College Football Live - CFB Live - Kingston Preyear Announces Commitment, Biggest College Football Matchups

Episode Date: July 10, 2026

On today's episode of CFB Live, Zubin Mehenti, Sam Acho, Tom Luginbill break down the top matchups in 2026 as we are only 50 days away from kickoff. Plus 4-star QB Kingston Preyear announces his commitment. All this and more on CFB Live. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You guys have owned that standard this week, but that's just the prep. Now it's time to execute. Establish the standard that you have created. LSU is so all in on Lane Kippen. This place is different. Archie Manning looking. There's too many of them for it not to be a great class, and maybe when we look at it one day, say that's the best quarterback class we've ever had.

A strike from Carr! Tate wants to go deep. Down to middle is got it. Perfect. He's just electric. I don't really know how it's to describe it. It's going to be one more moment on the fight. One more moment, and we're going to kick their ass about how we play.

Let's go. Love it. 50 days away from the first FBS game. If you're wondering, that'll be Belichick in North Carolina. Take it on TCU in Dublin. For most of you watching, it's probably 50 days too many. But this is where we are for the next 30 minutes at least. And I think it's fair to say a pair of guys that want those 50 days to go away as quickly as you do are joining me now.

It is great, of course, to have. Tom Lugan Bill, Sam, macho, gentlemen, we are going to really hammer home the theme of the 50 days and the biggest storylines here in the next couple of months before we play. Let's run through some of the big storylines and then let's just break them down. These are the things everybody is wondering. Starting at the top, what conference will the national champion come from? Well, recently, the only answer has been the Big Ten Conference. You know the deal. Three in three years, three different schools.

Lots of big name quarterbacks are back. heard some of them spew some expletives at the top of college football live, including Arch. I don't know he had that in his game, but he's ready to go. Dante Moore said no to the NFL draft. He's back, Julian Sayan, has been great. Lane Kippen is back in the news you may have heard. One of six new SEC coaches. We'll talk more about the conference coaching carousel there in a moment.

The PAC 12 is reborn officially on July 1. Boise State headlines their new group of teams. North Dakota State, the FCS powerhouse has now moved up to the FBS. They are in the Mountain. West. Take a look at the preseason FPI top 10 and what the most important thing you want to keep in mind here is seven of the top 10 teams in the preseason

FPI made the playoff last season including three of the four teams that reached the semi so if history holds that means a lot of the teams on your screen are expecting and likely will make a very deep run in this year's college football playoff.

So 50 days to kick off it all starts with the defending champions, Kurt Zignetti and Indiana. Take a look look at what he's been able to do, right? When last season began, Indiana had the most losses of any program in the history of college football. When the season was over, they were improbably the national champion. So, Tom, we begin with you.

Can the Hoosiers in this sport that goes year to year maintain this type of run? Well, Zubin, if they're anywhere near as well prepared and well coached as they have been the last two years and with our current landscape in college football with transactional player movement, I don't think there's any question. that they have an opportunity to be an 11-12-win team each and every year, be in the conference championship game, be a contender in the college football playoff. I think the one thing that I'm looking most forward to with Indiana this year is what happens at the quarterback position.

And I understand the career that Josh Hoover had at TCU is bringing in a wealth of numbers, but he's also been very, very turnover prone. And the one thing that Indiana has not done the last two years is they do not beat themselves. one of the least penalized teams in college football, best third down defense and third down offense in college football. Last year, they lost one fumble the entire season and it came in the first week of the season. So you can't have Josh Hoover come in and be risky with the football.

That's not going to play well. I think Indiana, again, well prepared, well coached. They've had exceptional quarterback play. They don't beat themselves. And now Josh Hoover has to come in with that gun-slinging mentality and make good decisions with the football. Last thing I would say, Signetti essentially said, I'm going to introduce him to our running backs, and therefore we may not have to put the ball in the air as much to mitigate those turnover issues.

Topic number two could have been topic number one. Can you believe this? Today is the first day. It's our fourth day of college football live where the word Lane Kiffin has been uttered on the show. Who would have thought that? Draft Kings take the over. 50 days to kick off. So here's the deal.

Obviously, we know the timeline, the Ole Miss to LSU, all the carnage that ensued. Here's what you have to know. week one debut at home against Clemson, back end of a home and home. And if you're wondering, you won't have to wait long. Ole Miss, LSU, in Oxford, Kiffin's old home, week number three. All right. So, Sam, bottom line, the expectations, I guess can't be high enough, but I guess what are they in your mind?

I think a nine and three season is a realistic expectation based off of the schedule that LSU plays. Yes, Lane Kiffin is an elite level coach, but I'm looking at it. They start off with Clemson. A few weeks later, they play Ole Miss. You got Alabama, you got Texas on that schedule. There are so many ways and opportunities for this team to potentially trip up, not to mention A&M on that schedule as well. Now there is talent. Sam Levitt, the Arizona State quarterback transferring in. Pritzwell and Ma Mieland, the outstanding edge rusher coming from Ole Miss, Jordan Seaton, the left tackle projected first round picks. So the talent is not the issue. My question is, how quickly will they be able to translate these transfers?

It seems like it's 41 transfers that are coming into this new offense to face this schedule. That's my concern. That's why I see potentially 9 and 3 for this season for LSU. Okay, Kippen, the biggest name of the sport. The second biggest name is likely Arch Manning. So you kind of know what happened, right? Too many expectations too soon. Didn't live up to him.

But at the end of the season, he looked really good. He had the line of the year. I really love playing in the Cheezer Bowl, but I'd love not to be back in the Cheez-It Bowl next year. We all know what that's about. All right, so Tom, this season, is this the season that last season was supposed to be? Well, I think last season wasn't supposed to be what everybody was expecting. It was unfair.

He hadn't played. You're treating a guy like he's a first-round draft choice, and he hadn't even played a full season as a starter. Now it is warranted. Now it is earned. And if you go back to last season, you watch the last six to seven weeks, Arch Manning was flat out, lights out. And you could see it in his body language. You could see it in his poise, how he can.

carried himself, how proficient he was running the football. I just think that he has the weapons around him now with Cam Coleman coming in to go alongside Ryan Wingo. Hollywood Smothers comes over as well in the backfield. This is a guy where the expectation is real and it is warranted. And if he picks up where he left off, that could be one heck of a dangerous football team. Speaking of expectations being real, Marcus Freeman in Notre Dame, obviously everybody remembers the snub last year.

on the day of the selection. But the one thing working in their favor is they seem to have is you take a look at these games a very, according to the experts, whatever that means, a very favorable schedule heading into the season with an extremely talented group. So I guess Sam here, looking at these group of games, any reason to think the Irish shouldn't be thinking playoff right now?

They should, it should be a lot for the playoffs for their name based off of their memorandum of understanding if they're in the top 12, they automatically make it. But even more so, based off of that schedule, I mean, that's one of the easiest schedules that you look at when it comes to teams that are playing and competing for college football playoff opportunities. You look at it.

They host Miami in November. There's BYU. Those are maybe the two games that you look at. Of course, Syracuse, some of these other teams could come on. And so my concern isn't really with the schedule for A&M. My concern is if they happen to lose more than one game, all of a sudden that strength of schedule when it comes to the committee will start to glare even more.

UYU is a strong contender in the Big 12. And let's say Miami has a couple stumbles. Now of a sudden you're going to start looking and trying to pick some of the signature wins, and there may not be that many for Notre Dame. Yes, they're talented. C.J. Carr is a potential first-round pick. Talented on the offensive line. Defense as well.

There's no question. My question still comes with that schedule. Yeah, well, big and independent makes that a reality. These two teams are in power conferences and will always get the benefit of the doubt if you're in the Big Ten or the SEC. We kind of mentioned at the top of the show how dominant, of course, can have been here recently. Best chance to win the national title. Here are your top five led by Ohio State. So Tom, if this is going to be taken as gospel for the moment in your mind is Ohio State,

right now the team to beat. I don't know if they're the team to beat until we see what their identity becomes on defense. I think this offense for Ohio State is going to have to carry them a little bit early. You have so many departures on the defense inside of the football. Now, we all know that they've got depth. They develop. players, got transfer portal additions, they're going to be fine on that side of the field. But when you look at a Texas, you look at a Georgia, you look at an Oregon, you look at their returning components on that side of the ball. They may have a slight edge right there, but offensively, it's one of the most flawless

performances of an offense a year ago, and the vast majority of that group is back. So I think Ohio State's the class of that league, but I don't think the gaps as wide as maybe it was two years ago. Very interesting. You know, it's been a long time since Ohio State hasn't been in the mix for every single top flight high school quarterback. But the guy that's going to join us next year on college football live has narrowed it down to three SEC schools. Alabama, Florida, Vandy fans. Kingston Creer awaits. He will be waving and cheering for what team next.

Baby brother from what I hear is going to unveil the answer for Big Bro. That's when college football live continues with fan bases on pins and knees. Need NFL flag? You're in for a treat. The fun bunch in the end zone. Flagg football, one of the fastest growing sports in the country, July 24th to 26, all over ABC and the ESPN Network's NFL flag.com to learn more as we welcome you back inside college football live. You know, since the NIL and Transfer Portal came in, the one good thing is guys are getting paid. The one bad thing is these guys, these high school kids who used to own the day, a high school commitment was the best.

biggest story in all of college football for a stud. That's kind of gone away. But today, it is back because we got a five star that either is headed to Gainesville, to Nashville, or T-Town. Say hello to Kingston Prier. He is incredible. A great talent that has been one of the best quarterbacks in Alabama prep ball over the last several years from Alexander City, Benjamin Russell High School.

And before he makes the selection, I just want to say hello, introduce him to you, the audience. We've seen him on Saturdays for years to come. Let's welcome him inside. All right, first things first. Kingston, thanks for being with us. I know the guy to your right, Major, your little brother, class of a 2042. We'll be doing his announcement in the class of 42, but we'll wait for that.

First thing, just tell me what it's like from the moment you decided to say, I want to be a football player through this entire process. Up until today, what has that been like for you? honestly it's a blessing to even commit to a university and play football the game I love all my life I'm just ready to commit all right so why waste any more time look majors ready to go he's got a good right arm he looks pretty good there so all right so I know he's going to help you do this so without further ado let's hear your college announcement first I'd like to thank God Lord and Savior Jesus Christ without him none of this would be possible I like to thank these two sending it to me my parents for all the sacrifices they made from my family.

I thank my brothers and my sister. I think my coaches, my teammates, and all the coaches that set the team and recruitment. That being said, I'll be going to the University of... There we go. Same secret. It's a little. Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Wait a minute. I thought I saw some blue button instead I'm seeing. University of Alabama. Roller top. Wow. So there it is. Congratulations. All right. So obviously, if I'm an Alabama fan, I want to know what was the deciding factor that made you select the Crimson Tide and stay home to play your college ball?

Their relationship with Coach Gros and Coach Ellis, the consistency with Coach Ellis, he's been real since day one. And just they have a development plan for me. And I feel I can go there and bring national championship back to Baltimore. I heard you're such a young kid. So I always chuckle when people say I grew up watching them. You may not even remember two and hurts because you're such a young stud out there. But what are your memories of watching Alabama now that you're going to be the next guy there? I remember 200 and hers. They both won national championship. So that's my favorite memory on that.

Yeah. And then last thing, now that all of this has come to an end and you can kind of focus on the one school you're going to, what are your thoughts now that this hotly followed recruitment, everybody waiting on pins and needles, has come to a close. Personally, what does it mean for you and your family? It means the world to play for a team. I grew up, cheering for, and watching. It means to me in the world.

And we're ready to go in there, compete, and work. Absolutely. So congratulations. It was an honor to have you make this announcement here on this Friday, and I know you're going to be in our living rooms on Saturdays for years to come. Congratulations. Major, keep throwing, bro. There we go.

Roll at a hat. Roll time. Roll time. Thanks to the prayer family. Thanks, man. Really appreciate it. Great day for your life. Appreciate you joining us.

That's great. Let's bring in Tom Lugan Bill. You know, Tom has been recruiting and evaluating players for now 21 years, so longer than Kingston has been alive, but I don't want to date you. Tell me what kind of player this guy is and what the tide are getting from your analytical view. So a really big, good-looking athlete. He's tall. He's strong.

He's not a dynamic runner, but he can run. He's a passer-first. The thing that jumps out about him, one of the first things that I noticed when we first saw him, and remember, he's still a year away. So he's still got, you know, two years of high school football left is the way the ball jumps off of his hand. He can flat spin it. It's very natural. He can beat the pass rush with his release.

He can make all of the throws to all the different nook and crannies on the field. He actually reminds me to some degree of a bigger version of Alabama's Keelon Russell right now when Keelon came out. So you're looking at three guys at the quarterback position. Keelan Russell, Elijah Haven, and the 2027 class. and I'm one ranked quarterback currently committed to Alabama and now Kingston pre-year in the 2028 class. So there's going to be some decisions that need to be made by the quarterbacks and some decisions are going to be made by the coaches.

There's no doubt about it. That is great stuff. So for Alabama, it could be a boom, boom, boom situation. But like at most Blue Blood programs, you're going to have to go out there and earn it. And all these guys do not fear competition. It's going to be something fascinating to watch. When college football live rolls on,

must watch most intriguing, the games you, got to see. Pencil them in. The guys will tell you the ones you can't miss next. And we're back on college football live for you. If there's any indication the sport is not going back to its old ways of doing things in many regards, the coaching pipeline might be at the forefront of the discussion. Can you imagine, say not that long ago really, that if the SEC had six head coaching openings in a single offseason, as was just the case, and half those jobs went to coaches from the American. Would have been really hard to fathom that.

But this is where we are, right? Case in point, Alex Golish, goes from USF to the planes and he takes over at Auburn. Yeah, John Summerall fresh off the playoff, going from Tulane to Florida, and Ryan Silverfield leaves Memphis for Arkansas. Now, obviously, Kurt Zignetti proved winners work anywhere and everywhere.

Guys are getting a look that never once were. Almost as wild as three American coaches joining the SEC is the notion that Bill Belichick is now entering his second year as a college head coach himself. They're coming off a four and eight season. They're going to see TCU again, but instead of Chapel Hill, it's going to be, as the music indicates to you, in Dublin. On ESPN, it's going to be great. It's the first FBS game, which, as we mentioned throughout the program, is 50 days away. So the heels and the horn frogs to get it going.

All right. So now let's take a look at the games that I think we have pinpointed as the games. You're not going to be doing anything for the three and a half or four hours, the way these games go now, that you're not going to want to do anything but watch these games. All right. So that's just some of the ones we could pick, but I'm not going to put the words in the guy's mouths. They're going to pick themselves. All right, Sam, let's start with you.

Most anticipated games in your mind. You cannot wait to see. I'm excited for that Texas versus Ohio State game. I want to see what the Will Must Champ defense does against a receiver like Jeremiah Smith. That's part A, Part B, Arch Manning. I want to see how he performs, how he builds off of his strong end to last season. I was in Austin just a couple days ago.

I was chatting with some of the players, and you could tell they have championship aspirations. There's definitely a high level of confidence in the Texas Longhorn football team and a high level of expectation. But with Ohio State, Matt Patricia, it's best. back in the fold. Ryan Day has done a phenomenal job. I ran into Ryan Day a couple months ago. And so I understand that both these teams have a high level of confidence, but it's the talent on the football field that's going to stand out the most. So that's the game I'm looking forward to more than any. Sam, I had to choose the painfully obvious one, the LSU at Old Miss matchup.

To be honest, I don't even really care about watching the game. I want to see the intro to the stadium for LSU's football team and Lane Kiff and They might have to get him a Pokedmobile to protect him because that is going to be an unbelievable environment in how those two teams handled it, the level of maturity that they show about not getting caught up in stuff that they can't control and just worry about coaching the game. Players and coaches alike, that is going to be a massive matchup.

I think for both teams, but obviously with the Lane Kiff and Saga of this offseason. Tom, I'm glad you mentioned it because if we didn't, they would take us off the air. We wouldn't be on the air Monday. if we didn't think that that game deserved to be it. So thank you for saving us. Sam, to you, I got to ask you,

I mean, the entirety of the final day of the selection came down to Notre Dame and Miami and each kind of jousting, kind of trying to stake their claim. And now they can actually decide it on the field in November. With the backdrop of last year, I mean, this is a game that's just absolute must see. Well, it would be a huge game before a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is that strength of schedule

conversation for Notre Dame. Miami's a team that's just coming off a national championship run. Notre Dame's a team that doesn't have too many opportunities to put many signature wins on their schedule. If Miami and Malacotoni and that team shows up and let's say they win in a significant way, it could spell doom for Notre Dame. Now, on the other hand, it could be Notre Dame's opportunity to show that C.J. Carr, this offensive line, Leonard Moore on the back end, that they are all NFL worthy.

I will say this. You go back to last year, watch a lot of Notre Dame. It was a lot of, Jeremiah I love, right, top five overall pick, engineering price. Those guys are no longer there. So the depth is there, but it'll be a lot more on car, I believe, this season to get them over the top. So underrated is something that I think we need to discuss here, too, because if you think about where Indiana has been the last couple of years,

TCU making the title game in 2022, people didn't expect things like that. So Tom, to you, underrated games that you've got your eye on that. Maybe we're not thinking about right now, but come that Saturday, you'll be like, I told you to watch that game. Well, going back to what you mentioned with the American coaches coming over to Power 4 jobs, I look at the week three matchup with Auburn in Florida. John Summerall now leading Florida, Alex Golish in Auburn. You've got two new quarterbacks at play.

I think by week three, both fan bases will have at least a feel of, okay, this is a good product. This has a chance to be a great product, or what did we do? Did we hire the wrong guy as fans are prone to do? but I'm really intrigued to see that one. I'll go to week one with Auburn. I want to look at Auburn week one when they play Baylor. Why?

Because I want to see if Alex Golish and Byron Brown are able to translate what they did at South Florida all the way over to the SEC. I got a chance to call two or three of South Florida's games, sat down with Byron Brown and Goalish. There's a high level of confidence with the team, but it's a whole different league. So I want to see what they do week one versus the Baylor team on September 5th. And I remember Tom saying last year about Brown, this guy could have started for a number of teams in the country at big levels,

and now he'll get a chance to do it. And thankfully, since Tom gave us the LSU Ole Miss prediction, we are back Monday officially for more college football live. Have a great weekend.