Sports
Vikings Have 2 Players at Almighty Crossroads
This week, NFL.com decided which players around the sport have “make or break” seasons afoot, and it just so happened that two Minnesota Vikings players earned the distinction: Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.
Minnesota’s quarterback room suddenly has one of the NFL’s most fascinating camp decisions.
That’s right, the two men at the very top of the ticket have it all on the line, according to Nick Shook.
The Stakes Are Massive for Both QBs
NFL.com: It’s Make or Break for Murray and McCarthy
Shook’s list was 11 players deep, and the Vikings accounted for 18% of it.
He explained, “Murray has struggled with injuries and inconsistency in recent years and couldn’t survive the second coaching change of his career in Arizona. He also never got on the same page with former No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. in their season and a half spent together, a reality that proved damning to his chances of staying in Arizona.”
“McCarthy’s first season as the Vikings’ top dog was fraught with inconsistent mechanics and performance, and remarkably inconsistent availability from week to week due to injury. Head coach Kevin O’Connell — a former NFL quarterback who owns a reputation for pairing well with signal-callers (see: Sam Darnold’s renaissance season in 2024) — couldn’t make much progress with McCarthy, whose lack of consistency and participation doomed a team that still managed to win nine games despite owning zero stability under center.”
It’s been a while since the Vikings had a real summer quarterback competition; 2026 may be different.
Shook added, “In one season, the rosy outlook attached to McCarthy soured. Thus, Murray arrives with a chance to rehabilitate his reputation in a fashion the Vikings hope will mirror Darnold’s rebirth.”
“If Kyler succeeds, he’ll steal McCarthy’s job. If he struggles, McCarthy will have another (and perhaps his last) chance to command the top spot on the depth chart. In theory, one of the two will win out — or the Vikings will slide back into the QB market next spring.”
Why Murray?
Murray is at a career crossroads for one simple reason: he has one big shot in 2026 to latch on as the Vikings’ long-term quarterback — or hit the open market next March and potentially bounce around the league as a low-end QB1.
For example, if Murray posts his typical numbers — 3,900 passing yards, 30 total touchdowns, 600 rushing yards — in Minnesota, the Vikings’ front office and coaching staff won’t let him leave the building next offseason. It’s simply impossible that they would make the “Sam Darnold mistake” twice in three offseasons.
However, if Murray does not thrive in Minnesota, the Vikings might say “thanks but no thanks” for 2027, casting Murray onto the free-agent wire, where he’d likely sign with a quarterback-needy team like the New York Jets. From there, he’d try to establish himself once again or forge a “bridge quarterback” path heading into his 30s.
Murray can basically become Minnesota’s QB1 well into his 30s — fetching a huge extension next offseason — or take on a journeyman’s tale. The stakes are indeed high.
The Stakes for McCarthy
McCarthy has a similar-but-different outlook. Like Murray, if he doesn’t perform well, given the chance — let’s say he doesn’t take the next development step in Year No. 3 — Minnesota may not need him in 2027 and beyond. He’d become tradebait, especially if Murray lands a handsome extension with the Vikings.
On the other hand, if McCarthy dethrones Murray at training camp or takes his job during the regular season, well, the plan is back on. The Vikings drafted McCarthy as their big quarterback solution of the future after the Kirk Cousins era, and it would just work out best for anybody if he arrived in 2026 and looked the part.
There’s no rule stating that the Vikings must trade McCarthy if he has a quiet 2026 season — Minnesota controls his right through the end of 2028 — but it wouldn’t make much sense to keep him in the roster orbit if another team dangled a draft pick via trade next March or April, assuming Murray has the long-term juice as QB1.
A Duel in Eagan
And that’s what makes this summer so fun for onlookers. Both men are relatively young, especially McCarthy, so it’s not like the Vikings have short-term options. Murray and McCarthy, respectively, have high-profile and charismatic personalities. McCarthy isn’t doing battle with Joe Flacco, who would have a definite endgame sometime soon.
The betting odds favor Murray — to the tune of a -1000 moneyline, which is substantial — but McCarthy finished the 2025 season really, really hot, and some have brushed that aside.
While it’s never ideal to have quarterback uncertainty in July and August, this version for the Vikings should be exciting given the “crossroads” angle.
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“You. Are. Cursed.”
It’s the zinger that has plagued WWE superstars, Stephen A. Smith and sports teams alike. Danhausen, the “very nice and very evil” pro wrestling personality that has laid his curse on The Miz, Kit Wilson and the ESPN pundit, did something that was more of the former rather than the latter. He “uncursed” the New York Knicks.
The Knicks and Knicks fans have been in a pit of basketball despair for about 27 years. Since the San Antonio Spurs swept them in the 1999 NBA Finals, joy when watching the Knicks has come in waves.
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Danhausen enters the ring during WWE Backlash at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla., on May 9, 2026. (Michael Owens/WWE)
The arrivals of Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony helped bring the spark back into their eyes. Jeremy Lin and “Linsanity” gave them hope and even Phil Jackson taking over as president of the team for three years in the mid-2010s was a moment that would have been engrained in fans’ heads for quite some time if it led to any kind of success.
But this year’s iteration of the Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson, has, so far, erased all of the tales of tragedy and small triumphs that never came to fruition. The Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals on Monday night with a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Danhausen cursed the Cavaliers, much to the chagrin of Cleveland sports fan The Miz. He even showed up to Madison Square Garden and received a jersey while WWE released a shirt in collaboration with the Knicks. The shirt read, “You are Uncursed.”
Miz speaks with Danhausen during SmackDown at BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on May 1, 2026. (Meg Oliphant/WWE)
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Danhausen took a victory lap on Tuesday, appearing in a video breaking out a broom to signify the sweep.
“UNCURSED,” he added in a separate post on X.
The moment underscores a perfect crossover moment between pro wrestling and mainstream sports. Brunson, himself, is a huge WWE fan and got involved in an angle last year with Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.
Brunson has avoided commenting on Danhausen’s shenanigans, but said he and the training staff “acknowledge” world heavyweight champion Roman Reigns before every game.
“See, these are the questions I want asked! … I have a handshake with one of our trainers and we acknowledge him before every game,” he said back on April 30 after Reigns won the title at WrestleMania 42.
Whether it’s voodoo, magic, or whatever you want to call it, the Knicks have propelled themselves back into the hearts and minds of basketball fans and have become one of the feel-good stories of the year.
Across the city, in Queens, the New York Mets are still hoping for an “uncursing.” But Danhausen made clear to Fox News Digital during WrestleMania week in April that that the team wasn’t fully away from his curse.
New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson reacts after scoring during the second half of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers in New York, New York, on May 19, 2026. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)
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“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” he said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”
Veteran sports administrator and India’s first shooting gold-medallist in Asian Games, Randhir Singh, died here on Wednesday after battling age-related ailments.
He was 79 and had undergone hospitalisation for several days before breathing his last at his residence here.
Singh recently quit his position as the President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) due to health issues. He was elected for a four-year term in 2024.
“With deep sorrow, we share the sad news of the passing of Raja Randhir Singh, who left for his heavenly abode today, on 27th May 2026,” Secretary of the National Rifles Association of India (NRAI), Rajiv Bhatia stated.
“A distinguished Olympian, Arjuna Awardee, and one of the most respected sports administrators in India, Asia, and the International Olympic Committee, Raja Randhir Singh, made invaluable contributions to the development of shooting sports and the Olympic movement.
“The National Rifle Association of India and the entire shooting fraternity mourn this irreparable loss and extend heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. May his noble soul rest in eternal peace,” he added.
Singh’s stellar sporting career included five Olympic appearances and the historic trap gold in the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games.
