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The College Football Playoff is heading toward a 24-team field.

FOX Sports’ Ben Portnoy reported last week that the focus of CFP leaders has been on a 24-team format and conversations were ongoing. The deal is expected to come together in the near future, pending final approval.

According to a report from ESPN on Thursday, the CFP and ESPN are finalizing a deal to expand the field to 24 teams in 2027. The deal would give ESPN the rights to the additional games through the 2031 college football season. The proposed changes would also eliminate Power Four conference championship games. This would also move the start of the regular season up one week.

The addition of 12 new teams would require an expansion of the first round and the creation of a second round, both of which would likely be played on campus, while the traditional New Year’s Six bowl sites would also be integrated into the quarterfinal and semifinal slots, according to Portnoy.

An expanded CFP would also likely see the Army-Navy game moved to an exclusive window on what is now conference championship Saturday, the first week of December, while first-round games could begin the second week of December.

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The Washington Commanders had a blunder for the ages in their 27-27 tie against the New York Giants on Sunday.

Possessing the ball with a winding clock in the final minute of overtime, the Commanders opted to run another play from scrimmage instead of kicking a field goal from the Giants’ 24-yard line with 12 seconds left. The result was a disaster, with Jayden Daniels scrambling around before taking a sack at the line of scrimmage. Washington wasn’t able to get set on time to spike the ball before time ran out, causing the game to end in a tie.

The Commanders were instantly clowned for letting the game get away from them, falling to 1-3-1 on the year. Daniels and head coach Dan Quinn were quick to accept responsibility for the miscue as well, with several analysts pointing the finger at each party for allowing the massive screw-up to happen.

But who really is to blame for what transpired in the final moments of Sunday’s tie? We asked people around the league, and most of them believe that one of them is more to blame than the other. Here’s what we learned from our conversations. 

Quinn Gets Most Heat; Daniels Not Blameless

 

Ralph Vacchiano: The reaction around the league to the brain freeze by Dan Quinn, Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders on Sunday was swift and seemingly universal. I received several texts from sources with a variation of “Oh my God!” to “Holy s—” and just “Wow.”

But assigning who was to blame for the Commanders letting the clock run out in their 27-27 tie with the Giants when they were already within game-winning field goal range at the end of overtime wasn’t universal at all. NFL executives I contacted were much quicker to blame the coach. Coaches, though, were understandably a little more eager to let Quinn off the hook.

“I get why Dan gets all the heat,” one assistant coach texted me. “It’s ultimately his responsibility. But do you really think he didn’t tell his players to watch the clock?”

“Sometimes players do stupid things, no matter how much you coach them,” a former coach told me via text message. 

Days later, it’s still unclear what Quinn and his coaches told Daniels — and, just as importantly, when they told him. But even the coaches understood that Quinn bears the ultimate responsibility and will likely be the one to take the fall. And the executives I spoke to agreed that a “fall” is probably coming, unless Quinn turns the Commanders around really fast.

“It’s not a fireable offense because you can’t overreact to one moment,” an assistant general manager told me. “But it sure does make you think about it. If your coach isn’t prepared for that, if he hasn’t made his team completely prepared for that, then what is he doing?

“Ask any of the best coaches ever. They’ll tell you how much situational preparation matters. It’s not all about Xs and Os and locker-room speeches. It’s making sure all the little things are covered — the little things that can lose you games.”

Dan Quinn was already believed to be on the hot seat prior to Sunday’s tie to the Giants. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images/Getty Images) 

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“It makes you question everything about his coaching ability,” a former NFL general manager told me. “It doesn’t mean he’s a terrible coach. But the best coaches thrive in those situations. I get it. You’ve got time running out, 11 players on the field, multiple assistants in your ear, 20 things to consider.

“But he gets the big money to be the beacon in that storm.”

In many ways, the quarterback is paid to be that beacon too. They are paid not just for their ability, but for their ability to be calm and clear-headed in chaotic, late-game situations. But teams are usually much more committed to their quarterback than they are to their coach. And since Daniels is still just 25 years old and hasn’t even played two full NFL seasons yet, he’ll likely get a much bigger pass.

Still, some coaches don’t think he should.

“I wasn’t there, so I can’t know for sure, but I’ll never believe [Daniels] wasn’t told to ‘clock’ it, and probably right before the last play,” the assistant coach told me. “I understand. He’s young. But this isn’t Pee Wee football. He’s an NFL quarterback. If he doesn’t know what to do by now, when the clock is running down, God help him.”

How Will This Impact Future Of Commanders?

Eric D. Williams: Green Bay Packers star edge rusher Micah Parsons made a big claim on his podcast about the futures of Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels following their late-game blunder in Sunday’s tie against the Giants. Parsons said that Daniels likely cost Quinn his job, and potentially a rich long-term deal. 

However, NFL contract negotiators I spoke with believe that Daniels’ mess-up won’t hinder any extension negotiations down the line. But an NFL agent told me that the head-scratching mistake could affect Quinn’s standing with the team. 

“That’s where this has a bigger impact,” the NFL contract negotiator told me. “It’s hard to find QBs, so one is more inclined to give Daniels a pass in this situation. But for a head coach who was already on the hot seat, it’s hard to give him a pass in this regard.”

Could we be near the end of the Jayden Daniels-Dan Quinn era in Washington? (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

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As the Commanders fell to 1-3-1 on the year with the loss, Quinn might firmly be on the hot seat in Washington. Ralph placed Quinn third in his hot seat rankings entering Week 5, with some sportsbooks placing him among the betting favorites to be the first head coach fired. 

Daniels, meanwhile, was the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year two years ago and led Washington to the NFC Championship Game, but has struggled to stay healthy since. But when upright, Daniels has still played high-level football. He’s thrown for 1,721 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions to go with 481 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in 11 games since the start of last season. 

In the third year of his rookie deal, Daniels is eligible for a contract extension this upcoming offseason that could pay him north of $50 million at the end of this season. Expect Washington to back up the Brink’s truck.

“The wound from the debacle is fresh right now,” an NFL contract negotiator told me. “But the emotion/pain from it will eventually subside. That said, it will be one of the MANY considerations when contemplating an extension.

“How much weight this particular consideration holds will likely be small by the time they’re negotiating. It’s just a one-time ‘egg on the face’ moment that shouldn’t impact how they view Jayden in totality.”

Jayden Daniels is extension eligible this offseason, and league sources expect hm to land a rich deal barring something drastic. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

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While Sunday’s mishap might not have an impact on a future deal for Daniels, another NFL agent I spoke with believes Daniels still needs to play well for the rest of the season to earn a new deal.

“If he doesn’t play well, it doesn’t help him get a deal,” the agent told me. “If he plays consistently like he did in 2024, it won’t affect it. But he hasn’t done that since 2024.”

 

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Head coaches are already firmly on the hot seat this season. These coordinators are the names to pay attention to.

There were 10 new head coaches entering this season, including a few surprising changes like Sean McDermott being out in Buffalo or John Harbaugh in Baltimore. Veterans like Todd Bowles (Buccaneers), Jim Harbaugh (Chargers) and Dan Quinn (Commanders) are potentially on thin ice after slow starts to the season. Fans will be wondering who might be the next man up to lead their team.

Who could be the coordinators who replace those head coaches on the hot seat? Here are the 10 names you need to know before the coaching carousel begins this offseason.

Why He’s A Candidate

Ruiz: Ulbrich has been a fringe head-coaching candidate since serving as Jets defensive coordinator under Robert Saleh. Nothing has changed since he parted ways with his former boss, and Ulbrich has strengthened his résumé by running the Falcons’ defense. He got above-average results from a young Atlanta defense in 2025 and had the unit playing at a top-10 clip by season’s end. Atlanta pummeling Josh Allen and derailing his MVP campaign on “Thursday Night Football” was one of the season’s biggest shocks and put Ulbrich back on the head-coaching radar. 

Ulbrich isn’t a flashy defensive playcaller. You won’t find exotic blitzes and fancy coverages on the Falcons’ defensive tape. But you will find a defense that’s structurally sound and always plays hard. Atlanta has punched well above its weight defensively since Ulbrich’s arrival. 

After a trial-by-fire with the Jets, Jeff Ulbrich has the Falcons playing structurally sound defense. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

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What We’re Hearing

Vacchiano: “I’ve always wondered why he doesn’t get more play [in head coaching hiring cycles]. His defenses are always tough, and his players really respond to him,” an NFL executive told me. “I mean, what he did with the Jets [as defensive coordinator from 2021-24], when the offense gave them no help at all, was a miracle. I know Robert Saleh gets credit for that, but it was really Ulbrich leading them. 

“And don’t discount what he did as interim [head coach for the Jets in 2024] either. That team was a mess. The whole organization was dysfunctional. And he kept a team with a lot of strong personalities from completely tearing itself apart. He’s under the radar, but he’s going to be a terrific head coach someday if someone gives him a chance.”

Why He’s A Candidate

McKenna: He first burst onto the scene in 2022 in Denver when his chops with X’s and O’s started to turn heads. But the defense faltered late in the year, in part because of shaky leadership at the top from former Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett. That meant Evero had to find a new home, and the Panthers scooped him up. And it speaks to his impressive acumen that he has remained the DC in Carolina despite coaching turnover, working for former Panthers coach Frank Reich and current coach Dave Canales.

The numbers haven’t been pretty for a substantial portion of Evero’s time in Carolina, because the defensive personnel has been … quite bad. But GM Dan Morgan has invested in that side of the ball, and the Panthers have bona fide stars in cornerback Jaycee Horn and defensive lineman Derrick Brown. They also seem to have a few newcomers on the rise, from linebacker Devin Lloyd to edge Jaelan Phillips. Phillips and Horn are dealing with injuries. 

But this group could ascend quickly — and help the Panthers make the playoffs. If/when that happens, Evero will get the respect that’s overdue. 

Ejiro Evero has an up-and-coming defense in Carolina, which makes him an up-and-coming head coaching candidate. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

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What We’re Hearing

Williams: Considered a head-coaching candidate since his time with the Rams under McVay, where he rose from safeties coach to passing game coordinator, Evero has coached a top-10 defense two times over the past five years as a DC. The 45-year-old remains an up-and-coming head coaching candidate. Evero interviewed for vacancies with the Falcons, Steelers and Raiders during the last hiring cycle. 

“He is a smart, strong leader respected by the team and carries himself like an alpha,” one league personnel executive, who worked in the same building as Evero, told me.

Why He’s A Candidate

McKenna: The more you look at Weaver’s work with the Dolphins, the more you’ll see that he achieved something special. We’re seeing former Miami head coach Mike McDaniel’s reputation dissolve with every interception and sack from Justin Herbert. So if you look back, you’ll have even more respect for how Weaver quietly produced a strong Miami defense in 2024. It’s even more impressive considering he took over after the strange exit by Vic Fangio, who was Miami’s DC in 2023.

And so that informs the Ravens’ defensive success. It’s an aging unit — not unlike the rest of the roster. But he (and defensive-minded head coach Jesse Minter) are getting the most out of the players. If Baltimore’s defense keeps getting better as the year goes on, Weaver should graduate to his first head coaching job.

After a stint in Miami, Anthony Weaver is continuing the tradition of strong Ravens defenses. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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What We’re Hearing

Vacchiano: “What I hear over and over about him is ‘leader of men,’” an NFL assistant GM told me. “I know it’s an overused cliché, but he comes across as powerful and in charge. I’ve heard that from a bunch of teams that interviewed him in recent years. That can matter almost as much as strategy. And he’s good at that part, too. But when he’s in front of a room, his players listen. And they believe.”

Why He’s A Candidate

Ruiz: It’s easy to write off Klay Kubiak as just another Kyle Shanahan assistant. Having taken his first pro coaching job in 2021, he doesn’t have a long NFL track record. He’s never called plays above the high school level. And with Shanahan calling plays for the 49ers, it’s unclear exactly what Kubiak’s job entails as offensive coordinator. But the 49ers offense has taken massive steps forward since Kubiak took over the job in 2025. Shanahan’s run game is more diverse than ever, and the pre-snap motion and player usage have been more creative over the past two seasons.  

Even if Kubiak isn’t relaying the plays to QB Brock Purdy, he deserves some credit for this recent glow-up. The offense looks like a machine in Kubiak’s second season as the coordinator. And don’t sleep on his Year 1 work, when he helped the offense stay afloat despite numerous injuries, including a high-ankle sprain that knocked Purdy out for seven weeks.

Will 49ers OC Klay Kubiak become the next Kubiak to become an NFL head coach? (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

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What We’re Hearing

Williams: The younger brother of Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak and son of former longtime NFL head coach Gary Kubiak, Klay is a former high school teacher and head coach who steadily ascended from defensive quality control assistant to offensive coordinator during his six years with the 49ers. 

“Klay is one of the best coaches I’ve ever been around,” former San Francisco quarterbacks coach Brian Griese told me. “He has a lot of his dad in him — really smart and able to communicate well. He was a teacher, so you have someone who has character and values that he lives every single day, and the players can see he genuinely cares about them. And he has the acumen and the mind to really execute and innovate and be ahead of other coaches on the defensive side.”

Why He’s A Candidate

McKenna: Look at the way Shula had the Rams — without Aaron Donald or Myles Garrett — punishing Eagles QB Jalen Hurts on third down in Week 4. Look at the way Shula had the Rams deceiving Bo Nix in Week 3 to the point where the Broncos QB looked lost — throwing five turnover-worthy passes, even if the Rams only secured one (and errantly got a DPI on the other). 

Shula has put together some of the more dominant defensive game plans in the NFL over the past two years. That’s no doubt partially because of all the talent he’s had. And given all that talent, Shula’s defenses should probably be a little bit more consistent. But he has demonstrated the acumen and upside that teams will want in a defensive coach.

Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula has the legacy and the connections and is now working on the experience needed to become an NFL head coach. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

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What We’re Hearing

Williams: The grandson of the winningest head coach in NFL history in Don Shula, Chris Shula brings a legacy of coaching to the job. He’s coached with good friend and former Miami of Ohio teammate Sean McVay for the past decade, so he’s learned how to build a culture from one of the best. Shula also cut his teeth learning from the likes of Wade Phillips, Raheem Morris and Brandon Staley, so he brings with him a diversity of defensive schemes that he can implement.

“He has been on some good staffs at different levels and certainly has been successful with the Rams,” a scout who worked in the same building as Shula told me. “But I’ve seen young coaches become head coaches too soon, just from the depth of life and football experience, which is usually a precursor for success as a head coach. But Chris always seemed like a squared-away dude when I knew him.”

Why He’s A Candidate

Ruiz: Anyone in Sean McVay’s orbit is going to get interest during the hiring cycle. After just two years on the Rams’ staff, Scheelhaase earned three interviews for head coaching gigs last offseason, and it feels like a matter of time before he lands a head job after being promoted to McVay’s offensive coordinator. 

Scheelhaase is a smart, diligent coach by all accounts, but with just a year of college playcalling experience, it’s unclear what he’ll bring to a team as an offensive mind. Will he even call plays? If so, will he be any good at it? That never stopped teams from hiring offensive coordinators away from McVay’s staff. Kevin O’Connell got the Vikings’ job with no playcalling experience. The same goes for Zac Taylor in Cincinnati. Liam Coen and Matt LaFleur had to leave McVay’s nest to call plays elsewhere, but both proved qualified when they got their chance to lead a team. 

Hiring McVay’s assistants has been a trend for nearly a decade, and teams that jumped on it seem happy with the decision. O’Connell, LaFleur, Coen and Zac Taylor are all still employed. Even if “proximity to McVay” is Scheelhaase’s only notable qualification, that could be enough for coach-needy teams. 

Rams offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase is the latest member of Sean McVay’s staff to be in demand around the NFL. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

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What We’re Hearing

Williams: League sources I spoke with said Scheelhaase interviewed well during the last head coaching cycle. I wrote a profile on Scheelhaase at the start of the regular season, and the head coaches he worked for in college and the pros spoke glowingly of his work ethic and ability to connect with players.

“He’s got great organizational skills, great communication skills,” Rams head coach Sean McVay told me. “He shows great leadership to be able to bring people together. He’s got a great capacity for the game, and he’s continuing to learn the foundation of some of the things we’ve been doing. But he’s been awesome. I’ve been really pleased with the job he’s done.”

Why He’s A Candidate

McKenna: Ever since Liam Coen arrived, Trevor Lawrence has elevated into the player we thought he’d be: a top-tier and (most importantly) consistent QB. Quietly, behind the scenes, the 30-year-old Udinski has watched and learned. But it’s not a passive gig for him. He has also participated heavily in the quarterback’s progress. 

Maybe he hasn’t made the move that Doyle made — jumping laterally to a different OC job to take over playcalling — but that doesn’t mean Udinski isn’t turning heads. Last interview season, he impressed people around the league. And with the Jaguars off to an even crisper start on offense, there’s so much to like about Udinski’s candidacy in a league that was — last year at least — starved for young offensive minds.

Ultimately, Udinski’s candidacy will be based on Lawrence’s performance and upward trajectory. If that holds, he’ll likely be a head coach in 2027.

Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski has helped to turn Trevor Lawrence into a top-tier quarterback. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images)

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What We’re Hearing

“He’s really young — like Sean McVay young when he was hired. There’s no doubt he’s a rising star, and everyone is always looking for the next McVay,” an NFL assistant GM told me. “But I think he’s going to need to get a little more experience. He might need to get away from Jacksonville, too. It might be hard for some to get past the perception that Liam Coen is the brains down there. Maybe that’s unfair, but it’s also why he might need to succeed somewhere else first.”

Why He’s A Candidate

Ruiz: Watch Anthony Campanile run one team meeting, and you’ll get it. The guy can fire up a room. And he’s much more than some rah-rah meathead. The dude knows ball. You can see it in the design of the Jaguars’ defense. It checks all the boxes for a modern scheme. Jacksonville stops the run without sacrificing coverage. On obvious passing downs, Campanile has several pitches to throw at an opposing quarterback. He’ll play man, he’ll play safe zones, he’ll send overload blitzes and simulated pressures. It is not easy to prepare for.

More importantly, Campanile has gotten results wherever he’s been. He was hired as Packers run game coordinator in 2024 and immediately fixed Green Bay’s run defense, which finished third in yards per attempt. Liam Coen brought him to Jacksonville in 2025, and the Jaguars’ defense went from one of the league’s worst units to an above-average outfit. The results have been even better in 2026. Consistent, linear improvement is a sign of good coaching. 

Anthony Campanile has the Jaguars at the top pf the league in rushing defense. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

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What We’re Hearing

Vacchiano: “I hate going up against his defenses,” an NFL offensive assistant coach told me. “They’re hard to predict. He’s coached under Vic Fangio and Brian Flores and you can see the influence from both of them. And he’s great at adjusting based on what he thinks you’re going to do. The way they’re playing, a lot of NFL teams will take notice.”

“Still a little light on experience, but you can’t argue with the job he’s done with that Jacksonville defense,” an NFL executive told me. “And it’s only a matter of time before the NFL starts picking apart that staff. His defenses are unpredictable, and his players play for him. I’d want to see more, but he’s going to get a lot of interviews.”

Why He’s A Candidate

Henry McKenna: As a case study for how Doyle has been one step ahead of defenses all year,look at his usage of receiver Zay Flowers. The 30-year-old first-year Ravens OC has conceived of seemingly endless concepts to get Flowers open on the same crossing route. Doyle just has a way of putting elaborate window dressing on simple plays — and the flourish and sleight-of-hand have made the Ravens extremely successful.

Doyle’s influences include Ben Johnson in Chicago and Sean Payton in both New Orleans and Denver. He spent a few years as a tight ends coach before jumping into an offensive coordinator role in 2025 with the Bears. He then followed Ravens coach Jesse Minter to Baltimore in order to get a playcalling job on top of his OC duties. And it has been a smart move for Doyle to step away from Johnson’s shadow. Neither of them seem to be suffering.

Before getting his first shot to call plays, Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle learned from Ben Johnson with the Bears and Sean Payton with the Saints and Broncos. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

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What We’re Hearing 

Ralph Vacchiano: “We love the hot offensive coach in this league, so he’ll get a [head-coaching] job eventually,” an NFL executive told me. “Maybe soon. But [next year] might be a little too quick. Let’s be honest, it was Ben Johnson running the [Bears’] offense last year, not [Doyle]. I’m not diminishing what he did. But let’s see him on his own for a couple of years first. 

“That said, I can see why so many wanted him as offensive coordinator. He learned from one of the best, and he’s obviously got a great offensive mind. But let’s give him a little time to develop into a leader.”

Why He’s A Candidate

Steven Ruiz: No defensive coordinator has done more with less since Flores started calling plays for the Vikings in 2023. Minnesota finished in the top seven in points allowed in 2024 and 2025, and it’s leading the league this season. Flores has accomplished that feat with just one All-Pro player (Danielle Hunter in 2023) and two Pro Bowlers (Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Grennard in 2024). And as the roster continues to churn — Hunter and Greenard have both been replaced with younger, cheaper players — the results just keep on improving. 

If Flores’ defense isn’t the best in the NFL, it’s certainly the most feared. It’s a nightmare for quarterbacks, who face incessant blitzing from every angle. It’s controlled chaos. Flores isn’t just sending the house recklessly. He has a strong handle on opponents’ protection plans and always finds the weak points. 

There are no questions about Flores’ X’s and O’s. He’s one of the league’s top defensive minds, but that’s just one part of the job. After Flores clashed with several Dolphins players as Miami head coach from 2019-21, including first-round quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, questions remain about his ability to lead a locker room. 

Flores has said all the right things since his failed stint in Miami. He’s talked about evolving his teaching methods, and players in Minnesota, where he essentially acts as a second head coach under Kevin O’Connell, go to bat for him. When I visited Vikings camp last summer, several veteran players told me they came to Minnesota specifically to play for Flores. The players rave about his coaching style as much as his scheme. 

Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ attacking scheme is a nightmare for opponents and a pleasure for Minnesota defenders. (Photo by Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)

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What We’re Hearing

Eric D. Williams: Arguably the top defensive coordinator in the league, Flores won more games than he lost in two of his three seasons as head coach of the Dolphins. 

“Not only will he have an opportunity, but he will also be much more selective this time,” a league source told me. “He knows what exactly he is looking for. And he has already been a head coach, so being a head coach is not his dream job like it is for other coaches who have never been one before.”

Flores might already be a head coach if not for his ongoing systemic racial discrimination litigation with the league. And according to sources I spoke with, he has softened his abrasive approach to leading a team from his time in South Beach. 

“He is one of the most thoughtful and creative coaches I have ever been around,” a longtime personnel man who worked in the building with Flores told me. “He deserves a second chance. He learned from his past, but owners are holding his lawsuit against him in my opinion.”

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This week’s must-see matchups in college football feature a massive Big Ten battle between the last two national champions and several SEC showdowns where both squads are ranked in the AP Top 25.

Here are the lines for the five best games on the Week 7 slate, along with what you should know about each contest (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of Oct. 15). 

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Spread: Ohio State -3.5
Moneyline: Ohio State -180; Indiana +150
O/U: 50.5

What To Know: The 5-1 Buckeyes will travel to Indiana with hopes of giving the reigning national champions their first loss of the 2026 season. In fact, a loss for the Hoosiers would be their first since 2024. Texas gave Ohio State its lone blemish this season, but since then, the Buckeyes have won four in a row. Indiana, on the other hand, has managed to get to Week 7 unscathed at 6-0. But based on the odds and on some expert predictions, that could change on Saturday. “This is my answer for nearly every Ohio State game,” FOX Sports college football writer Laken Litman noted. “The Buckeyes have Jeremiah Smith and Indiana doesn’t.”

Spread: LSU -14.5
Moneyline: LSU -600; Mississippi State +440
O/U: 56.5

What To Know: There were high expectations for Lane Kiffin and his LSU Tigers at the beginning of the season. But losses to Ole Miss and Kentucky have the Bayou Bengals sitting at -270 to miss the College Football Playoff. Somehow, LSU is a double-digit favorite over Mississippi State — a one-loss team that’s also 4-1 against the spread (ATS). The Tigers ATS this season are 2-4.

