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

The Athletic
The Athletic
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Bruce Feldman, Stewart Mandel and Ralph Russo discuss the latest in college football, interview the biggest names in the sport and give insight into the most relevant topics dominating the discussion. From National Signing Day to the National Championship, Bruce, Stew and Ralph have you covered year-round. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 22h ago

    Lane Kiffin vs SEC Ends: Why LSU Balked on NFL Roster Quest

    The high-stakes legal standoff between Lane Kiffin and the SEC has come to a sudden halt. Facing intense pushback and the threat of severe league discipline from SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, the LSU Tigers have officially finalized their 105-man roster. By completing the roster with undergraduate talent, LSU balked and ended its quest to add former NFL players to the active squad, putting an end to a wild experiment in conference self-governance. We break down the explosive legal showdown, the "Lack of Institutional Control" warnings, and what this capitulation means for Kiffin’s program moving forward. Beyond the drama in Baton Rouge, we dive straight into the wild "Clock Gate" controversy out of Michigan. The MAC has officially filed an appeal following Western Michigan’s bizarre loss, claiming a massive replay protocol error handed the Wolverines an illegal extra second. We look at the fallout of this timing failure, including why Jeff Sagarin is officially tracking this as a WMU victory, and how the College Football Playoff committee should factor the "human element" of this officiating disaster into their rankings. Finally, we open up the mailbag to tackle your best questions from across the country. We address the rampant Week 1 overreactions and look at historical precedents to prove why national championship contenders always take time to develop. Plus, we look at the absolute misery currently surrounding Florida State football as they sit tied with UConn for ACC wins over the last two seasons, and examine how a potential 24-team CFP expansion will completely rewrite the future of scheduling for upper-tier G6 schools. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 1:09 - LSU backs down, does not sign former NFL players 16:01 - MAC, Western Michigan to appeal replay error 33:44 - Mailbag! 59:44 - Breaking News with LSU Follow the Crew on X: 🔹 Stewart Mandel: @slmandel 🔹 Bruce Feldman: @BruceFeldmanCFB 🔹 Ralph Russo: @ralphDrussoATH 🔹The Audible: @audible.show #CollegeFootball #LaneKiffin #LSUTigers #SECFootball #GregSankey #MichiganFootball #WMUFootball #ClockGate #FSUFootball #CFBPlayoff Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. 2d ago

    Michigan Clock Controversy Explained: Did The Big Ten Get It Right?

    The Big Ten replay center is under fire after a wild, second-chance Hail Mary finish in the Michigan vs. Western Michigan game. In this episode of The Audible, presented by Trader Joe’s, Bruce Feldman, Stewart Mandel, and Ralph D. Russo break down exactly what happened with the game clock, what should have happened, and why there isn’t actually a "secret second clock" hidden in the replay booth. Plus, the guys recap an action-packed Week 1—including Ole Miss outlasting Louisville in a Nashville thriller and Notre Dame dominating Wisconsin to open the 2026 season. Finally, we look ahead to massive Week 2 matchups, making picks for No. 1 Ohio State at No. 5 Texas, No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 16 Michigan, and our favorite underdogs of the week! Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 1:28 - Explaining Michigan vs Western Michigan clock controversy 12:45 - Bryce Underwood’s job security 15:07 - Ole Miss outlasts Louisville  20:23 - Notre Dame dominates Wisconsin 30:08 - Ohio State at Texas 34:33 - Oklahoma at Michigan 37:32 - Iowa State at Iowa 39:18 - Alabama at Kentucky 42:50 - Week 2 Upsets Follow the Crew on X: 🔹 Stewart Mandel: @slmandel 🔹 Bruce Feldman: @BruceFeldmanCFB 🔹 Ralph Russo: @ralphDrussoATH 🔹The Audible: @audible.show #CollegeFootball #MichiganFootball #TheAudible #BigTen #Week2Picks #NotreDameFootball #OleMiss Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. 4d ago

    CFB Week 1 Recap: Explaining the Michigan Clock Drama + Oregon’s Close Call

    Week 1 of the college football season delivered absolute chaos! Today on The Audible, Stew, Bruce, and Ralph break down the wildest opening weekend storylines, massive scares, and officiating drama. ⏱️ Michigan’s Clock Controversy Explained: Michigan survived a massive scare against Western Michigan, but the real story is the chaotic ending. We go behind the scenes of the Big Ten's replay protocol, the Hawk-Eye camera discrepancy, and exactly what the broadcast crew missed. Plus, the guys discuss why Michigan needs to throw in the towel on Bryce Underwood. 🦆 Oregon Dodges Disaster: Oregon survives a fierce battle against Boise State. We break down how Maddux Madsen and the Broncos pushed the Ducks to the absolute brink. 🐅 LSU Dominates Clemson: LSU made Clemson look like an FCS school. Is LSU a legitimate National Championship contender, or is Dabo Swinney officially entering his final season after getting outpaced by the modern transfer portal? Follow the Crew on X: 🔹 Stewart Mandel: @slmandel 🔹 Bruce Feldman: @BruceFeldmanCFB 🔹 Ralph Russo: @ralphDrussoATH 🔹The Audible: @audible.show #CollegeFootball #CFBRecap #MichiganControversy #OregonScare #LSUvsClemson #TheAudible Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. Sep 3

    What Coaches *Really* Think: Title Favorites & Biggest Frauds + Mailbag

    What do college football coaches actually think behind closed doors? In this episode of The Audible, Bruce Feldman and Ralph Russo break down Bruce's anonymous coach survey. The guys dive straight into the takes, revealing which hyped contenders coaches are calling the biggest frauds before flipping to their ultimate national title favorites. Moving beyond the survey, the crew examines the mounting pressure on coaching hot seats across the country. They debate whether Lincoln Riley faces a Brian Kelly-style crisis at USC and evaluate the market appeal of major coaching retreads like Brian Kelly and Jimbo Fisher looking to get back on the sidelines. Finally, the guys close out the show with a packed listener mailbag. They tackle predictions for the Border War, share their all-time favorite college football books, and run a fascinating thought experiment on what this season would look like under the old four-team playoff format. Timestamps 0:00 -  Intro 1:23 - Coaches Confidential Survey 1:55 - CFB coaches pick the biggest frauds 12:30 - CFB coaches pick the ’26 nat’l champs 15:39 - CFB coaches pick the biggest sleeper 18:38 - Coaching Carousel 18:56 - Jimbo Fisher & Brian Kelly 30:27 - Dave Clawson 32:20 - Coaches to watch on the Hot Spot 46:29 - Mailbag Time! 59:10- Mailbag Winner Follow the Crew on X: 🔹 Stewart Mandel: @slmandel 🔹 Bruce Feldman: @BruceFeldmanCFB 🔹 Ralph Russo: @ralphDrussoATH 🔹The Audible: @audible.show #TheAudible #CollegeFootball #CFB #CoachesPoll #LincolnRiley #USC #CFP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. Sep 1

    LSU vs SEC: Lawsuits, Loopholes, and Lingering Questions + Week 1 Predictions

    The legal war between LSU and the SEC is escalating right before kickoff, forcing Commissioner Greg Sankey and the league into a high-stakes standoff over controversial roster rules. In this episode of The Audible, presented by Trader Joe’s, we break down the massive legal risks the Tigers face if they choose to suit up players under a temporary state court injunction. Our panel analyzes whether this legal loophole provides actual protection or if LSU is cruising toward unprecedented conference penalties, fines, and forfeits. Plus, the college football season is officially here, and the guys dive into a massive slate of Week 1 game picks, point spreads, and predictions. We break down the betting angles for Boise State at Oregon (-24.5), a highly-anticipated Clemson at No. 11 LSU (-10.5) showdown in Death Valley, and a historic Sunday matchup between Wisconsin and No. 4 Notre Dame (-20.5) at Lambeau Field. The crew also locks in their best bets for Louisville vs. Ole Miss (-7) in Nashville before revealing their favorite Week 1 upset picks—including a bold 30.5-point underdog shocker—and debating the most interesting under-the-radar storylines of the weekend, from Oklahoma State at Tulsa to SMU at Florida State. 📺 Watch us on YouTube: @AudibleShow 🎧 Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 1:23 - Lane Kiffin, LSU vs SEC 10:53 - Boise vs. Oregon 13:57 - Clemson vs. LSU 17:38 - Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame 23:52 - Louisville vs. Ole Miss 28:13 - Potential upset picks Follow the Crew on X: 🔹 Stewart Mandel: @slmandel 🔹 Bruce Feldman: @BruceFeldmanCFB 🔹 Ralph Russo: @ralphDrussoATH #CollegeFootball #LSU #SEC #Week1Predictions #TheAudible #CollegeFootballPicks #TraderJoes #Clemson #NotreDame #OleMiss #Oregon #CFBNews Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. Aug 31

    Bill Belichick & UNC Stun TCU, Beach Wins Out at USC, NC State Flops | Week 0 CFB Recap

    Week 0 of the College Football season did not disappoint! Stew, Ralph, and Bruce break down a wild opening slate, starting across the pond in Ireland where Bill Belichick and UNC pulled off a stunning 15-10 victory over TCU. Is TCU already in disaster mode? Plus, the guys head to Charlottesville where Virginia completely dominated NC State, easily covering the spread. Is UVA a legitimate College Football Playoff sleeper, or is NC State just doing typical NC State things? Finally, we look at USC’s season opener against San Jose State. The Trojans got the win but failed to cover—what did we learn about Lincoln Riley's squad? Plus, don’t miss shoutouts!  📺 Watch us on YouTube: @AudibleShow 🎧 Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 3:15 - UNC stuns TCU 14:03 - UVA hammers NC State 20:39 - Can NC State bounce Back? 23:55 - USC beats San Jose State 29:46 - Memphis downs UNLV 34:28 - Shoutouts  Follow the Crew on X: 🔹 Stewart Mandel: @slmandel 🔹 Bruce Feldman: @BruceFeldmanCFB 🔹 Ralph Russo: @ralphDrussoATH #CollegeFootball #Week0 #CFBRecap #UNCvsTCU #USCTrojans #NCState #TheAudible Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. Aug 27

