
Too Much CFP, Not Enough Weirdness with Richard Johnson
From The Solid Verbal College Football by iHeartPodcasts
June 9, 2026 · 1h 17m
About this episode
The episode features a discussion with Richard Johnson about the oversaturation of certain college football topics and the overlooked aspects of the sport.
In this episode, we welcome back our friend Richard Johnson from CBS Sports and Split Zone Duo for a conversation about the college football topics we talk about too much, and the ones we probably do not talk about enough. As preview season creeps closer, we zoom out on the sport’s offseason discourse and ask which arguments are useful, which ones are exhausted, and where the weird, fun, meaningful parts of college football might be hiding. We dig into College Football Playoff format fatigue, the role of TV money and conference power, the constant hope that Congress can somehow “fix” college sports, the growing presence of gambling in broadcasts, and whether the Arch Manning conversation has swung too far in the other direction. Plus, we get into teams and coaches who deserve more attention, including Florida, UCLA, Michigan, and the broader world outside the SEC and Big Ten. We also wander into West Coast scheduling thoughts, the need for more strange bowl game energy, Sacramento sports sadness, college football media golf rankings, and the inevitability of major news breaking whenever Richard goes to Europe. And, right in the middle of our recording, news…
People in this episode
Guest: Richard Johnson
Topics covered
- College Football Playoff
- offseason discourse
- TV money
- gambling in broadcasts
- teams deserving attention
- bowl game energy
Keywords
- College Football Playoff
- TV money
- gambling
- Arch Manning
- Brendan Sorsby
- Florida
- UCLA
- Michigan
- SEC
- Big Ten
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: CBS Sports, Split Zone Duo
Places: Florida, UCLA, Michigan, SEC, Big Ten, West Coast
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