We are halfway through the 2025-26 college football season, and what an absolutely WILD ride it has been.
Big name head coaches have already been fired this season. James Franklin (Penn State), Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), Trent Dilfer (UAB), Sam Pittman (Arkansas), Brent Fry (Virginia Tech), and a few others.
Teams that a lot of “media pundits” thought would be in the national title picture are fighting just to stay at .500, like Penn State, Texas, and Clemson.
There have been teams that have “overachieved”, so far this season, like Indiana, Georgia Tech, USF, and Virginia.
Heisman “front runners” like Arch Manning, Drew Allar, and Cade Klubnik, have not lived up to the hype.
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The race for the college football playoff spot in the “Group of 5” is ABSOLUTELY LIT!!!
Navy, Memphis, USF, Tulane, Western Kentucky, UNLV, San Diego State, and James Madison, are all either undefeated or only have 1 loss. As much we all love the “Power 4” conference games, the “G5” school games are just as fun to watch. I highly recommend everyone watch these games, as the race for that spot, is going to be so much fun.
I could go on and out, but, without further ado, HERE are your mid-season awards.
Heisman Trophy – Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt Commodores.
The Heisman Trophy is an INDIVDUAL award, not a team award.
Without Diego Pavia, the Vanderbilt Commodores are probably 0-6, instead of 5-1.
He’s the best dual quarterback in the country right now.
He’s thrown for 1,409 yards, with 14 TDs to 4 INTs, as well as running for 60 carries, for 352 yards, with 2 TDs.
Pavia IS Commodore football.
Runner-up – Sawyer Robertson, QB, Baylor Bears.
Coach of the Year – Curt Cignetti, Indiana Hoosiers.
Nobody, and I mean, nobody, including myself, thought that the Indiana Hoosiers, would be a Top 3 football team in the country.
He won the award last season, and is the front runner this season, as they are currently undefeated (6-0) and ranked #3 in America. He has this team playing hard, playing fast, and most importantly, playing smart. Only 19 penalties in 6 games.
The #4 ranked Miami Hurricanes beat the Florida Gators 26-7, in their rivalry game. The Gators continue their freefall this season.
#17 Texas Tech beat the #16 Utah Utes, at Rice-Eccles Stadium, 34-10, in a turnover prone game.
#24 Notre Dame finally got a win, beating Purdue 56-30.
#19 Indiana Hoosiers absolutely beat the snot out of #9 Illinois Fighting Illini, 63-10.
In a great Saturday night game, #11 Oklahoma Sooners got a big conference win, over #23 Auburn Tigers, 24-17.
The Clemson Tigers and Wisconsin Badgers continue to fall apart, with losses to unranked opponents, Syracuse and Maryland.
With so many performances to choose from, here are your Week 4 college football helmet stickers.
1) Indiana Hoosiers.
There was no better team performance in Week 4, then Indiana. The college football spotlight was on Bloomington, IN with a primetime game on NBC, and the Hoosiers put their best foot forward. The offense couldn’t be stopped, and the defense was a stonewall, not allowing the Illini to get anything going. Great win for the team and the program.
2) Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Hoosiers.
The 6’5″ junior transfer quarterback shone the brightest in the biggest game of his career to date. He went 21 of 23 (91.3%), for 267 yards, and 5 TDs, with a 260.0 RTG, and 96.3 QBR. He didn’t make any mistakes and kept the ball out of harm’s way. That’s exactly what he needs to do, if they’re going to keep winning as conference play ramps up.
3) Red Murdock, LB, Buffalo Bulls.
The 6’3″, 240 lbs senior was all over the field, and just wreaking havoc all game long, in a 21-17 loss. He finished the game with 12 tackles, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery.
– by Sean McKenzie
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Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.
Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, indystar, and ubbulls.
Week 1 of the college football season has come to an end. Except for the UNC vs TCU game tonight.
Ohio State made Paul Finnebaum look like the clueless jackwang that he really is. Defeating Texas 14-7.
Unranked Florida State coming off a two-win season, upset an obviously over-rated #8 Alabama 31-17.
#9 LSU went into Death Valley and defeated #4 Clemson 17-10.
#17 Kansas State BARELY avoided starting the season 0-2, defeating FCS North Dakota 38-35.
The Arch Manning hype train proved to be what I said it was months ago. I did not, and do not believe he’s even a Top 5 college football quarterback right now.
My Upset special for Week 1 did not come through, as the Toldeo Rockets fell to the Kentucky Wildcats 24-16.
So, without further ado, here are my helmet sticks for Week 1.
1) Florida State Seminoles.
Coming off one of the worst seasons in program history. They went out and got another transfer quarterback from the portal. Tommy Castellanos had a history with new offensive Gus Malzahn; and they used it to pull off the upset of the season (as of now).
2) Isaiah Chisom, Linebacker, UCLA.
The linebacker transferred from Oregon State to UCLA and had a whopping 17 tackles for the Bruins, in a 43-10 thumping at the hands of the Utah Utes. He was all over the field. The lone bright spot for a Bruins team that had so much hype around their new incoming quarterback.
3) Eddie Lee Marburger, QB, UT Rio Grande Valley.
The transfer quarterback from UTSA, went 18 of 19, for 365 yards, with 5 TDs and 0 INTs. That’s a 94.7% completion percentage and a QBR of 343.0.
