The Cut Block Podcast

The Build and the Battle: Texas A&M–Texarkana & Tarleton at ACU

In the Trenches: A&M–Texarkana’s HC search, RRCU Stadium, Division II jump Candidate lanes: builder’s blueprint, D-II leadership, recruiting energy Three start-up rules: borrow success, dominate local recruiting, timeline discipline Guest: ACU HC Keith Patterson on sustaining standards, Tarleton scouting, and why a sellout matters War Map (24-hour clock): ETBU–UMHB; Navarro–Tyler; NEO–Trinity Valley; Alabama State–PVAMU; Lamar–UIW; Tarleton–ACU; UTRGV–SFA; Texas Lutheran–McMurry; Angelo State–Central Washington Get full access to Cory Hogue Sports at coryhoguesports.substack.com/subscribe [https://coryhoguesports.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Playoff Pulse + War Map: Texas Non-FBS Week 9

In The Trenches: Top 5 Texas Non-FBS Stadiums + Bucket List Gridiron Briefing Room: Playoff Contenders Across Every Level Weekend War Map: Key Matchups and Kickoff Times (Week 9) Subscribe at CoryHogueSports.Substack.com [https://coryhoguesports.substack.com] for full coverage of Texas Non-FBS football. Get full access to Cory Hogue Sports at coryhoguesports.substack.com/subscribe [https://coryhoguesports.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Inside the SWJCFC Shake-Up with Navarro’s Michael Landers

Host: Cory Hogue (@CoryHogueSports) Guest: Michael Landers, Navarro College Executive Director of Student Services and Athletics, and 2024-25 NJCAA Athletic Director of the Year Topics Covered: How SWJCFC realignment unfolded behind the scenes Why NEO left and Snow College joined Out-of-state player limits and the transfer portal’s effect on JUCO football The reality of limited resources at the JUCO level A personal look at the Landers family’s success in athletics This week’s Weekend War Map — from Cisco to Cedar City 🎧 Presented by: CoryHogueSports.substack.com [https://coryhoguesports.substack.com] Get full access to Cory Hogue Sports at coryhoguesports.substack.com/subscribe [https://coryhoguesports.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Building UTRGV Football: Travis Bush on Culture, Confidence, and the Valley’s Rise

🎧 Episode Notes (00:00) Intro + Midseason Mailbag (06:15) UAC Expansion Talk (08:33) Interview with UTRGV HC Travis Bush (14:02) The Valley’s Game Day Energy (21:24) “Win the Day” & Team Culture (31:14) Weekend War Map: Texas Non-FBS Schedule Subscribe to CoryHogueSports.substack.com [http://CoryHogueSports.substack.com] for full coverage and bonus features. Get full access to Cory Hogue Sports at coryhoguesports.substack.com/subscribe [https://coryhoguesports.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

FCS Playoffs and Private Equity: Sam Herder on the Future of the Postseason

The NCAA’s FCS playoff model is broken. Hosting a postseason game often costs schools money instead of rewarding them. This week on The Cut Block Podcast, I dig into the proposal from private equity firm Sequence Equity, which is pitching commissioners on a playoff model outside NCAA control. Could this be the future of the FCS postseason — or a risk that changes the game forever? To break it down, I’m joined in the Gridiron Briefing Room by Sam Herder, Senior FCS Analyst for HERO Sports, Top 25 voter, and writer for BetMGM. Sam explains what private equity’s pitch looks like, what schools and commissioners are saying, and whether a move like this is realistic in the near future. We also dive into the national picture — from North Dakota State and Montana to rising programs in Texas like Tarleton, UIW, ACU, and UTRGV. I close things out with the Weekend War Map — your zero-hour guide to the matchups that matter across Texas Non-FBS football. Get full access to Cory Hogue Sports at coryhoguesports.substack.com/subscribe [https://coryhoguesports.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]