Former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops revealed his predictions for the biggest games in Week 1 of the 2026 college football season earlier this week, and he also had plenty to say about LSU’s attempt to bring NFL players back to college. 

Stoops made it clear he’s not a fan of former NFL players coming back to college football. The former Sooners head coach believes the idea sends a bad message to the players already on the roster. 

“It makes no sense,” said Stoops. “It’s ridiculous. It shows you the sad state of leadership in college football, and where we’re at that this can happen. What do you do with the young man who’s been on your team all year? He’s set to start, and then four days before the first game, ‘Oh by the way, this professional player is going to come back and play in front of you.’ I don’t know how you would justify that as a coach. In the end, I don’t think it’s very good. If I was running the team, it doesn’t seem like it’s very fair to my players on my team.”

That’s certainly an understandable position. Players who have been grinding all summer for their spot on the team could get knocked down the depth chart by someone who hasn’t put in the work alongside them all offseason.

Bob Stoops still picks LSU to beat Clemson

Despite his open dislike for what LSU is doing with former NFL players, Stoops still thinks the Tigers will beat Clemson on Saturday night in Baton Rouge.

This is pretty much a must-win game for Lane Kiffin and the Tigers. After all the noise about NFL players, the $50 million roster, and Kiffin’s own $13 million salary, a loss to an unranked Clemson team at home under the lights would be disastrous.

But I think Stoops is making the right pick here. LSU has too much talent to lose this game at home.

Saturday night in Baton Rouge should be a good one, but the pressure is squarely on Kiffin and the Tigers to deliver after a loud offseason.