In his equally successful administrative career, he served as the Secretary General of the Indian olympic Association (IOA) and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Sports
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi rewrites history, equals Suresh Raina’s legendary IPL knockout feat | Cricket News
Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced another jaw-dropping innings in the IPL 2026 Eliminator, this time equalling one of the most iconic playoff records in tournament history previously held by Suresh Raina. Playing for Rajasthan Royals against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mullanpur, the teenage sensation raced to a breathtaking half-century in just 16 balls, matching Raina’s legendary record for the fastest fifty in IPL knockout history. Fastest 50s in IPL knockouts/playoffs (by balls):
- 16 – Suresh Raina vs PBKS, 2014
- 16 –
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs SRH, 2026* - 17 – Adam Gilchrist vs DC, 2009
- 20 – MS Dhoni vs MI, 2012
- 21 – Dwayne Smith vs CSK, 2013
- 21 – Virat Patidar vs GT, 2026
Raina’s unforgettable knock came back in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2014, when he smashed 87 off just 25 balls for Chennai Super Kings against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium. That innings has long been considered one of the greatest playoff knocks in IPL history, and now Sooryavanshi has entered the same conversation at just 15 years old. The RR opener completely dismantled the SRH bowling attack inside the powerplay and finished with 60-plus runs in the first six overs alone, placing him alongside some of the greatest explosive starts seen in IPL knockout matches. 50+ scores in overs 1-6 in IPL knockouts/playoffs:
- 87 – Suresh Raina vs PBKS, 2014
- 74 – Adam Gilchrist vs DD, 2009
- 60 – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs SRH, 2026*
The innings further underlined Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary consistency as a powerplay destroyer this season. He now has five 50-plus scores inside the powerplay in IPL history, second only to David Warner. Most 50+ scores inside Powerplay in IPL:
- 6 – David Warner
- 5 – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- 4 – Travis Head
The youngster also joined elite company for most fifties scored in under 20 balls in IPL history. Most 50s in less than 20 balls in IPL:
- 6 – Abhishek Sharma
- 5 – Nicholas Pooran
- 5 – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi*
As if those milestones were not enough, Sooryavanshi also broke Chris Gayle’s long-standing record for the most sixes in a single IPL season, a record that had stood untouched since 2012.In a tournament filled with superstars, Sooryavanshi continues to stand out as the biggest phenomenon of IPL 2026.
ZEIST, Netherlands — Netherlands top scorer Memphis Depay recovered from injury just in time for coach Ronald Koeman to include him in his 26-man squad for the World Cup next month.
Depay was one of three players who have recently returned from injury to be selected Wednesday by Koeman. That was despite his limited playing time leading into soccer’s global showcase being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Depay, the Netherlands’ all-time leading scorer with 55 goals, on Sunday made his first appearance in several weeks for his Brazilian club Corinthians after recovering from a thigh injury.
“I’d have preferred … it happened earlier,” Koeman said, adding he’d have to “wait and see” just how fit Depay is.
Justin Kluivert, the son of Dutch great Patrick Kluivert, has also just returned to fitness after surgery to repair a knee injury and was picked along with defender Jurrien Timber, fresh from winning the Premier League with Arsenal, but also only recently returned to fitness. Timber’s brother Quinten also was named in the squad.
Koeman called up one debutant — West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville — and surprisingly left out Liverpool wingback Jeremie Frimpong, saying he often struggles with injuries.
Asked about his qualities, Koeman said Summerville has “speed, action, his play without the ball in defence. Very trustworthy.”
The Netherlands is a three-time World Cup finalist but has never won international soccer’s greatest prize. It lost in 1974 to then West Germany, in 1978 to host Argentina and to Spain in 2010 when Andres Iniesta scored a goal late in extra time.
Midfielder Xavi Simons was ruled out of the tournament in April after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in a match for Tottenham against Wolverhampton.
Koeman captained the Netherlands when the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994 when the Dutch lost 3-2 to eventual champion Brazil in the quarterfinals.
The Netherlands opens its Group F campaign in Dallas against Japan before taking on Sweden and finally Tunisia.
Goalkeepers: Mark Flekken (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Roefs (Sunderland), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton).
Defenders: Nathan Aké (Manchester City), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jorrel Hato (Chelsea), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham), Jurrien Timber (Arsenal).
Midfielders: Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Guus Til (PSV Eindhoven), Quinten Timber (Marseille), Mats Wieffer (Brighton).
Forwards: Brian Brobbey (Sunderland), Memphis Depay (Corinthians), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Noa Lang (Galatasaray), Donyell Malen (Roma), Crysencio Summerville (West Ham), Wout Weghorst (Ajax).
What offseason moves are possible for the Boston Celtics? This question has been on the lips of fans of the storied franchise almost from the moment they were eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs.
And it is a question that was recently asked by the folks behind the “WEEI Boston Sports Original” YouTube channel, who put together a clip from their “Rich and Ken with Ted Johnson” show that had guest Justin Turpin on to talk over what Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens and company can do to get this ball club back to being a true contender again this summer.
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Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about all of the above!
Listen to “Havlicek Stole the Pod” on:
Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp
iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47
YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: What offseason moves are possible for the Celtics?
It might be contractually mandated that Tom Brady sit in the No. 1 chair on Fox Sports’ NFL coverage, but the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences believes the superior analyst is in the second booth.
On Tuesday, Fox Sports NFL analyst Greg Olsen won the Sports Emmy for Outstanding Personality/Event Analyst, an award in which his Fox colleague Tom Brady was also nominated. NBC’s Cris Collinsworth, college basketball analyst Bill Raftery, and ESPN’s Troy Aikman were also up for the award.
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Olsen’s win continues an awkward trend of the Academy favoring Fox’s No. 2 analyst over its No. 1. Last year, Olsen was nominated for the award while Brady wasn’t nominated at all.
Of course, what the Academy thinks is hardly of any concern to Fox. The network is certainly thrilled to have both the winningest quarterback of all-time in one booth, and a highly skilled, well-liked analyst in Greg Olsen in another booth.
As Olsen continues to prove he’s one of the top analysts currently calling games, however, the risk that Fox could lose him to another broadcaster becomes heightened. The most obvious scenario would likely see Olsen head to Amazon’s Prime Video once the Al Michaels-Kirk Herbstreit booth runs its course. (Michaels, 81, is now on a year-to-year contract with the streamer.)
Outside of that, there are few clear opportunities to ascend to a top booth. Tony Romo’s contract with CBS runs through the end of the decade, and even if the network made a move it’d likely go with in-house succession plan J.J. Watt. At NBC, Mike Tirico and Collinsworth aren’t going anywhere. The same can be said at ESPN, where Joe Buck and Aikman could call games together for another two decades and no one would bat an eye.
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Which leaves Olsen in a bit of a broadcaster purgatory. Everyone knows how good he is, but there isn’t a top job available for him to take. For now, the former Carolina Panther will simply have to bide his time and be ready to polish off that Emmy when he gets called for a promotion.
The post Greg Olsen edges Fox No. 1 Tom Brady for best analyst Sports Emmy appeared first on Awful Announcing.
May 22, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images With Gerrit Cole back on the mound, the New York Yankees aim to continue their recent dominance of the Kansas City Royals.
Looking to build on his much-anticipated 2026 debut, Cole tries to help the visiting Yankees complete a series sweep with their 14th consecutive victory over the Royals on Wednesday night.
Back from Tommy John surgery and making his first appearance since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, Cole (0-0, 0.00 ERA) was solid on Friday. He allowed two hits and three walks on 72 pitches over six scoreless innings of the Yankees’ 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
“It’s a little bit like riding a bike,” Cole told MLB.com. “Same old thought process: compete, go pitch-to-pitch.
“Give it everything you got.”
New York manager Aaron Boone said Cole responded well in the recovery, and it’s possible he could be stretched further from a pitch-count standpoint in this contest.
“It felt really, really good to be out there,” Cole said. “It’s a good step forward. I’m looking forward to (Wednesday).”
Cole hasn’t faced the Royals since the 2024 American League Division Series. He is 4-1 with a 2.77 ERA in eight career appearances (all starts) versus Kansas City.
After rallying to win 4-3 in Monday’s opener, the Yankees clubbed six home runs during a 15-1 rout Tuesday to extend their winning streak to 12 games over the Royals.
Amed Rosario homered twice with four RBIs on Tuesday, Cody Bellinger went deep for one of his three hits and had three RBIs as the Yankees won their third straight game. Ben Rice also added three hits and is 7-for-19 with five RBIs and eight runs in five games versus Kansas City this season.
