Samwise College Football Newsletter
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy Released from Hospital After Shooting, Return to 2026 Season Possible
Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy, who led all Power Four rushers last season with 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns, was shot in the upper leg during an outdoor concert in Laurel, Mississippi, early Sunday morning. Hardy underwent emergency surgery and was discharged from the hospital Tuesday, returning to the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute to begin rehabilitation. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz addressed reporters after Hardy's discharge, saying there remains an opportunity the star back could return for the 2026 season. “We won't know those answers for a few weeks,” Drinkwitz said. Hardy had been expected to be one of the SEC's top offensive weapons heading into fall camp.
Sources: On3, Jefferson City News-Tribune
ACC, Big 12 Back 24-Team CFP Expansion; SEC Holds Firm at 16 as Playoff Showdown Looms
The push to expand the College Football Playoff to 24 teams gained significant momentum Tuesday as ACC coaches and athletic directors voiced unanimous support at the conference's spring meetings near Jacksonville, Florida. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark also confirmed his conference's backing. With the Big Ten already on board, three of the four Power Four conferences now favor expansion. The SEC remains the lone holdout, with commissioner Greg Sankey backing a 16-team format. The SEC's spring meetings are scheduled for late May, meaning any decision could not take effect before the 2027 season, as the current 12-team CFP bracket is locked in for 2026.
Sources: CBS Sports, The Clemson Insider
Lane Kiffin Apologizes for Vanity Fair Comments About Racial History of Ole Miss Recruiting
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin issued an apology Tuesday for remarks published in Vanity Fair about recruiting at Ole Miss. In the profile, Kiffin described encountering resistance from Black families reluctant to send players to Oxford because of the state's racial history, contrasting it favorably with Baton Rouge. After swift backlash — including from former Rebel defensive tackle Jerrell Powe, who accused Kiffin of profiting off Black players before departing for a conference rival — Kiffin clarified via On3. “I really apologize if anybody at Ole Miss or in Mississippi was offended by that,” he said. Kiffin now enters 2026 with a heavily invested NIL roster at LSU.
Sources: Larry Brown Sports, NOLA.com
Sarkisian Calls Out Ole Miss Academics With ‘Basket Weaving’ Jab, Piling On After Kiffin Controversy
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian drew sharp attention Tuesday after calling out Ole Miss's academic standards in a USA Today interview. Speaking about the Longhorns' strict policy requiring transfer players to maintain half their original credit hours toward their degrees, Sarkisian contrasted Texas with what he described as laxer rivals. “At Ole Miss, they can take you. All you have to do is take basket weaving, and you can get an Ole Miss degree,” he said. The comment arrived the same day LSU's Lane Kiffin apologized for his own controversial Ole Miss remarks, compounding what became an exceptionally difficult news cycle for the Rebels.
Sources: Larry Brown Sports, USA Today
Iowa Returns a Legend: 87-Year-Old Tom Moore Hired as Senior Offensive Consultant by Hawkeyes
Iowa hired legendary NFL offensive coordinator Tom Moore as senior consultant to the head coach and offensive advisor Tuesday, giving new Hawkeyes head coach Matt Campbell one of football's most decorated minds in his corner. Moore, who turns 88 in November, played quarterback at Iowa from 1958 to 1960 before embarking on a coaching career spanning six decades. He is best known for 12 seasons as Peyton Manning's offensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts, a tenure that included a Super Bowl championship. Moore holds four Super Bowl titles across a career that spanned nine NFL franchises. This marks his first college coaching role since 1976.
Sources: Larry Brown Sports
Post-Spring Top 10 (Pre-Season)
AP Poll Begins August — CBS Sports Ranking
1. Texas
2. Ohio State
3. Oregon
4. Georgia
5. Notre Dame
6. Indiana (def. champ)
7. LSU
8. Alabama
9. Michigan
10. USC
2026 Season Favorites
SEC
Texas — projected No. 1
Georgia, Alabama, LSU close behind
Big Ten
Ohio State — +180 title odds
Indiana (def. champ) — +250
Big 12
Oklahoma (QB John Mateer)
ACC
Clemson, Florida State, Miami
Curated by JD · samwise.agency