Auto bids is all over the NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL and other professional sports. Not one of these leagues takes the best teams. Example: The NFL doesn’t take the best 14 teams out or 32. They auto bid 7 teams from the NFC and 7 from the AFC. MLB auto bids 5 from the NL and 5 from the American League. Neither leagues takes the best 14/10 teams.

Informative show about CFB! Always a good listen.

Feldman is arrogant and dismissive of Mandel. Would love for Stuart to tell him to F off. And Feldman’s smokers voice is irritating

There's nothing you get from this show that you can't get anywhere else. Also, there are a lot of awkward moments with (mostly Bruce) shooting Stew down & it's clear they are doing this only for the athletic & not because they're buddies. Often feels uncomfortable.

When a football podcast about two games starts out with “I didn’t watch the whole game but,” you know it isn’t a good podcast. I gave them the benefit of the doubt but when it became clear they haven’t even watched the majority of games from the teams playing for the CFP national championship, I gave up.

Enjoy your podcasts! But it was a little obvious that UM “knew” what plays Alabama was running in the first half and UA changed the signals in the second half.

Stew and Bruce are bonafide pros who don’t chase the hot topic of the week. I know some people hate on Stew, but these two keep it interesting without fuss and hype.

Tbh the Jags should be disqualified from the playoffs every year.

I like when Stew and Bruce quarrel like a cute couple. Will you guys just kiss already

Sadly, Feldman is a bigger shill for Fox than for the Athletic.

Really enjoy the podcast, have been listening for years. It’s apparent Bruce and Stew have well thought out opinions on current CFB topics instead of “hot takes”. Keep up the great work!

Really enjoy Bruce’s insight but find Stew borderline unlistenable.

Over the last year or saw I have begun to notice how irritable and insufferable Bruce Feldman has become. He talks down to Stew, constantly cuts him off, dismisses his opinions and just comes across as a low energy arrogant jerk.

Common sense college football talk with excellent insight. Bruce and Stewart are extremely knowledgeable and give great perspectives and I enjoy the back and forth.

“Stew” bends over backwards for Pitt Coach, but trashes Harbaugh every chance he gets? I think a College Football leader who gives access gets a better spin than a Harbaugh type who is meh towards the media;

Have been a longtime listener but can’t do it any longer. Just don’t want to be a part of Mandel’s agenda. Look forward to whatever Bruce does next. And to be honest, my Athletic subscription is on the razors edge.

I’ve listened to every episode but his dancing on Michigan’s grave without any evidence of wrongdoing yet is bizarre for a person in his position I couldn’t bring myself to hear his voice again if you paid me.

Like so many others, I've listened for Bruce and in spite of Stew for years now. But this week was the last straw. Stew as become so insufferable and unlikable I just can't do it anymore. Sorry Bruce. Hopefully you move on soon and start a different pod with anyone else besides this historically lame dweeb you've attached yourself to for some inexplicable reason.

Bruce is a really good at his job and it’s unfortunate they paired him with Stewart. Stewart doesn’t agree with anything Bruce says and is the most bland person to host a podcast. He’s a wannabe journalist hack.

What are y’all’s general thoughts on SMU? I thought they played OU well, but a couple big plays went OUs way so they pulled away. TCU was disappointing. But I personally think SMU can win out and play for a conference title.

Mailbag: Love your show. Question about the dynamics for the networks with the upcoming conference changes. Is the Long Horn Network going away? It must have strong financial value so it’s hard to believe they’d just shut it down. But it’s also hard to believe the SEC schools would just let Texas have this independent revenue stream. How about the Pac12 network? I can see where this has less value, but if it’s worth even say $1 million why shut it down? Thanks. @danquinlin

Nice vehicle for promoting Feldman’s FOX gig on the sidelines but very limited on actual knowledge of the game. Opinions are driven by self-promotion and reinforced by low-intellect, high-traffic inducing storylines manufactured explicitly for the echo chamber. Not saying it isn’t interesting to the mindless, but the collision of Deion Sanders and last year’s media “heartthrob”, TCU, is enough sucrose to put mindful listeners in a diabetic tizzy for 5 months. This happens when no one is there to call you out on your bullsh_t POVs.

These two guys are very informative and obviously do their homework. They work pretty well together covering college football from a variety of angles but sometimes they sound like they’re getting on each other’s nerves lol. Maybe I’m hearing things idk. My only gripe is their shortsightedness regarding PAC12 football. TIME FOR MY RANT! I know it’s all about what you have done for me lately but just because Stanford has a few bad seasons it’s as though they don’t deserve to exist as a program anymore. Don’t get me wrong I’ll be the first to admit there’s been a severe decline but The Farm was PAC12 football for basically the entire 2010’s! With Oregon and Washington that one season and now Utah but USC has been the disappointment of the century and UCLA has flirted with irrelevance… Stanford had 10 straight bowl games and 4 Heisman contenders and a butt load of talent moving into the pros and 11 straight seasons of being ranked in the top 25! As a matter of fact from their own reporting Stanford has had the best development of 3 star recruits drafted to the NFL over the last 11 years with 83%!!! Harbaugh and Shaw revived this team and put at the top of the sport, and yes the last few years have been rough and with a quarterback like Mckee the result should have been better but the rest of the conference has stepped up and Stanford literally dropped the ball and had internal issues hindering their performance. The standard was compromised but even with the comeback and dominance they never got the recognition they deserved. But The reset button has been pressed and the next recruiting class looks promising (top 20 in the country) and Troy Taylor has the credentials to make a positive impact. But now that the vale has been completely lifted and TV executives openly run CFB with absolutely zero accountability for the fans, tradition, and THE STUDENT ATHLETES Stanford and three other proud West Coast teams have been left behind. I’ve heard a lot of finger pointing, insincere empathy, and outright indifference in the wake of the PAC12’s destruction and it really shows where we are as a sport and as it’s fans. It’s beyond disappointing because I’m not only a Stanford fan but a college football fan and it WAS one of the most unique sports in existence. I root for the game and the game is comprised. If you aren’t upset about what’s going on then you are obviously shortsighted enough to think that this disease won’t affect you directly in the very near future. If something isn’t done pretty quick to change the direction of CFB we won’t have it anymore. Since childhood my weekends have consisted of cheers and jeers on Saturday. Pop Warner, Bill Walsh, John Elway, THE FIRST ROSE BOWL, Plunkett and the list goes on with the countless contributions The Farm has made to this sport, and my personal favorite in 2007 when they knocked off USC in “the biggest upset in college football history”. They may not be Alabama or Oklahoma, Penn State but they have been a fixture in an establishment that has grown up with our country since its invention. A lot of people won’t care and enough up to this point haven’t but I feel like West Coast football fans have been marginalized and maybe we don’t have the devotion you can find in other regions but for those of us that do; we are here and we still care, I’m sure there are Wazzou, Beaver and Cal fans that would probably echo everything I’ve said here not to mention all the other fans across other conferences that are dumbfounded by realignment and what it means for the future of their teams. This is not a good review but this is a good podcast. I’m sure there are things I forgot and no one will probably ever read this anyway. But I need to get it out there because I have a feeling this is only the beginning and something I’ve cared about for as long as I can remember might never be the same. This isn’t just about my team but the other 90% of teams that this plague may affect eventually. Don't judge me to harshly, I’m certain there are those that don’t agree. And maybe I’m totally wrong. Maybe this is all just a bad dream and it’s time to wake up. Everything changes right? Nothing can stay the same. If you did read this thank you. Good luck, see you Saturday and FEAR THE TREE!

Tired hit piece on Rutgers Athletics sent me over the edge. This show is ok to good, but I’m done for now. I’d rather listen to pods that don’t outright insult my alma mater.

Love the show and all of the amazing information provided.

Topics are interesting but there is no chemistry between the two. Stu is sometimes uninformed and Bruce shows his lack of respect for that. Makes for some awkward moments.

Really like both of these guys. I think perhaps splitting them up might be a good idea. I wouldn’t call either of them high energy. Someone to punch it up a bit would be enjoyable.

Stew and Bruce are knowledgable and entertaining without getting into the contrived arguments that have ruined so much sports talk. To me, and this will date me, they harken back to the Sports Reporters on ESPN, which I loved as a kid. If you want college football talk without yelling and pretense, check ‘em out. They’re a regular in my pod world.

The Audible with Stew and Bruce is an excellent podcast for college football fans. Hosted by Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman, two of the most respected journalists in the industry, the podcast offers in-depth analysis, insights, and discussions on the latest news and events in college football. One of the strengths of The Audible is the chemistry between Mandel and Feldman. The two hosts have a great rapport and bring different perspectives and opinions to the table, which makes for lively and informative discussions. The podcast covers a wide range of topics, from breaking news and game recaps to recruiting and coaching changes. Another strength of The Audible is the quality of the guests. Mandel and Feldman regularly bring on experts, coaches, and players to provide additional insights and perspectives on the sport. These guests are often candid and offer behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes that are both entertaining and informative. Overall, The Audible with Stew and Bruce is a must-listen for any college football fan. The podcast provides a unique and informative perspective on the sport, and the hosts' expertise and engaging personalities make for an enjoyable listening experience. Highly recommended!

Unsubscribing because one of you idiots think James Franklin is the 5th best coach in college football

Stu and Bruce, I am a divorced 51 year old dude and regularly listen to the show while driving through out my day. This is a special shout out. Thanks Roman for explaining to my 14 year old daughter that 50% of men above the age get erectile dysfunction. This has never been a problem for me. My daughter had a ball with that one on the way to school today. Thanks Roman!

I’ve been listening for several years and really enjoy the show. I’m wondering if schools with lesser NIL resources could Moneyball recruiting? Which positions have the most market inefficiencies generally (or specific to conferences)? For non-blue bloods it seems to me it makes more sense to allocate resources towards linemen and multi-position athletes than just one five star QB or pass rusher. Thoughts?

So smart to have a Sunday Show. I’m sure it’s tough, but true college fans are ready for discussion the day after the games are played.

I’m pretty forgiving about the energy even though most shows sound like both hosts just woke up from naps, but if podcasting is an important enough part of their jobs that they commit time each week to do it then why does it sound like a recorded phone call. If you don’t care to iron that out why should I care to listen?

Love the pod but all this time later one of the Athletic’s premier podcasts still sounds like two recorded phone connections?

The quality of the audio connection, especially on Stew’s end, has been very poor lately. It’s making listening to my favorite national CFB pod, kind of a chore.

Wow. Didn’t even make it past the 10 minute mark. Nothing but tropes and cliches, all at a snail’s pace. Yikes, guys.

Stew and Bruce do such a great job. Always prepared, knowledgeable, and entertaining. As a college football fan on the West Coast, I’m not sure what to make of the new CFB landscape, but this podcast has helped me through it.

Bruce, It’s kind of startling to see what Mario Cristobal is doing on the recruiting trail. Since you’re familiar with Miami and Cristobal, can you be specific about what he’s doing that’s so unique that allows him to recruit like this. We hear all these terms like “relentless” “passionate about the U” but can you give some specifics about what he and other great recruiters do. Thx

Bruce knows his stuff, wish he was on his own.

If your CFB team now loses in state recruits Becz a nearby school pays more… it’s good for the recruit. But you should now not care at all about who the players are. For all you know they could be on another team next season. Bama and A&M and UGA are trying to buy your best players off both your roster and your recruiting board… I’m out on that situation. I’ll just cheer for the recruits when they get to the NFL. I dnt want to hate these kids. Get your money and I’ll find out who you are come draft day. Unless this some how balances out.

Keep up the great work, looking forward to the off season content to keep me going until next season. Thanks! And subscribe to The Athletic! Best deal in sports!

His only contribution to the sport is having controversial takes to make up for is lack of an original thought that would add to the conversation.

The best of college football. Even in the dead time they produce interesting thoughtful insight. They are solid because their enthusiasm and love for college football comes through but they never compromise reality👍BTW Chuck Ealey from Toledo finally made CF HOF.

These guys are sharp, and know the sport inside and out. I’m always surprised about their grasp of the sport.

Can’t say enough about their quality reporting, CFB connections, and their insight. Podcast is helpful, funny, and an overall great listen. Can’t recommend this (and an Athletic subscription) enough.

I’ve been listening since the beginning, and the ad insertions are getting worse over time. I’m not talking about the ad reads by Stew and Bruce - those are handled well. I’m talking about the external ads inserted by some ad server. They are jarring as they are out of the blue - no warning at all. It just goes from Stew talking to some random voice shouting “Hey you! Yeah you” and a bunch of yelling about garbage they are shilling. To say they are obnoxious doesn’t begin to describe it. Do a better job, athletic.

Good stuff

First, let me just say that I believe The Audible is the most insightful college football podcast that exists. I thoroughly enjoy your content and often finish each episode as a more knowledgeable football fan. Also, Bruce, I love your book “The QB”. I bought it years ago and I still read over it time and time again. My question for the podcast is this: Bruce, you have mentioned time and time again that USC is in the best position of any Power 5 school to dominate its conference. If this is accurate, what coach do you believe USC should hire if you were the AD making the decision, and additionally, what is a realistic timeline to expect to see positive results from USC in the future. *positive results can be subjective so I will let you decide what that looks like as the hypothetical AD in this situation. Thanks for considering my question!

Thank you for providing a more cerebral approach to analyzing college football. Too many analysts out there just spewing a lot of nonsense. -Walter, Go buckeyes