Split Zone Duo: College Football Podcast

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comGodfrey's back from a variety platter of holiday family illnesses to play some hypothetical coaching games, like Fran Brown to LSU (?!) and why USC needs to clean its house like 2000s-era LSU. Also, let's talk about spoons. A lot.Producer: Anthony VitoAlso in the past few days from SZD* The post-Playoff semifinals Hurry-Up from Alex and Richard

The College Football Playoff semifinals are in the books. Alex Kirshner and Richard Johnson share notes on Ohio State over Texas and Notre Dame over Penn State, plus pay tribute to North Dakota State’s win over Montana State in the FCS Championship. Producer: Anthony Vito. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Daniel Gallen covers Penn State for 247Sports. He joins Alex to talk about the Nittany Lions’ long road to the doorstep of the national title game, including: * How the university responded to James Franklin’s request for more investment in the football program * The relationship between the coach and the fanbase * An athletic director swap in the middle of Franklin’s tenure* What’s been different about this year’s team * Whether Franklin is on his way to being a Penn State lifer * The impact of this year’s coordinator hires * Fiesta Bowl hospitality And more. With Penn State on the verge of something big, we thought it was time to talk more in depth about how they got here. Penn State plays Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl semifinal this week. Find Daniel’s work: https://247sports.com/college/penn-state/Read Audrey Snyder’s story about Penn State’s resources: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3738241/2022/10/28/penn-state-james-franklin-facilities-football/ Host: Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Richard and Alex preview the CFP semifinals: * Notre Dame-Penn State at the Orange Bowl* Ohio State-Texas at the Cotton BowlThe matchups we’re looking at. The keys to the game. The one post-Rose Bowl thing Alex wants to walk back. And much more! SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.comHosts: Richard Johnson, Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comScott Frost is back at UCF, and Rich Rodriguez is back at West Virginia. Hundreds of college football teams, at all levels, have hired head coaches back to their old jobs. There’s a whole Wikipedia list and everything, dating to the 1800s. But most of these situations are many decades old and didn't happen in FBS. What can we make, however, of 19 coaches who came around after World War II and got two head coaching opportunities at the same school? The list ranges from big successes like Bill Snyder to extreme failures like Randy Edsall, and there are lots of lessons to learn. See the data at www.splitzoneduo.com Producer: Anthony VitoHosts: Richard Johnson, Steven Godfrey, Alex Kirshner

Alex Kirshner and Richard Johnson share their thoughts on the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff, in reverse chronological order: * Notre Dame scores the first technical upset of the playoff vs. Georgia* Ohio State runs Oregon out of Pasadena * Texas escapes Arizona State by a whisker * Penn State handles a prickly Boise State SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.comHosts: Richard Johnson, Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Richard Johnson and Alex Kirshner preview the College Football Playoff quarterfinal games in order: * Penn State vs. Boise State, where everyone is skeptical of an upset * Texas vs. Arizona State, where the Sun Devils have a path but it’s narrow against a dominant Texas defense * Ohio State vs. Oregon, which looks like CFB’s game of the year * Notre Dame vs. Georgia, where SZD picks a narrow upset Plus: Washington State hires a coach, and we’ve got notes on a big collection of December bowl games, from TCU optimism to Pat Narduzzi’s utterly ridiculous field goal decision in the GameAbove Sports Bowl. (Note: That field goal came at the end of the second overtime, making it even worse than Alex said.) SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.comHosts: Richard Johnson, Steven Godfrey, Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comRichard, Godfrey, and Alex answer questions from SZD’s paid subscribers on a long range of football (and then non-football) topics. After discussing the first weekend of the playoff and the week’s CFB news, the Q&A covers: * Potential expectation-beating teams for 2025* Positional value in the transfer portal * The downstream effects of HBCU celebrity hires * New Sacramento State head coach Brennan Marion * New ETSU head coach Will Healy* New Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes* ESPN’s preference for on-campus games vs. bowl sites* Holiday movie and dinner preferences * Squatting * Recommendations for the District of Columbia, a city that one-third of SZD LLC adores SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.comHosts: Richard Johnson, Steven Godfrey, Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito

Alex and Richard discuss the first-round College Football Playoff games, which followed the playoff tradition of being very lopsided:* Ohio State crushes Tennessee in Knoxville, Ohio* Clemson is feisty but loses at Texas* Penn State obliterates SMU (something that was going to happen whether Kevin Jennings threw those pick sixes or did not)* Notre Dame is in a different weight class than Indiana, but just don’t forget: Alabama would have met the same fatePlus, NDSU gets a history-altering win over South Dakota State, Montana State also punches its FCS Championship berth, and updates on the lower levels.Producer: Anthony VitoSUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.comHosts: Richard Johnson, Steven Godfrey, Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Richard Johnson, Steven Godfrey, and Alex Kirshner discuss the first-round College Football Playoff games and more on this week’s show: * Indiana at Notre Dame, where the Hoosiers have the chance to do the funniest possible thing * SMU at Penn State, where the sport’s chaotic December calendar is really coming into focus with a Penn State transfer* Clemson at Texas, where the Tigers will try to play Cinderella * Tennessee at Ohio State, where Richard and Alex disagree on how feasible a Vols upset of the Buckeyes really isThen a Tasting Menu of the rest of the college football weekend, featuring a check in with the FCS and lower-level playoffs. SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.comHosts: Richard Johnson, Steven Godfrey, Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comIn this solo Q&A show, Steven Godfrey answers SZD subscriber questions about some of the latest coach doings, some scheduling gripes, the potential '25 Sumrall Sweepstakes, Mike Gundy's expiration date, changing holiday patterns and what "Emeritus" actually looks like. Producer: Anthony Vito

Michael Felder, college football media wizard and a former cornerback at North Carolina, joins Richard to expand on Bill Belichick’s hiring:* The hiring as a marker of UNC’s football legitimacy* The difference between coaching pros and college players, and the challenges of “do your job” culture at this level* The gap in perception between media and UNC fansProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comRichard Johnson and Alex Kirshner discuss Bill Belichick’s hiring at North Carolina: * How the search evolved over a week and a half * A messy, messy process leads to an incredible risk … and incredible result * The case for success (including different ways of measuring it): Could Belichick change football in Chapel Hill forever even if he doesn’t win? * The case for failure: Yeah, there are tons of ways this could go badlyStay tuned for much more from SZD on this hire in the next few days. Producer: Anthony Vito

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comIn this subscriber episode, Richard and Alex trade observations about a handful of recent hires in the college football coach carousel, including: * Scott Frost to UCF, where prior success doesn’t tell us a lot about how the Knights will operate going forward* Matt Entz to Fresno State, Bronco Mendenhall to Utah State, and what their contracts tell us about Pac-12 realignment * Barry Odom to Purdue, where he might be fighting gravity* Matt Drinkall to Central Michigan, which follows the rule: “You’re a MAC school. Be different.” * Bryan Harsin to Cal, a funny culture fit with good football rationale behind it but a big transfer portal problem already * Two new coordinators to Nebraska, which needs to get things together on offense without letting the strength of the team fall apart More Split Zone DuoFree for all: We interviewed Nick Carparelli, the executive director of Bowl Season, the umbrella group that advocates for bowl game operators. We wanted to get his thoughts on the state of the bowl system, how the bowls interact with the playoff, and where he thinks bowl games are going. We hope you find this one to be an informative back-and-forth on the CFB postseason. Also, for subscribers, Richard and Steven Godfrey shared their reporting and analysis on a handful of hirings and coach searches. Thanks for listening! If you aren’t yet a paid subscriber, you can hear a free preview of this episode, but now is a great time to join us. Producer: Anthony Vito

Nick Carparelli is the executive director of Bowl Season, the group that represents the interests of CFB’s many bowl games. Alex and Richard interview him about:* What if anything worries him right now about the state of bowls * Bowls’ efforts to thrive in a world of opt outs, and how bowls might fit into the next economic iteration of the sport* The payout landscape for different kinds of bowl games * Bowls in baseball stadiums. Bowls in the Bahamas. What’s next? * The differences between representing big bowls and small * What Nick is thinking about the first-round playoff games that will exist outside the bowls* How to make more bowl games matter to casual fans * Also: Bill Belichick as a prospective college coach Hosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard JohnsonProducer: Anthony Vito. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comRichard and Godfrey update you on the state of the coach carousel with reporting and analysis on a bunch of movements, including: * Purdue gets Barry Odom to replace Ryan Walters * Jon Sumrall’s good situation at Tulane and association with North Carolina* How Bill Belichick factors into that story * Charlotte hires Tim Albin, the MAC champion coach* The end of the Charles Huff-Marshall marriage * Neal Brown and some G5 jobs * Scott Frost in 2024 is not Scott Frost in 2017 * A clarifying timeline for Utah and Kyle Whittingham* The UNC thing really is messy * West Virginia’s still on the board Producer: Anthony Vito.

The College Football Playoff bracket is set. Richard, Alex, and Godfrey discuss: * The committee getting it right this time * First-round matchups and who got a favorable draw* Any quibbles with the seedings * The weakened state of championship games* The Richard Johnson Transfer Portal MinuteSUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.comHosts: Richard Johnson, Steven Godfrey, Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comThanks to the 12-team playoff, Ryan Day’s current situation at Ohio State is unlike any hot-seat drama in college football history. Godfrey, Richard, and Alex talk about the weird dynamics facing the Buckeyes right now, like:* How many playoff games does Day have to win? Is it one? Two? Four?* Does the $30 million-plus buyout matter to Ohio State?* If Day has lost the fanbase—and it sure looks like he has, for now—how much does that bind the OSU brass to get rid of him? And how does the coming revenue-sharing/collective era influence that calculus, if it all?* Who makes the call? Remember that Ohio State has had quite a bit of backroom turmoil over the past few years, and powerful athletic director Gene Smith is no longer in his job.* If you’re extremely online (like Alex), you have one impression of the fanbase’s temperature on Day. Is that representative?* Should Day get any grace given Ohio State’s line injuries?Hosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard Johnson, Steven GodfreyProducer: Anthony Vito

Alex, Richard, and Steven preview Championship Weekend, in order: * WKU at Jacksonville State * Tulane at Army* UNLV at Boise for a playoff spot * Miami vs. Ohio * Iowa State vs. Arizona State * Georgia vs. Texas * Marshall at Louisiana * Penn State vs. Oregon* Clemson vs. SMU Plus, updates on the lower-level postseasons and the debut of THE RICHARD JOHNSON PORTAL MINUTE, a one-minute (or so) update on interesting names going into the transfer portal. SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF:* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.comHosts: Richard Johnson, Steven Godfrey, Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comBlack Sunday arrived. Steven Godfrey goes through his reporting notebook on the coach movements at the end of the regular season, including: * Why North Carolina is “messy, messy, messy” * What was behind the Arthur Smith/UNC thing* Jon Sumrall in control of a limited board * Uncertainty around Virginia Tech* KC Keeler to Temple (recorded shortly before that was announced, as you’ll understand as you listen) * Purdue’s firing of Ryan Walters * Tulsa undoing the Kevin Wilson mistake * The late stage of Neal Brown before WVU fired him * Louisiana Tech not firing Sonny CumbieAnd more! This episode was recorded Sunday afternoon. One note: West Virginia did indeed fire Neal Brown in the time between recording and publication, which was just about two hours. You’ll hear brief discussion of that possibility on this show. Stay tuned for more this week from SZD on the state of the carousel.

A detailed but brisk recap of Week 14 in college football, including: * Ohio State’s inexplicable collapse * Texas’ dominant return to College Station * A Palmetto Bowl that meant everything and nothing * UGA’s survival in a classic * Mario Cristobal’s latest epic blunder * Two Indiana schools punch their tickets * What to make of Playoff-bound Tennessee * The Mountain West reserves its spot * Postgame beefing all over the Big Ten * Lots of bowls clinched and missed * One of the worst FBS teams ever And more. Hosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard JohnsonProducer: Anthony Vito SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF:* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comStill on the road? Yeah, us too. Let's explore the college athlete earning potential of the WWE, why living in Nashville makes you like hardcore, the best YouTube channels to prevent panic attacks, working out in a crew neck sweatshirt and why holidays aren't meant to be perfect and not every relationship is mandatory.Host: Steven GodfreyProducer: Anthony Vito

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comCongrats on making it to America's best and only holiday: Thanksgiving! Let's talk about the football of it all, including the Michigan roster-building method vs. the Indiana method, which Nick Saban love letter is right for you, the possibility of the SEC/B1G-only playoff, and a spirited holiday defense of commuter schools and their well-loved parking lots.Host: Steven GodfreyProducer: Anthony Vito

Our preview of Week 14, the final week of the regular season, including: * Hook ‘em or gig ‘em? * Can you imagine if Michigan-Ohio State did not go as planned? * Will Mark Stoops ever stop putting Louisville in a blender? * Why is North Carolina allowing this Mack Brown situation to fester? * Do hot-seated coaches get friskier on fourth down? * Could Tulane beat Boise to the line for the G5 playoff spot? * Is Kansas-Baylor the Shadow Big 12 Championship? * Which team is less excited for the Commonwealth Cup? * Can we just pretend we didn’t accidentally skip the Territorial Cup, a major game that we will discuss in detail on the Sunday Hurry-Up? * Is there any reason this Egg Bowl could get weird? And more! Hosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard JohnsonProducer: Anthony VitoSUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF:* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

A packed but brisk recap of Week 13, including: * Indiana wasn’t up to it, but saw its Playoff chances go UP * Alabama melts down in Norman * Notre Dame sits on Army * The wonderful, messy race for the Mackey Award * The Big 12 descends into madness* A finish in Tempe unlike anything you’ve ever seen* And another one in Piscataway, actually* Boise State is teetering * A blowout in the Brawl of the Wild (Correction from this show: Louisiana hasn’t yet clinched the Sun Belt West. There’s still a clinching scenario in play for South Alabama as we head into Week 14.) Hosts: Alex Kirshner and Richard Johnson.SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF:* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comNotre Dame and Army meet at Yankee Stadium in a game with national championship implications. Is the year 2024 or 1946? Why did a rivalry that produced one of college football’s Games of the Century stop being played on a frequent basis? In a modified edition of SZD’s “Dead Letters” series, let’s learn about a rivalry that briefly defined college football in a unique era.Hosted by Alex Kirshner, Richard Johnson, and Steven Godfrey. Produced by Anthony Vito.

Split Zone Duo previews Week 13 of the college football season, including: * Can Indiana actually do this? We’re skeptical, but here’s how. * Army gets the ultimate prove-it matchup with Notre Dame* What’s up with Monday coach firings? * The Ole Miss vs. Florida SZD Alumni Bowl * Can Big 12 Tiebreaker Armageddon be avoided? * Nebraska: Please figure this out * The Pac-12’s Game of 2024 arrives * The Mountain West and SWAC get a little spicy * Could Auburn get messy with A&M? * Can Oklahoma score on Alabama? (No.) And more! Hosted by Richard Johnson, Alex Kirshner, and Steven Godfrey. Produced by Anthony Vito. SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF:* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Recapping Week 12 of the college football season, including: * South Carolina is a whole lot of fun * Georgia lives to fight another day* Oregon is the first team to wrap a Playoff spot * Colorado might join them * Or the Big 12 might miss out altogether * SMU continues to rock * Tulane and Army are on a collision course* Brian Kelly plays the Billy Napier role * Watch out for Baylor … in 2025* A worrying sign for Notre Dame? And much, much more. Hosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard JohnsonProducer: Anthony Vito SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF:* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comKennesaw State fired coach Brian Bohannon, who turned it from an FCS startup team into a playoff team and then into an FBS program. We discuss:* How Kennesaw trapped itself* The shambolic handling of the announcement* The history of FBS transition programs firing coaches* Why Bohannon’s firing was bound to get messy* What happens when a program jumps before it’s ready* Whether the firing was actually a bad ideaHosts: Steven Godfrey, Richard Johnson, Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito

Split Zone Duo previews Week 12 of the college football season, including:* The problems facing the Georgia Bulldogs* Kansas takes a crack at another Big 12 contender* Texas and Arkansas take us back to the SWC, even though Texas really does not want to consider Arkansas a rival* Tulane’s emergence as a maybe-Playoff contender* Could Utah derail Colorado?* A darkhorse Colorado State rides in the Mountain West* A pair of enormous FCS games* Baylor and West Virginia in a medicated Anxiety Bowl* Wisconsin’s latest chance to restore a fading reputationAnd more!SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF:* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.comHosts: Richard Johnson, Steven Godfrey, Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

