Cover 3 College Football

The Cover 3 crew discusses the many options for the CFP’s future. First, reaction to the momentum for a 12-team model (4:00) and whether expansion is better or worse for the sport when it comes to determining a champion (15:00). Then, the potential of upsets in an expanded playoff (23:30), debating the value of fan delusion (29:00) and how much impact conference championship weekend should have in...

David Lake joins Bud Elliott for an insider’s take on Miami football. David Lake has covered the Hurricanes for more than 15 years and offers his expertise for InsideTheU, 247Sports’ Miami site. He reflects on 2020, a season where Miami “won the games they were supposed to win” and explains why the wide receiver position will determine the team’s ceiling in 2021. Plus, why Miami fans should feel b...

The Cover 3 Crew reacts to Nick Saban’s contract extension with Alabama. Tom Fornelli and Chip Patterson discuss Saban’s deal, which runs through the 2028 season and 2029 recruiting cycle, in this Emergency Pod edition of the show. Topics include whether Saban will coach Alabama until the end of the deal, how many titles the Tide will win in that span and what this news means for the rest of the S...

The Cover 3 crew returns to talk high school recruiting and Georgia’s transfer portal headlines. First, what exactly went down at Florida State’s Midnight Madness as thousands of prospects showed up to Tallahassee to celebrate the end of the recruiting dead period with a mega camp weekend (3:00). Then, the many storylines surrounding the commitments of both Arik Gilbert and Derion Kendrick to Geor...

Brendan Sonnone joins Bud Elliott for an insider’s take on the Seminoles in 2021. Brendan Sonnone covers FSU for Noles247 and he details the many challenges faced by Mike Norvell in his first year as head coach, especially in terms of evaluation and recruiting. The Seminoles have welcomed a good number of impact transfers for 2021, with key additions beyond the headline-worthy arrival of quarterba...

Tyler Donohue joins Bud Elliott for an insider’s take on the Nittany Lions in 2021. Tyler Donohue writes for Lions247 and hosts the Lions247 podcast, and after checking out spring practice he’s got some reasons to think Penn State will bounce back from a disappointing 2020. Tune in to hear what’s expected from a new offensive coordinator and how it might impact quarterback Sean Clifford, why the g...

Anna Hickey joins Chip Patterson for an insider's look at Clemson. Anna covers the Tigers for Clemson247 and dives into some of the burning questions around the team here in the post-Trevor Lawrence era. She offers a final grade for Clemson's spring practice, identifies the positions where the team still needs starters to emerge and why the defense could be one of the best in the country. Cover 3...

Joey Helmer joins Bud Elliott for an insider’s take on the Sooners in 2021. Joey Helmer of OUInsider discusses how Oklahoma seems to have its most complete team since 2008, setting the expectations for a run at a national championship this fall. Tune in to hear what questions still need to be answered, how defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has helped that side of the ball improve under his watch a...

The Cover 3 crew answers questions on BCS history, top 2021 games, next coach at Iowa and more. First, a review of the BCS era identifying the years that would have been even better with a four-team playoff (2:00) and whether Wisconsin needs to consider a new offensive approach to take the next step (10:00). Then, not necessarily the biggest but the most important games on the 2021 regular season...

Oregon State insider Carter Bahns discusses what's ahead for the Beavers in 2021. The discussion includes the improvements that Oregon State has made in 2019 and even 2020 in terms of competitiveness, shedding the reputation of being a Pac-12 doormat, how the personnel has been upgraded by the transfer portal in recent years under Jonathan Smith and what the defense needs to do to help the Beavers...

The Cover 3 crew projects what will happen if every team hits its 2021 win total. First, what the arrival of TJ Finley does for Bo Nix and the Auburn quarterback room (1:30) and some big-picture strategies to picking win totals (8:15) before diving in with Michigan and what it means for Jim Harbaugh if the Wolverines go 8-4 (16:00) as well as whether 6-6 is a successful season for Scott Frost at N...

Matt Prehm joins Bud Elliott for an insider’s take on Oregon in 2021. Matt Prehm covers the Ducks for DuckTerritory, 247Sports’ Oregon site, and hosts with the excellent Oregon podcast Autzen Audibles. Prehm explains what the reasonable fan expectations are for 2021 and what went right or wrong if those expectations are or aren’t going to be met. Tune in to hear why he’s excited about the wide rec...

The Cover 3 crew breaks down the first gambling lines of the 2021 season. First, a big-picture discussion on a top Texas running back deciding to opt out of his senior season in high school to prepare for his college career (1:15) and how a former Clemson defensive back could wind up providing a boost to the Georgia defense (18:00). Then it’s on to the first “Game of the Year” lines (22:45), where...

The Cover 3 crew answers listener questions on the Vols, Miami, great WRs and more. First sharing some of the feedback to our Coach Rankings show (2:00) before jumping into the big ol bag of mail with with the most dynamic wide receivers we’ve watched in person (6:45). Then, what if childhood Vols fan Trevor Lawrence had gone to Tennessee instead of Clemson (13:40)? What if Miami hadn’t left the B...

The Cover 3 crew reveals and debates the new CBS Sports coach rankings. After a reveal of the entire list from No. 1 to No. 65 (4:40), the discussion begins with the value of recruiting as a skill for modern coaches, focusing on Kirby Smart and others who have talent advantages against the competition (9:00). Then it’s on to the other side of the coaching debate with the likes of Pat Fitzgerald an...

The Cover 3 crew talks coaches, the new Pac-12 commish and Sam Houston’s title win. First, how do you rank coaches? The show begins with a philosophical debate on what matters, what should matter and some results from our individual ballots that may give us a preview into the debates we’ll have once the CBS Sports Power Five Coach Rankings are released on Tuesday and Wednesday (1:30). Then, the bi...

The Cover 3 answers listener questions on Malik Willis, blue bloods and more. First, trying to identify the best running backs in college football for 2021 (1:30), whether Malik Willis will have a Zach Wilson-like rise in the NFL Draft (8:20) and settling a family beef that’s brewing ahead of Penn State-Ball State this fall (16:00). Then, is blue blood status something that can be gained or lost a...

Who will be the next CFP rookie? The Cover 3 crew debates the top picks. First, what Henry To’o To’o can bring to Alabama’s defense now that he’s announced the Tide as his transfer destination (1:30). Then, the debate for next College Football Playoff newcomer begins with last year’s first team out: Texas A&M (10:50). After that we go around the country with a look at USC (18:00), whether Flor...

Follow the 'Pick Six NFL' podcast: https://plnk.to/PickSix College and NFL perspectives clash in this early look to next year’s NFL Draft. The podcast crossover event of the year is back again with Will Brinson and Ryan Wilson of the Pick Six Podcast joining Chip Patterson and Tom Fornelli to discuss what next year’s NFL Draft might look like. After a brief review of how our predictions from last...

The Cover 3 crew answers listener questions on the draft, Baylor and more. First, why we want to hear more coaches boasting like Jimbo Fisher did when questioned whether Texas A&M could beat Nick Saban and Alabama (1:45), potential landing spots for a former LSU QB (7:50) and Clemson gets another piece back for its 2021 defense (12:00). Then it’s on to the big ole bag of mail, with questions o...

The Cover 3 crew discusses and debates the best teams in the country. First, catching up on some transfer news with additions for both Tennessee and Alabama (1:45) before a rundown of the entire top 25 from the just-released CBS Sports post-spring college football rankings (18:10). Topics discussed include where to draw the line for the top tier of title contenders and whether Iowa State should be...

The Cover 3 crew recaps all the college and conference angles to the NFL Draft. After some lingering reaction to Kansas’ big news on Friday (1:30), we kickstart the draft talk with what’s behind the SEC’s dominance in the NFL Draft as it sets yet another modern record for picks (10:00). Then it’s to the other end of the conference count with a look at the Big 12, which had no first round picks and...

Instant reaction to the breaking news that Kansas has found its next head football coach. Tom Fornelli and Chip Patterson discuss what the hire means for the Jayhawks, with a look at Lance Leipold's history at both Wisconsin-Whitewater and Buffalo to determine what might be in store for Kansas football. Plus, what are realistic expectations for Kansas under Leipold in both the immediate and somewh...

The Cover 3 reacts live to the first round of the NFL Draft. Tom Fornelli, Bud Elliott and Chip Patterson discuss Alabama’s record-tying first round draft class and whether the 2017 recruiting class is one of the best of all time, thoughts on Justin Fields’ fall to the Chicago Bears and much more from the first night of the 2021 NFL Draft.  Cover 3 is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher...

The Cover 3 crew discusses the Kansas job and answers listener questions. First, Kansas seems close to replacing Les Miles so we discuss the reported finalists for the job (1:30), the strange timing of Lane Kiffin making a change to his offensive staff (9:50) and the public reaction to NCAA president Mark Emmert’s extension (13:40). Then it’s on to the big ole bag of mail, discussing how the end o...