The Tigers’ classic in Baton Rouge has only heated up on the eve of the Week 1 showdown between LSU and Clemson. Kiffin can thank his school’s interest in and landing of former NFL players for that, as Swinney didn’t mince words on the subject and even had a pointed dig for the former Ole Miss head coach.

“It’s kind of embarrassing, Honestly, it’s embarrassing that’s where we are. I don’t blame the kids, but people trying to take advantage of the system. It’s embarrassing but we’ve been there for a while. No pun intended but we’re just going to stay in our lane,” Swinney said about NFL players being back as school athletes, via ESPN’s David Hale, while making a play on Kiffin’s first name.

Sarkisian calls Kiffin, LSU’s strategy ‘morally wrong’

Swinney didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts on what Kiffin and the Tigers from Louisiana State have been up to ahead of the 2026 NCAA football campaign. Neither did Steve Sarkisian, whose Longhorns—like Swinney’s Tigers—will have to take on the LSU Tigers on the road this year.

Going into one of the toughest environments in the country, Texas knows it will have its hands full against LSU, which could also happen to start players who were on NFL rosters not too long ago. Asked about the controversy and whether the SEC made the right decision by announcing a rule banning former NFL players from playing college football, Sarkisian made a clear admission.

“These players on all of the rosters, not just ours, have been working for nine months for this moment. The fact that somebody out there is going to take a player off of an NFL roster and tell somebody who’s been doing it for nine months go kick rocks, that doesn’t sit well with me. I think that’s wrong, that’s morally wrong,” Sarkisian stated during a press conference ahead of Texas’ season opener. “So I think our presidents, athletic directors, and chancellors got it right. We will support it and fall in line.”

Why Texas’ NFL player Cole Hutson is different?

Sarkisian and the Longhorns also benefited from a courthouse ruling granting players an extra year of eligibility. Cole Hutson is returning to Texas for his fifth year of college football after going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. Hutson attended the Cleveland Browns’ and Dallas Cowboys’ minicamps before returning to his alma mater in Austin.

The main differences between his case and that of Dae’Quan Wright, to name one of LSU’s former pro players, are that Hutson didn’t participate in an NFL training camp, didn’t sign an NFL contract, nor did he play in a preseason game. He’s also returning to his school of origin rather than transferring within the conference.

Wright checks all of those boxes, which makes his transfer to LSU from the NFL and Ole Miss one of the more controversial and candid topics in college football. And mixed in the middle of it all is none other than Kiffin.

Kiffin in the eye of the storm

Sarkisian didn’t even have to name Kiffin or LSU, yet everybody knew who he was talking about. Lane Kiffin has truly embraced the villain role ahead of the 2026 NCAA season, starting last season when he left the University of Mississippi ahead of the College Football Playoffs for a head-coaching job at Louisiana State University.

Many thought that was the peak of his public enemy No. 1 status in college sports, but Kiffin hasn’t lowered the bar one bit. Being the main bidder for NFL players returning to college was the last straw, however. Kiffin recently admitted that although he’s had his doubts about going down this path, he has no regrets because his team is behind him.

“I met with the leadership committee of our players and I asked them ‘what do you want to do?’ Every one of them was emphatic that if they can help us win, bring them. This is how the real world works,” Kiffin said per FOX’s Trey Wallace. “That made me feel a little better in the struggle and being torn back and forth.”

Why SEC may not be able to stop LSU

Although the Southeastern Conference announced a rule banning former NFL players from playing college football, the rule may prove futile against a state court’s latest ruling. A Louisiana state judge signed a temporary restraining order preventing the SEC from enforcing the new rule, which promises hefty sanctions and bans for players who previously signed professional contracts in the NFL, NBA or WNBA.

It’s become a trend in college football. The NCAA and conferences say one thing, a state court rules another, and they engage in a dramatic bottleneck, with the careers of young athletes at stake. That’s the case for Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, who have committed to LSU after short stints in the NFL.

The players state that they only declared for the NFL Draft due to unclear rules at the time and would have stayed in college had they been guaranteed the chance to play in the 2026 season. That was only possible after a state court granted them, and many other players, an extra year of eligibility. Virtually no one blames the athletes, but it’s clear there aren’t many fans of LSU’s decision to go after Kiffin’s former players at Ole Miss, either.

“Anthony would play for us right now,” the head coach told reporters. “All the quarterbacks have done a nice job. Anthony, I think the biggest thing is he’s very competitive, very fiery. He expects to win every play. He does a nice job disciplining himself to also take what’s there and makes nice checks in the run/pass game, can throw the ball deep.“

Rhule highlighted an important aspect of Colandrea: “I think the biggest thing is he extends a ton of plays with his legs, which takes a lot of pressure off of the offensive line, the backs in protection and puts a lot of pressure on the defense.”

Only a few days remain until this team’s big debut. It will take place on September 5 at Memorial Stadium against the Ohio Bobcats.

A tough QB battle in Nebraska

Dylan Raiola’s departure to the Oregon Ducks left the starting quarterback position vacant at Nebraska, with three candidates initially competing for the job. After a thorough evaluation, Rhule ultimately chose Colandrea.

The former UNLV signal-caller beat out TJ Lateef, as well as Daniel Kaelin, who returned from Virginia. Now, both players will have to focus on earning a spot as the team’s primary backup.

Nebraska begins its journey in the 2026 season

In 2025, the Cornhuskers finished with a 7-6 record (4-5 in the Big Ten Conference), ending their season with a loss to the Utah Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl. Rhule, eager for redemption, will look to get the 2026 campaign off to a strong start from Week 1.

• Week 1, vs Ohio – September 5
• Week 2, vs Bowling Green – September 12
• Week 3, vs North Dakota – September 19
• Week 4, at Michigan State – September 26
• Week 5, vs Maryland – October 3

With roster cuts coming up and a new season rapidly approaching, the University of Mississippi alumnus is opting to return to school for one more year rather than compete for a place on the Browns’ roster.

As reported by CBS Sports, Wright is entering the NCAA transfer portal ahead of the 2026 college football season. As it stands, he is still employed by the Browns and remains an NFL player.

Regardless, Wright could very well return to college, which would mark the first time a professional player has ever returned to play at the collegiate level. Shocking, head-scratching, and unimaginable, this is where college sports stand in 2026. He may not be the last, though.

Historic change in NFL-college football

According to ESPN, Wright was one of 16 NFL players who filed a lawsuit to the NCAA seeking a fifth year of eligibility in college football. After much speculation, a court in Louisiana granted the plaintiff a fifth and last year of college eligibility. Thus, Wright opted to enter the transfer portal, and may soon be followed by others.

Players who could be headed back to college

In addition to Wright, the former Ole Miss standout and current Browns player, many more names in NFL training camps could be eyeing a return to the NCAA. Running back T.J. Harden of the Seattle Seahawks, an SMU alumnus, and EDGE Jack Pyburn of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a former LSU Tiger, were among the players that filed the lawsuit. Thus, they might enter the portal, too.

Although NCAA rules and a Colorado judge’s ruling state that the extra year of eligibility isn’t granted to players who sign NFL deals, the temporary restraining order issued in the Bayou State could change everything and pave the way for Wright and others to return to college football.

“Texas star left tackle Trevor Goosby had an MRI on his left knee this morning, and he’s been diagnosed with a bone bruise. His timetable for return will come together in near future,” college football insider Pete Thamel reported on X.

Although Goosby is expected to be sidelined and may miss a game, the hope remains he can be back for Sept. 12, when the Longhorns host the Ohio State Buckeyes at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas is well aware of just how crucial Goosby’s role is, and how his absence could affect Manning in the worst way.

Why Goosby is crucial to Manning’s performance

Not only is Goosby the best offensive lineman on campus, but he’s tasked with protecting Manning week in and week out. Playing left tackle and with Manning being right-handed, Goosby is in charge of the signal-caller’s blindside, which is where quarterbacks face the biggest threat from the pass rush.

It takes time to build that trust between a quarterback and his left tackle, allowing the passer to relax in the pocket knowing the offensive line has his back, especially on the side where he has his back turned.

With Goosby, it remains to be seen how long he will be out, with No. 5 Texas hoping he can be back for Week 2’s massive matchup against No. 1 Ohio State. If he misses more time, then his backup will have to step up to the role and protect Manning’s blindside.

Potential replacement for Goosby

If Goosby is unable to suit up for Week 1’s opener against the Texas State Bobcats in Austin, reports suggest Melvin Siani will get the nod at left tackle. Like Goosby, Siani is a redshirt junior who knows his way around college football.

