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A law firm engaged by Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares on Wednesday sent a demand letter to the NCAA, obtained by ESPN, that threatens legal action if James Madison‘s “exclusion from bowl consideration in 2023” isn’t reversed.

The letter was sent in advance of the decision by the NCAA on Wednesday night to deny James Madison a postseason waiver approval. It asks for a response by noon on Friday.

The Dukes are 10-0 and ranked No. 18 in the latest AP Top 25 poll. They have not been included yet in the College Football Playoff rankings because they aren’t eligible for the postseason.

“We are prepared to act on behalf of JMU in the unfortunate circumstance that JMU’s request for relief is not timely approved,” said the letter, obtained by ESPN on Thursday. “Specifically, JMU is prepared to promptly file a lawsuit in the Western District of Virginia asserting that the bowl ban violates the antitrust and, potentially, other laws.”

The NCAA’s decision Wednesday effectively ends JMU’s chances in playing in a New Year’s Six bowl game, as the Dukes cannot be a conference champion and therefore would not qualify. There is a chance that JMU could play in a lower-profile bowl, however, as it could fill a spot if there are not enough bowl-eligible teams.

“The facts here haven’t changed regarding JMU,” College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock said Wednesday night. “The committee considers all teams that are eligible to play in the postseason, and that’s where things stand.”

Miyares’ office announced Wednesday night the state attorney general office was disappointed in the decision and exploring legal options.

In a statement to ESPN on Thursday, Miyares called the NCAA’s decision “extremely disappointing.”

“[The NCAA] demonstrates that they, once again, ignore the best interests of our nation’s student-athletes,” Miyares statement said. “The NCAA has made an arbitrary and capricious decision that has an anti-competitive and profoundly negative impact on student-athletes, JMU, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and collegiate football as a whole.”

Miyares also referenced the potential economic benefit to the school, which is a state university.

“This injustice transcends athletics, and should not be allowed to stand,” Miyares said. “After repeated warnings to the NCAA, they still refuse to do what is right. Therefore, I am prepared to expose the NCAA’s unlawful conduct and seek justice for James Madison University through litigation, provided the University authorize me to do so.”

The letter sent to the NCAA states that a potential lawsuit would prove an “unreasonable restraint of trade in the market” and cites the Sherman Act and Virginia Antitrust Act. It calls the banning of teams from the postseason during NCAA transitions “unnecessary,” from “both a practical and legal perspective.”

JMU is in the second year of a transition from the FCS to the FBS and in its second season of full Sun Belt competition in football. If there’s no change in the rule, the school will be eligible for postseason play next year.

The letter lays the groundwork for an antitrust lawsuit.

“Whether analyzed under a ‘quick look’ or full rule of reason analysis, the end result is likely to be the same: the rule is anticompetitive, prohibiting more qualified teams from competing in bowl games to the advantage of incumbents in the market without any procompetitive justification to support it,” the letter states.

On Wednesday, after four NCAA committees met and eventually turned down postseason waivers for JMU and two other schools, the NCAA released a statement.

“Requirements for members transitioning into FBS are based on factors beyond athletics performance,” the NCAA board of directors administrative committee said in the statement. “They are intended to ensure schools are properly evaluating their long-term sustainability in the subdivision.”

The NCAA added that if Division I members don’t think the transition requirements are appropriate, the concerns should be addressed through rule changes as opposed to waiver requests.

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Sources: Sooners DT Stone hits transfer portal

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Sources: Sooners DT Stone hits transfer portal

Oklahoma defensive tackle David Stone entered the NCAA transfer portal Friday, sources told ESPN.

Stone, a former five-star recruit and the No. 6 overall player in the ESPN 300 for the 2024 class, made the surprising decision to enter the portal after playing in all 13 games as a true freshman with the Sooners. The 6-foot-3 313-pounder saw limited playing time, playing 88 snaps and recording 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 1 sack.

Stone was expected to compete for a more significant role as a sophomore, and Oklahoma coach Brent Venables recently praised him as the Sooners’ most improved defensive tackle this offseason.

The Oklahoma native finished his high school career at IMG Academy in Florida and was a significant recruiting victory for Venables and his coaching staff in August 2023. Stone chose the Sooners over Texas A&M, Oregon, Florida, Miami and Michigan State.

The SEC does not grant immediate eligibility to players who transfer within the conference during the spring transfer window, so Stone would need to sit out the 2025 season if he moves on to another SEC program.

Oklahoma returns its top three defensive tackles from 2024 in Damonic Williams, Gracen Halton and Jayden Jackson. It also added Trent Wilson, the No. 164 recruit in the ESPN 300 for 2025, as an early enrollee this spring.

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QB Browne returns to Purdue after brief UNC stint

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QB Browne returns to Purdue after brief UNC stint

Quarterback Ryan Browne has decided to transfer back to Purdue after joining North Carolina earlier this offseason.

Browne committed to rejoining the Boilermakers on Friday after entering his name in the NCAA transfer portal Wednesday.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound redshirt sophomore started two games for Purdue in 2024 but moved on amid the program’s head coaching change and went through spring practice under new Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick.

North Carolina landed a commitment from South Alabama transfer quarterback Gio Lopez on Thursday.

Browne and freshman Bryce Baker were North Carolina’s lone scholarship quarterbacks available for spring practice and were competing with three walk-ons while sixth-year senior Max Johnson recovers from a broken leg.

Browne threw for 636 yards, rushed for 240 yards and scored four touchdowns while appearing in nine games as Hudson Card’s backup over the past two seasons at Purdue, earning starts in losses to Illinois and Oregon.

By returning to West Lafayette, Browne will get an opportunity to compete for a starting job with Arkansas transfer Malachi Singleton, Washington State transfer Evans Chuba and Bennett Meredith, a former Arizona State transfer.

The Boilermakers lost one quarterback, EJ Colson, to the transfer portal earlier this week.

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U-M’s Underwood has up-and-down spring game

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U-M's Underwood has up-and-down spring game

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood showed glimpses of the growing pains he will experience as a freshman and flashes of the promise that made him the nation’s top-rated high school football recruit in the Wolverines’ spring game Saturday.

Underwood was 12 of 26 for 187 yards with a scrimmage-ending, 88-yard pass to tight end Jalen Hoffman on a reverse flea-flicker in a 17-0 win for the Blue over the Maize.

He also recovered his fumble, had a pair of delay-of-game penalties, several errant throws – high and wide – and some dropped. Underwood lost 12 yards on two sacks and gained 17 yards on three runs.

“He did well,” coach Sherrone Moore said. “Made some really, good throws and had some things we need to clean up and get better at.”

As the Wolverines wrapped up spring football in front of about 40,000 fans at the Big House, all eyes were on Underwood and he has become comfortable with that.

“It’s just the pressure that came with my arm,” Underwood told The Detroit News earlier this spring. “I can’t stop that.”

Underwood was sacked on his first snap and his first completion went for a loss. He did throw some darts, usually in the flat, and was quick enough to escape collapsed pockets to pick up yardage with his feet.

Underwood is expected to compete with sophomore Jadyn Davis and Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene for playing time ahead of the season-opening game on Aug. 30 at home against Fresno State.

“It’s a battle,” Moore said. “It’s going to go all the way to fall camp.”

Underwood is motivated to start and kick off a legacy-building career with lofty goals.

“A couple of Heismans and at least one natty,” Underwood said last month in an interview on the Rich Eisen Show.

Underwood knows there will be people doubting he can live up to the hype.

‘He’s just a freshman. He won’t be good enough,'” Underwood said. “I might keep that chip my whole three years.”

He attended at Belleville High School, which is about 15 miles east of Ann Arbor, and flipped his commitment to Michigan after telling LSU coaches last year he intended to play there.

Tom Brady, a former Wolverine and seven-time Super Bowl winner, talked with Underwood during the school’s recruitment via FaceTime and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest people, also connected with him.

Jay Underwood told the Wall Street Journal that his son is expected to make more than $15 million at Michigan, but that doesn’t guarantee he will take the first snap next fall.

“He wants to earn everything,” Moore has said. “He doesn’t want to be given anything.”

Hoffman said Underwood has simply blended in with his teammates.

“He’s really humble, like not a big head, ego, nothing like that,” he said. “Comes into work and every day, he wants to get better every day. He’s not riding off his success in high school. He’s really trying to be one of those top players in college football.”

Underwood participated in practices with the team before it beat Alabama in a bowl game, enrolled in classes in January and gained a lot experience in 14 private practices before a public scrimmage.

“Football is football,” he told MLive.com. “School is a little bit more overwhelming now.”

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