AP Top 25 College Football Podcast

Washington coach Jedd Fisch interviewJedd Fisch is taking over a Washington program that played for a national championship last season, but only returns a total of 28 players, almost none of them starters. In an interview with AP's Ralph Russo, Fisch talks about the difference in the two rebuilds, preparing for the Big Ten and why coaching at Washington is a lot like coaching in the NFL.

Spring portal reviewThe spring portal window has closed and while there are still transfers happening, most of the big moves have been made. Max Olson from The Athletic joins AP's Ralph Russo to talk about what teams cleaned up in the portal, including Miami and Oklahoma. Defensive linemen were a particularly hot commodity in April. And, of course, you can't talk portal without checking in on Colorado and coach Prime.

Marcus Freeman on Year 3 leading Notre DameNotre Dame coach Marcus Freeman enters his third season leading the Fighting Irish with maybe his best team. Plus, a new offensive coordinator in Mike Denbrock and another new quarterback via the transfer portal in former Duke star Riley Leonard. How are they meshing as Leonard recovers from an injury? 

Playoff dark horsesAn expanded College Football Playoff means a bigger reward for surprising teams that go from unranked in the preseason to vying for a spot in the top 10. Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports joins AP's Ralph Russo to run through so teams that could exceed expectations in 2024 and earn a place in the first 12-team playoff. The Atlantic Coast Conference seems especially loaded with wild cards from Miami to newcomer SMU.

Mock NFL draftWhat will happen after the Chicago Bears take USC quarterback Caleb Williams No. 1 overall in next week's NFL draft? AP's national NFL Writer Rob Maaddi joins Ralph Russo to go through his mock draft, which includes a bunch of wheeling and dealing, four more quarterbacks being selected after Williams and a total of 10 offensive line going in the first round. Maaddi explains why Heisman winner Jayden Daniels might be the right fit for the Commanders at No. 2 and how the Patriots can take a circuitous route to acquire additional picks and still get their quarterback of the future.Rob Maaddi's mock draft: https://apnews.com/article/nfl-mock-draft-caleb-williams-bears-2f9c3602d80084eb9c0c7fc0b7fc9530

Where is this all going in college football?A proposed Super League model for college football, which is A) DOA and B) not really a super league, has been floating around for a few months. While that idea isn't viable, where college football is heading is very much a question that needs answers. Andy Staples from On3 joins AP's Ralph Russo to consider not just whether a Super League is on the horizon. That answer is almost certainly yes, but what are the various ways it could come together? Is it just a SEC/Big Ten arms race? Or could those conferences also be vulnerable to being broken up?

Ohio State coach Ryan Day and QB competitionsAfter ending the season on a two-game losing streak, including a third straight to Michigan, Ohio State won the offseason. Buckeyes coach Ryan Day joins AP's Ralph Russo to discuss flipping the vibes, returning stars, managing a loaded QB room and finding one more play to win the most important game of the season. Also, Bud Elliott from the 247 Sports and the Cover-3 Podcast joins the show to talk about spring QB competitions and USC's recruiting heater.

BC coach Bill O'Brien and CFP optimismBill O'Brien has had a crazy offseason, leaving the Patriots when Bill Belichik was forced out, going to Ohio State to become offensive coordinator and then landing in February at Boston College as the head coach. At a time when we here a lot about how coaches are fleeing the chaotic world of college football, why did O'Brien come back? Plus, Steven Godfrey of the Split Zone Duo podcast is excited and optimistic about the 12-team College Football Playoff. He spells out why.

Adjusting projections; Interview with Troy coach Gerad ParkerESPN's preseason SP+ projections have 13 of the top 15 teams in the country in either the Big Ten or the Southeastern Conference. Bill Connelly, the brains behind SP+, joins AP's Ralph Russo to discuss the projections and what they portend in the first year of super conferences and a 12-team playoff. Plus, how the Big Ten and SEC are starving the rest of college football. Also, Troy coach Gerad Parker joins the show to discuss his move from offensive coordinator at Notre Dame to the two-time defending Sun Belt champions.Ralph's story on CFP revenue sharing deal: https://apnews.com/article/college-football-playoff-cfp-2d6f873ce07bb8b51660354f5bcff5f1

Who are the best coaches in college football?Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel of The Athletic join AP's Ralph Russo to discuss their rankings of the Top 25 coaches in college football right now. The retirement of Nick Saban, Jim Harbaugh moving on to the NFL and a few down years by Dabo Swinney have opened up more than a few spots in the near the top of the rankings, opening the door for coaches such as Lance Leipold of Kansas and Kalen DeBoer, Saban's replacement who just led Washington to the national championship game. And how will expectations on coaches change in college football's new world order?Ralph's Top 10 coaches:No. 1 Kirby Smart, GeorgiaNo. 2 Dabo Swinney, ClemsonNo. 3 Brian Kelly, LSUNo. 5. Kyle Whittingham, UtahNo. 6 Kalen DeBoer, AlabamaNo. 7 James Franklin, Penn StateNo. 8 Lance Leipold, KansasNo. 9 Mike Norvell, Florida StateNo. 10 Lincoln Riley, USC

Post-combined draft talk and CFP shenanigansThe NFL Draft combine in the the rearview mirror and the is about a month and half left before the actual draft. Eric Edholm from NFL.com joins AP's Ralph Russo to discuss what was learned at the combine and what to make of USC QB Caleb Williams choosing not to be evaluated by every teams' medical staff. Plus, this offensive line class is loaded. Then in Three-and-Out, Russo explains why the Big Ten and SEC's CFP power play is unnecessary and not in the best interest of college football.

Why the CFP is expanding alreadyThe first 12-team College Football Playoff hasn't even been played yet and the conference commissioners who run the CFP are talking about adding more teams. How did we get here so soon? Nicole Auerbach from The Athletic joins AP's Ralph Russo to discuss how the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference are throwing their weight around and how the playoff that was revealed in 2021.

Does ESPN have too much control of college football? ESPN is moving toward a deal to have sole ownership of the expanded College Football Playoff through the 2031 season. Is that good for college football? Bryan Curtis, sports media writer for The Ringer, joins AP's Ralph Russo to talk about the impact of college football's splintered media rights been deals, with Fox being all in on the Big Ten and ESPN being the exclusive home of the SEC and ACC. The leaders of the CFP hoped to have an NFL-style media deal for its postseason with multiple networks involved. Instead, ESPN will remain in control at a time when many fans believe the network controls the sport from behind the scenes.

Are coaches really fleeing to the NFL? When Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley decided to quit his job and take a new one as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, it inspired more than a few takes that the move was a red flag for the state of college football and that an exodus of quality coaches was something to fear. Max Olson of The Athletic joins AP's Ralph Russo to discuss the potential brain drain and why coaches jumping from college to the NFL might not be worth worrying about. Also, trying to identify the next Jayden Daniels or Bo Penix among this year's transfer quarterbacks.

Wrapping up the January coaching carousel !Michigan has new head coach in Sherrone Moore, replacing Jim Harbaugh, but the story of the 2023 national champions is far from over. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg joins AP's Ralph Russo to discuss the lingering debate over how to view Michigan's accomplishments with the cloud of the sign-stealing scandal forever hanging over the Wolverines. Plus, we wrap up the January coaching  carousel and talk short-term expectations for new coaches at Alabama, Washington and Arizona.

2023 review: What is sustainable? The 2023 season ended with a Northern team winning a national championship for the first time since 2014. Doug Lesmerises from Kings of the North and THE Podcast returns to the show to gloat about his prediction that a non-Southern team would win it all and to review whether Michigan's championship formula is repeatable, with potential to change the power dynamic across college football? Plus, Ohio State is ALL in.  Ralph's preseason predictions: https://apnews.com/article/cfp-georgia-alabama-ohio-state-clemson-oklahoma-0797256de3f10dfbb65c5f790bd2a213 https://apnews.com/article/heisman-caleb-williams-usc-marvin-harrison-biletnikoff-3c8cd680364f54a920d4fe601a0cf726 

After Saban retires, dominos fall.  The retirement of Alabama coach Nick Saban triggered another round of coaching carousel moves and, oh boy, has it spun fast. Bruce Feldman from The Athletic and Fox Sports joins AP's Ralph D. Russo to discuss the swiftness, fallout and somewhat randomness of how Kalen DeBoer ended up at Alabama, Jedd Fisch at Washington and Brent Brennan at Arizona. Plus, at least as of this recording, we're still waiting on Jim Harbaugh's next move.

Nick Saban retires  Alabama coach Nick Saban announced his retirement, leaving behind what is the greatest career in the history of the sport. In 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide, Saban won six national championships and was just a few plays away from several others. Matt Fortuna, from the Inside Zone with Matt Fortuna, joins AP's Ralph Russo to talk about the process, Saban's remarkable legacy and who might succeed him at Alabama.

CFP championship preview  No. 1 Michigan runs the ball more than most teams. No. 2 Washington throws the ball as much as just about any team in the country. The College Football Playoff championship game will be an intriguing matchup of styles. Parker Fleming, a college football data analyst whose projections can be found on X/Twitter @statsowar, joins AP's Ralph Russo to breakdown the numbers behind the players and the Xs and Os of Huskies-Wolverines. It's a strength vs. strength matchup with Michael Penix Jr. and Washington's amazing array of receivers facing a Michigan pass defense that has been one of the best in the country this season. Neither side has faced a test like this.

Harbaugh's last dance? FSU's opt outs  When Florida State was first snubbed from the College Football Playoff where was talk about how the Seminoles could still be in the only undefeated team in the country, and if that happened, could they claim a national title after beating Georgia in the Orange Bowl. Now, it looks like FSU will be going into the Orange Bowl with its B team after a slew of opt outs. Bill Bender from The Sporting New joins AP's Ralph Russo to talk about FSU's off bowl season, and oh, how things have changed since the days of the split national titles. And is this Jim Harbaugh's last dance at Michigan? The NFL could come calling again. There is a contract extension sitting out there that Michigan would like him to sign. There is the ominous cloud if NCAA issues. And Michigan, frankly, seems to have a pretty good replacement lined up. It all makes the Rose Bowl against Alabama even more fascinating.

College Football Playoff Preview Can Michigan bully its way to a national title? Can Alabama's offensive line let Jalen Milroe shine? Can Texas' defensive line outmuscle Washington? Can Michael Penix and Rome Odunze exploit the Longhorns' secondary? Cole Cubelic of ESPN, the SEC Network and the Mac and Cube Show on WJOX in Alabama joins AP's Ralph Russo to preview the College Football Playoff. Michigan faces Alabama in the Rose Bowl and Washington meets Texas on the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.

Bowl preview Bowl season is here, and the value of a bowl game has never been more unclear. Not just to the players and coaches, but to AP poll voters. Matt Brown from The Athletic joins AP's Ralph Russo to discuss how he might go about factoring in the results of bowl games into his final Top 25 after the national champion is crowned. Also, can there really be a split national champion if Florida State is the only unbeaten team at the end of the year? Plus, Matt and Ralph roll through the entire bowl schedule and highlight games to watch. Even though you really should watch them all.  AP All-America team: https://apnews.com/article/ap-allamerica-team-45e5dac6434336de5712779fbc0e7e6f

CFP scenarios aplenty!Heading into conference championship weekend, we have never had more playoff contenders and possible permutations and intriguing potential scenarios. Andy Staple from On3 joins AP's Ralph Russo to sort through them all. Alabama is the biggest wild card. Chaos is largely dependent on the Crimson Tide upsetting Georgia. There is some mystery to Florid State as it soldiers on without Jordan Travis. Who ya got: Oregon or Texas? Ralph's story on the path to the CFP for each contender: https://apnews.com/article/cfp-contenders-79a4415e173773014b449552e4f8aace

An Ohio State-Michigan like never before There has never been a game quite like this Michigan-Ohio State, dripping with storylines and intrigue. Ari Wasserman from The Athletic and the Until Saturday podcast joins AP's Ralph Russo to talk about one topic that has many layers: Ohio State vs. Michigan. The sign-stealing scandal. What exactly will be Michigan's punishment? Can Michigan really be punished? What's at stake for Ohio State? What's at stake for Ryan Day? What's a more interesting result: Michigan winning or Ohio State winning?

Jimbo's out; Michigan takes the Big Ten to court. Texas A&M paid $75 million to fire coach Jimbo Fisher. What's next at College Station? Richard Johnson from Sports Illustrated and the Split Zone Duo podcast joins AP's Ralph Russo to discuss the fallout from the Aggies coaching move and what A&M AD Ross Bjork might be signaling with his comments about who's decision it was. San Diego State, Boise State and Mississippi State are now in the coaching market, too. Michigan and the Big Ten are going to court and Oregon State has a chance to burn down the Pac-12's playoff hopes.

There is a lot going on off the field in college football, almost all of it with Michigan. Stewart Mandel of The Athletic joins AP's Ralph Russo to talk about the latest with the Michigan sign-stealing scandal. It's an evolving story but we try to sort out where things are heading and whether Jim Harbaugh will be on the sideline this weekend against Penn State. Also, USC finally cut the cord with defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, James Madison is ramping up its pitch to get into the postseason as it remains unbeaten and the College Football Playoff race is coming into focus – and it might be heading for a chaotic conclusion.

