The Audible with Stew, Bruce & Ralph: A show about college football

Indiana defeated Oregon, leaving no doubt that they're legit contenders. Penn State lost again, this time to unranked Northwestern. Texas soundly defeated Oklahoma, and Arch looked strong. And, an officiating fiasco in Auburn, USC upsets Michigan, players who impressed, and shoutouts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bill Belichick's North Carolina experiment is spiraling at 2-3, with on-field blowouts, staff suspensions, and a roster that might not be good enough to stabilize. Ralph, Bruce, and Stew debate whether the Tar Heels are stuck with him due to the $20M guaranteed contract — and whether powerful boosters who hijacked the coaching search will ever admit they were wrong.ESPN’s Kris Budden delivered a fiery rant about Big Ten coaches blaming losses on travel, sparking a debate: Is it a legitimate factor backed by the numbers, or just an excuse from highly-paid professionals? The crew digs into cross-country travel data, home field advantage, and whether 19-year-olds should be held to the same standard as NFL veterans.Plus, the guys debate CFP expansion scenarios, including whether 13-0 Group of Five teams could steal at-large bids. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The guys debate whether Steve Sarkisian has a big game  problem after Texas’s loss to Florida. With a 2-8 record against top 10 opponents, is the criticism fair — or is Texas still the team to beat in the SEC? They break down the Red Zone struggles, offensive line issues, and what to expect when the Longhorns face Oklahoma’s elite defense.Ralph, Bruce, and Stew make their picks for that game and the weekend’s other biggest matchups, including Oregon-Indiana, USC-Michigan, and Alabama-Missouri. And in upset picks, can North Texas pull off the stunner against USF? The guys also discuss Texas Tech's rise as a legitimate Big 12 contender and debate whether the Red Raiders might actually be the best team in Texas right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Texas and Penn State were the number 1 and 2 teams before the season. After another week of bad losses, where do they go from here? UNC loses badly to Clemson, and Miami holds off a gritty comeback from Florida State. Plus, in shoutouts and players who impressed, the guys touch on Navy, UNLV, Old Dominion, and Pitt.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2025 QB class was supposed to be special, but Bruce’s recent story reveals major concerns about Arch Manning, Cade Klubnik, and Drew Allar. The guys break down why Manning is pressing at Texas, Klubnik's alarming regression at Clemson, and whether Allar is the next Christian Hackenberg.On the flip side, Dante Moore is blossoming at Oregon after leaving USC, and Garrett Nussmeier still has NFL believers despite LSU’s struggles. Plus, Ralph and Bruce debate Heisman contenders: Can Diego Pavia actually win it if Vanderbilt stays ranked? Is Fernando Mendoza the real deal at Indiana? And why Rueben Bain Jr.’s defensive dominance at Miami might not be enough to get to New York.Timestamps approximate:0:00 Intro1:00 Transfer RBs who haven’t lived up to expectations, and why transfers sometimes struggle6:33 The Disappointing QB Class19:25 Heisman Race: Moore, Mendoza, Pavia, Bain 32:38 Breakout Players of the Week: BYU, Michigan mentioned 39:07 Mailbag: Coaching Fit, Authenticity vs. Credentials43:10 Mailbag: Will All College Football Show Replay Conversations Like the ACC?45:56 Mailbag: Why has the JUCO pipeline declined? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bobby Petrino is back at Arkansas as interim coach, but Bruce says he’s not winning any popularity contests. Despite the baggage, Arkansas ranks second in the SEC in yards per play. Can Petrino navigate a brutal seven-game schedule, featuring five ranked opponents, to save his reputation — or even earn the permanent job?Ralph defends his AP ballot which has Penn State nine spots lower than the actual poll, sparking a heated debate with Bruce about Texas versus the Nittany Lions. Plus, the crew discusses Paul Finebaum's potential move into politics, and picks the week’s biggest matchups. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Penn State lost in double OT to Oregon. Drew Allar doesn't look like a 5-star recruit, and once again, James Franklin can't win the big game. Ole Miss beats LSU, and is Texas A&M the best team in the SEC? Plus, the guys touch on Iowa State, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, San Diego State, and North Texas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike Gundy's shocking Tuesday firing ends a 21-year era that transformed Oklahoma State from perpetual losers into Big 12 contenders. Ralph, Stew, and Bruce break down how Gundy single-handedly flipped the Cowboys' all-time record from sub-.500 to winning, and debate who might replace him.John Mateer's hand surgery could derail Oklahoma's Heisman frontrunner and SEC title hopes, but Bruce wonders if the playoff committee might actually give the Sooners credit for games missed without their star QB. Plus, in mailbag, a listener apologizes to Stew for doubting his Belichick skepticism, another asks whether Wisconsin should spend Luke Fickell's $20+ million buyout on players instead of firing him, and Bruce gets asked if we should buy the hype around USC's Jayden Maiava.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oklahoma tried to hide a receiver. The refs said it was fine. So what exactly happened in Norman? The guys debate whether smart coaching or bad officiating decided Auburn-Oklahoma.Plus, Vegas doesn't trust the voters: LSU's ranked 4th, but getting points at Ole Miss. The crew picks the big games and Ralph takes four straight road teams because he's learned nothing. Bruce buys Indiana stock, Stew questions Miami's title chances, and everyone wonders if James Franklin can finally beat a good team in the White Out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ralph joins the Sunday livestream to help break down which coaches are already on the hotseat, including Mike Gundy, Billy Napier, and Luke Fickell. Dabo Swinney’s job is seemingly safe, but Clemson is 1-3 for the first time in 17 years of Dabo — and things aren’t looking up. Plus, a non-call seals a Sooner victory over Auburn, and the guys analyze upsets in Salt Lake City, Madison, and Memphis.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legendary Gary Danielson retires at the end of this season. He joins for a conversation reflecting on 36 years of broadcasting, the greatest players he's ever seen, and his favorite Verne Lundquist story. Then in mailbag, the guys debate whether highly-ranked teams like Penn State and LSU are fool's gold.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There were major coaching shake-ups this weekend at UCLA and Virginia Tech after embarrassing losses. Who will fill the void? Plus, Ralph's controversial decision to rank 0-2 Notre Dame at #15 on his AP ballot. Stew, Ralph, and Bruce also pick against the spread for the biggest games of the week, and select one upset each. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce and Stew get into Brian Kelly's post-game explosion following LSU's 20-10 victory over Florida. Did he have a point? Arch Manning gets booed at home, Notre Dame falls to 0-2 in a nail-biter against Texas A&M, and what's the new balance of power in the SEC? Plus, Bruce and Stew name the players who impressed them the most this weekend, and give their weekly shoutouts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The guys dive into the controversy surrounding USC beat writer and AP Poll voter Haley Sawyer, after she placed Florida two slots higher following their loss to USF. They spotlight weekend breakout candidates, battle over college football's best uniforms, and tackle the burning question: Is the mighty SEC finally losing its grip? Plus, they debate whether Duke's reported multi-million dollar quarterback splurge is smart investing — or pure madness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ralph defends his latest AP poll decisions, sparking a debate over Clemson's ranking after their home loss to LSU and whether Oregon deserves to jump Georgia and Penn State. The crew makes their picks against the spread for the weekend's big games including LSU-Florida, Miami-USF, Georgia-Tennessee, and Texas A&M at Notre Dame. They also discuss the Arch Manning shoulder speculation following Steve Sarkisian's press conference, and break down why we’re seeing all these political ads during Saturday football.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce and Stew go live to break down a bad week for the Big 12. Plus, Gundy pokes the bear—just how likely is he to keep his job this season? And how much can you really learn from destroying a cupcake opponent? They also dive into ACC title race percentages and spotlight standout performances from John Mateer and Dylan Lonergan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stew quickly comments on Bill Belichick's rough start at North Carolina and the war of words between Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy and Oregon's Dan Lanning. The Athletic's Justin Williams joins the show to give context into the turbulent year Gundy’s had. Plus mailbag questions on how the hosts remain unjaded on thetransfer portal, Ralph’s special expertise on the AP poll process, and how mid-tier programs survive in the NIL era.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Belichick Era begins with a 48-14 drubbing by Sonny Dykes’ Horned Frogs. Bruce and Ralph discuss just how much the sky is already falling. Stew joins and all three argue over Ralph’s updated rankings after a huge Week 1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carson Beck's Hurricanes held off a gutsy comeback attempt from CJ Carr and the Irish in yet another Week 1 Top 10 matchup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce and Stew try not to overreact to Arch Manning’s Week 1 loss to Ohio State, Florida State’s huge upset against Alabama, and LSU’s  victory over Clemson. They also give shout outs, and each picks a player who impressed this week. Thanks to those who joined this livestream. If you want to join, we'll be back on every Sunday this season at 8:30 a.m. PT, 11:30 a.m. ET. at www.youtube.com/@UCbhfrD1COvG40Mk7vvgaHIQ Also, for those of you who miss the old theme song — check it out on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/track/6KGdn6fXUZWwoovw7qk79I?si=8361954c45424813 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.