Three-Point Stance: SEC results, Evan Stewart, teams in new conferences

Rivals national recruiting analyst Adam Friedman has thoughts on recruiting rankings showing up on the field, a two-time five-star and how teams playing in new conferences are doing so far.

The slate of games this past weekend was billed as the best of the college football season and it lived up to the hype. The SEC games were notable for a couple reasons. There were, of course, the three rivalry games – Texas–Oklahoma, Florida–Tennessee, Ole Miss–LSU – and, in six of the seven SEC games this week the team that won also ranks higher in the 2025 team recruiting rankings.

Alabama held on for a bounceback win over South Carolina. Missouri rolled over UMass and Georgia did the same to Mississippi State. Texas dispatched Oklahoma with relative ease. Tennessee and LSU won but needed overtime to finish the job. Vanderbilt (for the second week in a row) punched above its weight class, beating Kentucky on the road.

The 2025 recruiting cycle is nearing its end but there are still some big commitments and flips that have yet to reveal themselves. As the team recruiting rankings stand right now, seven of the top 10 and nine of the top 15 teams are from the SEC.

The collection of offensive talent in the Oregon–Ohio State game was absurd and the back-and-forth nature of the game demanded undivided attention. Ohio State freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith got a lot of the headlines prior to the game but Evan Stewart, Oregon’s own five-star receiver, stole the show.

Stewart, a two-time five-star, signed with Texas A&M in its heralded 2022 recruiting class. His talent and upside were obvious, despite the largely unsuccessful offenses Texas A&M fielded. Things fell apart in College Station after two seasons and Stewart transferred to Oregon. He didn’t exactly hit the ground running in Eugene but he picked the right time to have the best performance of his college career. Stewart hauled in seven of his eight targets for 149 yards and one touchdown. This earned him PFF’s highest grade of the game for a non-quarterback that played at least five snaps. In fact, this was Stewart’s highest grade in any game he’s played.

A five-star high school prospect and a five-star transfer prospect, Stewart is showing just how high his ceiling can be.

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This is the first season in a new conference for several programs. How are they faring so far? Here’s a quick check-up on they’re handling the transition.

ARIZONA (3-3 overall, 1-2 Big 12)

Recruiting ranking: No. 37 overall, No. 5 in the Big 12

Arizona has the same record (3-3) at this point in the season as it did a season ago. That’s an awfully impressive feat with a new head coach.

Grade: B

ARIZONA STATE (5-1 overall, 2-1 Big 12)

Recruiting ranking: No. 33 overall, No. 3 in the Big 12

The Sun Devils won just three games a season ago as a member of the Pac-12. In their first season in the Big 12, Kenny Dillingham and his squad have five wins after pulling off the upset over No. 16 Utah this week. There has been an uptick on the recruiting trail too.

Grade: B+

CAL (3-3 overall, 0-3 ACC)

Recruiting ranking: No. 68 overall, No. 16 in the ACC

Three straight wins and a win over Auburn on the road had the Golden Bears riding high. Now, after three conference losses in a row, Cal has come back to Earth. Interestingly, each of those three losses have come by one score.

Grade: C+

COLORADO (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big 12)

Recruiting ranking: No. 87 overall, No. 16 in the Big 12

There has been noticeable improvement at Colorado in the second year of the Deion Sanders era. The Buffs are only two wins away from bowl eligibility, which would mark a major step forward for the program, especially in a new conference.

Grade: B

OKLAHOMA (4-2 overall, 1-2 SEC)

Recruiting ranking: No. 7 overall, No. 6 in the SEC

The Sooners drew a tough schedule in their first SEC season and it hasn’t helped that their quarterback play is falling short of expectations. Recruiting isn’t hurting right now, otherwise there might be a lot more panic in Norman.

Grade: B

OREGON (6-0 overall, 3-0 Big Ten)

Recruiting ranking: No. 12 overall, No. 3 in the Big Ten

Recruiting is going great and the Ducks just knocked off Ohio State at home in the biggest game of the Big Ten season. Head coach Dan Lanning has Oregon rolling and a likely shoe-in for the College Football Playoff.

Grade: A

SMU (5-1 overall, 2-0 ACC)

Recruiting ranking: No. 19 overall, No. 2 in the ACC

The Mustangs are proving to be a handful in their first season of ACC play. They stomped Florida State at home and then beat a ranked Louisville team. Right now the Mustangs have a recruiting class that ranks No. 2 in the ACC and No. 19 overall. It’s hard to say things could be going much better for SMU.

Grade: A

STANFORD (2-4 overall, 1-2 ACC)

Recruiting ranking: No. 35 overall, No. 6 in the ACC

It’s proving to be a bumpy transition for Stanford on the field. After winning their ACC opener at Syracuse, the Cardinal have lost three straight.

Grade: C

TEXAS (6-0 overall, 2-0 SEC)

Recruiting ranking: No. 5 overall, No. 4 in the SEC

The Longhorns are the only undefeated team in the SEC but they haven’t hit the meat of their schedule just yet. Their two conference wins have come against Mississippi State and Oklahoma and the marquee out of conference win at Michigan has lost a bit of its luster. Still, you can’t ask for a better start in a new conference.

Grade: A

UCLA (1-5 overall, 0-4 Big Ten)

Recruiting ranking: No. 39 overall, No. 11 in the Big Ten

It’s been a rough season for UCLA. The Bruins are quickly finding out where they’ll need to improve to compete in the Big Ten. Even though their recruiting class is ranked No. 11 in the Big Ten, in the overall rankings they’re on pace for their best finish since the 2021 class.

Grade: C

USC (3-3 overall, 1-3 Big Ten)

Recruiting ranking: No. 10 overall, No. 2 in the Big Ten

The loss to Penn State, the third of this season, effectively eliminated USC from College Football Playoff contention so things aren’t going great for the Trojans. They still have a top-10 recruiting class and they’ll need to keep that momentum.

Grade: C

UTAH (4-2 overall, 1-2 conference)

Recruiting ranking: No. 43 overall, No. 7 in the Big 12

Apparently Utah’s kryptonite this season isn’t Cam Rising missing time with injury, it’s playing in the state of Arizona. The Utes had four losses during the regular season last year and they’re halfway there this year. The new conference hasn’t exactly helped on the recruiting trail either.

Grade: B

WASHINGTON (4-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten)

Recruiting ranking: No. 20 overall, No. 7 in the Big Ten

The cupboard was pretty bare when new head coach Jedd Fisch arrived at Washington. The Huskies are still getting things rolling and have had a respectable start in the Big Ten despite the obvious setbacks after Washington’s national championship game run last season.

Grade: B