College football’s top 2025 newcomer classes
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Craig Haubert
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Craig Haubert
ESPN Staff Writer
- National recruiting analyst and analyst for ESPNU
- More than a decade of college and pro coaching experience.
- Graduated from Indiana and Nebraska-Omaha
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Billy Tucker
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Billy Tucker
Scouts, Football Recruiting
- • Recruiting coordinator for ESPN RecruitingNation.
• Nearly a decade of college coaching experience.
• Has been evaluating prospects at ESPN since 2006.
While annual College Football Playoff contenders like Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State are ace recruiters, elite recruiting isn’t the only path to becoming a top program.
The transfer portal has changed how programs build rosters. Some schools go all-in every offseason to overhaul their rosters through the portal, while others use the portal to add depth to a position or target major transfers who could take a team from great to national champion.
And now that spring football and the spring transfer portal period are over, we can look at the best groups of newcomers. When looking at modern roster development, it’s important to consider the combination of recruiting class and success in the portal.
This ranking is the top 25 groups of newcomers — recruits and transfers combined — based on who could see the most impactful immediate returns for 2025.
Top impact recruits: WR Dakorien Moore, CB Na’eem Offord, S Trey McNutt
In 2024, freshman receivers Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) and Ryan Williams (Alabama) made immediate impacts. Moore, a five-star prospect, looks like the next breakout star at the position. Moore has elite big-play speed, runs excellent routes and has a high football IQ and fierce competitive demeanor. All of those tools can make him a featured target right away for a playoff contender that lost three of its top four pass-catchers from 2024.
Defensively, Offord and McNutt are players to watch. They were both versatile two-way players in high school and bring strong playmaking skills to Oregon’s secondary. With the Ducks needing to reload on the back end, both have a strong chance to contribute in Year 1.
Top transfers: RB Makhi Hughes, OL Isaiah World, OL Emmanuel Pregnon, S Dillon Thieneman, CB Theran Johnson, DT Bear Alexander, OL Alex Harkey, TE Jamari Johnson.
Fresh off a Big Ten title, Oregon signed a top-five recruiting class and an elite group of transfers as it prepares for another national title run. Signing Offord was helpful for the Ducks when his half-brother, running back Makhi Hughes, entered the portal. Hughes was one of the top transfers available after running for nearly 3,000 yards at Tulane. He should help replace 1,000-yard rusher Jordan James in Oregon’s backfield.
To help open running lanes, the Ducks pulled several offensive line starters out of the portal. Both World and Pregnon are poised to anchor the left side of the offensive line. Thieneman was a top-25 portal prospect who brings Big Ten experience from Purdue and looks like a plug-and-play addition. Oregon also pulled out several other transfers who, at a minimum, should provide quality depth and play contributing roles.
Top impact recruits: CB DJ Pickett, OL Carius Curne, OL Solomon Thomas, RB Harlem Berry
While much of LSU’s immediate help will come from transfers, the Tigers signed a top-10 recruiting class that should produce some early contributors. Pickett, a five-star player, is most likely to make an immediate impact. A long, fluid corner, he enrolled early and showed promising flashes this spring. He has the tools to start as a true freshman and help reestablish the Tigers’ reputation for producing elite defensive backs.
At running back, LSU returns Caden Durham, a key freshman contributor in 2024. But four-star Berry brings big-play speed and could complement Durham nicely if Berry can develop physically. The Tigers’ 2022 class produced two immediate freshman starters on the offensive line in Will Campbell and Emery Jones. Don’t expect this group to replicate that impact right away, but there are opportunities up front, and Thomas, another five-star, and Curne, an ESPN 300 player, are names to watch on the two-deep — or even as eventual starters.
Top transfers: WR Barion Brown, WR Nic Anderson, TE Bauer Sharp, OL Braelin Moore, OL Josh Thompson, QB Michael Van Buren, DE Jack Pyburn, DE Patrick Payton, CB Mansoor Delane, S Tamarcus Cooley, CB Ja’Keem Jackson, S A.J. Haulcy
Brian Kelly and his staff aggressively assembled one of the nation’s top-rated transfer classes, which should provide immediate help as the Tigers work to return to the SEC title game for the first time since 2022.
After losing three of their top four pass-catchers from last season, the Tigers reloaded with experienced SEC targets, including Brown (Kentucky), Anderson (Oklahoma) and tight end Sharp, who could fill the void left by Mason Taylor after a 42-catch season at Oklahoma.
Garrett Nussmeier returns as one of college football’s best quarterbacks, but LSU set itself up nicely if it needs to turn to No. 2 bringing in Van Buren, who appeared in 10 games as a freshman for Mississippi State. In the secondary, one cornerback spot could go to Pickett, but transfers like Delane and Jackson are talented options at the other spot. Cooley is another plug-and-play option in the secondary along with ultra-productive Haulcy (Houston). He earned All-Big 12 honors in 2024 after producing 74 tackles, 8 pass breakups and 5 interceptions, which tied for most in the conference. Edge rushers Pyburn and Payton — the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2022 at Florida State — should give LSU a disruptive presence.
Top impact recruits: CB Blake Woodby, DT Jourdin Crawford, DT Malik Autry, S Anquon Fegans, WR Sam Turner
Auburn hasn’t posted a winning season since 2020, but Hugh Freeze is building a roster that could change that. The Tigers’ sixth-ranked recruiting class could produce several immediate contributors.
Although secondary wasn’t an urgent need, it might be tough to keep both Woodby, a five-star prospect, and Fegans, a top-5 safety prospect, off the field — especially after some post-spring departures. Woodby is a supremely confident corner with excellent speed, while Fegans brings versatility and is already battling for a starting spot. Teams can never have enough defensive linemen, and Auburn signed several impactful big men, including Crawford and Autry. Both are 300-pounders with the tools to contribute on the interior this season.
After freshmen receivers Malcolm Simmons and Cam Coleman made contributions in 2024, Turner, a three-star recruit, is poised to follow suit. He has good length at 6-foot-1 and runs sharp routes.
Top transfers: QB Jackson Arnold, WR Eric Singleton Jr., CB Raion Strader, OT Xavier Chaplin, OT Mason Murphy, LB Caleb Wheatland, DT Dallas Walker IV, DE Chris Murray
Both Auburn and Arnold needed a fresh start in 2025. A five-star in 2023, the dual-threat Oklahoma transfer has the physical tools to become one of the most impactful transfers of the 2025 cycle.
Singleton, a Georgia Tech transfer, will provide experience and leadership after logging 100 catches over the past two seasons. His speed and production can help solidify a wide receiver group that was a liability not too long ago. On the offensive line, Chaplin and Murphy are in the mix for starting jobs at tackle.
Top impact recruits: S Jonah Williams, DT Justus Terry, WR Jaime Ffrench, WR Kaliq Lockett, WR Daylan McCutcheon
With the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, Texas can enter 2025 expecting contributions from a deep group of blue-chippers as it eyes a third straight College Football Playoff appearance.
While the Longhorns addressed most of their defensive line needs via the portal, Terry, a five-star, could become a factor, even if he’s not a full-time starter, much like 2024 five-star Collin Simmons. Terry brings explosion and versatility to the interior defensive line.
Texas also signed three ESPN 300 wide receivers — Ffrench, Lockett and McCutcheon — to restock its depth after leaning more on transfers last year. Williams, a five-star DB, is a two-sport athlete who has spent his initial time in Austin with Texas’ nationally ranked baseball program. He has an excellent combination of size and speed. He can contribute this fall as a versatile weapon in the secondary.
Top transfers: TE Jack Endries, DT Maraad Watson, DT Travis Shaw, DT Cole Brevard, DT Hero Kanu.
Texas largely leaned on excellent high school recruiting this year, but after losing three starters and key depth, it used the portal to address immediate needs on the defensive line in 2025. Watson, a Syracuse transfer, was very productive as a freshman starter and can build on that strong start to his career in Austin this season. On offense, Endries was a key spring addition and brings proven production to a position that needed more experience heading into the fall.
Top impact recruits: WR Leyton Stone, WR Michael Dever, WR Bryson Jones
The Red Raiders signed a solid class, but transfers are expected to make the majority of the immediate impact. They also bring back good production at wide receiver, but in a high-powered passing attack with an experienced quarterback in Behren Morton, there’s always opportunity for young players to jump in and contribute. Although he didn’t enroll early, Jones, a four-star, is the highest-ranked receiver in the recruiting class and could work his way into the rotation.
Top transfers: DE David Bailey, DE Romello Height, DL Lee Hunter, DL Skyler Gill-Howard, WR Reggie Virgil, TE Terrance Carter, OT Will Jados, OL Howard Sampson
Few teams were more active and successful in the portal this offseason than Texas Tech, which finished with ESPN’s top-ranked transfer portal class. Much of that activity focused on improving a defense that ranked near the bottom nationally in several categories.
Adding Bailey from Stanford was a big addition. He already has 14.5 career sacks. Along with Height, Hunter and Gill-Howard, they can revitalize Texas Tech’s defensive front.
Virgil and Carter, who caught 48 passes last season for Louisiana, should pair nicely with returning targets Coy Eakin and Caleb Douglas, who combined for more than 100 catches. To help better protect Morton, Texas Tech landed several potential offensive line starters, with Jados and Sampson poised to man tackle spots.
Top impact recruits: OL Devin Harper, WR Caleb Cunningham
There doesn’t appear to be an impact freshman like Quinshon Judkins (2022) or Suntarine Perkins (2023), but Ole Miss still brought in intriguing talent that could play a role, much like William Echoles did last season. Cunningham, one of the top prospects in the state, is a player to watch, and Harper could crack their Rebels’ offensive line two-deep.
