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  • Dave Wilson, ESPN Staff WriterJan 6, 2024, 12:44 PM ET

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      Dave Wilson is an editor for ESPN.com since 2010. He previously worked at The Dallas Morning News, San Diego Union-Tribune and Las Vegas Sun.

HOUSTON — Jim Harbaugh batted away any questions about his future at Saturday’s media day session for the College Football Playoff National Championship, instead using his time to advocate for revenue sharing for college athletes.

The Michigan coach said coaches, administrators and television networks are all “robbing the same train” in making money off unpaid college players and he hopes the rapid pace of change in the sport can finally make revenue sharing a reality, not just in football, but in all collegiate athletics.

“We’ve seen a whole conference go into a portal,” Harbaugh said of the Pac-12. “If those kind of things can happen overnight … I don’t know how the sausage gets made completely, but there’s a lot of smart people that do, that know a lot about revenue sharing, know a lot about how those algorithms and economics work. And the real issue is there’s no voice for the players.”

Harbaugh routinely deflected questions about his future — “Future, I’d like to have one,” he said — and snuffed out any NFL questions, dismissing them quickly, such as when he was asked what the difference was in time management between coaching in college and the NFL.

“I don’t have that list in front of me,” he said.

But his longest and most considered answers were on the “ever-growing, ever-increasing revenue that it’d be right for the student-athletes, not just football, all student-athletes, to share in.”

In 2012, then-South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said coaches would be willing to give up a small percentage of their salary if the players could get a modest stipend.

That never happened, but Harbaugh said, more than a decade later, that he feels like there seems to be more hope, with change taking place across the sport.

“If stuff can happen this quick, like we’ve seen this year, then I’m hopeful that there’s a wrong that could be righted quickly as well,” he said. “There used to be a saying: Old coaches — my dad’s used it, my brother’s used it — like, hey, we’re all robbing the same train here. Coaches, administrators, media, television stations, conferences, NCAA. The ones that are really robbing the train — the ones that could really get hurt — are getting a very small piece. … It’s one thing for somebody to say, well, they’re getting NIL, but the billions that are being generated, they’re not getting much of, a very small percentage. They’re getting the same amount as I got in the ’80s. You’re getting a scholarship, room, board, books and tuition. So it’s like, come on, man, let’s do the right thing here.”

Harbaugh said his plan, similar to Spurrier’s, would be for everyone to take a cut of their salaries and pool it to share with the players.

“I would say this, anyone who is profiting from the student-athletes right now — myself included — coaches, somewhere between 5 and 10%, take 5 to 10% less. That would go for any administrator, any coach, any conference, any university, NCAA — 5 to 10% less and maybe a 10% tax from the television stations, into one pot for the student-athletes. Maybe that’s a start, a way,” Harbaugh said.

“There’s a lot of people profiting off the backs of student-athletes, and they do a lot of work to keep it from them. It’s all kind of rules — and have been doing it for a long time.”

Meanwhile, Harbaugh was asked if the result of Monday’s title game against Washington would have any impact on his thoughts concerning his future.

“I have no idea about that,” he said. “I couldn’t be more happy to be here.”

But he said his team is focused and has to be ready to face Washington and notably quarterback Michael Penix Jr., whom he said has “no conscience.”

“When he’s throwing one of those balls into the tightest window and the confidence that he can put it in there and his receivers are going to make a play, I mean, that’s scary good,” Harbaugh said.

Despite all the tumult of the season and noise around his future, Harbaugh said his Wolverines team is in a good place.

“It is as one-track mind as it can be,” Harbaugh said. “It’s like a thoroughbred horse thundering down the straightaway. The blinders are on, and we see the finish line. And we’re going to the whip, just each guy — but also with a good balance. It’s a focused and loose team at the same time, really in the sweet spot from where I see it. But that’s where we’re at.”

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Who will make the 12-team College Football Playoff?

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August 22, 2025

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Who will make the 12-team College Football Playoff?

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2025 preseason College Football Playoff predictions

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August 22, 2025

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2025 preseason College Football Playoff predictions

It’s August and no games have been played, but that’s not keeping ESPN’s college football reporters from predicting the 12 schools that will make up the College Football Playoff beginning in December.

Ohio State won the inaugural 12-team bracket last season, despite starting as the No. 8 seed, demonstrating that the playoff truly gives new life to any team that gains entry.

There’s a slight alteration to the format this year. The tournament will still comprise the top five conference champions and seven at-large schools. But the top four seeds — and the first-round bye that comes with each of those seeds — will no longer go to the four highest-ranked conference champions (last season that was Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State). This season the committee has moved to a straight seeding model, so the four highest-ranked schools in the committee’s final top 12 will get the top four seeds.

Ahead of Week 0, here are the slates our reporters picked. Let the chase begin:

Andrea Adelson: 1. Clemson 2. Penn State 3. Texas 4. LSU 5. Georgia 6. Ohio State 7. Notre Dame 8. Miami 9. Alabama 10. Iowa State 11. Nebraska 12. Boise State

Kyle Bonagura: 1. Texas 2. Penn State 3. Ohio State 4. Clemson 5. Georgia 6. Notre Dame 7. Alabama 8. Oregon 9. LSU 10. Arizona State 11. Miami 12. Boise State

Bill Connelly: 1. Penn State 2. Alabama 3. Texas 4. Ohio State 5. Georgia 6. Notre Dame 7. Texas A&M 8. Clemson 9. Oregon 10. Boise State 11. Miami 12. Kansas State

Heather Dinich: 1. Penn State, 2. Clemson, 3. Texas 4. LSU 5. Georgia 6. Ohio State 7. Notre Dame 8. Alabama 9. Miami 10. Oregon 11. Kansas State 12. Boise State

David Hale: 1. Ohio State 2. Texas 3. Clemson 4. Penn State 5. Notre Dame 6. Georgia 7. Oregon 8. LSU 9. Texas A&M 10. Kansas State 11. Miami 12. Toledo

Eli Lederman: 1. Penn State 2. Texas 3. Clemson 4. Ohio State 5. Notre Dame 6. Alabama 7. Oregon 8. Georgia 9. Arizona State 10. LSU 11. Miami 12. Boise State

Max Olson: 1. Texas. 2. Penn State. 3. Notre Dame. 4. Clemson. 5. Alabama. 6. Oregon. 7. Georgia. 8. Ohio State. 9. Texas Tech. 10. LSU. 11. Utah. 12. Boise State

Adam Rittenberg: 1. Texas 2. Penn State 3. Clemson 4. Georgia 5. Alabama 6. Ohio State 7. Notre Dame 8. Oregon 9. Miami 10. Iowa State 11. Boise State 12. Illinois

Mark Schlabach: 1. Texas 2. Clemson 3. Penn State 4. Georgia 5. Ohio State 6. Alabama 7. Notre Dame 8. Oregon 9. Miami 10. LSU 11. Arizona State 12. Boise State

Jake Trotter: 1. Texas, 2. Clemson, 3. Penn State, 4. LSU, 5. Ohio State, 6. Notre Dame, 7. Georgia, 8. Oregon, 9. Illinois, 10. South Carolina, 11. Texas Tech, 12. Tulane

Paolo Uggetti: 1. Ohio State, 2. Georgia, 3. Texas 4. Penn State 5. Notre Dame 6. Clemson 7. Oregon 8. LSU 9. Arizona State 10. Miami 11. South Carolina 12. Boise State

Dave Wilson: 1. Texas 2. Penn State 3. Clemson 4. Ohio State 5. Georgia 6. Notre Dame 7. Alabama 8. Oregon 9. LSU 10. Arizona State 11. Miami 12. Boise State

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Tide RB Miller expected back for UGA showdown

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August 22, 2025

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Tide RB Miller expected back for UGA showdown

  • Chris LowAug 22, 2025, 12:11 PM ET

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    • College football reporter
    • Joined ESPN.com in 2007
    • Graduate of the University of Tennessee

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said he expects starting running back Jam Miller to return in time for the SEC opener against Georgia on Sept. 27.

Miller dislocated his collarbone in the Tide’s scrimmage last Saturday and will miss the opener against Florida State on Aug. 30. He’s doubtful to play in the next two games against ULM and Wisconsin. Alabama has a bye the week before its visit to Georgia.

“He’s a leader for us, a quiet leader, but somebody the players all respect,” DeBoer told ESPN. “Having that bye week, I feel good that he will be back out there. He does so many things for us at that position.”

Miller, a senior, chiseled his body this offseason and added muscle. He was having his best preseason camp after leading Alabama with 668 rushing yards last season.

“He’s was a clear No. 1 for us with everything he did, from protection to getting the tough yards,” Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said. “I told Jam that the running back room needs him more than ever now.”

Grubb said Daniel Hill and Richard Young add the most experience in stepping in for Miller and that Dre Washington adds a little different tempo out of the backfield. The running back that has been “creeping up” the last week, according to Grubb, is redshirt freshman Kevin Riley. Grubb said Riley is undersized but is physical and fast.

“It’s going to be a little bit by committee until Jam gets back, and there’s going to be a proving ground — who can take care of the ball, who can advance the ball, take on the game plan and help us protect?” Grubb said. “I’m excited to see who’s going to come out here these next few days and take over.”

Alabama ranked sixth in the SEC last season in rushing, and quarterback Jalen Milroe was a central figure in the running game. With Ty Simpson taking over at quarterback, Grubb said this offense will be geared more toward the pass to help balance out things.

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