The Solid Verbal College Football

We’re taking an early look at the 2026 college football schedule and doing a public service for the Verballerhood: figuring out which Saturdays deserve to be protected on the family calendar. From Week 0 appetizers to monster November slates, we rank the season week by week, identify the biggest projected matchups, and decide when it is safe to go outside and when it is absolutely not. Along the way, we dig into the weeks that look especially dangerous for teams stuck between emotional rivalry games, cross-country trips, short weeks, and potential letdown spots. Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon, USC, LSU, Ole Miss, BYU, Texas Tech and others all pop up as we sort through the best weekends, the sneaky ones, and the obvious trap-ortunities. Plus, we discuss shared calendars, zhoug sauce, Trappy Valley, the revered Ball-Sac Game, how much of November should be blocked off, and several increasingly questionable strategies for preserving couch time during the best stretch of the season. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 7:36 - Week 0 9:33 - Week 1 12:11 - Week 2 17:49 - Week 3 23:20 - Week 4 25:17 - Week 5 30:28 - Week 6 37:38 - Week 7 40:04 - Week 8 44:40 - Week 9 47:09 - Week 10 53:09 - Week 11 57:47 - Week 12 1:03:51 - Week 13 Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re back for Part 2 of our May Q&A, which means the offseason conversation gets both bigger and weirder. We start off with College Football Playoff expansion anxiety, including the possibility of a 24-team field, the future of conference championship games, and the growing gap between the people running the sport and the fans who love it. We discuss the new marriage between Michigan State and Pat Fitzgerald, which leads us into a broader conversation about safe hires, risky hires, Transfer Portal recruiting, and what it actually means to rebuild in the modern Big Ten. We also touch on Texas, Arch Manning, Steve Sarkisian, Florida State, Mike Norvell, and the kinds of expectations that can turn a normal season into a referendum. We also spend some time on the quarterback and offensive coordinator pairings we’re most curious to watch, with stops at places like Georgia Tech, UCLA, Florida, Kentucky, and a few others. Which combinations are actually exciting? Which ones feel volatile? Which ones have the widest range of possible outcomes? And because it’s an offseason Q&A, we find room for the important stuff: wearing your team’s gear when things are bleak, whether video podcasts have raised the appearance bar, and Dan’s surprisingly spicy take on wearing sneakers with suits. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 3:09 - Mass CFB Exodus? 25:04 - Why Pat Fitzgerald? 38:39 - New QB-Coach Pairings?f 47:50 - Loser Sports Apparel? 53:00 - Texas Expectations? 59:46 - Norvell's Future? 1:06:03 - Old School Showbiz? Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 1 of our big May Q&A, we dig into some of the biggest questions hanging over college football right now, starting with Brendan Sorsby’s uncertain status at Texas Tech and what it could mean for the Big 12 race. We also get into the new single-window transfer portal calendar, the changing value of internal player development, and how roster construction is evolving in a sport where continuity, money, scouting, and plain old luck all seem to matter at once. From there, we zoom out to the SEC’s national championship drought, Texas’s non-conference schedule, the future structure of college football, and what a more stable version of the sport might look like by 2035. And naturally, we also find time for foot massagers, suspicious domain names, street-naming philosophies, and a little competitive geography talk. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 2:16 - Brendan Sorsby & Portal Buyers' Remorse 22:16 - Homegrown Talent 36:18 - Non-con Schedule Smoke 44:12 - SEC vs The Field 51:24 - CFB in 2035 1:07:45 - Street Naming Strategies Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bill Connelly from ESPN.com stops by to walk us through the post-spring college football landscape, fresh off turning in 7,000 words on the MAC and kicking off his annual conference preview series. We get into how the portal era has transformed his prep work, why the SEC has become a "horizontal" conference of strong middles, and which conferences are hardest to make sense of right now. Bill evaluates the Big 12 after the Brendan Sorsby news, talks up a few mid-major teams to watch, and explains why he still doesn't fully trust Texas the way the rest of the country does. We also dig into the Bob Chesney's roster build at UCLA, Oklahoma State's full offensive transfusion, Lane Kiffin's quarterback insurance policy, and what to make of the pairing of Bryce Underwood and Kyle Whittingham in Ann Arbor. Bill also shares his Alabama skepticism, his read on Indiana's encore, and why he's increasingly intrigued by Texas A&M. And, to close things out, a little World Cup talk in advance of this summer's tournament. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 4:05 - Bill Connelly joins the show Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just as we hit record, news broke that Texas Tech's Brendan Sorsby, one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the transfer portal this cycle, is checking into a treatment program for a gambling addiction, and is under NCAA investigation dating back to his time at Indiana. In this episode, we lead off with what it means for Texas Tech, and why this story is bigger than just one player in an era where sports betting has never been more accessible. Then, we're joined by fantasy football extraordinaire, Jason Moore of The Fantasy Footballers, for a crossover segment years in the making. Jason gives his advice for how our favorite college stars translate to fantasy football, talks through a uniquely thin fantasy class, and picks out his favorite landing spots among the biggest rookie names. Plus, he helps Ty through his issue of drafting too many rookies. When in doubt, just bet against the bad teams. Timecodes: 0:00 - Intro 4:19 - Brendan Sorsby seeks treatment for gambling problem 10:47 - Jason Moore of The Fantasy Footballers joins the show Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we're joined by Cole Cubelic (SEC Network, McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, The Cube Show) for an SEC vibe check. It's not a preview, just the temperature of the conference in late April. Cole pulls no punches on the reality facing SEC fan bases: Nick Saban's standards aren't coming back, sub-goals like winning the conference have been devalued, and we've collectively forgotten what a genuinely successful season looks like. The conversation weaves through Alabama's post-DeBoer hot seat chatter, Shane Beamer's underrated portal wizardry at South Carolina, why the Alex Golesh hire at Auburn matters more than who left in the portal, Texas's need for hard-hat glue guys to pair with its sports cars, and whether Lane Kiffin's LSU rebuild can actually cohere in year one. We also discuss the loss of program continuity in the transfer portal era, the new nine-game SEC schedule as a gauntlet-within-a-gauntlet, and a big wave of defensive coordinator turnover that could make September interesting. Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time for one of our favorite traditions: Our annual NFL Draft preview with Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports. Nate walks us through why the 2026 class should be defined by the word "useful" rather than "generational," how color-coded chips on his big board separate the truly elite from scheme-dependent prospects, and why the lack of consensus near the top could produce a first round full of surprises and trades. We talked through the most accurate comps and comparisons for Fernando Mendoza, the incredible Ohio State defensive factory, the Ty Simpson versus Garrett Nussmeier conversation, Jeremiyah Love's place among recently drafted running backs, Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq and Dillon Thieneman, a loaded class of offensive linemen and much more. Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time for an offseason thought experiment! In this episode, we run through eight "Ty-potheticals" — plausible scenarios for the 2026 season — and debate how they would go over within the Clemson, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Baylor, South Carolina, Colorado, Nebraska, and Michigan State fan bases. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 4:25 - Clemson 15:55 - Virginia Tech 24:57 - Alabama 36:22 - Baylor 46:20 - South Carolina 53:48 - Colorado 1:00:59 - Nebraska 1:11:12 - Michigan State Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spring football is ongoing, and the quarterback battles are starting to tell us what 2026 might look like. In this episode, we work through a few of the most unsettled QB rooms in the country, from a four-way competition out West to a pair of SEC jobs where the depth chart has been rewritten since December. We also dig into the teams we can't stop thinking about heading into the summer, including Notre Dame, Oregon, Miami, TCU, and Oklahoma State's intriguing first-year project. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 8:13 - Florida State's QB Race 16:49 - Arizona State's QB Race 22:44 - Florida's QB Race 27:18 - Alabama's QB Race 30:45 - Notre Dame's RB, WR, OL 37:55 - Oregon's Coordinators 41:43 - Miami's Line 49:02 - Rapid Fire Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the golf world turns its gaze to The Masters, we take a look at the truly elite in college football. In this episode, we debate the top quarterbacks and coaches in the sport. Which programs deserve "elite loser" status? Which 2026 schedules feature the most ridiculous gauntlets? And why does Dan still cringe about the time CNBC put him on the spot about Augusta National? Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 7:04 - Elite Losers 33:33 - Schedule Gauntlets 57:56 - Elite QBs 1:06:49 - Elite Coaches Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coach Jerry Mack led the Kennesaw State Owls from a 2-10 season in 2024 to a Conference USA championship in his first year in 2025, flipping the roster and the entire offensive scheme in the process. In this episode, he talks about what drew him to Kennesaw State, how he approaches roster construction in the transfer portal era, what he brought back from his time coaching in the NFL, what it takes to maintain stability through college football's most unstable era ever, and much more. Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we're taking a rare break from college football and dropping a long, off-topic episode to the feed. It's been nine years after the original Secret Garbage Bracket debuted, and we're bringing it back with an expanded 18-item field, two play-in games, and a fresh batch of submissions from the Verballerhood. The premise is the same as it was in 2017: take things that everyone seems to like, things that carry a high approval rating and rarely get questioned, and make the case that they're actually, secretly, kind of garbage. This year's bracket covers a wide range of things from modern life, from everyday conveniences and travel staples to entire cultural institutions and lifestyle choices. There are heated debates, a few philosophical tangents, and at least one matchup that spiraled into something neither of us expected. Fill out your own picks at https://garbage.solidverbal.com! Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro to the 2026 Secret Garbage Bracket 8:58 - Skinny Cans vs. Luxury Watches 14:33 - Haircut Industrial Complex vs. Podcasts on YouTube 22:11 - Cars 30:02 - Grocery Stores vs. Food Delivery Services 42:20 - Streaming Services vs. Carry-on Luggage 54:30 - ChatGPT vs. Greeting Cards 1:04:14 - The Future vs. Dog Parks 1:16:28 - Beach Vacations vs. Wireless Charging 1:25:20 - Miami Metro Area vs. Thought Leadership 1:34:40 - Short-form Content 1:38:05 - Elite Eight Matchups 1:43:33 - The Final Four 1:48:19 - The Championship 1:56:43 - Also Receiving Votes Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time for our annual college football business update, and we couldn't think of anyone better than our friend Matt Brown from Extra Points (ExtraPointsMB.com) to walk us through everything happening behind the scenes. From the revenue arms race to jersey patches to the SCORE Act, Matt breaks down the big-picture forces shaping every athletic department in the country. We talk about whether spending more money is actually worth it, what Congress can realistically do about college sports reform, which revenue streams matter more than fans think, and why the stadium experience still has a long way to go. Plus, a seedy video game pitch, a rining endorsement for Milwaukee, and Dan discovers Summerfest 2026. Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the one thing your college football team just can't figure out? In this episode, we work through listener submissions on the recurring issues that haunt fan bases year after year. From Arkansas's defensive drought to Mizzou's glass ceiling under Eli Drinkwitz, from Florida's institutional lag, to Oregon's quest to close out the biggest games. Plus, what gnaws at Texas, Michigan, Georgia, and USC fans despite all the talent those programs have stockpiled. We also riff on Iowa, Wisconsin, Alabama, and whether some coaches are simply hardwired to win one specific way. Timecodes: 0:00 - Intro 8:18 - Arkansas 16:43 - Georgia Tech 22:42 - Missouri 30:02 - Florida 40:08 - Oregon 48:07 - Texas 53:46 - Michigan 58:45 - Georgia 1:03:12 - USC 1:07:44 - Wisconsin 1:09:33 - Rapid Fire (Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Iowa, Alabama) Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

March Madness has a way of bringing old feelings back to the surface, and for college football fans, there's plenty of unresolved heartbreak left over from the 2025 season. In this college football episode, we introduce the Wiggum Scale, a Ralph Wiggum-inspired framework for rating the most devastating losses and collapses of the year. From Penn State's season-breaking double overtime loss to Oregon at a packed Beaver Stadium, to a South Carolina team that watched a 30-3 halftime lead against Texas A&M completely evaporate, to a botched extra point hold that may have cost Notre Dame a playoff berth, we make peace with more than a dozen moments that some fans may never want to feel again. Timecodes: 0:00 - Intro 7:43 - Omar Cooper Jr.'s catch 13:14 - Oregon derails Penn State's season 18:55 - West Virginia wins the Backyard Brawl 23:28 - Tyler Buchner's botched hold 30:54 - South Carolina gives away a 27-point lead 37:57 - Ole Miss falls just short against Miami 46:09 - Utah breaks Chris Klieman 51:27 - The 4th quarter of UNLV vs Air Force 53:40 - Georgia comes back on Tennessee 59:56 - Cal upsets SMU 1:04:13 - Rapid Fire: New Mexico beats SDSU, Montana State's wild FCS title, the Iron Bowl & the CFP National Championship Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we each picked eight transfers — four on offense, four on defense, one quarterback max — that we find most interesting heading into the 2026 season. Why these guys? It comes down to situation, scheme fit, prior production, and in some cases, just a gut feeling that something's about to click at the next stop. We get into the players following their coaches to new destinations, the quarterback pickups nobody saw coming, the edge rushers changing conferences, and the linebackers ready to take over defenses. The big themes keep coming up: how much does coaching familiarity actually matter, can G5 numbers translate to a Power 4 schedule, and what happens when a proven producer lands in a more stable situation? Timecodes: 0:00 - Intro 5:33 - Caleb Hawkins (Oklahoma State) 11:48 - Adam Mohammed (Cal) 19:06 - Ian Strong (Cal) 22:05 - Omarion Miller (Arizona State) 26:45 - Cutter Boley (Arizona State) 31:19 - Aaron Philo (Florida) 36:39 - JJ Buchanan (Michigan) 43:29 - Ben Brahmer (Penn State) 46:52 - Damon Wilson (Miami) 50:29 - Chaz Coleman (Tennessee) 53:44 - Devan Thompkins (Alabama) 56:39 - Austin Romaine (Texas Tech) 59:44 - Sammy Omosigho (UCLA) 1:03:53 - Cade Uluave (BYU) 1:05:49 - Jontez Williams (USC) 1:08:32 - DJ McKinney (Notre Dame) 1:10:26 - Kenny Minchey, DJ Lagway, Anthony Colandrea, Darian Mensah & Colton Joseph Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, win totals dropped for every Power 4 team. We did the responsible thing and polled the Verballerhood for it's initial response. In this episode, and hundreds of votes later, we broke down the totals that the community found most interesting and picked the side of the bet that we'd back now... in mid-March. Timecodes: 0:00 - Intro 4:02 - Let's Play Over/Under 6:47 - Alabama 15:22 - Ohio State 23:30 - Texas Tech 29:32 - Clemson 35:02 - Florida State 36:36 - Ole Miss 44:11 - Penn State 51:30 - BYU 57:56 - LSU Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The second part of our Mega March Q&A is here, and we're going deep on the questions that (apparently) matter most to the Verballerhood ahead of the 2026 season. Which teams could make a surprising playoff run? Where will college football's inertia be broken next season? Has the rapid pace of change in the sport diminished our love for it? When will the NCAA stop begging for help from Congress? Plus, the greatest "big back" of all time, college football figure skating pairings, football power plays and more. Timecodes: 0:00 - Intro 2:53 - Surprise Playoff Draft 15:03 - Breaking CFB Inertia 25:05 - Still Love CFB? 31:39 - Players As Employees? 38:33 - Favorite Big Back? 43:41 - CFB Docs? 49:03 - CFB Figure Skating Pairings 51:33 - Power Plays? 52:55 - G5 Contenders? 55:04 - QB Development? Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Verballerhood's questions were so good that we had to split our Mega March Q&A episode into two parts. In Part 1, we look at Kalen DeBoer's future with Alabama, the value of playing time as a recruiting tool for non-blue bloods, and the college football moments over the last 25 years that we'd most like to change. Plus, we discuss whether TV networks can force teams to stop canceling marquee matchups, how the Big 12 can become a two-bid league in the CFP era, the conditions for optimal tailgating, and much more. Timecodes: 0:00 - Intro 2:10 - Kalen DeBoer's Future at Alabama 14:17 - The Value of Playing Time 23:47 - Altering CFB History 35:04 - Canceling Marquee Matchups 44:54 - A Two-Bid Big 12 56:54 - Optimal Tailgating Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time for the annual college football checkup. In this episode, we put college football on the exam table and rate every major element of the sport from one to five. From conference structure and scheduling to the College Football Playoff, the TV product, on-field play, NIL, and the transfer portal, nothing escapes our stethoscope. Timecodes: 0:00 - Intro 3:42 - Key Themes for CFB in 2026 13:28 - Conference Structure 24:50 - Scheduling 33:42 - College Football Playoff 45:18 - The TV Product 53:02 - The On-Field Product 1:02:24 - NIL 1:11:43 - The Transfer Portal Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.