Stanford football general manager Andrew Luck has landed his most lucrative donation in his short time managing his alma mater.

Luck and the Cardinal announced on Wednesday, Oct. 8 that the football program has received a $50 million gift from philanthropist and former trustee Bradford M. Freeman, himself a former player. It is the biggest individual gift in the program’s history, according to ESPN.

‘With Brad’s incredible gift, we are positioned to win on the field and build a bridge to a sustainable future for Stanford football,’ Luck said in a statement. ‘The ability to support our players through new scholarships and institutional NIL will reinforce Stanford as the preeminent place in the country to be a football scholar-athlete. I believe that Stanford has the opportunity to be a leading program in college football, and we are entirely motivated to field championship-caliber teams.’

As noted by Stanford’s news release, the $50 million gift from Freeman will help support the Cardinal’s NIL efforts and will create five new football scholarships for student-athletes. Stanford will ALSO rename the tunnel where players and coaches enter Stanford Stadium to the ‘Bradford M. Freeman Tunnel.’ The university and athletic department will also rename a highly trafficked entrance gate for visitors as the Bradford M. Freeman Gate.

Freeman graduated from Stanford in 1964 with an undergraduate degree in economics. In 1988, Freeman endowed the nation’s first head coaching position, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football, the title that is given to the head coach of Stanford.

‘I remain grateful for the opportunities that my Stanford football scholarship gave me, and for all the ways that the university impacted the trajectory of my life,’ Freeman said in a statement. ‘I hope my gift will herald a new era of excellence for Stanford football and help the university address the new financial demands of competitive college athletics.’

The gift from Freeman is a significant one, especially on the NIL front, as Stanford continues to grow its efforts on that front. The Cardinal have played catch-up in the NIL front compared to other universities and colleges in the country, as it wasn’t until April of 2024 that they announced a change to their NIL collective, Lifetime Cardinal. This change preluded Luck’s hiring as the Cardinal’s general manager in November 2024.

‘We are deeply grateful to Brad for this extraordinary commitment to Stanford football. His generosity comes at a pivotal time and puts us in position to build a championship-caliber program,’ Stanford athletic director John Donahoe said in a statement. ‘Brad’s belief in the future of our program strengthens not only football but the foundation of excellence that defines Stanford Athletics.’

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AI-assisted summary
• Texas quarterback Arch Manning is considered the most disappointing quarterback in the Bowl Subdivision so far this season.
• Other high-profile quarterbacks, including Florida’s DJ Lagway and Penn State’s Drew Allar, have also underperformed.
• LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has struggled after finishing fourth in passing yards per game last season.

The fuss over Arch Manning was too easy to see coming. It’s all right there in the name: Manning could’ve decided to be an accountant, not a quarterback, but choosing to go into the family business at Texas meant accepting the scrutiny that has followed in the wake of nearly every throw of his first year as the Longhorns’ starter.

But the reverse is true, too.

Manning was at or near the top of every preseason Heisman Trophy list after playing well in limited backup duty as a redshirt freshman. Had he played up to those expectations, there’s every reason to think that he’d be the most celebrated player in college football.

That hasn’t been the case. Instead of a coronation, Manning’s starting debut has been defined by spotty play and the two-loss Longhorns’ shocking plummet out of College Football Playoff contention.

Massive publicity and microscopic assessments of his performance haven’t helped. But after an inconsistent stretch as the new starter, Manning stands as the most disappointing quarterback in the Bowl Subdivision.

He has plenty of competition in the USA TODAY Sports evaluation of high-profile passers who have slumped through the first chunk of the regular season:

1. Arch Manning, Texas

In two games against Power Four teams, Manning is a combined 33 of 59 for 433 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He went 11 of 25 for 114 yards against Texas-El Paso. He’s been solid as a runner, with 160 yards and five scores on 3.7 yards per carry, but has also been far too willing to tuck and run instead of going through his progressions. Manning must also shoulder some of the blame for the Longhorns’ disappointing start.

2. DJ Lagway, Florida

Lagway got back on track with 298 yards in Florida’s win against Texas. But that came after a brutal three-game losing streak that saw the sophomore sputter against South Florida, throw five interceptions against No. 11 LSU and average only 2.7 yards per attempt in bad weather conditions against No. 3 Miami. Lagway’s seven interceptions are tied for the second most in the FBS.

3. Drew Allar, Penn State

Allar has been the face of No. 22 Penn State’s surprising ineffectiveness on offense. In his last two games, he’s tossed a game-ending interception against No. 2 Oregon and then failed to get the Nittany Lions past UCLA in a stunning 42-37 loss. The senior ranks fourth from the bottom in the Big Ten at 6.9 yards per attempt.

4. Cade Klubnik, Clemson

Klubnik is another established Power Four starter who, like his team, has failed to match preseason expectations. The senior was terrible in the opener against LSU, had two key turnovers in a loss to No. 13 Georgia Tech and disappeared in the second half against Syracuse. Klubnik has four interceptions after tossing six in 486 attempts last year.

5. Nico Iamaleava, UCLA

Iamaleava had by far his best game since transferring to UCLA in the Bruins’ big upset of Penn State, with 166 yards through the air, 128 yards on the ground and five touchdowns. That came after a terrible start that saw the Tennessee transfer come up short in losses to Utah, UNLV, New Mexico and Northwestern.

6. Gio Lopez, North Carolina

Lopez was Bill Belichick’s handpicked quarterback out of the transfer portal after a solid freshman season at South Alabama. Injuries have played a role and sidelined him for last weekend’s loss to Clemson, but Lopez’s skill set has simply not translated to the Power Four. He had three interceptions without a touchdown in losses to TCU and Central Florida.

7. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Nussmeier’s average play has been one of the most puzzling early-season storylines in the SEC. Seen heading into the year as the top quarterback prospect in the upcoming draft class, the senior is averaging just 6.3 yards per pass with four touchdowns and three interceptions in games against FBS competition. Nussmeier sits 55th nationally in yards per game after ranking fourth in the country last season.

8. Mark Gronowski, Iowa

At just 127.2 passing yards per game overall and zero touchdown passes in three games against the Power Four, Gronowski is just following in the footsteps of recent Iowa tradition. But that in itself is surprising: Gronowski transferred from South Dakota State as one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Championship Subdivision history and was seen as the missing piece for a frustratingly incompetent offense. While that has not been the case, he has played better since Iowa got into Big Ten play.

9. Maddux Madsen, Boise State

With Ashton Jeanty off to the NFL, Madsen has taken on a larger role for Boise State with mixed results. The big issue has been turnovers. Madsen tossed six interceptions all of last year, with half coming in the playoff loss to Penn State. But he has five picks already this season, four coming in last week’s loss to No. 16 Notre Dame. Madsen has played very poorly in the Broncos’ two losses when they have managed 14 combined points.

10. Avery Johnson, Kansas State

Johnson is still a work in progress as a second-year starter, and there have been moments that flashed his offseason growth as a thrower and his increasing command of Kansas State’s scheme. But there’s also his late interception to seal Army’s upset. His 88 yards in the loss to Arizona. Against Baylor, Johnson went toe to toe with Sawyer Robertson but tossed a crucial pick-six that sparked the Bears’ win.

YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul enters the ring with a record of 12 wins and one loss, which includes seven knockouts. He is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June, which moved him into the WBA cruiserweight rankings at No. 14. Paul is known for calling out the opponents he wants to face and has had his sights set on Gervonta Davis for four years.

“Jake has been calling me out for a long time,” Davis told Netflix. “But I’m going to show him that you can’t just come into a sport and be the best. I might be smaller than him, but I will definitely be his biggest test.”

Davis will enter the ring with a record of 30 wins and one draw, which includes 28 knockouts. His only draw in his career occurred in March against Lamont Roach Jr., allowing him to retain the WBA super lightweight title.

Here is what to know as the Paul-Davis fight inches closer.

When is Jake Paul vs. Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis fight?

The exhibition boxing match between Jake Paul and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis is scheduled for Friday, November 14, 2025.

Where is Jake Paul vs. Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis fight?

The Jake Paul-Tank Davis fight is set for Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

Jake Paul vs. Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis Netflix details

The fight will be streamed exclusively on Netflix. The platform has stated that the event will be accessible with any subscription plan.

Currently, a standard subscription with ads costs $7.99 per month on Netflix’s website, while an ad-free 4K/HDR plan is priced at $24.99 per month.

How to watch Jake Paul vs. Tank Davis: Time, how to stream Netflix fight

• Date: Friday, November 14
• Time: A time for the fight has not yet been announced.
• Location: Kaseya Center (Miami, Florida)
• TV channel: None
• Streaming: Netflix

Jake Paul vs. Tank Davis fight card

Fight card according to Netflix:

• Jake Paul vs. Gervonta “Tank” Davis
• Alycia Baumgardner vs. Leila Beaudoin: IBF, WBO, and WBA titles
• Gary Antuanne Russell vs. Andy Hiraoka;
• Ellie Scotney vs. Mayelli Flores
• Yokasta Valle vs. Yadira Bustillos: WBC strawweight title
• Avious Griffin vs. Cesar Francis

AI-assisted summary
• Louisiana State Police released evidence they say shows former LSU receiver Kyren Lacy triggered a fatal car crash in December 2024.
• Police said Lacy’s reckless driving caused the chain of events leading to the death of 78-year-old Herman Hall.
• Lacy’s attorney had previously disputed his client’s involvement, claiming he was far behind the accident.

This story contains mention of suicide. If you are at risk of suicide, please stop here and contact988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for support.

Louisiana State Police have released a video with evidence they say supports the conclusion that former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy’s actions triggered a fatal car crash in December 2024.

The result of the investigation had recently been questioned by Lacy’s attorney, who told a Louisiana television station Lacy was nearly 100 yards behind a fatal hit-and-run accident that killed 78-year-old Herman Hall.

That prompted Louisiana State Police to release additional information related to the incident.

‘Since the incident occurred, the Louisiana State Police never reported that the green (Dodge) Charger impacted any of the involved vehicles,’ the state police said in their video released Tuesday, Oct. 7. ‘However, all evidence collected supports the conclusion that Lacy’s reckless operation of the green Charger in oncoming traffic triggered the chain of events involving the other drivers, ultimately resulting in the fatal crash.’

Police said Lacy ‘recklessly passed multiple vehicles at a high rate of speed by crossing the centerline’ into oncoming traffic in a don’t pass zone on Louisiana Highway 20 on Dec. 17, 2024.

Lacy, 24, turned himself in and posted a $151,000 bond the same day. However, two days before he was set to face an April grand jury hearing, police were called to the home of a family member who had gotten into an argument with Lacy.

He fled, and after being chased by authorities crashed his car. Upon searching Lacy’s vehicle, authorities discovered he had sustained what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the news release. 

State police released additional redacted reports and bodycam footage on Tuesday. Police also said they used 21 separate highway cameras to capture the ‘uninterrupted path of the Charger’ from the crash scene to a business 11 miles away. 

‘While we recognize that external narratives may arise, often based on selective information, we urge the public to rely on the full body of facts,’ state police superintendent Col. Robert P. Hodges said.

Lacy started his college career at Louisiana-Lafayette before transferring to LSU prior to the 2022 season.

At LSU, Lacy had 112 catches for 1,628 yards and 16 touchdowns. As a senior in 2024, he posted a career-high 58 catches for 866 yards and nine scores.

He declared for the NFL draft in December 2024, just two days after the crash, and did not play in LSU’s win over Baylor in the Texas Bowl.

This story was updated to add a video.

Purdue is the overwhelming favorite (picked to win league by all but one voter) and will also be a lot of people’s preseason national No. 1 picks. Is this the year Matt Painter and the Boilermakers finally break through? Dusty May and Michigan’s reloaded squad will have something to say about it. Last year’s Big Ten champion Michigan State brings back an experienced core. And we’ve got new coaches at Indiana (Darian DeVries), Iowa (Ben McCollum), Maryland (Buzz Williams) and Minnesota (Niko Medved).

We polled writers within the USA TODAY Network who cover Big Ten schools for their preseason predictions, all-conference teams and preseason awards.

USA TODAY Network Big Ten basketball preseason poll

1. Purdue
2. Michigan
3. Illinois
4. UCLA
5. Michigan State
6. Wisconsin
7. Oregon
8. Ohio State
9. Iowa
10. Indiana
11. USC
12. Maryland
13. Washington
14. Northwestern
15. Nebraska
16. Minnesota
17. Rutgers
18. Penn State

2025-26 preseason All-Big Ten basketball team

FIRST TEAM

• Braden Smith, Purdue, guard, Sr. (unanimous selection)
• Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue, forward, Sr. (unanimous selection)
• Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan, forward, Sr.
• Donovan Dent, UCLA, guard, Sr.
• Bennett Stirtz, Iowa, guard, Sr.

SECOND TEAM

• Bruce Thornton, Ohio State, guard, Sr.
• John Blackwell, Wisconsin, guard, Jr.
• Nick Martinelli, Northwestern, forward, Sr.
• Nate Bittle, Oregon, center, Sr.
• Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois, guard, Jr.

HONORABLE MENTION

• Illinois: Tomislav Ivisic
• Indiana: Tucker DeVries, Lamar Wilkerson
• Michigan State: Coen Carr, Jeremy Fears, Jaxon Kohler
• Oregon: Jackson Shelstad
• UCLA: Tyler Bilodeau
• Washington: Wesley Yates Jr.

Big Ten basketball preseason Player of the Year

Purdue point guard Braden Smith was a near unanimous pick — all but one vote went to the Boilermakers’ floor general. The lone dissenting voice was for Smith’s teammate, Trey Kaufman-Renn. Last season’s Big Ten player of the year, Smith Smith needs just 125 points and 242 assists to become the first player in NCAA history with 1,500 points, 1,000 assists and 500 rebounds.

Big Ten basketball preseason Newcomer of the Year

Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg received 46% of the vote. UCLA guard Donovan Dent (New Mexico transfer) and Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz (Drake transfer) also received multiple votes. Lendeborg opted for Ann Arbor instead of the NBA draft. He spending three years in community college before transferring to UAB for two seasons. He averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals last year and was named American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Big Ten basketball preseason Freshman of the Year

Michigan guard Trey McKenney received 38% of the vote. Purdue’s Omer Mayer and Michigan State’s Cam Ward also received multiple votes. McKenney was Michigan’s Mr. Basketball and a McDonald’s All American and is the first Flint, Mich., product to commit to the Wolverines since Glen Rice.

AI-assisted summary
• Former Arkansas coach Sam Pittman’s firing highlighted the complex nature of contract buyouts in college football.
• Several prominent coaches, including Penn State’s James Franklin and Ole Miss’s Lane Kiffin, have relatively low buyout clauses to leave for other jobs.
• Clemson’s Dabo Swinney has a unique contract clause that would require him to pay more if he left to coach at his alma mater, Alabama.

The problem for Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman in recent seasons might have been that a clause in his contract was producing more drama than the Razorbacks were on the field. The figure was tied to his performance from 2021 onward, stipulating Arkansas would owe Pittman more money if he had won more than half of his games before being dismissed.

Pittman was fired after the Razorbacks’ 56-13 loss to Notre Dame on Sept. 27 with a 29-27 record under this agreement (he finished 32-24 overall). But in explaining the decision, Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek announced Pittman had agreed to a negotiated buyout splitting the difference (and saving Arkansas about $1.5 million).

With that, Arkansas put an end to perhaps the most intricate buyout language in college football over the past few years.

∎ View the entire 2025 college football coach salary database here

Still, there are plenty of contract clauses worth examining now that the 2025 college football season has already produced several notable power conference coach openings. Schools are determining whether to dole out millions of dollars to move on from unpopular or unsuccessful coaches. Successful coaches are wondering if this could be the right time to pursue a better job. This cat-and-mouse game, and the legal documents behind it, will fuel conversations beyond the field for months.

Here’s a look at 10 of the most interesting buyout situations around the country in 2025, including coaches with big (or small) severance packages who could nonetheless be on the hot seat and prominent coaches who don’t have to pay a whole lot to leave their current school for another suitor:

College football’s most interesting buyouts in 2025

Dabo Swinney, Clemson

It’s getting a little awkward for Dabo Swinney in his 18th season as Clemson’s head coach, and the team’s 2-3 start to the season included Swinney alluding to a time when perhaps he is no longer the Tigers’ coach and instead coaches elsewhere. Well, interestingly enough, the amount it would cost Swinney to leave for a school other than Alabama is just $3 million as of Jan. 1, according to his contract.

Swinney and Clemson previously had a personalized clause written into his contract related to becoming the head coach at Alabama. He would owe 150% of his buyout figure to leave Clemson for Alabama (or $4.5 million as of Jan. 1). Swinney was a wide receiver at Alabama (1990-92) and previously served as an assistant coach at his alma mater.

Clemson would owe Swinney $60 million if he were fired on or before Dec. 31. That figure drops to $57 million on Jan. 1, but that’s still a steep price for a coach with a remarkable track record. Whether this relationship ends is likely Swinney’s decision to make — for now.

James Franklin, Penn State

James Franklin’s record against top-10 opponents and inability to win the Big Ten has long led to grumbling among a vocal minority of Penn State fans, and his name is often mentioned in high-profile coaching searches because of his otherwise strong record. But after Penn State suffered a stunning loss at UCLA on Oct. 4, the noise is a lot louder. The Nittany Lions have a quandary.

It just so happens Franklin’s buyout to break his contract at Penn State and leave for another school drops to $1 million on Jan. 1. It would cost the university more than $48 million to fire Franklin as of Dec. 1. If the Nittany Lions indeed don’t live up to expectations this season, as their current course suggests, will it lead Franklin to look elsewhere for a fresh start? He hasn’t yet, but the narrative is already out there and it’s less expensive for him to do so than ever before.

