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NCAA investigates after Dabo Swinney raises transfer portal tampering accusations against Ole Miss

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NCAA investigates after Dabo Swinney raises transfer portal tampering accusations against Ole Miss

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The Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Miami Hurricanes last week to cap the college football season.

Just one day before the transfer portal window closed for players who competed in the national championship, Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney sounded the alarm over what he sees as a lack of governance in the sport.

During a wide-ranging news conference, Swinney specifically raised concerns about Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding’s alleged repeated, unauthorized contact with Clemson linebacker Luke Ferrelli. Swinney suggested Golding was working to get Ferrelli’s name into the transfer portal.

On Tuesday, the NCAA contacted Clemson about Swinney’s accusations and launched an investigation.

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Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney details transfer portal events involving linebacker Luke Ferrelli while seated next to athletic director Graham Neff during a Jan. 23, 2026, news conference at the Smart Family Media Center in Clemson, S.C. (Ken Ruinard/USA Today Co/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

“The NCAA will investigate any credible allegations of tampering and expect full cooperation from all involved as is required by NCAA rules,” NCAA vice president of enforcement Jon Duncan said in the statement obtained by The Athletic. “We will not comment further on any ongoing investigation.”

The newly adopted 15-day window for other FBS and FCS athletes, including graduate transfers, opens the day after the CFP quarterfinals end. There are built-in exceptions for players who experience a head coaching change.

2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL TRANSFER PORTAL: 10 BEST REMAINING PLAYERS AVAILABLE

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“This is a whole other level of tampering,” Swinney said in reference to Ole Miss’ alleged communication with Ferrelli. “It’s total hypocrisy. … This is a really sad state of affairs. We have a broken system, and if there are no consequences for tampering, then we have no rules, and we have no governance.”

Ferrelli, a highly sought-after recruit, elected to enter the portal in January. He did visit Ole Miss but eventually agreed to a contract and enrolled in classes at Clemson. However, shortly after classes at Clemson started, Swinney said football team general manager Jordan Sorrells said “Ole Miss was going hard” after the linebacker. 

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney during a game against Louisville Nov. 2, 2024, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Sorrells later asked an Ole Miss official to get the school to end all communication with Ferrelli. According to Swinney, the Ole Miss official made it clear he did not support tampering. On Jan. 15, Ferrelli asked to be entered into the portal with the intention of transferring to Ole Miss.

The next day, Clemson submitted a complaint to the NCAA detailing alleged “blatant” tampering. As of Friday, Clemson athletic director Graham Neff made it clear that legal action was not off the table. 

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“I’m not trying to get anybody fired, but when is enough enough?” Swinney said. “If we have rules, and tampering is a rule, then there should be a consequence for that. And shame on the adults if we’re not going to hold each other accountable.”

Pete Golding watches during warmups prior to Ole Miss’ game against the Furman Paladins at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium  Aug. 31, 2024, in Oxford, Miss. (Petre Thomas/USA Today Sports)

Swinney expressed concern about the message unchecked tampering could send to future college football players. 

“This is not about a linebacker at Clemson,” he said. “I don’t want anyone on our team that doesn’t want to be here. But it’s about the next kid and the next kid and the message that’s being sent with just blatant tampering being allowed to happen without consequences. This isn’t about our program. It’s about college football.”

Swinney said the current college football climate invites misconduct and must be fixed. The two-time national championship-winning coach backed moving the transfer portal window from January to the spring. He also called for spring football to resemble an NFL team’s OTAs and proposed limits on free transfers.

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Fox News Digital contacted Ole Miss’ athletic department for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

A record 4,900 FBS players and more than 3,200 FCS student-athletes entered the transfer portal during the 2024-25 academic year.

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ESPN star rips iconic college basketball team with $22M roster for disappointing season

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ESPN star rips iconic college basketball team with M roster for disappointing season

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The Kentucky Wildcats basketball team may still make the NCAA Tournament, but Dick Vitale thinks this iconic program should be much better than their 19-12 record this season considering their whopping $22 million roster. 

The legendary ESPN college basketball analyst didn’t hold back his feelings about the Wildcats as they played Florida during Saturday’s prime SEC matchup. After the Gators hit some free throws to extend their first-half lead to 26-19, Vitale started to lay into the Wildcats.

Head coach Mark Pope of the Kentucky Wildcats in a game between the Florida Gators and the Kentucky Wildcats on March 7, 2026, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. (Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire)

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“I’m going to say this right here, I’ve done several Kentucky games, win or lose, $22 million this team [which has been reported] in terms of the NIL for their players,” he said, per Awful Announcing. “I think in $22 million, they could have put together a better roster than they did. I really do.”

