Cover 3 College Football

Latest Episodes:

Coaches Under Pressure: Challenges facing Billy Napier, Sam Pittman and more in 2024 (05/20) May 20, 2024

Show notes

The Cover 3 crew talks Billy Napier, Ryan Day, Mario Cristobal and more. First, whether there should be any alarm at Brian Kelly and LSU losing the commitment of a 5-star wide receiver and how Michigan has used late transfer portal additions to address depth needs on the secondary. Then it's on to the discussion of Coaches Under Pressure in 2024, which starts with Billy Napier, Sam Pittman and Dave Aranda facing hot seat seasons. Then it's on to coaches that aren't on the hot seat but certainly have pressure to win, like Ohio State's Ryan Day and Miami's Mario Cristobal. Finally a look at the Vegas win totals to see if there are any projected seasons that would generate pressure, including a low win total for Lincoln Riley and USC and several coaches in seemingly good standing projected to miss a bowl game.

Cover 3 is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Get 20% off Cover 3 merch in the CBS Sports Store:

https://store.cbssports.com/collections/cover-3?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=cover-3-collection

Watch Cover 3 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cover3

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @Chip_Patterson, @TomFornelli, @DannyKanell, @BudElliott3

For more college football coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports ...

Mailbag! Top new conference rivalries, where Saban and Harbaugh would have ranked among coaches, more! (05/16) May 16, 2024

Show notes

The Cover 3 crew talks coach rankings, college football video game, conference realignment and more. First, in the wake of this week's coach rankings a listener wondered where Nick Saban, Jim Harbaugh and Jimbo Fisher would have ranked if they were still in college football (1:30). Then, some on-site insight from the ACC spring meetings (12:10), the reveal of the EA Sports College Football 25 cover (22:00) and a landing spot for former Colorado DB and 5-star prospect Cormani McClain (25:00). Then the Big Ol' Bag of Mail asks for some of the new conference "rivalries" after this summer's realignment (28:17), how Sherrone Moore's interim coach success impacted his coach ranking (34:00) and some of the best JAG+ quarterbacks of all time (41:20).

Cover 3 is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Get 20% off Cover 3 merch in the CBS Sports Store:

https://store.cbssports.com/collections/cover-3?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=cover-3-collection

Watch Cover 3 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cover3

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @Chip_Patterson, @TomFornelli, @DannyKanell, @BudElliott3

For more college football coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/

To hear more from the CBS Spo ...

2024 Coach Rankings, Part 2: Overrated, underrated, surprises and more from the consensus top 25 (05/15) May 15, 2024

Show notes

The Cover 3 crew talks Lincoln Riley, Dabo Swinney, coach rankings list and more. First, updates and takeaways from the ACC's spring meetings (2:00) and the NCAA's proposed lawsuit settlement that could usher in a new era of revenue sharing with players (14:45). Then it's on to the reveal of the top 25 from the 2024 CBS Sports Rankings, starting with a breakdown of Ryan Day's spot at No. 2 and the rest of the top 10 (19:00). Plus, the many ways to look at Lincoln Riley's ranking after a disappointing 2022 season at USC (28:08), the right placement for Lane Kiffin within the top 25 (35:30) and the biggest takeaways from the back half of the rankings (42:00).

Cover 3 is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Get 20% off Cover 3 merch in the CBS Sports Store:

https://store.cbssports.com/collections/cover-3?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=cover-3-collection

Watch Cover 3 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cover3

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @Chip_Patterson, @TomFornelli, @DannyKanell, @BudElliott3

For more college football coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/

To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit

2024 Coach Rankings, Part 1: Toughest calls, biggest debates on the ballot, more! (05/13) May 13, 2024

Show notes

The Cover 3 crew discusses the coach rankings, EA Sports' video game tease and more. First, breaking down the EA Sports tease of College Football 25 with a look at the players selected for the early promotional cover art (2:00), Missouri State being the latest program to jump from FCS to FBS as it plans for a move in 2025 to Conference USA (8:50) and more quarterback shuffling in the portal (13:40). Then it's on to the first step of the 2024 CBS Sports Coach Rankings: our ballots. The conversation starts with a reveal of everyone's top 10 (22:00) followed by a discussion of the toughest coaches to rank (31:29) and what the bottom of the ballot looks like after all 68 power conference coaches are slated against each other (49:11).

Cover 3 is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Get 20% off Cover 3 merch in the CBS Sports Store:

https://store.cbssports.com/collections/cover-3?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=cover-3-collection

Watch Cover 3 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cover3

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @Chip_Patterson, @TomFornelli, @DannyKanell, @BudElliott3

For more college football coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/

To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast N ...

Mailbag! Who wins a playoff between the last 12 national champions? Ranking Notre Dame in 2024, more! (05/09) May 09, 2024

Show notes

The Cover 3 crew talks transfer portal, best national champions, coach beef and more. First, an interactive edition of the show gets started with a question from the tailgate on what coach beefs best line up with the current rap beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake (2:45). Then, where Notre Dame sits among the top teams in the country heading into 2024 (9:26), who would win a 12-team playoff between the last 12 national champions (20:15) and what exactly constitutes a transfer portal addition being a "hit" (29:30). Plus, how many losses it takes for top teams to fall out of the top 10 in power ratings (40:25), the importance of interior defensive line play in winning a national championship (48:20) and much, much more.

Cover 3 is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Get 20% off Cover 3 merch in the CBS Sports Store:

https://store.cbssports.com/collections/cover-3?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=cover-3-collection

Watch Cover 3 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cover3

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @Chip_Patterson, @TomFornelli, @DannyKanell, @BudElliott3

For more college football coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/

To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, vi ...

Brian Kelly talks LSU not buying players, grading Year 1 for Rhule, Deion and the rest of last year's new hires, more! (05/08) May 08, 2024

Show notes

The Cover 3 crew talks LSU, Brian Kelly, recruiting, Deion Sanders, Matt Rhule and more. First, news of 28-year old former MLB player Monte Harrison joining Arkansas as a walk-on wide receiver brings back memories of other former baseball players in CFB (1:50) and the crew weighs in on the debate around whether football and basketball stars could play each other's sport at a high level (10:00). Then highlighting comments from Brian Kelly as he claims LSU is "not in the market of buying players" after missing out on some transfer portal targets (18:40) before diving in on a recap of Year 1 for last year's new hires. First up is the Big Ten which featured four changes and a surprise showing from Northwestern (30:15) then where Hugh Freeze has Auburn in the development cycle in the SEC (40:50). Plus, Jeff Brohm's opportunistic 10-win campaign leads the ACC (46:15), Deion Sanders and Colorado gets the spotlight in a review from the Big 12 (54:00) and a rundown of the most impressive or surprising Year 1 campaigns from the Group of Five (1:00:10).

Cover 3 is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Get 20% off Cover 3 merch in the CBS Sports Store:

https://store.cbssports.com/collections/cover-3?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=cover-3-collection

Watch Cover 3 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cover3

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @Chip_Patterson, @TomFornelli, @DannyKanell, @BudElliott3

For more college football coverage from CBS Sports, visit

Biggest headlines, takeaways from the spring transfer portal window (05/06) May 06, 2024

Show notes

The Cover 3 crew talks transfer portal, bowl season, Kirby Smart, Oklahoma, LSU and more. First, with the bowl season eyeing potential expansion, what role will the bowls play in college football's future postseason with an expanded College Football Playoff (3:30)? Plus, quarterback takeaways from Washington's spring game (10:45) and Kirby Smart becoming the first $13M coach (14:00). Then it's on to the transfer portal spring window recap, starting with the defensive tackle market (19:23), programs that failed to address needs (24:20) and how roster retention was one of the biggest storylines of the window (28:20). Finally, why a drama-free portal window is bad for podcasts but great for college football (34:50) and what the data tells us about the relationship between power conferences and the Group of Five in the portal (42:00).

Cover 3 is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Get 20% off Cover 3 merch in the CBS Sports Store:

https://store.cbssports.com/collections/cover-3?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=cover-3-collection

Watch Cover 3 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cover3

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @Chip_Patterson, @TomFornelli, @DannyKanell, @BudElliott3

For more college football coverage from CBS Sports, visit

With the First Pick x Cover 3 - 2025 NFL Mock Draft 1.0: Way-Too-Early 2025 Mock - Shedeur Sanders NOT selected in Top 10 despite weak QB class May 04, 2024

Show notes

You can find With the First Pick on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else podcasts are found.

Ryan Wilson and Rick Spielman are joined by Chip Patterson and Tom Fornelli from the Cover 3 podcast to make 32 selections in our way-too-early 2025 NFL Mock Draft.

Watch With the First Pick on the NFL on CBS YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NFLonCBS

'With the First Pick' is available for free on the Audacy app as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

You can listen to With the First Pick on your smart speakers! Simply say "Alexa, play the latest episode of the With the First Pick podcast" or "Hey Google, play the latest episode of the With the First Pick podcast."

Follow the With the First Pick team on Twitter: @nfldraftcbs, @ryanwilsonCBS, @spielman_rick, @E_DeBerardinis

Follow With the First Pick on TikTok & Instagram: @nfldraftcbs

Produced by: Eric DeBerardinis

Read the Pick Six newsletter here: https://www.cbssports.com/newsletters/picksix/

For more NFL Draft coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/

To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/

Mailbag! Most quotable coaches, late transfer portal movement, players as employees, more! (05/02) May 02, 2024

Show notes

The Cover 3 crew talks revenue sharing, quotable coaches, wide receivers and more. First, getting started with a listener question on notable instant-impact coordinator hires (2:00) and then trying to figure out what will happen next as the NCAA is discussing a possible settlement in a lawsuit that could change how players are compensated (8:00). After that it's on to late transfer portal buzz (20:00), how transfers impact the blue chip ratio (35:16), the top wide receivers from the 2024 NFL Draft class (41:25), a rundown of some of the most quotable moments in college football (46:34) and much more!

Cover 3 is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Get 20% off Cover 3 merch in the CBS Sports Store:

https://store.cbssports.com/collections/cover-3?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=cover-3-collection

Watch Cover 3 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cover3

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @Chip_Patterson, @TomFornelli, @DannyKanell, @BudElliott3

For more college football coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/

To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit

Ryan Wilson talks Shedeur Sanders, Carson Beck and more 2025 NFL Draft outlook (05/01) May 01, 2024

Show notes

The Cover 3 crew talks NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders, Carson Beck, Ohio State and more. First, after getting started with the latest Bo Nix beard update and Mike Norvell's golf tournament win with Urban Meyer (6:24) the NFL Draft conversation gets going with Ryan Wilson's first official mock draft of the 2025 cycle (12:30). Then after hitting the top 10 in general it's a more specific look at Shedeur Sanders, Carson Beck and the rest of the quarterbacks (15:50) followed by players who Ryan is higher or lower on than the rest of the way-too-early mock drafts (35:49) and potential sleepers who could rise up the big boards with their play in college football this fall.

Cover 3 is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Get 20% off Cover 3 merch in the CBS Sports Store:

https://store.cbssports.com/collections/cover-3?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=cover-3-collection

Watch Cover 3 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cover3

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @Chip_Patterson, @TomFornelli, @DannyKanell, @BudElliott3

For more college football coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/

To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit