Today: Conference championship previews, the wildest Signing Day story, coaching carousel intel, and the most-watched games of Week 14.

~8 minute read (1,778 words)

If this email was forwarded to you, please subscribe.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Josh Pate previews conference championship matchups

All eyes remain on Selection Sunday as conference championships take center stage. Auto bids are on the line, and a top-four seed could mean a first-round bye in the new College Football Playoff format. With stakes rising everywhere, Josh Pate broke down three of the weekend's biggest title games on Tuesday's show.

He opened in Atlanta, shifted to Indianapolis, and wrapped with the first marquee kickoff of Saturday inside AT&T Stadium.

No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 3 Georgia (-2.5)

Pate said injuries make the matchup difficult to read after watching "every snap" of both teams. When he lacks conviction, he defaults to his model, which favors Georgia to win and cover. He also pointed to two on-field variables. First, both teams may regress toward the mean on third down after Alabama dominated that area and Georgia struggled back in September. Second, he wants to see whether Georgia's pass rush can generate pressure on Ty Simpson, something they failed to do in the first meeting.

Pate's prediction: Georgia wins and covers.

No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Indiana (+4)

The Big Ten title and potentially the No. 1 overall seed and Heisman Trophy come down to a rematch between the nation's top two teams. Last season, Ohio State ran away with this matchup, and while Pate is not expecting a blowout, he still leans Buckeyes. "There is still a little more in the tank," he said, believing Ohio State is again gearing up at the perfect time. Until proven otherwise, he views them as the country's best team and is siding with them to finish the job.

Pate's prediction: Ohio State wins.

No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 11 BYU (+12.5)

Pate returned to their regular-season meeting, calling it so lopsided that "it could have been worse." He said nothing from that day changes on a fast track in Arlington, where Tech's speed won't be slowed by the turf. He expects the Red Raiders to complete a two-game sweep and strengthen their playoff résumé with what he considers a historically meaningful win.

Pate's prediction: Texas Tech wins.

Read Josh Pate's full breakdown.

RIVALS RECRUITING

Inside the wild National Signing Day recruitment of 4-star ATH Legend Bey

Tennessee pulled off one of National Signing Day's biggest shocks by flipping dynamic four-star athlete Legend Bey from Ohio State. The move was eye-catching on its own, but the behind-the-scenes turmoil made Bey the most talked-about recruit of the day.

The morning began with confusion. On3's Pete Nakos reported early Wednesday that Bey was delaying his signing with Ohio State until later in the week. Even so, he appeared at his high school ceremony wearing Buckeyes gear, surrounded by Ohio State decorations. By early afternoon, everything had changed. Bey flipped to Tennessee, and the Vols quickly announced his signing on social media.

What was happening privately was far more complicated. Rivals' sources indicated that Bey and his mother have disagreed for months about where he should sign. She prefers Tennessee, while Bey preferred the Buckeyes, even after wide receivers coach Brian Hartline left for USF. That conflict reportedly led to the Wednesday morning delay and eventually to his flip back to the Vols.

Then the situation became even stranger. Sources close to the recruitment have questioned whether Bey himself signed the National Letter of Intent sent to Tennessee.

On Thursday morning, Bey posted a tweet that was quickly deleted, claiming his mother and brother were locking him out of his social media accounts because he wanted to sign with Ohio State. In the message, Bey wrote that he would likely lose access to his accounts because he would not sign with the school they preferred.

Bey's situation is far from resolved

Because Bey is only 17 years old until later this month, he needed a parent's signature for his NLI. Nakos confirmed that Tennessee has those papers in hand. That does not end the saga. Once Bey turns 18, he could request a release from his agreement with Tennessee and instead sign with Ohio State. He could also enter the transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2.

There is precedent for each option. Five-star WR Dallas Wilson signed with Oregon, later asked for a release, and eventually signed with Florida. Five-star quarterbacks Julian Sayin and Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele each signed with one school before entering the portal shortly after.

What Bey chooses next remains unclear, but all signs point to more twists before he arrives in Knoxville, if he ever does at all.

Read the latest on Legend Bey here.

COACHING CAROUSEL

Coaching carousel spins: Intel on Florida, LSU staffs and more

With coaches clearing the hurdle of National Signing Day, the focus is shifting back to the college football coaching carousel. The next 72 hours will bring a wave of staff movement, with new head coaches trying to lock in coordinators and several programs, including Penn State and multiple Group of Six schools pushing their searches forward. On3 has the latest intel from across the country.

🦁 Penn State

Penn State's search remains active and complicated. As top-level donors continue to push for interim head coach Terry Smith, and Brian Daboll's name keeps circulating, sources say new candidates have emerged in the last 48 hours. Iowa State's Matt Campbell has surfaced as the focus of the search in recent hours. Sources have indicated that the two parties have been in communication repeatedly over the last day. Campbell is 72-55 overall in 11 seasons in Ames, including 8-4 in 2025. With multiple influential voices backing different directions, the path forward for Penn State remains fluid and unsettled.

👑 James Madison

JMU acted quickly in its search, hiring former Florida head coach Billy Napier. Napier had been one of the two names generating the most buzz, along with Lehigh's Kevin Cahill. Napier went 40-12 as a head coach at Louisiana before his four seasons at Florida, giving him a proven track record at this level. The Dukes closed their search with a decisive move once the field narrowed.

🐅 LSU

At LSU, Lane Kiffin is making key staffing decisions as he settles into Baton Rouge. General manager Austin Thomas is not being retained on Kiffin's staff. The biggest remaining question involves defensive coordinator Blake Baker. Kiffin is working to keep him, but Baker has emerged as a top candidate for the Tulane head coaching job. According to sources, he may have to choose between returning to LSU or taking over the Green Wave, and the timing of Tulane's search creates real urgency around that decision.

🐊 Florida

Jon Sumrall has started building his first staff in Gainesville while finishing his Tulane and Florida signing classes. Florida has hired Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, one of the names consistently tied to the job throughout the process. Tennessee's Joey Halzle had also been in the mix, and Faulkner had been mentioned for the Memphis opening, but Florida moved quickly to secure him. Sumrall now turns to the rest of his initial staff.

Get all the intel from Pete Nakos.

PRESENTED BY BETMGM

Best Bets: Andy Staples' Week 13 picks

Gunner Stockton, Fernando Mendoza, Julian Sayin

Despite Brett McMurphy's 4-1 record last week, it's time for a call to the bullpen. Andy Staples is providing his picks this Conference Championship weekend, and he brings a 68-59-3 record to the table. Playoff spots and seeding are on the line this weekend. Below are just a few of Staples' best bets to take during the conference championship games, with all odds presented by BetMGM.

Join now using code 'On3' and get up to $1,500 back in bonus bets if your first bet loses.

North Texas at Tulane: Tulane +2.5
BYU vs. Texas Tech: Texas Tech -13.5
Alabama vs. Georgia: UGA -2.5
Indiana vs. Ohio State: Ohio State -5.5

See all 7 of Staples' picks here.

🚨Headlines

NCAA FOOTBALL

College Football TV Ratings: The most-watched games of Week 14

Ryan Day, Arch Manning, Ty Simpson, Lane Kiffin

Rivalry Weekend closed the regular season with some of the biggest TV audiences of the year. ABC delivered its most-watched Rivalry Weekend since 2012, and FOX scored the most-watched game of the 2025 season as the schedule stretched from Thanksgiving through Saturday. Three of the Top 10 most-watched games of the year came in Week 14, highlighting the strength of college football's closing weekend.

1. Michigan vs. Ohio State: 18.4 million viewers, FOX

Ohio State's win over Michigan is the most-watched game of the 2025 season, averaging 18.424 million viewers and peaking at 20.5 million. The matchup marked the Buckeyes' first victory in The Game in nearly 2,200 days and ranked as FOX's second most-watched regular-season broadcast. Michigan struck early with a pair of field goals, but Ohio State took control behind big plays from Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Inniss, and Carnell Tate. A late 20-play drive drained nearly 12 minutes of clock and sealed the win. Ryan Day called the victory a significant moment for the program and credited his players for achieving the team's top goal.

2. Texas vs. Texas A&M: 13.0 million viewers, ABC

The Lone Star Showdown delivered the most-watched weekday college football game on record with 13 million viewers. Texas handed previously unbeaten Texas A&M its first loss, surpassing the prior weekday record of 12.5 million from the 2010 Iron Bowl. The Friday night stage added to a massive ratings weekend for ABC and ESPN.

3. Alabama vs. Auburn: 11.3 million viewers, ABC

The Iron Bowl once again delivered strong numbers as Alabama held off a late Auburn charge in a 27-20 win. The game averaged 11.3 million viewers and peaked at 13.1 million, placing it among the Top 5 most-watched games of the season.

4. Georgia vs. Georgia Tech: 8.7 million viewers, ABC

Clean, Old Fashioned Hate drew 8.7 million viewers on Black Friday. Georgia controlled the matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and continued its push toward the postseason.

5. LSU vs. Oklahoma: 6.4 million viewers, ABC

Oklahoma's win over LSU kept the Sooners firmly in the College Football Playoff hunt and attracted 6.4 million viewers in the late-afternoon window.

See all of the Top 10 most-watched games of the week.

TRIVIA

Now here's a guy...

Below, you'll find 3 facts about a random college football player. You'll try to guess who the player is based on the facts. Let's go.

I played my college football at Memphis, where I became one of the most productive running backs in school history.
I earned first-team All-American honors in 2005 and finished my senior season with 1,964 rushing yards, the most in the nation.
I was drafted in the first round in 2006, went on to form a two-headed backfield in Carolina, and later played for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Answer at the bottom.

SHAREWORTHY