The early favorite for the 2025 Heisman Trophy is not surprising.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning is the favorite at BetMGM as he starts his first season as the Longhorns’ QB. Manning is at +800, slightly ahead of LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, who has odds of +850.
Manning is taking over for Quinn Ewers as Texas’ starting quarterback. In a recent interview, Manning mentioned that he doesn’t think he’s done enough as a college player to deserve all the attention he’s been getting. That attention is likely a key reason why Manning is the early favorite.
Manning had 13 total touchdowns in 2024, playing in 10 games. He started two games when Ewers was injured in September against UTSA. In those games, Manning scored five total touchdowns.
Ewers was one of the co-favorites to win the 2024 Heisman. Along with Ewers, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Georgia’s Carson Beck, and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe were all listed at +800 when the odds were first released. Out of those four, only Gabriel made it to New York City as a Heisman finalist.
Travis Hunter, who won the Heisman, had odds of +3500 and was at +5000 during the summer before his standout performance playing both defensive back and wide receiver.
Nussmeier is returning to LSU for his second season as a starter after a strong 2024. He completed 64% of his passes for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns, with 12 interceptions. However, his performance dipped during SEC play. He threw 18 touchdowns in LSU’s first six games, then only five touchdowns over the next five games.
Longhorns are poised for a competitive season with Manning at the helm
Nussmeier is one of the top returning QBs in the SEC. Texas is not the only playoff contender with a new quarterback heading into 2025. Gunner Stockton will replace Beck at Georgia, and Ty Simpson is expected to take over for Milroe at Alabama.
Clemson QB Cade Klubnik is the third favorite at +1100, ahead of Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith at +1200. Klubnik had a strong second season as Clemson’s starter in 2024, totaling 43 touchdowns while leading the Tigers to the College Football Playoff.
Smith was one of the top receivers in the country last season as a freshman. He caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. His catch on a go route late in the national championship game helped Ohio State beat Notre Dame.
Smith is the only non-quarterback player who is considered a serious contender for the Heisman. Every other player with odds better than 50-1 to win the Heisman is a quarterback. The running back with the best odds is Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love at +5000, and no other non-quarterback player, aside from Smith and Love, has odds better than 150-1.
Philadelphia Eagles assistant defensive backs coach D.K. McDonald during an NFL football workout
Kansas head coach Lance Leipold announced on Sunday that Brian Borland, who has been the Jayhawks’ Defensive Coordinator for the last four years, is retiring from coaching.
Borland will be replaced by DK McDonald, who joined Kansas in 2023 as the Co-Defensive Coordinator and Cornerbacks coach.
“I have been fortunate to work with Brian for more than 18 years, he is the ultimate professional, selfless coworker and I am grateful for his commitment and impact that he has made on so many throughout his career,” Leipold said.
“Brian and I had discussions weeks prior to our last regular season game, and we are very appreciative of all that he has done for Kansas. We wish him, his wife, Gayle, and his entire family the best going forward.”
Borland spent four seasons coordinating the defense at Kansas after six seasons at Buffalo alongside Leipold. During his time at Kansas, Borland coached 17 All-Big 12 selections, one Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year, and two NFL Draft picks.
Under his leadership, the Jayhawks qualified for a bowl game for the first time since 2008 in 2022, reached back-to-back bowl games for only the second time in program history (2022-23), and returned to the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2009.
Borland worked with Leipold for 18 seasons, including at Wisconsin-Whitewater (2007-14), Buffalo (2015-20), and Kansas (2021-24). In 2013, he was named Division III Coordinator of the Year by Footballscoop.com after helping the Warhawks win the NCAA Division III national championship.
“After 40 seasons and nearly 500 games coached, I am announcing my retirement from coaching, a decision I conveyed to Lance a few weeks ago,” Borland said. “I am extremely thankful for all the experiences granted over the course of my career. I’m a most fortunate man.
I owe a particular debt of gratitude to Lance Leipold, who has demonstrated tremendous loyalty and trust in me over the years.
