Welcome to the wild new SEC, where nothing — outside of Georgia dominating — makes much sense
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David Hale, ESPN Staff Writer
It was less than a month ago that Georgia slunk into the locker room at halftime against Alabama, trailing by 23, battered and dazed, a shell of the program that had dominated the previous three seasons of college football.
A lot has changed since then.
Georgia’s frantic second-half comeback attempt that night didn’t ultimately end with a win, but it was an awakening, and the rejuvenated Bulldogs marched into Austin, Texas, on Saturday night and delivered a stark reminder that they’re still the kings of college football.
Alabama survived that night against Georgia, but it has since felt like the plot of some bad “Final Destination” sequel. The Tide should’ve lost that one, and death has stalked them ever since — first with a loss to Vanderbilt, then a narrow escape against South Carolina, and finally a dagger on Saturday against Tennessee. The Vols broke out the victory cigars after an ugly 24-17 win, handing Alabama a second loss before Nov. 1 for the first time since 2007.
And when the dust settled on Week 8, it’s not Georgia or Alabama or Texas or Tennessee at the top of the SEC standings. Instead, it’s LSU and Texas A&M — two teams that lost in Week 1 — now the lone programs still undefeated in conference play.
It is perhaps fitting that the most memorable moment from Saturday’s SEC chaos was a meeting of officials on the field in Austin, with fans tossing trash from the stands and both coaches apoplectic on the sidelines. None of this makes much sense, and we’re all struggling to sort out what just happened.
Perhaps we should believe that Georgia is, in spite of that loss to the Tide last month, still the preeminent team in college football. The Bulldogs certainly looked the part Saturday behind a running game that, for the first time this season, flexed real muscle. Trevor Etienne carried 19 times for 87 yards and three touchdowns behind an O-line that looked dominant. And yet, there were still red flags, led by Carson Beck‘s three interceptions, including the one that resulted in that scrum of officials.
Initially, what looked like a pick by Jahdae Barron was overturned by a flag for defensive pass interference. The crowd erupted in a chorus of boos as replay seemed to show little evidence of a flagrant foul. Steve Sarkisian pleaded his case, Texas fans threw various condiments onto the field and the officials gathered to discuss their options.
1:26
Refs overturn crucial PI call after fans throw trash on the field
After the referees call a controversial pass interference play, Texas fans throw trash on the field and the call is reversed.
What was said in that huddle may never be known, but it’s entirely possible Matthew McConaughey wandered over from his place on the sideline, explained to the officials that the universe is filled with mystery and time is but a mirage and, in fact, that flag only truly existed in their minds.
After the officials picked up the flag, Texas scored to pull within eight, but Georgia never flinched. Nothing — not questionable officiating, Beck’s struggles or even a brief appearance by Arch Manning in which the crowd squealed like teenagers seeing the Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show” could keep the Bulldogs from an emphatic win.
It was a jarring setback for Texas, but what does that even mean in the SEC in 2024?
Alabama was king three weeks ago, and now the Tide have the same conference record as Florida.
Saturday’s performance in Knoxville was ugly. The offense managed just 314 yards. The Tide had 15 penalties in the game. King Mack‘s acting skills were atrocious.
What’s going on here? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/k2uDdF7puz
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 19, 2024
Three weeks ago, Tennessee was distraught. The offense was a mess, Nico Iamaleava couldn’t hit the broad side of a sun sphere, and an upset loss to Arkansas seemed to have the Vols’ playoff hopes on life support. But by Saturday evening, Iamaleava, Josh Heupel and Co. were enjoying the finest cigars 7-Eleven stocks behind the counter, and all was right with the world.
In Week 1, LSU couldn’t get off the field against USC. Now, it is riding high atop the SEC (while the Trojans, meanwhile, are such a disaster their season would be rejected as a plot line on “9-1-1” for being too unrealistic).
In Week 1, Texas A&M couldn’t find an offensive spark against Notre Dame. Now, the Aggies are 4-0 in conference and Mike Elko is the first A&M coach to start his tenure with six wins in seven games since an era when every college football coach was named Knute, Pop or Hoss.
And amid all of the zigs and zags of this SEC season, there’s still Vanderbilt, sailing along like a goalpost in the Cumberland River. Somehow the Commodores have a better shot at the SEC title game than the Tide or Ole Miss or Oklahoma because, in 2024, in this new SEC, there’s almost nothing that feels normal.
Well, OK, Auburn stinks. At least that’s a proper through line.
But the larger takeaway — from Saturday’s heavyweight fights, from the season to date — is that making sense of this year’s SEC is not for the faint of heart.
This is a new era, and what we knew to be true for the past 20 years — even for the past few weeks — can evaporate quicker than a defensive pass interference call in Texas.
Jump to:
We’re good now | Miami makes magic | Cook to the rescue
FSU loses … again | BYU stays undefeated | Vibe shifts
Dark days in Norman | Irish roll | Iowa State survives
Heisman five | Under the radar
We’re good now
Sometimes teams we’ve collectively dismissed in September use the time outside the spotlight to fix some problems and find their footing. With that in mind, we’re checking in with some surprising upstarts who’ve gone from afterthoughts to teams with real aspirations.
Washington State (6-1)
The Cougars dominated Hawai’i 42-10 behind QB John Mateer, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more. Mateer has developed into college football’s wildest ride — completing fewer than 60% of his throws, boasting three games with five touchdowns or more, winning a game while completing nine passes and losing one when completing 26. There’s virtually nothing about Mateer that seems off the table. He could throw for 600 yards or he could decide to live in a van and follow Maroon 5 on tour for a year. Anything is possible.
Colorado (5-2)
Travis Hunter left Saturday’s game after aggravating a shoulder injury, but it didn’t matter much for the Buffaloes, who romped past the Arizona Wildcats, 34-7. Deion Sanders’ squad is now just a win away from bowl eligibility, which would be a nice bit of validation for the oft-criticized coach if he were the type of person who looked for external validation rather than simply counting Instagram likes.
Cincinnati (5-2)
The Bearcats blew a 27-6 second-half lead against the Pittsburgh Panthers and missed a final-second field goal in a three-point loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders, otherwise we’d be talking about an undefeated Cincinnati team. Either way, the Bearcats are 5-2 after beating Arizona State 24-14 on Saturday in a game in which the Sun Devils missed two late field goals that had head coach Kenny Dillingham saying he’d open up tryouts for a new kicker this week.
1:07
ASU coach labels kicking game ‘atrocious,’ confirms tryouts for Monday
ASU coach Kenny Dillingham labels his team’s kicking game “atrocious” and says it will be hosting open tryouts on Monday.
Wisconsin (5-2)
After dropping back-to-back games to Alabama and USC, the Badgers have found their mojo with three straight wins in which they allowed a grand total of 16 total points. That those three wins came against Purdue, Rutgers and, on Saturday, 23-3 vs. Northwestern, undercuts a bit of the enthusiasm, but after enough Brandy Old Fashioneds, who’s really counting anyway?
Vanderbilt (5-2)
These are halcyon days in Nashville. Will Levis is doing shirtless mayo commercials. Sturgill Simpson is doing what amounts to an Eras Tour for middle-aged guys with beards. And Vanderbilt is 5-2 after Saturday’s 28-14 win over Ball State. Diego Pavia accounted for 357 yards and two touchdowns in the win, which puts the Commodores ahead of Alabama, Ole Miss and Oklahoma in the SEC standings because the world no longer makes any sense.
The entire state of Louisiana (22-5)
LSU rode Caden Durham for three touchdowns in a 34-10 win over Arkansas on Saturday. Tulane cruised to a 24-10 win over Rice, too. Louisiana upended Coastal Carolina 34-24 and ULM had an off week. Add it all up, and the state’s four FBS teams are a combined 22-5. It’s the type of overwhelming success that warrants daily parades, an endless array of cocktails and a party around every corner. Unfortunately, that’s just not Louisiana’s style, so it’ll celebrate with a cool glass of milk and a nice book.
Miami makes magic
In the second half of Miami’s 52-45 win over Louisville, the Hurricanes’ offense went with a silent snap count, ostensibly because of the hostile crowd but, in QB Cam Ward‘s estimation, it was simply because “it looks cooler.”
1:56
Cam Ward tosses 4 TDs as Miami stays perfect with win over Louisville
Miami QB Cam Ward goes off for four touchdown passes and 319 yards as the Hurricanes move to 7-0 with a win over Louisville.
This is the vibe Miami’s operating with right now. At 7-0, and despite three straight nail-biters, the Canes are basically just doing what they want offensively because Ward is all but unstoppable.
Midway through the second quarter, Miami went for it on fourth-and-1 from its own 25. Receiver Sammy Brown‘s explanation: “If a team can stop us four straight plays, kudos to them.”
Miami led by seven at the half, and Ward’s message to his teammates as they walked off the field: “Don’t worry. We ain’t done.”
Miami benefited from some controversial officiating for the third straight week, and all Mario Cristobal had to say was, “The head official’s cat has been returned safe and sound, and any perceived threats were taken completely out of context.”
OK, we made that last one up, but the rest of Miami’s secret formula seems unimpeachable. Ward threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns — to four different receivers. The ground game came to life to the tune of 219 yards. And the officials went to replay on a critical call that worked out for Miami. Rinse, repeat.
Cook makes heroic return
Missouri rallied past Auburn 21-17 on Saturday thanks to a legendary performance by QB Brady Cook.
Cook went down with an ankle injury on the first series of the game. He was taken to the hospital for an MRI, and Missouri said he was unlikely to return.
But Cook had other plans.
Drinkwitz said Cook went to the hospital for an MRI during the game. He told the team “I’ve only got 2 1/2 games left on Faurot Field, I’m not missing this one in the hospital.”
— Power Mizzou (@PowerMizzoucom) October 19, 2024
In what would be a central plot point in any football movie ever made, Cook emerged from the ER with little more than a sore ankle and $1,200 toward his deductible, then returned to the field in the third quarter, rescuing Missouri from a 17-3 deficit and engineering two fourth-quarter touchdown drives in the win. This marked the first game in SEC history in which a QB left a hospital bed to beat a team whose coach once won a game from a hospital bed.
Ultimately, the performance will be remembered in Missouri football lore and served as a reminder that a guy who spent half a game in an MRI machine is still better than anything Michigan can find at QB.
Noles dig below rock-bottom
This is not the first season that has gone horribly wrong for Florida State. Much of the past 20 years has been a roller coaster between 10-win seasons and utter misery. But at no point in 22 previous meetings had the Seminoles reached this depth: a loss to Duke.
But this year is something special. It isn’t just bad. It is cartoonishly awful, the type of ritualistic embarrassment typically reserved for Wile E. Coyote. On Friday, the receivers dropped nearly a half dozen easy catches, the offense turned it over on three straight plays and at one point, we’re fairly certain Mike Norvell was just standing on the sideline holding up a sign that read “Yikes.”
Florida State turned the ball over four times in the game, went 2-of-14 on third downs, and despite holding Duke to just 180 total yards of offense, still lost, 23-16. FSU could’ve tied it on its final drive after having a first down at the Blue Devils’ 38 with 1:23 to play, but the Noles proceeded to lose 24 yards over their next four plays before running into the side of a mountain that Manny Diaz had painted to look like a tunnel.
FSU’s decline from last season’s 13-0 ACC championship team is baffling, but there is one possible explanation for the precipitous fall, and it involves Norvell meeting the devil at the crossroads of I-10 and Thomasville Road before last season.
Devil: “How would you like it if I ensured you won every regular-season game en route to an ACC title?”
Norvell: “OK, but what’s the catch, an awful postseason game?”
Devil: “Oh, you’ll play Georgia in your bowl game — and everyone will be talking about it afterward.”
Norvell: “That actually sounds OK. But surely there’s a catch. Is the 2024 team going to be a mess?”
Devil: “Why, I’ll actually make sure you land a five-star QB and a bunch of Alabama players in the transfer portal.”
Norvell: “Wow, that’s great but, I’m still a bit dubious.”
Devil: “You’ll also have two legitimate All-America candidates on your 2024 team.”
Norvell: “Wait, it’s not going to be the kicker and punter, is it?”
Devil: “Look, are you going to sign the paperwork or not? I’ve got an 11:30 with Hugh Freeze, and if I’m late, he starts blaming his players.”
You mess with the bull …
BYU stayed undefeated thanks to a late rally by QB Jake Retzlaff, culminating in a 35-yard touchdown pass to secure the 38-35 win over Oklahoma State on Friday. The Cougars are 7-0, and after the game, Retzlaff called the win “spiritual,” adding “how can you not be romantic about this game?” Unfortunately for Retzlaff, it is against BYU’s code of conduct to be romantic about the game.
1:08
BYU fans go wild on late game-winning TD
BYU’s Darius Lassiter sends the crowd into a frenzy after hauling in a miraculous touchdown catch in the waning moments against Oklahoma State.
Alan Bowman came off the bench in relief of an injured Garret Rangel and helped ignite the Cowboys’ passing game, including a touchdown throw with just 1:13 to play that gave Oklahoma State the lead. But the Cowboys’ defense fell apart in the final minute, allowing BYU to march 75 yards on eight plays in just over a minute of action.
Oklahoma State is now 0-4 in Big 12 play, and Mike Gundy may be the only coach in the country who can rightly say being attacked by a cow wasn’t the worst thing that happened to him last week.
Week 8 vibe shifts
Each week, there are huge wins, massive upsets and astonishing plays that help define the college football season. But there are also plenty of smaller moments that subtly shift the landscape, and we try to track those moments here.
Trending down: Michigan‘s ranking
Despite two ugly losses and a complete lack of a coherent passing attack, Michigan remained in the AP poll this past week. That should change after Saturday’s 21-7 defeat at the hands of Illinois.
Michigan has now lost as many times in its past six games as it had in the prior three seasons, though Saturday’s mess was especially cruel. Illinois prevailed despite its starting quarterback, Luke Altmyer, completing just 9 of 18 throws for 80 yards, leading an incredulous Sherrone Moore to ask why that type of QB production never works for Michigan.
After Week 8, the two teams that played for last year’s national championship — Michigan and the Washington Huskies — are now 8-6 in 2024.
Trending down: Winless teams
And then there were two.
On Wednesday, UTEP scored win No. 1 by upending Florida International 30-21. That leaves just two FBS teams still in search of win No. 1.
Kennesaw State, which became an FBS member this year, is now 0-6 after a woeful 14-5 loss to MTSU on Tuesday. Thankfully, Atlanta-area fans are already so numb to October misery because of the Atlanta Braves that it doesn’t really matter.
Meanwhile, Kent State — next to Kennesaw State alphabetically and metaphorically — lost to Bowling Green 27-6. The Golden Flashes are now 0-7 and riding the nation’s longest losing streak at 16 straight games, which if you don’t count the Cleveland Browns, makes them Ohio’s most embarrassing football team.
Trending down: Men of Troy
Fun fact: Florida State isn’t the only 2023 conference champion that won double-digit games last season to open this one 1-6. Troy is also horrible, though unfortunately for Mike Norvell, far fewer people have noticed. After winning 25 games over the past two seasons, the Trojans dropped to 1-6 with a 25-9 loss to South Alabama on Tuesday.
But that wasn’t even close to the worst moment for the teams named after a people most famous for being catfished by a wooden horse.
USC blew a 21-7 second-half lead to Maryland, falling 29-28 in the latest of a series of brutal fourth-quarter defeats. The Trojans lined up for a potential game-sealing field goal with two minutes left, but Maryland’s Donnell Brown blocked it, and the Terps found the end zone with 53 seconds to play to win the game. It’s USC’s fourth loss this season, all coming after holding a lead in the final quarter.
USC is now 5-9 in its past 14 games, which proves that those Lincoln Riley voodoo dolls Barry Switzer has been selling outside Oklahoma Memorial Stadium really do work.
Trending up: Strategic use of the rulebook
This week, the NCAA moved to close the loophole in the rulebook that allowed Oregon‘s Dan Lanning to strategically put a 12th man on defense in order to take a small penalty but also run some time off the clock late in a win over Ohio State.
Lanning didn’t need to worry about running out the clock Friday in a 35-0 rout of woeful Purdue, but just to keep the NCAA on its toes, he did attempt to disguise a play by having Dillon Gabriel wear a fake mustache and sunglasses, gained an edge on rush defense by laying out those spikes police use in high-speed chases, and in the second half, used a golden retriever at wideout. The dog finished with six catches for 87 yards and a belly rub.
Trending up: Winning easy
Eight weeks into the season, not only are Army and Indiana undefeated, but neither team has trailed at any point this season.
On Saturday, the Black Knights cruised past East Carolina 45-28 behind Bryson Daily‘s six total touchdowns, while the Hoosiers drubbed Nebraska 56-7 in a game that feels like it had to be Scott Frost’s fault somehow.
Army has the nation’s longest winning streak at 11 games and hasn’t trailed in a game in almost a full calendar year — since Oct. 28, 2023, against UMass. For context, losing to UMass before going on an 11-game winning streak without ever falling behind is roughly the same as if Army had thwarted Mussolini in World War II only after losing a pivotal battle to the front-of-house staff at an Olive Garden.
Indiana’s rise is even more unexpected given that many people in Bloomington had been unaware the Hoosiers had a football team until a month ago, but Curt Cignetti has turned one of the country’s most moribund programs into a genuine Big Ten power, which raises the question: Can Cignetti also coach basketball?
Trending up: Mascot divorce
It was a rough day for the NC State Wolfpack‘s Mr. Wuf, who learned — like so many in the ACC have this season — that Oski is a smooth operator.
— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) October 20, 2024
As for the action on the field, however, it was another brutal defeat for the California Golden Bears, who missed a chip-shot field goal with 1:34 to play that would’ve won it. Cal has now lost four straight by a combined total of nine points. Also, Oski now has to drive Mrs. Wuf’s kids to soccer practice every Thursday, which is going to really interfere with his bowling league.
Dark days in Norman
How bad are things at Oklahoma right now? On Saturday, South Carolina led 21-0 before the Sooners had finished putting on their cleats.
Oklahoma’s first play was an interception, which South Carolina turned into a touchdown. The Sooners’ fourth play was a sack-fumble that South Carolina scooped for another touchdown. Oklahoma’s ninth play was another interception, this one returned for a score.
The lack of QB production is stunning, however, given the pedigree of Michael Hawkins, who was benched, and Jackson Arnold, who burned a redshirt to come on in relief.
After the game, Venables said the decision to use Arnold — who had been benched earlier this season after appearing in four games — was an easy one, given that it was Oklahoma’s best chance to win and reminded angry Sooners fans that this is actually all Lincoln Riley’s fault.
Irish roll again
Riley Leonard struggled through a rough first quarter Saturday against Georgia Tech, completing just 2 of 5 passes for 8 yards and an interception as the Yellow Jackets jumped out to a 7-0 lead.
After that, however, Leonard was nearly perfect.
Leonard completed his next 12 straight passes, and Notre Dame scored touchdowns on three straight drives, marching past Georgia Tech 31-13. For the game, Leonard threw for 203 yards, ran for 51 and scored two rushing touchdowns.
Notre Dame is now 6-1, well positioned for the playoff and, after early offensive struggles, has now put up more than 30 points in three straight games. This could either be a sign the Northern Illinois loss was a complete fluke or, perhaps more likely, getting to play three straight ACC teams solves a lot of problems for anyone’s offense.
Cyclones survive
Iowa State escaped a near-catastrophe Saturday, squeezing out a 38-35 win over UCF thanks to a Rocco Becht touchdown run with 30 seconds left in the game.
That the Cyclones even had a chance late came largely because of UCF’s own incompetence. Braeden Marshall intercepted Becht in the second half and appeared to cruise into the end zone for a pick-six, only he forgot to bring the football with him.
1:05
UCF player drops the ball before he reaches the end zone
Braeden Marshall drops the ball at the 1-yard line after picking off Iowa State’s Rocco Becht, forcing the pick-six touchdown to be called back.
In most years, this would qualify as the most embarrassing football performance by a team from Florida, but 2024 has been a rough one.
Regardless, the Cyclones survived despite trailing by 14 in the third quarter, allowing 354 yards on the ground and turning the ball over twice in the game. Iowa State is now 7-0 to start a season for the first time since 1938.
Heisman five
Travis Hunter left Colorado’s game with an injury for the second straight week, which knocks him out of our Heisman contenders for now but did allow him to focus on refining his punting skills so he can be used in all three phases of the game when he’s healthy again.
1. Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty
The Broncos were off in Week 8, which forced Jeanty to find other ways to embarrass Mountain West defenses and, long story short, Wyoming should’ve known better than to try to stamp out that flaming bag with its new boots.
Ward threw for four touchdowns in a rollicking win over Louisville on Saturday. More importantly, he helped the Canes secure the Schnellenberger Trophy, which is a bronzed pair of Howard Schnellenberger’s cowboy boots. It’s a fine trophy, but it would’ve been much cooler if the win meant Ward was forced to grow a distinguished-looking white mustache instead. That’s Schnellenberger’s real legacy.
3. Army QB Bryson Daily
Daily had six touchdowns in a win over East Carolina, including a 17-yarder that featured a video game spin move.
0:29
Touchdown! Bryson Daily scores vs. East Carolina
Touchdown! Bryson Daily scores vs. East Carolina
For the season, Daily now has six passing touchdowns and 14 rushing touchdowns, and he has successfully thwarted Hydra’s attempts at world domination.
4. Navy QB Blake Horvath
Horvath threw for 117 yards and three touchdowns in a dominant 51-17 win over Charlotte on Saturday. Horvath now has 10 passing touchdowns this season — or the same as Navy’s total all of last year. It’s also more than Iowa has had in a season since 2021.
5. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik
In a Week 1 drubbing by Georgia, Klubnik threw an interception, averaged just 4.9 yards per pass and fell for the old “What’s that on your shirt?” trick before Mykel Williams flicked him in the nose. Since then, though, the Clemson QB has been borderline unstoppable, completing 67% of his throws with 24 total touchdowns, 2 picks and a 90.8 Total QBR, second only to Ward among FBS passers.
Under-the-radar play of the week
It’s entirely possible that half the pages in Idaho‘s playbook are taken up by this one play.
Backyard football 🤙@VandalFootball is going deep into their bag of tricks #ExperienceElevated pic.twitter.com/OPgmgwtEXG
— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) October 19, 2024
The Vandals ran the triple-reverse flea-flicker for a 21-yard touchdown against Cal Poly on Saturday and went on to win 34-29.
It seems unfair that Idaho should have so many players capable of properly executing a forward pass when Michigan doesn’t have any.
