All articles tagged with #national championship
Week 1 reshapes the national championship picture: LSU’s stunning win over Clemson in Lane Kiffin’s debut pushes the Tigers into the SEC title mix with Texas and Georgia, USC’s defense shows promise, Michigan’s rough outing raises playoff doubts, and Oregon’s late rally hints at talent but not championship form, leaving Ohio State in a tighter, more competitive chase.
On3 compiles predictions from 57 college football pundits across outlets like ESPN, CBS, and The Athletic, forecasting the 2026 national championship with LSU (under Lane Kiffin and transfer QB Sam Leavitt) and Georgia among the favorites, plus frequent mentions of Miami, Indiana, Texas, Ohio State, Oregon, and Notre Dame. The piece highlights QB play and roster depth as key factors for each pick and notes that a surprise contender could still emerge as Week 0 action unfolds.
The Athletic's staff and readers forecast the 2026 season, with Notre Dame as the staff’s top pick to win the national championship (41.9%), and Oregon as the likely title-game loser per staff; readers are less certain, and the piece also features bold predictions from multiple writers on teams and players shaping the race.
AEW National Champion Andrade El Idolo announced he will be out of action for a few days to weeks after not feeling well since AEW Grand Slam Mexico. He had recently won the No. 1 spot in the All In London Casino Gauntlet by defeating Tommaso Ciampa and Komander, defended his title at Redemption 2026, and even logged two MLP Canada shows before taking time off; no injury details were disclosed, and his hiatus was acknowledged by fans and peers on social media.
The piece looks back at the 1990s when college football often crowned two national champions due to split polls (e.g., 1991 Miami vs. Washington; 1994 Penn State vs. Nebraska), highlighting how fans and players accepted multiple champions. It explains the move to the Bowl Championship Series in 1998 and, later, the College Football Playoff in 2014 in an attempt to crown a single champion, while noting that controversy persists into the modern era. The author suggests that the era’s dual championships had its own logic and appeal, rather than simply being “bad.”
North Carolina’s baseball coach used a strategic lineup shuffle against West Virginia in the College World Series, moving Gavin Gallaher to the three-hole and Owen Hull to second. The adjustment sparked a 12-7 win, with UNC’s top four hitters going 12-for-18 and driving in eight runs, helping the Tar Heels advance to the national championship series for the program’s first title.
No. 2 seed Notre Dame meets No. 1 seed Princeton in the NCAA men’s lacrosse national title game on Memorial Day, with ND aiming to claim its third title in four seasons. Notre Dame brings a lockdown defense led by Shawn Lyght and standout goalie Thomas Ricciardelli, a balanced offense, plus strong faceoff work, and a proven track record against ranked teams. Princeton, 1-1 in the all-time series, provides a stern test as the top seed in a game airing on ESPN from Charlottesville, VA.
The University of Denver has won its 11th national championship, a program record that underscores its dominance in college athletics.
Michigan announced a contract extension for head coach Dusty May during the Wolverines’ national championship parade, locking in the title-winning coach after a 37-3 season and a No. 1 seed; terms weren’t disclosed, but the move follows May’s rapid ascent and UNC interest chatter, with Michigan adding JP Estrella and Elliot Cadeau while losing Winters Grady and Malick Kordel as it reloads for next season.
Wisconsin’s men’s hockey team advanced to the NCAA national championship by defeating North Dakota 2-1 in the Frozen Four semifinal in Las Vegas, earning a shot at a seventh national title against Denver on April 11 at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN). Goaltender Daniel Hauser stopped 21 of 22 to help Wisconsin move to its ninth NCAA championship game; Denver survived Michigan in the semifinals and brings a strong roster led by Hobey Baker finalist Eric Pohlkamp and goalie Johnny Hicks.
Lou Holtz, Hall of Fame college football coach who led Notre Dame to the 1988 national title and later became a TV analyst, died at 89; his death was announced by Notre Dame, with no details on cause.
The College Football Playoff released dates and bowl sites for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 Playoffs: for 2026-27, quarterfinals at the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 30, 2026 and at Cotton, Peach and Rose Bowls on Jan. 1, 2027; semifinals at the Orange Bowl (Jan. 14, 2027) and Sugar Bowl (Jan. 15, 2027); and the National Championship on Jan. 25, 2027 in Las Vegas. For 2027-28, quarterfinals conclude with the Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31, 2027 and the Fiesta, Peach and Rose Bowls on Jan. 1, 2028; semifinals on Jan. 13 (Orange Bowl) and Jan. 14, 2028 (Cotton Bowl); with the Championship on Jan. 24, 2028 in New Orleans, with times/TV to be announced later.
The College Football Playoff will remain at 12 teams for the foreseeable future, with officials not planning an immediate expansion, as the 2026 season concluded with Indiana defeating Miami to win the national championship in January 2026.
After Curt Cignetti led Indiana to the national title, OutKick reports Google updated its search results to display a celebratory top message—'Yup, he won'—when you Google his name, turning the coach’s rapid rise into a viral Internet moment and highlighting how a tech company cheekily joined the celebration.
Gene Hedrick, a season-ticket holder since 1959, describes witnessing Indiana's first national championship as a privilege after IU rode an 11-2 season into the College Football Playoff and then an undefeated 16-0 run under Curt Cignetti, with wins over Ohio State, Oregon, Alabama, and Miami.