Big 12 Notes

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Big 12 Notes – Fall Camp

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August 29th

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TCU upset by North Carolina in Ireland, 15-10

From CBS Sports … North Carolina’s trip to Dublin was never going to be about style points. For second-year coach Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels, it was about setting a tone during Saturday’s 15-10 victory over TCU, delivering the sort of defensive statement capable of changing the trajectory of a program still searching for belief.

Twice in the second half, TCU pushed inside the red zone with a chance to seize control. Twice, UNC slammed the door on fourth down.

Those possessions defined the afternoon and showcased exactly where Belichick’s fingerprints are beginning to appear. The Tar Heels were physical at the point of attack down the stretch and unwilling to yield with their backs against the goal line.

Every critical snap in the fourth quarter became a street fight that UNC seemed prepared to win. This was vintage Belichick football without the glamour: control the line of scrimmage, eliminate easy answers and force the opponent to execute under maximum pressure. Harvard transfer quarterback Jaden Craig and new OC Gordon Sammis had no answers for TCU. That was the difference.

One win does not erase every question surrounding UNC, but this one carries weight. Winning overseas as an underdog in a low-possession game decided by toughness gives Belichick a foundational result to point to moving forward. The Tar Heels looked connected, confident and built for the moment.

Underdogs have now won three consecutive Aer Lingus College Football Classics and four of the six games played since the event’s inaugural matchup in 2016. The Tar Heels held TCU to 281 total yards and its lowest point total since a 41-3 loss to Kansas State three years ago.

UNC is the latest, and perhaps the most consequential. For a program needing proof that Belichick’s blueprint can translate, the Tar Heels found it in the trenches, on fourth down and across the Atlantic Saturday afternoon.

… After 10 first-quarter points, TCU’s next eight possessions produced zero points and two red zone turnovers on downs.

That’s the final, ugly stat line for the Horned Frogs after their season-opening loss to UNC during a frustrating performance that included the offense’s lowest point total (10) since a 2023 loss to Kansas State.

Jeremy Payne’s 142 yards on 25 carries were lost in the shuffle amid a rocky start for quarterback Jaden Craig and OC Gordon Sammis.

Craig’s first career start against a Power Four opponent was every bit the learning experience TCU hoped it would not be. After three seasons at Harvard, Craig entered the opener with considerable buzz as the new trigger man in Sammis’ offense, but the transition in competition level was evident in a sloppy performance for the Horned Frogs.

Craig’s internal clock appeared a tick slow throughout the game, with his worst decision coming on fourth-and-2 at UNC’s 10-yard line with 4:05 left. On a rollout play, he overshot an intended target in the end zone. Craig had the sideline against two defenders and could have gotten a first down with his legs, but decided to go for a touchdown with his arm.

Several throws arrived late or without proper timing, giving defenders opportunities to close on intended targets. Other passes landed in the hands of open receivers, stopping TCU’s offense before it could establish any rhythm.

The wet football certainly did Craig no favors, but the conditions were only part of the issue.

… Read full story here …

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Texas Tech signs former Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos 

From CBS Sports … Former Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos has signed with Texas Tech out of the transfer portal, just days after a Kentucky judge granted a temporary injunction in an eligibility lawsuit that included Castellanos and former Missouri basketball standout Mark Mitchell.

Because Castellanos has an injunction, he will not be affected by the new ruling in the Colorado lawsuit that took away eligibility for qualified athletes in the Class of 2022.

More importantly as it relates to his decision to play for Texas Tech, Castellanos would still be eligible even after the Big 12 Conference unanimously adopted a rule barring institutions from fielding professional athletes. The 5-foot-9 Castellanos competed as a wide receiver during the Miami Dolphins’ rookie minicamp in May but because he went undrafted and did not sign a contract with Miami, he will be eligible to play this fall, a league spokesperson told CBS Sports’ Richard Johnson.

The Big 12 made its announcement Wednesday — hours after Castellanos committed to Texas Tech — in the wake of the SEC and Big Ten enacting bans on the glut of pro athletes looking to return to college athletics.

Castellanos completed 58.3% of his passes for 2,760 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions while also rushing for 557 yards and nine touchdowns last season for the Seminoles after transferring from Boston College. He led Florida State’s memorable upset last season over Alabama in Week 1.

Castellanos will likely serve as the backup to starter Will Hammond for the Red Raiders, who are once again the heavy favorites to win the Big 12.

… Continue reading story here …

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August 28th

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Former Utah players say they felt pressured to play through injuries

… It would be easy to lay this all at the feet of Kyle Whittingham, and say it’s now just history. But new head coach Morgan Scalley has been the “head coaching in waiting” for years, and has been with Utah for decades … 

From the Salt Lake City Tribune … The Salt Lake Tribune spoke with six former Utah players about how the Utes handled injuries between 2020-24. They described similar concerns about how their injuries were diagnosed and said they felt pressured by coaches to return before they were ready.

In those five years, the Utes won two Pac-12 championships, resulting in back-to-back Rose Bowl appearances.

In a joint statement to The Tribune, Utah Athletics and University of Utah Health said the health and well-being of student-athletes is a “top priority” and that return-to-play decisions are made through a collaborative process between physicians, athletic trainers and the student-athlete.

“The University of Utah Department of Athletics follows all University and national guidelines to ensure student success and safety,” the statement said. “We routinely evaluate our processes and welcome the opportunity to make adjustments if we determine our policies are not meeting expectations.

“If any student-athlete believes they are not being treated fairly, or that their injuries are not being taken seriously, we encourage them to speak up so that we can listen, address concerns, and ensure every student-athlete receives the care and support they deserve.”

The Tribune reached out to Whittingham through a University of Michigan spokesperson. The spokesperson referred questions about his time at Utah to the Utes’ training and medical staff.

“Coach Whittingham or his coaching staff did not make medical decisions [at Utah]. He followed the lead of the medical team,” the Michigan spokesperson said.

When asked to comment, Utah head coach Morgan Scalley referred The Tribune to the athletic department’s statements.

… Continue reading story here …

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Schedule changes for 2027: Say goodbye to spring games and hello to a shorter Transfer Portal window?

