The SEC holds the line — CFP expansion, coaching heat, and Jeremiah Smith's case for #1

Week of May 25–June 1, 2026 | Offseason digest — no AP poll until August

The SEC wrapped its spring meetings in Destin, Florida on Friday having blocked every major governance change the sport is currently debating, defended its coaching hires in public, and watched its coaches split openly over whether to break away from the NCAA entirely. Meanwhile in Frisco, the Big 12's coaching staff voted unanimously to expand the College Football Playoff to 24 teams — and the 2027 Draft's emerging consensus finally has a credible challenger to Arch Manning at #1.

The SEC is standing alone on CFP expansion — and Greg Sankey is fine with that

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart on the sideline — Kirby Smart publicly called for SEC self-governance or a full NCAA breakaway at the Destin spring meetings. 1

When Greg Sankey arrived at the SEC's spring meetings on May 25, his first public statement was essentially a press-conference firebreak: "I do not anticipate any decisions on the College Football Playoff — just so we're clear, so we can tamp that down. We have time." 1 Five days of meetings later, the SEC left without a formal vote, officially supporting a 16-team model with five conference champion spots and 11 at-large bids. Sankey said the conference won't take a position on 24 teams until fall 2026.

The rest of the Power Four has no such patience. Big 12 coaches voted unanimously for 24 teams at their own spring meetings in Frisco, Texas. 2 Commissioner Brett Yormark described support "directionally" while explicitly flagging the need for economic analysis — a measured contrast to Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti's all-in push that never mentioned unintended consequences. 3 "In concept, I like the 24," Yormark said. "More access would be great for the Big 12." 4

The clock in this debate is December 1, 2026 — the deadline to notify ESPN of format changes for the 2027 season. The SEC is the only Power 4 holdout, and Sankey's stated position is nuanced: "We've not stated opposition to 24. We've stated support of 16." 1 The gap between those two sentences is where the expansion fight will be decided.

The breakaway conversation got louder inside the SEC's own meetings. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart (University of Georgia) and Georgia president Jere Morehead publicly advocated for SEC self-governance or a full break from the NCAA during the Destin sessions. Smart: "I've been a huge advocate that if we can't find rules that everybody plays by, then we should play our own. I'm not afraid of that. I'm not afraid to break away." 5 Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin pushed back: "It's a really draconian step. That's a line that you're crossing, from which is probably no return." 1

Also confirmed at the meetings: the SEC voted to require a conference game on the penultimate weekend of the regular season starting in 2027, effectively ending the practice of scheduling FCS opponents or lower-tier programs in late November. Sankey called it "the end of 'cupcake weekend' in late November." 5 But the move drew skepticism from Kirby Smart on the underlying logic. If the SEC is now playing nine conference games while most contenders play eight, the selection committee needs to prove it can reward a 9-3 SEC team over a 10-2 team elsewhere. "I'm blaming the system because I don't know that it can recognize and truly say strength of schedule matters," Smart said. 5

The most striking admission of the week came from Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko (Texas A&M University). At the SEC meetings, he stated that coaches' playoff format preferences come "from a place of self-interest and self-preservation," not the sport's health. "None of us are answering for the good of the sport. We're answering for the good of ourselves." He proposed the logical fix and then immediately diagnosed why it won't happen: "How about a billion-dollar industry having a CEO and a board?" — before acknowledging that "certain influential individuals, like conference commissioners," would have to cede power. 6

Federal legislation and tampering: three pressure points converging at once

On May 27, Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) formally introduced the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act. The bill's main provisions: a hard salary cap on player compensation, a limited antitrust exemption for eligibility and transfer rules, one national NIL law overriding state-by-state variation, media rights pooling (estimated at $9 billion in new revenue), a "Lane Kiffin Rule" barring schools from poaching sitting head coaches mid-season, athletes limited to one unrestricted transfer per career, and a five-year eligibility maximum. 7

The notable non-signers on the bill's endorsement letter: Sankey and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti. The ACC's Jim Phillips and the Big 12's Yormark did sign. Sankey's explanation was precise: "I was asked a week and a half ago to sign on to support a bill I haven't seen. I think that's an enormously bad way to take a position." 7 Texas A&M AD Trev Alberts framed the stakes more bluntly: "We've got a simple choice to make. Do we want to be governed or not?" 7 The bill faces a congressional calendar problem — if it stalls before the August Senate recess, a 2026 vote becomes unlikely.

