The Audible With Stew & Bruce

The Athletic's Dane Brugler joins to preview combine week: why the event matters more than people think, Fernando Mendoza's rise to projected No. 1 pick, Indiana's loaded draft class, Diego Pavia's limited NFL ceiling, and the historically thin QB and RB classes. Also, Dane's table-pounding pick and next year's quarterback outlook. Plus the coaching carousel strikes again as Northern Illinois's Thomas Hammock leaves for the Seahawks, highlighting the growing G6-to-NFL pipeline. And do fans who taunt players during court stormings deserve what's coming? Ralph thinks so.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Mississippi judge grants Trinidad Chambliss a preliminary injunction, clearing the way for a sixth season to be played at Ole Miss — but is this another dangerous chip away at eligibility rules? And how will the next couple quarterback draft classes look?. Plus, the guys aren’t sold on the Big Ten's 24-team playoff proposal, Sacramento State buys its way into the MAC, and a key BYU offensive weapon is expelled following serious allegations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Texas Tech's spending spree paid off with a conference title, while BYU defied expectations after losing Jake Retzlaff. Can other programs keep pace with the oil money and private equity backing the Big 12's new elite? And what defines the Big 12's identity in the revenue sharing era? Plus, Notre Dame's playoff snub revisited, Colorado's downfall, and Bill Moos's book excerpts about Nebraska and Scott Frost. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

North Dakota State is moving up to the Mountain West, ending years of FCS dominance. Did the Pac-12 miss an opportunity? What does this mean for the G5 landscape? Then, The Athletic's Sam Khan Jr. breaks down the first rev share portal cycle, LSU's spending spree, and why retention is cheaper than recruiting. Plus, Indiana's continued success, Penn State's Iowa State transplants, and Oklahoma State's roster overhaul. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ralph grades Bruce and Stew's preseason ACC predictions. Miami's national title run validates both their picks — Clemson, not so much. Is Mario Cristobal a top-tier coach? Why can’t Pitt break through despite good talent? What’s up with Florida State? James Franklin's move to Virginia Tech gets high marks as a potential power shift in the conference. Plus, North Carolina's Belichick disaster revisited, and basketball vs. football in the ACC.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s tough business making preseason predictions. Revisit Bruce and Stew’s SEC Buy, Sell, Hold picks and look ahead to next season. The crew digs into what went wrong at LSU (and why they both missed it), Tennessee's identity crisis under Heupel, Alabama's frustrating (but technically better) season under DeBoer, and whether Vanderbilt can survive life after Diego Pavia. Plus, your questions on the SEC's fading physicality and how to define success at Ole Miss moving forward. Then, Bruce's conversation with Cooper Manning on Arch's growth, the media circus, and what surprised him most. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ralph puts Bruce and Stew on trial for their preseason Big Ten Buy, Sell, Hold rankings. The guys debate how they fared over the course of 2025, and look ahead to 2026: Arthur Smith's unconventional hire at Ohio State, Gary Patterson working with (or for?) Lincoln Riley at USC, Matt Rhule's Groundhog Day at Nebraska, whether P.J. Fleck has taken Minnesota to their ceiling, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce, Stew, and Ralph revisit their hottest and coldest takes of the 2025 season. Dabo Swinney calls out Pete Golding and Ole Miss for tampering. What does the NCAA do now? Alabama basketball player Charles Bediako returns to college after going pro, begging the question: what does this mean for football? Plus, Lane Kiffin's massive portal haul, and the Darian Mensah contract saga continues.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Duke takes Darian Mensah to court over his two-year NIL contract after he entered the portal. You need a law degree to break down this stuff! CFP expansion talks hit a deadline Friday. Who’s pushing for expansion, and will we see it happen? The guys critique Stew's way-too-early top 25 for 2026, sparking a debate over Texas, Indiana's sustainability, and Penn State's makeover. Plus, what does Indiana’s perfect run mean for schools trying to replicate that success? Stew’s Early Top 25 story: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6983984/2026/01/20/college-football-top-25-rankings-2026-predictions/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time, the Indiana Hoosiers are national champions, beating the Miami Hurricanes 27-21. Bruce and Ralph from Hard Rock Stadium join Stew to break down this game and this historic moment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce and Ralph are in Miami for the championship. Speaking of trips to Miami: Duke QB Darian Mensah announces he's leaving in spite of his two-year contract, with Miami reportedly the destination. Can he do that? Can Miami? What exactly are these contracts for? And will this distract from Monday's national championship game? Plus, Ralph flips his championship pick back to Miami, invoking the 1984 Nebraska upset, and they choose their X-factor players for the title game.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dante Moore announces he's returning to Oregon for 2026, pushing Dylan Raiola's starting opportunity back another year. Was this the right decision? And what does it mean for the thin 2026 NFL quarterback class? Then, the guys make their final predictions for Monday's national championship game between Indiana and Miami. Can the Hoosiers complete a perfect 16-0 season, or will the Hurricanes pull off the upset? Plus, in mailbag, where would an undefeated Indiana would rank among the greatest teams ever? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Leavitt has committed to LSU, and Dylan Raiola to Oregon. Does anyone want to develop quarterbacks anymore? Ralph argues Trinidad Chambliss shouldn't get a sixth year despite his appeal. Texas raids the portal, landing a dream haul including Cam Coleman, Hollywood Smothers, Raleek Brown, and Rasheem Biles. Plus, who’s your favorite announcing team? Bruce, Ralph, and Stew weigh in with their opinions — and a controversial take about Kirk Herbstreit's dog.Chris Vannini’s story on how Athletic readers watch college football: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6946307/2026/01/12/college-football-broadcast-tv-announcers-survey-results/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Hurricanes vs. Hoosiers in the championship game. Indiana shows why they're the No. 1 seed, dropping 56 points on Oregon to advance to the final. Miami, a team that barely squeaked into the playoff, took down Ole Miss in an instant classic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. enters the transfer portal just four days after signing a $4M+ revenue-sharing contract with the Huskies. Bruce and Ralph break down potential legal ramifications — and potential suitors. Do contracts mean anything in college football's lawless NIL landscape? Plus, does the regular season mean anything anymore?Bruce's story on Pete Golding: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/818567/2019/02/16/alabama-football-pete-golding-defensive-coordinator/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce’s story on the SEC's struggles sparks debate: is the conference's dominance over? NIL has leveled the playing field, and SEC teams no longer have overwhelming talent advantages. The portal heats up with Brandon Sorsby landing at Texas Tech for a reported $5 million and Trinidad Chambliss is staying at Ole Miss (pending eligibility). Then the guys make their picks for the CFP semifinals: Miami-Ole Miss and Indiana-Oregon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce and Ralph went live after an incredible Ole Miss win over Georgia. Can anyone stop this Ole Miss team? They’ll move on to Miami, who came to play and toppled their own giant in a 24-14 defeat of Ohio State. And with bye week teams falling to 1-7 in the 12-team CFP era, does anyone get to use the bye as an excuse? Indiana didn’t disappoint, steamrolling the Tide 38-3 (don’t they know they’re supposed to be a Cinderella story?). And Oregon convincingly shut out Texas Tech 23-0. Will the Texas Tech boosters spend all that money differently next time?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The guys break down the quarterfinal matchups and make their picks. Kyle Whittingham takes the Michigan head coaching job after stepping down at Utah, bringing 21 years of experience to stabilize a program in crisis. The guys debate whether the 66-year-old is the right fit and discuss his five-year timeline. Lincoln Riley blames the Irish for the cancellation of the annual USC-Notre Dame matchup, while Marcus Freeman signs an extension. Plus, while transfer portal money reaches new heights, have new rules curtailed spending at all? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce, Katie Strang, and Austin Meek's bombshell investigation reveals disturbing details about Sherrone Moore's behavior leading up to his firing at Michigan. Bruce breaks down some of the epic dysfunction inside the program. USC and Notre Dame's historic rivalry goes on indefinite hiatus after playing (almost) every year since 1926. Who's to blame for ending a century-old tradition?Bobby Petrino joins Bill Belichick's circus at North Carolina as offensive coordinator. Will the volatile mix of personalities lead to Petrino as interim head coach by November? Then: the guys preview their favorite bowl games, and answer some mailbag questions.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce, Stew, and Ralph recap the first round and look ahead to the quarterfinals. Plus, Ralph argues that college football has always been a league of systems and conditions, rather than one based on merit alone. So, do we want a system that gives teams like JMU and Tulane a path to flourish, or do we want to shut them out?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.