A packed but breezy recap of Week 11 of the college football season, with hosts Richard Johnson and Alex Kirshner, includes: * How Alabama dominated in Death Valley * The fake tiger thing, explained * Why Ole Miss spent all that money * Oklahoma’s latest calamity * Indiana’s reality check in a W* Miami’s faceplant in Atlanta * Pitt’s continued fall from grace * BYU’s fortunate finish in Salt Lake * The Utah AD’s postgame crying * Colorado’s impressive run * A sea change in the Big Sky * The troops continue marching * A bananas ending in CUSA * The wide-open state of the MAC And more. Producer: Anthony Vito. SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS AND GET COOL STUFF: * Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szd* Use code SZD20 for 20% off your first order from Homefield, at www.homefieldapparel.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comIn this episode for paid subscriber: Florida isn’t firing Billy Napier. Godfrey made several phone calls Thursday night and opens up his notebook here with notes on the Gators, Auburn, Purdue, Southern Miss, Louisiana Tech, ECU, Central Michigan, UAB, and more.Host: Steven GodfreyProducer: Anthony Vito

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comThe College Football Playoff selection committee ranked teams for the first time in the era of an expanded field. We discuss:* The possibility of a Big 12 doomsday scenario* Whether the Group of 5 might have an actual breakthrough this year* How the committee’s philosophy appears to have shifted (and not shifted) now that it’s gone from ranking for a four-team field to a 12-team field* The weirdest outcomes that remain on the tableHosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard Johnson, Steven GodfreyProducer: Anthony Vito

Our Week 11 college football preview arrives, including:* The keys to Alabama-LSU* Florida’s chances at a Texas upset* Colorado’s road to the Big 12 goes through Lubbock* Army and Boise continue marching* An injury-laden Clemson-Virginia Tech meeting* The Big 12 middle class sorting itself out* The Holy War gets a twistAnd a lot more!* 20% off sitewide at homefieldapparel.com through November 9* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szdHosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard Johnson, Steven GodfreyProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

An information-packed rundown of Week 10 in college football, including: * Ohio State-Penn State goes how it always goes * Indiana is still Indiana (that’s a compliment now) * South Carolina shows up big against A&M * SMU has its biggest night in 40 years * Army stays on course, but Navy doesn’t * Memphis falls apart in a key spot* Virginia Tech can’t win close games * The Big 12 contenders converge on each other* Tahj Brooks, Ashton Jeanty, and more great running* Baylor might be back * A Florida recruiting fight gets testy * The Libs get owned against Jacksonville StateAnd a lot more! * Get 20% off your first order at Homefield using code SZD20 at homefieldapparel.com* Enter your pick for the Nokian Tyres Road Trip of the Week and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires at www.nokiantyres.com/szdHosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard JohnsonProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comSince UAB hired Trent Dilfer before the 2023 season, a once-solid program has become one of college football’s worst teams. Rodger Sherman, who wrote an excellent feature about the flawed ideology behind the hire, joins Richard, Godfrey, and Alex to discuss how UAB set itself up to fail with a hire that made no strategic or cultural sense. Then, Rodger and the SZD hosts hold a three-round draft of the worst coaching hires of the past 15 years. It’s a walk down memory lane not just of hires who didn’t win, but of hires that were unwise at the time they were made. Let’s see what lessons we can learn.Read Rodger's Dilfer story and more at Read Rodge: https://rodgersherman.substack.com/p/the-dilfer-debacle-or-a-case-studyProducer: Anthony Vito

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comListen to the Week 10 Tasting Menu and pair it with Godfrey’s Q&A for subscribers. He’s on one this week. We start our journey with a repeat format of Question Randomization, but this time around we end up smack dab in the middle of a big mess with the coming 12-team bracket weekly rankings and a series of inconvenient results clogging the at-large field. Could all of this magically work itself out? Maybe, but that hasn't been the vibe in this sport the last few years.Host: Steven GodfreyProducer: Anthony Vito

