Ben Criddle

QOTD: Cougar Nation.. What are your biggest questions marks / concerns right now regarding this BYU Football team in 2026 and why?

NEWS: USC and Notre Dame will renew their rivalry, with the series starting again in 2030. They’ll meet Week 1 in LA that year and play Week 1 in South Bend the next year.

Notre Dame's tentatively scheduled 2030-31 series with Indiana will no longer take place following the return of the USC rivalry, per @PeteNakos.

#CollegeFootball #CFP

Marco Rubio is “One of us” Question: If you got 1 full week off and nobody had access to you, what would you do? Answer: "My wife's gonna hate this answer. I'd love to sit down and watch every college football game from noon eastern until the west coast games end at 2AM eastern." - Marco Rubio

#BYUBasketball #GoCougs #BYUHoops

🚨 BYU’s Tim Fanning Leads Netherlands to EuroBasket Championship 🚨 BYU associate head coach Tim Fanning has guided the Netherlands U18 National Team to the 2026 FIBA U18 EuroBasket Division B Championship, finishing a perfect 8-0 with a 69-57 win over Poland in the title game. The Orange Lions dominated throughout the tournament, winning their five group-stage games by a combined 90 points, then defeating Georgia by 29 before rallying from a halftime deficit in both the semifinal and championship game to capture the title. The championship also earns the Netherlands promotion to Division A for the first time since 2019. An impressive accomplishment for Fanning, who continues to build his international coaching résumé while bringing that winning experience back to Provo. Congratulations to Coach Fanning and the Orange Lions!

The race for No. 1 AJ Williams is getting interesting. 👀 Who is emerging for the top-ranked player in the 2028 class? [READ] 👉 on3.com/rivals/news/sc…

Darryn Peterson pulled up courtside in Phoenix and watched 5⭐️ DeMarcus Henry cook at the ABCD Camp 😤🔥

I've compiled a running list of 30 college basketball players (and growing) who are confirmed to be exploring a fifth year of eligibility following the recent injunction against the NCAA. Every player listed is either already in the transfer portal or expected to enter. Tracker: on3.com/news/tracking-…

SEC and Big Ten presidents have signed off on the latest version of Protect College Sports Act, which includes a new "retention" cap on top of the current House cap. Schools could spend ~ $48M in rev-share on their athletes, up from $20.5 last yr. Now the race is on to get it to the Senate floor before Friday.

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Robby McCombs on @espnthefan about what concerns remain regarding the BYU basketball team and whether Jaxon Kohler makes them a final four contender: Q: What concerns remain? McCombs: I still have some defensive questions. Without a true rim protector, that probably limits their ultimate ceiling. But they do have good positional size. Jake Wahlin is big. Bruce Branch has a 7-foot-1 or 7-foot-2 wingspan. He'll need to get stronger, but he has tremendous physical tools. If you're asking whether this is a national championship-caliber frontcourt today, I'd say probably not. If you're asking whether it's good enough to make the Sweet 16, absolutely. And if they land someone like Jackson Kohler—or another high-level graduate transfer—that changes the conversation significantly. Q: If Jaxon Kohler joins the roster, does that make BYU a Final Four contender? McCombs: Yes. And people may quote me on that, but here's why. I don't think next year's college basketball landscape will be as top-heavy as this past season. Last year featured one of the greatest freshman classes we've ever seen, plus a loaded group of veteran stars. That made it harder to separate from the field. This year is different. If BYU adds Jackson Kohler, you're talking about one of the best returning big men in college basketball. If he had entered the transfer portal in March, he probably would've been the No. 1 available big man. He was one of the top 25 players to earn All-Big Ten honors last season. Against eventual national champion Michigan, he scored 23 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and knocked down two threes. He's an elite defensive rebounder, stretches the floor, can score in the post, and has four years of development under Tom Izzo. While he's not an elite shot blocker, you know he's going to compete defensively because players don't stay on the floor for Izzo otherwise. He's exactly the type of skilled big Kevin Young wants. If BYU lands him, I think you're looking at one of the top offensive teams in college basketball and a legitimate Final Four contender. Full details here: spreaker.com/episode/7-29-2… Photo Credit: @BYUphoto @BYUMBB

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COUGAR FANS! Ruby's Inn has joined with ESPN The Fan to offer an exclusive discount on lodging at Ruby's Inn. Ruby's Inn is the closest accommodation to Bryce Canyon National Park. We have something for the whole family; A wide variety of activities for any season of the year. rubysinn.com/960-2

