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.
Indiana falls to No. 9, faces USC test
The 8-1 Hoosiers dropped five spots during their bye after six Big Ten opponents lost, and an unsettled quarterback situation now follows them into Saturday’s game against No. 18 USC.
The Pate State Staff · 18hCollege Football Playoff expands, ends Power Four title games
The Pate State Staff · 1dUCLA reaches 9-0, but CFP case remains unsettled
The Pate State Staff · 2dNotre Dame beats No. 1 Miami behind Carr
The Pate State Staff · 3dOhio State can’t dismiss what Oregon exposed
Josh Pate · 3dLatest
Updated 6 HRS AGONC State moves toward hiring Philip Rivers
ESPN reported that NC State is preparing to hire Philip Rivers as its head football coach, with trustees set to finalize his contract at a Friday, Nov. 13, meeting. Rivers is not yet officially the coach. Trustees have not approved the deal, and its length, financial terms and announcement timing are unknown. His coaching staff, scheme and roster plans also have not been disclosed. NC State is 4-5 in 2026 after going 8-5 overall and 4-4 in ACC play last season. The hire would put Rivers in charge as the Wolfpack tries to reverse a losing season and set the program’s direction for its next coaching era. For now, Rivers is the expected hire, not yet NC State’s coach.
The Wire DeskPhilip Rivers takes over NC State after Dave Doeren
Philip Rivers has accepted NC State’s head-coaching job as the Wolfpack sit 4-5 after their Oct. 31 win over California, putting the program’s former NC State quarterback in charge of its transition from Dave Doeren. NC State is expected to announce Rivers as its next coach, but the school has not disclosed the date of the formal announcement. Rivers will make the jump from St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama to an ACC program. NC State went 8-5 in 2025 and could finish this season without a postseason berth for the first time since 2019, giving Rivers a program to rebuild before he has assembled a staff or recruiting operation. Rivers acknowledged the connection when he was asked about the job after an Oct. 30 St. Michael game. “Shoot, NC State’s special to me. Coach Doeren, shoot, what he did over 14 years, all-time winningest coach. A ton of respect and appreciation for how he went about it with the university,” Rivers told AL.com’s Ben Thomas.
The Wire DeskKamario Taylor eyes record deal to return to Mississippi State
After undergoing season-ending surgery for turf toe on Oct. 28, Kamario Taylor is finalizing a reported $7.5 million deal to return to Mississippi State for the 2027 season, On3’s Chris Low and Pete Nakos reported. The package could reach $9 million with incentives and would make Taylor college football’s highest-paid quarterback. The agreement has not been fully executed. Mississippi State has not disclosed its guaranteed money or incentive structure, and Taylor’s recovery timeline remains unknown. The Bulldogs are committing to the quarterback who powered their 4-0 start rather than entering the transfer market for a replacement. Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack saw the problem Taylor created before the teams met on Oct. 3. “Kamario Taylor is a fantastic quarterback. He may be the best that we have faced in the last three years since I’ve been here,” Wommack said. “Just his ability to create explosives in the passing game, finding throws in the RPO game, the off-schedule plays that he makes, not only with his feet in the run game, but also he does a great job of keeping his eyes downfield and creating explosive passes through extending plays with his feet as well. I think he’s had three touchdown passes in every game that he’s played. He’s had an explosive pass touchdown in every game, and he’s playing about as good as I have seen a guy play, certainly in the last three years.”
The Wire Desk
Ohio State removes Robby Discher after nine games
After a 30-18 loss at USC on Oct. 31 pushed Ohio State to 6-3 and No. 20 in the College Football Playoff rankings, Ryan Day removed special teams coordinator Robby Discher with three regular-season games left. Former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer questioned the timing. “I am very opposed to make coaching staff decisions in the middle of the season. I never did it, when I see it I'm like what are you doing? Why would you do that?” Meyer said. Ohio State hired Discher in January to address its special-teams problems. He lasted nine games. The program has not said why he left or who will take over the responsibilities. The change comes against the backdrop of a sharp drop from 2025, when Ohio State went 12-2 and 9-0 in Big Ten play. The Buckeyes already have three losses this season, including a 24-23 defeat at Texas on Sept. 12 and the 30-18 loss at USC. Josh Pate’s preseason bracket placed Ohio State as the No. 2 seed. The Buckeyes are now No. 20, a direct hit to that projection, and their playoff path requires both a strong finish and help from teams above them. Day made the staff change without naming a successor. He now has to decide who will run special teams while Ohio State chases the conference title and a playoff opening.
The Wire Desk
Jimbo Fisher pushes for a Florida State return
After Florida State fell to 4-5 with an Oct. 31 loss to Clemson, its coaching search moved forward under new athletic director Jeff Purinton, with former coach Jimbo Fisher reportedly pushing for a return, Yahoo Sports reported. Fisher also has been contacting potential staff members, according to the report. The search could change Florida State’s quarterback and recruiting foundation immediately: Some blue-chip prospects reportedly would commit if Fisher returned, though no prospects were named and Florida State has not confirmed Fisher as an interviewee or finalist. “Among the names we continue to hear as potential candidates in Tallahassee are Jimbo Fisher, who is pushing hard for the job and calling potential staffers, and Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann,” John Brice said, as quoted by Yahoo Sports. SMU coach Rhett Lashlee also has been identified as a potential candidate. SMU defeated Florida State 27-24 on Sept. 7. Fisher spent 11 years at Florida State, first as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2007 through 2009 and then as head coach from 2010 through 2017. The Seminoles went 83-23 under Fisher, won the 2013 national championship after a 14-0 season and carried a 29-game winning streak into the first College Football Playoff in 2014. Whether that history can outweigh the circumstances of Fisher’s departure in 2018 remains unresolved. So does the recruiting pitch: Florida State has not identified any prospect prepared to follow Fisher, said that any commitment is firm or announced when it will name its next coach. For now, Fisher is a reported candidate with a possible roster boost attached to his name—not a confirmed hire or finalist.
The Wire Desk
Miami (Ohio) turns video-board stunt into penalty
Miami (Ohio) was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct during an opponent’s field-goal attempt after its stadium video board displayed multiple images of uprights, turning a screen stunt into an on-field penalty. The tactic tried to alter the kicker’s visual surroundings, making the video board part of the kick’s competitive environment. The call puts a clear limit on home-field gamesmanship: using a stadium screen to interfere with a live kick can cost a team a penalty. The opponent, game date, score and location were not provided. Neither were the penalty yardage, the result of the kick or its effect on the game. But the boundary is plain: false visual targets around a kicker can draw a flag.
The Wire Desk
Oklahoma extends Brent Venables, backs him after Arbuckle firing
Oklahoma Board of Regents chair Rick Nagel said Wednesday that Brent Venables has job security and confirmed the university recently extended the coach’s contract, even after firing offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. “The board doesn’t typically comment much on what’s going on in the athletic department,” Nagel said. “That’s maybe a smart thing. But I want to say this … our head coach, Brent Venables, is not on the hot seat. There is no hot seat. We just extended his contract.” Oklahoma went 10-3 overall and 6-2 in the SEC in 2025. After nine games this season, the Sooners are 5-4 overall and 3-3 in conference play. They beat Florida 23-7 on the road in their latest reported result. Witten now has the rest of the season to stabilize the offense while Venables continues to lead the program. Oklahoma has not disclosed the extension’s length, financial terms, buyout or timing. The university also has not identified its permanent offensive coordinator. For Venables, Nagel’s statement settles the coaching question. For Witten, the assignment is the offense in front of him.
The Wire DeskKatin Houser faces UCLA’s turnover test
On Friday, 6-3 Illinois will take its four-game streak of scoring at least 20 points into a matchup with undefeated UCLA, whose defense leads the nation with 27 forced turnovers. That puts senior quarterback Katin Houser at the center of the game. He has thrown for 1,955 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions while leading an Illinois offense that averages 28.4 points per game, 10th in the Big Ten. The Illini scored 38 points in a win at Michigan State and have reached at least 20 in each of their last four games. UCLA can pressure both parts of Illinois’ offense. The Bruins rank third in the Big Ten in pass defense, allowing 177 yards per game, against an Illinois passing game ranked ninth. UCLA also ranks third against the run at 87.7 yards per game, while Illinois averages 155.3 rushing yards and ranks sixth. The matchup is less about whether Illinois can keep scoring than whether it can avoid giving UCLA extra possessions. The Bruins have already won at Oregon, 17-15, and against Wisconsin, 17-7, showing they can win without a high-scoring game. Their turnover pressure could erase Illinois’ recent offensive progress quickly. Houser, an Anaheim native and St. John Bosco alumnus, will face UCLA in his return to Southern California after previous stops at Michigan State and Eastern Carolina. His decisions and ball security give Illinois its clearest path to making the undefeated Bruins play a 10th game under pressure.
The Wire DeskCollege Football Playoff to expand to 24 teams in 2027
The College Football Playoff will expand to 24 teams in 2027, giving eight teams a first-round bye while forcing any first-round entrant through five postseason games to reach the national championship game. “ The 24-team playoff will feature eight teams getting first-round byes -- up from four -- and feature eight first-round games,” CBS Sports reported. The change doubles the number of byes and creates eight opening-round games. The field will include the champions of the SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12, the highest-ranked Group of 6 team and 19 at-large selections. More teams will have a route to the title, but the teams that avoid the first round will gain a meaningful advantage in a postseason built around depth and durability. The College Football Playoff has not provided the complete 2027 calendar, the seeding or matchup procedures, or the bowl and venue assignments. It also has not said whether the format or allocation rules could change before 2027.
The Wire DeskCollege Football Playoff expands to 24 teams in 2027
The College Football Playoff and ESPN announced that the FBS postseason will expand from 12 teams to 24 in 2027, with the New Year’s Six folded into the bracket and more playoff access coming at the expense of traditional bowl importance. The larger field creates a title path for 12 additional teams, but the reported automatic-bid system guarantees access only to the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC champions and the highest-ranked team from the Group of Six: the Mountain West, MAC, Pac-12, Sun Belt, Conference USA and AAC. The expansion also moves more postseason value inside the CFP. Traditional bowl season has included 40 matchups, including the six New Year’s Six games. With 24 teams entering the championship bracket, bowls such as the Pop-Tarts and Citrus could draw from a thinner group of teams outside the playoff. The effect on individual bowl invitations and matchups has not been announced. The CFP and ESPN have not specified the 2027 seeding rules, playoff sites or exact bracket format, including how the New Year’s Six will fit into the rounds. Those decisions will determine how much advantage the automatic bids provide and how much postseason value remains outside the CFP. For the Group of Six, the playoff door gets wider in 2027—but the money behind it may remain concentrated in one conference.
The Wire Desk
Texas A&M must solve offense against No. 9 Tennessee
After Saturday’s 17-9 loss at South Carolina, Texas A&M returns to Kyle Field to face No. 9 Tennessee with an offense that has failed to score an offensive touchdown in three of its last four SEC games. The Volunteers’ defense allows 15.1 points per game. The Aggies fell to 4-5 overall and 1-5 in the SEC despite holding South Carolina to 109 rushing yards. David Olano scored all nine Texas A&M points with three field goals, leaving the defense’s improvement wasted by another offense that could not finish drives. Senior safety Marcus Ratcliffe moved to nickelback against South Carolina as Texas A&M put more attention on stopping the run. He said the team’s response requires focus rather than a reaction to the noise around a 4-5 season. “I think it just takes a commitment, honestly. Whoever can block out all the noise, block out all the distractions,” Ratcliffe said. The offense will need reliable playmakers against Tennessee’s aggressive, multiple defensive fronts and pass rush. Sophomore receiver TK Norman has received more playing time and said it has given him chances to show his speed and make contested catches. “My situation has really been a next man up mentality,” Norman said. Tennessee is 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the SEC after a 34-6 victory over Kentucky. DeSean Bishop leads a Volunteers rushing attack with 1,066 yards and 13 touchdowns, adding another test for an Aggies defense that handled South Carolina’s ground game. The matchup is Texas A&M’s Operation Blackout game. The Aggies have won the event twice under Elko, but the occasion will not solve an offense that has gone without a touchdown in three of its last four conference games. Ratcliffe, playing his final college season, put the immediate challenge plainly: “I don’t want to leave any regrets.”
The Wire Desk
Indiana gets its playoff test against USC
## What Happened
The Wire DeskWhy I’m still taking Ohio State over Oregon
Oregon owns the better result against USC, but Ohio State’s path is still clear: eliminate the self-inflicted mistakes, stop the run and make the Ducks win through the air.
Josh PateMalachi Toney injury clouds Miami’s Notre Dame trip
Miami has not disclosed whether its sophomore receiver, who has 73 catches and 13 touchdowns, can play Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7-1 Notre Dame.
The Pate State Staff⚡ Wire stories are fast-turn news reports. How The Wire Works →
The Wire
Mississippi State QB Taylor Reportedly Finalizing $7.5 Million 2027 Return Deal
transfer · 5hNC State moves toward hiring Philip Rivers
coaching · 7hPhilip Rivers takes over NC State after Dave Doeren
coaching · 7hKamario Taylor eyes record deal to return to Mississippi State
transfer · 10hOhio State removes Robby Discher after nine games
coaching · 14hMichigan flips three-star in-state tackle Braden Chaffin from Stanford
recruiting · 14hBrian Kelly says he wants to return to coaching
coaching · 14hDeion Sanders Takes Responsibility for Colorado’s 3-6 Season
coaching · 14hThe Whole Sport.
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