Samwise College Football Newsletter
Monday, June 8, 2026
Big Ten, SEC Withhold Support for Protect College Sports Act After Cruz Meeting
The Big Ten and SEC emerged from a Thursday meeting with Sen. Ted Cruz unwilling to back the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act in its current form, releasing a joint statement acknowledging a productive conversation while reiterating opposition. The bill, co-sponsored by Cruz and Sen. Maria Cantwell, would codify the House v. NCAA settlement, establish federal NIL standards, a five-year eligibility rule, and a revenue-share floor. The two conferences cited unresolved concerns about NCAA enforcement authority, state law preemption, and a media rights pooling provision that SEC commissioner Greg Sankey had called potentially untenable. The bill needs 60 Senate votes to advance.
Sources: On3
EA Sports College Football 27 Revealed: PC Debut, Dynasty Overhaul, July 9 Launch
EA Sports unveiled College Football 27 on June 4, confirming the series' first-ever PC release alongside PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions launching July 9. The full reveal, streamed on EA's YouTube channel alongside Madden NFL 27, showcased the standard cover trio of Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney, and Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy. Dynasty Mode receives its biggest overhaul in decades, allowing players to pay coaches and upgrade facilities for the first time. A public beta ran June 4 through 7. EA College Football 26 was among the best-selling sports games in recent years.
Sources: TechTimes
LSU Tops CBS Sports' 2026 Buzz List as Kiffin, Notre Dame, Indiana Headline Offseason
CBS Sports named 10 teams generating the most momentum heading into the 2026 season on June 6, with LSU topping the list. Lane Kiffin, who signed a seven-year, $91 million deal to leave Ole Miss for LSU, assembled the nation's No. 1 transfer portal class, headlined by Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt and Colorado offensive tackle Jordan Seaton. Notre Dame followed closely, with quarterback CJ Carr entering 2026 as the betting favorite at FanDuel to become the first Irish Heisman winner since Tim Brown in 1987. Defending national champion Indiana and runner-up Miami also appear among the programs generating the most preseason momentum.
Sources: CBS Sports
UCLA Lands Top-50 OT Micah Smith to Cap Bruins' Dominant June
UCLA received the commitment of offensive tackle Micah Smith on June 7, the No. 46 prospect in ESPN's Top 300 rankings, capping a dominant recruiting stretch. First-year head coach Bob Chesney has overseen 17 commitments since April 1, including five SC Next 300 prospects, propelling UCLA two spots to No. 7 in ESPN's updated 2027 recruiting class rankings. Chesney's staff worked to get recruits on campus throughout spring practices, with those efforts yielding the consistent stream of commitments. Nationally, as official visit season enters full swing, nearly 60 percent of prospects ranked in the SC Next 300 for the 2027 class are already committed.
Sources: ESPN
Clemson Rockets from Unranked to No. 6 in ESPN 2027 Recruiting Class Rankings
Clemson shot from outside the ESPN recruiting rankings to No. 6 nationally for the 2027 class after a late-spring commitment blitz, per ESPN's June 4 rankings update. Dabo Swinney's staff recorded 22 verbal commits, with 15 pledging after May 17, including seven in just three days. The class includes eight ESPN Top 300 prospects, led by dual-threat quarterback Kharim Hughley, the No. 124 overall prospect and fifth-ranked dual-threat QB nationally. Texas A&M remains No. 1 overall, with the Aggies' class headlined by the nation's top offensive tackle, Mark Matthews, alongside five five-star commitments to anchor their haul.
Sources: The Clemson Insider, 247Sports
CBS Post-Spring 2026 Rankings
Off-season preview poll
1. Ohio State
2. Texas
3. Oregon
4. Notre Dame
5. Georgia
6. Indiana (def. champion)
7. Miami
8. LSU
2027 Recruiting Class Rankings
ESPN / Industry (as of June 4)
1. Texas A&M
2–5. Various programs
6. Clemson ↑ (from unranked)
7. UCLA ↑
8. Ohio State ↓ (from No. 5)
Official visit season underway
Curated by JD · samwise.agency