However, Goosby has spent his entire college career with the University of Texas at Austin, whereas Siani is a Wake Forest transfer who previously spent two years at Temple.

“I promise it’s close. I vow to you it’s close,” Josh Pate stated on the Josh Pate’s College Football Show. “I would say the highest-profile quarterback battle in the country right now [is] happening at Alabama. It’s very much up in the air. There are shades of gray here. There is no definitive one way or the other.”

Maybe not to this extent, but an evenly matched quarterback battle was to be expected in Tuscaloosa. DeBoer and the Crimson Tide knew that ever since Ty Simpson declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. According to reports, Mack and Russell are neck and neck, and even DeBoer admitted he is far from reaching a definite answer.

DeBoer’s honest message on QB1 battle

“I don’t feel closer [to making a decision on the starting quarterback],” DeBoer said, via Sports Illustrated, after Alabama’s first fall scrimmage. “As the scrimmage went on, both [Simpson and Mack] got better. Had their moments early where they could have executed better. They could use some help from some guys once in a while. They’re not going to be perfect all the time.”

Alabama still has time before making a decision. However, the sooner DeBoer and company can figure things out, the better. After all, there’s a reason why the old idiom exists that having two quarterbacks on a team means a team has no quarterback. Alabama will start the 2026 NCAA season on Sept. 5 against the East Carolina Pirates at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Alabama schedule in 2026

Whether Russell, the second-year quarterback in Tuscaloosa, or Mack, the more experienced Washington transfer who followed DeBoer to Alabama, will start remains uncertain. However, the Tide already know whom they will face throughout the 2026 college football campaign.

With that in mind, it’s reasonable to understand why the Buckeyes have decided to change their annual celebration of graduating seniors, even if students and fans themselves don’t agree with it.

As the Buckeyes announced their home-game themes for the upcoming 2026 NCAA football campaign, something caught the attention of fans. Football’s Senior Day will be celebrated in the home opener (Sept. 5) against the Ball State Cardinals, rather than the typical home finale against Michigan. In that sense, Ohio State is shying away from tradition.

Unusual change to schedule

Instead of honoring the senior classmen on the Buckeyes’ football roster in the last regular-season home game, this time they will be honored in the home opener against an inferior opponent, and with the rest of the season still ahead. Considering Ohio State’s recent struggles against Michigan at The Horseshoe, it’s hard not to believe that had something to do with it.

The Wolverines won the last two games in Columbus and boast a favorable 29-27-2 record when playing Ohio State on the road. Maybe the Buckeyes don’t want their despised rivals from Ann Arbor to ruin what’s supposed to be a celebratory day—once again. Losing “The Game” stings badly enough; doing so at home only hurts more, and tarnishing the seniors’ final home game may be too much to bear.

Throughout the years, Senior Day has been held during “The Game” regardless, but it seems the Buckeyes want to break the trend and will go to any length to do so. Fans, however, disapprove. “Quit messing with traditions. Senior Day belongs on Nov. 28th! Something special about it on The Game,” a Buckeyes fan said in response to the team’s post. “Senior Day Week 1 is a terrible idea,” another user chimed in.

Ohio State’s home-schedule and game themes

Ohio State will host seven regular season games at The Shoe, starting off with Senior Day against Ball State in the first weekend of September and wrapping it up against Michigan in “The Game” on Nov. 28th.

While Ohio State steered away from tradition with their changes to Senior Day and “The Game”, they still didn’t name Michigan. Instead, that remained the same, with the Buckeyes referring to the Ann-Arbor school as That Team Up North (TTUN).

After Kiffin’s dramatic departure from the University of Mississippi to take over as the head coach at Louisiana State University, the Tigers have been under the national spotlight. That means they have a lot to prove, and so does Arizona State transfer Leavitt. Although he could have made excuses just in case things don’t pan out, LSU‘s starting quarterback delivered a bold update on his health.

“I’m 100% right now, and I’ve been 100% for the past few months,” Leavitt admitted during a press conference on Monday. “I really don’t think about [the injury when I’m] out on the field. My health is one thing that I take very seriously. So, it was really never a question for me. So, yeah, I’m ready to go.”

