Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss have a chance to offset a loss to Kentucky from earlier this season when the Rebels face Georgia on Saturday. Oddsmakers put this game on a razor’s edge, and the Bulldogs suddenly look vulnerable. And if Ole Miss pulls it off, then what? The Rebels would re-enter the playoff picture and crowd the bubble, and Kiffin would remain a top choice for ravenous Florida fans who are ready to throw overboard floundering coach Billy Napier . On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeye...
Nov 06, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Florida's Billy Napier still owns the hottest seat in the SEC. The nation's most volatile conference had a quiet spin of the coaching carousel for two months. Arkansas' Sam Pittman inches his way off the hot seat. Auburn's Hugh Freeze bought himself a moment of calm by beating Kentucky. Even the long-embattled Napier marches on in his third season with the improving Gators. Napier's about to launch into the murderer's row portion of the schedule when Florida faces Georgia on Saturday. On today's...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 1 min
The College Football Playoff bubble is becoming awfully crowded. As many as eight teams in the SEC could finish the regular season at 10-2. The Big Ten pushes for three or more bids. The ACC and Big 12 are shaping up as two-bid leagues. Notre Dame won't go away. How would the committee wade through that mess? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adam s update their 12-team playoff projections. Within the SEC, they differ on one key team, while Adams boldly picks a Big Ten sleeper t...
Oct 23, 2024•1 hr
They're starting to sweat in Tennessee . They're pulling their hair out in Alabama . They're wondering in Georgia when the mean machine broke down . And at Ole Miss ? Oof. It's bleak. Robust Texas looks like a near-lock for the College Football Playoff. Elsewhere in the SEC, it's hold on tight. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams bust out the panic meter and take a reading of Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Ole Miss, and they're pounding the panic button for one of those fou...
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Alabama football suffered one of its most humiliating moments in the proud history of its blue-blooded program on Saturday when Vanderbilt stunned, shocked and embarrassed the Tide . Tennessee, knowing misery loves company, provided rival Alabama a little comfort by losing to Arkansas. And Missouri got unmasked as a fraud in College Station. The SEC's playoff picture is topsy-turvy, and, on today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams offer a playoff reset for the conference. Only Texas...
Oct 08, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Georgia could get off the mat and win the national championship after losing to Alabama . The Bulldogs have that level of talent. Or, alternatively, Georgia could miss the College Football Playoff entirely, in what would be a stunning way to begin the 12-team playoff era. Meanwhile, Auburn’s Hugh Freeze has elbowed his way onto the hot seat to give Florida’s Billy Napier and Arkansas’ Sam Pittman company. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams apply a true-or-false verdict to a...
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 6 min
It’s not the “ Game of the Century ,” but it is the Game of September. No. 1 Georgia at No. 4 Alabama. This is Kirby Smart’s latest opportunity to prove he rules college football in the absence of Nick Saban. It’s Kalen DeBoer’s chance to show that the Alabama job is not too big for him, that the Tide selected the proper heir to Saban. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams preview Saturday’s clash of titans in Tuscaloosa and debate which coach needs a win in this game more. La...
Sep 24, 2024•57 min
It's not a college football coaching search if Urban Meyer's name doesn't appear atop a fan base's wish list . 'Hire Urb! Back up the Brinks truck. Make him say no!' Great plan, but what's idea No. 2 when Urb's Audi doesn't come roaring down University Avenue? Better yet, what's idea No. 3 if Lane Kiffin says no? Where would Florida football turn then when the time comes to replace Billy Napier ? (Don't say Nick Saban. Not happening.) On today's episode, host Blake Toppmeyer serves up nine poten...
Sep 17, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Our preseason College Football Playoff projections missed the mark. I mean, Iowa ? Was that pick for real, or a bad dream? In any case, we're making revisions. At least we don't have to eliminate Notre Dame from the field. We never had the Irish in our projections. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams admit their mistakes and revise their playoff projections. Later in the episode, they examine Texas' frontrunner credentials after the Longhorns smashed Michigan , and the bill ...
Sep 10, 2024•59 min
If Dabo Swinney wants to stand on principle and refuse to take transfers at Clemson, then he should follow Nick Saban into retirement. Also, Billy Napier's Florida tenure is toast after the Gators' flop against Miami. Are those Week 1 overreactions, or smart takes? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams unpack those ideas and more after a tumultuous opening week. The SEC's chance at five playoff teams took a hit after LSU and Texas A&M lost Top 25 nonconference clashes in t...
