No more whimsical predictions. It's time to get serious and lock in our playoff picks before the season begins.

Yes, we made previous predictions in the winter, spring and earlier this summer, but those were fanciful ideas that come when the season is months away. But, let the record show: These are our final playoff predictions of the preseason.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams offer their 12 teams for the playoff. While they agree on some teams, they disagree on several. That includes multiple disagreements about SEC qualifiers.

Adams offers a sleeper from the SEC among his playoff picks, and he pulls a wild card for one of his final spots that leaves Toppmeyer speechless.

Meanwhile, Adams says one of Toppmeyer's playoff picks will be toast after Week 1.

Georgia is the runaway preseason No. 1 team, and it doesn't matter who's voting. The AP Poll matched the US LBM Coaches Poll in putting the Bulldogs atop the rankings, by a wide margin.

Georgia isn't the only loaded team, though. Ohio State bursts with All-America talent, too.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams examine Georgia's credentials as preseason No. 1, and they unpack the idea of the SEC pushing for more than five playoff bids. Yes, more than five.

So, why is Georgia No. 1 and not Ohio State?

Two words: Kirby Smart.

Georgia's coach is one of three active coaches who have won a national championship, and he's got two. That inspires confidence and expectations. Also, two more words: Carson Beck. Georgia returned its star quarterback, while Ohio State will rely on transfer Will Howard.

Later in the episode, the hosts highlight a couple of SEC teams that might leave themselves on the playoff bubble even if they finish 10-2.

The SEC crowded out the competition in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. Nine SEC teams are ranked. That’s three more ranked teams than even the Big Ten.

Who’s overrated? Who’s underrated? And does the SEC possess a playoff sleeper team lurking under the radar?

On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams unpack the preseason Top 25 and what it means for the College Football Playoff.

They consider only two teams to be threats to the SEC reclaiming the national championship: Ohio State and Oregon. They also discuss why the Big Ten might be closer in strength to the ACC or Big 12 than it is to the SEC.

And they examine the preseason top 12 and rate each team as “IN” or “OUT” of the College Football Playoff. Adams boots five preseason top-12 teams from his list of playoff qualifiers, while Toppmeyer nixes three top-12 teams from his playoff field.

Georgia football navigates another offseason marred by player disciplinary issues.

The latest: Wide receiver Rara Thomas faces a felony charge of child cruelty and multiple counts of family violence after his arrest last week. Thomas also got cited for three traffic incidents this offseason, adding to Georgia’s string of dangerous driving. Georgia suspended Thomas from the team indefinitely.

But, is Smart doing enough to slow Georgia's off-the-field incidents that keep piling up? And, could these disciplinary issues affect Georgia’s on-field performance?

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams weigh in on the situation at Georgia.

The hosts say Smart should levy more discipline. Start by dismissing Thomas from the program. In reality, Smart probably won't do much. Coaches have little incentive to be heavy-handed with player discipline. If a coach dismisses an athlete, he can transfer to a conference rival in no time. Plus, there’s no evidence that Georgia's off-field issues hamper the on-field product.

Maybe college football would be better served by conferences handling player discipline, rather than coaches and institutions.

Later in the episode, a look at Mark Stoops' blistering comments about Kentucky football’s NIL efforts. To hear Stoops tell it, UK is a shoestring operation run by an exhausted coach.

The mercury is rising on the SEC’s hot seat before the season even begins.

Multiple SEC coaches face potential make-or-break seasons. Sam Pittman (Arkansas) and Billy Napier (Florida) are battling the most heat prior to their openers, but Clark Lea (Vanderbilt) and Shane Beamer (South Carolina) also will encounter critical seasons.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams take the temperature of those four jobs.

Beamer is the only member of the quartet above .500 during his tenure, but the Gamecocks are coming off a season of regression. If Pittman’s record doesn’t rebound after last year’s tailspin, he could trigger a performance clause in his contract that would allow Arkansas to fire him for a discount. Napier’s Gators face one of the nation’s toughest schedules. Lea’s last SEC win came in 2022.

The hosts predict three of these four coaches will be fired, but they disagree on which three and debate the timing of the firings.

Greg Sankey says the SEC is 16 strong today and will remain at 16 strong tomorrow.

What about the day after that? How about next year? Sankey has less to say about that subject.

Meanwhile, fissures linger in the ACC. Florida State wants out of the ACC. The Seminoles and Clemson are both suing the ACC. That's not the sign of a league in harmony.

If FSU, Clemson and others defect, where would they go?

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss the possibility of additional SEC expansion and whether the SEC's standing would be damaged if FSU and Clemson wound up in the Big Ten.

The SEC might be content at 16, but the risk of standing on the sideline amid further realignment would be the Big Ten growing stronger and narrowing the competitive gap. Adding FSU and Clemson would bring the B1G closer to the SEC. And, for the first time, the Big Ten would penetrate the South.

Later in the episode, Toppmeyer and Adams react to some of Nick Saban's spiciest quotes from SEC media days.

If Georgia is No. 1 in the SEC, then who's No. 2?

The media who cover the SEC will vote to predict the standings next week. The elimination of divisions adds intrigue to the vote. The Bulldogs likely will be picked to win the conference.

But, will the media go with newcomer Texas at No. 2? Or, maybe blue blood Alabama? Others like Ole Miss shouldn't be ignored, either.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams weigh in on who they expect to be No. 2 in the media's vote. They also offer how they're predicting the top five spots in the SEC standings. They agree on Georgia at No. 1, but then the debate gets interesting. Alabama barely makes their top-five cut.

Later in the episode, Toppmeyer shares insights from his recent interview with Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, who is embracing lofty Year 1 expectations.

The move that put the realignment carousel into motion three years ago finally is complete. Oklahoma and Texas are members of the SEC, and the nation's most powerful conference literally partied for days in celebration.

The realignment of this conference and these brands was enough to shake up college sports. This marks the third SEC expansion in the past four decades. Oklahoma and Texas are the SEC's best-ever expansion prize.

But, who's No. 1?

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate which of these two powers is the top plunder for the SEC. On this, they agree: Oklahoma and Texas outweigh any of the SEC's past additions, but they disagree whether the Sooners or Longhorns rank as the signature prize.

When the clock struck midnight on July 1, the SEC tweeted first to welcome Texas. Then, it welcomed Oklahoma. Also, the SEC Network visited Austin for a live broadcast before maneuvering to Norman a day later. Should we make anything of that? Is Texas the top add?

Perhaps not.

As a 16-team conference with Oklahoma and Texas on board, the SEC is an undeniable super league.

The SEC doesn't need to expand again. But, don't rule out the SEC wanting to, especially if the ACC fractures.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey says the conference is focused on its current membership, but he didn't entirely shut down the idea of further expansion, when asked directly.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams unpack Sankey's comments and why they might point toward the possibility of the SEC becoming interested in ACC members, if the ACC's media rights deal doesn't hold.

Florida State and Clemson are suing the ACC, amid an ongoing battle with the ACC's contract that has, thus far, glued its membership in place.

Toppmeyer and Adams offer differing opinions on which four ACC schools the SEC should target, should those schools become available.

Later in the episode, an examination of the College Football Hall of Fame candidacies of Mike Leach and Les Miles.

You’ve heard of hot takes. You’re probably familiar with cold takes.

But, do you know of lukewarm takes?

They might be the truest predictions of all, and hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams are serving a helping of those lukewarm SEC football takes on today’s episode.

What constitutes a lukewarm take? It’s an against-the-grain prediction that doesn’t rise to the piping-hot level of a hot take.

A surprise SEC team will be ranked come October? Yep. We’ve got an idea about which one.

How many coaches will be fired? Several. More than the number who are on the hot seat right now.

A sleeper in the Heisman Trophy race? Certainly. Call your bookie with this bet.

Also, are Missouri and Ole Miss actually playoff teams? Thoughts on that, too.

Later in the episode, an examination of ESPN’s Football Power Index and some peculiarities within the teams it projects to be top playoff contenders.