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Galen and Matt open Week 8 with two major Big Ten stories: Maryland’s decision to fire Michael Locksley and Julian Sayin’s injury at Ohio State. They discuss what Sayin’s absence could mean for the Buckeyes over the final month, particularly with a difficult schedule and limited offensive margin for error, before digging into what Maryland should actually be looking for in its next head coach. Then comes the weekend preview. Indiana travels to Michigan trying to rebound against one of the country’s better defenses, USC faces a dangerous night game at Wisconsin, and Houston-Utah could dramatically alter the Big 12 playoff race. BYU tries to avoid a letdown at UCF after beating Notre Dame, while the SEC gives us Tennessee-South Carolina, LSU-Auburn and a fascinating Ole Miss-Texas matchup with the Longhorns running out of chances to save their season. Plus, North Dakota State-New Mexico headlines another important weekend in the Group of Six playoff race.

Ohio State survived Indiana in Bloomington—but lost quarterback Julian Sayin in the process. Tennessee stunned Alabama, Auburn knocked off No. 1 Georgia, BYU beat Notre Dame, and Week 7 may have completely reset the national championship race. Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down one of the wildest Saturdays of the 2026 college football season and ask a question that suddenly feels impossible to answer: who can you actually trust? The show starts with Ohio State’s 19-15 win at Indiana. Both defenses controlled the game, Indiana struggled to run the football, and the Buckeyes made just enough plays to end IU’s 22-game winning streak. But Sayin’s injury dramatically changes Ohio State’s outlook heading into the toughest part of its schedule. Then the SEC goes completely sideways. Ole Miss crushes Missouri, Florida wins at Texas, Tennessee dominates Alabama, Kentucky beats Oklahoma and Auburn walks into Athens and knocks off No. 1 Georgia. Are there any truly elite teams left in the conference—or anywhere in the country? BYU also makes a huge statement with a 28-24 win over Notre Dame, strengthening both its playoff résumé and the Big 12’s case for multiple CFP bids. Texas Tech, Houston and Utah remain firmly in the conversation as the league’s playoff picture gets increasingly interesting. Galen and Matt also dig into Miami’s chaotic win over Florida State, updated conference title odds, Football Weather’s efficiency rankings, strength of record and the increasingly difficult question of how the CFP committee should rank this field. The show closes with Teams of the Week, a perfect weekend of actual football weather and the latest Football Weather Merit Poll. Subscribe to Football Weather for smart, analytical and conversational national college football coverage throughout the 2026 season.

Ohio State visits Indiana in one of the biggest games of the college football season—a matchup between the last two national champions and two teams playing at a championship level again in 2026. College Football with Sam joins Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka for a loaded Week 7 preview, but first the guys react to the growing expectation that the College Football Playoff could expand to 24 teams. Would a larger field create better postseason access, or would it encourage contenders to protect players and further diminish the regular season? Then it’s on to Ohio State-Indiana. The matchup looks remarkably even statistically, with Indiana’s advantage along the lines of scrimmage going up against an Ohio State passing game capable of creating major problems. The guys break down the tactical matchup, the pressure points for both teams and why this could look very different from their defensive battle in last year’s Big Ten Championship Game. Alabama also travels to Tennessee for another major SEC test, while Missouri visits Ole Miss in a fascinating matchup between two teams still trying to establish themselves in the national pecking order. Notre Dame heads to Provo to face undefeated BYU, LSU hosts Mississippi State with major questions surrounding the Bulldogs’ quarterback situation, and UCLA tries to keep its surprising start going against Wisconsin. The nightcap brings another fascinating Big Ten game as Nebraska visits an Oregon team desperately trying to save its season without Dante Moore. Plus: Oklahoma State-Houston, Virginia-SMU, Kentucky-Oklahoma, Penn State-Michigan and other games worth watching around the country. Subscribe to Football Weather for smart, analytical and conversational coverage of college football from across the national landscape.

