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NBA opening night continues with an Eastern Conference showdown as the New York Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers. New users can use Polymarket promo code FOX to claim a $25 bonus and get in on the excitement as the 2026-27 season gets underway.

Jalen Brunson and the Knicks will look to make an early statement at home, while LeBron James and Jaylen Brown make their 76ers debut, paired with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The Knicks are looking to start its title defense with a win in front of the home crowd, but James and the Sixers have something different in mind. 

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Teams	Chance	Yes	No
NY Knicks	61%	62¢	39¢
PHI 76ers	39%	39¢	62¢

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I’ve seen a lot of chaos in college football. But this past weekend? This was a show for the ages.

Five of the top seven teams in the AP Top 25 went down. But let’s be clear: these results didn’t come without controversy.

There was a stunning quarterback shakeup at Michigan, a former blue-chip recruit thriving at Houston, and two officiating blunders that really have me questioning the sport’s consistency and accountability.

Michigan’s ‘Bold’ QB Change

Anyone who is close to the Michigan football program could see it coming.

After five full games and an underwhelming first half against Penn State on Saturday, it was time for a change at quarterback. Bryce Underwood had completed just 5 of 11 passes for 43 yards and thrown two interceptions.

Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham made the decision to bench him.

This was a bold move considering Underwood was the No. 1-ranked QB prospect in the 2025 recruiting class and inked a massive NIL deal that was reportedly in the $12 million range.  

But here’s the truth: The change had to be made due to the lack of growth from Underwood.

Whittingham turned to true freshman QB Tommy Carr — and the name should ring a bell. Carr is the grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr, while his brother, CJ, is Notre Dame’s QB1 and a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate.

The younger Carr impressed during Michigan’s spring game and continued to build confidence in the coaching staff throughout fall camp.  If not for an additional second being put back on the clock in Week 1 vs. Western Michigan, one can imagine this change might have happened sooner. 

I was impressed with Carr this past Saturday as he immediately provided a spark to an offense that’s been anemic. After managing only 80 yards of total offense in the first half, the Wolverines totaled 221 yards in the second half alone and scored 21 second-half points with Carr under center.

Michigan only asked Carr to throw eight times in the game, but his impact was immediate. On his first play from scrimmage, off an RPO, Carr kept it and threw a strike to wide receiver JJ Buchanan with accuracy and rhythm seldom seen this season, sending a message that Michigan wasn’t going to just hand off all game. This was followed by a sprint-out on third down for another completion that probably would have been a first down had wide receiver Andrew Marsh trusted his speed and ran towards the sticks. 

Michigan offensive coordinator Jason Beck even mixed in a flea flicker, which was well covered and fell incomplete, but in doing so, it proved this staff has full confidence in the freshman signal-caller.

Michigan QB Tommy Carr completed 5 of 7 passes for 47 yards and added 36 rushing yards in a win over Penn State. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)

Then there was this telling quote from Whittingham in his weekly press conference on Monday:

“There’s never been a QB I’ve been around that studies more than Tommy Carr,” Michigan’s head coach said. “His football IQ is off the chart.”

It’s hard to argue with that. And between the wide variety of throws and a 23-yard scamper for a touchdown, Carr’s dual-threat ability had me thinking: 

How effective could this offense be if this move was made earlier?

Underwood acted as the consummate pro throughout the game, congratulating Carr every step of the way, but you have to wonder if he has a future in Ann Arbor? 

Whittingham has no plans to reveal his answer to that question.

“We know exactly what we’re doing and our plan going forward,” Whittingham said to the media this week. “We’re not going to tip our hand to the opponent, but we have a good plan in place.”

If Carr is indeed the starter moving forward, things won’t get any easier this week when the Wolverines take on No. 6 Indiana, which boasts one of the toughest defenses in the country.

Keep an eye on how much pressure Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines brings against Carr. Haines has ramped up his blitz rate over the past couple of weeks, which could spell trouble for the Wolverines. On one play last week, Carr completed a shallow cross to tight end Hogan Hansen, but it wasn’t clear whether he saw the “Corner Cat” blitz coming off the edge. He was fortunate the protection picked it up in time.

I’m sure he will see a lot more of where that came from this week. 

One Name To Know …

Conner Weigman, Houston

Houston QB Conner Weigman has led the Cougars to a 6-1 record. (Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Sometimes, the best place to get your career back on track is right back home. Just ask Houston quarterback Conner Weigman, who is making the most of his second chance.

A former five-star dual-threat quarterback, Weigman arrived at Texas A&M with plenty of promise. But injuries, adversity and a coaching change eventually pushed him to the bench and, ultimately, into the transfer portal in search of a fresh start. He found it at Houston, returning to familiar territory near his old stomping grounds and helping build a program still establishing itself in the Big 12.

Weigman is now 16-4 as a starter after leading the Cougars to a shootout victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State last week. In a game billed as a quarterback duel with Cowboys gunslinger Drew Mestemaker, Weigman stole the show, accounting for 395 total yards, five touchdowns and one interception. Whatever shortcomings showed up during his time in College Station seem to be fading into the rearview mirror — so much so that some in Aggieland might be wondering if they let him go too soon.

The improvement shows up on film. Weigman’s throwing motion is more compact, his accuracy has improved, and he’s showing better anticipation. His ability to release the ball before his pass-catcher gets into his break is a sign of the timing and trust that can separate good quarterbacks from great ones.

Weigman’s mobility also forces opponents to account for him as a runner, creating another layer for Houston’s offense.

Here’s a cold, hard fact: No quarterback has been more productive over the past four weeks than Weigman, who has accounted for 18 total touchdowns. He’ll need to keep that pace if the Cougars hope to pull off the upset against a Utah offense averaging 40 points per game, the best mark in the Big 12.

A win over the Utes would give Houston even more momentum. Not just toward a Big 12 title and a CFP berth, but toward proving Weigman has what it takes to lead an NFL franchise in 2027.

What I’m Watching …

  Can We Fix The Replay System?

So much chaos. So much controversy.

Two officiating controversies caught my attention this past weekend, and both reinforced my belief that college football needs a centralized officiating system to improve consistency and a reworked replay-review process.

First up: one of the greatest rivalries in college football — Miami vs. Florida State.

Growing up, I witnessed these programs meet six times when both were ranked in the top five, with national championship implications on the line. This past weekend’s matchup may not have carried those same stakes for Florida State, but the Hurricanes represent the ACC’s best chance to get a team into the College Football Playoff.

In double overtime, Florida State had the ball at the Miami 36-yard line with one last shot to tie the game. Florida State QB Ashton Daniels dropped back and found wide receiver Micahi Danzy for what appeared to be a touchdown, only to be wiped away by a bogus holding penalty on left tackle Xavier Chaplin. 

Don’t believe me, check it out.

Florida State, still in need of a touchdown and two-point conversion, had one more chance. Daniels dropped back, scrambled and heaved a Hail Mary that appeared to be grabbed by both Florida State WR Duce Robinson and Miami DB Bryce Fitzgerald. The two players fell to the ground, both having hands on the football appearing to be simultaneous possession, which is awarded to the offense.

Even the broadcast booth thought Robinson had made the catch. However, after a review, ACC officials announced the call on the field was upheld, leading to an interception. Miami survived and moved up to No. 1, while FSU was left devastated with Mike Norvell on the hot seat.  I’ve continued to push for a change in how we treat replay reviews. As of now, the replay process goes as follows: 

• The call on the field stands unless there is indisputable video evidence to overturn the ruling made by the on-field officials.
• If the video is inconclusive, split, or does not clearly contradict the initial ruling, the original call stands.
• Replay at this juncture is NOT meant to re-officiate or parse subjective judgment calls unless a rule allows it. Instead, focusing on objective facts.
• Indisputable video rule must show with 100 percent proof that the on-field crew was wrong. If not, the decision is preserved.

I believe we’ve come to an inflection point. 

When a play goes to review, the initial call on the field should be ignored and the play should be re-officiated through the review.  We are in an era of TV consumption that provides a better vantage point to the replay officials in the booth or even viewers at home than the officials on the field.  Access to tools like slow motion or still shots allow for more accurate determinations. 

Furthermore, in an effort to remove potential bias amongst conference officials, why not have one national officiating organization?  We can all agree on the process of determining our national champion, but we can’t figure out how to nationalize officiating? Instead, we continue with an archaic process, utilizing officials from varying conferences, with replay centers scattered throughout the country and, in the most critical moments, leaning too heavily on the judgements made by officials on the field in an era where the margins of difference are paper thin. 

This sounds like a recipe for these absurd outcomes to continue.

Finally, let’s get to the biggest controversy of this weekend. Late Saturday night in the final seconds of the BYU vs. Notre Dame game, QB CJ Carr sprinted out to throw a widened fade to WR Jaden Greathouse that fell to the ground incomplete.  However, one glaring issue: there was still one second left on the clock.

Forget the fact that there was a missed defensive pass-interference call, neither the officials nor the broadcast booth recognized the remaining time on the clock. 

To make matters worse, the Big 12 released the following statement: 

“Following the Big 12’s review of the final play of Saturday’s Notre Dame-BYU game, it was determined that time remained on the clock when the ball hit the ground, and the play was incorrectly cleared by the replay officiating crew.” 

FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira added: “It is embarrassing for all officiating, quite frankly. Everybody gets brought into this, even the NFL and high school officiating, because it is such a ridiculous miss that has nothing to do with judgement. Nothing. I understand missing pass interference. This especially, after what happened six weeks ago (Ending to Michigan vs. W. Michigan), it’s embarrassing. They get one more play.” 

It’s baffling to think we could have another controversy surrounding the ending of a game after what happened in Week 1, but it only further highlights the need for change.

I would attack this in three ways: 

• Install clocks with decimals to more accurately determine the time left in the game. The NCAA did this for basketball following the NBA pioneering this technology in the 1989-1990 season.
• Install a red light system around the clocks to highlight when the clock strikes 0:00 to aid the replay review.
• Use a buzzer or horn to create an additional layer of confirmation signifying the clock is at 0:00.

We owe it to the sport we love to get these calls right.

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NBA opening night brings the return of the league’s biggest stars, and new DraftKings Sportsbook customers can get in on the action with a special welcome offer. Sign up, place a $5 bet and get $200 in bonus bets plus three months of free NBA League Pass as the new season tips off.

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks tip off their title defense against a new-look 76ers team with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. 

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On Tuesday night, on the outskirts of central Paris, inside Parc des Princes, we witnessed a thrilling six-goal fixture between two formidable clubs.

Paris Saint-Germain — the defending back-to-back Champions League title-holders — came out victorious in a 4-2 victory against Barcelona, and the evening gave us magical pieces of individual brilliance.

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I might as well own this one: I was badly wrong.

Predicting is not my favorite part of the job, but we were asked for a bold prediction in January, so I called for the Los Angeles Chargers to win the Super Bowl on their home field this season. Days before the season started, they asked for a Super Bowl prediction, and I doubled down, picking the Chargers to beat the Los Angeles Rams in an all-Los-Angeles Super Bowl.

So the Chargers are 0-6. The Rams are 2-4. At this point, I’m just hoping the game isn’t moved from SoFi Stadium.

Everybody loved the Rams, as oddsmakers’ favorites to win it all, even before they brought Aaron Donald out of retirement. With the Chargers, the addition of Mike McDaniel and a healthy offensive line seemed like a recipe for Justin Herbert getting over the hump.

Instead, they’re a combined 2-10, and one city has two of the NFL’s biggest disappointments. The Rams’ first three losses were to the San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills — three of the 10 best teams in the league — that’s understandable, but Sunday’s loss was at home to the Arizona Cardinals, who were 1-4 and 30th in our weekly power rankings. Arizona is 2-0 at SoFi this season, somehow with more wins there than the Rams (1-2) and Chargers (0-3) combined. The Rams are third in the NFL in total offense, third in total defense, and somehow 2-4, with special teams and four missed field goals playing a role in that.

The Chargers are even more astounding. To be winless and losing close games is one thing, but their point differential is minus-61, only one point better than the lowly Dolphins. The defense has missed former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, off to the Ravens, and the offense has regressed under McDaniel. Six games in, no Chargers player has caught more than one touchdown pass. By comparison, the Raiders have four such players. Two years ago, Herbert threw three interceptions in the entire season. This year, he has at least one in all six losses.

Back to the Rams, they were the oddsmakers’ favorite to win the Super Bowl entering the season — in the last 20 years, they’re just the second preseason Super Bowl favorite to have a losing record after six games, following the 2015 Seahawks, who rallied from a 2-4 start to finish 10-6, but lost to the 15-1 Panthers in the divisional round. Only four Super Bowl favorites in the last 50 years had losing records at this stage, and none of them made a conference championship game.

Now the Rams and Chargers will be meeting up at SoFi, but not in February. They play a week from Sunday, and in theory, one of those teams should escape with a victory. The Chargers, now that the Texans have won two straight, are easily the league’s most glaring underachievers. The Rams lost two key players to injuries on Sunday: receiver Davante Adams and defensive lineman Kobie Turner. They still have enough talent to salvage a wild-card spot even from 2-4, but that turnaround needs to start now. 

The NFC East and NFC South could both have division winners close to .500, so you could see two wild cards as favorites on the road to open the playoffs. Regardless, the only playoff game that will be held at SoFi will be on Valentine’s Day.

It’s not even a season and a half, but with the Las Vegas Raiders losing three straight, we can revisit how underwhelming running back Ashton Jeanty has been since Las Vegas took him with the No. 6 overall pick last year.

Jeanty has played 23 games now, and in just four of those games he has averaged even 4.0 yards per carry, a very pedestrian measure of rushing success. In the Week 5 loss to the New England Patriots, he had 10 carries for 27 yards, and in Sunday’s loss to the Bills, he had 10 carries for 22.

Consider it this way: There have been 91 players who got 350 or more carries in their first 23 games — that’s more than 15 carries a game — and of those 91, Jeanty ranks 85th with just 3.54 yards per carry. The six worse than him? Karim Abdul-Jabbar, Rashaan Salaam, Leonard Russell, Trent Richardson, Errict Rhett and Curtis Enis.

Ashton Jeanty’s 313 rushing yards rank 19th in the league, but he has the seventh-most carries in the NFL this season (98). (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

That’s rough company, and the common thread is high draft picks who earned a heavy workload and the benefit of the doubt early, then were quickly discarded. Richardson went third overall and was out of the league after three years. Same for Enis, who went fifth. Two spots above Jeanty is Leonard Fournette, a No. 4 overall pick who was cut by the Jaguars after three years.

Few backs have come into the league with more promise and excitement than Jeanty, who rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns in his last year at Boise State. You can blame some of his rookie-year struggles on an offensive line decimated by injuries, but the Raiders spent big to bring in center Tyler Linderbaum, and Jeanty’s numbers got worse, going from 3.7 yards per carry last year to 3.2 in 2026. Of 28 backs with 60-plus carries, Jeanty has the second-worst average, ahead of only Cleveland Browns standout Quinshon Judkins.

