Month: January 2025

2025 Tennessee baseball preview: Nate Snead

Tennessee baseball 2025 preview: Pitcher Nate Snead

Tennessee will open its 2025 baseball season on Feb. 14 versus Hofstra at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The Vols will host Hofstra for a three-game nonconference series.

Tennessee will also compete in the 25th annual Astros Foundation College Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arizona, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State and Rice will make up the field. The Astros Foundation College Classic will be contested Feb. 28-March 2.

The Vols will play Oklahoma State on Feb. 28, while facing Rice on March 1 and Arizona on March 2.

Nate Snead enters his second season at Tennessee in 2025.

The 6-foot-2, 212-pound right-handed junior pitcher appeared in 29 games, including one start, for the Vols in 2024. His only start was against Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament.

Snead (10-2) recorded six saves, 61 strikeouts and a 3.11 ERA in 75.1 innings pitched against 322 batters in 2024. He allowed 71 hits, 28 runs (26 earned), 26 walks, nine doubles, one triple, nine home runs, two wild pitches, one balk, three sacrifice flies and hit eight batters.

Snead also recorded four putouts, six assists, zero errors and a 1.000 fielding percentage defensively.

He transferred to Tennessee from Wichita State ahead of the 2024 season.

Tennessee enters the 2025 campaign after winning the College World Series, SEC Tournament and the SEC regular-season championship in 2024.

Snead appeared in five of Tennessee’s six games in the 2024 College World Series.

READ: 2025 SEC baseball week-by-week schedule

Nate Snead. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Troy Aikman reminisces about calling Super Bowl XLII

FOX Sports NFL analyst Troy Aikman believes Super Bowl XLII was one of the most exciting he’s ben involved with.

Super Bowl XLII between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots was supposed to be a one-sided affair with the Pats completing a perfect 19-0 season and the Giants playing bystanders to history.

But those old adages of “any given Sunday” and “that’s why they play the games” seemed to be lurking before kickoff. New England was a 12.5-point favorite on an 18-game winning streak but the Giants came into the game with a streak of their own — three straight playoff wins on the road and a full head of steam.

The game was broadcast on FOX with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman making the call. They appeared to be ready to preside over a coronation. What they witnessed instead was a revolution.

The Giants played a conservative game on offense, which paired with a ferocious defense, kept the score down on the explosive Pats, who had averaged 34.5 points per game in the regular season.

Aikman, in an interview with Giants radio play-by-play voice Bob Papa (who incidentally also called the game), says that the game has a special place for him in his broadcasting career.

The Giants won, 17-14, thanks to several unlikely plays such as David Tyree’s “helmet catch,” shocking the football universe.

Aikman has a right to be proud to have called the game. To this day, the game just might be the most exciting in Super Bowl history.

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LSU baseball 2025 schedule: Can Tigers return to College World Series?

LSU baseball complete 2025 schedule. When do the Tigers begin their 2025 campaign?

The college football season is winding down. LSU football wrapped up its 2024 campaign on New Year’s Eve with a win in the Texas Bowl. In the College Football Playoff, only four teams remain and in less than two weeks, the offseason will be here.

Some will turn their attention to college basketball, while others begin awaiting baseball season.

At LSU, baseball is a huge deal. The Tigers were national champions in 2023 but fell in the Chapel Hill Regional last year.

LSU reloaded with talent and another postseason run is the expectation. It always is in Baton Rouge.

LSU’s season will officially begin on Fri, Feb. 14 in Baton Rouge when the Tigers host Purdue-Fort Wayne. Here’s an entire breakdown of LSU’s complete 2025 schedule.

February

Date Opponent Location Time (CT)
Fri, Feb 14 Purdue Fort Wayne Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 2:00 pm
Sat, Feb 15 Purdue Fort Wayne Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 1:00 pm
Sun, Feb 16 Purdue Fort Wayne Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 1:00 pm
Tue, Feb 18 Southern Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 2:00 pm
Wed, Feb 19 Nicholls Thibodaux, La. (Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field) TBA
Fri, Feb 21 Omaha Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 4:00 pm
Sat, Feb 22 Omaha Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 2:00 pm
Sun, Feb 23 Omaha Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 1:00 pm
Wed, Feb 26 Dallas Baptist Arlington, Texas (Globe Life Field) 7:00 pm
Fri, Feb 28 Kansas State Frisco, Texas (Riders Field) 2:00 pm

 

