Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza swept to an easy Heisman Trophy victory on Saturday, but everyone wasn’t convinced of his credentials. Count long-time sports personality Skip Bayless among those who aren’t on board with the pick. Bayless, who spent years with FOX Sports and ESPN, took to social media with his take on the Heisman win.

Heisman Results

It’s worth noting that Mendoza not only easily won the award, with 643 first-place votes to 189 for the second-place finisher, Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia. He also comfortably won the voting from all six geographic regions into which voting is divided. The fan vote for the Heisman went to neither Mendoza nor Pavia, but to Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez. But Bayless’s take went a different direction.

Skip Bayless’s Take

Congrats to Fernando Mendoza… nice memorized, rehearsed speech… but Diego Pavia deserved this award for his performance on the field, even if his swagger and edge rubbed some voters and viewers the wrong way.

Skip Bayless

Pavia’s Case

Pavia put together an impressive campaign, leading Vanderilt to 10 wins for the first time in program history. He passed for 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns while rushing for 826 yards and nine more touchdowns. A season ago, Pavia led Vanderbilt to seven wins, including an upset of then-No. 1 Alabama that spring-boarded the program to national relevance. Of course, Skip Bayless happened to graduate from Vanderbilt.

Pavia likely was hurt by a season in which he lacked a marquee win– Vandy’s best win on the season based on the current polls was over No. 25 Missouri. He also didn’t play especially well against top competition– throwing for six touchdowns and four interceptions against winning FBS teams. Of course, Vanderbilt came up just shy of the College Football Playoff.

Mendoza’s Case

Mendoza, on the other hand, led Indiana to an undefeated season and a No. 1 ranking. Mendoza has passed for 2,980 yards and 33 touchdowns and rushed for another 240 yards and six scores. He did take advantage of some big-game moments in a comeback win over Penn State and the upset of Ohio State in the Big Ten title game. Mendoza passed for 13 touchdowns and three interceptions against winning FBS teams.

Critics note that Mendoza’s big moment came against a Penn State team that fired its coach and struggled to a 6-6 season. His resume includes just two wins over currently ranked teams, although both Oregon and Ohio State are in the fop five. Mendoza threw for just two touchdowns total in those two wins (which were essentially defensive battles). But most voters clearly disagreed with Bayless’s take and were comfortable with Mendoza’s Heisman claim.

Being the head coach who replaces a legend is one of the toughest gigs in college football, but having to step into the shoes of the all-time winner of national championships is quite another task.

And despite being on the right side of most metrics, Kalen DeBoer could be facing more than embarrassment if Alabama doesn’t beat Oklahoma in the first-round College Football Playoff game this coming week.

Former Alabama running back Damien Harris thinks his place at the school is in jeopardy.

Is Kalen DeBoer’s job at risk?

“In my opinion, I think his job is on the line with this game, and I think there’s a lot of reasons why,” Harris said on CBS Sports.

“We’ve seen how hard it is to beat a team twice in college football, and if we look at this Alabama team, and say you showed no improvement from the first time you played Oklahoma to the second time, you weren’t able to make adjustments to flip the script of that game, and you can’t win that football game [after] luckily getting into the playoffs, that’s going to be a problem.”

Oklahoma has Alabama’s number

DeBoer is already 0-2 against Oklahoma during his two-year tenure at Alabama and now they return to Norman for a rematch against one of the best defenses in the country.

Dropping to 0-3 would put DeBoer’s place in some peril, Harris argues, especially given some of the talk around other schools reportedly being interested in him, talk that increased after Michigan came open suddenly last week.

That’s not good enough

“Listen, this isn’t the tradition, this isn’t the history that Alabama fans are used to. This isn’t the standard of excellence that’s used to being had in Tuscaloosa at the University of Alabama. People are still talking about that,” Harris said.

“I know it’s Year Two. I know we’re talking about needing to give coaches time, but when we’re talking about the University of Alabama and the legacy that needs to be set, Kalen DeBoer needs to put his own DNA on that.”

So far, he hasn’t. 

“We’re not seeing that right now. We’re seeing a team that’s full of a lot of potential, has a lot of talent, a lot of resources, but they just haven’t lived up to the billing quite yet during the Kalen DeBoer tenure,” he said.

“All that being said, I think Kalen DeBoer’s job will be in a little bit of jeopardy going into next season if they don’t win this football game.”

But is any of this true?

Speaking frankly, no.

Alabama knew the stakes of finding the right person to replace Nick Saban, the man who defined college football in the 21st century, perhaps for all time, and took great care to find his successor.

DeBoer has been a proven winner, and even despite his relative struggles and losses in two years with the Crimson Tide, is still ahead of the game and has the program in the national title field.

More to it, all of the insider reporting around the coach suggests that he is more than happy being at Alabama, and is entirely focused on leading the school into the future.

And while Michigan is still a seductive opportunity given its prestige, the condition of the athletic department is a genuine concern, before and after the shocking dismissal of Sherrone Moore, who was fired for an alleged improper relationship and landed in jail on multiple charges.

Facing a bevy of negative headlines since the Jim Harbaugh era, whether it be around Covid-era recruiting violations, the Connor Stalions scandal and sign-stealing allegations, and the sudden shocking developments around Moore, even the school itself seems concerned, launching an investigation into itself and its culture.

That would not be an ideal landing spot for a coach who already has one of the top five positions in college football, is in the playoff, and likes where he is. Win or lose this week.

(Harris)

Read more from College Football HQ

Kalen DeBoer isn’t heading to Michigan.

The Alabama coach decided to release a statement Sunday via Yea Alabama, the university’s NIL collective.

“I have not spoken and have no interest in speaking with anyone else about any other job,” the statement from DeBoer read. “I am fully committed to this program and look forward to continuing as the head football coach at the University of Alabama.”

DeBoer said he and his family “are very happy in Tuscaloosa” and are grateful for the support of UA president Peter Mohler, athletics director Greg Byrne, the UA System Board of Trustees “and so many others.”

“We have an incredible opportunity in front of us, so my sole focus is on Alabama football and our preparations to play Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff,” read the statement from DeBoer.

DeBoer was immediately highlighted as a top candidate to watch to coach the Wolverines once Michigan fired head coach Sherrone Moore for cause on Wednesday. DeBoer had also been mentioned as a candidate for the Penn State job before he shut down those rumors ahead of the SEC Championship Game.

DeBoer and the Crimson Tide are preparing for the College Football Playoff. No. 9 Alabama will face No. 8 Oklahoma on Friday, Dec. 19 in Norman, Oklahoma in the first round of the 12-team playoff. The winner will advance to the Rose Bowl to face No. 1 Indiana.

“We are proud to have Coach DeBoer leading our football program at The University of Alabama,” Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne posted to social media. “He is an incredible coach and does an excellent job with the development of our student-athletes, both on and off the field. Just as he is committed to this team, we are committed to him, and we look forward to taking the field Friday in the first round of the College Football Playoff.”

The game will mark the first for DeBoer as part of the 12-team playoff but his second playoff appearance overall. DeBoer led the Washington Huskies to the national championship game in 2023. Then he agreed to replace Nick Saban at Alabama ahead of the 2024 season.

In 2024, he finished 9-4 and missed the College Football Playoff. Then Alabama improved in his second season, finishing 10-2 in the regular season to reach the SEC Championship Game. The Crimson Tide lost to Georgia in Atlanta. As a result, Alabama heads into the playoff with a 10-3 record.

Heading into the playoff, DeBoer holds an 18-5 record in games against AP top 25 opponents over his time at Alabama, Washington and Fresno State.

Troy Aikman is joining a growing list of major voices calling out the direction of college football.

The Hall of Fame quarterback made the comments during Monday’s episode of “Sports Media with Richard Deitsch,” where he said the current landscape has become a “wild west” with very few meaningful rules.

Aikman made the remark during a discussion about Lane Kiffin’s abrupt departure from Ole Miss and vowed never again to contribute under the current name, image, and likeness rules.

Host Richard Deitsch asked whether Ole Miss should have allowed Kiffin to finish the season even though he was leaving for LSU.

The school blocked Kiffin from doing so.

Aikman answered by turning to the larger problems affecting college football.

He said the chaos surrounding coaching moves, player movement, and money all point to a system without any real structure.

He then shared a story of his own experience with NIL.

Aikman revealed that he personally contributed money to help a UCLA football player. He said he had never met the player and had only donated once.

According to Aikman, the player stayed for only a single season before transferring to another school.

Troy Aikman on NIL:

“I gave money to a kid, I won’t mention who. I’ve done it one time at UCLA, never met the young man. He was there a year, he left after the year. I wrote a sizable check, and he went to another school. I didn’t even get so much as a thank you note. So, it’s… pic.twitter.com/HqkRIHZUkY

— College Sports Only (@CSOonX) December 9, 2025

Aikman said he never even received a thank you note after writing what he described as a large check.

That experience led Aikman to vow never again to contribute his own cash to his alma mater.

Calls for the NCAA to impose stricter guidelines on transfers and payments have grown throughout this season. Many want limits on NIL, a structured transfer system, and clearer rules about when coaches and players can leave a program.

This year’s coaching carousel intensified those concerns.

Kiffin left a playoff-bound Ole Miss squad for LSU.

Players can also transfer as many times as they want, and they can do so while earning unlimited NIL compensation.

The sudden shift has completely upended norms that defined the sport for more than a century.

For decades, players risked punishment for something as minor as accepting the wrong meal from the wrong person.

Now, the system allows widespread payments to entire rosters with almost no restrictions.

Despite the negatives, the new rules have helped historically bad programs become relevant.

Perennial cellar dweller Indiana ended the 2025 regular season ranked number 1.

Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer ended all speculation Sunday afternoon alluding to potential interest in the Michigan vacancy with the Crimson Tide set to Oklahoma in the first round of the College Football Playoff next week. DeBoer was considered among the best fits for the Wolverines soon after Sherrone Moore’s firing earlier this week.

DeBoer was scheduled to meet with media on Monday, but released a statement ahead of that appearance.

“My family and I are very happy in Tuscaloosa and remain extremely grateful for the support of President Mohler, Greg Byrne, the board and so many others,” DeBoer said through Yea Alabama, the Crimson Tide’s NIL collective. “We have an incredible opportunity in front of us, so my sole focus is on Alabama football and our preparations to play Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff. I have not spoken and have no interest in speaking with anyone else about any other job. I am fully committed to this program and look forward to continuing as the head football coach at the University of Alabama.”

In his second season with the Crimson Tide after taking Washington to the 2023 national championship game, DeBoer is 19-7 at Alabama, which faces Oklahoma in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday night.

“We are proud to have Coach DeBoer leading our football program at The University of Alabama,” Crimson Tide athletic director Greg Byrne said in a statement. “He is an incredible coach and does an excellent job with the development of our student-athletes, both on and off the field. Just as he is committed to this team, we are committed to him, and we look forward to taking the field Friday in the first round of the College Football Playoff.”

DeBoer’s statement came after Ryan Williams and other players mentioned rumors on social media being difficult to avoid.

“Yeah, of course we see it on TV, but I mean, he’s gave his best effort here,” Williams said Friday. “Focused on playing against Oklahoma, we’re not really worried about it. … I mean, at the end of the day, he serves us 100% and that’s our coach, so we’re going to play for him. External noise is external noise, so we just focus on the internal.”

This isn’t the first job opening this cycle where DeBoer’s name immediately emerged. DeBoer denied previous speculation about the Penn State vacancy prior to the Nittany Lions’ hiring of Matt Campbell, but had not addressed the Michigan situation until Sunday.

DeBoer and the Crimson Tide’s chief focus can now be on the Sooners after a previous loss to Oklahoma last month put Alabama in several playoff elimination games down the stretch. The Crimson Tide suffered three giveaways during that 23-21 setback in Tuscaloosa despite doubling Oklahoma in total yardage and largely dominating the contest.

The Alabama-Oklahoma winner plays unbeaten and top-seeded Indiana at the Rose Bowl in the quarterfinals.

The college football coaching carousel appeared to be all sewn up, right until Michigan dropped a bombshell with its sudden decision to fire head coach Sherrone Moore, leaving open one of the nation’s most prestigious schools looking for a new man.

Into that conversation, Jedd Fisch has been inserted, both by the oddsmakers and the prediction markets, but predictably not by the man himself.

Although after his Washington Huskies team dominated Boise State in the first bowl game of the postseason, Fisch once again was approached about an opening, and sounded a little different than he has in the past on the subject.

What Fisch said about it

“I’m fully focused on our team,” Fisch, a former assistant coach at Michigan, said about the speculation around the program.

“I think our team worked really hard this whole week, and we all gave everything we had, and we played at a very high level because of that. That’s all I would say on that.”

Those comments do strike a modestly different tone than the more aggressive stance Fisch had earlier in the offseason when he was linked to the Florida vacancy.

“Those lists are made by people that have no idea what’s going on honestly,” Fisch said about those who were reporting on his apparent future plans.

Back then, Fisch, a Florida alum, was reportedly being considered for the Gators’ head coaching position before the school hired Jon Sumrall from Tulane to replace Billy Napier.

What Fisch has done

Fisch is credited with helping rebuild two Power Four programs, winning 10 games at Arizona in 2023 after winning one game the year before, and over two years amassed a 15-11 record at Washington.

Washington finished the 2025 season with an 9-4 overall record, splitting its final six regular season games after starting 5-1, looked impressive in the bowl game, and ranked in the top 25 nationally in scoring with almost 34 points per game.

Fisch has five years remaining on a contract that pays him an average of $7.75 million per year after signing a 7-year, $54.075 million contract last year.

And he has some experience at Michigan, too, serving as the quarterbacks coach, wide receivers coach, and passing coordinator starting in 2015 and lasting through 2017.

What the prediction markets say

Three current head coaches dominate the big board to become the next Michigan head coach, and Fisch still tops that group.

Fisch is in first place with 41 percent odds to take the Wolverines job, according to the latest figures posted to the prediction market Kalshi.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer sits in second with 23 percent likelihood, and Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham is third at 11 percent.

But while those names are gaining traction in the betting markets, all of them seem to be far-fetched for Michigan to seriously pursue given they all have expressed happiness with where they are.

The search for Michigan to replace Sherrone Moore is on, and time is running tight, with no candidates yet to emerge as a likely candidate.

Read more from College Football HQ