Today: The top portal QBs, Josh Pate's CFP predictions, Kenny Dillingham playing his cards right, and Miami's opportunity.

~9.5 minute read (2,011 words)

If this email was forwarded to you, please subscribe.

TRANSFER PORTAL

Ranking the top quarterbacks expected to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal

Sam Leavitt, Dylan Raiola, Brendan Sorsby

The NCAA Transfer Portal won't open for another few weeks, but top quarterbacks around the country are already making their plans to hit free agency known.

At a position where spots are limited and many of the same QB-needy schools are contacting multiple options, the game of musical chairs is just beginning. A handful of former elite recruits headline the market, along with several unheralded Group of Five standouts looking to make the jump.

Few positions will be watched more closely over the next month until the portal closes on January 16. Below is a snapshot of On3's Top 10 quarterbacks currently expected to hit the portal when it opens on Jan. 2.

5. Kenny Minchey, Notre Dame

On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking: No. 8 OVR

A late addition to Notre Dame's 2023 class, Minchey spent three seasons in South Bend behind Sam Hartman, Riley Leonard, and CJ Carr. He completed 23 of 29 passes for 212 yards and will be one of the more intriguing developmental options in the portal come January.

4. DJ Lagway, Florida

On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking: No. 4 OVR

A former Five-Star Plus+ recruit, Lagway appeared in 21 games and was Florida's full-time starter in 2025. After a strong finish to his first season, he entered the year with Heisman buzz but struggled with turnovers and consistency. He completed 63% of his passes with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, while also dealing with lingering injuries from shoulder surgery and a sports hernia.

3. Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati

On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking: No. 3 OVR

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback transferred to Cincinnati after two seasons at Indiana. He started the past two years for the Bearcats and emerged as one of the nation's top passers in 2025. Across 12 games, Sorsby completed 62% of his throws for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Cincinnati opened 7-1 before losing four straight to finish 7-5.

2. Dylan Raiola, Nebraska

On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking: No. 2 OVR

Raiola spent the last two seasons in Lincoln and will have two years of eligibility remaining once he recovers from a broken fibula suffered earlier this season. Limited to nine games as a sophomore, he finished 2025 with 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a 72.4% completion rate. Raiola and the Huskers' offensive line struggled with sacks, including 16 combined over losses to Minnesota and Michigan.

1. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State

On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking: No. 1 OVR

Leavitt entered 2025 as a darkhorse Heisman candidate after a breakout redshirt freshman campaign in which he completed nearly 62% of his passes for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns against six interceptions. Injuries derailed his season, however, and he missed the team's final five regular-season games. If healthy, Leavitt could be one of college football's top players next season. On3's Pete Nakos recently broke down the early schools to watch once Leavitt officially enters the portal in January.

Get the full top 10 ranking here.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

Josh Pate makes College Football Playoff predictions, picks national champion

Josh Pate laid out his full College Football Playoff prediction Tuesday, walking through each round of the bracket before landing on a national champion. Rather than leaning strictly on seeding, Pate's picks focus on timing, health, and which teams he believes are peaking at the right moment. We'll skip this weekend's games for now, and start in the quarterfinals.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinals

No. 1 Indiana over No. 9 Oklahoma

Pate likes Indiana to continue its breakthrough season and reach the semifinals, pointing to the Hoosiers' consistency and ability to win in multiple ways. While Oklahoma has postseason experience, Pate believes Indiana's overall body of work earns them the edge in a high-profile Rose Bowl setting.

No. 5 Oregon over No. 4 Texas Tech

By seed, this is Pate's first upset. He trusts Oregon's roster balance and believes the Ducks' ceiling is higher, especially if they are playing closer to full strength. Pate has consistently emphasized that Oregon's physicality and depth give them the tools to survive deeper into the playoff.

No. 2 Ohio State over No. 7 Texas A&M

For a second straight CFP, Ohio State would face a Texas-based opponent on a neutral field. Pate views Texas A&M's season as a success regardless of outcome, but believes the Buckeyes' experience, talent, and postseason composure allow them to advance.

No. 3 Georgia over No. 6 Ole Miss

This would mark another rematch for Ole Miss, this time on a bigger stage. Pate sticks with Georgia, trusting the Bulldogs' defensive front and overall physical edge to produce the same result as the regular-season meeting.

College Football Playoff Semifinals

No. 5 Oregon over No. 1 Indiana

"I am buying into the idea of Oregon peaking at the right time," Pate said. "I am buying into the idea of a big-time injury for Indiana costing them defensively, while, simultaneously, Oregon is getting healthy." For Pate, this game comes down to timing, with Oregon trending upward while Indiana faces late-season attrition.

No. 2 Ohio State over No. 3 Georgia

Pate's broader outlook on Ohio State explains the pick. If the Buckeyes reach this stage, Pate believes it signals a team that has corrected earlier flaws and found a more complete version of itself.

Through two rounds of the bracket, Pate's predictions reflect a familiar theme: postseason success favors teams that are improving late and entering January closer to their ceiling. Injuries, momentum, and physicality matter more than seed lines, and by the semifinal round, Pate believes only teams built for sustained playoff football remain.

Get Josh Pate's full breakdown, including his championship pick.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Kenny Dillingham is playing his connection to the open Michigan job perfectly

It's no secret that Kenny Dillingham's name has been connected to the vacant Michigan job, setting Arizona State's fan base into a mild panic. So a reporter went directly to the source, asking Dillingham if he wanted to calm Sun Devils fans who are understandably uneasy about the possibility of losing their young head coach to the Wolverines.

"I think my job is to do whatever I can for the people who are with me. The people in the foxhole, the coaches in the foxhole with me," Dillingham said. "I got to do whatever I can to fight for those people, for my family, for everything from that perspective. I love it here. I've said that since day one. That's absolutely never changing."

Perfect. That was a masterclass in how a coach in his position should answer that question. Dillingham is only 35, but he handled it like a veteran who has been on and off the carousel before.

Why was it so perfect? There are two sides to this.

From the Michigan perspective, Dillingham never explicitly said he is not interested in leaving. If he truly wanted to shut the door, he could have stated clearly that he has no interest in other jobs. He did not. That omission matters. It leaves the door open and quietly signals that Michigan can reach out and see where things stand.

If you're involved with Arizona State, you're concerned. While Dillingham, an ASU alum, reiterated how much he loves Phoenix, he did not 100% rule out the possibility of leaving. That means Arizona State now has a decision to make. If it wants to keep him, it must improve his compensation package and take care of the people in the foxhole with him. This is not just about staff salaries. It also means showing greater commitment on the NIL front, especially with starting quarterback Sam Leavitt heading elsewhere.

What happens next is anyone's guess.

But Dillingham understands leverage. Opportunities to gain it do not come often, and when they do, smart coaches use every bit of it.

Arizona State does have one major advantage. It is home. Dillingham grew up there, is close to family, and has openly discussed how appealing it is to raise a family in Scottsdale. That is difficult to match.

So how do you beat it? Offer a clearer path to winning a national title. Michigan can do that.

NIL and the transfer portal have reshaped the sport. Indiana and Texas Tech hold the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds in this year's CFP, and Arizona State is the only team to beat Texas Tech. But can the Sun Devils realistically compete financially with the Big Ten's elite year after year?

Only Dillingham knows what he truly wants. After the way he handled the question publicly, it is clear he will have no shortage of options to consider.

Read Ari Wasserman's full column.

🚨Headlines

NCAA FOOTBALL

Given the gift of College Football Playoff inclusion, Miami can't waste this opportunity

Going into Selection Sunday, Mario Cristobal always believed the College Football Playoff Committee would arrive at some conclusion. From his perspective, the facts supported Miami's case. Still, he wasn't willing to leave everything to chance.

During conference championship weekend, Cristobal was locked in. He watched the games, prepared his talking points, and made himself available publicly to advocate for Miami before the committee convened in Grapevine, Texas. It wasn't desperation. It was conviction.

That Saturday night, Cristobal joined Andy & Ari On3 to state his case plainly. "You assess your situation, and you either get confirmation that you should be in or shouldn't be in," he said. "My final note here? We certainly are one of the best eight or 10 teams in the country."

Miami needed help. The Hurricanes had lost to Louisville and SMU, leaving their fate in the hands of the committee. A snub felt possible, even expected. But when the CFP field was revealed the next morning, Miami's logo was there. The Hurricanes were in, set to face Texas A&M in the first round.

It feels like a second chance.

Miami has to seize it.

Cristobal's pitch leaned heavily on résumé comparison, but one theme came up repeatedly: Miami is ascending. The Hurricanes started the season on fire and looked like a legitimate national title contender before a midseason lull led to two losses in three games. Meanwhile, Notre Dame's dominant winning streak captured national attention, pushing Miami into the background.

For weeks, Notre Dame was ranked ahead of Miami, and the country largely forgot a simple truth: Miami is really good.

"It's validation of everything that we preached," Cristobal said. "But we haven't arrived anywhere yet. We're not here just to participate."

Now Miami has the chance to prove the committee right in College Station.

The Hurricanes are built for this moment. It starts up front, where the defense is led by Rueben Bain, one of the country's top edge rushers, and the offensive line is anchored by Francis Mauigoa. Both players arrived early in Cristobal's tenure and embody the program's long-term vision.

Transfer QB Carson Beck has been sharp during Miami's four-game winning streak, throwing for 1,125 yards with 11 touchdowns and just one interception. Miami's two losses, however, came when Beck struggled mightily. His play will define this run, aided by freshman standout Malachi Toney, one of college football's most electric young receivers.

Strong lines. A punishing defense. An experienced quarterback. A rising star at receiver.

Cristobal inherited a program buried in two decades of irrelevance. Miami has never won the ACC since joining in 2004. A CFP appearance matters. Winning games in the Playoff matters more.

Maybe this is house money.

Maybe Miami is lucky to be here.

But this opportunity? Don't let it slip.

Read the full column from Ari Wasserman.

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 took over as a starter early in my career and went on to become one of the most productive passers in SEC history, setting multiple school records during a four-year run.
I led UGA to multiple SEC East titles and finished my career as the SEC's all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns, including a season where my team came just yards short of a national title game appearance.
I starred at Georgia from 2010-13, broke several of Peyton Manning's records, and briefly played in the NFL before moving into media.

Answer at the bottom.

SHAREWORTHY