2026 College Football Thread

[tower912]

Yeah, every time I watch Old Miss for the local boy made good Chambliss story, he plays poorly.  Georgia was a class above.

[Uncle Rico]

Yeah, every time I watch Old Miss for the local boy made good Chambliss story, he plays poorly.  Georgia was a class above.

The offense still worries me but the defense is starting to look like a bunch of NFLers in waiting.

[Uncle Rico]

Some huge results in the WIAC that help Marquette's cause:

UW-La Crosse 41 UW-River Falls 30

UW-Whitewater 24 UW-Platteville 21

UW-Oshkosh 38 UWSP 22

UW-Stout Polytechnic 28 UWEC 16

[The Sultan]

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

And Miami is going to be just fine. And don't sleep on Utah, who definitely has a puncher's chance.

Big Ten's best chance is probably UCLA, but they aren't better than a quarterfinal team IMO. Iowa blowing the game v. Minnesota probably prevented Playoff Iowa, which would have been just a sickos college football classic.

[Uncle Rico]

And Miami is going to be just fine. And don't sleep on Utah, who definitely has a puncher's chance.

Big Ten's best chance is probably UCLA, but they aren't better than a quarterfinal team IMO. Iowa blowing the game v. Minnesota probably prevented Playoff Iowa, which would have been just a sickos college football classic.

Utah is a physical football team but I don't think they have enough on offense.  BYU had guys open all game yesterday but Bachmeir is just slow recognizing  and releasing the ball. 

Cristobal is why I'm always skeptical of Miami.  Defense is talented but busts a lot.

[WhiteTrash]

And Miami is going to be just fine. And don't sleep on Utah, who definitely has a puncher's chance.

Big Ten's best chance is probably UCLA, but they aren't better than a quarterfinal team IMO. Iowa blowing the game v. Minnesota probably prevented Playoff Iowa, which would have been just a sickos college football classic.

Bama is a threat too.

[The Sultan]

Utah is a physical football team but I don't think they have enough on offense.  BYU had guys open all game yesterday but Bachmeir is just slow recognizing  and releasing the ball. 

Cristobal is why I'm always skeptical of Miami.  Defense is talented but busts a lot.

Yeah but in the end Miami lost to ND on the road in a one-score game. Put that game on a neutral site and who knows how it turns out.

[Scoop Snoop]

Yeah but in the end Miami lost to ND on the road in a one-score game. Put that game on a neutral site and who knows how it turns out.

I am not a big fan of playing the game of IF, but I'll make an exception for last night's game. IF the Miami almost-a-TD had been secure in the receiver's hands, the OT would have been really interesting. On balance, Miami had the edge in the 2nd half after falling behind by 3 TDs. I think your "who knows..." sums it up, but ND gets the W and Georgia gets the #1 ranking.

[Uncle Rico]

I am not a big fan of playing the game of IF, but I'll make an exception for last night's game. IF the Miami almost-a-TD had been secure in the receiver's hands, the OT would have been really interesting. On balance, Miami had the edge in the 2nd half after falling behind by 3 TDs. I think your "who knows..." sums it up, but ND gets the W and Georgia gets the #1 ranking.

That's my thing with Cristobal coached teams.  A lot of what-if's.  I suppose we can say that about a lot of elite teams and Miami has been elite the last few years.  We'll see if he can avoid one of the real head scratching losses they've had in league the last 2 years

[MU82]

I am not a big fan of playing the game of IF, but I'll make an exception for last night's game. IF the Miami almost-a-TD had been secure in the receiver's hands, the OT would have been really interesting. On balance, Miami had the edge in the 2nd half after falling behind by 3 TDs. I think your "who knows..." sums it up, but ND gets the W and Georgia gets the #1 ranking.

The play before that, the ND defensive back mugged the Miami receiver. It was every bit as bad as the no-call in the BYU game that had ND fans screaming.

As for the state of college football ... just about every team worth talking about (and plenty that aren't worth talking about) is 6-3!

[wadesworld]

Yeah but in the end Miami lost to ND on the road in a one-score game. Put that game on a neutral site and who knows how it turns out.

Without their best player. And Cristobal had Miami in the National Title a year ago and was a Carson Beck moment away from potentially beating Indiana, who was a wagon all year.

[Uncle Rico]

Philip Rivers is getting the NC State job.

[WhiteTrash]

The play before that, the ND defensive back mugged the Miami receiver. It was every bit as bad as the no-call in the BYU game that had ND fans screaming.

As for the state of college football ... just about every team worth talking about (and plenty that aren't worth talking about) is 6-3!

I didn't see the game, but the "missed call" on BYU was an iffy PI (dozens, if not more, plays like that happen every Saturday) so Miami fans can't hang the loss on that.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Yeah, every time I watch Old Miss for the local boy made good Chambliss story, he plays poorly.  Georgia was a class above.

My nephew is a Freshman at Ole Miss.  My brother and sister in law were supposed to go to a game and experience tailgating there.

[Pakuni]

@CFBHeather
The CFP and ESPN have agreed on a five-year, nearly $1.7 billion deal that will expand the field to 24 teams in 2027 with ESPN as its continued broadcast partner, sources told ESPN, a seismic move that also eliminates the lucrative Power 4 conference championship games.

[The Sultan]

Yeah, every time I watch Old Miss for the local boy made good Chambliss story, he plays poorly.  Georgia was a class above.

To be clear, it's not "Old Miss." It's "Ole Miss."

[WhiteTrash]

@CFBHeather
The CFP and ESPN have agreed on a five-year, nearly $1.7 billion deal that will expand the field to 24 teams in 2027 with ESPN as its continued broadcast partner, sources told ESPN, a seismic move that also eliminates the lucrative Power 4 conference championship games.

I've heard and read that the SEC doesn't love it for financial reasons and that ESPN, obviously, doesn't love the financial impact on the company but, I'd guess rightly, feels the need to retain the rights.

[Uncle Rico]

I've heard and read that the SEC doesn't love it for financial reasons and that ESPN, obviously, doesn't love the financial impact on the company but, I'd guess rightly, feels the need to retain the rights.

Curt Cignetti won't be able to schedule 3 cupcakes in non-con anymore as the new deal means teams have to play 10 P4 schools to qualify.  All that after bragging about Indiana's big wins over Michigan and Minnesota this year

[Uncle Rico]

Rutgers is bringing back Greg Schiano who valiantly fought the Badgers to a 31-10 defeat this past weekend.  Greg's buyout is $18 million as Rutgers gave him a raise a few years back so he wouldn't leave for, uh, somewhere I guess

[The Sultan]

Can't afford the buy out.

[Uncle Rico]

Can't afford the buy out.

Wild they gave the highly sought after coach a buyout they couldn't afford should things go sideways, something no one could have conceived up when putting Rutgers and Greg Schiano back together

[JWags85]

Can't afford the buy out.

Wild they gave the highly sought after coach a buyout they couldn't afford should things go sideways, something no one could have conceived up when putting Rutgers and Greg Schiano back together

Not trying to be contrarian, cause Rutgers is absolutely terrible, but when Schiano got that extension after the 2023 season, it actually made sense.  They went 7-5, beat a good NW team and a solid VT team, first winning season in 10 years and won a bowl game for the first time in just as long.  Sure 3-6 in the B10 wasn't setting the world on fire, but its easy to forget that Chris Ash won 7 games out of 40 in his 3.5 years...TOTAL.  Rutgers was arguably more of a mess than when he took over the first time, given the increased level of the B10. 

They had an even better year in 2024 after the extension and, yes, now things have gotten properly ugly.  Also, now knowing what a mess the department and budget is at Rutgers, giving a big money extension probably wasn't the most prudent idea, but from a football perspective, it wasn't as blindingly bad as it seems now.

It also just goes back to, besides not being able to afford the buyout, who could they get that is better right now?  I think its probably comfortably the worst job in the B10, all things considered.  Both coaches between Schiano's tenures failed...one pretty bad, one spectacularly.  Might as well stick with the only person who has won there on any remotely consistent basis in 40 years until the athletic department figures its crap out and is in a position to maybe support a young promising coach.

[Uncle Rico]

Not trying to be contrarian, cause Rutgers is absolutely terrible, but when Schiano got that extension after the 2023 season, it actually made sense.  They went 7-5, beat a good NW team and a solid VT team, first winning season in 10 years and won a bowl game for the first time in just as long.  Sure 3-6 in the B10 wasn't setting the world on fire, but its easy to forget that Chris Ash won 7 games out of 40 in his 3.5 years...TOTAL.  Rutgers was arguably more of a mess than when he took over the first time, given the increased level of the B10. 

They had an even better year in 2024 after the extension and, yes, now things have gotten properly ugly.  Also, now knowing what a mess the department and budget is at Rutgers, giving a big money extension probably wasn't the most prudent idea, but from a football perspective, it wasn't as blindingly bad as it seems now.

It also just goes back to, besides not being able to afford the buyout, who could they get that is better right now?  I think its probably comfortably the worst job in the B10, all things considered.  Both coaches between Schiano's tenures failed...one pretty bad, one spectacularly.  Might as well stick with the only person who has won there on any remotely consistent basis in 40 years until the athletic department figures its crap out and is in a position to maybe support a young promising coach.

Self-reflection by an athletics department that has been run poorly for awhile would be where I would start, that's what leads to poor hires and poor money making decisions.  Rutgers is one of many examples of poorly run athletic departments in this country

[JWags85]

Also, speaking of Virginia Tech, Franklin has a very good chance to go 8-4 in his first year after Pry went 16-24 over the last 3 and change.  Gonna be hilarious when he has VT back to a borderline top 25 level in the next year or two and Penn State is scoring 14 points a game and battling Illinois, Minnesota, and Nebraska for 10th in the Big 10.

Self-reflection by an athletics department that has been run poorly for awhile would be where I would start, that's what leads to poor hires and poor money making decisions.  Rutgers is one of many examples of poorly run athletic departments in this country

Its purely opinion on my part, but based on a few convos I had with Rutgers alums over the years, I think Hobbs (former Rutgers AD) literally got a big head about Rutgers athletics were and legitimately believed the B10 wanted the university due to its athletic profile and prestige, not just because of the NY media market for BTN.  The university likely shared that belief and it led to a mindset of delusion and a pattern of actions that matched it.  Hell, Hobbs would still have the job if he didn't have a prohibited affair within the administration.

Their current AD hasn't had much time to fix things and comes from a much better background of success at LSU/WVU, but man its a monumental task to attempt to fix.  All 3 major sports are mediocre at best and the balance sheet is horrifying.

[Uncle Rico]

Also, speaking of Virginia Tech, Franklin has a very good chance to go 8-4 in his first year after Pry went 16-24 over the last 3 and change.  Gonna be hilarious when he has VT back to a borderline top 25 level in the next year or two and Penn State is scoring 14 points a game and battling Illinois, Minnesota, and Nebraska for 10th in the Big 10.

Its purely opinion on my part, but based on a few convos I had with Rutgers alums over the years, I think Hobbs (former Rutgers AD) literally got a big head about Rutgers athletics were and legitimately believed the B10 wanted the university due to its athletic profile and prestige, not just because of the NY media market for BTN.  The university likely shared that belief and it led to a mindset of delusion and a pattern of actions that matched it.  Hell, Hobbs would still have the job if he didn't have a prohibited affair within the administration.

Their current AD hasn't had much time to fix things and comes from a much better background of success at LSU/WVU, but man its a monumental task to attempt to fix.  All 3 major sports are mediocre at best and the balance sheet is horrifying.

Who was hiring Greg Schiano because he had back-to-back 7-6 seasons that he warranted an extension with a big payout?  Whoever the AD is, Schiano having 3 of his kids on the payroll is another red flag of incompetence at Rutgers.