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SEC Football Unfiltered features hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the USA TODAY Network serving opinion, debate and analysis on trending college football topics within the Southeastern Conference. No subject is off limits, and no one is above rebuke. Take off the filter and revel in the banter.
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When Indiana won its first national championship in program history, the Hoosiers shattered college football's permission structure. Fans could always hope. Now, Indiana gave fans of lovable losers permission to believe. Who cares about history? That matters less than ever. That should be good news for a few programs inside the SEC. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate whether the "next Indiana" could be located inside the SEC. They highlight a few contenders, but perhaps none fits the profile better than Kentucky. The Wildcats have a doormat's history, but they're cooking in the transfer portal behind new coach Will Stein. You don't get to where Indiana got on a wish and a prayer, though. Programs like Kentucky, Arkansas and South Carolina must study how Curt Cignetti built this undefeated squad. Later in the episode, the hosts discuss why no SEC schools made a hire from the Cignetti mold. Would a program like Auburn or Florida have been better off hiring an older coach with a longer track record?
The mighty SEC has fallen off its perch. It no longer rules college football. For the third straight season, the SEC has been shut out of the national championship game. If Indiana beats Miami, that will mark three straight national titles for the Big Ten. How does the SEC get the crown back? Start in Texas. The Longhorns failed to live up to the hype in Arch Manning's first season as starter, but they finished the year in strong fashion. The conversation for 2026 SEC frontrunners starts in Austin. Just consider what Steve Sarkisian is doing in the transfer portal, where he secured a premier wide receiver to pair with Manning. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate whether they're ready to buy in on more Texas hype after the Longhorns wilted in the spotlight this season. They also discuss why they're a bit hesitant to go all-in on LSU in Lane Kiffin's first season, even after the Tigers nabbed quarterback Sam Leavitt in the transfer portal. Then, they pivot to Alabama. The Tide have a problem, but it's not Kalen DeBoer. Finally, they issue their picks for the national championship game.
The SEC's hopes rest on the shoulders of Trinidad Chambliss and Ole Miss. While most of the SEC flopped in the postseason, the Rebels have become the toast of college football, as they continue to win even after Lane Kiffin's exit. Can the Rebels reach the finish line? If so, can the Heisman Trophy redirect its way into Chambliss' hands? The latter won't happen. The former? Maybe. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate why the SEC has fallen off its throne as college football's almighty overlord. Toppmeyer says Alabama's whimpering finish under Indiana's fist at the Rose Bowl shows just how far the SEC has fallen. He compares the Tide to a Big Ten team that finished 9-4. The hosts discuss how much better, if at all, Alabama would be right now if Nick Saban still coached the Tide. Adams assesses where he'd rank Ole Miss in the pecking order of playoff semifinalists, and the hosts make their Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl picks against the spread. Also, Toppmeyer fesses up: He wishes he could make one change to his Heisman ballot, involving an SEC quarterback.
The Big Ten is thriving so far this postseason. With a couple of exceptions, the SEC is wilting. And what of the coaching carousel? Did the Big Ten club the SEC there, too? You could make that case. LSU scored the big fish by securing Lane Kiffin. Mostly, though, SEC schools hired promising but largely unproven up and comers, while Big Ten schools like Michigan and Penn State landed veteran winners with solid resumes. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams evaluate which conference did it better in this hiring cycle. They also debate which conference has the more complete roster of coaches. And they discuss which SEC schools would have been well-served by hiring Kyle Whittingham, who wound up at Michigan. Later in the episode, the hosts unpack the College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchups, including what's at stake for Kalen DeBoer in Alabama-Indiana and whether Mississippi plays with house money in a rematch with Georgia.
The College Football Playoff’s first round served two competitive games and two blowouts. The reaction to that: Many fans and media types are demanding a change to the CFP bracket format. Is that an overreaction to two lopsided games, or a worthy response? Let’s remember, last year’s playoff served up four first-round duds. So, at least this year provided an upgrade. That doesn’t mean this system is perfect. On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and Matt Hayes weigh in on the big CFP debate — just how badly does this format require revision? Toppmeyer says we must face reality that there’s no escaping the possibility of blowouts. He’s unwilling to pin this squarely on the Group of Five. After all, no G5 teams were involved in playoff blowouts last season. Even so, he’s open-minded to Hayes' ideas for playoff revision: Get rid of the automatic bids. Have the committee select the full field. But, first, fire athletic directors from the committee. Later in the episode, the hosts preview the quarterfinals. They examine Miami’s potential to upset Ohio State and debate whether Alabama is for real or not.
Diego Pavia reacted to his second-place Heisman Trophy finish as only he would. "F all the voters," Vanderbilt's quarterback wrote on social media. Hey, he's talking about us! We're the voters. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams reveal their Heisman Trophy ballots and sound off on Pavia's response to not winning. We take no significant offense to Pavia criticizing sportswriters and their votes. After all, sportswriters are critics. We can handle the blowback (even if we voted for Pavia). But, Pavia's reaction took some of the spotlight away from Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. That's where he erred. Also in this episode, a discussion of whether Kalen DeBoer is making the right move pledging allegiance to Alabamawhile the Michigan job sits open. Finally, College Football Playoff picks against the spread!
Did the CFP committee get the playoff bracket right? Well, that depends on your perspective and your rooting interests. The bubble became awfully crowded, so not everyone was going to come away happy. Overall, Alabama and Miami seem like fair choices, but the course the committee charted to reach that destination became an exercise of the absurd. On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams offer their biggest grievances with this bracket – and with this committee – and propose a different way to approach the playoff. Is this season cause for playoff expansion? Not necessarily. There’s an argument for 16 teams, but there’s also a case for staying at 12 and dumping automatic bids in favor of a bracket filled exclusively through at-large bids. Let’s reconsider who gets to be on the CFP committee. Also in this episode, the hosts discuss potential playoff upsets, and they predict the national champion.
If you’d formed a list of candidates LSU should pursue after it fired Brian Kelly, it might have looked like this: 1. Lane Kiffin 2. Revert to option 1 and get it done. LSU got it done. Lane has landed in Baton Rouge. Now, what does it all mean? For Kiffin, leaving Ole Miss on the doorstep of the playoff marks a sharp pivot in his redemption story and revives his renegade past. At LSU, he'll enjoy every advantage to win a national championship. Ole Miss opted for stability in a moment of turmoil and promoted coordinator Pete Golding to coach. How will the transition affect the Rebels in the playoff? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams grade the hire for LSU and weigh in on whether Ole Miss made the right call in not allowing Kiffin to coach the playoff. Adams logs a prediction for whether Kiffin will win a national championship with LSU, while Toppmeyer shares thoughts on what Kiffin's career pivot will mean for his legacy. Later in the episode, the hosts react to the other hires in the SEC in what's become a coaching carousel unlike any other. Finally, they predict national championship games against the spread.
Two SEC schools will lose the Lane Kiffin sweepstakes. To the victor goes Kiffin, and all that accompanies this mercurial renegade. To the losers go ... a coaching search. In the meantime, Kiffin's current team pursues a playoff bid. Ole Miss must win the Egg Bowl to solidify its playoff footing. Never mind the Kiffin drama, says Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, because the team remains "locked in" on winning the Egg Bowl and reaching the playoff. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams unpack the latest developments in the soap opera starring Kiffin, as his decision day nears, and they log their predictions for where he'll be coaching next season. They also weigh in on a few potential Florida candidates if the Gators lose the Kiffin sweepstakes. A couple of ACC coaches could fit the bill for UF. The hosts also consider: If Tulane coach Jon Sumrall has his choice between Auburn and Ole Miss, which is the better option? Later in the episode, they debate the playoff likelihood for three SEC teams that sit on a crowded bubble. Finally, Week 14 picks against the spread!
Greg Sankey once mused about the SEC staging its own College Football Playoff. He didn’t follow through, but his conference has an outside shot of claiming half the spots in a 12-team playoff. Not bad, eh? The bubble’s getting awfully crowded, so what’s the most realistic outcome for the SEC? On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams consider the playoff fortunes of the SEC’s seven teams still in the hunt for a bid. They identify five SEC teams that will make the field, and the two playoff contenders that won’t. Later in the episode, Toppmeyer declares Texas’ season a flop and questions whether Steve Sarkisian should be under more scrutiny. The hosts also sound off on the latest in the Lane Kiffin saga, and they grade Virginia Tech’s hire of James Franklin. Finally, Week 13 picks against the spread!
The buyout gods rested. The money cannon ran out of gunpowder. The firing squad took a weekend off. Folks, we just got through a Sunday with no college football coaches fired. Do you believe in miracles? Are the firings finished for this season? Well, about that ... On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss a few SEC coaches who might not be out of the woods yet. Kentucky's Mark Stoops and Oklahoma's Brent Venables are OK for now. There's work left to do. Also, with South Carolina imploding, should Shane Beamer consider an exit for Virginia Tech? And, what to make of Toppmeyer's idea that Tennessee's Josh Heupel turn his eye toward Penn State? Adams weighs in. Later in the episode, the hosts disagree on how many SEC teams are national championship contenders. Is it two, or three? Finally, Week 12 picks against the spread!
The firings will continue until morale improves. Auburn became the latest SEC school to succumb to misery, firing Hugh Freeze on Sunday to put an end to his awful tenure. This becomes Auburn’s third firing in six seasons at a program that once punched at the highest level. As the Tigers limp toward what would be a fifth consecutive losing season, it begs the question: Is this still a good job? On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate the merits of the Auburn job. They consider the candidacy of 10 potential targets, taking a particular shine to one coach who’s thriving at a nearby school in the ACC. Later in the episode, a discussion of whether the SEC can qualify five teams for the College Football Playoff, and whether one of those five might be Texas. Finally, Week 11 picks against the spread!
Brian Kelly came to LSU talking like Nic Cage from "Con Air" and promising national championships. He left a fired coach, with no national titles but plenty of buyout money on the way. LSU is hiring, adding an injection of rocket fuel into the coaching carousel. Of course Lane Kiffin will be attached to this search, but he's not the only brand name worthy of consideration. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate Kiffin's candidacy and that of nine other potential options. Adams loves the idea of Kiffin to LSU, but Toppmeyer's still hung up on Kiffin to Florida. That's if he leaves at all. He's got a playoff team on his hands at Ole Miss. Later in the episode, Week 10 picks against the spread!
All Florida Gators fans want is the second coming of Steve Spurrier. Is that too much to ask? Not if Lane Kiffin wants the job. Kiffin is a slam dunk choice for Florida, but it's not a slam dunk he'll say yes. He's found success and stability at Ole Miss, where his Rebels are a playoff contender. What if Kiffin says no? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams consider nine candidates for the Florida job with a round of love it, like it or no thanks. They also take the temperature of the hot seats at Auburn and LSU. Finally, Week 9 picks against the spread!
James Franklin is on the market, kicked to the curb by Penn State. He's a proven program builder, and, within the SEC, there are programs that need rebuilt. He's shown he can win in the SEC, too, having succeeded at Vanderbilt. True, he's got a history of flopping in big games, but he's a steady performer. Would any SEC programs be up for such steadiness? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams consider a few SEC jobs where Franklin might be an upgrade on current or past coaches. Adams says he likes Franklin for Arkansas' opening, plus two other SEC jobs that aren't yet open but might come open soon. Toppmeyer isn't quite as sold on the idea of Franklin reviving his career in the SEC. How do you sell the hire of a guy who just lost to UCLA and Northwestern? Also in this episode, the hosts update their 12-team playoff projection, choosing five SEC teams for the field. Finally, Week 8 picks against the spread!
College football’s 2025 season has become a fraud fest, and Texas auditioned for a starring role during a loss to Florida at The Swamp.Was that enough to get Billy Napier off the hot seat? (No.)But, the result pushed Texas closer to the brink of elimination from College Football Playoff contention, and it raised more questions about Arch Manning.On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate who’s taken up the mantle as the SEC’s top national championship contender, with Texas underwater.That’s difficult to answer. The SEC remains loaded with playoff contenders, but are any of them elite? One host points to Ole Miss as the SEC’s top national championship contender, while the other gives the nod to Alabama.Also, a hot seat temperature reading, and Week 7 picks against the spread!
Hello darkness, my old friend. Let the 'Grumors' begin again. Where will they end? Very likely, in the same place they always do: With Jon Gruden not coaching college football. Arkansas does need a coach, though, after firing Sam Pittman, so who if not Gruden? Bobby Petrino? No thanks. That’s another bad idea. On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams consider potential candidates for the Arkansas job with a round of love it, like it or no thanks. Adams likes a certain ACC coach for the job, while Toppmeyer floats the possibility of a former SEC coach getting back in the conference. Later in the episode … is Alabama back? We’re not yet sure. The Crimson Tide showed more big-game potential in a takedown of Georgia, but this next game against Vanderbilt is a chance to prove consistency required to pursue a national championship. Also, LSU’s problems go beyond the Ole Miss loss. Finally, Week 6 picks against the spread!
The SEC’s rivalries are set, at least for the next four years. The nine-game conference schedule will preserve most premier rivalries, but there are some notable omissions. Alabama-LSU will not be kept annually. Neither will Florida-Tennessee.On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams sound off on the SEC’s assignment of annual opponents. They highlight the teams that received the stiffest rivals draw and the few teams that got off easy. They also identify the rivalries that will be left off the annual schedule that they’ll miss most.Later in the episode, a discussion of LSU-Ole Miss and Alabama-Georgia, and Week 5 picks against the spread!
Oklahoma is back! OK, so that’s a bit premature, but programs have been declared resurrected based on less evidence. Seriously, though, when evaluating SEC teams after three weeks, who’s playing better than Oklahoma? Combine the Sooners’ stout defense with cool-handed transfer quarterback John Mateer, and they’re playing like the SEC's most balanced team. Speaking of good defenses, the way LSU’s is playing has Brian Kelly fired up – especially at reporters looking to throw stones at his team’s 3-0 start. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams each rank their five-best teams in the SEC. It’s a difficult exercise. More than half the conference remains undefeated, and Tennessee showed a punch despite losing in overtime to Georgia. Later in the episode, an examination of just how dire the quarterback situation is at Texas with Arch Manning. Finally, Week 4 picks against the spread!
It’s Billy Napier vs. The Field in the race within the SEC to claim the season’s first buyout check. Florida’s embattled fourth-year coach coughed up the goodwill he built at the end of last season by losing at home to South Florida in Week 2. Gators fans exited The Swamp chanting for Napier’s firing. On this edition of “SEC Football Unfiltered,” hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams reset the hot seat sweepstakes. Napier climbs to No. 1 on their SEC hot seat list. Later in the episode, the hosts debate Oklahoma's playoff stock after a win against Michigan, and they weigh in on Arch Manning's latest performance and Steve Sarkisian's comments about media members on the toilet. Also, Week 3 picks against the spread!
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