PODCAST · sports
Agent Confidential
by Mike Chaudron
Inside the business of college football.Agent Confidential explores NIL economics, contracts, leverage, and the power structures shaping the modern game.Hosted by Mike Chaudron, this show breaks down how decisions are actually made behind the scenes.
Episodes
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Whiners & Losers: Elko, TexAgs and the Third Saturday in October
After a 10–2 start picking losers, I managed to go 0–3 last week. That's right, a clean sweep in the wrong direction! This week's Whiner of the Week is Mike Elko, who decided to take on the folks at TexAgs. Then we're picking the outright losers in Ohio State–Indiana, Notre Dame–BYU, and...
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Buyout Island Index: Norvell on the Dock, Elko Joins the Party
The ferry is getting crowded on this week’s Buyout Island Index! Mike Elko makes his debut in the Top 5 following Texas A&M’s loss to Missouri. Deion Sanders isn’t going anywhere, Greg Schiano’s buyout remains a major consideration, and Mike Locksley keeps sliding toward the ferry. But at No. 1?...
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Chaos Reigns! What Mattered — October 11
What a weekend of college football. Georgia beats Alabama in a slugfest, Oklahoma knocks off Texas, Bob Chesney proves he’s a ball coach, and Kentucky goes for two to beat LSU. Again! South Carolina rises from the ashes, and things appear to be unraveling quickly in College Station, where Mike…
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Whiners & Losers | Somebody's Gotta Lose! | Week 7
Another Thursday, another edition of Whiners & Losers. This week's Whiner gets his turn, and I've got three college football games on the board. Who's going home with an L? Somebody's gotta lose! Agent Confidential with Mike Chaudron.
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Buyout Island Index: The Passenger List Has Changed
Somebody new needs to start making travel arrangements. The Buyout Island passenger list has changed after another Saturday of college football. We’ve got a newcomer, some familiar faces, and a couple of coaches getting awfully close to having their tickets punched. Five coaches. One island....
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What Mattered This Weekend: Alabama, Arkansas & College Football’s Biggest Stories
The scoreboard tells you who won. It doesn’t always tell you what mattered. Three things from Saturday that caught my attention — including Alabama and Keelon Russell, an Arkansas program that has wandered into some very familiar territory, and one more story worth talking about. It’s What…
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The Business of College Football | The Ultimate SEC Sports Show
I joined Bob Baskerville on The Ultimate SEC Sports Show for a wide-ranging conversation about the business behind college football. We get into CFP expansion and the possibility of a 24-team playoff, the money behind the SEC Championship Game, the future of college sports governance, coaching...
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Whiners & Losers: Coach Prime Talks, SEC Road Trips & Death Valley
Somebody handed me a Whiner of the Week quote I simply couldn’t ignore. Then it’s time to pick three losers: Auburn–Tennessee, Miami–Clemson and Alabama–Mississippi State. And before we’re done, Air Sexton may need to be fueled up again. It’s this week’s Whiners & Losers.
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PCSA PASSED. NOW WHAT?
The Protect College Sports Act passed the Senate 77–22. But it isn’t law yet. What actually passed? Which amendments failed? What does it mean for NIL, transfers, eligibility, athlete compensation and NCAA enforcement? And now that the bill heads to the House, I’m watching something else closely:...
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BUYOUT ISLAND INDEX: The Passenger List Is Getting Crowded
The Buyout Island Index is back. One coach played his way DOWN the list. Others remain firmly on the radar. Shane Beamer’s SEC record and contract make things interesting in Columbia. And after a 54–3 home loss? Mike Locksley may have transportation waiting. X The passenger list is getting…
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Great Coordinator ≠ Great Head Coach
As the coaching carousel starts spinning, hot coordinators will immediately become hot head-coaching candidates. But being great at one doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be great at the other. In today’s college football, the head coach is increasingly a CEO. Here’s what I’d want to know before...
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What Happened: Florida Is For Real, Iowa Stuns Michigan & CFB Has a Discipline Problem
Three things that mattered to me this weekend. Florida is 4-0 after a big win over Ole Miss, scoring more than 40 points a game. The Gators are for real. Iowa gets a last-second win over Michigan in the Big House. And after what we saw from Texas, USC and South Carolina, I think college football...