Week 2 of the college football season begins on Thursday night at 6:00 PM (EST), with 5 different division 2 or division 3 games.
– by Sean McKenzie
Stats and scores courtesy of…..NCAA.
Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, uclabruins, and goutrgv.
With the 2025-26 college football season starting in just under 100 days; I thought we should look and talk about the best returning players in the sport.
This list does not include quarterbacks. Yes, it’s the most important position. There will be a sperate list for that.
Y’all know me, so let’s get right into it.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State.
2024 stats – 76 receptions, for 1,315 yards, with 15 TDs.
Smith broke multiple records at Ohio State in his freshman season with ease. He was the Big Ten Receiver of the Year, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and was a First-Team All-American.
The crazy thing is that the 6’3″, 215 lbs sophomore, still has 2 years of college football to play. He was unguardable last season and will continue to improve under OC/WR coach Brian Hartline.
Smith could walk into the NFL and be WR1 for most teams today. He has the size, speed, and hands to dominate the game for the next decade.
2, Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State.
2024 stats – 81 total tackles, .5 sacks, 2 INTs, 6 PDs, 1 Punt Return TD.
The 6’0″, 205 lbs junior can do everything on defense. He can come down and play in the box. He’s an excellent blitzer, hitting the gaps with speed. He can deliver big hits. He can drop back and play the deep safety. He can come up and play in the slot. He does it all.
He adds additional value in the return game, as evidenced by his punt return touchdown against Indiana.
As a sophomore last season, he won Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year Award. He was a finalist for the Thorpe Award, and the Nagurski Award. He was also named a unanimous first team All-American.
The 6’3″, 235 lbs junior was a second-team All-American last season. He has the speed and burst to beat the offensive tackle off the snap and is able to drop back in coverage. He goes for the football, evidenced by his 4 forced fumbles.
4. Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama.
2024 stats – 48 receptions, for 865 yards, with 8 TDs.
The 6’0″, 185 lbs Williams started his freshman season very strong, scoring a touchdown in his first five games. The first thing that comes to mind when talking about him is SPEEEEEEDDDD.
Williams is very fast, and if you don’t get hands on him at the line of scrimmage, you’re eating dust and seeing his numbers.
He faded in the second half of last season. Teams figured out that he can be bullied on the LOS and be taken out of the play because of his small size.
I think that changes this season, and he’ll be better using his hands of the snap. He was first-team All-SEC and Freshman All-American.
5. Jeremiyah Love, HB, Notre Dame.
2024 stats – 163 carries, for 1,125 yards, with 17 TDs. 28 receptions for 237 yards, with 2 TDs.
The 6’0″, 212 lbs junior is the best running back in the country, especially when he’s healthy. All those numbers you see above and the highlights on YouTube, he did all that while battling a number of injuries.
He has the speed to score from anywhere on the field. The power to break tackles and run between the lines. He has the hands to catch the ball out of the backfield. He’s improved his pass blocking and blitz pickup as he’s progressed in his time in South Bend.
Fighting Irish OC Mike Denbrock even said that he was going to “deploy Love in the slot this season”, showing the he can be a playmaker anywhere.
The 6’3″, 265 lbs junior set a new school record for forced fumbles and had the most sacks in a season for Clemson, since 2018. He has good burst at the snap, and he’s always looking for the football.
Even if the offensive tackle gets his hands inside on him, Parker still has the strength to force him into the pocket and force the quarterback to get out of his rhythm.
Parker was the only FBS player in 2024 to finish in the Top 10 nationally in sacks, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles.
The 6’1″, 230 lbs senior is a tackling machine. He has the speed to play sideline-to-sideline. He has the strength to take on DT (see Iowa State game), and the toughness to take on the strongest of HBs at the LOS (see the hit on Arizona State HB Cam Skattebo).
He has great hand usage, to get off of blockers and make the tackle. He wraps up and doesn’t let go.
He was named Captain as a junior and has the complete trust of his teammates and coaches.
The 6’5″, 265 lbs, senior has ideal size and length at the position. He has the burst to win off the edge and strength to bull rush through the offensive tackles body.
He more than held his own, playing opposite of #3 draft pick Abdul Carter last season.
He played his best football in the college football playoffs, getting 4.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and an INT in those 3 games.
With new DC Jim Knowles now running the defense, he’ll have even more opportunities to make his mark this upcoming season.
The 6’3″, 315 lbs junior is the best DT in America, and possibly the best overall defensive lineman in college football.
That’s right, I said it.
Woods has the strength and speed inside, to demand double teams on every play. You absolutely cannot have him one on one. What makes him even better, is that he can kick out and not only play DE but play it well.
He can play in either a 4-3 or a 3-4, and be just as productive in both schemes.
He plays his best games, against the best teams (see Georgia and Texas games) last season.
Putting my “fan cap” on, I’d LOVE to see him in my Cleveland Browns Orange next season.
There you go, the 10 best non-QB returning players for the upcoming college football season.
Do you agree or disagree?
Who would put in or take out?
Let me know.
– by Sean McKenzie
Follow me on X (Twitter) at JoeAmerican6771 and allsportsfancom.
Stats and information courtesy of…..ESPN and NCAA.
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