SEC Football Unfiltered artwork

SEC Football Unfiltered

151 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★ - 24 ratings

SEC Football Unfiltered features hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the USA TODAY Network serving opinion, debate and analysis on trending college football topics within the Southeastern Conference. No subject is off limits, and no one is above rebuke. Take off the filter and revel in the banter.

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Episodes

Here are 8 schools SEC should consider if it desires more expansion

July 13, 2022 09:30 - 46 minutes - 42.4 MB

The conference realignment carousel has slowed, and the SEC may be content with 16 teams, after Oklahoma and Texas join the conference in 2025. But history tells us to always be on the lookout for further expansion and realignment. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams each identify four schools that the SEC should pursue if it seeks further expansion. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news...

Will SEC football remain ahead of the Big Ten after B1G's additions of USC, UCLA?

July 06, 2022 10:39 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MB

The SEC made the first move toward building a super-conference when it accepted Oklahoma and Texas last summer. The Big Ten threw a counterpunch last week by adding Southern Cal and UCLA, showing that while the SEC had pulled further ahead, at least one conference doesn't plan to be left in the dust. Hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate whether the Big Ten's additions will allow it catapult to the top of college football and how the SEC should respond. Stay connected on Twitter with...

Here's the most important game for every SEC football team during 2022 season

June 28, 2022 09:30 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MB

The college football season will begin on Aug. 27 with the so-called 'Week 0' games. That includes one SEC team, Vanderbilt, in action. And while that Week 0 slate is light on marquee matchups, a bevy of big games will be around the corner in September. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams examine the most pivotal game for every SEC team this season. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and J...

Why Auburn football's Bryan Harsin is on the hot seat so early in his tenure

June 17, 2022 09:30 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MB

Patience for SEC football coaches is extinct. To wit: Auburn's Bryan Harsin will enter his second season on the hot seat. There's recent precedent for firing a coach after two seasons, too. In November 2019, Arkansas fired Chad Morris amid his second season. Months later, Mississippi Sate fired Joe Moorhead after his second season. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams explain why the honeymoon period for coaches has shrunk and how that affects a...

Here are the 10 rivalries the SEC must protect at all costs after expansion

June 08, 2022 09:30 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MB

The SEC will reconfigure its alignment after Oklahoma and Texas join, and divisions likely will be dissolved in favor of an undivided, 16-team conference. Some rivalry games that are played annually now will shift to a once-every-two-years format after expansion. But certain rivalry games are so important that they need to be played every year. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams suggest 10 rivalry games that the SEC should protect as annual g...

Ready for SEC football? Here are our early picks against the spread for some Week 1 games

May 31, 2022 18:19 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MB

Place your bets, place your bets. We're less than three months away from the college football season kicking off, and gambling lines are set for some early-season games. Craving some advice? Fine, we'll help, although don't blame us if it backfires. It's your money, after all. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams make their picks against the spread for eight games involving SEC teams in Week 0 or Week 1. ...

A farewell to SEC divisions? Conference may be ready to move on, but here's our plan to keep them.

May 25, 2022 09:30 - 43 minutes - 39.6 MB

The SEC appears to be trending toward the idea of dumping its division format after Oklahoma and Texas join the conference, but we're not ready to give up on divisions just yet. On this edition, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams each attempt to draft the strongest eight-team division. Adams pulls a surprise with his No. 1 overall pick but insists he's building for the future. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football ...

Here are the former SEC football coaches we want to see back on the sideline

May 18, 2022 09:30 - 46 minutes - 42.4 MB

 The SEC has never lacked for colorful personalities among its football coaches, but some of the conference's top characters are no longer coaching. Who do we miss the most? On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams offer their list of coaches they wish were still on an SEC sideline. The late Bear Bryant and quipster Steve Spurrier top their picks, but some other selections may surprise you -- such as Bill Curry, the former Kentucky and Alabama coa...

Why the NCAA is doomed to fail in attempts to corral pay-for-play deals

May 11, 2022 10:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MB

The NCAA released its much-awaited NIL guidance to try to stem pay-for-play recruiting inducements funneled by boosters and collectives. NCAA enforcement is more toothless than ever, and deals have been made under their nose for months without interference. Are we supposed to believe that a reminder of the rules will put this train in reverse? On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams argue that the NCAA's reupped gui...

Why the USC Trojans are the top threat to rival the SEC's stranglehold on college football

May 04, 2022 09:30 - 39 minutes - 36 MB

Fifteen transfers have poured into USC. That includes the offseason's top prize, quarterback Caleb Williams, who followed Riley from Oklahoma to Hollywood. How about a marquee wide receiver to complement Williams? Pittsburgh's All-America wide receiver Jordan Addison is considering a transfer that could take him to USC, ESPN reported last week. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams examine the Trojans' cand...

Why Ohio State's CJ Stroud is more logical Heisman frontrunner than Alabama's Bryce Young

April 28, 2022 10:01 - 42 minutes - 39.1 MB

Depending on your sportsbook of choice, the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy in 2022 is one of two quarterbacks – Alabama's Bryce Young or Ohio State's C.J. Stroud. Young is the reigning Heisman winner, running away with the voting last year, while Stroud finished fourth. Alabama is expected to be the preseason No. 1, and although playing on the nation's best team isn't a prerequisite to winning the Heisman, it doesn't hurt, either. So, Young is the logical favorite, right? Hang on just...

In the spirit of coaches griping, here are our 5 college football grievances

April 20, 2022 09:48 - 35 minutes - 32.2 MB

College football coaches across the nation are grumbling about the direction of the sport.  But why should coaches get to enjoy the corner on complaints? Let's join the gaggle of grumblers. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams offer a collection of college football grievances.  Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribin...

The case for eliminating spring football games

April 13, 2022 09:33 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MB

Spring games once served a purpose as coaches evaluated their roster for the upcoming season, but the exhibitions are now an antiquated concept of limited value, given the expanded practice, training and conditioning calendar that marks today's college football. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams argue for the elimination of spring games. And they caution against drawing any significant depth-chart conclusions off a two-hour scrimmage. To wit...

SEC football power rankings: Alabama and Georgia are top dogs, but who's next?

March 30, 2022 09:55 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MB

Spring football means it's rankings season, and we're getting in on the action. Alabama will open the season as the favorite to win the national championship, and you'll hear no argument here. And while Georgia will be hard-pressed to match its 2021 star power, the Bulldogs are here to stay as a competing force in the SEC East. After that, things get interesting. Parity will be a relevant buzzword throughout much of the SEC in 2022. On the edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast f...

Here are top candidates to be the SEC's dark horse, overhyped team for 2022

March 23, 2022 10:32 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MB

Which SEC team will embody Ole Miss and become this season's dark horse, and which will emulate the Aggies in failing to live up to the hype? That forms the lead discussion from hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams on this week's installment of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe.

Anti-SEC bias: Did the NCAA selection committee snub the conference in seeding?

March 15, 2022 16:54 - 41 minutes - 37.9 MB

The SEC ranked as one of the nation's best basketball conferences this season but didn't receive much love from the NCAA selection committee. No SEC teams secured a No. 1 seed, and Tennessee got snubbed from a No. 2 seed despite going 27-6 and winning the conference tournament. Meanwhile, Texas A&M became arguably the best at-large team left out of the tournament. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast of the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams argue th...

Which new coach has a higher ceiling in 2022, Brian Kelly or Billy Napier?

March 09, 2022 10:13 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MB

LSU played its bowl game to conclude last season with a converted wide receiver as its quarterback. What a difference two months can make. LSU added 14 transfers this offseason, tied for the most in the nation. That influx of talent raises the bar for the Tigers during first-year coach Brian Kelly's inaugural season. Another first-year coach, Florida's Billy Napier, also used transfers (although not in the same abundance) to help stabilize the Gators' roster. On this edition of "SEC Foot...

Ranking SEC quarterbacks: After Bryce Young, which QB would you choose next?

March 02, 2022 11:14 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MB

The SEC is loaded with veteran quarterbacks and returning starters for 2022. Alabama's reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young headlines the group, but the talent runs much deeper than one or two guys. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams each draft four SEC quarterbacks as they try to build the best four-deep quarterback depth chart. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC foot...

Here are the SEC football teams hurt most by the playoff not expanding

February 23, 2022 10:25 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MB

The SEC has produced 10 playoff qualifiers in eight years, and an SEC team claimed the national championship in five of those seasons, including three in a row. Nonetheless, multiple SEC schools would have benefited if the playoff had expanded to a 12-team format that included six at-large bids. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams offer their SEC teams most negatively affected by the playoff remaining at f...

Arch Manning recruitment: Would David Cutcliffe tip scales to Texas football over Alabama?

February 16, 2022 10:54 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MB

Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss and Texas are the frontrunners for the commitment of quarterback Arch Manning, a five-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting class from Isidore Newman in New Orleans. He's the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, Archie's grandson and Cooper's son. But within that quartet, two tiers might be emerging. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams examine Manning's recruitment and which schools m...

If Auburn fires Bryan Harsin, here's who Tigers should consider hiring

February 09, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MB

Bryan Harsin remains Auburn's coach, but his future remains in question amid a university review into a coach who hasn't even been on the job for 14 months. February wouldn't be an ideal time to fire a coach, but that doesn't mean there wouldn't be any interest in the job. Is Auburn a "Prime" opportunity? On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams suggest that Jackson State coach Deion Sanders would make for an i...

Ranking the SEC's fired coaches, from best to worst, in the past 5 years

February 02, 2022 16:09 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MB

SEC football coaches can move from the penthouse to the outhouse at rapid speed. Just look at the 2021 season: LSU fired Ed Orgeron not even two years after he led the Tigers to a national championship, and Florida fired Dan Mullen one year after the Gators won the SEC East. That makes 14 SEC coaches fired in the past five seasons. Every school has fired at least one coach during that span except for Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast fr...

Is signing recruits passé? Ole Miss, Florida, LSU and others in the SEC are raiding transfers

January 26, 2022 10:54 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MB

Ole Miss football had a relatively quiet December signing period, compared to many of its SEC peers. The Rebels signed 17 players, 13 of whom are three-star prospects. Their 2022 recruiting class ranks 10th in the SEC. Other SEC programs highlight 247Sports' transfer top 10, too. LSU is No. 2, South Carolina is No. 5, Arkansas is No. 6 and Florida is No. 10. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate whet...

Which SEC football team will be next to end a national championship drought?

January 20, 2022 12:43 - 39 minutes - 36.4 MB

When Georgia beat Alabama 33-18 on Jan. 10, the Bulldogs became the fifth SEC team to win a national championship during this millennium, joining Alabama, Auburn, Florida and LSU. Georgia had not won a national championship since 1980. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate which SEC team will be the next to end a national championship drought. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and Jo...

Is Georgia football built to last like Alabama, or headed for a backslide like LSU Tigers?

January 13, 2022 11:26 - 43 minutes - 39.7 MB

Alabama has never finished a season outside of the top 10 in the AP poll since the 2007 season, Saban's first year on the job. Now that Georgia has won its first national championship since the 1980 season with a 33-18 triumph over Alabama on Monday in Indianapolis, we're set to learn whether the Bulldogs have longevity. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered" a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams outline why Georgia's staying power under Kirby Sma...

Why expanding the College Football Playoff wouldn't hamper Alabama dominance

January 06, 2022 10:41 - 41 minutes - 38 MB

Throughout the eight years the College Football Playoff has been in place, 12 of the 16 semifinal games have been decided by more than 14 points. That included both semifinal games this season.  No. 1 Alabama defeated No. 4 Cincinnati 27-6 in the Cotton Bowl before No. 3 Georgia thumped No. 2 Michigan 34-11 in the Orange Bowl. Some pundits think expanding the playoff would create closer games and more varied outcomes. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA T...

Did LSU, Florida Gators, USC Trojans or Miami Hurricanes make the best hire?

December 21, 2021 11:00 - 38 minutes - 35.7 MB

No shortage of quality college football jobs came open during this year's coaching carousel. LSU ranks among the top five jobs in the sport. It came open. So did another marquee SEC job: Florida. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams rank the hires for these six high-profile jobs. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscrib...

Where should Bo Nix, Max Johnson, Zach Calzada transfer? Here are some SEC schools in need

December 15, 2021 10:46 - 35 minutes - 32.9 MB

College football coaches predicted that loosening transfer restrictions on athletes would yield a free agency-like system, and that's come to fruition after the NCAA changed the rules last spring to grant immediate eligibility to all first-time transfers. The transfer portal is bursting at the seams, and it's not just full of bums and project players. Already, former Oklahoma starting quarterback Spencer Rattler has transferred to South Carolina. Also in the portal are former SEC starting ...

Why Georgia football's playoff fate isn't centered on Stetson Bennett ... or J.T. Daniels

December 07, 2021 11:16 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MB

If the Georgia football team is to win a national championship this season, it's not going to be through the arm of its quarterback. These Bulldogs were fashioned as a throwback. For 12 games, Georgia used a menacing defense and an offense built around its rushing attack to ascend to No. 1 in the nation. But those linchpins didn't hold in a 41-24 loss to No. 2 Alabama on Saturday in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA...

Did LSU football hit a home run with Brian Kelly or overspend in a panic buy?

December 01, 2021 11:34 - 39 minutes - 35.8 MB

LSU opened the bank vault, stroked a big check, and got its man. Southern Cal's moment in the spotlight after hiring Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma didn't last long. LSU seized the attention by lifting veteran Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly away from one of the sport's most iconic jobs for the chance at a richer paycheck and fertile recruiting ground on the Bayou. Kelly received a 10-year contract worth $95 million, plus incentives. But did LSU make a home-run hire or overspend in a panic buy ...

A few candidates the Florida Gators should (and shouldn't) consider as next football coach

November 23, 2021 16:19 - 44 minutes - 40.8 MB

Florida became the third marquee college football job to open this season when the Gators fired Dan Mullen amid his fourth season on Sunday. The Gators join LSU and Southern Cal with openings considered to be among the top-15 jobs in college football. Other Power Five jobs available include Washington, Washington State, Virginia Tech and TCU. Suffice it to say that this year's coaching carousel will offer an even wilder ride than usual. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podc...

Who faced the toughest coaching job – Sam Pittman, Mike Leach or Lane Kiffin?

November 17, 2021 07:31 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MB

Arkansas, Mississippi State and Ole Miss rank as the toughest jobs in the SEC West.  Second-year coaches Sam Pittman, Mike Leach and Lane Kiffin are making them look relatively easy. Each team secured an important victory on Saturday. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams evaluate the speedy program turnarounds being orchestrated by Kiffin, Pittman and Leach. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmey...

Here's the case for retaining embattled Florida Gators coach Dan Mullen

November 10, 2021 10:20 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MB

If Florida is going to fire embattled coach Dan Mullen, it must consider two questions: Who can the Gators legitimately expect to hire? And is Florida confident it will outrank LSU and Southern Cal on the vacancy pecking order? LSU and USC got a jumpstart on their coaching searches in October and September, respectively. Do the Gators really want to enter that brew now? On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams ...

Here are two options for how the College Football Playoff rankings should look

November 02, 2021 09:47 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MB

Georgia almost certainly will be ranked No. 1 when the first College Football Playoff rankings are unveiled on Tuesday night. Sorry to spoil the surprise. After that, it's going to get interesting.  On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate how they'd order the top seven teams in this week's rankings. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC ...

SEC coach of the year: Can Lane Kiffin or Mark Stoops beat Kirby Smart?

October 28, 2021 09:58 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MB

Kirby Smart is the man to beat for SEC coach of the year. But if Smart’s Bulldogs (7-0, 5-0) stumble before the College Football Playoff, or if voters are just desperate for a plucky underdog story, other candidates would come into play. On this edition of “SEC Football Unfiltered,” a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate the top candidates who could threaten Smart for SEC coach of the year. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and J...

Who's the top LSU football coaching candidate who would say yes to the Tigers?

October 21, 2021 09:42 - 45 minutes - 41.4 MB

It's coaching search season for LSU football. The Tigers will have a new coach in 2022 after Sunday's announcement that coach Ed Orgeron will be dismissed at the conclusion of this season. This will mark the opening of one of college football's top jobs, and one of college athletics' most highly regarded athletics directors, Scott Woodward, is expected to swing for a big-name hire. On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer an...

After Alabama football loss, how close is the SEC West from veering into chaos?

October 13, 2021 21:01 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MB

On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams offer an SEC West reset and debate whether Saturday's upset in College Station, Texas, said more about Texas A&M and how it never should have lost to Arkansas and Mississippi State, or whether it revealed real concerns for Alabama.  

Which SEC football fan bases should be utterly miffed after 5 games?

October 06, 2021 09:51 - 50 minutes - 45.8 MB

Life is good if you're a fan of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky or perhaps a couple other schools within the SEC. Elsewhere around the SEC, there's angst, especially after a weekend in which three favorites suffered upset defeats. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe.

We made SEC football preseason predictions. We were wrong about a few. Time to fess up

September 29, 2021 12:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MB

The summer tradition is for college football scribes to make predictions about the upcoming season. And the fall tradition is to realize we were wrong about many of those predictions. We're no exception, and we're willing to confess our mistakes. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe.

Why Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss are a bigger threat to Alabama than Georgia, Florida or A&M

September 22, 2021 10:04 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MB

LSU's Ed Orgeron is the only active SEC coach with a victory over Nick Saban. But judging by No. 1 Alabama's 31-29 victory over Florida on Saturday, the Crimson Tide aren't invincible this season. Alabama (3-0, 1-0) should enjoy a bit of a breather this week against Southern Miss before back-to-back showdowns with No. 13 Ole Miss (3-0) and No. 5 Texas A&M (3-0). Plus, the SEC Championship likely will feature either a clash with No. 2 Georgia (3-0, 1-0) or a rematch against No. 11 Florida (...

Is USC Trojans football still a better job than most SEC coaching jobs?

September 15, 2021 09:59 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MB

There was a time, a time not that long ago, when the Southern Cal football job was the coaching job in America. USC has the history, with 11 national championships, and a nationally recognized brand. It can recruit within a state that has a good talent base or recruit nationwide to its Los Angeles location. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is one of the most venerable stadiums in the country.  But USC's mighty image has taken a hit in recent years, and the Trojans on Monday fired coach Clay H...

Ed Orgeron is on the hot seat, but just how bad can it get for LSU football?

September 08, 2021 10:35 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MB

Just how hot is the seat under LSU coach Ed Orgeron? That's the storyline the Tigers had hoped to avoid this season, but it's the storyline they face after a 38-27 loss to UCLA on Saturday. LSU got whipped in the trenches, Max Johnson played flustered, a coordinator change didn't solve LSU's defense, and the Tigers need more playmakers than just Kayshon Boutte on offense. LSU didn't play with a lot of fire, either, and now Orgeron's long-term future with the program is being questioned ju...

Why some SEC football teams should embrace a COVID forfeit rather than play Alabama

September 01, 2021 09:58 - 36 minutes - 33.2 MB

The SEC has provided its members with the perfect cop-out to suffering a beatdown at the hands of No. 1 Alabama. Claim a COVID-19 forfeit. On Wednesday, the SEC announced that teams will be assessed a forfeit loss if they are unable to compete in a game this season because of roster limitations brought on by positive COVID-19 tests or quarantines. Perfect. USA TODAY Network hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams embrace using the COVID forfeit as a strategic move. Stay connected on Twitte...

Which SEC football team is most overrated, and which is most underrated?

August 25, 2021 09:33 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MB

Is Texas A&M truly the biggest threat to Alabama in the SEC West? Does Bryce Young, JT Daniels or Matt Corral have the best chance at winning the Heisman Trophy? Will Georgia enjoy a cakewalk en route to winning the SEC East? Questions abound ahead of the 2021 SEC football season. As usual, a team likely will prove to be overrated (LSU and Auburn headed that camp last year) and while another is underrated (see Texas A&M in 2020). Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John...

How to summarize each SEC football team's 2021 season outlook in a single sentence

August 19, 2021 09:30 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MB

Six SEC football teams are ranked in the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA coaches poll, while five are ranked in the AP Top 25. The SEC is top heavy, with No. 1 Alabama, No. 5 Georgia and No. 6 Texas A&M accounting for half of the top six spots in each poll. And, as usual, the SEC West is expected to be the more powerful division. John and Blake weigh in on the preseason polls, and they offer their one-sentence summary outlook for each SEC team. Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btop...

If the SEC desires further expansion, here are 6 additional schools it should admit

August 12, 2021 02:03 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MB

Texas and Oklahoma wanted to join the SEC's party, and the nation's richest and most powerful conference was willing to admit entry. Surely those two Big 12 schools aren't the only universities that would like a seat at the SEC's table. So, who else should the SEC want? Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe

Is more SEC expansion ahead? If so, would conference want Florida State and Clemson?

August 03, 2021 02:15 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MB

Florida State is willing to flirt with other conferences. That's the message outgoing FSU president John Thrasher delivered during a recent interview with the Tallahassee Democrat. Should the SEC swipe right on the Seminoles? Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe

Which first-year SEC football coach will be fired first?

July 27, 2021 09:25 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MB

Four SEC football coaches were fired last season amid a pandemic that ate away at athletic department earnings.  That came after preseason speculation that coach firings would reduce during the pandemic as universities looked to avoid paying costly buyouts. So much for that idea.  Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe

What would the SEC look like if Texas and Oklahoma joined?

July 21, 2021 22:17 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MB

It was SEC Media Days but two schools from out of the conference were the ones making news. Texas and Oklahoma reportedly want to join the SEC. Is there a place for them? And if so, what does the future of the SEC look like? 

Will the media really pick Georgia over Alabama to win the SEC? Don't count on it.

July 15, 2021 00:36 - 41 minutes - 37.6 MB

Alabama or Georgia? That's the question most of the media members who cover the SEC will face when they submit their conference predictions next week at SEC Media Days in Hoover, Alabama. The predictions for West and East division champions don't carry much intrigue. Almost certainly, Nick Saban's Crimson Tide will be the selection in the West, while Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs will hold the vote in the East. But the pick for SEC champion could be spicy. Stay connected on Twitter with...

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