ESPN College GameDay

Rece Davis and Ian Fitzsimmons from ESPN Radio open the show honing in on Florida State, their playoff snub last season, and why more media coverage wouldn't have helped the Seminoles' case for a CFP. To put it simply - If the ACC wants more representation in the CFP they need to build more elite teams. Then they turn their attention to UCLA's DeShaun Foster, who seemed to have a bit of stage fright during his Big Ten media day opening statement, before moving onto their thoughts on the rest of the field - Specifically, Nebraska's big hurdles, the depth in Ohio State and Michigan's rosters, the quarterbacks at Oregon and USC, and notable roster gains at Penn State. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss what caught their eyes from SEC Media Days, what to know about Texas and Oklahoma ahead of this season, why they think Ole Miss might make the playoffs and what other teams that are piquing their interest as they pour through their pre-season research. And now that College Football 25 is out, Rece shares a behind-the-scenes story as to why he was told not to record too many memorable lines for the game. Timecodes: 0:00 Welcome 3:04 - Quick Preview Texas and Oklahoma 8:07 - Making Picks When Teams Have New Roster Makeup 12:00 - Teams That Could Be Fun To Watch This Season OSU Roll 14:21 - SEC Media Day Unanticipated Storyline from Arkansas 21:09 - Quick Preview & Expectations of Ole Miss 26:00 - CFP Predictions SEC Teams Over/Under 33:13 - CFB 25 BTS: Rece Lends His Voice To The Game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss the eyebrow-raising moments at the Big 12 Football Media Days including Pete's interview with Colorado's Deion Sanders, on top of Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy's comments on Ollie Gordon's II's arrest for suspicion of DUI. Then they give the lay of the land for the Big 12 going into next season, specifically their thoughts on conference leaders in Utah, Kansas and Arizona, as well as how Iowa State will do if they can get over the mental hurdle of losing one-score games. They also ponder some alternate name options for the conference - why not call it the Gargantuan 16? 0:00 Welcome 0:27 - A Must Watch: Deion Sanders & Pete Thamel 05:16 - Colorado’s Issue Last Season: Their Defense 12:12 - Mike Gundy During Big 12 Media Days 15:06 - Gunday Contextualizes Ollie Gordon II’s DUI Arrest 22:46 - OK State: Last Season & Next Season 25:00 - Who Will Win The Big 12? 33:15 - Big 12 Unforced Error: Non-Conference Games 41:21 - Who Plays In The Big 12 Championship Game? 46:11 - The Stress Of A Pete Thamel Story Chase Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel sit down with coaches to pick their minds on what it takes to build program, what players they have their eyes on and what philosophies they’ve come to impart to the people around them. Tune in to listen to Fran Brown from Syracuse, Spencer Danielson from Boise State, Eliah Drinkwitz from University of Missouri, Jedd Fisch from the University of Washington, Jeff Lebby from Mississippi State University, Matt Rhule from University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Jonathan Smith from Michigan State University. 0:10 - Coaches Reflect On The Moment They Were Hired 0:57 - Coaches On Strategies, Culture & Emerging Talent 04:26 - Defensive Notes From College Coaches 05:13 - Raising The Bar Every Single Year Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel sit down with Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson to discuss the moment last season - after his team won the Mountain West title - when he was officially moved from interim to full-time head coach. They also get into running back Ashton Jeanty's elite skillset and the upcoming quarterback battle between Malachi Nelson and Maddux Madsen. 0:00 Welcome 00:15 - Group Of Five Playoff Pathway To A Title 01:20 - Remembering The Great Boise St-Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl 04:49 - The Moment Spencer Danielson Became Boise State’s HC 16:36 - Boise State HC On Recruiting The Current Roster 21:43 - RB Ashton Jeanty’s Elite Skillset 26:50 - Boise State’s Shot At Title With Expanded CFP 29:46 - Boise State’s Upcoming QB Battle: Malachi vs Maddox 39:25 - A Quick Dive Into Boise State’s In-Season Schedule 40:49 - Boise St, Memphis & Toledo Could Make CFP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the latest episode of the College Gameday Podcast, Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss which ACC and SEC teams they think will outperform themselves this year - specifically, they look into NC State and if they can stop stepping on the rake, the embers of a possible Virginia Tech revival, Tennessee toeing the line at a playoff contention and more! 0:00 - Welcome 00:32 - How Did Pete Celebrate The Celtics’ 18th NBA Title? 09:55 - The Only Independents In FBS: UCONN & Notre Dame 11:08 - Rece’s ACC Sleeper Team: NC State 12:31 - Pete’s ACC Sleeper Teams: Syracuse & Boston College 24:46 - Pete’s SEC Sleeper Team: Texas A&M 28:15 - Rece’s SEC Sleeper Team: Tennessee 35:08 - More On Celtics Celebration in Pete’s House Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss which teams they think will propel to the top of the Big Ten and Big 12 conference rankings this year. They also try their hand at the Love It Or Hate It Game where they have to dish out their preference on topics like the transfer portal, Nick Saban's retirement and Deion Sanders on X! 0:00 - Welcome 1:00 - Surely CBB Officials Love UCONN’s Dan Hurley’s Decision 07:08 - Big Ten Teams To Be Bullish On: Nebraska & Rutgers 14:27 - The Big 12 Favorite Team Will Be: Utah 19:43 - Getting Used To The Schedule Changes 25:20 - Using Team Schedules To Explain The CFP Format 28:17 - Love It or Hate It: Current State of Transfer Portal 32:08 - Love It or Hate It: Nick Saban’s Retirement 35:02 - Love It or Hate It: Deion Sanders on X 36:32 - Love It or Hate It: Best Pregame Entrance 38:42 - Remembering NBA Legend Jerry West Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel and college basketball insider Jeff Borzello discuss UConn Dan Hurley's big on-court energy and if this unabashed east coast guy would make the move to Hollywood to coach another preeminent team, the Los Angeles Lakers. They also preview potential coaching candidates for UConn should Hurley decide to make the move. 0:00 Lakers aggressively pursuing UConn’s Dan Hurley 5:12 Hurley to bring his big on-court energy to the pros? 7:44 From college to the NBA: How would Hurley fit in? 9:15 Hurley to Hollywood? He’s an unabashed east coast guy 15:15 Hurley’s potential relationship with LeBron James looms large 21:54 Hurley’s potential impact on the western conference 22:48 Potential coaching candidates for UConn if Hurley leaves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel sit down with Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz to discuss wide receiver Luther Burden's "Luther instincts," the "revolutionary" style of the head coaches at the SEC meetings, some of the discussions at the SEC meetings, and the case for keeping walk-ons as part of college football going forward. Drinkwitz also jokes about how he and his family go through adversity each time they board a Southwest flight. 0:00 - Welcome 0:28 - Where Does Missouri Rank As CFP Contenders? 03:20 - Missouri Coach Eliah Drinkwitz Joins The Pod 04:01 - How Last Season Impacts Returning Players 05:39 - Missouri’s State Law Created An NIL Advantage 08:57 - Luther Instincts On The Field From WR Luther Burden 11:35 - Coach Drinkwitz Pulls The Veil Back On SEC Meetings 17:30 - Drinkwitz: Walk-Ons Are Necessary For Player Safety 20:37 - Coach Drinkwitz’s Gameday Connor Stallions Quip 21:53 - Drinkwitz: I’m A Seinfeld Guy Through & Through 24:47 - How To Find What Your Family Is Made Of 26:27 - “I Don’t Have Any Tools’ To Fix Things Around The House” 28:14 - Missouri’s Chance In The College Football Landscape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who has the right model when it comes to building out a team - Georgia, Michigan or Clemson? Rece Davis, Bill Connelly and Ryan McGee get into it! They also take a look at Bill's latest SP+ rankings and mull over how an SEC or Big Ten team going 9-3 compares to a Big 12 team going 10-2. Before ending the pod, they bring up a few 'new' conference matchups that are on the horizon - BYU-Utah, Texas-Texas A&M, and Oklahoma-Texas A&M. 0:00 - Welcome 0:52 - BTS On Covering Auto Racing Driver Kyle Larson 04:34 - CFB Players At The Coke 600 Motorsports Race 07:16 - Riding The Ups & Downs Of The CFB Rankings 09:06 - A Quick Lou Holtz Story 11:14 - Riding The Ups & Downs Of The CFB Rankings 13:14 - An Overview of SP+ Projections For The Coming Season 18:45 - Top “New” Conference Match-Ups To Look Forward To 25:31 - Building Dreams: The Georgia Vs. Michigan Model 27:49 - Building Dreams: What About The Clemson Model? 34:29 - Remembering Bill Walton, A Great Football Fan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel sit down with Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby to discuss how he's developed his offensive prowess, the players that will light up the field this season, the advantage his program has over others, and the "yeet yeet" call that always turns heads down in Starkville. 0:00 Welcome 0:20 - Ken Jean Auditions To Be On Gameday? 02:56 - Gameday To Wrigley Field 06:22 - Jeff Lebby Joins The Pod 07:36 - Lebby on Shaping The Roster 10:55 - Lebby on Mississippi St’s Advantage Over Others 15:13 - Jeff Lebby On The Difficult Part Of His Job 19:04 - The Offensive Minds That Impacted Coach Lebby 24:27 - Coach Lebby’s Favorite Baylor Story Of Robert Griffin III 30:08 - Lebby’s Yeet Yeet Call That Players Are Dialed Into 38:23 - House v. NCAA Case: Why This week Is A Pivot Point In College Athletics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel get into Ohio State's and Michigan's current rosters - who came back and who joined - and who they think will emerge as the starting quarterback. They also look towards the big game in Ireland, Florida State vs. Georgia Tech, and GameDay's first in-season destination, College Station, where they'll be covering Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M. 0:00 Preview of Week 0: Florida State vs. Georgia Tech 4:41 Preview of Week 1: Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M 6:37 Early preseason No. 1 pick: Ohio State or Georgia? 9:28 Who will be Ohio State's starting QB? 18:25 Who will be Michigan's starting QB? 22:33 Very early concerns ahead of the CFP 32:40 Next week: A vote on a revenue-share plan with players Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss why Colorado, particularly head coach Deion Sanders, remains to be relentlessly fascinating. They also get into what to expect from the program now that they've moved from the now defunct Pac-12 to compete in the Big 12. Next, they chat about what it was like covering the NFL Draft with the accomplished Nick Saban. Then they round out the show with a preview of a possible legal settlement which could open the door for players to be part of a revenue sharing model. 0:00 - Welcome 03:18 - Fair To Criticize Deion Sanders' Candidness? 07:10 - Colorado's Big Scheduling Blunder 13:14 - First Impressions of Colorado's Current Program 15:38 - Expectations For Colorado, Now In The Big 12 19:09 - Nick Saban's Approach To On-Air Draft Analysis 23:35 - The Story of Oatmeal Crème Pies at the NFL 25:08 - NCAA To Backpay Players Following Antitrust Lawsuit 32:42 - What's On The Horizon For Rece & Pete? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pete and college football writer Paolo Uggetti, who covered USC football, discuss the Heisman Trust's "reinstatement" of Reggie Bush's 2005 Heisman Trophy to Bush, his contentious legal battle with the NCAA, the anomaly of OJ Simpson's Heisman Trophy sitting in USC's Heritage Hall but not Bush's, and what's next for Bush and USC's football program. 0:00 Reggie Bush has his 2005 Heisman Trophy back 1:45 USC's Heritage Hall, where the Trojans' Heisman Trophies sit 3:08 How Reggie Bush influenced USC over the years 4:37 The day Reggie Bush was allowed back on USC's campus 6:05 Reggie Bush and the NCAA's contentious relationship 10:40 USC's upcoming press conference 12:08 The time Reggie Bush got excited about the hip hop duo Kid 'n Play 13:32 Some Reggie Bush stats 14:59 What's next for USC and Reggie Bush? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel take stock of the latest notable players in the transfer portal, how they performed last season and what to expect from them next season. Then NFL Insider Field Yates joins to lift the curtain on the NFL Draft drama circulating around the Minnesota Vikings, QB Drake Maye and other teams trying to make a splash in this year's draft. Finally, they get into some QB drafting strategy and what aspects of a player can't be measured ahead of the draft. 0:00 Welcome 0:54 - What’s It Like To Have Dinner WIth Rece & Pete? 02:58 - Where Will CB Cormani McClain Transfer To? 06:05 - RB Damien Martinez Leaves Oregon St 09:24 - NFL Insider Field Yates Joins The Pod! 11:48 - Where Does The Drama Start In The NFL Draft? 13:23 - Addressing QB Drake Make Criticism 18:37 - How Many QBs Go In The First Round? 21:39 - QB Comparison: Michael Penix vs Bo Nix 25:04 - Draft A QB Backup Or Future Star? 28:55 - Prediting Draft Surprises At CB Position 29:47 - Cornerback Quinyon Mitchell 44:20 - What You Can’t Measure In The NFL Draft 44:48 - Film Study With NFL Insider Field Yates 46:08 - Do Fractional Arm Measurements Matter? 46:41 - Draft Night Conundrum: DT T'Vondre Sweat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pete Thamel and ESPN College Basketball Insider Jeff Borzello delve into UConn's NBA-like offense and the defense that won them a national title against Purdue. They also get into which UConn players will be remembered on this team. And looking to next season, they discuss what roster changes will happen and what Dan Hurley said about the Kentucky head coach job. 0:00 How UConn's defense helped them win 5:00 The stretch that determined the game 6:24 Which individual players will be remembered? 8:21 Where does UConn rank among repeat teams? 14:51 UConn's offense in comparison to an NBA offense 17:54 Dan Hurley responds to the Kentucky head coach job 19:58 What does UConn do to get a threepeat? 21:36 UConn's expected roster changes 22:35 Is there more college basketball news coming? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pete Thamel and ESPN College Basketball Insider Jeff Borzello recount how they came to break the news that John Calipari is leaving Kentucky and headed across the SEC to Arkansas. They also get into what they think Calipari will do with Arkansas' roster, who Calipari might hire, and whether or not Arkansas will reach the NCAA Men's Tournament Final Four round in the next four years. Lastly, they get into whether or not Kentucky can fill Calipari's spot with UConn's Dan Hurley, Chicago Bulls' Billy Donovan, or even Alabama's Nate Oats. 0:00 When the John Calipari-Arkansas whispers started 2:37 John Calipari's fall from dominance 4:49 How John Calipari fits in with Arkansas 6:15 The moment the John Calipari-Arkansas deal happened 10:52 Will Arkansas make the Final Four? 14:16 Kentucky basketball head coach candidates Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and ESPN College Basketball Insider Jeff Borzello break down the Men's NCAA Final Four games - specifically the early slog in the NC State vs. Purdue game and the shooting performance Alabama's Mark Sears put up against UConn's Stephon Castle. And ahead of the championship game, they get into what UConn's Donovan Clingan needs to do to stop Purdue's Zach Edey. 0:00 No. 1 seeds set to face off in men's championship game 3:07 NC State vs. Purdue early slog 8:55 Should Purdue worry about Braden Smith? 14:57 UConn vs. Purdue battle of the bigs 19:15 Foul or not on UConn's Aaliyah Edwards 23:12 Alabama needed to create more threes 25:18 In comparison: UConn and the great Duke teams 26:56 In comparison: UConn and the great Florida teams 27:57 In comparison: UConn and Villanova's 2018 team 32:44 Alabama's Mark Sears was a warrior 34:55 Who will win the men's championship game? 37:34 Who will win the women's championship game? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of the College Gameday Podcast, ESPN NFL Draft Analyst & Insider Matt Miller joins Rece Davis and Pete Thamel to discuss quarterback draft prospects Drake Maye and JJ McCarthy. Matt shares which team is the best fit for Drake Maye and why JJ McCarthy may not be drafted in the first round. Then, the guys dive into why NC State’s basketball star, DJ Burns, would make a great offensive tackle. Finally, Matt shares which player will be the biggest surprise in the 2024 NFL Draft! 0:00 Welcome To the College Gameday Podcast 01:09 Don't Sleep on UNC QB Drake Maye 03:43 Which Team Does QB Drake Maye Best Fit With? 07:35 Could JJ McCarthy Not Be Drafted In The 1st Round 11:03 Are There Concerns for JJ McCarthy’s Shoulder Issues? 14:45 Huge Turnout For QBs at Michigan Pro Day 20:07 How To Avoid Group Think in NFL Scouting 23:08 Learned Lessons in NFL Scouting 26:45 Players Matt Would Jump On The Table For 28:33 Chargers Will Pick Michigan's Mike Sainristil 31:10 Predicting The Biggest Surprise In The Draft 33:57 Pete’s Prediction of 6 QBS Drafted In First Round Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss UConn being in the greatest-team-ever conversation and how Dan Hurley would fit into the NBA. Then, Pete gives a preview of his latest story - Donovan Clingan's side job as a landscaper. On another note, Rece and Pete turn their attention to NC State and chat about the hope that program has spurred for themselves from the tournament. 0:00 Rece: Is there such thing as a repeat champion? 2:10 Is UConn in the greatest-team-ever convo? 6:21 The NC State program now has hope 8:41 NC State and Alabama's path to the championship 11:49 How to stop NC State's DJ Burns 13:01 Could DJ Burns play for the NBA or NFL? 18:30 UConn's Donovan Clingan's side job as a landscaper 20:36 Dan Hurley's coaching track record 26:21 Could UConn's Dan Hurley be an NBA coach? 31:10 A Dan Hurley family story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices