))
With the help of players, coaches, TV analysts, school administrators and NCAA officials, AP College Football Writer Ralph Russo tackles on-and off-field issues affecting the sport throughout the year. The show gives everyone from the casual fan to the obsessed alum, an insider look into the AP Poll and all that is trending on campuses around the country. Be ready for the big game, signing day or spring practice with this weekly chat about college football.
…
continue reading
The latest travel news, trends and trip ideas featuring host Warren Levinson, calling on the experience of Associated Press correspondents all over the world. Whether you’re an armchair traveler or a frequent flyer, “Get Outta Here!” provides you with a weekly conversation about travel that’s informative, inspiring and fun.
…
continue reading
ACC angst The Atlantic Coast Conference aired its grievances last week at athletic director meetings off the coast of north Florida. Clemson, Florida State and Miami lead a group of schools that are interested in unequal revenue sharing. But Florida State and Miami have not exactly been pulling their weight during football season in recent years. T…
…
continue reading
Wins totals with the Bear. Chris Fallica, formerly of ESPN’s “College Gameday” is now at Fox Sports and he’ll be a part of Big Noon Saturday this season. AP’s Ralph Russo talks to The Bear about his new gig. They get into college football win totals for the coming season. Is there a number too big for Georgia? Should you bet on Florida State’s hype…
…
continue reading
What drew Matt Rhule to Nebraska? Matt Rhule could have taken some time off to relax and live off his buyout after being fired by the Carolina Panthers. Instead, he was lured back to college football by Nebraska. Rhule, who crafted turnarounds at Temple and Baylor, is now at program with a storied history but a recent past of dysfunction and undera…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Portal’s closed but CU’s radical makeover continues
42:05
42:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
42:05
Portal’s closed but CU’s radical makeover continues. More than 50 players from Colorado have ended up in the transfer portal since Deion Sanders became coach. Many were pushed. CU’s radical roster makeover is unprecedented and fascinating. Max Olson of The Athletic joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about Coach Prime’s strategy and what turning over 70…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Coach Prime’s time; SEC tries to calm storm
39:35
39:35
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:35
Coach Prime’s time; SEC tries to calm storm Deion Sanders has brought an excitement back to Colorado football that was seemingly gone forever. Now, how good can the Buffs actually be on the field? Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated joins AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss Coach Prime’s spring game, a buzz around CU and an historic roster overhaul. Plus, the …
…
continue reading
Turning prospects into pros What schools do the best job of turning their prospects into pros? The Athletic tried to quantify it with a research project and came away with some interesting findings. David Ubben joins AP’s Ralph Russo to dive into what could be learned by the star to conversion rates in the Power Five. Also, AP NFL writer Rob Maaddi…
…
continue reading
College sports purgatory A congressional hearing in the house of representatives last week on NIL did not create much optimism that lawmakers might provide a serious solution to college sports’ problems. Then again, maybe it really doesn’t need one. Ross Dellenger from Sports Illustrated joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about where things stand in wh…
…
continue reading
The future of conference realignment What will happen to the Pac-12? No, not in the next couple months, but in five, seven, maybe 10 to 12 years from now? Stewart Mandel from The Athletic is back with AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss the future of conference realignment. Instead of racing for to be the third-wealthiest conference and trying to kill each…
…
continue reading
The Top 25 coaches, right now Who are the best coaches in college football? Stewart Mandel from The Athletic and Bruce Feldman from Fox and The Athletic run through their annual top 25 lists. AP’s Ralph Russo has his, too. Sonny Dykes enters the rankings with a bullet. Jimbo Fisher slides. Plus, Russo makes a case for Dabo Swinney over Kirby Smart …
…
continue reading
Anthony Richardson’s amazing NFL combine The NFL combine was last week and Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson was the star of the show. But what does that even mean? Why all the fuss about how high a quarterback can jump? Eric Edholm, draft analyst from NFL.com, joins AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss Richardson’s prospect status and how we should vi…
…
continue reading
Preseason rankings: Man vs. Math. The 2023 college football season isn’t so far off that we can’t start the process of trying to surmise who the best teams will be. Right after the national championship game ends, the way-too-early Top 25s land. Now Bill Connelly’s preseason SP+ rankings have dropped. Connelly of ESPN joins AP’s Ralph Russo to exam…
…
continue reading
The coordinator carousel. Alabama steals Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator. Notre Dame gets jilted by Utah’s OC. Georgia turns back the clock to replace Todd Monken. Ryan Nanni from the Shutdown Fullcast podcast joins AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss the coordinator carousel. Is Mike Bobo a sneaky good hire for Kirby Smart? Plus, looking back at Jalen …
…
continue reading
How much do stars matter? Ari Wasserman of The Athletic returns to the show to talk out a few disagreements he and AP’s Ralph Russo have had in recent months about just how much recruiting stars matter in college football. The lengthy discussions winds through the state of college football, some of the challenges of covering college football, why s…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Prospect to superstar: What makes Mahomes great?
46:10
46:10
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
46:10
Prospect to superstar: What makes Mahomes great? Patrick Mahomes was a bit of a surprising 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft. After a prolific career at Texas Tech that probably didn’t get enough attention, Mahomes has become the NFL’s best quarterback. Jalen Hurts’ college career started at Alabama and ended at Oklahoma. Who would have guess…
…
continue reading
Jaden Rashada saga: A cautionary tale? The recruitment of Jaden Rashada by Florida came to a messy end with an NIL deal that failed to come to fruition. Will this become a cautionary tale across college football? Bud Elliott of 247 Sports joins AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss where the NIL market is going and the pratfalls of schools farming out compen…
…
continue reading
Harbaugh is staying and Dabo’s big hire. Jim Harbaugh made it official: He will remain the head coach at Michigan after round of NFL interest failed to pull him back to the league. With that, we can really put a bow on the 2022 season and move on to 2023. What does Harbaugh staying put mean for Michigan and can we continue to expect this same drama…
…
continue reading
Georgia is the national champion! The 2022 college football season ended similarly to the way it did in 2021: With Georgia as the national champion. The Bulldogs put on one of the most dominant displsy in the history of the sport against TCU. AP’s Ralph Russo wraps up the Dawgs’ title, their burgeoning dynasty and where they stand against Alabama a…
…
continue reading
National championship preview The College Football Playoff national championship game is set. No. 1 Georgia is going for its second straight title against upstart and No. 3 TCU, which hasn’t won a national championship in more than 80 years. To break down the matchup, former Florida and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen of ESPN joins AP’s Ralph D.…
…
continue reading
College Football Playoff preview Can No. 3 TCU hold up against the power of No. 2 Michigan? Are No. 4 Ohio State’s elite quarterback and receivers the path to an upset of No. 1 Georgia? Cole Cubelic of the SEC Network and ESPN joins AP’s Ralph Russo to preview the College Football Playoff matchups. Heisman Trophy finalist Max Duggan and the Horned …
…
continue reading
Portal moves and early signings While the transfer portal is hopping and the early signing period begins this week in college football. Max Olson of The Athletic joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about the best players in the portal, those who have already made their way through and how the transfer market impacts high school recruiting. Max talks abo…
…
continue reading
Mike Leach’s Legacy Mike Leach died on Monday, Dec. 12, at the age of 61 after complications from a heart condition. Leach was in his third season coaching Mississippi State after stints at Washington State and Texas Tech. He was a successful coach winning more than 150 games in 21 seasons, but his impact on the game goes much deep than wins and lo…
…
continue reading
Bowl Preview Get ready for Bowl Season. Matt Brown of The Athletic and AP’s Ralph Russo rundown the entire bowl schedule, from the Bahamas Bowl to the Rose Bowl. Notes, factoids, interesting players, coaching matchups and maybe a history lesson or two on every single game. Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com…
…
continue reading
Freeze at Auburn and CFP scenarios The coaching carousel is spinning fast with coming and goings. Stewart Mandel from The Athletic joins AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss Hugh Freeze returning to the SEC with Auburn. Who got the better coach: Wisconsin with Luke Fickell or Nebraska with Matt Rhule? They dig into the downfall of Stanford and the resignati…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Disappointing teams; Rivalry week showdowns
1:07:05
1:07:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:07:05
Disappointing teams; Rivalry week showdowns Heading into the final weekend of the regular season there are 14 teams that began the season ranked and are currently unranked. Almost all have no shot of working their way back into the rankings. Paul Myerberg from USA Today joins AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss the varying degrees of disappointing teams fr…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Auburn update; What’s up with the Hogs? Week 12 Preview
1:00:58
1:00:58
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:58
Auburn update; What’s up with the Hogs? Week 12 Preview Mid-November in college football means both coaching searches and the College Football race heat up. Brandon Marcello of 247 Sports joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about where things stand at Auburn and why Lane Kiffin appears to be target No. 1 for the Tigers. What’s up with Arkansas, which ha…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Will Dabo change his ways? Week 11 preview
1:04:00
1:04:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:04:00
Will Dabo change his ways? Week 11 preview One loss does not end an era, but Clemson’s slip against Notre Dame validated what many suspected: For the second straight season, the Tigers aren’t national title contenders. Where does Dabo Swinney take the program from here? Andrea Adelson of ESPN and the ACC Network joins AP’s Ralph Russo to explore wh…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Who’s next at Auburn? SEC showdown week.
