Split Zone Duo: College Football Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The Black Sunday Coaching SitRep, Six Days Out Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com

SUBSCRIBER EPISODE (join here): The coaching carousel is about to reach max velocity. Richard leads Alex and Rodger through a broad overview of the state of play six days before “Black Sunday,” starting with the Lane Kiffin extended universe and moving outward from there. Among the topics discussed here:

* The media apparatus behind Lane Kiffin and Jimmy Sexton’s moves, plus Rodger’s grand idea to finally reveal what’s happening

* Why you shouldn’t trust anyone claiming to know for sure what Kiffin is doing, and why you shouldn’t read too much into his slow process pointing him toward one school or another

* Auburn has a clear plan in mind and has been focused on it for weeks. But until Kiffin gives a resolution to Ole Miss, LSU, and Florida, there’s a variable in play for Auburn’s main target

* Terry Smith’s maneuvering to get involved in the Penn State search, a great example of how coaches aren’t hired, but elected

* The options for Eric Morris, North Texas coach and leader of the nation’s current No. 1 offense by SP+

* Florida State keeping Mike Norvell and showing it doesn’t want to compete (in the coaching market)

* Cal’s firing of Justin Wilcox, and why the two impending new hires in the Bay Area will be unlike anything we’ve seen in college football

* The toxic public conversation around UCLA’s athletic director and whether that makes the Bruins job less attractive

* What’s the deal with Kyle Whittingham at Utah?

* UAB’s missing-in-action AD. More on him here.

And more. Produced by Anthony Vito.

Week 13 CFB Hurry-Up: ACC 3D Chess Nov 23, 2025

Show notes

Alex and Richard guide you through dozens of Week 13 college football games, from Oregon’s depth-driven win over USC to an all-time ending in the Division II playoffs. Just a few of the games covered in here include:

Oregon 42, USC 27: Depth and special teams matter

Pitt 42, Georgia Tech 28: Pat Narduzzi really did it this time

Oklahoma 17, Missouri 6: Speaking of special teams mattering!

Utah 51, Kansas State 47: A ground-game exhibition for the ages

Duke 32, North Carolina 25: Have you ever seen a kicker run like that?

Texas 52, Arkansas 37: “The Full Arch” against a horrible defense

Tulane 37, Temple 13: The Green Wave roll through some distractions

Yale 45, Harvard 28: A disaster from the jump for the Crimson

Montana State 31, Montana 28: An upset in the Brawl of the Wild

James Madison 24, Wazzu 20: The Cougs’ season of so-close continues

San Diego State 25, San Jose State 3: The Aztecs’ defense is unreal

Benedict 25, Wingate 24: A finish that must be seen to be believed

Want much more? Become a paid subscriber

Subscribers get bonus episodes each week, usually multiple during the season. We’d love to have you as we continue into one of our busiest times of the year.

We are recording a coach carousel-focused episode early this week and will be sharing that with subscribers shortly. Join at www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Thanks to our partners and subscribers

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Join us at 12 p.m. on 12/6 in NYC, along with Nokian Tyres! RSVP for our championship watch party at Mason Jar at https://www.nokiantyres.com/szd

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This episode is produced by Anthony Vito.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Week 13 CFB Tasting Menu: Trojan Horse? Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

To join our championship Saturday watch party with Nokian Tyres at Mason Jar in NYC on December 6, please RSVP at this page. Entry is free!

Steven Godfrey, Richard Johnson, and Alex Kirshner discuss the penultimate week of the 2025 regular season. This week has very few premium FBS matchups but does have arguably the most important Harvard-Yale game ever, a critical edition of the Brawl of the Wild, and plenty of College Football Playoff stakes even as most of the SEC takes off for SoCon Saturday:

* Florida State–NC State, a real “does Dave Doeren go quietly?” referendum with QB run issues lurking for FSU

* Hawaii–UNLV, in which the nation’s most reliable kicker and a fun receiver group try to push the Rainbow Warriors to a special season

* Missouri-Oklahoma, a great matchup of Ahmad Hardy against the Oklahoma front. Will Beau Pribulaplay? (It seems unlikely but possible.)

* A big FCS interlude: Harvard and Yale play for a playoff berth as the Ivy League enters a new era, while the Brawl of the Wild decides the Big Sky

* James Franklin’s Virginia Tech debut weekend: an unusually early coaching transition that could reshape VT’s portal and staff hiring timeline

* Pitt–Georgia Tech, an ACC semifinal of sorts that doesn’t feel like one

* Kansas State–Utah, the latest check on whether anyone can stay within 24 points of the Utes either way

* BYU–Cincinnati, a Nippert Stadium night game and classic Dad Water Home Dog of the Week opportunity for the Bearcats, even off two losses

* Arizona State–Colorado, where Kenny Dillingham keeps grinding out competitive football despite missing his best playmakers. (Note: We recorded this before reports started flying about Sam Leavitt possibly entering the transfer portal)

* Cal–Stanford, a classic ACC test

* USC-Oregon: THE MAIN COURSE, presented by Modelo. ESPN’s West Coast CFB reporter extraordinaire Paolo Uggetti has covered both of these teams in person frequently. He stops by to tell us how much he’s believing in Lincoln Riley, how Dante Moore is different from other bucket-getting Oregon QBs of the recent past, and what he thinks will happen in Eugene.

And many more! This episode is produced by Anthony Vito

Thanks to our subscribers and partners

Subscribers get about twice as many SZD podcasts during the season. Now, during the coach carousel, is a great time to join. Thanks to everyone who’s decided to become a subscriber over the past few weeks!

Oh look, here’s a new episode with Godfrey, Richard, and Alex going deep into 1) the Lane Kiffin situation, 2) Virginia Tech’s James Franklin hire, 3) Maryland and Wisconsin experimenting with a new kind of non-firing, and 4) Florida State.

Shop Black Friday a week early at https://www.homefieldapparel.com

Thanks Dad Water. Code SZD for 20% off, or just click https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZD

Thanks to Nokian Tyres. RSVP for our CFB watch party on December 6 at Mason Jar in NYC here. (Entry is free!)

Modelo: Drink responsibly. Beer imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, IL

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

The Lane Kiffin Standstill and Virginia Tech's James Franklin Swing Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com

SUBSCRIBER EPISODE: Godfrey is back with Alex and Richard to talk about this moment in the coach carousel. Lane Kiffin continues to make Ole Miss wait, and the rest of the SEC is right there with the Rebels. In this episode:

Kiffin didn’t think his family’s private plane tourism around the SEC would go unnoticed, did he?

The possibility of a coach leaving a team not just in the midst of a playoff race, but right before that team plays a home playoff game

Why we can’t blame Ole Miss for being furious (and why LSU and Florida will be their own kinds of mad in different scenarios)

Ole Miss’ contingency options if Kiffin walks … or just doesn’t decide

What happens if Kiffin just doesn’t make a decision?

James Franklin to Virginia Tech

Does Franklin taking this job send a good signal about the Hokies’ level of financial seriousness?

Why Franklin will be “old-school James” in Blacksburg

Wisconsin is keeping Luke Fickell, and Maryland is keeping Mike Locksley. This is a new kind of financial arbitrage in hiring/firing decisions

Producer: Anthony Vito

Overtime: What's It Take to be a Sideline Reporter? Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com

SUBSCRIBER SHOW: Our Richard Johnson made his debut as a sideline reporter for CBS Sports on Saturday, interviewing players and coaches and providing insight from the field during the Air Force vs. UConn game. In this bonus episode for subscribers, Richard goes solo to talk about what he learned: how the prep works and what it’s like to do the job. If you wanna know what the job entails, we hope you enjoy a BTS.

This is a subscriber episode Everyone can hear a free preview. To get many, many more podcasts from Split Zone Duo, consider becoming a paid subscriber today. Your subscriptions allow us to make this show, and you also get a lot more of this show.

www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Week 12 CFB Hurry-Up: Boom Nov 16, 2025

Show notes

Richard and Alex take you through dozens of Week 12 games, sharing their best observations from the third-to-last week of the regular season. The full list:

Oklahoma 23, Alabama 21

Georgia 35, Texas 10

Texas A&M 31, South Carolina 30

Ole Miss 34, Florida 24

LSU 23, Arkansas 22

Kentucky 42, Tennessee Tech 10

USC 26, Iowa 21

Michigan 24, Northwestern 22

Ohio State a lot, UCLA very few

Indiana 31, Wisconsin 7

Penn State 28, Michigan State 10

Oregon 42, Minnesota 13 (Friday)

Notre Dame 37, Pitt 15

UVA 34, Duke 17

Georgia Tech 36, Boston College 34

Clemson 20, Louisville 19

Miami 41, NC State 7

Utah 55, Baylor 28

BYU 44, TCU 13

Arizona 30, Cincinnati 24

Arizona State 25, WVU 23

Texas Tech 48, UCF 9

Navy 41, USF 38

Tulane 35, FAU 24

ECU 31, Memphis 27

James Madison 58, App State 10

Georgia Southern 45, Coastal Carolina 40

Old Dominion 33, Troy 0

Texas State 41, Southern Miss 14

Jacksonville State 35, Kennesaw State 26

Western Kentucky 42, Middle Tennessee 26

Missouri State 38, UTEP 24

FIU 34, Liberty 27

San Diego State 17, Boise 7

Fresno State 24, Wyoming 3

UConn 26, Air Force 16

Northern Illinois 45, UMass 3

Western Michigan 17, Ohio 13

Central Michigan 38, Buffalo 19

Toledo 24, Miami 3

Thanks to our partners and subscribers

20% off Dad Water: https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZD

Shop Homefield at https://www.homefieldapparel.com/

Tire safety tips for winter at https://www.nokiantyres.com/first

This episode is produced by Anthony Vito.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

How UMass, the Worst Team in College Football, Got Like This Nov 14, 2025

Show notes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com

The 2025 UMass Minutemen are making a strong case for the title of “worst FBS team in modern history.” You might THINK that’s because the Minutemen don’t have any money, but you’d be wrong. Rodger Sherman and Alex Kirshner interview Michael Traini, publisher of UMass 247Sports site Fight Massachusetts, about how UMass got to this point. How did this team go from an FCS national champ to an FBS wanderer with no clear plan, no accountability, and waning fan support? We’ll give you the full story.

This is the latest in a Split Zone Duo subscriber series, “Why You’re Always Bad”

Previously, we’ve covered:

* Kent State

* Rice

* ULM

Subscribers can listen to all of these episodes and our entire catalog. Now’s a great time to join for $10 a month or $110 a year and get lots more SZD. And if you just want to support this podcast, we now have a “founding member” option where you can pay whatever Split Zone Duo is worth to you.

Producer: Anthony Vito

Week 12 Tasting Menu: The Center of the CFB Universe Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

Richard, Alex, and Rodger Sherman talk through a huge Week 12 in college football, highlighting a few dozen games that should be fun! Among the many topics discussed on this episode:

* Texas-Georgia, the real push-comes-to-shove spot for Arch Manning

* Iowa-USC, the ultimate test of what Lincoln Riley is building in L.A.

* Oklahoma-Alabama, where we think the Sooners have a good shot

* UVA-Duke, in which a backup QB stands in the way of Duke mounting a serious playoff push and creating a doomsday scenario for the ACC

* Is Miami back in the playoff race now? Might be! Why? Don’t know!

* Florida-Ole Miss, which the Rebels have to be glad is not in Gainesville

* UCLA-Ohio State, which is really just a chance to talk about the legal battle unfolding now between UCLA and the Rose Bowl

* Tennessee Tech-Kentucky, in what some are calling the most captivating Week 12 matchup ever between an FCS team and SEC team

* Richard’s big debut as a CBS Sports sideline reporter for UConn-Air Force

* Kennesaw State-Jacksonville State, CUSA game of the year?

* Boise State-San Diego State, MWC game of the year?

* THE MAIN COURSE, presented by Modelo: Pitt hosts Notre Dame for the Panthers’ biggest home game in many years … unless you’re Pat Narduzzi, who does not seem to think the game is that important

And much more! Produced by Anthony Vito.

Thanks to our subscribers and partners

Thanks Dad Water. Code SZD for 20% off, or just click https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZD

Thanks to Nokian Tyres: https://www.nokiantyres.com/szd

Modelo: Drink responsibly. Beer imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, IL

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

CFB's Six (or Seven?) Actual Title Contenders Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.com

Alex and Richard take a big handful of subscriber questions after Week 11, starting with actual football and then moving to coach business:

* Which plausible title contenders are most overrated, and which are most overlooked? (This part of the episode is the free preview that all can hear.)

* Is Notre Dame’s ACC relationship helping ND more than it helps the league?

* How sustainable is Virginia’s surge—real progress or lucky break?

* What do we think of this particular SEC reffing conspiracy?

* Why do close Bama wins get our approval while others are framed as “getting away with it”? What does the latter mean?

* Could Haynes King actually win the Heisman? Assuming note, what is a better way to honor this memorable player?

* When should a mid-tier Power 4 or G5 school sit out the coaching carousel, and what’s the real value above replacement for a 6-6 coach?

* What do we make of UNLV’s rent-a-coach strategy, if that’s what it is?

* Should South Carolina be done with Shane Beamer?

* Can we recreate a post-House settlement tiering structure for what makes a good job?

* If Colorado opens, how much shine remains post-Deion?

* How have Alabama boosters responded to the DeBoer era so far?

* Do early firings at blue-blood programs hurt their odds of landing top coaches? We are skeptical but let’s hear the theory.

Producer: Anthony Vito

This episode and the Q&A opportunity included in it are for paid subscribers

This is a great time of year to join us as a paid subscriber and roughly double how many podcasts you get from us. We’d love to have you.

Week 11 Hurry-Up: Ducks in Puddles Nov 09, 2025

Show notes

Richard and Alex take you through dozens of Week 11 college football games, highlighting the most interesting stuff to get you all caught up:

Oregon’s grits out a win at Kinnick Stadium after Iowa pulled the Ducks down into a literal puddle and threatened to keep them there

Omar Cooper makes a historic catch at Penn State, which Alex says has a case for the best of all time and Richard is just trying to tear down

Texas Tech sits on BYU, making clear that the Red Raiders are the best team in the Big 12

Sonny Dykes loses the TCU fanbase

Texas A&M treats Mizzou’s third-string freshman QB very rudely

Vanderbilt stays alive by beating an Auburn team that changed its on-field identity overnight

Wake Forest beats UVA, Cal beats Louisville, and the ACC continues to be a mess. Could this conference miss the playoff? There’s a path!

Boston College devolves into a bad situation

Florida State brings nothing to the table in yet another loss

Notre Dame overwhelms Navy and keeps marching toward the playoff

Tulane beats Memphis, making another disappointing year for the Tigers

UTSA games keep ending up in wars of words between the coaches

Army’s latest endless drive to close out the Temple Owls

Tennesaw State University

Oregon State’s special teams reach new levels of ignominy

Montana survives on a SPIKE FUMBLE?? We’d never seen it, either

And a lot more. That’s just a sample. Producer: Anthony Vito

Thanks to our partners and subscribers

20% off Dad Water: https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZD

Join Homefield, Steven Godfrey, and Ryan Nanni in Athens on Friday.

Enter to win airfare and lodging for a trip to New York City on conference championship weekend at https://www.nokiantyres.com/SZD

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

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