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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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The Kalen DeBoer bandwagon has emptied out. It’s been left to rust. The Script A translated to awful in Alabama’s season opener, and if you're left holding stock in DeBoer, it's trading at a 52-week low. Alabama has about 60 million reasons (aka DeBoer’s buyout) to stay the course with its beleaguered coach. Talk of the hot seat probably remains a wee premature, but there’s no denying this much: There’s trouble in Tuscaloosa. DeBoer is swimming upstream against a strong current after Alabama got whipped by Florida State. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss whether this result puts DeBoer on the hot seat. They’re dumping the idea of Alabama making the playoff, while increasing their stock in two SEC teams that showed promise for a higher-than-expected ceiling. Also, the hosts react to Arch Manning’s lackluster performance in Texas’ loss to Ohio State, and Adams stumps for a certain SEC team to be ranked No. 1 in the polls. Toppmeyer offers an underrated SEC road trip destination. Finally, Week 2 picks against the spread!
Everyone’s cooking up their final College Football Playoff predictions before the season kicks off, but here on “SEC Football Unfiltered,” we’re serving something unique. Why not put two heads together to create the ultimate playoff projection? On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams team up to create a single bracket. Each host gets to select six teams to create the 12-team field, while adhering to the playoff parameters that five conferences must be represented. The selections begin in a chalky manner, before Toppmeyer surprises Adams with one of his ACC selections. Then, Adams leaves Toppmeyer speechless with his sleeper pick from the Big Ten. Later in the episode, they make their Week 1 picks against the spread. For more from Toppmeyer and Adams, sign up for the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered free to your email inbox.
College football is back. And its Week 1 lineup of games is as good as ever. Arch Manning will try to deliver a road victory for No. 1 Texas at No. 2 Ohio State, and No. 9 LSU will aim to assert itself as a contender against No. 6 Clemson, in what will be a pivotal game for Brian Kelly. LSU has never won a season opener under Kelly, who’s entering a pressure-packed season. Hype and pressure surround Manning, too. On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate whether Manning or Kelly faces more pressure in Week 1. The alarmists will be ready to pounce. In reality, either Manning or Kelly can recover from an opening loss, but Manning struggling or LSU losing would lay groundwork ripe for hot takes and overreaction. Later in the episode, the hosts react to the SEC’s decision to add a ninth conference game beginning in 2026 and discuss why this decision helps the SEC in more ways than one, and why it might spur a scheduling change inside the Big Ten, too. For more from Toppmeyer and Adams, sign up for the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered free to your email inbox.
Auburn will retire Cam Newton's jersey number this season, an honor for a quarterback who delivered one of the greatest individual seasons in college football history, complete with a national championship. Newton's got company in the conversation for single-season greatness. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams reminisce about some of the most stellar individual seasons they've witnessed. Adams dials up the wayback machine with memories of Archie Manning, Herschel Walker and Barry Sanders. Toppmeyer highlights seasons supplied by Newton, Tim Tebow, Johnny Manziel and Joe Burrow. With hype for Texas quarterback Arch Manning at a crescendo, can he produce on par with some of those past greats? Adams knows this: He'd rather have Manning starting in Texas' season opener against Ohio State than Quinn Ewers. Later in the episode, the hosts weigh in on Joey Aguilar winning Tennessee's starting quarterback job and what that means for the Vols. For more from Toppmeyer and Adams, sign up for the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered free to your email inbox.
Jon Gruden says he'd "die to coach in the SEC." We must assume he's being hyperbolic, but the former NFL coach sounds serious about wanting to coach again – and wanting to coach in college. He's not the only former coach with an eye toward new opportunities. Former Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher says he's up for a return to the sideline, too. This projects as an active year for the hot seat, so would either Gruden or Fisher be a worthwhile consideration for an SEC athletic director? That debate takes center stage on today's episode, featuring hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams. Their verdict: Neither Gruden nor Fisher would seem particularly appealing within the SEC, although Toppmeyer offers one SEC school that might make some sense, depending on its level of desperation. Of the two possibilities, the hosts agree Gruden offers more intrigue than Fisher, who received everything a coach could want with the Aggies and couldn't make it work. Gruden would be the ultimate wild card. Later in the episode, the hosts weigh in on Alabama naming Ty Simpson its starting quarterback and what that means for Kalen DeBoer's second season. For more from Toppmeyer and Adams, sign up for the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered free to your email inbox.
The SEC buried the Big Ten in the US LBM Coaches Poll. Fire up the preseason chants of superiority, but that will mean squat come College Football Playoff selection time. In fact, the SEC's poll takeover could be a sign of a playoff path filled with landmines, while Big Ten frontrunners Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon and Illinois enjoy cleaner routes to the postseason. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams react to the SEC's poll blitz and explain why this should be viewed cautiously for the conference's playoff contenders. They also point to two overrated SEC teams, plus an unranked team that they'd place in the top 25. And they explain why one Big Ten team faces just as much pressure to produce a championship as No. 1 Texas. For more from Toppmeyer and Adams, sign up for the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered free to your email inbox.
Since the College Football Playoff’s inception, Alabama has never gone consecutive seasons without making the field. By missing the playoff last season, the Crimson Tide missed the program’s standard in Kalen DeBoer’s debut. He knows it. Now, Alabama has retooled with effective offseason maneuvering, but is it enough to make the playoff in the face of a tough schedule, with a new starting quarterback? On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams engage in a fact-or-fiction debate regarding several possible scenarios this season, such as whether Alabama will make the playoff, and whether Arch Manning will win the Heisman Trophy. They also rate the top six games involving SEC teams in Week 1. And they weigh in on the fizzled bromance between the SEC and Big Ten. For more from Toppmeyer and Adams, sign up for the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered free to your email inbox.
No SEC football coaches were fired a year ago. What's the encore to that? Well, buckle up for a particularly spicy hot seat this season. Proud programs like Oklahoma, Auburn and Florida starve for success at a level their current coaches haven't proven they can supply. The hot seat doesn't stop there, either. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams identify their top five SEC coaches on the hot seat. Their lists each feature the same quintet of coaches, although they differ on the ordering. At the top of the list, though, they agree on the coach sitting on the SEC's hottest seat. That's Sam Pittman of Arkansas. And the firings realistically could begin as soon as October.
It was a matter of time before a media member introduced the rumor that Nick Saban wants to return to coaching. Greg McElroy did the honors this week, saying that someone "in the know" told him that Saban will coach again. McElroy later denounced the rumor he started. By then, it was too late. The rumor had gained oxygen and made the rounds at SEC media days. Never mind the veracity of this speculation. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams react to the rumor McElroy sparked – that Saban wants to coach again. Neither host gives much credence to the idea of Saban returning to college coaching. They suggest that, if he did return, Alabama would not be the likeliest landing spot. Adams also considers this hypothetical: If Saban and Urban Meyer returned to college coaching, which would fare better? Later in the episode, the hosts respond to Texas being named the overwhelming favorite in the USA TODAY Network's predicted order of finish for the SEC, and Toppmeyer points to a few teams that were underrated in the voting.
Auburn’s athletic director says the Tigers are determined to do things "the right way." Never mind that Auburn’s recruiting class ranks last in the SEC. Have patience. Athletic director John Cohen’s words echo the sentiments of coach Hugh Freeze, who admits Auburn's recent approach is "not really to our advantage." Who cares about rules nowadays? Insisting on doing things "the right way" tends to be the battle cry from the basement. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams examine the situation at Auburn, where Freeze's offseason golf handicap looks better than his recruiting class. Auburn's recruiting stall comes on the heels of four straight losing seasons. More than the losses from yesteryear, though, Adams says he's concerned about Freeze's recent rhetoric, and he compares Freeze to a former SEC coach who's since been fired. Still, this is the kind of offseason storyline that can be smashed into irrelevance with a slew of August commitments, plus a Week 1 win against Baylor. Later in the episode, the hosts explain why Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti keeps getting the College Football Playoff format debate wrong.
The SEC became the nation’s best conference because of its strength at the line of scrimmage, punishing running backs and perimeter speed. Somewhere along the way, though, this conference began attracting the best quarterback talent, too. That’s especially reflected this season. The SEC's crop of quarterbacks includes a crowded top tier, resulting in a heated debate about who's the No. 1 man. On today's episode, host Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the Gainesville Sun's Kevin Brockwaydebate Toppmeyer's SEC quarterback rankings. Toppmeyer pegged Arch Manning as the SEC's top quarterback, banking on the upside of a player who's poised to break out in his third season at Texas. Brockway, though, picks a different quarterback as his No. 1. Later in the episode, Brockway updates the injury status of Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, and he takes the temperature of Billy Napier's hot seat. Finally, he projects Florida's record.
The company line within the SEC is that no other conference matches the gauntlet of its conference schedule. Perhaps, but it's also true that no other conference plays as many cupcake games as the SEC. That's a sticking point for the Big Ten as the conferences try to reach an agreement on a College Football Playoff format for 2026 and beyond. The Big Ten wants the SEC to join it in playing nine conference games. The SEC, so far, keeps standing its ground at eight. That difference in conference scheduling remains a hurdle in playoff negotiations, according to multiple reports. Can a compromise be struck to end this stalemate? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams dig into the latest on the playoff format squabbling, the SEC's scheduling debate, and the battle of rhetoric between the SEC and the Big Ten. Would the SEC be smart to stay at eight games, or should it give in to the Big Ten? Also, is the Big Ten's request reasonable? Later in the episode, were we a little too quick to write off Dabo Swinney? Clemson looks loaded up for a run at national championship contention. If the Tigers wore an SEC logo patch, would they be the preseason No. 1 team? Adams says yes.
Tennessee’s mid-April quarterback swap damaged the Vols’ chance of making the College Football Playoff, but did the Nico Iamaleava for Joey Aguilar swap make the Vols one of the SEC’s weakest teams? That’s what one preseason publication thinks. Lindy’s magazine picked Tennessee 11th in the SEC in its conference picks. Might want to take a peek at that schedule, though, before predicting such a freefall for the Vols. On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams wade through Lindy’s SEC hierarchy and identify a few underrated and overrated teams.
