Spring football is winding down for college programs around the country, whether with open practices and other fan events, or the more traditional spring games.
Texas, which helped set off the buzz around spring games in February with Steve Sarkisian’s announcement that his team was scrapping the scrimmage, instead will host a fan day Saturday, promising to “roll out the burnt orange carpet for Longhorn Nation” with activities including autograph sessions and photo ops, a street fest and on-field drills for kids 12 and under.
Nebraska, Iowa and Baylor are among other schools that will wrap up their spring sessions with similar events.
But several big-name diehards will carry on with their spring games Saturday, most notably four Big Ten schools, including playoff participants Oregon and Penn State.
All times Eastern.
Game time: Saturday, noon, Big Ten Network
Spring storyline: The Terrapins face a challenging offseason after going 1-8 in the Big Ten last year before losing several key players to the transfer portal, including quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (Wisconsin). Finding a new QB starter who can thrive — whether it’s UCLA transfer Justyn Martin or ESPN 300 incoming freshman Malik Washington — will be key to any turnaround.
Position of intrigue: The offensive line struggled last year, finishing with a Big Ten-worst 39.7% blown block rate. Akron transfer Jayvin James already reentered the portal after arriving in December, but ESPN 300 signee Jaylen Gilchrist could help boost a running game that averaged just 3.59 yards per attempt in 2024.
Player to watch: Jalil Farooq caught 89 career passes at Oklahoma until breaking his foot in the opener last season. He has the talent to give Maryland a game breaker at wideout with All-Big Ten performer Tai Felton gone. — Jake Trotter
Game time: Saturday, 2 p.m.
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Spring storyline: The Nittany Lions snagged Jim Knowles, who just coordinated the No. 1 defense in college football last season at Ohio State. Penn State made him the highest-paid coordinator in the country ($3.1 million). Knowles will begin molding the Nittany Lions defense this spring, with plenty of talent to deploy.
Position of intrigue: The Nittany Lions have to get more production out of their wide receivers from quarterback Drew Allar, especially with All-American tight end Tyler Warren on the way to the NFL. Penn State is banking that transfers Devonte Ross (Troy) and Kyron Hudson (USC) can help elevate a spot that’s been underwhelming in recent years.
Player to watch: Dani Dennis-Sutton will get his chance to shine as Penn State’s top pass rusher, with Abdul Carter off to the NFL as one of the top picks in the draft. — Trotter
Game time: Saturday, 2 p.m., BTN
Spring storyline: Rutgers won four Big Ten games last year for the first time since joining in the league in 2014. With Athan Kaliakmanis back (30 career college starts) as the starting quarterback, the Scarlet Knights have the chance to take another step forward, especially if the majority of their key transfers portal additions come through.
Position of intrigue: The Scarlet Knights added a pair of prolific pass rushers through the transfer portal in Eric O’Neill and Bradley Weaver. O’Neill was first-team All-Sun Belt after recording 13 sacks and a pick-six for James Madison. Weaver was second-team All-MAC at Ohio with 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. If those two additions click, Rutgers could boast an elite pass rush.
Player to watch: The Scarlet Knights are replacing outgoing first-team All-Big Ten running back Kyle Monangai with CJ Campbell Jr., who rushed for 844 yards and caught 40 passes with 14 total touchdowns for Florida Atlantic last season. — Trotter
Game time: Saturday, 4 p.m., BTN
Spring storyline: The development of quarterback Dante Moore inside the Oregon offense will be the headliner. Offensive coordinator Will Stein has been able to cater to Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, but Moore presents a new, but intriguing, wrinkle: a quarterback who has been in the building for a whole season, learning from Gabriel and Stein, and ready to take on a bigger role.
Position of intrigue: Linebacker. The Ducks are losing a ton at the position with the departure of start Jeffrey Bassa. There isn’t a clear-cut leader at the position (Devon Jackson, who has 47 career tackles, is returning) or any particular additions that stand out, so it will be interesting to see if any player emerges at the position.
Player to watch: Malik Benson. The Florida State transfer doesn’t have eye-popping numbers (25 catches for 311 yards and a touchdown last year), but he brings experience and a different dynamic to the Ducks’ receiving room, which just lost leading receiver Tez Johnson to the NFL. Alongside Evan Stewart and Gary Bryant Jr., Benson could turn into a key target for Moore. — Paolo Uggetti
