerback recruit Travis Hunter.

Jackson State went 4-3 in Sanders’ first season on the job. They followed it up with a spectacular 11-1 record. They defeated Prairie View A&M in the SWAC Football Championship Game before losing to South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl.

The Tigers will open their season at home against Florida A&M on Sunday (3:00 p.m. EST).

Sanders worked as an NFL analyst following his playing career, garnering more popularity for his work on NFL Network. Sanders, who won a ring with both the San Francisco 49ers (in 1994) and Dallas Cowboys (1995), left the network in 2020.