Samwise College Football Newsletter
Monday, August 3, 2026
Court Orders Fifth Year of Eligibility for Class of 2022 Athletes as Schools Scramble
A Colorado federal judge granted a class-wide preliminary injunction Friday in the Wisne vs. NCAA case, ruling that all Division I athletes from the Class of 2022 who used four years of eligibility are now eligible for a fifth season, CBS Sports reports. Judge Charlotte Sweeney’s order sent front office staffers and agents scrambling. Schools are actively contacting former players to gauge interest in a return for 2026. The NCAA plans to quickly appeal to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and teams remain uncertain about roster limits and transfer portal access under the ruling. “There will be players that are rosterable,” one Power Four GM told CBS Sports.
Sources: CBS Sports
Judge Clarifies: Eligibility Order Does Not Cover Players Who Signed Professional Contracts
One day after a sweeping class-wide eligibility ruling, a Colorado federal judge issued a clarification: the order does not extend to football players who signed professional contracts, ESPN reported Sunday. The distinction narrows the scope of Friday’s preliminary injunction, which appeared to potentially cover all Class of 2022 Division I athletes who exhausted four-year eligibility. Players who went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft but did not sign professional agreements may still qualify to return for a fifth college season. College programs and agents are working to identify which former players fall within the order’s scope as teams open fall camp this week.
Missouri DT Sterling Webb Secures Court Order to Return for Fifth Season
Missouri defensive tackle Sterling Webb is returning to the Tigers after a St. Louis County court granted him a temporary restraining order on July 30, On3 reports. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz confirmed Webb’s return at Sunday’s media session. Webb, who weighs 285 pounds and previously played at New Mexico State, appeared in all 13 games last season with eight starts, recording 20 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 6 quarterback hurries. Webb went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and received invites to the Kansas City Chiefs’ pro day and the Buffalo Bills’ rookie minicamp but did not sign a contract with either team.
Big Ten, SEC Back Cruz-Cantwell Protect College Sports Act Ahead of Senate Vote
The Big Ten and SEC voted Friday to back the Protect College Sports Act, lending major-conference support to the bipartisan Senate legislation, CBS Sports reports. The Cruz-Cantwell bill would raise the revenue-sharing cap for college athletes to more than $40 million per school annually. A Senate floor vote could come before Congress recesses on August 7, though the legislation requires 60 votes to advance. The backing from the sport’s two most powerful conferences comes as college programs open fall camp amid continuing uncertainty over athlete compensation and eligibility rules. The bill has faced resistance from smaller conferences concerned about widening competitive gaps.
Sources: CBS Sports
New Head Coach Kyle Whittingham Opens Michigan Fall Camp Ahead of Sept. 5 NBC Opener
Michigan football opens fall camp this week as new head coach Kyle Whittingham and his staff report to Schembechler Hall on Monday, with players arriving Tuesday and the first practice set for Wednesday in Ann Arbor, On3 reports. Whittingham, speaking at Big Ten Media Day in Chicago on Thursday, struck a measured tone about first-year expectations. “It’s year one, we’ve got some work to do in the depth department and a few positions,” Whittingham said. Michigan kicks off the 2026 season September 5 at home against Western Michigan, with NBC carrying the national telecast at 7:30 p.m.
USC Opens 2026 Fall Camp at New Bloom Football Performance Center, First Practice Closed
USC will open its 2026 fall camp Friday at the new Bloom Football Performance Center, with the first practice closed to media and fans, Yahoo Sports reports. It marks the first training camp for the Trojans in the brand-new facility. Head coach Lincoln Riley will hold a press conference Saturday ahead of full team practice sessions. The Trojans open the 2026 regular season August 29 against San Jose State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC’s August 29 opener is among the first major college football games of the season, giving Riley’s team fewer preparation weeks than most programs.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Clemson Among Programs Entering Fall Camp With Open QB Battles
Multiple prominent programs are entering fall camp without a settled starting quarterback, On3’s latest QB battle tracker reports. Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, and Clemson are among the teams with open competitions under center as camps begin this week. Those unsettled battles at blue-blood programs figure to be among the most-watched storylines of August camp. On3 notes the battle tracker will be updated with the latest intel from each program’s practice sessions as coaches evaluate personnel and depth. A quarterback decision made early in camp typically signals a team’s offensive identity and depth-chart direction before the regular season opens.
ESPN FPI Preseason Top 10
AP Poll releases mid-August
1. Ohio State
2. Texas
3. Notre Dame
4. Oregon
5. Georgia
6. Indiana ★ (def. champ)
7. Miami (FL)
8. Alabama
9. LSU
10. Texas Tech
Preseason Conference Outlook
Big Ten
1. Ohio State 2. Oregon 3. Indiana
SEC
1. Texas 2. Georgia 3. Alabama
Big 12
1. Texas Tech 2. Oklahoma
ACC
1. Miami (FL) 2. Clemson
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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