Podcast of Champions - Big Ten Football Podcast · Ryan Abraham and David Woods, Big Ten Football, College Football

The SEC finally moves to 9 conference games plus the B1G's dumb playoff proposal

·1 hr 19 min·5 clips

Why UCLA's new coach shutting out media could backfire and alienate fans.

Hosts Ryan Abraham and David Woods, covering USC and UCLA respectively, analyze Big Ten and national college football news as the 2025 season approaches. They discuss the SEC's decision to move to a nine-game conference schedule starting in 2026, adopting a three permanent rivals plus six rotating opponents format. The hosts note the SEC will also require each team to play a Power Four non-conference opponent, effectively ending late-season FCS games. Ryan Abraham views the SEC's move as a positive step toward creating more uniform scheduling comparisons between major conferences. David Woods argues that increased conformity between the Big Ten and SEC will accelerate playoff expansion and further erode the regular season's importance. They reference a leaked proposal for a 24 or 28-team playoff with seven automatic qualifiers for each mega-conference, which both hosts criticize. Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti are mentioned as key figures in these discussions. A surprising insight is Woods's contention that the sport's decision-makers "do not give a shit about college football" and are dismantling the product fans love. Abraham highlights research from Ralph Russo showing that, historically, several preseason unranked teams make the playoff, which supports the 12-team format. The hosts find the Michigan sanctions, including show-cause orders for Connor Stalions and Jim Harbaugh and financial penalties, to be a fitting, lore-creating punishment rather than a program-destroying event. They characterize the settlement of Pat Fitzgerald's $130 million lawsuit against Northwestern as a significant loss for the university, which had to issue a statement saying the legal process did not establish his awareness of hazing. Woods details UCLA's newly restrictive media policies, which reduced practice access to mere minutes and eliminated player interviews, calling it an "own goal" driven by animosity rather than competitive strategy. The tone is conversational, candid, and often critical, featuring insider perspectives laced with sarcastic humor about the sport's direction. Fans of realignment strategy and conference politics will appreciate the detailed scheduling analysis. Listeners who enjoy hosts debating the business and cultural erosion of college football will find this episode engaging. Those seeking only game previews or optimistic sportswriting might skip the cynical commentary.

As heard by us

Preseason Big Ten talk that turns practice-access politics into a loose, engaging listen.

Podcast of Champions keeps the Big Ten conversation moving with a brisk, opinionated tone, as Ryan Abraham and David Woods weigh preseason angles with confidence.

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Why you'd press play

You want Big Ten football chatter right before kickoff, with a lively preseason argument.

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