Spread: Alabama -7.5
Moneyline: Alabama -340; Tennessee +270
O/U: 50.5

What To Know: Can the Crimson Tide rebound after suffering an emotional loss to Georgia last week? In that game, Alabama put up 346 total yards, had five penalties for 50 yards and had one turnover. In the Volunteers’ Week 6 win over Arkansas, they had 414 yards, six penalties for 35 yards and three turnovers. Bettors eyeing the 7.5-point spread might want to note that Bama is 4-2 ATS and the Vols are 3-3.

Spread: Ole Miss -5.5
Moneyline: Ole Miss -225; Missouri +185
O/U: 58.5

What To Know: Much of Missouri’s success this season has been because of running back Jamal Roberts. He’s rushed for at least 200 yards in the Tigers’ last two contests. On the season, Roberts has 147 carries and 828 rushing yards (both good for second in college football). Ole Miss, though, has its not-so-secret weapon in quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. He’s passed for 1,435 yards, has rushed for 113 and currently sits fourth in Heisman odds. Mizzou’s most impressive win was its 45-17 victory over then-ranked No. 9 Florida. Ole Miss’ best win so far is its 32-24 win over then-ranked No. 7 LSU.

Spread: Houston -4.5
Moneyline: Houston -192; Oklahoma State +160
O/U: 62.5

What To Know: Oklahoma State lost in Week 1 to Tulsa but has been rolling ever since. The Cowboys’ signature win came over Oregon in Week 2, when they outlasted the Ducks 39-31. At 4-1 straight up (SU) and ATS, State now takes its show on the road to face a 5-1 Houston Cougars squad. Unlike OK State, Houston doesn’t have a marquee win on its record just yet. The Cougars fell to Texas Tech — the only ranked team they’ve played all year. And against the spread, they’re 3-3. While the Cougars are favored at home, FOX Sports college football analyst RJ Young is backing the underdog. “The Cowboys are just too explosive, and the Cougars can’t win a shootout,” he wrote.

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Petey Halpin hit a go-ahead, two-run homer, Gavin Williams struck out nine over five innings and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in Game 3 on Thursday afternoon to take a 2-1 lead in the American League Championship Series.

Game 4 in the best-of-seven matchup is scheduled for Friday, though rain is in the forecast.

José Ramírez had two hits and Nathaniel Lowe added an RBI for the Guardians, who have won five of their last six playoff games since trailing the Chicago White Sox 2-0 in their AL Division Series.

Williams allowed two runs in five innings with one walk. He’s 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 16 ⅔ innings in four postseason games this year, including three starts.

Cleveland retired 16 of the Rays’ last 17 batters. Daniel Espino, Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith allowed only one baserunner in the final four innings.

Smith stranded a runner at third in the eighth when he struck out Yandy Díaz in a 10-pitch at-bat, then pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

Tampa Bay batters were retired in order in seven innings, and Junior Caminero had four strikeouts. Rays batters whiffed 13 times after combining for 14 in the first two games combined.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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It’s Week 6 in the NFL and a few underdogs have caught my eye for various reasons.

Here’s where I’m putting my money in Week 6.

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These teams nearly met in last year’s Super Bowl, but now they will square off on Thursday night to kick off Week 6. I’ll go Under 40.5 here, with two slow-paced teams that both play good defense. I expect the Seahawks to be a bit more conservative on offense and conscious of ball security after losing last week because of turnovers.

Hill’s Pick: Under 40.5

The Jaguars have been in London for a couple of weeks now, while the Texans head directly there after playing a road game against the Titans. The Jaguars have plenty of mistakes to correct following their sloppy win over the Eagles, and I expect them to do so in an environment they are very comfortable playing in.

Hill’s Pick: Jaguars -2.5

The Patriots seem to have righted the ship after a 1-2 start. Their secondary is still dealing with some injuries, however, so I look for Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson to have a big day. 

Hill’s Pick: Garrett Wilson Over 75.5 receiving yards

The Titans are looking for their first win, and have done very little to inspire any confidence in getting it. However, the Colts have really struggled defensively, and it’s hard to justify them laying this many points to anyone.

Hill’s Pick: Titans +7

The Saints have only one win, the Giants have just one loss, yet it’s the Saints favored on the road in this game. In what should be a close one, I’ll take the home ‘dog Giants here.

Hill’s Pick: Giants +1.5

The Browns were a botched snap away from being 4-1. Still, they look improved and part of that improvement is rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston. Boston’s yards prop is 55.5, he has games of 95, 89, and 59 yards receiving already this year, and I’m willing to overlook last week’s 49-yard output on a rainy day against the Jets. Also, fellow rookie KC Concepción might miss the game with a concussion. I like Boston to have a big day. 

Hill’s Pick: Denzel Boston Over 55.5 receiving yards

The Panthers have a major edge in rest and prep time this week. They are fresh off a bye, while the Eagles are back from London with a laundry list of injuries to key players. I’ll back the more rested and healthier Panthers to get the win.

Hill’s Pick: Panthers Moneyline (-120)

The Buccaneers are another team that enters the week with a nice rest advantage, having not played since upsetting the Cowboys last Thursday night. The Bucs are home, getting 2.5 points, and have an underrated defense that should keep this game close. In what is a toss-up game, I’ll take the points with the Bucs, who are still very much in the NFC South race despite being 1-4.

Hill’s Pick: Buccaneers +2.5

Two weeks ago, we went Over on Bijan Robinson’s rushing prop, and he cruised to get us a win on that wager against the Saints. Last week, we went Under and had to hang on for dear life in overtime to cash that one as well. This week, let’s go back to the Over, as he draws a vulnerable Bears defense.

Hill’s Pick: Bijan Robinson Over 88.5 rushing yards

The Rams are coming off of a brutal loss to the Bills on Monday night, which is bad news for a Cardinals team that is second-to-last defensively in yards per play allowed and just got torched for 45 points by the Lions. Look for the Rams to light up the scoreboard and get back to .500.

Hill’s Pick: Rams Over 32.5

The Chargers are the biggest disappointment in football, and their season is essentially over a couple of weeks before Halloween. But, 8.5 points is a lot, and the Chiefs usually don’t blow teams out. I’ll begrudgingly take the points with the winless Chargers.

Hill’s Pick: Chargers +8.5

A challenging scheduling situation for the Bills, who have to play consecutive road games following a Monday night game that went to overtime and forced their defense to be on the field for 76 plays. With less time to rest and prep following a big win, I’ll take the Raiders to keep it close against the Bills, who are 30th in the league defensively, allowing nearly 400 yards per game.

Hill’s Pick: Raiders +5.5

The Cowboys finally played a game that didn’t exceed the total last week, breaking a streak of 10 straight Overs dating back to last season. I like the Over trend to get back on track this week. These teams met around this time last year and there were a combined 80 points scored. The Cowboys have an elite offense and one of the worst defenses in the league. Meanwhile, the Packers have some good numbers on defense, but they’ve played against three backup quarterbacks already this season, propping up their defensive statistics.

Hill’s Pick: Over 53.5

It will get lost because of the wild ending, but Jayden Daniels ran for over 100 yards last week in his return to the field. He also ran for 69 yards in just a half in his prior start against the Cowboys in Week 2. His rushing prop of 35.5 looks low.

Hill’s Pick: Jayden Daniels Over 35.5 rushing yards

 

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By his standards, Trea Turner had arguably the worst season of his MLB career in 2026. What’s more, Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is being brutally honest about the team’s star shortstop.

“We were very clear. He knows he has to be better at shortstop. And I told him that it’s really mandatory that he’s like that,” Dombrowski said about Turner’s 2026 performance at a press conference at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday morning, according to MLB.com. “He feels he can play, and if he plays shortstop like he did in ’25, he can play shortstop. But if he plays it like he did in ’26, he can’t. And he totally understands that.”

Turner posted -17 defensive runs saved (DRS) at shortstop this season, marking the third time in Turner’s four years with the Phillies that he has finished with a negative, double-digit DRS.

Trea Turner has been an All-Star in just one of his four seasons with the Phillies. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

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Meanwhile, Turner, a two-time batting champion and three-time All-Star, totaled 19 home runs, 58 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, an 81 OPS+ and -0.1 wins above replacement (WAR), while posting a .242/.297/.378 slash line.

Turner’s batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS+ and WAR were all career worsts over a full season. Just last season (2025), Turner led the National League with a .304 batting average and posted 5.4 wins above replacement.

“The reason we signed him at the beginning compared to some others, not only was he a good player, but we thought that he had the ability to continue to be a good player for a longer time period because of his quick-twitch muscles, the type of athlete he is, what he possesses,” Dombrowski said of Turner. “I mean, he led the league in hitting last year, so I was surprised myself on the offensive year that he had and that we weren’t able to get out of it, as he was, so it’s up to us to try to fix all those types of things.

“We’ve already given [Turner] some information ourselves that we think could be helpful. … We need to leave it that he is very willing to do, if he doesn’t play shortstop, what is best for the Philadelphia Phillies organization. So, that’s how we left it with him, and he’s determined to show us that he can play it. And I said, ‘You have to show it. You cannot play shortstop like [you] did defensively in ’26, going into ’27.'”

The 33-year-old Turner is four years into an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Phillies. As for other positions, Turner primarily played second base for the Los Angeles Dodgers down the stretch of the 2021 MLB season and has made 79 career starts at the keystone. He also started 44 games in center field for the Washington Nationals in 2016. Granted, Turner, aside from being the team’s designated hitter, hasn’t played a position outside shortstop since 2021.

MLB Related Stories

Elsewhere, the Phillies named interim manager Don Mattingly, who was promoted from bench coach after manager Rob Thomson was fired in the wake of the team’s 9-19 start, their full-time skipper on a two-year deal Wednesday. Philadelphia went 79-55 after Mattingly took over as manager but lost in three games to the Atlanta Braves in the MLB Wild Card Series.

The Phillies haven’t advanced past the NL Division Series since 2023. 

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Another weekend with SIX ranked matchups on the schedule. From the last two national champs facing off against each other to a top-10 showdown in Provo, Utah, this weekend has it all.

Will No. 6 Alabama bounce back from a heartbreaking loss to No. 1 Georgia when it faces No. 15 Tennessee? Plus, there’s a reunion in Eugene, with Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola facing his former team, Nebraska.

There are some major matchups this weekend with massive conference and playoff implications, but here are five sleeper games worth watching — and wagering on — in a stacked Week 7 of college football.

See how much you could win with this week’s parlay slip at the end.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Spread: Oklahoma -7

Why This Game Matters: Kentucky has already shown it can win on the road in the SEC and keep pace with a high-powered offense like LSU’s, yet it is still an underdog against the Sooners.

Oklahoma has a chance to climb back into the College Football Playoff conversation and change the national perception of its season by following a win over its biggest rival with a victory over a top-15 team at home. If the Sooners can string together back-to-back top-15 wins, they’ll be right back in the mix in the SEC.

The Outlook: Oklahoma was humiliated by Georgia two weeks ago, and its season looked all but over. But beating your most-hated rival, who also happens to be No. 1 in the country, can change a season in a hurry. That’s exactly what the Sooners did last week, rallying from a 17-7 deficit against Texas to win on a walk-off field goal.

The roles are reversed this week for Kentucky, which is coming off a stunning upset of its own. Just as it did against South Carolina, Kentucky won in overtime on a two-point conversion — this time against No. 22 LSU — extending its home winning streak against the Tigers.

Spread: UCLA -2.5

Why This Game Matters: Don’t look now, but Wisconsin is 4-1 and about to begin a stretch of three straight games against ranked opponents. If coach Luke Fickell wants to bring the Badgers back, it starts here. The last time Wisconsin beat two top-15 teams in the same season, Jonathan Taylor was carrying the ball for them.

The Outlook: UCLA did something last weekend it hadn’t done since 2004: beat Oregon in Eugene. The Bruins forced six turnovers to escape with a 17-15 win and snap an eight-game road losing streak against the Ducks. Everything seemed to be lining up for a College Football Playoff berth, but then came a major blow: starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava is out for the season with a left knee injury. Now the focus shifts to Wisconsin, a team that already has a big upset under its belt.

Since a Week 1 loss to Notre Dame, the Badgers haven’t allowed more than one offensive touchdown in any game, giving up just 10.5 points per game. During that stretch, they stunned No. 13 Penn State in Happy Valley. This weekend, they get the same chance against another ranked opponent.

Spread: Duke -3.5

Why This Game Matters: These bitter rivals aren’t meeting on the basketball court just yet. First, they have to settle things on the football field. This rivalry doesn’t generate the same hype as the schools’ basketball matchups, but the animosity is still there, and Duke is looking for its third straight win over North Carolina.

If coach Bill Belichick wants to turn around his tenure in Chapel Hill, he can follow his first win over a ranked opponent with a victory over one of the Tar Heels’ biggest rivals. Meanwhile, Duke is still the reigning ACC champion. Even without quarterback Darian Mensah, the Blue Devils are fighting to defend their crown, with coach Manny Diaz keeping them right in the mix.

The Outlook: North Carolina coach Bill Belichick picked up his first win over a ranked opponent with the Tar Heels last week, beating No. 25 Pitt. North Carolina made stops at the right time, holding the Panthers to just seven points in the second half while forcing two turnovers.

Bill Belichick defeated No. 25 Pitt 21-17. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

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Duke’s bid for a 5-0 start slipped away when a 33-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left in the final seconds against Georgia Tech last week. Even after their first loss, the Blue Devils remain one of five ACC teams with no more than one defeat, powered by a stingy defense and one of the best running backs in the country. Sophomore Nate Sheppard ranks fourth nationally with 743 rushing yards and has scored eight touchdowns. Against Georgia Tech, he finished with 99 rushing yards, falling one yard short of his fifth straight 100-yard game.

Spread: Baylor -6

Why This Game Matters: There are five ranked teams in the Big 12, and Baylor could join the list with another impressive performance this week. With a win, the Bears would start 3-0 in conference play for the first time since 2019. At 5-1, Baylor would be right in the mix in the Big 12 and even the College Football Playoff conversation.

The Outlook: This is the most-played rivalry in the state of Texas, and this weekend marks the 122nd meeting between the Bears and Horned Frogs, with both teams coming off a bye week.

Baylor is the only Power Four team that has yet to allow 20 points in a game this season. That defense has spearheaded the Bears’ 4-1 start while their quarterback finds his footing. Transfer DJ Lagway is coming off his first five-touchdown performance in a 55-19 rout of Arizona State. The junior signal-caller threw for 306 yards and a career-high four touchdowns.

For his performance, Lagway was named one of two Big 12 Offensive Players of the Week in Week 5. (Photo by Hanna Kotlarek/Baylor Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)

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On the other sideline, TCU is still searching for its first conference win this season after coming up short against No. 8 BYU in Fort Worth. Like Baylor, TCU has been tough to score against, allowing just 13.4 points and 255 yards per game, both second-fewest in the conference. The Horned Frogs were two points away from joining the Bears as the only Power Four teams yet to allow 20 points in a game this season.

Spread: JMU -12.5

Why This Game Matters: These are the top two teams in the Sun Belt, and they happen to share a division. Yes, the Sun Belt still has divisions. The two rank first and second in most conference categories, and now they can settle on the field which is the better team. Can Georgia State end James Madison’s winning streak?

The Outlook: Coach Billy Napier has returned to the Sun Belt and picked up right where he left off, losing just four conference games dating back to his time at Louisiana. He has guided JMU to 17 straight regular-season wins, extending the run that Bob Chesney started last season. The Dukes average 41.8 points per game, which is 11th in the country.

Meanwhile, Georgia State is off to its best start since 2023 but has never beaten JMU, losing all five previous meetings. The Panthers fell short by seven points last season, but this year they look better positioned than ever to end the Dukes’ regular-season winning streak.

Week 7 Parlay Slip

Bet $10 to win $251.78 if:

• No. 12 UCLA vs. Wisconsin UNDER 42.5 (-104)
• Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Kentucky OVER 43.5 (-110)
• Duke (-3.5) vs. North Carolina (+100)
• TCU vs. Baylor UNDER 48.5 (-115)
• Georgia State (+12.5) vs James Madison (-115)

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So much attention is paid to the physical characteristics players possess. When evaluating quarterbacks, though, poise is every bit as critical as arm strength, accuracy or athleticism. 

