Welcome to The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell, your ultimate college football show bringing you expert analysis, insider news, and predictions for all things gridiron! In today's episode, we dive deep into the current state of college football with a special focus on the Big Ten in 2025, USC’s path to competing for national titles, Alabama's QB battle for the upcoming season, and an exclusive breakdown of Oklahoma’s new offense. 🧃 The State of the Big Ten in 2025 The Big Ten is evolving! We take ...
Feb 11, 2025•49 min•Ep. 367
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell... 🔥 Was 2024 Kirby Smart's Best Coaching Job? In today's episode of The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell, we dive into whether Kirby Smart's 2024 season was his best coaching job to date! Can Smart's Bulldogs continue their dominance in college football, or is there a new challenger on the rise? 🏆 💥 Ohio State Promotes Brian Hartline to Offensive Coordinator Ohio State's decision to promote Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator is a huge move! What doe...
Feb 06, 2025•57 min•Ep. 366
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell... 🧃 Does National Signing Day Still Matter? Are the traditional signing day fireworks still relevant in today's college football landscape, or have they been replaced by the transfer portal and NIL? J.D. takes a deep dive into the changing role of signing day and what it means for future recruiting. 🧃 Top 10 True Sophomores in College Football (Ahead of 2025) From quarterbacks to game-changing defenders, J.D. ranks the top 10 true sophomores that sign...
Feb 05, 2025•55 min•Ep. 365
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell... In this week's episode of The Hard Count, J.D. PicKell dives into all the latest college football news and headlines you don't want to miss: 🧃 Ryan Grubb's Big Move to Alabama: We break down the impact of Ryan Grubb’s hire as Alabama’s new offensive coordinator and how his offensive philosophy could transform the Crimson Tide's offense in 2025 and beyond. 🧃 Ryan Day's Path to More National Titles at Ohio State: What’s next for Ryan Day as he continu...
Feb 04, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 364
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell.... 🧃 Michigan Fatigue: Connor Stalions & the Ongoing Drama The Michigan football scandal, once again, has everyone talking, but is anyone else feeling the fatigue around the Connor Stalions story? J.D. PicKell offers his take on how this saga and Michigan Wolverines football. 🧃 Future of South Carolina vs Clemson Rivalry Will South Carolina vs Clemson continue to be one of CFB's fiercest rivalries? We take a look at the historical significance of ...
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 363
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell.... 🧃 Ranking the Top 10 College Football Coaches Right Now Who’s leading the pack in 2025? From legendary coaches to rising stars, J.D. gives his expert take on who makes the cut and why. Spoiler: Some of the names might surprise you! 🚨 🧃 The Health of the Texas vs Texas A&M Rivalry Is the rivalry still as intense as it once was? With changes in conference alignments and playoff landscapes, J.D. dives deep into the current state of one of college...
Jan 29, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 362
In this episode of The Hard Count, J.D. PicKell dives deep into the biggest storylines in college football as we look ahead to 2025 and beyond. Here’s what’s on the docket: 🧃 Waaay -Too - Early 2025 National Title Contenders – Who’s shaping up to be a powerhouse next season? We break down the teams with the best shot at making a run for the College Football Playoff and ultimately, the National Championship. 🧃 Penn State Hires Jim Knowles – Big move for the Nittany Lions! J.D. discusses what Ji...
Jan 28, 2025•56 min•Ep. 361
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell... J.D. brings the College Football insights, as dive deep into the pressing issues shaking up the 2025 college football season. Is it possible to buy a National Championship in today’s world of college football, and did Ohio State do just that in 2024? We break down the NIL era and its impact on recruiting, team-building, and championship aspirations. Plus, we analyze the SEC's 2025 landscape, where the conference appears to be wide open for the first t...
Jan 23, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 360
Today on The Hard Count J.D. is back in the studio following an electric weekend in Atlanta for the national title game. And with that in mind, J.D. takes a big picture look at the 2024 season and the final AP Poll Rankings of the year. Also diving into if Ohio State can repeat as national champions and ranking the top 10 quarterbacks ahead of the 2025 college football season. J.D. also dives into Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian's recent contract extension and Dan Lanning's future with the Oreg...
Jan 22, 2025•45 min•Ep. 359
In this exciting episode of The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell.... 🧃J.D. breaks down the thrilling 2024-2025 College Football Playoff National Championship, where the Ohio State Buckeyes redeemed themselves after falling short in previous seasons to claim the title. We dive into how Ryan Day and the Buckeyes overcame adversity and what it means for the future of the program. 🧃 But it’s not all about Ohio State! We also discuss the future of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish under head coach Marcus F...