Under-the-radar game of the week
The Dakota Marker belongs to North Dakota State after Cam Miller hit RaJa Nelson for a 20-yard touchdown with 1:49 to play Saturday to give the Bison a 13-9 win over South Dakota State.
0:20
Cam Miller finds RaJa Nelson for go-ahead North Dakota State TD
Cam Miller combines again with RaJa Nelson to give North Dakota State the lead late vs. South Dakota State.
The win marks the latest chapter in the ongoing rivalry between the two states, who’ve long battled for the moniker of “state least likely for the average ninth-grader to identify on a map.” It also snapped a five-game winning streak in the rivalry for South Dakota State, and it was the first time the Bison won the Dakota Marker on their home field since 2018. Miller threw for two touchdown passes — both to Nelson.
After a longer than expected wait, Shedeur Sanders is finally an NFL player after the Cleveland Browns traded up with the Seattle Seahawks to select him with the 144th pick in the fifth round in the 2025 NFL draft.
Sanders, whose father is Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, played two seasons each with Jackson State and Colorado before declaring for the draft. He threw for 14,327 yards and 134 touchdowns during that span. Deion famously played nine MLB seasons while being an eight-time NFL Pro Bowler. Shedeur will suit up for the Browns, topping a long list of father-son combos across professional and collegiate sports.
Here is a look at other successful father-son combos in sports history.
Multiple sports
Deion Sanders/Deion Sanders Jr./Shilo Sanders/Shedeur Sanders
Father’s accomplishments: Deion played 14 seasons in the NFL. He was drafted No. 5 overall in 1989 by the Atlanta Falcons after being named a two-time All-American at Florida State. Sanders was named a Pro Bowler eight times with 53 interceptions throughout his career and two Super Bowl wins. He also played nine seasons of professional baseball for the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. He famously played in a game for the Falcons against the Miami Dolphins, then immediately flew to Pittsburgh to dress for his baseball game with the Braves against the Pirates in the NLCS. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
How his sons followed: Deion Sanders Jr. was a two-star athlete in the 2012 class, signing with SMU as a wide receiver and kick returner. As a sophomore kick returner, Sanders was named a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection. Shilo was the No. 287-ranked prospect in the 2019 class and signed as a cornerback with South Carolina.
Shilo and Shedeur were coached by their father during their college football seasons with the Jackson State Tigers and Colorado Buffaloes. The Browns selected Shedeur with the No. 144 pick in Round 5 in the 2025 NFL draft.
MLB
Ken Griffey Sr./Ken Griffey Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Ken Griffey Sr. played 19 seasons in the major leagues, mostly with the Cincinnati Reds. He was part of the Big Red Machine that won World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. Griffey Sr. was a three-time All-Star and finished his career with a .296 batting average, 152 home runs and 859 RBIs. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1980 All-Star Game and has been inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame.
How his son followed: Ken Griffey Jr. also had a long career, playing 22 seasons in the big leagues, including 13 with the Seattle Mariners and nine with Cincinnati. Griffey Jr. was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. He is seventh all time with 630 career home runs, was a 13-time All-Star and won 10 Gold Gloves for his play in center field. He was the American League MVP in 1997 and led the AL in home runs four times during his career.
In 1990, Griffey Sr. and Griffey Jr., both playing for the Mariners, made history when they became the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs in a game.
Bobby Bonds/Barry Bonds
Father’s accomplishments: Bobby Bonds played the majority of his 14 seasons with the San Francisco Giants and became just the second player to hit 300 career home runs and steal 300 bases, joining Willie Mays. He set records for most times leading off a game with a home run in a season (11) and in a career (35) — both of which have since been broken. Bonds was a three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner.
How his son followed: Barry Bonds played 22 seasons, mostly with the Giants, and was a seven-time National League MVP. Bonds holds the records for most career home runs, with 762, and most home runs in a season, with 73. He was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time Silver Slugger Award winner and eight-time Gold Glove Award winner. Bonds tied his father for the most seasons with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, with five. He also holds the MLB records for walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688) in a career.
Sandy Alomar/Roberto Alomar/Sandy Alomar Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Sandy Alomar Sr. competed in 15 seasons and could play all infield and outfield positions. He was an All-Star in 1970 and played a full 162-game season that year and in 1971. Alomar Sr. was a talented bunter and aggressive on the base paths, totaling 227 stolen bases in his career, including 39 in 1971.
How his sons followed: Twelve-time All-Star Roberto Alomar was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. He won World Series championships with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993. He won more Gold Gloves (10) than any other second baseman and finished his 17-year career with a .300 batting average, 2,724 hits and 210 home runs. Sandy Alomar Jr. was the first rookie catcher to start an All-Star Game, and he won Rookie of the Year and a Gold Glove Award in 1990. Alomar Jr. was named an All-Star six times during his 20-year career and had a 30-game hitting streak in 1997.
Cecil Fielder/Prince Fielder
Father’s accomplishments: Cecil Fielder was a three-time All-Star and won a World Series title with the New York Yankees in 1996. In 1990, he was the first player since George Foster in 1977 to hit at least 50 home runs in a season. Fielder led the American League in home runs in 1990 and 1991 and in RBIs from 1990 to ’92. He hit 319 career home runs, recorded 1,008 RBIs and was a two-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award.
How his son followed: Fielder was the youngest player (23) to hit 50 home runs in a season. Prince Fielder was a six-time All-Star and won the Home Run Derby twice — once as an NL All-Star and once as an AL All-Star. He totaled 319 career home runs, the same number as his father, and drove in 1,028 runs. Fielder was a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner and the AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.
Cecil and Prince Fielder are the only father-son duo to each hit 50 home runs in a season.
Vladimir Guerrero/Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Guerrero spent 16 seasons playing in the MLB for the Montreal Expos, Anaheim Angels, Texas Rangers and the Baltimore Orioles. He was a nine-time All-Star, the 2004 American League MVP and an eight-time winner of the Silver Slugger award. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018 and finished his career with 2,590 hits.
How his son followed: Guerrero Jr. signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015 and made his major league debut in 2019. He hit 48 home runs in the 2021 season and became the second father-son duo to hit 40 home runs in a season, joining Prince and Cecil Fielder in accomplishing that feat. Guerrero has since been a four-time All-Star and a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner for the Blue Jays.
NBA
LeBron James/Bronny James/Bryce James
Father’s accomplishments: LeBron James is still going strong in his 22nd NBA season. He’s the league’s all-time scoring leader and eclipsed 40,000 points last season. LeBron has won four NBA championships and made an NBA-record 20 straight All-Star appearances.
How his sons followed: The Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, pairing him with his dad, LeBron, in the NBA. The two appeared in a game together in October 2024, becoming the first father-son duo to do so in NBA history. Bronny is expected to split time between the Lakers and their G-League affiliate. Bryce, LeBron’s youngest son, committed to Arizona in January as part of the Wildcats’ 2025 class.
Dell Curry/Stephen Curry/Seth Curry
Father’s accomplishments: Dell Curry retired as the Charlotte Hornets‘ career scoring leader (9,839 points) and ranked first in 3-pointers made (929). Curry was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1994 and averaged 11.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in his 16-year career.
How his sons followed: Stephen Curry has led the Golden State Warriors to four NBA championships and been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player twice. Curry is a 10-time All-Star and was the NBA scoring champion in 2016 and 2021. He holds the NBA record for most made 3-pointers in a regular season, with 402, and most consecutive regular-season games with a made 3-pointer, with 268. Seth Curry was a two-time NBA D-League All-Star and has spent time with several NBA teams. He averaged 12.8 points over 70 games in 2016-17 with the Dallas Mavericks.
Doc Rivers/Austin Rivers
Father’s accomplishments: As a player, Doc Rivers was known for his defense, but he averaged a double-double during the 1986-87 season, with 12.8 points and 10.0 assists per game. He was an NBA All-Star in 1988 and played with four teams during his 13-year career. Rivers was named Coach of the Year in 2000 with the Orlando Magic and led the Boston Celtics to an NBA title as their coach in 2008. He was the head coach of the LA Clippers from 2013-2020 and Philadelphia 76ers from 2020-2023. He was announced as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach in January 2024.
How his son followed: In 2015, Austin Rivers was traded to the Clippers and became the first NBA player to play for his father. Rivers has averaged 9.2 points per game in his seven-year career, including 15.1 PPG in 2017-18 with the Clippers. He then played for the Wizards, Rockets, Knicks, Nuggets and the Timberwolves.
Mychal Thompson/Klay Thompson
Father’s accomplishments: Mychal Thompson, the No. 1 pick in the 1978 NBA draft, won back-to-back NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1987 and ’88. Thompson was on the All-Rookie team in 1979 and went on to average 13.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his career. He averaged a double-double in 1981-82, with 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.
How his son followed: Klay Thompson won four NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors. Mychal and Klay Thompson became just the fourth father-son duo to each win an NBA title as a player and the first to each win back-to-back championships. Klay is a five-time All-Star, was named to the All-Rookie team in 2012 and won the 3-point contest in 2016. He holds the NBA playoff record for most 3-pointers made in a game, with 11.
Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant/Kobe Bryant
Father’s accomplishments: Joe “Jellybean” Bryant played eight seasons in the NBA before heading to Europe and playing seven seasons with teams in Italy. He scored 53 points in a game twice during the 1987-88 season with Pistoia. Bryant played into his 50s, suiting up for the American Basketball Association.
How his son followed: Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant is fourth in career scoring, with 33,643 points. He played 20 seasons for the Lakers and was named an All-Star 18 times. Bryant was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2008 and the Finals MVP in 2009 and ’10. He was the NBA scoring champion in 2006 and ’07 and was named to the All-NBA first team 11 times and the All-Defensive first team nine times. Kobe had both his No. 8 and his No. 24 retired by the Lakers.
NFL
Archie Manning/Peyton Manning/Eli Manning
Father’s accomplishments: Archie Manning was a quarterback in the NFL for 13 seasons, mostly with the New Orleans Saints. Despite never leading a team to a winning record, Manning made the Pro Bowl in 1978 and ’79. He threw for 125 touchdowns and rushed for 18 during his career. He has been inducted into the Saints’ Ring of Honor and the Saints’ Hall of Fame.
How his sons followed: Peyton Manning was the first pick in the 1998 NFL draft and holds the NFL records for career passing yards (71,940) and passing touchdowns (539). He is the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl for two franchises. A 14-time Pro Bowler, Manning was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player five times and a first-team All-Pro seven times.
Eli Manning was the first pick in the 2004 NFL draft and led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl titles, earning Super Bowl MVP honors both times. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, ranks sixth in passing yards in NFL history and started 210 consecutive games from 2004 to 2017, the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history.
Howie Long/Chris Long/Kyle Long
Father’s accomplishments: Eight-time Pro Bowl selection Howie Long played his entire 13-year career with the Raiders organization. The defensive end helped the Raiders win the Super Bowl in 1984, and he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985. Long finished his career with 84 sacks and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He also made 10 fumble recoveries and two interceptions during his time in the NFL.
How his sons followed: Chris Long was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NFL draft and won back-to-back Super Bowls — with the New England Patriots in 2017 and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. The defensive end recorded 70 sacks in his 11-year career.
Kyle Long, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, was a guard for the Chicago Bears. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2014 and made the All-Rookie team in 2013.
He returned from his 2019 retirement with a one-year stint with the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2021 season but did not play due to injuries.