Sep 04, 2024•59 min
Week 1 is loaded with marquee matchups involving SEC teams, but do season openers mean what they used to in this era of a 12-team College Football Playoff? Florida State lost its opener against Georgia Tech, but the Seminoles retain a clear path to the playoff if they win the ACC Championship. However, that result still carried weight. It decreased the chances of the ACC qualifying multiple teams. For SEC teams, these nonconference games could be the difference between earning an at-large playof...
Aug 27, 2024•52 min
No more whimsical predictions. It's time to get serious and lock in our playoff picks before the season begins. Yes, we made previous predictions in the winter, spring and earlier this summer, but those were fanciful ideas that come when the season is months away. But, let the record show: These are our final playoff predictions of the preseason. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams offer their 12 teams for the playoff. While they agree on some teams, they disagree on several...
Aug 21, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Georgia is the runaway preseason No. 1 team, and it doesn't matter who's voting. The AP Poll matched the US LBM Coaches Poll in putting the Bulldogs atop the rankings, by a wide margin. Georgia isn't the only loaded team, though. Ohio State bursts with All-America talent, too. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams examine Georgia's credentials as preseason No. 1, and they unpack the idea of the SEC pushing for more than five playoff bids. Yes, more than five. So, why is Georgi...
Aug 14, 2024•43 min
The SEC crowded out the competition in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll . Nine SEC teams are ranked . That’s three more ranked teams than even the Big Ten. Who’s overrated? Who’s underrated? And does the SEC possess a playoff sleeper team lurking under the radar? On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams unpack the preseason Top 25 and what it means for the College Football Playoff. They consider only two teams to be threats to the SEC reclaiming the national championship: Ohio S...
Aug 06, 2024•49 min
Georgia football navigates another offseason marred by player disciplinary issues. The latest: Wide receiver Rara Thomas faces a felony charge of child cruelty and multiple counts of family violence after his arrest last week. Thomas also got cited for three traffic incidents this offseason, adding to Georgia’s string of dangerous driving. Georgia suspended Thomas from the team indefinitely. But, is Smart doing enough to slow Georgia's off-the-field incidents that keep piling up? And, could thes...
Jul 29, 2024•38 min
The mercury is rising on the SEC’s hot seat before the season even begins. Multiple SEC coaches face potential make-or-break seasons. Sam Pittman (Arkansas) and Billy Napier (Florida) are battling the most heat prior to their openers, but Clark Lea (Vanderbilt) and Shane Beamer (South Carolina) also will encounter critical seasons. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams take the temperature of those four jobs. Beamer is the only member of the quartet above .500 during his tenur...
Jul 25, 2024•53 min
Greg Sankey says the SEC is 16 strong today and will remain at 16 strong tomorrow. What about the day after that? How about next year? Sankey has less to say about that subject. Meanwhile, fissures linger in the ACC. Florida State wants out of the ACC. The Seminoles and Clemson are both suing the ACC. That's not the sign of a league in harmony. If FSU, Clemson and others defect, where would they go? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss the possibility of additional SE...
Jul 16, 2024•46 min
If Georgia is No. 1 in the SEC, then who's No. 2? The media who cover the SEC will vote to predict the standings next week. The elimination of divisions adds intrigue to the vote. The Bulldogs likely will be picked to win the conference. But, will the media go with newcomer Texas at No. 2? Or, maybe blue blood Alabama? Others like Ole Miss shouldn't be ignored, either. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams weigh in on who they expect to be No. 2 in the media's vote. They also ...
Jul 10, 2024•49 min
The move that put the realignment carousel into motion three years ago finally is complete . Oklahoma and Texas are members of the SEC, and the nation's most powerful conference literally partied for days in celebration . The realignment of this conference and these brands was enough to shake up college sports. This marks the third SEC expansion in the past four decades. Oklahoma and Texas are the SEC's best-ever expansion prize. But, who's No. 1? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and Jo...
Jul 05, 2024•46 min
As a 16-team conference with Oklahoma and Texas on board, the SEC is an undeniable super league. The SEC doesn't need to expand again. But, don't rule out the SEC wanting to , especially if the ACC fractures. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey says the conference is focused on its current membership, but he didn't entirely shut down the idea of further expansion , when asked directly. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams unpack Sankey's comments and why they might point toward the ...
Jun 18, 2024•43 min
You’ve heard of hot takes. You’re probably familiar with cold takes. But, do you know of lukewarm takes? They might be the truest predictions of all, and hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams are serving a helping of those lukewarm SEC football takes on today’s episode. What constitutes a lukewarm take? It’s an against-the-grain prediction that doesn’t rise to the piping-hot level of a hot take. A surprise SEC team will be ranked come October? Yep. We’ve got an idea about which one. How many coac...
Jun 11, 2024•48 min
The first 12-team College Football Playoff projects to be an SEC party. Nine SEC teams profile as playoff hopefuls, but not all of them can qualify. Four playoff teams from the SEC seems reasonable . What about five? That’s a stretch, but doable if the SEC catches a few breaks. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams unpack the SEC’s playoff outlook and handicap the hurdles standing in the way of the SEC qualifying as many as five teams. Start with the Big Ten, which is the only...
Jun 05, 2024•44 min
Georgia's backup quarterback is suing an SEC coach . Welcome to college football in 2024. In a lawsuit filed this week, Jaden Rashada is suing a top Florida booster, a former recruiting staffer and Gators coach Billy Napier after Rashada's NIL deal with Florida unraveled while the quarterback was a blue-chip prospect. Rashada's attorney says the quarterback was defrauded. He's seeking millions in damages. On this edition of " SEC Football Unfiltered ," host Blake Toppmeyer is joined by the Gaine...
May 23, 2024•50 min
Either Georgia or Ohio State will be preseason No. 1 . But just how heavily are those teams favored to win the national championship? The SEC will be even more of a juggernaut than usual , following the arrival of Texas and Oklahoma. Georgia's schedule will include games against Clemson, Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss and Tennessee. That's a rugged road before the playoff arrives. Ohio State is loaded but will transition to a new starting quarterback. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John...
May 14, 2024•39 min
The SEC is as strong as ever. That’s what a preseason top 25 from 247Sports suggests, anyway. The website updated its rankings while spring practice concluded. Nine SEC teams are ranked in the top 25, including eight inside the top 15. Those rankings indicate that about half of the conference enjoys realistic aspirations of contending for the College Football Playoff. The SEC and Big Ten account for each of the top nine spots in the rankings. It really is a Power Two world. On today's episode, h...
May 08, 2024•51 min
Brian Kelly says there’s “no doubt” his 2024 LSU Tigers can contend for a national championship. Pardon us, but we have some doubts. Start with: How much better is LSU’s defense? LSU led the nation last season in scoring while finishing 10-3, but it lost three offensive stars to the NFL Draft's first round, including quarterback Jayden Daniels. The offense is almost bound to regress. To become a true championship contender, the defense must not only be better, it must be substantially better. On...
May 01, 2024•48 min
Arch Manning stole the show at Texas' spring game, while Quinn Ewers played sparingly. What does that mean? Well, for first up, let's slow the idea of any Texas quarterback controversy . Ewers didn't play much because he's got a grip on the starting job. This spring game became more focused on developing backup quarterbacks. Manning's 355 passing yards were a sign of abilities and his growth and evidence that Texas possesses more than one talented quarterback. What a luxury. Not even Georgia or ...
Apr 23, 2024•39 min
Georgia's Carson Beck and Alabama's Jalen Milroe rank among preseason Heisman Trophy frontrunners. But, forget awards for a moment. Does one of these quarterbacks have to battle to retain his starting job? At Georgia, that's not the case. Beck remains Georgia's QB1. End of discussion. What about Milroe? A new coaching staff adds uncertainty to the quarterback competition, but, to hear Milroe tell it, he's hitting it off with Kalen DeBoer, and he looked to have a handle on the offense in Alabama'...
Apr 16, 2024•40 min
John Calipari's whopper buyout saddled him to Kentucky. Not anymore, though, as Calipari prepares to exit out the side door to Arkansas . This looks like a potential win-win-win for Arkansas, Kentucky and Calipari, and one of the nation's biggest basketball jobs is now on the market. Where will Kentucky turn ? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams weigh in on Kentucky's search to replace Calipari. Each host offers two swing-for-the-fences candidates (Bruce Pearl!?!), plus a co...
Apr 09, 2024•52 min
Can we agree Kirby Smart is the SEC's top football coach? A better debate: How to rank SEC schools by football coach plus their men’s basketball coach. Would Georgia remain No. 1 in such a ranking? What about Alabama? Where does Tennessee factor into the mix? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams rank their top eight SEC schools in terms of football plus men’s basketball coaches. In some instances, the school's football and basketball coach each rank near the top of the SEC. I...
Apr 03, 2024•42 min
