NCAA

Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. has been suspended from the Illini men's basketball team after he was charged with rape, the university announced Thursday.

According to the school, Shannon Jr. turned himself in to police in Douglas County, Kansas, on a warrant for his arrest this week ... after he was accused of sexual misconduct while he was in Lawrence back in September for Illinois' football game against the Jayhawks.

The school said Shannon Jr. was "not in Lawrence on official University business, nor was he a member of the University's travel party" when the alleged incident happened.

Jail records show Shannon Jr. posted $50,000 bail shortly after cops placed him in custody on Thursday.

The basketball player's attorney, Mark P. Sutter, said in a statement his client is innocent ... writing, "Since September, when these allegations surfaced, Terrence has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation, declaring his innocence from the beginning."

"Now, several months later, my office learned that formal charges were filed against him yesterday in Lawrence, KS," Sutter added. "In less than 24 hours, my client responded, and he voluntarily surrendered to local authorities for processing and release. Terrence is innocent of these charges, and he intends to take his case to trial."

Shannon Jr. just transferred to Illinois last season after three years at Texas Tech -- and he's become the Illini's best player.

Calvin Johnson says it's no surprise to him that Roman Reigns has become one of the most legendary WWE Superstars of all time ... telling TMZ Sports the dude was a total "badass" at Georgia Tech.

Believe it or not, the guys were actually teammates for the Yellow Jackets' football team in the mid-2000s ... and Johnson says he knew right away that Reigns had mega-star potential.

"He was just always like a badass," the Hall of Fame wide receiver explained. "He didn't say much, but when he did say something, you listened."

Reigns went by his real name, Joe Anoa'i, when he was playing defensive line at the time ... and he performed so well alongside Johnson, many believed he had a bright future in the NFL.

His battle with cancer derailed those aspirations, however -- but Johnson said that all clearly ended up being "a blessing in disguise" for him ... as he's now poised to break numerous records in the squared circle.

"My man is killing it out here," Johnson said.

Calvin Johnson dice que no es ninguna sorpresa para él que Roman Reigns se haya convertido en una de las más legendarias superestrellas de la WWE de todos los tiempos y le mencionó a TMZ Sports el tipo era un total "badass" en Georgia Tech.

Lo creas o no, los chicos eran en compañeros de equipo en el equipo de fútbol de los Yellow Jackets a mediados de la década del 2000 y Johnson dice que supo de inmediato que Reigns tenía potencial de mega-estrella.

"Siempre fue un tipo duro", explica el receptor del Salón de la Fama. "No decía mucho, pero cuando decía algo, lo escuchabas".

Reigns iba con su verdadero nombre, Joe Anoa'i, cuando jugó en la línea defensiva y se desempeñó tan bien junto a Johnson que muchos creían que tenía un futuro brillante en la NFL.

Sin embargo, su batalla contra el cáncer desbarató esas aspiraciones, pero Johnson dijo que todo eso terminó siendo claramente "una bendición disfrazada" para él, ya que ahora está a punto de batir numerosos récords en el círculo cuadrado.

"Mi hombre está arrasando", afirmó Johnson.

The Disney World patron who bragged that he was a UCF football player during a heated confrontation with other parkgoers has actually NEVER been a member of the Knights team -- at least, that's according to the school itself.

Just hours after video of the man getting into an argument in a line at Epcot in Florida went viral on TikTok ... UCF said in a statement the guy "is not a member of our football team and never has been."

Of course, the man -- ID'ed as KJ Brathwaite -- claimed over and over again during the spat about apparent line-cutting at the Soarin' attraction that he did, indeed, suit up for the Knights on gamedays.

In the video -- which, warning, features offensive language -- Brathwaite can be heard saying during the tiff with other Disney fans, "You watch me on Saturdays, you and your family tailgate outside of my stadium."

He also can be heard saying in the clip, "Look me up. Google me. Google me!"

After the video went viral, however, Brathwaite released a video statement admitting he did not play football for UCF ... while claiming that all of his actions in the line were provoked by racial slurs.

Travis Hunter ... wide receiver, cornerback, and angler!

The Colorado Buffalos' season is over, but that doesn't mean the star player and coach aren't spending time together ... Trav was hanging With Deion Sanders at Coach Prime's lakehouse, and he even caught a big fish!

The CU head football coach shared video on social media, showing Hunter in his backyard, holding a large fish, pulled right out of "Lake Prime."

"Oh my God!" Sanders yelled, "Oh my God! Oh my goodness! Oh, Lord Jesus!"

Hunter's catch allegedly weighed over 10 pounds, relatively large for a lake fish ... and the 20-year-old was stoked!

It wasn't the only fish Trav caught ... he also reeled in a five-pounder earlier in the day, proclaiming himself the "Fishing God."

Sanders -- who was hired at CU in December 2022, and has changed the perception of the program -- takes bonding with his players very seriously, telling CBS Sports it goes beyond football.

Deion and Travis together is also a welcome sight for Buffs fans ... after the squad finished with a 4-8 record following a fast start to the season.

Despite being one of the more polarizing teams in college football, Sanders had a huge positive effect on the Boulder, CO community.

"Our goal is to win on the field, off the field, in the community, and in the classrooms!" Sanders said.

LSU superstar Jayden Daniels was on top of the world after winning the Heisman Trophy on Saturday ... and he ate like it, too -- hitting up a New York City hot spot to celebrate the accomplishment with a fancy dinner!!

TMZ Sports is told ... college football's top player and 12 of his closest family members and friends hit up Sei Less restaurant around 11:30 PM on Saturday ... getting a private room for the occasion.

We're told Daniels' crew chowed down on all the best food on the menu ... including king crab legs, chicken satay, rock shrimp tempura and Beijing chicken.

Our sources say Daniels and Co. also had a celebratory toast with Ace of Spade champagne ... and they were able to enjoy their night an hour past the joint's usual closing time.

The quarterback also got the superstar treatment ... putting his signature on a plate, which is a tradition at the establishment -- and posing for a pic with restaurant founder Dara Mirjahangiry.

Next weekend's LA Bowl will have it all -- football, food, booze ... and Rob Gronkowski singing?!?!

It's true ... at least, that's according to the ex-NFL star, who tells TMZ Sports he's slated to be on the microphone when it comes time to belt out the national anthem before the big game's kickoff.

The former Patriots tight end, though, said it won't be a solo act ... explaining to us the New Directions Veterans Choir will be there to help him get through it.

"It's kind of like I'm the quarterback," Gronkowski said, "and I have the best offensive line in front of me so they can make me look good."

Gronk says he'll certainly be in need of the assistance ... telling us that when he performed the song recently for the bowl game's committee -- which included his good pal Julian Edelman -- it was met with some rotten reviews.

"I got to keep practicing," he admitted.

Outside of Gronkowski's vocals, the game -- which will pit UCLA against Boise State at SoFi Stadium on Dec. 16 -- will feature a whole lot of other fun activities ... including a dance cam and a special Gronk-themed drink.

As for why the future Hall of Famer will be so prominently displayed during the college football matchup ... he's actually the game's host -- explaining to us that he took the role from Jimmy Kimmel after he found out the LA Bowl (formerly the Las Vegas Bowl) was the final game he played in when he was a student-athlete at U of A.

Bronny James just made his college basketball debut ... and his dad, LeBron, had a front-row seat for the special moment.

The 19-year-old USC hooper entered Sunday's home contest against Long Beach State around the 13-minute mark in the first half ... and the Galen Center erupted as James stepped onto the court.

Of course, the former Sierra Canyon standout's college career was put on hold after he suffered cardiac arrest during a workout back in July ... but as we previously reported, he was given the green light late last week to finally suit up for games.

LeBron -- who vowed not to miss Bronny's first game, even if it conflicted with his Lakers schedule -- held up to his promise ... getting a courtside seat and documenting his son's entrance on his iPhone.

He also said following the Lakers' In-Season Tournament championship win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday he was looking forward to being in L.A. for the game ... so we take it it was one helluva weekend for the James Gang.

Elon Musk brought an important guest to the Army-Navy Game Saturday ... his 3-year-old son ... and there's backstory here.

X Æ A-Xii was perched on his dad's shoulders as they watched Army beat its rival by a 17-11 margin.

Elon and son stood out ... they were in civilian duds and surrounded by uniformed fans.

The two were all smiles as they posed with the Army Mules mascot at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.

Elon was rooting for the winning team ... he's an Army fan.

As for the backstory ... Elon and Grimes are in a custody fight over their 3 kids. She filed for parental rights back in October.

Elon Musk llevó a un invitado importante al partido de fútbol Army-Navy del sábado... su hijo de tres años.

X Æ A-Xii estaba encaramado a los hombros de su padre mientras veían al Ejército vencer a su rival por un margen de 17-11.

Elon y su hijo no pasaron desapercibidos. Se presentaron en trajes de civil y rodeados de fans uniformados.

Los dos eran todo sonrisas mientras posaban con la mascota Army Mules en el Gillette Stadium de Massachusetts.

Elon estaba apoyando al equipo ganador ya que es un fan del Ejército.

En cuanto a la historia de fondo, Elon y Grimes están en una lucha por la custodia de sus tres hijos. Ella solicitó la patria potestad en octubre.

The hype for Bronny James is REAL ... the college basketball player is already sellin' out games just like his pops, and before his big USC debut.

Bronny and the rest of the USC Trojans are going up against Long Beach State on Sunday, but good luck gettin' a ticket -- 'cause every single one has already been snatched up!

Sunday's game marks the first time Bronny's hitting the court as a college athlete, and LeBron told reporters on Thursday how excited he was for his boy's big milestone ... saying it's a match he's incredibly looking forward to.

LeBron even claimed he'd miss his own Lakers game if it fell on the same night as Bronny's ... luckily, it doesn't.

TMZ broke the story, Bronny suffered cardiac arrest during a workout on campus back in July, and ended up spending a couple of days in the hospital ... and was cleared last month to get back on the court.

LeBron James and the Lakers punched their tickets to the In-Season Tournament championship Thursday night, but there was a different matchup the NBA superstar said he was pumped about -- Bronny's first-ever game at USC.

King James addressed the big news of his eldest son being slated to make his big debut this weekend with reporters on Thursday ... and he explained how it'll mean "everything and more" to see his kid fully return from his cardiac arrest in July.

"Looking forward to that for sure," LBJ said after the Lakers routed the New Orleans Pelicans in the semis in Vegas. "Super excited for that moment."

Bronny is expected to play in USC's home game against Long Beach State on Sunday ... after completing his first full-contact practice on Thursday.

LeBron explained he is excited to see Bronny run out on the court with his teammates following his medical clearance ... but also when he enters the game -- whenever that may be.

"It's a big milestone for our family, for sure," LeBron said. "It's another step for him on his journey in his basketball career. Looking forward to it."

Of course, LeBron previously stated he was willing to miss one of his own games in order to be there for his son ... so we take it he will be front and center to soak it all in on Sunday.

LeRoy Butler dice que Florida State necesita hacer las maletas y salir del infierno de la ACC, diciendole a TMZ Sports que cree que la debilidad percibida de la conferencia es una gran razón por la que el comité del College Football Playoff le dio a los Seminoles la bota el domingo.

"Vamos a tener que irnos", dijo Butler, quien fuera estrella de la FSU desde 1987 hasta 1989. "Tenemos que salir de la ACC. Si queremos ganar un campeonato nacional, tenemos que irnos".

FSU  —que acaba de completar una temporada de 13-0 el sábado— fue considerado por muchos como uno de los cuatro mejores equipos del país, pero cuando llegó el momento de elegir a los cuatro equipos que jugarán por el campeonato nacional de este año, el comité de CFP le dio el visto bueno a un equipo de Alabama con una derrota sobre los Seminoles.

Cuando hablamos con Butler sobre el desaire unas 24 horas después de que ocurriera, estaba furioso, diciendo que cree que el comité le "robó" a su ex equipo.

Luego, nos dijo que la afiliación de la conferencia de FSU tendrá que cambiar con el fin de evitar este tipo de situaciones en el futuro.

"Seamos honestos, no creen que la ACC sea una buena conferencia", dijo Butler, antes de añadir: "Te apuesto a que he recibido 50 llamadas de gente diciendo 'Tío, tienes que salir de la ACC'".

"Esto no es baloncesto. El fútbol trae el dinero".

Aunque Butler no dijo dónde le gustaría que terminara su alma mater, parece bastante claro que es la SEC.

"La SEC está en el cerebro de todos... que un equipo de una derrota es mejor que un equipo de 13-0".

LeRoy Butler says Florida State needs to pack its bags and get the hell out of the ACC ... telling TMZ Sports he believes the perceived weakness of the conference is a big reason the College Football Playoff committee gave the Seminoles the boot on Sunday.

"We're going to have to leave," said Butler, who starred at FSU from 1987 through 1989. "We've got to get out of the ACC. If we want to win a national championship, we've got to go."

FSU -- which just completed a 13-0 season on Saturday -- was believed by many to be one of the four best teams in the country ... but when it came time to pick the four squads who will play for this year's national championship, the CFP committee gave the nod to a one-loss Alabama team over the Seminoles.

When we spoke with Butler about the snub some 24 hours after it went down ... he was furious -- saying he believes the committee "robbed" his former team.

Then, he told us FSU's conference affiliation will need to change in order to prevent these kinds of situations going forward.

"Let's be honest, they don't think the ACC is a good conference," Butler said ... before adding, "I bet you I've gotten 50 calls from people -- 'Man, ya'll have got to get out of the ACC.'"

"This is not basketball. Football brings in the money."

While Butler didn't say where he'd like his alma mater to end up -- it seems pretty clear it's the SEC.

"The SEC is in everybody's brain -- that a one-loss team is better than a 13-0 team."

Seminoles legend Charlie Ward is asking for full access to College Football Playoff committee meetings going forward ... after he believes Florida State got screwed over during Sunday's selection process.

The former Heisman Trophy winner told TMZ Sports he believes full transparency following the committee's controversial pick of 12-1 Alabama over 13-0 FSU would help assuage a lot of the salty opinions that were created by the org.'s decision.

Ward -- who ended up having a successful career in the NBA after college football -- says when he was on the Florida High School Athletic Association, open-door meetings helped squelch outrage ... and now he's asking for similar from the CFP.

"A lot of our meetings are online to where people can weigh in and see what the conversations are," Ward said.

"I would like to see us open up that process so that we can hear these conversations and weigh in on the process."

Ward is not the only one who wants something done ... Florida Senator Rick Scott wrote the committee a letter, demanding the CFP provide answers following its "unprecedented exclusion" of FSU from this year's national championship race.

Deion Sanders and Tracey Edmonds have called off their engagement ... the couple made the shocking announcement on Sunday, saying although they won't be tying the knot, they'll continue to be friends.

"We have mutually decided that it is best for us to move forward in life AS FRIENDS," Sanders and Edmonds said on Instagram, "and have made this decision with love in our hearts, respect for each other, and appreciation for the time we've shared together."

"Please keep us in your prayers as we go through this transition. Thank you for being there for us ALL THESE YEARS! We love you and appreciate you SO MUCH! 🙏🏽❤️"

The Colorado Buffaloes coach and T.V. personality/producer met at a movie premiere in 2012 ... and after linking up for a meeting shortly after, the two became an item.

After years of dating in a long-distance relationship, Sanders proposed to Edmonds on Valentine's Day in 2019.

"To all the couples out there... stay REAL with each other, LISTEN to each other, and MOST of all.. keep LOVE and GOD in your heart," Edmonds said on IG when Sanders proposed. "When you do, you can make it through ANY storm! Spread LOVE and JOY on this day! ❤️."