A preview of the Week 10 college football season, including:* Penn State’s latest chance to level up in the sport, this one against Ohio State in Happy Valley in what should be one of 2024’s best games* Marquee QB matchups have been duds. Why?* Army’s latest offensive evolution, and why this season has been such a bleak one for Air Force* What kind of Florida-Georgia will this one be?* Indiana keeps chugging and may get its QB back* A&M and the potential for a two-QB system* A marquee matchup (that’s right) between Pitt and SMU* Late life in the TCU-Baylor RevivalryAnd more.HOMEFIELD’S SWEATER PROJECT: A 48-hour reservation window for a one-of-a-kind product, the Indiana Football 1979 Tri-Stripe Crewneck. Use code SZD20 for 20 percent off your first order at www.homefieldapparel.comNOKIAN TYRES ROAD TRIP OF THE WEEK: This week, it’s State College, PA. Enter your pick and be automatically entered in a monthly drawing to win tires, and congrats to listener Noble on winning this month’s drawing. Enter at www.nokiantyres.com/szdHosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard JohnsonProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Richard Johnson and Alex Kirshner recap Week 9 in college football, including:* Texas A&M beats LSU, and Mike Elko makes a point* Texas survives an odd game against Vanderbilt* Miami gets a breakthrough, and FSU flirts with history* BYU, Pitt, and Indiana all remain unbeaten* Kansas still can’t beat Kansas State* A classic MSU-UM game* UNLV misses an opportunity* The MAC and Sun Belt races are WIDE open* UTSA’s nightmare year* How to lose a game with a 6-0 turnover marginAnd much more.Hosts: Richard Johnson, Alex KirshnerProducer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comA Week 9 subscriber Q&A with Steven Godfrey. He takes questions about James Madison, Florida State, BYU, Cincinnati, Georgia and a buncha other schools and things in the fun and never-sane world of CFB. Also, yes, the smoker is assembled. Finally.Host: Steven GodfreyProducer: Anthony Vito

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comWelcome back to another year of "The Eyes List,” where Split Zone Duo discusses coaching situations that we’ve got our eyes on. Richard, Godfrey, and Alex discuss the first two in-season head coach firings of 2024: ECU’s Mike Houston and Southern Miss’ Will Hall. Plus, Oklahoma fires Seth Littrell and puts the first blue-blood coordinator opening on the board.In this episode for paid subscribers, SZD discusses: * The specific challenges faced by ECU and Southern Miss * Why it’s not really time yet for candidate lists, and why the firing cycle has not heated up in earnest as November approaches * Why one hot ECU name seems like a long shot * How ECU is still cleaning up an AD’s mess from 10 years ago* Whether Southern Miss is a better situation than it was in 2021 * The critical nature of Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator search after firing Seth Littrell Producer: Anthony VitoHosts: Richard Johnson, Steven Godfrey, Alex Kirshner

Richard, Alex, and Godfrey preview Week 9 of the college football season, with looks ahead at two dozen of the weekend’s games. Including:* Notre Dame-Navy* A&M-LSU* Mizzou-Alabama* Boise State-UNLV* Tulane-North Texas* Illinois-Oregon* Washington-Indiana* Syracuse-Pitt* Oklahoma-Ole Miss* FSU-Miami* Wazzu-San Diego StateAnd a lot more.SPLIT ZONE DUO GOES TO NASHVILLE WITH NOKIAN TYRES: On Friday, 10/25 and Saturday, 10/26, we’ll join our friends for two events: a 5 p.m. Friday meetup at Bearded Iris Brewing in Sylvan Supply and a tailgate starting at 11 a.m. Saturday in Lot 4 on Vanderbilt’s campus. RSVP for the Friday event by going to www.nokiantyres.com/szd and entering Vanderbilt vs. Texas as your desired college football road trip. On Saturday, just show up. We’ll have pizza.HOMEFIELD: CODE SZD20 FOR 20% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER: Meanwhile, all Split Zone Duo shirts this season are for a good cause. Our shirt collection, in partnership with Homefield, is at homefieldapparel.com/szd.This season, 100 percent of the profits from SZD shirt sales at Homefield will go toward a fund to help a close friend of our show and his family as they deal with a medical crisis. Further information is here: https://tinyurl.com/wesbolingProducer: Anthony VitoHosts: Steven Godfrey, Richard Johnson, Alex Kirshner This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

A 30-ish-minute recap of Week 8 in college football, including: * Georgia asserts itself against Texas, but exactly how big is the gap between these teams if they meet again? We still don’t know* Tennessee wins a slog against a Bama offense that has one thing * NDSU finally takes back the Dakota Marker * Indiana is Good with a capital G * Mario Cristobal makes a good game management move* BYU continues a magical season* ECU opens up coach firing season * At least the weather is nice in Morgantown * Maryland fans rush the field And a lot more contained within the episode. Producer: Anthony Vito. SPLIT ZONE DUO GOES TO NASHVILLE WITH NOKIAN TYRES: On Friday, 10/25 and Saturday, 10/26, we’ll join our friends for two events: a 5 p.m. Friday meetup at Bearded Iris Brewing in Sylvan Supply and a tailgate starting at 11 a.m. Saturday in Lot 4 on Vanderbilt’s campus. RSVP for the Friday event now by going to www.nokiantyres.com/szd and entering Vanderbilt vs. Texas as your desired college football road trip. On Saturday, just show up. We’ll have drinks. HOMEFIELD: CODE SZD20 FOR 20% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER: Meanwhile, all Split Zone Duo shirts this season are for a good cause. Our shirt collection, in partnership with Homefield, is at homefieldapparel.com/szd.This season, 100 percent of the profits from SZD shirt sales at Homefield will go toward a fund to help a close friend of our show and his family as they deal with a medical crisis. Further information is here: https://tinyurl.com/wesboling This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comCody Alexander of Match Quarters is a defensive coordinator by trade. He joins Richard and Alex for a discussion of five of the best players and offenses in college football right now. What can a defense do to stop them? Sometimes the answer is nothing, but here are some ideas, as well as explanations of why these guys have been so effective: * Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty* The Army and Navy flexbone * Penn State TE Tyler Warren* Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith * Texas QB Quinn Ewers (and friends)If you liked this show, you’ll like Match Quarters. Also this week at Split Zone Duo … Producer: Anthony Vito.

