Let's begin with our Big Twelve breakdown this week time, which Joe Thomas Bridge
is here with you with a comprehensive look around the Big Twelve of this week
and a more condensed version of the breakdown this week as we only have one
game to talk about it the Big Twelve championship game between Texas and Oklahoma State.
We will get to that in just a moment, but first our hot
takes that we begin with each and every week here on the show. Tom
I told you last week that my hot take was that Texas was gonna get
screwed by the Committee and that they were probably going to take Alabama over Texas.
If that were to happen, I'll even go step further. I don't
even think they're going to get the opportunity to get screwed by the Committee.
To be honest, I think that well, Texas will still think they're screwed.
But I think what's gonna happen is that you're going to see this weekend.
I'm just gonna go ahead and lay all my picks out in the line.
Oh, I think Georgia wins over Alabama. I think that we see
Oregon beat Washington and Florida State beat Louisville and Michigan beat Iowa, and so
Oregon gets in the playoff over Texas for that final spot. They might even
jump all the way to three and move Florida State down to four. Uh,
and Texas is gonna be the first team out. Like I would I
would say I would rather have Texas in the playoffs than Oregon. I think
with the the win they had against Alabama, that non conference win, that
that should mean something. But the committee already likes Oregon as is it's been
evident the entire time. And then if you beat an undefeated Washington team and
Avenger one loss of the season, I just don't see there being a bath
in Texas. If if Florida State wins and and you know, Georgia beats
Aliba. That's that's my take this week, that there's just no path to
the playoff for Texas. I don't think I think Texas will beat Oklahoma State,
but I think they're gonna be left in the outside looking at I'm gonna
do a bigger hot take. Okay, I'm gonna go Georgia. Georgia will
beat Alabama, Michigan will obviously beat Iowa, Oregon will beat Washington, Louisville
beats the non Jordan Travis FSU team Oklahoma State game winner over Texas and we
get chaos. Ooh okay, So let's play out that scenario then, Tom,
because it could happen in your case. Georgia's in, Michigan's in,
Oregon is in. Do you take and Texas is out? So do you
go with George or Ohio State getting the final spot in the playoff? Georgia
Bama Ohio State? Well, I thought, oh, well, no,
two losses then right, so they would be out, so it would be
Ohio State that could get in. And then who would be the next I
think that would be it. That would just be Ohio State or Florida State
and Florida State losing because the Ohio State Michigan game was great, I think
the voters would probably take Ohio State in at the four and be Georgia,
Ohio State Michigan versus Oregon. So and your so that is a hot take
on your part because that is a very slim door that would be open for
Ohio State to make the playoff? Is that door you just presented? But
it could It could very well happen. Right. We know the history of
Oklahoma State Texas. You mentioned it earlier. Oklahoma State has nothing to lose,
Texas has everything to lose. FSU doesn't have Jordan Travis though Louisville did
lose when they shouldn't have right to Kentucky. Yeah, but that's not to
say they could bounce They couldn't bounce back and win. Yeah. I think
you know I'm team chaos. I'm all for chaos too. In that case,
Ohio State getting we would project Ohio State in over Florida State. In
that case, I think they're one loss being Michigan and FSU having a Louisville
loss that is not as good as a loss as Michigan, and the non
conference wins you would have in Ohio State, Ohio State beating Notre Dame,
but you'd have Florida State beating LSU SU Florida ooh man. But it comes
down of that four best teams argument too. It's you know, this thing
gets so complicated, Tom, because you know, we're so used in our
minds selection Sunday of college basketball. If everything's resume based, right, everything,
and we go to college football and we were reminded by Bill Hancock,
Oklahoma State grad by the way of the playoff committee this week, he said,
remember, number one job of the committee is the four best teams,
not the four best resumes, but the four best teams. And if Florida
State loses this week, then there is no path. There is no argument
none you could make. Like I would sit here and say, yes,
put Ohio State. I would have no problem at all. Something you might
say, well, that's not fair for Florida State's goal as long as they
did and lose in the final game and they're out of the playoffs, Like,
well, I mean that sucks. It sucks as the way it is.
The Ohio State losing the Michigan last week, to you know, it
was it was at Michigan and they had a chance to win at the end
they lost it by six, right, I mean I would like to see
Georgia Ohio State. I wouldn't. I mean, And if you want to
take a little bias in the rankings that if Ohio State was to beat Georgia
and then to beat Michigan for the ship, oh my, I mean it
almost beat Georgia last year in the semi final. I mean, yeah,
Ohio State is still a good team. I mean, if that game is
at the Shoe, you know, I wouldn't say Ohio State definitely wins.
But I think it's as interesting, right, you have you have potentially the
outside of quarterbacks you want to talk about the most electric or the best player
in college football, and Marvel's Marvin Harrison junior, right, and you have
the the other kid, uh Abukaka. Yeah, yeah, I mean this
might be the top two receivers in football. I mean, that's that's kind
of going back to when LSU had Justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase. Yeah.
I mean, come on, I mean, I if you want to put
two new receivers in the league after this year, if you want to say
Jamar or you know, the new Jamar Chase, Justin Jefferson, I wouldn't
be opposed to saying that that's probably a good possibility. Now let me bring
up another case here as far as for Texas at all time. Let's let's
say that Alabama beats Georgia. Okay, then you know, do we have
a situation where Alabama could jump Texas. Paul Finebaum's already talking saying that Alabama
is more deserving than in a state right now as is, and if they
beat number one Georgia, is there a way that they could jump Texas and
get in? Can the committee say, look, we understand that game was
in September, that Texas won by double digits, but we feel like Alabama's
a better team right now. They're a different team than what they were,
Like, I mean, the committee does make up their own rules. Essentially,
it is hard for me until I actually see it with my own eyes
a world where Alabama could be an SEC champion and not miss the playoff,
Like if they win, it's gonna be awfully hard to keep them out,
I think. I mean, yeah, I did see a Renne post today
about a in a universe where there's not an SEC team in the playoffs where
if Alabama won, it could be Michigan or again Texas Florida State. Right,
what if that happens? I hate that for Florida State because I have
no ill will against Florida State. I think they've always been on my list
to go to, like a game. I'm sure they beat os U,
and OSU did the Trail Tears banner and they beat OSU. I have no
ill will against Florida State, and I think their pregame is one of the
best. I hate that for them, though, because even if they win,
you still have the bias of, well, your quarterbacks hurt, you're
gonna get absolutely shit on in the playoffs, and they kind of know that,
I think. I mean, if you would have told me Michigan was
gonna get beat by TCU last year, I might have been like, well,
we were gonna find out. They did. So the best time that
can happen, the best thing that can happen, Sorry, Florida States,
but the best thing that can happen this weekend is Louisville take care of business,
and then we can figure out the four best teams from there. I
don't think that Florida State is one of the four best teams in the country,
but they are one of the four most deserving, and that's just a
tough bill to swallow, I mean, and that they do end up beating
Louisville, which Louisville, you know, really, Louisville had no business losing
to Kentucky last week. They literally shit the bed, and granted was at
Kentucky. They came back in the second half and just made me lose all
faith in Louisville. See if they can bounce back. You know, you're
facing a Florida State team that is a Mike Norvel great coach. And it
sucks that Jordan Travis got hurt because if he doesn't get hurt, I think
Florida State has a close to fifty chance to win that first game of the
playoff and be in the national championship game. I think they could, but
without him, it just doesn't make And this sucks. I hate to say
it, but this is the real fucking world. Without Jordan Travis, it
doesn't do well for the TV ratings. And if it comes down to that,
they're gonna get left out. Yeah, Texas would be better for TV
ratings than Florida State would be if it came down to those two. I'm
sorry, I hate to say that I hate Texas. I don't have,
like I said, don't have any ill will against Florida State. And that's
what town like. This is the best year of parody we've had in a
long time. Oh yeah, the twelve team playoff would have been awesome this
year. I mean, we would our conversation this week if we had a
twelve team playoff would be is is Texas going to lose or is there gonna
be enough scenarios play out where Oklahoma slides into the playoffs? That would be
our argument if we were in a twelve teams scenario this year over like an
Old Miss, Yeah, right, because Oklahoma would be the last team out
right now, an Old Miss would probably be the first team in or the
last team in, right with Tulane having an automatic bid from the Americans.
