College football doesn’t really end anymore.
The clock hits :00. The trophy gets handed out. And almost immediately, the sport gets loud again. Portal moves, litigation, coaching changes, CFP debates and more. Oh, and by the way, we’ve also got a Super Bowl coming up with Seattle vs. New England. (Hello Elite 11 finalists Sam Darnold and Drake Maye)
With everything seemingly happening all at once in football, there’s a race to be first instead of thoughtful.
It’s the same in the content world. Instant reaction shows. Social posts fired off before the dust settles. Takes delivered as fast as possible.
That’s not how we do it at Y-Option.
After the Hoosiers hoisted their hardware, we took a pause. And today, we took a detailed look back at the season that was in 2025.
Today’s episode of Y-Option, fueled by our founding sponsor 76® — keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat, is with Jim Thornby. For nearly two hours, we just talked. No timer. No rush. Multiple cups of coffee. Dozens of teams. Real perspective.
One hundred and five minutes later, the result was less of a “podcast” and more of a conversation. And as we talked, one thing became clear:
The biggest change in college football isn’t happening at the top. It’s happening in the middle.
The 12-team Playoff didn’t just give more teams access, it changed the psychology of the sport. Suddenly, programs sitting fourth, fifth or sixth in their conference are making million-dollar decisions with almost no margin for error.
Quarterbacks cost more.
Mistakes cost more.
One Saturday can swing an entire donor base’s belief.
We talk about why that reality is both exciting and dangerous and why the sport still hasn’t figured out how to handle what comes after the final whistle.
We went league by league—not to rank them, but to understand them.
The Big Ten’s rise isn’t accidental, it’s legit and not going anywhere but up.
The SEC isn’t broken, but it’s no longer bulletproof.
The ACC looked chaotic… until Miami made a run that forced everyone to re-think the narrative.
And the Big 12? Still searching for the moment that changes how the country sees it.
Context matters.
And it’s usually the first thing lost online.
We also spent time on the Pac-12, a place that impacted both of us deeply, as it steps into a new reality.
Looking back was a reminder that Oregon State and Washington State found ways to survive, even when the odds were stacked against them. And now, under the leadership of Commissioner Teresa Gould, they’re building something with substance: proven head coaches, programs with real momentum, and a league that still has a path to the CFP.
That’s why we made this episode. To celebrate the game and coach the viewer.
We know it’s “too long” according to the experts and the algorithms. But Y-Option wasn’t created to win an algorithm. It was built to serve the thoughtful college football fan, coach, and player.
So before we sprint forward into the Super Bowl, Signing Day, and Spring Ball, let’s take one last look back at where we’ve been as a sport.
As always, thank you for being here. This doesn’t happen without your support.
Much love, and stay steady,
Yogi