Top transfers: DL Da’Shawn Womack, DE Princewill Umanmielen, S Sage Ryan, CB Ricky Fletcher, WR De’Zhaun Stribling, WR Caleb Odom, TE Luke Hasz, OL Delano Townsend, OL Patrick Kutas, CB Tavoy Feagin
Ole Miss has become synonymous with the portal. It has yielded exceptional players, including Jaxson Dart and Walter Nolen, and Lane Kiffin’s staff was once again aggressive in 2025.
They pulled several likely offensive line starters, such as Kutas, who arrived from Arkansas. Hasz also transferred in from Arkansas and could become a focal point in the passing game. A 2023 ESPN 300 prospect, Hasz flashed as a freshman before injuries cut his season short, but he turned in a solid 2024 campaign.
Defensively, Princely Umanmielen transferred in and notched 10.5 sacks as a senior before moving on to the NFL. Now, his younger brother Princewill Umanmielen arrives in Oxford from Nebraska hoping to deliver a similar impact.
Top impact recruits: CB Devin Sanchez, LB Riley Pettijohn, WR Quincy Porter, S Faheem Delane, DE Zion Grady
The defending national champions return a deep, talented roster after recruiting at a high level for several years. So it’s unlikely any freshman replicates the instant impact Jeremiah Smith made last season. That said, this class is very talented and will find a way to carve out roles.
In the secondary, Sanchez is a lengthy, smooth corner. Delane has the physicality to play right away at safety in the Big Ten. Both are on campus and made good first impressions — including a spring game interception from Delane — and might be just a play away from a starting role this season. It’ll be tough to crack Ohio State’s loaded wide receiver mix, but depth is essential to any national title run, and Porter emerged from the spring as another potential weapon.
Top transfers: TE Max Klare, DE Beau Atkinson, OL Phillip Daniels, OL Ethan Onianwa, DE Logan George, RB CJ Donaldson
Ohio State doesn’t need to overhaul its roster via the portal given it consistently signs top-rated recruits. But the Buckeyes are still smart and selective, and last year’s additions, including Quinshon Judkins, Will Howard and Caleb Downs, paid dividends. This year’s group looks poised to do the same.
Klare caught 51 passes at Purdue last season. Targets may be harder to come by this year given the elite stable of wide receivers around him, but he’s a matchup problem who will stress defenses and gain favorable matchups in the middle of the field.
Atkinson, who came from North Carolina in the spring portal, will add more pass-rushing juice, and George looks like an unheralded steal from FCS Idaho State. At least one of their offensive line additions should assume a starting role. Donaldson is a big running back at 6-foot-2, 238 pounds who ran for more than 2,000 yards at West Virginia and will aid a ground game that lost a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.
Top impact recruits: WR Malachi Toney, OL SJ Alofaituli
Miami has yet to return to college football’s elite class, but after logging their first 10-win season since 2017, the Hurricanes are hoping this new group can help them take the next big step.
The Hurricanes lost their top three pass-catchers at receiver. Transfers should pick up most of the slack, but Toney made a strong first impression this spring, including making eight catches for more than 100 yards and a touchdown in their spring game. He should be squarely in the receiver mix.
Up front, transfer James Brockermeyer will likely slot in at center, but Alofaituli was the top-ranked interior offensive lineman in the 2025 class and is one to watch. Though he’s physically unassuming for a nationally ranked lineman, he’s powerful, flexible and quick. Those traits could help him play a role from day one.
Top transfers: QB Carson Beck, WR CJ Daniels, DT David Blay, CB Xavier Lucas, CB Zechariah Poyser, WR Keelan Marion
Following Cam Ward’s lone season, Miami went back to the portal to replace the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft in the hopes of finding a new signal-caller to help get the team to the next step. Enter Beck, who won 24 games at Georgia and brings both experience and poise. He steps into an offense that lost receivers Xavier Restrepo, Isaiah Horton and Jacolby George, who each accounted for over 50 receptions last year.
To offset that need, Miami added Daniels. He brings experience and proven production between his time at LSU and Liberty and offers Beck a target with good body control who runs sharp routes. The Hurricanes have a rich history of developing excellent defensive tackles, and Blay could become a disruptive presence after notching six sacks last year for Louisiana Tech.
Top impact recruits: QB Bryce Underwood, OT Ty Haywood, OT Andrew Babalola, WR Jamar Browder, WR Andrew Marsh, CB Shamari Earls
Sherrone Moore pulled off the biggest recruiting win of the cycle by flipping Underwood, the No. 1 player in the class, from LSU. The in-state signal-caller addresses a key need and has every physical attribute desired in a passer. He threw for more than 11,000 yards in high school and set a state record with 152 career touchdown passes. Between a need at the position and Underwood’s physical tools, the true freshman could be under center to start the season in Ann Arbor. Marsh, an ESPN 300 player, won’t just be his top target of the future, but also a dynamic playmaker in the rotation this fall.
Moore is a former offensive lineman and offensive line coach, so it’s not surprising he emphasized signing Haywood, a five-star lineman. He’s a powerful big man with excellent length and mobility and could push his way into the rotation. Babalola, who was on campus this spring and performed well, could be the first between these two to see the field and might even contend for a starting tackle spot. Earls, a one-time Georgia commit, has a supreme blend of height, length and speed to contribute in sub packages.
Top transfers: WR Donaven McCulley, RB Justice Haynes, DB TJ Metcalf, OL Brady Norton, DT Damon Payne, DT Tre Williams
Haynes will team up with Jordan Marshall at running back to give Michigan one of the best 1-2 punches in college football. He was successful carrying a big load in high school and certainly can produce in a featured role. Haynes is a strong downhill runner with productive yards after contact. McCulley is a strong, big-bodied receiver at a position of need. He will be a nice target for Underwood on the outside who will win the contested jump balls. Defensively, look for Metcalf to fill a nickel role given his good coverage skills, size and physicality. He’s a ballhawk.
Top impact recruits: DE Javion Hilson, RB Marquise Davis, WR Donovan Olugbode
Eli Drinkwitz has led the Tigers to back-to-back double-digit win seasons, but a hat trick might be tough following some key roster losses. Still, with a top-10 portal class and top-25 recruiting class, they’ve reloaded with talent to remain competitive in the SEC.
Davis, a four-star player, could step into a meaningful role right away in an immediate area of need. He’s a thickly built back with a nice combination of burst and vision who proved this spring he’s ready to make a contribution to their rushing attack.
Keep an eye on Olugbode in Missouri’s receiver rotation. The IMG playmaker has shown he can quickly adapt and be a versatile prospect. The Tigers shouldn’t need to count on Hilson immediately, but the defensive end was a key recruiting win. He has tools to be a disruptive pass rusher and could work his way into a situational role.
Top transfers: DE Damon Wilson, QB Beau Pribula, OT Keagen Trost, DE Nate Johnson, LB Josiah Trotter, S Jalen Catalon, RB Ahmad Hardy, WR Kevin Coleman
Despite several departures, the Tigers replenished well in the portal. Wilson, who came from Georgia, is a big addition. His blend of length and burst rushing off the edge will offset the losses of Johnny Walker Jr. (9.5 sacks) and Jahkai Lang (3 sacks).
Pribula, who was a backup at Penn State in 2024, hasn’t locked up the starting job in Columbia, but he’s a strong option to take over for Brady Cook. Missouri also lost both its leading rushers, though Hardy arrives from UL Monroe off a 1,351-yard season as a freshman. Hardy and Davis could form one of the SEC’s better young running back tandems.
The well-traveled Coleman adds an experienced option to a wide receiver room that lost multiple players to the portal. He’s coming off his best season yet at Mississippi State last fall. Catalon and Trotter are plug-and-play caliber additions on defense.
Top impact recruits: WR Malik Clark, WR Donovan Murph, WR Brian Rowe, OL Shedrick Sarratt Jr.
The Gamecocks knew they needed to elevate their passing game for LaNorris Sellers after losing three of their top-five pass-catchers from 2024. They did it the traditional way, signing five four-star receivers from the high school ranks.
Clark and Murph are a pair of 6-foot-2 receivers who are prime candidates to emerge. Clark brings size, speed and the tools to step in right away. Murph didn’t enroll early, but the Under Armour All-American is a big target with excellent hands, body control and a knack for the big play. At 5-foot-11, Rowe is slightly built, but he’s explosive. On the offensive line, Sarratt, a high three-star prospect, impressed during spring practice and could work his way into the mix at guard.
Top transfers: TE Jordan Dingle, RB Rahsul Faison, DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, OL Boaz Stanley, CB Brandon Cisse, LB Shawn Murphy, LB Justin Okoronkwo
The Gamecocks also made targeted moves in the portal to fill holes with experience and upside. Dingle, coming from Kentucky, had a strong spring at tight end. His well-rounded skill set should make him a reliable option in both the run and pass game.
Up front, Stanley is providing quick returns and has seemingly already won the starting job at center. Both Brownlow-Dindy and Murphy were touted ESPN 300 prospects, with the former a five-star in the 2022 class, so each comes with talent to break out. Cisse is also coming off a strong spring.
Top impact recruits: QB Julian Lewis, DE London Merritt, WR Quentin Gibson, WR Quanell X. Farrakhan Jr.
Lewis, a five-star recruit, is one of the most heralded quarterbacks in the ESPN recruiting era. He headlines Colorado’s recruiting class and arrives with all the tools to set records in Boulder. Lewis could work his way into the mix as the season progresses.
Farrakhan might see the field before any other freshman, as either a returner or rotating outside receiver. He brings big-play speed, great hands and good football instincts to the Buffs. Gibson is small in stature but is coming off a monster senior season when he had more than 2,000 receiving yards with 36 touchdowns. At 5-foot-9, 155 pounds, his lack of physical stature could limit his initial role, but he’s another electric option in the return game and an offensive weapon if coordinator Pat Shurmur can create ways to get him the ball in space.
