Stewart Mandel
@slmandel.bsky.social
The Athletic College Football
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Stewart Mandel
@slmandel.bsky.social
· Nov 14
It's Year 6 of Final Thoughts!
And so much to get to:
-- Lee Corso's triumphant exit and Arch Manning's rough "debut."
-- FSU's remarkable 180 and Kalen DeBoer's crisis point.
-- Brian Kelly has a defense now.
-- Did Tennessee win the QB swap? And more.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...
And so much to get to:
-- Lee Corso's triumphant exit and Arch Manning's rough "debut."
-- FSU's remarkable 180 and Kalen DeBoer's crisis point.
-- Brian Kelly has a defense now.
-- Did Tennessee win the QB swap? And more.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...
Mandel’s Final Thoughts: Lee Corso salute, Arch Manning’s shockingly bad day and more Week 1
Plus: LSU and Florida State make statements, Alabama flops again under Kalen DeBoer and more from the first three days of Week 1.
www.nytimes.com
August 31, 2025 at 9:51 PM
It's Year 6 of Final Thoughts!
And so much to get to:
-- Lee Corso's triumphant exit and Arch Manning's rough "debut."
-- FSU's remarkable 180 and Kalen DeBoer's crisis point.
-- Brian Kelly has a defense now.
-- Did Tennessee win the QB swap? And more.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...
And so much to get to:
-- Lee Corso's triumphant exit and Arch Manning's rough "debut."
-- FSU's remarkable 180 and Kalen DeBoer's crisis point.
-- Brian Kelly has a defense now.
-- Did Tennessee win the QB swap? And more.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...
Reposted by Stewart Mandel
New Audible: We had a fascinating conversation with Syracuse coach Fran Brown talking about the realities of NIL, the portal and much more; plus we discuss the UCLA-Tennessee QB swap: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Tennessee and UCLA Swap QBs
Podcast Episode · The Audible with Stew & Bruce: A show about college football · 04/23/2025 · 58m
podcasts.apple.com
April 24, 2025 at 2:41 PM
New Audible: We had a fascinating conversation with Syracuse coach Fran Brown talking about the realities of NIL, the portal and much more; plus we discuss the UCLA-Tennessee QB swap: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Really think you'll enjoy this week's Audible.
A convo w/ the retiring @dennisdoddcbs about his career covering CFB. We reminisce about the late '90s "What is this Internet thing?" era of reporting.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sta…
A convo w/ the retiring @dennisdoddcbs about his career covering CFB. We reminisce about the late '90s "What is this Internet thing?" era of reporting.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sta…
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sta…
March 26, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Really think you'll enjoy this week's Audible.
A convo w/ the retiring @dennisdoddcbs about his career covering CFB. We reminisce about the late '90s "What is this Internet thing?" era of reporting.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sta…
A convo w/ the retiring @dennisdoddcbs about his career covering CFB. We reminisce about the late '90s "What is this Internet thing?" era of reporting.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sta…
Every year, Bruce and I each do our own Top 25 coach rankings and let you decide who did it better.
It will definitely be me this year, because he somehow still has Lincoln Riley ranked.
Mine:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/618...
Bruce's:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/619...
It will definitely be me this year, because he somehow still has Lincoln Riley ranked.
Mine:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/618...
Bruce's:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/619...
Power ranking college football’s top 25 coaches in 2025: Where are Ryan Day, Brian Kelly?
Disappointing seasons for a few coaches dropped them out of Stewart Mandel's top 25 entirely. Who made the cut?
www.nytimes.com
March 11, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Every year, Bruce and I each do our own Top 25 coach rankings and let you decide who did it better.
It will definitely be me this year, because he somehow still has Lincoln Riley ranked.
Mine:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/618...
Bruce's:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/619...
It will definitely be me this year, because he somehow still has Lincoln Riley ranked.
Mine:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/618...
Bruce's:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/619...
This week's Mailbag:
Did FSU/Clemson "win" their ACC settlement?
Did Ohio State lose too much to reload?
