The Carla and Crappy Show

Well, friends, we did it. We survived Week 1. Unless you’re Clemson or Rutgers, that is. If you are … hoo, buddy. We’re sorry.
We begin with our weekly review of the show minutes, and this week, they truly reveal just how wrong we were. (Oopsies, Oklahoma State.) Carla shares her adventures with three weather delays, a monsoon, and being stranded in the Floyd Stadium press box until 1 a.m. Sunday. We all discuss the space-time continuum and how, apparently, there are secret clocks in Ann Arbor … and a lack of actual graphic designers at Big Ten HQ in Indianapolis.
Other thoughts and musings from Week 1:
That was a heck of a tackle by Auburn to hang on over Baylor.
SMU should have won by 30. So. Many. Mistakes.
Could Louisville be a player in the ACC? We kind of hope so.
Ohio managed to give Nebraska some early heartburn.
Penn State and Ohio State did what they were expected to do (much to the relief of Carla and Crappy, respectively).
Miami and LSU look terrifying.
Indiana looks fine … and Curt Cignetti seems to have found himself another robot QB in Josh Hoover.
But really, with all of the schadenfreude in Week 1, the thing we most want to draw attention to was the absolute perfection of Sean West’s punt against Notre Dame. Just give him the Ray Guy now. We salute you, sir.
And then, it’s time to turn the page to Week 2. AJ kicks us off with his #GroupOfSixAfterDarkReport, this week, conveniently organized for your quadbox viewing pleasure.
Washington State at Kansas State (Noon ET, TNT): Powercats at home.
Wake Forest at Purdue (Noon ET, FS1): A battle between two of the creepiest mascots.
USF at Army (Noon ET, CBSSN): The Fun Index is a proper 46.5.
App State at East Carolina (Noon ET, ESPNU): Appy needs this win. Bad.
Arizona at No. 15 BYU (3:30 ET, FOX): The Monster Energy Big 12 Hoss’s Salad Bar entry.
Duke at Illinois (3:30 ET, FS1): Sure.
UTSA at Texas State (3:30 ET, God’s CW): Meep is not as powerful on the road.
UNLV at North Texas (3:30 ET, ESPNU): The Green felt green last week.
Robert Morris at Akron (3:30 ET, ESPN+): Bonus pick! We hope Bobby Mo gets a pick-6 on Akron’s first drive.
Memphis at Boise State (6 ET, USA): Get up for this one. AJ has declared it his game of the week.
South Alabama at Tulane (7 ET, ESPN+): The battle for Mardi Gras.
San Diego State at UCLA (7 ET, BTN): The newly dubbed California’s Team (TM) hosts the Aztecs.
North Dakota State at Air Force (10 ET, FS1): Caffenate for this one, friends.
Sacramento State at Fresno State (10:30 ET, CBSSN): The Bulldogs ain’t got time for this mess.
Montana State at Nevada (10:30 ET, God’s CW): Shh. Pay attention to the Bobcats here.
Louisiana at No. 14 USC (11 ET, BTN): A 60+ Fun Index after dark? Sign us up.
Other noted games:
Old Dominion at Virginia Tech (Noon ET, God’s CW): Can James Franklin stop the bleeding against the Monarchs? (A real thing.)
Mississippi State at Minnesota (3:30 ET, CBS): Rowing the boat is hard with all that clanging.
UCF at Pitt (3:30 ET, ESPN2): Pitt handled business last week.
No. 13 Texas Tech at Oregon State (7:30 ET, CBS): If you’re looking for a prime-time alternative.
And then, it’s time for the Big Boy slate.
No. 23 Missouri at Kansas (8 ET Friday, FOX): We’re divided on the Border War, which is probably super appropriate. Carla takes the Tigers, who looked good with Austin Simmons last week. Crappy and AJ are on Rock Chalk, playing at home.
No. 11 Oklahoma at Michigan (Big Nude, FOX): Umm, yeah. The Sooners are a bit tougher competition than a MAC team. (Sorry, Western.) Boomer.
No. 6 Oregon at Oklahoma State (Noon ET, ESPN): The Ducks have something to prove … and the struggling Pokes will be on the receiving end of that effort.
No. 12 Alabama at Kentucky (3:30 ET, ABC): A trap game for the Tide? Perhaps. But unlikely. A new coaching staff in Lexington has the Cats out of the mud.
No. 18 Tennessee at Georgia Tech (7 ET, ESPN): The Wrambling Wreck looked a little wrecked in Week 1. Expect a heavy dose of Rocky Top in Atlanta.
No. 1 Ohio State at No. 4 Texas (7:30 ET, ABC): Which team do we trust more at this point? That’s really the question here. And as our friend Jim has said for years … never trust a Manning.
Iowa State at No. 21 Iowa (7:30 ET, NBC): We didn’t give this game our usual Cy-Hawk treatment out of respect for the University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band member who passed away this week. Our condolences are with you, and our hearts will all be in Iowa City on Saturday night.
Arkansas at No. 20 Utah (10:15 ET, ESPN): An SEC team goes to Salt Lake for an after dark kick on Saturday night? (Also, we think we found who has the sock full of nickels.)
We wrap things up with just our usual fandoms as honorable mentions: No. 16 Penn State at Temple (Noon ET, ESPN2), Carnegie Mellon at Catholic University (Noon ET, FLO College), Jacksonville State at Ohio (6 ET, ESPN+), and MTSU at Marshall (7 ET, ESPN+).
And with that, we all sync our watches and get ready for what should be a great weekend of college football. Enjoy the games, and we’ll see you back here next week. Cheers, friends.

It’s hard not to be romantic about the start of college football season. The pageantry. The tradition. The off-field antics stealing the headlines. Heck, even Bill Belichick appeared to emote in some way last Saturday in Ireland.
And so here at the Carla and Crappy Show, we’re all in … so much so that we hired out the sultriest, most Barry White-esque voice we could think of to kick off Season 15. Or maybe it’s just Crappy with some substantial congestion. Either way … it’s time for five straight days of college football. Let the circus begin.
After a review of last week’s show minutes, we reflect on what was an even-better-than-anticipated Week 0 of college football. Virginia appears to be good, Hawaii needs to pedal faster, and Florida State had a bad case of heartburn. Also, a friendly hello to Bill and Mary, who not only have a beautiful campus but also pulled off one of the greatest comebacks of all time over nationally ranked Villanova.
Next up, we venture into the off-the-field headlines, including substantial schadenfreude between the SEC, LSU, and NFL players. (We’ll learn more about that before games kick off.) AJ introduces us to the world of futures markets (which, again, involves LSU because of course it does), and we all contemplate whether YouTubeTV’s new integration will allow for nonet boxes. Or maybe at least an octobox. We’ll report back next week.
But then, friends, yes, it’s happening. (Insert teardrop here.) Let’s dive into a full slate of games. AJ starts us off with his #GroupOfSixAfterDarkReport, which is pretty spectacular for an opening weekend.
UMass at Rutgers (6 ET Thursday, BTN): The absolute perfect game to start things off.
Idaho at No. 21 Utah (9 ET Thursday, ESPNU): Do the Utes still possess a sock full of nickels?
Coastal Carolina at West Virginia (Noon ET Saturday, TNT): Let’s watch Cam Cook!
Miami (OH) at Pitt (12:30 ET Saturday, CW): Uh oh, Pitt. Why did you do this?
Tulane at Duke (3:30 ET Saturday, ACCN): Consider us intrigued.
South Dakota State at Northwestern (8 ET Saturday, BTN): Have we learned nothing? Don’t. Schedule. Dakotas.
UNLV at Hawaii (10 ET Saturday, CW): One of these teams will be 0-2, which is absolutely wild.
UCLA at Cal (10:30 ET Saturday, ESPN): The battle to be the official California university. We’re workshopping it.
Western Kentucky at Nevada (10:30 ET Saturday, CBSSN): This has been a favorable matchup for CUSA teams historically, and the Toppers are favored in this one.
And then, our first slate of “Big Boy” games, although we use that term a tad loosely. Hey, it’s Week 1. We can’t complain.
Boise State at No. 2 Oregon (3:30 ET Saturday, CBS): The intrigue is high for this one. Is Boise the team we think they are? Heck, is Oregon the team we think they are? We’re all in consensus that this is a likely Ducks win at home.
Oklahoma State at Tulsa (3:45 ET Saturday, ESPNU): North Texas cleverly disguised as Oklahoma State heads to Tulsa to seek revenge for last year’s loss, which cost Mike Gundy his job. Got all that?
Clemson at No. 11 LSU (7:30 ET Saturday, ABC): Let the Death Valley circus begin. Dabo threw gasoline on the fire in his post-practice comments earlier this week. Who’s playing for LSU? We won’t know until the court decides on Thursday. But even with all the chaos, we still think LSU will somehow find a way to win at home. Have your popcorn ready.
Western Michigan at No. 16 Michigan (7:30 ET Saturday, NBC): The Wolverines fell backward into one of the best coaching hires of the entire carousel. Now, Kyle Whittingham is where he’s always belonged, in the Big Ten. Western won the MAC last year, but there’s some rebuilding on the defensive side of the ball.
