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  • Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior WriterAug 3, 2023, 06:52 PM ET

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    • ACC reporter.
    • Joined ESPN.com in 2010.
    • Graduate of the University of Florida.

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham took exception Thursday to the way Florida State has publicized its willingness to leave the ACC.

In an interview with 99.9 The Fan in Raleigh, N.C., Cunningham responded to comments Florida State president Richard McCullough made during a board of trustees meeting Wednesday. McCullough told the board that the Seminoles would “very seriously” consider leaving the ACC unless there is a radical change to the conference’s revenue distribution model.

“I don’t think it’s good for our league for them to be out there barking like that,” Cunningham said on “The Adam Gold Show.” “I’d rather see them be a good member of the league, support the league and if they have to make a decision, then so be it. Pay for the exit fee, wait for your grant of rights that you’ve given and then in 2036, when those rights return to you, do whatever you want.”

The ACC has a television contract with ESPN that runs through 2036.

Any school that wants to leave the conference would have to pay a $120 million exit fee, in addition to figuring out a way out of the grant of rights — which runs through 2036 and gives the ACC control over each school’s media rights.

Cunningham underscored this point: Every school in the league willingly entered into the grant of rights agreement when it signed the deal in 2016.

Earlier in the week, Florida State Board of Trustees chair Peter Collins told Warchant.com that the grant of rights “will not be the document that keeps us from taking action.” Cunningham countered that in his interview on 99.9 The Fan.

“When you have a general counsel and the university president and the board of trustees says I’m a member of this conference and you sign a document that says I’m granting my rights to you and you have my authority to go negotiate my rights to a network and the league does that on your behalf, I’m not sure how you can just say, ‘Just kidding. I didn’t like the deal that was struck and now I want to get out of it,'” he said. “Any contract, it obligates you to what you agreed to on the front end. So I’m scratching my head, wondering what are you talking about.”

As for solving the ongoing question about generating revenue and distributing it differently to try and close a growing gap with the SEC and Big Ten, Cunningham added: “Everyone would like to have more money and everyone would like to win more. I don’t think you have to have the most money to win the most games, and I think we’ve demonstrated that over the years.”

North Carolina, like nearly every school in the ACC, has had its legal counsel look over the grant of rights document and had discussions about what to do should another wave of conference realignment happen. To that end, Cunningham was not optimistic that the ACC would last in its current form.

“A lot of schools, a lot of individuals are going to have to make decisions about what their future looks like,” he said. “I don’t see this configuration lasting in perpetuity.”

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A&M’s Howell sacks Utah St. QB 3 times in a row

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September 6, 2025

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A&M's Howell sacks Utah St. QB 3 times in a row

  • Associated Press

Sep 6, 2025, 02:48 PM ET

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M‘s Cashius Howell sacked Utah State quarterback Bryson Barnes on three consecutive plays in the second quarter Saturday.

Utah State had the ball on its 25 early in the second quarter when the defensive end muscled past left tackle Jake Eichorn and dropped Barnes for a loss of 6 yards for 19th-ranked Texas A&M. On the next play, Howell got past Eichorn again to take Barnes down for a loss of 7 yards.

Bullying past Eichorn one more time, Howell sacked Barnes for a loss of 8 yards to bring up fourth-and-31 and single-handedly force a punt.

Howell, a fifth-year senior, entered the game with 15½ career sacks and had just four last season. His career best came in 2023 when he had 9½ for Bowling Green.

It’s the first time a player has had sacks on three straight plays since Jack Cichy did it for Wisconsin against USC in the 2015 Holiday Bowl, according to research by the Texas A&M communications staff.

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FSU players honor Pritchard with dad on hand

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September 6, 2025

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FSU players honor Pritchard with dad on hand

  • Andrea AdelsonSep 6, 2025, 01:51 PM ET

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    • ACC reporter.
    • Joined ESPN.com in 2010.
    • Graduate of the University of Florida.

The father of Florida State linebacker Ethan Pritchard was on the sideline Saturday for the Seminoles’ game against East Texas A&M.

Earl Pritchard and another family member were on the sideline wearing his son’s No. 35 jersey. Ethan Pritchard remains hospitalized in Tallahassee after surviving a gunshot wound to the head last weekend.

Florida State safety Earl Little Jr. brought out a No. 35 jersey to midfield for the coin toss, and Florida State players wore No. 35 wristbands to honor their teammate.

Defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. wore a T-shirt with Pritchard’s face on it during pregame warmups.

According to Earl Pritchard, Ethan Pritchard was driving his aunt home when he was shot in the back of the head in Havana, Florida, 16 miles from Tallahassee, on Sunday night.

The Seminoles routed East Texas A&M 77-3 on Saturday, after which coach Mike Norvell presented Earl Pritchard with the game ball, and asked him to break the rock – a tradition generally given to the player of the game after each Seminoles victory.

Norvell grew emotional as he discussed Pritchard during his postgame media availability.

“The way that he plays the game … he loves it, he absolutely loves it. To know that right now that’s taken away from him in a senseless act, you don’t always know why you have to go through things in life but I do believe God has his hand over Ethan and this football team,” Norvell said.

“To have Earl here today – He’s a wonderful man, and being with him I know it’s so very hard. I know it’s hard for anybody to have to go through, but he told me early in this week, ‘I know where my boy wants to be so I’m going to go stand in his place for him.'”

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Sources: Clemson without WR Williams vs. Troy

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6 hours ago

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September 6, 2025

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Sources: Clemson without WR Williams vs. Troy

  • ESPN News Services

Sep 6, 2025, 08:55 AM ET

Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams is not expected to play against Troy on Saturday as he recovers from a hamstring injury, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Williams has been considered day-to-day since leaving the season-opening loss to LSU in the first quarter with the injury.

A second-team Associated Press preseason All-American, Williams caught 75 passes for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and is considered quarterback Cade Klubnik‘s best option in the passing game.

Coach Dabo Swinney said this week that he doesn’t believe Williams’ injury is severe but noted there is “always a concern” that a hamstring injury could linger.

“Any time you have any type of soft tissue-type injuries and things like that, especially [with a] skilled player, you’re always concerned,” Swinney said. “Antonio will do what he needs to do to get himself back.”

Swinney said Tyler Brown would start if Williams was out. Brown, who missed most of last season with an injury, had four catches for 43 yards against LSU.

“I know Tyler played well,” Swinney said. “Should have had two touchdowns, and one was a walk-in. But he made some plays for us and good to see him play with a little confidence.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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