And why I'm pretty ticked off about spring games going away (thanks, Matt Rhule.)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/617...
Did FSU/Clemson "win" their ACC settlement?
Did Ohio State lose too much to reload?
And why I'm pretty ticked off about spring games going away (thanks, Matt Rhule.)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/617...
Mandel’s mailbag: Will Florida State, Clemson stay in ACC? What’s Ohio State’s outlook?
What's next for the ACC, Clemson and Florida State after they settled their lawsuits this week? What are the Buckeyes chances in 2025?
www.nytimes.com
March 5, 2025 at 6:19 PM
This week's Mailbag:
Did FSU/Clemson "win" their ACC settlement?
Did Ohio State lose too much to reload?
And why I'm pretty ticked off about spring games going away (thanks, Matt Rhule.)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/617...
Did FSU/Clemson "win" their ACC settlement?
Did Ohio State lose too much to reload?
And why I'm pretty ticked off about spring games going away (thanks, Matt Rhule.)
www.nytimes.com/athletic/617...
People ask me all the time. "What do you write about in the offseason?"
Now I can tell them: 2,000-word takeouts on the origins of the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
This was a fun one.
Now I can tell them: 2,000-word takeouts on the origins of the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
This was a fun one.
How Pop-Tarts turned an easy-to-forget bowl into one of the college football season’s best moments
"It makes us all feel good about sacrificing a giant anthropomorphic pastry at midfield in the middle of a bowl game on live TV.”
www.nytimes.com
March 4, 2025 at 3:17 PM
People ask me all the time. "What do you write about in the offseason?"
Now I can tell them: 2,000-word takeouts on the origins of the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
This was a fun one.
Now I can tell them: 2,000-word takeouts on the origins of the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
This was a fun one.
Folks, we have a developing crisis. Starbucks has changed to compostable lids, which is admirable but *you cannot drink out of them.* (I tried.)
Who wants to drink hot coffee with a straw?
Who wants to drink hot coffee with a straw?
February 11, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Folks, we have a developing crisis. Starbucks has changed to compostable lids, which is admirable but *you cannot drink out of them.* (I tried.)
Who wants to drink hot coffee with a straw?
Who wants to drink hot coffee with a straw?
February 5, 2025 at 9:17 PM
New Mailbag:
How NIL/portal lessened the SEC's grip on college football
Is this Notre Dame's once-a-decade chance?
Does Will Howard not get enough credit?
More.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/606...
How NIL/portal lessened the SEC's grip on college football
Is this Notre Dame's once-a-decade chance?
Does Will Howard not get enough credit?
More.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/606...
Nick Saban, Urban Meyer among class of 22 to be inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
Former Virginia Tech star Michael Vick and broadcaster Michael Strahan are also among the class of 18 players and four coaches.
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2025 at 8:14 PM
New Mailbag:
How NIL/portal lessened the SEC's grip on college football
Is this Notre Dame's once-a-decade chance?
Does Will Howard not get enough credit?
More.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/606...
How NIL/portal lessened the SEC's grip on college football
Is this Notre Dame's once-a-decade chance?
Does Will Howard not get enough credit?
More.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/606...
Thanks! ... Teams like Miami, Iowa State, South Carolina and BYU were in the conversation to the end. Lots and lots of people watched their bowl games.
Worthwhile read from @slmandel.bsky.social on the state of bowl games.
As it turns out, if you give people a reason to care about more than like 8-10 teams during the regular season, people will also be interested in a lot more than 8-10 teams during the postseason. Who knew?!
As it turns out, if you give people a reason to care about more than like 8-10 teams during the regular season, people will also be interested in a lot more than 8-10 teams during the postseason. Who knew?!
The College Football Playoff, scourge of bowl games? If anything, viewership has never been higher
Viewership is high but attendance is down for college football bowl games. Is change on the horizon?
www.nytimes.com
January 9, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Thanks! ... Teams like Miami, Iowa State, South Carolina and BYU were in the conversation to the end. Lots and lots of people watched their bowl games.
