Photo: KSUOwlsFootball.com Here at Crystal Ball Run, we usually stick to the big names of the FBS but occasionally it's nice to shine a light on the smaller programs and take a look at what's happening around the world of college football. Today, we take a look at the newest football program in the state […]

Michael Sam's support of his teammates and coaches is an important part of his story. Photo: USA Today Sports On Sunday we learned Missouri defensive end Michael Sam, an All-American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year, is gay. According to the New York Times, Sam announced his sexuality to his teammates before the start of […]

Mark Richt looks like he might be in over his head; Photo Credit:

When the 2014 NFL season begins, it is likely to be the first with an openly gay player on a roster. At least it should be. On Sunday, Missouri All-American defensive end Michael Sam officially announced he was gay … something he had already shared with his teammate before he became the SEC’s Defensive Player […]

Florida and Florida State is the perfect cross-conference rivalry. What others can we make? Photo: USA Today Sports With conferences looking for ways to make for more attractive games — and maximize on television revenue — the idea of nine-game conference schedules continues to grow in popularity. For the record, I hate nine-game schedules for conferences. […]

Mark Stoops is on a mission to prove Kentucky isn't just a basketball school; Photo: USA Today Sports Recruiting is a big key to success in today's world of college football but often we just look at the big winners, the teams that finish in the Top 10. Truthfully, that's a big indicator for who […]

Riggs tackles LSU's Jarvis Landry in a 17-6 loss; Photo: USA Today Sports Will Muschamp had as tough of a 2013 season as any coach in college football and, at least for now, it looks to be continuing into 2014. In December, ESPN posted an injury-by-injury look at Florida's 2013 season and it wasn't pretty. […]

Is Bell making the right decision?; Photo: USA Today Sports In 2010, according to 247 Sports composite rankings, Blake Bell was the #1 dual threat quarterback recruit in the Nation. Playing behind Landry Jones, Bell made quite an impression in 2011 and 2012 as a go-to guy in the red zone for the Sooners. Over […]

California running back Joe Mixon headlines this year's top recruiting class in the Big 12. (Photo courtesy: USA Today Sports) The story in the Big 12 on national signing day wasn't much different than the year before (and the year before that). Oklahoma and Texas, aka death and taxes, set the pace once again. Baylor […]

Nick Saban explains how the SEC has mastered the art of recruiting; Photo: USA Today Sports The SEC dominated college football from 2006 through 2012, winning seven straight BCS National Championships. This past season, FSU knocked the SEC off it's perch by beating Auburn. The SEC coaches must have taken this personally as they pulled […]

With Signing Day in the books,

Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher thinks he has two more years with Jameis Winston. Photo: USA Today Sports In one year — forget the redshirt year for a moment — Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston has accomplished just about everything there is to do in college football. Win the ACC? Check. Win the Heisman […]