ESPN College GameDay

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel dive into a packed week in college football, starting with UCLA and Virginia Tech's coaching shakeups. They also get into the weekend's messy kicking gaffes and wild fourth-downs. Then they debate whether it's finally time to buy into Texas A&M, and spotlight Georgia Tech's growing reputation as upset artists. Finally, Pete unpacks the mounting whispers about Mike Gundy's job security. 0:00 - Welcome 1:14 - UCLA & Virginia Tech clean house 7:43 - At Virginia Tech, who will choose the next coach? 10:58 - Can UCLA be fixed? 25:31 - A mess of kicking gaffes & huge 4th downs 30:08 - Time to believe in Texas A&M? 33:51 - Surprised? QBs who flopped vs carried 41:06 - Georgia Tech: Master of the upset? 49:09 - What happened when Boston College went to Stanford? 52:42 - Mike Gundy, the next coach to be fired? 58:00 - Diego Pavia forever Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel dig in on the mammoth matchup between two SEC powerhouses, the Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers. Then the guys breakdown two other Top 25 showdowns between Texas A&M and Notre Dame, and USF and Miami. Finally, Rece and Pete give their "6-Pack of Picks" from this week's slate of games. All that and more on the College Gameday podcast. 00:00 Welcome 00:36 Georgia vs Tennessee Preview 05:53 Joey Aguilar vs Gunner Stockton 12:49 Texas A&M vs Notre Dame Preview 14:59 Is There Enough Urgency at Notre Dame? 21:44 USF vs Miami Preview 26:31 Florida vs LSU Preview 30:00 Clemson's Saturday & The Wildest Game of the Weekend 32:13 Colorado vs Houston Preview 34:13 Rece and Pete's 6-Pack of Picks 48:23 Week 3 Deep Cut Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel kick things off by breaking down John Mateer’s performance at Oklahoma before sizing up the tough matchups that lie ahead for both Michigan and the Sooners. Then they zero in on Florida’s unraveling season, specifically the growing calls to replace Billy Napier and concerns about whether QB DJ Lagway might be the next domino to fall. From there, they turn their attention towards Mississippi State's blockbuster week and a certain Missouri fan who stole the Internet spotlight. 0:00 - Welcome 0:30 - BTS with GameDay…what could go wrong? 3:00 - Just how good is Oklahoma QB John Mateer? 6:57 - Michigan vs Oklahoma: Who has the tougher schedule? 13:21 - Sherrone Moore's return to Oklahoma falls short 21:20 - What's wrong with the Florida Gators? 32:05 - Mississippi State had the best week ever? 39:54 - That one Missouri fan, what you probably didn't know about them 43:12 - Fran Bran made his players sprint, was this the right call? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel react to TCU’s rout of North Carolina in Bill Belichick’s debut. How far can the Horned Frogs go this season? We preview the Top 25 showdown in Norman between Michigan and Oklahoma. Rece Davis reveals his Top 10 rankings heading into Week 2, and the guys give their “6-Pack of Picks” from this week’s slate of games. All that and more on the College GameDay podcast. 00:00 - Welcome 00:45 - TCU Dominates UNC in Belichick Debut 11:48 - Michigan vs. Oklahoma Preview 24:04 - Week 2 Games to keep an eye on 25:35 - Game Preview: Illinois vs Duke 30:36 - Game Preview: USF vs Florida 33:44 - Game Preview: Iowa vs Iowa State 36:37 - Game Preview: Kansas vs Missouri 40:20 - Rece Davis's CFB Rankings 47:08 - Rece and Pete's 6 pack of picks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pete Thamel and ESPN’s Dan Wetzel take you behind the scenes of Lee Corso’s final College GameDay, then head to the sidelines for Ohio State–Texas and Arch Manning’s early struggles. From Alabama’s sudden vulnerability and LSU’s pressure-packed win to Tulane’s Katrina anniversary triumph and Mario Cristobal’s blueprint, the weekend delivered headline after headline. 0:00 - Welcome 4:06 - BTS of Lee Corso’s final College GameDay 6:59 - Ohio St vs Texas: Pete’s perspective from the sidelines 9:28 - What’s going on with Arch Manning? 23:28 - Open hunting season on Alabama after Florida St upset 28:30 - If not Kalen DeBoer at Alabama, then who? 34:58 - LSU handles pressure, beats Clemson 40:13 - Tulane beats Northwestern in NOLA on Hurricane Katrina anniversary 43:13 - Mario Cristobal’s winning blueprint against Notre Dame 48:01 - Now you know: Eyebrow raising college football headlines 53:40 - Nico’s rough UCLA start and other worthwhile games Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel open with College GameDay’s farewell to Lee Corso before breaking down a loaded Week 1: Arch Manning vs. Ohio State, LSU–Clemson’s QB duel, Notre Dame–Miami, and Bill Belichick’s UNC debut. The question is, which game makes the first big statement? 0:00 - Welcome 0:43 - Lee Corso Forever: College GameDay’s Farewell 4:54 - Arch’s Run Game To Decide Ohio State-Texas? 19:05 - QB Battle Headlines LSU-Clemson Showdown 25:16 - Notre Dame vs Miami: Irish Without QB Run Threat 37:30 - Week 1’s Biggest Story Is Belichick’s Debut 39:31 - Game Previews: Alabama vs FSU, Utah vs UCLA, TCU vs UNC 47:42 - Game Previews: Syracuse vs Tennessee, Auburn vs Baylor 57:20 - Game Previews: Georgia Tech vs Colorado, Utah St vs UTEP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel open with a breakdown of Iowa State vs. Kansas State before shifting to the early storylines in the College Football Playoff race. They examine how Group of Five teams are positioning themselves, and what the ACC, SEC, and Big Ten paths to the postseason might look like. Finally, they turn to Week 1 matchups that could help set the tone for the season ahead. 0:00 - Welcome 3:55 - Key Thoughts: Iowa State vs Kansas State 12:05 - Who's In? Predicting the CFP Field 12:31 - Group of Five Race Heats Up: Navy, USF, Memphis… 18:49 - Big 12 Title & CFP Bid: Who Rises To The Top? 23:07 - Which Team Is The ACC Favorite? 23:44 - Who Take The SEC Crown? 25:27 - CFP Most Stacked Roster & Big Ten Favorite Is… 27:20 - Predictions: Seeding The Champs & At-Large Bids 34:06 - Who Snags The Final CFP Spot? 39:03 - Flaws In The 24- Or 28-Team CFP Proposal 44:15 - Week 1 Games To Look Forward To Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and ESPN senior writers Dan Wetzel and Ryan McGee break down Iowa State vs. Kansas State, a Week 0 showdown with Big 12 and CFP stakes on the line. They dive into the X-factors that could swing the game, make their picks, and then turn to quarterback drama across the country, from Notre Dame’s starter to Ohio State’s choice to Auburn’s wild three-man plan. Finally, the crew tackles Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal and the big question: was the punishment enough? 0:00 - Welcome 1:48 - Iowa St vs Kansas St: Dublin has pints ready 10:37 - Iowa St vs Kansas St: Big 12 conference & CFP stakes 21:01- Iowa St vs Kansas St: The X Factor 23:56 - Iowa St vs Kansas St: The guys make their picks! 28:18 - Notre Dame's starting QB, did they pick the right guy? 43:35 - Ohio State's starting QB is… 45:21 - Auburn is starting 3 QBs… Are they okay? 53:08 - Michigan fined in sign-stealing scandal, what should've happened… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis, ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel, and former Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson dive into what to expect from the ACC this season. Can Clemson claim the conference crown, has Carson Beck won over the Miami locker room, do you dare doubt Louisville, and is Georgia Tech ready to slay giants once again? Add in SMU’s tougher schedule, Bill Belichick’s arrival at North Carolina, and a pack of sleepers, and you've got one unpredictable season ahead. 0:00 - Welcome 1:43 - Clemson has the tools, can they win a title? 6:43 - Miami locker room all in on Carson Beck? 11:50 - SMU’s tougher 2025-26 schedule 15:16 - Dare to bet against Louisville? 17:53 - Georgia Tech to keep slaying ranked teams? 20:46 - Belichick to bring a title to North Carolina? 26:47 - ACC sleepers that could crash the title game 31:52 - ACC check-in: Duke, Florida St, NC State 43:24 - ACC check-in: Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Virginia 58:48 - ACC preview: Total wild card teams Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel dive into the wide-open Big 12 chase. From heavyweight contenders to sneaky upstarts, they spotlight two teams poised to set the early tone, explore how Utah and Texas Tech could crash the Big 12 title game, and examine how the league’s middle tier could shake things up. 0:00 - Welcome 5:25 - Who are the Big 12 title contenders? 10:56 - Two Big 12 teams to watch at the top of the season 19:01 - Utah and Texas Tech to make the playoff? 23:35 - Big 12 mid-pack teams making moves 39:04 - Picks for Big 12 title run, champ, and CFP bid 42:04 - Big 12 teams fighting to get out of the cellar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel take a wide-angle look at the SEC, opening with title contenders before zeroing in on a jam-packed CFP bubble. They break down which playoff hopefuls are worth the hype and which ones could be headed for a letdown. Plus, they tackle the big question: just how many SEC teams can realistically make the playoff cut? 0:00 - Welcome 1:27 - Bring on the preseason data deep dives 3:54 - The SEC is stacked with CFP bubble teams 9:39 - SEC frontrunners with big questions looming 19:46 - SEC playoff hopefuls: Who to buy/bail on? 29:49 - How many SEC teams will make the playoff? 31:36 - Other SEC teams worth your attention 42:36 - SEC championship: Who's built to win? 43:52 - Who's got a better ride than Gunner Stockton? 46:43 - Who's got the best car on GameDay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel dive into the Big Ten title chase, asking the question: Can Penn State finally go the distance? As Ohio State navigates a high-stakes quarterback battle and Oregon reloads under Dan Lanning, Illinois is looking to reverse its luck in one-possession games. Meanwhile, sleeper teams like Nebraska, USC, and Iowa are quietly making noise… setting the stage for a season full of surprises. 00:00 - Welcome 1:53 - The Big Ten true title contenders are… 5:57 - Is Penn St a lock to win the Natty? 9:06 - Which QB will lead the Ohio St Buckeyes? 14:17 - Has Ohio St gone too far vs Michigan? 22:10 - Oregon reloaded with the right players? 28:05 - One-possession games to break Illinois’ way? 30:20 - Big Ten sleepers: Nebraska and Michigan 38:59 - Big Ten sleepers: USC and Indiana 49:05 - Big Ten sleeper: Iowa 54:10 - Who’s still figuring it out in the Big Ten? 1:03:19 - What you need to know about the college sports executive order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel kick things off with a trivia question: how many true freshman QBs have ever led their teams to 10+ wins? That sparks a deep dive into this season’s most compelling quarterback battles… from Ohio State’s high-stakes decision to Notre Dame’s brutal schedule to the uncertainty swirling at Alabama and Colorado. But as teams weigh their options under center, one bigger question hangs over it all: is the 12-team playoff the final answer… or just the next chapter in college football’s evolution? 0:00 - Intro 2:21 - Trivia: Name true freshmen QBs who've won 10+ games 6:28 - Trivia: Name redshirt freshmen QBs who've won 10+ games 17:34 - QB races: Who's ready to break away this fall 22:13 - Ohio State QB: Who starts vs Texas and Michigan? 34:04 - Notre Dame's future QB faces tough schedule 45:00 - QB battles at… Colorado, Alabama, Oregon 53:59 - Which teams will ride one QB? Which ones will rotate? 56:49 - Will the college football playoff stay at 12 teams? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel break down this year’s SEC Media Days, where the spotlight was bright, but the drama was dull compared to the heat of the 1990s. The real fireworks may be coming in Week 1. With heavyweight matchups like Texas–Ohio State and LSU–Clemson on deck, the guys predict how the headlines might read when the dust settles. Plus, ESPN’s Bill Connelly drops by to share insights from 'Forward Progress', a new must-read guide for every college football fan. 1:00 - SEC media days: Big stage, no heat 3:26 - SEC media days in the 1990s: Plenty of unfiltered feuds 13:02 - Is Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons an SEC game-changer? 19:26 - Is the SEC the deepest conference? 24:29 - Forecasting big outcomes for Week 1 31:36 - Texas vs Ohio State: Potential headlines 37:31 - Alabama vs Florida State: Potential headlines 38:31 - LSU vs Clemson: Potential headlines 42:26 - Steve Sarkisian: What you might not know 43:49 - Kenny Dillingham: What you might not know 46:05 - The go-to college football guide: Forward Progress 50:09 - CFP or the regular season: What's better? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pete Thamel and ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel dig into the latest from Big 12 Media Days, where one of the biggest headlines is the conference’s decision to scrap its preseason poll. Why did they do it? In response, the guys put together a poll of their own, predicting who will rise, fall, and crash the conference title race. Then they turn to Texas Tech’s aggressive offseason spending: will the Red Raiders’ high-stakes strategy pay off, and is this the new blueprint for building a contender? 1:15 - Why did the Big 12 cancel its preseason poll? 3:47 - Utah and Arizona State to win the Big 12? 6:54 - Big 12 sleepers: Cincinnati and Iowa State 10:09 - Oklahoma State and Arizona to finish last in Big 12? 13:45 - Texas Tech big money roster moves 27:11 - Colorado QB battle: Who will lead the Buffs? 31:41 - UCF Scott Frost: Nebraska was not the right job 40:13 - Is Hugh Freeze playing too much golf? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel dive into college football’s wild evolution—unpacking the blunders of the BCS, the mounting pressure on the playoff committee, and the lengths coaches will go to chase a title. They also break down a historic NIL lawsuit shaking up the system and expose the murky world of tampering. 0:00 - BCS blunders: Where the old system went wrong 8:52 - CFP committee: Their toughest test 13:40 - The price of the playoff: How far will coaches go? 19:42 - Historic NIL case unfolds: Wisconsin vs Miami 26:52 - How does the NCAA actually police tampering? 29:36 - College Baseball World Series controversy 37:00 - Is Arch Manning really that good? 40:21 - CFB stock watch: Contenders and concerns 48:38 - No city does Fourth of July like… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel are joined by Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham, to talk about rising expectations for the Sun Devils heading into the 2025 season. Can ASU be more than a flash in the pan? How does Dillingham keep his team from reading their own headlines? And where is the ceiling for quarterback Sam Leavitt? Then, after a realignment chat, Rece and Pete take you through their list of the top 5 quarterbacks for the upcoming season. 0:00 – Welcome and introducing Kenny Dillingham 01:33 – When did you know Sam Leavitt was the guy? 02:40 – Sam Leavitt’s journey to Arizona State 04:23 – Keeping Sam Leavitt balanced 12:14 – Keeping momentum from year to year 14:58 – Lessons from the BYU game 21:08 – Where does the Big XII stack up against the SEC and Big Ten 24:07 – Replacing Cam Skattebo 27:16 – CFB realignment intel 36:19 – Rece & Pete’s Top 5 QBs for the ’25 CFB season 56:04 – Rece & Pete’s sleeper QBs for the ’25 CFB season Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On June 6th, Judge Claudia Wilken approved a deal between the NCAA, its most powerful conferences, and lawyers representing all Division I athletes. Paving the way for schools to pay players directly for the first time. This landmark moment seems poised to change the landscape of college athletics, especially NCAA football. Rece Davis and Pete Thamel breakdown what we know right now, what the hurdles in the road could be, and discuss whether or not coaches and administrators will be able to follow the rules, now that the rules are clear. Then LSU head coach Brian Kelly joins the show for an exclusive sit down with the College GameDay podcast. 00:00:00 - Judge OK’s $2.8 billion dollar settlement 00:06:22 - Now that the rules are clear, will coaches play fair? 00:18:50 - Brian Kelly joins the show 00:25:03 - Brian Kelly on season opener at Clemson 00:28:15 - Harold Perkins and Whit Weeks health updates 00:31:17 - Garrett Nussmeier season expectations 00:34:42 - Garrett Nussmeier NFL Draft prospect 00:36:54 - How good is the LSU supporting cast on offense 00:39:12 - Brian Kelly on adjusting to LSU 00:42:20 - Brian Kelly on CFP seeding Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pete Thamel and ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel break down the SEC’s push to have its grueling schedule factor more heavily into the College Football Playoff. They dive into whether the new 5+11 format truly rewards the best teams, especially with strength of schedule still a murky metric. The duo also weighs in on the uncertain future of the USC–Notre Dame rivalry, growing frustration from Ohio State fans over noon kickoffs, and Michigan’s looming NCAA meeting in the Connor Stalions case. Then, Alabama star Ryan Williams joins the show to talk EA SPORTS College Football 26, training with DeVonta Smith, and his bond with coach Kalen DeBoer. 04:33 - SEC gauntlet schedule deserves CFP reform 07:15 - Will the CFP 5 + 11 playoff format deliver? 16:21 - The State of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry 18:06 - Why USC-Notre Dame Matters in 2025 20:28 - Ohio State fans are over Noon kickoffs 28:49 - Michigan Connor Stalions update 37:38 - Alabama’s Ryan Williams CFB 26 cover star 39:35 - Inside Ryan Williams CFB 26 cover shoot 44:28 - Ryan Williams on training with DeVonta Smith 55:22 - Ryan Williams interview reaction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel explore the potential future of the College Football Playoff format heading into 2026. They delve into the possibility of expanding to a 16-team playoff and discuss the SEC’s openness to participating in a broader format. Also on the pod, Rece Davis sits down for an exclusive one-on-one interview with Dabo Swinney and Bill Belichick. Together, they reflect on the evolving landscape of NCAA football, sharing insights into their coaching philosophies, key influences, and distinctive coaching styles. The conversation also highlights how both coaches are adapting to the ever-changing dynamics of the college football world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices