January 5th 2025.
As the weekend unfolded, there were some major developments that caught the attention of both sports fans and non-fans alike. From Washington State's surprising commitment to Arizona's huge win on the court, let's take a closer look at these events and their implications.
First up, Washington State made a big splash with their announcement of a $4.5 million budget for their football assistant coaches' salaries in 2025. This is a significant increase from previous years and could make them the top-paying staff in the Pac-12 when the conference resumes in 2026. This is a major development for a team that has been struggling financially and also has a relatively low compensation agreement with their new head coach.
Speaking of coaches, Arizona State's head coach Jimmy Rogers has been making waves with his team's success on the field. Their recent playoff game brought in a whopping 17.3 million viewers, making it the most watched game of the season. This, combined with their viewership from the previous Big 12 championship, resulted in a total of 28 million viewers for the Sun Devils' final two games. These numbers are a significant increase from their regular season games, and many fans got to see star player Cam Skattebo in action for the first time.
Over at Cal, things have taken a turn for the worse with the loss of their starting quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, to the transfer portal. On top of that, their highly-rated recruit from Hawaii, Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele, also flipped his commitment and signed with Oregon. However, there may be some hope on the horizon as Sagapolutele has announced his intention to enter the transfer portal again, with Cal being the rumored frontrunner for his services. If he joins the team, he could potentially start as early as their season opener against Oregon State.
In other football news, the College Football Playoff quarterfinals saw some impressive TV ratings, despite the lopsided nature of some of the games. The Rose Bowl, in particular, drew in 21.1 million viewers, making it the most watched game of the season. On the other hand, Oregon's loss in the same game was a major upset, with the Ducks being the number one seed and the only undefeated team in the nation. This loss was by far the largest margin of defeat for a number one seed in the history of the playoffs.
Finally, let's shift our focus to the basketball court, where Arizona has been having a bit of a rocky season. However, their recent win against No. 16 Cincinnati could be a turning point for the team. This was their first win against a ranked opponent, and it came on the road, which is always a tough feat. If they can continue to build momentum, they could potentially secure a spot in the NCAA tournament.
Overall, it's clear that this past weekend was full of surprises and significant developments both on and off the field. As always, stay tuned for more updates and analysis from the Hotline.
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