Back by popular demand—or perhaps force of habit—it’s time for the annual college football Most Intriguing Lists. First up: The 25 most intriguing coaches.
1. Curt Cignetti, Indiana
He is the game’s oracle until proven otherwise, a miracle worker who was hiding in plain sight for years. East Coast bias is generally overstated, but it’s the only explanation for the New York Knicks winning the ESPY for Team of the Year over Cignetti’s 2025–26 Hoosiers. What Indiana did was historic on multiple levels: the first 16–0 team at the highest level of the sport since the 19th century; the first new FBS national champion since Florida in 1996; the team that took the losingest program in FBS history out of the basement and far beyond anything previously experienced—and so forth. Along the way, Cignetti’s quirky personality, penchant for punchy quotes and scowling in-game demeanor have made him the biggest fascination in football.
2. Lane Kiffin, LSU
In Dante’s Divine Comedy, the eighth circle of hell is occupied by sowers of discord. These are your people, Lane. Nobody has sowed more discord in college football over the last 16 years than Kiffin, who took his divisive act to new heights (or depths) last fall by accepting the LSU job while his Mississippi team was in the midst of a College Football Playoff season. That was so disruptive it may actually spawn a federal law forbidding such a move in the future, if the Protect College Sports Act is passed by Congress. Kiffin is now on the clock to deliver a national championship at a school that has won three of them with three different coaches this century, but first he must endure a crucible of his own making—LSU at Ole Miss on Sept. 19, which might be the most bitter game in history.
3. Kyle Whittingham, Michigan
The implosion of Sherrone Moore might be an inadvertent (and expensive) blessing for the Wolverines. There is an adult in charge now in Whittingham, who became available when Utah squeezed him out to facilitate its longstanding succession plan to elevate assistant Morgan Scalley. A guy with 177 career victories and eight 10-win seasons in the relative obscurity of the Mountain time zone falls into Michigan’s lap, anxious to prove himself at age 66 at a blueblood program. Whittingham inherits a quarterback most foresee as a future NFL first-round pick in Bryce Underwood and brings over some key player and staff pieces from Salt Lake City. He’ll need them against a rugged schedule that features four 2025 playoff opponents.
4. Matt Campbell, Penn State
Like Whittingham at Michigan, Campbell is stepping out of an overachiever role at a try-hard program to take over an established heavyweight. He’s the winningest coach in Iowa State history (72 victories) and has the highest winning percentage of anyone in Ames since 1919 (.567). If the sense was that James Franklin let some standards slip at the end of his tenure, Campbell has come in with a mandate to tighten things back up. He brought a lot of Cyclones with him to State College, including quarterback Rocco Becht—how well do players and staff that went 8–4 in the Big 12 last year translate to the Big Ten? A lenient schedule (no Indiana, no Ohio State, no Oregon) gives him a chance.
5. Pete Golding, Mississippi
With a full season of exposure to Golding, college football fans are likely to love him right up until they hate him. He’s a lot—quippy, lippy and unafraid to ruffle feathers or flout transfer rules, as Clemson has alleged. (“Let’s not act like recruiting in college football for the last 100 years is the most moral thing. What are we talking about here?”) Golding earned immediate credibility with Ole Miss fans by replacing Kiffin and taking the Rebels to the CFP semifinals. With arguably the best quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss) and running back (Kewan Lacy) in college football, expectations are higher than they have been in generations—with Sept. 19 shaping up to be nothing short of a crusade.
6. Mario Cristobal, Miami
After some in-game gaffes in previous years, the playoff run to the title game last season went a long way toward cementing Cristobal’s stature as an elite coach. Bringing The U back to prominence was the reason why the intense Hurricane alum left Oregon to take the job; delivering on that confers hero status upon him. All that remains is the final step, and he might have the team to take it this season with another splashy transfer quarterback and spectacular skill players. With the rest of the Sunshine State in decay or rebuilding, he owns the place. Can he actually win an ACC title, too?
7. James Franklin, Virginia Tech
The reinvention of Franklin in Blacksburg will be a fascinating undertaking. Very few places would fire a coach with a 104–45 record, half a season removed from going to the CFP semifinals, but Penn State did when a season of sky-high expectations crashed quickly. In truth, the Franklin–Penn State marriage had frayed to the point where separation was needed. Tech has considerable history of its own, but the early expectation is to get it off the mat and forwardly placed in the ACC again. (At minimum, Franklin has an immediate opportunity to restore the Lane Stadium aura of old.) This could be a sweet-spot job for the 54-year-old—if he emerges wiser in a few areas from his time in State College.
8. Bill Belichick, North Carolina
My, how The Hoodie has frayed. He led this list last year, before his debut season as a college coach turned into a dumpster fire. From the high-profile girlfriend who likes to file records requests to the disastrous general manager to the 4–8 debut record laced with blowout losses, all Belichick’s NFL winning was quickly erased. Now the curiosity is whether the dumpster fire has been extinguished and the program has made tangible progress. Bobby Petrino rides in to the rescue as offensive coordinator (hopefully not on a Harley) but DC Stephen Belichick (Bill’s son) is on medical leave. If the Tar Heels aren’t appreciably better, a 1–5 start is entirely possible. At that point, this expensive experiment would take on definitive bust dimensions.
9. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech
So, can he coach? We got some answers on that front last year, as a loaded Red Raiders squad went 12–2, won the Big 12 and made the playoff. But after leveraging a roster spending gap over the rest of the league, Tech was punked by a similarly well-funded program (Oregon) in the CFP, 23–0. So the question remains whether McGuire is a caretaker or a program elevator. The Brendan Sorsby debacle this spring also alienated the Red Raiders in the eyes of much of the rest of the nation. (How much McGuire had to do with that, as opposed to billionaire booster Cody Campbell, is open to debate.) Now McGuire and his staff have to show they can win big with a backup quarterback coming off knee surgery.
10. Lincoln Riley, USC
His hiring was a bombshell when it happened in late 2021, but since then the impact has been more like a bottle rocket. After an 11-win opening season, Riley has averaged eight over the next three. This season, the Trojans say they have everything in place to return to prominence, from a fully functional front office and NIL war chest to an experienced roster to a capable coaching staff to the nation’s No. 1 freshman class to a gleaming new football facility. “The momentum has been created,” Riley said last week. “It’s been fun to see our program grow in all the areas that you need to be a championship-level program.” It’s not a moment too soon for Riley, who will be under serious fire if the Trojans aren’t at least seriously in the playoff mix all season.
11. Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame
I’m going with Freeman as the coach most likely to break through and win his first national championship this season. Freeman was a risky internal promotion that has paid off spectacularly, with the Fighting Irish winning 43 of 55 games while becoming a permanent playoff contender. The last growth area for the 40-year-old is avoiding the early season flop: His August/September record is 13–6 and in games thereafter he is 30–6. That includes first-month fiascos against Marshall and Northern Illinois, and last year’s 0–2 start that cost the Irish a playoff bid. Despite losing two first-round NFL running backs from the 2025 squad, on paper this is Freeman’s best team, with a loaded defense and star QB. He turned down NFL interest last year, and it will probably be there again this year.
12. Dan Lanning, Oregon
If Freeman has been great while struggling to start seasons, Lanning has been great while struggling to nail the ending. His Ducks have won 48 out of 56 games, with two or fewer losses in each of the last three years. But the wheels came off in the playoff quarterfinals as the No. 1 seed against Ohio State two seasons ago, and last year Oregon was annihilated by Indiana in the semifinals. Average margin of defeat in those two elimination games: 27 points. Lanning has a loaded roster but is breaking in two new coordinators. If those internal promotions perform as expected, the Ducks should be among a handful of teams with legitimate national title aspirations.
13. Mike Norvell, Florida State
Man, what happened? Since being snubbed for the playoff at 13–0 in 2023, the collapse of Norvell’s program remains stunning to contemplate. The Seminoles are 7–18 since then and have lost 11 straight outside of Tallahassee, giving up every ounce of program momentum that had been built up before quarterback Jordan Travis’s fateful broken leg. If FSU had silly money, Norvell almost certainly would have been bought out (at massive cost) after last season. Instead, he gets one more chance to turn it around—with a transfer QB (Ashton Daniels) who hasn’t played on a winning team in four previous years of college ball. With expectations hammered down to the ground, maybe Florida State can sneak up on some teams this year.
14. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
A few things should be said in defense of the man who has committed the grave sin of Not Being Nick Saban: He’s undefeated in the Iron Bowl; he’s 2–1 against league kingpin Georgia; and he did, in fact, win a road playoff game last season. But that comeback victory at Oklahoma was completely obscured by the subsequent beatdown from Indiana, Georgia still smoked the Tide in the SEC title game and everyone beats Auburn these days. This is life as DeBoer heading into Year 3—even the good stuff isn’t good enough compared to his peerless predecessor. Nevertheless, Alabama extended his contract through 2032, with an annual salary of $12.5 million. If this season doesn’t go well, that deal will take its place in the pantheon of terrible college football extensions.
