NCAA

The future for the Georgia Bulldogs' secondary got much brighter in June when highly regarded cornerback prospect AJ Harris joined their 2023 recruiting class.

Harris, who checks in at 6'1" and 180 pounds, is a 5-star prospect and the No. 29 overall player in the 2023 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is also the No. 4 cornerback and the No. 4 prospect from the state of Alabama in his class.

Before committing to the Bulldogs, Harris was considering Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Notre Dame, LSU and North Carolina. That lists indicates how high his ceiling is as he reaches the college level.

While it's typically a long shot for any program to land an elite recruit from the state of Alabama when they have to deal with Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide, Harris told Stephen Means of Cleveland.com he was originally from California and accustomed to moving because his father was in the military.

"It's not really hard for me to just move to far places," he said. "I'm open to wherever and whoever develops me the best and put me in the best position to get to where I want to get to in life."

Fortunately for Georgia, Harris believes it is best positioned to help him succeed. He should help the Bulldogs as well given his overall skill set. As someone who ran track in high school, he is fast enough to keep up with wide receivers downfield, but he's also physical enough to break up underneath routes and contend for jump balls.

Andrew Ivins of 247Sports deemed Harris the "alpha dog" of the Under Armour All-America Camp Series in March 2021 and pointed to his ability to shut down receivers in one-on-one drills. In fact, Ivins noted the cornerback was so impressive he pushed to be "considered one of the nation's top overall prospects regardless of position."

That is welcome news for Georgia, which consistently needs to reload to compete at the championship level it expects to on a yearly basis.

That won't change next season, especially since cornerback Kelee Ringo is a potential top-five pick in the 2023 NFL draft draft. The Bulldogs' secondary will need to replace his production and leadership, and Harris will join a crowded defensive back room in 2023 that could include Nyland Green, Daylen Everette, Kamari Lassiter and Javon Bullard.

Expect Harris to start in a backup role when his college career begins, but his talent will be impossible to ignore as he works his way into the 2023 rotation.

One of this year's top NFL draft prospects reportedly will not turn pro in 2023.

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Penn State offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu will not enter the NFL draft and instead will return to return to school for his senior season. In B/R's NFL draft big board, Fashanu was ranked as the top offensive lineman and No. 12 overall prospect in the 2023 class.

Per Thamel, Fashanu said he has "unfinished business" and hopes to help lead Penn State to a Big Ten championship as well as a national championship next year.

Fashanu, who will earn a degree in supply chain management next year and intends to pursue a master's, also named his relationships with offensive line coach Phil Trautwein and head coach James Franklin as factors in his decision to return.

"We couldn't be more excited to have Olu return for the 2023 season," Franklin said. "He is a person of high character who exemplifies our core values, leads by example and models what it means to be a complete Penn State student-athlete. We will continue to work extremely hard to help Olu achieve all of his goals on and off the field and look forward to another season with him and his family in Happy Valley."

Fashanu is only 19 years old and in his first season as a full-time starter, but he already has wowed pro scouts by anchoring an offensive line that helped the Nittany Lions achieve a 10-2 record. The 6'6", 308-pound redshirt sophomore is a Waldorf, Maryland, native and played at Gonzaga College High School.

In B/R's most recent mock draft, Fashanu was projected as the No. 6 pick by the Las Vegas Raiders. He was tabbed as "the complete package when it comes to the physical tools necessary to excel as an NFL offensive tackle."

With a year of polish, Fashanu could emerge as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 draft class.

Stanford football coach David Shaw announced his resignation Saturday, ending the most successful tenure in program history.

"After many prayers and multiple discussions with my wife, one phrase keeps coming to me - it's time," Shaw said in a statement. "There are not sufficient words to describe the love and gratitude I feel for my family, all of my former and current players, my staff, this administration and the entire Stanford family. Thank you all."

Shaw went 96-54 over the course of 12 seasons at his alma mater, setting the all-time record for wins in program history. The 50-year-old began his career with a stretch of unprecedented success, with the Cardinal reeling off eight straight winning seasons and reaching a New Year's Six game four times.

However, the program has fallen off significantly over the last four seasons. Shaw leaves after going a combined 14-28 since 2019, including back-to-back 3-9 campaigns.

Once considered a hot candidate for NFL head-coaching jobs, Shaw says he has no immediate plans to continue coaching.

"I am not burnt out," Shaw told reporters. "I'm healthy; I feel good. But 16 years is a long time. ... 16 years of running a program, 16 years of being responsible for everything and everybody catches up to you."

Shaw came to Stanford in 2007 to serve as the offensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh. He was named head coach when Harbaugh left for the San Francisco 49ers after the 2010 season, continuing the upward trajectory that began during the Harbaugh era. Stanford won three Pac-12 titles in Shaw's first five seasons and peaked in 2015, finishing as the third-ranked team in the country.

While Shaw drew praise for doing less with more—Stanford's high academic requirements can create issues in recruiting—the program has lagged behind in an era of transfers and NIL endorsements.

"Stanford historically doesn't change quickly," Shaw said. "We are methodical. ... It's been difficult, but it's been difficult for everybody."

Shaw previously spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles, Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens before coming to Stanford. It would not be a surprise to see him eventually land an NFL coaching position, though he's not going to be at the top of as many lists as he would have been four or five years ago.

The No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the unranked Auburn Tigers 49-27 in the Iron Bowl on Saturday to improve to 10-2, and now head coach Nick Saban is lobbying for his team to be selected for the College Football Playoff.

Saban told ESPN's Chris Low:

"I don't make those decisions, but I know what a resilient football team this has been. We've lost two games to top-10 opponents, both on the last play of the game and both on the road. We could have easily won both games but didn't. We're a good football team and hopefully people will recognize that and we'll get a chance [to play in the playoff]."

Aside from the 2020 College Football Playoff, the Crimson Tide have been one of the four teams selected for the prestigious tournament since its formation in 2014. If selected this season, Alabama would become the first two-loss team to ever make the CFP.

The only two losses Alabama suffered this season came to No. 10 Tennessee and No. 5 LSU. The Volunteers defeated the Crimson Tide 52-49 on a last-second field goal, and the Tigers won on a two-point conversion.

"We've had a lot of close games, didn't always play our best in those games, but did enough to get to 10 wins and hung in there as a team. I guess we will see what happens now," Saban said.

Saban added that he believes his team has been much better since quarterback Bryce Young recovered from an injury to his throwing shoulder. Young missed a game against Texas A&M before returning in the loss to Tennessee.

It's worth wondering whether or not the Crimson Tide would have defeated the Vols if Young was fully healthy, but that's still not going to be a factor in the selection committee's process. A loss is a loss, and Alabama had every opportunity to win that game.

There's still a good amount of hope for Alabama to make the College Football Playoff. No. 7 Clemson, No. 2 Ohio State and No 10. Oregon all lost on Saturday. The team's odds will likely get better if TCU and USC both lose their respective conference championship games.

We'll certainly be entering rare territory if Alabama isn't selected for the CFP, though it could end up being one of the more exciting playoffs of recent memory.

The No. 15 Notre Dame Fighting Irish fell to the No. 6 USC Trojans 38-27 on Saturday and fell to 8-4 on the season following an uninspired performance from the defense.

Notre Dame's defense failed to contain Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams and the USC offense through all four quarters of Saturday's game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Williams, a Heisman Trophy favorite, completed 18-of-22 passes for 232 yards and one touchdown, in addition to rushing for 35 yards and three scores on nine carries. Trojans running back Austin Jones also rushed for 154 yards on 25 carries.

USC put up at least one touchdown in each quarter and totaled 436 yards of offense against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish defense didn't force one turnover, and they allowed the Trojans to convert 8-of-12 third-down attempts.

Following the loss, college football Twitter ripped the Notre Dame defense for its performance:

Saturday's loss was a tough way for the Fighting Irish to end their 2022 season, but there's optimism they'll be better in 2023 with another full season of Marcus Freeman at the helm.

LSU couldn't even get to the SEC Championship Game before its playoff hopes went up in smoke.

