Tag Archives: college football

NFL, College Teams Continue to Expand The Lineup For Third Annual Coach Knapp Stair Climb Campaign

The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund, named in honor of veteran NFL assistant coach Greg Knapp, dedicated to educating drivers on the dangers of distracted driving, reduce the number of distracted driving related deaths, and promote distracted driving awareness reform, today announced its expanded lineup of nearly half of the NFL and over a dozen NCAA teams participating in this fall’s “Coach Knapp Stair Climb.” This coming weekend, two new Universities, The University of Houston (October 12) and Syracuse University (October 14) will be the latest additions to the roster. The next NFL team to take to the stairs will be the L.A. Rams on October 20, prior to their game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

In honor of Coach Knapp, NFL coaches, players, executives and alumni will participate in raising funds and awareness at each NFL stadium prior to team warm ups. Teams confirmed to participate in the stair climb include: Packers, Colts, Titans, Rams, Jets, Browns, Texans, 49ers, Commanders, Falcons. Participating NCAA teams include: Oregon State University, Georgia State University, University of Oregon, University of Houston, Syracuse University, Sacramento State, Boston College, Butler University, East Carolina University, Ripon College, Rice University, University of Utah.

This fall marks the third annual Coach Knapp Stair Climb, with this year’s initiative starting even earlier with participation kicking off with Georgia State University and Oregon State University participating in the preseason this past August. Over 500 coaches, players and staff will be participating in various forms on game days, easily eclipsing the goal of 20+ participating teams.

The fund, which has raised over $250,000 to date already, was created by Greg’s wife, Charlotte, and close friend and agent, Jeff Sperbeck, to honor the legacy of Greg Knapp who tragically passed away in July 2021 after being hit by a distracted driver while he was bicycling. Coach Knapp was known for climbing the stadium stairs before every single NFL game he coached over his 25 season career. All will be tagged #knappstairclimb on social platforms.

“I was with Coach Knapp in Denver in 2013, and he was somebody that was really influential for me as a young coach,” said Colts Offensive Coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, who participated in the Knapp Stair Climb last month alongside the coaching staff of the Green Bay Packers. “He actually got me started running the stadium stairs before games, which is a habit that I have held onto. Coach Knapp was such a beloved figure in the coaching community, and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to help honor his legacy.”

At the time of his passing, Knapp was recently named Passing Game Coordinator of the New York Jets under head coach Robert Saleh, after serving as an assistant coach for over a quarter of a century with the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders, Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. Known as a “quarterback whisperer,” Greg coached some of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history helping chart the careers of many young athletes with kindness, humor and trust.

Additional participants will be announced in the coming weeks.

Fans, athletes, and coaches at any level can also participate wherever is most convenient to them across the country, such as apartment building stairs or a high school sports stadium. Images will be shared on various social channels.

To learn more on how you can get involved, details can be found at https://www.knappmemorial.org/stairclimb

AXIA Time Partners with Heisman Trophy Trust

AXIA Time, creator of ultra-custom Swiss Made timepieces, gets another huge deal over the goal line as the Official Timepiece of the Heisman Trophy. To celebrate this win, AXIA Time has innovated a new design called the DIASIMOS with a version exclusively for the Heisman Trophy finalists and honorees in collaboration with the Heisman Trophy Trust. This unique, heirloom-quality timepiece will be presented as part of the Heisman Trophy Weekend beginning on December 13, 2024.

Adding the Heisman Trophy to the list of awards for which AXIA Time has partnered establishes the brand as the go-to watchmaker for celebrating life’s greatest accomplishments. For the past three years, AXIA Time has served as the Official Timepiece of the Tewaaraton Awards for college lacrosse. Earlier this year AXIA Time was named the Official Timepiece of the Naismith Award for college basketball, and the Official Timepiece of the College Football Playoff (CFP). The partnership with the Heisman Trophy Trust is another big play for AXIA Time, which has created personalized timepieces of exceptional quality at an affordable price to commemorate life’s biggest achievements and unforgettable moments since 2018.

THE HEISMAN DIASIMOS BY AXIA TIME

Evocative of the iconic trophy, the Heisman DIASIMOS by AXIA Time is an eye-catching study in black and bronze powered by renowned Swiss brand Sellita’s SW300 Elaboré, a 31-jewel self-winding, automatic movement which operates at a frequency of 28,800 VpH (4Hz) and has a power reserve of 56 hours. At 40.5 mm, the watch’s striking bronze-plated titanium #5 case with DLC coating features a split coin-edge bezel and a fine-tooth crown adorned with the iconic Heisman logo. The piece’s sapphire crystal caseback displays the SW300 Elaboré movement with its unique custom rotor as well as an engraving ring which provides dedicated space to honor the individual player. To ensure stylish comfort and the ease of use necessary for daily wear, the watch is presented on an American-made, black square-scale alligator strap with contrast stitching which closes via a bronze-plated deployant buckle embellished with the Heisman logo. Reminiscent of the trophy base, the Heisman DIASIMOS by AXIA Time comes in a custom, solid walnut display box.

“We are excited to include AXIA Time among our family of sponsors as the Official Timepiece of the Heisman Trophy,” stated Michael Comerford, President of the Heisman Trophy Trust. “We are grateful to AXIA Time and its founder, John Kanaras, for their focus on honoring all of our finalists and honorees AXIA’s exquisite timepieces and ultra-custom designs offer a special way for our finalists and honorees to commemorate this unforgettable time in their lives.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Heisman Trophy Trust to celebrate all of their honorees,” said AXIA Time founder John Kanaras. “As with the Tewaaraton and Naismith Awards, AXIA Time believes that being named a finalist is an incredible achievement that deserves to be celebrated. We hope that our timepieces will quickly become family heirlooms that will be cherished by each athlete.”

With the Heisman DIASIMOS, AXIA Time has created more than just a watch: it’s also a time machine that will instantly transport these elite athletes back to the moment of being named Heisman Trophy finalists, for the rest of their lives. These AXIA timepieces are a symbol of their exceptional sportsmanship and performance that they can cherish for a lifetime.

AXIA timepieces are designed in the U.S. and handcrafted in Switzerland by master watchmakers, using the same components and engineers as luxury Swiss brands, at a much more accessible price point. Although this collection is not for sale to the general public, the new AXIA Time Heisman timepieces are stylish and functional, meant to be worn every day, and passed on from generation to generation. As with all AXIA timepieces, crisp and elegant custom design centers what’s important to the wearer above all else: vividly capturing memories of joy and success on the field in this milestone moment.

U.S. Watchmaker AXIA Time Makes Major Play In Latest Launch With College Football Playoff

AXIA Time, creator of ultra-custom Swiss Made timepieces, has been named the Official Timepiece of the College Football Playoff (CFP). Deepening its long-standing relationship with the CFP to now become an Official Sponsor, AXIA Time will be launching a series of limited edition, ultra-custom watches to honor all 12 teams competing for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship. The College Football Playoff Collection by AXIA Time is a special series of unique, heirloom-quality timepieces with styles exclusively for the players competing in the College Football Playoff and styles for the fans. The Players’ style features a unique sunray dial with a subtle yet striking etched football pattern that radiates out from the dial’s center. The timepieces for fans will be released in multiple drops throughout the 2024-25 season, offered in the 12 colorways specific to the 12 football programs that make the Playoff.

Since 2018, AXIA Time has scored with consumers by creating personalized timepieces of exceptional quality at an affordable price to commemorate life’s biggest achievements and unforgettable moments – including championship victories. No rookie in the sports world, AXIA Time has cheered on the greatness of student athletes in college football in collaboration with the CFP starting with the 2021 National Championship watch for the Georgia Bulldogs. Every season, AXIA Time works closely with the CFP to create premium custom wristwatches, including the 2023 National Champions Timepiece for the undefeated Michigan Wolverines. Now AXIA Time is once again joining forces with the CFP to create a unique design that will only be available to players competing in the CFP: a timepiece cherished for a lifetime that recognizes their extraordinary talent and drive at the peak of their college football careers.

AXIA timepieces are designed in the U.S. and handcrafted in Switzerland by master watchmakers, using the same components and engineers as luxury Swiss brands, at a much more accessible price point. The new AXIA Time commemorative CFP watches are stylish and functional, meant to be worn every day, and passed on from generation to generation. As with all AXIA timepieces, crisp and elegant custom design centers what’s important to the wearer above all else: vividly capturing memories of joy and success on the field in this milestone moment.

