There will be a new face in the FBS for the 2026 season as FCS powerhouse North Dakota State is making the leap. The 10-time FCS National Champions will be joining the Mountain West Conference. Andy Staples and Steven Godfrey discuss if they think this is the right move for the Bison. The guys chat about what exactly the team is giving up to make this move, what they have to gain, and if they think North Dakota State can be successful. Plus, they also discuss the latest in the Charles Bediako case. He is no longer eligible to play for Alabama after a judge denied his most recent injunction request. Andy and Godfrey discuss what this means going forward.

Then, the guys take a quick look at the NFL in comparison to college football. Sam Darnold culminated his redemption story with a Super Bowl ring this season. Once the third pick in the NFL Draft for the New York Jets, Darnold struggled for much of his career. After being a back-up in San Francisco, he found success as a starter for the Minnesota Vikings and now is a Super Bowl champion with the Seattle Seahawks. Andy and Godfrey look at the college landscape and discuss if there are any transfer quarterbacks that may have a similar redemption story in 2026.

Later, the guys continue to look at the transfer quarterbacks, but through a different lens. Last episode, Godfrey compared Fernando Mendoza to a certified, pre-owned Honda. This was meant as a compliment. Now, they look at the transfer quarterbacks for 2026 and compare seven QBs to used cars. Find out what the comparisons are for Rocco Becht, Kenny Minchey, Drew Mestemaker, Austin Simmons, DJ Lagway, Darian Mensah and Byrum Brown.

Get your college football news here with College Football Enquirer.

0:00:00 - North Dakota State heads to the FBS

26:12 - Charles Bediako no longer eligible

34:17 - What transfer QB can have a Darnold-like redemption season

49:30 - Comparing transfer QBs to used cars

49:45 - Rocco Becht comparison

52:24 - Kenny Minchey comparison

54:10 - Drew Mestemaker comparison

55:43 - Austin Simmons comparison

56:51 - DJ Lagway comparison

58:58 - Darian Mensah comparison

1:00:06 - Byrum Brown comparison

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In the new world of college football there may be just as much action in the courtroom as there is on the field. The latest trend is if you want another season in college, after your eligibility is up, take it to the courtroom! The two most recent cases of that are Trinidad Chambliss and Joey Aguilar. Both of whom are waiting to see if they get an injunction that will allow them to play in the 2026 season. Andy Staples, Ross Dellenger and Steven Godfrey explain both of these cases and update everyone with where the cases are in the process. They also take a look at the schools these quarterbacks are looking to go back to. Both schools have 5-star QBs waiting in the wings, which leads to the question: in the transfer portal era, are 5-star QBs better off going to a smaller school to play right away and transferring later?

Then, the guys get into some more College Football Playoff conversation. The CFP released the 2026 & 2027 schedule for the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game. In 2026, the playoff spans over 39 days. Andy, Ross and Godfrey discuss the ludicrous schedule. They also talk about a potential savior being the NFL. With the NFL now owning a stake in ESPN, will they help out college football's scheduling to make it a better product?

Later, Andy shares the results of his homework assignment. Last episode, the guys discussed how weak Week 1 is to start the 2026 season. Andy shares his plan of how to move Oklahoma and Michigan to Week 1 to inject some energy into the opening weekend slate of games. The guys also close the show by discussing the Washington Post shutting down their sports division.

All of this and more on College Football Enquirer.

0:00:00 - SEC QB's suing for eligibility

6:18 - Trinidad Chambliss' case update

8:32 - Joey Aguilar case update

16:08 - What does the future of 5-star QB's in college look like?

28:24 - CFP releases 2026 schedule

40:22 - Andy tries to improve Week 1's schedule

51:55 - Reflecting on The Washington Post news

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32 head coaches will be coaching new teams in 2026. Who among them will be the most successful? Andy Staples, Ross Dellenger and Steven Godfrey breakdown who among the hires will be the most successful immediately. They discuss the youth movement in college football and how teams may be shifting priorities of what they look for in a head coach. Plus, there were not many coordinators hired in this most recent coaching cycle. Will that trend change in the future, and does that depend on the success of the coordinators who did land head coaching roles this year?

Whether your team has a new head coach or not, hope springs eternal in the offseason for everyone. When Week 1 roles around, the sports world is excited and ready to roll. Unfortunately for Week 1 of the 2026 season, there are not many marquee matchups for fans to look forward to. Godfrey compares the Week 1 schedules of 2025 and 2026 and the guys explain why conference expansion has caused this upcoming season's kick-off weekend to be so boring. They also throw out some ideas of how to fix this schedule in the future.

Later, Ross' Congressional Minute returns as he gives us the latest college sports news coming from Congress. It appears the SCORE Act is being tweaked to try to drum up some more support. A couple of key pieces of the Act are being changed and the guys discuss the feasibility of the Act passing going forward. Plus, somehow the crew gets into a discussion about college football movies.

You won't want to miss all of this and more on College Football Enquirer.

0:00:00 - Who will be the most successful new head coach in 2026?

23:14 - How conference expansion is ruining Week 1

44:44 - Ross' Congressional Minute

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Did Miami find a loophole in NIL? We have had many discussions on Darian Mensah's journey from Duke to Miami in the last couple of weeks, but not much of the talk has been focused on the Hurricanes. Steven Godfrey returns to join Andy Staples and Ross Dellenger as they discuss how Miami may have found a way around player buyouts in college football. Are we closer to getting clear buyouts written in player contracts? Plus, do schools in states with no income tax have an advantage in NIL? The guys discuss.

Then, they shift from players to coaches. The college football schedule is always a topic of debate, but the group most negatively affected by the current nonsensical schedule is the coaches. Many people may not feel bad for the head coaches making millions, but it's all of the other coaches who really take on the biggest burden of the schedule. The dichotomy between the quality of life of college coaches versus coaches in the NFL has many coaches jumping ship to take a chance in the National Football League. Andy, Ross and Godfrey discuss how tough this schedule can be, and why the NFL model is more manageable for coaches. Plus, they discuss ways that the college football schedule can improve and also be more prevalent throughout the calendar year.

Later, they guys discuss the biggest news in the football world. Bill Belichick was not named a first ballot Hall of Famer. Many people have expressed shock and outrage by this omission. Andy poses a question to the group. Did Belichick's struggles at North Carolina have a negative effect on his Hall of Fame candidacy? The guys discuss the situation.

Get all of your college football news here with College Football Enquirer.

0:00:00 - Miami finds NIL loophole w/ Mensah buyout

16:17 - Will buyouts be standard in player contracts?

28:40 - NFL vs. college coaches quality of life

46:11 - How to improve the college football schedule

52:31 - Did Belichick's UNC struggle affect his HOF candidacy?

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Regardless of the time of year, the drama in college football never takes a break. One of the on-going stories that Andy Staples and Ross Dellenger have been following has finally come to a resolution. Darian Mensah and Duke have come to a settlement that allows Mensah to officially be in the portal and transfer to what is presumed to be Miami. Andy and Ross discuss how the sides finally came to a resolution and if athletes, much like the coaches, should have preexisting buyouts in their contracts. They also chat about some of the other notable court cases in college athletics as they share updates on Trinidad Chambliss and Charles Bediako's cases.

Then, they dive into the big news from over the weekend. During a press conference last Friday, Dabo Swinney called out Pete Golding for tampering. This all started when former Cal linebacker, Luke Ferelli, signed with Clemson and enrolled in classes. Just before the portal closed, however, he decided to re-enter the portal to sign with Ole Miss after Golding had directly reached out to Ferelli with lucrative NIL offers. The guys discuss if they think anything will happen from Swinney reporting this to the NCAA, and what Swinney's end goal may actually have been. Might a collective bargaining agreement with the players be just around the corner as administrators try to figure out how to police the wild world of college sports?

Later, Ross discusses a story he reported Tuesday morning. That story is about a potential rule change to targeting for next season. He explains that the way targeting is enforced is being reviewed and may be changed within the next couple of months. The guys discuss their thoughts on the potential shift and what the best way would be to enforce it.

Get caught up on all of your college football news with College Football Enquirer.

0:00:00 - Darian Mensah settles with Duke

16:47 - Trinidad Chambliss update

19:11 - Charles Bediako update

26:44 - Dabo Swinney calls out Pete Golding

44:41 - New targeting rules may be coming soon

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It is officially the offseason, unfortunately, but just because the confetti has been cleaned up does not mean the conversations about the CFP have stopped. In fact it is quite the opposite. The difference is these conversations are not about what is happening on the field. The debate continues to rage on as commissioners discuss potential expansion of the CFP. Andy Staples and Ross Dellenger discuss what happened in the meetings that were held in the week leading up to the National Championship. The Big Ten and the SEC seem to be at an impasse of how much they want the College Football Playoff to expand. With the deadline fast approaching, no decision appears in sight. Ross explains why these two commissioners hold all the power for this decision.

Then, the guys shift from one hot button topic to the next. The transfer portal. Specifically one athlete. Darian Mensah. The Duke quarterback has officially entered the transfer portal even though he has a signed NIL contract with Duke. The Blue Devils are suing Mensah to prevent him from leaving. It is expected he will head to Miami to be their new quarterback. Andy and Ross discuss the differences between this situation and the one with Demond Williams and Washington. They share why it seems like Mensah has a good chance to win this case and how schools can prevent these situations in the future. Plus, they dive into Adidas' potential impact in this situation and their overall aggressive handling of NIL. Also, Duke wide receiver Cooper Barkate has entered the portal as well, with Miami being a favorite to land him too.

Later, the big news in college athletics is no longer about football. It is over in the college basketball world as Charles Bediako has temporarily been granted the ability to return to Alabama basketball. There is a hearing next week that will determine whether or not he can return full-time. Bediako previously played at Alabama and entered the 2023 NBA Draft. Although he has never played in an NBA regular season game, he has played on multiple Summer League and G League teams. Andy and Ross discuss Bediako being allowed to play college basketball again and the impact this could have on college athletics.

The season is over but the news never stops with College Football Enquirer.

0:00:00 - Will the CFP expand further?

15:40 - Why the Big Ten & SEC hold all the power

27:44 - Duke sues Darian Mensah

37:48 - Adidas' impact in the NIL space

44:08 - Duke WR Cooper Barkate to transfer

49:23 - Charles Bediako returns to Alabama

53:43 - How Bediako could impact college sports

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The Indiana Hoosiers are the new kings of college football. They claimed their first National Championship, in football, Monday night defeating Miami 27-21. Andy Staples, Ross Dellenger and Steven Godfrey join each other in Miami and discuss how the Hoosiers came away with the win.

Then, the guys discuss Nick Saban’s comments from Monday night. On GameDay, Nick Saban made the claim that NIL is the only reason the Big Ten has been successful recently. The crew reacts to Saban's comments. They also look at how Curt Cignetti turned this Indiana program into a national champion in just two seasons. Is Indiana the new blueprint for success? How should some of the other coaches around college football feel that Coach Cignetti was able to turn the program around so quickly?

Lastly, Andy, Ross and Godfrey talk about the latest drama with the transfer portal. It appears Miami is trying to lure Darian Mensah away from Duke. The problem is that Mensah has a very large NIL deal to be Duke's quarterback, and they do not appear willing to let him out of it. The guys explain the whole situation and discuss how they think it might turn out.

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0:00:00 - Indiana Hoosiers with the National Championship

22:41 - Nick Saban takes a shot at the Big Ten

25:23 - Cignetti's Indiana turnaround

44:13 - Will Darian Mensah be Miami's next QB?

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The culmination of the college football season is here! The College Football Playoff National Championship. Top-seeded Indiana will take on tenth-seeded Miami at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Monday. Will playing a home game give the Hurricanes a boost? Andy Staples, Ross Dellenger and Steven Godfrey look at the matchup. They discuss what Miami needs to do to pull the upset. Plus, they look at the changing landscape of college football and how a team that was 3-9 in 2023 is now playing for a national championship.

Then, they dive deeper into Indiana's turnaround by looking at what Indiana is doing in the NIL space. More specifically, who is helping out with Indiana's NIL. Mark Cuban became the talk of college football after news broke that the Indiana alum is now helping fund the Hoosiers' NIL efforts. Andy, Ross and Godfrey discuss why people are making such a big deal about this and whether or not teams need to have a significant benefactor, or benefactors, to be relevant in the NIL landscape. Plus, they also look at all of the teams in college football and guess who has the best chance to have a program turnaround similar to Indiana. The guys also discuss a national championship first. This is the first national championship that will feature two teams sponsored by Adidas. They chat about what this means and the difference between Nike and Adidas' efforts in college athletics.

Later, the CFP conversation continues, but this time it's a look at the future. The guys talk about the latest news of an expanded College Football Playoff. While many conferences support a 16-team model, the Big Ten is holding strong with their 24-team model concept. Will they be open to a 16-team playoff? What kind of changes are coming down the line?

Get ready for the National Championship with College Football Enquirer.

0:00:00 - National Championship preview

25:16 - Mark Cuban funding Indiana's NIL

37:36 - Who could be the next Indiana?

46:41 - Nike vs. Adidas in college athletics

51:23 - College Football Playoff's potential expansion

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