Clay Matthews Jr./Clay Matthews III/Casey Matthews
Father’s accomplishments: Clay Matthews Jr. played 19 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Cleveland Browns. He appeared in 278 games, the most by a linebacker, and recorded 1,561 tackles, 69.5 sacks and 16 interceptions in his career. Matthews was a four-time Pro Bowler and was first-team All-Pro in 1984, recording 12 sacks that season.
How his sons followed: Clay Matthews III, a six-time Pro Bowler, helped the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl title after the 2010 season. The linebacker was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and totaled 91.5 sacks, 17 forced fumbles and six interceptions in his 11-year career.
Linebacker Casey Matthews played from 2011 to ’14 for the Philadelphia Eagles and recorded 2.5 sacks.
Christian McCaffrey/Ed McCaffrey
Father’s accomplishments: Ed McCaffrey’s 13-year NFL career included three Super Bowl wins and one Pro Bowl appearance. He earned 7,422 receiving yards and notched 55 receiving touchdowns, a majority of which came with the Denver Broncos. Ed McCaffrey played a key role in the Broncos winning back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998.
How his son followed: A highly touted recruit out of Stanford, Christian McCaffrey has lived up to the hype in the NFL. In his eighth season, the running back has rushed for 6,224 career yards and 52 touchdowns, including a league-leading 1,459 yards in 2023, when he earned Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr./Jeremiah Trotter
Father’s accomplishments: Drafted by the Eagles in the third round, Jeremiah Trotter suited up for the franchise in eight of his 11 NFL seasons, starting at middle linebacker for the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and member of the All-Pro team once. Trotter recorded 723 solo tackles and nine interceptions during his career.
How his son followed: The Eagles also selected Trotter Jr., this time in the fifth round. Hailing from the Clemson Tigers, Trotter had 25 combined tackles in his first season. He appeared in Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LIX victory, recording one tackle.
NHL
Bobby Hull/Brett Hull
Father’s accomplishments: Bobby Hull received the Hart Memorial Trophy twice as the NHL’s most valuable player and earned the Art Ross Trophy three times as the NHL’s leading points scorer. The left wing won the Stanley Cup in 1961 with the Chicago Blackhawks and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. Hull led the NHL in goals seven times and was the second-leading goal scorer in NHL history, with 610, when he retired. Hull won back-to-back All-Star Game MVP awards in 1970 and ’71.
How his son followed: Brett Hull scored 741 goals in his career, the fourth-highest total in NHL history. The right wing won Stanley Cups in 1999 with the Dallas Stars (including scoring the championship-winning goal) and in 2002 with the Detroit Red Wings. Hull scored at least 50 goals in five consecutive seasons, and his 86 goals in 1990-91 are the third most in a season in NHL history. He was named the NHL’s MVP that season and received the Hart Memorial Trophy. Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, joining his father to become the first father-son duo in the Hall.
Keith Tkachuk/Matthew Tkachuk/Brady Tkachuk
Father’s accomplishments: Keith was selected 19th overall in the 1990 NHL draft and played for 18 years with four different teams. He finished his career with 527 goals and 1,065 points. At the time that he scored his 500th goal, he was just the fourth American-born player to achieve that milestone and was the sixth American-born player with 1,000 points.
How his sons followed: Matthew was selected sixth in the 2016 NHL draft by the Calgary Flames but has since been traded to the Florida Panthers, where he helped lead the team to a 2024 Stanley Cup title.
Brady was taken with the fourth pick in the 2018 draft by the Ottawa Senators. He was named the team’s captain in 2021 and has scored 171 regular-season goals in his career.
Auto racing
Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Dale Earnhardt won 76 Winston Cup races, including the 1998 Daytona 500. Earnhardt claimed seven NASCAR Winston Cup championships, tying Richard Petty for the most all time. It was 22 years before Jimmie Johnson matched the accomplishment in 2016. Earnhardt died as a result of a collision on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 and was posthumously inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame inaugural class in 2010.
How his son followed: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won 26 Cup series races, including the Daytona 500 twice (2004, 2014). He had 260 top-10 finishes in Cup races in his career. Junior was a fan favorite, winning the Most Popular Driver award 15 times. He was the Busch Series champion in 1998 and ’99 before being named NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 2000. He is retired and a broadcaster now.
Next generation
Gilbert Arenas/Alijah Arenas
Alijah Arenas, a five-star, 6-foot-6 guard from Southern California, announced his commitment to USC in January 2025. He picked the Trojans over his father’s alma mater, the Arizona Wildcats, while also receiving offers from the Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals and Kentucky Wildcats. He reclassified in December from the class of 2026 to 2025.
Carmelo Anthony/Kiyan Anthony
A four-star shooting guard from New York, Kiyan Anthony announced his commitment to Syracuse in November 2024. Kiyan follows in the footsteps of his father, Carmelo, who averaged 22.5 points and 6.2 rebounds across a 19-season NBA career. Carmelo spent a season at Syracuse, leading the Orange to the 2003 national championship.
Dikembe Mutombo/Ryan Mutombo:
Ryan followed in his father’s footsteps and played for the Georgetown Hoyas as a 7-foot-2 center. He transferred to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets after three seasons with the Hoyas.
Penny Hardaway/Jayden Hardaway/Ashton Hardaway:
Both Jayden and Ashton played for their father with Memphis. Jayden is a guard who averaged 3.1 points per game in the 2023-24 season, while Ashton averaged 2.3.
Dajuan Wagner/D.J. Wagner:
D.J. spent the 2023-24 season with the Kentucky Wildcats, averaging 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. He transferred to the Arkansas Razorbacks after the season.
Dennis Rodman/DJ Rodman:
DJ was a 6-foot-6 forward for USC. He averaged 8.4 points per game and made 36.2% of his 3-point shots in the 2023-24 season for the Trojans. He went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft.
Shaquille O’Neal/Shaqir O’Neal:
Shaqir is a 6-foot-8 forward at Florida A&M. He averaged 1.8 points per game in the 2023-24 season for Texas Southern.
Peja Stojakovic/Andrej Stojakovic:
Andrej was a McDonald’s All-American out of high school before committing to the Stanford Cardinal. He averaged 7.8 points per game as a freshman for the Cardinal. He transferred to UC Berkeley after the 2023-24 season.
Jerry Rice/Brenden Rice:
Brenden transferred to the USC Trojans from the Colorado Buffaloes prior to the 2022 season and led the Trojans with 12 touchdown receptions in 2023. He had 791 yards receiving on the year and was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2024 NFL draft.
Marvin Harrison/Marvin Harrison Jr.:
Harrison Jr. won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best wide receiver and finished the 2023 season with 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was selected No. 4 by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2024 NFL draft as one of the best receiver prospects available.
Frank Gore Sr./Frank Gore Jr.:
Gore Jr. was No. 32 among all FBS running backs in rush yards in 2023 with 1,131. He had 10 rushing touchdowns and averaged 4.9 yards per rush. Gore Jr. went undrafted in 2024 but signed with the Buffalo Bills.
Emmitt Smith/E.J. Smith:
E.J. had a slow start to his collegiate career with just 587 rush yards and five touchdowns in four seasons with Stanford. He transferred to Texas A&M in 2024.
Honorable mentions
Ray Boone/Bob Boone/Bret Boone/Aaron Boone; Felipe Alou/Moises Alou; Tom Gordon/Dee Gordon/Nick Gordon; Rick Barry/Brent Barry/Jon Barry; Bill Walton/Luke Walton; Larry Nance/Larry Nance Jr.; Tim Hardaway/Tim Hardaway Jr.; Bruce Matthews/Jake Matthews/Kevin Matthews; Jackie Slater/Matthew Slater; Gordie Howe/Mark Howe; J.P. Parise/Zach Parise; Peter Stastny/Paul Stastny; Lee Petty/Richard Petty/Kyle Petty; Mario Andretti/Michael Andretti/Jeff Andretti/Marco Andretti; Ken Norton Sr./Ken Norton Jr.; Calvin Hill/Grant Hill; Peter Schmeichel/Kasper Schmeichel
Two years after the five-star quartet of quarterbacks in the ESPN 300 were wowing fans and garnering “next big thing” buzz for their abilities, reality has hit harder than the most ferocious blitzing linebackers.
As college football’s spring transfer portal closed Friday, Malachi Nelson, Jackson Arnold and Dante Moore are looking to ignite their careers at schools different from their initial ones. Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is the only one from that 2023 group who has stayed with his first choice.
All four quarterbacks were ranked in the top five of the ESPN 300 that year.
“It’s really just a sign of the times,” ESPN’s director of football recruiting Billy Tucker said. “That class wasn’t any less special because they transferred. It’s just that the culture now is about instant gratification. I don’t know that what happened with the 2023 quarterbacks isn’t the norm.”
Nelson was the top ranked prospect in 2023 and began his collegiate career with the USC Trojans.
As a freshman, he served as a backup to Caleb Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner. Nelson threw only three passes that season.
Nelson transferred to Boise State, where he lost out on the starting spot to Maddux Madsen, who led the team to a 12-2 record and an appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Again, Nelson barely saw playing time, going 12-of-17 for just 66 yards last season before reentering the portal.
In January, he reportedly turned down more lucrative offers to join Scotty Walden at UTEP, where the path to being a starter seems like a forgone conclusion.
Moore checked in at No. 2 in 2023 and began his career at UCLA, where he struggled to find a rhythm in limited playing time. In nine games with the Bruins, Moore threw 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions and got sacked 16 times. He transferred to Oregon in December 2023 — after a year sitting behind star quarterback Dillon Gabriel in 2024. Moore appears to be the heir apparent in Eugene though it isn’t guaranteed.
“For most high-profile prospects these days, and certainly quarterbacks, the path to the starting spot needs to be clear by spring of their freshman year,” Tucker said. “And if it’s not then there’s a really good chance they’ll leave.”
The opposite happened for Arnold at Oklahoma, but it still wasn’t enough.
The 6-foot-1, 211-pounder was ranked No. 3 in 2023 and won Gatorade National Player of the Year as a high school senior. By his sophomore season in Norman, he earned the starting position.
Arnold amassed 1,421 passing yards, 444 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns in a dismal 6-6 season that saw him get demoted and promoted. The tumultuous experience prompted Arnold to transfer to Auburn in December. His path to outright starter seems imminent.
Then there’s Manning, who checked in at No. 5 overall in 2023.
Being the grandson of New Orleans Saints legend Archie Manning and nephew of Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, Arch summed up his thought process about remaining at Texas in five words in a recent news conference, simply saying, “Sometimes it’s worth the wait.”
In two years in Austin, Manning has appeared in nine games, two of which he started.
Last season, he went 61-of-90 passing for 939 yards and nine touchdowns and rushed for 108 yards and four more scores.
Now, the stage is set for him to lead the Longhorns during the 2025 season.
“This used to be the norm,” Tucker said of Manning waiting his turn. “You wait the two years and you’re starting as a junior. Now, even if you’re getting paid, it’s not enough if you’re not starting. Any adversity and the guys are leaving. It’s just the current landscape in college football.”
Tucker, who also serves as director of the Under Armour All-America Game, said he would caution current and future stars about using the transfer portal entry as a knee-jerk reaction.
“Look at Georgia, a lot of their defensive guys are one-year starters and then they’re in the NFL first round,” Tucker said. “It’s not like you need three years of proven production to make it. That NIL money could get multiplied by at least five in my opinion. If you can stay the course and have one to two good years at a proven program, you’ll more than make up any money you could’ve lost in NIL. It’s more about the people guiding these players not being as informed as they need to be. It stinks, but until there are rules to govern the current landscape, we’ll continue to see this.”
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