Samwise College Football Newsletter
Thursday, July 30, 2026
Notre Dame, Ohio State Each Announce Jersey Patch Deals; Irish Top Market at $18-20M Per Year
Notre Dame and Ohio State each announced jersey patch sponsorship deals on Tuesday, with the Fighting Irish topping the market at $18 to $20 million annually. Notre Dame’s six-year agreement with SoFi, reported by ESPN to surpass Ohio State’s deal as the richest in college athletics history, marks the first time a non-apparel brand will appear on Fighting Irish uniforms across all sports. Ohio State simultaneously announced a partnership with JPMorganChase, placing the bank’s logo on jerseys across all 36 Buckeye sports programs at approximately $17 million per year. Both programs joined a growing wave of Power Four schools monetizing jersey real estate.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
NCAA Suspends Tennessee LB Arion Carter Two Games Over $427 Agent Flight
The NCAA has suspended Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter for the first two games of the 2026 season after his agent paid for a $427.48 flight to an NFL training facility during the pre-draft process this spring. Carter had declared for the NFL Draft, signed with an agent, and accepted the flight, but withdrew from the draft due to a foot injury. He subsequently repaid the flight in full and disengaged from his agent in January. The NCAA classified the infraction as a Level III violation. Tennessee appealed an initial three-game suspension, which was reduced to two. Carter will miss the opener against Furman and a road trip to Georgia Tech.
Sources: CBS Sports
CBS Sports Maps the Big Ten’s Trickiest Schedule Traps for Every 2026 Contender
With three consecutive Big Ten teams winning the national title, every conference team enters 2026 under heightened scrutiny, and CBS Sports identified the trickiest schedule traps for all 18 programs. Indiana faces a stumbling block in Lincoln on Oct. 10, the second of back-to-back early-October road games, a week before Ohio State visits Bloomington in what CBS Sports calls a likely top-10 showdown. Nebraska’s most dangerous spot is at Illinois on Nov. 6. The Buckeyes face a treacherous October stretch before their rivalry date with Michigan. Every contender, CBS Sports noted, has at least one dangerous spot buried between high-profile matchups when preparation slips and focus can wander.
Sources: CBS Sports
Big Ten Media Days: Ohio State, Oregon Arrive as 2026 Title Contenders to Beat
Ohio State and Oregon entered Big Ten Media Days in Chicago Wednesday as the conference’s two most-watched title contenders heading into 2026. The Buckeyes lost to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game last season before falling to Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, and they will rely on quarterback Julian Sayin — a Heisman Trophy finalist who threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns at a 77 percent completion rate — along with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Oregon, coming off back-to-back seasons of 13-1 and 13-2 in Big Ten play, enters coach Dan Lanning’s third year with what CBS Sports calls his most complete roster yet.
Sources: CBS Sports
UNC Places Football GM Michael Lombardi on Admin Leave Amid HR Investigation
The University of North Carolina has placed football general manager Michael Lombardi on paid administrative leave effective immediately, citing a human resources complaint filed by a former front office employee. ESPN reported the leave stems from an internal HR dispute over a personnel separation handled by Lombardi. The move comes days before UNC opens preseason training camp. Lombardi joined the program alongside head coach Bill Belichick when the legendary NFL coach made the move to college football at Chapel Hill. A university investigation is ongoing, and program personnel are prohibited from commenting further on the matter per the school’s official statement.
Sources: ESPN
Final AP Top 10 — 2025 Season
Off-Season — No Current Poll
1. Indiana (16-0) — CFP Champions
2. Miami (13-3)
3. Ole Miss (13-2)
4. Oregon (13-2)
5. Ohio State (12-2)
6. Georgia
7. Texas Tech
8. Texas A&M
9. Alabama
10. Notre Dame
2027 Recruiting Class Leaders
Early Rankings — July 2026
1. Notre Dame
2. Ohio State
3. Oregon
4. Texas
5. Texas A&M
Key 2027 Facts
28 of 32 five-stars committed
49 of top 50 QBs committed
Season begins Aug. 29, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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