The Big Ten & SEC Ban Pros + Arch Manning Top 100 Slide + Week 0 Picks

The Big Ten & SEC Ban Pros + Arch Manning Top 100 Slide + Week 0 Picks

Author: The Athletic August 27, 2026 Duration: 1:01:10

The 2026 college football season is officially here! Today we break down the massive emergency eligibility guardrails passed by the Big Ten and SEC, Arch Manning's surprising drop in the Top 100 rankings, and hand out our official Week 0 picks. 


Welcome back to The Audible with Stew & Ralph! With the final Week 0 games kicking off this week, football is finally back. Stew and Ralph pull back the curtain on their ultimate game-day viewing habits, detailing the micro player details and macro team schemes they focus on when tape is rolling.


The guys dive into the biggest news of the week: the Big Ten and SEC passing historic roster guardrails to prevent players on professional sports contracts from returning to the college ranks. Plus, we react to The Athletic's Top 100 list seeing Texas quarterback Arch Manning slide to No. 32, predict which Top 25 powerhouse will end up completely unranked, and drop our official Week 0 game picks.


📺 Watch us on YouTube: @AudibleShow

🎧 Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode.


Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

1:45 - SEC and Big Ten take a stand

11:55 - Top 100 College Football players talk

18:00 - Week 0 preview

23:45 - North Carolina vs. TCU

26:52 - San Jose State at USC

31:45 - NC State at Virginia

35:31 - Memphis at UNLV

39:08 - Mailbag


Follow the Crew on X:

🔹 Stewart Mandel: @slmandel

🔹 Bruce Feldman: @BruceFeldmanCFB

🔹 Ralph Russo: @ralphDrussoATH



#TheAudible #CollegeFootball #ArchManning #BigTen #SEC #Week0 #TexasLonghorns #CFBPicks #CFB2026


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


For anyone who lives and breathes college football, the weekly conversation happening on The Audible with Stew, Bruce & Ralph is essential. This isn't just a recap of last Saturday's scores; it's where the sport's narrative gets unpacked by three of its most connected and seasoned voices. Bruce Feldman, Stewart Mandel, and Ralph Russo bring a combined depth of experience that cuts through the noise, offering clarity on everything from coaching changes and playoff implications to the evolving landscape of conferences and recruiting. Their access is a key part of the podcast, featuring candid interviews with coaches, players, and insiders you won't hear elsewhere. Whether it's the frenzy of National Signing Day, the weekly drama of the regular season, or the road to the National Championship, they provide a consistent, intelligent, and often entertaining analysis that follows the sport's endless calendar. Presented by The Athletic, this show delivers the kind of substantive discussion and forward-looking insight that true fans rely on, making it a staple for those who want to go deeper than the headlines.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Audible with Stew, Bruce & Ralph: A show about college football
Podcast Episodes
What Lincoln Riley Must Prove + Big Ten Media Day Expectations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:54
In today’s episode, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman and Ralph Russo break down a chaotic week in college football, starting with breaking news out of Chapel Hill, a massive Big Ten Media Day preview, and the sport’s latest…
Should Georgia’s Kirby Smart worry about Florida with Jon Sumrall [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:21
In this episode, Bruce Feldman, Stewart Mandel, and Ralph Russo dive deep into the latest college football headlines, rank the nation's quarterbacks, and answer your burning questions in the mailbag.First, we react to Fl…
Will The SEC Actually Leave The NCAA? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:39
Would the SEC do the unthinkable and leave college football? Bruce Feldman, Stewart Mandel, and Ralph Russo discuss SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey’s press conference. The Southeastern Conference head spoke today at the ann…
Was Brian Kelly's Notre Dame exit mischaracterized? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:10
Brian Kelly is back in the college football conversation, and Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman break down his recent revealing interview. Kelly addressed his Notre Dame exit, his relationship with Notre Dame fans, and wh…
Is Arch Manning the real deal — or are we overhyping the name? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:49
It's time for the biggest storylines entering the 2026 season. Can Curt Cignetti keep Indiana among the College Football Playoff contenders? How will the SEC's new nine-game conference schedule impact the playoff race? W…
Can Deion Sanders build Colorado into a sustainable program? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:40
Welcome to The Audible presented by Trader Joe’s! In this action-packed episode, Bruce Feldman, Stewart Mandel, and Ralph Russo break down the biggest storylines in the college football world. We kick things off with a w…
Why Brendan Sorsby's Comeback Fell Apart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:16
Texas Tech's wild offseason isn't over, the College Football Playoff could be expanding again, and the NCAA's latest eligibility overhaul is already facing legal challenges. Ralph Russo and Stew Mandel revisit the bigges…