Christian Gray has become a force in the Irish’s secondary. (X)
Liberty Flames quarterback Kaidon Salter — who we thought might make some noise in the Heisman Trophy race this season — has transferred to the University of Colorado to replace Shedeur Sanders next season; RB Eli Sanders has transferred again, this time from New Mexico to USC; and Wake Forest has a new coach, hiring former Washington State coach Jake Dickert.
CFP Kick Off
The newly expanded college football playoffs begin on Friday with the seventh seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish taking on 10th seed Indiana.
Notre Dame comes into this matchup on a 10-game winning streak, with nine of those wins by 14 or more points.
In the Fighting Irish’s regular season finale, sophomore cornerback Christian Gray played the hero, foiling a potential game-tying play by USC with a pick six to help seal the win.
In addition to the interception that he ran back 99 yards, he posted a season-high seven tackles and a pair of passes defended. Gray became a much bigger part of the defense this season, at least doubling his totals in tackles, passes defended and picks. He credits Defensive Backs Coach/Defensive Pass Game Coordinator Mike Mickens with helping him get to this level (see video below).
A former four-star recruit, Gray has potential to play in the NFL thanks to his instinctively good zone coverage and strong ball skills. His footwork needs improving and he’s not great against the run, but there is still time for him to address these concerns.
How Much Better Will UNC Be?
Just two years ago the North Carolina Tar Heels managed nine wins for its best season since 2015. Last year, the school dipped to eight wins and then just six this season, thereby ending the Mack Brown era.
Enter Bill Belichick, who brings to the table six Super Bowl rings as a head coach and another two as an assistant. But oddsmakers aren’t overly bullish on immediate big improvements, suggesting it’s just as likely the Heels will finish under 7.5 wins (-113 as per FanDuel) than over in 2025.
UNC dropped its final two games to blow a chance at a winning season, and the defeat in the finale came at the hands of rival NC State, 35-30, in which a fourth quarter lead slipped away.
It briefly felt like junior running back Omarion Hampton would be the hero as his 47-yard catch and run play gave the Tar Heels a 30-29 lead with just 1:51 left. He broke through as a sophomore last season and built on that with a whopping 1,660 yards rushing and 15 TDs while showing improved receiving numbers as well.
Against NC State, Hampton did his part, racking up 185 yards rushing with one TD and adding the receiving score as part of a four-reception, 78-yard effort. The ACC’s top running back in 2024, he totaled nearly 400 more yards than anyone else in the conference.
Hampton, who declared for the draft on Sunday, has an NFL-ready body, but we’d like to see him improve his elusiveness in tight spaces. We’ve seen him compared to Josh Jacobs, and that would certainly be a great outcome. Hampton is expected to be the second running back off the board in next year’s draft, likely as a mid first round selection. Interested in scouting Hampton deeper for your dynasty league? Here you go…
RotoRob Tune of the Day
James Taylor broke through in 1970 with “Fire and Rain,” which reached No. 3 on the charts. Here’s yet another track from his 1976 Greatest Hits album: a previously unreleased live version of “Steamroller,” the bluesy number that originally appeared on his 1970 album, Sweet Baby James.