Samwise College Football Newsletter
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Notre Dame, USC Announce Four-Game Rivalry Series to Begin in 2030
Notre Dame and USC have agreed to revive one of college football’s most celebrated rivalries, announcing a four-game series beginning in 2030. The first game — a season-opening Week 1 matchup — will be played at USC’s Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with a 2031 return trip to South Bend. Dates and locations for the 2032 and 2033 games will be announced separately but are expected to fall in the opening month of their respective seasons. The programs had met annually since 1946, interrupted only by a COVID-related pause in 2020, before the series lapsed following a failed attempt to schedule a 2026 meeting.
Sources: CBS Sports
UNC Football GM Michael Lombardi Placed on Paid Administrative Leave
North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi has been placed on paid administrative leave, the university confirmed Monday. The UNC Office of University Counsel is investigating an HR complaint involving Lombardi, who earns approximately $1.5 million annually in his role as the Tar Heels’ football general manager. Lombardi, a longtime NFL executive, joined the UNC program as part of an initiative to incorporate professional-style football operations at the college level. The university did not publicly disclose the nature of the complaint. North Carolina is preparing to open fall training camp this week.
CBS Sports 2026 SEC Coach Rankings: Kirby Smart Leads, Kiffin and Sarkisian Featured
CBS Sports released its 2026 SEC head coach rankings on Monday, placing Georgia’s Kirby Smart atop the league as programs begin opening fall training camps. Lane Kiffin — who departed Ole Miss for LSU this offseason — and Texas’ Steve Sarkisian also received prominent mention in the annual coach-by-coach rankings covering all 16 SEC programs. The preseason assessment positions Smart as the clear leader among SEC head coaches entering the season, a placement that reflects Georgia’s continued standing near the top of college football’s most competitive conference. The full rankings are available at CBS Sports.
Sources: Saturday Down South / CBS Sports
Illinois Opens Fall Camp With 56 New Players Among 110 on Roster
Illinois officially opened fall training camp on Monday under head coach Bret Bielema, beginning the first of 25 scheduled practices for the 2026 season. The Illini’s 110-player roster includes 56 newcomers — more than half of the team — who joined the program over the offseason. Illinois is among the first programs to begin fall camp as preseason preparations open across college football this week. The Illini open the 2026 season on September 3 against Alabama-Birmingham, giving Bielema just under a month of practice time to integrate a heavily overhauled roster before Week 1.
Sources: Ford County Chronicle
Rivals300 No. 1 QB Christopher Vargas Sets Commitment Date, One School Trending
Christopher Vargas, the No. 1-ranked quarterback in the 2028 recruiting class per the Rivals300, announced Monday that he has set a commitment date for his college decision. Recruiting analysts at Rivals report that one school has emerged as the frontrunner heading into the announcement, though the identity of that program has not been publicly disclosed. Vargas is the nation’s top-ranked quarterback prospect in his class and has drawn attention from programs around the country. His commitment announcement is expected to be one of the more significant recruiting decisions in the early 2028 class cycle.
Sources: Rivals / On3
2026 AP Preseason Top 10
1. Ohio State (52 first-place votes)
2. Georgia (8)
3. Texas (2)
4. Penn State
5. Alabama
6. Notre Dame
7. Oregon
8. Michigan
9. Tennessee
10. Clemson
Conference Preseason Leaders
SEC
Georgia — #2 overall
Texas — #3 overall
Alabama — #5 overall
Big Ten
Ohio State — #1 overall
Penn State — #4 overall
Oregon — #7 overall
Season begins Sept. 3 — no conference records yet
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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