On this episode of The Hard Count , J.D. PicKell delivers a jam-packed show covering the biggest storylines shaping the 2025 college football season. Opening things up by going across the country and breaking down the expectations for all the top first year starting QBs at college football's top programs. From Georgia’s red-hot recruiting run to a full win-loss prediction for Ohio State, J.D. breaks down who’s rising and who’s ready for a title push. He reveals the safest College Football Playof...
Jul 01, 2025•55 min•Ep. 427
Welcome to The Hard Count Huddle, a conversation show about all things college football and beyond with the host of The Hard Count J.D. PicKell and producer Kaiden Smith. Today in the huddle, the boys discuss the unique time that is the summer ahead of college football season before talking about SEC Media Days. Revealing what The Hard Count Crew will be on the lookout for in Atlanta starting on July 14 before diving deep into the College Football Playoff picture. Taking an early look at which t...
Jun 27, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 426
On this episode of The Hard Count , J.D. PicKell breaks down the biggest headlines and boldest predictions heading into the 2025 college football season. From Florida State QB Thomas Castellanos giving Alabama unexpected bulletin board material, to why programs like Florida, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Notre Dame, and Texas Tech could become chaos agents in the Playoff race — this show has it all. J.D. also predicts Texas' win-loss record leading into the Red River Rivalry, analyzes Nebraska’s vi...
Jun 26, 2025•54 min•Ep. 425
On this episode of The Hard Count , On3’s J.D. PicKell unpacks some of the most intriguing storylines shaping the 2025 college football season. From Florida State QB Thomas Castellanos firing a shot at Alabama over scheduling disrespect, to high-impact transfer portal additions beyond the quarterback position, J.D. dives into what it all means for contenders like Ohio State, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Florida. He also breaks down the ripple effects facing Michigan and Miami heading into a pivotal yea...
Jun 24, 2025•47 min•Ep. 424
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell, a Punchline Culture Special! PicKell dives into many of the punchlines surrounding the top players, coaches, and teams in college football. Fully breaking them down and debunking some of the most talked-about topics in the sport heading into the 2025 season. What's wrong with the negative narrative surrounding the Miami Hurricanes and Carson Beck? A program and a player that will look to silence doubters this season. What's fact and what's fiction about...
Jun 19, 2025•32 min•Ep. 423
On this Voicemail Special episode of The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell , fans across the country sound off with bold takes and burning questions for the 2025 college football season. From Arch Manning’s national title expectations at Texas and Jeremiah Smith’s sophomore outlook at Ohio State, to Alabama and Georgia fan anxiety and Florida’s potential CFP spoiler role, nothing is off-limits. J.D. also breaks down a spicy Notre Dame QB debate between Kenny Minchey and CJ Carr, the growing John Mate...
Jun 17, 2025•53 min•Ep. 422
On this episode of The Hard Count, J.D. PicKell tackles another conference tiers list. This time breaking up the Big Ten into unique tiers ahead of the 2025 season before giving out pressure ratings to first year quarterbacks like Arch Manning, Julian Sayin, Dante Moore, and others. Also doing individual deep dives into quarterbacks like Gunnar Stockton, LaNorris Sellers, Thomas Castellanos, and Bryce Underwood before ending the show on the potential impact of K.C. Concepcion on the Texas A&...
Jun 12, 2025•56 min•Ep. 421
On this episode of The Hard Count, J.D. PicKell reveals his SEC Tier! Placing every team in the Southeast Conference into unique groups with SEC Media Days just one week away before breaking down some recent viral content surrounding Florida QB DJ Lagway and Texas QB Arch Manning. Ending the show with several potential storylines that could shake up the 2025 college football season featuring teams like Nebraska, Tennessee, Colorado, and Louisville!
Jun 10, 2025•41 min•Ep. 420
The Sunday Sprint is back! J.D. PicKell is bringing you the best of the best from The Hard Count this week! We’ve packed all of J.D.’s top takes and sound bites into one must-listen episode for college football fans. Today on the Sprint (after spitting some bars) J.D. reacts to the FPI Top 25 Preseason Rankings and National Championship Percentages released by ESPN this week before a slew of player breakdowns. Diving deep into what DJ Lagway and Dante Moore will bring to the table before touchin...
Jun 08, 2025•42 min•Ep. 419
On this episode of The Hard Count , J.D. PicKell drops bold predictions for the 2025 college football season and is joined by On3’s Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong for a can’t-miss recruiting segment. J.D. breaks down why Texas might field the nation’s best defense, why Tennessee’s quarterback room could be stronger post-Nico, and why Notre Dame may finally have a breakout 1,000-yard wide receiver. Then, Wiltfong brings insider recruiting intel on upcoming flips, quarterback dominoes, and ...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 418
It’s Prediction Tuesday on The Hard Count ! In this episode, J.D. calls his shot on some of the biggest storylines heading into the 2025 college football season. From Oklahoma’s SEC start with John Mateer, to Carson Beck’s fit at Miami, to Julian Sayin’s spot in the Big Ten QB race — no prediction is off-limits. He also dives into whether Clemson’s WR room is finally ready to shine again and why LSU could be playing for the SEC title in 2025.
