Matt Baker

National college sports reporter at The Athletic. Indiana native. Northwestern grad. Florida resident. Tampa Bay Times alum. [email protected]

[Matt Baker @MattBakerCFB]

A periodic reminder: I am on the 🦋 site at MattBakerCFB.

[Chapel Fowler @chapelfowler]

The Luke Ferrelli saga has reached the U.S. Senate

[Matt Baker @MattBakerCFB]

@ralphDrussoATH 🫡

[Matt Baker @MattBakerCFB]

My colleagues and I spoke with a dozen or so people to try to answer a bunch of questions: Does the Senate bill *really* slow/stop conference realignment and Big Ten/SEC expansion? Can Congress do that? What if they form a new super league?
Gift link:
https://t.co/4rUola0Muz

[Matt Baker @MattBakerCFB]

As we digested all 111 pages of the Senate's Protect College Sports Act last week, one sentence jumped out.
Can Congress really slow/stop conference realignment, especially with the Big Ten/SEC?

[Matt Baker @MattBakerCFB]

I’m about to chisel the angriest missive you’ve ever read

[Chris Vannini @ChrisVannini]

If you're upset about the national championship being in late January, direct your anger at the ancient Babylonians for creating a seven-day week.

[Matt Baker @MattBakerCFB]

You and I might not agree with Scott's take here, but I do think he explains the case for 24 well

[Scott Dochterman @ScottDochterman]

This one is open.

I'm all-in on the 24-team CFP. Last year, 35 power-conference teams had 3 losses or less with 3 weeks to go. The excitement down the stretch would have been palpable.

My rationale is in @TheAthletic link. Check it out.
https://t.co/x2SLOP5tVc

[Matt Baker @MattBakerCFB]

@ZBlostein247 Congrats on the new gig!

[Justin Williams @Williams_Justin]

NEWS: The NCAA was initially tipped off to Brendan Sorsby's gambling by an online sportsbook, after the sportsbook had been informed by law enforcement, according to court docs filed Friday in Sorsby's lawsuit vs the NCAA.

More details coming soon via @TheAthletic.

[Chris Vannini @ChrisVannini]

✍️ New: The Big 12 will let viewers watch and listen to the live replay review conversation during football games this fall.

Comes one year after the ACC did it, drawing rave reviews.

"That’s good for the sport.”

More here (free story): https://t.co/3T6bOJ39Bc

[Matt Baker @MattBakerCFB]

RT @davidubben: The SEC's coaches have issues with the Big 12.

Plus, Sankey plays referee, killing sports, regrets over 9 SEC games and t…

[Chris Vannini @ChrisVannini]

✍️ Texas Tech fires back at Sark, challenging Texas to a Week 1 game.

“We were in the CFP last year. I forget who Texas had in the first round last year.”

More: https://t.co/pLsvTFTzXp

[Antonio Morales @AntonioCMorales]

When is the right time for football programs to start talking money with HS recruits? How do they strike the balance of not being ridiculously early but not being too late?

On the “million-dollar question” that’s being asked in CFB’s front office space
https://t.co/P4l8BPamGY

[Matt Baker @MattBakerCFB]

One thing I learned is that we’ve probably been devaluing the importance of a bye in a hypothetical 24-team CFP. It’s a bigger deal than I thought, according to coaches @SethWEmerson and I spoke with. https://t.co/Vg8LrTk72Q

[Matt Baker @MattBakerCFB]

As the FBS powerbrokers consider College Football Playoff expansion, it’s worth remembering that FCS, D2 and D3 have had bigger brackets for years. So what’s that like? What are the pros and cons? We asked a handful of coaches (free link): https://t.co/Vg8LrTk72Q

[Chris Vannini @ChrisVannini]

✍️ New: Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is interested in playing 10 conference games if the playoff expands to 24.

“It’s something I would like to do, on lots of different levels.”

Other leagues have also had discussion about it. Details: https://t.co/96QN5dB7OI

[Chris Vannini @ChrisVannini]

Pete Golding defends Ole Miss, wonders why LSU isn’t also being investigated for tampering.

"What are we doing?"

Story from @SethWEmerson: https://t.co/KrceW8LAES

[Justin Williams @Williams_Justin]

A new bipartisan bill out of the Senate addresses the biggest issues facing college sports.

The bill covers a lot of ground, and there's a long way to go before it becomes law. We did our best to distill all of that info.

Free to read via @TheAthletic.
https://t.co/E9IQNdVnqk

[Ralph D. Russo @ralphDrussoATH]

Sens. Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell have agreed to a college sports bill.
Senate is not in session so it will not be formally introduced until next week at the earliest. https://t.co/M4ZzsWEm20

[Stewart Mandel @slmandel]

The end of an era …

https://t.co/MwgwUenjUb

[Ralph D. Russo @ralphDrussoATH]

Shot: Georgia’s Kirby Smart says he’d support SEC breakaway to ‘play … by our own rules’

https://t.co/8zb5qLCmHv