Our Week 8 preview. CBS Sports national college football writer Shehan Jeyarajah joins Alex and Richard to break down a huge pile of games, including (but not only): * A UGA-Texas blockbuster * A Bama-Tennessee matchup that has lost some luster* The FCS Game of the Century * Duke’s chance to finally beat FSU * A Nebraska-Indiana game with playoff stakes * Missouri’s lack of explosive plays* Miami’s time to prove what it’s got * The potential for truly gross Michigan-Illinois and South Carolina-Oklahoma games* Time to get serious about Arizona State or Cincinnati? And much more. Producer: Anthony Vito. SPLIT ZONE DUO GOES TO NASHVILLE WITH NOKIAN TYRES: On Friday, 10/25 and Saturday, 10/26, we’ll join our friends for two events: a 5 p.m. Friday meetup at Bearded Iris Brewing in Sylvan Supply and a tailgate starting four hours before Texas vs. Vandy on Saturday. Tailgate details are TBA, but RSVP for the Friday event now by going to www.nokiantyres.com/szd and entering Vanderbilt vs. Texas as your desired college football road trip.HOMEFIELD: CODE SZD20 FOR 20% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER: Meanwhile, all Split Zone Duo shirts this season are for a good cause. Our shirt collection, in partnership with Homefield, is at homefieldapparel.com/szd.This season, 100 percent of the profits from SZD shirt sales at Homefield will go toward a fund to help a close friend of our show and his family as they deal with a medical crisis. Further information is here: https://tinyurl.com/wesboling This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Our 30(ish)-minute recap of a wild weekend in college football, including: * Oregon beats Ohio State in a classic. Did the Ducks intentionally deploy an old Buddy Ryan trick to seal the game? * LSU keeps firing until it finally hits Ole Miss* Billy Napier almost pulls it off in Knoxville, then doesn’t * Pitt and BYU are 6-0 * Iowa State, Kansas State, and a juicy Big 12 race that doesn’t even include preseason favorite Utah * Army keeps sluggin’; Trent Dilfer keeps strugglin’ * Georgia Southern pulls off the comeback of 2024Producer: Anthony Vito. SPLIT ZONE DUO GOES TO NASHVILLE WITH NOKIAN TYRES: On Friday, 10/25 and Saturday, 10/26, we’ll join our friends for two events: a 5 p.m. Friday meetup at Bearded Iris Brewing in Sylvan Supply and a tailgate starting four hours before Texas vs. Vandy on Saturday. Tailgate details are TBA, but RSVP for the Friday event now by going to www.nokiantyres.com/szd and entering Vanderbilt vs. Texas as your desired college football road trip.HOMEFIELD: CODE SZD20 FOR 20% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER: Meanwhile, all Split Zone Duo shirts this season are for a good cause. Our shirt collection, in partnership with Homefield, is at homefieldapparel.com/szd.This season, 100 percent of the profits from SZD shirt sales at Homefield will go toward a fund to help a close friend of our show and his family as they deal with a medical crisis. Further information is here: https://tinyurl.com/wesboling This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comIn a Week 7 mailbag: Godfrey helps reset expectations for Lance Leipold at Kansas, talks about his first ever CFB game (hint: it's a match-up this weekend), debates himself on the state of play with Lincoln Riley and USC, and then just talks about Halloween spooky movies.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comA midseason, pre-coach carousel review of the programs in each FBS conference that are falling flat on their faces in 2024. Why have things gone so badly? What is the definition of “cooked,” and which Carolinas ACC school meets it the most? Are things as grim as they appear at Purdue? Was Jeff Lebby’s Mississippi State supposed to be this bad off the bat? What do you make of the brutal first half of the season for Mike Gundy’s Oklahoma State? And, finally, we attempt to pick a winner (sort of) in the race to be the worst team in FBS in 2024.Producer: Anthony Vito

Our preview of Week 7. Ohio State-Oregon is the blockbuster in a loaded week that also features USC-Penn State, Ole Miss-LSU, Colorado-Kansas State, and a bunch of solid matchups all around the country. Let’s get into it. Production: Anthony Vito. SPLIT ZONE DUO GOES TO NASHVILLE WITH NOKIAN TYRES: On Friday, 10/25 and Saturday, 10/26, we’ll join our friends for two events: a 5 p.m. Friday meetup at Bearded Iris Brewing in Sylvan Supply and a tailgate starting four hours before Texas vs. Vandy on Saturday. Tailgate details are TBA, but RSVP for the Friday event now by going to www.nokiantyres.com/szd and entering Vanderbilt vs. Texas as your desired college football road trip.HOMEFIELD: CODE SZD20 FOR 20% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER: Meanwhile, all Split Zone Duo shirts this season are for a good cause. Our shirt collection, in partnership with Homefield, is at homefieldapparel.com/szd.This season, 100 percent of the profits from SZD shirt sales at Homefield will go toward a fund to help a close friend of our show and his family as they deal with a medical crisis. Further information is here: https://tinyurl.com/wesboling This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

The Week 6 Hurry-Up is our recap of everything we found interesting in the college football weekend, delivered in 30(ish) minutes: * Vanderbilt flushes Alabama * The call Cal should really be mad about * Michigan does not have the pieces * Army and Navy continue to bulldoze* Iowa State continues to rise * TCU sullies itself against Houston * Tulane shows no mercy * CHARLOTTE?? And much more! Producer: Anthony Vito. SPLIT ZONE DUO SHIRTS, COMFY AND FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Our code for 20% off your first order at Homefield is SZD20. Our shirt collection, in partnership with Homefield, is at homefieldapparel.com/szd.This season, 100 percent of the profits from SZD shirt sales at Homefield will go toward a fund to help a close friend of our show and his family as they deal with a medical crisis. Further information is here: https://tinyurl.com/wesboling WANT TO WIN FREE TIRES AND SUPPORT SZD? Head to NokianTyres.com/SZD and nominate a Road Trip of the Week for next week. When you do, you’ll be entered in a monthly tire drawing. Thanks to Nokian Tyres for the support! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe