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The Notebook

College football, on the record — Josh's analysis and the news moving the sport.

Breaking news, deep reads, recruiting, rankings and the arguments worth having. Updated throughout the day.

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Chambliss lifts Ole Miss past LSU after rally

Chambliss threw for 363 yards and scored the decisive touchdown after LSU erased a 17-point deficit; Kewan Lacy’s Florida status remains unknown.

The Pate State Staff · 3d

Latest

Updated 13 HRS AGO

⚡ The Wire · general · 13h

Oregon State lands Malcolm Price commitment

On Tuesday, Oregon State added Malcolm Price, a 2027 recruit ranked No. 125 nationally, while the Beavers worked through a 1-2 start. “Malcolm Price, the No. 125 overall recruit in the 2027 class, has committed to Oregon State, his agency THE•TEAM tells @Rivals,” Joe Tipton reported Tuesday. The commitment gives Oregon State an early piece of its future roster. The larger question is whether the Beavers can turn Price’s pledge into recruiting momentum after opening 2026 with losses to Houston and Texas Tech before beating Montana 52-17 on Sept. 19. Price’s position, school, hometown and commitment date were not disclosed. It also was unclear whether he has signed or merely pledged. Oregon State’s next listed game is at UTEP on Saturday, Sept. 26. For now, Price gives Oregon State a nationally ranked prospect to track as the Beavers build their 2027 class.

The Wire Desk

⚡ The Wire · general · 13h

Houston takes coverage questions into Fritz’s Georgia Southern return

On Saturday, Sept. 26, Houston visits Georgia Southern for the first meeting between the programs, with Willie Fritz returning to his former school and Clay Helton facing the program where he played quarterback. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET. Fritz coached Georgia Southern in 2014 and 2015, going 9-3 and 8-4. Helton played quarterback at Houston in 1993 and 1994 while his father, Kim Helton, coached the Cougars. “It’s a work trip,” Fritz said. “In 10, 15 years I’ll retire and watch a homecoming game, but this is a business trip.” Conner Weigman threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns against Texas Tech. Through three games, he has completed 70.0% of his passes with seven touchdown passes against one interception. Amare Thomas has 18 receptions for 237 yards and three touchdowns, while Koby Young is averaging 24.8 yards per catch. The defense has been better against the run than the pass. Houston allows 62.7 rushing yards per game and 2.4 per carry, ninth-fewest in the FBS. Georgia Southern’s air-oriented offense should put more pressure on the coverage, where the Cougars have struggled against Oregon State and Texas Tech. Strong safety Jordan Allen, who leads Houston with five pass breakups, heads the secondary’s effort to fix what went wrong in Lubbock. Houston has not said whether Weigman’s designed runs will be reduced after his potential game-tying two-point attempt fell short at Texas Tech. Georgia Southern enters at 1-2. Helton sees the matchup as more than a return to Houston. “It’s a special game personally, but it’s more special for me just the opportunity for our community to have their first chance to have a power four team here. And it’s special for our football team to go put their best foot forward and try to go get a win against a top-25 team. I look forward to that as much as hugging some necks and some people I really truly love,” Helton said.

The Wire Desk

⚡ The Wire · general · 14h

Texas Tech seeks more punt returns for Kenny Johnson

As Texas Tech prepares to host Sam Houston on Saturday, Sept. 26, special teams coordinator Kenny Perry is seeking more punt-return chances for Kenny Johnson while praising punter Will Karoll, who has earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors in consecutive weeks. “Maturity. You know, he doesn’t let anything bother him. He comes to work every day. You know, comes to practice and just says, ‘Coach, what are we doing? What are you thinking this week?’ And then before the game, he’s out there practicing his kicks. And then during the game, you know, he’s always right there in my ear,” Perry said. Karoll has contributed beyond his punting during Texas Tech’s 3-0 start. Perry highlighted his work as a field-goal holder and his ability to handle low or bad snaps, including a jumping catch before Karoll hit a 64-yard punt. Texas Tech wants Johnson more involved in the return game against a Sam Houston unit Perry described as improved and more physical, with strong gunners who can limit return opportunities. Perry did not specify the looks being considered, but the game puts both sides of the kicking game under pressure: Johnson needs a clean chance, and the Red Raiders need to protect their field-position edge. The Sept. 26 matchup will test whether Texas Tech can create that chance without surrendering the advantage Karoll has helped build.