What is the best account to follow on here for LA fire updates?
January 9, 2025 at 3:57 PM
What is the best account to follow on here for LA fire updates?
After 25 years of covering BCS/CFP meetings, listening to commissioners/presidents/ADs tell us why an "NFL-style playoff" in college could never happen, writing this essay was quite cathartic.
It's really here.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/600...
It's really here.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/600...
College Football Playoff’s successful arrival proves sky didn’t fall — as so many said it would
What changed? How did college football evolve from doomsayers bemoaning a postseason to a 12-team tournament kicking off Friday night?
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2024 at 7:53 PM
After 25 years of covering BCS/CFP meetings, listening to commissioners/presidents/ADs tell us why an "NFL-style playoff" in college could never happen, writing this essay was quite cathartic.
It's really here.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/600...
It's really here.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/600...
Last weekend's Army-Navy game drew its biggest audience (9.4M) on record and nearly cracked the Top 10 this season.
These were the 25 most-watched games.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/600...
These were the 25 most-watched games.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/600...
Army-Navy rivalry game sets viewership record, SEC dominates most-watched games list
Army-Navy drew 9.4 million viewers on CBS, the highest number on record for the rivalry game and good for 11th-highest of the season.
www.nytimes.com
December 18, 2024 at 7:46 PM
Last weekend's Army-Navy game drew its biggest audience (9.4M) on record and nearly cracked the Top 10 this season.
These were the 25 most-watched games.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/600...
These were the 25 most-watched games.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/600...
So we're really going to do this?
SOURCES: Bill Belichick is considering an offer to become the next coach at UNC.
While a deal may still come together quickly, sources cautioned the sides remain apart on multiple key terms.
More details ⤵️
While a deal may still come together quickly, sources cautioned the sides remain apart on multiple key terms.
More details ⤵️
Bill Belichick weighing offer to become UNC coach, but hurdles remain: Sources
While a deal may still come together quickly, sources cautioned that nothing is imminent and the sides remain apart on multiple key terms.
www.nytimes.com
December 10, 2024 at 6:32 PM
So we're really going to do this?
Reposted by Stewart Mandel
Family group chat is CRAZY TODAY
December 9, 2024 at 6:59 PM
Family group chat is CRAZY TODAY
This was a lot of work and a lot of fun. Especially naming honorary captains.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...
Ranking all 36 College Football Playoff title game possibilities from most to least likely
The expanded 12-team College Football Playoff gives us a lot more national title game possibilities. Some a lot more likely than others.
www.nytimes.com
December 9, 2024 at 7:47 PM
This was a lot of work and a lot of fun. Especially naming honorary captains.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...
This year's committee has placed less emphasis on strength of schedule than any I've seen.
Warde Manuel was outright dismissive of it a couple weeks back.
"If that’s the case, then play the easiest schedule. If you’re 11-1 or 12-0, you’re golden."
www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...
Warde Manuel was outright dismissive of it a couple weeks back.
"If that’s the case, then play the easiest schedule. If you’re 11-1 or 12-0, you’re golden."
www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...
The critics are correct: The College Football Playoff committee is not rewarding strength of schedule
It's not a conspiracy. The committee this year has been wildly inconsistent when factoring in strength of schedule, one way or the other.
www.nytimes.com
December 5, 2024 at 3:57 PM
This year's committee has placed less emphasis on strength of schedule than any I've seen.
Warde Manuel was outright dismissive of it a couple weeks back.
"If that’s the case, then play the easiest schedule. If you’re 11-1 or 12-0, you’re golden."
www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...
Warde Manuel was outright dismissive of it a couple weeks back.
"If that’s the case, then play the easiest schedule. If you’re 11-1 or 12-0, you’re golden."
www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...
New Mailbag.
Mandel’s Mailbag: Alabama gets benefit of doubt, and that’s neither right nor wrong
Want to make sense of the CFP committee's logic? It's 'Bama, stupid!
www.nytimes.com
December 4, 2024 at 10:48 PM
New Mailbag.
Mario Cristobal came on The Audible today to talk about Miami's rankings snub.
"Never once were we in a blowout loss against a .500 team.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/596...
"Never once were we in a blowout loss against a .500 team.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/596...
Mario Cristobal makes case for Miami to be reconsidered in CFP rankings
www.nytimes.com
December 4, 2024 at 8:02 PM
Mario Cristobal came on The Audible today to talk about Miami's rankings snub.
"Never once were we in a blowout loss against a .500 team.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/596...
"Never once were we in a blowout loss against a .500 team.”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/596...
Updated Bowl Projections with the domino effect of tonight's rankings.
Miami to Pop-Tarts.
South Carolina to Citrus.
Ole Miss to ReliaQuest.
And almost every ACC team moves down one rung.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/591...
Miami to Pop-Tarts.
South Carolina to Citrus.
Ole Miss to ReliaQuest.
And almost every ACC team moves down one rung.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/591...
College football bowl projections: The committee has spoken, and Alabama, not Miami, makes Playoff
Tuesday's latest College Football Playoff rankings make for four SEC teams in the Playoff. How does that affect the rest?
www.nytimes.com
December 4, 2024 at 3:40 AM
Updated Bowl Projections with the domino effect of tonight's rankings.
Miami to Pop-Tarts.
South Carolina to Citrus.
Ole Miss to ReliaQuest.
And almost every ACC team moves down one rung.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/591...
Miami to Pop-Tarts.
South Carolina to Citrus.
Ole Miss to ReliaQuest.
And almost every ACC team moves down one rung.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/591...
I'm not generally a believer in the ESPN/SEC conspiracy theories, but the repeated insistence by Joe Tess and Jesse Palmer that UGA would lock up a CFP berth with the win -- Jesse called it "guaranteed" -- was semi-reckless. Casual fans watching might assume UGA formally clinched something.
November 30, 2024 at 5:12 AM
I'm not generally a believer in the ESPN/SEC conspiracy theories, but the repeated insistence by Joe Tess and Jesse Palmer that UGA would lock up a CFP berth with the win -- Jesse called it "guaranteed" -- was semi-reckless. Casual fans watching might assume UGA formally clinched something.
"When I was playing for (Brian) Kelly the last two years, I didn’t talk to him. I started every game for him," said recent LSU center Charles Turner.
Quite a story from my colleagues on the issues at LSU.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/594...
Quite a story from my colleagues on the issues at LSU.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/594...
Brian Kelly left Notre Dame for LSU to win a title. Why is he further away from that than ever?
One former player's advice for Brian Kelly: "You have to let your players know that you really got 'em."
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2024 at 8:50 PM
"When I was playing for (Brian) Kelly the last two years, I didn’t talk to him. I started every game for him," said recent LSU center Charles Turner.
Quite a story from my colleagues on the issues at LSU.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/594...
Quite a story from my colleagues on the issues at LSU.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/594...
20 Final Thoughts from Upset Saturday:
-- After all that, Indiana may be just fine.
-- The SEC, not so much.
-- The seas part for a 2-bid ACC
-- An Arizona State-Iowa State Big 12 title game??
More.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/594...
-- After all that, Indiana may be just fine.
-- The SEC, not so much.
-- The seas part for a 2-bid ACC
-- An Arizona State-Iowa State Big 12 title game??
More.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/594...
Mandel’s Final Thoughts: Kalen DeBoer’s bad night, Indiana’s silver lining mark wild Week 13
When four of the committee’s top 16 teams lose to opponents with 5-5 or 4-6 records, there's a lot of reimagining to do.
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2024 at 4:29 PM
20 Final Thoughts from Upset Saturday:
-- After all that, Indiana may be just fine.
-- The SEC, not so much.
-- The seas part for a 2-bid ACC
-- An Arizona State-Iowa State Big 12 title game??
More.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/594...
-- After all that, Indiana may be just fine.
-- The SEC, not so much.
-- The seas part for a 2-bid ACC
-- An Arizona State-Iowa State Big 12 title game??
More.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/594...