#early-signing-period

#early-signing-period

"1000% committed"

Due to the early signing period, each coaching change -- both the firings and the hirings -- means that all members of recruiting classes (often 20 to 25 kids) have to readjust and decide (often in just a few days or even hours) whether to stick with their previous decision or try to flip to a new school. And that's if the new coach even wants them.

Rival programs have cast their attention to Auburn's incoming class since the program fired coach Hugh Freeze last weekend. Elsewhere, Ohio State, Texas and Texas Tech are among the programs charging for late-cycle flips with key visitors expected on campus in the coming weeks, while the market for premium defensive tackles, led by fall decommits Danny Beale ( Oklahoma State), Dylan Berymon (Texas) and Emanuel Ruffin ( Colorado) is intensifying this month.

As college football teams take the field Saturday, a potentially hectic final month before the early signing period for the 2026 recruiting class will already be officially underway. Thirty-two days remain before the Dec. 3-5 early signing period, the first opportunity class of 2026 commits have to sign with programs. Between now and then, the temperature is set to rise as top uncommitted prospects and flip targets visit campuses over the final four weeks of the college football regular season.

What twists and turns still remain for college football's 2026 recruiting cycle? Time will tell. The 2026 class is settled (for now) earlier than any class in recent memory. But the 59 days between now and the start of the early signing period Dec. 3 leave plenty of time for campus trips, surprise flips and all the traditional late-cycle recruiting drama.