Several SEC coaches enter this season facing an inflection point in their tenures. That doesn't necessarily mean each of these coaches is on the hot seat (not yet, anyway), but this projects as a defining season for coaches like LSU's Brian Kelly, Florida's Billy Napier and Auburn's Hugh Freeze. Kelly says he's got his best LSU roster to date. No argument here. Napier's Gators finished last season on a hot streak. Auburn hasn't shown much bite yet under Freeze, but he's got a new quarterback. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams play a round of buy, hold or sell on 10 SEC coaches. They share an opinion on Kelly and Napier but take separate paths on Freeze. They also consider the buy-or-sell case for other SEC coaches like Alabama's Kalen DeBoer and Kentucky's Mark Stoops.
Battle lines are forming in the ongoing debate for the College Football Playoff's future format. The Big Ten wants to rig the playoff. The Big 12 and ACC fight against that. The SEC hangs out in the middle, unsure whether to side with the Big Ten or the other power conferences. To rig, or not to rig? That is the question. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams unpack the leading playoff formats under consideration. The hosts reject one potential playoff format, while keeping an open mind to two others. And they explain why the SEC holds the trump cards in this negotiation.
The SEC's scheduling debate will renew when the conference's spring meetings begin later this month. It's that age-old question of whether to stick with eight conference games or bump up to nine. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate the merit of adding a ninth conference game versus sticking with the status quo. Retaining the eight-game format would sacrifice the annual nature of some secondary rivalries, like Auburn-Georgia and Alabama-Tennessee. Is that worth it? Well, that depends. Toppmeyer and Adams are intrigued by the idea of an SEC-Big Ten football challenge -- so intrigued, that they like the concept of an interconference clash better than a ninth SEC game. If the SEC wants to prove its supremacy, what better way than to put it on the line throughout 16 non-conference games against the Big Ten?
Did Texas just assemble the best team money can buy? Maybe. Alternatively, it spent big for a playoff-caliber roster that will come up short of the national championship game once again, after two straight years bowing out in the semifinals. This much we know: The Longhorns spent big. Just how big? Well, the Houston Chronicle recently reported that Texas’ budget for its 2025 squad is expected to be in the $35 to $40 million range. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate whether that handsomely paid roster makes Texas the national championship frontrunner. Later in the episode, they list eight teams that have at least a 5% chance of winning the national championship, and Adams highlights a couple of SEC coaches who were underrated in USA TODAY's list of the top 25 coaches.
Kirby Smart remains the No. 1 coach in the SEC. Any naysayers, consider the reigning SEC champion. It's Georgia. When ranking SEC coaches, 1 through 16, the debate becomes lively after Smart, the obvious starting point. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams reveal their lists, from first to last. Auburn's Hugh Freeze becomes the subject of the biggest disagreement among the hosts. Adams also goes just a bit against the grain with his No. 2 pick.
Tennessee slapped a tire patch in the gaping hole in the rubber of its quarterback situation. UCLA’s disposable goods became the Vols’ prize. Tennessee is expected to add transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar from UCLA, after the Vols lost starter Nico Iamaleava to none other than UCLA. In other words, UCLA decided it would rather anoint Iamaleava as its starter than Aguilar, who transferred in December after two seasons starting for Appalachian State. That caused Aguilar to re-evaluate his options. The best opportunity available just so happened to be at Tennessee. He’ll compete with a pair of young in-house options for the starting job. On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams assign the winners and losers of this whole saga, and they pinpoint where Vols coach Josh Heupel flawed in his execution. Iamaleava’s missteps were numerous and obvious, but Heupel’s handling of the situation was not flawless. They also identify the favorite in Tennessee’s starting quarterback competition. Later in the episode, they examine Oklahoma’s case for being a College Football Playoff sleeper on the heels of the Sooners’ marquee transfer acquisitions.
Nico Iamaleava reportedly wanted more money from Tennessee. The Vols wouldn’t meet his demands, so, Tennessee’s starting quarterback entered the transfer portal. Iamaleava now needs a new school to pay him to be its starting quarterback, while Tennessee needs a transfer to stay in the playoff contender column for this season. This public breakup between a quarterback and a school that had invested so much in him encapsulates the college football zeitgeist, as the April free agency period heats up. But, are there any winners in this situation? On today’s episode, host Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network is joined by GoVols247 senior writer Wes Rucker as they unpack how the Iamaleava-Tennessee union unraveled, and where each goes from here. Iamaleava remains a talented quarterback with upside, but he would have enjoyed a hotter market for his talents if he had transferred in December. Tennessee’s outlook becomes cloudy. A lot of starting quarterbacks might be wary of leaving their current situation, to have to learn a new offense with a new team in a short time period. Still, Vols coach Josh Heupel says his team will pursue a transfer. If they land a good one, the new arrival could polish Tennessee’s playoff prospects.
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