Lisa Desjardins:

New Year’s Day has long been synonymous with college football. This year, that includes championship playoff games.

But it’s also a key week for the future of those teams. Starting tomorrow, the window opens for players to transfer to other schools through the so-called portal. It’s part of what some have called a Wild West in college sports, where universities can now pay players millions of dollars through a system abbreviated as NIL.

To help us understand this reshaping of college sports and what it means for athletics, I spoke recently with Stewart Mandel, editor in chief of college football coverage for “The Athletic.”

Stewart Mandel, thank you for joining us.

Two things are happening right now, the name, image and likeness changes, which mean that colleges can pay athletes in some cases millions of dollars, but also the opening of the transfer portal, which is later this week. Do we know how these two things are going to play out?

Stewart Mandel, The Athletic:

Well, this is the first cycle since the NCAA v. House settlement that allows schools to directly pay their athletes up to $20.5 million.

And so the way it’s supposed to work when the portal opens is those deals don’t need to be approved by anybody. But if you’re going to offer a player an NIL deal from a third party, that is supposed to require approval from this new organization called the College Sports Commission. But a lot of people are skeptical that that will actually work.

Lisa Desjardins:

So it seems like there’s a real Wild West here. There’s a question of if these rules can be broken, who will find loopholes around these rules. And there’s also for coaches a lot of frustration.

I want to play a recent rant from the Arkansas basketball coach, John Calipari. He’s talking about all the transferring happening by these students who may transfer from school to school to school. He uses a Northeastern word that means essentially a sham. And here’s what he said.

John Calipari, Arkansas Head Basketball Coach:

It’s fugazi, fugazi,because they’re getting 400, 500, 800, a million, and they’re not pros. So now they have to go get a job after four stops. No college degree.

Lisa Desjardins:

Fugazi, he says. What do you see as the ups and downs for star college players from this system?

Stewart Mandel:

I get why coaches are frustrated. They have to reset their roster every single year. They don’t know which guys they will be able to hold on to, which guys will go in the portal.

But I think coaches are consumed by basketball. They’re not necessarily following court cases. Everything that has happened here in the last five years in terms of not just players being allowed to be paid, but players being allowed to transfer freely, has been the result of an unfavorable court decision against the NCAA.

So I get it. I don’t think it’s ideal for anybody, including, as Coach Calipari mentions, the players and their education, to be able to transfer to four or five different schools over the course of their career. But one judge in West Virginia a couple of years ago ruled that restricting the players’ movement is an antitrust violation.

And so the NCAA is pretty much powerless right now to put any of those kind of rules in place.

Lisa Desjardins:

Now, one example that’s been getting a lot of attention this week is Iowa State and their football team. It does look like they’re going to have a lot of players transferring and that they will be left with a smaller team at its core.

Someone who has paid attention to this is Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who posted on X that this was, in his words, a crisis. And he also said that Congress needs to act. What could be Congress’ role here exactly? I know there’s been a lot of debate this year.

Stewart Mandel:

Well, first of all, Senator Cruz neglected to mention that Iowa State’s coach left for Penn State. So that’s why a lot of players are leaving.

There is a bill that’s been sitting in the House for most of this year called the SCORE Act that would give the NCAA an antitrust exemption to put in the kind of rules that these coaches want. But it’s unclear if it’s ever going to come to vote. It’s been stalled several times.

If it does come to vote and it passes, obviously, it would still need to be passed in the Senate. And I think that’s where Senator Cruz comes in, because he might take the reins. He’s been very interested in this issue for a couple of years and would probably be one of the leaders to try to get it through the Senate. Right now, it’s unclear if or when it’s ever going to even come up for vote in the House.

Lisa Desjardins:

The mechanics of all of this are incredibly complicated, and that’s why it’s a bit of a Wild West, as you’re saying. But it may be a big picture question for you.

These athletes are now potentially making millions of dollars. That’s just a few of them that are hitting that mount. But it’s not clear. But are they really professionals now? What’s the difference between these college athletes and professionals?

Stewart Mandel:

Well, if you’re basing it just on the amount of money they’re making, yes, a lot of them are professionals.

But the big difference is, they do still need to go to class. They do need to be enrolled at a school. There are certain requirements you need to hit to be eligible to play. And then the hot-button issue that’s been going on for years is the issue of whether they should be considered employees.

They are not considered employees. They are — the term you always hear as student athletes. But there is certainly pressure. In fact, that’s one of the reasons for that congressional act is to try to prevent what might be the logical next step, where the athletes become employees, they can collectively bargain.

Then, yes, it would start to very closely resemble professional athletics.

Lisa Desjardins:

How significant is this time right now for college sports?

Stewart Mandel:

Since 2021, when NIL first came into existence, these past four years, there’s been more change, more fundamental change in college athletics than in the past 50 or 60 years before that.

And the scary thing is, it’s still not all resolved. There’s still going to be many years ahead of kind of litigating these issues and what the future of college sports should look like. So it’s very much a national pastime in flux, right down to some of the most basic rules?

So, yes, it’s a very pivotal time, especially for the commissioners and the athletic directors and the presidents, who are really — have been really kind of putting all their eggs in Congress to bail them out of this situation.

Lisa Desjardins:

Stewart Mandel, thanks for trying to help us get our bearings. We appreciate it.

Stewart Mandel:

Thank you.

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (AP) – Matayo Uiagalelei caused a fumble to set up an Oregon touchdown, Jordon Davison rushed for two scores and the fifth-seeded Ducks silenced No. 4 Texas Tech’s offense for a 23-0 win in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl on Thursday.

Dante Moore threw for 234 yards and Atticus Sappington kicked three field goals for Oregon (13-1), which will play either No. 1 Indiana or No. 9 Alabama in the Peach Bowl — a CFP semifinal — on Jan. 9.

The Peach Bowl winner will be back in Miami Gardens for the national title game on Jan. 19.

Texas Tech — which finished at 12-2 — came into the day second nationally in points per game (42.5) and fifth nationally in yards per game (480.3) but got nothing going. The Red Raiders turned the ball over four times, were stopped on fourth downs three other times and had four three-and-outs.

Tech quarterback Behren Morton — who finished 18 of 32 passing for just 137 yards — was stripped by Uiagalelei early in the third quarter in Red Raiders territory. Uiagalelei rumbled deep into the red zone and Davison scored one play later to make it 13-0.

Morton threw a red-zone interception early in the fourth quarter and a fourth-down stop from their own 30 midway through the fourth quarter doomed whatever comeback chances existed for the Red Raiders. Davison plunged in from the 1 with 16 seconds left to cap the scoring.

It was the sixth quarterfinal under this 12-team tournament format that started last year — there were two others coming later Thursday — and the sixth time that the team coming off an extended break lost to a team that played a first-round game.

In 2024, Boise State (against Penn State), Arizona State (against Texas), Georgia (against Notre Dame) and Oregon (against Ohio State) all went out in the quarterfinals after first-round byes. Miami added to that list Wednesday night, beating Ohio State in a quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl. In those six games, including Thursday, the team with the bye has held the lead for less than five minutes — combined — of regulation.

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway finished the 2025 season with 2,264 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, while adding 136 rushing yards, a 63.2% completion rate and a 127.0 passer rating.

His year featured flashes of high-end upside, including a three-touchdown season opener against Long Island and multiple 250-yard passing performances, but was also marked by turnover-heavy outings, most notably a five-interception game against LSU.

The Gators finished 4–8 (2–6 SEC) in 2025, underperforming under head coach Billy Napier, who was fired on October 19 following a 3–4 start. Florida hired Jon Sumrall as his successor on November 30. 

That instability, combined with reportedly awkward early meetings between Lagway and the new staff, preceded his decision to explore other options, which he announced his plans to enter the transfer portal on December 15.

A 2024 five-star recruit out of Willis (Texas) High, Lagway arrived at Florida as a high-profile prospect — a Mr. Texas honoree, Elite 11 participant and the nation’s No. 1 quarterback in the 247Sports rankings. 

He started as a true freshman in 2024, completing 59.9% of his passes for 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions, then showed modest improvement in 2025, with his elite prep pedigree keeping him among the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal.

On Tuesday, transfer-market analyst Chris Hummer relayed updated reporting that growing interest in Lagway has come from Stanford and Florida State, alongside previously noted links to Baylor and Louisville. 

Stanford finished 4–8 in 2025, in a season that exposed offensive struggles and significant turnover, including the loss of head coach Troy Taylor before the year and multiple key offensive players entering the portal, such as running back Cole Tabb, offensive tackle Jack Layrer, and wide receivers Jason Thompson and Myles Libman. 

With senior starter Ben Gulbranson set to move on, several outlets have projected Stanford to pursue a portal quarterback, making a veteran, NFL-style, pro-concept passer like Lagway an appealing immediate option.

Florida State reshaped its quarterback room in 2025 by adding former Boston College quarterback Tommy Castellanos through the portal, but his subsequent declaration for the 2026 NFL Draft has reopened a clear need at the position. 

Given the Seminoles’ offensive profile and proximity to Gainesville, Florida State would represent another logical landing spot for Lagway.

Lagway’s NIL valuation is also among the highest in college football, with On3’s NIL tracker listing it at $2 million, driven by deals with brands such as Gatorade, Jordan Brand, Nintendo and Red Bull. 

That financial profile can enhance his appeal to programs capable of supporting or expanding his brand, making NIL infrastructure a meaningful factor in both team interest and his ultimate decision.

Read More at College Football HQ

• Major college football programs linked to underrated transfer portal prospect

• No. 1 transfer portal QB clearly linked to two major college football programs

• College football’s leading passer linked to two programs in transfer portal

• First-team All-Conference college football starter enters transfer portal

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate (’09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.

The NCAA transfer portal officially opens on Friday for all college football players searching for new schools to compete for in 2026. It will remain open for the next two weeks.

In the weeks following the conclusion of the 2025 regular season, thousands of college football players made the decision to play for another program next season. While quarterbacks have been a more dominant topic of conversation with the portal, there are plenty of other significant offensive skill players on the move.

One marquee name in the 2026 portal cycle is former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman. He will enter the portal with two seasons of eligibility remaining at his second school.

Hugh Freeze recruited Coleman to Auburn as one of the highest-rated wide receiver prospects in the 2024 class. He is projected by all recruiting services as the No. 1 overall recruit in the NCAA transfer portal for the 2026 offseason.

Coleman appeared in 10 of Auburn’s 12 games in 2024. He caught 37 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns his freshman season. He was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team that season.

Auburn featured Coleman in every game of the 2025 season. He grabbed 56 receptions for a team-high 708 yards and five touchdowns.

With such high prospects, Coleman is expected to attract attention from major college football programs across the country. The offers for Coleman are expected to hover around $2 million from any potential buyers.

One school that has worked its way into the mix to land Coleman in the 2026 offseason is Texas. Mike Golic Jr. mentioned the idea of the Longhorns jockeying for Coleman on a recent edition of Bleacher Report’s “College Football Show.”

“Steve Sarkisian is great at getting wide receivers the touches they want to look good for the NFL. Arch Manning, after being left for dead after the early portion of the season, looked like one of the best quarterbacks in college football the back half of the year,” Golic said. “I think you combine the quarterback with the offensive playcaller, I think you have a good setup there.”

As Golic mentioned, Sarkisian has a strong track record with wide receivers as an offensive mind. DeVonta Smith won a Heisman Trophy at Alabama with Sarkisian as the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator. That offense featured another future NFL talent at wide receiver in Jaylen Waddle.

Wide receivers have gone to the NFL throughout Sarkisian’s tenure at Texas. AD Mitchell, Xavier Worthy, Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond are among the Longhorns’ wide receivers who have reached NFL rosters in Sarkisian’s tenure in Austin.

Although it entered the game as the biggest underdog of the College Football Quarterfinal round, No. 10 Miami shocked the world and downed defending National Champion No. 2 Ohio State 24-14 in Wednesday night’s Goodyear Cotton Bowl.

The Hurricanes are now two wins away from their first National Championship since 2001. They will face the winner of No. 3 Georgia/No. 6 Ole Miss in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8, with a spot in the national title game on the line.

Following Wednesday night’s big win for ‘The U,’ legendary head coach Nick Saban labeled Miami as ‘the real deal’ heading into the College Football Playoff Semifinals. Clearly, Saban is all-in on his former assistant, Mario Cristobal.

“The thing that impressed me the most was how relentless Miami competes in a game,” Saban said on Thursday morning’s edition of ‘College GameDay‘. “When Ohio State came out and answered the bell in the second half, Miami just kept playing. They drove through the smoke and made the plays they had to make when they had to make them. A couple of third down conversions on that last drive, which was critical.

“These guys are the real deal, and they’re peaking at the right time. They’re playing their best ball of the season right now, which is attributed to the coaching staff and players’ commitment to a standard, which they’re playing to.”

No. 10 Miami never trailed in 24-14 win over No. 2 Ohio State

Miami never trailed in the game, as it jumped out to a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter thanks to a nine-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Carson Beck to star running back Mark Fletcher Jr. Ohio State drove the length of the field and looked to tie the game, but Buckeye quarterback Julian Sayin was picked off by Miami DB Keionte Scott. Scott returned the interception 72 yards for a pick-six, propelling the ‘Canes to a 14-0 advantage.

A one-yard touchdown run from Ohio State running back Bo Jackson cut into the deficit, but a Miami field goal drew it back out to 17-7. It appeared the Buckeyes had all the momentum following a Jeremiah Smith 14-yard receiving touchdown, but a CharMar Brown five-yard touchdown run with just under a minute remaining dashed all hope of an Ohio State comeback.

“You’ve seen how we work and how we practice,” head coach Mario Cristobal said postgame. “They got tired of hearing from everybody. We’re focused on us.”

Cristobal was heavily criticized during the early years of his Miami head coaching tenure, as the Hurricanes suffered losses to programs such as Middle Tennessee State, Rutgers, and Syracuse (which practically kept them out of the 2024 CFP). He, however, has stuck it out, and has his alma mater closer to a National Championship than they’ve been in 25 years.