College football news is nonstop, and we’re breaking it all down week by week this season.
Here’s the latest on what’s happening around college football entering Week 14:
Buckeyes star wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate are expected to play against Michigan, per ESPN. Smith and Tate were each limited in practice this week due to lower-body injuries, with Smith missing Week 13 and Tate having not played in four weeks. The two receivers have combined for 108 receptions for 1,613 yards and 17 touchdowns this season.
The Beavers have hired Alabama assistant head coach/co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard as their new head coach, ESPN reported. Shephard and Oregon State agreed to a five-year deal. The 42-year-old Shephard has been at Alabama since 2024, following head coach Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama after the 2023 season. Oregon State is 2-9 this season and fired head coach Trent Bray after starting 0-7. Bray went a combined 5-14 as the Beavers’ head coach.
Stanford hires head coach
The Cardinal reportedly hired Washington Commanders quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard as the next head coach, per ESPN. Pritchard previously played quarterback from 2006 to 09. He then went on to serve in various roles as an assistant coach and coordinator at Stanford from 2010 to 2022.
Pritchard will take over in a full-time capacity months after Stanford parted ways with Troy Taylor, who was fired in March after being investigated twice for allegedly mistreating staffers.
The Commodores extended their head coach on a six-year deal, per ESPN. It reportedly includes a noteworthy salary increase for Lea and added resources to the football program.
Lea, who was a fullback at Vanderbilt from 2002-04, is in his fifth season as the Commodores’ head coach, with the school a combined 25-35 but coming off a 7-6 season that saw Lea win 2024 SEC Coach of the Year honors. As for this season, Vanderbilt is 9-2 overall, 5-2 in SEC play and ranked No. 14 in the country. With one more win – which would get the Commodores to 10 victories – Vanderbilt would have a program-record in wins for a single season. Vanderbilt closes out its regular season on the road against No. 19 Tennessee on Saturday.
Mora is leaving UConn for Colorado State, per ESPN. The Huskies are in the midst of a second consecutive nine-win season and were a combined 27-23 under Mora from 2022-25. Offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis will serve as UConn’s interim head coach. Mora was the head coach of the UCLA Bruins from 2012-17, preceded by several NFL assistant coaching stints and two head-coaching ones (Atlanta Falcons from 2004-06 and Seattle Seahawks in 2009). He takes over a Colorado State team that’s 2-9 and fired head coach Jay Norvell after three-plus seasons earlier this year.
The Cowboys announced on Oct. 25 that they’ve hired North Texas head coach Eric Morris as their new coach. Morris’ Mean Green is in the midst of a 10-1 season, with the program 21-15 under him since 2023. He was also the head coach at Incarnate Word from 2018-21, followed by being the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Washington State in 2022. Morris is expected to finish the 2025 season at North Texas. Oklahoma State fired head coach Mike Gundy after a 1-2 start and 20-plus seasons on the job, with the Cowboys now 1-10 on the season.
Notre Dame loses two players to season-ending injuries
No. 9 Notre Dame will be without linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and cornerback Chance Tucker for the rest of the season after they were both hurt in Saturday’s 70-7 win over Syracuse. Viliamu-Asa injured his left knee while Tucker suffered a broken bone in his lower left leg.
Neither were starters but Viliamu-Asa was third on the Fighting Irish with 48 tackles. He also has three sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. Tucker played sparingly this season.
“For Chance, this is his second one so he’ll have to decide if football is something he wants to continue to do,” coach Marcus Freeman said Monday. “But it’s just tough — five years and he’s been such a valuable member of our team. And King was playing at such a high level, I just feel awful for him because he puts a lot into it. His challenge is going to be one he has to face from the inside, but he’s built the right way.”
The Fighting Irish finish their regular season Saturday at Stanford as they chase a second straight playoff berth. Notre Dame lost to Ohio State in last season’s national championship game.
UCLA’s Iamaleava day-to-day
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava is day to day with neck spasms ahead of a rivalry game with No. 19 USC on Saturday.
Iamaleava left after being sacked in the third quarter of a 48-14 loss to Washington at the Rose Bowl last weekend.
“Nico had some neck spasm stuff happen, just kind of got tackled funny and didn’t calm down enough for him to get back in the game,” interim coach Tim Skipper said Monday. “He’s doing all his rehab stuff. We’ll see where he is.”
Iamaleava missed UCLA’s 48-10 loss at No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 15 while he was in concussion protocol. He initially got hurt in a loss to Nebraska on Nov. 8.
Saturday will be UCLA’s final game of the season since the Bruins aren’t bowl-eligible, and is likely to be Skipper’s final game at the helm. He took over after DeShaun Foster was fired on Sept. 14.
Arrested Georgia lineman cut from team
Georgia offensive lineman Nyier Daniels has been dismissed from the team following his weekend arrest on multiple charges resulting from a high-speed police chase in the city of Commerce.
According to the Jackson County, Georgia, jail log, Daniels was booked at 10 a.m. Sunday on three felony charges, including fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, and 10 misdemeanor charges.
The other felony charges were two counts of cruelty to children because Daniels’ two younger siblings were in his BMW. The misdemeanor charges included reckless driving and speeding. According to the police report obtained by The Associated Press, Daniels reached speeds of 100 mph in a 25 mph zone in Commerce and 150 mph when the chase continued on Interstate 85.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Monday that Daniels was no longer on the team.
“I have not had a chance to talk to him or his family, but obviously he’ll no longer be with us,” Smart said.
According to the incident report, officers gave up the chase when the pursuing officer lost contact with Daniels’ vehicle on the interstate. The arrest was made when the officers learned he was a Georgia player and contacted team coaches, who provided assistance, according to the report.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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