The Wire Desk

⚡ The Wire · general · 14h

Brohm reshapes Louisville offense around Kienholz

Louisville’s 41-31 win over SMU on Saturday, Sept. 19, moved the Cardinals to 2-1 and set up a pair of ACC tests for Jeff Brohm’s reshaped offense around Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz. 247Sports analyst Chris Hummer said Brohm deserves credit for building around what Kienholz can do on the ground. “It is remarkable how much Jeff Brohm's changed his offense to fit his new quarterback,” Hummer said. “Louisville's last three quarterbacks — Jack Plummer, Tyler Shough, and Miller Moss — combined for -12 rushing yards the last three seasons. Kienholz is already over 150 yards for the year, and he has four rushing touchdowns. So he is one of the most dynamic and surprising rushing threats of the year. And you have to give Jeff Brohm credit for how he's employed his new kind of offensive weapon.” Kienholz won the starting job after transferring from Ohio State and has completed 66% of his passes through three games for 816 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. He has added 153 rushing yards and four scores, giving Brohm a quarterback-run threat Louisville’s recent offenses lacked. The exact scheme and play-design changes Brohm made are not yet clear, but the personnel shift is. Kienholz has supplied production as a passer and a runner, and Louisville now has to take that second threat into conference play. Kienholz has made his legs part of Brohm’s offensive plan.

The Wire Desk

⚡ The Wire · general · 14h

Georgia puts Oklahoma’s defense to the test

Georgia will host Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 26, in the teams’ first regular-season meeting since the Sooners joined the SEC — a test of Oklahoma’s defense against the Bulldogs’ explosive offense. The 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff matches Georgia’s 3-0 start and 178 points with Oklahoma’s 2-1 record and defense, which has allowed 23 points through three games. The Bulldogs average 59.3 points and 539 yards per game; the Sooners allow 7.7 points and 215.3 yards but have scored only 75 points. Brent Venables called Georgia the “gold standard” in college football. Kirby Smart praised Venables and an Oklahoma defense built on technique, physicality and fundamentals. Oklahoma opened with a 51-0 win over UTEP, then scored 10 points in a loss at Michigan and 14 in a win over New Mexico. Georgia scored 63, 70 and 45 points against Tennessee State, Western Kentucky and Arkansas, respectively, while allowing 40 total. Georgia has won two consecutive SEC titles and three of the last four. The Bulldogs also won national championships in 2021 and 2022, the SEC’s most recent titles. Oklahoma will face that standard at Georgia, where its defense must prevent Georgia from turning the matchup into a runaway before the Sooners’ offense can make the game competitive. For Oklahoma, the answer starts with whether its defense can keep Georgia from running away.

The Wire Desk

⚡ The Wire · general · 14h

Purdue’s defense faces its biggest test against Notre Dame

Purdue’s defense allowed 90 points and 1,056 yards in its past two games, setting up a major test Saturday, Sept. 26, when the 1-2 Boilermakers host No. 3 Notre Dame. Purdue lost 38-36 to Wake Forest on Sept. 12 and 52-38 at UCLA on Saturday. UCLA ran for 370 yards, and Notre Dame arrives at 3-0 after scoring at least 27 points in each game. “Defensively, it's unfortunately been a little bit of everything,” Locked On Boilermakers host Nick Arvin said. “Tackling in space has also been a massive concern, but ultimately, the buck stops with the defensive scheme.” The coaching context makes Purdue’s slide harder to dismiss as a short slump. Kevin Kane returned as defensive coordinator after being fired following the 2024 season, while Odom, who has a defensive background, has become more involved with the unit. Arvin said Purdue has shown few meaningful changes. Purdue has not said whether it will change its scheme, personnel or defensive play-calling before the game, or whether Kane will remain the primary play-caller. The front seven now faces a Notre Dame team that beat Michigan State 27-10 on Saturday.

The Wire Desk

⚡ The Wire · general · 15h

Julian Lewis takes first picks into Big 12 opener

Julian Lewis threw his first college interceptions Saturday in Colorado’s 41–7 loss at Northwestern, ending a 150-attempt run without a pick with the Buffaloes’ Big 12 opener at Baylor set for Saturday, Sept. 26. Coach Deion Sanders said Lewis should not carry the loss into the conference schedule. “How many games has he played in his career?” Sanders said after the Northwestern loss. “Don't put that much pressure on him. Let's take it off. That's going to happen. You didn't think we were going to go through the durn whole season without a pick, did you? That's not going to happen.” The first interception came after consecutive holding penalties put Colorado in first-and-30, when Lewis forced a throw over the middle. The second came in the fourth quarter, with the Buffaloes trailing 35–7. Northwestern outgained Colorado 423–348, and Colorado had the ball for 23:07. Lewis has completed 63.3% of his passes for 658 yards and six touchdowns through three games. He has two interceptions, both from the Northwestern loss, and Colorado is 2–1. Colorado has not said whether Lewis will start at Baylor or whether the staff will change its lineup or scheme after the loss. The game is scheduled for noon ET on Saturday, Sept. 26, in Waco. Sanders wants Lewis to attack rather than play cautiously after his first difficult night as Colorado’s starter. “The way he rebounds and recovers from that is what's important,” Sanders said. “We just don't want him getting afraid to go out there and hang it out. Just go do your thing. If it happens, it happens, let's go.”

The Wire Desk

⚡ The Wire · general · 15h

Damon Wilson gives Miami’s pass rush a needed answer

On Friday, Sept. 18, Miami’s rebuilt pass rush produced its strongest showing of the season in a 33-20 win at Wake Forest, giving the Hurricanes their first strong answer to the loss of first-round defensive ends Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor. Damon Wilson and Armondo Blount led the way with nine quarterback pressures apiece in a 44-pressure performance. That answer now follows Miami into the games that shape its playoff path. The Hurricanes are 3-0, with a home game against Central Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 26, before a trip to Clemson on Saturday, Oct. 3. Josh Pate’s preseason bracket placed Miami at No. 11 in the playoff field, making the rebuilt pass rush part of the question surrounding whether that projection holds. Wilson made his biggest plays late. He recorded a sack, helped force an end-zone holding call that led to a safety and pressured Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez into a fourth-quarter incompletion. The pressure did not come only from Wilson and Blount. Omar Thornton recorded eight pressures from the secondary, Marquise Lightfoot had seven, and Hetherman’s packages gave Miami several ways to attack Lopez. Wilson, a former Missouri standout brought in through the portal, showed why Miami targeted him as one of the players who could help replace Bain and Mesidor.

The Wire Desk

⚡ The Wire · general · 15h

Ashton Daniels sparks Florida State after Alabama loss

On Sept. 19, Ashton Daniels threw for 377 yards and Florida State scored 36 points at Alabama, but the Crimson Tide won 50-36 and handed the Seminoles their second straight loss. The passing production gives Florida State a reason to believe its offense can work against a strong opponent. It did not change the larger problem: the Seminoles are 1-2 and have not turned that production into enough wins. Daniels and the passing game get their next test when Central Arkansas visits on Sept. 26. Florida State needs another productive afternoon to show the Alabama performance was more than one strong game. Josh Pate’s preseason bracket put Alabama in the playoff field, and the Crimson Tide’s 3-0 start supports that call. Florida State’s passing performance also gave Alabama 36 points to answer for on defense. For Daniels, the task is simple: turn 377 passing yards into a win.

The Wire Desk

⚡ The Wire · general · 16h

Colorado faces Baylor with Big 12 stakes after Northwestern loss

Colorado and Baylor meet Saturday, Sept. 26, at McLane Stadium in the programs’ 18th matchup and first game in Waco since 2010, with both teams carrying 2-1 records into the noon ET kickoff. The teams reached the game from sharply different Sept. 19 results. Colorado lost 41-7 at Northwestern after opening with wins at Georgia Tech and against Weber State. Baylor beat Louisiana Tech 36-19 after losing 17-16 at Auburn and then defeating Prairie View A&M. Colorado leads the series 10-7, including a 4-2 record in games played in Waco. Baylor won the last meeting there by one point in 2010, but Colorado took the teams’ most recent game, 38-31 in overtime on Sept. 21, 2024. That game turned on two late sequences. Baylor led 31-24 as regulation ended before Shedeur Sanders rolled left and threw a 43-yard Hail Mary to LaJohntay Wester in the rain, forcing overtime. Micah Welch gave Colorado its first lead by scoring in overtime. On Baylor’s final possession, Travis Hunter knocked the ball free from Dominic Richardson near the goal line, and the loose ball went out of the end zone. ESPN2 will televise Saturday’s game. Colorado hosts Texas Tech on Oct. 3, while Baylor plays at Arizona State that day.

The Wire Desk

⚡ The Wire · general · 16h

Campbell frames Penn State’s first Big Ten test

After Penn State beat Buffalo 55-13 on Saturday, coach Matt Campbell opened Wisconsin week Tuesday by praising the Badgers’ offense and the specific problems it creates for the 3-0 Nittany Lions. Penn State hosts Wisconsin at 5 p.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 26, in its first Big Ten game. The Badgers are 2-1 after losing at Notre Dame and beating Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan. Campbell previously worked with Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes in the Big 12 and said Grimes has built the Badgers’ offense around its best players. “We have so much respect for the offensive coordinator at Wisconsin,” Campbell said. “I always felt like it was one of the top offenses that we would go against year in, year out. And I think what makes great offensive coordinators is this unique ability to design an offense around their best players.” Campbell described Wisconsin’s quarterback as a dynamic athlete who can stretch a defense with designed runs, make plays outside the pocket and deliver every throw. He called running back Abu Sama physical and explosive, with the ability to create in space and break a long run. That gives Penn State two problems to track: the quarterback run game and Sama when Wisconsin gets him into space. Campbell did not identify the quarterback in his comments. Penn State’s receivers also earned a strong review. Campbell highlighted Chase Sowell’s consistency and outside playmaking, Zay Robinson and Koby Howard’s work in the slot, and Brett Elskildsen’s early impact. Elskildsen was limited after getting dinged up over the previous two weeks; his injury details and availability are unknown. Campbell said the tight end room has also started well, despite a couple of plays it wanted back against Buffalo. He pointed to the group’s work with Rocco through the spring and preseason, saying it has continued to build rather than start over.

The Wire Desk

⚡ The Wire · general · 16h

Mekhi Nelson’s injury clouds Nebraska’s trip to Michigan State

Nebraska has not disclosed a diagnosis or said whether the former four-star recruit can play in the Sept. 26 Big Ten opener. Nebraska running back Mekhi Nelson suffered a leg injury in the second half of the Cornhuskers’ 34–7 win over North Dakota on Saturday, Sept. 19, putting his availability for the start of Big Ten play in question. A teammate was blocked into Nelson on the play. He caught one pass for six yards against North Dakota, his only reception of the season. Nelson’s status bears on Nebraska’s backfield depth as the 3–0 Cornhuskers travel to Michigan State on Saturday, Sept. 26. The former four-star recruit scored against the Spartans last season, catching two passes for 11 yards and returning a blocked punt three yards for a touchdown. Nebraska has not disclosed Nelson’s diagnosis, the injury’s severity or a recovery timeline, and it has not said whether he can play at Michigan State. The Spartans are 2–1.

The Wire Desk