The Audible with Stew, Bruce & Ralph: A show about college football

Penn State has fired James Franklin after a shocking loss to Northwestern at home, ending his tenure after years of struggling to win big games. Despite the fractures beneath the surface that led to this moment, does it make sense to fire a coach who consistently wins 10 games?The crew breaks down the two frontrunners to replace Franklin: Curt Cignetti, who just pulled off the biggest win of the year by beating Oregon at home, and Matt Rhule, who has a close relationship with AD Pat Kraft but has his own problems against strong opponents. They debate whether Penn State should swing for the home run hire or play it safe, and which other candidates like Matt Campbell and John Sumrall could be in play.Ralph defends his controversial AP ballot that has Indiana at #5 despite their road win over Oregon, sparking a heated debate about resume versus the eye test. Plus, the guys make their picks for USC at Notre Dame, Georgia vs. Ole Miss, Alabama vs. Tennessee, and LSU at Vanderbilt, and give their upset specials for the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Indiana defeated Oregon, leaving no doubt that they're legit contenders. Penn State lost again, this time to unranked Northwestern. Texas soundly defeated Oklahoma, and Arch looked strong. And, an officiating fiasco in Auburn, USC upsets Michigan, players who impressed, and shoutouts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bill Belichick's North Carolina experiment is spiraling at 2-3, with on-field blowouts, staff suspensions, and a roster that might not be good enough to stabilize. Ralph, Bruce, and Stew debate whether the Tar Heels are stuck with him due to the $20M guaranteed contract — and whether powerful boosters who hijacked the coaching search will ever admit they were wrong.ESPN’s Kris Budden delivered a fiery rant about Big Ten coaches blaming losses on travel, sparking a debate: Is it a legitimate factor backed by the numbers, or just an excuse from highly-paid professionals? The crew digs into cross-country travel data, home field advantage, and whether 19-year-olds should be held to the same standard as NFL veterans.Plus, the guys debate CFP expansion scenarios, including whether 13-0 Group of Five teams could steal at-large bids. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The guys debate whether Steve Sarkisian has a big game  problem after Texas’s loss to Florida. With a 2-8 record against top 10 opponents, is the criticism fair — or is Texas still the team to beat in the SEC? They break down the Red Zone struggles, offensive line issues, and what to expect when the Longhorns face Oklahoma’s elite defense.Ralph, Bruce, and Stew make their picks for that game and the weekend’s other biggest matchups, including Oregon-Indiana, USC-Michigan, and Alabama-Missouri. And in upset picks, can North Texas pull off the stunner against USF? The guys also discuss Texas Tech's rise as a legitimate Big 12 contender and debate whether the Red Raiders might actually be the best team in Texas right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Texas and Penn State were the number 1 and 2 teams before the season. After another week of bad losses, where do they go from here? UNC loses badly to Clemson, and Miami holds off a gritty comeback from Florida State. Plus, in shoutouts and players who impressed, the guys touch on Navy, UNLV, Old Dominion, and Pitt.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2025 QB class was supposed to be special, but Bruce’s recent story reveals major concerns about Arch Manning, Cade Klubnik, and Drew Allar. The guys break down why Manning is pressing at Texas, Klubnik's alarming regression at Clemson, and whether Allar is the next Christian Hackenberg.On the flip side, Dante Moore is blossoming at Oregon after leaving USC, and Garrett Nussmeier still has NFL believers despite LSU’s struggles. Plus, Ralph and Bruce debate Heisman contenders: Can Diego Pavia actually win it if Vanderbilt stays ranked? Is Fernando Mendoza the real deal at Indiana? And why Rueben Bain Jr.’s defensive dominance at Miami might not be enough to get to New York.Timestamps approximate:0:00 Intro1:00 Transfer RBs who haven’t lived up to expectations, and why transfers sometimes struggle6:33 The Disappointing QB Class19:25 Heisman Race: Moore, Mendoza, Pavia, Bain 32:38 Breakout Players of the Week: BYU, Michigan mentioned 39:07 Mailbag: Coaching Fit, Authenticity vs. Credentials43:10 Mailbag: Will All College Football Show Replay Conversations Like the ACC?45:56 Mailbag: Why has the JUCO pipeline declined? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bobby Petrino is back at Arkansas as interim coach, but Bruce says he’s not winning any popularity contests. Despite the baggage, Arkansas ranks second in the SEC in yards per play. Can Petrino navigate a brutal seven-game schedule, featuring five ranked opponents, to save his reputation — or even earn the permanent job?Ralph defends his AP ballot which has Penn State nine spots lower than the actual poll, sparking a heated debate with Bruce about Texas versus the Nittany Lions. Plus, the crew discusses Paul Finebaum's potential move into politics, and picks the week’s biggest matchups. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Penn State lost in double OT to Oregon. Drew Allar doesn't look like a 5-star recruit, and once again, James Franklin can't win the big game. Ole Miss beats LSU, and is Texas A&M the best team in the SEC? Plus, the guys touch on Iowa State, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, San Diego State, and North Texas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike Gundy's shocking Tuesday firing ends a 21-year era that transformed Oklahoma State from perpetual losers into Big 12 contenders. Ralph, Stew, and Bruce break down how Gundy single-handedly flipped the Cowboys' all-time record from sub-.500 to winning, and debate who might replace him.John Mateer's hand surgery could derail Oklahoma's Heisman frontrunner and SEC title hopes, but Bruce wonders if the playoff committee might actually give the Sooners credit for games missed without their star QB. Plus, in mailbag, a listener apologizes to Stew for doubting his Belichick skepticism, another asks whether Wisconsin should spend Luke Fickell's $20+ million buyout on players instead of firing him, and Bruce gets asked if we should buy the hype around USC's Jayden Maiava.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oklahoma tried to hide a receiver. The refs said it was fine. So what exactly happened in Norman? The guys debate whether smart coaching or bad officiating decided Auburn-Oklahoma.Plus, Vegas doesn't trust the voters: LSU's ranked 4th, but getting points at Ole Miss. The crew picks the big games and Ralph takes four straight road teams because he's learned nothing. Bruce buys Indiana stock, Stew questions Miami's title chances, and everyone wonders if James Franklin can finally beat a good team in the White Out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.