Eagle Media welcomes you to 2026

New Year's Day Increasing clouds, with a high near 50. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 8 mph in the morning. Thursday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. South southeast wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable.

Friday Partly sunny, with a high near 48. North northeast wind 6 to 8 mph. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.

Saturday Sunny, with a high near 56. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 35.

Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.

Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

Thursday's weather

Scrap Management Industries, Inc. (SMI), one of the Midwest’s leading ferrous and nonferrous metal recycling companies, today announced it has acquired Allmetal Recycling, a scrap metal recycling company based in Kansas.

The acquisition expands SMI’s presence across the region by adding Allmetal’s network of 10 locations in Kansas, including three yards in Wichita and additional facilities in Salina, Newton, Harper, McPherson, Great Bend, Kingman and Pratt. With this significant combination, SMI will operate 5 Automobile Shredders – including two Mega Shredders – across 19 yards in three primary regions across Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma with services spanning the surrounding states and communities.

“Allmetal is exactly the kind of company we want to grow with,” said Jerrit Burgess, CEO of Scrap Management Industries. “Both companies are family built and locally led. Allmetal has done an outstanding job serving Kansas communities and its industrial partners. Bringing their team into the SMI family allows us to offer more locations, more capacity and even better service while keeping decisions close to the communities we serve.”

Allmetal will continue to operate under its own name as part of the SMI family of companies. Allmetal customers and community partners will get the same great experience they have come to know while gaining access to the broader resources, relationships and operational support of SMI.

Allmetal Recycling was established in 2009 and is owned and operated by cousins Clint and Kolby Cornejo, who have built the company into a leading metal recycler in Kansas with a strong reputation for safety, service and community involvement. Both Clint and Kolby are remaining with the company in leadership roles as part of the combined organization and will continue to be actively involved in day-to-day operations.

“We have always believed that scrap metal recycling is a local business,” said Clint Cornejo. “SMI shares that belief. They are family owned, they understand the value of local teams and they are committed to investing in the people and facilities that make this business work.”

“Joining the SMI family allows us to keep doing what we do best for our customers and communities, while creating new opportunities for our employees as the combined business grows,” added Kolby Cornejo.

For industrial and commercial partners, the combined company can now provide a broader footprint, more container and transportation options and expanded capacity to handle complex scrap programs across multiple locations.&nbsp;

For walk-in customers at both SMI and Allmetal locations, the acquisition means more convenient options to recycle scrap with a larger company that is continuing to invest in facilities, equipment and overall customer experience.

About Scrap Management Industries (SMI) Founded in 1973, Scrap Management Industries is a leading recycler of ferrous and nonferrous metals with locations in Kansas City and St. Joseph, Missouri, and multiple facilities across Kansas and Oklahoma. SMI focuses on transparent, ethical practices, clean and well-maintained facilities and community engagement, and continues to advance metal recycling technology and environmental stewardship. Learn more at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://smirecyclers.com/">smirecyclers.com</a>.

Great Bend's Allmetal Recycling acquired by Kansas City-based SMI

Booked James, Gerald E. on Barton County District Court case #25-2163 for Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of paraphernalia, interference with LEO, Endangering a child, Driving while suspended. Bond set at $10,000.00 Cash or surety. And Barton County District Court case #25-2165 for Barton County District Court warrant #BT2025TR0102 for Failure to appear. Bond set at $5,000.00 Cash or Surety. Ellinwood Municipal Court warrant #E25-0003 for Failure to appear. Bond set at $1,000.00 Cash or Surety or 18 hour O.R. Rice County District Court warrant #RC21CR107 for Probation violation. Bond set at $10,000.00 Cash or surety. Rice County District Court warrant #RC21CR76 for Probation Violation. Bond set at $10,000.00 Cash or surety.

Booked French, Terra N. on Barton County District Court Case #25-2163 for Possession of Methamphetamine. Bond set at $10,000.00 Cash or Surety.

Released Whitefeild, Tieze on Barton County District Court case #25-2138 for Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Released per County Attorney.

Released Salcido-Tarin, A. to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Released Haines, Adyn W. on Barton County District court warrant #BT2025CR0496 for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, No proof of Insurance, Basic Speed and no turn signal by posting a $10,000.00 surety through Ace Bail Bonds.

Booked Zahn, Toni M. on Barton County District Court Case #25-1336 for Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and No Drug Tax. Bond set at $100,000.00 Cash or Surety.

Barton County Sheriff's Office Booking Activity (12/30)

It was a match made in sweet culinary heaven.

Fuller Industries Inc. had a full-service commercial kitchen that saw only occasional use since the long-time commercial cleaning product maker closed its staff cafeteria several years ago.

Allie Cartwright had operated her successful Freaking Delicious Cheesecakes out of the historic Wolf Hotel in Ellinwood since launching in 2022, but was outgrowing the space as the business bloomed.

Now, through a little matchmaking from the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce, Cartwright will begin making her decadent treats in Fuller’s facility through a lease agreement starting in January.

“This is really a win-win,” said Fuller General Manager Joe Mann. “It is a great way for us to partner with a local business to use our space to grow.”

Currently, the kitchen is only used by Fuller personnel to help prepare meals for employees, Mann said, adding that it was really being underutilized.

‘This is a great opportunity for us,” Cartwright said. “We were looking for a way to expand, and this was the perfect fit.”

Cartwright started the business in August 2022 after selling homemade cheesecakes to fund her dog’s surgery. The unexpected demand turned a part-time hobby into a full-time operation within six months.

Freaking Delicious Cheesecake was the first-place winner in the Great Bend Economic Development Inc.’s 2025 Ignite Rural Business competition on Oct. 9, receiving $50,000.

Her cheesecakes are currently made to order with delivery available within 25 miles of Ellinwood. She sells her cakes from her vending trailer, and her products are also available at The Page in Great Bend and the Ellinwood Packing Plant.

But she was limited by the size of the kitchen she had been using. Now, that will change.

“I’ll be out here five days a week, at least,” she said. This will not only give her the space to up her retail game but expand more into the wholesale market throughout Central Kansas.

“One of the things we like to do here at the Chamber is bring our members together,” said Megan Barfield, Great Bend Chamber president. “Such partnerships between two respected businesses only serves to strengthen our community and local economy.”

The arrangement is part of Fuller’s ongoing community outreach, leasing space in the massive 600,000-square-foot plant to businesses needing space, Mann said. Takkion, a national company that handles logistics for wind and solar power generation, is using about 110.000 square feet for wind turbine parts.

“This type of cooperation allows us to make room available to businesses that need it, so they don’t have to start from scratch,” he said. “It also allows us to optimize our space and add another revenue stream to our operation.

Cartwright runs the business with her husband, Ed and son, Nicholas. For more information, visit freakingdeliciouscheesecake.com or call 620-303-0350.

To contact the Chamber, call 620-792-2401 or visit greatbend.org.

To learn more about Fuller, call 620-792-1711 or visit Fullerindustriesllc.com.

About Fuller Industries Inc. Based in Great Bend, Kan., with a rich heritage dating back over a century to the Fuller Brush Man, Fuller Industries is a leading American manufacturer of industrial products, including cleaning chemicals and supplies, as well as brooms, mops, brushes and more. Fuller serves manufacturing, commercial, institutional and agricultural clients across the Western Hemisphere. Call 620-792-1711 or visit Fullerindustriesllc.com.

Sweet dreams: Fuller, Freaking Delicious Cheesecakes bake up kitchen recipe

Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 58. West southwest wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 24. West wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

New Year's Day Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Light and variable wind becoming south southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Thursday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. South southeast wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable.

Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 25.

Saturday Sunny, with a high near 56. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.

Sunday Sunny, with a high near 62. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 31.

Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

Wednesday's weather

ELLSWORTH COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Tuesday in Ellsworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Hyundai Elantra driven by Sithandra A.&nbsp;Bell, 17, Topeka, was westbound on Interstate 70 one mile east of Kansas 156. The driver looked at her phone and the car entered the median and rolled&nbsp;

EMS transported Bell to the hospital in Ellsworth. She was also not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kan. teen who looked at her phone injured in accident

RICE COUNTY — A new video on social media underscores just how close the community came to a serious tragedy after a Rice County sheriff’s deputy narrowly avoided a head-on collision with an impaired driver traveling the wrong way on a roadway earlier this week.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the incident occurred several days ago, though the timestamp visible on the video does not reflect the actual date. In the footage, a vehicle can be seen driving against traffic, coming within moments of striking a deputy’s patrol unit head-on.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ARPRSnVz9/">LINK: Rice County deputy avoids head-on collision.&nbsp;</a>

Thankfully, no one was injured. Authorities say the margin for error was extremely small, and the outcome could have been far worse for both the deputy and other motorists on the road.

Officials say the incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers impaired driving poses—not only to drivers and families traveling during the holidays, but also to first responders who put themselves in harm’s way to keep roads safe.

As New Year’s celebrations approach, law enforcement is urging the public to plan ahead if alcohol or other impairing substances are involved.

“If you plan to celebrate, please plan a sober ride,” officials said. “One decision can make all the difference.”

Law enforcement agencies across the region continue to emphasize designated drivers, ride-sharing services, and other safe transportation options as critical tools in preventing impaired-driving crashes during the holiday season.

Deputy avoids head-on crash with alleged drunk driver

By ALICIA BOOR Cottonwood District

Kansas State University Research and Extension Department of Ag Economics, in collaboration with Cottonwood, Walnut Creek, Phillips-Rooks, &amp; Midway Districts, is hosting a Farm Profitability conference on Jan. 15, 2026. The conference, “Making ‘Cents’ of a Shifting Ag Economy,” will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ag Research Center located at 1232 240th&nbsp;Avenue in Hays.

The session, organized by K-State’s Department of Agricultural Economics, will provide insights into current economic trends, farm policy, and strategies for maintaining profitability during challenging times, including those related to land values.

Topics will also include updates on agricultural policy and changes to the farm bill. Speakers Robin Reid and Jenny Ifft will also discuss provisions in the “One Big, beautiful Bill.”

The conference registration fee is set at $10.00. Reservations are requested by Monday, Jan. 12, to ensure an accurate meal count. High Plains Farm Credit is graciously sponsoring the lunch cost.

Direct questions to either Alicia Boor at 620-793-1910 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aboor@ksu.edu">aboor@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or to Stacy Campbell @ 785-628-9430 or by email at scampbell@ksu.edu

K-State Extension to host Ag Profitability Conference in Hays on Jan. 15

Smoky Hills PBS is proud to present The Moccasin Speaks, a powerful new documentary that reexamines one of the most enduring and misunderstood stories of the High Plains: The German Family Massacre.

For more than a century, the events surrounding the attack on the German family and the capture of four young sisters have been retold through legend. The Moccasin Speaks moves beyond myth to uncover a story that is tragic, poignant, and far more complex than history has often portrayed.

Directed by author and historian Deb Goodrich, with assistance from Ed Lowry, producer of Cottonwood Connections, the film presents the nuanced story of the pioneering German family alongside the Cheyennes who were being forced from their land. Based on the book The Moccasin Speaks: Living as Captives of the Dog Soldier Warriors, Red River War, 1874–1875 by Arlene Feldmann Jauken, the documentary offers an honest and balanced examination of the killing of the settlers, the capture and eventual rescue of the daughters, and the Cheyenne perspective often absent from earlier accounts.

“Ultimately, the story of the German Family is one of humanity's triumph over tragedy,” said Deb Goodrich, Writer of The Moccasin Speaks. “It reminds us that we can call upon the better angels of ourselves no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in. It is a story that needs to be heard now more than ever.”

Through careful historical research and thoughtful storytelling, the film also explores how, over time, descendants of both the captives and the captors have come together in reconciliation, acknowledging the tragedy and complexity of their shared history.

The Moccasin Speaks will air on Smoky Hills PBS on Jan. 8 at 9 p.m., and an encore presentation will air Jan. 17 at 8 p.m.

For more information on broadcast times and additional coverage details, please visit our website at SmokyHillsPBS.org.

Smoky Hills PBS presents new documentary 'The Moccasin Speaks'

Thanks to the combined efforts of our members, businesses, and community partners, the 2025 Power the Pantry campaign has raised an incredible $130,203 in cash and food donations for a dozen local food banks! Over the past 11 years, WEC has facilitated the collection of more than 279 tons of food donations — an astounding 558,183 pounds ($1 = 1 lb.)!

Since 2014, WEC has rallied communities across southwest and central Kansas each fall to support local food banks through Power the Pantry (formerly Cram the Van). For nearly a decade, the campaign featured community gatherings, school competitions, and in-person collection events featuring a large, red extended-passenger van used to collect food donations.

Beginning in 2023, with the support of our board of trustees, the initiative evolved to better meet the needs of food pantries by shifting toward cash-focused support and establishing a pledge of $50,000 annually from our cooperative.

In 2025, for the third year in a row, we worked to double the impact of that pledge by aiming to raise $100,000 for the many food pantries that serve as a vital safety net across our service territory – an ambitious goal our communities not only met but exceeded for the second year in a row!

Through a months-long online fundraising campaign featuring a Sunflower Showdown (KU vs. K-State) ticket drawing, monetary donations from co-op members across our seven districts, employee and trustee donations, a spirited school competition in Great Bend, a collaborative student-driven food drive in Conway Springs, and our seventh annual Co-ops Care Charity Golf Tournament, we achieved a remarkable $130,203 total ($1=1 pound) in this record-setting campaign.

As both the campaign and community support have grown over the years, our focus has continued to shift toward cash donations, which offer the greatest impact. Monetary contributions reduce waste, eliminate storage burdens, and give food pantries flexibility to purchase perishable items – such as meat and cheese – or provide grocery vouchers directly to families, according to food pantry directors.

In addition to these cash contributions, food items collected through the GREAT BEND SCHOOLS COMPETITION, sponsored by Gifting Forward (10,944 pounds), and the CARDINALS CARE CHALLENGE in Conway Springs (2,063 items of food) were delivered to local food banks in November. We also extend a special thank-you to Tyson Fresh Meats, which generously donated $32,742 worth of honey turkey deli meat, providing high-quality, protein-rich options for families ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

"This year's results show what's possible when communities come together with a shared purpose,” said Alli Conine, director of member services and corporate communications at Wheatland Electric. "Exceeding our goal means local food banks will have the resources they need to better serve families, and we're honored to be a part of that impact."

As we continue to uphold the Seventh Cooperative Principle – CONCERN FOR COMMUNITY – we are inspired by the compassion and dedication demonstrated by our co-op members, trustees, employees and community partners.

The following donations were delivered to the following food banks this year:

· Caldwell – Caldwell Food Bank ($5,225)

· Conway Springs – Conway Springs Mission Mart (Cardinals Care partnership $5,664 plus 1,517 food items)

· Finney County – Emmaus House ($6,095) and Genesis Family Health ($5,635)

· Great Bend – Community Food Bank of Barton County ($17,332), plus 10,944 lbs. of food

· Harper – Harper Mission Mart ($5,675)

· Holcomb – First Baptist Church of Holcomb ($4,255)

· Leoti – Wichita County Ministerial Alliance ($7,055)

· Scott City – Hope’s Closet/Ministerial Alliance ($14,700)

· Syracuse – Hamilton County Food Pantry ($7,135)

· Tribune – Greeley County Food Bank ($8,515)

About Wheatland Electric Our Mission: Delivering Energy for Life–Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc., a member-owned cooperative headquartered in Scott City was established in 1948 as a distribution and power cooperative in Kansas. Today, Wheatland Electric serves more than 33,000 electric meters in 14 Kansas counties and three Colorado counties and maintains over 4,000 miles of distribution power lines across southwest and central Kansas and eastern Colorado. Together, with the help of our members, we are committed to building a better and stronger rural America. Visit www.weci.net for more information.

Power the Pantry: Wheatland helps raise $130K in donations for food banks

$20K Christmas Cash Giveaway Official Rules

Daily Registration Locations and Sponsored in part by: - Cornerstone Automotive and Tire - Mayo Money Management - GB Tires - Great Bend Appliance - Boone's Maytag - Z's Liquormart - Nex-Tech - Sutherlands - UPS Store/Westside Market - Nextech Wireless - Hoisington Veterinary Hospital - Memorial Art Company - Dawson Jewelers - Eldridge Fencing - Jimlo Glass Center

$20K Christmas Cash Giveaway

Now is the time to recognize those who go above and beyond! You can nominate a School Hero! On the fourth Tuesday of each month, Eagle Media will select a Hero to recognize! The winner will also receive $500! Nominate a School Hero is presented by: <a href="https://opikan.com/">OPI</a> (Office Products Incorporated) &amp; Golden Belt Printing.&nbsp;

Any adult who works at a school in Barton County is eligible to be nominated. Admin, Teachers, Para's, Coaches, Maintenance, Cafeteria, etc.

Nominate a School Hero! Presented by: OPI & Golden Belt Printing

Big Bend Custom Engraving, Freedom Claims Management, Great Bend Redi Mix, Francis Financial, Medial Park Pharmacy, R&amp;R Roofing, Allstaff Chartered, Miller Plastics, Rosencrants Bemis Water Well Service, Great Bend Rec, Jimlo Glass Center, Haz Mat Response

Make a Difference Contest 

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The first thing that Oregon quarterback Dante Moore did after winning the Orange Bowl was salute the thousands of fans who made the cross-country trip to South Florida.

If the Ducks' defense keeps playing like this, those fans might be back in Miami before long.

Matayo Uiagalelei caused a fumble to set up an Oregon touchdown, freshman Brandon Finney Jr. had three takeaways — two interceptions and a fumble recovery — and the fifth-seeded Ducks silenced No. 4 Texas Tech's offense for a 23-0 win in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl on Thursday.

“They’ve earned this opportunity,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “I told them go get their pound of flesh today. They did that today.”

Jordon Davison rushed for two scores, Moore threw for 234 yards and Atticus Sappington kicked three field goals for Oregon (13-1), which will play either No. 1 Indiana or No. 9 Alabama in the Peach Bowl — a CFP semifinal — on Jan. 9.

The Peach Bowl winner will be back in Miami Gardens for the national title game on Jan. 19.

“I believe we have the best defense in the country,” Finney said.

Texas Tech probably wouldn't argue with that.

Texas Tech — which finished at 12-2 — came into the day second nationally in points per game (42.5) and fifth nationally in yards per game (480.3) but got absolutely nothing going. The Red Raiders turned the ball over four times, were stopped on fourth downs three other times and had four three-and-outs.

“Texas Tech fans, I'm sorry that we let you down,” coach Joey McGuire said. “I hope you've enjoyed every second of this year. Man, this was such a special team and I'm so proud of them. Hats off to Dan Lanning. Hats off to the Oregon Ducks. Just an incredible football team ... and I told Dan after the game I hope he wins the whole damn thing.”

Tech quarterback Behren Morton — who finished 18 of 32 passing for just 137 yards — was stripped by Uiagalelei early in the third quarter in Red Raider territory. Uiagalelei rumbled deep into the red zone and Davison scored one play later to make it 13-0.

Morton threw a red-zone interception early in the fourth quarter and a fourth-down stop from their own 30 midway through the fourth quarter doomed whatever comeback chances existed for the Red Raiders. Davison plunged in from the 1 with 16 seconds left to cap the scoring.

“We had a great game plan," Morton said. "We just didn’t execute base plays.”

And once again, a CFP bye meant a team went bye-bye.

It was the sixth quarterfinal under this 12-team tournament format that started last year — there were two others coming later Thursday — and the sixth time that the team coming off an extended break lost to a team that played a first-round game.

In 2024, Boise State (against Penn State), Arizona State (against Texas), Georgia (against Notre Dame) and Oregon (against Ohio State) all went out in the quarterfinals after first-round byes. Miami added to that list Wednesday night, beating Ohio State in a quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl. In those six games, including Thursday, the team with the bye has held the lead for less than five minutes — combined — of regulation.

Texas Tech thought it could avoid that fate. It could not, and Oregon finished off its first shutout of an AP-ranked opponent since 2012. Oregon was playing a top-10 team for the 113th time — and for the first time, allowed zero points.

Oregon played James Madison in Round 1 this year, winning 51-34, and generally was unhappy afterward with how it played defensively.

There wasn't anything to not like from that side of the ball on Thursday.

“Last week a lot of people talked about our defense,” Lanning said. “They showed up today.”

Oregon: The Ducks are flying home to Eugene, instead of staying in the Eastern time zone to prepare for the Peach Bowl in Atlanta next week. It was a decision the Ducks made not long after seeing how the CFP bracket could shake out.

Texas Tech: It simply was an uncharacteristic offensive showing from the Red Raiders, who had scored at least 10 points before halftime in 26 of their last 27 games going back to 2023. “That was the best defense we have faced this year,” McGuire said.

Oregon: The Ducks, who have tied the school record for wins in a season, await the Indiana-Alabama winner.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are scheduled to open the 2026 season at home against Abilene Christian on Sept. 5.

Ducks move into CFP semifinals by topping Texas Tech 23-0

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two of the NFL’s three Christmas Day games set viewership records.

The Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings late afternoon game on Netflix became the most-streamed NFL game in U.S. history and the Denver Broncos-Kansas City Chiefs night game set a record for Amazon Prime Video.

The Vikings’ 23-10 victory over the Lions averaged 27.5 million U.S. viewers, according to Nielsen. The audience peaked at over 30 million. That surpasses the 27.2 million average for last year’s Christmas game on Netflix between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texas, which was also in the late afternoon slot.

The Broncos’ 20-13 win over the Chiefs had a 21.06 million average on Prime Video, breaking the network’s 19.39 million mark for most-watched “Thursday Night Football” game in the four seasons it has had the package. The audience peaked at 22.9 million during the second quarter.

The first game between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders averaged 19.9 million. The Cowboys’ 30-23 win was sharply down from the 25.8 million that tuned in for last year’s early afternoon contest between the Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Figures for the three games also include local market viewing on broadcast stations and viewing on NFL+ via mobile or web viewing.

Netflix and Nielsen said Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party — which occurred at halftime of the Lions-Vikings game — averaged 29 million.

The two Christmas games on Netflix were streamed globally, with viewers from over 200 countries and territories watching at least one of the games. The Cowboys-Commanders game had a global average of 22.4 million while Lions-Vikings had 30.5 million.

Netflix said its “NFL Christmas Gameday” drew more than 632 million social impressions globally, with Snoop Dogg’s halftime show garnering over 100 million impressions. Snoop was the number one trend socially in the U.S. along with Andrea Bocelli, Lainey Wilson and Duck Hodges.

Chiefs-Broncos among Christmas games that set viewership records

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Because he is a billionaire, the chairman of the Texas Tech board of regents and the school’s No. 1 superfan, the easiest route for Cody Campbell would be to keep pumping money into his school’s sports programs and let the chips fall where they may.

“For Texas Tech, the best thing that could happen is the whole thing continues to be chaotic,” he said.

But Campbell, an oilman by trade and a problem solver at heart, has a distinct vision of where college sports is and where it needs to go if it is going to survive past, say, 2030.

In an interview with The Associated Press in advance of Tech’s College Football Playoff game against Oregon, Campbell argued that Congress needs to create a new entity that can oversee college sports. Its main focus? Maximizing revenue.

“We have professionalized the cost side of college sports,” he said. “But we’re still running this amateur revenue-generation program.”

The idea of creating a new agency is among the talking points that thrust Campbell into the national conversation about how to run an industry that now pays players millions but also risks bankrupting athletic departments and destroying the smaller sports that are bankrolled by football and basketball.

He believes there is an extra $7 billion per year to be had by a smarter TV structure. In the interview with the AP, he suggested the solution is more complex than simply changing the law, tearing up the current deals and starting over.

“Congress needs to set up a system of governance that empowers them to make commercial decisions so they can maximize their value,” Campbell said of college leadership.

He sees an entity with not one commissioner, but a handful, all of whom run their individual sports and make their own decisions about media rights.

