The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast

Fox Sports’ lead College Football analyst Joel Klatt reacts to the first games of the college football season as Week Zero officially kicked off the year. He begins by reacting to #14 USC’s 16-point win over San Jose State and dives into whether Trojan fans should be excited or concerned with what they saw from the Trojans – and also gives his thoughts on the low fan attendance at the Coliseum for the opener. Klatt also discusses Bill Belichick’s North Carolina team pulling off the upset of TCU and whether we may have jumped to a conclusion on the Belichick era in Chapel Hill too early. Klatt shouts out Virginia for their blowout win and evaluates their potential to be this year’s Indiana in the ACC. Klatt also reacts to Memphis’ upset win over UNLV and it’s ramifications on the Group of 6 Playoff chase. He discusses Florida State’s lackluster win and explains why FSU is not the power they once were and how things could be about to go off the rails in Tallahassee.
Klatt wraps the show up by breaking down the latest eligibility issue in the sport as NFL players try to come back for one more year of college football, explaining how we got into this mess and where he stands on it – while pointing out a particular group that nobody’s talking about that is being negatively impacted as a result.

Chapters 🏈

0:00 - 1:08 Intro

1:09 - 10:24 USC opens season with win over San Jose State

10:25 - 14:16  Is USC’s fan attendance for season opener a big deal?

14:17 - 17:08 Bill Belichick & UNC get off to winning start with win over TCU

17:09 -21:42  Did Virginia show they are an ACC contender after impressive win over NC State?

21:43 - 25:07 Memphis upsets UNLV on the road in Group of 6 matchup

25:08 - 30:42 How concerning was Florida State’s win over New Mexico State?

30:43 - 41:57 Latest with NFL players trying to return to college

*Special Announcement*
The Joel Klatt Show will be live from The Circ Bar in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Thursday, September 10th with special guests ahead of the Oklahoma-Michigan game! Click the link below to reserve your spot at the show. You must be one of the first 100 to reserve to guarantee your spot, additional guests will be admitted based on available seating with overflow guests also given the opportunity to enjoy the show inside Circ Bar.
Come be a part of the show!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joel-klatt-show-live-in-michigan-tickets-1998967394287?aff=oddtdtcreator

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Fox Sports’ lead College Football analyst Joel Klatt is joined by Colin Cowherd to discuss this upcoming season. The two dive into why they are so excited for this year and react to the AP Preseason Top 25 Rankings. Colin gives his predictions for the big Ohio State-Texas and Michigan-Oklahoma early-season matchups and what he expects from those teams this season. Klatt and Cowherd break down their expectations for USC and whether the Trojans will take the next step and reach the College Football Playoff. They also look at the ongoing rivalry between the Big Ten and the SEC and Cowherd reveals why it’s not the Alabama and Georgia’s of the SEC that have the best shot at competing with the Big Ten’s resources in this new NIL era.

Chapters 🏈
0:00-2:02 Colin Cowherd joins the show!
2:03-5:54 Where are we with college football?
5:55-12:18 How is NIL impacting quality of play in CFB?
12:19-16:30 Reacting to the first AP Top 25 Poll
16:31-18:50 Expectations for Texas this season
18:51-24::18 Expectations for Ohio State this season
24:19-29:35 Is this USC’s year to make the CFP?
29:36-38:15 Current rivalry between Big Ten and SEC
38:16-41:25 Expectations for Michigan this season?

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Fox Sports’ lead College Football analyst Joel Klatt makes his predictions for which teams will make the College Football Playoff and who will lift the trophy as National Champions at the end of the season. He begins the show with his Conference Championship Game Picks before revealing his full predicted bracket – making his picks for each round in the Playoff. Will the Big Ten make it 4 straight National Championships? Will Ohio State and Texas both make the Playoff after playing each other early in the season then going through two of the toughest schedules in the nation? Is Notre Dame poised to break through or could Curt Cignetti and Indiana really go back-to-back? Who will be the surprise teams to make the Playoff after beginning the season outside the Top 10? Klatt also breaks down a difficult debate for the last at-large spot and considers whether this is the year that a 9-3 team finally gets into the field.

