Bunch Formation: A College Football Podcast
The Athletic senior college football writers Chris Vannini and David Ubben take you inside the biggest stories in the game in a fun and engaging show. With exclusive insight, interviews and banter, you'll learn to appreciate the most important and the dumbest parts of America's second-biggest sport.
Episodes
Chris Vannini and David Ubben make their championship picks for every FBS conference, plus the College Football Playoff and the Heisman Trophy. Then they preview and pick the Week 0 slate of games, talk to Irish football reporter Conall Diggin about the state of the sport across the pond and Remember Some Guys. Also, news on Auburn's fake national titles, Oklahoma's press conference for fans and Florida's face-scan tickets.
0:00 In...
College football is back this week, so Chris Vannini and David Ubben go back into their pasts. Let's talk about why we love college football, what makes it special, and why we've decided to make this beautifully stupid sport our jobs and our lives.
0:00 Intro, why we started this podcast
4:42 Why we love college football
10:19 When we first became CFB fans
16:45 Where we went to college and why
33:08 Our professional career paths
1:00:0...
Chris Vannini and David Ubben are finally back together, and they've got a LOT to talk about. Michigan's NCAA penalties are in for the sign stealing. Were they enough? Oklahoma QB John Mateer has a questionable Venmo history. Do you believe him? Netflix released an SEC documentary. Was it any good? Oh, and Chris enjoyed a European vacation while David went through moving hell.
Chris Vannini is back and joined by The Athletic's Sam Khan Jr., as David Ubben goes through moving hell. Chris and Sam talk about the AP preseason top 25 and the top 100 transfers for 2025. Then they remember some guys.
Sam's list of the Top 100 transfers
0:00 Hello to Sam!
3:33 Overrated and underrated top 25 teams (Texas, SMU, Arizona State, Iowa State, UNC and more)
30:33 The most interesting transfers of 2025 (LSU, Oklah...
Chris Vannini and David Ubben are back with a lot to talk about. From preseason polls to Deion Sanders cancer fight to Memphis' stolen playbook, to ranting about the Big Ten's failed rollout and more.
David's story on Deion Sanders' health
David's story on Memphis' stolen playbook
Chris' story on the Big 12 passing on Memphis
Stewart Mandel's column on the Big Ten
0:00 Intro and Chris' schedule
4:06 Why preseason polls should not go awa...
Chris Vannini and David Ubben finally dig in for their full EA Sports College 26 game review, from gameplay to Dynasty to Road to Glory and more. Then, CFB26 production director Christian McLeod joins the show to talk about what went into the game, how they respond to glitches and what comes next after the game's release.
Chris' game review in The Athletic
0:00 Intro
6:22 Gameplay
16:58 Glitches
21:53 Dynasty
29:25 Road to Glory
37:40 Pr...
Chris Vannini and David Ubben are back after a week away for a loaded episode. From SEC questions to Mountain West drama, to Barstool Sports joining Big Noon Kickoff and more.
Joe Rexrode's story on Paul Finebaum
Seth Emerson's story on SEC Media Days
Chris' story on Mountain West-Pac-12 drama
David Gillaspie's Chicago Marathon Fundraiser
0:00 Intro, David's meatball order and Paul Finebaum's kindness
10:02 Eli Drinkwitz's weird CFP ide...
Chris Vannini and David Ubben are back after a fruitful experience at Big 12 Media Days, including a little drama around both of them and some upset coaches. The guys talk about Deion Sanders' health, Texas Tech's big spending, BYU's status and more about every Big 12 team. Also: Why good media access is valuable to everyone involved.
Chris Vannini and David Ubben are joined by longtime friend and former colleague Ari Wasserman of On3. The guys talk about Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith's guarantee that he won't lose to Michigan again. Good decision? Or has the rivalry lost something? Then they discuss Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti defending his auto-bid model to change the College Football Playoff. Does the regular season still matter? Is college sp...
Chris Vannini and David Ubben are back, just like the college basketball video game. The guys talk about Chris' reporting around the game's return, plus Texas State to the Pac-12, and BYU might lose its quarterback. Then, Oregon's rising star assistant coach Ra'Shaad Samples joins the show to talk about Oregon's talent, his career and how recruiting has changed in the NIL era.
