Tag: notebook

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak on the field before playing against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

SBLX notebook: Vegas-bound Klint Kubiak bids farewell to Seattle

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said on the field Sunday night he’s headed to Las Vegas to become a head coach.

“We’re going to enjoy tonight. You guys know I’m going to Las Vegas, and I’m fired up about it,” Kubiak said. “Hell yeah, I’m going.”

Kubiak spent the 2025 season with the Seahawks and played a vital role in quarterback Sam Darnold’s success and connection with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks completed the postseason with zero turnovers, the first team in league history to win the Super Bowl and wrap up a multiple-game playoff run without a giveaway.

“He’s a great coach,” Darnold said. “He’s a grinder. He’s always working, always looking for an edge.”

Kubiak turns 39 this month and could bring members of the Seahawks’ coaching staff with him. One likely to be on his radar is offensive line coach John Benton. Benton told Field Level Media this week he’s at home in Seattle, but didn’t make any official declarations.

–There was one player at the center of the entire defensive gameplan for the Seattle Seahawks. All week, Seattle plotted to put as many grass stains as possible on the white uniform of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

Packing pressure on Maye until the Patriots reached a breaking point was the plan, and Seattle went to the winning locker room after three takeaways by keeping the heat on New England’s quarterback.

Perhaps no play epitomized the Seahawks’ strategy — and success — than a first-and-10 play from the Seattle 44 with 4 1/2 minutes to play. Seattle safety Devon Witherspoon caught Maye by surprise on a blitz and, as the quarterback tried to quicky throw the ball away, hit Maye’s arm. The ball flicked into the arms of linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who returned the interception 45 yards for a score. That made the score 29-7 and served as a poetic nail in the coffin.

“The plan was to get to Maye. Disrupt him. We knew — he was their whole team,” Nwosu said. “He was the MVP runner-up, could’ve been MVP. We knew if we get to him, their game plan was nothing.”

–Patriots left tackle Will Campbell had a rough time with the depth and diversity of the Seattle defensive front. He allowed an easy sack to Derick Hall and NFL Next Gen Stats listed him as the responsible blocker on 16 total pressures, more than any offensive lineman allowed in any regular-season or playoff game this season.

While Maye answered questions postgame for more than 14 minutes, Campbell was the only member of the Patriots who declined interviews.

Maye paused and was choked-up several times seated at a podium for his postgame press conference and said the one thing he’ll take away from the experience of his second NFL season is “I’m proud. So proud to do it with these guys.”

–Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III said his dad, Kenneth Walker Jr., was in attendance on Sunday night. It was Walker Jr.’s first NFL game in-person because he doesn’t like large crowds. Walker had 161 yards from scrimmage.

“It means a lot,” Walker III said. “He comes to Seattle all the time. But he never comes to the games. He don’t like crowds. This is his first NFL game and we won a Super Bowl. I know he’s proud of me for real.

“My agent convinced him to come out here. I didn’t think he would come. They ended up mic’ing him up and everything. He got out of his comfort zone.”

–Field Level Media

Transfer roundup: Starting QBs, Penn State’s Chaz Coleman entering portal

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Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula will enter the transfer portal after one season with the Tigers, multiple outlets reported Thursday.

Pribula played two seasons at Penn State (2023-24) before transferring to Missouri, where he threw for 1,941 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 10 games in 2025.

Pribula, who also rushed for 297 yards and six touchdowns for the Tigers (8-4, 4-4 SEC), will have one season of eligibility remaining.

He will not play in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 27 when Missouri takes on No. 19 Virginia in Jacksonville, Fla., ESPN reported.

The transfer portal opens on Jan. 2.

–TCU quarterback Josh Hoover announced Thursday that he will forgo playing in the Alamo Bowl and enter the transfer portal when it opens.

Hoover has been the Horned Frogs’ starting quarterback since taking over in 2023, midway through his redshirt freshman campaign. He ranks third in TCU program history with 9,629 career passing yards, 71 touchdown passes and 771 completions.

In 12 games in 2025, Hoover threw for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns, along with a Big 12-leading 13 interceptions.

–Penn State freshman edge rusher Chaz Coleman announced he is seeking “other opportunities” in the transfer portal.

Coleman, a four-star recruit in the Class of 2025 who had one sack and two fumble recoveries as a freshman, is ranked No. 2 overall by On3 among players expected to enter the portal.

Coleman thanked James Franklin in a statement on social media for “believing in me and teaching me what it means to believe in myself.” The Nittany Lions fired Franklin midseason, and the head coach has since taken over at Virginia Tech.

–Florida tight end Hayden Hansen will enter the portal with one year of eligibility remaining.

Hansen, who stands 6-foot-8, is coming off the most productive season of his career, with 30 receptions for 254 yards and two touchdowns for the Gators.

In 37 career games (34 starts) at Florida — another school that’s undergone a coaching change, from Billy Napier to Jon Sumrall — Hansen has amassed 57 receptions for 611 yards and five TDs.

–Field Level Media

Jul 22, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami quarterback Carson Beck answers questions from the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

ACC Kickoff notebook: Carson Beck back to 100% ahead of Miami debut

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CHARLOTTE — Carson Beck hasn’t exactly had a typical first offseason at Miami.

The Georgia transfer quarterback suffered a UCL injury in his elbow in the Bulldogs’ 22-19 SEC championship game victory over Texas. That injury unceremoniously ended his five-year career in Athens and kept him sidelined this spring at his new school after transferring in January.

But Beck said Tuesday at ACC Kickoff that he’s now back to 100 percent after starting to throw again in April.

“It was a hard process,” Beck said. “It was a hard journey to go through that and get what I love the most taken away from me.”

He arrives in Miami coming off two productive seasons with the Bulldogs in which he threw for 7,426 yards, 52 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

After replacing Stetson Bennett, who led the Bulldogs to back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022, he now replaces another local legend in former Miami quarterback Cam Ward, who was a 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist and the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft.

“We’re thrilled to have had Cam and we’re thrilled to have Carson here now,” Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said. “Carson has as good of experience as a quarterback as you can have. He’s played in monster games, and he’s played at a high level.”

–Lashlee speaks out against CFP committee approach

Rhett Lashlee’s first season in the ACC as SMU head coach was a smashing success.

He led the Mustangs to appearances in the ACC championship game and College Football Playoff behind an 11-1 regular season (8-0 ACC).

And yet, even if his team benefited from the subjective nature of the CFP committee last season, Lashlee talked at length Tuesday about why he believes college football needs to move away from using a selection committee to determine the playoff field.

“I respect what (the committee has) to do,” Lashlee said. “But honestly it’s a situation that’s set up for failure because there’s human bias and there’s always going to be.”

Lashlee was fierce in his belief that the CFP should settle at 16 teams. To avoid the subjective arguments that the committee would have to handle, he wants to see automatic bids expand dramatically and for conferences to have play-in games for CFP spots after the regular season ends.

“It would be like March Madness Thursday and Friday,” Lashlee said. “It would be the best Saturday that college football could ever manufacture.”

–ACC instituting player availability reports for 2025-26 season

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips announced during his address on Tuesday that the conference will be introducing a few new rules and regulations in 2025 that will move the conference in line with current college athletics trends.

Most notably, the ACC will mandate player availability reports ahead of all conference football, basketball and baseball games. This follows in the footsteps of the Big Ten mandating availability reports starting in 2023 and the SEC introducing them in 2024.

“This decision is directly connected to our ongoing commitment to best protect our student-athletes and our multi-faceted approach to addressing the effects of sports wagering,” Phillips said.

The initial reports will be published two days before each conference game and will be updated the day before and day of each game.

–Curt Weiler, Field Level Media

Jul 8, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark addresses the media during the 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Big 12 Media Days: BYU to let QB Jake Retzlaff ‘speak for himself’

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BYU coach Kalani Sitake plans to let quarterback Jake Retzlaff speak for himself on the topic of his court matter and seven-game suspension for having premarital sex, a violation of the university honor code.

“First of all, I love Jake Retzlaff,” Sitake said Tuesday at the Big 12 Conference gathering in Frisco, Texas.

“We love Jake Retzlaff and appreciate all that he’s done for our program. I think it would be inappropriate for me to make a statement in his situation first. I think that’s his right. I think it’s a private matter that he can speak for himself, and I’m going to give him the opportunity to do that.”

Retzlaff is planning to transfer, according to reports, rather than return to the program where he faced a civil suit accusing him of sexually assaulting a woman at his home in 2023. The suit was recently dismissed but Sitake said three quarterbacks will compete for the starting job in 2025, but the list of candidates no longer includes Retzlaff.