Jan 22, 2025•56 min•Ep. 358
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell... The stage is set for a thrilling National Championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish! In this breakdown, J.D. dives into everything you need to know about this National Title clash between the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish in Atlanta. 🧃 What a National Title Means for Both Head Coaches: We’ll discuss how this championship could be a career-defining moment for Ryan Day and Marcus Freeman. What would a win mean fo...
Jan 19, 2025•28 min•Ep. 357
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell... 🧃 Lou Holtz vs. Ryan Day Beef: There has been a fiery back-and-forth between legendary coach Lou Holtz and Ohio State's Ryan Day? J.D. breaks down the drama and what it means for both programs. 🧃 Oklahoma Sooners & USC Trojans - What's Next?: As we approach 2025, what’s the future of two powerhouse programs—Oklahoma and USC? Are they primed for a return to national prominence, or do they have more challenges ahead? 🧃 Ohio State vs. Notre Dame -...
Jan 16, 2025•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 356
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell 🧃 Key Matchups for Ohio State vs Notre Dame National Championship Game: Breaking down the ultimate showdown between Ohio State and Notre Dame in the National Championship. J.D. gives his expert analysis on the key players, schemes, and critical matchups that could determine the winner of college football’s biggest prize! 🧃 Can Ohio State Win the Most Legit National Title Ever? Is this the year Ohio State finally clinches a title that will be remembered...
Jan 15, 2025•56 min•Ep. 355
Today on The Hard Count, J.D. previews and picks the national title game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish! Breaking down every angle of the final game of the College Football Playoff and the football season. J.D. also reveals where he was right and wrong about the College Football Playoff ahead of the natty, answers what's next for the Texas Longhorns and Quinn Ewers following the Cotton Bowl, and breaks down why Carson Beck transferring to Miami could keep the Hurri...
Jan 14, 2025•55 min•Ep. 354
Today on The Hard Count, we've got a loaded show as J.D. PicKell and the show go into semifinal mode for the college football playoff tonight. 🧃 Ranking the Top 10 Players in the Texas vs Ohio State Game We break down the key players who will decide this massive showdown, from standout offensive stars to game-changing defenders. Find out who makes the cut in our exclusive rankings! 🧃 Transfer Portal Moves That Will Shape 2025 With the transfer portal always in motion, J.D. covers the biggest m...
Jan 09, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 353
Today on The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell, we dive into the hottest topics and biggest storylines in college football. From Ryan Day's Ohio State Buckeyes to the latest transfer portal moves by Georgia, J.D. covers it all. Here's what you can expect: 🧃 Ryan Day's Criticism: Is the Narrative Around Ohio State's Head Coach Unfair? We take a closer look at Ryan Day and his Ohio State Buckeyes. Despite impressive records, he's faced mounting criticism after key losses, particularly to Michigan. J.D...
Jan 08, 2025•53 min•Ep. 352
Today on The Hard Count, join J.D. PicKell as he dives deep into the highly anticipated college football playoff semifinal games: Ohio State vs Texas and Notre Dame vs Penn State. Get expert analysis, key player insights, and bold predictions for these top-tier games that will decide the College Football Playoff National Championship game. Plus, J.D. breaks down why the Big Ten has emerged as the best conference in college football this season. With powerhouse teams like Ohio State, Penn State, ...
Jan 07, 2025•59 min•Ep. 351
Join J.D. PicKell for another exciting episode of The Hard Count! In today’s video, we dive into the latest action from around the nation: 🧃 Ohio State vs. Oregon: The Buckeyes put on a clinic in their victory over Oregon. J.D. breaks down the key moments and what this means for Ohio State moving forward. 🧃 Texas vs. Arizona State: The Longhorns barely escape with a win in a nail-biter against Arizona State. Was it a close call, or does it expose some weaknesses in Texas’ game? 🧃 Final Though...
Jan 02, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 350
Today on The Hard Count, J.D. PicKell takes an inside look at the SEC's recent bowl game woes, Michigan's impressive win over Alabama that could ignite an exciting season next year, and Penn State's win over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl before previewing the New Year's Day slate of College Football Playoff game. Previewing Arizona State vs Texas, Georgia vs Notre Dame, and Oregon vs Ohio State with producer Kaiden Smith before kickoff. Let's have a DAY! The Hard Count is presented by Huel, The...
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 349
Today on The Hard Count, it's New Year's Eve and the second round of the College Football Playoff officially kicks off! Before doubling down on his predictions for all of the CFP matchups, J.D. PicKell reacts to college football bowl season following numerous electric games and Miami quarterback Cam Ward's controversial Pop-Tarts Bowl decision. Then J.D. tabs the biggest winners in the transfer portal with some extra attention to Texas A&M's recent success before diving into the CFP quarterf...