Bellinger is batting .355 with three homers and six RBIs in his last nine games. Bellinger and Rosario are a combined 3-for-9 with a home run apiece against scheduled Royals starter Noah Cameron (2-3, 4.72).
The second-year left-hander is 0-2 with a 10.24 ERA in two career encounters (both starts) against the Yankees.
He has combined to yield 13 runs — 11 earned — and 14 hits, including five homers over 9 2/3 innings of two career starts versus New York. Seven of those runs, five earned, and three homers came over four innings of the Royals’ 13-4 loss at Yankee Stadium on April 18.
Cameron allowed at least three runs in six straight starts prior to Friday versus Seattle. That’s when Cameron yielded four hits and two walks, while matching a career high with eight strikeouts over six solid innings of the Royals’ 2-0 home loss.
“He’s picking himself up, getting more consistent with his arm mechanics, getting the arm slot in the right spot more consistently, so the pitches behave the way that he’s used to,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.
Bobby Witt Jr. went deep Tuesday for Kansas City, which has averaged 3.2 runs during its current 5-14 rut. Witt, who has homered in back-to-back contests, is batting .306 with 12 extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in 28 games against the Yankees.
He’s 2-for-6 all-time versus Cole.
–Field Level Media
Sports
IPL 2026: ‘I am unfit to play’- RR captain Riyan Parag drops shocking update at toss | Cricket News
Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and opted to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2026 Eliminator, with RR skipper Riyan Parag confirming a major fitness concern at the toss. Parag revealed that he is not fully fit for the high-pressure knockout clash but insisted Rajasthan have no option other than going all out for victory. “We also would have bowled first as its a good chasing ground. this has been a good ground, as we have chased and defended. I am unfit to play. Even now we have no other options than to win, I am happy with the team performance if we play to our potential. Jaddu comes back in the XI, Dubey is the impact player,” Parag said at the toss. SRH captain Pat Cummins said Hyderabad were not thinking too much about pressure despite entering the contest after already beating Rajasthan twice earlier this season. “We will bowl first.I think we have played some good cricket of late, we will try to keep our bowling simple and let them play to their strengths. Hinge comes back in. I think we are not bothered about the pressure, its a good chasing ground,” Cummins said. The clash at the PCA New International Stadium carries huge stakes, with the winner progressing further in the playoffs and the losing side eliminated from IPL 2026. The journeys of both teams have mirrored each other this season. Rajasthan Royals started with four straight wins before their campaign lost momentum after a crushing defeat to SRH earlier in the league stage. Ironically, that same game helped transform Hyderabad’s season after they had lost three of their opening four matches.Teams:Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan(w), Heinrich Klaasen, Smaran Ravichandran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins(c), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Praful HingeRajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Donovan Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja Now, with SRH already holding a 2-0 record over Rajasthan this season, the Royals face their toughest challenge yet in a do-or-die knockout encounter.
This is the 11th season we’ve ranked Power Four coaches at CBSSports.com, and this year’s top 25 might have the most changes year-over-year since we started. To start, four coaches climbed at least 15 spots from last year in our top 25, with three of them climbing at least 20 spots.
Furthermore, we also saw two of our top 10 coaches last season lose their jobs during the 2025 season. One of them remains in our top 25 this year, though he’s no longer in our top 10. He’s not the only coach to suffer that fate: four of our top 10 coaches in 2025 are no longer considered top 10 in 2026.
Oh, and we have a new No. 1. I don’t want to spoil anything, but let’s just say that our new No. 1 coach is the first in history to jump from outside the top 20 one year to the top spot the next. Any guesses?
Before we get to the list, don’t forget to check out where the coaches who finished outside the top 25 were ranked. Also, if you haven’t read that story yet, I will remind you that there is no set criterion for how we ask our panel of 10 voters to rank coaches. It’s an inexact science in an inexact world, baby.
