GUEST: Brooks Austin, AI Recruiting, 24-Team Playoff, NEW CFB Blue Bloods, Big Ten, SEC, ACC Payouts & More

GUEST: Brooks Austin, AI Recruiting, 24-Team Playoff, NEW CFB Blue Bloods, Big Ten, SEC, ACC Payouts & More

Author: Fox Sports Radio and iHeartPodcasts May 6, 2026 Duration: 1:49:26

George Wrighster breaks down college football recruiting, AI in football, Big Ten football, SEC football, Big 12 expansion money, Kirby Smart, college football blue bloods, and the future of the College Football Playoff in this loaded George Wrighster’s College Football Podcast episode on the Unafraid Show. This is a full college football conversation built around how AI is changing recruiting and player evaluation, why the Big Ten is outpacing the SEC financially, why the Big 12’s private equity move is risky, why a 24-team playoff could hurt the sport, and which programs still deserve to be called blue bloods over the last 25 years.

The biggest takeaway, according to George, is that college football is changing faster than a lot of people want to admit. He explains how AI is already being used by programs like Florida and Nebraska to sort through portal players and evaluate recruits, and why that could help staffs save time while also creating a dangerous filter that causes some prospects to get missed. He also reacts to Kirby Smart giving the Big Ten credit, argues that the SEC’s talent advantage has masked coaching issues, and breaks down why the Big Ten’s massive payouts prove football is a full-scale money-making enterprise now. George also sounds off on the Big 12’s private equity play, warns that a 24-team playoff is about money more than fans, and then closes with Brooks Austin for a huge blue-blood debate based on AP top-5 finishes, CFP appearances, conference titles, national championships, recruiting, and first-round picks over the last 25 years. Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Oklahoma, USC, LSU, Clemson, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Florida State, Miami, and Notre Dame all get put under the microscope, while Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Auburn, Penn State, and Indiana become part of the larger conversation too. That is what makes this such a huge college football, AI recruiting, Big Ten vs SEC, Kirby Smart, Big 12, blue bloods, Notre Dame, USC, Alabama, Ohio State, and Brooks Austin conversation.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro: AI Recruiting, Big Ten Money, Blue Blood Debate

01:39 Best Thing George Saw Today

02:06 How AI Is Already Changing College Football

02:40 Florida And Nebraska Using AI In Football Operations

03:58 Could AI Start Evaluating Recruits Before Humans?

05:01 Will AI Help Recruiting Or Make More Kids Fall Through The Cracks?

06:01 Kirby Smart Reluctantly Gives The Big Ten Credit

07:18 George Says The Big Ten Is Better Coached Than The SEC

08:24 Why The SEC Grind Argument Is Wearing Thin

09:25 Big Ten Payouts Prove College Football Is Big Business

10:27 Ohio State, Michigan, And Penn State Revenue Gap

11:33 How The SEC Compares Financially

12:38 ACC And Big 12 Payouts Compared

13:43 Why Scholarships No Longer Match Football’s Real Value

14:45 The Big 12’s Risky Private Equity Play

16:56 Why The Big 12 Credit Line Could Be Dangerous

18:05 Why Coaches Want A 24-Team Playoff

19:08 George Says Fans Hate The 24-Team Idea

20:10 Why A Bigger Playoff Could Hurt The Regular Season

20:41 Brooks Austin Joins For The Blue Blood Debate

22:21 The Metrics For Modern Blue Blood Status

25:11 Alabama Is The Modern Blue Blood King

28:00 Ohio State Comes In At No. 2

31:10 Georgia’s Rise Under Kirby Smart

34:52 Oklahoma’s 25-Year Run Gets More Respect

38:19 USC Still Makes The List — But The Prestige Is Fading

44:11 LSU’s Last 25 Years Are Undeniable

49:00 Clemson’s Entire Run Belongs To Dabo

54:30 Texas Makes The List But Feels Underachieving

57:38 Florida’s Last 25 Years Still Carry Weight

01:02:03 Michigan Makes It — But Feels Texas-Like

01:06:16 Florida State Makes It, But Brooks Pushes Back Hard

01:24:53 Miami Lands On The List

01:25:24 Notre Dame Makes It Despite Conference Penalty

01:28:09 Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Penn State, Auburn, And Indiana Get Love

 

#CollegeFootball #CFB #BigTenFootball #SECFootball #Big12Football #ACCFootball #AIRecruiting #KirbySmart #GeorgeWrighster #BrooksAustin #BlueBloods #CollegeFootballTalk #CFBNews #UnafraidShow #OhioStateFootball #AlabamaFootball #GeorgiaFootball #USCFootball #NotreDameFootball #TexasFootball #LSUFootball #ClemsonFootball #FloridaStateFootball #MichiganFootball #NebraskaFootball #TennesseeFootball #IndianaFootball #CollegeFootballPodcast

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The conversation around college football is loud, crowded, and often misses the point. College Football Apostles-WE LOVE CFB cuts through the noise with a blend of hard-earned field knowledge and razor-sharp media analysis. Hosts George Wrighster, who brings the perspective of a former NFL player and a current national radio voice, and Ralph Amsden, a writer deeply embedded in the CFB landscape, don’t just report the scores-they unpack the culture, strategy, and sheer drama that makes this sport a year-round obsession. This isn't a dry recap; it's a passionate, informed, and often unfiltered dialogue from the heart of the sport. You'll hear breakdowns that go beyond typical punditry, interviews that get to the why, and arguments fueled by genuine expertise and a shared, unabashed love for the game. Produced as part of the Unafraid Show and presented by Fox Sports Radio and iHeartPodcasts, each episode feels like pulling up a chair at the best sports bar in town, where the hosts have done all the film study so you get the clearest picture. For fans who live for recruiting news, transfer portal chaos, historic rivalries, and the path to the playoff, this podcast delivers the depth and authenticity that true disciples of the game deserve. Tune in for the kind of content that reminds you why you fell in love with college football in the first place.
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