Phantom Island

ESPN's Bill Connelly joins Steven Godfrey to discuss the 24-team playoff, including what "expanded access" will actually look like, the impact of losing conference title games, the shifting sympathies for the first team out, and much more.

This is a preview of the full episode, which is available to paid subscribers – go to phantomisland.show to sign up today. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

With Maryland parting ways with Mike Locksley, Steven Godfrey and Ryan Nanni ring the opening bell on the 2026 coaching carousel by examining the theory that a shallow candidate pool has made schools more patient. Which names should you expect to see on early lists as jobs open, how much do those lists shift depending on the program, and who might change their fortunes down the stretch?

This is a preview of the full episode, which is available to paid subscribers – go to phantomisland.show to sign up today. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

FloWrestling's Jon Kozak joins Ryan Nanni to discuss how 5-for-5/NIL/the transfer portal/the Protect College Sports Act have altered the landscape of men's collegiate wrestling, what the future looks like for women's wrestling in the NCAA, and the best way to get your start as a fan of the sport. (Bonus: There's a Steven Godfrey story about his own history as a wrestler.) Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

The recent major motion picture Digger has provoked backlash from critics and generated disappointing box office numbers. It has also inspired social media user No Escalators, who usually spends his time advocating on behalf of UConn sports, to campaign on behalf of the film with incredible fervor. On this episode, Ryan talks to Mr. Escalators and special guest Jason Kirk about the movie, what might be driving the bad reviews, and the process of defending a box office bomb (and future cult classic?) online. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

Ryan Nanni and Steven Godfrey review the discussion surrounding Deshaun Watson's early success on the field this season, examine the baseline narrative football embraces compared to basketball and baseball, and consider why some of the league's media partners lump everything under the adversity level.

This is a preview of the full episode, which is available to paid subscribers – go to phantomisland.show to sign up today. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

Matt Stahl of AL.com joins Ryan Nanni to discuss his recent stories on college football's problem with extreme heat, what teams and conferences can do to address warmer games early in the season, why NFL fixes prove harder to apply to this level, and whether anything will actually change moving forward. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

David Covucci, founder and proprietor of FOIAball, joins Steven Godfrey to discuss the growing push to tap fans as sources of revenue for college athletic departments, from rising ticket prices to pleas to donate your grocery store rewards points. How does the new era of fundraising change the relationship between fans and schools, and what does it mean for the future of the sport to lean even more heavily on its audience for cash?

This is a preview of the full episode, which is available to paid subscribers – go to phantomisland.show to sign up today. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

Brian Shearer, the Director of Competition and Regulatory Policy at the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator, joins Ryan Nanni to discuss a recent paper put out by his team titled "How to Save Audiences $11 Billion on Live Events." They discuss the differences between sports crowds and concert audiences, why franchises and owners haven't spoken out against the ticket companies as musicians have, and what the prospects for regulatory improvement look like. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

Members of the Phantom Island community send Steven Godfrey questions, and, on this episode, he answers them on topics ranging from what USC really wants from a coach, what the trajectories look like for a couple of previously hot coaching prospects off to slow starts, why things are working so well for Chip Kelly at his latest stop, and an extended soliloquy about coffee making.

This is a preview of the full episode, which is available to paid subscribers – go to phantomisland.show to sign up today. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

Parker Fleming joins Steven Godfrey to discuss explosive plays in college football, why they matter more in a game where tempo has started to fade, the differences between explosive runs and explosive passes, how to possibly find more explosives in the portal, and much more.

This is a preview of the full episode, which is available to paid subscribers – go to phantomisland.show to sign up today. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.