CFB DeptHITS: Tuesday, December 31
We are here with your daily dose of college football need to knows for the current with game previews & 'Game Cards' and the future, with coaching changes and transfer portal updates...
Today, we’ll get you the need to knows from the transfer portal as the first window has closed. That means no more underclassmen from non-College Football Playoff (CFP) participating schools can enter the portal at this point. We will still see plenty of entrances with graduates able to enter and if there are any more coaching changes, that will open the door for more to enter. We will provide you with the links to the ‘Game Cards’ for the five games today.
|||||| TRANSFER PORTAL NEWS
Washington State ::: QB Zevi Eckhaus [13.6], who came to the Cougars from FCS Bryant a year ago in hopes of winning the starting job, is now entering the portal. He lost out on the job to John Mateer, who is moving on to Oklahoma. He showed well in the shootout bowl game against Syracuse just days ago, throwing for 360 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He'll be looking for his new hom for his final year.
Oklahoma State ::: QB Hauss Hejny [11.2] was a solid recruiting win for Sonny Dykes and TCU in the 2024 class. He sat one year in Fort Worth and is now moving to Stillwater to join the Cowboys. There is a path to a starting gig right away as long as Mike Gundy doesn't add many more arms. He'll just need to surpass Maealiuaki Smith [11.1], who started at the end of the season due to injuries. Alan Bowman's seven year collegiate career is finally coming to a close.
Texas State ::: The Bobcats land Pitt transfer QB Nate Yarnell [14.9] and this is one to keep an eye on. GJ Kinne hasn't missed on many quarterbacks and this offense is set up for a breakout, even if at the G5 level. While Yarnell fell behind Eli Holstein at Pitt, he grades out well and has decent experience with just under 300 drop backs in his four years in Pittsburgh. With Jordan McCloud graduating and one of the backups (RJ Martinez) moving on, this appears to be Yarnell's opening.
New Mexico State ::: RB Seth McGowan [15.4] was apparently just kidding about his portal entry a couple of days ago. He withdrew and will be returning as the lead back for the Aggies in 2025.
Nebraska ::: WR Jaylen Lloyd [13.9] is leaving the Cornhuskers and appears to be an under-the-radar breakout candidate if he can find the right landing spot. He managed just 12 catches this season, but posted 20.1 yards average depth of target, showing his field-stretching ability. With two potential returners ahead of him on the depth chart coming back to Lincoln and two new portal adds (Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter), Lloyd will look for an opportunity elsewhere
UNLV ::: WR Jacob De Jesus [14.6] is hitting the portal after a solid season in Vegas, posting 34 catches for 474 yards and two touchdowns. He played second-fiddle to Ricky White and now looks for a new home for 2025.
Mississippi State ::: Jeff Lebby and company are continuing their impressive run of portal commitments and getting DL Will Whitson [14.8] is another notch on their belt. He comes in from Coastal Carolina, where he dominated at times. He'll join a cast of now six transfers in on the defensive line as the Bulldogs are rebuilding the trenches for their planned turnaround starting in 2025. Here is a look at the defensive line additions thus far in the portal:
Baylor ::: Dave Aranda is quietly reloading his defensive line with some solid portal additions. The latest is Oregon transfer DE Emar'rion Wilson [13.3]. He'll join big-time Tulane addition DE Matthew Fobbs-White [15.1] and Texas A&M transfer Samu Taumanupepe [12.6] and young, high-updside additions to the trenches. Good things happening in Waco.
Tennessee ::: LB Kalib Perry [14.2] is hitting the portal and leaving the Vols. He played just under 20 snaps per game and we can see why he'd be a bit frustrated by that. According to our ratings he is significantly better than the two linebackers who saw the field much more. He has one year left and wants to spend it where he can play more often and nobody can blame him for that. Somebody is going to get a shot in the arm with Perry.
Oklahoma ::: Speaking of solid, underappreciated SEC linebackers moving schools, Oklahoma's Lewis Carter [16.0] is looking to leave Norman. He was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class and played sparingly on a very good Sooners linebacking corps (under 10 snaps per game). Yet, his small sample size shows him as one of the top run stuffers at the position. He is a breakout candidate for somebody with two years of eligibility remaining.
||||||| ‘GAME CARDS’ AND MODEL SIMULATIONS
Click the image for the full ‘Game Card’ for each of the four bowl games today. We will put out a preview of the CFP Quarterfinal game later today.
Model Simulation:
Picks: With quite a few ‘opt outs’ for the Wolverines, the Model sees the Alabama defense handling their business and getting a rather easy win. Vegas agrees and has this at -15.5 at the moment. The lean would be to Michigan keeping it inside of that number and a 2-UNIT play on the UNDER 44.5.
Model Simulation:
Picks: There are some big opt outs for Louisville but they are lessened a bit by WR Caullin Lacy being able to play in the post-season game without costing him a redshirt. The Model has this one at Louisville winning by six, making a 1-UNIT play there at -1.5. Slight lean to the UNDER 49.5 but not an official play.
Model Simulation:
Picks: The model sees the Illini keeping this one closer than Vegas gives them credit for, so we’ll do a lean to Illinois (+9.5) and no play on the total.
Model Simulation:
Picks: The Model projects a back-and-forth affair with the Bears coming away with a 4-point win. The line has moved all the way back to right in line with that after so many opt outs for the Tigers. The play here is on the OVER 62.5.
That’s our show for today. Enjoy the games and be on the lookout for our official game preview of the first CFP Quarterfinal matchup between Penn State and Boise State later today.
