Why a chaotic college football season could benefit the Sooners

Chaos could be the way the Sooners find their way into the College Football Playoff.

The 2024 college football season is underway. Week Zero featured just four FBS games on Saturday before most teams get started in Week One, which will begin on Thursday night and run through Monday evening.

Game No. 1 of the college football season gave us our first upset, as No. 10 Florida State was defeated by unranked [autotag]ACC[/autotag] foe Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland. The Seminoles fell by a final score of 24-21, as the Yellow Jackets made a field goal as time expired. If the first day of games is any indication, we could be in for a chaotic season in 2024.

It’s now game week for the Oklahoma Sooners, as they’ll host Temple in their first game of the season. The Owls will come to town on Friday night for a 6 p.m. kickoff. Normally, programs like Oklahoma would like to avoid chaos, as they’ve typically been favored in most games in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag]. As one of college football’s premiere blue-blood programs, regularly among the best in the country, the word upset is not something the Sooners like to hear.

But the game has changed. OU is now a member of the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] and is no longer the biggest fish in a relatively small pond. Instead, the Sooners are a big fish in an ocean filled with plenty of other big fish.

In addition, the postseason in college football has changed. The [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] has expanded from four to 12 teams, with the four highest-rated conference champions earning first-rounds byes.

Chaos might help the Sooners for the first time, as there will be plenty of teams hovering around the 10-15 rankings, hoping they won’t be left on the doorstep of the [autotag]CFP[/autotag]. Oklahoma could be one of them. A 2007-style year where unpredictability reigns supreme in college football would be something that could benefit OU.

The Sooners are facing a brutal schedule in Year 1 in the SEC. Home games against Tennessee and Alabama are mixed in with road contests against Ole Miss, Missouri, and LSU. Not to mention the annual neutral-site [autotag]Red River Rivalry[/autotag] matchup against Texas. The other conference games aren’t gimmes either, as contests at Auburn and at home against South Carolina will test the Sooners at all levels. It’s also imperative that Oklahoma goes undefeated in nonconference action, as well with home games against Temple, Houston, Tulane, and Maine.

Needless to say, going 12-0 or 11-1, the normal expectations in Norman, will be a difficult mountain to climb. Oklahoma isn’t favored to win the conference, or even to play in the conference title game. The SEC tests your program every week, a change from the Big 12. Instead, if the Sooners are at their best in 2024, they will likely be hovering in the hunt for a playoff berth.

That’s where the chaos comes in. If the Florida State loss is just the beginning of something bigger, Oklahoma could slip in and steal a playoff spot, provided that they take care of business on their end. The Sooners will need higher-ranked teams to lose two or even three games in the 12-team playoff format. This is because that’s likely where Oklahoma will be as well. That’s where “SEC-bias” could also help OU, as playing in the sport’s strongest conference and going, let’s say 9-3, with their difficult schedule could push them in over other 9-3 or even 10-2 teams.

College football’s unpredictable nature is one of the best things about the sport. Typically, it’s been something Sooner fans have hoped to avoid, as simply winning all of their games has been enough to get OU where they need to be. However, with the move to the SEC, there will be setbacks and rough outings. Chaos across the sport this season is something Sooner Nation should root for and embrace in 2024.

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Roddy Jones: ACC’s playoff hopes depend on how they play Notre Dame

Time for the Irish to spoil the ACC’s plans.

As we begin the superconference era, Notre Dame remains an independent. The tradeoff for that is devoting a large portion of its schedule to the ACC, and fans of teams in that conference really might have to root against the Irish this year in order to have a chance at the College Football Playoff.

In an appearance on the “GoJo and Golic” podcast hosted by former Irish [autotag]Mike Golic[/autotag] and [autotag]Mike Golic Jr.[/autotag], ESPN analyst Roddy Jones gave his insights on what the ACC would have to do to get the most teams possible into the playoff. He said that depends on how well the conference takes care of the Irish:

Looking at the Irish’s schedule, Florida State and possibly Louisville really are the only ACC opponents who could give them problems. With little room for error themselves, they’ll have no concern for the ACC’s playoff aspirations. They’ll be giving it their all every week, as they should.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Duke outfielder Devin Obee set to enter transfer portal

Duke baseball will need to replace a major two-way player after outfielder Devin Obee opted for the transfer portal.

