College Football: 2025-26

[JCA-CrystalCity]

So Yale managed to avoid a late season trap game at Princeton with a field goal with 4 minutes left and a stop afterwards. With the win, it sets up next week's Yale-Harvard game to determine which one gets the first automatic bid to the FCS playoffs for the Ivy League. Previously the Ivies did not participate.

[Natsinpwc]

James Franklin to VPI.  Good hire. Guy can recruit. Worry about beating top ranked teams later on

[HalfSmokes]

James Franklin to VPI.  Good hire. Guy can recruit. Worry about beating top ranked teams later on

He’s going to be dealing with a huge drop in NIL- lets see how much recruiting matters when the other team has more money.

[GataNats]

He’s going to be dealing with a huge drop in NIL- lets see how much recruiting matters when the other team has more money.

NIL is capped at $20 mil per school.    Shouldn’t be anything like Cooper Flagg getting 30 mil single handily anymore

[HalfSmokes]

NIL is capped at $20 mil per school.    Shouldn’t be anything like Cooper Flagg getting 30 mil single handily anymore

Revenue share is capped. NIL is still free market.

[Natsinpwc]

https://hokiesports.com/news/2025/09/30/virginia-tech-board-of-visitors-approves-budget-plan-in-support-of-athletics

School will be spending more money on the program. Of course some of that will be paying Franklin.  He was a good recruiter before and don’t see any reason why that won’t continue. I don’t expect them to be competing for a national title. But should be an improvement on Fuente and Pry.  Some 9-3 and 8-4 seasons would be nice.

[1995hoo]

In one of the more bizarre developments, there are a bunch of reports circulating that next year's NC State–Virginia game will be moved from Charlottesville to somewhere in Brazil. I wonder how much money they'll get for agreeing to that.

[Count Walewski]

He’s going to be dealing with a huge drop in NIL- lets see how much recruiting matters when the other team has more money.

He used to coach Vanderbilt before NIL so he's used to a hard sell.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Yale beats Harvard, 45-28, to become co-champs in the league, give Harvard their 1st loss, and win the Ivy's first auto-bid to the FCS playoffs. It's likely that a 1 loss Harvard team gets an at-large bid. They were 10th going into today so shouldn't be badly punished for losing to #25 away in a rivalry game.

[imref]

OSU finally exorcising the demon.

[blue911]

OSU finally exorcising the demon.

I see they ducked Maryland

[Count Walewski]

I'm not a fan of anything that comes out of New Haven, CT other than the pizza, but it would be freaking hilarious if Yale went into Montana State next week and beat the mighty Grizzlies.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Yale wins at Youngstown State, 43-42. Had a slow start with several turnovers in the first half. Were trailing 28-7 with 2 minutes left but had the ball at the 8 when, after a loss to the 12, the QB fumbled trying to escape a sack, YSU returns it 44 yards then scores before half to go up 35-7. Even though they are down 4 TDs, Yale stays balanced on offense, starts using jet sweeps to loosen up the line to give their star back from Bethesda, Josh Pittsenberger, who racks up 200+ yards. Down 42-14, they score and go for 2 successfully, get a turnover to set up  the next TD, then a 12 play drive make it  a 6 point game. Pittsenberger breaks off a 56 yard run with 2:57 left first play of their next possession to take the lead, then when Yale gets the ball back on downs, breaks a run off but stops on the  1 to allow Yale to run out the clock. Reward is a trip to Montana State.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'm not a fan of anything that comes out of New Haven, CT other than the pizza, but it would be freaking hilarious if Yale went into Montana State next week and beat the mighty Grizzlies.

hamburgers aren't bad at Louis's

[imref]

Yale wins at Youngstown State, 43-42. Had a slow start with several turnovers in the first half. Were trailing 28-7 with 2 minutes left but had the ball at the 8 when, after a loss to the 12, the QB fumbled trying to escape a sack, YSU returns it 44 yards then scores before half to go up 35-7. Even though they are down 4 TDs, Yale stays balanced on offense, starts using jet sweeps to loosen up the line to give their star back from Bethesda, Josh Pittsenberger, who racks up 200+ yards. Down 42-14, they score and go for 2 successfully, get a turnover to set up  the next TD, then a 12 play drive make it  a 6 point game. Pittsenberger breaks off a 56 yard run with 2:57 left first play of their next possession to take the lead, then when Yale gets the ball back on downs, breaks a run off but stops on the  1 to allow Yale to run out the clock. Reward is a trip to Montana State.

incredible. Harvard lost too.

[Natsinpwc]

Nice the Ivy League is participating in the FCS playoffs.

[1995hoo]

What a nice night.

[GataNats]

Ohio State is going to walk through the playoffs again

[1995hoo]

What a game in Berkeley.

[blue911]

hamburgers aren't bad at Louis's

Is that the place that claims to have invented the hamburger?

[imref]

What a nice night.

except Bama won

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Is that the place that claims to have invented the hamburger?

yes. No ketchup on the menu. Hamburgers on white toast with your choice of  tomato, onion, and / or cheese. Chips are available.

https://louislunch.com/menu/

Of course, a quick  google  search reveals I've got the name slightly wrong. Louis' Lunch.

Curious what Skippy thinks of the place. I only went there once sort of to punch a ticket. I think I tried a second time but could find the place. The burgers are really good. Dunno if they are better than Five Guys or some or Duke's Grocer, but very good. IIRC they are smash style.

[HalfSmokes]

Looks like thing a have improved since the invention

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Nice the Ivy League is participating in the FCS playoffs.

It's always been a curiosity how the Ivies would fare in the FCS. The top of the league usually fares well in out of conference games against good  FCS teams like New Hampshire, Lehigh, etc... I think there were probably some of the Harvard teams from the early 2000s that could have gone a few rounds in the FCS playoffs until they ran into the Appy States, Troys, Georgia Southerns, JMUs etc... that were on the verge of moving to the FBS. Now, the northern plains state schools (Montana, Montana State,  NDSU, etc...) may be a bit too much, but we'll see. TBH, I'm a bit surprised that Harvard was blown out. I think THE Game last week may have kind of gutted them.

[HalfSmokes]

With the precedent already set the an injured player renders past performance and record irrelevant (Florida State in 2023), how far does losing an entire coaching staff drop you?