Claim OwnershipThe Audible with Stew, Bruce & Ralph: A show about college football
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Description
Bruce Feldman, Stewart Mandel and Ralph Russo discuss the latest in college football, interview the biggest names in the sport and give insight into the most relevant topics dominating the discussion. From National Signing Day to the National Championship, Bruce, Stew and Ralph have you covered year-round.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
706 Episodes
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The College Sports Commission is already overwhelmed, and Nebraska is the first school to challenge rejected NIL deals in arbitration. What’s it mean for enforcement, and can the system survive? Then, Bruce and Antonio Morales surveyed nearly 30 coaches anonymously on the latest coaching hires. Will Lane Kiffin win a title at LSU? Kyle Whittingham is the most respected hire, and Alex Golesh raised eyebrows at Auburn. Then, mailbag on West Coast schools in the Big Ten, which Power 4 coach will last longest, and coaching conviction scores. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports (and formerly of The Athletic) joins Bruce and Stew to break down the White House roundtable on saving college sports and whether the SCORE Act has any path forward. She shares stories from covering cross-country skiing and ski jumping at the Winter Olympics in Italy and why improv classes were a great career move. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Andrew Luck opens up about life as Stanford's GM, hiring former teammate Tavita Pritchard, how quarterbacks today develop like golfers, and why he'll never come out of retirement. Ralph breaks down the “secret” Smash Sports meeting in Dallas pushing to pool college football's TV rights — and why the SEC and Big Ten aren't on board. Plus, Mississippi's NIL tax carve-out, and your mailbag questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ralph Russo took on the impossible: predicting every Power Four head coach in 2030. The guys unpack the logic (and chaos) behind the projections. Could Lane Kiffin actually stay put? And what does it say about today’s pressure cooker that even blue bloods feel unstable five years out? And the guys open with a lively discussion about President Trump’s planned “Save College Sports” roundtable, including who is — and isn’t —on the guest list.Check out Ralph's story in The Athletic here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7067868/2026/02/27/college-football-power-4-coach-predictions-2030/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The NCAA proposes harsh penalties for schools that welcome transfers outside the portal: half-season coaching suspensions, massive fines, and lost roster spots. Cincinnati sues quarterback Brendan Sorsby, and Chandler Morris wants a seventh year of eligibility with a familiar legal playbook. Then, Stew defends his annual coaching hire grades while Ralph pushes back on fit questions at UCLA, Oklahoma State, and more. Finally, mailbag tackles SEC scheduling hypocrisy, the timing of eligibility hearings, and the biggest realignment disappointments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Joey Aguilar's bid for an eighth college year is denied by a Tennessee judge — a rare NCAA court win. Curt Cignetti becomes college football's highest-paid coach at $13.2 million per year. UCLA weighs leaving the Rose Bowl for SoFi Stadium amid financial pressures. Then, The Athletic's Chris Vannini joins to discuss the NCAA rules committee's targeting proposals, the short shorts epidemic, and lessons from a record-breaking coaching carousel — including the Cignetti Effect, and why massive buyouts are here to stay. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler joins to preview combine week: why the event matters more than people think, Fernando Mendoza's rise to projected No. 1 pick, Indiana's loaded draft class, Diego Pavia's limited NFL ceiling, and the historically thin QB and RB classes. Also, Dane's table-pounding pick and next year's quarterback outlook. Plus the coaching carousel strikes again as Northern Illinois's Thomas Hammock leaves for the Seahawks, highlighting the growing G6-to-NFL pipeline. And do fans who taunt players during court stormings deserve what's coming? Ralph thinks so. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A Mississippi judge grants Trinidad Chambliss a preliminary injunction, clearing the way for a sixth season to be played at Ole Miss — but is this another dangerous chip away at eligibility rules? And how will the next couple quarterback draft classes look?. Plus, the guys aren’t sold on the Big Ten's 24-team playoff proposal, Sacramento State buys its way into the MAC, and a key BYU offensive weapon is expelled following serious allegations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Texas Tech's spending spree paid off with a conference title, while BYU defied expectations after losing Jake Retzlaff. Can other programs keep pace with the oil money and private equity backing the Big 12's new elite? And what defines the Big 12's identity in the revenue sharing era? Plus, Notre Dame's playoff snub revisited, Colorado's downfall, and Bill Moos's book excerpts about Nebraska and Scott Frost. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
