CrimsonCast

Latest Episodes:

Elite 8 Is Halfway Done! Duke - UConn & Michigan - Tennessee Preview, plus Indiana Football Updates Mar 29, 2026

Show notes

We recap the two Elite 8 games from last night, look ahead to the games today, discuss more in coaching search land for college basketball, and talk about early impressions from Indiana football spring practice.

UNC, Kansas, and College Coaching Evolution, Plus Sweet 16 Recap and Elite 8 Preview | CrimsonCast Mar 28, 2026

Show notes

On this episode, Galen Clavio recaps the Sweet 16 games and preview what's coming up in the Elite 8. Plus we discuss North Carolina's job opening, the transfer portal, the attractiveness of certain jobs, and the way that program-building at the college level is changing now that GMs and player personnel directors are essential figures instead of luxury hires.

Sweet 16 Analytics Preview: What the Numbers Say About the Contenders (Torvik/T-Rank Trends) Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Galen Clavio breaks down the Sweet 16 field through an analytics lens—using Bart Torvik’s T-Rank to explain what the remaining teams do best, which statistical profiles tend to win in March, and where the most important “Four Factors” edges show up (shooting, turnovers, rebounding, and free throws).

He also highlights how the contenders differ stylistically (elite balance vs. offense-first vs. defense-first), why certain matchups may come down to variance (especially three-point volume), and finishes by comparing those Sweet 16 trends to Indiana’s statistical profile this season—what IU did well, and what ultimately held them back.

March Madness Withdrawal + Sweet 16 Talk, Purdue Observations, and the IU Hoops Waiting Game Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Grace Ybarra and Galen Clavio recap the strange lull after the first weekend of March Madness (and the real “basketball saturation → emptiness” hangover), then dive into Grace’s on-site coverage from St. Louis for the NCAA Tournament’s first and second rounds.

They break down the wild Kentucky–Santa Clara finish (and the officiating/clock controversy), share behind-the-scenes locker room stories from Purdue, and react to the now-iconic moment of former IU big man Malik Reneau grabbing concession food in full uniform after Purdue’s win.

From there, the conversation pivots back to Indiana: what it feels like for IU fans to watch the tournament from the outside again, why the portal timing creates a dead zone for non-tournament teams, and why comparisons to other first-year coaching successes are tough—but inevitable.

March Madness Takeaways: Big Ten Wins, “Cinderella” Panic, and Why IU Basketball Has to Get This Offseason Right | CrimsonCast Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

Galen Clavio recaps a fascinating Sunday in the NCAA Tournament — a day that pushed back on the early top seed dominance and offered some encouraging signs for the Big Ten. He runs through the biggest results (including Alabama’s blowout, Arizona surviving, Iowa State’s statement, UConn’s best version showing up, Purdue advancing, Tennessee’s win, Saint John’s rock fight, and Iowa’s stunner), then zooms out to the bigger question Indiana fans can’t avoid: why does IU keep watching other programs level up while Indiana sits at home?

Galen discusses the new NIL/portal reality — how it’s more “democratic” than people admit, how money still matters but smart spending matters more, and why the Iowa Sweet 16 run under first-year coach Ben McCollum stings in Bloomington. The conclusion is clear: the next few weeks are pivotal for Darian DeVries and Indiana basketball, because the program needs a roster with real identity, energy, and cohesion — not just hope.

NCAA Tournament First Round Recap, Cinderella Goes Missing, and Will North Carolina Fire Hubert Davis? Mar 21, 2026

Show notes

Galen and Scott do a special live CrimsonCast, talking about the lack of upsets in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the most intriguing games of the second round, the UNC job potentially coming open, and a bunch of other college basketball topics.

2026 NCAA Tournament Preview: Upsets, Final 4 Picks & Bracket Breakdown w Grace Ybarra | CrimsonCast Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

It’s bracket time.

In this episode of CrimsonCast, Grace Ybarra and Galen Clavio preview the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, going region by region through the bracket, breaking down upset picks, best bets, dangerous mid-majors, and which teams they trust most to make a deep March run. They also debate how much “vibes” should matter versus predictive metrics, identify underseeded and overseeded teams, and make their Elite Eight, Final Four, and national title picks.

The conversation includes picks on teams like Duke, Houston, Arizona, Michigan State, Gonzaga, VCU, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Iowa, Vanderbilt, and more — plus some strong takes on which popular upset picks are worth fading. By the end, both hosts land on Arizona as national champion, with a full bracket path laid out along the way.

If you’re filling out your bracket, looking for upset logic, or just want a smart and entertaining March Madness preview, this one has you covered.

NCAA Tournament Betting Guide, Bracket Picks, and Early Sweet 16 Futures | Crimson Cash Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

It’s tournament time, and Crimson Cash is diving headfirst into the chaos. Scott and James break down NCAA Tournament betting strategy, talk through upset trends, build a bracket live on the show, and mix in the usual combination of sharp betting angles, Big Ten bias, and unhinged March energy.

In this episode, the guys dig into how often double-digit seeds really hit, whether blindly betting every underdog is genius or insanity, and which teams they actually trust when the bracket tightens up. They also build out a full bracket live, talk survivor-pool strategy, throw out a few tournament bets they like, and close with an early look at Big Ten college football win totals, including Indiana’s eye-popping number.

Topics in this episode:

NCAA Tournament betting strategy and historical seed upset trends
Why 12-over-5 gets the headlines, but 11-over-6 matters too
Scott’s all-underdog betting system and whether it actually works
DraftKings-style bets on tournament upset outcomes
Ohio State and Wisconsin as early teams James likes
A full live bracket build with Final Four and title picks
Survivor-pool thoughts and Sweet 16 futures angles
Live-betting advice for March Madness
Early Big Ten football win totals, including Indiana at 10.5

Join the conversation with your bracket picks, biggest upset calls, and favorite tournament bets in the comments. And if you’re riding with Crimson Cash all tournament long, subscribe and follow along for more picks, reactions, and betting talk.

Crimson Cash is a proud part of the Back Home Network.

TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS
00:00:44 NCAA Tournament time begins
00:03:28 Tournament betting strategy and seed upset history
00:05:03 Scott’s all-underdog betting system
00:10:47 Betting the 12-over-5 and other upset markets
00:11:27 Ohio State, Wisconsin, and early parlay/survivor thoughts
00:13:00 Live bracket build begins
00:30:37 Big Ten football win totals, including Indiana at 10.5
00:33:34 Sweet 16 futures, live betting, and final betting advice

Note: timestamps may not appear as clickable links for every listener depending on platform/app.

Indiana Basketball Is Out — Now The Pressure Shifts To The Portal Mar 17, 2026

Show notes

Indiana men’s basketball is officially done for the season — and now the real questions begin.

In this episode of CrimsonCast, Galen Clavio and Scott Caulfield react to Indiana narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament, examine the decision to turn down The Crown, and break down what it says about the current state of the program. They also dive deep into the realities of roster building in the portal era, comparing Indiana’s approach to other programs and asking what has to change for the Hoosiers to finally build a tournament team.

This episode covers IU’s weak bubble case, the frustration of coming up just short, the marketing and fan-engagement problems around ending the season quietly, the financial conversation surrounding Indiana basketball, and a detailed look at how first-year coaches across college basketball built NCAA Tournament teams through the transfer portal.

If you’re trying to understand where Indiana basketball goes from here — and why this offseason feels so important — this episode lays it all out.

FanDuel’s Indiana Football Win Total Is Out… And It Says A LOT About The Hoosiers Mar 16, 2026

Show notes

What do FanDuel’s newly released over-under totals say about the Indiana Hoosiers in 2026?

In this episode of CrimsonCast, Galen Clavio breaks down Indiana football’s projected win total, how it compares to the rest of the Big Ten, and what the national title odds suggest about the Hoosiers’ place in the college football landscape. From Indiana’s favorable schedule to the respect Curt Cignetti’s program is getting from oddsmakers, this is an early look at how Vegas views IU heading into the new season.

Galen also examines where teams like Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, Miami, Texas, and others stack up in the betting market — and what those numbers reveal about conference strength, public perception, and playoff expectations.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected