This week, the Early Signing Period for the 2026 college football recruiting class kicked off. In the eyes of Sporting News, these were the biggest winners and losers after day one.
WINNERS
· USC – They were able to haul in six top 100 players, giving them substantial building blocks to improve that 9-3 record
· Oregon & Washington – Oregon has the #2 recruiting class, and Washington is a top 15 program
· Marcus Freeman & Notre Dame – This is the best recruiting class the Irish have seen in the CFP era
· Vanderbilt – Landing quarterback Jared Curtis was massive
· Bill Belichick – The legendary coach’s first UNC recruiting class is “solid,” and some much-needed good news for the program
· Texas Tech & BYU – Both schools were able to build on the momentum they’ve built in the Big 12
LOSERS
· Penn State – It seems that firing your coach mid-season without a replacement lined up can cost you recruits
· Ohio State Losing Brian Harline To USF – It remains to be seen what Harline’s move will mean for receiver recruitment for Ohio State
· Ole Miss – They weren’t able to maintain a top 25 recruiting class
· Auburn – Five consecutive losing seasons makes an impact
· Miami, Florida & Florida State – They don’t yet seem to be a draw for in-state talent