Always College Football with Greg McElroy

Georgia, Alabama, LSU, and Tennessee will be the consensus top four in the SEC preseason media poll, who is next and who can surprise? Also who from the SEC is a Heisman contender and if USC wins a National Championship how does the balance of power shift? | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oklahoma and Texas start their swan song in the Big 12 with high expectations. Can they handle the target on their backs or will someone else surprise like Texas Tech, Baylor or maybe UCF? Plus SEC Kickoff is here and McElroy breaks down the storylines he wants to hear about. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Greg McElroy continues to break down his top 25 preseason poll with numbers 10-1. McElroy discusses why Washington is his top team in the Pac-12 and why he’s admittedly ‘drinking the Kool-Aid’ on Texas. Plus, will Georgia once again be the top dawgs in CFB? Is Florida State the top ACC team? Will Alabama be fine at QB? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We begin our two-episode breakdown of the Always College Football top 25 preseason poll with numbers 25 through 11 on today’s show. The most notable surprises on the list include Ole Miss and Wisconsin in the top 15, TCU barely making the cut, UCLA being ranked over Oregon State and many more. Will Tennessee come back down to earth? And should USC really be considered an elite team entering this season? Find out in the first episode of McElroy’s preseason poll breakdown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Greg McElroy breaks down his summer superlatives list. Who could make the CFP for the first time? Which team could have a TCU type of season? Which team will disappoint? Which coaches are entering must-win seasons, and which quarterbacks could have breakout seasons? Plus McElroy answers questions from the mailbag. Does Joe Milton’s insane arm strength matter? What are the best tailgate spots in the nation? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian joins Greg McElroy to talk all things Texas Football ahead of the 2023 season. Coach Sarkisian talks about how the team’s main goal in 2023 is winning the Big 12 in their last year as part of the conference, but they must do a better job of finishing games. Sarkisian also talks about how the passing game has improved with Quinn Ewers and a loaded group of pass catchers. Plus, what is going on with San Diego State, the Mountain West and the Pac 12? Is the transfer portal window going to shrink? Is Oklahoma behind Texas as both programs prepare to move to the SEC? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell joins Greg McElroy to talk all things Seminole Football. A 10 win season in 2022 raised expectations for this season and Coach Norvell talks about how the team is prepared to take the next step, how Jordan Travis is the leader they need and why the transfer portal has worked so well for them. Plus is NIL a way to get more than 85 players on a team and is Nick Saban right about the ‘22 CFP? | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day joins Greg McElroy to discuss the Buckeyes QB competition, year 2 under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, a rebuilt offensive line, the influx of talent at WR and so much more. Plus we rank the 5 best conferences heading into the 2023 season and answer the question - who will be the new BIG DOG of the BIG 12 when Texas and Oklahoma are gone. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The SEC introduced the 2024 opponents which includes keeping great rivalries like Alabama/Tennessee, Georgia/Florida among others but also gives us Oklahoma visiting LSU, Georgia visiting Texas and so much more. Oh and don’t forget about an SEC non-conference schedule that has Michigan, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, USC and Miami. It’s about to go DOWN in 2024 and McElroy is here to give his instant analysis on the strong 2024 SEC slate. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Big Ten introduced the 'Flex Protect Plus' football schedule model for 2024 and it already gave us a reason to get excited. Michigan traveling out to USC, UCLA traveling roughly 27k miles, Wisconsin playing Alabama and USC. Penn State hosting USC and Ohio State and so much more. McElroy breaks down the schedule and we look at Notre Dame’s new AD and why Texas A&M is calling the shots in a game vs the Longhorns | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jayden Daniels at LSU and Will Rogers at Mississippi State look to be the best 2 quarterbacks in the SEC but who falls in after? Is the QB controversy at Alabama an issue or should we just look back a few years to see this has happened before for Saban. The PAC 12 has the deepest set of QBs in CFB but after Caleb Williams who is the best? | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Should Colorado and Arizona leave the PAC 12 to go to the BIG 12? Was hiring Coach Prime the first step in the process for the Buffaloes? McElroy looks back at the history of Texas, USC and others who have made a big coaching change BEFORE switching conferences. Plus Kirby Smart comments and MSU vs Penn State INSIDE in November? | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michigan, Maryland and Wisconsin have the top quarterbacks in the Big 10 (at least right now). Will quarterbacks at Ohio State and Penn State step up when the pressure is on? The BIG 12 has some elite quarterbacks at Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas, but who will step up in the rest of the conference? | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if Alabama and Tennessee didn’t play every year or if Georgia vs Florida wasn’t a tradition anymore? That’s a possibility with an 8 game SEC Schedule. Could we lose out on SEC teams vs Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan and others with a 9 game conference schedule? McElroy debates the pros and cons of both an 8 game and 9 game SEC schedules, plus we look at USC and Iowa with new incoming Athletic Directors. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey joins Greg McElroy to talk about the state of College Football from conference expansion to the upcoming 12 team playoff. Plus we look at what makes a dynasty, who has one now (Alabama or Georgia) and what G5 teams could pull off a major upset in ‘23. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A good Athletic Director can make all the difference or hinder a program's development. Oklahoma, Ohio State and Notre Dame have long tenured AD’s with sustained success while LSU and Michigan have made great hires recently with immediate results. USC had their guy, until they didn’t and now the Trojans will be moving to the B1G with a new AD - what impact will that have. Plus Florida State and SMU pick up huge transfer portal WR’s and Syracuse legend Jim Brown tribute | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the next phase of realignment close? Florida State, Clemson, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia and Virginia Tech are exploring ways to leave the ACC. McElroy looks at what the SEC and BIG 10 could do, what the future of the ACC would be and where that leaves the BIG 12 and the PAC 12. Plus does Notre Dame have a recruiting edge with a new apparel deal? | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Big news for Georgia recruiting, and a big loss for Nebraska. Brian Kelly at LSU, Lincoln Riley at USC or Mike Norvell at Florida State, who do you think will win a title first? Plus we give you the ultimate CFB road trip schedule as McElroy goes week by week with games at Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, USC, Notre Dame, Michigan and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you love college football you already know. College Football is awesome and unique and McElroy is here to give you his 35 reasons why he loves the sport. We cover it all - Penn State White Outs, Traveler at USC, the Kinnick Wave at Iowa, Tailgating in The Groove, Dotting the i at Ohio State, the Vol Navy, Alabama uniforms and Notre Dame helmets there is NOTHING but love for college football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The new CFP schedule is set and McElroy is here to breakdown the good (home games and January 1st triple header) and the bad (Quarterfinals at bowl games and Monday National championships) and things he would like changed. Plus we get an early look at the 3 best September non conference games Texas @ Alabama, Florida State vs LSU and Ohio State @ Notre Dame. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Would the PAC 12 and Big 12 like to see USC, Texas or Oklahoma leave as conference champions? No. Would Alabama and Clemson fans be happy if they lost to LSU and South Carolina respectively - AGAIN. No. We take an early look at MUST win games for a couple schools heading into the 2023 season. Plus, McElroy names 6 teams that are looking (and could find) their first National Championship this century. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

QB transfers are all the rage in CFB, so McElroy looks at some that worked like Joe Burrow to LSU and Cam Newton to Auburn, some that didn’t (sorry Mitch Mustain and JT Daniels) and other who are coming in this year with high hopes - we are looking at you Sam Hartman and Devin Leary. Plus the Big 10 has a new commish who talked about conference expansion and McElroy has some strong reaction to Oregon’s PHYSICAL spring game. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

McElroy goes position by position ahead of the NFL Draft and tells you why Bryce Young is the best QB, Jordan Addison is the best WR and so much more. Plus we look into the gap Georgia has made between them and everyone else in the SEC (including Alabama) and talk about why you shouldn’t judge a player based on where he went to school. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We recap the last BIG spring weekend in CFB including huge weekends at Oklahoma, LSU and Notre Dame, the ongoing Alabama QB questions, and the Colorado mass transfers. Plus Nebraska and Wisconsin spring recaps. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can Coach Prime keep the hype up after spring? Will Notre Dame and Alabama find their QB1 (although much different situations). What will Oklahoma and Oklahoma State look like with all of the transfers? Does Brian Kelly have all the pieces at LSU? McElroy is here to answer all the questions. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

McElroy answers an interesting mailbag question about Alabama and the transfer portal. Plus our friends at Saturday Down South gave us some very strange stats and streaks that McElroy looks at and decides if they will be broken in 2023. And the “Spring King” John Rhys Plumlee drops by to talk about his incredible baseball/football double header. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There will always be overreaction to spring games but McElroy is here to tell you what is overreaction or what is fair. Does Ohio State have offensive line issues? Will Georgia’s offense carry them? Is Florida State’s swagger real after spring? Will Clemson’s young players step up? Is the pressure off Quinn Ewers? Plus the transfer portal is open again and don’t sleep on Will Levis | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are a ton of spring games this weekend and McElroy has questions heading into the games. Has Arkansas found help in the secondary? Will the new faces at Florida State and Tennessee get a lot of time? How will the QB competition shape out at Texas, Michigan State? All that plus your mailbag questions and what Kliff Kingsbury’s return to CFB means | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the NFL draft around the corner and recruiting never stopping McElroy looks at what school is at the top for each offensive position. Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma are all well represented but don’t sleep on Notre Dame, USC, Michigan, Iowa and North Carolina | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It doesn’t matter if it’s Auburn, USC or anyone in between - spring football games ALWAYS get fans fired up. McElroy is here to give you the 8 rules for fans as get ready for the first real college football they have seen since early January | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It can be tough being a college football fan, the ups and downs and the passion that always stays with you. McElroy sits back and gives some honest feedback to fans from Penn State, Texas, North Carolina, Washington and Florida on how they should really feel about the future of their programs. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michigan had a great weekend with Jadyn Davis committing and holding their spring game. Plus the Wolverines are the only team that finished in the top 7 that is NOT replacing a QB next season - how will the new QBs be at Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Tennessee, TCU and Penn State . | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will no divisions help the SEC and the BIG 10? McElroy breaks down why it will benefit both. Plus now is the time for the PAC 12 (or BIG 12) to take San Diego State and April Fool’s Day is here - McElroy looks back at the biggest, and worst, fooled you moments in College Football | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan Lanning and Oregon start spring with big goals while Luke Fickell and Wisconsin start their first spring together. Michigan State, Maryland, Minnesota and UCLA start spring off with BIG (10?) expectations. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame start spring with high expectations. Kyle Whittingham and Utah look for PAC 12 3-peat. Can Texas Tech surprise in the Big 12? Iowa, Iowa State and Duke also start off spring ball with high expectations. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lane Kiffin has a BIG QB competition to sort out this spring - and a new DC to help build off that. Matt Rhule has a fresh start at Nebraska. Louisville and Purdue have new Head Coaches and Baylor looks to bring back some of the 2021 bravado. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alabama starts an important spring practice with a new OC, a new DC while looking for a new QB1 - but they still have Nick Saban. Texas A&M starts spring with A LOT of questions that Jimbo Fisher (and Bobby Petrino) need to answer. Plus Oklahoma State, Syracuse, UCF and West Virginia get spring going. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tennessee must replace Hendon Hooker, Oklahoma must find a defense, TCU looks to replicate a Cinderella season and so many other spring storylines. Plus McElroy gives his top 5 FAVORITE plays since 2000 (hint the Kick-6 is not one of his favorites) | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Georgia will have a new QB as they look for an unprecedented 3-peat - can they do it? Penn State won their 1st Rose Bowl since 1994 - will the momentum carry over? Plus McElroy goes on IN on why the NCAA Tourney should not be compared to the CFP | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LSU is looking to repeat as SEC West champs and might have everything in place to do it. Kansas State hopes to reload, Arkansas and Oregon State hope to take the next step plus the MAILBAG | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Florida State ready to take the next step and be “the hunted”? Can Ohio State just plug and play a new QB (probably)? Is Washington the PAC 12’s best playoff chance? So many spring storlines plus the MAILBAG | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Texas has a great QB room but can they take the next step in there last season in the BIG 12. Clemson is starting fresh on offense, UNC has the best QB in the ACC (country?) and BYU is jumping up to the BIG 12. So many spring storylines plus the MAILBAG | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Florida and Miami start spring practice hoping to rebound after disappointing seasons while USC starts the spring hoping to take the next step and make the CFP. NC State, Boston College and Indiana also start practice and McElroy is here to tell you what to look for and make some BOLD predictions. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Auburn starts spring practice with new head coach Hugh Freeze while Michigan starts again after back-to-back CFP appearances. Houston, Kansas, Missouri and Vanderbilt are also starting spring practice and McElroy is here to tell you what to look for and makes a few BOLD predictions. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ohio State canceled a series with Washington and the PAC 12 has been visiting other schools like SMU. What does this mean for the future of the conference. Plus McElroy answers mailbag questions on Florida NIL, the AAC schedule and unhappy transfers | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

McElroy ranks his top 5 SEC coaches (hint Alabama and Georgia are near the top), answers if the Big 10 can close the gap on the SEC and looks into proposed rules changes that could have a profound impact on the game in the future | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clemson HC Dabo Swinney joins Greg McElroy to give some candid thoughts on changes he would like to see in College football and the College Football playoff. Coach also shares why he hired Garrett Riley and his favorite REGULAR season moment as Head Coach of Clemson | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Texas, Oklahoma to the SEC and USC and UCLA to the BIG 10 - will either be successful? McElroy looks back at Penn State, Nebraska, Miami, Florida State, TCU, Virginia Tech and others who have changed conferences in the last 30 years and how they have fared and the ONE thing the successful teams have had in common. Plus McElroy breaks down Georgia, Miami and Notre Dame’s new Offensive Coordinators | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Luke Fickell joins McElroy to discuss why Wisconsin is the perfect job for him right now. What Phil Longo will bring on to the Badgers offense, why Camp Randall Stadium is the bet place in college football AND why the Big 10 and SEC will move away from everyone else. Plus we hit the mailbag with questions about Nebraska and Wisconsin changing things in the Big 10 and what is happening with Notre Dame’s OC search | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oklahoma and Texas will leave the Big 12 early. McElroy breaks down what it means for both schools and what it means for the SEC and the Big 12. Plus we look into a new contract at Iowa, a big hire in Miami and the retirement of a legend. | Always College Football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices