Welcome to the first issue of The Dotted Line. Every Monday: AiC athlete spotlights, NIL news, branding tips, and partner picks.
2 DAM GOOD: THE DROP
Braden Atkinson’s official 2 DAM GOOD collection is here. Heavyweight tees, built for the nation’s leading passer and the fans behind him.
🛒 Shop now: 2damgood.com
ROSTER REPORT
Noah Fifita, QB · Arizona
Panini Senior Bowl Offensive Player of the Week, Manning Star of the Week, & the Winningest QB in Arizona Program History.
vs. Iowa State: 27/34, 308 yds, 2 TD · W 39–3
91 career touchdown passes, the most among active FBS players. No. 22 Arizona is 6-1, its best start since 2014, and bowl eligible.
Quincy Craig, RB · Arizona
vs. Iowa State: 9 car, 51 yds, 1 TD
Scored on his first carry for the second straight game.
Dilin Jones, RB · LSU
at Auburn: 21 car, 92 yds, 1 TD · W 38-17
Dilin continues to be asset for No. 15 LSU. LSU heads into a bye week before hosting No. 10 Alabama at home.
Tre Tre McCutchin, JACK · Houston
at Utah, College GameDay: An interception on college football’s biggest Saturday stage.
Scooter Jackson III, DB · UCLA
Scooter and UCLA remain undefeated at 7-0.
NOAH FIFITA ON THE HEISMAN HOPEFULS PODCAST
Noah joined The Heisman Hopefuls Podcast, hosted by Chris Huston, as the lead interview of its Week 8 episode, alongside Wake Forest’s Gio Lopez and West Virginia’s Michael Hawkins Jr.
🎧 Watch and listen: heisman.com · Spotify · Apple Podcasts · YouTube
BRANDING TIP: THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE OIL
Don’t wait for brands to find you. Start with the products you already use every day: your recovery drink, your cleats, your go-to snack. A partnership with a brand you actually use is aligned and authentic, and that’s what audiences trust.
How to reach out:
List 5 brands you use daily. Check whether they already run athlete or ambassador programs.
Send a short, personal message. Say who you are, how you use their product, and one idea for working together.
Show, don’t tell. Include one post or photo of you using the product, plus your follower count.
Follow up once. If there’s no reply after a week, one polite follow-up is enough.
Stay compliant. Run any deal by your school’s compliance office and report it through NIL Go.
The worst a brand can say is no. Not asking guarantees it.
NIL NEWS
The College Sports Commission is investigating cap violations. The CSC is looking into possible payments to players at 5 to 10 Power Four schools that may exceed the $21.5 million spending cap, including third-party deals used to get around it. (AP)
Reminder: report your deals. Any third-party NIL deal over $600 must be reported through NIL Go within five business days. (NIL Club)
The Protect College Sports Act is waiting on the House. After passing the Senate 77–22, the bill heads to a House vote when Congress returns in November. (Ballard Spahr)
UPCOMING
Oregon State at Fresno State: Saturday, October 31. Braden and the Beavers head to Fresno coming off a bye week.
No. 22 Arizona at No. 13 Texas Tech: Saturday, October 31, in Lubbock. Noah, Quincy, and the Wildcats hit the road.
No. 7 UCLA vs. Nevada: Saturday, October 31, at the Rose Bowl. Scooter and the undefeated Bruins put a 7-0 record on the line.
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