Hugh Freeze, Auburn

The Hugh Freeze era in Auburn appears to be on uneven terrain in Year 3 with an unforgiving SEC schedule just beginning and the Tigers in danger of missing a bowl game for the second year in a row. The Auburn brass hasn’t been afraid to throw large amounts of money around to make coaches go away in the past. They did it with Gus Malzahn and just did it with Bryan Harsin in 2022 before hiring Freeze. The school would owe Freeze less than $15.4 million if it were to terminate his contract as of Dec. 1, to be paid in monthly installments through the end of his contract in January 2029. That figure drops to about $10.5 million after the 2026 season.

Brent Key, Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets are thriving under alum Brent Key and he’s likely to be an intriguing candidate during this coaching cycle given the turnaround he’s orchestrating at Georgia Tech and his Nick Saban ties as a former Alabama offensive line coach. Key’s buyout to leave for another school drops from $4 million to $3 million starting Jan. 1 under his current deal. That isn’t likely to be enough money to keep an SEC team away if it zeroes in on Key, but the date could be part of negotiations if neither side is involved in the College Football Playoff.

Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State

Kenny Dillingham got a nice compensation bump with a new extension and will earn more than $7.4 million in 2025, according to a USA TODAY analysis of his latest contract amendment. The deal also now features automatic one-year extensions for surpassing certain win thresholds starting this season. The new contract came following Arizona State’s run to the College Football Playoff last year.

But Dillingham’s deal also includes a revamped buyout package if another school were to try and hire him. Under his previous deal, Dillingham would have owed Arizona State $2.5 million to take another job after Dec. 1. That figure is now $4 million and drops to $3 million on Dec. 1, 2027. It still might not be enough to keep suitors with deep pockets away if the 35-year-old continues to win big, despite his strong ties to the university.

Mark Stoops, Kentucky  

Stoops might be considered a fringe name on college football’s coaching hot-seat list, but given the Wildcats’ start in 2025 and their tough schedule in October, his seat could warm by year’s end. Stoops earns $9 million annually, and his contract lasts through June 30, 2031. Depending on who you ask, he may stay in Lexington for a few more seasons because of the financial implications. 

If Stoops is fired without cause, he is entitled to the entirety of his buyout, which currently exceeds $38 million, within 60 days of his termination. That is a lot of coin for the Bluegrass faithful to come up with, but when Jimbo Fisher was fired from Texas A&M in 2023, he received $19.2 million of his more than $75 million buyout within 60 days and is currently being paid $7.2 million annually through 2031 to sit on the couch.

Dan Mullen, UNLV

Dan Mullen just got back into the college coaching ranks at UNLV and the liquidated damages included in his new contract suggest both sides know returning to a Power Four conference job is Mullen’s end-goal here. The former Mississippi State and Florida coach is a popular candidate for some of the early coaching searches to open up this season, but Mullen or the Power Four conference school attempting to hire him would owe UNLV $7 million on or before Dec. 1. That figure then drops to $6 million on Dec. 2, with an annual $1 million decrease in subsequent years of the contract. The agreement runs through the 2029 season. There are two separate buyout numbers — one if Mullen were to leave UNLV for a Power Four job and another if he were to go to a non-Power Four school — written into the deal.

Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss

Lane Kiffin keeps winning big games at Ole Miss and his $9 million salary is competitive with the upper-half of the SEC, but his name seems to come up in job discussions every offseason and likely will again this year. That’s, in part, because of his contract setup. It would cost Kiffin (or more likely, the school trying to lure him away) just $2 million to leave Ole Miss for another head coaching job as of Jan. 1. Is a desperate school willing to break the bank and make the outspoken and unorthodox offensive guru one of the highest-paid coaches in the country? Kiffin has it rolling so well at Ole Miss right now, it’s going to take a lot to get him to leave.

Matt Campbell, Iowa State

Matt Campbell is in the midst of his 10th season, having never jumped at the temptation to leave Iowa State, and just signed a new contract extension through 2032 after last year’s 11-win campaign. But the Cyclones are off to a fast start again and his consistent track record at a school not used to sustained success will be an attractive option in the coaching carousel, especially when those prospective employers look at the buyout. Campbell would owe Iowa State just $2 million if he were to leave for another FBS coaching job. It’s just not clear at this point if he wants to ever leave Iowa State.

Curt Cignetti, Indiana

Curt Cignetti signed a lucrative extension through the 2032 season after leading Indiana to the College Football Playoff in his first year there, but his new contract is different than those inked by his Big 12 counterparts at Iowa State and Arizona State. It would cost Indiana $56.7 million to move on from Cignetti (why would they right now?). But more importantly, Cignetti would owe Indiana $13 million before Dec. 1. It drops to $10 million on Dec. 1, 2027 and doesn’t fall below $5 million until 2029. That should be a serious deterrent for Indiana, at least for a few years.

USA TODAY reporter Scooby Axson contributed to this story.