The Solid Verbal College Football

In today's episode, we break down North Dakota State's historic move to FBS and the Mountain West, including the financial details, the NCAA's probationary period challenge, and why the Fargodome is a must-visit destination. We also unpack former Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Moos' new book, Crab Creek Chronicles, and what it reveals about the Scott Frost hire, Chip Kelly almost landing in Lincoln, and a secret meeting about Nebraska potentially returning to the Big 12
Most importantly, we play "Trend or Not a Trend" with six teams heading into 2026. Is Miami's high-level winning sustainable? Can Oklahoma's defense carry a middling offense deep into the SEC? Is Arizona's defensive leap here to stay? Where does Virginia go from here at quarterback? Is Texas A&M a playoff contender with that gauntlet schedule? Can USC get back to double-digit wins under Lincoln Riley?
Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
4:13 - North Dakota State goes FBS
17:33 - The Bill Moos Nebraska Book
29:16 - Six Teams on Trend Watch
30:48 - Miami's high-level winning
36:20 - Oklahoma as a 2026 SEC contender
42:12 - Arizona's reborn defense
47:11 - Virginia as a 2026 ACC contender
52:05 - Texas A&M as a 2026 CFP team
58:03 - USC as a 10-win team
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With Valentine's Day around the corner, we take a look at the 2025 storylines we secretly loved. Whether scrappy teams held things together with gum and chicken wire, coaches who turned programs around overnight, or the moments that didn't make national headlines, we talk through the things that got our hearts pumping. Think Wisconsin winning games with their punter as the leading passer, Houston quietly going 10-3, Arch Manning actually getting better when pundits left him for dead, and much more.
In this episode, we share our own picks before opening it up to the Verballerhood, whose submissions cover everything from Kenny Dillingham staying at Arizona State to the absurdity of Lane Kiffin's move to LSU, Arkansas fans learning to love heartbreak, Indiana fans debating whether to protect their hearts or go all in on Curt Cignetti, and much more. Plus, a brief Super Bowl debrief, a Timothée Chalamet conversation, and the debut of Dan's bucket of wrenches.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro / Super Bowl recap
6:27 - What we're doing today
8:51 - Dan's "winning despite" teams (Duke, Mizzou, Minnesota, Wake Forest)
10:58 - Steve Angeli and Syracuse's collapse without him
13:34 - Wisconsin as a bucket of wrenches
17:08 - Northwestern's what-could-have-been season
19:21 - Jason Eck and New Mexico's nine-win season
22:16 - Penn State's leaked Pat Kraft audio
25:08 - Ty's Quick Hits: Mason Heinschel, Houston's quiet 10-3 season, Arch Manning actually got better
29:29 - Dan's Quick Hits: Arizona's nasty defense, SMU's post-playoff rebuild, Double transfers
31:51 - Kenny Dillingham staying at Arizona State
35:15 - Arkansas tried
37:20 - Indiana, Curt Cignetti, and protecting your heart
44:19 - Fernando Mendoza's F-bomb and industry plant theory
45:34 - Cal, the Wilcox era, and the Mendoza that got away
46:56 - Lane Kiffin-LSU drama
49:23 - Georgia ripping rivals' hearts out
50:17 - North Texas's record-setting season
51:38 - Player shoutouts: Jeremiyah Love, Ahmad Hardy, Jacob Rodriguez, Jayden Maiava
53:40 - Quick fan hits: Ohio State, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma, Oregon, Purdue
57:34 - Ball State tried to be the worst
57:47 - Florida State's first month
58:26 - Rutgers' top-50 offense / Arizona retaining Seth Doege and Noah Fifita
59:54 - ESPN cinematography and best broadcast production
Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal
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For years, you've asked us to do a Super Bowl preview. We finally did it, but with the only spin that makes sense for a college football podcast: looking at Super Bowl LX entirely through the stories, moments, and legacies these players built in college.
When the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots kick off Sunday night, it won't just be two NFL teams battling for a championship. It will be Sam Darnold's redemption story that started at USC, Jaxon Smith-Njigba's effortless brilliance that lifted Ohio State, Kenneth Walker dragging Michigan State to glory, and Drake Maye carrying on North Carolina's royal lineage. Join us as we break down both rosters, revisit the moments that made these players who they are, and enjoy Super Bowl 60 as one big college reunion.
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The year ended with an absolute whirlwind for Michigan and Utah football. First, the Wolverines fired Sherrone Moore for an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. Within the next 48 hours, he was arrested and arraigned at a local courthouse, marking an unexpected twist as the story took a dark turn. Just two weeks later, the longtime coach of Utah, Kyle Whittingham, was introduced as Michigan's next head coach after succession plans led to an uneasy exit from Salt Lake City. In this episode, we talk with Dan Wetzel from ESPN and Sean O'Connell from ESPN 700 to go inside the ropes and understand what happened during a wild two weeks in December, what it was like to track the Moore news, how Whittingham ended up in Ann Arbor, and more.
Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
6:03 - Dan Wetzel on Sherrone Moore & Michigan Football
41:01 - Sean O'Connell on Kyle Whittinham & Utah Football
Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal
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After covering seven major items in Part 1, we're back with 10 more things that defined the 2025 college football season. In this episode, we run the gamut, from Miami's return to national prominence after two decades away to Notre Dame's reaction to being left out. We also talk through Texas Tech's spending spree, the magic of Diego Pavia, the roller coaster of UCLA football and much more.
What defined the 2025 college football season for you? Let us know what we missed!
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
4:49 - Miami is back!
12:45 - Notre Dame controversy
21:06 - Shirtlessness
25:26 - Dan Lanning is nuts
29:36 - Texas Tech's spending spree
35:08 - Everything Diego Pavia
40:38 - Drew Mestemaker
43:07 - The UCLA Roller Coaster
47:51 - John Mateer
51:57 - Tiebreakers
56:57 - Others Receiving Votes
Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.