Use my code for 10% off your next set of CFB tickets at SeatGeek*:
https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/KLATT10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount

Chapters 🏈
0:00-1:10 Joel Klatt’s 2026 preseason cfp bracket
1:11-10:12 Conference champion predictions
10:13-24:31 CFP bracket prediction
24:32-26:35 First round predictions
26:36-30:22 Quarterfinals predictions
30:23-32:38 Semifinals predictions
32:39-33:41 National Champion pick

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In this special Big Noon Conversations Roundtable episode, Fox Sports’ lead College Football analyst Joel Klatt is joined by Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III and Notre Dame All-American QB Brady Quinn as the trio discuss all things about the Quarterback position – stories from their playing days to breaking down the best in the sport today. They dive into which coaches that they would love to play for if they were in college football right now and whether the current rules around NIL and the Transfer Portal would have changed the trajectories of their careers – and even led to them changing schools. The guys also make their picks for which current QBs like Michigan’s Bryce Underwood, Texas’ Arch Manning and Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr remind them most of their earlier playing days and RG3 tells the wild story of his postgame conversation with then-Texas Head Coach Mack Brown that could have altered college football history.

Chapters 🏈
0:00-1:34 Brady Quinn and Robert Griffin III join Joel Klatt
1:35-5:38 What you loved the most about being a QB
5:39-10:45 How to handle the pressure of being a QB
10:46-21:20 Has QB development suffered with changes in the CFB landscape?
21:21-23:22 Would Brady Quinn have still finished his CFB career at Notre Dame in today’s landscape?
23:23-27:40 Robert Griffin III’s recruiting story
27:41-29:40 Joel Klatt’s Texas story
29:41-36:32 Reflecting on NFL coaching staff & success as current head coaches
36:33-41:30 Brady Quinn & Robert Griffin III reflect on NFL career
41:31-47:41 Who would the guys love to play for in the current CFB landscape
47:42-51:59 Struggles young QBs face between transferring or waiting for their turn to play
52:00-58:46 What current players remind the guys of themselves

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Fox Sports’ lead College Football analyst Joel Klatt names his Preseason All-Americans for the upcoming season as he debates between the best players in the sport to make his selections. He discusses who gets the nod as his 1st-Team Quarterback between players like Oregon’s Dante Moore, Texas’ Arch Manning, Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and more. Klatt goes position by position as he makes his picks of the best of the best in the sport with players like Jeremiah Smith and Texas’ Colin Simmons vying for spots. Alabama, Georgia and LSU all land players on the team as the SEC looks to combat the Big Ten for supremacy in the sport this season.
Use my code for 10% off your next set of CFB tickets at SeatGeek*:
https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/KLATT10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount

Chapters 🏈
0:00-1:29 Joel Klatt’s preseason All-American Team
1:30-3:19 Quarterback
3:20-4:45 Running Backs
4:46-7:33 Wide Receivers
7:34-8:44 Tight End
8:45-10:02 Offensive Tackles
10:03-11:06 Guards
11:07-11:32 Center
11:33-12:19 All-Purpose
12:20-12:52 All-American first team offense recap
12:53-14:14 Edges
14:15-15:37 Defensive Tackles
15:38-16:46 Linebackers
16:47-18:05 Safeties
18:06-20:55 Cornerbacks
20:55-21:46 All-American first team defense recap

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Fox Sports’ lead College Football analyst Joel Klatt defines what a successful season looks like for 15 of the most intriguing programs in the country. Is it truly National Championship or bust for teams like Texas, Ohio State or Notre Dame? What should LSU, Penn State and Michigan fans be happy with in Year 1 after coaching changes? Does USC’s daunting schedule tone down expectations or does Lincoln Riley need to lead the Trojans back among the elite in the sport? Does Alabama need to adjust expectations in the post-Saban world or should Tide fans expect more from Kalen DeBoer’s team this season? Klatt also breaks down teams like Wisconsin and Nebraska as they try to build their programs back to what they once were.

Chapters 🏈
0:00-1:20 Defining Successful Season
1:21-4:11 USC
4:12-7:30 Michigan
7:31-10:45 Ohio State
10:46-12:39 Oregon
12:40-15:47 Wisconsin
15:48-17:45 Nebraska
17:46-19:31 Penn State
19:32-24:11 Alabama
24:12-26:38 Texas
26:39-28:47 Oklahoma
28:48-31:27 LSU
31:28-33:20 Clemson
33:21-34:26 Miami
34:27-35:54 Texas Tech
35:55-37:41 Notre Dame

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Fox Sports’ lead College Football analyst Joel Klatt reveals his Preseason Top 25 for the upcoming season. He makes his pick for his #1 team going into the season as teams like Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oregon and Arch Manning’s Texas squad all look to grab the top spot. Klatt also breaks down how many teams he believes can actually win the National Championship this season as the Big Ten and SEC battle for supremacy in the sport. He explains if Michigan or Oklahoma will be in his Top 10 ahead of their early-season non-conference matchup in Ann Arbor while Alabama’s ranking may be his most controversial in the entire episode.
Use my code for 10% off your next set of CFB tickets at SeatGeek*:
https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/KLATT10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount

Chapters 🏈
0:00-1:30 Joel Klatt’s preseason top 25
1:31-3:32 Number 25
3:33-5:02 Number 24
5:03-7:16 Number 23
7:17-9:03 Number 22
9:04-10:39 Number 21
10:40-12:51 Number 20
12:52-13:53 Number 19
13:54-15:11 Number 18
15:12-17:30 Number 17
17:31-20:09 Number 16
20:10-22:48 Number 15
22:49-23:48 Number 14
23:49-26:03 Number 13
26:04-29:34 Number 12
29:35-31:31 Number 11
31:32-35:03 Number 10
35:04-37:20 Number 9
37:21-40:17 Number 8
40:18-43:31 Number 7
43:32-47:06 Number 6
47:07-51:22 Number 5
51:23-53:55 Number 4
53:56-56:07 Number 3
56:08-58:58 Number 2
58:59-1:02:54 Number 1

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Fox Sports’ lead College Football analyst Joel Klatt ranks his Top 10 players for the upcoming season. Klatt reveals where top players like Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin land and debates where Texas’ Arch Manning should be in his ranking following his strong finish last season. He also reveals which of Manning’s Longhorn teammates made the list and why Notre Dame is well-represented in his ranking following their College Football Playoff snub a year ago. Klatt finds a place for one big-name transfer in his Top 10 that will have a big impact for a National Championship contender.
Use my code for 10% off your next set of CFB tickets at SeatGeek*:
https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/KLATT10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount

Chapters 🏈
0:00-1:10 Joel Klatt’s Top 10 Players for 2026
1:11-4:50 Number 10
4:51-6:22 Number 9
6:23-8:22 Number 8
8:23-10:28 Number 7
10:29-14:51 Number 6
14:52-17:22 Number 5
17:23-20:59 Number 4
21:00-23:42 Number 3
23:43-25:57 Number 2
25:58-31:09 Number 1
31:10-38:25 Notre Dame and Ohio State ink sponsorship deals for jersey patches

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Fox Sports’ lead College Football analyst Joel Klatt evaluates 10 Head Coaches and establishes how much pressure they are under going into the season. From Coaches coming off disappointing seasons like Clemson’s Dabo Swinney to Coaches with fanbases expecting a major breakthrough this year like USC’s Lincoln Riley and Texas’ Steve Sarkisian, Klatt breaks down each situation and points out which game on the schedule could really ratchet up the pressure if things go sideways. What kind of pressure is Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer under this year as he goes into Year 3 with the Crimson Tide after 2 years which have had some successes but also some disappointments. How are Nebraska fans feeling about Matt Rhule as their HC enters Year 4 of his rebuild? How much pressure is on Lane Kiffin in Year 1 at LSU?

Chapters 🏈
0:00-2:00 2026 CFB coaching pressure index
2:01-5:17 Kalen DeBoer
5:18-7:18 Steve Sarkisian
7:19-10:22 Matt Rhule
10:23-12:20 Dabo Swinney
10:21-14:38 Lane Kiffin
14:39-17:21 Lincoln Riley
17:22-18:53 Kyle Whittingham
18:54-20:18 Shane Beamer
20:19-21:47 Bill Belichick
21:48-25:15 Dan Lanning

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The expanded playoff has allowed 20 different teams to make it to a 12-team College Football Playoff over the last 2 years but which programs are most likely to make it to their first appearance this season? Fox Sports’ lead College Football analyst Joel Klatt tackles that question as he ranks his favorite candidates including teams that made the 4-team Playoff but have yet to make it into the 12-team format like Michigan and LSU as well as programs like USC still looking to make it back to the top of the sport. He also brings in teams from the Big 12 that will have a path to the Playoff like BYU and Arizona and an ACC team that could sneak their way into a win-and-in ACC Championship Game appearance.

Chapters 🏈

0:00-3:25 1st time cfp teams in the 12 team format 

3:26-7:18 Number 10 

7:19-10:32 Number 9 

10:33-13:44 Number 8 

13:45-16:02 Number 7

1:03-18:34 Number 6

18:35-22:39 Number 5

22:40-27:10 Number 4 

27:11-30:09 Number 3

30:10-32:24 Number 2

32:25-38:12 Number 1

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