ESPN College GameDay

Latest Episodes:

EXCLUSIVE: Pat Fitzgerald Joins Rece & Pete | Playoff Rankings + Six Pack of Picks Nov 06, 2025

Show notes

Pat Fitzgerald joins Rece Davis and Pete Thamel for his first public interview since his 2023 departure from Northwestern. The College Football Hall of Famer opens up about what he’s been up to, reflects on his time in Evanston, and discusses what the future might hold now that he’s back on the coaching market. Plus, Rece and Pete react to the first College Football Playoff rankings and wrap things up with their Six Pack of Picks.

00:00 - Welcome to the College GameDay Podcast!

00:30 - CFP rankings reactions

14:13 - Pat Fitzgerald joins the show!

17:33 - Pat feels "vindicated" after wrongful termination

24:13 - Pat on his coaching future

26:26 - Pat on handling the new era of college football

40:04 - Pat's ideal coaching fit

53:46 - Rece & Pete's six pack of picks

1:09:13 - Thanks for listening !

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CFP Rankings Preview: Who's No. 1? + Kenny Chesney Joins The Pod! Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel discuss the upcoming College Football Playoff rankings. They make picks on who they think will take the No. 1 spot and how many bids each conference gets. They also break down Auburn's coaching search and whether Clemson can recover from their tailspin season. Then, country superstar Kenny Chesney joins to talk about his new book drop, Heart Life Music, Tennessee Vols memories, his songwriting process and more!

0:00 - Welcome!
0:32 - CFP rankings: Who's taking No. 1 spot?

6:41 - CFP rankings: What to watch for

10:35 - How many CFP bids does each conference get?

18:20 - CFP rankings: Where does Michigan land?

21:37 - Auburn: Who replaces Hugh Freeze?

33:23 - CFP race: Miami is walking a fine line

37:54 - Can Clemson pull out of a tailspin?

46:29 - Kenny Chesney joins the pod!

47:27 - Kenny Chesney's Tennessee Vols memories

50:15 - Kenny Chesney shares his best lyric

53:41 - Inside Kenny Chesney's writing process

56:53 - Kenny Chesney's drink of choice

59:26 - Kenny Chesney's fave moment as GameDay guest picker!

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Week 10 Picks: Risky Coaching Hires & Halloween Candy Debate 🎃 Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

It’s a spooky Week 10 on the College GameDay Podcast! Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss risky coaching hires, early playoff rankings, their Halloween candy favorites and their Week 10 picks.

00:00 - Welcome to the College GameDay Podcast

04:48 - CFB scheduling issues?

11:15 - The latest on the coaching carousel

25:04 - Bill Belichick's call to go for 2

28:08 - Expectations from 1st CFP Rankings

36:02 - Six pack of picks

55:48 - Let's talk Halloween

58:11 - What's your favorite Halloween candy?

01:01:13 - Thanks for watching the College GameDay Podcast!

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How LSU's Firing Of Brian Kelly Unfolded Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel dive into LSU's move to fire Brian Kelly and what comes next for the Tigers. They kick around how much the Governor might actually matter in the coaching search and whether his voice will carry any weight. And with Lane Kiffin's name in the mix while Ole Miss is still chasing a playoff spot, the big question is if LSU can really wait until his season's over to make a move.

0:00 - Inside The Day LSU Fired Brian Kelly

5:19 - Surprised Brian Kelly Is Out After Texas A&M Loss?

6:39 - Brian Kelly Made LSU A Contender, Don't Forget!

14:09 - Who's Really Picking LSU's Next Coach?

21:14 - LSU To Make A Run At Lane Kiffin?

30:37 - Can LSU Wait Out CFP To Hire A Coach?

35:59 - Rank The Top Coaching Jobs: Florida, LSU, Penn State

48:21 - Auburn, Florida St, Wisconsin To Shake Up Coaching Market?

51:37 - What To Expect: GameDay at Cincinnati vs Utah

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Week 9 Preview: Missouri vs Vanderbilt & LSU vs Texas A&M | College GameDay Podcast Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel break down a massive Week 9 slate!

Can Missouri pull off a top-10 upset on the road against Vanderbilt?

Will LSU save its season against Texas A&M?

And can Houston keep rolling against Arizona State?

We preview all the biggest matchups and storylines from across the country in this episode of the College GameDay Podcast.

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Florida Fires Napier… Lane Kiffin To Take Over? Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel break down Billy Napier’s firing at Florida and what it means for the Gators’ future. Who’s next in line for the job... Could it be Lane Kiffin? The guys also dive into the mounting pressure at Florida State and Auburn, where frustration is beginning to boil over.

:00 Welcome to the Podcast :41 Billy Napier out as Florida Gators Coach 5:46 Coaching Carrousel of College Football 7:40 Which coaches have their job secured? 14:05 What Florida really needs to do 21:58 Is Lane Kiffin headed to Florida? 37:04 Which coach could be in the hot seat next ? 48:42 Why this playoff system works right now 52:00 Impressions of James Franklin on GameDay

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Week 8 Preview: Redemption in Athens? Notre Dame’s Playoff Hopes on the Line vs. USC Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

Rece Davis and Pete Thamel are back to preview a massive Week 8 in college football. Can Georgia get redemption between the hedges against No. 5 Ole Miss? Will Notre Dame’s playoff hopes survive a must-win clash with USC? The guys make their Week 8 picks and break down all the big storylines. Plus, Ivan Maisel joins the show to discuss his new book and reflect on the legendary career of Frank Leahy. All that and more on this episode of the College GameDay Podcast.

00:00 - Welcome to the College GameDay Podcast

00:54 - Lane Kiffin's jab at Kirby Smart

03:16 - A tough week for the refs

05:54 - Ole Miss vs Georgia preview

20:29 - Ivan Maisel joins the show

48:39 - Week 8 Six Pack of Picks

01:08:02 - Deep cut game of the week

01:13:53 - Thanks for watching / listening to the College Gameday Podcast

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James Franklin Out at Penn State: A Firing Unlike Any Other Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel dive into the fallout from James Franklin's firing at Penn State. They unpack how his free fall unfolded, the moment Penn State realized he couldn't deliver a national championship, and why coaching contracts may never look the same again. Then they evaluate whether Indiana's Curt Cignetti or Nebraska's Matt Rhule should even consider the Penn State job before delivering their predictions on who could take the reins in Happy Valley.

0:00 - Welcome

0:30 - James Franklin firing is unlike any other

2:55 - Penn St realization: Franklin won't win it

4:55 - James Franklin free fall won't be the last

7:53 - Why coach contracts will shift

11:56 - Penn St players came up short, lacked passion & fire

14:56 - The reality is coaches don't build programs

19:36 - In today's game, anyone can win

29:08 - The Oregon loss' devastating effect on Penn St's season

36:09 - Should Curt Cignetti consider the Penn St job?

42:13 - Why Cignetti won't go to Penn St

47:07 - Making the case for Matt Rhule staying at Nebraska

55:17 - Predictions on who will get the Penn St job

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UNC in Shambles, Bama’s Rolling, and The Texas State Fair? | Week 7 Preview Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

Who’s to blame for North Carolina’s struggles this season? Can Indiana pull off a shocking upset over Oregon in Eugene? Will Alabama continue their SEC road dominance?

Dan Wetzel and Pete Thamel break down all the chaos heading into a stacked Week 7 of college football. Plus, the guys play a special edition of “Would You Eat It?” — sampling some of the wildest foods from the Texas State Fair. All that and more on this episode of the College GameDay Podcast.

00:00 - Welcome to the College Gameday Podcast

00:43 - UNC in Shambles

20:57 - UNC Staff lacks college football experience

31:19 - Indiana vs Oregon Preview

35:59 - Alabama vs Missouri Preview

38:01 - Is Texas Tech for real?

40:32 - A tough stretch for the Gamecocks

41:14 -Another Kiffin in Baton Rouge

43:24 - The Latest on John Mateer

46:14 - Would you eat it? (Food from the texas state fair)

51:38 - Week 7 Six Pack of Picks

01:03:28 - Thanks for watching The CGD Podcast

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Penn State Collapsing? 🤯 UCLA Loss, CFP Hopes & James Franklin's Future Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel break down Penn State's unraveling season. They ask if the UCLA loss has crushed the Nittany Lions' playoff chances and if James Franklin will remain with the program. Then they shift the conversation to Texas where they expose the Longhorns' flaws. And in Florida, even after a recent win, the guys question whether Billy Napier can survive the season and emphasize the steep challenge the program would face in replacing both its head coach and playcaller.

0:00 - Intro

0:37 - Penn State's issue: QB and scheme are misaligned

9:52 - Does UCLA loss end Penn State's CFP hopes?

12:59 - James Franklin's future at Penn State in question?

18:22 - Arch Manning under Texas pressure

23:57 - Arch and the entire Texas team are flawed

30:39 - If you fire Billy Napier, you have to fill two roles because…

35:13 - Which teams are true wagons?

45:47 - What is going on? Vanderbilt is entirely transformed

56:01 - Why Alabama can't sleep on Mizzou

1:00:32 - Final word: SEC, Western Carolina, Internet meltdowns

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