Duke HAD IT then UConn Stole It

Pete Thamel, Dan Wetzel, and ESPN college basketball insider break down Michigan holding off UConn to win the NCAA national title. They talk about what went wrong for the Huskies and how Michigan won in the paint. Then the guys dive into UNC hiring Mike Malone just hours before the transfer portal opens and his challenge of building a roster. Plus, they discuss NCAA tournament expansion and whether it actually makes the sport better.   0:00 - Welcome 0:30 - Michigan holds off UConn, wins NCAA title 5:04 - UConn’s costly mistakes: Free throws, Turnovers 9:19 - Michigan wins behind bigs in the paint 12:47 - Michigan’s Dusty May could’ve coached at Indiana? 16:18 - Michigan’s roster moves pay off 21:59 - UNC to hire ex-NBA coach Mike Malone 23:58 - UNC hires Mike Malone just before transfer portal opens 28:20 - Why is the transfer portal open now and not in May? 30:44 - UNC’s Mike Malone is set to build a roster on the fly 37:59 - NCAA tournament is expanding from 68 to 76 teams 44:55 - Can there be too many portal transfers? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and Dan Wetzel break down UConn’s dramatic win over Duke and what it means for the Huskies’ legacy. And after another crushing exit, is it time for Duke to rethink its roster strategy? Plus, the guys dive into Michigan’s dominant win over Tennessee, Illinois and Arizona punching their tickets to the Final Four, and the greatest shots in tournament history. 0:00 – Welcome 0:30 - Duke hands UConn the win 7:15 - UConn becoming the next UCLA? 13:37 - UConn’s Tarris Reed steps up 17:05 - The best tourney shots of all time are… 26:34 - Did the best teams reach the Final Four? 30:16 - Michigan demolishes Tennessee 36:55 - Illinois and Arizona advance to the Final Four 42:51 - Duke’s back-to-back crushing losses 45:10 - Duke needs to get older to win? 48:31 - Duke is held to an unfair standard? 50:50 - Tennessee denied Final Four again 53:51 - Tourney goal is to reach the Final Four 55:35 - Pete Thamel on UConn’s game-winning shot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pete Thamel, Dan Wetzel, and college basketball insider Jeff Borzello go through the highs and lows of the NCAA Tournament, including Florida’s late-game strategy falling apart, St. John’s buzzer-beater over Kansas, and the possible head coach positions opening up at Kansas and North Carolina.   0:00 - Welcome 0:30 - Four days in: Tourney highs and lows 2:42 - Florida’s late-game strategy falls apart 7:18 - Are the extra clock reviews giving teams extra timeouts? 8:52 - St. John’s hits a buzzer beater, Kansas stays frozen 13:41 - Is Kansas Coach Bill Self retiring? 19:32 - Is UNC Coach Hubert Davis on the hot seat? 28:26 - Do Kansas & UNC still hold coaching appeal? 35:36 - Are the Big Ten and SEC squeezing out the rest of the field? 39:24 - Has the NCAA Tourney seeding code been cracked? 45:45 - Can the low majors still compete in the tourney? 48:32 - Is Syracuse legend Gerry McNamara the right coach for the team? 57:15 - Championship picks: Who’s winning it all? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pete Thamel, Dan Wetzel, and ESPN college basketball insider Jeff Borzello break down everything you need to know about the Men’s NCAA Tournament bracket. They reveal the must-watch First Four matchup, how much chalk to expect, and whether Florida can repeat as champs. Then they go region by region, spotlighting title contenders, star power, upset alerts, and the matchups that could define the tournament. 0:00 – Welcome 0:30 - Was Auburn robbed of an NCAA Tourney bid? 2:14 - The must-watch First Four game is… 5:23 - Will this be a chalk-heavy tournament? 8:47 - The mid-major competitive advantage is… 13:00 - The tournament sweet spot 16:19 - Will Florida be repeat champs? 22:07 - The East Region best teams 28:04 - The East Region best upset 31:57 - The South Region title contending teams 36:31 - The South Region best upsets 38:58 - The West Region star power players 45:32 - The West Region best upset 46:56 - The Midwest Region highly anticipated matchup 50:54 - The Midwest region best upset 52:54 - NCAA Tournament Final Four locks & title picks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing the latest investigative series from ESPN and 30 for 30 Podcasts, “Murder at The U.” A college football star on the brink of NFL greatness is brazenly executed steps from campus. The case almost goes cold until a team of ESPN reporters start digging… and find a side of the victim he didn’t want people to know. To catch new episodes early, follow “30 for 30 Podcasts” for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and Dan Wetzel break down what they thought of the White House roundtable, specifically which ideas made sense, where they found common ground, and where they disagree. They also challenged some of the narratives including the idea that players are being left behind academically and that college sports has a revenue problem, arguing instead the real issue is spending. Then, a College Football Final reunion. Former ESPN analyst Mark May joins Rece to revisit his years alongside Lou Holtz, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, spirited (but respectful) debates, and the humor and heart that define Holtz both on and off camera. 0:00 - Welcome 0:30 - White House roundtable: What made sense? 5:00 - Are players being left behind academically? 11:41 - Was the old college football system really better? 19:01 - Executive order coming soon: What will be in it? 23:24 - College sports’ big problem is spending, not revenue 30:13 - ESPN’s College Football Final reunion: Mark May joins Rece Davis to talk Lou Holtz 35:09 - Mark May on his civil debates with Lou Holtz 37:49 - Mark May on Lou Holtz’s acting chops 39:00 - ESPN’s Final Verdict origin story 44:29 - Would Lou Holtz thrive in the modern game? 48:27 - Lou Holtz hated drinking …water? 50:30 - Lou Holtz’s go-to line was… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel break down whether college basketball is in the middle of a resurgence, and what that momentum could mean for college football. They examine whether Florida basketball can realistically match the standard set by Florida Gators football and discuss what football should learn from both the rise and missteps of college hoops. Plus, the guys tackle whether a White House roundtable can actually fit college sports. 0:00 - Welcome 0:30 - Is college hoops making gains on college football? 6:51 - Can Florida Gators basketball match the school’s football standard? 13:03 - What college football can learn from college basketball 22:39 - Tension between Miami (Ohio) vs Auburn 27:16 - Why NCAA Tournament expansion is a bad idea 41:26 - Will the White House roundtable fix college sports? 44:59 - WH roundtable: The biggest issue about this meeting 52:18 - WH roundtable: The clearest path to a solution is… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel break down why schools are playing it safe with nonconference scheduling, how CFP panic is shaping those decisions, and whether a targeting rule change could be coming. The guys also preview a historic quarterback class to watch next season. 0:00 - Welcome 0:30 - Pete’s snowstorm side quest 4:35 - Schools fear big nonconference games? 9:52 - CFP panic and scheduling safer games 13:58 - How to become an elite team 17:55 - Give the fans what they want 23:31 - Hockey vs college football 28:22 - Targeting rule change coming 38:03 - The historic QB class to watch next year 41:59 - The top dual-threat QB is… 44:48 - The top QB with a size advantage is… 48:00 - The top QB with a high growth curve is… 50:58 - The top QB who’s an anomaly is… 54:22 - Which QBs will elevate this season? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis and Dan Wetzel discuss the changing landscape of college sports. They break down Sacramento State’s $18M move to the MAC, North Dakota State’s jump to the Mountain West, and whether moving up a conference is really worth it. They also discuss whether Nebraska truly belongs in the Big Ten or Big 12. 0:00 - Welcome 0:30 - Sacramento St to MAC for $18M 3:48 - North Dakota State going to FBS, headed to MWC 13:20 - Is moving up a conference actually worth it? 15:37 - Where does Nebraska belong? The Big Ten or Big 12? 21:12 - Why championships affect a school’s identity 27:16 - Should some sports be played regionally? 31:40 - Do all conference games really matter? 39:48 - Should schools get to control their own schedules? 46:08 - Miami University coach vows to wear a Speedo if… 53:53 - Next year: What to do when football and Valentine’s Day collide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel discuss the Super Bowl through a college football lens, including how big games are covered, Sam Darnold being the first USC QB to start the Super Bowl, and more. They also zoom out to the bigger picture in college football: the postseason calendar colliding with the NFL. How late is too late for the National Championship? 0:00 - Welcome 0:30 - The Super Bowl from a college football reporter’s POV 3:52 - The formula for covering a big game 9:54 - USC’s Sam Darnold and other weekend storylines 13:35 - College football and NFL postseason dates colliding 17:09 - Should college football challenge the NFL more? 23:09 - Ready for a late National Championship on January 25, 2027? 29:58 - Sit a QB to fix the postseason calendar? 37:08 - Expand the CFP to 24 to fix the postseason calendar? 51:54 - Duke vs UNC …and Jordan Hudson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices