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College football rivals battle in new WME, Underdog golf event

Updated: Feb 10

August 1, 2024

Golf NIL (Credit: Javier Vicencio/eyepix via ZUMA Press Wire)

Javier Vicencio/ZUMA Press Wire


Two of the biggest rivalries in college football are about to take their game to a new level by going low.  


This fall, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Michigan will go head-to-head in a new Ryder Cup-style golf tournament called the Underdog Rivalry Cup.


WME Sports and Underdog Fantasy have teamed up to launch the 27-hole event that will bring together fans and donors to support fundraising for NIL collectives.  Those collectives include Texas One Fund, 1Oklahoma, 1870 Society (Ohio State), and Champions Circle (Michigan).


Former All-American football stars Colt McCoy (Texas), Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), Jake Butt (Michigan), and Bobby Carpenter (Ohio State) will compete in the inaugural event and captain for their respective teams.  


With both bragging rights and NIL funding up for grabs, the players have already began exchanging words.


"Big Blue are the reigning national champs on the gridiron, and we're about to get another title when we win the Underdog Rivalry Cup this fall," Butt told Si.com.


"There's nothing that brings me greater pride than beating the team up North," Carpenter added. "I'm fired up to show them once again who runs this rivalry."


The tournament has also garnered interest from other notable alumni. On X, former Longhorn golfer Jordan Spieth asked McCoy if he needed a co-captain, to which McCoy replied, "Always welcome."


The Texas-Oklahoma match or Red River Rivalry is set to take place on October 10th at the Omni PGA National in Frisco, Texas. Details for Michigan-Ohio State, dubbed The Game, are not yet confirmed.


Golf tournaments have become a growing trend for NIL fundraising. This event, spearheaded by WME's NIL division, marks one of the first large-scale opportunities within NCAA sports.

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