1:18:46
1:18:46
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:18:46
Who’s next at Auburn? SEC showdown week. Auburn made the move all of college football has been waiting on for months, firing coach Bryan Harsin. Who’s next for the Tigers? Matt Fortuna of The Athletic joins AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss what Auburn might do next and why Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin would seem like a perfect fit. Or maybe Deion Sanders?…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Bo Jackson, Folk Hero; Texas A&M’s quagmire
1:36:55
1:36:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:36:55
Bo Jackson, Folk Hero; Texas A&M’s quagmire Author Jeff Pearlman joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about his new book “The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson.” Pearlman dug deep into what molded and motivated the former Heisman Trophy winner from Auburn who became an all-star in the NFL and Major League Baseball. Then Ari Wasserman from T…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Coach Prime on JSU & the SWAC; Week 8 Preview
1:24:47
1:24:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:24:47
Coach Prime on JSU & the SWAC; Week 8 Preview What drew Deion Sanders to Jackson State, and why does he think more great young players coupld embrace playing in the SWAC and other historically black colleges? Coach Prime joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about his 6-0 team and why Heisman Trophy voters need to look beyond the big schools. Then Braden …
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Crisis mode at OU; Previewing huge Week 7
55:01
55:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
55:01
Crisis mode at OU; Previewing huge Week 7 College football is heading into its most impactful weekend of the season so far with six games matching ranked teams, including No. 3 Alabama against No. 6 Tennessee and No. 10 Penn State at No. 5 Michigan. Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated joins AP’s Ralph Russo to preview all the big games and determine wh…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Changes at Wisconsin and CU; Week 6 Preview
1:16:56
1:16:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:16:56
Changes at Wisconsin and CU; Week 6 Preview The number of coaching changes this college football season reached five, with Colorado, as expected, and Wisconsin, totally unexpected, making moves this past week. Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports and The Athletic joins AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss what is next for each program. The Wisconsin move to oust Pau…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Next on the carousel, Georgia Tech; Week 5 preview
1:09:47
1:09:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:09:47
Next on the carousel, Georgia Tech; Week 5 preview Another week of the college football season and another coach has been replaced. Bud Elliott from 247 sports and The Cover Three Podcast joins AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss what went wrong at Georgia Tech. What does a winning strategy for the Yellow Jackets look like after Geoff Collins flamed out? T…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Change at ASU; Pac-12 perks up; Week 4 preview
1:01:30
1:01:30
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:01:30
Change at ASU; Pac-12 perks up; Week 4 preview Three weeks into the college football season and already two coaches have been let go and several highly ranked teams remain a mystery. Adam Rittenberg from ESPN joins AP’s Ralph D. Russo to dig into what’s next at Arizona State after the plug was pulled on the Herm Edwards experiment. The Pac-12 got a…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Next at Nebraska; Fixing A&M; Week 3 preview
1:08:08
1:08:08
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:08:08
Next at Nebraska; Fixing A&M; Week 3 preview It took just two weeks, but college football already has had its first coach firing and its first weekend of wacky results. David Ubben from The Athletic joins AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss Nebraska post Scott Frost and Texas A&M post App State loss. Also, a preview of Week 3’s most intriguing games from M…
…
continue reading
CFP expansion and Week 2 preview The College Football Playoff is expanding to 12 teams. That’s done. When the new format will be implemented remains to be seen. The hope is for the 2024 season, but hurdles need to be cleared. Brett McMurphy of Action Network joins AP’s Ralph D. Russo to discuss the logistical dilemmas that need to be sorted out for…
…
continue reading
The season is here! Week 1 of the college football season brings a Labor Day weekend marathon of games. Paul Myerberg of USA Today joins AP’s Ralph Russo to preview the first full slate of games by picking their five most intriguing games of the week. There are some deep cuts like Army and Coastal Carolina and Boise State-Oregon State, plus a batch…
…
continue reading
Examining NIL College athletes have been permitted to be paid for their names, images and likenesses for more than a year now and it at times seems like it is all those in and around college sports can talk about. What is the NCAA’s ability to enforce rules related to NIL? What are the chances federal legislation can provide some guardrails? What t…
…
continue reading
Preseason Top 25 with Rece Davis The preseason AP Top 25 has arrived, which means college football is truly right around the corner. Rece Davis from ESPN’s “College GameDay” join AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss how he voted in the poll and preview a season that feels high on uncertainty. Rece runs through some of his more intriguing teams in college fo…
…
continue reading
Big Ten preview Michigan is the defending Big Ten champion, but Ohio State is once again the overwhelming favorite to take the conference title. Can anybody slow down the Buckeyes’ powerful offense? Dave Revsine from the Big Ten Network joins AP’s Ralph Russo to preview the Big Ten. As for Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines, what will they, and rival …
…
continue reading
SEC preview Alabama and Georgia not only sit atop the Southeastern Conference these days, but they are the two top programs in all of college football. Cole Cubelic of the SEC Network and ESPN joins AP’s Ralph Russo to breakdown the entire conference and try to identify which teams are the biggest threats to derail another Crimson Tide-Bulldogs mat…
…
continue reading
G5 and Notre Dame preview What can Cincinnati do for an encore after becoming the first team from outside the Power Five to reach the College Football Playoff last season? What are the expectations for Notre Dame in Marcus Freeman’s first season as head coach? The Group of Five and Notre Dame are in the spotlight as the season previews roll on. Pet…
…
continue reading
ACC Preview Was Clemson’s slip last season just a blip or the start of a downward slide for Dabo Swinney’s program in the Atlantic Coast Conference? David Hale of ESPN joins AP’s Ralph Russo for a deep dive preview on the ACC. North Carolina State has all the preseason buzz, ut can the Wolfpack be trusted to meet expectations? Florida State is stil…
…
continue reading
Big 12 Preview The Big 12 is in flux off the field, but for 2022 it remains 10 teams with Texas and Oklahoma as the headliners – if not the championship contenders. Max Olson of The Athletic joins AP’s Ralph Russo for a Big 12 preview that keeps the focus on the field and on 2022. No Power Five conference has more balance and a narrower gap between…
…
continue reading
Pac-12 Preview While the Pac-12 fights for its survival as a conference amid another round of conference realignment, another Pac-12 football season begins with all eyes on USC. The Trojans under new coach Lincoln Riley are without question the most fascinating team in the conference – but they might not be the best team. Utah is the defending cham…
…
continue reading
What’s next with realignment? It has been almost two weeks since the Big Ten’s realignment bombshell with USC and UCLA. Instead of causing a frenzy of movement, college sports seem to be in a stalemate. What’s next? Pat Forde from Sports Illustrated joins AP’s Ralph Russo to sift through the repercussions and ramifications of the latest monster con…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
First look at 2022 coaching carousel
1:10:43
1:10:43
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:10:43
First look at 2022 coaching carousel After nearly being run off in February, Auburn coach Bryan Harsin enters year two of his tenure as Tigers coach clearly on the hot seat. At Nebraska, Scott Frost is getting one more chance to turn around the Cornhuskers. Bruce Feldman from Fox and The Athletic joins AP’s Ralph Russo to take a look at the coachin…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
What ‘21 flops will bounce back in ‘22?
1:04:08
1:04:08
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:04:08
What ‘21 flops will bounce back in ‘22? Fourteen teams started the 2021 ranked and finished unranked, among them Texas A&M, Florida, Miami, LSU, USC, Iowa State and Wisconsin. Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports and the Cover Three Podcast joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about last year’s flops and their prospects for a bounce-back season in 2022. A bunch of…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Over on the Irish; Under on the Aggies
1:18:22
1:18:22
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:18:22
Over on the Irish; Under on the Aggies The sportsbooks have set their win totals for the 2023 college football season, and ESPN’s Chris Fallica, better known as Bear, joins AP’s Ralph Russo to identify some over and under plays. Bear is not scared away from the big numbers attached to the teams that will be favored to win the national title. He’s a…
…
continue reading
A
AP Top 25 College Football Podcast
1
Marshall Faulk interview and QB Dads
1:05:10
1:05:10
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:05:10
Marshall Faulk interview and QB Dads Marshall Faulk helped put San Diego State football on the map with one of the most remarkable college careers of the last 50 years. Faulk joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about his journey from New Orleans to San Diego State to NFL stardom, plus an important step his beloved Aztecs are taking this season with the …
…
continue reading
SEC scheduling and Athlon’s Top 25 The Southeastern Conference gets together in Destin, Florida, this week and considers what its future scheduling model should be. The conference is likely heading toward scrapping divisions, but how should it go about balancing traditional rivals with competitiveness? Braden Gall of Athlon Sports joins AP’s Ralph …
…
continue reading
