Pat Forde

Pat Forde

Pat Forde is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who covers college football and college basketball as well as the Olympics and horse racing. He cohosts the College Football Enquirer podcast and is a football analyst on the Big Ten Network. He previously worked for Yahoo Sports, ESPN and The (Louisville) Courier-Journal. Forde has won 28 Associated Press Sports Editors writing contest awards, has been published three times in the Best American Sports Writing book series, and was nominated for the 1990 Pulitzer Prize. A past president of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and member of the Football Writers Association of America, he lives in Louisville with his wife. They have three children, all of whom were collegiate swimmers.

Oregon linebacker Devon Jackson celebrates after the Ducks won the Big Ten championship.
College Football

Ranking College Football Playoff Teams on Who Needs Championship the Most

Each of the 12 teams will give maximum effort to push for a national title, but what if it all goes wrong?

Pat Forde
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Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day is surrounded by players before a game this season.
College Football

Time to Put Michigan Loss Aside, Ohio State Turns Focus to Setting the Tone in CFP

The Buckeyes average just 6.3 points in the first quarter, but need a quick start against the Volunteers whose fans will pack Ohio Stadium.

Pat Forde
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The Arizona State Sun Devils team celebrate with the trophy after winning the Big 12 championship. They are the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff.
College Football

Everything You Need to Know About the 12 College Football Playoff Teams

Each team’s high and low point of the season, how they got here and what needs to happen for them to win or what could derail their chance at the national championship.

Bryan Fischer, Mike McDaniel, Pat Forde, Zach Koons
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SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee speaks to the media during ACC Kickoff. The Mustangs join the ACC this academic year.
College Football

Persistence and Money: How SMU Returned to a Power Conference 40 Years Later

The ‘death penalty’ of the 1980s left the Mustangs in a mid-major wilderness until conference realignment changed everything.

Pat Forde
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Penn State is one of four teams in the College Football Playoff that is playing during Finals Week on campus.
College Football

How College Football Playoff Teams Are Balancing Academics With Sport

Four teams playing in the first round are prepping for the games and taking the biggest tests of the semester this week.

Pat Forde
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Travis Hunter (left), Jaxson Dart (center left), Cam Ward (center right) and Sheduer Sanders (right) lead their teams into the college football bowl season.
Betting

Best Picks Against the Spread for Every College Football Bowl Game

College football betting preview, predictions and best bets for every bowl game in the 2024 bowls season from Sports Illustrated's staff!

Reed Wallach, Bryan Fischer, Pat Forde
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Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter won the 2024 Heisman Trophy.
College Football

Colorado’s Travis Hunter Wins Heisman Trophy. Here’s How Sports Illustrated Voted.

Why the two-way phenom also topped our ballots ahead of Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and who we picked for the third slot.

Bryan Fischer, Pat Forde
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Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh dunks the ball against the Louisville Cardinals at Rupp Arena.
College Basketball

Kentucky-Louisville Men’s Hoops Rivalry Adds Spicy New Chapter

Two new coaches—Wildcats’ Mark Pope and Cardinals’ Pat Kelsey—restored the value of the matchup, giving the state and sport something to anticipate again.

Pat Forde
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Hunter’s two-way stardom is unheard of in modern football.
College Football

The Most Interesting Heisman Trophy Race ... Ever?

Pat Forde
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Gabriel led Oregon to an undefeated regular season and the top seed in the College Football Playoff.
College Football

Sports Illustrated 2024 College Football All-Americans

Bryan Fischer, Mike McDaniel, Pat Forde
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Olympics

How Bobby Finke Salvaged a Disappointing Olympics for U.S. Men’s Swimming

Pat Forde
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Bill Belichick becoming a college football coach was a stunning move.
College Football

Basketball-Centric North Carolina Had to Take Its Shot at Football Glory

Pat Forde
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