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Morning Edition

November 28, 2025

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It’s college football’s most anticipated week of the regular season, and bitter rivals have lots on the line, including playoff bids and major paydays. But amid the high-stakes contests, there’s also an unlikely alliance between on-field foes.

Also, a note to FOS readers: There will be no PM edition of The Memo today, but check your inboxes on Saturday for our regularly scheduled morning newsletter.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], and Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]

Why Georgia Tech Sold Its Biennial Georgia Home Game for $10M [[link removed]]

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

When No. 4 Georgia and No. 23 Georgia Tech face off on Black Friday in the 119th edition of the “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” rivalry game, it will be the first time since Bobby Dodd Stadium opened in 1913 that the matchup is not played on either school’s campus.

Why? $10 million.

That’s the sum AMB Sports and Entertainment, the parent company of the Falcons and Atlanta United, is paying Georgia Tech to move the game out of its 52,000-seat home venue and into the 71,000-seat Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

It’s the fifth of a six-game contract Georgia Tech signed with AMBSE to annually play one home contest at the NFL and MLS venue, which opened in 2017. Since 2021, Georgia Tech has previously played Notre Dame, Louisville, Clemson, and North Carolina at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

But AMBSE significantly increased its payment guarantee to convince the Yellow Jackets to give up their biennial home game against the Bulldogs. The deal was struck [[link removed]]in October 2024, under former Georgia Tech athletic director J Batt, who at the time estimated the $10 million payment would amount to roughly five times the revenue a normal home game would generate.

AMBSE controlled ticket sales as the game’s operator, so the matchup is expected to include just as many, if not more, Georgia fans as Georgia Tech supporters. Earlier this week, resale ticket prices on secondary marketplaces mostly started at roughly $175 for the cheapest seats.

The atypical move comes as Georgia Tech has enjoyed its best season since 2014, although last week’s loss to Pitt dropped the team to 9–2 and means it will need a miracle [[link removed]] to make the ACC championship game. And even an upset over No. 4 Georgia, which is a two-touchdown betting favorite, wouldn’t guarantee an at-large bid in the College Football Playoff.

Still, Georgia (10–1) and Georgia Tech’s 19–combined wins this season are the most ever between the two teams heading into their annual rivalry game. Georgia leads the series 72-41-5 all-time, including last year’s 44–42 victory at Sanford Stadium in Athens that needed eight overtimes to crown a winner.

New Georgia Tech AD Ryan Alpert, who was hired in July, sought fan input earlier this year about moving next season’s home game against Tennessee to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for another big payday, but after feedback opted to keep it on campus [[link removed]]. Georgia Tech will play the final game of its Mercedes-Benz Stadium contract in a future season.

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Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

There is less disparity this year in the 121st edition of college football’s famed Ohio State–Michigan rivalry—with no shortage of drama in the highly anticipated contest.

Ohio State—undefeated, the defending national champion, and current No. 1–ranked team—will travel to Michigan Stadium to face the No. 15 Wolverines on Saturday. The game, to air on Fox, has a solid chance to become the most-watched college football game of the season, supplanting the Week 1 contest between the Buckeyes and then–No. 1 Texas, which drew an average of 16.62 million [[link removed]].

With both teams ranked this year, there is more at stake compared to last time the teams played, when an unranked Michigan team upset Ohio State, 13–10, serving as the final speed bump in the Buckeyes’ eventual run to the national title.

At 11–0, Ohio State is a lock for the 2025 College Football Playoff regardless of what happens, and a win would help seal a No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Michigan is fielding a 9–2 record but still trails the Buckeyes, as well as Indiana and Oregon, in the Big Ten. The Wolverines are still potentially in play for a CFP bid, and a win over the Buckeyes would enhance their chances considerably. A CFP path with a loss, however, is all but nonexistent.

More simply, though, the Buckeyes are looking to avoid a fifth straight loss to the archrival Wolverines.

“Fun is kicking ass. That’s what we want to do on Saturday,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Tuesday. “There’s nothing funny about this at all, but the fun part is winning.”

Security concerns will also be paramount after last year’s clash ended with a series of postgame fights. No arrests or citations were made, but the two schools were fined $100,000 each [[link removed]] after a flag-planting incident at the center of Ohio Stadium touched off the brawl. As is the case for major rivalry games, Michigan plans to elevate its security staffing both inside and outside of the stadium, but it has not detailed its protocols further.