Washington State at No. 17 Washington (4 ET Sunday, NBC): While we all agree that it’s a very good thing that an Apple Cup is being played this season, we’re very conflicted on when it should be. But this is a Husky win at home.
Wisconsin vs. No. 4 Notre Dame (7:30 ET Sunday, NBC): If this game were being played 10 years ago, we’d be all in. Instead, Luke Fickell is fighting for his job, while the Irish may be starting a revenge tour. The margin of victory here could be consequential on many fronts.
No. 24 Louisville vs. No. 9 Ole Miss (7:30 ET Sunday, ABC): This game is made more interesting by the neutral site placement in Nashville, which means the crowd will lean Cards. Ole Miss is likely the call in this one, though.
No. 19 SMU at Florida State (7:30 ET Monday, ESPN): If New Mexico State can give you heartburn, that doesn’t bode well for the rest of the season. Also, a friendly reminder that this is a conference game.
Our honorable mentions:
Ohio at Nebraska (12 ET Saturday, FS1): Little Nude features Crappy’s Bobcats vs. the quantum quarterback, Anthony Colandrea.
Ball State at No. 1 Ohio State (12:30 ET Saturday, BTN): We don’t have to tell you who picked this game.
Carnegie Mellon at DIII No. 8 John Carroll (2 ET Saturday, Centennial Digital Network): The Tartans begin their 2026 campaign against some guy named John.
Marshall at No. 18 Penn State (3:30 ET Saturday, FS1): Carla’s looking for a heartburn-free afternoon in Happy Valley.
West Virginia State at Robert Morris (6 ET Saturday, ESPN+/Sportsnet Pittsburgh+): The home opener for Bob. Can the Colonials start 2-0?
Murray State at MTSU (7 ET Saturday, ESPN+): Jake Rose is on the call, it’s a whiteout, and the Blue Raiders are wearing Dolly patches. Need we say more? Get this one in your nonet box.
And with a final review of the slightly bizarre scheduling practices of Mercyhurst and Duquesne, we get Week 1 officially underway. Enjoy all five days of college football this weekend, boys and girls. Feel all of the feels. We’ll see you back here again next week to see just how wrong we were. Cheers, yinz and y’all.

Hi, friends. It’s time to dust off your remote controls, do a bit of stretching, grab your favorite Pop-Tarts snack of choice (or maybe a beer or six? … more on that in a bit), and lock in. College football is back, baby.
Thus begins Season 15 of the Carla and Crappy Show.
After discussing our own personal vices for getting through the extensive void of football in the offseason, Carla, Crappy, and AJ turn their attentions to some of the more intriguing and recent off-the-field developments. Why are conferences suddenly issuing statements about not accepting pro players? Wasn’t that already a thing? (Hint: It was … then it almost wasn’t … and now it seems it is again. Clear as mud.) And are the cookies crumbling around Kalani Sitake and BYU? (Editor’s note: We don’t condone searching for 247Cougs.)
Next, as is tradition, all three of us release our way-too-early-to-know-anything-but-we-do-it-anyway 2026-27 College Football Playoff brackets. While there are many similarities between our team selections – and even some of our game matchups – remarkably, we come away with three completely different national champions. Which means that yes, at the end of the season, we’re going to find out just how wrong we were.
And then, finally … we have actual games, friends. Some good ones, even. Let’s go.
North Carolina vs. TCU (Noon ET, ESPN): Preseason camp has been absolute chaos at TCU, yet we all still think that the Horny Toads have the advantage over anything that’s happening at Carolina.
San Jose State at No. 14 USC (3 ET, NBC): This is a good game for checking out the Trojans’ offense and defense. And that’s about it. Oh, AJ sends his “best wishes” to Luke Weaver.
NC State at Virginia (3:30 ET, ESPN): It’s a ploy to get us all to watch ACC football! This game was originally scheduled to be in Brazil … but now it’s in Charlottesville. Not the same thing. Regardless, watching CJ Bailey and Beau Pribula go head-to-head could actually be an entertaining game. Other than the whole ACC thing.
Jacksonville State at North Dakota State (5:30 ET, CBSSN): Welcome to FBS, North Dakota State. We’re all exceedingly pumped for this game. And we anticipate the crowd in the Fargodome will be as well. A Bison win? We certainly think so.
Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan (6:30 ET, ESPN+): It’s Week 0 MACtion! Yes, really. Sacramento State is in the MAC. But unlike the aforementioned NDSU Bison, we don’t anticipate a similar warm FBS welcome from the folks in Ypsilanti.
Hawaii at Stanford (7 ET, ACCN): Which is stronger: The effect of the mainland on Hawaii … or the Stanford Postulate? Is Hawaii really going to be the team of destiny this year? And why is this game on the ACC Network? (Reminder: Stanford’s still in the ACC. Because that’s normal.) Regardless of all of these questions, we’ve tallied this as our game of the week. Go get a big opening win, Bows.
New Mexico State at Florida State (7 ET, CW): The Noles have had some interesting season openers as of late, and the Aggies have been known for knocking off P4 teams. However, there’s no Diego Pavia on the New Mexico State roster this year. (At least not that we know of?) But enjoy the win, Florida State. We anticipate a long road ahead.
Memphis at UNLV (10 ET, FOX): The Fighting Mullens really seemed to be cooking towards the end of last season, and we think that momentum continues into early 2026. Let’s see what Memphis can throw at them. (Also, an After Dark in Week 0? The Football Gods are friendly to us.)
Before we go, AJ and Carla offer some friendly housekeeping reminders on locating channels and integrating ESPN Unlimited features into YouTubeTV. This is the week to do those things, friends. We’ve got a big week ahead of us in Week 1. (Five. Days. Of. College. Football.) Crappy, meanwhile, introduces us to quite possibly this year’s best NIL deal, involving a volleyball player, Marquette … and beers.
So, on that note, cheers, friends. It’s good to be back. It’s good for college football to be back. And we’re looking forward to a fantastic Season 15 together. We’ll see you (a tad early!) next week for Week 1.

The calendar has turned to August, conferences have realigned, and media days have ended. And that, friends, can only mean one thing:
It’s time for another Pop-Tart to be sacrificed. No? That’s not it?
How about … it’s time for Chip Kelly to look ridiculous in a reflective vest and hard hat? Still no? (Well, actually, that one’s true; go check the picture.)
Oh, right. It’s time for Season 15 of the Carla and Crappy Show. Hi there, boys and girls. Welcome back.
We kick off our season with some friendly catch-up time, discussing what we each did on our summer vacations. Carla went to Canada (it’s cold there), Crappy dealt with some not-so-fun health stuff, and yes, AJ actually witnessed a Pop-Tart sacrifice in person. (He says it was delicious.)
From there, we waste no time at all … wasting time. (At least according to AJ’s sensibilities.) We review the coaches’ preseason poll and reveal our Top 5 rankings, with the complete and total understanding that preseason rankings are absolutely meaningless. Ahem.
We also take a moment to look at some of the big picture storylines and issues that we’re each interested in heading into the season. While Carla and Crappy have the Big Ten and SEC on their minds (no real surprises there), AJ attempts to level expectations for his Beloved Bows.
From there, AJ quizzes us on what has become an annual tradition: “Where Are They Now?” While realigning the teams was relatively easy, the players and coaches were not. (Kirk Ferentz was noted as upset.)
And then, following the news that the Big 12 has become the Monster Energy Big 12, thanks to a new (and financially underwhelming) sponsorship deal, we take on the challenge of making suggestions to each of the Power 4 and Group of 6 (yes, friends, there are six conferences this year, get used to it) for naming rights of their own. Also, yes, the #CnCShow is accepting sponsorship offers for 2026. Inquiries welcome. Have your people get in touch with our people.
With that, we’re off and running. Or almost driving. Or scheduling colonoscopies. Whatever. We’re back, friends, and we can’t wait to spend Season 15 with all of you. We’ll be back in a couple of weeks for our first episode featuring actual college football games. Cheers, yinz and y’all.

Then there was one. Just one lone game remains on the college football schedule for the 2025 season. Yet somehow, yes, we still manage to talk for more than an hour. Welcome to the final Carla and Crappy Show of Season 14.
We begin by discussing our player and coach of the year picks (and there are a lot of good candidates!). Then, as promised, we take a look back at just how wrong we were in our first episode of the year when we picked our preseason CFP brackets. Kudos to AJ, who, remarkably yet unsurprisingly, had several selections correct. Carla and Crappy? Not as much. Although Carla’s quip about who would win the ACC ended up being a bit too on the nose.
Then, we recap the two CFP semifinal games, including Miami’s late heroics to top Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl and another absolutely dominant performance by Indiana over Oregon in the Peach Bowl.
But then … it’s time. Let’s tie a bow on this season, shall we?
College Football Playoff National Championship: No. 10 Miami vs. No. 1 Indiana (7:30 ET Monday, ESPN): We’re extremely interested in seeing how the Hurricanes defense fares against the Indiana offensive line. Can they pressure Fernando Mendoza enough to slow down the Hoosiers recent offensive domination? While Miami has escaped clock management issues thus far in the playoff, they haven’t been mistake-free by any means. Luckily for Miami, they were able to overcome those mistakes against Ole Miss. But if any team in the country right now likes to capitalize on opponents’ mistakes, it’s Indiana. Between that, the line play, and the absolute cat-and-mouse game that Curt Cignetti is playing with opposing coaches … we don’t see how you can pick against those Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers to win the whole darn thing.
And with that, we bid adieu to the 2025 college football season and Season 14 of this here little pod. As always, we appreciate you — our listeners, viewers, and readers — for your continued support (and tolerance?) of our antics. On to Season 15! We should throw a party or something. Or at minimum, get Cig a beer.
Thanks for an incredible season, friends. Cheers.

The end is near, friends … unless you’re the Sugar Bowl, that is, and then you’ll have one second left for three plays and two stage moves.
But as bowl season has now come to a close, there are just three FBS games remaining on the college football calendar. And in a year where we’ve rooted for chaos, we’ve gotten just that. Of the four remaining teams in the CFP, two have never won a national title, and the other two have waited a really, really long time.
If we learned anything from the results of the four quarterfinal bowl games, it’s this: Never underestimate the power of spite.
Speaking of spite, it was Carla’s spiteful pick of Illinois over Tennessee in the Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl that sealed her as this year’s Bowlapalooza champion. Also, an honorable mention goes to Avocado, who had the closest pick for the tiebreaker, which was the total score of the Celebration Bowl.
And then … yep, just two games on the agenda for this week. But boy, are they good ones.
Vrbo Fiesta Bowl: No. 10 Miami vs. No. 6 Ole Miss (7:30 ET Thursday, ESPN): In the Cotton Bowl, the Canes were able—as Crappy feared—to pressure the quarterback. Combine that with a solid defensive effort (including that pick-six that Julian Sayin will likely see in his sleep for the next several months), and Miami finds itself as one of the last four standing. Here’s the challenge, though. There are beasts in the middle of the Ole Miss defensive line. And did you see the elusiveness of Trinidad Chambliss? The strategies that Miami used against Ohio State might not be quite as effective against the Rebs. Add to the equation that Ole Miss is playing with a whole bucket full of spite … and we’re all leaning Rebs in this one.
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 1 Indiana (7:30 ET Friday, ESPN): Oregon blanked Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl, which was something none of us saw coming. The Ducks shut down what had been a fairly potent Red Raider offense while managing to break through the stellar Texas Tech defense. It was an impressive win. But the most impressive win of the quarters belongs to Indiana, which, to borrow the words from the broadcast booth, “embarrassed” Alabama in the Rose Bowl. How dominant were the Hoosiers? Their entire offensive line was named the game’s offensive MVP. Remember what we said about spite? Indiana has it. Curt Cignetti has it. (Google it.) The Hoosiers are playing like a team on a mission. And we’re all in.
With that, there’s just one game and one more Carla and Crappy Show remaining in 2025 (even though it’s 2026 … yes, it’s confusing). And we’ll wrap up what’s been an unexpected college football season on our final show in the best (and likely most embarrassing?) way possible: By seeing just how wrong we were with our preseason CFP bracket picks. (Egads.) Cheers, friends.

We’re in that glorious stretch between holidays where no one knows what day it is, there’s college football on at 2 p.m. on a weekday, and Pop-Tarts are seemingly everywhere.
Welcome to a slightly chaotic CFP quarterfinal edition of the Carla and Crappy Show.
Before we get to the four games on the agenda, AJ catches us up on Michigan’s coaching hire, and we dive into our highlights so far of bowl season, including a Bowlapalooza update.
And then, it’s time to get down to business.
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 10 Miami vs. No. 2 Ohio State (7:30 ET Wednesday, ESPN): Two of the nation’s Top 5 scoring defenses go head-to-head in Texas. The Fun Index on this game is one only a Big Ten fan could love (just ask AJ). We’re intrigued to see how the Buckeyes handle the long layover and whether Miami gained any true momentum after its first-round win over Texas A&M. Also, don’t forget the Mario Cristobal factor here.
Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech (Noon ET Thursday, ESPN): Other than Crappy’s rooting interest in the previous game, this is the matchup we’re all most intrigued by. Both of these teams have great offenses. They both have spectacular defenses. So, what gives? Is the difference in this game Dante Moore or the Red Raider defensive front? We’re divided in our picks here, but we all believe that this is likely the best game of the slate.
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential: No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana (4 ET Thursday, ESPN): The top-seeded and top-ranked Hoosiers are playing in their first Rose Bowl since 1968. Their reward? An Alabama team that capitalized on Oklahoma’s mistakes to steal a first-round win in Norman. Here’s the thing, though: Indiana isn’t prone to making Oklahoma-esque mistakes. As long as the Hoosiers aren’t overwhelmed by the pageantry, we think this is a confident Indiana win.
Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Georgia (8 ET Thursday, ESPN): Oh, hey! Another rematch! (Sigh.) What we’ve learned about Georgia this year is that they’re capable of nearly any style of play. Want to get into a shootout? The Dawgs can do that. (See: Ole Miss and Tennessee.) Want to get dragged down in the mud? Yep, the Dawgs can do that too. (See: Kentucky and Auburn.) Yes, Ole Miss made a big statement on the scoreboard in its first-round game, but Tulane certainly helped, offering up three turnovers. Yep. We’re all picking Georgia. Insert another sigh here.
Before signing off, we also want to remind you of two more games happening next weekend:
Wisconsin-River Falls vs. North Central (8 ET Sunday, ESPN): The DIII national title game in Canton gets the national TV treatment. The North Central Cardinals are unbeaten and the defending national champs.
Illinois State vs. Montana State (7:30 ET Monday, ESPN): The FCS national title game features a team from Montana (no surprises there) against an Illinois State team that has won four-straight road games to earn a trip to Nashville. This game should be spectacular, and with no competition on the agenda, there’s absolutely no reason not to watch this game.
And with that … this is the last full week of college football, friends. Bowl season ends on Friday. Soak up every last minute. We’ll be back very soon to discuss the CFP Semifinals (and maybe more Pop-Tarts?). Cheers … and happy new year!

Every Carla & Crappy Show fan liked Bowlapalooza a lot.But the Grinch, who lived somewhere up north, for some reason did NOT!The Grinch hated Bowlapalooza! The whole freaking Bowl season!Now, please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
We were joined by Braden Gall and Jake Rose, the regular crew;Also, Kelly Krieg and Avocado … and Dylan Simmons, who was new.The conversation was silly, the characters totally made up.There was some guy named Cal Hawaii, and a mention of Forrest Gump.From hot chicken to citrus Cheez-Its, we talked a lot about food.And Dabo’s a Yankee fan? That seemed on point, yet rude.
The laughs were hearty. The humor was rare.But when we stopped the recording, nothing was there.The file was gone, the whole evening for naught.Carla, Crappy, and AJ all were distraught.It must have been the Grinch! He stole all of our fun.What could we do? Something had to be done.
The good news? Everyone’s picks were logged in a doc.So, how to fix this? Hey, let’s start a clock!Carla, Crappy, and AJ were up to the task.Could they discuss 20 more bowl games in 30 minutes? That was the ask.With that, they were off, as the clock went tick.They merged their new silliness with everyone’s previous picks:
Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl: UNLV vs. Ohio (9 ET Tuesday, Dec. 23, ESPN):Crappy picked his Bobcats, a team without a coach.And you have to admit, that’s an interesting approach.Their opponent? Dan Mullen’s UNLV.Who many of us think will end the game covered in coffee.
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: Cal vs. Hawaii (8 ET Wednesday, Dec. 24, ESPN):AJ’s Bows are playing at home on Christmas Eve.And despite Vegas’s doubts, many of us believe.
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State vs. Clemson (Noon ET Saturday, Dec. 27, ABC):Kelly takes her beloved Lions with a hearty #WeAre.And we think we hear Santa answer “Penn State” from afar.
Pop-Tarts Bowl: No. 22 Georgia Tech vs. No. 12 BYU (3:30 ET Saturday, Dec. 27, ABC):Without discussing this bowl, the show wouldn’t be the same.So Avocado made this his Bowlapalooza game.
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: No. 19 Virginia vs. Missouri (7:30 ET Saturday, Dec. 27, ABC):Jake took this game and told a story, all in good fun.The TL;DR? Chandler Morris has had himself a heck of a run.
Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl: Tennessee vs. Illinois (5:30 ET Tuesday, Dec. 30, ESPN):Braden’s selection was the game with his Vols.Can Bert wreak havoc? Carla was just appalled.
ReliaQuest Bowl: No. 23 Iowa vs. No. 14 Vanderbilt (Noon ET Wednesday, Dec. 31, ESPN):Kirk Ferentz knows that a bowl game is no time to clown.But with a boat in the stadium? Carla said Anchor Down.
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: No. 18 Michigan vs. No. 13 Texas (3 ET Wednesday, Dec. 31, ESPN):And Dylan rounded things out with a bowl about cheese.Horns versus Weasels? We said, yes, please.
As the clock wound down, their work was done.Carla, Crappy, and AJ still had a minute to spare. They had won!The Grinch was in disbelief, his puzzler was sore.Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!“Maybe Bowlapalooza,” he thought, “isn’t just podcasting lore.”“Maybe Bowl Season … perhaps … means a little bit more!”
What happened then? Bowlapalooza was published anyway.And the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.

College football bowl season is in full swing. The holidays are just around the corner. What more could we ask for? How about playoffs? (Playoffs?)
Yep, it’s time. Welcome to the CFP First Round edition of the Carla and Crappy Show.
Before we get into our prognostication, we must take yet another spin on the coaching carousel, which took a funny … then absolutely not funny at all … spin over the past couple of weeks. As always, AJ has us covered and helps us navigate the chaos.
And then? Welp, there’s not much else to talk about, other than the games. So let’s get to it.
(Note: Teams are listed by CFP seeds, not rankings.)
No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma (8 ET Friday, ABC/ESPN): This is the first of two rematches in the playoffs this season. The last time these two teams met, the boom heard around the SEC was Oklahoma’s surprising domination in Bryant-Denny. We last saw Alabama in the SEC title game which … understatement … didn’t go well for the Tide. Can Bama find enough offense against another stout defense in Norman on a Friday night? Carla and Crappy aren’t so sure. AJ is simply appalled by the whole situation.
No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M (Noon ET Saturday, ABC/ESPN): Miami, the ACC champ… oh, wait. Nope. Despite not playing in the conference title game, the Canes make the trip to Kyle Field to face an Aggies squad that was inconsistent at the end of the season. Which version of Texas A&M do we get in this game? Will the season-ending embarrassment against archrival Texas give the Aggies motivation to go out and win the whole thing? (Note: See 2024-2025 Ohio State.)
No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss (3:30 ET Saturday, TNT/truTV): There’s a lot of intrigue in this matchup between two teams losing their head coaches despite making the playoff. There’s the Ole Miss side, which may be motivated to show out to spite their former HC now at LSU. There’s the Tulane side, which is rallying around now-Florida HC Jon Sumrall before he heads to Gainesville. Which team has the greater motivation? Is this a chance for the Wave to avenge their loss to Ole Miss earlier this year? (Spoiler: Two of us think they might!)
No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon (7:30 ET Saturday, TNT/truTV): We all wanted Jimmy in the playoff. We got exactly what we wanted. But now, Jimmy has to fly across the country to play a Ducks team in Autzen that matches up really well against their offense. Sigh. Just remember that there were lots of FCS playoff upsets this season, so maybe there’s a glimmer of hope? Either way, we’re thrilled to see a second G5 team in the playoff. We don’t care what anyone else says.
Speaking of FCS, there are several FCS/DII/DIII playoff games to also keep your eyes on:
Johns Hopkins at Wisconsin-River Falls (1 ET Saturday, ESPN+): The first of two DIII semis. Both of these teams are 12-1. (Also, Crappy’s CMU Tartans nearly beat Johns Hopkins back in October.)
Montana at Montana State (4 ET Saturday, ABC): The Brawl of the Wild 2 for a shot at an FCS national title appearance? Yes, please. This might be the best game of the entire weekend at all levels.
Harding vs. Ferris State (4 ET Saturday, ESPN2): The DII national title game features a battle of unbeatens. And it’s on national TV. No excuses.
John Carroll at North Central (4:30 Saturday, ESPN+): The undefeated defending national champ hosts the Blue Streaks, whose only loss was to also-semifinalist Johns Hopkins back in September.
Illinois State at Villanova (7:30 ET Saturday, ESPN2): Nova’s hosting an FCS semifinal! Also, there are no Dakotas left in the field. If that late CFP game gets out of hand (or even if it doesn’t), get your eyeballs on this one.
With that, we wish you all a very happy holiday and bowl season. (Watch for, umm, Bowlapalooza to drop later this week!) Crappy’s plan is to watch as much college football as possible over the next two weeks, and we wholeheartedly concur. Enjoy the bowls and the playoffs at all levels, and we’ll be back just before the New Year to preview the CFP quarters. Cheers, friends!

Well, friends, we’re here. After 14 weeks of chaos, there are just nine games standing between us and the college football postseason … and potentially even more chaos. But we’ll get to that in a moment.
Before we dive into all of the title games happening this weekend, we take a spin on the coaching carousel, including Lane’s grand exit to Baton Rouge, a Mormon cookie caper, and UCLA’s shrewd move in snagging Bob Chesney. (Also, Brian Hartline has apparently been working on his job interview skills — after this episode was recorded, he was hired by USF.)
We then take an extended look back at what was an exceptionally tasty Wivalwy Week, beginning with Navy’s win over Memphis and concluding with an Iron Bowl that almost completely ironed itself into playoff mayhem. Crappy displayed remarkable restraint in gloating just a little bit at his big win up north, but he’s happy enough to share a tale from his childhood … while AJ watched Miami destroy Pitt live at the Mustard Bowl. Also … you should never trust Cal football, except for last weekend.
Finally, we make our Heisman picks. The trophy will be handed out in New York City on December 13 … and we’re in consensus that we want it to go to Diego Pavia, but it’ll likely go to Fernando Mendoza.
And then … nine title games that certainly will answer all of our questions and certainly won’t cause any additional drama. Right? Let’s go.
Conference USA
Kennesaw State at Jacksonville State (7 ET Friday, CBSSN): Carla and Crappy are interested in seeing whether Cam can Cook again in this game, which is how the Gamecocks won the first meeting between these two teams just a couple of weeks back. AJ thinks the Owls fix their turnover problems and get revenge.
Sun Belt
Troy at No. 25 James Madison (7 ET Friday, ESPN): Congrats on making the conference title game, Troy. Enjoy your consolation prize. The Dukes win at home … and then, ironically, root for Duke to win for a shot at the playoff.
American
No. 24 North Texas at No. 20 Tulane (8 ET Friday, ABC): AJ’s stoked for this one, because have you seen that Fun Index? North Texas is the top total and scoring offense in the conference, and Tulane’s defense is … fine. We’re all on the Mean Green train here.
Mountain West
UNLV at Boise State (8 ET Friday, FOX): Boise on the Smurf Turf. Need we say more? Yes, it is tough to beat a team twice in the same season, but we’re just not sure how UNLV’s defense can slow down the Boise offense to win on the road.
MAC
Miami vs. Western Michigan (Noon ET Saturday, ESPN): Western is trending in the right direction, winning four straight. Crappy can, under no circumstances, pick Miami here. So we’re all in on the Broncos.
Big 12
No. 11 BYU vs. No. 4 Texas Tech (Noon ET Saturday, ABC): Stop us if you’ve heard this before: The Texas Tech defense is nasty. In their first meeting, the Red Raiders held BYU to a season-low 255 total yards of offense. Have Bear Bachmeier and the Cougar offense learned anything since that meeting? We’re not so sure. This isn’t a buffet pick, but it will be a tasty game … that Texas Tech wins.
SEC
No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 9 Alabama (4 ET Saturday, ABC): Again? Really? We’re all tired of this matchup, but this is what the SEC offers. AJ literally flips a coin. Carla takes Bama. Crappy takes Georgia. We’re hoping this game will be entertaining, because it’s the only FBS game in this time slot, but we’re not holding our breath — there are a ton of excellent FCS games to choose from as well.
ACC
Duke vs. No. 17 Virginia (8 ET Saturday, ABC): If you root for chaos … and let’s be real, that’s what we all hope for on this show … you’re pulling really hard for Duke here. Because a Duke win likely completes the ACC eating itself circle and eliminates the conference from the playoff … sending James Madison instead. The challenge is the Virginia defense is pretty darn good. So, root for chaos. But Virginia likely wins here.
Big Ten
No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 1 Ohio State (8 ET Saturday, FOX): This should be a legit good game. Both of these teams have strong defenses and fantastic offenses. Crappy obviously has a rooting interest in this one, and AJ’s on board with a Buckeye win. Carla goes rogue and takes the Hoosiers. In the grand scheme of things, though, if this game is close … it won’t matter. These two teams will likely be in the CFP Top 4 seeds come Sunday afternoon.
We wrap things up with a look ahead to Army vs. Navy (3 ET Saturday, Dec. 13, CBS) and take a perusal through early bowl projections. (As a reminder, Bowlapalooza is next week!) AJ introduces us to Team Sprinkles and Team Swirls, Carla gives us an update on our FCS bracket picks, and Crappy is stunned — STUNNED — that there were communications issues for Ohio State in the Big House. Has anyone spotted Jim Harbaugh or Connor Stalions in Ann Arbor recently?
And with that, this is it, friends. Enjoy a weekend full of championship football — and yet another bowl of mashed potatoes, if you have any left — and we’ll see you back here next week with a cast of thousands for our annual Bowlapalooza show. You won’t want to miss it. Cheers, yinz and y’all.