    The Big Ten & SEC Ban Pros + Arch Manning Top 100 Slide + Week 0 Picks

    The 2026 college football season is officially here! Today we break down the massive emergency eligibility guardrails passed by the Big Ten and SEC, Arch Manning's surprising drop in the Top 100 rankings, and hand out our official Week 0 picks.  Welcome back to The Audible with Stew & Ralph! With the final Week 0 games kicking off this week, football is finally back. Stew and Ralph pull back the curtain on their ultimate game-day viewing habits, detailing the micro player details and macro team schemes they focus on when tape is rolling. The guys dive into the biggest news of the week: the Big Ten and SEC passing historic roster guardrails to prevent players on professional sports contracts from returning to the college ranks. Plus, we react to The Athletic's Top 100 list seeing Texas quarterback Arch Manning slide to No. 32, predict which Top 25 powerhouse will end up completely unranked, and drop our official Week 0 game picks. 📺 Watch us on YouTube: @AudibleShow 🎧 Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 1:45 - SEC and Big Ten take a stand 11:55 - Top 100 College Football players talk 18:00 - Week 0 preview 23:45 - North Carolina vs. TCU 26:52 - San Jose State at USC 31:45 - NC State at Virginia 35:31 - Memphis at UNLV 39:08 - Mailbag Follow the Crew on X: 🔹 Stewart Mandel: @slmandel 🔹 Bruce Feldman: @BruceFeldmanCFB 🔹 Ralph Russo: @ralphDrussoATH #TheAudible #CollegeFootball #ArchManning #BigTen #SEC #Week0 #TexasLonghorns #CFBPicks #CFB2026 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. Aug 25

    2026 Bracketology: Predicting the 12-Team Playoff Field & LSU's Shocking Transfer

    Who wins the 2026 College Football Playoff? Could we see a repeat champion with the Indiana Hoosiers? Will Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns capture the title? Stew and Ralph give their picks for the 2026 CFP. Welcome back to The Audible presented by The Athletic! In today's episode, Stew and Ralph go head-to-head with their preseason playoff projections. Ralph is backing the Texas Longhorns to take down the Oregon Ducks for the national title. Meanwhile, Stew drops a bombshell prediction, picking the Indiana Hoosiers to defeat Notre Dame and secure back-to-back national championships! Plus, we break down a historic college football transfer market anomaly. Former Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Wright has been waived by the Cleveland Browns and is headed to LSU to rejoin his former coach Lane Kiffin. This would make him the first player to ever go from the pros back to the college ranks. What does this mean for the future of player eligibility? Timestamps  0:00 - Intro 1:47 - Dea’Quan Wright expected to return to NCAA from NFL 10:05 - How did we get to this point? 23:22 - Ralph’s CFP bracket 38:20 - Stewart’s CFP bracket 49:09 - Bruce’s CFP bracket 50:35 - Heisman predictions #CollegeFootball #TheAudible #CFBPlayoff #LSUFootball #IndianaHoosiers #TexasLonghorns #Bracketology #CollegeFootballPlayoff Ralph's Bracket: First Round 12 Navy at 5 Miami 11 TCU at 6 Notre Dame 10 Louisville vs 7 Florida 9 Washington vs 8 Texas Tech Bye 1 Texas 2 Ohio State 3 Oregon 4 LSU Quarterfinals Texas vs Texas Tech LSU vs Miami Notre Dame vs Oregon Ohio State vs Florida  Semifinal Miami vs Texas Oregon vs Ohio State Final Texas-Oregon Champion Texas Stew’s Bracket: First Round 8 Oklahoma vs 9 Georgia  5 Texas vs 12 Boise State 7 Ohio State vs 10 LSU 6 BYU vs 11 USC Bye 1 Indiana 2 Notre Dame 3 Oregon  4 Miami Quarterfinals Indiana vs Georgia Miami vs Texas Notre Dame vs Ohio State Oregon vs BYU Semifinal Indiana vs Miami Notre Dame vs Oregon Final Indiana vs Notre Dame Champion Indiana Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Bruce Feldman, Stewart Mandel and Ralph Russo discuss the latest in college football, interview the biggest names in the sport and give insight into the most relevant topics dominating the discussion. From National Signing Day to the National Championship, Bruce, Stew and Ralph have you covered year-round. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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