College Football Unfiltered

Dabo Swinney named names. The Clemson coach is blowing the whistle with allegations of tampering by an SEC school. 

Swinney says he's decided to sic the feeble NCAA on Mississippi coach Pete Golding, after Swinney accused the Rebels coach of tampering to plunder a player off Clemson's roster.

Oh, boy.

On the one hand, kudos to Swinney for actually naming names. Many coaches bellyache of tampering, but few come with any evidence or firm accusations. Swinney broke the mold.

On the other hand, big whoop. Someone might need to inform Swinney that he'd have better luck getting justice from the Keystone Cops than NCAA enforcement.

While it's hard to fault Swinney for being frustrated, especially if it all went down like he claims, he better not get his hopes up. In case Swinney hadn't noticed, the NCAA hasn't effectively enforced its rules for many years now.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams react to Swinney blowing the whistle on Ole Miss and what they expect to come of it. (Hint: Not much.)

Before they get to Swinney, the hosts weigh in on USA TODAY's "too early" top 25 rankings for the 2026 season. They highlight some SEC teams that are overrated and a couple that might be underrated.

Adams gets sucked into the hype machine for one SEC team, in particular. Toppmeyer is tempted to buy stock in an unranked SEC team with a new coach that's making noise in the transfer portal.

When Indiana won its first national championship in program history, the Hoosiers shattered college football's permission structure. Fans could always hope. Now, Indiana gave fans of lovable losers permission to believe.

Who cares about history? That matters less than ever.

That should be good news for a few programs inside the SEC.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate whether the "next Indiana" could be located inside the SEC. They highlight a few contenders, but perhaps none fits the profile better than Kentucky. The Wildcats have a doormat's history, but they're cooking in the transfer portal behind new coach Will Stein. You don't get to where Indiana got on a wish and a prayer, though. Programs like Kentucky, Arkansas and South Carolina must study how Curt Cignetti built this undefeated squad.

Later in the episode, the hosts discuss why no SEC schools made a hire from the Cignetti mold. Would a program like Auburn or Florida have been better off hiring an older coach with a longer track record?

The mighty SEC has fallen off its perch. It no longer rules college football. For the third straight season, the SEC has been shut out of the national championship game. If Indiana beats Miami, that will mark three straight national titles for the Big Ten.

How does the SEC get the crown back?

Start in Texas. The Longhorns failed to live up to the hype in Arch Manning's first season as starter, but they finished the year in strong fashion. The conversation for 2026 SEC frontrunners starts in Austin. Just consider what Steve Sarkisian is doing in the transfer portal, where he secured a premier wide receiver to pair with Manning.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate whether they're ready to buy in on more Texas hype after the Longhorns wilted in the spotlight this season. They also discuss why they're a bit hesitant to go all-in on LSU in Lane Kiffin's first season, even after the Tigers nabbed quarterback Sam Leavitt in the transfer portal.

Then, they pivot to Alabama. The Tide have a problem, but it's not Kalen DeBoer. Finally, they issue their picks for the national championship game.

The SEC's hopes rest on the shoulders of Trinidad Chambliss and Ole Miss. While most of the SEC flopped in the postseason, the Rebels have become the toast of college football, as they continue to win even after Lane Kiffin's exit.

Can the Rebels reach the finish line? If so, can the Heisman Trophy redirect its way into Chambliss' hands? The latter won't happen. The former? Maybe.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate why the SEC has fallen off its throne as college football's almighty overlord. Toppmeyer says Alabama's whimpering finish under Indiana's fist at the Rose Bowl shows just how far the SEC has fallen. He compares the Tide to a Big Ten team that finished 9-4. The hosts discuss how much better, if at all, Alabama would be right now if Nick Saban still coached the Tide.

Adams assesses where he'd rank Ole Miss in the pecking order of playoff semifinalists, and the hosts make their Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl picks against the spread.

Also, Toppmeyer fesses up: He wishes he could make one change to his Heisman ballot, involving an SEC quarterback.

The Big Ten is thriving so far this postseason. With a couple of exceptions, the SEC is wilting.

And what of the coaching carousel? Did the Big Ten club the SEC there, too? You could make that case.

LSU scored the big fish by securing Lane Kiffin. Mostly, though, SEC schools hired promising but largely unproven up and comers, while Big Ten schools like Michigan and Penn State landed veteran winners with solid resumes.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams evaluate which conference did it better in this hiring cycle. They also debate which conference has the more complete roster of coaches. And they discuss which SEC schools would have been well-served by hiring Kyle Whittingham, who wound up at Michigan.

