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		<title>Latest College Football News &amp; Videos from FOX Sports</title>
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		<description>Breaking NCAA College Football news, videos, articles, and stories from FOX Sports.</description>
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			<title>Latest College Football News &amp; Videos from FOX Sports</title>
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		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:40:28 -0400</pubDate>
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					<![CDATA[2026 College Football Odds: Fade Arkansas Win Total; Back WSU]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-odds-fade-arkansas-win-total-back-wsu</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-odds-fade-arkansas-win-total-back-wsu</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Geoff Schwartz is eyeing two specific win totals ahead of college football season. See where he is putting his dough.]]>
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				<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:56:47 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[These days, college football is all about change. That includes rosters, coaching staffs, conferences and beyond. Two teams that are undergoing some form of change are Arkansas and Washington State, and I think the two programs will head in opposite directions next season. Allow me to explain and lay out my best bets for both squads. 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. Arkansas Razorbacks' Over/Under win total Arkansas hired Ryan Silverfield in December after a successful stint as the Memphis head coach. Silverfield’s teams featured high-octane offenses and suspect defenses, but that’s what you see at the Group of 5 level. You need to pick your poison, and he chooses to be able to score. I’d expect that philosophy in Year 1 for him at Arkansas, but that’s more difficult to execute in the SEC in your first season. The offense will either feature returning quarterback KJ Jackson or Memphis transfer AJ Hill. Jackson attempted only 54 passes last season, while Hill barely played at Memphis. The rest of the offense is built with half returning starters, half portal players — the usual build for a new coach. Still, I trust Silverfield to have a competent offense. Silverfield hired Ron Roberts to run the defense. Roberts just spent two years at Florida and knows the conference well. He’s got a tough job in Year 1, though. The Arkansas defense was one of the worst in the power conferences, and Arkansas went to the portal to address the roster heading into 2026. It’s hard to say what the defense will be this season with so much newness, but on its face I’m not sure where the dynamic playmakers come from. The defensive rebuild will take a while. The Arkansas football schedule is difficult and that is the No. 1 reason the Razorbacks are going Under their win total. They have three non-conference games that include a trip to Utah. At best, they are 1-2 in those, with nine conference games on deck. It’s freaking brutal. There is Georgia, Texas A&amp;M, Texas, Tennessee and LSU, and Arkansas will need to win at home against Missouri and South Carolina to get close to four. I just don’t see it happening this season. Washington State Over/Under win total The Cougars' program has weathered the two-year storm without a conference. It has been rocky, it has lost coaches and talent, but it continues to win amongst all the noise and chaos. Washington State has won eight and seven games the last two seasons, respectively, with two different coaches. It enters this season with another new coach. Kirby Moore was the offensive coordinator for Missouri the last three seasons, where the offense was high-powered and multidimensional. His quarterback should be UC Davis transfer Caden Pinnick, who was electric as an Aggie last season. I’m always hesitant to get excited about an FCS transfer to an FBS power conference team because those transactions rarely live up to the hype. However, an FCS transfer to a Group of 6 team has a strong track record. The Cougars return enough offensive linemen to feel good about that group. They will need some skill players on the outside to step up. The Cougars' run game should be good from Day 1 with the return of Kirby Vorhees. Former Oregon State head coach Trent Bray was hired to run the defense, and he'll have a group of transfers. Bray has a proven track record, but it's hard to gauge what this defense will be with all the new parts. It's nothing different than other programs in the same position as the Cougars. The Cougars are back into a fully functional conference, as the Pac-12 has expanded back to eight teams for this season. They will need to win four of the seven conference games to feel comfortable about winning five games. They have a win against Duquesne in the non-conference and most likely three losses against Washington, Kansas State and Arizona. They do get a second game against Oregon State to round out the 12-game schedule. In other words, the plan should be to sweep Oregon State, beat Duquesne and then win two other conference games. I believe in this squad.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Legislation Overhauling College Sports Faces Major Test In The Senate]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ncaa-legislation-player-pay-coach-movement</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ncaa-legislation-player-pay-coach-movement</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[A bipartisan bill top lawmakers and athletic leaders have described as the best chance to stabilize college sports is facing a key test in the Senate.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 12:28:26 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[A bill that top lawmakers and athletic leaders have described as the best chance to stabilize college sports faces a key test in the Senate on Thursday as sponsors roll out a revised version after weeks of input from schools, conferences and athletes. The bipartisan Protect College Sports Act aims to regulate payments to players, limit them to one free transfer over their careers and create a rule to restrict coaches from changing jobs during a season. The Senate Commerce Committee will debate the latest version of the bill on Thursday before potentially voting on whether to send it to the full Senate for consideration. The legislation is the product of months of negotiations between Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, the top lawmakers on the Senate Commerce Committee, and comes when lawmakers in both chambers of Congrlaneess are grappling with whether it's time for them to intervene in college sports. The Senate bill has won backing from several athletic conferences as well as the NFL and its players' union and the United States Olympic &amp; Paralympic Committee. But the two most powerful conferences in college sports — the Southeastern Conference, based in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Big Ten Conference, based in Rosemont, Illinois — have not endorsed it. The Olympic committee’s support comes as the revised bill is expected to add further protections for women’s and Olympic sports. Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the Olympic and Paralympic committee, told Cruz and Cantwell in a letter this week that she looks forward to Thursday's action by the Senate panel and encouraged it to advance the bill without delay. Support for the bill does not fall neatly along party lines, reflecting the national reach of SEC and Big Ten schools and broader divisions in Congress. While President Donald Trump has backed the bill, some fellow Republicans oppose it. Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican and former Auburn football coach, has opposed the measure, saying, "If we get involved in it, if you look at everything else we do, it doesn’t work." He has introduced his own bill. Senate Democrats have been especially quiet on the issue. On the eve of the committee action, some Democrats on the Senate Commerce Committee were still on the fence about the bill. Further changes are still possible, with lawmakers expected to consider amendments during the hearing. "I have not made up my mind," Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth said. Democratic Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan said he is also "still up in the air" on the bill. Michigan is home to two prominent Big Ten schools — the University of Michigan and Michigan State University — and Peters said he has been in contact with the conference. "We still are trying to get some changes that the Big Ten would like to see," Peters told The Associated Press. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Cincinnati Denies Allegations It Had Prior Knowledge of Brendan Sorsby's Gambling]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/cincinnati-denies-allegations-had-prior-knowledge-brendan-sorsbys-gambling</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/cincinnati-denies-allegations-had-prior-knowledge-brendan-sorsbys-gambling</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The University of Cincinnati athletic department disputes a claim from Brendan Sorsby's agent, who says the school knew about the quarterback's gambling and didn't do anything about it.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 20:52:19 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The University of Cincinnati athletic department disputes a claim from Brendan Sorsby's agent, who says the school knew about the quarterback's gambling and didn't do anything about it. "All of our student-athletes receive extensive gambling education multiple times throughout the year, and we would never knowingly play an athlete who violated NCAA sports wagering regulations," the school's athletic department said in a statement Wednesday. "If we ever became aware of impermissible wagering, we would report to the NCAA and comply with sanctions." Sorsby's agent, Ron Slavin, made the claims in an interview with KRLD radio in Dallas. The NCAA banished Sorsby from competition for gambling activity that included wagers on his own team while on the roster at Indiana in 2022 and betting on pro sports. He dropped his unprecedented legal battle to play for Texas Tech this year. Sorsby declared for the NFL supplemental draft Tuesday and has until Monday to file. His attempt to speed up his professional career leans heavily on a rarely used offseason process designed for prospects not eligible for the league's primary draft. Sorsby spent a month in a residential treatment program for a diagnosed addiction. Then he sued the NCAA and gained a court-ordered reinstatement that prompted nationwide backlash toward Texas Tech. He is tentatively planning to work out for NFL teams on July 10 at a Dallas-area high school, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because the process for conducting the supplemental draft wasn’t complete. The University of Cincinnati is suing Sorsby, accusing him of breaching his name, image and likeness contract following his transfer to Texas Tech. The university filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in February. Slavin has said pursuing legal action against his client is misguided and that Sorsby intends to fight the lawsuit and any resulting damages. Sorsby passed for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions last season for the Bearcats and also ran for 580 yards and nine scores. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[College Football Leaders Meet in Denver to Weigh 16- vs. 24-Team Playoff Formats]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-leaders-meet-denver-weigh-16-vs-24-team-playoff-formats</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-leaders-meet-denver-weigh-16-vs-24-team-playoff-formats</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[College football leaders gathered Wednesday to debate the merits of expanding to 24 or 16 playoff teams. They need more time, though, to sort out the details of what could be the most important number — money.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 20:21:59 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[College football leaders gathered Wednesday to debate the merits of expanding to 24 or 16 playoff teams. They need more time, though, to sort out the details of what could be the most important number — money. Rich Clark, the executive director of the College Football Playoff, said the meetings between commissioners and a few others were "very healthy" but didn’t lead to anything concrete. "We’ve got a lot on the table to just help us to continue to move the ball forward," Clark said. "We have a little homework to do coming out of there. ... We have a good idea what we need to bring back to them to help them with their decisions." They will keep studying the impact that expanding the playoff from 12 to 16 or 24 teams could have on venues, the schedule, the future of now-imperiled conference title games. And, of course, how much extra games might go for on the open market. Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey has lobbied for 16 teams, while Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference leaders have widely agreed on their preference for a 24-team scenario that the Big Ten first put forward and still supports. The playoff expanded from four to 12 teams in 2024, but after executives failed to reach an expansion agreement, the CFP will use the same model for the 2026-27 season. "I feel like we made progress and sometimes, even though you don’t get to the answers, you understand more about what you need to get to the answer," Clark said. "My goal is for us to make the most informed decision that we can. If it takes time, I would rather be deliberate about this than rush into something that was half-baked or not fully thought through." Brendan Sorsby Situation Asked if they were any discussions on sports wagering, Clark responded: "Nothing that I’m wanting to talk about." It remains a hot topic in light of Brendan Sorsby, the transfer quarterback who now won’t play for Texas Tech this fall and instead plans to enter the NFL supplemental draft. Sorsby’s decision ends his legal fight over the college eligibility of a player who had acknowledged betting on college and pro sports, including bets on his own team. September Meeting The next meeting for the leaders of college football is slated for September, but another could be scheduled if they’re "able to gather the facts and the information that they need," Clark said. Like how scheduling might work and, of course, maybe more insight into revenue. "We have to look at everything," Clark said. "I feel very optimistic about the way the meeting went, and I know our team, we feel like we have some good marching orders on what we need to provide to the commissioners to help them. "It’s just a matter of us now going through that process and getting that information." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NFL Supplemental Draft: How Does It Work? What To Know As Brendan Sorsby Enters]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-supplemental-draft-how-does-work-what-know-brendan-sorsby-enters</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-supplemental-draft-how-does-work-what-know-brendan-sorsby-enters</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here's what to know about the NFL Supplemental Draft as Brendan Sorsby has entered the process.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:44:25 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has brought back a rare and obscure part of the NFL vocabulary: the supplemental draft. Sorsby, 22, has applied for the supplemental draft after gambling problems complicated his eligibility at Texas Tech. He had transferred there after two seasons at Indiana and two more at Cincinnati, but now will head to the NFL rather than play a final season of college football. Sorsby would have been a top draft prospect for 2027, having thrown for 27 touchdowns against just five interceptions last year at Cincinnati. Allegations of widespread gambling, including wagers placed on his own team, put his eligibility in jeopardy, and though a judge had granted an injunction allowing him to play the upcoming season, backlash from other schools led him to the NFL. So what exactly is the supplemental draft? How will it work for NFL teams considering adding Sorsby to their rosters? Here are the basics for the process, which will unfold over the next six weeks ahead of the start of NFL training camps. The NFL Supplemental Draft is intended for players who no longer have eligibility but were not eligible for the league's regular draft in April. It has become a rare phenomenon, with no players taken in a supplemental draft since safety Jalen Thompson was taken in the fifth round in 2019. Thompson, now with the Dallas Cowboys, is the only active NFL player taken in a supplemental draft. To take a player in a supplemental draft, an NFL team must be willing to give up a pick from the next year's draft. After evaluating a prospect, each team can submit a bid, using a 2027 draft pick, and the team submitting the highest pick gets the player, essentially using a pick from next year now. The player joins the team on a rookie contract commensurate with the same pick in this year's draft. To find a player most casual NFL fans would recognize from a supplemental draft, you have to go back 14 years to 2012, when Baylor receiver Josh Gordon was a supplemental second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns. He had been dismissed due to a positive marijuana test, and his NFL career was marked by similar violations. He had some success in Cleveland, highlighted by a 2013 season where he led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards and made the Pro Bowl. He missed two entire seasons due to suspensions for violating the league's drug policies and totaled seven touchdowns in five seasons after his suspensions. Another recent example is Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who entered the supplemental draft in 2011 after he and other teammates were accused of selling memorabilia. Facing a five-game suspension, Pryor withdrew from college and was taken by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the supplemental draft. But the NFL also suspended him for five games at the start of his professional career. The precedent with Pryor shows why NFL teams may be hesitant to draft Sorsby, as the league has taken a hard line against players gambling, with a minimum one-year suspension if a player is found to have bet on NFL games. NFL players can wager on other sports, but cannot do so while at team facilities or traveling with their team. No team has used a first-round pick in a supplemental draft since 1992, when the New York Giants took Duke quarterback Dave Brown in the first round. The league had five first-round supplemental picks between 1989 and 1992, most notably receiver Rob Moore, who went to the New York Jets in 1990. Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter was a first-round supplemental pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1987. The supplemental draft becomes complicated if two or more teams submit bids for the same player in the same round. The league sorts NFL teams into three categories — those who won six or fewer games the previous season, the remaining teams who missed the playoffs and the 14 teams that made the playoffs. For this year, there are 10 teams in the first group — the Jets, Raiders, Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders, New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals — and those teams are chosen in a random order from a weighted lottery for the first subgroup. The same is done for the second group (eight teams), then the third (14), to create a supplemental draft order. So if more than one team submits, for example, a fifth-round pick, the team that is first in that order would get the player from the supplemental draft. Teams that have already given up 2027 picks in trades this year cannot bid using picks they no longer have. To some extent, this will depend on how high a pick he commands from teams. If it's a high draft pick, it might be limited to teams that don't have an obvious long-term answer at quarterback, like the Cardinals or Jets. Both of those teams used mid-round picks on quarterbacks in April, with the Cardinals taking Miami's Carson Beck in the third round and the Jets taking Clemson's Cade Klubnik in the fourth. The Pittsburgh Steelers, eyeing a successor to Aaron Rodgers, could be an option, though they used a third-round pick on Penn State's Drew Allar in April. If it's a lower pick, it could be any team that doesn't have a developmental backup they like, and Sorsby could be seen as a chance to get ahead of the talented pool of quarterbacks expected to be available in the 2027 draft. Apprehensions about his gambling problems will mitigate his draft value strictly from a talent standpoint. The NFL's deadline for prospects to apply for the supplemental draft is June 22, this coming Monday, and Sorsby has already reportedly applied. The league has established a one-week window from July 5-12, in which a player can hold a pro day and work out privately for teams, and then the supplemental draft is held on the seventh day before the start of the first NFL training camp, which would be in late July.]]>
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					<![CDATA[BNK Heads To London For Union Jack Classic Featuring Arizona State Vs. Kansas]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/big-noon-kickff-london-union-jack-classic-featuring-arizona-state-vs-kansas</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/big-noon-kickff-london-union-jack-classic-featuring-arizona-state-vs-kansas</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Big Noon Kickoff is heading to London for the inaugural Union Jack Classic, which will feature Arizona and Kansas facing off in a Big 12 showdown on Sept. 19 from Wembley Stadium.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:16:11 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Pack your bags, college football fans. Big Noon Kickoff is heading overseas for the first time in program history. FOX's college football pregame show will travel across the pond and broadcast live from historic Wembley Stadium in London ahead of the inaugural Union JackClassic on Sept. 19. The Big 12 matchup between Arizona State and Kansas will mark the first-ever FBS game to take place in the United Kingdom. Live coverage will begin at 10 a.m. ET on FOX. Following the pregame show, the Union Jack Classic is set to kickoff at noon ET on FS1. "FOX Sports prides itself on being the home of big events, so we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to bring BIG NOON KICKOFF to the historic Wembley Stadium – home to so many iconic moments in sports," said Jordan Bazant, Executive Vice President, FOX Sports. "With BIG NOON KICKOFF and the Union Jack Classic now woven into that storied legacy, we can't wait to take our viewers along for this international adventure, and we're thankful to Brett Yormark, Scott Draper, Travis Goff and Graham Rossini for helping bring this one-of-a-kind event to life." This will mark the Big 12's third football game played in Europe in two seasons. Iowa State and Kansas State met in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Ireland to open the 2025 season, while TCU will participate in this year’s season-opening event in Dublin. Arizona State is coming off an 8-5 season which concluded with a 42-39 loss to Duke in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. Kansas finished 5-7 last year, which included a 3-6 mark in Big 12 play.]]>
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					<![CDATA[College Football Predictions: Joel Klatt's Favorite Over/Under Win Total Bets]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-predictions-joel-klatts-favorite-over-under-win-total-bets</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-predictions-joel-klatts-favorite-over-under-win-total-bets</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports' Joel Klatt takes a look at his favorite over/under win totals ahead of the 2026 college football season.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 14:19:22 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Ohio State has won at least 10 regular-season games in 13 consecutive years, not including the COVID year. Yet oddsmakers have set the Buckeyes' 2026 win total at just 9.5. That number caught Joel Klatt's attention as he looked at several over/under totals on a recent episode of his podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show." Klatt's over/under predictions also featured Texas at 9.5 wins ahead of a marquee Week 2 meeting between the two powerhouses. Here's a look at the win totals Klatt likes most entering the 2026 college football season. Klatt: Ohio State is going to have road games at Iowa — that’s never a cupcake, just ask anybody in the Big Ten that goes to Kinnick Stadium — Indiana and USC. Both of those teams are very good in their home stadiums, in particular, Curt Cignetti, who is undefeated at Indiana, at home. USC has been one of the better home teams in the country in the last couple of years under Lincoln Riley. In fact, not many teams have success going from East Coast to West Coast within the conference schedule, so that’s a difficult game. And then, they still have home games against Oregon and Michigan. The Buckeyes could, in theory, lose to Texas and still get to 10 wins. There is a path. Ohio State has won 10-plus regular-season games in 13 straight full seasons, not including the COVID year. It goes back even further than that. In 18 of the last 19 years, they've won 10-plus games. The only year they didn't win 10 games was during the Luke Fickell year after everything happened with Jim Tressel, right before Urban Meyer. This program gets to 10, which is why I have a little more confidence regardless of what happens in that game on the road against Texas. History would suggest that the infrastructure is there for this program. Ryan Day is there. They are going to solve whatever they need to solve with eight new starters on defense. We think the offense is going to be spectacular with all of those returning offensive linemen, Jeremiah Smith on the outside, and Julian Sayin back as the incumbent starter at the quarterback position. Klatt: If Texas were to lose that game to Ohio State, it gets dicey, because the Longhorns' schedule is so difficult. They play at Tennessee, Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, host Ole Miss with Trinidad Chambliss, and they have to go to LSU and go to Texas A&amp;M. That’s very difficult, in particular those two road games in November, in Death Valley and in College Station. If they lose to Ohio State, I’m definitely on the under. And even if they beat Ohio State, there's a path where they don’t get to 10 wins. I think it's more difficult with Texas, even in a win, than it would be with Ohio State. The fact that the game [against Ohio State] is a coin flip, and they have that difficult schedule, I think I would sit on Texas hitting the under this year. Klatt: It’s tough to go undefeated. There’s no margin for error whatsoever. The schedule is soft, no doubt. Do we think Notre Dame is going to be one of the best teams in the country? Absolutely. I’ve got the Irish at No. 2 in my post-spring Top 25. Are they for sure going undefeated? It’s going to come down to three games: at BYU, Miami at home and SMU at home. I don’t think you can say Notre Dame is definitely better than Miami. And we might get to that point and say Miami found everything they need to find on the offensive and defensive line to replace what they just lost in the draft, and they are just as good or better. What if Darian Mensah is just outstanding? We’ve seen transfer quarterbacks now for several years for Miami go in and play right away. I just can't guarantee Notre Dame is going to go undefeated. You get the wrong injury at the wrong time, you get a QB that goes down in the middle of the third quarter. I hope that doesn't happen for CJ Carr, but what if it does? What if their run game doesn't pan out? Again, this doesn't mean Notre Dame isn’t going to the playoff. They are almost certainly going to the playoffs, but they’ve got to go undefeated to hit the over at 11.5. So, for me, my pick is going to be under 11.5. Klatt: They’ve got an experienced quarterback in Nico Iamaleava with 25 starts. They’ve got two Group of 5 teams. They’ve got a Big Ten schedule that doesn't scare me. They’ve infused a ton of talent. They've got all of those guys coming over with Bob Chesney from an assistant coaching perspective.They’ve got San Diego State, Purdue, Maryland, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Nevada. I can get to six wins pretty quickly with UCLA. I think they're going to have a lot better roster and more continuity within their staff. If they win those six games, then they’ve already hit the over, and there are some coin-flip games in there. You’ve got Cal in the opener, Minnesota, home against Illinois, a rivalry game against USC. There are a lot of avenues for UCLA to hit that over and I think they're going to do it. Klatt: Pat Fitzgerald knows how to coach. I get it, I know they don’t have a ton on their roster, but he’s a real football coach and 3.5 is very low. I’m a huge believer in Fitzgerald. I have been for a long time. He's used to finding ways to win. It's not like this guy was just loaded with talent and won because of that and needs to rebuild the roster in order to win. He’s won with rosters that aren’t as good as the opposition. He kind of specializes in that from his time at Northwestern.  And now, he’s in East Lansing at a program that has a good infrastructure, a lot of support, and he's a heck of a football coach.The Spartans have Toledo and Eastern Michigan, Nebraska at home, at Wisconsin, Northwestern at home and at Rutgers. You're telling me all you need to go is 4-2? They’ve got two wins right out of the gate against Toledo and Eastern, so they just have to find two throughout the rest of the schedule. They can do that. Fitzgerald can do that. They will get to four, if not five or six. It wouldn’t shock me at all if that was a six-win team. I think Michigan State has the ability to upset UCLA, and then the home game against Illinois … who knows what Illinois is going to be without Luke Altmyer. They're going to take a step back, at least I believe this, under Bret Bielema. Klatt: They lost Dylan Raiola to the portal. They lost an All-American running back, Emmett Johnson, to the draft. They got UNLV QB Anthony Colandrea. He’s come in with a lot of experience with 30 starts. He’s a dual-threat guy. Nebraska was last in the Big Ten in high school recruiting rankings, which was a bit shocking. It was a small class, which affected it, but still, they should be higher than that in the recruiting rankings. There's no doubt. The schedule lines up for them early, and the Huskers usually get off to a hot start.  I think they will get off to a hot start. They could be 5-0 with three lower-level non-conference games and then Michigan State and Maryland, but if they stub their toe at all, look at the backend of that schedule: Indiana, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, Ohio State and Iowa. Where are the wins? Five of those teams were in my post-spring Top 25. Nebraska basically has to be perfect early and then still find a win late through that stretch. That’s why this path to me is just a little murkier than most. Nebraska has had bad second halves in a lot of their seasons. Last year, they lost three of their last four. In 2024, they lost five of their last six. In 2023, they lost their last four. There’s a precedent to this. Klatt: They're going to be really good. Mario Crisotbal, all he does is build a good, solid offensive line. Now, they have to play better in big moments, but he has built something in the trenches that I think is sustainable. They are going to have a monster talent advantage in almost every single ACC game. So, I'm not nervous about any ACC games. They're better than Clemson, Florida State, it’s a coin flip vs. Notre Dame, they're better than Virginia Tech. I get it, history suggests they will lose a game that they shouldn’t lose, but I believe that this team is going to be better and more suited for the big games because of their run last year to the national championship game. Klatt: They’ve won 20 games since joining the ACC two years ago. Kevin Jennings is back for Year 3 as a starting quarterback. This is a program that has recruited well. Rhett Lashlee is a heck of a coach. He was going to have strong interest from Arkansas when they made their change early in the season, and SMU, in very smart fashion, tied him up with a long-term contract.If you look at their toughest games, they have at Florida State, at Louisville, vs. Virginia, vs. Virginia Tech and then at Notre Dame. All you need to do is get to nine. You could lose three of these games and still hit the over. So for me, SMU, with their history over the last two years, their history with Lashlee suggests they can get to nine wins. There's an easy path to do that. They might get to 10. This is a team that could potentially be in the ACC championship game. They could absolutely make a playoff run. Klatt: Tosh Lupoi is in his first year as a head coach, ever. They were able to hang on to their quarterback, Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele. They lost their star linebacker to BYU. When you start looking at their schedule, if they lose to potentially UCLA, Clemson, Virginia Tech, SMU, NC State, Virginia … these are all games that are going to be really tough for Cal. If they lose those six, it’s an under, and if they lose five, they have no margin for error in their other five games. With a brand-new coach, there's a path for an under there. Klatt: That seems a little low for Georgia, in particular when you look at its SEC schedule. I've said it before, I think Georgia has one of the softer SEC schedules as SEC schedules go. If you look within the conference, it's not as difficult as others.Kirby Smart has eight straight full seasons with 10-plus wins in the regular season. Is Georgia going to win 10 games? Likley. They are going to have to lose a shocking game to go 9-3. You’ve got Oklahoma, at Alabama, Florida, at Ole Miss, Missouri, and at South Carolina. I can't get them to three losses, not this program, not this head coach. I know they have struggled sometimes on the road. They can get uninterested sometimes on the road, but again, 9.5 is a low bar for Kirby Smart and Georgia. The schedule is in their favor. Klatt: I think LSU at 8.5 is a little bit low. They’ve got to get through a tough September, and I think they go 3-1 in September. Their tough games are Clemson, at Ole Miss and Texas A&amp;M. I think they can win two of those games. Then they have tough games in November: Alabama, Texas and Tennessee. They might only have to win one of those to get to nine. I think Lane Kiffin is going to do a really good job at LSU. There are not four losses on that schedule. I’m going to bet on Lane Kiffin. He did a heck of a job at Ole Miss. I understand why he left there. Yes, I think Lane should have stayed at Ole Miss, and I didn’t love the timing of him leaving his team right before the playoff. But, that being said, he's in a great position right now. They’ve infused that program with a ton of support. It’s probably the most expensive roster in the country. I think there’s going to be a big talent gap when they face teams like Clemson, Ole Miss, and maybe Tennessee and Alabama. LSU, for me, is an easy over 8.5. Klatt: Vanderbilt has seen an unprecedented amount of success in the last two years under Clark Lea, but they lost their engine, their spark plug, Diego Pavia. They have the least amount of returning production in the SEC. They have lost two of their top three receivers, their star tight end, Eli Stowers. They are replacing four starters on the offensive line. They could have a true freshman starting at quarterback. You know how I feel about experience. When you look at their toughest games, they’ve got at Auburn, at Georgia, at Ole Miss, vs. Alabama, at Florida and vs. Tennessee. They also have at NC State, Kentucky, at Mississippi State. Sustaining a level of greatness at Vanderbilt is going to be tough to do. There is no doubt. They lose too much. Klatt: I believe in Brent Brennan. I think he’s a heck of a football coach. I believe in Noah Fifita. He’s one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the entire country. He was the best QB in the Big 12 last year. He has 34 career starts. They hit the portal to reinforce what they lost on defense. They also like a lot of their young guys. When you look at their schedule, they need eight wins, so they can only lose four games. At BYU is a tough game. You’ve got TCU, Utah, Kansas State and Arizona State. That’s their November schedule. I think they’re going to need one of those games to get to eight. They will win one of those games in November. Klatt: Similar to UCLA, there’s going to be an infusion of energy. You’ve got all of these transfer players that have played really well at a lower level that are coming in from North Texas. And I kind of like it. Eric Morris brought in QB Drew Mestemaker, the nation’s leading passer. You’ve got Caleb Hawkins, their running back. He was fifth in college football in rushing last year and first in rushing touchdowns. They brought in Wyatt Young, their wide receiver. He was third in college football in receiving yards.North Texas led the country in scoring and total offense a year ago. They can do that in the Big 12. Maybe not leading the country, but this is going to be a really good football team.I know that the bar is low as far as what they won a year ago. They reached the American championship game last year at North Texas and won 12 games. This feels just like Bob Chesney going to UCLA or Curt Cignetti going to Indiana. Morris going to Oklahoma State with everything he can do as a coach and with that entire roster with a chip on their shoulder. This is a team that can absolutely win six football games.They’ve got at Tulsa, Murray State, UCF, Colorado, at Iowa State and Kansas. They wouldn’t need any other wins than those right there to hit the over. They’ve got other opportunities for road wins. They’ve got at West Virginia, at Kansas State, at Arizona State. To me, this is an easy over with what they’re bringing in. Klatt: Iowa State lost all of their players. They lost Matt Campbell. This is a proud program, but when you look at this league, remember, all of those teams are bunched together, and you’ve got to get to six wins. I just don’t see it for Iowa State. So, 5.5 is a bit too rich for me. I hate to see this happen to that program. I’m a fan of this program, but this year is going to be tough for Iowa State. I would have set the Over/Under at 4.5. The path to the under for me is far easier for them than the path to over.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Ranking The 8 Best Fits For QB Brendan Sorsby In The NFL Supplemental Draft]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/ranking-8-best-nfl-fits-controversial-qb-brendan-sorsby</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/ranking-8-best-nfl-fits-controversial-qb-brendan-sorsby</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[If controversial QB Brendan Sorsby's entry into the NFL's Supplemental Draft is approved, where could he land? We rank eight potential fits.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:56:11 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby plans to apply for entry into the NFL Supplemental Draft, according to NFL Network, which would end the controversy surrounding his college eligibility amid his gambling scandal. What does that mean for NFL teams? There’s now another young, talented quarterback to evaluate as a potential roster addition this summer. FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang recently gave Sorsby a second-round grade for 2027. Rang added that Sorsby is a cross between Baker Mayfield and Jaxson Dart and that, without the off-field concerns, the Texas Tech transfer could have been selected in the 2026 draft before Alabama’s Ty Simpson, who went No. 13 overall to the Los Angeles Rams. In the NFL Supplemental Draft, teams can bid one of their draft picks for the following year on a player, who is then awarded to the bidding team that finished highest in a weighted lottery order. No one has been selected in the NFL Supplemental Draft since 2019, when the Arizona Cardinals used a fifth-round bid on Washington State safety Jalen Thompson. The most recent quarterback selected was Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor, in 2011 by the Raiders with a third-round bid. If no team submits a bid on Sorsby, he’d become an undrafted free agent, free to sign anywhere. But given his talent, that’s unlikely to happen. If Sorsby’s entry into the NFL Supplemental Draft is approved, here are eight NFL teams that make sense as landing spots, ranked in descending order: The Vikings’ long-term quarterback outlook is unclear. They signed former Pro Bowler Kyler Murray this offseason to compete with 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, who has battled injuries and on-field struggles through two seasons. Taking Sorsby could open the door for a McCarthy trade. Starter Baker Mayfield is entering the last year of his contract, and he told reporters in early June that his camp is not close on a new deal with the Bucs. If Tampa doesn’t see the gap closing, Sorsby is an option to be Mayfield’s successor. The Dolphins signed former Titans and Packers QB Malik Willis to a three-year deal, but it’s essentially a two-year commitment, as the contract has no guaranteed money beyond 2027. Sorsby would represent both an insurance policy on Willis' performance and a potential long-term successor. Third-year pro Michael Penix Jr. and veteran Tua Tagovailoa are currently battling to be QB1, but it’s unclear whether either is a viable option as the long-term starter under new coach Kevin Stefanski. Penix, who has started 12 games in two seasons, is currently recovering from his third torn ACL in the past eight years, while Tagovailoa struggled over the past two years as the Dolphins' starter. The Steelers need a quarterback for 2027 and beyond, as the coming year will be Aaron Rodgers’ last in the NFL. Pittsburgh used a third-round pick in the spring on Drew Allar, but it’s unclear if the former Penn State starter can be more than a backup. Browns coach Todd Monken called a pursuit of Sorsby a "slippery slope" earlier this month, but you can never say never. Monken made clear that the opinion was his own, so the front office and ownership could have a different outlook on the matter. Veteran Deshaun Watson and second-year pro Shedeur Sanders are currently in a competition to be the starting quarterback, but the team doesn’t have a long-term QB1. Starter Geno Smith is under contract for just the 2026 season, so Sorsby could sit and learn for a year in New York. The Jets selected Cade Klubnick in the fourth round this past spring, by no means high enough of a slot to preclude drafting another quarterback. The Cardinals have an underwhelming quarterback room, with veteran journeymen Jacoby Bissett and Gardner Minshew II at the top. Arizona used the first pick in the third round on Miami product Carson Beck, but that shouldn’t stop the team from taking a swing on Sorsby, who would’ve likely been a first-round selection in 2027 if he played well at Texas Tech.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NFL Confidential: What Do Execs, Scouts Make Of Brendan Sorsby Amid Controversy?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-confidential-what-do-execs-scouts-make-brendan-sorsby</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-confidential-what-do-execs-scouts-make-brendan-sorsby</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Is Brendan Sorsby worth using a high pick on in the supplemental draft? Here's what scouts and execs around the NFL are saying about his draft stock.]]>
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				<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:49:37 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[After weeks of drama, Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is NFL-bound, but questions about his professional future still linger. Sorsby will enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, his legal representation confirmed on Monday. The announcement came as his gambling scandal jeopardized his college future, getting an injunction against the NCAA last week before the association, the Big 12 and others fought to make Sorsby ineligible. Now, Sorsby will become one of the most intriguing prospects to enter the supplemental draft in quite some time. He could be the first player taken in the first round of the supplemental draft in 34 years, as teams weigh whether to use a high draft pick on him. So, with Sorsby now becoming a pro, what do execs and scouts around the league think about his talent and situation? Here's what we learned from our conversations. Ralph Vacchiano: Brendan Sorsby might have had the talent to be a first-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft had he remained in college. Now, teams have to weigh whether he's worth using a first-round pick on in the supplemental draft, and his gambling problem makes him a risk that not everyone will be willing to take. "We tend to forgive a lot of things if a guy can play," one NFL executive told me. "But gambling in sports has always just been different. Betting, especially on your own team, is the one line [players] just can’t cross." Sorsby, of course, admitted to placing bets on his own team when he was briefly at Indiana University, which is why he was banned from playing college football until a court granted an injunction to let him play next season for Texas Tech. But after the NCAA, Big 12 and others sought to make Sorsby ineligible to play again, he decided to enter the supplemental draft. Now, the ball is in the NFL's court. What punishment could he receive from the league? And for the 32 teams, is Sorsby's talent worth the off-field risks? "If you need a quarterback, he’s going to be tempting," the executive told me. "But because he’s a quarterback, it’s an even tougher call. The guy isn’t just an anonymous guard. He’s going to be the face of the franchise. He’ll be watched everywhere he goes, whatever he does, every social media post, every person he takes a photo with. "And it’s not like you have to just keep him out of casinos, or can give him weekly drug tests to monitor him. Gambling is everywhere and you might never know if he’s doing it. Even if he says he’s completely beaten the problem and never has any other issues, can you really trust him? Will your fans trust him? Will the media? "Everything is a potential problem." That’s probably why one NFL scout told me, "I’m glad that’s above my pay grade. I wouldn’t want to have to make that call. He’s a really strong prospect, but there’s so much more that goes into taking him. You’re really risking a lot." Eric D. Williams: NFL front office personnel, scouts and coaches will be tasked with executing a risk assessment on Sorsby, weighing his enormous talent on the field against what he has done off it. "He’s a starting NFL quarterback," a front office executive told me. "He would have been a top 15 selection this year. But there’s no guarantee the addiction will go away." A longtime NFL scout that I spoke with believes that if Sorsby was in the 2027 NFL Draft, he’d come off the board on Day 2. "I grade him as a third-rounder," the scout told me. "I thought he should stay in school, take the NIL (name, image and likeness) money and get better. Someone will draft him and I don’t think a QB like him gets drafted past the third/fourth round. Some will reach for him in the third. "Desperation makes teams do crazy things for quarterbacks. Some teams will get scared off for sure, but one will be desperate. The reasoning is second chances. Johnny Manziel got one." And as the gambling controversy is at the forefront with Sorsby's situation, it isn't the only bit of off-field drama he's been involved in this offseason. Sorsby's previous school, Cincinnati, is also suing him, alleging he breached his NIL contract with the Bearcats when he refused to pay a $1 million exit fee after transferring to Texas Tech. So, that's why another league source I spoke with wondered about the prospect of taking a quarterback with poor decision-making off the field as the face of your franchise. "Call me crazy, but the standard needs to be much higher at the QB position," the league source told me. "You need to be a leader. I’d stay away if it was me. Decision-making and judgment are obviously lacking." Vacchiano: People around the NFL seem split on where Sorsby would have gone if he had entered the 2026 NFL Draft. One scout told me he had thought Sorsby was a Day 3 pick, even before his gambling issues were revealed. An NFL executive told me he probably was "a mid-to-high second-rounder." But another NFL scout pointed to the weak quarterback class overall in 2026 and said, "He might have been the second [quarterback] off the board … before the gambling stuff, of course." "Maybe not, because I guess the Rams really loved Ty Simpson [who they took 13th overall]," the scout told me. "But other than Fernando Mendoza, I’m not sure anyone [in the 2026 draft] had more potential than this guy. He’s huge (6-foot-3, 235 pounds), he can run, he’s got a rocket arm, and he’s good under pressure. There’s a lot to work with there. "Now, it’s not perfect. His decision-making isn’t always great. He can force some passes, and he loves to throw deep even when the intermediate throw is there. He runs a little too quickly sometimes instead of letting this develop. But in a bad quarterback class, he would’ve stood out." Prior to Monday's news, Sorsby was trying to stand out among several top quarterback prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft. If he had remained in college and gotten to play this season, where could he have gone in next year's draft? "I need to see more," the scout told me. "I’d probably put him on the fringe of the top group, just based on talent. If a guy that big has a strong season, he could really rise and be a top 10 pick. But if he struggles, and you add in the gambling stuff, he could drop himself off a lot of draft boards, too." FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang believes that Sorsby would've had the physical tools to be drafted ahead of Ty Simpson had he entered the 2026 draft, but NFL scouts will have to vet his significant, off-the-field gambling issues before taking a chance on bringing the player into their organization. Rang, who recently offered his evaluation of Sorsby, projected that the former Cincinnati quarterback would be a second-round pick in the supplemental draft. He made that projection after watching every touchdown and interception Sorsby threw this past season, along with some of his tape at Indiana. "He’s very impressive," Rang told me. "He’s got a real intriguing skill set to him in that he’s got the prototypical size. He’s got a snappy release and plenty of arm strength. Good accuracy. And he’s an athlete. He’s an aggressive scrambler and so physically speaking he’s got all the traits to be a very successful NFL quarterback. "He has the physical skills to warrant being selected ahead of Ty Simpson. He is a more physically talented player than Ty Simpson. And he’s a three-year starter, where Ty is only a one-year starter. But of course, Ty Simpson checked every box when it comes to a guy who bided his time at Alabama and played pretty well when he got his opportunity, where with Brendan you’re talking about a player who’s transferred three times and comes with questions about his decision-making that NFL teams are going to have to evaluate." On the field, Sorsby completed 61.4% of his passes for 7,208 yards and 60 touchdowns against 18 interceptions over 35 combined games at Cincinnati (2024-25) and Indiana (2022-23) while rushing for another 1,295 yards and 22 touchdowns. Those are impressive numbers. But ultimately, Rang said the issue for Sorsby’s draft future will be what teams are willing to overlook his off-the-field transgressions. "That is the million-dollar question here," Rang told me. "I think that the physical talent justifies a first-round grade. But the character concerns that may or may not be completely justified, but that’s going to require some real investigation from teams. And teams are typically hesitant to draft players in the supplemental draft with the round that equates to their talent. Usually, they drop a round or more than they normally would, just because of the fact that it’s the supplemental draft, and you wouldn’t have the opportunity to evaluate them as you normally would for a normal prospect."]]>
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					<![CDATA[Brendan Sorsby Scouting Report: How High Should He Go In NFL Supplemental Draft?]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/brendan-sorsby-scouting-report-where-would-he-rank-among-top-qb-draft-prospects</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/brendan-sorsby-scouting-report-where-would-he-rank-among-top-qb-draft-prospects</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[With QB Brendan Sorsby setting his sights on the NFL Supplemental Draft, we examine his biggest strengths and weaknesses, draft prospects, pro comps and best team fits.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 11:45:46 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Brendan Sorsby saga has taken another unprecedented turn. After being declared ineligible by the NCAA for wagering on college sports and then receiving a temporary injunction that made him eligible to play for Texas Tech this fall, the star quarterback has reportedly applied for entry in the NFL Supplemental Draft. Sorsby, scandal aside, is regarded as one of the more talented QB prospects in the country, bringing great attention to if — and where — he will play in 2026. The NFL hasn't had a player selected in its Supplemental Draft since the Arizona Cardinals used a fifth-round pick on safety Jalen Thompson in 2019. Could an NFL team find a similar bargain in Sorsby this summer? We've examined his biggest strengths and weaknesses, where he ranks as a draft prospect, his pro comps and his best NFL team fits. Strengths At a solid 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, Sorsby certainly looks the part of an NFL quarterback. And he possesses both the arm and athleticism to star at the highest level, as well. In today’s era of simplified offenses, statistics can certainly be misleading. Sorsby’s numbers speak for themselves, however. He completed 61.4% of his passes for 7,208 yards and 60 touchdowns against 18 interceptions over 35 combined games at Cincinnati (2024-25) and Indiana (2022-23) while rushing for another 1,295 yards and 22 touchdowns. He has plenty of arm strength to make every throw in the playbook and is a gifted, creative passer who can throw from various arm slots. He has excellent touch on intermediate throws, consistently "dropping it in the bucket" on fades and verticals. Sorsby can ramp up the RPMs and fire deep crossers and deep outs with precision, as well. Frankly, the arm talent is undeniable. As his rushing totals suggest, Sorsby is also a real threat as a runner. Cincinnati and Indiana both wisely called plenty of QB runs for him, but he isn’t reliant on them to keep the defense honest. He shows patience in the pocket and looks to exhaust his downfield passing opportunities before dropping his eyes to scramble — but when he does so, Sorsby can scoot. He accelerates smoothly and has good lateral agility to elude, as well as the body armor to absorb the occasional tackle. He is a competitive runner with good vision and understanding of where he is on the field, scrambling for first downs 109 times over the past three years. Sorsby plays with a swagger that will appeal to NFL teams. He showed steady development over his three seasons as a starter and looked like a future first-round pick at Cincinnati last year. Perhaps most importantly, he showed maturity and humility in publicly admitting his gambling addiction and recently completed a 35-day inpatient rehabilitation stint at Algamus, a respected gambling treatment facility in Goodyear, Ari. Weaknesses The concerns with Sorsby are just as obvious as his talent, though most of them are off the field. The quarterback position demands leadership, accountability and selflessness. Some NFL teams may have a hard time believing Sorsby possesses enough of these to justify a draft pick. He is an admitted gambling addict who bet thousands of times, including on Indiana while he played for the Hoosiers. He used family and friends’ names as a proxies to bet, clearly attempting to evade NCAA rules. Scouts looking to vet Sorsby may find few advocates. Though Curt Cignetti and many of his coaches were not yet at Indiana when Sorsby played there, others who were there may be hesitant to sully the reputation of the defending national champion Hoosiers. The program, itself, sounded like one seeking to distance itself from Sorsby with a short, terse statement to The Daily Hoosier following the discovery of his gambling. And given that the University of Cincinnati filed a million-dollar lawsuit against him for violating the 18-month NIL contract he signed following his Indiana transfer, Sorsby may not have many Bearcats supporters, either. His former teammates at Cincinnati might feel similarly given that Sorsby opted out of the 2026 Liberty Bowl versus Navy, a Jan. 2nd game the Bearcats lost 35-13 while generating just 12 total first downs on offense. Frankly, interested NFL teams will ultimately spend more time evaluating Sorsby’s character than his weaknesses on tape. But like with any young quarterback, he certainly has flaws. Sorsby shows good accuracy to all levels of the field, but some of his deep balls do flutter a bit, providing defenders a chance to recover. A couple of his interceptions this past season came on deep balls that hung in the air, notably including one in the final seconds of Cincinnati’s season-opener at Nebraska, where Sorsby was intercepted at the goal line to seal a 20-17 loss. While I like his ability to drop his arm angle and throw around defenders as well as over them, Sorsby often needlessly resorts to more of a slingshot, sidearm release that effectively makes him a much shorter passer and more likely to have passes batted down at the line of scrimmage in the NFL. Like most quarterbacks at this stage of their careers, Sorsby can get a touch panicky when the rush is getting home and his accuracy diminishes when his feet aren’t set. As a runner, he often carries the ball with just one hand and, despite what his statistics suggest, he has struggled a bit with fumbles. While losing "just" five fumbles over his college career, Sorsby actually put the ball on the ground 12 times on 294 career attempts, per PFF. Draft Range There was not a player in the 2026 draft class with a higher ceiling and lower floor than Sorsby, so projecting where he would have been selected is a more complicated hypothetical than it might appear. Let me explain. Sorsby is a more physically gifted and significantly more experienced quarterback than Alabama product Ty Simpson. If the former didn’t come with the off-field complexities noted above, I believe he could have been drafted before Simpson, who surprisingly went No. 13 overall to the Los Angeles Rams. This isn’t to suggest that the Rams specifically would rank Sorsby over Simpson. As noted prior to the draft, I thought Simpson — an accurate and quick-thinking pocket passer — was a particularly clean fit for Los Angeles. For the record, I do not believe that Sorsby would have challenged Fernando Mendoza as the Las Vegas Raiders' No. 1 overall selection had he declared. Sorsby’s traits and ascending game would have attracted plenty of other suitors after Mendoza, however, including perhaps the New York Jets at No. 2 overall and the Cardinals at No. 3. But, of course, Sorsby does have character concerns, and NFL clubs may have known — or at least suspected — of them prior to the draft. (Reports of him being under NCAA investigation for sports gambling surfaced just days after the draft.) So, it’s also quite possible that he would have tumbled. Ultimately, though, the upside of a cheap contract for a starting caliber quarterback would just be too tempting for some clubs. I'm guessing someone would have thrown a Day 2 dart, at minimum. As for the 2027 draft, which Sorsby could still find himself in, the competition is considerably stiffer. In my way-too-early 2027 mock, I had five QBs coming off the board in the first round, and all by the No. 14 overall pick: Arch Manning (No. 1, Dolphins), Dante Moore (No. 2, Cardinals), Sam Leavitt (No. 4, Browns), Julian Sayin (No. 12, Jets) and LaNorris Sellers (No. 14, Steelers). Also of note, FOX Sports' Joel Klatt ranked quarterbacks C.J. Carr and Trinidad Chambliss among his initial top-10 prospects in the 2027 class. There's still obviously much to sort out with Sorsby, but as of today, I'd slot him behind most of this group and peg him as a second-round pick for 2027. Best NFL Team Fits My best NFL comp for Sorsby right now is a cross between Baker Mayfield and Jaxson Dart. It makes him suitable for several teams around the league. Chief among them: the Cardinals, Jets, Colts, Dolphins, Texans, Buccaneers, Ravens, Cowboys, Vikings and Steelers. With three first-round picks in their pocket for next year, the Jets are in an excellent position to invest their second-round pick nine months early and aggressively outbid several other teams that might be willing to gamble only mid-round selections in the Supplemental Draft.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby Reportedly Looking To Enter NFL Supplemental Draft]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby-reportedly-looking-enter-nfl-supplemental-draft</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby-reportedly-looking-enter-nfl-supplemental-draft</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
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				    <![CDATA[The Brendan Sorsby saga might soon reach a resolution.]]>
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				<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:07:14 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[One of the biggest controversies in recent college football history might soon reach a resolution. Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is set to apply for entry in the NFL Supplemental Draft, NFL Network reported Monday. Sorsby's lawyers also plan to withdraw their lawsuit against the NCAA, which would allow him to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, NFL Network added in its report. As Sorsby prepares for the supplemental draft, he's set to have a pro day on July 10, ESPN reported. The deadline for Sorsby to officially declare for the supplemental draft is June 22. A date for the supplemental draft hasn't been set yet. However, it's traditionally been held in July when a player has declared for the supplemental draft. Sorsby's decision to seek entry into the NFL Supplemental Draft came a week after a Texas judge granted him an injunction against the NCAA, allowing him to play for Texas Tech in the 2026 season amid his gambling scandal. In recent days, however, the NCAA, the Big 12 and other college administrators have pushed for Sorsby to receive a greater punishment than a two-game suspension. Both the NCAA and Big 12 made filings in separate courts on Monday to try to overrule the decision made last week. News of the scandal broke in April, when Sorsby checked himself into rehab for a sports gambling addiction. In May, he admitted to placing more than $90,000 in bets over a four-year period, while court documents showed that Sorsby placed at least 40 wagers on Indiana or his teammates during his time with that program (2022-23). Sorsby transferred from Indiana to Cincinnati before the 2024 season. He transferred from Cincinnati to Texas Tech this past offseason, joining the Red Raiders as one of the top players in the portal. If approved, Sorsby could become the first player selected in the NFL Supplemental Draft since 2019. He also might be one of the more highly-touted players to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft in quite some time. Some 2027 NFL mock drafts had Sorsby as a first-round pick. With that in mind, he could become the first player taken in the first round of the NFL Supplemental Draft since 1992. FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang recently gave Sorsby a Round 2 grade but believes the 22-year-old QB has a high ceiling. "There was not a player in the 2026 draft class with a higher ceiling and lower floor than Sorsby, so projecting where he would have been selected is a more complicated hypothetical than it might appear," Rang wrote. Sorsby threw for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions at Cincinnati in 2025.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NCAA, Big 12 Go To Court Against Texas Tech Over Brendan Sorsby Eligibility]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ncaa-big-12-texas-tech-court-brendan-sorsby-eligibility</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ncaa-big-12-texas-tech-court-brendan-sorsby-eligibility</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
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				    <![CDATA[The NCAA and Big 12 Conference are taking Texas Tech and quarterback Brendan Sorsby to court over an ongoing gambling probe.]]>
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				<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:41:53 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The NCAA asked a Texas appeals court Monday to stay a temporary injunction that cleared the way for Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby to play this fall despite being declared ineligible for gambling while the Big 12 Conference filed a federal lawsuit warning the Texas attorney general to stay out of a case that has rattled college sports. The filings in separate courts raised the stakes in the fight over whether Sorsby can play and who makes that decision. In documents filed with the Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas at Amarillo, the NCAA asked for an emergency motion to stay the June 8 injunction granted by a Lubbock County court in favor of Sorsby, who has admitted he has a gambling addiction and has made thousands of bets, including some on his own team when he was a freshman at Indiana. The NCAA also asked for a resolution of the case by Aug. 28, which it said would spare the potential disruption of a ruling after Texas Tech begins its season on Sept. 5. The NCAA has long banned players for gambling, but Texas Tech says Sorsby, who transferred there in January after the past two seasons at Cincinnati, would be better off on the team for his mental health and well-being. "The trial court’s temporary injunction sweeps beyond anything Texas law permits," attorneys for the NCAA wrote. "It undermines the integrity of college sports, rewrites member-adopted rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, immunizes Brendan Sorsby from discipline for admitted and serial violations of NCAA anti-gambling rules, incentivizes a run on courthouses across the country to challenge even the most obvious and straightforward student-athlete eligibility decisions and demolishes the status quo." The injunction last week from Judge Ken Curry prevents the NCAA from being able to block Sorsby's eligibility for what will be his final college season with a team among the favorites to win the Big 12 and return to the College Football Playoff for a second consecutive season. The Big 12, meanwhile, filed suit in U.S. District Court in Dallas seeking a court order backing its ability to use its bylaws for potential punishment against Sorsby. So far, the Big 12 has not weighed in on the Sorsby case, but last week the Texas attorney general’s office warned the league of potential legal action from Texas Tech for any sanctions against the school or Sorsby. The Big 12 filing names Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee in the U.S. Senate race this fall, as well as Texas Tech leadership, including its president, chancellor and athletic director. It accused them of trying to prevent the Big 12 from exercising its own rules the school itself agreed to long ago. "An athlete with an extensive, documented history of wagering on intercollegiate athletic contests — especially his own team’s games — presents a reputational and integrity risk to the conference and its championship competition that the conference has both the right and the responsibility to address," attorneys for the Big 12 wrote. "The Conference is not required to accept that risk on behalf of its fifteen other member Institutions, their student-athletes, their fans and its commercial partners. And no government official has the power to compel it to do so." The Big 12 board of directors, made up of presidents and chancellors from the league's 16 schools, was expected to meet Monday. Court records show that Sorsby has acknowledged making thousands of impermissible bets on pro and college sports totaling at least $90,000 during his time at Indiana, Cincinnati and Texas Tech. That included 40 bets on Indiana while he was a freshman at the school in 2022, though none on any of the games in which he played for the Hoosiers. While some guidelines for penalties related to gambling have changed in recent years, NCAA rules still call for a permanent loss of eligibility for any player who wagered on his own team. At least two schools, Nebraska in the Big Ten and Georgia in the SEC, have indicated they will not schedule Texas Tech. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond last week called on the Big 12 to suspend Sorsby, and said claims by the Texas AG's office that sanctions against Texas Tech would violate antitrust laws are meritless. The Kansas attorney general, Kris Kobach, said Monday his office would provide support to the Big 12 in any legal dispute with Paxton's office. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Texas Attorney General Threatens Big 12 With Lawsuit Over Brendan Sorsby Dispute]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-attorney-general-threatens-big-12-lawsuit-over-brendan-sorsby-dispute</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-attorney-general-threatens-big-12-lawsuit-over-brendan-sorsby-dispute</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
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				    <![CDATA[The Texas attorney general's office warned the Big 12 on Thursday of potential legal action from Texas Tech as the conference considers what to do after Red Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby won a court order restoring his eligibility and setting aside his ban by the NCAA for gambling on pro and college sports.]]>
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				<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:41:09 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Texas attorney general's office warned the Big 12 on Thursday of potential legal action from Texas Tech as the conference considers what to do after Red Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby won a court order restoring his eligibility and setting aside his ban by the NCAA for gambling on pro and college sports. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said the notice came shortly before the start of the league's executive board meeting to discuss its options in the Sorsby situation. The temporary injunction issued Monday by a Texas district court prevents the NCAA from enforcing its permanent ban of Sorsby, a decision that sent shock waves across college sports. The transfer QB had been ruled ineligible after he acknowledged years of gambling that included at least 40 bets on his own team while he was a freshman at Indiana. Texas Tech said he has completed a month-long inpatient treatment program and will continue to receive treatment and support while being monitored. What was the AG's warning to the Big 12? The letter from the Texas AG's office was addressed to Yormark and Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod, the chairman of the Big 12 board of directors. It specifically references a conference bylaw that, with a supermajority vote, could result in sanctioning a school that has "engaged in any action or a course of conduct materially adverse to the best interests of the conference taken as a whole." The AG's office said any sanctions against Texas Tech for "acting consistent" with the district court injunction "would be a per se violation of federal and state antitrust laws — a naked horizontal agreement among competitors to disadvantage Texas Tech by cutting off access to the resources it needs to compete." Beyond any antitrust exposure, the letter said, the Big 12 would also face liability for "breach of contract and tortious interference" for any sanction that results in the alteration of Texas Tech's scheduled games. The letter was signed by Thomas York, chief of the antitrust division, and Kimberly Gdula, chief of the litigation division. The attorney general, Ken Paxton, is the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate race in Texas this fall. Yormark said the conference is taking time with its legal counsel to understand the concerns of the state. There were also multiple reports that Jeffrey Kessler, who represents Sorsby in his case against the NCAA, sent a separate and similar letter Thursday to the Big 12. That letter reportedly referenced the same Big 12 bylaw and warned the league that it is bound by the court's ruling this week. The NCAA has said it will appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas, seeking an accelerated decision to overturn the injunction and again make Sorsby ineligible. Big 12 is still considering all options Since NCAA rules call for a permanent loss of eligibility for any player who wagered on his own team, the judge’s decision brought sharp criticism from college sports leadership, including in Texas Tech’s own league. The executive board met as planned Thursday in preparation for a meeting Monday of the Big 12's full board of directors, which is made up of presidents and chancellors from the league's 16 schools. "We had a good and informative discussion. Sentiment among the executive board was no different from what we heard from the ADs earlier this week," Yormark said. "Our discussion with the full board will determine our course of action, and all options remain on the table." The board meeting came two days after a conference call among Big 12 athletic directors, who expressed strong opposition to Sorsby playing for the Red Raiders in what will be his final college season. Some of those ADs even suggested maybe not playing Texas Tech if he does. Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech in January for a reported multimillion-dollar deal after playing the past two seasons at Cincinnati, another Big 12 school. The Texas native first spent two seasons at Indiana. The warning from a big booster The threat of legal action came one day after Texas Tech billionaire booster and regents chair Cody Campbell mentioned that possibility during a podcast appearance with Dan Dakich. Campbell was addressing reports of schools talking about boycotting the Red Raiders. "I love when the Big Ten or the K-State AD comes out and says we’ve all gotten together and we’ve talked about how we’re not going to play Tech, because guess what? That’s collusion," Campbell said. "That’s an antitrust violation. So have fun with that one, guys. You can’t do that." Campbell, a former offensive lineman at the school, has been a key figure in helping Texas Tech land top players over the past two years. The Red Raiders, with one of college football's most expensive rosters, won their first Big 12 title last season. They set a school record with 12 wins and made it to the 12-team College Football Playoff. Sorsby was brought in to be the starting quarterback after hometown favorite Behren Morton exhausted his eligibility. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Defining Success For The Big Ten's Four New Head Coaches]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/defining-success-big-ten-four-new-head-coaches</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/defining-success-big-ten-four-new-head-coaches</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports' Michael Cohen provides a breakdown of what would constitute a successful debut for each new Big Ten football coach.]]>
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				<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 15:54:56 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Much to the chagrin of SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, who continues twisting and turning his words to find arguments that frame his conference as the best in college football, the chasm in coaching between the SEC and Big Ten stretched even wider this winter. As the SEC filled some of its vacancies with up-and-comers from The American in Ryan Silverfield (Arkansas), Alex Golesh (Auburn) and Jon Sumrall (Florida) — all of whom might eventually prove to be home runs but, for now, remain somewhat unproven — its rival embraced a different approach. Rather than tying their hopes to rising stars, Big Ten athletic directors pursued and poached proven commodities. The four new coaches joining the Big Ten in 2026 have more than 500 wins between them. It's a group led by former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, now in charge at Michigan. He's flanked by former Iowa State coach Matt Campbell (Penn State), former James Madison coach Bob Chesney (UCLA) and former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald (Michigan State). Lengthy résumés abound. Eventually, once each attempted rebuild has had the chance to take hold, a judgment can be rendered about whether the SEC or the Big Ten employed a wiser strategy. But, until then, here's a breakdown of what would constitute a successful debut for each new Big Ten head coach: * Note: All recruiting and transfer rankings courtesy of 247Sports. Career record: 177-88 overall in 22 years (Utah)Recruiting class: No. 12 overall, No. 4 Big TenTransfer portal: No. 24 overall, No. 5 Big TenReturning starters: 7 offense, 3 defense There are two prisms through which to view any potential progress during Whittingham’s first season after an incredibly successful tenure at Utah. The first is off the field, where part of the appeal in hiring someone like the 66-year-old Whittingham — a mature, long-tenured, universally respected figure across college football — was the idea that he could adequately cleanse Michigan following a handful of scandal-ridden years. The Wolverines consistently ran afoul of the NCAA and generated one negative headline after another under former coach Jim Harbaugh, whose tenure in Ann Arbor is defined as much by controversy as the incredible turnaround and national championship ascent he architected. Harbaugh’s successor, Sherrone Moore only added to the program's troubles through personal conduct issues that resulted in his firing for cause last December. If Whittingham can shepherd Michigan through a full calendar year without another public relations nightmare, the university’s leadership structure might finally exhale. The second prism is on the field, where Moore’s roster-building efforts over two subpar seasons knocked the Wolverines from their three-year perch atop the conference hierarchy. Front and center for Whittingham and his staff is the development of quarterback Bryce Underwood following an uneven freshman campaign. Underwood ranked ninth in the Big Ten in passing yards (2,428) and 13th in passing touchdowns (11) for a team that finished outside the top 100 nationally in passing offense. How well, and how quickly, Underwood can adapt to the new system installed by offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who followed Whittingham from Utah, will serve as a barometer for the Wolverines’ ceiling. A challenging schedule includes another marquee non-conference matchup with Oklahoma (Sept. 12 on FOX) and difficult Big Ten games against Iowa, Penn State, Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State — all of whom are likely to be ranked. Nine wins and tangible progress from Underwood, whose offseason reviews have been mixed, would almost certainly be well-received. As would a victory over the Buckeyes. Career record: 107-70 in 14 years (Toledo, Iowa State)Recruiting class: No. 65 overall, No. 16 Big TenTransfer portal: No. 4 overall, No. 1 Big TenReturning starters: 2 offense, 1 defense The long and winding coaching search overseen by Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft, who made the gutsy decision to fire James Franklin last October, eventually landed in a place most analysts agreed was an acceptable one. Campbell, 46, had long been considered one of the profession’s rising stars thanks to his impressive tenures at Toledo, where he posted three nine-win seasons, and Iowa State, where he established a sustained culture of winning despite being afforded modest resources. He won at least eight games in five of his 10 years with the Cyclones and twice finished among the top 15 in the final AP Poll. An impressive knack for talent identification and player development are reflected in Campbell’s glut of 13 players selected in the first four rounds of the NFL Draft since 2019. As a result, Campbell became a mainstay in seemingly every high-profile coaching search during the last few carousel cycles, including with several professional franchises. To truly convince the Penn State faithful, Campbell will need to demonstrate that he can topple highly-ranked opponents in the way that Franklin simply never could, especially toward the end. An extremely favorable 2026 schedule that is missing the likes of Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana largely strips the new regime of that challenge early on. But games against USC (home), Michigan (away) and Washington (away) will serve as important mile markers against the conference’s second tier. Another important avenue through which to gauge Campbell’s success will be quarterback recruiting. The Nittany Lions signed 2026 prospect Peyton Falzone (No. 436 overall, No. 20 QB), but are likely searching for a higher-end solution to replace starter Rocco Becht, an Iowa State transfer entering his final season of eligibility. Career record: 132-52 overall in 16 years (James Madison, Holy Cross, Assumption)Recruiting class: No. 62 overall, No 15 Big TenTransfer portal: No. 25 overall, No. 6 Big TenReturning starters: 2 offense, 2 defense Can lightning strike twice from the James Madison coaching pipeline? That’s clearly what the Bruins are hoping for by tabbing Chesney, 48, as the permanent replacement for DeShaun Foster, whose tenure never really accelerated, evidenced by his mid-September firing amid an unsightly 0-3 start. Chesney arrived in Los Angeles with an impressive knack for program building, which stretched across four different locales. That includes his most recent stint as Curt Cignetti’s successor with the Dukes, whom he guided to the College Football Playoff last season, ultimately falling to No. 5 Oregon. In the same way that Cignetti leaned heavily on ex-James Madison players and coaches to overhaul the culture at Indiana, Chesney is attempting a similar strategic approach with the Bruins. A transfer portal class comprised of 41 new faces — tied for the fourth-largest haul in the country — includes 10 former JMU players, headlined by edge rusher Sahir West (No. 77 transfer, No. 9 edge) and tailback Wayne Knight (No. 420 transfer, No. 38 RB). They will be instrumental in helping Chesney and his staff inspire belief in a program that has only finished above .500 in conference play twice since 2015. More important, perhaps, than anything Chesney and his team accomplish on an actual field this fall is to what degree UCLA can maintain its stunning recruiting run. With 21 verbal commitments in the current cycle, including six from blue-chip prospects, the Bruins are sitting No. 11 overall in the national rankings for 2027, leading programs like Ohio State, Michigan, Ole Miss, Texas Tech and Georgia. Converting those pledges into binding signatures will be paramount for Chesney’s regime. Career record: 110-101 in 17 years (Northwestern)Recruiting class: No. 45 overall, No. 12 Big TenTransfer portal: No. 55 overall, No. 14 Big TenReturning starters: 2 offense, 3 defense Michigan State enjoyed a lengthy run of conference contention under Hall of Fame coach Mark Dantonio in the 2010s, highlighted by the program's lone trip to the College Football Playoff. But after being briefly teased by the promise of his controversial successor, the Spartans endured a scandal-strewn, multi-regime collapse that has left them among the Big Ten's bottom feeders. It was quite a mess for Fitzgerald, the longtime head coach at Northwestern, to wade into after three years away from the sport. After four consecutive losing seasons — three of which are now pockmarked by vacated wins stemming from NCAA violations — the rebuilding effort at Michigan State is expected to be a multi-year endeavor. For Fitzgerald, who guided Northwestern to two Big Ten Championship Game appearances, the clearest sign of progress in Year 1 will be improving the overall talent level on the Spartans' roster. Michigan State has produced just four NFL Draft picks over the last three seasons combined, a number far too low for a program hoping to contend in the Big Ten. Keeping players on campus should be a central focus for Fitzgerald considering how much talent has exited the program in recent years: from quarterbacks Sam Leavitt (Arizona State/LSU), Katin Houser (East Carolina/Illinois) and Payton Thorne (Auburn), to wide receivers Keon Coleman (Florida State) and Germie Bernard (Washington/Alabama), to defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (Oregon), to safety Jaden Mangham (Michigan). All of those players were either highly coveted in the transfer portal or reached new levels after exiting Michigan State — or, in some cases, both. If Fitzgerald can mold the Spartans into a competitive group this fall and then retain his key contributors for 2027 and beyond, he’ll begin to lay the groundwork for a lasting turnaround.]]>
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					<![CDATA['Can’t Believe I’m Actually Doing This': Klatt Becomes Voice Of College Football 27]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/joel-klatt-ea-sports-college-football-27</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/joel-klatt-ea-sports-college-football-27</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Our team at FOX Sports caught up with Joel Klatt to get a behind-the-scenes look at how he became the new voice of EA Sports College Football 27.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:09:50 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Long before he became the voice of college football Saturdays on FOX, Joel Klatt made a decision that only makes sense to anyone who grew up playing EA Sports College Football. During his freshman season at Colorado, Klatt was given No. 14 as a walk-on quarterback. He eventually had the opportunity to change it before becoming the Buffaloes' starter the following year. He never did. The reason? He knew the video game would have Colorado's starting quarterback wearing No. 14. Now, 23 years later, Klatt is the new color commentator in EA Sports College Football 27. We caught up with Klatt to get a behind-the-scenes look at how he became the voice of the game. What’s the story behind you becoming the voice of the new EA Sports college football game, and what was the process like from that first conversation to officially landing the role? The process was actually painless. EA contacted my agency, and they did a great job of fostering that relationship. It was pretty well set before I even knew about it. I was incredibly excited. We had a Zoom with some of the executives at EA, and from that point, we signed the deal and started scheduling recording sessions. You’ve spent years calling college football games. How different is it recording commentary for a video game versus calling a game in real-time on a college football Saturday? It’s so different calling games for the video game. I would spend all day in one recording session just calling touchdowns. You’re not actually calling a game in sequence. You’re just trying to just take each situation for its own and give a line for that situation. Typically, each situation will have variables. You can talk about the defensive perspective, the offensive perspective, or the player perspective.  It was very different and very compartmentalized, but it was certainly a cool experience. What was your familiarity with this game and was there a "this is actually happening" moment for you? I’m very familiar with the game. I’ve got three boys — 14, 12 and nine. They play the game. I played the game when it had its previous version. In fact, when I was playing at Colorado, they just gave me the number 14 when I walked on, and I had the option to switch my jersey number before my sophomore year, which was going to be my first year as the starting quarterback. But I didn’t change my number because I knew the game would have my No. 14 as the starting quarterback at Colorado. I’ve loved the game for a long time, and there was certainly part of me that, as I was recording, was thinking to myself, ‘I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.’ What actually went into becoming the voice of the game — from the recording sessions, to the scripting, to trying to make reactions sound natural for so many different in-game moments? We did a lot of hard work. My first question to the folks at EA was if there was going to be AI support. They made it very clear that this was all going to be essentially manual. I would have recording sessions two hours at a time, and since they were based in Orlando, they came out and set up a little sound booth in my house. I would get on Zoom two to three times per week, typically at 6 a.m., and we would go through our sessions. I wanted to get in as many sessions as I could possibly get in before the game went to market. This was a lot of hard work. I think we ended up doing close to 90 hours of recording and thousands of lines, but it was certainly fun. They would send me a script, and the script was basically just situations. I didn't think I would do well just reading lines, so I started just getting situations. I would talk about the offensive line, the running backs fighting for extra yards and being able to move the chains. And that's how it went. With everything you learned working on the game, if you had to pick one team right now to win a national title in EA Sports College Football 27, who are you taking and why? From what I know about the game and some of the player ratings after the transfer portal, I know that Ohio State is going to be very good in the game. I think Indiana is going to be very good. I know Oregon is going to be very good, and Texas. Basically, they kind of nailed what a preseason top 10 would look like. So, any of those teams, I think, will have a great chance to win a national championship. Where does becoming the voice of this game rank among the coolest experiences you’ve had in your career covering college football — and did it hit you at any point just how big of a deal this is for fans? I've been so fortunate in this career, and done a lot of incredible things, even outside of college football. I got to call the U.S. Open and interview the players after they finished 18 at Pebble Beach. That was incredible. I've done studio shows at the Super Bowl when I was a host. I've called Big Ten championship games and Michigan vs. Ohio State. I will tell you that this absolutely ranks up there as one of the highlights of my career. It's such an iconic brand and game. They do such an incredible job honoring college football. They love college football, and to be a part of that team and to further something that is really special in our space is a real highlight. It's certainly one of the best things that I've ever done in my career. This is very cool.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Texas Tech Defends Playing Brendan Sorsby Amid Gambling Backlash: 'It's Not Murder']]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-tech-defends-playing-brendan-sorsby-amid-gambling-backlash-its-not-murder</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-tech-defends-playing-brendan-sorsby-amid-gambling-backlash-its-not-murder</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Sports leadership at Texas Tech on Wednesday defended their plans to play quarterback Brendan Sorsby next season while he treats his gambling addiction.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:09:46 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Sports leadership at Texas Tech on Wednesday defended their plans to play quarterback Brendan Sorsby next season while he treats his gambling addiction, insisting they are not trying to "engineer his eligibility" through the courts and dismissing widespread criticism t hat includes the president of the NCAA. Speaking to the Houston Touchdown Club, coach Joey McGuire acknowledged the "rage" surrounding the situation, with athletic directors across college football saying that the NCAA ban on players who gamble should remain sacrosanct and a court order won this week by Sorsby crossed a line that should never be crossed. "For some reason, as a society, we’ve been OK with other things that happen and allowing players to play, and this has been the one thing that has united people, that they were against," McGuire said. "It’s crazy because it’s not murder, it’s not beating somebody -- so there’s a lot of things that we’re working through. None of this is OK." Athletic director Kirby Hocutt also released a statement to "offer a few facts that seem to be getting lost in the noise" and noting the school is not part of Sorsby's lawsuit against the NCAA. "A young man in treatment for a clinically diagnosed addiction exercised his legal right to seek a remedy in court and a judge agreed with him," Hocutt said. "Our role has been to support his recover, not to engineer his eligibility." Under the court order, Sorsby will be suspened for the first two games of the season. The NCAA plans to appeal the ruling, with President Charlie Baker telling reporters in Las Vegas that the case illustrated "a new low" in college sports. McGuire likened Sorsby recovering from his addiction to fellow Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond’s recovery from knee surgery. "He’s recovering," McGuire said. "I’ve sat down with this young man multiple times and the things that he is going through and what he’s been through, it’s serious." "And I have a number of people in my family that were addicted to different stuff and so I’ve seen what addiction does to people," he said. "And so, us even saying to the point before we get to the legal part, that he could be ready in Week 3 against Houston is still a stretch because guess what, he’s still recovering." McGuire added that Sorsby was "back in the building" after spending some time away from the facilities while he was dealing with his issues. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[College Football Has A Commissioner, And His Name Is 'Local Judge']]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/brendan-sorsby-texas-tech-eligible-gambling-local-judge-ruling</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/brendan-sorsby-texas-tech-eligible-gambling-local-judge-ruling</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports' RJ Young explains why Brendan Sorsby's eligibility revealed a deeper problem in college football: the NCAA is no longer the sport's final authority.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:15:38 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[College football has a commissioner, and his name is Local Judge. The system we've seen built around college football in the 21st century won't break because of the money, but because we allowed a player to gamble on the sport without the penalty of banishment. This system won’t break because one judge in the next county over made one ruling, but because college football’s most powerful individuals will not come to an agreement that protects and betters the sport they claim to love. Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby was granted a temporary injunction on Monday, allowing him to play for the Red Raiders this fall, despite being declared ineligible by the NCAA for betting on college sports, including bets made on his own team while at Indiana. So, this begs the question: where do we go now if we can't protect the integrity of competition? That is the question facing many administrators, coaches and fans after the ruling came in from Judge Ken Curry, who is from Fort Worth, Texas, and was brought to Lubbock County for this case. The temporary restraining order prevents the NCAA from being able to block Sorsby's eligibility for what will be his final collegiate season. Sorsby acknowledged placing thousands of bets over the past four years during his time at Indiana, Cincinnati and now Texas Tech, which have totaled upwards of $90,000, a clear violation of NCAA rules. Curry also unilaterally suspended Sorsby for the first two games of Texas Tech’s 2026 season against "Ain’t Played Nobody Conference" members Abilene Christian and Oregon State. This last stipulation in Curry’s ruling brings back around a case Sorsby’s attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, cited as evidence of the NCAA’s inconsistency in enforcing its gambling bylaws: Former Indiana volleyball assistant coach Brett Agne was found to have made more than 700 bets of more than $327,000 in five months — including 27 on IU football and men’s basketball. Agne received a two-year show cause order and a 10-game suspension but, importantly, no outright ban from coaching NCAA sports. Agne no longer coaches at Indiana and was recently coaching professional volleyball for the Indy Ignite, a women's professional indoor volleyball team that competes in Major League Volleyball (MLV). The NCAA believed Sorsby's actions warranted permanent ineligibility from playing college football, and according to some athletic directors and coaches, there simply shouldn't be any exception to that rule. "We’re too f---ing greedy right now," a Big 12 assistant coach told me. "We’re out for ourselves. Yeah, it goes without saying we want their kid [Sorsby] to be OK, but what about the whole doggone sport? No one wants the rules to apply to them, and they want the screws turned to everybody else." Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks and Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen have each publicly said they will not schedule the Red Raiders in non-conference matchups. Big Ten athletic directors are expected to meet to discuss a league-wide mandate that effectively boycotts scheduling Texas Tech in their non-conference affairs. Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor is also saying the quiet part out loud. "We've had some serious conversation about it," Taylor told Yahoo Sports. "There is still a lot to be discussed. We aren't scheduled to play them this year, but it's something we have to look at from a college football perspective. This is greater than the Big 12." It’s greater than college football, too. American sport is built on the belief that competition is fair. It’s the reason that eight members of the 1919 Black Sox team received the harshest treatment imaginable for fixing games. It’s the reason Pete Rose’s bust will never see the inside of the Baseball Hall of Fame after betting on the sport. The integrity of the sport matters more than any institution, team or player. We must believe the game is, without question, being played to win, not to cover a spread or feast on long odds for the sake of money made. On Monday, a Texas judge unknown to most college football fans issued a ruling that could prove more consequential than any controversy the sport has faced this offseason. As a local judge, though, he got to play college football commissioner for a day. What's worse is that another judge in another county will eventually make the next decision, because leaders still cannot agree on how to govern the sport and stop the evil that is greed from continuing to pillage our otherwise thriving village that is college football. Curry is hardly the first instance of this. In the past four months alone, judges in Tennessee, Mississippi and Oklahoma have been asked to rule on college football eligibility cases. Former Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar sued for an extra year of eligibility, arguing his junior college seasons should not count toward his NCAA clock. A chancellor in Tennessee disagreed. Had he won his case, he was likely to make seven figures in NIL and revenue-sharing at Tennessee. A Mississippi judge reached the opposite conclusion with Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss, granting the soon-to-be 24-year-old another year of eligibility. Then in April, Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke secured an injunction allowing him to play the 2026 season despite already participating in the NFL Scouting Combine. Sorsby going in front of a local judge and being granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA that allows him to play college football is the latest instance of eligibility disputes being decided in courtrooms. This offseason has shown us that college football not only lacks the kind of enforcement it wants, but the enforcement it deserves.And yes, it's only June.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Big 12 Leadership Convenes Following Court Ruling on Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/big-12-leadership-convenes-following-court-ruling-texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/big-12-leadership-convenes-following-court-ruling-texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Big 12 athletic directors have taken part in a conference call with Commissioner Brett Yormark to address the situation around Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 20:02:36 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Big 12 athletic directors took part in a conference call Tuesday with Commissioner Brett Yormark to address the situation around Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby and the court ruling that restored his NCAA eligibility for the upcoming season. The temporary injunction issued Monday by a Texas district court prevents the NCAA from enforcing its ban of Sorsby. The transfer QB had been ruled ineligible for what will be his final college season after he acknowledged years of gambling that included at least 40 bets on his own team while a freshman at Indiana. Since NCAA rules call for a permanent loss of eligibility for any player who wagered on his own team, the judge's decision sent shockwaves through college sports, including in Texas Tech's own league. Yormark said there was a "thoughtful and productive conversations" with the athletic directors as "we continue to work through the broader implications of this situation." In a statement without getting into specifics, the commissioner said many of the ADs voiced their opinions. "We will continue to have open and honest dialogue amongst the group, and until there is something to report, these conversations will remain within the conference," he said. Next will be a meeting of the league's executive board, when there is expected to be a discussion to present options, but no immediate action is expected then. The full board of directors, made up of presidents and chancellors from the league's 16 members, is expected to meet next week. Part of the injunction from the 99th District Court against the NCAA includes a two-game suspension for Sorsby. He would miss games against Abilene Christian and Oregon State, but eligible to return when the Red Raiders play their Big 12 opener at home Sept. 18 against Houston. The NCAA is appealing to a higher Texas court. Sorsby made thousands of impermissible bets on college and pro sports that were worth at least $90,000 while at Indiana, Cincinnati and Texas Tech. Those bets include the ones he made while a freshman with the Hoosiers in 2022, though none were on games in which he played that season. "I think that’s the unpardonable sin," Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said Tuesday. "And I think everyone in America grew up knowing that was the unpardonable sin when it comes to sports and gambling." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[What to Know After Texas Tech Transfer QB Brendan Sorsby Wins Injunction vs. NCAA]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/what-know-after-texas-tech-transfer-qb-brendan-sorsby-wins-injunction-vs-ncaa</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/what-know-after-texas-tech-transfer-qb-brendan-sorsby-wins-injunction-vs-ncaa</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby has won a temporary injunction against the NCAA.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 18:23:20 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has won a temporary injunction against the NCAA that allows him to remain eligible even after he acknowledged making thousands of impermissible bets worth at least $90,000 on college and pro sports. Those include some bets on his own team when he was a freshman at Indiana. The court order sent shockwaves through college sports since one of the NCAA’s foundational rules, and one found in many professional sports as well, is the ability to ban players for gambling — especially those wagering on their own team. Big 12 Conference Commissioner Brett Yormark said the decision involving one of the league's schools had caused "great concern amongst our membership" and scheduled an immediate meeting among athletic directors. The NCAA, which has twice denied Texas Tech’s petition to have Sorsby’s eligibility restored, has already filed notice it will appeal. What Happens Now? Even though the NCAA has ruled Sorsby ineligible, the injunction prevents the enforcement of that ban while the case plays out in court. Court records Monday listed a potential final trial date of Feb. 8, 2027, long after the conclusion of what would be Sorsby's final season. Sorsby, if he abides by certain conditions, can rejoin the team immediately and play for the Red Raiders this fall after serving a two-game suspension proposed by his attorneys and approved by the judge. The NCAA is appealing to a Texas appellate court, seeking an accelerated appeal to overturn the injunction and again make Sorsby ineligible. The primary challenge? Getting a ruling quickly, with Tech's season opener less than three months away on Sept. 5. The deadline for Sorsby to enter the NFL supplemental draft is much earlier, on June 22. A Shocking Outcome While some guidelines for penalties related to gambling have changed in recent years, NCAA rules still call for a permanent loss of eligibility for any player who wagered on his own team. The NCAA, in fact, has banned multiple basketball players over the past eight months. "We had an extraordinary and unprecedented ruling, that for the first time I think in recorded history, a league has been prevented from banning a player (for) betting on their own games," said Gabe Feldman, director of the sports law program at Tulane Law School. He noted the ruling was also preliminary, limited in scope and limited in applicability. Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney who negotiated the $2.8 billion House settlement against the NCAA and now represents Sorsby, told the court in a June 1 hearing that the 22-year-old quarterback has a diagnosed addiction and anxiety-driven compulsion. He said the NCAA was obligated to consider the quarterback's well-being and to support rather than punish him. Utah athletic director Mark Harlan disagreed, posting on social media: "We are all committed to supporting student-athlete well-being, but we also must have a definitive path forward that preserves the most basic tenets of competitive integrity in our industry." Another Big 12 athletic director, Colorado's Fernando Lovo, said the injunction is troubling "as his admitted actions are a clear violation of long-held standards of integrity in college athletics. Caring for student-athletes is important but so is accountability and this injunction is a clear affront to the competitive principles that been the foundation of college sports for more than a century." Sorsby has Conditions to Meet The injunction says Sorsby must continue counseling for his gambling and participate in peer support through Gamblers Anonymous or a similar group. He also must continue treatment to address "the underlying anxiety that served as the primary driver of (his) gambling behavior." His counsel must provide a monthly report to the NCAA detailing his compliance with those conditions. If Sorsby fails to conform to the conditions, the NCAA could apply for emergency relief from the injunction. Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said a comprehensive support structure, including clinical care, monitoring and compliance checks, is in place for Sorsby. How Did Sorsby’s Case End Up In Court? Sorsby was one of college football’s top available transfers after his past two seasons at Cincinnati that followed being at Indiana in 2022 and 2023. The Texas native got a reported multimillion dollar deal from Texas Tech, the defending Big 12 champion that went to the College Football Playoff last season. The NCAA in March received a tip from an online gambling book about Sorsby’s gambling activity over the past four years. Texas Tech was notified April 14, and about two weeks later, without referencing any NCAA investigation, said the quarterback was taking an indefinite leave of absence and entering a residential treatment program for gambling addiction where he spent more than a month. Sorsby filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on May 18, the same day Texas Tech ruled him ineligible. The school had to do that to pursue a request for his reinstatement that was submitted the following day. The NCAA denied that on May 22, then last week rejected an appeal. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[College Football Stock Watch: Why Penn State Is Trending Up, And Alabama Isn't]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-stock-watch-why-penn-state-trending-up-alabama-isnt</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-stock-watch-why-penn-state-trending-up-alabama-isnt</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports' Joel Klatt looks at which teams are trending up heading into the 2026 college football season, and which teams are trending down.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:01:56 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Think back to this time a year ago. Penn State entered the 2025 season as a top-10 team and a trendy national title pick. By the second week of November, the Nittany Lions were 3-6, their head coach had been fired, and a season filled with promise had unraveled during a six-game losing streak. That's a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in college football. The teams generating offseason buzz don't always deliver. Which brings us to 2026, where Penn State now leads the list of teams whose stock is rising heading into the season. FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt revealed his latest "stock up" and "stock down" teams during a recent episode of "The Joel Klatt Show." Klatt: Matt Cambell is now the new head coach at Penn State. This program was 7-6 last season, and I think this is clearly trending up. James Franklin had one very specific issue: losing big games. Once they lost that Oregon game, the season spiraled out of control.Campbell is a perfect fit at Penn State. His 10 seasons at Iowa State should tell us one thing: this team is going to be solid. In this era, you're going to have years when you just hit the schedule lottery, and Penn State is set to face what I would say is a soft Big Ten schedule. They brought in a ton of guys from Iowa State, including QB Rocco Becht, whose 39 career starts are the most among returning quarterbacks in college football, and they have a schedule that really has a floor of nine wins.The toughest games on the schedule are USC at home, Michigan on the road, Washington on the road, and then Minnesota at home the following week. This is a schedule they can do some damage with.They’re certainly going to win more than seven games. There's no doubt. I think they could be a 10-2 team fighting for a College Football Playoff spot. Klatt: Alabama is going to be a good football team, but I don’t know if that’s going to be enough. The Crimson Tide are losing their most important player in Ty Simpson, who carried them to some of those wins last year. Now you don’t have him. They won 11 games, reached the College Football Playoff and played in the Rose Bowl. They're not doing that again.Alabama doesn't have a terribly difficult schedule, at least by SEC standards, but this isn't going to be as good a team as it was a year ago.I like Kalen DeBoer. I think he's a wonderful football coach. The one thing he's struggled with throughout his career is finding a reliable running game to complement what has consistently been an elite passing attack. Last year, Alabama couldn't run the football. It's actually shocking to watch Alabama line up and not be able to run the football. They've got to fix that, and I don't know if that's going to happen. They lost a first-round offensive tackle in Kadyn Proctor. They lost a first-round quarterback. They lost Germie Bernard. Are they going to be great on defense? I think that remains to be seen. This is going to be a young team. They're going to be inexperienced, particularly at quarterback. In my estimation, experience at the quarterback position is the most important ingredient for any team in the country, and it's very difficult to have top-end success with an inexperienced quarterback. Klatt: Lane Kiffin is a great coach. He's done this before. He took Ole Miss, brought in a ton of transfers, rebuilt the culture and had a lot of success. It's not like he has to reinvent the wheel. This is a program that has won national championships. The expectation at LSU is to compete at the top, and they haven't been doing that. They went 7-6 and fired their head coach. Now you look at the talent they've brought in — including QB Sam Leavitt — and ask yourself: Is this really a seven-win team? The answer is no. Absolutely not. I think this team is going to compete for a College Football Playoff spot. LSU has zero top-10 finishes since winning the national championship in 2019. That's wild. This is too good of a program to be stuck in that kind of stretch, and I think that's going to change with Kiffin and all the talent that's been infused into the roster. Klatt: I love Trinidad Chambliss. I love Kewan Lacy. But Ole Miss went 13-2 and reached the College Football Playoff semifinals a year ago. Pete Golding has said himself that he never wanted to be a head coach. Now he's been thrust into that position because there really wasn't another move for Ole Miss to make. He did a great job, but the bar is simply too high. The Rebels are going to take a step back. I hope I'm wrong, but remember this: Before Lane Kiffin arrived, Ole Miss had just two 10-win seasons dating back to 1975. Then Kiffin came in and completely changed the trajectory of the program. You can't just expect that level of success to continue immediately. For decades, this was largely a .500 program. I think they take a step back from a 13-2 season and a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance. Klatt: The Bruins were 3-9 a year ago. They fired DeShaun Foster right before that game against Penn State, but it's the hire they made that has me excited about this program moving forward. Bob Chesney is a really good football coach. UCLA is set to bring back QB Nico Iamaleava, and they've added more than 40 incoming transfers. So they've got experience at quarterback and a significant infusion of talent across the roster. And Chesney is bringing seven coaches from James Madison with him, including his offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and special teams coach. That should sound familiar — it's exactly what Curt Cignetti did when he left James Madison for Indiana. To me, this feels like Indiana-light. You could see a major jump for UCLA. It's tough in the Big Ten, but they've got experience and talent at the quarterback position and a real coaching staff that can go out there and recruit talent. There's a lot of energy in Westwood, and they're recruiting at a high level. Klatt: I believe in the foundation of this program, but Illinois has won 19 games over the last two seasons. That’s real sustained success for a program that didn’t have much of it before Bret Bielema arrived. When you look at their offense, Luke Altmyer was a huge part of their success. Their offensive line was a huge part of it as well. Now they’re replacing four starters up front, they have to replace their top wide receiver in Hank Beatty, and they also lost their defensive coordinator to Notre Dame. Not every program can be great every single year. We see it with Georgia and Ohio State. Maybe we see it with programs like Miami or Oregon. Those teams have the resources to recruit and get talent out of the transfer portal, but at a program like Illinois, I don’t think they have the resources to do that. For Illinois, I think there’s going to be a dip. Then they'll gain experience, get veterans, fill in the holes, and be very good in a couple of years. You're going to have these dips before you can have the type of success that they had, especially after a two-year stretch with 19 wins. Klatt: It’s easy to go up from 4-8. Florida has had just one winning season in the last five years. The Gators should be better than that, but they haven’t been. Now Jon Sumrall comes in. He has a 43-12 record as a head coach and has consistently won wherever he’s been. This is a guy who knows how to coach. He’s brought in a lot of talent, and this is a program that should be able to recruit and sustain talent at a high enough level to compete as a strong SEC program. I’m buying Florida. It might not be a playoff push right away, but I’m definitely buying improvement from a 4-8 season a year ago after they fired Billy Napier as their head coach. Klatt: Last year, Vanderbilt set a program record with 10 wins. Now they have to replace the entire engine of that team in Heisman finalist Diego Pavia. I know they brought in some elite-level talent, particularly at quarterback, but it’s inexperienced talent. Pavia had a ton of starts under his belt and was a guy who knew how to play well in big moments. Do we really expect them to all of a sudden win 10 games again? That was a program record. I like Clark Lea, but very similar to Illinois, this is a program that is going to take a step back in order to move forward in the coming years. I’m selling Vanderbilt this year. Klatt: Say what you want about James Franklin and what he did in big games at Penn State, but the truth is, the guy can coach. He raised the level of Penn State, and I believe he's going to raise the level of Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech had four straight seasons without being ranked at any point. That program should be better than that. Franklin retained Brent Pry, who is now the defensive coordinator. When Pry was the defensive coordinator at Penn State, that was a marriage that really worked. They had one of the better defenses in the conference — and really in the country. So he's back in a role where I think he can excel. They have 27 incoming transfers, including 12 from Penn State. That’s going to raise the level of talent, and the ACC is not a very difficult conference. This is a team that I think, at some point this season, can be ranked and maybe even make a push toward the ACC championship game. Klatt: I like Georgia Tech, but the Yellow Jackets are coming off a couple of really strong seasons. Haynes King was the engine of that success, similar to Diego Pavia at Vanderbilt. They won nine games last year — their most since 2016 — but now they have to replace King and both coordinators. Losing that kind of continuity and experience is usually the recipe for a step back. Georgia Tech also has 11 games against Power 4 opponents this year, including non-conference games against Tennessee and Georgia. That’s not an easy schedule. This is not a team that’s going to win nine games again. I think they will take a step back this season before building back up in the future.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby Eligible To Play After Getting Injunction Vs. NCAA]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby-eligible-play-after-getting-injunction-vs-ncaa</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby-eligible-play-after-getting-injunction-vs-ncaa</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Brendan Sorsby has been granted a temporary injunction against the NCAA]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:48:51 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Brendan Sorsby has been granted a temporary injunction against the NCAA that could clear the way for him to play for Texas Tech this fall, even after the transfer quarterback was declared ineligible for wagering on college sports. Some of the bets were made on his own team while at Indiana. The ruling Monday by Judge Ken Curry immediately prevents the NCAA from being able to block Sorsby's eligibility for what will be his final college season. Sorsby will still miss the first two games, which was a penalty that had been proposed by his attorneys. Curry's ruling came a week after a two-hour hearing in the 99th District Court in Lubbock County, where Texas Tech is located. The NCAA can appeal to a higher court in Texas, though there was no immediate word on if or when that would happen, or the possible timeline for a different ruling. Texas Tech is nearly three months from its season opener Sept. 5 at home against Abilene Christian. In a statement, the NCAA said it strongly disagrees with the court's ruling and "is deeply concerned about the damaging, far-reaching and broadly destabilizing ramifications of this outcome — which undermines and corrupts the integrity of sports." Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Cactus Bowl Leaves Chase Field, Returns to Arizona State for First Time Since 2015]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/cactus-bowl-leaves-chase-field-returns-arizona-state-first-time-since-2015</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/cactus-bowl-leaves-chase-field-returns-arizona-state-first-time-since-2015</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Cactus Bowl is back and it’s returning to Arizona State’s campus.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 18:03:34 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Cactus Bowl is back and it's returning to Arizona State's campus. Fiesta Sports Foundation, which operates the Fiesta and Cactus bowls, announced the return on Wednesday, ending a nine-year run at Chase Field, home of baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks. The game will be played Dec. 26 at Arizona State's Mountain America Stadium. The bowl moved to Chase Field while Arizona State's stadium underwent renovations and had numerous title sponsors, most recently being known as the Rate Bowl from 2024-25. The Cactus Bowl previously had been played at Arizona State's stadium from 2006-2015. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NC State-Virginia Game No Longer In Brazil, Relocated To Virginia]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/nc-statevirginia-game-set-for-brazil-moving-to-virginia-international-game-could-not-be-conducted</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/nc-statevirginia-game-set-for-brazil-moving-to-virginia-international-game-could-not-be-conducted</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Week 0 matchup between NC State and Virginia has relocated to Virginia, will no longer be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:39:11 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The N.C. State vs. Virginia football game set to take place in Brazil as the first college football game played in South America, is being relocated to the Cavaliers' home field after organizers determined the game could not be conducted in Rio de Janeiro. Wednesday's announcement came less than three months before the Wolfpack and Cavaliers were set to open the season in Rio. The Atlantic Coast Conference said in a news release that the change comes after "extensive review with operational partners and international stakeholders," with event organizer Athlete Advantage recently informing the league and schools that the event couldn't move forward as planned in Brazil. The game was set to take place Aug. 29, in Week 0 on the college football calendar. The league and schools are working with TV partner ESPN and the NCAA to keep the game on the scheduled date. The teams had originally agreed to a home-and-home non-conference series that wouldn’t count in the ACC standings since games were added outside the league scheduling model. Longtime league members from neighboring states don't meet as often because of years of expansion amid waves of national conference realignment. N.C. State won last year's first matchup in that home-and-home plan. The Rio game was set to replace Virginia's home game in Charlottesville, though as part of the league slate as the ACC moves to a nine-game schedule. Now it will be held at Scott Stadium in the more traditional backdrop. Fans who purchased tickets or travel packages for the event through the official College Football Brasil website will receive refunds. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Nick Saban Lends Support To College Sports Bill As SEC, Big Ten Push Back]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/nick-saban-college-sports-bill-sec-big-ten-oppose</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/nick-saban-college-sports-bill-sec-big-ten-oppose</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Former Alabama coach Nick Saban is testifying in support of a bipartisan bill to overhaul college athletics that the SEC and Big Ten oppose.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:59:30 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Former Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban and other college sports figures testified Wednesday in support of a bipartisan bill aimed at overhauling a system where players can increasingly earn millions of dollars while moving freely between schools. The leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee held the hearing as they push legislation unveiled last week that supporters hope can break the congressional gridlock over how to regulate college athletics. The bill, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., would regulate payments to athletes, limit them to one "free" transfer during their careers and create a "Lane Kiffin Rule" restricting coaches from leaving programs during the season. Cruz touted the proposal as "the last, best hope we have to save college sports." "If you had the biggest, baddest Ferrari that you could ever have, and it was going 150 miles an hour toward the Grand Canyon, somebody needs to tap the brakes. And I think that’s what we all need to do here," Saban said in his opening remarks. Notably absent from the witness list, which included Notre Dame’s athletic director and the commissioner of the PAC-12 conference, was any representative from the Southeastern Conference, where Saban won seven national championships between Alabama and Louisiana State University. The SEC and the Big Ten, the two most powerful conferences in college sports, oppose the bill, arguing it "leaves critical issues unresolved." Cantwell said the legislation is intended to restore competition to college athletics by ensuring success is determined by how universities "build a team, and not because they have a billionaire in their back pocket." She also addressed the conferences’ opposition directly, suggesting they fear "that somebody’s going to come in and rearrange the deck chairs of those conferences, steal the eyeball schools, and then basically leave everybody with everything else." Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Former Angels Top Prospect Jordyn Adams, 26, Commits To SMU Football]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/former-angels-top-prospect-jordyn-adams-commits-smu-football-age-26</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/former-angels-top-prospect-jordyn-adams-commits-smu-football-age-26</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Jordyn Adams has retired from Major League Baseball and is set to return to football, announcing his intentions to play receiver at SMU.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:35:37 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The 2018 wide receiver recruiting class was spearheaded by top prospects Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ja’Marr Chase. Both elite talents lived up to the immense hype and have since become All-Pro receivers in the NFL. Lost in that group was the player who sat between Brown and Chase in the rankings — a once highly-touted prospect whose path took a different turn. That player is Jordyn Adams. He was the No. 2 receiver recruit in the class and originally committed to North Carolina, but he never played a college snap. Instead, he turned to baseball after being selected 17th overall by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2018 MLB Draft. Now 26, Adams has retired from baseball and is set to return to football after announcing his decision to step away from the sport. He has enrolled at SMU and plans to play wide receiver for the Mustangs this season, per On3. Adams spent seven seasons in professional baseball, primarily in the minor leagues. He earned brief call-ups with the Angels and the Baltimore Orioles, but never lived up to his first-round draft status. He appeared in just 38 career MLB games and hit .165 with one home run and five RBIs before a final minor league stint with the Milwaukee Brewers. Prior to pursuing baseball full-time, Adams put together a slew of accolades throughout his high school career at Green Hope High School in Cary, North Carolina. During his senior season, he recorded 1,060 yards and 19.1 yards per reception. He was ranked as the No. 14 overall recruit in the 2018 class and chose the Tar Heels over Alabama, Clemson and LSU, per 247Sports. The players ahead of him in the rankings include Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Micah Parsons, Patrick Surtain and St. Brown. Adams’ college football eligibility this season could depend on a proposed NCAA rule change. The NCAA Division I Board of Directors advanced an age-based "Five-for-Five" model that would give athletes five years of competition within a five-year eligibility window. The clock would begin after an athlete graduates from high school or turns 19, whichever comes first. If the "Five-for-Five" rule is enacted, it could jeopardize Adams' eligibility. Adams wouldn’t be the first former MLB player to turn back the clock. In 2024, former Miami Marlins outfielder Monte Harrison retired from baseball at 30 years old and enrolled at Arkansas as a wide receiver. Harrison remains with the Razorbacks as they prepare for the 2026 season. If Adams suits up for SMU this year, he would have four years of eligibility remaining under coach Rhett Lashlee, barring any "five-for-five" changes, and could quickly become one of college football’s most intriguing storylines.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Clapbacks, Cupcakes and Chaos: 5 Things We Learned From SEC Spring Meetings]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/clapbacks-cupcakes-chaos-5-things-we-learned-from-sec-spring-meetings</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/clapbacks-cupcakes-chaos-5-things-we-learned-from-sec-spring-meetings</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[From College Football Playoff chaos to coaching clapbacks and the end of Cupcake Week, FOX Sports' Joel Klatt breaks down the biggest takeaways from SEC spring meetings.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:31:22 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Three straight national championships. A 4-0 record against the SEC in the College Football Playoff over the last three seasons. Two of the three largest CFP victories against a Power 4 team during that span. Those are just some of the reasons why the conversation around college football's top conference has shifted toward the Big Ten. But despite the Big Ten's recent dominance, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey isn't ready to surrender the crown. "If you look at the entirety of our league, we are by far the most competitive, the strongest football league by far," Sankey told reporters during SEC spring meetings last week in Destin, Florida. "But you’re going to lose games when it’s close and competitive like that. So why have they surpassed us? It’s an oddball, it’s bounced a couple times the wrong way." FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt was on the ground at the SEC spring meetings and addressed Sankey’s comments, and much more, during a recent episode of "The Joel Klatt Show." Here’s Klatt’s breakdown of what he learned from SEC spring meetings: The recent results on the football field paint a different picture than the one Sankey described at last week's SEC spring meetings. Since the 2023 College Football Playoff, Big Ten teams are 4-0 against SEC opponents. That stretch includes Michigan's 27-20 Rose Bowl victory over Alabama following the 2023 season, Ohio State's 42-17 win over Tennessee in the first round of the 2024 CFP, the Buckeyes' 28-14 semifinal victory over Texas that same year, and Indiana's CFP win over Alabama last season. "[Going] 4-0 [against the SEC] is not a small thing now," Klatt said. "I'm sorry, but Nick Saban is no longer there with his big ol' coattails for you to ride as a conference. It's not that way anymore." For much of the last decade, Alabama served as the standard for SEC dominance under Saban, winning six national championships between 2009 and 2020. Georgia followed with back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022 under Kirby Smart. Since then, however, the Big Ten has seized control of the sport's biggest prize, winning each of the last three national championships. Klatt argued that the SEC's recent struggles extend beyond those matchups. Over the last three CFPs, SEC teams are just 2-5 against Power 4 opponents and Notre Dame, with both victories belonging to Texas during its 2024 playoff run. "I'm sorry, Greg, but it wasn't just a bounce," Klatt said. "Again, [it's all] narrative. What do you want to believe, and who are you getting your news from?" Klatt also pointed to the SEC's 1-5 record against Power 4 opponents in non-CFP bowl games last season as further evidence that the conference's claim to dominance is no longer. "The SEC has dominated the sport for a long time, and it's been hard for them to admit the truth," Klatt said. "You are not ‘by far’ the best conference. You're not even the best conference, and the data backs that up." The biggest question entering last week's SEC spring meetings was simple: Would Greg Sankey finally reveal where the conference stands on the proposed 24-team College Football Playoff? Instead, the meetings came and went without any meaningful answers. Sankey previously voiced support for a 16-team format, while momentum has continued to build around a 24-team proposal that would eliminate automatic qualifiers in favor of a selection-based format featuring the 23 highest-ranked teams and one Group of 6 representative. With every Power 4 conference already showing support for the model, all eyes turned to Sankey and the SEC, where multiple coaches and athletic directors have reportedly shown growing support for the 24-team model. But, according to both Klatt and other reporters at the meetings, there was no sign of support, at least not right now. According to Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, Sankey said, "The SEC’s timeline on a decision on a 24-team CFP expansion will likely come in the fall." The belief was that Sankey's skepticism of the format could be tested against his fellow coaches and athletic directors, who appeared to be supportive of the 24-team proposed model. Instead, there was next to no clarity from Sankey. "We didn’t get anything, and that leaves us to this conclusion: I don’t think they have any unification or any consensus of what they want," Klatt said. "They don’t have a cohesive message right now. If they had a cohesive message, we would have heard it. "I think they have dissension, and the evidence is that there was nothing that came out of the meetings." Regardless of what emerged from the SEC's meetings, the future of the CFP still hinges on the sport's two most powerful conferences — the SEC and Big Ten — and whether the former eventually softens its resistance to a larger field. "The longer they can just drag this out, then nothing is going to change," Klatt added, "because the Big Ten and the SEC have to agree." As conversations surrounding CFP expansion continue to dominate headlines across college football, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart dropped perhaps the biggest bombshell to come out of SEC spring meetings. Smart, a two-time national champion and three-time SEC Coach of the Year, suggested that if college football cannot establish uniform rules regarding issues such as NIL, the SEC could eventually consider operating independently. "I've said this for a long time to our president," Smart said. "I've been a huge advocate that if we can't find rules that everybody plays by, then we should play our own. I'm not afraid of that. I'm not afraid to break away and say that our conference is strong enough to go out and play." While Joel Klatt agreed with Smart's underlying concern, he certainly did not endorse the idea of schools breaking away from the rest of college football. Smart's argument centers on the lack of a unified governing structure. Schools in different states currently operate under different NIL laws and regulations, creating what many coaches rightfully view as an uneven playing field. "While his sentiment is absolutely right in that we need rules that everybody can play by and that we're all under the same umbrella, I totally support and get that," Klatt said. What Klatt did not support was the notion that breaking away is the answer. "A breakaway from college football would be tragic," Klatt said. "It would be unbelievably terrible for the sport we all love. It would be the worst thing that happened in this sport." Smart's comments come as debate continues over a proposed 24-team CFP model, which has drawn criticism from some fans and media members who believe continued expansion could ultimately harm the sport. "It's certainly not there," Klatt said. "I think there would be pluses and minuses and unintended consequences and unintended gains, just like we saw from going from 4 to 12 in the CFP." For Klatt, it comes down to finding a system that creates consistency across college football, not fracturing the sport even more. "The answer can't be go home," Klatt said. "It can't be that because then college football, as we know it, is over." There is never a lack of entertaining back-and-forth banter in college football, and SEC spring meetings delivered another example of that when Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian took a shot at Texas Tech's schedule. Without mentioning the program he was referencing, Sarkisian said: "There's a team in our state that plays in another conference and has a schedule that I would argue that if I played with our 2s and our 3s, we could go undefeated. They'll probably make the CFP this year." Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire quickly responded by saying he'd love to play Texas, while prominent booster Cody Campbell said Texas Tech would pay the buyouts necessary to replace both ACU and Texas State on the team's schedule. Simply put, Texas Tech is calling Sarkisian's bluff. "I think this is hilarious," Klatt said. "If Texas wanted to play this game and Sark wanted to take this challenge on, they could absolutely play Week 1. Texas Tech, I believe, would absolutely do this, and I believe they would absolutely pay for it. The question is: would Texas do this? The answer is: absolutely not." Texas is slated to face one of the nation's toughest schedules in 2026, including a Week 2 showdown against Ohio State, which would come one week after this proposed matchup. "Sark, in his sentiment, is not wrong," Klatt said. "But the hyperbole he uses that our 2s and 3s could go win every game on Texas Tech's schedule ... come on. "That's a real slap in the face, so, of course, Joey McGuire is going to step up and defend his fraternity and his program, and obviously Cody Campbell is going to do the same." Could the game happen? Sure. Will it happen? Probably not. Goodbye, Mercer. Farewell, Chattanooga.SEC athletic directors have voted to play conference games in the next to last week of the regular season, a move that effectively eliminates the November non-conference "cupcake games" that have drawn criticism from fans and media alike. "I think this is fantastic," Klatt said. "We want to see better games more often in college football. This is one of the reasons that I support expansion because I believe we will get better, more valuable non-conference games." The decision comes as the SEC prepares to move to a nine-game conference schedule beginning this year, ending a run of eight-game league schedules that dates back to the conference's expansion in 1992. The SEC did play 10 conference games during the 2020 COVID season, but that was after not playing any non-conference games. "This is a very good revelation moving forward so that we can all start to play similar schedule formats," Klatt said. "I think everyone is going to argue about the difficulty of their week-in and week-out basis — and let's face it, that goes back to what Greg Sankey said — they feel their schedule is a grind, and they're not wrong. They are a very good conference." Klatt acknowledged the SEC's talent, noting the conference produced more NFL Draft picks than any other league this past year. But he argued that many of the metrics the SEC pointed to as evidence of its dominance no longer favor the conference. "There is a reason the SEC had more players drafted than any other conference," Klatt said. "It just so happens that every other data point, except for the total number of draft picks, favors other conferences. "All these things that they hung their hat on for so long: championships, record on the field, bowl games, first-round draft picks. That's gone away, and all they have is this total number of draft picks and a narrative."]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026–27 College Football Playoff Schedule: Dates, Times and Networks Revealed]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-27-college-football-playoff-schedule-dates-times-networks-revealed</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-27-college-football-playoff-schedule-dates-times-networks-revealed</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The College Football Playoff, ESPN and TNT Sports on Monday announced kickoff times and broadcast information for the 2026-27 CFP.]]>
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				<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:47:25 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The College Football Playoff, ESPN and TNT Sports on Monday announced kickoff times and broadcast information for the 2026-27 CFP. First-round games on campus sites begin Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and continue Dec. 19 at noon, 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. ABC and ESPN will broadcast the first game of the Dec. 19 tripleheader and the other two games will be on TNT and truTV. The first quarterfinal will be at the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m. The other three quarterfinals are Jan. 1 at noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. The first and second quarterfinals will be on TNT and truTV, the third will be on ABC and ESPN and the fourth on ESPN. The Peach, Cotton and Rose bowls are quarterfinal sites but will be assigned their windows when the playoff field is announced Dec. 6. The first semifinal is at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and will be on TNT and truTV. The second semifinal is at the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m. and will be on ABC and ESPN. The championship game is at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. and will air across ESPN networks, including ABC. All games on ESPN networks also will be available on the ESPN app; games on TNT and truTV also will be streamed on HBO Max. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Ruling Looming After Judge Hears Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby’s Eligibility Case]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ruling-looming-after-judge-hears-texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsbys-eligibility-case</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ruling-looming-after-judge-hears-texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsbys-eligibility-case</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Attorneys for Brendan Sorsby and the NCAA presented arguments before a district judge Monday as the Texas Tech transfer quarterback seeks an injunction to allow him to play next season.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:24:01 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Attorneys for Brendan Sorsby and the NCAA presented arguments before a district judge Monday as the Texas Tech transfer quarterback seeks an injunction to allow him to play next season after he acknowledged making thousands of impermissible bets while in college. There was no immediate ruling from Senior Judge Ken Curry after the two-hour hearing, or any indication of when he would rule on a temporary injunction against the NCAA. An injunction would not change Sorsby being declared permanently ineligible by the NCAA, but would put that on hold as the case proceeds. Sorsby did not attend the hearing in the 99th District Court in Lubbock County, where Texas Tech is located. Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney who negotiated the House settlement against the NCAA and is now representing Sorsby, requested a ruling by June 15. That would be a week before the deadline for Sorsby to apply for the NFL supplemental draft if he remains ineligible to play for the Red Raiders this fall. Kessler told the court the 22-year-old Sorsby has a diagnosed addiction and anxiety-driven compulsion. He said the quarterback was never motivated by financial gain in his gambling and never sought to alter or compromise the outcome of a game. Sorsby, who transferred to Texas Tech for a reported multimillion-dollar deal after playing for Cincinnati the past two seasons, recently completed a month-long residential treatment program for gambling addiction. According to a clinician who treated Sorsby, Kessler said, not allowing the quarterback to play would hurt his mental health and impede the progress of his recovery. NCAA lead attorney Taylor Askew questioned how being allowed to play again in college, and putting him back into the situation that triggered his behavior, would help Sorsby’s mental health. As for NCAA rules, Askew said, Sorsby would have been ruled ineligible long ago had his gambling been known in the past. Court filings revealed that on March 11 the NCAA received a tip from an online gambling book, which had been informed by law enforcement, about Sorsby’s gambling activity. Texas Texas was notified April 14 that the NCAA was doing an investigation. "If this were just one or two violations, it would still render him ineligible," Askew told the judge. "This is thousands of violations, 40 individual bets on Indiana football when he was a member of the team, he was on the roster. He just wasn’t traveling. A member of the team, that’s permanent ineligibility." The bets made by Sorsby According to court documents, Sorsby made thousands of bets totaling at least $90,000 while in college. That included at least 40 bets on Indiana football when he was a Hoosiers freshman in 2022, though none on games that he played in over two seasons there. The documents show that Sorsby made at least 2,900 bets totaling more than $30,000 while at Indiana from June 2022 through December 2023. He continued betting after transferring to Cincinnati, though not on the Bearcats. He provided more than $60,000 to a friend to deposit into a shared FanDuel account registered in another name. Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech after last season, to a state where online betting is illegal, and electronically transferred about $5,000 to other individuals who placed bets on his behalf. Texas Tech seeks Sorsby’s reinstatement Texas Tech announced on April 27 that Sorsby was taking an indefinite leave of absence to enter a residential treatment program. Coach Joey McGuire said last week that the quarterback would still be able to participate in offseason workouts with the Red Raiders after returning to campus. Their season opener is Sept. 5 at home against Abilene Christian. Texas Tech won the Big 12 last season before a loss in the College Football Playoff capped a 12-2 season. Sorsby sought the injunction against the NCAA in a lawsuit filed May 18, the same day Texas Tech ruled him ineligible, a necessary step before the school could pursue his reinstatement. Tech filed that request for reinstatement the following day, and the NCAA denied it May 22. Texas Tech is appealing that ruling. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Court Documents Show Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby Made Thousands Of Bets]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby-bets-court-documents</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby-bets-court-documents</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby has reportedly made thousands of bets totaling at least $90,000 while in college.]]>
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				<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 14:56:31 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby has made thousands of bets totaling at least $90,000 while in college, including at least 40 bets on Indiana football when he was a Hoosiers freshman in 2022, according to court filings before a scheduled hearing in the transfer player's lawsuit seeking to have the NCAA restore his eligibility for what would be his final season this fall. Sorsby, who transferred to Texas Tech for a reported multimillion-dollar-deal after playing for the Cincinnati Bearcats the past two seasons, was ruled ineligible after he acknowledged wagering on sports. A hearing is scheduled Monday in district court in Lubbock County, Texas, where the school is located, on Sorsby's lawsuit filed May 18 seeking a temporary injunction against the NCAA. Court filings show that on March 11, the NCAA received a tip from an online gambling book, which had been informed by law enforcement, about Sorsby's gambling activity. Texas Tech was notified on April 14 that the NCAA was conducting an investigation. According to agreed-upon stipulated facts included in court documents, Sorsby made at least 2,900 bets totaling more than $30,000 while at Indiana from June 2022 through December 2023. Those included at least 40 bets on the Hoosiers' games and players, though he didn’t bet on games in which he played. There were at least 40 more bets on Indiana men’s basketball and approximately 300 bets on college football games unrelated to Indiana during that span. He continued betting after transferring to Cincinnati, though not on the Bearcats, and started using accounts not in his name. The documents show that between Dec. 25, 2023 and June 23, 2025, Sorsby provided more than $60,000 to a friend to deposit into a FanDuel account registered to his brother-in-law that was shared by Sorsby and a friend. Since transferring to Texas Tech, which is in a state where online betting is illegal, Sorsby sent approximately $5,000 through Venmo or Zelle to other individuals who placed bets on his behalf. Texas Tech announced on April 27, about two weeks after being notified by the NCAA, that the 22-year-old Sorsby was taking an indefinite leave of absence to enter a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction. He has completed that 35-day program and coach Joey McGuire said this week that the quarterback was close to returning to campus, where he can still participate in offseason workouts with the Red Raiders. Sorsby’s lawsuit was filed the same day Texas Tech ruled him ineligible, a necessary step before the school could initiate the process to seek his reinstatement. Tech filed that request for reinstatement the following day, on May 19, and the NCAA denied it on May 22. Texas Tech said this week that it is appealing that ruling. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Texas Tech HC Not Ducking Steve Sarkisian Smoke: 'We Would Love To Play Texas']]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-texas-tech-game-steve-sarkisian-joey-mcguire-big-12-sec-schedule</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-texas-tech-game-steve-sarkisian-joey-mcguire-big-12-sec-schedule</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Texas coach Steve Sarkisian blasted Texas Tech's competition in the Big 12; Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire gave a spirited response.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 13:14:56 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is talking trash about Texas Tech, but Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire is ready to take out the trash. Earlier this month, Sarkisian blasted Texas Tech's competition in the Big 12. "There's a team in our state that plays in another conference that has a schedule that I would argue if I played with our twos and our threes, we could go undefeated, and they'll probably make the CFP this year," Sarkisian said. The Red Raiders are coming off a 2025 campaign that saw them go 11-1 in the regular season, beat the BYU Cougars in the Big 12 Championship and earn a No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff. Texas Tech was then shut out by the Oregon Ducks in the quarterfinal round, 23-0. With that said, the Longhorns, who entered the season as the No. 1 ranked team in the country, missed the playoff, ultimately finishing 10-3 overall. "We would love to play Texas … We'll find out if their twos and threes can win in this conference," McGuire said at the Big 12 spring meetings on Thursday, according to ESPN. Moreover, Texas Tech Chairman of the Board of Regents Cody Campbell posted to X on Thursday that the Red Raiders "will pay the buyout" for both teams' opening games of the 2026 college football season (Texas Tech begins with a home game against the Abilene Christian Wildcats on Sept. 5 and Texas begins with a home game against the Texas State Bobcats on Sept. 5), so they can square off. Of course, Texas left the Big 12 Conference for the SEC after the 2023 season, which is the last time the two programs faced off, with the Longhorns winning 57-7 in Austin and taking five of the last six matchups; Texas is 54-18 in the all-time series. McGuire is entering his fifth season as Texas Tech's head coach, with the Red Raiders sporting a 35-18 record under him from 2022-25. Sarkisian is entering his sixth season as Texas' head coach, with the Longhorns a combined 48-20 under him from 2021-25, highlighted by two appearances in the College Football Playoff (2023 and 2024) and three consecutive double-digit winning seasons (2023-25).]]>
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					<![CDATA[Top 10 Breakout Candidates Heading Into The 2026 College Football Season]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/top-10-breakout-candidates-heading-2026-college-football-season</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/top-10-breakout-candidates-heading-2026-college-football-season</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[From Josh Hoover to Noah Rogers, FOX Sports' Michael Cohen lists 10 potential breakout candidates who could become household names in 2026.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 19:05:44 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[For all the madness associated with modern roster building in college football, where the transfer portal turns winter into a shopping spree and makes it nearly impossible to track who has gone where, the end result is still rather fun: a spring and summer of prognostication, where figuring out how it all might fit together becomes a months-long game. Will ‘Quarterback A’ really thrive in a spread offense? Will ‘Edge Rusher B’ finally put the pieces together under a new defensive coordinator? And what about ‘Running Back C,' who waited his turn and climbed the depth chart — without transferring — to eventually challenge for playing time? This is what makes the build up to college football so exciting: The debates are never-ending. So with that in mind, here are 10 potential breakout candidates who could become household names in 2026: * Recruiting rankings and historical data courtesy of 247Sports Height: 6-foot-2Weight: 200 poundsClass: Redshirt seniorPrevious schools: TCU (2022-25) Last season: 272 of 413 (65.9%) for 3,472 yards, 29 TDs and 13 INT in 831 snaps Let’s start with the obvious: It’s unusual for a three-year starting quarterback from the power conferences to be featured on this type of list, especially considering how prolific Hoover was at TCU. He threw for more than 9,600 yards and 71 touchdowns in 36 appearances for the Horned Frogs, guiding the program to a pair of nine-win seasons and two bowl victories during that span. Not a single FBS quarterback will enter the 2026 campaign with more career passing yards or passing touchdowns than Hoover, who has one year of eligibility remaining. He’s expected to be the next great one-and-done quarterback prospect for head coach Curt Cignetti, following in the footsteps of Kurtis Rourke and Fernando Mendoza, both of whom joined the Hoosiers as transfers. Cignetti’s incredible knack for quarterback development helps explain why Hoover is rightly viewed as a breakout candidate this fall despite everything he’s achieved. Rourke had already been named the 2022 MAC Offensive Player of the Year at Ohio before throwing a career-high 29 touchdown passes in his only season at Indiana while leading the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff. And all Mendoza did after throwing for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns as a sophomore at Cal was put together one of the most decorated campaigns in recent memory, punctuated by the Heisman Trophy and a national championship en route to becoming the No. 1 overall pick. Such remarkable precedent suggests that Cignetti can probably elevate Hoover, too. Height: 6-foot-4Weight: 250 poundsClass: SeniorPrevious schools: Georgia (2023-24), Missouri (2025) Last season: 23 total tackles, 9.5 TFL, 9 sacks and 54 pressures in 509 snaps Anyone who watched Miami’s impressive run to the national championship game last season understood the impact that edge rushers Reuben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor had on the Hurricanes’ success. Bain, who became the No. 15 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, led the country in quarterback pressures (83) and tied for 18th in sacks (9.5) while logging more snaps (561) than any other player at his position, according to Pro Football Focus. Mesidor, who was selected No. 22 overall in last month’s draft, finished tied for fourth nationally in quarterback pressures (67) and tied for third in sacks (12.5) while logging the second-most snaps (513) of any player at his position. Together, their production never wavered despite hardly ever leaving the field. To begin filling the voids left by Bain and Mesidor, who became the first Miami defensive players selected in the opening round since 2021, the Hurricanes turned to Wilson via the transfer portal. Originally a five-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, Wilson began his collegiate career in a reserve role at Georgia before carving out more playing time in Year 2. He parlayed the remnants of his recruiting pedigree and improved production into a highly priced move to Missouri as the No. 3 overall player in the transfer portal. Once Wilson entered the transfer portal again in January — this time after amassing nine sacks and 54 quarterback pressures for the Tigers — he committed to Miami as the No. 9 transfer and second-best edge rusher in the portal. Height: 6 feetWeight: 190 poundsClass: SophomorePrevious schools: None Last season: 45 catches for 651 yards and 4 TDs in 542 snaps Unfathomable levels of hype and hysteria surrounding five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood rendered him arguably the most scrutinized freshman in college football last season. Few of Underwood’s classmates, if any, were tasked with shouldering such astronomical responsibilities in exchange for such life-altering dollar amounts. Both the donor fundraising apparatus and football program had been reconfigured or recentered around Underwood, whose landscape-altering flip from LSU to Michigan now represents the high-water mark of an otherwise unsightly tenure under former coach Sherrone Moore, an integral figure in the quarterback’s recruitment. But when the dust finally settled last December, following lopsided losses to then-No. 1 Ohio State and then-No. 13 Texas, sandwiched by Moore’s firing, another freshman on Michigan’s roster had outperformed Underwood. Wide receiver Andrew Marsh, a four-star prospect and the No. 117 overall recruit, turned in an exceptional rookie campaign despite a passing offense that ranked 107th nationally. He finished second in the country for receiving yards among true freshmen, trailing only Malachi Toney of Miami. His final tallies of 12 receptions for 189 yards in a comeback win over Northwestern established new single-game program records by a first-year player. If he and Underwood both adapt quickly to new offensive coordinator Jason Beck, then Marsh should have a chance to become Michigan’s first 1,000-yard receiver since Jeremy Gallon in 2013. Height: 6-foot-7Weight: 237 poundsClass: JuniorPrevious schools: None Last season: 33 catches for 433 yards and 7 TDs in 475 snaps In the modern era of college football, where newly hired coaches can flip rosters instantaneously via the transfer portal, the arrival of Lane Kiffin at LSU was always going to catalyze significant change. And right on cue, the Tigers will enter the 2026 season having secured the No. 1 transfer portal class in the country thanks to 17 blue-chip signees and 41 new players overall. Nine of Kiffin’s transfer signees are wide receivers, a position group that lost its top six contributors from last season, which speaks to how significant the Tigers’ rebuild figures to be in certain areas. There are plenty of new faces for quarterback Sam Leavitt to acquaint himself with in the coming months. Green, however, represents a rare holdover from the Brian Kelly era and someone expected to take another step forward in Kiffin’s scheme this fall. After playing sparingly as a freshman, Green came into his own last October by snagging eight catches for 119 yards and a touchdown against South Carolina, kicking off a string of three straight games with a score. From that point forward, Green caught at least four passes and chipped in at least 45 receiving yards in five of his next seven games. A two-touchdown effort against Houston in the Texas Bowl sent a clear message to Kiffin shortly before the transfer portal opened. Green finished the season third on the team in receiving yards and third in receptions, raising the expectations for him this season. Height: 5-foot-9Weight: 205 poundsClass: JuniorPrevious schools: None Last season: 170 carries for 878 yards and 5 TDs in 350 snaps There aren’t many coaches in college football with better reputations for developing overlooked high school prospects than Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz. And if recent results are any indication of where Ferentz stands, the talent in his program keeps getting better: Just last month, Iowa set a new school record with seven players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, most in school history for a single year. It also extended the Hawkeyes’ eye-catching streak of 48 consecutive years with at least one player drafted. Could Moulton be next in line? If he is, the development arc to get there will mirror everything the Hawkeyes have stood for under Ferentz, beginning with an unheralded high school recruitment. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where high-major prospects are everywhere, Moulton was the No. 1,473 overall player and No. 13 tailback in the 2023 recruiting cycle when he committed to Iowa over UConn. No other power-conference program offered him a scholarship. Since then, all Moulton has done is increase his production from 93 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman, to 473 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore, to 878 yards and five touchdowns as a junior. Moulton averaged better than 5 yards per carry in six of his final eight appearances last season, two of which came against ranked opponents, and navigated the entire year without losing a fumble. Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 210 poundsClass: JuniorPrevious schools: None Last season: 24 carries for 224 yards and 5 TDs in 47 snaps One of the more memorable images produced at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine was shared on social media by Ja’Juan Seider, the associate head coach and running backs coach from Notre Dame. The image showed Seider wearing a white Fighting Irish sweatshirt and flanked by four running back prospects taking the field in Indianapolis, all of whom he’d coached: Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen at Penn State, where Seider worked from 2018-24 under former coach James Franklin; and Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price at Notre Dame, a program he joined ahead of the 2025 season. The unspoken message — that any running back wishing to be drafted should come play for Seider — was resoundingly clear. Each of his pupils from that photo went on to be selected within the first six rounds of last month’s draft, including two in the opening 32 picks alone. Seider’s impressive track record makes placing a wager on Williams, the projected starter at Notre Dame, feel like a relatively safe bet given how effective the Fighting Irish were at running the ball last season: tied for third nationally at 5.69 yards per carry overall. And while the bulk of that production was unquestionably provided by Love (1,372 yards; 18 TDs) and Price (674 yards; 11 TDs), who brought Notre Dame to within a whisker of reaching the College Football Playoff for a second consecutive year, the explosiveness flashed by Williams in reserve duty caught more than a few people’s attention. Williams averaged a staggering 9.3 yards per carry and found the end zone once every 4.8 attempts. He gained more than 200 of his 224 total rushing yards after contact, according to Pro Football Focus, and did not fumble. Height: 6 feetWeight: 198 poundsClass: Redshirt seniorPrevious schools: Alabama (2022-23), Florida State (2024-25) Last season: 76 total tackles, 2 TFL, 2 FF, 4 INT in 674 snaps Having added just 32 transfers over the previous four offseasons combined — a reflection, in part, of the resources Ohio State poured into player retention — head coach Ryan Day added 17 new players to compile the sport’s seventh-best portal class overall, trailing only Penn State in the Big Ten. At least five of those newcomers are expected to be plug-and-play starters for a defense that lost seven players to the NFL Draft following an incredible first season under coordinator Matt Patricia. No absence will loom larger than that of safety Caleb Downs, a two-time unanimous All-American and eventual first-round pick. That’s where Little, the son of former NFL safety Earl Little, enters the mix for Ohio State after earning second-team All-ACC honors last season. Originally a four-star prospect in the 2022 class, Little signed with Alabama after taking additional official visits to USC, Florida State and Oregon. He made just eight appearances in two seasons for the Crimson Tide before entering the transfer portal ahead of the 2024 campaign, ultimately landing at Florida State. Even though the Seminoles finished below .500 each of the last two years, Little blossomed into an effective Swiss Army Knife in the secondary. His snap count for 2026 was split between free safety (376), box safety (226) and slot corner (65), which makes Little a potential candidate to fill Downs’ roving role. Little did miss the tail end of spring practice while undergoing a minor knee procedure. Height: 6-foot-2Weight: 200 poundsClass: JuniorPrevious schools: NC State (2024-25) Last season: 39 catches for 629 yards and 5 TDs in 460 snaps College football fans are undoubtedly familiar with the oft-repeated narrative that says USC still doesn’t have the requisite size and strength in the trenches to compete for a national championship under head coach Lincoln Riley. And the program’s spotty record in the NFL Draft largely confirms those suspicions: zero offensive linemen drafted in the first six rounds since 2021; one defensive lineman drafted in the first seven rounds during that same period. That story is far different at wide receiver, a position where Riley and his staff have produced five draft picks over the last four years combined, including two early-round choices last month alone in Makai Lemon (Round 1, No. 20 overall) and Ja’Kobi Lane (Round 3, No. 80 overall). Which means that for the first time in what feels like ages, the Trojans are entering a season with legitimate questions about their receiving corps, especially when factoring in the additional departures of tight ends Lake McRee and Walker Lyons from last year’s squad. That’s why the addition of Anderson, who was rated the No. 11 overall transfer and No. 3 wide receiver in the portal, was so significant as Riley attempts to lift USC into the College Football Playoff for the first time. Anderson is far and away the most experienced, and most proven, player for a position group that will likely lean heavily on underclassmen (Tanook Hines, Zacharyus Williams) and true freshmen (Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Trent Mosley) alike. Put simply, Anderson must deliver if the Trojans want to reach their potential. Height: 6-foot-4Weight: 250 poundsClass: SophomorePrevious schools: Penn State (2025) Last season: 8 total tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack and 15 pressures in 150 snaps After successfully reinventing Ohio State’s defense during an impressive run from 2022-24, the last of which was punctuated with a national championship, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles had enough cachet to effectively handpick his next role. He opted for a new challenge at Penn State, where head coach James Franklin agreed to pay him $3.1 million per year, an eye-catching, market-resetting sum. But almost nothing about the 2025 campaign went according to plan for the Nittany Lions, including the defense. Knowles’ unit finished 56th nationally against the run (142.5 yards per game), 87th in opponent third-down conversion rate (40.9%), and 64th in opponent red zone touchdown rate (58.8%). The two sides parted ways after a tumultuous season, and Knowles was quickly hired for the same role at Tennessee. Despite the ugliness of it all, Knowles still made enough of an impression for several players to follow him via the transfer portal. That group includes safety Dejuan Lane (No. 334 transfer, No. 29 S), linebacker Amare Campbell (No. 144 transfer, No. 10 LB), and defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam (No. 54 transfer, No. 7 DL). But the most notable addition to the Volunteers’ roster this offseason was Coleman, a former blue-chip recruit who flashed elite talent in limited action last year, enough to leave Penn State fans hoping new coach Matt Campbell could keep him. Coleman missed most of spring practice and a series of team activities due to what head coach Josh Heupel described as "off-the-field" issues. If he does return to the program, he is widely expected to win a starting spot in Knowles’ defense this fall. Height: 6-foot-2Weight: 201 poundsClass: Redshirt juniorPrevious schools: Ohio State (2023), NC State (2024-25) Last season: 33 catches for 441 yards and 2 TDs in 532 snaps In 2023, during the thick of Brian Hartline’s tenure as Ohio State's wide receivers coach, Rogers was among the recruits targeted by the sport’s unquestioned wideout whisperer — an honor for any rising star at that position. Two classes prior, Hartline had signed Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr., a pair of future first-round picks. One year down the line, Hartline would add a budding phenom named Jeremiah Smith, now the best receiver in college football. The same recruiting cycle that included Rogers also featured Carnell Tate, the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. Simply being prioritized by Hartline and Ohio State carried real weight given the program’s receiver pipeline. But it never quite worked out for Rogers at Ohio State. He appeared in four games as a true freshman without recording a catch before entering the transfer portal, ultimately landing at NC State. He stepped into a larger role almost immediately, logging at least 380 snaps in each season and finishing with 68 receptions for 919 yards and three touchdowns. That production made him the No. 58 overall transfer and No. 15 wideout in the portal this past winter, which propelled him to another lofty platform at Alabama. Now, Rogers is expected to compete for a starting role opposite former five-star Ryan Coleman-Williams.]]>
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					<![CDATA[SEC to Eliminate 'Cupcake Weekend' in 2027 Scheduling Overhaul]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/sec-eliminate-cupcake-weekend-2027-scheduling-overhaul</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/sec-eliminate-cupcake-weekend-2027-scheduling-overhaul</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Southeastern Conference is eliminating “cupcake weekend."]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 20:26:30 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Southeastern Conference is eliminating "cupcake weekend." The league’s athletic directors voted at their annual spring meetings for everyone to play conference games on the second-to-last week of the regular season beginning in 2027. It means no more Football Championship Subdivision or lower-tier Football Bowl Subdivision opponents before those rivalry games that typically take place during the final week of the season. "That’s the end of cupcake weekend," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said. "We never got that one sponsored, though." SEC decision-makers have discussed dumping those late-season payday matchups for months. The conference expanded to a nine-game league schedule beginning in 2026, prompting the need for more significant matchups in late November. "It’s nine conference games and a recognition that you’re populating more weekends," Sankey said. "And so you really cannot have odd numbers of open or non-conference dates later in the season because then that has a backward domino effect in where you place games early. We ran into some of that in the ’26 season." Only four SEC teams – Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi and Mississippi State – have such games set for this season. The league and its television partners also started releasing game times for the early part of the season and drew criticism from Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek. Yurachek pointed out that his team will essentially lose a full day between a 9:15 p.m. kickoff at Utah on Sept. 12 and an 11 a.m. kick the following Saturday against Georgia. "The assigned schedule will cost our student-athletes nearly a full day of rest and recovery that they would otherwise have available to them," Yurachek wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "This is not simply a competitive disadvantage — it is a genuine welfare issue for the young men who represent our program and contribute greatly to the bottom line of our television partners." He added that it "demonstrates a clear neglect for the well-being of college athletes." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Top Storylines From FOX College Football Big Noon Saturday Games]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/top-storylines-from-fox-college-football-big-noon-saturday-games</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/top-storylines-from-fox-college-football-big-noon-saturday-games</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports announced four Big Noon Saturday games for the upcoming college football season. RJ Young breaks down the biggest storylines in each game.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 18:47:55 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[For the first three weeks of the 2026 college football season, FOX’s Big Noon Saturday slate will showcase four top-25 teams and the sport’s last three national champions. Ohio State and Indiana open the year with opportunities to test their depth ahead of what could become a College Football Playoff elimination game on Oct. 17. Michigan, meanwhile, draws at least two CFP teams from a year ago in Oklahoma and Ohio State, while the Hoosiers must prove another quarterback transition will not slow the defending national champions. Here are the four Big Noon Saturday games that were announced on Wednesday and the top storylines to watch from each of them: This is not the 2025 version of the Mean Green. In fact, if you’re looking for that team, it made like the Baltimore Colts and picked up and moved in the middle of the night to Stillwater, Oklahoma, where it will henceforth be known as the Cowboys. Eric Morris, who coached North Texas to a 12-2 record last season, is gone, along with starting quarterback Drew Mestemaker and running back Caleb Hawkins. Neal Brown takes over in Denton with a roster that returns just four combined starts from last year’s team. Still, Brown does have a familiar name to work with in former Indiana and UCF quarterback Tayven Jackson, who returns to Bloomington seeing Indiana in a much different light than when he left — kind of like the rest of us after 2020. For the Hoosiers, it’s a chance to prove a third straight change at quarterback can be just as fruitful as the last two. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan worked wonders with transfers Kurtis Rourke and 2025 Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. Now, the Hoosiers turn to former TCU star Josh Hoover, the school’s single-season passing-yardage record holder, to lead the defense of their national championship. No team has beaten the Hoosiers in Bloomington since Purdue did so in 2023 — the final game before Cignetti arrived. Indiana's first-half schedule is manageable enough that the Hoosiers could very well beat North Texas like it stole something and welcome Ohio State to Bloomington on Oct. 7 at 6-0. As I wrote last month, the Big Ten’s grip on college football has never been stronger, while the SEC is still sorting out what it means to be the sport’s second-best conference. That’s part of what makes this matchup one of the most anticipated non-conference games of 2026: a Michigan win would only add fuel to the argument against the league where it supposedly "just means more." Oklahoma has made more College Football Playoff appearances than Michigan, yet the Sooners still have not won a postseason game, even after earning the right to host one last December, when they lost to Alabama, an SEC opponent Oklahoma had beaten on the road the year before. Michigan, meanwhile, enters a new era under its third head coach in four years while attempting to reaffirm itself as the program that first broke through among the Big Ten’s three consecutive national champions. Still, Oklahoma has never lost to Michigan, winning both previous meetings, and the Sooners have historically fared well against the Big Ten. No program in the conference owns a winning record against Oklahoma, while Brent Venables already notched victories over Nebraska and Michigan last season. As the College Football Playoff selection committee continues placing greater emphasis on marquee non-conference games between Power 4 opponents, the winner of this game could gain an edge in the race for an at-large CFP berth. The Buckeyes have not lost to an unranked opponent since Purdue stunned Ohio State 49-20 on Oct. 20, 2018. They also have not lost to a team outside the Power 4 since Air Force beat Ohio State 23-11 in the 1990 Liberty Bowl. Kent State coach Mark Carney returns alongside quarterback Dru DeShields after a 5-7 campaign in 2025, but this hardly looks like the kind of roster capable of threatening an Ohio State team led by two Heisman Trophy front-runners in quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia must replace six starters and three first-round NFL Draft picks from last year’s defense, and the matchup comes immediately after the Buckeyes’ highly anticipated tilt with Texas. How many young players Ryan Day trusts, whether Tavien St. Clair gets the start to rest Sayin, and how quickly Chris Henry Jr. can emerge are all questions worth monitoring in this game. I wrote earlier this month that The Game has featured a CFP participant in each of the last seven seasons, produced five of the last seven Big Ten champions and crowned two of the last three national champions. It has become appointment viewing not simply because of its history, but because of its annual impact on the national title race. I don’t expect that to change with Kyle Whittingham taking over at Michigan. With new offensive coordinators at both programs — Arthur Smith at Ohio State and Jason Beck at Michigan — there could be some schematic shifts on both sides. But there will be no drop off in talent on the field. Both rosters feature legitimate Heisman Trophy contenders, and it would be surprising if at least one future finalist does not emerge from this matchup. Is this the year Ohio State accomplishes something it has not done since 2014: win The Game, the Big Ten championship and the national title? That question will begin to take shape in earnest on Nov. 28.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Joel Klatt: 10 Dream SEC-Big Ten College Football Matchups]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/joel-klatt-10-dream-sec-big-ten-college-football-matchups</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/joel-klatt-10-dream-sec-big-ten-college-football-matchups</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports' Joel Klatt lists 10 future college football matchups he would love to see if we get an SEC-Big Ten scheduling agreement.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 13:55:41 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[What is the premier conference in college football right now: the Big Ten or the SEC? After producing the last three College Football Playoff national champions — from three different schools — there is no denying the Big Ten has sat atop the college football world recently. But there is also a growing sentiment that the SEC is stronger in the middle and at the bottom, making it the deeper league overall. "There was a lot of pushback from the Big Ten on that this week," FOX Sports' Joel Klatt said on a recent episode of "The Joel Klatt Show," discussing what he learned at the Big Ten spring meetings in Palos Verdes, California. "And really, the Big Ten is not wrong." Klatt pointed out that the Big Ten is 4-0 against the SEC in the College Football Playoff over the past three years. The conference is also 5-2 against the SEC in non-CFP bowl games over the past two years. "There is an idea that the depth of the Big Ten is being undersold nationally, and a way to fight that would be a scheduling agreement with the SEC," Klatt said. "They want to fight the narrative on the field." Here’s a look at 10 future SEC-Big Ten college football matchups Klatt would love to see if the conferences ever agreed to a scheduling agreement: Klatt: Bielema-Beamer 2! Remember that Citrus Bowl at the end of the 2024 season, when there was some bad blood there, particularly with how the game ended? I want this again. There’s no doubt. This might not be the best possible matchup, but certainly the storylines would run deep. Klatt: Kirby [Smart] to face Dan Lanning in Autzen Stadium? Yes! I’m in on that. Lanning’s first game as the head coach of the Oregon Ducks was against Georgia, and that one was in Atlanta in 2022. Georgia beat them up, 49-3. I’d love to see Kirby go up and face his former assistant and defensive coordinator. Klatt: We heard a lot in the playoff a couple of years ago about Neyland North. Listen, Tennessee fans, to your credit, you guys showed up huge in that playoff game. There’s no doubt. There was more orange in the stands than I saw of any other color in my history calling college football games in Columbus at The Shoe. I want to see Ohio State go and return the favor. Klatt: Lane [Kiffin] back in LA? Yup, you bet! Lane has obviously been back to LA, but not in an official capacity since he was left on the tarmac as the head coach of the USC Trojans. Bring him back. I want that every day of the week. Every year. That would be phenomenal. Please give us this scheduling agreement because it would be great for fans and great for college football. Klatt: How about bringing back an old rival? Nebraska-Oklahoma used to be as good as any rivalry in college football, maybe second to only Michigan-Ohio State. Throughout the whole Big 8 days, and even in the Big 12, this was a marquee Thanksgiving weekend matchup. Bring back this one. Klatt: I’m just hitting all the classics, and USC-Texas is absolutely a classic that I want to see. Obviously, that Rose Bowl with [Matt] Leinart, [Reggie] Bush and Vince Young was maybe the greatest game we’ve seen in the history of college football. You get those colors on the field at the same time. It would just drip with nostalgia. We’d be thinking about that and Keith Jackson on the call. Klatt: Curt Cignetti going back to Alabama, where he got his start, in a big way, under [Nick] Saban as a recruiting coordinator. Plus, this would be a rematch of last year’s Rose Bowl. That would be a great one. Klatt: This one’s time sensitive. So, it wouldn’t happen, unless we could do it this year. But, how about Nico Iamaleava going back to Tennessee? How about Nico and [UCLA head coach] Bob Chesney going to face Josh Huepel and Tennessee back in Knoxville? I’m sure those fans would just welcome Nico back with open arms. Klatt: I would love to see the Urban [Meyer] Bowl. Urban won a championship with both of those schools. I think that one would be phenomenal. Klatt: Kalen DeBoer had a lot of success at Washington, getting them right on the precipice of a championship, and then leaving for the bigger and greener pastures of the SEC and Alabama.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NCAA Denies Eligibility Reinstatement Petition For Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ncaa-denies-eligibility-reinstatement-petition-texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ncaa-denies-eligibility-reinstatement-petition-texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech announced the NCAA has denied the school’s petition to have quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility reinstated after he acknowledged wagering on sports, including on his own team when he was a freshman.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:12:32 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech announced Tuesday the NCAA has denied the school's petition to have quarterback Brendan Sorsby's eligibility reinstated after he acknowledged wagering on sports, including on his own team when he was a freshman. University president Lawrence Schovanec wrote in a letter to the Texas Tech community that the school would appeal the ruling. Sorsby also has a court hearing scheduled in Lubbock County District Court next Monday on his request for a temporary injunction that would allow him to play for the Red Raiders this season. "We believe that given the facts and the context of Brendan’s case, the NCAA’s ruling should be reversed or modified," Schovanec wrote. "As a generation of college athletes face the legalization and rapid proliferation of sports betting in our country, gambling addiction is rising to the point of epidemic among college aged men in particular." Sorsby was one of the top players to enter the transfer portal after last season. At stake is the multimillion-dollar deal he signed with Texas Tech for what was supposed to be his final season of college football. Schovanec noted the NCAA's state mission includes the lifelong well-being of athletes and to promote a "culture of care" for their mental health. Schovanec said Sorsby last week completed an inpatient gambling addiction treatment program and is preparing to return to campus. "Brendan himself has been open about his struggle with severe gambling addiction, and we believe his vulnerability deserves to be met with the full weight of this institution’s support," Schovanec wrote. "Our foremost priority in contemplating Brendan’s future with Texas Tech is his continued health and well-being." In his lawsuit seeking an injunction, Sorsby acknowledged that in his first year at Indiana, he wagered between $5 and $50 on the Hoosiers football team to win and made prop bets on teammates to exceed statistical predictions. He said he did not bet on the one game in which he played. Sorsby said he never bet on a game involving Cincinnati after he transferred there in 2024, but he continued to bet on other sports. According to Schovanec, Sorsby will receive ongoing treatment, monitoring and support at the school. He will receive outpatient clinical care, participation in group and individual therapy, mentor resources, treatment for his related anxiety disorder and active monitoring of his technological devices. He also will have a custodian to oversee his personal finances and and periodic compliance checks. "This is not a symbolic commitment," Schovanec wrote. "Each element reflects our conviction, and Brendan’s, that nothing matters more right now than his continued recovery. It is our duty to provide that support and that is support we are uniquely well-positioned to provide." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 College Football Odds: Back Bill Belichick, UNC to Eclipse Win Total]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/north-carolina-tar-heels-over-4-5-wins</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/north-carolina-tar-heels-over-4-5-wins</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Year 1 for Bill Belichick at UNC was underwhelming, but Geoff Schwartz is betting on better days for the Tar Heels.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 14:31:34 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Bill Belichick is entering his second season as head coach at North Carolina, with expectations of program growth and more wins. Belichick was a surprise hire at UNC in the winter of 2024, after spending nearly his entire coaching career in the NFL. His 2025 season was predictably difficult as he transitioned to the college game. Carolina went 4-8 overall and 2-6 in conference, although it’s clear the team improved throughout the season. The Tar Heels had blowout losses early to TCU, UCF and Clemson before losing to Cal by three and Virginia by a single point in overtime. They then beat Syracuse and Stanford before losing the final three to finish with just four wins. 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. I'm gonna say something obvious: I firmly believe that Belichick knows how to coach football. Who would second guess his résumé? Even when his teams struggled at the end of his time in New England, it wasn’t for lack of football knowledge or scheme. Those teams lost because the players weren’t good enough. That was my concern for Belichick moving to college football for the first time. Can he recruit and acquire players good enough to win games? In Year 1, it was clear that was not the case. UNC had no players drafted and completely overhauled the roster ahead of next season. The Tar Heels added 61 new players, including a huge high school recruiting class of more than 40 players. They rank third in the ACC for their overall class, which is a ranking high enough to start winning games in Year 2 for Belichick. The roster overhaul starts with adding Billy Edwards at quarterback to pair with new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. Petrino has been an above-average offensive coach for years and that experience and past success will be important in guiding this group. UNC has added a few receivers and multiple offensive linemen in the portal as well. Carolina also returns running back Demon June, who averaged 5.5 yards per attempt last season. That's a good weapon to return for this offense. The Tar Heels' defense last season was better than anyone gives it credit for. It finished the season ranked 25th in yards per play but was poor on third down. So UNC went into the portal to add pass rushers and linebackers, and it is hopeful that a rusher like Jaylen Harvey from Penn State can reach his full potential. I’m not worried about the defense under Belichick. That's never been a concern. Their season will come down to Edwards returning to his 2024 form that we saw at Maryland. If he, Petrino and the offensive parts can come together quickly, this team can win. Now, Carolina's schedule doesn’t have a ton of wins that are easy to spot today. The Heels play TCU in Week 0 and are underdogs by just under a touchdown. It’s a game they can win but have to prove the offense can start fast. East Tennessee State is a win and then the schedule is just full of 50-50 games — Pittsburgh, Syracuse, UConn, Louisville, Virginia and so on. I do believe in this Carolina team winning five games. The Tar Heels will be good on defense, and they’ve improved the roster and offensive coaching staff. Belichick seems looser this season, which has become apparent during multiple media appearances this spring. I have Carolina winning over 4.5 games in the regular season. PICK: North Carolina Over 4.5 regular-season wins]]>
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					<![CDATA[Indiana's Curt Cignetti Leads The Field As Indy 500 Honorary Pace Car Driver]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/indianas-curt-cignetti-leads-field-indy-500-honorary-pace-car-driver</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/indianas-curt-cignetti-leads-field-indy-500-honorary-pace-car-driver</guid>
				<category>motor</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti drove the honorary pace car ahead of the Indy 500 this year.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sun, 24 May 2026 12:56:21 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti has collected nearly every award and accolade imaginable over the last year as he led the Hoosiers to an undefeated national championship season in 2025. But Cignetti was able to somehow add another prestigious honor to his name on Sunday. Cignetti was the honorary pace car driver ahead of the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500, leading the field prior to Sunday's race. He drove a custom-painted, USA-themed Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X capable of reaching speeds up to 233 mph. He led the 33-car field around the 2.5-mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the pace laps before peeling off into the pit lane just before the start. Cignetti joins a prestigious group of individuals who have driven the pace car ahead of the Indy 500. Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan had that honor last season, while Ken Griffey Jr., Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jim Harbaugh, Roger Penske, Jeff Gordon, Guy Fieri and Morgan Freeman are just a handful of the notable individuals who've served as the pace car driver ahead of the Indy 500. Who Is Curt Cignetti? Cignetti has quickly become one of the most recognizable coaches in college football, especially in Indiana. He turned a struggling Hoosiers program into a national powerhouse, leading them to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024 and a national championship last season. Before arriving in Bloomington, he rebuilt James Madison into a consistent contender, leading the Dukes to No. 10 Top 25 rankings over five seasons. Known for his confident "Google me, I win" persona, he brought that same edge to Indiana and delivered results immediately. In less than two years, Cignetti has transformed the Hoosiers into a championship program. He went 11-2 in his first season coaching Indiana, leading the Hoosiers to a surprise playoff berth in 2024. A year later, Indiana reached the sport's mountaintop. Indiana went 16-0, with Cignetti helping quarterback Fernando Mendoza en route to a Big Ten title and a national championship. Why Curt Cignetti Was Chosen Cignetti was selected as the honorary pace car driver in recognition of his rapid rise as one of Indiana’s most prominent sports figures after turning the Hoosiers into a national contender. His success made him a fitting representative for the state on one of racing’s biggest stages. Ahead of the race, Cignetti drove the 1,250-horsepower Corvette during the pre-race parade and pace laps, leading the 33-car field to the green flag before exiting just before the start. Sarah Fisher, a seven-time Indianapolis 500 competitor, will then handle pace car duties during caution periods. Cignetti’s impact in Indiana sports has been so rapid that even the state’s biggest stages now feel like a natural extension of his success. He has become a coach who seems capable of turning any opportunity into another display of his reach and influence.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Joel Klatt: Momentum Builds For 24-Team CFP As SEC Faces Defining Week]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/joel-klatt-momentum-builds-24-team-cfp-sec-faces-defining-week</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/joel-klatt-momentum-builds-24-team-cfp-sec-faces-defining-week</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Will we get a 24-team College Football Playoff? Here is what Joel Klatt is hearing.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 14:25:22 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[After months of speculation surrounding a 24-team College Football Playoff model, all eyes now shift to next week’s SEC spring meetings, where one of college football’s most powerful conferences could ultimately determine the future of the sport’s postseason. FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt spent this week at the Big Ten spring meetings in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, where CFP expansion dominated conversations among coaches, athletic directors and conference leaders. According to Klatt, the takeaway from those meetings was clear: support for a 24-team playoff is much stronger than many initially believed. While the Big Ten has discussed expansion possibilities for months now, commissioner Tony Petitti publicly offered his strongest support yet this week for a 24-team CFP format. The latest proposed model would eliminate automatic qualifiers in favor of a selection-based format featuring the 23 highest-ranked teams and one Group of 6 representative. That framework has recently gained traction across the ACC and the Big 12, both of which have shown support for the proposal. But despite growing momentum, the spotlight now turns to the SEC, which will hold its annual spring meetings in Destin, Florida. According to Klatt, those meetings could become one of the most pivotal moments yet in the CFP expansion debate. "I had multiple coaches tell me that 90% of the coaches in the SEC and 100% of the athletic directors in the SEC favor a 24-team model for CFP expansion," Klatt said in a clip released from an upcoming episode of "The Joel Klatt Show." That runs counter to the belief that the SEC was firmly opposed to a 24-team model. In fact, Klatt said there is a growing sense within Big Ten circles that next week’s SEC meetings could feature significant disagreement. "That makes this next week in Destin so interesting because there is a sentiment, at least among the Big Ten coaches, that the meetings between Greg Sankey — the commissioner of the SEC — and his coaches are going to be contentious," Klatt said. Support for the 24-team model has continued to grow beyond just the Power 4 conferences. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), a highly influential group of coaches in college football, has also backed the proposal. That group includes Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, arguably the most influential coach in the SEC and one of the sport’s most powerful voices. That’s why next week’s meetings in Destin could become a turning point for the future of college football. "The coaches are gonna be pushing for one thing, and Greg [Sankey] has publicly stated something very different," Klatt said. "They might not have a consensus down there in those rooms." Ultimately, though, the final decision might not rest solely with coaches or conference commissioners. As Klatt pointed out, it's the university presidents who have the ultimate say. Sankey, who has served as the commissioner of the SEC since 2015, works for the president of the SEC. "If the athletic director and coaches get their presidents on board, Greg Sankey is not going to fend off all of his bosses," Klatt said. "He has 16 bosses in the SEC." Petitti indicated this week that if the SEC were to support the 24-team format, implementation could happen as early as the 2027 season. Whether Sankey and the SEC can come to an agreement remains unclear. But after months of speculation, the center of the college football world is about to shift to Destin, where the next chapter of CFP expansion could take shape.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Oregon Sues Oklahoma Transfer Over Alleged Unpaid $10K NIL Contract Buyout]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/oregon-sues-oklahoma-transfer-over-alleged-unpaid-10k-nil-contract-buyout</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/oregon-sues-oklahoma-transfer-over-alleged-unpaid-10k-nil-contract-buyout</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The University of Oregon says one of its former football players owes it $10,000, and the school is willing to go to court to get it.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 20:57:34 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The University of Oregon says one of its former football players owes it $10,000, and the school is willing to go to court to get it. The school filed a lawsuit in Lane County Circuit Court last week against Dakoda Fields, a defensive back who spent two years with the Ducks before transferring to Oklahoma in January. The lawsuit said Oregon and Fields agreed that Fields would pay the university $39,882 in exchange for a release of liability from his contract with the school. Under the agreement, if Fields paid the discounted amount of $29,882 on or before April 20, the school would waive the remaining $10,000. Fields missed the deadline, so the amount due reverted to the original $39,882. The lawsuit said that despite multiple requests, Fields has failed to pay the $10,000, the balance due as of April 21. The school is seeking $10,000, interest and reimbursement of attorney's fees. A message seeking comment was left for Fields at Oklahoma. Fields was among the highest-ranked high school cornerback prospects coming out of Compton, California, two years ago. He redshirted at Oregon in 2024 and appeared in three games last season. Fields is the latest athlete who has faced or was threatened with legal action by their former school for allegedly reneging on a name, image and likeness contract. Georgia sued Damon Wilson for $390,000 after he left for Missouri, and Cincinnati sued Brendan Sorsby for $1 million when he went to Texas Tech. Before a settlement was reached, Duke argued that Darian Mensah owed it $8 million when he left for Miami. Washington threatened Demond Williams with a breach-of-contract lawsuit when he entered the transfer portal after last season. He decided to return to Washington. Reporting by the Associated Press]]>
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					<![CDATA[Brendan Sorsby Faces Long Odds In Fight Against Permanent NCAA Gambling Ban]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/brendan-sorsby-faces-long-odds-fight-against-permanent-ncaa-gambling-ban</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/brendan-sorsby-faces-long-odds-fight-against-permanent-ncaa-gambling-ban</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[A former arbitrator of NCAA infractions cases says Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby faces an uphill fight trying to force the NCAA to stand down on enforcing the policy that permanently bans athletes who are found to have wagered on their own team.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 19:49:24 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is trying to do what no other college athlete has done: Force the NCAA to stand down on enforcing its sacrosanct policy that permanently bans athletes who have wagered on their own team. "It would be unprecedented," said Jodi Balsam, a former arbitrator of NCAA infractions cases who is director of the Sports Law Clinic at Brooklyn Law School. "They have never excused betting on one’s own sport or team and it routinely has been met with the harshest of penalties." Texas Tech said Monday it had declared Sorsby ineligible after it finalized an agreed-upon stipulation of facts between the school, the NCAA and Sorsby. A school is required to declare an athlete ineligible before it can initiate the reinstatement process. On the same day, Sorsby filed a lawsuit in Lubbock County, Texas, alleging the NCAA was slow-walking his case and asking for an injunction allowing him to play for the Red Raiders this season after he was one of the biggest transfers of the offseason. Balsam said the claim of stalling is likely baseless since the NCAA had not received a reinstatement request as of Monday. Sorsby has acknowledged wagering on sports, including on his own team his freshman season at Indiana in 2022. His school said he entered residential treatment for a gambling addiction three weeks ago. History on NCAA's side Balsam said courts historically have sided with sports governing bodies when it comes to administering rules concerning gambling and integrity of the game. "I see the NCAA fighting this one. I don’t see them settling," she said. "I do believe this is within their core legal authority." Sorsby is the highest-profile college football player to face permanent suspension for gambling since Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers three years ago. Dekkers was found to have wagered on a 2021 Cyclones game in which he didn't play. Iowa State filed two appeals with the NCAA to have Dekkers' eligibility reinstated and was denied each time, a school spokesman said. Dekkers sat out 2023, played at a junior college in 2024 and signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2025. He was released in January and is the starter for the Houston Gamblers of the UFL this spring. Sorsby's options At stake for Sorsby is the multimillion-dollar deal he signed with Texas Tech for what was supposed to be his final season of college football. Sorsby alleges the NCAA abandoned "its obligations and duties to promote" his well-being and that the lawsuit was filed to expedite the reinstatement process. Sorsby is seeking a hearing for a temporary injunction by June 15, one week before the deadline to file paperwork for the NFL's supplemental draft. Balsam served from 2019-24 on the NCAA’s since-dissolved Independent Resolution Panel, which adjudicated and administered penalties in select Division I infractions cases. She said the NCAA would create a "real slippery slope" if it didn't make Sorsby permanently ineligible. "To exonerate entirely somebody who has admitted violating this core policy is to open the floodgates for anybody who is ever engaged in gambling that violates the policy and tries to defend, justify or rationalize their behavior," she said. In the lawsuit, Sorsby acknowledged that in his first year at Indiana, he wagered between $5 and $50 on the Hoosiers football team to win and made prop bets on teammates to exceed statistical predictions. He said he did not bet on the one game in which he played. Sorsby said he never bet on a game involving Cincinnati after he transferred there in 2024, but he continued to be out of control, even placing wagers on Turkish basketball and Romanian soccer games. Sorsby contends there is hypocrisy in the NCAA's harsh discipline for gambling violations at a time it has a partnership with Genius Sports, the exclusive distributor of official NCAA data feeds to authorized sportsbooks. "Maybe that will invite some skepticism by courts," Balsam said, "but ultimately ... sports gambling bans have always been considered essential to the public trust in the game." Judge recuses himself Balsam said there was "perhaps a little bit of forum shopping" with Sorsby's lawsuit filed in Lubbock, home to Texas Tech, reflecting a trend of eligibility cases being heard in state courts. The judge initially assigned to the case, Phillip Hays, grew up in Lubbock and earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Texas Tech. Hays recused himself with no explanation in a court filing Wednesday, Bloomberg reported, and the administrative judge who will pick Hays' replacement has no ties to the school. Balsam said it's conceivable a judge would grant Sorsby a temporary injunction but only to make the NCAA set a clear timetable for processing Sorsby's request so he isn't in jeopardy of missing the supplemental draft. "I’d be floored if a court said at the end of the day, after a hearing on the merits, that the NCAA could not enforce its gambling policy," Balsam said. Reporting by the Associated Press]]>
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					<![CDATA[College Football Playoff Expansion: What You Need To Know About The 24-Team Model]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-playoff-expansion-what-you-need-know-about-24-team-model</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/college-football-playoff-expansion-what-you-need-know-about-24-team-model</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports' Joel Klatt shares everything you need to know about where the proposed 24-team College Football Playoff model sits.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 19:09:01 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[All that matters is whether the SEC and Big Ten agree. Momentum around a potential 24-team College Football Playoff has accelerated in recent weeks, with the ACC, Big 12 and Notre Dame now joining the Big Ten in support of an expanded format. But during a recent episode of "The Joel Klatt Show," FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt explained why what feels inevitable to many around the sport may still be far from finalized. For all the public momentum behind expansion, Klatt explained that the future of the CFP still hinges on the two conferences with the most power — the SEC and Big Ten — and whether the former is beginning to soften its resistance to a larger field. Here’s everything to know about where the current 24-team CFP model sits: The ACC, Big 12, Notre Dame and the AFCA were all against a 24-team College Football Playoff. Then, over the last 10 days, everyone changed course except the SEC. Why? Klatt: First and foremost, it’s important to understand why the ACC and Big 12 opposed previous expansion models, particularly the one initially put forth by the Big Ten. Those formats relied heavily on automatic qualifying spots, in some cases granting four bids each to the SEC and Big Ten while offering fewer guaranteed spots to the ACC and Big 12. The ACC and Big 12 were never going to support a model that effectively asked them to acknowledge they were lesser conferences. Their objection was never really about expansion itself. It was about unequal access. What those conferences opposed was a system that locked in preferential treatment for the SEC and Big Ten through automatic qualifiers. So when the Big Ten came to the table with a new model — one that eliminated automatic bids in favor of a selection-based format featuring the 23 best teams and one Group of 6 representative — it immediately piqued the interest of the other conferences and was more in line with what they were looking for. Most fans are against College Football Playoff expansion. Why? Klatt: There is a real element of frustration amongst fans when it comes to this proposed 24-team model, and here are some of the main reasons why: • The 12-team model worked The 12-team model absolutely worked, there’s no doubt about it. And while it might seem to some that the 24-team playoff seems inevitable at this point, that’s actually not the case because in reality, it doesn’t really matter what the Big 12, ACC or Notre Dame back. It only matters what the SEC and the Big Ten agree upon. Those two entities actually control the future of the CFP. The others gave them the right to have that power, and they will control this playoff remaining as it is or expanding to 14, 16 or 24. If the SEC and Big Ten had agreed on an automatic-qualifier expanded playoff, it would have happened by now, against the wishes of the other conferences. But they weren’t aligned, and they still aren't aligned. So, because of that, we are sitting in a very similar spot as we were before where this is not inevitable. If the Big Ten and SEC do not agree on a model, which they don’t right now, then nothing is going to change. • This would ruin college football’s regular season There is an argument being made that college football has the most important regular season in all of sports, and I don’t disagree with that. That sentiment is not wrong. We see this with the NCAA Basketball Tournament, which is now expanding beyond 70 teams, so what would stop college football from expanding beyond 24? If there’s more revenue at 24, isn’t there more revenue at 32? I get this argument, and I don’t think it’s wrong. I think the only answer to that is — format. A lot of the regular season and the importance of the regular season would be determined based on the format. How many byes are there? How many home games are there? If you can get a bye or a home game, you’re going to play hard. • Teams will rest starters late in the season This one is highly debatable. As a former college football player, I will tell you first hand that college football players have a very limited window to go and play, in particular if they want to further their career after college football. So, those games matter. It’s not like the NFL where a guy has a long-term contract, and he’s resting for a couple of weeks, and he knows he’s gonna play for a few more years. College football is unique in its small window for the participants to go and compete. What impact have NIL and the transfer portal had on College Football Playoff expansion? Klatt: If it weren’t for NIL and freedom of movement, the 12-team model probably wouldn’t have been the success it is now. In the four-team era, we would have looked at a 12-team model and thought, "Who cares? The 13th-ranked team would never win a championship." But with NIL, the transfer portal and the agency players now have to move around, roster parity has increased. Now, there are more than 12 teams capable of competing for and winning a national championship. What role do bowl games have in College Football Playoff expansion? Klatt: Bowls don’t mean anything anymore. It pains me to say that because I loved bowl season. Now, all the upper-to-middle class bowls in college football — it doesn’t matter. All these bowls that were fantastic — the Alamo, Gator and Citrus Bowl — all these bowls that could define a program as successful, that’s no longer available. The collapse of the bowl apparatus is real. Who is driving College Football Playoff expansion? Klatt: Coaches and athletic directors are driving this. The SEC and Big Ten are going to drive this. It’s not just Tony Petitti (Big Ten commissioner) and Greg Sankey (SEC commissioner). It’s the people who they work for. It’s the presidents of those institutions that are ultimately going to have the final say. Coaches and athletic directors are now trying to convince their presidents that they need this expansion because what they fear is that the middle class is going to stop investing. And once they stop investing, then we lose the parity in college football, which we all love. The coaches’ viewpoint is this: They want a wider definition of success, and with that comes a desire to shorten the season. They want conference championship games to go away, and that is a major piece of this conversation. In fact, that’s one of the primary reasons the proposed model expanded beyond 16 teams to 24. Why is a 24-team model being proposed, and not a 16-team model? Klatt: If you get rid of conference championship games — which you would have to do in order to finish the season around Jan. 1 — you then have to recoup the revenue those games generate. So in order to expand the playoff and eliminate conference championship games, you’d need to increase the value of the CFP. You can’t really do that with a 16-team model because it only adds a handful of games, and those games likely wouldn’t command enough value to offset the loss of the conference championship revenue. I don’t think the conferences are looking to break the bank with an expanded playoff. This isn’t about generating another billion dollars. They’re trying to recover the money they’d lose by eliminating conference championship games. I think a lot of these conference commissioners would sign off on a 24-team CFP even if they only broke even financially, because it would broaden the definition of success across the middle tier of their conferences. In their minds, that would create more meaningful regular-season games, particularly late in the year.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Brendan Sorsby Seeks Court Injunction to Restore Texas Tech Eligibility]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/brendan-sorsby-seeks-court-injunction-restore-texas-tech-eligibility</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/brendan-sorsby-seeks-court-injunction-restore-texas-tech-eligibility</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who entered treatment for a gambling addiction, has filed a lawsuit seeking to have the NCAA restore his eligibility]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 17:34:33 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who entered residential treatment for a gambling addiction three weeks ago, filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to have the NCAA restore his eligibility. Sorsby had landed a multimillion-dollar deal to return to his home state for his final college season, but his eligibility was jeopardized when he acknowledged wagering on sports. His lawsuit, filed in Lubbock County, Texas, by local attorney Dustin Burrows, asks for an injunction that would allow him to practice and play for the Red Raiders. The filing said legal action was taken because of the "NCAA’s wholesale abandonment of its obligations and duties to promote the well-being" of Sorsby. His gambling addiction, the lawsuit said, is a "clinically diagnosed" disorder recognized by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. "The NCAA has weaponized his condition to shore up a facade of competitive integrity, while simultaneously profiting from the very gambling ecosystem it polices," the lawsuit said, adding that Sorsby had taken accountability for violating NCAA rules and offered to accept "reasonable discipline" but not a full loss of eligibility. Texas Tech announced Monday that after finalizing an agreed-upon stipulation of facts between the school, NCAA and Sorsby, the school has declared Sorsby ineligible. "Texas Tech intends to quickly initiate the reinstatement process," the school said in a statement. "Texas Tech’s primary focus remains supporting Sorsby’s health and well-being." The NCAA said it has not received a reinstatement request for the Sorsby case as of late Monday afternoon. "The NCAA generally doesn’t comment on pending reinstatement requests, but the Association’s sports betting rules are clear, as are the reinstatement conditions," the NCAA said in a statement. "When it comes to betting on one’s own team, these rules must be enforced in every case for the simple reason that the integrity of the game is at risk. Every sports league has these protections in place, and the NCAA will continue to apply them equally because every student-athlete competing deserves to know they’re playing a fair game." Sorsby started his college career at Indiana in 2022 before a transfer to Cincinnati to play the past two seasons. ESPN, citing unidentified sources, previously reported Sorsby made thousands of online bets on a variety of sports via a gambling app. NCAA rules were eased in 2023 to recognize the proliferation of legalized gambling but still call for a permanent ban for athletes who bet on their own games. ESPN reported Sorsby bet on Indiana football games in 2022 and only to win. He did not place a wager on the one game in which he appeared that season as a freshman. Sorsby's lawsuit called the NCAA's position on gambling "hypocritical" because it has a partnership with Genius Sports to distribute real-time data feeds to sportsbooks, publicly touted gambling as a "major opportunity" and presided over an enterprise in which $3.3 billion was wagered on its basketball tournaments in 2026. Sorsby's legal team is headed by Jeffrey Kessler, the lead attorney for players in the groundbreaking House settlement that accelerated the professionalization of college sports. Reporting by the Associated Press]]>
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					<![CDATA[Top-10 Impact Freshmen Heading Into the 2026 College Football Season]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/top-10-impact-freshmen-heading-2026-college-football-season</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/top-10-impact-freshmen-heading-2026-college-football-season</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[From Mark Bowman at USC to Jared Curtis at Vanderbilt, FOX Sports' Michael Cohen details 10 freshmen who will have the biggest impact this fall.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 19:51:20 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[In a darkened corner of the Miami Beach Convention Center, just a few yards removed from where he'd made a promotional appearance for AT&amp;T, former Miami wide receiver Reggie Wayne — a program legend — gushed about the exploits of Hurricane freshman Malachi Toney, an electric wideout in his own right. "Him coming in, doing those things — not only doing it, but doing it at an elite level — man, it’s fantastic," Wayne told me in January, two days before Toney led Miami onto the field in the national championship game against Indiana. "Whenever you get somebody like that as a freshman creating havoc like that, it does nothing but just put Miami on everybody’s minds all day and all night." Even in a losing effort, Toney proved capable of haunting the Hoosiers to a degree most first-year players can only dream about. He caught 10 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown to put a lasting exclamation point on a campaign few college football fans will soon forget. Toney received first-team All-ACC honors and was named the conference's Rookie of the Year after leading the entire country in receptions (109) and total touchdowns as a receiver (10), runner (1) and passer (2). Special is one of the only adequate words to describe the way Toney performed. As the 2026 season approaches, fans everywhere are wondering which newcomers might captivate college football the way Toney did, the way Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith did the year prior en route to winning the national championship. So with that, here are 10 potential impact freshmen capable of shaping the upcoming season: * Recruiting rankings and historical data courtesy of 247Sports. Height: 6-foot-4Weight: 235 poundsSchool: Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CaliforniaRanking: No. 29 overall, No. 2 TE There were so many reasons for head coach Lincoln Riley to rejoice when Bowman gave his verbal commitment to USC on May 30, 2025, dousing even more lighter fluid on an already incandescent recruiting stretch for the Trojans. A five-star prospect and the No. 29 overall player in the country, Bowman became the poster child for Riley’s retooled approach that dedicated significantly more time and resources to in-state prospects than at any point in his tenure. Not only was Bowman a highly coveted local product who played high school football less than an hour from the LA Memorial Coliseum, but he was also representative of the mended relationship between Riley’s staff and powerhouse Mater Dei High School, a recruiting oasis for power-conference programs. Sitting second behind Notre Dame signee Ian Premer in this year’s tight end hierarchy, Bowman already has a Big Ten-ready frame that lends itself to positional versatility in Riley’s creative offense. He also enters a relatively wide-open passing attack that needs to replace four of its five leading targets from last season: WR Makai Lemon (79 catches; 1,156 yards; 11 TDs), WR Ja’Kobi Lane (49 catches; 745 yards; 4 TDs), TE Lake McRee (30 catches; 450 yards; 4 TDs) and TE Walker Lyons (20 catches, 223 yards, 2 TDs). There’s an opportunity for Bowman to earn immediate targets from veteran quarterback Jayden Maiava. Height: 6-foot-4Weight: 220 poundsSchool: St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, MarylandRanking: No. 5 overall, No. 1 edge Amid a dismal stretch of back-to-back seasons in which Maryland produced identical 4-8 overall records and unsightly 1-8 marks in conference play, an impressive run on the recruiting trail has kept head coach Mike Locksley afloat. Locksley, the former offensive coordinator at Alabama, strung together six consecutive top-40 classes from 2020-25 to inject a downtrodden program with much more high-end talent. He signed four players rated among the top-10 recruits in program history during that stretch — OLB Terrence Lewis, WR Rakim Jarrett, S Nick Cross and edge rusher Chop Robinson — while also identifying a quarterback in Taulia Tagovailoa who finished as the Big Ten’s all-time passing leader with 11,256 yards. Locksley outdid all of that last December when he secured the signature of Elee, a five-star edge rusher holding additional scholarship offers from Auburn, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, USC and Notre Dame, among others. Elee instantly became the highest-rated prospect to ever sign with the Terrapins, narrowly edging former Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs in 2012. The expectation is that Elee should earn immediate playing time for a defense that has lost five players to the NFL Draft over the last two years and ranked 10th in the Big Ten for sacks last season. Height: 6-foot-6Weight: 321 poundsSchool: Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CaliforniaRanking: No. 25 overall, No. 3 OT Beginning with the first recruiting class head coach Jedd Fisch put together after leaving Arizona for Washington ahead of the 2024 season, his desire to flood the trenches with bigger bodies was readily apparent. He wanted taller offensive linemen, lengthier defensive linemen and frames capable of adding significant mass on both sides of the ball. "Remember," Fisch said at Big Ten Media Days that summer, "we're going to always recruit guys that can play in the NFL. The NFL doesn't like small." Which is probably why, in the not-so-distant future, scouts and general managers alike will become quite fond of Greene, a stud offensive tackle who flipped his commitment from Oregon to Washington last spring. Greene’s frame wouldn’t look out of place in an NFL training camp, despite the fact that he’s only 18. There are sky-high expectations surrounding Greene, who is the sixth highest-rated recruit in program history — and the highest-rated offensive lineman to join the Huskies since Nathan Rhodes in 2002. He received rave reviews from teammates and coaches while working at left tackle during spring practice, the position vacated by veteran Carver Willis, a fourth-round pick in last month’s NFL Draft. Green is expected to be Washington’s opening day starter at left tackle to protect the blindside of star quarterback Demond Williams Jr., a potential Heisman Trophy contender. How close the Huskies come to reaching the College Football Playoff might hinge on Greene’s development. Height: 6-foot-4Weight: 295 poundsSchool: University Lab High School in Baton Rouge, LouisianaRanking: No. 3 overall, No. 1 ATH How important was it to preserve the commitment from this five-star defensive tackle to newly hired head coach Lane Kiffin, whose prolonged "will-he-or-won’t-he" saga regarding a possible departure from Ole Miss put the Tigers’ recruiting class in jeopardy last December? Important enough for Kiffin, who was cursed off the tarmac by frustrated Rebels’ fans, to arrange some face time with Brown hours after arriving in Baton Rouge. A picture of Kiffin and Brown, whose high school is located on the LSU campus, quickly made the rounds on social media. Brown had been verbally pledged to the Tigers since July 10, at which point Brian Kelly was still in charge, and whether he would re-open his commitment following the coaching change represented a key storyline ahead of the early signing period. Kiffin and his then-piecemeal coaching staff succeeded in convincing Brown to sign with LSU on Dec. 5, the final day of the early window, giving the Tigers a crown jewel in a recruiting class that finished 11th nationally. Though Brown checked in at No. 3 overall in the 247Sports Composite rankings, he was viewed as the top overall prospect by ESPN, giving the Tigers their first No. 1 recruit since running back Leonard Fournette in 2014. Brown, who will concentrate on playing defensive end for LSU, earned All-State and All-America honors as both an offensive and defensive linemen in high school. He also won state championships in shot put and discus as a member of the track and field team. Height: 6-foot-5Weight: 195 poundsSchool: Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CaliforniaRanking: No. 14 overall, No. 2 WR Nearly three years have passed since Henry first committed to Ohio State, delighting the Buckeyes and then-wide receivers coach Brian Hartline with yet another wideout for the sport’s best pipeline at that position. With so much time between Henry’s initial commitment and last December’s early signing period, when he could finally put pen to paper, the recruiting efforts from Hartline and head coach Ryan Day were as much about retention and maintenance as they were initial attraction. Then, Hartline left to become the head coach at South Florida on the same day the signing window officially opened, tossing one last wrench into Henry’s recruitment. Conference rival Oregon decided to mount a late push. The Ducks did enough to give Henry pause, leading him to delay his final decision by two days and triggering consternation around Ohio State. Ultimately, though, Henry followed in the footsteps of so many blue-chip receivers in recent years and reaffirmed his commitment to the Buckeyes. He enrolled early to participate in offseason workouts and then delighted fans during the spring game by catching four passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. The departure of veteran wideout Carnell Tate, who became the program’s sixth receiver drafted in the first round since 2022, opened a clearer path toward early playing time for Henry. He and unquestioned No. 1 target Jeremiah Smith could form one of the most physically imposing receiver tandems in the country. Height: 6-foot-4Weight: 215 poundsSchool: Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North CarolinaRanking: No. 10 overall, No. 3 QB For the second time in the last four recruiting cycles, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel landed a five-star quarterback with the requisite size and skill to contribute immediately. His first such signee was Nico Iamaleava, whose career quickly became synonymous with one of the sport’s first eye-popping NIL deals, an agreement reportedly worth $8 million. Iamaleava went on to spend two seasons with the Volunteers and led them to the College Football Playoff in 2024 before transferring to UCLA. He remains the highest-rated quarterback signee in program history. Right behind him, though, is Faizon, a budding star with scholarship offers from seemingly every blue blood in the country: Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon, to name a few. The only quarterbacks ranked ahead of Faizon in the 2026 class were Keisean Henderson, who signed with Houston, and Jared Curtis, who signed with Vanderbilt. With Heupel declining to name a starter during spring practice, the competition between Faizon and redshirt freshman George MacIntyre is expected to continue into fall camp. MacIntyre only logged 11 snaps last season while serving as the No. 3 quarterback behind starter Joey Aguilar and backup Jake Merklinger, who transferred to UConn. Height: 5-foot-11Weight: 205 poundsSchool: Jackson High School in Jackson, AlabamaRanking: No. 15 overall, No. 2 RB Alabama produced three draft picks across the opening two rounds of this year’s NFL Draft in offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor (No. 12 overall), quarterback Ty Simpson (No. 13 overall) and wide receiver Germie Bernard (No. 47 overall), but in many ways, that collection of personnel only underscored the offensive imbalance that plagued the Crimson Tide last season. Despite running the ball 466 times — tied for 59th nationally and seventh-most in the SEC — head coach Kalen DeBoer’s team ranked 125th in rushing yards per game (104.1) and 126th in yards per carry (3.4). Running back Jam Miller, a seventh-round pick by the New England Patriots, was the only tailback to eclipse 284 yards. When Indiana limited the Crimson Tide to just 23 rushing yards in a lopsided CFP quarterfinal, the offense reached an unsightly nadir. DeBoer and his staff know they’ll need to run the ball more effectively in 2026 to avoid a third consecutive four-loss season, which hasn’t happened at Alabama since the early 1980s. Tailbacks Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley and AK Dear are all back for another year, but Crowell is the player generating plenty of early buzz. Even after reclassifying, Crowell is still the fourth-best running back recruit in program history behind Najee Harris (2017), Trent Richardson (2009) and Trey Sanders (2019). He’s expected to be an immediate contributor this fall. Height: 6-feetWeight: 210 poundsSchool: Louisa County High School in Mineral, VirginiaRanking: No. 12 overall, No. 1 RB Even though Sherrone Moore was fired after the early signing period had come and gone — he was dismissed on Dec. 10 when Michigan announced it found "credible evidence" of an inappropriate relationship with a staffer — there was still plenty of re-recruiting for the newly hired Kyle Whittingham to maneuver. Those efforts almost certainly revolved around Hiter and five-star edge rusher Carter Meadows (No. 9 overall, No. 4 edge), two ultra-high-end prospects the Wolverines pursued by mirroring the strategy that landed them former five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood during the previous cycle. Hiter drew rave reviews from teammates and coaches during spring practice, with Whittingham going so far as saying the true freshman will earn significant playing time from the outset of his career. The departure of starting tailback Justice Haynes via the transfer portal — he landed at Georgia Tech after carrying 121 times for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns before suffering a season-ending injury last fall — creates an immediate opening for Hiter in what is expected to be a run-heavy offense. Veteran Jordan Marshall, who carried 150 times for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025, including four consecutive 100-yard games from mid-October to mid-November, is expected to enter fall camp atop the depth chart to form one of the league’s best pairings at that position. Height: 6-foot-8Weight: 330 poundsSchool: Nixa High School in Nixa, MissouriRanking: No. 2 overall, No. 1 OT By the time Miami upset Ohio State in the quarterfinals of last year’s College Football Playoff, it became clear that the Hurricanes’ combination of immense size and strength along the offensive line made them legitimate national championship contenders. Right tackle Francis Mauigoa, who became a first-round pick by the New York Giants, was listed at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds. Left tackle Markel Bell, who became a third-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, was listed at 6-foot-9 and 345 pounds. Together, they leaned on undersized edge rushers and defensive tackles alike until Miami had mauled its way to a title game appearance. Ordinarily, replacing such high-level offensive tackles would be a daunting task for most coaching staffs. But Miami head coach Mario Cristobal, an offensive line coach by trade, scored what was unquestionably the biggest recruiting win of his burgeoning tenure when he signed five-star tackle Jackson Cantwell, considered by many to be the best player in the country. Cantwell, who will likely start immediately at left tackle, is the highest-rated offensive line signee in program history and the second-best prospect to join Miami in the recruiting rankings era, trailing only linebacker D.J. Williams in 2000. He should play a pivotal role in protecting transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, formerly of Duke, for a program that expects to reach the playoff for a second straight season. Height: 6-foot-3Weight: 230 poundsSchool: Nashville Christian School in Nashville, TennesseeRanking: No. 4 overall, No. 2 QB Rumblings surrounding what many considered a potentially paradigm-altering flip began to swirl several days before the early signing period last December. Could SEC afterthought Vanderbilt, which had finished above .500 just once in the preceding 11 seasons and only four times this century, really convince five-star quarterback Jared Curtis to renege on a verbal commitment to national powerhouse Georgia? Those kinds of things don’t usually happen in college football, even when the player in question is being wooed by a hometown team. Which is why it was still relatively shocking when rumor became reality on Dec. 2 and Curtis, who’d been committed to Georgia for more than a year, spurned the Bulldogs in favor of Vanderbilt. He signed with the Commodores one day later. Fast-forward to the present and Curtis, the only five-star signee in program history, is squarely in contention to become a day-one starter this fall. Reports from spring practice suggest that he matched or exceeded the lofty expectations heaped onto him by fans and analysts alike, flashing an enticing combination of arm strength and athleticism that should get him on the field this fall. His primary challenger is senior Blaze Berlowitz, a former three-star prospect and New Mexico State transfer entering his third season with the Commodores. Berlowitz made six appearances in 2025 but has never started a game for Vanderbilt. It seems unlikely that he will hold off Curtis much longer.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Continuing The Woodson Legacy: Charles Woodson Jr. Commits to Michigan]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/continuing-woodson-legacy-charles-woodson-jr-verbally-commits-michigan</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/continuing-woodson-legacy-charles-woodson-jr-verbally-commits-michigan</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
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				    <![CDATA[Charles Woodson Jr., son of legendary cornerback Charles Woodson, has followed in his father's footsteps and has committed to Michigan.]]>
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				<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 17:19:31 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Another Woodson is making his way to Ann Arbor. Thirty-one years after his dad donned the Maize and Blue, Charles Woodson Jr. has committed to Michigan. The defensive back from Orlando, Florida, notched 73 tackles, two interceptions and eight pass breakups last season and chose the Wolverines over other programs like Texas A&amp;M and Ole Miss. The younger Woodson is rated as a three-star recruit as part of the Class of 2027, per 247 Sports. He's also rated as one of the 100 best safeties in his class by 247 Sports. Woodson’s father, Charles Woodson, played for Michigan from 1995-97 and is arguably the greatest player in the program's history. Woodson, who was primarily a defensive back who also logged snaps at wide receiver and returner, started his career at Michigan by winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 1995. He capped it off with a Heisman Trophy — the first primary defensive player to win the award — an undefeated season and a national championship win in 1997 before declaring for the NFL Draft. The elder Woodson was drafted fourth overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 1998 NFL Draft and had a successful professional career. He recorded 981 solo tackles, 65 interceptions and 20 sacks in his 18 seasons in the league between the Raiders and the Green Bay Packers, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 before winning the Super Bowl a year later. In 2021, Woodson was officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He now works for FOX Sports as an analyst on "FOX NFL Kickoff." The younger Woodson will head to Ann Arbor as part of Michigan’s 2027 class alongside four-star offensive tackle Jakari Lipsey, four-star edge rusher Recarder Kitchen and four-star wide receiver Quentin Burrell. As of Friday, that class ranks 19th in the country, per 247 Sports. Michigan's 2027 class will also be head coach Kyle Whittingham's first full recruiting class since he became the Wolverines' head coach in December. Whittingham was hired a few weeks after the abrupt firing of Sherrone Moore, joining Michigan after he announced his retirement from Utah. As the winningest coach in Utah football history, Whittingham is hoping his succes success in Salt Lake City will translate in Ann Arbor, seeking to bring the Wolverines back into College Football Playoff conversations. The Wolverines return sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood, wide receiver Andrew Marsh and running back Jordan Marshall ahead of a loaded 2026 conference slate, with road games at Ohio State and Oregon, and home games against Oklahoma and Indiana.]]>
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					<![CDATA[ACC Backs Big Ten's 24-Team College Football Playoff Expansion Plan]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/acc-big-ten-sec-college-football-playoff</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/acc-big-ten-sec-college-football-playoff</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
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				    <![CDATA[The Atlantic Coast Conference is backing the Big Ten’s push for a 24-team playoff, but the SEC still stands in the way.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 13:45:53 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Atlantic Coast Conference is backing the Big Ten's push for a 24-team playoff, commissioner Jim Phillips said Wednesday. Speaking at the end of three days of spring meetings in a posh resort in northeast Florida, Phillips said ACC coaches and athletic directors reached consensus on wanting to double the current College Football Playoff model. "When you’re leaving national championship-contending teams and schools out of the playoff, you don’t have the right number," Phillips said. "We lived through it." Phillips pointed to unbeaten Florida State getting snubbed from a four-team CFP field in 2023 and Notre Dame getting left out of last year’s 12-team model. "Notre Dame was a CFP-worthy team this year; they just were," he said. "The other rationale is there is so much investment going on in the sport of football and in college athletics. … If you’re going to ask presidents and chancellors and boards to continue to invest in their football programs, it’s really important that they have hope, that they have an opportunity at the beginning of the season to get into the playoff." Coaches and administrators have clamored for more access to the lucrative and potentially job-saving playoff. They point to having just 12 playoff spots for 138 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, a miniscule percentage compared to many other collegiate sports or major professional leagues. "The more the merrier," Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said. "The more opportunities to get teams in and give student-athletes opportunities." Phillips also said television partner ESPN "has been pretty clear with all of us that they’d like it to stay at 12, maybe 14, but no higher than 16." No matter how much the ACC and other leagues support a 24-team playoff, the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference have exclusive power to determine the CFP's future. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and the SEC's Greg Sankey have the ultimate say on any expansion. The SEC is pushing to expand to 16 teams, with an emphasis on at-large bids. The Big Ten supports 24 teams and initially wanted multiple automatic qualifiers from each conference. [2026 College Football Preview: The Biggest Question Facing Top Teams] The playoff expanded from four to 12 teams in 2024, and after decision-makers failed to reach an expansion agreement, the CFP will use the same model for the 2026-27 season. The discussion carries major implications for the college football calendar, including the start and end of the season and the role of money-making conference championship games. An NCAA committee last month recommended that FBS teams play a 12-game schedule over 14 weeks beginning in 2027 with the season starting on the Thursday of what is now designated Week Zero and ending the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Last week, the American Football Coaches Association proposed changes to the schedule that included eliminating conference championship games, reducing scheduled bye weeks from two to one and reducing the minimum number of days between games to no fewer than six. Sankey stood firm earlier this week on expanding to a 16-team CFP. Sankey said all changes in college athletics must come with appropriate research — something he believes the SEC has provided in support of a four-team expansion to 16. To Sankey, moving to 16 teams is an unknown, with one big question being whether an expanded playoff would make up for an SEC title game that generates more than $80 million a year for the powerhouse conference. The current CFP contract includes a deadline of Dec. 1, 2026, to make any changes for the following season. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 College Football Preview: The Biggest Question Facing Top Teams]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-preview-biggest-question-facing-top-teams</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-preview-biggest-question-facing-top-teams</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
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				    <![CDATA[What are the questions the best teams in college football have to answer? Here's what Joel Klatt thinks.]]>
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				<pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 16:48:19 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[We're at the point of the college football offseason where fan bases can still point to their team and convince themselves that they have no flaws. However, FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt won't even view the top teams in the nation with a similar lens. In the most recent episode of the "Joel Klatt Show," Klatt shared what he believes are the biggest questions facing each of the 12 highest-ranked teams in his post-spring top 25 poll heading into the upcoming season. Some are obvious, such as how certain programs will replace productive players. Others, though, are factors Klatt believes could quietly make or break a team’s season. So, let's take a look at what Klatt views as the biggest question surrounding each top team. After former Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck followed Kyle Whittingham to Michigan, Klatt questioned whether Beck could help Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood replicate the rushing impact Devon Dampier had over the last two seasons, when he totaled nearly 2,000 rushing yards. "If you look at the top four teams in quarterback rushing last year, it’s the three service academies and Utah. That’s a big part of what Jason Beck does on offense," Klatt said. "Do I think it’s going to be that extensive? Probably not. You want to protect Underwood a little bit. This is going to be a more physical conference and demanding schedule in the Big Ten. You don’t want him [Underwood] running a ton, but this is what Jason Beck does. They’re probably going to have a better run game surrounding the quarterback than maybe even Utah did, even though Utah can run the football." If Michigan can successfully use Underwood in the run game, Klatt wouldn't be surprised if the Wolverines compete at the top of the Big Ten. "If that pans out, this becomes a very difficult offense to stop," Klatt said. "If Michigan leads the Power 4 in rushing, which Utah was able to do a year ago … then they’d become a team and a style that nobody wants to play. They’d be in that mode where they’re the antidote to what Oregon, Indiana and Ohio State do." Klatt thinks that Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables has a good situation on his hands entering 2026, believing that John Mateer is one of the best quarterbacks in college football and that the Sooners' defense is among the best in the nation. However, he emphatically stated that the Sooners have to improve on the ground, especially if they want to keep Mateer healthy this season. "This problem was the reason that John Mateer wasn’t able to play to his potential," Klatt said. "Early in the year, Mateer was incredible. In fact, he was on a lot of people’s Heisman lists, including mine. But it was a lot of Mateer in the run game." "I thought Oklahoma was exposing Mateer too much, and the reason was that they weren’t getting anything out of their backs," Klatt continued. "When the quarterback complements the run game, then you can be effective using your backs and your quarterback. Last year, Oklahoma was unable to do that." While Klatt cautioned Oklahoma from using Mateer too much, he believes the Sooners might have a major reward waiting for them if they have an effective run game. "He can’t be Superman every week. I don’t think he’ll get through a nine-game SEC schedule," Klatt said. "If they have a run game, plus a top-10 defense and Mateer’s playmaking ability, then they can be a real threat in the SEC," Klatt continued. "They can level themselves up to a team that can do some real damage in the playoff." Klatt acknowledged that he has USC ranked higher than most, while also recognizing potential concerns along the Trojans’ defensive line. Still, he believes USC might not need drastic improvement there to emerge as a legitimate contender in 2026. "During Lincoln [Riley’s] tenure at USC, they’re 132nd in the country in yards per carry allowed — and that’s when you remove sacks," Klatt said. "The question is not if they can become a dominant defense, but let’s take a look at something that’s a little bit under the radar, which is this margin between what you gain per carry and what you give up per carry. That gives you a real good idea of how strong you are at the line of scrimmage." "When you look at Lincoln Riley's tenure at Oklahoma, they were third in yards per carry difference. They were pretty good, even if they didn’t play great defense," Klatt continued. "They were good at the line of scrimmage in terms of what they gained and what they gave up. If you look at his tenure at USC, they’ve been 55th in the country in yards per carry difference. If they can shrink that down and that defense is just OK stopping the run, then they’re going to have something here because they’ve been able to run the football." Texas A&amp;M quarterback Marcel Reed looked like a Heisman contender after leading the Aggies to an 11-0 start last year. But he crumbled in the last two games, throwing two interceptions in the loss to Texas before throwing two interceptions in the first-round College Football Playoff loss to Miami (Fla.). Klatt believes Reed has to raise his floor a bit in order for Texas A&amp;M to be a true contender in 2026. "He’s a low-floor, high-ceiling player," Klatt said of Reed. "If he can get those games and eliminate those bad performances, or even just have one [bad] series here or there, now A&amp;M is a team that has to be reckoned with in those big games vs. a team that falls flat in those big games. "If Reed becomes a player and plays to his potential in all of those matchups, now you’re certainly talking about a team that’s going to go back to the playoff, can compete for the SEC championship and maybe — with the way that they’ve recruited and the stability they’ve had under Mike Elko — compete for a national semifinal and reach the national championship game." Lane Kiffin brought in 40 players through the transfer portal this offseason as he prepares for his first year as LSU's head coach. While that makes up nearly half the roster, Klatt has some faith that Kiffin can successfully answer his big question in 2026. "Can you have top-end success with that big of a roster shift in Year 1? Yes, you can," Klatt said. "Texas Tech last year had 21 transfers and 11 [new] starters. Last year, [Lane] Kiffin’s own team at Ole Miss had 32 transfers. Indiana, a couple of years ago, had 27 transfers in their turnaround with [Curt] Cignetti. If you’re looking at their projected depth chart, you’re probably looking at 11 or 12 starters from the portal. So, it comes down to culture and execution. How quickly can they buy into the culture? [Kiffin] was able to do that quickly at Ole Miss, so it leads you to believe that they’ll be able to buy into the culture. "They’re going to have to hit the ground running. You look at guys like quarterback Sam Leavitt and offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, they’re going to make this roster better. It’s like the most expensive roster in all of college football. And it’s going to have to be ready to go right away. First four games: Clemson, [Louisiana] Tech, Ole Miss in Kiffin’s return and then they’re going to face Texas A&amp;M. Two losses would leave them with no margin for error." Klatt believes the top seven teams in his post-spring rankings are in a tier of their own entering fall camp. Still, before elevating Texas into that group, he wants to see the Longhorns improve on the ground after last season’s disappointing finish. "Texas was putrid running the football [last season]," Klatt said. "If you look back to [Steve Sarkisian’s] really good teams, whether he’s been a head coach or an offensive coordinator, they’ve been able to run the football well. That 2020 Bama team he was the coordinator of. They had Najee Harris. They could run the crap out of the ball, but Texas just couldn’t do it last year. It was bad. The running backs’ yards per carry last year ranked 120th in the country. "They should be better up front. Sark’s at his best when he’s running it well, and he’ll have to do it with a rebuilt running back room. They got transfers Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown … these guys have to play well. If they do, then Arch [Manning’s] not going to be under as much pressure. That was the problem with Texas last year: Everything was on Arch’s shoulders. He actually played fine in the back half of last year." Klatt believes Miami’s biggest question is simple: How will the Hurricanes replace three first-round talents in the trenches — offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa and edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor? Even so, he’s confident Mario Cristobal can rebuild those units. "They lost so much off their line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. It’s clearly a question of can you remain dominant at the line of scrimmage? That’s what allowed them to make the run all the way to the national championship game," Klatt said. "They were terrific on the offensive line — they didn’t allow a ton of pressure and they were able to run the ball — and their defensive line got after it. "You’re replacing all these guys — offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, edge rusher Rueben Bain and edge rusher Akheem Mesidor — who were high-round draft picks. Who do you have behind them?" Klatt continued. "They’ve recruited and developed offensive and defensive lines. That’s what Mario Cristobal does. "If there’s not much of a dropoff, this team’s going to go back and compete for a national championship. They’re that good. … They’ve got a ton of former five-star players." Klatt believes Georgia and head coach Kirby Smart have earned the benefit of the doubt, calling the Bulldogs the class of the SEC despite failing to win a College Football Playoff game in each of the last three seasons. Still, he has concerns about the offense and whether the Bulldogs have enough playmaking ability to break out of that recent postseason rut. "The problem with Georgia the last couple of years, at least in my estimation, is their lack of playmakers on the outside," Klatt said. "It killed Carson Beck two years ago. So many drops. They led the country in drops. Last year, they didn’t have a big-play threat. Can you go and win a shootout? I don’t know if they can because the guys on the outside just don’t scare me. Ever since [Brock] Bowers went out the door, who has been the threat? At some point, you’ve got to at least come to the conclusion that you’re not going to shut everyone out. You’re not going to hold everyone under 24 points. "Their leading returning receiver from last year’s group is a veteran, London Humphries, who had 18 catches. Is he the guy? They brought in the 6-foot-4 wide receiver from Georgia Tech, Isaiah Cannon, and he was their third-leading receiver last year. Does he turn into a real No. 1? … They’re going to need a young guy to step up." Many would assume Indiana’s biggest question is whether new quarterback Josh Hoover can replace reigning Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. Klatt, however, believes the more pressing issue is on the defensive side of the ball. "I think you’ve got to go two levels deeper. What drove that team? Cignetti talked about this when talking about Josh Hoover. [He said], ‘What’s a quarterback’s best friend? A run game and a good defense.’ So, their question for me is about their defense," Klatt said. "Their defense, schematically, was almost built completely around D’Angelo Ponds. I know that’s strange. He was a 5-foot-9 corner on the outside. But he allowed freedom of movement for the rest of the defense. They had a ton of zone and simulated pressures because they could roll the defense away from Ponds. He could handle everything back there. He could handle half the field and the boundary in the passing game and also come up and play in run support. Ponds was the critical factor in what was one of the top defenses in all of college football." "If they can replace him, they’re going to be good again on defense." Similar to Indiana, some might assume Ohio State’s biggest question in 2026 is replacing three defensive players taken in the top 11 of the NFL Draft, leaving major holes at all three levels of the defense. But Klatt has confidence in defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to reload that unit, and instead has greater concern about the Buckeyes’ offensive line. "I’ve covered a ton of their games and you can look back on all of their losses, going back to Oregon in the middle of the year [in 2024] … they got beat up at the line of scrimmage [in all of those losses]," Klatt said. "They couldn’t protect Julian Sayin. They couldn’t convert on short yardage. It was an issue in every one of those losses. Now, their offensive line has a lot of guys back. Arthur Smith is their new offensive coordinator, and he’s got a run game background from his time in the NFL. "When you look at a team that allowed five sacks in each loss against Indiana and Miami, something has to change up front. They’ve got to get better up front. … Ohio State was just 51st last year in yards per carry. That has to improve. If it does, watch out. This will be one of the best offenses, if not the best offense, in college football." Unlike Indiana and Ohio State, Klatt believes Notre Dame’s biggest question is more straightforward, as the Irish must replace two standout running backs, including Heisman finalist Jeremiyah Love. "Who is replacing that production? If they get great production out of the run game, they will be a great team," Klatt said of Notre Dame. "They’re going to be excellent on defense. I think quarterback CJ Carr is going to have a solid year. But it just can’t be a throw team. They’re going to have to run the ball. They became the first team with two first-round running backs since 2008. "Instead of hitting the portal, they’re going to fix this thing from within. They’re putting their faith in Aneyas Williams, who had 58 carries last year, freshman Nolan James, who had 14 carries last year, and Kedren Young, who is a big back at 235 pounds and missed last season after having 21 carries in 2024. Those are your top three guys, and they have a combined 93 career carries in college football." Klatt is bullish on Oregon head coach Dan Lanning as he enters his fifth season in Eugene. He's consistently stated that he might take him over any other young head coach in the country, pointing to Oregon's continued growth under his watch. But after Oregon's 56-22 loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff semifinal last year, Klatt is beginning to wonder if the Ducks are ready for the big moments. "They allowed 56 points against Indiana and 41 against Ohio State in their last two CFP losses," Klatt said. "Dan Lanning is supposed to be a defensive guy. In big games, their defense doesn’t really show up. The way they lost to Ohio State, getting run off the first half at the Rose Bowl, and Indiana, I know one of those [scores] was a pick-six, but the defense has got to get better and up to task for the big games. "They’ve got two new coordinators on each side of the ball. Chris Hampton, who was promoted from safeties coach to defensive coordinator, is going to have to look at those games and figure out a way to play better defense when it matters. You can get in a shootout, but I’m talking about going from 56 [points allowed] to 30. How do you give up 30 and not 41 or 56 to allow this experienced offense to go out there and potentially go win the game?"]]>
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					<![CDATA[College Sports Commission Wins NIL Arb Case Against Nebraska Football Players]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/nil-arbitration-case-nebraska-huskers-football</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/nil-arbitration-case-nebraska-huskers-football</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[An arbitrator ruled in favor of the College Sports Commission in a key case brought on behalf of Nebraska football players.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 11:42:04 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[An arbitrator ruled in favor of the College Sports Commission on Monday in a case brought on behalf of Nebraska football players that is viewed as a key test for the new entity in charge of approving third-party name-image-likeness deals in college sports. The CSC in a statement said the arbitrator affirmed the commission's decision to reject third-party NIL agreements between Nebraska's multimedia rights (MMR) partner, Playfly, and the players. At issue was whether Nebraska's MMR partner would be considered an "associated entity" — deals from which are subject to CSC scrutiny. With that decided, the CSC said the arbitrator rejected the deals because: — They lacked what the CSC calls a "valid business purpose" because they did not include goods or services offered to the general public for profit. — Playfly violated a rule against "warehousing" NIL rights — i.e., paying for the rights to use for some purpose later instead of employing them right away. Speaking to media at the Atlantic Coast Conference meetings in Florida, the CSC's CEO, Bryan Seeley, said he didn't consider the deal to be a precedent. "Even if it’s not precedential, the fact is it’s influential, and it’s influential in people’s minds about how they think about enforcement," he said. "So, for me, it was a good day." The CSC said it would release the arbitrator's full decision later. Some observers are curious to see whether the university or the state will sue over the decision, something the CSC was hoping to avoid when it sent out a "participation agreement" for schools to sign that forbid them from suing the commission. Many schools have been reluctant to sign the agreement, arguing they’re not allowed under their state laws to sign away their ability to take legal action. "It’s whether their state attorney general challenges it in court and what the outcome of that is, I think that is the true test of whether this (CSC) is a legitimate governing body," sports attorney Paia LaPalombara told The Associated Press in an interview last week in discussing the Nebraska case. In acknowledging the decision, Nebraska AD Troy Dannen said the school would continue to operate under the CSC process "while monitoring changes in the collegiate landscape." [Can Michigan Get Revenge Against Oklahoma? Bold Predictions From FOX’s Saturday Slate] "We fully support all our student-athletes maximizing the value of their Name, Image and Likeness during their time at the University of Nebraska," he said. Officials from the Nebraska attorney general's office did not immediately respond to emails from the AP. Seeley still thinks there are ways for the Nebraska players to get paid within the rules. "I don’t believe litigation is necessary for these student-athletes to get money for their NIL," he said. "I cannot control what happens, though, outside of what we do." In a separate case pending in the federal court that approved NIL payments via the House settlement, attorneys are arguing that MMR partners should not be considered "associated entities." A hearing in that case is scheduled for May 27. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Can Michigan Get Revenge Against Oklahoma? Bold Predictions From FOX’s Saturday Slate]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/can-michigan-get-revenge-against-oklahoma-bold-predictions-from-foxs-saturday-slate</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/can-michigan-get-revenge-against-oklahoma-bold-predictions-from-foxs-saturday-slate</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Can Michigan get revenge against Oklahoma? FOX Sports' RJ Young offers up three bold predictions from FOX’s loaded Saturday college football slate.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 22:32:57 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[FOX released three top-tier college football games on Monday, locking in a trio of fall matchups that will unquestionably shape the 2026 national championship race. The loaded slate includes Oklahoma-Michigan, Michigan-Ohio State and the Big Ten Championship Game. I expect this group of games to feature ranked teams, a CFP semifinalist and a Heisman Trophy contender. The Big Ten has ruled college football in recent years, producing the last three national champions. Once again, the conference is set to take center stage. Here are my bold predictions from the three blockbuster games on FOX: Bold prediction: The outcome will tilt early-season perception in the Big Ten–SEC debate At a time when the Big Ten’s grip on college football has never been stronger and the SEC is still sorting out what it means to be the sport’s second-best league, a Michigan win in one of the most highly anticipated non-conference games of 2026 could prove decisive for a conference where it’s supposed to "just mean more." Oklahoma has made more College Football Playoff appearances than Michigan, yet the Sooners have never won a postseason game, even when they earned the right to host one last December, falling to an SEC opponent (Alabama) and a team it had beaten on the road the season before. Michigan, meanwhile, enters a new era under its third head coach in four years, trying to reinforce its identity as the program that first broke through among the Big Ten’s three consecutive national champions. Still, Oklahoma has never lost to Michigan, having met twice, and the Sooners have historically fared well against Big Ten teams. No Big Ten program owns a winning record against Oklahoma, and head coach Brent Venables already has wins over Nebraska and Michigan from a year ago. Given how the College Football Playoff selection committee increasingly weighs non-conference matchups between Power 4 programs, especially those from the sport’s premier conferences, the winner of this game could be the one that earns another shot at the CFP. Bold prediction: Michigan-Ohio State will feature at least one Heisman finalist The Game has featured at least one College Football Playoff participant in each of the last seven years, produced five of the last seven Big Ten champions, and included two of the last three national champions. It has become appointment viewing not just because of its history, but because of its direct impact on the national title race. I don’t expect that to change, even with Kyle Whittingham assuming the controls at Michigan. With new offensive coordinators at both programs — Arthur Smith at Ohio State and Jason Beck at Michigan — there could be some schematic shifts on both sides. But there will be no drop-off in talent on the field. Each roster features at least one player with legitimate Heisman Trophy potential, and at least one future finalist will be on the field in this game. Is this the year Ohio State accomplishes something it hasn’t done since 2014: win The Game, the Big Ten Championship, and the national title? That question will begin to take shape in earnest on Nov. 28. Bold prediction: The Big Ten Championship will reveal a CFP semifinalist The Big Ten champion has reached the College Football Playoff semifinals every year since 2019. Not even the SEC can say that. Whether it’s been Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, or Indiana, the league’s champion has routinely been among the sport’s final four teams, both in the eyes of the selection committee and on the field. What remains to be seen this year is whether any team can unseat reigning champion Indiana.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 College Football Odds: Can Indiana Repeat as Big Ten Champions?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-odds-who-will-crowned-big-ten-champion</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-odds-who-will-crowned-big-ten-champion</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here's a first look at the 2026 Big Ten Championship odds as Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon headline the loaded title race.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 19:54:20 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Big Ten is firmly in its golden era of college football. Over the last three seasons, the conference has produced three straight national champions, with the Michigan Wolverines winning in 2023, the Ohio State Buckeyes on top in 2024 and the Indiana Hoosiers shocking the sport in 2025. Now, the conference enters 2026 loaded once again with national title contenders and College Football Playoff hopefuls across the league. As announced on Monday, the 2026 Big Ten Championship Game will take place on Dec. 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on FOX. Getting to Indianapolis, however, will be anything but easy as several of the conference’s top contenders face brutal schedules throughout the season. Have the tides fully shifted with Indiana now emerging as the team to beat in the Big Ten? Can Ohio State get their revenge from last year's title game loss? Or can Oregon return to their Big Ten dominance from two seasons ago? Let's take an early look at the 2026 Big Ten title odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 11. 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. 2026 Big Ten Conference Championship Game winner Ohio State: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)Indiana: +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total)Oregon: +260 (bet $10 to win $36 total)USC: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)Michigan: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)Penn State: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Washington: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Iowa: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)Illinois: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Nebraska: +12000 (bet $10 to win $1,210 total)Wisconsin: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)UCLA: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Minnesota: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Northwestern: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Michigan State: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Maryland: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Rutgers: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)Purdue: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total) Here is what to know about the Big Ten title oddsboard: The Favorites: The two teams that met in the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game currently sit atop the oddsboard, with Ohio State opening as the +180 favorite and defending champion Hoosiers just behind at +250. Despite winning the national championship in 2024, the last time Ohio State won the Big Ten title was in 2020. Even though the Buckeyes had four of the top 11 NFL draft picks, they return two of the best players in all college football in quarterback Julian Sayin and superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. They also return four starting offensive linemen as well as running back Bo Jackson. On the other hand, Indiana brought in former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover via the transfer portal to replace Fernando Mendoza. While losing the Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft is a big blow, the Hoosiers are not going anywhere as long as Curt Cignetti remains at the helm. Best Bet: With all the attention on Ohio State and Indiana, Oregon (+260) seems to be flying under the radar. The Ducks have lost just three games over the last two seasons, with all three losses coming against the eventual national champion, one against Ohio State in 2024 and two against Indiana in 2025. Oregon might have the most talented and deepest roster in the Big Ten, led by quarterback Dante Moore and one of the conference’s best groups of returning starters. That returning talent also includes Dakorien Moore, Jeremiah McClellan, Jordon Davison, Jamari Johnson, Matayo Uiagalelei, A'mauri Washington, Bear Alexander, Teitum Tuioti and Brandon Finney Jr. Longshot Pick: One team to potentially take a flyer on at a huge price is UCLA at +20000. The Bruins landed one of the hottest names in the coaching cycle when they hired Bob Chesney. Chesney led James Madison to the College Football Playoff last season after a 12-1 campaign before falling to Oregon. He also posted an impressive 21-6 record at JMU after taking over for Curt Cignetti in 2024. Nobody is saying Chesney will immediately replicate what Cignetti accomplished at Indiana by winning a national title in Year 2, but UCLA has the potential to take a major step forward in 2026, especially with Nico Iamaleava returning at quarterback.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 College Football Odds: Who Will Win the SEC?]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-odds-who-will-win-sec</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-odds-who-will-win-sec</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Will the Georgia Bulldogs win the SEC for the second year in a row, or can Arch Manning & Co. stake their claim on the conference?]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 18:30:41 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Georgia Bulldogs captured the SEC Championship last December by defeating perennial foe Alabama. Can the Dawgs — who went 7-1 in the SEC in 2025 — find their way back to the title game and claim the conference two years in a row? Here are the latest odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as of May 11. 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. SEC Conference Championship Game winner 2026 Texas: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)Georgia: +330 (bet $10 to win $43 total)Texas A&amp;M: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)Alabama: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)LSU: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)Ole Miss: +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)Oklahoma: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Tennessee: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)Florida: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Missouri: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Auburn: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)South Carolina: +5500 (bet $560 total)Vanderbilt: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Kentucky: +12500 (bet $10 to win $1,260 total)Mississippi State: +17500 (bet $10 to win $1,760 total)Arkansas: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total) Here's what to know about the oddsboard: The Favorites: The Longhorns and the Dawgs top this board, and rightfully so. As its starting quarterback, Texas has a Heisman favorite in Arch Manning and Georgia won the most recent SEC Championship in 2025, defeating Alabama 28-7. Having recently joined the conference in 2024, Texas has never won the SEC in football. Georgia, on the other hand, has won three of the last four. Wild West: The next two squads on the board — A&amp;M and Bama — are from what was formerly the western side of the conference. That was before the SEC moved away from divisions. The Aggies and the Tide both finished their 2025 campaigns with 7-1 records in conference play. A&amp;M was led by QB Marcel Reed who, at one point last season, was in the Heisman conversation. Ty Simpson, Bama's starting QB, who helped lead the Tide to an SEC title game appearance in 2025, was selected with the 13th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. Like Texas, Texas A&amp;M has never won the conference since joining in 2012. The Tide have won the conference seven times since 2014.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 Heisman Trophy Odds: CJ Carr, Arch Manning Early Favorites]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-heisman-trophy-odds</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-heisman-trophy-odds</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Could Arch Manning follow in the familial footsteps and be named a Heisman finalist in 2026? Here are the latest odds for the award.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 18:21:48 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Indiana's Fernando Mendoza's year couldn't have been more perfect. He led his Hoosiers to an unblemished 16-0 season, captured the national championship in historic fashion and won the 2025 Heisman before being selected first in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Raiders. Now that the path is clear for a new athlete to leave NYC in December holding the Heisman, who will it be? Here are the way-too-early odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 5. 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. 2026 Heisman Trophy Winner CJ Carr (Notre Dame): +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)Arch Manning (Texas): +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)Julian Sayin (Ohio State): +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)Dante Moore (Oregon): +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss): +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)Josh Hoover (TCU): +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Darian Mensah (Miami, FL): +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State): +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)Gunner Stockton (Georgia): +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Sam Leavitt (Arizona State): +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Marcel Reed (Texas A&amp;M): +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Jayden Maiava (USC): +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)John Mateer (Oklahoma): +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total) Here's more on a few of the names on the 2026 Heisman oddsboard: The Favorites: Carr and Manning are tied at +750 to win the Heisman Trophy at the end of the 2026 regular season. And the latter is no stranger to Heisman talk. He opened as the favorite for the 2025 Heisman at several books and right before the season kicked off, bettors were hammering Manning's futures. The excitement over Manning was short-lived once his Longhorns went 4-2 to begin the season. If he is at least named a finalist, he would follow in the footsteps of his uncles and his grandfather, as both Peyton and Eli Manning, and their dad Archie, were Heisman finalists during their college careers. Ones to Watch: Ohio State teammates Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin are two players to watch for next season's Heisman — especially because they were both in the conversation to win the award most of 2025. Sayin, in fact, was a Heisman finalist and finished fourth in the race with eight first-place votes. Smith didn't make the trip to New York but finished sixth in the tally. FOX Sports college football writer RJ Young projects that both Smith and Sayin — as well as Manning — will be in the running in 2026. Heisman in Troy?: Could Maiava bring the hardware back to SC from NYC? Based on the early odds, he could have at least a slight chance. If the Trojans' QB wins the most coveted individual award in college football, he'd be the first USC player since Caleb Williams (2022) to do so. Maiava finished the 2025 season with 3,711 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, as his squad ended the year with a 9-4 record.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026-27 College Football Odds: Will LSU Make CFP in Kiffin’s First Year?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-27-college-football-odds-will-lsu-make-cfp-kiffins-first-year</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-27-college-football-odds-will-lsu-make-cfp-kiffins-first-year</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Oddsmakers are already fading several college football powerhouses ahead of the 2026-27 season, including LSU, Alabama, and Michigan. Check out the latest “To Miss The College Football Playoff" odds.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 18:17:18 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Despite ongoing discussions regarding further expansion to 16 or 24 teams, the College Football Playoff will remain a 12-team field for the 2026-27 season. With that, the "To Miss The College Football Playoff" betting market allows bettors to wager on which programs will fall short of the next season's CFP field. And while the hiring of Lane Kiffin sent shockwaves through the SEC over the last six months, LSU has opened as a surprising favorite (-190) to miss the CFP in Year 1 of the new era. But LSU is far from the only powerhouse facing major skepticism. 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. Entering Year 3 under Kalen DeBoer, Alabama (-185) is also favored to miss the Playoff, while Michigan (-350) is heavily favored to miss the postseason in Kyle Whittingham's first season. The Crimson Tide lost Ty Simpson to the NFL and will need to improve a rushing attack that ranked 126th in yards per carry last season. Bryce Underwood returns for the Wolverines under a completely new coaching staff that includes offensive coordinator Jason Becht. On the other hand, oddsmakers are expecting the Big Ten to once again dominate the Playoff picture. Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon are all viewed as likely CFP teams based on the early numbers. After winning the national championship this past season, the Hoosiers reloaded through the transfer portal, bringing in former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover to replace Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. Ohio State returns quarterback Julian Sayin and superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, while Oregon brings back star QB Dante Moore. Notre Dame stands out the most, however, as the Fighting Irish currently own the best odds to make the Playoff. Despite Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price going to the NFL, Notre Dame brings back Heisman Trophy favorite CJ Carr, four returning starters on the offensive line, and a defense expected to be among the best in the nation. Let's check out the latest odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as of May 6. To miss the College Football Playoff 2026-27 USC: -360 (bet $10 to win $12.78 total)Michigan: -350 (bet $10 to win $12.86 total)Oklahoma: -300 (bet $10 to win $13.33 total)Ole Miss: -220 (bet $10 to win $14.55 total)LSU: -190 (bet $10 to win $15.26 total)Alabama: -185 (bet $10 to win $15.41 total)Texas A&amp;M: -160 (bet $10 to win $16.25 total)Texas Tech: +130 (bet $10 to win $23 total)Texas: +150 (bet $10 to win $25 total)Georgia: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)Ohio State: +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)Oregon: +220 (bet $10 to win $32 total) Miami (FL): +230 (bet $10 to win $33 total)Indiana: +260 (bet $10 to win $36 total)Notre Dame: +470 (bet $10 to win $57 total)]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 College Football Rankings: Indiana Headlines Trio of Big Ten Teams in Top 5]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-rankings-indiana-headlines-three-big-ten-teams-top-five</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-college-football-rankings-indiana-headlines-three-big-ten-teams-top-five</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[With spring football in the rearview mirror, FOX Sports' RJ Young offers up his post-spring top 25 college football rankings.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 17:38:32 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Big Ten’s reign begins in earnest with three straight national titles from three different programs, while the once-mighty SEC has been boxed out, wiped out and crossed out of each of the last three national championship games. Washington, Notre Dame and Miami have all entered positions of power — otherwise known as "national title runner-up" — while the SEC has spent this stretch looking like Lincoln Riley-era Oklahoma: dangerous enough to make the College Football Playoff, but not complete enough to survive it. Who knew the Sooners’ particular brand of excellence in ineptitude — 0-5 in five CFP appearances dating back to 2015 — would prove infectious to the very conference that invited them to join their league? Certainly not I, and certainly not the SEC fan who had just watched 20 years of dominance dating back to Tommy Tuberville’s 12-0 Auburn team and ending the moment Nick Saban decided he’d rather talk about the sport for a living than coach it. What has that left us with? A Big Ten standing atop the mountain, daring the SEC to get back on its feet and fight back. So goes the sport here in May, just before we descend into another preseason full of prognostications, declarations and loud opinions. But fear not, my friend. Soon enough, these programs will play ball again. With that, here is a look at my post-spring top 25 rankings: Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has built a program capable of staying competitive in the tumultuous NIL era. But this season, he faces a defining quarterback battle: career backup George MacIntyre versus five-star phenom Faizon Brandon. Getting this decision right could mean the difference between a CFP berth and a second straight loss to — gasp — Vanderbilt. The Utes were preparing to make Morgan Scalley their head coach in everything but name by 2026 anyway. Kyle Whittingham simply forced the timeline up. Utah’s defense should again be fierce. What remains to be seen is how good quarterback Devon Dampier can be without Jason Beck calling plays and Kevin McGiven helping direct the offense. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has his issues, but he’s good enough for the Mustangs to remain in this top 25 all season. Jennings led the ACC in interceptions last season (13) but also put together another season of at least 3,200 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns. However, losing 90% of the pass rush from what was a bad defense in 2025 is Rhett Lashlee’s real problem to solve in 2026. Offensive coordinator Chad Morris is back. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen stayed. Quarterback Christopher Vizzina looks the part. But head coach Dabo Swinney enters 2026 with his back against the wall. Clemson produced more NFL Draft picks (nine) than wins (seven) in 2025, a reality that makes this season about more than merely hanging around the top 25. Swinney knows it, which is why I think Clemson responds. In 2025, I compared Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. to Kyler Murray, and he still looks every bit the part of that kind of dynamo. If the Huskies can develop a wide receiver as productive as Denzel Boston was a year ago, they can win double-digit games in the toughest league in the country. This is also Year 3 of the Jedd Fisch Experience in Seattle and, if his Arizona tenure taught us anything, it’s that this is the year his teams tend to break through. Florida head coach Jon Sumrall might have pulled off his best recruiting win by convincing prized running back Jadan Baugh to stay another year. Getting back a tailback who accounted for 1,380 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns on a 3-9 team is impressive enough. Then again, Sumrall has reached a conference championship game in every season of his head-coaching career. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz cares about throwing the ball about as much as Robert Downey Jr. cares about a thunderclap being quiet. So whether the starting quarterback is Jeremy Hecklinski or Hank Brown isn’t as important as Phil Parker returning to call a defense that has consistently been one of the best in the sport. Eli Drinkwitz’s team returns an abundance of talent, but uncertainty surrounds All-SEC running back Ahmad Hardy, who was shot at a concert in Mississippi early Sunday morning and remains in stable condition following surgery. With no clear timeline for his return to football activities, expect Jamal Roberts to take on a larger role in 2026. Roberts carried the ball 124 times for 753 yards a year ago, including a 110-yard, one-touchdown performance against Texas A&amp;M. Former Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons will lead the Tigers' offense after beating out Trinidad Chambliss during the 2025 camp competition. That alone is enough reason to believe Simmons could emerge as one of the nation’s top signal-callers in 2026. Matt Campbell brought the best of Iowa State with him to Happy Valley, building his reputation on doing more with less while turning the Cyclones into a Big 12 contender. At Penn State, he’ll get his first opportunity to do more with more. The result should be a drastic turnaround from PSU’s disastrous 2025 season. I didn’t expect QB Bear Bachmeier to have a breakout season as a true freshman, nor did I expect BYU to lose to just one team — twice — in 2025. But after a 12-2 season and some recent turbulence for reigning Big 12 champion Texas Tech, Kalani Sitake’s Cougars look like a legitimate contender to win the league and earn a trip to the CFP. Kyle Whittingham steps into a program with everything needed to reach the CFP for the first time in his career at a program that has made it three times in the last five years and won a national title just two seasons ago. If offensive coordinator Jason Beck can develop quarterback Bryce Underwood into the player his talent suggests, Michigan should remain one of the Big Ten’s elite teams. Yes, head coach Lincoln Riley is great. Yes, QB Jayden Maiava is good. But Gary Patterson is one of the best defensive playcallers the sport has ever seen, and he’s running the defense at SC in 2026. That alone is enough to believe the Trojans can make a real run at their first CFP appearance. Of course, doing it won’t be easy. They’ll have to go through Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana — or, in other words, two of the last three national champions and two of the last three Big Ten champs. Sheesh. Fight On or get moved on. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer will start a third different quarterback in as many years, with either Keelon Russell or Austin Mack under center. Whoever wins the job will need to build a quick rapport with Ryan Coleman-Williams, who has the tools to be the best wide receiver in the SEC with enough accurate service. And that connection will have to come fast. The Tide are also trying to avoid losing in Knoxville for a third straight year, a streak Tennessee hasn’t managed against Alabama at home since 2000. Following Lane Kiffin’s departure, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding answered questions about just how good he can be for the Rebels with the two biggest wins in school history — all while Kiffin raided the Ole Miss roster and staff. Star QB Trinidad Chambliss will return for a sixth season after putting together a Heisman-caliber year in 2025. Golding will have his first chance to prove he’s a better coach than Kiffin on Sept. 19 when LSU shows up to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi. Well, quarterback Brendan Sorsby certainly complicated the math on Texas Tech. Sorsby, one of the top transfer portal additions in college football this offseason, is reportedly under NCAA investigation for alleged gambling activity involving his time at Indiana. Backup quarterback Will Hammond is not expected to be game-ready for Week 1, leaving the Red Raiders potentially forced to turn to a third option — possibly former Tulsa quarterback Kirk Francis — to open their defense of the Big 12 title. The Sooners barely had a run game last season but still managed to win 10 games and earn a home CFP game. If quarterback John Mateer improves his accuracy, offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle diversifies his playcalling, and Brent Venables again fields one of the stingiest defenses in the sport, Oklahoma has a real path back to the CFP. The Sooners also have a chance to make a statement early, traveling to Ann Arbor on Sept. 12 to face Michigan for a second straight year. Texas A&amp;M head coach Mike Elko seems to believe most coaches in his position are one bad season away from getting fired if they don’t reach the CFP. Well, at A&amp;M, he might actually have a point. The good news is the Aggies did just that in 2025, but they crashed out against rival Texas with a chance to make the SEC title game. Eleven wins doesn’t mean much in College Station without one coming against the Longhorns. That reality has to change for Elko to feel secure at the end of this season, and he’ll have to do it with OC Holmon Wiggins leading the offense and quarterback Marcel Reed taking a major leap if A&amp;M is going to chase its first conference title of any kind since 1998. Hoo, boy! If I told you 2026 LSU looks like 2025 Texas Tech with a little seasoning, you’d probably understand what I mean: the Bayou Bengals have decided money ain’t no problem. LSU made Lane Kiffin one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport and the highest-paid ever without a championship on his résumé. They also gave him the resources to bring in former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, Colorado offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, and Ole Miss defensive end Princewill Umanmielen. For a program that hasn’t won a national title since 2019, LSU looks fully built to change that. Former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah broke his contract to join the Hurricanes after leading the ACC in passing yards (3,973) and passing touchdowns (34) while guiding the Blue Devils to a wildly improbable ACC championship on the strength of a 7-5 regular season and the most preposterous tiebreaker protocol in college football history. Now he must follow Cam Ward’s No. 1 overall selection after a 2024 season in Coral Gables, and Carson Beck’s run to the national title game in 2025. The schedule isn’t a joke, but that’s only because the punchline already happened in 2024, when Northern Illinois walked into Notre Dame and left with a win and a $1.4 million payday for the effort. Marcus Freeman’s Fighting Irish won’t play anything close to a ranked opponent until Oct. 17 against BYU, and they shouldn’t drop a game before then — if at all. Miami is the toughest opponent on the schedule, and I have Notre Dame ranked higher than the Canes. But don’t let that stop you from believing in Notre Dame's ability to lose and then refuse to play in the postseason. Last season was head coach Steve Sarkisian’s first at Texas without a 1,000-yard rusher, so he went out and fixed it. Former Arizona State running back Raleek Brown and former NC State back Hollywood Smothers arrive via the portal, along with former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman, to support the most bankable player in the sport, Arch Manning, as Texas chases its first national title appearance since 2009. The Longhorns simply can't go ahead and lose to a 3-9 team like they did last year and ruin their chances at making the CFP. We remember the last time this program began the season ranked No. 1: they lost their season-opener, and they never looked capable of getting it back. The Longhorns will get an early measuring stick Sept. 12, when they host Ohio State, the Big Ten title runner-up, on the Forty Acres. Dan Lanning’s program is dealing with coordinator turnover on both sides of the ball for the first time in his tenure. Even so, the Ducks return quarterback Dante Moore, explosive wide receiver Dakorien Moore — who long jumped 24’6.5" (7.48m) at the Oregon Team Invitational just for giggles — and Evan Stewart back from injury. If Oregon can sustain its usual level of physicality on the line of scrimmage, there’s no reason the Ducks can’t be in position to play for their first national title in 2026. The challenge is that the path won’t be forgiving. Oregon travels to USC, Ohio State and Michigan, in addition to budding Boise State, refreshed Oklahoma State and reformed UCLA. Georgia fans can be forgiven if, while shuffling through Walmart aisles or waiting on an open table at Waffle House, they’ve uttered aloud: "Just what the hell, Kirby?" It comes from winning back-to-back SEC championships while seeing a former starter lead Miami to a national title game and Indiana somehow win the whole thing. Georgia fans know their program has underperformed, but with quarterback Gunner Stockton heading into Year 3, the expectation is nothing short of becoming the first three-peat SEC champion since Florida’s stretch from 1993 to 1996, and a third national title in six years. I’ve said it for two straight years, and I don’t mind repeating myself for a third time: Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the best player in college football. He should have had a chance to become the first two-time winner of the Biletnikoff Award last season, but the voters made that impossible. The talent is there for this Ohio State team to win a true triple crown for the first time since 2014: a victory in The Game, a Big Ten championship, and a national title. Lost in the shuffle of quarterbacks — a third new starter in as many years — and the rather exhausting list of talent and veteran departures in Bloomington are a few very important facts. Curt Cignetti is still the head coach. Indiana owns the best record in college football over the last two seasons (27-2). And the Hoosiers are the reigning national champions and the first 16-0 title team since 1894. In this version of college football’s known universe, Indiana is the Arrakis prophecy personified. "I’m pointing the way," Paul Atreides once said. He might as well have been talking about Cignetti’s Indiana program.]]>
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					<![CDATA[All-American RB Ahmad Hardy Discharged After Shooting, Heads Back to Missouri]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ahmad-hardy-missouri-concert-shooting</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/ahmad-hardy-missouri-concert-shooting</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[All-American running back Ahmad Hardy has been discharged from a Mississippi hospital after a weekend shooting.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 11:10:37 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[All-American running back Ahmad Hardy has been discharged from a Mississippi hospital following a shooting over the weekend, and the Missouri standout is returning to Columbia to begin the recovery effort in the hopes of playing this season. The school said in a statement early Sunday that Hardy, a Doak Walker Award finalist for the Tigers, had been shot and was in stable condition. Police later said Hardy was shot in the upper leg while attending an outdoor concert at a bike club in Laurel, about 90 minutes away from where he grew up in the small town of Oma, Mississippi. Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said during an event in Dallas late Tuesday that the timetable for Hardy's recovery is undetermined. "We'll take it day by day," Drinkwitz said. "He will be back healthy. You know, when you're dealing with elite athletes, right, getting back healthy and getting back to elite status is a little tricky in these situations. There is an opportunity he could be back this year; there is an opportunity he couldn't be back this year. "We won't know those answers for a few weeks," Drinkwitz added. Laurel police Sgt. Macon Davis told the Laurel (Mississippi) Leader-Call three people of interest were in custody following the incident. Davis described the scene as a "melee," saying at least two people were injured and it was a miracle others were not. The 20-year-old Hardy began his career at Louisiana-Monroe, where he ran for more than 1,300 yards with 13 touchdowns during his freshman season. He transferred to Missouri before last season and ran for 1,649 yards — second among players in the Football Bowl Subdivision — and scored 16 touchdowns in helping the Tigers go 8-5 with a loss to Virginia in the Gator Bowl. His best game came against Mississippi State last November, when he ran 25 times for 300 yards and three touchdowns, joining Devin West as the only players in school history with a 300-yard rushing game. Hardy also ran for 250 yards in a game against Louisiana. Several mock drafts already list the 5-foot-10, 205-pound Hardy as the No. 1 running back available next April. "He has the full support of our team to help him in his recovery," Drinkwitz said, "and we're taking it day by day." Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Northwestern Lands Commitment from QB RJ Day, Son of Ohio State’s Ryan Day]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/northwestern-lands-commitment-from-qb-rj-day-son-ohio-state-ryan-day</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/northwestern-lands-commitment-from-qb-rj-day-son-ohio-state-ryan-day</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Northwestern lands commitment from QB RJ Day, son of Ohio State’s Ryan Day]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 19:55:47 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Ohio State head coach Ryan Day will see a family member of his in conference play in the coming years. St. Francis DeSales quarterback RJ Day, who is the son of the Ohio State head coach, has committed to Northwestern as part of its 2027 recruiting class, he announced Sunday. However, Day didn't spurn his father. The younger Day didn't receive an offer from Ohio State, picking Northwestern over offers from Purdue, Cincinnati, Boston College and South Florida. Day drew interest from two other Big Ten schools as well. Day is rated as a three-star recruit, with 247 Sports ranking him as the 86th-best quarterback prospect in his recruiting class. On the field, Day has been a record-setter with the Stallions. He was a three-year starter and leaves the program as its all-time leading passer with 5,714 yards and 54 touchdowns. A potential factor in his recruitment appears to be Northwestern’s revamped offensive staff under coordinator Chip Kelly. He previously worked with Ryan Day at Ohio State, serving as his play caller during the Buckeyes’ 2024 national championship season. The hire creates a unique full-circle moment for the family, as Kelly also served as the offensive coordinator at New Hampshire when Ryan Day was the school's star quarterback from 1998-2001. This deep-rooted history started with Kelly recruiting and coaching Day, who now transitions to coaching Day's son. RJ Day’s commitment adds a unique storyline to Northwestern’s class, given his family ties to one of college football’s most prominent coaches. It also marks a rare crossover between a Big Ten program and the son of an active Ohio State head coach. Day joins a growing Northwestern recruiting class under coach David Braun that also includes three-star offensive lineman Josiah Wallace, tight end Wyatt Frey, Brady Johnson, and offensive lineman Cade Reikowski. As RJ Day moves from Columbus to Evanston, he trades the shadow of his father's program for a chance to build his own Big Ten legacy. His arrival adds a layer of high-stakes family drama to the conference schedule for years to come, with Northwestern scheduled to face Ohio State in 2027.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Top Storylines From the 2026 FOX College Football Friday Schedule Release]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-fox-college-football-friday-schedule-release-top-storylines</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-fox-college-football-friday-schedule-release-top-storylines</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports recently revealed its 2026 FOX college football Friday schedule. RJ Young provides the top storylines to watch.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 13:27:04 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[As spring practices wrap up and anticipation for the 2026 college football season continues to build, FOX has unveiled its Friday night slate of games for the upcoming year. The 2026 FOX College Football Friday slate features plenty of compelling matchups, and I identified some of those top storylines I'll be watching ahead of what will most certainly be another raucous and exciting season with at least one or two twists that we won’t believe until they’re revealed. Below are the Friday night games airing on FOX this fall and a look at the biggest things I’ll be watching for. How to watch: 9 p.m. ET on FOX How good can USC quarterback Jayden Maiava be? Last season, he quietly put together an impressive campaign, throwing for 3,711 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. A strong performance against the Bulldogs could quickly push his name into the early Heisman Trophy conversation for 2026. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX Mizzou’s Ahmad Hardy is the best running back in the SEC and one of the top Heisman candidates in the country entering 2026. After a breakout freshman season at Louisiana-Monroe with more than 1,300 rushing yards, Hardy proved he could dominate at the highest level by exploding for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns in SEC play last season. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX Who will start at quarterback for Texas Tech? That’s one of the biggest questions facing the Red Raiders entering the 2026 season. With presumptive starter Brendan Sorsby currently in rehab for a gambling addiction and backup Will Hammond likely to miss the start of the regular season, head coach Joey McGuire might be forced to turn to his third-string quarterback in a pivotal Big 12 matchup. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX The defending national champions return 2025 Broyles Award-winning defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, who will once again match wits with Wildcats offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Kelly won the first meeting between the two, leading Ohio State’s offense past the Hoosiers in 2024. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX We’ll know so much more about Penn State head coach Matt Campbell’s first year in Happy Valley, but winning against Northwestern in 2026 is mandatory after the Nittany Lions lost to Northwestern in 2025. How to watch: 9 p.m. ET on FOX or FS1 Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. has many of the same traits that made former Oklahoma star Kyler Murray so dangerous, and he’ll need all of them against Phil Parker’s Iowa defense. Last season, I called Williams one of the best-kept secrets in the sport. Now, entering 2026, the rest of the country is catching on, and he has the talent to shake up the Heisman race. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX Can Purdue climb out of the Big Ten cellar? The Boilermakers haven’t beaten a conference opponent since a 35-31 rivalry win over Indiana in November 2023. Head coach Barry Odom faces mounting pressure to show progress in the toughest conference in college football. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX Has Matt Rhule reached his ceiling at Nebraska? Despite back-to-back AP Top 25 finishes and at least seven wins in both 2024 and 2025, the Huskers have yet to break through against elite competition. Nebraska has lost 29 straight games against AP Top 25 opponents, and Illinois could very well be ranked when the two meet this season. How to watch: 9 p.m. ET on FOX Can UCLA head coach Bob Chesney replicate his James Madison success with the Bruins? Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti already showed it can be done, arriving from JMU and quickly turning a struggling Big Ten program into a College Football Playoff contender. Chesney, fresh off leading JMU to a CFP appearance, now faces a similar leap. This matchup could be the first step in determining whether UCLA can enter the 12-team playoff conversation in earnest. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX Are the Ducks finally good enough to win a national title? Though I do not expect Michigan State to provide a challenge or a résumé robust enough for me to answer that question, I do expect Dan Lanning’s Oregon team to take care of business against Pat Fitzgerald’s Spartans and continue building momentum toward a playoff run. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX By the end of this game, we’ll all have a better understanding of what life without Kyle Whittingham looks like for Utah. We’ll know if Utes coach Morgan Scalley is fit to keep the job, and we’ll know more about how deep the Big 12 is in 2026. How to watch: 9 p.m. ET on FOX Is North Dakota State going to play in it? Not at the moment. Current rules prohibit the Bison from participating in postseason competition as they transition from FCS to FBS. However, if the NCAA’s FBS Oversight Committee passes legislation changing that policy before the season begins, North Dakota State could immediately be in the mix for a title — and perhaps even a College Football Playoff appearance.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026-27 College Football Odds: Back Miami to Win ACC, Fade Michigan St.]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/miami-hurricanes-win-acc-michigan-state-under-wins</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/miami-hurricanes-win-acc-michigan-state-under-wins</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Find out why Geoff Schwartz is backing Miami to win the ACC and fading Michigan State's regular-season win total.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 10:13:59 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Three more months until college football season kicks off. But who's counting? I am. The NFL Draft was a nice little teaser to whet our appetites during the offseason, and so were spring games. And now that we're on the other side of those scrimmages, we can better assess how some teams might fare next season. Check out what I'm currently backing. 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. Miami to win the ACC Miami lost the national title game to Indiana last season and many in this program believe the team is better heading into this season. The Hurricanes lost quarterback Carson Beck to the NFL but replaced him with Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, who is the better of the two. Mensah threw for nearly 4,000 yards with 34 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also has the ability to rush the ball if needed. Miami has outstanding skill position players, highlighted by Malachi Toney at receiver and Mark Fletcher Jr. at running back. The calling card for any team coached by Mario Cristobal is the trenches and the offensive line will be loaded once again. The Canes lost their top pass rushers to the NFL, but they’ve been replaced by young players who are ready for the spotlight. The Hurricanes' defense has playmakers all over the back end of the defense as well. Miami did not win the ACC last season because it lost two of three conference games in the middle of the season. Remember that bad loss against Louisville? Those happen. Then there was a weird game at SMU with some questionable officiating that gave SMU the win. Outside those games, the Hurricanes dominated the ACC. They won games by 6, 35, 38, 34, 17 and 31. They also beat Notre Dame and pummeled South Florida in the non-conference slate. The Hurricanes have the best odds to win the conference, followed by SMU and Louisville. After those squads, there's a big drop off to Virginia and Clemson. Miami's in-conference schedule does not include SMU, Louisville or Virginia this season. It’s a schedule that Miami can easily run the table against. Their toughest conference road games are at Clemson and maybe North Carolina. The Hurricanes get Duke at home, plus Pittsburgh — a team that's always good for an occasional upset. They will be a favorite in every single conference game in a conference with a single playoff team. And that single playoff team is Miami. I like this number, and it won’t get any better. PICK: Miami (-135) to win the ACC Michigan State Over/Under 4.5 wins The Spartans are going to have a tough first season under Pat Fitzgerald. Michigan State fired Jonathan Smith after two underwhelming seasons and hired Fitzgerald almost immediately to get the program back on track. The hiring of Fitzgerald was viewed as an excellent hire by most, but I have doubts about his ability to produce a winning program. He was the head coach at Northwestern for 17 seasons. It’s a difficult job with strict academic requirements for its student athletes. Fitzgerald put together stretches at Northwestern that might never be matched. From 2012-2017, he won 10 games three times and finished with only two conference losses in two of those seasons. He won nine games in 2018, but then the backsliding started. There were three wins in 2019, followed by a 7-2 season during the COVID year. Anything that happened in college football that season should be ignored. Northwestern won three games in 2021 and only one game in 2022. So if you’re counting, that’s two, three-win seasons and only one game in the other non-COVID-19 season. That amounts to 7-29 overall in those three seasons before getting fired the summer before the 2023 season. Now, Michigan State’s roster has undergone the usual transformation that happens when a new coach arrives. The Spartans have added lots of portal players to rebuild the roster. So it’s hard to project how they might look when the roster is settled for the season, but we can look at the overall talent to see if they have enough impact players. And there just aren’t enough right now to think they will be able to compete against the best on their schedule. Looking at their slate, the Spartans have two games you can pencil in as wins: Toledo and Eastern Michigan. The Spartans are going to lose to Notre Dame, Michigan, Washington and Oregon. They will be underdogs against Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois and UCLA. They have 50-50 games against Rutgers and Northwestern. It’s going to be a tall task to have the depth to win five games with this schedule. PICK: Michigan State Under 4.5 wins]]>
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					<![CDATA[Big Ten Power Rankings: Indiana Leads the Pack, Ohio State and Oregon Close Behind]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/big-ten-power-rankings-indiana-ohio-state-oregon</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/big-ten-power-rankings-indiana-ohio-state-oregon</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports' Michael Cohen offers up a team-by-team breakdown of where things stand in the Big Ten following spring practice.]]>
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				<pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2026 14:58:41 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Spring football felt much quieter this time around, considering players and coaches weren't busy pulling double duty by preparing for an impending transfer portal window while also trying to improve on the field. Think of it as a much-needed reprieve, if only momentarily, for a sport that has moved at warp speed the last handful of years. With the last smattering of power conference programs holding spring games over the weekend, the dust is finally beginning to settle. Early enrollees have settled in, transfers are acclimated to their new environments, the coaching carousel has stopped and depth charts are taking shape ahead of fall camp. That means it's a good time for a team-by-team breakdown of where things stand in the Big Ten following spring practice. So here's an offseason batch of Big Ten Power Rankings: The Rest For the second consecutive season — albeit with a different leader at the helm this time — the Boilermakers finished winless in Big Ten play, mired at the bottom of an increasingly top-heavy conference. Head coach Barry Odom, formerly of UNLV, hired Kevin Kane to be Purdue’s new defensive coordinator following one season as the outside linebackers coach at Minnesota. Kane will aim to improve a group that finished tied for 117th in scoring (31.8 points per game) and 120th overall (423.5 yards per game). The Boilermakers added 29 new players via the transfer portal in a group that ranked 39th nationally, according to 247Sports. But Odom’s 55th-ranked high school recruiting class, which does not include a single four- or five-star prospect, remains an obvious weakness. After three years away from football, former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald takes over a Michigan State program desperate to regain its footing following two failed hires in Mel Tucker (2020-23) and Jonathan Smith (2024-25). Fitzgerald retained defensive coordinator Joe Rossi and tabbed promising youngster Nick Sheridan, the former co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama, to lead the other side of the ball. The Spartans added 29 new players via the transfer portal, including 13 from power-conference programs, but none of them are viewed as four- or five-star prospects. Fitzgerald’s early team-building efforts were more successful at the high school level, with his first recruiting class housing five blue-chip prospects. The headliner is four-star offensive tackle Collin Campbell (No. 196 overall, No. 20 OT) from Arizona. Drastically different conference and college football backdrops have made it significantly tougher for head coach Greg Schiano to find his footing amid this second stint with the Scarlet Knights. Back-to-back winning seasons in 2023 and 2024 largely papered over the fact that Rutgers, which joined the Big Ten more than a decade ago, still hasn’t produced a winning record in league play. Schiano’s player-acquisition efforts ahead of the 2026 campaign are rather fascinating: His transfer portal class ranks last in the conference and 71st nationally, sandwiched between San Diego State and James Madison. But the Scarlet Knights’ incoming high school class cracked the top 40 overall and features more blue-chip recruits (four) than programs like Arizona State, TCU, Arkansas, Louisville, NC State and Kentucky. Two bowl victories in three seasons represents a great start for head coach David Braun, whose team began the 2026 campaign 5-2 overall before stumbling a bit down the stretch. Since then, Braun has revamped his staff by hiring six new coaches and promoting another from within to give the Wildcats a new feel entering the fall. The biggest swing was Braun’s high-profile addition of Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator. Though Kelly flamed out in less than one season with the Las Vegas Raiders, he’s still regarded as one of the sharper offensive minds in the sport and helped lead Ohio State to a national championship two years ago. Kelly is now tasked with mentoring transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles, formerly of Michigan State, to improve an offense that ranked 108th nationally in passing yards per game. Few coaches from the power conferences, if any, will enter the season with a hotter seat than Luke Fickell, whose three years with the Badgers have produced just 16 victories and a disastrous 10-17 record in conference play. Fickell needed a public vote of confidence from athletic director Chris McIntosh last fall amid widespread speculation about his job security, and now McIntosh has exited Wisconsin for a job in the Big Ten office. That leaves Fickell in a precarious position. Once again, the Badgers swung big in the transfer portal by adding 33 players this winter, though the class only ranks 49th nationally because it lacks a single blue-chip prospect. Wisconsin struggled even more with high school recruiting: Fickell’s class ranks No. 72 overall and No. 17 in the Big Ten. Mike Locksley is another Big Ten coach who survived the 2025 campaign by the skin of his teeth, finishing 1-8 in conference play for the second straight year and below .500 in the league for a seventh consecutive season. But high-level player acquisition, particularly from the high school ranks, has afforded Locksley another chance this fall. Maryland's recruiting class is headlined by five-star edge rusher Zion Elee (No. 5 overall, No. 1 edge rusher) from powerhouse St. Frances Academy in nearby Baltimore. Elee represents the third five-star recruit to join the Terrapins since Locksley took over ahead of the 2019 season. A strong debut from former blue-chip quarterback Malik Washington offers another reason for optimism. Washington, who was the No. 10 quarterback in the 2025 class, ranked sixth nationally among freshmen with 2,963 passing yards last fall. Can Matt Rhule finally turn the tide at Nebraska? The Cornhuskers received widespread praise when they hired Rhule ahead of the 2023 season, snatching up a hot commodity after his stint with the Carolina Panthers went south. But the exponential growth that Rhule’s teams showed during his successful runs at Temple (2013-16) and Baylor (2017-19) still hasn’t resurfaced at Nebraska, where he is now 0-9 against ranked opponents. The Cornhuskers finished below .500 in Big Ten play during each of Rhule’s first three seasons, and now they enter the 2026 campaign with a high school recruiting class that ranks 106th nationally and dead last in the conference. Losing starting quarterback Dylan Raiola, a former five-star prospect, to the transfer portal represented another major blow. In an era when programs can be turned around with remarkable swiftness, Rhule needs to demonstrate legitimate progress this fall. Even though UCLA dropped five consecutive games to end the 2025 season with a thud, there is plenty of optimism surrounding the Bruins. UCLA landed one of the hottest names in coaching when it lured Bob Chesney, 48, away from James Madison, a program he led to the College Football Playoff last fall. Chesney posted an impressive 21-6 record with the Dukes after taking over for Curt Cignetti, who is now the head coach at Indiana. Those two winning seasons pushed Chesney's streak to seven straight years above .500 overall and 15 out of 16 dating to his previous stints at Salve Regina, Assumption and Holy Cross. Now, Chesney is working in the power conferences for the first time, taking over a program that is not without some talent. Former five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava, a transfer from Tennessee, is back for another season in Westwood. Chesney added 41 new players via the transfer portal — including 10 from James Madison — to secure the Big Ten's largest incoming class. The two highest-profile additions are former Oklahoma linebacker Sammy Omosigho (No. 115 transfer, No. 3 LB) and former Florida wide receiver Aidan Mizell (No. 143 transfer, No. 38 WR). The Top 10 Minnesota entered its offseason on the upswing after defeating New Mexico in the Rate Bowl, handing head coach P.J. Fleck his seventh consecutive bowl victory. The win also gave Fleck a fifth season with eight or more wins in the last seven campaigns, evidence of an impressive coaching job at a school not known for its football prowess. Such momentum manifested in the form of a high school recruiting class that finished No. 28 nationally and No. 8 in the Big Ten. By signing six blue-chip prospects, five of whom landed among the top 400 players nationally, Fleck laid the groundwork for the Gophers to secure their first top-30 recruiting class since 2008. The highest-rated player in the bunch is edge rusher Aaden Aytch (No. 181 overall, No. 22 edge), an Indiana native who chose Minnesota over additional scholarship offers from Iowa, Michigan State, Purdue and Kentucky, among others. Now that Iowa has set a program record for most players selected in a single NFL Draft with seven, it’s worth reassessing just how good the Hawkeyes really were in 2025. Sure, head coach Kirk Ferentz’s team finished sixth in the Big Ten standings, sandwiched between Michigan and Washington, but its three conference losses came by just 12 combined points against three ranked opponents — one of which was eventual national champion Indiana. The Hawkeyes were a touchdown or two away from potentially reaching the College Football Playoff. To replenish his roster, Ferentz assembled one of Iowa’s strongest high school recruiting classes in recent memory, a group that is ranked No. 26 nationally and includes eight four-star prospects. The name to remember might be four-star quarterback Tradon Bessinger, a Utah native who is the No. 11 signal-caller in the class. He is the second-best quarterback prospect to sign with Iowa in the recruiting rankings era, according to 247Sports, trailing only Jake Christensen in 2005. One of the ways to gauge Illinois’ impressive trajectory under head coach Bret Bielema is through the recruiting rankings, where the Illini are surging into rarefied air. In 2020, the year before Bielema took over, Illinois' high school recruiting class ranked 82nd nationally. Since then, Bielema has strung together the following finishes: 73rd in 2021; 46th in 2022; 37th in 2023; 49th in 2024; 46th in 2025 and 24th in 2026. This marks the program’s first foray into the top 30, where its only two spots behind Ole Miss and four spots behind Clemson, in 18 years. To get there, Bielema landed five of the top 18 players from Illinois and supplemented them with blue-chip players from Florida, New Jersey and Missouri. The biggest question moving forward is whether quarterback Katin Houser, a transfer from East Carolina by way of Michigan State, can operate the offense as efficiently as predecessor Luke Altmyer did the past three seasons. The stunning decision to fire head coach James Franklin last October gave way to a lengthy hiring process from athletic director Pat Kraft to identify the right successor. Ultimately, the Nittany Lions landed on a proven winner in Matt Campbell, 46, who oversaw eight winning seasons at Iowa State and another four at Toledo before that. In an effort to turn over his new roster quickly, Campbell invested heavily in the transfer portal. His final tally of 38 signees was seventh-most in the country, according to 247Sports, and featured a number of familiar faces. Twenty-four former Iowa State players followed Campbell to Penn State, including veteran quarterback Rocco Becht, the No. 34 overall transfer and No. 10 signal-caller in the portal. Such aggressiveness was necessary in part because the Nittany Lions’ high school recruiting class splintered once Franklin was fired, with many of those players ultimately following him to Virginia Tech. Campbell is seeking to offset those losses by betting big on experience. There's no chance the Huskies would rank this highly had star quarterback Demond Williams Jr., a potential Heisman Trophy candidate for the 2026 campaign, gone through with his decision to transfer over the winter. Williams, who threw for more than 3,000 yards and ran for more than 600 as a first-year starter last fall, announced his intention to enter the transfer portal in January but then reversed course two days later — after reports surfaced that Washington was prepared to take legal action to enforce his signed NIL agreement. Ultimately, head coach Jedd Fisch welcomed Williams back into the fold, setting the stage for what could be a special season. Thanks to some exemplary player-acquisition efforts from Fisch and the Huskies' staff, Williams will have more talent around him than ever before. Washington's high school recruiting class finished 13th in the national rankings to set a new program record for the modern era. The Huskies signed 10 players rated among the top 300 overall prospects, headlined by five-star offensive tackle Kodi Greene (No. 25 overall, No. 3 OT) from powerhouse Mater Dei High School in California. Surely this will be the year when head coach Lincoln Riley finally puts things together and takes USC to the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history, right? Riley has one of the country’s best returning quarterbacks in former UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava, now entering his second full season as the Trojans’ starter. He has what should be one of the league’s stronger running back tandems in Waymond Jordan (576 yards, 5 TDs) and King Miller (972 yards, 8 TDs). He has a flashy new defensive coordinator in former TCU head coach Gary Patterson, who guided the Horned Frogs to 181 wins from 2000-21. He has the No. 1 high school recruiting class in the country that features 14 signees rated among the top 200 players nationally. He has the No. 26 transfer portal class. He has a brand new, state-of-the-art practice facility slated to open this summer. What more could a coach want in the modern era? The pressure is on Riley to get USC over the hump. Messy and unsavory divorces from former coaches Jim Harbaugh and Sherrone Moore have given way to what the Wolverines hope will be a more controlled culture under Kyle Whittingham, the highly successful head coach from Utah. Whittingham posted eight 10-win seasons with the Utes between 2008-25, morphing the program into a model of consistency and respectability across multiple conferences. Now, Whittingham is working at one of college football’s blue bloods for the first time in his career, as the head coach or otherwise, and observers of the sport have wondered for years how his methods would fare in such an environment. The primary order of business for Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who followed him from Utah, is to maximize the potential of former five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood following an inconsistent freshman campaign. If Underwood can raise his level of play — Michigan finished 107th nationally in passing offense last season — the Wolverines have enough talent to contend for the College Football Playoff. With head coach Dan Lanning at the helm, Oregon has ascended to the sport’s upper echelon after winning 48 games over the last four seasons and reaching the College Football Playoff in consecutive years. Still, back-to-back landslide losses to eventual national champions Ohio State (41-21 in 2024) and Indiana (56-22 in 2025) began to sour an otherwise intoxicating blend. The narrative that the Ducks crumble when it matters most is something Lanning and his players must contend with until they dispel that notion on the field. Even though Oregon lost both of its coordinators to head-coaching positions last winter — Will Stein to Kentucky; Tosh Lupoi to Cal — there is still plenty to like about the Ducks in 2026. They have a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Dante Moore and one of the most explosive wide receiver corps in the country following the healthy return of Evan Stewart. The Ducks also have a defensive line that is loaded with NFL-caliber talent. Anything less than another CFP appearance will feel like unrealized potential. Last year: 12-2 overall, 9-0 Big Ten Postseason: 24-14 loss to No. 10 Miami in the CFP quarterfinals More than a few eyebrows were raised when Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, fresh off winning the national championship, selected failed Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia as the replacement for defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. All Patricia did was organize one of the most statistically dominant defenses in recent memory as the Buckeyes finished atop the national rankings in scoring defense (9.3 points per game), total defense (219.1 yards per game) and opponent red zone scoring rate (66.7%). So perhaps it should have been rather unsurprising when Day, whose offensive coordinator and longtime wide receivers coach, Brian Hartline, left to become the head coach at USF, turned his attention to another NFL name. Enter Arthur Smith, the former offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers (2024-25) and former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons (2021-23). It falls on Smith to unlock the full potential of an offense that stumbled in its biggest moments against Indiana and Miami last season. Time and again throughout Indiana’s fairytale run to the national title, head coach Curt Cignetti cited the continuity on his staff as one of the driving factors behind the program’s unparalleled turnaround the last two seasons. That is why, even after so many of the Hoosiers’ core players are now gone, including a school-record eight selections in the NFL Draft, so many people are still high on Indiana entering the 2026 campaign. Cignetti managed to keep both offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, which represented a massive coup, even if that meant giving both coaches considerable raises amid widespread outside interest. The system they built across years of working together is what propelled the Hoosiers to previously unimaginable heights. So while the faces on the field will be different in 2026, the unimpeachable culture and schematics remain the same. For now, that’s enough to keep Indiana atop the Big Ten pecking order.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 Heisman Trophy Watch: CJ Carr, Arch Manning Among Early Favorites]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-heisman-trophy-odds-cj-carr-arch-manning-headline-early-favorites</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/2026-heisman-trophy-odds-cj-carr-arch-manning-headline-early-favorites</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here are the early contenders for the 2026 Heisman Trophy.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 19:37:40 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[This college football season is loaded with top‑tier talent, making the 2026 Heisman race one of the most competitive. Below is a list of the top six candidates projected to win the Heisman, as well as their odds, per FanDuel as of May 2nd. Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr is currently the favorite to win this year's Heisman Trophy. After his first season as starting quarterback, Carr was a part of a talented Fighting Irish offense next to former running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, as well as former wide receiver Malachi Fields. Carr finished last season with 271 passing yards, 27 total touchdowns and six interceptions. Even with Notre Dame missing the College Football Playoff last season, Carr is an important returning piece for their 2026 team. Carr enters the season with +750 to win the Heisman. Texas quarterback Arch Manning was one of last season’s most anticipated signal-callers and a projected 2025 Heisman finalist. However, a slow start to the season quickly took him out of the race. The former five-star prospect is entering his redshirt junior season under coach Steve Sarkisian, with speculation that he'll enter the 2027 NFL Draft. He also added 399 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Manning sits at +800 to win the honor. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss entered the year as a backup and took over for former quarterback Austin Simmons due to injury in Week 3, and instantly stole the show. Chambliss led the Rebels to their first-ever CFP appearance following former coach Lane Kiffin’s departure, where they fell in the semifinals to Miami (FL). Chambliss became a sensation in short order, and now returns to Oxford with the tools to help the Rebels reach another CFP. Chambliss finished the year with 3,937 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also put up 527 yards on the ground and eight rushing touchdowns. Chambliss is listed at +1100 to take home the Heisman Trophy. Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin is the only returning Heisman finalist from last season’s group and is already drawing attention as a potential repeat contender. Sayin was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country last season, and led Ohio State back to the CFP in his first starting season. He also returns Biletnikoff finalist wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and adds five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. to his air-raid offense, which could be one of the most dangerous units come this fall. Sayin finished the year with 3,610 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Sayin sits at +1200 to win the Heisman. Following the departure of former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, head coach Curt Cignetti found his next prodigy from the portal in former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover. Hoover played four seasons with the Horned Frogs and will use his final season of eligibility playing for Cignetti in the Big Ten. Hoover capped off last season with 3,472 passing yards, 27 total touchdowns and 13 interceptions, and a 19-8 record as a starting quarterback. Hoover enters his final season with +1200 to become Indiana’s second Heisman winner following Mendoza. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore shocked the college football world when he announced he'd return to Oregon for one final season, especially after the Ducks had just signed former Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola. Moore was one of the most impressive quarterbacks in college football, where he led the Ducks back to the CFP, but fell to eventual champions Indiana in the semifinals. Moore closed out last season with 3,565 passing yards, 32 total touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Moore is currently +1200 to win the Heisman.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Minnesota QB Drake Lindsey Arrested for Alleged Underage Drinking, Fake ID]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/minnesota-qb-arrested-drake-lindsey-underage-drinking-fake-id</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/minnesota-qb-arrested-drake-lindsey-underage-drinking-fake-id</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Minnesota Golden Gophers QB Drake Lindsey was arrested for alleged underage possession of alcohol and carrying fake identification.]]>
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				<pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 18:40:45 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey was arrested early Friday in his native Fayetteville, Arkansas for alleged underage possession of alcohol and carrying fraudulent identification. According to Washington County Sheriff intake records, Lindsey was booked shortly after 1 a.m. and released on bond about seven hours later. According to multiple media reports, citing Fayetteville police, a staff member at a bar near the University of Arkansas campus flagged Lindsey for possession of a possible fake ID, which he admitted to police he'd used. The 20-year-old Lindsey has court dates scheduled for June 1 and June 29. Gophers players are on a break after their spring practice sessions concluded last weekend. The Minnesota athletic department said it was aware of the situation and will "address it internally." Lindsey, who was not recruited by his hometown team — the Razorbacks — picked the Gophers and had a strong debut season in 2025 as a redshirt freshman. Lindsey started all 13 games and set the freshman program record for wins, as the Gophers finished 8-5. Lindsey completed 249 of 386 passes for 2,382 yards and 18 touchdowns against only six interceptions. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[How the Big Ten Could Enter a Golden Era for NFL Draft QBs]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/nfl-draft-big-ten-quarterbacks-fernando-mendoza-history</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/nfl-draft-big-ten-quarterbacks-fernando-mendoza-history</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[In an era when Big Ten football is booming like never before, the conference is approaching new heights at the sport's most important position.]]>
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				<pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 19:07:25 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[For nearly two decades, from 2006-22, college football followed a familiar script: Each January, a team from south of the Mason-Dixon Line celebrated a national championship amid falling confetti. Three months later, in late April, a player from that same region crossed the stage and shook hands with the commissioner as the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. Sometimes, in the case of former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, the circles in those two Venn diagrams overlapped. Football down South, people often said, just means more. And yet, just a few years removed from that prolonged period of southern dominance, a new pattern is beginning to take hold atop the sport that nobody can ignore. Three consecutive national championships have been won by Big Ten programs, all of them based in northern locales. And last week, when the Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana's Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, making him their new franchise centerpiece, he finally papered over a statistic that listed Illinois quarterback Jeff George as the last Big Ten signal-caller to be drafted that high — way back in 1990. A day after Mendoza officially became a pro, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar was drafted in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. On Saturday, the Washington Commanders selected Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis in the seventh round. Just like that, the Big Ten had three or more signal-callers drafted for only the fourth time in the last 22 years. "It's the hardest position to evaluate," Raiders general manager John Spytek said at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. "So much is required of those guys. Trying to have a vision for how they played and whatever offense they were asked to run in college and how they're going to fit into ours, and then how they're going to handle the pressure that comes with being one of 32 in the world is a lot. There's a lot that goes into it." Back in 2016, five of the league's quarterbacks heard their names called in the draft: Christian Hackenburg from Penn State, Connor Cook from Michigan State, Cardale Jones from Ohio State, Nate Sudfeld from Indiana and Jake Rudock from Michigan, all of whom busted. What's happening now, though, feels much different, especially when considering the potential avalanche of Big Ten quarterbacks that might litter the 2027 draft. The dollar-driven cocktail of NIL, revenue sharing and the transfer portal has transformed the Big Ten into a much more attractive, and viable, option for high-level quarterbacks. All three signal-callers who led their respective schools to national championships in recent years — J.J. McCarthy at Michigan, Will Howard at Ohio State, Mendoza at Indiana — were highly compensated players who went on to be drafted within months of hoisting a trophy on the grandest stage. Allar was the only QB of this year's Big Ten crop who started and ended his collegiate career at the same program, which reflects the league's wide-ranging attractiveness in the portal. To put it simply: In an era when Big Ten football is booming like never before, the conference is approaching new heights at the sport's most important, most influential position. Even though the Big Ten fell short of its recent high-water mark for quarterbacks selected in a single draft — some experts believed Illinois' Luke Altmyer and Iowa's Mark Gronowski might have snuck into the seventh round — there's a strong chance the number reached in 2016 will be matched or exceeded next April. The upcoming season in the Big Ten should be an exceptional one for quarterback play, particularly among conference front-runners, and it's not unreasonable to think as many as eight signal-callers could factor into draft discussions. The 2027 crop includes two potential candidates for the top pick: Julian Sayin from Ohio State and Dante Moore from Oregon. Both players have enough remaining eligibility to bypass the draft and remain in school beyond this season, but they both flashed enough requisite poise and arm talent during standout campaigns last fall to garner widespread attention from NFL evaluators. [2027 MOCK DRAFT: Five QBs Land In First Round] While guiding their respective teams to College Football Playoff berths, Sayin and Moore finished first and fourth, respectively, in the national rankings for completion percentage last season. Miami's Carson Beck and Mendoza were the two players sandwiched between them. It's fair to assume both should improve their stock in 2026, which will include plenty of Heisman talk and NFL Draft chatter alike. "I don't think you can ever have too many quarterbacks," Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. "I think that the value of the position cannot be overstated. I think that you have to infuse as much competition into that room every year [as] you possibly can." Even the general idea that the Big Ten could produce first-round quarterbacks in consecutive years is rare, given the league's longstanding reputation for ruggedness between the tackles. The possibility of the conference generating back-to-back No. 1 overall picks at that position? Practically unheard of. In 1986, Jim Everett from Purdue and Chuck Long from Iowa were both selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Michigan standout Jim Harbaugh matched them as an opening-round pick the following year. From that point forward, however, nearly 40 drafts would come and go before the Big Ten could finally enjoy something like that again. The drought was finally broken when the Minnesota Vikings selected former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy at No. 10 overall in 2024, one year after the Houston Texans took former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud at No. 2 overall. Only four Big Ten quarterbacks have developed into first-round picks across the last 30 years: McCarthy, Stroud and former Ohio State standouts Justin Fields (2021) and Dwayne Haskins (2019). Prior to that, there was a 24-year gap between Haskins and conference predecessor Kerry Collins from Penn State, which hasn’t seen a quarterback drafted in the first round since. Any chance of Allar, a former five-star recruit, snapping that streak and giving the Big Ten multiple first-round quarterbacks for the first time since 1986 quickly evaporated the moment he broke his ankle in October. Such an outcome is unlikely to be repeated next spring, when Sayin and Moore seem like surefire first-rounders should they choose to enter the draft. They’ll be flanked by a host of other ex-transfer, draft-worthy quarterbacks: Jayden Maiva from USC, Nico Iamaleava from UCLA, Josh Hoover from Indiana, Rocco Becht from Penn State and Aidan Chiles from Northwestern. Strong seasons this fall could vault one or two of those players into early-round conversations next spring, the same way Mendoza's stock surged throughout a record-setting season for the Hoosiers. Mendoza set a new standard when his name was called last week, and the Big Ten will be hoping that it's merely the beginning.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2027 NFL Draft Big Board: Joel Klatt Reveals Way-Too-Early Top 10]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2027-nfl-draft-joel-klatt-reveals-way-too-early-big-board-top-10</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2027-nfl-draft-joel-klatt-reveals-way-too-early-big-board-top-10</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Is Arch Manning the top quarterback prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft? Joel Klatt shares his way-too-early big board for next year.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:21:00 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Let the debate over the top prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft begin. As we put a bow on the 2026 NFL Draft, next year’s draft class is set to be loaded with talent at the top. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith will be draft eligible, but he isn’t the only wide receiver who could be a top-10 pick next April. There are a pair of edge rushers who have top-10 promise as well. Of course, we can’t look over the quarterback talent in next year’s class, either. Texas’ Arch Manning is the biggest name of the group, but is he the top quarterback prospect? He’s just one of a handful of signal-callers I’m keeping my eye on as potential top-10 picks in the 2027 draft. So, let’s get into my way-too-early top 10 prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft. I hope Trinidad Chambliss is able to duplicate what he did last year, specifically what he did in Ole Miss’ College Football Playoff run. He’s so dynamic as a player. He spent last season becoming a leader that I don’t think anyone anticipated he would become. He’s dynamic as a passer. If he had entered this year’s draft, I think there was a chance he would’ve been a first-round pick. But he’s going to be back at Ole Miss after winning his eligibility case. The knock against him will be his size as he’s listed at 6 feet tall. There have been other guys who have succeeded at that size, though, especially if they’ve got that ability to move. CJ Carr is going into his second season as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback, so he’ll get some more experience this year. He closed his first season by helping the Fighting Irish go on a 10-game win streak after getting thrown into the fire early with games against Miami (Fla.) and Texas A&amp;M. They lost those games, but they were pretty close. Carr had his struggles and threw some interceptions at times. However, he’s got the ability, stature and pedigree. He’s easily a guy who can play himself into becoming a top-10 pick. Cam Coleman could have a monster season at Texas, and if the Longhorns are going to be the team some believe they can be, he’s going to need to do that. Texas wasn’t great at wide receiver a year ago, so maybe the 6-foot-3 Coleman can give the Longhorns a boost with his explosiveness. He can really go up there and get it. He was actually right there with Jeremiah Smith as the No. 1 wide receiver recruit out of high school a few years ago. But he was stuck with a bad quarterback situation at Auburn the past two years. Now, he gets to play with Arch Manning in Steve Sarkisian’s offense. Sarkisian knows how to isolate and get a guy like Coleman opportunities and touches. Coleman could have a monster year and be a top-10 pick. Colin Simmons is a hell of a player. He has 21 sacks already in just two years. He’s going to be a really good player again in 2026, and he’s clearly a guy who is going to be on the radar for a top-10 selection next year. We’re staying at edge rusher here for No. 6. Remember, edge rusher, along with quarterback and wide receiver, is among the positions that are among the most valued in the draft. Dylan Stewart’s listed at 6-5 and 245 pounds as he enters his junior year. He was a freshman All-American in 2024 and backed that up with a huge year as a sophomore in 2025. I view him a bit more as a do-it-all edge player over Simmons. So, that’s why Stewart gets the edge. Jordan Seaton transferred from Colorado to LSU over the offseason. He was a five-star recruit out of high school and started for Coach Prime at Colorado for two seasons, protecting Shedeur Sanders when he was a freshman. Colorado never materialized from an offensive line perspective, but it wasn’t his fault. Now, he goes to LSU and I think he could have a big year for Lane Kiffin. If Seaton does, I think he could be a top-10 pick. Arch Manning reminds me of a poor man’s Andrew Luck. Maybe not in his production, but in his playing style. He can throw it downfield. He’s big. He’s faster and more mobile than you would anticipate. Now, I know he didn’t have a great year and that first start against Ohio State didn’t go the way he wanted. I don’t know if Manning was fully healthy early in the year, but Texas didn’t run the football as effectively as it needed to. The Longhorns certainly didn’t protect him well enough, either. But Manning can make the throws down the field and, guys, he’s a Manning. Let’s not overthink this. An organization is going to look at him and see him have a better year in 2026 after he turned the corner late last season. He had 20 total touchdowns to two turnovers in his last six games. So, Manning and Texas should be better in 2026. I thought Dante Moore would’ve been the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft had he declared. However, he opted to remain at Oregon following a good year. He’s got good command, great stature, athleticism, and he throws it well. But he’s also smart, as former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein told me that Moore prepares like a pro. Oregon is going to be really good, and the Ducks might be my No. 1 overall team in my top 25 post-spring rankings, thanks to players like Moore. I just can’t put Leonard Moore any lower than this. He was a unanimous All-American as a sophomore last season and a freshman All-American a year before that. When Ohio State star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was asked who was the toughest corner he’s faced, he said Moore. He’s got good length (6-2) and great ability in coverage. NFL teams will be all over Moore because of that. Speaking of Smith, you all know he would be No. 1 on this list. Smith should be the No. 1 prospect on everyone’s board. The only reason he wouldn’t go No. 1 next year, though, is because of quarterback need at the top of the draft. Smith is 6-3 and 220 pounds, lighting up college football since the moment he stepped on the field in Columbus. He’s got over 2,500 yards and 29 total touchdowns in just 29 games. He’s an absolute monster. No wide receiver has gone in the top three of the NFL Draft since Calvin Johnson in 2007. Smith will be the first non-quarterback off the board. You can write that down.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Where Every 2026 UFL Star Played In College, Who Headlines Each Roster]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/ufl/players-college-roster-stats-analysis</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/ufl/players-college-roster-stats-analysis</guid>
				<category>ufl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports' RJ Young rounded up where every active UFL player went to college and highlighting the stars you likely remember most.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:09:24 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[It's more than likely that at some point this UFL season, you've been watching a game and have found yourself wondering, "He seems familiar — how do I know him?" Don't worry because I'm here to help. There are a ton of familiar faces in the UFL this season, and this seemed like the perfect time to look back at where each UFL player went to college. With that in mind, I've rounded up which school every active UFL player went to and highlighted two stars from each team that you're sure to remember the most from their college days. Let's get to it! Note: This story has been updated to reflect the recent pair of blockbuster trades involving four teams. Birmingham Stallions Dorian Thompson-Robinson (#1, QB) — UCLA By the time he left UCLA, Thompson-Robinson was the program's all-time leader in total offense (12,536 yards) and the only player in school history to eclipse 12,000 yards. UCLA amassed a 24-24 record in his five years as a starter. His last season at UCLA was his best. In 2022, DTR threw 3,154 yards, rushed for 646 and accounted for 39 total touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Justyn Ross (#13, WR) – Clemson Ross, a starter as a true freshman, was excellent at Clemson, accounting for 1,000-plus yards on just 46 catches in his first season with the Tigers. His elite size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) and strong route-running ability made him an easy target for any quarterback. After a strong sophomore season, he was diagnosed with Klippel-Feil syndrome, a rare congenital condition that required surgery to correct how some of his bones in his back and neck were fused. After taking a medical redshirt year in 2020, he returned to Clemson in 2021 before going undrafted in 2022. Still, Ross earned a chance with the Kansas City Chiefs and became a member of two Super Bowl-winning teams. He's one of just a handful of players with a CFP national championship (2019) and two Super Bowl rings (2022, 2023). Columbus Aviators Jalan McClendon (#8, QB) – Baylor McClendon is the reason NFL star Jakobi Meyers plays wide receiver at all. After McClendon redshirted behind NFL veteran Jacoby Brissett at NC State, a three-way quarterback battle ensued between him, Meyers and Ryan Finley in 2016. Finley eventually won the starting job, but McClendon separated himself from Meyers so definitively that Meyers switched to playing wide receiver full-time. McClendon still fought his way onto the field in 10 games for the Wolfpack that season. As a graduate transfer, he entered the portal and moved on to Baylor, where he split playing time with signal-caller Charlie Brewer. Now, McClendon and his tantalizing arm talent make him the UFL's best dual-threat QB. Antwane Wells (#6, WR) – Ole Miss "Juice" Wells is an absolute hammer at wideout with a constitution and resolve honed at Fork Union Military Academy. He had days of rucking 20-pound crates of munitions for two hours in full military dress before he ever arrived at South Carolina — just like Eddie George, Vinny Testaverde, Michael Thomas, Plaxico Burress and Cardale Jones. Wells left Fork Union — an institution that has produced 14 first-round NFL picks — with a tattoo of Psalm 23:4 inked on his arm, fearing no evil. Wells, a prototypical rocked-up possession receiver, has the ability to shirk opposing corners and make contested catches against tight coverage. Two years with James Madison left Wells ranked No. 3 all-time in school history for receiving touchdowns (21) and in the top 10 in career receiving yards (1,853) and catches (116). In 2021, he caught 83 passes for a JMU record 1,250 yards with 15 touchdowns. He was an FCS All-American before he ever got the chance to show out at the Power 4 level with South Carolina. He became a first-time All-SEC selection in 2022 and finished his collegiate career at Ole Miss. Dallas Renegades Austin Reed (#16, QB) – Western Kentucky In his first year as a full-time starter, Reed led West Florida to a win in the 2019 NCAA Division II championship game on the strength of a season that consisted of 4,084 passing yards, 40 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions. At the advent of NIL (name, image and likeness), he transferred to Western Kentucky, where he commenced cooking FBS defenses like Wagyu on a charcoal grill — smoking ‘em. In his first season as a starter for the Hilltoppers, he threw for more yards (4,744) than any other FBS quarterback. At WKU, Reed threw for 8,084 yards and 71 touchdowns with 22 interceptions and also rushed for 324 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's a gun-slinging, aerial-attacking, see-it, read-it, send-it-for-six, pocket-present field general. If Reed is running your offense, you're going to score. That's why he's leading the UFL in both passing yards and scores by a landslide. Tyler Vaughns (#1, WR) – USC Vaughns showed himself to be a complete receiver in college football between 2017 and 2019 when he caught at least 57 passes for at least 674 yards with at least six touchdowns across those three years. His route-running is exceptional. His ability to read coverage pre- and post-snap is as good as any quarterback he has played with. Vaughns is a route-tree perfectionist who is going to find the open space in the secondary, make himself a big target for his quarterback and reel in any ball within his radius. That's why he's leading the UFL in both receiving yards and scores after three weeks. DC Defenders Jordan Ta'amu (#10, QB) – Ole Miss Ta’amu turned heads in 2017 after becoming Ole Miss' starter with five games left to play following an injury to Shea Patterson. When Ta’amu finished those five games with 1,682 passing yards, 15 total touchdowns, just four interceptions and a display of mobility that mocked up some defenders, Patterson elected to transfer to Michigan. In 2018, Ta’amu put up 4,260 total yards with 25 scores and just six picks for the Rebels. Simply put, Ta’amu is a dual-threat, read-and-react signal-caller. He finished that season ranked second in passing yards (3,918) behind Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa, who played three more games than Ta’amu and led the Crimson Tide to a national championship win. Jason Bean (#5, QB) – Kansas In 2021, Bean threw for a Big 12 postseason record six touchdowns — along with 449 yards — in a raucous 49-36 win for Kansas over UNLV. He flashed elite moments like that throughout his collegiate career but never played more than 10 games, never completed more than 64% of his passes and never threw for more than 2,130 yards and 18 touchdowns in a single season. When he's accurate, though, he throws one of the purest deep balls I've ever seen. His ability to tuck it and run out of sacks is one of the biggest reasons why he's a guy you want behind center. Gareon Conley (#0, CB) – Ohio State Conley earned a starting job as a redshirt freshman at Ohio State, playing in all 15 games on the Buckeyes' 2014 national title team. After two years, he was so good that he elected to enter the NFL Draft early and was rewarded as a first-round selection by the then-Oakland Raiders in 2017. The first interception of his pro career was a 36-yard pick-six of Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Every ball you throw near Conley — a pure ball hawk with a 4.44 40-yard dash speed — is a 50-50 ball, and odds are he's going to get his hands on it for the deflection or interception. Houston Gamblers Taulia Tagovailoa (#7, QB) – Maryland No one has thrown for more yards in Maryland or Big Ten history than Tagovailoa, the younger brother of NFL veteran Tua Tagovailoa. He led the Terrapins to their first winning season since 2014 and first bowl berth since 2016, while breaking school records for completions (328), passing yards (3,860) and passing touchdowns (26) in a single season. In all, Taulia left Maryland with 32 school records. He is proven elite in a scheme that fits his greatest ability: precise, accurate passing. Rashard Lawrence (#90, DE) – LSU Lawrence is a former All-SEC selection and was a defensive line stalwart on the 2019 LSU national title team. In the 2018 season, he muscled 54 tackles and four sacks, en route to earning Fiesta Bowl MVP honors for his two-sack performance. Do you remember the 6-foot-2, 300-plus-pound "Uncle Phil" lookalike who shucked another 300-pound man and then boa-constrictor-swallowed and sacked Lamar Jackson in Jackson's 2016 Heisman season? That's Lawrence. That's what he does. Louisville Kings Chandler Rogers (#4, QB) — California Rogers became the answer to a trivia question. In August 2024, he was the last quarterback to compete with 2025 Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza in an open competition to become the program’s starter. In six years as a collegiate player, he has played at five different schools, with Cal being the last of his stops. He transferred to Cal after enjoying his best single season at North Texas — 3,382 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and five interceptions. Ian Wheeler (#27, RB) – Howard Wheeler deferred admission to medical school to give himself a chance to play professional football. After leaving Howard, where he averaged better than 6.5 yards per carry, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears in May 2024. In one of the best storylines of HBO's NFL docuseries "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with Chicago Bears," he recounted his journey and featured as a player fans rooted for to make the Bears' 53-man roster. He did — and then he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and was forced to sit on Chicago's injured reserve for his rookie season. When healthy, Wheeler is explosive and has a knack for finding his way into the end zone, just like he did in Week 5 of this season with a league-record four rushing touchdowns in the Kings' statement-making win. Orlando Storm Matt Corral (#2, QB) – Ole Miss Corral is exceptional when he sets his feet and fires. This was evident throughout his collegiate career. In 2022, Corral led Ole Miss to the Sugar Bowl in his last season with the Rebels, and he was instrumental in Ole Miss finishing with a 10-2 record that helped catapult the program into one that would make the College Football Playoff for the first time in 2025. At Ole Miss, he was a gifted playmaker with a great ability to throw to open receivers. He had a unique skill set that allowed him to control the line of scrimmage — getting into and out of any play he wanted. A third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Corral was forced to miss his rookie season with the Carolina Panthers due to a Lisfranc fracture in his foot and never earned a chance to play significant professional football until his UFL signing. Jack Plummer (#13, QB) – Louisville Plummer bloomed late. After three years at Purdue, he transferred to Cal, where he put together his first great season with over 3,100 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. Those numbers were good enough for him to reunite with his former head coach, Jeff Brohm, at Louisville, where he enjoyed the best season of his career. With the Cardinals, Plummer threw for 3,204 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, leading Louisville to a 10-2 record and an appearance in the 2023 ACC championship game. A capable operator in a pass-heavy scheme, Plummer excels when allowed to play fast and dictate terms to the defense. KJ Hamler (#3, WR) – Penn State As a redshirt freshman at Penn State, Hamler announced his presence in college football by coming back from a torn ACL in 2018 by returning a kickoff 52 yards to the house — along with reeling in three catches for 67 yards with a receiving score — against Appalachian State. He averaged 18.0 yards per catch that year. In 2019, he stepped his game up again with 56 catches for 904 yards with 18 touchdowns. That was enough for him to enter the NFL Draft that year, when the Denver Broncos took him in the second round. When you absolutely, positively need to take the top of the defense, dial "9" — a go-ball, fly-route, a straight line to the end zone — and ask for Hamler. St. Louis Battlehawks Hakeem Butler (#88, WR) – Iowa State The year that Butler became one of the best receivers Iowa State had ever produced — 60 catches for 1,318 yards (22.0 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns — I realized he's an inch taller and more productive in his final year than Calvin Johnson, aka Megatron, was in his last year at Georgia Tech (2006) on fewer catches (76 receptions for 1,202 yards). How many more 6-foot-6, 240-pound men do you know about running 4.48 in the 40-yard dash with hands the size of couch cushions? I'll wait. If Megatron is Johnson personified, that makes Butler the Onslaught of spring pro football, because, like all Decepticons, he just ain't fair. Good luck, UFL! Pita Taumoepenu (#7, OLB) – Utah Not everybody was paying attention to Utah a decade ago, and Taumoepenu wasn't one of those players you should've known about until Nov. 10, 2016. On that day, he sacked Arizona State’s quarterback three times and notched four tackles for loss. That was enough for me to believe Taumoepenu could have a future as a dominant edge rusher in the right scheme as a pro. After all, he recorded at least 5.5 sacks in each of his three seasons for the Utes. The fact that he turned out to be a terror in the UFL just means I was wrong about which pro league he'd make his presence most felt in. If you're ever asked who is the best defensive player in professional spring ball, he's the only right answer. Taumoepenu is an elite pass rusher who demands you slide protection — ask the running back to help the O-line block — or risk him planting your quarterback like John Henry did a railroad spike.]]>
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					<![CDATA[The New-Look Pac-12 Unveiled a New-Look Logo]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/pac-12-logo-gonzaga-san-diego-state</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/pac-12-logo-gonzaga-san-diego-state</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Pac-12 will be fully revamped for the 2026-2027 academic year, and it has a new logo to go with all the new members.]]>
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				<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:24:35 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Pac-12 Conference has just two members for the 2025-2026 academic year, but in July it's going to see a massive change when seven other schools join the revamped conference. To go with the new-look membership, the Pac-12 revealed a brand new logo for the conference. It retains the shield-shaped design of the original – compare to the image above – but the letters are significantly different now, somehow both rounder and sharper at the same time, and the border around it all has been removed so that the interior of the logo is also its exterior. If getting your logo news from a social media embed isn't good enough, consider receiving it by way of a conference mascot holding up a t-shirt instead: The current full members of the Pac-12 are Oregon State and Washington State, but these two will be joined by Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State and Gonzaga on July 1, 2026. Of those nine schools, eight field football teams, which allows the Pac-12 to be an FBS, rather than FCS, conference. Gonzaga, the crown jewel of the conference's basketball program, is the exception, as it hasn't had a football team since suspending play during World War II. In Aug. 2024, 10 of the 12 members of the Pac-12 left, which left it sponsoring just six sports, but the infusion of seven additional members for the 2026-2027 academic year means it is up to 19 sports in addition to retaining its FBS status.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby Enters Treatment Program For a Gambling Addiction]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby-gambling-addiction</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/texas-tech-qb-brendan-sorsby-gambling-addiction</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team to enter a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:52:42 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team to enter a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction. Texas Tech and Sorsby announced the move in a statement released on Monday. The school said it is "committed to supporting Brendan through his recovery process and to ensure his long-term health and well-being." Sorsby was one of the biggest names in this year’s transfer portal. He transferred from Cincinnati, which then announced on Feb. 26 it would sue the quarterback for breaching his name, image and likeness contract. According to the lawsuit, Sorsby signed an NIL agreement in July 2025 covering the 2025 and ’26 seasons and that there would be a $1 million buyout if he transferred, payable within 30 days. Sorsby announced on Dec. 15 that he was entering the transfer portal and announced on Jan. 4 that he would play for Texas Tech. Sorsby received the most lucrative deal of the portal period — a reported $5 million — to return to his home state for his final season. It was not immediately known how Monday’s announcement could impact Sorsby’s availability for the season. "We love Brendan and support his decision to seek professional help," Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire said in a statement released by the school. "Taking this step requires courage, and our primary focus is on him as a person. Our program is behind Brendan as he prioritizes his health." In the statement, Texas Tech said its "primary focus remains on fostering an environment where student-athletes feel empowered to prioritize their mental health and seek professional assistance." The school said it would have no further comment on Sorsby’s status "to protect the integrity of the recovery process." Sorsby began his career at Indiana before transferring to Cincinnati. In 35 career games, including 31 starts, he has passed for 7,208 yards and 60 touchdowns, along with 1,295 rushing yards and 22 TDs. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2027 Mock Draft: Arch Manning No. 1 Overall? 5 QBs Go in First Round]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2027-mock-draft-arch-manning-no-1-overall-5-qbs-go-first-round</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2027-mock-draft-arch-manning-no-1-overall-5-qbs-go-first-round</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Who are the best players in the 2027 draft class? Here's a first look at names to know and what your team might need the most.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:00:27 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The ink is barely dry on the 2026 NFL Draft, but we’re already shifting our attention to next year — which is expected to be a bumper crop full of skill-position talent, including quarterback. A year ago at this time, no one forecasted the Seattle Seahawks defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, so we won’t try to predict the selection order for next spring’s draft. For the purposes of this mock, we’re just taking the inverse order of DraftKings' current Super Bowl odds. Given that nearly every pass (or run) he’s made in three years at Texas has been put under the microscope, one might guess that Manning’s career numbers (62.3% competition rate with a 35:9 touchdown-to-interception ratio) were much less impressive than they are. Boasting a tall, strong frame, a whip of an arm, excellent straight-line speed and the mental toughness that comes with all the expectations growing up as a Manning, he is the easy favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick next spring. Moore could have entered the 2026 draft and beaten out new Rams QB Ty Simpson to be the second quarterback selected, but I love that he returned to hone his game. He lacks ideal size (6-foot-3, 206 pounds) but is a gifted natural passer with an effortless delivery and excellent accuracy to all levels of the field. With all due respect to the "skill-position" talent expected to be available in the 2027 draft, Stewart is one of the blue-chip prospects that has scouts the most excited. He enters his junior campaign with "just" 11 career sacks to his credit, but his size, twitch and flexibility help him project as a 10-plus sack monster in the NFL with All-Pro upside. If the Jets want a quarterback bad enough, they have the draft picks to move up, including this and two other first-round picks. Leavitt was overshadowed, at times, at Arizona State by former teammate and new Saints wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, but the quarterback is an exciting NFL prospect in his own right. Leavitt has the combination of arm talent and athleticism to follow the same path that Commanders QB Jayden Daniels took — leaving Arizona State to win the Heisman Trophy and become a top-five NFL draft selection. Leavitt missed the second half of last season with a Lisfranc injury, but if he can stay healthy, he is going to put up eye-popping numbers in Lane Kiffin’s offense. With all due respect to his former Ohio State teammate Carnell Tate — the fourth overall pick last week — Smith would’ve been the first receiver selected had he been eligible for the 2026 draft. One of the few players I’ve ever seen physically capable of competing at the NFL level as a true freshman, Smith has a frame and game that reminds me of a young Julio Jones. Simmons lacks the height and bulk some teams might prefer off the edge, but similar to this year's No. 2 overall pick in David Bailey, his quickness and agility makes him a nightmare for would-be blockers. A returning All-American who led the SEC with 12 sacks as a true sophomore, Simmons has the look of a top-10 selection next spring. One of the biggest reasons I expect Manning to take the next step this season at Texas is the stellar blocking he’ll receive from Goosby, another precocious talent with Pro Bowl upside. Goosby stepped in at left tackle for 2025 first-round pick Kelvin Banks a year ago and Texas had little drop-off on Manning's blindside. His blend of size and easy movement will be highly valued by NFL teams, earning him a first-round selection, as well. With all due respect to the backs in this article and even those selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft, Hardy was the most impressive runner in the country over the past two seasons. He collected an eye-popping 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground over that time, while starring at both Louisiana Monroe and Missouri. Hardy led the Sun Belt in rushing as a true freshman in 2024 and then the mighty SEC this past season with a career-high 1,649 yards (on 6.4 yards per carry). He isn’t the biggest back, but he has excellent vision and acceleration to leave defenders in the dust. A Thorpe Award finalist and All-American as a true sophomore, Moore has the size, easy movement skills and instincts NFL teams are looking for at cornerback. Had he been eligible for the 2026 draft, he would have heard his name called in the first round. Washington may not have the statistics (33 tackles, including 4.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks in 2026) one normally associates with a first-round selection, but had he entered the 2026 draft, he would’ve joined defensive tackles Caleb Banks and Peter Woods as a top-32 pick. Football is a big-man’s game, and Washington has rare quickness for such a massive man. Robinson signed with Georgia as the top cornerback prospect in the country, and it isn’t difficult to see why. He possesses lightning-quick feet and loose hips to shadow receivers all over the field, intercepting four passes as a true sophomore last season. Sayin will be a fascinating NFL evaluation because many of the receivers he has thrown to at Ohio State are likely even more talented than the ones he’ll have in the NFL, and it can be difficult to gauge him on his own merits. He showed impressive poise and accuracy in his first season as the Buckeyes starter, however, with scouts excited about his future. Smith was wise to return for one more season at Indiana, recognizing that the 2026 draft was already loaded at offensive tackle with seven players (more than any other position) earning first-round selections. Smith had a chance to sneak into that group this year, but by returning, he should boost his stock, perhaps warranting possible top-20 consideration. Sellers could have entered the 2026 draft and likely earned a Day 2 selection based on his upside, but he wisely returned to iron out his game. His 33:15 TD-INT ratio over his career illustrates his current inconsistency, but he’s a dynamic athlete with excellent size and a cannon for an arm, and he has the intangibles teams want at quarterback. Green is still only 21 years old yet enters the upcoming season with about three years of starting experience on the offensive line. He starred at left tackle last year after previously starting at left guard for Missouri and beginning his college career at Oklahoma, where he started five games as a true freshman. He is one of the youngest and most gifted blockers in college football, showing impressive initial quickness and agility for someone listed at 6-foot-5, 324 pounds. With his blond hair, physical play and motor always running, expect there to be plenty of comparisons to Michigan great Aidan Hutchinson. Daley starred this past season for Kyle Whittingham at Utah before following the legendary head coach to Ann Arbor. He lacks ideal twitch, but he’s powerful and relentless, recording 17.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in 2025. There are fewer sure things in life than death, taxes and Kirk Ferentz churning out NFL-caliber offensive linemen. Lauck has got next, as they say. The prototypical 6-foot-5, 310-pounder started all 13 games at left tackle last year for an offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s top blocking unit. He already possesses an NFL-caliber frame and game, showing good initial quickness and strong hands to snatch and sustain. Haynes began his college career at Alabama and has averaged a staggering 6.5 yards per carry over his first three seasons. He ran for 857 yards a year ago before succumbing to a right foot injury which required surgery. If he can remain healthy, he might double those numbers next year and run himself into the first round. A classic press corner with excellent size (listed at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds), arm length and balance to jam receivers at the line and harass them throughout the route, Hill is entering his third year as a starter for the Wolverines and looks the part of a future NFL starter. With only two career interceptions, however, he currently lacks the gaudy turnover numbers teams want in a first-round player. The younger, bigger brother of NFL and longtime FBS standout quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, this power-packed edge rusher has the frame and game NFL teams are looking for. With 18.5 combined sacks over his first three years of action, Matayo Uiagalelei is already a proven producer and plays with the instincts and technique expected of a coach’s son. Echoles exploded onto the scene for Ole Miss a year ago, generating 11.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in a breakout sophomore campaign. If he can match that production in 2026, he could join former teammate Walter Nolen as a first-round selection. Like Nolen, Echoles is a classic 3-technique defensive tackle whose quickness and power make him a tough assignment for would-be blockers. Given all the electric playmakers in today’s NFL, reliable open-field tackling is at a premium. Sabb sports a rocked-up, pro-ready frame, and he’s quick to trigger downhill, blasting ball-carriers with explosive hits. It isn’t often that NFL teams are willing to invest a first-round pick on a running back who weighs less than 200 pounds, but if Lacy duplicates the production he enjoyed last year, it might happen. Lacy quieted critics who suggested that he couldn’t handle a heavy workload, leading the SEC with 306 touches and 24 rushing touchdowns. He’s cat-quick with breakaway speed, soft hands out of the backfield and underrated power. Texas went to the portal to find Arch Manning a No. 1 receiver and I expect Coleman to become a household name this season as a result. He starred at Auburn the past two seasons, leading the Tigers with 708 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 2025. Don’t be surprised if those numbers are doubled this year at Texas, with Coleman showing an ideal blend of size, acceleration, body control and hand-eye coordination. Similar in some ways to 2026 first-round pick Blake Miller (Detroit Lions), Baer is a proven ironman, entering his fourth year as a starting offensive tackle for Pitt. His last name is appropriate, as the 6-foot-7, 325-pound Baer mauls opponents at the line of scrimmage. Overshadowed by all the returning defensive talent in Eugene, Tuioti doesn’t get his fair share of the hype in the media, but scouts are excited about his polished game and physical nature. Violent at the point of attack with a dense, powerful frame, Tuioti sets the edge with the best of them and is a proven sack artist as well, recording 17 QB takedowns in three years of college play. An Auburn transfer who was forged by iron practicing against 2026 draft picks Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford each day in practice, Chaplin is a massive left tackle with impressive initial quickness. Siereveld was the Buckeyes’ starting left tackle a year ago and has enough agility and length to remain outside at the next level. I think he might be even better if moved inside, however. He’s broad and powerful and plays with a brand of aggression that will make him a favorite of NFL offensive line coaches. The NFL is willing to pay a premium for pass rushers, and Umanmielen has the initial burst and ankle flexion to slip past heavy-footed blockers. He began his college career at Nebraska but exploded onto the NFL radar a year ago at Ole Miss, recording nine sacks. He’s undersized and is currently too reliant on his agility to elude would-be blockers rather than forcibly shedding blocks, but his one-trick is valuable. After taking the SEC by storm in 2024 with 10 total touchdowns as a true freshman, Coleman-Williams suffered through a season-long sophomore slump last year, recording just four touchdown receptions. I’m confident that he can recapture his playmaking ways this season as Coleman-Williams possesses electric stop-start quickness to get open. He must improve the concentration drops that plagued him last year, however. A size/speed phenom whose route tree currently only has a few branches, the 6-foot-5, 242-pound Harbor is one of the most intriguing but undeniably raw prospects in this article. Per PFF data, he had nearly as many drops (four) as touchdown receptions (six) last year. Five of those touchdowns traveled at least 47 yards, however. Seeking to replace first-round edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, the Hurricanes lured Wilson from Missouri, where he registered a career-high nine sacks a year ago. Originally at Georgia, Wilson is both well-traveled and legitimately talented, boasting terrific burst and bend off the edge.]]>
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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. Which one is still up in the air. See the latest.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 01:50:19 -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 April 27. 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: +225 (bet $10 to win $32.50 total)Dante Moore: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)CJ Carr: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)LaNorris Sellers: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Darian Mensah: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)Jeremiah Smith: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 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, and fourth 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. South Carolina's Sellers threw for 2,437 yards, 13 TDs and eight interceptions.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Cowherd: No Team Had a Better 1st-Round Pick Than Cowboys' Selection of Caleb Downs]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/cowherd-no-team-had-better-1st-round-pick-than-cowboys-selection-caleb-downs</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/cowherd-no-team-had-better-1st-round-pick-than-cowboys-selection-caleb-downs</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Colin Cowherd is praising the Dallas Cowboys' selection of safety Caleb Downs as the steal of the draft, comparing his instincts to those of Hall of Famer Ed Reed.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:35:04 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Not only was Ohio State safety Caleb Downs widely viewed as one of the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the Dallas Cowboys clearly agreed. After unexpectedly sliding to No. 11 overall, Downs has quickly become one of the biggest storylines of the draft. Downs has had a wide range of comparisons, but on Friday morning, The Herd’s Colin Cowherd didn’t hold back, viewing the Cowboys as clear winners of the NFL Draft. It’s not just about Downs being a great player, but he believes he’s the steal of the draft. Cowherd didn’t hold back on his show, even drawing a comparison between Downs and former Baltimore Ravens safety and Hall of Famer Ed Reed. "You can not do better than what the Dallas Cowboys did with their first pick," Cowherd said. "I think he’s going to be the best Buckeye in the draft. … I thought last year, he was good enough to be a top-three pick in the draft. I think he’s an incredible Ed Reed-level player." Downs is coming off a strong junior season with the Buckeyes, recording 68 total tackles, 45 of them solo, along with two interceptions. He also forced two fumbles and added a sack, showcasing his versatility all over the field. He didn’t test as athletically as many of his Buckeyes teammates, but Downs has built his reputation on instincts, anticipation, and elite football IQ. Despite playing a position that is often undervalued, he became one of the most versatile defenders in the sport. That production and versatility have only reinforced the belief that he can immediately anchor a secondary at the next level. "He got overshadowed because they [Ohio State] have a couple of freaks in Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles and they’re just physical specimens," Cowherd said. "Best football player is Caleb Downs. He is a great, great player, so Dallas hit an absolute home run." For Cowherd, Downs’ blend of production, instincts and versatility seems to make him a rare defensive addition capable of transforming a secondary from Day 1. In a Cowboys defense that struggled last season without a consistent game-changing presence, Downs could step in as that difference-maker. If he lives up to the billing, Dallas may have landed one of the defining picks of the entire draft. The selection of Downs wasn't the only way the Cowboys addressed their defense in the first round of the NFL Draft. They also selected UCF defensive end Malachi Lawrence with the 23rd overall pick after trading down a few picks with the Philadelphia Eagles. Lawrence had been viewed as a potential second-round pick by most draft analysts. FOX Sports draft analyst Rob Rang actually had Lawrence ranked 50th on his big board. But Cowherd understood why Dallas reached to get him. "Their next pick was a reach, but I'm going to defend the pick," Cowherd said. "[Lawrence] is not for next season. When they traded Micah Parsons, the entire reason they did it was so that they could get four or five guys. Well, they traded Micah Parsons and they now have Rashan Gary, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark. They still have DeMarvion Overshown, who I like, but he gets banged up but he's good. This kid is not going to play a ton next season. That's OK. I can live with that." The Cowboys continued to add to their defense through much of the draft as well. They selected Michigan edge rusher Jaishawn Barham in the third round before adding Florida cornerback Devin Moore and Alabama defensive tackle LT Overton with the two fourth-round picks they acquired from the Eagles.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Draft: 1 Thing to Know About Notable Day 3 Picks]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-1-thing-know-about-notable-day-3-picks</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-1-thing-know-about-notable-day-3-picks</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here's one thing to know about some of the notable selections from Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 21:15:59 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Yes, it's Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft and the picks fly off the board on what's the final day of the yearly spectacle. With that said, there are still plenty of star collegiate players taken on Day 3 that have a chance to start from the jump at the next level. Here's one thing to know about the top selections from Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft: Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy (pick No. 101, Las Vegas Raiders): Had four interceptions in 2024 If healthy, McCoy would've been a Day 2, if not a Day 1 pick. Why? Well, that's because he missed the entire 2025 college football season due to a torn ACL injury, with the former Volunteers and Oregon State Beavers (2023) defensive back potentially needing more surgery for the matter. In 2024, McCoy reeled in four interceptions, logged nine passes defended and racked up 44 combined tackles; the year prior, he had two interceptions. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik (pick No. 110, New York Jets): Was No. 1 QB recruit in Class of 2022 Klubnik was the consensus top quarterback prospect in the Recruiting Class of 2022, with him becoming the Tigers' full-time quarterback for the 2023 season. Over his three seasons as Clemson's starting quarterback (2023-25), Klubnik averaged 3,142.0 passing yards, 23.7 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 138.1 passer rating per year, while completing 64.2% of his passes. Kubnik's best season arguably came in 2024, as he threw for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns and rushed for 463 yards and seven scores, a season that saw Clemson reach the College Football Playoff. Indiana WR Elijah Sarratt (pick No. 115, Baltimore Ravens): Played for head coach Curt Cignetti on two teams Sarratt was among the many players who followed Cignetti from the James Madison Dukes — with whom he played for one season after spending the 2022 season with the Saint Francis Red Flash — to the Hoosiers for the 2024 season. Last season (2025), Sarratt totaled 65 receptions for 830 yards and a Big Ten-high 15 touchdowns en route to Indiana winning its first National Championship in program history. Miami (Fla.) CB Keionte Scott (pick No. 116, Tampa Bay Buccaneers): Had two pick-sixes in 2025 After two seasons at Snow College (2020-21) and three seasons with the Auburn Tigers (2022-24), Scott transferred to play for the Hurricanes in 2025, with Miami going on to reach the College Football Playoff National Championship. In his lone season at Miami, Scott reeled in two interceptions, running back both of those picks for touchdowns. He also tallied two forced fumbles and five passes defended. Penn State DE Dani Dennis-Sutton (pick No. 120, Green Bay Packers): Had 23.5 sacks in college Dennis-Sutton was among the more productive pass rushers in the Big Ten over his four years with the Nittany Lions (2022-25), most notably totaling 8.5 sacks in each of the last two years. He finished his collegiate career with 23.5 sacks, while forcing seven fumbles from 2023-25. Oregon LB Bryce Boettcher (pick No. 135, Indianapolis Colts): Was selected in the MLB Draft That's not a typo. Boettcher played both football and baseball for the Ducks, with his performance in the latter sport resulting in Boettcher being selected by the Houston Astros in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft. While he played baseball at Oregon from 2021-24, Boettcher played football for the Ducks from 2022-25. Last season (2025), he led the Big Ten with 80 assists, while also logging 136 combined tackles and two forced fumbles. North Dakota State WR Bryce Lance (pick No. 136, New Orleans Saints): Is the younger brother of QB Trey Lance The Bison receiver is the younger brother of the former No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, who also played at North Dakota State. As for the new Saints wideout, Lance, who spent six seasons at North Dakota State, averaged 63 receptions for 1,066 yards and 12.5 touchdowns per season from 2024-25. Texas DB Michael Taaffe (pick No. 158, Miami Dolphins): Three-year starter for Longhorns Taaffe was among the faces of the Longhorns' defense, playing five seasons for the school and starting from 2023-25, which included appearances in the College Football Playoff in 2023 and 2024. Over the aforementioned span (2023-25), Taaffe averaged 2.3 interceptions and 65.3 combined tackles per season. Penn State RB Nicholas Singleton (pick No. 165, Tennessee Titans): 1st in Penn State history in rushing touchdowns Over his four seasons playing for the Nittany Lions (2022-25), Singleton rushed for a combined 3,461 yards and 45 touchdowns, which is first in program history; Singleton's rushing yards rank fourth in Penn State history. Ohio State S Lorenzo Styles Jr. (pick No. 172, New Orleans Saints): Brother of No. 7 pick Sonny Styles After two seasons playing for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2021-22), Styles transferred to Ohio State, where he was teammates with his brother, Sonny Styles, from 2023-25; Styles was selected by the Washington Commanders with the No. 7 pick. Furthermore, Lorenzo Styles was a wide receiver at Notre Dame before switching to a full-time defensive back in 2023. North Dakota State QB Cole Payton (pick No. 178, Philadelphia Eagles): Dual-threat QB with potential positional versatility Payton was a one-year starter at North Dakota State, but he showed enough on tape to be a fifth-round pick. Will he play quarterback at the next level, though? You can read more about Payton here. Arkansas QB Taylen Green (pick No. 182, Cleveland Browns): Arguably the best athlete at QB in this year's class The Browns have added another quarterback to their quarterbacks room, taking Green at the start of the sixth round. Green set records in the vertical jump (43.5 inches) and broad jump (11 feet, 2 inches) for a quarterback at the history of the combine, while also running a 4.36 40. Green threw for 2,714 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions to go with 777 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns this past season. Penn State RB Kayton Allen (pick No. 187, Washington Commanders): Penn State's all-time leader in rushing yards While many things didn't go Penn State's way in 2025, Allen wasn't a reason for that. Allen rushed for over 1,000 yards for the second straight year and finished his time at Penn State with four seasons of at least 800 yards. As a result, Allen's 4,180 career rushing yards set a Penn State record for the most rushing yards in program history. Allen had 1,303 yards on 6.2 yards per carry and 15 touchdowns in 2025. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier (pick No. 249, Kansas City Chiefs): Was viewed as a potential 1st-round pick entering 2025 season Entering the 2025 college football season, Nussmeir was among a handful of quarterbacks who some thought could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, his struggles at LSU this past season ended that possibility, throwing for 1,927 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions in nine games before he was sidelined for the remainder of the regular season. Still, Nussmeier was viewed as a potential Day 2 pick entering the 2026 NFL Draft. FOX Sports NFL Draft expert Rob Rang had Nussmeier as his third-best quarterback prospect, ranking him No. 71 in his top 150 prospects list.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Matt Campbell is Taking a Patient Approach with New Penn State Staff and Roster]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/matt-campbell-is-taking-a-patient-approach-with-his-rebuilt-penn-state-staff-and-roster</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/matt-campbell-is-taking-a-patient-approach-with-his-rebuilt-penn-state-staff-and-roster</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
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				    <![CDATA[For the last five months as construction cranes have swung steel beams and other fortifications into place at Beaver Stadium, Matt Campbell has undertaken a massive construction project of his own]]>
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				<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:41:15 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[For the last five months, as construction cranes have swung steel beams and other fortifications into place at Beaver Stadium, Matt Campbell has undertaken a massive construction project of his own. Campbell, who became Penn State's football coach in December, has assembled an all-new staff and rebuilt a roster with new faces from all over the country. By the time Penn State finishes the $700 million renovation of its massive stadium for the start of the season, Campbell believes the new-look Nittany Lions will be ready to compete and it will be thanks to a patient approach. "I am a believer that you always start back over at square one and rebuild your way through it," Campbell said. "I think, even as a head coach, you’re always self-reflecting on what went well, what didn’t go well? How do we be better, and what does this team need?" After 12 years in which the Nittany Lions won just four of 25 games against AP Top 10 opponents, this program needed a refresh. Former coach James Franklin was fired midway through the fall after the Nittany Lions quickly squandered a No. 2 preseason ranking with an 0-3 start to Big Ten play. Penn State finished 6-6 and beat Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl under interim coach Terry Smith. Penn State took two months to find Franklin’s successor, rankling fans who just a year before watched their team come one game shy of playing for the national championship. Now that spring practice is winding down, those who were here before feel like they’re starting anew. "It’s a new year," sophomore wide receiver Koby Howard said. "Forget about last year and whatever happened last year." Early-morning practices have replaced mid-afternoon sessions. Players have taken more time to get to know new teammates and position coaches. Former Nittany Lion greats Kerry Collins, Ki-Jana Carter and Kyle Brady from the program’s unbeaten 1994 team have visited and helped the current fresh faces of the program embrace its past. Howard is one of 52 returnees who experienced last year’s doldrums and ensuing, emotional four-game winning streak with Smith to cap the season. Forty transfers and a class of true freshmen, 11 of which enrolled in time to partake in spring ball, fill out the roster. Of those transfers, 24 followed Campbell from Iowa State including quarterback Rocco Becht. Campbell also brought in the Cyclones’ former offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser and four other former assistants. He’s also filled key positions with former Nittany Lion stars like defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, who played for Joe Paterno. Fellow Paterno and Bill O’Brien era players Dan Connor, Jordan Hill, Alan Zemaitis and Jordan Lucas are in support roles. "A lot’s the exact same, but a lot’s changed," Lynn said. They spent winter workouts establishing new nutrition habits and rebooting the strength and conditioning program. The last 14 spring practices have given them their first opportunity to install baseline schemes and see what each player can do individually. "I do think aligning everybody, making sure we’re slow and right, right now," Campbell said. "Where do drills go? Where does the offense go? Where does the defense go? All of those things are certainly unique and new. So slow and right is really the process for us." Becht, who was a three-year starter for Campbell in Ames, is the personification of that. He entered spring practice on the mend from shoulder surgery, but is expected to throw the ball in 7-on-7 drills in the stadium on Saturday. It’ll be the first step for what comes later in the summer when the team reconvenes for training camp. By then, the Nittany Lions will have a better idea of how everything will fit together. "The emphasis is how we’re going to do what we’re going to do. Putting in some baseline things on offense and defense so we can really evaluate your football team," Campbell said. "Honestly, it’s been awesome for so many guys to get the foundation of what we’re going to do on both sides of the ball." Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Draft Big Board: The 100 Best Players Available on Night 2]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-big-board-100-best-players-available-night-2</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-big-board-100-best-players-available-night-2</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Round 1 is complete, but plenty of talent remains. Here are Rob Rang's top 100 players available as the 2026 NFL Draft shifts to Day 2.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:21:09 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[As everyone expected, the Las Vegas Raiders took Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. But after that, Round 1 brought major surprises, trades and utter chaos. The biggest surprise of the night came when the Los Angeles Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick. With the Rams currently listed as the betting favorite to win next year’s Super Bowl, many expected them to target an immediate impact player. Instead, they chose to invest in the future and begin preparing for life after Matthew Stafford. On top of that, the Arizona Cardinals drafted star running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3, while the Tennessee Titans surprised by giving Cam Ward a new weapon in Carnell Tate.  The Dallas Cowboys also got their dream pick in Caleb Downs after trading up to No. 11. Now, the focus shifts to Day 2, where value often defines the draft. While this class may lack true top-end star power, the depth shows up in critical areas. Teams searching for immediate contributors can still find starting-caliber talent along both sides of the line of scrimmage and throughout the secondary, with impact players expected to come off the board well into Day 3. With that in mind, here’s Rob Rang's updated big board of the top 100 prospects still available after Round 1. 100. Elijah Sarratt, WR, IndianaProjection: Round 4-5A classic possession receiver with good size, body control and sticky hands, Sarratt may lack upside, but few pass-catchers in this class offer as high of a floor. 99. Jakobe Thomas, S, MiamiProjection: Round 4-5Overshadowed by all the talent at Miami this year, Thomas quietly finished second in the ACC with five interceptions, showing the aggression and closing speed to project as a future NFL starter and special teams ace. 98. Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida StateProjection: Round 4-5Among the most imposing players in this draft, the 6-foot-6, 315-pound Jackson offers intriguing potential as a two-gapper, using his girth and especially long arms (34 3/4") to stack and shed would-be blockers at the point of attack. 97. Adam Randall, RB, ClemsonProjection: Round 4-5The 6-foot-3, 232-pounder spent his first three years at Clemson as a receiver, but flourished in 2025 at tailback, showing impressive vision and toughness between the tackles, as well as power and surprising slipperiness to create yards after contact. 96. Jalen Farmer, OG, KentuckyProjection: Round 4-5Guards don’t typically come with highlight reels, but Farmer is an exception — he just needs to play with greater awareness (and lighter feet) in pass protection to emerge as an NFL starter. 95. Jake Slaughter, C, FloridaProjection: Round 4A center-only prospect due to his relatively narrow shoulders and wide hips, Slaughter won’t be a fit for everyone. But his naturally low center of gravity, quality technique and proven effectiveness against quality competition suggest he’ll outperform his draft selection. 94. Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke Projection: Round 4He's a four-year standout at cornerback who lacks ideal size but possesses the instincts and quickness to handle slot duties. 93. Travis Burke, OT, MemphisProjection: Round 4Football is a big man’s game, and they simply don’t come much bigger than the 6-foot-9, 325-pound Burke, who uses his girth, long arms (34 inches) and leg drive to maul opponents. 92. Gracen Halton, DT, OklahomaProjection: Round 4Halton may never be a full-time starter, but I like his fit as a quick-twitch interior disruptor in an NFL rotation. 91. Caden Curry, Edge, Ohio StateProjection: Round 4One of this year’s real breakout stars, Curry added spice to the Buckeyes’ pass rush in 2025. He jumped from 2.5 sacks as a junior to 11 as a senior, but he’s more strong than sudden and might have benefited from his supporting cast. 90. Eli Raridon, TE. Notre DameProjection: Round 4Similar in some ways to Georgia’s Oscar Delp, Raridon lacks eye-popping stats. But he offers an exciting blend of size and athleticism and comes from a program well known for developing NFL talent at tight end. 89. Drew Allar, QB, Penn StateProjection: Round 4A classic dropback passer with an ideal frame and arm, Allar offers the basic building blocks worthy of developing. 88. Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor Projection: Round 4A loose and fluid athlete with long arms, Trigg boasts intoxicating upside, but he’s sushi-raw as a route-runner and blocker with a lot of concentration drops on tape. 87. Brenen Thompson, WR. Mississippi StateProjection: Round 4Scouts already knew Thompson would be among the fastest players in this draft — seven of his 10 career receiving TDs went for 40-plus yards — and he proved it at the Combine in a blistering 4.26 seconds. 86. Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia Projection: Round 4Scouts can check off a lot of boxes with Everette, a 41-game starter with an exceptional blend of size (6-1, 196 pounds, 32-inch arms) and speed (4.38). 85. Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota StateProjection: Round 4With only one year as a starter, Payton is as raw as it gets. But the 6-foot-3, 232-pound southpaw has plenty of arm and is a powerful and instinctive runner. 84. Caleb Tiernan, OL, Northwestern Projection: Round 4A 6-foot-8, 323-pounder with stubby arms (32 1/4"), Tiernan likely will slide inside to guard after starting the past four years at tackle. 83. Mason Reiger, Edge, WisconsinProjection: Round 4Long and lean for the position but highly physical and a more nuanced rusher than his 13 career sacks might suggest, I think Reiger’s best football is still ahead of him. 82. Taylen Green, QB, ArkansasProjection: Round 4He's easily the biggest and most athletic of this QB class yet lacks his counterparts’ accuracy. It thus begs the question: If a team is looking to develop a signal-caller, why not gamble on the one with the highest upside? 81. Alex Harkey, OG, OregonProjection: Round 4Harkey spent time at four different colleges (Tyler JC, Colorado and Texas State) and could be on the move again in the NFL — sliding inside after playing 2025 at right tackle. But he shows the initial quickness, girth and tenacity to handle the switch. 80. Jude Bowry, OT, Boston CollegeProjection: Round 4The drop-off in talent is steep at OT, but Bowry is my favorite of the second-tier prospects at the position, struggling a bit with injury and inconsistency yet flashing the raw talent to suggest that he may be better in the NFL than he was in college. 79. Chris McClellan, DT, Missouri Projection: Round 4Overshadowed by edge rushers during his time at Missouri (and Florida), McClellan’s combination of bulk, power and surprising quickness translate well to the next level. 78. Kaleb Proctor, DT, Southeastern Louisiana Projection: Round 4Proctor may not look the part of a full-time DT in the NFL, but few in this class can match his initial quickness and lateral agility — traits that should help him generate plenty of disruption. 77. Keyshawn James-Newby, Edge, New MexicoProjection: Round 4Among this year’s quickest rushers off the ball, James-Newby led the Mountain West in both sacks (9) and forced fumbles (3), while finishing second in the conference with 15 tackles for loss. 76. Carson Beck, QB, MiamiProjection: Round 4In some circles, Beck might be better known for his mistakes than his successes, but he’s battle-tested, a gifted natural passer and offers prototypical size. He is one of the few QBs in this class with a realistic shot of eventually being an NFL starter. 75. Keagen Trost, OG, MissouriProjection: Round 4Broad as a barn door, Trost (who turned 25 this month) was literally a man among boys in the SEC last year, showing off the bulk and strong hands that I think will suit the longtime collegiate tackle best inside at guard in the NFL. 74. Le’Veon Moss, RB, Texas A&amp;M Projection: Round 4If not for durability issues, Moss might warrant second-round consideration due to his vision, initial burst and an attacking mentality which drives him through would-be tacklers. 73. Kage Casey, OG, Boise StateProjection: Round 4Stopwatches at the Combine suggest that Casey is sluggish, but his tape shows good initial quickness and serious pop on contact — traits that I think will suit the college left tackle best inside at guard. 72. Romello Height, Edge, Texas TechProjection: Round 4At 6-foot-3, 239 pounds, Height lacks ideal size for the edge, but he’s sudden and slippery, winning with a variety of dips and spins to efficiently get past would-be blockers and quickly close on the quarterback. 71. Jimmy Rolder, ILB, MichiganProjection: Round 3-4Showing Jedi-like instincts and picture-perfect tackling technique, Rolder jumped from 26 tackles as a reserve in 2024 to leading the team in stops in 2025. Run-stuffers like Rolder aren’t as valued in today’s pass-happy NFL, so it’s possible he slips into Day 3, but I see a future starter who will ultimately outplay his draft slot. 70. Trey Zuhn III, C, Texas A&amp;M Projection: Round 3-4A classic tweener who lacks the mobility and arm length to remain outside at tackle (where he started four years for the Aggies), Zuhn possesses the short area quickness and pop on contact to move inside. But few teams want 6-foot-7 guards or centers. 69. Treydan Stukes, DB, Arizona Projection: Round 3-4He's a former walk-on turned star who capped off a stellar 2025 season with a terrific Combine workout. Stukes’ instincts, athleticism and ball-skills make up for his average size and open-field tackling. 68. Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State Projection: Round 3-4He's sushi-raw as a route-runner, but that can be taught. Hurst offers a 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame with proven 4.4 speed that is well worth a mid-round gamble. 67. Tacario Davis, CB, WashingtonProjection: Round 3-4An injury-plagued 2025 campaign may have kept Davis off the media radar, but he’s well-known by NFL scouts. The uniquely-built 6-foot-4 corner offers the speed (4.41) and hand-eye coordination to corral receivers off the line and at the catch-point. 66. Skyler Bell, WR, ConnecticutProjection: Round 3-4A true speed demon, Bell caught five touchdowns as a redshirt freshman at Wisconsin. But it wasn’t until a breakout 2025 at UConn that he really caught scouts’ attention, showing greater concentration and improved hands. 65. Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota StateProjection: Round 3The NDSU-to-NFL pipeline continues this year with Lance — the younger, faster brother of Trey Lance. Given how rarely the Bison throw the ball, Lance is surprisingly savvy as a route-runner with a legitimate chance to prove a mid-round steal. 64. Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia Projection: Round 3One of this year’s biggest Pro Day risers after clocking in at 4.49 seconds at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, Delp has a chance to be more productive in the NFL than he was over 55 games (34 starts) with the Bulldogs. 63. De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, MississippiProjection: Round 3A three-time transfer who produced at Washington State and Oklahoma State as well as Ole Miss, Stribling looks the part with a broad 6-foot-2, 207-pound frame and impressive speed, but he’s faster than quick and may struggle to get open versus NFL competition. 62. Wesley Williams, Edge, Duke Projection: Round 3Stubby arms (31 7/8"), average speed (4.89 40) and meager sack production in 2025 (two sacks) could cause some to overlook Williams. But he plays with the anticipation, intensity and violence that could keep him in the NFL for a long time. 61. Chris Bell, WR, LouisvilleProjection: Round 3An ACL tear in December will push Bell well into Day 2, but the 6-foot-2, 222-pounder possesses the bulk, body control and soft hands to project as a future NFL starter. 60. Jadon Canady, CB, Oregon Projection: Round 3Teams willing to sacrifice bulk for quickness, will be intrigued by the thinly-built Canady (5-foot-11, 181 pounds) whose route awareness and quickness closing downhill allow him to disrupt receivers. 59. Max Klare, TE, Ohio StateProjection: Round 3More of an H-back than a traditional sixth lineman, Klare offers quickness, soft hands and body control to make tough contested grabs. 58. VJ Payne, S, Kansas StateProjection: Round 3Scouts can check a lot of boxes with Payne, a team captain and 42-game starter who boasts an exceptional size/speed combination and proven track record for generating turnovers. 57. Sam Roush, TE, StanfordProjection: Round 3In a class full of pass-catching specialists at tight end, Roush is a legitimate "Y" with the size (6-6, 267), strength, smarts and athletic bloodlines to project as a quick contributor. 56. Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington Projection: Round 3A pinball runner whose low center of gravity and leg drive help him break tackles, Coleman is an effective inside runner who might lack top speed but projects well to the NFL because of his commitment to pass protection and soft hands as a receiver. 55. Brian Parker II, OL/C, DukeProjection: Round 3My favorite of this year’s projected position switchers, Parker is a three-year starting right tackle whose burly frame, core strength and underrated athleticism project best inside at the next level. 54. Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa StateProjection: Round 3Appropriately nicknamed "Big Citrus," Orange uses his round frame and long (33 3/8") arms to stack and shed opponents at the line of scrimmage. Unfortunately, he provides little "juice" as a rusher, recording just one sack in 50 college games. 53. Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn StateProjection: Round 3He boasts prototypical size (6-2, 200) and excellent ball skills (six INTs among 12 career PBUs), but Wheatley must improve his open-field tackling. 52. Deion Burks, WR, OklahomaProjection: Round 3Topping out at 629 receiving yards (and that was at Purdue in 2023), Burks never dominated in college like his timed speed (4.30 in the 40-yard dash) and strength (his 26 reps tied for the most among receivers) would suggest. But it is hard to imagine some NFL team not gambling a Day 2 pick on his upside. 51. Tyler Onyedim, DT, Texas A&amp;MProjection: Round 3Don’t let the fact that Onyedim generated just 5.5 sacks in 53 games at Texas A&amp;M (and Iowa State) fool you, his first-step quickness, core flexibility and long arms make him one of this year’s most disruptive defensive tackles. 50. Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State Projection: Round 3Quick as a hiccup with the low center of gravity well-suiting to his position, Hecht isn’t overpowering. But his agility and play-through-the-whistle mentality suggest a long NFL career. 49. Malachi Fields, WR, Notre DameProjection: Round 3Clocking at a sluggish 4.61 seconds in the 40-yard dash and corralling just 36 catches for 630 yards and five touchdowns last year for Notre Dame, Fields won’t be for everyone. But the imposing 6-foot-4, 219-pounder offers the physicality, sure hands and surprisingly sharp route-running that project well as a traditional X receiver. 48. Jaishawn Barham, Edge, MichiganProjection: Round 3Barham spent much of his career at Michigan (and previously at Maryland) as an off-ball linebacker, but he possesses projectable twitch and core flexibility to attack off the edge. 47. Logan Jones, C, IowaProjection: Round 3An athletic technician who overcomes middling size and strength, Jones pounces out of his stance to stalemate DTs, projecting as a longtime NFL starter in a zone scheme. 46. Emmett Johnson, RB, NebraskaProjection: Round 3Johnson may lack the top-end speed to consistently beat NFL defenders to the edge, but he earns high marks in some of the traits I think are even more important for success at the next level: lateral agility to make defenders miss in tight spaces, as well as both the vision and burst to attack cutback lanes. 45. Josh Cameron, WR, BaylorProjection: Round 3While Cameron is a couple inches taller, it is easy to see some shades of Deebo Samuel in the Baylor product's game, as both are essentially running backs in a receiver’s body, bullying opponents with their long arms, strong hands and ultra-physical style. 44. Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio StateProjection: Round 3A four-year starter at Ohio State (and Mississippi), the 6-foot-2, 189-pounder has a high-cut frame that leaves him vulnerable to shifty route-runners. Still, he closes quickly and confidently against both the pass and run, projecting best as a press corner in the NFL. 43. Joshua Josephs, Edge, TennesseeProjection: Round 3Josephs is currently a one-trick pony speed rusher, but he's so sudden off the snap and has some of the longest arms (34 1/4") in this class, which have helped him generate nearly as many pass breakups (nine) and forced fumbles (six) as sacks (9.5). 42. Zxavian Harris, DT, MississippiProjection: Round 2-3The massive 6-foot-8, 330-pound Harris is a polarizing prospect among scouts, as he loses leverage at the snap with too much of his production coming downfield. But his ability to play up and down the line of scrimmage and block kicks (six over his career) will have some team gambling on him with a Day 2 pick. 41. Dani Dennis-Sutton, Edge, Penn StateProjection: Round 2-3He is among the handful of prospects to surge on my latest board, proving at the Combine that his stellar production in college was due not only to refined technique but underrated athleticism. Consider Dennis-Sutton one of this year’s biggest winners at Lucas Oil Stadium. 40. Zachariah Branch, WR, GeorgiaProjection: Round 2-3Branch is likely going to generate some Tyreek Hill comparisons during the pre-draft process, powered by the 4.35 speed he demonstrated at the Combine. Like Hill, Branch is at his best as a vertical threat or in the quick game, offering the kind of instant spark to a passing attack that only elite speed can provide. 39. Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSUProjection: Round 2-3A propensity for risky throws and an injury-marred senior campaign are clear red flags, but Nussmeier has the grit, smarts and arm talent required for NFL success. He may never prove to be a frontline starter in the NFL, but he should carve out a long career, justifying a Day 2 selection. 38. Bud Clark, S, TCUProjection: Round 2-3Teams will have to weigh the pros (elite ball skills) versus the cons (spindly 6-foot-1, 188-pound frame) with Clark. His awareness, agility and soft hands he showcased at the Senior Bowl suggest he’ll soon be starting in the NFL. 37. Antonio Williams, WR, ClemsonProjection: Round 2-3With 25 combined touchdowns (21 as a pass-catcher, two as a runner, two as a passer) in 43 career games at Clemson, Williams has a proven big-play knack, showing impressive spatial awareness, body control and soft hands to make difficult plays look routine. 36. Gennings Dunker, OL, IowaProjection: Round 2-3With his long red hair, Dunker enjoyed more airtime during the Combine than some quarterbacks, but his game is built more on power and nastiness than athleticism, which is why the career right tackle might be pinched inside in the NFL. 35. Jalon Kilgore, S, South CarolinaProjection: Round 2-3The team that invests a Day 2 selection on Kilgore is banking on upside — and he offers plenty of that given his prototypical size and athleticism — but there are more lapses in coverage and missed tackles than his flashy highlight reels would suggest. 34. Mike Washington Jr., RB, ArkansasProjection: Round 2-3Few boosted their stock at the Combine more than the burly Washington, whose 4.33-second 40-yard dash time not only was the fastest among all running backs, it was the fastest among any player weighing over 220 pounds. In a relatively weak year for running backs, Washington’s elite size-speed combination warrants top-50 consideration. 33. Chris Brazzell II, WR, TennesseeProjection: Round 2-3Brazzell reminds me a lot of Bengals star Tee Higgins in size and style, towering over cornerbacks with an imposing 6-foot-4 frame. But it's his rare burst off the snap that separates him from most taller vertical threats. 32. Kyle Louis, OLB, PittsburghProjection: Round 2-3At just 5-foot-11, 224 pounds, Louis won’t be a fit for everyone. But, frankly, I think that’s a mistake. Louis is highly instinctive with lightning-quick closing speed. He is a proven big-play magnet with 24 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and six interceptions over the past two seasons. 31. Derrick Moore, Edge, MichiganProjection: Round 2-3In a class full of Swiss Army knife rushers, the 6-foot-4, 255-pound Moore is the hammer, utilizing a pro-caliber bull rush to bully would-be blockers on his way to the quarterback, generating 10 sacks in 12 games for Michigan in 2025. 30. Jake Golday, ILB, CincinnatiProjection: Round 2A moveable chess piece at nearly 6-foot-5, 239 pounds, Golday is a former edge rusher whose agility and speed have allowed him to excel at off-ball linebacker. He’s raw yet fast and physical. 29. Malik Muhammad, CB, TexasProjection: Round 2The 6-0, 182-pound Muhammad might have a slight frame, but his long arms (32 3/8"), light feet and route anticipation make up for it — as does his experience playing against top competition. 28. Lee Hunter, DT, TexasProjection: Round 2Disappointing workout results might have highlighted some of Hunter’s athletic limitations, but the big man dominated in the trenches during Texas Tech’s playoff run, as well as at the Senior Bowl, winning with a stunning combination of explosive first step quickness and overwhelming brute strength. 27. Germie Bernard, WR, AlabamaProjection: Round 2Bernard isn’t the biggest or fastest receiver in this class, but he shifts gears well to create separation and possesses soft, strong hands to pluck outside his frame, offering a nuanced skill set that projects nicely to the NFL. 26. Eli Stowers, TE, VanderbiltProjection: Round 2A former quarterback who is built more like a receiver than a traditional tight end, Stowers’ tape is full of highlight reel plays and his Combine workout was one of this year’s best. He needs to get stronger, but Stowers projects as a matchup monster out of the slot and wing in the NFL, warranting top-50 consideration. 25. Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona StateProjection: Round 2Everything about the 5-foot-10, 187-pound Abney looks average except his tape — he’s among the most tenacious and competitive players in this class. 24. Connor Lew, C, AuburnProjection: Round 2A baby-faced 20-year-old who opted for the 2026 NFL Draft despite tearing his ACL in October, Lew nevertheless looks the part of a decade-long NFL starting center, offering an ideal blend of size, balance, agility and already grown-man strength. 23. Keyron Crawford, Edge, AuburnProjection: Round 2A late comer to the game who only switched from basketball to football as a senior in high school, Crawford needs to locate the ball quicker and learn to use his hands better to fend off blockers. But few in this class offer his zip and efficient change of direction off the edge. 22. Josiah Trotter, ILB, MissouriProjection: Round 2A downhill thumper with a unique frame, closing speed and NFL bloodlines, Trotter — who won’t turn 21 until April — has the look and energy of a longtime starting middle linebacker. 21. Avieon Terrell, CB, ClemsonProjection: Round 2Nickel cornerbacks have never been more in demand, and Terrell is my favorite among them in this class. The NFL legacy plays significantly above his weight class (180 pounds), averaging 50 tackles over the past two seasons and generating eight forced fumbles during that span, including an ACC-best five this past year. 20. Jacob Rodriguez, ILB, Texas TechProjection: Round 2More decorated than a wedding cake after winning the Nagurski, Bednarik and Butkus awards, Rodriguez arguably should’ve been on my original list even before a terrific showing at the Combine. But I certainly won’t make the mistake of excluding him after he erased any doubts about his pure athleticism in Indy. 19. Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, OregonProjection: Round 2A classic mauler whose square-ish 6-foot-4, 314-pound frame is seemingly all shoulders and thighs, Pregnon is one of the few true guards who projects as an immediate NFL starter. 18. Keionte Scott, DB, MiamiProjection: Round 2If he weren’t such an instinctive, passionate football player, Scott could make it as a travel guide, starring at Snow Junior College, Auburn and Miami, where he’s played safety, linebacker, nickel, cornerback and punt returner. I like him best at big nickel, where his instincts and physicality should shine brightest. 17. R Mason Thomas, Edge, OklahomaProjection: Round 2Reminiscent of another former Sooner — Broncos star Nik Bonitto — Thomas personifies the often-used scouting expression of "converting speed to power." He routinely forces would-be blockers onto their heels and off-balance with an explosive burst and then bull-rushes them through the chest on a direct route to the ballcarrier. 16. A.J. Haulcy, S, LSUProjection: Round 2Feast or famine personified, Haulcy promises to be one of the more polarizing defenders of this class as he’s decisive and a heavy hitter but also hyper aggressive and prone to missed tackles. 15. D'Angelo Ponds, CB, IndianaProjection: Round 2I’m less confident that undersized defenders such as Ponds will be among the first 50 players drafted than I am about him ultimately proving he should’ve been. At just 5-foot-9, 173 pounds, Ponds has obvious limitations, but he’s pound-for-pound the most physical and instinctive DB in this class with 33 pass breakups — including seven interceptions — in three standout seasons at the collegiate level. 14. Christen Miller, DT, GeorgiaProjection: Round 2Miller elected not to participate in the timed drills at the Combine, but he’s just too good of a player to not include on this list. I don’t see a flashy athlete, but he has prototypical size (6-foot-4, 321 pounds) for blue collar run-stuffing duties. Miller’s length, strength and grit suggest that he’ll stick around in the NFL for a decade or more. 13. Chase Bisontis, OG, Texas A&amp;MProjection: Round 2An athletic 6-foot-5, 315-pounder, Bisontis looks and moves like a tackle — he even earned freshman All-American honors at right tackle back in 2023. He played even better inside at left guard the past two years, showing the initial quickness and agility to fit best in a zone-blocking scheme. 12. Anthony Hill Jr., ILB, Texas Projection: Round 2Hill was asked to play many roles during his three years at Texas, spanning from edge rusher to inside linebacker to even nickel cornerback. That fact speaks to Hill’s football IQ. The tape shows uncommon agility for a 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker, as well reliable open-field tackling skills. 11. Zion Young, Edge, MissouriProjection: Round 1-2Among the most physical players in the entire class, Young pairs violent hands with ideal size (6-foot-6, 262 pounds) and strength to bully opponents at the line of scrimmage. He lacks the burst and bend around the corner, however, to expect much more in the NFL than the career-high 6.5 sacks he posted in 2025. 10. CJ Allen, ILB, GeorgiaProjection: Round 1-2Many of the top off-ball linebackers in this class are hybrid-types with limited experience taking on and shedding blockers in the hole. Allen isn’t flashy, but he’s as close to a Day 1 starting middle linebacker as this class has to offer. He’s smart, stout and just scratching the surface of his potential at just 20 years old. 9. Brandon Cisse, CB, South CarolinaProjection: Round 1-2Cisse has all the traits to become a quality NFL starter — including a prototypical blend of size, speed and physicality in run support. His occasional mistakes on tape seemed coachable, and with Cisse not turning 21 until July, the expectation is that he’s just scratching the surface. 8. Gabe Jacas, Edge, IllinoisProjection: Round 1-2Using a blend of physicality and instincts that translates well to the pro game, Jacas led the Big Ten with 11 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2025 before delivering a stellar performance at the Senior Bowl. Jacas may lack the twitch of some of this year’s top pass-rushers, but I see shades of a young DeMarcus Lawrence in Jacas’ game. 7. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, ToledoProjection: Round 1-2The ability to create turnovers is like catnip to football scouts, and few in this class offer a more tantalizing track record of that than the lanky, hard-hitting McNeil-Warren, who enters the NFL with nine forced fumbles and five interceptions in his career. 6. Kayden McDonald, NG, Ohio StateProjection: Round 1-2At 6-foot-3, 326 pounds, McDonald is every bit the run-plugger his frame suggests, complementing his dense, powerful frame with excellent balance and spatial awareness. He isn’t going to ever lead the NFL in sacks, but he’s no slug against the pass, either, showing effort, power and surprisingly quick feet to play all three downs. 5. T.J. Parker, Edge, ClemsonProjection: Round 1-2Like several of his former Clemson teammates, Parker was the victim of his own success, struggling to live up to expectations in 2025 after a dominant 2024 campaign that included 19.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and an FBS-leading six forced fumbles. He’s a functional, rugged edge defender whose game is built more on torque than twitch. 4. Denzel Boston, WR, WashingtonProjection: Round 1-2The whole point of playing receiver is to catch touchdowns, and with 20 TDs over the past two seasons, Boston is the most prolific scorer of this year’s top wideouts. He should be able to continue this red zone mastery in the NFL, using his 6-foot-4, 209-pound frame, timing, body control and strong hands to win above the rim. 3. Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&amp;MProjection: Round 1-2Stubby (30 1/4-inch arms) and less explosive (32.5-inch vertical jump) than expected, Howell slips down my board a bit after a disappointing Combine. But he remains one of my favorite prospects in this class because of his slipperiness off the edge and ability to drop into coverage. 2. Colton Hood, CB, TennesseeProjection: Round 1-2Hood travels as well in the hip pocket of receivers as he does in the transfer portal, bouncing from Auburn to Colorado to Tennessee over the past three years before entering the draft at just 20 years old. He is an easy mover with impressive awareness of the ball and in run support, as well as a legitimate playmaker with touchdowns scored via interception and fumble recoveries. 1. Jermod McCoy, CB, TennesseeProjection: Round 1-2McCoy’s first two college seasons (at Oregon State and Tennessee, respectively) were so impressive that he maintained a first-round grade on my board even after missing the entire 2025 season with an ACL injury. When healthy, McCoy is a smooth cover corner with terrific ball skills, breaking up 16 passes (with six interceptions) over that span.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Draft: Meet Makai Lemon, the WR the Eagles Traded For in NFL Draft]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-meet-makai-lemon-wr-eagles-traded-nfl-draft</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-meet-makai-lemon-wr-eagles-traded-nfl-draft</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports analysts give their thoughts on the draft selection of USC wide receiver Makai Lemon.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:13:05 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Not only is Makai Lemon one of the most unique prospects in the draft, but he’s also among the most productive players to come out of the Power Four. The Philadelphia Eagles selected him with the No. 20 overall pick and are getting a dynamic playmaker. Lemon is coming off a season in which he won the Biletnikoff Award and earned First-Team All-American honors at USC. With the ability to make plays from the slot or out wide, he adds immediate value to the Eagles. Here’s what else to know about Lemon. Stats Lemon had 79 receptions for 1,156 yards (14.6 yards per reception) and 11 touchdowns this past season. What FOX Sports’ draft analysts have said about Lemon FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Bucky Brooks ranked Lemon as the third wide receiver in his top 10 rankings. He also praised Lemon as a dynamic catch-and-run playmaker, highlighting his versatility and reliability as a first-down threat. "As an electric ‘Z’ receiver (flanker) with experience from the slot, Lemon is the type of catch-and-run specialist most offensive coordinators covet in the lineup," Brooks wrote. "From bubble screens and fly sweeps to shallow crossers and dig routes, the 5-foot-11, 192-pound Lemon has a knack for converting underneath throws into first downs. With sticky hands and a fearless approach complementing his spectacular route-running skills, Lemon is a first down waiting to happen." FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt ranked Lemon as his No. 9 overall in his top 50 player rankings. Not only is Lemon a talented pass catcher, but Klatt made sure to highlight his awareness and his understanding of the game. "I keep talking about value, and I don’t think you have to be the prototypical, big-bodied wide receiver in order to create a lot of value at receiver," Klatt wrote. "You get a guy who understands football like Lemon does and you can create a threat on offense. He’s got the best spatial awareness in the draft at the wide receiver position. He just understands coverage, space, getting himself, is reliable with the football and is really tough. This guy will go into traffic and he’ll catch the football over the middle of the field. He can create big plays after the catch. I really love Lemon." FOX Sports lead draft analyst Rob Rang ranked Lemon as his No. 16 overall player in his top 150 player rankings. He believes in Lemon’s RAC ability, but made quite the NFL comparison for the former Trojan. "Lemon reminds me a lot of Golden Tate, a dynamic run-after-the-catch weapon who played 11 years in the NFL," Rang wrote. "Like the 5-foot-11, 197-pound Tate, Lemon is a difficult matchup for cornerbacks because of a compact, almost RB-like frame to go with dynamic speed and top-notch ball skills." Team Fit The Eagles seem destined to trade A.J. Brown later this offseason, with the New England Patriots being rumored as a landing spot for the disgruntled wide receiver in a possible post-June 1 move. So, Lemon should naturally fit in. Draft Grade The Eagles' selection of Lemon received an A grade from Rang.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Draft: Meet Caleb Downs, the Star Safety the Cowboys Traded up to Draft]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-meet-caleb-downs-star-safety-cowboys-traded-up-draft</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-meet-caleb-downs-star-safety-cowboys-traded-up-draft</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports analysts give their thoughts on the draft selection of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 22:12:18 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Caleb Downs was one of the top defenders in the NFL Draft and is on his way to the Dallas Cowboys after they traded up for him to select him with the No. 11 overall pick. After spending his freshman season at Alabama, Downs developed into a standout performer over the past two seasons following his transfer to Ohio State. During his time in Columbus, Downs recorded 257 total tackles and six interceptions while also adding two punt return touchdowns, establishing himself as one of the sport’s most dynamic playmakers. He also won the Jim Thorpe Award and earned unanimous First-Team All-American honors in back-to-back seasons with the Buckeyes. Here’s what else to know about Downs. Stats Downs had 68 total tackles (45 solo), two interceptions, two forced fumbles and one sack at Ohio State this past season. What FOX Sports’ draft analysts have said about Downs FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt ranked Downs as his No. 4 overall prospect in his top 50 ranking. He pointed to Downs’ impact on the field as justification for the ranking, noting that his playmaking stands out even at a traditionally less-valued position and calling him the best pure defender in the draft. "Downs likely isn’t going to get selected in the top five, even though he should based on his impact on the field," Klatt wrote. "I don’t think there’s a better pure defender in the draft. Downs is outstanding. Would the NFL decision-makers love to see him be a little bigger? Yeah, probably. But look at the tape and watch him impact the game in every single area: coverage, blitzing, at the line of scrimmage and deep down the field. He does it all. One of the things that I loved about Downs was our conversations. He was as smart as anybody that I’ve covered in college football. Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia would back that up. Someone is going to get a steal and this is a guy who I absolutely think will be an All-Pro at some point in his career." FOX Sports lead draft analyst Rob Rang ranked Downs as his top overall player in his top 150 ranking and believes he has the highest floor of any prospect in this year’s class. "Sometimes scouting is easy. Whether at Alabama or Ohio State, Downs’ instincts, closing speed and reliable open-field tackling consistently shined, forecasting for years that his pathway to the NFL would come as a first-round pick," Rang wrote. "Downs won’t be the first player selected this year — safeties just aren’t valuable enough. But make no mistake, Downs comes with the highest floor, projecting as an immediate starter and foundational piece for one fortunate franchise." Team Fit Downs joins a Cowboys defense that was among the worst in the NFL last season. Their secondary was a large reason for that, giving up 251.5 passing yards per game. Draft Grade Rang gave the Cowboys' selection of Downs an A.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Draft: Meet Mansoor Delane, the CB the Chiefs Traded Up to Take at No. 6]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-meet-mansoor-delane-cb-chiefs-traded-up-take-no-6</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-meet-mansoor-delane-cb-chiefs-traded-up-take-no-6</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports analysts give their thoughts on the draft selection of LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 21:48:47 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[One of college football’s best cornerbacks is heading to the Kansas City Chiefs after being selected with the No. 6 overall pick. Mansoor Delane only played one season with LSU after transferring from Virginia Tech, but he made it count. He’s coming off a strong season in which he was named a unanimous All-American and First-Team All-SEC, while also being a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. He brings a physical, versatile presence, able to lock down receivers in man coverage and make plays on the ball. Here’s what else to know about Delane. Stats Delane had 45 tackles (28 solo), two interceptions and 11 pass deflections at LSU this past season. What FOX Sports’ draft analysts have said about Delane FOX lead draft analyst Rob Rang ranked Delane as his No. 10 overall prospect in his top 150 ranking. It’s not just the skill set he brings to the league that stood out, but the do-it-all ability that he showed with the Tigers last season. "Cornerback may just be the strongest positional group of this draft, and Delane tops it by a wide margin for me," Rang wrote. "He is a terrific man-to-man cover corner, showing easy change of direction and smooth acceleration to shadow receivers all over the field. He didn’t allow a single touchdown pass in 2025." FOX lead college football analyst Joel Klatt ranked Delane as his No. 10 overall prospect in his top 50 ranking. It’s not just the skill set he brings to the league that stood out, but it’s his physicality and smoothness that his game brings. "Delane is my top corner in the draft," Klatt wrote. "He’s an All-American out of LSU. He’s also a do-it-all corner. What I love about him is that he’s not afraid to be physical — both in the pass game, and he’ll come up and be a great tackler. I think every great corner needs to be willing to step in there and get physical along the edge. He absolutely has that. He’s also very smooth in coverage. Delane is almost certainly going to get selected in the top 10." Team Fit The Chiefs were in desperate need of secondary help after trading cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams and losing cornerback Jaylen Watson in free agency. Now, Delane has the potential to be the Chiefs' top cornerback for years to come. Draft Grade Rang gave the Chiefs' selection of Delane an A.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Draft: Meet Carnell Tate, the WR the Titans Selected at No. 4]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-meet-carnell-tate-wr-titans-selected-no-4</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-meet-carnell-tate-wr-titans-selected-no-4</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports analysts give their thoughts on the draft selection of Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:52:59 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Carnell Tate might not have the statistical résumé that many would expect as a high draft selection, but his tape speaks for itself. He is heading to the Tennessee Titans at No. 4 after putting together two strong seasons in Columbus. He played a key role in the Buckeyes’ 2024 national championship run and earned First-Team All-Big Ten and First-Team Academic All-American honors this past season. Along with those accolades, Tate was named the Vertical Threat of the Year award winner after leading the country with six receiving touchdowns on passes of 30 or more air yards. That type of downfield explosiveness is an element the (BLANK) could certainly use. Here’s what else to know about Tate. Stats Tate had 51 receptions for 875 yards (17.2 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns. What FOX Sports’ draft analysts have said about Tate FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Bucky Brooks ranked Tate as the No. 2 wide receiver in his top 10 ranking. He also made a strong comparison, likening the Ohio State star to a future NFL Hall of Famer. "The acrobatic pass-catcher blossomed into a hybrid WR1/WR2 candidate during his tenure with the Buckeyes," Brooks wrote. "As the complementary playmaker opposite a future first-round pick, Tate punished opponents who attempted to double-team Jeremiah Smith. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Tate averaged 17.2 yards per catch and scored nine touchdowns in 2025, exhibiting big-play potential as a vertical threat and chain-mover capabilities as an underneath receiver in the mold of Davante Adams." FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt ranked Tate as his No. 7 overall in his top 50 player ranking. He also believes the trend of Ohio State wide receiver success in the league will continue with Tate. "Outstanding downfield threat," Klatt wrote. "You talk about contested catch situations; this guy is terrific. He got overshadowed because of the absolute beast on the other side of the field in Jeremiah Smith. But Tate is outstanding and he’s a technician, which is what you would expect from Ohio State. He’s a smooth route runner, 6-2 and 195 pounds. He’s got good speed and quickness. Because he comes out of that tree, you know he will produce. Every single one of these Ohio State receivers goes into the league and they’re ready-made to produce right away. Tate is one of them. FOX Sports lead draft analyst Rob Rang ranked Tate as his No. 11 overall in his top 150 player rankings. He made sure to highlight Tate’s overall game and how he can win in a multitude of different ways against defenders. "Receiver is one of the better positional groups of this year’s draft class, and Tate tops it because of his ability to win in multiple ways," Rang wrote. "The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder has excellent body control, hand-eye coordination and grit to pull in contested passes, and he’s surprisingly slippery as a route-runner with excellent tracking skills." Team Fit Tate joins a relatively young offense in Tennessee as the Titans hope to pair him with quarterback Cam Ward for years to come. While the Titans have veterans at wide receiver like Calvin Ridley and Wan'dale Robinson, Tate stands a chance to become Ward's No. 1 wide receiver immediately as Brian Daboll takes over as offensive coordinator. Draft Grade Rang gave the Titans' selection of Tate a grade of B+.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Draft: Meet Jeremiyah Love, the RB the Cardinals Took at No. 3 Overall]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-meet-jeremiyah-love-rb-cardinals-took-no-3-overall</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-meet-jeremiyah-love-rb-cardinals-took-no-3-overall</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[FOX Sports analysts give their thoughts on the Cardinals' draft selection of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:37:22 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Jermiyah Love was one of the top prospects in the NFL Draft and was widely viewed as a player near the top of many teams’ boards. But he also made history on Thursday night, becoming the first running back since 2018 to be a top-five pick when the Arizona Cardinals took him with the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Love was coming off a strong junior season at Notre Dame, where he set the program’s total touchdown record with 21, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis. Along with that production, Love earned unanimous All-American honors and won the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation’s top running back. Here’s what else to know about Love. Stats Love had 199 carries for 1,372 yards (6.9 yards per carry) and 18 rushing touchdowns this past season. He also had 27 receptions for 280 yards and three receiving touchdowns. What FOX Sports’ draft analysts have said about Love FOX Sports lead draft analyst Rob Rang ranked Love as his No. 3 overall prospect in his top 150 ranking. He highlighted Love’s all-around versatility, pointing to his ability to impact the game as a runner and three-down back who can elevate an entire offense. "With all due respect to Heisman Trophy winner and likely No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza, Love is the best offensive prospect in this class — and frankly, I don’t think it's particularly close," Rang wrote. "Love isn’t just the best back in this class; he’s among a select handful of the elite runners to enter the NFL since I began scouting a quarter-century ago, offering a blend of size, quick feet and breakaway speed reminiscent of recent blue-chip backs Saquon Barkley and Bijan Robinson." FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt ranked Love as his No. 2 overall player in his top 50 ranking. Not only is Love a special talent, but he believes he can be a true three-down back at the next level and make any offense better. "I just can’t get this guy out of my head. Love is so good," Klatt wrote. "When we think about these offenses that are excelling in the NFL, a lot of them have a running back that can do a lot of things. Here’s the thing that I love about Love: He can run between the tackles to hit a home run, he can beat you on the outside to hit a home run, he can catch it to hit a home run and he can get physical yards. He does it all. He can be on the field for all three downs. This is the type of guy that can make your offense better." Team Fit Love joins a Cardinals team that desperately needs help offensively. Arizona ranked 31st in rushing yards per game last season, with veteran running back James Conner missing most of the season due to injury. He joins first-year head coach Mike LaFleur, who was hired after a stint as the Los Angeles Rams' offensive coordinator. Draft Grade Rang gave the Cardinals' selection of Love a B+.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Raiders Get Their Guy: Las Vegas Drafts Fernando Mendoza with No. 1 Pick]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/raiders-get-guy-las-vegas-drafts-fernando-mendoza-no-1-pick</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/raiders-get-guy-las-vegas-drafts-fernando-mendoza-no-1-pick</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Raiders have their franchise quarterback, selecting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:12:48 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Following his National Championship and Heisman Trophy-winning season, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has added another accolade to his name: No. 1 overall draft pick. After months of speculation, the Las Vegas Raiders have selected Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mendoza became Indiana's first overall pick since running back Corbett "Corby" Davis in 1938, as well as the Big Ten's first overall quarterback since Illinois' Jeff George in 1990. Mendoza joins a Raiders team with plenty of young talent. His decorated résumé is bound to make him the Raiders' franchise quarterback, as he has the likes of tight end Brock Bowers, running back Ashton Jeanty and an offensive-minded head coach in Klint Kubiak. FOX Sports' Joel Klatt offered insight into what makes Mendoza a compelling quarterback in his draft class, and why he ultimately went No. 1 overall. "This has to do with his play and the value of his position. Mendoza’s 6-5 and 225 pounds, so he checks that box. Did he play great in crunch time? Yes. It’s not enough for a quarterback to be good on base downs. You better be locked up and play great when your best is needed. That’s exactly what Fernando Mendoza did in every single big moment last season, and almost all of them were away from him," Klatt wrote in his Top 50 NFL Prospects. Mendoza finished the season with 3,553 passing yards, 48 total touchdowns, six interceptions and a 90.3 quarterback rating, which led all quarterbacks from last season. Mendoza is also decorated with awards, including a national title win, Heisman Trophy award win, Davey O'Brien award, Walter Camp award and AP Player of the Year. He also guided the Hoosiers to their first undefeated season in program history, highlighted by several clutch performances. None was bigger than the 27–24 win over Penn State, where he hit Omar Cooper Jr. for the game‑winner with 41 seconds left to move Indiana to 10–0. And in the National Championship against Miami, his fourth‑down, 13‑yard touchdown run became the play that sealed his legacy. For our Rob Rang, who listed Mendoza as his fourth overall NFL Draft prospect, emphasized he may not be the most dual-threat player on paper, but he's still the tried and true best quarterback in his class. "Mendoza doesn’t possess the strongest arm of this class, nor is he the most dynamic running threat. He is, however, the consensus top quarterback, offering an exceptional blend of anticipation, accuracy and poise to project as a longtime, high-level NFL starter," Rang wrote in his Top 150 NFL Prospects. Following a 3-14 record, the Raiders are in desperate need of fresh players to get back in the win column. With nine total picks following No. 1, Las Vegas will look to add another receiving option next to Bowers and more strength on the defense, especially on the interior and in the secondary. The Raiders have picks 36, 67, 102, 117, 134, 175, 185, 209 and 219.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Joel Klatt Compares Ohio State Star Caleb Downs to Hall of Famer Ed Reed]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/joel-klatt-compares-caleb-downs-hall-famer-ed-reed</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/joel-klatt-compares-caleb-downs-hall-famer-ed-reed</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[On "The Herd," FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt compared Caleb Downs to Hall of Famer Ed Reed based on instincts, intelligence and preparation.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:03:16 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Ohio State is expected to dominate the first round of the NFL Draft, but safety Caleb Downs could prove to be the biggest wildcard of all. The safety position is often one of the most difficult to evaluate and value on draft night, much like running back on the offensive side. If anyone understands the kind of talent Downs can bring to the next level, it’s FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt. He joined "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" on Thursday afternoon to preview the draft and believes Downs could be one of the safest picks in the class. Klatt was even more bullish on his upside, comparing Downs to a Hall of Fame safety. "One of the comps that I like, but people shy away from, is Ed Reed," Klatt said. "The reason is because it’s one thing to be smart, do your job on the field and then kill it on the whiteboard and really understand football. It’s another thing to allow those instincts, intelligence and preparation to show up on the field." Downs is viewed as a player with tremendous upside, especially given his experience in three different defensive schemes throughout his time in college. He began his true freshman year at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State in 2024, where he won a national championship. "They revamped the entire defense specifically for Caleb to put him in the middle of the field and allow his instincts to be more impactful," Klatt said. "This guy with this amount of instincts and this IQ has played in three different defenses in three years and is still the smartest player on the field." Klatt said what separates Downs from other prospects in the class is his ability to adapt quickly and still dominate at every stop. "This guy had 100 tackles at Alabama for Nick Saban and goes to Ohio State and immediately became the best defender on the field for a national championship team," Klatt said. "They built the entire schematics around him." Downs is coming off a strong junior season with the Buckeyes, recording 68 total tackles, 45 of them solo, along with two interceptions. He also forced two fumbles and added a sack, showcasing his versatility all over the field. His production and range only reinforced his reputation as one of the most instinctive defensive backs in the country, consistently impacting games in multiple phases. "He can line up anywhere but then play any position from any part of the field, very similar to Reed," Klatt said. "That’s something that Caleb can do and that disguise aspect of his game, I think, is highly valuable." For NFL teams looking for a modern defensive chess piece, Downs may be as close to a sure thing as this draft class offers.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Draft No. 1 Pick Odds: Fernando Mendoza Clear Favorite; Simpson Moves]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-no-1-pick-odds</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-no-1-pick-odds</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Fernando Mendoza will likely be the first player selected in the NFL Draft, but could another QB have a chance to be the No. 1 pick? Here are the latest odds.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:46:18 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is currently the clear favorite to be selected No. 1 in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, it's not over until the commissioner calls the first name, and the Las Vegas Raiders are on the clock. Let's check out the latest lines for the next No. 1 pick at DraftKings Sportsbook as of April 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. 2026 NFL Draft No. 1 pick odds Fernando Mendoza (Indiana): -20000 (bet $10 to win $10.05 total)Ty Simpson (Alabama): +12000 (bet $10 to win $1,210 total)Arvell Reese (Ohio State): +13000 (bet $10 to win $1,310 total)David Bailey (Texas Tech): +14000 (bet $10 to win $1,410 total)Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame): +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State): +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Rueben Bain, Jr (Miami): +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total) 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. Here's what to know about the No. 1 pick oddsboard: The Favorite: Currently, the heavy favorite in this spot is Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, who moved all the way to -20000 from -8000 since the end of the college football season. In 2025, Mendoza had a dazzling year for the Hoosiers. Including the postseason, he passed for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns. The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner also helped lead the Hoosiers to a perfect season that culminated in a national championship. "The Raiders need a quarterback and Mendoza is the best one in this draft," FOX Sports Betting Analyst Geoff Schwartz wrote about Mendoza getting drafted first. "This is a no-brainer draft pick and no need to discuss the reasoning. Mendoza will be a Raider." Case for Simpson: Three days ago, Alabama QB Ty Simpson was fourth on this list. While his odds are a lengthy +12000 to be the No. 1 draft pick, it is worth noting that he's moved into second over the last several days. According to most analysts, though, Simpson's best chances to come off the board will come a little later in the first round. "I wouldn’t draft Ty Simpson in the first round, but I’m not the Jets," FOX Sports Betting Analyst Geoff Schwartz wrote about the Tide QB going 16th. "The long history of NFL failure for players who started only one year in college would concern me. But it appears the Jets seem unbothered by this. They get their franchise quarterback here."]]>
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					<![CDATA[4 'Sure Thing' Players? O-Line Run? Jay Glazer Gives Latest 2026 NFL Draft Buzz]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/jay-glazer-2026-nfl-draft-buzz</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/jay-glazer-2026-nfl-draft-buzz</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Which players are viewed as "sure thing" NFL stars? Which position could there be a run at? Jay Glazer provided new 2026 NFL Draft notes.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:27:42 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[As Newman explained to Jerry, George and Kramer in "Seinfeld," "the mail never stops!" And in the lead-up to the NFL Draft, the noise never stops. With that, FOX Sports NFL Insider Jay Glazer provided more insight on the 2026 NFL Draft on Wednesday night. Four "sure thing" NFL stars Glazer posted to X that the consensus among NFL teams is that there are four "sure thing" perennial Pro Bowlers in this year's draft: Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs and Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Vega Ioane. Mendoza — who, barring a draft night shock, will be selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 1 pick — won the 2025 Heisman Trophy en route to helping Indiana win its first national championship in program history. Across 16 games, Mendoza, who spent the previous three seasons with the California Golden Bears from 2022-24, totaled 3,535 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 182.9 passer rating, while completing 72.0% of his passes. He also rushed for 276 yards and seven touchdowns. [2026 NFL Draft: QB Carson Beck Headlines 'Plant the Flag' Prospects] Love finished third in 2025 Heisman Trophy Award voting after rushing for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 6.9 yards per carry. From 2024-25, Love rushed for 1,248.5 yards and 17.5 touchdowns per season on 6.9 yards per carry, while racking up 258.5 receiving yards per year for the Fighting Irish. Downs, who played his 2023 freshman season for the Alabama Crimson Tide, earned All-American honors in each of his two seasons at Ohio State (2024-25). Over his three combined seasons on the collegiate scene, Downs averaged two interceptions, 5.3 tackles for loss and 85.7 combined tackles per year. Downs led the SEC with 70 solo tackles in 2023, was part of Ohio State's 2024 championship triumph and was named the 2025 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Ioane, a 2025 All-American, was a primary starter at Penn State from 2024-25 and made five starts in 2023. The interior lineman made a combined 27 starts at left guard over his last two seasons with the Nittany Lions, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors in both years. Run on O-Lineman? Glazer posted to X that there's "going to be a run" on offensive linemen in the first round of the draft, with potentially eight of them being selected on the opening night. The earlier mentioned Ioane, Miami Hurricanes tackle Francis Mauioga, Georgia Bulldogs tackle Monroe Freeling, Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor and Utah Utes tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu are among the prime candidates to be selected in the first round. The 2026 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Draft: QB Carson Beck Headlines 'Plant the Flag' Prospects]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-qb-carson-beck-leads-plant-flag-prospects</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-qb-carson-beck-leads-plant-flag-prospects</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[These seven players might lack prototypical size or elite traits, but scouts should plant the flag for them in NFL draft rooms.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:06:14 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Throughout the pre-draft process, scouts will identify a handful of prospects they believe will succeed despite their circumstances. These players might lack prototypical size or elite traits, but their passion, performance and production as collegians will prompt talent evaluators to make a compelling case for them in the draft room. In fact, the scouts' belief in the potential of these prospects should encourage them to "plant the flag" when asked to defend their opinions. With that in mind, here are seven prospects in the 2026 class who I believe will outplay their draft status. Carson Beck, QB, Miami As an experienced quarterback with prototypical physical tools and a winning pedigree, Beck should appeal to coaches looking for a high-end game manager for the QB1/QB2 role. The 6-foot-4, 233-pounder logged 43 starts in six college seasons, displaying pinpoint accuracy and touch as a rhythm passer from the pocket. Although his critical turnovers in a few marquee games have shifted the narrative, naysayers are undervaluing his toughness and competitiveness as the unquestioned leader of two championship-caliber teams. Beck routinely delivered in big moments for Miami and Georgia, and those "winning" plays should translate into solid late-game play as a pro. With a polished game that has been honed in pro-style offensive schemes, particularly his ability to operate from under center and execute various play fakes, Beck is prepped and ready to make his mark at the next level. Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska After rumbling for 1,400-plus yards and 12 touchdowns during his final season at Nebraska, Johnson appeared to be in line to secure the No. 2 spot on the running back list. However, a disappointing 40-yard dash (4.56) at the NFL Combine has seemingly overshadowed his performance and production as a workhorse runner. Despite Johnson showing outstanding burst, balance and body control with the ball in his hands, skeptics have tagged him as a "one-year wonder" due to his spectacular jump in production in 2025. Although astute evaluators will focus on Johnson’s skills as a dynamic runner and receiver who torched the Big Ten as a unique offensive weapon, the majority of the football world has allowed the naysayers to dominate the pre-draft discussion. After taking another look at his film, Johnson could have the scouting community buzzing about his skills when we look back at the 2026 class in a few years. Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame If the NFL Draft had been held shortly after the Senior Bowl, Fields might have been selected as a top 20 pick based on the buzz in scouting circles. The 6-foot-4, 218-pound pass-catcher dominated competition throughout the week, exhibiting exceptional ball skills and hand-eye coordination, snatching jump balls away from overmatched defensive backs on the perimeter. The contested catch dominance combined with his smooth route-running skills as an "X" receiver made it easy to envision him playing a major role as a WR2 on any team. While his speed (4.61 40-yard dash) has led to concerns over his separation ability, his superior size, physicality and toughness will give him a chance to win any matchup. Given the importance of those traits near the red zone and on third down or critical moments, Fields could carve out a successful role as a starter or specialist in the league. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson The draft process is very much like a beauty pageant, with scouts frequently opting for the bigger, faster and stronger prospects over talented technicians. Miller might be the best of both worlds as a workout warrior with a polished overall game due to his extensive experience as a 54-game starter at Clemson. Measuring 6-foot-6, 317 pounds with 34¼-inch arms and elite athletic traits (5.04-second 40-yard dash time, 32.5-inch vertical jump and 9-feet-5-inch broad jump at the combine), Miller possesses the length and agility to shadowbox defenders on the edges. Additionally, he displays outstanding footwork, balance and body control, executing "skip pulls" on running plays to climb to defenders on the second level. With few blockers matching his flawless footwork and hand-to-hand combat skills, Miller could emerge as the standout among his peers when we check back in on the 2026 class down the road. Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&amp;M The speed-rushing specialist flashes a dizzying array of pass-rush moves that will give opposing offensive tackles nightmares prior to their matchups. Howell’s combination of speed, quickness and burst, combined with balance and body control around the corner, will give most offensive tackles problems in long yardage situations. With the 6-foot-2, 253-pounder also displaying a high-revving motor and relentless approach, it is hard to imagine the Texas A&amp;M and Bowling Green standout failing to make an impact as a designated pass rusher. Although his short arms (30¼ inches) and one-dimensional game (pass-rushing specialist) could limit his chances of emerging as a full-time starter early in his career, Howell’s skills and consistent production (27 career sacks and 35.5 tackles for loss over four seasons) typically lead to long-term success as a pro. Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh There is always a place in the league for high-effort players with an "alpha dawg" mentality and an ultra-physical style of play. Louis will make his mark in the league as a special teams standout and hybrid linebacker/safety for a team willing to put the 5-foot-11, 220-pounder on the field in a playmaking role. Louis has a knack for making plays on the ball and flashes impressive instincts, awareness and diagnostic skills as a second-level defender. He quickly attacks runners and receivers in his area, exhibiting impressive anticipation and timing while tracking the ball. Given how his speed and physicality routinely produce "splash" plays (10 career sacks, 25.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions and two forced fumbles), the Pittsburgh product will find a way to earn a pivotal role. Keionte Scott, S, Miami As more teams look for "Star" defenders (slot cornerbacks/nickel safeties) to feature in sub-packages, versatile defensive backs with "hit, run and cover" skills are coveted at a premium. As an experienced player (sixth-year senior) with outstanding instincts and awareness, Scott thrives as a box-area defender with blitz and coverage duties. Measuring 5-foot-11, 193 pounds with 4.33 speed (Miami Pro Day), Scott possesses the speed and quickness to match up with slot receivers in coverage. He also flashes the skill and awareness as a pass rusher to create chaos in the backfield. Whether harassing quarterbacks or blowing up perimeter runs and screens, Scott’s aggressiveness near the line of scrimmage will make him a valuable asset as a slot defender in a creative defensive scheme. With more teams employing three-safety schemes and "dime" defenses with six-plus defensive backs on the field, the super senior could carve out a long career as a designated playmaker.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Draft Odds: Back Big Ten to Have Even Bigger Round 1]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-odds-big-ten-players-david-bailey-first-round</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-draft-odds-big-ten-players-david-bailey-first-round</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Find out why Geoff Schwartz is backing the Big Ten to have more than a handful players hear their names called on Thursday.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:49:27 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[If you’re looking for NFL Draft wagers 24 hours before the first round, I've got some harsh realities for you: The pickings are slim. Numbers have moved. The juice for these wagers can be out of control. But don’t worry. I still have a few wagers that are playable today. 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. David Bailey second pick in the draft Flip-flop. Flip-flop. Flip-flop. That is how the odds for the second pick of this draft have moved over the last 48 hours. Ohio State’s Arvell Reese was nearly -300 to be the second pick of the draft earlier this week. Then, Bailey steamed ahead of him and became the favorite. Now it’s back to Reese as I'm writing this, so targeting Bailey is worth a wager, with the number still playable. I have a draft guy who’s been spot-on over the years, including nailing Travon Walker as the first pick in the draft back in 2022. He told me a month ago he thinks the Jets are taking Bailey with this pick. I have wagered on that outcome. You’re welcome to tail me or mumble under your breath that I’m a dummy and don’t know anything. Schematically, drafting Bailey second makes sense. The Jets need immediate pass rush help and Bailey is an edge defender. Reese is a fantastic football player, but he’s a hybrid player for now. Do the Jets want someone who needs to grow into the position over a pass rusher who’s more traditional and ready now? That is why I like Bailey to go second overall. PICK: David Bailey second pick in the NFL Draft Over 11.5 Big Ten players drafted in first round The Big Ten has at least 10 players going in the first round — four from Ohio State, two from Oregon, two from Indiana and one player from USC, Washington and Penn State. I'm no math major, but that’s 11 Big Ten players that have good odds of being called up to the stage on Thursday. The question becomes who'll be the 12th of the bunch. Will it be D’Angelo Ponds or Kayden McDonald? Maybe Gabe Jacus is a surprise first-round pick? I just need one of them to win the wager. Out of everything available now, this is playable. PICK: Over 11.5 Big Ten players drafted in first round (+144)]]>
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