Top transfers: QB Kaidon Salter, OT Xavier Hill, WR Joseph Williams, WR Sincere Brown, OL Zylon Crisler, OL Akinola Ogunbiyi
Salter arrives from Liberty as a more dynamic runner than his predecessor, Shedeur Sanders, especially when making plays outside the pocket. He’s not that far behind Sanders’ accuracy, either. Salter’s presence allows the five-star Lewis to develop patiently in his first year without immediate pressure.
The offensive line has undergone a near-complete overhaul, though it’s too early to say whether it will be better than last year’s group. At 6-foot-4, 318 pounds, Hill, a Memphis transfer, has impressive mobility for his massive size and can play either guard or tackle. Brown was a key spring addition who caught 61 passes for 1,028 yards and 12 scores at Campbell last year. His production will translate to the Big 12 and, at the very least, in the red zone, where the 6-foot-5 receiver has great ball skills.
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Top impact recruits: DT Kevin Wynn, QB Kevin Sperry, WR Jayvan Boggs
It’s all hands on deck as the Seminoles dig out of the wreckage stemming from last year’s 2-10 season. Transfers will carry much of the load, but there are young, talented players coming in who could play a role, even after the poor 2024 season led to some defections from the class.
Wynn’s decision to stick with Florida State should pay off early. He’s a powerful player with the size to contribute right away. Boggs posted eye-popping numbers as a high school senior with more than 2,000 yards receiving and 21 touchdowns. If he can replicate even just a quarter of that, he’ll be a productive freshman. Sperry isn’t a plug-and-play option at quarterback, but he has impressed enough this spring that the Seminoles could turn to him sooner rather than later if they falter again this season.
Top transfers: WR Duce Robinson, QB Tommy Castellanos, WR Squirrel White, CB Jeremiah Wilson, DE Deante McCray, DE James Williams, LB Stefon Thompson, OL Luke Petitbon
Though Florida State has experienced the benefits and pitfalls of the transfer portal, it once again leveraged the portal to turn things around. Castellanos is undersized at 5-foot-9 but can be a dynamic and improvisational playmaker. He’s an upgrade at the position if he can limit his turnovers.
At 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, Robinson is a massive target who moves like a wide receiver in a tight end’s body, and he has an interesting multi-sport background as a one-time baseball prospect. Petitbon brings toughness to the trenches, and he’ll move right into the starting center job. Wilson, McCray and Williams are among the portal additions who are expected to step in and help elevate the defense.
Top impact recruits: DT Elijah Griffin, CB Dominick Kelly, WR C.J. Wiley
Seven Georgia defensive linemen have become first-round draft picks since 2022. Adding Griffin could help keep that pipeline flowing. The nation’s top-ranked defensive tackle impressed during Under Armour All-America week in January, then followed it up with a strong spring in Athens. His dynamic combination of size, explosion and agility draws early comparisons to Jalen Carter. Kelly highlights the depth of Georgia’s class. He also had a good spring and should immediately bolster the Bulldogs’ secondary.
Top transfers: WR Zachariah Branch, RB Josh McCray, WR Noah Thomas, LB Elo Modozie
After signing nine consecutive top-three recruiting classes, Georgia doesn’t need to live in the portal. However, the Bulldogs used it to supplement their roster, especially at wide receiver. Branch, a five-star coming from USC, has blazing speed and could be one of the most electrifying players in college football. He’ll factor into the return game but could elevate his presence by becoming a weapon in the passing game. Thomas led Texas A&M in receiving in 2024. At running back, McCray is a big, physical back at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds to complement Nate Frazier.
Top impact recruits: CB Dijon Lee Jr, OT Jackson Lloyd, S Ivan Taylor, QB Keelon Russell, WR Lotzeir Brooks
Nick Saban set an incredibly high bar in recruiting. So far, Kalen DeBoer has met that high standard. He signed two five-stars who could contribute in 2025. At 6-foot-4, Lee has elite length and very smooth movements for his size at corner. He’ll be tough to keep out of the mix, even if Alabama returns two starters.
Alabama returns multiple offensive line starters, but Lloyd and Michael Carroll are competing for open spots at left guard and right tackle. At a minimum, they should factor into the offensive line two-deep.
Quarterback Ty Simpson enters as the likely starter on a similar timeline to Bryce Young, who was a reserve in his first season in Tuscaloosa. Russell could follow a similar path, but he was one of the most talented prospects in the 2025 class regardless of position.
Top transfers: WR Isaiah Horton, CB Cameron Calhoun, LB Nikhai Hill-Green, OL Kam Dewberry, DL Kelby Collins
In the portal, Alabama added some experience at multiple spots. Calhoun’s arrival from Utah only strengthens the cornerback unit. Horton caught 56 passes for Miami last season and should be productive in a starting role. While the Tide have a freshman option, 2022 ESPN 300 offensive lineman Dewberry (Texas A&M) will likely take over Tyler Booker’s left guard spot. Hill-Green, a Colorado transfer, is also plenty experienced and could step into multiple roles on Alabama’s defense, even if he doesn’t win the starting job outright.
Top impact recruits: OT Lamont Rogers, DT Landon Rink, DT D.J. Sanders
Mike Elko has an eye for identifying and developing talent. The Aggies didn’t need to use the portal to replenish their offensive line given their considerable returning depth. Instead, they added Rogers, a five-star, with an eye on the future. He has good feet, flexibility and already gained some experience this spring. He has a chance to work his way into the mix up front.
Texas A&M lost a lot of production along the defensive line. Rink executes with good technique and a relentless motor. He can fill a rotational role immediately. At 300 pounds, Sanders brings what Rink lacks — size — and could contribute right away as well.
Top transfers: WR Kevin Concepcion, WR Mario Craver, WR Jonah Wilson, DL T.J. Searcy, CB Julian Humphrey, DL Tyler Onyedim, DE Dayon Hayes
To jump-start a passing attack that ranked near the bottom of the SEC last year, the Aggies aggressively retooled their receiving corps in the portal. Concepcion was one of the top receivers available and won ACC Rookie of the Year in 2023 at NC State. He hauled in more than 120 receptions over two seasons. Craver is quick and elusive and jumps from SEC foe Mississippi State. The Aggies hope he can build upon his productive freshman season. Wilson, coming from Houston, is another target with nice size.
On defense, Humphrey, coming from Georgia, provides SEC starting experience. The Aggies needed to replace nearly 100 tackles and 8.5 sacks along their defensive front, and Searcy headlines several portal additions who can pack some pass-rushing punch.
Top impact recruits: CB Bryson Webber, WR Cortez Mills
Unlike a year ago, when freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola played a vital role, the Cornhuskers’ 2025 class doesn’t appear poised to inject much immediate impact. Mills and Isaiah Mozee, both ESPN 300 receivers, add quality depth, and one could emerge as the season progresses. Carving out a role in a crowded secondary could be tough, but Webber flashed enough this spring that he is a player to watch among the incoming freshmen.
Top transfers: WR Dane Key, DE Williams Nwaneri, WR Nyziah Hunter, LB Marques Watson-Trent, LB Dasan McCullough, OL Rocco Spindler, OL Elijah Pritchett
Key was Nebraska’s top portal addition. He provides Raiola a sorely needed steady, polished target who runs great routes with good size and hands. Key, who comes from Kentucky, will replace Nebraska’s lost production at receiver after it sent a pair of pass catchers to the NFL.
Hunter spent two seasons at California and gives Raiola a young target with nice size at 6-foot-2 whom he can grow with. Watson-Trent was not a highly touted name in the portal out of Georgia Southern but brings a wealth of experience. His leadership qualities appear to already be making a significant impact.
Top impact recruits: WR LeBron Bond, S Byron Baldwin
Bond is a dangerous, elusive weapon with the ball in his hands who has big-play speed out of the slot. Baldwin, an ESPN 300 player, is an aggressive defender who can quickly close on the ball. At minimum, he should be a strong special teams contributor as a freshman.
Top transfers: QB Fernando Mendoza, C Pat Coogan, G Kahlil Benson, OT Zen Michalski, TE Holden Staes, DT Hosea Wheeler, S Devan Boykin, S Louis Moore
Mendoza should thrive in this offense and keep Indiana in the playoff picture. He’s a better overall passer than his predecessor, Kurtis Rourke, and will benefit from a much better offensive line and supporting cast around him. Expect him to put up big numbers.
His line will be new, but it’s not inexperienced. Coogan (Notre Dame) will be the catalyst at center, Benson (Colorado) is a driving interior force and Michalski (Ohio State) will protect the edge. Up front on defense, Wheeler has strong hands and leverage to eat blocks and still get a push. Moore and Boykin (NC State) are really solid instinctual and rangy pickups in the secondary. Moore returns to Bloomington after a spotty season at Ole Miss, but when healthy he’s a productive ball hawk.
Top impact recruits: OL Michael Fasusi, DT Trent Wilson
The Sooners’ first season in the SEC was disappointing, but their first official recruiting class was solid, especially up front. Look for Fasusi, an ESPN 300 player, to provide quality depth at the important left tackle position. He’s the No. 1-rated tackle with a ton of upside given his length and great footwork, but he won’t have the benefit of waiting to develop in Norman. Wilson has size and mature physical attributes to provide depth on the interior defensive front.
Top transfers: QB John Mateer, RB Jaydn Ott, WR JaVonnie Gibson, TE Will Huggins, DE Marvin Jones Jr.
The Sooners emphasized impact portal additions on offense, landing two backfield game changers in Mateer (Washington State) and Ott (Cal). Mateer has quickness and accuracy and will keep defenses honest with his legs. His offensive coordinator should count as the most significant transfer, as Mateer followed his offensive coordinator at Washington State, Ben Arbuckle, to Norman. When healthy, Ott is one of the best backs in college football. He’s explosive, fast and can break tackles in the second level.
Gibson is coming off a broken leg suffered in the spring, but he should be ready for fall. What does that mean for the offense? The Arkansas Pine-Bluff transfer was one of the top FCS receivers last year with 70 catches for 1,215 yards. His size and speed will transfer to the SEC.
The defense received a boost with Jones, a former ESPN 300 outside linebacker who developed into a productive end at Florida State (four sacks) after two lackluster seasons at Georgia. He has the ideal physical makeup, but Sooners fans need him to put it all together this fall.
Top impact recruits: OT Jaylen Gilchrist, QB Malik Washington, DT Bryce Jenkins
Maryland kept its best talent home, signing one of its strongest recent classes by winning key DMV-area recruiting battles. Gilchrest and Washington lead the way. An in-state ESPN 300 quarterback, Washington has a big arm and dynamic mobility. He fits well in offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton’s scheme, and he arrives with swagger and confidence, although Maryland won’t need to rush him given his upside. Gilchrist is powerful enough to provide depth inside along the offensive line, particularly as a run blocker, but he could help at tackle as well if he continues to develop his feet.
On defense, Jenkins is a massive interior lineman out of Washington, D.C., who eats up blocks and holds his ground at the point of attack but also plays with deceptive quickness to disrupt. He should provide quality snaps at nose guard.
Top transfers: WR Jalil Farooq, TE Dorian Fleming, QB Justyn Martin, DB Jamare Glasker, DB Dontay Joyner
Martin didn’t win the job this spring, but his experience as a starter at UCLA and his strong physical skill set will be valuable until Washington is ready to take the reins. Farooq (Oklahoma) returns home after an up-and-down career in Norman. He racked up 694 receiving yards and 15.4 yards per catch two years ago. When healthy, he’s a versatile playmaker who can move the chains after the catch and produce in the return game. Fleming (Georgia State) had a breakout season in 2024 and should upgrade tight end for the Terps in 2025 with his size and strength. On defense, Glasker (Wake Forest) and Joyner (Arkansas State) are improvements on the perimeter.
Top impact recruits: S Martels Carter Jr., WR DJ Miller, WR Montavin Quisenberry
Kentucky finished under .500 for the first time since 2020 and with its fewest wins (four) since Mark Stoops’ first season at the helm in 2013. The Wildcats hope their offseason roster overhaul helps reverse course in 2025. Stoops landed a top-30 recruiting class and Carter, a dynamic in-state talent, is one to watch. He’s a great athlete who was a two-way threat in high school and has the combination of speed, coverage skills and size to factor into Kentucky’s two-deep at safety.
Miller and Quisenberry fill different roles as pass catchers. The 6-foot-3 Miller has desirable length and tallied over 1,700 receiving yards as a high schooler in the St. Louis area. Quisenberry is only 5-foot-10 and slightly built, but the 2024 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year is a shifty, slippery threat who should push for time in the slot.
Top transfers: QB Zach Calzada, OL Joshua Braun, OL Shiyazh Pete, OL Alex Wollschlaeger, RB Dante Dowdell, WR Kendrick Law, Edge Sam Green, DT David Gusta
The Wildcats brought in two dozen transfers, including plenty on offense, as they rebuild a unit that finished last in the SEC last year. Calzada, 24, is on his third stint at an SEC school sandwiched around two years at Incarnate Word, where he took a big step forward last year in throwing for 3,744 yards and 35 touchdowns to just nine interceptions.
Dowdell is well-traveled as well after stints at Nebraska and Oregon, and at 6-foot-2, 227 pounds, his physical run style should suit the SEC. Law should contribute right away in the slot for Calzada. He didn’t turn his four-star pedigree into consistent production at Alabama, but he has a much clearer path to a consistent role in Lexington. Shiyazh (New Mexico State, 6-foot-8) and Wollschlaeger (Bowling Green, 6-foot-7) are massive bookend tackles with considerable starting experience that now must translate against much tougher competition, and expect Braun, a 340-pounder who has 50 career games and 32 starts at Florida and Arkansas, to plug in right away at guard.
Top impact recruits: OLB Madden Faraimo, S Dallas Golden, WR Elijah Burress
The Irish signed a top-15 recruiting class as they continue to emphasize player development and long-term roster building under Marcus Freeman. Faraimo caught on quickly in South Bend, and he should be in the mix for playing time because of his versatile skill set. He has linebacker size and physicality with safety range and athleticism.
Golden won’t arrive until summer, but he should push for time in the secondary and as a key special teams contributor because of his dynamic athleticism. Burress, the son of former NFL receiver Plaxico Burress, turned heads this spring as well with his speed, elusiveness and polished route running. The four-star had 15 touchdowns as a senior for state champ DePaul Catholic in New Jersey.
Top transfers: WR Malachi Fields, WR Will Pauling, DL Jared Dawson, S DeVonta Smith, S Jalen Stroman
Freeman has been selective in the transfer portal and hit on Fields, who has size and speed to produce big plays vertically. The 6-foot-4 220-pounder is an upgrade from the Irish’s wide receiver unit last season and a legit go-to playmaker with his impressive size and explosiveness. Pauling (Wisconsin) is smaller but plenty quick and productive as an underneath target.
Defensively, Smith (Alabama) and Stroman (Virginia Tech) will bolster the secondary. Smith sets the tone with his physicality versus the run and solid coverage skills. He should lock down the nickel position. The powerful Dawson arrives from Louisville and should see plenty of snaps, providing disruption as an interior defensive lineman.
Top impact recruits: WR Dallas Wilson, S Lagonza Hayward, S Hylton Stubbs
While the 2024 season presented challenges, the Gators finished strong under Billy Napier, which led to a boost on the recruiting trail, particularly in their backyard. Florida kept Wilson and fellow ESPN 300 pass catcher Vernell Brown III home. Wilson has turned heads the most this spring. At 6-foot-4, 190 pounds with a 4.5 40-yard dash, he has a rare combination of size, speed and understanding of the position for a freshman.
Hayward and Stubbs should be in the backend rotation this fall. Both ESPN 300 safeties have been as advertised this spring. Stubbs is very instinctive with range and physicality to make plays in all three levels of the defense.
Top transfers: WR J. Michael Sturdivant, QB Harrison Bailey, CB Micheal Caraway
The Gators brought in weapons for their talented young quarterback DJ Lagway after their two top wideouts graduated. Sturdivant is a proven pass catcher with 1,667 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns over three seasons at UCLA and Cal. He has big-play potential and NFL talent, but perhaps most valuable will be his veteran leadership for freshmen Wilson and Brown. Caraway (Southern Miss) might not project as an impact defender, but he’s scheme versatile with experience.
Top impact recruits: WR Corey Simms, OT Alex Payne, QB Husan Longstreet, DE Jahkeem Stewart, RB Waymond Jordan
Lincoln Riley is known for his explosive offenses, but the Trojans need to strengthen their defense if they want to become a true national title contender and erase last year’s disappointing 7-5 finish. At roughly 6-foot-6, 270 pounds, Stewart is long, explosive off the ball and moves like an edge player with interior size. He’s still a bit green without a lot of high school experience but checks all the physical boxes and should be impactful as the season progresses after making a strong impression this spring.
On offense, the receiver room is inexperienced, but Simms has the size and catch radius on the outside to work into the rotation. Longstreet is well-groomed and has the physical makeup to play at quarterback if needed. He has a quick release and strong arm, but his intangibles will get him on the field early. Payne has impressive agility and might be called into action given the lack of depth at offensive tackle. The Trojans’ X factor, though, could be Jordan, a juco prospect with the size, speed and vision to become a true every-down back.
Top transfers: WR Prince Strachan, OG DJ Wingfield, OC J’Onre Reed, RB Waymond Jordan, DT Keeshawn Silver, CB DJ Harvey, S Bishop Fitzgerald
The Trojans were decimated by losses in the portal but did a good job finding transfers to fill some holes. At 6-foot-4, 336 pounds, Silver (Kentucky) fills a need as an early-down two-gap nose tackle who wins with leverage and deceptive burst.
On the opposite side, the Trojans are replacing three offensive line starters from 2024, so finding a quality center like Reed, who comes over from Syracuse, and strong interior play from Wingfield (Purdue) is instrumental. Strachan, a Boise State transfer, has been impressive as a true X receiver. Defensively, Harvey (San Jose State) and Fitzgerald (NC State) are productive secondary additions. Fitzgerald is a real ball hawk with great range.
Top impact recruits: OG Byron Nelson, QB Bryce Baker
Most of North Carolina’s impact additions came via the portal, and the new regime under Bill Belichick kept things close to the vest this spring in Chapel Hill. Nelson and Baker stand out as two freshmen who could push for time early. Nelson, a 300-pound interior lineman out of Texas, remained committed to the Tar Heels even after the coaching change and enrolled early, giving him a leg up as he pushes for a role amid several new faces on the interior. The dual-threat Baker also stuck with Belichick. The in-state four-star throws a great deep ball and has the physical tools to at least push incoming transfer Gio Lopez in the Tar Heels’ quarterback competition.
Top transfers: WR Aziah Johnson, OG Daniel King, OT William Boone, QB Gio Lopez, DE Smith Vilbert, DT CJ Mims, DE Pryce Yates, OLB Khmori House, S Gavin Gibson, CB Thaddeus Dixon
The portal was quite active for the Tar Heels in both directions and yielded North Carolina a slew of potential starters. Lopez might be the most high-profile of them all. He was the sixth-best player in the spring portal after throwing for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns to just five picks as a starter in the Sun Belt at South Alabama last year. The lefty is like a point guard who distributes quickly and efficiently with enough athleticism to keep defenses honest.
King, a three-year starter in the Sun Belt at Troy, should team with Boone (Prairie View A&M) to protect Lopez and rebuild the right side of North Carolina’s line. Johnson was a North Carolina target out of high school and now arrives via Michigan State as a potential slot receiver.
Belichick prioritized experience in the portal to restock his defense. Yates played in 32 games over three seasons at UConn, and the defensive lineman arrives with 12.5 career sacks. Vilbert is in his seventh year of eligibility and comes over from Penn State. Gibson (Maryland/East Carolina) and Dixon (Washington) combined for 60 career collegiate games in the secondary, and Dixon arrives with a leg up already knowing the scheme after playing for defensive coordinator Steve Belichick last year at Washington. He’s one of four former Huskies to transfer to North Carolina.
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Alden Gonzalez
SEATTLE — Zach McKinstry came to bat against Seattle Mariners right-hander Carlos Vargas with two outs, the score tied and the winning run on second base in Saturday’s 11th inning. A right-handed hitter, the free-swinging Javier Baez, loomed on deck, a much better matchup for Vargas than the left-handed-hitting McKinstry. The Mariners could have elected to intentionally walk him with first base open.
“We talked about it,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “Obviously, Vargy gets the ball on the ground, and that’s what he does best, righty or lefty and, you know, he got the ball on the ground.”
That grounder bounced four times before finding the outfield grass at T-Mobile Park, hit just hard enough to evade a diving J.P. Crawford, plate Spencer Torkelson and send the Detroit Tigers — marked for dead with their season unraveling in epic fashion near the end of September — to a 3-2, extra-inning victory. After winning two of three in Cleveland to overcome the wild-card round, a Tigers team that has spent the last two weeks on the road has taken a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series.
A.J. Hinch, the fifth-year-manager, called these Tigers the “sum-of-the-parts team,” and it showed once again.
It began with Troy Melton, a rookie right-hander used mostly in relief this season, providing four quality innings. Seven relievers — including Keider Montero, a starting pitcher who was called on for a save — followed by holding the Mariners to one run in seven innings. In between, Kerry Carpenter hit a two-run homer and McKinstry provided the clutch single. Now, with ace Tarik Skubal lined up for Game 2, the Tigers have a chance to take a commanding lead in a series few saw them winning.
“It’s huge,” Carpenter said. “To get a win before the best pitcher in the world pitches is pretty special, and I feel like Skubal is made for these moments.”
The last time Melton took the ball, he recorded one out and was charged with four earned runs in the eighth inning of the second wild-card game on Wednesday. Hinch informed him via text on the plane ride to Seattle on Thursday night that he would start Game 1. He described the decision as a reflection of Melton’s stuff and poise, but really, with Skubal, Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty already used this week, Hinch had few other options.
Melton responded with four innings of one-run ball in what amounted to his fifth major league start all year, allowing only a Julio Rodriguez solo homer.
“It was kind of normal for me,” Melton, 24, said. “My parents were here. I got dinner with them last night, breakfast with them today. It was like the same routine as when I pitched in college. That kind of made it a little bit more normal. Obviously this environment is a little bit different, and it means a little bit more than my college games did, but I tried to make it as normal as possible. Once I got out there, it was just about executing pitches.”
Mariners starter George Kirby didn’t just execute early; he dialed up his fastball, using the adrenaline of a home playoff start to throw his fastball consistently in the upper 90s early on, roughly two ticks faster than his season average. Kirby navigated some trouble but kept the Tigers scoreless through the first four innings while striking out eight.
In the fifth, he allowed a one-out single to Parker Meadows and got Gleyber Torres to ground out, bring up Meadows, the left-handed-hitting outfielder who was 4-for-10 with four home runs lifetime against him. Wilson had lefty Gabe Speier warming up in the bullpen, a move that would have prompted Hinch to pinch-hit with the right-handed-hitting Jahmai Jones. But Wilson decided to let Kirby face Carpenter a third time.
“It’s a tough one,” Wilson said, “and you do the best you can and try to take the information that you have and what you’re seeing. And we thought George continued to throw the ball pretty well there and still had pretty good stuff and a lot left in the tank.”
Kirby just missed inside with an 0-2 sinker. He then went to the sinker for a third straight time, but it traveled middle-up, about chest high, and Carpenter sent it 409 feet to give the Tigers a lead.
“I was seeing him well tonight, especially after that first at-bat,” Carpenter said. “I feel like I got my timing back a little bit. And I just wanted to make sure to get a good pitch to hit that at-bat, because they had a base open, and I didn’t know how they were going to pitch me. And so I felt like I was on time and had a good approach there.”
Rodriguez tied the game with an opposite-field single in the sixth, but the Mariners couldn’t do further damage in a half-inning that saw each of their first three hitters reach. Tyler Holton relieved a struggling Rafael Montero and recorded three quick outs. Tommy Kahnle, Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest followed by allowing one baserunner in four innings, setting up the game-winning sequence in the top of the 11th.
Spencer Torkelson drew a leadoff walk against Vargas, a lanky right-hander who can reach triple-digits. Wenceel Perez and Dillon Dingler struck out, but McKinstry turned on a first-pitch, 99.6-mph sinker near the middle of the zone and came up with a base-hit up the middle, deflating a sold-out crowd that has waited 24 years for the Mariners to win a home playoff game.
In the bottom half, Montero faced the top of the Mariners’ lineup and navigated it without much issue, allowing a two-out single to Rodriguez and then coming back to strike out Josh Naylor to record the first save of his pro career.
It was the realization of a dream.
“When I was in little league, they would use me like that,” Montero, a 25-year-old from Venezuela, said in Spanish, “and I always told my teammates in the minor leagues that my dream was to close out a game.”
Following his second touchdown of the night, Miami receiver CJ Daniels looked directly into the ESPN camera and sang the FSU war chant.
The U isn’t just back — so is its swagger.
Miami owns the state of Florida, having knocked down South Florida, Florida and Florida State, further cementing its case for the top team in the country. Penn State’s stunning loss at UCLA doesn’t help Oregon. Texas losing in The Swamp doesn’t help Ohio State.
Miami earning its first road win — against an FSU team that beat a now-surging Alabama — helped the Canes further legitimize what could be their first No. 1 ranking in the CFP era. The 13-member selection committee doesn’t release its first ranking until Nov. 4, but this is the latest projection of what the group’s top 12 would look like if it were released today.
Projecting the top 12
Why they could be here: The Canes have the best combination of eye test and résumé, with wins against Notre Dame, South Florida, Florida and now Florida State. The Canes earned their first road win of the season, and they did it against their in-state rival, officially claiming the unofficial state title. Miami also entered Week 6 ranked No. 10 in the country in total efficiency and No. 4 in ESPN’s strength of record metric. The Canes are checking all of the boxes for the committee’s No. 1 team, including star power with quarterback Carson Beck and defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr.
Why they could be lower: Undefeated Ohio State won at Minnesota, but it’s hard to imagine the committee members giving the Buckeyes the nod for the top spot given Miami’s résumé — unless they truly believed Ohio State is more talented.
Need to know: That was likely Miami’s last chance to impress the selection committee against a ranked opponent. It won’t matter if the Canes continue to play like this. Miami can clinch a spot in the playoff if it wins the ACC — which it’s on track to do — but even a runner-up finish should cement a spot.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 1 at SMU. Miami should win this game — it’s the more talented team — but it’s not an easy trip. And it will be the first time all season that Miami leaves its home state.
Why they could be here: The season-opening win against Texas is good — but not great — after Texas lost at Florida on Saturday. The Buckeyes’ place in the pecking order is less about one standout win and more about the steady consistency expected from a national title contender. They’ve won on the road against a decent Washington team that just rallied for a road win at Maryland, and at home against Texas and Minnesota. The committee doesn’t look just for wins against top-25 teams; it also values wins against opponents over .500, and Ohio State now has three Power 4 wins against such teams.
Why they could be higher: Miami hasn’t left its home state yet, and Ohio State entered this week No. 3 in the country in defensive efficiency, No. 12 in offensive efficiency and No. 3 overall — ahead of the Canes in each category.
Need to know: Saturday’s game at Illinois suddenly looks more daunting than the Nov. 1 home game against Penn State. The reality is that Ohio State should win both, but Illinois is coming off back-to-back Big Ten wins against USC and Purdue, whereas the Nittany Lions were stunned at UCLA.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 29 at Michigan. Sound familiar? Ohio State has lost to its rival four straight times, and the Wolverines are starting to find their identity with freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. Michigan beat Wisconsin on Saturday for its third straight win since losing in Week 2 at Oklahoma.
Why they could be here: The Ducks had a bye week to recover following their double-overtime road win at Penn State, and both teams above them won. Oregon’s win against the Nittany Lions was diminished following Penn State’s loss at winless UCLA, and it was also the Ducks’ first win against an FBS opponent above .500.
Why they could be higher: Oregon has been dominant against the weaker teams and found a way to beat Penn State on the road in a hostile whiteout environment. The committee could be more impressed with Oregon’s cross-country win against two-loss PSU than Ohio State’s home win against Texas now that both have two losses. The Ducks have two road wins compared with Miami’s one.
Need to know: If Oregon doesn’t beat Indiana next week, and it finishes 11-1, it would still be in the playoff, but it might not be in the Big Ten title game. Oregon doesn’t play Ohio State or Michigan during the regular season. If Ohio State is undefeated, and Indiana and Oregon are the league’s only other one-loss teams, IU would have the head-to-head tiebreaker (Penn State would have two losses, to Oregon and Ohio State). Because of the change in seeding this year, Oregon can still earn one of the top four seeds and a first-round bye even if it doesn’t win the Big Ten. This year, the top four seeds go to the committee’s top four teams — regardless of if they are conference champs.
Toughest remaining game: Oct. 11 vs. Indiana. This might be the last ranked opponent the Ducks face during the regular season following USC’s loss to Illinois last week.
Why they could be here: The Aggies have won three straight games against strong opponents, further proving that the Sept. 13 win at Notre Dame wasn’t an anomaly. Saturday’s win was against a Mississippi State team that has looked much improved from a year ago, and the Sept. 27 home win against Auburn is still against an SEC team above .500. The nonconference road win against the Irish, though, remains one of the best in the country and will continue to separate the Aggies as long as the Irish keep winning, which they did again on Saturday against Boise State.
Why they could be lower: Ole Miss has a case to be ranked above the Aggies because of its impressive performance in the win against LSU and its overall body of work, which includes three SEC wins and a win against Tulane.
Need to know: The Aggies entered Saturday ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s strength of record metric, which means the average top 25 opponent would have just a 20.1% chance of achieving the same undefeated record against the same opponents.
Toughest remaining game: Oct. 25 at LSU. This is the middle game in three straight road trips, and although LSU’s offense has been average, its defense will be one of the best the Aggies face this season.
Why they could be here: The Rebels had a bye week but earned their first statement win on Sept. 27 against LSU. They have now won four straight games against respectable opponents, including three SEC teams (LSU, Arkansas and Kentucky). The Sept. 20 win against Tulane will also be valued by the committee, as the Green Wave remain in contention for a playoff spot if they can win the American Conference. Overall, this is one of the stronger résumés of the contenders, but Ole Miss is also passing the eye test as a complete team.
Why they could be lower: Kentucky and Arkansas are a combined 4-6, and Georgia State is 1-4 in the Sun Belt.
Need to know: The Rebels have one of the more winnable remaining SEC schedules among the contenders, with back-to-back trips to Georgia and Oklahoma their biggest looming obstacles. The undefeated Rebels also have something key to impressing the selection committee: two quarterbacks capable of starting. The play of backup quarterbacks is critical to the selection process (it kept undefeated ACC champ Florida State out of the CFP in 2023 but helped Ohio State in during the 2014 season). With Austin Simmons injured, it’s clear backup Trinidad Chambliss is more than capable of leading a team toward an SEC title run.
Toughest remaining game: Oct. 18 at Georgia. The Rebels also have an Oct. 25 trip to Oklahoma, but it’s unclear if the Sooners will have injured starting quarterback John Mateer back by then (unlikely).
Why they could be here: The Tide beat Vanderbilt and continued to show measurable improvement since a season-opening loss at Florida State. Alabama has now earned back-to-back wins against ranked opponents, including on the road against Georgia. Because Florida State lost to Miami and now has two losses, the Noles’ season-opening win against Alabama will be less of a factor in the committee meeting room. Their records are no longer comparable, which opens the door for the committee members to disregard that tiebreaker in their protocol.
Why they could be higher: Every team ranked ahead of Alabama is undefeated, so if the committee is going to push the Tide ahead of one of them, it would be because it values wins against Georgia and Vandy more than it does some of the contenders above Alabama — which is possible. But FSU losing to Miami on Saturday doesn’t help the Tide’s case. A lot of it would depend on where the committee had Georgia, Vandy and FSU ranked.
Need to know: Heading into Saturday, Alabama had the best chance of any team in the SEC to reach the conference title game (53.4%) and win it (34.5%).
Toughest remaining game: Oct. 11 at Missouri. The undefeated Tigers had a bye week to prepare, they’ll have home-field advantage, and they will be the third straight ranked opponent Alabama faces. The Tide at least get Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma at home.
Why they could be here: The undefeated Sooners beat Kent State with backup quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., who was playing for injured starter John Mateer. Beating a 1-4 Mid-American team isn’t going to earn the Sooners any points with committee members, but the group will respect the play of OU’s backup quarterback and the fact the Sooners still left no doubt they were the better team. Oklahoma’s Week 2 win against Michigan remains one of the better nonconference wins, as the Wolverines beat Wisconsin and have won three straight.
Why they could be higher: The Sooners are undefeated, and Alabama’s loss to Florida State took another hit on Saturday night when the Noles lost to the Canes. The win against Michigan is a nonconference boost Alabama doesn’t have. This will settle itself on the field on Nov. 15 in Tuscaloosa if it doesn’t before then.
Need to know: Six of Oklahoma’s next seven opponents are ranked, and it’s still unclear if Mateer will be cleared to play in time for Saturday’s Red River Rivalry game. The committee’s protocol requires consideration of factors such as injuries to key players. As long as Mateer is out of the lineup, the committee will rank the Sooners based on if they look like a top-12 team with Hawkins in the lineup. OU has some margin for error, and it has plenty of opportunities to compensate for a loss or two.
Toughest remaining game: Take your pick. The Sooners could be facing rival Texas on Saturday without Mateer, but the best team they’ll face right now looks like Ole Miss on Oct. 25. OU will have home-field advantage, but the Rebels might be the most complete and consistent team in the SEC.
Why they could be here: The Bulldogs did what they were expected to do: They beat an unranked Kentucky team that remains winless in SEC play. The Sept. 13 overtime win at Tennessee is the highlight of Georgia’s playoff résumé so far. The close loss to Alabama on Sept. 27 will keep the Dawgs behind the Tide in the ranking because of the head-to-head result as long as the records are comparable, which they still are after Alabama beat Vanderbilt on Saturday. That same tiebreaker will keep Georgia ahead of the Vols.
Why they could be lower: The committee could have the Hoosiers ranked higher because they’re undefeated. Wins against Austin Peay and Marshall also aren’t doing anything to help Georgia’s résumé.
Need to know: ESPN’s FPI projects Georgia will win each of its remaining games. The regular-season finale against rival Georgia Tech could impact seeding because the Yellow Jackets are in position to play for the ACC championship. If Georgia gets a win against the ACC champs or runner-up, Georgia could earn the higher seed at the Jackets’ expense because of the head-to-head result. That could mean the difference between a home game and a first-round bye.
Toughest remaining game: Oct. 18 vs. Ole Miss. The Rebels, who had a bye week before hosting Washington State on Oct. 11, should be undefeated heading into Athens.
Why they could be here: The Hoosiers had a bye week before a tricky trip to Oregon, and they’re coming off back-to-back Big Ten wins against Illinois and Iowa. The jaw-dropping performance in the 63-10 beatdown of the Illini is the most impressive win on IU’s résumé, but most of the teams ranked higher have defeated a more elite opponent. The committee members would know, though, that it’s notoriously difficult to win at Iowa.
Why they could be higher: Unlike several teams listed above, Indiana hasn’t lost — and for the most part, it has looked good in the process. The committee would also note that the Hoosiers entered Saturday No. 5 in defensive efficiency and No. 17 in offensive efficiency.
Need to know: Indiana doesn’t play Ohio State or Michigan during the regular season, but it has a more difficult path to the playoff with trips to Oregon and Penn State. If the Hoosiers finish 10-2, they will be in a precarious playoff position because of their nonconference schedule (Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State).
Toughest remaining game: Oct. 11 at Oregon. The Hoosiers could earn one of the best wins in the country, and the program could reach a new level with an upset on Saturday.
Why they could be here: The undefeated Red Raiders earned a road win against previously undefeated Houston, and they also have a convincing 34-10 road win against Utah. The committee would consider that Texas Tech asserted itself against two respectable conference opponents and did it on the road. The Red Raiders also got starting quarterback Behren Morton back on Saturday from injury. Texas Tech got a boost in the ranking this week at the expense of Penn State, which fell out entirely after its road loss to UCLA.
Why they could be lower: Kent State is 1-4, Oregon State is 0-6 and Arkansas-Pine Bluff is an FCS team. The committee also tracks opponents’ opponents — and Houston doesn’t have any impressive wins. Even though the Vols have one loss, the committee could deem them the better team and give them the edge for beating Syracuse and Mississippi State.
Need to know: Heading into Week 6, Texas Tech had the best chance of reaching the Big 12 title game (52.3%) and the best chance to win it (31.5%), according to ESPN Analytics.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 8 vs. BYU. With Friday night’s win against West Virginia, BYU remains undefeated, leaving Texas Tech and BYU as the only Big 12 teams still undefeated overall.
Why they could be here: The Vols had a bye week, but the overtime road win at Mississippi State and the season-opening win against Syracuse are keeping them in contention right now. The 45-26 win against the Orange is better than some other contenders’ nonconference wins — and the committee will know it came against a healthy starting quarterback, Steve Angeli. With Angeli out and injured, though, Syracuse has fallen to 3-3. The overtime loss to Georgia is hardly a “bad loss,” but the Vols could use some true statement wins in the second half of the season to move into a safer spot.
Why they could be higher: The committee has ranked one-loss teams ahead of undefeated teams before, and it could simply be a matter of the group believing Tennessee has a better combination of wins and talent.
Need to know: Entering Week 6, ESPN’s FPI projected the Vols will win each of their remaining games except the Oct. 18 trip to Alabama. If that were to hold true, the Vols would have a strong case to return to the playoff at 10-2 but wouldn’t be a lock. What if Notre Dame finishes 10-2? They’d both have good losses, but the Vols might win the résumé battle. Eye test will matter, too.
Toughest remaining game: Oct. 18 at Alabama. The Tide are getting better each week, but they will be coming home from a tough road trip to Mizzou. If Alabama loses that game, it will be under tremendous pressure against the Vols to avoid a third loss. If the Tide win, they will be bringing some major playoff momentum home.
Why they could be here: The committee would also probably consider undefeated Georgia Tech for this spot, but its protocol also asks it to compare common opponents without incentivizing margin of victory. Georgia Tech beat Clemson at home by three points, and LSU beat the Tigers at Clemson by a touchdown. The fact that LSU had to go on the road would give it a slight edge, but the committee would also know that Georgia Tech needed overtime to beat Wake Forest, and the ACC conceded an officiating mistake in that game that would have given the Demon Deacons a critical first down. The missed call allowed Georgia Tech to extend its drive and win in overtime.
Why they could be lower: LSU didn’t look much like a playoff team in its 24-19 loss at Ole Miss on Sept. 27. The offense struggled, and the defense gave up too many big plays. The committee could favor Georgia Tech more because it hasn’t lost and quarterback Haynes King has been one of the toughest in the country.
Need to know: If the playoff were today, LSU would get bumped out of the CFP during the seeding process to make room for the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion, which is guaranteed a spot in the field.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 8 at Alabama. LSU is entering a season-defining stretch, with three of its next four games against ranked opponents. The Oct. 18 trip to Vandy won’t be easy, but Bama just wrote the blueprint to beat the Commodores. LSU gets Texas A&M at home.
Bracket
Based on the rankings above, the seeding would be:
First-round byes
No. 1 Miami (ACC champ)
No. 2 Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
No. 3 Oregon
No. 4 Texas A&M (SEC champ)
First-round games
On campus, Dec. 19 and 20
No. 12 Memphis (American champ) at No. 5 Ole Miss
No. 11 Tennessee at No. 6 Alabama
No. 10 Texas Tech (Big 12 champ) at No. 7 Oklahoma
No. 9 Indiana at No. 8 Georgia
Quarterfinal games
At the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential and Allstate Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
No. 12 Memphis/No. 5 Ole Miss winner vs. No. 4 Texas A&M
No. 11 Tennessee/No. 6 Alabama winner vs. No. 3 Oregon
No. 10 Texas Tech/No. 7 Oklahoma winner vs. No. 2 Ohio State
No. 9 Indiana/No. 8 Georgia winner vs. No. 1 Miami
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David Hale
It might seem hard to believe, but a quarter century ago, there was no more fearsome program in college football than Miami.
Those were strange days. Most people’s phones were tethered to a wall, the internet was strictly for arguing over “Star Trek,” and Bill Belichick was considered a wildly disappointing head coach.
Only one of those things is true today. And yet, for all that has changed over these past decades, for all the misery Miami has endured, Saturday marked an inflection point.
The Canes are back.
Let’s look at the résumé. Miami opened the season with a win over Notre Dame, and the Irish now look like a true contender again, after beating Boise State in emphatic fashion 28-7 on Saturday. Miami dominated USF, one of the Group of 6’s best teams. Miami thumped Florida, which showed signs of life in Week 6 by stunning Texas. And in Tallahassee on Saturday, Miami made a statement in dismantling Florida State 28-19.
And while Miami soared, No. 7 Penn State and No. 9 Texas endured mosaics of laughter and cocktails of tears in Week 6. Oh, sorry, we’re being told that’s actually the Mad Libs description Taylor Swift used for her new album. But it’s still fitting.
Six weeks into the season, it’s probably worth taking a step back and recalibrating, reevaluating and, frankly, regretting so much of what we thought to be true before the 2025 campaign kicked off.
We’ve seen how far preseason assumptions have gotten us. Clemson, Arizona State and Illinois were all supposed to be playoff favorites, only for September to shatter that illusion.
In Week 5, we saw four top-10 teams lose — Florida State, Penn State, LSU and Georgia.
And in Week 6, the grim reaper came for the Nittany Lions (again) and the Longhorns, courtesy of two teams who had yet to win a Power 4 game.
That Florida upended Texas is a surprise, to be sure, but not like realizing the guy from “White Lotus” also played Uncle Rico in “Napoleon Dynamite.” We could, after all, have seen this coming. Billy Napier is college football’s Jason Voorhees — drown, hacked, flambéed and forced to watch all the entire DVD collection of “According to Jim,” and yet he keeps coming back. Napier cannot be felled by conventional weapons. Florida will only be able to fire him after enlisting the help of witch doctors, paranormal psychologists and Auburn boosters. Napier is like “Grey’s Anatomy,” a thing you’re shocked to learn is somehow still going each new college football season.
Napier’s latest revival came in a 29-21 win over Texas in which the Gators’ defense racked up six sacks, picked off Arch Manning twice and held the Longhorns to 52 yards on the ground. The only highlight for Texas was a late-game sack in which Manning’s helmet popped off, and his mop of disheveled hair forced all of America to swoon just long enough to forget Texas was the preseason No. 1 team in the country. Manning and the Horns have been this season’s version of an “Avatar” sequel — a massive endeavor earning millions of dollars based on a legacy franchise, while no one’s quite sure why we’re still supposed to care.
Meanwhile, we might have reached even more desperate times for the preseason No. 2 team. A week after falling to Oregon in overtime, Penn State looked utterly shell-shocked against UCLA. The Nittany Lions fell behind 27-7 at the half, had a chance to get back into the game, then on a crucial fourth-down play, did the football equivalent of splitting your pants while bending over to pick up a nickel.
After the game, James Franklin reeled off a litany of excuses, from travel to injuries to, of course, the hangover from the Oregon game.
“Obviously we didn’t handle last week’s loss well,” Franklin said, and that feels like the obvious answer because it means Franklin actually lost twice to a top-10 Oregon team, more befitting his reputation.
In reality, it was woeful UCLA, 0-4 entering the game, a team that had fired its head coach and had turned to Jerry Neuheisel for offensive playcalling — a man who had never so much as worn the headset on the sideline before and who had tragically lost the finals of the All Valley Karate Tournament to Daniel LaRusso.
Jerry Neuheisel’s first words after orchestrating a stunning upset over No. 7 Penn State.
“Just a special, special day. I don’t know where it would rank. I don’t know how to really put it into words I just am glad I’m the one who gets to be in it right now.” pic.twitter.com/9iMLNKMvYR
— Ira Gorawara (@IraGorawara) October 4, 2025
That Florida and UCLA — two of the most frustratingly awful teams of the first month of the season — could open October by knocking off the teams ranked first and second to open the season speaks volumes. This season has no prewritten script. There is no favorite, no dominant team, no safe bet for the playoffs.
Except for, maybe, Miami.
The Canes do not have a clear weakness. They have a QB who is playing angry, an offensive and defensive line that are mean, big and powerful, and skill guys who not only make plays but offer the type of swagger that had once been Miami’s calling card.
CJ Daniels taunting Florida State again after running up the score on FSU 😅 pic.twitter.com/OR8Wk9ZyGD
— ESPN (@espn) October 5, 2025
Are we comfortable unironically pronouncing Miami as the king of the college football world again? Of course not. We remember what it was like for Jacory Harris to toy with our emotions like a cat with a ball of yarn. We remember Al Golden prowling the sideline dressed as an Enterprise Rental Car agent. We remember when Mark Richt came to the cold realization that 15 years of forgetting to run the ball in Athens was still far less exasperating than trying to figure out what to do with N’Kosi Perry.
Miami spent 20 years being feared by everyone in college football.
Anyone who has watched Miami over the past 20 years is still plenty scared of buying the hype this time around.
And yet, here we are, nearly midway through a year in which nothing seems certain, and somehow the biggest surprise of all is that the safest bet in the sport might be the Canes.
More:
UNC blown out
Trends | Under the radar
Heisman five
Heels down
The dream of recreating the Deion Sanders experience in Chapel Hill took its first major step forward Saturday, when a world-famous rapper finally showed up for a game. Unfortunately, this was because Ludacris was contractually obligated to play the pregame concert, and due to the miserable September unfurled by both of Saturday’s participants, he was forced to (ahem) roll out of bed bright and early for a 9:45 a.m. set. It’s rare for Carolina’s usually staid wine-and-cheese crowd to dig into the Chicken-n-Beer (we know) before lunch, but in fairness, they would’ve otherwise been 2 Furious 2 Fast (seriously, we’re sorry).
This was supposed to be one of the season’s great matchups — Belichick vs. Dabo Swinney, the first college football game between a coach with a Super Bowl ring and one with a natty since Bill Walsh and Joe Paterno faced off in the famed 1993 Blockbuster Bowl, which feels a little like saying The Beatles and The Rolling Stones once got together to play a show at a RadioShack. With North Carolina and Clemson a combined 0-5 against Power 4 competition entering play, Saturday’s matchup might well have been dubbed The Disappointment Bowl.
The game started well enough for UNC, with the Heels down 28-3 after the first quarter. Unfortunately, Belichick wasn’t coaching against the Atlanta Falcons in this one.
If losses to TCU and UCF were embarrassing for UNC, Saturday’s first half was something altogether different — like a septuagenarian posing for a 20-something’s Halloween photos on Instagram.
It is not yet halftime. pic.twitter.com/dVSM4JCMno
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) October 4, 2025
Clemson scored touchdowns on five of its first six drives, and Cade Klubnik had twice as many TD throws (four) as incompletions (two), before the Tigers called off the dogs, and the surviving members of the 1916 Cumberland team could celebrate, knowing their legacy of a 222-0 loss was safe for another week.
Earlier in the week, Heels GM Michael Lombardi wrote a letter to donors that bordered on a manifesto, suggesting this is all part of Belichick’s rebuilding plan, though it had more of the feel of the guys who started Fyre Festival saying the porta potties would be delivered any minute now. For a team that is already having this much trouble scoring points, moving the goal posts seemed a bad idea, but Lombardi’s analogizing Belichick’s plan for UNC to the Philadelphia 76ers’ famed “process” might be fitting. After all, throughout all of the Sixers losing, management continued to invest in bad personnel, and the end result, a decade later, is still nothing close to a title.
Week 6 vibe shifts
Each week, the biggest games, biggest plays and biggest wins help shape the course of the season. Beneath the surface, however, dozens of smaller shifts can have an even more profound effect. We try to capture those here.
