We're back after months away from a full slate of college football games, and Week 1 delivered exactly the kind of chaos we needed. In this college football podcast episode, we dive deep into the biggest storylines, starting with Ohio State's defensive masterclass against Texas in a 14-7 slugfest that left more questions than answers about Arch Manning's readiness for the spotlight. Meanwhile, Florida State pulled off the upset of the day, dismantling Alabama 31-17 behind Tommy Castellanos and a Gus Malzahn offense that looked nothing like last year's disaster.

We also break down LSU's statement road win at Clemson, Auburn's ground-and-pound victory over Baylor, and all the smaller storylines that are reshaping our preseason expectations. From quarterback controversies to defensive surprises, we cover the games that mattered most and react to your tweets and voice messages. Plus, we share the weirdest moments from a beautifully bizarre opening weekend, including Joe Tessitore's top buttons and the Oregon Duck's wardrobe malfunction.

Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
6:44 - Ohio State beats Texas
15:45 - Florida State upsets Alabama
23:33 - LSU outduels Clemson
30:36 - Auburn wins at Baylor
36:36 - Georgia Tech edges out Colorado
40:11 - USF shocks Boise State
45:58 - Tennessee bests Syracuse
49:43 - Big Ten Thoughts
59:19 - SEC Thoughts
1:02:32 - Big 12 Thoughts
1:05:48 - ACC Thoughts
1:06:49 - Role Playing
1:08:30 - 5 Weird Things
1:14:03 - Week 1 Reverbs
1:17:19 - Dude Alerts

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

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We've been waiting all offseason for this moment, and Week 1 in finally here! In this college football podcast episode, we take a look at the biggest games that Stakeout Saturday has to offer, from the big Texas-Ohio State and LSU-Clemson games, to Notre Dame's trip to Miami, Alabama's opener at Florida State, the Beamer Bowl between Virginia Tech and South Carolina, Bill Belichick's debut with North Carolina against TCU and more.

Plus, we discuss which teams have the most to prove in Week 1, from with Nebraska's offense to Miami's defense, Florida State's latest transfer haul, and and beyond. We also highlight a handful of the under-the-radar games worth watching, from Mississippi State's portal gamble to Cal starting a true freshman quarterback on the road. And, of course, a full breakdown of your Saturday Window of Opportunity, the most ideal quad for your vieweing pleasure, and a Patriot League Lightning Round with a special plea on behalf of the Mountain Hawks.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro & Saturday Nickname
5:23 - Prove It
19:32 - Picks of the Week
21:50 - Texas vs Ohio State
24:35 - LSU vs Clemson
26:13 - Notre Dame vs Miami
33:45 - Alabama vs Florida State
39:27 - Virginia Tech vs South Carolina
43:50 - Syracuse vs Tennessee
48:30 - Utah vs UCLA
51:58 - TCU vs North Carolina
54:48 - Window of Opportunity
56:49 - Under-The-Radar Games
1:04:45 - Pat League Lightning Round

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

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IT'S. GAME. WEEK! Join us as we power rank the most interesting matchups on Thursday and Friday of an extended holiday weekend of Week 1 games and take an advanced preview of two of the biggest contests as Texas heads to Ohio State and Clemson hosts LSU in the Death Valley Invitational.

After reviewing some extra takeaways from Week 0 – including why we shouldn't overreact to early season rust – we break down the news that Bryce Underwood has officially been named Michigan's starting quarterback. How should this affect our read on the Wolverines in 2025?

Then, we rank the five most intriguing of the 28 games being played on Thursday and Friday, from Auburn-Baylor as a potential Friday night thriller to the sneaky-good matchup between Boise State and USF. We close out by tackling two monster games: Texas traveling to Columbus as slight road favorites in a College Football Playoff semifinal rematch, and Clemson hosting LSU as a four-point favorite.

Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
2:22 - Week 0 Takeaways
10:36 - Bryce Underwood named Michigan starter
16:13 - Power Ranking Thursday/Friday Games
44:06 - Texas vs Ohio State Preview
57:51 - LSU vs Clemson Preview
1:08:52 - Richard Verbal Update

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

College football is officially underway! We break down Iowa State's 24-21 victory over Kansas State in Dublin, including the sloppy conditions, key fourth-down decisions, and what the Clones' win means for the Big 12 race.

Plus, we're joined by Jenny Dell, the lead college football reporter for CBS Sports, who gives us incredible behind-the-scenes insights from the sidelines. From her 20-second storytelling challenges to Brad Nessler's shocking pre-game eating habits, Jenny discusses the difference between covering the SEC and Big Ten, sneaky injury tent investigations, what it's like to catch players and coaches in their most vulnerable moments, and much more.

We also unveil the most important email to ever grace our inbox, potentially with long-term ramifications for the Solid Verbal family.

Timestamps:
4:50 - Iowa State beats Kansas State
19:26 - Interview with Jenny Dell
58:07 - Important news from the Solid Verbal family

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

College football is back! The season officially starts this weekend with Week 0, and we're here to break down all five games, including the big Farmageddon matchup between Iowa State and Kansas State in Ireland.

But first, we talk through some of the biggest quarterback battles across the country, with news of CJ Carr winning the job at Notre Dame, Julian Sayin taking the reins at Ohio State, Ty Simpson getting the nod at Alabama, and Bear Bachmeier becoming the first true freshman to start at BYU.

Then, a quick chat about the College Football Playoff committee's decision to use "enhanced metrics" to put more weight on strength of schedule, the potential short- and long-term impacts of the move, and whether the new numbers will be personally sponsored by Greg Sankey. We also circle back to Michigan's punishment by the NCAA, which was handed down at the end of last week, and unveil our preseason Verballer Top 12.

Finally, we give our predictions for all five Week 0 games, with special focus on the showdown between Iowa State and Kansas State.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
4:41 - QB Battles
15:36 - Injury News
19:21 - Enhanced CFP Metrics
27:28 - Week 0 Predictions
45:59 - Verballer Top 12 Poll
51:50 - Michigan's Punishment

Support the show and get perks like ad-free episodes, early releases, bonus content, Discord access and much more: https://www.verballers.com

_____

A fan of our college football podcast? Leave us a rating and review, and don't forget to subscribe or follow so you don't miss any of our podcast episodes:

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Our college football show is also available on YouTube. Subscribe to the channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@solidverbal

Learn more about the show on our website: https://www.solidverbal.com/about

Want to get in touch? Give us a holler on Twitter: @solidverbal, @tyhildenbrandt, @danrubenstein, on Instagram, or on Facebook. You can also find our college football podcast out on TikTok and Threads. Stay up to date with our free weekly college football newsletter: https://quickslants.solidverbal.com/subscribe.

College football has been our passion since we started The Solid Verbal College Football Podcast back in 2008. We don't just love college football, we live it!

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s that time again—the season is on the doorstep, and we brought in ESPN’s Bill Connelly to help us make sense of the chaos ahead. From his new SP+ rankings with a dozen teams clumped near the top to the Arch Manning hype train and a logjam of unproven quarterbacks, we dive headfirst into why 2025 might be the most unpredictable season in years.

We cover the teams with the widest range of outcomes (hello, Tennessee), the portal-fueled rebuilds at Purdue and West Virginia, and which traditional powers might quietly be underrated. Bill also opens up about his new book Forward Progress, why realignment and money distribution could shape the sport’s future, and what “canaries in the coal mine” fans should keep an eye on.

Plus, why offensive lines could make or break this year’s contenders, whether Texas Tech is ready to crash the playoff party, and what keeps college football so beautifully chaotic despite all the off-field drama.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
7:01 - Interview with Bill Connelly
55:12 - Outtro & Show Updates

Support the show and get perks like ad-free episodes, early releases, bonus content, Discord access and much more: https://www.verballers.com

_____

A fan of our college football podcast? Leave us a rating and review, and don't forget to subscribe or follow so you don't miss any of our podcast episodes:

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Our college football show is also available on YouTube. Subscribe to the channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@solidverbal

Learn more about the show on our website: https://www.solidverbal.com/about

Want to get in touch? Give us a holler on Twitter: @solidverbal, @tyhildenbrandt, @danrubenstein, on Instagram, or on Facebook. You can also find our college football podcast out on TikTok and Threads. Stay up to date with our free weekly college football newsletter: https://quickslants.solidverbal.com/subscribe.

