College Football Apostles is back with a week’s worth of fireworks—coaches on the brink (or out the door), a Heisman race that refuses to conform, and a few glorious reminders that this sport will always be equal parts opera and circus. From James Franklin’s surreal College GameDay appearance to tortilla bans and field-storming etiquette, here’s what stood out and what actually matters as we barrel toward November.

James Franklin, the Set Piece, and the Sign That Stole the Show

Only in college football do you get a freshly fired head coach sitting on the GameDay set in Athens, swapping notes with Nick Saban about fairness and futures—while a student sign that reads “Jackson fart” photobombs the moment. It was compelling TV, no doubt. But strip away the spectacle, and Franklin’s segment sounded like a campaign launch: polished, rehearsed, and built to reassure decision-makers he’s prepared to lead again in 2026. The critique is familiar—too conservative on offense, buttoned-up answers, and very little you can take out of context. It’s professional, but it’s also part of the ceiling that’s dogged Penn State in get-over-the-hump games.

The FAFO Phase of the Coaching Market

We’re officially in the FAFO economy—fire a coach, assume you can poach a shinier name, and learn the hard way that alma-mater gravity is real. Clark Lea at Vanderbilt, Brent Key at Georgia Tech, Jeff Brohm at Louisville—good luck prying true sons away from home. The “Mr. Steal-Your-Coach” strategy almost never delivers national-title dividends. Even the splashiest examples (Lincoln Riley to USC; Mario Cristobal to Miami) are still measured against championship-level expectations they haven’t yet met. Historically, the surer bets are fit hires: coordinators who’ve spent years daydreaming about how they’d build a program when their turn comes, or lower-level head coaches hungry to prove their blueprint scales. Smaller buyouts, less ego rigidity, more room to grow. That’s how you find your Dan Lanning and Kenny Dillingham.

Florida Fires Billy Napier—So Now What?

Florida pulled the plug after another uneven offensive stretch—tough call on a good coach and a better man. Who makes sense in Gainesville? Lane Kiffin changes the vibe and raises the floor, but probably not the ceiling; he brings 9–11 wins and constant entertainment—plus constant scrutiny. Want bigger upside with more unknowns? Comb the coordinator ranks: think Will Stein and other rising architects with modern recruiting chops. The lesson: stop trying to “win the press conference” and start winning football games with leaders who fit your culture, understand the portal, and can recruit your footprint.

Vote of Confidence Season: Believe Which ADs?

Wisconsin’s message on Luke Fickell feels like real support: wrong-place, wrong-time QB injuries and under-resourcing are fixable. Florida State’s statement on Mike Norvell, by contrast, reads like leverage—“pony up or accept the status quo.” The Seminoles’ ACC skid, the portal-heavy roster build, and a locker-room vibe that looks a little too full from the NIL buffet—those are culture problems money alone won’t solve. The blueprint never changed: recruit high school hard, develop your core, and plug the gaps with the portal. Payday-loan roster construction rarely survives a second cycle.

Heisman Watch: Don’t Sleep on the Underdogs

Yes, Alabama keeps winning behind Ty Simpson. But if you’re actually watching, this race isn’t closed. Vanderbilt’s Fernando Mendoza and New Mexico-to-Vandy folk hero Diego Pavia are doing more with less—and voters love a “carry the program” narrative when November receipts pile up. Pavia’s path is simple: win big games, lean into the legacy arc (JuCo → New Mexico → Vanderbilt → giant-killer), and stay efficient against top defenses. If the Commodores keep stacking wins, this becomes the anti-blue-blood ballot: elite value over elite brand

G5 Playoff Ticket: Memphis–USF Feels Like a Quarterfinal

Memphis stumbled, UNLV stumbled, and now the G5 lane looks like a two-car race with Memphis–USF serving as a de facto elimination game. Win here, control your league, and you’re in the driver’s seat for the CFP’s G5 slot. Lose, and you’ll need chaos elsewhere to climb back. It’s that tight.

“Pandas,” Tortillas, and Field-Storming Reality Checks

Sacramento State’s president poked the (actual) bear by calling Montana the “Pandas,” and the Griz fan base did not find it adorable. Rivalries need spice, but bulletin-board material hits different when the opponent can throw it over your head—and right now Montana’s passing game is humming while Sac State leans heavy on the run. Meanwhile in Lubbock, conference fines have Texas Tech inching toward a tortilla crackdown. Keep the tradition—before the game and after the game—and ditch the mid-game confetti if you don’t want the Big 12 siphoning the collective’s rainy-day fund. On field-storming: Vanderbilt’s “hold the line” horn is the new gold standard. Celebrate, then release—once the visiting bench clears. Common sense, fewer collisions.

Player–Fan Boundaries Are Fraying

We’re toeing a dangerous line with players jawing at fans and fans seeking clout by baiting players. App State–Coastal Carolina’s exchange—and the viral clips that followed—are a preview of the thing nobody wants to see. Simple rule: if you wouldn’t say it face-to-face on a quiet street, don’t say it leaning over a rail at 2 a.m. in a college town. And if you’re a player? Win the game, win the tunnel, win the film room. Don’t take the bait.

Colin Simmons and “Identity” Politics

After Texas edged Kentucky in a rock fight, Sark reportedly framed the Longhorns’ identity as defense and special teams—fair read based on how they’re winning. Colin Simmons, asked about it, rushed to add “offense” into the team’s identity. Was that correcting the coach? Not really. That’s a star defender protecting his teammates in public. In private, coaches will say the same thing: we’re all we got. Public unity matters in late October.

Six Games That Will Swing Jobs (and January)

• Texas A&M vs LSU: Brian Kelly’s fighting for credibility, if not employment.
• Nebraska vs Northwestern: Matt Rhule can’t lose as a touchdown-plus favorite to an upstart that looks ranked-adjacent.
• Auburn’s next test: Hugh Freeze needs a statement before boosters start pricing patience.
• Washington vs Illinois: Job-market leverage game for both staffs.
• Memphis vs USF: G5 CFP bracketology in real time.
• A Big 12 gauntlet: Utah’s injury-bitten, Houston heads to Arizona State, Baylor–Cincinnati and BYU at Iowa State—all with tangible title-game or bowl-eligibility stakes. Add Wyoming’s OC change (program legend Javon Bouknight calling plays) to the watchlist; even a modest offensive spark would flip that rivalry vibe.