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How a College Football Coach Actually Gets Fired|Agent Confidential
The press conference is the end of the story not the beginning. Before a college football coach gets fired, there are phone calls, temperature checks, conversations with donors and some very real math. What does it cost to fire him? What does it cost to keep him? And what does it cost if the…
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Who’s Whining This Week? | Whiners & Losers
Somebody earned Whiner of the Week. Then Mike has three games on the board and three losers to pick. A homecoming. A Saturday night brawl. And a battle between two shades of orange. Who’s whining? Who’s losing? Let’s find out.
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Dave Doeren Just Got LAUNCHED to Buyout Island
Saturday changed the passenger manifest. Five coaches. Plenty of turbulence. And one unbelievable finish that sent a coach straight to the top of the Buyout Island Index. The weather is beautiful. The drinks are cold. And job security is always subject to change. Wheels up.
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Mississippi State Is FOR REAL | What Mattered This Weekend
Three things mattered to me this weekend in college football. Mississippi State is for real — Jeff Lebby has something building in Starkville, and bringing Zach Arnett back may prove to be one of his smartest moves. NC State found an almost unimaginable way to lose a football game. And while...
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Agent Confidential: I’m the Whiner of the Week 🤦♂️ | Whiners & Losers
This week’s Whiner of the Week is… me. I buried Alabama at halftime against Kentucky. Then the Tide went out and made me look like an idiot. I’ll own it. Then we get to Mike’s Losers: Houston–Texas Tech, Mississippi State–South Carolina, and the main event — Lane Kiffin and LSU heading back to...
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The Business of WVU: How West Virginia Competes in the New College Football | With Couz
How does West Virginia compete in a college football world where generating revenue has become almost as important as generating touchdowns? I joined Couz for a wide-ranging conversation about WVU, the Big 12 and the rapidly changing business of college football. We get into revenue…
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Mike Norvell Takes the Top Spot on Buyout Island
Description: Five coaches. Five contracts. One plane standing by. Dan Lanning is new to the Index. Dabo Swinney and Luke Fickell remain under pressure. Greg Schiano already has the flip-flops and Hawaiian shirt packed. But after Florida State fired athletic director Michael Alford, there’s a new...
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What Mattered This Weekend: Texas Breaks Through, Oregon Exposed & Don’t Bury Bama
What mattered this weekend in college football? Texas finally won the kind of game it’s been waiting to win, coming from behind to beat No. 1 Ohio State 24-23. Sark and the Longhorns MAYBE showed us they belong on the biggest stage. Oregon? A 39-31 loss at Oklahoma State raises a pretty big...
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What Mattered: Texas Arrives, Oregon Stumbles & Alabama
Three things mattered this weekend in college football. Texas may have finally gotten over the hump with a dramatic win over Ohio State. Oregon’s loss to Oklahoma State raises a pretty simple question: were the Ducks overrated? And after one of the ugliest first halves of Alabama football in a…
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Whiners & Losers is back!
Dabo Swinney earns this week’s Whiner :hello, Buyout Island — and Mike picks the loser in three of the weekend’s biggest games: Alabama-Kentucky. Oklahoma-Michigan. Ohio State-Texas. One Whiner. Three games. Three losers. Welcome to Whiners and Losers 2026
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Who’s Running College Football? | Mac & Bone
I joined Mac & Bone on WFNZ Charlotte for a wide-ranging conversation about the business behind college football — and where the sport goes from here. We got into governance, why a multibillion-dollar sport still doesn’t have anyone truly in charge, the growing power of the conferences, NIL and…
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Buyout Island Index: Week 1 — The Games Have Been Played
Week 1 is in the books, and the first in-season Buyout Island Index has some new arrivals. Dabo. Aranda. Fickell. Norvell. Schiano. Five coaches. Five very different situations. One Island.
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College Football Can’t Be Governed in a Courtroom | GameTime
The latest LSU eligibility fight is about more than two players. It’s another example of the bigger problem facing college football: Who is actually in charge? I joined the GameTime crew to talk Lane Kiffin, LSU, the NCAA, the courts and why college football cannot continue operating one...
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What Mattered This Weekend: Kiffin, Dabo, Michigan & the Bigger Picture
The first edition of What Mattered This Weekend. Not a game recap. Mike Chaudron looks at what the weekend told us about the bigger picture in college football: Lane Kiffin and Dabo Swinney representing two very different approaches to the modern game, the Michigan-Western Michigan controversy…
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Buyout Island Index: The Passenger List Has Changed
Somebody new needs to start making travel arrangements. The Buyout Island passenger list has changed after another Saturday of college football. We’ve got a newcomer, some familiar faces, and a couple of coaches getting awfully close to having their tickets punched. Five coaches. One island....
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No. 1 Texas | Agent Confidential Top 20
Twenty programs. One No. 1. Texas tops the Agent Confidential Top 20. The Longhorns combine one of the most valuable brands in college athletics with enormous financial resources, powerful donors, NIL strength, institutional commitment and championship expectations. Add Steve Sarkisian and a...
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No. 2 Ohio State | Agent Confidential Top 20
The Ohio State checks in at No. 2 in the Agent Confidential Top 20. The Buckeyes have virtually everything required to thrive in modern college football: an enormous brand, deep resources, powerful donor support and a willingness to invest at the highest level. And at Ohio State, the expectation...
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No. 3: Texas A&M
Texas A&M has almost everything a college football program could want: enormous resources, passionate donors, elite facilities, a massive fan base and the willingness to spend. The Aggies don’t lack money. They don’t lack ambition. And they certainly don’t lack expectations. The pieces are in...
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Who’s Actually in Charge of College Football? | GameTime
A special SEC edition of the Buyout Island Index, followed by my full conversation with GameTime on WJOX. Lane Kiffin. NFL players attempting to return to college football. Tony Petitti vs. Greg Sankey. Kirby Smart. The SEC. And the governance problem that continues to hang over the sport.…
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#4 Notre Dame: College Football’s Most Unique Power | Agent Confidential Top 20
No conference. A national television deal. A massive alumni base. And expectations that never really change. Notre Dame doesn’t operate like everyone else in college football — because it doesn’t have to. The Fighting Irish check in at #4 in the Agent Confidential Top 20, ranking the programs…
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Number five in the Agent Confidential Top 20: The U. Miami.
Few programs have ever made being cool as much a part of their brand as Miami. The swagger. South Beach. Catholics vs Convicts. And a history filled with some of the biggest personalities in college football. But here’s why Miami is back in my Top Five: the money is matching the swagger again....
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Georgia Is No. 6 — And That Tells You How Loaded the Top 5 Is
Georgia checks in at No. 6 in the Agent Confidential Top 20. Elite recruiting. Serious resources. Championship expectations. And one of the strongest football operations in the country under Kirby Smart. Georgia has everything required to compete at the very top of college football. So how are…
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SPECIAL EDITION: The SEC Is On Its Heels
The SEC is accustomed to setting the agenda in college football. Right now, it’s reacting to judges, lawyers and its own schools. The controversy over former professional players returning to college is only the latest symptom of a much larger problem. If the most powerful conference in college...
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LSU Is Built to Win:No. 7 in the Agent Confidential Top 20
SU has the money. The resources. The fan and donor commitment. And very little patience for anything short of competing for championships. From Kim Mulkey to Will Wade to Lane Kiffin, LSU has shown it isn't afraid to make bold moves. The excitement and expectations are thick in the Red Stick. LSU...
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Oregon Is #8 :The Nike Advantage Is REAL | Agent Confidential Top 20
Oregon checks in at #8 in the Agent Confidential Top 20. The Ducks aren't just a football success story. They're one of the most fascinating business stories in college athletics. Nike. Phil Knight. Elite facilities. National recruiting. NIL resources. And a willingness to invest aggressively in...
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Michigan Is #9 — But the Business Is Changing | Agent Confidential Top 20
Michigan checks in at #9 in the Agent Confidential Top 20 — ranking college football programs by the business of the sport, not just wins and losses. The Wolverines still have one of the biggest brands, largest fan bases and most powerful institutions in college athletics. And Michigan is...
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#10 Alabama — They Have Alabama Legacy| Agent Confidential Top 20
We've reached the Top 10. The Crimson Pachyderms have lost eight games in two seasons, but don't confuse a few bumps in the road with a decline in the business. Alabama still has Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, elite facilities, one of America's most passionate fan bases, one of the best...
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#11 Texas Tech — Keep Your Eyes on Lubbock | Agent Confidential Top 20
Robert Earl Keen once said it's so flat in Lubbock that on a clear day, you can see the back of your own head. Well, these days you can also see a whole lot of money headed toward Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have billionaire backing, aggressive investment, great coaching and a brand that is…
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#12 Penn State — Happy Valley Is Hungry | Agent Confidential Top 20
Penn State has the tradition, Beaver Stadium, the White Out and one of the most loyal fan bases in college football. Last year, the Nittany Lions thought they were getting close. They didn't quite get there — so they reloaded. There's a new coach, new energy, Big Ten resources and a donor base…
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NFL to NCAA? The Courts Open the Door
NFL players returning to college football sounds crazy. It’s also becoming very real. Court rulings have created a path for certain players with NCAA eligibility remaining to return to college, and programs are already recruiting them. Mike Chaudron analyzes NFL rosters to identify some of the…
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#13 USC: Hollywood Needs a Blockbuster | Agent Confidential Top 20
USC has everything Hollywood loves — history, tradition, Heisman Trophies, the Coliseum and Tinseltown star power. Add Big Ten money and one of the biggest markets in America, and there aren't many programs with a higher ceiling. But lately, the box office results haven't matched the production...
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#14 Florida — The Swamp Is Restless | Agent Confidential Top 20
Florida has the history, the brand, the fan base and the resources. The recent results haven't always looked like the Florida of Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer, but don't confuse a lack of recent success with a lack of institutional power. With John Sumrall bringing renewed energy to Gainesville,...
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#15 OKLAHOMA | There’s Nothing New-Money About the Sooners
The Agent Confidential Top 20 continues. At #15: Oklahoma. There’s nothing new-money about the Sooners. Seven national championships. Seven Heisman winners. One of the most recognizable brands in college football. Now Oklahoma has moved into the SEC neighborhood, where everybody seems to have...
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#15 OKLAHOMA | There’s Nothing New-Money About the Sooners
The Agent Confidential Top 20 continues. At #15: Oklahoma. There’s nothing new-money about the Sooners. Seven national championships. Seven Heisman winners. One of the most recognizable brands in college football. Now Oklahoma has moved into the SEC neighborhood, where everybody seems to have...
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Brent Venables Got $10.5M — But THIS Is the Contract Clause That Matters
Oklahoma's new deal with Brent Venables averages roughly $10.5 million annually over six years. That's the headline. But on Contract Confidential, I'm interested in what happens when Oklahoma doesn't want its coach anymore. We dig into the guarantee, mitigation and offset provisions in Venables'...
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#16 INDIANA | From the Outhouse to the Penthouse
The Agent Confidential Top 20 continues. At #16: Indiana. Last year’s darling became the poster child for just how quickly the business of college football can change. Indiana went from the outhouse to the penthouse. Curt Cignetti brought the swagger, and the school and its donor base responded…
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#17 TENNESSEE | Business Is Booming on Rocky Top
The Agent Confidential Top 20 continues. At #17: Tennessee. Business is booming on Rocky Top. Tennessee has the brand, the fan base, the SEC money and one of the most intimidating home-field environments in college football. Josh Heupel has brought the wins back, while Tennessee has invested...
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#18 NEBRASKA | The Sea of Red Is Still in Business
The Agent Confidential Top 20 continues. At #18: Nebraska. Few programs demonstrate the power of a brand better than Nebraska. The wins haven’t always been there, but the money, fan support and expectations never left. Memorial Stadium still becomes a Sea of Red, and Nebraska continues to invest...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Inside the business of college football.Agent Confidential explores NIL economics, contracts, leverage, and the power structures shaping the modern game.Hosted by Mike Chaudron, this show breaks down how decisions are actually made behind the scenes.
HOSTED BY
Mike Chaudron
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Agent Confidential have?
Agent Confidential currently has 143 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Agent Confidential about?
Inside the business of college football.Agent Confidential explores NIL economics, contracts, leverage, and the power structures shaping the modern game.Hosted by Mike Chaudron, this show breaks down how decisions are actually made behind the scenes.
How often does Agent Confidential release new episodes?
Agent Confidential publishes regularly with 143 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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You can listen to Agent Confidential on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Agent Confidential?
Agent Confidential is created and hosted by Mike Chaudron.
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