Inside College Football’s Data-Driven Evolution and Decision-Making

Knowledge at Wharton

  • Jan 22, 2026
  • 1:10:36
  • Full Episode

ABOUT THE EPISODE Ty Hildenbrandt, co-host of The Solid Verbal college football podcast, joins Cade Massey, Adi Wyner, and Eric Bradlow to explore how sports analytics—from evaluating Indiana’s national championship run to in-game decision-making, quarterback development, coaching philosophy, and the transfer portal—are reshaping the future of college football.

ABOUT THE PODCAST Sports is a game of numbers. Wharton experts Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, Cade Massey, and Adi Wyner team up to tackle the world of sports, from current events to longstanding issues such as: What sports streaks are the most impressive? How do you rank the best players? Can athletes be compared across sports? Moneyball Highlights explains how decision-makers in the game can avoid the common mistakes and embrace the data. Episodes are recorded at the Wharton School.

#footballanalytics #footballcoaching #collegefootball #secfootball ----- The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is committed to sharing its intellectual capital through Knowledge at Wharton, the school’s online business analysis journal.

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Brief Summary

Ty Hildenbrandt discusses Indiana's championship win and the impact of analytics and the transfer portal on college football.

Key points

  • The Four Pillars of Analytics. Audi Winer discusses the four pillars of sports analytics: descriptive, predictive, decision-making, and training.
  • Dramatic Championship Moment. A discussion on a dramatic play that defined a recent college football game.
  • Bills' Heartbreak. Despite having the best point differential, the Bills fired their coach after another playoff loss.
  • The Value of Quarterbacks. Discussion on how much a top quarterback is worth in points, revealing surprising insights.
  • Miami's Resilience. Despite being heavy underdogs, Miami adjusts and nearly wins against Indiana, showcasing their determination.
  • NFL Draft Predictions. Insights into the potential of quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft, focusing on processing speed.

Episode highlights

Tension

60/ 100Some tension

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