Jun 03, 2025•43 min•Ep. 417
The Sunday Sprint is back! J.D. PicKell is bringing you the best of the best from The Hard Count this week! We’ve packed all of J.D.’s top takes and sound bites into one must-listen episode for college football fans. This week's Sunday Spring consist of several way too early previews for the upcoming college football season starting with a Week 1 menu of Notre Dame vs. Miami, Alabama vs. Florida State, and Auburn vs. Baylor. But J.D. isn't afraid to push past Week 1 on the first day of June, als...
Jun 01, 2025•52 min•Ep. 416
Welcome to The Hard Count Huddle, a conversation show about all things college football and beyond with the host of The Hard Count J.D. PicKell and producer Kaiden Smith. Today in the huddle, the gang talks about the quarterbacks their most excited to watch this upcoming football season. Unpacking the fascinating expectations and storylines for guys like Julian Sayin, Dante Moore, Bryce Underwood, Nico Iamaleava, and Carson Beck. Which leads to a big picture conversation about how NIL and the tr...
May 30, 2025•51 min•Ep. 415
On this episode of The Hard Count , J.D. PicKell reacts to anonymous coach quotes that give rare insight into the Big Ten's top programs heading into 2025. From what Bryce Underwood needs at Michigan, Nebraska’s rebuild under Matt Rhule, the truth about Ryan Day at Ohio State and more, J.D. breaks down what coaches are really saying and what it all means for the College Football Playoff race. Then to end the show J.D. lists the nine teams that he truly believes are the only contenders to win thi...
May 29, 2025•47 min•Ep. 414
On this episode of The Hard Count , J.D. PicKell reacts to anonymous coach quotes from Athlon Sports that reveal what college football coaches from the SEC are really saying about the biggest programs and players heading into 2025. Is Oklahoma’s John Mateer a gamble or a game-changer? Can DJ Lagway be the best QB in the SEC? Has Georgia lost an edge under Kirby Smart and has is Texas A&M gained one with Mike Elko? J.D. breaks it all down along with bookending the show with a conversation abo...
May 27, 2025•42 min•Ep. 413
ESPN's Aaron Murray joins J.D. PicKell on this episode of The Hard Count to break down the biggest topics in college football heading into the 2025 season. From Georgia’s identity to Texas’ QB situation and Miami’s massive opener, it’s all on the table. 🧃 Does Georgia still have the EDGE? Kirby Smart built a dynasty by making Georgia the most physical, disciplined team in the country. But after not winning a national title in 2024, does UGA still have that same dominance? J.D. and Aaron break d...
May 22, 2025•40 min•Ep. 411
The SEC is once again the center of the college football universe—and in this episode of The Hard Count, J.D. PicKell tackles the biggest questions facing the conference heading into the 2025 season. 🧃 Is DJ Lagway as advertised for Florida? DJ Lagway might be the most exciting true freshman quarterback in college football. Can he live up to the hype and take the Florida Gators back to SEC relevance? J.D. breaks down Lagway’s raw talent, leadership potential, and what Billy Napier must do to de...
May 20, 2025•52 min•Ep. 412
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell...here's what's NOT being said ahead of the 2025 college football season. J.D. goes across the SEC and breaks down what's not being discussed about all the top team in the league. From the narrative around Arch Manning and Texas, the upside of Florida's wide receiver room, the QB position at Alabama, and more. Outside of the SEC, J.D. also ranks the top five quarterback rooms in the Big Ten, breaks down why Dana Holgorsen could be the difference in Dylan...
May 15, 2025•50 min•Ep. 410
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell... J.D. tackles the biggest questions in the Big Ten Conference this upcoming college football season. Breaking down if Michigan freshman QB Bryce Underwood can meet the moment, if Ohio State's new coordinators can uphold the Buckeyes' standard, if Oregon's offense can maintain their success with Dante Moore at the helm, and if USC can actually close out games in the fourth quarter this season. PicKell also talks about that transfer QB John Mateer brings...
May 13, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 409
Today on The Hard Count ... Who will be the face of college football in 2025? J.D. PicKell makes the case for Texas QB Arch Manning as the sport’s next superstar. He also lets listeners chime in on his latest Post-Spring Top 25 rankings and responds to their gripes about where teams like Notre Dame, Alabama, and Arizona State landed. Also ranking the top 5 quarterback rooms in the SEC and what might be the best Saturday slate of the entire season in Week 7 before taking a deep dive into LSU and ...
May 08, 2025•50 min•Ep. 408
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell...we're once again talking the greatest sport on he face of planet earch: college football. 🧃 J.D.’s Post-Spring Top 25 College Football Rankings Who’s rising, who’s falling, and which teams are ready to make a national title run after spring ball? J.D. PicKell breaks down his updated Top 25 rankings. 🧃 Georgia Bulldogs Land 5-Star QB Jared Curtis Kirby Smart and the Dawgs strike again! We analyze what Jared Curtis brings to Athens and how this massive...
May 06, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 407
The Sunday Sprint is back! J.D. PicKell is bringing you the best of the best from The Hard Count this week! We’ve packed all of J.D.’s top takes and sound bites into one must-listen episode for college football fans. This week J.D. takes an early look at some of the marquee matchups in the college football season following the conclusion of spring practice and the spring portal. Breaking down Ohio State vs Texas, Miami vs Florida, and Syracuse vs Tennessee in September. Next J.D. pulls back the ...
May 04, 2025•50 min•Ep. 406
Welcome to The Hard Count Huddle, a conversation show about all things college football and beyond with the host of The Hard Count J.D. PicKell and producer Kaiden Smith. Today in the huddle, J.D. and Kaiden unpack the fascinating and viral relationship between North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick and his girlfriend Jordon Hudson. Followed by a discussion about the crew's most anticipated games of the upcoming college football season that evolves into big picture breakdowns about the culture...
May 02, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 405
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell ... J.D. explains why Arch Manning may not declare for the NFL Draft after just one year as Texas’ starter, also looking at the other side of the Red River and making the case for Oklahoma QB John Mateer as a breakout star. J.D. also breaks down Notre Dame's national perception, discusses how Michigan’s offense may shift with Bryce Underwood, and reacts to Florida’s DJ Lagway throwing again before ending the show with an exclusive interview with Auburn G...
May 01, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 404
Today on The Hard Count ... J.D. PicKell dives into the Michigan vs. Ohio State rivalry and how "The Game" has become the defining matchup of this college football era. He also breaks down the top transfer portal additions that could reshape the 2024 season, and addresses your biggest concerns surround Miami, LSU, and Auburn this upcoming season. Plus, we separate fact from fiction in the latest spring buzz surrounding Nebraska and Oregon before closing things out with an assessment of the natio...
Apr 29, 2025•54 min•Ep. 403
The Sunday Sprint is back! J.D. PicKell is bringing you the best of the best from The Hard Count this week! We’ve packed all of J.D.’s top takes and sound bites into one must-listen episode for college football fans. This week J.D. breaks down his biggest takeaways following the first round of the NFL Draft, which includes the impact of No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward on the Miami culture plus what Michigan and Texas' first round success on Friday says about their programs. J.D. and producer Kaiden ...
Apr 27, 2025•45 min•Ep. 402
Welcome to The Hard Count Huddle, a conversation show about all things college football and beyond with the host of The Hard Count J.D. PicKell and producer Kaiden Smith. Today in the huddle, they guys share their love for the return of John Gruden's QB Class before discussing their takeaways from the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Also breaking down what the draft said about SEC/Big Ten bias before getting into a deep rabbit hole and debate on conference biases, how they relate to the CFP, ...
Apr 25, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 401
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell (the people's college football show) ... J.D. dishes out bold transfer portal predictions and how key moves could shake up the college football landscape in 2025. Also can Tennessee make it work with new QB Joey Aguilar? We break down the fit and future in Knoxville and also also dive into Alabama’s current perception vs. reality, why Georgia might quietly be the most dangerous team in the country, and if Notre Dame's offense could be one of the best in ...
Apr 24, 2025•55 min•Ep. 400
J.D. PicKell takes his first ever swing at a mock draft ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin! This mock draft is for CFB fans, by CFB fans, and goes through every single pick in this year's first round. Check out J.D. going 32 for 32 on his predictions as he's also joined by Producer of The Hard Count, Kaiden Smith, to break down his picks.
Apr 23, 2025•47 min•Ep. 399
The transfer portal just got wild — J.D. breaks down the shocking QB swap between Tennessee and UCLA, as Joey Aguilar heads to Rocky Top and Nico Iamaleava heads west. We’ve also got fresh intel from across the portal on who’s rising and who’s on the move. Plus, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning stops by to talk spring practice, Dante Moore, and building a championship culture. And we review Bryce Underwood’s spring game debut at Michigan — did the 5-star freshman live up to the hype? The Hard Count...
Apr 22, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 398
