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From The GIST College Sports (hi@thegistsports.com)
Well, hello there!
We have college sports headlines galore to get you through hump day. Make like UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma and share the news with 40 to 60 of your closest friends. Or, if you’re more of an introvert, this newsletter pairs well with a comfy couch and a cup of coffee.
— Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders when asked if he was interested in other coaching jobs. Seems like Coach Prime — who signed a five-year, $29.5M contract with the Buffs in December 2022 — will be staying put.
Football
🏈 Fourth and (the) goal (is playoffs)
The GIST: The third of six College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings was released yesterday, bringing with it some serious shakeups for the SEC despite the top five teams holding steady. With the new expanded 12-team playoff format and only four weeks left, it’s crunch time for resume-building wins.
Georgia plays itself back into the field: A CFP without perennial powerhouse Georgia would feel wrong, and the Bulldogs certainly agree. They upset then-No. 7 Tennessee 31–17 on Wednesday to sneak back into the 12-team field in the No. 10 spot. Phew.
- Meanwhile, Tennessee finds itself just outside the playoff and in fourth place in their conference. It’s pure chaos in the SEC, with four two-loss teams vying for third place.
BYU stays in playoff picture despite first loss: Sunday’s upset at the hands of unranked Kansas certainly hurt BYU’s resume, plummeting them from No. 7 to No. 14 in the AP poll. The loss wasn’t enough to boot them from the playoffs, but it did cost them their bye, which now sits with Boise State and Heisman candidate Ashton Jeanty who jumped into the No. 4 playoff spot this week.
Indiana stays winning: Indiana is off to a perfect 10-0 start — the best start in program history, and the first time the Hoosiers have recorded double-digit wins in a season. Their hot launch has the squad holding down the No. 5 spot in the national rankings
- If Indiana can upset Ohio State this weekend, a top 4 rankings leap (and a first-round bye) could be in the cards.
- And the Hoosiers are winning off the field, too. Head coach Curt Cignetti is going to be in Bloomington for a while after inking an eight-year $72M contract. Huge.
⚽ Men’s NCAA Tournament set with Ohio State taking top spot
Forty-eight teams scored bids in the men’s college soccer bracket on Monday, headlined by the No.1 Ohio State Buckeyes, who are coming off a 1–0 win over unranked Michigan in the Big Ten title game. Pittsburgh, Denver, and Georgetown round out the tourney’s top four seeds, while last season's champ, Clemson, earned the No. 9 seed. All footy, all the time as play kicks off tomorrow.
🏒 No. 1 Denver still undefeated after sweeping No. 12 North Dakota
The reigning national champs are 12-0 to start the season, with their six wins over ranked opponents earning them a unanimous No. 1 national ranking. Even better? Denver is outscoring opponents 57-17 on the season behind a nation-leading 10 goals from star sophomore forward Sam Harris. Major score.
🏒 Big Ten teams headline women’s college hockey rankings
No. 1 Wisconsin held on to the top spot despite splitting a two-game series with No. 2 Ohio State over the weekend. Notably, the Buckeyes are the only team to defeat Wisconsin this season. Not too shabby.
- The Badgers are tough to beat, too, thanks to a potent offense. The dynamic duo of
Batman and Robinjunior Laila Edwards and senior Lacey Eden are the second- and third-leading goal-scorers in the country.
Together With Playa Society
From college to the pros, there’s nothing women’s basketball players love more than:
🎒 Going deep in their bag
💰 Dropping dimes and buckets
💅 Slaying the pre-game runway
And while Playa Society can’t help with the first two, the streetwear brand has tees repping some of the the world’s best ballers, including three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark.
- You may not have the handles or court vision for basketball success, but you can match your fave hooper’s style with Playa Society. And hey, one out of three’s not bad at all.
🏐 No. 16 Minnesota at 🦡 No. 6 Wisconsin — Tonight at 9 p.m. ET — Big Ten Network
- Postseason volleyball is right around the corner, meaning the next two weeks are crucial, starting with this high-stakes Big Ten battle. The Badgers are riding a five-match win streak, but Minnesota’s looking for its second upset dub over Wisconsin this season. Digging it.
🟡 No. 8 Purdue at. 🦁 No. 4 Penn State — Thursday at 6 p.m. ET — Big Ten Network
- When these two squads faced off in September, Penn State graduate student Camryn Hannah recorded 14 kills to lead the Nittany Lions to a 3-0 sweep. Needless to say, the Boilermakers are out for revenge — and after winning six straight, they might just have the momentum to make it happen.
🦆 No. 13 Oregon at 🟢 Michigan State — Thursday at 6 p.m. ET — B1G+
- The Ducks need a bounce-back win after a narrow 3-2 loss to No. 21 USC on Sunday, especially after dropping three of their last six matchups. Though they’re on the road, the Ducks remain the favorite to win, due in part to their defensive dominance at the net.
Hi. It’s us. We’re the recommenders, it’s us.
🏀 Who to admire
The team behind the team, like the UConn women’s college basketball support staff. Putting in the work behind the scenes.
🏆 Who to celebrate
Retired Stanford women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer. Her record-breaking career continues to inspire — the school honored her by naming the playing floor at Maples Pavilion after her.
🔥 Who to know
Antonia Bronze, the designer dressing soccer’s finest with custom outerwear that’s turned into matchday essentials. Fashion goals.
Today’s email was brought to you by Eden Laase and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Adrianne Dean. Fact checking by Mikaela Perez. Ops by Marga Sison and Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Ellen Hyslop and Lisa Minutillo. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.