The Wildcats ended up losing by a score of 84-77, and Vitale continued about Kentucky near the end of their 12th loss of the season. 

“I’ll tell you one thing, you don’t want to walk out of here thinking you got a moral victory,” Vitale said, referencing a hard-fought game against the No. 5-ranked Florida team. “Moral victories don’t count at this level of basketball. And you hear some of the people, ‘We played them close. We played them tough.’ 

“The bottom line is you’re Kentucky. You’re Kentucky. And you’ve got to leave here with a win, especially at home. There are no moral victories. Come on. I don’t want to hear that.”

Collin Chandler and Jasper Johnson of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrate in the first half against the Ole Miss Rebels at Rupp Arena on Jan. 24, 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

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The Wildcats were once the top program in the country under former Coach John Calipari, who left for Arkansas after being unable to make a long March Madness run in recent seasons, including a shocking first round upset to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. 

The Wildcats have been coached by Mark Pope since, and they made the Sweet 16 in last year’s tournament before losing to Tennessee. 

Kentucky Jasper Johnson in action vs Michigan State at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY on Nov. 18, 2025. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated )

But this year, Kentucky is 10-8 in SEC play, and now face the No. 9 seed in the upcoming tournament this week. The winner of each conference earns a tournament berth, but the Wildcats know good seeding in the NCAA Tournament requires a strong run heading into Selection Sunday this upcoming weekend. 

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The Wildcats will start their SEC Tournament play on Wednesday against No. 16 LSU. 

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Chargers agree to deal with former Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold

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Chargers agree to deal with former Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold

The Chargers bolstered their efforts to protect quarterback Justin Herbert all while diversifying their offense by agreeing to a multiyear deal with veteran fullback Alec Ingold on Sunday, the team announced.

Ingold’s deal with the Chargers reportedly is for two years and $7.5 million.

Ingold will be no stranger to the Chargers’ plans on offense. He played the past four seasons in Miami under coach Mike McDaniel, the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator. Last year he caught eight passes for 52 yards and ran the ball twice in 17 games.

Ingold caught 47 passes for 372 yards and rushed for 34 yards in 20 carries in four seasons with the Dolphins. He also had two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown.

Before his time in Miami, Ingold played three seasons with the Raiders.

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The deal comes two days after the Chargers signed veteran center Tyler Biadasz to take over for the retiring Bradley Bozeman. They agreed to terms on a one-year deal with edge rusher Khalil Mack on Saturday.

With the free agency negotiation period set to begin Monday at 9 a.m. PDT, the Chargers remain in strong position to be significant players in the free-agent market. They rank among the top-five teams in salary cap space, per Overthecap.com.

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Cowboys star, fiancée end relationship month before wedding: report

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Cowboys star, fiancée end relationship month before wedding: report

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and his fiancée, Sarah Jane Ramos, reportedly broke up with their wedding around the corner.

Prescott and Ramos’ relationship had been “rocky” in the weeks leading up to the breakup and things exploded between the two at their joint bachelor and bachelorette parties, TMZ Sports reported on Saturday.

Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos attend the Farrah Fawcett Foundation Tex-Mex Fiesta on Oct. 30, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Omar Vega/Getty Images for Farrah Fawcett Foundation)

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Ramos shared pictures of her trip with her friends on Instagram on Friday.

“I truly believe you can get through anything in life as long as you have really great friends. I love these girls so much,” Ramos captioned the collage of snaps.

Prescott was not pictured in any of the 16 photos and videos posted to her social media account.

Sarah Jane Ramos and Dak Prescott pose for a photo before Dak Prescott’s Faith Fight Finish Foundation Gala on May 17, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images for Faith Fight Finish Foundation)

Ramos also posted photos of her bridal shower back on Feb. 23. There were no photos of Prescott in the carousel either.

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“The most intimate and beautiful bridal shower of my dreams,” she added on Instagram. “So grateful for my aunts who hosted it and my girlfriends and family that came to celebrate. I love you all so much and can’t wait to marry the love of my life with all of you by my side.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Prescott’s representative for comment.

Prescott posted a series of photos on his Instagram of Ramos and his family on July 20, 2025. There’s only a September advertisement posted on his account since.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos pose on the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts on Feb. 5, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

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The NFL star and Ramos announced they were engaged on Oct. 18, 2024. The couple have two children together.

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