Trending up: Tide revenge games
Alabama‘s resurgence continued in Week 6, as the Tide got a little revenge against Vanderbilt after last year’s shocker in Nashville.
Jam Miller ran for 136 yards and a touchdown, Ty Simpson threw for 340 and two scores, and Alabama rolled to a 30-14 win. The Tide fans, who had spent a full year hearing about last year’s loss to Vandy, were happy to celebrate, much to Diego Pavia‘s chagrin.
As Diego Pavia left the field in Tuscaloosa following Vanderbilt’s loss to Alabama, he got into a heated argument with a Crimson Tide fan in the stands. pic.twitter.com/E9EEYQhl9y
— Alabama Crimson Tide | AL.com (@aldotcomTide) October 4, 2025
On one hand, we have to wonder why the security guard and lead vocalist for Tuscaloosa’s finest ZZ Top cover band (He’s Got Bangs) didn’t intervene. Regardless, it’s a shame to see fans like this yelling at Pavia. They should know it’s not polite to talk that way to their elders.
Trending down: Hiring the hot coach
After the 2022 season, Luke Fickell left Cincinnati, where he had become one of the most respected coaches in the country, for Wisconsin. The Bearcats then turned to Scott Satterfield, who was already on his way out at Louisville, to replace him. This all seemed like getting your Lamborghini stolen and then buying a pickup truck, but we’re not here to talk about Carson Beck right now.
In any case, turns out the truck was a pretty good buy.
Satterfield has the Bearcats at 4-1 after Saturday’s 38-30 win over No. 14 Iowa State, with a ground game that ran for 260 yards and another stellar performance from QB Brendan Sorsby.
1:19
Cincinnati snaps Iowa State’s perfect record
Cincinnati jumps out to a big early lead and holds on late to knock off No. 11-ranked Iowa State at home.
Fickell, meanwhile, couldn’t have been a worse fit in Wisconsin if he had been lactose intolerant, as the Badgers fell to Michigan 24-10. Wisconsin has failed to crack 20 points in eight of its past 10 games vs. FBS competition, and Fickell’s explanation that the offensive line just overindulged at Culver’s simply isn’t going to fly with the boosters much longer.
In the wild Big 12, Cincinnati’s win announces the Bearcats as a genuine contender in the conference, thus setting up the fine people of Cincinnati for another round of disappointment that will continue to be dished out by the sports gods until they all admit cinnamon doesn’t belong in chili.
Trending up: Frog retribution
Sonny Dykes and TCU got some long-awaited revenge on Coach Prime and Colorado with a 35-21 win Saturday, their first meeting since the Horned Frogs, fresh off a trip to the national championship game, lost to Deion Sanders in his Buffaloes debut.
Colorado led 14-0, but TCU dominated the second half, scoring twice in the final six minutes, as Josh Hoover threw four touchdown passes.
Under Sanders, Colorado is now 15-16 overall with more retired jerseys (2) than wins over ranked foes (1). On the flip side, Sanders has reasonably argued that if the Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t going to use Travis Hunter more, then Colorado should get to have him back for the rest of the year.
Trending down: Sweater weather in College Park
Stop us if you’ve heard this story before: Maryland was off to a great start. Maryland had a sizable lead over a better team. Maryland blew that lead, then drove off a cliff.
Yes, the calendar has turned to October, which means it’s time for Terps fans to find a stool at Cornerstone and not recognize reality again until basketball season is over.
Maryland, which opened the year 4-0, had a 20-0 lead on Washington midway through the third quarter, but the Huskies scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and emerged with a 24-20 win.
This was entirely predictable, of course. Since 2013, Maryland is 40-10 (.800) in August and September and 28-70 (.286) after that. While those splits could be confounding to some, we can’t help but think Mike Locksley’s decision to begin using the school’s pumpkin spice helmets each October might be part of the problem.
Trending down: The life of a Boilermaker
Illinois dominated Purdue 43-27 Saturday behind 390 passing yards from Luke Altmyer, and this might seem like something of a trend for the Boilermakers.
Now, it would be easy enough to blame Ms. Swift for this coincidence, but it’s also worth remembering that Purdue is also, like all of America, winless when Creed releases a new album.
Trending up: Navy‘s air game
Navy wasn’t simply satisfied beating Air Force in Week 6. The Midshipmen needed to throw a little salt in the wound by proving which service academy owns the air.
Navy QB Blake Horvath completed 20 of 26 throws for 339 yards and three touchdowns Saturday to go with 130 yards and a score on the ground. According to ESPN Research, Horvath is just the second player in Navy history with 300 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in a game, joining the incredibly appropriately named Brian Broadwater, who did it in 2000 vs. Tulane.
After the game, Horvath humbly congratulated Air Force on a well-played game and wished each of the Falcons the best of luck in their future career flying the Raleigh-to-Newark route for Southwest Airlines.
Trending down: Elite memes
It has been 11 years since Frank Beamer bestowed upon the college football world one of the truly great memes in social media history as he celebrated a missed Wake Forest field goal that sent a 0-0 game to overtime.
On Saturday, the two teams renewed their rivalry, and this time, Virginia Tech managed to score a whopping 23 points despite not even having Wake’s playbook this time.
And yet, it still wasn’t enough for the Hokies, who fell 30-23 as Robbie Ashford led the way for the Deacons with 256 passing yards and a touchdown.
Afterward, interim Virginia Tech coach Phillip Montgomery sat on the bench and shook his head solemnly before finally affirming the outcome, stared down Ashford as Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones looked on angrily, then retired to his kitchen, which also happened to be on fire, to enjoy a warm cup of coffee.
Trending up: Points for Pitt
0:29
Mason Heintschel airs it out for 18-yard touchdown pass
Mason Heintschel airs it out for 18-yard touchdown pass
The Panthers benched starting QB Eli Holstein after back-to-back losses, turning the reins over to freshman Mason Heintschel, as Pittsburgh-sounding a name as you can get short of “Yinzy FitzCornedbeef.” It proved a stroke of genius.
Heintschel ignited the Pitt offense, which steamrolled Boston College 48-7. The freshman threw for 323 yards, four touchdowns and no picks — the first ACC freshman to hit those marks in their first career start since Deshaun Watson did it in 2014 against UNC.
After the stellar debut, Heintschel further proved his Pittsburgh bona fides by crushing a can of Rolling Rock on his forehead, donated his NIL check to the local pipe fitters union and added french fries to his salad.
Under-the-radar play of the week
Kudos to Colorado Mesa for playing good situational football, eschewing the more traditional nickel or dime defensive coverage schemes in favor of the far less utilized “all the change in your couch cushions” set to stop Colorado School of Mines’ final hook-and-lateral attempt to secure a win.
Mines was in last-gasp mode, with one lateral after another to keep the final play alive, when the entirety of the Mesa sideline spilled onto the field, and a player who hadn’t even been in the game made the final tackle.
I’ve seen some folks asking, so here’s the full clip of the second-to-last play of the Colorado School of Mines-Colorado Mesa game earlier this afternoon. CMU was assessed a five yard penalty for illegal participation. pic.twitter.com/3fEWER5N6J
— Adam Busack (@Kingbus5) October 4, 2025
Yes, it was a penalty, but that just forced Mines to run the play again, which Mesa snuffed out more easily the second time around.
Under-the-radar game of the week
Western Kentucky moved to 5-1 on the season after narrowly escaping Delaware, 27-24 on Friday. The Hilltoppers were down 7 at the half but battled back thanks to a pick-six and a Nick Minicucci fumble going into the end zone that produced a 14-point swing. WKU led by 3 when the Hens got the ball back at their own 5-yard line with just 54 seconds to play and no timeouts.
0:18
Koron Hayward gets a pick-six for Western Kentucky
Koron Hayward gets a pick-six for Western Kentucky
That’s when Minicucci led the Hens on Delaware’s most heralded drive since Caesar Rodney’s famed midnight ride to vote for the Declaration of Independence. The Hens drove 70 yards on five plays, spiked the ball at the 25 and set up a potential game-tying kick from 42 yards out.
Unfortunately, like Rodney’s slightly less famous midnight ride to return “Weekend at Bernie’s II” before incurring any late fees, this quest was doomed to failure, as UD’s kick sailed wide, and Western Kentucky walked off with the win.
Heisman five
Six weeks into the season, we’re really starting to worry that Arch Manning‘s Heisman campaign isn’t going to come to fruition. In fairness, we also didn’t think we would ever use the term “Senator Paul Finebaum” and yet, here we are.
1 (tie). Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, Oregon QB Dante Moore and Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss
They all had off in Week 6, which, unlike Manning, was fitting since their teams were off, too. Anyway, that’s boring, so let’s make the rest of the list guys who actually played.
2. Alabama QB Ty Simpson
Yes, he lost to Florida State in Week 1. But who remembers Week 1? That was like a month ago! If we all had to continue to be defined by what happened in August, South Carolina would still be a top-15 team, Javen would still be deeply in love in his “Love is Blind” pod and Dabo Swinney would still be selling counterfeit Cade Klubnik jerseys to raise money for his transfer additions .
3. Notre Dame QB CJ Carr
In the past three games, Carr has eight TDs, no picks and has won three straight. Five of his past seven games will be against the ACC. He might throw for 900 touchdowns.
4. Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith
He had seven catches and two touchdowns in a 42-3 win over Minnesota. More importantly, he helped sneak Julian Sayin into an R-rated movie.
5. Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby
Is there a more underrated player in the country than Sorsby, who has posted an 87.2 Total QBR, 12 passing TDs and a single pick so far this season as the Bearcats have emerged as Big 12 contenders? Of course, the Bengals have already inquired about the possibility of him foregoing the remainder of the season, donning some Chad Powers makeup and filling in for Joe Burrow, so there’s no saying whether his Heisman campaign will have real legs.
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