Emergency Show: James Franklin Out at Penn State

The Week 8 college football schedule features tests for a handful of coaches who sure look like they need a win to keep their jobs for the long term. In addition to those angsty situations, we’ve got a few big helmet games and potential conference race deciders in the Sun Belt and Mountain West. A few of the games covered in this episode include: * Louisville at Miami: A possible trap for the Canes, but if they’re what we think they are, they’ll be fine * Washington at Michigan: Can the Huskies keep scoring with an overmatched offensive line? Maybe! * LSU at Vanderbilt: No reason Vandy can’t do this at home * Georgia Tech at Duke: Major ACC championship race implications * Baylor at TCU: Better figure this out, Frogs * UNLV at Boise State: Winner is the best team in the MWC, for now * Ole Miss at Georgia: How worried should you be about Trinidad Chambliss? * Ohio State at Wisconsin: It’s getting late for Luke Fickell* Mississippi State at Florida: Ditto for Billy Napier * Missouri at Auburn: Same for Hugh Freeze * Texas Tech at Arizona State: Can anyone in the Big 12 hang with the Red Raiders physically? * USC at Notre Dame: No, you can’t just put this game on Netflix* Utah at BYU: If Kyle Whittingham really still has it, the Utes are going to crunch BYU’s freshman QB in this game * Old Dominion at James Madison: THE MAIN COURSE, presented by Modelo, featuring Bennett Conlin of JMU Sports NewsAnd many more games discussed within! Producer: Anthony VitoThank you to our subscribers and partnersBecome a paid subscriber today to get a lot more SZD, and check out www.nokiantyres.com/szd and www.homefieldapparel.comAlso, welcome our new partner, Dad Water. Code SZD for 20% off, or just click https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZD This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comSUBSCRIBER EPISODE: The first proper emergency show of the 2025 coach carousel arrives. Penn State fired James Franklin after an unthinkable weeks saw the Nittany Lions go from national championship contenders to one of the biggest disasters in recent college football history. Alex and Richard discuss how this got out of hand so quickly, how the Franklin era changed Penn State for the better, and where the program and Franklin can each go from here. Producer: Anthony Vito

Welcome to the Week 7 Sunday Hurry-Up, presented by Dad Water! This week, Alex and Richard start with Indiana’s statement win at Oregon and move from there, covering dozens of games from the midpoint week of the season:* Indiana 30, Oregon 20* Ohio State 34, Illinois 16* USC 31, Michigan 13* Iowa 37, Wisconsin 0* UCLA 38, Michigan State 13* Washington 38, Rutgers 19* Nebraska 34, Maryland 31* Northwestern 22, Penn State 21* Texas 23, Oklahoma 6* Tennessee 34, Arkansas 31* Georgia 20, Auburn 10* LSU 20, South Carolina 10* Texas A&M 34, Florida 17* Alabama 27, Missouri 24* Ole Miss 24, Washington State 21* Texas Tech 42, Kansas 17* Utah 42, Arizona State 10* Colorado 24, Iowa State 17* BYU 33, Arizona 27 (2OT)* Cincinnati 20, UCF 11* Kansas State 41, TCU 28* Pitt 34, Florida State 31* Notre Dame 36, NC State 7* Georgia Tech 35, Virginia Tech 10* SMU 34, Stanford 10* Wake Forest 30, Oregon State 14* USF 63, North Texas 36* Navy 32, Temple 31* Tulane 26, East Carolina 19* FAU 53, UAB 33* James Madison 24, Louisiana 14* Marshall 48, Old Dominion 24* Southern Miss 38, Georgia Southern 35* Kennesaw State 35, Louisiana Tech 7* Colorado State 49, Fresno State 21* UNLV 51, Air Force 48* Wyoming 35, Hawaii 28* Bowling Green 28, Toledo 23* Western Michigan 42, Ball State 0* Kent State 42, UMass 6Producer: Anthony Vito.Thanks to our partners and subscribers* 20% off Dad Water: https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZD* Visit Homefield at https://www.homefieldapparel.com/* Enter to win airfare and lodging for a trip to New York City on conference championship weekend at https://www.nokiantyres.com/SZD This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comSUBSCRIBER EPISODE: Richard spent a lot of this week making calls about the North Carolina situation for a CBS Sports report on the situation. In this show, he talks with Alex about how Belichick’s tenure got this toxic this quickly:* What he’s gotten wrong in his first foray into college football* How the business of Bill and the business of UNC have diverged, repeatedly, and why that will make his eventual exit ugly* Why Belichick will not go quietly into the nightThis episode isn’t just about UNC. It’s also midseason news roundup full of topics that we wouldn’t always get a chance to discuss on the weekly Tasting Menu or Hurry-Up shows. After talking about the Heels, we also get into:* Auburn moving a game against Baylor to Atlanta, which infuriated a lot of people in Auburn: Do the Tigers have the business case they say they have?* There’s now a tipline (snitch line, some would say) for NIL rules violations. So I guess enforcement isn’t going that well, huh?* A new transfer portal window tweak is pro-coach and anti-player.Producer: Anthony VitoThis episode is for paid subscribersEveryone can hear the first 13 minutes of North Carolina talk, as a free preview. To get the whole episode and many, many more, consider becoming a paid subscriber. We’d love to have you. It costs $10 a month: www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Our college football Week 7 preview, with notes on a bunch of games as the season hits its halfway point. Just a few of the games in here:* USF at North Texas, a potential Game of the Year in the American with playoff implications on both sides* Ohio State at Illinois, a potential test for the Buckeyes but probably just another chance to flex how good they are* Alabama at Missouri, where at least one of us thinks the Tigers can do it* Texas vs. Oklahoma: Will Texas be able to block for Arch Manning? It’s an open question, as is John Mateer’s availability* Iowa State at Colorado, where it looks like Deion Sanders is winding it down* Arkansas at Tennessee, a showcase spot for Bobby Petrino* Georgia at Auburn, a chance for Auburn to show what it’s got up front* South Carolina at LSU, which looks less enticing than it once did* Arizona State at Utah, with Big 12 title ramifications* THE MAIN COURSE, PRESENTED BY MODELO: The great Dan Rubenstein of The Solid Verbal podcast joins us to talk about Indiana-Oregon and the Ducks’ continued rise under Dan LanningThank you to our subscribers and partnersBecome a paid subscriber today to get a lot more SZD, and check out www.nokiantyres.com/szd and www.homefieldapparel.com20% off Dad Water: https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZD This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comPenn State just took one of the worst losses any team has taken in years. The preseason No. 2 team may already be out of the playoff race by early October, and we’re questioning everything we thought we knew about them. What do you do now, though? Alex and Richard discuss Penn State’s options, which boil down to: 1) Win out, 2) Pay a $50 million buyout, 3) Hope James Franklin takes another job, or 4) Just move forward with a toxic, compromised relationship between the coach and the fanbase. This is a subscriber episodeEveryone can hear a free preview, and you can get the whole thing—and dozens more bonus episodes every year—by becoming a paid subscriber for $10 a month.

In the Week 6 Sunday Hurry-Up presented by Dad Water, Richard and Alex break down a college football weekend that turned out to have a bit of everything: * UCLA 42, Penn State 37* Washington 24, Maryland 20* Michigan 24, Wisconsin 10* Nebraska 38, Michigan State 27* Illinois 43, Purdue 27* Ohio State 42, Minnesota 3* Alabama 30, Vanderbilt 14* Florida 29, Texas 21* Georgia 35, Kentucky 14* Texas A&M 31, Mississippi State 9* Miami 28, Florida State 22* Clemson 38, North Carolina 10* Virginia 30, Louisville 27* Pitt 48, Boston College 7* Duke 45, California 21* Cincinnati 38, Iowa State 30* BYU 38, West Virginia 24* Texas Tech 35, Houston 11 * TCU 35, Colorado 21* Baylor 35, Kansas State 34* Arizona 41, Oklahoma State 13* Navy 34, Air Force 31* Army 31, UAB 13* USF 54, Charlotte 26* Temple 27, UTSA 21* Notre Dame 28, Boise State 7* San Diego State 45, Colorado State 24* UNLV 31, Wyoming 17* Arkansas State 31, Texas State 30* Old Dominion 47, Coastal Carolina 7* App State 27, Oregon State 23* WKU 27, Delaware 24* New Mexico State 37, Sam Houston 10* Buffalo 31, Eastern Michigan 30 * Akron 28, Central Michigan 22* Western Carolina 23, Wofford 21Producer: Anthony Vito. Want much more? Become a paid subscriberWe’re planning our usual two-subscriber-show load for you this week.Thanks to our partners and subscribers* 20% off Dad Water: https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZD* Visit Homefield at https://www.homefieldapparel.com/* Enter to win airfare and lodging for a trip to New York City on conference championship weekend at https://www.nokiantyres.com/SZD This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comOur subscriber series on open FBS coaching jobs visits Fayetteville. Arkansas fired Sam Pittman and then admitted outright that the school did not put him in the financial position to succeed. The school has unique challenges stemming from its commitment to being good in basketball and baseball. Arkansas has a handful of rich, famous boosters, who own things like Walmart and the Dallas Cowboys. But how much money is earmarked for football is always a point of uncertainty. Let’s also talk about the Bobby Petrino in the room. Episodes of “The Job” are for paid subscribersEveryone can hear a free preview, and you can catch up on other episodes here:* Oklahoma State * Virginia Tech* UCLAProducer: Anthony Vito

The Week 6 college football schedule is light on blockbusters, but that only makes the Split Zone Duo Tasting Menu’s job more important. Lets’ talk about what’s interesting to us this week, jumping from game to game, starting with the lone Thursday nighter and continuing through last call on Saturday:* WKU at Delaware, providing real intrigue in CUSA* Army at UAB, where Trent Dilfer continues to fight for his job* Kansas State at Baylor, where someone will remain a Big 12 contender* Wisconsin at Michigan, which could get very ugly for the Badgers* Kentucky at Georgia, which should take things from bad to worse for the Wildcats as their season risks getting out of hand* Iowa State at Cincinnati, maybe the game of the early window* Virginia at Louisville, a meeting of stealth ACC contenders* Vanderbilt at Alabama, which wouldn’t be that big of an upset* Boise State at Notre Dame, which would be* Washington at Maryland, which has Alex feeling … hope?* Texas Tech at Houston, as the Red Raiders keep marching* The Main Course, presented by Modelo: Ahead of a game at Florida State, Omaha Productions ball-knower and general Miami historian/superfan Kevin Clark joins the program to talk about the Canes’ apparent breakthrough. But is he worried about a Mario Cristobal Game Management Moment? We will discuss it.Thank you to our subscribers and partnersBecome a paid subscriber today to get a lot more SZD, and check out www.nokiantyres.com/szd and www.homefieldapparel.comAlso, welcome our new partner, Dad Water. Code SZD for 20% off.Producer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comDespite a busy few weeks in 2025, college football teams fire fewer coaches at midseason than you might expect. But when they do, there are usually some through lines: The firing after the death knell loss, or the guy who gets canned in September instead of on “Black Sunday” after Thanksgiving. Richard and host emeritus Steven Godfrey roll through the past five years of coach carousels to find out just what went into each case when a coach got fired extremely early.Producer: Anthony Vito