College Football Unfiltered

As many as 10 or more SEC football teams might be ranked in the preseason top 25, but the playoff chances of those teams are far from equal.

Take, for instance, Texas and South Carolina. While they might be about 10 spots apart in the rankings, their playoff outlooks are dramatically different. Some SEC teams enjoy schedules built for playoff qualification, while others face doomsday schedules.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams evaluate the playoff chance of each SEC team, putting the teams into one of four buckets: great chance, good chance, some chance or no chance.

Only two teams earn "great chance" ratings, but many more are assigned some hope, while multiple teams that are expected to be ranked nonetheless fall into the "no chance" category.

Also in this episode, now that Jalen Hurts is a Super Bowl champion, who gets to claim him? Alabama, or Oklahoma?

No SEC quarterback is more proven than Garrett Nussmeier, but if you're building a depth chart, would you go with the LSU quarterback first, or gamble on the upside of Texas' Arch Manning or Florida's DJ Lagway? 

Our annual SEC quarterback draft is back!

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams go head-to-head trying to build the best four-deep roster of SEC quarterbacks.

Adams makes a safe choice with his No. 1 pick, then gambles with a couple of quarterbacks who haven't yet proven themselves in the SEC. Toppmeyer counters with a barrage of sophomore quarterbacks, headlined by a new starter with his top pick.

Later in the episode, the hosts debate whether spring football games are on the verge of extinction.

The SEC endured a rough showing this season. Short-term problem? USA TODAY's too-early preseason top 25 suggests as much. The rankings are loaded with SEC teams, but is it too much love?

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams react to the rankings and offer verdicts of overrated, underrated or just right for each SEC team. 

Mostly, they think SEC teams are being overrated, including teams like Alabama and Georgia that face quarterback transitions. But, they're especially bullish on a couple of SEC teams, and they identify two SEC teams that the rankings snubbed.

Kalen DeBoer needs a quarterback. Now, who's it going to be?

Alabama took a turn for the worse in DeBoer's first season, despite him inheriting a proven starter in Jalen Milroe. The position heads toward an uncertain future. Ominous or opportunity?

On today's episode, Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network is joined by Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News to unpack Alabama's quarterback situation, one of the most interesting position battles of the SEC's offseason. Ty Simpson headlines the competition, but is that a good thing? Did DeBoer blunder by not securing a transfer?

Later in the episode, the hosts highlight what they'd change about the expanded College Football Playoff.

Let Arch-a-palooza begin. 

The Quinn Ewers era at Texas sunsets after the Longhorns lost to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Arch Manning takes the keys to the Texas engine now, and the hype for Manning leaps off the charts.

But, what are fair expectations for Manning in 2025?

On today's episode, host Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network is joined by David Eckert of the Austin American-Statesman as they preview what we should expect from Manning.

They also offer their top tier of SEC quarterbacks for next season and project where Manning fits into that mix.

Later in the episode, Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald joins to discuss the impact of Carson Beck's transfer from Georgia to Miami and previews the Bulldogs' quarterback situation for next season.

The SEC helped engineer the 12-team playoff. The powerhouse conference ruled the BCS. It dominated the four-team playoff. And, it planned to rule this format. Four bids? Five bids? More?

A mirage, the SEC's vision became.

The SEC regressed this season. The conference ain't what it used to be. As the College Football Playoff semifinals arrive, Texas stands as the SEC's lone representative. The Longhorns joined the conference a mere six months ago. They're an underdog against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

For the second straight season, the SEC could produce no team in the national championship game. What gives?

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams examine the SEC's downfall and how extreme it is. They unpack the reasons for why it occurred – from Nick Saban's retirement to NIL to transfer movement – and they highlight a few teams that stand to fill the conference's power vacuum.

Finally, CFP semifinals picks against the spread!

More teams, more drama, more bellyaching.

The College Football Playoff's first round served a series of blowouts, resulting in blowback that the selection committee whiffed on its at-large picks. 

But, is the committee really to blame for the first-round drubbings, and if so, which teams would have been better qualifiers?

Hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate that question on today's episode, offering diverging viewpoints.

They also discuss which team impressed them most in the first round and highlight a frontrunner to win the national championship.

Finally, they make their quarterfinal picks against the spread!

Georgia earned the bye, but which SEC team received the best College Football Playoff draw? That’s difficult to answer. The second-seeded Bulldogs are one step closer to the national championship game than either Texas (No. 5 seed) or Tennessee (No. 9 seed).

However, Texas will open at home against 12th-seeded Clemson, the playoff’s only three-loss team, before a potential quarterfinal against Arizona State, which is seeded No. 4 but ranked No. 12.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate which SEC team received the best avenue to be the last team standing in the CFP.

They agree Tennessee received the toughest draw, but disagree on whether Georgia or Texas landed the better bracket position.

Later in the episode, they react to Oklahoma’s transfer exodus and weigh in on Auburn nabbing transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold.

Finally, first-round CFP picks against the spread!

Missing the inaugural 12-team playoff leaves Alabama feeling out of sorts - and evaluating its schedule.

In the wake of the College Football Playoff selection committee choosing SMU over Alabama for the final playoff bid, UA athletics director Greg Byrne indicated the football program will consider watering down its future non-conference schedules. 

Never mind that Alabama's three losses came against conference opponents.

On today's episode, host Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network is joined by Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News as they debate the committee's SMU selection and dissect whether Byrne's stance on scheduling makes sense.

Later in the episode, they discuss whether Carson Beck's injury affects Georgia's playoff outlook, and Goodbread stumps for eliminating the SEC championship game.

Will the College Football Playoff committee have the gall to deny the Script A and the allure that comes with Alabama a spot in the 12-team bracket?

More to the point, will the committee be more interested in Alabama’s lofty strength of schedule, or its miserable showing in a blowout loss at Oklahoma?

Miami’s loss to Syracuse left a playoff spot up for grabs. Top contenders for the bid include a trio of three-loss SEC teams(Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina), plus Miami.

Who gets the bid?

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams evaluate the bubble and assess how the selection committee will make heads or tails of this messy web of teams. The committee tends to salivate over Alabama.

Later, they preview the SEC championship game and make their picks against the spread!