Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The College Football Chaps

With a stellar week one of football behind us and week 2 schedule to look forward to we chat about

• those games which surpassed expectations and caugh us by surprise
• What about those South Florida Bulls?
• is Miami better than we thought?
• must win game for Notre Dame against the Aggies in 2 weeks time?
• is Florida State much improved or Alabama in decline?
• Go Utes!
• Manning Mania has come to a screeching halt - why we think its unjust
• Week Two look forward : which games to focus on

On this episode we hear the incredible story of 8 time National Championship winning Strength & Conditioning & Special Teams Coach, Scott Cochran.

In this episode Coach tells us about

• the part that writing his book 'Skull Session" has played in his recovery
• how coaching became his raison d'etre
• his relationship with Coach Saban and Kirby Smart
• the point that he realised he had to step away from football
• his new role at the University of West Alabama

This is a must listen episode!

On this episode the Chaps catch up once more with Southern Wordsmith and host of True South, John T Edge, principally to talk about his new book, House of Smoke.

On this episode we chat,

• why the time was right to publish his memoirs
• the part his family home in Clinton. GA plays in his life and in the book
• growing up in Clinton, GA compared to living in Oxford, MS
• John T's time at college in Athens and the Athens music scene at the time
• John T's time at the Southern Food Alliance and his eventual departure from the Organisation
• True South Season 8 and the success of the Show!
• True South stories - Norm!

On this episode the Chaps reunite to talk about the impending new college football season,

• Week Zero Kick Off Game in Dublin
• Key match ups to watch out for in the Farmageddon game
• Week zero slate of games
• the future of CFB games being played in Europe 

On this episode the Chaps catch up with CBS National College Football Writer, Shehan Jeyarajah to talk about the football revolution happening in Lubbock, Texas with the Red Raiders. In an awesome episode we talk with Shehan about,

• How the piece about Texas Tech came about
• Mike Leach's influence on Cody Campbell
• Texas Tech taking advantage of the current situation - how do they maintain that momentum going forward?
• The groundbreaking deal that the Red Raiders put together for Felix Ojo 
• What chance the Red Raiders threaten to win the conference this year?
• What about those Baylor Bears? What kind of season can Baylor have?

With the Netflix debut of "SEC Football: Any Given Saturday" the Chaps have the opportunity to talk with the show's Executive Producer, Paul Martin to talk about,

• the shows origins & the appeal of a show covering the SEC
• Paul's experience of getting down into the South versus his expectations
• some of the stories coming from the show
• if the show can have the same impact on the European audience that Drive to Survive had on the US audience
• Paul's thoughts on College Football
• will there by a season 2?

Episode #219 with The Film Guy, Brooks Austin

On this episode The Chaps catch up with The Film Guy, Brooks Austin to talk about recruting across college football. On this episode we discuss,

• The impact roster caps proposed under revenue sharing and the house settlement bill will have on “walk on” players
• the decline in recruitment of JUCO players as a result of the numbers of players entering the transfer portal
• How recruitment is evolving as the college game goes though unprecedented change
• The job Kirby Smart and the coaching staff are doing with recruiting in Athens.
• QB's flying under the radar in preseason chat
• With an unkind schedule and QB DJ Lagway struggling with injury, what does the season look like for Billy Napier and the Gators?

On this episode the Chaps talk about all of the news coming out of SEC Media Days in Atlanta FROM the College Football Hall of Fame. Yes, for the first time our podcast comes to you On Location.

We chat...

• LSU prospects for the 2025/26 season
• Review QB prospects :Simmons, Pavia & of course Arch Madness!
• the launch of the new NETLFIX show featuring SEC Football - "Any Given Saturday"
• Rumours of a Saban return?

On this episode the Chaps catch up on the news coming out of College Football this week...

• Texas State jumps to the PAC12 to revive the Conference
• Excluding Gonzaga, this is an 8 team conference - who joins to give 8 conference games?
• The ripple effect across College Football from these moves
• Texas Tech pays OT Ojo $5m to come play in Lubbock - what does this do for the game?

On this episode we welcome back good friend of the show, Adam Rittenberg to talk about the BIG10.

We talk...

• the introduction of Clearing houses - will they regulate or complicate CFB?
• With the SEC's reluctance to move to a 9 conference game schedule can the stalemate on CFB Playoff format with the BIG10 be broken?
• Expectations for the Buckeyes with a new Matt Patricia defense and a new QB?
• How Bryce Underwood is developing so far in Ann Arbor?
• And the big question on everyone's lips - Is this finally Penn State’s year?

On this episode we’re going to do a bit of crystal ball gazing and peek into the future of the new season with our good freind, Chris Marler. We talk: 

 - which teams are overhyped or not hyped enough?
- if Brett Bielema is Social Media’s new Lane Kiffin? 
- which players we expect to have Heisman worthy seasons?
- will Hugh Freeze still be head coach on the Plains at the end of this coming season?

In this episode we speak with returning guest, Ross Dellenger, Senior College Football Reporter for Yahoo Sports about the changing face of college football. We talk with Ross about

• the position of the NCAA House settlement Bill
• SEC moves to favour a 5+11 CFP Playoff format and what this does for the SEC/BIG10 “alliance”
• When will the SEC move to a 9 conference schedule?
• Private Equity involvement in CFB

It's been a few weeks since the Chaps last caught up so there is much college football news to talk about.

So on this episode, we chat

• the Bill Belichick "circus" at Chapel Hill
• moving to a 16 team College Football Play Off 
• the implementation of a Presidential Collegiate Sports Commission
• and Lee Corso's retirement

On this episode we are joined by Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde to talk about his sporting memories from years of covering sports.

We talk college football, Olympics, horse racing, basketball and NFL in a packed episode. Particularly,

• Pat's memories of following the Olympics and watching his daughter qualify for the Tokyo games
• the noise in Jordan Hare on the night of the legendary "Pick Six"
• watching Christian Laettner in his prime at Duke and how Cooper Flagg compares
• where he was when Jack Nicklaus won his last Masters jacket

and we couldn resist the opportunity to ask Pat his thoughts on the current Nico Iamaleava situation at Tennessee and how this impacts on the college game going forward.

It's a packed episode!

It's April already and with 143 days to go until the college football season kicks off, the Chaps mull over some of the April Fools Japes circulating college football social media.

On this episode we talk,

• why can't ASU have a maroon field?
• Coaches Sanders and Saban expand their AFLAC relationship in Colorado?
• Are Georgia Black Uni’s back? And we hope Oregon's pink ones are indeed a joke...
• Matt Rhule does Strictly with Harper Murray!
• It's true with "golden" tulips in South Bend, the honeymoon is over & we are back to hating Notre Dame
• It's not a joke but there's free food in Myrtle Beach!

On this episode, the second in the series of guests favourite sporting memories, ESPN/ SEC network & Marty and McGee's Ryan McGee joins the Chaps to recall some of his memories from over the years covering sports.

Hear Ryan talk about,

• his entry into sports with Johnny Majors at the University of Tennessee
• being taken out by a North Carolina State linebacker aged just 13
• playing kids end zone footbal wtih Lane Kiffin
• Ryan's Rose Bowl memories
• sideline reporting on his Dad's final game officiating
• Scooping up some Fighting Irish dirt!

If you love sports anecdotes, this epsiode is not to be missed!

On this epsiode we kick off our new series "Tell me a story" with guests recalling their favourite sporting memories and telling us about the sporting memorabilia that they have accumulated along the way.

On this episode, Director of Communications for the Southeastern Conference, Chuck Dunlap tells us about...

• his love for sports growing up in Mississisppi
• the story of how he became a New York Mets fan
• joining the SEC and the incredible memories of 25 years of SEC sports
• a virtual tour of his sporting momentos from his time working in the SEC

On this episode we talk all things UNLV Rebels with Fox Sports, Las Vegas Anchor Paloma Villicana. We chat...

• The changing face of Sports in Las Vegas with UNLV benefitting from the surge of pro sports in the City
• The job that Barry Odom took on and how good a job he did with Rebels football
• What Dan Mullen brings to the Running Rebels program
• Zach Arnett as DC demonstrating UNLV’s growing ambitions as a program
• Exciting times to be a Rebejs fan with Alex Orji and Anthony Colandrea at QB
• Th expectations for UNLV this coming season
• The future of the Mountain West Conference

On this episode we welcome back Seth Saunders from the Saturday in Athens podcast for a retrospective of the season just finished. So on this episode we chat,

• The good, the bad & the ugly (what worked, what didn’t, what do we never want to see again..?)
• What did we learn?
• Individual highlights of the season
• A Georgia Bulldogs 2024 report card with a look forwad to 2025

While the season may be over, college football news stops for no-one. So on this episode the Chaps talk over what has been grabbing the headlines during February, including...

• Co-ordinators jumping ship for big money. Is this sustainable as a revenue sharing model comes into view?
• Is Matt Rhule right about cancelling his public Spring practice?
• Are expectations for Arch Manning wholly unrealistic?
• ESPN extends contract with ACC thru 2036 : can the conference (in its current state) remain together? Or is divorce (FSU, Clemson) inevitable?
• Trent Dilfer is 7-17 in two seasons in Birmingham, AL but will return for a third season. What say the Chaps?

On this episode we catch up with our good friend John T Edge, author and host of the excellent TV show, True South. We chat about

• his recent trip to the UK, his highlights and favourite foods from the trip
• What chance a True South international special?
• How well Texas and Oklahoma fits into "Southern" culture
• The place that the humble hotdog holds in American culture
• Some of John T's favourite personal interest stories from this season
• can we get him to share his best Mac n Cheese recipe?

On this episode, the Chaps preview the 2024 season National Championhip game between THE Ohio State Buckeyes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. We talk....

• Is Ryan Day & Ohio State exonerated now that they have made it to a Championship game? Or do they still have to win it?
• Despite Chip Kelly’s excellent record with Oregon, he has never won a National Championship. Arguably that Ducks team was one of the best teams College Football has seen. Does Chip Kelly’s resume deserve a natty?
• What are the Keys to victory for the Irish?
• Offensive line injuries again for the Irish. Is the well deep enough to plug the gap made by the injury to Anthonie Knappe?
• Which coach (Jason Day or Marcus Freeman) most likely still to be in the same job in 3 years time & will they have won multiple Natty’s?
• The Chaps Predictions

Happy New Year to all our listeners! On this first episode of 2025 we chat....

• Round up of FCS Championshio game between NDSU & Montana State.
• Now at CFB PlayOff semi final stage, has the 12 teams playoff format left us with the best 4 teams in CFB? 
• The positive impact of the CFB Playoff on Bowl game TV viewing figures
• Final 4: Texas v Ohio State & Penn State v ND previews
• Our Predictions !!!!

On this special episode we sit down with Buffalo Bulls Head Coach, Pete Lambo. During our discussion we talk about....

• How important playing in a bowl game is to the Bulls program
• Taking over an underachieving program which has underperformed & expectations at the start of the season? 
• What lessons he took from coaching  in the MAC in his first stint at Ball State that helped prepare for the Buffalo job
• The keys to a successful special teams unit
• His experience at South Carolina & Beamer Ball
• Thoughts on the changing face of the college game & how NIL and the transfer portal has changed the head coaching role.
• Expectations for 2025

It's time for our College Chaps Christmas special and who better to share this episode with than our old friend and "4th Chap" Laura Rutledge. On this episode we talk....

• Our highlights of a truly exceptional college football season
• Look forward to the first round of Playoffs & which games we are most looking forward to
• In a season of college football chaos will there be more shocks in the playoffs? 
• Our MVP of the season?
• Who would be our ideal college football Secret Santa & what gift are they getting?

Ho Ho Ho!

On this podcast the Chaps celebrate 200 episodes & look forward to a weekend of conference championship games,

• SEC Championship game : who wins?
• What happens to the loser in the rankings?
• How should Conference Championship games impact the rankings?
• Has the BIGXII been the most entertaining conference to watch this year?

On this episode during Thanksgiving, the Chaps give thanks for a truly fantastci and chaotic football season. 

We talk...

• who will make it to the Conference of Chaos Championship game in Dallas?
• can USC spoil the Irish run into the Play offs?
• What to make of the SEC and who will win in the Texas v Aggies game to book a place in Atlanta?
• BIG10 - is it a done deal?

On this episode we talk with our guest, Chris Gordy of the Locked on SEC podcast about the events across the SEC and the impct these are having on the College Football Playoff rankings. On this epiosde we talk,

• What does the playoff committee do with Georgia & Tennessee this week?
• Is Brian Kelly on the hotseat in Baton Rouge?
• At this stage who makes it to the SEC Championship game...but first who wins Texas v Texas A&M
• Winners & losers of Arizona St v BYU & Ohio St v Indiana - how will this impact the rankings?

The Beautiful Chaos of College football edition

In this episode the Chaps discuss... 

• The importance ofTulane & Navy game in relation to the AAC Championship game (with Army having a bye week)
• Chaos in the ACC with Miami losing and SMU on track for a Conference Championship appearance
• Ole Miss and Alabama back in the running with defeats of Georgia & LSU
• A Texas v Texas A&M end of season shootout?
• College football playoff rankings,,,what if?

• Georgia beats Tennessee?
• Ohio State play Indiana and lose?
• Army runs the irish close?
• Who is vulnerable in the rankings right now?

Chaos reigns and we love it!

It's Bonfire night in the UK, the US General Election & the first week of CFB Play Off rankings, so on this podcast....

• what is happening at USC? Where did it go wrong? Is Lincoln Reilly to blame?
• Rankings will be out shortly (after we recorded) : who must be in/ who's stock is going to fall?/what about the irish?
• Tix under $20 is back plus.....
• Tix with unlimited funds makes its debut!

On this episode the Chaps talk about the chaos of the college football season this far,

• Only ten unbeaten teams remain : Oregon, Penn State, Miami, Iowa State, BYU, Indiana, Army, Navy, Pitt & Liberty (plus 2 others) highlighting the changing face of college football - good or bad?
• Texas A&M sit atop the SEC, game against LSU this weekend is huge. Imagine a situation where TAMU is still top going into the Texas game…!
• Tulane got off to a rough start but are building a head of steam. Army & Navy has still to play the Irish & the Army/Navy game still to play. Could the Green Wave be the best team in the ACC when it all played out?
• We have to talk about those USC Trojans: Sarkisian talks a lot about building his team to cope with playing in the SEC & to challenge for Championships. Why hasn’t Lincoln Reilly done this?
• Tickets under Twenty!

On this episode it's just the Chaps, but who better to look forward to the season's biggest game in Austin this weekend, but also

• Texas v Georgia preview
• how good a job Curt Cignetti is doing in Indiana
• our Group of 5 watch continues - its a fantastic chaos of a race for a play off spot
• Tickets under Twenty!

On this episode the Chaps speak with special guest, The Show Pony - Chris Childers from The Full Ride Show on Sirius XM College Sports Radio. On this episode the Chaps talk, 

• From heroes to zeros : Bama beats Georgia, Vandy beats Bama - college football is in chaos!
• Vandy fans march the goalposts down Broadway - why we love college football!
• Red River preview
• Ohio State @ Oregon preview and what this game means for the BIG10 and Playoff chances?
• Which team do we NOT want to face in the CFB Play Off at this stage?

On this epsiode we meet up with our good buddy Chris Marler from the 4th & Wrong podcast, Locked On South Carolina, 1045ESPN Louisiana & Cover Crimson (he is a busy guy!) to talk...

• Alabama v Georgia : did we experience the best college football game ever? 
• What did we learn about the Tide & the Dawgs?
• UNLV are ranked! Are they a better team with their QB2?
• Lane Kiffin is under pressure. Could Ole Miss “miss” a play off berth? 
• Army & Navy both 4-0 and sit atop the AAC. Could the triple option appear in the CFB Play Off?
• Tix under Twenty is back and bigger than ever!

On this episode the Chaps talk with Saturday Down South's Connor O'Gara to talk...

• what benching Jackson Arnold means for the Sooners playoff chances
• what on earth is happening in Auburn
• Are Mack Brown's days numbered in Chapel Hill
• Georgia v Alabama preview
• Group of 5 prospects and play off contenders
• Tix under $20 is back and chaotic.... 

On this episode the Chaps have the honor of speaking with Lieutenant Gneral Rich Clark who is also the Executive Director of the College Football Play Off Committee. On this episode the Chaps talk to Rich about...

• His time as an Air Force pilot and being involved in fly overs at college football games
• His hugely successful time at Air Force Academy football 
• Could a service academy repeat that feat and be truly competitive in todays ever changing game?
• What are the biggest challenges that the CFB Play Off Committee faces this year as the format changes from four to 12 teams?
• Has conference realignment complicated the play off commitee's job of picking the best 25 teams this season?
• Can more than one Go5 team make it into the College Football Playoff this year?
• How does the Play Off committee maintai the integrity of Bowl Games as the Play Off expands?
• What does success look like for the Committee at the end of the season?

On this episode its week 3, so the Chaps ask What have we learned so far? 

• How have the Conferences fared so far? 
• Who are the teams contending : Texas, Georgia, Ohio State?
• Teams pretending : Oregon, Michigan?
• Is Nebraska back?
• Is Tennessee a contender?
• What about Miami?
• The Bill O’Brien effect in Chestnut Hill…..
• Time for Tix under $20!

On this episode the Chaps are joined by Next Round Live's Auburn & Alabama reporter, Emily Grace McWhorter. We talk,

• Key takeaways from Auburn, Alabama fall camps
• What does an acceptable season for the Tigers look like?
• Tigers confidence that PaytonThorne can step up to the next level
• Can Auburn be a play off team?
• Changes at Alabama under new head coach, Kalen DeBoer
• How will the Alabama defense shape up this season?
• Tix under Twenty is back! 
• Prediction time : Notre Dame @ Texas A&M

With just a week until the Kansas Jayhawks kick off the 2024 season, the Chaps sit down with Head Coach, Lance Leipold to talk

• his thoughts and desires about playing Kansas Jathawks games internationally
• the new faciiities being built in Lawrence and the challenges this brings in 2024
• how his time coaching in the MAC at Buffalo prepared him for a job in the BIG XII
• the challenges ahead this season in a new look conference, a very different schedule, technological changes and a supersize CFB Play off
• the best stadium atmospheres he has played and the road games he is most looking forward to
• updates on his superstar QB, Jalon Daniels and expectations for the new season

On this episode the Chaps have the remarkable opportunity to chat with the head coach of the Sewanee Tigers, Andy McCollum. In what is a hugely motivational episode the Chaps talk to Coach about,

• what led him to Sewanee to take charge of Tigers football
• Coach McCollum's hopes and expectations for the new season
• After 43 years coaching, what motivates Coach to continue into the new season
• What success looks like for the Tigers this year
• How the Tigers schedule compares this year
• How his first year in charge compared with his expectations

This is a fantastic episode!

