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.

When asked about the situation, the experienced coach revealed his stance. He made it clear that he is against players choosing to make the jump early in their careers, rather than continuing to develop further in college basketball.

“Unless it absolutely makes total sense for you to go and you know you’re a lottery pick guaranteed to go top 15-18, the biggest mistake you can make right now as a college basketball player is going to the draft too early,” he said on The Dan Patrick Show/The Field of 68.

Which Huskies players declared for the upcoming Draft?

The UConn Huskies are preparing for a significant roster overhaul as several key players transition to the professional ranks following the 2025-26 season. Senior center Tarris Reed Jr., who ran out of eligibility after a dominant year averaging nearly 15 points and 9 rebounds, is a lock for the draft as a physical interior presence.

He is joined by veteran forward Alex Karaban, a “winning” combo forward whose elite floor-spacing and perimeter shooting have him projected as a potential late first-round or early second-round pick. Additionally, freshman standout Braylon Mullins has emerged as a high-upside first-round prospect; the 6-foot-6 sharpshooter is expected to finalize his decision shortly, with many scouts viewing him as one of the premier movement shooters in the 2026 class.

When and where is the next Draft?

The 2026 NBA Draft is scheduled to take place over two nights, with the first round on Wednesday, June 24, and the second round on Thursday, June 25. The event will return to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Ahead of the draft, the NBA Draft Lottery will be held on May 10, followed by the Draft Combine from May 10–17, where top prospects like AJ Dybantsa and the UConn trio will be closely evaluated.

“I definitely believe he is, he’s just been around it long enough, and he’s made so many great plays, big plays,” DeBoer said. “He can deliver the ball wherever he needs to, you know, down the field.

“Has great football IQ, you know, he’s a coach’s kid. He’s been around the game forever, just, you know, once he won the job, he really cut loose the leadership qualities that he has, and it’s real, it’s genuine.”

Simpson’s final step in Tuscaloosa

In his breakout 2025 campaign as Alabama‘s full-time starter, Ty Simpson established himself as an elite signal-caller, leading the Crimson Tide to an 11-4 record and a College Football Playoff appearance. Simpson displayed exceptional ball security and precision, completing 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions.

Though his season ended with a tough loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl, his Second-Team All-SEC performance and high-level processing in an NFL-style offense have made him a focal point of the 2026 NFL Draft.

“He took our guys at times, and just really got them to rally around him,” DeBoer said. “He’s got their back. They had his. And so many things that are on the field and off the field that just equate to a guy that, you know, you want in your program leading your team.”

Can Ty Simpson be a first-round pick?

Ty Simpson is projected as one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, typically viewed as a first-round talent or a high second-round pick. Scouts are enamored with his “coach’s son” football IQ, elite arm talent, and ability to process full-field reads, which has led some mock drafts to place him as high as No. 3 overall.

College football rivalries are just different, and the feud between Kiffin and his former school, Ole Miss, is trending to be one of the nastiest in 2026. Kiffin has made it clear he still holds love for his time in Oxford, but the fact that he didn’t name Ole Miss nor Chambliss in a recent comment may signal he holds a grudge against the Rebels, just like they do against him.

“Look at the previous place we were at [the University of Mississippi]. The guy [Trinidad Chambliss] didn’t get there until the summer,” Kiffin said, via WGNO News, trying to keep LSU fans calm about the fact Leavitt has undergone surgery and is set to miss the rest of spring football.

Kiffin was recently hit with a subtle shot from Chambliss, who compared him to new Rebels head coach Pete Golding. It seems Kiffin has kept receipts, and fired right back. Knowing Kiffin’s personality, it wouldn’t be all too shocking nor hard to believe.

Why is Leavitt missing spring football?

After transferring from Arizona State to LSU, Sam Leavitt is expected to miss the rest of spring practices in Baton Rouge. As Kiffin stated, this is not news to LSU, as it’s all going according to its timeline for Leavitt. Leavitt suffered a Lisfranc injury to his right foot in 2025.

Recently, he posted a picture of his foot wrapped in bandages. As fans were quick to jump to conclusions about a re-aggravated injury, Leavitt clarified he had the screws from the initial surgery removed. Leavitt made it clear there were no setbacks and it’s all going according to plan.

The redshirt junior quarterback is set to take over under center in the 2026 NCAA season as Garrett Nussmeier departs for the NFL Draft. Leavitt is facing an early setback, but Kiffin remains confident this is nothing to stress about.

What happened to Chambliss last season?

Offseason drama around his eligibility wasn’t exclusive to this year for Trinidad Chambliss. Last season, the Ferris State transfer had to wait until the summer before he was officially declared academically eligible to enroll at Ole Miss. Thus, he missed crucial stages of the offseason with Kiffin and the Rebels.

Upon arrival, he proved he didn’t need a lot of time to adapt to the playbook. Chambliss hit the ground running in The Literary Center of the South and finished the season with 3,937 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and only three interceptions, as well as 527 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. He also led the Rebels to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff before the Miami Hurricanes knocked them out in an instant classic.

Ole Miss vs LSU in 2026

In 2026, Kiffin, Leavitt, and LSU will travel to Oxford to take on Golding, Chambliss, and Ole Miss. It’s set to be a heated showdown in which Kiffin will go up against one of his best creations of his coaching career.

In a cinematic turn of events, the main figure behind Ole Miss’ growth will take on an anger-filled roster filled with players who feel betrayed by Kiffin and will vie to avenge last season’s dramatic chapter.

As is usually the case in college football, reality is stranger than fiction, and the stage is set for one memorable showdown at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in the Magnolia State.

According to USA Today, May’s bonuses in the NCAA Tournament were as follows: $50,000 for appearing in the first round, $75,000 for reaching the second stage, $100,000 for making it to the Sweet Sixteen, $150,000 for their Elite Eight appearance, $200,000 for playing in the Final Four, $300,000 for qualifying to the national title game, and $400,000 for winning it all.

With the national title conquest, May bolstered his case to win the the National Coach of the Year award. Such an accomplishment would secure an extra $50,000 for May. Had Michigan lost against UConn, May would have taken home a $300,000 paycheck, missing out on the extra $100,000. It wasn’t like he would’ve had to pinch pennies, but his team’s triumph still secured him even more money.

Hurley misses out on a fortune

As for Hurley, had UConn defeated Michigan at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, he would’ve walked away with a whopping $1.275 million bonus. Even with the national title loss, Hurley is earning more in bonuses than May is for his historic conquest with the program in Ann Arbor.

Hurley has earned $775,000 thanks to the NCAA Tournament bonuses in his contract. Cutting down the nets of March Madness is priceless, but Hurley already knows how that feels, and securing $775,000 definitely makes the pain easier to withstand.

Hurley’s bonuses breakdown

Hurley’s contract bonuses are as follows: $25,000 for an NCAA Tournament appearance, $50,000 for UConn’s win in the first round, $75,000 for making it out of the second round, $125,000 for the Sweet Sixteen triumph. The win over Duke in the Elite Eight meant an extra $200,000 for Hurley, whereas the Final Four victory added $300,000 to the total.

A national championship would’ve handed Hurley the final $500,000. Most importantly, it would’ve earned him a seat in the debate for the greatest college basketball head coach of all time. However, May and Michigan prevented that with a staple performance. Now, the Wolverines are national champions for the first time since 1989.

“That’s a Geno question. I have not heard from Geno,” Staley admitted, via USA Today’s Meghan Hall. “It’s UCLA’s day. Let’s keep it there. We’re not gonna damper UCLA’s day with that.” Staley did say she has a lot of unread messages, and Auriemma’s reported text may well be one of them.

According to ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo, Auriemma did reach out to Staley to apologize for his candid reaction, but South Carolina‘s head coach couldn’t confirm that. As far as Staley knew—or cared to publicly discuss—she hadn’t heard from Auriemma.

Staley’s reaction to the question put on full display that she had no intention of touching the subject. That was not something on her mind after the Gamecocks lost in the National Championship Game for the second year in a row.

Staley vs Auriemma never fails to deliver

Regardless, after suffering one of the worst defeats of her coaching career in women’s college basketball, Staley was in no mood to speak about the clash with Auriemma that made waves across the nation last Friday. Everybody knows how heated matchups between Staley’s Gamecocks and Auriemma’s Huskies are, but this one went over the line.

The head-to-head record between Staley and Auriemma is now tied in NCAA Tournament showdowns. As it stands, both sides have won two and lost two against one another. Though she didn’t directly name Auriemma or Connecticut, Staley did fire a not-so-subtle shot at the Huskies with her praise for Cori Close and the Bruins.

“Although we didn’t win, I can swallow it because we lost to a really good human being and a good team that represents women’s basketball well,” Staley said, per The Athletic’s Grace Raynor. Clear as water, Staley put Auriemma on notice with that comment.

Missed opportunity for Staley

South Carolina’s loss against UCLA meant Staley failed to make the podium for the most decorated coaches in the NCAA Tournament. Auriemma still leads with 12 national titles, followed by Pat Summit’s 8 championships. Kim Mulkey closes out the podium with 4 conquests of the NCAA Women’s Tournament.

Make no mistake, though, the Gamecocks will be back in the dance next year, and Staley isn’t going anywhere as she is inked to the highest contract in the nation. Moreover, her deal runs through the 2029-30 season. It’s safe to say, Staley is there to stay in Columbia.

• Geno Auriemma: 12 national titles with Connecticut
• Pat Summit: 8 national titles with Tennessee
• Kim Mulkey 4 national titles (Baylor 3x and LSU)

If there’s a silver lining, though, it’s the fact South Carolina avoided making history of the wrong kind. After the Gamecocks’ 28-point loss to the Bruins, the record for the biggest blowout in a national title game in women’s college basketball still belongs to the UConn Huskies, who defeated the Louisville Cardinals 93-60 (33-point difference) in the 2013 National Championship Game.

Regardless, Staley and the Gamecocks have now lost in back-to-back championship games, and they weren’t particularly close. Last season, South Carolina lost 82-59 (23-point margin) against UConn. Staley’s side has now been outscored by 51 points in its last two title game appearances in the NCAA.

Top 3 biggest losses in title game

Though Staley’s South Carolina avoided being on the wrong end of the worst defeat in the NCAA’s Women’s National Championship Game, it couldn’t escape the podium. The 28-point defeat at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, AZ is now the third biggest blowout in a title showdown.

The Bruins’ victory is surpassed only by the Huskies’ 93–60 win over Louisville and 82–51 victory against Syracuse in 2013 and 2016, respectively. Had UCLA not taken its best players off the court in the final minutes, the final score might have been even more lopsided.

UCLA wins 1st NCAA title

Although UCLA had hoisted an AIAW national championship in 1978, its conquest over South Carolina meant the Bruins have cut down the nets of March Madness for the first time in school history. It was extra sweet for them, as the Bruins prevented the Gamecocks from hoisting their fourth national championship.

Hungry dogs run faster, and that was definitely the case, as the Bruins simply wouldn’t be denied in their pursuit of immortal glory. The program had gone through a valley, and how fitting that, in The Valley, UCLA touched the sky in NCAA Women’s Tournament history.