Coming up next here on @espnthefan, Dr Dain Allred, Orthopedic Sports Surgeon for BYU Athletics, joins to discuss: 🏈: Most common injuries in fall camp? 🏈: What is fall camp like for you as a clinician? 🏈: His favorite memories of BYU football since administering to the BYU football team? 📷listen.streamon.fm/kovoam

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Next on @espnthefan, BYUtv Analyst & former BYU QB Blaine Fowler joins to discuss: 🏈: BYU football QB depth chart conversation 🏈: What does BYU football need to do this season to make the CFP? 📻: listen.streamon.fm/kovoam 📷: @BYUphoto

🏈 Heading to BYU vs. TCU on October 3? Stay with fellow Cougars at Atrium Hotel & Suites DFW, owned by BYU alumni. Use promo code COUGARSPORTS to save 25% off your stay. atriumhotelandsuites.net/COUGARSPORTS

Darnell Dickson of the Daily Herald joined @espnthefan to discuss the questions regarding the BYU football team going into this season and what receivers stand out to him: Q: What are your biggest question marks about BYU football entering the 2026 season? Darnell Dickson: The first thing that jumps out is production from the receiving corps. I think there's plenty of talent there, but when you look back at last year's team, the wide receivers and tight ends made so many huge plays—third-down conversions, touchdowns, explosive plays. Those guys consistently delivered. This year's group certainly has ability, but we haven't seen them produce at that level yet. Take JoJo Phillips, for example. He had a terrific fall camp last year and started the season well before getting injured. The talent is obvious, but now he has to show the same consistency that Chase Roberts, Carson Ryan, and Parker Kingston gave BYU. The other thing is BYU's ability to win close games. Last season they won several games by making big plays in the fourth quarter. That's the mark of a good football program. The question is whether they can continue doing that. A good comparison is Utah during its nine-game winning streak in the rivalry. They consistently made winning plays late in games. Over the last couple of years, BYU has flipped that script in both the rivalry and the Big 12. They've shown they can finish games. That second question won't really be answered until the season starts, but during fall camp we'll at least get an idea of how comfortable Bear Bachmeier is with this new group of receivers. Q: What are your expectations—or quota—for this BYU team? Darnell Dickson: I think they'll begin the season ranked inside the Top 25, which is a good place to start because historically BYU hasn't always received that preseason respect. If they're going to make the College Football Playoff, they probably need to climb into the Top 10 at some point. That removes excuses from the committee. They can't say BYU wasn't highly ranked or didn't beat enough quality opponents. From an offensive standpoint, can Bear Bachmeier throw for 3,000 yards again? Can he add 400 or 500 rushing yards? Can this receiving corps produce a 1,000-yard receiver? If JoJo Phillips stays healthy, maybe he's that guy. Maybe it's Kyler Kasper, who is an outstanding athlete but hasn't had a full healthy season yet. Everyone expects LJ Martin to produce another 1,000-yard rushing season. The question is how much help he'll get from the passing game. Q: Which receivers stand out to you? Darnell Dickson: Practice production has to become game production. We've seen flashes from these players, whether in practice or limited game action. Now they have to prove they can consistently make plays on Saturdays. Everyone is going to get opportunities during fall camp, and we'll see who separates themselves. The tight end position is also intriguing. Carson Ryan was an absolute revelation last season and became a major weapon for BYU. Now you've got Roger Salepaga and Walker Lyons, who are both talented receiving tight ends. They also have players capable of being physical blockers and opening running lanes. One of the biggest storylines during fall camp will be whether someone clearly emerges as the No. 1 target. Coaches always get asked who's standing out. Some are willing to share those details, while others prefer not to single anyone out. But receivers are definitely going to be one of the most discussed position groups throughout camp. Q: Why should BYU be a Top 25 team this season? Darnell Dickson: I don't think there are many excuses for them not to be. They addressed offensive line concerns by adding talent through the transfer portal, even after losing some important veterans. Defensively, I still have a few questions about the rotation up front because BYU likes to play a lot of defensive linemen. Who emerges as the next group of playmakers? But overall, I think they're getting better, especially at defensive tackle. I like the linebackers. Cornerback may not have tremendous depth yet, but that's something they'll continue developing during fall camp. Some people may be concerned about the change at defensive coordinator, but over the last two seasons BYU has shown it can consistently field a good football team. College football is built on momentum and perception. The SEC and Big Ten receive so much respect because they've consistently produced results over many years. BYU is beginning to establish that kind of consistency in the Big 12. I don't see any reason they shouldn't be a Top 25 team. That said, all it takes is one loss to create doubt, and Arizona in Week 2 looks like a very tricky game. Photo credit: @BYUphoto @BYUfootball

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