David Ubben

Alex McPherson made a kick to beat the nation's No. 1 team on Saturday night. Two years ago, he was sick, 110 pounds, sidelined and unsure of his football future. Wrote about his road back and a dream coming true. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/770...

📺 Bunch Formation After Dark will go live when Notre Dame-BYU ends. Come hang with @davidubben.bsky.social & me tonight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBhx...

Kentucky earned a massive win on Saturday night. But a father and daughter earned something even better. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/768...

Yes, Colorado's offensive gameplan and opening script fell into the hands of Texas Tech fans the night before the game. Called around this morning and got some details. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/765...

. @davidubben.bsky.social mixed up his metaphors and it led to an important debate: Which would be worse to fall into: snakepit, pool of sharks or scorpion pit?

🍩 @davidubben.bsky.social ranks his Top 5 donut shops in America: BunchFormationPod.com

Saturday, a Manning wearing No. 16 will be throwing passes at Neyland Stadium. But he'll be on the opposing sideline wearing a different shade of orange. On the split loyalties of Manning Bowls past, present and future. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/762...

I followed around Lane Kiffin as he “walked into a storm.” It ended with beer in the air, his former players taunting him and kicked off the biggest party in Oxford in a long time. Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/761...

I followed around Lane Kiffin as he “walked into a storm.” It ended with beer in the air, his former players taunting him and kicked off the biggest party in Oxford in a long time. Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/761...

How much did your team spend on its roster? Our staff @theathletic.com spent months and talked to countless people inside and outside of every Power 4 program in search of the answer. Here's what we found. Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/int...

What's going on at the places where we found rosters cost the least? I took a closer look. Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/759...

How much did your team spend on its roster? Our staff @theathletic.com spent months and talked to countless people inside and outside of every Power 4 program in search of the answer. Here's what we found. Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/int...

Kansas and Missouri have gone hard this week, educating students and fans about the rivalry. Mizzou alum @davidubben.bsky.social is concerned the damage that conference realignment has done to the Border War. 🎧📺 Full Week 2 preview: BunchFormationPod.com

“You want to go old school and play it?” Inside the night the lights went out in Tallahassee. Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/757...

🎙 New Bunch Formation - Colorado stuns Georgia Tech - UMass did WHAT??? - Why is LSU pushing it this far? - We debate Pop Watson vs Soda Watson 🎧 Listen: BunchFormationPod.com 📺 Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0YT...

Flipping narratives in Carolina. Should we be concerned about USC and FSU? FBS debuts and more. We talked every Week 0 game. Plus, how @chrisvannini.com and I got to where we are today and our own CFB/journalism journeys. Watch/listen: bunchformationpod.com

What happens when your program is consistently good but not quite great? And well-resourced but not quite rich? "I’ve got to make business decisions sometimes." On Dave Doeren and NC State, life in the middle and the stakes of an expanded CFP. www.nytimes.com/athletic/754...

🎙 New Bunch Formation - Explaining why NFL players are coming back to CFB - We make our CFP bracket and Heisman picks - @davidubben.bsky.social has a neighborhood dilemma 🎧📺 Listen/Watch: BunchFormationPod.com

Freddy (FreddyLA7) made social media waves during the World Cup while visiting the U.S. and wants to hit college football next. So what do you need to know about making an ultimate CFB road trip? @davidubben.bsky.social and I asked a few vets for their advice: www.nytimes.com/athletic/750...

Robert Morris fans are buying up Akron season tickets in hopes of winning the raffle and sabotaging the opening drive. And Pat McAfee might be getting involved soon. Talked to Robert Morris' AD and the Akron folks with Devon Henderson for this story. www.nytimes.com/athletic/749...

🎙 New Bunch Formation The great Chuck Klosterman joins us for a fun conversation. Why we love college football, how it's changed and predicting the future of the sport. 🎧📺 Listen/Watch: BunchFormationPod.com

🎙 New Bunch Formation - What really happened at Big 12 media days - Why Deion Sanders keeps taking shots at @davidubben.bsky.social - More Sorsby fallout + Thoughts on our convos with every team 🎧📺 Listen/Watch: BunchFormationPod.com

The Sugar Bowl was in two days. Then Texas learned it had a player who was 30 years old. He had already played professional football and had been competing all season under a fake name. Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/740...

The Sugar Bowl was in two days. Then Texas learned it had a player who was 30 years old. He had already played professional football and had been competing all season under a fake name. Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/740...

What happened to giant shoulder pads? It's a simple question. My search for why was a little more complex. "It's scary." Gift link to read for free: www.nytimes.com/athletic/739...

Talked with a dozen HCs today about the Brendan Sorsby news. They're angry, confused and disillusioned. "Unbelievable." "F---ing crazy" "Egregious." "One of the worst things I’ve seen in 20 years of coaching.” Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/734...

Talked with a dozen HCs today about the Brendan Sorsby news. They're angry, confused and disillusioned. "Unbelievable." "F---ing crazy" "Egregious." "One of the worst things I’ve seen in 20 years of coaching.” Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/734...

🎙 New Bunch Formation: The CFB27 reveal. @davidubben.bsky.social and I break down everything new in the game. Then we talk with CFB27 Production Director Christian McLeod about what went into the changes. 🎧📺 Listen/Watch: BunchFormationPod.com

🚨🎮 For the first time, EA Sports CFB27 will let you pay players + coaches and upgrade facilities. It's Dynasty Mode's biggest revamp in decades. Here's everything new in CFB27, plus thoughts from me and @davidubben.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...

What's new in #CFB27? NIL is here, plus deeper dynasty, gameplay tweaks and a ton more. @chrisvannini.com and I got an inside look this week and offered some explanation and thoughts. Here's free access to our story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...

He was one of the sport's biggest stars. Then a run of injuries and dropped passes marred a frustrating sophomore season. With a new number and a name change that runs deep, Ryan Coleman-Williams is chasing a rebirth. I made this story free to read. www.nytimes.com/athletic/727...

If your school doesn't have a mixed-use district yet, it's probably thought about one. Or your rival is building one. So what the heck are these things? And why are they the latest craze in the college sports facility arms race? From me and @davidubben.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/727...

Will be live here and on YouTube at 8 pm CT for Bunch Formation Bowl V: Me vs. @davidubben.bsky.social in our CFB26 dynasty, with live commentary. www.youtube.com/watch?v=fduN...

Real good by @davidubben.bsky.social and the quotes from Will Howard and Riley Leonard are way more honest than you'd get out of most players www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

Being drafted in the NFL has almost always meant fulfilling a lifelong dream. For a growing numbers of prospects, it now means something else: Taking a pay cut. “It’s weird. It’s definitely different.” (Story is free to read) www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

🎙 New Bunch Formation - Pete Golding responds to Dabo's tampering allegations - New strict transfer penalties - @davidubben.bsky.social on his South Carolina/NC State visits - I ADDRESS the response to my Duke hate story 🎧📺 Listen/Watch: linktr.ee/bunchformation

He ran a 4.47 40. He jumped 45 inches. Then he kicked a 70-yard field goal. But Jaffer Murphy’s winding road to the wildest Pro Day performance ever is even more remarkable. This story is free to read. www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

He ran a 4.47 40. He jumped 45 inches. Then he kicked a 70-yard field goal. But Jaffer Murphy’s winding road to the wildest Pro Day performance ever is even more remarkable. This story is free to read. www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

Deion Sanders is back for Year 4 at Colorado. Except almost everything around him is different this year. Will that mean an improvement on 3-9? "We’re in a critical juncture right now." www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

It currently costs around $2,000 to get in the door for Duke's home finale on Saturday against UNC. "But no amount of money can get you into Section 17." The price? Living in a tent outside of Cameron Indoor Stadium for six weeks. Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/709...

It currently costs around $2,000 to get in the door for Duke's home finale on Saturday against UNC. "But no amount of money can get you into Section 17." The price? Living in a tent outside of Cameron Indoor Stadium for six weeks. Free story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/709...

🎙 New Bunch Formation 🎮 We've played a lot of CFB26 since the season ended, so it's time for a long-term review of the game, w/ guest @jasonkirk.fyi 🎮Plus the latest on 2K college hoops, and @davidubben.bsky.social's controversial salad dressing idea 🎧📺 Listen/Watch: linktr.ee/bunchformation

College football had 34 head coaching changes. Here are 10 lessons from a bizarre carousel. Good analysis here from @chrisvannini.com and @davidubben.bsky.social on the most recent coaching cycle @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

🎙 New Bunch Formation 🏆 Indiana won the national championship and anything feels possible now. Me on no sleep + little voice in Miami, with a well-rested @davidubben.bsky.social. 🎧 Listen: linktr.ee/bunchformation

Going live now with @chrisvannini.com to talk about that bonkers semifinal. youtube.com/watch?v=uIXZ8Zp3nhQ&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE

Going live now with @chrisvannini.com to talk about that bonkers semifinal. youtube.com/watch?v=uIXZ8Zp3nhQ&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE

🎮 Time for Bunch Formation Bowl II, David vs. me in our CFB26 dynasty. Come watch the stream (no commentary due to mic issues). www.youtube.com/live/P3nqmCu...

Bunch Formation Bowl II is scheduled for tonight at 9:30 ET. @ChrisVannini and I will stream it on our YouTube channel here. Subscribe and you'll get notifications when we go live. The first game is here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbz0...