Its presence – or lack thereof – is the single biggest factor in why there is a need to update my QB Power Rankings for the 2027 NFL Draft after six weeks of college football. 

Like many others, I had Arch Manning and Dante Moore atop my preseason QB board. At that time, I considered them well above other projected first-round candidates and made that clear by listing each in their own unique category as “Top 5 Talents.” 

So far this season, Manning and Moore have failed to justify this lofty perch, which is why these rankings have the quarterbacks listed in tiers, with players simply projected as First Round, Day 2 or Day 3 prospects (albeit in reverse order). While the preseason favorites have faltered a bit, others have emerged, legitimizing optimism that the 2027 draft could boast quite the quarterback class. 

Day 3 Prospects

Previous ranking: 13

Previous ranking: 7

Previous ranking: 12

Previous ranking: 5

Previous ranking: 14

Previous ranking: 6

There have been 69 quarterbacks drafted on Day Three over the last decade. Of them, only the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott (fourth round in 2016) and the 49ers’ Brock Purdy (seventh round in 2022) have become long-term starters.  

Given the financial windfall that comes if a team is fortunate enough to hit a Day 3 lottery ticket on a quarterback, we can expect several more to be selected in 2027. These are typically players with ideal physical traits but sporadic accuracy. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, LSU’s Sam Leavitt and Oklahoma’s John Mateer are examples from this class.

Each is currently a better runner than a passer but has the arm strength and intangibles that some NFL coaches will find intriguing. With just a little fine-tuning, that coach will be thinking, “I can turn this kid into a pro.”

After pulling off the upset over Manning and top-ranked Texas, Mateer is especially topical. He’s not developed as a passer to nearly the extent the Sooners hoped he would after flashing early in his college career at Washington State, but scouts remain intrigued by his improvisational skills, strength and resiliency. He’s often been criticized for his lack of poise, but his composure late against Texas stood out. 

And while on the topic of poise, how about yet another terrific demonstration of this trait by Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, who was brilliant in the Bulldogs’ 20-17 win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa?

Stockton has made a career out of playing well in big games, especially on the road. Over the past two seasons, Stockton is now 8-1 in games played on the road or on a neutral field, with a 14-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio and five more touchdowns on the ground. And while the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Bulldog may not possess the height or elite arm strength of his peers, he’s a quality athlete, reads defenses well, and throws a really catchable ball, adjusting the trajectory and velocity for the occasion. In Saturday’s win, Stockton completed 18-of-22 passes and was especially good on third down, connecting on nine of his 10 attempts.

I still think of this throw – on fourth down in Neyland Stadium – that eventually led to Georgia winning in overtime. 

Stockton is the type of quarterback who NFL coaches will love, even if scouts question his “upside.” It will be interesting to see how teams view him, compared to other quarterbacks with more unique physical traits.  

UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava and Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby are similarly gifted dual-threats but also have to convince NFL teams that they possess the leadership and accountability expected of a pro quarterback. Watching from the sidelines is a slice of humble pie that not every young quarterback can handle. 

Due to his well-documented suspension and brief admittance into the subsequently canceled Supplemental Draft this summer, most draft fans are familiar with Sorsby.

Iamaleava has also been in the news for the wrong reasons, most recently for a significant knee injury suffered Saturday against Oregon that might be season-ending. Prior to that, he flourished as a redshirt freshman at Tennessee in 2024 before a dispute over NIL dollars led to a messy public divorce with the Vols and a transfer to UCLA. 

Iamaleava faces a significant decision next season. If he were to give up his final year of college eligibility to enter the 2027 draft, he’d need to overcome a relatively poor 17-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio since leaving Knoxville. Those numbers have dropped him off the radar for some – but not NFL scouts.

Iamaleava will need to prove his health, of course, but the 6-foot-5, 215-pound QB certainly has the traits worth developing, including rare athleticism for the position and plenty of arm talent. He can drive the ball through tight windows and shows great touch and trajectory on the deep ball. 

Day 2 Prospects

Previous ranking: 8

Previous ranking: 10

Previous ranking: 3

Previous ranking: 4

While the aforementioned Iamaleava’s statistics have scouts searching for more, the play so far this season of Miami’s Darian Mensah has been downright Heisman-worthy and could ultimately make him a first-round selection. 

Mensah leads the FBS with a ridiculous 84.2% completion rate and, entering Miami’s Oct. 17 game against Florida State, hasn’t thrown an interception. He led the ACC with 34 touchdown passes a year ago while leading Duke to its first conference title since 1962, and he’s doing the same for Miami this year with 15 touchdowns for the undefeated Hurricanes.

Clearly, Mensah has played well for Miami this season, but he has sometimes been more lucky than good. That was the case with back-to-back poor throws in the red zone during last weekend’s win over Clemson. 

Still, the good has far outweighed the bad. Mensah is very good at reading coverage at the line and he throws a very catchable ball. He anticipates well and is willing to throw the ball into space in a way that allows his receivers to go make plays. But make no mistake, Mensah’s receivers have rewarded him. Pro Football Focus has Miami pass-catchers dropping just one pass through the first five games this season. Texas receivers, by comparison, have dropped 11 of Manning’s passes.

And therein lies the debate scouts have with Mensah, as well as Ohio State’s Julian Sayin. 

There is simply no denying that playing quarterback is easier when you’re throwing to first-round NFL draft picks at wide receiver. Sayin has that, of course, with Jeremiah Smith, who I’m projecting as the No. 1 overall pick in my latest mock draft. Mensah has that in Malachi Toney, who will be a first-round selection next year, when he’s eligible for the NFL. 

At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds and 6-foot-1, 214 pounds, respectively, neither Mensah nor Sayin possess eye-popping physical traits. Each can make every throw expected of an NFL quarterback, but their arm strength is more good than great, and they have more of a game-manager style rather than the “field general” mentality some believe is critical to becoming a true franchise-changer in the NFL.

Notre Dame’s CJ Carr has shown more of a willingness to attack downfield and has more of the offense relying on him this season with star running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price now in the NFL. He processes defenses quickly and has an excellent deep ball passer. He has also thrown 16 touchdowns so far this season and just one interception. And some would argue that just by playing for a program as high-profile as Notre Dame, Carr is already learning about poise on and off the field.

But I struggle to stamp a first-round grade on a quarterback until he shows the ability to win close games. Notre Dame has simply outclassed each of its opponents so far this season, outscoring Rice, Michigan State, Purdue, North Carolina and Stanford by a combined 173 points. As the scoring differential suggests, Notre Dame provides Carr with an excellent supporting cast.

Carr and the Irish will get their first test of the season this Saturday, on Oct. 17 in Provo, Utah, against a quality BYU Cougars team that enters the weekend ranked No. 8 in the AP Top 25. The regular season game I have circled to get a true evaluation of where Carr fits into the quarterback conversation next spring won’t come until Nov. 3, when Mensah and Hurricanes come to South Bend. 

USC’s Jayden Maiava possesses the body armor the NFL is looking for at a prototypical 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds. And he’s been even more productive this season than last, currently leading the Big Ten with a sparkling 18 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions, which is happening despite losing dynamic wide receivers Makai Lemon and Jakobi Lane to the NFL. Maiava appears to be answering the “supporting cast” question Mensah and Sayin are currently working through.

The concern that could keep Maiava out of the first round, however, is a relative lack of variety with his throws. Most of his best throws require touch, rather than driving the ball through tight windows. Think of it like a shooter in basketball. One needs to be able to drive to the basket, as well as shoot from the perimeter. It’s clear from his beautiful throw below from last weekend’s big win at Penn State that Maiava can feather the ball in – including while on the move – but so much of his game is based on fade-away jumpers. 

The development he’s shown since beginning his career at UNLV, however, is certainly intriguing. 

Day 1 Prospects

Previous ranking: 11

Previous ranking: 2

Previous ranking: 1

Previous ranking: 9

He won’t be old enough to order a beer until January, but in guiding the Oklahoma State to its fourth consecutive win – including a colossal upset of Moore and Oregon back on September 12 – Drew Mestemaker has emerged as one of the biggest risers at any position so far this season.

It has been a dizzying ascent for Mestemaker, who didn’t start a single game at quarterback in high school and was sixth on the depth chart at North Texas just two years ago. He’s proven a remarkably quick study since, however, leading the entire country with 4,379 passing yards for the Mean Green last year and following head coach Eric Morris to Stillwater.

Mestemaker has all the physical traits scouts look for in a future NFL starter, including a solid 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame, plus athleticism and a strong, accurate arm. Belying his lack of experience, he looks comfortable in the pocket and is already among the best in this class, attacking the intermediate and deep levels of the defense by firing throws down the seam.

That said, while he’s undeniably gifted, Mestemaker is a long way from being a “sure thing” as a future NFL starter. He’s clearly a terrific fit in Morris’ offense but still leads the Big 12 with five interceptions thrown in as many games because, like most inexperienced quarterbacks, he can get a bit rattled with pressure. That’s notable because he’s barely been touched by opposing pass rushes this season, with the Cowboys allowing just four sacks in 2026. 

Scouts like to use player comparisons to give their peers (and general managers) a vision of what a prospect could look like in the NFL, if all things go as hoped. The comp you will continue to hear for Mestemaker is another No. 17: Josh Allen. 

Mestemaker’s emergence is the perfect contrast to Arch Manning, whose lineage has guaranteed he’d have scouts tracking him since he first picked up a football. 

Like Mestemaker, Manning possesses a blend of size, arm strength and mobility that every NFL team is looking for at the quarterback position. Even if the NFL draft were held this weekend, there is no doubt in my mind that if he were to make himself eligible, Manning would be a first-round pick. The traits and upside are just too rare. 

But two fourth-quarter interceptions in Texas’ Red River Rivalry loss to Oklahoma underscore the fact that Manning remains a very immature quarterback – one who needs plenty more seasoning before he can be expected to lead an NFL team to success. He’s thrown an interception in four of Texas’ first five games this season. The lack of poise he’s shown is concerning, but frankly, not especially surprising. Saturday against the Sooners was just the 19th start of his college career.

Unless he makes significant improvement in these three areas, the team that invests a first-round selection this spring in Manning should be resigned to the idea that he’d need to spend his first year learning from the sideline.

Criticize Manning all you’d like. I wonder if NFL teams aren’t even more worried about Oregon’s Dante Moore. The fact that Moore suffered a concussion following a blatant late hit against USC is a major concern in itself. That’s the tragic, fickle nature of this game, especially for quarterbacks. There is nothing Moore can do to reassure teams about his health except get back onto the field and play well.

Even prior to the injury, though, Moore was not playing as well as his 9-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio might suggest. Frankly, he was outplayed by Mestemaker in Oregon’s stunning road loss to Oklahoma State on Sept. 12, resorting to checkdowns rather than delivering the inspirational downfield strikes that we saw last year. 

Nevertheless, he remains the most talented pure passer in this class, in my opinion. 

But talented passers aren’t always the best quarterbacks. The ability to put one’s team on their back in the biggest moments is a separator. 

And it is that area which has catapulted Trinidad Chambliss into not only the first-round conversation, but the possibility of being the first quarterback off the board in the 2027 draft. 

I recently took a deep dive into Chambliss’ play, evaluating him in the five categories I’ve learned over my career that are the best indicators of future NFL success for the quarterback position. 

Chambliss’ numbers are good, but his play has been better than his statistics suggest. After leading the SEC in passing yards last year, he’s improved his completion percentage and has a solid 11-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio that is all the more impressive given that he’s also run for five scores. 

It is also worth noting that, like Manning, Chambliss has thrown an interception in four of his five games played so far this season, reinforcing two facts: 

The 2027 NFL Draft won’t be here for another six months. 

And, if the start of the regular season is any indication, the quarterback who comes off the board first may wind up being more of a matter of personal preference than the consensus top signal-caller – which could result in a handful of quarterbacks flying off the board rapid-fire style as we saw back in 2024. 

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It felt like receivers defined this week, whether it was Justin Jefferson’s incredible catch over three defenders to help the Vikings beat the Saints — or whether it was Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s drop on the Seahawks’ game-losing drive against the 49ers.

We’ll talk endlessly about quarterbacks — and for good reason. (I’ll get to plenty of QB talk.) But let’s kick things off with an ode to a receiver who’s changing the complexion of the NFC: Mike Evans.

Welcome to Sound Smart, where I take you beyond what’s obvious. Let’s go below the surface. Let’s spin it forward, dive deeper, think outside the box and read between the lines. If I do my job, you’ll be fluent in the NFL’s Week 5 action.

1.

Evans is right up there with Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III as the most impactful acquisitions of the 2026 NFL offseason. 

In the biggest game of the 49ers’ season, there was Evans. He had seven catches for 113 yards, a touchdown and a 2-point conversion — even though he has been playing through two broken ribs. The 49ers beat the Seahawks 32-29 in Seattle.

“He’s a difference-maker. He’s a spark. He’s everything that you want in a receiver,” running back Christian McCaffrey said after the game. “It’s pretty cool when you get new guys and they continue to up the standard.”

It sounds like a cliché, but there’s real truth in that statement. Evans has a Super Bowl win; McCaffrey doesn’t.

Mike Evans celebrates with his 49ers teammates after scoring a crucial two-point conversion against the Seahawks during the fourth quarter on Sunday. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

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This offseason, when the 49ers signed Evans, I’ll admit that I sort of shrugged when he said, “I think I’m that piece” at his introductory press conference. He’s 33 and his hamstring injuries have been a real issue. So it felt like throwing an aging, injury-prone WR1 on top of an aging, injury-prone RB1 (Christian McCaffrey) on top of an aging, injury-prone TE1 (George Kittle).

It felt like more of the same. And that wouldn’t change the 49ers’ inability to win it all.

Evans’ performance gives me reason to believe they can really win the Super Bowl. This season. He is among the biggest reasons they have been so impressive. In the moments quarterback Brock Purdy needs a first down or a touchdown, Evans is there. 

He dominated Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe, who spent the game covering Evans for all but one reception (that went for one yard). Jobe’s 112 yards allowed are the most by a cornerback in the Mike Macdonald era in Seattle, per Next Gen Stats.

Evans also dominated Seahawks corner Trevon Diggs as a blocker — and, later, Evans and Diggs were talking trash. Evans ended the conversation when he checked the back of Diggs’ jersey. The gesture said more than the trash talk could: I don’t even know who you are.

Diggs knows Evans. Everyone does.

His 7.3 receptions over expected is third-best in the NFL, behind Trey McBride (8.6) and Smith-Njigba (7.4). His success rate per route run (24.2%) is best in the NFL. And his expected points added per route is .33, also best in the NFL.

This is all to say that Evans might just be the most efficient and statistically impactful receiver on a per-play basis.

Now, it’s important to give the defense credit where credit’s due. Last year, they ranked 13th in points allowed per game. This year, they rank third going into Monday night. There have been improvements across the board — and not just on offense. And on Sunday, the defense posted four takeaways.

“That was the difference between winning and losing today — to be able to get points off those turnovers,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters postgame.

But it’s no coincidence that Purdy has looked like an MVP candidate in Evans’ first season with the team. The veteran wideout has given this offense a sixth gear — that I didn’t expect and really didn’t know existed.

“I thought Brock did an unbelievable job to find a way to win there at the end. That’s one of the best defenses in the league,” Shanahan said. “I thought he was really good in the fourth quarter. There were a lot of times when something wasn’t there and he made some plays.”

Want one more example of Evans’ value? He had 60 of Purdy’s 76 fourth-quarter passing yards. 

For his efforts on Sunday, Evans earned former Buccaneers teammate Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game.

2.

Jordan Love beat Ben Johnson at his own game.

In the Bears-Packers’ rivalry matchup, the Green Bay quarterback was firing the ball downfield without a care in the world. He just kept attacking and, in the 31-7 Packers blowout, Love had 258 passing yards and two touchdowns — on deep passes alone.

That’s right: He was 6-of-8 on passes that traveled 20-plus air yards. And he racked up 258 of his 367 passing yards and both of his touchdowns on those deep balls.

“It’s something that we saw throughout the game that was working. We kept doing it,” Love told reporters postgame. He later added: “It’s a flow state.”

The more I watched the Packers’ offense on Sunday, the more I saw the offense Johnson wanted out of his offense — all explosives in the passing game. Now, the schemes are apples to oranges. (And Johnson loves explosives in the running game, which the Packers lacked.) But the passing-game identity? That’s what he wants from quarterback Caleb Williams, who missed this game with a hamstring injury.

I’ve always thought that Love is, in many ways, a player Williams should study and should look at as a North star. I know that Williams is more athletic and has (somehow) more arm strength. But it’s actually Love’s restraint and acuity that makes him the better QB than Williams right now. Last year, Love was one of the NFL’s most efficient quarterbacks while Williams — despite leading the league with six fourth-quarter comebacks — failed to get his completion percentage above 60%.

Against Chicago, Love married his efficiency with his athleticism, exploiting the Bears’ unimpressive defense. It was way too easy. And the blowout should pour even more fuel on an already legendary rivalry, which Love fielded a question about after the game.

“We’re never going to apologize for a win,” Love said. “To be able to dominate somebody at home — an NFC North opponent — it felt great, and that’s all I got to say.”

3.

It’s getting to the point where coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts are working to keep their jobs. 

At 2-3, the danger is there for the QB and the coach.

Over the past few months, the Eagles traded receiver A.J. Brown and offensive lineman Cam Jurgens for a haul that included first- and second-round picks in 2028. It’s clear that GM Howie Roseman has his eyes on the future. And he’s not afraid to fire a Super Bowl-winning head coach (Doug Pederson) — nor is he unwilling to move on from a Super Bowl-winning QB (Nick Foles).

He hasn’t done both in one offseason. But with Roseman, you should never say never.

The interesting thing about the Eagles’ 19-17 loss to the Jaguars in London wasn’t just the way they lost it. It was about who lost it. And Sirianni left no doubt.

“I didn’t make the right decision [on the kickoff]. I lost us that game,” Sirianni told reporters afterward. “That one’s on me. There’s no way around it. I didn’t do my job in that situation.”

So what was the situation, exactly?

There were actually two glaring errors, from my view. 

But let’s talk about the first one — the kick. With eight seconds left to play and a 17-16 lead, the Eagles kicked off. They should have kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone. Had they done that, the ball would’ve started on the 35-yard line and the Jaguars would’ve had time for just a Hail Mary. 

But the Eagles kicked the ball to a returner. And because they did that, it allowed an explosive return of 53 yards. Worse yet, they tackled ball-carrier Ameer Abdullah with one second left in the game, which the Jaguars used to kick a 57-yard field goal. If they’d tackled Abdullah just five yards farther up field, time would have expired.

Bottom line: Kick it out of the back of the end zone and make the Jaguars throw a Hail Mary. 

But there was another mistake — more nuanced — from the Eagles’ final offensive drive that was glaring.

On the penultimate play, they ran a quick-out to receiver Makai Lemon, who put them at the Jacksonville 27-yard line. Problem was, he went out of bounds — which he shouldn’t have done. The Eagles had a timeout. If he’d laid down in bounds, they could have forced the Jaguars to use their only timeout (or let the clock bleed down to three seconds). They didn’t do that. And that 10-second difference ended up costing them the game.

Maybe you’re thinking: That’s so elaborate! We could only possibly know that’s important with hindsight!

Well, the Eagles had hindsight, because the Cowboys made this exact same mistake against the Ravens in Week 3, with Dallas failing to bleed the clock (when it could have) and leaving enough time for two plays (a pass and a field goal) for Baltimore. Which is exactly how Ravens QB Lamar Jackson moved his team into 3-point position, from which Tyler Loop hit the game-winner.

Even with that happening across the league this season, the Eagles didn’t think to drain the clock. Lemon went out of bounds — and staying in-bounds in that situation is the exact kind of detail Sirianni and/or coordinator Sean Mannion need to drill into their players.

So you can see clearly: The Eagles had the lead. And Sirianni made a series of decisions that cost them that lead.

And Hurts? Well, starting with 1:35 left in the game, he got his team into position for the go-ahead field goal despite a diminished offense. Hurts led an ugly-but-effective-enough drive despite the absences of running back Saquon Barkley (injury), receiver Devonta Smith (injury), tackle Lane Johnson (retirement), guard Cam Jurgens (trade) and guard Landon Dickerson (IR). Overall, the QB produced a very Hurts-ian performance: 21-for-40, 220 passing yards, two touchdowns.

And he got his team in a winning position in the last minute. It’s just that — well, we already went over how it went wrong.

If I’m Roseman, I liked what I saw from Hurts a whole hell of a lot more than what I saw from Sirianni.

4.

Somehow, the Commanders’ explanations for their final play against the Giants in the teams’ 27-27 tie were more confounding than the final play itself. 

In overtime, with 12 seconds left and Washington in field-goal position and no timeouts, quarterback Jayden Daniels dropped back to pass.

Wait, what?

Yup, he dropped back. Which was risky, because, again, the Commanders had no timeouts. But surely, Daniels would throw it away and stop the clock. He wouldn’t take a sack, right? Because that might cost them the field-goal attempt — and the win. But, well, you know what happened next: a sack.

When Daniels hit the ground, there were still eight seconds left. The next logical step was to get the offense up and in formation to clock it. But the Commanders were sluggish and disorganized on their way to the line. So time expired. And they tied the Giants, squandering a win.

“We gotta stop the clock. We gotta know the situation. We’ve gotta relay that as an offense. It starts with everyone — from top down. But ultimately, it’s on me,” Daniels told reporters after the game.

It helps for coaches to 1) tell the QB he needs to throw it away if nothing’s there (rather than run it) and 2) tell him he has no timeouts left. But Daniels also just … needs to know those things.

The other problem was that the Commanders were even running a play to begin with. Coach Dan Quinn owned that mistake.

“Does not fall on [Jayden Daniels]. It’s an outside throw or a clock,” Quinn said. “That had to come from me. I don’t even have to put him in that spot. … We don’t need to gain more yards.”

His answer that “It’s an outside throw or a clock” is kind of putting it on Daniels — right after he said the opposite. But Quinn did take accountability, because he’s right: The Commanders didn’t need to gain more yards. Washington was at the Giants’ 26-yard line. The field goal probably would’ve been just fine where they were.

So, ultimately, no team won a game in the NFC East this week, even though two of the division’s teams played each other. That’s … hard to do.

5.

Just two weeks ago, it would be fair to wonder if the Patriots needed to rush receiver A.J. Brown (sprained ankle) back into the lineup — because quarterback Drake Maye and the New England offense looked broken.

But in recent weeks, it’s been just fine. In fact, it’s been … incredible.

In Week 5, New England beat the Las Vegas Raiders 45-17, with Maye going 26-of-34 for 374 passing yards and four passing touchdowns — with a fifth score on the ground. As a team, the Patriots rushed 31 times for 165 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Here’s the stat that tells me that Maye is feeling himself: On throws over 10 air yards, he completed 8 of 11 for 206 yards and three touchdowns. That’s just the third time in his career he has completed over 70% of his downfield pass attempts (minimum 10 attempts), per Next Gen Stats.

Maye owned the intermediate and deep parts of the field. Those throws require confidence and precision — all of which Maye lacked in his first three games of the year when he opened the season with one touchdown and six interceptions. But Maye hit 15-plus-yard plays to six different pass-catchers and hit 25-plus-yard plays to four different pass-catchers.

That’s confidence.

Drake Maye (No. 10) has the Patriots’ offense rolling again. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)

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He was elevating the likes of Efton Chism, Kyle Williams, Eli Raridon and DeMario Douglas. And if you’re not familiar with those folks, well, that’s the point. This is Maye’s MVP form from last year — the style of play that eluded him in the first three weeks.

So let’s add Brown back into the mix. He’s progressing well in rehab and could return by Week 7. He was Maye’s most trusted target in training camp. Brown has been the most-trusted target with every QB he’s played for (on the field, at least). The receiver will be the best playmaker Maye has ever played alongside.

When it comes together, New England’s offense will go exponential, particularly with games against three of the league’s worst defenses — Bears, Dolphins and Lions — over the next five weeks.

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