2026 recruiting class rankings: Oklahoma cracks the latest top 40
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Craig Haubert
The 2025 college football season is upon us, so it’s time for past top prospects to step up and make their mark.
While the focus shifts to the field and very few ESPN 300 prospects remain uncommitted, the recruiting wheel keeps on spinning and has resulted in some movers, including a new entry into our updated top 40 rankings.
And, of course, recruiting is always full of unexpected twists and turns, so the race for positioning in the rankings, including at the very top, never seems settled until signing day in December makes it all official.
New this ranking: Oklahoma
Out: TCU
(Previous update: Aug. 8)
Previous ranking: 1
ESPN 300 commits: 19
Top offensive prospect: OT Keenyi Pepe
Top defensive prospect: CB Elbert Hill
No program has more 2026 momentum than USC under Lincoln Riley, especially after hiring general manager Chad Bowden away from Notre Dame. The Trojans have double-digit ESPN 300 commits, with several joining the list since January. That includes two five-stars to start May in Pepe and Hill, and a pair of four-star commits who flipped from Big Ten rival Oregon: in-state defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui and quarterback Jonas Williams. Topui is a physical, aggressive defensive tackle who could develop into an interior pass-rushing headache for opposing offenses, and Williams is a true dual-threat signal-caller.
USC also made it a point to beef up in the trenches. It pulled four-star defensive tackle Jaimeon Winfield out of Texas, landed in-state defensive end Simote Katoanga and traveled to Utah to snag Corner Canyon offensive lineman Esun Tafa. To further bolster the O-line, the Trojans landed Pepe out of IMG Academy. He is huge at roughly 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, but is light on his feet as well as physical and can become a standout tackle. On the perimeter, they will not have to wait for in-state defender R.J. Sermons as the ESPN 300 CB reclassified to 2025 and will join the Trojans this fall. For 2026, they pulled Elbert Hill, the top-ranked corner, out of the Midwest. Hill possesses elite speed, having been measured at over 22 mph in game play.
Previous ranking: 2
ESPN 300 commits: 19
Top offensive prospect: QB Jared Curtis
Top defensive prospect: CB Justice Fitzpatrick
The Bulldogs have been a staple among the top three recruiting classes during Kirby Smart’s tenure and look to be a contender to do so again in 2026. A big step toward finishing near the top is bringing five-star quarterback Curtis back into the mix. After a decommitment, the Bulldogs were able to fend off other suitors, most notably Oregon, and give themselves a potential impact QB for the future. Curtis might need to adjust to a relatively steep jump in competition level, but he has elite physical tools, including a smooth, quick release and the ability to change arm angles.
With three of their top four pass catchers from 2024 having moved on and the fourth likely to leave after this season, Georgia is bringing in new receiving targets with speed. Brady Marchese has been recorded hitting over 22 mph in game play. Kaiden Prothro can give the Bulldogs a matchup nightmare as he possesses an excellent blend of size, speed and body control. After signing two ESPN 300 TEs in their 2025 class, the Dawgs continue to restock there, adding Lincoln Keyes, who with his big frame and good body control can offer a wide catch radius.
On defense, the Bulldogs have had 11 first-round NFL draft picks over the past five years and they continue to infuse that unit with top talent, including two of the top DBs in the country in Fitzpatrick and Zechariah Fort. Fort is a safety with good range who can be active in run support. Fitzpatrick is the younger brother of former Alabama great Minkah Fitzpatrick; his blend of size and speed gives him equally promising impact potential.
Previous ranking: 3
ESPN 300 commits: 15
Top offensive prospect: RB K.J. Edwards
Top defensive prospect: ATH Brandon Arrington
Mike Elko has quickly proved he can identify and recruit at a high level. He has worked fertile recruiting grounds outside his home territory, including Georgia, Florida, California. He went out west to land the nation’s No. 1-ranked athlete Brandon Arrington, whose speed could allow him to have an impact on either side of the ball, though he projects to corner in College Station. He pulled out Georgia ESPN 300 DLs Jordan Carter and Bryce Perry-Wright as well as landing fellow four-star defensive tackle Jermaine Kinsler out of New Jersey.
The Aggies bolstered their rushing attack with a pair of in-state running backs in K.J. Edwards and Jonathan Hatton, who has an excellent blend of size (200 pounds) and speed (he was measured hitting 21 mph on film). Edwards has been very productive in high school, rushing for 1,700 yards in each of his last two seasons.
Elko has also been able to unearth talent from more unlikely places, such as quarterback Helaman Casuga out of Utah. Casuga is not a big, physical prospect at roughly 6 feet, but he has a live arm and can get the ball out quickly. Victor Singleton, one of the top prospects in Ohio, was a nice flip from Illinois. He has clocked a 21-mph max speed and has the type of quickness and excellent feet to thrive in man coverage at corner.
Previous ranking: 4
ESPN 300 commits: 14
Top offensive prospect: QB Dia Bell
Top defensive prospect: DE Richard Wesley
As Texas tackles the 2025 season led by one of the most high-profile signings in recent years in quarterback Arch Manning, the Longhorns continue to build for the future, including another five-star QB. Dia Bell brings valuable experience, having faced quality competition during his time in high school. He has shown good accuracy and deep-ball touch, and as a junior threw for more than 2,500 yards and completed 70% of his passes.
The Horns also added potential targets in ESPN 300 WRs Chris Stewart and Jermaine Bishop Jr. Stewart brings big-play speed, and Bishop is a quick, fluid target who can create after the catch. Their backfield gained more five-star talent with Derrek Cooper, a versatile running back who blends excellent size and speed and can also be a receiving threat. To protect their new offensive weapons, they have also landed some top in-state OLs, including top-10 OG Nicolas Robertson, a powerful big man with good feet.
Texas hit the transfer portal hard to address needs along the defensive line for this season, especially interior DL, but there are young players for that unit in the 2026 class. One-time Oregon commit Richard Wesley was a big add as he is explosive and powerful and could be a versatile and impactful presence in the trenches. Dylan Berymon has been a standout on the camp circuit the past two offseasons and seems to keep rising to whatever challenge is thrown at him. Corey Wells is another 300-pounder who can bend well and be disruptive.
Previous ranking: 5
ESPN 300 commits: 18
Top offensive prospect: TE Ian Premer
Top defensive prospect: CB Khary Adams
Notre Dame started the year off slowly on the recruiting trail but added several key ESPN 300 additions in the spring and summer months, including important defensive additions. Rodney Dunham was one of the first on board and is an edge player with a quick first step. The secondary will benefit from adding some length to that unit. Ayden Pouncey is a rangy safety with a 6-foot-3 frame that could allow him to grow into an outside linebacker role. Khary Adams is one of the top cornerback prospects in the nation as he possesses an excellent blend of size (6-foot-2) and speed (21.3 mph max speed).
On offense, ESPN 300 OT Gregory Patrick joined a class that already featured several top offensive line prospects including top-10 tackle Tyler Merrill, who at 6-foot-7 and 335 pounds is a massive presence with physicality and power in the run game. This group collectively can continue the school’s strong reputation as an offensive line factory.
The Irish also landed Thomas Davis Jr., whose father is former Panthers star Thomas Davis, and four-star quarterback Noah Grubbs, who already has shown impressive footwork and a sound release from the pocket. Their QB of the future will benefit from multiple targets added in this class, including TE Ian Premer. Among the wide receivers in the group is high-three star Devin Fitzgerald, the son of former NFL great Larry Fitzgerald. Like his father, he is a good-sized target at nearly 6-foot-2 and has shown to be productive, with more than 50 receptions and nine TDs as a junior.
Previous ranking: 6
ESPN 300 commits: 12
Top offensive prospect: TE Kendre’ Harrison
Top defensive prospect: S Jett Washington
Dan Lanning’s run of sustained excellence in Eugene rolls on with Oregon’s 2026 class. Reeling in five-star tight end Kendre’ Harrison in November set the tone. The 6-6, 250-pound tight end is a dynamic two-sport athlete with an exceptional catch radius and is a nightmare for opposing defenses in the red zone. The Ducks also added a five-star prospect to their defense with the big-framed and rangy Jett Washington. A fluid safety with good ball skills and the ability to win jump-ball battles, he can also be a physical presence in the secondary. The Ducks added four-star defensive back Xavier Lherisse, who clocked an impressive 1.62 10-yard dash and 4.49 40-yard dash at the Under Armour Miami camp. Four-star running back Tradarian Ball adds explosiveness and excellent ball skills.
While the commitment of five-star DE Richard Wesley was short-lived, the Ducks still have a strong defensive line foundation within this class. They secured the top in-state big man in ESPN 300 DT Tony Cumberland, who has good burst and power, and can be a disruptive presence. DE Dutch Horisk will arrive from one of the top programs in California (St. John Bosco), where he has been a multiyear starter who uses his hands well; as a junior, he had nine TFLs and four sacks.
Oregon also has bolstered its O-line unit. Leading that group is five-star Immanuel Iheanacho, who is a massive presence at around 6-foot-7, 350 pounds and can push defenders around. The Ducks also pulled a pair of OLs from former conference foe Cal, in ESPN 300 OG Tommy Tofi and Koloi Keli.
Previous rank: 7
ESPN 300 commits: 10
Top offensive prospect: RB Ezavier Crowell
Top defensive prospect: S Jireh Edwards
It took some time for Alabama’s class to find its footing, but an active June brought the Tide into the mix among the top classes in the country. They kept one of the top running backs in the class at home by landing Ezavier Crowell, an aggressive runner who possesses good power and vision.
The defense is benefitting from some big pickups, including pulling several ESPN 300 defenders out of Georgia. Xavier Griffin has a lengthy and broad frame to develop and can get up field and bend the edge. From the same high school (Gainesville), the Tide snagged DE Jamarion Matthews, who has a stockier build but can also bend well and get after the quarterback.
They also added a pair of top-10 CBs in Jorden Edmonds, also out of the Peach State, and in-state Zyan Gibson, who has posted consistent mid-4.4 40s on the camp circuit. The summer success continues into July as the Tide added five-star Jireh Edwards to their secondary. At roughly 6-foot-2 and more than 200 pounds with excellent testing numbers, Edwards can be a physical and versatile defensive back.
Previous ranking: 8
ESPN 300 commits: 13
Top offensive prospect: WR Chris Henry Jr.
Top defensive prospect: S Blaine Bradford
Ryan Day has the luxury of building his 2026 class around one of the most coveted players in the country: five-star receiver Henry, whose father, the late Chris Henry, was a star receiver for West Virginia and the Cincinnati Bengals. Henry Jr. stands 6-6 and has a combination of length and quickness rarely seen from high school receivers.
The rest of the Buckeyes’ class has started to take shape around Henry. The team has added a handful of ESPN 300 prospects since March, including Bradford out of Louisiana and linebacker Simeon Caldwell out of Florida. C.J. Sanna is a prospect we like on tape; he is a big, physical linebacker with excellent range and is a bit of an underrated pickup for this talented class. In-state offensive tackle Maxwell Riley is impressive changing direction and finishes plays with the type of nastiness that will endear him to fans in Columbus.
Previous ranking: 9
ESPN 300 commits: 10
Top offensive prospect: WR Tristen Keys
Top defensive prospect: DT Lamar Brown
The Tigers are tough to beat for in-state talent, and they built the foundation for one of the top classes in the country with homegrown recruits. A great example of that came when they fended off several top suitors, including Texas A&M, and kept top-ranked prospect Lamar Brown at home. Projected to the defensive line, he is an agile and flexible big man who also could excel, if needed, as an offensive lineman.
From outside the state, Tristen Keys from nearby Mississippi delivered Brian Kelly and his staff their first five-star of the 2026 cycle. As of now, the 6-3 Keys would be the highest-rated receiver to make it to Baton Rouge since Kayshon Boutte. Keys is a long strider with long arms who prioritizes winning and is a favorite of coaches and teammates alike.
LSU also added wide receiver Jabari Mack (a strong route runner) and offensive tackle Brysten Martinez, a pair of in-state four-star recruits who bolster a class that now features more than half of the top 10 players from Louisiana. That includes a pair of teammates from Edna Karr High: DT Richard Anderson, a stout presence at more than 300 pounds with good initial quickness, and Aiden Hall, a safety with good length, speed and downhill physicality. Though much of their recruiting success is from within their primary recruiting footprint, the Tigers did go out west to land ESPN 300 CB Havon Finney Jr. A 2027 prospect who reclassified into the 2026 class, he has shown he can be physical in press coverage but also brings excellent speed to be able to run with receivers.
Previous ranking: 10
ESPN 300 commits: 13
Top offensive prospect: RB Savion Hiter
Top defensive prospect: DE Carter Meadows
The Wolverines signed the No. 1 QB for the 2025 cycle in Bryce Underwood and he carries high expectations, but they continue to add talent to the position and landed ESPN 300 signal-caller Brady Smigiel. The onetime Florida State commit is not only an accurate passer, but he also plays with the confidence and swagger that will be needed battling with five-star Underwood. Michigan further bolstered its backfield by landing No. 2 RB Savion Hiter, a runner with a nice blend of size (6 feet, 200 pounds), power and speed who can also catch the ball well.
After losing two DLs in the first round of the NFL draft, Michigan added several DLs to this class, including ESPN 300 DEs Titan Davis and McHale Blade. Four-star DE Tariq Boney is a player to keep an eye on. He lacks ideal length but can be a well-rounded technician and a quick contributor. In addition to pulling Boney out of the nation’s capital, Michigan also landed Carter Meadows, a rangy edge defender who can bend well.
After scoring from off the beaten path with former standout TE Colston Loveland (Idaho), the Wolverines hope to strike big again from that same region with Matt Ludwig out of Montana. He is a versatile player with good ball skills who can be tough after the catch and fights for yards.
Previous ranking: 12
ESPN 300 commits: 14
Top offensive prospect: ATH Davian Groce
Top defensive prospect: DE JaReylan McCoy
Landing one of the top defenders in the country is the fastest way to climb the recruiting rankings, and that’s exactly what Billy Napier did by securing five-star defensive end JaReylan McCoy. Ranked No. 9 overall and the second-best defender in the ESPN 300, McCoy would be Florida’s highest-rated defensive signee in more than a decade. The 6-foot-7, 260-pound Mississippi native brings elite length, explosive traits and a relentless motor that was on full display at the Under Armour All-America week in January. Beating out LSU and Texas for McCoy marks a major recruiting win for Napier, and McCoy has the potential to develop into one of the SEC’s most feared defensive linemen.
A late close helped the Gators rise in the past cycle, but they’ve ascended much earlier this time around with an active summer. In June they added a pair of dynamic pass catchers in Marquez Daniel and Justin Williams, as well as Georgia running back Carsyn Baker. An early but key pickup was QB Will Griffin, who came on board in June 2024. A big-bodied passer with a strong arm and good accuracy, he could eventually be a nice transition from current QB DJ Lagway. Napier’s staff has also bolstered both lines of scrimmage with several high-upside prospects ranked just outside the ESPN 300, adding critical depth as Florida looks to reassert itself in the SEC.
Previous ranking: 11
ESPN 300 commits: 10
Top offensive prospect: OT Jackson Cantwell
Top defensive prospect: LB Jordan Campbell
Despite a rocky finish to the 2024 season, the Hurricanes are trending in the right direction. They’re coming off a 10-win season, former QB Cam Ward was the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft and they’ve reeled in two consecutive top-15 recruiting classes. Mario Cristobal’s 2026 class is working to match or even exceed those groups.
The Hurricanes are adding pieces to field a dominant offensive line. They could lose several projected 2025 starters after this season but are adding big men who can step in and project a bright future in the trenches. In addition to landing the top-rated interior OL in the 2025 class, they have added several OLs to their 2026 class, led by No. 1 tackle Jackson Cantwell. Much like current standout OT Francis Mauigoa, who was a five-star himself and a Year 1 starter, Cantwell could step in at one of the tackle spots upon arriving in South Florida. He is a massive presence at roughly 6-7 and 320 pounds and carries his size well. In addition to being powerful, he possesses good quickness and flexibility, and much like Mauigoa is being projected to be a high NFL draft pick.
QB Dereon Coleman has room for growth but has a quick release and accuracy. The Hurricanes flipped from Georgia a speedy receiving target out of California in Vance Spafford, who won the fastest-man competition last summer at the UA Future 50 event. Four-star Miami native Jordan Campbell is 6-2, 220 pounds with the versatility to make plays in pursuit and the bend and power that portend a potential impact pass rusher. He’s a candidate to take a leap with college coaching.
Previous ranking: 13
ESPN 300 commits: 12
Top offensive prospect: TE Xavier Tiller
Top defensive prospect: LB Izayia Williams
Mike Norvell cranked up the heat on Florida State’s 2026 recruiting class this summer. Coming off a 2-10 season that led to a staff overhaul, Norvell’s fresh start pitch is resonating with prospects. A key in-state win was landing rangy top-five CB Chauncey Kennon out of Booker High School in Sarasota. LB Izayia Williams has bounced around with multiple commitments, including a previous commitment to the Seminoles, but if they can keep him in the mix, their defense will add a player with excellent speed and range.
The Seminoles landed multiple four-star commitments in June, headlined by tight end Xavier Tiller, who checks in at No. 84 on the ESPN 300. A former Texas A&M commit, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Tiller boasts an 80-inch wingspan, fluid movement skills and the toughness to win contested catches.
Tiller isn’t the only notable pass catcher entering the mix for Florida State. Wide receiver Devin Carter, the son of former Seminoles running back Dexter Carter, is back in the fold after initially flipping to Auburn. He brings explosive short-area quickness and a strong football background. Four-star Florida native Brandon Bennett adds another dynamic option.
Norvell also landed a quarterback who could one day get them the ball and tie the class together by flipping Jaden O’Neal, who plays at Mustang High in Oklahoma, from the in-state Sooners. The 6-foot-3 pocket passer ranks No. 166 overall with a good frame, smooth delivery and calm demeanor. If Florida State holds on to O’Neal, he would be the program’s highest-rated quarterback signee since 2022.
Previous ranking: 16
ESPN 300 commits: 8
Top offensive prospect: WR Keeyun Chapman
Top defensive prospect: CB Jakob Weatherspoon
Unsurprisingly given his ethos, Bill Belichick is building North Carolina’s 2026 class from the inside out. Zavion Griffin-Haynes was a key in-state keep. The aggressive, lengthy edge defender can bolster the Heels’ defensive front with the tools to be a three-down player. Four-star North Carolina defensive tackle Trashawn Ruffin flipped from Texas A&M, and the 300-pounder has plenty of raw physicality to mold. Ruffin is one of several interior linemen in the class that also includes one-time Oregon commit Viliami Moala, a massive 300-pounder who brings not only jolting power but is light on his feet for his size and can be a handful in the heart of the trenches.
The secondary has undergone some changes during this recruiting cycle, but Marcellous Ryan out of California remains and gives UNC a lean but fluid CB to develop. Jakob Weatherspoon out of Ohio was a big flip from Ohio State and is CB with excellent speed. Crew Davis can be a versatile back with the power to run between the tackles, but he also possesses good ball skills. As a junior, he rushed for more than 1,300 yards and also hauled in more than 50 receptions.
In an effort to boost their passing attack, the Heels have added several potential big-play pieces. Quarterback commit Travis Burgess had a strong showing at the Elite 11 finals and jumped into the ESPN 300 after spring evaluations. He displayed steady development including improved accuracy and also has excellent mobility to create with his legs as well. In July they added a pair of ESPN 300 WRs in Keeyun Chapman and Carnell Warren, both of whom are big targets (roughly 6-foot-4) who can run well. Having worked with some excellent TEs in his past, Belichick was able to snare a flip from Tennessee in Carson Sneed, an ESPN 300 TE who can also be a productive target as well as aid the ground game as a tenacious blocker.
Previous ranking: 14
ESPN 300 commits: 11
Top offensive prospect: QB Faizon Brandon
Top defensive prospect: LB Brayden Rouse
Faizon Brandon, a five-star quarterback, is the headliner here, and rightfully so. He’s a strong, accurate passer who fits Tennessee’s offense perfectly. His commitment was big initially but seems even more impactful after the Vols’ well-publicized split with Nico Iamaleava.
In-state four-star receiver Tyreek King (Knoxville Catholic) and Joel Wyatt (Webb School) pair well alongside Brandon. He is a quick, fluid target who has clocked in-game speeds faster than 21 mph. Keep an eye on in-state offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda, who is a massive presence (6-7, 330 pounds) for the Vols to develop.
Tennessee’s in-state success extends to defense with DE Zach Groves. A defender with good quickness and power, he has amassed more than 50 TFLs heading into his senior season. The Vols also bolstered their D-line by landing Dereon Albert out of Mississippi. The 300-pound defender has been a UA Next camp standout two straight years and displays the tools to be a tough, competitive and consistent presence in the trenches. Brayden Rouse, out of Georgia, could contribute at TE but projects to linebacker, where he brings good range and can play well in space and be effective in coverage.
Previous ranking: 15
ESPN 300 commits: 11
Top offensive prospect: OT Leo Delaney
Top defensive prospect: S Kentavion Anderson
Clemson is coming off a College Football Playoff appearance, but the Tigers are still chasing the heights of their mid-2010s success under Dabo Swinney, and their 2025 class ranked just 37th in the country. Their 2026 group is looking more promising, especially after a red-hot March in which Swinney landed eight verbals, including five ESPN 300 commits.
Much of the talent is currently concentrated on offense. Naeem Burroughs is a burner in the 100-meter dash who can take the top off a defense and has a high football IQ. Fellow receiver Connor Salmin is another big-play threat. With some new offensive weapons, the Tigers are making sure they have the time to get the ball downfield by loading up along the offensive line. Delaney, Carter Scruggs, Grant Wise, Adam Guthrie and Chancellor Barclay give the Tigers multiple ESPN 300 OLs to help reload a senior-heavy unit that is projected to lose multiple starters after 2025.
They could one day protect fellow four-star Tait Reynolds, a dual-threat QB out of Arizona who could push to be part of the long-term solution to replace Cade Klubnik. While the foundation of the class is on offense, Anderson is a key in-state pickup on the other side of the ball. With his frame (roughly 6-foot-2, 190 pounds) and range, he can be a versatile back-end defender for the Tigers.
Previous ranking: 17
ESPN 300 commits: 6
Top offensive prospect: WR Davion Brown
Top defensive prospect: S Matt Sieg
The Nittany Lions jumped out to a fast start fueled by strong in-state recruiting and have kept that momentum going. Several of their top commits are Pennsylvania natives, including four-star Harrisburg High School teammates Kevin Brown and Messiah Mickens. Brown is a big, flexible offensive tackle, while Mickens has been a productive prep running back, which bodes well for a Penn State program that must finally replace Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton after 2025.
James Franklin also landed in-state athlete David Davis Jr., who has clocked a 20.5 mph max speed and has the cover skills to fit into the back end of a defense one day. While most of the early commits are within Penn State’s primary recruiting radius, the Nittany Lions also landed strong-armed quarterback Troy Huhn out of California. He’s a big body with good feet and brings nice upside. They also went out of state to land a potential big-play target in Davion Brown. Out of Virginia, Brown possesses excellent speed, having been recorded at over 21 mph in game play, and can do a good job of high pointing the football to win contested matchups.
Previous ranking: 18
ESPN 300 commits: 6
Top offensive prospect: OT Kodi Greene
Top defensive prospect: DE Derek Colman-Brusa
Jedd Fisch did an excellent job bringing in talent at Arizona and is now working to retool Washington’s roster and get the Huskies back into the playoff hunt. The Huskies won a key recruiting battle by pulling away Greene, an ESPN 300 OL, from rival Oregon. He is a 300-pounder who moves very well for his size with good quickness and the one-time Washington resident can be a key option in the trenches. The Huskies went east to land their QB in Derek Zammit, a tough, smart player with a smooth, quick release. He should continue to improve with the tools to develop into a productive starter.
Washington landed several commitments in the secondary to address that unit. In-state Elijah Durr has good size at roughly 6 feet and is smooth in his movements. He could develop at cornerback or safety. The Huskies also added a pair of four-star DBs in CB Jeron Jones, who has good speed, and Gavin Day out of Las Vegas, an aggressive safety who tallied more than 100 tackles as a junior.
Previous ranking: 19
ESPN 300 commits: 3
Top offensive prospect: TE Brock Harris
Top defensive prospect: DE Braxton Lindsey
Kalani Sitake’s 2026 class has the potential to be program-defining as BYU builds on the momentum of last year’s 11-win season, which saw the Cougars climb as high as No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Cougars currently hold commitments from two top-100 ESPN 300 standouts — tight end Brock Harris and quarterback Ryder Lyons — marking what could be their most highly rated duo of high school signees in the ESPN 300 era dating to 2006).
Harris, a 6-foot-7, 240-pound in-state product, has transformed from a jumbo wideout into one of the nation’s premier tight ends, adding size while retaining his fluid route-running and wide catch radius. He also brings toughness, having competed at the 2025 Under Armour All-America Game with a cast on his hand. If all goes according to plan, Harris will catch plenty of passes from Lyons, a four-star quarterback who won California’s Gatorade Player of the Year award this fall. Lyons’ commitment represents a full-circle win for BYU. The Cougars offered him as an eighth grader and held off the likes of USC and Oregon to secure his commitment.
Another ESPN 300 prospect, two-way lineman Bott Mulitalo, committed in March and could be tasked with protecting Lyons down the road, adding to what has the makings of a historic haul in Provo.
Previous ranking: 20
ESPN 300 commits: 5
Top offensive prospect: OT Evan Goodwin
Top defensive prospect: LB Kenneth Goodwin
The Mustangs charged into the CFP last season and are showing signs they plan to be consistent contenders. Capitalizing on the rich talent base in Texas, they have added several in-state prospects, including ESPN 300 back Christian Rhodes. An explosive runner who has been recorded hitting better than 21 mph in game play, he rushed for more than 1,200 yards as a junior. To help clear running lanes, the Mustangs have added several offensive linemen, including Evan Goodwin, a massive presence at 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, and in-state guard Drew Evers, a thickly built and strong blocker who can latch on and control defenders.
High three-star Aljour Miles II is another nice in-state add, as he is a lengthy receiver with good quickness and body control. Another receiving target with big-play potential, Jakai Anderson, was pulled out of Louisiana. Not quite as big a target, he brings a good blend of speed and elusiveness and could also be productive in the return game. On defense, the addition of DE Hudson Woods is a big plus. Woods shows some savvy as a pass rusher, with active hands and good bend. LB Kenneth Goodwin out of California can be a physical player with the ability to rush the passer as well as make plays in coverage.
Previous ranking: 21
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: OT Micah Smith
Top defensive prospect: DE Carter Gooden
The DeShaun Foster era got off to a rocky start, but the Bruins are showing some ascension. In recruiting, the former running back knows the importance of a good O-line and pulled a pair of ESPN 300 OLs out of Florida in Micah Smith and Johnnie Jones. Known as Champ, Smith was an Under Armour All-American as a junior and has shown he can play against top competition and be a well-rounded OT. Tight end Camden Jensen should help propel the run game as well, as he is a good blocker.
The Bruins have added multiple WRs in this class, including in-state four-star Kenneth Moore. Onetime SMU commit Yahya Gaad has a sturdy, muscular build with a good initial burst and is a DE who can set the edge and be tough against the run. They further bolstered their D-line by reaching into Massachusetts and pulling out Tabor Academy teammates DE Carter Gooden and DT Marcus Almada, a three-star with active hands who plays with good leverage and is a nice addition with the four-star Gooden.
Previous ranking: 22
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: ATH Nasir Rankin
Top defensive prospect: DE Kayden Bennett
Good recruiting starts at home, and an early priority for the Fighting Illini was in-state athlete Rankin. A two-sport star who also excels on the hardwood, the ESPN 300 prospect projects to wide receiver, where he can be a playmaker with good hands and the ability to make defenders miss after the catch. Also from in-state, big man Casey Thomann is one of the top OL prospects in Illinois, and three-star Tony Balanganayi is an interesting big man. He projects to the defensive line, where he has shown he can be disruptive, but with more mass could offer higher upside as an OL.
From within the Big Ten footprint, four-star Cam Thomas (Ohio) is a defender with an outstanding first step and could develop into an edge rusher with big upside. Parker Crim brings good arm length, can move well and has shown he can be explosive off the ball. Tony Williams, out of Florida, is a middle linebacker with good instincts and can be a physical presence between the tackles.
Previous ranking: 23
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: WR Calvin Russell
Top defensive prospect: DE Kamron Wilson
The Fran Brown era in Syracuse certainly isn’t boring. He led the Orange to just their second 10-win season since 2001 behind Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord, then landed a solid 2025 recruiting class. Now he’s pushing for more talent in 2026. They surprised many by beating several top programs, including Michigan, for ESPN 300 WR Calvin Russell, a lengthy but smooth target who plans to also play basketball with the Orange.
Four-star defensive end Jarius Rodgers, also out of Florida, is among Brown’s biggest gets so far. The 6-5 220-pounder has tremendous length and an impressive track background. He has considerable physical tools and upside if Syracuse’s coaching staff can harness it. Wilson is another big pull out of Florida; the edge defender has good initial quickness and tallied 17 sacks in 2024.
OT Javeion Cooper has real upside too. He has good size (6-5, 300 pounds) yet plays with impressive balance for someone with his power and contact explosiveness. The Orange also have been active in the mid-Atlantic, landing three receivers from Delaware. Among that group is B.J. Garrett, a big target (6-3, 191 pounds) with good hands who could develop into a player in the mold of Oronde Gadsden, who had similar measurables coming out in the 2021 class.
Previous ranking: 24
ESPN 300 commits: 6
Top offensive prospect: WR Sequel Patterson
Top defensive prospect: S J’Zavien Currence
South Carolina nearly made the College Football Playoff, and Shane Beamer keeps brightening the Gamecocks’ future outlook as well. South Carolina added J’Zavien Currence out of the same high school, South Pointe High School, as former Gamecocks star Jadeveon Clowney. Currence is a versatile defender with his blend of size, versatility and speed. He could stay in the secondary, or if he continues to grow, he could move to linebacker. Also on defense, South Carolina has added several four-star defensive ends, including Keenan Britt. Britt lacks ideal height but has good arm length and initial quickness. He plays with leverage and can be a disruptive presence with his blend of speed and power.
On the heels of a deep and talented 2025 cycle receiver haul, the Gamecocks continue to add young talent to that unit, landing in-state ESPN 300 prospect Sequel Patterson. A multi-sport athlete who can play on either side of the ball, he projects to receiver where he can be a productive target as a quick and sharp route runner. ESPN 300 QB Landon Duckworth, a passer with a strong arm, brings high upside with excellent physical tools to develop. Four-star in-state offensive tackle Zyon Guiles is a 6-foot-5, 295-pound mauler with powerful hands and contact explosiveness, which should bode well even if he’s asked to move inside.
Previous ranking: 26
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: OT Felix Ojo
Top defensive prospect: S Donovan Webb
The Red Raiders have been active in the transfer portal, but Joey McGuire & Co. also remain committed to building their roster through high schools. He pulled off a huge in-state win landing five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo. It’s the second time McGuire has landed an in-state five-star prospect (Micah Hudson, 2024). Ojo is lean and needs some further development but has elite length, bends well and brings a high ceiling for development. In-state guard Jerald Mays is another nice addition to that unit, as he is a thickly built lineman with good feet.
While the hope is Hudson will still break out and meet expectations, Tech is adding to the receiver room in four-star Chase Campbell, a target with good speed and body control who has amassed over 160 receptions with 35 TDs between his sophomore and junior years. In-state safety Donovan Webb can close well and has strong ball skills to finish and generate turnovers. He was position MVP at this spring’s UA Dallas camp.
Previous ranking: 27
ESPN 300 commits: 4
Top offensive prospect: WR Jordan Clay
Top defensive prospect: DE Jamarion Carlton
Baylor picked up a WR with strong ties to the program in London Smith, whose father was a football and basketball star at Baylor and whose mother was a national champion triple jumper for the Bears. Unsurprisingly, London is a quick, smooth target with good body control. Another key add at WR is Jordan Clay, a nice-sized target at close to 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds who also possesses very good body control.
Further capitalizing on in-state talent, Baylor landed ESPN 300 DE Jamarion Carlton and ESPN 300 CB Jamarion Vincent, who possesses coveted size at roughly 6-2 and blends that with good speed and smooth movements.
Previous ranking: NR
ESPN 300 commits: 3
Top offensive prospect: QB Bowe Bentley
Top defensive prospect: DE Jake Kreul
Oklahoma’s 2026 recruiting class might be middle of the pack so far in the SEC, but it’s anchored by one of the top quarterback prospects in the country. Bowe Bentley, a four-star signal-caller from Celina (Texas) High, gives the Sooners a dynamic player around whom to build. Bentley is a dual-threat passer who pairs impressive production with the kind of arm talent, mobility and leadership — not to mention a bit of improvisation — that can shape a class.
Bentley is one of several four-stars currently in the group. He’s joined by wide receiver Daniel Odom out of St. John Bosco (Calif.). The 6-foot-2, 190-pound target has length, runs polished routes and has deceptive speed off the line. Oklahoma has layered in a slew of signings along the offensive and defensive fronts, including Brian Harris, a 6-3, 280-pounder out of Florida. He’s a disruptive interior run defender with an impressive motor. Another key addition out of Florida — and a big boost to the class overall — was five-star DE Jake Kreul, who brings an explosive first step, good bend and a relentless motor and should be able to work his way into the mix in Year 1.
Previous ranking: 28
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: WR Dyzier Carter
Top defensive prospect: ATH Chris Hewitt Jr.
The Scarlet Knights have added some top talent to their wide receiver room with Dyzier Carter and Elias Coke, who are longtime commits, having joined the class before the 2024 season started. Carter is a good route runner with strong hands and could be a quick contributor. Coke is a nice target at roughly 6-foot-2.
On defense, Joey Kopec is a two-way player in high school, contributing at RB and LB. He has good range and is effective dropping into coverage. Part of a big June haul, Rinaldo Callaway, out of Georgia, is an interesting addition to keep an eye on. A rangy edge defender, he is raw and needs development but shows a nice ceiling for development and could grow into a disruptive pass rusher. Athlete Chris Hewitt projects to the secondary.
Always active in Florida, the Scarlet Knights landed Reece Beck, a DE with good physical tools, frame, reach and active hands. He can be tough against the run and productive as a pass rusher. They will not need to wait for edge defender Wydeek Collier, a big riser in the 2026 rankings after the spring evaluation period, who reclassified and joined Rutgers’ 2025 class.
Previous ranking: 29
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: QB Briggs Cherry
Top offensive prospect: S Jaydin Broadnax
Jeff Brohm has raised Louisville’s floor with a 19-8 record and an appearance in the ACC championship game two years ago. His 2026 class has the players to keep the program moving in the right direction. ESPN 300 defensive back Jaydin Broadnax, out of Florida, is the biggest get so far. At nearly 6-foot-3, he has great length, balance and body control for a corner. LB Karsten Busch is a nice addition from within the state who will help on defense. He possesses good size and the ability to be a physical, downhill presence against the run. Sam Dawson is another in-state defensive add. He is a DT with active, heavy hands and good power who can help stuff the run.
QB Briggs Cherry has performed well during in-person evaluations, including winning positional MVP during the UA New Orleans camp in March. The strong-armed passer has risen in the rankings, proving to be a key January pickup.
Previous ranking: 30
ESPN 300 commits: 3
Top offensive prospect: ATH Ryelan Morris
Top defensive prospect: S Lasiah Jackson
The Cardinal are working to bounce back from a 3-9 campaign and their 2026 class is showing the tools to make future improvements. A key pickup was ESPN 300 athlete Ryelan Morris, a flip from Baylor. At 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, he is versatile in how he could be utilized within their offense. He is quick with good hands and best projects as a slot receiver, where he can be dangerous after the catch. They beat out programs like Alabama and Florida State for ESPN 300 DB Lasiah Jackson out of Georgia, a defender with good length and range.
Having had a reputation for fielding excellent OLs not long ago, they are looking to rebuild that unit into a strength with several big men committed. Jalayne Miller, out of Arizona, possesses good feet and flexibility, and Blaise Thomassie could be a sleeper add. He performed very well at a loaded UA New Orleans camp between his junior and senior years. He possesses good body quickness, is very good with his hands and could develop at OG or center.
Previous ranking: 31
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: WR Kortez Rupert
Top defensive prospect: DT Cameron McHaney
Curt Cignetti proved in his first year at Indiana that his program-building skills translate to the Power 4. Now he’s establishing a foundation for sustained success by assembling one of the program’s most promising defensive recruiting classes in recent memory. The Hoosiers have put particular emphasis on the defensive line. Four-star tackle Cameron McHaney, a thickly built interior lineman from IMG Academy, shows initial quickness off the snap and plays with violence and disruption. He projects as a pocket-pusher who can anchor or attack in multiple fronts. Joining him are a pair of four-star defensive ends: Gabe Hill and Kevontay Hugan. Hill, at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, pairs an explosive first step with strong hands and a relentless motor. Hugan, another high-upside edge rusher, rounds out a talented group of trench commits.
On offense, a top commit is wide receiver Kortez Rupert, a 5-foot-11, 155-pound speedster from East Saint Louis High, the same program that produced Luther Burden. Rupert isn’t the same caliber of prospect, but he shows impressive burst off the line and could grow into a dangerous slot threat.
Previous ranking: 32
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: QB Kayd Coffman
Top defensive prospect: DE Fameitau Siale
Under Jonathan Smith, Michigan State is looking to recapture its status among the Big Ten’s upper-tier programs, which has become harder over the past few years. Having an in-state, homegrown signal-caller to shepherd in a new era would certainly inject more enthusiasm into the program. Enter Kayd Coffman, a 6-foot-2, 195-pounder out of East Kentwood High School in Michigan and an ESPN 300 prospect. Coffman has a quick, snappy release with the footwork and mobility to develop into a dynamic passer on the run. Michigan State will have to work to hold on to him — Colorado and Ohio State were among the programs who checked in on Coffman in the spring — but getting him to campus would be a major win.
Michigan State’s other ESPN 300 commit, Tyren Wortham, could be a target for Coffman. At 6 feet, 180 pounds, he’s a lean and fluid receiver who can surge off the ball with sudden quickness. Wortham can sustain that burst too — he ran a 21.91-second 200-meter dash in late March — and competes in games and practices alike with an impressive no-nonsense attitude. He’s one of several pass-catchers already pledged in Michigan State’s class, joining three-stars Samson Gash and Zachary Washington.
Previous ranking: 33
ESPN 300 commits: 0
Top offensive prospect: OT Bryce Gilmore
Top defensive prospect: LB J.J. Bush
Hot seat talk surrounding head coach Sam Pittman seemed to cool entering the offseason, which will benefit recruiting and help aid a 2026 class that has a solid foundation to build on. Four-star Dequane Prevo out of Texas is a 5-foot-10 receiver that has outstanding balance, body control and short-area burst. Several high-three-star prospects anchor the class, including quarterback Jayvon Gilmore, a tall (6-foot-4) but lean passer with a nice frame to develop. He has a strong arm with a smooth release and was a nice early evaluation and pickup by the Razorbacks.
Colton Yarbrough brings upside at defensive end with good first-step quickness and range. An offensive line coach himself, Pittman has landed in-state big man Tucker Young, who can get push and help create lanes in the run game, and four-star OL Bryce Gilmore, who has good flexibility and range.
Previous ranking: 34
ESPN 300 commits: 1
Top offensive prospect: OG Marek Jin
Top defensive prospect: DE Mason Leak
Bill O’Brien has injected new life into Boston College, in part by returning the program to its local roots. That has continued so far in 2026, with nearly half of its commits hailing from Massachusetts, Connecticut or New York. One of those prospects is Mason Leak, who is an interesting addition that will likely need developmental time but flashes very good raw tools and could be a breakout player. The Eagles added two promising QBs this cycle as well in Femi Babalola and D.J. Bordeaux. The former has a rangy frame, tested well in offseason camp and possesses a strong, accurate arm. The latter has a smooth release and moves well.
At the program’s height, BC built a reputation for developing NFL-caliber talent, particularly along the offensive line and on defense, and the Eagles are working hard to get back to that level. An early commit from in-state is OT Brady Bekkenhuis, who is a tenacious blocker with upside. Four-star Marek Jin is a flexible OL prospect who plays with good leverage, and with continued development and focus, Jin could be a key contributor in the trenches.
Previous ranking: 35
ESPN 300 commits: 1
Top offensive prospect: OT Andrew Trout
Top defensive prospect: CB Justin Hopkins
The Gophers are not a class that will be heavy with ESPN 300 commits, but they’re assembling a strong class anchored by a plethora of high three-star prospects. CBs Justin Hopkins and Chance Payne are good examples, as is edge defender Aaden Aytch. A prospect with a lean build, Aytch needs to continue to develop, but he brings a high ceiling as he has good length, displays wiry strength, can redirect well and be a factor in pursuit.
Beefing up the offensive line, they have several commits, led by Andrew Trout, the No. 1 player in the state and an ESPN 300 OT. Another key in-state keep was Roman Voss, who was also pursued by Alabama. Listed as an athlete, he has experience as a QB, but projects to TE and can be a versatile weapon for the Minnesota offense.
Previous ranking: 25
ESPN 300 commits: 4
Top offensive prospect: RB Damarius Yates
Top defensive prospect: DE Landon Barnes
The Rebels have relied heavily on the transfer portal, but by no means have turned their back on bringing in young talent. They signed a top-20 class for 2025 as well one of the top 10 newcomer classes for the last cycle. Damarius Yates was a key in-state keep, as he rushed for more than 1,300 yards as a junior for Kemper County and caught 31 passes. He possesses explosive lateral movement with the acceleration to separate from defenders. Corey Barber is a receiver with good speed and can be a vertical threat as well as create plays on jet sweeps.
On defense, DEs Landon Barnes and Carmelow Reed both need further development but bring good tools. Barnes is out of one of the top programs in Texas (Duncanville) and uses his hands well and can set the edge. Reed has a big frame and possesses good first-step quickness.
Previous ranking: 36
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: ATH Damon Ferguson
Top defensive prospect: OLB Reston Lehman
Pat Narduzzi and Pittsburgh haven’t secured multiple ESPN 300 commits in one class since 2021. If things hold, that’s set to change in 2026. The Panthers landed commitments from a pair of four-stars: outside linebacker Reston Lehman, out of Pennsylvania, and athlete Damon Ferguson. Lehman has solid size at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds and has the versatility to get after quarterbacks off the edge but also drop into coverage. He’s comfortable tracking the quarterback as a pass rusher and has already begun to show the makings of multiple pass-rush moves. He’s one of several intriguing linebacker additions, alongside three-star outside linebacker Isaiah Simmons and three-star inside linebacker Desmond Johnson out of Miami.
Pitt hasn’t produced a 1,000-yard rusher since Israel Abanikanda in 2022. Ferguson certainly has the raw tools to change that. The Maryland native is a quick runner who can change direction without skipping a beat and runs low to the ground. His suddenness and speed make him an attractive option in the pass game too and could even translate to work in the defensive secondary if needed.
Previous ranking: 37
ESPN 300 commits: 1
Top offensive prospect: OT Kaden Snyder
Top defensive prospect: S J.J. Dunnigan
Lance Leipold is no stranger to building a program and is working to fortify Kansas’ 2026 class. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, in-state defensive back J.J. Dunnigan has the length to reroute receivers off the line and the straight-line speed to hang with them on vertical routes. The Jayhawks have a few offensive linemen committed, led by 6-foot-5 Kansas native Kaden Snyder, who has an enticing combination of athleticism, pass-protection skills and upside if he can continue to fill out his frame.
The Jalon Daniels era enters its sixth and final season in 2025. In-state three-star commit Jaylen Mason is an intriguing developmental option at QB.
Previous ranking: 38
ESPN 300 commits: 1
Top offensive prospect: RB Victor Santino
Top defensive prospect: DE Camron Brooks
In Justin Wilcox’s eight seasons, Cal has been steady, albeit unspectacular, never losing more than eight games but never winning more than eight. If the Golden Bears’ 2026 class is any indication, their coaching staff certainly isn’t leaving any stone unturned in their pursuit to raise the ceiling of the program. Their lone ESPN 300 recruit, defensive end Camron Brooks, hails from Georgia and picked Cal after taking visits to Clemson, Florida State and Ohio State. At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Brooks has excellent length and initial burst. He’s one of two players from Thomas County Central High School who have committed to Cal in the class, joining interior lineman Artem Korchagin.
Cal also dipped into Hawai’i to land four prospects: tight end Taimane Purcell, offensive guard Kamo’i Huihui-White, quarterback Nainoa Lopes and offensive tackle Esaiah Wong. The Bears even tapped into the NFL Academy’s European program, landing tight end Luca Wolf out of London, who stands an impressive 6-foot-6, 240 pounds. The class could gel around in-state quarterback Brady Palmer, a three-star pocket passer out of San Diego. He’s a poised, accurate passer who has enough athleticism to extend plays and has been a frequent competitor on the camp circuit.
Previous ranking: 39
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: QB Oscar Rios
Top defensive prospect: DE Prince Williams
Arizona’s program has oscillated between incredible highs, winning 10 games two seasons ago and sending Tetairoa McMillan to the NFL, and painful lows, with a four-win campaign in Brent Brennan’s first season. One of the few constants amid plenty of program upheaval has been quarterback Noah Fifita, who is sixth in program history in passing yards (5,955) and seventh in touchdowns (44). Arizona’s 2026 class could have Fifita’s successor.
The Wildcats landed a commitment from four-star California native Oscar Rios in late June. An ESPN 300 QB, Rios has developed from a tall, lanky underclassman into a strong-armed, confident passer capable of driving the ball vertically while winning over teammates and coaches with his competitive demeanor. Landing Rios was a big win, and Arizona continued the momentum in early July, landing a commitment from fellow four-star Prince Williams. The Bishop Gorman defensive end stands 6-foot-2, 255 pounds and doesn’t back down from larger offensive tackles, nor does he cede reps in camp settings. He has the type of competitive nature and versatility a defensive line room can rally around. That duo forms an impressive foundation for Arizona to continue building out its 2026 class.
Week 7 in college football did not disappoint. There were several blockbuster matchups, and some previously undefeated teams were dealt their first losses.
No. 7 Indiana traveled to No. 3 Oregon for a game between two undefeated Big Ten teams and snapped the Ducks’ 18-game home winning streak, sending Oregon down five spots in this week’s AP Poll. The Hoosiers, on the other hand, have shown they’re the real deal and in the hunt for another shot at the national championship after last season’s early exit from the College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, in the Cotton Bowl, the return of quarterback John Mateer didn’t help No. 6 Oklahoma, which fell from the ranks of the unbeaten at the hands of Texas.
And with things going from bad to worse for Penn State after its third straight loss Saturday, the school fired James Franklin on Sunday after 12 seasons as its head coach.
What’s ahead for the Hoosiers as they chase a first-round bye in the playoff? What’s next for the Nittany Lions after their coaching change? And how does Oklahoma bounce back after a rough rivalry loss that may have exposed some issues that need to be addressed?
Our college football experts break down key storylines and takeaways from Week 7.
Jump to:
Indiana’s CFP chances | Franklin’s future
No buyout is too high | Watch out for Washington
Here comes Navy | A new star at USC?
Oklahoma’s offense
Indiana is better than last season — and capable of a deeper playoff run
At the midpoint of the season, no team has made a bigger playoff statement than Indiana. The Hoosiers tried to announce their arrival on the national stage with last season’s playoff appearance, but doubts lingered after an early exit. They tried to reassert themselves with a historic 63-10 beatdown of Illinois, but the Illini aren’t Ohio State or Oregon. And then the Hoosiers beat Oregon — by double digits — in Autzen Stadium, where the Ducks hadn’t lost in 18 straight games. Indiana forced Heisman Trophy hopeful quarterback Dante Moore into two interceptions and sacked him six times.
With the win, the Hoosiers catapulted into the top five and into program lore, positioning themselves not only for a run at the Big Ten title, but for a first-round bye as a top-four playoff team. Indiana doesn’t play Ohio State during the regular season, but it can face the Buckeyes in the conference championship game if the Hoosiers keep winning. And if Indiana’s only loss this season is to the selection committee’s No. 1 team and the Big Ten champs, the Hoosiers could still earn a top-four seed because those spots are no longer reserved for conference champions. If Indiana can beat Oregon, though, it can also beat Ohio State. — Heather Dinich
Franklin’s firing marks a first in highly pressurized CFP era
Penn State’s firing of coach James Franklin on Sunday was an absolute stunner, and also not a stunner. And yeah, still a stunner.
The unsurprising part about Franklin’s ouster, halfway through his 12th season at Penn State, was how clear the stakes had become this fall. Penn State had to start winning games and ultimately win some type of championship — Big Ten or national. After bringing back the nucleus of a team that played for the Big Ten title and was a play away from the national championship game, anything less would be a major disappointment.
I thought that if Penn State fell short and finished 10-3 or worse, Franklin could possibly look to move on. Things had run their course for him in Happy Valley. He would have gone out with a very good tenure without enough truly notable accomplishments.
The still-stunning part is that it came to an outright firing, especially to the tune of nearly $50 million remaining to be paid on his contract. The Oregon loss stung Penn State unlike other big-game defeats under Franklin. The Nittany Lions then looked completely lost against inferior opponents UCLA and Northwestern. The postgame malaise Saturday night suggested Franklin knew the end was coming before he got the news from athletic director Pat Kraft on Sunday.
But the finality of it all is still jarring and also indicative of the stakes that exist in the CFP era. As an industry source noted Sunday, Auburn and LSU waited at least a season before firing national-championship-winning coaches Gene Chizik and Ed Orgeron. Coaches can now reach the national semifinal and be fired halfway through the ensuing season. That’s wild.
What happens next for Franklin and Penn State will be fascinating, but it’s clear few coaches are safe in such a big-money, all-in sport. — Adam Rittenberg
No buyout is too high
There was a belief, at least among some FBS coaches, that athletic directors and universities would be less likely to fire a coach because the buyouts were going to be too high in the NIL era.
“They want the money for NIL,” Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin told me earlier this month. “But also because of the contracts. It’s great for coaches, but it’s the problem [agent] Jimmy Sexton created. These contracts [have] so much guaranteed money that now they’re like, ‘Whoa, we want to fire him, but we don’t want to pay $50 million.'”
Kiffin, it should be noted, is one of several high-profile coaches represented by Sexton.
“Not only have you got to pay him, you’ve got to pay his assistants,” Kiffin continued, “and then you have to go out and buy another team because everybody’s going to transfer within 30 days once the coach is fired, depending on the next coach you get.”
Obviously, that’s still not the case after Penn State canned Franklin and will pay his buyout of roughly $49 million, which is the second biggest in college football history, behind only the $76 million that Texas A&M doled out to Jimbo Fisher.
It’s not even November, and there are already seven head coaching openings, and all but one of them at Power 4 conference schools: Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Penn State, Stanford, UCLA and Virginia Tech.
Thanks to NIL and the transfer portal, the head coach, even a successful one, is no longer irreplaceable. Will one of those schools finally step up and say, “Enough is enough?” — Mark Schlabach
Don’t miss Demond Williams Jr.
One of the best individual performances of the week came late Friday night in Seattle, where Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. became just the 16th player in FBS history to throw for at least 400 yards and rush for at least 100 yards in the same game. The last Big Ten quarterback to achieve the feat was Northwestern’s Zak Kustok in 2001 against Bowling Green.
Williams has been outstanding all season. He ranks No. 5 nationally in Total QBR (86.1) with his worst game coming in a 24-6 loss to Ohio State and the country’s best defense. And even then, he still completed 18 of 22 passes against the Buckeyes for 173 yards without an interception. With Michigan, Illinois and Oregon still on the schedule, Washington has some chances to make a statement and push for a playoff spot. — Kyle Bonagura
Anchors aweigh, here comes Navy
The Midshipmen trailed Temple by a touchdown with less than a minute to play Saturday. They also faced fourth-and-1 at midfield. But then, following a convoy of lead blockers, Navy quarterback Blake Horvath sliced through the middle of the Owls defense for a 51-yard touchdown. He then tossed the winning 2-point conversion with a defender dragging him to the ground, giving Navy its first fourth-quarter comeback victory since 2021.
The Midshipmen are quietly 6-0 with the chance to make some major noise in November.
Navy travels to Notre Dame on Nov. 8 before facing South Florida (No. 19) and Memphis (No. 22) in back-to-back tilts that figure to have major American Conference title-game implications.
As it stands, the winner of the American will be the heavy favorite to grab the Group of 5 slot in the playoff. If Horvath, who has rushed and passed for 100 yards apiece in three straight games, keeps up this fourth-quarter magic, the Midshipmen could be a surprise playoff contender. — Jake Trotter
USC’s new star running back
USC might have stumbled into its new star running back.
After Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders went down with injuries during Saturday’s matchup between the Trojans and No. 15 Michigan, Lincoln Riley had no choice but to turn to walk-on King Miller.
The redshirt freshman who didn’t see any action last season was thrust into the game and did not disappoint. Miller carried the ball 18 times Saturday and totaled 158 rushing yards and a touchdown. Every time he touched the ball, it seemed like he could go for a huge gain.
Miller had a total of only 11 carries for 152 yards in three games entering Saturday. This was more than just an unexpected breakout; it was a coming-out party.
“King was huge,” coach Lincoln Riley said. “He stepped up and made big plays. That was obviously really important for us with the way it went down. This is just what he does in practice. He’s a hard worker. He’s a humble guy. He cares about this team a lot. And honestly, hell, we didn’t have anyone else. But he was awesome. The moment certainly wasn’t too big for him.”
Miller’s role on this USC team is far from finished. Riley said Sanders’ injury “doesn’t look super positive in terms of the rest of the season,” while Jordan is set to miss 4-6 weeks after undergoing tightrope surgery this week, according to multiple reports.
If Saturday’s win over Michigan was any indication, the fact that Miller might just turn out to be the Trojans’ top option at running back going forward might not be a bad thing. — Paolo Uggetti
Oklahoma’s offensive stumble exposes broader concerns
Let’s start here: For the third time in four Red River Rivalry games under coach Brent Venables, Oklahoma went without a touchdown against Texas in Saturday’s 23-6 defeat.
The first two occasions came with the Sooners playing a backup quarterback in the 2022 and 2024 editions of the rivalry game. This time, Oklahoma had its starter back with John Mateer under center 17 days after undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone in his right (throwing) hand hand. But Mateer’s much-anticipated return at the Cotton Bowl promptly turned into his first flop in 2025, lowlighted by three interceptions and the Heisman Trophy hopeful’s least accurate throwing performance (20-of-38) in what has been an otherwise dazzling debut season with the Sooners.
“I was ready to go physically,” Mateer said afterward. “Mentally, I just didn’t perform. My eyes weren’t as good as they needed to be. When your quarterback doesn’t play good football, [it’s] hard to win in this league. That’s what happened.”
Mateer’s showing in Oklahoma’s gut-check defeat prompts both near- and long-term questions.
Did the Sooners rush their star passer back against Texas? Would Oklahoma have been better off giving Mateer another week to recover and handing another start to sophomore Michael Hawkins Jr.? Will the physical or mental blows of Saturday impact Mateer beyond Week 7?
More broadly, questions have to be asked about whether this Sooners offense is good enough to support an Oklahoma defense that ranks second nationally and the program’s CFP hopes in 2025. Even with Mateer at his best, the Sooners are hamstrung by a rushing attack that ranks 106th and a good-not-great receiving corps averaging 1.5 touchdowns per game, 12th best among SEC programs. In three games against power conference opponents this fall, the Sooners have averaged only 23.6 points and 323 yards of total offense.
One loss doesn’t change much about the ceiling for the Sooners’ 2025 season. But any chance of Oklahoma flirting with the 12-team field hinges on finding solutions on offense, well beyond the issues that cropped up in Mateer’s disastrous performance against Texas on Saturday. — Eli Lederman
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Greg Wyshynski
The Colorado Avalanche are going to win the 2026 Stanley Cup.
I made the declaration about a month ago when pressed for a Cup pick. At the time, I thought I was being a Brooklyn hipster going against a wave of sentiment behind the Edmonton Oilers, who have lost consecutive Stanley Cup Finals; the Dallas Stars, who have lost three straight Western Conference finals; and the Vegas Golden Knights, who added Mitch Marner in the offseason.
Imagine my surprise when I looked at the ESPN hockey family’s season predictions and saw the Avalanche were in fact the chalk of a very crowded field. A hipster picker’s nightmare, indeed.
As is tradition, I revealed my Stanley Cup selection to a member of that team while at the player media tour in Las Vegas:
Me: I wanted to inform you that I’m picking you guys to win the Stanley Cup.
Avalanche star Cale Makar: I appreciate that.
Me: I also wanted to inform you that I’m not good at making Stanley Cup predictions.
Makar: Well, we’ll prove that wrong, hopefully.
I have the Avalanche winning the Cup over the Carolina Hurricanes, who are in at least their sixth attempt to break through in the Eastern Conference under coach Rod Brind’amour. I explain why below in my full 2025-26 NHL season standings predictions.
Here’s my division-by-division breakdown. Playoff teams are bolded. Good luck to all 32 teams. Hope everyone has fun out there.
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Tampa Bay Lightning
Ottawa Senators
Toronto Maple Leafs
Florida Panthers
Buffalo Sabres
Montreal Canadiens
Detroit Red Wings
Boston Bruins
There’s probably no greater example of the constant power rebalancing in the Atlantic than the fact that the Lightning haven’t finished atop the division since 2018-19. That’s despite having Nikita Kucherov, second only to Connor McDavid in points (378) over the past three seasons; Andrei Vasilevskiy, third in save percentage (.913) in that span; Victor Hedman, seventh in points among defensemen (191) and a defensive rock on which to build; and the rest of a cast that includes Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel and Jake Guentzel.
Oh, and behind the bench a guy named Jon Cooper, considered by everyone except Jack Adams Award voters to be the best coach in the league.
The Lightning will win the Atlantic this season handily. Kucherov’s line with Point and Guentzel averaged over four goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5. The duo of Cirelli and Hagel produced a 61% expected goals percentage together last season. Ryan McDonagh, a true glue guy, returned to the scene of his two Stanley Cup wins and had one of the most underappreciated seasons by a defenseman in 2024-25. Tampa Bay gets full seasons of Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde, and 24-year-old Gage Goncalves has another gear to hit. The Bolts will have at least one new banner to raise in the rafters after this season.
One of the bottom-feeders in the Atlantic was eventually going to be full enough to rise into contention, and that ended up being the Senators, who made the playoffs last spring for the first time since 2017. They’ll continue to ascend provided the forward group cooperates.
Brady Tkachuk, growing into one of the NHL’s greatest captains, needs to get back to the mid-30s in goals — and having linemate Tim Stützle return to the 90-point plateau is key in that. Dylan Cozens already showed he’s going to be the next in the grand tradition of Buffalo Sabres’ transactional regrets after last year’s trade deadline pickup. But this season hinges on players such as Shane Pinto, Ridly Greig and Fabian Zetterlund, a trade deadline dud whom Ottawa still extended for three seasons.
The forwards being make-or-break means I’m fairly confident in the Sens’ back end. Jake Sanderson established himself as an elite top-pairing guy, which has allowed Thomas Chabot to thrive on a second pairing with Nick Jensen. Jordan Spence comes over from the Kings to significantly upgrade what Travis Hamonic gave the Sens last season. Linus Ullmark was awesome from December on last season. His crease-mate, Leevi Merilainen, could be a sneaky Calder Trophy candidate. There’s a lot to like here for coach Travis Green, who made major strides in giving this team some defensive structure last season. The Senators are adding while others in the Atlantic are subtracting.
Losing Mitch Marner means losing points in the standings for the Maple Leafs. He’s a 100-point winger who led the team in power-play points and was their best penalty-killing forward. Did that transfer over to the postseason? Absolutely not, which is why Marner deserved criticism, though perhaps not to pariah levels. But no one had a higher wins above replacement on the Leafs last regular season than Marner (2.8). I’m sure that will be celebrated when he returns to Toronto with Vegas on Jan. 23 for a game that’ll make John Tavares‘ return to Long Island as a Leaf look like a concert by The Wiggles by comparison.
The “Core Four” lost one but might have gained another. Replacing Mitch Marner with Matthew Knies appears a bit like the Ninja Turtles swapping Leonardo for Casey Jones, but Knies is primed to pop after a 29-goal campaign. The Leafs know what they have in William Nylander, who is eighth in goals scored (125) over the past three seasons, and they have him next to Tavares, who at 35 is half the player he used to be and is paid as such. If we’re going by his career cadence, Auston Matthews should score over 60 goals this season. The Leafs would probably settle for seeing the former MVP’s dangerous dominance after injuries diminished him last season. So would Team USA in the Olympic Games in February.
The Leafs imported Matias Maccelli from Utah to help replace Marner’s points, and it still seems like a weird decision to add a guy who had six hits in 55 games to a Craig Berube team. Because everywhere you look on this roster, you’re starting to see a Craig Berube team: Nicolas Roy, acquired from Vegas in Marner’s departure, is a very solid 3C. A full season of Brandon Carlo adds to a blue line full of size and punishment in front of the goaltenders Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz, who made me a believer last year despite their constant injury concerns. There’s a sturdiness here that would normally lead to playoff success. The Maple Leafs’ undoing might be not having enough superstar offensive skill around it.
Speaking of talent subtractions: Can the Panthers survive without Matthew Tkachuk until at least December and without Aleksander Barkov until at least April? The answer is “in this conference, probably.” But it brings me no joy to report that the Panthers’ three-peat attempt could end with them missing the playoffs entirely, especially given how much I’ve grown to love the beach vistas and fried fish in covering their past three runs to the Stanley Cup Final.
The Panthers’ most important player this season is Sam Reinhart, full stop. Over the past two seasons playing without Barkov on his line (593:21 in 5-on-5 ice time), the Panthers had 0.75 fewer goals per 60 minutes with Reinhart on the ice while breaking even in what they scored and gave up. Coach Paul Maurice seems to favor bumping Brad Marchand up with Sam Bennett while Eetu Luostarinen and Anton “Baby Barkov” Lundell play with Reinhart during Tkachuk’s absence. When Tkachuk comes back, Reinhart, who has scored 160 goals in 321 games since joining the Panthers, will still have to drive his line in Barkov’s absence, which isn’t a given.
There’s probably something freeing for a two-time defending champ to enter a season with the pressure somewhat diminished by these injuries. The Panthers already had a “just get in” mindset for the playoffs. Now, they can hunker down, and rely on a defensive structure fortified by arguably the best top four in the conference — Aaron Ekblad and Gus Forsling, Seth Jones and Niko Mikkola — in front of Sergei Bobrovsky. GM Bill Zito kept this band together to try to become the NHL’s first dynasty with three consecutive Cups since the 1980s Islanders. With a healthy Tkachuk and Barkov, the three-peat could be within reach. But getting an invite to that playoff party will be harder than it has been since Maurice arrived in Sunrise.
The Sabres are easily the most confounding team in the Atlantic this season. They’ve regressed in the standings in consecutive seasons. Health seems to always be a concern, never more so than when Josh Norris is being relied upon as a critical center. The goaltending is more “fingers crossed” than Vezina Trophy-worthy. There are some givens — Tage Thompson‘s offensive rampage to ensure an Olympic roster spot, Rasmus Dahlin potentially being the Norris Trophy flavor of the season — but the incremental improvements GM Kevyn Adams has made to this roster don’t seem to answer its many questions.
That established, the hockey analytics community loves the Sabres this season more than data scraping in Python. Most fancy stats analysts I read have them finishing with over 90 points, with my friends at Evolving Hockey going as high as 99 points. As Jack “JFresh” Fraser writes in his season preview: “Ryan McLeod, Owen Power, Zach Benson, Alex Tuch, Josh Doan, Jason Zucker, Michael Kesselring, Conor Timmins — all pretty good to great players. This is a team that’s had abundant weak links for years and seems, maybe, to have patched them up for a change. Add in Dahlin and Thompson, who both profile like superstars, and there you go. Would I put money on it? Hell no. But it’s something to watch for.”
The Canadiens also broke out last season to qualify for the playoffs, losing to the Washington Capitals in five games. I think this talented young team takes a step back this season before an eventual leap forward. The Canadiens can’t defend. They’re a playoff team whose expected goals against last season at even strength (2.87, 31st) ranked behind the San Jose Sharks, who were disinterested in playing defense at all. They were fourth from the bottom in scoring chances allowed. I don’t think they’ve done much to remedy that. In fact, it might have gotten worse, despite all that Noah Dobson and Ivan Demidov can bring plenty to the team offensively. There’s only so much that Sam Montembeault can paper over with goaltending that saw him save 25 goals above expected last season.
The latest amendment to GM Steve Yzerman’s “Yzerplan,” which the Red Wings have executed since 2019: Finally getting John Gibson out of Anaheim for the last two years of his contract. Detroit used four goalies last season, and Cam Talbot was the only keeper. This new goalie battery on a Todd McLellan-coached team gave me pause, but not as much as Gibson’s inability to stay in the lineup does. Otherwise, it’s another season with some young bright spots — Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson, Lucas Raymond and hopefully Marco Kasper, or else Detroit’s in real trouble this season. The Wings don’t have the talent to make the playoffs but have enough of it to limit their lottery odds. Which is unfortunately the most palpable result of the Yzerplan.
I might be low on the Bruins here. If the defense corps is healthy in front of Jeremy Swayman, who had a proper training camp this time, they could grind out some wins for first-year coach Marco Sturm. And by “defense corps” we essentially mean Charlie McAvoy, who was limited to 50 games last season while posting his lowest points-per-60 minutes average in six seasons. But even a return to Norris contention for Charlie Mac isn’t going to turn the tide for Boston, whose overall depth is that of a team which went on a selling spree at last season’s trade deadline. David Pastrnak is now Ilya Kovalchuk on the Atlanta Thrashers: someone who’s good for 50 goals and a 100-point pace no matter who surrounds him, but in service of a basement dweller.
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
Carolina Hurricanes
New Jersey Devils
Washington Capitals
New York Rangers
Columbus Blue Jackets
New York Islanders
Pittsburgh Penguins
Philadelphia Flyers
Whereas the Atlantic Division has some upwardly mobile teams below the contenders, the Metro feels like four teams with strong playoff chances and then four teams those top four will mine for points — with one exception.
The Hurricanes are tied with the Oilers and Golden Knights for the best odds to make the playoffs on ESPN BET, which says as much about the relative strengths of the Metro and Pacific as it does about these teams. I infamously picked the Hurricanes to miss the playoffs in last year’s column, and hey, it’s not like they made it all the way to the conference finals to make me look like a total idiot. Picking them to win the Metro and the entire Eastern Conference is not an act of contrition but a tacit admission that Carolina has hit that sweet spot of veteran impact players comingling with outstanding young stars in the most consistently effective coaching system in the NHL.
What a long, strange trip it’s been for GM Eric Tulsky. He landed Jake Guentzel at the 2024 trade deadline, only to bow out in the second round and watch him leave for Tampa Bay. Still seeking that playoff scoring solution, Tulsky last season landed Taylor Hall from Chicago and Mikko Rantanen from Colorado for Martin Necas, but traded Rantanen after just 13 games because he wouldn’t commit long-term in Raleigh.
That resulted in Carolina getting Logan Stankoven, an outstanding 22-year-old forward, and a bunch of picks from Dallas. And after searching the free agent options for top-line left wing help, the Hurricanes went down a tier and signed Nikolaj Elhers from the Jets, a play-driving winger with some injury history who’s nonetheless well suited for what they do. They money they didn’t spend on Rantanen went to Ehlers and defenseman K’Andre Miller, a pending restricted free agent acquired from the Rangers partially through one of the first-rounders they received from Dallas. He joins a deep defense corps bolstered by one of the NHL’s best rookies in Alexander Nikishin.
There are some points of concern with the Canes, starting with second-line center. Jesperi Kotkaniemi hasn’t been the answer. They’ve been using Stankoven there and might still try Seth Jarvis as an internal solution. This might be where Tulsky tries to use his cap space and draft capital to improve the team before the deadline. Or perhaps that’ll be in goal, where Frederik Andersen remains dominant but a constant injury concern, with Pyotr Kochetkov yet to show he’s anything but a downgrade.
Rod Brind’Amour has led the Hurricanes to a .604 points percentage or better in six of his seven season as head coach. He has led them to the conference finals three times without ever playing for the Stanley Cup. The Canes will kick that wall down this season with a tenacious, talented group that has room for improvement.
Are the Devils keeping their powder dry for a run at Quinn Hughes? They’d be silly not to if there’s even a small chance that Vancouver trades him to “play with his brothers” before his 2027 unrestricted free agency. But the reason the Devils tinkered with the roster instead of taking big swings is likely because they like what they have already and want to see what it looks like with a healthy Jack Hughes.
They were 33-23-6 with Hughes in the lineup until his injury on March 2, creating a points cushion that enabled them to still make the playoffs despite losing 12 of their final 21 games of the season. He has been over 3.2 points per 60 minutes in each of his past four seasons. Hughes is everything for the Devils, from being their offensive engine to being the reason they just paid a 22-year-old defenseman $63 million for services yet rendered. If Luke Hughes is happy, Jack’s hopefully happy.
New Jersey has a deeply talented blue line and the goaltending tandem of Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen, who took their team save percentage from 30th to 11th. GM Tom Fitzgerald had a nice signing in former Oiler Connor Brown and has anointed Cody Glass as the third-line center to start the season. If the bottom six is better and the team has better injury luck, the Devils are poised to make noise this season. Or, failing that, just trade for Quinn, I guess.
The Capitals don’t know what the future holds for 40-year-old Alex Ovechkin, who is now the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer at 897 and in the last year of his contract. But Capitals coach Spencer Carbery told ESPN’s “The Drop” that he’s relieved there isn’t another overriding Ovechkin story that his team is experiencing every night on the road, with “Ovi’s last season” replacing The Great Chase.
“Definitely. No doubt. If that was the case then every building you go into, especially the Western teams, it’ll be the last time definitely that he goes into those arenas,” he said.
Instead, the Capitals can remain focused on repeating their incredible 111-point campaign from last season, which saw them advance to the second round of the playoffs. GM Chris Patrick won almost every bet he made last offseason, such as with Pierre-Luc Dubois, Jakob Chychrun and Logan Thompson. Provided there’s little to no regression there, and young players such as Aliaksei Protas and Ryan Leonard progress, they’ll keep Ovechkin in contention in what could be his final NHL season.
The Rangers were messy last season, but regime change generally is. GM Chris Drury played hardball with veterans who had trade protection, resulting in captain Jacob Trouba and franchise pillar Chris Kreider flying to Anaheim and former Ranger J.T. Miller returning from Vancouver to say, “I’m the captain now.” Coach Peter Laviolette paid with his job for the Rangers’ descent from the conference finals to outside the postseason. Enter Mike Sullivan, another former Ranger (as assistant coach from 2009 to 2013), who escaped the rebuilding Penguins.
The Rangers have enough talent in the right places to overcome significant lineup holes and earn a playoff spot this season. Miller’s arrival helped pull Mika Zibanejad out of a nightmarish season. Will Cuylle is burgeoning star who’ll take over most of what Kreider was doing in the lineup. The line of Alexis Lafrenière, Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck is a dependable force — and Panarin is in a contract year, too.
The Rangers need Adam Fox to recapture the magic of his Norris Trophy form, and importing Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov as a free agent should do the trick. Provided Igor Shesterkin bounces back with a better structure in front of him — and he had 21.6 goals saved above expected — the Rangers should be the fourth Metro playoff team, if not much more than that.
It doesn’t get more inspiring than what the Blue Jackets did last season, finishing two points out of a playoff spot while playing through unfathomable grief. I love what they’re building in Columbus, and a wild-card spot isn’t out of the question.
It’s conceivable that Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko all take another huge leap forward surrounded by an improved supporting cast — I love the Charlie Coyle addition. It’s possible that Denton Mateychuk has a breakout season on a blue line that needs more skill. But the season probably rests on the shoulder pads of 24-year-old Jet Greaves, and whether he’s good enough to wrest the crease from Elvis Merzlikins. Because someone needs to.
The combination of a CBA-mandated relaxed dress code and the post-Lou Lamoriello lift on facial hair restrictions could have the Islanders’ dressing room looking like Bonnaroo. Frankly, it’s about time this organization had an infusion of personality, and it arrives in the form of 18-year-old Matthew Schaefer. The No. 1 pick has boundless enthusiasm and charisma to spare. This is largely the same roster that Lamoriello created, which finished with 82 points last season. A full season of Mathew Barzal probably gets the Islanders slightly more than that, but not much more.
There’s no point in assessing the playoff potential of the Penguins, whose roster is like a random name generator surrounding a core of six veterans stuck in hockey purgatory under new head coach Dan Muse. The entire conversation about this team will be about what happens to that core by the trade deadline, most specifically the fates of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Everyone around Sid wants the legend to remove himself from this narrative, join a Stanley Cup contender and thrive in the postseason spotlight again. But he has steadfastly dedicated himself to seeing things through in Pittsburgh as a Shein version of the Capitals’ retool around Ovechkin. I’m still optimistic that he’ll change his mind. I’m even more convinced that Malkin will move this season, especially after he cast an appreciative eye toward the fun Brad Marchand was having last season. You know, with the Florida Panthers, the team near one of Malkin’s homes in Miami and that currently has an opening for a veteran No. 1 center. Just sayin’.
The most that the Flyers can hope for this season is the continued progress of its young players as new coach Rick Tocchet power-drills fundamentals into them. They’re going to be a tough out and fun to watch, depending on how much time Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov are given to create content. But the Flyers aren’t likely to grab too many headlines in Philadelphia this season. The Jalen Hurts discourse can continue, uninterrupted.
CENTRAL DIVISION
Colorado Avalanche
Dallas Stars
Utah Mammoth
Winnipeg Jets
Minnesota Wild
St. Louis Blues
Nashville Predators
Chicago Blackhawks
The simplest justification for why I think the Avalanche will win the Stanley Cup is that they again have the essential building blocks for a championship team. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are top-five NHL players overall and one Connor McDavid away from both being the best at what they do. The Avs have their No. 2 center in Brock Nelson after years of post-Nazem Kadri searching. They have a goalie in Mackenzie Blackwood who has at least the potential to be the guy who might not win you a series but won’t lose it for you either.
(Results are pending on that last one.)
Can Martin Necas give them 75% of what Mikko Rantanen did, as was the gamble in trading their star winger last season? Can Samuel Girard and Josh Manson be the rock-solid second paring behind the ridiculously good Makar and Devon Toews? Can Gabriel Landeskog, one of last season’s most heartwarming stories that lacked a storybook ending, become Gabriel Landeskog again?
I’m saying yes to all of this. I’m also putting my faith in an aggressive front office to once again bolster this lineup before the postseason if necessary, whether incrementally or with a big swing. Say, did you hear Nathan MacKinnon grew up in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia? I wonder if that’s relevant to any other current events in the NHL …
Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, the Avalanche have been eliminated in the first round to Seattle, the second round to Dallas and the first round to Dallas again. That last seven-game loss to the Stars left MacKinnon “shocked” and unsure how to process it. That’s exactly what you want to hear as an Avalanche fan. Palpable disgust is what fueled MacKinnon’s first Cup win. The tank’s nearly full again.
The first question that needs to be asked about the Stars is whether they made three straight Western Conference finals because they were coached by Pete DeBoer or because they were a three-time conference finalist that he happened to coach. We’ll find out now that DeBoer is somewhere muttering things about Jake Oettinger under his breath while Glen Gulutzan, an Oilers assistant who coached the Stars from 2011 to 2013, takes over.
The Stars are still in the sweet spot for NHL teams: productive veterans and outstanding young players and a franchise goalie combining for a Cup-worthy team. Last season saw them add a superstar in Mikko Rantanen, and anyone who watched the playoffs understands his postseason impact.
Yet Dallas has room for improvement. Teams of scientists are still trying to determine what happened to Wyatt Johnston in the 2025 playoffs, mustering four goals in 18 games with a minus-16. The Matt Duchene regression seems inevitable. They’re going to have to replace what they lost in Mikael Granlund, Mason Marchment and Evgenii Dadonov. The young standouts such as Thomas Harley, Lian Bichsel and Mavrik Bourque must continue to level up.
Again: The Dallas Stars can win the Stanley Cup this season if the mix is right and the path is friendly. One just hopes that DeBoer didn’t take their window to win with him, and that the legacy of his group is as the Western Conference’s annual bridesmaid.
The Mammoth will make the playoffs. I’m a believer that the core they’ve built there — Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley — is trending to be the type of elite trio that powers a team to the postseason. Keller and Nick Schmaltz anchor one line. Cooley, whose ceiling increasingly looks to be a Jack Hughes-adjacent player, is in the middle of Guenther and JJ Peterka, their big offseason acquisition from the Buffalo Sabres.
It gets a wee thinner at forward after that, with more role players (Lawson Crouse, Brandon Tanev) than impact players. But that’s fine. The Mammoth don’t need to be the Florida Panthers. They just need their top two lines to be their motor.
Speaking of the Panthers, the delightful Nate Schmidt joins a Mammoth back end that was besieged by injuries last season. A full season of Sean Durzi and John Marino is essential to Utah’s success. I’m also interested in seeing if and when rookie Maveric Lamoureux, a really talented 6-foot-6 shutdown defender, makes his mark. Fingers crossed that Karel Vejmelka gives the Mammoth another strong season with a more dependable backup in Vitek Vanecek. If the back end holds up, the first Stanley Cup playoff games played in Salt Lake City await.
The Wild, Blues and Jets are all going to be in the mix for the wild cards, with maybe one team from the Pacific Division contending against them. The Central has boasted five playoff teams twice in the past four seasons.
The Jets are easily the best team of these three, and they’re my pick to make the playoffs again on the strength of Connor Hellebuyck, who rightfully won the Hart and the Vezina last season. His side quest to the Olympics means some extra physical and mental strain, but he’s going to give the Jets at least 60 games of the league’s best goaltending. He’s on that McDavid and MacKinnon level of being able to will a team into the postseason on his own.
He’ll have to be great because the team in front of him is diminished after Nikolaj Ehlers left in free agency. Maybe that would be further diminished: The Jets were 20th in 5-on-5 scoring chances last season and 13th in expected goals. Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele combined for 80 goals last season. Without Ehlers, they need continued support from Gabriel Vilardi, and more of it from Cole Perfetti. (What Jonathan Toews gives them as a No. 2 center at this stage of his career is anyone’s guess.)
In the end, they’re solid enough defensively in front of the league’s best goaltender that this offense can get them into the playoffs, but it’s going to be a precipitous drop from last season’s 116-point campaign.
The Blues were one shot away from eliminating the Jets in Game 7 of the first round before losing in double overtime, and this is the first time I realized how ironic that must have been for Jordan Binnington after the 4 Nations Face-Off.
There’s a lot that I like about the Blues, beginning with coach Jim Montgomery. They went 35-18-7 after he abruptly took over from Drew Bannister just 22 games into the season. He got them to hunker down defensively in front of Binnington, as the Blues were fourth in NHL in goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5. Jimmy Snuggerud is going to be a rookie sensation and will give this team valuable secondary scoring behind the usual suspects like Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. I’m not in love with the aging curve of the Blues’ top three defensemen, but there’s no question that Colton Parayko played himself back onto everyone’s radar and the team hit a new gear once GM Doug Armstrong rescued Cam Fowler from the Ducks.
I have St. Louis right on the cusp of the playoff bubble. If the Blues make it, no surprise. If they barely miss it, no surprise. Heck, if they finish second in the division, no surprise because Montgomery gets that out of teams. But Monty’s teams can also sometimes underwhelm you offensively without stars doing star things — see David Pastrnak during the coach’s time with the Bruins. The Blues don’t have that guy, and they ended up 27th in expected goals per 60 minutes last season at 5-on-5. I think they barely miss.
The Wild will spend $136 million to keep Kirill Kaprizov through 2033-34. Bold prediction: At some point during that run, the Wild will have built a Stanley Cup contender around him. You can see the broad strokes of it now. Brock Faber and Zeev Buium anchoring the defense. Jesper Wallstedt as the franchise goalie. Offense up front from Matt Boldy, Danila Yurov and … uh … is Marco Rossi officially not going to be traded?
Point being that this feels like a transition year for the Wild. I’m not a huge fan of their offensive depth beyond Kaprizov, assuming he remains healthy. Which he better be, because with him limited to 41 games last season, the Wild were the worst 5-on-5 team offensively in the NHL, with expected goals percentage 29th. That was the reason they finished minus-11 in goal differential last season, second worst among all playoff teams.
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Wild ink Kirill Kaprizov to largest contact in NHL history
Check out the numbers behind Kirill Kaprizov’s record NHL deal.
The Predators held on to coach Andrew Brunette, not only because GM Barry Trotz believes in the offensive game he preaches, but also because the team would probably be paying him not to coach until at least 2027. He was part of those offseason additions a year ago that had us all convinced the Predators were going to be a force in the Western Conference, until it became apparent that the Lightning guessed right on Steven Stamkos‘ decline, Brady Skjei was a product of the Hurricanes’ system and Jonathan Marchessault‘s game is much better when surrounded by contender-level talent. Factor in Juuse Saros playing to below replacement level, and Nashville was cooked like Hattie B’s.
Are the Predators going to be better than 68 points this season? Undoubtedly yes if Saros has an average season and the team isn’t out of the playoff race by early December like it was last season, when it went 7-16-6 in its first 29 games. But that won’t be good enough to make the playoffs in the Central. Does Trotz need to have some tough conversations with players who have term and trade protection about the direction of this team? Or is there any way the team’s next wave — such as Matthew Wood, Fedor Svechkov and eventually Brady Martin — breaks out in time to maximize the years left on those veterans’ contracts?
Finally, some reasons to watch the Blackhawks beyond Connor Bedard, who might not spend the next seven months feeling dejected and competitively lonely. Frank Nazar is legit, although he’s going to have the same “center who should really be a winger” discourse surrounding him that Bedard does. I want to see what Sam Rinzel does as a 6-foot-4 power-play point man. The Blackhawks are going to be terrible — hopefully less so under new coach Jeff Blashill — but at least we can tune in for glimpses of the future rather than a bunch of veteran placeholders orbiting Bedard for 82 games.
PACIFIC DIVISION
Edmonton Oilers
Vegas Golden Knights
Los Angeles Kings
Vancouver Canucks
Anaheim Ducks
Calgary Flames
Seattle Kraken
San Jose Sharks
For all the fanfare about Connor McDavid forgoing free agency to re-sign with the Oilers, the fact remains that he heard their plans, looked at their roster and decided that he’s spending only the next three seasons chasing a Stanley Cup with them. Although that doesn’t inspire much confidence about the long-term prospects of the Oilers, it does mean McDavid believes there’s enough here to win in the short term.
(And hey, cheer up, Leon Draisaitl, even though McDavid might bolt in summer 2028 and you’re signed through 2032-33. Remember: Mark Messier won the Cup after Wayne Gretzky left!)
In many ways, this is the same team that came up short against the Panthers (again) in the Stanley Cup Final, albeit one that should have a healthy Zach Hyman at some point in the next few months. GM Stan Bowman made some additions by subtraction (such as Evander Kane) and is hoping a combination of veteran additions like Andrew Mangiapane and an infusion of youth in players like Matthew Savoie can provide the secondary scoring the team needs behind Connor and Leon.
Edmonton’s top six defensemen are pretty terrific, especially with the emergence of Jake Walman. The goaltending is … well, the kind of thing that probably makes McDavid want to sign only a two-year extension. Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, last seen being the evil of two lessers before a Stanley Cup Final elimination game, are back, and the Oilers hope former Utah goalie Connor Ingraham might be able to contribute at some point as well.
Kris Knoblauch has coached this team to a .656 points percentage in 151 regular-season games. There’s no reason to believe the Oilers can’t repeat that feat this season. On paper, this doesn’t look like a team destined for a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final, but it would be foolhardy to bet against McDavid and Draisaitl finding a way to get back there. And if they fall short … one down, two to go before Connor Watch begins again.
It’s a bit surprising to see the Golden Knights get so much support as a Stanley Cup favorite given that Alex Pietrangelo, their most important defenseman, will miss the season with a hip issue. But with Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin, Brayden McNabb and Zach Whitecloud, they still have a stout top four on defense in front of Adin Hill and whoever will end up sharing the crease with him.
But the reason the Golden Knights have inspired this kind of buzz can be summed up in two words: Mitch and Marner. Imagine the feeling of being extracted from the Toronto pressure cooker to end up on Jack Eichel‘s wing — and imagine being Jack Eichel, lining up with a 100-point, 200-foot player who could elevate your game to unforeseen heights. Their line with Ivan Barbashev could reach juggernaut status. The same could be said for the Knights’ checking line: Reilly Smith and Mark Stone flanking William Karlsson. As the Panthers have shown in the past two seasons, it’s almost unfair to have a third line that good. (And that’s with no slight to the Knights’ second line, anchored by Tomas Hertl.)
The Western Conference is better when the Knights are swaggering villains. Landing Marner, the offseason’s top free agent prize, who has his share of detractors, has helped restock the bile reserves for Vegas.
I love Kings captain Anze Kopitar proclaiming that this season will be his last. Not only does it mean the NHL writ large can celebrate the legacy of one of the best two-way centers and best Slovenian player in league history — with apologies to Jan Mursak — but it means the Kings are going to be extra aggressive in trying to maximize their last year with him.
The Kings have enough offensive weaponry around Kopitar (10th in expected goals for at 5-on-5 last season) to thrive. Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala are both coming off 35-goal seasons, and Quinton Byfield has more to give. Imagine where their offense would have been with something better than the 27th-best power play in the NHL last season.
My concerns, beyond Jim Hiller’s atrocious decision-making in the playoffs: that the depth on their defense, including Cody Ceci and Joel Edmundson, is too ineffective and slow; that goalie Darcy Kuemper regresses from his Vezina-nominated season; and that GM Ken Holland’s peculiar first offseason as Kings GM negatively impacts the roster. But hey, he did sign Corey Perry, which obviously means the Kings will play for the Stanley Cup.
I have the Canucks in the playoffs because I’m taking the completely naïve approach that everything will work itself out. That Elias Pettersson can regain his 100-point form after a healthy offseason and with the toxins drained out of the Canucks’ locker room now that J.T. Miller is on the Rangers. That the Canucks have the good sense to pair Pettersson with a returning Brock Boeser. That Filip Chytil remains healthy enough. That Thatcher Demko remains healthy enough. That Quinn Hughes remains healthy enough and is a Norris finalist while — and this is the crucial part — wearing a Vancouver jersey this season instead of one with devil horns.
If all of these things happen, the Canucks are a playoff team. If half of them happen … well, maybe the Central gets five teams in the playoffs again this season.
In my bold predictions for the 2025-26 season, I said the Ducks would be in the playoff hunt until the last week of the race. I’m sticking to that. For better or worse, Joel Quenneville is back behind an NHL bench, and I’m confident he’s going to unlock something in players such as Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish and Jackson LaCombe that Greg Cronin failed to unleash. It’s a heavy lift for the Ducks to go from hapless defensive sieve to playoff bubble contender, and I’m putting a lot of faith in that influx of veteran talent — Chris Kreider and Mikael Granlund included — to get this group of ducklings waddling in the right direction. Well, that and goalie Lukas Dostal continuing to progress toward franchise goaltender status.
The Flames shocked the league last season with a 96-point campaign that was a tiebreaker away from postseason qualification. They can thank Gilroy, California’s own Dustin Wolf for that, backstopping them to 29 wins in 53 games with a .910 save percentage, and finishing second in the voting for NHL rookie for the year. I’m still trying to figure out this magic trick, considering how utterly average the Flames were at 5-on-5 last season.
As has been the case since Matthew Tkachuk was traded, they’re a supporting cast in search of a star. Now they’re caught in a purgatory as some of their top names are aging out (Nazem Kadri, Mikael Backlund) while the next wave — like brilliant 19-year-old defenseman Zayne Parekh — needs some time to ripen. This could be a double-digit points decline, but the future is bright for the Flames.
I’ve seen projections that have the Kraken anywhere from 72 points to 84 points under new head coach Lane Lambert. I’ll take the lower end of that scale. I didn’t love the Kraken’s underlying offensive numbers last season (28th in expected goals for, 30th in scoring chances per 60 minutes at 5-on-5), and the Islanders were middle of the pack at best during his time as their head coach. It’s a middling team in need of a new direction under GM Jason Botterill. A robust trade deadline sale under a rising salary cap would be a good start.
Much like Macklin Celebrini had he remained at Boston University, the Sharks are entering their junior year of college. It’s still a party, it’s still a team that can be bad but fun, and we find it charming. Players such as Celebrini, Will Smith, William Eklund and Michael Misa can flaunt gaudy offensive stats without being overly concerned with their plus/minus deficit. They can spend one more year in the draft lottery — and wouldn’t Gavin McKenna look great on Celebrini’s wing? — before it’s time to graduate to something resembling playoff contention next season.
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