Yardbarker

Jeff Mezydlo

A Chicago native, Jeff Mezydlo has professionally written about sports, entertainment and pop culture for parts of four decades. He was an integral member of award-winning sports sections at The Times of Northwest Indiana (Munster, Ind.) and Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette, where he covered the NFL, PGA, LPGA, NCAA basketball, football and golf, Olympics and high school athletics. Jeff most recently spent 12 years in the editorial department at STATSPerform, where he also oversaw coverage of the English Premier League. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Jeff's work has also appeared on such sites at Yahoo!, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated and NBA.com. However, if Jeff could do it again, he'd attend Degrassi Junior High, Ampipe High School and Grand Lakes University

EXPERTISE:

NCAA football, NCAA basketball, PGA/LPGA, international soccer, sports history, rock music, film history

Yardbarker 2019 college football All-American team

The 2019 college football regular season is done. As we await the start of bowl season and the College Football Playoff, it's a good time to single out some of the top performers on both sides of the ball, and special teams, this season.

The 25 best college football games this season

There is still plenty of football left to be played in the 2019 college football season. However, the regular season for most of the country's teams has ended.

Sports storylines to follow in 2020

Spanning all sports and all athletes, there are stories and trends to keep an eye on in the new year and start to a new decade.

The 25 best coaches in college basketball

It's a perfect time to offer our take on the best 25 coaches still active on the Division I level.

The 30 greatest concept albums of all time

 Some tell a continuous story, while others use each song to contribute to an overall theme. Here are some of the more notable concept albums ever made.

Movies you can watch on Thanksgiving instead of football

Here are some films — not just involving football or even the holiday, for that matter — worth watching when live football is not doing it for you this Thanksgiving.

Notable film characters whose on-screen intros were in sequels

In many instances, sequels often fail in living up to the films they follow up. However, some can more than hold their own and are even better than the original movie in a series.

25 insufferable TV characters everyone loves to hate

It doesn't always take a villain or principal antagonist to get viewers' blood boiling. Some fringe or recurring characters can downright annoy us to the brink of pulling our hair out. Here are 25 all-time TV characters worthy of that love-to-hate relationship.

The best sports moments of 2019

As we put a bow on 2019, it's always fun to look back at the those memorable sports moments from the calendar year that was. Spanning all sports, not just the four majors, there was plenty to marvel and celebrate — throughout the world.

The 25 biggest college football stories of the 2010s

Another decade is about to end, and from a college football standpoint it's been quite interesting — and groundbreaking in some cases. From rule changes to a needed postseason upgrade, the 2010s won't soon be forgotten for what happened on and off the college gridiron.

The 2019 athletes of the year

As another sports year winds down, it's a good time to look back at those athletes who shined brightest in 2019. Spanning a variety of sports — professional and amateur and male and female, there have been some memorable performances and seasons turned in throughout the calendar year.

10 college hoops assistants on the rise

Behind every great college basketball coach — or at least a really good one, there is an important assistant. Whether an elite recruiter, a top-notch scout or a tireless strategist who seems born to be a head coach, these guys tend to prove invaluable to their programs without receiving much fanfare.

The 25 greatest college football teams of the 2010s

As we close out the decade, it's time to reflect on some of the successful and memorable college football teams that spanned 2010-19. Obviously not all were crowned national champions, but some still will go down as among the best in college football — let alone the decade — despite falling short of that ultimate goal.

The college football 2010s All-Decade team

As we near the end of the decade, it's time to start looking back at the best that was in college football during the 2010s. There have been countless remarkable and memorable individual performances — whether a game, season or career.

Games to watch during the 2019-20 women's college basketball season

The women's college basketball season is about to tip off, and there are plenty of intriguing and potentially impactful contests on tap. Here's a look at some of the can't-miss games to highlight the 2019-20 season. 

Games to watch during the 2019-20 college basketball season

The 2019-20 college basketball season is about to tip off, and right off the bat we have some marquee matchups that we could see again come NCAA Tournament time.

10 best women college basketball players for 2019-20

That's certainly a reason the Pac-12 will be well-represented as we look at 10 players to watch heading into the 2019-20 women's college basketball season.

2019-20 college basketball conference favorites

It's easy to talk about the favorites to win the 2020 college basketball national championship; however, that's a select few. The foundation for greatness each year is laid during the regular season with goals of conference and tournament championships to be obtained.

10 college basketball programs on the rise, 10 on the decline

The Associated Press Top 25 Poll is out, and while it offers a look at some of the best teams in the country entering the season, there are other programs headed in the right direction. Then there's also some prominent squads that might be headed south — maybe not completely — and need some re-tooling.