Dec 31, 2024•42 min•Ep. 348
Today on The Hard Count, J.D. is joined by Michael Bratton (SEC Mike) from That SEC Football Podcast! Who talked about the aftermath of Tennessee's disappointing playoff loss to Ohio State, how he feels Texas and Georgia will fare in the College Football Playoff, and what the future of the Florida Gators will look like with Billy Napier and DJ Lagway. But first, J.D. reveals his power rankings for the remainder of the CFP teams and also takes an in depth look at the national title potential of t...
Dec 26, 2024•49 min•Ep. 347
Merry Christmas from The Hard Count! Today on the show, J.D. goes through some potential big time ripple effects that could unfold following the second round of the College Football Playoff that could alter the future for several teams. Then J.D. and producer Kaiden Smith do a draft of units in the college football playoff from defenses, to skill players, play callers, and of course quarterbacks. Then to wrap up the show, J.D. pulls back the curtain on what Georgia's offense will look like with ...
Dec 25, 2024•57 min•Ep. 346
On this Christmas Eve edition of Prediction Tuesday, J.D. PicKell breaks down and makes his picks for all four quarterfinal matchups for the College Football Playoff. Starting with a big picture look at the new 12-team College Football Playoff before diving into a Sugar Bowl matchup between The Georgia Bulldogs and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, a highly anticipated rematch between Ohio State and Oregon in the Rose Bow, a Peach Bowl showdown between the Texas Longhorns and the Arizona State Sun ...
Dec 24, 2024•53 min•Ep. 345
On this College Football Playoff edition of the Sunday Sprint, J.D. PicKell reacts to the first round postseason action that took place across four college football campuses this weekend. First asking if 12 teams is maybe too many for the new CFP before breaking down Ohio State's dominant win over Tennessee in Columbus, the impressive showing of the Texas Longhorns against the ACC Champion Clemson Tigers, Notre Dame's first ever CFP win over Indiana on Friday night, and Penn State's as well agai...
Dec 22, 2024•47 min•Ep. 344
Today on a loaded episode of The Hard Count, J.D. PicKell starts by taking a big picture look at the current state of college football on and off the field before ranking the individuals under the most pressure in the College Football Playoff. J.D. also reacts to former Washington State QB and the top player in the transfer portal John Mateer committing to Oklahoma and Alabama AD Greg Byrne's recent comments about the Crimson Tide "fighting back" in the NIL race. Additionally, J.D. tabs the bigg...
Dec 19, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 343
Today on the Hard Count, J.D. PicKell goes through several 'What If' Scenarios surrounding the upcoming College Football Playoff. What happens to Ryan Day if Tennessee Defeats Ohio State? What if Oregon wins the National Championship? What if Gunner Stockton reignites Georgia's offense? J.D. answers these questions and more ahead of the first 12-team College Football Playoff. Also tabbing the biggest winners and buyers in the transfer portal, addressing what's currently going wrong with USC foll...
Dec 18, 2024•53 min•Ep. 342
Today on the Hard Count it's the first Prediction Tuesday for this year's College Football Playoff! J.D. PicKell breaks down every first round game and makes his picks for each of the playoff matchups as the Tennessee Volunteers visit Ohio State, the Clemson Tigers take on the Texas Longhorns in Austin, the ACC and Big Ten runner ups SMU and Penn State face off, and a in-state battle between the Norte Dame Fighting Irish and the Indiana Hoosiers kicks off the first 12-team College Football Playo...
Dec 17, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 341
Today on The Hard Count, J.D. PicKell opens up with giving his thoughts on the recent news of Bill Belicheck becoming the next head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels before predicting the entire College Football Playoff bracket down to who will take home this year's national championship. After that, J.D. breaks down the most recent happenings in the NCAA transfer portal and reveals what moves he believes the Florida Gators should make in the portal this offseason. Ending the show with the h...
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 340
The transfer portal continues to heat up and the College Football Playoff gets closer and closer, and today on The Hard Count, J.D. PicKell tackles them both. J.D. starts by breaking down why matchups and styles will be pivotal in this year's expanded 12-team College Football Playoff before breaking down the key matchups on the field in each of the first round playoff games. Also pairing the top transfer wide receivers in a loaded group with ideal program fits, reacting to Michigan hiring offens...
Dec 11, 2024•46 min•Ep. 339
Today on the Hard Count, J.D. PicKell takes a deep dive into the quarterback position in college football. Starting off with breaking down the impact of transfer portal quarterbacks on the College Football Playoff picture followed by predicting where the top transfer quarterbacks will land in this offseason after the transfer portal opened up on Monday. J.D. also shares his thoughts on the seeding of the 12-team College Football Playoff field before ranking which quarterbacks he trusts the most ...
Dec 10, 2024•53 min•Ep. 338