I did my best to serve him, the student-athletes, fellow coaches, and this profession well in return. I absolutely loved my time at the University of Kansas. It’s a special place well positioned for big things in the near future.
Kansas players celebrate in the 1st down
I’m now the football program’s biggest fan and supporter as the baton is carried to the finish line by capable hands.”
Leipold didn’t have to search far for Borland’s replacement. McDonald, a coach with more than 20 years of experience, finished his first season at Kansas in 2024. That year, McDonald coached two cornerbacks, Mello Dotson and Cobee Bryant, who both earned All-Big 12 First Team honors. Bryant became the first Kansas player to earn All-Big 12 First Team honors for three straight seasons.
The pair combined for nine interceptions in 2024, with Dotson tying for the Big 12 lead with five interceptions and leading the nation with two interceptions returned for a touchdown. Bryant ranked third in the Big 12 with four interceptions and tied a school record with three interceptions in Kansas’ 24-14 win over Houston on Oct. 19. Both finished in the top five for career interceptions in Kansas history.
“I’m excited to take this next step as the defensive coordinator at Kansas,” McDonald said.
“I am grateful to have been able to work with Brian and the defensive staff over this past year, and I look forward to continuing to mentor and guide our student-athletes. I am very appreciative to Coach Leipold for this opportunity.”
McDonald returned to college coaching in February 2024 after three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.
He was an assistant defensive backs coach for two seasons, including the 2022 season when the Eagles went to Super Bowl LVII. McDonald was then promoted to defensive backs coach for the 2023 season.
Before working with the Eagles, McDonald spent five seasons at Iowa State, where he worked as the pass game coordinator, coaching safeties in 2019-20 and cornerbacks from 2016-18. McDonald played a key role in Iowa State’s success, including four straight bowl game appearances.
He also previously coached cornerbacks at Toledo (2012-15), defensive backs at William & Mary (2011), and the secondary at Indiana PA (2006-10) and Edinboro (2003-05).
There has been some talk about Marcus Freeman possibly wanting to be the Chicago Bears’ next head coach or even returning to Ohio State if that job became available. However, it always seemed more like speculation than anything serious.
That changed when Freeman spoke about the continued investments Notre Dame has been making in him and the football program.
On Sunday, the decision-makers at Notre Dame made another important investment—this time in Freeman himself.
Inside ND Sports confirmed reports from NBC and ESPN that Freeman signed a four-year contract extension, making him one of the highest-paid college coaches. With the two years left on his initial contract, Freeman is now signed through the 2030 season.
Freeman expressed his gratitude for the support of the people at Notre Dame, including the Board of Trustees, President Fr. Bob Dowd, C.S.C., and Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua. In a statement, he said,
“The investment they continue to pour into our program is invaluable to our student-athletes and staff. This commitment goes well beyond myself, as they are dedicated to ensuring all aspects of our program are competitive within the upper echelon of college football.”
The exact terms of the financial details were not revealed.
Freeman, who is an Ohio State graduate and turns 39 next month, has a record of 30-9 as Notre Dame’s head coach since taking over as defensive coordinator in December 2021, following Brian Kelly.
The Irish, with an 11-1 record, are ranked fifth and seeded seventh, and they are hosting the 10th-seeded Indiana (11-1) on Friday night for a College Football Playoff first-round game.
Ohio State clinches their first CFP title since 2014 with a 34-23 win over Notre Dame
Freeman has often mentioned the various aspects of support that make the Notre Dame job so appealing.
One of these is the Jack and Kathy Shields Family Hall, a 150,000-square-foot football support facility that was announced in April. It is under construction and will open in the fall of 2026.
There are other factors, too, such as Notre Dame’s ability to compete in the NIL space, thanks to a media rights deal negotiated this year.
This deal ensures that Notre Dame can compete financially with programs in the Big Ten and SEC when it comes to hiring assistant coaches and building facilities.
The university has also invested in keeping Freeman as head coach, as well as in retaining two of the best coordinators in college football: Mike Denbrock (offensive coordinator) and Al Golden (defensive coordinator), both of whom were kept on staff last winter.
Additionally, Notre Dame has found ways to balance its admissions and transfer portal policies, giving Freeman and his staff more flexibility in pursuing recruits while still maintaining the school’s academic standards.
Freeman’s main motivation continues to be his players, both current and former. He stated at a press conference on December 6, 2021, “My current and former players, you are my ‘why.’ You are my motivation.
You are the reason I get up every day and work as hard as I can to see you all reach your goals. To see you all set a goal and live out a dream is what gives me my inspiration every day to do what I do.”
In the same press conference, super-senior nose guard Kurt Hinish shared that Freeman’s care for his players is what made him stand out. Hinish said that Freeman cares more about his players as people than as athletes. He added that in the coaching industry, that level of care is rare.
Hinish, one of the Irish captains, even told then-athletic director Jack Swarbrick not to “screw up” the coaching search when Freeman was being considered for the role.
Bye week gives both teams a chance to prepare without distractions Alabama Crimson Tide (Alabama Crimson Tide)
Kalen DeBoer quickly got to work building his first recruiting class at Alabama.
In his first season with the Crimson Tide, Alabama ended up with the fourth-best recruiting class in the country according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.
By signing players like quarterback Keelon Russell, offensive lineman Michael Carroll, and cornerback Dijon Lee, Alabama achieved the third-highest average recruit rating nationally for the 2025 class.
As Alabama focuses on building the 2026 class, how does the 2025 class compare to the rest of the SEC and to past Alabama classes?
SEC 2025 Recruiting Rankings: Where did Alabama football rank?
In DeBoer’s first season, Alabama put together one of the top recruiting classes in the SEC.
The Crimson Tide finished with the third-ranked class in the conference, behind Texas and Georgia. Alabama had the second-highest average player rating in the SEC, only behind Texas, and was one of three schools in the conference with multiple five-star recruits, along with Texas and Georgia.
Here’s how the SEC 2025 recruiting rankings look according to the 247Sports composite:
Texas
Georgia
Alabama
Auburn
Texas A&M
LSU
Florida
Tennessee
Ole Miss
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Missouri
Mississippi State
Arkansas
Kentucky
Vanderbilt
How did Alabama recruit compared to other first-year head coaches?
In his first season with Alabama, DeBoer still managed to put together one of the top recruiting classes in the nation.
Alabama was one of three teams with new head coaches that finished with top-10 recruiting classes, joining Mike Elko at Texas A&M (No. 7) and Sherrone Moore at Michigan (No. 8).
Here’s how DeBoer compared to other first-year college football coaches in 2024:
Alabama (Kalen DeBoer): No. 4, 93.00 average player rating
Texas A&M (Mike Elko): No. 7, 91.52 average player rating
Michigan (Sherrone Moore): No. 8, 91.86 average player rating
Washington (Jedd Fisch): No. 23, 87.96 average player rating
Mississippi State (Jeff Lebby): No. 26, 87.57 average player rating
Duke (Manny Diaz): No. 33, 86.72 average player rating
Syracuse (Fran Brown): No. 39, 86.12 average player rating
Indiana (Curt Cignetti): No. 44, 86.60 average player rating
UCLA (DeShaun Foster): No. 45, 87.04 average player rating
Houston (Willie Fritz): No. 52, 86.70 average player rating
Boston College (Bill O’Brien): No. 53, 85.90 average player rating
Arizona (Brent Brennan): No. 55, 86.21 average player rating
Michigan State (Johnathan Smith): No. 58, 86.78 average player rating
Northwestern (David Braun): No. 60, 85.89 average player rating
Oregon State (Trent Bray): No. 64, 85.62 average player rating
Alabama players celebrate after a touchdown
Alabama Football Recruiting History
Since 2010, Alabama has had 10 recruiting classes ranked No. 1 nationally. Alabama’s last No. 1 ranked class was in 2023.
The lowest-ranked class for Alabama since 2010 was in 2018 when they secured the fifth-overall class, ranked second-best in the SEC.
Here are the rankings of Alabama’s recruiting classes since 2010:
2010: No. 4 overall, No. 2 SEC — 89.95 average player rating
2011: No. 1 overall, No. 1 SEC — 92.19 average player rating
2012: No. 1 overall, No. 1 SEC — 93.40 average player rating
2013: No. 1 overall, No. 1 SEC — 93.25 average player rating
2014: No. 1 overall, No. 1 SEC — 93.65 average player rating
2015: No. 1 overall, No. 1 SEC — 93.73 average player rating
2016: No. 1 overall, No. 1 SEC — 92.54 average player rating
2017: No. 1 overall, No. 1 SEC — 93.76 average player rating
2018: No. 5 overall, No. 2 SEC — 91.94 average player rating
2019: No. 1 overall, No. 1 SEC — 94.42 average player rating
2020: No. 2 overall, No. 2 SEC — 93.66 average player rating
2021: No. 1 overall, No. 1 SEC — 95.07 average player rating
2022: No. 2 overall, No. 2 SEC — 95.27 average player rating
2023: No. 1 overall, No. 2 SEC — 94.79 average player rating
2024: No. 2 overall, No. 2 SEC — 93.12 average player rating
2025: No. 4 overall, No. 3 SEC — 93.00 average player rating
Alabama Football 2025 Recruiting Class
P Alex Asparuhov (Fresno, California)
WR Lotzeir Brooks (Millville, New Jersey)
OL Michael Carroll (Bradenton, Florida)
RB AK Dear (Quitman, Mississippi)
OT Micah DeBose (Theodore, Alabama)
TE Kaleb Edwards (El Dorado Hills, California)
DL Kevonte Henry (Lawndale, California)
LB Justin Hill (Cincinnati, Ohio)
LB Duke Johnson (Eastman, Georgia)
CB Dijon Lee (Mission Viejo, California)
OT Jackson Lloyd (Carmel, California)
DL Steve Bolo Mboumoua (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec)
Fans watch during second half of the College Football Playoff national championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame
The first season of the 12-team College Football Playoff had both exciting moments and some criticisms from fans and the media. The same can be said for ESPN, which carried the games.
Nick Dawson, ESPN’s vice president of college sports programming and acquisitions, said the first season was successful from their perspective. He mentioned that they are now looking at possible improvements for the next season.
“A lot of unknowns doing something for the first time, so you’ll always sort of assess after the fact, learn and potentially look at tweaks or adjustments we might consider for the future,” Dawson said.
The 11 College Football Playoff games averaged 15.6 million viewers according to Nielsen, with viewership increasing in each round. ESPN reported that viewers watched nearly 36 billion minutes of live coverage, which is a 63% increase from the previous year’s seven-game lineup, including the CFP title game and New Year’s six bowl games.
The four first-round games averaged 10.6 million viewers, while the quarterfinals had 16.9 million. The semifinals reached 19.2 million, and Ohio State’s 34-23 win over Notre Dame in the national championship game had 22.1 million viewers.
“Obviously there were a few more games, but to see that kind of jump in just overall consumption of the product is hopefully something we can build on moving forward,” Dawson said.
However, there were challenges with the current format. The audience for the semifinal games dropped by 17% from the previous year, mostly because these games were played on Jan. 1, 2024, rather than on Thursday and Friday nights.
Notre Dame’s 27-24 win over Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9 averaged 17.8 million viewers. For comparison, the most-watched “Thursday Night Football” game on Amazon Prime Video this season had 17.29 million viewers for the Green Bay vs. Detroit game on Dec. 2.
The Jan. 10 Cotton Bowl, where Ohio State beat Texas 28-24, averaged 20.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched Friday telecast across all networks in four years.
Next year’s semifinals will help determine if the Thursday/Friday format will continue to be effective.
Ohio State’s win over Notre Dame saw a 12% drop in viewers compared to the 25 million who watched the 2024 Michigan-Washington title game.
Ohio State and Notre Dame in the game
CFP games ended up being nine of the 10 most-watched this season, with three games having over 20 million viewers. The Jan. 1 Rose Bowl, which always draws a big audience, was the other top game.
Dawson and ESPN are hoping for more competitive championship games. Since Alabama’s 26-23 overtime win over Georgia in 2018, the last seven title games have had an average margin of victory of 25.4 points. The three least-watched title games in the CFP era have occurred in the past five years.
Monday’s national championship game peaked at 26.1 million viewers during the second quarter (8:30-8:45 p.m. EST) when the score was tied at 7-7. The audience started to drop when Ohio State went up 21-7 at halftime and dropped significantly when they extended their lead to 31-7 midway through the third quarter.
Although Notre Dame made a comeback and got within one possession with five minutes left, the viewership remained lower.
The 2015 title game, where Ohio State defeated Oregon 42-20, is still the most-watched college football game in the CFP era with 33.9 million viewers.
Dawson Remarks
“You always hope for, from a TV perspective, for a tight game to the finish. Right. That’s one of the biggest factors driving the ultimate viewership but it’s also not something that you can control. So you’re going to have ebbs and flows,” Dawson said.
“You hope that this new structure and format as it continues forward, that you’re ultimately creating an even better chance that you’re getting the two best teams in the country at the end matched up in the championship game, which again, you hope that that results in a great game on the field.
“Blowouts are not a college football thing. That occurs in every sport and every playoff from time to time. So you sort of have to accept that’s going to be a reality once in a while.”
One thing that could improve ratings in the future is that the title game will be shown on both ABC and ESPN starting in the 2027 season.
ESPN has the rights to the College Football Playoff until the 2031 season after agreeing to a $7.8 billion deal last March. TNT will air two first-round games again next season under a sublicense with ESPN, and this will expand to two first-round and two quarterfinal games starting in 2026.
There has been some debate over how the top four seeds and first-round byes should be determined, but Dawson said that the decision is up to the CFP committee.
Some people criticized having the title game on Jan. 20, during the NFL playoffs, but Dawson pointed out that there will always be competition with the NFL during December and January.
“I think for us, it’s a process of continuing to assess and evaluate how each year goes and work with the CFP to figure out if there are slight adjustments that we think we could make to put ourselves in an even more advantageous position. But I don’t really see a wholesale change that would eliminate that risk or situation,” he said.
Ohio State’s 34-23 win over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday night was the most-watched game of the season. However, it saw a significant drop in viewers compared to the previous year.
ESPN reported on Wednesday that the Buckeyes’ second national championship in the CFP era averaged 22.1 million viewers. While it was the most-watched non-NFL sporting event of the past year, it marked a 12% decline from the 25 million viewers who watched Michigan’s 34-13 victory over Washington in 2024.
This year’s game ranked as the third-lowest in audience size across the 11 CFP title games, with the last three title games all experiencing lower viewership. The peak audience reached 26.1 million viewers during the second quarter (8:30-8:45 p.m. EST), when the game was tied at 7-7.
Since Alabama’s 26-23 overtime win over Georgia in 2018, the last seven title games have featured an average victory margin of 25.4 points. Ohio State led 31-7 midway through the third quarter before Notre Dame made a strong comeback, cutting the deficit to one possession with five minutes left in the game.
Ohio State Secures Sixth National Title with Dramatic Victory Over Notre Dame in Playoff (Ohio State)
Previous Title Game Viewership
Georgia’s dominant 65-7 victory over TCU in 2023 holds the record for the least-viewed title game with 17.2 million viewers, followed by Alabama’s 52-24 win over Ohio State in 2021, which had 18.7 million viewers. The first title game in 2015, where Ohio State defeated Oregon 42-20, remains the most-watched college football game in the CFP era, with 33.9 million viewers, according to Nielsen.
