Max Olson is a national college football reporter for ESPN, covering the evolving landscape of roster management across the sport, with a focus on the transfer portal, NIL, and recruiting. With more than a decade of experience, he specializes in stories that highlight the trends, people, and strategies shaping the future of college football.

Olson rejoined ESPN in 2024 after seven years as a senior writer for The Athletic, where he delivered in-depth national coverage of the sport. He originally joined ESPN in 2012 as a reporter for HornsNation, covering Texas Longhorns football and high school recruiting for ESPN’s Recruiting Nation vertical, and also regularly appeared on ESPN’s Longhorn Network. During his first stint, he also contributed broader coverage of the Big 12 Conference for ESPN.com.

Before ESPN, Olson worked as a correspondent for the Omaha World-Herald from 2009 to 2011. He is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and has been recognized four times in the FWAA’s annual writing contest. In 2014, he earned Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) top-10 honors for a deep dive on the ripple effects of Texas’ decision to part ways with coach Mack Brown.

A graduate of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Olson lives in Lincoln with his family.