The Portal - Daily College Recruiting and NIL Podcast

It’s championship weekend and time for the picks impacting the College Football Playoff. Can Utah sneak into the Playoff with a dominant win over Kansas? Does Arch Manning and Texas beat Texas A&M to knock the Aggies down the Playoff poll? I have strong opinions about how this weekend’s games will impact the next set of Playoff rankings, with Miami at Pittsburgh being another massive game to finis...

Texas Tech is playoff-bound, but will BYU be left out in the cold despite their breakout season? Brian Smith and Cody Stovall tackle the Big 12’s shifting power dynamics, debating BYU’s playoff chances if they fall to Texas Tech in the title game. The duo breaks down CFP committee rankings, strength of schedule, and why brand names like Notre Dame still hold mystique over underdog challengers. Okl...

Ole Miss faces playoff jeopardy as Lane Kiffin’s looming departure sends shockwaves through college football. Will the College Football Playoff Committee penalize the Rebels and derail their postseason aspirations after the Egg Bowl? Brian Smith breaks down the high-stakes Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State matchup, predicts the impact of Kiffin’s rumored move to either Florida or LSU, and explores th...

Lane Kiffin’s high-profile pursuit rocks the Florida Gators, raising crucial questions about recruiting stability and roster retention. Will Kiffin’s arrival spark a turnaround, or will uncertainty drive key transfer portal departures and last-minute decommits? Brian Smith and Brandon Olsen dissect the Gators’ trending optimism, weighing the impact on star prospects like DJ Lagway and evaluating w...

Lane Kiffin’s looming decision is set to shake up college football, directly impacting recruiting, coaching staffs, and rosters at Ole Miss, LSU, and Florida. With rumors swirling about Kiffin’s next move, the coaching carousel gathers momentum just days before National Signing Day—leaving top recruits and assistants on edge, and allies turned into rivals. Which program will land Kiffin, and how w...

College Football Playoff hopes hang in the balance as Notre Dame, Miami, Alabama, Auburn, Oklahoma, LSU, and Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss fight for postseason glory. Which rosters have the elite trench talent, and where do coaching distractions threaten to topple contender dreams? Can Miami rebound from devastating losses, or will Alabama’s lackluster run game doom the Crimson Tide in the Iron Bowl agai...

Vols face a must-win showdown against the Florida Gators—can Tennessee finally end a two-decade losing streak in Gainesville? Brian Smith previews the high-stakes SEC clash, questions the resilience of both teams, and breaks down key matchups, including Tennessee’s favored status and Florida’s coaching turmoil. Insights on offensive struggles, potential turnovers, and the fanbase’s boiling frustra...

Texas Tech’s NIL-backed roster defies the odds, sparking a College Football Playoff run that has the Red Raiders on the brink of a historic Big 12 championship. Can Joey McGuire’s culture-first approach, powered by billionaire booster support, be the secret to sustainable success in a new college football era? Brian Smith and Chris Level break down the off-season moves that transformed Texas Tech,...

Is your favorite college football program in the top group? Tier 1 football programs are few and far between, with Ohio State leading the charge, the defending national champions. The qualifications for teams joining the Buckeyes include elite recruiting, a proven elite head coach, and a financial resources to compete at the very top of college football from a facilities and player acquisition sta...

James Franklin shakes up ACC recruiting by landing at Virginia Tech, putting Penn State on edge. With Franklin’s move sparking heated debate, Zach Seyko and recruiting insider Brian Smith dissect whether Penn State’s decision to fire Franklin was a massive misstep—especially as recruits, current staff and players may follow him to Blacksburg. Could Penn State lose rising stars like Tony Rojas and...

Nation’s top tight ends create a recruiting frenzy as Kaiden Prothro (Georgia) headlines the class with jaw-dropping athleticism and clutch playmaking. Can rising stars like Mark Bowman (USC), Ian Primer (Notre Dame), Matt Ludwig (Michigan), and Kendre’ Harrison (Oregon) challenge Prothro for #1? Discover which traits set these future standouts apart, from pure receiving skills to power football u...

The Ohio State Buckeyes shake up college football recruiting with a whirlwind of November flips, elevating their 2026 class and securing elite talent at key positions. Can Ryan Day sustain this recruiting momentum and outmaneuver rivals like Clemson, Tennessee, and Penn State for game-changing prospects?  Jay Stephens and Brian Smith spotlight the arrival of dynamic playmakers like Legend Bay and...

Can Fran Brown and Syracuse football close the gap with powerhouse programs through smarter transfer portal moves? The coaching staff faces major challenges—losing key players like Maraad Watson to NIL deals, coping with Steve Angelli’s injury at quarterback, and patching up thin offensive and defensive lines with limited resources. Will a strategic investment in one high-impact lineman pay off an...

Notre Dame surged into College Football Playoff contention—thanks to strategic transfer portal moves mixed with a balanced offense and defense. Can Marcus Freeman’s squad sustain their momentum with key injuries stacking up? Brian Smith spotlights impact additions like Malachi Fields, whose physical presence boosts the red zone attack, and Devonte Smith, the defensive glue whose return transformed...

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin dominates the Transfer Portal by matching what’s needed – on and off the field – so the Rebels gain the most from their players. Brian Smith breaks down how and why Ole Miss inserts Transfer Portal players into their culture to help win games better than any college football program. Oregon’s coaching and culture is also examined with the Transfer Portal, as are Tex...

Miami’s Mario Cristobal planned to add not only recruit bulk to the roster, but plenty of length. The Hurricanes accomplished that with Jackson Cantwell, arguably the nation’s #1 recruit, but also at the skill positions. I define how and why The U will be a formidable foe for any team – regardless of the positional matchup – for years to come, based on how it went big with recruiting. @fbscout_flo...

There’s growing concern for Deion Sanders not returning to the Colorado Buffaloes. Time to discuss coach Prime’s health and future with Locked On Buffs host Kevin Borba. Deion and the Buffaloes endured a horrible season thus far, but could Colorado turn it around next year? To do that, much better roster management will be needed. Will coach Sanders find most of his roster through the Transfer Por...

Recruit Mobile! Today’s Live Show brings Mobile football scout Larry Rudolph from QB Country to discuss the incredible South Alabama talent, as well as Crimson Tide commitment Ezavier Crowell, the best recruits in the Yellowhammer State, and the one topic that’s discussed year-round where Larry and I live. Alabama versus Auburn is a 365-day-a-year discussion. Is Bama going to make a College Footba...

Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff run transforms its roster and recruiting outlook, igniting optimism for a national title push. Brian Smith and Tyler Wojcick assess how C.J. Carr’s poised quarterback play and Jeremiah Love’s electrifying versatility are fueling the Fighting Irish offense, while key transfer portal additions strengthen depth. Can Notre Dame’s reshaped offensive line navigate c...

The quarterback Transfer Portal market will see a lot of tampering, especially with multiple G6 quarterbacks playing big-time football. I define the top G6 quarterbacks and why they will be coveted. There are P4 names to discuss too. Will a big-time talent like Kansas State’s Avery Johnson hit the Portal? How about South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers? I explain how complicated those situations could...

Lane Kiffin is now the favorite to be Florida’s next head football coach. Is that really true? Las Vegas thinks so, and there’s the awkward aspect of UF playing at Ole Miss this weekend… Speaking of playing, several Gators appeared to be loafing, or even quitting, during the Kentucky game. Is a mass Transfer Portal exodus coming? Recruiting has concerns, too. @fbscout_florida  On X @LO_ThePortal ...

Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas Tech are teams to watch for the Playoff rankings because they are improving. I explain how and why on today’s Live Show! Speaking of, Alabama’s run game is a concern. Should the Crimson Tide have taken a different approach with this past offseason’s Transfer Portal to improve the run game? As always, the latest commitments, decommitments, and Transfer Portal discussi...

Alabama’s offseason Transfer Portal decisions can be questioned. 12 players were taken in by Kalen DeBoer, but where did he miss?  One of the concerns for Alabama’s College Football Playoff run would be a porous rushing offense. Does Bama have what it takes to win it all, despite the 120th rushing attack? Finally, what’s Bama do in the 2026 Transfer Portal? @fbscout_florida  On X @LO_ThePortal  Ti...

Auburn is my 2026 sleeper College Football Playoff pick. Why? Because the roster is very talented, and the right head coaching hire could catapult the Tigers into the upper echelon of the SEC. Now, will Auburn hire the right person to command the football program? Locked On Auburn host Zac Blackerby and I discuss Auburn’s Portal needs to make 2026 Playoff. Plus, how the SEC is adjusting to the Tra...

Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz elevated the Tigers with brilliant Transfer Portal moves. The Missouri football program is close to being a College Football Playoff team, but what can Mizzou do from the 2026 Portal cycle to complete the talent acquisition? With more talent, there’s another question that relates to the football field. Will Drinkwitz and his staff uplift the quarterback position by throwin...