March

Date Opponent Location Time (CT)
Sat, Mar 1 Nebraska Frisco, Texas (Riders Field) 4:00 pm
Sun, Mar 2 Sam Houston Frisco, Texas (Riders Field) 4:00 pm
Tue, Mar 4 North Dakota State Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm
Wed, Mar 5 North Dakota State Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm
Fri, Mar 7 North Alabama Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm
Sat, Mar 8 North Alabama Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:00 pm
Sun, Mar 9 North Alabama Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 1:00 pm
Tue, Mar 11 Xavier (Ohio) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm
Fri, Mar 14 Missouri Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Sat, Mar 15 Missouri Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Sun, Mar 16 Missouri Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Tue, Mar 18 New Orleans Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm
Fri, Mar 21 Texas Austin, Texas (UFCU Disch-Falk Field) TBA
Sat, Mar 22 Texas Austin, Texas (UFCU Disch-Falk Field) TBA
Sun, Mar 23 Texas Austin, Texas (UFCU Disch-Falk Field) TBA
Tue, Mar 25 UL-Lafayette Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm
Thu, Mar 27 Mississippi State Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Fri, Mar 28 Mississippi State Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Sat, Mar 29 Mississippi State Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA

 

April

Date Opponent Location Time (CT)
Tue, Apr 1 Louisiana Tech Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm
Thu, Apr 3 Oklahoma Norman, Okla. (L. Dale Mitchell Park) TBA
Fri, Apr 4 Oklahoma Norman, Okla. (L. Dale Mitchell Park) TBA
Sat, Apr 5 Oklahoma Norman, Okla. (L. Dale Mitchell Park) TBA
Tue, Apr 8 Nicholls Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm
Fri, Apr 11 Auburn Auburn, Ala. (Samford Stadium – Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park) 6:00 pm
Sat, Apr 12 Auburn Auburn, Ala. (Samford Stadium – Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park) 6:00 pm
Sun, Apr 13 Auburn Auburn, Ala. (Samford Stadium – Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park) 1:00 pm
Tue, Apr 15 McNeese Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm
Thu, Apr 17 Alabama Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Fri, Apr 18 Alabama Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Sat, Apr 19 Alabama Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Tue, Apr 22 Northwestern State Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm
Fri, Apr 25 Tennessee Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Sat, Apr 26 Tennessee Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Sun, Apr 27 Tennessee Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Tue, Apr 29 Southeastern Louisiana Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm

 

May

Date Opponent Location Time (CT)
Fri, May 2 Texas A&M Bryan-College Station, Texas (Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park) TBA
Sat, May 3 Texas A&M Bryan-College Station, Texas (Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park) TBA
Sun, May 4 Texas A&M Bryan-College Station, Texas (Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park) TBA
Tue, May 6 Grambling State Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) 6:30 pm
Fri, May 9 Arkansas Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Sat, May 10 Arkansas Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Sun, May 11 Arkansas Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field) TBA
Thu, May 15 South Carolina Columbia, S.C. (Founders Park) TBA
Fri, May 16 South Carolina Columbia, S.C. (Founders Park) TBA
Sat, May 17 South Carolina Columbia, S.C. (Founders Park) TBA
May 20 – May 25 SEC Tournament Hoover, Ala. (Hoover Metropolitan Stadium) TBA
May 30 – Jun 2 NCAA Regionals Campus Sites TBD TBA

 June

If LSU was to continue its advance into the postseason, the June slate would look like this.

Date Opponent Location Time (CT)
Jun 6 – Jun 9 NCAA Super Regionals Campus Sites TBD TBA
Jun 13 – Jun 23 College World Series Omaha, Neb. (Charles Schwab Field Omaha) TBA

 

The Vikings elevate a former starting quarterback to the active roster

The Vikings have made a change to their quarterback room ahead of Monday’s game against the Rams.

There is a shake-up in the Minnesota Vikings quarterback room ahead of Monday’s wild card game against the Los Angeles Rams.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Daniel Jones has been signed to the Vikings’ active roster. The Vikings waived QB Brett Rypien in a corresponding move to open up the roster spot. Jones will likely serve as the emergency third quarterback on the Vikings’ gameday roster behind Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens.

This is a move that has been expected for weeks. Jones was signed to the Vikings’ practice squad shortly after being released by the Giants on Nov. 22. There was speculation that signing Jones would help the Vikings get a compensatory pick in 2026.

Jones had to be signed to the active roster to be part of the compensatory pick formula. If he leaves via free agency this spring, he will count towards any potential compensatory pick the Vikings would get in 2026.

It was a low-risk move for both the Vikings and Jones. As a former top-10 pick, he helps strengthen the quarterback room. And because Darnold and Mullens have had success under Kevin O’Connell, there wouldn’t be pressure to thrust Jones into the starting lineup if he wasn’t ready.

