Author: Eternity Lab

College athletes are compensated, local judges are determining eligibility, the NCAA Tournament doors are widening. 

If we’ve learned anything about college sports in the last few years, nothing is sacred. 

Name, image and likeness went into effect in the early 2020s, allowing athletes to sign endorsement deals and use their platform to get paid or partner with third-party NIL collectives. Then, in June 2025, the House vs. NCAA settlementallowed schools to hand a portion (up to 22%) of its revenue to athletes. Additional changes have included the transfer portal opening after the NCAA championship, for a 15-day window. 

Now, ahead of the 2026-27 season, as college basketball continues to evolve, there are a slew of new alterations to keep track of which will certainly impact outcomes across the sport. 

Here are the most significant rule changes. 

NCAA Tournament Expansion

Steven Pearl and Auburn were one of the First Four Out teams in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. (Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)

College basketball decided to follow college football and expand its postseason. The last time the NCAA expanded its college basketball tournament was in 2011, when it went from 64 teams to 68, introducing the First Four play-in games in Dayton, Ohio. Now the NCAA is adding eight at-large bids, expanding to a 76-team field with a similar method to that change 15 years ago. The NCAA is adding a 12-game Opening Round featuring 24 teams in place of the First Four. 

From there, the format will remain the same: Round of 64, Round of 32, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four, and national championship game.

Looking at KenPom’s net ratings, these 2025-2026 teams likely would have qualified for a 76-team field on the men’s side:

• Auburn Tigers (22-16)
• Oklahoma Sooners (21-16)
• Cincinnati Bearcats (18-15)
• Indiana Hoosiers (18-14)
• New Mexico Lobos (26-11)
• San Diego State Aztecs (22-11)
• Baylor Bears (17-17)
• Seton Hall Pirates (21-12)

With the new 76-team field, high-major teams with near .500 records will sneak their way into the NCAA Tournament. A small handful of mid-major teams that didn’t win their conference could also be rewarded. Remember, this doesn’t simply reward more mediocre teams, as these programs will still have to face off against one another for the right to play higher seeds and have the chance at March Madness-style upsets, but it is weird to see teams with middling records have a chance to extend their seasons. 

Additionally, the NCAA will be able to televise more games. This could also result in more premier early-season nonconference matchups, as these programs could feel more comfortable, and have more leeway, to stumble against a quality opponent. 

Transfer Portal Amendments

Dusty May was hired as the Dallas Mavericks head coach after leading the Michigan Wolverines to the 2026 NCAA title. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Last January, the NCAA moved the transfer portal to open after the NCAA Tournament concluded, hoping to prevent Final Four teams from losing players while competing for a championship. That will remain the same in 2026-27. Another alteration to the transfer portal — that we’ve already seen come into play this offseason — is the impact on players after a coaching change. When a coaching change occurs, regardless of the timing, the NCAA will open a 15-day window for the players on the team losing its coach. That 15-day window, however, will only open five days after the new head coach, interim or official, is announced. If no official coach is announced within 30 days of the prior one departing, the 15-day portal window will open on that 31st day. This allows a grace period for the new coach to retain current players.

Here are some recent examples, and how programs were affected:

• Dusty May leaves Michigan: On June 22, the Dallas Mavericks hired former Dusty May. Michigan then promoted assistant Mike Boynton to interim head coach, and then promoted him to official head coach, agreeing to a two-year deal on July 10. A 15-day portal window on July 15th, five days after Boynton’s post became official. Michigan lost one player to that portal — L.J. Cason, who transferred to Miami.
• Dana Altman retired from Oregon: On Oct. 7, 2026, Dana Altman retired from his post as Oregon head coach. The Ducks promoted assistant Tony Stubblefield to interim head coach. A 15-day transfer portal is open, but no Oregon players have entered. With the season starting Monday, Nov. 1, most rosters are set, giving them few options if they wanted to leave.

Age-Based Eligibility Model

Roddy Gayle Jr. was granted a TRO and returned to Michigan for a fifth year. (Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images)

The NCAA instituted the “age-based eligibility model” in June 2026. The rule allows all college athletes five years of eligibility from when they enroll in school, or the age of 19. It eliminates the use of redshirts.

Importantly, the NCAA did not grandfather-in players whose eligibility clock expired after the 2025-26 season. The “age-based eligibility model” does not apply to them. 

Many of those players took issue with that. They partnered with lawyers and law firms, becoming plaintiffs in state-court lawsuits across the country to fight the NCAA for another year of eligibility. Local judges heard arguments from both sides, and granted most players a temporary injunction, rewarding them with another year of eligibility. Appeals from the NCAA followed. Some local judges obliged, staying the cases, while others allowed the initial decision to pass. Some players who were granted eligibility transferred to new schools, others returned to their previous ones. 

The NCAA, however, showed — and continues to show — no sign of implementing a new hard-fast rule applying to 2026 graduates. Some conferences stepped in, created their own boundaries. 

But with the start of the season looming, appeals from both sides continue to flood in. Therefore, players who are eligible could lose eligibility, and players who aren’t could gain eligibility.

Here’s a look at some examples:

• Roddy Gayle Jr. (eligible, returned to Michigan)
• Darrion Williams (eligible, transferred from NC State to Texas Tech)
• RJ Godfrey (ineligible, transferred Clemson to Arizona)

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The college football season keeps delivering, and Week 9 brings another slate, with massive conference and College Football Playoff implications. 

We start with a pivotal “Big Noon Kickoff” showdown between No. 25 Wisconsin and Iowa in Iowa City. The Badgers are coming off their biggest win of the Luke Fickell era after taking down USC in Week 8. Can Wisconsin keep that momentum going, or will the Hawkeyes bounce back from a disappointing loss to Minnesota?

In the Big 12, No. 22 Arizona heads to Lubbock to face No. 13 Texas Tech in a matchup with massive Big 12 and playoff implications. Can the Wildcats pull off a huge road win, or will the Red Raiders avoid two straight losses?

Meanwhile, Florida and Georgia square off in a top-25 showdown in Atlanta as the Dawgs look to move past their stunning loss to Auburn. Can Jon Sumrall and the Gators pull off another huge upset?

Then, under the bright Halloween lights, can Lincoln Riley save his job by leading USC to an upset of No. 2 Ohio State? And can Bill Belichick and North Carolina shock the world against No. 1 Miami, or will the Hurricanes avoid getting caught looking ahead to next week’s potential top-five showdown with Notre Dame?

Here are our expert picks for another loaded Week 9 college football slate.

2026 College Football Expert Picks Week 9

College football Saturday in Week 9 kicks off with some notable big games, including No. 25 Wisconsin at Iowa (noon ET, FOX), No. 22 Arizona at No. 13 Texas Tech (noon ET, ESPN) and No. 2 Ohio State vs. USC (7:30 p.m. ET).

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The Carolina Panthers fired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley on Friday following the team’s 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.

Evero is the first NFL coordinator to be fired this season.

Carolina (3-4) entered the week ranked 22nd in overall defense and last in the league against the run.

Green Bay’s Jordan Love was 30 of 41 passing for 288 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in the win over Carolina. It hasn’t helped that the Panthers have played the last few games without starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. Backup cornerback Akayleb Evans joined them on injured reserve earlier this week.

Defensive line coach Todd Wash has been named interim defensive coordinator and will call the defensive plays, according to the Panthers.

Wash joined Carolina’s staff in 2023 and has 31 years of coaching experience, including 20 in the NFL. He spent five seasons serving as the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who had the second-ranked defense in the league in 2017 under Wash and advanced to the AFC Championship game.

Outside linebackers coach/run game specialist AC Carter’s responsibilities will expand to include coaching the defensive line, the Panthers announced. Also, secondary coach Renaldo Hill will continue to oversee the defensive backs.

Coach Dave Canales is expected to address the moves later Friday.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Have $400 million hanging around? A defending, back-to-back Cy Young Award winner at the top of his game is available.

Los Angeles Dodgers ace and former Detroit Tigers superstar Tarik Skubal is the top player on the MLB free agent market, and figures to become the highest-paid pitcher in the sport. Any team that seeks to sign Skubal, though, realistically has to be able to afford to give out a historic contract and has a clear need for a pitcher of his ilk.

With that, here are the three best MLB free agent fits for Skubal should he depart Los Angeles:

New York Mets

The top payroll in Major League Baseball earned a last-place finish in its division. In summation: The New York Mets need a major boost, pronto, and Skubal would emphatically fill a years-long void.

Last season, the Mets’ starting rotation was 23rd in MLB in ERA (4.47), tied for 21st in WHIP (1.33) and tied for 14th in opponent batting average (.245). Nolan McLean (3.16 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 31 starts last season) looks like a budding star, while Christian Scott and Zac Thornton have shown promise, but the Mets don’t have a veteran and dominant rotation backbone.

The Mets thought they had that exact pitcher when they acquired Freddy Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers last offseason, but he struggled mightily (4.99 ERA in 22 starts) and was ultimately sent to the Tampa Bay Rays, with whom he got back on track (3.25 ERA in 10 regular-season starts). Moreover, Clay Holmes fractured his fibula in May and was later traded to the Chicago Cubs, as the Mets were out of playoff contention.

Skubal would become New York’s undisputed ace. He offers a potent left-hander who posts strikeouts at a high rate, can pitch deep into games and does so while consistently throwing four pitches (four-seamer, changeup, sinker and slider), with a curveball mixed in every here and there.

What stops the Mets from being the best fit for Skubal, though, is that his arrival would likely make New York a playoff contender, rather than a threat to winning the NL pennant. 

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays went from being one win away from a World Series triumph to last place in the American League East. Also, their offense went from fourth to last in runs.

What happened here?

Nevertheless, this is still a talented team that should be operating as if it’s going to get back into the playoff mix. On that note, the Skubal dude, right?

Toronto moved veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman at the trade deadline, while Shane Bieber, Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin and Jameson Taillon are free agents. Either way, another arm is needed. Skubal just so happens to be able to change the Blue Jays’ 2027 prospects.

Skubal would become the leader of a starting rotation that was 15th in ERA (4.22) and WHIP (1.29) last season. Ironically, those figures were mostly better than when the Blue Jays reached the 2025 World Series (4.34 ERA and a .251 opponent batting average in the regular season).

Skubal would join forces with Dylan Cease, who had arguably the best year of his MLB career in his first season with the Blue Jays (2.40 ERA, 239 strikeouts and 5.5 wins above replacement), midseason pickup José Soriano and emerging right-hander Trey Yesavage. Working under the expectation that a Blue Jays offense which features Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Kazuma Okamoto and Ernie Clement will bounce back, an enhanced rotation that features Skubal should get the Blue Jays off the mat.

All that said, while Skubal would get Toronto back in the AL East mix, if not the AL pennant mix, there’s a team that the southpaw would put over the top.

Chicago Cubs

Fix a problem with an axe, and it becomes part of your past. Fix a problem with a Band-Aid, and it becomes part of your future. The Cubs need to stop doing the latter (e.g., acquiring Mike Soroka at the 2025 MLB trade deadline and the combination of Holmes, Gausman, David Peterson, Edward Cabrera and Braxton Garrett this year) and do the former.

Sure, Skubal could be what any team needs to make a jump, but he’s exactly what the Cubs have needed, perhaps more than any consistent playoff team of late.

Chicago’s starting rotation surrendered the third-most home runs in MLB last season (142), while being 18th in ERA (4.27) and tied for 12th in opponent batting average (.244). Furthermore, their pitching staff as a whole had the third-highest opponent barrel percentage (8.7%), sixth-highest opponent hard-hit percentage (39.8%) and seventh-highest opponent average exit velocity (89.1 mph), per Statcast.

Shota Imanaga and Gausman are each free agents, while both Holmes and Gausman underwhelmed after coming over in trade deadline deals. The Cubs, who have made the playoffs in each of the last two years but haven’t reached the NL Championship Series since 2017, need an ace.

Skubal, who led the AL in ERA and wins above replacement in 2024 and 2025, would give the Cubs a definitive Game 1 postseason starter. Across 50 ⅔ career innings pitched in the postseason, the left-hander owns a 2.13 ERA, an 0.79 WHIP and has logged 70 strikeouts. In his 10 regular-season starts with the Dodgers this year, Skubal posted a 2.61 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP and 70 strikeouts over 62.0 innings (10 starts).

A rotation that includes Skubal, Matthew Boyd, one of the earlier-mentioned acquisitions, and maybe Imanaga on a short-term deal makes a respectable Chicago rotation a should-be formidable one. Plus, maybe Justin Steele, a 2023 All-Star who hasn’t pitched for the Cubs since April 2025 due to elbow discomfort, can return to action, and Chicago can use its surplus of pitchers to acquire an outfielder to potentially replace one of Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ or Michael Conforto, who are each set to be free agents? 

Skubal’s arrival would help the Cubs challenge the World Series-champion Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central and make them a championship contender.

That sounds worth the price of admission.

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Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark is leaving the conference after four years that included transformational change in the league and college sports.

The decision announced Friday comes about a year and a half after Yormark signed a three-year contract extension that was to run through 2030. Yormark will stay in the job until Jan. 31.

“When I accepted this job, my goal was to put this conference on an upward trajectory and truly believe that the future of the conference could not be in better shape,” said Yormark, the fifth commissioner in the league’s 32-year history. “The next commissioner of this league will inherit a conference that is ‘16 Strong.’ There has never been a better time to be a member of the Big 12 than right now.”

Yormark was CEO of Jay-Z’s Roc National entertainment company when he was hired to take over for Bob Bowlsby in 2022. He had previously served as CEO of the Brooklyn Nets.

During a time that included massive changes in the landscape of college sports around name, image and likeness deals for players, Yormark landed a six-year television contract extension with ESPN and FOX valued at $2.28 billion.

He also shepherded the move of Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah to the Big 12 following the disintegration of the Pac-12, famously saying the league was “open for business” during the conference’s first football media days after he was hired.

Yormark also oversaw the Bowlsby-negotiated move of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF into the Big 12.

Yormark’s background in business helped lead to several innovative moves involving sponsorships and other marketing initiatives.

“Speaking on behalf of all of the Big 12 presidents, we thank Brett for shepherding this great conference through an extraordinary period in college athletics,” University of Kansas Chancellor and Big 12 board chairman Douglas A. Girod said. “When Brett arrived, we were at a crossroads in the Big 12 and as a college sports enterprise. Brett’s vision, business acumen, and confidence put us on the path we find ourselves on today.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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We’re in NFL Week 8, and this week, I’m paying attention to a few squads that I’m still undecided about. 

Here’s how I’m wagering the weekend.

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The Cowboys still leave a lot to be desired, and they shouldn’t be a favorite over anyone in the NFL by seven points. 

Dallas just beat up on the Eagles, but that game was far closer than the final score. The Eagles were leading 21-20 in the third quarter before they just fell flat. Philly is missing all sorts of starters on both sides of the ball, and it took the Cowboys deep into the game to get a comfortable win. 

The Dallas defense is still one of the worst in the NFL and the Arizona offense is good enough to exploit that. The Cardinals have also shown the ability to make late comebacks and score to keep themselves within striking distance.

Schwartz’s Pick: Cardinals +7

I wrote last week that I expected the Kansas City offense to sputter a bit against the Seahawks and things played out as expected — clunky. 

The Chiefs couldn’t block. They didn’t run it well. No one was open, and Patrick Mahomes played sped up. All of that equaled three total points for K.C. on the night. 

While the Chiefs’ offensive line should have a tackle back, I still don’t like the matchup against the Denver defense. The Chiefs can’t stretch vertically at all, so better defenses are able to play tight coverage on receivers who can’t beat man coverage. 

The Broncos will look to stop running back Kenneth Walker, which they were unable to do in the first matchup between these two teams. The Denver pass rush has improved with the return of Jonathan Cooper back into the lineup, and I don’t believe the Chiefs are going to score on a consistent basis.

Now, on the other hand, the Denver offense is one-dimensional, going up against a good K.C. defense. It doesn’t run the ball that well unless it is Bo Nix scrambling. Denver doesn’t push the ball down the field with any regularity, and that’s why it struggles to score. The Broncos put up 17 against the Chargers in a win that featured lots of short fields later in the game due to Chargers turnovers. They also scored just 17 against Seattle two weeks ago. 

The Broncos did break loose against the Cardinals last week, but that final score number feels a bit inflated. Denver scored on a long Nix scramble and a screen that went for 50+ yards.

I like the Under in this game.

Schwartz’s Pick: Under 40.5

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The bun is back. Along with the smile and that silky jump shot. JuJu Watkins is returning to college basketball after missing last season while rehabbing an ACL tear.

The star guard who averaged 25.6 points in her first two seasons for Southern California is surrounded by a talent-laden supporting cast as the third-ranked Trojans bid for their first national championship since 1984.

“It’s on my mind every day,” Watkins said. “So much anticipation has gone into this year. I want it really badly, but also in a healthy way. I just want to have fun and really enjoy this year.”

Watkins has already envisioned seeing her first basket go in.

“I’ve had dreams about that every night. I might shed a tear, honestly, I can’t lie,” she said. “That’ll be a really amazing feeling for me.”

Watkins scored 18 points while playing 22 minutes in USC’s exhibition win over California recently.

JuJu Watkins and Jazzy Davidson (right) didn’t get a chance to play together last season, but this year will be different. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

She joins Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jazzy Davidson, who averaged 17.9 points last season, in the backcourt for the first time. The duo began developing their chemistry while Watkins was sidelined from the injury she sustained in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. She could be spotted encouraging Davidson on the sideline during games.

“She saw me being hard on myself and I think she saw a little bit of her in me,” Davidson said, “and so she kind of knew what it was like going through that. Being able to build the friendship that we were able to build, it’s a huge blessing.”

Davidson led the Trojans in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game last season, when they finished 18-14 overall, 9-9 in the Big Ten and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

USC’s stockpile of talent includes guard Saniyah Hall, who had 23 points, six rebounds and five steals in the Trojans’ exhibition, as well as forward Sara Okeke, one of three five-star recruits to join the roster.

“They have proven that they’re going to be really impactful players at a high level,” coach Lindsay Gottlieb said.

The expectations on Watson are huge, as always. She was named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year.

“I’m just trying to be myself and peak at the right time,” she said. “I’m definitely a smarter player coming back. I know more about the different reads and was able to study a lot and assert myself in different situations when I wasn’t playing.”

Last season, Watkins would set up chairs in the locker room for the team talk on the road. It was one of the small ways she found to be useful without being on the court.

“I was able to take on a leadership role for sure and I can’t say I really owned that role prior to that,” she said. “Being able to do that and also see the game from a different perspective and seeing how can I help my team really helped grow my IQ and leadership skills.”

The Trojans open the season on Monday in Las Vegas against UNLV in the Hall of Fame Series. Their early games include a visit to top-ranked South Carolina on Nov. 15, and facing No. 13 Notre Dame and No. 4 Duke in the Players Era Showcase in Las Vegas in mid-December.

“We’re going to get hit in the mouth,” associate head coach Beth Burns said. “The good thing is when you get hit in the mouth you either cower or you bite back, and we got a lot of people who want to bite.”

That includes Watkins.

“Everybody wants to know the secret, why is JuJu JuJu? The secret is there ain’t no secret, it’s work and focus,” Burns said. “Her choice is to be elite in every facet in her life.”

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Last year, Watkins’ favorite class was Pete Carroll’s “The Game is Life” offered through USC’s Marshall School of Business. The former Trojans football coach emphasized his mindset of always competing and it made an impression on her.

“Coming back, I haven’t lost my confidence, I haven’t lost my attention to detail,” Watkins said. “Everything is the same. It’s just I’ve been out for a minute.”

And now she’s back, with a will to win that’s as strong as ever.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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In the span of two hours, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson caught passes from Jordan Love, was examined in the hospital and then returned to play at Lambeau Field.

Excuse me?

Yes, that was the order of events for Watson, who suffered a chest injury with 9:11 remaining in the second quarter of the Packers’ Thursday night win over the Carolina Panthers and returned to the sideline following a hospital visit with 7:06 remaining in the third quarter.

Watson’s return to the sideline was met with thunderous applause from the Packer faithful.

“It was super dramatic. I felt like I was watching a WWE SmackDown vs. RAW event or something out there,” Watson said in his postgame press conference about coming out of the ambulance in the tunnel.

“Seeing the cameras on me when I was coming out of the ambulance, that was a little crazy. It was a surreal experience, no doubt, just to go through that and have the fans cheering for me. Being back out there was definitely exciting.”

Amazingly, Watson finished the 27-19 victory with a career-high eight receptions for 113 yards, which were both game highs.

The 113-yard outing was Watson’s fourth 100-plus-yard game of the season. Meanwhile, Love threw for 288 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, while posting a 106.6 passer rating and completing 73.2% of his passes (30 of 41). 

Watson, who signed a four-year, $110.5 million extension with the Packers in June, has traditionally been held back by a combination of hamstring, ankle and knee injuries, among other issues. He missed three games in 2022, eight games in 2023, three games in 2024 and seven games in 2025.

That said, the 6-foot-4 Watson has appeared in each of Green Bay’s eight games this season and is tearing it up; the fifth-year receiver has logged 42 receptions for 708 yards (16.9 yards per reception) and six touchdowns. Watson’s receiving yards and receiving touchdown totals each lead the Packers.

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Jordan Love should be considered an MVP candidate is among the things we learned from the Packers’ win over the Panthers.

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Jets rookie edge rusher David Bailey is doubtful to play against the Raiders on Sunday because of a groin injury, likely leaving New York’s defense — called out this week by Las Vegas running back Ashton Jeanty — without their sacks leader.

Coach Aaron Glenn said Bailey wouldn’t practice Friday, the third straight day he’ll sit out, and will likely be a game-time decision. He wasn’t on the field during the warmup period at the start of practice that reporters are allowed to watch.

Bailey has been a bright spot for the Jets, who’ll try to stop a two-game skid when they face the Raiders, who have dropped four in a row. The No. 2 overall pick in April joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher as the only players since 2000 to have at least 5 1/2 sacks and 35 tackles in their first seven NFL games.

It’s a big blow to a defense that will also be without two other starters, with defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat (knee) and edge rusher Joseph Ossai (ankle) also ruled out by Glenn.

The Jets might be without David Bailey’s pressure on Sunday against the Raiders. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The coach followed his players in shrugging off comments by Jeanty, who was critical Wednesday of New York’s defense by saying it has “a couple guys out there that don’t really want to tackle.”

“Well, we’ve got to play on Sunday,” Glenn said. “So, that’s the reaction.”

Jeanty, averaging just 3.1 yards per carry in his second season for Las Vegas’ 31st-ranked ground game, said he thought the Raiders could get their rushing offense in gear this weekend.

Linebacker Demario Davis said it’s purely “bulletin board material” and he’s focused on what happens on the field. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick echoed those comments, saying he gets no added motivation from it.

“Listen, this is the NFL and I get that everybody’s motivated by certain things,” Glenn said. “But I mean, your true motivation is each week you get a chance to play. I think that’s about it. But words are always said between the players and that’s just what it is. So our guys will be ready to play.”

With Bailey appearing to be out, preseason standout Nate Lynn will likely see more snaps in New York’s pass-rushing rotation, along with Kingsley Enagbare and Will McDonald.

“He’s going to have to play more and he’s going to play well, he will,” Glenn said of Lynn.

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Sweat, the Jets’ top run-stuffing force on the defensive line, was injured late in the second quarter last Sunday in New York’s 28-25 loss to Miami. The Jets rank 24th in the league against the run, giving up 127.7 yards per game.

“Losing any key player of that magnitude … it’s always a huge deal for us,” Glenn said. “But the thing is, we’ve got guys behind him that are going to to come in and do a good job for us.”

Rookie Darrell Jackson Jr., a fourth-round pick out of Florida State, is likely to see increased playing time in Sweat’s absence. Veteran Jack Heflin could also see more snaps.

Ossai has already missed two games with an ankle issue, and Glenn said he and Sweat will be evaluated on a weekly basis.

Running back Breece Hall (quadriceps) and left guard Dylan Parham (knee) will be listed as questionable for the game and were expected to be limited participants in practice Friday. Hall and Parham have both missed the last four games.

Braelon Allen, who has filled in nicely for Hall as the top option out of the backfield, is a full go after being limited Wednesday with an ankle ailment.

Backup offensive lineman Max Mitchell will miss a second game in a row while he remains in concussion protocol.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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No. 17 Florida will start quarterback Aaron Philo against third-ranked Georgia in the Southeastern Conference rivalry known as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” on Saturday, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Friday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because coach Jon Sumrall had not made his choice public.

Philo and backup Tramell Jones Jr. were listed as questionable on Wednesday and Thursday for the game in Atlanta. They split repetitions in practice all week, and Sumrall said the decision would come down to “health and availability.”

Philo sat out a victory at then-No. 7 Texas on Oct. 17 because of an injured throwing shoulder. He hurt his right shoulder while getting tackled late in a home loss to South Carolina the previous week. He made the trip to Austin, Texas, and served as the team’s emergency quarterback behind Jones and Aidan Warner.

Health questions made it unclear just who Jon Sumrall would have as QB1 against Georgia in “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party”. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Jones became the first Florida quarterback since Jesse Palmer in 1997 to win his first career start on the road against a top-10 team. Jones completed 22 of 35 passes for 155 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

He also ran 10 times for 41 yards, none bigger than a third-and-7 keeper in which he picked up a first down that allowed the Gators to kneel out the clock.

“I’ve said the whole time I think we can win with either guy,” Sumrall said.

Sumrall declined to provide specifics on Jones’ injury, only saying he has been dealing with “a couple of bumps and bruises” since beating the Longhorns.

Philo should have speedy receiver Vernell Brown III back for the first time in more than a month. Brown missed the last three games while recovering from a sprained right knee, which he hurt in a home win against then-No. 4 Mississippi on Sept. 26. He was listed as probable.

The Gators are expected to be without receiver Bailey Stockton and linebacker Jaden Robinson. Both were listed as doubtful.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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