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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, Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel debate whether a Heisman moment is essential to winning the Heisman …and if Fernando Mendoza has delivered on this. Then, they break down the current CFP picture specifically the chaos in the ACC, the Big 12 potentially sneaking a team in at the end, and which Big Ten powerhouse team will emerge on top.
0:00 - Welcome
1:41 - Fernando Menoza, new Heisman leader?
8:06 - The top team in the Big Ten is…
19:14 - ACC wheel of destiny: Who get’s a CFP bid?
32:18 - Big 12 to get the last at-large CFP bid?
39:05 - CFP: Some of the good, the bad, and the new
52:05 - The best player you might not know
54:19 - Which coach gets fired next?
57:26 - Proposals and ‘I do’ on and off the field
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Pat Fitzgerald joins Rece Davis and Pete Thamel for his first public interview since his 2023 departure from Northwestern. The College Football Hall of Famer opens up about what he’s been up to, reflects on his time in Evanston, and discusses what the future might hold now that he’s back on the coaching market. Plus, Rece and Pete react to the first College Football Playoff rankings and wrap things up with their Six Pack of Picks.
00:00 - Welcome to the College GameDay Podcast!
00:30 - CFP rankings reactions
14:13 - Pat Fitzgerald joins the show!
17:33 - Pat feels "vindicated" after wrongful termination
24:13 - Pat on his coaching future
26:26 - Pat on handling the new era of college football
40:04 - Pat's ideal coaching fit
53:46 - Rece & Pete's six pack of picks
1:09:13 - Thanks for listening !
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Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel discuss the upcoming College Football Playoff rankings. They make picks on who they think will take the No. 1 spot and how many bids each conference gets. They also break down Auburn's coaching search and whether Clemson can recover from their tailspin season. Then, country superstar Kenny Chesney joins to talk about his new book drop, Heart Life Music, Tennessee Vols memories, his songwriting process and more!
0:00 - Welcome!
0:32 - CFP rankings: Who's taking No. 1 spot?
6:41 - CFP rankings: What to watch for
10:35 - How many CFP bids does each conference get?
18:20 - CFP rankings: Where does Michigan land?
21:37 - Auburn: Who replaces Hugh Freeze?
33:23 - CFP race: Miami is walking a fine line
37:54 - Can Clemson pull out of a tailspin?
46:29 - Kenny Chesney joins the pod!
47:27 - Kenny Chesney's Tennessee Vols memories
50:15 - Kenny Chesney shares his best lyric
53:41 - Inside Kenny Chesney's writing process
56:53 - Kenny Chesney's drink of choice
59:26 - Kenny Chesney's fave moment as GameDay guest picker!
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It’s a spooky Week 10 on the College GameDay Podcast! Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss risky coaching hires, early playoff rankings, their Halloween candy favorites and their Week 10 picks.
00:00 - Welcome to the College GameDay Podcast
04:48 - CFB scheduling issues?
11:15 - The latest on the coaching carousel
25:04 - Bill Belichick's call to go for 2
28:08 - Expectations from 1st CFP Rankings
36:02 - Six pack of picks
55:48 - Let's talk Halloween
58:11 - What's your favorite Halloween candy?
01:01:13 - Thanks for watching the College GameDay Podcast!
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Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel dive into LSU's move to fire Brian Kelly and what comes next for the Tigers. They kick around how much the Governor might actually matter in the coaching search and whether his voice will carry any weight. And with Lane Kiffin's name in the mix while Ole Miss is still chasing a playoff spot, the big question is if LSU can really wait until his season's over to make a move.
0:00 - Inside The Day LSU Fired Brian Kelly
5:19 - Surprised Brian Kelly Is Out After Texas A&M Loss?
6:39 - Brian Kelly Made LSU A Contender, Don't Forget!
14:09 - Who's Really Picking LSU's Next Coach?
21:14 - LSU To Make A Run At Lane Kiffin?
30:37 - Can LSU Wait Out CFP To Hire A Coach?
35:59 - Rank The Top Coaching Jobs: Florida, LSU, Penn State
48:21 - Auburn, Florida St, Wisconsin To Shake Up Coaching Market?
51:37 - What To Expect: GameDay at Cincinnati vs Utah
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Rece Davis and Pete Thamel break down a massive Week 9 slate!
Can Missouri pull off a top-10 upset on the road against Vanderbilt?
Will LSU save its season against Texas A&M?
And can Houston keep rolling against Arizona State?
We preview all the biggest matchups and storylines from across the country in this episode of the College GameDay Podcast.
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Rece Davis, Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel break down Billy Napier’s firing at Florida and what it means for the Gators’ future. Who’s next in line for the job... Could it be Lane Kiffin? The guys also dive into the mounting pressure at Florida State and Auburn, where frustration is beginning to boil over.
:00 Welcome to the Podcast
:41 Billy Napier out as Florida Gators Coach
5:46 Coaching Carrousel of College Football
7:40 Which coaches have their job secured?
14:05 What Florida really needs to do
21:58 Is Lane Kiffin headed to Florida?
37:04 Which coach could be in the hot seat next ?
48:42 Why this playoff system works right now
52:00 Impressions of James Franklin on GameDay
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Rece Davis and Pete Thamel are back to preview a massive Week 8 in college football. Can Georgia get redemption between the hedges against No. 5 Ole Miss? Will Notre Dame’s playoff hopes survive a must-win clash with USC? The guys make their Week 8 picks and break down all the big storylines. Plus, Ivan Maisel joins the show to discuss his new book and reflect on the legendary career of Frank Leahy. All that and more on this episode of the College GameDay Podcast.
00:00 - Welcome to the College GameDay Podcast
00:54 - Lane Kiffin's jab at Kirby Smart
03:16 - A tough week for the refs
05:54 - Ole Miss vs Georgia preview
20:29 - Ivan Maisel joins the show
48:39 - Week 8 Six Pack of Picks
01:08:02 - Deep cut game of the week
01:13:53 - Thanks for watching / listening to the College Gameday Podcast
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Rece Davis, Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel dive into the fallout from James Franklin's firing at Penn State. They unpack how his free fall unfolded, the moment Penn State realized he couldn't deliver a national championship, and why coaching contracts may never look the same again. Then they evaluate whether Indiana's Curt Cignetti or Nebraska's Matt Rhule should even consider the Penn State job before delivering their predictions on who could take the reins in Happy Valley.
0:00 - Welcome
0:30 - James Franklin firing is unlike any other
2:55 - Penn St realization: Franklin won't win it
4:55 - James Franklin free fall won't be the last
7:53 - Why coach contracts will shift
11:56 - Penn St players came up short, lacked passion & fire
14:56 - The reality is coaches don't build programs
19:36 - In today's game, anyone can win
29:08 - The Oregon loss' devastating effect on Penn St's season
36:09 - Should Curt Cignetti consider the Penn St job?
42:13 - Why Cignetti won't go to Penn St
47:07 - Making the case for Matt Rhule staying at Nebraska
55:17 - Predictions on who will get the Penn St job
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Who’s to blame for North Carolina’s struggles this season? Can Indiana pull off a shocking upset over Oregon in Eugene? Will Alabama continue their SEC road dominance?
Dan Wetzel and Pete Thamel break down all the chaos heading into a stacked Week 7 of college football. Plus, the guys play a special edition of “Would You Eat It?” — sampling some of the wildest foods from the Texas State Fair. All that and more on this episode of the College GameDay Podcast.
00:00 - Welcome to the College Gameday Podcast
00:43 - UNC in Shambles
20:57 - UNC Staff lacks college football experience
31:19 - Indiana vs Oregon Preview
35:59 - Alabama vs Missouri Preview
38:01 - Is Texas Tech for real?
40:32 - A tough stretch for the Gamecocks
41:14 -Another Kiffin in Baton Rouge
43:24 - The Latest on John Mateer
46:14 - Would you eat it? (Food from the texas state fair)
51:38 - Week 7 Six Pack of Picks
01:03:28 - Thanks for watching The CGD Podcast
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Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel break down Penn State's unraveling season. They ask if the UCLA loss has crushed the Nittany Lions' playoff chances and if James Franklin will remain with the program. Then they shift the conversation to Texas where they expose the Longhorns' flaws. And in Florida, even after a recent win, the guys question whether Billy Napier can survive the season and emphasize the steep challenge the program would face in replacing both its head coach and playcaller.
0:00 - Intro
0:37 - Penn State's issue: QB and scheme are misaligned
9:52 - Does UCLA loss end Penn State's CFP hopes?
12:59 - James Franklin's future at Penn State in question?
18:22 - Arch Manning under Texas pressure
23:57 - Arch and the entire Texas team are flawed
30:39 - If you fire Billy Napier, you have to fill two roles because…
35:13 - Which teams are true wagons?
45:47 - What is going on? Vanderbilt is entirely transformed
56:01 - Why Alabama can't sleep on Mizzou
1:00:32 - Final word: SEC, Western Carolina, Internet meltdowns
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Week 6 brings two massive showdowns in the SEC and ACC. Can Vanderbilt go into Tuscaloosa and upset Alabama for a second straight season? Will Texas survive a tough road trip to The Swamp? Rece Davis and Pete Thamel are back to break down a loaded Week 6 slate across college football. Plus, EJ Manuel joins the show to preview the heated Florida State–Miami rivalry and examine what’s at stake for both programs. All that and more on this episode of the College GameDay Podcast.
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Dan Wetzel is joined by ESPN's Ryan McGee and Max Olson to tackle the big question: Has college football ever been better? From Dan Lanning's statement win over Penn State to whether Kalen DeBoer and OC Ryan Grubb can keep their momentum rolling after knocking off Georgia, the drama keeps building. Throw in LSU-Ole Miss chaos fueled by Lane Kiffin's Internet antics and Bobby Petrino's return to Arkansas, it's clear this season shows no signs of slowing down.
0:00 - Has college football ever been better?
7:32 - The blueprint to win
17:43 - Dan Lanning: What's his ceiling in Year 4?
25:05 - Can Kalen DeBoer and OC Ryan Grubb stay hot?
30:43 - LSU vs Ole Miss: Madness on and off the field!
35:49 - Lane Kiffin to Florida? To Alabama?
45:19 - Arkansas and Bobby Petrino: The inevitable?
50:32 - Notre Dame to reach CFP without a big win?
56:25 - Last word: North Texas, New Mexico, New Mexico State
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Rece Davis and Pete Thamel preview two massive Week 5 showdowns in the Big Ten and SEC. Can Georgia protect their home winning streak and finally take down Alabama? Will Oregon survive the white out in Happy Valley against Penn State? The guys break it all down and give their picks. Plus, Ryan McGee stops by to talk Lane Kiffin and join in on our Week 5 six-pack of picks. All that and more on this episode of the College GameDay Podcast.
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1Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel dig into Clemson’s struggles, Billy Napier’s squandered lifeline at Florida, and an Indiana team that’s still finding ways to win. They examine whether Oklahoma is a true championship contender, discuss who they think will be favored in the Red River Rivalry, and weigh in on the officiating controversy that overshadowed Oklahoma vs. Auburn.
0:00 - Welcome
3:04 - Clemson's main issue is…
11:39 - Clemson's the new Florida State?
17:36 - Billy Napier was thrown a lifeline…
23:05 - What the Florida Gators should do next
26:08 - This year's Indiana is…Indiana
33:04 - Oklahoma: Title contenders?
35:25 - Red River Rivalry: Who's the favorite?
38:36 - The Oklahoma vs Auburn officiating issues
42:49 - Rece booked a fall wedding?!
51:39 - The stacked slate of blockbuster games ahead!
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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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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.