The College Football Playoff (CFP) ARGOS is powered by renowned Swiss brand Sellita’s SW200, a 26-jewel, highly decorated, self-winding automatic movement that operates at a frequency of 28,000 VpH (4 Hz) and boasts a power reserve of 38 hours. It is water resistant to 300 meters (30 ATM) and features gold-plated steel hands and applied indexes filled with X1 Super-Luminova, the highest performing grade of photoluminescent material used in watchmaking today and presented on a solid three-link 316L stainless steel bracelet with micro-adjustable buckle and DLC coating.

“Signing on as the Official Timepiece of College Football Playoff is a tremendous milestone for our company,” said AXIA Time founder John Kanaras. “Since the very start of AXIA Time, we have taken great pride in creating timepieces whose style and quality match the significance of the events they commemorate. Through our expanded partnership with CFP, and for the first time ever, we have created an exquisite, heirloom-quality timepiece that is exclusively available for the student athletes competing for the National Championship. For many, this will be the pinnacle of their athletic careers, and I am thrilled that we are able to produce a timepiece that aligns with their accomplishments and the memories of this special time in their lives.”

“We are thrilled to include AXIA Time among our family of sponsors as the Official Timepiece of the College Football Playoff,” said Ryan Allen Hall, Senior Director of Public Events and Sponsorships at the CFP. “We are grateful for our long-standing relationship with AXIA Time and its founder, John Kanaras. John’s focus on honoring the student-athlete experience aligns perfectly with our mission and we are excited to have them as part of the 2025 College Football Playoff.”

Most AXIA timepieces are available for under $1,000. Team-specific designs will be available to fans at axiatime.com. They will also be on sale at the CFP’s Playoff Fan Central in Atlanta from January 18-20, 2025, leading up to the national championship game.

AXIA Time will be kicking off a series of product drops and events in November that will include opportunities to win tickets to the 2025 national championship game. Sign up at AXIA Time for email updates and follow AXIA Time on social media for alerts.

Swet Tailor Partners with Reese’s Senior Bowl for 2nd Time as Official Off-The-Field Apparel Sponsor

Los Angeles-based fast-rising menswear brand Swet Tailor, the creators of EveryDay. EveryWear,™ has teamed up with the Reese’s Senior Bowl, the preeminent college football all-star game, for a second time to exclusively sponsor the off-the-field wardrobe for players, coaches and staff. In 2021, Swet Tailor was the first brand that the Senior Bowl brought on to handle all non-field related apparel in the history of the game. The category of off field apparel is expected to be a unique one for college athletes when Name, Image and Likeness comes into play in the coming years, and Swet Tailor has cemented its efforts in NIL as an ongoing business growth opportunity for the brand.

The Swet Tailor off-the-field wardrobe will include key styles such as the Swet Jogger, Swetshirt, Light Weight Swet Hoodie and Softest Tee for elite draft prospects and sport industry insiders to wear ahead of the NFL Draft in April. The brand has continued to grow its presence in recent years with evergreen styles and extended sizing, and its investor athletes include current and former NFL players, not limited to:

Aaron Rodgers, Mark Sanchez, Josh Norman. Josh Rosen, and Ryan Kerrigan. Longtime media personality Rich Eisen has also worn Swet Tailor during his annual 40 yard dash for charity at The Combine, and is a supporter of the brand as well.

“Everything we do here at the Senior Bowl is about creating a better experience for our players and that includes our partnerships,” says Jim Nagy, Executive Director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl. “Swet Tailor is an incredible emerging brand and our players absolutely loved their SWET gear last year.”

“We are honored to return as partners with Reese’s Senior Bowl because we know exactly how pivotal this game is for the student athletes,” shares Swet Tailor CEO Adam Bolden. “We are here to ensure each and every player looks and feels good as they step up to one of the biggest moments in their careers. Our wide range of styles––from our classic sizing to our High and Mighty line––is made to move with athletes, on and and off the field. We are looking forward to getting to know these talented individuals and helping them discover that style and comfort do not have to be mutually exclusive.”

Swet Tailor continues to grow its sporting event portfolio with this second official college football event sponsorship; past partnerships have included The NFL Combine, The EOD Warrior Foundation Golf Outing, and Merril Hoge Celebrity Golf Outing. The NY Jets and Detroit Lions will be the coaching staffs for the 74th annual Reese’s Senior Bowl, which will be played on Saturday February 5th 2022 at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama. The game will be aired live on the NFL Network at 1:30 CT. The rosters will be announced shortly. The Swet Tailor sponsorship will span the duration of the Reese’s Senior Bowl Week, which will officially kick off Saturday, January 29th and run through Saturday, February 5.

