Saturday Blitz Podcast

John and Zach remember former Miami, Louisville, Oklahoma, and FAU head coach Howard Schnellenberger after his recent passing in the opening segment of this week's Saturday Blitz Podcast. Also covered this week is Barry Alvarez's possible ride into the sunset after more than three decades at Wisconsin, what a ruling in favor of players in the upcoming Alston v. NCAA Supreme Court ruling could mean for college football, and Lincoln Riley's recent comments on intraconference transfers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach are back after a hiatus to discuss some of the bigger stories in college football over the past month. This week's podcast includes a discussion of Les Miles and his demise at Kansas in the opening segment. After the first break, we look at a rare North Dakota State loss before diving into the overemphasis on prototypical body types among NFL Draft prospects. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With John about to move to a new state, we discuss the current state of the transfer portal and the unique challenges of switching schools in a pandemic. After the break, the discussion picks up with a look at Jackson State's 53-0 shutout of NAIA Edward Waters and what it means for Deion Sanders and the start of his coaching career. Support for this week's Saturday Blitz Podcast is brought to you by MANSCAPED™, the best in men's below-the-belt grooming. Take advantage of the promo code Fansided20 at manscaped.com for 20% off and free shipping today! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return this week to break down Gus Malzahn's new post in Orlando and the mutual benefits for both coach and school in the hire. After a short break, we return to discuss concerns and storylines for the FCS spring season that kicks off this week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach are back this week to go over all the big stories from National Signing Day. Which teams cleaned up, and which teams left something to be desired? After the break, the podcast returns to offer thoughts on the biggest recent story for college football fans -- the announcement by EA Sports that the company would relaunch their college football video game franchise soon. We break down what EA Sports should and should not do with the new release when it finally hits the market. Support for this week's Saturday Blitz Podcast is brought to you by MANSCAPED™, the best in men's below-the-belt grooming. Take advantage of the promo code Fansided20 at manscaped.com for 20% off and free shipping today! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return after a few weeks off after the end of the 2020 season for the first Saturday Blitz Podcast of the offseason. The first segment focuses in on stories from the Senior Bowl before turning to discuss realignment gossip after the break. In the final two segments, we turn our attention to the best and worst coaching hires so far this offseason. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach offer some instant reactions to Alabama's defeat of Ohio State in the College Football Playoff national championship. This episode was recorded immediately after the conclusion of the 52-24 Crimson Tide victory. Included in the discussion are takes on where this Alabama team stands among Nick Saban's six national titles in Tuscaloosa and where Mac Jones fits among all-time Crimson Tide quarterbacks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return for the first episode of 2021 with a look back at the College Football Playoff semifinals and a look ahead to the championship game between Alabama and Ohio State. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach discuss all things College Football Playoff this week, beginning with an overview of what the selection committee got right and what they got wrong with the final Top 25 of the season. In the second segment the discussion turns to the cancellation of the Rose Bowl and what it means for the shape of future postseasons. In the third spot John introduces a discussion about the Coaches Poll and where Group of Five coaches voted for Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina. The final two segments break down the New Year's Six games and the two College Football Playoff semifinals. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach are both back this week with a fully loaded episode. The opening segment begins with a broad overview of the 2020 bowl season. After the first break the discussion turns to a debate about the merits of Ohio State, USC, and the Big Ten and Pac-12 in a year where both leagues played fewer games. The third segment digs into the flagging hopes of Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina to make noise in the national discussion and what Group of Five teams must do. The last segment offers a three-part look at every conference championship game against the spread. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After technical difficulties sidelined the Saturday Blitz Podcast over the past few weeks, the show returns for a discussion about national championship narratives. With John still out of commission, Zach highlights the national championship selectors besides the College Football Playoff in the opening segment. After the first break, Zach welcomes new Saturday Blitz co-expert Chris Peterson to the show for an interview. In the final segment, Zach returns to break down the latest batch of College Football Playoff rankings released on December 8. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode, John and Zach open off with a look back at the Bowl Championship Series. Thinking first about why it was so reviled at the time of its existence and how perspectives have changed over the six-plus years since the last BCS championship game, the conversation then shifts to what a BCS-style ranking might look like in 2020. After the break, the podcast returns with our weekly look at five key games against the spread from the Week 11 slate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return this week to discuss the return of Pac-12 football, going over sleepers, overrated teams, and whether anyone can emerge as a College Football Playoff contender out of the league. After the break, the Tailgater crew returns to offer up picks against the spread for five big Week 10 games. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week John and Zach sit down to discuss surprises from the opening weekend of Big Ten football, and expand into a discussion about Graham Mertz's positive COVID-19 test and what Big Ten protocols might mean for the Badgers as well as the long-term ability to get in a full season. After the break, the discussion continues with takes on Halloween candy and a look at the top games against the spread on the Week 9 slate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return this week to discuss the long-awaited return of Big Ten football to the fall slate, breaking down the biggest games in the league in Week 8 along with a broader look at how the league might fare in the College Football Playoff race. After the first break, the conversation shifts to a broader look at whether anyone can emerge undefeated after a weekend where several perfect records fell. In the final segment, we look at the five biggest games of the week and make our picks against the spread. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, John and Zach open with a critical discussion about what is going on in the Big 12 this season. After Oklahoma's back-to-back losses and a home loss by Texas, does anyone stand a chance of coming out of the Big 12 and playing in the College Football Playoff this season? After tackling that question, the crew turns its attention to the shifting situation in the Group of Five as the Mountain West returns and key contenders stumbled in Week 5. The final segment dives into tailgater food and drink choices before picking five key games against the spread for Week 6. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return this week to discuss the chaotic AP Top 25 as several top-10 teams fell and the poll welcomed back Big Ten and Pac-12 teams. After going over how AP voters felt this week, the conversation shifts to a deeper discussion of the SEC's return. In the final segment, John and Zach offer up their food and drink suggestions along with some picks against the spread for key Week 5 games. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John returns with Zach this week to discuss his Hurricane Sally experience on the Gulf coast before the crew dives in to talk about the Big Ten's return, the Sun Belt's rise, Miami's resurgence, and the postponements and cancellations already piling up around the country. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zach flies solo for this week's Saturday Blitz Podcast to discuss the opening of the 2020 college football season. The first segment highlights the big stories from Labor Day weekend for FBS teams, before shifting to discuss season openers for Power Five programs in the ACC and Big 12. In the final segment, Zach dives in to discuss the impact of the season start on the millions of fans whose teams are not playing this fall. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After briefly looking at the FCS Kickoff, John and Zach wrap up the final episode of the 2020 conference preview series with a look at the SEC. Included in the discussion is a team-by-team breakdown along with a look at each division race, a discussion about the impact of players opting out, and whether the champion will wear an asterisk in the history books. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John returns this week to break down all things ACC with Zach. The podcast dives into the conference's position in the AP and Coaches Polls before diving into three segments breaking down each of the 15 teams playing for the ACC title this season, concluding with John and Zach's picks for the order each team will finish in the league this year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zach is alone this week to discuss national championships. The first three segments walk through the history of the national championship as a construct within the sport, following up with a look about who gets to count in the discussion. The final segments argues that the national championship construct remains mythical even in the College Football Playoff era and applies it to a depleted field in 2020. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach record ahead of the Tuesday announcements by the Pac-12 and Big Ten to cancel their fall seasons. This episode focuses on the #WeAreUnited and #WeWantToPlay athlete movements and the ramifications of those movements on the 2020 college football season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, John and Zach pause on 2020 college football preview coverage to dig into the broader situation for athletes around the country. After opening with an overview of the current state of the 2020 season, they examine the Washington Post's expose of the SEC phone call with players before breaking down the #WeAreUnited letter from Pac-12 players published by The Players Tribune. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return to discuss all the storylines heading into the Big Ten's conference-only season in 2020. This week's episode also features an interview with Washington State professor Scott Jedlicka to discuss his work managing the COVIDCFB.com website. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach continue the 2020 season preview series with a look at the Big 12. This week's podcast opens with a discussion about the broader implications of lost non-conference opportunities for Big 12 teams, before pivoting in the final two segments to break down each team's chances in league play this season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach continue the 2020 college football preview series with a look at the Pac-12. After discussing the implications of the move to a conference-only schedule in 2020, the podcast shifts to examine the individual races in the South and the North and whether any team could qualify for a theoretical College Football Playoff berth this season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zach and John return this week to break down each of the Group of Five conference races and offer their selections for who will emerge atop the race for a New Year's Six bid. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Saturday Blitz Podcast kicks off its 2020 college football previews this week as John and Zach look at all the FCS storylines heading into the new season, including a look at the Ivy League and HBCU races. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the opening segment, John and Zach follow up on the Oklahoma State situation and discuss the broader trend of campus athletes recognizing their power as public figures to effect change. After the opening break, the podcast returns to take a look at teams returning players to campus and how the spread of coronavirus among teams could impact the 2020 season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach tackle the issues surrounding Chuba Hubbard and Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State in the opening segment before pivoting to look at the broader impact of the coronavirus on the FBS and FCS in college football. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach discuss the teams on everyone's radar entering the 2020 college football season that might be overrated, as well as those that don't seem to be gaining much traction in the public eye but could surprise everyone by the end of the year. The show concludes this week with a lighthearted discussion about how pets react to college football Saturdays. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John is back this week with Zach for another edition of the Saturday Blitz Podcast, where we discuss the latest college football news in the opening segment before pivoting to talk through the ethical obligations of college coaches to speak up about racial profiling, police brutality, and protests in the wake of George Floyd's death. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With John away this week, Zach welcomes Saturday Blitz writers Shelbie Warr and Richard Kimball to discuss their personal fandom as well as classic seasons from the past each would love to relive in its entirety. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return this week to discuss the possibility of Alabama-TCU on opening weekend and other contingency plans for the 2020 college football season. In the second segment, the podcast dives into Heisman winners we would love to get on a video conference. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach dive in to discuss the recent recommendations by the NCAA related to name, image, and likeness rights before pivoting to discuss what games we absolutely want to see if only five college football games could be played in the 2020 season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return this week to discuss the latest news around the coronavirus and its impacts on the 2020 season before diving into their picks for the best college football dynasties that deserve a treatment similar to ESPN's latest documentary on the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return to discuss Stadium's recent survey of FBS athletic directors about the future size of the College Football Playoff field before pivoting after the break to create their own ultimate eight-team playoff brackets from the best teams since the advent of the BCS era. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return this week to discuss potential scenarios for playing the 2020 season in spring 2021, offer up their choice of five games to introduce a new fan to college football, and discuss what they would cook for spring games out of their respective self-isolation stocked pantries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach are back this week from their respective self-quarantines to discuss the potential impacts of the coronavirus on the 2020 college football season, as well as scenarios that might allow for EA Sports to resume production of the NCAA Football video game if there is no football in 2020. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return this week to discuss more coronavirus news before delving into the best head coaches of the modern era who failed to win or have yet to win a national championship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return to discuss the impacts of the coronavirus on the 2020 college football season, both in terms of canceled practices and how it might impact the back end of the 2020 season. The podcast wraps up this week with a lighthearted look at which coaches would be preferable to endure a quarantine alongside. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach go into offseason mode this week and brainstorm some great potential Power Five vs. Group of Five matchups for 2020 as well as non-college football venues that would make great national championship hosts but have never hosted the game before. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach discuss USC athletic director Mike Bohn's recent comments about possibly leaving the Pac-12, go over proposed NCAA rules changes for 2020, and look at early Heisman Trophy odds. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first segment of this week's Saturday Blitz Podcast, John and Zach (hopefully) close the door on the offseason coaching carousel with a discussion of Karl Dorrell's return to the college ranks at Colorado. Following the break, the podcast turns toward a conversation about the NCAA's new proposal to liberalize its transfer rules for athletes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return for a discussion on Mel Tucker's departure for Michigan State and what it says about the Spartans and Buffaloes, the Big Ten and the Pac-12, and the state of college football in general. The conversation continues after the break with a look at early College Football Playoff national championship odds before finishing with a look at some highlights among the recent content at Saturday Blitz. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach are back this week to discuss Mark Dantonio's sudden retirement at Michigan State, recent comments on the transfer portal by Justin Fuente and Randy Edsall, and the release of Bill Connelly's returning production rankings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With John Mitchell out this week, Zach flies solo for a theoretical discussion about the limits of fan memory and what we retain as college football fans from the past. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach return this week to discuss new developments in the game of coaching musical chairs around the FBS and to discuss some of the big moves and big names available in the NCAA transfer portal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recording immediately following the College Football Playoff national championship game between Clemson and LSU, John and Zach break down all the action in the last game of the 2019-2020 college football season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Zach are back this week to discuss the coaching carousel in college football, talk about players who declared early for the NFL Draft, and break down the key matchups in the College Football Playoff national championship game. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.