A man who disdains the status quo and those who uphold it — think conference commissioners, some athletic directors and school presidents — Campbell disputes the idea that his vision will pull power from all those people. By putting more money in their pockets, he explains, everyone will be stronger.

The SEC’s Greg Sankey has argued that Campbell’s views “reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the realities of college athletics.”

Campbell’s response to commissioners and others who criticize him: “I would say, ‘How many private equity deals have you done?’ I’ve done a dozen or more. ‘How many times have you issued a public bond or financed a multimillion-dollar project?’ I’ve done it quite a lot. Did you actually play major college football?”

Campbell, who grew up in the West Texas town of Canyon, was an all-conference offensive lineman for the Red Raiders in the early 2000s who spent 2005 with the Indianapolis Colts.

He made his money through a combination of real estate and oil deals. According to ESPN, he and his partner, John Sellers, have sold four iterations of their company, Double Eagle Energy, for a total of around $13 billion.

The money has allowed Campbell to almost singlehandedly shift the fortunes of Texas Tech athletics. He donated $25 million to help rebuild Texas Tech’s football stadium. He fronts The Matador Club, the collective that took advantage of loose regulation in the startup days of NIL to reportedly funnel more than $60 million to Texas Tech players since 2022.

“I know some of the commissioners have not necessarily agreed with them and don’t think he sees the big picture,” Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire said. “But when you’re in the room, you’ll understand. He’s smarter than you.”

Private equity only a short-term solution

It wasn’t so much the money but the experience he gained in raising the money that Campbell believes makes him suited to help shape college sports.

For instance, he sees a role for private investment — the likes of which are capturing headlines in the Big Ten, Big 12, University of Utah and elsewhere — as a bridge to a day when conferences maximize their media rights. It is not, he says, a permanent solution, especially the way the conferences are going about it.

“It’s basically just a payday loan, the way these things are being structured,” Campbell said. “They don’t really solve the fundamental problem.”

Congress has answers but not the right ones

Campbell casts himself as a supporter of the SCORE Act, legislation seeking to regulate college sports that has languished in Congress for a year even though he disagrees with its key points and sees it more as a launching point than a final product.

“I don’t think that many people who’ve been following sports for an amount of time think the NCAA is the right entity to be given a huge amount of additional power to override state law and be exempt from any kind of lawsuits,” he said, singling out two key elements proposed by the bill.

He figures a new entity might be able to build that trust and says he pushes this agenda not to benefit Texas Tech — all Texas schools have big boosters who can write big checks under any rulebook, he says — but because of what college, and college sports, did for him.

A belief that college sports is bipartisan

Piggybacking on the reality that football and basketball fund everything in college sports, Campbell sees TV as the best way to save everything.

He says tapping into that additional $7 billion a year will bankroll women’s and Olympic sports, which have become increasingly vulnerable as attention and resources head toward football.

A reliable Republican fundraiser, Campbell says he is aligned with President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order called “Saving College Sports,” part of which calls for protecting and expanding women’s and nonrevenue sports.

Yet Campbell sees no conflict with the fact that the reworking of the TV deal aligns more closely with a bill proposed by a Democrat. Rewriting the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act was the headliner in legislation proposed by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.

“I know he’s supportive in general of two things,” Cantwell said in an earlier interview with the AP. “One is making sure the top two (conferences) don’t run away with all the money. And secondly, I think he sees this as a way to even out the resources across all schools so we can still have ‘Any Given Saturday.’”

Campbell said he is a realist. He knows Congress works slowly and doesn’t always have sports on its mind. His faith in finding a solution isn’t diminished by that, however. He cited internal polling that showed more than 85% of Americans “want to see women’s sports and Olympic sports preserved.”

“And 85% of Americans don’t agree on anything,” he said. “The reality is, if we don’t make some reforms and we’re not careful, those sports are going to go away.”

Texas Tech’s biggest and richest fan explains how he’d fix college sports

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Kenyon Giles had 26 points in Wichita State's 75-70 win against UAB on Wednesday.

Giles shot 9 for 17, including 8 for 13 from beyond the arc for the Shockers (9-5, 1-0 American Athletic Conference). TJ Williams scored 12 points and added six rebounds. Will Berg had nine points and shot 4 of 10 from the field.

Daniel Rivera led the Blazers (9-5, 0-1) in scoring, finishing with 18 points. Jacob Meyer added 15 points for UAB. Evan Chatman also recorded 15 points and two steals.

Giles scored 12 points in the first half and Wichita State went into the break trailing 42-29. After trailing by 13 points in the second half, Wichita State went on a 10-0 run to narrow the score to 42-39 with 16:19 remaining in the half before finishing off the victory. Giles scored 14 second-half points.

Wichita State defeats UAB 75-70

reaction of his teammates as he sprinted 72 yards untouched for a touchdown returning an interception against defending national champion Ohio State.

They certainly were excited, as were a Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver and a former coach who won national championships with the Hurricanes.

Scott picked off a screen pass by Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin, Carson Beck threw a touchdown pass and 10th-ranked Miami shocked the Buckeyes 24-14 on Wednesday night at the Cotton Bowl in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal.

“I was full of emotions. ... That was a pretty cool moment,” said Scott, who has TD returns on both of his interceptions this season. “Just having fun. ... That’s what this team relies on, man, just going out there playing free and just having fun.”

The Hurricanes (12-2, CFP No. 10 seed) have won two playoff games to get into football’s final four after needing an at-large berth to make the 12-team field, after not even playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. One more win and they will get to play for a national championship in their home stadium.

Next for Miami in coach Mario Cristobal’s fourth season is a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 against No. 3 seed Georgia or No. 6 seed Ole Miss, the SEC teams in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.

There hasn’t been a national title for “The U” since 2001, which was their fifth; Cristobal was a standout offensive tackle for the Hurricanes in their 1989 and 1991 championship seasons. The Hurricanes were denied a repeat championship in 2002 with a double-overtime loss in the Fiesta Bowl to Ohio State, the only other time the teams met in a bowl — and the last Miami played in that game.

“It is 100% not about me. I’m part of their team, I’m a part of that family,” Cristobal said. “It is my obligation as a former Miami Hurricane player and all the things that Miami did for my brother and I to do my best to try to provide these guys with even better opportunities so they can fulfill all the great things they are destined for.”

Before receiver Michael Irvin and coach Jimmy Johnson were Super Bowl champions with the Dallas Cowboys, they were part of the Hurricanes' 1987 national championship. Irvin excitedly ran down the sideline while Scott was scoring for a 14-0 lead, and Johnson was nearby when acknowledged by Cristobal during the on-field trophy presentation.

Now it's third-ranked Ohio State (12-2, CFP No. 2 seed), which went into the game as a 9 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook, that can't win back-to-back national titles for the first time in program history.

The Buckeyes hadn't played since a 13-10 loss to now-No. 1 Indiana in a Big Ten championship game matchup of undefeated teams on Dec. 6. They still got a first-round bye, then lost just like all four teams that went directly to the quarterfinal round in the inaugural 12-team playoff last season.

“We worked really hard during the last three weeks leading up to this game to come out of the gates and win the first quarter, win the first half, be ready to go,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said. “I think the guys bought into it. But at the end of the day, we didn’t get it done.”

Scott's interception return came only 1:42 after Beck's quick pass to Mark Fletcher Jr. out of the backfield for a 9-yard score.

Beck, who was part of Georgia's national titles in 2021 and 2022 when Stetson Bennett was the starter, completed 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards.

When asked what stood out to him about these Hurricanes, Beck said, “Just the way that this team has responded to adversity. We knew coming into today that it wasn’t going to be easy.”

The TD throw to Fletcher, who also ran 19 times for 90 yards and was the game's offensive MVP, was the seventh of 13 consecutive completions for Beck. That set a record in the Cotton Bowl, which was played for the 90th time.

Sayin, a freshman backup behind Will Howard for Ohio State's championship run last season, was 22 of 35 for 287 yards with two interceptions and a TD to Jeremiah Smith. Sayin was sacked five times.

AP All-America receiver Smith, the Miami native, caught seven of those passes for 157 yards, including a 14-yard TD on a fourth down in the fourth quarter.

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