Future Broncos: Rivalry Week and the FCS Playoffs

This is a big week of college football. Week 14 marks Rivalry Week at the FBS level. Meanwhile in the FCS, the first round of their playoffs begins today. There is no shortage of great games today with many having a tremendous impact on how things shake up in the remaining weeks at both levels. With that in mind, I’ll discuss some of my favorite games on deck today and name a few prospects from each team that may be of interest to the Denver Broncos in the 2026 NFL Draft.

FBS Matchup: Ohio State (#1) at Michigan (#15)

There are a lot of great games on deck for rivalry week. However, this matchup might be the most interesting. At 11-0, the top-ranked Buckeyes seem like a mortal lock for the college football playoffs. However, that doesn’t mean business is taken care of. This has huge implications for how the seeding will eventually play out in the 12-team format.

Keep in mind, it has been a four-year skid for the Buckeyes versus the Wolverines. They are hoping that stops with a victory this afternoon. By doing so, they stay above the Indiana Hoosiers in the B1G and get a shot to compete for the conference title. The same can’t be said for Michigan who is on the outside looking in and needs another victory to make their case for a playoff bid. If Michigan pulls off an upset here—and we’ve seen that happen before—that will certainly shake things up.

Ohio State Prospects: Caleb Downs, S — Arvelle Reese, LB — Sonny Styles, LB — Carnell Tate, WR — Max Klare, TE, Kayden McDonald, DL

Michigan Prospects: Justice Haynes, RB [Injured] — Jaishawn Barham, LB — Rod Moore, S — Derrick Moore, EDGE — Rayshaun Benny, DL — Marlin Klein, TE

FBS Matchup: Oregon (#5) at Washington (Unranked)

I didn’t want to go with another B1G game here. Nevertheless, there are a lot of quality prospects in this one that may be on Denver’s draft radar, especially from Oregon. Sitting at 10-1, the Ducks have had a great season outside their loss to the aforementioned Hoosiers.

It would take a lot of wild outcomes for them to suffer a tumble out of the playoff hunt. But make no mistake, they need to win this game against their longtime rival. Keep in mind, the Huskies have actually been the victors in three of their past four matchups. It’s a big game for Dan Lanning and his squad to ensure they get into the playoffs and have a shot at being National Champions.

Oregon Prospects: Kenyon Sadiq, TE — Jamari Johnson, TE — Isaiah World, OT — Dillion Thieneman, S – Matayo Uiagalelei, EDGE — A’Mauri Washington, DT — Mahki Hughes, RB — Iapani Laloulu, iOL

Washington Prospects: Jonah Coleman, RB — Denzel Boston, WR — Tacario Davis, CB — GeireanHatchett, OL

FCS Matchup: Illinois State at Southeastern Louisiana

The FCS doesn’t have the firepower and talent that the FBS sends to the NFL. However, its playoff tradition is tremendous and its expanded bracket (compared to the FBS) makes the experience even more awesome. This is usually when I would brag about my North Dakota State Bison, but as the top seed they earned a first-round bye and won’t be on the field tomorrow.

The FCS matchup I’m most intrigued with is Illinois State squaring off against Southeastern Louisiana. The Redbirds finished 8-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference while the Lions were 9-3 in the Southland Conference. I think this may be the most evenly matched game on tomorrow’s FCS slate.

It’s been a while since the Lions have had a top-notch defender. However, senior defensive lineman Kaleb Proctor should be a Day 3 selection in the ‘26 NFL Draft. Proctor has been terrific this season. His efforts, including 38 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and a whopping eight sacks from the interior defensive line, earned him a spot as finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award. That honor is given to the best defender in the FCS.

While he may be a bit undersized (6’3” and 280 pounds), I think he would be a good fit as a rotational defender in Vance Joseph’s scheme, especially playing 4i. He’s certainly one of the best FCS prospects in this year’s draft. If you have a chance to catch the game, be sure to give him a look. If you are scouting ahead for the 2027 NFL Draft, Illinois State linebacker Tye Niekamp is a name to jot down. He is an absolute tackling machine and will find a way to play on Sunday’s down the road.