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Unpacking Future Packers: No. 29, Texas DT Alfred Collins

Published

9 months ago

March 30, 2025

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 29, Texas DT Alfred Collins

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers’ run defense took a step forward under first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. This past season they gave up four yards per carry and 1,689 yards, which ranked seventh in the league.

If the Packers want to continue to shut things down between the tackles, a player they could target in the 2025 NFL Draft is Alfred Collins. The Texas defensive tackle checks in at No. 29 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

A native of Texas, Collins recorded two tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and knocked down three passes during his first season on campus. In 2021, Collins recorded five tackles for loss and two sacks. The following season he recorded three tackles for loss and one sack. In 2023, Collins recorded two sacks.

This past season, Collins recorded a career high of 55 tackles and six tackles for loss. The Texas defensive tackle also recorded one sack and knocked down seven passes.

“Collins was the anchor of one of the nation’s best run defense just one year after losing two defensive tackles to the NFL draft,” Evan Vieth, a writer for Inside Texas, said. “He led a five-deep defensive tackle group in snaps and was a huge body in both the A and B gaps. I’d argue he was the second most impactful on the defense because of his ability to stuff the run on a team that prioritized pass rushers in the front seven and ball-playing defensive backs on the back end.”

Collins is a well-put-together interior defensive lineman. He checked in at the combine at 6-6, 332 pounds, with over 34-inch arms. He’s a tank in the middle of the line and is able to shut down running lanes.

He has a lot of power flowing through those long arms. The former five-star recruit uses his length to help him out-leverage at the point of attack. He’s able to discard blockers with his bully strength and strong hands. With his massive frame, he’s able to bear down against double teams. The Texas defensive tackle has the lateral quickness and nimble feet to slither into gaps and stop run plays before they can get started. He has the range to make plays tackle-to-tackle. According to Pro Football Focus, he recorded 27 run stops this past season. A team will draft him for his ability to two-gap and keep linebackers clean.

“Collins is a giant player in the box but it doesn’t look like it you turn on the tape,” Vieth said. “It’s because a lot of his weight is pure muscle, so he is lean enough to slither through block sheds and has the foot speed to move laterally. He’s a smart kid of course, but his strength and foot speed are pretty absurd. It’s why he was a five-star recruit.”

Collin has a surprisingly quick first step and charges upfield with power. With his strength, he can walk offensive lineman back into the quarterback’s lap. When he is unable to get home, he has a knack for getting his long arms up to muddy up passing lanes (nine pass deflections over the past two seasons). He recorded 18 pressures this past season and 23 in 2023.

“If there’s one passing down strength, he has it’s getting his arms in the way of passes and batting them down, or obscuring the quarterback’s vision,” Vieth said. “He can bull rush, but so can any 330-pound NFL defensive tackles.”

Fit with the Packers

The Packers need to replace TJ Slaton and with his size and ability to clog up running lanes, Collins could be an ideal target.

Collins has a powerful, NFL-ready frame. His trump card is his ability to two-gap and keep linebackers like Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker clean.

“I wouldn’t draft him if my No. 1 need was a pass rusher, but he is the kind of player that plays into three contracts in the NFL,” Vieth said. “Sturdy, athletic and smart are the three words that come to mind. The NFL is slowly evolving back into the running game as a counter to lighter boxes, so having a two-down defensive tackle who can single-handedly blow up plays is becoming more and more valuable.”

Drafting a player like Collins may not have fans running to the Packers Pro Shop to buy his jersey this summer, but when the calendar flips to November, he’d quickly become a fan favorite for his ability to do the dirty work in the trenches and shut down running lanes.

Collins is a plug-and-play two-down defender early in his career. Anything he offers as an interior pass rusher would be gravy. With his ability to muddy things up against the run, Collins could have a place in Green Bay’s interior rotation.

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Why Texas A&M’s former Heisman winner was a generational dual-threat

Published

3 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Why Texas A&M’s former Heisman winner was a generational dual-threat

On Saturday night, the 91st Heisman winner will be announced, as Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love are the four finalists who will contend for the most prestigious award college football has to offer.

All four players led their teams to double-digit wins. At the same time, Mendoza and Sayin are headed to the College Football Playoff after Indiana’s Big Ten Championship win over the Buckeyes vaulted the Hoosiers to the No. 1-seed, receiving a first-round bye in the CFP.

For Texas A&M fans, former star quarterback Johnny Manziel, who won the program’s second Heisman Trophy after his historic 2012 redshirt freshman season, was back in the news after Bleacher Report revealed back-to-back rushing comparisons to Jeremiyah Love’s prolific 2025 rushing production, which led to him becoming a Heisman finalist.