15. Kirby Smart, Georgia
After Saban’s retirement, Smart was the obvious heir to best active coach in America status. He still can claim that—for now. (If Cignetti never loses again, that changes the equation.) It’s not as if the Bulldogs have slumped since winning consecutive national titles in 2021 and ’22—they’ve gone 36–6, won two SEC championships and been in consecutive playoffs. But the dominance of those title teams has faded a touch, with defenses that are a tad less ruthless and offenses that are a tad more laborious (many Georgia fans feel a certain way about OC Mike Bobo). Smart is 0–2 in the last two playoffs after being favored in both games. Making at least a CFP semifinal this season would silence any whispers about Smart needing to modernize his approach.
16. Pat Fitzgerald, Michigan State
Hungry coach meets hungry program in a match made in blue-collar heaven. Fitzgerald has been out of college football for three years since his firing at Northwestern amid an investigation of hazing within his program. He settled a wrongful termination suit that included a statement from the school saying that he did not condone or direct any hazing, which cleared the way for his return. Michigan State was happy to snap up a Big Ten overachiever, hoping that Fitz’s spit-in-your-eye fighting spirit will rekindle the pugnacious soul of the Mark Dantonio era Spartans. “I wouldn’t say I have a chip on my shoulder,” Fitzgerald said last week. “I wouldn’t say our program has a chip on our shoulder. I’d say we have a bag of chips on our shoulder. I’ll leave it at that.”
17. Jon Sumrall, Florida
The former SEC linebacker likes pedicures, which is a fairly intriguing place to start. If Sumrall becomes the guy who ends a string of failed post–Urban Meyer hires, his nail tech could become the most important person in Gainesville. A guy who led Kentucky in tackles in 2004 might well have the right combination of proven coaching ability (43–12 at Troy and Tulane) and a personality that is big enough for a big job. Sumrall’s worst year as a head coach thus far is nine wins, which is more than once-mighty Florida has won in a season since 2019. With four 2025 CFP teams on the schedule, Sumrall will have to keep the Gators on their, um, toes.
18. Bob Chesney, UCLA
For years, UCLA football has been all scenery and no substance—pretty uniforms, pretty stadium, scant success. Chesney has a chance to change that, to put some power in the powder blue. The Bruins are banking on him being Cignetti 2.0, rising from the small-college ranks and even going through the same James Madison pipeline to a power-conference job. (Like Cignetti, Chesney brought some key staff members and players with him from JMU to his next stop.) He has been a consistent winner, going 132–52 as a head coach at the Division III, Division II, FCS and FBS levels. Chesney is the latest coach tasked with unleashing the full talents of QB Nico Iamaleava. Throwing the ball downfield would be a good place to start, after the Bruins had one of the least explosive passing games in the country last season.
19. Morgan Scalley, Utah
Replacing 21-year head coach hero Whittingham was never going to be easy, but the circumstances have ratcheted up the stakes. Whittingham was shown the door to make room for his successor-in-waiting, then landed the deluxe Michigan job pretty much out of nowhere. Now the comparison game will have real-time results. Fortunately for Scalley—a Salt Lake City native, former Ute player and Ute assistant—he has some strong building blocks in quarterback Devon Dampier (more than 8,000 yards total offense in three years) and running back Wayshawn Parker (more than 1,700 rushing yards in two years). The schedule is entirely manageable (no Texas Tech) and should build toward a Holy War showdown with BYU on Nov. 7.
20. Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Sark has returned the Longhorns to permanent contender status, with three straight seasons of double-digit wins for the first time since 2007–09. Like Mack Brown before him, he now has to take the next steps—win a conference championship and ultimately a national championship. Texas may well be the single biggest winner in the transfer portal, adding major playmakers on both sides of the ball in addition to retaining standouts on defense and the offensive line. Sark has hitched his wagon to Arch Manning, which every coach wanted to do when he was coming out of high school. Manning’s first year as a starter was rough early and better late; if his improvement continues this season it may vault the program to championship status.
