SEC Spotlight: Programs on a roll in recruiting
THIS SERIES: Big Ten programs on a recruiting hot streak
MORE SEC: 2026 conference recruiting rankings
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker
Alabama began stockpiling blue-chip pieces in its 2026 recruiting class on Christmas Eve – edging out Auburn and Tennessee for top-100 cornerback Zyan Gibson out of Gadsden (Ala.) High.
The Crimson Tide have been rolling ever since, adding verbals from four-star interior offensive lineman Chris Brooker and locking in four-star edge defender Jamarion Matthews, an in-state target who will play his senior season alongside another priority target Xavier Griffin at Gainesville (Ga.) High.
MORE: Alabama's 2026 commitment list
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ALABAMA FANS AT TIDEILLUSTRATED.COM
Sam Pittman and the Hogs already hold a top-20 class in the 2026 Rivals Team Rankings and are continuing to pick up steam as the offseason progresses. Since the turn of the new year, the Razorbacks have locked in commitments from stout interior defensive lineman Ari Slocum and talented defensive back Jalon Copeland.
MORE: Arkansas' 2026 commitment list
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ARKANSAS FANS AT HAWGBEAT.COM
The Dawgs are just beginning to find their rhythm on the recruiting trail for the 2026 cycle. Kirby Smart has added two new four-star commitments since the start of the new year, including in-state four-star receiver Brady Marchese, who reached 22.3 MPH in GPS tracking last fall as a junior at Cartersville (Ga.) High.
Georgia also locked in Rivals250 safety Zech Fort and is sitting with the No. 13 class in the Rivals Team Rankings.
MORE: Georgia's 2026 commitment list
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH GEORGIA FANS AT UGASPORTS.COM
Rivals.com
Jeff Lebby hit the ground running to kick off this 2026 class and already has the engine humming in Starkville. Mississippi State has added a trio of verbal commitments since February, including four-star in-state offensive tackle Emanuel Tucker and four-star interior offensive lineman Jakobe Green out of the Florida Panhandle.
The Bulldogs hold a top-15 class in the 2026 Rivals Team Rankings midway through the spring.
MORE: Mississippi State's 2026 commitment list
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MISSISSIPPI STATE FANS AT BULLDOGBLITZ.COM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Florida State QB Thomas Castellanos stands by his Alabama comments at ACC media day
Thomas Castellanos is not backing down from the way he views Alabama. The new Florida State quarterback appeared at ACC media days on Tuesday and was immediately asked about what he said in a summer interview with On3. In it, Castellanos said he was excited for his first game with the Seminoles in Week 1 against the Crimson Tide and that 'they don't have Nick Saban to save them. I just don't see them stopping me.' Tuesday, Castellanos kept that confidence. The Crimson Tide went 9-4 in Kalen DeBoer's first season in 2024 and ended the season with a ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan. 'We stand on what I said,' Castellanos said. 'But there's no disrespect between that team or anything like that. It's just the confidence that I have in my teammates and the way we've been preparing and putting this preparation together this offseason. I just feel confident in the guys and the work that we've been putting in.' The former Boston College quarterback transferred to Tallahassee after the 2024 season and is tasked with upgrading the porous quarterback play that plagued Florida State last season. The Seminoles were 2-10 and averaged just 15 points per game as the offense was one of the worst in the country. After starting his career at UCF, Castellanos played two seasons at Boston College. He opened the 2024 season as the Eagles' starter but lost his starting job early in November in a game against Syracuse after he was just 2-of-7 passing in the first half. Not long after he lost his starting job, Castellanos left the team and said he would enter the transfer portal. He arrives at Florida State along with former UCF coach Gus Malzahn, the man who recruited him to UCF. Malzahn left his job at UCF for the FSU offensive coordinator job after the 2024 season. 'We have an opportunity here to really do something special, and I think that his focus is there on the offensive side of the ball, and he's one of the best that have ever done it,' Florida State coach Mike Norvell said of Malzahn on Tuesday. 'But he also brings perspective as a big picture, to continue to challenge every element within the organization, just to push to be the best, to be able to accomplish and do some of the things that he's been able to do on his journey and what we all aspire to be.'
USA Today
9 minutes ago
- USA Today
Oklahoma Sooners future nonconference schedules
Schedules have been a major talking point over the last few weeks as the Power Four conferences have met for their annual media days. The SEC has discussed moving to nine conference games, but head coaches and school administrators don't seem all that interested. Greg Sankey spoke last week in Atlanta about the potential to move to nine conference games, but has argued it doesn't make sense with the SEC's strength of schedule. The Big Ten began politicking on Tuesday as Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti took a shot at the SEC for only playing eight league games. The Hoosiers dropped a nonconference matchup with Virginia, leaving the 2024 Cinderella with a nonconference slate that features Old Dominion, Kennesaw State, and FCS Indiana State. The three teams combined for an 11-25 record in 2024, buoyed by Indiana State's 5-7 record last year. This year, Indiana plays just three teams that had a winning record in 2024. Schedules aren't always going to be equitable, and that's why it's important to take into account strength of schedule metrics. Are they perfect? Nope. But short of a 64-team playoff (once proposed by the great Mike Leach), you're going to have a hard time finding the right mix of teams for the College Football Playoff. But with nonconference schedules top of mind, I thought it would be fun to take a look at Oklahoma's future nonconference matchups. 2025 - Michigan comes to Norman The headliner this year is the Michigan game. Facing the Wolverines in Norman is the biggest nonconference game inside Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium since Ohio State came to Norman back in 2016. 2026 - Oklahoma to The Big House Oklahoma makes the return trip to Michigan to complete its home-and-home series in what will be one of the biggest games of the nonconference schedule. With the SEC unlikely to move to a nine-game conference schedule, Oklahoma will need to add another game for 2026 to get to 12 games. 2027 - Pac-12 returns to Norman When these games were scheduled, all three of these teams were in different conferences. SMU has joined the ACC and Utah State and San Diego State have joined the Pac-12. This isn't your dad's or even your older brother's Pac-12 as it has been comprised of former Mountain West teams. SMU was a playoff participant in 2024. Their name, image, and likeness game will surely have Rhett Lashlee and the Mustangs a threat moving forward. The Mustangs fulfill the SEC's requirement of playing a Power Four opponent. 2028 - Facing Keisean Henderson On the surface, there doesn't look to be a marquee matchup here, but don't sleep on what Houston's building under Willie Fritz. They landed five-star quarterback Keisean Henderson in the 2026 recruiting class. He's the No. 2 player in the cycle and will provide a test for the Oklahoma defense. 2029 - Big 8 Rivalry Renewed The Oklahoma Sooners trip to San Diego would likely open the season, which would be a refreshing road trip to face the Aztecs. The last time Oklahoma made the trip to San Diego, they lost 51-31 to the Aztecs. That will certainly be a big talking point in the build up to the game. Oklahoma will welcome Nebraska back to town for the first leg of a home-and-home series vs. their old Big 8 and Big 12 rival. The Sooners won both meetings of their last home-and-home, with Spencer Rattler and Dillon Gabriel picking up wins over the Cornhuskers. Notable is that the Oklahoma State Cowboys only have two nonconference games scheduled in 2029. Could Bedlam return for good starting this season? 2030 - Returning to Memorial Stadium The last time the Oklahoma Sooners made the trip to Memorial Stadium to take on the Cornhuskers, OU dominated in a 49-14 rout. Eric Gray ran for over 100 yards and two touchdowns and Dillon Gabriel totaled 285 yards and three touchdowns in the win. 2031 - Aztecs come to Norman Sept. 6 vs. San Diego State Though Oklahoma's 1-1 all-time against San Diego State, the Sooners defended their home field in 1995 with a 38-22 win over San Diego State. This is the first season that the Oklahoma Sooners don't have a Power Four opponent on the schedule. You know it'll be someone good. 2032 - Nothing Scheduled Every decade or so, the college football landscape goes through a major shift. Could this see another realignment that changes college football once again? 2033 - In-State Matchup Sept. 3 vs. Tulsa Tulsa always makes for a nice nonconference opponent. It's not a stretch travel wise for either club and it generates a little in-state buzz — certainly not as much as if Oklahoma were playing the Cowboys. 2034 - Nothing Scheduled This year feels ripe for another historic nonconference matchup between Oklahoma and a power team. Maybe Bedlam? 2035 - Facing the Tigers What's interesting about this matchup is all of the Clemson ties Oklahoma has. But a decade out, there's no telling what the two coaching staffs will look like. Here's hoping it's a Brent Venables vs. Dabo Swinney matchup because that means things go pretty well for the Sooners over the next 10 years. Making the trip to Death Valley will be a lot of fun regardless of what the coaching staffs look like. 2036 - Dabo comes to town? If Dabo Swinney is still coaching, welcoming him to Norman would feel a lot like legendary Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne coming to town. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X@john9williams.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Alabama State University Partners with Scout to Empower Student-Athletes with Financial Tools and Support
First SWAC institution to adopt Scout's full platform — bringing innovation, impact, and long-term empowerment to a proud HBCU community. MONTGOMERY, Ala., July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alabama State University is continuing its tradition of leadership in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), becoming the first program in the conference to partner with Scout, a financial technology company committed to athlete empowerment and education. Through this collaboration, Alabama State will offer its student-athletes Scout's full suite of services, including revenue-share distribution, cap management tools, personalized financial literacy training, and a secure mobile wallet app to help players manage taxes, savings, LLC formation, and more. But the partnership goes beyond product delivery — it represents a shared commitment to equity, access, and long-term opportunity. "We are excited to partner with Scout, a thought leader in the NIL space." Said Dr. Jason Cable VP & Director of Athletics. "As we enter the new landscape of Division 1 Athletics, it is important that we align with innovative partners that provide seamless solutions to student-athlete benefits. Scout is one of the best in the business in doing just that." Head Football Coach Eddie Robinson Jr. added, "We want our guys to win on the field and in life. That means building a foundation they can carry with them for decades — and that's exactly what Scout brings to the table." "As an HBCU, Alabama State stands for excellence, legacy, and empowerment — and at Scout, we see ourselves as partners in that mission," said Michael Haddix, CEO and Founder of Scout. "We're proud to be working with ASU to bring innovation to a storied conference, while supporting the athletes and departments that make it all possible." "We look at NIL differently at Scout — for us, it means Name, Image… Lifetime." About ScoutScout is an innovative financial technology company built specifically for athletes. Combining education, one-on-one support, and a mobile app, Scout helps student-athletes navigate taxes, savings, LLC formation, and investment planning. Its customizable revenue distribution platform serves athletic departments, coaches, and athletes in today's evolving college sports environment. Learn more at Media Inquiries: media@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Scout
