<div class="image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/523f356f69bedd91739d0776-480-579/screen-shot-2013-09-22-at-11.52.18-am.jpg" border="0" alt="ben flick" />Univeristy of <keyword id="1876824" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Cincinnati-Bearcats">Cincinnati Bearcats</keyword></div></div></div>Ben Flick, a 19-year-old offensive lineman for the University of Cincinnati football team, <a href="http://cincinnati.com/blogs/uc/2013/09/22/auto-accident-claims-life-of-bearcats-student-athlete-two-others-injured/">died in a car crash on Saturday night</a>, according to the Bearcats blog.
Teammates, both wide receivers, Mark Barr and Javon Harrison were transferred by helicopter to the hospital along with the driver of the vehicle whose name has not been released. Barr and the driver are in critical condition and Harrison is stable.
Cincinnati coach Tommy Tuberville released the following statement:
"I can't put into words how tragic this is. As a father and a coach, it's something you hope you never have to go through. Ben was so proud to be a part of this team and University. He worked hard and had shown a great deal of improvement since the summer. His future was bright. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Flick family on their loss. We also hope and pray for Mark and Javon to recover from their injuries."
All three of the football players are true freshman and went to the Bearcats' game at Miami of Ohio. The accident occurred at around 10:30 PM when they were on their way back to campus.

University Of Cincinnati Football Player Killed In Car Crash, 2 Other Teammates Injured

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> <keyword id="43587" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="pandemic">pandemic</keyword> has had a devastating effect on the entire world.</li><li><keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">Sports</keyword> — particularly <keyword id="125824" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NCAA">NCAA</keyword> athletics — have taken a significant hit as colleges have shut down to limit the spread of <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword>.</li><li>Dozens of schools, including several Division I institutions, have cut programs as a result of the loss of income they've suffered during the pandemic.</li><li>The trend may mark a turning point for the NCAA, which has long relied on <keyword id="45663" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Revenue">revenue</keyword> sports like football and men's basketball to fund its nonrevenue teams.</li><li>Insider spoke with one Division I student athlete to learn the story of how he lost his team as the coronavirus crisis hit.</li></ul>Sam Robinson was primed to be a star for Cincinnati.The Oxford, Ohio, native played in all but one game during his freshman-year campaign with the Bearcats' men's soccer team in 2019.The 6-foot-1 170-pound striker recorded a goal and 13 shots on target in his 699 minutes of play during the season and had more appearances than any other true freshman on the team. He had all the confidence in the world heading into his sophomore year, and he was ready to take on more responsibility for the team.<div type="image" title="soccer.JPG" height="1669" width="2226" msid="76788328" hostid="261"></div>"My freshman year turned out better for me than I expected," Robinson told Insider. "I played more than I had thought I would. Coming after that into the offseason, I was really ready to build on that, and going into my sophomore year, I thought that I would be ready to take on a much larger role and play a much bigger piece.""But obviously not anymore," he added.Like other college students across the country, Robinson found his spring cut short because of the coronavirus pandemic. The University of Cincinnati canceled in-person classes in mid-March. There would be no spring friendlies, no weight training, no team meetings, and no in-person bonding for the foreseeable future — or so they thought.A week or two after the school sent students home from campus, Robinson and his teammates were told to log in to a Zoom call on a Friday morning. Robinson said he and his teammates "really all assumed that it was going to be news regarding a new coaching staff" — a reasonable assumption given that longtime men's soccer head coach Hylton Dayes had resigned his post in early March.Instead, newly minted Athletic Director John Cunningham — along with the school's compliance department, the team's coaching staff, and others — broke the news that the University of Cincinnati would discontinue its men's soccer program, effective immediately.<h2>The University of Cincinnati is far from the only school to cut a nonrevenue sport in recent months </h2>The coronavirus pandemic brought the entire sports world to a screeching halt, and <keyword id="1625411" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="college-sports">college sports</keyword> programs were among the hardest hit. Typically, football and men's basketball — the revenue sports at the vast majority of Division I schools — generate enough income through television contracts and ticket sales to fund sports that do not bring in enough money to cover their expenses. But forced shutdowns over the COVID-19 outbreak have caused that system to break down at many institutions.As of this article's writing, 19 Division I schools have cut at least one of its teams since the pandemic began. In total, those 19 schools — only one of which belongs to the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, or Southeastern Conference that comprise college sports' Power Five — have permanently cut 57 teams between them. Baseball, softball, wrestling, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's golf are among those cut.Predictably, not one school has chosen to discontinue its football or men's basketball team as a money-saving measure.Without NCAA March Madness — one of college athletics' biggest moneymakers of the year — to line their pockets, athletics programs across the country suddenly faced significant budget cuts. The added uncertainty of an economic downturn and the prospect of decreased donations and limited enrollment make the future of college sports look even bleaker. Add the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming <keyword id="1553461" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="college-football">college football</keyword> season into the mix, and many programs are bracing for a full-blown disaster.Furloughs, layoffs, and pay cuts have all come into play, but for some athletics departments, those weren't enough. Individual teams started to find themselves on the chopping block, and unsurprisingly, schools first looked to their nonrevenue sports programs — like Cincinnati's men's soccer team."I mean, I always knew that soccer wasn't an income sport," Robinson said. "We didn't make any money for the school. But that was kind of just the way it is in the men's soccer in general, so that didn't really concern me."<h2>The days following Cincinnati's decision to cut its men's soccer team 'were like torture, honestly'</h2>Robinson found himself at a loss for words immediately after Cunningham told him and his teammates that they'd no longer compete on behalf of the school."Dead silence, for sure," he said. "I saw the reactions from some of my teammates, and they were exactly mine. Everybody went from dead shock to — once it started to sink in after they were talking for a while — not anger but frustration. We didn't want to be on the phone call anymore."<div type="image" title="nippert stadium.JPG" height="1667" width="2223" msid="76788332" hostid="261"></div>Cincinnati committed to honoring current players' scholarships through the duration of their time in school and agreed to allow players to transfer to another program without penalties or delays."Our men's soccer student-athletes have been outstanding representatives of the University in the classroom and on the field," <a href="https://gobearcats.com/news/2020/4/14/uc-discontinues-mens-soccer-program.aspx">Cunningham said in the school's press release</a>. "They may not fully understand this decision, but I want them to know they were truly and conscientiously considered during my deliberations about the future of UC Athletics. We are making this decision now to enable our men's soccer student-athletes to have an opportunity to play at another institution if they choose to do so."<div type="image" title="university of cincinnati" height="1500" width="2000" msid="76788336" hostid="261"></div>Robinson said he knew he would be transferring schools as soon as he processed the fact that staying at Cincinnati meant ending his soccer career just one year into his college journey."Without a doubt, I was going to leave once I heard the news," Robinson said. "I'm just not done with my soccer career, and that's not at all how I would want it to end for me. Other people are in different circumstances, but me going into my sophomore year, I have a lot of soccer left to play."But the process of finding a new team was far from straightforward, according to Robinson. Though Cunningham said the timing of the decision was made with the student athletes in mind, Robinson said "it was absolutely the worst possible timing for them to cut the program.""At the start, it felt very, very rushed," Robinson added. "With this being uncharted territory for all of us, especially with COVID going on and it being so extremely late in the recruiting year, I had assumed that I would probably have just one or two weeks to make my decision. ... With it being so late, there were very few schools that if they had roster spots, they didn't have any money."Just over a month after his team folded, Robinson committed to play for nearby Northern Kentucky University alongside two of his Cincinnati teammates.<h2>Some in the college-sports world are skeptical that such drastic measures as cutting teams was a necessary step</h2>The COVID-19 pandemic unquestionably poses a financial challenge for athletics programs. But according to David Berri, a Southern Utah University professor and sports-economics expert, the coronavirus crisis likely wouldn't be a large enough force to eradicate a program that would not have been eliminated otherwise."If the program was viable before this took place, then it will be viable after this takes place," <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/04/27/fearing-cuts-non-revenue-college-sports-look-ways-to-weather-this-storm/">Berri told The Washington Post in April</a>. "I just don't buy the argument that in response to a temporary crisis, you need to cut an entire program."<div type="image" title="cincinnati.JPG" height="1667" width="2222" msid="76788341" hostid="261"></div>Robinson agreed. From his perspective — and likely that of his teammates and other athletes who have lost their programs in recent months — surely there were other cost-saving options aside from eliminating programs, he said."They had so many other options than just cutting the program immediately," he said. "They could have phased out the program and said, 'All right, we'll let you guys play for the next three years,' or at least give us a year to figure out arrangements."According to Robinson, former Cincinnati men's soccer players from throughout the program's 47-year history banded together in an attempt to keep the team afloat. It wasn't enough."Our alumni were fully on board with supporting the program 100%," Robinson said. "They even put a proposal together for the athletic department. I think they shut it down. To me, that's such a red flag. Obviously that makes it look like funding wasn't the issue.""In all reality, it's not like they're going to be saving money," he added. "They're going to spend that million dollars a year somewhere else. They're going to be putting it to the football team, to the football locker room, stuff like that."Though it's impossible to confirm if and how the university's athletics program is reallocating the money it would have devoted to the men's soccer team, Cincinnati is continuing to invest heavily in its football program. In an <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2020/06/25/uc-bearcats-ad-john-cunningham-hopeful-2020-football-season/3250918001/">interview with Keith Jenkins of the Cincinnati Enquirer</a>, Cunningham confirmed that his office was moving forward with a construction project on the football team's locker room.Though the football team's locker room may have been due for a renovation, major NCAA football programs famously spend exorbitant amounts of money adding all the bells and whistles to their locker rooms to entice top recruits to commit to play there.The reigning national champion, LSU Tigers, for example, recently completed a <a href="https://www.insider.com/louisiana-state-university-football-locker-room-athletic-facility-2019-8">$28 million renovation</a> to add sleep pods, a swimming pool, a minitheater, and more to its locker room. The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-clemsons-football-facility-2017-10">Clemson Tigers spent north of $50 million</a> on building their swanky facility. Likewise, the <a href="https://www.insider.com/texas-longhorns-locker-room-2017-10">Texas Longhorns gave their locker room a multimillion-dollar face-lift</a> in 2017.<div type="image" title="LSU Football Locker Room " height="2731" width="3642" msid="76788346" hostid="261"></div>If Cincinnati intends to build one of America's leading college-football programs and position itself to join a Power Five conference, the program will need to compete against teams like LSU, Clemson, and Texas for top recruits. Shaving off $726,498 — the most recently available operating loss of Cincinnati's men's soccer team, <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/29034684/cincinnati-drops-men-soccer-program-amid-widespread-uncertainty">according to ESPN's Mark Schlabach</a> — from the overall $68.8-million athletics budget could have taken away from those efforts."If you were interested in cutting things, there are things in football and men's basketball that you could cut," Berri told The Washington Post. "So that suggests to me what's going on here is athletic directors are using this as an excuse."The University of Cincinnati's athletics department did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/college-football-season-may-move-to-winter-and-spring-2020-4">College football could move to the spring, and it may be the only way to save the 2020 season and avoid a financial disaster</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/ncaa-eligibility-for-seniors-coach-k-geno-auriemma-2020-3">Thousands of student-athletes might get an extra year of eligibility because of coronavirus, but it doesn't include basketball yet, and some big names want that changed</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/lebron-ohio-state-football-beats-headphones-gift-not-ncaa-violation-2019-12">LeBron James gave the entire Ohio State football team new $350 Beats headphones, and it's not an NCAA violation thanks to a loophole</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/most-memorable-college-basketball-teams-of-the-decade-2019-12">The 13 most memorable college basketball teams of the decade</a></li></ul>

Cincinnati, Stanford, and 17 other Division I schools are permanently eliminating dozens of sports programs in an unexpected loss from the pandemic

A young <keyword id="842713" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Cincinnati-Bengals">Cincinnati Bengals</keyword> and University of Cincinnati Bearcats fan wrote a great letter to Kevin Huber, the punter who <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bengals-punter-breaks-jaw-hit-2013-12">broke his jaw on a controversial hit last week</a>.
In adorable fashion, the boy tells Huber that he's his favorite player and he hopes he feels better.
Then things take a dark turn.
The final sentence of the otherwise cute letter reads: "I hope that Steeler player loses his house and has to live in his car."
The kid's dad tweeted out the letter, and <a href="http://deadspin.com/seven-year-old-writes-supportive-letter-to-injured-beng-1485396396">Deadspin picked it up</a>:
<div class="image-container click-to-enlarge"><div class="image"><a title_source="@16ozbud via Deadspin" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52b1b64becad045971d6dfc6-960/bengals-punter-letter.jpg"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52b1b64becad045971d6dfc6-1200-1600/bengals-punter-letter.jpg?maxX=800" border="0" alt="bengals punter letter" width="800" /></a><a href="https://twitter.com/@16ozbud">@16ozbud via Deadspin</a></div></div>
Awwww?

A 7-Year-Old's Adorable Letter To An Injured NFL Punter Takes A Dark Turn At The End

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Jason Kelce went to Buffalo to cheer on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-is-travis-kelce-net-worth-2023-9">his brother, Travis</a>, and the Chiefs in the NFL playoffs.</li><li>The Eagles star partied with Bills Mafia, connected a fan with Taylor Swift, and lost his shirt.</li></ul>Jason Kelce is always giving 100% — on the field or in the stands.The legendary Eagles center saw his season — and, perhaps, his career — come to a close with Philadelphia's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in last week's Wild Card round. But the future Hall of Famer is putting his newfound free time to good use; he headed to Buffalo this weekend to support his younger brother — star Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce — as he and his Chiefs took on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/josh-allen-net-worth-bills-quarterback-earns-millions">Josh Allen's Bills</a> in Orchard Park.And, boy, did the elder Kelce brother make the most of his visit.With the temperature in Buffalo hovering right around 25°F, the 36-year-old spent the early parts of the day tailgating with Bills Mafia. He was spotted outside of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-first-buffalo-bills-game-after-damar-hamlins-cardiac-arrest-2023-1">Highmark Stadium</a> sporting a comically large Bills hat and taking shots out of a bowling ball while flanked by the Buffalo faithful.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Jason Kelce: Man of the People <a href="https://t.co/QANv97Rb9P">pic.twitter.com/QANv97Rb9P</a>— New Heights (@newheightshow) <a href="https://twitter.com/newheightshow/status/1749206502475436262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2024</a></blockquote>By the time he was ready to head into the stadium, Kelce was sporting red and gold in support of his brother's team. His "Big Yeti" T-Shirt paid homage to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travis-kelce-diet-daily-calories-2023-11">a nickname his little brother picked up</a> during their college days with the Cincinnati Bearcats.Kelce was spotted inside a suite alongside <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travis-kelce-jason-kelce-family-football-2023-11">several family members</a>: his wife, Kylie, mom, Donna, and dad, Ed. They were joined by some famous faces as well; Taylor Swift — who has been dating Travis since last summer — took in the game with her friend, actor and model Cara Delevingne, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/patrick-mahomes-girlfriend-brittany-matthews-relationship-high-school-sweethearts-2019-12">Brittany Mahomes, whose husband, Patrick Mahomes</a>, is Kansas City's star quarterback.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/JasonKelce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JasonKelce</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/taylorswift13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TaylorSwift13</a> in Buffalo to support Travis ❤️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFLPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFLPlayoffs</a> <a href="https://t.co/DvXVUtg6it">pic.twitter.com/DvXVUtg6it</a>— NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1749214615211585832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2024</a></blockquote>Several times throughout the close contest, Kelce was caught on camera crushing beers in the box and cheering on his brother. And by the time Travis made his way into the end zone for Kansas City's first touchdown of the night in the waning minutes of the second quarter, the 6-foot-3, 282-pound lineman had shed his shirt and picked up a Chiefs beanie.CBS' broadcast showed Kelce celebrating the score with the fervor of a proud older brother — particularly one who had spent the entire day preparing for such a moment.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">JASON KELCE IS ALL THAT IS MAN <a href="https://t.co/KKOmoiuEvq">pic.twitter.com/KKOmoiuEvq</a>— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS/status/1749231771407843660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>His nearly 3-year-old daughter, Ellie, caught the moment on the small screen. She astutely noted "Dad's boobs are showing" to whomever was in the room watching the game with her, and Kelce went on to share the hilarious quip on X (formerly Twitter).<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Buffalo is awesome, the energy is contagious. Such an incredible experience!! <a href="https://t.co/HzKiGRMFwm">pic.twitter.com/HzKiGRMFwm</a>— Jason Kelce (@JasonKelce) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonKelce/status/1749285926189039939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>Kelce used some of his chaotic energy for good, too. Later in the game, he spotted a Swiftie brandishing a homemade sign that read "I ❤️ T. Swift" in the section directly in front of their shared box. The father of three hopped through the window of the suite, waved the young fan over, and told her "We're gonna show this to Taylor" as he scooped her into his arms.Based on the fan's waves and big smile, it appears as though she successfully caught Swift's eye.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Real time with All Pro ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/JasonKelce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JasonKelce</a>⁩ in the box with ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/taylorswift13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@taylorswift13</a>⁩ right behind our seats. Unfortunate loss for our ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/BuffaloBills?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BuffaloBills</a>⁩ but great to have my friends see a legend. ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFL</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/barstoolsports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@barstoolsports</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/stoolpresidente?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@stoolpresidente</a>⁩ <a href="https://t.co/h2xOt4PSXK">pic.twitter.com/h2xOt4PSXK</a>— Westcoastcloser (@MattRiv2) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattRiv2/status/1749298881869820357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>Kelce may be something of a good luck charm for his brother and the Chiefs, who came away with a thrilling 27-24 road victory Sunday night. Kansas City will now travel to Baltimore to take on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/justin-tucker-net-worth-ravens-kicker-earns-millions">the top-seeded Ravens</a> in the AFC Championship Game Sunday at 3 pm ET.Whether Big Bro makes the short trip down from Philadelphia to Charm City for another day of shenanigans still remains to be seen.

A shirtless Jason Kelce appeared to have more fun than anyone else at the Bills vs. Chiefs matchup in Buffalo

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Miss Ohio Nicole Wess paid tribute to the <keyword id="12594511" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ohio-state" source="Orion">Ohio State</keyword> <keyword id="11895115" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="football" source="Orion">football</keyword> team during the <keyword id="12229234" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="miss-usa" source="Orion">Miss USA</keyword> pageant. </li><li>She wore a Buckeyes football uniform during the pageant's State Costume Contest. </li></ul>Ohio State football may not have won the game, but they still got a spotlight on <a href="https://www.insider.com/photos-women-competing-to-be-miss-usa-2021-11">the Miss USA stage</a>.Miss Ohio Nicole Wess paid tribute to the Ohio State Buckeyes football team on Sunday — just a day after their crushing loss to the University of Michigan — during the pageant's <a href="https://www.insider.com/daring-state-costumes-miss-usa-this-year-2021-11">State Costume Contest</a>. Wess sported a red Buckeyes uniform, which she paired with matching red sneakers. <div type="image" title="Miss Ohio Nicole Wess" height="2005" width="1154" msid="87994596" hostid="261"></div>She carried a Buckeyes helmet that also featured the logo of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats — where she's currently a student — to celebrate the Bearcats' undefeated season. The rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan is one of the biggest in <keyword id="11984069" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="college-football" source="Orion">college football</keyword>. The Wolverines beat the Buckeyes on Saturday for the first time since 2011 with a score of 42-27. <div type="image" title="Miss Ohio Nicole Wess" height="2029" width="1236" msid="87994598" hostid="261"></div>Wess, 23, is one of <a href="https://www.insider.com/photos-women-competing-to-be-miss-usa-2021-11">the 51 women competing for the Miss USA crown</a>, as well as the chance to compete in <a href="https://www.insider.com/miss-universe-pageant-to-be-held-in-israel-december-2021-7">Miss Universe next month</a>. She is currently earning her doctorate in pharmacy, working at a COVID-19 clinic, and interning at a charitable pharmacy. <div type="image" title="Miss Ohio Nicole Wess" height="3005" width="2000" msid="87994599" hostid="261"></div>Wess describes herself as a "proud Filipino-American" in her Miss USA bio, and says her hobbies range from modeling to riding her motorcycle.

A Miss USA contestant wore an Ohio State football uniform onstage after the team's big loss to Michigan

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5dee6683fd9db246322996df-1200/xavier-coach-bar-tab.jpg" alt="xavier coach bar tab" />Bobby Reagan/TwitterXavier Musketeers head coach Travis Steele bought fans $1,000 worth of beer at a local bar after his team beat the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Crosstown Shootout Saturday night.<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/xavier-musketeers">Xavier Musketeers</a> head coach Travis Steele bought fans $1,000 worth of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/beer">beer</a> at a local bar after his team beat the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/cincinnati-bearcats">Cincinnati Bearcats</a> in the Crosstown Shootout Saturday night.</li><li>Steele brought his six-year-old son, Winston, to Dana Gardens and had the baby-faced baller place a wad of cash on the bar.</li><li>Before announcing his gift to the bar's patrons, Steele thanked fans for supporting the team.</li><li>Xavier has started the season with a 9-1 record and is primed to be a serious contender in a stacked <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/big-east">Big East conference</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more.</a></li></ul>Victory over an archrival tastes pretty sweet, but celebrating with a free post-win beer tastes much, much sweeter.Xavier Musketeers head coach Travis Steele bought $1,000 worth of beer for fans at a local bar after his team took down the Cincinnati Bearcats 73-66 in Saturday's Crosstown Shootout.Steele and his six-year-old son, Winston, arrived at Dana Gardens - a bar located just off of Xavier's campus - mere hours after the big win. The young, blond-haired baller walked into the bustling joint with his dad as fans whooped and applauded before placing a hulking stack of cash on the bar."I'm going to buy everyone $1,000 worth of drinks," the elder Steele told two of the bartenders on hand, who were visibly shocked. They then thanked the head coach and shook his hand.Steele then addressed the patrons of the bar."Thank you guys for coming to the game. We appreciate all the support," he said. "I've got a thousand dollars up here for all the next drinks."Applause erupted across the bar and drowned out whatever Steele said next.A second-year head coach, Steele has led the Musketeers to an impressive 9-1 start to the 2019-2020 season that includes wins over Cincinnati and the UConn Huskies and a close loss against a loaded Florida Gators roster.Xavier figures to be a serious contender atop a stacked Big East conference this season. Steele's squad opens conference play with a tough road test against the No. 23 Villanova Wildcats just before the end of the year.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-memorable-college-basketball-teams-of-the-decade-2019-12">The 13 most memorable college basketball teams of the decade</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/paige-bueckers-uconn-highlight-shows-why-shes-genos-next-star-2019-12">UConn's top recruit dropped a jaw-dropping dime that shows why she's primed to be one of the next big stars in college basketball</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/megan-rapinoe-asks-messi-ronaldo-ibrahimovic-to-fight-racism-sexism-2019-12">Megan Rapinoe calls out Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to do more to fight racism and sexism</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dabo-swinney-paul-finebaum-annoying-winner-comments-clemson-2019-12">Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney fired back after Paul Finebaum called him 'the most annoying winner in all of sports'</a></li></ul><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Travis Steele beats Cincinnati, rolls up to the Xavier bar and has his kid put down a grand to cover drinks. Natty Light pitchers for everyone <a href="https://t.co/fDnM8oM412">pic.twitter.com/fDnM8oM412</a>- Bobby Reagan (@BarstoolReags) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1203682360690192385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2019</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Thanks for the pitchers of Herschel and Natty Light, <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachSteeleXU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachSteeleXU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsGoX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetsGoX</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Xavier?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Xavier</a> <a href="https://t.co/Tn9SmkvemC">pic.twitter.com/Tn9SmkvemC</a>- Blake (@XUBlakeQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1203703436765777926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2019</a></blockquote> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cooked-entire-thanksgiving-dinner-using-google-home-hub-2018-11">I tried cooking an entire Thanksgiving dinner using Google Home Hub and found there are 2 major flaws with it</a></h3> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/PMUC6BwZ-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;"></iframe>

A college basketball coach bought $1,000 worth of beer for fans at a local bar to celebrate a rivalry win, and he had his 6-year-old son pay the tab with a wad of cash

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="1886868" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="College-Football-Playoff">College Football Playoff</keyword> is fast approaching.</li><li>While the Playoff committee ranks 25 teams every week, according to ESPN, there's only 10 teams left that have a chance to make the final four.</li><li>Alabama and Ohio State are near locks to make the playoff, while Notre Dame and Clemson's second showdown of the season will have huge implications on the rest of the playoff picture.</li></ul>The 2020 <keyword id="1553461" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="college-football">college football</keyword> season will be remembered as one of the strangest in the history of the sport.Due to differing responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, some conferences have played close to a full season's worth of games, while others have struggled to get teams to six games played.Despite the challenges, teams made it as best they could through the season and now have two weeks left to make their case to the College Football Playoff committee should they hope to get a shot at the national championship.The committee <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/rankings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">releases its own top 25</a> list every week, but a<a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/page/playoffpredictor2020/who-best-chance-make-college-football-playoff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ccording to ESPN's playoff predictor</a>, those rankings aren't truly representative of each school's chances of making it into the postseason.Iowa State, while ranked 7th, has less than a 2% chance of making the playoff, likely because the Cyclones already have two losses on their record. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bearcats, ranked 8th, have a 24% chance to make the playoff, as they are undefeated and still have another game to impress the committee.Take a look below as we go through the 10 teams that still have a realistic (at least 2%) chance of reaching the College Football Playoff, according to ESPN.<h2>10. Coastal Carolina</h2><div type="image" title="Coastal Carolina" height="1876" width="2501" msid="79685940" hostid="261"></div>Record: 10-0Current CFP rank: 13thChance at making the College Football Playoff: 2.2%One thing to know: Coastal Carolina pulled off an impressive upset win over BYU last weekend in a battle between undefeated schools. This weekend they'll play a make-up game against Troy, followed by a matchup against Louisiana in the Sun Belt Championship game. Win both of those, and they'll have a chance to finish as the only 12-0 team in the country. Still, because of the weaker schedule they've played compared to other schools and the tendency for Group of Five schools to get left out of the College Football Playoff, the Chanticleers will need a ton of chaos ahead of them if they're going to make the final four.<h2>9. USC</h2>Record: 4-0Current CFP rank: 15thChance at making the College Football Playoff: 7%One thing to know: USC was expected to be the class of the Pac-12 heading into the season, but given the late start of the conference's season, they haven't gotten much of a chance to show it. Even if they go on to an undefeated season and win the conference title, it's likely that the Trojans haven't shown enough to qualify for the College Football Playoff.<h2>8. Florida</h2><div type="image" title="Kyle Trask" height="1765" width="2354" msid="79685943" hostid="261"></div>Record: 8-1Current CFP rank: 6thChance at making the College Football Playoff: 14.5%One thing to know: Led by Heisman candidate Kyle Trask, the Florida Gators have had quite a season, showcasing one of the most dangerous offenses in the country, putting up an average of 42 points per game. The Gators are also just seconds from an undefeated season, with their only loss came to Texas A&amp;M on a field goal that was hit as time expired. While they won't have the chance to avenge that loss, a win over Alabama in the SEC championship game next weekend could catapult them into the playoff.<h2>7. Indiana</h2>Record: 6-1Current CFP rank: 12thChance at making the College Football Playoff: 17.4%One thing to know: Indiana had its hopes of a dream season crushed in a loss to Ohio State a few weeks ago, and then crushed once again this week when the Big Ten changed its rules to allow the Buckeyes into the conference championship game despite not having played the necessary six games to qualify. With their game against Purdue this weekend canceled, the Hoosiers won't have much more opportunity to impress the College Football Playoff committee but should still be in consideration for a high-profile bowl appearance.<h2>6. Cincinnati</h2>Record: 8-0Current CFP rank: 8thChance at making the College Football Playoff: 24.1%One thing to know: Cincinnati is undefeated and <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> a defense that could be one of the best in the country. If there are a few bad losses in front of them and they maintain their spotless record, the Bearcats could potentially jump into the final four as the first non-Power Five school to make the College Football Playoff.<h2>5. Texas A&amp;M</h2><div type="image" title="Kellen Mond" height="1962" width="2616" msid="79685944" hostid="261"></div>Record: 7-1Current CFP rank: 5thChance at making the College Football Playoff: 30%One thing to know: The Aggies' one loss on the season came at the hands of Alabama, who ran over A&amp;M en route to a 52-24 win in their second game of the season. Since then, the Aggies have looked sharp on both sides of the ball, working their way up the standings to sit just one spot outside of the final four. That said, there's a chance that a team with a better win late in the season could jump Texas A&amp;M in the standings through the final few weeks.<h2>4. Clemson</h2>Record: 9-1Current CFP rank: 3rdChance at making the College Football Playoff: 52.6%One thing to know: Clemson's only loss on the season came in a nail-biter against Notre Dame with the Tigers playing without star quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence will be back in for the Tigers when the two teams meet again in the ACC championship, allowing Clemson to avenge that loss. Clemson could jump up a few spots in the rankings with a win, but a loss would push them out of the playoff picture, opening up a spot for another team.<h2>3. Notre Dame</h2>Record: 10-0Current CFP rank: 2ndChance at making the College Football Playoff: 64.4%One thing to know: Notre Dame's win over Clemson gives them one of the most impressive resumes in all of college football, but the Irish will have to play the Tigers tough once again if they are to hold on to their spot in the postseason. A second win over Clemson could vault them to the top seed in the standings. A loss could knock them out of the playoff picture or potentially set up a rubber match between the two schools in the national championship, depending on how the committee views the rest of the competition.<h2>2. Ohio State</h2><div type="image" title="Justin Fields" height="1137" width="1517" msid="79685945" hostid="261"></div>Record: 5-0Current CFP rank: 4thChance at making the College Football Playoff: 85.3%One thing to know: The Buckeyes were in danger of missing out on a spot in the Big Ten championship after their game against Michigan was canceled due to COVID-19. Still, athletic directors from across the conference this week voted to change rules established before the start of the season to allow Ohio State into the title game despite having only played five games. With a win there, the Buckeyes will make the playoff, leading to a potential postseason showdown between quarterbacks Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence, both of whom will likely be top picks in the 2021 NFL Draft.<h2>1. Alabama</h2>Record: 9-0Current CFP rank: 1stChance at making the College Football Playoff: 97.8%One thing to know: Death, taxes, and Alabama football. The Crimson Tide have been as impressive as ever during the strangest college football season in history. Quarterback Mac Jones continues to drop dimes, and with a whirlwind of offensive talent surrounding him, it's difficult to imagine any team stopping Alabama. Four teams will make the College Football Playoff, but as things stand, Alabama looks like the only team that can win it.

Only 10 teams still have a legit shot at making the College Football Playoff

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5deab344fd9db22782486f83-2180/trevor-lawrence.jpg" alt="Trevor Lawrence" />AP Photo/Sean RayfordThis week we're backing the Clemson Tigers, Boise State Broncos, and Cincinnati Bearcats to make some noise and cover the spread in their conference championship games.<ul class="summary-list"><li>After a wild season, we've finally reached college football's championship weekend, with some of the biggest games of the year set to kickoff.</li><li>Last weekend, our picks went 4-3 against the spread, with LSU, Georgia, and Oklahoma all covering as heavy favorites.</li><li>This week we're back at it again, picking our seven best bets of a stacked slate.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>The stakes could not be higher for some of the top college football teams in the country this weekend.With conference championships taking place starting Friday night, teams are looking to secure their spot in the playoff, upset a conference rival, or sneak into a New Year's Six bowl game.Thanks to LSU, Georgia, and Oklahoma covering as heavy favorites last weekend, our picks went a solid 4-3 against the spread last weekend.This week, we're back at it with our final seven best bets of the college football slate before bowl season begins.Take a look below for our best bets of championship weekend. (* indicates home team).LAST WEEK: 4-3 OVERALL: 54-41-3

Our 7 best bets college football's championship weekend

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater led the <keyword id="193447" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Louisville">Louisville</keyword> Cardinals to beat the Cincinnati Bearcats in a huge rivalry game on Thursday. 
With the Cardinals down 14-10 going into the fourth quarter, Bridgewater refused to go down on a fourth down and 12 to keep the drive alive:
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/52a1ddf16da8110d35a704d8/bridgewater 4th down.gif" border="0" alt="Bridgewater 4th down" />@SBNation</div></div></div>
He capped off the drive with this impossible throw, good for a 22-yard touchdown pass to put the Cardinals up 17-14 (gif via <a href="https://twitter.com/guyism">guyism</a>):
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52a1dc2beab8eab44d68f745/bridgewater td .gif" border="0" alt="bridgewater TD " />Guvism</div></div></div>
Bridgewater engineered another clutch drive at the end of the fourth quarter and the Cardinals would go on to win 31-24 in overtime.

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