Leavitt’s injury

Leavitt suffered a Lisfranc injury to his right foot in October 2025, which led to season-ending surgery. That was all she wrote for his time with the Sun Devils, as he would go on to enter the transfer portal and commit to Kiffin and the Tigers.

During the spring, Leavitt underwent a second procedure to remove the pins from his foot. As Leavitt noted during his media availability, he has no more “hardware” in his right foot and faces no setbacks or hurdles in his return to action.

With him fully healthy, LSU expects Leavitt to start in NCAA‘s Week 1, when the Fighting Tigers take on the Tigers from Clemson at Death Valley—the one in Baton Rouge—in a true battle of namesakes and a competition for bragging rights.

Leavitt’s stats in college

At six-foot-two and as a four-star prospect out of West Linn High School in Oregon, Leavitt has become quite the journeyman in college football. The redshirt junior redshirted his true freshman year at Michigan State, appearing in four games, before transferring to Arizona State, where he led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 Championship.

So far in his NCAA career, Leavitt has completed 376 of 612 passes (61.4 completion percentage) for 4,652 yards and 36 touchdowns. Leavitt has also rushed for 816 yards and 10 touchdowns.

His decision-making and tendency to play hero ball still raise eyebrows, but if there’s a school that can make the most out of such a talent, it’s LSU—and Kiffin is the head coach who can help make that possible.

“We are simplifying a lot of things—which doesn’t mean [Lewis is] not capable. Just go out there and play your game, we don’t need nothing else. Just run the play. Let’s simplify everything,” Sanders said about Lewis on The CFB Scoop podcast.

“He has all the intangibles that you need to be successful. These wide receivers are trying to go pro so they’re depending on you. I’m not putting no pressure, but I want you to apply pressure.”

Lewis redshirted in 2025

In his true freshman year in college football, Lewis appeared in four games before sitting out the 2025 NCAA season to preserve his redshirt status. Lewis did show flashes of his talent here and there, but it was Kaidon Salter’s show in Boulder, Colorado.

Whether he can run Sanders’ offense will truly be put to the test in 2026. Still, it’s an on-the-job learning curve, and Coach Prime knows better than to put a burden on the five-star quarterback’s shoulders right away.

After all, Lewis’ redshirt year in 2025 means he has his four years of eligibility remaining. Therefore, the 2026 campaign may only be the first—or second—of many in the City of Boulder.

Lewis’ stats in Colorado

Lewis appeared in four games and started two of them during the 2025 NCAA campaign. In total, he attempted 94 passes and completed 52 of them (55.3%) for 589 yards and four touchdowns.

On the ground, Lewis finished with -35 yards, underlining the team’s struggles to protect the signal-caller in the pocket, a recurring issue that was once called out by Shedeur Sanders. Years have passed, the starting quarterback job has changed hands three times, but the issue remains unaddressed—or at least not successfully.

“I wouldn’t say a mentor, but he knows anything he needs, he can always call me, text,” Smith-Njigba told Big Ten Network’s Michele Steele during Ohio State’s spring game. “We definitely get together, talk some ball. Just super proud of him and him pushing the bar even further than what we did.”

JSN also added: “It’s exciting times. It’s exciting times here. He’s an exciting player, he’s a winner and it’s going to be great to see him, this year, flourish.”

The final standout season of Smith with Buckeyes

Following his historic breakout as a freshman, Jeremiah Smith continued his dominance during the 2025 season with the Ohio State Buckeyes, solidifying his reputation as a generational talent. In 13 games, Smith hauled in 87 receptions for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns, earning Unanimous All-American honors and being named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.

His performance was characterized by elite efficiency, as he was the only receiver in the country to receive a PFF grade above 85 against both man and zone coverage.

The great run of Smith-Njigba at OSU

The final chapter of Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s collegiate career at Ohio State was defined by both historic dominance and resilient transition. After a legendary 2021 campaign where he exploded for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns on 95 receptions, Smith-Njigba entered 2022 as the most feared wideout in the country.

Although persistent injuries limited his availability during his junior year, his elite technical skill and record-breaking production remained undeniable to professional scouts. This led to him being selected 20th overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2023 NFL Draft, where he has since translated his polished route-running and reliable hands into a role as one of the most productive and dynamic young receivers in the league today.

That’s how Livingstone wanted it, as he transferred from the University of Texas in Austin to the University of Oklahoma ahead of the 2026 college football season. For the first time since the transfer to the Longhorns’ foes, Manning broke his silence.

Though they shared a dorm in Austin, the heir to football’s royal quarterback family distanced himself from Livingstone’s decision. Manning made it clear this was all Livingstone, that he would have done things differently, and that even he was taken aback by the news of his transfer to Oklahoma. After all, he may not have known his roommate as well as he thought he did.

“I was a little surprised, but Parker’s a good guy. He’s got a good family. Can’t say I would have done the same thing,” Manning admitted during a press conference. “Obviously, we were roommates, so I wish him all the best. Except when we play the [Sooners].”

Manning and Livingstone’s chemistry

Livingstone redshirted his freshman year in 2024, when Arch Manning spent most of the college football season behind Quinn Ewers on the Longhorns’ depth chart. Thus, both roommates entered 2025 thirsty to showcase themselves. From the get-go, the chemistry between Manning and Livingstone was impossible to miss.

Settling into the pressure of being Texas’ No. 1 quarterback, Manning always looked for Livingstone in crucial stages of games. The Longhorns’ most explosive plays were seemingly always the ones in which the ‘roomies’ connected. Livingstone finished the 2025 NCAA campaign third in receiving yards (516 yards on 29 catches), but with the highest average (17.8 yards per catch) and the second-most touchdown grabs (six).

Whenever Livingstone and Manning shared the gridiron, a big play was waiting to happen. Though Livingstone took a detour, Manning holds no grudge against him. Manning admitted he called Livingstone shortly after the transfer, and they remain in good terms.

New weapons for Manning

In 2026, Manning’s receiving corps will look quite different. Two-thirds of his main receivers (DeAndre Moore Jr. and Parker Livingstone) have transferred out of Texas. However, the arrival of Auburn transfer Cam Coleman may make it all worth it.

The Longhorns landed the No. 1 wideout in the transfer portal, and the junior wide receiver could be all Manning needs to take his game to new heights. With the 2027 NFL Draft looming on the horizon, the timing couldn’t be any better for Manning and Coleman to complement each other and skyrocket their stock.

First things first, though. Fans on the Forty Acres demand a championship, and this year may be the best chance Texas has at capturing its first national title since 2005. Arch Manning was less than two years old back then. Needless to say, it’s been a long time coming for the burnt orange.

“The importance of the regular season is still very much in line with what I believe it has always been,” the HC revealed to the press. “Could that still be the case with a larger number? Potentially. But I think we need to create some data points to figure out where that balance is.

“We don’t need to be NCAA basketball. The beauty of our sport is that there are games at the end of the season that matter that people lose.”

At a time when programs are slowly beginning to show their first moves, many are already starting to wonder what will happen in the near future. Will the number of teams competing in the CFP eventually increase?

Differentiating from March Madness

Mike Elko argues against further CFP expansion by using March Madness as a cautionary tale. He believes that adding too many teams, similar to the college basketball format, would devalue the regular season and turn high-stakes matchups into mere formalities.

Additionally, he emphasizes that the extreme physical toll of football makes a lengthy, basketball-style postseason bracket unsustainable for student-athlete health.

What changes could come to College Football?

The CFP will maintain its 12-team format for the 2026 season, as the management committee recently decided to delay further expansion to allow for more evaluation. However, starting in 2026, the automatic qualifying rules will shift: the champions of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC will now receive automatic bids regardless of their ranking, alongside the highest-ranked Group of Six champion.

Additionally, a new revenue-sharing model will begin in 2026, granting the Big Ten and SEC nearly 29% each of the total CFP revenue. While discussions for a 14 or 16-team field continue for 2027 and beyond, the current structure remains locked in for the upcoming campaign.

A bitter-sweet feeling for the Aggies

The Texas A&M Aggies, led by Mike Elko, made a historic run during the 2025 season, achieving an incredible 11-0 start and climbing to the #3 spot in the AP Poll. However, their debut in the expanded College Football Playoff ended in disappointment.

Despite hosting a First Round game at Kyle Field on December 20, the Aggies suffered a tough 10-3 loss to Miami (FL) in a defensive struggle. After finishing the year with an 11-2 record, the program looks to build on this milestone as they head into the 2026 campaign.