July 4 has turned into a pretty good day for college football recruiting fireworks, and a handful of the biggest commitments in the sport’s recent history have landed on the holiday. Over the last decade, more and more top prospects have used the Fourth to make their calls, and several of those decisions turned into major wins for the programs that landed them.
One of the most striking examples came from Texas Tech, which beat out Ohio State and Texas for five-star 2026 prospect Ojo. He was a true freshman this fall, and the Red Raiders’ pull was another reminder that they can play in the NIL era. Ojo is expected to make at least $775K annually after agreeing to a three-year deal.
Another huge July 4 victory belonged to Oregon, which landed Dakorien Moore, the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2025 class. His recruitment narrowed to Oregon, Ohio State, LSU, and Texas before the Ducks came out on top and secured the top recruit in program history. Moore then made an immediate impact for an Oregon team that reached the College Football Playoffs for the second straight year, finishing fourth on the team with 34 catches, fifth with 497 receiving yards, and tied for fourth with 3 touchdown receptions.
Miami also scored a foundational win on the holiday when Mario Cristobal locked up five-star offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa before coaching his first game in Coral Gables. Mauigoa, the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2023 class, chose the Hurricanes over Tennessee and Alabama. The move paid off in a big way: he started 42 straight games at right tackle, earned All-American and All-ACC honors this past season, and was selected No. 10 overall by the New York Giants.
Ohio State added its own headline commitment on July 4 five years ago, going into Washington to land five-star defensive lineman JT Tuimoloau, the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2022 class. He passed on the Huskies, USC, and Oregon to head to Columbus.
After a steady start, Tuimoloau exploded in 2024 with 61 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles as Ohio State won the national championship. The Indianapolis Colts took him in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he spent his rookie year in a backup role.
Caleb Williams was another top name to make his decision on the holiday. The No. 2 quarterback in the 2021 class, Williams narrowed things to Oklahoma, LSU, and Maryland before choosing Lincoln Riley and the Sooners.
He took over the starting job from Spencer Rattler midway through his true freshman season and quickly looked like a special talent. After that year, Williams followed Riley to USC, a move that stirred plenty of debate at the time.
At USC, he set multiple records, including most total touchdowns in a season with 52 and most total yards of offense in a season with 4,919. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and went No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Bears reached the divisional round, helped by Williams’ surge in a wild comeback win over the Green Bay Packers, and his rise has now landed him on the cover of Madden 27.
Tee Higgins helped get the Fourth of July trend rolling. His commitment came a decade ago, and at the time it was still rare for recruits to announce on the holiday.
Higgins had originally planned to go to Tennessee, but reopened his recruitment after his future position coach left for another job. Clemson won out over Tennessee, Florida State, Ohio State, and Ole Miss.
Higgins went on to become one of the best receivers in Clemson history, posting 59 catches for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior. Seven years after his college career ended, he remains tied with DeAndre Hopkins and Sammie Watkins for the most touchdown receptions by a Clemson player with 27.
He has spent the last six seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, caught a career-high 11 touchdown passes last year, and is now signed to a four-year, $115 million contract.
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Dan Lanning Lands Another Massive Defensive Commitment For Oregon
Oregons defensive recruiting push in the 2027 cycle keeps gaining steam, and the latest addition only strengthens the sense that Dan Lanning is building something formidable on the back end. Hayden Stepp, one of the top cornerbacks in the country and a highly regarded prospect from Nevada, gives the Ducks another premium defensive piece to pair with an already impressive haul of defensive backs. With two highly rated cornerbacks now in the class, Oregons momentum on the trail is hard to miss.
The bigger picture is just as encouraging for the Ducks. Oregons class has climbed from No. 9 to No. 4 nationally and now sits atop the Big Ten, a reflection of how quickly the program has turned early recruiting wins into national attention. Stepps rise has been one of the more notable storylines in that surge, and his official visit in June helped push the process toward a finish that had been building for a while. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Fans Are Already Bracing For 2026's Most Expensive Tickets
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There is a little relief for anyone hunting a cheaper entry point, though, because the Friday night games are showing up as the best bargains on the board. Michigan State and Portland State are the lowest-priced options in the early ranking, which at least gives fans a couple of softer landing spots amid the premium matchups. For those making the trip to road games, the University of Oregon Alumni Association is also lining up travel packages, another sign that Ducks supporters are already planning well beyond the present season. [Read more 🡒]