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

Bruce and Ralph went live after an incredible Ole Miss win over Georgia. Can anyone stop this Ole Miss team? They’ll move on to Miami, who came to play and toppled their own giant in a 24-14 defeat of Ohio State. And with bye week teams falling to 1-7 in the 12-team CFP era, does anyone get to use the bye as an excuse? Indiana didn’t disappoint, steamrolling the Tide 38-3 (don’t they know they’re supposed to be a Cinderella story?). And Oregon convincingly shut out Texas Tech 23-0. Will the Texas Tech boosters spend all that money differently next time? 

The guys break down the quarterfinal matchups and make their picks. Kyle Whittingham takes the Michigan head coaching job after stepping down at Utah, bringing 21 years of experience to stabilize a program in crisis. The guys debate whether the 66-year-old is the right fit and discuss his five-year timeline. Lincoln Riley blames the Irish for the cancellation of the annual USC-Notre Dame matchup, while Marcus Freeman signs an extension. Plus, while transfer portal money reaches new heights, have new rules curtailed spending at all?

Bruce, Katie Strang, and Austin Meek's bombshell investigation reveals disturbing details about Sherrone Moore's behavior leading up to his firing at Michigan. Bruce breaks down some of the epic dysfunction inside the program. USC and Notre Dame's historic rivalry goes on indefinite hiatus after playing (almost) every year since 1926. Who's to blame for ending a century-old tradition?Bobby Petrino joins Bill Belichick's circus at North Carolina as offensive coordinator. Will the volatile mix of personalities lead to Petrino as interim head coach by November? Then: the guys preview their favorite bowl games, and answer some mailbag questions. 

Bruce, Stew, and Ralph recap the first round and look ahead to the quarterfinals. Plus, Ralph argues that college football has always been a league of systems and conditions, rather than one based on merit alone. So, do we want a system that gives teams like JMU and Tulane a path to flourish, or do we want to shut them out? 

Bruce surveyed two dozen college coaches about the playoff field, and the results are surprising: not one coach voted for Ryan Day as the best coach. Only one picked Indiana to win it all, and a majority believe Miami will upset Texas A&M on the road.The guys pick all the first round games against the spread. Can the Group of Five teams avoid embarrassment and preserve future playoff access? Ralph argues these blowout-prone matchups hurt the entertainment product, while Stew defends Cinderella stories.Plus mailbag questions on Indiana's success, Jedd Fisch's coaching credentials, and Diego Pavia's Heisman night behavior.

The Michigan situation has taken a darker turn than anyone expected. Bruce, Ralph, and Stew break down how Sherrone Moore's firing has evolved into a potential crisis in the athletic department, why AD Warde Manuel's job may be in jeopardy, and what this means for the coaching search. They debate whether Kellen DeBoer could realistically leave Alabama and discuss candidates like Jedd Fisch.Meanwhile, the transfer portal is exploding with quarterback talent. Dylan Raiola, DJ Lagway, and Sam Leavitt headline a loaded QB class. The crew ranks the top available signal-callers and discusses how NIL money is changing the draft-or-stay calculation.Plus, Ferndando Mendoza wins the Heisman in a relative landslide over Diego Pavia. The guys divulge how they voted this year, and why Pavia's competitive fire led to his controversial social media posts. And: should Notre Dame join a conference after their playoff snub?

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was fired yesterday for having an "inappropriate relationship with a staff member." As of last night, he was being held in Washtenaw County Jail. Bruce and Ralph react to this news and what it means for Michigan.

Ralph and Stew break down Notre Dame’s escalating feud with the ACC, Brett Yormark’s unusually sharp public criticism, and what the fallout means for next year’s CFP format. Plus: early Heisman thoughts and your mailbag questions.