A new report reveals that there is a push within college sports that could benefit schools like Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Duke in future years.

College sports have changed in a major way during this decade. Throughout the history of the NCAA, the only way to build an elite program — beyond high level coaching — was in recruiting. Coaches and their staff had to be just as gifted in identifying and recruiting high school players as they were at X’s and O’s.

However, with the introduction of name, image, and likeness rules, schools that have big pots of money in NIL collectives now have more influence than ever. The effect NIL deals have had on recruiting from the high school ranks and the transfer portal have been positive for schools like Notre Dame, Ohio State, St. John’s, and Duke in recent years.

But a different option to improve rosters may be broadened soon. On Tuesday, CBS Sports revealed that 16 national coaches associations wrote the NCAA Division I Board of Governors to change decades-long eligibility requirements for athletes from junior college schools.

Also Read: Rumors grow that Cooper Flagg will bypass NBA Draft to stay at Duke, but NBA insider details why that’s unlikely

Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Duke could have more roster building options from JUCO ranks soon

Currently, junior college athletes are required to have a 2.5 grade-point average if they hope to switch to an NCAA school. But players transferring between other four-year schools only need to have a 2.0 GPA to transfer.

It must be noted that the coaches’ associations for football and men’s and women’s basketball were not a part of the letter. However, CBS Sports speculates they could be having separate conversations about the topic with the NCAA.

The letter suggests JUCO athletes are being discriminated against under the current standards. The major contentions in the current guidelines can be found below.

• Academic non-qualifiers at a four-year school can regain eligibility after one academic year if they achieve a 1.8 GPA over 24 credit hours. A non-qualifying junior college athlete who graduates with a two-year degree must have 48 transferrable credit hours. And at least a 2.5 GPA to transfer.
• Transfers between four-year schools have guaranteed scholarships for the remainder of their five-year eligibility clock. Junior college transfers are not guaranteed scholarships for the length of their NCAA eligibility.
• Athletes in various sports are allowed a limited number of scrimmages. Think of baseball and softball participating in “fall ball” before the spring season. If junior college athletes participate in more than two scrimmages at the junior-college level before transferring, that counts as a season of competition.

The JUCO ranks can offer some very talented players. Widening the pathway for their move to the NCAA would certainly help Duke, Notre Dame, St. John’s, Ohio State and hundreds of other programs around the country.

Also Read: St. John’s basketball coach Rick Pitino reveals what could lure him out of NYC amid Indiana Hoosiers rumors

More must-reads:

• College football insider details why Penn State and LSU have won the CFB offseason so far
• Penn State and Ohio State among rumored schools emerging as serious contender for elite receiver recruit
• Poll of college football coaches and execs claims Oklahoma football landed Baker Mayfield clone in transfer portal

In the mind of one notable college football insider, the Penn State Nittany Lions and LSU Tigers have been the winners of the offseason as we close in on the spring.

While Penn State and LSU are two of college football’s biggest brands, the programs had very different results in 2024. The Nittany Lions came up one win short of reaching the National Championship game. LSU, on the other hand, took a step back in year three for Brian Kelly by finishing 9-4.

Related: Penn State and Ohio State among rumored schools emerging as serious contender for elite receiver recruit

Despite the differences in how their seasons ended, both programs were expected to be active this offseason to bolster and improve their rosters and coaching staffs. Well, on Monday CBS Sports college football insider John Talty explained why he believes the Tigers made some major moves that make them one of the biggest winners of the offseason thus far.

“Other than the significant blow of losing No. 1 overall recruit Bryce Underwood to Michigan, LSU may have had the best offseason of any program. You can even argue losing Underwood and the requisite money it would have taken to sign him allowed LSU to be more aggressive (and successful) in the portal,” Talty wrote. “The Tigers signed the No. 1 transfer class, headlined by three top 15 transfers in Oklahoma receiver Nic Anderson, Florida State edge-rusher Patrick Payton and Northwestern offensive lineman Josh Thompson.

“Beyond simply upgrading the player talent, Kelly also added multiple veteran coaches like former Florida State offensive coordinator Alex Atkins and former Miami defensive coordinator Lance Guidry. Add all that plus QB Garrett Nussmeier’s return and there’s reason to feel bullish about a resurgence in Baton Rouge.”

• LSU record (2024): 9-4 (5-3 in the SEC)

Could Penn State be third straight Big Ten team to win a National Championship?

However, LSU isn’t the only big winner this offseason. Talty believes a case could be made that Penn State has a chance to be the third straight Big Ten school to win it all next season.

“James Franklin pulled off perhaps the biggest staffing coup of the offseason when he swiped defensive coordinator Jim Knowles away from national champion Ohio State,” Talty wrote. “It was a strong response to losing Tom Allen to Clemson and showed how intent Penn State is in putting serious resources behind the program. So, too, did retaining stars like quarterback Drew Allar, running back Nick Singleton and defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton.

• Penn State record (2024): 13-3 (8-1 in the Big Ten)

“After back-to-back “Last Dance” style approaches working for Big Ten programs, could Penn State be the third in a row to win it all? We’d still like to see Penn State add at least one more viable, proven receiver to the mix, especially after losing Harrison Wallace to Ole Miss, but it’s been a very good offseason in State College.”

PSU fans will be hoping Talty is on to something with his thoughts about the Lions’ title potential.

Related: LSU, Ohio State and Texas Tech considered huge winners in recent transfer portal window by college football coaches and execs

More must-reads:

• Schools like Notre Dame, Ohio State, Duke and St. John’s could soon have easier route to land elite transfers
• Penn State and Ohio State among rumored schools emerging as serious contender for elite receiver recruit
• Poll of college football coaches and execs claims Oklahoma football landed Baker Mayfield clone in transfer portal

A new report claims that Big Ten rivals Penn State and Ohio State are among the programs that are strong candidates to land one of the best wide receiver recruits in the nation.

This past season was very productive for both the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions. As the pair of storied football programs posted their best win totals in this century after making deep runs into this year’s college football playoffs.

Also Read: Ohio State, LSU and Texas Tech considered huge winners in recent transfer portal window by college football coaches and execs

In the end, Ohio State reigned supreme over college football when they were able to defeat Notre Dame in the National Championship game. A Notre Dame team that was able to overcome Penn State in the semifinals of the tournament.

With the 2024 season in the rearview, both programs are now focused on bolstering their rosters for next season and beyond. And it seems that the two powerhouse schools are serious contenders for one of the top 2026 recruits in the nation.

Penn State and Ohio State’s stock on the rise with 4-star recruit Messiah Hampton?

“No official visits are set yet, but Miami, Penn State, Ohio State and Syracuse have a great chance at getting one,” Messiah Hampton told On3.com reporter Chad Simmons Wednesday. “Those schools make me feel special and I believe in their coaches, how they develop players and I have good relationships with coaches on each staff.”

The James Monroe High School star is viewed as the best receiver prospect in New York state and has been rising up various recruiting boards over the last few months. The six-foot receiver created a lot of buzz during 2024 and has garnered far more interest from schools around the country.

The Rochester native brings high-end speed, strong route-running, good hands and is ranked as a 4-star recruit on many sites. He would be a huge addition for either Penn State or Ohio State on their 2026 roster.

Also Read: New rumor suggests Ohio State, Georgia Bulldogs on verge of losing elite QB recruit to Oregon Ducks

More must-reads:

• Poll of college football coaches and execs claims Oklahoma football landed Baker Mayfield clone in transfer portal
• Ohio State, LSU and Texas Tech considered huge winners in recent transfer portal window by college football coaches and execs
• Oregon Ducks and Georgia Bulldogs reportedly leading for coveted five-star 2026 recruit

A recent poll of college football coaches and executives suggested that not only did the Oklahoma football program land the best quarterback in December’s transfer portal, but they got a player very similar to program legend Baker Mayfield.

Two-time Heisman Trophy Winner Baker Mayfield will go down as, arguably, the greatest player in the storied history of the Oklahoma football program. During his three seasons leading the Sooners offense, the team never won less than 11 games and lost just twice in the conference.

Following his departure after the 2017 season, the program has struggled to maintain the same level of dominant and consistent play. Sure, they have had some good seasons in the years since. But it has also been mixed with some very down years. Including a pair of 6-7 seasons in two of the last three years. That just won’t do, especially now that they are in a stacked SEC.

That is why the Oklahoma football program looked to address their biggest need in the transfer portal in December. And it seems many around college football believe they may have brought in a 2025 version of program legend Baker Mayfield.

• Oklahoma Sooners record (2024): 6-7

Oklahoma football program showered with praise for adding John Mateer

In December, it was reported that the Sooners had landed one of the best players available in the transfer portal. Washington State quarterback John Mateer. This week, The Athletic released a report where they got opinions from various college football coaches and executives about some of the best moves during the transfer window. And it seems many are high on the Mateer acquisition.

“Mateer from Washington State. He’s more Baker,” a Power 4 cornerbacks coach told the outlet. “I just feel you’ve got to be able to improvise and throw it off rhythm and make s— happen in that conference. … Mateer is more of a fit to make them competitive in the SEC.”

• John Mateer stats (2024): 3,139 passing yards, 826 rushing yards, 44 total touchdowns, 164.1 passer rating

“He still has some areas to get better at. His passing game, he can get better there, but he can extend, he’s tough, he’s a gamer, he’s smart. So I don’t see why he won’t be able to put it all together,” a Power 4 director of player personnel added.

Oklahoma football fans will be hoping Mateer is indeed the player that brings them back to prominence in 2025.

More must-reads:

• Penn State and Ohio State among rumored schools emerging as serious contender for elite receiver recruit
• Ohio State, LSU and Texas Tech considered huge winners in recent transfer portal window by college football coaches and execs
• Oregon Ducks and Georgia Bulldogs reportedly leading for coveted five-star 2026 recruit

A new report of opinions from coaches and executives around college football declared the Ohio State Buckeyes, LSU Tigers and Texas Tech Red Raiders as the big winners in the recent college football transfer portal window.

Recruiting has always been a huge part of roster development in college football. It is the biggest part of long-term development, especially with the growing influence of NIL money. However, for programs looking for immediate gains, the transfer portal has become the amateur ranks version of what free agency is in pro sports.

Related: Ohio State Buckeyes QB Tavien St. Clair generating buzz, draws lofty comparison to All-American

Doing well in the transfer portal can turn a good program into a legitimate college football playoff contender in just a few signatures. And we have seen its results in recent years with teams like Florida State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.

The most recent transfer portal window was in December, immediately after the 2024 regular season came to a close. And a new report of major opinions from The Athletic reveals that Ohio State, LSU, and Texas Tech are seen by many around the sport as schools that did very well during the December transfer window.

Did Ohio State boost chances of National Championship repeat in December transfer portal?

“Ohio State did a great job. They just get really, really good quality,” a Power 4 director of player personnel told the outlet. “They’re very efficient with what they need in the portal. [They] took some surefire guys and helped the areas they needed.”

“Ohio State, to me, killed,” said a Power 4 general manager. However, the Buckeyes were not alone in receiving a lot of praise.

“Texas Tech and LSU, you could tell they’re going all-in,” a Group of 5 head coach claimed. “LSU’s committed to not just making the Playoff with what they’ve done but to winning the whole thing.”

“Texas Tech, they might have overspent for some kids, but that’s relative. If a guy becomes who you wanted him to become, is it really overspending?” a former Power 4 scouting director also told The Athletic. A Power 4 receivers coach added the Red Raiders “came out of nowhere” with the level of talent they were able to get in December’s transfer portal.

Related: New rumor suggests Ohio State, Georgia Bulldogs on verge of losing elite QB recruit to Oregon Ducks

More must-reads:

• Penn State and Ohio State among rumored schools emerging as serious contender for elite receiver recruit
• Poll of college football coaches and execs claims Oklahoma football landed Baker Mayfield clone in transfer portal
• Oregon Ducks and Georgia Bulldogs reportedly leading for coveted five-star 2026 recruit

The Georgia Bulldogs and Oregon Ducks are two of the best programs in college football but they’ve only gone head-to-head twice on the field, most recently in 2022. While there’s hope for a potential clash in the College. Football Playoff next season, the two powerhouse programs are currently battling for five-star recruits.

