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Bill Connelly

@espnbillc.bsky.social
35K followers 692 following 4K posts

ESPN writer, professional nerd. SP+. Author of three books (Study Hall, 50 Best* and Forward Progress). College football, soccer, tennis. Puma addiction. docs.google.com/document/d/1BKvo23D…

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Reposted by Bill Connelly
Luke Knox @lukeknox.me · 9h
Most people rejected His message.
UMass should be ranked
Shut up!
They hated Jesus because He told them the truth.
Gal. 4:16
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I have one theory...
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
* 8 guys could be No. 1 * Arch: impossible to grade (but definitely not top 8) * Life's tough for true freshmen (and John Mateer) * Bottom 3: all ACC I decided you guys haven't been mad enough at me lately, so I RANKED EVERY P4 STARTING QUARTERBACK. www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
QB rankings for all 68 Power 4 college football teams
We've seen four weeks of football. How has that changed our opinions about the top quarterbacks.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
lol, what could POSSIBLY go wrong... www.espn.com/college-foot...
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I was agonizing over whether Jeremiah Smith or Colin Simmons should win Heisman of the Week, and then I remembered: I make the rules around here! They both win it! On Smith, Simmons, Kamario's lead in the horse race and JERRY KAMINSKI as Lockbaum of the Week: www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
Heisman of Week 4: Jeremiah Smith or Colin Simmons a tough call
Week 4 brought some eye-popping performances, with Ohio State's star WR drawing particular attention.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
A good preemptive reminder that, despite all the triumphant headlines you’ll see on Monday evening when the bill passes the Senate, no one knows if, how or when the House will vote on it.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
COLLEGE FOOTBALL SP+ TOP 772, WEEK 5 * Texas -126 Texas College * SDSU (Dakota) -3.5 SDSU (Diego) * NDSU -2 Clemson * Ferris State -4.5 Kent State * The race for No. 772 is HEATING UP -- 5 teams within 5.1 points docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I feel this was all a big setup to try to bait me into a "Missouri fell six spots after coming up 11 yards short against another ranked team on the road! That's extremely normal!! What are we all yelling about???" rant, and the joke's on you, it didn't work.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Georgia's explosive now! 3 teams are over 50% to win their conference! A&M and Oklahoma (and maybe Ole Miss??) are toast! Utah, MSU, UCLA and Nebraska are playoff contenders! You're gorgeous, UMass! And you HAVE to see the end of OBU-Harding! WEEK 4 RECAP COLUMN: www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
Connelly: What changed in college football during September
It's dangerous to lean on lessons learned in one month, but here's what we think we know so far.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Georgia's explosive now! 3 teams are over 50% to win their conference! A&M and Oklahoma (and maybe Ole Miss??) are toast! Utah, MSU, UCLA and Nebraska are playoff contenders! You're gorgeous, UMass! And you HAVE to see the end of OBU-Harding! WEEK 4 RECAP COLUMN: www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
Connelly: What changed in college football during September
It's dangerous to lean on lessons learned in one month, but here's what we think we know so far.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
WEEK 5 SP+ PICKS Ohio St 30, Iowa 19 Bama 32, Miss St 27 Florida 28, Mizzou 26 UGA 39, Vandy 14 Tennessee 30, Auburn 21 BYU 28, TCU 22 Houston 29, UCF 24 Irish 36, Heels 13 Miami 33, Clemson 15 Va Tech 25.8, Pitt 25.7! UConn 25.5, Syracuse 25.4! Full list: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
WEEK 5 SP+ RANKINGS * Ohio State and UGA keep trading the top spot back and forth * UMass and Georgia State finally get love * Woof, A&M * Utah and Pitt: 👀👀👀 * Résumé SP+ top 5: Bama, UGA, Texas, ND, Florida www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
2026 college football SP+ rankings for all 138 FBS teams
The updated SP+ rankings, plus strength of schedule and résumé SP+, after this weekend's results.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
LOWEST POSTGAME WIN EXPECTANCY IN A WIN, WEEK 4: Iowa > Michigan 7.3%, lol Army > Temple 24.5% Air Force > Nevada 25.0% Tulane > So Miss 45.0% Iowa: least likely win of the year so far ALL GAMES: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
docs.google.com
2026 SP+
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
static.klipy.com
Herky The Hawkeye Dancing
ALT: Herky The Hawkeye Dancing
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
* The Vols enter the conversation * Is Florida's offense really this good?? * Oregon-USC: Who has the defense? * Say it with me: PLAYOFF IOWA * Kalamazoo, center of the G6 universe * Chaos superfecta! Playlist! Chili roasters! YOTES-OREDIGGERS! WEEK 4 PREVIEW: www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
Connelly checks in on the SEC's launch party and Big Ten's question marks in Week 4
After teasing us with ranked games over three weeks, we get six that should tell us a lot about the 2026 season.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Man ... just caught up on last night's AFL grand final. Fremantle, best club to never win the title, went up 17 with 4:00 left ... huge cathartic celebration ... and then they lost basically every remaining second. The most gutted crowd/team I think I've ever seen. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...
abc.net.au
In the greatest and cruellest of grand finals, only the Lions believed
The AFL grand final has never felt so raw as in the five ballistic minutes that elevated the Brisbane Lions to legends and delivered Fremantle the most crushing defeat imaginable.