Manziel threw for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns, while rushing for an incredible 1,410 yards and 21 touchdowns on 201 carries, averaging seven yards per carry. Love, whose entire job is running and catching the ball, ran for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 199 carries, averaging 6.9 yards per carry.

This takes nothing away from Jeremiyah Love’s incredible season, but is just another reason Johnny Manziel’s 2012 season is still regarded as the most outstanding Heisman-winning campaign, outside of former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton’s 2010 Heisman season.

After throwing for 2,932 yards and 25 touchdowns, Texas A&M star QB Marcel Reed did not make the Heisman finalist cut.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

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2025-26 college football bowl game schedule, scores, TV channels, times

Published

15 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

2025-26 college football bowl game schedule, scores, TV channels, times

Here’s the complete college football bowl schedule for the 2025-26 season, which begins Saturday, Dec. 13. Games continue through the College Football Playoff title game on Monday, Jan. 19.

This article will continue to be updated as bowl games go final.

2025-26 college football bowl game schedule, scores, TV channels, matchup information

(all times ET)

Saturday, Dec. 13

Celebration Bowl
South Carolina State vs. Prairie View A&M
12 p.m. | ABC
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Atlanta, Georgia

LA Bowl
Boise State vs. Washington
8 p.m. | ABC
SoFi Stadium
Inglewood, Calif.

Tuesday, Dec. 16

Salute to Veterans Bowl
Troy vs. Jacksonville State
9 p.m. | ESPN
Cramton Bowl
Montgomery, Ala.

Wednesday, Dec. 17

Cure Bowl
Old Dominion vs. South Florida
5 p.m. | ESPN
Camping World Stadium
Orlando, Fla.

68 Ventures Bowl
Louisiana vs. Delaware
8:30 p.m. | ESPN
Hancock Whitney Stadium
Mobile, Ala.

Thursday, Dec. 18

Xbox Bowl
Arkansas State vs. Missouri State
9 p.m. | ESPN2
Ford Center
Frisco, Texas

Friday, Dec. 19

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan
11 a.m. | ESPN
Brooks Stadium
Conway, S.C.

Gasparilla Bowl
Memphis vs. NC State
2:30 p.m. | ESPN
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa, Fla.

College Football Playoff First Round Game
No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Alabama
8 p.m. | ESPN, ABC
Memorial Stadium
Norman, Okla.

Saturday, Dec. 20

College Football Playoff First Round Game
No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.)
12 p.m. | ESPN, ABC
Kyle Field
College Station, Texas

College Football Playoff First Round Game
No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 20 Tulane
3:30 p.m. | TNT, HBO Max, truTV
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Oxford, Miss.

College Football Playoff First Round Game
No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 24 James Madison
7:30 p.m. | TNT, HBO Max, truTV
Autzen Stadium
Eugene, Ore.

Monday, Dec. 22

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Washington State vs. Utah State
2 p.m. | ESPN
Albertsons Stadium
Boise, Idaho

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Boca Raton Bowl

New Orleans Bowl
Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss
5:30 p.m. | ESPN
Caesars Superdome
New Orleans, La.

Frisco Bowl
UNLV vs. Ohio
9 p.m. | ESPN
Ford Center at The Star
Frisco, Texas

Wednesday, Dec. 24

Hawai’i Bowl
Cal vs. Hawai’i
8 p.m. | ESPN
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex
Honolulu, Hawai’i

Friday, Dec. 26

GameAbove Sports Bowl
Central Michigan vs. Northwestern
1 p.m. | ESPN
Ford Field
Detroit, Mich.

Rate Bowl
New Mexico vs. Minnesota
4:30 p.m. | ESPN
Chase Field
Phoenix, Ariz.

First Responder Bowl
FIU vs. UTSA
8 p.m. | ESPN
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Dallas, Texas

Saturday, Dec. 27

Military Bowl
Pitt vs. East Carolina
11 a.m. | ESPN
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Annapolis, Md.

Pinstripe Bowl
Clemson vs. Penn State
12 p.m. | ABC
Yankee Stadium
Bronx, N.Y.

Fenway Bowl
UConn vs. Army
2:15 p.m. | ESPN
Fenway Park
Boston, Mass.

Pop-Tarts Bowl
No. 12 BYU vs. No. 22 Georgia Tech
3:30 p.m. | ABC
Camping World Stadium
Orlando, Fla.

Arizona Bowl
Miami (Ohio) vs. Fresno State
4:30 p.m. | The CW Network
Arizona Stadium
Tucson, Ariz.

New Mexico Bowl
No. 25 North Texas vs. San Diego State
5:45 p.m. | ESPN
University Stadium
Albuquerque, N.M.

Gator Bowl
Missouri vs. No. 19 Virginia
7:30 p.m. | ABC
EverBank Stadium
Jacksonville, Fla.

Texas Bowl
LSU vs. No. 21 Houston
9:15 p.m. | ESPN
NRG Stadium
Houston, Texas

Monday, Dec. 29

Birmingham Bowl

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Independence Bowl
Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech
2 p.m. | ESPN
Independence Stadium
Shreveport, La.

Music City Bowl
Tennessee vs. Illinois
5:30 p.m. | ESPN
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, Tenn.

Alamo Bowl
No. 16 USC vs. TCU
9 p.m. | ESPN
Alamodome
San Antonio, Texas

Wednesday, Dec. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl
No. 23 Iowa vs. No. 14 Vanderbilt
12 p.m. | ESPN
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa, Fla.

Sun Bowl
Arizona State vs. Duke
2 p.m. | CBS
Sun Bowl
El Paso, Texas

Citrus Bowl
No. 13 Texas vs. No. 18 Michigan
3 p.m. | ABC
Camping World Stadium
Orlando, Fla.

Las Vegas Bowl
Nebraska vs. No. 15 Utah
3:30 p.m. | ESPN
Allegiant Stadium
Las Vegas, Nev.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Texas A&M/No. 10 Miami (Fla.) winner
7:30 p.m. | ESPN , WatchESPN
AT&T Stadium (Cotton Bowl)
Arlington, Texas

Thursday, Jan. 1

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon/No. 24 James Madison winner
12 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
Hard Rock Stadium (Orange Bowl)
Miami Gardens, Fla.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 8 Oklahoma/No. 9 Alabama winner
4 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
Rose Bowl (Rose Bowl)
Pasadena, Calif.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss/No. 20 Tulane winner
8 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
Caesars Superdome (Sugar Bowl)
New Orleans, La.

Friday, Jan. 2

Armed Forces Bowl
Texas State vs. Rice
1 p.m. | ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium
Fort Worth, Texas

Liberty Bowl
Navy vs. Cincinnati
4:30 p.m. | ESPN
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
Memphis, Tenn.

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Mississippi State vs. Wake Forest
8 p.m. | ESPN
Bank of America Stadium
Charlotte, N.C.

Holiday Bowl
No. 17 Arizona vs. SMU
8 p.m. | FOX
Snapdragon Stadium
San Diego, Calif.

Thursday, Jan. 8

College Football Playoff Semifinal
7:30 p.m. | ESPN
State Farm Stadium (Fiesta Bowl)
Glendale, Ariz.

Friday, Jan. 9

College Football Playoff Semifinal
7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Peach Bowl)
Atlanta, Ga.

Monday, Jan. 19

College Football Playoff National Championship Game
7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Hard Rock Stadium
Miami, Fla.

Here’s a complete list of scores from the College Football Playoff since its first season in 2014:

College Football Playoff: Scores, results

2014 season

Rose Bowl: No. 2 Oregon 59, No. 3 Florida State 20
Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 1 Alabama 35
CFP National Championship Game: No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20

2015 season

Orange Bowl: No. 1 Clemson 37, No. 4 Oklahoma 17
Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Alabama 38, No. 3 Michigan State 0
CFP National Championship Game: No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40

2016 season

Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Clemson 31, No. 3 Ohio State 0
Peach Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 24, No. 4 Washington 7
CFP National Championship Game: No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31

2017 season

Rose Bowl: No. 3 Georgia 54, No. 2 Oklahoma 48 (2OT)
Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Alabama 24, No. 1 Clemson 6
CFP National Championship Game: No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 (OT)

2018 season

Orange Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 45, No. 4 Oklahoma 34
Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Clemson 30, No. 3 Notre Dame 3
CFP National Championship Game: No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16

2019 season

Peach Bowl: No. 1 LSU 63, No. 4 Oklahoma 28
Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Clemson 29, No. 2 Ohio State 23
CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25

2020 season

Rose Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 31, No. 4 Notre Dame 14
Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Ohio State 49, No. 2 Clemson 28
CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24

2021 season

Cotton Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 27, No. 4 Cincinnati 6
Orange Bowl: No. 3 Georgia 34, No. 2 Michigan 11
CFP National Championship Game: No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18

2022 season

Peach Bowl: No. 1 Georgia 42, No. 4 Ohio State 41
Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 TCU 51, No. 2 Michigan 45
CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7

2023 season

Rose Bowl: No. 1 Michigan 27, No. 4 Alabama 20
Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Washington 37, No. 3 Texas 31
CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 Michigan 34, No. 2 Washington 13

2024 season

First round (Dec. 20-21)
Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)
Semifinals (Jan. 9-10)
CFP National Championship

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Texas A&M vs. Louisville volleyball final score, stats highlights

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Texas A&M vs. Louisville volleyball final score, stats highlights

After dropping the first two sets, No. 3 seed Texas A&M (25-4) stormed back to beat No. 2 seed Louisville (26-6) 3-2 in the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament Friday night.

Texas A&M moves on to play Sunday against either No. 1 Nebraska or No. 4 Kansas, who play at 9:30 p.m. ET Friday night. Here’s how the Sweet 16 heavyweight match played out:

FINAL: Texas A&M wins 3-2, taking final set 15-12.

No. 3 Texas A&M completed a reverse sweep against No. 2 Louisville to advance to the regional final for the first time since 2001 after winning the fifth set, 15-12. The Aggies were able to swing the momentum of the game with their blocking ability, led by Ifenna Cos-okpalla’s 12 total blocks.

Texas A&M’s Logan Lednicky (20 kills, 10 digs on .245 hitting), Kyndal Stowers (16 kills, 11 digs on .282 hitting) and Emily Hellmuth (12 kills on .226 hitting) each recorded double-digit kills.

“We just weren’t finishing the last end of the set,” said an emotional Lednicky, who was three blocks away from a triple double. “We’re like, we’re not letting them sweep us. We know how to grind, we know how to dig it. We saw it in the TCU match and we did just that last one.”

Tensions boiled over in the fifth set. Louisville head coach Dan Meske earned a yellow card for swatting the ball because he thought the referee missed a carry call during a long rally Texas A&M won to go up 12-10.

Louisville’s Chloe Chicoine finished with a game-high 26 kills hitting .300 in the loss.

No. 3 Texas A&M took a 17-8 lead after holding No. 2 Louisville to a -.143 hitting percentage to start the fourth set with its defensive prowess. The Aggies stretched their lead to as many as nine points, but Louisville went on a 7-1 run to come within three points of Texas A&M. The Aggies didn’t relinquish the lead this time. Texas A&M finished the fourth set on a 4-0 run to force a decisive fifth set.

Texas A&M held Louisville to .000 hitting in the fourth set. The Aggies hit .267 and recorded nine blocks. Texas A&M’s Logan Lednicky (18 kills on .333 hitting), Kyndal Stowers (14 kills on .243 hitting) and Emily Hellmuth (10 kills on .200 hitting) each have double-digit kills. Ifenna Cos-okpalla is up to 11 blocks.

The Aggies are going for the reverse sweep, the team’s first since September 2024.

No. 3 Texas A&M head coach Jamie Morrison said his team needed to do a better job at finishing at the end of the set if they wanted to extend their season against No. 2 Louisville after giving up leads in the first two sets. The Aggies did just that in a third set that featured 15 ties and five lead changes.

The Aggies had a 23-21 lead in the third set before Louisville tied it up at 23-23 following back-to-back kills from Chloe Chicoine. Texas A&M’s Kyndal Stowers responded with a pair of kills herself to give the Aggies the set, 25-23.

Texas A&M’s Logan Lednicky (14 kills on .333 hitting), Stowers (11 kills on .259 hitting) and Emily Hellmuth (10 kills on .261) each have double-digit kills as the team is collectively hitting .292.

Meanwhile, Chicoine is up to 19 kills on .405 hitting. Cara Cresse added seven blocks.

New set, same scenario. Much like the first set, Texas A&M was the first team to reach 15 points. The Aggies had a 21-16 lead in the second set, before Louisville staged another comeback. The Cardinals went on a 9-1 run to take the lead and clinch the second set, 25-22, to take a 2-0 lead over Texas A&M.

Louisville capitalized on 14 total blocks and three aces. Chloe Chicoine (11 kills on .400 hitting) and Payton Petersen (10 kills on .563 hitting) led the Cardinals in kills.

Logan Lednicky has nine kills, while Emily Hellmuth and Kyndal Stowers each have seven kills for Texas A&M.

No. 3 Texas A&M had control of the first set and was the first team to 15 points, but No. 2 Louisville went on a 5-0 run to tie it up at 17-17. Five more ties ensued before Louisville ultimately created some separation to take the first set, 25-23. Louisville hit .457 and had two players with six or more kills — Payton Petersen (seven kills on .778 hitting) and Chloe Chicoine (six kills on .600 hitting).

NCAA volleyball tournament regionals schedule

All times Eastern

Friday, Dec. 12

Saturday, Dec. 13

Sunday, Dec. 14

TBA | No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Wisconsin
Regional final, TBD

NCAA women’s volleyball bracket

Find the full NCAA women’s volleyball tournament bracket on the NCAA website.

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