Defending champion and teenage sensation Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler is set to face the first real test of his title defence as he comes up against 2017 World Champion Rob Cross tonight, with the last-16 getting under way at Alexandra Palace.

Littler, who turned from prodigy to top dog in record time, has cruised into the fourth round without dropping a set and says he feels great. The teenager is the heavy favourite to reach his third quarter-final from three appearances.

Former champion Rob Cross, however, has been playing some scintillating darts of his own, including a 4-0 demolition of Damon Heta in the previous round. If he can maintain his scoring, he could cause a major upset tonight in what is sure to be a electric atmosphere at ‘The Ally Pally’.

In the next era of college athletics, the Atlantic Coast Conference faces a defining crossroads. Imagine a 2030 landscape where Clemson, Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, and perhaps even Louisville exit for richer pastures. Even in that scenario, the ACC is far too valuable — institutionally, academically, and geographically — to simply collapse.

I humbly offer ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips and the conference’s member schools a blueprint not only to keep the league intact, but to position it to expand and thrive. The institutions that make up this conference are too significant, too powerful, and too valuable to ignore — and with that in mind, here is the plan.

The remaining core of academically elite, mission‑aligned universities would have the opportunity to rebuild the league into a modern, stable, academically driven national conference. Rather than chasing the SEC and Big Ten’s financial arms race, ACC 2.0 could re‑center itself around research excellence, institutional compatibility, and a coast‑to‑coast footprint that appeals to both ESPN and emerging streaming partners.

Why the Remaining ACC Schools Won’t Bolt for the Big 12

The Big 12 is aggressive, opportunistic, and well‑run — but it is not a natural academic or institutional fit for the ACC’s remaining members. Here’s why each school is better off staying:

Duke

• Elite AAU academics
• Basketball brand unmatched in the Big 12
• Strong ESPN relationship
• Big 12 offers no academic peers

Virginia

• AAU powerhouse
• Massive research footprint
• Fits culturally with Stanford, Cal, Georgia Tech
• Big 12 would be a step down academically

Virginia Tech

• Strong football brand
• Geographic anchor for the Mid‑Atlantic
• Big 12 travel would be brutal
• ACC stability + new markets = better long‑term value

NC State

• Research Triangle identity
• Local rivalries with Duke/UNC/VT
• Big 12 offers no comparable academic ecosystem

Georgia Tech

• AAU member
• Atlanta market
• Tech‑centric brand fits ACC’s academic identity
• Big 12 lacks peer institutions

Pittsburgh

• AAU member
• Natural rivalries with Syracuse, BC, Notre Dame
• Big 12 travel and time zones are a poor fit

Syracuse

• Northeast media footprint
• Basketball heritage
• Big 12 is geographically and culturally misaligned

Boston College

• Only Power conference school in New England
• Massive media market leverage
• Big 12 has no presence or value in the Northeast

Wake Forest

• Elite private‑school academics
• Big 12’s public‑school culture doesn’t match
• ACC offers stability and peer alignment

Cal & Stanford

• AAU giants
• West Coast academic prestige
• Big 12 is not an academic match
• ACC gives them a national platform without compromising identity

SMU

• Wealthiest donor base in the country
• Texas recruiting access
• ACC brand elevates SMU more than Big 12 ever could

Bottom line: The Big 12 is a good football league. The ACC is a university league — and that matters to these schools.

The New Additions: Why They Strengthen ACC 2.0

ACC 2.0 strategically adds USF, UConn, Tulane, Memphis, Rice, Army (football only), and Navy (football only) — each selected for academic alignment, media value, and institutional fit.

USF

• AAU status
• R1 research
• New on‑campus stadium
• #11 Tampa–St. Pete–Sarasota DMA
• Massive NIL potential
• Aggressive investment in sports

UConn

• NYC–New England corridor
• Elite basketball brand
• Strong academics
• Restores Northeast relevance
• Football is on the upswing

Tulane

• AAU‑level academics
• New Orleans market
• Rising football credibility

Memphis

• Central U.S. footprint
• Passionate fanbase
• Strong recruiting region

Rice

• AAU member
• Houston market
• Elite academic prestige

Army & Navy

• National visibility
• Tradition and patriotic appeal
• Annual Army–Navy game becomes an ACC property

Together, these additions create a coast‑to‑coast academic‑athletic alliance unmatched outside the Big Ten.

Notre Dame: The Biggest Winner in ACC 2.0

Notre Dame remains a full ACC member in all sports except football, where it maintains independence. But in ACC 2.0, the Irish gain:

• A national schedule without Big Ten entanglements
• Historic rivalries (Army, Navy, Stanford, Pitt, Georgia Tech)
• A new multi‑year football series with USF
• A league that mirrors Notre Dame’s academic identity

If anything, ACC 2.0 becomes the perfect home for Notre Dame’s Olympic sports — and the perfect partner for its football independence.

Why ESPN Stays Invested Beyond 2036

ACC 2.0 controls major markets including Boston, New York City, Washington DC, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Raleigh–Durham, San Francisco/Oakland, and Houston.

For ESPN, this means:

• Year‑round content
• High‑value basketball inventory
• East Coast + West Coast windows
• Service academy games
• Notre Dame Olympic sports

Even after 2036, ESPN will want:

• Inventory
• Stability
• National reach
• Academic prestige

ACC 2.0 checks every box.

Why Apple, Amazon, YouTube, and DAZN Will Bid

The next media cycle will be dominated by streamers. ACC 2.0 offers:

• National markets
• Elite academic brands
• Basketball dominance
• Service academy tradition
• Notre Dame adjacency
• West Coast + East Coast time zones
• Competitive Football programs already in the conference with up-and-coming new teams joining.

DAZN, in particular, is looking to plant a U.S. flag through its pursuit of Main Street Sports. ACC 2.0 gives them:

• A national conference
• A stable inventory
• A premium academic brand

This is exactly the kind of league a streamer wants to anchor a long‑term sports strategy.

How the ACC Learned From the Pac‑12 Collapse

The Pac‑12 died because it:

• Waited too long to understand their problems
• Had no unified vision
• Lost Los Angeles
• Ignored streaming partners
• Failed to expand

ACC 2.0 does the opposite:

• Expands early
• Adds major markets
• Builds academic alignment
• Creates national inventory
• Embraces streaming

This is a conference built to survive. Thanks in advance to the ACC for looking at my suggestions and best of luck in the future.

by Carter Brantley

In case you needed another example of Tampa Bay Buccaneers incompetence, Sunday afternoon was another great example of how far this team has truly fallen. 

With Baker Mayfield committing three turnovers, two of them interceptions, one fumble, Bucky Irving, continuing his fall from grace, and the defense failing to contain a Miami Dolphins offense led by seventh round pick, rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers, it was just an absolutely abysmal performance all the way around. 

It’s depressing to say, but I’m afraid I’m running out of ways to describe such an atrocious football team. 

After the 20-17 loss the Buccaneers fall to 7-9 for the season, and yet because the Carolina Panthers also took a loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Bucs have a chance to still sneak into the playoffs as a division winner with a victory next Sunday at home against those Panthers. 

Head coach, Todd Bowles, has had his job security and question seemingly since he was hired, but this year has been one of the few times where those calls actually have some weight to them after the Buccaneers have gone 1-7 over their past eight weeks. 

However, NFL insider Ian Rappaport mentioned on NFL network that there was no discussion of a head coach coaching change for Tampa Bay. 

Bowles signed a contract extension before this season began. 

He’s certainly the hot name that most people are discussing when talking about any potential changes this team could make, but for a team that has played as poorly as they have there aren’t too many people that should be considered safe both on the roster and coaching staff. 

From Bowles to Baker to the special teams coaches to the entire defense, everyone has been a massive disappointment to finish out this season. 

Could the Buccaneers consider drafting a quarterback as early as the first round this off-season? 

It’s certainly not out of the question with one year remaining on Baker Mayfield’s contract and his play falling off a cliff after such a miraculously hot start to begin this season. 

And if general manager, Jason Licht, sees someone that he likes and falls to the Buccaneers, even if Tampa Tampa Bay somehow manages to sneak into the postseason, there has to be some pause if they like a young quarterback enough. 

We shall see how the season finishes, as another division title could paper over a lot of these problems and the Buccaneers could decide to run it back for another season (which they might do anyways). 

It is truly a Bucs life.