Chris Vannini and David Ubben are joined by officiating coordinator Mike Defee, who reveals what it's really like to be a referee, what he wishes fans understood, and his reaction to the "Beef Ref" nickname. The guys also discuss news around the Pac-12, Sacramento State, Thomas Castellanos' trash talk and a lawsuit to watch.
Chris' story in The Athletic on the state of officiating
0:00 Intro and dogs
3:45 Pac-12, Sac State, Castellan...
Chris and Dave are back for a quick show about EA Sports College Football 26 and Dynasty Mode. They both played it in beta and share their experience and reaction to the EA Deep Dive.
Chris and David's Athletic story on Dynasty
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:55 Early impressions
2:45 Real coaches, new gear and carousel
9:40 Trophy Room
12:10 Scheduling
14:55 Recruiting
23:00 Leftover thoughts, negativity and who this game is for
*...
Chris and Dave are back for Part 2, talking about their gameplay experience with College Football 26. They also go through the EA Sports deep dive blog and talk about new features in gameplay, what they like and what they still need to test more. Is EA getting it right?
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
1:58 Early impressions
4:15 Home field advantage
6:18 Playbooks
13:17 Quarterbacks
15:20 Offensive line
16:00 Screens
17:0...
In Part 1 of a two-episode day, David is back from Asheville and another College Football Playoff meeting. The Big Ten and SEC are far apart on what they want. What happened and what's next? And how good was the pancake? Then Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia talks trash about everyone in the Big Ten and also Tennessee. Out of line or all in good fun? The guys also Remember Some Guys and discuss Elite 11 QB names. Stay tuned for Part 2 ab...
Chris and David share their most impactful transfers for the 2025 season, touching on Oklahoma, Oregon, Auburn, Louisville, Miami, Colorado and more. They also discuss what's on the docket for the CFP commissioners meeting this week, where David will be.
Timestamps
0:00 Intro, Love Island, David's law school dreams
9:15 CFP meeting preview
20:09 Top impact transfers
56:55 Remember Some Guys
1:02:30 One Last Thing
************************...
Chris and David are audio-only this week. They discuss the concerning health situation around Deion Sanders, the potential move to a single transfer portal window and then answer your questions. Is Kentucky doomed without Vince Marrow? Who will be the Pac-12's 8th football team?
David's story on Deion Sanders
Chris' story on the portal change
Antonio Morales' story on the role of GMs
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
3:36 Deion Sanders' health upd...
Chris and David explain what the House settlement really means for college football fans and their teams. Then Antonio Morales joins the guys to talk about which teams we want to play with in EA Sports College Football 26.
Justin Williams' story on the House settlement
Teams we want to play in CFB26
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
6:14 What the House settlement means
36:25 Teams we want to play in CFB26
1:09:58 Remember Some Guys
***************...
Chris and David react to anonymous coach gossip about Arch Manning, SEC QBs, Texas Tech's money, Deion Sanders' future, Bill Belichick's time and Michigan's talent. They also talk about new seating at Ohio State that has upset fans and what it says about the sport, plus a New Balance deal for Boston College. They wrap the show by discussing how you put significant others in your phone, and whether the Oklahoma City Thunder can clai...
Chris and David answer your questions about CFB26 and interview game designer Ben Haumiller. Then they dive deep into a question from a new college football fan from Scotland: Which team should he adopt and root for? Plus talk about Michigan State's new athletic director and the Tennessee-UCLA softball controversy.
Read Chris' story on his experience playing CFB26
Show timestamps
4:30 CFB26 Mailbag
26:30 EA Sports' Ben Haumiller join...
Chris went down to EA Sports to test out College Football 26, and he's got a LOT to talk about. He also went to Big 12 meetings, where a lot of College Football Playoff drama is spilling out into the public. What do the Big Ten and SEC really want from the next CFP format, and can anybody stop them? And the guys shout out the College Football Hall of Fame for changing the rules to let Mike Leach in.
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