The clearest takeaway: Nebraska has its quarterback. Anthony Colandrea is the unambiguous No. 1. His processing speed is exceptional, and his first step when deciding to run is equally quick. The UNLV transfer went 12-of-19 for 80 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception — solid numbers for a spring showcase, with the lone pick coming on an awkward throw to his left. He’s not Dylan Raiola, and that transition from Raiola to Colandrea will be something to keep an eye on as the 2026 season progresses.

The other revelation was freshman running back Jamal Rule. Rule sparked the comeback from a 14-6 halftime deficit with an explosive 75-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, finishing as the game’s leading rusher. The 6-foot, 205-pound back recorded over 120 rushing yards on 11 carries and would be a major surprise if he isn’t listed as the opening-day starter this fall.

The drama concluded fittingly: redshirt freshman Conor Booth sprinting 32 yards for the game-winning score on the final offensive play. The kind of moment that gives a fan base something to believe in.

And yet — the official attendance of 28,188 was the smallest spring game crowd since 2000. A chilly 46-degree kickoff, the basketball team’s March Madness run, and a growing “prove-it” mentality among fans were all cited as contributing factors. The talent on the field looked encouraging. Getting the stands to fill back up? That will be when the game versus the visiting Ohio University Bobcats kicks off on September 5th.

The post Nebraska’s Spring Game Reveals a New Identity — But Raises a Question appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Anthony Colandrea: the frontrunner

Colandrea arrived as the most NFL-seasoned option on paper, and spring reps have backed that up. He’s taken the bulk of first-team snaps, commanding the huddle and showing clean mechanics in Holgorsen’s tempo-based offense. Colandrea’s strengths are timing and anticipation — quick reads on shallow and intermediate concepts that keep drives moving — and a low turnover profile. Coaches appreciate his cadence control and pocket awareness when the pass rush is simulated. The biggest questions: consistent deep-ball accuracy and how he handles defined pressure packages from new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich.

T.J. Lateef: continuity and mobility

Lateef represents institutional knowledge and mobility. As a returning player, he’s comfortable with the offense’s terminology and has a rapport with the skill group built over the last few starts of the 2025 season. Spring has highlighted Lateef’s escape ability and downfield improvisation, which can flip stalled drives into chunk plays. His path to the starting job hinges on improving timing with first-team receivers, tightening ball placement on intermediate throws, and reducing decision-making lapses under scripted pressure. If the staff values dual-threat wrinkle plays and in-system chemistry, Lateef remains a credible alternative.

Daniel Kaelin: arm strength and fresh competition

Kaelin, a returning transfer with prototypical arm strength, offers a different look: power to push the field and the ability to drive the ball into tight windows. In spring, he’s been the most clearly projectable “big-arm” option, often flashing the downfield throws that can change a defense’s cover call. The trade-offs are consistency and processing speed against complex coverage shells. Kaelin’s spring aim is to show he can operate the tempo offense, hold up in blitz pickups and limit ill-timed turnovers that would stall rhythm.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said of Kaelin, “When Danny was away, I think some of his best friends were still on the team, and every time he was home, he was always around these guys. So I don’t think there was a person in the building that wasn’t glad to see Danny back here. To me, he’s the true definition of a Cornhusker. He grew up loving the state and program and it’s almost like he never left, to be quite honest with you.”.

What the staff is watching

Rhule and offensive coaches have been blunt: the job won’t be decided purely on spring practice reps. They’re measuring command of the huddle, third-down efficiency, red-zone decision-making, handling of two-minute scenarios, and protection-aware play under pressure. With Aurich’s defense installing aggressive blitzes and disguise, the QB who processes checks faster and keeps the offense on schedule will earn early-season trust. Leadership traits and minimizing negative plays (turnovers, penalties on the offense) are equal tiebreakers.

Spring game and fall projection

The March 28 spring game will be the first public barometer; it won’t settle everything but will reveal who can lead a game plan and sustain drives under semi-live conditions. If Colandrea maintains his current momentum — clean reads, quick releases, limited turnovers — he’s likely to open fall as the starter. Lateef can force a change by showing refined timing with the top receivers and consistent pocket decisions. Kaelin’s path is to demonstrate reliability running the system while continuing to showcase the big-play potential that could win coaches over.

Bottom line

Nebraska’s quarterback battle is less about a single immediate star and more about matching skills to Dana Holgorsen’s offensive identity. The staff will favor the QB who combines processing speed against complex coverage, ball security, and the ability to lead in-game tempo. Expect an evolving competition: a likely early nod to experience and minimize risk for Colandrea, but plenty of runway for Lateef or Kaelin to alter the depth chart before the season opener.

The post Nebraska’s Quarterback Battle Is An Early 2026 Spring Football Storyline appeared first on Saturday Glory.

1. Whew, That Was Close: Rutgers defeated Ohio University 34-31 and Nebraska defeated Cincinnati 20-17, in closer than expected games. In the words of Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, “There’s going to be a lot of good. There’s going to be a lot of things we want to correct…We’ll be in there tomorrow and start getting better for next week.”.
2. Pitching A Shutout: Wisconsin defeated Miami University 17-0, while Purdue defeated Ball State 31-0. Both Wisconsin and Purdue are coming off disappointing 2024 seasons, so winning their respective first games via shutouts probably provided a boost of confidence. Both Wisconsin and Purdue will need it, with both teams having among the most challenging 2025 schedules within The Big Ten.
3. Slugfest: Ohio State defeated Texas 14-7 in a game dominated by strong defensive performances by both teams. Reflecting on the first game of the 2025 season, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said, “When you start a season, you want to set the tone…There’s a lot of guys who are stepping into roles for the first time ever. And for these guys to step in and really have great energy about them, I thought they were poised. I thought the moment was not too big for them.”.
4. Happy With The Win, But There’s Room For Improvement: Minnesota defeated Buffalo 23-10, Michigan State defeated Western Michigan 23-6, Indiana defeated Old Dominion 27-14, Michigan defeated New Mexico 34-17, and Washington defeated Colorado State 38-21. While all of those teams won their games, each had their respective moments that their respective coaching staffs will be able to identify as areas to improve upon between week one and week two.
5. No Debate About The Dominance: Illinois throttled Western Illinois 52-3, Penn State overpowered Nevada 46-11, Oregon smashed Montana State 59-13, Maryland walloped Florida Atlantic 39-7, Iowa clobbered UAlbany 34-7, and USC crushed Missouri State 73-13. No matter how many words I could search instead of “defeated”, it was a perfect springboard of confidence for each of these teams to start off 2025 in a dominant fashion. Congratulations to Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, as he tied legendary Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes with his 205th victory. One more win for Ferentz and he will have the record to himself.
6. Back To The Drawing Board: As written up above, two of The Big Ten’s teams lost in week one. Tulane handled Northwestern 23-3, while Utah came into The Rose Bowl and never were threatened by UCLA, winning 43-10. Both the Wildcats and Bruins need to figure things out in a hurry to keep their respective 2025 seasons from spiraling downward.

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Summer is underway, and each passing day gets us closer and closer to the start of the college football season. June has prospective recruits visiting college campuses, July will have The Big Ten Media Days, and then August will have stories and news trickling out from teams about their respective depth charts are shaping up for the 2025 season.

While every team within The Big Ten has its share of non-conference opponents throughout the season, with most games falling in the first weeks of the season, the conference match-ups will start to materialize before the end of September. While not serving as elimination games, getting off to a good start within the conference can only help in the race for one of the coveted College Football Playoff berths.

September 20th: Michigan at Nebraska (3:30pm ET kickoff, CBS); Illinois at Indiana (Kickoff and network TBA)

Nebraska won the first two games versus Michigan as B1G opponents back in 2012 (Nebraska 23, Michigan 9) and 2013 (Nebraska 17, Michigan 13), but the Wolverines have been on the winning side of the ledger the last four times the teams have played, with Michigan decisively beating Nebraska 45-7 in Lincoln in 2023. For a program that earned its first bowl game visit since the 2016 season, this could be a barometer game for Matt Rhule and his coaching staff in seeing how far the Cornhuskers have come, and possibly how much further they may need to go to ascend to the level of the perceived conference elite.

Last season, the Indiana Hoosiers were the surprise team of The Big Ten, under their first year of coaching by Curt Cignetti. While Illinois had a tremendous 10-3 season under Bret Bielema in 2024, this game at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington could provide some clues as to how much either team will factor into the conference championship race.

September 27th: Ohio State at Washington/USC at Illinois (Kickoffs and networks TBA); Oregon at Penn State (7:30pm ET kickoff, NBC/Peacock)

Both Ohio State and Washington will begin their Big Ten conference schedules in this contest at Husky Stadium. This will be their first meeting as conference opponents, as Ohio State last visited Husky Stadium in 2007 (Ohio State 33, Washington 14) when Washington was still a member of The Pac-12. As Jedd Fisch begins his second year at the helm for Washington, this game against the defending national champions will be scrutinized to see how the program is developing. Ohio State will begin conference play in their first road trip of the 2025 season.

USC will be making their first trip to Champaign as a member of The Big Ten, as the Trojans easily handled Illinois 55-3 as a Pac-12 member back in 1996. USC will have already played at Purdue (September 13th, 3:30pm ET CBS/Paramount) and Michigan State (September 20th). It will be interesting to see how Illinois plays after the aforementioned game at Indiana on September 20th.

The most anticipated game of The Big Ten season in September is the night game featuring Oregon at Penn State. A rematch of last season’s Big Ten Championship Game, the Penn State faithful are understandably excited about a “White Out” contest against one of the premier Big Ten teams, and it will be interesting to see how Oregon handles what promises to be a raucous environment when the game kicks off. This will be the first time Oregon has played at State College since October 3, 1964, when the Ducks defeated the Nittany Lions, 22-14.

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Colorado and Nebraska both announced Monday that their Week 2 meeting on Sept. 7 will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CDT on NBC. It will be NBC’s first time broadcasting a game from Memorial Stadium since Thanksgiving Day in 1965.

READ: Joe Alt cherishes Notre Dame career, hopes to put ‘best foot forward’ with Los Angeles after No. 5 overall NFL Draft selection

Second-year head coaches Matt Rhule of Nebraska and Deion Sanders of Colorado will meet again after the Buffaloes earned a 36-14 win in Week 2 last season in Boulder. According to Sean Callahan of HuskerOnline via On3, that game drew more than eight million viewers. This fall, they’ll face one another in the first-ever evening matchup between the two programs at Memorial Stadium.

According to a Colorado release, NBC’s broadcast will be part of the Upfront program, which is “a presentation showcasing the network’s concentrated portfolio of sports, entertainment, news and streaming platforms to advertisers,” and it will pair with the network’s Week 1 broadcast of Fresno State–Michigan in Ann Arbor. Colorado was part of Upfront last season when it opened the campaign against TCU on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff.

READ: Former Penn State SAF King Mack transfers to Alabama

READ: Conference USA expanding to add Missouri State in 2025

Colorado and Nebraska’s history dates back to their time together in the Big 12 Conference — which the Buffaloes will rejoin this fall.

Nebraska has a 49-21-2 advantage in the all-time series, though Colorado has won all three meetings since moving to the Pac-12 Conference following the 2010 season. They’ve split the past six games at Memorial Stadium since 2002.

Sanders and Colorado had nine games not on regional or conference networks in 2023, marking the most in program history according to a release. September’s game against the Cornhuskers will also be the first time the Buffaloes are broadcast on NBC since the Fiesta Bowl in 1995.

Rhule and Nebraska are looking to build off a 5-7 record in their first year together in 2023. Quarterback Heinrich Haarberg, who started eight games last season and led the team with 967 passing yards and seven touchdowns, and the Cornhuskers were No. 9 in the Big Ten Conference averaging 312.8 total yards per game. They also appeared in primetime on NBC last season at Wisconsin in Week 12.

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Nebraska interim university president Chris Kabourek announced the hiring less than a week after previous athletics director Trev Alberts departed for Texas A&M.

READ: CFP, ESPN reach new media rights agreement

“Joining the Nebraska family is truly an honor,” Dannen stated in a release. “My family and I are humbled by the opportunity to be part of such a proud athletics program, institution, community and state. Growing up in Iowa, I watched a lot of Nebraska football on Saturdays with my family. I’ve spent a lot of time in the state and I’ve found that we share a similar approach to life, work and sports: Work hard, stay humble, compete and expect to win. There is a storied tradition at Nebraska, but more work to be done. I truly believe our best years are ahead of us. I couldn’t be more grateful to Interim President Chris Kabourek for this opportunity. Chris has championed an inspiring vision for excellence across the University of Nebraska and he and I are completely aligned on where Nebraska needs to go in the future. I look forward to doing my part to helping Nebraska win championships across the board, graduate our student-athletes and elevate the world-class reputation of the University of Nebraska. I can’t wait to arrive in Nebraska and get to work.”

Dannen was originally appointed Huskies athletics director in October 2023. He made the move from Tulane where he led an overhaul of the program.

Dannen had been athletics director at Tulane since 2015. He was part of the program when it reached three-consecutive bowl games from 2018-20 and won two straight.

READ: Reports: NCAA issues waiver increasing preseason roster size for 2024

Dannen was also in charge when Green Wave student-athletes earned a record-setting department Academic Progress Report of 992, according to a release.

Under Dannen’s guidance, Tulane secured “the largest unrestricted gift in Tulane Athletics history, an endowment gift which funds the operation of a new sport (sailing), and a $10 million lead gift for capital renovations, which is the second largest gift in department history,” according to a release.

“From my first conversation with Troy Dannen, I knew he was a perfect fit for Nebraska,” Kabourek stated in a release. “He is a fierce competitor, he holds himself and his programs to uncommonly high standards, and he cares personally about the success of student-athletes in sports, school and life. Troy sees the vision and momentum we have here at Nebraska, from our bold investments in facilities to our record success in the classroom to our bold plan to elevate our national reputation and competitiveness, and he is excited to be a part of it. I am thrilled that we’ve found someone who is 100% aligned with our high expectations and will be all-in on Nebraska. Husker Nation, we’ve found a winner in Troy Dannen. I can’t wait to welcome him and his family to Nebraska.”

READ: Reports: CFP deal extended through 2031 by conference commissioners, Notre Dame

Dannen previously served as director of athletics at Northern Iowa from 2008-15. Before that he was the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Executive Director for seven years.

“I’m so fired up about this hire,” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said. “Interim President Kabourek has found exactly the right person to lead the Huskers forward. Troy sees what we see – that Nebraska is a special place, with special people, a great vision and the courage to be unabashed about wanting to win across the board. The fact that someone of Troy’s caliber wants to join Team Nebraska will light a fire across our entire department. Let’s go!”

The post Nebraska hires Washington’s Troy Dannen as AD appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The Buckeyes are followed in the CFP rankings by No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Michigan and No. 4 Florida State. No. 5 Washington and No. 6 Oregon are right behind. 

PODCAST: Lance Leipold is the Exact Opposite of Deion Sanders

In somewhat of a surprise in the rankings, Oklahoma is No. 9 after suffering its first defeat of the season last week to No. 20 Kansas. The Sooners are behind No. 7 Texas, which they beat earlier this season. 

Also, Missouri checked in at No. 12, its highest CFP ranking since 2014. The Tigers were placed ahead of No. 14 LSU despite the Bayou Tigers having beaten Missouri already this season on the road. 

Here are several players and notes to keep a tab on in this week’s Big Board. 

Looking at the Big 12 Conference title picture 

The conference championship picture is coming into focus, albeit some are more clear than others. 

In the Big 12, there are five teams currently tied atop the standings: Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas. 

All five teams have a 4-1 record in conference play. The Beavers have the longest current winning streak at four games. 

No. 25 Kansas State and No. 7 Texas will meet on Saturday in a ranked showdown that will have big Big 12 conference title implications. Both enter on winning streaks of multiple games. And Texas has the edge with a 7-1 overall record to the Wildcats’ 6-2 mark. 

Conference records will matter when it comes to which teams will match up in the Big 12 title game. As it stands, Iowa State has a 5-3 record while each of the four teams it is tied with own better records. 

READ: Quotables: Week 9

Oklahoma and Texas could meet in a rematch come the end of the season. The Sooners topped the Longhorns 34-30 in Week 6. 

But the Sooners stumbled for the first time last week. They lost to a hot Kansas team that ran for four touchdowns, and the Jayhawks are bowl eligible for the second-straight season. 

There is still plenty to sort out with the Big 12 title picture, and the scene will get clearer this week. 

An update on the Michigan sign stealing investigation 

It appears there is still a long way to go in the alleged Michigan sign stealing investigation by the NCAA. 

According to Adam Rittenberg and Pete Thamel of ESPN, Central Michigan is “investigating photos that show a man resembling Michigan Wolverines staff member Connor Stalions on its sideline for the Sept. 1 opener at Michigan State.” 

Reports had surfaced whether or not Harbaugh had been offered an extension recently. According to Andrew Beaton and Rachel Bachman of the Wall Street Journal, “The University of Michigan has rescinded a new contract offer for head football coach Jim Harbaugh in the wake of a sign-stealing scandal.”  

Harbaugh said on Monday that it’s not accurate that Michigan rescinded a contract extension offer. 

Last week, head coaches around college football spoke on the topic of sign stealing and how prevalent it happens in the game. Some coaches, like Colorado’s Deion Sanders, said teams still have to stop opposing teams on the field of play even if the suspicion of stolen signs is there, and others, like Nebraska’s Matt Rhule, said sign stealing happens “every game” and he advocated for increased technology on the sidelines. 

Jordan Travis, Florida State 

An early season Heisman Trophy hopeful, Florida State’s Jordan Travis is seemingly clicking at just the right time for the Seminoles. 

Travis set new season-highs in a number of categories last week against Wake Forest. The fifth-year quarterback threw 359 yards including an 80-yard heave against the Demon Deacons. 

In the second quarter alone, Travis tossed three touchdown passes of at least 14 yards. He finished completing 62.9% of his passes, the fourth-best mark of the season for him. 

Travis currently has 2,109 passing yards and 18 passing touchdowns. His legs also serve as a valuable and dangerous weapon as he has 205 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and the latter is second-most at Florida State. 

READ: Reports: Iowa AD Goetz announces OC Brian Ferentz won’t return at end of season

The Seminoles are riding a 14-game winning streak dating back to last season, and they’ve done so largely thanks to their quarterback Travis. They have several more tests this season coming particularly against Miami and Florida to round out the regular season. 

Travis’ current Heisman odds are +750, which are the fifth-best odds according to FanDuel Sportsbook. 

The post Big Board: Week 10  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The NCAA launched an investigation into the University of Michigan football program into alleged sign stealing, and the Big Ten Conference released a statement Oct. 19 stating it was notified by the NCAA of the investigation. 

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Athletics director Warde Manuel and the Wolverines athletics department suspended football staff member Connor Stalions with pay on Oct. 20. Stalions was named in an ESPN report as the “person of interest in the investigation into whether No. 2-ranked Michigan violation an NCAA rule by scouting future opponents in person at games,” which has been prohibited since 1994. 

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Stalions bought tickets to “more than 30 games at 11 Big Ten schools over the past three years,” and “video evidence of sideline taping is expected to be sent to the NCAA this week, caught by stadium surveillance this year.” 

According to Marc Givler of Buckeye Huddle, Stalions also “purchased a ticket to a Clemson home football game during the 2022 regular season.” This shows that the scope of the alleged sign stealing extended beyond just the Big Ten. 

Thamel also reported that Stalions bought tickets for games among at least four schools outside the Big Ten, including the 2021 and 2022 Southeastern Conference Championship games. 

According to Will Hobson of The Washington Post, “an outside investigative firm approached the NCAA with documents and videos the firm said it had obtained from computer drives maintained and accessed by multiple Michigan coaches.” 

Furthermore, “Among the pieces of evidence the firm presented, those people said, was a detailed schedule of Michigan’s planned sign-stealing travel for the rest of this season, listing opponents’ schedules, which games Michigan scouts would attend and how much money was budgeted for travel and tickets to scout each team,” according to The Washington Post. 

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh released a statement Oct. 19, and it can be found below via ESPN. 

“I want to make it clear that I, and my staff, will fully cooperate with the investigation into this matter,” Harbaugh stated. “I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment. I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action. I do not condone or tolerate anyone doing anything illegal or against NCAA rules. No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules. Pursuant to NCAA rules, I will not be able to comment further while this investigation takes place.” 

According to Thamel on Thursday, NCAA enforcement staff “have been at the University of Michigan this week to look into the sign-stealing probe,” and Thamel posted that it is “an indication of the priority the case has taken.” 

What other coaches are saying about sign stealing in college football 

Sign stealing is prevalent in football. It happens at levels from youth all the way up to the professional ranks. 

Where it can be considered illegal and not part of the game extends beyond traditional methods of scouting. 

PODCAST: More big games set the week nine slate

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said he didn’t want to get into the investigation going on up at Michigan, instead choosing to focus on this week’s game at Wisconsin. 

“That’s just something I don’t want to get into right now,” Day said. 

But that doesn’t mean other coaches aren’t talking about sign stealing in college football. 

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders took an interesting approach when discussing the length and breadth of sign stealing in not just football but baseball, too. 

“I mean everyone’s trying to get an edge,” Sanders said. “I mean, everyone’s trying to get whatever edge they can. You could have someone’s whole game plan — they could mail it to you — you still got to stop it. You still got to stop it, so in football it’s not as pronounced as baseball. If I know a curveball is coming, I got you. With football I don’t give a darn if you know a sweep is coming. You still got to stop it. Physically. It’s a physical game. You got to stop it, so that’s a little tough. I don’t buy into a lot of that stuff that someone’s stealing, they’re stealing that. I don’t buy into a lot of that stuff. You still got to play the game.” 

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said “people are finding all different kinds of ways to prevent it and to try to gain a competitive advantage” when it comes to sign stealing. He said “with tempo and pace” it makes it difficult to decipher opposing signs, and there are individuals with signs shielding them on the sidelines from giving their opponents any sort of leg up. 

Venables said he’s sure sign stealing is part of college football, and that means coaches must be proactive. 

“I think you’d be naive and negligent if you’re always not aware of the potential,” Venables said. “That’s why, again, from whether it’s year to year or it’s week to week, since I’ve been coaching as long as there’s been signaling where you’re always on both sides of the ball, always changing up your signals and things of that nature. Even the hand signals on the field that the players will do amongst each other.” 

READ: Preview Thursday: Week 9

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart also spoke on the topic of sign stealing, and he recalled being with his father scouting opposing teams when he was younger. Here is Smart’s full quote. 

“I’ve never heard of anybody going to the games to watch and film and do all that, all the stuff that’s going on, everybody’s talking about,” Smart said. “I don’t know anybody that’s ever done that or I’ve never been asked to do that as a young coach or known anybody to do that. I’ve never heard of that. In high school football, I grew up my dad. We’d go watch other teams play. That was part of what you did. You didn’t watch the other team play. You sat out there with four other coaches and you drew up their plays while they were doing it. That’s pre-cell phone and probably pre-signals because they were sending people in or the coach with send them in with signals. That was a long time ago. But as far as in-game, I think people try to do that. It tries to go on. As a signal caller, when I had to call defenses it confused me if I had to sit there and try to wait on somebody to tell me what they thought they got and I’m trying to think about what the best call for this situation is. And you’re relying on misinformation or something that’s not very reliable. So I don’t, I don’t know. I mean, there’s times that people have said they’ve had our signals in-game and they knew this or that and you talk to the team that you played last and sometimes when you’re not going to play that team again, they share what they might have had on you and things like that so I’ve heard of it in-game. But a lot of times you can know the signal and still not do it right. It’s kind of a joke we have is you know what play is come in and you mess it up, and I’ve laughed with coaches about that before.” 

The Bulldogs also recently played Michigan during the College Football Playoff semifinals in the 2021 season. Georgia beat the Wolverines 34-11 during the Orange Bowl, and later went on to win the first of back-to-back national championships. 

Smart said he “didn’t notice anything or know anything” prior to the Orange Bowl when his team played Michigan.  

“Nobody we talked to warned us or any of that,” Smart said. “I think everybody we play they say, ‘They steal your signals.’ I mean, we play somebody they’re always like they’re great at stealing your signals. But what they’re referencing is different than stealing them. I mean they’re coming and they’re talking about people, someone, coming to film on that’s completely different, but we’ve tried to hide the signals, hold the calls, put signs up, do all that but there’s nothing I remember about the Michigan game that makes me think that.” 

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule has a unique lens into anything related to sign stealing. He spent parts of three seasons as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers in the NFL from 2020-22, and that came after head coaching stops at Temple and Baylor. 

Rhule was honest as he could be when discussing sign stealing, even noting that it happens “every game.” But what Rhule wanted to emphasize was the difference between sideline technology in the NFL compared to college football. 

Rhule, among other head coaches, wants to see helmet technology installed inside the quarterback’s helmet. Here is Rhule’s full quote. 

“Sign stealing happens every game,” Rhule said. “There’s nothing wrong with teams over there looking over trying to steal our signs. There’s nothing wrong with us trying to look at their signs. That’s why you should have mics in the helmets, right? Like all these coaches that vote against it every year, it’s because they don’t want to teach their quarterback. You know, in the NFL the quarterback goes out there with three play calls because if I see the free safety’s foot like that, it might be one-high, I’m going to check to this play, but you get the college and you’re watching the game on a Tuesday night and they got the signal and they’re just calling the play. So it’s what makes college football to me, it’s why they score more points, but it’s also why the kids are less prepared. So that’s why there should be, 100% should be (helmet technology). They could get rid of all the stupid signs on the sidelines and we could get pictures of rock stars and all that stuff and we could just play football the way it was meant to be. You go to a high school game, there’s technology on the sideline. You go to NFL game, there’s technology on the sideline. You go to a college, there’s nothing. It should be that. But that’s sign stealing. I would not carry that over to going and filming someone else’s practices or something like that or filming someone else’s games. That’s completely something different. I’m not saying that that happened. But I think what’s wrong partly in our society right now sometimes as we say someone does something against the rules, and sports need rules, right? Sports need rules to keep competitive balance, and when someone does something against the rules, we say, well, should that really even be a rule? And it is the rule. That’s the rule, right? Like I didn’t get to play with – we don’t get five downs. So but in-game, stealing of signs, when I play against somebody and I know that person has friends on the next staff, I know if they have our signs, they’re having it the next week, that’s all part of the game and you have to do what you do. We should absolutely have technology. But if there’s a rule, the rule should be followed. And I’m not speaking about what’s happening right now because I don’t know what happened. But if that is happening somewhere, it’s completely, completely wrong.” 

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And, similar to Smart, Rhule said he hasn’t heard nor suspected anything regarding the ongoing Michigan sign stealing investigation. 

“No one from the Big Ten or NCAA has asked me anything yet, so I’m not going to probably comment on anything like that,” Rhule said. “I would never want to cache to somebody else going through a hard time. I don’t know anything.” 

The post Head coaches react to sign stealing in college football appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The Associated Press Top 25 Poll has undergone changes to its top-4 each of the past two weeks. While Georgia and Michigan sit firmly at Nos. 1-2, respectively, the teams at Nos. 3-4 have shuffled. 

Florida State rose to No. 3 this week after claiming a second-consecutive victory by a 66-13 margin over Southern Mississippi. 

While Alabama fell to Texas, the Longhorns climbed into playoff territory at No. 4. 

Here are some noteworthy quotes as focus turns from Week 2 to Week 3.   

Phil Jurkovec, Pitt 

Pitt suffered a disappointing home loss to Cincinnati over the weekend, and the home fans made sure to let the Panthers know about it. 

The Panthers trailed by as many as 20 points during the game against the Bearcats. A comeback bid fell short as Pitt quarterback Phil Jurkovec threw two second-half touchdowns. 

Boos apparently rang through Acrisure Stadium to the disapproval of Jurkovec, who had a strong thought of his own about what he heard. 

“I think if you’re a grown a– man booing in that stadium, then you got to look at things yourself,” Jurkovec said. “I think that’s pathetic, but you know what we didn’t play well enough so we’re going to be better.” 

Nick Saban, Alabama 

The Crimson Tide suffered their first loss of the season to Steve Sarkisian, one of Saban’s former assistant coaches, and the Longhorns last Saturday. 

It marked Saban’s third loss to one of his former assistant coaches, and the win vaulted Texas up to No. 3 in the AP poll. 

One of the messages Saban wanted to make at his postgame press conference was that the Crimson Tide “appreciate the support” of the 100,077 fans in the stands at Bryant-Denny Stadium despite a 34-24 outcome. 

“I do think that there was a great atmosphere out there and our fans that a tremendous job,” Saban said. “We appreciate the support. It was fantastic, and you know, it’s a privilege to play in games like this. It’s a privilege to play at the University of Alabama. It’s a privilege to play where you have such great tradition. It’s a privilege to play where you have such great fan support, so we really appreciate it. Thank you.” 

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado 

The rivalry between Colorado and Nebraska is storied and real. 

This season, the Buffaloes have Deion Sanders and a transformed roster on their side while Matt Rhule took over head coaching duties at Nebraska. Colorado kept its momentum going and moved to 2-0 behind a 36-14 rout of the Cornhuskers. 

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw for 393 yards and two touchdowns in his performance one week after breaking the program record for passing yards among others. 

Shedeur Sanders said after the game that the meeting between the Buffaloes and Cornhuskers was “personal” to him, his team and his family. Below is his full quote. 

