Episodes

  • Reasonable & unreasonable expectations for Alabama, Michigan & more of CFB's most interesting teams with Ralph Russo

    Reasonable & unreasonable expectations for Alabama, Michigan & more of CFB's most interesting teams with Ralph Russo
    Jun 18 2024
    What are reasonable and unreasonable expectations for fanbases of some of college football's most interesting teams? Ari Wasserman is joined by The Athletic's Kennington Smith III and Ralph Russo of the Associated Press to solve what rational, and irrational, benchmarks Alabama, Michigan, Colorado, Clemson, and more should hit this season. Kenny and Ralph are subjected to an expectations lightning round before the triumvirate reveal which fanbases are the most irrational. Listen to Ralph on the AP Top 25 College Football Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/id1138957862 Read Kenny's SEC schedule breakdown: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5556938/2024/06/12/sec-football-2024-tv/ Rundown: - Reasonable/unreasonable expectations: Alabama (3:00) - Texas to the moon? (13:00) - Notre Dame standard in '24 (22:30) - Is Ole Miss a National Championship contender? (30:15) - We're the "Michael Jordan of being wrong about Texas A&M" (39:15) - Colorado fans, let's be real (47:00) - Miami boom or bust (52:30) - Clemson, Dabo need to "stand on buisness" (59:30) - Can Michigan win The Game? (1:06:00) - Lightning Round: FSU, Penn State, LSU + more (1:09:30) - Most irrational fanbases (1:12:30) Call/text the Until Saturday phone and leave us a question for a future mailbag and/or Sunday Sound-Off podcast: (316) 462-9852 Subscribe to the Until Saturday newletter & join in answering the Question of the Day!: https://theathletic.com/newsletters/until-saturday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 24 mins
  • The Allstate 12?! Biggest trap games & Notre Dame vibe check with Jessica Smetana

    The Allstate 12?! Biggest trap games & Notre Dame vibe check with Jessica Smetana
    Jun 14 2024
    Chris Vannini and Ari Wasserman discuss reports of the Big 12 and CUSA, among other conferences, exploring private equity investment and selling the naming rights to their conferences. Does the Allstate 12 roll off the tongue? Later, special guest Jessica Smetana, co-host of The Dan Le Betard Show and Notre Dame alumnus, hops on Until Saturday to share her takes on the vibes in South Bend. Afterward, Chris and Jessica nominate major trap games this season. From UCF-Florida to Clemson-App St., where do these look-ahead matchups rank on the "Trap Scale"? Lastly, Jessica faces a round of Notre Dame trivia unlike any other. Check out Jessica on The Dan Le Betard Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dan-le-batard-show-with-stugotz/id934820588 Read more on the Big 12 exploring private equity, sale of naming rights: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5562395/2024/06/13/big-12-private-equity-naming-rights/ Rundown: - Big 12 (and others) exploring private equity investment & sale of naming rights (:30) - Notre Dame vibe check with Jessica Smetana (11:30) - Trap Games & Trap Scale! -- Colorado vs NDSU (32:30) - Notre Dame-Louisville (38:30) - Florida-UCF (43:30) - Clemson-App St. (47:00) - USF-Miami (52:00) - Notre Dame trivia! (58:00) Call/text the Until Saturday phone and leave us a question for a future mailbag and/or Sunday Sound-Off podcast: (316) 462-9852 Subscribe to the Until Saturday newletter & join in answering the Question of the Day!: https://theathletic.com/newsletters/until-saturday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • BIGGEST Pressure Cooker Games of 2024 + Top 5 College Football 25 teams we can't wait to play as

    BIGGEST Pressure Cooker Games of 2024 + Top 5 College Football 25 teams we can't wait to play as
    Jun 11 2024
    We are less than 100 days from the start of the college football season! Ari Wasserman and Chris Vannini pinpoint the year's biggest 'pressure cooker games', or the matchups that will draw the strongest overreactions from either fanbase and send supporters into a tizzy. Would the losing party in LSU-USC lose faith in their head coach after a season of heavy investment in the defensive staff? Which programs are the guys dying to play as in Dynasty Mode in the upcoming EA Sports College Football 25 video game? Plus, Nebraska AD Troy Dannen spoke candidly about his perception of the direciton of the sport, and Huskers' NIL coffers. Can a team like Nebraska compete in the new world of CFB? Troy Dannen video: https://www.tiktok.com/@247.huskers/video/7377540168561069355?is_from_webapp=1 Listen to our 'Secrets of NIL and the transfer portal' episode: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/podcast/83-the-andy-staples-show/episode-1117/ Rundown: - Troy Dannen on Nebraska's NIL war chest + future of the sport (3:00) - 2024's Pressure Cooker Games: Miami vs Florida (14:00) - USC vs LSU (23:30) - Nebraska vs Colorado (28:15) - Tennessee vs Oklahoma (38:30) - Texas vs Texas A&M + The Game (43:00) - Top 5 Dynasty Mode teams (54:00) Call/text the Until Saturday phone and leave us a question for a future mailbag and/or Sunday Sound-Off podcast: (316) 462-9852 Subscribe to the Until Saturday newletter & join in answering the Question of the Day!: https://theathletic.com/newsletters/until-saturday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Is Georgia or Michigan's title blueprint harder to replicate + Who REALLY won the 2020 recruiting class?

    Is Georgia or Michigan's title blueprint harder to replicate + Who REALLY won the 2020 recruiting class?
    Jun 7 2024
    Which national championship model is harder to emulate: Georgia's or Michigan's? Ari Wasserman and Max Olson thoroughly mull over Rodrigo A's fan-submitted question. Which programs could model themselves after either champions? Max went through the arduous task of re-ranking the 2020 recruiting class in an effort to see who REALLY won it. What did he learn from Ohio State, Michigan, Tulane, Georgia, and more? Read Max's 2020 re-ranking: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5510780/2024/05/28/college-football-recruiting-2020-class-rankings-revisited/ Rundown: - Re-ranking the 2020 recruiting class (2:30) - Michigan and Missour's talent development (10:00) - Ohio State's misses on defense (17:30) - Rounding out the top-10 (22:30) - Texas eeks out a top-10 finish (29:00) - Is Georgia or Michigan's championship blueprint harder to replicate? (35:00) - Playoff schedule dropped (52:30) Sign up for our FREE newsletter to answer future Questions of the Day: https://theathletic.com/newsletters/until-saturday Call/text the Until Saturday phone and leave us a question for a future mailbag and/or Sunday Sound-Off podcast: (316) 462-9852 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Is Red River the BEST SEC rivalry? + Tier list of top weeks 1-3 games

    Is Red River the BEST SEC rivalry? + Tier list of top weeks 1-3 games
    Jun 4 2024
    Chris Del Conte, athletic director at the University of Texas, gave the college football world a gem last week while on the Paul Finebaum Show. There he exclaimed just how great the Red River Shootout is compared to its new conference mates' rivalry games. So, is Texas-Oklahoma the BEST SEC rivalry game? Ari Wasserman, Max Olson, and Scott Dochterman share their thoughts on the matter as well as their favorite rivalry game experiences. We now have kick-off times for games in weeks 1-3. (We can finally start to smell the new season!) The guys place the top matchups from the first few weeks in a tier list of "A" through "F", though, there are no F-tier games - we love all of CFB! Where will games like Georgia-Clemson, Florida-Miami, Arizona-Kansas State and more rank? Plus, cliff notes from last week's SEC Spring Meetings. Read more about a 9-game SEC conf schedule: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5529284/2024/05/30/sec-football-schedule-nine-games/ Read more about scholarship limits and the death of walk-ons: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5525379/2024/05/28/sec-football-coaches-roster-limits/ Private equity, injury reports, and more: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5530740/2024/05/30/sec-meetings-greg-sankey/ Big Ten schedule analysis: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5530629/2024/05/30/big-ten-football-tv-schedule-analysis/ Rundown: A 9-game SEC conference schedule? (1:45) Roster limits + the end of walk-ons? (8:30) Is Red River the BEST SEC rivalry? (16:15) Our most memorable rivalry game experiences (31:30) Tier list of weeks 1-3 games (39:30) Call/text the Until Saturday phone and leave us a question for a future mailbag and/or Sunday Sound-Off podcast: (316) 462-9852 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 13 mins
  • ELITE Nick Saban stories, Alabama's standard + ex-player on CFB evolution with Damien Harris

    ELITE Nick Saban stories, Alabama's standard + ex-player on CFB evolution with Damien Harris
    May 31 2024
    Former stud Alabama running back and NFL vet Damien Harris joins Chris Vannini on today's show! Damien opens up about how his family and newborn son have helped him weather his difficult transition out of the NFL following a scary injury last season with the Buffalo Bills. He also weaves some hilarious and insightful stories about Nick Saban, his former coach. Damien opines on NIL, the transfer portal, EA Sports College Football 25, the NFL and Bill Belichick and more. Lastly, Chris tests Damien's knowledge of his career in a game of trivia. Who's the Big Ten dark horse? Sign up for our FREE newsletter to answer future Questions of the Day: https://theathletic.com/newsletters/until-saturday Rundown: - Damien Harris on the end of his NFL career and family (1:00) - What was Damien's reaction to Saban's retirement? (4:00) - Crimson Tide's epic RB room with Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, et. al (12:00) - Why didn't you transfer? (14:00) - Kalen DeBoer & expectations in Tuscaloosa (17:00) - Clemson battles & hate (23:00) - Favorite memory from college (26:30) - Death of amateurism & how would Damien have navigated NIL, player compensation (29:00) - EA Sports College Football 25 (38:30) - Transfer portal's impact (45:30) - Texas, Oklahoma transition to the SEC (47:00) - Bill Belichick impressions + NFL experience (53:00) - Damien Harris trivia (58:30) Call/text the Until Saturday phone and leave us a question for a future mailbag and/or Sunday Sound-Off podcast: (316) 462-9852 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • We PLAYED NCAA 25! Gameplay, features & more with EA Sports' Ben Haumiller & Christian McLeod

    We PLAYED NCAA 25! Gameplay, features & more with EA Sports' Ben Haumiller & Christian McLeod
    May 29 2024
    The rumors are true, we PLAYED EA Sports College Football 25...well, Chris Vannini did (Ari Wasserman definitely isn't jealous). While at a function hosted by EA Sports in Orlando, Chris had a first-account of what the gameplay is like; from the revamped running and passing mechanics to the pagentry and electric in-game atmostphere. Chris walks us through all the details he gathered about Dynasty Mode, NIL, the transfer portal, Road to Glory, and Road to the CFP. Later in the show, hear from EA Sports' very own Ben Haumiller and Christian McLeod about the game's development and features. Out the door, a farewell to the Pac-12 and one of its most prominent ambassadors, Bill Walton. Read Chris' NCAA 25 story on gameplay: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5523815/2024/05/29/ea-sports-college-football-25-video-game-features/ NIL: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5525588/2024/05/29/ea-sports-college-football-25-video-games-nil/ Dynasty Mode: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5525517/2024/05/29/college-football-25-video-game-dynasty-mode/ Rundown: - We played NCAA 25! What's one thing Chris was surprised by? (2:30) - What was the gameplay like? Running game features (11:00) - Passing game features (16:00) - What ISN'T in the game? (21:45) - Pagentry + fan reactions (22:45) - Dynasty mode info dump (25:30) - How does recruiting work? (33:30) - How does NIL & the portal work? (43:00) - Road to Glory details (48:00) - Ben Haumiller & Christian McLeod join the show! (54:00) - Friend to Friend...was it badass? (1:09:30) - Pac-12 + Bill Walton memories (1:07:30) Call/text the Until Saturday phone and leave us a question for a future mailbag and/or Sunday Sound-Off podcast: (316) 462-9852 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • Describing EVERY Big 12 team in one word + What House vs NCAA approval means

    Describing EVERY Big 12 team in one word + What House vs NCAA approval means
    May 24 2024
    In the NEW Big 12, the one with 16 teams, separation between teams is infinitesimal. There are seven teams (nearly half the league) that are within one O/U win total of each other (per BetMGM). Sam Khan Jr. and Justin Williams use one word to describe each of the 16 conference teams to deliniate where each team is at this season. But before then, Justin takes us through House vs NCAA and where it stands. Plus, rapid fire O/U win totals for every program. Learn more about House vs NCAA: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5506457/2024/05/20/ncaa-settlement-house-lawsuit-college-sports/?partner=slack&smid=sl-share Post-spring Big 12 preview: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5495963/2024/05/16/big-12-football-preview-power-rankings-transfers/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cfbtw&source=cfbtw Read Sam's Willie Fritz, Houston story: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5495799/2024/05/21/willie-fritz-houston-football/ Big 12 QB carousel: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5484819/2024/05/14/big-12-quarterbacks-starters-returners-transfers/ Who's the SEC dark horse? Sign up for our FREE newsletter and answer future QOTDs: https://theathletic.com/newsletters/until-saturday Rundown: - House vs NCAA latest + what the heck does it mean? (2:00) - ONE WORD WONDERS: Big 12 edition; Arizona, Arizona St., Baylor (12:30) - BYU, Houston, Cincinnati, Kansas (19:30) - Colorado, K-State, Iowa St., Oklahoma St. (27:30) - UCF, TCU, Utah, Texas Tech & West Virginia (37:00) -Win totals (51:00) Call/text the Until Saturday phone and leave us a question for a future mailbag and/or Sunday Sound-Off podcast: (316) 462-9852 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 13 mins