The Official 2025 College Football Random Thoughts Thread

[Trav]

When will these goofy ahh nikkas learn

 

[Whips-n-Chains]

Petty James Franklin going to have everyone rooting for him

 

[Whips-n-Chains]

it may look trash, but looking at the state of their program, I see at least four losses. dont sleep on @Northwestern and @Maryland who will be improved. that could be 5

@NW can be tough

Maryland just lost to Michigan State, so...

 

[Trav]

it may look trash, but looking at the state of their program, I see at least four losses. dont sleep on @Northwestern and @Maryland who will be improved. that could be 5

Lol ask @Trips if Maryland finna do anything

And I'm talking more so if Brian Kelly came along than anything. I can't see him losing to most of those teams/coaches even if he is a POS lol

Only ones I could see em having a true hard time wit is sc but at the same time, who knows

 

[smitty22]

they're going to run back to chip kelly lol

scUM staying with chip lindsey

 

[mozichrome]

stick it out to see if you win the job next year or hit the portal
says Michael Hawkins Jr. dad and hiis son not happy

 

[Rekkapryde]

James got jokes

 

[smitty22]

These 4 recruits that stuck with psu so far better be getting million dollar nil deals

 

[Whips-n-Chains]

These 4 recruits that stuck with psu so far better be getting million dollar nil deals

That Oregon loss really destroyed their program

 

[JasoRockStar]

Just wanna put out there that one of the first names people were throwing out there to replace James Franklin was Matt Rhule. Matt. fukking. Rhule


This head coach search was doomed from the start

 

[skyrunner1]

Crazy how signing day has no buzz anymore. Oh well hope all yall best recruits flip last minute to OSU.

These NIL deals get these kids locked in early.. Some of them getting advanced payments ahead of the salary cap settlement earlier this year.. Most kids werent going anywhere they been locked in.. Look at #1 class USC

How USC landed the No. 1 class and relaunched a recruiting powerhouse

The Trojans' personnel operation had fallen off. A new GM and L.A. pipelines have changed things.

www.espn.com

Crucially, under Bowden's leadership, the Trojans were among a collection of Power 4 programs to take advantage of the pre-revenue sharing market this spring, investing heavily in front-loaded deals for players before the spending cap kicked in with the House Settlement on July 1.

"Just like everyone across the country," Bowden said.

Many programs offered front-loaded contracts to retain existing players on their rosters and new additions in the transfer portal windows. According to ESPN sources, few programs, if any, have been more aggressive with such deals in the 2026 high school class than USC, which secured 30 of its 33 commitments in the 2026 cycle prior to July 1.

Industry sources told ESPN that USC began doling out payments to committed recruits through collective deals earlier this year, paying out a portion of a given contract early in order to minimize the cap hit when they land on campus. Per ESPN sources, Bowman, the Trojans' fourth-ranked pledge, has already secured the first half of a three-year deal worth seven figures annually.

Across the personnel space, USC's financial strategy and overall approach to roster management in the 2026 cycle class draws a range of responses, from admiration to envy to broad skepticism.

"They did a good job of being ahead of the curve," one Big Ten personnel director told ESPN.

"Their administration is being aggressive, and I think they have the cash flow to do it," an SEC GM said. "They're betting the rules are not going to be enforced, which is really smart."

By rule, student-athletes are required to disclose all pre-college NIL earnings to the College Sports Commission upon enrollment. However, questions have swirled over the enforcement arm and its oversight ability in the NIL space since its inception earlier this year. Sources within Power 4 programs cast doubt over whether the CSC can fully regulate deals and early payments like the ones USC and other schools have given out this recruiting cycle.

A signing class that could ultimately cost more than double the average Power 4 signing class has plenty of detractors, too. "Their high school class has to be close to our entire roster [in terms of cost]," an ACC GM said. Some sources question the value of a potential eight-figure high school class under a revenue share model and in an era of unlimited transfers. Others share doubts over the actual underlying talent of a group that includes as many ESPN 300 commits as any nationally.

 

[Whips-n-Chains]

These NIL deals get these kids locked in early.. Some of them getting advanced payments ahead of the salary cap settlement earlier this year.. Most kids werent going anywhere they been locked in.. Look at #1 class USC

How USC landed the No. 1 class and relaunched a recruiting powerhouse

The Trojans' personnel operation had fallen off. A new GM and L.A. pipelines have changed things.

www.espn.com

Not sure talent is the issue at USC...

 

[Whips-n-Chains]

Just wanna put out there that one of the first names people were throwing out there to replace James Franklin was Matt Rhule. Matt. fukking. Rhule


This head coach search was doomed from the start

Nebraska hurried up and extended him too

 

[Trav]

These 4 recruits that stuck with psu so far better be getting million dollar nil deals

Them niccas broke lol

 

[JasoRockStar]

Nebraska hurried up and extended him too

All because he had a good year at Baylor 6 years ago