Published by SEC Football Unfiltered
SEC Football Unfiltered features hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the USA TODAY Network serving opinion, debate and analysis on trending college football topics within the Southeastern Conference. No subject is off limits, and no one is above rebuke. Take off the filter and revel in the banter.
Listen on Apple PodcastsThe media must be skeptical of Lane Kiffin's ability to make Year 1 a smashing success at LSU. Also, Auburn is flying under the radar as a sleeper team. That's our reaction here at " SEC Football Unfiltered " to the conference's predicted order of finish that came out last week. LSU ranked No. 5 in the pecking order, and Auburn was No. 12. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate the reasons why the media poll is so hesitant toward LSU, and they make the case for Auburn being underrated, too. They also offer a pair of overrated teams. Toppmeyer and Adams disagree on which team is the SEC's frontrunner . Is it Georgia or Texas? Toppmeyer also asks Adams an interesting question: If the Big Ten has three national championship contenders (Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon), does the SEC also have three?
Who are college football's top 25 coaches ? USA TODAY recently released its rankings , and, in a bit of a stunning development, Tennessee's Josh Heupel was nearly left off the list entirely. He checked in at No. 24. Hey, don't blame us. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams examine the case for Heupel being the SEC's most underrated coach. Toppmeyer had a ballot in USA TODAY's coach-ranking project. He discloses where he ranked Heupel and explains his surprise that his colleagues view Heupel so differently. He also offers another SEC coach he believes is underrated in the USA TODAY list . Adams agrees with Toppmeyer that Heupel is vastly underrated in this USA TODAY pecking order, but Adams lightly pushes back on where Toppmeyer ranked Lane Kiffin . Adams would've voted Kiffin a little bit higher than his cohost did, but Adams didn't get a vote. Adams tasks Toppmeyer with securing him a ballot for the vote in 2027.
We've got the College Football Playoff all figured out. Well, we'll give it our best guess, anyway. The dog days of summer are the perfect time to cook up our first CFP bracket predictions, but here on "SEC Football Unfiltered," we arrive at our picks a little differently: It's a team effort. Hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams are each responsible for supplying six teams. No overlapping picks. No overriding the other host's choices. Keep going 'til we hit 12 qualifiers. The selections begin in a chalky manner, before Adams sprints to pick a Big 12 qualifier so that Toppmeyer won't pick BYU. The final count looks like this: four playoff qualifiers from the SEC, plus a final Big Ten pick from Adams that makes Toppmeyer come unglued.
Georgia no longer rules college football, but Kirby Smart still lords over his peers within the SEC. Georgia owns back-to-back SEC titles. With Gunner Stockton back, can Georgia make it three straight? The schedule sets up nicely. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams play a round of fact or fiction as they examine eight scenarios within the SEC. Georgia's chance for an SEC three-peat is among their debates. They also examine the playoff case for LSU and Alabama , consider Arch Manning's Heisman Trophy prospects and highlight a first-year coach poised for a breakout season.
Shane Beamer's rump roasts on the hot seat. Even he admits it. South Carolina's coach acknowledged his hot-seat status in a recent interview with the Greenville News. He's not the only SEC coach on the hot seat, although the coaching carousel projects to be quieter this season, after six SEC schools hired a new coach last year. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams list five SEC coaches on the hot seat. Beamer tops the list, but another coach coming off a losing season isn't far behind. Two coaches at premier SEC jobs claim spots on the hot-seat list, too, despite the fact that they have playoff appearances on their resume. Toppmeyer and Adams also each offer a wild-card contender for the hot seat.
And with the first pick of the "SEC Football Unfiltered" quarterbacks draft ... Yes, it's that time of the offseason. We're going head-to-head drafting SEC quarterbacks in an effort to build the best four-deep collection of QBs. You know the top names. Trinidad Chambliss. Arch Manning. Gunner Stockton. And more. But, who's first off the board? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams each draft four SEC quarterbacks as they try to outduel the other. Once a player comes off the board, the other host cannot select him. With the first pick, Adams eyes a proven starter with playoff experience. All of Toppmeyer's picks are returning starters in the SEC, while Adams reaches for a couple of transfers, and he twists the knife with his final pick.
Tennessee gave Brendan Sorsby a sniff. LSU heavily courted the Cincinnati transfer. Sorsby chose Texas Tech, as one of the most premier transfers of the winter shopping season. Then, the floor fell out. The NCAA learned Sorsby placed thousands of bets on sports and declared him ineligible. Now, a Texas judge has granted Sorsby an injunction that’ll block the NCAA from enforcing its gambling rules and allow Sorsby to play this season. Will SEC teams regret missing out on Sorsby, or did they dodge a troublesome situation? On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams weigh in on the Sorsby saga and the reverberations of the judge’s ruling. They also debate whether LSU or Tennessee would be better served with Sorsby than their current quarterback situations. Later in the episode, the hosts react to Athlon’s top-25 rankings. Eight SEC teams are ranked, and Toppmeyer and Adams earmark a few as being overrated, while they highlight one unranked SEC team as being worth a top-25 look.
Used to be, the SEC bragged about its national championships. Rightfully so. During one 17-year span, the SEC won 13 titles. Now, the Big Ten has won three straight national titles, and no SEC team has beaten a Big Ten opponent in a playoff game since 2022. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey denies a problem exists or that the Big Ten has pulled ahead. He says the SEC remains the best conference "by far," and he attributes the Big Ten's success to the ball bouncing "a couple of times the wrong way." Sankey also said if the SEC was winning, nobody would ask him about losing. Well, no kidding. Has Sankey lost the plot? On today's episode, Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss Sankey's insistence that the SEC remains the nation's best conference "by far," even as the Big Ten racks up national titles and asserts dominance of the 12-team playoff. The hosts disagree with Sankey's assessment of the situation, but they also say the SEC's commissioner isn't singularly responsible for fixing the problem. The SEC's coaches need to step up and deliver, too. Speaking of coaches, what's up with Texas' Steve Sarkisian this offseason? He's slinging mud at Mississippi and riling up Texas Tech. Is this evidence of Sark feeling the pressure at Texas?
Lane Kiffin spent more than a decade rebuilding his career and his image after Southern Cal fired him. By last season, his career was soaring, and his likability had reached an all-time high. He was thriving at Mississippi. Then, he became the hottest name in the college coaching carousel. You know the rest. He left Ole Miss on the playoff’s doorstep and became the coach at rival LSU. Now, he’s a college football villain again. How’s he handling that? We’ll hear from Kiffin on that very subject during today's episode with host Blake Toppmeyer . Two weeks ago, Toppmeyer sat down with Kiffin for an extensive interview in his office at LSU. This interview was right after the Vanity Fair piece published. Kiffin admitted that the impact his exit had on his image has "really started to bother" him. The scrutiny, though, has only just begin. He'll face daunting expectations in his first season at LSU. Toppmeyer discusses with Kiffin how he plans to handle being in the villain role once again, a role he’s held previously but then pivoted away from at Ole Miss before taking the LSU job and shifting his character arc once again.
All is quiet on the Alabama front. It’s been a sleepy offseason in Tuscaloosa, ahead of what’s a bellwether season for Kalen DeBoer’s tenure. Alabama’s got one of the SEC’s few quarterback competitions between Keelon Russell and Austin Mack, but perhaps the biggest story came in April, when Alabama announced a two-year contract extension for DeBoer. His deal now runs through the 2032 season. Good deal, bad deal, or otherwise? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams dive into DeBoer's extension, what it means, and why anyone talking hot seat with DeBoer is not living in reality. We also hear directly from DeBoer, after Toppmeyer sat down with the Alabama coach for an interview earlier this offseason to discuss his interest (or lack thereof) in the Michigan job and his unflinching commitment to the Tide. Alabama is doubling down on DeBoer, and he's doubling down on Alabama. But, about that Rose Bowl loss ... Later in the episode, a closer look at how the Big Ten is stealing a page from the SEC's playbook as it pushes for a 24-team playoff.
There goes that man, back in the headlines. Lane Kiffin typically basks in the spotlight and attention he generates, but is he ready for the level of scrutiny and pressure that'll center on him during his first season at LSU? Already, Kiffin is stirring the pot with his recent comments in a Vanity Fair profile that rekindled Mississippi fans' ire for him, after he left the Rebels on the doorstep of the playoff. Kiffin spent more than a decade rebuilding his personal and professional image after he got fired at Southern Cal. Then, he burned it all down for the LSU job. Worth it? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss Kiffin's comments to Vanity Fair and debate how he'll handle a level of expectation he's not faced in more than a decade. Also in this episode, Toppmeyer reveals some details of his recent trip to Baton Rouge, where he interviewed Kiffin and LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry. Adams weighs in on Kiffin's comment comparing the blowback he's dealing with now, compared to what he experienced after leaving Tennessee. Toppmeyer explains why Kiffin's first season will be particularly important, and the hosts predict whether LSU will make the playoff. Later, Toppmeyer and Adams react to the AFCA coming out in favor of a 24-team playoff , as coaches lean into participation ribbons. Can anyone stop a 24-team playoff now?
Don’t go to Auburn for a taste of fruit punch. “We don’t even have red Gatorade," Auburn center Cole Best told USA TODAY Sports. That's the Iron Bowl rivalry for you. No red Gatorade (or red ink pens), as Auburn emphasizes its rivalry with Alabama. Whatever it takes to reverse Auburn's fortunes. The last five seasons were pretty miserable on the Plains. Auburn hasn't beaten either Alabama or Georgia, its top rivals, since Gus Malzahn was its coach. On today's episode, host Blake Toppmeyer of USA TODAY is joined by the Montgomery Advertiser's Adam Cole as they examine the start of Alex Golesh's tenure and whether this new hire can spark an Auburn upswing. Toppmeyer shares some details of his offseason visit to Auburn , and Cole explains why quarterback Byrum Brown's ability couldn't be judged properly from Auburn's spring game . They finish by weighing in on whether they're buying, selling or holding stock in Auburn under Golesh.
The Big Ten rules college sports . That's the brass tacks. The SEC no longer can hide from reality. The Big Ten won the last three college football championships. The SEC hasn't reached the national championship game since 2023 Georgia won it all. Now, as insult to injury, the Big Ten sent two teams to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, while the SEC sits at home. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams address the SEC's reality and just how dire the situation is. They also suggest a new motto for the SEC, now that the Big Ten is on top. Also in this episode, the hosts react to Tennessee being the last SEC team standing in March Madness, and they weigh in on Will Wade's hire at LSU .
Alabama's Nate Oats and Florida's Todd Golden established themselves as top-tier SEC basketball coaches. Oats has Alabama in the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight season. Golden's stock remains red hot despite Florida's surprising second-round loss to Iowa. So, what happens if the North Carolina job opens ? UNC's Hubert Davis is on the hot seat. Golden and Oats have proven they can win at the highest level. They enjoy ultimate job security and high favorability ratings at their current school. Would they trade that in for the chance to coach a blue blood, where basketball reigns supreme? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate the merits of leaving a stable SEC job for a premier opportunity like North Carolina, where the pressure is high but so is the ceiling. Adams thinks a coach with Golden's swagger or Oats' appetite for a national championship might trade in a secure situation for the ego stroke of a blue blood, but both hosts outline multiple reasons to stay put. If Golden is open to leaving Florida, Adams thinks he'd be better off waiting for another SEC job to open. Think Kentucky could use some of Golden's swagger if Mark Pope flames out in 2027? Also in this episode, the hosts examine the four SEC teams remaining in March Madness and highlight one team they think could advance to the Elite Eight via an upset.
The SEC led all conferences with 10 NCAA Tournament bids. Perhaps, there was a case for 11 bids, although if any SEC team got snubbed, it wasn't Auburn — despite what you might have heard from Bruce Pearl. Oklahoma had a better NCAA case than Auburn. As for the SEC teams that made the bracket, which one faces the most pressure, and which will be the last SEC team standing? On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams weigh in on the bracket, offer first-round upset picks and highlight a sleeper team from the SEC that could reach the Elite Eight. Plus, they offer their Final Four picks! In a surprise twist, neither host picks an SEC team to reach the Final Four.
If Indiana can be a football school, then why can’t Florida be a basketball school? Todd Golden is looking to emulate Billy Donovan and coach the Gators to back-to-back national championships. As the SEC Tournament arrives, Florida has won 11 straight and is making a beeline for a No. 1 seed in March Madness. In the meantime, can anyone stop Florida in Nashville? On today’s basketball-themed episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss top threats to Florida in the SEC Tournament and debate whether it’s hyperbolic to claim Florida is a basketball school, for the moment. Later in the episode, they weigh in on Bruce Pearl’s vendetta against Miami (Ohio) . To wrap up the upside, the hosts discuss the latest on March Madness expansion talk, and Adams explains why he likes the idea of a 76-team NCAA Tournament even less than he likes the idea of a 24-team playoff.
By now, you're quite familiar with the big names. Arch. Trinidad. Gunner. The SEC is stocked with an impressive collection of quarterbacks for 2026. But, even as the headline stars suck up a lot of oxygen, we detect a handful of quarterbacks flying below the radar who could be poised for big seasons. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams highlight four SEC quarterbacks who are not being talked about enough. Allow us to generate some hype. The list includes three transfers, plus a young quarterback who became a starter toward the end of last season. Later in the episode, the hosts react to Tennessee's Josh Heupel saying he'd support at 24-team playoff. Is that really a champion's mentality, or do coaches who like a 24-team playoff just crave extra job security?
The last round of SEC expansion re-established the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry , but conference realignment has taken more than it's given on the rivalry front. Not only that, but the SEC's elimination of divisions also will stop some rivalries from occurring annually. Both inside and outside of the SEC, games that were once part of the fabric of college football are no longer played every year. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams highlight eight rivalry games that they'd wish to save on an annual basis. These are games that have either already gone away or series that will be interrupted in the near future. Several of the rivalries have SEC ties, but they also dip into Big Ten and Big 12 terrain to restore some lost rivalries. Also on this episode, Toppmeyer and Adams react to Joey Aguilar losing his bid for another season as Tennessee's quarterback . One host takes up for the NCAA's quest to enforce its eligibility rules, while the other host has less sympathy for the NCAA.
Say this for the Big Ten’s quest to expand the College Football Playoff : It doesn’t become fixated with any particular idea. While the SEC remains stuck on a 5+11 playoff plan the Big Ten refuses to accept, the B1G’s playoff think tank has devised yet another proposal. This one centers on 24 teams. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams play a round of fact or fiction and debate whether the SEC should embrace the Big Ten’s plan for a five-round, 24-team playoff. They also weigh in on Trinidad Chambliss getting another season of eligibility and whether he’s the Heisman Trophy frontrunner — or is it Arch Manning? Finally, they make a surprising prediction about Kirby Smart and Georgia.
Can the SEC put an end to the Big Ten's national championship streak? That quest begins with four SEC teams, although one ACC team might be the most dangerous threat to the Big Ten's string of dominance in 2026. On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams go head-to-head drafting their top six national championship contenders. Adams, with the first pick in the draft, plucks a frontrunner from the SEC, but Toppmeyer ventures outside the SEC for his first two picks. Adams stealthily steals one team that Toppmeyer badly wanted on his lineup of national championship contenders. In the end, they each select two SEC teams among their six-pack of national championship contenders.