In today’s LIVE podcast, Todd Blackledge and I take you beyond the highlights for a closer look in college football.

This week: the energy behind UCLA’s undefeated run, why USC’s trip to Wisconsin is so important, what makes Northwestern’s “old-school” offense work, and whether Iowa is a real College Football Playoff contender.

Every podcast is fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• What’s behind UCLA’s undefeated start, Bob Chesney’s culture, and the “Vibes University” label

• Why USC needs to keep its momentum going against Wisconsin before facing Ohio State

• How Jayden Maiava, Trent Mosley, and an improving defense factor into the Trojans’ outlook

• Why Northwestern’s Wing-T offense is so fun to watch—and whether its success can hold up against a tougher schedule

• What Iowa’s improved offense and elite offensive line mean for its playoff hopes

• The games that could define the Big Ten race down the stretch

Be sure to subscribe for more college football conversations: https://www.youtube.com/@YOption and if you missed this Sunday’s newsletter, be sure to check it out as I wrote about how unique the quarterback journey is.

Much love and stay steady - time to jump back to the film!

Yogi

Todd Blackledge and I sat down with Coach Riley to discuss USC’s statement road win, the team’s growing confidence, and the young players making an impact.

Our podcast, fueled by 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat, is full of powerful insights as Coach Riley breaks down the Trojans’ defense, Jayden Maiava’s command of the offense, and why USC believes they can keep improving as the season gets tougher.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• How USC set the tone early at Penn State with true freshmen stepping up
• Why Lincoln Riley believes the Trojans’ culture held together through outside noise
• How USC’s defense and Jayden Maiava are finding their rhythm
• The story behind USC’s new road win tradition
• Why Coach Riley sees a team ready to surge in the second half

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

We break down UCLA’s rise after interviewing head coach Bob Chesney and seeing the Bruins practice, Notre Dame’s first ranked test against BYU, and Indiana’s 22-game winning streak before Ohio State arrives.

Can UCLA win the Big Ten? Are the Irish ready for BYU? What can stop Indiana’s incredible run, and what does Lincoln Riley’s USC team need to do next?

Join us LIVE each Monday as we unpack the matchups and storylines shaping the college football season. So grateful for 76 fueling this conversation and keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

Be sure to Subscribe for more college football conversations: https://www.youtube.com/@YOption

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

We break down The Whiteout with USC at Penn State, Ohio State’s playoff outlook, Indiana at Nebraska, and UCLA at Oregon and give out a few game balls as we compete to bring you perspective from the broadcast booth, practice visits, and conversations with head coaches.

Can USC win in Happy Valley? Who can stop the Buckeyes? Is Nebraska a real test for Indiana, and can Bob Chesney’s Bruins challenge Oregon at Autzen?

Join us LIVE every Monday as we unpack the matchups shaping college football.

Be sure to subscribe for more college football conversations and stay up to date by subscribing here at Y-Option and our YouTube Channel.

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

In our conversation during the #23 ranked Bruins bye week, Coach Chesney explains how meaningful relationships shape a football program, why bringing trusted staff and players from James Madison to UCLA has been so important, and what he sees in the Bruins as they prepare for the season. He also shares his formula for performance and addresses the growing excitement surrounding UCLA football.

As someone else who moved from PA to LA, this one is a fun conversation for anyone who came from a small town to a global city in addition to anyone who enjoys conversations around leadership, culture and college football.

As always, every podcast is fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

🎧 Tune in to hear:
• What Bob Chesney feels around the UCLA football program
• How his Pennsylvania roots influence the culture he is building in Los Angeles
• Why continuity across the coaching staff matters
• How former James Madison staff and players are helping establish the program
• Bob Chesney’s formula for turning potential into performance

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

Todd Blackledge and I break down what Dylan Raiola showed in relief, where Lincoln Riley and the Trojans go from here, and why Notre Dame looks like a national championship contender.

As always, every podcast is fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

And if you want to tune in on YouTube be sure to check us out here. So grateful for your support as our channel continues to grow.

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

In today’s podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat Todd Blackledge and I break down what stood out from our weekends inside college football stadiums.

We discuss whether Indiana is even better than last year, what Notre Dame’s 3-0 start says about Marcus Freeman’s team, why Iowa vs. Michigan could have real College Football Playoff stakes, and how USC vs. Oregon might shape the Big Ten race.

Be sure subscribe for more college football conversations on our YouTube Channel as well - https://www.youtube.com/@YOption

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

Todd Blackledge and I dove into the turnaround in Ann Arbor, the epic game in Austin and then took a deep dive into Cy-Hawk, the Oregon Ducks losing in Stillwater and looked ahead to Michigan State at Notre Dame and Western Kentucky visiting the defending champs, Indiana.

As always, thank you for the tremendous support and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel as we bring you a LIVE show every Monday at 9:30a PST.

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

Welcome back to - where Todd Blackledge and I break down the biggest Week 2 college football storylines, including what happened at the Big House, whether Oregon fans should be concerned, how real Iowa’s offensive changes are, and what to watch in the Ohio State vs. Texas matchup.

Today’s podcast is fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat. Hope you enjoy!

I was in the booth for USC’s opener against San Jose State. Yes, it was hot. So was Jayden Maiava as he played with elite command. The highly touted freshmen for the Trojans also met the moment. And one small detail stood out to me, worth flagging if you’re a special teams fan early in today’s show.

I also dove into Oregon’s game vs Boise State. I’m doubling down: the Ducks are one of the top two teams in the country as we approach week 1.

Speaking of top two, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and Nico Iamaleava are two of the best quarterbacks in the nation, and both play on the West Coast this Saturday night. That’s what makes Cal vs. UCLA a must-watch: two elite QBs and the debut for two new head coaches.

After calling Eastern Illinois at Minnesota Thursday night, I’m flying to Seattle to meet Paul Burmeister. We also bring you a preview of the Apple Cup live from the UW team room.

As always, each episode is fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

Grateful for your support on many levels, enjoy week 1!

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

We are hours from kick-off and college football will be officially underway. And thus, we will all either be right or absolutely wrong about our picks. And that’s the fun part, picking the sleepers and contenders. Todd Blackledge and I dive into those teams in advance of game 1 in today’s podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

We tap into the reasons why Iowa, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Ohio State, Minnesota, UCLA, Washington, Illinois, and USC could all challenge the way people are talking about them this season. We will explain what stood out in practice, which quarterbacks are ready to take a leap, why defensive depth matters, and how the Big Ten race could change once these teams get tested on the field.

Almost game time, set those DVRs!

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

🔔 Subscribe for more college football conversations on our YouTube Channel as well.

That’s today’s focus on - fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat. Todd Blackledge and I break down what could actually stop Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers after seeing them up close at fall camp.

We explain why Indiana is unlikely to beat itself, how Josh Hoover’s turnover history changes in this offense, why the wide receiver room needs another playmaker next to Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh, and how Bob Bostad’s offensive line could become one of the Big Ten’s best again.

We also discuss the depth on the defensive line, the challenge of replacing a true lockdown corner, and why matchups with Ohio State, USC, Oregon, and the rest of the Big Ten will reveal how far Indiana can go.

Thanks for watching, wherever you may be!

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

Share

🔔 Subscribe for more college football conversations: https://www.youtube.com/@YOption

Todd Blackledge and I were in Happy Valley and had to break down what we saw from Rocco Becht, the Nittany Lions’ roster, and why this team can compete right away.

Welcome to today’s episode of - fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

I’ve always felt that the best coaches have a conviction in their style, vision, theme and philosophy. Coach Campbell has that in spades, which is a core reason why we think PSU will have long term success.

We share that Penn State has the talent to win in year one, how Rocco Becht’s experience and toughness shape the offense, why the tight end room and offensive line matter, and what Tony Rojas and the defense need to become as the season goes on. We also double down on Matt Campbell’s culture, the transfer-heavy rebuild, and why the schedule gives Penn State a real path to a strong first season.

Share

Thanks for listening!

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

🔔 Subscribe for more college football conversations: https://www.youtube.com/@YOption

We explain why Michigan needs to start fast under Kyle Whittingham, how Bryce can take the next step as a runner and passer, why red zone decision making matters, and what Jay Hill’s defense could look like against a tough early schedule.

Today’s conversation is fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

Am fired up to kick off Season 3 of Y-Option and update you on what will come this fall!

For starters, really proud to call Todd Blackledge a friend and colleague…now we get to be co-hosts of . We will be bringing you LIVE shows each Monday this fall and content all week, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

We kicked it off today with our recap from our respective Training Camp Tours. We break down early season expectations and key storylines across the Big Ten and beyond, including Michigan’s first 5 games, reasons for optimism at Michigan State, Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa, Penn State’s conviction in their approach, and why teams like Indiana and Ohio State could be even better than people think.

Also, we share stories from the road at Washington, USC, UCLA, Notre Dame and more.

Be sure to subscribe to our SubStack channel here, as well as our YouTube channel.

Thanks for the constant support, so proud of the community we have curated over the years as we enter this season.

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

I wasn’t surprised Larry Fitzgerald made the NFL Hall of Fame, as I knew he was talented the day I met him. What surprised me was everything else about the week in Canton. Which brings us to today’s podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

Four things stood out in profound ways — profound enough that I had to make a podcast episode about it.

To give you the highlights, those four are:

How talented Cris Collinsworth and Mike Tirico are. I was able to see the best broadcast booth and production group our sport has ever seen, up close. Spoiler, they are even better people than the talent they have.

How old I’m getting. Seeing so many faces from the past 25 years had me smiling ear to ear, until I realized how fast time has gone.

How many Pitt teammates showed up. Twenty-five years later, and the bond we built at 18 years old was poignant and powerful.

Don’t ever pass up a Hall of Fame after party! I lost my voice by 9 p.m. and got called on stage to sing with Marcus Fitzgerald and Bruce Arians — I never laughed harder.

Congrats to the new class, and especially to my guy Larry Fitzgerald. What a journey. Hope you enjoy today’s episode and looking forward to recapping this two week training camp tour once back home.

Until then, I’m off to Iowa, Indiana, and Penn State to finish it off!

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

And after sitting down with him in today’s podcast, fueled by 76 keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat, I think he's going to do exactly that in Matt Campbell’s first year.

Rocco and I dove into falling in love with football in high school, the transition from Iowa State to Penn State, and how he’s learned to lead from the inside out. Growing up with an NFL Dad he has had to learn how to handle expectations and navigate praise and blame. That will serve him well this fall as gameday is right around the corner.

I’m back on the road, heading to Pullman, Seattle, Ames, Iowa City, Bloomington and finishing up in Rocco’s new town, State College. When back, Todd Blackledge and I will recap our respective camp tours right here at Y-Option. Wheels up!

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

I’ve known of Nico since he was 16, and I’ve always felt like people were quicker to react to the headlines than understand the person. And since we launched three years ago the vision was to share insightful and thoughtful stories in college football.

That’s today’s podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

This conversation will give you a different look at who he is. The way he talks about his parents. The way he processes praise and blame. The way his mom’s cancer battle changed his perspective. The way he gives back to today’s youth via his Wilson football camps.

Share

There is a lot more to Nico than the noise around him. And if you’re a fan who has resented the new-age in college football, this episode may refresh your passion for the game.

As Nico steps into the 2026 season and the deepest group of quarterbacks in the history of the Big Ten conference, we will see the starter at UCLA as a man who is grounded, grateful and ready to be where his feet are.

I spend my life talking to quarterbacks and today’s podcast was one of the most enjoyable podcasts of this decade-long endeavor. We went back and forth on the craft, how he trains his mind, and the impact of new UCLA head coach Bob Chesney.

I walked in excited about our conversation and left the Bruins facility inspired by the face of the program on so many levels. I hope by the time you complete this episode, you feel the same way.

It’s been a hectic week as I’ve gone from USC to Michigan to the Hall of Fame game to Michigan State to the Hall of Fame induction to Minnesota to home. And I’m heading back on the road tomorrow to prepare for the Apple Cup on NBC, Cy-Hawk, Indiana, and Penn State. Full recaps with Todd Blackledge coming soon and a detailed essay about what it was like watching Larry Fitzgerald get inducted into the Hall as number 385.

Until then, much love and stay steady,

Yogi

So in part 2 of our Media Day recap show Todd Blackledge and I took a deep dive into the most critical position in sports and shared what we learned after being around most of the signal callers in the B1G.

Welcome to today’s podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO so you never miss a beat.

The West Coast has finally captured their footing in the Big Ten and their signal callers are primed to thrive this fall. We spent time in Chicago with Dante Moore, Jayden Maiava, Demond Williams and Nico Iamaleava, as well as Julian Sayin and others.

It’s a gifted crop of QBs which means that most games will come down to a final drive, which only makes watching and broadcasting these games that much more enjoyable.

I’m off to watch USC practice and later this week, Todd and I kick off our training camp tour. Be sure to follow along on social media and if you haven’t done it yet, please subscribe to our YouTube page.

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi

Welcome to Part 1 of our B1G Media Day recap, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.

A whole lot of what happens and what is said during media days doesn’t really matter.

But, for Todd and I, it does matter as we get to have some genuine interactions with the 18 coaches and 54 players throughout the week, and it gives us something we’ve been craving all off-season: data.

Now, we get the best data on Saturdays. It’s quantitative and it’s 30 days away. This data is nothing like that. It’s qualitative. It’s reading social cues and analyzing word choice. It’s often times about what’s not said.

And fortunately or unfortunately it’s the best data we got right now, so let’s start with the coaches.

Welcome to part 1 of our Media Day recap.

Much love and stay steady,

Yogi