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Steven Godfrey @stevengodfrey.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
NEW "Numbers & Words" with @espnbillc.bsky.social: The Jimbo-back-to-FSU chatter sent me into an angry tirade about the fallacy of nostalgia hires rss.com/podcasts/pha...
rss.com
Numbers and Words: The Folly of Coach Reunions (PREVIEW) | Podcast Episode on RSS.com
ESPN's Bill Connelly joins Steven Godfrey to review the history of college football coaches returning to their old, successful stomping grounds. Get ready to hear about Greg Schiano, Scott Frost, and ...
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Fine, I did the list.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
* The Vols enter the conversation * Is Florida's offense really this good?? * Oregon-USC: Who has the defense? * Say it with me: PLAYOFF IOWA * Kalamazoo, center of the G6 universe * Chaos superfecta! Playlist! Chili roasters! YOTES-OREDIGGERS! WEEK 4 PREVIEW: www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
Connelly checks in on the SEC's launch party and Big Ten's question marks in Week 4
After teasing us with ranked games over three weeks, we get six that should tell us a lot about the 2026 season.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
A good preemptive reminder that, despite all the triumphant headlines you’ll see on Monday evening when the bill passes the Senate, no one knows if, how or when the House will vote on it.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Man ... not many albums have melted my brain like hearing this at age 13. Top-five horizon-opening album for me.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Played for Iowa in the 1950s. Became a coordinator in the late-1960s. Called plays for Terry Bradshaw, lol. 87 is so many years. Great story. www.nytimes.com/athletic/762...
nytimes.com
At 87, all Tom Moore wants to do is coach football, and Iowa is reaping the benefits
As Iowa’s senior offensive advisor, Moore’s impact is that of a consigliere to 71-year-old head coach Kirk Ferentz and his staff.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Hot damn.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Wrote about Klopp, Xavi, our Cape Verdean friends, the MLS Kids, the one non-toxic window for following the USMNT and the 10 international matches I'm most looking forward to in this big window. (Ronaldo still clogging the Portugal attack? You betcha!) www.espn.com/soccer/story...
espn.com
Connelly's must-see international soccer: Klopp vs. Xavi
FIFA has served up a veritable feast of soccer with the first-ever three-week September international window. So what should you look out for? Bill Connelly casts his eye across the fixture list.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Georgia and Oklahoma are finally playing for a second time this week. That gave me all the reason I needed to relive their first meeting, a.k.a. the best playoff game of the CFP era. It also gave me an excuse to RANK CFP GAMES. www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
Connelly: Ranking the 10 best College Football Playoff games
Who takes the No. 1 spot? ESPN's Bill Connelly lists out his top 10 College Football Playoff games.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Georgia and Oklahoma are finally playing for a second time this week. That gave me all the reason I needed to relive their first meeting, a.k.a. the best playoff game of the CFP era. It also gave me an excuse to RANK CFP GAMES. www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
Connelly: Ranking the 10 best College Football Playoff games
Who takes the No. 1 spot? ESPN's Bill Connelly lists out his top 10 College Football Playoff games.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
[drum roll] And the Week 3 Heisman Trophy goes to ... DUH, TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS. He was so good, he made Lane Kiffin ignore math. Gordie Lockbaum of the week: Dante Reno! Horse race leaders after 3 weeks: Chambliss and Kamario Taylor, neck and neck... www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
Heisman of Week 3: Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss states case
Ole Miss' electrifying QB could be as hard to catch in the Heisman race as he is on the field.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
[drum roll] And the Week 3 Heisman Trophy goes to ... DUH, TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS. He was so good, he made Lane Kiffin ignore math. Gordie Lockbaum of the week: Dante Reno! Horse race leaders after 3 weeks: Chambliss and Kamario Taylor, neck and neck... www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
Heisman of Week 3: Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss states case
Ole Miss' electrifying QB could be as hard to catch in the Heisman race as he is on the field.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
After almost 20 years of fighting the "How could [Team] rank so high when they ain't played nobody?" current, I fear I'm succumbing to fatigue, lol. Have less patience than ever to respond to even good-faith questions, and that makes me feel bad. Just remember, kids: How You Play >= Who You Play.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
"Brentford to the Champions League" was one of my Bold Predictions in August. Maybe I should have gone with "Brentford's gonna win the damn Premier League."
Premier League adjusted goal differential as of Sept. 20. Brentford shockingly leads the way.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
COLLEGE FOOTBALL SP+ TOP 772 * Ohio State -149 Oberlin * Illinois State -3 Stanford * Ferris State -2.5 Bowling Green * Cornell -64 Cornell * We have a new No. 772 (and if you've been paying attention, you know who it is)! docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
What do we do after three weeks? WE RANK THE UNBEATENS. From Georgia 😤 to UMass 🥹, I ranked the 35 remaining something-and-0 teams. Also: SP+ movers and my favorite games of the week, including an IMPORTANT SCOREBOARD MALFUNCTION. SUNDAY RECAP COLUMN: www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
Ranking college football's 35 unbeaten teams after Week 3
Following Week 3, Bill Connelly takes stock of which undefeated teams he trusts and which are pretenders.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
WEEK 4 SP+ PICKS Texas 29, Tennessee 28 LSU 27, A&M 23 Oregon 30, USC 29 Georgia 31, OU 18 Michigan 23.2, Iowa 22.9! Mizzou 27.1, Miss St 26.6! Indiana 35, Northwestern 14 Ohio State 37, Illinois 16 Utah 29, Iowa St 20 Bama 30, S Caro 21 Full list: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
SP+ is updated through Week 3! * The top 7 are separated by 6.5 points * No. 8 through 24 are separated by 7.2 * The top G6 team: YOUR NORTH DAKOTA STATE BISON * No. 1 résumé: Texas * The most curious ranking: Ole Miss www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
2026 college football SP+ rankings for all 138 FBS teams
The updated SP+ rankings, plus strength of schedule and résumé SP+, after this weekend's results.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Résumé SP+ after 3 weeks: 1 Texas 2 Utah 3 Georgia 4 Notre Dame 5 Alabama 6 Florida 7 Tennessee 8 Northwestern 9 Mississippi State 10 Indiana 11 Miami 12 Nebraska 13 Penn State 14 Pitt 15 Iowa (Reminder: Résumé SP+ is basically how you've played your opponents vs. a top-5 standard.)
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Lowest Postgame Win Expectancy in a win, Week 3: SELA > ULM 30.1% Marshall > Mo St 34.0% Florida > Auburn 43.5% S Ala > Ohio 44.0% Pretty straightforward week, statistically. Full games list: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
docs.google.com
2026 SP+
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
lol, they're covering
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Not the GREATEST start for Chicago State…
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Oh Arkansas, that's embarrassing.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Four games, 19 goals. Another perfect Bundesliga Goal Arena broadcast on Fandango, the Sports App.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I’ve never been able to figure out why I’m so attached to Pitt Stadium and wish it still existed. I guess it’s just “I love Pittsburgh and the Pitt campus and hate off-campus stadiums.”
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Only one thing Spurs can do now: Fire De Zerbi and replace him with his complete stylistic opposite. Then spend €100 million on pieces for that guy in January. And then fire that guy and re-hire De Zerbi in March.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Wrote a companion piece about REVENGE!!!!!! games and what usually happens when a head coach returns to face the team he ditched. Worked out great for A&M, Florida, Boise State and Tennessee. Not so much for Northwestern, Arizona, Ole Miss, LSU, SMU and, uh, Tennessee. www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
How coaches returning to their former stomping grounds have fared
Lane Kiffin's long-awaited return to Oxford comes Saturday. It's not the first time a big-name coach -- or Kiffin himself -- has returned to a vengeful campus.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
* Matchup of the week: Ole Miss O vs. LSU D * Kienholz vs. Jennings! Kamario vs. LaNorris! * Can Texas Tech turn it on? * Please help me with my Florida optimism problem, Auburn * Chaos Superfecta! Playlist! PENGUINS-JACKRABBITS! WEEK 3 PREVIEW: www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
College football Week 3 preview: Can Ole Miss take down LSU?
This weekend's schedule has plenty of intriguing matchups beyond the little tussle in Oxford.
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Reposted by Bill Connelly
Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
It still kinda feels a little hot take-ish to say that Michael Olise is the best soccer player in the world, but ... Michael Olise is the best soccer player in the world.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
This makes perfect sense, and also, boo.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
* Matchup of the week: Ole Miss O vs. LSU D * Kienholz vs. Jennings! Kamario vs. LaNorris! * Can Texas Tech turn it on? * Please help me with my Florida optimism problem, Auburn * Chaos Superfecta! Playlist! PENGUINS-JACKRABBITS! WEEK 3 PREVIEW: www.espn.com/college-foot...
espn.com
College football Week 3 preview: Can Ole Miss take down LSU?
This weekend's schedule has plenty of intriguing matchups beyond the little tussle in Oxford.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
I’m sure it’s even worse elsewhere, but I cannot adequately describe how unimpressed I am with Feels Like 107 on September 17.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
FORM CHECK: I looked at the hottest soccer teams in Europe. This list always seems to start with Barcelona and Bayern (and Arsenal, if you adjust for opponent), but ... holy *smokes*, Barca! www.espn.com/soccer/story...
espn.com
World soccer's hottest men's teams right now: Can anyone stop Barcelona?
Is there any team hotter in world soccer right now than Barcelona? Bill Connelly crunches the numbers to tell us the most in-form European teams heading into the international break.
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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The new season of Lasso is taking its sweet time getting wherever it's going and has no idea what to do with its main character (bit of an issue), but it's given me the stiffest dose of Unhinged Tracey Ullman that I've had in quite a while. Thankful for that, at least.
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