Category: College Football

The question is, will Arch Manning live up to the hype? Brian Kelly weighs in.

As the Texas Longhorns prepare for their inaugural season in the Southeastern Conference, the spotlight on quarterback Arch Manning continues to intensify. However, LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly is urging caution before crowning Manning among the SEC’s elite, instead highlighting the proven experience of his own quarterback, Garrett Nussmeier.

During a recent appearance on ESPN’s College GameDay Podcast, Kelly acknowledged Manning’s record and talent but emphasized the challenges that come with playing quarterback in the SEC.

“Look, we hear it every day because [Manning is] from Louisiana. … And listen, there’s another guy that hears it all the time and that’s Garrett Nussmeier,” Kelly said. “He’s committed, and more than anything else, he’s experienced. And in this league, you need to see the bullets flying.”

Kelly praised Manning’s potential but stressed the importance of on-field production and resilience.

“Now, Manning is extremely talented. But he’s got to go do it. And there’s going to be a couple of days where it doesn’t come out the way it’s supposed to,” Kelly continued. “How do you bounce back, how do you come back from that? How does it work the next week in your gameplan? So there’s a lot out there. I can see the assessment of Manning, he’s an outstanding player. But I’ll take the guy that’s been in the SEC and seen what it looks like.”

Both Manning and Nussmeier are expected to be among the top quarterbacks in the SEC this season, alongside South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers and Florida’s DJ Lagway. Manning, who started two games in 2024, finished the year with 939 passing yards, nine touchdowns, two interceptions, and added 108 rushing yards with four scores on the ground….

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Oklahoma’s famous Sooner Schooner has weathered a few bumps in the road in the past, but after suffering through two losing seasons in three years for the first time this century, Brent Venables knew he had to pull the reins.

Oklahoma’s head coach began re-evaluating his plans in October, amid a dreadful start to his third year leading the program and — perhaps more important — the blueblood’s debut season in the mighty SEC. He fired his offensive coordinator in the middle of the season, shifted staff responsibilities and then got a head start on mapping out a blueprint for 2025 — all while the Sooners were still playing games.

“We had to,” Oklahoma athletics director Joe Castiglione told CBS Sports. “I mean, we would’ve been foolish not to be looking forward to what we need.”

They don’t have to say it publicly, but it’s widely understood that Venables enters his fourth year on the hot seat. A 6-7 record was not a disaster on paper, but the Sooners’ downward trajectory in a new conference sounded a few alarm bells in Norman. The Oklahoma diehards won’t admit it, but rival Texas’ trip to the College Football Playoff in its first SEC season has also fueled the desire for a revamp. So, Oklahoma poured more money, time and resources into a full remodel. The university hired a third-party consultant to evaluate the program from top to bottom.

The ensuing changes were dramatic. 

The Sooners installed two new coordinators, hired a pair of defensive assistants and installed an entirely new front office with seven staffers led by noted former NFL executive Jim Nagy. They even hired a new trainer with NFL ties. In December and January, the Sooners relentlessly pursued talent in the transfer portal, snagging arguably the best quarterback…

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Former Alabama Crimson Tide running back and FOX Sports college football analyst Mark Ingram is not high on the Georgia Bulldogs entering the 2025 college football season. Ingram thinks that Georgia will have a disappointing season.

“We own the Dawgs!” said Ingram on “The Triple Option” podcast after predicting that Georgia would lose their first game of the season at home against Alabama. The podcast features former Florida and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and fellow FOX college football analyst Rob Stone. Ingram also went on to predict that Georgia will lose to the Texas Longhorns and Florida Gators. Georgia’s 2025 win total is set at 9 and 1/2 wins and Ingram, who won the Heisman in 2009, is taking the under.

If Georgia wins just nine games, then the Bulldogs would be unlikely to advance to the SEC championship (three conference losses) or the College Football Playoff. The only team with three losses to make the 2024-2025 playoff was the Clemson Tigers, but Clemson won the ACC championship, so they received an automatic playoff berth.

Ingram thinks there’s a possibility Georgia will win one of three games against Alabama, Florida or Texas, but with Georgia breaking in a new starting quarterback in Gunner Stockton he is not as optimistic for the Bulldogs’ 2025 season.

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In their first extensive comments since Judge Claudia Wilken approved the House v. NCAA settlement last week, the commissioners of the five listed defendants — the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC — expressed hope that the new revenue-sharing world it created will bring stability to what has been a tremendous period of upheaval within college athletics.

“There’s no question for any of us, the five of us, we’re in a much better place than we were 48 hours ago and certainly over the last several years,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said. 

Even within the hope and belief they all shared in what the House settlement means for college athletes came an acknowledgement there is still plenty of work left to be done. There are still plenty of big questions looming over college sports, including the legality of revenue sharing and NIL from Title IX and enforcement perspectives. 

Five hot takes from landmark House v. NCAA settlement: Parity boom ahead as big dogs may start to go hungry

Brad Crawford

Below are key takeaways from what the commissioners had to say on the past, present and future of college athletics as it prepares to take a monumental step forward beginning July 1 when universities can begin directly paying their athletes. 

Affiliation agreements not done yet

One of the more interesting aspects coming out of the House settlement is the Power Four conferences demanding their members sign affiliation agreements which will, in part, prevent them from suing the College Sports Commission (CSC) over NIL-related…

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Spring 1-on-1 battles sharpen skills for players like CB Lemondre Joe

Get to know new CSU football cornerback Lemondre “Jeezy” Joe ahead of his debut with the Rams.

Colorado State football had a successful recruiting weekend, landing numerous commitments.Three-star athlete Yasser Jackson from Oakland, CA, publicly committed to CSU.CSU’s 2026 recruiting class is expected to grow significantly beyond the current seven public commits.

Prepare for a flurry of news around Colorado State football recruiting.

The Rams had a mega-recruiting weekend Jun 6-8 and landed a double-digit number of commits who are expected to be announcing their decision to join CSU soon.

The first to publicly announce is Oakland, California athlete Yasser Jackson. Jackson announced his commitment on X on June 8.

Jackson is a 6-foot-3, 175-pound versatile player out of Oakland High School who has played receiver, linebacker and safety in high school.

He’s rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports and has reported offers from Sacramento State and Delaware State as well as the Rams.

Yasser took an official recruiting visit to CSU June 6.

Jackson is the seventh publicly announced commit in CSU’s Class of 2026, but the group will be well into the double digits soon.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.

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Hope springs eternal for every college football team each offseason, but some teams’ lofty expectations are more realistic than others. Those that fill key roster needs, boast rising stars or make impressive coaching changes generate the most hype from December to August, and a number of College Football Playoff hopefuls did just that in 2025. Teams including Texas Tech and Miami could be on the verge of their College Football Playoff debuts after they loaded up on highly touted transfer portal talent, to name just two.

Offseason hype is a double-edged sword, though. While it directs more attention to exciting programs, it also has a tendency to create unfair or unattainable goals. Failing to deliver on the buzz is never optimal for a coach’s job security, whether it is warranted or not. Fanbase morale also takes a hit with every disappointing loss.

Not every promising team from this offseason can punch a playoff ticket. Some will, but others will disprove the narratives that propped them up all spring and summer.

College Football Playoff predictions: Teams poised to make debut appearance in 2025

Carter Bahns

Here are the 12 best college football teams with the most offseason buzz:

Odds to make College Football Playoff in parentheses via DraftKings Sportsbook. 

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Missouri State football added an in-state quarterback commitment to its 2026 recruiting class.

Parkway West (Ballwin) rising senior Brett Ottensmeyer announced his commitment to the Bears on Saturday evening. He is the first publicly known 2026 recruit to commit to Ryan Beard and the Bears, who have been active in offering the class in recent weeks.

Ottensmeyer lists himself at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds. He’s not ranked by any of the major recruiting outlets. He held offers from Sacramento State, Lindenwood, Miami (Ohio) and Kent State.

The 2024 high school season in the St. Louis area saw him complete 66.3% of his passes for 2,484 yards, 22 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His rushing numbers are limited.

Ottensmeyer would join what is currently a crowded quarterback room for the post-Jacob Clark era, when the team competes in its first season of bowl eligibility. Eastern Michigan transfer Drew Viotto was brought in this offseason, and coaches have liked the growth in Cole Feuerbacher and Elijah Leonard. Incoming freshman Deuce Bailey (Bowling Green, Kentucky) is the highest-ranked quarterback the Bears have ever landed out of high school.

Ottensmeyer was quick to commit to the Bears after being offered a scholarship on May 21. He posted a picture of himself on his X account alongside offensive coordinator Nick Petrino and offensive line coach Max Halpin on Tuesday.

Brett Ottensmeyer 247 ranking

Ottensmeyer is not ranked on the 247Sports Composite.

Missouri State football recruiting class 2026

Brett Ottensmeyer, QB, Parkway West

Where Missouri State football ranks in 2026 team recruiting rankings

Missouri State was unranked entering Saturday’s team recruiting rankings.

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College sports’ power conferences — Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Big 12 — have hired a high-profile investigator in professional sports to lead their new governing body that will oversee revenue sharing and NIL contracts.

MLB executive Bryan Seeley has been hired after a months-long search for a CEO to lead the new College Sports Commission, a spokesperson for the power conferences told CBS Sports on Friday. Seeley emerged as the leader in May as the four commissioners, alongside a group of athletic directors, began finalizing plans for implementation of the long-awaited House v. NCAA settlement, which was approved on Friday.

All four power conference commisioners released a joint statement commending Seeley’s hiring.

“Bryan brings unwavering integrity and a wealth of relevant experience to his new role leading the College Sports Commission and working to ensure a smooth implementation of this new system,” the statement read. “We’re grateful to have an individual with his credentials and expertise at the helm, and we look forward to his leadership as we transition into this new era of college sports.”

Seeley has spent the last decade working for MLB, where he is currently the executive vice president of legal and operations. He was hired in September 2014 to lead MLB’s investigation department after a career as a federal prosecutor and an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Department of Justice’s public corruption section.

“Bryan is an exceptional choice to lead the College Sports Commission,” Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “During his time at MLB, Bryan demonstrated unparalleled integrity, a commitment to fairness, and the ability to navigate complex challenges with precision and care. I have no doubt he will bring the…

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