The fifth-ranked Tigers fell to Texas A&M, 38-23, at Kyle Field on Saturday night. Despite having already clinched a berth in the conference title game, head coach Brian Kelly's team needed to at least win this game to have a chance at finishing in the Top Four.

LSU certainly would have moved up the rankings with a victory after Ohio State's loss to Michigan earlier in the day. But the Tigers have three losses on the season heading into their showdown with No. 1 Georgia next week.

Jayden Daniels struggled once again as a passer. The junior quarterback finished 21-of-35 for 189 yards without a touchdown or interception. He failed to throw for 200 yards in three of LSU's four games in November.

The loss snaps LSU's five-game winning streak that included victories over Mississippi and Alabama.

Kelly still has two opportunities to reach 10 wins in his first season with the program, but Saturday's game was devastating for the team's playoff aspirations.

There were several analysts and LSU fans ripping Kelly for coming up short in his team's biggest game of the season.

There is a valid argument that this season has already been a huge success for Kelly. He took over an LSU program that went 11-12 in the previous two seasons combined.

LSU secured the SEC West on Nov. 12 after beating Arkansas, and Ole Miss lost to Alabama. This marks the program's first appearance in the conference championship game since 2019.

But the burden of expectations changes everything about perception. LSU had climbed all the way up to No. 5 in the playoff rankings heading into this game against a Texas A&M team that was 4-7.

The Tigers can redeem themselves by beating Georgia to win the SEC championship next week, but with three losses, it seems unlikely they will get into the playoff no matter what happens.

The No. 9 Oregon Ducks fell to the No. 21 Oregon State Beavers, their in-state rival, 38-34 on Saturday, and tensions escalated quickly following a loss that dropped Dan Lanning's squad to 9-3.

After the Ducks blew a 21-point lead to Oregon State, Beavers fans stormed the field, and that's when things got dicey.

While walking off the field at Reser Stadium, Ducks linebacker DJ Johnson appeared to punch an Oregon State fan in the back of the head before being dragged away from the situation by Oregon staffers.

It's unclear if Johnson will face any discipline or if authorities will get involved.

Johnson, a sixth-year senior, posted three tackles in Saturday's loss, bringing his season totals to six sacks, 36 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss and two pass breakups in 11 games.

The Ducks can secure a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game if the No. 13 Washington Huskies fall to the Washington State Cougars on Saturday night. If the Huskies win, Oregon will await its bowl game matchup.

An epic second-half collapse resulted in Oregon losing to Oregon State 38-34 and severely damaging its opportunity to play in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

The Ducks were on cruise control with a 31-10 lead after Camden Lewis' 42-yard field goal with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter.

Oregon State proceeded to score touchdowns on its next four offensive possessions to take the lead. The comeback was aided by sloppy play from the Ducks, highlighted by punter Alex Bales mishandling the ball on 4th-and-5 from deep in his own territory.

The Beavers scored on their second play after the turnover to cut the deficit to 34-31. Head coach Jonathan Smith's defense came up big on the next drive when Bo Nix was stopped on 4th-and-1 from his own 29.

Four plays after the turnover on downs, Isaiah Newell's six-yard touchdown run gave Oregon State its first lead since 10-7 in the second quarter.

One theme that developed throughout Oregon's collapse was questionable play-calling by the coaching staff.

Head coach Dan Lanning opted to go for it on 4th-and-3 from Oregon State's 15 in the first half. Nix completed a pass to Troy Franklin, but it lost a yard and resulted in a turnover on downs.

Oregon had a chance to take the lead with 4:51 left in the fourth quarter after the offense had a 1st-and-goal from the 5. Lanning called three straight runs up the middle that were stopped and used his second timeout with 3:02 remaining to set up a fourth-down call.

Nix's pass into the end zone fell incomplete, giving Oregon State possession. Deshaun Fenwick's two-yard run on 3rd-and-1 gave the Beavers a fresh set of downs and let them run out the clock.

Needless to say, Lanning's decision-making left throughout the game left a sour taste in the mouth of analysts and Ducks fans:

Lanning's first season as a head coach has been a success with a 9-3 record. The problem has been the missed opportunities for the Ducks in each of their past two losses.

Oregon opened the season with a 49-3 loss at the hands of Georgia, but its two conference losses have come by a combined seven points.

The 37-34 loss to Washington two weeks ago saw the Ducks give up 10 unanswered points in the final 3:54 of regulation. Lanning opted to go for it on 4th-and-1 from his own 34 in a tie game, but the Huskies stopped Noah Whittington to set up their game-winning field goal.

While the Ducks could still make the Pac-12 championship game, they will need Washington State to beat Washington on Saturday night. If the Huskies emerge as victors, though, the Oregon won't play for the Pac-12 championship for the first time since 2018.

Oregon Ducks offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham has agreed to become the next head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils.

ESPN's Pete Thamel first reported on Saturday that Dillingham and Arizona State were finalizing a contract.

Dillingham is from Scottsdale, Arizona, and is also a graduate of Arizona State.

The news comes after Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports reported on Nov. 22 that Dillingham was the "leader in the clubhouse" for the Sun Devils head coaching gig.

Dillingham got into college coaching as an offensive assistant at Arizona State from 2014-2015. In 2016, he was hired as a graduate assistant at Memphis, and by 2018 he had worked his way up to being the team's offensive coordinator.

The 32-year-old served as offensive coordinator at Auburn in 2019 before taking over the same role at Florida State from 2020-2021. He is in his first season as offensive coordinator of the No. 10 Ducks.

Oregon's offense has flourished under Dillingham, so it's no surprise he has been eyed for the Arizona State head coaching position. Entering Saturday's game against the No. 22 Oregon State Beavers, Oregon's offense was ranked the third-best in the nation, averaging 511.2 total yards and 40.2 points per game.

Dillingham's quarterback, Bo Nix, has also been in the Heisman conversation, having completed 72.4 percent of his passes for 3,062 yards and 25 touchdowns against six interceptions, in addition to rushing for 513 yards and 14 scores.

In Arizona, Dillingham would be taking over for Herm Edwards, who was fired by the Sun Devils following a 1-2 start to the 2022 campaign. Edwards had been head coach at ASU since 2018.

Dillingham would also become the youngest Power 5 head coach in the country if hired by the Sun Devils.

Arizona State finished the 2022 season with a 3-9 record, including a 38-35 loss to rival Arizona on Friday. Dillingham would be tasked with bringing the program back to prominence in 2023 and beyond.

With the eventual departures of USC and UCLA to the Big Ten, Arizona State will be expected to contend for a Pac-12 title in the near future.

The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes fell to the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines 45-23 on Saturday, and now the team's College Football Playoff chances are in jeopardy.

If Ohio State isn't selected for the College Football Playoff, star quarterback C.J. Stroud said Saturday that he's unsure if he would participate in a non-CFP bowl game, per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.

Georgia, Michigan and TCU are the only remaining undefeated teams in the Associated Press' Top 25 poll and are the front-runners for the CFP. Ohio State's loss put it with USC as one of the top five teams to post one loss this season.

It's no surprise Stroud is considering sitting out a non-CFP bowl game, as he is expected to be one of the top quarterbacks taken in the 2023 NFL draft. There would be no reason to risk an injury if the Buckeyes aren't competing for a national title.

Stroud entered Saturday's game as a Heisman contender, having completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 2,991 yards and 35 touchdowns against four interceptions in 11 games, in addition to rushing for 77 yards.

However, his performance against Michigan likely dropped him from being one of the top contenders. He completed 31 of 48 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns against two interceptions in Saturday's loss.

Stroud had a far better 2021 campaign, completing 71.9 percent of his passes for 4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns against six interceptions in 12 games. It's a tough break to see him take a step backward this season, especially with the NFL draft this spring, but there's still little doubt he'll be a top pick, even if he loses the Heisman Trophy race.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams appears to be the front-runner for the Heisman, having completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 3,480 yards and 33 touchdowns against three interceptions in 11 games.

The Buckeyes finished the 2022 season with an 11-1 record, and now they'll have to wait for their CFP fate to be determined.