Good morning, and welcome back to CFB Roundup from CFB Home – the first daily newsletter that’s all college football, all the time with no bias, no slant, and no fluff.

TODAY’S SCHEDULE:

Betting Information as of time of writing

East Carolina to Promote Interim HC Blake Harrell to Full Time HC

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, East Carolina is planning to remove the interim tag on current interim Head Coach Blake Harrell to make him the next full-time Head Coach.

ECU’s board still needs to formally approve a contract for Coach Harrell, according to Thamel, but that meeting is expected to be called in the upcoming days.

Coach Harrell got his start in coaching back in 2001 with his alma mater, Western Carolina, and was the Defensive Coordinator of ECU. Coach Harrell took over as the interim after Mike Houston was fired when the Pirates had a 3-4 record, but after starting 4-0 under Coach Harrell, ECU is 7-4 with its season finale game at home against Navy.

Mack Brown Confirms His Intention to Return to UNC in 2025

There have been reports and rumors in the last few months about Mack Brown’s seemingly impending retirement from college football, and it was recently reported that Mack Brown had no intention of retiring and was planning on coaching North Carolina in 2025.

Coach Brown was directly asked, though, during his weekly press conference yesterday if he intended to come back in 2025, to which Coach Brown said, “yes.”

However, Coach Brown shared that he has yet to speak with the Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham yet about 2025 and beyond, sharing that, “you never talk to your Athletics Director until the year’s over. Everybody always does that. My total focus is on NC State.”

Coach Brown also spoke on the questions he gets, saying: “when you’re 73, you’re asked every day. I mean recruits have asked every day, every year, ‘How long are you going to do this?’ And I’ve said I’ll do it as long as I’m happy, as long as I’m healthy, and as long as I’m effective. I’m not going to think about retiring. I’m not going to talk about retiring. I haven’t changed that for six years.”

4-Star LB Ty Jackson Flips from USC to Florida

Consensus 4-Star LB Ty Jackson flipped his commitment from USC to Florida yesterday after being in Gainesville for Florida’s upset victory over Ole Miss.

Jackson committed to USC back on September 8th, but he’s visited Florida on several occasions and his dad shared that based on how many times they’ve visited Gainesville, Coach Napier is someone they’re particularly comfortable with.

ESPN ranks Jackson the highest, ranking him 54th nationally, while the On3 industry composite ranks Jackson 135th nationally and 15th at the LB position.

After starting slowly, Florida’s 2025 class is starting to come together as Jackson marks the 8th 4-star commitment and 18th commitment overall for Florida’s 2025 class, a class which ranks 19th nationally and 11th in the SEC.

USC’s class is down to 10 Blue Chip Commitments and 21 commitments overall for a class which ranks 14th nationally and 4th in the Big Ten.

Auburn’s Cam Coleman: Alabama Next on “Revenge Tour”

Auburn improved to 5-6 after an upset win at home against Texas A&M, but the Tigers now have another upset on their minds as they head to Tuscaloosa for this year’s edition of the Iron Bowl after Auburn lost a heart breaker late in 2023.

WR Cam Coleman spoke on going to Bryant-Denny Stadium for his first Iron Bowl, calling it a “revenge tour,” and saying, “we’re going in their place and we’re really just going to go into their crib and just take over and have fun while we’re doing it. … This is going to be some of the last memories we make with each other, so let’s go make it a memorable game.”

Auburn LB Demarcus Riddick also had some comments about Alabama WR Ryan Williams and QB Jalen Milroe, saying that Milroe would be contained because Riddick is faster than Milroe and that Williams might be electric, but “he ain’t really nobody to [Riddick].”

Texas A&M OL: Texas’ Anthony Hill a Great Player, but Nothing We Can’t Handle

Texas and Texas A&M haven’t played in well over a decade, but the stakes could not be higher in this game for both programs as the winner will make the SEC Championship game and presumably have a clear path the College Football Playoff.

Aggies OL Trey Zuhn is confident in the Aggies’ ability to rise to the challenge against #3 Texas and what many consider to be an elite Longhorn defense, led by LB Anthony Hill.

Of Hill, Zuhn said, “he’s a great player, but he’s nothing that we haven’t seen before and nothing that we can’t handle.” That’s an interesting take considering Hill currently has 79 tackles, 15 TFLs, 7 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles and is for sure a matchup to watch this weekend.

The game being played in College Station, rather than Austin, was also of note for Zuhn, saying, “it’s going to be the most amazing atmosphere that I’ve ever experienced. So I can’t wait for that, and I feel bad for Texas having to play in that. So, looking forward to it.”

Colorado Handling Shedeur Sanders Shoving Ref Internally, Will Not Face Suspension

According to Buffzone.com’s Brian Howell, Shedeur Sanders will not be facing a suspension for what looked like a shove of a Big 12 official during the Buffaloes’ Week 13 37-20 loss to Kansas.

Howell has reported that the matter is being handled internally with Colorado.

It stems from a play in the second half where Sanders was sacked, and he then took exception to the Jayhawks’ reaction to the sack. An official attempted to put himself between the Colorado and Kansas players that had come together, before Sanders appeared to give a shove with his forearm to the back of the official.

FOX rules analyst Mike Pereira shared on the broadcast that Sanders was lucky to not be ejected from the game for that.

Colorado finishes its season with Oklahoma State coming to Folsom Field in Boulder, CO for Senior Day in what will almost definitely be the final home game for Shedeur Sanders, as well as Travis Hunter and many other Colorado players.

