Samwise College Football Newsletter
Saturday, May 2, 2026
Notre Dame Lands Two 2027 Commitments on Same Day
Notre Dame added two prospects to its 2027 recruiting class on Friday, landing commitments from EDGE rusher Aidan O'Neil and quarterback Champ Monds on the same afternoon. O'Neil, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound pass rusher from Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey, ranks No. 73 nationally per 247Sports. He chose the Irish over Penn State and Kentucky after building a relationship with defensive line coach Charlie Partridge. Hours later, Vero Beach signal-caller Wonderful “Champ” Monds IV committed to Notre Dame over Ohio State and Florida State, announcing on the Pat McAfee Show. The dual haul lifts Notre Dame to No. 4 in the composite 2027 team rankings.
Post-Spring Top 25: Texas Rises to No. 1 as Texas Tech Tumbles
CBS Sports released its post-spring college football top 25, positioning Texas at No. 1 for 2026. The Longhorns return quarterback Arch Manning — recovering from a minor foot procedure — as the presumptive Heisman Trophy favorite, with Auburn transfer receiver Cam Coleman among the key portal additions. Texas Tech, which entered spring as a dark-horse national title contender, tumbled sharply after starting quarterback Brendan Sorsby entered a gambling addiction treatment program. The NCAA is investigating Sorsby for placing more than 10,000 bets dating back to 2022, including wagers on Indiana football while he was enrolled there, and a permanent loss of eligibility is considered likely.
Sources: CBS Sports
Ohio State Leads Combined Post-Spring Composite Poll
When six media outlets’ post-spring top 25 rankings were combined into a composite, Ohio State emerged as the consensus No. 1, edging Texas for top billing. The Buckeyes benefit from the return of quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, plus five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr., who impressed during Ohio State’s spring game. Texas earned two first-place votes alongside Ohio State, while Indiana, the reigning national champion, dropped several spots after key portal departures. Oregon, Georgia, and Notre Dame rounded out the top six. The poll combined rankings from CBS Sports, ESPN, Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Fox Sports, and Bleacher Report.
Sources: CBS Sports
Big 12 Race Reshuffles as Sorsby Absence Opens Door for BYU, Utah
Brendan Sorsby’s indefinite leave from Texas Tech has reshuffled the Big 12 title outlook for 2026. The Red Raiders’ win total projection has already dropped from 11.5 to 10.5, and BYU and Utah are emerging as credible challengers to what had been a Texas Tech–led conference. BYU, which lost both of its 2025 games to the Red Raiders, will not face them before a potential league championship game meeting. Backup Will Hammond is now expected to step into the starting role if Sorsby is ruled ineligible. With the NCAA investigation ongoing and a ruling expected before summer, Texas Tech faces an uncertain stretch while the Big 12 race widens.
Sources: CBS Sports
Post-Spring Top 10
CBS Sports — May 1, 2026
1. Texas
2. Ohio State
3. Oregon
4. Georgia
5. Indiana (reigning champion)
6. Notre Dame
7. Miami
8. Penn State
9. Oklahoma
10. BYU
2027 Recruiting Class Leaders
Early Composite Rankings
1. USC
2. Oklahoma
3. Ohio State
4. Notre Dame (2 commits Fri.)
5. Oregon
Big 12 Win Total Projections
Texas Tech: 10.5 (was 11.5)
BYU: ~9.5
Utah: ~8.5
Curated by JD · samwise.agency