The Aggies (11-1) are 3.5-point favorites over the Hurricanes (10-2) in the No. 7 vs. No. 10 matchup, according to the latest college football odds. Both Texas A&M and Miami rank top-20 in scoring. The Hurricanes’ defense allows roughly 8 fewer points per game (13.8) than the Aggies’ unit (21.9). But in what should be a tight, back-and-forth affair, David Pollack is giving the edge to Texas A&M.

“[This game is a] coin flip,” Pollack said on his See Ball Get Ball podcast. “But Texas A&M’s at home. And that matters to me, so I’ll take A&M… [the Aggies] get to use the crowd to their advantage.”

Pollack also pointed to Marcel Reed’s athleticism as reason for the Aggies to beat the Hurricanes. He believes Reed avoiding Miam’s intense pass rush and creating big plays through the air — as opposed to racking up rushing yards — will enable Texas A&M to win.

“Marcel Reed’s ability to… extend plays, scramble and throw… to dodge [Akheem] Mesidor, dodge [Reuben] Bain [Jr.] and make a play down the field, is the difference in the game,” Pollack said.

The Hurricanes enter play on a 4-game winning streak with a margin of victory of at least 17 points in each of those affairs. The Aggies lost to the rival Texas Longhorns in their regular season finale to miss out on an undefeated regular season and SEC Championship game appearance. Miami has the momentum, but Texas A&M has the friendly confines.

Kickoff between the Hurricanes and Aggies is set for 12:00 p.m. E.T. on Saturday, Dec. 20 (ABC).

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Unsurprisingly, only 1 Group of 5 team (2021 Cincinnati, No. 46) earned a top-50 ranking. His worst team is also a Group of 5 school, but probably not the one you think.

Counting down his list from worst to best, Connelly pegged the 2025 Tulane Green Wave — this year’s No. 11 seed — as the worst CFP team in the sport’s history. Their No. 64 ranking is 4 lower than James Madison, who earned the No. 12 seed this year. Here’s Connelly’s reasoning:

Jon Sumrall’s final Tulane team is adaptable and resilient and certainly clears a physicality bar that not every awesome Group of 5 team might. But the Green Wave’s two losses — 45-10 against first-round opponent Ole Miss, 48-26 at UTSA — were a sign that when things go awry, the ceiling is much, much lower than what we might expect from a playoff team.

Tulane is obviously not a bad team, but the Green Wave are definitely lacking when compared to the likes of 2019 LSU, 2020 Alabama and others. Regardless, Ole Miss probably wishes the Green Wave didn’t have this news to motivate them ahead of their Saturday afternoon battle (3:30 p.m. E.T., TNT).

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If DeBoer were looking to get out of Tuscaloosa, Michigan represents a logical landing spot. Even though DeBoer seemingly squashed speculation that he’s interested in the Wolverines’ gig on Monday, ESPN’s Heather Dinich won’t be convinced until Michigan actually announces a new head coach.

“I will put an end to the speculation when the coaching search ends,” Dinich said on Get Up. “Do you remember Lincoln Riley standing up at the podium and saying, ‘I will not be the head coach at LSU.’ And then, 24 hours later, he was the head coach at USC. I realize it’s a different situation, but if Alabama loses to Oklahoma… I am going for Kalen DeBoer, because he would be the best option.”

Dinich admitted DeBoer’s successor at Washington, Jedd Fisch, might be Michigan’s “most realistic option.”

If Alabama beats Oklahoma in the first round of the CFP, it’s a safe bet that he won’t be going anywhere. A Crimson Tide loss, though, could potentially lead to his exit. If the Wolverines want him in Ann Arbor that badly, they’ll need to root for the Sooners.

Alabama and Oklahoma will kick off at 8:00 p.m. E.T. (ABC) on Friday night.

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Most everyone in college football knows Pavia’s post was in poor taste. That includes 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, who isn’t ready for forgive Pavia for his foolish mistake.

“I’m one of those [Heisman] voters, Diego,” Newton said during Monday’s episode of First Take. “Bro, that was classless. That was senseless. And to be in the position that you’re in… having aspirations to go to the NFL Draft. To not think that this will be brought up is terrible.”

To make matters worse, Pavia’s post came from a club. Newton expressed that he’d be shocked if his management of the situation doesn’t impact his standing in NFL circles.

“Everything is not supposed to be publicized or posted… you don’t get no cool points for saying that,” Newton said. “You don’t handle business like that, especially if you want to be a potential franchise quarterback.”

Pavia’s final game as Vanderbilt‘s quarterback comes versus Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Kickoff between the Commodores and Hawkeyes is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. E.T. (ESPN).

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According to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, the Aggies are hiring former Arkansas defensive coordinator Travis Williams as their linebackers coach. Williams, 42, was in Fayetteville for roughly 2-and-a-half years before being fired during the 2025 season. As Zenitz notes, he is regarded as one of the top recruiters in college football.

Prior to his time at Arkansas, Williams worked at Auburn (2009-11, 2014-20) and UCF (2021-22). He held various roles, including defensive analyst and linebackers coach, over the course of his Tigers’ tenure.

When at Auburn as a player, Williams earned 2-time All-SEC second team recognition. He spent one season in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons (2007), recording 7 tackles. His biggest career highlight was a 37-yard run on a fake punt in Week 16 of that schedule. His conversion made him Atlanta’s leading rusher in the game.

Williams will presumably get started working for the Aggies as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Elko and Co. will continue preparing for their first-round College Football Playoff tussle with Miami. Kickoff for the contest is set for 12:00 p.m. E.T. on Saturday, Dec. 20 (ABC).

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Vanderbilt (No. 13) is the conference’s highest-ranked team. The Commodores, under head coach Mark Byington, are 10-0 following a victory over Central Arkansas on Saturday. They won the Battle 4 Atlantic during Feast Week and are the SEC’s last unbeaten squad. Arkansas (No. 14) slots right behind Vandy following an impressive 93-85 triumph over then-No. 16 Texas Tech. The Razorbacks had the second-biggest jump (+3) of any team in the AP poll, worse than only Nebraska (+8).

Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn and Florida all remain in the top 25. They were joined by Georgia, who snared the No. 25 spot. The Bulldogs (9-1) are ranked in back-to-back seasons for the second time this century (2001-02 & 2002-03) after an 84-65 drubbing of Cincinnati. You can see the full AP poll below:

• No. 1 – Arizona
• No. 2 – Michigan
• No. 3 – Duke
• No. 4 – Iowa State
• No. 5 – UCONN
• No. 6 – Purdue
• No. 7 – Gonzaga
• No. 8 – Houston
• No. 9 – Michigan State
• No. 10 – BYU
• No. 11 – Louisville
• No. 12 – North Carolina
• No. 13 – Vanderbilt
• No. 14 – Arkansas
• No. 15 – Nebraska
• No. 16 – Alabama
• No. 17 – Kansas
• No. 18 – Illinois
• No. 19 – Texas Tech
• No. 20 – Tennessee
• No. 21 – Auburn
• No. 22 – St. John’s
• No. 23 (Tied) – Florida
• No. 23 (Tied) – Virginia
• No. 25 Georgia

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According to CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer, Lagway’s transfer came after “initial meetings” between he and Florida’s new staff “did not go well.” Prior to those conversations, the talented quarterback apparently wanted to remain with the Gators.

Here’s an excerpt of Hummer’s story, which includes details on the split:

New Florida head coach Jon Sumrall questioned who Lagway is as a football player. The new staff opted to challenge the high-priced quarterback, pushing him on his competitiveness and work ethic. Others around Florida describe Lagway as a very hard worker, someone who can be seen running around campus in the early hours most days. Lagway wasn’t looking for a guarantee of a starting role. He wanted to hear he’d be developed and what that plan looked like. Lagway felt like that wasn’t presented by the new Florida brass.

Lagway knows he hasn’t entirely lived up to the billing as the 247Sports Composite’s No. 7 overall player of the 2024 class. He wants to get better and (presumably) position himself to be a high NFL Draft pick.

However, Lagway seemingly no longer believes Florida offers his best chance at accomplishing that goal, so he’s heading elsewhere. Meanwhile, Sumrall will have to find a new quarterback once his College Football Playoff run with Tulane reaches its conclusion.

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Early Monday morning, Lagway announced plans to enter the transfer portal. Hours later, On3’s Pete Nakos reported that 3 teams — Baylor, LSU and Miami — were “early schools to watch” in the pursuit of Lagway.

An LSU-Lagway partnership would be immensely intriguing. With Garrett Nussmeier headed to the NFL Draft, new head coach Lane Kiffin needs a dynamic signal-caller for his Tigers’ offense. Lagway has not met expectations so far, but working with Kiffin could help him unlock another level of his game. He need only look at Ole Miss, where Kiffin helped Trinidad Chambliss — a Division II Ferris State transfer — post great numbers, to see what’s possible in that system.

Lagway was the No. 7 overall player in 247Sports Composite Rankings of the 2024 class. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin is the only quarterback who slotted ahead of him. His talent is undeniable. Nothing is set in stone, but the possibility of Lagway and Kiffin together will be something to monitor.

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On Monday, On3 Sports’ Hayes Fawcett reported Gator running back Kahnen “KD” Daniels was entering the transfer portal. The former 4-star recruit was the No. 203 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite Rankings for the 2024 class.

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Daniels saw limited playing time as a true freshman in Gainesville, but earned more carries this year. He rushed for 120 yards and 1 touchdown on 28 carries (4.3 yards per carry) in 10 games.

During his high school recruiting process, Daniels took visits to Florida State, Auburn and Texas A&M in the month leading up to his Florida commitment. He also received offers from a number of higher-level programs, including Alabama, Oregon and Ole Miss. Despite not getting much action as a Gator, he should have plenty of suitors in the transfer portal.

While Sumrall and Daniels handle their respective business, Florida is waiting for the 2026 campaign. The Gators will open next season versus the Florida Atlantic Owls on Sept. 5.

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On Monday, Tulane announced that Sumrall and his wife, Ginny, were making a $100,000 donation to the Green Wave Talent Fund. The Green Wave Talent Fund is Tulane’s “initiative to expand Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for Tulane student-athletes and is a critical component in ensuring on-field success while empowering Green Wave coaches to recruit and compete at the highest level.”

“Tulane University and New Orleans are special to me and my family,” Sumrall said in a press release. “Ginny and I are honored to support the Green Wave Talent Fund because we believe in the vision of Tulane Athletics and want to contribute to the continued success of its student-athletes. The future is incredibly bright, and we are excited for Will Hall and his family to be part of it.”

Tulane heads to Oxford for a regular season rematch with Ole Miss for its first-ever CFP game. Kickoff between the Green Wave and Rebels is set for 3:30 p.m. E.T. on Saturday, Dec. 20 (TNT).

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On Saturday afternoon, CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer reported Stein is hiring Cutter Leftwich — the Ducks’ assistant OL coach and run game coordinator — as an offensive assistant for the Wildcats. Leftwich, a graduate of McNeese State in 2020, has spent time on staff at North Texas and UCLA, among other schools, in addition to Oregon.

Kentucky’s coaching staff has undergone drastic turnover with the firing of Mark Stoops and the hiring of Stein. Former defensive coordinator Brad White joined Jon Sumrall at Florida shortly after Stoops’ departure. Meanwhile, offensive line coach Eric Wolford went to LSU. Stein hired Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman for the same position as White’s replacement. Now, Leftwich will help fill Wolford’s void.

At Oregon, Stein and Leftwich face the James Madison Dukes in the first round of the CFP on Saturday, Dec. 20 (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT). Their first game as Wildcats comes versus Youngstown State on Sept. 5, 2026.

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According to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, the Gators have hired UCF defensive backs coach Brandon Harris. The 35-year-old was being courted by Florida State, but new head coach Jon Sumrall managed to steal him away.

Harris has spent the bulk of his career, both playing and coaching, in the Sunshine state. Once he coaches his first game in Gainesville, he’ll have played or coached for every FBS school in the state besides South Florida:

• Player – Miami (2008-10)
• Coach – FIU (2019 & 2021)
• Coach – Florida State (2020)
• Coach – Florida Atlantic (2022-24)
• Coach – UCF (2025)
• Coach – Florida (2026)

Harris was also a member of the Miami Dolphins during training camp in 2016. Florida fans are happy to have him on the coaching staff, but are even more excited about his addition knowing Sumrall essentially poached him from the Seminoles.

With Harris and Sumrall in tow, the Gators are ready to make their climb back toward the top of the SEC. The duo will make their Florida coaching debuts on Sept. 5 versus Florida Atlantic.

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On Thursday, head coach Shane Beamer officially hired Kendal Briles as his new offensive coordinator. Briles has been around the block as an OC, calling plays at 6 different schools prior to the Gamecocks. One of those stops was Arkansas, where he coached former Gamecock running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. According to Beamer, Sanders gave a glowing endorsement of Briles for the job.

“If I said the name ‘Kendal Briles’ to you, what would you say?” Beamer told reporters on Friday when recounting his and Sanders’ conversation. “He didn’t hesitate; he said, ‘Get. It. Done.'”

"Get. It. Done."

Shane Beamer says he called a lot of coaches and players during his search for a new offensive coordinator. On a call with @raheim_sanders Rocket emphatically told him to hire Kendal Briles, who coached him back at Arkansas.@abc_columbia pic.twitter.com/zPvgTfsRVK

— Noah Chast (@NoahChastTV) December 12, 2025

Briles spent the past 3 years at TCU following his run with the Razorbacks. The Horned Frogs averaged more than 30 points per game in each of his 3 seasons there.

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Late Thursday morning, Cisse told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that he would be foregoing his senior season and entering the 2026 NFL Draft. The 20-year-old cornerback was recently mocked as the No. 29 overall pick to the Seattle Seahawks by ESPN’s Field Yates. Pro Football Focus has Cisse ranked as its No. 18 overall prospect.

Cisse recorded 65 combined tackles, 10 pass defense, 3 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions and a forced fumble in his collegiate career. Half of Cisse’s PBUs came in his lone season at South Carolina.

Yates classified Cisse as an “ascending corner” in his Dec. 10 mock draft:

Cisse is an ascending corner who showed off impressive man coverage skills after transferring from NC State in the spring. He broke up 10 passes over the past two seasons, allowing a completion percentage under 40% in 2025. He’s extremely comfortable lining up opposite bigger-bodied perimeter wide receivers, which could be asked of him in Mike Macdonald’s defense.

A lot could change between today and draft day, but a cornerback duo of Cisse and Devon Witherspoon would be tantalizing for Seattle. The 2026 NFL Draft begins on Apr. 23.

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According to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Auburn is hiring Larry Porter to be its running backs coach. Porter, who just wrapped up his first season with the Mountaineers, coached tight ends for the Tigers from 2017-20.

As a team, West Virginia averaged 3.8 yards per carry in 2025. The Mountaineers didn’t have a single player run for more than 400 yards this season. Their leading rusher, Diore Hubbard, recorded 335 yards on the ground.

Jeremiah Cobb fell just short of 1,000 yards (979) for the Tigers this season. Auburn posted 4.8 yards per carry in 2025, a full yard less than South Florida — Alex Golesh‘s former team — averaged (5.8). However, the bulk of the Bulls’ rushing production came from quarterback Byrum Brown. He had 1,008 rushing yards in the regular season. Running back Nykahi Davenport led South Florida’s tailbacks in rushing yards (603).

With the Tigers and Mountaineers both failing to earn bowl eligibility, Porter is seemingly cleared to begin his new duties as soon as possible. Auburn plays Baylor at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA to open the 2026 campaign (Sept. 5).

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According to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman will be taking the DC role at Kentucky when the Aggies’ CFP run concludes. Bateman, who joined Elko in College Station in 2024 following 2 seasons as Florida‘s inside linebackers coach, replaces Brad White, who headed to the Gators to be Jon Sumrall‘s defensive coordinator after the Wildcats fired Mark Stoops.

Zenitz adds that Bateman is making the move so he can be a defensive play-caller again. Elko has called plays for Texas A&M this season.

The Black Knights never allowed more than 22.0 points per game during Bateman’s final 3 years (2016-18) as their DC. They ranked top-16 in points per game allowed in 2 of those 3 campaigns.

Bateman is the second major coordinator hire for new Kentucky head coach Will Stein. The Wildcats named former LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan as their OC back on Dec. 4. Stein will continue rounding out his staff in the coming weeks while navigating a CFP run as Oregon’s offensive coordinator. Bateman and the Aggies battle the Miami Hurricanes at 12:00 p.m. ET (ABC) on Saturday, Dec. 20. Stein’s Ducks host the James Madison Dukes at 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT) the same day.

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In the grand scheme of things, this is not a big deal. But ESPN’s Steve Coughlin — more commonly known as “Stanford Steve” — is confused as to how Ole Miss finished ahead of Texas A&M in the CFP rankings. He made his stance clear on the latest episode of the SV Pod.

“The idea that Ole Miss is ranked higher than [Texas] A&M, I have a serious problem with,” he said. “When you look at resumes, strength of record or strength of schedule, Ole Miss is in the forties! Also… you got a rematch in Oxford. So just make A&M [No.] 6… they’re more deserving, in my opinion.”

The Aggies may have had better metrics on their sheet, but they lacked a major win beyond their triumph over Notre Dame. The Rebels’ victory at Oklahoma — who made the CFP over the Fighting Irish — was supported by a home thrashing of Tulane, another CFP bid winner. Meanwhile, Texas A&M did not have a win over a second CFP Top 25 team. The Aggies and Rebels both make their CFP debuts on Saturday, Dec. 20.

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Per reports, 7 different 5-7 teams passed on bowl opportunities in 2025. Before that septet were even presented possible bowl berths, Notre Dame (10-2), Iowa State (8-4) and Kansas State (6-6) all opted out of bowl contests, meaning we had 10 schools decline to participate in bowl games. And Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz doesn’t understand why.

During a Monday morning appearance on Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich, Drinkwitz blasted the institutions that opted out of bowl season.

“People say, ‘anytime, anywhere.’ I guess some people mean it [and] some people don’t,” Drinkwitz said. “For us… this is a heck of an opportunity.”

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Drinkwitz saying he’s fired up may have been an understatement. He told Dakich it’s “awesome” that his team gets to play in Jacksonville at an NFL stadium. He used the same description when talking about his Gator Bowl foe, Virginia.

“Bowl games are really determined by 2 things. One, the location. What an awesome location… and then the second one is the opponent that you get. What an awesome thing to get to play the ACC regular season champ, get to play Virginia… that’s a quality team.”

The Tigers’ head coach added that “you never know when the last time you’ll get to play football is.”

His actions show he’s all about maximizing those chances for his players, which is something they surely appreciate. Missouri and Virginia will face off in the Gator Bowl at 7:30 p.m. E.T. on Saturday, Dec. 27 (ABC).

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According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Ole Miss has hired East Carolina offensive coordinator John David Baker to be the next Rebels OC. Baker, 35, spent 3 years on staff (2021-23) as Ole Miss’ tight ends coach before joining the Pirates in 2024.

Baker’s offenses at East Carolina were fairly prolific. The Pirates averaged 32.0 points per game — 34th in the nation — last season. They improved to 33.5 points per game — 24th-best in the country — this year. Baker’s offense had a 3-week stretch of 40-plus point performances from Oct. 16-Nov. 8 and dropped another 40-piece to wrap up regular season play on Nov. 29.

East Carolina won 8 games in both 2024 and 2025 thanks in part to Baker’s contributions. Ole Miss’ expectations will obviously be higher, especially considering the prolific attack Rebel fans had grown to love under their previous regime. Baker’s return should allow the team to maintain a semblance of continuity in its playbook and (hopefully) put points on the board in bunches again next year.

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New head coach Alex Golesh was asked about Auburn’s decision during his Monday press conference. He attributed the Tigers’ choice to not play partly due to his presence on campus, mentioning that he has no ties or experience with coaching this year’s squad.

“If it had happened a week ago, and our guys were all here, and the staff that was previously here was still here … I think that would have been realistic,” Golesh said. “There’s so much staff turnover that it would be hard to truly be able put it all together and be competitive … would you love to go compete and win a game? Absolutely. But the timing of it all? Just not realistic.”

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None of Auburn’s current players committed to the Tigers to play for Golesh, who has brought a good chunk of his South Florida staff to the Plains. He’s right that the lack of familiarity between his coaches and these players, even with multiple weeks of prep time, would make it incredibly difficult to field a competitive bunch.

As a result of this decision, the next time the Tigers will play a game that counts for something is 2026.

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The Rebels beat the Green Wave 45-10 back on Sept. 20. Ole Miss, of course, had head coach Lane Kiffin for that game. Kiffin will be on a couch in Baton Rouge when the Green Wave roll into Oxford this go-round.

Meanwhile, Pete Golding has never been the head coach in a college football contest. That change could give Tulane’s upset chances a big boost, but ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg doesn’t see it happening. In his CFP and bowl predictions piece, he picked Ole Miss to prevail 34-16.

Here’s Rittenberg’s analysis:

Tulane defended North Texas extremely well in the American Conference championship game, forcing five turnovers and holding the Mean Green to seven points until the final minute of the third quarter. Golding’s defense gave Tulane problems in the first matchup… [and] Tulane struggled to defend Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss… in the first meeting. Sumrall’s team will play a bit better this time, but Ole Miss overcomes a slow start to pull away.

Whoever wins the Tulane-Ole Miss affair will advance to the Sugar Bowl to face No. 3 Georgia. The Bulldogs represent the Rebels’ lone loss this season.

Getting a chance to avenge that defeat and prove to the world they don’t need Lane Kiffin to win is a heck of a motivating factor, but Jon Sumrall isn’t just going to slink away to Florida. Kickoff between Tulane and Ole Miss is Saturday, Dec. 20 at 3:30 p.m. E.T. (TNT).

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Miami (10-2) snuck into the CFP at the Fighting Irish’s expense after defeating them 27-24 in Week 1. Texas A&M (11-1) made the CFP thanks in-part to its 41-40 victory over Notre Dame in Week 3. Now, the Hurricanes and Aggies will face off in College Station for the right to battle Ohio State in the CFP Quartefinals.

This is both Miami’s and Texas A&M’s first-ever CFP appearance. That’s a tremendous accomplishment, but both school’s fanbases want more and only 1 of them can get it. Based on his CFP and bowl predictions piece, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg believes it will be the Hurricanes who earn a 31-28 victory.

Here’s an excerpt of Rittenberg’s analysis:

Kyle Field is always electric and should help Texas A&M in its first CFP game, but Miami should benefit from the earlier start time, rather than having to deal with the 12th Man at night. Both teams have tremendous talent at wide receiver and playmaking quarterbacks… but Miami’s improved defense under coordinator Corey Hetherman should provide the Canes an edge in this game… the Hurricanes force a late takeaway and get out of Aggieland with a [31-28] win.

The Aggies are 3.5-point favorites in this game according to DraftKings. Miami and Texas A&M will kick off at 12:00 p.m. E.T. on Saturday, Dec. 20 (ABC).

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Tennessee went from allowing 16.1 points per game — 7th-best in the country — in 2024 to 28.8 points per game in 2025 (92nd). The drop off led the school to fire defensive coordinator Tim Banks on Monday.

Tennessee’s press release announcing the news came shortly after news of the move broke. Head coach Josh Heupel thanked Banks for his contributions and called his dismissal a “tough decision” in his statement on the matter.

I want to thank Tim for everything he has done for Tennessee the last five seasons. He helped restore our program to national prominence. More importantly, Tim is a great man of character and someone I have the utmost respect for. We wish Tim all the best moving forward. These are tough decisions but one I ultimately felt was necessary for the future of our program. We are fully committed to identifying our next defensive coordinator who will uphold the standard that Tennessee has historically been known for.

Linebackers coach William Inge will serve as the Vols’ defensive coordinator for their bowl game.

Inge, a former co-DC at Washington (2022-23) and DC at Fresno State (2020-21), joined Tennessee’s staff in 2024. The Volunteers will face the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Music City Bowl at 5:30 p.m. E.T. on Tuesday, Dec. 30 (ESPN).

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The Fighting Irish’s subsequent decision to decline bowl invitations has not been well received. On Monday’s episode of Get Up, Paul Finebaum lit into Notre Dame for its move.

“The crying from Notre Dame is, quite frankly, embarrassing. Everything Notre Dame has done since the moment this was announced is really beneath a great institution that should stand for principles,” Finebaum said. “Instead, they cried that they didn’t get their way and then they said, ‘we’re going home…’ like a 5-year-old.”

Finebaum added that he believes the committee got it right by picking the Miami Hurricanes over the Fighting Irish for the last at-large spot. When explaining why, he ripped them even further.

“Notre Dame had very little to show on its resume,” he said. “Had they joined the ACC — which they, by the way, are a member of in every other sport — they would have played for the ACC Championship game. They would be in the playoff today. And they wouldn’t be a bunch of sniveling crybabies, and really… the laughingstock of college football.”

The College Football Playoff will begin on Dec. 19 when No. 9 Alabama faces No. 8 Oklahoma (8:00 p.m. E.T., ESPN).

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And we’ll see 2 SEC schools take center stage to open the event when No. 9 Alabama (10-3) and No. 8 Oklahoma (10-2) collide in Norman on Dec. 19.

The Sooners have already played and defeated the Crimson Tide once this season. Oklahoma prevailed 23-21 over Alabama on Nov. 15 on the back of 3 takeaways. The Crimson Tide outgained the Sooners by nearly 200 yards (406 to 212) in the contest, but fell short due to those aforementioned turnovers and a missed field goal.

Alabama held the ball for 9 more minutes than Oklahoma in their first matchup. But the locale — and the stakes — are different for this playoff battle. Fittingly, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg sees a different winner emerging from it. In his CFP and bowl predictions piece, he picked the Crimson Tide to beat the Sooners 20-17.

Here’s an excerpt of his analysis:

Alabama was clearly worn down toward the end of the season, not looking impressive in its victory at Auburn, and being held scoreless for more than 47 minutes against Georgia in the SEC championship. But teams that squeak into the CFP can gain some momentum from being granted a second life… Quarterback Ty Simpson has a chance to reset and reclaim his accuracy, and running back Jam Miller will likely return for the CFP. Coach Kalen DeBoer and the Tide are no strangers to this stage, and they’ll find a way to win a close one.

The Sooners are currently 1.5-point home underdogs, per the latest college football betting lines. Alabama and Oklahoma will kick off the CFP at 8:00 p.m. E.T. on Dec. 19 (ABC).

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Beamer knows he won’t be in Columbia beyond 2026 if he can’t get things back on track. For this reason, he’s wasting no time in trying to fix what ailed South Carolina in 2025. He reportedly dismissed running back coach Marquel Blackwell on Thursday. Blackwell marks the 3rd offensive assistant has let go, joining offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley (Oct. 12) and offensive coordinator Mike Shula (Nov. 2).

Marquel Blackwell has been dismissed as South Carolina’s running backs coach, per @GamecockCentral https://t.co/9SGUpwIvKy

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) December 4, 2025

The Gamecocks’ offense was one of the worst in the country in 2025 despite boasting preseason Heisman candidate LaNorris Sellers. South Carolina averaged just 22.7 points per game this season, a total that ranked 104th out of 136 FBS teams and 14th in the SEC, ahead of only LSU (21.8) and Florida (21.6).

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Texas A&M announced Thursday that Baker has signed with the Aggies. The Fairburn, GA native ran for 1,282 yards on 124 carries (8.8 yards per carry) at Langston Hughes High School in his senior season.

Baker is the No. 211 overall player in 247Sports Composite rankings of the 2026 class. The 247Sports Composite lists him as the No. 15 running back and No. 23 player from Georgia.

At 6-foot-1, 195 lbs., Baker is speed demon. He reportedly ran multiple 10.6 second 100-meter dashes as a junior. In time, his impact on Texas A&M’s offense could resemble that of DeVon Achane, who ran for 1,102 yards in 2022. No Aggie has reached 800 rushing yards — let alone 1,000 yards — since Achane did so that season.

Texas A&M’s 2026 recruiting class currently ranks ninth in the country and fifth in the SEC. Baker and KJ Edwards (No. 46 overall in the 247Sports Composite) are the lone running back commits of Mike Elko‘s 26-man group. The Aggies (11-1, 7-1 SEC) will learn who they’ll be facing in the College Football Playoff on Sunday, Dec. 7.

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According to multiple reports, Billy Napier is in the running to for multiple premier Group of 5 coaching jobs. CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz says Napier is a “person of interest” for the James Madison job. Meanwhile, NOLA.com’s Guerry Smith lists him as 1 of 4 remaining coaches who have interviewed for the Tulane gig.

James Madison’s current head coach, Bob Chesney, is heading to UCLA whenever the Dukes’ season concludes. Tulane’s coach, Jon Sumrall, is replacing Napier at Florida, but will also be finishing the season with the Green Wave before taking his new post.

Chesney and Sumrall earned their Power 4 gigs because they have their current schools in College Football Playoff contention. Napier never managed to get the Gators into the CFP hunt, but it’s clear James Madison and Tulane think he could help them keep their momentum. The Ragin’ Cajuns finished top-16 in both the 2020 and 2021 AP polls under Napier his final 2 years there, so there’s evidence to support their belief.

Both the Dukes and Green Wave host conference championship games on Friday night. JMU battles Troy for the Sun Belt Championship at 7:00 p.m. ET (ESPN), while Tulane welcomes North Texas to town at 8:00 p.m. ET (ABC).

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According to Matt Moscana, Lane Kiffin has hired Eric Wolford to be his offensive line coach. Wolford has been in the SEC for the past 9 years, with stints at Alabama, South Carolina and Kentucky. He also has NFL experience and has been coaching for 3 decades.

Wolford’s time at Alabama (2022-23) does not line up with Kiffin’s (2014-16), but both men worked under Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa. Considering all the conversation Kiffin claims to have had with Saban as he was deciding where to coach in 2026, it’s possible Wolford’s name came up. When the Wildcats fired Mark Stoops, the door presumably opened for Kiffin to get him on the phone.

Part of the reason national pundits believe Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU was the Tigers’ recruiting abilities. LSU’s historical success — and the desire of in-state recruits to be Tigers — not only gives the school a leg up on the recruiting trail, but helps in luring coaches to Baton Rouge as well. Kiffin sacrificed a championship chase in 2025 for the opportunity to (potentially) be a more consistent CFP contender in the years ahead. Wolford will be key to making that vision come true.

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Clark Lea and Diego Pavia believe Vanderbilt should be in the CFP with its current resume. They can see the reality of their situation, but they’re not taking it lying down. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Commodores, “explored the possibility of playing an exempt 13th game this weekend as a way to give one final showcase for the College Football Playoff.”

College football teams are allowed to play an official 13th regular-season game if they play 1 of their typical 12 contests in Hawaii. The Commodores would have had to convince another CFP bubble team — like Miami or Utah — to battle them, then coordinate both stadium availability and a flight to Hawaii for nearly 100 people — if not more — in record time to make this work. Any theoretical opponent would have had to do the same. It’s borderline impossible to execute such a plan on limited notice, but Lea isn’t kidding around.

Yesterday, Pavia called upon President Trump to force the CFP into a 16-team event via executive order. Unfortunately, that’s less feasible than a trip to Hawaii on 2 days’ notice. As a result, the Commodores will have to say aloha to their 2025 CFP chances.

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On Wednesday, Nickerson — a 4-star edge defender — flipped his commitment from Missouri to Mississippi State. The Magnolia, MS native had been committed to the Tigers since late September, but signed his letter of intent with the Bulldogs this morning.

Nickerson is the No. 286 overall player in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports’ Composite ranking. He’s the No. 29 edge defender and No. 13 player from Mississippi by the same metric. He once held offers from Ole Miss, Auburn, Tulane and Virginia, among others.

Landing Nickerson is a major coup for Jeff Lebby, who has had 17 players sign their letter of intent this morning. Nickerson is the second-highest rated recruit of that group, behind only Zayion Cotton (No. 277).

Bralan Womack, the No. 30 overall player in the 247Sports Composite, would be the gem of Mississippi State’s recruiting class. He has not yet signed his letter of intent, but reportedly decommitted from Auburn to join the Bulldogs on Dec. 1. Seeing Lebby make such headway on the recruiting trail after shaking off a poor finish to the 2025 regular season should have Mississippi State fans excited for the future.

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According to 247Sports’ Benjamin Wolk, linebacker Terrence Penick has committed to the Bulldogs. The Snellville, GA native had been committed to Coastal Carolina since June. But when he got the opportunity to head to Athens, he couldn’t pass it up.

“It honestly feels surreal,” Penick said, per Wolk. “[Georgia] really wanted to take a chance on me out of everybody. So, it was just, it was very, very nice knowing this. I was very gleeful. It was like, it’s like something in me got rejuvenated, like the little kid in me got rejuvenated again.”

Penick, like many in the Peach State, considers Georgia a “dream school.” He did not take a single campus visit after committing to the Chanticleers approximately 5 months ago. It seems likely that had the Bulldogs never come calling, he would have begun his collegiate career in Conway, SC. Instead, he’ll be staying much closer to home and (potentially) be defending an SEC and/or national championship as a true freshman.

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Wednesday morning, 4-star offensive lineman Tyreek Jemison committed to Georgia. The Dallas, GA native — who was once committed to Kentucky — is the No. 234 overall player in 247Sports Composite ranking of the 2026 class.

Jemison, who stands 6-foot-5, 325 lbs., decommitted from the Wildcats in early October. The Bulldogs were the first team to offer Jemison after his separation from Kentucky. He took an official visit to Athens on Nov. 21. He is the fourth-highest rated offensive lineman commit in Georgia’s 2026 class. Ekene Ogboko (No. 71 national player, per 247Sports Composite) is the Bulldogs’ top offensive line recruit.

Georgia has already had 19 players sign their letters of intent today, the first morning of the Early Signing Period. Jemison is not one of them, but he is among 10 “hard commits” that bring Kirby Smart’s recruiting class to 29 total players. The Bulldogs currently boast the SEC’s second-best recruiting class — behind only Alabama — and the No. 6 overall class in the country.

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Corey Barber Jr., a 4-star wide receiver who was committed to Kiffin at Ole Miss, signed with LSU early Wednesday morning. The Pinson, AL native is the No. 169 overall player in 247Sports Composite rankings.

Barber stands at 6-feet and weighs 180 pounds. Outside of the Rebels, he had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Miami, among others.

LSU has already had 7 players sign their Letter of Intent on this first day of the Early Signing Period. Three of those players, including Barber, are wide receivers. Fellow 4-star Jabari Mack (No. 234 overall in the 247Sports Composite) and 3-star Brayden Allen (No. 18 player in Louisiana, per the 247Sports Composite) are the other 2 wideouts.

The Tigers’ 2026 class currently ranks 12th overall and 6th in the SEC. That could change quickly, though, with Kiffin’s presence.

While LSU focuses on scooping up recruits, Ole Miss is pulling double duty. The Rebels’ staff is trying to navigate College Football Playoff preparation and the recruiting trail without the coach who helped raise the program’s floor. Pete Golding seems up for any challenge, but this is undoubtedly a tough time to be thrust into the pilot’s seat.

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Unfortunately, when Kentucky fired Stoops on Monday, their SEC battles came to a screeching halt. Drinkwitz knows Stoops’ final years — and last 2 games — in Lexington weren’t what Big Blue Nation hoped for, but he’s perfectly aware of his impact on the Wildcats’ program. Early Tuesday morning, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to share an appreciation for Stoops’ accomplishments.

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“Mark Stoops is a great man and a terrific football coach and leader. He is well respected by his peers, players, and colleagues!” the Mizzou coach wrote. “He left Ky Football better than he found it! All the best as you begin a new chapter!”

Stoops finished his Kentucky career with an 82-80 record. He went 80-70 in his final 12 seasons, the middle 8 of which he took the Wildcats to a bowl game. He won 10 games twice (2018 & 2021), matching Kentucky’s total amount of double-digit win campaigns prior to his arrival.

Like Stoops in Lexington, Drinkwitz is making his own mark at Mizzou. He has orchestrated 2 of the Tigers’ 8 10-win campaigns in 6 years at the helm in Columbia. If Drinkwitz can lead Missouri to victory in its bowl game, he’ll become the first head coach in program history to win 9 or more games in 3 consecutive seasons. The Tigers will learn which bowl game they’re headed to — and who their opponent is — on Sunday, Dec. 7.

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If the Crimson Tide fail to beat the Bulldogs this weekend, they’re still in solid shape to reach the CFP. However, nothing would be guaranteed, especially if BYU beat Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship game. But even if the Cougars upset the Red Raiders and Alabama loses, Paul Finebaum believes the Crimson Tide deserve to be in the CFP. He told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins as much during last night’s episode of The Source.

“If [Alabama doesn’t] make the Playoff [if it loses to Georgia]… I will be back here next Monday calling for a federal investigation of how Alabama lost out,” Finebaum said. “And I hope you’ll be supporting me in that.”

Collins said she would “unequivocally” back Finebaum if necessary.

ESPN’s Football Power Index currently gives Alabama a 66.5% chance of making the CFP. That is the 10th-highest percentage in the country, behind the 8 presumed locks — Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, Georgia, Texas Tech, Oregon, Ole Miss and Oklahoma — and Notre Dame (83.2%). Where the Crimson Tide rank in Tuesday’s penultimate CFP rankings will dictate how desperately they need an SEC Championship victory to ultimately make the bracket. Those rankings will be unveiled at 7:00 p.m. E.T. on ESPN.

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Following the reports of his flip from the Bulldogs to the Commodores, Curtis took to X (formerly Twitter) and declared he “didn’t know where” all the commotion about him changing destinations “is coming from.” He said he “hasn’t spoken” to either school yet and would keep fans posted on his decision.

Curtis, a Nashville native, would be the best recruit in Vanderbilt history if he chooses to stay in his hometown. His commitment to the Commodores would send shockwaves through the sport and give even more legitimacy to Clark Lea‘s 2-year run with Diego Pavia. Conversely, Curtis remaining with Georgia would position Kirby Smart to maintain the well-oiled machine he has built in Athens.

Despite Curtis’ public proclamation, both 247Sports and On3 are listing him as a Vanderbilt commit at the time of this piece’s publication. On3 Sports’ Hayes Fawcett initially broke the news of Curtis’ flip, and cited the young signal-caller as his source. Until Curtis officially signs on the dotted line for either institution, though, it’s anyone’s guess as to which spot he’ll begin his college career.

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On Tuesday afternoon, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported Sumrall is hiring former Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White to the same position for the Gators. White seemingly became open to a change after the Wildcats dismissed Mark Stoops, whom he had coached under since 2018.

White’s track record speaks for itself. He oversaw top-25 defenses for 4 straight non-COVID seasons (2018-19, 2021-22) in Lexington. Kentucky allowed fewer than 20 points per game in 3 of those aforementioned campaigns.

Sumrall was a linebacker’s coach under White for 3 seasons (2019-21). One can assume they share similar defensive principles and visions for what the unit can become with the Gators’ enhanced recruiting abilities. Together, they should be able to create a stout Florida defense.

While landing White is a boon for Sumrall, he can’t stop there. Gators fans won’t be moved off their initial stance of his hire until he finds a difference-making offensive coordinator. But in roughly 48 hours on the job, he’s off to a good start.

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Herbstreit took to X (formerly Twitter) to discuss Alabama’s decision and what it could mean is on the horizon for college football at-large. He expects more major programs to follow the Crimson Tide’s lead and book more “cupcake” opponents in the non-conference due to the apparent emphasis on quantity of wins (rather than quality of wins) from the College Football Playoff committee.

South Florida likely won’t be the same beast next season that it was this year now that Alex Golesh is at Auburn. Regardless, a matchup with the Bulls — an American conference member — is inherently riskier than one with the Mocs or Marshall Thundering Herd, whom Alabama added to its 2027 schedule.

It’s possible that the Crimson Tide will miss the CFP due to their season-opening loss to Florida State if they don’t beat Georgia in the SEC Championship game. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Alabama just a 66.5% chance of making the CFP ahead of its conference championship bout. Meanwhile, Notre Dame — who isn’t in a conference and has the same record (10-2) as the Crimson Tide with just 1 win over a currently CFP-ranked school — has 83.5% odds of getting in, per FPI.

Depending on how this situation with the Fighting Irish — and Miami’s own separate issue centering on Notre Dame — unfolds, there could be very little incentive for quality non-conference games in 2026. If that’s the case, Herbstreit will wind up looking like a prophet, whether he wants to or not.

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Boston College athletic director Blake James publicly confirmed Tuesday that Bill O’Brien will be retained for the 2026 season. The Eagles are committing to “boost financial support” for O’Brien and give “full revenue share access” for his roster.

O’Brien got off to a hot start with the Eagles in 2024 by beating then-No. 10 Florida State in his first game as head coach. That victory, which came with current Seminoles quarterback Thomas Castellanos, helped Boston College earn a spot in the AP poll (No. 24) for the first time since 2018.

With experience at the NFL and collegiate levels, O’Brien has shown he can win games regularly with proper support. The Eagles’ decision to invest in him at a higher clip shows they believe in his abilities. However, they may need to see some progress in 2026 to justify keeping him in the position long-term.

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The SEC went 2-2 in its nonconference rivalry battles last weekend. Outside of Texas A&M, the SEC’s Playoff contenders — Ole Miss, Georgia, Vanderbilt and Alabama — all prevailed on the road, while Oklahoma managed to avoid an upset bid by LSU at home. Proving to oneself that you can get win in a hostile environment this late in the season should only bode well for a College Football Playoff run.

Saturday’s SEC Championship Game is the last matchup of SEC schools that we’re guaranteed to see this year. It should be a great appetizer to an exciting CFP. Good luck to both the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide in that matchup.

Games are listed in order of approximate start time. Plays mentioned are based on win probability added, via ESPN analytics. Rankings are from the College Football Playoff Week 14 reveal.

No. 7 Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State (38-19 Ole Miss)

Play: 2:32 Q2, 1st-and-10, Mississippi State 35-yard line. Fluff Bothwell runs for 43 yards to the Ole Miss 22-yard line. First down Mississippi State (+5.3% for Mississippi State).

The Rebels (11-1) deserve immense applause for completing the best regular season in program history. It’s a shame that He Who Shall Not Be Named is no longer leading their charge for their first undisputed national championship. Winning the whole thing without him, though, would be immensely gratifying. Mississippi State isn’t going bowling, but the improvements Jeff Lebby brought in Year 2 are encouraging for the future, even if the final stretch wasn’t as competitive as one would hope.

No. 4 Georgia vs. No. 23 Georgia Tech (16-9 Georgia)

Play: 6:05 Q2, 3rd-and-10, Georgia Tech 36-yard line. Gunnar Stockton pass complete to Zachariah Branch for 22 yards to the Georgia Tech 12-yard line. First down Georgia (+4.7%).

Most of the Bulldogs’ big wins this season — including their victory over Austin Peay — can rightfully be characterized as “ugly.” But in the end, wins are wins. Once you’re in the CFP, you don’t get any extra credit for margin of victory. No opposing fanbase should feel secure about advancing if they see Kirby Smart and Co. lined up across from them. Unless there’s triple zeros on the clock at the end of regulation, Georgia has a chance to win any game it plays.

No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 16 Texas (27-17 Texas)

Play: 0:23 Q3, 2nd-and-12, Texas 44-yard line. Arch Manning pass complete to Jack Endries for 54 yards to the Texas A&M 2-yard line. First down Texas (+17.7%).

Friday night’s performance was disappointing for Aggies fans. Their loss in Austin shook them awake from what had been a dream season. Would it have been nice to play for the SEC Championship? Yes, especially since Texas A&M has never done so before. However, as Ohio State showed last year, getting an extra week of rest ahead of the national title chase could prove beneficial. Meanwhile, Texas needs a sizeable, possibly unreasonable boost from this victory — and losses from BYU and Alabama (probably) — to potentially sneak into the CFP as the last at-large team. Never say never.

Kentucky vs. Louisville (41-0 Louisville)

Play: 8:18 Q2, 4th-and-1, Kentucky 43-yard line. Miller Moss pass complete to Jacob Stewart for 44 yards, touchdown. 17-0 Louisville (+10.8%).

Big Blue Nation thought Mark Stoops was going to remain in Lexington after a 3-game winning streak, highlighted by triumphs over subpar Auburn and Florida squads, to open November. Blowout losses to Vanderbilt and Louisville to end the 2025 campaign changed that. The Wildcats will now be led by a home-grown Bluegrass kid in Will Stein. He and Cutter Boley could be fun to watch in 2026.

Clemson vs. South Carolina (28-14 Clemson)

Play: 5:29 Q2, 1st-and-10, South Carolina 26-yard line. LaNorris Sellers pass complete to Vandrevious Jacobs for 74 yards, touchdown. 14-14 Tie (+19.7% for South Carolina).

It’s safe to say this year didn’t go as anticipated for South Carolina. The Gamecocks opened the season as the No. 13 team in the country and proceeded to beat just 2 Power 4 schools (Virginia Tech and Kentucky, who both fired their head coaches). Shane Beamer is now squarely on the hot seat entering 2026, but he’s confident in his ability to turn things around. Keeping LaNorris Sellers in Columbia would be a nice start to his quest.

LSU vs. No. 8 Oklahoma (17-13 Oklahoma)

Play: 4:16 Q4, 1st-and-10. John Mateer pass complete to Isaiah Sategna III for 58 yards, touchdown.17-13 Oklahoma (+39.3%).

The Sooners rode their defense and a long passing touchdown to victory at home against a Tiger team for the second-consecutive weekend to wrap up their regular season. Oklahoma’s time off could allow John Mateer to find his early season groove ahead of the CFP. For Brent Venables‘ squad to truly compete for a national championship, it’s going to need Mateer to play at a higher level.

No. 14 Vanderbilt vs. No. 19 Tennessee (45-24 Vanderbilt)

Play: 10:34 Q2, 2nd-and-6, Tennessee 48-yard line. Joey Aguilar pass complete to Chris Brazzell II for 52 yards, touchdown. 14-14 Tie (+14.3% for Tennessee).

Clark Lea and Diego Pavia walking into Knoxville and throttling the Vols to seal their first-ever 10-win campaign looks like it’s going to be a bittersweet cherry on top of a fairytale regular season. Through no fault of their own, the Commodores — with losses only to Alabama and Texas, both on the road — are likely to find themselves on the wrong side of the CFP cutline. If either LSU or South Carolina had come closer to meeting preseason expectations, Vanderbilt would be in the bracket.

Missouri vs. Arkansas (31-17 Missouri)

Play: 11:57 Q3, 1st-and-10, Mizzou 47-yard line. Ahmad Hardy rushes for 53 yards, touchdown. Missouri 20-17. (+17.2%).

The Missouri Tigers beat everyone they were supposed to beat and lost to everyone they were supposed to lose to in 2025. There’s no shame in falling to Alabama, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, but defeating at least 1 of them would have been nice. Regardless, Eli Drinkwitz can reach 9 victories for the third straight year — something Mizzou has never done before — with a bowl game triumph. His latest extension is well-deserved. On the other side of the coin, saying Razorback fans aren’t thrilled with the hiring of Ryan Silverfield is an understatement.

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Florida State vs. Florida (40-21 Florida)

Play: 3:26 Q1, 1st-and-10, Florida State 39-yard line. DJ Lagway pass complete to J. Michael Sturdivant for 34 yards to the Florida State 5-yard line. First down Florida (+7.1%).

Florida fans didn’t/don’t seem too thrilled about their hiring of Jon Sumrall. Multiple other SEC fanbases were clamoring for him, but the Gator gig is obviously a different, unique beast. He’ll need to be as effective as he was at Troy (23-4) and Tulane (19-7) in a short period of time to avoid the scorn that plagued Billy Napier. The former SEC linebacker won’t be phased by anything thrown his way. If anyone is equipped to handle the pressure Florida’s fanbase can provide, it’s him. Note: The play sequencing in portions of the second and third quarters of this game in ESPN’s analytics is out of order. We chose a play that does not seem to be affected by this error.

No. 10 Alabama vs. Auburn (27-20 Alabama)

Play: 12:57 Q4, 3rd-and-9, Auburn 30-yard line. Ashton Daniels pass complete to Malcolm Simmons for 66 yards to the Auburn 4-yard line. First-and-Goal Auburn. (+18.5% for Auburn).

It’s never easy in the Iron Bowl. Auburn was driving for a potential game-winning touchdown — the Tigers surely would have gone for a 2-point conversion if they scored, right? — in the final minutes on Saturday night. Then Bray Hubbard swooped in and saved the day, punching the ball out of Cam Coleman’s possession. Deontae Lawson’s recovery (+7.3% win probability) essentially sent the Crimson Tide to the SEC Championship Game. Beat Georgia again, and Alabama will reach the CFP. Lose to the Bulldogs, and the Crimson Tide may have to sweat it out. Note: ESPN analytics showed the score of this game as 17-6 until Auburn scored its first points.

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According to On3 Sports’ Hayes Fawcett, 4-star running back Carsyn Baker had decommitted from Florida. The Fairburn, GA native initially committed to the Gators back in June.

Baker is the No. 211 player in 247Sports Composite rankings of the 2026 recruiting class. The Composite also lists him as the No. 15 running back in the nation and No. 23 player in the Peach State. He had received offers from an abundance of schools, including Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State, before anointing himself a Gator earlier this year.

It’s typical for players and recruits at a school who changed head coaches to find their way to the transfer portal or back on the open market. Baker was Florida’s lone running back commit for 2026, so the Gators will be searching for another tailback as eagerly as Baker explores alternate options. Beyond him, the highest-rated uncommitted rusher in the 247Sports Composite is 3-star prospect Alvin Celestin (No. 36 at the position).

Baker recently visited North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky. He’s expected to decide where he’ll begin his college career on Dec. 3, the beginning of the Early Signing Period.

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On Monday, 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and national champion Danny Wuerffel met Sumrall at the airport for his arrival in Gainesville. Once Sumrall saw Wuerffel, he gave him a loud handshake and big hug.

Wuerffel appears to be all-in on Sumrall being the right person for the Florida job. On Sunday afternoon, he tweeted that he had the opportunity to speak with Sumrall and was “as excited to be a Gator as I’ve been in a long time” because of the hire.

Wuerffel’s note on Sumrall’s “understanding” of the need for an elite offensive coordinator should be great news for Gator fans. Florida’s offense lagged behind its defense in the Billy Napier Era. In fact, it never averaged 30 points per game in a single season under Napier. Sumrall’s long-term success is contingent on him finding the right person to get the offense out of neutral and into high gear. If he can land someone to run the offense that fires up Florida’s fanbase, the tune around his own hiring could change quickly.

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Alabama (No. 12) is still the highest-ranked SEC team in the AP poll, but the conference no longer has any top 10 squads. The Crimson Tide also experienced one of the bigger drops (-4) in the poll following their loss to Gonzaga in the Players Era Festival. Another SEC team, Florida, fell 5 spots after losing to TCU.

While those SEC schools went backward, the Volunteer State used Feast Week as a springboard. Tennessee leapt 4 rungs despite a loss to Kansas because of a win against previously unbeaten Houston. And Vanderbilt, who entered the AP Poll for the first time last week, made the biggest jump, going from No. 24 to No. 17 after winning the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Overall, the SEC still boasts the most teams (7) in the AP poll ahead of the ACC-SEC challenge. You can see the full AP poll below:

• 1 – Purdue
• 2 – Arizona
• 3 – Michigan
• 4 – Duke
• 5 – UCONN
• 6 – Louisville
• 7 – Michigan State
• 8 – Houston
• 9 – BYU
• 10 – Iowa State
• 11 – Gonzaga
• 12 – Alabama
• 13 – Tennessee
• 14 – Illinois
• 15 – Florida
• 16 – North Carolina
• 17 – Vanderbilt
• 18 – Kentucky
• 19 – Texas Tech
• 20 – Auburn
• 21 – Kansas
• 22 – Indiana
• 23 – St. John’s
• 24 – USC
• 25 – Arkansas

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Monday morning, ESPN’s Heather Dinich reported that NC State and Virginia will open the 2026 season in Brazil. The Wolfpack-Cavaliers matchup, labeled “College Football Brasil,” will count toward the ACC standings, unlike their 2025 meeting. Their battle will be the first-ever college football game in South America.

“To have NC State and Virginia open our conference schedule on an international stage in Rio de Janeiro speaks to the vision, innovation, and collaboration of our league,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said in the statement, per ESPN. “This is an extraordinary moment for the ACC and for college football.”

Virginia’s participation in this event comes on the heels of a potential College Football Playoff berth. If the Cavaliers can beat Duke in the ACC Championship on Saturday night, they will secure a CFP spot as one of the 5 highest-ranked conference champions. Their loss to NC State this year came in a home-and-home non-conference series between the schools, organized after ACC expansion eliminated their yearly matchup. Next season, a loss to the Wolfpack would impact the Cavaliers in the ACC standings.

The NC State-Virginia game in Brazil is scheduled for Aug. 29, 2026.

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According to On3 Sports’ Pete Nakos, USF QB analysts Hayden Kingston is leaving the Bulls to become an assistant coach for Golesh at Auburn. Earlier in the morning, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz added that USF executive director of recruiting and personnel Harding Harper and USF director of player personnel Ephi Levy are also joining Golesh on the Plains.

These additions mean at least 8 staffers are following Golesh from South Florida to Auburn. Golesh kickstarted the moves by bringing Auburn alum Kodi Burns — who worked with him at Tennessee and USF — back to his alma mater.

Things have been moving fast for the Tigers, who are hoping Golesh can capture the magic he had with the Bulls in short order. Auburn averaged 15 points per game in 6 SEC contests this year under Hugh Freeze. Meanwhile, South Florida beat Florida on the road in Week 2 and never scored fewer than 31 points — and posted 48 or more a whopping 6 times — in American conference play. If Golesh can bring that firepower to the Tigers, Auburn will be competing for the College Football Playoff again sooner than later.

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Ty Simpson and Co. are headed to the SEC Championship Game as a result of their Rivalry Week victory. However, defeating Auburn did not lock up a College Football Playoff spot. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Crimson Tide a 65.9% chance of making the CFP, but an SEC Championship loss to Georgia — coupled with a BYU Big 12 Championship triumph — could have Alabama on the outside looking in for the second consecutive year. And that, to Simpson, is bologna.

“The question is, why aren’t we [a CFP team]?” Simpson posed in a media scrum after the Iron Bowl. “[Look at] the gauntlet of a schedule we went through… we’re the most resilient team in the country.”

In 2025, the Crimson Tide (10-2, 7-1 SEC) avoided the bad SEC defeats that hurt their resume a season ago. They also beat 4 ranked teams in 4 consecutive weeks from Sept. 27 – Oct. 18, an unparalleled accomplishment. Their season-opening loss to Florida State (5-7) could wind up being the difference-maker, though, if they can’t beat the Bulldogs next Saturday. Kickoff between Alabama and Georgia for the SEC Championship is set for 4:00 p.m. ET (ABC).

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The Crimson Tide have reached the SEC title game 8 of the last 12 years. The Bulldogs are converting at an even higher clip, appearing in the conference championship for the 8th time in 9 campaigns. However, since 2017, Alabama has 4 SEC Championship wins to Georgia’s 3.

Kirby Smart’s record versus the Crimson Tide is well-known. The 2-time national champion is just 1-7 against Alabama. Three of those losses have come in SEC Championship games. On the other sideline, Kalen DeBoer is 2-0 when matching up with the Bulldogs as the Crimson Tide head coach. Without his 24-21 victory in Athens, Alabama would not be headed to Atlanta again and likely wouldn’t be in the College Football Playoff picture.

Per ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Crimson Tide have a 65.9% chance of reaching the CFP. That will change to 100% if they can defeat the Bulldogs a second time. A loss, though, could have them sweating out “Selection Sunday.” Fortunately for Alabama fans, FPI gives the Crimson Tide a 51.1% chance of beating Georgia, even though the Bulldogs opened as 1.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook.

The 2025 SEC Championship game will kick off at 4:00 p.m. E.T. (ABC) on Saturday, Dec. 6.

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There’s usually not much movement that can occur in the College Football Playoff rankings from this time to “Selection Sunday.” However, this season has been anything but normal. We could see BYU earn an automatic berth and the ACC miss entirely if Duke beats Virginia. None of ESPN’s experts predicted that would happen in their latest CFP predictions, but it’s important to note.

ESPN’s experts forecast as many as 5 SEC teams reaching this year’s CFP bracket. Four of them — Georgie, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Oklahoma — are presumed locks. If Alabama beats Georgia in the SEC Championship game, the Crimson Tide will be in. If Kalen DeBoer and Co. lose, they’ll have to play the waiting game.

Here are ESPN’s CFP picks ahead of conference championships:

Andrea Adelson: 1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Texas Tech 4. Georgia 5. Oregon 6. Ole Miss 7. Texas A&M 8. Oklahoma 9. Miami 10. Notre Dame 11. Virginia 12. North Texas

Kyle Bonagura: 1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Texas Tech 4. Georgia 5. Oregon 6. Ole Miss 7. Texas A&M 8. Notre Dame 9. BYU 10. Oklahoma 11. Virginia 12. North Texas

Bill Connelly: 1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Texas Tech 4. Georgia 5. Oregon 6. Ole Miss 7. Texas A&M 8. Notre Dame 9. BYU 10. Oklahoma 11. Virginia 12. North Texas

David Hale: 1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Georgia 4. Texas Tech 5. Ole Miss 6. Oregon 7. BYU 8. Texas A&M 9. Oklahoma 10. Alabama 11. Virginia 12. Tulane

Eli Lederman: 1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Georgia 4. Texas Tech 5. Oregon 6. Ole Miss 7. Texas A&M 8. Notre Dame 9. Oklahoma 10. Virginia 11. BYU 12. North Texas

Max Olson: 1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Georgia 4. Texas Tech 5. Oregon 6. Texas A&M 7. Ole Miss 8. BYU 9. Oklahoma 10. Notre Dame 11. Virginia 12. North Texas

Adam Rittenberg: 1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Georgia 4. Texas Tech 5. Oregon 6. Ole Miss 7. Texas A&M 8. Oklahoma 9. Alabama 10. Notre Dame 11. Virginia 12. Tulane

Mark Schlabach: 1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Georgia 4. Texas Tech 5. Oregon 6. Ole Miss 7. Texas A&M 8. Oklahoma 9. Alabama 10. Notre Dame 11. Virginia 12. Tulane

Jake Trotter: 1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Georgia 4. Texas Tech 5. Oregon 6. Texas A&M 7. Ole Miss 8. Oklahoma 9. Notre Dame 10. Alabama 11. Virginia 12. North Texas

Paolo Uggetti: 1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Georgia 4. Oregon 5. Texas Tech 6. Ole Miss 7. Texas A&M 8. Oklahoma 9. BYU 10. Alabama 11. Virginia 12. North Texas

Dave Wilson: 1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Texas Tech 4. Georgia 5. Oregon 6. Ole Miss 7. Texas A&M 8. Notre Dame 9. BYU 10. Oklahoma 11. Virginia 12. North Texas

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For the most part, SEC teams carbo-loaded on lower-level opponents last Saturday ahead of their important Rivalry Week battles. Both SEC Championship Game participants will be determined this weekend, as will the postseason fate of 5 conference members and, potentially, Lane Kiffin. Make sure to leave some room on your Thanksgiving plate for all that’s to come.

Games are listed in order of approximate start time. Plays mentioned are based on win probability added, via ESPN analytics. Rankings are from the College Football Playoff Week 13 reveal.

Samford vs. No. 3 Texas A&M (48-0 Texas A&M)

Play: 0:36 Q4, 2nd-and-8, Texas A&M 23-yard line. Ronnie Crosby III rushes for 1 yard to Texas A&M 24-yard line (+0.1%).

When you’re the No. 3 team in the country facing a 1-10 FCS squad, you’re going to open your game with a 99.9% win probability. When you score a touchdown against said team without a negative play on your opening drive, your win probability isn’t going to diminish a single bit. So, technically, the last play of this game — that pushed the clock to 0:00 in regulation — was the most consequential one. We’re going to go out on a limb and say Texas A&M won’t have as easy of a time in the Lone Star Showdown on Friday.

No. 22 Missouri vs. No. 8 Oklahoma (17-6 Oklahoma)

Play: 6:45 Q2, 3rd-and-7, Oklahoma 13-yard line. John Mateer pass complete to Isaiah Sategna III for 87 yards, touchdown. 7-3 Oklahoma (+21.2%).

The Tigers were unsurprisingly pesky in this game with the return of quarterback Beau Pribula. The Sooners got 31.5% of their total yards for the game on this play, which gave them a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Oklahoma (9-2, 5-2 SEC) will be in the College Football Playoff with a victory over LSU in Week 14. Brent Venables deserves major kudos for finding a way to beat Tennessee and Alabama on the road after picking up a second loss.

RELATED: Missouri residents will be able to bet on the Tigers in the upcoming bowl game. Check out all the latest info on the bet365 Missouri bonus code ahead of the Dec. 1 launch!

Charlotte vs. No. 4 Georgia (45-3 Georgia)

Play: 6:44 Q1, 2nd-and-10, Charlotte 31-yard line. Gunnar Stockton pass complete to Lawson Luckie for 29 yards to Charlotte 2-yard line. First down Georgia (+0.1%).

The Bulldogs almost matched the Aggies in win probability at kickoff of their game vs. the 49ers (99.7%). They didn’t nudge above that mark until they reached the goal line’s doorstep midway through the opening quarter. Kirby Smart and Co. will play for the SEC Championship for the fifth straight season — and the eighth time in 9 years — if either Texas A&M or Alabama lose this weekend.

Eastern Illinois vs. No. 10 Alabama (56-0 Alabama)

Play: 0:32 Q4, 2nd-and-8, Eastern Illinois 27-yard line. Chris Caldwell rushes for 0 yards (+0.1%).

If Kane Wommack was looking at the Arkansas job, his defense didn’t show it on Saturday. The Crimson Tide — who had a 99.9% win probability at opening kickoff — held the Panthers to 34 total yards of offense in this one. Ty Simpson shockingly played his worst game of the season in this Iron Bowl tune up. He now has 3 interceptions in his last 2 games. There is tons of bad juju surrounding Alabama in advance of this trip to Jordan-Hare. Can Kalen DeBoer rally the troops and overcome it?

Mercer vs. Auburn (62-17 Auburn)

Play: 0:28 Q1, 3rd-and-10, Auburn 49-yard line. Deuce Knight rushes for 51 yards, touchdown. Game tied 14-14 (+6.2%).

Mercer (9-1 entering action) grinded its win probability to 14.3% throughout the first quarter against Auburn on Saturday. That was no small feat after beginning the game with only a roughly 3% chance of winning. From there, though, the Tigers took over. They outscored the Bears 48-3 across the final 3 quarters of the game to fly into the Iron Bowl on a high note. The vibes are significantly higher for Auburn than they are Alabama ahead of this clash. If Deuce Knight can remain composed in his second career start, the Tigers will be live dogs.

Kentucky vs. No. 14 Vanderbilt (45-17 Vanderbilt)

Play: 13:03 Q2, 2nd-and-10, Vanderbilt 29-yard line. Diego Pavia pass complete to Trey Richardson for 71 yards, touchdown. 10-0 Vanderbilt (+9.1%).

Before the season, many thought the Commodores’ bowl appearance from 2024 was a fluke. They thought Clark Lea and Diego Pavia were primed for regression. Instead, the 2025 campaign has become almost like The Godfather Part II. Here’s hoping their 2026 season doesn’t turn out to be a rendition of The Godfather Part III.

Arkansas vs. No. 17 Texas (52-37 Texas)

Play: 12:26 Q2, 2nd-and-10, Texas 46-yard line. Arch Manning pass complete to Parker Livingstone for 54 yards, touchdown. 21-13 Texas (+7.0%).

If the Longhorns can beat Texas A&M, and Alabama, BYU, Miami, Utah, Vanderbilt and Michigan — the 6 teams between them and the No. 10 CFP ranking — all lose this weekend, Steve Sarkisian and Co. would probably crack the Playoff bracket. There’s also probably a greater chance of Tom Brady coming out of retirement than all of that happening. But if it were to transpire, that’d be a heck of a parlay (if you indulge in such activities).

Coastal Carolina vs. South Carolina (51-7 South Carolina)

Play: 15:00 Q1, 1st-and-10, South Carolina 25-yard line. LaNorris Sellers pass complete to Jayden Sellers for 75 yards, touchdown. 7-0 South Carolina (+2.3%).

One play is all it took for the Gamecocks to essentially seal the deal vs. the Chanticleers. Back in August, we expected the Palmetto Bowl to have some CFP ramifications. But it has been a long fall from grace for Clemson (No. 4) and South Carolina (No. 13) since that initial AP Poll.

No. 20 Tennessee vs. Florida (31-11 Tennessee)

Play: 11:28 Q1, 1st-and-10, Florida 23-yard line. Joey Aguilar pass complete to Ethan Davis for 23 yards, touchdown. 7-0 Tennessee (+5.4%).

Tennessee still has a chance to win 10 games after dissecting the Gators on Saturday, but the Vols will not be going to the CFP this year. Vanderbilt, though, still has a plausible CFP path. That means Tennessee is, for possibly the first time this century, the hunter rather than the hunted in this rivalry contest. In that regard, it’s an interesting change of pace for Josh Heupel and Co. to end the year.

Western Kentucky vs. LSU (13-10 LSU)

Play: 1:05 Q4, 3rd-and-2, Western Kentucky 29-yard line. Harlem Berry FUMBLES, recovered by Dylan Flowers, returned 71 yards, touchdown. 13-10 LSU (+4.8% for Western Kentucky).

The only thing the Tigers’ fanbase is concerned about winning at this point is the Lane Kiffin sweepstakes. Meanwhile, LSU’s players and current coaches will try to knock Oklahoma out of the CFP.

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