25. Bret Bielema, Illinois
Illinois has won eight or more games in a season only five times this century. Bret Bielema is responsible for three of them in the last four years. Bielema’s Illini finished 9-4 last year and have gone 11-7 in the Big Ten and 4-0 against the other three Power Four leagues over the last two seasons. 2025 rank 23 (-2), High 18, Low 32
24. Jeff Brohm, Louisville
Louisville has been remarkably consistent under Jeff Brohm. They’ve finished each of his three seasons with four losses, but the problem is that after going 7-1 in the ACC in Brohm’s first season, they’ve gone 5-3 and then 4-4 last year. That’s led to Brohm sliding down our voters’ ballots, but for now, he remains one of the 25 best. 2025 rank 17 (-7), High 19, Low 45
23. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
Mizzou took a step backward last year, finishing 8-5 after posting a mark of 21-5 the prior two seasons. Quarterback injuries played a big role in that slide, but Drinkwitz’s Tiger teams have finished each of the last three years at .500 or better in SEC play. Still, if he’s going to climb into the top 20 or higher, he probably needs to start winning more games against the top tier of SEC programs. 2025 rank 24 (+1), High 16, Low 32
22. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State
The Sun Devils didn’t return to the College Football Playoff in 2025, finishing 8-5, but they still went 6-3 in the Big 12. As a result, Dillingham only slips a bit in the rankings after a massive 46-spot climb last year. He lost his quarterback to the portal this winter, but Dillingham has a successful enough track record with signal callers that expectations remain high. There’s a reason you hear his name floated about at “bigger” jobs when they have an opening. 2025 rank 18 (-4), High 13, Low 27
21. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech
So I guess if you finish 12-2, win your conference, and get to the CFP after putting together an incredible transfer class, our voters will reward you for it. Yeah, I was not surprised to see McGuire climb 27 spots to No. 21 in our rankings this season, and you shouldn’t be either. This is a Texas Tech program poised to be a Big 12 powerhouse for a while. 2025 rank 48 (+27), High 15, Low 29
20. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Kirk Ferentz falls a spot in our rankings this year, and it’s primarily due to one rogue voter. The lowest he finished on any of our ballots was 32nd, but that voter was the only one of us who had Ferentz outside their top 25. Every other vote placed him between 14 and 25. That was enough to drag him beneath a couple of names that, with all due respect to those coaches, Ferentz should not be ranked behind. 2025 rank 19 (-1), High 14, Low 32
19. Josh Heupel, Tennessee
It’s not a strong argument, but an argument can be made that Heupel’s 8-5 mark in 2025 was more impressive than his 10-3 mark and playoff berth in 2024. Given the losses the Vols team had, both natural (draft departures, injuries) and otherwise (The Nico Saga), there was potential to see them bottom out in 2025. It didn’t happen, and Heupel deserves plenty of credit for that. 2025 rank 16 (-3), High 15, Low 26
18. Willie Fritz, Houston
Willie Fritz has always been a favorite among many on our panel, and seeing him win 10 games with Houston last year gave us the excuse we’ve long wanted to rank him even higher this year (it was hard to justify coming off a 4-8 season in 2024). Fritz is one of the year’s bigger climbers, jumping 23 spots from 41st last year. If the Coogs flirt with 10 wins again this year, I can’t promise we won’t put him in the top 10 next year. 2025 rank 41 (+23), High 13, Low 27
17. Lincoln Riley, USC
Riley’s star continues to fade among our panel, but there’s still far too much respect for what he accomplished at Oklahoma to ding him too much. He was considered a top 25 coach by every one of our 10 voters, but I don’t know if that’ll still be the case next year if USC doesn’t make a serious playoff push in 2026. 2025 rank 13 (-4), High 12, Low 25
16. Matt Campbell, Penn State
It’ll be interesting to see how Campbell is viewed by our voters going forward. For years, he received plenty of credit for his ability to punch up and play the underdog role at Iowa State. Now he’s at the helm of a Penn State program that wants to compete for Big Ten and national titles. An 11-3 record at Iowa State was viewed as an incredible achievement. At Penn State, it’s just another season. 2025 rank 10 (-6), High 11, Low 22
15. Rhett Lashlee, SMU
While I can’t speak for all our voters, there was a sense of “that was an impressive first season in the ACC, but I’d like to see you do it again” to Lashlee’s results last year. While the Mustangs didn’t quite do it again in 2025, they did still go 6-2 in the ACC. That’s a 14-2 mark in conference play since joining the league. In four years at SMU, Lashlee has gone 27-5 in conference play across two leagues. It’s starting to feel a lot more like signal than noise, and that’s reflected in his climb to the top 15. 2025 rank 22 (+7), High 10, Low 19
14. Mike Elko, Texas A&M
Mike Elko is one of the coaches who climbed from outside the top 25 last year into it this year. That tends to happen after a CFP berth. Elko has already delivered what Jimbo Fisher never could in College Station, and only needed two seasons to do so. He’s 12-4 in the SEC and has consistently fielded one of the more talented teams in a conference full of talent. Now all he has to do is maintain that level of success. That’s easy to do, right? 2025 rank 29 (+15), High 10, Low 27
13. James Franklin, Virginia Tech
How many Penn State fans are fuming that the coach they fired is ranked three spots higher than the coach they hired to replace him? Probably a few. Things clearly did not go as planned for Franklin at Penn State last season. It’s why he was fired, and it’s why he’s no longer in our top 10 after falling six spots in these rankings. Still, while Big Game James might’ve been given that moniker sarcastically, there are few coaches in the sport with the overall success Franklin has achieved in his career. Nobody will be surprised if Virginia Tech returns to the top of the ACC soon. 2025 rank 7 (-6), High 8, Low 20
12. Kalani Sitake, BYU
Kalani Sitake finished 26th last year, just outside our top 25, but climbs 14 spots after another strong season at BYU. Sitake’s Cougars are 23-4 over the last two seasons and reached the Big 12 Championship last year. If they can figure out how to get over the Texas Tech hump and reach the CFP in 2026, Sitake will likely climb into our top 10. Maybe our voters will receive free cookies if he does. 2025 rank 26 (+14), High 5, Low 24
11. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
It seems the respect for Dabo’s past accomplishments has begun to wane among our panel. Swinney has won two national titles, so I don’t know how one of our voters can truly justify ranking him 28th (nobody else had him lower than 15th), but none of us can ignore recent results, either. Swinney has been slow or unwilling to adapt to the sport as it has evolved, and it’s having an adverse effect on Clemson’s performance on the field. 2025 rank 3 (-8), High 5, Low 28
10. Kyle Whittingham, Michigan
Kyle Whittingham didn’t want to leave Utah, but he probably can’t feel too bad about where he ended up. Whit has long been either in our top 10 or just on the periphery of it, so this spot is not a result of him being at a blue-blood program. However, like Matt Campbell at Penn State, I wonder how he’ll be judged going forward, given the very different expectations at his new job than at his last gig. 2025 rank 11 (+1), High 7, Low 18
9. Lane Kiffin, LSU
Lane Kiffin shies away from the spotlight as much as possible, but darn it, that doesn’t stop us from recognizing his abilities as a coach! OK, so, in all seriousness, a lot of things can be said about Kiffin and how he handles his business off the field. There aren’t nearly as many things that can be said about his ability as a coach other than “he’s pretty damn good at it.” He left a program that he had in the playoffs for one he believes gives him a better chance to win a national title. That means he’d better do it (and soon), or he could suffer the same fate as the LSU coach who we had ranked in the top 10 at this time last year, too. 2025 rank 12 (+3), High 7, Low 15
8. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
The way Alabama’s season ended leaves a sour taste in fans’ mouths. The Tide lost to Georgia in the SEC Championship by 21 points, and then followed up a first-round road playoff win over Oklahoma with a 35-point drubbing by Indiana in the Rose Bowl. Nobody at Alabama will be happy with four-loss seasons any time soon, but DeBoer has led two different programs to the playoffs in the last three seasons. That’s not an achievement that’s easily overlooked. 2025 rank 9 (+1), High 5, Low 14
7. Mario Cristobal, Miami
Mario Cristobal is genuinely one of my favorite kinds of coaches. He had plenty of successful seasons at Oregon before the Miami job, but as good as he was at so many aspects of the gig, he had shortcomings. However, unlike many people who choose to “block out the haters,” Cristobal acknowledged his shortcomings and then took a crazy approach: he went to work on fixing them. He surrounded himself with staff members who could help him. That’s what great leaders do! The result was a run all the way to the national title game, where Cristobal’s Miami team came a touchdown shy of winning a national title. 2025 rank 20 (+13), High 4, Low 11
6. Steve Sarkisian, Texas
The 2026 season might be career-defining for Steve Sarkisian. Texas began last season at No. 1 in the polls and quickly failed to live up to the expectations. They lost their season opener to Ohio State, and then lost a game they shouldn’t have against Florida before losing (again) to Georgia later in the season. That Florida loss ultimately kept Texas out of the playoffs. Now we enter the 2026 season, and the Longhorns will have similar expectations. Sarkisian has gone 35-8 over the last three seasons and is 13-3 in the SEC. He’s won two playoff games. But if Texas comes up short again, I don’t know what might happen, especially if Texas Tech and Texas A&M continue to succeed. 2025 rank 4 (-2), High 6, Low 10
5. Dan Lanning, Oregon
Dan Lanning has been at Oregon for four seasons and gone 48-8 with a conference record of 32-4 across two leagues. After winning the Big Ten in his first season, Oregon failed to reach the Big Ten title game last year, but won its first two playoff games since beating Florida State in the first CFP back in 2014. Lanning has achieved a lot, and many view him as the next coach to win their first national title. He has the resume of one of the five best coaches in the country, but until he breaks through with that national title, it’s hard to justify moving him up higher than this. 2025 rank 5 (0), High 4, Low 7
4. Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame
The way Notre Dame’s season ended doesn’t sit well with me (I don’t care if you got screwed, you’re a football team, play football), but I didn’t let that affect how I ranked Marcus Freeman on my ballot. I was one of five voters to rank him fourth, and no one ranked Freeman lower than seventh. He has taken what Brian Kelly built at Notre Dame and improved upon it in many ways. Once viewed as one of the most overrated teams year after year, Notre Dame is now seen as a legitimate national title contender, and Freeman is a massive reason why. 2025 rank 6 (+2), High 4, Low 7
3. Ryan Day, Ohio State
Ohio State was unable to follow up its national title with another in 2025. The Buckeyes finished 12-2 overall and went 9-0 in conference play before falling to eventual national champion Indiana in the conference title game. They were also upset in their lone playoff game by the Miami team that would also lose to Indiana. So while Day finally got over that Michigan hump, nobody at Ohio State will ever be happy about finishing the season on a two-game losing streak. Given what he’s accomplished through his entire career, though, nobody on our panel even thought about ranking him lower than third. That said, Day didn’t garner a single first-place vote after picking some up last year. 2025 rank 2 (-1), High 2, Low 3
2. Kirby Smart, Georgia
Kirby Smart is in a similar boat to Day right now. He’s one of the most accomplished coaches in the country. He’s won two national titles, and every year his program is expected to compete for another. But last year ended on a sour note. The Dawgs won the SEC again but failed to win a playoff game. They have not won a playoff game since winning the national title in 2022. I don’t think that’s why Smart fell out of the No. 1 spot (it’s more about the accomplishments of the man who usurped him), but it probably played a role. Smart still received four first-place votes (one from me), but it wasn’t enough to hold onto No. 1. 2025 rank 1 (-1), High 1, Low 3
1. Curt Cignetti, Indiana
Google him, and you’ll now see “CBSSports.com’s No. 1 coach” come up in the results. Well, assuming Google still even shows search results anymore, anyway. Curt Cignetti has taken college football by storm. He’s done the seemingly impossible by turning Indiana into a national champion in only two seasons. It’s not simply that he did it, either, but how he did it. He went on the road and beat Oregon during the regular season. He beat No. 1 Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship. He crushed Alabama by 35 in the Rose Bowl and followed ig up with a 34-point win over Oregon in the Peach Bowl. Then he took down a Miami team that was peaking at the right time in the postseason. Cignetti and the Hoosiers overcame every obstacle in their path, often obliterating it beyond recognition and did something nobody could’ve dreamed of only three seasons ago. If he can do that, how can any of us be surprised to see him No. 1 here too? 2025 rank 21 (+20), High 1, Low 3
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