Tennessee and Vanderbilt QBs Form Rivalry Week’s Unlikely Alliance [[link removed]]

Angelina Alcantar-Imagn Images

On Saturday, No. 19 Tennessee faces off against No. 14 Vanderbilt for their final regular-season matchup. But while the Rivalry Week competition will be fierce on the field, the teams’ quarterbacks have an alliance.

Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar wouldn’t have been able to play this year if it weren’t for the landmark eligibility lawsuit filed by Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia last November.

And now, Pavia and Aguilar are attempting to strike down the rule permanently [[link removed]]. Last week, Pavia resubmitted his lawsuit with multiple plaintiffs arguing the NCAA should not be allowed to enforce the rule at all in the future. Aguilar signed onto it.

The legal battle began last year when attorney Ryan Downton—Vanderbilt graduate and football fan—offered to represent Pavia, Downton previously told Front Office Sports. Pavia filed a lawsuit seeking another year of eligibility, arguing the NCAA’s JUCO rule illegally restricted his ability to earn NIL (name, image, and likeness) money.

Pavia quickly won an injunction—the reason he’s been able to play this year, leading the Commodores through a historic season [[link removed]] and giving his team a shot at the College Football Playoff for the first time. The NCAA granted a blanket waiver for one season granting players with JUCO years one extra year of eligibility. That’s the waiver that allowed Aguilar to play this season as well.

But the NCAA declined to make a change for good—so Downton and Pavia decided to keep fighting, even though Pavia planned to declare for the NFL Draft after this season. On Nov. 21, Downton filed an amended complaint with more than a dozen plaintiffs, including Aguilar. (Downton is also leading a separate lawsuit [[link removed]] to challenge the concept of playing only four seasons across five years or the “redshirt rule.”)

Aguilar, the Tennessee transfer, began his football career in 2021, when he played for Diablo Valley College. After two seasons there, he transferred to App State and earned his degree while playing for the Mountaineers in 2024 and 2025. Aguilar was granted one year of eligibility through Pavia’s waiver, so he then transferred to UCLA. Aguilar ended up being a casualty of the sordid saga [[link removed]] of Nico Iamaleava, who abruptly left Tennessee [[link removed]] for UCLA in April—Aguilar then transferred to Tennessee [[link removed]] mid-offseason.

Aguilar has previously implied [[link removed]] he would try for the NFL Draft after this season. But by joining Pavia’s eligibility lawsuit, he could get another shot at a CFP run, especially after he’s settled into life at Knoxville after his abrupt offseason transfer. He could also earn another round of NIL and revenue-sharing dollars easily in the seven figures.

It’s unlikely either team will make the Playoff, despite their strong showings this season. The winner of the SEC conference championship will earn a bid to the Playoff, but neither Vanderbilt nor Tennessee is a contender to appear in the title game. At No. 19, Tennessee is all but out. At No. 14, Vanderbilt has little chance unless it makes a significant rankings jump after Rivalry Week.

Regardless of on-field performance this weekend, the quarterbacks still have a chance to make a lasting impact on college football.

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[[link removed]]

No. 7 Oregon handled business in Eugene, knocking off No. 15 USC to move to 10–1 and stay firmly in the playoff picture.

The Ducks’ offense leaned on two steady playmakers all night: WR Kenyon Sadiq, who hauled in 6 catches for 72 yards and 2 touchdowns, and RB Noah Whittington, who powered the ground game with 104 rushing yards (126 yards total) and a score.

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Editors’ Picks Christian Ponder Wants to Help Athletes Succeed After Sports [[link removed]]by Ben Horney [[link removed]]The ex-NFL QB’s club prepares athletes for their post-career. Why NFL Believes Christmas Can Rival Thanksgiving Day [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]“We’re seeing what the ceiling is with Thanksgiving.” Kalshi Hit With Nationwide Class Action Over ‘Illegal Sports Betting’ [[link removed]]by Ben Horney [[link removed]]The suit is filed on behalf of thousands of proposed class members. Question of the Day

Which Rivalry Week matchup are you most looking forward to?

Ohio State–Michigan [[link removed]] Vanderbilt-Tennessee [[link removed]] Georgia–Georgia Tech [[link removed]] Other [[link removed]]

Wednesday’s result: 37% of respondents planned to watch both NFL and college basketball on Thanksgiving. 53% said just NFL. 4% said just college basketball. And 6% said neither, just turkey.

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Show [[link removed]] Written by David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], Amanda Christovich [[link removed]] Edited by Meredith Turits [[link removed]], Lisa Scherzer [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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