This was the first year of the 12-team CFP format. The first round averaged 10.6 million viewers, while the quarterfinals saw 16.9 million. The semifinals averaged 19.2 million viewers, reflecting a 17% decline from the previous year. Despite this, Michigan’s overtime win over Alabama in the Rose Bowl outpaced the title game with 27.7 million viewers.
The CFP games dominated viewership, with nine of the top 10 most-watched sporting events of the season being CFP-related. Georgia’s overtime victory over Texas in the SEC Championship, aired on ABC/ESPN, ranked sixth with 16.6 million viewers.
Notre Dame offensive lineman Pat Coogan, who started 26 games over the last two seasons and was known for getting the team hyped before games, has decided to transfer.
Coogan shared his decision on social media Thursday and will have one year of eligibility left as a graduate transfer.
Other Players Leaving After CFP Loss
Coogan is not the only player leaving Notre Dame after the team’s 34-23 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday night. He joins guards Rocco Spindler and Sam Pendleton, as well as receivers Deion Colzie and Jayden Thomas, in entering the transfer portal, according to reports.
Notre Dame players in the 1st half
Rocco Spindler and Sam Pendleton’s Status
Spindler, a senior, started 13 games at right guard for Notre Dame this season after initially losing his starting job to Pendleton during fall camp. Spindler has started 23 games over four seasons and has one year of eligibility remaining.
Pendleton started seven games this season and still has three years of eligibility left.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman talks during media day ahead of the College Football Playoff national championship game
Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison, who was named a freshman All-American in 2022 and became a team captain before an October hip injury ended his 2024 season, has declared for the NFL Draft.
Morrison made his announcement on social media Thursday, saying, “This is not just the end of one chapter — it’s the beginning of another. I’ll carry the lessons, memories, and love from Notre Dame every step of the way.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Morrison ranked as the No. 23 overall prospect and the No. 3 cornerback for the draft.
In addition to Morrison’s departure, Notre Dame is seeing several players enter the transfer portal after their loss to Ohio State in the CFP national championship. Starting offensive linemen Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan, along with backup Sam Pendleton, have entered the portal, with Pendleton listed as “do not contact.”
Wide receivers Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie are also in the portal.
Notre Dame players in the 1st half
The 6-foot, 190-pound Morrison had six interceptions as a true freshman in 2022, tying for third in the country and earning All-America honors from ESPN and other outlets. His six interceptions were the most by a Notre Dame player since linebacker Manti Te’o had seven in 2012.
In 2023, Morrison recorded three interceptions and led the team with 10 pass breakups. He was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award and was named a preseason All-America selection. He started the first six games of the 2023 season before suffering the hip injury on October 12 against Stanford, which required season-ending surgery.
Morrison finished his Notre Dame career with 9 interceptions, 27 passes defended, and 84 tackles. He is the son of former NFL safety Darryl Morrison, who played for Washington from 1993 to 1996.
Thomas, a wide receiver, started 12 games over the 2022 and 2023 seasons and accumulated 43 receptions for 838 yards and seven touchdowns with Notre Dame.
Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Jordan Hancock in action during the game
The Ohio State Buckeyes will be losing an important player in their defense, as cornerback Jordan Hancock has decided to enter the NFL Draft.
Before the 2024 college football season, Hancock wasn’t seen as one of Ohio State’s top draft candidates. Most of the attention went to fellow cornerback Denzel Ward.
However, Hancock had a standout season, recording 48 tackles, an interception, a couple of forced fumbles, and eight passes defended.
The 21-year-old also had a strong performance in the College Football Playoff, especially in the Cotton Bowl against Texas, where he made six tackles and defended one pass.
Standing at 6-foot-1, Hancock has the right size for the NFL and can play several roles in the defense. While he may not be picked in the first round, his draft stock has risen recently, and it will be interesting to see where he gets selected in April.
Ohio State Secures Sixth National Title with Dramatic Victory Over Notre Dame in Playoffs
As the passing game becomes more important in the NFL, tall and physical cornerbacks like Hancock are in high demand.
Ohio State will be losing many defenders to the NFL Draft, so they will need to fill these gaps for the 2025 season.
Fortunately, the Buckeyes have a strong recruiting class coming in, so they should be able to recover quickly.
Ohio State just won its first national championship in ten years, with a major part of their success being their top-ranked defense.
Ryan Day earned his sense of vindication when he guided Ohio State to a national championship, just a couple of months after it seemed his job might be at risk.
However, that relief didn’t last long. When asked on Tuesday if his 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in the national championship game would reduce the pressure on him for the 2025 season, Day made it clear he still felt the weight of expectations.
“Try losing the first game and see how that goes at Ohio State,” Day replied.
The Buckeyes’ national title was redemption for Day, who faced significant criticism after Ohio State’s fourth straight loss to Michigan in November. That defeat had led to doubts about his ability to win big games. Day acknowledged the achievement and credited his players for making history. He called them one of the greatest teams in Ohio State history.
Quarterback Will Howard, who wore a “National Champs” cap, and linebacker Cody Simon joined Day for Tuesday’s College Football Playoff champions news conference.
“I’m proud of these guys,” Day said. “And again, we’ll go down in history and cement themselves as champions.”
Though Day didn’t claim he deserved to be listed among the great Ohio State coaches who won national championships, such as Urban Meyer, Jim Tressel, Woody Hayes, and Paul Brown, he did say it was an honor to be the head coach at the university.
“It’s an honor,” Day remarked when asked about joining that group of legendary coaches. “It’s an honor to be the head coach at Ohio State. I’d probably say that this job is not for everybody.”
Day’s victory earned him his place in Ohio State history, despite some unexpected moments, like when the golf cart transporting him to Monday night’s postgame news conference collided with a wall. The driver misjudged the cart’s turning radius, causing Day to jolt forward in his seat, much to the amusement of Howard, who was in the back row.
Ohio State players celebrate after the win
“Obviously, the golf cart incident was pretty funny,” Howard said. “Coach Day, I hope you’re all right. He got jolted a little bit.”
Day jokingly replied, “Send the medical bills to the CFP.”
But Day’s financial reward was much more than a medical bill. His $500,000 bonus for winning the national championship was added to the $500,000 bonuses he had already earned, bringing his total compensation, including his $10 million base salary, to a generous sum.
Day’s success came after a season full of challenges, including the College Football Playoff’s first-ever 12-team format. Ohio State was ranked No. 1 in the final AP Top 25, ahead of Notre Dame.
Day’s record of 68-10 in six seasons at Ohio State is impressive, but his impressive win rate seemed to be overshadowed by his team’s loss to Michigan and their failure to reach the Big Ten championship game.
“None of us ever doubted for a second that he was the right guy to lead this team,” Howard said. “We stuck together and we said we want to do it for each other, we want to do it for our coach, and let’s do this thing, man. I’m really glad that we were able to finish it the right way.”
Simon echoed that sentiment, adding, “No one ever on our team lost any type of faith.”
He explained that after the loss to Michigan, he realized there was “noise all over the world” doubting the team. But Simon said he trusted Day because he saw how hard the coach worked every day.
“You think you’re getting work done and you go and walk past the head coach’s office and he’s already there,” Simon said. “He’s been watching film. His eyes are bloodshot. He puts that extra time in that no one in the world is really putting in.”
When the final seconds ticked off the clock Monday night, Day threw his headset into the air. When asked if he felt happiness or relief, Day admitted he felt both.
“I don’t know if it’s a spectrum. All of the above. Yeah, all of the above,” he said. “There’s a mix of emotions there. It’s hard to really put into words.”
Ohio State is the early favorite to win next year’s national championship, but no one really knows what to expect when the season begins in seven months. The game is rapidly changing, and new rules are set to be introduced that will affect how teams prepare and build their rosters.
One of the biggest changes involves a legal settlement that will allow schools to pay players directly while also reducing roster sizes but increasing the number of available scholarships. This will be in place for next season, but schools first need to figure out how it will work, especially in relation to Title IX rules.
There are also questions surrounding the transfer portal, which many believe is out of control, and whether the 12-team playoff system that debuted this season will stay the same or undergo changes.
“There are so many unknowns,” said Gloria Nevarez, commissioner of the Mountain West Conference. “We’re trying to track it all to the best we can and offer solutions. But we’ve got to see what the ‘it’ is so that we can determine how it affects us.”
For Ohio State, their most fortunate turn of events this season was not related to roster planning but to the expansion of the college playoff from four to 12 teams. A crushing loss to Michigan in November had knocked them out of the Big Ten title race, and in previous years, it would have been the end of their season.
But this time, they got another shot, finishing as the sixth-ranked team and receiving an eighth seed thanks to the playoff system.
It’s possible that the College Football Playoff seeding system could change. “I think there will be a good, honest conversation, are there any changes that we ought to make from this year to next year to make something that’s worked really well work even better,” said Pete Bevacqua, Notre Dame’s athletic director.
Another area where changes are expected is how schools will pay players. The recent settlement allows schools to share up to $20.5 million in revenue with players, though it’s unclear how the funds will be divided, particularly between men’s and women’s sports.
Will Howard smile after the win
A government memo raised concerns that paying a larger share to men’s sports could violate Title IX, which ensures gender equality. This issue will likely be addressed by the new administration, with the settlement set to take effect in April.
“It’s been five years of every day being different than the day before it, and adapting and adjusting and being malleable,” said Grant House, an Arizona State swimmer who is a lead plaintiff in the lawsuit causing these changes. “No one has all the answers right now, but we’re looking for solutions.”
As college football faces these many challenges, the idea of appointing a commissioner to oversee the sport has been suggested. This individual would handle issues like scheduling, player pay, the transfer portal, and enforcing new rules. ESPN’s Chris Fowler believes a commissioner could improve the game for fans. “You need some centralized scheduling, you need a more level playing field. You need better enforcement,” he said.
Despite these issues, many of college football’s top programs are expected to remain strong next season. LSU is considered to have had the best transfer portal haul, while Texas will begin the season with quarterback Arch Manning, the grandson of Archie Manning.
At Georgia, Gunner Stockton is expected to replace Carson Beck, who committed to Miami. The Miami Hurricanes also added a defensive back from Wisconsin, Xavier Lucas, who never officially entered the portal, leading to concerns about tampering.
For Ohio State, coach Ryan Day is looking forward to next season after securing a national title, but the pressure will remain high. He faces the challenge of replacing QB Will Howard, who transferred to the NFL. Julian Sayin, a five-star recruit who transferred from Alabama to Ohio State, is expected to step in. The Buckeyes will face Texas in their season opener on August 30.
“Try losing the first game and see how that goes at Ohio State,” Day said. “We’ll see about that.”
Ohio State quarterback Devin Brown looks to pass against Missouri during the first half of the Cotton Bowl NCAA college football game
Ohio State backup quarterback Devin Brown has decided to transfer to the University of California.
Brown entered the transfer portal in December, but he remained with Ohio State during their journey to the national championship, which they capped off with a victory over Notre Dame on Monday night.
California made the announcement on Tuesday that Brown will be joining the Golden Bears for the upcoming season.
The Bears lost their starting quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, to Indiana this offseason. They also saw the departure of their top two backup quarterbacks, Chandler Rogers and CJ Harris, who both entered the transfer portal.
Brown is expected to compete for the starting quarterback position at Cal, likely against freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. He still has two years of eligibility left.
Ohio State players celebrate in the 2nd half
Brown lost a tight quarterback battle to Kyle McCord in 2023 and found himself as a backup once more when Ohio State added Kansas State transfer Will Howard for the 2024 season.
A native of Gilbert, Arizona, Brown has passed for 331 yards and three touchdowns over the past two seasons, mainly seeing action in games when the outcome was already decided.
