Rivals national analyst Clint Cosgrove is joined by Rivals recruiting analyst Cole Patterson, InsideNebraska.com senior recruiting analyst Greg Smith and PowerMizzou.com recruiting analyst Sean Williams as they tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
MORE FACT OR FICTION: Florida commit Amaris Williams is on flip watch
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1. Five-star WR Ryan Wingo is a silent commit to Texas.
Cosgrove's take: FICTION. Word on the street was that Wingo may have silently committed to Texas during his recent visit to Austin. Speculation poured in, commitment graphics and stories were written by some, but ultimately there was no announcement from Wingo himself. I do believe the Longhorns could very well be in the driver's seat for the only uncommitted five-star in the 2024 class, but this recruitment is not yet over and I would be shocked if Wingo is a silent commit.
The St. Louis University High standout will be in Columbia for the weekend showdown between LSU and Missouri, and if the Tigers were to pull the upset and improve their record to 6-0 that could go a long way toward convincing Wingo to stay home. Pair that with the fact that local five-star recruit Luther Burden currently leads the nation in receiving yards and Missouri should have every chance to stay in the mix for Wingo's signature.
Patterson's take: FICTION. Texas has made a serious push for Wingo, with there being serious smoke that the Longhorns moved into the driver’s seat in September. But a commitment never came and Wingo has taken more visits, including to Colorado, but even more seriously to Missouri. Wingo is expected back at Missouri this weekend as the Tigers make their own push for the in-state offensive weapon. Texas remains in a strong position, but I don’t believe a final decision has been made, based on his actions on the trail.
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2. Nebraska is a legit contender for 2026 five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell.
Cosgrove's take: FICTION. Cantwell has over two years until he signs, so I'm not ready to say that Nebraska is out of the picture for the five-star but the Huskers will need to show some serious improvement under Matt Rhule to become a legit contender in this recruitment. Cantwell seems to be all about the SEC early on, with Arkansas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia and future SEC school Oklahoma as early favorites. The family does have Nebraska ties as Cantwell's mom is originally from the state and should the Huskers make the type of turnaround Rhule has previously shown capable of during year two and three of his tenure I would like to revisit this. But I do not see Nebraska being in the mix come decision time as things stand today.
Smith's take: FACT. Cantwell doesn’t strike me as someone who is going to make a decision any time soon, so that will play Rhule and Nebraska’s favor. As Rhule builds up the Huskers program it will be players like Cantwell that need to annually give consideration to the Big Red.
A highly rated offensive lineman that programs from coast to coast covet will be exactly what the doctor ordered for Rhule by the time Cantwell signs. It’s not going to be easy to win his signature, but Nebraska will be in this recruitment until the end. Here’s a fun fact to keep in mind: Cantwell’s mom was born in Crete, Nebraska, which is 26 miles from Memorial Stadium. There is no doubt that he’s got strong Husker ties in the family.
Making a bowl game this season is the first step for Rhule to show future blue-chip prospects like Cantwell that the team will compete. That’s still on the table, with a critical stretch of games coming up.
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Missouri is a contender to make the SEC championship game.
Cosgrove's take: FACT. Few could have predicted Missouri would be heading into a week six showdown against LSU with a 5-0 record and a higher ranking than the visiting Tigers. This is a team that is getting better every week, has the nation's leading receiver in Luther Burden and a defense that plays tough. Despite Missouri's record, it is still taking time to win the masses over and look no further than LSU being favored in Saturday's game as evidence of this. Missouri hasn't necessarily dominated in its five wins, but it has shown grit and the ability to win close games, which is more valuable than a bunch of blowouts for a program that is still establishing its winning identity.
If Missouri can pull off a win against LSU on Saturday it would put Eliah Drinkwitz's squad at 2-0 in conference play, and with the two other undefeated SEC East schools in Georgia and Kentucky playing this weekend, that would make the Tigers tied for first in the division with a win. A road showdown with Kentucky follows, and should Kentucky pull off the upset against Georgia, a win against LSU and then Kentucky would put Missouri alone at the top of its division. There are bigger tests ahead, and a lot of what-ifs involved here, but I see no reason why Missouri cannot be considered an SEC East contender when you look at the state of the division.
Williams' take: FACT. Missouri is currently 5-0, nationally ranked, has one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country in Brady Cook and a wide receiver in Burden who is starting to generate some Heisman buzz. Missouri's offense is hitting its stride and its defense is once again formidable, currently 29th nationally. We're about to find out how real Mizzou is as the Tigers embark on their toughest stretch of the schedule - LSU, Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee - in the next few weeks.
Missouri has the right balance on offense and defense to contend with anyone in the SEC. The Tigers will have their opportunity to display what they're made of this weekend against LSU if they intend to eventually dethrone the Kings of the East in Georgia.
