The Preferred Walk-On: The People's College Football Show

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer sits down with The Preferred Walk-On Show to trace his path from walk-on player to leading a Power Four program - and to explain why culture, core values, and resilience matter more than any recruiting ranking.

Coach Beamer opens up on the leadership lessons that shaped his coaching philosophy, the outsized role walk-ons play in building winning culture, and how adversity and failure became cat...

For over a century, the NCAA was the sheriff of college football. Today there's no sheriff at all - and the fight to replace it is reshaping the sport. In this solo deep-dive, host Seth Saunders makes the case that NIL, the transfer portal, conference realignment, and playoff expansion aren't separate crises. They're symptoms of one massive transfer of power, and college football is living through its own Cold War.

Seth traces the l...

College football is changing fast — and most of those changes aren't for the good.

Between conference realignment, NIL, the House settlement, player compensation, TV money, playoff expansion, and the slow erosion of regional rivalries, the sport is at a crossroads. In this episode of The Preferred Walk-On Show, Seth Saunders lays out a comprehensive vision for how to reshape college football while preserving what made ...

Geoff Collins walked on at Western Carolina, earned a scholarship, became a three-year defensive starter — and turned that into a college coaching career spanning three decades that took him from DIII to the FCS to the head coach of multiple Power 4 programs. Seth Saunders sits down with the former Temple and Georgia Tech head coach for the second episode of The Preferred Walk-On Show's summer interview series.

Collins...

If LSU's roster really costs an $40 million and the House settlement only allows $20.5 million in direct revenue sharing - where is all of the extra money coming from?

In Part 2 of our Show Me the Money series, Seth breaks down the third bucket of college football compensation: everything happening above the rev share cap. That means multimedia rights partners (Learfield, Playfly, JMI Sports), the new generation of school-al...

Coach Bobby Kennedy is Montana's 38th head football coach - he joins The Preferred Walk-On Show to talk about the opportunity to lead the Montana Grizzlies football program, the mentors who shaped his coaching philosophy, his front-row seat at the 2005 USC-Texas national championship, and why the Brawl of the Wild is unlike any rivalry in college football.

From Joe Glenn in Missoula to Mack Brown at Texas to Lou Tepper at Illinois, ...

🏈 SHOW ME THE MONEY — PART 1

How do college football players actually get paid?

In Part 1 of our Show Me the Money series, we break down the full money flow — from traditional scholarships to the House settlement, conference TV deals, and the rise of NIL collectives. You'll get a clear, no-jargon look at the three main compensation buckets, how the new $20.5M revenue-sharing cap is funded, CFP payout mechanics, and why...

The Sugar Bowl is loaded with history and this SEC showdown will add another chapter to this game's storied past.

One of the College Football Playoff's most fascinating games is about to kick off — and The Preferred Walk-On Show is breaking it all down.

Host Seth Saunders previews the Sugar Bowl between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Georgia Bulldogs, examining how Lane Kiffin’s departure changes everything for Ole Miss as...

One of the most improbable and memorable seasons in college football history now reaches one of its defining moments.

On this episode of The Preferred Walk-On Show, host Seth Saunders previews the Rose Bowl matchup between Indiana and Alabama, as the Hoosiers play their first game ever as the No. 1 team in the nation, completing one of the most stunning program turnarounds in modern football under head coach Curt Cignetti.

Seth bre...

The College Football Playoff Quarterfinals are here — and the Orange Bowl delivers one of the season’s most intriguing matchups: Texas Tech vs Oregon.

Host Seth Saunders breaks down the game from every angle — football, culture, and betting — while echoing Dan Lanning’s call that CFP Quarterfinals belong on college campuses.

This episode covers:

🔥 Texas Tech’s Rise — powered by the Matador...

The CFP Quarterfinals are here! The Cotton Bowl is loaded with star power, storylines, and championship stakes — and The Preferred Walk-On Show is breaking it all down.

Host Seth Saunders previews the Miami vs. Ohio State matchup with a deep dive into the tactical, emotional, and personnel-based battles that will decide who marches on to the semis.

From Carson Beck’s Jekyll-and-Hyde brilliance to Ohio State’s...

This FCS postseason has delivered chaos and history — and now it all comes down to one final showdown.

In this episode of The Preferred Walk-On Show, host Seth Saunders breaks down the FCS semifinals, recapping the defining moments that set the stage for the national championship game between the Montana State Bobcats and the Illinois State Redbirds.

From the first-ever...

Championship stakes meets storied rivalry in Bozeman, Montana this weekend.

This week on The Preferred Walk-On Show, host Seth Saunders is joined by Montana State Head Coach Brent Vigen as the Bobcats prepare for a playoff semifinal showdown against Montana — the first-ever postseason edition of the Brawl of the Wild, which observers have dubbed the Super Brawl.

Coach Vigen offers rare insight into how Montana State has built...

The College Football Playoff has arrived — and The Preferred Walk-On Show is ready.

Host Seth Saunders is joined by Chris Marler to break down the Opening Round of the CFP, analyzing matchups, storylines, key players, and betting angles with insight and humor.

🏈 CFP Opening Round:

🟣 JMU vs. Oregon — can the Dukes hold their own against the mighty Ducks

🐘 Alabama vs. Oklahoma — a rematch of the regular seas...

This episode of The Preferred Walk-On Show captures college football at its most intense — and most meaningful.

Hosts Seth Saunders and James Kehm unpack the Michigan football controversy, examining the firing of Sherrone Moore, the responsibility of athletic director Warde Manuel, and how administrative decisions ripple through a program’s identity and future.

The conversation then shifts to what makes college football...

Championship Week is HERE — and The Preferred Walk-On Show has one of the sharpest minds in college football on deck.

Host Seth Saunders welcomes Chris Fallica of Big Noon Kickoff and the Bear Bets Podcast for a deep, analytical, and entertaining breakdown of every major conference championship and the playoff chaos that could unfold.

Together, they dive into:

🏆 Coaching Tilt-a-Whirl
From firings to surprise extensions to...

In this playoff edition of The Preferred Walk-On Show, host Seth Saunders welcomes South Dakota Head Coach Travis Johansen to discuss the Coyotes’ mindset, culture, and preparation heading into a crucial postseason matchup against the Mercer Bears.

Coach Johansen shares:

🔴 Resilience & Maturity — the traits that define this USD team

💪 Coyotes Culture — why toughness and selflessness are non-negotiables

🧠 Hi...

This week on The Preferred Walk-On Show, host Seth Saunders sits down with Villanova Head Coach Mark Ferrante, a cornerstone of the Wildcats football program for nearly four decades. From his early days under Coach Andy Talley to leading Villanova back into the postseason spotlight, Ferrante shares a lifetime of perspective, purpose, and passion for the game.

Fresh off a big opening-round FCS playoff victory over Harvard, Coach Fer...

A weekend this big means there needs to be a show to match it, so we are in the Classic City LIVE.

In this special edition of the Preferred Walk-On Show, host Seth Saunders broadcasts from Creature Comforts Brewery in downtown Athens, Georgia alongside Jon Smith of Dawg Social Club and Chris Hayes of Coach Hayes Hudl to kick off Georgia-Texas weekend.

The trio dives into the traditions, tactics, and emotional energy surroundin...