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		<title>Latest College Football News &amp; Videos from FOX Sports</title>
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			<title>Latest College Football News &amp; Videos from FOX Sports</title>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2026 07:27:02 -0400</pubDate>
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					<![CDATA[CFB Coaching Pressure Index: Which Top Coaches Need To Have Success In 2026?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/cfb-coaching-pressure-index-which-top-coaches-need-have-success-2026</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/cfb-coaching-pressure-index-which-top-coaches-need-have-success-2026</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here are the head coaches that fall into Joel Klatt's college football coaching pressure index.]]>
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				<pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:31:34 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The 2026 college football season doesn't start for another month, but for some head coaches, the pressure is already on. FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt examined how much pressure some of the top head coaches in the sport are dealing with ahead of the 2026 season in the most recent episode of the "Joel Klatt Show." Which coaches are on the hot seat? Which coaches could be on the hot seat? Klatt placed the coaches dealing with some sort of pressure into five categories: Just Happy You're Here; We Like You, But …; Just Trying To Be Patient; Is This Going To Work and It's Time. So, here's Klatt's pressure index for 10 of the top coaches ahead of the 2026 season. Just Happy You're Here Klatt: "All in LSU has gone — not only on the roster, but with Lane. I know they’re in a honeymoon phase after Brian Kelly. LSU always has high expectations. They spent plenty of money right away. I don’t think there’s a pressure point right now. I think they’re just happy he’s there. "I think that is a realization of what LSU has been recently. LSU has only finished in the top 25 two times since they’ve won a national championship in 2019. That was their only College Football Playoff appearance. Lane’s going to be under pressure Nov. 7 against Alabama. Not an easy schedule. I do have this sneaky feeling that Lane and LSU are going to roll out against Clemson, and we’re all going to open our eyes and go, ‘Oh, that’s one of the best rosters in all of college football.’ They’ve certainly spent enough money on it. … They might just be really, really good." Klatt: "Kyle’s one of the best head coaches in the entire sport, and you're just happy he’s there. The way that things ended with Sherrone Moore, things could have gone south in a hurry for Michigan, particularly with the timing of everything that happened. Then they get Kyle Whittingham. Instead, they bring in, I think, one of the best coaches in America. "Michigan got a full offseason with Whittingham, so they should be in pretty good shape. By the way, that was a nine-win team. In the middle of all that dysfunction, they still won nine games with a true freshman quarterback. Now, the pressure point game for Michigan, I think, is a home game against Penn State [on] Oct. 17. Ohio State is always a huge one. Oklahoma is going to be a monster one." We Like You, But … Klatt: "Didn’t go well last year. They started No. 4. Finished 7-6. Clemson has not finished in the top 10 since Trevor Lawrence; that was five seasons ago. Dabo’s in his 18th full year at Clemson. He’s been heavily criticized for not adapting to the new world of college football. He has slowly come around. "I think Clemson fans at this point are saying to themselves, ‘We like you, but …' there’s a huge pressure point for Dabo: Miami in their fifth game. Could be LSU, but Miami is in conference. Clemson has run the ACC. They have dominated the ACC. Now it seems like Miami's conference. Then you wonder, what's the gap? Is Miami head and shoulders above Clemson? They were a year ago. Miami is going to be loaded again." Just Trying To Be Patient Klatt: "They made the SEC Championship Game. They won a playoff game. But they did get hammered by Georgia in the championship game, and they got absolutely crushed by Indiana. I think Kalen DeBoer took the hardest job in America, at, maybe, the most difficult time ever. Following Nick Saban, he did get a two-year extension in April through the 2032 season, and he’s gone 20-8. I actually really like Kalen DeBoer; 20-8 in his first two seasons is not terrible, but four losses in each season — we haven’t seen four losses from Alabama since Saban’s first year in 2007. Going into this season, I think the pressure’s on him. "With a quarterback who hasn’t started a game in his career, whether it’s Austin Mack or Keelon Russell. The schedule’s not terrible, but their first five games are very winnable. Then they’ve got this critical four-game stretch in the middle of the season … right now, this fan base is trying to be patient." Is This Going To Work? Klatt: "Let me just start with this. Let’s put him in the category right away: Is this going to work? Year 3 for Rhule and his history has always been a huge bump. Temple and Baylor. Last year was Year 3 and this year is Year 4. He’s gone 19-19; he’s .500. Rhule was known for that Year 3 pop. And they did win seven in the regular season. That was the first time they won seven in the regular season since 2016. You can say it was a step forward. But the way that they finished doesn’t feel like that. "He did get a two-year contract extension through 2032. They lost four of their last five. To be fair, they lost their quarterback; [Dylan] Raiola got hurt. It wasn't the same after he got hurt. They are moving forward, but there is a question for this fanbase: ‘Is it going to work?’ The schedule sets up for a hot start. Really good shot at being 5-0 for the Cornhuskers. Nobody is expecting them to beat Indiana or Oregon. The Washington game on Oct. 31st, that’s the game that could send the entire season in a different direction." Klatt: "Belichick going to North Carolina was one of the biggest surprises I had on my bingo board, and that we’ve seen in recent years. First year, 4-8. Those four wins were against Charlotte, Richmond, Syracuse, who was terrible, and Stanford. We didn’t see a buttoned-up, fundamentally sound team that we are accustomed to seeing from Belichick. That’s a big adjustment to coaching the pros, and men, to 19-year-olds. "Belichick made one major change in the offseason. He did not bring back Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator, and Bobby’s a very good offensive coach. I think the pressure point is right out of the gate, Week 0, TCU in Dublin. I mean, TCU hammered them last year, hammered them. That wasn’t even close. After TCU, they’ll face Clemson in the third game, Notre Dame in the fourth game. Again, those aren’t measuring sticks for me for North Carolina." Klatt: "Year 6 for Beamer at South Carolina. He’s 33-30. I think they wanted more out of Beamer. They gave him an extension after that 2024 season. They finished with nine wins. He had more wins than any other South Carolina coach in four years. But then last year went really poorly. Really poorly. Last year they started in the top 15, and got all the way up to 10 before the wheels absolutely came off. They finished 4-8. He needs to get things stabilized; otherwise, things could get uncomfortable for him. They do have LaNorris Sellers. They do have Dylan Stewart—cornerstones to build around for this roster. There's no doubt. "Their schedule does not do Beamer any favors. The fans are looking around and asking themselves ‘Is this going to work?’ I think the pressure point is Tennessee at home on Oct. 24. Lose that one and, yikes. They’re going to have at Oklahoma, Texas A&amp;M, at Arkansas, Georgia and at Clemson. Things could go south in a hurry." It's Time Klatt: "I think there’s some pressure there. I’m a big fan of this USC team. This is Year 5 of Lincoln at USC. I think Trojan fans expected a start that they got, when they almost made it to the playoffs, and then sustaining that. And they obviously took a couple of steps back in their next couple of years. 27 teams have made the College Football Playoff, and USC is not one of them. They should be better than this and we know that. "I think the mood of Trojan fans about Lincoln Riley is that it’s time. There’s a real opportunity to make a mark with this team. This is a team that went 9-3 last year in the regular season; this is a team that beat Michigan physically on their home field. … The pressure point is not Oregon at home …they go to Penn State. That’s the pressure point. That’s likely going to be a whiteout, Oct. 10. This would be a monumental win for USC. If they win that game, they might just go to the playoff." Klatt: "Year 6 in Austin for Sark. They’ve been to the semifinals twice. Texas opened as the No. 1 team in the country, and then missed the playoff. He does have three straight 10-win seasons, but he’s got Arch Manning. And they just spent a lot of money, he’s been doing some talking in the offseason. "They loaded up with weapons around, they’ve got that huge game against Ohio State and a really difficult schedule. One of the most difficult schedules in the country. And yet, don’t you get the sense that after those two semifinals appearances, and last year maybe an underwhelming performance from the Texas Longhorns, I think it’s time. I think that this fanbase looks at Sark and looks at Texas and says ‘Alright, it’s time. It’s time to win the SEC. It’s time to really play for that national championship.’" Klatt: "I think he’s one of the best coaches in America. Every single year, Oregon has taken a step forward under Dan Lanning. They were good his first year. Then, in his second year, they won the Big Ten. They were the No. 1 seed and got beat by the eventual national champion, the Ohio State Buckeyes. Then, he goes to the semifinal, so he wins a playoff game. They beat up on Texas Tech. And then Indiana housed them, and scored over 50 points. "He’s averaged 12 wins per year in his first four years as a head coach. Lanning has a group that is built to win it all. Stud experienced quarterback, talented defensive line, also experienced, could’ve gone to the National Football League but came back. They’ve got a ton of talent at wide receiver, running back. At 40 years old, he’d be the youngest to win a title since Bob Stoops did in 2000 at Oklahoma. "But I get the sense that Oregon fans are thinking to themselves … ‘It’s our time.’ Their toughest game is going to be going to USC … going to Ohio State … Michigan at home, Washington at home. Those are all decently difficult games. The pressure index really heats up for Dan Lanning once they’re in the CFP."]]>
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					<![CDATA[UNC Football Under Investigation By College Sports Commission]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-north-carolina-bill-belichick-mike-lombardi</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-north-carolina-bill-belichick-mike-lombardi</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[UNC football is under investigation by the College Sports Commission, and its GM is now on paid administrative leave.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:57:42 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[North Carolina football is reportedly under investigation by the College Sports Commission, per Pablo Torre. This comes on the heels of football GM Michael Lombardi being placed on paid administrative leave on Monday. The College Sports Commission concerns itself with revenue-sharing and its cap, third-party NIL deals and sport-specific roster limits, meaning that an investigation into UNC's football team is related to one or more of those areas. Division I athletes are required to report NIL deals of $600 or more, and the College Sports Commission also determines whether these NIL contracts are for "valid business parternships" and that they do not "exceed a reasonable range of compensation," per the organization's own website. What, specifically, UNC is being investigated for is unclear. In the recent past, however, the College Sports Commission has found potentially precedential success. In May, the CSC won in arbitration against Nebraska players, who had agreed to third-party NIL deals that the commission argued lacked a valid business purpose. As for Lombardi, UNC did not provide reason for his being placed on administrative leave. noting that employees and athletes aren't permitted to address the topic "as is standard procedure with personnel matters." The Athletic reported that Lombardi was placed no leave due to a "human resource complaint," per multiple sources, and that "Lombardi's actions are believed to be of interest" in the CSC investigation. Lombardi joined Bill Belichick in making the NFL-to-college move when the school hired the former New England Patriots coach in December 2024. Lombardi's career as an NFL executive had included being the GM of the Cleveland Browns in 2013, and he was an immediate hire by the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach in Chapel Hill. The school had hired Belichick to jolt a football program that had largely been an Atlantic Coast Conference also-ran while making periodic but unsustained climbs into national relevance. A few months into Belichick's tenure, Lombardi said the goal was running a college program in a way similar to the NFL, saying the Tar Heels "consider ourselves the 33rd (NFL) team" due to the staff connections to the pros. The Associated Press contributed to this report.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2027 NFL Draft Odds: Arch Manning Favored To Go No. 1]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2027-nfl-draft-odds-no-1-pick</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2027-nfl-draft-odds-no-1-pick</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The odds say that a QB will go No. 1 in the 2027 NFL Draft. With preseason on the horizon, here are the latest odds.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:06:41 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[For the fourth consecutive year, eighth time in nine years and 10th time in 12 years, a quarterback went No. 1 in the NFL Draft — Fernando Mendoza to the Las Vegas Raiders. Will a team make it five years in a row next season? Let's check out the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of July 23. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. No. 1 pick odds Arch Manning: +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total)Dante Moore: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)CJ Carr: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)Jeremiah Smith: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)LaNorris Sellers: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Darian Mensah: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)Julian Sayin: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Drew Mestemaker: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Dylan Stewart: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total) Here's What To Know About The Oddsboard: Man(ning) of the Hour Archie Manning went second in the 1971 NFL Draft. His son, Peyton, went first in the 1998 NFL Draft. Then his other son, Eli, went first in the 2004 NFL Draft. Will his grandson, Arch, be the next Manning to hear his name called at the top of the draft? The early odds say yes. Arch served as a collegiate starter for the first time last season, leading the charge at Texas. It was an up-and-down season for him, as he completed just 61.4% of his passes, for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. However, as the season went on, Arch began to find his rhythm. He threw five interceptions in the Longhorns' first five games, but threw just two in their final eight contests. He also threw 15 TDs in those final eight games, in which Texas went 7-1, with that single loss coming on the road against Georgia. In Texas' bowl game win over Michigan, he threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns. Second Options Second and third on the board are also QBs. Moore starred for Oregon last season, throwing for 3,565 yards, 30 TDs and 10 INTs, while completing 71.8% of his passes. The Ducks suffered just two losses last season, both to eventual CFP champion Indiana. As for Carr, he completed 66.6% of his passes for Notre Dame last season, throwing for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns and six picks.]]>
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					<![CDATA[1 Big Ten Football Storyline To Watch For Each Team Ahead Of Media Days]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/big-ten-media-days-indiana-michigan-ohio-state-oregon</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/big-ten-media-days-indiana-michigan-ohio-state-oregon</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[From defending national champion Indiana to teams looking to bounce back, here's a very early look at Big Ten football.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:00:51 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Another summer, another iteration of talking season in college football as conferences across the country hold their media day events this month in anticipation of the 2026 season. The Big 12, ACC and SEC have all enjoyed their turns in the spotlight in recent weeks, and now it's time for the Big Ten — which has won three straight national titles — to do the same. Beginning on Tuesday at the Hilton Chicago, not far from the league office in Rosemont, Illinois, the Big Ten will kick off its annual three-day spectacle that serves as an unofficial start to football season. Once again, each day will feature representatives from six programs in the 18-team league: Day 1: Illinois, Iowa, Penn State, Rutgers, USC, Wisconsin Day 2: Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Oregon, Purdue, UCLA Day 3: Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern, Washington To prepare for the event and look ahead to the upcoming season, I've explored a key storyline for each of the conference's teams. Here are some of the biggest talking points to follow in Chicago. * Recruiting and transfer portal rankings courtesy of 247Sports. Last year: 9-4 overall, 5-4 Big Ten Postseason: 30-28 win over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl Head coach: Bret Bielema, sixth season, 37-26 at Illinois Coordinators: Barry Lunney Jr. (offense); Bobby Hauck (defense) Recruiting: No. 24 nationally, No. 6 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 43 nationally, No. 11 in the Big Ten Key storyline: New defensive scheme Bielema opted to change the defensive system once coordinator Aaron Henry Jr. left to become the co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach at Notre Dame. He convinced Hauck, the former Montana head coach, to spurn a brief retirement and install the same 3-3-5 scheme that produced top-20 defenses three times in the last five years for the Grizzlies. How that system will fare against some of the run-heavy offenses in the Big Ten remains to be seen. The strength of Hauck’s unit in Year 1 is expected to be a secondary that returns three starters, including All-Big Ten performer Xavier Scott at nickel. He and safety Matthew Bailey bypassed the NFL Draft for another season with the Illini. Last year: 16-0 overall, 9-0 Big Ten Postseason: 27-21 win over Miami in the National Championship game Head coach: Curt Cignetti, third season, 27-2 at Indiana Coordinators: Mike Shanahan (offense); Bryant Haines (defense) Recruiting: No. 29 nationally, No. 9 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 8 nationally, No. 3 in the Big Ten Key storyline: Replacing QB Fernando Mendoza When Mendoza joined the Hoosiers following two impressive seasons at Cal, where he blossomed from a low-level recruit into a transfer portal darling, there were already big shoes to be filled at the quarterback position. Kurtis Rourke, who served as Cignetti’s original signal-caller at Indiana, had guided the program to new heights by reaching the College Football Playoff in 2024. All Mendoza did was raise that bar to include a Big Ten championship, a national championship and the Heisman Trophy. Next in line for Cignetti is TCU transfer Josh Hoover, a three-year starter who enters the upcoming season having thrown for 9,629 career yards and 71 touchdowns. Will the magic continue? Last year: 9-4 overall, 6-3 Big Ten Postseason: 34-27 win over Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl Head coach: Kirk Ferentz, 28th season, 209-128 at Iowa Coordinators: Tim Lester (offense); Phil Parker (defense) Recruiting: No. 26 nationally, No. 7 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 77 nationally, No. 17 in the Big Ten Key storyline: An ongoing QB competition Ferentz’s search to replace dual-threat quarterback Mark Gronowski, who led the Hawkeyes with 16 rushing touchdowns last season, will continue into fall camp after an even battle between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski — both of whom were with the program in 2025. Brown is a 6-foot-4, 215-pound junior who originally transferred from Auburn two years ago. He served as Gronowski’s primary backup and completed 11 of 21 passes for 107 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Hecklinski is a 5-foot-11, 188-pound sophomore who enters the 2026 campaign having only attempted two career passes. Whichever player wins the job will need to enliven a passing attack that ranked 129th nationally and 17th in the Big Ten last year. Last year: 4-8 overall, 1-8 Big Ten Postseason: None Head coach: Mike Locksley, ninth season, 37-49 at Maryland Coordinators: Clint Trickett (offense); Ted Monachino (defense) Recruiting: No. 42 nationally, No. 11 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 62 nationally, No. 16 in the Big Ten Key storyline: The head coach’s job security Questions regarding how, when and if the Terrapins should move on from Locksley dominated the second half of Maryland’s season. After a 1-8 Big Ten record in 2025, Locksley has now finished below .500 in Big Ten play for seven consecutive years. What felt like a legitimate surge in momentum from 2021-23 — a promising stretch in which Locksley won 23 games and tallied three straight bowl victories — fizzled out rather swiftly amid back-to-back disastrous campaigns. Now, Locksley enters the 2026 season as one of the leading figures in any discussion about coaches with tenuous job security. He’ll need sophomore quarterback Malik Washington, who opened some eyes as a true freshman last fall, to take a noticeable step forward if the Terrapins want to sniff the postseason. Last year: 9-4 overall, 7-2 Big Ten Postseason: 41-27 loss to Texas in the Citrus Bowl Head coach: Kyle Whittingham, first season, 177-88 overall Coordinators: Jason Beck (offense); Jay Hill (defense) Recruiting: No. 12 nationally, No. 4 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 24 nationally, No. 5 in the Big Ten Key storyline: QB Bryce Underwood’s development Few quarterbacks in college football, if any, will face more scrutiny than Underwood this fall. The former No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 cycle, Underwood navigated an uneven freshman season as the Wolverines’ starter — albeit for a program that would eventually fire head coach Sherrone Moore last December. He ranked ninth in the Big Ten in passing yards, 13th in passing touchdowns and 14th in completion percentage amid issues with his footwork and touch. An excellent rushing attack and retooled wide receiver room, which includes high-level transfer JJ Buchanan from Utah, should offer Underwood more ballast than he enjoyed last season. But more is expected from a player with such lofty expectations and significant compensation. Last year: 4-8 overall, 1-8 Big Ten Postseason: None Head coach: Pat Fitzgerald, first season, 110-101 overall Coordinators: Nick Sheridan (offense); Joe Rossi (defense) Recruiting: No. 45 nationally, No. 12 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 55 nationally, No. 14 in the Big Ten Key storyline: How will Fitzgerald adapt? Think about how different the sport looked when Fitzgerald last coached a game for Northwestern in 2022. The College Football Playoff was still a four-team affair, and the batch of conference realignment that sent Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC and added a West Coast contingent to the Big Ten was still more than a year away from going into effect. The one-time transfer rule that has revolutionized roster building was still in its infancy, and revenue sharing remained a far-flung concept reserved for news conference soapboxes. So, while there’s no question about the successful program Fitzgerald built from 2006-2022 — a run that included six eight-win seasons and two trips to the Big Ten title game — he still has plenty to prove in the modern era. Last year: 8-5 overall, 5-4 Big Ten Postseason: 20-17 win over New Mexico in the Rate Bowl Head coach: P.J. Fleck, 10th season, 66-44 at Minnesota Coordinators: Greg Harbaugh Jr. (offense); Danny Collins (defense) Recruiting: No. 28 nationally, No. 8 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 51 nationally, No. 13 in the Big Ten Key storyline: Fixing the running game When Fleck and the Gophers outperformed expectations by stringing together consecutive nine-win seasons in 2021 and 2022, they did so with one of the nation’s best rushing attacks that allowed Minnesota to control games. The Gophers ranked 27th nationally in rushing (198 yards per game) during the ’21 campaign and 16th nationally (207.5 yards per game) in ’22, firmly in keeping with the league’s rugged reputation. Since then, however, Minnesota’s potency on the ground has waned rather precipitously: a 66th-place finish in 2023, a 109th-place finish in 2024 and a 128th-place finish last season. Any uptick in balance the Gophers can find will benefit promising sophomore quarterback Drake Lindsey and the passing game. Last year: 7-6 overall, 4-5 Big Ten Postseason: 44-22 loss to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl Head coach: Matt Rhule, fourth season, 19-19 at Nebraska Coordinators: Dana Holgorsen (offense); Rob Aurich (defense) Recruiting: No. 88 nationally, No. 18 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 31 nationally, No. 8 in the Big Ten Key storyline: Rhule vs. ranked opponents On one hand, Nebraska will enter the 2026 season having compiled back-to-back winning records for the first time since 2013-14 under former coach Bo Pelini. On the other hand, the Cornhuskers' current leader — Rhule — remains winless against ranked opponents (0-9) since taking over the program four years ago and hasn’t notched eight victories in a single season, college or otherwise, since before the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s schedule could include as many as six games against ranked opponents, headlined by dates with arguably the conference’s three best teams: Indiana (home), Oregon (away) and Ohio State (home). It’s time for Rhule to prove he can elevate Nebraska beyond its current middling status. Last year: 7-6 overall, 4-5 Big Ten Postseason: 34-7 win over Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl Head coach: David Braun, fourth season, 19-19 at Northwestern Coordinators: Chip Kelly (offense); Tim McGarigle (defense) Recruiting: No. 52 nationally, No. 13 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 42 nationally, No. 10 in the Big Ten Key storyline: A new offensive brain trust There probably weren’t many offseason college football bingo cards that had Northwestern as the program most likely to make a splashy offensive coordinator hire. However, the Wildcats swung big and landed Kelly, the former head coach at Oregon and UCLA and a national championship-winning offensive coordinator for Ohio State in 2024. It now falls on Kelly and freshly hired quarterbacks coach Jerry Neuheisel, formerly of UCLA, to finally maximize the many talents of transfer Aidan Chiles, the No. 153 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class. Chiles comes to Northwestern following two up-and-down seasons at Michigan State and a promising freshman year at Oregon State. The program should receive a nice boost from the opening of its new stadium (Ryan Field) in October. Last year: 12-2 overall, 9-0 Big Ten Postseason: 24-14 loss to Miami in the CFP quarterfinals Head coach: Ryan Day, eighth season, 82-12 at Ohio State Coordinators: Arthur Smith (offense); Matt Patricia (defense) Recruiting: No. 4 nationally, No. 3 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 7 nationally, No. 2 in the Big Ten Key storyline: Another former NFL head coach There were plenty of questions surrounding Day’s decision to hire former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia as his defensive coordinator ahead of the 2025 season. Patricia, a longtime disciple of former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, hadn’t worked in college football since 2003. His tenure with the Lions was rocky to say the least. But when push came to shove, Patricia established himself as one of the best coordinators in the country for a unit that finished first in scoring defense (9.3 points per game) and first in total defense (219.1 yards per game). Smith, meanwhile, hasn’t coached in college since he was a defensive intern at Ole Miss in 2010. He served most recently as offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers (2024-25) and head coach of the Atlanta Falcons (2021-23). Can Day strike gold for the second straight year? Last year: 13-2 overall, 8-1 Big Ten Postseason: 56-22 loss to Indiana in the CFP semifinals Head coach: Dan Lanning, fifth season, 48-8 at Oregon Coordinators: Drew Mehringer (offense); Chris Hampton (defense) Recruiting: No. 3 nationally, No. 2 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 21 nationally, No. 4 in the Big Ten Key storyline: QB Dante Moore vs. elite defenses For as good as Moore was during his first season as the Ducks’ starter — he threw for 3,565 yards with 30 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions — it was difficult to shake the feeling that he underperformed against high-level opposition. He threw more interceptions (five) than touchdown passes (three) in games against Indiana (twice), Iowa and Texas Tech. His first pass in the national semifinals during a rematch with the Hoosiers, who had previously upended Oregon at Autzen Stadium earlier in the season, resulted in a pick-six for cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. Eleven of the 17 total sacks he absorbed last season came in the aforementioned four games. The arm talent that made Moore a five-star recruit is undeniable; the toughness and poise to become a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate are still developing. Last year: 7-6 overall, 3-6 Big Ten Postseason: 22-10 win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl Head coach: Matt Campbell, first season, 107-70 overall Coordinators: Taylor Mouser (offense); D’Anton Lynn (defense) Recruiting: No. 65 nationally, No. 16 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 4 nationally, No. 1 in the Big Ten Key storyline: Life after James Franklin A long and winding coaching search to replace Franklin, who won at least 10 games in six of his 12 seasons with the Nittany Lions, ended with a figure most analysts agreed was an excellent choice for Penn State. Campbell, 46, has long been regarded as a rising star in coaching thanks to his yeoman’s work at Iowa State, a school largely bereft of top-end resources. His name is linked with high-profile jobs on what feels like an annual basis, both at the collegiate and NFL levels alike. Now, after tallying five eight-win seasons with the Cyclones and two finishes among the top 15 in the AP Poll, he assumes control at a program that has never quite claimed its place in the upper echelon of the modern game. The ongoing national title drought for Penn State stretches to 1986. Last year: 2-10 overall, 0-9 Big Ten Postseason: None Head coach: Barry Odom, second season, 2-10 at Purdue Coordinators: Josh Henson (offense); Kevin Kane (defense) Recruiting: No. 55 nationally, No. 14 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 48 nationally, No. 12 in the Big Ten Key storyline: Churn, baby, churn When Odom took over the Boilermakers following a successful two-year run at UNLV, where he averaged 9.5 wins per season, one of his first orders of business was flipping the roster — a task made easier by the transfer portal. He added 86 new players, including 20 new starters, ahead of the 2025 campaign and promptly finished with an unsightly 0-9 record in conference play, the same as his predecessor Ryan Walters. So what did Odom do ahead of the 2026 season? He flipped his roster again. Fifty-four new Boilermakers joined the program since the end of last year, including 15 players who project as starters. There are also changes at defensive coordinator, running backs coach, offensive line coach and wide receivers coach. It’s anyone’s guess how well things mesh this fall. Last year: 5-7 overall, 2-7 Big Ten Postseason: None Head coach: Greg Schiano, 18th season (two stints), 99-108 at Rutgers Coordinators: Kirk Ciarrocca (offense); Travis Johansen (defense) Recruiting: No. 36 nationally, No. 10 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 81 nationally, No. 18 in the Big Ten Key storyline: Fixing the cratering defense In 2022 and 2023, under the direction of defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak, now the head coach at UMass, the Scarlet Knights ranked 38th nationally and 16th nationally, respectively, in total defense. And then Rutgers went off a cliff. Schiano’s team plummeted to No. 95 nationally in 2024, which proved to be Harasymiak’s final season, and No. 127 last fall — worst in the Big Ten. In an effort to stop the bleeding, Schiano plucked Johansen from a sitting head-coaching job at South Dakota, a team that reached the national quarterfinals at the FCS level. Johansen, who had been at South Dakota in various roles since 2019, is now working in the power conferences for the first time. His first real challenge will come against high-flying USC on Sept. 19. Last year: 9-4 overall, 7-2 Big Ten Postseason: 30-27 loss to TCU in the Alamo Bowl Head coach: Lincoln Riley, fifth season, 35-18 at USC Coordinators: Luke Huard (offense); Gary Patterson (defense) Recruiting: No. 1 nationally, No. 1 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 29 nationally, No. 7 in the Big Ten Key storyline: Welcome back, Coach Patterson Beginning in 2000, when TCU elevated him from defensive coordinator to head coach, Patterson oversaw one of the most successful runs the sport had ever seen from a program outside the power conferences. He tallied an incredible seven 11-win seasons with the Horned Frogs while playing in either Conference USA or the Mountain West from 2003-11, including an undefeated campaign in 2010. His success largely continued after TCU joined the Big 12 as Patterson racked up three more 11-win seasons from 2014-17, though momentum eventually fizzled toward the latter stages of his Hall-of-Fame tenure. Now, the 66-year-old Patterson has come out of retirement in hopes of finally fixing a leaky Trojans’ defense that ranked 51st nationally in scoring last season. It might be playoff or bust for USC this fall. Last year: 3-9 overall, 3-6 Big Ten Postseason: None Head coach: Bob Chesney, first season, 132-52 overall Coordinators: Dean Kennedy (offense); Colin Hitschler (defense) Recruiting: No. 62 nationally, No. 15 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 25 nationally, No. 6 in the Big Ten Key storyline: Can Chesney match the hype? Regardless of what happens this fall and beyond, Chesney has earned this opportunity in the power conferences. As a small-school lifer, he’s worked his way from defensive coordinator roles at Delaware Valley and Johns Hopkins to head-coaching opportunities at Salve Regina, Assumption, Holy Cross, James Madison and, finally, UCLA. The through line across his various stops? Winning. Chesney has endured just one losing season in 16 years as a head coach and guided JMU to the College Football Playoff last fall. All of that made Chesney, 48, one of the most coveted names on the coaching carousel and an excellent hire — on paper, anyway — for a program in desperate need of stability. Last year: 9-4 overall, 5-4 Big Ten Postseason: 38-10 win over Boise State in the LA Bowl Head coach: Jedd Fisch, third season, 15-11 overall Coordinators: Jedd Fisch (offense); Ryan Walters (defense) Recruiting: No. 13 nationally, No. 5 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 59 nationally, No. 15 in the Big Ten Key storyline: Finding new skill players Washington dodged a potentially Heisman Trophy-sized bullet when quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who announced his intention to transfer after signing a $4 million NIL deal this offseason, reversed course and vowed to return. For as great as that news was, it still only solved one of the Huskies’ problems on offense. Gone are top two running backs, Jonah Coleman and Adam Mohammed, a duo that combined for more than 1,300 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Gone, too, are wide receivers Denzel Boston (62 catches, 881 yards, 11 touchdowns) and Raiden Vines-Bright (24 catches, 238 yards, 1 touchdown), the latter a very promising freshman. Finding the right players to replace those proven commodities is one of the biggest challenges facing Fisch and the coaching staff this fall, especially for a team that believes it should contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Last year: 4-8 overall, 2-7 Big Ten Postseason: None Head coach: Luke Fickell, fourth season, 17-21 at Wisconsin Coordinators: Jeff Grimes (offense); Mike Tressel (defense) Recruiting: No. 78 nationally, No. 17 in the Big Ten Transfer portal: No. 38 nationally, No. 9 in the Big Ten Key storyline: Fickell’s last stand This certainly feels like the last chance for Fickell, who once guided Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff, to right the ship at Wisconsin. Win totals have decreased in each of his three seasons with the Badgers — from seven in 2023, to five in 2024, to four in 2025 — and the athletic director who hired him, Chris McIntosh, recently left for a job in the Big Ten office. The lifelines are evaporating. But Fickell is hellbent on going down swinging, evidenced by a massive 33-player transfer haul that finished as the Big Ten’s largest class among programs without a new head coach. A difficult first half of the season should give way to a friendly November against Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue and Minnesota that might allow Fickell to build some momentum.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NCAA D1 Board Has No plans To Change Age-Based Eligibility Rule]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ncaa-division-i-board-no-plans-to-change-agebased-eligibility-rule-being-challenged-in-court-sports-football</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ncaa-division-i-board-no-plans-to-change-agebased-eligibility-rule-being-challenged-in-court-sports-football</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The NCAA Division I Board of Directors is standing firm on its new age-based eligibility rule despite legal challenges.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:08:40 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The NCAA Division I Board of Directors doubled down Thursday on the new age-based eligibility rule that has prompted some athletes to go to court in hopes of extending their college careers. The Division I Cabinet, which approved the new rule last month, issued a similar statement last month after a group of basketball players filed a lawsuit in an Ohio state court contending the age-based model unfairly shuts them out of further competition. More lawsuits have been filed across the country since, some of them reportedly with their coaches' encouragement. The board statement indicates it won't budge from its stance like it did when, in response to former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia's 2024 court win, it granted an additional year to athletes who had competed at non-NCAA schools for at least one season and were set to complete their eligibility. "We are encouraged by the Division I membership’s broad support of the age-based eligibility rules," the board said Thursday. "The design of the new rules, including its implementation strategy, was thoughtful and well-informed, and was unanimously supported by the Cabinet, including its student-athlete members. "The Board has no plans to modify their application, notwithstanding a series of lawsuits recently filed on behalf of student-athletes with no remaining eligibility. We look forward to ensuring that the age-based eligibility rules are enforced consistently so that all institutions play by the same rules, like all participants in sports." The age-based eligibility rule allows athletes five seasons of competition over a five-year period that begins with their full-time enrollment or the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first. The move all but eliminates waivers or redshirt years for extended eligibility except for religious missions, pregnancy or active-duty military service. Extensions will no longer be considered for athletes who are injured. Athletes whose eligibility expired by spring 2026 under the traditional model — four years of competition over five years — will not be allowed a fifth year of competition under the new rules that go into effect this fall. That was the impetus for the first lawsuit, in Ohio. A judge granted a preliminary injunction that allowed the players to enter the transfer portal and the case now heads to trial. Athletes in other cases across the country also have won preliminary injunctions. Earlier this week, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said the conference ended up supporting the rule despite some leaders’ misgivings about its timing. Sankey said there was a thought that the Protect College Sports Act currently circulating in the Senate could solve the problem. He also said the conference wasn’t presented with data to justify the change. "We got on a fast track in this environment because ... people are looking for solutions," he said in an interview with The Associated Press. "That doesn’t mean there are solutions, but it’s just ‘Oh, what we’re doing isn’t working. There’s so many waivers, there’s so much controversy about eligibility, this must be better.’ But we’re not sure if it is." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Take 2: Arch Manning Embraces Challenge Of Living Up To His Last Name, Again]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/take-2-arch-manning-embraces-challenge-living-up-his-last-name-again</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/take-2-arch-manning-embraces-challenge-living-up-his-last-name-again</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Arch Manning has all the spotlight on him again in 2026. Here's how he's handling it, and how one NFL front-office exec is viewing Manning's draft stock entering the year.]]>
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				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:16:11 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[TAMPA, Fla. — By his name alone, Arch Manning is subject to an unprecedented and nearly unfair level of high expectations. He has a football legend for a grandfather and two uncles who won two Super Bowls each. So, when asked what quarterbacks he compares himself to, the Texas junior politely declines. "I'm trying to do better at not comparing myself to others," Manning said Thursday, wearing a burnt orange tie as he talked to a few dozen reporters in the final session of SEC Media Days. "Comparison, they say, is the thief of joy. So I'm trying to not compare myself to others. I guess that's y'all's job." No college player faces higher standards in 2026, and that was evident at SEC Media Days. Manning's session was the most anticipated among the players in attendance this week. And somehow Manning has been here before, his reputation preceding him a year ago when he was a first-year starter taking over for the Longhorns. "You know, Arch Manning, a year ago, wasn't on social media or on television saying 'I'm going to be the first pick of the draft.' He wasn't on television saying 'I'm going to win the Heisman Trophy,'" Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday. "All he did was work really hard. All he did was try to be the best teammate he could be. And then we had some failures as a team. He didn't have [them]. He didn't play the way of what he was capable of playing. "What he got put through probably would have melted or destroyed 99% of people in his shoes. All he did was stay consistent and true to who he was, just continue to work hard, continue to be a great teammate, to get better." A year ago, Manning was the buzz of college football, anointed as a Heisman Trophy favorite despite the fact he had just 95 pass attempts in his first two years at Texas. It was too much, too soon, born of his quarterback pedigree, but bad NFL fan bases were actively hoping their teams would lose enough to land him at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft. Manning's team stumbled out of the gates. Texas lost its opener to Ohio State 14-7, with Manning throwing for just 170 yards. After three non-conference wins, the Longhorns, still ranked No. 9, lost at unranked Florida, with Manning throwing two interceptions in the loss. College football's spotlight shifted quickly and Indiana's Fernando Mendoza kept winning — and impressing — to keep it on him. With the spotlight shifted off of him, Manning found himself in the final eight games of Texas' 2025 season. The Longhorns went 7-1, their only loss to No. 5 Georgia, and Manning had 15 touchdowns against two interceptions in those games. Texas beat four ranked teams in that span — No. 6 Oklahoma, No. 9 Vanderbilt, No. 3 Texas A&amp;M and No. 18 Michigan — and Manning had seven touchdowns and zero interceptions in those four upset wins. Then, Manning opted to stay at Texas, which again installed the Longhorns among the teams to beat for a national title. The supporting cast around him is stronger. This past year, Texas didn't have an offensive player drafted in the first five rounds, but it could have four first-round picks in 2027. Receiver Cam Coleman, a transfer from Auburn, could go in the top 10, as could returning tackle Trevor Goosby, with receiver Ryan Wingo another potential first-rounder. Longhorns edge rusher Colin Simmons is also projected as a likely first-round pick. Manning is seen by many as a potential No. 1 pick, which could be held by the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets or Miami Dolphins, based on preseason expectations. He's again the oddsmakers' favorite for the Heisman, tied with Notre Dame's C.J. Carr as the current favorite, and he has the best odds to be the No. 1 overall draft pick, but there's no consensus on where he'll fall in a deep and talented group of quarterback prospects. FOX Sports NFL Draft Rob Rang had Manning being the No. 1 overall pick in his first 2027 NFL mock draft, making him the first of five quarterbacks to go off the board. FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt also rates Manning highly entering the season, placing him second behind Oregon's Dante Moore in his top-10 quarterback ranking for 2026. However, The Athletic placed Manning seventh in its ranking of the starting quarterbacks for all 138 FBS programs, behind Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss, Oregon's Dante Moore, Carr, Miami's Darius Mensah, Ohio State's Julian Sayin and Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker. One NFL front-office executive told me his team had Manning graded slightly higher than Mendoza in this past year's draft evaluations — higher than the No. 1 overall pick in a down year for the position — but there are still lingering concerns and things he can work on. That starts with overall inconsistency, understandable for a first-year starter, but the overall makeup of how he carries himself is what NFL teams want to see. He has accurate, on-time throws to all windows, but also "unusual, head-scratching misses" in between them at times. Texas' schedule will give Manning ample opportunities to show what he can do against the best in college football, with six games against teams likely to be ranked in preseason. He gets another shot at Ohio State on Sept. 12, goes to uncle Peyton's Tennessee Volunteers on Sept. 26, has Oklahoma in Dallas on Oct. 10, grandpa Archie and uncle Eli's Ole Miss Rebels on Oct. 24, then games at LSU on Nov. 14 and Texas A&amp;M on Nov. 27, plus whatever the postseason might bring. Manning's reputation is strong within the SEC, even with coaches new to the conference. Florida's Jon Sumrall, whose Gators face the Longhorns for a third year in a row this fall, said he got to know Manning when he was at Tulane in Arch's hometown. "What a great young man," Sumrall said of Manning at SEC Media Days earlier this week. "When I was a coach at Tulane, Archie would shoot me a text or a phone call and say, 'Hey, is it OK in May in some downtime if Arch comes over and throws?' I'm like, 'Yeah, and ask him if he wants to transfer,' because he wasn't a starter yet. I'd go out there and might watch him throw or [father] Cooper or whoever might be out there, and I'd be like, 'I would like to coach that guy.' He's a good player. "I really have a lot of respect for the Manning family as a whole. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree with Arch and how he carries himself." Texas just missed out on the 12-team college football playoff last year, and Sarkisian said what impressed him was how the late-season success didn't change Manning, who kept his head down with humility when it would have been easy not to do so. "He's a fantastic player at the end of the year, but he didn't go back on social media and say I told you so," Sarkisian said. "And all he's done this year is continue to work hard again. So there's always going to be outside opinions of that guy, and that comes with the territory. He understands that. "I think he learned a lot about himself last year, about dealing with adversity and overcoming, and I think he learned about his teammates and the support that they gave him, and recognized the mental and physical toughness that he has to play the position and be their leader. I think he's grown into a great leader for us, and I'm very proud of Arch for the way he's carried himself." Peyton and Eli Manning are beloved not only for their football, but also for a self-deprecating sense of humor that allows them to have an everyman-likeability despite all their on-field success. Arch has shown promising signs of that, talking Thursday about how he's taken up golf as a respite from football, competitive yet relaxing, a mental break to enjoy something he knows he's not that good at yet. "I hit my driver far," he said when asked for his best club. "I just don't know where it's going." Asked his handicap, he smiles and says it's "probably around a 10." "Broke 80 for the first time last week," Manning said of a round at Austin's Barton Creek course, where "one of my buddies had a friend that was a member." He stops himself: "It probably was an 80. I gave myself a putt." He said the best golfer in the Manning family is probably Peyton, and concedes he'll have to stop golfing in a week or so to focus on football "until February," keeping everything in play for himself and Texas football. He'll graduate in December, but won't even commit to this being his final season of college football, keeping his focus on the here and now and his own expectations of himself. "I don't really worry as much about legacy," he said when asked about his future. "I'm just trying to be the best teammate I can be right now, to help us win games on Saturday and have fun while I'm doing it. I think the more fun we have, the better I play, and the better we play as a team."]]>
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					<![CDATA[College Football Offseason Buzz: UNC Places GM Lombardi On Administrative Leave]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-offseason-buzz</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-offseason-buzz</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The college football news cycle never stops. With that in mind, here's a tracker of offseason buzz across the sport.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 17:50:16 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[This is college football. At some point, the games pause, but the news and drama never does. Here's an offseason tracker for buzz across the college football landscape, including coaching changes, injury news, personnel moves and more. July 27 North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi has been placed on paid administrative leave. The school announced the move with a statement Monday morning, coming days before the Tar Heels open preseason camp. The school didn't provide details as to the reason, noting that employees and athletes aren't permitted to address the topic "as is standard procedure with personnel matters." Lombardi joined Bill Belichick in making the NFL-to-college move when the school hired the former New England Patriots coach in December 2024. Lombardi's career as an NFL executive had included being the GM of the Cleveland Browns in 2013, and he was an immediate hire by the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach in Chapel Hill. The school had hired Belichick to jolt a football program that had largely been an Atlantic Coast Conference also-ran while making periodic but unsustained climbs into national relevance. A few months into Belichick's tenure, Lombardi said the goal was running a college program in a way similar to the NFL, saying the Tar Heels "consider ourselves the 33rd (NFL) team" due to the staff connections to the pros. The Tar Heels went just 4-8 in Belichick's first season. They open his second against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 29. The College Football Players Association, an organization advocating for unionization and collective bargaining, announced Monday that Stanford has become the first team to organize a player-led chapter. CFBPA executive director Jason Stahl said the goal is for other Atlantic Coast Conference schools join Stanford in forming chapters. That would create momentum for unionization and the ability for players to bargain with conferences over working conditions. Stanford players elected offensive lineman Fisher Anderson and linebacker Ernest Cooper as their representatives. "Stanford has been a pioneer and innovator not just in football but as a school in general," Cooper said "This first-ever current player-led chapter at Stanford is just another example of this innovation. We want to be leaders in college football and show other schools how they can create a chapter on their campus because we believe this is the future of college football." Anderson said the CFBPA will play a role in giving players a voice in all aspects of governing college football. "Over the past five years, college football has been rocked back and forth by the waves," he said. "When a CFBPA chapter becomes a reality on every college football team, it would put down an anchor where there isn't one right now for the sport. The chapters can then become the building blocks for conference-wide collective bargaining agreements, which would bring sustainability, transparency and player protections to a sport in need of all three." The NCAA and conferences have been working with federal legislators on a Senate bill that would grant the NCAA an antitrust exemption to be able to enforce rules such as a salary cap and transfer restrictions. Some athletic directors have suggested collective bargaining as an alternative if federal legislation is not passed, but a number of obstacles related to giving college athletes employee status would have to be cleared. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel will be paid a lump sum of $7.14 million as part of his separation agreement with the university, according to a document obtained Monday by The Associated Press. The school announced July 20 that it would buy out the remaining three years on Manuel's contract and he will step down at the end of 2026. Manuel agreed to step down following investigations into former football coach Sherrone Moore’s relationship with his executive assistant and a probe into the athletic department. In addition to the payout, Manuel will receive former athletic director perks such as being eligible for tickets to Michigan games and having golf privileges. The university also agreed to make a $108,000 contribution to his retirement account and pay his attorney fees of $82,000. Manuel agreed to remain employed by the university until he voluntary resigns Dec. 31, and his personnel record will reflect a resignation. He also agreed to not be an athletic director or senior athletic adviser for any Big Ten school for two years from the date of his resignation. Manuel is allowed to accept employment outside the Big Ten with no penalty. The agreement was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. July 23 The Texas Longhorns are getting a major boost in the secondary with the addition of five-star cornerback John Meredith III. He is expected to reclassify into the 2026 recruiting class and join the program for the upcoming season. Meredith III is the No. 4 overall prospect and the top-ranked cornerback in the 2026 recruiting class, per 247Sports. While he isn't expected to play an immediate role for the Longhorns this season, he'll have the opportunity to begin developing within the program right away. By skipping his senior year of high school to enroll at Texas, Meredith will begin his development sooner while facing the high expectations that come with being one of the nation's top prospects. He chose the Longhorns over Texas A&amp;M and Alabama. "For us to get him now, we'll see how far we can take him," coach Steve Sarkisian said to Texas reporter Eric Henry. "Like I told him, I told his mom, Coach Muschamp, Coach Orphey, we don't have an expectation on him of a timetable. We're going to coach him. We're going to develop him. When he's ready, I think he'll be good enough to play." July 20 Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday that leaders of the powerhouse league are having "real" conversations about breaking away from the rest of college sports, though that's not the preferred solution. "They’re real," Greg Sankey said Monday of conversations with school presidents involving the SEC separating itself from the rest of the NCAA. "They’ve opined about the frustrations that bring them to the point of saying we should look at something significantly different." Sankey's 45-minute meeting with reporters to kick off SEC football media days detailed the entire list of issues that college sports is struggling with: Congressional legislation, litigation stemming from the new five-year eligibility rule, the future of the College Football Playoff and an overall lack of transparency regarding name, image and likeness payments to players. Sankey acknowledged the conference's frustration with all those issues, but also touted the league's 13 national championships won last season across a variety of sports as a key reason it's in no rush to move away from the current framework. "There is meaning and value and I do think a national expectation that we participate in a national organization," he said. Virginia Cavaliers coach Tony Elliott on Wednesday named Missouri Tigers transfer Beau Pribula the team’s starting quarterback to open the 2026 season. The defending Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season champion Cavaliers open the season at home on Aug. 29 against the North Carolina State Wolfpack. Pribula completed 67.4% of his passes last season for 1,941 yards for the Tigers with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also ran for 297 yards and six touchdowns. Pribula played his first two seasons with the Penn State Nittany Lions. He has played in 34 college games during his last three seasons with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. "He's a competitor, and he has a ton of leadership and a lot of moxie," Elliott said. "He's extremely intelligent as a quarterback, and he has an awareness of the areas that he wants to improve upon and has attacked those with tenacity this offseason. I'm excited about the potential that he has." Elliott notified his team of the news before summer workouts. Pribula said that vote of confidence from Elliott was reassuring heading into the summer workouts. "You know, you can kind of get a head start in terms of communication with my guys and see the things that I’m comfortable with," Pribula said. "That makes it kind of easier from my perspective to take a bigger leadership role." Texas Tech's appeal regarding quarterback Brendan Sorsby's eligibility has been denied by the NCAA, per ESPN. The ruling is separate from Sorsby's own lawsuit. Sorsby was initially ruled ineligible after he acknowledged gambling on sports, including on his former team Indiana. After starting his career at Indiana, Sorsby transferred to Cincinnati for two seasons and transferred to Texas Tech this offseason. Sorsby still awaits the decision of his lawsuit that was filed on May 18. The hope for Sorsby is a temporary injunction against the NCAA, which would allow him to play with the Red Raiders this season. One of Tennessee’s top offseason additions, sophomore edge rusher Chaz Coleman, has yet to report to summer workouts, per On3Sports. Voluntary workouts began earlier this week, but Coleman was not in attendance. "Chaz [Coleman] has been dealing with some things, and we’re here to support him, coach Josh Heupel said. "We’ll continue to go through that process." Coleman was a five-star recruit and ranked as the No. 3 edge rusher and No. 17 overall prospect in the transfer portal this offseason after leaving Penn State. In five games with the Nittany Lions, he recorded eight tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. Coleman was expected to play a major role for Tennessee this season and his absence will be worth monitoring as the offseason continues. New LSU football coach Lane Kiffin has reportedly added former Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron to his coaching staff, Pete Thamel reported. Orgeron had a 51-20 record over six seasons as LSU's head coach from 2016-2021, leading the Tigers to a College Football Playoff national championship in 2019 to conclude a perfect, 15-0, season. Following that season, though, the LSU program diminished both on and off the field. The Tigers went a combined 11-11 in 2020 and 2021, and had multiple scandals, the combination of which led to Orgeron's departure after the 2021 season. Kiffin came to LSU from Ole Miss after the 2025 season, amid the Rebels' CFP run. The addition of Orgeron brings a coach who understands the history and recruiting landscape at LSU. The Iowa Hawkeyes announced the hiring of former player and longtime assistant Tom Moore as a senior consultant to the head coach and offensive advisor. Moore will join head coach Kirk Ferentz’s staff at 87 years old. Moore brings decades of coaching experience in both college football and the NFL, including four Super Bowl championships. He also played on Iowa’s 1958 team that won a national championship and the Rose Bowl. Coach Kirk Ferentz and Moore have maintained a long-standing relationship rooted in their shared ties to Iowa and decades of involvement in football coaching circles. "I have known Tom Moore for over a decade and am thrilled that he has agreed to join our program in an advisory role," Ferentz said in a statement. "Coach Moore has had a long and very successful career in football. He was a player at Iowa, coached at the collegiate level and spent many years working alongside Hall of Fame coaches in the National Football League. I am grateful that a four-time Super Bowl champion will share his wisdom and perspectives with us - coaches and players." With the addition of Moore, Ferentz brings one of the most experienced voices in the game to his staff, and at 87, Moore is believed to be the oldest active coach in college football. Syracuse and Wake Forest will hold their 2027 opener in Canada. The Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN Events announced Thursday that the Orange and Demon Deacons will meet for a Week Zero game at Toronto's BMO Field. That game would take place either Aug. 28 or 29 and would air nationally on ABC or ESPN. This would be the first NCAA college football game played at BMO Field, which is home to the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts, Major League Soccer's Toronto FC and the Canadian national soccer teams. It is also a host stadium for this summer's FIFA World Cup. The game will count as one of Wake Forest's home ACC games and as a league game. It will take place roughly four hours from Syracuse's campus in New York. This is the latest of multiple international games played by ACC teams. Games on this fall's schedule include North Carolina and TCU in Dublin, Ireland, as well as N.C. State facing Virginia in Rio de Janeiro. University of Nebraska regents on Friday approved a $600 million overhaul of Memorial Stadium that will make the 103-year-old venue more fan-friendly and increase revenue potential for the athletic department. The project will be funded by a mix of $250 million in philanthropic support and $350 million in private bond financing. Completion is targeted for the start of the 2028 football season. The Cornhuskers have played at Memorial Stadium since 1923 and will enter this season with an NCAA-record sellout streak of 410 games dating to 1962. Amenities throughout the stadium will be upgraded and a new concourse will connect the east and west sides. Planned capacity is 80,000, including 20,000 new chairback seats. Officials said the stadium would host concerts and other events year-round and annual stadium revenue would increase 40%, to an estimated $95 million. "Memorial Stadium is, of course, iconic in Nebraska and in all of college athletics," university president Jeffrey Gold said, "and this project, which we are calling ‘Big Red Rebuild,’ is ambitious and strategic. The Big Red Rebuild is a fan-driven, once-in-a-multigenerational investment that modernizes Memorial Stadium while preserving its legacy, ensuring it remains a premier destination for college athletics and other year-round events." Louisville and football coach Jeff Brohm have agreed to a contract extension through the 2033 season. The school announced the agreement Thursday, coming after Brohm has led Louisville to 28 wins in three seasons with his alma mater. That included the program's lone appearance in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game in 2023. "This extension reflects the dedication and commitment of our players and staff," Brohm said in a statement from the school. 'We’ve made meaningful progress the past three seasons, and we look forward to continuing to pursue higher goals. 'We are committed to putting in the work that is necessary to consistently compete for championships and play an exciting brand of football. We are proud of where we are but even more excited for the future that lies ahead." The Louisville native is 28-12 in his three seasons, winning 10 games in 2023 followed by nine in each of the past two seasons. That made him only the second coach in school history to win at least nine games in three straight seasons. "Over the past three seasons, Jeff has clearly demonstrated that he is the right person to lead our football program, now and into the future," athletic director Josh Heird said in a statement. Alabama extends Kalen DeBoer The Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Kalen DeBoer have agreed on a new seven-year extension, per Adam Schefter. DeBoer was already under contract through the 2031 season after agreeing to an eight-year contract when he was hired ahead of the 2024 season. He will now add two more years to that deal, linking him to Alabama through 2033, and receive an increase in pay to an annual average value of $12.5 million. DeBoer has gone 20-8 in two seasons at Alabama, and has yet to lead the Crimson Tide past the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Kentucky lands a top QB recruit Momentum has been building for the Kentucky Wildcats football since the hiring of coach Will Stein and now the program has its first major recruiting win to show for it. The Wildcats landed a commitment from four-star quarterback Jake Nawrot out of John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He is the No. 2-ranked quarterback and No. 40 overall recruit in the 2027 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. Nawrot chose the Wildcats over Missouri, Oregon, Washington and Florida State, among several other Power Four programs. Nawrot is coming off a strong junior season. He led the Huskies to a 9-3 record while completing 71% of his passes for 3,078 yards and 41 touchdowns with just two interceptions, along with adding eight scores on the ground. Stein is entering his first season as the Wildcats’ head coach after spending the past three years as offensive coordinator at Oregon under coach Dan Lanning. Nawrot’s commitment marks one of the biggest recruiting wins in program history. With Nawrot’s commitment, the Wildcats’ 2027 recruiting class now ranks among the top 20 nationally. Virginia extends head coach Tony Elliot Virginia football coach Tony Elliott, coming off a school-record 11-win season, has agreed to a contract extension through the 2030 season. The extension was announced Wednesday by athletic director Carla Williams. The Cavaliers finished 11-3 overall and 7-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2025 and No. 16 in the final AP Top 25 poll. It was Virginia's highest ranking in the last poll of the season since 1995, and Elliott was named AP ACC coach of the year. "We are extremely fortunate to have Tony Elliott continue to lead our football program," Williams said in a statement released by Virginia. "His commitment to the values of the University of Virginia and his commitment to developing the whole person through football have been a blessing. His vision of building the model program has never wavered, despite extraordinary adversity. The future is bright for UVA football and we’re excited to continue this work together." Virginia capped its season with a 13-7 win over Missouri in the Gator Bowl after losing to Duke in the ACC championship game. It was Virginia's first bowl victory since 2018. Elliott is 22-26 in four years at Virginia. "The commitment to football at the University of Virginia is real and palpable throughout our building," Elliott said. 'I’m proud of the foundation that we have laid and excited for what we can do together in the years to come." TCU extends coach Dykes TCU and coach Sonny Dykes have agreed to a contract extension after back-to-back 9-4 seasons, the school said Friday. The private Big 12 school does not disclose contract terms, but his previously extended deal went through the 2028 season. This multiyear agreement would take Dykes at least a couple of years past that. Dykes is 36-17 in his four seasons with the Horned Frogs, who set a school record for wins while going 13-2 and making the four-team College Football Playoff at the end of his 2022 debut season after replacing long-time coach Gary Patterson. Dykes originally got a six-year contract, which was extended after that first season when they finished No. 3 in the final AP Top 25 college football poll. They were 25th in the final poll last season. "The opportunity to pursue a national championship, the College Football Playoff, and Big 12 championships exists right here in Fort Worth, and my family and I, as well as our entire staff, are excited to continue that pursuit as Horned Frogs,' Dykes said. The Frogs will open next season against North Carolina in Ireland on Aug. 29, when they will have a new starting quarterback and new offensive coordinator. They finished last season with a three-game winning streak capped by a win over Southern California in the Alamo Bowl after their three-year starting quarterback Josh Hoover had entered the transfer portal and later joined national champion Indiana as the likely replacement for Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles left for South Carolina and was replaced by former UConn OC Gordon Sammis. Virginia Cavaliers QB Chandler Morris denied seventh year Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris was denied in his bid for a preliminary injunction as he seeks a seventh season of eligibility. Morris had filed a lawsuit in Charlottesville (Virginia) Circuit Court last month seeking the injunction after the NCAA denied his medical redshirt waiver and appeal. A circuit court judge ruled against Morris on Thursday. "The NCAA is pleased by the court’s decision today, which protects the integrity of collegiate competition," the NCAA said in a statement. "As additional lawsuits challenging common-sense, academically-tied eligibility rules are filed, the NCAA will continue to defend against attempts to rob high school students across the nation of the opportunity to compete in college and experience the life-changing opportunities only college sports can create. "The NCAA and its member schools are making changes to deliver more benefits to student-athletes, but the patchwork of state laws and inconsistent, conflicting court decisions make partnering with Congress essential to provide stability for all college athletes." Morris’ case is one of 71 eligibility lawsuits that have been filed. Of those cases, 33 preliminary injunctions have been denied and 13 have been granted. Twelve eligibility lawsuits are still pending in lower courts and 13 have been voluntarily dismissed prior to a decision on a preliminary injunction. The dispute surrounding the 25-year-old Morris involves his 2022 season with the TCU Horned Frogs and whether it should count against his eligibility. Morris suffered a knee injury that season and applied for a medical redshirt, but the NCAA denied that request after Morris made limited appearances in three games later that season. West Florida moves up to Division I West Florida will begin the transition from NCAA Division II to Division I on July 1 and compete in the United Athletic Conference in football and the Atlantic Sun Conference in other sports, the school announced Thursday. The Argonauts have had one of the top Division II athletic programs and lead the Gulf South Conference in all-time championships and all-sports trophies. Their 15-sport program has won 11 national and 136 conference championships. The United Athletic Conference was established in 2023 as a single-sport football conference through a partnership between the ASUN and the Western Athletic Conference. The UAC plays in the Football Championship Subdivision. The eight-team ASUN was founded in 1978. West Florida will not be eligible for NCAA postseason tournaments during the three-year reclassification process. The school will be eligible for ASUN and UAC championships immediately. NCAA sued by Heinecke over eligibility Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Owen Heinecke is suing the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility, according to court documents. Heinecke played briefly in three games of lacrosse at Ohio State in February 2022, costing him a year of eligibility. He transferred to play football at Oklahoma, then sat out a year because of injury. He was mostly a special teams player in 2023 and 2024 before breaking out last season with 74 tackles, including 12 for loss, and three sacks. Oklahoma submitted a request for an eligibility waiver, but it was denied in January, and an appeal was denied in February. An emergency hearing is set for April 16 in Norman, Oklahoma. The timing is critical — Oklahoma’s Spring Game is April 18 and the NFL Draft is April 23-25. Heinecke has hired an agent and participated in the Senior Bowl, Oklahoma Pro Day and the NFL Scouting Combine while trying to regain the year of college eligibility. Heinecke’s lawyers say he should get the additional year because of factors beyond his control. They say Heinecke lost his year of eligibility as a freshman because the Ohio State’s lacrosse coach ignored his request to redshirt so he could recover from high school injuries. They say the NCAA "breached its duty of good faith and fair dealing owed to Owen, and acted in bad faith, in denying Owen an additional year of eligibility so that he can compete as an intercollegiate athlete in the year 2026-27." The filing says Heinecke wants to return to school to improve his draft stock and seek his master’s degree in accounting. Oklahoma is backing his quest. "OU fully supports Owen and his pursuit of a fair opportunity to continue playing the game he loves," Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny said in a statement. "We’ll stand firmly beside him as he works to do just that." Warren Sapp leaving Colorado Pro Football Hall of Famer Sapp is no longer on Deion Sanders' staff at Colorado after two seasons. Sapp joined CU during the 2024 season as the team's senior quality control analyst and served this past season as its defensive pass rush coordinator. "Warren Sapp has resigned from the CU football coaching staff to pursue other opportunities," Colorado’s athletic department said in a statement Feb. 26. "CU Athletics thanks Warren for his contributions to our football program over the last two seasons and for his commitment to our student-athletes." Cincinnati suing former QB Brendan Sorsby The Bearcats are suing their former starting quarterback of two years, claiming that he breached his NIL contract by failing to pay Cincinnati a $1 million exit fee for transferring to Texas Tech in January, per ESPN. Sorsby reportedly signed an NIL contract with Texas Tech in the range of $4-6 million for next season and is being advised to not pay Cincinnati $1 million in estimated liquidated damages. Last season, Sorsby totaled 2,800 passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns, five interceptions and a Big 12-high 155.1 passer rating for the Bearcats, while completing 61.6% of his passes in 12 games. He also rushed for 580 yards and nine touchdowns. Sorsby spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Indiana (2022-23) before transferring to Cincinnati for the 2024 season. Virginia QB Chandler Morris seeking seventh year of eligibility Morris continued his fight for a seventh season of eligibility by filing a lawsuit against the NCAA, his agent confirmed. The NCAA denied Morris' medical redshirt waiver and appeal last month, and he is seeking a preliminary injunction in Charlottesville Circuit Court. The NCAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Morris could be making an argument similar to Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who received a preliminary injunction from a Mississippi judge on Feb. 12. Chambliss' case was based on injuries severely limiting his playing time and not allowing him to make the most of his athletic eligibility. The 25-year-old Morris applied for a medical redshirt for the 2022 season at TCU after suffering a knee injury. The NCAA denied that request after Morris made limited appearances in three games later that season. Philip Rivers' son commits to NC State Quarterback Gunner Rivers has committed to NC State — his father's alma mater — he announced on Feb. 23. Rivers is a four-star quarterback at St. Michael Catholic in Fairhope, Alabama. His father coached his high school team as well, doing so before he made his return to the NFL in 2025. The younger Rivers threw for 2,813 yards, 44 touchdowns and five interceptions this season, leading his high school to the state title game. Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar denied sixth season Aguilar's injunction for a sixth season of eligibility has been denied, and he will now go pro, per ESPN. Aguilar was previously granted a temporary restraining order in his lawsuit against the NCAA as he sought an extra year of eligibility, which would've enabled him to continue playing for the Volunteers this fall. Aguilar played the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Diablo Valley (2021-22), followed by two seasons at Appalachian State (2023-24) before transferring to Tennessee for the 2025 season. Indiana HC Curt Cignetti gets a raise The Hoosiers have raised their head coach's salary to $13.2 million through the 2033 season, per ESPN. This deal comes in the wake of Indiana winning its first national championship in program history in January and already raising Cignetti's salary to $11.6 million in October 2025. Moreover, this raise makes Cignetti the second-highest paid coach in college football. Since Cignetti took over in Bloomington for the 2024 season, the Hoosiers are a combined 27-2, highlighted by going 16-0 en route to winning the national championship last season. North Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock leaving for NFL Hammock is leaving NIU to become the running backs coach for the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks, according to CBS Sports. Over Hammock's seven seasons as NIU's head coach (2019-25), the Huskies went a combined 35-47, a stint highlighted by three bowl game appearances and a win at South Bend against Notre Dame in 2024. Hammock, who played running back at NIU, was previously a running backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 2014-18, among other assistant coaching stints. Four-star prospect de-commits from Michigan Peter Bourque, a four-star quarterback out of Massachusetts in the 2027 class, reopened his recruitment on Feb. 17. Bourque had been verbally committed to Michigan in Aug. 2025 under previous head coach Sherrone Moore. Michigan finds its DT coach The Wolverines are hiring Vanderbilt defensive line coach Larry Black to be new head coach Kyle Whittingham's defensive tackle coach, per ESPN. Black was Vanderbilt's defensive line coach from 2022-25 and previously held the same role at Toledo from 2019-21. In other news, Michigan has reportedly parted ways with general manager Sean Magee. Michigan is also expected to part ways with Sam Popper, its director of recruiting, and Albert Karschnia, its director of player personnel. SEC cuts massive checks to its members The SEC is distributing more than $1 billion to its 16 universities for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which ended last August. The total distribution jumped more than $200 million from the previous year. The current total includes $37.4 million retained by universities that participated in the College Football Playoff and bowl games. The amount distributed from the conference office, including bowl revenue retained by participants, averaged $72.4 million for schools with full year financial participation. Oklahoma and Texas, which joined the conference in July 2024, received distributions of $2.6 million and $12.1 million, respectively, related to CFP and bowl participation and designated NCAA funds. The $72.4 million average per school is approximately $18.6 million above the 2023-24 average of $53.8 million for full members. The payout for the 14 schools receiving a full share consists of revenue generated from television agreements, postseason bowls, the CFP, the SEC title game, the SEC men's basketball tournament and NCAA championships. The Associated Press contributed to this report.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Lane Kiffin Admits In-Season Coaching Carousel Needs Guardrails for Future Coaches]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/lane-kiffin-admits-in-season-coaching-carousel-needs-guardrails-future-coaches</link>
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				<category>college-football</category>
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				    <![CDATA[One notable backer of the “Lane Kiffin Rule" winding its way through Congress turns out to be Lane Kiffin himself.]]>
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				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:57:49 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[One notable backer of the "Lane Kiffin Rule" winding its way through Congress turns out to be Lane Kiffin himself. Though naming it after him was not considered a compliment, Kiffin said he can see some value in the provision in a wide-ranging Senate bill that would fix the longstanding problem of college coaches bailing on their teams while the season is still going. The lightning-rod LSU coach took his turn Thursday at SEC Media Days, where he ate up more than 16 of his 25 minutes behind the mic delivering an opening statement that included the revelation that he's given up social media. That left time for four questions, the last of which was whether he felt he got a bad rap for his much-discussed and widely criticized move from Mississippi to LSU at the end of last season. That transaction turned him into a pariah in some places and, in Washington at least, the namesake for the part of the Protect College Sports Act that would forbid in-season coaching moves from school to school. Without getting into what people thought of him, he said he did think the rule could be helpful. "I guess (so), in that I hope that some way for future coaches, they’re not put in that situation," Kiffin said. "In the NFL, you’re never put in that situation because of the calendar and because of the rules of movement within seasons. I do hope for future people, that’s fixed so that you’re not in that same predicament." Kiffin Gives Media Culpa For Diversity Statement In Vanity Fair Story There were other moments of introspection during the 51-year-old coach’s time with media in the most-anticipated news conference over four days of collecting preview material for a season that starts Sept. 3. Kiffin, clearly prepared for the question, repeated earlier mea culpas when he conceded the headline-grabbing snippet from a Vanity Fair interview earlier this year — in which he said recruiting players to Oxford was more difficult than to Baton Rouge because there was a more diverse and less segregated feeling at LSU — was a mistake. "I made a challenging decision and change," Kiffin explained. "I think as I look back to that, I thought I could find a way for everybody to understand. Now as I look back later on, that was never going to happen." While Kiffin's replacement at Ole Miss, Pete Golding, lit up Media Days a day earlier, calling his old boss "the ex" who never really goes away, Kiffin was interesting in a different, potentially more-scripted way. In reflecting on the Vanity Fair interview, he noted how life is short and that he grew up with the notion that his dad and wrestler Hulk Hogan were the only people who would never die. Monte Kiffin, the football lifer coach whose reputation was cemented during his dozen years coaching defense in Tampa for the Buccaneers, died two summers ago. Hogan passed away a year ago Friday. "It just made me reflect on, I can’t be so concerned about little things and what people say," Kiffin said. "You've got to make decisions; you've got to go with them. You make really good decisions, and you make poor decisions. That was a poor usage of a term that I believe, just like many coaches that have been there before, was factual. But over the course of a long interview, was bad timing and bad usage of the word." A Social Media Cleanse Leads To A New Perspective Kiffin also spent time discussing about how his son, Knox, urged him to get off social media, which he did in May, only to see a whole new world open up. "Knox pushing me to do that, challenging me, allowed me to help other players, friends, coaches to say, 'Man, you should try this sometime, because once you remove something from your life, you start to realize how many other people are addicted to it or need it,'" Kiffin said. Turns out, now is a great time for the coach to have quit social media. Kiffin's flirtation with LSU and eventual decision to leave Ole Miss to sign a seven-year, $91 million contract with its rival upended the end of last regular season. The disruption included debates about Mississippi's prospects in the College Football Playoffs and whether the Rebels would be viewed, or seeded, differently coming into the postseason without their head coach. The Kiffin move also picked at a decades-old scab that practically defines college sports: Why is it OK for coaches to do whatever they want and make millions while the players have guardrails around their every move? Paying players helped resolve some, but not all, of that. Players also got something of a break with a recent change that gives those participating in the playoff a few extra days to decide to stay or go into the transfer portal. Kiffin insisted that in the wake of his social-media cleanse, he's been so disconnected from the news of the day, or the moment, that he really wasn't aware of the rule named after him in Congress until being asked about it in the news conference. He said it's good to see some changes that benefit players. "Hopefully," he said, "in some way, they fix it for coaches, too." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Good And Bad, Lane Kiffin Is The Answer — And LSU Is Betting Big On It]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/lane-kiffin-lsu-ole-miss-contract-salary</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/lane-kiffin-lsu-ole-miss-contract-salary</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Lane Kiffin has a history of burning college football bridges, but LSU bet big on him anyway.]]>
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				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:24:53 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Lane Kiffin is the answer. I mean it, and it's true. Lane Kiffin is the answer. He’s the answer to who the clown — excuse me, crown prince of college football is after he both pulled off a genuinely legacy-defining feat and almost immediately managed to trample it in the Mississippi mud on his way to the swamp in Baton Rouge. Lane Kiffin is the answer… Or the folks at LSU sure as hell hope he is, after shelling out $54 million to former head coach Brian Kelly to make way for Kiffin, paying Kiffin bonuses for a College Football Playoff he didn’t coach in, handing him a reported $40 million to acquire the roster he believes he needs to be competitive and insisting on making him the highest-paid head coach in the history of the sport who hasn’t won a damn thing. It’s not just that Kiffin is one of three college football coaches raking in at least $13 million annually; the other two are Kirby Smart and Curt Cignetti, who have won three of the last six national titles. It's also that Kiffin makes more annually than Ohio State coach Ryan Day and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, who also share three CFP national titles between them. Hell, even an assistant on Kiffin’s staff, Ed Orgeron, won a national title as head coach. Yet, Kiffin hasn’t even led a team to the SEC championship and once got booted from Nick Saban's Alabama staff because he was too distracted to do the job. Kiffin is the answer… for exactly who Tennessee fans loathe most among SEC coaches because he abandoned them after one humiliating season to head west to USC. Kiffin is the answer… to the future Jeopardy clue, "Al Davis openly called this former Oakland Raiders coach a ‘professional liar.’" Kiffin is the answer… for who Kirby Smart believes is the "Adonis of all college football coaches," like he’s never heard of Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman, who is, without a dollop of doubt, the most attractive head coach in the sport, and it ain’t close. (Sorry, Deion Sanders.) Kiffin is the answer… for how Ole Miss coach Pete Golding informed folks at SEC Media Days on Wednesday that he was able to recruit star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy to remain Rebels and not defect to the Tigers. "Just Google ‘Lane Kiffin,’"Golding told them. "A dude that they would have built a statue of here three days ago. Google his name right now. They wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire, right? And so they're going to do the same thing to y'all two if you do what?" What a damnable fact. And yet there are many of those around Kiffin. Even Florida coach Jon Sumrall sought to put some distance between himself and comparisons to Kiffin on Wednesday. "How you walk into a place says a lot about you, and how you leave says even more," Sumrall said. In November 2025, Kiffin held Ole Miss and LSU hostage. He demanded to coach the Rebels through the College Football Playoff, his legacy defining event, and wanted to accept the job at LSU. Folks at Ole Miss, within their rights and having some self-respect, said, No, you’re either coaching Oxford or Baton Rouge in December. You ain’t doing both. Sumrall faced a similar set of circumstances as he had coached Tulane to an invitation to the CFP while accepting the head-coaching job at UF. But there is a difference not just between the two jobs each coach was leaving but in how each of their former programs think of their respective character. "Lane and I talked as we were going through it," Sumrall said at SEC Media Days. "He’s like, ‘You and I are going through the same thing in November.’ I’m like, ‘No, Lane, we’re not. If you leave, you’re leaving an SEC school to go to SEC school. It’s a little different. I’m leaving Tulane.’ It was challenging to do it. I wouldn’t have done it any other way. I may have been on the front end of taking this job, maybe not been at my best every second for Florida because I wanted to make sure I left Tulane the right way. "If any university had told me I couldn’t coach in the playoff game, I don’t think I’d have taken the job just because I couldn’t leave the team I had coached all year." In comparison, Kiffin walked away from a team he’d coached all year, a team that was four games from winning the national title, for a bag of money and a bit more prestige. He also walked away from an opportunity to show maturity, growth and an appreciation for where his feet were — principles most coaches claim to impart to their players — at a moment when adulation for him and the mountain Ole Miss had climbed was at an all-time high. Lane Kiffin’s move to LSU will be a failure this season if the Tigers don’t win the national title after the price they paid for him, Kelly and their 2026 roster. But I sense Tigers fans can live with that. I wonder, will they be able to live with his inevitable exit, which will probably be messy, immature and bombastic? Lane Kiffin is the answer for whom many of us hope our college football coaches don’t become, and I sincerely wish that wasn’t so.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Michigan, LSU To CFP? Ranking The 10 Teams Most Likely To Make Debut In 12-Team Format]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-lsu-among-10-teams-could-make-12-team-cfp-debut-2026</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-lsu-among-10-teams-could-make-12-team-cfp-debut-2026</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here are the 10 teams FOX Sports' Joel Klatt believes could make their first appearance in the 12-team College Football Playoff in 2026.]]>
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				<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 20:24:54 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Expanding the College Football Playoff has led to parity in the sport. After the CFP expanded to a 12-team field in 2024, 20 different programs have made the postseason tournament. Eight teams, including Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Miami (Fla.) made their first CFP appearance in the 12-team format in 2025. With these additional spots, more fans believe their school has a chance to compete for the most important trophy in the sport. So, who will be the next crop of programs to break into the 12-team playoff for the first time in 2026? FOX Sports' Joel Klatt previewed the 10 teams that are most likely to make their first 12-team College Football Playoff appearance on the latest episode of "The Joel Klatt Show." Klatt: "Iowa’s had eight-plus wins in the last full 10 seasons. Kirk Ferentz is as consistent as anyone in the sport. … For them, though, it’s about replacing the right players. The offensive linemen from the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line that was obviously a very good group. Can you replace those players up front? They’ve hit the [transfer] portal for experienced players from the G-5 from the FCS, and I think a lot of those guys will be smart, experienced guys that’ll pay off. … They’ll need one win out of these three — Michigan, Ohio State, Washington." Klatt: "I like what Jedd Fisch builds. He builds good, quality programs. They got their quarterback Demond Williams back. He’s got four returning starters on the offensive line. I think the big key for Demond Williams is going to be playing better in big games. "Oct. 3, they go to USC … They welcome Iowa in. They welcome Penn State into Iowa Stadium. They have Indiana at home. And then at Oregon in their rivalry game to end the season… They are 25-2 at Husky Stadium [over the last four seasons]. This is one of the great teams in all of Husky Stadium." Klatt: "Houston is coming off a 10-win season and finishing in the top-25 under Willie Fritz, and Willie Fritz is a really good football coach. They bring back their quarterback, Connor Weigman. He’s got an all-Big 12 wide receiver, Amari Thomas, on the outside. They added Makai Hughes. Remember, Makai Hughes was with Fritz back in the Tulane days, and that worked for them. Makai Hughes went to Oregon. We thought he was going to be a huge contributor for Dan Lanning a year ago, but that didn’t really pan out. So now he’s back with Fritz this time at Houston. "I like what I see. They’ve got a road game at Texas Tech; I don’t love that. They’ve got this critical three-game stretch with Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Utah is going to be a tough one." Klatt: "I like Arizona here. Brent Brennan is now in Year 3 in Tucson, and he brings back his first-team All-Big 12 quarterback Noah Fifita. He’s going into Year 4 as a starter. … They retain their defensive coordinator, so they’re going to have some continuity there; that’s Danny Gonzalez, who brings a really unique structure, which is hard for teams to prepare for. "They brought some defensive help to fill the portal. They lost a lot of really good players, and particularly out of the secondary, some of those guys to the draft. … Now it’s about the schedule; it’s backloaded. They have an early game at BYU, which is not going to be easy, because BYU is a tough place to play." Klatt: "It’s just about getting to the conference championship game, and which are the most likely candidates to do that? I think Utah is one of those. Morgan Scalley isn’t going to flip everything upside down in Salt Lake. This guy is a Utah lifer … they’re still going to be aggressive on defense, they’re still going to be good on the offensive line. He’s gotten to learn from Kyle Whittingham. They’re not going anywhere. They got their quarterback back in Devon Dampier. "The schedule sets up nicely for Utah. … They’ve got Idaho, Arkansas, Utah State, at Iowa State, off week, Kansas and at Colorado. I really like their chances at a conference championship game." Klatt: "Out of the ACC, you have Miami and who? Who else at this point is going to be strong in the ACC? Might be Louisville. … [Last season], they beat Miami on the road. Three of their four losses were by three or less, including two in overtime. "They bring in Lincoln Kienholz from Ohio State — that’s a wait-and-see for me. He’s an older player, but not experienced. … He can rely on his star running back Isaac Brown. … They’ve got 33 transfers coming in. They hit the portal for wide receivers, including Vandy’s leading receiver from last year, Trey Richardson. They brought in a tight end out of the portal, Brody Foley from Tulsa; he got over 500 yards and seven touchdowns last year. They’ve got a really good returning defensive end, Clev Lubin; he’s their best player on defense. "It's about getting to the ACC Championship, where you’ve got a shot in one game to potentially win a championship and go to the playoff. … Look at their ACC schedule. They don’t have to play Miami. They don’t have to play Clemson. They don’t have to play Virginia, and they don’t have to play Virginia Tech. So for me, they won the ACC schedule lottery." Klatt: "Let’s say that big question is answered positively, and that Michigan’s got an offense that’s humming against, and they’re Michigan, again. Well guess what? Here’s the tough part: Their schedule is brutal this year. … They’ve got to play Oklahoma. They’ve got to play Iowa. They’ve got to host Penn State. They’ve got to host Indiana. They’ve got to play Oregon. They’ve got to go to Ohio State. It’s a ridiculously difficult schedule, there’s no doubt. "I do think it’s one of those schedules that, because they’re willing to play and hang on to one of these tough, marquee non-conference games, there is a chance that Michigan would get consideration, if not love, at the end of the season, even as a 9-3. … With that schedule, if you’re facing Ohio State with the right to go to [the CFP], that would be a huge win." Klatt: "I’m bullish on USC. They have not made a playoff. And I think this is a team that could absolutely make a playoff run this year. I think Lincoln [Riley] finally has the team that can play requisite football at the line of scrimmage. … They showed me signs. I thought the game against Michigan, the game against Iowa — those were tough, hard-nosed wins. "They were quietly one of the best teams in the country at home. They were 7-0. And now this year, they get Oregon, Washington and Ohio State at home. Klatt: "BYU was oh so close a year ago. They were in that Big 12 Championship Game, and they came up short. Now they came up short because of their offense. They couldn’t do anything against that [Texas] Tech defense. … Both losses last year for Kelani Sitake and BYU were to Texas Tech. Texas Tech was very good and BYU was 12-2. "BYU should be in the Big 12 Championship Game. They’re too consistent a program. They got their quarterback back. I love this program. … I love Bear Bachmeier's one heck of a player. He and LJ Martin are going to need to lead this offense. They get three starters back in the secondary. Should be one of the best defenses in the Big 12." Klatt: "If they don’t make the playoff, I’m going to be very surprised. … Obviously, they were in the four-team playoff. That’s the only CFP that LSU has been to — the Joe Burrow year. That’s shocking. That’s why Lane Kiffin is there. "Kiffin’s got 10-plus wins in four of his last seasons at Ole Miss. This guy can coach. … This is absolutely the no-brainer of no-brainers. This team screams playoff this year. … I think [Sam] Leavitt is a really good player. I think it’s going to be a team that is very good. I think they can be better on defense. They’re certainly gonna be better on offense. And I’m going to be surprised if LSU is not a 10-win team."]]>
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					<![CDATA[Georgia RB Dante Dowdell Sidelined Indefinitely Following Off-Field Incident]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/georgia-rb-dante-dowdell-sidelined-indefinitely-following-off-field-incident</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/georgia-rb-dante-dowdell-sidelined-indefinitely-following-off-field-incident</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Georgia running back Dante Dowdell was injured in a recent off-campus accident, and Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart told reporters Tuesday at SEC media days that he will be indefinitely sidelined.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 19:30:20 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Georgia running back Dante Dowdell was injured in a recent off-campus accident, and Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart told reporters Tuesday at SEC media days that he will be indefinitely sidelined. Smart didn’t offer specifics. ESPN reported that Dowdell was involved in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident. The outlet confirmed with Smart that Dowdell is receiving care at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, a medical facility specializing in treatment and rehabilitation for spinal cord and brain injuries. "The Dante Dowdell situation is tough," Smart told reporters. "I don’t know when he’ll be back. He had an off-campus accident back home during our break, and we’re praying for him and his family. We expect a full recovery, but the outlook right now is we’re waiting to see." Dowdell transferred to Georgia after rushing for 560 yards and three scores last season for Kentucky. The tailback from Picayune, Mississippi, was slated to compete for carries behind starter Nate Frazier. Dowdell spent the 2024 season with Nebraska and the '23 season at Oregon. Smart told ESPN that Dowdell was "out of the really tough range, but as far as his complete health and coming all the way back, I don’t know what that looks like in terms of this year." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Georgia's Kirby Smart Focused On What Wins Games, Not CFB's Off-Field Debates]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/georgia-bulldogs-kirby-smart-knows-his-voice-as-the-dean-of-sec-coaches-only-gets-heard-if-georgia-keeps-winning</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/georgia-bulldogs-kirby-smart-knows-his-voice-as-the-dean-of-sec-coaches-only-gets-heard-if-georgia-keeps-winning</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[He’s the dean of Southeastern Conference coaches who also has two national titles at on his resume, so what Georgia’s Kirby Smart says about the state of college football is bound to resonate outside his own state]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:55:44 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[He's the dean of Southeastern Conference coaches who also has two national titles on his resume, so what Georgia's Kirby Smart says about the state of college football is bound to resonate far outside his own state. On Tuesday at SEC media days, Smart made clear that to become dean of SEC coaches and win those national titles, he’s had to focus on the little picture more than the big one — because it’s the only thing he truly can control. "I’ve had questions about expansion, more SEC games, portal, college and federal legislation to navigate the NIL era we’re in. Players leaving, coaches leaving. That’s all people want to talk about," Smart said. "What we focus on in Georgia is what wins football games, and that’s my passion and energy." At stake for the Bulldogs in 2026 is a chance to defend their SEC title — Smart has four in 10 years between the hedges — and to make a run at another natty, where both Georgia and the SEC as a whole have been shut out for the last three seasons. To reach either goal, the coach will need to find answers for an offensive line that lost two starters to the NFL draft and a receiving corps that got Isiah Canion from the transfer portal (Georgia Tech) but needs more to replenish a position missing four of last year's top five pass catchers. The constant will be Gunner Stockton, the quarterback who heads into his redshirt senior year as Georgia's highest-profile player. In a team-building moment bound to take on a life of its own, especially if Georgia plays well this year, Stockton found himself at the front of the raft on a whitewater trip with team leaders earlier this summer. "They said, ‘OK, who’s going to be in the front of the boat?'" Smart said. "They explained this might be the most risky position. You may fall out. When you go over a rapid, you may be the first to fall into that water. But he chose to jump into that seat." Stockton said that, indeed, he got wet that day, but it was a chance worth taking. Regarding his coach, and the way he deals with name, image and likeness payments, one of the many elements disrupting college sports while also reshuffling pecking orders in locker rooms across the country, the quarterback said Smart keeps it real. "He basically tells us the truth, which is that once you're out on the field, it doesn't matter how much someone makes, or doesn't make, everyone has to prove themselves," Stockton said. "Once you're on the football field, nobody really cares how much money you make." Smart Continues To Weigh In On The Sport's Biggest Issues For the record, Smart has had much to say about all the changes upending his sport. At a memorable appearance less than two months ago at the SEC annual meetings, he sounded off on several topics, including the backroom conversations about the league breaking off from the rest of the NCAA if college sports can't align behind a single set of rules. "I’ve been a huge advocate that if we can’t find the rules that everybody plays by, then we should play our own. I’m not afraid of that," he said at that time. On other topics he discussed at the meetings: — Smart wonders if the new nine-game league schedule will really produce gains in strength of schedule that the SEC is touting. — He loves the SEC title game but recognizes it might have to go if the College Football Playoff is expanded beyond 12 teams: "When you take that revenue stream out, can we make it work? Is it sustainable to do without it would be my biggest concern," he said. — He's not against players getting money, but he recognizes that college sports could be on an unsustainable path if it doesn't find some guardrails: "We're going to lose that if we keep spending because not everybody can spend at the rate that we’re spending." Heading into his 11th season with the Bulldogs, Smart has settled into the role as the league's elder statesman once held by his mentor, Nick Saban, who left following the 2023 season after 17 years at Alabama and 22 in the SEC. The 50-year-old Georgia coach recognizes he is in a changing industry and wants to play a role in shaping it. But at SEC Media Days, with the start of practice looming and the first game (against Tennessee State) only 46 days away, Smart felt his focus should be directed elsewhere. "I don't mind talking or speaking to it," he said. "All I'm saying is that at events like this, it eats the air and takes away from what actually wins and loses football games." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Liberty Coach Jamey Chadwell 'Feels Best Since 2023' Despite Ongoing Medical Recovery]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/liberty-coach-jamey-chadwell-feels-best-since-2023-despite-ongoing-medical-recovery</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/liberty-coach-jamey-chadwell-feels-best-since-2023-despite-ongoing-medical-recovery</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell says he feels the best he has since the 2023 season while still dealing with some limitations for what has been called a "serious but treatable medical condition" that required surgery at the beginning of this year.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:54:03 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell says he feels the best he has since the 2023 season while still dealing with some limitations for what has been called a "serious but treatable medical condition" that required surgery at the beginning of this year. Chadwell still has not revealed the exact issue, but said during Conference USA's football media day Tuesday that determining what it was and the treatment since has made a difference in how the 49-year-old coach feels going into his fourth season with the Flames. "I feel physically probably the best I've felt since '23," he said. "Now there's still some body, physical limitations I’m going through that I’m still working through, but as far as my mind and the way I was feeling compared to the last couple years, night and day." Chadwell said because of that, he is looking forward "more probably to this season than a long time, because I feel like I’m back, at least health-wise, to what I was prior to." Last January, about six weeks after the end of the 2025 season, Liberty announced in a statement that Chadwell was recovering from a successful procedure to address the medical issue. He was able to return in time to lead the Flames through spring practice. "This is probably the best as far as physically, as far as inside, probably in the last two years that I’ve felt," he said. "I had a lot going on the last two years and we couldn’t figure out what it was." After his 13-1 debut with the Flames in 2023 that included the Conference USA championship before their only loss was to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl, Chadwell said he spent the entire 2024 season going through blood work and other tests trying to figure out what was going on. The answer finally came right before the start of last season. "Not ideal, but it was a blessing to figure out what was going on," he said. Liberty went 8-4 in 2024, but finished 4-8 last season after losing its last four games by a combined 23 points. "When you don't know what's going on when you're trying to figure it out, you're thinking about everything," he said. "I'm disappointed that I allowed it to interfere with us last year. But it won't happen again." Liberty senior tight end Caleb Ryan said the way Chadwell has handled adversity, with players going alongside him during it, has brought the team closer together. "I think that fire in him is burning a little hotter this year, just wanting to go out there, put our best out there," Ryan said. Before replacing Hugh Freeze at Liberty, Chadwell was 39-22 in five years at Coastal Carolina with consecutive 11-win seasons. "He’s a guy that his players respect. He’s a true professional," said Western Kentucky's Tyson Helton, the longest-tenured C-USA coach going into his eighth season. "He seems great and he's excited, and got a lot of energy. ... I have tremendous respect for him." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 College Football Playoff Odds: Irish Heavily Favored To Make Field]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-playoff-odds</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-playoff-odds</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[College Football Playoff odds have hit the market. See which squads are favored to make the 12-team postseason tournament.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:27:07 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The 2026 College Football Playoff will once again feature 12 teams. Just like in 2025, the four highest-ranked conference champions will receive the top four seeds and earn first-round byes. The remaining playoff teams will then be seeded based on the CFP rankings, regardless of whether they won their conference. The final automatic bid (usually the 12th seed) will go to the highest-ranked team from one of the Group of 6 conferences (American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, or Sun Belt), regardless of whether it won its conference championship. As we all anxiously wait for the start of the season, let's take a look at the odds to make the College Football Playoff as of July 21 on DraftKings Sportsbook. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. To Make 2026 College Football Playoff Notre Dame: -800 (bet $10 to win $11.25 total)Ohio State: -360 (bet $10 to win $12.78 total)Indiana: -350 (bet $10 to win $12.86 total)Oregon: -320 (bet $10 to win $13.13 total)Miami: -250 (bet $10 to win $14 total)Georgia: -240 (bet $10 to win $14.17 total)Texas Tech: -200 (bet $10 to win $15 total)Texas: -200 (bet $10 to win $15 total)Texas A&amp;M: +154 (bet $10 to win $25.40 total)Alabama: +154 (bet $10 to win $25.40 total)LSU: +160 (bet $10 to win $26 total)Oklahoma: +210 (bet $10 to win $31 total)Ole Miss: +220 (bet $10 to win $32 total)USC: +240 (bet $10 to win $34 total)Michigan: +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total) What to know: After controversially being the last team left out of the 2025 Playoff, Notre Dame is heavily favored heading into the 2026 season. Last year, the Fighting Irish opened their season with two heartbreaking losses against CFP teams in Miami (27-24) and Texas A&amp;M (41-40). After that 0-2 start, Notre Dame rattled off 10 straight wins, outscoring opponents 440-143 in that span. Outside ND's Nov. 7 clash with Miami, the Fighting Irish are presumed to have a relatively easy schedule in 2026, and their -800 odds to make the CFP reflect that. Next on the oddsboard is a trio of Big Ten powerhouses in Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon. The Buckeyes have made the CFP in three of the last four years, while the defending champion Hoosiers have made the expanded Playoff in both years under Curt Cignetti. Like Indiana, Oregon has made the Playoff in the last two seasons, losing to the eventual national champion in both years. In 2024, the Ducks were the 1-seed before falling to the Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl. Meanwhile, in 2025, Oregon fell to Indiana in the semifinals.]]>
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					<![CDATA[SEC's Shift To 9-Game Conference Schedule Pauses Some Longtime Rivalries]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/sec-schedule-florida-tennessee-alabama-lsu</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/sec-schedule-florida-tennessee-alabama-lsu</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Some of the Southeastern Conference's longest rivalries are on hiatus thanks to a major scheduling change.]]>
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				<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:08:19 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[It used to be the biggest rivalry game of the week, the month — maybe the entire season. In 2026, Florida and Tennessee will be complete strangers. Their once-a-year matchup that, back in the day, featured Steve Spurrier, Peyton Manning, Phil Fulmer and snark that sometimes even outweighed the stakes — "You can’t spell Citrus without ‘U-T'" — is absent from the schedule for the first time in 37 seasons. Alabama-LSU — that’s gone too, for the first time since 1963. The Gators and LSU — they’ll miss each other for the first time since 1970. Such is the price of progress in the Southeastern Conference, which has grown from 10 teams in the old days to 16 now. The league is introducing a nine-game league slate this season in an attempt to boost strength of schedule for what is now a playoff system that has a committee awarding seven at-large spots in the 12-team field. "When you look at our schedule, no one has created the kind of weekly competition that exists in the Southeastern Conference," commissioner Greg Sankey said. The divisions that once made Florida-Tennessee such a big deal — winner had an inside track for the East, a spot in the conference title game and maybe the national championship — are gone, another product of expansion. Under the new system, in place through 2029, each school will play three "annual" foes. Some of the SEC’s most ancient rivalries, like Alabama-Auburn, Florida-Georgia and Auburn-Georgia, were preserved. Others are now less-permanent affairs. Another oldie but goodie that's missing this year, Georgia vs. Tennessee, first played in 1899 and became an annual event in 1992. The Volunteers got the best of the Bulldogs early, but Georgia has won nine in a row and 14 of the last 16 — a run that prompted a question to Georgia coach Kirby Smart on Tuesday about feeling like he has "one less win" on the schedule. "You said that; not me," Smart responded. "I got a lot of respect for Josh (Heupel) and their staff. I mean, they’re a tough prep. I’m glad other teams get an opportunity to do that, and then we get some new teams to play." Some new teams, yes. Some old rivalries will return, too. For instance, Arkansas-Texas, a must-see game on the old Southwestern Conference schedule that produced the Game of the Century, attended by President Nixon in 1969, is an annual affair again. Two years ago, Missouri renewed acquaintance with Oklahoma, reupping a rivalry that meant a lot in the Big Eight for a time in the 1970s. And Texas-Texas A&amp;M, the "Lone Star Shootout" and a game held every year between 1915 and 2011, will now be played annually. Asked about rivalries being renewed and others that, in another effect of realignment, are changing dates — Missouri's season-ending tradition against Arkansas has been moved to Week 8 — Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said: "I don’t worry about that. I know each and every game in the SEC is extremely difficult." The SEC also mandated its teams play a 10th game against a Power Four opponent, which led Kansas and Missouri to renew their so-called "Border War" and created other early season matchups like Oklahoma-Michigan, Clemson-LSU, Ohio State-Texas, Auburn-Baylor, Arkansas-Utah and Arizona State-Texas. SEC coaches believed moving to a nine-game league schedule would coincide with College Football Playoff expansion, which didn’t happen. Now, they have tougher schedules, no increased access to the 12-team playoff and a few less rivalries. "That’s what our conference looks like," Oklahoma coach Brett Venables said. "Each and every week, you’re not going to sneak up on anybody." A brief look at the Tennessee-Florida series The Tennessee-Florida rivalry decided the SEC East a dozen times between 1993 and 2009. Spurrier got under Fulmer’s skin with his "Citrus Bowl" comments. Manning, despite all his accolades, went 0-4 against the Gators. The importance of the rivalry diminished beginning in 2011, with both schools falling behind Georgia in the East. A brief look at the Florida-LSU series The Florida-LSU matchup has been filled with chaos, controversy and close games. Among the most memorable one: LSU upset No. 1 Florida in 1997, stormed the field and tore down goal posts; the top-ranked Tigers won another close one a decade later by converting five fourth-down plays; in 2020, unranked LSU stunned the sixth-ranked Gators in Gainesville on Cade York’s 57-yard field goal through heavy fog after cornerback Marco Wilson inexplicably threw an opponent’s shoe and kept alive the game-winning drive. A brief look at the LSU-Alabama series Alabama and LSU played 12 times between 2008 and 2021 with one of them ranked first or second. It often had Western Division and national title implications. Few matchups outweigh the 2011 showdown in which top-ranked LSU knocked off No. 2 Alabama 9-6 in overtime. The Crimson Tide won the rematch in New Orleans two months later for the national championship. Could current rivalries be affected beyond 2029? The SEC has been adamant that each team’s annual opponents will be revisited and potentially realigned to maintain competitive balance before the 2030 season. Of course, by then, there’s no telling what the SEC or college football will look like. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey Confirms NCAA Breakaway Discussions Are 'Real']]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/sec-commissioner-greg-sankey-confirms-ncaa-breakaway-discussions-real</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/sec-commissioner-greg-sankey-confirms-ncaa-breakaway-discussions-real</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday that leaders of the powerhouse league — some of them frustrated over the changes upending their industry — are having “real" conversations about breaking away from the rest of college sports, though that is not the preferred solution.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:51:18 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday that leaders of the powerhouse league — some of them frustrated over the changes upending their industry — are having "real" conversations about breaking away from the rest of college sports, though that is not the preferred solution. "They’re real," Greg Sankey said Monday of talks with school presidents involving the SEC separating itself from the rest of the NCAA. "They’ve opined about the frustrations that bring them to the point of saying we should look at something significantly different." Sankey's 45-minute meeting with reporters to kick off SEC football media days detailed the several issues that college sports is trying to find solutions for: Congressional legislation, litigation stemming from the new five-year eligibility rule, the future of the College Football Playoff and an overall lack of transparency regarding name, image and likeness payments to players. Sankey acknowledged the conference's unhappiness with the handling of all those issues, but also touted the league's 13 national championships won last season across a variety of sports as a key reason it's in no rush to move away from the current framework. "There is meaning and value and I do think a national expectation that we participate in a national organization," he said. "But that national organization must function in a healthy manner; otherwise, that simmering will continue". The SEC and Big Ten produced a 10-point paper about changes they would like to see to the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation in the Senate. The SEC and Big Ten are negotiating with lawmakers over potential tweaks. Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman, the chair of the SEC presidents, released a statement saying conference leaders "have provided feedback from the perspective of university leaders who are trying to navigate the current state of college athletics." The SEC argues the bill does not go far enough in limiting the possibility of lawsuits against conferences and schools, and also needs better language to preempt state laws in favor of a national one regarding the tens of millions in NIL payments now so common at the top of college sports. Sankey called the rollout of the recent NCAA rule that rewrote eligibility standards and has induced lawsuits — players mainly get five years to play five seasons — "magnifies frustration" among some in the SEC. Plowman said the SEC "applauded" how transfers and eligibility were addressed in the Senate bill. "That means student-athletes would not be able to transfer every year, putting their educations and team dynamics at risk — or toggle back and forth between professional teams and university teams with no intention of getting a degree," she said. The SEC remains the Power Four's only holdout over expanding the 12-team playoff to 24. Sankey said more research is needed, especially regarding "media interest" — likely shorthand for media rights interest — in adding more games. There is also the underlying issue of what an expanded playoff would do to conference title games. Symbolic of the wide range of opinions on that topic, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said in his own media session that he favored conference play-in games to determine CFP spots and he doesn't think title games should be put on the chopping block. "Throwing those away so you can get a bad matchup between 24 and 18 doesn't make sense to me," Drinkwitz said. Sankey said he also wants more transparency about who pays players and for what. Among the SEC's proposed changes to the Senate bill would be clearer guidelines for paying players, including "NIL, pay-for-play (which is not allowed), revenue sharing and other forms of compensation." The commissioner conceded that the SEC is not bent on getting its way regarding every issue that college sports is trying to solve. But as one of the biggest, richest and most influential leagues in a quickly changing business, it does want to lead the way. "I think we do a better job now than has ever been done in college athletics," Sankey said. "But we haven't achieved that level of stability as we go through change that's needed at this point." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Mizzou’s Eli Drinkwitz Addresses Gun Violence As Ahmad Hardy Cleared For Return]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/mizzous-eli-drinkwitz-addresses-gun-violence-ahmad-hardy-cleared-return</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/mizzous-eli-drinkwitz-addresses-gun-violence-ahmad-hardy-cleared-return</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz revealed Monday that running back Ahmad Hardy, who suffered a gunshot wound to his leg in May, has been medically cleared to prepare for the upcoming season and used the occasion to offer a comment about gun violence in America.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:11:30 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz revealed Monday that running back Ahmad Hardy, who suffered a gunshot wound to his leg in May, has been medically cleared to prepare for the upcoming season and used the occasion to offer a comment about gun violence in America. "Not criticizing the police or the right to bear arms, which is a Second Amendment right," Drinkwitz said Monday at SEC Media Days. "But just saying there is no place for gun violence, especially for our youth in society." Drinkwitz said it could take the running back five to eight weeks before he can play. The coach said it was hard to know how Hardy, who finished second in Bowl Subdivision last year with 1,659 yards, would play if he returns. "My anticipation of what I’ve seen, the way he’s attacked his rehab: He’s going to be a better Ahmad Hardy than when he was before," Drinkwitz said. Hardy was shot while attending a concert in Laurel, Mississippi, on May 10. A few days later, police made an arrest in connection with the shooting and charged Rashodrick Harris of aggravated assault; Harris was released on $500,000 bond. Drinkwitz said the bullet struck a bone in Hardy's leg. The coach said he was proud of the way Hardy, a junior who was seen as a potentially high NFL draft pick if he leaves college after this season, approached his recovery. Drinkwitz also sent a different message on a day in which he discussed Missouri's prospects for the upcoming season. "What I want to tell y’all is this was a great opportunity for Ahmad to learn. It was a great opportunity for our student-athletes to learn," the coach said. "It was also a great reminder that there is no place for gun violence in this world." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[College Football All-Century Team: Vince Young Or Tim Tebow At QB? Who Gets Nod At WR?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-all-century-team-vince-young-tim-tebow-qb-who-gets-nod-wr</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-all-century-team-vince-young-tim-tebow-qb-who-gets-nod-wr</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Who are the best players at each position in college football since the turn of the century? Joel Klatt named his All-Century Team.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:41:32 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[It's already tough enough as it is to pick an All-American team every year, but FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt took on an even tougher challenge: naming an All-Century Team. In a recent episode of "The Joel Klatt Show," Klatt picked which players have been the best at each position in college football since the turn of the century. That leads to plenty of debates at several positions, including quarterback. Four quarterbacks have won the Heisman, a national championship and have been the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft since 2000. And that list doesn't include other talented college quarterbacks, like Vince Young, Tim Tebow and Matt Leinart. That's just one of the many debates Klatt had to solve when picking his All-Century Team, as he also named finalists for each position. Let's take a look at his All-Century Team as we're roughly one quarter of the way through the 21st century. OFFENSE Finalists: Cam Newton (Auburn), Tim Tebow (Florida), Joe Burrow (LSU), Matt Leinart (USC) Klatt’s thoughts: "How do you pick between [all of these quarterbacks]? … Here’s the deal: I came down to [these finalists] because you kind of have to win a national championship. I know there are other national champions on this list, but you had to win the national championship and carry your team at some point. "I know this might be a little bit biased because I had to play against him, but the pick is Vince Young. If I had one game and I had to pick one quarterback from the last 25 years to go and play that game, my All-Century quarterback is Vince Young. This guy was unbelievable. He went 30-2 as a starting quarterback. That undefeated season in ‘05 for a national championship was remarkable. There were times where he had to put that team completely on his back. "This guy was incredible. I know there might be some debate, but I don’t think I’m going to get a ton of pushback about that." Finalists: Reggie Bush (USC), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford) Klatt’s thoughts: "I’ve got to pick one of these guys? That’s why I did not want to be in 11 personnel. So, I thought let’s get down to three finalists. "But even with that big list, I got down to two really fast: Reggie Bush and Adrian Peterson. I’m a huge Reggie Bush guy. He was electric. He changed the game in so many ways. I played against Adrian Peterson. His true freshman season was one of the greatest seasons we’ve ever seen from a running back. He led the country in carries as a true freshman and ran for 1,900 yards. Remarkable, absolutely remarkable stuff. Yet, Reggie Bush wasn’t on the field on fourth down for the three-peat. How could you be my 11 personnel, single running back if you weren’t on the field for the most important snap in your team’s history? "It’s not [Bush’s] fault … but for that reason, I went with Adrian Peterson. If you had one game and you need a guy to tote the rock for 20, 25 carries per game, who are you taking? AP!" Finalists: DeVonta Smith (Alabama), Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) Klatt’s thoughts: "I know some people might one Calvin Johnson on this list, but I think I hit the nail on this one. You’ve got great individual seasons and careers on here. "I could put Larry in the slot. Crabtree was incredible at Texas Tech. Julio was just an absolute boss on the outside. Does anyone remember who Larry Fitzgerald’s quarterback was at Pitt? Rod Rutherford — anyone remember that name? I don’t, and I work in the sport. … If I had to take one, it was Larry Fitzgerald. "Then, you think about Michael Crabtree and Crabtree was insane. He had one of the great seasons in all of college football history. His performance against Texas in that game when both of those teams were undefeated was insane. "I know the numbers might not support [Julio Jones making this list] against some of the other candidates … but he was doing this for a team that was primarily run-oriented in an era in which the SEC was absolutely loaded. I mean, a lot of the defensive backs I’m going to hit on later were from the SEC in this era, and he was an absolute boss." Finalists: Kyle Pitts (Florida), Tyler Warren (Penn State) Klatt’s thoughts: "I think [Bowers] was the best tight end I’ve ever seen in college football. … This pick was very easy for me. He was a two-time national champ, two-time Mackey Award winner, and if he doesn’t make a couple of insane plays, they don’t win the second national championship because they don’t beat Ohio State in that semifinal." Finalists: Penei Sewell (Oregon), Jake Long (Michigan), Tristan Wirfs (Iowa) Klatt’s thoughts: "This was the second-easiest pick for me behind Brock Bowers. Bryant McKinnie was an absolute animal. He was a monster in that 2001 season for Miami. He’s the last offensive lineman to finish in the top 10 in Heisman voting. Joe Thomas, he won the Outland for the Badgers. I tried not to think of NFL careers, but isn’t it difficult not to? You kind of have to at some point. Joe Thomas was incredible." Finalists: Zack Martin (Notre Dame), Chance Warmack (Alabama) Klatt’s thoughts: "I think people forget about David Decastro, but I’m not forgetting! Do we remember how dominant that Stanford team was running the football? … Decastro was incredible. "Then, my second one, this was a little bit more difficult. … Nelson was a two-time All-American at Notre Dame. I just don’t think you can go wrong with Quenton Nelson and David Decastro." Finalists: Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa), Landon Dickerson (Alabama) Klatt’s thoughts: "Barrett Jones did everything for those Bama teams in the early 2010s. He started at guard, tackle and center. He won the Outland at left tackle in 2010 and then won the Rimington at center in 2012." Finalists: Travis Hunter (Colorado), Tavon Austin (West Virginia) Klatt’s thoughts: "Sometimes, you’ve just got to trust the smart people in the room. Urban Meyer won multiple national championships as a head coach and is considered one of the great head coaches we’ve had in the history of the sport. I get the pleasure of working with Urban and he’s said to me many times that Percy Harvin is the best football player he’s ever coached. Guess what? That’s good enough for me. When Urban says that, I need him on my team." DEFENSE Finalists: Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina), Myles Garrett (Texas A&amp;M), Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan) Klatt’s thoughts: "Does anybody remember Terrell Suggs’ season in 2002? Animal. He had 24 sacks and 31 tackles for loss — both FBS records at the time. Suggs had four games with at least three sacks that year, and the crazy game was against Washington: 4.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. "Will Anderson, when Nick Saban says that he’s kind of the alpha of alphas that he’s had at Alabama, then I listen. He had 34.5 sacks and 62 tackles for loss in three seasons in the SEC." Finalists: Vince Wilfork (Miami), Tommie Harris (Oklahoma), Glenn Dorsey (LSU) Klatt’s thoughts: "Suh in 2009 was insane. He finished fourth in the Heisman voting. He had 12 sacks and 20 TFLs — as a tackle! As dominant as any player I’ve ever seen. "Aaron Donald holds the FBS career record TFLs with 66 — as a tackle! And we know what he was in the NFL, but he was that at Pitt. I think the only offense ever created that could move the ball on this defense is the offense that I just created." Finalists: Manti Te’o (Notre Dame), Derrick Johnson (Texas), Roquan Smith (Georgia) Klatt’s thoughts: "How do you take two of those? At this point, you’ve just got to go with your gut. Kuechly might be the smartest linebacker in history. Micah Parsons might be the greatest Swiss army knife at linebacker that we’ve ever seen. Kuechly holds the FBS record for tackles per game in a single season with 15.9 — almost 16 tackles. He also leads the FBS in career tackles per game with 14. He had 180 tackles in each of his last two seasons. "I know Parsons only played two seasons at Penn State, but he was a force. He was a freshman All-American and then an All-American as a sophomore and he was playing as a normal linebacker in those days and he was still dominant." Finalists: Terence Newman (Kansas State), Jalen Ramsey (Florida State), Morris Claiborne (LSU) Klatt’s thoughts: "This is a tough one. I’m going to take Patrick Peterson, though. He was going up against guys like A.J. Green and Julio Jones and others in that SEC era. He won the Thorpe and the Bednarik. Patrick Peterson is one of my guys. "I’ve got to take Patrick Surtain, don’t I? He had 38 straight starts at Bama. He was an All-American, lock-down guy. Right now, he’s the best corner in the National Football League. So, I’m gonna go with Surtain there." Finalists: Caleb Downs (Ohio State), Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama) Klatt’s thoughts: "I’ve got to take the Honey Badger. The Honey Badger was just cut from a different cloth. He had an aura about him when he was out on the field. He was kind of like the college version of Ed Reed. He was all over the place. Quarterbacks had to be aware of him. Offensive coordinators had to be aware of him. So, Honey Badger has got to be on defense. I can’t have a defense for an All-Century team and not have the Honey Badger." Finalists: Sean Taylor (Miami), Roy Williams (Oklahoma), Eric Berry (Tennessee) Klatt’s thoughts: "I do find it a little interesting that all of these guys played in the pre-targeting era. Don’t you love the physical, old safeties that could absolutely knock people's heads off? I loved that. "I know you can make an argument for Sean Taylor, but Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed as your safeties with the Honey Badger as your nickel — no one is scoring on this team. Ed Reed was a two-time All-American and led one of those Miami teams to a title. Polamalu, I got to see him play in college before anyone ever knew who he was and had the hair and all of that."]]>
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					<![CDATA[Despite Michigan's Titles, Warde Manuel Is Being Held Accountable For Scandalous Tenure]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-warde-manuel-sherrone-moore-harbaugh-stalions</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-warde-manuel-sherrone-moore-harbaugh-stalions</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Michigan's AD Warde Manuel will be out at the end of the year, and that's the right move for the Wolverines.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:07:30 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The buck stops here — even if Warde Manuel preferred it didn't. See, he either never learned or forgot what President Harry S. Truman knew about making hard decisions and accepting the fault of his subordinates. Everything is your fault when you are the man in charge. For Manuel, that means losing the job he loves after Michigan offered Manuel a buyout to leave his athletics director position before his contract expired, following an investigation by an outside law firm that uncovered details of a culture of irresponsibility. The University of Michigan paid law firm Jenner &amp; Block nearly $12 million to rummage through its athletics closet and its bins and uncover its sins. The firm has been compensated similarly to the reported cost of Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood for three whole years because Manuel’s house has not been in order, despite Michigan football and men's basketball getting good again. Manuel — Michigan’s AD from 2016 now through the end of 2026 — has arguably been the nation’s best AD based on pure performance since 2021. And yet, he is out of that job not four months after watching the Wolverines' men’s basketball team win the national title. Explaining why begins in February 2021. One of Manuel’s first brilliant acts was getting former head coach Jim Harbaugh to accept an insulting and incentive-laden contract. And thus, 2021 began the best three-year run the Wolverines have seen on a football field this century: three Big Ten titles, three trips to the College Football Playoff and a perfect 15-0 run to the 2023 national championship. However, those three years are checkered with coaching scandals. Harbaugh received a 10-year show-cause order, a three-game suspension for violating Big Ten sportsmanship policy from B1G commissioner Tony Petitti and financial penalties from the NCAA that will cost the university $30 million, according to Manuel. Harbaugh's consequences were the result of allowing former offensive analyst Connor Stalions to orchestrate a robust sign-stealing operation that gave the Wolverines an unfair competitive advantage against opponents. Those facts reveal how the Michigan athletics department operates in comparison to the rest of the country. But there's more. Former Michigan assistant coach Matt Weiss was indicted on 24 federal charges stemming from allegations that he secretly accessed more than 3,300 student-athletes’ private accounts to steal intimate photos and videos between 2015 and 2023. Former head football coach Sherrone Moore, who succeeded Harbaugh, was engaged in an inappropriate relationship with former Michigan staffer Paige Shiver and was fired in December. Moore, later, trespassed into Shiver's apartment and was arrested the same day he told Manuel about his violation of university policy. But according to The Wall Street Journal, Manuel knew about Moore’s close relationship with Shiver as early as Aug. 29, 2024. He informed Moore in handwriting on Michigan letterhead that he was concerned about Moore’s closeness with his executive assistant. "I told him I didn’t remember if we had already discussed [it], but that she couldn’t accompany him on trips," Manuel wrote. On Tuesday, July 14, Manuel gave an interview to The Michigan Insider where he defended his record as an administrator at Michigan since 2016 and let it be known he had no intention of leaving his post willingly. His supporters would have seen him as a convenient scapegoat for decisions made by others. "I don't need the credit [for Michigan's success],"Manuel said, "but I'm not going to stand idly by and let people say all this happened despite Warde Manuel." Stop. First, no one says your name alongside the wins you helped put on the board because that's what the money’s for. Second, that’s what history exists to record. And, buddy, you're in that record. But going on a radio program to discuss your résumé isn't what blue-blood athletics directors do, unless they have something to address that ain't among their greatest hits. You need us to say it? OK. It happened not despite of Warde Manuel, but because Warde Manuel is the athletics director at the storied University of Michigan. This is true while 31 other Power 4 programs have turned over athletics directors in the last two years. It happened because Warde Manuel is the man who oversaw Jim Harbaugh, Matt Weiss and Sherrone Moore as employees at Michigan. It happened because Warde Manuel was the AD while Paige Shiver went from Michigan intern to victim of a head coach’s abuse of power. Just as every upstanding and courageous Michigan athletics employee is your people, Jim Harbaugh is your people. Matt Weiss is your people. Connor Stalions is your people. Sherrone Moore is your people. Paige Shiver is your people. Just because you acted when the time came does not absolve you of responsibility for the culture that created space for Weiss’ indictment, Harbaugh’s flippancy for NCAA rules, Stalions’ willingness to bend them, Moore’s abuse of power and Shiver’s injury. I know the character of his coaches is important to him because Manuel said so in the same July 14 interview when he expressed why he hired Mike Boyton, Jr., to be head coach of the Michigan men’s basketball team: "Mike is a great person." Manuel said similar things about new Michigan football coach Kyle Whittingham, who he hired last December. Most Michigan Wolverines are, presumably, good people. But when they are not, and their transgressions are severe, the university has a duty to objectively question its leadership and take appropriate action. That appropriate action happened to Warde Manuel. I know this because I believe an objective look into the history of the past six years would likely lead Warde Manuel to fire Warde Manuel as well.]]>
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					<![CDATA[What Michigan AD Warde Manuel's Departure Means For The Wolverines]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-warde-manuel-sherrone-moore-harbaugh</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-warde-manuel-sherrone-moore-harbaugh</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Warde Manuel is stepping down as Michigan's athletics director, so here's a look at how that could impact the Wolverines, especially football and basketball.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:16:18 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[With each passing week and each additional layer of scrutiny surrounding Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, how differently could this saga have unfolded if not for the tragic news involving Kent Syverud, who was slated to become the university’s next president? A few weeks after Manuel hired Kyle Whittingham as the Wolverines’ next football coach in late December, the Board of Regents announced that Syverud would become the 16th president at Michigan. Syverud, who was previously the chancellor and president at Syracuse University, was scheduled to take over for interim president Domenico Grasso on July 1 of this year. But in mid-April, just a few days after Michigan’s men’s basketball team won the national championship, Syverud announced that he had been diagnosed with brain cancer. He stepped down from his presidency before it even began. Grasso was eventually elevated to the full-time position, though not quite in a permanent capacity: The Board of Regents said that the search for a 17th president would begin anew. Correctly or not, it was widely assumed that one of Syverud’s main objectives after assuming his new position would be to change leadership within Michigan’s athletics department. For years, Manuel’s tenure with the Wolverines had been peppered with hiring missteps, NCAA violations and embarrassing conduct from his employees. None more so than former football coach Sherrone Moore, whom Manuel fired last December after the department found "credible evidence" of an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. That Manuel interspersed each blemish with four national championships — including one each for football (2023) and men’s basketball (2026), the most lucrative and highest-visibility sports — was enough for him to keep his job longer than most people expected. But all of that ended on July 20, when Michigan announced that Manuel will be stepping down from his position at the end of the calendar year. So what does this mean? Here’s a look at what’s next for Michigan. What Does Warde Manuel's Departure Mean For Michigan Athletics? In the same way that Michigan’s decision to hire Whittingham represented a noteworthy departure from those who were connected to the pockmarked tenure of alum Jim Harbaugh, this most recent divorce between the Wolverines and Manuel affords the institution an opportunity to do the same atop its athletics department. A native of New Orleans, where he was an All-American high school football player, Manuel matriculated at Michigan and played under legendary head coach Bo Schembechler in the late 1980s, including a spell as Harbaugh’s teammate. And though his gridiron contributions were prematurely halted by a neck injury, Manuel still won multiple varsity letters in multiple sports for the Wolverines, shifting over to the track and field team before the end of his undergraduate career. He went on to earn three degrees from Michigan between 1990 and 2005: a bachelor of general studies, a master’s in social work and an MBA. In other words, Manuel falls neatly within the framework of the proverbial "Michigan Man" persona that was popularized by Schembechler, who manned the sidelines for two decades and eventually became the school’s athletics director. That pedigree alone helps explain why Manuel, now 58, was hired by the Wolverines in 2016. Now, it’s also one of the reasons why so many fans wanted him removed. A steady stream of shameful institutional missteps and public relations nightmares during Manuel’s tenure have dulled the sheen so often associated with the proud "Michigan Man" archetype. Most notably, the stomach-turning sexual abuse scandal involving Dr. Robert Anderson, now deceased, and the university officials who overlooked — or flat-out ignored — years of accusations surrounding the physician’s suspected misconduct during a 50-year career. In 2022, Michigan eventually agreed to a $450 million settlement with more than 1,000 of Anderson’s victims. The jaw-dropping revelation that Schembechler, who coached at Michigan from 1969-89, was among those authority figures shielding in real time began to erode the outsized legacy he and his disciples left behind. Though Moore never played for Michigan prior to joining the Wolverines’ coaching staff in 2018, the decision to fire him amid another off-field controversy in December was seen as a necessary step if the program wanted to finally distance itself from anyone linked to Harbaugh, who himself is inextricably linked to Schembechler. Each victory Harbaugh amassed during an unprecedented run over his final three seasons — a period capped, of course, by winning the national championship in 2023 — seemed to be met with another round of eyebrow-raising headlines: There were plenty of other incidents, too. In effect, dismissing Moore meant that Michigan could finally move on from whatever remnants Harbaugh’s highly successful, highly controversial tenure had left behind — the good, the bad, the unethical and everything in between. It meant the Wolverines could distance themselves from a seminal figure in program history, a true Maize and Blue legend, but someone who also muddied the waters with his ongoing flouting of NCAA rules and longstanding ties to the increasingly stained Schembechler era. Parting ways with Manuel, whose time at Michigan can be connected to all of those things, offers Michigan another chance to start anew, to finally hit the reset button atop the athletics department hierarchy. His replacement should come from outside the Wolverines’ family. How Could Manuel Leaving Affect Michigan Football? As the day-to-day leader of Michigan athletics, Manuel preferred to operate beyond the spotlight whenever possible. He was far less outspoken than some of his colleagues across the country — fellow athletics directors like Pete Bevacqua at Notre Dame or Ross Bjork at Ohio State, for example — and reserved many of his regularly scheduled comments for a friendly local radio show in Ann Arbor. The only real exceptions came when Manuel puffed his chest for reporters in the immediate aftermath of championship moments for the football and men’s basketball programs, which were opportunities he seemed to relish. A connection can be drawn between Manuel’s relative disinterest in occupying the kind of mainstream, protagonist role ascribed to modern ADs and the most common critique surrounding how he approached the job. Both publicly and privately, detractors have questioned Manuel’s creativity and aggression when it comes to things like general fundraising efforts, NIL implementation strategies and negotiating contracts with Michigan’s coaches across various sports. It wasn’t until the Wolverines overhauled their pursuit of five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood prior to his senior season of high school that Michigan employed a fully modernized approach to player acquisition, and that was roughly three years after NIL was introduced on July 1, 2021. Even then, sources familiar with the inner workings of Underwood’s recruitment never included Manuel when asked about the most influential figures in that pursuit. All of which is to say that the Wolverines could benefit quite significantly from selecting a leader focused more on enhancing Michigan’s future than simply honoring, or preserving, its illustrious past. This is particularly important when considering that Whittingham, the new football coach, will turn 67 later this year and has never coached in the power conferences. He built a decorated, Hall-of-Fame caliber career while doing more with less across two decades as the head coach at Utah. And now, as college football continues to evolve on what feels like a daily basis, he’ll need strong leadership and guidance from atop the department to properly wield Michigan’s considerable institutional advantages. What About Michigan Men's Basketball? For a moment, it appeared that Manuel’s uneven tenure might not last beyond the university’s Board of Regents meeting held in Traverse City, Michigan last Thursday. The days leading up to that regularly scheduled gathering hummed with speculation and scuttlebutt surrounding an independent investigation by law firm Jenner &amp; Block, whose bill with the school has now soared to nearly $12 million and counting since the project was commissioned. The Wall Street Journal said the investigation had already found evidence that Michigan received "repeated reports about [Sherrone] Moore’s behavior," as it pertained to the inappropriate relationship with Paige Shiver, his former executive assistant. The Board of Regents meeting Thursday came and went without any discussion on Manuel's future. Neither Manuel nor the investigation by Jenner &amp; Block were discussed. Business, it seemed, would continue as usual for at least a while longer. And that’s exactly how Manuel had been operating. Six days before the Board of Regents meeting, Manuel announced that he was dropping the "interim" tag attached to men’s basketball coach Mike Boynton Jr. after the sides agreed on a two-year contract. Boynton, 44, served as the lead assistant and defensive coordinator for the Wolverines under head coach Dusty May the last two seasons, guiding the program to just the second national championship in school history. He’d worked tirelessly to retain the core of Michigan’s roster ever since May decided to leave for an NBA job last month. "Mike is a veteran assistant with strong head-coaching experience and a clear understanding of the standard we expect at Michigan," Manuel said in a press release. "Over the past two seasons, he has been an invaluable member of our staff, bringing stability, leadership and perspective during an important period of success." Within a week, though, members of the anti-Manuel contingent were given yet another reason to roll their eyes at the way he conducts business. Boynton’s new two-year contract, which will pay him $3.6 million for the 2026-27 season, includes a series of uncommon performance benchmarks he must meet simply to reach the second year of the deal, according to a records request by MLive and an article published Thursday. "The program can’t have any Level I or II NCAA violations," writes beat reporter Andrew Kahn, "Boynton can’t violate any policies or rules, and all players must remain academically eligible. The Wolverines must also reach the Final Four or hit at least two of the following: win at least 24 regular season games (out of 31), finish in the top four in the Big Ten, win the Big Ten Tournament, or reach the Sweet 16." All of those accomplishments feel reasonable for a program that returns several key players from a national championship-winning squad and has also welcomed another star-studded transfer portal class to Ann Arbor, not to mention five-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr., the jewel of Michigan’s high school recruiting class. But with such specific criteria comes plenty of additional pressure for a head coach who already has immense shoes to fill.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Michigan AD Warde Manuel Agrees To Buyout, Will Step Down At End Of 2026]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-athletic-director-buyout-stepping-down</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigan-athletic-director-buyout-stepping-down</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The University of Michigan and embattled athletic director Warde Manuel have agreed to a buyout of the remaining years on his contract.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:04:41 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The University of Michigan and embattled athletic director Warde Manuel have agreed to a buyout of the remaining years on his contract and he will step down at the end of the year, culminating a decade-long run with four national championships and a string of scandals. The school said Monday the decision was tied to investigations into former football coach Sherrone Moore's relationship with his executive assistant and a probe into the athletic department's culture. Manuel led a department behind this year's men's basketball title and a football program that won the 2023 national championship, but that wasn't enough for him to keep his job. Manuel fired Moore following a law firm's investigation into a relationship he had with a subordinate, and the school later chose to widen the look into the department; a law firm was paid about $12 million to do the work. Manuel previously spoke to Moore and the woman about their relationship, both denied it was inappropriate and he went through their school-issued cellphones and email accounts unable to find anything that would allow him to fire Moore for cause, people familiar with the situation previously told The Associated Press. The 58-year-old Manuel, who played football for the Wolverines under the late Bo Schembechler and was on the track team, was hired to lead the department on Jan. 29, 2016. He signed a contract extension at Michigan in 2024 that was set to run through June 2030. He led a department with an annual budget of about $250 million, 29 teams, 950-plus athletes and about 400 staff members. "Every day, I am thankful to work at this great institution and to represent Michigan Athletics," Manuel said in December 2024. The Wolverines won the national championship in football under former coach Jim Harbaugh as a sign-stealing scandal loomed over the program and Moore's tenure. They won it all in men's basketball earlier this year with coach Dusty May, who later left to lead the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. Michigan also won men's and women's gymnastics national titles under Manuel. The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame gave Manuel the John L. Toner Award in 2024, honoring him for demonstrating superior administrative abilities and dedication to college athletics, especially football. He represented Michigan and the Big Ten as member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee and was chair during the 2004 season when the 12-team playoff format kicked off. Manuel, who is from New Orleans, previously served as athletic director at UConn and Buffalo after working in Michigan's athletic department in various roles from 1996 to 2005. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[How Hiring James Franklin Fits Into Virginia Tech's Bold, Nine-Figure Athletic Blueprint]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/how-hiring-james-franklin-fits-virginia-techs-bold-nine-figure-athletic-blueprint</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/how-hiring-james-franklin-fits-virginia-techs-bold-nine-figure-athletic-blueprint</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[New Virginia Tech coach James Franklin knows the Hokies' proud history going back to the Frank Beamer era.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:22:08 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[New Virginia Tech coach James Franklin knows the Hokies' proud history going back to the Frank Beamer era. Annual bowl bids. A trip to the national championship game. Special teams play so reliably good that it spawned the name "Beamer Ball," and the beaten-up metal lunch pail symbolizing a blue-collar defensive ethic. "You guys all remember that Virginia Tech," Franklin said Thursday, "but none of the current players do." That explains why Franklin's arrival as the big-name hire after a dozen years at Penn State is about more than trying to win a few more games on crisp autumn weekends in Blacksburg. Rather, it's an admission that the school must elevate its sports profile after years of seismic changes to NCAA rules and conference alignments. That includes raising more money and investing more in athletics in what the school has described as a "reset" to meet that moment, down to the recent hiring of athletic director Brian White and the ongoing search for a new university president. As always, the spotlight is on football with its revenue-driving role in college sports. "Even before the job was open, Virginia Tech I think had realized that what we had been doing for the last nine or 10 years hadn't worked," Franklin said during the Atlantic Coast Conference's preseason football media days. "And there needs to be a commitment. "And I think this a problem at a lot of places: does your expectations match your commitment?" A Firing Marked The Start Of A Change-Filled Year For The Hokies Trouble seemingly arrived last fall with an 0-3 start that led to the September firing of Brent Pry as coach. Yet the issues go back further, back to the gradual slide that began in the latter part of Beamer's 29-year tenure followed by the inability of successor Justin Fuente to sustain the kind of success needed for national relevance. Yet as the Hokies ousted Pry, they also pointed to a need to reshape their athletics operations to complete with the ACC's best in a strategy soon called "Invest To Win." And changes kept coming: — By the end of September, the school's Board of Visitors had approved spending an additional $229 million on athletics over four years. — By December, the school announced an anonymous gift commitment of $20 million, coming weeks after Franklin's hiring. — In early June, school announced the creation of the "Hokie Ventures" nonprofit corporation to support athletics with investment and revenue generation, followed by the announcement of a $75 million gift with the majority earmarked for athletics. — And late last month, the school hired White away from Florida Atlantic as its new AD. "In our world, it's a national conversation: ‘Man, Virginia Tech, they're putting all their chips in,'" White said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press. "That's something you want to be a part of." Sports Success Can Boost The Financial Bottom Line In The ACC There's a financial incentive to improving Hokies athletics beyond fans buying up tickets, concessions and paying for gameday parking. It could offer a significant bump to the ACC's annual payout (largely tied to media rights) to the school, which received more than $46.5 million for the 2024-25 season according to the league's most recent tax filing. First there's the 2024 launch of the ACC's "success initiative" allowing teams to keep the money generated from their own postseason success, most notably with any deep push in the College Football Playoff. As an example, Clemson and SMU each earned $4 million for bids to the 12-team CFP in 2024, while Miami's run to last year's championship game secured $20 million. The league also changed its revenue-distribution model in 2025 to reward programs that generate higher TV viewership, also a byproduct of teams winning enough to earn marquee broadcast slots with must-watch games. Those come amid league-wide efforts to generate more revenue while facing a significant financial gap behind the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference. "There's so many places around the country that it’s a critical time for, because it’s a critical moment in the history of college athletics with the amount of change that’s happening right now," White told the AP. "There's never been a more important time to be the best version of yourself." Franklin's Penn State Exit Became An Opportunity For Virginia Tech That's part of why Franklin is here now, absorbing traditions like the use of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" as a gameday anthem at Lane Stadium while trying to offer a bridge to something new. It didn't seem likely at this time last year, with Franklin coming off leading the Nittany Lions to the CFP semifinals and was set to enter the year with the AP Top 25's No. 2-ranked team. But things unexpectedly unraveled, swiftly enough that Penn State fired Franklin by mid-October amid a 3-3 start. "He's a big name, and it's just crazy he's here," defensive lineman Kemari Copeland said Thursday. Franklin also represents a marquee addition to the league's coaching ranks, still headlined by two-time national champion Dabo Swinney at Clemson. SMU coach Rhett Lashlee is among those to cross paths with Franklin before; his Mustangs lost to Penn State in the 2024 CFP first round. "He brings a lot of experience, he knows how to win and I think he brings a lot to our league and our coaches," Lashlee said Wednesday back in Texas. Franklin talked Thursday about the importance of getting Beamer's blessing in a phone call before taking over. It captured his approach now: embrace the past, but make sure to evolve, too. "I want the people that love Virginia Tech to watch us and say, ‘That’s what Virginia Tech football’s supposed to look like," Franklin said. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Miami Turns to Duke Transfer Darian Mensah to Continue Portal Quarterback Success]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/miami-turns-duke-transfer-darian-mensah-continue-portal-quarterback-success</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/miami-turns-duke-transfer-darian-mensah-continue-portal-quarterback-success</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Miami Hurricanes are back on the national scene in college football in large part due to the acquisition of two high-profile transfer quarterbacks the past two years.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:23:37 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Miami Hurricanes are back on the national scene in college football in large part due to the acquisition of two high-profile transfer quarterbacks the past two years. They're counting on a third, Darian Mensah from Duke, to keep them in the conversation. The junior redshirt quarterback said Wednesday he made the move to Miami largely because of the success Cam Ward and Carson Beck experienced after joining the Hurricanes through the transfer portal. Ward became the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, and Beck took Miami to the College Football Playoff championship game last season and was selected in Round 3. Mensah said after watching Ward and Beck perform he believes Miami gives him a chance to win a national title, while simultaneously best utilizing his skill set to improve his NFL draft stock. "Seeing what the last two quarterbacks did at Miami was a huge factor," Mensah said at the ACC Kickoff. "Seeing the freedom that (offensive coordinator Shannon) Dawson lets the quarterback play with within his offense was also something that was attractive to me." Mensah's arrival in Miami followed a tension-filled offseason legal fight between Duke and its elite QB, who had signed a two-year contract in 2025 that included name, image and likeness money. The end result was a settlement that allowed Mensah to move on after the school had attempted to block his departure. Mensah brings a proven track record to Miami. He threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns for Tulane in 2024, then led the Atlantic Coast Conference last season with 3,973 yards passing and 34 touchdowns. The Blue Devils won a five-way tiebreaker to reach the ACC championship and beat No. 20 Virginia in Charlotte for their first outright title since 1962. With Beck out of college eligibility, Miami coach Mario Cristobal felt his team desperately needed an experienced QB to go with a talented returning core. "We were in the market for a quarterback," Cristobal said. "We felt the team was really set in so many areas. When Darian hit the portal, we felt this is a guy we would love to pursue. ... His levels of leadership, care factor, time invested in his craft, football IQ, just natural human IQ, just an elite person." Mensah said the transition to Miami has been "seamless" and that his new teammates have been welcoming even while talk swirls around his reported $10 million NIL deal. "I feel like I’m at home here in Miami and you couldn’t ask for more," he said. Mensah said he remains friends with his former Duke teammates but that "business is business." However, there likely will be plenty of emotions on both sides when the Hurricanes host Duke on Nov. 14. Mensah said he briefly considered joining the NFL draft but decided he needed to show more to scouts. "I feel like I lost my team some games last year with just having the ball loose," Mensah said. "And so I think that was a big thing for me and then just taking what the defense gives me and just being better with that, and not pressing." The Hurricanes are coming off a memorable season. After catching a few breaks to get into the CFP, including Duke's Mensah-led win over Virginia, they beat No. 7 Texas A&amp;M, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 6 Mississippi before losing to Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and No. 1 Indiana in the CFP final. Linebacker Mohamed Toure, Miami’s leading tackler last season, said the "The U" is getting closer to the high level where it once was. He said he gets chills when former Hurricanes players return to campus and talk with the team. He said the loss to the Hoosiers will only continue to drive the Hurricanes. "We ended with a bitter taste in our mouth, so it’s like we’re hungry to get to this 2026 season," Toure said. "But we understand that we only could take it one day at a time. So taking that energy, that hunger that we have and just applying it to every single day. It's a stepping stone." Miami hopes Mensah can help it take that final step and win its first national title since 2001. "I always felt like I could play at this level, and a lot of people didn’t when I was in high school, so, carry that chip around me everywhere I go," Mensah said. "There’s a lot more left in my college career that I’m, I can showcase and I’m excited for the season." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[SMU Names New Recovery Center After Active QB Kevin Jennings Amid Heisman Campaign]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/smu-names-new-recovery-center-after-active-qb-kevin-jennings-amid-heisman-campaign</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/smu-names-new-recovery-center-after-active-qb-kevin-jennings-amid-heisman-campaign</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[SMU has launched a Heisman Trophy campaign for senior quarterback Kevin Jennings, and also is putting his name on a new recovery center in the school's football complex.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:47:00 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[SMU has launched a Heisman Trophy campaign for senior quarterback Kevin Jennings, and also is putting his name on a new recovery center in the school's football complex. The third-year hometown starting quarterback, who led the Mustangs to the College Football Playoff two seasons ago, is believed to be the first player to have an area on any campus named for him while still active in his college career. "When you started looking at a legacy that’s going to be left, every player that comes through SMU is going to see Kevin’s name up there and be reminded of the impact he had, but also what his accomplishments allow us to do to leave something that’s going to help make their experience here better," Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee said Wednesday. The announcement of the Kevin Jennings Recovery Center came two days after SMU officially launched its "K7NG OF DALLAS" campaign That title is a nod to the city where the school is located and where Jennings was born and grew up, plus the two-time captain's jersey number. SMU's only Heisman Trophy winner was halfback Doak Walker in 1948. Walker is the namesake of the annual award for the nation's top college running back. Jennings is 19-7 as SMU’s starter with 7,709 yards and 55 touchdowns passing, well within reach of the school’s career records of 9,081 yards and 72 TDs. He completed 300 of 454 passes (66.1%) for 3,641 yards and 26 touchdowns last season, the Mustangs' second in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "That was a no-brainer," Lashlee said of the organized Heisman push. "He’s more than deserving of it. We've got to win games, we've got to play well. I think we've got a good team around him, but he’s earned it." Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza was the Heisman Trophy winner last season, the fourth QB in five years to win the award. The only non-quarterback in that span was Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter in 2024. SMU's recovery center will include two dedicated spaces with state-of-the-art equipment for physical and mental recovery such as light infrared saunas, dry plunge and sleep pods. They will be in areas that will be renovated inside SMU's endzone facility that opened two years ago, and could be ready early in the upcoming season. "It means a lot. I’m just super-excited for it," Jennings said. "It’s honestly just a blessing being in this situation I’m in right now." SMU said the center inspired by Jennings' vision was made possible by financial support from alumni Ann and Malcolm Holland. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 College Football Odds: Will Oregon, Miami Both Make Playoff?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-odds-oregon-miami-playoff-memphis-tigers</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-odds-oregon-miami-playoff-memphis-tigers</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
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				    <![CDATA[Geoff Schwartz has his eye on one team's win total and two teams' CFP chances. See where he's putting his money.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 22:28:06 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[As you probably know by now, diving into regular-season win totals for college football might be one of my favorite pastimes. And I believe where I've landed recently could get us a return on our investment when it comes to one squad's Under. I also believe that my Oregon Ducks and last year's championship runner-up, the Miami Hurricanes, are bound to make deep postseason runs. Here's my latest. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Memphis Tigers regular-season win total Memphis won at least eight regular-season games in the last three seasons under former coach Ryan Silverfield. Silverfield left for Arkansas and nearly 50 players left the program. Memphis hired Charles Huff to lead the squad and Huff has a proven track record of rebuilding programs. He just took Southern Mississippi from a one-win team to being a bowl team before joining Memphis. However, I don’t think he’s going to see the same success as Tigers head coach in Year 1. It used to be that returning production was a favorite of mine when previewing a team’s early-season success. But the portal has changed how I view it. If you lose snaps to the portal, then acquiring players with starting experience and snaps should count as returning production. Memphis only returns 42% of its production from 2025, which is near the bottom of the sport. The Tigers' quarterback graduated, and they lost their most prized backup to Arkansas. They also lost their top three running backs and receivers, and most of their offensive line will be new this season. Huff addressed some of these areas with portal additions, but there are still so many questions. Who is the quarterback? Well, Dylan Stokes transferred from West Florida and appears to have the lead for the job. Memphis has a handful of productive portal additions as skill players. It appears the offensive line is going to start four transfer players. In other words, there are lots of unknowns on offense. The defense hovered at just below average for most of Silverfield’s time at Memphis, so it’s possible that nearly everyone who could tackle left in the portal. The defense projects to start 11 new players. Even most of the backups are new players. There are some high-upside athletes, like J’Mond Tapp who followed Huff to Memphis. He recorded 7.5 sacks and 67 tackles last season. The rest of the defensive line needs players to emerge as playmakers. One of the linebacker spots is set with Michael Montgomery transferring from Southern Miss, as well as some of the secondary pieces. But just like the offense, there are so many unknowns. The Memphis schedule does have wins built into it. The Tigers are over a touchdown favorite against UNLV in Week 1 and will be a big favorite in Week 2 against Arkansas State. They will not win at Boise State but should beat UT Martin in the final out-of-conference game. Ultimately, they should be 3-1 to start the season. The Tigers have two wins on paper in conference games with Charlotte and UAB. At least I hope so. The rest of their schedule looks like 50-50 games. However, with so many new pieces on the roster, uncertainty at quarterback and an entirely new depth chart, I could see this season being a struggle. Because of inexperience, Memphis could lose games that it actually should win. PICK: Memphis Under 7.5 regular-season wins Will Oregon and Miami make the College Football Playoff? Oregon has been a Playoff team two straight seasons. In 2024, the Ducks went 13-0 in the regular season (including the conference title game) and followed that up with 11-1 last season, when their only loss was to eventual champion Indiana. Oregon also went 11-2 in 2023 but did not make a four-team playoff after losing to Washington in the Pac-12 Championship Game. The Ducks don't lose games against teams they shouldn’t lose to. In fact, most of the games against those types of teams aren’t particularly close. Their schedule is set up for success again and this might be the best Oregon roster in school history. The Ducks will be underdogs just once this season, when they travel to Ohio State. Oregon does travel to USC and hosts Michigan. Otherwise, the Ducks' schedule is full of wins. Get one win of those three games (even though it'll be more like two) and Oregon is into the Playoff. A few weeks back, I wrote about Miami’s chances to win the ACC. I love it. The Hurricanes might be more complete this season. They lost quarterback Carson Beck but Duke transfer Darian Mensah is better. They return their outstanding running back and their best receiver, who’s also one of the best in the country. We know that staff can replace offensive and defensive linemen that they lost. The Miami defensive line and secondary will also be outstanding. The Canes are just far better than anyone in the ACC. And after losing in the national title game, they will be thirsty to get back there again. Both of these teams are making the Playoff. PICK: Oregon and Miami (-120) both to make College Football Playoff]]>
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					<![CDATA[ACC Changes Conference Title Game Tiebreakers Following Miami-Duke Controversy]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/acc-miami-duke-2025-acc-championship</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/acc-miami-duke-2025-acc-championship</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The ACC is revamping the tiebreaker format for its football championship game following a controversial finish that allowed a 5-loss Duke team to reach the title game over then No. 10-ranked Miami.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:29:16 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Atlantic Coast Conference is revamping the tiebreaker format for its football championship game following a controversial finish last season that allowed a five-loss Duke team to get in over then-No. 10-ranked Miami — a situation that put the Hurricanes at risk of missing the expanded College Football Playoff. Miami, which had been the ACC's most dominant team during the regular season, wound up being selected for the playoff and went on to reach the national title game, where it fell short to No. 1 Indiana 27-21. Duke beat No. 20 Virginia in the ACC championship game last year for its first outright ACC title since 1962 but was not selected for the CFP, much to the dismay of Blue Devils coach Manny Diaz. The new football championship tiebreaker policy will take effect beginning with the 2026 season, reflecting the league’s transition to a nine-game conference schedule and ensuring a fair and equitable process for determining participants in the ACC championship game, the league said. The updated tiebreaking procedure is built on three guiding principles: — Head-to-head results always will matter most. — No team will be overly rewarded or penalized based on the number of conference games it played. — When head-to-head competition cannot separate tied teams, the team with the strongest overall body of work will earn the opportunity to compete for the ACC championship and the conference’s automatic qualifier to the College Football Playoff. "Our game will feature the two most deserving teams," ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said at ACC Kickoff on Wednesday in Charlotte. Phillips said the third tier of that tiebreaker will be based on a SportSource Analytics metric used by the CFP. The updated policy was developed to reward head-to-head results and account for the league’s teams playing an alternate number of conference games while also identifying the two most deserving teams to compete for the ACC championship and the conference’s automatic berth into the CFP. The conference said the evaluation included more than 10,000 simulated season outcomes to ensure the model fairly addressed a wide range of championship scenarios. The revised policy was approved following a comprehensive review by the ACC’s athletics directors. In December, the ACC announced that 12 of its 17 football-playing members would be playing a nine-game football schedule beginning in 2026 while five teams would play eight games. That made the head-to-head tiebreakers even more complicated than in the past. The policy will operate as a bridge to accommodate conference games already on the books, with the plan to have 16 of 17 teams playing nine football games regularly by 2027. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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