For years, NIL has often been framed as college football’s necessary evil — a chaotic marketplace blamed for roster churn, tampering fears, and short-term thinking. At Oregon, however, NIL is increasingly serving a different purpose. It’s not just reshaping how the Ducks build their roster, it’s reshaping how long they can keep it together.

Since the end of the regular season, two high-profile juniors on the Oregon roster have made decisions that quietly underscore that shift. Defensive lineman Bear Alexander announced first that he would return for the 2026 season. Shortly after, offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu, better known as “Poncho,” followed suit. Both will return to Eugene for their final seasons of eligibility.

Both decisions likely don’t happen four years ago at Oregon. Here’s why.

The Cincinnati Bearcats looked like a potential playoff team after a 7–1 start before dropping each of their final four games to close the 2025 season at 7–5 overall and 5–4 in Big 12 play.

Despite the late slide, it was Cincinnati’s highest win total since joining the Big 12 in 2023 and the program’s best season yet under third-year head coach Scott Satterfield.

Much of that success was fueled by junior quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who has since announced his intention to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal.

In 12 appearances during the 2025 season, Sorsby completed 61.6% of his passes for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns, and five interceptions, while also rushing for 580 yards and nine scores, establishing himself as one of the portal’s most coveted dual-threat quarterbacks.

On Tuesday, On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Sorsby could command NIL offers approaching $5 million on the open market, a figure that would place him among the highest earners in college sports.

A Lake Dallas, Texas, native, Sorsby was a three-star recruit and the No. 66-ranked quarterback in the 2022 class according to 247Sports.

He received nearly a dozen scholarship offers, including from Indiana, Army, Navy, and Delaware.

Sorsby initially signed with Indiana in February 2022 and emerged as the Hoosiers’ full-time starter in 2023.

He threw for 1,587 yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions while rushing for 276 yards and four scores before entering the transfer portal and transferring to Cincinnati in 2024.

On3’s NIL tracker currently lists Texas quarterback Arch Manning as the nation’s highest-valued college athlete at $5.3 million, while Sorsby is valued at approximately $2.4 million, the 12th-highest overall.

Any deal approaching $5 million would immediately place Sorsby alongside Manning at the top of the NIL market.

Early links and reporting have connected Sorsby to programs including Texas Tech, Tennessee, Oregon, Indiana (return), and other Power-Five schools.

Read More at College Football HQ

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Marcus Freeman to the New York Giants is the latest coaching carousel talking point that just won’t go away, amid rampant speculation that the Notre Dame head coach could have an escape plan ready to jump to the NFL, and that the interest may be mutual.

But where do things actually stand in the most talked-about coaching situation?

Analyst predicts Marcus Freeman’s future

Behind the scenes, the race is on for Notre Dame to come up with contractual terms to keep Freeman on their sideline, and from what it sounds like, the latest trend may be pointing in that direction.

Right now, the current trajectory suggests that Freeman will turn down any interest from the NFL and remain the Notre Dame head football coach into the future, according to On3 Sports analyst Eric Hansen.

“If Freeman does what I believe he will and he and agent Clint Dowdle find common contract ground — and athletic director Pete Bevacqua doesn’t appear to be offering even tactical resistance — the decision to stay in South Bend would be for the long haul,” Hansen said.

That may be what Notre Dame fans want to hear, but until a decision is made official, the lure of New York and the NFL is still out there.

NFL insiders reveal Giants, Freeman interest

The talk connecting Freeman to the Giants is not just random speculation at this point.

Freeman has also emerged as one of the most prominent names on the shortlist being assembled by the Giants franchise itself, according to The Athletic.

That is something to keep an eye on, as the NFL coaching bonanza is only just getting started, and Freeman is considered one of the best young coaching minds in circulation at any level.

What Freeman has done at Notre Dame

Freeman has just completed his fourth season at the helm of the Fighting Irish program and boasts a 43-12 overall record, winning more than 78 percent of his games.

Freeman led Notre Dame to a No. 2 national ranking and an appearance in the national championship game against his alma mater a year ago.

His team went 10-2 this season and seemed poised for another berth in the College Football Playoff, before the committee reversed course on Selection Day and left the Irish out of the field, leading the school to decline playing in a bowl game. 

Notre Dame won’t let him go

Cognizant of the talk around his head man, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua is not willing to watch from the sidelines if his successful football coach is going to be courted by opportunities in the NFL, or anywhere.

“I would never say we wouldn’t match anything when it comes to Marcus,” Bevacqua said recently.

“I make sure that he knows that he will be where he deserves to be, and that is at the top, top, top tier of college football coaches when it comes to compensation every year.

“I view his contract, although a multiyear contract, as a living, breathing document that we will revise every year as need be to make sure he’s where he deserves to be. He knows he has that commitment from me and more importantly from the university.”

How exactly that commitment is formalized remains the sticking point that will either keep Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame, or have him looking elsewhere.

Read more from College Football HQ

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCIV) — One day after South Carolina received word that star quarterback LaNorris Sellers was staying in town, another star said he plans to return to the fold.

Dylan Stewart, the Gamecocks’ star edge rusher, announced he is returning for his true junior season in 2026, according to Pete Thamel, ESPN’s college football insider.

Stewart has 11 sacks in his two seasons at South Carolina and has forced 6 fumbles. Among ESPN’s draft projections, he appears to be a top prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft.

READ MORE | “South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers stays put, vows stronger return for 2026 season.”

The former five-star recruit and rising SEC pass rusher chose continuity over the transfer portal, agreeing to an NIL deal that places him among the highest compensated non-quarterbacks in college football, according to ESPN’s reporting.

South Carolina’s defense is back in reliable hands, as the Gamecocks ready themselves to bounceback from a 4-8 season.

After the pitiful finish, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer shook up his coaching staff.

South Carolina is also expected to hire Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes as the defensive end and outside linebacker coach.

He’s been Penn State’s defensive line coach the past three years and worked with the line there since 2020. He coached Abdul Carter, Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac.

READ MORE | “South Carolina to kick off 2026 football season at home against Kent State.”

Safety Kerry Brown, cornerback John Nestor, and offensive linemen Greg Johnson and Nathan Roy all announced their return to Minnesota next season through the NIL collective Dinkytown Athletes on Tuesday. All four were starters this season and represent key returnees for the Gophers next season.

The announcements are part of Cub Foods’ contribution to Dinkytown Athletes.

These types of announcements have become commonplace in college football today, driven by the introduction of NIL and revenue-sharing agreements, as well as the transfer portal.

More announcements are expected in the coming days and weeks, so stay tuned.

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, a former five-star recruit and two-year starter, is now in the transfer portal after a 2025 season defined by inconsistency and organizational change in Gainesville.

In 2025, Lagway completed 213 of 337 passes (63.2%) for 2,264 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, while adding 136 rushing yards and a rushing score. 

However, the turnovers and a string of uneven performances contributed to a 4–8 season (2-6 SEC) for Florida and intensified scrutiny on the program’s direction. 

Florida dismissed fourth-year head coach Billy Napier on October 19 following a 3–4 start and later hired Tulane’s Jon Sumrall to lead the program forward, a change that has prompted several top players to explore fresh starts.

Several Power Five programs have emerged as early fits for Lagway, with Baylor, LSU, and Miami frequently mentioned by national outlets.

Recently, On3’s Pete Nakos singled out Baylor, noting that home-state proximity and family ties to Waco could make the Bears an appealing landing spot.

A five-star dual-threat quarterback from Willis, Texas, Lagway entered college as one of the top prospects in the 2024 class, ranking as 247Sports’ No. 1 quarterback before signing with Florida in December 2022.

Lagway threw for 4,605 yards and 59 touchdowns as a senior, adding 953 rushing yards and 16 scores on the ground to earn Gatorade National Player of the Year honors.

He drew more than 30 offers from several Power Five programs, including Baylor, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Clemson, before committing to the Gators.

From a marketplace standpoint, Lagway arrives in January’s portal with considerable commercial value.

On3’s NIL tracker lists Lagway with an estimated valuation near $2.0 million, and the quarterback already has multiple reported brand partnerships, including Hollister, Red Bull, and Mercedes-Benz of Gainesville.

For Baylor, Lagway would offer a marketable, high-upside option who can start right away, with 2025 starter Sawyer Robertson expected to enter the 2026 NFL Draft.

Read More at College Football HQ

• Major college football team reportedly does not have ‘any interest’ in $2.4 million QB

• No. 1 college football team predicted to sign $2.1 million transfer QB

• Major college football program loses 15 players to transfer portal

• College Football Playoff team has ‘significant interest’ in 4,000-yard QB