'26 CFB News thread

[Tom McAndrew]

Please use this thread during the preseason, in-season, and post-season as a catch-all thread for CFB news. Some stories are big enough that they warrant their own thread. And PSU stories shouldn't be in this thread. However, for miscellaneous stories from across the CFB landscape, please post them here during the season/postseason.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

00:00 - Welcome to the College Gameday Podcast
00:40 - Drafting the top teams in the Big Ten
10:46 - How does Indiana follow up a perfect season?
25:09 - Is Ohio State the team to beat in the Big Ten?
34:45 - Can Dante Moore lead Oregon to a CFP breakthrough?
43:50 - Can USC breakthrough under Lincoln Riley?
48:07 - Can Matt Campbell win right away at Penn State?
51:53 - Who wins the BIG Ten?
55:20 - Thanks for watching!

 

[Tom McAndrew]

0:00 Big Ten Preview Part 2: Sleepers and Teams to Watch
1:27 Big Ten vs. SEC: Did NIL Shift College Football’s Balance of Power?
11:28 Wisconsin: Is Luke Fickell on the Hot Seat?
13:54 Maryland: Can Malik Washington Lead a Breakthrough?
15:32 Illinois: Can Bret Bielema Keep the Illini Rising?
18:42 Nebraska: Can the Huskers Finally Break Through?
20:22 UCLA: Bob Chesney and Nico Iamaleava
22:42 Iowa: Can the Hawkeyes Find an Offense?
26:06 Michigan State: The Pat Fitzgerald Era Begins
30:11 Northwestern: New Ryan Field and Chip Kelly
34:49 Washington: Can Demond Williams Jr. Become Elite?
40:41 Minnesota: Drake Lindsey and Anthony Smith
48:08 Purdue and Rutgers: Reasons for Optimism?
54:27 Best Quotes from 2026 Big Ten Football Media Days

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Pat Forde: Forty Observations on the 2026 College Football Schedule

Everything you need to know about the quirks of the season.

www.si.com

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Josh Pate names six college football programs with most pressure to win this season

.

www.on3.com

 

[Tom McAndrew]

I suspect some will disagree with the tiers this journalist places coaches in:

College football coaching tiers 2026: It’s Curt Cignetti and Kirby Smart, then everyone else

The job of a college football coach changes by the month, and wins and losses on the field don’t always tell the whole story.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Progressive to add field logos across 13 college football programs

Progressive is launching a multiyear, multi-school field logo initiative across 13 major college football programs, placing its logo at the 25-yard line.

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

I wonder if Underscore gets a mention in the book.

 

[PSUScott]

https://247sports.com/college/nebraska/article/nebraska-huskers-football-running-back-tikey-hayes-leaves-football-program-289002829/

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Big Ten to pass rule that prohibits players to return to college football from NFL

.

www.on3.com

 

[psuro]

Article on SEC taking a postiion on former professionals coming back to college....

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/articles/sec-leaders-stance-against-former-005020382.html

 

[RyanSnyder]

 

[BobPSU92]

CFB “C”FB

 

[DaytonRickster]

Article on SEC taking a postiion on former professionals coming back to college....

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/articles/sec-leaders-stance-against-former-005020382.html

They are not taking a definitive stand like the B1G. Weak sauce.

 

[RyanSnyder]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

LMAO

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

How Lane Kiffin and LSU triggered a national showdown over NFL-to-college transfers

The Tigers aggressively recruited former NFL players to challenge NCAA rules and return to college, igniting an SEC arms race and forcing conferences to consider intervening.

www.cbssports.com

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[BobPSU92]

sec making rules. I don’t get it.

 

[SleepyLion]

sec making rules. I don’t get it.

will they enforce or follow these rules?

 

[LionJim]

will they enforce or follow these rules?

It will be easy enough to catch them if they don’t.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Welcome to College Football’s $50 Million Era: Inside the Roster Spending Explosion

Sports Illustrated surveyed more than 40 industry insiders to find out what teams are really spending on players this season.

www.si.com

 

[DaytonRickster]

Welcome to College Football’s $50 Million Era: Inside the Roster Spending Explosion

Sports Illustrated surveyed more than 40 industry insiders to find out what teams are really spending on players this season.

www.si.com

Penn State not mentioned in the B1G portion of this article. Kraft has work to do.

 

[BobPSU92]

Penn State not mentioned in the B1G portion of this article. Kraft has work to do.

Penn State is getting kids from iowa on the cheap. They don‘t expect big cash money given the low cost of living out there.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Texas judge grants restraining order against SEC, challenging ban on former pro athletes returning to college

A collection of former college athletes have been issued a restraining order against the SEC, conference commissioner Greg Sankey and the NCAA

www.cbssports.com

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[BobPSU92]

Cry poor, get a new boss. Would it work for Campbell?

BYU coach Sitake will no longer report to AD amid resource tension

BYU coach Kalani Sitake will now report to a university vice president rather than athletic director Brian Santiago, who will continue to oversee the school's other sports programs.

www.espn.com

 

[SleepyLion]

Cry poor, get a new boss. Would it work for Campbell?

BYU coach Sitake will no longer report to AD amid resource tension

BYU coach Kalani Sitake will now report to a university vice president rather than athletic director Brian Santiago, who will continue to oversee the school's other sports programs.

www.espn.com

Now we know the real reason why PK pulled the plug on that hire.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Big Ten will release 4 player availability reports per week

The Big Ten will now require teams to submit four player availability reports per week for games matching conference opponents. Since 2023, Big Ten teams have been reporting once a week.

www.espn.com

 

[Catch1lion]

It just means more….