Two transfers — Treyson Bourguet from Western Michigan and Bear Bachmeier from Stanford — and holdovers from last season are competing with McCae Hillstead. Hillstead is the newest arrival after transferring from Utah State.

Replacing Retzlaff might be more of a concept than a reality.

He led the team in rushing and was responsible for more than 65 percent of the Cougars’ total offense on the way to a 9-0 start in 2024. BYU finished with an 11-2 record and capped the season with a 36-14 blowout of Colorado in the Alamo Bowl.

BYU begins the 2025 season against Portland State on Aug. 30 before facing Stanford (Sept. 6), East Carolina (Sept. 20) and Colorado (Sept. 27).

–Commissioner Brett Yormark stands up for Big 12

A single representative in the expanded College Football Playoff from the Big 12 was not sufficient in the opinion of conference commissioner Brett Yormark.

Arizona State took Texas to double-overtime in the Peach Bowl, a quarterfinal in the first 12-team playoff, but Yormark said his league is the “deepest football conference in America.”

The Big 12, ACC and Notre Dame are supporting a change to the current playoff model, counter the plan of the Big Ten and SEC to load the bracket with teams from their leagues.

For the 2026 season, with 16 teams expected to be in the playoff, Yormark has gained allies who are on board with granting automatic bids to the five highest-rated conference champions with the CFP selection committee deciding how to award 11 at-large bids. The Big Ten touts a model with its teams automatically receiving four bids, and four more going to the SEC.

“We want to earn it on the field. It might not be the best solution today for the Big 12 … but long-term, knowing the progress we’re making, the investments we’re making, it’s the right format for us. And I’m doubling down today on 5-plus-11.”

–Scott Frost comes to grips with ‘wrong move’ to Nebraska

With 16 wins in five seasons at his alma mater Nebraska from 2018-2022, Scott Frost can agree with the sentiment that one can never go home again. He was hired as coach of the Cornhuskers following a 13-0 season at UCF in 2017.

“I got tugged in a direction to try to help my alma mater and didn’t really want to do it. It wasn’t a good move,” Frost said Tuesday. “I’m lucky to get back to a place where I was a lot happier.”

When Gus Malzahn departed UCF to become offensive coordinator at Florida State, the door opened for another return Frost never felt would happen. Now he’s back at UCF with a new perspective.

Frost, 50, worked for the Los Angeles Rams as an offensive consultant last year and was introduced a second time as UCF head coach in December.

“Biggest thing I’ve learned, probably. … You can’t do anything alone,” Frost said, arousing many corners of the Nebraska fanbase on social media with his final, lasting lesson.

“Don’t take the wrong job.”

–Field Level Media

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Super Bowl notebook: Chiefs fall flat in bid for first three-peat

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The Kansas City Chiefs were vying to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls.

Instead, they became the ninth squad to come up short while attempting to score the elusive three-peat.

Kansas City was the only one of those teams that won consecutive Lombardi Trophies to return to the Super Bowl for a third straight time. But the Chiefs came up short with Sunday’s 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.

The Chiefs trailed by as many as 34 points before narrowing the gap late in the contest.

The Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers (twice), San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos and New England Patriots were the other organizations to win two straight Super Bowls.

Three of those teams lost in the conference championship the following season, two others fell in the divisional round and three missed the playoffs.

Prior to this season, the Patriots were the most recent team to give it a shot, beating the Carolina Panthers in the Super Bowl at the end of the 2003 season and topping the Eagles a year later before losing to the Broncos in the divisional round of the 2005 campaign.

Kansas City defeated the 49ers to win it all last season, and this year’s Super Bowl was a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, which the Chiefs won 38-35 over the Eagles on Feb. 12, 2023.

The Steelers’ two chances for a three-peat came when the franchise won four Super Bowls in a dominating six-season span. After winning titles following the 1974 and 1975 seasons, Pittsburgh lost to the then-Oakland Raiders in the 1976 AFC Championship Game.

The Steelers later won the 1978 and 1979 season Super Bowl crowns before missing the playoffs in 1980.

–Philadelphia’s Cooper DeJean is a rookie cornerback known for preventing touchdowns. Saquan Barkley, a seven-year veteran, ran for 2,005 yards, caught 33 passes for 278 yards and scored 15 touchdowns this season.

So among the Eagles’ players who played in Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX on their birthday, guess who found the end zone?

Midway through the second quarter, with the Eagles leading 10-0, the 22-year-old DeJean stepped in front of a pass by Patrick Mahomes near the right sideline, crossed the field and found blockers near the left sideline for a 38-yard touchdown. It was his first NFL interception and touchdown.

Barkley, 28, finished with 97 total yards from scrimmage. He rushed for 57 yards on 25 carries, and his 40 yards receiving came on six catches.

ESPN had the pair on their set for a postgame interview, where host Chris Berman awarded them with birthday cake.

–In a game nearly free from injuries, the one notable exit was that of Kansas City Chief star defensive tackle Chris Jones, who left the game in the third quarter with a knee issue and did not return.

Jones went down on a run by Barkley with about six minutes left in the period. He was ruled doubtful to return soon after.

Earlier in the game, Jones was seen receiving treatment on his neck after the Chiefs attempted and failed to stop a Philadelphia “tush push” touchdown.

Jones, who recorded one quarterback hit, is a three-time All-Pro and three-time Super Bowl champion during his tenure with Kansas City. He signed a five-year, $158.75 million free agent deal with the Chiefs in March 2024 that made him the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history.

Jones had one sack earlier this postseason against Houston and five in the regular season.

–With the state of NFL officiating seemingly under extra scrutiny in recent weeks, referee Ron Torbert’s crew doled out penalties to the Chiefs and Eagles in similar numbers.

Kansas City was dinged seven times for 75 yards, and Philadelphia was flagged eight times for 59 yards.

Notably, on the Eagles first possession, they faced fourth-and-2 at midfield and Jalen Hurts appeared to complete a 32-yard pass to A.J. Brown. However, Brown was called for offensive pass interference amid some hand-fighting with cornerback Trent McDuffie, and the Eagles punted on fourth-and-12 instead.

Fox analyst Tom Brady expressed concern with the call.

“(Brown is) a big, physical, strong receiver. Just getting off the press on McDuffie. Aw, don’t like that one bit. This is too critical of a game,” Brady said.

–Field Level Media

Jan 18, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman talks to the media during 2025 CFP National Championship Media Day at Georgia World Congress Center, Building A. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

CFP Notebook: Bears keeping eye on Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman

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ATLANTA — As if being the head coach at Notre Dame didn’t bring enough attention to Marcus Freeman, the pressure of preparing the No. 7 seed Fighting Irish to play No. 8 Ohio State in the College Football Playoff Championship Game in Atlanta on Monday adds another layer of responsibilities.

What the third-year coach, who turned 39 on Jan. 10, didn’t want to do Saturday morning at the media availability was to discuss his future, specifically whether he was interested in the Chicago Bears or any other head coaching job in the NFL as some reports had suggested.

“You know how busy we’ve been preparing for this opportunity,” Freeman said. “Here’s the reality, that with team success comes individual recognition. To hear that the Bears have interest, it’s humbling. It’s the NFL.

“I have put zero thought into coaching in the NFL. All my attention has just been on getting this team prepared for every opportunity we have in front of us. Probably not the answer you’re looking for, but that’s the answer you’re going to get.”

With that, Freeman moved onto the next question but he made a salient point: People notice success.

That’s why defensive coordinators Al Golden of Notre Dame and Ohio State’s Jim Knowles were also queried about their plans.

Golden was asked if he wanted to return to the NFL where he was an assistant for the Detroit Lions (2016-19) and the Cincinnati Bengals (2020-21).

“At the end of the day this is not the time or the place,” he said. “This is about the kids. There’s always time to reflect on all of that after the season.”

Knowles, in his third season with the Buckeyes, has been rumored for the defensive coordinator position at Oklahoma.

“Bad Internet. There you go. Just trying to beat Notre Dame,” he said. “Notre Dame; that’s all I’m focused on. These things happen, I guess, when you have success, players are making plays. My job is to put them in the best position. These things come up when you do well.”

–Got his back

Golden said Saturday he doesn’t appreciate the vitriol Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has received after a fourth straight loss to Michigan on Nov. 30.

Day, who was the wide receivers coach at Temple when Golden was the head coach in 2006, has a 69-10 record since replacing Urban Meyer in 2019 but some fans called for his firing in the wake of the Michigan game.

“I couldn’t be more happy for anybody because of his work ethic and what he’s become,” Golden said. “All the critics, at the end of the day what is he? He’s a great coach. He’s a tremendous father. He’s a great husband and he’s a leader of men. So, I’m happy for him. I really am.”

–Do it again?

Ohio State won the inaugural College Football Playoff title 10 years ago, beating Alabama in the semifinal and Oregon in the championship game on Jan. 12, 2015. The Buckeyes cruised to a 42-20 win over the Ducks.

This season marked the first time the CFP expanded to 12 teams and the Buckeyes once again are in the hunt.

“I think our university did a great job of making history and I don’t think it’s any coincidence that they were the first team to win that one and I don’t think it’ll be a coincidence if we handle business on Monday,” wide receiver Emeka Egbuka said. “If you look in the eyes of my teammates, we’re all laser focused and we are here for one goal, to win the game on Monday.

“We have an amazing opportunity with this being the first 12-team playoff, and just showing how a team can battle back from adversity that maybe they faced earlier in the year.”

–Battlelines drawn

Ohio State standout receiver Jeremiah Smith expects a big game Monday since being limited to a catch for 3 yards by Texas in the semifinal after a combined 13 catches, 290 yards and four touchdowns in playoff wins over Tennessee and Oregon.

“You watch the film, they doubled, tripled me, dropping into flats, as well, but just being a decoy out there helped us win the game for sure,” he said. “I mean, it’s pretty frustrating, but I’ve got to do what’s best for the team. I can’t be selfish. We’ve got other guys on the team that can do what I can do.”

Notre Dame famously loves man coverage and cornerback Christian Gray said the defensive backs will be ready for Smith.

“We’ll play him like every other guy. Really just be violent and just be physical,” Gray said. “Whoever we go against, we’re not going to change it for them.”

Smith issued a warning.

“None of us (Ohio State receivers) think we can be covered,” he said. “I mean, we actually talked about this yesterday, as well. If that’s what they do, that’s what they do. We’re just going to go out there, play our game and show the reason not to play man-on-man.

“I’m just ready for the challenge and just getting ready to go out there Monday and put on a show.”

Gray didn’t take the bait.

“I could just say he’s got his opinion, you know,” he said. “He just said what he just said. I didn’t really see his comment on it, but whatever he says is his own opinion.”

–Craig Merz, Field Level Media

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) leaves the field following the Cotton Bowl Classic College Football Playoff semifinal game against the Texas Longhorns at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 10, 2025. Ohio State won 28-14.

CFP notebook: Will Howard, Riley Leonard go from campers to competitors

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ATLANTA — Sports make for strange bedfellows — or in this case, roommates, as Ohio State quarterback Will Howard and his Notre Dame counterpart Riley Leonard discovered.

The pair roomed at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La., last summer and will be leading their respective teams in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday.

They talked at the camp about their transfers — Howard from Kansas State and Leonard from Duke — without projecting too far into the future.

“We probably wouldn’t have imagined that a couple of months later, here we are playing for the national championship for two new schools,” Howard said. “He’s a great guy, somebody I have a lot of respect for.”

Leonard pointed out that he and Howard “weren’t really the big names” at the camp.

“We were just two dudes hustling, trying to compete and make a name of ourselves,” he said. “It’s really cool to have those late-night conversations with him about life and whatever and see where we are now.”

They initially met at the camp in 2023 and now will be forever linked in the first title game since the field was expanded to 12 teams.

Howard completed 292 of his 402 passes (72.6 percent) for 3,779 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season. Leonard went 247 of 372 (66.4 percent) with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions but has the edge in rushing.

Leonard has carried the ball 167 times for 866 yards and 16 touchdowns, while Howard has had 89 rushes for 169 yards and seven touchdowns. Howard did convert a critical fourth-and-2 run for 18 yards to keep the go-ahead drive alive against Texas in the CFP semifinal on Jan. 10.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day has a lot of respect for the Notre Dame QB.

“I think Riley Leonard is a tremendous leader and a tremendous player and a winner,” Day said.

–Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman doesn’t shy away from ties to Ohio State, but he doesn’t dwell on them either.

Freeman was a linebacker for the Buckeyes from 2004-08 for head coach Jim Tressel. He played for four Big Ten championships teams and was on the losing side in national championship games vs. Florida in 2006 and LSU in 2007. He also spent a graduate assistant year there in 2010.

He made it clear this is not the time for reminiscing as he prepares for the game.

“This has nothing to do with the past and where I went to school,” Freeman said.

Freeman was a college teammate of Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis, who was also a graduate assistant for Notre Dame in 2022.

“He was in my wedding and I was in his wedding,” Freeman said. “We’ve got a lot of great moments and probably some that I won’t share on this press conference, but he’s a great friend.”

–The favored Buckeyes are a win away from redemption after an inexplicable 13-10 loss to three-touchdown underdog Michigan in the regular-season finale on Nov. 30.

A fourth straight loss to the bitter rivals had fans calling for Day’s firing, and critics suggested the Buckeyes would be one-and-done in the postseason in the aftermath of the debacle.

But blowout wins over Tennessee (42-17) and Oregon (41-21) and a 28-14 win over Texas in the semifinal put the Buckeyes a victory away from completing their redemption.

“We’ve come all this way, but it means really nothing if we don’t finish it the right way and win this last one,” Howard said.

The Fighting Irish would rather not be a footnote to history.

“They’ve got a ton of athletes everywhere,” Notre Dame linebacker Joshua Burnham said. “They’ve got a good offensive line. They’ve battled through some injuries. But so have we. It’s just going to be a game that comes down to grit and who wants it.”

–Craig Merz, Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs the ball against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

CFP notebook: Notre Dame takes on Indiana’s top-ranked rushing D

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Indiana failed its first test at knocking off a powerhouse when the then-undefeated Hoosiers lost 38-15 at Ohio State on Nov. 23.

Coach Curt Cignetti believes the No. 10 seed Hoosiers (11-1) will be better prepared when they play at No. 7 Notre Dame (11-1) on Friday in South Bend, Ind., in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

“I don’t think anyone was happy with the way we came out of Ohio State,” he said. “But I think our guys have learned from that too and we’ll be better in a hostile environment than we were that particular day.”

–Notre Dame’s 10th-ranked rushing attack (224.8 yards per game) will challenge Indiana’s No. 1 rushing defense (70.8 yards).

“It’s always our plan to find a way to run the football,” Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said. “Everything we do kind of builds around that and comes from that to begin with. We’re going to have to have some success on the ground.”

Jeremiyah Love led Notre Dame with 949 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Quarterback Riley Leonard is not far behind at 721 yards and 14 TDs on the ground.

–If the matchup between No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State on Saturday night comes down to a field goal, Buckeyes (10-2) coach Ryan Day said a decision has not been made between Jayden Fielding, who missed attempts from 38 and 34 yards in a 13-10 loss to Michigan in their last game, and Austin Snyder. He has not attempted a field goal for Ohio State.

“We will make a decision about who gives us the best chance to win and go from there,” Day said.

–Tennessee (10-2) believes it has the maturity and leadership to handle adversity on Saturday.

“There’s going to be ebbs and flows in the ball game, and you’ve got to continue to play and compete,” Vols coach Josh Heupel said. “I think as much as anything, that’s a real credit to the guys that we have in the locker room.”

–Both No. 6 Penn State (11-2) and No. 11 SMU (11-2) had their backup quarterbacks enter the transfer portal. The difference is the Nittany Lions’ Beau Pribula is no longer with the team while Preston Stone will be available for the visiting Mustangs when they play Saturday.

“It’s huge,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “You keep some continuity. Preston’s played a lot of football, won a lot of games.”

Penn State coach James Franklin said Wednesday that freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer, who has not taken a snap in a game, will back up Drew Allar.

“(Grunkemeyer) has done a really good job and put himself in a position that we have a lot of confidence,” Franklin said.

–Quarterback Quinn Ewers of No. 5 Texas (11-2) practiced this week without a custom ankle brace in preparation for the home game against No. 12 Clemson (10-3) on Saturday. He wore a brace the past two games.

“I think he’s continually getting better,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said.

–Clemson coach Dabo Sweeney has the Tigers in the postseason for the seventh time in the past 11 seasons and said he doesn’t care about criticism of him.

“I mean, I’ve been taking shots for 16 years,” he said. “We just keep winning, you know?”

–Field Level Media

Nov 30, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Andre Turrentine (2) takes a peak into the backfield against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

College Football Playoff notebook: Tennessee’s Andre Turrentine returns to Ohio State

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No. 9 seed Tennessee will make its first visit to No. 8 Ohio State on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), but Volunteers safety Andre Turrentine will be in a familiar setting at Ohio Stadium for the first-round matchup of the College Football Playoff.

He played in four games for the Buckeyes (10-2) as a freshman in 2021 before the Nashville native joined the Vols.

“I know a lot of guys on that team, so just having that brotherhood and camaraderie from being a freshman there is going to be big in this game and big for me personally,” said Turrentine, a redshirt junior.

He has 35 tackles and one interception in starting all 12 games for the Vols (10-2) this season.

Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles feels prepared for Tennessee’s fast-paced offense, which averages 74.6 plays per game to rank 11th nationally.

“Our defense is built for tempo,” he said.

–No. 7 Notre Dame (11-1) quarterback Riley Leonard loves the idea of playing for a national championship, but as he told Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports, the matchup with the No. 10 Hoosiers (11-1) on Friday in South Bend, Ind., (8 p.m., ABC/ESPN) is also about regional pride.

“It’s huge for the state of Indiana. We’ve been talking about it becoming a football state,” he said. “It’s notorious for basketball, for obvious reasons.”

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti on how the game will play out: “I think we’re plus-15 on turnover ratio, and they’re plus-16. So, ball security for us and them is going to be really important — winning the turnover battle.”

–Even though No. 6 Penn State (11-2) lost to No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game, the Nittany Lions were buoyed by running for 292 yards. Now, they host No. 11 SMU (11-2), which is ranked fourth nationally at 93.4 rushing yards allowed per game.

“Our expectation is that that’s what we’re supposed to do every single game,” Penn State center Nick Dawkins said. “I don’t think it matters the opponent that we played against.”

SMU coach Rhett Lashlee on the perceived advantage Penn State will have with a forecast high of 28 degrees: “They have to play in it just like we do and I don’t think they’ve played a game at home on Dec. 21, either. I don’t think the weather is a big deal.”

–No. 5 Texas coach Steve Sarkisian expects big things from quarterback Quinn Ewers when the Longhorns (11-2) host No. 12 Clemson on Saturday (4 p.m., TNT/MAX).

“We’ve all got to take our game to another level, and he’s no different, right?” Sarkisian said. “He’s got to do it.”

Actor Matthew McConaughey is a Longhorns super fan but that doesn’t mean much to defensive lineman T.J. Parker of Clemson (10-3).

“I don’t know who that is,” the sophomore said on Tuesday. “I may know his face, but not by name. I don’t know him.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 7, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers cheerleaders carry flags across the field after a touchdown against the Colorado Buffaloes during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Signing Day notebook: Nebraska flips 4-star WR Cortez Mills

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Nebraska plucked a prize from old rival Oklahoma on Wednesday, inking wide receiver Cortez Mills on early National Signing Day.

Mills committed to Oklahoma on July 1. He decommitted on Wednesday, then signed with the Cornhuskers. Mills, from Homestead (Fla.), told On3 that the Nebraska recruiting staff didn’t let him forget he was wanted.

“Nebraska never went away,” said Mills, who is ranked No. 15 at wide receiver by the 247Sports composite. “They stayed consistent with me. They showed me that I was a top priority for the program and that they really wanted me. How they stayed consistent and true to who they are was very important in my decision.

“The Nebraska coaches never let their foot off the brake. They recruited me, my mom, my sister, we all had a bond and that love meant something. We made the decision as a family that Nebraska is best for me.”

–Oklahoma pulled off a flip of its own, signing quarterback Jett Nieu, a three-star prospect from Lehi (Utah) High School.

He had been committed to Oklahoma State since Sept. 10. According to 247Sports, it was new Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle — with whom Niu has built a relationship during the recruiting process — who lured him to the Sooners.

Niu previously was committed to Appalachian State before flipping to Oklahoma State of the Big 12.

–Four-star running back Anthony Rogers signed with Ohio State, picking the Buckeyes over Georgia. The 247Sports composite ranks Rogers, from Carver High School in Montgomery, Ala., as the No. 9 rusher in the class.

Rogers committed to Alabama in June 2023, then decommitted last month. The 5-foot-9 Rogers took official visits to both Columbus, Ohio, and Athens, Ga., this fall.

“It just feels like the right place for me to develop as an athlete and a man,” he told ESPN of Ohio State. He is one of three running backs to sign with the Buckeyes in this cycle.

–Field Level Media