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 1938.

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.

By Holly Anderson

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: This LandThieves video contains mature language and is not safe for office environments, nursing mothers, women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant, readers with heart, neck or back conditions, small children, animals, houseplants, night terrors sufferers, the elderly, those with chronic illness, diabetics or vegans.

Mike the Tiger is seen here pondering all the chill Instagrams he’d be taking if only he had opposable thumbs. (AP)

By Holly Anderson

LSU blog And The Valley Shook has an interview up with Ginger Guttner, director of public relations for the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, concerning life with Mike the Tiger. The whole thing is worth a read, but we know what you’re thinking:

So he doesn’t actually do the tweeting himself?

No, Mike’s not able to tweet himself. While he does have wifi in the habitat, I don’t think any computer we would give him would survive.

That clears that up. Read on.

TCU’s Devonte Fields earned Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors in 2012. (Max Faulkner/ZUMAPRESS.com)

By Zac Ellis

TCU sophomore defensive end Devonte Fields has been suspended for the first two games of the 2013 season, the team announced Wednesday.

In a short release, the Horned Frogs said Fields’ suspension comes on the heels of a “violation of university and team policy.” TCU coach Gary Patterson offered no comment on the suspension.

Field will miss TCU’s season-opening matchup with LSU at Cowboys Stadium on Aug. 31 and the team’s home opener against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 7. The suspension leaves the Horned Frogs with even less experience across the defensive line, where they had already lost starter Stansly Maponga to the NFL.

Fields started all 13 games for TCU as a freshman last season and recorded 53 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, garnering Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors and landing on the All-Big 12 First Team. But Fields struggled this spring and had been one of the players singled out by Patterson for his efforts during workouts.

Nick Saban did not visibly yawn during the SEC Network presentation, indicating he is at least magical, if not necessarily evil. (AP)

By Holly Anderson

Look, we weren’t there, so we can’t accurately assess Florida O-line coach Tim Davis’ tone, but does this kindasorta sound like a compliment to anybody else?

“I’ve always wanted to work with Will,” Davis said. “Will’s got a plan. Will coached under the devil himself for seven years. I only did three. He did seven. And his DNA is not any different than Nick.”

[Previously, in SEC coaches accusing Nick Saban of being the Prince of Darkness.]

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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By Holly Anderson

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By Holly Anderson

Look, you try ignoring a headline that implores the reader to “Watch Pat Dye lick sugar off of a football.” What, you think you’re better than us?

By Holly Anderson

NB: You probably do not want to play this video with the sound up at work, unless you work in a rap emporium.

Jay Harris, a Rivals.com three-star wide receiver committed to Michigan State, has made perhaps the offseason’s most unusual LOI-related announcement, declaring his intentions to give up football in favor of nurturing his rap career. Our pals at SB Nation are asking the important question; namely, which Big Ten coach do we want to see try the same thing? (The answer, naturally, is Kirk Ferentz, because how else are they going to get him out of there?)

[UPDATE: The above Inquirer story has now been altered to indicate Harris was stripped of his scholarship when school officials learned of the video, but goes on quote both Harris saying it was his decision and an MSU spokesman calling the move a mutual arrangement.]