Ranking college football's best defenders, from game wreckers to shutdown corners
Whittling the list of the top pass rushers, linebackers and secondary men down to 10 was no easy task.
Whittling the list of the top pass rushers, linebackers and secondary men down to 10 was no easy task.
What if the SEC has a really bad start in non-conference play to open the season? What if Indiana drops three games or Penn State wins 10? What if Notre Dame finally breaks through for their first National Title since 1988 and what if USC finishes UNDER 8 wins in year five under Lincoln Riley? What if the BIG 12 is a two bid league and what if the college football playoff gets even messier in November? McElroy tackles some of the biggest ‘what if’s’ heading into the 2026 season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Ducks are in Japan this week for the Tokyo Oregon Football Showcase, and part of the promotion is Dante Moore on billboards.
Jim Tressel, who coached Ohio State to six Big Ten titles and the 2002 National Championship title, will be inducted into the Ohio Stadium Ring of Honor on Sept. 5.
Greg McElroy breaks down who has the most elite pass catching units in college football knowing the Ohio State is Wide Receiver U until further notice. Will Miami be even better than last year with Malachi Toney & Cooper Barkate, can Trey’Dez Green and a group of transfers get LSU to the next level and does Indiana with Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh have the best WR duo in the BIG 10? Can Moore and Wesco improve the Clemson offense, how great can Texas be with Wingo and Cam Coleman and if the Oregon WR’s stay healthy will the Ducks have one of the most dangerous pass catching units in the country? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Northwestern center Jackson Carsello has gotten an injunction to play another year after his waiver request was denied.
There are 21 five-star players in the class, and we scout each one's game for the next level.
These schools are setting the pace as the recruiting race heats up.
Who has the best secondaries in college football, the ones that could change games, the ones who could swing college football playoff races? Would you rather have Ohio State’s or Michigan’s secondary? Texas Tech showed out last year, can Pollock & Boyd do it again? Does Notre Dame have the best player on the best secondary or can Alabama lay claim to both? Are the transfers ready to step up EVERYWHERE and where do Texas A&M, Oregon, Georgia and LSU land in the rankings? McElroy ranks the Top 10 “no fly zone” DB units in 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Buckeyes know their upcoming schedule in 2026 will require superior late-game execution because of the opponents and how the previous season ended.
Indiana HC Curt Cignetti tells Rich why new Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, why he bet on himself and left Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama to pursue his head coaching dreams, what he has to say to doubters who think the Hoosiers’ national championship was a fluke, weighs in on the challenges of coaching during the NIL era and his thought on the NFL outlook for controversial former IU quarterback Brendan Sorsby. Rich power ranks his top 10 NFL offensive squads with and proves one thing: he CANNOT quit Tua Tagovailoa. Rich previews the newest Linda Cohn episode of his ‘This Was SportsCenter’ podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Ducks look to continue an amazing trend, but Ohio State, Indiana, USC and others stand in the way.
The Brendan Sorsby saga for Texas Tech appears to have ended. How will the Red Raiders fare without their presumptive QB1?
Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko talks with Greg McElroy about the expectations in College Station, the growth of Marcel Reed, what new offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins will bring, how the Aggies will handle a brutal SEC schedule and much more. Plus, Elko is just one of a handful of coaches entering year 3 at their respective schools so McElroy ask the questions: what will Cignetti do following up a National Championship, what Kalen DeBoer can do to appease Alabama fans, and watch out for Manny Diaz (Duke) and Jedd Fisch (Washington). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Amid legal wrangling over his NCAA eligibility, Texas Tech transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby has applied to enter the NFL's supplemental draft, a source told ESPN.
George Darlington, the longest-serving assistant coach in Nebraska football history and a member of three national championship teams under Tom Osborne, has died at the age of 87.
Kentucky has hired Michigan State AD J Batt to serve in the same position with the Wildcats as he returns to the SEC. Sources told ESPN that it is a six-year deal.
Matthew Gregory, the No. 7 ranked wide out and No. 37 overall recruit in the SC Next 300 for the 2027 cycle, has committed to Bob Chesney's UCLA Bruins.
The NFL draft is a long way off, but Matt Miller and Jordan Reid ranked the five best prospects at every position. How do the top QBs, OTs, CBs and more stack up?
The Ohio State star is clearly No. 1 on the list, but after that the debate begins.
Next year's QB draft class should be loaded, with big names such as Arch Manning, Dante Moore, CJ Carr and Trinidad Chambliss. Here's what you need to know.
Coaches, current roster, recruits: Who has the best overall team over the next two seasons?
Greg McElroy goes through and ranks the Top 10 linebacker units in College Football heading into the 2026 season. Are the veteran leaders at Clemson and Pittsburgh enough and can Georgia just continue to reload with NFL caliber talent? Can transfers at Texas A&M and Texas keep the production level up and will Ben Roberts and Austin Romaine be able to pick up where Jacob Rodriguez left off? Can Indiana and Oklahoma keep up their domination, is the key to Auburn finally turning it around at linebacker and does Notre Dame have the deepest and most dominant linebacker unit in college football? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
| TEAM | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 9-0 | 16-0 |
| Ohio State | 9-0 | 12-2 |
| Oregon | 8-1 | 13-2 |
| USC | 7-2 | 9-4 |
| Michigan | 7-2 | 9-4 |
| Iowa | 6-3 | 9-4 |
| Washington | 5-4 | 9-4 |
| Illinois | 5-4 | 9-4 |
| Minnesota | 5-4 | 8-5 |
| Nebraska | 4-5 | 7-6 |
| Northwestern | 4-5 | 7-6 |
| UCLA | 3-6 | 3-9 |
| Penn State | 3-6 | 7-6 |
| Rutgers | 2-7 | 5-7 |
| Wisconsin | 2-7 | 4-8 |
| Michigan State | 1-8 | 4-8 |
| Maryland | 1-8 | 4-8 |
| Purdue | 0-9 | 2-10 |