- NCAA. Ohio State may be close to answer Texas' Arch Manning move with Julian Sayin at QB
- NCAA. Deion Sanders makes surprise announcement and reveals who is the woman in his life amid separation from his children
Notre Dame football isn't just winning on Saturdays-it's stacking wins all week. This weekend, Marcus Freeman added another prized piece to his offensive puzzle: four-star running back Javian Osborne out of Texas. With CJ Carr expected to lead the Irish under center next year, building around him is clearly the priority-and Osborne's commitment is a big step in that direction.
But behind the scenes, Freeman's staff has been working on something far more calculated. They're going after Messiah Mickens-a four-star Penn State running back commit-and the pursuit is picking up speed.
Mickens, from Harrisburg, PA, committed to the Nittany Lions last year when Ja'Juan Seider was still part of James Franklin's coaching staff. Now that Seider's coaching running backs in South Bend, he's reportedly circled back to Mickens, according to Blue & Gold Illustrated's Mike Singer. The pitch? A different vision. A different future. One built around CJ Carr-and maybe not in the Big Ten.
An ACC power play hiding in plain sight
What really changes the context here is Notre Dame's new 12-year scheduling agreement with Clemson, reported by Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger. While not a full move into the ACC, it signals something bigger: control. Freedom. And a commitment to shaping their own postseason path while reaping the benefits of a $3.6 billion media rights deal locked in through 2036.
That kind of long-term planning goes hand-in-hand with recruiting strategy. Freeman's staff is pushing hard in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas-establishing pipelines and building relationships that rival what SEC and B1G schools have long dominated.
Mickens has said three times that his recruitment is over. But none of those declarations have ended the conversations. The visit schedule still favors Penn State, but Seider's recent trip to Harrisburg sparked fresh buzz. There's no guarantee here, but the door? Definitely cracked open.
And with CJ Carr set to inherit the offense, Notre Dame's job is to give him every possible weapon. Flip Mickens, and the Irish don't just steal a star-they send a message to the rest of college football: this program doesn't just reload. It redefines the game.