LSU football head coach Lane Kiffin speaks during a news conference. Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add The New York Post on Google College football is broken.
In a land where USC resides in the Big Ten and Stanford calls the ACC home, Lane Kiffin proudly wears the shards of the sport around his neck, as if it is his national championship trophy.
The new LSU coach is the face of a sport in disarray after leaving Ole Miss before the playoff, overseeing at least $40 million in spending on college athletes who are illogically permitted to enter unrestricted free agency every year and, most recently, pursuing NFL players for his roster.
“Honestly, it’s embarrassing [that] that’s where we are,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said this week. “I don’t blame the kids, but people trying to take advantage of the system. It’s embarrassing, but we’ve been there for a while.
“There’s no governance. I mean, it’s a joke. There’s zero rules. And when you enforce rules someone just goes and finds a judge to say, ‘No, you can’t enforce that rule.’ Never did I think we’d be living in an era like this, but that’s where we are.”
Prior to the unregulated professionalization of the sport, Swinney was slated to be the face of college football this decade after winning two national titles — against Nick Saban — and reaching the playoff in six straight seasons. But Clemson has been back to the playoff just once in the past five years — finishing with its worst record (7-6) in 15 years last season — as Swinney failed to embrace a transfer portal that allows Kiffin to field an instant contender with 44 new players in Baton Rouge.
Kiffin used one spot on former Arizona State star Sam Leavitt, giving his offense a chance to be as explosive as ever. Swinney — whose teams have lost their past three season openers by an average of nearly 20 points — stayed in-house, elevating former backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina to make his second-ever start in the most hostile stadium in the nation.
For at least one night, LSU (-10) is a villain worth rooting for.
It won’t be long before Kalshi asks, “Who leaves town first: Deion Sanders in Boulder or Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland?”
The Hurricanes were 41 yards from winning the national championship when Carson Beck threw away the season. Enter Darian Mensah, my Heisman pick, who led Duke to its first outright conference championship since 1962, ranked second in the nation in passing yards and touchdown passes, and threw just six interceptions on 500 passing attempts.
Catch up on The Post’s college football betting predictions and previews for the 2026 season
This is less about how the Trojans looked against San Jose State and more about Bulldogs head coach Matt Entz, who went 9-4 in his first season with a top 20 defense, previously won two national championships at North Dakota State and was also an assistant under Lincoln Riley, preparing against the USC head coach and quarterback Jayden Maiava in practices just two years ago.
Curt Cignetti has built another championship contender, but it will take time for its potential to be seen. The Hoosiers haven’t scored more than 31 points in Cignetti’s two season openers at Indiana, taking their first step toward last season’s improbable national title in a 27-14 win over Old Dominion.
Last year’s stunning upset at Florida State should provide confidence that Alabama won’t sleepwalk through Week 1 again. Under Kalen DeBoer, the Crimson Tide have won their two openers against non-power programs by a combined score of 136-0.
The Buckeyes could win by 90 if they wanted to. But there is no reason to hit the gas with a trip to Texas looming.
The national championship co-favorite shouldn’t break much of a sweat, but the Broncos — who nearly upset the Ducks in Eugene in 2024 — deserve more respect. The (new) Pac-12 favorite is a legitimate playoff contender with a balanced attack, boasting experience under center (Maddux Madsen) and on the offensive line.
Top-ranked Ohio State arrives in Austin next week. Don’t expect Arch Manning and the first-stringers to show much or play much, with temperatures expected to be in the high 90s at kickoff.
The Tigers won last year’s matchup in Waco 38-24 and have only improved after hiring Alex Golesh, who led the nation’s fifth-highest scoring offense at South Florida last season. Auburn — playing a de facto home game in Atlanta — should expect immediate fireworks, with dual-threat Byrum Brown entering his fourth season under Golesh.
Kyle Whittingham has the credentials, but Bryce Underwood still has so much to prove after a disappointing freshman season. The Broncos are the play against an inflated spread — Michigan hasn’t won either of its Harbaugh-less home openers by more than 20 points — with several key players returning from a MAC title team that went 11-3 against the spread last season.
The Huskies dominated last year’s Apple Cup 59-24 in Pullman. Cougars quarterback Caden Pinnick is new to the rivalry but familiar with Husky Stadium, where he left on the wrong side of a 70-10 blowout with UC Davis last year.
The Irish are the best bet to win the national championship, but the program has been unable to avoid slow starts under Marcus Freeman. Colton Joseph brings hope to Madison after producing 34 total touchdowns for Old Dominion last season, including a pair of scores and 179 yards rushing in last year’s season opener at Indiana.
The only matchup of ranked teams should be the most entertaining game of the week. The Cardinals — now led by Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz and star running back Isaac Brown — have repeatedly raised their play against elite teams under Jeff Brohm, beating three top 11 squads since 2023, including last year’s road upset of No. 2 Miami.
The Seminoles offered little hope that Mike Norvell will survive the season in their uninspiring win against New Mexico State. Fifth-year senior Kevin Jennings — who has led the Mustangs to a 14-2 record in the ACC — will leave Doak Campbell victorious, just as seven of Florida State’s 11 power conference opponents have done in the past two seasons.
Best bets: Boise State, Auburn, Western Michigan
Howie Kussoy has long been the New York Post’s main handicapper in college basketball (since 2011) and college football (since 2013).
