Vanderbilt‘s 10-win regular season may not have been enough to get the Commodores into the College Football Playoff. They won’t play for a conference championship, and are currently on the bubble to make the postseason tournament.

Commodores head coach Clark Lea voiced his displeasure with the current playoff model, sounding off on his feelings about Vanderbilt’s current position. In turn, he called for an overhaul of the committee’s current evaluation process.

“I’m just frustrated. We attempted to state our case,” Lea said, via ESPN Radio. “We were fighting for our team. This team deserves the chance to be in and that’s all we want, is just the chance. Look, it’s not like I’m asking people to vote us national champion. I just want the chance to play for it.

“If you were to have told me before the season that a 10-win SEC team doesn’t get in, I would have said there’s no way. For us to be on the wrong side of this right now, it’s upsetting.”

Lea said his statement is not to criticize the College Football Playoff committee, but rather to criticize the playoff’s current model. The Vanderbilt coach specifically mentioned his issue with how automatic bids are distributed in the current 12-team format.

He mentioned the fact that the playoffs currently allows the opportunity for a Group of Six team to make the playoffs. That leaves teams that finished the regular season 10-2, such as Vanderbilt, Miami and Utah, are on the outside looking in during conference championship week and can’t do anything further to help their case.

“No disrespect to those (Group of Six) teams, obviously,” Lea said. “I know how hard it is to win anywhere, but this is actually about getting the 12 best teams in to compete for the greatest of all prizes, the national championship trophy. And I just I don’t like where we’re at right now with the process.

“I’m frustrated by it. I can’t understand it. If I could understand it, I could accept it. I want to fight against it. I’m anxious to help improve it in the off season, but right now, I’m just fighting for my team.”

The final College Football Playoff rankings will be revealed on Sunday following the conference championship slate. Where Vanderbilt falls remains to be seen, but Lea has stated his case to the committee. For now, it appears that 10 wins for the Commodores may not have been enough to squeeze into the field.

FAYETTEVILLE — Ryan Silverfield had a second stop to make Thursday after his first press conference since being hired as Arkansas football coach.

He had to face the people he needs to win over, the ones the Razorbacks need to increase their spending so they can compete with the SEC’s power programs.

Silverfield signed a five-year, $33.5 million deal to take over in Arkansas earlier in the week. He had coached Memphis since the 2020 season, plus a single game with the Tigers as interim head coach in 2019. Memphis qualified for a bowl in every season with Silverfield at the helm and peaked in 2024 with an 11-2 record. The Tigers hold an 8-4 record ahead of a likely bowl game.

Those kinds of results at Arkansas would be a boon. The Razorbacks’ season concluded Saturday with a loss to Missouri. That ended a 2-10 season with an 0-8 record in the Southeastern Conference, the third season in the last seven Arkansas finished with those marks.

“This program is built on pride, resilience and toughness, and it’s time to bring it all back,” Silverfield said at the press conference. “Being all in together, we will rebuild it, we will earn it, and we will make this state proud.”

Finances were one of the biggest points in both the press conference and the public introduction a few hours later. Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek has made a point for the last year that the Razorbacks need more contributions for NIL funds in order to compete at a higher level in the SEC. The first audible announcement over the loudspeaker before Silverfield took the dais was one asking for money.

NIL war chests are tight-lipped secrets across college football. But Arkansas’ football attendance, which equates to revenue earned, ranks fifth from the bottom in the SEC. Both Silverfield and Yurachek said finances were a key topic during the interview and contract negotiations.

“I think it’s our competitive advantage not to give details of what that is, other than to tell you that it is a significant investment in all aspects of our football program that will move us to the top half of spending in all of those categories I mentioned in the Southeastern Conference,” Yurachek said. “I don’t believe we need to be at the top of spending. We need to be somewhere where we’re really competitive and Ryan and I are on the same page with where we are.”

Quarterback KJ Jackson and defensive end Quincy Rhoads Jr. both joined the press conference and announced they would return to the team in 2026. Jackson, a rising sophomore, took over as Arkansas’ starting quarterback for the final game of the season and is largely considered the future of the position. Rhoads finished in a tie for fifth in the SEC in sacks (8) and second in the league in tackles for-loss (17 1/2).

Silverfield told fans he doesn’t think a rebuild will take long.

