Tuesdays with Gorney: Ten predictions after a wild football weekend
It was such a wild weekend of college football that impacted recruiting so much that Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney is using this week’s Tuesdays With Gorney to make 10 predictions from news over the weekend:
Caleb Cunningham loved his LSU visit. He will stick with Alabama.
Part of the reason why Cunningham wanted to visit LSU this past weekend for its thriller over Ole Miss was to see if the Tigers’ coaching staff would ramp up its interest and love again in the recruiting process.
It died down after his Alabama commitment over the summer and the high four-star receiver had no complaints after his weekend in Death Valley. It could not have gone better. But the feeling after the visit was that Alabama still has Cunningham locked in and it perhaps only reinforced to him that he made the right pick by going with the Crimson Tide over the summer.
Vance Spafford will end up picking Georgia over Ole Miss.
Georgia and Ole Miss were the top two for the 2026 four-star receiver entering the weekend. Coming out of it after his visit to Athens, the Bulldogs are now the team to beat.
The word I’m getting is that Georgia is “ahead by a mile” over any other team in his recruitment. He loved the atmosphere at Georgia, how the coaches would utilize him in the offense and the sense that the Bulldogs are the best of the best. A commitment might not be right around the corner but it could be tough to top UGA.
Lamar Brown is a near lock to LSU.
Texas, Miami, Georgia, Alabama, UCF and many others are pursuing the 2026 four-star offensive lineman because he’s one of the best in the country but it’s going to be really tough – if not nearly impossible – to get him away from LSU.
The Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab standout was back inside the stadium this past weekend and absolutely loved his experience in the Tigers’ win over Ole Miss. He even told me that LSU is one of the top teams on his list, which is no surprise, but I read it like an acknowledgement that they’re going to be tough to beat.
He’s from Baton Rouge. He goes to school basically on LSU’s campus. It would be a stunner to see him anywhere else.
Oregon impressed 2027 TE Mark Bowman. Georgia still leads.
The top 2027 tight end from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei had an amazing experience at Oregon. He appreciated all the hospitality shown to him and his family, and the Ducks are definitely one of the top programs on his list. From what I understand, though, Georgia remains the favorite.
It’s no knock on Oregon. It’s no knock on Texas, another top program. It’s just that Bowman is drawn to the Bulldogs for so many reasons including their use of tight ends (especially Brock Bowers) in recent years and the feeling that playing at Georgia would be the best of the best in college football, just like he’s done at Mater Dei in high school.
Kaleb Burns will not end up in Baylor’s recruiting class.
My prediction is that after commitments to Texas Tech and then Baylor, the high three-star linebacker from Houston (Texas) Cypress Falls won’t end up at either of those Big 12 programs.
Ole Miss has definitely impressed him but Burns’ visit to Oregon over the weekend blew him away. He is also heading to Oklahoma this weekend for its matchup against South Carolina so the Sooners will have their chance to impress – and potentially end up flipping – Burns as well.
Right now, it feels like Oregon could be the team to watch most.
“I loved every minute of the visit,” he said.
Texas could lead for Boobie Feaster and Antayvious Ellis.
Going off comments from the two 2027 star receivers from Texas, it sure sounds like the Longhorns are in great shape with each of them.
Feaster said he “kind of expected” Texas to dominate Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry and would be surprised if the Longhorns didn’t win the national championship. Ellis raved about his relationship with the Texas coaches and how the offense is so pass-friendly.
The 2027 receiver class in Texas is absolutely loaded, as Feaster and Ellis are two of the best. The rich could be getting richer in Austin if those sentiments stay true throughout their recruitments.
Kevonte Henry could flip his commitment soon.
Ranked as the second-best junior college prospect in the 2025 class, Henry committed to Mississippi State in June but in recent weeks, Alabama has made the Norwalk (Calif.) Cerritos CC four-star defensive end a top priority.
Alabama general manager Courtney Morgan was recently in Southern California and the word is he stopped by Cerritos to check in on Henry, who then took a visit to Tuscaloosa over the weekend.
I’ve been told it could be a matter of time until Henry flips from Mississippi State to Alabama and it could come sooner than later.
McKay Madsen is really warming up to Oregon.
After talking to Madsen over the summer at a 7-on-7 tournament, it looked like his recruitment was down to UCLA and BYU and it felt like the Cougars were his leader since he has family there and so many connections to the program.
Then Oregon got much more involved after he camped in Eugene and he was back this weekend. Now it feels like a legitimate three-team race and the Ducks could be dramatically surging late in the process here.
“It was the craziest game I’ve ever been at,” Madsen said. “The environment was electric the whole way through and always on the edge of my seat. Some of the best fans in all of sports and it was so loud my goodness. Definitely an experience I won’t forget. Ever since they offered they’ve been a top school for me and I’ve loved it every time I’ve been up.”
Iowa still looks very strong for four-star OL Hudson Parliament.
Nebraska is going to make a serious push, Kansas State and Minnesota are not giving up but after his weekend visit to Iowa, the Hawkeyes are still sitting pretty with the 2026 four-star offensive lineman from Brandon (S.D.) Brandon Valley.
The way Parliament plays the position – tough, mean, grinding – is what he’s seen from the Iowa offensive line for years and he has a similar mindset as Iowa position coach George Barnett. It just seems like a perfect match and Parliament is not going to say no to that.
“It was great being back at Kinnick Stadium,” Parliament said. “What I saw is what I have come to expect from Iowa football and that is physical and punishing football. It was good catching up with coach Barnett. We are on the same page and share the same mindset on how the game is played. I always know where I stand with him.”
Oregon could be close to a commitment from Tristan Phillips.
Other gameday visits could be coming up for Phillips but it’s going to be very difficult to beat Oregon in his recruitment.
The 2026 high three-star linebacker from Ventura, Calif., wants to see Wisconsin, Washington, Oklahoma, Cal and Florida State but it sure sounds like the Ducks are not only the front-runner but some conversations could be had to push for an early pledge as well.
“That was the craziest football game I’ve ever been to in my life,” Phillips said. “I had a great time. Oregon is very high in my recruitment and is definitely a place I’m very interested in. I’m gonna go home and talk to my family.”