On this episode The Chaps talk to author, Colby Newton about his latest book "SEC Football: How a regional league became a national obsession".

We chat with Colby about,

• how the idea for the book came about
• how conference expansion made the SEC more popular
• what might the next 30 years look like for the SEC
• the impact of recruiting on the growth of the league
• sliding door moments that changed the course of history
• and given Colby's experience working in Bowl games, we get him to talk about his favourite memories from Bowl games

It's been a few weeks since the Chaps last caught up so with less than 4 weeks to go until the season starts, the Chaps chat about..

• media days round up
• who is likely to be the dark horse for the season and unexpectedly secure a CFB Playoff spot?
• who is being overhyped?
• which teams schedule is likely to put its head coach on the hot seat?
• who is good enough to win the Natty?

It's officially talkin' season and on this episode the Chaps talk with special guest Andy Staples to discuss...

• Texas & Oklahoma join the SEC! Breath of fresh air for the conference or tough year ahead for the rookies?
• What are we most excited about for the new season ahead?
• We appoint a new CFB commissioner - what should be his opening season kick off game?
• Which program is flying under the radar at this point?
• Are we buying or selling stock in Hugh Freeze, James Franklin and Lincoln Reilly? 

On this episode the Chaps have the opportunity to sit down and chat with Mountain West Commissioner, Gloria Nevarez. We talk.....

• The Commissioner's thoughts on the demise of the PAC 12
• What its like to be only the seond woman to lead a FBS conference
• Will the Mountain West formalise its football arrangements with Washington State & Oregon State?
• The Commisioner's view on further conference realignment?
• What keeps the Commissioner awake at night?
• The Commisioner's thoughts on the recent significant uptick in interest in women's collegiate sports
• Could a Mountain West football team play outside the US, in Ireland ot the UK?
• Will more than one Group of 5 team involved in the CFP?

This is a fascinating and packed episode and a great opportunity to hear the thoughts of a FBS Conference Commisioner!

On this episode the Chaps discuss the nominations for the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame including why Aaron Donald should not be a CFB HoF'er and absolutely why Mike Leach is!

The Chaps also debate ESPN's Football Power Index and marvel at some of the results of the algorithm.....

Another must listen episode from the best college football podcst east of the Mississippi!

On this episode the Chaps talk with the Coordinator of Officials for the Southeastern and Sunbelt conferences.

John talks about his lengthy career as a referree both in College and in NFL Europe and his current role as Coordinator.

The Chaps also ask John about 2023 and 2024 rule changes and what his fondest memories of refereeing in College are!!

The Chaps kick off their 6th season covering colleage football and in this episode discuss the news from around the conferences and all that has been going on in and around the college game.

• how well prepared is Oklahoma for the SEC with the news that General Booty has transferred?
• Can Dillon Gabriel replicate Marcus Mariota's success in Eugene?
• Kirby Smart gets paid - big!
• Is an equilibirum being found in the transfer portal with news that Clemson, LSU arent using transfers to fill rosters?

In this episode the Chaps pour over the most recent news coming out of college football...

• Reggie gets his Heisman back!
• What is happening with a proposed CFB Super league?
• Are the Texas Aggies running scared of the SEC?
• Winners & losers of Spring football
• the Transfer portal is open - who is disappearing and reappearing from it?

It's another packed episode of College Football content!

After the success of the Chaps Texas roadtrip, on this episode they jump back into their rental cars for the ultimate road trip - the West Coast! From San Diego to the City of Angels, Seattle and Eugene the Chaps cover the miles to create their ultimate college football road trip. But how on earth does North Carolina and Pennsylvania come into this road trip.....well listen on.....

In this episode the Chaps discuss the rapidly changing landscape of College Football as we know it!
Is this the end of the beautiful game? Or is change good and making CFB better?

We discuss what a Superconference might look like and that come to the conclusion that money is the root of all evil!

And what about the independence of the Fighting Irish!