“It’s not one of those things where we’re sitting here saying, ‘Hey, you know, Hunter, I need three years to rebuild this,'” Silverfield said. “No. We can start rebuilding the culture the moment we step down.”

Ole Miss football is among the most well-supported programs in the country, backed by the Grove Collective, widely regarded as one of the nation’s most organized name, image and likeness groups.

It’s not LSU, though, and that, Lane Kiffin said, is one of the biggest reasons he left Oxford for Baton Rouge. LSU’s financial backing is among the best in the nation, and Kiffin said it played a major role in his decision to choose the Tigers.

“Tell me the numbers and the plan for what the money is for the players, because that’s everything in that area to me,” Kiffin said. “Not what I make — what they make, to understand how you can build this.”

LSU isn’t the only school promising its coaches the resources to build competitive rosters. Several programs — including Michigan State, Penn State, Arkansas and Auburn — have announced major financial commitments aimed at program-building.

At Michigan State, the school received a $401 million donation from Acrisure co-founder Greg Williams and his wife, Dawn, with $290 million earmarked for athletics. It is the largest gift in school history and better positions the Spartans to compete in college sports’ revenue-sharing era.

Newly hired coach Pat Fitzgerald, who dealt with limited NIL resources at Northwestern, will now have far more to work with as he tries to return Michigan State to Big Ten contention.

Matt Campbell named 17th head football coach at Penn State, pending board approval Monday. #WeAre https://t.co/BkWP7JhsJj

— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) December 6, 2025

Arkansas is also working to reshape its football budget. Athletic director Hunter Yurachek hired Ryan Silverfield as Razorbacks coach and vowed to elevate the school’s spending from near the bottom of the SEC to a more competitive level. At Silverfield’s introductory news conference, Yurachek acknowledged Arkansas’ investment had lagged behind the rest of the conference.

“The top-down alignment of a new financial commitment from our board of trustees, the university, the department of athletics and so many generous donors … was the first step to being all in on this goal,” Yurachek said. “This financial commitment will push us to the top half in key SEC items such as our assistant coaches’ pool, strength and conditioning staff, support staff pool, and our talent acquisition through revenue sharing and legitimate NIL.”

Another Big Ten program, Penn State, hired Matt Campbell from Iowa State to replace James Franklin. Since the hire, Penn State has reportedly committed around $30 million in NIL resources, according to reporter Matt Fortuna, on top of Campbell’s reported eight-year contract. That level of investment was hinted at after Penn State moved on from Franklin. Athletic director Pat Kraft made clear in October that the school intended to operate near the top of the national spending landscape.

“This is also about the modern era of college football,” Kraft said. “Our next coach needs to be able to maximize elite-level resources, attack the transfer portal and develop at the highest level.”

At Auburn, newly hired Alex Golesh said during his opening news conference that he will have “every resource known to man.” The Tigers’ administration believed former coach Hugh Freeze had strong enough support, but Auburn posted a 15-19 record during his tenure.

Even schools that aren’t changing coaches are investing more in their programs. Maryland athletic director Jim Smith reaffirmed the school’s commitment to Mike Locksley, promising to direct more resources into Locksley’s team.

“Coach Locksley, Senior Deputy Athletic Director Diana Sabau and I will review every aspect of our football program to make sure we are focused on getting the right type of resources in the right places to build a successful football program in this new era of college football,” Smith wrote in an online letter to fans.

This season, teams such as Vanderbilt, Virginia and Texas Tech have achieved success that outpaces their recent history. Revenue sharing and NIL commitments help make that more of a possibility.

The new wave of financial commitments around football programs introduces another layer to a coaching cliché. Coaches used to say, “It’s not the X’s and O’s, but the Jimmys and the Joes.” Now, more than ever, it’s about the Benjamins.

Trinidad Chambliss did not expect his season to unfold this way.

The Ole Miss quarterback arrived in Oxford as a transfer hoping to compete, learn, and settle into a steady role.

Instead, he finished the fall as a First-Team SEC selection and one of the most talked-about players in college football.

His latest news added another step to his rise, as Chambliss announced a major name, image, and likeness partnership with AT&T.

The deal was revealed through a national commercial that used humor and the language of the transfer portal.

In the ad, Chambliss sits in a living room with friends as they ask whether he plans to “transfer.”

