David Briggs, The (Toledo) Blade's college football expert and venerated columnist brings humor, insight, and a program-listed height of 6'8" to this weekly podcast with co-host and producer Phil Kaplan, whose height is less.
Heart of the Rivalry is a Blade-produced YouTube series and podcast available on all major platforms that covers the heart of college football through the sport’s own treasured programs of Ohio State, Michigan, Toledo, and Bowling Green.
The weekly show is led by The Blade’s sports columnist, David Briggs, with co-host/producer Phil Kaplan.
It’s the final episode of HOTR season 2, all our teams lost. So Dave and Phil are out on the street hustling again until two-a-days.
Dave tells about his trip to Dallas to see Ohio State undressed by an ill-intentioned Miami team. He sees nothing but good things surrounding Michigan’s head coach hire in Kyle Whittingham.
Phil remains obsessed with Toledo’s trip to the Bush’s Boca Raton Bowl of Baked Beans, believing it to be the only contest where the game’s MVP was ejected.
HOTR then looks ahead to next year, wildly throwing the dice of speculation against any wall.
Cameos include John Cooper (again), Bo Schembechler, Suge Knight, the hopes and dreams of another Cleveland Browns offseason in tumult, the nightmare that is the transfer portal, Elon the college, Curt Cignetti, Urban Meyer, Lane Kiffin, Ferris State, and as much college football lore as we can muster for this season.
All that and more from Heart of the Rivalry, the only show to cover exclusively the rivalry programs of Bowling Green and Toledo, as well as Michigan and Ohio State.
16 Dec 2025
Heart of the Rivalry: The unmooring of Sherrone Moore meets the magic of Mike Jacobs
Heart of the Rivalry is a Blade-produced YouTube series and podcast available on all major platforms that covers the heart of college football through the sport’s own treasured programs of Ohio State, Michigan, Toledo, and Bowling Green.
The weekly show is led by The Blade’s sports columnist, David Briggs, with co-host/producer Phil Kaplan.
In this episode, it’s the last episode of the 2025 calendar year for our hosts, and it has turned out to be a doozy.
Dave gives us the full detail of Michigan’s firing of Sherrone Moore and the disgraceful fallout that has taken all of the college football headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Phil was first to meet Toledo’s newest hiring, coach Mike Jacobs, who arrived at Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport last week. The Maumee native has climbed from the most unheralded of college football corners, and this appears to be a feel-good story for all the right reasons.
Cameos include Wolverine athletic director Warde Manuel, Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka, Big Ten wideouts Jeremiah Smith and Makai Lemon on the weight of Fred Belitnikoff, Biff Poggi, Jim Harbaugh, People’s Court reporter Doug Llewelyn, and all the salacious scandal you can handle.
All that and more from Heart of the Rivalry, the only show to cover exclusively the rivalry programs of Bowling Green and Toledo, as well as Michigan and Ohio State.
9 Dec 2025
Heart of the Rivalry: Like a flame to a Candle
Heart of the Rivalry is a Blade-produced YouTube series and podcast available on all major platforms that covers the heart of college football through the sport’s own treasured programs of Ohio State, Michigan, Toledo, and Bowling Green.
The weekly show is led by The Blade’s sports columnist, David Briggs, with co-host/producer Phil Kaplan.
In this episode, Dave takes us through all the nooks and crannies of Jason Candle’s exit from the Rockets to the UConn Huskies after 17 years with the program, 10 as head coach.
Phil has a limited impression of an SEC hot-take artist, and teaches Dave how to correctly pronounce Louisville.
We learn about a winter bowl game the used to happen in Toledo, and we find out if the Buckeyes simply must lose a game 13-10 in order to be successful in the playoffs.
Cameos include “fun-tivities,” Curt Cignetti as the ‘ciggernaut,’ Angela Lansbury, Shedeur Sanders, all the UT coordinators Dave can name, Tampa high school lore, kicker panic, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown, and Fort Collins, Colorado.
All that and more from Heart of the Rivalry, the only show to cover exclusively the rivalry programs of Bowling Green and Toledo, as well as Michigan and Ohio State.
Who has been a guest on Heart of the Rivalry
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Lou Holtz
John Cooper
Archie Griffin
Ray Griffin
Harold Fannin, Jr.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Contact Heart of the Rivalry
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Heart of the Rivalry
Who hosts Heart of the Rivalry?
David Briggs and Phil Kaplan host the show. Published by David Briggs, Phil Kaplan.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Heart of the Rivalry take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Host of Heart of the Rivalry?
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