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2026 Head Coach Opening/Hirings ×
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Posted
4 hours ago, Bash Riprock said:

Don’t put much in these, but both IU and ND in top 5…

 

I already said IU and ND could be #1 and #2 next season. Three thoughts here.

1. IU is being underestimated once again. Sure they lose this guy and that guy, bla bla bla. Cignetti is the key here. He's the best coach in the country and college and high school coaches all over are taking notes. 

2. ND will finish the regular season ranked either #1 or #2. It will take an undefeated B1G or SEC team to outrank them. 

3. Four SEC teams in the Top Ten compared to three for the B1G is comical. They still haven't learned?

  • Like 1
Posted

Basically a few days left for some reason to decide on any changes to the playoff system. The only holdup to expanding to the 16 team playoff is the B1G Commissioner wants the field to expand to 24 teams with more automatic qualifiers, and eliminate conference championship games. The SEC is against eliminating the conference championship game. With the size of the conferences, I get the notion behind automatic qualifiers. With the size of the conferences, you have more teams that don't play each other to determine clear cut places like what we saw with the ACC. But the problem you run into with AQs is forced matchups that don't match the rankings like what we saw with Tulane and James Madison this season. I still believe 16 is enough and there is no reason to expand to 24. 

Posted
16 hours ago, Irishman said:

Basically a few days left for some reason to decide on any changes to the playoff system. The only holdup to expanding to the 16 team playoff is the B1G Commissioner wants the field to expand to 24 teams with more automatic qualifiers, and eliminate conference championship games. The SEC is against eliminating the conference championship game. With the size of the conferences, I get the notion behind automatic qualifiers. With the size of the conferences, you have more teams that don't play each other to determine clear cut places like what we saw with the ACC. But the problem you run into with AQs is forced matchups that don't match the rankings like what we saw with Tulane and James Madison this season. I still believe 16 is enough and there is no reason to expand to 24. 

Totally agree....24 way too many.  I guess next year's title game is a week later than this years game.  Getting ridiculous.

Posted
1 hour ago, Sparty said:

Did I see it correctly…..Alberto Mendoza is in the TP and GT is the “favorite”?

yup...its being discussed on the IU 2026 thread

Posted

this early predictor by ESPN....puts IU at #1 and ND at #3.  I think they put #1 from this season there until proven otherwise.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47610677/college-football-way-too-early-top-25-2026-season

Some verbiage about both teams.....sounds like Coach Freeman plans on bringing the belt with him to games.....

Indiana

 

Key starters expected to leave: QB Fernando Mendoza, WR Elijah Sarratt, C Pat Coogan, RB Roman Hemby, DL Stephen Daley, LB Aiden Fisher, SS Louis Moore

Key additions: QB Josh Hoover (TCU), WR Nick Marsh (Michigan State), RB Turbo Richard (Boston College), DL Tobi Osunsanmi (Kansas State), S Preston Zachman (Wisconsin), CB A.J. Harris (Penn State), G Joe Brunner (Wisconsin)

2026 outlook: The greatest turnaround in college football history culminated with Indiana winning its first national championship Monday night. Now, the Hoosiers will have to replace Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, and several key players coach Curt Cignetti brought with him from James Madison. The Hoosiers signed 53 transfers over the past two seasons, and they're bringing in at least a dozen more this year. Hoover, who started 31 games for the Horned Frogs, could be elite if he cuts down on turnovers. Richard was an important addition with Hemby and Kaelon Black moving on. IU has a handful of other starters, including receiver Omar Cooper Jr., cornerback D'Angelo Ponds and left tackle Carter Smith, who might depart for the NFL. The Hoosiers are losing a lot, but it seems foolish to doubt Cignetti at this point.

Notre Dame  (note the comments about schedule)

Key starters expected to leave: RB Jeremiyah Love, RB Jadarian Price, WR Malachi Fields, TE Eli Raridon, OT Aamil Wagner, S Jalen Stroman

Key additions: DT Francis Brewu (Pittsburgh), DL Keon Keeley (Alabama), CB Jayden Sanders (Michigan), CB DJ McKinney (Colorado), WR Quincy Porter (Ohio State), WR Mylan Graham (Ohio State), K Spencer Porath (Purdue), DL Tionne Gray (Oregon)

2026 outlook: After being left out of the CFP, the Fighting Irish should be right back in the mix in 2026. There's no question the Irish will miss Love and Price, who combined to run for 2,046 yards with 29 touchdowns this past season. Aneyas Williams, who averaged 9.3 yards per carry, is the heir apparent. Quarterback CJ Carr should be even better in his second season as a starter, especially if the Irish can get Graham and Porter going, and Jaden Greathouse returns from a hamstring injury. Nine of the defense's top 10 tacklers are back from 2025. Brewu and Keeley were important additions on the defensive line. Notre Dame figures to be heavily favored in all but two games: home against Miami and at BYU. There's little room for error playing a schedule that will be heavily scrutinized when it's CFP selection time. As Irish coach Marcus Freeman said this week, it's his team's responsibility to "leave no doubt."

Posted
2 hours ago, Bash Riprock said:

yup...its being discussed on the IU 2026 thread

Thank you.  I did see that.  I initially missed it.  

Posted
13 hours ago, Irishman said:

First pre season poll is out

 🤣🤣🤣

Like Cousin Eddie said, “It’s (JMU X account) the gift that keeps on giving.”

 

Thanks for putting me on to that handle.  

  • Like 1
Posted

This is the garbage the NCAA could easily reign in. My only guess is they are hands off just to avoid lawsuits. Not a fan at all of this kind of garbage. 

 

 

Posted

Yea, don't think he turns down playing for TB12 but the notion is very real..... 

Last year saw a record decline of early entrance and the number will be shattered this year for the very reasons mentioned

Posted
22 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

Yea, don't think he turns down playing for TB12 but the notion is very real..... 

Last year saw a record decline of early entrance and the number will be shattered this year for the very reasons mentioned

But how much "mentoring" will Mr. Brady be able to actually to import on young Mr. Mendoza?  The GOAT has more Pizza Hut commercials to make for goodness sakes.  He's a busy, busy man.

 

Posted

 

51 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

Yea, don't think he turns down playing for TB12 but the notion is very real..... 

Last year saw a record decline of early entrance and the number will be shattered this year for the very reasons mentioned

Well, this all is a moot point. Mendoza declared for the draft this morning. 

  • Haha 1
Posted
1 hour ago, Muda69 said:

But how much "mentoring" will Mr. Brady be able to actually to import on young Mr. Mendoza?  The GOAT has more Pizza Hut commercials to make for goodness sakes.  He's a busy, busy man.

 

I love that commercial, and Pizza Hut but I have a very personal bias for that 

I think Mr. Brady would do everything in his power to provide what is needed since he has attached his name and rep to this new venture.    Just my guess

Posted
2 hours ago, Bash Riprock said:

 

Well, this all is a moot point. Mendoza declared for the draft this morning. 

I hope the Big Ten and SEC stick to their guns for a long time so that this thing stays at 12.

Posted
20 minutes ago, PDB26 said:

I hope the Big Ten and SEC stick to their guns for a long time so that this thing stays at 12.

Keep in mind that the B1G wants it to expand to 24 though. 

Posted
18 minutes ago, Irishman said:

Keep in mind that the B1G wants it to expand to 24 though. 

Yes, and the SEC wants 16. So if the SEC and B1G can’t agree on how next to try and ruin the sport, my hope is that the playoff field will stay fixed at 12.

Posted
7 hours ago, Bobref said:

What do you think the likelihood of this is?

image.thumb.png.d91d917074254d0893ef9d1b5f7571d2.png

Laughing at "NFL teams are doubting his viability as the #1 overall pick." Here we go again, overthinking absolutely crushes these people. Is the guy productive or not? Good grief, I need a job as a GM if these statements are true. 

2 hours ago, PDB26 said:

Yes, and the SEC wants 16. So if the SEC and B1G can’t agree on how next to try and ruin the sport, my hope is that the playoff field will stay fixed at 12.

No worries on my end. Notre Dame will finish in the Top 3, so it will be hard to disqualify them this year. 

Posted
23 hours ago, Irishman said:

This is the garbage the NCAA could easily reign in. My only guess is they are hands off just to avoid lawsuits. Not a fan at all of this kind of garbage. 

 

 

Dabo has the timeline. This is insane. The agents are pariahs. 

 

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