The sports world, including college football, has essentially screeched to a halt as countries around the world battle the coronavirus pandemic. As such, there’s a dearth of college football news as spring practices have all but been canceled at every level of the sport. And there’s even some concern that the health issue could have an impact on the 2020 college football campaign.
In that vein, we thought it might be fun to go back through the CollegeFootballTalk archives that stretch back to 2009 and take a peek at what transpired in the sport on this date.
So, without further ado -- ok, one further ado -- here’s what happened in college football on May 15, by way of our team of CFT writers both past and present.
(P.S.: If any of our readers have ideas on posts they’d like to read during this hiatus, leave your suggestions in the comments section. Mailbag, maybe?)
2019
THE HEADLINE: Big Ten ADs chirping for College Football Playoff expansion
THE SYNOPSIS: The chirping is growing as a recent survey of athletic directors shows significant support for playoff expansion.
2018
THE HEADLINE: Urban Meyer says Dwayne Haskins will get ‘first opportunity to be the starter’
THE SYNOPSIS: Joe Burrow transferred to LSU, you may have heard. Tate Martell was the only other “competition.” Of course Haskins won the job. In his lone season as the starter for the Buckeyes, Haskins threw for 4,831 yards and 50 touchdowns. Those were both single-season Big Ten records. The following year, he was the 15th pick of the first round by the New York Giants.
2017
THE HEADLINE: Charlie Weis buyout total stops at nearly $19 million
THE SYNOPSIS: Remember, Weis was fired as the head coach at Notre Dame in 2009. His last payment from the football independent came 2015. And that was in addition to money “earned” as the offensive coordinator at Florida and with the Kansas City Chiefs and as the head coach at Kansas. Speaking of the latter, KU paid Weis a buyout in the neighborhood of $6 million. Bringing his buyout total to around $25 million. We should all have such an agent.
2015
THE HEADLINE: Report: Everett Golson expected to announce decision Monday
THE SYNOPSIS: Florida State won the Golson Transfer Sweepstakes over Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. In his lone season with the Seminoles, Golson threw for 1,778 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions.
2014
THE HEADLINE: Nick Saban lobs a ‘kiss my ass’ when asked about Pat White Corvette allegations
THE SYNOPSIS: And the Nicktator’s love affair with the media continues to this day. This time, it was after being asked about the former West Virginia quarterback alleging he turned down a Corvette from someone associated with Alabama. Before Saban came to Tuscaloosa.
2013
THE HEADLINE: Hawaii football changing name back to Rainbow Warriors
THE SYNOPSIS: This reversed a head-scratching decision made 13 years prior.
2012
THE HEADLINE: Dabo Swinney: the ACC ‘will produce a national champion’
THE SYNOPSIS: The Clemson coach proved prescient as Florida State claimed the 2013 title. Swinney’s Tigers, meanwhile, won in 2016 and 2018.
2011
THE HEADLINE: Buckeyes place hold on handing out gold pants
THE SYNOPSIS: This was related to the impermissible benefits scandal that ultimately cost Jim Tressel his job.
2009
THE HEADLINE: Report: Pac-10 Network “Inevitable”
THE SYNOPSIS: The Pac-12 Network officially launched in August of 2021. It hasn’t, though, been the financial success many had hoped it’d be. At all.