The Big Ten took in more than $315 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012. (Robin Alam/Icon SMI)

By Zac Ellis

The Big Ten reported record revenue in the league’s latest federal tax returns, upstaging even the SEC in profitability.

According to a report by Steve Berkowitz of USA Today, the Big Ten brought in more than $315 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012. That was $42 million more than the SEC reported for the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2012.

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Brock Berlin and Frank Gore were key players in the Florida-Miami rivalry that may be discontinued. (Bill Frakes/SI)

By Zac Ellis

Florida and Miami might have one of the more exciting in-state rivalries in college football, but that Sunshine State matchup might be coming to an end.

Miami athletic director Blake James told reporters at this week’s ACC spring meetings that no discussion has taken place with Florida regarding a continuation of the series, ESPN.com’s Andrea Adelson reports. James pointed to scheduling concerns as a potential obstacle in future meetings.

“I haven’t spoken with Jeremy or the University of Florida about future games and I don’t know how it would fit into their schedule or fit into ours right now. There hasn’t been any conversation and there isn’t anything on the schedule for the future.”

The two schools are slated to meet this season on Sept. 7 for the first time since 2008, and SI.com’s Stewart Mandel ranked the game as one of the season’s non-conference games to watch. The matchup  will wrap up just the second home-and-home series between the programs since 1987, when the schools snapped a streak of annual meetings dating back to 1983.

Florida already plays an annual non-conference matchup with Florida State, and the SEC’s proposal to move to a nine-game conference schedule could further complicate the future of the Hurricanes-Gators series.

Nick Saban makes $5.3 million per season, but his economic impact on Alabama is much greater. (Morry Gash/AP)

By Zac Ellis

Critics and fans alike have used many words to describe Alabama coach Nick Saban’s salary, which leads the nation at $5.3 million per year. But “modest” likely wasn’t been one of them — until now.

That’s how Forbes writer Tom Van Riper recently described Saban’s pay. The logic? Given the economic impact Alabama football has made on Tuscaloosa during Saban’s tenure, that price tag isn’t so bad. The Crimson Tide’s success has indirectly caused an upswing in university enrollment, faculty employment and athletics revenue.

“Powerhouse football is nothing new at the school, of course. But powerhouse football in the modern media age means, thanks to games beamed across the country on a regular basis, a national marketing platform unlike anything Bama enjoyed in Bear Bryant’s day.”

Saban has won three national titles in Tuscaloosa and compiled a 68-13 record since taking over at Alabama in 2007. The school’s revenue flow has increased accordingly: According to Van Riper’s data, taken from USA Today, Alabama recorded revenue of $124.5 million and a profit of $19.4 million in 2012, an increase from $67.7 million in revenue and $7.1 million in profit in ’07. The football program is the money-driver, accounting for around two-thirds of all athletics revenue and $45 million in profit.

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Will Muschamp has hired Chris Leak as a quality control assistant with Florida. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

One of Florida’s favorite sons is returning to Gainesville. According to a report by Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post, Will Muschamp is set to hire former Gators quarterback Chris Leak as a quality control assistant with the program.

Leak played at Florida under coach Urban Meyer from 2003-06, leading the Gators to the 2006 BCS national championship with a 41-14 victory over Ohio State. He was named the game’s MVP.

Leak was not selected in the 2007 NFL draft, but he signed with the Chicago Bears as a free agent, a team that eventually released him later that year. He then bounced around both the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League, and most recently he fell out of the quarterback competition for the AFL’s Orlando Predators in January.

Kansas coach and renowned numbers guy Charlie Weis explains the SEC’s weaknesses. (Jackson Laizure/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Bob Stoops’ recent SEC comment ruffled some feathers around the country’s most powerful conference, but Oklahoma’s head coach can take comfort knowing one man has his back: Charlie Weis.

It’s been a week since Stoops took the power of the SEC to task, telling the Tulsa World that the league’s perceived dominance is the result of “a lot of propaganda that gets fed out to you.” Yet despite the SEC claiming seven straight BCS national championships, Weis, the former Florida offensive coordinator (2011) and current Kansas head coach, said Stoops actually has a point. In an interview with ESPN.com, Weis said:

“Do you know the stats? In the SEC, the record of the good guys and the bad guys? [...] I’m just sayin’, you look at the bottom of our league and the bottom of their league, just going based off the numbers, there’s validity in what he said. I’m just going based off the numbers, I mean, I’m a numbers guy. Just based off the numbers, you’d have to say he’s got a point.”

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By Holly Anderson

Remember those recent Bob Stoops comments about the SEC and propaganda? Well, SEC pocket emperor Nick Saban giveth inter-conference bulletin board material …

Saban on Bob Stoops' SEC comment: "I haven't seen it. I've got more important things to do than sit around and read what Bob Stoops says."—
Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) May 10, 2013

… aaaaand he taketh away:

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South Carolina will meet UNC in Charlotte to kick off the 2015 season. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

A pair of border rivals are set to face off to open the 2015 season. South Carolina and UNC will meet on Sept. 5, 2015 at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, the Charlotte Sports Foundation announced on Thursday.

“We are extremely excited to bring these national football powers and regional rivals together in Charlotte for college football,” said Will Webb, Executive Director of the Charlotte Sports Foundation. “Both North Carolina and South Carolina have a strong alumni presence in the region. This will be a tremendous game featuring a marquee matchup of ACC and SEC teams. We look forward to hosting the Tar Heel and Gamecock teams and fans in Charlotte.”

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SEC football coaching salaries are increasing at a rate 128.9 percent faster than those of instructors in the league. (AP)

By Zac Ellis

Salaries of college football coaches increase at a much higher rate than those of instructors at the same universities, a new study shows.

Even as many institutions of higher education fight through far-reaching budget cuts, a study by Inside Higher Ed shows that universities with the largest athletic programs are the driving force behind the lopsided trend.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the SEC leads the way in salary discrepancy. The league boasts about a quarter of the country’s 23 athletic programs where revenues actually outpace expenses. Its instructional salaries rose 15.5 percent between 2006-11 ($70,886 to $81,758); SEC football coaching salaries increased 128.9 percent over that same span ($3,147,149 to $6,928,989).

The smallest salary gap belonged to the WAC, “where football salaries rose 46.4 percent, from $1,370,332 to $1,819,845, and instructional paychecks rose 15.2 percent (a faster increase than several other conferences), from $65,038 to $76,533,” according to the report.

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Quarterback Brandon Mitchell will transfer from Arkansas heading into the 2013 season. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Arkansas quarterback Brandon Mitchell will transfer to another program, the school announced on Monday. Mitchell will graduate from Arkansas this summer and be eligible to play immediately elsewhere this fall.

In a statement, coach Bret Bielema also announced defensive end Austin Flynn, safety Defonta Lowe and kick returner Keante Minor were granted releases.

“After concluding post-spring meetings with every member of our team, Austin Flynn, Defonta Lowe, Keante Minor and Brandon Mitchell have been granted their release from the University of Arkansas football program. Through meetings with these student-athletes, a determination was made that it would be mutually beneficial for them to pursue their goals elsewhere. Brandon is on track to earn his degree this summer and utilize the NCAA graduate transfer exception to play immediately this fall. We fully support them and wish them all the best moving forward.”

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Kentucky’s Ashely Lowery is recovering after being in a serious car accident this weekend. (ZUMAPRESS.com)

By Zac Ellis

Kentucky football player Ashely Lowery’s condition has been upgraded from stable to satisfactory, according to a statement released by his family. Lowery, a junior safety on the Wildcats, remains hospitalized in Georgia after a serious auto accident on Saturday morning.

“On behalf of the Lowery family, we’d like to thank everyone for their concerns and prayer,” the family said in a statement. “From Georgia to Lexington, we can’t thank everyone enough. You are like family to us.

“The only official comment from the hospital is that his condition has been upgraded from stable to satisfactory and his injuries are no longer life threatening. We expect a full recovery. Again, thank you so much for all the prayers and support.”

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