Later in the episode, the hosts unpack the College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchups, including what's at stake for Kalen DeBoer in Alabama-Indiana and whether Mississippi plays with house money in a rematch with Georgia.

The College Football Playoff’s first round served two competitive games and two blowouts. The reaction to that: Many fans and media types are demanding a change to the CFP bracket format.

Is that an overreaction to two lopsided games, or a worthy response? Let’s remember, last year’s playoff served up four first-round duds. So, at least this year provided an upgrade. That doesn’t mean this system is perfect.

On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and Matt Hayes weigh in on the big CFP debate — just how badly does this format require revision?

Toppmeyer says we must face reality that there’s no escaping the possibility of blowouts. He’s unwilling to pin this squarely on the Group of Five. After all, no G5 teams were involved in playoff blowouts last season.

Even so, he’s open-minded to Hayes' ideas for playoff revision: Get rid of the automatic bids. Have the committee select the full field. But, first, fire athletic directors from the committee.

Later in the episode, the hosts preview the quarterfinals. They examine Miami’s potential to upset Ohio State and debate whether Alabama is for real or not.

Diego Pavia reacted to his second-place Heisman Trophy finish as only he would.

"F all the voters," Vanderbilt's quarterback wrote on social media.

Hey, he's talking about us! We're the voters.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams reveal their Heisman Trophy ballots and sound off on Pavia's response to not winning. 

We take no significant offense to Pavia criticizing sportswriters and their votes. After all, sportswriters are critics. We can handle the blowback (even if we voted for Pavia). But, Pavia's reaction took some of the spotlight away from Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. That's where he erred.

Also in this episode, a discussion of whether Kalen DeBoer is making the right move pledging allegiance to Alabamawhile the Michigan job sits open.

Finally, College Football Playoff picks against the spread!

Did the CFP committee get the playoff bracket right? Well, that depends on your perspective and your rooting interests. The bubble became awfully crowded, so not everyone was going to come away happy.

Overall, Alabama and Miami seem like fair choices, but the course the committee charted to reach that destination became an exercise of the absurd.

On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams offer their biggest grievances with this bracket – and with this committee – and propose a different way to approach the playoff.

Is this season cause for playoff expansion? Not necessarily. There’s an argument for 16 teams, but there’s also a case for staying at 12 and dumping automatic bids in favor of a bracket filled exclusively through at-large bids. Let’s reconsider who gets to be on the CFP committee.

Also in this episode, the hosts discuss potential playoff upsets, and they predict the national champion.

If you’d formed a list of candidates LSU should pursue after it fired Brian Kelly, it might have looked like this:

1. Lane Kiffin

2. Revert to option 1 and get it done.

LSU got it done. Lane has landed in Baton Rouge. Now, what does it all mean?

For Kiffin, leaving Ole Miss on the doorstep of the playoff marks a sharp pivot in his redemption story and revives his renegade past. At LSU, he'll enjoy every advantage to win a national championship.

Ole Miss opted for stability in a moment of turmoil and promoted coordinator Pete Golding to coach. How will the transition affect the Rebels in the playoff?

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams grade the hire for LSU and weigh in on whether Ole Miss made the right call in not allowing Kiffin to coach the playoff. Adams logs a prediction for whether Kiffin will win a national championship with LSU, while Toppmeyer shares thoughts on what Kiffin's career pivot will mean for his legacy.

Later in the episode, the hosts react to the other hires in the SEC in what's become a coaching carousel unlike any other. Finally, they predict national championship games against the spread.

Two SEC schools will lose the Lane Kiffin sweepstakes. To the victor goes Kiffin, and all that accompanies this mercurial renegade. To the losers go ... a coaching search.

In the meantime, Kiffin's current team pursues a playoff bid. Ole Miss must win the Egg Bowl to solidify its playoff footing. Never mind the Kiffin drama, says Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, because the team remains "locked in" on winning the Egg Bowl and reaching the playoff.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams unpack the latest developments in the soap opera starring Kiffin, as his decision day nears, and they log their predictions for where he'll be coaching next season. They also weigh in on a few potential Florida candidates if the Gators lose the Kiffin sweepstakes. A couple of ACC coaches could fit the bill for UF.

The hosts also consider: If Tulane coach Jon Sumrall has his choice between Auburn and Ole Miss, which is the better option?

Later in the episode, they debate the playoff likelihood for three SEC teams that sit on a crowded bubble. Finally, Week 14 picks against the spread!