Samwise College Football Newsletter
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Paramount+ Greenlights Texas Tech Football Docuseries Amid Sorsby Saga
Paramount+ has greenlit a four-episode docuseries on Texas Tech football, set to premiere ahead of the 2026 season. Directed by Micah Brown — known for Coach Prime and Untold: Sign Stealer — and produced by Skydance Sports and Second Wind Creative, filming began in January. Skydance Sports Senior VP of Unscripted Greg Groggel stated: “This has proven to be a landscape-altering offseason and we’ve been lucky to have a front row seat.” Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt welcomed the production, which chronicles coach Joey McGuire’s Red Raiders through the tumultuous Brendan Sorsby saga — including a gambling addiction, a withdrawn NCAA lawsuit, and the NFL’s rejection of his Supplemental Draft petition.
Rivals Summer Signing Day: Nine Prospects Announce Live on July 1
Nine top prospects will announce college commitments live on July 1 as part of Rivals Summer Signing Day, a four-hour special on the Rivals YouTube channel from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT, presented by Autotrader. Headlining the event: No. 44 nationally 4-star cornerback Hayden Stepp (Alabama, Cal, Oregon) at 2:45 p.m.; No. 70 4-star athlete Tae Walden Jr. (Auburn, LSU, Georgia, Ole Miss, Oregon) at 2:30 p.m.; and 4-star safety Jayden Anding (LSU, Ole Miss) at 12:30 p.m. Also in the lineup: 4-star CB Brandon Sherrard (LSU, Oklahoma, Texas) at 11:20 a.m. and 4-star EDGE Marquis Evans (Auburn, Florida, Miami, South Carolina, Tennessee) at 11:35 a.m.
Joel Klatt Names Top 10 Games That Will Shape the 2026 Season
Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt released his top 10 college football games that will shape the 2026 season, led by two Week 2 blockbusters: Oklahoma at Michigan — where new Wolverines coach Kyle Whittingham faces his first crack at a monster game — and Ohio State at Texas, a rematch of last year’s season opener. Klatt also highlighted LSU at Ole Miss in Week 3, calling Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford ‘incredible,’ along with Ohio State at Indiana (Week 7), where defending national champion Indiana is 15-0 at home under Curt Cignetti, and the season-closing Michigan at Ohio State — ‘The Game’ — in Week 13.
Rivals Summer Commitment Guide: Decisions Coming in Waves for Top Recruits
Rivals is tracking more than two dozen top 2027 recruits with announced commitment dates through late July as the summer decision wave heats up. Headlining July 1: No. 12 nationally 5-star cornerback Joshua Dobson (Texas A&M the RPM favorite), No. 44 CB Hayden Stepp (Oregon), and No. 70 athlete Tae Walden Jr. (Oregon). Looking further ahead: No. 9 5-star running back David Gabriel Georges commits July 22, with Ohio State the RPM favorite, as does No. 129 defensive lineman Karlos May on July 18. June 29 brought fresh commitments: 4-star DL Marcus Fakatou to Ohio State and 3-star LB Weston Port to Michigan.
Texas Lands In-State 2027 Defensive Lineman Jason Johnson
Texas continues to stack talent in its top-10 recruiting class, landing a commitment Monday from in-state 2027 defensive lineman Jason Johnson out of Atascocita in Humble, Texas. Johnson, listed at 6-foot-3, 280 pounds, chose the Longhorns over LSU, Houston, Cal, and SMU. Ranked No. 42 at his position nationally and No. 59 overall in Texas, Johnson posted 29 solo tackles, 21 assisted tackles, eight tackles for loss, five passes broken up, and an interception as a junior last fall. “Texas is a great program, full of tradition and development,” he told Rivals. Position coach Kenny Baker and head coach Steve Sarkisian were driving forces in landing the commitment.
2025-26 Season
National Champion
🏆 Indiana Hoosiers
Head Coach: Curt Cignetti
Off-Season Note
Pre-season 2026 rankings release in August
Top 2027 Uncommitted Prospects
July Decision Window
No. 9 David Gabriel Georges (RB) — Jul 22
No. 12 Joshua Dobson (CB) — Jul 1
No. 44 Hayden Stepp (CB) — Jul 1
No. 70 Tae Walden Jr. (ATH) — Jul 1
No. 90 Khalil Taylor (WR) — Jul 6
Curated by JD · samwise.agency