In 2025, Georgia finished second in the 247 Sports recruiting rankings with Oregon placing fifth. With National Signing Day in the rearview mirror, focus has turned towards the 2026 recruiting class with the Ducks currently boasting the second-best class while the Bulldogs lag in 17th. However, significant movement could be on the horizon with a five-star commitment.

Related: Georgia Bulldogs, Oregon Ducks battling for five-star QB

Already engaged in recruiting battles for five-star running back Savion Hiter and four-star tight end Mark Bowman, along with numerous recruits on the other side of the ball, the Bulldogs and Ducks are also reportedly the front-runners for a standout lineman.

On3.com‘s Steve Wiltfong provided the latest college football recruiting intel on the top five-star recruits in 2026 and other coveted players. One of the best prospects, offensive lineman Jackson Cantwell, is currently viewed as having Oregon and Georgia at the front of the race for his commitment.

“We continue to feel the Bulldogs and Ducks are setting the pace. Cantwell’s best head coach relationship is with Dan Lanning and his best position coach connection is with Stacy Searels (Georgia OL coach).”

On3.com’s Steve Wiltfong on where the Oregon Ducks, Ohio State Buckeyes stand with Jackson Cantwell

Also Read: 2025 NFL mock draft, see where Georgia Bulldogs and Oregon Ducks stars land

Cantwell, rated by On3.com as the No. 1 player in the 2026 recruiting class, has narrowed down his list of programs to six. While Oregon and Georgia are the front-runners, there is still strong competition from the Miami Hurricanes, Missouri Tigers, Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines. Importantly, per WIltfong, Cantwell is expected to commit before his senior season kicks off.

Standing at 6-foot-6, Cantwell has both the size and athleticism to develop into a future top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. With his physical tools and advanced feel for the position, he could develop into an All-American left tackle for whatever program he chooses by 2028.

Also Read:: Ohio State Buckeyes QB Tavien St. Clair generating buzz, draws lofty comparison to All-American

More must-reads:

• Penn State and Ohio State among rumored schools emerging as serious contender for elite receiver recruit
• Poll of college football coaches and execs claims Oklahoma football landed Baker Mayfield clone in transfer portal
• Ohio State, LSU and Texas Tech considered huge winners in recent transfer portal window by college football coaches and execs

The Ohio State Buckeyes secured five-star quarterback recruit Tavien St. Clair in December, adding one of the five best players in the nation to a top-five recruiting class. Just months after stepping onto campus, the Ohio native is already making an impression on the Buckeyes coaching staff.

St. Clair made a name for himself at Bellefontaine High School. After completing 70.6 percent of his pass attempts with over 3,000 passing yards and 37 touchdowns as a junior, the 6-foot-4 quarterback drew national attention. He became an Elite 11 finalist, winning the accuracy competition last summer, cementing himself as one of the best quarterback recruits in his class.

Also Read: 2025 NFL mock draft, see where Ohio State Buckeyes stars land

• Tavien St. Clair stats (2024): 2,536 passing yards, 29 touchdowns in 11 games

He had been on the Buckeyes’ radar long before that, receiving an offer on May 24, 2023. One month later, St. Clair committed to his dream school on June 21 and he stuck with that commitment to signing day in December 2024.

Multiple outlets, including Rivals.com and 247Sports.com, believed that St. Clair’s best comparison is former Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields. It’s a lofty comp, given. FIelds was a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and earned second-team All-American honors in 2019. Early into practices, though, it seems the Buckeyes coaching staff is seeing the same thing with some glimpses of an even better skill set from the freshman quarterback.

• Justin Fields college stats: 5,373 passing yards 63-9 TD-INT, 68.4% completion rate, 867 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns in 22 starts with Ohio State Buckeyes

Pete Nakos of On3.com wrote about true freshmen who were already generating buzz early into the offseason with their teams. Among the multiple freshmen standouts highlighted on the Buckeyes roster, one Ohio State official mentioned St. Clair as a standout with one thing he does better than Fields.

“We’ve heard a lot of the Justin Fields comparison before [quarterback] Tavien [St. Clair] got here and once he got here. I think he can spin it a little better, but physically he has similar traits.

Anonymous program official to On3.com on Ohio State Buckeyes QB Tavien St. Clair

Related: Ohio State Buckeyes QB target narrows down to 2 finalists

With Buckeyes starting quarterback Will Howard entering the 2025 NFL Draft, there is a competition to replace him in 2025. While St. Clair will be given a shot to win the job, Julian Sayin is the favorite right now.

However, it should only be a matter of time until St. Clair sees the field and the buzz regarding his physical tools, work ethic and the early progress he’s made all bode well for him to become Ohio State’s next All-American quarterback.

Also Read:: New rumor suggests Michigan football spent huge money to continue win streak over Ohio State in 2025

More must-reads:

• Penn State and Ohio State among rumored schools emerging as serious contender for elite receiver recruit
• Poll of college football coaches and execs claims Oklahoma football landed Baker Mayfield clone in transfer portal
• Ohio State, LSU and Texas Tech considered huge winners in recent transfer portal window by college football coaches and execs

Nashville Christian School quarterback Jared Curtis is one of the top players in the 2026 recruiting class, holding scholarship offers from dozens of programs and on the verge of becoming the latest prized recruit to land a huge NIL deal. Months out of his final year of high school, Curtis has narrowed down his choices of college football programs to two schools.

Curtis is coming off a breakout season which sent him skyrocketing up college football recruiting rankings. In 2025, he won Tennessee’s Gatorade Player of the Year and earned the state’s Mr. Football honors. He then capped off his junior campaign with a state championship.

Related: College Football News, Rumors

With the Tennessee Volunteers already boasting a commitment from quarterback Faizon Brandon, the No. 1 overall player in the 247 recruiting rankings for 2026, Curtis will likely not be playing college ball in his home state. However, he is choosing between two perennial national championship contenders.

• Jared Curtis 247: 7th overall player, 3rd QB in 2026 recruiting class

According to Hayes Fawcett of On3.com, the Oregon Ducks and Georgia Bulldogs are the two finalists to land Curtis as part of the 2026 recruiting class. This comes in the wake of the quarterback canceling planned visits with the University of South Carolina and Auburn University.

Related: 2025 NFL mock draft, see where college football stars land

• Jared Curtis stats (MaxPreps): 2,830 passing yards, 70.2% completion rate, 40-3 TD-INT ratio, 15.8 yards per completion, 141.5 QB rating, 637 rushing yards

Curtis, 6-foot-4, originally committed to the University of Georgia in March 2024. However, he recommitted in March with Oregon, Auburn, Alabama and South Carolina entering the mix. As he prepares for his final season at the high school level, Curtis is on pace to surpass 100 career passing touchdowns at the varsity level.

In three seasons as a starter, beginning with his freshman year in 2022, Curtis boasts a 92-19 TD-INT ratio with over 7,600 passing yards. After completing under 58 percent of his passes as an underclassman, he raised his completion rate to 70.2 percent this past year.

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More must-reads:

• Penn State and Ohio State among rumored schools emerging as serious contender for elite receiver recruit
• Poll of college football coaches and execs claims Oklahoma football landed Baker Mayfield clone in transfer portal
• Ohio State, LSU and Texas Tech considered huge winners in recent transfer portal window by college football coaches and execs

A new college football rumor has shed new light on what Carson Beck and Darian Mensah are allegedly making in NIL money to bring their talents to the Miami Hurricanes and Duke Blue Devils in 2025.

As each year goes by in college football, the transfer portal continues to increase in importance due to the impact name, image, and likeness money has had on the sport. While recruiting high school stars is still important, the transfer portal has become the college version of free agency.

Bigger names are putting their services up for grabs each offseason and college football fans saw that following the conclusion of the season when Georgia Bulldogs legend Carson Beck chose to forego his final season in Athens and enter the portal. However, he did not stay there long and decided to head to Miami to play for the Hurricanes in 2025.

There has been a lot of speculation about how much Carson Beck is raking in at Miami. Well, some new figures on that amount were revealed recently.

• Carson Beck stats (2024): 3,485 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 145.3 passer rating

Carson Beck to make around $6 million to play for Miami Hurricanes?

On3 revealed a recent report with opinions from various Power Four sources involved in NIL collectives and other personnel staffers about who they believed was getting the most NIL money next season. Most that the outlet spoke to suggested that the two-time National Champion quarterback is making somewhere around $3.5 million.

However, one staff member for the SEC claimed they were under the impression Beck could be making as much as $6 million in 2025. The former Georgia star getting huge NIL money makes sense based on his impressive college football resume. But On3 also revealed the player making the next most after transferring and it may surprise some.

• Darian Mensah stats (2024): 2,723 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 166.7 passer rating

They claimed that Tulane star Darian Mensah is set to have a very lucrative year after making the move to the Duke football program for next season. “I’ve heard he got $4 million,” an ACC staffer told the outlet about Mensah’s NIL money in 2025.

The majority of opinions on Mensah’s income for next season suggested it was in the $3 to $4 million range.

More must-reads:

• Penn State and Ohio State among rumored schools emerging as serious contender for elite receiver recruit
• Poll of college football coaches and execs claims Oklahoma football landed Baker Mayfield clone in transfer portal
• Ohio State, LSU and Texas Tech considered huge winners in recent transfer portal window by college football coaches and execs

A new rumor making the college football rounds recently claims Michigan football spent big bucks on the NIL market to better compete with the elites of the Big Ten like Ohio State and Oregon.

This time last year the Michigan football program was on top of the college sports world. After years of trying to build a championship team with former head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines finally broke through last year and brought a natty back to Ann Arbor for the first time since 1997.

Related: New rumor suggests Ohio State, Georgia Bulldogs on verge of losing elite QB recruit to Oregon Ducks

However, that time at the top was short-lived. Quite a few of their top players, and Harbaugh, took their talents to the NFL early last year. Unsurprisingly, new head coach Sherrone Moore had a rough debut season as Michigan finished with an 8-5 record and seventh in the Big Ten. But the football program did have one big bright spot in 2024. And that was beating top rivals Ohio State for the fourth straight year.

Nevertheless, their 8-5 finish was well below the school’s standards, and a recent report claimed Michigan football went deep into their cophers this offseason to make sure they are much better in 2025.

• Michigan Wolverines record (2024): 8-5 (5-4 in Big Ten)

Michigan Football was one of the top NIL spenders this offseason?

NEW: An anonymous SEC personnel staffer tells @PeteNakos_ Auburn, Michigan, Ole Miss, Texas, and Texas Tech spent the most money on their Transfer Portal class👀

"In theory, Tech f**ked up the market for everybody."https://t.co/35FY3H833y pic.twitter.com/36D4JaLvPi

— On3 (@On3sports) February 13, 2025

A recent report from On3 revealed the five programs that spent the most on adding proven talent through the transfer portal this offseason. And while the No. 1 spot went to Auburn, the Michigan football program was second on the list. Followed by Ole Miss, Texas, and Texas Tech.

The report does not give specifics on how much was spent by the schools. And is based on rumblings from inside the sport. However, Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork claimed the program spent around $20 million to field their roster that won a National Championship in January.

One can only assume Michigan football will fork over a similar amount in 2025. So they can make sure they win a fifth straight over the defending champion.

Related: Ohio State Buckeyes hire former NFL head coach in prominent role

More must-reads:

• Penn State and Ohio State among rumored schools emerging as serious contender for elite receiver recruit
• Poll of college football coaches and execs claims Oklahoma football landed Baker Mayfield clone in transfer portal
• Ohio State, LSU and Texas Tech considered huge winners in recent transfer portal window by college football coaches and execs