For Jones, joining the Vikings allowed him to sit back and be coached by one of the league’s best coaches. He could have signed with a QB-needy team, played and failed, and hurt future opportunities around the league.

Instead, he followed what Darnold did in 2023. After a disastrous start to his career, Darnold signed with the 49ers, who have a strong offensive coaching staff. He sat on the bench behind Brock Purdy and learned how to be a professional quarterback. Whether he stays in Minnesota or elsewhere, Darnold’s career trajectory has changed going into 2025.

Jones has taken the first step in altering his quarterback journey. Meanwhile, the Vikings can help their future draft capital while also strengthening their QB room and future draft capital.

Roc Bellantoni set to re-join Auburn coaching staff

Hugh Freeze’s latest hire has previous experience with the program.

Auburn Football has called upon an old friend to fill the EDGE coach vacancy.

[autotag]Roc Bellantoni[/autotag], who served as EDGE coach and special teams coordinator under [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] during the 2022 season, is heading back to the Plains after a two-year stint with Tom Herman’s staff at Florida Atlantic. On3’s Justin Hokanson reported this news.

He joined Auburn’s staff in 2022 after serving as special teams coordinator at Utah State. He has also coached at Washington State, Buffalo, Villanova, and Eastern Illinois. Bellantoni spent the last two seasons as FAU’s defensive coordinator. Last season, FAU finished No. 10 in the American Athletic Conference in points allowed (30.3) and No. 9 in yards allowed per game (416.7).

During the 2022 season, Bellantoni coached [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] and [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag], who would become the defense’s top pass rushers. The duo ended the season in the top two in pressures created. Hall led the team with 47 pressures (28 quarterback hurries), and Wooden was next in line with 35 pressures (24 quarterback hurries). Both players were taken in the top four rounds of the 2023 NFL draft.

Similar success is possible for Bellantoni in his second stint as Auburn’s EDGE coach. [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] returns to the unit after making 81 stops with eight sacks and a forced fumble during his first two seasons on the Plains. Freshmen [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag] had great first seasons and will be key players on defense again this season.

The future at the position is bright as well. Five-star freshman [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] is set to join the program in the fall, and Auburn also added former Sam Houston EDGE rusher [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag] from the transfer portal to add depth.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Pat Surtain says Broncos are ‘looking to go on a deep run’

“I feel like we have more,” Pat Surtain said. “Our destiny means much more than one playoff game. We’re looking to go on a deep run.”

After reaching the NFL playoffs, the Denver Broncos have snapped an eight-year postseason drought, but oddsmakers don’t like the team’s chances of making it past the Wild Card round.

The Broncos are considered big underdogs against the Buffalo Bills this week with most pundits projecting Denver as one-and-done playoff entrants. Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain disagrees with that assessment.

“As a team as a whole, we all know we’re not finished yet,” Surtain said. “The job’s not done. We’re looking to go into Buffalo, go into the great atmosphere that Buffalo has and get a win at the end of the day. I think that’s what this team mindset is heading towards Buffalo.

“It’s great to reach the playoffs, but I feel like we have more. Our destiny means much more than one playoff game. We’re looking to go on a deep run.”

The Broncos did beat the Bills in Buffalo last season, which gives players confidence that they can do it again.

“I think in order for that to happen again, we have to be the most physical team,” Surtain said of potentially upsetting the Bills. “Going to away games, the odds are not in your favor with the atmosphere. Buffalo is a great team — we all know that. We know going into this run that road is going to be tough.

“I think as a team and as a whole, we need to understand that playing our brand of football wins us games. I think — granted the opportunity we have at stake — we shouldn’t be able to go into the game and think, ‘We need to do something different to be able win this game.’ If we just play our game individually and everybody do their 1/11th, I think we come out victorious.”

Sunday’s game will be nationally televised on CBS at 11:00 a.m. MT.

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United Autosports completes Rolex 24 driver roster

United Autosports USA has revealed its full roster of drivers that will compete in this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, as the team prepares for its second full season of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship racing. In the No.2 ORECA 07, reigning …

United Autosports USA has revealed its full roster of drivers that will compete in this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, as the team prepares for its second full season of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship racing.

In the No.2 ORECA 07, reigning IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar LMP2 Champion and Jim Trueman Award winner Nick Boulle will team up with the previously-announced Ben Hanley, as well as Garnet Patterson from Australia, and Oliver Jarvis, the reigning LMP2 winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the 2022 Daytona 24 Hours overall winner.

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“United Autosports’ history of success and commitment to excellence speaks for itself and aligns perfectly with our passion for motorsport and for business,” said Boulle, who joins United after a successful 2024 season at Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports. “The United Autosports car is one of the best looking on the grid and I can’t wait to hit the track at the Roar Before the 24 with this incredible team and drivers, working together to make something special happen.

“It will certainly be highly competitive in LMP2, but I think the group involved in this together give us a great shot to compete at the highest level.”

Patterson, a race winner in GT World Challenge Australia and an LMP2 podium scorer with United in the Asian Le Mans Series, returns to competitive motorsport after a one-year absence and will make his Rolex 24 debut this month.

“Racing at the Daytona 24 Hours with United Autosports is a true dream. I’m stoked to be making my IMSA debut driving alongside Nick and Ben for the first time, and to be teaming up with Olly again. It’s going to be a high-quality field, and I can’t wait to get out there!” said Patterson.

“It’s great to be racing at Daytona with the United Autosports team – we took victory together at Le Mans last June, and now we’re working hard towards another big result at this iconic 24-hour race,” added Jarvis. “I’ve been fortunate enough to celebrate on the Daytona podium three times and take the win in 2022 … I can’t wait to get out there with Nick, Garnet and Ben, knowing we have the best team behind us.”

In the sister No.22 ORECA, the previously-confirmed duo of Daniel Goldburg and Paul di Resta will be accompanied by Sweden’s Rasmus Lindh, and James Allen, the Australian who famously won LMP2 at Daytona two years ago in a memorable photo finish.

“I am really excited for this opportunity to race with United Autosports,” remarked Lindh, who has four IMSA LMP3 podiums, and ran three races with DragonSpeed in 2024. “With such a great team and co-drivers around me, this is going to be great!”

“I’m incredibly excited to be driving for United Autosports in the 2025 Rolex 24 at Daytona,” said Allen, a two-time LMP2 Pro-Am class winner at Le Mans. “I always love racing in the US, especially at Daytona and United are a team who have consistently proved themselves at the front of the grid, I’m really looking forward to being a part of it.”

Last year at Daytona, United Autosports’ No.22 car won pole position and led LMP2 into the night, but only came away with a sixth place finish as the No.22 car retired from the race. Hanley and Ben Keating later won the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America in the No.2, while the No.22 of Goldburg and Di Resta added a podium in the 12 Hours of Sebring, in third place.

United Autosports CEO Richard Dean remarked: “The Rolex 24 at Daytona is an incredible event and we are going there with one goal in mind – to win. We have two exceptionally strong driver line-ups in the No.2 and No.22 which, backed by the hard work of the United Autosports USA team, I have no doubt will deliver results to be very proud of.”

The Texas A&M men’s basketball team is ‘a very mature group’ per head coach Buzz Williams

“We have a group that has really good character, that’s important. When we’re together, our ideas have to be based on the truth,” Buzz said.

The Texas A&M men’s basketball team made a statement on Saturday night at Reed Arena, outscoring Texas by 20 points in the second half en route to an 80-60 victory in the conference opener.

Following the big win, Aggies coach Buzz Williams made his weekly appearance on “The Aggie Basketball Hour”

“The margins are just so thin. You always have to figure out a way to get better. We’re thankful for Saturday. There’s very little margin over the next nine weeks,” Williams said Monday. “We have a very mature group. We have a group that has really good character, and that’s important. When we’re together, our ideas have to be based on the truth.”

Next up for No. 9 Texas A&M (12-2, 1-0 SEC) is a road contest against the SEC’s other new addition, No. 16 Oklahoma (13-1, 0-1). Texas A&M faces off against the Sooners tonight at 8 p.m. from the Lloyd Noble Center on the SEC Network.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

Alabama starting offensive guard announces return for 2025 season

Yet another Alabama offensive lineman will return in 2025.

On Tuesday night, starting Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts made an official announcement on social media that he would return to Tuscaloosa for the 2025 season.

With the decision of Roberts to return, Alabama now has three starters along the offensive line that will be back next season, joined by left tackle Kadyn Proctor and center Parker Brailsford.

The other two, left guard Tyler Booker and right tackle Elijah Pritchett, have since announced that they will not return in 2025. Booker declared for the 2025 NFL draft, while Pritchett recently entered the transfer portal.

As for Roberts, the former four-star prospect out of the 2021 class is coming off a 2024 season in which he started 11 games at right guard for Alabama. Roberts also started eight games for the Crimson Tide in 2023, and enters his redshirt senior season in 2025 as the favorite to start at right guard once again, as well as be one of the SEC’s top players at the position.