Dabo's defense and what's next at Michigan? Clemson coach Dabo Swinney had the type of volatile interaction with an upset fan that only college football can produce. Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports joins AP's Ralph Russo to discuss Swinney defending himself on his weekly radio show and whether he was right to get his dander up? Then Dan and Ralk dive into the Michigan sign-stealing scandal to try to decipher what to make of where things stand, where it's going and Jim Harbaugh's future.

Penn State's predicament and Michigan's mess James Franklin and Penn State are still chasing elite. But what is the value of mere excellence, a status plenty of Penn State's peer program have flailed around trying to get to over the last decade or so? Andy Staples from On3 joins AP's Ralph Russo for a long discussion about Penn State's place in the world, why it might change as college football changers and why maybe we shouldn't be so dismissive of the ability to “win the games you're supposed to win.”Plus, Michigan, sign-stealing and the possible fallout for the Wolverines and Jim Harbaugh in their latest brush with rule-breaking. Ralph's column on the AP Top 25: https://apnews.com/article/ap-poll-georgia-michigan-no-1-c1f417c536f3feeb0b71d04d556d5fd9

Going for it and Penn State-Ohio State preview  After Washington beat Oregon in game that turned, in part, on three critical fourth-down plays by the Ducks, when to go for it became a national talking point. AP's Ralph Russo is a big supporter of four-down football. John Walters, former and recovering sports writer with Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports, take a less analytical approach. Ralph and John talk out Oregon coach Dan Lanning's decision and try to find common ground between the imperfect numbers and imperfect humans. Plus, Nicoel Auerbach from The Athletic joins the show to preview No. 7 Penn State at No. 3 Ohio State.mail the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com

 Hot seat check-in and Oregon-Washington preview Midway through the season, it's time to take the temperature of coaching situations around the country. Matt Fortuna from The Inside Zone and The Independent Podcast and AP's Ralph Russo dive into the state of Notre Dame after the Fighting Irish lost again and discuss which coaches have played their way on and off hot seats. Also, Geoff Schwartz of Fox Sports and SiriusXM joins the show to preview Saturday's Pac-12 showdown between No. 7 Washington and No. 8 Oregon. Plus, what can we expect the rest of the way from USC.Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com

 Why is USC so frustrating and are we too nitpicky? USC is 5-0 with one of the great college football players of the past 20 years, but yet the Trojans have become one of the most frustrating teams in the country. Why? Dan Rubenstein from the Solid Verbal joins AP's Ralph Russo to talk about some of the Trojans troubles, which leads to a broader conversation: Are we too nitpicky when it comes to the top teams in college football? Most of the best teams have been rolling along other than losing to other top teams. Still, there is a lot focus on the flaws. Also, Rodger Sherman, formerly of The Ringer joins the show to talk about quitting is job to travel around the country to watch college football games this season. Rodger has already covered a lot of miles and a lot of games. We'll see how he's holding up. AP Top 25 column: https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-25-texas-oklahoma-red-river-08cdef6bf8c5877ec8c1eaf3218d51ebmail the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com

Ohio State's toughness dilemma Ohio State coach Ryan Day went off after the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame last week, targeting Lou Holtz, but, really, he was going after the notion that his team lacks toughness. That is not a new thing for Day and Ohio State. Doug Lesmerises of THE Podcast joins AP's Ralph Russo to talk about the Buckeyes' toughness dilemma.Also, is the top tier of college football growing this season? How many teams are capable of winning a playoff game? Plus, Doug thinks the SEC is mid.  Ralph's AP Top 25 column: https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-25-georgia-ohio-state-a731f8008e63205b18bd05e771c82bc9 THE Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-podcast-ohio-state-football-news/id1636577652

Previewing a monster weekend, by the numbers Week 4 of the college football promises to be the best one yet. There are six games matching ranked teams, plus several other fascinating matchups. To preview the biggest games, college football stats analyst Parker Fleming joins AP's Ralph Russo. What can we expect out of No. 13 Alabama against No. 15 Ole Miss now that Nick Saban has committed to Jalen Milroe at quarterback? Is the bill about to come due for No. 19 Colorado as Coach Prime's team heads to No. 10 Oregon? How will Sam Hartman and No. 9 Notre Dame's improved passing game matchup against an Ohio State defense that is showing signs of truly understanding coordinator Jim Knowles' defense?Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com

College football dynasties Clemson and Alabama have both already lost, which prompts the question: How do college football dynasties rise and fall? Paul Myerberg of USA Today joins AP's Ralph Russo for a college football history lesson, searching for comparable runs to Clemson's under Dabo Swinney and putting Alabama's dynasty under Saban into historical context.Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com

Clemson's fall; CU's ceiling  Two stunning upsets defined Week 1 of the college football. Colorado beating TCU and Clemson falling to Duke. David Ubben of The Athletic joins AP's Ralph Russo to talk about what's happened to Dabo Swinney's program at Clemson and how the rest of the season might play out for Deion Sanders and Colorado. Plus, a Texas-Alabama preview.Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com

Coaching carousel preview  With the season on the verge of full-blown kickoff, it's time to check in on which coaches need to have success to keep their jobs. Adam Rittenberg from ESPN joins Ralph Russo from AP to talk about the coaching carousel, which these days starts spinning earlier than ever. The clearest hots spots are in West Virginia and Indiana. In recent years, there have been mid-season coaching changes that nobody saw coming. Adam and Ralph dig around to find the not-so-obvious spots that could get volatile. Plus, Chris Huston, host of the Official Heisman Trophy Podcast, joins the show to talk about Caleb Williams' chances of a repeat and what makes a Heisman contender.  Adam's story on Jim Harbaugh: https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38241303/michigan-college-football-force-again-distractions Ralph's coach watch: https://apnews.com/article/hot-seat-coaches-neal-brown-tom-allen-hafley-babers-drinkwitz-26411561308210a526fba184372b2e93Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com

G5 and Notre Dame previews  Who will emerge as the top teams in the new-look American Athletic Conference? Is it time for SMU and Memphis to takeover? Boise State might have a difference-maker at quarterback in the Mountain West and the Sun Belt could be the most balanced of the Group of Five conferences. Chris Vannini of The Athletic joins Ralph Russo to preview the non-Power Five conferences. Then Pete Sampson of The Athletic and The Independent podcast previews Marcus Freeman's second season as Notre Dame's coach. What's the ceiling for Sam Hartman and the Fighting Irish?Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com

Rece Davis and preseason AP Top 25 The preseason AP Top 25 is out. It's the unofficial start of the college football season. In keeping with tradition, Rece Davis, host of ESPN's “College GameDay” joins Ralph D. Russo on poll drop day to talk about how he voted. Michigan at No. 1?! With so much news recently in college football, especially with conference realignment, and heading toward a historic season, we'll get Rece's thoughts on current events and what feels like the end of an era in college football. Preseason AP Top 25: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-pollGeorgia's quest: https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-25-college-football-poll-d714d9fdebb714996aa0e32212ee6024Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com

Big Ten Preview Before the Big Ten expands to the West Coast, there is another season to play as a 14-team, mostly Midwest conference. Matt Fortune of the Inside Zone joins Ralph Russo from AP to preview the Big Ten – and talk about recent realignment news. Michigan and Ohio State are again the favorites, with Penn State looking to step up to that class. In the final year of the West Division, new coaches Luke Fickell at Wisconsin, Matt Rhule Nebraska and Ryan Walters at Purdue are in the spotlight. Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com

Pac-12 Preview The Pac-12 might be the most exciting and interesting conference in the country this season with Heisman winner Caleb Williams and several other star quarterbacks leading the way. Off the field, there is a real concern about whether the conference will still exist next year. Yogi Roth from the Pac-12 Network joins AP's Ralph Russo to breakdown the Pac-12 on the field. Then Russo tries to sort out where things stand with the Pac-12's media rights deal and will it be good enough to keep the league together.Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com

SEC Preview  The conference previews roll on with the Southeastern Conference. Cole Cubelic from the SEC Network joins AP's Ralph Russo to take a deep dive into college football's toughest conference and the home of the two-time defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs. There is more mystery surrounding Alabama this year than there has been in years. Does that make the Tide even more dangerous? Lots of hype for LSU. Is it valid? Lots of intrigue around Texas A&M. And what can Tennessee do for an encore?Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.comRalph Russo Twitter : ralphDrussoAP

Big 12 Preview Texas and Oklahoma are making their last ride through the Big 12 and hoping to take a trophy with to the SEC. Cincinnati, Houston, UCF and BYU are in their first season in a Power Five conference. How will they make the transition? Can TCU and Kansas State avoid the regression that Baylor and Oklahoma State had last season after making surprising runs to the conference title game the year before? Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports joins AP's Ralph Russo to preview the Big 12, as always, the toughest Power Five league to figure out.   Ralph's story on NCAA punishments: https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-southern-california-trojans-7e33fa9aa3436a92d6cf35fd3fab8681Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.comRalph Russo Twitter : ralphDrussoAP