“It was extremely personal,” Shedeur Sanders said. “We go out there and warm up. You got the coach of the other team trying to stand in the middle of the buff like it’s OK. If like a couple players do it it’s fine. Like just enjoy the scenery but when you got the whole team trying to disrespect it, I’m not going for that at all so I went in there and disrupted it so they knew I was repping, like no. The Buffaloes mean a lot to me. And personally, that’s what I was seeing pregame and that’s when I knew it was just extreme disrespect and that’s why. The coach said a lot of things about my pops, about the program but now that he wants to act nice I don’t respect that because you’re hating on another man. You shouldn’t do that. So it was just all respect was gone for them and their program. Now I like playing against their DC. I like playing against him but the respect level, it ain’t there because you disrespected us first.” 

The post Quotables: Week 2 appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Typically a Wednesday Big Board will feature a number of players who received conference player of the week nods and even more statistical standouts who may’ve not made Monday’s stat pack. 

This week, topics on the Big Board include storylines surrounding the biggest angles in college football. 

Here are several notes to keep a tab on in this week’s Big Board. 

Sam Hartman and Caleb Williams 

Two quarterbacks may’ve started their Heisman Trophy campaigns last weekend. 

Hartman welcomed himself to Notre Dame after a decorated career at Wake Forest. He threw four touchdowns, two in each half, and piled on 251 passing yards. 

Williams reasserted himself as the defending Heisman winner, also throwing for four touchdowns and obtaining 278 yards through the air which rank third in the NCAA after Week 0. 

Hartman appeared to have a firm and confident handle on the Notre Dame playbook. Notre Dame remained balanced for much of the first half, compiling over 100 yards passing and rushing. He had an answer for a Navy defense that allowed Hartman to throw for at least four touchdowns for the 10^th time in his six-year career. 

Williams continued making highlight-reel plays during his season debut against San Jose State. He stood in the pocket and fired a laser to Arizona transfer receiver Dorian Singer for his first touchdown pass of the season, and later managed a muffed snap and turned it into a 76-yard score through the air to Tahj Washington. 

Williams’ elusiveness wasn’t as on display as much as he may’ve liked, going for –2 yards on eight attempts, and he had one outing last season that went for negative rushing yards. That stands to change as the season continues and as more games are added to Heisman Trophy-worthy resumes. 

Coaching debuts will steal the spotlight 

This week will be the week of head coaching debuts. 

Luke Fickell will debut at Wisconsin, Matt Rhule will take the lead at Nebraska and Deion Sanders will have head coaching duties at Colorado among this offseason’s coaching changes. 

Fickell will be the only one of the trio with the luxury of coaching at home. No. 19 Wisconsin hosts Buffalo of the American Athletic Conference, and the Badgers will trot Tanner Mordecai out at quarterback after he spent the past two seasons at Southern Methodist University. 

Rhule and Sanders will be on the road to begin their tenures as head coaches at their respective schools. Sanders will have the tall task of matching up against last season’s College Football Playoff National Championship runner-up in No. 17 TCU, and Rhule will have his sights on Huntington Bank Stadium in Minnesota for his first game at the college level after being relieved of his duties mid-year with the Carolina Panthers. 

Rhule said Nebraska will have one of its road game customs set to take place when the team travels to Minneapolis before the season opener Thursday. 

“We try to get there early. We’ll go see a movie most road games,” Rhule said. “I always feel bad for the people that are on the floor below us at the hotel because you have all these guys jumping around, but we wake them up and we’ll walk through and we’ll get some work in the middle of day and then show up and play the game.” 

Florida at No. 14 Utah 

Another Thursday game on tap is a rematch between the Gators and the ranked Utes. 

Last season, Florida took victory over a then-No. 7 Utah team that had came off a Rose Bowl appearance. The Gators outslugged the Utes 29-26 at home, and this time have the challenge of playing on the road at Utah to begin the season. 

“We have a ton of respect for Utah, and reality is I think anytime you go play on the road against a team that has consistency, that’s been a contender and really plays quality football, play a really good complementary brand of football, it is no doubt there’s challenges that come with this game,” head coach Billy Napier said. “We’ve always believed in having a formidable opponent early. I think it brings a certain level of urgency to training camp, and this will be a very competitive game.” 

Florida will have Graham Mertz under center at quarterback, solidifying his place on a new team after transferring from Wisconsin. 

After a 6-7 season under Napier a year ago, Florida aims to set out to repeat history against Utah and maintain momentum from a highly anticipated season-opener on Thursday. 

“I feel good about this group of players. I feel good about the work they’ve done. I feel good about the intangibles that we’ve built,” Napier said. “I think this group cares about each other. I think they’re living life the right way for the most part right now, and I think they’re highly motivated.”

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