Chris Pollard and his staff will have a new hole to fill on their roster in the coming months.

Senior outfielder Devin Obee opted for the transfer portal and will leave the Duke baseball team after graduating this summer, according to a Tuesday report from D1Baseball’s Kendall Rogers.

His name officially began appearing in the transfer portal database that same day.

The loss is significant for Duke from an on- and off-field perspective, as Obee was a leader amongst the team. As a junior, he was a terrific defender with great instincts and provided some significant power with 16 home runs last year alone. He also batted .309 with 11 doubles and two triples, one of two Blue Devils to reach all four of those numbers in 2024.

Duke has seen many departures from the program this past summer due to graduation, the MLB draft, and other transfers out of the program.

Chase Krewson, a terrific freshman expected to have a significant role in the future, opted to transfer to UCF. At the same time, Ben Miller shocked everyone by announcing his return to the Duke program for one more season. Pitchers Jonathan Santucci, Charlie Beilenson, and others were drafted to the professional ranks this summer.

With Obee on the way out, Duke will need contributions from players who played minor roles or weren’t even on the team last year to supplement guys like Miller, AJ Gracia, Kyle Johnson, and Ben Miller as they attempt to defend their ACC Tournament title and break through to Omaha for the first time in 2025.

Jon Rothstein projects Notre Dame to finish 12th in ACC in 2024-25

Is this a fair ranking?

College basketball is a few months away, but that doesn’t mean predictions can’t be made now. Jon Rothstein has taken this to heart and written an early preview for how he things the new-look ACC will shape up during the 2024-25 season. With 18 teams to rank, Rothstein has the Irish finishing 12th, or the tail end of the conference’s middle tier.

Rothstein also highlights a couple of Irish players to watch. He lists [autotag]Matt Allocco[/autotag], who came over from Princeton, as one of 15 under-the-radar transfers. He also has picked [autotag]Tae Davis[/autotag] as one of 10 breakout players with the stipulation that players who previously have averaged double figures in scoring are not eligible to be considered breakout players.

Both Allocco and Davis are projected to be starters on the Irish alongside returnees [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag], [autotag]Braeden Shrewsberry[/autotag] and [autotag]Kebba Njie[/autotag]. You won’t get much of an argument with that starting lineup right now. We’ll see how much, if at all, that changes once we’re through training camp.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

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ACC wraps up 2024 Paris Olympics with 98 medals

The newest additions to the ACC brought a lot of medals!

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – As the Olympic Games Paris 2024 ended, the Atlantic Coast Conference finished with 98 total medals on the international stage.

The ACC finished the 2024 Olympic Games as the conference with the most medalists and the highest number of gold medals. The league’s 98 total medals included all competition and not just NCAA-sponsored sports.

A total of 13 different schools throughout the ACC won at least one medal in the Paris 2024 Olympics. ACC newcomer Stanford led the way with a school-record 39 medals, which led all NCAA schools. Fellow ACC newcomer California brought 18 medals home to rank second in the league’s standings. Virginia also finished with 14 total medals throughout the 2024 Olympics to finish third.

With 10 representatives from the ACC on the roster, the United States Women’s Soccer team won the gold medal with a thrilling 1-0 victory over Brazil on Saturday, August 10. Five different schools – Florida State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Stanford and Virginia – each had at least one gold medalist on the USWNT.

Former Duke student-athlete Jayson Tatum helped the United States Men’s Basketball team to its fifth consecutive gold medal. In the past two months, the former Blue Devil has now won the NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics and an Olympic gold medal with Team USA.

Sunday, August 11, was another stellar day for ACC student-athletes. The day began with seven student-athletes combined from Cal and Stanford helped the United States Men’s Water Polo team claim the bronze medal with a shootout victory over Hungary. The bronze medal was the United States’ first in men’s water polo since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Stanford picked up another medal when Alanna Smith won the bronze medal in women’s basketball while representing Australia.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games concluded with the United States Women’s Basketball team earning its eighth straight gold medal with a thrilling victory over the host country, France. Team USA had four ACC representatives with North Dame’s Jewell Loyd and Jackie Young and Duke’s Jackie Young as players alongside Blue Devils’ head coach Kara Lawson, who served as an assistant coach.

The ACC launched a microsite dedicated entirely to the 2024 Olympic Games and covering the participants with ties to the league. With links to stories, school-specific coverage, medal tracking, social media and more, the ACC will provide comprehensive coverage throughout the Olympic games. The site also includes an ACC Olympic spot which can be found HERE.

 

A full list of Olympians with ties to the ACC can be found HERE.

 

Here is the breakdown of the medals won by those affiliated with the league members of the ACC throughout the 2024 Olympic Games:

Gold Medals (37)

Korbin Albert, USA – Notre Dame (Women’s Soccer)

Jack Alexy, USA – Cal (Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay)

Valarie Allman, USA – Stanford (Women’s Discus Throw)

Katharine Berkoff, USA – NC State (Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay)

Tierna Davidson, USA – Stanford (Women’s Soccer)

Pien Dicke, Netherlands – Virginia (Women’s Field Hockey)

Kate Douglass, USA – Virginia (Women’s 200m Breaststroke)

Kate Douglass, USA – Virginia (Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay)

Crystal Dunn, USA – North Carolina (Women’s Soccer)

Emily Fox, USA – North Carolina (Women’s Soccer)

Naomi Girma, USA – Stanford (Women’s Soccer)

Chelsea Gray, USA – Duke (Women’s Basketball)

Chris Guiliano, USA – Notre Dame (Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay)

Ryan Held, USA – NC State (Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay)

Torri Huske, USA – Stanford (Women’s 100m Butterfly)

Torri Huske, USA – Stanford (Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay)

Torri Huske, USA – Stanford (Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay)

Lee Kiefer, USA – Notre Dame (Women’s Individual Foil)

Lee Kiefer, USA – Notre Dame (Women’s Team Foil)

Vivian Kong, Hong Kong, China – Stanford (Women’s Épée)

Casey Krueger, USA – Florida State (Women’s Soccer)

Katie Ledecky, USA – Stanford (Women’s 800m Freestyle)

Katie Ledecky, USA – Stanford (Women’s 1,500m Freestyle)

Jewell Loyd, USA – Notre Dame (Women’s Basketball)

Ryan Murphy, USA – Cal (Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay)

Jenna Nighswonger, USA – Florida State (Women’s Soccer)

Camryn Rogers, Canada – Cal (Women’s Hammer Throw)

Emily Sams, USA – Florida State (Women’s Soccer)

Regan Smith, USA – Stanford (Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay)

Sophia Smith, USA – Stanford (Women’s Soccer)

Emily Sonnett, USA – Virginia (Women’s Soccer)

Rojé Stona, Jamaica – Clemson (Men’s Discus Throw)

Jayson Tatum, USA – Duke (Men’s Basketball)

Gretchen Walsh, USA – Virginia (Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay)

Gretchen Walsh, USA – Virginia (Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay)

Emma Weber, USA – Virginia (Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay)

Jackie Young, USA – Notre Dame (Women’s Basketball)

 

Silver Medals (29)*

Mykolas Alekna, Lithuania – Cal (Men’s Discus Throw)

Jack Alexy, USA – Cal (Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay)

Kassidy Cook, USA – Stanford (3M Synchronized Springboard Diving)

Kate Douglass, USA – Virginia (Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay)

Kate Douglass, USA – Virginia (Women’s 200m Individual Medley)

Megumi Field, USA – Stanford (Artistic Swimming)

Caileigh Filmer, Canada – Cal (Women’s Eight Rowing)

Chris Guiliano, USA – Notre Dame (Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay)

Torri Huske, USA – Stanford (Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay)

Torri Huske, USA – Stanford (Women’s 100m Freestyle)

Dani Jackovich, Australia – Stanford (Women’s Water Polo)

Audrey Kwon, USA – Stanford (Artistic Swimming)

Katie Ledecky, USA – Stanford (Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay)

Jacklyn Luu, USA – Stanford (Artistic Swimming)

Ollie Maclean, New Zealand – Cal (Men’s Four Rowing)

Paige Madden, USA – Virginia (Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay)

Simone Manuel, USA – Stanford (Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay)

Simone Manuel, USA – Stanford (Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay)

Ryan Murphy, USA – Cal (Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay)

Sydney Payne, Canada – Cal (Women’s Eight Rowing)

Morgan Pearson, USA – Duke (Triathlon Mixed Relay)

Kathryn Plummer, USA – Stanford (Women’s Volleyball)

Diana Shnaider, Italy – NC State (Women’s Tennis Doubles)

Regan Smith, USA – Stanford (Women’s 100m Backstroke)

Regan Smith, USA – Stanford (Women’s 200m Backstroke)

Regan Smith, USA – Stanford (Women’s 200m Butterfly)

Gretchen Walsh, USA – Virginia (Women’s 100m Butterfly)

Gretchen Walsh, USA – Virginia (Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay)

Abbey Weitzeil USA – Cal (Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay)

 

*includes five medals that were won in non-NCAA sponsored sports

Bronze Medals (32)*

Georgia Bell, Great Britain – Cal (Women’s 1,500m Run)

David Betlehem, USA – NC State (Men’s 10KM – Open Water)

Julia Bergmann, Brazil – Georgia Tech (Women’s Volleyball)

Katharine Berkoff, USA – NC State (Women’s 100m Backstroke)

Alex Bowen, USA – Stanford (Men’s Water Polo)

Luca Cupido, USA – Cal (Men’s Water Polo)

Grant Fisher, USA – Stanford (Men’s 10,000m Run)

Grant Fisher, USA – Stanford (Men’s 5,000m Run)

Ben Hallock, USA – Stanford (Men’s Water Polo)

Dearica Hamby, USA – Wake Forest (Women’s 3×3 Basketball)

Hans Henken, USA – Stanford (Men’s Sailing Skiff)

Drew Holland, USA – Stanford (Men’s Water Polo)

Asher Hong, USA – Stanford (Men’s Team Artistic Gymnastics)

Johnny Hooper, USA – Cal (Men’s Water Polo)

Nick Itkin, USA – Notre Dame (Men’s Individual Foil)

Kitty Lynn Joustra, Netherlands – Cal (Women’s Water Polo)

Katie Ledecky, USA – Stanford (Women’s 400m Freestyle)

Heidi Long, Great Britain – Virginia (Women’s Eight Rowing)

Paige Madden, USA – Virginia (Women’s 800m Freestyle)

Brody Malone, USA – Stanford (Men’s Team Artistic Gymnastics)

Rowan McKellar, Great Britain – Cal (Women’s Eight Rowing)

Esther Muhari, Hungary – Notre Dame (Women’s Épée)

Ryan Murphy, USA – Cal (Men’s 100m Backstroke)

Alysha Newman, Canada – Miami (Women’s Pole Vault)

Yared Nuguse, USA – Notre Dame (Men’s 1,500m Run)

Erik Shoji, USA – Stanford (Men’s Volleyball)

Alanna Smith, Australia – Stanford (Women’s Basketball)

Christian Tabash, USA – Cal (Men’s Eight Rowing)

Naya Tapper, USA – North Carolina (Women’s Sevens Rugby)

Hattie Taylor, Great Britain – Syracuse (Women’s Eight Rowing)

Adrian Weinberg, USA – Cal (Men’s Water Polo)

Dylan Woodhead, USA – Stanford (Men’s Water Polo)

How difficult is Oklahoma’s schedule according to ESPN’s FPI?

How difficult is the SEC? Nine of the 10 hardest schedules in the country reside in one conference, per ESPN’s Football Power Index.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been waiting to join the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] since the summer of 2021. After officially becoming members on July 1, OU opens its first season in the conference on Aug. 30 against Temple. The first league game occurs on Sept. 21 against Tennessee.

One of the major talking points surrounding Oklahoma this offseason has been the difficult schedule the Sooners were given to open their time in the SEC. OU was done no favors when it came time to the schedules, but it may be something Sooner fans have to get used to.

That’s because ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) has ranked all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams by how difficult their schedules are. While the FPI has been known to have some wacky outputs at times, this list illustrates just how tough OU’s new league is.

Oklahoma has the seventh-toughest schedule in college football, according to the FPI. Furthermore, of the 10 toughest schedules in 2024, nine are from the SEC. Georgia Tech, out of the [autotag]ACC[/autotag], is the only non-SEC team with one of the 10 most difficult schedules.

For reference, the hardest schedules in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] belong to West Virginia and Houston, ranked 36th and 37th. They slot in right behind UMass. The toughest [autotag]Big Ten[/autotag] schedule belongs to Purdue (11th). Notre Dame is all the way down at No. 55, behind Kent State, Colorado State, Louisiana-Monroe and Boise State. Neither [autotag]Pac-12[/autotag] school cracked the top 65. Florida has the country’s toughest schedule per the FPI, followed by Mississippi State and its new head coach, former Oklahoma offensive coordinator [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag].

Again, the FPI has been known to have some outputs that don’t always line up with what is commonly believed to be accurate. For example, Texas doesn’t have the 10th-hardest schedule in the nation this season, but that’s where FPI has it slotted. The Longhorns dodge the toughest foes in the SEC, aside from Georgia, Texas A&M and the annual rivalry matchup with the Sooners.

Head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] hopes his team can take the next steps in 2024 and improve again. Oklahoma will be breaking in a new offensive line and a new starting quarterback in [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], along with new coordinators on both sides of the ball. However, Venables’ defense looks ready to take another leap forward and Arnold’s upside is undeniable. He’ll have no shortage of weapons to get the football to, as OU looks to make the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] for the first time since 2019.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

ACC announces sites, dates and formats for 2024-25 ACC Championships

ACC announces format with expanded teams.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced its championship dates, sites and tournament formats for the 2024-25 academic year. Featuring 18 schools for the upcoming year with the addition of Cal, SMU and Stanford, the ACC sponsors 28 sports, with 15 women and 13 men. No Power 4 conference sponsors more than 28 sports or 15 women’s sports.

“The upcoming year shapes up as an exciting one for our schools, our student-athletes and their incredible fan bases,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “We are extremely excited to welcome our new schools in Cal, SMU and Stanford, and show off our tremendous championship experience for our student-athletes, coaches and fans. We again have a terrific mix of on-campus sites and professional venues, including our football championship and men’s basketball tournament in Charlotte.”

As previously announced, the 20th annual ACC Football Championship Game returns to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the 14th time in 15 years on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Greensboro Coliseum plays host to the Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament for the 25th time in 26 years March 5-9, and the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament heads to Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, from March 11-15. The men’s tournament returns to Queen City for the 14th time overall and the first time since 2019.

The first ACC Championships of the 2024-25 academic calendar will be held on Nov. 1, as NC State welcomes Men’s and Women’s Cross Country to Cary, North Carolina.

Twenty-seven men’s and women’s Olympic sports championships are scheduled, with volleyball determining its champion based on regular-season results.

With the addition of Cal, SMU and Stanford, several tournament formats have been altered for 2024-25:

  • Field hockey: now an eight-team bracket format
  • Men’s soccer: now a 15-team bracket format, with the semifinals and finals at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina
  • Women’s Lacrosse: now an eight-team bracket format, with all games being played at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Softball: now a 12-team, single-elimination bracket format

The complete ACC Championships schedule and tournament formats for 2024-25 are listed below.

M/W Cross Country – Nov. 1, 2024 
Host: NC State University
WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)

Ally ACC Women’s Soccer – Nov. 3, 7 & 10, 2024 
First Round: Campus Sites
Semifinals and Final: WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)
Tournament Format: Six teams (top two teams receive a first-round bye)

Field Hockey – Nov. 5, 6 & 8, 2024 
Host: Wake Forest University
Tournament Format: Eight-team bracket

Men’s Soccer – Nov. 6, 10, 14 & 17, 2024 
First Round and Quarterfinals: Campus Sites
Semifinals and Final: WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)
Tournament Format: 15-team bracket (No. 1 seed receives a first-round bye; seeds 2-8 host first-round games; No. 1 seed and top remaining seeds in each bracket host quarterfinal games)

Football – Dec. 7, 2024 
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)

M/W Swimming & Diving – Feb. 18-22, 2025 
Greensboro Aquatic Center (Greensboro, N.C.)

M/W Fencing – Feb. 22-23, 2025 
Host: University of North Carolina

M/W Indoor Track & Field – TBD 
TBD

Ally ACC Women’s Basketball – March 5-9, 2025 
Greensboro Coliseum (Greensboro, N.C.)
Tournament Format: 15-team bracket (Seeds 5-8 receive first-round bye; Seeds 1-4 receive double-bye)

Wrestling – March 9, 2025 
Host: Duke University

Men’s Basketball – March 11-15, 2025 
Spectrum Center (Charlotte, N.C.)
Tournament Format: 15-team bracket (Seeds 5-8 receive first-round bye; Seeds 1-4 receive double-bye)

Gymnastics – March 22, 2025 
Greensboro Coliseum (Greensboro, N.C.)
Championship Format: 6-teams qualify (Seeds 5-6 compete in the first session; Seeds 1-4 compete in the second session)

M/W Tennis – April 15-20, 2025 
Cary Tennis Park (Cary, N.C.)

Women’s Golf – April 16-19, 2025 
Sedgefield Country Club (Greensboro, N.C.)

Men’s Golf – April 24-28, 2025
The Club at Olde Stone (Bowling Green, Ky.)

Women’s Lacrosse – April 23, 25 & 27, 2025
American Legion Memorial Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)
Tournament Format: Eight-team bracket

Men’s Lacrosse – May 2 & 4, 2025
American Legion Memorial Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)
Tournament Format: Four-team bracket

Softball – May 7-10, 2025 
Host: Boston College
Tournament Format: 12-team bracket (Single elimination; top four seeds receive a first-round bye)

M/W Outdoor Track & Field – May 15-17, 2025 
Host: Wake Forest University

Rowing – May 16-17, 2025 
Host: Clemson University

Baseball – May 20-25, 2025
Durham Bulls Athletic Park (Durham, N.C.)
Tournament Format: 12-team pool-play format (Top team from each pool advances to Saturday semifinals for single elimination bracket play)

All-ACC third baseman Ben Miller surprises everyone by returning to Duke baseball team

Duke baseball’s All-ACC third baseman Ben Miller announced on Monday that he will return for the 2025 season.

As we speed towards the start of football season and drool over what could happen fin Cameron Indoor Stadium starting in November, the Duke baseball team just received some major news of its own on Monday.

Ben Miller, a significant part of Duke’s team in 2024, announced on Monday that he would return for one final season with the Duke team.

Miller is no stranger to Durham. He grew up there. Before Duke, Ben played collegiate baseball at Penn, the Ivy League school. He then transferred home to play his fourth year of college baseball.

With one final year of eligibility, Miller decided to play with the Blue Devils for one more season instead of seeking professional opportunities. He started in all 55 games in 2024, leading the team with a .360 batting average. He scored 56 runs from the top of the lineup while tallying 82 hits, including 18 doubles, one triple, and 15 home runs. He drove in 49 runs for an explosive Duke offense.

Last year, he posted 13 two-hit days, six three-hit days, and one four-hit day. In short, he was a firestarter for Chris Pollard and the Duke team. At the end of the season, he was named the All-ACC First Team third baseman and was a big force in the conference tournament as Duke clenched an ACC Tournament title.

Miller’s return can’t be overstated. It gives Duke leadership and instant offense and fills a significant hole in the infield that Duke could’ve struggled to fill.

 

2025 four-star power forward recruit lists Notre Dame on final five

Hope he chooses to stay in-state.

Notre Dame does not yet have a commit for its 2025 recruiting class. However, one four-star power forward recruit from Indianapolis could change that. We’ll just have to see.

Brady Koehler, who attends Cathedral, has narrowed his choice to five schools, including the Irish. Also on the list are Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Iowa and Northwestern. He has visits lined up with each school. Notre Dame’s visit, the third chronically on his itinerary, happening from Sept. 6 through Sept. 8.

Koehler is listed as Indiana’s fourth-ranked recruit in the 2025 recruiting class according to 247Sports. That site also indicates that the Demon Deacons are the favorites to land him. However, Cathedral has also the Fighting Irish as its mascot along with the Blue and Gold as its colors, so maybe that’s an advantage for [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] and his staff?

Koehler is coming off a season in which he averaged 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a game. That will catch the attention of any college program.

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