Oregon State University and the University of Oregon announced they will no longer colloquially refer to their sports rivalry as a "Civil War."

What they're saying: "Changing the name is overdue as it represents a connection to a war fought to perpetuate slavery," OSU President Ed Ray said. "...OSU sports competition should not provide any misconstrued reference to this divisive episode in American history. That we did not act before to change the name was a mistake. We do so now, along with other important actions to advance equal opportunity and justice for all and in recognition that Black Lives Matter."

Here's a quick look at where the 2021 college football recruiting classes stand with six months until the early signing window.

The big picture: The top 10 classes are Ohio State, Clemson, Tennessee, UNC, USC, Oregon, Michigan, Florida, Texas and Miami, per 247 Sports.

The NCAA will no longer hold championship events in Mississippi, due to the Confederate symbol's "prominent presence" in the state flag, the association announced Friday.

The big picture: The NCAA's decision expands its 2001 rule on the Confederate flag, which banned states from hosting events like the the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, but granted exceptions to teams based on tournament seeding or ranking, the Washington Post reports.

Some student-athletes at the University of Texas at Austin said they will no longer help recruit new players or attend donor events unless the school addresses a list of demands to make the environment "more comfortable and more inclusive for the black athletes and the black community," according to various athletes' social media posts.

Why it matters: Protests in the wake of the George Floyd killing have sparked a nationwide discussion on racism, and college athletes are speaking out on social issues and driving the conversation in ways their predecessors could only dream about, writes Axios' Jeff Tracy.

While Zion Williamson's appeal was granted Thursday afternoon on a Florida judge's decision that he should answer questions regarding whether or not he accepted money and gifts to influence his decision to attend Duke, he may still eventually find himself under oath.

Why it matters: If the accusations are true, and Zion admits to them, he could be retroactively ruled ineligible for his lone season with the Blue Devils, and Mike Krzyzewski's program might never be looked at the same.

The NCAA released guidelines on Friday that aim to help schools safely bring student athletes back to college campuses.

Why it matters: Schools across the U.S. are prepping for football players to return as early as June 8, after the Southeastern Conference green-lit workouts and team activities at the discretion of individual universities.

The NCAA's proposed rule change that would allow student athletes to earn money off their name, image and likeness (NIL) should result in major financial opportunities, most notably on social media.

Why it matters: The emergence of this new revenue stream could alter the landscape of recruiting, with athletes potentially factoring earnings potential into their college decision.