SGPN Delivers 16-Team College Football Playoff Simulation via Twitch

Sports Gambling Podcast Network (SGPN) answered all the questions about how a College Football Playoff Tournament would look during the holiday period and the initiative has provided a virtual blueprint for decision-makers as they ponder how to maximize the potential of the sport.

The prominent sports prognostication/analysis website, app and podcast platform used an internal committee of experts to select the 16 most deserving teams, seed them and then run the tournament of games using Twitch during the first week of January. The process was unveiled at www.sportsgamblingpodcast.com with a bracket consisting of 10 conference champions plus six at-large teams generating tantalizing matchups such as Notre Dame (5) vs. BYU (12), intersectional confrontations including Cincinnati (3) and Utah St. (14) and interesting underdog opportunities such as Northern Illinois (16) vs. Alabama (1) and UTSA (15) vs. Michigan.

The full bracket below also includes tasty confrontations such as Pittsburgh (9) vs. Ohio St. (8) and Baylor (7) vs. Mississippi (10) and it is easy to imagine an unprecedented level of excitement and intensity for players, coaches, student bodies and fans for the four-week process.

The Twitch-simulated tournament delivered a championship game of Ohio St. vs. Utah, with Utah emerging victorious as the National Champion, 24-10. Among the upsets along the way was Northern Illinois over Alabama in the opening round, Baylor over Michigan in the quarterfinals and then Utah into the final against Ohio St., which beat Georgia in the semis. The entire tournament simulation with both audio and video as part of an SGPN podcast is available here. The realistic, individual-player graphics in an accelerated time format with big hits, crowd noise, player celebrations and coaching decisions makes for a fun, provocative videogame viewing experience.

The championship game, featuring commentary from SGPN podcast co-hosts Sean Green and Ryan Kramer with SGPN college football expert Colby Dant, takes 45 minutes.

“This is the kind of unpredictability that makes live sports the best viewing experience there is,” said Green, the SGPN CEO who also organized an audience bracket challenge with a $500 cash payout to the winner. “Sixteen teams brings an NCAA March Madness feel and with football’s dominant popularity the value of such a 15-game property could approach that of the Olympic Games.”

“I was surprised at the way it worked out with some of the tremendous matchups and then upsets along the way,” offered Kramer, who predicted the big game from Stetson Bennett and correctly had Georgia plus the under Monday night enroute to a 24-18 bowl season prognostication record. “We’re fans and we have this platform to advocate for a 16-team playoff on behalf of our audiences, so we’re using it.”

“Please take note, Mr. Bob Bowsby (Big 12 Commissioner) and you FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) commissioners in charge of the College Football Playoff. We don’t have to wait until 2026. We’ve come a long way from the insanely arbitrary and disorganized independent bowl system of the 1990s. Here’s a blueprint. Forget about the 12-team option. Let’s lock you all in a room until a 16-team playoff is ready to go.” 

The only major independent sports wagering media network that places a premium on entertainment value and free user content, SGPN achieved a 30 per cent year-over-year increase in total downloads during the course of 2021, exceeding three million total during the 12 month period.      

SGPN content is most readily available on the SGPN App, available on all devices and downloadable at Apple’s App Stone and Google Play Store or via www.sportsgamblingpodcast.com.  

cover image: Paula R. Lively

Joe Moore Award Becomes First Post-Season College Award Platform To Launch NIL Program

The Foundation for Teamwork, owners and creators of the Joe Moore Award (@joemooreaward) which honors the most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football, today announced that it is believed to be the first post season college award program to launch a Name Image and Likeness (NIL) program for its recipients. Timing is everything and the Joe Moore Award is excited to create a partnership with nine members of the 2021 award winners, the offensive line at the University of Michigan. Michigan was awarded the trophy in a ceremony last week in Ann Arbor and will play the University of Georgia in the Orange Bowl on Dec 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

“We have seen the great amount of exposure that both winners and finalists of all the major college football awards receive throughout the years, but the actual and immediate benefit from winning the award typically goes to the presenter, not the presentee,” said Aaron Taylor, CBS college football analyst and co-founder of the Joe Moore Award. Taylor, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, played guard and tackle at the University of Notre Dame for the Award’s namesake, the legendary offensive line coach Joe Moore. “We want to begin to change that dynamic with the growth of NIL for these athletes, and the Joe Moore Award is proud to be what we believe to be the first of the major awards to begin a program which will have long-lasting benefits and a financial upside for our winners, and in many cases for the causes which will be tied to the program. On the field, we’ve always known that when the o-line wins, we all win, and we’re excited to help support Michigan’s O-line extend that same principle in our communities.”

The members of the Michigan offensive line will receive 100% of net t-shirt sales, with a portion going to a philanthropic beneficiary. Additionally the Joe Moore Award will match the players’ charitable gift, up to $10,000, to help further the reach of the winning units impact on their communities. The t-shirts and limited edition merchandise are designed by Make Your Move, an automated digital on-demand order processing and fulfillment partner and are available starting at $20.00 at gomym.com/collections/joe-moore-award.

The charity beneficiaries for the 2021 season are: The Seal Legacy Foundation which is dedicated to providing support to families of wounded and fallen United States Navy SEALs, educational assistance for SEALs and their families, and other charitable causes benefiting the SEAL community; and The AthLife Foundation, a national platform works to ensure that deserving kids from our nation’s most challenged, yet promising communities, can achieve in their future careers beyond sport.

Under offensive line coach Sherrone Moore, Michigan’s starting O-line has featured guard/tackle Karsen Barnhart (2 starts), guard Chuck Filiaga (4 starts), left tackle Ryan Hayes (13 starts), tackle Trente Jones (1 start), left guard Trevor Keegan (10 starts), right tackle Andrew Stueber (13 starts), center Andrew Vastardis (13 starts), and right guard Zak Zinter (11 starts). In addition, tight end Joel Honigford, a converted O-lineman, warrants mention as a key contributor to Michigan’s success.

Michigan led the Big Ten and lists 10th nationally in rushing (223.8 yards per game). The unit has conceded the fewest tackles for loss (27) and third-fewest sacks (10) in the nation this season. Only Army and Air Force, with a combined 204 pass attempts, have allowed fewer sacks. Michigan’s line has paved the way for a 1,000-yard back in Hassan Haskins (1,288 yards) and have another back in range in Blake Corum (939 yards). All five positions earned all-conference honors, with four of the five starters earning first or second-team accolades: Stueber (1st team), Hayes, Vastardis and Zinter (2nd) and Keegan (honorable mention).

The Trophy
The Joe Moore Award trophy, crafted by legendary sports sculptor Jerry McKenna, is the largest trophy in college football, weighing more than 800 pounds, is more than five feet wide and stands nearly seven feet tall. The trophy has been made available to Michigan to display on their campus until the 2022 winner is announced.

The Joe Moore Award is named after Joe Moore, widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football history, and is the only major college football award to honor a group or unit. The award annually recognizes the nation’s Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit that best display the fundamental and historical aspects of great offensive line play: Toughness, Effort, Teamwork, Consistency, Technique, and Finishing.

Voting Committee
The Joe Moore Award voting committee is comprised of 13 individuals who are highly knowledgeable about offensive line play, including former linemen, coaches, talent evaluators and media analysts. This group conducts in-depth analysis by reviewing game tape every week of the season to assess both the fundamentals and subtleties of overall O-line performance.

The 2021 voting committee includes Chairman Cole Cubelic (Auburn, SEC Network); Charles Arbuckle (UCLA, Indianapolis Colts); Randy Cross (UCLA, San Francisco 49ers); Gerry DiNardo (Notre Dame, head coach at LSU); Mike Golic, Jr. (Notre Dame, NFL, ESPN); Harry Hiestand (Joe Moore disciple, NFL and College O-line Coach); Barrett Jones (Alabama, St. Louis Rams); Duke Manyweather (Humboldt State, player and coach; founder of OL Masterminds); Geoff Schwartz (Oregon, Carolina Panthers); Sam Schwartzstein (Stanford, XFL rules creator); Phil Steele (publisher of Phil Steele’s College Football Preview, ESPN); Aaron Taylor (Notre Dame, Green Bay Packers, CBS Sports); and Lance Zierlein (NFL draft analyst, NFL.com and Prospects to Pros podcast, The Athletic).

Past Award Recipients
Past recipients of the Joe Moore Award include the offensive lines of the University of Alabama (2015), the University of Iowa (2016), the University of Notre Dame (2017), Oklahoma University (2018), LSU (2019), and the University of Alabama (2020 – first repeat winner).

What Would A 16-Team College Playoff Look Like? SGPN Simulates It For Us

Sports Gambling Podcast Network’s college football-loving experts will take matters into their own hands these next few weeks by conducting a 16-team, Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) playoff tournament to determine a national champion from among all the top-tier teams that earned an opportunity to win it all.     

Frustrated by decades of indecisiveness from the New Year’s Day Bowl Games and the NCAA powerbrokers, the top-tier sports prognostication and analysis platform will select the 16 most deserving teams, seed them and simulate the entire tournament of games using the EA Sports Madden NFL 16 game for Xbox and PlayStation.  The entire process will be unveiled at www.sportsgamblingpodcast.com

 with announcement of the 16 teams scheduled for December 27.  Results of the games will be reported regularly thereafter with the champion to be determined and announced on Monday, January 9, the day before the College Football Playoff Championship Game in Indianapolis. 

“College football’s decision-making hierarchy is stuck in the mud,” added SGPN college football expert Colby Dant.  “The Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) has been doing this since the mid-80s.  That proves it’s doable.  I can speak for our followers that we don’t want eight or 12 teams.  Let’s go to 16 and make college football the blockbuster spectacle that it should be.”     

SGPN will convene Dant, Green, co-founder Ryan Kramer and other experts among its 50 contributors to make the call on the 16 teams, including all of the 10 FBS conference champions.  Common sense will dictate most of the other six and they will use the Associated Press Top 25, the NCAA FBS Top 25 Rankings and their own rankings and power ratings to determine the final few.  Game simulations will begin before the end of December and results will be reported on the website and in the podcasts along the way, leading into the second week of January.     

Dant is the host of the College Football Experience podcast, the popular offering that has picked and analyzed every FBS game and many FCS games since 2017.  Dant, podcast contributor PattyC, Green and Kramer are routinely among the highly-ranked handicappers amid the hundreds of experts participating in the college football category fantasy and game selector aggregation website Tallysight.    

The only major independent sports wagering media network that places a premium on entertainment value and free user content, SGPN achieved a 30 per cent year-over-year increase in total downloads during the course of 2021, exceeding three million total during the 12 month period.        

SGPN content is most readily available on the SGPN App, available on all devices and downloadable at Apple’s App Stone and Google Play Store or via www.sportsgamblingpodcast.com.   

600 Picks For Dant On Tap As CBB & CFB Seasons Intersect

Sports Gambling Podcast Network (SGPN) college sports handicapping expert Colby Dant will make a total 593 selections against the spread on college football and college basketball contests, in accordance with the slate of FBS and Division I basketball games in place for November 14-20.

With college basketball teams swinging into action across the country while the college football season continues apace, Colby Dant, his brother, Nick, and Patty C will produce the Week 12 College Football Experience podcast and add The College Basketball Experience podcast in addition to posting their picks on SportsGamblingPodcast.com for the myriad SGPN audiences (CFB picks, CBB picks). Dant has spearheaded the selection of every game over the past four years and boasts a success rate well above industry standards during that time.

The commitment to providing input and a pick against the spread for each major college game is part of the exhaustive approach of Sports Gambling Podcast Network (SGPN), the only independently owned and operated sports gambling media network that places a premium on entertainment value. The predictive podcasts are most readily available on the SGPN app, downloadable at Apple’s App Store, The Google Play Store , and from www.SportsGamblingPodcast.com.

“It is, by far, the craziest week of the year,” offered Dant, who is 31 games over .500 on college football prognostications this year. “Though it breaks my heart, the college football slate slows down as Thanksgiving week arrives. That allows for a transition of focus to the hardwood, where there are great wagering opportunities because the oddsmakers will be putting up unsophisticated lines. So, join us and we’ll give you some early-season college BBall winners.”

“We just sit back in amazement,” said Sean Green, co-founder with Ryan Kramer of SGPN’s formidable lineup of sports wagering content offerings. “The college podcasts are among our most popular, so we’re expecting traffic increases as the audiences join Colby in embracing the simultaneous hardwood action.”

In prominent college football games this week, Dant likes four underdogs to cover, as posted on the website. He has homestanding Pitt +6.5 over North Carolina, Michigan +7.5 at Penn State, Tennessee +22 hosting Georgia and Purdue +23.5 at Ohio St. Among his season over/under win total predictions that cashed by midseason was South Carolina over 3.5 wins. The Gamecocks are now 5-4 after their dismantling of Florida Saturday night.

SGPN’s Colby Dant Records 130 Podcasts Previewing Every FBS College Football Team

In an unprecedented commitment to college football bettors across America, Sports Gambling Podcast Network (SGPN) college gridiron expert Colby Dant is providing a pre-season forecast on every FBS football team, including recommendations on over/under regular season win total wagers for all.

The daunting initiative is underway with the podcast and transcription content available at www.sportsgamblingpodcast.com, home of the only independently owned and operated sports gambling media network that places a premium on entertainment value. The predictive podcasts are most readily available on the SGPN app, downloadable at Apple’s App Store, the Google Play Store, and from www.SportsGamblingPodcast.com.

In concise but detailed 20-minute podcasts, Dant also provides a rationale for all predictions, requiring a time-consuming level of immersion, his fulltime job with SGPN since 2017.

SGPN, consistently ranked among the top football podcasts in America by Chartable.com, will also track and report the results of Dant’s prognostications in a service to its audiences that is unusual in the burgeoning sports wagering advice/analysis industry. Dant is one of over 45 contributors covering sports and entertainment for SGPN platforms.

“I’m definitely going above and beyond with this project, but college football is the one sport for which it is actually necessary,” stated Dant, a veteran sports wagering expert who has handicapped every Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) game (over 1,500) since 2017. “The sport generates an emotional attachment among its fans that is hyper-local, regional, sectional and national. The time is right for this deepest of dives into the entire FBS. Full schedules are back, fans are returning and interest is spiking with the season just weeks away. Our SGPN audiences and all college football fans want it and deserve it.”

Among Dant’s most assertive recommendations is Minnesota over 6.5 wins and North Carolina under 9.5 wins. The podcasts offer amusing takes on the traditions and history of the college programs with comparative references to rival teams and conferences in conjunction with the SGPN style of combining entertaining content with free, money-making predictions for sports bettors.

Other offerings on the Dant podcasts include suggestions that Texas A&M is overrated, and that Big 12 officials should consider thinking outside the box and grabbing Deion Sanders’ Jackson State team and Eddie George’s Tennessee State team, plus the transfer portal impact on both high-major and mid-major programs.

The podcast series, available under the “College Football Experience” name on the SGPN website and the SGPN App, is more than half complete with the remaining podcasts on track for posting over the next three weeks.

Weekend Sports Appreciation Post

by Alex Perel, Special to The Daily Payoff

Nothing major to report in the sports and entertainment today, but we wanted to draw attention to the major upswing in games coming to the forefront. Going into the weekend, the first this year to feature Saturday NFL games, and the 2020-21 NBA season starting on Tuesday, we suddenly have a lot to look forward to in the sports world.

This weekend marks the final Thursday night game of the season as the NFL shifts into its weekend heavy schedule. The Los Angeles Chargers (+ 3 1/2) took down the Las Vegas Raiders in that matchup last night on Fox and NFL Network. The Thursday game will shift to a Friday matinee for Week 16. Both Week 15 and Week 16 will feature multiple Saturday games as well, with both having day and night matchups. Monday Night Football, however, remains on ESPN over the next two weeks. Finally, Week 17 hosts its full schedule on Sunday, as the league traditionally closes the season the same day for all teams.

Of course, Wild Card Weekend and the Divisional Round subsequently follow, both having Saturday and Sunday games. Point being, the NFL is mixing up its schedule to spread games across the next few weeks, so chances are when you flip on the TV any given weekend, you will have an NFL game to watch.

College Football sees a transition from conference championship games to bowl match ups next week, so NCAAF is there as well. The Power Five championships are as follows:

Pac-12: Oregon vs. 13-USC – 12/17 at 8PM EST

Big Ten: 14-Northwestern vs. 4-Ohio State – 12/19 at 12PM EST

Big 12: 10-Oklahoma vs. 6-Iowa State – 12/19 at 12PM EST

ACC 3-Clemson vs. 2-Notre Dame – 4:00PM EST

SEC 7-Florida vs. 1-Alabama – 8:00PM EST

All the great football leads into our biggest development: the NBA regular season’s return this coming Tuesday, December 22. Opening night features a Warriors vs. Nets early contest, followed by the Lakers and Clippers. With the league trying to cram a 72-game schedule into the coming months, we will see more back-to-back sets of games as well as “baseball series.”