2026 4-Star IOL Esun Tafa Commits to Washington

2026 4-Star IOL Esun Tafa committed to Washington yesterday over offers from Oregon, Utah, and others.

Tafa has been a part of back-to-back state championships at Corner Canyon High School in Draper, UT.

Rivals is the lone major recruiting service which rates Tafa a 3-star, but he ranks as high as 182nd nationally and 10th at his position according to 247. The On3 industry composite places Tafa 189th nationally and 15th at his position.

For Washington, the 2026 class hasn’t really started to fill up yet, but Tafa is the 2nd Blue Chip commitment and 5th commitment overall.

4-Star DL Kelten Mickell Flips from Liberty to TCU

4-Star DL Kelten Mickell shared yesterday that he has flipped his commitment from Liberty to TCU after originally committing to Liberty back on June 24th.

Mickell also held offers from Georgia, Tennessee, Miami, South Carolina, and other programs.

He was one of the top JuCo prospects in the country, ranking 1st according to Rivals and 5th according to On3’s rankings. According to the On3 industry composite for JuCo players, he ranks 4th nationally and 2nd at the DL position.

Temple Admins Release Statement Reaffirming Commitment to Football

Following Temple’s firing of former Head Coach Stan Drayton, University President John Fry shared that the administration had to step back and assess the football program, which led to many social media questions and op-ed-style pieces from local media members lamenting on the viability and reasonability of maintaining a football program at Temple in the future.

Fry and AD Arthur Johnson now release a statement reaffirming their commitment to football at Temple, stating, in part: “we are writing today to address recent media coverage, which misrepresented Temple’s position with respect to our football program. Football is an integral part of our identity, and we want to honor and reinvigorate our tradition and legacy. … As we write this, we are actively engaged in discussions with several highly-qualified head coach candidates. We are searching for a coach who will infuse energy into the program and position us to compete for conference championships and play in bowl games. We look forward to making an announcement soon.”

The statement continues, “we recognize that the landscape of college football … is changing rapidly. … As we move into the next chapter of Temple football, we want to reiterate our commitment to the program and send our appreciation for your continued support. We have an opportunity now to position Temple where it belongs in the college football landscape and none of that would be possible without you. Go Owls!”

2026 4-Star IOL Sean Stover Commits to Duke

2026 4-Star IOL Sean Stover committed to Duke yesterday over offers from Oregon, Penn State, and others.

Stover recently visited Durham, NC back in September, and now he jumps on board for Coach Manny Diaz as Stover joins DL Ayden Cain as the second commitment for Duke’s class of 2026.

Both 247 and ESPN rate Stover as a 4-star, and the On3 industry composite ranks Stover 244th nationally and 20th at his position.

Other Commitments/Decommitments

4-Star (90) LB Zach Weeks commits to LSU

3-Star (88) Daune Morris flips from USC to Tennessee

3-Star (88) Muizz Tounkara flips from Arizona to Florida

3-Star (87) OT Jahari Medlock flips from Cincinnati to Florida

3-Star (87) WR Jordan Allen flips from Louisville to Georgia Tech

3-Star (87) Kaylib Singleton commits to Syracuse

3-Star (86) CB Jordyn Woods flips from Cincinnati to Ohio State

3-Star (86) RB Grayson Rigdon commits to NC State

2026 3-Star (86) CB Jayden Crowder commits to Cal

3-Star (85) OT Jahmir Davis commits to West Virginia

3-Star (85) WR Jaquise Martin commits to Houston

3-Star (85) S Ja’Bryis Stewart flips from FIU to Mississippi State

3-Star (84) CB Abe Jager commits to New Mexico

3-Star (83) RB Zion Gist flips from Western Michigan to Michigan State

3-Star (83) EDGE Deangelo Thompson Jr. flips from FAU to Syracuse

3-Star (83) OT A’Marion Breland commits to UTSA

3-Star (82) IOL Brandon Homady flips from Ohio to West Virginia

3-Star (80) K/P Scott Starzyk decommits from Iowa

2-Star (75) ATH Zyon Floyd commits to Portland State

Unrated EDGE Aiden Benton commits to App State

Unrated S Chris Noble commits to Middle Tennessee

Unrated OT Tyler Meadows commits to Kent State

2026 Unrated DL Ah Deong Yang commits to Washington

Yale QB Grant Jordan enters transfer portal

Yale WR David Pantelis enters transfer portal

Harvard LB Marcus Alexander enters transfer portal

Harvard DL Jacob Psyk enters transfer portal

Harvard CB Gavin Shipman enters transfer portal

Harvard IOL Mike Entwistle enters transfer portal

Cornell LB Luke Banbury enters transfer portal

Yal DL Alvin Gulley Jr. enters transfer portal

Yale S Inumidun Ayo-Durojaiye enters transfer portal

Arkansas Pine-Bluff WR Javonnie Gibson enters transfer portal

Holy Cross S Ryan Ruane enters transfer portal

Indiana State S Maddix Blackwell enters transfer portal

Harvard IOL Austin Gentle enters transfer portal

Nebraska WR Malachi Coleman enters transfer portal

Penn TE Bryce Myers enters transfer portal

Ball State IOL Taran Tyo enters transfer portal

Princeton OT Will Reed enters transfer portal

Princeton CB Jalen Newman enters transfer portal

Princeton IOL Nicholas Hilliard enters transfer portal

Princeton IOL Tommy Matheson enters transfer portal

Northern Colorado EDGE Marcus Howard enters transfer portal

Princeton WR Luke Colella enters transfer portal