News, Notes, Rumors & Opinions From Around College Sports
By Jim Baxter |
October 21, 2026
Welcome to Baxter’s Blitz, a collection of news, notes, rumors, and observations from around the world of college athletics.
Some of these items will make headlines. Others might fly under the radar. And occasionally, I’ll throw something out there that might ruffle a few feathers.
That’s what the Blitz is all about.
Let’s get to it.
24 TEAMS? NOT SO FAST!
The proposed expansion of the College Football Playoff to 24 teams is generating plenty of backlash, and understandably so.
A recent fan survey reported that approximately 70 percent of respondents oppose expanding the playoff to 24 teams.
That’s a pretty significant number.
Here’s what interests me. We’re talking about doubling the current playoff field without even knowing exactly what the new format would look like.
How many automatic qualifiers? How many at-large selections? What happens to conference championship games? How many teams receive first-round byes?
There are still plenty of unanswered questions.
I’ve said before that playoff expansion has advantages. It gives teams more room for error and could encourage tougher nonconference scheduling.
But there’s a downside.
When Alabama loses to Georgia, or Ohio State loses to Michigan, those games should have enormous consequences. The more teams you allow into the postseason, the less damaging those losses become.
At some point, we risk turning college football’s regular season into little more than a qualifying tournament.
And let’s not kid ourselves. This isn’t happening because fans demanded it.
Follow the money.
ARCH MANNING: COULD THE TRANSFER PORTAL BE NEXT?
Things are getting interesting in Austin.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning entered the season carrying enormous expectations, but his inconsistent play has raised questions about his future as the Longhorns’ starter.
Steve Sarkisian has publicly reaffirmed Manning as his quarterback, but backup KJ Lacey is receiving additional attention.
Here’s something I’ve been thinking about.
What happens if Sarkisian eventually benches Manning?
I wouldn’t automatically assume Arch returns to Texas next season.
In fact, I think the transfer portal becomes a legitimate possibility.
Two programs immediately come to mind.
Ole Miss and Tennessee.
Both could offer an opportunity for a fresh start, depending on their quarterback situations and offensive direction.
Of course, the Manning family will have considerable influence over whatever decision Arch makes.
I’m not suggesting a transfer is inevitable. I’m saying the possibility deserves consideration.
And if Manning does enter the portal, he’ll become one of the biggest stories in college football.
■ THE DEATH OF CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES?
Another interesting element of the proposed 24-team playoff is what it could mean for conference championship games.
There has been discussion that expanding the postseason could eliminate those games entirely.
Think about that.
For decades, winning your conference was one of the greatest accomplishments in college football.
Now we’re potentially looking at a system where conference standings primarily determine playoff positioning.
I’m not sure I like that.
There’s something special about playing for an SEC championship in December.
I understand the argument about reducing the number of games, but eliminating conference championships would fundamentally change the sport.
And not necessarily for the better.
THE NFL DRAFT: EVERYBODY SLOW DOWN
We’re barely halfway through the college football season, and I’m already seeing analysts publishing their 2027 NFL Draft Big Boards.
Why?
There’s still too much football left to evaluate.
I’ve spent enough years evaluating prospects to know that players can significantly improve or damage their draft stock during the second half of a season.
I won’t release my first official 2027 Big Board until January 1.
Until then, I’ll continue publishing individual scouting reports and weekly stock reports.
Let the players finish playing football before we start pretending we know exactly where everybody belongs.
■ IS NIL CHANGING THE MOTIVATION FACTOR?
Here’s a question I’ve been asking myself.
Has the enormous amount of money flowing into college athletics changed the motivation of some players?
I’m not suggesting every athlete is affected. Plenty of young men and women are still driven by competition, personal pride, and the desire to improve.
But when an athlete is already making significant money before proving himself at the professional level, does that change his sense of urgency?
I believe it can.
College coaches are dealing with an entirely different generation of athletes, and the financial dynamics have changed dramatically.
That’s not necessarily an indictment of the players.
It’s an observation about the system we’ve created.
■ COLLEGE BASKETBALL HAS ITS OWN MONEY PROBLEM
Football gets most of the attention when we discuss NIL and revenue sharing, but college basketball is dealing with many of the same issues.
Roster construction has become an annual exercise in rebuilding.
Coaches aren’t simply recruiting high school prospects anymore. They’re managing transfer portals, player compensation, and retention.
In some cases, keeping your own players may be more difficult than recruiting somebody else’s.
That creates an interesting question.
Are we moving toward a system where college basketball programs operate more like professional franchises than traditional college teams?
In many respects, we’re already there.
And with basketball season approaching, it’s worth watching how quickly these roster-building decisions affect the national championship picture.
■ WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SMALLER SPORTS?
Here’s something that doesn’t receive nearly enough attention.
While football and basketball generate enormous revenues, what happens to the other athletic programs?
Baseball, softball, wrestling, swimming, track and field, gymnastics, and numerous other sports depend heavily on the financial health of athletic departments.
As schools commit more resources to football, NIL, revenue sharing, and the escalating costs of competition, something eventually has to give.
I worry that some Olympic sports could become casualties of the financial arms race.
And that would be a shame.
College athletics should be about more than just the sports that generate television revenue.
■ ONE FINAL BLITZ
College athletics is changing faster than at any point I can remember.
We’re talking about expanding playoffs, eliminating conference championship games, paying athletes, unrestricted player movement, and potentially restructuring the entire NCAA model.
Some changes are long overdue.
Others concern me.
But here’s what I keep coming back to.
In our rush to make college athletics bigger, richer, and more commercially attractive, are we forgetting what made it special in the first place?
That’s something worth thinking about.
