Month: November 2025

Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades has taken a leave of absence from his position with the university and is stepping down as chair of the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee.

The move, effective November 12, was confirmed by the school, which cited personal reasons for his leave: “Baylor Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades is on a leave of absence for personal reasons, effective November 12. The University will decline to comment further at this time.”

Rhoades took over as Baylor’s athletic director in 2016 following stints at Missouri, Houston, and Akron.  During his absence, deputy athletic director and COO Jovan Overshown, along with executive senior associate AD and CFO Cody Hall, will oversee the athletic department’s day-to-day operations. It remains unclear how long Rhoades will remain on leave or whether he will return to his role following the university’s review.

Multiple outlets, including CBS Sports and ESPN, report that Rhoades’s departure follows new allegations received by Baylor earlier this week. The university has launched an internal review, though officials emphasized the allegations do not involve Title IX issues, student welfare, NCAA violations, or the football program.

According to Yahoo Sports, the new allegations are separate from an earlier sideline incident involving Rhoades and tight end Michael Trigg during Baylor’s Sept. 20 game against Arizona State. Reports from The Athletic claim Rhoades confronted Trigg over his gold undershirt, which differed from the team’s uniform, and allegedly grabbed the player while using an expletive. Head coach Dave Aranda later exchanged “heated” words with Rhoades about the matter.

Baylor previously addressed that incident, stating, “More than a month ago, Baylor University received reports of an incident involving vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics Mack Rhoades. These reports were thoroughly reviewed and investigated in accordance with university policies, appropriate actions were taken, and the matter is now closed. Mr. Rhoades has expressed regret over his emotions and recognizes his conduct at that moment was not reflective of our Christian mission and values. Mr. Rhoades is an important part of our Baylor family, and we look forward to his continued leadership of our athletics department. We remain committed to ensuring a respectful and accountable environment for all of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff.”

Rhoades’s leave comes at a critical juncture in the college football season. The final CFP rankings will be revealed on December 7, and Rhoades had been leading the committee responsible for determining the playoff field.  Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek is expected to be nominated to replace Rhoades as chair, while the Big 12 has recommended Utah AD Mark Harlan to fill his seat on the 13-member selection committee. Both nominations await approval from the CFP governing board.

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Newly crowned National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes addressed speculation that he’s seeking a trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the New York Yankees, firmly dismissing the reports and reiterating his commitment to Pittsburgh.

The rumors began earlier in the day when an NJ Advance Media story quoted an anonymous Pirates player claiming Skenes had expressed a desire to be traded to New York. Skenes said he was shown the post and received messages about it but “didn’t think much about it.”  Skenes told reporters: “I don’t know where that came from. I don’t know the reporter. I don’t know the player that supposedly said that. But the goal is to win, and the goal is to win in Pittsburgh.”

The 23-year-old right-hander added that he’s aware of the perception that the Pirates are longshots in the National League, but he’s determined to help change that narrative. “The way that fans see us outside of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh is not supposed to win. There are 29 fan bases that expect us to lose. I want to be a part of the 26 guys that change that,” he said.

Skenes capped off a historic start to his career by becoming the first pitcher since Dwight Gooden in the mid-1980s to win Rookie of the Year and Cy Young honors in consecutive seasons. In 2025, he led Major League Baseball with a 1.97 ERA, striking out 216 batters over 187⅓ innings, and finished with a 10-10 record after winning three of his final four decisions. The previous season, he went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA across 23 starts.

Despite his stellar performance, Pittsburgh finished 71-91 in 2025, with the franchise having reached the postseason just three times in the past 33 years. However, Skenes expressed hope that he can help reverse the team’s fortunes. “I’m on the Pirates. My goal is to win with the Pirates. I love the city of Pittsburgh. The fans are hungry to have a winner in Pittsburgh and I want to be part of the group that did that,” he said.

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington echoed that sentiment, saying the team has no plans to move Skenes. Speaking at the MLB general managers meetings in Las Vegas, Cherington said while teams often inquire about the ace, the response has always been firm. “The question gets asked, and it’s always respectful. Teams have to ask the question. I suspect that won’t end. But the answer’s been consistent,” he said.

Skenes remains under team control through 2029, with arbitration eligibility beginning in 2027 and free agency not until 2030. He is expected to report to spring training in February and will represent Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic next March.

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