In the latter format, teams will play each other multiple nights in a row. This style is uncommon in a normal NBA season, but the new schedule promises an abundance of NBA games throughout the week while you wait for football. Wednesdays and Fridays will be particularly packed with the requisite ESPN/ABC nationally televised packages.

And similar to football, the NBA is piggybacked by the college schedule, which is now entering its full swing of conference play. Check for those games to be typically packed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays on ESPN, FS1, and regional conference networks.

TL;DR: We shoot into the new year with a very healthy dose of live sporting events. Before you look up, we will have hockey and later baseball back, returning to a full slate of the four major American team sports. Get excited for the action packed weeks to come.

Covers Predicts That Sports Betting Won’t Go Bust If College Football Is Canceled

As COVID-19 continues to reshape upcoming seasons for professional and collegiate sports, Covers asks the burning question, what will the impact be on sports betting if the 2020 college football season is canceled?

Covers’ Senior Writer Patrick Everson spoke with Executive Vice President of Race and Sports at the Superbook at Westgate, Jay Kornegay, the American Gaming Association’s Casey Clark, and gambling industry strategist Chris Grove, about the potential effects of a canceled or delayed college football season on sportsbooks across the country.

“I’m not sure any of us really knows how that will impact us,” Kornegay said, speaking to the sportsbook industry as a whole. “If it’s completely canceled, it’s certainly going to be a punch to the gut. However, it’s not as bad as some might think, as long as we still have the NFL. Last year, 65 percent of our total football handle was NFL.”

Some NCAA football betting statistics include:

Although sportsbooks don’t separate NFL versus NCAA football in terms of total handle (bets placed) on football, estimates are approximately 35% of total handle in Nevada came from NCAAF football in 2019.
Based on total handle on football in Nevada sportsbooks in 2019, approximately $650 million was bet on NCAAF football.
New Jersey took in $939 million in football handle in 2019 and given that same 35% estimate for college football action, over $328 million was bet on NCAA football in 2019 in New Jersey.
The best NCAAF football bets in 2019 were Kentucky and Navy, both went 10-3 Against the Spread.

Could the college football season be postponed to the spring? Many in the media and the sports betting space are speculating that a spring college football season would provide a huge boost on the wagering front. Among the main reasons for such speculation is that NCAA football wouldn’t be competing with the NFL every week.

Texas A&M University, Winning Streak Sports Announce New Partnership

Winning Streak Sports, the industry leader in the sales and marketing of the vintage, retro-trend, dynasty style banners, pennants and related fandom, today announced a first-ever partnership with Texas A&M University to create, sell and distribute the 125th anniversary Texas A&M heritage banner exclusively on the Aggies platform.

“We are always seeking ways to enhance fan experiences and generate incremental revenue for athletics. This program accomplishes both objectives” said Mike Wright, Texas A&M Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications. “The value of our 125th anniversary of Aggies football provided the perfect launching point, and we are looking forward to expanding the offering to our fans as the year progresses.”

“We could not be happier to bring forward this new business model with Texas A&M and their legions of fans,” said Eric Bartley, Director of Sales and Retail Analytics at Winning Streak Sports. “Our award-winning heritage banner and the exclusive opening of the Texas A&M intellectual property vault will create a new revenue stream for a premium line, all of which benefits the Aggies directly, which is rare in the licensed property world. This new incremental revenue opportunity for the school athletic programs in conjunction with our existing licensing relationship will be a growing model, and there is no better way to start than with the 125th Anniversary of Texas A&M football and the legacy of the 12th Man.”

Fans can see this first part of a Texas A&M collection exclusively through the site 12thmanbanners.com. New pieces will be added throughout the year including customizable “Class Of” banners allowing Texas A&M Former Students to commemorate their graduation year making all products truly collectible and personal at the same time. The program will celebrate 125 Years of Fightin’ Texas Aggie Football, the spirit and tradition of Aggieland and further build pride in the school’s legendary 12th Man. All proceeds go directly to Texas A&M.