College Football Live - CFB LIVE - AP POLL REACTIONS CONTINUES

Episode Date: August 18, 2026

On today's episode of CFB LIVE, Zubin Mehenti, Sam Acho, and EJ Manuel discuss how no SEC team received a 1st place vote in the preseason AP poll. SMU QB Kevin Jennings also joins the show! All this and more on CFB Live! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

And we welcome you inside college football live. A day after the Associated Press preseason top 25 came out. We're honing in on the top 10 today, which, to the sprives of nobody, is chock full of Big Ten. Welcome inside. I'm Zubin Mahent. You know the deal with the Big Ten, right? Three titles, three years, three different schools. Well, not too long ago, the SEC won 13 national titles in a 17-year stretch,

and they were all about talking about it. That makes what we're about to talk about here all the more surprising. 13 in 17 at one stretch and not a single SEC team getting a first place vote in the top 25 that came out yesterday. It seems hard to believe considering the domination and the way the SEC chews up all the oxygen in the sport. And I'm guessing this is one storyline. They're not that fired up about talking about, but it is notable. And we're going to talk about it here on college football live today with E.J. Manuel, Sam Acho. to have you both here. All right, guys, let's dig into it. Sam, I want to start with you.

Is this a travesty, an outrage, a nothing burger, or something in between? I would say something in between. It depends what you put inside that nothing burger. I mean, here's the reality, right? AP voters are human beings as well. If there is a team that should be number one, or at least should get some number one votes in the SEC, it should be the Texas Longhorns. The reason why is their talent on offense and also their talent on defense. Think about offensively. They went got Cam Coleman from Auburn. and the number one receiver in the transfer portal, got Hollywood Smothers,

and they got Relique Brown on offense. Defensively as well. Oh, no, by the way, Arks Manning is playing his, at least finish the season, playing his best football. Defensively, Will Mustamp is now a defensive coordinator, Colin Simmons, led the SEC in Sacks. The problem is, last year,

a lot of AP voters had Texas at number one. They were the number one preseason team. Archmanning was the highest been favorite before the season even started, and we all saw how the season went. So these voters, they're human beings. They don't want to make the same mistake twice, but Texas absolutely should have got at least a couple first place votes.

Yeah, Sam, I agree on a lot of that, but let's be real, guys. I mean, the last three championships, the SEC hasn't even been a participant, which is shocking. And so I think when the AP starts to pay attention to that, not saying that's a decline because, look, you still got five teams in the top 10. So that's still a huge sign of respect for the SEC. But, you know, I think about Georgia, a team that's really been somewhat the standard in the SEC the past really five years, you think about the fact they've won, to SEC titles back to back.

And they also played for SEC titles, even if they didn't win them. So now that they bring back their starting quarterback, Gunner, Stockton, got his feet wet last year, a little bit of a slow start to this season. But ultimately, I'm expecting a bigger year from Gunner. His ability to push the football down the field is going to be huge. And also for Georgia defensively,

they're always stout on that side of the football, of course, because of Kirby Smart, their head coach, former defensive coordinator for a long time. So, yes, they deserve the number one vote, but ultimately, you know, these early season votes don't really matter. We want to see what teams are going to be battled for championships at the end of the year. That's a great point because once the first college football playoff rankings come out,

then with all due respect to all the voters, this poll doesn't really mean that much. But right now, it is super important. I think SEC fans and teams and programs know they love talking about their ceiling. And they don't even think there's a floor. Everybody's capable of doing something. So that's where we're going to go next. Kind of talk about as high as one team could go and maybe the most that they could plummet. Let's start with talking about Texas A&M.

So they're in the preseason top 10 here, Sam. for the first time since 2022. But the last six times, they were in the preseason top 10. They did not finish the regular season in the top 10. So that's a Harbinger. So you tell me the ceiling for the Aggies is. Oh, the ceiling for A&M is they're a national championship caliber team. Absolutely without a shadow of a doubt.

Last year, they were 11 and O going into their last game of the season versus their arch rival Texas. Ended up losing that game. Marcel Reed did not play well. But this year, Marcel Reed's a little. lot more mature. He spent this offseason taking his receivers, Isaiah Horton, who transferred in and also his quarterback coach to Tennessee to go and train with them in the off season. A lot of what we're seeing and hearing out of A&M is the idea of the leadership aspect that

Russell Reed has. And oh, by the way, Mike Elko, we know about his tenure as a D.C. Before at Duke and also at A&M, there's a huge understanding of what is to be expected and desired for NM. So sealing is a team that was 11 and 0 last year before finishing off losing versus Texas, but could be a national championship team. It's so interesting you say that, Sam, because most teams that start 11 and 0, you can't say the season was a disappointment, but I think there's some Aggie fans that felt like it got away

from them at the end. All right, EJ, to you, the floor. Let's just say it's the opposite of Sam's sunny optimism. What might we see here if things don't go the right way? Yeah, well, we could potentially see an 8 and 4 season, and that's still a pretty respectable floor.

Considering this schedule, guys, look at some of the stretches they have, specifically in the back half of the season, you get Bama on the road, you get South Carolina on the road, you host Tennessee after that game, and then you finish up against Oklahoma is going to be really good. And then, of course, a tough matchup against

the Texas team. So I think 8 and 4 is probably the floor, and the good part about an 8 and 4 season with that kind of schedule, that's still going to give you at least an argument at the CFP. It may not get you win. You would love to be 9 and 3, but if my floor is 8 and 4 with a schedule like that, that's still a really good

year for Texas A&M. There's no doubt. you invoked Oklahoma a second ago, so why don't we do this exercise talking about the Sooners for purposes of context for everybody at home? Oklahoma is ranked in the preseason top 10 for the 53rd time ever, most by any school, but they do have the second hardest strength of schedule.

At least that's been computed that way. So, E.J., they got the legacy. They're also going to have to earn it. So in your opinion, what's the ceiling for Oklahoma? Yeah, I'll say 10 and 2, and I do think this is a college football playoff team, I don't know if you guys got a chance to see John Matier on Instagram, but the dude's been in the gym. So you know that he's going to be ready to go and take some of those hits that he couldn't withstand at times last year.

But I think ultimately there's two potential losses here. You got the Georgia game right there before you play Texas. Could that potentially be a look-ahead game? I understand you get a buy, but that's still going to be a really tough matchup on the road. And then November 7th against Florida. That's another potential loss. You just played South Carolina. You're going to be bruised and bumped before that game.

Now look at who they play after Florida. It's Ole Miss who will probably still be. a top 15 team at that point. That could be another trap right there. Played in the swamp many times. It's a hard environment. So ultimately, this is a CFP football team. I do think they have enough defensively

to withstand that schedule. But if material is healthy guys, I mean, not only Heisman, you could also be talking about a team that's playing for a national championship, even with that schedule. He's that good. No, he is that good. When healthy, no doubt.

Sam, to you, you know, the reason I think your answer is going to be just a little more instructive here is there's even some Oklahoma fans that are not 100% sold, on Brent Venables. You're smiling because you're a Texas guy. You're loving that. I get it.

But no, in all seriousness, what do you think the floor could be here for OU if things don't break the right way? Yeah, the floor for OU could be an eight and four, even seven and five season if things don't go right. Now, do I think they'll be that bad if I can use that word? No. But if Jomater, number one, either is it healthy or also is it accurate, this could prove to be a struggling season. I called an OU game early in the season last year before John Meteer's injury. and there were some shades of inaccuracy, some wild interceptions that you don't want to throw.

Now, of course, it's been in the weight room. He's got another year with Ben Arbuckle, the offensive coordinator, but if they lose that mission game early, all of a sudden, and the defense isn't playing well, that schedule, it's why to go back to it. It is a tough one. I don't know how you want to slice it, Georgia, Texas, Ole, A&M.

And so the floor for this team could be a team that could potentially lose five games. I don't see it happening that way. But, man, if there's an injury of quarterback, or if Mater, it's not. working out well because of health or maybe bad decision making, it could prove to be a struggle. Speaking of struggle, there's no such thing as struggling if you're a first-year coach these days, because right now you have to be able to turn it around as quick as possible. Take a look at the head coaches in their first full seasons with these programs and where they are ranked right now.

Let's listen to this guy who's probably getting the lion's share of attention. I've been parts of where we've been low a year ago and finished really high and where we've been really high and finished really low. So now more than ever, it really shouldn't mean anything. I mean, we don't know as coaches, let alone media or coaches know other teams because we barely know our own team how we'll play because you have so many new players. There's no way you could figure out. And I don't, I haven't studied it because there's no reason to.

too, but I bet you analytics from the last two years of polls and where people have finished compared to where they start probably have been a long ways off compared to years ago, I guess. I guess. All right, E.J., let's start with you. Just take your viewers behind the curtain. This is something you were really hot to talk about today as we were getting ready for the show, these first year head coaches and what it's all about with the pressure as insane as it is today. How do you see it for Kiffin in LSU?

Well, look, it's not so much around Lane. Kiffin is more so with his team and all the new pieces. that he's brought there to Baton Rouge. And I'm talking about more of the discipline of this football team. What would that look like? And Coach Kiffin said it, look, you don't get an opportunity

at preseason games in college football. So if they face some adversity early in the season, specifically at home against Clemson, with all these new pieces on this football team, who are going to be the leaders, who are going to be the guys that step up and say, hey, look, it's a third down. We can't jump off sides and give up an easy first down

or, hey, we can't go into this game offensively, fumbling the footballer, or putting the ball in harm's way, if you're Sam Levitt. So on paper, of course, It's LSU looks fantastic. They got a bunch of high-paid players. And for good reason, because it's a great place to play college football.

But ultimately, when would this team gel? When would they mesh? And it's not going to be easy because you start out the season with a tough matchup against Clemson. Yeah, I can agree more with you, E.J. Just the how do you handle success or how do you handle failure? Let's talk about the success piece. Let's say this LSU team does win September 5th versus Clemson. Let's say they backdoor two weeks later and they beat Ole Miss.

So all of a sudden, all the spotlight was already on you. Now it's going to be on you even more. How do you finish the season with a relatively tough schedule? But also, let's say it goes the other way. Let's say that team loses and they start up, let's call it one and two throughout three weeks. Every team is going to give LSU their best shot. That's Clemson. Shoot, that's Louisiana Tech.

That's Ole Miss. But then even if you get through that first early part of the season, let's say you end up beating A&M, you have to finish strong. Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, who knows how Auburn will be playing with their new coach. So for me, LSU, it's going to be all about how they handle the bright lights that everyone wants to beat them. And they might end up losing, might end up winning, but they got to be able to finish strong. You mentioned that November game against Texas. We'll have some interesting news here on the Longhorns, new inside college football live, take you inside the injury situation

for Trevor Gooseby. This is straight from R. P. Thammel. He's the top prospect, offensive line-wise, in the 2027 draft protecting Eli Manning. notes of the bone bruise, timetable for his return will come together in the near future. So obviously that's something to be following. So from the Texas Longhorns to Dallas, Texas and SMU, wait till you see what honor SMU is bestowed upon Kevin Jennings after everything Jennings has done for the Mustang. We'll talk to him about that incredible honor on the way. Mysteries unravel and stunning truths are revealed when 2020 investigates.

Follow the clues, the evidence. The breaking new details. ABC's 2020 means true murder mystery. Shocking. If you follow true crime in 2020, then you've got to listen to this. Subscribe now to 2020

True Crime Plus. Add free exclusive true crime content. Search 2020 True Crime Plus on Apple Podcasts and start for free trial. Terms apply. Jennings KJ. So nice you got to say it twice. SMU gives the keys to Kevin Jennings.

The Seas Park. And there goes. Jennings. Now Jennings wants to go to the end zone. Touchdown. There's something special about the way that Kevin Jennings plays the game of football. It's Sandlock style with precision accuracy. Kevin Jennings. The most underrated player in the country. That maybe used to be his title. Not anymore. If you've watched the last couple of years, it's a pleasure to welcome in the SMU pony Kevin Jennings inside college football live. Kev, I love this for you. Dallas born, Dallas raised.

