When Quinshon Judkins entered the transfer portal, that certainly caught me off-guard. His exodus from Ole Miss has not exactly been harmonious, but that still does not change the fact that the guy can absolutely ball. He still has to play one more season of college football before becoming draft-eligible, but Judkins is already a known commodity across the SEC, as well as the entire Power Five.
Judkins leaving Ole Miss does hurt the Rebels' chances of making the College Football Playoff for the first time ever, even if the four-team field expands to 12 ahead of next season. Conversely, Judkins could be the missing piece that helps another rival SEC team either get over the top, or sustain their inherent levels of excellence. Either way, Judkins entering the portal is big news for college football.
With Judkins, we are talking about a running back who can carry the workload of an entire backfield on his own. He is elite at hitting pay dirt, as well as accumulating yardage to keep the sticks moving. Judkins is a well-known, all-conference performer. Assuming he decides to stay in college football's deepest and most competitive conference, Judkins is poised for one last great season down south.
If he really wants to stick it to Ole Miss, Judkins could sign with any of these three rival SEC teams.
3. LSU Tigers are gearing up for a pop year in year three under Brian Kelly
Could Judkins flip sides in the Magnolia Bowl rivalry? I would not rule that out. With Jayden Daniels turning pro after his Heisman Trophy-winning season in Baton Rouge, the LSU Tigers should be excited for what is to come in 2024. It will be the first year of Garrett Nussmeier as the undisputed starter, as well as year three of the Brian Kelly era. You do realize what happens in year three, right?
This is the season where Kelly's teams usually pop. It happened before at Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Notre Dame, so why would it not occur at LSU? Popping at LSU is not the same as it was at his three previous places of employment. In essence, we are looking at a potential national title-contending season under Kelly in year three at LSU. That is why Judkins should be interested in LSU.
A lot can change between now and then, but the winner of next year's Magnolia Bowl between LSU and Ole Miss could be at the front of the line of getting to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. While Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas all loom large across the conference, those five schools appear to have harder conference schedules when compared to that of Ole Miss or LSU.
If Judkins wants to go out a national champion, committing to a team like LSU is not a terrible idea.