With Ty out "sick" (read: deeply covert), Dan welcomes The Athletic's Andy Staples onto the show to discuss just how spicy, on a hot chicken scale, a number of new college football coaching hires truly are.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Ty out "sick" (read: deeply covert), Dan welcomes The Athletic's Andy Staples onto the show to discuss just how spicy, on a hot chicken scale, a number of new college football coaching hires truly are.See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.

College football in all its glory. Ditch the mainstream and break the huddle with The Solid Verbal. Since 2008, Ty Hildenbrandt and Dan Rubenstein have been shaking up the college football podcasting scene with their fun and unique blend of commentary. Whether you're a diehard or a casual observer, the show taps into your fandom with spirited debates, fresh perspectives, and segments you won't hear anywhere else. Recognized as trailblazers in the podcasting world, The Solid Verbal isn't just another college football show—it's America's College Football Podcast. Become a Verballer today and join thousands of others who don't just love college football, they live it!

Follow The Solid Verbal College Football podcast on your favorite app today and download everything you need to know this offseason.

College football in all its glory. Ditch the mainstream and break the huddle with The Solid Verbal. Since 2008, Ty Hildenbrandt and Dan Rubenstein have been shaking up the college football podcasting scene with their fun and unique blend of commentary. Whether you're a diehard or a casual observer, the show taps into your fandom with spirited debates, fresh perspectives, and segments you won't hear anywhere else. Recognized as trailblazers in the podcasting world, The Solid Verbal isn't just another college football show—it's America's College Football Podcast. Become a Verballer today and join thousands of others who don't just love college football, they live it!Follow The Solid Verbal College Football podcast on your favorite app today and download everything you need to know this offseason.

The Solid Verbal College Football

2020 New Coach Spice-o-Meter

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/919d7fc8-1be1-495b-95a7-b30e000ac914/transcript

Ohio State misses the CFP

Maryland wins a game after September

Wisconsin saves Luke Fickell's job

Oregon regrets new coordinators

Iowa makes the CFP

UCLA wins 8 games

Michigan becomes a mess

USC's unlucky schedule

We’re midway through May, which means it’s time to start talking ourselves into, and out of, what the 2026 college football season could become. In this episode, we turn the month itself into a game with a Big Ten “Mayyyyybe” vibe check, asking which scenarios feel realistic, which ones feel like offseason nonsense, and which ones might look strangely prescient by November.

Could Ohio State’s schedule create a real College Football Playoff problem? Is Maryland quietly positioned to take a step forward? Can Wisconsin stabilize things for Luke Fickell, Iowa mess around with a playoff run, or UCLA become one of the more interesting teams in the conference under Bob Chesney? We also dig into Oregon’s internal coordinator hires, Michigan’s tricky first year under Kyle Whittingham, and USC’s unlucky, unforgiving schedule.

Along the way, there are schedule sandwiches, quarterback questions, offensive line concerns, coaching crush rankings, a surprising amount of hernia talk, and more.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
5:01 - Ohio State misses the CFP
14:22 - Maryland wins a game after September
20:42 - Wisconsin saves Luke Fickell's job
27:23 - Oregon regrets new coordinators
34:19 - Iowa makes the CFP
39:27 - UCLA wins 8 games
47:22 - Michigan becomes a mess
55:52 - USC's unlucky schedule

We&rsquo;re midway through May, which means it&rsquo;s time to start talking ourselves into, and out of, what the 2026 college football season could become. In this episode, we turn the month itself into a game with a Big Ten &ldquo;Mayyyyybe&rdquo; vibe check, asking which scenarios feel realistic, which ones feel like offseason nonsense, and which ones might look strangely prescient by November.
Could Ohio State&rsquo;s schedule create a real College Football Playoff problem? Is Maryland quietly positioned to take a step forward? Can Wisconsin stabilize things for Luke Fickell, Iowa mess around with a playoff run, or UCLA become one of the more interesting teams in the conference under Bob Chesney? We also dig into Oregon&rsquo;s internal coordinator hires, Michigan&rsquo;s tricky first year under Kyle Whittingham, and USC&rsquo;s unlucky, unforgiving schedule.
Along the way, there are schedule sandwiches, quarterback questions, offensive line concerns, coaching crush rankings, a surprising amount of hernia talk, and more.
Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 5:01 - Ohio State misses the CFP 14:22 - Maryland wins a game after September 20:42 - Wisconsin saves Luke Fickell's job 27:23 - Oregon regrets new coordinators 34:19 - Iowa makes the CFP 39:27 - UCLA wins 8 games 47:22 - Michigan becomes a mess 55:52 - USC's unlucky schedule

Big Ten Vibe Check: What Mayyyyy Happen in 2026

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0a66e43d-f952-44be-8fad-b449012ff042/transcript

Week 0

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12

Week 13

We’re taking an early look at the 2026 college football schedule and doing a public service for the Verballerhood: figuring out which Saturdays deserve to be protected on the family calendar. From Week 0 appetizers to monster November slates, we rank the season week by week, identify the biggest projected matchups, and decide when it is safe to go outside and when it is absolutely not.

Along the way, we dig into the weeks that look especially dangerous for teams stuck between emotional rivalry games, cross-country trips, short weeks, and potential letdown spots. Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon, USC, LSU, Ole Miss, BYU, Texas Tech and others all pop up as we sort through the best weekends, the sneaky ones, and the obvious trap-ortunities.

Plus, we discuss shared calendars, zhoug sauce, Trappy Valley, the revered Ball-Sac Game, how much of November should be blocked off, and several increasingly questionable strategies for preserving couch time during the best stretch of the season.

Timestamps
0:00 - Intro
7:36 - Week 0
9:33 - Week 1
12:11 - Week 2
17:49 - Week 3
23:20 - Week 4
25:17 - Week 5
30:28 - Week 6
37:38 - Week 7
40:04 - Week 8
44:40 - Week 9
47:09 - Week 10
53:09 - Week 11
57:47 - Week 12
1:03:51 - Week 13

We&rsquo;re taking an early look at the 2026 college football schedule and doing a public service for the Verballerhood: figuring out which Saturdays deserve to be protected on the family calendar. From Week 0 appetizers to monster November slates, we rank the season week by week, identify the biggest projected matchups, and decide when it is safe to go outside and when it is absolutely not.
Along the way, we dig into the weeks that look especially dangerous for teams stuck between emotional rivalry games, cross-country trips, short weeks, and potential letdown spots. Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon, USC, LSU, Ole Miss, BYU, Texas Tech and others all pop up as we sort through the best weekends, the sneaky ones, and the obvious trap-ortunities.
Plus, we discuss shared calendars, zhoug sauce, Trappy Valley, the revered Ball-Sac Game, how much of November should be blocked off, and several increasingly questionable strategies for preserving couch time during the best stretch of the season.
Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 7:36 - Week 0 9:33 - Week 1 12:11 - Week 2 17:49 - Week 3 23:20 - Week 4 25:17 - Week 5 30:28 - Week 6 37:38 - Week 7 40:04 - Week 8 44:40 - Week 9 47:09 - Week 10 53:09 - Week 11 57:47 - Week 12 1:03:51 - Week 13

Ranking the 2026 College Football Schedule: The Best Weeks, Trappy Valleys & When To Book Surgery

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ed28b94e-f5d5-4654-a69f-b4470145f86b/transcript

Mass CFB Exodus?

Why Fitz?

New QB-Coach Pairings?

Loser Sports Apparel?

Texas Expectations?

Norvell's Future?

Old School Showbiz?

We’re back for Part 2 of our May Q&A, which means the offseason conversation gets both bigger and weirder. We start off with College Football Playoff expansion anxiety, including the possibility of a 24-team field, the future of conference championship games, and the growing gap between the people running the sport and the fans who love it.

We discuss the new marriage between Michigan State and Pat Fitzgerald, which leads us into a broader conversation about safe hires, risky hires, Transfer Portal recruiting, and what it actually means to rebuild in the modern Big Ten. We also touch on Texas, Arch Manning, Steve Sarkisian, Florida State, Mike Norvell, and the kinds of expectations that can turn a normal season into a referendum.

We also spend some time on the quarterback and offensive coordinator pairings we’re most curious to watch, with stops at places like Georgia Tech, UCLA, Florida, Kentucky, and a few others. Which combinations are actually exciting? Which ones feel volatile? Which ones have the widest range of possible outcomes?

And because it’s an offseason Q&A, we find room for the important stuff: wearing your team’s gear when things are bleak, whether video podcasts have raised the appearance bar, and Dan’s surprisingly spicy take on wearing sneakers with suits.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
3:09 - Mass CFB Exodus?
25:04 - Why Pat Fitzgerald?
38:39 - New QB-Coach Pairings?f
47:50 - Loser Sports Apparel?
53:00 - Texas Expectations?
59:46 - Norvell's Future?
1:06:03 - Old School Showbiz?

We&rsquo;re back for Part 2 of our May Q&amp;A, which means the offseason conversation gets both bigger and weirder. We start off with College Football Playoff expansion anxiety, including the possibility of a 24-team field, the future of conference championship games, and the growing gap between the people running the sport and the fans who love it.
We discuss the new marriage between Michigan State and Pat Fitzgerald, which leads us into a broader conversation about safe hires, risky hires, Transfer Portal recruiting, and what it actually means to rebuild in the modern Big Ten. We also touch on Texas, Arch Manning, Steve Sarkisian, Florida State, Mike Norvell, and the kinds of expectations that can turn a normal season into a referendum.
We also spend some time on the quarterback and offensive coordinator pairings we&rsquo;re most curious to watch, with stops at places like Georgia Tech, UCLA, Florida, Kentucky, and a few others. Which combinations are actually exciting? Which ones feel volatile? Which ones have the widest range of possible outcomes?
And because it&rsquo;s an offseason Q&amp;A, we find room for the important stuff: wearing your team&rsquo;s gear when things are bleak, whether video podcasts have raised the appearance bar, and Dan&rsquo;s surprisingly spicy take on wearing sneakers with suits.
Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 3:09 - Mass CFB Exodus? 25:04 - Why Pat Fitzgerald? 38:39 - New QB-Coach Pairings?f 47:50 - Loser Sports Apparel? 53:00 - Texas Expectations? 59:46 - Norvell's Future? 1:06:03 - Old School Showbiz?

May Q&A: Part 2 - Pat Fitzgerald, QB-Coach Pairings & the Great CFB Fan Exodus?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/72cc8b12-cb0f-4b85-b1b6-b4420139e46a/transcript

2020 New Coach Spice-o-Meter

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