Recently-retired Dennis Dodd looks back on a memorable career at CBS

Former CBS Sports national college football writer Dennis Dodd recently retired, but he still enjoys chatting about all things in the sport. Dodd joined TexAgs Live to discuss the emotions of saying farewell to writing, his most memorable moments covering college sports and more.

Key notes from Dennis Dodd interview

• I've been relaxing. I played golf yesterday. I am not going to sit around. I have a project I'm working on, but it's nice waking up every morning without something over your head you have to do.
   
• My last day was April 10. It was emotional because CBS made a big deal of it. I'm grateful. They wanted me to write a farewell. It was great, but it's like, "Really, for me?" All I am doing is retiring.
   
• I still read everything. I thought I would have more withdrawals. I have called people to stay current on stuff. The only time I wanted to write was when the Shedeur Sanders thing was happening in the NFL Draft. You could have written a different column each of the three days. We now understand his talent was overrated for a first-round pick. Who wants a backup quarterback that is cocky or what have you? One tweet from Deion Sanders could take down the entire franchise. I think that has to do it. Best of luck to him.
   
• The most memorable game I covered at CBS was probably the Pick Six or the 2022 Tennessee-Alabama game when they took the goalpost to the Tennessee River. I nearly got decapitated twice by the goalpost being taken down. I luckily ducked. I interviewed Jalin Hyatt at the 50-yard line, who had a big game, and I don't think he heard anything I asked him, and I don't think I heard anything he said. They slapped it on the site, and our people loved it.
   
• In the BCS era, it was just two teams playing for the championship. That sounded right. How many of those years were there a clear-cut No.1 and No. 2? There were some. That being said, all this is net positive because the game has never been more popular. I think the 12-team CFP amps the game. There was more interest. It didn't matter that Ohio State lost to Michigan. Then they won the national championship.
   
• I keep coming back to the conclusion of what it will be like when they pay players. We have witnessed it for four years. We can argue about what the final prospect will be with the House settlement. The players have been paid. Now, we are just talking about what amount. I have seen Shedeur drive to work in a Maybach. I have seen his watch. On Saturday, all I care about is if he plays well. As much as the administrators want to wreck this game by their own selfish interest, I don't think they can. The playoff will be there. 
   
• For Texas A&M, you have to play the same team in year two, but flip the venue. That was tough last year. You have to go to Notre Dame. You have to go to Missouri. A&M has a good recruiting class. You have Texas there, though. They are in the SEC now. I think Mike Elko has laid a good foundation. It remains to be seen what long-term progress will be made. Everything is on the table. The potential in the SEC is unlimited.
   
• I was there for the Johnny Manziel stuff and the game in 1998. I should put that on my list. Kansas State was up, and we know how it ended with A&M winning in overtime. They can't seem to get over thre hump. Some of it was a selection of coaches. Some of it was Heisman trophy winners leaving, like Kyler Murray. Some of it is their recruiting not measuring up. Part of it is chasing Texas, which they will continue to do forever. It's hard to put your finger on. It's hard to blame anybody when you have the best of everything there. There is no reason A&M should not be a contender for a national championship every year. Step on that campus. Who wouldn't want to play there?
   
• Here's a great story. In the postgame after that 1998 Big 12 Championship Gamr, Bill Synder compared losing that game to the crippling of his daughter Meredith, who was partially paralyzed in a car accident. The 30-second bite is still out there on the internet and shows how much college football matters to people.