2026 College Football Thread

[JWags85]

This should sound familiar to us Marquette hoops fans. Maybe it's just a "Smart" thing, though we'll see if Kirby eventually has to cave like Shaka did ...

In the wild west of modern-day college football, a de facto professional league in which every player is a free agent, one school has been the only constant.

Since 2021, when wide-open transfer rules and rampant NIL spending became the way to do business, Georgia has piled up four playoff appearances and two national titles, more than anyone else in the country. And after hammering No. 17 Florida on Saturday, the Bulldogs are the betting favorite to add another championship trophy in January. But the strangest thing about their dominance isn't that they've found order in America's most topsy-turvy sport.

It's that they've done it by telling the best players in the country not to transfer to Georgia. Instead of building star-studded free-agent classes, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart leans on long-timers who have proven their loyalty through years of his brutal practices.

"I choose to retain," Georgia coach Kirby Smart told reporters before the season. "We think that our investment in our player is better than your investment in your player."

In the arms race of modern college football, investing in long-term potential instead of the transfer portal is almost catastrophically conservative—the equivalent of shoving your savings under your mattress. Last year, Indiana proved how effectively a transfer class can fuel a title run by going 16-0 and with players largely plucked from other programs. This season, No. 1 Miami features the country's most accurate passer—a transfer from Duke.

Georgia, meanwhile, has taken the exact opposite approach. The Bulldogs' starting quarterback, Gunner Stockton, is from a town less than 90 minutes north of Georgia's campus. The team's leading receiver and rusher also grew up in-state. And, just like the bulk of Smart's roster, each of those three stars committed to Georgia straight out of high school.

https://www.wsj.com/sports/football/georgia-kirby-smart-gunner-stockton-ec53bc9c?

Well yea, high profile/high value NIL transfers have the means to afford fast/expensive cars driven by immature star athletes, and the last thing Kirby needs is more of those to worry about.

[MU82]

Trying not to condemn all Nebraska fans because of the behavior of a few, but this is sickening ...

Fans threw trash onto the field after the interception, and Rhule said his 13-year-old daughter told him she was accosted at the stadium by a man who told her, "F-U and F your dad."

"I'm not going to keep coaching if it means my kids grow up screwed up," Rhule said.

Rhule said his wife, Julie, asked their children if the high-profile coaching life was too much to bear. He said his 10-year-old daughter texted him to say she loved the team, the players and living in Nebraska and that she's tough enough to handle it.

"So I'm going to fight for the fans," Rhule said. "Yeah, they get passionate, they boo, they throw a bottle. I get all that. The guy who attacked my 13-year-old daughter, I'm not coaching for him. I'm coaching for the people who are in the boat."

(From ESPN)

[WhiteTrash]

Trying not to condemn all Nebraska fans because of the behavior of a few, but this is sickening ...

Fans threw trash onto the field after the interception, and Rhule said his 13-year-old daughter told him she was accosted at the stadium by a man who told her, "F-U and F your dad."

"I'm not going to keep coaching if it means my kids grow up screwed up," Rhule said.

Rhule said his wife, Julie, asked their children if the high-profile coaching life was too much to bear. He said his 10-year-old daughter texted him to say she loved the team, the players and living in Nebraska and that she's tough enough to handle it.

"So I'm going to fight for the fans," Rhule said. "Yeah, they get passionate, they boo, they throw a bottle. I get all that. The guy who attacked my 13-year-old daughter, I'm not coaching for him. I'm coaching for the people who are in the boat."

(From ESPN)

Totally abhorrent.

It's a game. These players and coaches are entertainers. Go watch a movie or see a band if you don't like the product.

[Uncle Rico]

Trying not to condemn all Nebraska fans because of the behavior of a few, but this is sickening ...

Fans threw trash onto the field after the interception, and Rhule said his 13-year-old daughter told him she was accosted at the stadium by a man who told her, "F-U and F your dad."

"I'm not going to keep coaching if it means my kids grow up screwed up," Rhule said.

Rhule said his wife, Julie, asked their children if the high-profile coaching life was too much to bear. He said his 10-year-old daughter texted him to say she loved the team, the players and living in Nebraska and that she's tough enough to handle it.

"So I'm going to fight for the fans," Rhule said. "Yeah, they get passionate, they boo, they throw a bottle. I get all that. The guy who attacked my 13-year-old daughter, I'm not coaching for him. I'm coaching for the people who are in the boat."

(From ESPN)

His daughter needs to toughen up. 

[tower912]

Surprised Shaka didn't have a story like that from last season

[MU82]

Although Notre Dame will be without at least three injured defensive starters when going up against Miami's nation-leading scoring offense, ND is a 5.5-point favorite.

[WhiteTrash]

Although Notre Dame will be without at least three injured defensive starters when going up against Miami's nation-leading scoring offense, ND is a 5.5-point favorite.

Vegas is trying to get money on the Miami side.

[Pakuni]

A high school coach and a never-been-a-coach. NC State doesn't seem like a serious program.

@AdamSchefter
·
Sources: former Super Bowl champion QB Russell Wilson interviewed today for the head coaching job at North Carolina State, where he played three seasons.
NC State now has two former NFL greats who starred there, Wilson and Philip Rivers, as prominent head-coaching candidates.

[PointWarrior]

Unbelievable that Smack is worse than Anders...

[cheebs09]

Unbelievable that Smack is worse than Anders...

Are they candidates at NC State?

[WhiteTrash]

A high school coach and a never-been-a-coach. NC State doesn't seem like a serious program.

@AdamSchefter
·
Sources: former Super Bowl champion QB Russell Wilson interviewed today for the head coaching job at North Carolina State, where he played three seasons.
NC State now has two former NFL greats who starred there, Wilson and Philip Rivers, as prominent head-coaching candidates.

Or they are serious..... about keeping wealthy alumni engaged.

[JWags85]

A high school coach and a never-been-a-coach. NC State doesn't seem like a serious program.

@AdamSchefter
·
Sources: former Super Bowl champion QB Russell Wilson interviewed today for the head coaching job at North Carolina State, where he played three seasons.
NC State now has two former NFL greats who starred there, Wilson and Philip Rivers, as prominent head-coaching candidates.

I mean, NC State is kind of complacent in who they are.  They kept Doeren around for almost 15 years despite never being better than a .500 coach in the ACC (and dipping under that towards the end).  Both of the previous 2 coaches before him were at the same level and stuck around for 5+ years.

I dont HATE the Rivers idea.  He's actually done a really nice job at the HS level and he got an interview with the Bills for their HC job last offseason, so clearly people see something in his coaching potential.  If part of the idea is to engage and energize a apathetic fanbase, then could be worse ideas... like Russell Wilson.  That would just be patently stupid and absurd.

Ive posted about Chadwell just up the road at Liberty, and think he'd be a home run hire, but who knows.

Then again, maybe we're all discounting the potential of the dynamic partnership of Russ...and his concussion water 

[Pakuni]

Although Notre Dame will be without at least three injured defensive starters when going up against Miami's nation-leading scoring offense, ND is a 5.5-point favorite.

Vegas knew something.

@PeteThamel

Sources: Malachi Toney has a high ankle sprain and will have surgery, which will allow him to return for the College Football Playoff. The timeline for return from this injury is typcially at least four weeks.

[MU82]

That sucks. He's fun to watch play.

[wadesworld]

That sucks. He's fun to watch play.

And more importantly, this couldn't have happened after this Saturday?

[Uncle Rico]

After a great week for the state of Wisconsin, it's time for the Badgers to get back on track at home against longtime rival, Rutgers.  Need this one to help Marquette's cause

[Uncle Rico]

Badgers have a QB

[WhiteTrash]

Badgers have a QB

For some perspective, I don't think the LA Chargers could hang with Rutgers.

[WhiteTrash]

For some perspective, I don't think the LA Chargers could hang with Rutgers.

Correction, Rutgers can't hang with UMASS. My bad.

[Uncle Rico]

Hopkins is the real deal.  This kid can sling it.  Won't be surprised if he wins a Heisman

[Pakuni]

Heck, LSU could have saved a lot of money and kept Kelly if they wanted to go .500 in the SEC.

[WhiteTrash]

Ohio State fans are going to make the Music City Bowl crazy expensive.

[MU82]

Just as refs failing to call obvious end-zone interference helped BYU beat ND, refs failing to call obvious end-zone interference helped ND beat Miami.

[tower912]

Some team's fanbase is going to wake up in January stunned that they actually won the National Championship.

[Uncle Rico]

Some team's fanbase is going to wake up in January stunned that they actually won the National Championship.

Georgia looks like the clear number one team in the nation to me.  And Notre Dame number 2.