Sidelines & Headlines

Jim Hardin
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Discussing high school and college sports in the Athens, Georgia area.

  1. JAN 21

    Indiana Completes the Dream Season

    Hosts Jim Hardin and Blake Giles review the CFP championship game, won by Indiana, 27-21 over Miami, earning the first football title for the school. Then they look at the preseason rankings and the final AP rankings. Twelve teams ranked in the preseason failed to finish in the top 25. Most disappointing? Penn State, Clemson, LSU and Florida. Which team will emerge next year? Has the Big 10 surpassed the SEC? Georgia adds a late quarterback recruit. The Falcons underwhelmed with their hire. Both pick the Seahawks and Patriots to advance to the Super Bowl.

    55 min

  2. JAN 16

    No Stopping the Hoosiers

    Hosts Blake Giles and Jim Harbin look ahead to the CFP Finals. Indiana looks too good to lose. But ex-Bulldog quarterback Carson Beck has played well for Miami. The portal has been busy as usual. Georgia has had less turnover than any team in the SEC. Oklahoma State has had wholesale roster turnover. The NFL playoffs look wide open.

    40 min

  3. JAN 5

    Ole Miss Ends Georgia’s Season

    Hosts Jim Hardin and Blake Giles review the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff. Both were surprised that Miami beat Ohio State. They were also surprised by how uncompetitive Texas Tech and Alabama were in their losses to Oregon and Indiana, respectively. They break down Ole Miss’s win over Georgia in a rematch. They agree that it was the great play of Trinidad Chambliss that made the difference. Was it a great season for Georgia, even without winning the national title. What is next for Georgia? What do they need from the portal? Running back and wide receiver seem like obvious needs for next year. The Falcons ended the season on a winning streak, but still out of the playoffs. Mention is made of wins by the Georgia men’s and women’s basketball team in back-to-back overtime games.

    1h 2m
  4. Two SEC Teams Ousted, Two Advance in CFP

    12/24/2025

    Two SEC Teams Ousted, Two Advance in CFP

    Hosts Blake Giles and Jim Hardin offer congrats to the Georgia state champs. And can Central Macon rediscover glory under a new head coach. There is news in college football. What about the young viral sensation, Nolan McGill, who refused to sing “Rocky Top,” endearing himself to Georgia fans everywhere. Will Muschamp, once the “Coach in Waiting” at Texas, is heading back to Austin to join the staff as the defensive coordinator. Bill Belichek hires Bobby Petrino. Alabama and Ole Miss won in the first round. Texas A&M and Oklahoma lost. The quarters will feature Ohio State vs. Miami in the Cotton Bowl, Texas Tech against Oregon in the Orange Bowl, Alabama vs. Indiana in the Rose Bowl and Georgia against Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. And they reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.

    53 min
  5. The Dogs Are SEC Champs Again!

    12/10/2025

    The Dogs Are SEC Champs Again!

    Hosts Jim Hardin and Blake Giles preview the Georgia High School Association state finals. Then they celebrate—at least Blake does—Georgia’s decisive victory over Alabama in the SEC Championship. Then they break down the CFP selections. The 12-team playoff is doomed to be controversial as long as it is attached to a traditional format that left no room for a playoff. Notre Dame belongs in, they say, but maybe not Alabama. The Heisman finalists have been announced. The guys like Diego Pavia, but they believe the Indiana QB will win it. And finally, they look back at the season for every SEC team. Is their fan base satisfied or dissatisfied with the results?

    59 min

  6. 12/03/2025

    The Squirrel Stew Episode

    Hosts Blake Giles, retired sports journalist, and Jim Hardin, former Auburn walkon (who never played) review the results from rivalry weekend. Blake describes how Georgia broke Florida State’s football program, and it goes beyond the 63-3 beatdown in the Orange Bowl. And then they preview the conference championships, particularly Georgia and Alabama. Who is on the bubble of the CFP, and who is in? Blake introduces his stress-free seconds calculator as a gauge. Finally, Lane Kiffen did what everyone assumed he would do, take the LSU job, and then the floodgates opened, as colleges filled vacancies. They had to hurry because signing day is looming, and the news is that No. 1 QB prospect Jared Curtis is flipping from Georgia to Vanderbilt. That leaves the Dogs without a QB in their commitments. And the Athens area teams, except for Jefferson, were bumped from the playoffs. It was a great year for Jackson County, and a rough end for Athens Academy and Prince Avenue Christian. And North Oconee lost on a walk-off field goal. Finally, Jim reveals the history of squirrel stew.

    1h 16m

  7. 11/20/2025

    Georgia Peaking at Just the Right Time

    Hosts Blake Giles, a veteran of four decades of sports journalism, and Jim Hardin, a devoted fan, evaluate Georgia’s convincing win over Texas. The pre-game hype for Texas was greater than the on-field version. Then, how many SEC teams will get into the College Football Playoff? And just how good No. 3 Texas A&M. It may have the weakest schedule in the league. What is the future for conference championship games? Will the Atlanta Falcons ever have a functional from office? High school playoffs reach the second round.

    58 min
  8. Texas Comes to Athens for the First Time, but It’s not the First Trip for the Mannings

    11/12/2025

    Texas Comes to Athens for the First Time, but It’s not the First Trip for the Mannings

    Georgia hosts Texas in a showdown that has been on everyone’s calendar for two years. Hosts Blake Giles and Jim Hardin review the history between the two schools. Even though that game may suck the air out of Athens, there is more going on in college football. The two review last week’s games. Georgia played a complete game at Mississippi State. Auburn discovered an offense, but its defense collapsed in an overtime loss at Vanderbilt. Indiana toe-tapped past Penn State. Meanwhile, high school football playoffs start this week in Georgia.

    1 hr
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Discussing high school and college sports in the Athens, Georgia area.

Information

  • Creator
    Jim Hardin
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © None
  • Show Website
    Sidelines & Headlines