NCAAF

Texas State to leave Sun Belt and join Pac-12 in 2026

For a conference to operate within the FBS, it needs at least eight programs. Thus, the current seven-team Pac-12 targeted Texas State to join the league. This move has been rumored for a while, and now it’ll come to fruition. Beginning next year, the Pac-12 will have eight football members and nine basketball members.

Texas State, particularly in football, is a bit of a sleeping giant. The program has gained steam in recent years, due to a talented young head coach in G.J. Kinne and a fertile recruiting base. Winning in the Pac-12 will prove more difficult, but the Bobcats are coming off back-to-back 8-5 seasons. The future is bright in San Marcos.

The Bobcats’ transition to a new league will be more challenging on the hardwood. Texas State has been a mid-tier program in the Sun Belt over the last five or so seasons, so it’ll have to improve to find success. Perhaps an influx of cash from changing leagues will help.

NBA

Raptors fire president Masai Ujiri

Whoa. This is being framed as a mutual parting of ways, but I won’t beat around the bush — Ujiri was fired. Perhaps the most shocking part of this dismissal is that it occurred just one day after the draft and days before the onset of free agency. The timing couldn’t be worse for the Raptors. Toronto will obviously be tasked with finding a suitable replacement for Ujiri — no easy mission.

The Raptors boast an interesting roster for the next head of basketball operations to build upon. Scottie Barnes is the centerpiece, but Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley are all capable talents too. Ujiri crafted a championship roster in 2019, but the state of the franchise worsened as time progressed. The organizational goal moving forward should be to mold the intriguing core into a sustainable winner.

Ujiri will likely have his choice of several open jobs in 2026. He probably received too much credit for Toronto’s title in 2019, but he’s a skilled accumulator of talent. Ujiri also has bundles of experience, overseeing successful runs in both Denver and Toronto. The executive’s next franchise will be in a good place with him at the helm.

Grade: C-