Wave the Wheat - A Kansas CFB27 Dynasty - Presented by BigJDotCom01

[bigjdotcom01]

National Early Signing Day arrived and Kansas has landed three additional recruits. Here are the five early commits.

CLYDE FICKEN
Position: MIKE (National Rank: 434, #22 MIKE)
NIL: 45
Archetype: Signal Caller
Stars: 3-Star
Class: High School
OVR: Unknown
Hometown: Mobile, AL
Vitals: 6'3”, 216 lbs
Ratings: SPD: 74; ACC: 77; STR: 72; TAK: 78; HIT: 67; MAN: 69; ZNE: 72
Abilities: None
Mentals: Team Player (Gold)
Development Trait: Normal

NICK MANZO
Position: SS (National Rank: 495, #13 SS)
NIL: 50
Archetype: Box Specialist
Stars: 3-Star
Class: High School
OVR: Unknown
Hometown: Rockwall, TX
Vitals: 6'2”, 194 lbs
Ratings: SPD: 74, ACC: 83; COD: 81; AGI: 79; MAN: 60; ZNE: 68; TAK: 72
Abilities: None
Mentals: None
Development Trait: Impact

LAYNE FRITZ
Position: CB (National Rank: 509, #32 CB)
NIL: 55
Archetype: Boundary
Stars: 3-Star
Class: High School
OVR: Unknown
Hometown: Morgantown, WV
Vitals: 6'2”, 174 lbs
Ratings: SPD: 90; ACC: 82; COD: 85; AGI: 84; MAN: 71; ZNE: 68; TAK: 68
Abilities: None
Mentals: None
Development Trait: Star

GEORGE ESPONDA
Position: MIKE (National Rank: 544, #31 MIKE)
NIL: 55
Archetype: Thumper
Stars: 3-Star
Class: High School
OVR: Unknown
Hometown: Henderson, TX
Vitals: 6'0”, 225 lbs
Ratings: Unknown
Abilities: None
Mentals: None
Development Trait: Normal

BARRY COTTON
Position: WILL (National Rank: 966, #62 WILL)
NIL: 5
Archetype: Signal Caller
Stars: 3-Star
Class: High School
OVR: Unknown
Hometown: El Dorado Hills, CA
Vitals: 6'1”, 207 lbs
Ratings: SPD: 83; ACC: 87; ATR: 76; TAK: 77; HIT: 76; PUR: 82; MAN: 66; ZNE: 70
Abilities: None
Mentals: The Natural (SIlver)
Development Trait: Star

[bigjdotcom01]

The 12-team College Football Playoff bracket was announced on Sunday night with Missouri (Big Ten, 12-1) securing the top seed. Their only loss on the season was a road loss at #3 Notre Dame. Oklahoma (Big XII, 11-2) is the #2 seed. The Sooners two losses were at #11 Texas A&M, and at #1 Missouri. They beat #9 Texas Tech twice.

Notre Dame (Big Ten, 11-2) earned the third seed. Their two losses were at home to #8 Indiana, and in the Big Ten Championship Game to #1 Missouri. Boise State (PAC-12, 11-1) received the final BYE into the Quarterfinals. The Broncos only loss was to #5 Oregon back in Week 2.

The highest ranked teams from the five highest rated conferences that received bids were Missouri (Big Ten), Oklahoma (Big XII), Boise State (PAC-12), South Carolina (ACC), and LSU (SEC).

The other teams receiving at-large bids were: Oregon (PAC-12, 11-2), USC (PAC-12, 10-3), BYU (Mountain West, 13-0), Indiana (Big Ten, 10-2), Texas Tech (Big XII, 10-3), and Miami (Sun Belt, 12-1).

The first three out were: Texas A&M (Big XII), Ohio State (MAC) and SMU (Big XII). All three schools were ranked higher than South Carolina and LSU.

The PAC-12 and Big Ten each have three teams in the field of 12. The Big XII sends two teams with the Mountain West, Sun Belt, SEC and ACC each sending one team. The Mid-American, Conference USA and American conference have no teams in the field.

First Round Matchups:
#12 LSU (SEC, 11-2) at #5 Oregon (PAC-12, 11-2)
#9 Texas Tech (Big XII, 10-3) at #8 Indiana (Big Ten, 10-2)
#11 South Carolina (ACC, 11-2) at #6 USC (PAC-12, 10-3)
#10 Miami (Sun Belt, 12-1) at #7 BYU (MWC, 13-0)

The Big Ten received eight bowl invites in 2026, Wisconsin (7-5) did not receive a bowl bid:
CFP 1st Round: #9 Texas Tech (10-3) at #8 Indiana (10-2)
CFP Quarterfinal: #1 Missouri (12-1) vs. TBD
CFP Quarterfinal: #3 Notre Dame (11-2) vs. TBD
Rate Bowl: Iowa (8-4) vs. Baylor (6-6)
Music City Bowl: Kansas State (8-4) vs. Mississippi State (7-5)
Reliaquest Bowl: #14 Nebraska (10-2) vs. South Alabama
Citrus Bowl: Kansas (7-5) vs. #19 UAB (10-2)
Duke's Mayo Bowl: Northwestern (8-4) vs. Appalachian State (7-5)

[bigjdotcom01]

Heisman Memorial Trophy (presented by NISSAN):
Presented to college football's most outstanding player

Ben Ford, Senior(RS), WR (Boise State)

New York, NY (AP) – Boise State wide receiver Ben Ford won the 2026 Heisman Memorial Trophy presented in New York City. Ford caught 93 balls for 1463 yards and 20 touchdowns for playoff bound Boise State. He beat out Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, who threw for 3511 yards with 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Mateer also ran for 751 yards and 16 scores.

Halfback Ahmad Hardy, a junior from top-ranked Missouri, finished third in the voting. He ran for 1832 yards with 17 touchdowns, and caught 18 balls for 179 yards and four touchdowns.

LSU junior quarterback Sam Leavitt finished fourth in the voting. Leavitt threw for 4677 yards with 35 touchdowns and also ran for 210 yards with five touchdowns.

[Count]

Clyde Ficken just sounds like he was made for Kansas. Nice pull to get a safety with star dev too, hopefully grows into a big piece down the road

[Caesar]

What are your plans to fill out the class? Transfer heavy or still going after some HS targets?

[redsox907]

Ratings: SPD: 90

we finally got some speed

[bigjdotcom01]

Clyde Ficken just sounds like he was made for Kansas. Nice pull to get a safety with star dev too, hopefully grows into a big piece down the road

I love that name!

[bigjdotcom01]

What are your plans to fill out the class? Transfer heavy or still going after some HS targets?

I still have about ten guys on the radar from high schools, but we will hit the portal also. Hoping we don't lose any big stars like Dylan Edwards or Isaiah Marshall.

[bigjdotcom01]

Ratings: SPD: 90

we finally got some speed

Amen!

[bigjdotcom01]

POST SEASON AWARDS:

MAXWELL AWARD (PLAYER OF THE YEAR): John Mateer QB (Oklahoma, SR(RS))
WALTER CAMP AWARD (PLAYER OF THE YEAR): John Mateer QB (Oklahoma, SR(RS))
BEAR BRYANT COTY AWARD (HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR): Ryan Day (Ohio State)
DAVEY O'BRIEN AWARD (BEST QUARTERBACK): John Mateer QB (Oklahoma, SR(RS))
CHUCK BEDNARIK AWARD (BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER): Trey Lathan MIKE (Kansas, SR(RS))
BRONKO NAGURSKI (DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR): Trey Lathan MIKE (Kansas, SR(RS))
PAYCOM JIM THORPE AWARD (BEST DEFENSIVE BACK): Ashton Stamps CB (Arizona State, JR(RS))
DOAK WALKER AWARD (BEST RUNNING BACK): Ahmad Hardy HB (Missouri, JR)
FRED BELITNIKOFF AWARD (BEST RECEIVER): Ben Ford WR (Boise State, SR(RS))
LOMBARDI AWARD (BEST DEFENSIVE LINEMAN): Dylan Stewart LEDG (South Carolina, JR)
UNITAS GOLDEN ARM AWARD (SENIOR QB OF THE YEAR): John Mateer QB (Oklahoma, SR(RS))
DEFENSIVE END OF THE YEAR: Dylan Stewart LEDG (South Carolina, JR)
OUTLAND TROPHY (BEST INTERIOR LINEMAN): Kade Pieper C (Iowa, JR(RS))
JOHN MACKEY AWARD (BEST TIGHT END): Dorian Fleming TE (Maryland, JR(RS))
BROYLES AWARD (ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR): Blake Baker DC (LSU)
DICK BUTKUS AWARD (LINEBACKER OF THE YEAR): Trey Lathan MIKE (Kansas, SR(RS))
RIMINGTON AWARD (CENTER OF THE YEAR): Kade Pieper C (Iowa, JR(RS))
LOU GROZA AWARD (KICKER OF THE YEAR): Peyton Woodring K (Georgia, SR)
RAY GUY AWARD (PUNTER OF THE YEAR): Ashton Logan P (Middle Tennesse, SR(RS))
JET AWARD (BEST SPECIAL TEAMS RETURNER): Christian Hamilton WR (Marshall, JR(RS))
SHAWN ALEXANDER AWARD (FRESHMAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR): Julian Lewis QB (Colorado, FR(RS))
PAUL HORNUNG AWARD (MOST VERSITILE PLAYER): John Mateer QB (Oklahoma, SR(RS))
WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL AWARD (ACADEMIC PLAYER OF THE YEAR): John Mateer QB (Oklahoma, SR(RS))