Today: Quarterback dominoes, legal battle brewing at Washington, Trinidad Chambliss' decision, and yesterday's top transfer commits.

~9 minute read (1,950 words)

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TRANSFER PORTAL

Transfer Portal Quarterback Dominoes: Inside the battle to land top arms

Beau Pribula, Demond Williams, Sam Leavitt, DJ Lagway

The quarterback movement in the transfer portal has been the story of this college football free agency period. Texas Tech landed former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby over LSU with a reported $5 million NIL deal. North Texas' Drew Mestemaker, USF's Byrum Brown, and Iowa State's Rocco Becht were quarterbacks who followed their head coaches to Oklahoma State, Auburn and Penn State, respectively.

Indiana landed Josh Hoover from TCU, and former Notre Dame quarterback Kenny Minchey flipped his commitment from Nebraska to Kentucky. However, there are still plenty of transfer portal quarterback dominoes to fall.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson just announced that he will enter the NFL Draft and will not return to school in 2026. Simpson was evaluating his future since the end of the Crimson Tide's 2025-26 season. Several programs were ready to pounce on Simpson if he had entered the transfer portal, where he could've landed a lucrative NIL package.

Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt has been the main quarterback domino this portal cycle. He has been on LSU's campus the past few days, meeting with Lane Kiffin and staff. The Tigers are considered to be in the best position to land Leavitt, but the former ASU QB set a visit to another SEC school on Wednesday as his recruitment continues.

Multiple other quarterbacks are still available. Missouri transfer Beau Pribula has visited Virginia Tech and Nebraska, but neither will be among his final destinations. One school to keep tabs on in this one is Georgia Tech.

Nebraska's Dylan Raiola is still on the board, too. Sources have told On3 that he's still exploring the market. Oregon has been one school linked to him as an option, but it's unclear if the Ducks are expressing interest. If Demond Williams does ultimately leave Washington, Raiola could be one of the top remaining quarterbacks.

Elsewhere, Ole Miss is viewed as the top team to beat for Auburn transfer Deuce Knight. Sources have said a visit is in the works following the CFP semifinals. If Trinidad Chambliss wins his extra year of eligibility, a return to Auburn could be in play for Knight.

Read the full article from Pete Nakos.

TRANSFER PORTAL

Washington QB Demond Williams Jr. hits the portal despite recently-signed deal

Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. announced plans to enter the transfer portal, a decision that has quickly become one of the most complicated and consequential storylines of the offseason. The move comes on the heels of a breakout sophomore year, a freshly signed contract, and a looming legal fight that could test how much power schools and conferences can exert in the NIL era.

Williams announced Tuesday night that he plans to enter the portal and is expected to do so with a do-not-contact tag. That decision arrived just four days after he signed a new deal to return to the Washington Huskies in 2026, one the school says it intends to enforce.

As Williams' future has come into question, early recruiting buzz has already begun to form, with Pete Nakos identifying several early programs to watch as the situation unfolds, including one SEC power that could loom large depending on how the legal process plays out.

Sources have emphasized that Williams remains under contract at Washington, that the Huskies expect him to be their quarterback next season and that the Big Ten is involved. The conference drafts revenue-sharing contracts for its members, and Washington has described Williams' deal as a binding agreement. The school also believes another program contacted Williams after he signed the deal and plans to submit evidence of tampering.

Williams' rise in Seattle made him central to Washington's future plans. After following Jedd Fisch from Arizona to Washington in January 2024, he appeared in 26 games across two seasons. He showed early promise as a freshman, completing more than 78 percent of his passes, before taking over full-time in 2025 following Will Rogers' graduation. Williams led the Huskies to a 9-4 record, threw for 3,065 yards and 25 touchdowns against eight interceptions, and added 611 rushing yards and six scores. He was named the team's offensive MVP and earned LA Bowl MVP honors in a 38-10 win over Boise State.

Less than a week before his portal announcement, Washington was preparing to make Williams one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in college football. Now, the dispute carries significant legal weight. The Big Ten has previously backed Wisconsin in its ongoing lawsuit against Miami tied to former Badger Xavier Lucas, and sources believe the language in Williams' deal closely mirrors that template.

In his statement announcing the move, Williams thanked the program and said the decision was about his future. "I have to do what is best for me and my future," he wrote.

On the field, Williams immediately becomes the top quarterback available in the portal. The LSU Tigers and Miami Hurricanes have already been linked, though the resolution of Washington's contract stance could ultimately determine whether his recruitment ever fully materializes.

What happens next could shape not only Williams' career, but also how NIL contracts are enforced across college football.

Get the latest from Pete Nakos.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Trinidad Chambliss' decision to return to Ole Miss and an NCAA decision that could shape 2026 and beyond

Trinidad Chambliss' AT&T commercial feels almost too on the nose. Sitting on a couch in an Ole Miss jersey, surrounded by family, the quarterback waits as a TV broadcast mimics the NFL Draft. "If you want to win, you go with the best," Chambliss says before announcing he's switching phone carriers. It's a lighthearted ad, but one that mirrors his current reality.

Chambliss is in the middle of the most significant run in Ole Miss history, leading the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinal and sitting one win away from the program's first-ever national championship appearance. At the same time, his future has been anything but settled. After former head coach Lane Kiffin left Oxford for LSU just before the CFP began, speculation swirled that Chambliss might follow. Others wondered whether his late-season surge made him a viable NFL Draft candidate in a thin quarterback class.

On Monday, Chambliss put part of that speculation to rest by announcing his intention to stay at Ole Miss. Whether he is allowed to do so remains unresolved. Chambliss is awaiting an NCAA eligibility waiver that would grant him a sixth year, a decision that could shape Ole Miss' short-term future and carry broader implications across college athletics. The stakes are high, with Chambliss projected to earn roughly $4 million, raising questions about whether the NCAA can restrict an athlete's ability to access that level of compensation.

By standard eligibility rules, Chambliss' college career should end after this season. But on Nov. 16, he and his attorney, Tom Mars, filed a waiver request seeking an additional year. The strategy is medical. Chambliss argues that a respiratory condition limited his ability to breathe and sidelined him in 2022, warranting a retroactive medical redshirt. He enrolled at Ferris State in 2021 and did not play in 2022, forming the basis of his claim.

Some believe the NCAA will approve the waiver to avoid future litigation. Others point to the organization's history of denying eligibility extensions, driven by the desire to keep college athletics confined to a finite age window. That position, however, is becoming harder to defend in an era where athletes earn millions. Eligibility rules were created without athlete input, leaving the NCAA exposed to potential antitrust challenges.

Chambliss' case could become a flashpoint in that debate. His on-field performance has only heightened the scrutiny. After replacing Austin Simmons in the season's third game, he seized the job, throwing for 3,660 yards and 21 touchdowns while adding more than 500 rushing yards and eight scores. In Ole Miss' 39-34 CFP quarterfinal win over Georgia, he passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns, a performance that drew praise from Kiffin, who celebrated by posting "🇹🇹" on X.

Despite LSU speculation, Chambliss made his choice clear during a SportsCenter hit, saying Ole Miss "has been good to me" and that he trusted his gut to stay.

Speaking of decisions, the NCAA has a pretty critical one. And its decision could have ripple effects, both on the field in 2026 and, maybe, in courtrooms beyond.

Read the full story from Ari Wasserman.

🚨Headlines

TRANSFER PORTAL

Recapping yesterday's top portal commitments: Nebraska, Clemson make moves

Tree Babalade, Anthony Colandrea, Parker Livingstone

The transfer portal continues to reshape rosters across the country, with quarterbacks on the move, rivals trading playmakers, and some teams overhauling rosters completely. From Big Ten quarterback shuffles to seven-figure NIL investments in the trenches, this latest wave of commitments highlights how aggressively programs are building for 2026.

QB Anthony Colandrea: Nebraska

Anthony Colandrea gives Nebraska a veteran option after the departure of Dylan Raiola. Colandrea broke out in his lone season at UNLV under Dan Mullen, completing nearly 66% of his passes for 3,459 yards and 23 touchdowns. The former Virginia quarterback showed improved efficiency and decision-making, and now steps into a Husker quarterback room in need of stability as Matt Rhule resets the offense.

OT Tree Babalade: Nebraska

Babalade adds experience and pedigree to Nebraska's offensive line. The former South Carolina tackle made 22 career appearances and 15 starts with the Gamecocks and has two years of eligibility remaining. A four-star recruit out of DeMatha Catholic, Babalade is expected to be one of the highest-paid OTs in America as Nebraska retools its offense.

Clemson makes moves

Clemson's early activity this cycle stands out after years of portal resistance. In the last 24 hours, the Tigers added four defenders. Cal linebacker Luke Ferrelli is the headliner, coming off an ACC Defensive Freshman of the Year season with 91 tackles. Auburn transfer CB Donovan Starr arrives with three years of eligibility after a developmental freshman season. Old Dominion safety Jerome Carter brings proven production after a six-interception sophomore year. Former Southern Miss DB Corey Myrick rounds out the haul after a breakout 2025 season. Together, the additions signal Clemson's willingness to adapt after another down season.

WR Parker Livingstone: Oklahoma

Parker Livingstone is heading from Texas to rival Oklahoma after a breakout sophomore season. A former four-star recruit, Livingstone caught 29 passes for 516 yards and six touchdowns in 2025, including a pair of receptions in the Red River rivalry game. His exit stung in Austin, particularly for Arch Manning, but it gives the Sooners a proven Big 12 weapon with upside.

QB Aidan Chiles: Northwestern

Chiles gives Northwestern a dual-threat quarterback with Power Four experience. Chiles threw for more than 2,400 yards in 2024 at Michigan State and showed improved efficiency before injuries limited his 2025 season. His mobility and upside fit a Wildcats offense searching for playmaking at quarterback.

DL Mateen Ibirogba: Texas Tech

Ibirogba caps the roundup with one of the portal's most intriguing interior defenders. After emerging at Wake Forest, Ibirogba commanded NIL interest near the $1 million range and chose Texas Tech following the Red Raiders' CFP quarterfinal run. His addition reinforces Tech's push to stay in the Big 12 title picture under Joey McGuire.

Keep up with all of the latest portal commitments here.

TRIVIA

Now here's a guy...

Below, you'll find 3 facts about a random college football player. You'll try to guess who the player is based on the facts. Let's go.

I rushed for more than 4,500 yards in my college career, finished second in the Big Ten in rushing, and earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors after posting double-digit 100-yard games in a single season.
I was a Doak Walker Award semifinalist in 2013, ranked among the national leaders in all-purpose yards, and became one of the most productive RBs in Nebraska history.
In 2014, Nebraska launched a full Heisman campaign around me, including mailing AA batteries to media members, as I piled up monster games and record-setting all-purpose totals.

Answer at the bottom.

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