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The moment ESPN College GameDay’s lights turn off, Rece Davis and Pete Thamel lock in on the games. They’re glued to the TV on travel days to discuss the latest news on Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays with friends like Steve Coughin, Ryan McGee, Heather Dinich. Rece and Pete chat every week about momentum shifting plays, rumors permeating across the college football landscape, missteps in the rankings and so much more!
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Rece Davis and Pete Thamel break down some of the key matchups in Week 4. Can Florida bounce back and pull off an upset against No. 5 Miami? Will Jackson Arnold lead Auburn to victory in his return to Oklahoma? Plus, the guys dive into a Gameday wager that involved a DM to Tate McRae. All that and more on this episode of the College GameDay Podcast.
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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
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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
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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?
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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
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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
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1Rece 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
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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
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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…
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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?
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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?
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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?
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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…
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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
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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
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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
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Matt starts out by saying how he's glad they don't have to focus on rankings on their show and they just get to talk about what happened over the weekend. Kirk agrees...then they proceed to talk about rankings for the next ten minutes!
Gotta love Herbie!
I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but there was hardly a mention of the #3/#4 matchup and we had to listen to Paul talk about Alabama (who lost) for most of the podcast. Lame!
C'mon Kirk. Des Moines?!?! The University of Iowa is in Iowa City! And comparing Nebraska to Iowa is an insult.
a snarky herbstreit!!! love it. speaking nothing but the truth.
this show is so good when Herbstreit is on
don't need mcfarland as a guest anymore....just saying
and things like that.....profound reporting and journalism
New England won't take Tua. He's a Christian and Belichek demands that his players view him as God.
Speaking to the last few minutes of the podcast, what are these alleged advantages that the Southern teams have, and what among those is something that can actually be fixed? In the Big Ten, in particular, the facilities at many of those schools is pretty much on par with those in, say, the SEC. And you are not going to be able to solve where the bulk of the college football talent comes from. So what, exactly, are the fixable advantages that the southern schools have? It's also disappointing to hear even more people espouse the belief that expansion of the playoffs is a way to solve the situation. Bringing in more undeserving teams from weaker conferences as a pity f*** to get their asses kicked in the college playoff is not going to do much of anything to expand the horizons for those loser schools. Rather, it is merely going to Showcase how much worse they are. At least now they have the illusion that maybe if they had made the playoff they could have made some noise. Plus, those sc
It's still laughable to me how the broadcast touts continue to mistakenly frame the USC program as being somehow elite. It definitely shows the age of the people involved. Anyone over about their mid-forties knows that the Pete Carroll era was an exception - not the rule - regarding USC dominance. Any look over their history reveals that they went decades at a time as a slightly below or slightly above average Pac-12 program that was able to put together one or two really good seasons every once in awhile but could not maintain it for more than 3 years at the most. But people 40 and below grew up with the Pete Carroll years being more or less their earliest memories of that program and believe that's always been the case. I think some of that also goes back to the history of great running backs the team had in the 60s into the early 80s. They had great Seasons with OJ Simpson and Charles White, but even one of White's Seasons included for losses, and during the two seasons in which Mar
Davis makes the classic mistake all of the talking heads make when discussing changing the college football landscape: He believes that you can tweak a bad system and produce a good system. No. If you honestly want to fix the things that people claim they have problems with - and the goal actually IS a legitimate playoff that crowns a bona fide national champion - you first have to blow the whole thing up. And pretty much no one would be willing to do that. That's all you need to know about how sincere people are when they say they want an improved system that is more fair.
With all due respect to Herbstreit and his philosophy that it doesn't matter who you're playing as long as you look impressive against them, it is laughable that so many like him still cling to this "they were ranked X when they played them" b*******. What matters is how good that team ended up being, not whether they were ranked No. 9 in Week 2 before finishing the regular season 7-5.
nz
Yes. no heather.