Saturday Down South Podcast

John Crist and Connor O'Gara discuss Florida's depleted roster heading into the Michigan game and the important non-conference games for SEC teams not named Alabama this weekend. Plus both John and Connor make their picks for the College Football Playoff in 2017.

It's opening week in the SEC and Matt Hayes has you covered with an exclusive interview with South Carolina TE Hayden Hurst, as well as his thoughts on the league as a whole. Hurst talks about his journey from high school to minor league baseball to his current spot as one of the most dynamic tight ends in America. He discusses what it's like to play for Will Muschamp, and what the Gamecocks expect out of Week 1.

Tommy Tuberville is an SEC legend whose path has taken him from Oxford to Auburn to Cincinnati, and now into the broadcast booth at ESPN. His undefeated season at Auburn will always be remembered for what could've been, but his record vs. Alabama leaves little doubt about his place in SEC history. Coach Tuberville joins the pod to talk about his journey, the transition to ESPN, the current state of the SEC – and those Auburn Tigers, who might be desitined for similar success.

John Crist and Connor O'Gara go into full breakdown mode as the season approaches, tackling which players, coaches and teams will be the most interesting in 2017. In that same vein, the pair ranks the starting QBs in the conference from top to bottom. Also, an interesting discovery by Connor: Steve McNair may be the best college football player in the history of the state of Mississippi. So why isn't he in the College Football Hall of Fame?

Former Georgia QB and current CBS broadcaster Aaron Murray joins host John Crist to talk about both phases of his career, and the transition between them. The pair also discusses Murray's NFL performance and the college similarities between Murray and another freshman phenom – Jacob Eason. Of course, we had to ask him about the 2012 SEC Championship Game and his performance in one of the biggest games, as well as one of the most legendary plays in SEC history.

Matt Hayes welcomes Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald to discuss his progression under Dan Mullen, the quarterbacks he likes to watch and whether or not dual threat quarterbacks get a bad rap in the SEC. Later, Hayes discusses the quarterback situation across the league and gives some quick thoughts on the marquee week one matchups.

With Alabama taking a lone spot in the AP top 10, the rest of the SEC is wide open. How will it all play out when the dust settles? Who could be sneaky good, and which teams are all hype? College football veteran Matt Hinton joins the pod to discuss all the possibilities.

Gary Stokan, the CEO of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl joins the pod to talk about one of the biggest non-conference matchups in recent memory: Alabama vs. Florida State. This year's Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game will set the stage for the College Football Playoff, and Stokan is the man that put it all together. Stokan also talks to host Connor O'Gara about how he met Nick Saban back in his LSU days, and how that relationship has grown over the years, leading up to this matchup.

Auburn QB Jarrett Stidham, is he the real deal? JC and Connor debate the pros and cons of Auburn's new signal caller. Dynasties like Alabama weren't built in a day – and contrary to popular opinion, they weren't built by Nick Saban alone. The pair dive into the ten people other than Saban who helped turned Alabama into what it is.

There's big news brewing in The Swamp, and veteran Gators writer Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun is the perfect person to hash it out. Dooley joins John Crist to talk about the suspension of Antonio Callaway, how it affects the team, and if his talent is worth all the off-the-field troubles. The pair also delves into all things Gators, including Florida's current QB situation, and how all of this affects the SEC as a whole.

Two former Alabama quarterbacks are speaking out against the leadership in Tuscaloosa, but could they have a point? And speaking of outspoken QBs, UCLA's Josh Rosen didn't pull any punches when he called out the NCAA and Alabama in a recent interview. All that and much more in this episode.

IMG Academy is a high school unlike any other. From the state-of-the-art facilities to the big-name coaches patrolling the sidelines, it has become the epicenter of college football recruiting in America. When you look past the hype and the high expectations, however, these are just regular high school kids trying to make it in the world of big-time college football.

Legendary Georgia coach Vince Dooley joins the pod to talk about all things SEC and UGA. He delves into what it's like to coach the great Herschel Walker, shares his opinions on Mark Richt, Kirby Smart, and his son, former UT coach Derek Dooley, as well as some stories from his glory days of coaching in the SEC.

John Crist and Connor O'Gara discuss expectations for Florida QB Malik Zaire, comparing the not-so-differences in the B1G and SEC, and what to make of the latest AP Top 25 poll.

Phil Savage joined SDS earlier this month at SEC Media Days to discuss his new book on the Crimson Tide, Nick Saban's evolution, what to expect from Jalen Hurts in 2017, replacing OJ Howard, and how Alabama's defense will reload after losing so much talent.