College football has been our passion since we started The Solid Verbal College Football Podcast back in 2008. We don't just love college football, we live it!

 

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's receipts time! We put our college football credibility on the line with our official 12-team playoff brackets, complete with seeding, matchups, and championship predictions. The time has come to go all-in on our bold calls that will either age like fine wine or haunt us all season long.

We break down our top-4 seeds (spoiler: we disagree wildly on Clemson), debate the SEC vs. Big 12 representation, and explain why Notre Dame might be the key to everything. Plus, we reveal our Heisman winners, Coach of the Year picks, and other awards predictions.

The Verballerhood also chimes in with their own bold predictions via the Reverb line, including some spicy takes on Oklahoma, Georgia Tech, and whether all three service academies can make bowl games.

But that's not all – it wouldn't be the college football season without some Fantasy Things to keep us entertained. Join in on the fun as we draft the quirky college football storylines and media moments we're most excited to track this season. Think espionage scandals, bizarre training regimens, Dave Portnoy vs. Urban Meyer, and RG3 going rogue in the Fox Sports booth.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
3:50 - CFP Predictions
32:21 - Heisman & Coach of the Year
35:54 - Verballer Predictions
46:55 - Reverbs
49:36 - Fantasy Things Reveal

Support the show and get perks like ad-free episodes, early releases, bonus content, Discord access and much more: https://www.verballers.com

_____

A fan of our college football podcast? Leave us a rating and review, and don't forget to subscribe or follow so you don't miss any of our podcast episodes:

Apple Podcasts: https://play.solidverbal.com/apple-podcasts

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Our college football show is also available on YouTube. Subscribe to the channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@solidverbal

Learn more about the show on our website: https://www.solidverbal.com/about

Want to get in touch? Give us a holler on Twitter: @solidverbal, @tyhildenbrandt, @danrubenstein, on Instagram, or on Facebook. You can also find our college football podcast out on TikTok and Threads. Stay up to date with our free weekly college football newsletter: https://quickslants.solidverbal.com/subscribe.

College football has been our passion since we started The Solid Verbal College Football Podcast back in 2008. We don't just love college football, we live it!

 

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the feeling every college football (and sports) fan knows too well: Doubting your own takes. In this episode, we're joined by Brett Ciancia from Pick Six Previews to talk through the opinions we're second-guessing the most after several weeks of conference previews. From Ty's thoughts on Miami and USC to Dan's comments on Missouri, we lean on the most accurate college football predictor over the past decade to set us straight. Brett even has some doubts of his own in the SEC.

We also dig into Brett's "Game Grader" formula and how it spots teams that were way better (or worse) than their records showed. Plus, an honest conversation around how the transfer portal is making projections more complicated, how the Big 12 remains unpredictable, and a brief look ahead at the marquee matchups in Week 1.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
7:27 - Brett Ciancia of Pick Six Previews
57:29 - Closing Thoughts

Support the show and get perks like ad-free episodes, early releases, bonus content, Discord access and much more: https://www.verballers.com

_____

A fan of our college football podcast? Leave us a rating and review, and don't forget to subscribe or follow so you don't miss any of our podcast episodes:

Apple Podcasts: https://play.solidverbal.com/apple-podcasts

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Overcast: https://play.solidverbal.com/overcast

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Our college football show is also available on YouTube. Subscribe to the channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@solidverbal

Learn more about the show on our website: https://www.solidverbal.com/about

Want to get in touch? Give us a holler on Twitter: @solidverbal, @tyhildenbrandt, @danrubenstein, on Instagram, or on Facebook. You can also find our college football podcast out on TikTok and Threads. Stay up to date with our free weekly college football newsletter: https://quickslants.solidverbal.com/subscribe.

College football has been our passion since we started The Solid Verbal College Football Podcast back in 2008. We don't just love college football, we live it!

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New AP Poll just dropped! In this college football podcast episode, we react to the newly-released poll by discussing which teams are too high and which are too low. Plus, we talk through key injury news around the sport, including LSU's Garrett Nussmeier and others. And last but not least, we make our case for the College Football Red Zone channel, and why we think we should be hosts.

Finally, we close out our 136-team preview marathon by breaking down Notre Dame and UConn. How close is the quarterback derby between CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey, and how do the Irish stack up this season as compared to last? Then, we examine UConn's fascinating rise under Jim Mora.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
5:53 - AP Top 25 Poll Reactions
24:26 - Injury Updates
29:37 - CFB Red Zone Channel
38:31 - Notre Dame Football Preview
1:00:30 - UConn Football Preview

Support the show and get perks like ad-free episodes, early releases, bonus content, Discord access and much more: https://www.verballers.com

_____

A fan of our college football podcast? Leave us a rating and review, and don't forget to subscribe or follow so you don't miss any of our podcast episodes:

Apple Podcasts: https://play.solidverbal.com/apple-podcasts

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Overcast: https://play.solidverbal.com/overcast

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Our college football show is also available on YouTube. Subscribe to the channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@solidverbal

Learn more about the show on our website: https://www.solidverbal.com/about

Want to get in touch? Give us a holler on Twitter: @solidverbal, @tyhildenbrandt, @danrubenstein, on Instagram, or on Facebook. You can also find our college football podcast out on TikTok and Threads. Stay up to date with our free weekly college football newsletter: https://quickslants.solidverbal.com/subscribe.

College football has been our passion since we started The Solid Verbal College Football Podcast back in 2008. We don't just love college football, we live it!

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We close out our three-part SEC preview by taking a closer look at Florida, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arkansas, South Carolina, Auburn, and Vanderbilt.

In this college football preview episode, we ask burning questions about eight SEC teams that could swing wildly in either direction this season. Is Florida poised for a big jump with a (finally) healthy DJ Lagway navigating one of the most brutal schedules in the country? Will the addition of quarterback John Mateer and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle lead Oklahoma back to prominence, or is their monster schedule too much to overcome? Is 2025 a stepback year for Josh Heupel and Tennessee after losing key offensive pieces, or can their elite defense carry them?

We examine Texas A&M as a legitimate playoff contender behind Marcel Reed's dual-threat ability and a physical rushing attack that could punish teams late in games. We discuss whether Sam Pittman can do enough to keep his job at Arkansas with Taylen Green leading a completely revamped receiving corps and a defense that struggled mightily in pass coverage. We analyze if LaNorris "The Creator" Sellers and pass-rushing phenom Dylan Stewart have enough of a supporting cast around them to lift South Carolina after massive bigtime turnover.

Plus, we debate how much we should believe in Jackson Arnold's fresh start at Auburn with an elite receiving corps but lingering questions about offensive line stability, and what to make of Vanderbilt, which brings back tons of production from their magical 2024 season but will no longer be able to fly under the radar.

From Florida's injury concerns to A&M's playoff potential to Vandy's encore attempt, this is your guide to the SEC's X-factors that could completely change the conference landscape.

Timecodes:
5:49 - Florida Preview
17:43 - Oklahoma Preview
31:16 - Tennessee Preview
42:16 - Texas A&M Preview
52:43 - Arkansas Preview
1:01:04 - South Carolina Preview
1:10:33 - Auburn Preview
1:19:31 - Vanderbilt Preview

Support the show and get perks like ad-free episodes, early releases, bonus content, Discord access and much more: https://www.verballers.com

_____

A fan of our college football podcast? Leave us a rating and review, and don't forget to subscribe or follow so you don't miss any of our podcast episodes:

Apple Podcasts: https://play.solidverbal.com/apple-podcasts

Spotify: https://play.solidverbal.com/spotify

Amazon Music: https://play.solidverbal.com/amazon-music

Overcast: https://play.solidverbal.com/overcast

Pocket Casts: https://play.solidverbal.com/pocketcasts

Podcast Addict: https://play.solidverbal.com/podcast-addict

CastBox: https://play.solidverbal.com/castbox

Our college football show is also available on YouTube. Subscribe to the channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@solidverbal

Learn more about the show on our website: https://www.solidverbal.com/about

Want to get in touch? Give us a holler on Twitter: @solidverbal, @tyhildenbrandt, @danrubenstein, on Instagram, or on Facebook. You can also find our college football podcast out on TikTok and Threads. Stay up to date with our free weekly college football newsletter: https://quickslants.solidverbal.com/subscribe.

College football has been our passion since we started The Solid Verbal College Football Podcast back in 2008. We don't just love college football, we live it!

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.