From the NCAA … Rules on spring practices, summer activities would be replaced with new model, shorter preseason

The Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee on Thursday adopted proposals to change the FBS calendar,  giving schools more flexibility to meet the needs of coaches and student-athletes.

For the changes to go into effect Jan. 1, the Division I Cabinet must approve them at its meeting Oct. 6-7.

Out-of-season activities: Jan. 1 through the start of preseason 

The new out-of-season activities model would replace the current rules on spring practices and summer activities and allow FBS schools to conduct two out-of-season practice periods with a total of 21 on-field practices.

 The two practice periods combined could not exceed seven weeks, and neither practice period could exceed five weeks.

Additionally, schools would have to designate a minimum of nine discretionary or voluntary weeks for student-athletes when required athletically related activities are not permitted.

The process of changing the football calendar was a collaborative effort between the committee and the American Football Coaches Association, which recommended changes in June 2025.

Josh Brooks, FBS Oversight Committee vice chair and the director of athletics at Georgia, chaired the FBS Calendar Subgroup over the last nine months to craft the modifications.

“The work of the calendar subcommittee in building off the American Football Coaches Association’s recommendations has been critical in establishing clarity with the college football calendar,” Brooks said. “We dedicated a tremendous amount of time and energy to ensure we built a calendar that best fits the needs of our coaches and student-athletes. I am proud of this work and appreciate the efforts of our group, which included athletics directors, coaches, student-athletes and commissioners from various schools and conferences.”

Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea, who is a member of the committee and the president of the AFCA board of trustees, agreed that the legislation improves out-of-season activities.

“The new playing and practice schedule is a great step forward for our game,” Lea said. “This will allow for more flexibility for team building in the spring and summer and will benefit the development of our student-athletes. I am grateful for the partnership between the AFCA and the NCAA and look forward to continued collaboration to advance college football.”

Sam Edwards, a former football student-athlete at Michigan State and a member of the committee, provided a player’s perspective on the new out-of-season model.

“I was very grateful for the opportunity to bring the student-athlete voice to the table, empowered by collaboration with the entire Football Student-Athlete Engagement Group,” Edwards said. “In an evolving environment, the shift toward flexibility and program-specific scheduling for out-of-season activities, as well as strategic changes to in-season operations, will be greatly beneficial for student-athletes and football programs alike. I look forward to watching the revised and revamped calendar structure carry college football into the future.”

Modified preseason practice period — effective for the 2027 season

The preseason practice period would consist of 27 calendar days to conduct 21 practices.

In making the change, the oversight committee noted that additional practice opportunities would be available during the spring and summer under the new out-of-season activities model, which warranted a four-day reduction in the length of the preseason practice period and a reduction in the number of practices from 25 to 21.

Notification-of-transfer period — effective Jan. 1

The notification-of-transfer period in January would change from a 15- to a 10-day period beginning the first business day following Jan. 1.

Additional changes to the FBS calendar

Earlier this year, the FBS Calendar Subgroup presented recommendations to the committee to amend the regular season and the off-campus recruiting model.

In response to those recommendations, a new FBS first-contest date has been adopted and will take effect in the 2027 season. The season will begin on the Thursday of what is now designated Week 0 and end on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Recommended changes to the off-campus recruiting model are expected to be reviewed by the Division I Cabinet at its Oct. 6-7 meeting. If adopted, those changes would take effect Jan. 1st.

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August 27th

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Federal Judge: Conferences can’t prohibit former NFL players from returning to college

From ESPN … A Dallas judge signed an order Thursday that prohibits the NCAA, the SEC and its commissioner Greg Sankey from stopping a group of athletes — three of whom are currently listed on NFL rosters — from returning to college sports for one more season of play.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jordan Hudson, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Wesley Bissainthe and Chiefs wide receiver Omari Evans are among the 41 players listed as plaintiffs on the restraining order. Christeen Iwuala and Bailey Maupin, who both signed contracts with WNBA teams earlier this summer, are also named on the order.

Their case is the latest in a growing number of legal challenges to the NCAA’s eligibility rules. The judge’s order in the Dallas case is the first case to specifically block a conference from creating rules that could punish schools in their league for signing any of the plaintiffs. The order specifically says that the NCAA, SEC and Sankey cannot block the players’ return based on transfer portal rules or their time on a pro roster. It also states that if any of those groups want to prohibit any of the plaintiffs for a different reason, they would need to come to court and argue their case in front of the judge.

“As long as they would have been eligible to continue playing college sports in the following semester if they had a fifth year of eligibility, they are eligible today,” Judge Martin Hoffman wrote in the order.

All four power conferences voted this week to adopt similar new rules that prohibit teams from playing athletes who have previously signed contracts for a professional sports team. The rules were a direct response to other ongoing legal battles about who is eligible to play college sports.

“The [leagues] can’t come out and create a rule with immediate effect that has such draconian effect punishment that no school will take any of these players,” said attorney Ryan Downton, who represents athletes in the Dallas lawsuit along with cases filed in several other states.

… Continue reading story here …

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August 26th

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Big 12 bars members from signing players waived by the NFL

… The Big Ten and SEC have passed similar rules, with the SEC going so far as to state that coaches who sign NFL players will be suspended. The ACC is expected to follow suit … 

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ESPN to remove BottomLine ticker during college football games

… I may be in the minority here, but I hate this. As a lover of college football, I am interested in more than one college football game at a time. Noting potential upsets – or just to know another game I am interested in is underway, has been a staple in my CU road game Saturdays for years. Sorry to see the Ticker go … 

From AwfulAnnouncing.com … ESPN is set to remove its BottomLine ticker during college football games this season in a move to free up more on-screen real estate, per a report by Ryan Glasspiegel in Front Office Sports.

The move will bring all of ESPN’s college football broadcasts in line with its major events, like the College Football Playoff or NBA postseason games, which already do not feature the on-screen ticker. This season, all college football games on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPNU, and ESPNEWS will go without the BottomLine.

“We’re always looking for ways to better serve sports fans. By removing the BottomLine during live action, we’re creating a cleaner presentation that keeps the focus where it belongs—on the field,” an ESPN spokesperson told Front Office Sports.

