

ESPN College GameDay
ESPN, Rece Davis, Pete Thamel
The moment ESPN College GameDay’s lights turn off, Rece Davis and Pete Thamel lock in on the games. They’re glued to the TV on travel days to discuss the latest news on Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays with friends like Steve Coughin, Ryan McGee, Heather Dinich. Rece and Pete chat every week about momentum shifting plays, rumors permeating across the college football landscape, missteps in the rankings and so much more!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 10, 2025 • 58min
SEC Clash Alert: Georgia vs. Tennessee | Week 3 Showdowns with Picks & Previews
Rece Davis and Pete Thamel dig in on the mammoth matchup between two SEC powerhouses, the Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers. Then the guys breakdown two other Top 25 showdowns between Texas A&M and Notre Dame, and USF and Miami. Finally, Rece and Pete give their "6-Pack of Picks" from this week's slate of games. All that and more on the College Gameday podcast.
00:00 Welcome
00:36 Georgia vs Tennessee Preview
05:53 Joey Aguilar vs Gunner Stockton
12:49 Texas A&M vs Notre Dame Preview
14:59 Is There Enough Urgency at Notre Dame?
21:44 USF vs Miami Preview
26:31 Florida vs LSU Preview
30:00 Clemson's Saturday & The Wildest Game of the Weekend
32:13 Colorado vs Houston Preview
34:13 Rece and Pete's 6-Pack of Picks
48:23 Week 3 Deep Cut Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 8, 2025 • 60min
John Mateer Delivers ✨ But the Sooners Could Still Fall
Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel kick things off by breaking down John Mateer’s performance at Oklahoma before sizing up the tough matchups that lie ahead for both Michigan and the Sooners. Then they zero in on Florida’s unraveling season, specifically the growing calls to replace Billy Napier and concerns about whether QB DJ Lagway might be the next domino to fall. From there, they turn their attention towards Mississippi State's blockbuster week and a certain Missouri fan who stole the Internet spotlight.
0:00 - Welcome
0:30 - BTS with GameDay…what could go wrong?
3:00 - Just how good is Oklahoma QB John Mateer?
6:57 - Michigan vs Oklahoma: Who has the tougher schedule?
13:21 - Sherrone Moore's return to Oklahoma falls short
21:20 - What's wrong with the Florida Gators?
32:05 - Mississippi State had the best week ever?
39:54 - That one Missouri fan, what you probably didn't know about them
43:12 - Fran Bran made his players sprint, was this the right call?
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Sep 4, 2025 • 1h 16min
Michigan vs Oklahoma: Top 25 Showdown Preview | Week 2 Picks
Rece Davis and Pete Thamel react to TCU’s rout of North Carolina in Bill Belichick’s debut. How far can the Horned Frogs go this season? We preview the Top 25 showdown in Norman between Michigan and Oklahoma. Rece Davis reveals his Top 10 rankings heading into Week 2, and the guys give their “6-Pack of Picks” from this week’s slate of games. All that and more on the College GameDay podcast.
00:00 - Welcome
00:45 - TCU Dominates UNC in Belichick Debut
11:48 - Michigan vs. Oklahoma Preview
24:04 - Week 2 Games to keep an eye on
25:35 - Game Preview: Illinois vs Duke
30:36 - Game Preview: USF vs Florida
33:44 - Game Preview: Iowa vs Iowa State
36:37 - Game Preview: Kansas vs Missouri
40:20 - Rece Davis's CFB Rankings
47:08 - Rece and Pete's 6 pack of picks
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Sep 1, 2025 • 1h 3min
Arch Stumbles, Alabama In Crisis?, LSU & Tulane Rise
Pete Thamel and ESPN’s Dan Wetzel take you behind the scenes of Lee Corso’s final College GameDay, then head to the sidelines for Ohio State–Texas and Arch Manning’s early struggles. From Alabama’s sudden vulnerability and LSU’s pressure-packed win to Tulane’s Katrina anniversary triumph and Mario Cristobal’s blueprint, the weekend delivered headline after headline.
0:00 - Welcome
4:06 - BTS of Lee Corso’s final College GameDay
6:59 - Ohio St vs Texas: Pete’s perspective from the sidelines
9:28 - What’s going on with Arch Manning?
23:28 - Open hunting season on Alabama after Florida St upset
28:30 - If not Kalen DeBoer at Alabama, then who?
34:58 - LSU handles pressure, beats Clemson
40:13 - Tulane beats Northwestern in NOLA on Hurricane Katrina anniversary
43:13 - Mario Cristobal’s winning blueprint against Notre Dame
48:01 - Now you know: Eyebrow raising college football headlines
53:40 - Nico’s rough UCLA start and other worthwhile games Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 28, 2025 • 1h 10min
Lee Corso’s Farewell & Week 1’s Biggest Showdowns
Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel open with College GameDay’s farewell to Lee Corso before breaking down a loaded Week 1: Arch Manning vs. Ohio State, LSU–Clemson’s QB duel, Notre Dame–Miami, and Bill Belichick’s UNC debut. The question is, which game makes the first big statement?
0:00 - Welcome
0:43 - Lee Corso Forever: College GameDay’s Farewell
4:54 - Arch’s Run Game To Decide Ohio State-Texas?
19:05 - QB Battle Headlines LSU-Clemson Showdown
25:16 - Notre Dame vs Miami: Irish Without QB Run Threat
37:30 - Week 1’s Biggest Story Is Belichick’s Debut
39:31 - Game Previews: Alabama vs FSU, Utah vs UCLA, TCU vs UNC
47:42 - Game Previews: Syracuse vs Tennessee, Auburn vs Baylor
57:20 - Game Previews: Georgia Tech vs Colorado, Utah St vs UTEP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 25, 2025 • 49min
CFP Paths: Big Ten, SEC, ACC & Group of Five Early Season Predictions
Rece Davis and Pete Thamel open with a breakdown of Iowa State vs. Kansas State before shifting to the early storylines in the College Football Playoff race. They examine how Group of Five teams are positioning themselves, and what the ACC, SEC, and Big Ten paths to the postseason might look like. Finally, they turn to Week 1 matchups that could help set the tone for the season ahead.
0:00 - Welcome
3:55 - Key Thoughts: Iowa State vs Kansas State
12:05 - Who's In? Predicting the CFP Field
12:31 - Group of Five Race Heats Up: Navy, USF, Memphis…
18:49 - Big 12 Title & CFP Bid: Who Rises To The Top?
23:07 - Which Team Is The ACC Favorite?
23:44 - Who Take The SEC Crown?
25:27 - CFP Most Stacked Roster & Big Ten Favorite Is…
27:20 - Predictions: Seeding The Champs & At-Large Bids
34:06 - Who Snags The Final CFP Spot?
39:03 - Flaws In The 24- Or 28-Team CFP Proposal
44:15 - Week 1 Games To Look Forward To
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Aug 21, 2025 • 1h 10min
Big 12 & CFP Stakes in Week 0 + QB Drama at Notre Dame, Ohio State & Auburn
Rece Davis and ESPN senior writers Dan Wetzel and Ryan McGee break down Iowa State vs. Kansas State, a Week 0 showdown with Big 12 and CFP stakes on the line. They dive into the X-factors that could swing the game, make their picks, and then turn to quarterback drama across the country, from Notre Dame’s starter to Ohio State’s choice to Auburn’s wild three-man plan. Finally, the crew tackles Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal and the big question: was the punishment enough?
0:00 - Welcome
1:48 - Iowa St vs Kansas St: Dublin has pints ready
10:37 - Iowa St vs Kansas St: Big 12 conference & CFP stakes
21:01- Iowa St vs Kansas St: The X Factor
23:56 - Iowa St vs Kansas St: The guys make their picks!
28:18 - Notre Dame's starting QB, did they pick the right guy?
43:35 - Ohio State's starting QB is…
45:21 - Auburn is starting 3 QBs… Are they okay?
53:08 - Michigan fined in sign-stealing scandal, what should've happened…
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Aug 18, 2025 • 1h 15min
Clemson, Miami, UNC & the ACC Teams You Can’t Ignore
Rece Davis, ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel, and former Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson dive into what to expect from the ACC this season. Can Clemson claim the conference crown, has Carson Beck won over the Miami locker room, do you dare doubt Louisville, and is Georgia Tech ready to slay giants once again? Add in SMU’s tougher schedule, Bill Belichick’s arrival at North Carolina, and a pack of sleepers, and you've got one unpredictable season ahead.
0:00 - Welcome
1:43 - Clemson has the tools, can they win a title?
6:43 - Miami locker room all in on Carson Beck?
11:50 - SMU’s tougher 2025-26 schedule
15:16 - Dare to bet against Louisville?
17:53 - Georgia Tech to keep slaying ranked teams?
20:46 - Belichick to bring a title to North Carolina?
26:47 - ACC sleepers that could crash the title game
31:52 - ACC check-in: Duke, Florida St, NC State
43:24 - ACC check-in: Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Virginia
58:48 - ACC preview: Total wild card teams
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Aug 13, 2025 • 52min
Wide-Open Big 12: Who’s Grabbing the Title Game Crown?
Rece Davis and ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel dive into the wide-open Big 12 chase. From heavyweight contenders to sneaky upstarts, they spotlight two teams poised to set the early tone, explore how Utah and Texas Tech could crash the Big 12 title game, and examine how the league’s middle tier could shake things up.
0:00 - Welcome
5:25 - Who are the Big 12 title contenders?
10:56 - Two Big 12 teams to watch at the top of the season
19:01 - Utah and Texas Tech to make the playoff?
23:35 - Big 12 mid-pack teams making moves
39:04 - Picks for Big 12 title run, champ, and CFP bid
42:04 - Big 12 teams fighting to get out of the cellar
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Aug 6, 2025 • 52min
SEC Playoff Pressure: Who’s Built for the Spotlight?
Rece Davis and ESPN senior writer Dan Wetzel take a wide-angle look at the SEC, opening with title contenders before zeroing in on a jam-packed CFP bubble. They break down which playoff hopefuls are worth the hype and which ones could be headed for a letdown. Plus, they tackle the big question: just how many SEC teams can realistically make the playoff cut?
0:00 - Welcome
1:27 - Bring on the preseason data deep dives
3:54 - The SEC is stacked with CFP bubble teams
9:39 - SEC frontrunners with big questions looming
19:46 - SEC playoff hopefuls: Who to buy/bail on?
29:49 - How many SEC teams will make the playoff?
31:36 - Other SEC teams worth your attention
42:36 - SEC championship: Who's built to win?
43:52 - Who's got a better ride than Gunner Stockton?
46:43 - Who's got the best car on GameDay
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