On tampering reform, the Big 12's Yormark disclosed that NCAA president Charlie Baker has been developing a "pro model" contact-period reform — a legal tampering window before the transfer portal officially opens, similar to the NFL's pre-free agency negotiation period. Yormark: "It's got a bit of a pro model to it where there's a contact period before the portal opens." 8 The timing is notable: the reform comes exactly as the Ole Miss-Clemson tampering case is the sport's most prominent enforcement test.

Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding addressed that case at the SEC spring meetings. Golding, facing NCAA investigation stemming from Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney's allegations about linebacker Luke Ferrelli's transfer, issued a thinly veiled threat: if Ole Miss is sanctioned, the program will expose what it describes as widespread tampering across the sport. Golding declined to confirm the threat directly, but built his case on practical grounds: "There's a lot more people involved that everybody might not know." 9 Meanwhile, in a separate development, court documents released May 31 showed that Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby placed approximately 2,900 bets totaling at least $90,000 over four years — with at least 40 bets on Indiana football while he was the Hoosiers' starting quarterback. 10 His reinstatement request was denied by the NCAA on May 27; a court hearing before a retired judge was scheduled for June 1.

Coaching hot seats: three SEC coaches in real jeopardy, one on an $87.5M gamble

Athlon Sports published its 2026 SEC coaching rankings on May 29, with a top five that reflects both track record and positional stability: Kirby Smart (Georgia) at #1, Steve Sarkisian (Texas) at #2, Kalen DeBoer (Alabama) at #3, Lane Kiffin (LSU) at #4, and Mike Elko (Texas A&M) at #5. 11

The most debated ranking is DeBoer at #3. Alabama extended him seven years for $87.5 million ($12.5 million per year through January 2033) this offseason — but a prominent analyst predicted a "horrendous" outcome for the Tide. Michael Bratton of That SEC Podcast, appearing on the Paul Finebaum Show, forecasted an 8-4 or 7-5 season and said the 2026 campaign may be DeBoer's last in Tuscaloosa. Alabama AD Greg Byrne pushed back at the SEC spring meetings: "The idea of changing your coach every two to three years is absolutely ludicrous." 12 DeBoer's record at Alabama is 20-8 across two seasons, including a 38-3 CFP quarterfinal loss to Indiana in January. The problem isn't DeBoer's ceiling — it's whether the roster can execute his system with Keelon Russell at quarterback and a run game that ranked 96th nationally in yards per carry last season.

Three coaches Tiger Rag analyst Glenn Guilbeau identifies as genuinely facing job pressure in 2026: Shane Beamer (South Carolina), Josh Heupel (Tennessee), and Pete Golding (Ole Miss). 13

Shane Beamer, Josh Heupel, and Pete Golding — Beamer, Heupel, and Golding — the three SEC coaches Guilbeau flags as facing genuine job pressure in 2026. 13

Beamer is 0-7 against ranked opponents since 2024 and went 4-8 (1-7 in SEC) in 2025. Yahoo Sports' Austen Bundy called Beamer "way too inconsistent to justify any security for his future," noting that wasting LaNorris Sellers' (South Carolina quarterback and projected first-round pick in 2027) final season would exhaust South Carolina's patience. 14
Heupel's surface record (45-20 at Tennessee) masks a regression: 8-5 in 2025, 0-5 against Georgia with an average margin of three touchdowns, and a 2026 transfer portal class ranked #26 nationally. He hired defensive coordinator Jim Knowles (architect of Ohio State's elite defenses) to fix the program's most persistent weakness.
Golding took over from Lane Kiffin a team that reached the CFP four-team semifinal. Expectations are calibrated to that baseline, his contract is $6.8 million per year with only a $5.1 million buyout, and the ongoing NCAA tampering investigation is an active liability.

2027 Draft: Jeremiah Smith is "one of one" — and the quarterback class might be historic

Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith in the snow game vs. Michigan — Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith, the 2027 draft's emerging consensus non-QB #1. 15

ESPN's Todd McShay settled the question of Jeremiah Smith's standing this week without hedging: "Jeremiah Smith is one of one in the entire class." 15 He went further — when asked which player he'd draft right now, including quarterbacks, McShay named Smith. 15

Two new big boards published May 27 both support that read. NFL insider Jordan Schultz published a scout-sourced board placing Smith #1 overall and Arch Manning (Texas quarterback) at #2. 16 Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski published a scenario mock where QBs sweep the entire top five — which would be the first time in NFL history — with Miami's Darian Mensah at #1 and Manning at #2, with Smith displaced to later in the first round. 17 Sobleski on Mensah: he "did more with less than any QB in college football," posting a 76.5 Total QBR after October 1 with 20 touchdowns and zero interceptions against the blitz. 17

