BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Deion Sanders didn’t get a chance to fully enjoy the moment as his son, Shedeur, and his like-a-son, Travis Hunter, had their jerseys retired Saturday before the spring game. The Colorado coach had too many other obligations like checking out his new QBs and making sure the product was entertaining for a national television audience tuning in. He was appreciative of the moment, though, even if the honor has rankled some former Colorado players and fans. This kicked off a busy week for Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner, and Sanders, the Johnny Unitas Award winner as college football’s top QB. Both are expected to be high draft picks when the NFL draft starts on Thursday.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s Fred Richard and Paul Juda finished first and second in the all-around and the Wolverines edged them past five-time defending champion Stanford to win their first NCAA men’s gymnastics title since 2014. Juda, the individual champion on the parallel bars with a score of 14.200 and Michigan’s final competitor of the day, scored a 13.966 on the vault to clinch the program’s seventh national title. The Wolverines finished second, 5.635 points behind Stanford, at the 2024 championships. Oklahoma finished third with 327.891, ahead of Nebraska (326.222), Penn State (317.258) and Illinois (316.293). Penn State and Oklahoma each hold a record 12 national titles. Stanford’s Asher Hong took home individual titles in the floor exercise (14.600) and rings (14.433).
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Oklahoma’s redemption arc is complete. The Sooners have returned to the top at the NCAA women’s gymnastics championships, cruising to their seventh national title a year after a stunning flameout in the semifinals. Oklahoma’s team total of 198.0125 in the finals was four-tenths better than runner-up UCLA. The Bruins and three-time Olympic medalist Jordan Chiles capped a resurgent season with the program's best finish since winning it all in 2018. Missouri ended its best-ever season by coming in third, just ahead of Utah.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Deion Sanders offered hugs and handshakes as a way to soothe any hard feelings over the recent announcement that Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders skipped the line to have their jersey numbers retired this weekend. The Buffaloes ruffled some feathers of past players and alumni when they announced that Hunter’s No. 12 and Sanders’ No. 2 would be retired before the spring game. They’re the fifth and sixth players in Colorado’s 135-year history to receive that honor. Hunter is coming off a Heisman Trophy campaign. Sanders won the Johnny Unitas award as college football’s top QB. Both are expected to be high selections at the NFL draft.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Sam Leavitt was a key cog in Arizona State's run to the College Football Playoff and back into national prominence. His return to the desert has ratcheted up expectations for next season and he's been reaping the benefits of being the program's highest-profile player. Leavitt has cashed it with multiple NIL deals and he's giving back by donating royalties from his merchandise sales back to the program. Leavitt's popularity has led to some cool experiences, yet his primary focus has been on making himself and his teammates better through spring football.
UNDATED (AP) — The opening of the college football transfer portal has created a dash for cash. The delay in a judge approving the House v NCAA antitrust settlement has extended the window of there being no limits on the amount of money players can receive from their schools’ NIL collectives or from third-party endorsement deals. More than 400 players have entered the portal since it opened Wednesday. Athletes have until April 25 to enter, and they clearly have leverage until the settlement is approved. Sports attorney Mit Winter says schools have a free pass to pay athletes as much as they want.
UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel gave final approval to a rule designed to discourage football players from faking injuries to stop the game clock. If medical personnel go onto the field to evaluate a player with an apparent injury after the ball is spotted for the next play, that player’s team will be charged a timeout. If the team has no timeouts remaining, a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty will be assessed. Feigning injuries, sometimes at the coach’s instruction, had become a concern of the Football Rules Committee in recent years.
UNDATED (AP) — Denzel Aberdeen and Sam Alexis have entered the transfer portal, planning to leave Florida after helping the school win the men's basketball national championship. Aberdeen and Alexis announced their moves on Friday, joining Gators guard Kajus Kublickas in the portal. The 6-foot-5 Aberdeen appeared to be in line to start in the backcourt next season, but is looking to play elsewhere after former Princeton guard Xaivian Lee committed to transfer to Florida. The Gators are also losing All-American Walter Clayton Jr., along with guards Alijah Martin and Will Richard, to professional basketball.
