"Cut down on TV timeouts": Analyst lists down 3 points to safeguard CFB pageantry

With the CFB landscape evolving, everyone seems to have an idea on how to improve the game. On3’s JD Pickell shared a three-point list on how to improve college football pageantry.

Pickell didn’t get into the topic of conference realignment or College Football Playoff seeding or qualifiers. Rather, he touched on some points that might be more manageable.The insider started by reducing time lost due to TV timeouts.

“Let’s cut down on TV timeouts. You only need so many. I don’t need one after every kickoff, every change of possession. Let’s try and keep the buzz going in the stadium,” JD Pickell said.

The next point on the insider’s list was about realignment but not conference changes. Rather, JD Pickell suggested protecting the traditional rivalries even if there are more instances of conference realignment.

The analyst believes that if teams change conferences, they should at least keep their rivalry games.

“That is like the microcosm of the passion of the sport. If you could just sell someone on college football and you got one weekend to do it it’s not even a question, you are showing them rivalry weekend. Why? Because that is the most emotion, that is the most pride,” JD Pickell said.

In his final suggestion, the insider said that having CFB Playoff games on campus would attract new fans to the sport enjoying the type of environment that can only be enjoyed on campus.

“I think it makes a lot of sense to have every playoff game be a campus game outside of the semis and the national title game,” Pickell concluded.

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JD Pickell believes Hugh Freeze could turn around Auburn's CFB fortunes

Few teams were more active than the Auburn Tigers during the transfer portal. The Tigers got some top end talent like quarterback Jackson Arnold from Oklahoma and wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. from Georgia Tech.

While the Tigers have underperformed in the last few years, Pickell trusts Hugh Freeze to turn things around at Auburn despite their recent CFB struggles.

“Just because you haven't seen them yet doesn't mean you're not gonna have some fruits of your labor. That's kind of where I think Auburn's at right now," JD Pickell said.

The Tigers are coming off a 5-7 CFB season and haven't had a winning season since 2020, when they finished a middling 7-6. Their most recent bowl win came in the Music City Bowl after the 2018 season.

Auburn opens the season at Baylor on Aug. 30.