Today: Michigan hot board, 2025's biggest disappointments, ACC stands up for Notre Dame, and CSC in trouble.

~7 minute read (1,749 words)

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NCAA FOOTBALL

Sherrone Moore fired, arrested: What's next in Ann Arbor, top names to watch

Michigan stunned the college football world on Wednesday by firing head coach Sherrone Moore for cause, ending his two-season run leading the Wolverines. The move follows a university investigation that found credible evidence Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Players were abruptly called into a team meeting to learn the news, and athletics director Warde Manuel later issued a statement outlining the findings. Biff Poggi has been appointed interim head coach.

Just hours later, police in Saline, MI, detained Moore and turned him over to Pittsfield Township authorities. Moore was booked into the Washtenaw County Jail at 8:30 p.m. ET as officers investigated an alleged assault reported earlier that afternoon. Pittsfield Police said the incident does not appear to be random, the suspect was taken into custody pending a review of charges, and additional details are being withheld to preserve the integrity of the investigation.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that inside Schembechler Hall, the situation had been simmering behind the scenes. He said there was a period of "uneasiness" inside the building and that Moore had been "acting strange, berating assistant coaches, not acting in a normal way." Thamel added that early speculation cooled near the end of the regular season before intensifying last week. He also confirmed that Michigan avoids paying Moore more than twelve million dollars in buyout money because the firing was for cause.

The Wolverines are now preparing for the Citrus Bowl against Texas on Dec. 31 without their head coach and with uncertainty surrounding the direction of the program. The transfer portal is now open for Wolverines players, and both current players and recent signees are expected to enter. Even Tyrann Mathieu made a plea to QB Bryce Underwood after the news broke.

As for when a hiring will take place, Manuel is expected to move quickly ahead of the Jan. 2 transfer portal.

Hot board: Top names to watch

Kalen DeBoer, Alabama: A proven winner who took Washington to a title game and has Alabama back in the playoff. Viewed as a strong cultural and developmental fit, though prying him from Tuscaloosa will not be easy.
Brian Kelly, former LSU head coach: One of the most accomplished coaches available with nearly 300 career wins and major success at Notre Dame. Michigan values experience, and Kelly's Midwest roots keep him in the conversation.
Lincoln Riley, USC: An elite offensive mind with a track record of quarterback development and playoff runs at Oklahoma. Would be a bold swing, but Michigan is expected to explore top-tier candidates.
Jedd Fisch, Washington: A respected evaluator and program builder who rebuilt Arizona and stabilized Washington quickly. Strong offensive background and Big Ten familiarity make him a realistic contender.

See all 8 names on the Michigan hot board.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Josh Pate's most disappointing teams in college football

The 2025 season is headed for its final chapter, but Josh Pate is already looking back at the teams that came up well short of expectations. On a recent episode of his show, Pate named his three biggest disappointments of the year. All three had real playoff aspirations. All three fell flat.

Clemson Tigers

Clemson entered the season with optimism around Cade Klubnik and a defensive line stacked with experience. Pate said he viewed this as a potential "last dance" for the Tigers, a window they needed to capitalize on before roster uncertainty arrived in 2026. Instead, Clemson collapsed out of the gate.

"They lost to LSU and they squeaked by Troy, then lost to Georgia Tech, then lost to Syracuse," Pate said. "When they lost to Syracuse, that one was done." That defeat came against Steve Angeli and a Syracuse team that later changed quarterbacks due to injury, which made the loss sting even more. Clemson began 1-3 and never recovered, earning Pate's label as the most disappointing team in the country.

Florida Gators

Florida finished 2024 on a high note, winning four straight behind the dynamic play of DJ Lagway. The momentum carried into the offseason and convinced Pate to buy in. He now admits he misread the situation.

"I got a little taste of Florida at the end of last year and they convinced me to buy them, and I didn't check the expiration date," Pate joked. The Gators stumbled to 4-8 and fired Billy Napier, and Lagway's regression became a central storyline. "He finished with a 16-to-14 touchdown to INT ratio," Pate said, noting how far that fell from preseason expectations. Florida, in his view, never looked close to the team many expected to push for a playoff berth.

Penn State Nittany Lions

Coming off a playoff semifinal run with Drew Allar returning, a loaded backfield, and added receiver help from the portal, Penn State looked like a near lock for another postseason appearance. Then the pressure hit. Hard.

Pate pointed to how complete the roster appeared. "All the signs were there," he said. "I don't know how Penn State doesn't make the playoff." Instead, the Nittany Lions unraveled, James Franklin was fired midseason, and a team once expected to go 10-2 at worst "finished just a few games short of worst case."

Read the full story here.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips calls for College Football Playoff expansion after Notre Dame snub

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips is pushing for College Football Playoff expansion in the wake of Notre Dame's exclusion from this year's 12-team field, arguing the system is failing to include teams capable of winning a national championship. Phillips said the Irish's situation echoes Florida State's infamous 2023 snub, when the Seminoles became the first undefeated Power Five program left out.

"There's such heartache at that cutline right now," Phillips said. "And, what I would say is, if you're leaving teams out of the Playoff that could win a national championship, then you don't have the right number. We experienced it two seasons ago with Florida State, the only undefeated team to not make the Playoff at 13-0."

He pointed to other recent borderline cases, including the SMU and Alabama debate last season, and said multiple teams currently on the edge "deserve to be in." CFP expansion talks remain active, though commissioners delayed a final decision until late January as they monitor how the revamped 12-team format performs.

A larger field would significantly improve Notre Dame's postseason outlook. In a 16-team bracket, the Irish would be comfortably included, and even a shift to 14 teams could secure their path. Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua recently revealed that under a negotiated provision, the Irish would be guaranteed a spot if ranked inside the top 12. Had that been in effect this year, they would have been selected over Miami.

But the snub also ignited tension between Notre Dame and the ACC. Bevacqua said the conference caused "permanent damage" to the relationship by publicly advocating for Miami. "We were mystified by the actions of the conference," he said.

Phillips responded by standing behind his earlier comments. "The University of Notre Dame is an incredibly valued member of the ACC," he said in a statement to On3. "At no time was it suggested by the ACC that Notre Dame was not a worthy candidate." He reiterated the league's responsibility to support all 17 football-playing members.

Even amid the back-and-forth, Phillips' broader position is clear. If strong playoff-caliber teams continue to be left out, he believes the field is too small and expansion is necessary.

Read the full story here.

🚨Headlines

SPORTS BUSINESS

Skeptics cast doubt on College Sports Commission's participation agreement

On the first floor of the Aria Casino and Resort on Tuesday, more than 30 FBS athletic directors gathered for a closed-door meeting with College Sports Commission CEO Bryan Seeley. They asked questions, aired frustrations and, by the end, left largely satisfied with the transparency of the conversation.

The central topic was simple but unresolved. Would all schools sign the CSC's participation agreement?

Three weeks after conferences circulated the document to their members, and a week after the original signing deadline, there is still no clear answer. The agreement is intended to bind power conference programs to the House settlement terms and require schools to waive their right to sue the CSC over enforcement. But it only becomes enforceable if all 68 power-league schools sign.

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That is where the complications begin. At least eight state attorneys general, beginning with Texas, have publicly urged their schools not to sign a document they view as laden with legal issues. Their resistance has thrown the agreement's future into doubt.

From the Sports Business Journal's annual forum in Las Vegas, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark sounded cautiously optimistic. He said he is "confident" schools will eventually sign a modified agreement, though "it won't happen overnight." He expects "adjustments" that leaders believe could ultimately deliver 68 signatures.

Not everyone is convinced. Some believe that no matter the edits, the document is effectively dead. Others, including many of those in Tuesday's AD-only session, expressed hope that a unified signature effort can still materialize.

What complicates the situation is that the document is not strictly necessary. As Seeley noted, the participation agreement simply adds "meat" to the bones of the House settlement. Schools have already agreed unanimously to those terms. The agreement was meant to reinforce them and prevent challenges to CSC enforcement decisions, which have historically undermined the NCAA's regulatory power.

Dozens of schools have already signed. But without unanimity, the document becomes largely moot. It stands to become the latest failed effort by college leaders to secure stability through legal protection. Another attempt fizzled last week on Capitol Hill, where a vote on the SCORE Act was pulled from the House agenda. No action is expected soon as lawmakers consider potential changes.

Meanwhile, administrators wait nervously for the CSC's enforcement of the new revenue-share cap. Without the participation agreement or Congressional backing, any action could face immediate legal challenges.

"I feel sorry for Bryan Seeley," one administrator quipped.

Read the full report from Ross Dellenger.

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 began my college career buried on the Navy depth chart, starting as the fourth-string quarterback before taking over midseason and becoming just the third freshman in school history to start at the position.
I went on to shatter multiple NCAA records, including the FBS marks for most career rushing touchdowns and most rushing yards by a quarterback. I also became the only QB in my program's history to go 4-0 against Army.
I finished fifth in 2015 Heisman voting, and later had my jersey number retired, joining legends like Roger Staubach and Joe Bellino.

Answer at the bottom.

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