21. Ryan Day, Ohio State
He got the two big burdens off his back the past two seasons—winning a national title in 2024 and ending a four-year losing streak to Michigan in ’25. The only thing left on the checklist is to accomplish both of those things in the same season, and he might have the team to do it. Day did masterful work last year, rebuilding to a 12–0 record and No. 1 ranking, but then came the postseason crash—an upset loss to Indiana in the Big Ten title game and an upset loss to Miami in the CFP quarterfinals. When your only losses are to the last two teams standing, that’s not bad—but this is Ohio State, and the offensive shortcomings in those two games were glaring (especially in the running game). Day has his third offensive coordinator in three years (Arthur Smith) but the best wide receiver in the game (Jeremiah Smith) and a standout QB. Expectations remain as high as possible.
22. Kalani Sitake, BYU
Perhaps the strangest blip on the hire-and-fire radar last year was Sitake’s appearance as a candidate for the Penn State job. That subsided fairly quickly, and remains in his happy place at BYU. The personable former Cougar player has been a great fit as head coach, winning 10 or more games four times in Provo. That includes the last two years, and it includes getting BYU into the 2025 Big 12 title game despite having to make freshman QB Bear Bachmeier the unexpected starter during the summer. This season Sitake has one of the nation’s most experienced teams and should directly challenge Texas Tech for Big 12 supremacy and a playoff berth.
23. Mike Elko, Texas A&M
The A&M players call their head coach “Elko,” which fits the completely unpretentious third-year boss of the Aggies. He’s as flashy as a river barge but just as effective at getting a job done, with a 35–16 career record at Duke and A&M. Last year the Aggies started 11–0 for the first time since 1992, which was great. Ending the season with losses to Texas (ouch) and at home in the CFP to Miami after scoring three points on three red zone possessions (double ouch) was not great. Expectations are higher, the conference schedule is tougher and Elko is breaking in new offensive and defensive coordinators. But the talent and experience are on hand for another big season.
24. Tosh Lupoi, California
The Golden Bears had a good quarterback in 2024 and lost him to the portal. You may have heard of him—Fernando Mendoza. This past offseason, Cal kept its rising star QB in Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. That was the latest and perhaps greatest recruiting win for new head coach Lupoi, who made his name landing talent for head coaches named Saban, Sarkisian, Lanning and Jeff Tedford. Lupoi played and coached at Cal under Tedford, and the return to his alma mater certainly shakes things up after the solid-but-staid Justin Wilcox era. This could be a wild experiment in Berkeley, with a lot of coaches moving up into positions they haven’t held before.
25. Deion Sanders, Colorado
No Most Intriguing List is complete without Coach Prime, who always keeps it interesting even if the product isn’t always successful. Such was the case last year, when the constant churn of the program and a lack of foundation was exposed in the aftermath of losing Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. The Buffaloes plummeted from 9–4 to 3–9, and it was a Karl Dorrell–looking 3–9 on occasion late in the season. Sanders has retooled his staff again with a couple of promising coordinator hires in Brennan Marion (offense) and Chris Marve (defense), while committing to former five-star QB recruit Julian “JuJu” Lewis. A schedule with 11 power-conference opponents will be a challenge.
Other coaches considered: Dabo Swinney, Clemson; Clark Lea, Vanderbilt; Collin Klein, Kansas State; Eric Morris, Oklahoma State; Alex Golesh, Auburn; Will Stein, Kentucky; Charles Huff, Memphis; Luke Fickell, Wisconsin; Jason Eck, New Mexico; Dan Mullen, UNLV; Jim Mora, Colorado State; Jason Candle, Connecticut; Mike Jacobs, Toledo; Tony Elliott, Virginia; Brent Key, Georgia Tech; Willie Fritz, Houston; Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State.

Tommy McClelland wasted no time endearing himself to Purdue now that he has officially taken over as the university’s new athletic director.
During his introductory press conference on Thursday, McClelland used part of his speech to shade the Boilermakers’ chief Big Ten rival by calling out Indiana University.
“We are here to win championships,” McClelland said. “If you don’t want to win championships, go to Indiana.”
It’s unclear if McClelland had someone go over that particular part of his speech beforehand, but the timing of the joke wasn’t the best with the Hoosiers seven months removed from winning their first national title in football.
The video shows a hint of laughter from the people in the room, though it seemed more awkward than genuine. McClelland did redeem himself by adding it’s “time to raise the bar on what is possible” with Purdue athletics.
McClelland was potentially attempting a similar tactic that Curt Cignetti took when he was first hired by Indiana and told the crowd at Assembly Hall that “Purdue sucks, so does Michigan and Ohio State.”
Another problem with the Indiana joke is that Purdue has only won three national titles across all sports. The most recent coming in 2010 when the women’s golf team defeated USC by one point.
The Boilermakers men’s basketball team reached the national title game during the 2023-24 season before losing to Connecticut.
Purdue does have bragging rights over Indiana in the all-time series in men’s basketball, women’s basketball and football with a combined record of 260-183-6 in those three sports.
The recent results in football, though, have not been kind to the Boilermakers. Indiana has won the last two games for the Old Oaken Bucket by a combined score of 122-3.
McClelland’s hiring was announced by Purdue on Wednesday after spending the past three years as Rice’s athletic director. He will take over for Mike Bobinski, who is officially retiring at the end of this calendar year.

Jason Arday, a sociologist and the youngest Black Professor at Cambridge University, has quit the institution after he was accused of fabrications, plagiarism, and falsifications of his biographical material.
Arday joined Cambridge University in 2023, at age 37. He became one of Britain’s highest-profile academics by sharing his extraordinary story. He said that he has dyslexia and is autistic. Before the age of 11, he could not write or read.
Arday, however, resigned on Wednesday after the allegations and scrutiny.
In a press release, he stated that “the relentless accusations and speculations as well as the public comments have had a devastating effect on myself and those I care about.”
He didn’t address specific accusations against him, but said that his resignation shouldn’t “be misunderstood as an acceptance of narratives which have been surrounding me.”
He said, “It’s just the decision of someone that has exceeded the limit of what anyone should be reasonably expected to tolerate.”
Arday previously denied that he had done anything wrong. He described mistakes made in his work as being unintentional. Arday also argued that the majority of criticism was motivated by an ideology and race.
Nathan Cofnas is a former Cambridge researcher and philosopher who has criticized policies on diversity, inclusion, and equity. He made accusations of plagiarism in July. In a previous article, he wrote that in an meritocracy “Blacks will disappear from nearly all high-profile jobs outside of sport and entertainment.”
Cofnas claimed that he had run Arday’s PhD dissertation and several academic papers subsequently through a program to detect plagiarism. He said sections of the thesis were similar and, in some instances, copied from other scholars’ work without attribution.
Cofnas, a CBS News reporter said: “I discovered extensive plagiarism.” Cofnas told CBS News that he found “extensive plagiarism.”
Cofnas began investigating the matter after being contacted by an academic from Cambridge who informed him that “there is a phony and plagiarist in faculty.”
The Times of London reported that Liverpool John Moores University where Arday received his PhD had previously looked into allegations regarding his thesis, and found no evidence of misconduct.
Cofnas has also cast doubt on Arday’s personal background and accomplishments. He admitted that “it’s impossible to prove Arday’s biographical claim without more direct proof.”
The Times of London stated that Arday had claimed to raise millions of pounds through endurance challenges, but changed his story later. The Telegraph also challenged Arday’s claims to have written a book. They said they could not find any evidence of such a publication.
The Guardian reported Arday had claimed he’d been the victim of a number crimes. This included being threatened twice on campus by an armed masked person. The newspaper was unable to find any evidence that would support these claims.
Arday’s supporters say that the criticism has gone beyond academic critique and that he is now the subject of an ideology campaign due to his research on diversity, race and inequality.
A legal advocacy group that supports Arday posted to X on the Good Law Project’s website, claiming “right-wing papers are trying to tarnish him with false accusations of plagiarism.”
However, critics argue that this case raises wider questions about academic standards and practices, diversity and equity, and inclusion in higher education. Others have argued the same thing, claiming that they were afraid of being perceived as racism and therefore did not investigate these allegations earlier.
CBS News did not receive a response from Arday or Cambridge University.

JD Vance, Vice-President of the United States, addressed national media attention to Indiana Fever actress Sophie Cunningham.
Vance, in an interview with Fox News “Ingraham’s Angle”, was asked to comment on Cunningham’s new supporters and critics following her public support for women’s sport.
Some of the most evil people will attack you if you are brave in this country. It’s important to speak your mind. “You are actually inspiring 12 people for each person who criticises you,” Vance stated.
White House defends WNBA star SOPHIE CUNINGHAM after she spoke out in support of protecting women’s sports
We cannot bring our country back, we can’t save America without people of courage. Courage is contagious. One person’s courage and honesty, even when the mob is after them, can inspire many others to follow suit. “I would encourage Sophie to continue.”
Cunningham’s public position on this issue has led to rallies in the Fever’s three last games. Two more are scheduled in Chicago on Saturday against the Sky, and in New York on August 22 against the Liberty.
FEVER QUIT SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM QUESTIONS – QUICKLY END PRESS CONFERENCE
Since the beginning of the protests, four coaches have made statements on the subject.
ZERO BS. Just Dakich. Take the DON’T AT ME podcast on the road. Download NOW.
The Fever have tried to keep their locker rooms out of the public eye, despite a tough 108-100 defeat to the Lynx in August.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APP

BALTIMORE
The next Preakness Stakes will be a big change, but it won’t happen because Pimlico race course is being renovated.
NBC Sports and the Maryland Jockey Club announced a partnership extension on Wednesday that would keep the Preakness Stakes broadcast on NBC through 2032.
The news of today is historic. “Today’s news is truly historic,” said Gov. Wes Moore spoke Wednesday.
Broadcasting is history.
NBC Sports started airing Preakness Stakes in 2001. The partnership extension with Maryland Jockey Club announced on Wednesday makes NBC home to the Preakness Stakes for the longest time.
NBCUniversal is the first company in the world to broadcast the Preakness Stakes for three decades. (32 Preakness Stakes editions between 2001 and 2003).
This extension is a testimony to the strong relationship between Maryland Jockey Club, NBC Sports, and horse racing, Jon Miller, NBC Sports president of partnerships and acquisitions, stated in a press release.
Bill Knauf, Maryland Jockey Club’s President and General manager, said that the NBC team had been “remarkable” in the process. It was a lengthy one, but we are proud to be your partners going forward.
This extension will include multi-platform rights for the Preakness Stakes as well as Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. Preakness Weekend programming is also included, and it will air on NBCSN, Peacock, and NBC.
Below is the video of Governor’s press conference.
Moore stated Wednesday that this agreement will allow millions of people to watch the iconic race and weekend. It also means more people can watch the Mid-Atlantic’s biggest show and see Maryland in its rightful place on the global stage.
NBC Sports has long-term exclusive media deals for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Royal Ascot, and Royal Ascot.
Preakness is moved back a week to Sunday
The new contract brings changes and additions to the schedule of horse races.
Miller stated in a press release that he was “excited to continue as the media host of the Preakness Stakes” and looked forward to a more enhanced program, which would showcase Maryland’s top races both on Saturday and Sunday.
WHAT’S NEW | AT A GLANCE
Preakness Stakes moves back from three to one weeks following Kentucky Derby
Preakness Stakes now on Sundays at NBC/Peacock
Black-Eyed Susan Stakes will be shown on Saturdays at NBC/Peacock
Preakness Sunday, May 23, 2027. Black-Eyed Susan Saturday, 22 May.
In 2027 the Preakness Stakes race will be moved one week to the right on the schedule. It will then take place on NBC, Peacock and three weeks following the Kentucky Derby.
Preakness Stakes 152 will take place at Pimlico Race Course, Sunday May 23. This is eight days later than the third Saturday of May. This is the first year that the race has been held on a sunday since 1873, when it first began.
The announcement that the Preakness will be moved to the 4th weekend of May was a landmark one. Knauf stated that he believes the Preakness, and Triple Crown as a whole, are well positioned to grow and achieve great success.
The announcement that the Preakness will be held on the 4th weekend of May has been a landmark one.
The idea of moving Preakness is not new.
Governor said that moving the race date is a topic of conversation for quite some time. Knauf stated that the prospect of moving the race was first discussed 10 years ago by The Stronach Group due to the changing horse training methods and horse safety.
Moore stated Wednesday that “the Triple Crown would continue and Preakness will remain the same by changing the date, which will allow our horses more time to participate and be part of this Triple Crown.”
The race will now be held on Sunday, allowing for a larger celebration
The Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, which is usually held on Preakness Eve Friday, has been moved to May 22, in order to enhance the festivities of the Baltimore week.
Knauf stated in a press release that “moving the Preakness race to the 4th Sunday of May, and featuring the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on Saturday would transform the weekend experience for racing enthusiasts and horsemen.”
The Black-Eyed Susan now receives additional exposure at weekends on NBC, Peacock and NBC.
We are building a championship in Baltimore.
Miller explained Wednesday that the idea was to make it a two-day celebration, rather than a single-day race in the middle a Triple Crown Series. Miller said Wednesday that this was the idea behind the weekend celebration. “We wanted to create a festival atmosphere and not just a one-day event in the middle of a Triple Crown series,” Miller explained.
We are building a championship in Baltimore with Black-Eyed Susan on Saturday. This new date is usually Memorial Day Weekend, which we think creates a lot of excitement in our community,” Knauf stated. Baltimore will be the place to go on Memorial Day weekend, when the race world’s spotlight descends upon Pimlico.
Officials move Preakness to align with training between races
Some horse owners and trainers have expressed their reluctance in recent years to enter their horses into the Preakness, because they wanted their horses to get more rest time between the Derby race and the Belmont.
Golden Tempo is the third horse in recent history to have won the Kentucky Derby, but then opted not to run in the Preakness and instead race in the Belmont. Pimlico has been skipped by three of the five Derby champions in recent years. Just 13 of the 95 horses who have raced in the Derby since 2022 are still racing at Preakness.
The officials said that moving the future date of Preakness Stakes would help to resolve these concerns and make Preakness a bigger part of Triple Crown.
Knauf stated on Wednesday that the new system would allow for more participation. It also keeps the champion’s test; it will take a great deal to achieve it. We have now a championship week-end.
It will allow for more participation and this is the ultimate goal.
It allows the horses to recuperate. We can take advantage of our horses better at the Derby by being able to travel here. It gives NBC a week extra of promotional material. NBC offers a wide range of programs during this time. Miller stated that in addition to the Kentucky Derby we have also the NBA Playoffs. We feel all of these factors added up give us an advantage in making the second leg as large and prominent as possible. “We are excited to celebrate Baltimore’s history and that of Maryland.”
Sports Media Advisors advised the Maryland Jockey Club on this deal. The Maryland Jockey Club is the oldest sport association in America, having been established in 1743.
We acknowledge the history and tradition of Triple Crown racing, but we recognize the need to always examine change. All professional sports do this. Knauf made a press release saying that the Preakness is now upon us.
Preakness Future
Churchill Downs, New York Racing Association and Churchill Downs announced on Monday that a six-race series of thoroughbred races would begin in 2027, excluding the historic Baltimore race.
Knauff told reporters on Wednesday that the majority of races in this series are held during summer and autumn.
NYRA President David O’Rourke responded to The Paulick Report’s question about whether or not the new championship series would replace the Triple Crown: “This in no way affects the Triple Crown.” The Triple Crown is not replaced by this series. It’s built on top or beside it. This doesn’t mean we change anything. “I still think of the Triple Crown in terms of being one the rarest and biggest things that sports has to offer.”
Maryland’s governor has said that the Preakness Championship Series will continue to exist despite the announcement of the new series.
VIDEO BELOW: Moore: There is no Triple Crown without the Preakness in Baltimore
Moore told the crowd on Wednesday, “If you’re looking to take home the Triple Crown we will see you at Baltimore.” Moore said: “Preakness will always be the second jewel in the Triple Crown. Nothing will ever change this.”
Maryland recently bid $85 Million to acquire the rights to Preakness Stakes.
You cannot own your future. Moore stated Wednesday that you cannot control the future if the people who make the decisions are not the ones in charge. Maryland now has the rights. Marylanders own assets now. Marylanders are now the owners of assets.
Churchill Downs had attempted to buy the Preakness intellectual property.
Moore stated Wednesday that “I didn’t take this as a form of revenge, but I took it to mean that the fact that they did it validates why we decided that we would hold on to our intellectual property and our own destiny.” More than 28,000 Marylanders depend on the industry. Maryland’s horse racing industry contributes $3 billion annually to its economy.
Maryland to protect horse racing industry
Maryland made significant investments in recent years to maintain horse racing.
Moore, who spoke on Wednesday, said that “this guarantees the Preakness to call Baltimore its home for many decades.”
Officials from the state and horse industry believe that rebuilding Pimlico Race Course, in Baltimore, and turning Laurel Park in to a year-round facility for training horses is key in saving horse racing.
VIDEO BELOW: Horse racing expert’s opinion on unclear future of Preakness
Maryland officials are looking ahead and have already bulldozed some historic parts of Pimlico. Maryland Jockey Club will provide an update this week on the construction.
“Gov. Moore and Maryland State have invested significant resources in racing’s long-term future. This includes a newly rebuilt Pimlico, a new state-of the-art training facility at Laurel Park and the purchase of Preakness Stakes Intellectual Property.
Moore stated Wednesday that “we are investing in this area, and also the surrounding neighborhoods because we understand the societal benefits and financial returns that will be generated by that investment.” The goal wasn’t just to produce winners at the racetrack; it was also to ensure that we were creating winners in other areas.
Preakness is more than a racing event. Preserving a past is important. The goal is to improve the community. “It’s about celebrating our culture”, said First Lady Dawn Moore on Wednesday. Together, we can create a new chapter in which all Maryland families benefit from the opportunities they created.
VIDEO BELOW: Baltimoreans call Churchill Downs announcement ‘devastating’
Preakness, which was inaugurated in 1873 and is a cultural and sporting tradition that has been celebrated in Maryland since its inception and around the world.
Graham Motion, the trainer at Graham Motion Racing, said: “There is nothing else like it in the racing world.” I was fortunate enough to have experienced it first-hand with Animal Kingdom. It’s an incredible feeling. You feel like you have the entire crowd behind you. “It’s the moment that every trainer hopes for.”
Bob Baffert, a Hall of Fame Trainer, said in X’s Monday posting: “Winning the Triple Crown, The Kentucky Derby Stakes, The Preakness Stakes, and The Belmont Stakes, will forever be the greatest racing achievement. It has been a staple of our sport for over 150 years. If we continue to appreciate it and take care of it, it may last another 150 or even more years. “The Preakness has been a part of racing history for 150 years, and it will continue to be so if we appreciate and care about it.”
Baltimore’s reaction
Preakness’ move to Sunday during Memorial Day Weekend would mean that it will clash with Artscape in the city four of the six next years.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, however, told WBAL TV 11 News that this was the best move for Maryland.
WBAL News: Mayor says moving Preakness is good for state.
Scott said to WBAL TV 11 News that “next year (the Preakness’ new date) won’t have an impact on (Artscape) and we will deal with it in the future.” But this is a large city. Big cities have big events. We have to do something about that. In the next month we’ll have Orioles vs Ravens on the same date in the same area. This is to promote Baltimore as an entertainment sports destination.”
According to the mayor, the new calendar will give Preakness a better chance of attracting the top trainers and horse in the sports. Scott also said he was encouraged by the agreement with NBC for the Preakness to be broadcast.
The mayor, who grew up in Park Heights said that he is excited by the potential growth this community will experience once track renovations have been completed.
It opens up new possibilities for partnership, tourism, and investment.
Scott, when asked about the Preakness’ relevance to horse racing said that moving it backwards should be helpful and the deal with NBC would keep the race at the forefront of national attention.
Baltimore’s business community is in favor of changes and the purchase by the state of intellectual property rights, as well as the multi-million dollar investment made at Pimlico.
Mark Anthony Thompson CEO Greater Baltimore Committee said, “It creates new opportunities in tourism, hospitality and partnership, as well as investment.”
GOP Questions whether Baltimore will get trainers under the new agreement
Maryland Republicans responded to the announcement made on Wednesday, saying that what Maryland did — which was securing both a date change and a TV deal — is different from what Churchill Downs & NYRA had announced as part of a coordinated campaign.
Steve Hershey of the Maryland Senate Minority, R-District, asked if Maryland had any say in decisions regarding the future of sports.
Hershey issued a press release after the announcement by the Governor, stating that the new system leaves little incentive for horse trainers to travel to Baltimore. The statement from Hershey is below.
The announcement today raises many more questions than answers. The governor’s decision was made without consulting Churchill Downs or NYRA. This means that Maryland now operates on one racing schedule, while other elite 3-year old races are on another.
Maryland is now running on a different schedule than the rest of racing.
The governor said that Maryland is in charge of its destiny. Maryland is in control of the Preakness. Churchill Downs is not under its control. NYRA is not under its control. It doesn’t even control the choice of where to race.
The governor announced a date change. Churchill Downs has announced that it will be partnering with NYRA in the future. These two announcements do not appear to be related.
The Thoroughbred Championship Series, announced by Churchill Downs & NYRA is designed to ensure that horses are able to progress from the Kentucky Derby through the Belmont Stakes before continuing on with the remainder of the championship year. What incentive does the Derby-winning trainer have, apart from the Thoroughbred Championship Series points, to run in the Preakness before a Belmont Stakes preparation of five weeks?