

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

Jan 10, 2023 • 34min
Dynasty Established; TCU Subnarrative; Offseason of Relentless Optimism
Rece Davis and Pete Thamel are in the bowels of SoFi Stadium, looking back at a 65-7 Georgia win over TCU to repeat as national champions. They discuss the moment being too big for the Horned Frogs, Georgia’s vibe on the podium, Rece dropping TCU to No. 6 in his AP ballot and the Bulldogs being the favorite to three-peat. Later, they get into a way-too-early Top 25, where things stand with Alabama and their 2023 College Football Playoff teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 4, 2023 • 60min
USC’s Meltdown; Penn State Cul-De-Sac; Stopping TCU; Bennett’s Give-A-Damn
Rece Davis, Pete Thamel and David Pollack discuss whether USC has a scheme or a talent problem on defense, Lincoln Riley’s job of building for the Big Ten, if this Rose Bowl win is a potential jumping off point for Penn State, Mississippi State winning for Mike Leach, if Max Duggan can replicate CJ Stroud’s performance against Georgia, how TCU can out-physical the Bulldogs and Stetson Bennett letting it rip in big moments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 2, 2023 • 1h 16min
Recapping the CFP Semifinals; Michigan What-Ifs; Big 12 Credibility; Rose Bowl Reset
Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss a remarkable day for college football, what they’ll remember about the College Football Playoff semifinals 10 years from now, Michigan’s ill-fated Philly Special, Stetson Bennett’s perfect fourth quarter, early thoughts on a Georgia-TCU title game, CJ Stroud’s epic performance in a losing effort, the end of an era for the Rose Bowl, Kevin Warren’s candidacy to run the Bears, and whether Jim Harbaugh and Ryan Day will stick around. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 28, 2022 • 1h 20min
Joe Horned Frog; Michigan’s Superpower; Dead Fish and Squealers; Semifinal & Bowl Picks
Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss TCU against Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinal, Max Duggan having some Jim Harbaugh in him, Michigan being in complete alignment and how the Horned Frog defense could trip up the Wolverines. Then, Bill Connelly stops by to talk about if TCU can force Michigan to throw the ball, if we’ll get a classic game in the semifinals, which team can pull an upset and Pete's bonus lookahead question. Plus, the guys pick the semifinals, and the rest of Saturday and Monday’s games. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 26, 2022 • 1h 15min
Elmo’s NIL Value; Confident or Shaken?; Bulldog Bandwagon; Buc-ee’s Gift Cards
Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss an Elmo-themed Christmas in the Thamel household, Drake Maye deciding to stay at North Carolina, Maye speaking to offensive coordinator candidates, coaches being unwilling to police themselves, if Ohio State’s offensive line can contain Jalen Carter, how the Buckeyes respond after losing to Michigan, which playoff quarterback they’d pick to win two games, the main storyline of the playoff, how TCU stays in the game against the Wolverines, Rece’s trip to Buc-cee’s, and chili and cinnamon rolls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 19, 2022 • 51min
Appreciation Not Passion; Big Flip; Cuban Coffee; Bowl Motivation; Tower of Terror
Rece Davis returns from vacation alongside Pete Thamel to discuss their adopted Jaguars’ walk-off win over the Cowboys, five-star quarterback Dante Moore flipping from Oregon to UCLA, Bo Nix returning to Oregon, where all of this leaves DJ Uiagalelei, Rece’s first-time experiences with Mike Leach, which teams are motivated in the bowls leading up to Christmas, why you shouldn't trust Liberty against Toledo and Rece’s time in Disney World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 15, 2022 • 1h 4min
New NCAA Prez; Leach Changed Everything; Ken Niumatalolo Fired; Early Bowl Games
Pete Thamel and Bill Connelly lead off the podcast with the breaking news of Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker signing on as new NCAA president. The guys talk about whether the job matters anymore and the problems Baker is walking into. Then, they get into Navy firing Ken Niumatalolo and Purdue hiring Ryan Walters. Later, they discuss the early batch of bowl games including an exciting matchup between UTSA and Troy, Oregon State's uptick, and Jim Mora's UConn revival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 13, 2022 • 48min
Remembering Mike Leach
Pete Thamel and David Pollack discuss the passing of Mississippi State head football coach Mike Leach. They get into how different Leach was from everyone else in his profession, how he ushered in a new era of football, what a Leach production meeting was like before calling game, Leach’s fascination with Whitey Bulger, his coaching tree and if he is the best “bad job” coach in college football history. Then, Greg McElroy stops by to talk about Leach’s belief in him as a high school quarterback, how Leach evaluated quarterbacks, Leach keeping McElroy on his toes after decommitting from Texas Tech, Leach’s commitment to his beliefs and his influence across the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 8, 2022 • 1h 13min
Tailgaters Drinking Rosé; Crush Collision; Travel Tree & Chocolate Gravy
Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss why Phil Longo leaving North Carolina for Wisconsin raised their eyebrows, Rece’s night at the National Football Foundation and his picture with Andrew Luck. Then, David Pollack hops on to talk about if he’d take Caleb Williams or Drake Maye in the NFL draft today, when college football will finally be rid of the NCAA and his multiple Christmas trees. Later, Bill Connelly on whether Georgia caught a tough draw against Ohio State, his excitement for UTSA-Troy in the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl, why Scott Satterfield thinks it’ll work in Cincinnati when it didn’t at Louisville, and Christmas biscuit recipes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 5, 2022 • 60min
CFP is Set; Benefit of the Doubt; New Blood; Good to Be a Homer
Rece Davis and Pete Thamel discuss the four teams in the College Football Playoff semifinal, the committee going through a process of elimination for the final spot, the most interesting thing about the semis, why Ohio State is equipped to beat Georgia, Max Duggan gutting it out in a losing effort, what makes this Michigan team great, what an expanded playoff would look like this year, other bowl games they’re excited to watch and Colorado hiring Deion Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices