Show Pony Live!

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What a weekend. And now we have a Florida State coaching search to throw into the middle of everything.

My longtime Full Ride partner, Rick Neuheisel, joins me for a special Sunday edition of Show Pony Live to work through Week 9, the coaching carousel, and a few moments that remind us why we love this sport so damn much.

Florida State is open. What happens now?

We discuss the Seminoles’ next move, what this job represents, and Rick Stockstill stepping in as interim head coach. For Stock, there’s something pretty special about getting this opportunity at his alma mater. What can he bring to a program that needs some direction—and what should Florida State prioritize in its search?

USC gets its moment. Ohio State gets some uncomfortable questions.

Lincoln Riley and the Trojans earned a win they badly needed. What does beating Ohio State do for USC’s confidence, its season, and the conversation around Riley?

For the Buckeyes, we examine the impact of Julian Sayin’s absence, the challenge of turning to an inexperienced quarterback, and how quickly a team’s outlook can change. In the portal era, keeping quality depth behind your starter is one hell of a balancing act.

The beauty at the end of the Indiana game—and the mistakes along the way.

There was so much to appreciate about that finish. The emotion. The relief. Everything that makes college football worth spending our Saturdays watching.

But winning doesn’t mean every decision was right. Rick and I discuss where Curt Cignetti made mistakes, how Indiana navigated the finish, and what we can learn from a game that deserves more than a quick glance at the final score.

Plus, more from around Week 9 and a preview of the conversations we’ll carry into Full Ride on SiriusXM College Sports Radio, channel 84.

Pour something cold and join us.

🎙️ Show Pony University starts this week!

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* Topics: Finding compelling angles and building your Topic Tree.

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🍯 Thanks to AR’s Hot Honey

AR’s Hot Honey, proud founding sponsor of Show Pony Media.

Give your next pizza, wings, or game-day spread a little sweet heat. Use code SHOWPONY15 when you order, and tell them the Show Pony sent you.

🪑 Thanks to 4Topps Premium Seating

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Their AIRdirondack chairs bring comfortable, quick-drying mesh seating to your patio, backyard, or game-day gathering—with less maintenance and more time to enjoy the game.

Thank you to both sponsors for supporting independent sports media and helping make these conversations possible.

Watch. Listen. Ride along.

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Thanks for being part of this. —Chris

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The Big 12 never seems interested in giving us a quiet week.

Ari Temkin joins me on Show Pony Live to sort through a conference where the race on the field is only part of the story. We get into Utah, BYU, Texas Tech, the Baylor coaching opening, and the people holding the power behind the scenes.

Why not Utah? We talk about the Utes’ place in this race and the opportunity in front of them as we head into Week 9.

How does BYU respond? A loss changes the conversation in a hurry. We discuss the Cougars and where they go from here.

And who’s really calling the shots at Texas Tech? Cody Campbell’s influence raises some fascinating questions about money, expectations, and power in college football. When someone invests that much in a program, how much say comes with it? And what happens when the results don’t match the investment?

Then there’s Baylor’s coaching opening. We discuss the job, the expectations, and where the Bears fit in a league where everybody sees a path to winning—and nobody wants to be patient.

That’s part of what makes this conference so much fun to cover. Opportunity is everywhere. So is pressure.

Ari is always a great guy to kick this stuff around with. If you follow the Big 12—or just enjoy trying to make sense of this wonderfully chaotic sport—come hang out with us.

Bring the stadium experience home with 4Topps

Show Pony Live is presented by 4Topps Premium Seating.

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A little sweet. A little heat.

AR’s Hot Honey is the proud founding sponsor of Show Pony Media.

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Keep riding with Show Pony

🐎 Subscribe to Show Pony Media for more interviews, college football conversation, and writing from me.

Become a paid subscriber for premium columns and members-only conversations. Your support helps me keep building this independent home for the stories and conversations I care about.

🎙️ Want to build your own broadcasting voice? The next Show Pony University class starts November 3: four weeks on Zoom covering topic development, interviewing, hooks, and finding your voice. Visit ShowPonyMedia.com for information and registration.

And if you enjoyed today’s show, follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify, subscribe on YouTube, and share this episode with a friend.

Thanks for riding with us.

—Chris

What happens when a college football booster spends big and starts asking for a return on his investment?

Trey Wallace of OutKick joins me on Show Pony Live to talk about Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell, the expectations that come with pouring money into a program, and what it all says about the changing business of college football.

We also head to Los Angeles, where Lincoln Riley and USC are facing a huge game against Ohio State. How much pressure is Riley under, and how does his reported $70 million buyout factor into his future?

Then there’s Arch Manning and Texas. The Longhorns survived Ole Miss, but another second-half scare had fans in Austin reaching for the antacids. Trey and I discuss what he saw from Arch and what to make of Texas moving forward.

We also react to my conversation with Kansas coach Lance Leipold and a question that shows just how thin the line can be in this business: If Kansas doesn’t block that field goal against Baylor, is Dave Aranda still the Bears’ coach?

And because this is Show Pony Live, we make a stop at the honky-tonk. I got an early listen to Kaitlin Butts’ new record, and I’m officially obsessed. It’s the kind of old-school, storytelling country music that makes you feel like you’re sitting in a backwoods dive bar. I can’t wait for you to hear it.

🎧 Subscribe to Show Pony Live on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watch on YouTube. It’s a big help as we continue growing Show Pony Media.

Did you miss yesterday’s Show with Kansas coach Lance Leipold, fresh off the Jayhawks big win over Kansas, catch up here!

Thanks to Sponsors 4Topps Premium Seating and AR’s Hot Honey for making Show Pony Sports Media possible.

🐎 Thanks for being part of the ride!

Also check out new work from my website, recently named a Sustack Bestseller and listed on the Top 100 new bestsellers list!

Including this premium piece.

and these free articles including a look at why political ads during college football Saturday’s are toxic and America can do better.

How are you enjoying Show Pony Media so far this season as I learn, evolve and build something I hope you find special. Leave a comment below to let me know what you have enjoyed so far and what you what more of or different. I am all ears!

College football gave us plenty to talk about in Week 8—and Kansas head coach Lance Leipold joins me for a look inside his program on the latest episode of Show Pony Live.

First, I share my reactions to the weekend: BYU’s loss, Alabama’s win, Shane Beamer continuing to prove people wrong, and Arch Manning getting a little redemption at Texas.

Then Coach Leipold stops by to talk about Kansas’ win over Baylor, the blocked field goal, and what’s ahead against TCU. We also get into the bigger picture: what it takes to build a program in today’s college football world and what goes on behind the scenes at Kansas.

I really enjoyed this conversation, and I hope you do, too.

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If you enjoy the show, please follow or subscribe wherever you listen. It’s a simple way to help more people find what we’re building here at Show Pony Media, and I really appreciate it.

Our sponsors

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Interested in information about Show Pony University? New class starts November 3rd!

How do you feel about your team going into week 8? Leave a comment below.

Friday night. A whole Saturday of college football ahead of us. Plenty on my mind.

So I fired up a special solo edition of Show Pony Live to get us ready for Week 8—and work through a few things with my fellow college football obsessives.

We start with Arch Manning, Steve Sarkisian and a Texas offense that has created far more questions than answers. Arch has to play better. We know that. But how much responsibility belongs to the guy calling the plays? Are we watching a quarterback struggle to find himself, a coach struggle to reach his quarterback, or some combination of both?

With Ole Miss coming to town, those questions take on a little more urgency. I get into what I’m watching for and why the conversation has to go beyond simply declaring Arch good or bad.

Then there’s Michigan. Can a quarterback change give the Wolverines new life against Indiana? Sometimes a change provides a spark. Sometimes it reveals that the problems run deeper. We’ll find out plenty Saturday.

I also share my thoughts on the Maryland job, how I view that opportunity and what matters when evaluating a coaching job in this version of college football.

And I spend some time on something I wrote about this week: college football media needs less manosphere and more Keith Jackson.

I love having fun. I love a strong opinion. You know that about me. But I also love the traditions, the storytelling and the people who make this sport feel like something worth handing down to your kids. There is an audience for treating those things with care. I’m part of it, and I suspect a lot of you are, too.

That’s the spirit of tonight’s show. A little debate, a little perspective and a whole lot of love for the sport.

Watch or listen to the full episode above, then tell me in the comments: What’s the biggest thing you need to see Saturday?

Thanks for spending part of your weekend with me. If you enjoy these shows, please subscribe to Show Pony Media on YouTube, follow Show Pony Live on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this episode with a friend.

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Presented by 4Topps and AR’s Hot Honey. Thanks to both for helping keep this Pony running. Use SHOWPONY15 when ordering from AR’s Hot Honey!

I think Heather Dinich is the best of the best.

The reporting, the writing, the preparation—she brings it every time. When college football gets completely sideways and everybody has an opinion, Heather is someone I trust to help make sense of it.

Today, the ESPN college football insider joins me on Show Pony Live to discuss the chaos of this season and the headache facing the College Football Playoff selection committee.

But there’s a lot more to Heather than the job you see her doing on television.

She’s a mom, a wife and a writer with an upcoming book, Never Flinch: On Football, Family, and Finding My Seat at the Table. We talk about her journey, family and building a career in a demanding business while making time for the people who matter most.

I admire the work. I admire the person. I’m thrilled to share this conversation with you.

Show Pony Live is presented by 4Topps and AR’s Hot Honey.

🪑 4Topps: Bring premium stadium comfort home with the AIRdirondack chair. Shop here.

🍯 AR’s Hot Honey: Give your next pizza, wings or game-day spread a little sweet heat. Use code SHOWPONY15 at checkout.

Keep riding with the Pony:

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Thanks for supporting what I’m building. It means more than you know.

College Football Chaos with Rick Neuheisel | Is a 24-Team Playoff Really So Crazy?

I hated the idea of a 24-team playoff. Then Saturday happened.

Rick Neuheisel joins me for a special Sunday edition of Show Pony Live to sort through a wild college football weekend—and talk about why expanding the playoff might create more drama, more meaningful games and more reasons to care.

What would a bigger field do to the regular season? Can we keep the stakes high while giving more teams something to chase? The Coach and the Pony have plenty to discuss.

Plus, I share stories from my trip to Knoxville working for Morgan Wallen Radio: interviewing fans in the tailgates about the Vols, Morgan and why college football means so much to them. Spending a Saturday surrounded by that passion gives this whole conversation a different perspective.

READ TODAY’S COLUMN“I Hated the 24-Team Playoff. Then…”https://www.showponymedia.com/p/i-hated-the-24-team-playoff-then

PRESENTED BY 4TOPPS AND AR’S HOT HONEY

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Read it. Watch it. Listen. Come hang out. Thanks for being part of Show Pony Media!

College football’s next big shakeup could be a 24-team playoff. Why that number—and who’s pushing to make it happen?

Trey Wallace of FOX Sports joins Show Pony Live with insight from his conversations with television executives and people inside college football. We discuss how expansion could come together, why there’s momentum behind it and how the television business could shape the entire process.

Could ESPN carry the full playoff package and sell select games to FOX or other networks? What’s driving the push for more teams, more games and more inventory? Trey takes us inside those discussions.

Plus, we preview Indiana–Ohio State and Tennessee–Alabama.

Show Pony Live is presented by 4Topps and AR’s Hot Honey. Bring stadium-quality comfort home with the 4Topps AIRdirondack, and give your next game-day meal an upgrade with AR’s Hot Honey. Use code SHOWPONY15 at ARsHotHoney.com.

🐎 Subscribers: Join me tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern for our members-only Zoom! Bring your questions about college football, Full Ride, life behind the microphone or whatever’s on your mind. This is your chance to jump into the conversation. Find the Zoom link in your subscriber post.

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Mike Ditka was exactly who you thought he was: gritty, tough and unapologetically himself.

Former Bears quarterback Mike Tomczak joins me on Show Pony Live to honor his former coach and remember what it was like to play for a Chicago icon. We talk about Ditka’s intensity, the toughness he demanded and the lasting impression he left on the men who played for him.

For those of us who grew up loving the Bears, Ditka was more than a coach. He embodied Chicago. Today, we remember him with someone who knew that fire firsthand.

Make your spot for football the best seat in the house with 4Topps. Their AIRdirondack brings the premium mesh seating they install at stadiums across the country to your own deck or patio. I’ve been enjoying mine on the deck this fall, watching football—and I love it. Shop the AIRdirondack here.

And bring some heat to your game-day food with AR’s Hot Honey. I eat this stuff every day. Pizza, chicken—even my Chick-fil-A gets the AR’s treatment. I’m telling you, this isn’t just any hot honey. Try it yourself at ARsHotHoney.com and use code SHOWPONY15 for 15% off.

Thanks to 4Topps and AR’s Hot Honey for sponsoring Show Pony Live!

ESPN’s Matt Barrie joins Chris Childers on Show Pony Live to break down Oklahoma’s Red River win—and what it means for the Sooners moving forward.

Matt was in Dallas for SEC Nation and shares his perspective from one of college football’s biggest rivalry weekends. We also dig into Lane Kiffin’s struggles in Baton Rouge and the conversation surrounding Arch Manning’s stock. How much has the outlook changed, and where do we go from here?

Big brands, big expectations, and plenty to debate.

🪑 4Topps: Check out the AIRdirondack chair and more at 4Topps.com. These are the same premium mesh chairs you enjoy at your local college football stadium, made by the same company but now designed for your home! Shop the Airdirondack from 4Topps now!

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