No. 1 Texas lost the Red River Rivalry, Georgia finally won at Alabama, Indiana escaped Nebraska, UCLA stunned Oregon—and six weeks into the season, college football still doesn’t seem to have one clearly dominant team. Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down a chaotic Week 6 and ask a larger question: how much of the national conversation is still being driven by preseason expectations rather than what teams have actually done? Oklahoma’s 27-24 win over Texas creates major problems for the Longhorns and Arch Manning, while Georgia’s 20-17 victory at Alabama may have established the Bulldogs as the most complete team in the country. But does Alabama really deserve to remain automatically grouped with the national elite? Indiana also rallied from an 11-point deficit to survive Nebraska, setting up a massive showdown with Ohio State in Bloomington. Meanwhile, UCLA remained unbeaten by knocking off Oregon, putting the Ducks’ playoff hopes in serious danger and further scrambling a Big Ten race in which traditional powers Michigan and Penn State have struggled badly. The guys also discuss Kentucky’s dramatic win over LSU, Missouri’s rout of Texas A&M, USC’s victory at Penn State, the problems created by massive quarterback and coaching contracts, and why talent alone can no longer cover up poor roster construction or bad coaching decisions. Then it’s time for the halfway-point check-in: biggest surprises, biggest disappointments, teams that could still emerge as playoff contenders, updated efficiency rankings and the latest Football Weather Merit Poll. Plus, listener questions on Notre Dame-BYU, USC’s remaining playoff path, Clemson and Dabo Swinney—and an early look ahead to Indiana-Ohio State. Subscribe to Football Weather for smart, analytical and conversational national college football coverage throughout the season.

Georgia visits Alabama in a game that could determine the new No. 1 team in college football, while undefeated Indiana heads to Nebraska for its biggest road test yet. College Football with Sam joins Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka for a loaded Week 6 preview. The show starts with Georgia-Alabama, a matchup that looks almost like a statistical dead heat. Alabama’s offense has been rolling, Georgia finally gets the major test everyone has been waiting for, and Gunnar Stockton gets an opportunity to answer one of the biggest remaining questions about the Bulldogs. Then it’s No. 7 Indiana at undefeated Nebraska. Anthony Colandrea has given the Cornhuskers an efficient passing attack, but can Nebraska hold up against an Indiana offense that has been brutally efficient—and an IU defense that appears to be finding its form? Oregon also gets a fascinating test against unbeaten UCLA without Dante Moore, putting Dylan Raiola back under center for the Ducks. Iowa travels to Washington in a matchup between two teams still trying to define their place in the Big Ten race. Then comes the Red River Rivalry. No. 1 Texas faces an Oklahoma team with an excellent defense but major offensive questions surrounding John Mateer. Can the Sooners turn the game into an ugly defensive fight, or does Texas continue looking like one of the country’s strongest title contenders? And in perhaps the weekend’s ultimate desperation game, USC meets Penn State with both programs facing the possibility of a season-defining loss. The guys also hit Texas A&M-Missouri, LSU-Kentucky, the increasingly interesting Big 12 race, Florida State-Louisville, Duke-Georgia Tech and several Group of Six games with playoff implications. Subscribe to Football Weather for smart, conversational national college football coverage throughout the 2026 season.

Penn State got run over by Northwestern, Michigan lost the Little Brown Jug, Alabama dismantled undefeated Mississippi State—and Week 5 exposed just how many early-season college football narratives were wrong. Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down a chaotic weekend, beginning with Pitt’s bizarre escape at Virginia Tech and Northwestern’s stunning 34-13 demolition of Penn State. The Wildcats ran for more than 400 yards, while Matt Campbell’s rebuild suddenly looks much more complicated than expected. Ohio State then delivered another convincing statement at Iowa, with Jeremiah Smith overwhelming one of the country’s better defenses. In the SEC, Alabama crushed Mississippi State, Missouri dismantled Florida and the supposed depth of the league suddenly looks much harder to evaluate. Are Georgia and Alabama separating from everybody else? The problems are even more dramatic at Michigan. Minnesota reclaimed the Little Brown Jug as the Wolverines fell to 3-2, their offense struggled again and major questions emerged about Bryce Underwood, Kyle Whittingham and whether Michigan has successfully adapted to the modern college football era. Galen and Matt also examine USC’s narrow win over Washington, Florida State’s blowout of Virginia, the increasingly confusing ACC and a Big 12 race that suddenly includes more contenders than expected. Then comes the AP Poll. Why is Ole Miss still ranked so highly despite poor underlying metrics? Why do head-to-head results matter for some teams but apparently not others? And how much should preseason expectations continue influencing rankings five weeks into the season? The show closes with the latest Football Weather Merit Poll and a look at Northwestern’s new Ryan Field for the Football Weather Game of the Week. Subscribe to Football Weather for smart, analytical and conversational coverage of college football from across the national landscape.

Can undefeated Mississippi State and breakout quarterback Kamario Taylor handle Alabama? Can Iowa drag Ohio State into another ugly Big Ten fight? And which struggling program is under more pressure when Washington visits USC? College Football with Sam joins Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka for a full Week 5 college football preview as September gives way to a pivotal October. The guys begin by revisiting the first month of the season. Washington has been one of the biggest disappointments in the country, Texas Tech hasn’t looked like the dominant Big 12 favorite many expected, and no national championship contender has completely separated itself from the field. That leads to a look ahead at October: who will be No. 1 when the month ends? Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami and several other contenders have paths to the top as the first College Football Playoff rankings approach. Then it’s on to the weekend. Penn State visits Northwestern for the first game at the new Ryan Field, while Alabama heads to Starkville to face one of the best stories of the season in Mississippi State and Kamario Taylor. Ohio State travels to Iowa for a major physical test, Florida takes its resurgent offense to Missouri, and USC tries to rebound from the Oregon loss against a Washington team whose season has gone completely off course. Plus: Pitt-Virginia Tech, Purdue-Illinois, Kentucky-South Carolina and Indiana-Rutgers. Subscribe to Football Weather for smart, conversational national college football coverage throughout the 2026 season.

Oregon lost Dante Moore to a frightening first-half injury—and then rallied behind Dylan Raiola to win at USC. Florida demolished Ole Miss, Iowa stunned Michigan, Wisconsin rallied at Penn State, and another chaotic weekend dramatically changed the college football picture. Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down everything that mattered from Week 4, beginning with Indiana’s closer-than-expected win over Northwestern before diving into a wild Big Ten Saturday. Iowa somehow escaped Michigan despite being badly outgained, while Wisconsin erased a 17-point deficit at Penn State and raised even more questions about the Nittany Lions’ offense. Then comes Oregon-USC. After Moore left the game, Raiola stepped in and delivered exactly what the Ducks needed, helping Oregon produce a dominant second half and potentially rescue its season. For USC and Lincoln Riley, meanwhile, another loss in a major game brings back some very familiar questions. The SEC was just as chaotic. Texas survived Tennessee, Florida ran away from Ole Miss, Mississippi State continued its remarkable start behind Kamario Taylor, and LSU overwhelmed Texas A&M. Galen and Matt also name their biggest surprises and disappointments of September, update the national efficiency picture, examine whether the Big 12 could become a two-bid CFP league, pick their Teams of the Week and unveil the latest Football Weather Merit Poll. Plus: a driving rainstorm in Chestnut Hill earns Virginia Tech-Boston College the Football Weather Game of the Week. Subscribe to Football Weather for smart, conversational national college football coverage throughout the 2026 season.

Oregon heads to USC with both programs facing a massive prove-it game, Texas travels to Tennessee for another major test of Arch Manning, and LSU may already be staring at an early-season elimination game against Texas A&M. College Football with Sam joins Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka for a loaded Week 4 preview as conference play begins to reshape the college football season. First, the guys revisit some preseason opinions that have already changed. Oklahoma’s offense has been a major disappointment, Michigan’s defense has far outperformed its offense, while Florida and UCLA have quickly changed the conversation around their new coaching staffs. Then it’s on to six ranked-vs.-ranked matchups, starting with Oregon at USC. Can Dante Moore and the Ducks recover from their disastrous start, or is Jayden Maiava ready to give USC the signature win it has been waiting for? With Oregon still searching for answers and USC’s defense raising its own concerns, the stakes are enormous for both programs. Ole Miss also faces a fascinating emotional test at Florida just one week after its huge win over LSU. Can Trinidad Chambliss carry the Rebels again, or is this the perfect spot for Florida? LSU and Texas A&M meet in what might already be an elimination game, while Texas heads to Neyland Stadium with Arch Manning still trying to prove he can deliver in a hostile road environment against a major opponent. The guys also break down Michigan-Iowa, undefeated Mississippi State and breakout quarterback Kamario Taylor against Missouri, plus Oklahoma-Georgia, Nebraska-Michigan State, Wisconsin-Penn State, Western Michigan-Boise State, Kansas State-Cincinnati and UCLA-Maryland. Subscribe to Football Weather for smart, conversational national college football coverage throughout the 2026 season.

Ole Miss got its revenge on Lane Kiffin, beating LSU 32-24 in an emotional night in Oxford—and raising some serious questions about the Tigers in the process. Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down a revealing Week 3 across college football, starting with Trinidad Chambliss, Pete Golding and an Ole Miss team that answered LSU’s second-half comeback with a huge fourth-quarter response. What does the loss say about Sam Leavitt, LSU’s championship ceiling and everything still ahead for Lane Kiffin’s team? The SEC discussion continues with Florida’s road win at Auburn, Mississippi State’s comeback victory at South Carolina and mounting pressure on Shane Beamer. The guys also reassess Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Texas and an Alabama team whose explosive offense is starting to look increasingly dangerous. Then it’s around the rest of the country: Notre Dame’s uneven start, Northwestern’s breakout performance, Miami’s shaky second half at Wake Forest, Louisville-SMU and an ACC that remains almost impossible to sort out.

NBC Sports’ Nicole Auerbach joins Football Weather for a rapid-fire conversation about Indiana’s remarkable football transformation, the early state of the Big Ten and one of the biggest games of the season: LSU at Ole Miss. Auerbach explains why Indiana’s rise under Curt Cignetti has been so unusual, whether the Hoosiers have established a sustainable new floor for the program, and what stands out about Cignetti’s approach behind the scenes. The conversation then moves nationally. How concerned should we be about the Big Ten after a shaky opening stretch? Nicole weighs in on Ohio State, Oregon, USC, Penn State and Michigan before discussing a bigger question: despite all of the chaos around transfers, roster spending and governance, how healthy is college football itself? Finally, the group previews an emotional LSU-Ole Miss showdown. Nicole explains why she trusts LSU’s defense, what Trinidad Chambliss brings to Ole Miss and what the game could reveal about LSU as a national championship contender. Subscribe to Football Weather for smart, conversational coverage of college football from across the national landscape.

LSU visits Ole Miss in one of the biggest games of Week 3—and breaking Sam Leavitt injury news adds another huge variable to an already fascinating rivalry matchup. College Football with Sam joins Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka to preview the best games across the national college football schedule. The guys begin with Houston at Texas Tech, a potentially revealing test for a Red Raiders team that hasn’t yet looked like the clear Big 12 favorite many expected. Can Houston change the conversation around the conference, or is Texas Tech ready to start looking like the contender it was supposed to be? Then the pressure rises on several high-profile programs. Clemson faces North Carolina with Dabo Swinney suddenly dealing with real questions about the direction of the program, while Florida State hosts Alabama amid growing uncertainty surrounding Mike Norvell. The guys also break down NC State-Vanderbilt, a massive ACC matchup between SMU and Louisville, Mississippi State-South Carolina and a fascinating Florida-Auburn game between two programs trying to establish themselves under new coaches. Then comes the main event: No. 7 LSU at No. 8 Ole Miss. The revenge factor is enormous, Trinidad Chambliss has been playing at a high level, Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford—and during the show, LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt is listed as doubtful. Galen, Matt and Sam debate whether Ole Miss is positioned to make a major early-season statement. Plus: Rutgers-USC, Miami-Wake Forest, UCLA-Purdue, Colorado-Northwestern and other games worth watching around Week 3. Subscribe to Football Weather for smart, conversational national college football coverage throughout the 2026 season.

Oregon just suffered one of the biggest upsets of the young college football season, Texas erased a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit against Ohio State, and suddenly the Big Ten looks a lot shakier than expected. Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down a chaotic Week 2, starting with Michigan’s grind-it-out win over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State’s remarkable turnaround against Oregon. One week after losing to Tulsa—and one year after getting demolished by the Ducks—the Cowboys physically controlled Oregon and handed Dan Lanning’s team a potentially season-altering loss. Then it’s Texas and Ohio State. The Buckeyes dominated for three quarters and led 23-3 before Texas stormed back with 21 unanswered points to win 24-23. How much did the comeback tell us about Arch Manning and Texas? And are Ohio State’s recurring problems against physical opponents becoming a real concern? Galen and Matt also examine what has gone wrong at Oregon, name North Dakota State and Mississippi State their Teams of the Week, and take a broader look at a surprisingly shaky Big Ten. Outside of Indiana and Ohio State, how many teams in the conference can actually be trusted right now? The guys also update Football Weather’s early efficiency metrics, compare the AP Top 25 with FPI and adjusted performance data, unveil this week’s Merit Poll, and close with two spectacularly wet Football Weather Games of the Week.

College Football with Sam joins Galen and Matt for a special episode covering three major stories reshaping the early 2026 season. First, they examine the escalating confrontation between LSU and the SEC over former professional players, including just how seriously the conference could respond if one of its biggest programs refuses to follow league rules. A post-recording update explains why the immediate roster crisis appears to have been avoided. Then they dig into the controversial finish between Michigan and Western Michigan, the extra second that produced Michigan’s game-winning Hail Mary, and the questions surrounding the Big Ten’s explanation and replay procedures. Finally, the College Football Playoff has begun formally evaluating a possible expansion to 24 teams. The guys debate what that could mean for scheduling, television money, Group of Six programs, conference championship games and the future value of rivalry week. Plus, Sam weighs in on Michigan-Oklahoma, Ohio State-Texas and some of the most intriguing games ahead.

LSU made a massive opening statement against Clemson, while Michigan needed one of the wildest—and most controversial—finishes of the young college football season just to survive Western Michigan. Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down everything that mattered from Week 1 before turning ahead to a loaded Week 2. The guys start with the teams that impressed them most. Miami looked like a legitimate national contender in a dominant road performance at Stanford, LSU overwhelmed Clemson despite an offseason filled with distractions, and Ole Miss survived a wild shootout with Louisville. Then come the warning signs. Oregon struggled to put Boise State away, Notre Dame took time to get rolling against Wisconsin, and Michigan looked deeply concerning before being given one final second and converting a game-winning Hail Mary against Western Michigan. What does that performance mean before the Wolverines head to Oklahoma? The conversation then turns to Clemson and Dabo Swinney. After another ugly performance against top-level competition, has Clemson's decline reached the point where the program simply can't get back to its championship standard—and can the Tigers even afford to make a change? Galen and Matt also unveil their first Football Weather Merit Poll of 2026, ranking teams entirely on what they've accomplished this season rather than preseason expectations. Then it's on to Week 2: Michigan at Oklahoma, Missouri at Kansas, Arizona State at Texas A&M, Minnesota-Mississippi State, Memphis-Boise State, Iowa-Iowa State and the huge showdown between No. 1 Ohio State and Texas. Plus: the Football Weather Game of the Week takes us all the way to the Arctic Ocean and a snow-covered football field in Barrow, Alaska. Subscribe to Football Weather for smart, conversational national college football coverage throughout the 2026 season.