North Dakota State is moving up to the Mountain West, ending years of FCS dominance. Did the Pac-12 miss an opportunity? What does this mean for the G5 landscape? Then, The Athletic's Sam Khan Jr. breaks down the first rev share portal cycle, LSU's spending spree, and why retention is cheaper than recruiting. Plus, Indiana's continued success, Penn State's Iowa State transplants, and Oklahoma State's roster overhaul. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ralph grades Bruce and Stew's preseason ACC predictions. Miami's national title run validates both their picks — Clemson, not so much. Is Mario Cristobal a top-tier coach? Why can’t Pitt break through despite good talent? What’s up with Florida State? James Franklin's move to Virginia Tech gets high marks as a potential power shift in the conference. Plus, North Carolina's Belichick disaster revisited, and basketball vs. football in the ACC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It’s tough business making preseason predictions. Revisit Bruce and Stew’s SEC Buy, Sell, Hold picks and look ahead to next season. The crew digs into what went wrong at LSU (and why they both missed it), Tennessee's identity crisis under Heupel, Alabama's frustrating (but technically better) season under DeBoer, and whether Vanderbilt can survive life after Diego Pavia. Plus, your questions on the SEC's fading physicality and how to define success at Ole Miss moving forward. Then, Bruce's conversation with Cooper Manning on Arch's growth, the media circus, and what surprised him most. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ralph puts Bruce and Stew on trial for their preseason Big Ten Buy, Sell, Hold rankings. The guys debate how they fared over the course of 2025, and look ahead to 2026: Arthur Smith's unconventional hire at Ohio State, Gary Patterson working with (or for?) Lincoln Riley at USC, Matt Rhule's Groundhog Day at Nebraska, whether P.J. Fleck has taken Minnesota to their ceiling, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Bruce, Stew, and Ralph revisit their hottest and coldest takes of the 2025 season. Dabo Swinney calls out Pete Golding and Ole Miss for tampering. What does the NCAA do now? Alabama basketball player Charles Bediako returns to college after going pro, begging the question: what does this mean for football? Plus, Lane Kiffin's massive portal haul, and the Darian Mensah contract saga continues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duke takes Darian Mensah to court over his two-year NIL contract after he entered the portal. You need a law degree to break down this stuff! CFP expansion talks hit a deadline Friday. Who’s pushing for expansion, and will we see it happen? The guys critique Stew's way-too-early top 25 for 2026, sparking a debate over Texas, Indiana's sustainability, and Penn State's makeover. Plus, what does Indiana’s perfect run mean for schools trying to replicate that success? Stew’s Early Top 25 story: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6983984/2026/01/20/college-football-top-25-rankings-2026-predictions/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For the first time, the Indiana Hoosiers are national champions, beating the Miami Hurricanes 27-21. Bruce and Ralph from Hard Rock Stadium join Stew to break down this game and this historic moment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Bruce and Ralph are in Miami for the championship. Speaking of trips to Miami: Duke QB Darian Mensah announces he's leaving in spite of his two-year contract, with Miami reportedly the destination. Can he do that? Can Miami? What exactly are these contracts for? And will this distract from Monday's national championship game? Plus, Ralph flips his championship pick back to Miami, invoking the 1984 Nebraska upset, and they choose their X-factor players for the title game. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dante Moore announces he's returning to Oregon for 2026, pushing Dylan Raiola's starting opportunity back another year. Was this the right decision? And what does it mean for the thin 2026 NFL quarterback class? Then, the guys make their final predictions for Monday's national championship game between Indiana and Miami. Can the Hoosiers complete a perfect 16-0 season, or will the Hurricanes pull off the upset? Plus, in mailbag, where would an undefeated Indiana would rank among the greatest teams ever? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sam Leavitt has committed to LSU, and Dylan Raiola to Oregon. Does anyone want to develop quarterbacks anymore? Ralph argues Trinidad Chambliss shouldn't get a sixth year despite his appeal. Texas raids the portal, landing a dream haul including Cam Coleman, Hollywood Smothers, Raleek Brown, and Rasheem Biles. Plus, who’s your favorite announcing team? Bruce, Ralph, and Stew weigh in with their opinions — and a controversial take about Kirk Herbstreit's dog.Chris Vannini’s story on how Athletic readers watch college football: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6946307/2026/01/12/college-football-broadcast-tv-announcers-survey-results/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's Hurricanes vs. Hoosiers in the championship game. Indiana shows why they're the No. 1 seed, dropping 56 points on Oregon to advance to the final. Miami, a team that barely squeaked into the playoff, took down Ole Miss in an instant classic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The quick answer is yes, it is painfully easy to figure out how all teams in a conference can end up with winning records. They simply all go .500 in conference and better than .500 outside of the conference. You can stop racking your brains now.