This past Sunday, Jeanty was outperformed by Mike Washington, a fourth-round rookie from Arkansas who’s averaging 4.9 yards per carry and making a case to chip into Jeanty’s workload each week. The Raiders had the makings of a strong young core in rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Jeanty and third-year tight end Brock Bowers, but you wonder if Jeanty will still be the offensive focus by the time Mendoza takes over.

The Steelers have pulled out back-to-back wins for a share of the AFC North lead, and a surprising part has been rookie receiver Germie Bernard, who has stepped up amid injuries to Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek.

Bernard, a second-round pick from Alabama, totaled seven catches for 60 yards in his first four NFL games, but has exploded in the last two weeks, first with six for 80 in the win against the Colts, then a true breakout game Sunday in Tampa. Bernard finished with 11 catches for 87 yards, including the winning touchdown in overtime for his first NFL score.

“I just love everything he’s doing,” Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said. “I mean, he’s accepted the challenge. We have a lot on his plate and he’s handling it … he’s playing really good football for us.”

Pittsburgh trailed 13-0 with 1:28 left in the first half, but Aaron Rodgers found Bernard twice for gains of 12 and 14 yards to set up a field goal at the end of the half. He’s made an impact in volume as well. In the last 50 years, only three Steelers rookies have gotten 80 receiving yards in back-to-back games: George Pickens in 2022, Santonio Holmes in 2006 and Louis Lipps in 1984.

“I always say you have to make the most of your opportunities,” Bernard said of his overtime touchdown, reaching the ball out over the goal line. “I got the ball in my hands and I saw DK [Metcalf] had the block, so I knew I had to make it count. … I did what I could for the team to have success.”

Bernard is still learning. Pittsburgh missed a fourth-down conversion when he caught a pass at the line to gain and backed up briefly, allowing himself to be tackled short of the stick. On the whole, the Steelers are thrilled with his progress. If Bernard can continue at his recent pace, the Steelers’ rookie receiving records are within reach — JuJu Smith-Schuster has the yards record at 917 in 2017, and running back Najee Harris has the receptions record at 74 in 2021.

“You need to ease expectations, but there comes a time when the confidence starts to match the potential, and I think we’re reaching that time with Germie,” Rodgers said after the game. “Very proud of him. Obviously, the fourth down, probably should just catch it and (not) back up. But he made a lot of nice plays today, a lot of smart plays, a lot of good catches. Obviously, super smart there. Catch, kind of broke a tackle, reach out for the game-winning touchdown. We had to have it.”
 

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Good players on expiring contracts on bad teams.

That’s what you’re looking at when it comes to players who could potentially get traded ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline. Any talk of players changing teams at the NFL trade deadline has a distinct profile in mind, with contenders being willing to give up a better pick than bad teams can anticipate getting in compensation for waiting and losing players in free agency.

We’ve already seen some deadline-caliber trades in the NFL, with center Cam Jurgens going from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Baltimore Ravens, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. going from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Dallas Cowboys and quarterback J.J. McCarthy going from the Minnesota Vikings to the New York Giants. The biggest came just over a week ago, though, when the Arizona Cardinals ended the experiment with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and traded him to the Houston Texans. 

A year ago, there were major trades involving first-round picks. Sauce Gardner went to the Indianapolis Colts and Quinnen Williams went to the Cowboys, as the New York Jets traded both. But that’s the exception to the rule, and does either acquiring team look better off as a result? Don’t expect any trades that impactful, but here are 10 names of players who could be dealt between now and the deadline.

Should the Kansas City Chiefs hold onto Kristian Fulton to guard against an injury to L’Jarius Sneed or rookie Mansoor Delane? If they’re comfortable with their depth, they could deal Fulton, who is a free agent in March and has the flexibility to play outside or as a nickel inside. You don’t see contenders dealing even from a surplus much, but a contender with a struggling secondary — like the Detroit Lions, for instance — might overpay to shore up a problem area.

There could be younger backups with more upside traded before the deadline, like Anthony Richardson from the Indianapolis Colts or any one of the Cleveland Browns’ two backups (Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel). But for a contender looking to upgrade their backup situation, Gardner Minshew is a good fit. 

Minshew’s Arizona’s No. 3, so the Cardinals might only need a pick swap to part with him. He’s 30 and is 2-8 as a starter in the last two years, but has more experience than most No. 2s. The Atlanta Falcons recently signed Andy Dalton after he was cut by the Eagles, so there can be moves made at quarterback off the free-agent market. However, there aren’t many great options as the season goes along. 

Kayvon Thibodeaux is constantly on these lists, and the Giants had a surplus at edge rusher before Brian Burns was lost to a season-ending knee injury. He’s making close to $15 million on a fifth-year option and has no sacks, continuing his descending four-year sack trend (11.5, 5.5, 2.5 and zero). 

But the Giants could net a draft pick from a team that thinks they could get him back closer to what he showed as a rookie. The Giants have worked out veterans who could step in, but if they see themselves as legit contenders in the NFC East, they might be hesitant to part with any key pieces.

Two years ago, Jerry Jeudy had 1,229 receiving yards and made the Pro Bowl. But the Cleveland Browns used two top-40 draft picks on receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, so Jeudy’s role has dropped off considerably. He has eight catches for 81 yards, but could be a solid No. 2 on another team. 

If the Raiders think they contend, perhaps he goes there. He had a career-best six touchdowns in 2022 in Denver when he overlapped with current Las Vegas coach Klint Kubiak.

Josh Sweat, 29, looked like a solid free-agent signing last year when he had 12 sacks in his first year in Arizona. But the Cardinals aren’t contending and he has two sacks in six games, so he’s a trade candidate. He followed Jonathan Gannon from the Eagles to the Cardinals, so perhaps he rejoins him in Green Bay. 

Arizona takes on about $21 million in dead cap if it trades Sweat, but the Cardinals wouldn’t be a lock to keep him in 2027 with a non-guaranteed $17 million base salary.

The Miami Dolphins dealt away so many of their best players last year, but saw value in keeping Zach Sieler as a captain and leader on what is otherwise a very young team. They’re in a full rebuild under first-year coach Jeff Hafley, so if they can add a pick, it might be worth the $34 million in dead cap they’d take with a trade. 

Sieler is 31 but has two sacks and five tackles for loss. He’s never won a playoff game, so maybe he might welcome a move to a contender.

Even after their Week 6 win, it’s fair to say the Tennessee Titans have been awful. So, amassing picks in exchange for anyone on an expiring deal makes sense. Pollard is on pace for more than 900 rushing yards and has averaged more than 40 catches a year in his career, so he’s a versatile back who can help a team with depth or to help offset injuries. 

Tennessee would have less of a market for veterans like receiver Calvin Ridley or edge Solomon Thomas, but if there’s a team in position to fire-sale veterans at the deadline, it might be the Titans.

If the Washington Commanders don’t think they can contend in the NFC East, they could deal Daron Payne, 29, much the same way they traded away Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the deadline in 2023. Payne had a monster year in 2022 with 11.5 sacks, earning a four-year, $90 million deal. However, he has 12 sacks in four seasons since then. 

Payne’s remarkably durable, missing three games total in the last seven years, so a contender looking to upgrade its defensive front could covet Payne, who has a $16.4 million base salary this season.

A rare move where a contender might move on from a player. If Marvin Harrison Jr. can fetch a second-rounder and more, the Jacksonville Jaguars might do well to get something for their third-year receiver. Brian Thomas Jr. had 10 touchdown catches as a rookie and is still only 24 years old, but has faded to a smaller role with just nine catches for 105 yards and one touchdown this season. 

Thomas is a bargain at $2.8 million next year, so a receiver-needy contender like the San Francisco 49ers or Chiefs could add him as the Jaguars balance long-term and short-term goals.

Khalil Mack is 35, but the Los Angeles Chargers are still winless and perhaps the biggest disappointment in the league, so they can trade expiring-contract players to get draft assets and look ahead. Mack has three sacks in six games, putting him on pace for his best year since he had 17 sacks in 2023. 

Could he go back to the Chicago Bears, who gave up multiple first-round picks to get him eight years ago? He won’t cost nearly as much this time around and would bring a veteran clubhouse presence in addition to his production on the field.

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Welcome to the Quarterback Notebook, where I’ll cover the past week in NFL quarterbacking — from the most interesting passers, plays and storylines to some other stuff that caught my eye while watching film this week.

This week, we’ll make an MVP case for Jordan Love, give C.J. Stroud his flowers, and take a look at the Eagles’ new starting quarterback.

Let’s talk quarterbacks.

The MVP odds, with Love sitting around ninth or 10th depending on the sportsbook, might make you think otherwise, but I’m calling my shot early here. Love doesn’t have the numbers you’d expect from a viable MVP candidate, but he has plenty of time to fix that after a slow start, mostly due to shoddy pass protection.

The Packers’ offensive line is still an issue, but Love appears to have learned to mitigate it over the last few weeks. In Sunday night’s win over the Cowboys, he got a chance to show a national audience how a great quarterback can thrive under overwhelming pressure. Love did it in a number of ways.

Like just standing there and running his reads as the pocket collapsed around him:

Or by sidestepping the rush and creating a throwing window, as he does by looking off the linebacker on this audacious pass:

Throwing a fadeaway that hits the receiver in stride to maximize YAC will also get the job done:

Hitting an anticipatory throw before an unblocked rusher is another way to beat the pressure:

Shifting the protection to pick up the blitz also works, but you still may have to throw it early in case your tight end whiffs on his block:

It’s rare to see a quarterback play his best ball when the conditions around him are at their worst. But that’s what we’re seeing from Love, whose quick pressure rate (24.5%) and average time to pressure (2.35 seconds) are the worst in the NFL.

Even more impressive, all that pressure hasn’t pushed Love into a conservative shell. He’s still as ambitious as ever and was bombing ludicrous passes downfield against Dallas—as he did against Chicago the previous week. I felt like I needed a cigarette after watching it. 

Love’s stat line on Sunday night would have looked even better if his receiver hadn’t forgotten how to catch. You could put together a sweet highlight reel just by compiling the deep passes they dropped.

Love (with some help from the overachieving defense) is keeping the Packers in the NFC North race, and he’s receiving little help. Beyond the drops, the team has the league’s worst pass protection and a run game that ranks dead last in the NFL by a wide margin, averaging 59.8 yards per game. The next-worst rushing team, Dallas, averages 76 yards a contest.

That this team is sitting at 4-2 and holding onto the fifth seed in the conference is a minor miracle. Replace Love with another quarterback not named Patrick, Josh, or Lamar, and they’d be headed for a top-10 pick. 

Whether Houston will give Stroud the big-money extension he’s seeking is no longer in question. Now it’s just a matter of how much the Texans will have to fork over to get him to sign.

Before the two sides put off contract talks until after the season, Houston was reportedly willing to pay Stroud in the $50 million range, putting him somewhere in the top-12 of the highest-paid quarterbacks, but the 25-year-old decided he’d rather play through 2026 and see where the market was at next offseason. 

With quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Drake Maye, and Caleb Williams due for extensions, and the cap projected to jump again, $60 million per year will be the starting point for quarterbacks seeking a new deal.

I don’t want to exaggerate Stroud’s improvement. I thought he was significantly better than the public perception. He did a lot of heavy lifting for a Houston offense with no semblance of a running game, a receiving corps ravaged by injuries, and a first-year offensive coordinator who was still searching for his own play-calling identity. After his return from a concussion in Week 13, Stroud put up solid numbers and even better tape. A horrific performance in the playoff loss to New England obscured how well Stroud had been playing.

Since Week 13 of last season, Stroud has Pro Football Focus’ sixth-highest passing grade (right ahead of Maye), he ranks 11th in expected points added per play (right ahead of Joe Burrow), eighth in yards per attempt (right ahead of Patrick Mahomes), and fifth in PFF’s “big time throw” metric (ahead of Josh Allen, Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy and Justin Herbert). Only four quarterbacks have fewer “turnover-worthy plays,” according to PFF.

Stroud has been playing good football for a while, but this season he’s leveled up in a few key areas. Playing out of structure is the big one. Stroud will never be a creative force, like a Mahomes or Allen, but he looks more comfortable throwing on the move now. His 13.8% completion percentage over expected on scramble-drill throws is a career high, per Next Gen Stats. He’s already generated 7.8 EPA on scramble runs, putting him on pace to shatter his career high (11.8), and Stroud hasn’t thrown an interception under pressure this season. Stroud has always been a solid performer in structure; now he’s becoming a reliable one when things break down.

Sunday’s win over Jacksonville offered a glimpse at the progress Stroud has made in that area. The Texans put up 34 points against a strong Jaguars defense, largely thanks to Stroud’s play under duress. The Jags defense generated five unblocked pressures. Stroud didn’t take a single sack and went 5-of-5 for 69 yards. He also made one of the season’s throws with a defender right in his grill.

Stroud has also performed better against the blitz, which isn’t surprising. The Texans brought in offensive coordinator Nick Caley last season to put more on Stroud’s plate before the snap. It was the first time he controlled the protections and could change plays at the line of scrimmage. There were some growing pains early last season, but the plan is starting to bear fruit.

Now Stroud can put out fires before they erupt after the snap, which was the goal when the coaching staff handed him the keys to the offense last offseason.

“I’ve never played quarterback,” Caley told me last August. “I’ve coached offense for well over a decade, but you learn things and see things from a quarterback’s perspective. We [as coaches] can prepare all we want, but the pictures could change … When you have a quarterback who understands the intent of what you’re doing, he can solve problems for you. He can get you out of bad situations and get you into favorable ones.”

Stroud is now fully capable of solving problems for Houston’s offense—at least the ones he can control.

This idea that Stroud hasn’t improved since his rookie season is mostly nonsense. While he did take a step back in his second season, his numbers have improved since then.

Based on advanced metrics (which are generally more informative than traditional stats), Stroud’s third season was even better than his rookie campaign. In 2026, he’s on pace for his best season yet, and it’ll make him a lot of money.

It doesn’t matter who’s starting at quarterback; the Eagles offense stinks. With Jalen Hurts out on Sunday against the Panthers, Philadelphia turned to their prized backup, Tanner McKee, and the results were the same: a lethargic performance in a low-scoring loss.

It wasn’t fair to blame Hurts for all the offensive woes, and the same goes for McKee, who made his first meaningful start on Sunday. The 2023 sixth-round pick didn’t stand much of a chance. A faulty run game and a frustrating number of penalties kept him behind the chains all game. The pass protection remains subpar, and offensive coordinator Sean Mannion doesn’t know how to work around it.

Even with that in mind, McKee’s weaknesses were apparent. He doesn’t have a strong arm—it looked like he was throwing a weighted ball—and he’s a bit of a statue in the pocket. That combination of factors makes performing under pressure a tall task for McKee. Carolina picked up on that and cranked up their blitz rate.

But there were positives as well. While McKee lacks Hurts’ mobility and arm talent, he doesn’t shy away from targeting the middle of the field, and he gets rid of the ball quickly.

McKee’s 2.42-second average time to throw was the second lowest of the season for Philadelphia, which contributed to the Eagles posting their second-lowest pressure rate allowed.

If this were a high-functioning offense, those aspects of McKee’s game might have helped. But this unit isn’t in shape to prop up a quarterback like McKee, who needs a strong run game and an effective play-action attack to do his best work. He’s a good fit for what Philadelphia wants its offense to be, but he can’t provide what it needs right now. It needs a quarterback comfortable with playing out of structure and creating when plays break down.

Those are hard to find on the trade market, and you certainly won’t find one in the pool of available free agents. If I’m Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, I’m calling Indianapolis to see what it would cost to get Anthony Richardson, the former first-round pick who lost his job to Daniel Jones last offseason. Richardson may lack familiarity with Mannion’s system, but he should be well-versed in Nick Sirianni’s, having played for Shane Steichen, who worked under the Eagles head coach before taking the Colts job.

Either way, I still don’t count Philadelphia out of the NFC East race. The division-leading Giants are down to their third quarterback, the second-place Cowboys might have the league’s worst defense, and the Commanders are headed in the wrong direction.

Justice for the former journeyman backup! Fitzpatrick wasn’t wrong when he unloaded on Bo Nix on Thursday night, though some Broncos fans, including Aqib Talib, took exception.

“Bo Nix is not playing competitively,” he said. “It’s almost disrespectful to the quarterback position how he’s playing football right now.”

To be fair to Nix, the Seahawks defense didn’t give him many downfield opportunities, but his aversion to throwing downfield fits the season’s broader pattern. And with Nix refusing to scramble, he’s bringing nothing to the Broncos offense. As Fitzpatrick says, the third-year quarterback needs to be more competitive and take more chances.

Could Fitzpatrick have been nicer about it? Sure, but his analysis was spot on. 

The Best Throws I Saw This Week

Justin Herbert had another rough go on Sunday, but this bomb to Quentin Johnston reminded everyone how talented he is. And if you’re wondering: no, the Chargers did not score a touchdown on that drive. 

The Worst Throw I Saw This Week

Just take the sack, Justin.

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Ole Miss was the 2025 College Football Playoff Cinderella story, but its season easily could have gone the other direction. 

In Week 3 of the 2025 season, Rebels starting quarterback Austin Simmons sustained a knee injury and backup Trinidad Chambliss was called into action. Chambliss stepped up, leading Ole Miss to 10 wins in its next 11 games and a CFP berth. He then helped the Rebels blow out Tulane and upset Georgia to make the CFP semifinal. 

Ole Miss fell to Miami, but Chambliss’ legacy was cemented. 

It’s a narrative college football fans fell in love with because not all backup quarterbacks come through like Chambliss did. 

Fast-forward to 2026, many college football teams are dealing with similar situations to Ole Miss was when Simmons went down. Some, like Ohio State and Oregon, lost their starter to injury. Others, like Michigan and Tennessee, made the tough decision to bench their starter in favor of the backup. Now those backup quarterbacks could determine conference championships and CFP berths, which teams persevere and which fall off. 

Here’s a look at how backup quarterbacks are impacting teams during the 2026 season:

Luke Fahey, Freshman

Luke Fahey attempted two passes in Ohio State’s win against Indiana in relief of Julian Sayin. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)

Luke Fahey replaced Julian Sayin after Sayin sustained an injury to his throwing arm (right) with 7:38 remaining in the fourth quarter and helped Ohio State maintain its 19-15 lead. Fahey, a true freshman, earned the opportunity to be the next man up this past offseason. A three-star prospect, Fahey beat out five-star recruit Tavien St. Clair. He appeared in the Buckeyes’ blowout wins over Ball State and Kent State, throwing for 203 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. 

On Tuesday, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day shared that Sayin will be “out indefinitely,” and there’s “a plan” for him not being available for the remainder of the season. So, even after improving to No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25, the Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff hopes could be in jeopardy as neither Fahey nor St. Clair have experience starting at the collegiate level. For now, Fahey will have the chance to prove he can lead Ohio State to a third-straight 12-team CFP, with his first official game as the starter coming after the bye week against No. 16 USC.

Dylan Raiola, Junior

Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola came in to help the Ducks defeat USC and Nebraska after not starting either game. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)

Dylan Raiola first appeared in relief of Oregon starter Dante Moore after Moore sustained a concussion in the second quarter against USC on Sept. 30. Raiola shined, throwing for 289 yards and two touchdowns as the Ducks defeated the Trojans, 41-27. With Moore remaining out, Raiola started Oregon’s first game after its bye against No. 9 UCLA. He struggled mightily, completing just six of 19 passing attempts for 43 yards, while committing three turnovers. He was ultimately benched midgame for third-stringer Brock Thomas as the Ducks fell to the Bruins.

After that dismal performance, Thomas received the start over Raiola against Nebraska last Saturday. But when he failed to operate Oregon’s offense, head coach Dan Lanning turned back to Raiola, who led two scoring drives late in the fourth quarter to complete a comeback victory, nonetheless, against the team he transferred away from. 

Moving forward, Lanning said the Ducks will continue to have a competition at quarterback between Raiola and Thomas. While Raiola has two years of starting experience at Nebraska, whereas Thomas was a walk-on, he hasn’t proven to be consistent. There’s no margin for error with that decision, as Oregon is 4-2 and can’t afford another loss if it wants to qualify for the CFP. With Moore’s status remaining unclear, whoever Lanning continues to choose between Raiola and Thomas will have to prove the coach right to keep the Ducks afloat.

Tommy Carr, Freshman

Tommy Carr threw for 47 yards after replacing Bryce Underwood to help Michigan defeat Penn State last Saturday. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)

Last week, Carr replaced Michigan starter Bryce Underwood at halftime and led the Wolverines to a 21-18 win over Penn State after a scoreless first half. He was an efficient 5-of-7 for 47 yards and no turnovers, adding 36 yards and a score on the ground. Carr wasn’t called on because of an injury, rather because of Underwood’s lack of production. Underwood completed 58.1% of his passing attempts for 924 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions through six games before getting benched; he threw for 43 yards and two interceptions in the first half against Penn State. 

Carr will reportedly remain Michigan’s starter for the foreseeable future as the Wolverines prepare to play No. 6 Indiana. It’s a stunning development as Underwood was the No. 1 overall quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class, and Michigan reshaped its entire program to attract him. Over one-and-a-half seasons, he’s failed to live up to prior hype. Carr was a four-star recruit in the 2026 class, brought in by new coach Kyle Whittingham. Now that brass will turn the reigns over to him in a last-stitch effort to keep their waning CFP hopes alive. 

On the flip side, it’s seemingly the end of the Bryce Underwood era in Michigan. 

Ty Dieffenbach, Senior

Ty Dieffenbach led UCLA to a win over Wisconsin in his first official start for the Bruins last Saturday. (Photo by Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Dieffenbach entered for starter Nico Iamaleava late in the first half of No. 9 UCLA’s Oct. 10 game at Oregon. Dieffenbach threw for 43 yards, playing the role of game manager to maintain the Bruins’ lead as they went on to defeat the Ducks, 17-15. Iamaleava has since been ruled out for the season with a knee injury. Dieffenbach made his first official start in Week 7 against Wisconsin, throwing for 264 yards in the Bruins’ 17-7 win. 

He wasn’t the official backup to Iamaleava at the beginning of the season as head coach Bob Chesney took a “fluid,” “week-to-week” approach to deciding UCLA’s second-string quarterback. Dieffenbach and Madden Iamaleava would essentially battle for the opportunity each week, with Iamaleava receiving snaps in UCLA’s games against Cal and Purdue. But Chesney felt Dieffenbach’s athleticism was fit for the matchup against Oregon, so he inserted him in that game and hasn’t looked back. 

Dieffenbach hadn’t made a start at the FBS level before last Saturday. He started his college career as a backup at Pitt and made seven starts at the FCS level for Cal Poly over the last two seasons before transferring to UCLA.

With the Bruins at 6-0, it’s on Dieffenbach to lead them to the CFP. Against Wisconsin, he executed the offense, leading them on three scoring drives of 90 or more yards. With his efficiency and the Big Ten’s top rushing attack (231.0 yards per game), UCLA looks to be in capable hands.

George MacIntyre, Freshman

George MacIntyre led Tennessee to an upset of Alabama last Saturday. (Photo by Camden Hall/Getty Images)

MacIntyre replaced Faizon Brandon at halftime in Week 5 against Auburn and led three touchdown drives as the Volunteers defeated the Tigers, 24-14. MacIntyre has since remained the starter, lifting No. 11 Tennessee to a win over Arkansas and an upset of No. 13 Alabama. 

MacIntyre was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2025 and took a redshirt year last season with veteran Joey Aguilar playing quarterback. Then, MacIntyre found himself behind Brandon, a five-star recruit in the 2026 recruiting class. But after five games in which Brandon averaged 121.4 passing yards per game, MacIntyre earned his opportunity and ran with it. 

Now, with the Volunteers coming off their biggest win of their season, they control their CFP destiny. MacIntyre is the one pressing the buttons.  

Tramell Jones Jr., Sophomore

Tramell Jones Jr. threw for two touchdowns in Florida’s win over Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Jones relieved Aaron Philo after Philo sustained an injury during the fourth quarter of Florida’s ugly loss to South Carolina. Philo remained out with a shoulder injury when Florida faced No. 19 Texas last Saturday and Jones stepped up, throwing for 155 yards and two touchdowns. He added 41 yards on the ground. 

Philo was a game-time decision last Saturday, and the Gators are now on a bye week, so he could presumably return against No. 5 Georgia in Week 9. But Jones certainly earned himself a place in the conversation to help No. 20 Florida get back into CFP contention. While Florida’s offense relies heavily on running back Jadan Baugh and a rushing attack that averages 194.3 yards per game, getting the quarterback decision right will be crucial to how Year 1 under Jon Sumrall turns out. 

Jeremy Hecklinski, Junior

Jeremy Hecklinski threw for three touchdowns in Iowa’s win against Washington on Oct. 9. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Hecklinski replaced starter Hank Brown after Brown hurt his shoulder in the fourth quarter against Ohio State in Week 5. Hecklinski led a touchdown drive, but the Hawkeyes fell, 31-14. Brown missed the following game against Washington with an AC joint sprain, and Hecklinski led Iowa to a 41-24 win. His performance — 202 yards and three touchdowns — was enough for head coach Kirk Ferentz to name Hecklinski the starter for Iowa’s game against Minnesota even with Brown healthy after the bye week. 

Brown, who transferred from Auburn before the 2025 season, was decent through the first five games of the season, completing 62.9% of his passes for 832 yards and five touchdowns. But Ferentz said the competition has been close throughout the season, and the Hawkeyes “will just play it as it comes.” So it seems Hecklinski will be the starter for now. Granted, Brown could still regain the job. 

No. 15 Iowa is 5-1 with its only loss coming to No. 3 Ohio State, so Ferentz’s bold decision and Hecklinski’s play moving forward will determine the Hawkeyes’ postseason chances. 

Elijah Brown, Junior

Elijah Brown has thrown for 553 yards over the last two games for Washington. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Brown came in for Demond Williams Jr. at halftime as Washington was getting blown out by Iowa in Week 6. He immediately led a touchdown drive and helped the Huskies score 21 points in the second half, despite a lopsided loss. Brown remained the starter the following game against Purdue and threw for 302 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in a 38-26 victory. 

Turning to Brown is sad irony for Washington, as it pushed so hard for Williams to return after he flirted with the transfer portal this past offseason. He threw for 3,065 yards and 25 touchdowns during his sophomore season, but wasn’t as effective after coming back to Seattle for his junior year as the Huskies sat at .500. Brown helped them back to a winning record and will continue to start over the once-coveted Williams. 

Year 3 under Jedd Fisch was supposed to be the breakout year. That reality is behind the Huskies, but maybe Brown can still salvage success. That begs the question, what’s next for Williams?

Keyone Jenkins, Senior

Keyone Jenkins has started three games for UCF after beginning the season behind Alonza Barnett III. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Jenkins relieved Alonza Barnett III in Week 2 against Pitt when Barnett sustained a hamstring injury on the penultimate play of the Golden Knights’ 12-7 loss to the Panthers. Jenkins helped UCF defeat Georgia State and TCU over the next two weeks but was unable to lift them over ranked opponents — Houston and Oklahoma State. With Barnett still out, Jenkins will get another chance when UCF hosts No. 2 BYU on Saturday. 

Jenkins played three seasons at FIU before transferring to UCF this past offseason. He’s a capable backup, but Barnett started for a James Madison team that qualified for the CFP in 2025. While head coach Scott Frost hasn’t specified when Barnett will return, he’ll presumably slot back into his starting role when he does. 

For now, Jenkins will be leading the charge as the Golden Knights try to upset the Cougars.

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What does the expanded 24-team College Football Playoff do for the future of college football? On the latest episode of “The Joel Klatt Show,” FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt argues the new format that kicks off in 2027 has both pros and cons worth considering.

The current 12-team format – introduced in 2024 – added new locations for playoff games and rewards for top-seeded teams that will stay intact in the new system, including home playoff games and first-round byes. However, doubling the teams in the postseason raises concerns about competition level, who gets in with what records and how the regular season has to play out. 

Here are Klatt’s pros and cons of the 24-team CFP.

Pro: Expansion Of Value In The Regular Season

LSU defeated Clemson 51-10 in its first game under new head coach Lane Kiffin. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)

Klatt kicked off his list of pros by arguing that the regular season would bring in more valuable competition. Especially as some top-tier teams enter conference play with perfect records against uneven opponents, ranked matchups add a competitive element to the selection process and would not harm teams who play those games.

“I think there’s an expansion of the value of the regular season, a great Ohio State, Michigan matchup of two undefeated teams, the loser is not kept out of this version of the college football postseason.” Klatt said on Tuesday’s episode of “The Joel Klatt Show”. “So there is some toothpaste already out of the tube as it relates to the very top-end games in our sport and what they used to mean in the old model and what they currently mean in this model.”

On top of Klatt’s argument, teams with undefeated records and heavier non-conference slates, compared to teams that played top-25 teams earlier in the season, could be heavily rewarded, even if their records are identical.

Pro: Non-Conference Schedules Are Going To Improve

Texas defeated Ohio State 24-23 in Week 2. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Sticking with that idea: the first few weeks of the college football season are filled with non-conference games that let teams get a headstart on their CFP campaign.

For example, if No. 6 Ohio State makes the CFP with one loss, they have a strong case: their loss was to a top-25 non-conference opponent in Texas, not an unranked Group of Six team scheduled before conference play.

For Klatt, teams would have to shift to a more competitive non-conference slate, forcing more top-ranked, non-conference opponents to truly build stronger playoff résumés.

“There will be agreements in place between the major conferences to play games that matter in the non-conference, and I think that that is a great thing. We don’t want to play all the directional schools. We don’t want to do that in college football,” Klatt said. “What we want to see is Texas vs. Ohio State. We’d love to see Georgia vs. Oregon. We’d love to see Michigan, Alabama. We want to see these games. And I believe that the way that things are going and the structures that will be in place, those games will not only happen, but they will be mandated.”

Pro: More Home Playoff Games

Ole Miss hosted Tulane for its first-ever CFP game in program history. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)

The final pro Klatt listed was the increase in home playoff games. While the 12-team format allowed four home playoff games, the 24-team format would allow eight.

For Klatt, adding more home games rewards top-seeded teams with a home environment in front of its own fanbase, rather than a neutral site, first-round bye weeks before a game.

“I think a huge pro is more playoff games on campus. If you’re a great team, you should get home games in the postseason. Right now, that is not currently the model. If you’re a top-four seed, you have a long layoff until basically New Year’s, and then you have to play on a neutral site. I believe that that’s totally unfair,” Klatt said.

Especially when the top-seeded teams get both a first-round bye and a neutral-site game, Klatt argued that the neutral site has been a disadvantage on paper. Beyond rewarding the teams, a home environment creates a home atmosphere for college football fans.

“In fact, in the two seasons that we’ve seen the 12-team format, we’ve only had one team get a bye and win, and that was Indiana last year against Alabama in the Rose Bowl. So more home games, more on-campus games in the playoffs, I think, is a good thing,” Klatt said. “You, as a fan, have a greater influence over the outcome of these games, and you don’t have to pay exorbitant travel costs to go and do it.”

Con: No More Conference Championship Games

Indiana defeated Ohio State 13-10 in the 2025 Big Ten Championship. (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The new expanded format ends another regular-season staple. The 24-team format will likely take away conference championship games.

Although conference championships gave teams a near-guaranteed playoff spot, losing the title game meant tacking on another loss.

Klatt argues conference championships are a disadvantage for coaches aiming for a CFP bid, especially if a loss is seen as a tax on a team’s playoff résumé.

“Another con is conference championship games going away. That will happen. The championship games will go away. And here’s the deal: the coaches don’t want to play the conference championship games anymore,” Klatt said. “What is the conference championship game actually right now? It’s a tax on the best teams in the sport because they’ve got to go and play an extra heavyweight matchup that is not really going to impact them all that much.”

Con: Not All 24 Teams Can Win A National Championship

Indiana completed a perfect 16-0 record and won its first national championship in program history in 2025. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)

Although the 12-team format paves the way for more teams to earn a bid, it became clear that some teams rightfully earned that expanded playoff spot.

Last season, the Sun Belt’s James Madison finished the season 12-1 in the regular season and scored 34 points against then-No. 5 Oregon in its first-round CFP game, the most points the Ducks had allowed up to that point.

Even if the 12-team format has shown that the playing field can be spread out without diluting quality, Klatt argues that the 24-team format might be too big, and not every contender can win a national championship.

“‘Hey, Joel, are there 24 teams that can actually win a national championship?’ The answer is no. The answer is no … There are not 24 teams that can win a national championship,” Klatt said. “In the old system, there weren’t many that had the opportunity at a national championship, and a lot of people loved that. And there were fewer of these games, which meant everything for the national championship run.”

Con: 8-4 Records Can Be Rewarded Playoff Spot

The current model gives teams as few as three losses a chance, even if one comes from a conference game or against a top-ranked opponent. However, the 24-team model is big enough to give teams with four losses a fighting chance to compete in the CFP.

For Klatt, the expanded format almost guarantees that consistent top-10 teams like Georgia and Notre Dame get a spot. But he also argues it gives unnecessary space to teams that can still be rewarded despite four losses.

“Let’s face it: if 8-4 is going to get into the College Football Playoff, is there ever going to be a year when Ohio State and Georgia and maybe even Notre Dame are not in the CFP? And the answer is no. And that’s the best argument against expansion. We shouldn’t be rewarding 8-4,” Klatt said.

Last season, Alabama was the only team to earn a playoff bid with three losses, including a third loss in the SEC title game to Georgia. When a team like Notre Dame, which finished with two losses, was left out of the CFP, Alabama’s selection became controversial because of its three defeats.

Klatt also emphasized the shift toward expansion, given the sport’s changing landscape.

“I would agree with you in this sentiment that 8-4 doesn’t deserve a spot in the College Football Playoff, but the sport is changing. If we actually look at the way that the sport has evolved, if you go back, and you look over the last few years, what you’ll see is that the number of 8-4 teams that are even making it into the top 25 is actually dwindling,” Klatt said. “So why is that? Well, that’s the case because I think that we have tamped down the quality of the top of the sport.”

CFB Related Stories

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It’s a guarantee: when the 2026 postseason ends, a team that has never won the World Series before will be champion. Neither the Milwaukee Brewers nor Tampa Bay Rays have ever won a World Series before, which also means the two organizations have two of the longest championship droughts in MLB.

Let’s look at the 18 teams that have gone at least 20 years without a World Series title; for most, 2026 is already another season without a title, but for the Rays and Brewers there is still the chance that October will deliver a championship.

Cleveland Guardians, 78 seasons (1948)

The last time that the Guardians were World Series champions was 1948. The last-living player from that team, Eddie Robinson, passed away in 2021. The 1948 season was so long ago that the team they defeated, the Braves, were still playing in Boston. 

Cleveland has certainly had chances since 1948 to become champs once more — they lost the 1954 World Series to the New York Giants, the ‘95 Fall Classic to the Braves, ‘97’s to the Marlins and 2016’s to the Cubs, snapping Chicago’s own 107-year title drought. Cleveland also lost in the ALCS in 1998, 2007 and 2024. There have been some great teams in Cleveland in the last 30-plus years, but to this point, none of them have come away with a championship.

Rookies Travis Bazzana and Chase DeLauter helped the Guardians return to the postseason yet again. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The 2026 iteration of the Guardians had another chance to end the drought: Cleveland won its third AL Central title in three years, powered by (when healthy) third baseman José Ramírez, rookie and All-Star second baseman Travis Bazzana, outfielders Steven Kwan and Chase DeLauter and a rotation led by Parker Messick. The Guardians fell to the Rays in the ALCS, however, so will have to wait until 2027 to try again.

Milwaukee Brewers, 57 seasons

The Brewers have never won a World Series. Introduced in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots, the team moved to Milwaukee and was renamed in 1970. They first made the postseason in 1981, then lost in the World Series in ‘82. While they have made it to the playoffs nine times between 2008 and 2025, they made it to the NLCS just three times, and never beyond it — Milwaukee’s pennant drought isn’t quite as lengthy as their championship one, but it spans parts of five decades, too.

Jacob Misiorowski was the breakout star of the best regular-season Brewers’ team in franchise history. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

The Brewers finished the 2026 regular season with the best record in baseball and Milwaukee’s first-ever 100-win campaign, earning a first-round bye in this year’s postseason. They will take on the winner of the Padres-Cubs NL Wild Card Series as they seek to end the longest title drought for any team that has never won a championship in their history… one they share with another franchise.

San Diego Padres, 58 seasons

The Padres were also brought into MLB in 1969, and they, like the Brewers, have yet to win a World Series. San Diego has made it to the Fall Classic on two occasions, both of which were unfortunate for them: in 1984, they took on the 104-win, juggernaut Tigers, and in 1998 it was one of the greatest teams ever in the 114-win Yankees. Unsurprisingly, the Padres have a 1-8 record in World Series games.

The Padres’ offense struggled in the first half, but hit its stride and helped the team to another chance at its first-ever World Series in the second. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

While the Padres defeated the Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series, San Diego was defeated three games to one by the Brewers in the NLDS.

Seattle Mariners, 50 seasons

The Mariners are another expansion team — introduced in 1977 — that has never won a World Series. Unlike the Padres or Brewers, however, Seattle has never even made it to the Fall Classic: they made it to three AL Championship Series between 1995 and 2001, and lost all three, then repeated that feat in 2025 by falling to the Blue Jays. The 2025 season marked just the second time that the team had even made it to the playoffs since 2001’s disappointment, and the 2026 season saw Seattle finish 10 games under .500 and in third in the AL West.

Pittsburgh Pirates, 47 seasons (1979)

The Pirates didn’t qualify for the postseason in 2026, so they are already at 47 seasons without a championship. That 1979 championship club had Hall of Famers Willie Stargell and Dave Parker in the lineup, with another, Bert Blyleven, leading the rotation — and Blyleven was just third in that Bucs’ rotation in ERA, despite his ‘79 being a fine season.

A tough followup season for Paul Skenes after a Cy Young 2025 helped doom the Pirates this summer. (Photo by Christopher Denver/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Pittsburgh lost three consecutive NLCS from 1991 through 1993, then failed to make it past the NLDS in three straight years from 2013 through 2015. They haven’t made it to the postseason, otherwise, since their title in 1979, but at least finished over .500 in 2026 at 82-80.

Baltimore Orioles, 43 seasons (1983)

The Orioles improved on 2025’s last-place finish by ending 2026 in fourth in the AL East, but Baltimore’s championship drought was extended another year. The last time that Baltimore won a World Series, Cal Ripken Jr. was just 22 years old, in his second full year in the majors and all of 280 games into what would become a record 2,632 consecutive games played in the majors. Cal Ripken Jr. retired after the 2001 season.

Detroit Tigers, 42 seasons (1984)

The Tigers are a fascinating case, as they have been to the World Series 11 times and won it on four occasions, but you have to remember that the franchise has also existed since 1901, predating the World Series itself. They last won in 1984, against Tony Gwynn’s Padres, then lost the 2006 Fall Classic to the Cardinals and 2012’s to the Giants. 

Detroit was expected to contend in 2026 after making it to the postseason for the second year in a row in 2025, but despite an excellent rookie campaign from infielder Kevin McGonigle, the Tigers struggled for too long this season to sustain a serious run, and sold off starters Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize at the deadline.

New York Mets, 40 seasons (1986)

When Juan Soto was healthy, the Mets played significantly better – multiple injuries limited him to 111 games, however. (Photo by Kai Kanzer/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)

The Mets suffered injuries and struggled for much of 2026, dashing postseason hopes early on — the last time that New York won the World Series was in 1986 against the Red Sox. They have had opportunities since, as they lost the World Series in 2000 against the Yankees and in 2015 against the Royals.

Athletics, 37 seasons (1989)

Here are two facts that are difficult to reconcile if you’re under 45 years old or so:

1. The Athletics have not won a World Series since 1989, 37 seasons ago now after already being eliminated in 2026, and
2. The Athletics are tied with the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers for the third-most World Series championships in MLB history, with nine.

Despite the lengthy drought, the A’s have more titles than the Giants, with only the Yankees and Cardinals ahead of them.

Cincinnati Reds, 36 seasons (1990)

The last time the Reds won a World Series, they did so against the Athletics — Cincinnati is the reason that the A’s drought isn’t one year shorter than it is! The Reds will have to wait at least one more year, too, as the team finished in last place in the NL Central in 2026, despite the best season of star shortstop Elly De La Cruz’s career.

Minnesota Twins, 35 seasons (1991)

The Twins made and won the World Series for the first time in 1987 then did it again in 1991, and have never so much as been in one since. It doesn’t help that when the team is worthy of the postseason, they often come up against the Yankees, a club that is 16-2 against them there since 2003 when they first faced off. The Twins might need to make it to meaningful October baseball in a season in which New York didn’t end up with a playoff spot in order to reverse this now 35-year-old trend.

Colorado Rockies, 34 seasons

Hunter Goodman was a bright spot for the Rockies, bashing a career-high 41 homers. (Photo by Lawrence Brown/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The Rockies, unlike their expansion partner Marlins, have never won a World Series since they were brought into the league in 1993. They did make it to the 2007 Fall Classic, but were swept by the Red Sox. It might be awhile before they get another shot at ending this streak: the franchise has made the postseason just five times in 34 attempts, and has logged four-consecutive 100-loss seasons in a row, including 2025’s 119-loss campaign, which featured the third-most losses of the modern era among other historical indignities.

Toronto Blue Jays, 33 seasons (1993)

The Blue Jays won the 1992 and 1993 World Series, which were the only Fall Classics Toronto participated in until 2025. The Blue Jays have lost five American League Championship Series in their history — they joined MLB in 1977 — and have been swept in three AL Wild Card Series since 2020. 

Toronto did not get a chance at a World Series title again in 2026, as it never fully recovered from a slow start to the season, and finished in last place in the AL East, under .500 and half-a-game behind the Orioles.

Tampa Bay Rays, 28 seasons

The Rays were introduced to the league in 1998, and have never won a World Series. It’s not for a lack of opportunity, though: while the then-Devil Rays were famously an uncompetitive squad for the first decade of their existence, a name change in 2008 brought success. They lost in the ‘08 World Series to the Phillies and in 2020 to the Dodgers, with seven other postseason appearances besides those.

Junior Caminero finished 2026 tied for second in the AL in homers with 42, and now he’s in the World Series. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

The Rays made the postseason five years in a row, from 2019 through 2023, one of the longest streaks in league history. After missing the playoffs in 2024 and 2025, Tampa Bay is back in 2026, having earned a first-round bye after securing the AL’s best record, then defeating the Yankees and Guardians en route to the third World Series appearance in franchise history.

Arizona Diamondbacks, 25 seasons (2001)

Arizona was last in the World Series in 2023, and last won in 2001 against the Yankees. One championship in two pennants and seven postseason appearances is better than some other expansion teams have managed, but after missing the 2026 postseason by two games, the Diamondbacks have one gone 25 years without a title.

Los Angeles Angels, 24 seasons (2002)

Arte Moreno’s ownership of the Angels ran from 2003 – the season after Los Angeles’ lone World Series championship – through 2026. If the Angels win another title, it will be under another owner – possibly by a group led by Stan Kroenke, which has a deal in place to buy the team from Moreno.

Miami Marlins, 23 seasons (2003)

The Marlins have two seasons with at least 90 wins, and in both of those Miami won the World Series. That puts them ahead of contemporary expansion teams like the Rays and Rockies, and even older ones like the Mariners, Padres and Brewers, but it’s now been 23 years since the last time the Marlins won a championship.

Chicago White Sox, 21 seasons (2005)

The White Sox lost over 100 games in back-to-back-to-back seasons from 2023 through 2025, stretching Chicago’s championship drought to two full decades. The White Sox made it back to the postseason in 2026, however, and became the first-ever team to reach the playoffs after consecutive 100-loss campaigns.

The White Sox ended up losing to the Guardians in the AL Wild Card round, however, extending Chicago’s championship drought another year.

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