ESPN will still give score alerts throughout game broadcasts at “specific times during each quarter,” the report reads. Programming updates, like if kickoff of a game will be moved to a different network because another game is running long, will be given in a graphic at the top-right corner of the screen. Viewers of the Little League World Series might’ve gotten a sneak peak at what that will look like earlier this week.

… Read full story here …

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August 25th

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ESPN: CU a “Pepto-Bismol” All-Star Team

… With nine games being considered one-score games, that would mean that three are not. Weber State (W) and Texas Tech (L) would be two, with the third likely Houston (L). So … if CU can go 5-4 in one-score games, the Buffs can go bowling in 2026 … 

From Bill Connelly at ESPN … We’ve almost made it. After a particularly frustrating offseason loaded with Congressional minutiae, terrible playoff ideas and a high-profile gambling scandal, college football’s 158th season will kick off in less than two weeks.

The games are why we watch. This sport and its decision-makers sometimes seem to mess up everything they touch, but no matter how hard we’ve tried, we haven’t screwed up Saturdays yet. They’re still almost perfect. And with the proper battle plan, we can make them even better.

College football’s superpower is that there is always something wild, chaotic or silly (in a good way) going on. There’s always a close game nearing a finish, a funky offense to watch and small-school madness to follow. Each year I create a road map for getting the most out of the season. Here’s how to enjoy yourself to the fullest this fall.

The Pepto-Bismol All-Stars

Each year, certain teams play in an inordinate number of close games. Last season, for example, Army and Jacksonville State ended up in nine one-score finishes, and Arizona State, Arkansas State, Iowa State, Missouri State, Ohio, Ole Miss and Virginia played in eight.

According to my final preseason SP+ projections, there are a whopping 19 teams with at least eight games projected to finish within one score, including four with nine such games and two with 10! You will be watching many of their fourth quarters.

10 games: Army, California

9 games: Colorado, NC State, San Diego State, Vanderbilt

8 games: Baylor, Florida, Georgia Southern, Kansas State, Louisville, Old Dominion, Ole Miss, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, South Alabama, UCF, Utah, Virginia

Army could lead the pack in anxious finishes for two straight seasons. Congratulations?

… Continue reading story here …

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August 24th

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The Athletic: CU has the 5th-most experienced team in the nation (3rd in the Big 12)

From The Athletic … What is the value of experience? In a sport still populated by fifth, sixth and even seventh- and eighth-year players, it’s a question worth asking. Indiana’s roster won a national title a year ago with a roster loaded up on upperclassmen.

The Hoosiers chose production over potential, and other college football coaches told The Athletic this offseason there were lessons to be learned from that.

“Everyone is already trying to get older and more experienced and everyone is trying to get the best QB — Indiana just did it better,” a power-conference head coach said in January.

So who are the most experienced teams in the country this fall? We tallied up every Power 4 team’s career starts and snaps played to find the answer.

For the purpose of this exercise, we accounted for the top 105 players — by career snap count — on each roster, since that’s the current roster limit. Many teams have more than 105 players, which includes walk-ons who were on 2025 rosters and don’t count toward the limit, as a condition of the House v. NCAA settlement, but no FBS team in our analysis had more than 105 players with college snaps.

The most experienced

1. Virginia
2. Oklahoma State
3. Texas Tech
4. UCLA
5. Colorado … Career snaps: 45,900 … Career starts: 542 … Career games: 1,533
6. Houston
7. Michigan State
8. Indiana
9. Ole Miss
10. South Carolina

• Picking up production is true of Deion Sanders at Colorado, who shifted his target in the portal and went after more accomplished players over high-level recruits who lacked playing experience, including Vanderbilt/TCU linebacker Randon Fontenette (nearly 2,000 career snaps), Tulane/Appalachian State defensive lineman Santana Hopper (29 career starts) and San Jose State/Sacramento State wide receiver Danny Scudero (1,958 yards receiving at his first two spots.

The least experienced

1. Iowa
2. North Carolina
3. Mississippi State
4. Michigan
5. Syracuse
6. NC State
7. Alabama
8. Clemson
9. Utah
10. Kansas State

• The gap is wide. The top 10 teams averaged around 410-520 career snaps per player. The teams at the bottom are around 270-300. Iowa, at 222.4, is more than 50 snaps per player lower than the second-least experienced team.

… Read full story here …

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August 22nd 

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Estimated NIL Big 12 rankings: CU third (34th nationally)

From Top Tier Utah … FWIW … No info on how these numbers were compiled … 

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Kansas State loses All-Big 12 left tackle for the season

From ESPN … Kansas State left tackle John Pastore will miss the season after suffering a lower leg injury during preseason camp, coach Collin Klein announced Thursday.

Pastore, a preseason All-Big 12 honoree, started all 12 games for the Wildcats last season. The 6-foot-6, 302-pound tackle earned second-team All-Big 12 honors from the league’s coaches and was entering his second season as a starter.

“Incredibly unfortunate, very freak in nature and out of really anyone’s control,” Klein said.

As a fifth-year player, Pastore would not be eligible to return in 2027 under the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility rules. The NCAA eliminated medical hardship waivers as part of its eligibility reform that grants student-athletes five years of eligibility.

Offensive tackle George Fitzpatrick has not been cleared to return from the medical issue that sidelined him in 2025, and Klein said Thursday that doctors have recommended he sit out this season.

The former Ohio State transfer experienced an unspecified medical emergency last July and has yet to appear in a game for the Wildcats.

… Read full story here …

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August 21st

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ESPN Preseason Power Rankings includes six (six!) Big 12 teams in its Top 25

From ESPN … After an offseason full of congressional hearings, eligibility lawsuits and a high-profile gambling scandal (I’m sure I missed something), the 2026 college football season finally kicks off when North Carolina plays TCU in Dublin on Aug. 29 (noon ET on ESPN).

The games can’t get here soon enough.

For the first time since Indiana took down Miami 27-21 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T on Jan. 19, coaches (and not judges) will finally decide who can take the field.

And the NCAA won’t be the only ones taking weekly losses.

Ohio State is No. 1 in ESPN’s preseason Power Rankings, followed by No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Notre Dame, No. 4 Oregon and No. 5 Texas.

The Buckeyes will attempt to win their second CFP national championship in the past three seasons and become the fourth straight Big Ten school to win the title.

That hasn’t happened since SEC teams did it from 2019 to 2022.

And despite what you might have heard during this long, hot summer, SEC schools are still playing college football.

From the Big 12 … 

6. BYU Cougars

2025 record: 12-2, 8-1 Big 12

After the Cougars went 23-4 and narrowly missed the CFP the past two seasons, they could be in position to unseat Texas Tech in the Big 12. There’s new leadership on defense after coordinator Jay Hill left to join Michigan’s staff. Kalani Sitake promoted defensive ends coach Kelly Poppinga to replace him. Will the Cougars be as good as last season when they ranked third in the Big 12 in scoring defense, giving up 19.1 points per game?

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9. Texas Tech Red Raiders

2025 record: 12-2, 8-1 Big 12

After former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby ended his legal fight to regain his eligibility, the Red Raiders’ offense is in the hands of sophomore Will Hammond, who is coming back from a torn ACL he sustained in October. Hammond has been wearing a knee brace in preseason camp and has looked good. Sorsby was supposed to make the Red Raiders more explosive. Can Hammond hold up and do the job?

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18. Utah Utes

2025 record: 11-2, 7-2 Big 12

Wayshawn Parker didn’t become Utah’s No. 1 tailback until the eighth game of the 2025 season. After rushing for 145 yards and one touchdown in a 53-7 rout of Colorado, Parker never gave up the job. He came up 19 yards short of a 1,000-yard season, and he should easily eclipse that if he stays healthy in 2026. If Parker is as productive, it should be a seamless transition under new coach Morgan Scalley, who replaced Whittingham when he left for Michigan after 21 seasons. Former Utah State offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven takes over the playcalling.

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20. TCU Horned Frogs

2025 record: 9-4, 5-4 Big 12

Few coaches moved out of their comfort zone this offseason more than Sonny Dykes, who shifted from his Air Raid roots to a more pro-style offense. It’s like going from an air fryer to a smoker when preparing brisket. After offensive coordinator Kendal Briles left for South Carolina, Dykes hired UConn’s Gordon Sammis, a former Virginia offensive lineman, who helped the Huskies rank 15th in the FBS in scoring (35.3 points) and 21st in total offense (445.2). Dykes plucked quarterback Jaden Craig from Harvard to run his new offense after Hoover bolted for Indiana.

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22. Houston Cougars

2025 record: 10-3, 6-3 Big 12

With 12 starters coming back, including quarterback Conner Weigman and receiver Amare Thomas, the Cougars might be a sleeper candidate to challenge for the Big 12 title. Willie Fritz guided the Cougars to a 10-3 record in 2025, which isn’t all that surprising considering the rebuilding job he did at Tulane. One of Houston’s biggest offseason priorities was finding a replacement for leading rusher Dean Connors, and Fritz brought in former Tulane star Makhi Hughes. Hughes ran for 2,779 yards with 22 touchdowns in two seasons with the Green Wave, but he couldn’t get playing time after transferring to Oregon in 2025.

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25. Arizona Wildcats

2025 record: 9-4, 6-3 Big 12

Arizona’s Brent Brennan proved last season that he was more than capable of winning in the Big 12 after making the jump from San José State. After going 4-8 in 2024, the Wildcats improved to 9-4 in 2025 with a five-game winning streak at the end of the regular season. Even better news: Quarterback Noah Fifita stuck around for a fifth season in Tucson after turning down lucrative offers from several Power 4 programs. The Wildcats’ running game received a boost when Ismail Mahdi, who ran for 859 yards last season, returned after a federal court ruling gave fifth-year seniors from the Class of 2022 another season of eligibility.

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August 19th

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The Athletic: Texas Tech won’t make the Big 12 title game; Coach Prime era “ends with a thud”

From Stewart Mandel at The Athletic … From winning its first Big 12 championship to spending gobs and gobs of money to … well, Brendan Sorsby … it feels like Texas Tech has sucked up all the Big 12’s oxygen over the last 12 months. Vegas has tabbed the Red Raiders as the overwhelming favorite.

But there’s this other team out in Utah that’s gone 15-3 in conference play over the last two seasons that might have something to say about that. Plus, two other teams — Houston and Utah — are coming off double-digit-win seasons.

The team with the most money doesn’t always win the most games. I’m riding with the gang from Provo.

Here are my predicted standings, plus 10 other predictions for the 2026 Big 12 season. (Also read my SEC and ACC predictions.)

Predicted Big 12 standings

BYU	8-1	11-1
Houston	7-2	10-2
Texas Tech	6-3	9-3
TCU	6-3	9-3
Arizona State	6-3	8-4
Arizona	5-4	8-4
Oklahoma State	5-4	7-5
West Virginia	5-4	7-5
Utah	4-5	7-5
UCF	4-5	7-5
Cincinnati	4-5	6-6
Kansas	4-5	6-6
Kansas State	3-6	6-6
Colorado	3-6	4-8
Baylor	2-7	4-8
Iowa State	0-9	2-10

Big 12 championship: BYU over Houston
Playoff teams: BYU

BYU upsets Notre Dame, fields its first top-10 team in 30 years. Kalani Sitake has lifted his program to the brink of the Big 12 title the last two seasons, going 23-4. This year, after Sitake turned down Penn State, the Cougars climb the mountaintop. With star QB Bear Bachmeier, 1,300-yard rusher LJ Martin and a veteran defense, BYU proves to be the class of the conference and finishes in the top 10 for the first time since Steve Sarkisian was the QB in 1996.

Willie Fritz returns to Arlington. Houston’s well-traveled head coach is one of the best in the sport, as he showed when he took long-dormant Tulane to the 2022 Cotton Bowl (and beat USC). The Cougars quietly won 10 games last year, and veteran QB Conner Weigman will have more weapons around him to propel the Cougars to the Big 12 title game at AT&T Stadium, the site of Fritz’s biggest triumph.

Texas Tech gets its comeuppance. The Red Raiders won’t implode without Sorsby, but don’t expect another 12-win season. Yes, the fighting Cody Campbells still have plenty of expensive talent, but the heart of last year’s top-ranked defense — Jacob Rodriguez, David Bailey and company — is in the NFL now.

The Deion Sanders era ends with a thud. Colorado brought in enough talent to be better than last year’s non-competitive 3-9 squad. But a complete turnover on defense, coupled with nonconference games at Georgia Tech and Northwestern, will lead to another losing season, after which both sides move in different directions.

Baylor’s Dave Aranda may be done, too. Since winning a Big 12 championship in his second season, Baylor has posted a winning record in conference play just once in the last four years. There’s hope that ex-Florida QB DJ Lagway can ignite the Bears’ offense, but it might not be enough to save Aranda’s job.

It’s going to be a rough, rough season in Ames. There’s no sugarcoating it: Iowa State could be awful. Seemingly half the team followed Matt Campbell to Penn State after AD Jamie Pollard hired Washington State’s Jimmy Rogers, who brought a bunch of guys with him from a 6-6 Group of 6 team.

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August 18th

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CU one of 13 schools to have Progressive Insurance logo on their fields this fall

From On3Sports … Progressive Insurance announced it will expand its game-day presence with 13 college football teams. The company will have on-field branding with Boise State, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Purdue, SMU, Syracuse, Texas Tech, USC, and Wake Forest.

“We are excited to be a part of the college football landscape with this investment,” Sean Freeman, Media Business Leader at Progressive, said in a press release. “It is an opportunity to support the collegiate student-athletes at these storied institutions as well as create a unique viewing experience for the fans. College football is ingrained in the cultures at these universities, and we are proud to be a small part of those traditions.”

With Progressive being a sponsor of the 13 schools, the brand’s presence will be complemented by in-game video-board features, in-venue LED signage, digital and social media integrations, and other game-day experiences designed to engage fans before, during, and after the game. Progressive’s branding will debut at the start of this year’s college football season.

“College athletics offers brands a level of fan passion and loyalty that’s hard to match,” Shawn Hegan, Executive Vice President of Global Partnerships at Learfield, said. “This program gives Progressive a consistent presence across some of the biggest stages in the sport while creating meaningful connections with fans throughout the season.”

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August 17th

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College football roster spending tiers: CU one of ten in the Big 12 in the bottom tier

From 247Sports.com … There’s never been more money spent on trying to win big in college football, and yet there’s still little transparency around who is spending it.

There are lots of rumors and speculation, but little hard data. Unlike professional leagues like the NFL and NBA, college football fans don’t know how much their favorite team spends on the roster. Even within the industry, athletic directors and general managers may not know for sure how much their top rivals are spending to beat them. It leads to a lot of “How much do you think so-and-so is spending this year?” questions.

There’s a wide range in the Power Four.

According to data CBS Sports acquired from a survey of general managers at the 2026 Personnel Symposium, Power Four programs have an average roster cost of $22.5 million for the upcoming season. But that number didn’t include some of the bigger-spending schools and also, per people in the room, didn’t always include the most truthful answers, especially when it came to some of the higher-cost players on each roster.

“Nobody knows. That’s part of the problem — nobody knows,” said TCU head coach Sonny Dykes said this summer. “I think people should know. That’s part of the issue with recruiting because sometimes you’re bidding against yourself. Agents try to get as much as they can for a player, and sometimes the information you give the agent is not completely correct. I do think everyone would benefit from transparency. I think it would be good for the fan base, the coaches and young men to actually understand what people are getting paid.”

A few caveats before you dig into the information:

1) Not everyone is truthful about their number. Some schools inflate but mostly we experienced schools trying to undersell what their total number was. Program leaders seemed reticent to admit they were a top spender as if they’d get less credit for future success. It’s why we attempted to cross-check as many numbers as possible.

2) Not everyone accounts their number the same way. Some programs include things like cost-of-attendance payments in their total number. Others attempt to exclude third-party MMR payments. Some schools fudge their numbers in both directions with incentives. With no fully standardized way of reporting the number, it’s why we’ve focused on putting programs in ranges rather than trying to put a specific roster number for each school.

From the Big 12 … 

… Read full story here …

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August 15th

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What You Need to Know: Rules Changes for 2026

From ESPN … Targeting penalties assessed in the second half of a game will no longer require the offending player to sit out the first half of his team’s next game, offensive pass interference will become a 10-yard penalty and the little-used fair catch kick will be introduced to college football.

Those are among the changes for the 2026 season, the National Football Foundation announced in its annual summary of rules changes.

A player who draws his second targeting penalty of the season will be required to miss the first half of the next game. A player who draws his third targeting of the season must sit out the full following game.

The penalty for offensive pass interference is being adjusted from 15 yards to 10 yards. The rules reserve 15-yard penalties primarily for personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct. Defensive pass interference will remain a spot foul, with a maximum of a 15-yard penalty.

In a change to align Division I rules with those in the NFL and high school, a team could choose to attempt a fair catch kick after a completed or awarded fair catch. The kick would be a place kick with a holder or a drop kick from the spot where the returner caught the ball. The defense would be at least 10 yards from the spot of the kick.

If the ensuing kick goes through the uprights, it would be worth three points.

The rarely used play last came up in the NFL in 2024 when the Los Angeles Chargers’ Cameron Dicker converted from 57 yards against the Denver Broncos.

Two replay challenges: The head coach will now have two replay challenges per game. If a coach wins at least one of their first two challenges, they are awarded a third challenge. A challenge can be made only if the team has a timeout remaining and available; if the challenge is successful, the team’s timeout will not be charged.

Other changes: Coach-to-player communications through the helmet is now permissible for all NCAA divisions. … Helmet attachments (e.g., Guardian Cap, SAFR Helmet Cover) that enhance player safety are allowed. All helmets, with or without the attachment, must be of the same color and design. … Up to two sponsor patches are allowed on the jersey, with conference approval. A third patch is allowed in conference championship or postseason games. Logos may not exceed 4 square inches. One commercial logo, not to exceed 4 square inches, is permitted on the helmet.

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August 14th

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Butkus Award Watch List announced: Gideon Lampron and Liona Lefau nominated

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado linebackers Gideon ESPN Lampron and Liona Lefau have been named to the preseason watch list for the 2026 Butkus Award, the Butkus Foundation announced Thursday.

The award, now in its 42nd year, is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate linebacker and honors Pro Football Hall of Famer Dick Butkus. The 51-player watch list — a nod to Butkus’ iconic No. 51 jersey — spans 42 schools, making Colorado one of just eight programs nationally with multiple selections.

Both arrived in Boulder this offseason through the transfer portal and, along with Tyler Martinez, headline a revamped Colorado linebacker room.

Lampron, a fifth-year linebacker from LaGrange, Ohio, joined the Buffaloes after a breakout 2025 season at Bowling Green, where he started all 12 games and served as one of four team captains. He piled up 119 tackles and 17.5 tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, finishing the regular season as the only player in the country with more than 100 tackles and 15 tackles for loss. He earned first-team All-MAC honors and was a Phil Steele All-America honorable mention. Before Bowling Green, Lampron was a first-team FCS All-American at Dayton in 2024, when he ranked second nationally in tackles for loss with 23.5.

Lefau, a fourth-year linebacker from Kahuku, Hawai’i, came to Colorado after three seasons at Texas, where he played in 42 games with 22 starts and totaled 139 tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks. He started all 12 regular-season games for the Longhorns in 2025, recording 69 tackles with a career-high 11 in the regular-season finale against Texas A&M and a 53-yard fumble return for his first career touchdown against Arkansas.

Colorado owns a decorated history with the award. Alfred Williams (1990) and Matt Russell (1996) both won the Butkus, while Ted Johnson (1994) and Jordon Dizon (2007) finished as runners-up. Kanavis McGhee reached the final three in 1990 — the same year Williams won — and Greg Biekert (1992), Ron Wolfork (1993) and Nate Landman (2020) advanced to the semifinals. Lampron and Lefau are the first pair of Buffaloes to appear on the preseason watch list in the same year since Davion Taylor and Landman in 2019.

Semifinalists for the 2026 Butkus Award will be announced Oct. 28, finalists on Nov. 20, and the winner will be revealed during the week of Dec. 7. Selection is based on season-long performance, and players do not need to appear on the preseason watch list to win.

The Buffaloes open the season Sept. 3 at Georgia Tech (6 p.m. MT, ESPN).

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August 12th 

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CU breaks into ESPN’s Top 40 2027 Recruiting Class list

From ESPN … The 2026 season is nearly upon us, and with the primary focus shifting to the field, coupled with 98% of the prospects currently in the SC Next 300 having declared to a program for 2027, the recruiting landscape has quieted.

Coming out of the most significant portion of this cycle, many teams have firmly established a spot among the best classes in the nation. But nothing in recruiting is final until the cycle officially ends, so while movement is slow, twists and turns that will shake up the rankings are still on the horizon.

From the Big 12 … 

10. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Previous ranking: 10

SC Next 300 commits: 10
Top offensive prospect: QB Kavian Bryant
Top defensive prospect: DT Jalen Brewster

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37. West Virginia Mountaineers

Previous ranking: NR

SC Next 300 commits: 0
Top offensive prospect: WR Jacobi Pasley
Top defensive prospect: ATH Carter Bonner

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38. Kansas State Wildcats

Previous ranking: NR

SC Next 300 commits: 0
Top offensive prospect: WR Ashton Stark
Top defensive prospect: ATH Cooper Ohnmacht

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40. Colorado Buffaloes

Previous ranking: NR

SC Next 300 commits: 1
Top offensive prospect: QB Andre Adams
Top defensive prospect: S Gabriel Jenkins

The Buffaloes have been closely associated with the transfer portal, but that is not the only way Deion Sanders has approached building the program. His emphasis may be shifting to younger, developmental talent.

At the quarterback position, Andre Adams gives the Buffs a dual-threat passer with good mechanics who can throw well on the run. As a junior, he threw for more than 3,000 yards with just one interception while completing more than 70% of his passes and rushing for nearly 1,000 yards. Athlete Jaiden Kelly-Murray saw his profile rise with a strong offseason, showing excellent ball skills and consistent playmaking ability; he could be an early contributor at WR. The Colorado O-line has had its struggles and Sanders has worked to bolster that unit with several additions, including high-three-stars Dewey Young and Li’Marcus Jones.

On defense, Gabriel Jenkins is an aggressive safety who should be a special teams contributor right away. Ba’Roc Willis is a thickly built hybrid DE/LB who has some limitations in coverage but is physical near the line of scrimmage, can set the edge and can be a disruptive pass rusher.

… Read full story here …

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Another CU opponent gets a large ($35 million) donation

… Won’t hurt the Buffs this season, but Northwestern plays in Boulder next September … 

From ESPN … Northwestern football’s push to be competitive financially in the Big Ten has received an adrenaline shot, as the school announced Tuesday that the program has received a commitment to a $35 million football-focused gift over the next three years.

The gift comes from the family of Liz and Dick Uihlein, and the donation is intended for holistic football success — including recruiting support and broader program needs — as the school enters a “new era.”

According to a news release from Northwestern, the gift will help “student-athlete development, operational priorities, recruiting, and strategic investments designed to position Northwestern Football for sustained success in the Big Ten and on the national stage.”

The move comes at a time when Northwestern has been attempting to catch up financially to its Big Ten peers with a flurry of significant moves. This fall, the school is set to debut the new Ryan Field, a state-of-the-art stadium that cost more than $850 million. (That was privately funded through the Ryan family, which has had an outsized philanthropic impact on the athletic department and university.)

“We are so grateful for Pat and Shirley Ryan’s contributions to Northwestern and Chicago and want to follow their lead,” Liz and Dick Uihlein said in a statement. The statement added: “As multigenerational Chicagoans, we love this city and want to see it thrive. To us, Northwestern University is Chicago. Chicago loves sports and we need Wildcat Football to be competitive. We are pleased to support the university as it enters an exciting new era.”

Northwestern has had one winning record in the Big Ten since reaching the Big Ten title game in 2020. That came in coach David Braun’s first season as head coach in 2023, as he took over after the controversial dismissal of university stalwart Pat Fitzgerald.

Northwestern is not close to the league’s biggest spenders in football, and this recent flurry of moves shows an energized commitment to be more competitive in an era when spending on talent tends to lead to success. That includes the hiring of longtime college and NFL coach Chip Kelly as the school’s offensive coordinator.

A gift this large that is specifically for football is rare in college sports. It comes at a time when academic-focused private schools such as Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and Northwestern have figured out ways to thrive in this era. Northwestern president Mung Chiang pointed out that Northwestern is the only school in one of the two top conferences — the SEC and Big 10 — that’s also a top-10-ranked university.

“We are deeply grateful to the Uihlein family for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to Northwestern University,” athletic director Mark Jackson said in the release. “Their support will help us continue building a program that delivers an exceptional student-athlete experience while competing at the highest level of college football.”

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August 11th 

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Power Four “ambition” tiers: CU in the “We’re trying, but we aren’t flush with cash” category

From The Athletic … Welcome to the college football Power Four conference ambition tiers, where Ohio State has a private chef, Texas owns the building and a handful of programs are avoiding calls from collection agencies.

In modern college football, winning requires more than a good coach and a talented quarterback. It takes cash, alignment, facility upgrades and boosters who are willing to treat needs on the defensive line like a national emergency.

We divided every program into tiers based on who is rich, who is aggressive, who is merely optimistic and who might need to start checking underneath the stadium seats for loose change. These aren’t predictions for the 2026 season, either. It’s more of a snapshot of each school and a check-in on the vibes around the program.

From the Big 12 … 

Always all in … with big results

None …

Big spenders … hoping for results

None …

New money

• BYU
• Texas Tech

Big brands with big questions

None …

Times are changing … we have money!

• Oklahoma State

“Other Two” conference members, but with big dreams

• Arizona State
• TCU
• Utah

Fighting chance … We’re trying, but we aren’t flush with cash

• Arizona
• ColoradoPresent: The Buffaloes signed 16 starters from other FBS rosters, including a receiver and a linebacker from Texas, a cornerback from Vanderbilt and offensive linemen from Houston, Rutgers and California. But they also lost seven starters to the portal, most notably the best available left tackle in Jordan Seaton (LSU).Future: Deion Sanders, thankfully now cancer-free, achieved his goal of getting Colorado back on the map with a 9-4 season and Heisman winner in 2024, but ticket sales were down in 2025, and the momentum in Boulder has been lost while athletic department bills keep piling up.
• Houston
• Kansas State

Treading water

• Cincinnati
• Baylor
• Iowa State
• UCF
• West Virginia

Behind the 8-ball

• Kansas

… Read full story here …

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August 10th

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CU not a hot ticket? Georgia Tech selling tickets for $24 

… Kickoff set for September 3rd, 6:00 p.m., MT, ESPN …  Buff fans in Atlanta: This is for you … 

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August 8th

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Protect College Sports Act vote pushed to September

From ESPN … The Protect College Sports Act failed to reach a vote during an all-night, pre-recess session in the Senate that ended early Saturday, though the bill did gain a spot on next month’s calendar after the chamber comes back from its summer break.

The measure has been touted as one that would put guardrails around an escalating spending spree in college sports as the industry struggles to adapt to a new model in which teams can pay players.

“College sports is something that needs to be fixed. They have a good solution,” said Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “We got it teed up for next month.”

The bill has been on a roller coaster since it was introduced in late May but quickly failed to gain support of the two biggest conferences: the Big Ten and SEC.

Those conferences signed on and saved it from near death late last month after a flurry of negotiations. But as quickly as it was revived, it faced a reality check in the Senate, where lawmakers from SEC states, including Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., were among its biggest skeptics.

As the bill got closer to a vote, the Congressional Black Caucus and AFL-CIO also came out against it. Amendments dealing with issues that were never part of the bill also started coming up.

All that, combined with a packed list of votes including on a short-term funding bill and the narrow confirmation of Todd Blanche as attorney general, pushed the PCSA toward the back of the Senate’s agenda.

Bill co-sponsor Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said, “My colleagues and I have worked hard to end the chaos” that surrounds college sports and predicted the bill would receive the support of 60 or more Senators to keep it on path to becoming law.

Co-sponsor Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said she was grateful Thune put it on the calendar.

“This bipartisan bill is how we protect women’s and Olympic sports,” she said. “I look forward to its passage in September.”

… Continue reading story here …

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August 7th

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“Shocking” – Texas Tech has easiest Power Four schedule; Nebraska easiest non-conference schedule

From ESPN … College football has never been a more chaotic mess off the field. Thank goodness we still have the actual games, which remain as great as ever.

The start of the 2026 season is only a month away.

And so, it’s time to break down the schedules, analyzing which teams appear to have it tough and which, well, don’t.

Does anyone have a more difficult road than Ohio State, which must travel to potential preseason AP No. 1 Texas and defending national champ Indiana?

Can Texas Tech overcome the loss of quarterback Brendan Sorsby and advance to the playoff for a second consecutive season?

Will Ole Miss be able to exact revenge on former coach Lane Kiffin when LSU visits Oxford?

Can Oklahoma and USC survive their brutal conference stretches?

That and more on ESPN’s annual preseason schedule evaluation.

Easiest overall Power 4 schedule: Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech won’t have Sorsby after a tumultuous offseason surrounding his eligibility in the wake of a gambling scandal. Yet the Red Raiders still have a path back to the playoff with Will Hammond at quarterback, thanks in part to a soft schedule.

Texas Tech’s toughest nonconference game is at Oregon State, which is coming off a 2-10 season. The Red Raiders also don’t face Utah or BYU, the two other Big 12 teams ranked in the top 20 of ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.

Strength of schedule might hurt Texas Tech’s case for an at-large bid. But the Red Raiders remain the favorites to win the Big 12 and punch their playoff ticket for a second straight year.

Toughest Power 4 nonconference schedule: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Under coach Brent Key, the Yellow Jackets have pulled off several marquee wins, and they’ll have opportunities for more this season.

Georgia Tech faces Colorado and Tennessee in Atlanta to start the year, then plays at Georgia again to end it. On Sept. 19, the Yellow Jackets also play Mercer.

Georgia Tech has come oh-so close to upsetting the Bulldogs during the past three years, including falling in an eighth overtime in 2024. Could this be the year the Yellow Jackets finally topple their in-state rival?

Easiest Power 4 nonconference schedule: Nebraska Cornhuskers

The Huskers narrowly edge out the Hoosiers for the nod here. Indiana plays North Texas (which lost its top players via transfer to Oklahoma State), Howard (5-7 last year) and poor Western Kentucky (which will be coming off its game at Georgia).

Yet Nebraska gets Ohio and Bowling Green from the MAC, plus North Dakota (a solid FCS program, though not to be confused with powerhouse North Dakota State).

The Huskers haven’t finished with eight victories in a decade. With this nonconference slate, they have a decent chance to start 5-0 before Indiana visits Lincoln on Oct. 10.

Toughest three-game stretch: Northwestern Wildcats

After enduring a rough few years at the end of the Pat Fitzgerald era, the Wildcats bounced back under coach David Braun, including a 7-6 finish last season.

This year, they’ll have to survive this rugged three-week gauntlet: at Oregon (Oct. 31), Iowa (Nov. 7) and at Ohio State (Nov. 14).

The Ducks and Buckeyes have national championship aspirations again, and Iowa went 9-4 last year (with its four losses totaling a combined 15 points).

Florida also deserved consideration here. The Gators travel to Texas, face Georgia in Atlanta and play Oklahoma in The Swamp. The Gators at least have a bye on Oct. 24 after playing the Longhorns.

… Read full story here …

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August 6th

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ESPN’s List of All-Time College Football Villains includes Coach Prime

From ESPN … Every great story requires a great villain. Darth Vader. The no-nosed wizard who fights Harry Potter. The “Get him a body bag!” guy from “Karate Kid.” The endless parade of bad guys whom Spider-Man is currently fighting in a theater near you.

As we near kickoff of college football’s 157th season, we all have our own personal lists of bad guys we would love to see melted into the floor like the Wicked Witch of the West. That scoundrel of a QB who torched your team in that bowl game your senior year. That dastardly DB who snagged the would-be TD pass that your alma mater needed in the closing seconds. That criminal of a coach who you know beyond any shadow of a sport talk call-in show doubt ratted out your favorite team to NCAA investigators.

But who among those devilish dudes ranks among the most abhorred heels in college football history? For those answers, warm up your “boo!” voice, stretch that middle finger, find some spare golf balls to fling from the student section and read ahead as we present our list of College Football’s All-Time Villains.

9. Deion Sanders 

Deion Sanders is the only member of this list who has enjoyed two distinctly different villain eras, Prime Time at Florida State four decades ago and Coach Prime at Colorado in the here and now. I know of what I speak here, because I was at Clemson’s Death Valley in 1988 when No. 2 stood at the bottom of The Hill taunting the Tigers as they ran down from Howard’s Rock. He didn’t just relish the boos from the rain-soaked 80,000 fans in attendance; he bathed in them. Then he proceeded to talk smack to both the Clemson bench and head coach Danny Ford. And then he snagged a punt and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown.

Fast-forward to 2023, when Sanders moved from Jackson State to become Boss Buffalo. If anyone thought he was divisive as a pre-internet player, he damn near broke the internet every Saturday as Colorado won a lot early, which many celebrated, then lost a lot late, which even more celebrated. And just like that day at Clemson nearly four decades ago, he has relished that role, too.

… Read full story here …

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August 2nd

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College Football Jersey Patches (three Big 12 schools have signed deals to date)

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August 1st

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Federal Judge undercuts five-for-five rule, giving some players (K Alejandro Mata?) a potential additional season

From ESPN … A federal court dealt a perhaps chaos-inducing blow to the NCAA’s new eligibility rule Friday when it ruled that all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring are eligible for a fifth season in 2026-27.

The ruling from U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Denver, expected to be appealed, undercuts the NCAA’s plan to have the so-called “five-for-five” rule go into play starting with athletes who enroll in college in fall 2027.

It also has the potential to wreak havoc on rosters across the country — for instance, opening the possibility that an undrafted player in an NFL training camp could try to head back to college for a fifth year.

In granting the preliminary injunction, Sweeney said the players “will suffer irreparable harm without” it. She did not sign on to the governing body’s argument that applying the new rule retroactively would create “roster chaos.”

But NCAA president Charlie Baker said it would in responding to the rulings while referencing a bill in Congress designed to provide the NCAA antitrust protection on the eligibility issues.

“Today’s rulings and the chaos they bring to college sports are exactly why it’s time to pass this bill,” Baker said.

… Continue reading story here …

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Too little, too late? Big Ten and SEC agree to support Protect College Sports Act

From the Associated Press … The Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences agreed Friday night to support a Senate bill that seeks to regulate college sports, ending a breakneck week of negotiations and pulling the bipartisan measure out of what looked like a certain death spiral.

School presidents from both conferences voted to back the bill after receiving last-minute concessions over language regarding third-party name-image-likeness deals and the so-called “associated entities” that often broker those arrangements between players and schools.

More details need to be worked out, but the headline is that the bill still has a chance to earn the 60 votes it needs to halt debate and head to an up-or-down vote before the Senate heads for summer break next Friday.

The summer recess is increasingly looking like an intractable deadline for the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan effort headed by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.

After the conferences, which had balked at large sections of the bill, put out a short release announcing they supported the act “as currently drafted,” Cruz put out a short statement on social media thanking the leagues and saying: “Let’s save college sports.” And Cantwell said: “Good. Now progress can be made in protecting women and Olympic athletes and moving the legislation closer to the President’s desk.”

… Continue reading story here …

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