Dallas made. When you hear those three things and the fact that you are bringing back college football's program in Dallas, being a native son, what does that mean to you? Yeah, I mean, it truly just means a lot, honestly. You know, like you said, Dallas made. I'm born in Dallas, all of that stuff,

and I'm still in Dallas. So it's a, you know, a best opportunity to be able to, you know, stay in Dallas, but at the University of SMU, you know, it's a historical and legendary program. So I'm just excited to be here. and sight to put on for my, you know, my city. All right, so I got to ask you this. In the off season, it was not a secret that you and Coach Lashley could have easily

gone anywhere. There were a lot of suitors. Take me inside the off season for you and coach and how you had to sort through everything and then remain in town. Yeah, I mean, it was kind of just easy, honestly. You know, after I knew Lashley was staying, you know, it was kind of easy for me to just, you know, they hear you. I think I signed in December.

So I announced it I was coming back pretty early So after that it was just You know the ceiling thing you know Finishing my 50 year at SMU finishing where I started at and that's what it's all about to me What is it like to be the centerpiece Of a Heisman trophy campaign? Yeah just just super grateful for it

You know as a kid you know You're looking up to these opportunities You know I'm watching guys like Marcus Marriota Robert Griffin You know this guys like that You know it's super amazing just to you know being that type of argument with players, you know, looking up playing a video game, playing NCAA 14,

you know, you're wearing a husband on there. And to be where I'm at right now, you know, it's truly a blessing. Everybody says SMU is poised to make the biggest leap of anybody in this new era of college football because of the financial commitment, the proximity to players and the desire to win. What do you think SMU's ceiling could be? You're going to kind of ignite it, but what do you think the ceiling for the ponies could be? I mean, national championship, you know, conference championship, all of that. You know, we have the potential.

We have the great amount of talent on our roster to do it. But it's about what we do, you know, how we come collective as a team, our culture, and just things like that, how people buy in. So I think the talent is there. We just got to, you know, buy in and go to work each and every day and just put our head down. And, you know, we'll be looking up in no time soon to be like, geez, we really did it. So, you know, we're going to get out there and show what we can do. Hey, last thing, most people have to spend millions of dollars to get their name on a building on the campus.

But we've got the Kevin Jennings SMU Recovery Center already named in honor of you, which means your legacy is cemented no matter what. What does a gesture like that? You being a current player and having that bestowed upon you, what does that mean to you? Yeah, it's super crazy. You know, I didn't really know that it hasn't been done at first. like for a minute, I don't know it hasn't been done from a player that's still active

right now. So, you know, truly a blessing. You know, I'm glad to leave my legacy behind at SMU and just be able to have a center that my teammates can use, you know, people from next year, even 10 years from now, I can come by and just use a recovery center and be like, hey, this guy, Kevin Jenner, blah, blah, blah, you know,

see my name up there. It's super dope and I'm, you know, super blessed to have that opportunity upon me. Yeah, it ain't going to be blah, blah, they're going to know who you are for sure. And I should mention, now that I think about it, We should have done the interview in the Recovery Center. It looks like you're in the team room. I will mention.

I know. What's that? We should have done that, right? That would have been dope to do that. I ain't a lot. I ain't think about Doug. But it would have been tough. No doubt.

I should mention the last SMU player to win the Heisman trophy was Doak Walker. And you and Doak and Dickerson and Craig James are all in the same sentence, which is an amazing accomplishment. Best of luck. Have an amazing senior season. And your legacy, like I said, is intact. Kevin, thank you. Yes, sir. Thank you. Appreciate you having me all. We should just mention ranked ACC teams open in the season.

You're going to see Keb at Florida State Labor Day Night, 730 Eastern on ESPN with the country watching. Today we learned one of the people who dreamed ESPN into existence, William F. Rasmussen, better known as Bill, has died at age 93 from Parkinson's disease. He, along with his son Scott, co-founded ESPN, based on a desire to simply watch Connecticut sports on TV. And they were told a 24-hour sports network would never work, but they persisted. And thanks to that, ESPN was launched in 1979, and more than 45 years later, it seems Bill and his son were right. Their dream is now a household name with ESPN operating and covering sports around the globe. We want to give our deepest condolences to the Rasmussen family, but also thank them for their contribution. and commitment to sports fans everywhere.

We are back, NFL preseason all over ESPN and the NFL Network. How about Jet Steelers, Aaron Rogers' last two teams in A-Rod, supposedly final year, Friday at 7 Eastern on the NFL Network? New on college football live. One quarterback competition has come to an end straight from our P-Family. It looks like Bill Belichick's year-two starter in Chapel Hill, or shall I say Dublin, since they opened the season.

There will be Billy Edwards Jr. Transfer from Wisconsin. He's been banged up. Inj, what do you think about it? August 29, TCU, Carolina with Edwards, under center for Belichick. Yeah, Zubb, I'm excited for Billy Edwards. One, because the young man has dealt with a lot of injuries

throughout his college career. I think this is his fourth stop of college football. But ultimately, he got the job because he's probably the one that can go through the process of getting the offense in the right play, not turn the football over, huge opportunity over the seas. to really just kind of change the trajectory of his career. So wishing him well, wishing him a healthy season.

If he can stay healthy, Carolina will have a chance with him at the helm. No doubt, Gio Lopez, our starter last year is now at Wake Forest, so they're going to get to see him at some point around the bend as well in the ACC. Let's take a look again at the preseason top 25 via the Associated Press, which was released yesterday. One of the things E.J. mentioned as we were chatting about the show beforehand, is take a bright old look at this because not everybody that starts it is going to finish it. in the top 25.

And that's what we're going to talk about here in our winning moments on college football live. EJ, I'll start with you. As you take a look at those 25 teams there. Give me a team that right there, right now is undefeated in the poll about the time we hit December or January.

You're going to remember them in August when EJ said, you remember, I told you they will be out of the poll when it's all said now. Who is that team? Zooten, it pains me to select a team here, but I got to go Tennessee. And really it's because of the defense.

And if their defense does not improve from what we saw last year, really in the bottom third of the SEC in a lot of different categories, gave up over 28 points per game, one of the worst of stopping the run, one of the worst also of stopping the past. Just not really what we're used to seeing from Tennessee. Got a tough schedule ahead as well. Now, they do figure out the quarterback situation, so maybe that helps. I know they also have a young quarterback in Thaison Brandon who might get an opportunity

to play, but when I think about teams who not only have a hard schedule, but also have to replace a ton in the front seven defensively that already was bad last year, the seat fits the bill, so we'll see what they can do this year. They do bring back Bishop, the running back. But beside that on defense, they got a lot to fix. Yeah, I like Michigan as a team that might end up out of the top 25. Right now they're at 16, and they have a new head coach in Kyle Whittingham, trying to bring in a new culture.

But the schedule is going to be difficult as well as they're trying to fit in. The Utah kind of build it culture in Michigan, it's like, man, we got to win and kind of probably got to win soon. I look at Oklahoma that second week of the season. Oklahoma is going to be a team that's trying to get back into the football playoff. John Mateer's playing phenomenal quarterback. And I look at Indiana and Oregon.

Those are two games that could be tough. Usually wouldn't say Indiana would be a team that's going to be tough. That's another one. I was on that schedule as well. And so Michigan could be a team that could have three losses, maybe four losses, and end up being outside of the top 25. Yeah, Sam, I will push back a little bit. I believe in Bryce Underwood. And the big

reason is because he has coach winning ham. And he finally has a quarterback coach. I mean, think about one coming in as a true freshman. All the conversation was about what he got in the NIL, the expectation. You're at Michigan. You lose Ohio State. You lose the Oklahoma. But he's still kind of hung tough.

And now that he's going to have a coach that's devoted to his development, I do believe that Michigan gave me the team that can really turn it around. I'm not calling for them to necessarily beat Ohio State. Ohio State to behemoth. But I do think Michigan will be a team that hangs around. I can see nine wins, maybe even 10, if they're able to stay lucky with some good health. That's really interesting because if Sam's right, it's going to be really underwhelming for Underwood after two years.

But to E. Jay's point, which should not be understated, this stud, one of the best they've ever had, brought into the position, did not have a full-time quarterbacks coach last year. So Eja, I'm glad you mentioned that in our final 22nd. Speaking to quarterback, the All-American team is out. Dante Moore is your first team, All-American pre-season quarterback. And I want to give you the three guys on the wide receiver list, just to wet your appetite for the season.

First team pre-season, Jeremiah Smith, Malachi Tony, and Cam Coleman. Points will be scored. And we will see you tomorrow.