Friday, September 25, 2026

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College Football

Arch Manning, Kamario Taylor, Michael Hawkins

Conference play is upon us, and the spreads are squeezing or flipping outright as teams start hitting the road. The market knows conventional wisdom often doesn't apply when 100,000 hostile fans are screaming at a 20-year-old. Andy Staples is 20-12 on the season after a 6-4 Week 3, and below is a snapshot of his Week 4 predictions based on odds from Polymarket.

Texas at Tennessee (+5.5), Total: 55.5

It's a suspiciously tight spread for the No. 1 team in the country, but the market remembers Texas struggling in SEC road games last year, with losses at Florida and Georgia and a pair of overtime escapes. Neyland Stadium will be rocking even with a noon kickoff, so don't be shocked if the Volunteers keep it close or win outright.

Andy's pick: Tennessee +5.5

Iowa at Michigan (-5.5), Total: 37.5

Michigan has essentially played two Iowa games already, squeaking past Western Michigan before smothering Oklahoma's offense. So does that prepare the Wolverines for the real thing? Or will the pure, uncut Hawkeyes drag them into hell?

Andy's pick: Michigan -5.5

Staples has eight more picks on the board, including whether Ole Miss can avoid a classic hangover spot at Florida, what South Carolina-Alabama could reveal about the Crimson Tide, and a surprising call on Oregon at USC.

PICKS FROM ANDY STAPLES →

College Football

Week 4 intel: Inside Oklahoma’s offensive struggles, Power Four head coaches who could move & more

Bryce Underwood, Jadan Baugh, Kenny Dillingham, Ben Arbuckle

Pete Nakos' Thursday insider notebook is back with behind-the-scenes intel from coaches and industry sources on where college football stands entering Week 4.
Opposing coaches get candid on what's gone wrong with Oklahoma's offense ahead of its trip to Georgia, lay out the keys to Ole Miss at Florida (plus the latest on a game-time decision for the Gators), and intel on which Power Four head coaches could be on the move.
Get the rest of the Week 4 intel, including what opposing coaches see in Michigan's offense and injury updates on key players at Oklahoma and TCU.

INTEL FROM PETE NAKOS →

College Sports

Attempts to cap athlete and coach pay strike at the heart of the current college athletics mess

Lawmakers filed more than 35 amendments to the Protect College Sports Act this week, and two of them get to the heart of the sport's biggest fight: if player pay is capped, shouldn't coaches' pay be capped too?
One amendment from Republicans would lock in a hard cap on athlete compensation, while a Democratic proposal would put a strict limit on what coaches can make in every sport.
A final Senate vote could come within days with overwhelming support, but a major timing problem in the House could leave the bill stuck until after the midterms.

READ MORE FROM ROSS DELLENGER →

College Football

Mississippi State addresses plan to keep Kamario Taylor in Starkville

Miss State AD Zac Selmon hears the rumors about MSU QB Kamario Taylor playing for a big-spending blueblood next season. But make no mistake. Mississippi State intends to keep its star.

College Football Playoff

College Football Playoff committee to consider new data point in evaluations

The College Football Playoff committee will include a new conference-based data point in its evaluations of teams beginning in late November, according to ESPN.