The NFLMDD Consensus Big Board (updated May 31, aggregating 76 mock drafts and 16 big boards) currently has Manning at #1, Smith at #2, Moore at #3, Colin Simmons (Texas EDGE) at #4, and Dylan Stewart (South Carolina EDGE) at #5. 18 The week's notable mover in the wrong direction: LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina quarterback) dropped six spots to #20 on the consensus board. 18

ESPN's Jordan Reid published a 21-player quarterback class breakdown on May 26, placing Manning in his "Top Names" tier — the tier with realistic first-round ceilings — and describing him as "a strong contender to become the No. 1 overall pick" if he addresses footwork consistency. 19 Reid flagged Dante Moore (Oregon) as the prospect scouts most want to see handle adversity against elite defenses — teams that hit Moore early can make him tentative. 19 CJ Carr (Notre Dame quarterback) was described by multiple unnamed scouts as "the most popular choice as the signal-caller who could shoot high in Round 1." 19

Sorsby's eligibility — which last week was uncertain — is now closer to a binary outcome. The court hearing was held June 1. Bleacher Report confirmed the $90,000-plus betting total from court documents; Jordan Reid removed Sorsby from ESPN's 2027 quarterback watch list after the NCAA denied his reinstatement request on May 27. 20

Ahmad Hardy's (Missouri running back, 2025 SEC rushing yards leader at 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns) timeline remains genuinely open. Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz provided an update on May 26: "We're a long way away from knowing what the football side will be." Hardy was discharged from hospital after being shot at a concert in Mississippi on May 10 and is rehabbing at Missouri's facility each morning. Drinkwitz acknowledged that return-to-play protocols for this type of injury don't exist in college football. 21 Hardy remains at #33 on the NFLMDD consensus board.

Season preview: first three weeks and the coaching debuts to mark on your calendar

On May 27, all major rights-holders released their 2026 college football TV schedules for Weeks 0–3 simultaneously. 22 The marquee matchups and coaching firsts in the first three weeks:

Date	Matchup	Network	Why it matters
Aug. 29 (Week 0)	No. 23 TCU at North Carolina — Dublin, Ireland	ESPN, Noon ET	Bill Belichick (UNC head coach) makes his college head coaching debut at the Aer Lingus College Football Classic
Aug. 29 (Week 0)	NC State vs. Virginia — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	ESPN, 3:30pm ET	First college football game ever played in Brazil
Sept. 5 (Week 1)	Clemson at No. 11 LSU — Baton Rouge	ABC, 7:30pm ET	Lane Kiffin's LSU head coaching debut; College GameDay's 500th road show
Sept. 5 (Week 1)	Western Michigan at Michigan	NBC, 7:30pm ET	Kyle Whittingham (Michigan head coach, formerly Utah's head coach for 22 years) makes his debut
Sept. 5 (Week 1)	Marshall at Penn State	FS1, 3:30pm ET	Matt Campbell (Penn State head coach, formerly Iowa State's head coach) debuts
Sept. 6 (Week 1)	Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin — Lambeau Field	NBC, 7:30pm ET	Notre Dame's Shamrock Series at Lambeau; Fighting Irish's first game at the stadium
Sept. 12 (Week 2)	No. 1 Ohio State at No. 5 Texas	ABC, 7:30pm ET	College GameDay host; the season's most anticipated non-conference game
Sept. 12 (Week 2)	Oklahoma at Michigan	FOX, Noon ET	First meeting since 2025 showdown; BIG NOON KICKOFF from Ann Arbor
Sept. 19 (Week 3)	Arizona State vs. Kansas — Wembley Stadium, London	FS1, Noon ET	First FBS game ever played in England
Sept. 19 (Week 3)	No. 11 LSU at No. 9 Ole Miss	ABC, 7:30pm ET	Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford, where he coached from 2020–2024

Sources: 22 23 24

The week's schedule release also confirmed the end of a quiet era: the SEC's nine-game conference schedule begins September 12 with Alabama at Kentucky — meaning every SEC contender will play one more grueling conference game than it did last year, feeding directly back into the playoff access debate Sankey has been managing all week. The first real test of whether that extra game counts in the CFP committee's deliberations won't arrive until November.

Cover image: Greg Sankey at SEC spring meetings in Destin, Florida. Photo via Orlando Sentinel