EPISODE · Oct 13, 2025 · 52 MIN
Franklin Fired, Belichick Blunders & the Wild New Reality of College Football
from SportsIQ with Larry Smith · host Rise Above Productions & Revision Sound
It’s a jaw-dropping Monday on Sports IQ with Larry Smith — a weekend of stunning firings, coaching chaos, and one of the strangest Octobers college football has seen in years.Larry opens the show recapping a packed NFL Sunday — from Patrick Mahomes’ record-setting night against Detroit to Daniel Jones’ comeback campaign in Indy — before diving headfirst into the shockwave that hit Happy Valley: Penn State fires James Franklin just six games into his 12th season.Larry and producer Tony Cordaro unpack how a preseason No. 2 team unraveled, why boosters finally pulled the plug, and what it says about the “win-now” era of college sports. They debate Franklin’s legacy, the $49 million buyout, and who could replace him — with Indiana’s Curt Cignetti and Nebraska’s Matt Rhule already topping the rumor list.Then, the conversation turns south, where Trent Dilfer is out at UAB and Alex Mortensen (son of the late ESPN legend Chris Mortensen) steps in to rebuild.In the show’s second half, Larry welcomes Shelby Swanson of The Raleigh News & Observer to break down the drama swirling around Bill Belichick at UNC — from locker-room tension and recruiting misfires to off-field distractions and the $30 million guaranteed contract that makes any move complicated.They close with lighter fare: Big Blue Madness in Lexington, Daniel Jones’ redemption, Baker Mayfield’s rebirth in Tampa, and Denny Hamlin’s 60th career NASCAR victory — this week’s Moment of Ah.Topics Discussed:James Franklin’s firing & Penn State’s $49 M gambleCurt Cignetti’s rise at Indiana and the new Big Ten power orderBill Belichick’s turbulent UNC experimentUAB fires Trent Dilfer; Alex Mortensen era beginsNFL weekend recap: Chiefs, Colts, Bucs, and moreKentucky’s Big Blue Madness and Mark Pope’s second actDenny Hamlin joins NASCAR’s all-time top-10Guest:🎙️ Shelby Swanson – UNC Beat Writer, Raleigh News & ObserverConnect:Follow Larry Smith and Sports IQ for sharp daily takes, deep-dive interviews, and the smartest sports analysis in podcasting — new episodes every weekday.
What this episode covers
It’s a jaw-dropping Monday on Sports IQ with Larry Smith — a weekend of stunning firings, coaching chaos, and one of the strangest Octobers college football has seen in years.Larry opens the show recapping a packed NFL Sunday — from Patrick Mahomes’ record-setting night against Detroit to Daniel Jones’ comeback campaign in Indy — before diving headfirst into the shockwave that hit Happy Valley: Penn State fires James Franklin just six games into his 12th season.Larry and producer Tony Cordaro unpack how a preseason No. 2 team unraveled, why boosters finally pulled the plug, and what it says about the “win-now” era of college sports. They debate Franklin’s legacy, the $49 million buyout, and who could replace him — with Indiana’s Curt Cignetti and Nebraska’s Matt Rhule already topping the rumor list.Then, the conversation turns south, where Trent Dilfer is out at UAB and Alex Mortensen (son of the late ESPN legend Chris Mortensen) steps in to rebuild.In the show’s second half, Larry welcomes Shelby Swanson of The Raleigh News & Observer to break down the drama swirling around Bill Belichick at UNC — from locker-room tension and recruiting misfires to off-field distractions and the $30 million guaranteed contract that makes any move complicated.They close with lighter fare: Big Blue Madness in Lexington, Daniel Jones’ redemption, Baker Mayfield’s rebirth in Tampa, and Denny Hamlin’s 60th career NASCAR victory — this week’s Moment of Ah.Topics Discussed:James Franklin’s firing & Penn State’s $49 M gambleCurt Cignetti’s rise at Indiana and the new Big Ten power orderBill Belichick’s turbulent UNC experimentUAB fires Trent Dilfer; Alex Mortensen era beginsNFL weekend recap: Chiefs, Colts, Bucs, and moreKentucky’s Big Blue Madness and Mark Pope’s second actDenny Hamlin joins NASCAR’s all-time top-10Guest:🎙️ Shelby Swanson – UNC Beat Writer, Raleigh News & ObserverConnect:Follow Larry Smith and Sports IQ for sharp daily takes, deep-dive interviews, and the smartest sports analysis in podcasting — new episodes every weekday.
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Franklin Fired, Belichick Blunders & the Wild New Reality of College Football
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