Today: Coaching storylines shaping 2026, MBB portal prices, Conference Tourney primer, and why Parker Livingstone chose Oklahoma. |
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The 10 coaching storylines that could shape the 2026 college football season |
The college football offseason is the perfect time to explore the context for where programs, coaches, and teams are at heading into the future. Ari Wasserman examined 10 coaches across three categories: established names trying to break through, high-profile newcomers stepping into new jobs, and coaches facing mounting pressure. Each group highlights a different type of storyline shaping the sport right now. Below is a look at one coach from each category, but Ari Wasserman's full breakdown dives into all 10 names and the unique situations they face heading into the year. The Established Steve Sarkisian, Texas: Although Sarkisian hasn't yet secured a national title at Texas, there's no doubt he's one of the more established coaches in college football. If you compare Texas when he took over (dysfunctional underachievers) to what it is now (annual title contenders), he has definitely raised the bar. That's a significant achievement. However, after missing the College Football Playoff last year, Texas fans are eager to return to the top. You have some frustration with the coach. This season, the Longhorns feature Arch Manning in his second year as a starter, elite transfer receiver Cam Coleman, and one of the best defensive groups in the country. Is this the year Sark finally breaks through? The Newcomers Lane Kiffin, LSU: No one is more captivating in college football than Kiffin. Yes, he's a troll who stokes drama, which partly explains why his move from Ole Miss to LSU was so sensational. But now he's taking over one of the top programs in the sport, and the expectation is to win big — right away. LSU had perhaps the best portal haul of any team and managed to keep some key players. The excitement goes beyond what Kiffin will do or say next. It's also about whether LSU will regain its prominence. Making the CFP in his first year seems like a must. Do Or Die Dabo Swinney, Clemson: Swinney is one of the top coaches of his generation. He took a solid Clemson program and transformed it into a national powerhouse. Who else did that before the NIL era? Nobody. The problem? Swinney did it in his own way and has never seemed interested in changing, which is an issue given the sport's rapid evolution over the last two years. Clemson was expected to be very good last year, during which Swinney was supposed to have the last laugh. However, Clemson wasn't very good, and now we're left wondering if he's capable of producing results in the modern landscape. This appears to be a crucial season for him. |
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| Basketball Transfer Portal Intel: What it costs to land a starter at each position |
Roster building in college basketball has been transformed by the transfer portal and NIL era. Programs across the country are now relying heavily on portal additions to fill starting roles, and the price tags for proven production have risen quickly. But what does it actually cost to land a power-conference caliber starter in today's market? "I think the highest-dollar positions will be the bigs. Centers and power forwards," one ACC coach told On3's Jamie Shaw. "Elite centers are so rare, and everyone wants to play bigger." On3 spoke with coaches from across the power conferences to break down the current transfer portal marketplace, including expected NIL ranges for starters at every position. The numbers are eye-opening. While point guards and wings still command major investments, multiple coaches believe the biggest bidding wars will come for frontcourt players. The full story details the market at each position and what coaches around the country are seeing as roster construction continues to evolve. |
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Conference tournament primer: What to know entering Champ Week |
Conference tournament week is officially here, and March is already delivering across the sport. Automatic bids are on the line, NCAA Tournament seeding is still shifting, and several of the biggest storylines are only getting started as the power-conference tournaments ramp up. Several mid-majors have already punched their tickets with auto-bids, but the next few days will do a lot to shape both the bracket and the coaching carousel. ACC Tournament The ACC Tournament is already underway in Charlotte, where Pittsburgh, SMU, and Wake Forest all advanced out of Tuesday's first round. One of the biggest developments came off the court, though, as Syracuse fired coach Adrian Autry following the loss to Pitt (Joe Tipton has the premium Syracuse hot board here). On the floor, Duke enters as the overwhelming betting favorite at -375 and remains the No. 1 overall seed, meaning the Blue Devils still have something tangible to play for this week. SMU helped itself Tuesday and now sits in the Last Four In, while NC State is one of the Last Four Byes, making the ACC bracket especially important beyond just the title chase. SEC Tournament The SEC Tournament tips off today at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, and it's loaded from top to bottom. Florida enters as the clear betting favorite at -185 after closing the regular season on an 11-game win streak. Arkansas (+600), Alabama (+850), Tennessee (+950), and Vanderbilt (+1200) all have realistic paths to making noise. On the bubble, Missouri and Texas A&M enter the week holding two of the Last Four Byes in On3's latest bracketology, Texas is also sitting close to the cutline, and Auburn currently sits on the First Four Out. This bracket carries major implications for both the top and bottom of the field. Big 12 Tournament The Big 12 has already brought some chaos in Kansas City. Arizona State sent Baylor home early, Cincinnati kept its at-large hopes alive, and BYU star AJ Dybantsa exploded for 40 points, setting the Big 12 Tournament freshman scoring record. Arizona enters as the betting favorite at -105 after a dominant 16-2 conference run and is projected as a No. 1 seed, while Houston is right behind at +225 and currently sits on the 2-line. Iowa State, Kansas, and Texas Tech are all positioned to improve or protect strong seeds, but Cincinnati remains one of the most interesting teams in the league after starting the week in the First Four Out, making every game feel especially high-stakes. Big Ten Tournament The B1G Tournament is underway in Chicago and carries major NCAA Tournament implications. Maryland and Northwestern both advanced Tuesday, while the larger story is what's still at stake for the top of the bracket. Michigan enters as the betting favorite at -125 and is pushing to lock up a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday, while Illinois, Michigan State, Nebraska, and Purdue are all jockeying for strong NCAA Tournament positioning. On the bubble, Indiana sits among the Last Four In, while UCF and SMU are right there with them nationally, making the Hoosiers one of the most important teams to watch in Chicago. With the Big Ten set to hand out the final major-conference auto-bid on Sunday, the next few days should go a long way in shaping the final bracket. |
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Market forces led Parker Livingstone to leave Texas for Oklahoma |
"If I didn't have an agent, I'd probably still be in Austin right now," new Oklahoma receiver Parker Livingstone told reporters Monday. "That's the truth." That line immediately took off because on top of leaving Texas in the portal, Livingstone crossed one of college football's fiercest rivalry lines and landed at Oklahoma. The quote sounds explosive on the surface, but the larger point is less about drama and more about how college football now mirrors NFL free agency. Livingstone wasn't saying he was pushed out by his agent. He was saying that having representation helped him understand the market, his value, and how Texas' roster plans could affect both his role and his earning potential. Livingstone's agent, Ron Slavin, knew Texas was pursuing Auburn transfer Cam Coleman, who became one of the top receivers on the market this cycle. That mattered because if Texas landed Coleman, which it did, it could change Livingstone's place in the offense and impact what the Longhorns were willing to pay him compared to other schools. That's the real story here. Texas still has Ryan Wingo, added Coleman, and made a business decision about how to allocate its resources. Livingstone, meanwhile, evaluated his own opportunity and chose Oklahoma, where he can stay closer to home while chasing a bigger role. It's a reminder that in the portal era, even the sport's most sacred rivalries don't operate the way they once did. Players are making decisions based on fit, money, opportunity, and long-term value, just like NFL veterans in free agency. And Livingstone fully understands the optics. After admitting he used to want to "beat the crap out of OU" while at Texas, he now says he wants to do the same to the Longhorns from the other sideline. In 2026, that's not betrayal. It's just business. |
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Below, you'll find 3 facts about a random college football player. You'll try to guess who the player is based on the facts. Let's go. I was a Freshman All-SEC selection at LSU in 2011 after finishing second on the team in receptions while helping the Tigers reach the BCS National Championship Game.
- In 2013, I teamed up with Jarvis Landry to form one of college football's most productive receiver duos and returned a missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown.
- I won the 2013 Paul Hornung Award before becoming a first-round NFL Draft pick and later making one of the most famous one-handed catches in NFL history with the New York Giants.
Answer at the bottom. |
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BetMGM releases SEC Basketball Tournament odds |
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