Cover 2 College Football pod

The Athlon Sports Cover 2 College Football Podcast previews and reviews every aspect of the greatest sport on the planet. Join Athlon’s editorial team every week of the preseason, regular season, postseason and offseason for a breakdown of the entire circus that is college football.

Biggest Roster Concerns for Contenders 04/30/2024

Biggest Roster Concerns for Contenders Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. Which teams are on the top tier in each major conference - who are the conference contenders we are debating during magazine production? What is the one big roster question about each of these championship contenders? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/31059483

Grading The 31 New Head Coaches 04/23/2024

Grading The 31 New Head Coaches Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. We take a deep dive into the 31 new head coaches, what are expectations, which program did the best job hiring a headman, which names could be busts and which could be stars. We also talk Colorado, the NFL Draft and the FSU-ACC lawsuit. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/30958383

Monstrous SEC Dream Road Trip 2024 04/17/2024

Monstrous SEC Dream Road Trip 2024 Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. We head out on our SEC dream road trip for 2024. With two new teams, no divisions, a deep crop of contenders, lots of new rivalries (and some old ones) and no Nick Saban, the SEC 2024 schedule appears to be loaded with monster games. You have to see all 16 teams, can't see any team more than twice and can't repeat a stadium. Let's go! /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/30854458

Long Strange Big 12 Dream Road Trip 04/10/2024

Long Strange Big 12 Dream Road Trip Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. One question and one observation about college sports before we head out on our long, winding, strange dream road trip through Big 12 country. The most unpredictable and possibly most balanced league in America will make for some awesome and bizarre match-ups in 2024. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/30754993

ACC Dream Road Trip (+ random spring ball thoughts) 04/03/2024

ACC Dream Road Trip (+ random spring ball thoughts) Steven Lassan and Braden Gall take their 2024 ACC Dream Road Trip this week. This fall, the new ACC could feel very old with lots of historic and nostalgic rivalry dotting the schedule. How will SMU fare? Who will challenge Florida St and Clemson? A fascinating second-tier of teams will keep things very interesting deep into November as well. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/30663968

Big Ten Dream Road Trip 2024 03/27/2024

Big Ten Dream Road Trip 2024 Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. We take our annual dream road trip to the conferences in 2024 (now that they are huge). You have to see all 18 teams and can only see a team a maximum of two times while going to a different stadium each week. What the most important games in the Big Ten in 2024 and what did we learn about the upcoming schedule? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/30562928

QB Battles, Lawsuits and 2028 03/20/2024

QB Battles, Lawsuits and 2028 Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. The SEC and Big Ten have successfully strong-armed a new playoff format, TV contract and revenue sharing model into place. Packaged with a new ACC lawsuit, what does it all mean for college football? Texas A&M steals a Nebraska alumni, will we change how we evaluate head coaches and how many legit QB battles are taking place this spring? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/30448063

Most Unpredictable Teams of 2024 03/06/2024

Most Unpredictable Teams of 2024 Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. The SEC-Big Ten negotiating tactics are on full display currently as we debate 12 or 14 teams. Where it will land seems obvious. Then we look at the most unpredictable teams in each major conference as we head into magazine production. Which teams could surprise and be this year's TCU? And which teams could implode and be this year's other TCU? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/30246413

No Clue who Is QB1 02/28/2024

No Clue who Is QB1 Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. We look at who the All-Conference and All-American quarterbacks could be in 2024. There is no clearcut No. 1 player in the country under center. So who is in the discussion? Which league is the best? Which conference is the most exciting? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/30137073

Playoff Format, Rule Changes, EA Sports (for real tho) 02/21/2024

Playoff Format, Rule Changes, EA Sports (for real tho) Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. A newsy week of action as the Playoff has settled on a tournament format just weeks after agreeing to a $7.8 billion contract. There are two new rule proposals that we actually like. EA Sports appears to be poised to actually return. Nick Saban has joined Gameday. And a head coach leaves to be a... tight end coach? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/30042418

How to read recruiting rankings? 02/14/2024

How to read recruiting rankings? Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. Another round of coaching changes at Boston College, Ohio St and UCLA may finally end the carousel. Then how has money and NIL impacted recruiting? How should we evaluate team rankings in the new era of roster management? What is the recruiting landscape in the new-look Power 4 conferences. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/29954808

Asking the right questions 02/07/2024

Asking the right questions Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. Unions, employment status, NCAA investigations, the Big Ten-SEC Advisory Group and private equity. The chaos of the game has never been greater so asking the right questions about the future of the sport is the what we have to do. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/29845413

NCAA Warning, New Coaching Ranks 01/31/2024

NCAA Warning, New Coaching Ranks Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. Jim Harbuagh has officially left Michigan - what's his legacy, what are expectations in 2024 and what should fans learn about the future of coaching? The NCAA seems to be trying to prove its relevancy but is it misguided? Which issue are conference poised to fix first? And we rank all the new coaches in new conferences. Where do new teams in new leagues rank? Where do new hires at power programs rank? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/29736038

Preliminary Preseason Top 25 for 2024 01/24/2024

Preliminary Preseason Top 25 for 2024 Steven Lassan and Braden Gall take a look at what the preseason Top 25 rankings could be after coaching changes, portal news and most of recruiting. This is obviously going to change but here is where our preseason rankings for 2024 sit currently. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/29634238

The Saban-Harbaugh Seismic Shift 01/17/2024

The Saban-Harbaugh Seismic Shift Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. Nick Saban has retired and Jim Harbaugh is looking to leave Michigan for the NFL. The chain of events these decisions have and will set off in college football entering a new era of alignment and playoff expansion is hard to explain. What do we know about hiring coaching, what makes a good candidate and why things are moving so much faster? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/29533308

Hail to the Harbaugh 01/09/2024

Hail to the Harbaugh Steven Lassan and Braden Gall break down Michigan's win in the national championship game over Washington. Many things are true: Michigan was great and Michael Penix was not. The game was close and dramatic but also a blow out. Jim Harbaugh's legacy is cemented, what's Washington's future and what it means for the Big Ten to break through. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/29407153

Michigan vs. Washington 01/05/2024

Michigan vs. Washington /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/29361513

Playoffs deliver once again 01/02/2024

Playoffs deliver once again Steven Lassan and Braden Gall recap the Rose Bowl as Michigan defeated Alabama in overtime and the Sugar Bowl as Washington outlasted Texas. It wasn't perfect but the Wolverines topped the Tide in perfect setting out West. Meanwhile, Michael Penix and the timely defense of the Huskies has U of Dub one win from a ring. A contrast of styles is coming in the national championship game. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/29309208

Four-Team Era Comes to an End 12/28/2023

Four-Team Era Comes to an End Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk College Football Playoff era, what we learned and what the last 10 years has taught us about the game. One of us is talking themself into picking Michigan and no one has a clue what is going to happen in the Teaxs-Washington game. Plus, the Florida St lawsuit and New Year's Six games. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/29248853

Free Agency vs. Recruiting 12/21/2023

Free Agency vs. Recruiting Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. Recruiting rankings have always been the north star of national championships but the portal and NIL have changed the way teams manage their rosters. Can the upper middle class now compete for titles or will greater changes have to happen to create parity. Do we even want parity? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/29177253

How to fix the Heisman 12/13/2023

How to fix the Heisman Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football playoff, the first week of bowl games, Jayden Daniels' Heisman Trophy win, how to make the award more inclusive, which defensive players should be mentioned, big time portal commitments at the QB position and Tulane makes a big hire. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/29060838

TV Ratings, Portal Madness, New Subdivision 12/06/2023

TV Ratings, Portal Madness, New Subdivision Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. Just ignore the conspiracy theories and realize that this year is what it is. The TV ratings in 2023 paint an incredibly impressive and sad picture of the Pac-12. The portal is open and it's even wilder than expected as Kyle McCord heads a long list of QBs who've decided to change teams. What is the new NCAA subdivision and how will it impact the future of the game? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/28960448

An Era Ends: Did they piss off the right teams? 12/03/2023

An Era Ends: Did they piss off the right teams? Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. The last-ever rankings were the most controversial and chaotic in the 10-year history of the four-team playoff. Did they get it right? Did they ask the right questions? Did the right teams get left out? Who should be most mad? Instant reaction and winners in the Michigan-Alabama game and Washington-Texas. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/28905503

Brand New Type of Carousel, Pt. 1 11/30/2023

Brand New Type of Carousel, Pt. 1 Michigan State, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Oregon State, Syracuse and San Diego State have all hired coaches. What do we think of the moves that have been made in college football over the last few weeks? And how has the coaching carousel changed? Who made the right decision? Who made strange decisions? What will Duke, Indiana, Houston and Boise State do? And welcome back, Bobby Petrino. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/28851473

Championship Weekend Playoff Rankings 11/29/2023

Championship Weekend Playoff Rankings Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. The penultiumate rankings are out and two teams are wildly underrated. But who should be moved down? The committee has extremely tough decisions to make this weekend. Ryan Day and Hugh Freeze's mistakes set all of this up. We preview every conference championship game and the implications of the final weekend of the season. Oregon or Washington? Can Texas earn its way into the playoff? Can Bama upset Georgia? Can Florida State prove it belongs? Can Iowa score a point against Michigan? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/28849138

Greatest Weekend of the Year 11/22/2023

Greatest Weekend of the Year Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. Championship scenarios across the country dominate the storylines heading into a huge rivalry weekend. Playoff hopes hang in the balance for Florida State, Louisville, Texas, Oregon, Washington and, of course, Michigan and Ohio State. How should the committee deal with Jordan Travis' injury, how will rivlary games change off-season narratives and who will be playing for conference championships next weekend? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/28761023

Week 12 Preview and Heisman Debate 11/16/2023

Week 12 Preview and Heisman Debate Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. The Heisman predicament: Jayden Daniels Heisman chances hinge on extraordinary play - in less than extraordinary games. Who else is on the top platform? The guys preview Week 12 as top ranked teams head out on the road. Washington is an underdog at Oregon State, Texas is a small favorite over Iowa State and both Georgia (Tennessee) and Michigan (Maryland) travel as well. What other coaching moves could happen this cycle? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/28660003

Jim Harbaugh and the Coaching Carousel (Pt. 1) 11/15/2023

Jim Harbaugh and the Coaching Carousel (Pt. 1) Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. The future of the Pac-12 could fall to Oregon St and Washington St after winning the first round of court cases out West. Many teams are getting bowl eligible - which ones deserve credit and which ones are disappointing. Michigan and Jim Harbaugh are in the middle of one of the most unprecendented fiascos in college football history and the eventual outcomes vary. Boise State, Texas A&M and Mississippi State have joined the coaching carousel. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/28655468

Has a top tier separated itself? 11/08/2023

Has a top tier separated itself? /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/28559381

A Week of What-ifs and Almosts 10/25/2023

A Week of What-ifs and Almosts Steven Lassan and Braden Gall talk college football. Temp Check: The most Iowa ending of all-time Does Wazzu still belong? Beavers in the Spook-tober desert 2-Point Conversation: Big Ten power structure: Ohio St's resume, James Franklin's big-game record, Michigan's scouting "scandal" What happened in Week 8? Why did so many high-quality teams struggle? USC crumbles and Bama rises to the occasion: Who is likeable in college football? SEC Hot Seat: Arkansas, Texas A&M, Auburn, Mississippi St, South Carolina, Vandy Week 9 Progression: Oregon at Utah Oklahoma at Kansas Florida-Georgia Duke at Louisville Tennessee at Kentucky Ohio St at Wisconsin Bets Against the Spread: Braden: 5-2 LW, 17-15 YTD Lasso: 5-1 LW, 20-17-1 YTD Group of 5 Checkdown looks at great races in the American, Mountain West and Sun Belt. /episode/index/show/athlonsportscover2/id/28422512

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