After a pause, he answers, “If you wanna win, you go with the best.”

The twist — he is “transferring” to AT&T, not a new program. It was a simple message, delivered with ease and confidence, and it signaled how far his public profile has grown.

Chambliss admitted in the commercial that the moment still feels unusual.

He said he would have thought someone was “crazy” if they had predicted he would be in this type of spotlight. But his play changed everything, and his journey from Ferris State to Ole Miss became one of the most followed stories across the SEC.

His season took shape after starting quarterback Austin Simmons went down with an early injury. That opened the door for Chambliss to get his chance.

He quickly took hold of the job, lifted the offense, and kept the Rebels stable in a year when the margin for error was tight.

From the moment he stepped in, Chambliss brought command and mobility. His ability to run and throw gave Ole Miss a balanced attack that fit well with its personnel.

Over the final two months, he ranked among the league’s top quarterbacks and helped Ole Miss stay in the postseason race.

The Rebels believed they had solid depth entering the year, but Chambliss offered something more. He became the center of the team’s identity and one of the clearest examples of how the transfer portal can reshape a season.

Even Arkansas fans, watching as the Razorbacks navigated roster changes, saw how one player’s move could shift a program’s direction.

Heading into winter, Chambliss’ name carried weight both on and off the field, and companies noticed.

The AT&T deal became the latest sign his impact is reaching far beyond the box score.

Production places Chambliss among SEC’s best

Chambliss completed 218 of 333 passes for 3,016 yards, 18 touchdowns and three interceptions. His consistency helped Ole Miss settle into its offensive rhythm as the season progressed.

He also rushed 118 times for 470 yards and six touchdowns, finishing with 3,486 total yards.

His statistical rise showed how quickly he adapted to SEC play. For long stretches, he averaged more than 300 yards per game and kept drives alive with timely scrambles and smart reads.

Coaches praised his decision-making and his willingness to manage tough moments without forcing plays.

Chambliss often talked about the role his time at Ferris State played in shaping his mindset.

At the Division II level, he won awards and led a successful offense, but he believed taking a step to the SEC would show him a different level of competition. That belief proved correct, and he handled the transition with poise.

As Ole Miss piled up wins, attention grew. His leadership steadied the Rebels during close games, and fans responded to his calm presence. National media outlets highlighted his story, and discussions about his future expanded.

It was during that rise that NIL interest intensified.

The AT&T announcement confirmed the momentum. Though financial terms were not disclosed, the partnership showed that corporations now view college quarterbacks as voices capable of appealing to broad audiences.

It also reflected the changing nature of college football. NIL deals shape the landscape, and a player like Chambliss now balances his on-field duties with growing visibility off it.

Programs across the SEC, including the Hogs, track these developments closely. NIL structure affects recruiting, retention, and how players evaluate their opportunities.

Chambliss’ deal served as another example of how today’s game operates.

What comes next for Ole Miss quarterback

For the Rebels, the deal supports the program’s wider goals. Chambliss has become a central figure and a dependable leader for a team seeking long-term stability.

His growth reinforces what Ole Miss wants to build moving forward, both in recruiting and in performance.

Chambliss said the journey has been unpredictable but rewarding. He remains focused on his development as he balances new expectations and responsibilities. The next steps in his career will hold weight as Ole Miss prepares for its future on offense.

Key takeaways

• Trinidad Chambliss secured a major NIL partnership with AT&T after a strong season at Ole Miss.

• His rise from backup to First-Team SEC quarterback showed the power of the transfer portal.

• The shifting NIL landscape, which affects programs like the Razorbacks, continues to reshape college football.

As the Nebraska football team prepares for its second straight bowl game, UCF and Scott Frost are doing a post-mortem on just why they suffered through another losing season. To the surprise of no one, when Frost talked about what went wrong and how he would fix things, he did not point the finger at himself. Instead, he lined up another fall guy. This time, the blame fell on NIL and the transfer portal.

“It’s broken,” Frost said during the Signing Day press conference. “College football’s broken. Yeah, I don’t know if you’ll get that honest answer from everyone, but everyone would agree if they were honest.”

It’s worth pointing out that the former Nebraska football coach isn’t saying anything that many failed coaches have said before him. Even if he tried to paint it as though he was departing some never-before-heard wisdom.

Former Nebraska coach Scott Frost blames NIL, transfer portal for UCF’s losing season

Frost then told a story that may or may not have actually happened.

“I laugh about it now, but I did my press conference last year and had a couple players and their agents waiting outside my office five minutes after I did my press conference to start telling me how much money I needed to pay them, and I didn’t even know who the kids were.”

“We’re going to know our team now. We’re going to know our strengths and weaknesses. I think we’re in a better financial position to approach this.”

This is hardly the first time that the former Nebraska coach and storied quarterback blamed forces beyond his control for his failures. It’s not even the first time he’s done it since joining UCF. He spent most of his first offseason with the Knights last year, blaming everyone but him at Nebraska for his getting fired after 4.5 seasons.

Frost has demonstrated plenty of times that he hasn’t changed much since he ran Nebraska. That’s bad news for UCF fans who are hoping for improvements in 2026 after the team went 5-7 this season and was a late rally away from going 1-8 in the Big 12 with a loss to the worst team in the conference. Who will be the fall guy next year if Scott Frost does that again.

Coming into the SEC Championship Game, there was a kind of consensus that both Georgia and Alabama would make the College Football Playoff no matter what. Almost no matter what.

All that had to happen was that Alabama lost a close game to Georgia, and they would be in. Sixty minutes later, the Bulldogs may have finally disproved that theory.

Kirby Smart notched a needed and rare win over the Crimson Tide in dominating fashion to win the SEC championship, avenging the team’s one regular season loss, and potentially throwing Kalen DeBoer’s team right out of the national title hunt a second-straight season.

Until now, we had maintained that Alabama would stay in the playoff even with a loss to Georgia, but the nature of how that loss played out could finally pave the way to resolve the biggest controversy facing the selection committee coming into Selection Day.

Predicting the College Football Playoff bracket after Georgia beat Alabama

Subject to change pending other Championship Saturday results

1. Ohio State. We’re still projecting that the Buckeyes will finish the season undefeated by handing Indiana its first loss and claim the Big Ten championship, ensuring their hold on the No. 1 overall seed in the playoff.

2. Georgia. A dominant win over Alabama to avenge their one regular season loss and win the SEC championship helps propel the Bulldogs into the No. 2 seed and likely ends its counterpart’s playoff ambitions.

3. Texas Tech. One of college football’s most dominant defenses had a day against BYU, forcing four turnovers en route to a signature Big 12 championship victory and taking a firm hold on a first-round playoff bye.

4. Indiana. We still expect the Hoosiers’ prospective loss to Ohio State to be close enough, combined with IU’s total resume, to keep them in the top four and get the bye.

5. Oregon. That one loss the Ducks had this season came against Indiana, so they should stay behind their Big Ten counterpart as a result.

6. Ole Miss. No Lane Kiffin, no problem. The selectors showed no indication they’ll punish the Rebels after the coach’s departure, so we should see them host a first-round game in the playoff.

7. Texas A&M. Undefeated until the regular season finale, that loss cost the Aggies a shot at the SEC title, but they’ve done enough to host a game in the first round.

8. Oklahoma. That strong defense helped put the Sooners back into the playoff picture, and it’s there they stay, but it’ll be up to John Mateer and the offense to live up to their end of the bargain to keep them there.

9. Notre Dame. The selectors kept the Irish ahead of the Hurricanes despite their head-to-head loss in the opener, and they should move ahead one spot after the Alabama loss.

10. Miami. There was a chance that Alabama could stay in the bracket even by losing to Georgia, but the nature of that loss could be enough for the selectors to move the Hurricanes back in, but still possibly behind the Irish team they beat given how insistent the committee has been to preserve that ordering.

11. Virginia. We still expect the Cavaliers will do enough to save the ACC some major embarrassment and beat Duke for the conference title.

12. Tulane. A strong defensive outing helped propel the Green Wave to a victory over North Texas to win the American championship and stay as the Group of Five’s highest-ranked team.

What the College Football Playoff would look like today

12 Tulane at 5 Oregon
Winner plays 4 Indiana

11 Virginia at 6 Ole Miss
Winner plays 3 Texas Tech

10 Miami at 7 Texas A&M
Winner plays 2 Georgia

9 Notre Dame at 8 Oklahoma
Winner plays 1 Ohio State

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