Welcome to The Hard Count Huddle, a conversation show about all things college football and beyond with the host of The Hard Count J.D. PicKell and producer Kaiden Smith. Today in the huddle, the boys discuss the unique time that is the summer ahead of college football season before talking about SEC Media Days. Revealing what The Hard Count Crew will be on the lookout for in Atlanta starting on July 14 before diving deep into the College Football Playoff picture. Taking an early look at which teams are locks to make the CFP and others that will have to fight to make the 12-team field.

On this episode of The Hard Count, J.D. PicKell breaks down the biggest headlines and boldest predictions heading into the 2025 college football season. From Florida State QB Thomas Castellanos giving Alabama unexpected bulletin board material, to why programs like Florida, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Notre Dame, and Texas Tech could become chaos agents in the Playoff race — this show has it all. J.D. also predicts Texas' win-loss record leading into the Red River Rivalry, analyzes Nebraska’s viral recruiting stunt with a live bull, and reacts to EA Sports’ list of the toughest places to play in College Football 26.

On this episode of The Hard Count, On3’s J.D. PicKell unpacks some of the most intriguing storylines shaping the 2025 college football season. From Florida State QB Thomas Castellanos firing a shot at Alabama over scheduling disrespect, to high-impact transfer portal additions beyond the quarterback position, J.D. dives into what it all means for contenders like Ohio State, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Florida. He also breaks down the ripple effects facing Michigan and Miami heading into a pivotal year, and what to expect now that Tennessee has handed the reins to Joey Aguilar in a loaded SEC.