Jon Joseph

No B1G thing; Everybody's doing it, right, Lane? The SEC? I can't tell whether the conference went deep and told Judge Roy Bean to take a hike or simply decided to polish the conference image. Big Ten Reportedly Passes Rule Change Banning NFL Players...The Big Ten unanimously passed a rule on Tuesday that will prevent NFL players from returning to college and suiting up for a team in the conference, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Thank you, Steven A. It's only $$$, eh? ADs vs Agents = 2026 Notre Dame consuming a bowl of Rice in front of TDJ. Worst hire of all time? FSU poaching Schlock, er, Slick from OBD is right up there. But it doesn't compare to the hire of Chapel Bill and his adult cheerleader buddy. Bill brought the circus to town, and his GM was in the process of forming an NFL team worse than the Jets before being relieved of his duties. Bill's opening game: 2025 Chapel Hill - TCU 48 - UNC 14. Rematch this Saturday in Dublin, Ireland. If you can't sleep in and don't have nits to pick, a lawn to cut, or a car to wash, 9 AM Pacific on ESPN. (Not too early for a Dublin-time shot and a beer, right? 🤪) Billy Edwards, who started at Maryland and spent some time in Wisconsin, is now UNC's QB. No one will confuse this Billy for coach Billy's former QB, Tom Brady. After taking care of business vs New Mexico State in Week 0, Chiefs Osceola and Mike Norvell open ACC play on Sunday, September 6th, vs. No. 19 SMU, featured in a 7:30 PM Eastern time slot on ESPN. QB Ashton Daniels, who started at Stanford before being benched at Auburn, has arrived to save Mike's job; fortunately, things are all good with Chief Osceola. (Contrary to rumor, Chief O will not be throwing his spear at Mike.) FSU was back for one week in 2025, after defeating Bama 31-17 in the opening game. CFB Playoff Committee members missed this game and sent a rumored 3-loss Crimson Tide (the 2nd loss counted for BYU, the third loss for the Tide?) to the playoffs. Beating another overrated SEC team in Norman was OK; then the Tide set a Bama bowl record in Pasadena. 😁(What's that? Sorry, I can't help you. I remember the Alamo but not the Peach Bowl.🤬) These panty-waste, penny-pinching ADs should look to LSU as the shining example. Only $54 million to dump a crusty, red-faced Irishman, who fit Baron Rouge like a keg of Guinness at an AA meeting, and a mere $90 million, or so, to hire a guy who won two conference championships at Florida Atlantic. ( I believe FAU was Slick's last tour of duty?) And children are supposed to behave better than these adults? 😇

CBS Sports B1G Picks and Predictions - https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-ten-expert-picks-preview-2026-season/

Will the Special Teams be Special? Oregon Ducks On SICoach Dan Lanning Offers Honest Thoughts on Oregon's Spec...Entering the 2026 college football season with high expectations, Oregon Ducks fans are confident about the team’s potential on offense and defense, even with t

In this instance, Paul Finebaum is spot on. CFB-HQ On SIPaul Finebaum Gives Blunt Take After Dae'Quan Wright's Re...College football has absorbed a run of unusual offseason storylines, from realignment fallout to transfer portal moves that reshape rosters every winter. A Loui

Thank you, David. With every team undefeated, it's sunshine-pumping time. I don't mean to be a downer, but I have two concerns. When the pressure's on, is the FG kicker going to come through? There is one layup game on the schedule: Portland State. OBD will play competitive, close games. Will the O-line be big game ready? In the final game of the 2024 season, Dillon Gabriel was under siege. Same with Dante last season. I was surprised that last year's O-line was a Joe Moore Award finalist, mostly because of the play of both tackles against top defenses. No matter how much Dante has matured, he, like all QBs, needs time to see the field and deliver the ball. Dante is an excellent athlete, but he's not Johnny Football or Trinidad Chambliss. Thanks again, David, and Beat Boise!

Wyndham surrendered a 5-shot lead, and the US Open champion Clark was tied with Masters champion Rory McIlroy heading into the 16th hole, with Wyndham 3-over par on the day. Then, Clark birdied 16, 17, and 18 to finish even par on the round and capture his third win of the season. May OBD be this clutch in the 2026 football season. Wyndham Clark holds off Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay to...ST. LOUIS (AP) — Wyndham Clark has been through this before — losing a big lead in the final round, playing alongside a gallery favorite. He finished strong Sun

Wyndham wins the BMW Championship for his 3rd win of the season and is one of 30 PGA pros who will play for a FedEx Cup title (and $10 M 🤑) next week in Atlanta. A great turnaround season for Clark, especially after being heckled at the US Open.😍

Koi Perich gets a tip of the hat from Dan Lanning - Oregon Ducks On SIDan Lanning Gets Real on Koi Perich's Performance in Seco...The Oregon Ducks, in their fifth season under coach Dan Lanning, will have several leaders who will emerge on their roster this year. On defense, Minnesota Gold

The preseason AP Poll and Bill Connolly's SP+ rankings are out. This post examines the AP and SP+ top conference championship contenders and their respective strength-of-schedule (SOS). "Two things matter in college football (CFB): a team's roster and the schedule." Coach Pepper Rodgers (RIP) ACC - Three teams ranked in the AP Poll. No. 7 Miami - SP+ No. 8 - 49 SOS - Depending on the outcome of the Miami at Notre Dame game on November 11th, one of the two teams should finish 12-0 and the other 11-1. He's improved, but with two losses to ACC teams that did not make the 2025 playoff (PO), you cannot entirely discount a Miami player making a game-changing penalty, or Mario's Alice in Wonderland clock management. No. 24 SMU - SP+ No. 28 - 54 SOS - The Ponies open at FSU on September 7th, play 24 Louisville on the road in Week 3, and visit Notre Dame on November 21st. SMU is one of the teams ranked in the preseason AP Poll that may not be there at season's end. No. 24 Louisville - SP+ No. 27 - 60 SOS - Jeff Brohm can coach; the man won a lot of games at Purdue. Louisville has one of the best rosters in the ACC; will Ohio State transfer QB Lincoln Kienholz play like Tyler Shough, now starting in the NFL, or last season's QB flop, Miller (he gathered no championship) Moss? NR Clemson - SP+ 23 - SOS 41 - Has Dabo Swinney found his lost fastball? Last season saw nine Clemson players drafted, and seven wins. We'll get an early tell when Clemson visits LSU's Death Valley on September 5th and hosts Miami in Clemson's Death Valley on October 3rd. The second-deepest and most talented roster in the ACC after Miami. ACC Champ - Louisville opens with Ole Miss in Nashville and closes with the rivalry game vs Kentucky. Louisville plays SMU at home and does not play Miami or Clemson. Miami vs Louisville for the ACC title. Miami wins its first ACC Championship since joining the conference in 2004. - - - No. 4 Notre Dame - SP+ No. 3 - 62 SOS - No conference champ game for the Irish. A 3-game schedule: At 14 BYU, home against No. 7 Miami and No. 19 SMU. With this schedule, Notre Dame should be PO-borderline with one loss and PO over and out with two losses. But if ranked 12th or better by the Committee, the Domers are in the PO. If Notre Dame is ranked 12th, the Irish will hopefully knock out an SEC team that is ranked 11th. --- B12 - Four teams ranked in the AP Poll. No. 12 Texas Tech - SP+ No. 7 - 71 SOS With its G6-equivalent schedule, Moe, Larry, or Curly could start at QB for the Red Raiders and win 11, if not 12, games. Texas Tech does not play No. 14 BYU and No. 21 Utah in the regular season and hosts No. 23 Houston. No. 14 BYU - SP+ No. 18 - 53 SOS BYU hosts Notre Dame and visits Utah. If the Cougars can split these two games, it will have an excellent chance of making the PO, even with a conference championship game loss to Texas Tech. No. 21 Utah - SP+ 24 - 65 SOS What will the Utes look like without Coach Whit and OC Jason Beck now at Michigan? No. 23 Houston - SP+ 36 - 56 SOS Under head coach Willie Fritz, these Cougars went 10-3 last season with a bowl win over LSU. QB Connor Weigman, who led the B12 last season with 36 Total Touchdowns, is back, and 71% of Houston's 2025 production returns. The Cougars open the season hosting Beavis, miss BYU, and play at Utah on November 24th. Big 12 Champ - I think Houston wins tough games at Kansas State and Utah, and rematches against Texas Tech in the championship game, but the Red Raiders are deeper on both sides of the LOS, prevail, and return to the PO as B12 champion, but without a first-round bye. Cody Campbell's investment in Texas Tech returns a 2nd conference championship and back-to-back playoff appearances. --- The Southeastern Conference - Nine teams ranked in the AP Poll. The SEC, Where It Just Means More, except for the six teams that did not win five or more games in 2025 and the five PO teams that did not play for a National Championship. 8-2 versus the Big Ten in the 2024 and 2025 postseasons? Nothing to see here; move right along. No one should be surprised the next time an SEC team wins a National Championship. The talent is still there in Dixie, as evidenced by recruiting rankings and NFL draft picks. But even the most talented rosters without good coaching cannot win it all, and the payback for hubris we are witnessing is a witch. And Greg Sankey refuses to dial down the hubris? Hmmmm. No. 3 Georgia - SP+ No. 4 - 25 SOS A very young group of Dawgs playing behind Coach Kirby Smart and QB Gunner Stockton won another SEC championship in 2025, before running into the Houdini-like Trinidad Chambliss in the Sugar Bowl. A more seasoned Georgia team is ready to take another bite out of the SEC and be more than a rumor in the 2026 PO. Georgia's SP+ 25th SOS is the easiest in the SEC. But the schedule is not the easy-peasy schedule that Miami, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Texas Tech play in 2025. Georgia plays at No. 9 Ole Miss SP+ 15, No. 10 Oklahoma SP+ 12, at 13 Alabama SP+ 11, 25 Missouri SP+ 19, and old foes Auburn SP+ 26, Florida SP+20 in Atlanta, and rival Georgia Tech SP+43. The majority of Top 25-ranked teams would find it difficult to finish 8-4 with this schedule, but not these Dawgs. No. 5 Texas - SP+ No. 6 - No. 1 SOS has a stacked roster and is favored by many to win it all in 2026. And yes, the SOS is goosed by SP+ ranking 11 SEC teams in its top 25, but the Longhorns' 2026 schedule is still far from manageable by any schedule-ranking standard. A blessing on the recovering Sark, but he rostered his way to a B12 title, and the next time he gets Smart will be the first time. The Texas D finished the 2025 season ranked 25th in Total defense. But Sark fired his longtime DC, Pete Kwiatkowski, and replaced him with former Texas Coach-in-Waiting, Will Muschamp. This hire and the USC hire of Gary Patterson as its DC will be scrutinized in 2026. I'm a CFB QB-oriented guy, and so, 2026 SEC Champion: 11-1 Georgia rematches with Ole Miss and Trinidad Chambliss in the SEC Championship game, avenges its sole loss at Ole Miss, and wins another SEC title. Kirby figures out the PO's long layoff, wins the Sugar Bowl game, and advances in the PO. 3-loss Texas also makes the 2026 PO field, along with two other SEC teams. At least six SEC teams win five or fewer games in 2026, and many of the AP-ranked SEC teams will lose three or more games. --- Big Ten Conference - Eight teams ranked in the AP Poll. The B1G has one fewer team ranked than the SEC in the AP Poll, but Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, LSU, and Alabama are ranked between No. 6 Indiana and No. 14 USC. The AP voters, despite the on-field evidence that the CFB paradigm has changed since 2023 with direct payment to athletes, NIL opportunity, and largely unregulated free agency, and since this paradigm shift, the B1G is 10-7 against the SEC in the regular season and 8-2 in the postseason, continue to value the middle of the SEC well above Big Ten teams not named Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana. If the Big Ten wins the next ten Natty's, perhaps things will change? SP+ has kind of gotten the CFB's new paradigm: No. 1 Ohio State - SP+ No. 1 - No. 4 SOS, and No. 2 Oregon - SP+ No. 2 - 21 SOS, share the same AP and SP+ rankings. This is the first time the B1G has had two teams ranked at the top of the AP Poll since 1961, when Iowa was ranked first and Ohio State second, and the first time for an SP+preseason top two. But things are much the same with the SP+ as with the AP Poll; between SP+ No. 5 Indiana 31 SOS and SP+ No. 13 USC 11 SOS, we find SP+ No. 6 Texas, No. 10 LSU, No. 11 Alabama, and No. 12 Oklahoma. No. 16 Michigan - SP+ 17 - No. 5 SOS, No. 17 Washington - SP+ 21 - 23 SOS, No. 18 Penn State - SP+ No. 21 - 59 SOS, and No. 22 Iowa - SP+ No. 22 - 34 SOS, are ranked in the AP Poll and by SP+. Oregon's 2026 opponents' rankings not shown above: No 28 Boise State, SP+38, is the highest-ranked G6 team in both the AP and SP+ rankings; No. 33 Illinois - SP+ 32, 26 SOS, and No. 34 Oklahoma State - SP+ 39, 39 SOS, are among Others Receiving Votes in the AP Poll. 2026 opponents not ranked in the AP Poll and not receiving votes: UCLA SP+ 48, Nebraska SP+ 37, Northwestern SP+ 49, and Michigan State SP+ 67. FCS Portland State is not ranked. Other B1G SP+ rankings: Minnesota SP+ 45, Maryland SP+ 53, Rutgers SP+61, Wisconsin SP+ 62, and Purdue SP+83. Big Ten teams that I believe are SP+ underrated: 13 USC, 14 Michigan, 32 Illinois, 37 Nebraska, 45 Minnesota, 48 UCLA, 62 Wisconsin, and I believe 82 Purdue would defeat many G6 teams ranked ahead of the Boilermakers. The 2026 Big Ten Champion - Based on Indiana's 31 SOS and missing Oregon and playing Ohio State and USC in Bloomington, I think the Hoosiers return to Indianapolis, and with Oregon playing Ohio State in Columbus, Indiana will rematch with the Buckeyes in the championship game. Ohio State wins the championship game. Many teams could contend for the B1G title, including OBD, USC, Michigan, Washington, and, with the 59th-ranked SOS, Penn State. In 2026, the B1G conference is much larger than just the B1G 3 of Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana. Four Big Ten teams make the 2026 PO field: the B1G 3 and one other quality championship contender. Let's Play Ball and BEAT BOISE!

Oregon over 10.5 wins? You bet! Saturday Down SouthCollege football win totals: Breaking down 7 favorite betsThe 2026 college football season is almost here, so let's break down 7 win total bets that may still have some value before Week 1.

The 10th Circuit Court has stayed the ruling by a Colorado federal court judge that gave the class of 2022 athletes who did not redshirt another year of eligibility. The NCAA was also able to stay the ruling of a state court judge in Ohio and has filed appeals in other states, including Louisiana. The two D linemen at Indiana granted a fifth season are among those no longer eligible. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/federal-appeals-court-halts-ruling-152014004.html

Oregon golfer Wyndham Clark is 5 shots in the lead at the BMW Championship. He plays in the last group tomorrow with Rory McIlroy. https://www.golfdigest.com/story/fedexcup2026-wyndham-clark-leading-rory-mcilroy-bmw-championship

No doubt that Tosh can, by gosh, recruit. GM Ron Rivera has the administration and Cal boosters aligned. I believe Rivera and Tosh want Cal to be Big Ten-worthy if and when the conference expands. The Bay Area is the ninth largest TV market in the USA. Cal students support football with a zeal not seen at Stanford. B1G presidents would welcome Cal with open arms. UCLA at Cal is one of the better Week 1 games. Saturday, September 5th, 7:30 PM Pacific on ESPN. https://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/tosh_lupois_recruiting_efforts_making_cal_football_relevant_again/s1_13132_44200032?utm_source=mb&utm_medium=email&mb_edition=20260822&mb_loc=left_h

Great post, John. So many terrific games scheduled for 11/7, including BYU at Utah, Miami at Notre Dame, Georgia at Ole Miss, but if Oregon and Ohio State are undefeated, this will be the most impactful and likely the most watched game of the weekend, if Fox doesn't come with a Nooner. NBC has the Canes at the Domers at 7:30 Eastern. I'm hoping for a Ducks vs Bucks kickoff on CBS, with a 3:30 Eastern kickoff. Ducks win, and we'll hear some vintage Ohio whining. But no rest for OBD. Oregon flies home to play Michigan.

AP No. 12 Texas Tech is predicted to win the B12 again. SP+ ranks TT preseason No. 7 and ranks the Red Raiders' strength of schedule 71st among 138 FBS teams and 68 Power 4 teams. Bozo the Clown could QB TT and win the Big 12 title. AP NewsNo. 12 Texas Tech expects repeat after 1st Big 12 title a...Texas Tech expects to do it again after winning its first Big 12 championship and making the 12-team College Football Playoff last season.

Rick Neuheisel predicts the Buckeyes will win the B1G conference title in 2026. A title Ohio State has not won since 2020. Who knew! Fine with me if the championship game is a rematch of the 2025 game between Indiana and Ohio State; Oregon as the 5th or 6th seed would be perfect. Give me a 1st-round game in Autzen vs the 12th or 11th seed. CBS Sports' 'Inside College Football' with Rick as one of the anchors is on Tuesday nights during the regular season. In my opinion, Inside College Football is the best of the weekly CFB programs. No bias shown to one conference or another. Although in the Big Ten Preview show, Rick noted that since CBS went B1G, the conference has won three Nattys, and some other conference once affiliated with CBS has won none. 😍 CFB-HQ On SIRick Neuheisel Makes Big Ten Championship Prediction Ahea...Some of college football's strongest powers in 2026 reside in the Big Ten. The 2026 preseason AP poll slotted Ohio State and Oregon as the two best teams in the

And the beatdown of the NCAA goes on. The first thing we do is ... Greg, if this ruling is sustained, where are most of the once-former NFL players coming home to play another season of NIL ball? I wish I was in the land of cotton. 🤬

Thanks, Steven A, for a post that had me LOL. 🤪 Poh wittle QB. Think Johnny Football would have liked to make a trip, no matter how long and how far, to find the gold at the end of today's NIL rainbow, and make-the-money A&M QB Marcel Reed (who can't hold Johnny's jock) is being paid to play? In other news: Jeff Bezos's wife is forcing him to redecorate his entire fleet of private aircraft, including the latest addition, an $80 million Gulfstream G700. What's next? Hiring Chip and Joanna to redecorate his fleet of Yachts? Some guys can't catch a break. 😁

Forum Brothers and Sisters, can we all give Matt Hayes an: AMEN! https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2026/08/20/big-ten-proves-sec-football-strength-of-schedule-narrative-a-myth/91380865007/?utm_source=usatoday-sports-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_ca

CFB Cha-Cha-Cha Changes. The players best be dressed in patches. Cha-Ching! 🤑 As always, when it comes to CFB, Oregon is Progressive. [Photo Caption - With this schedule, our Domes are Golden; there'll be no sobbing come December. 😁] AP NewsA new college football season brings CFP tweaks, new rule...The college football season is bringing changes and excitement. The College Football Playoff has updated its format, granting automatic bids to champions of the Power Four conferences.

At LSU, It Just Means More? Rick Neuheisel says: Not So Fast. CFB-HQ On SIRick Neuheisel Puts College Football Powerhouse's 2026 Hy...Preseason hype is as much part of college football’s annual ritual as the first top 25 poll or the games themselves, and this time of year finds all kinds of br

Wilner does a terrific job of covering college athletics in the West and nationally.

DB? Or not DB? The only difference between 2nd-ranked Oregon and No. 1 Notre Dame is that Oregon will face decent teams and top QBs this season. CFB stats are affected (infected?) by a program's strength of schedule. The only team on ND's 2026 schedule with similar talent is Miami, and the game will be played in South Bend. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-footballs-top-20-defensive-back-units-for-2026?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=athlon_thearena&utm_content=&hashed_em

The Sporting News' List of the Top 25 All-time College Football Personalities Includes a Shout Out for Puddles. (I guess TSN's Bill Bender Ducked the Puddles Memo? 😁) SN 140: Ranking the 25 greatest college football personal...Johnny Football. Bear Bryant. Keith Jackson. Let's pay tribute.