

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 24, 2025 • 1h 25min
A white out in Happy Valley, win streak in Athens and a Kiffin love story
Rece Davis and Pete Thamel preview two massive Week 5 showdowns in the Big Ten and SEC. Can Georgia protect their home winning streak and finally take down Alabama? Will Oregon survive the white out in Happy Valley against Penn State? The guys break it all down and give their picks. Plus, Ryan McGee stops by to talk Lane Kiffin and join in on our Week 5 six-pack of picks. All that and more on this episode of the College GameDay Podcast.
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Sep 22, 2025 • 1h 1min
Is Clemson football in trouble now? 😨 + Red River Rivalry favorite
Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel dig into Clemson’s struggles, Billy Napier’s squandered lifeline at Florida, and an Indiana team that’s still finding ways to win. They examine whether Oklahoma is a true championship contender, discuss who they think will be favored in the Red River Rivalry, and weigh in on the officiating controversy that overshadowed Oklahoma vs. Auburn.
0:00 - Welcome
3:04 - Clemson's main issue is…
11:39 - Clemson's the new Florida State?
17:36 - Billy Napier was thrown a lifeline…
23:05 - What the Florida Gators should do next
26:08 - This year's Indiana is…Indiana
33:04 - Oklahoma: Title contenders?
35:25 - Red River Rivalry: Who's the favorite?
38:36 - The Oklahoma vs Auburn officiating issues
42:49 - Rece booked a fall wedding?!
51:39 - The stacked slate of blockbuster games ahead!
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Sep 18, 2025 • 1h 8min
Squashbucklers, DM slidding and Week 4 Picks
Rece Davis and Pete Thamel break down some of the key matchups in Week 4. Can Florida bounce back and pull off an upset against No. 5 Miami? Will Jackson Arnold lead Auburn to victory in his return to Oklahoma? Plus, the guys dive into a Gameday wager that involved a DM to Tate McRae. All that and more on this episode of the College GameDay Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 15, 2025 • 1h 8min
UCLA & Virginia Tech Fire Their Coaches: What's Next?
Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel dive into a packed week in college football, starting with UCLA and Virginia Tech's coaching shakeups. They also get into the weekend's messy kicking gaffes and wild fourth-downs. Then they debate whether it's finally time to buy into Texas A&M, and spotlight Georgia Tech's growing reputation as upset artists. Finally, Pete unpacks the mounting whispers about Mike Gundy's job security.
0:00 - Welcome
1:14 - UCLA & Virginia Tech clean house
7:43 - At Virginia Tech, who will choose the next coach?
10:58 - Can UCLA be fixed?
25:31 - A mess of kicking gaffes & huge 4th downs
30:08 - Time to believe in Texas A&M?
33:51 - Surprised? QBs who flopped vs carried
41:06 - Georgia Tech: Master of the upset?
49:09 - What happened when Boston College went to Stanford?
52:42 - Mike Gundy, the next coach to be fired?
58:00 - Diego Pavia forever Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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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