All right, So that would that's what we'd be looking at in that case.
With that said, with where we're at now, I think tom realistically
teams capable of winning the national Championship. I think Georgia can win it.
I think Michigan can win it. I think Alabama can win it. I
think Texas can win it. Oregon and Washington all what is that six teams
can win the national championship. I don't think Ohio State can. I think
Ohio State's really good, but I don't think they're a championship team. And
same with Florida State. I think Florida State is really good, but I
don't think they're a championship team. But that's six teams right there are all
capable within the national title. I would the best thing that can happen is
Florida State just go ahead and go out the pasture Louisville and let's get four
championship caliber teams in the playoffs. Yeah, you know this is this has
been like the most controversial or like you said, you can, you can.
I think parody and controversial here are pretty synonymous, and I bet it
that makes it exciting. Like look at the Big twelve race this year,
one of the most controversial and also one of the most parody driven. After
the Red River shootout, we obviously thought it would be OU Texas and the
game. And look how that race broke out in the last final four games.
It was amazing. And I would say that even if I WashU didn't
make it. But here we have that same problem in the college fallow playoffs,
and it only hammers the nail further into the wood that there should be
a twelve team playoff. I wonder who's gonna get left out? And if
I had to, if I was a betting man and it was legal here
in Texas and you can bet on it, I'm probably putting Florida State out.
But hot take this week, I've been right on a hot maybe one
or two or three hot takes this year. My hot take this week pretty
it's pretty pretty hot. I wouldn't say it's boiling water at this point,
but I'd say if you stuck your hand in it, it would hurt.
Oh, I Sho gets the dub A or Georgia wins, Oregon wins,
Florida State loses to Louisville, and then we get absolute chaos for the fourth
team in with no no real way to judge who should be next. Yes,
so your final four teams, Tom, go over those again? Final
four teams? Yes, I mean the hot takes. The hot takes are
shits and giggles. There's a real like a realistic one, and there's a
one that's team chaos. Which one do you want? Give me your real
final four pick? Real final four pick Georgia Michigan Oregon. As much as
I hate to say it, Uh, Texas Okay, And so you have
Georgia's the one seed, Florida Texas as the four seed meeting the Sugar Bowl.
Michigan, Oregon is the two and three seeds meeting in the Rose Bowl.
I have I think it's I think it goes chock. I think that
Georgia wins, Michigan wins, Oregon wins, Florida State, and Texas both
win, and that we see Georgia versus Florida State in the Sugar Bowl,
Michigan versus Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Oregon jumps up to three with you
know, getting that win over Washington and tom in what is the swan song
for the PAC twelve and seeing that conference die. Wouldn't it be a beautiful
thing if they went out with a traditional Big ten PAC twelve Rose Bowl for
one last time. If we got that Michigan Oregon matchup or Michigan Washington matchup,
either one Michigan organ matchup would be a must watch. Like if you
had a if you had a tender date that night, you fucking cancel it.
You tell her coming over and we're watching the game, yeah, one
of the two, and we're not this, ain't watch this, ain't watched
the semi final and chill. This is like listen here, don't even look
at it. You know, like the Oregon would be an all time game.
Yeah, I do believe so. I kind of want to see that.
I don't like either team uh, and I really don't like Michigan and
and reasons, and said I I don't hope. I really hope Michigan does
not make it out of the semi final for a couple of reasons. But
god, it would be a great game. I know it would be a
great game. I think that would be the best game out of the three
games that will we played in the college football playoffs. Yeah. I think
you're right. I think you're right about that. If Georgia shits the bead,
if Alabama comes back, converts a fourth and thirty one and goes in
to Atlanta and beats brock Bowers and Georgia, hoh my god, what's the
line? I haven't even looked at the line. What's the line there?
Georgia by Georgia seven six? Yeah, and they've won. They've won what
like twenty six in a row? Yeah. I mean at that point,
it's kind of like betting on Christian McCaffrey, like to get a touchdown each
game for as long as that lasted, Right, I think that game.
I think that was like twenty six games or something crazy. Right, If
you're a betting man, you're you're never betting against Georgia until they lose,
right right, Yeah, it'll be fun. The Big twelve title game this
week Texas and Oklahoma State. Let's let's talk about that here, Tom.
For me, coming down to one thing, Uh, if Texas can stop
Ollie Gordon, if they can stop the run, they're gonna win this game.
I think with ease, if they can do that, I don't think
they're necessarily going to do that, though I expect this to be a competitive
game. I do think Texas will pull it out and win, probably by
seven or seven to ten, something like that. But you know, the
Texas I think took a step in the right direction with how they performed against
Texas Tech. I think they look like the team that we saw against Alabama,
you know, back in September. Here, Texas to me that that's
gonna be the key. If they can shut down Oli Gordon, then this
this could turn into a runaway potentially. But I expect Oli to be have
a good game. I think ellener worthy eventure At the end of the day,
I think there's too many weapons from Texas for OSU to be able to
slow down here. Yeah, you know, the hot take is obviously there's
no money on the line here. We make these hot takes every week to
have fun with it, and there's no consequences if we're wrong, other than
somebody listening to be like, hah, fuck you go to Texas, you
know, and if that happens, come at me Bro. Realistically, if
I was to really put money down on this, I think right now that
line stands at fifteen and a half for Texas. I think Oklahoma State covers.
I think they cover. Realistically, if I'm betting, I don't think
Oklahoma State wins. You have Jordan Winnington, you have the Sanders tight end
kid. You have obviously Xavier A. Worthy, who is probably his last
if Texas doesn't go to the playoff for whatever reason, whether that be they
lose or they get left out. I don't think Xavier Worthy plays the bowl
game that's not a playoff game very well could be his last game as a
college student athlete. One of the better wide receivers we've seen come through.
You have. You don't have Brooks are that running back towards ACL, but
you do have the Jaden Blue kid who has shown a speed against Tech.
You also have Devandre Sweat just won the Big twelve Player Defensive Player of the
Year. Should be in my eyes, a first round pick if he goes
to the draft, which I believe you will. He's showed an incredible athleticism
Texas all the talent that they usually have is finally shown up. Sarkesian gets
left out of the Big Twelve Coach of the Year, which I think is
fucking hilarious. Should have It should have really been Neil Brown to win the
Coach of the Year, not Mike Gundy. Neil Brown. We don't say
anything positive about Neil Brown around here. He should have. I mean sark
sark had the talent, he had the quarterback win the quarterback. They were
picked to win that. They were picked already to win the Big Twelve championship
West Virginia. West Virginia is to pick finish like West Virginia was picked to
finish like twelve recruitings half the job. Sark did the job. Yeah,
I mean, I could you know, with a with Yeah, with a
with a fucking six pack and a set of big arms, I could get
a blow job every night too. You know. It'd be like it'd be
like me in the shape I'm in going out and getting a ten at one
of these San Antonio bars where it's hard to find down here, big old
woman san Antonio. It's like me going out to bar getting a blowjob from
a ten. I'd win the Coach of the Year. I mean, Sarks
going out with a set of big muscles, good looking and got a six
pack, and and the people congratulating him that were there do what they hadn't
been able to do that the last few coaches that were there. Well,
that's true, but I mean that's I don't know if that's more about the
coach or the culture of the Texas program. You know, Sarks an right
coach. I think you know, I think he fits Texas program pretty well.
Yeah, but it's it's I don't know, like winning coach of the
year. Winning with what he's got. It's like, all right, great,
you've got, you know, one of the better quarterbacks, pretty good
running back, one of the probably the best receiving corps in the Big twelve.
Right, and ah, let's do the first round picks on the D
line. Let's uh, let's move on out to some coaching changes real quick.
Let's start with the Big twelve stuff. Jeff Levy uh leaves ouz Oc
he's headed to Mississippi State to be their next head coach. UH Cethel Treill
UH is their new offensive coordinator along with Joe John Finley. UH OU fans
weren't too big a fans of Jeff Levy in that offense. I know that
statistically was fantastic, but you know, went through a lot of peaks and
valleys throughout the year. Cethil Treill has an excellent track record. I thought
he did a great job as head coach in North Texas. I thought he
got screwed over. It should have been fired there. If you're an OU
fan, I think you got to be happy. I think you upgraded OC's
here. Tom. That's what you were asking before they were asked for that
all season. You know, I think for the m you got what you
wanted. Hell. I wish I wish Oklahoma State, even though they're in
in the in the Oklahoma or in the Big Deald Championship. I wish they
had the balls to fire their offensive coordinator, but they you know, or
I would I would have tell Jeff Levy. I wish Jeff Levy would have
come to Stillwater. They would have got rid of done. I mean,
listen, Oh, you thought they had it bad, but they really didn't
have it as bad as Oklahoma State has it right now. I mean,
and for Levy to turn that into a Power five job in the SEC,
he he hit the jack pretty good. Yeah. You know Mississippi State,
you know they're not top tier, they're more like less a little less the
middle pack. But I mean, you go get a head coaching job at
Mississippi State. Would you rather that the OC job with Bobby Patrino in Arkansas?
I mean, oh, I'd rather be head coach Missipi State. Yeah,
you're right, I mean Stark Vegas, Levy and Stark Vegas. Yeah,
that's gotta be a good time. Dana out at Houston, he's fired.
They were disappointing this year. I know there wasn't high hopes, but
you know they go a different direction. They got a ton of money at
that program. I mean, the owner of the Rockets is there, you
know, border Regent's president, and he's now fraid, you know, afraid
to throw down cash. Tom. I know you've been real high at Jeff
Trailer, the head coach at UTSA. It sounds like he's the favorite to
take that Houston job. I think that'd be a great fit for them.
You know what, I thought that Texas A and M might go with Jeff
Trailer. They go Elco instead, you know who I think would be really
interesting. And you know, you talk about and this is very this is
funny, like a regional funny. You talk about Trailer your three hours you
know utsa San Antonio, three hours from Houston. Well that's that's coming from
the west. Well look about coming from the east. What about Willie Fritz.
What if the winner of that Conference USA title game or American I guess
it would be two lane one. But yeah, I guess you have read
lastly at SMU. I mean, what if whoever comes out with the best
record among those group of five teams gets the Houston job. If they just
yeah, they they take the SMU coach and they tell Fritz and Trailer.
I'm like, all right, whoever whoever comes out on top of this little
uh three man race gets the job. I like Willie Fritz. I'm surprised
that Willi Fritz after last year, with the year that Tulane had, was
it last year they took ou to the brink? It's the year before last
year, before last year, they beat USC and K State. I mean,
yeah, I mean in Tulane looking fire. I mean, and what
TWU lanes got? When is that game? Is that? Is that a
that's a Saturday game? Two lane? And then okay, so the maction
is is mactions on Saturday too? I guess the only conference championship game is
PAC twelve. Yeah mmmm shame Yeah, I mean personally, I being here
in San Antonio and seeing that the just the success Trailers had and and there's
even rumors Trailer should have that Baylor should have fired Randa and went with Trailer,
which wouldn't have been a bad pick up. You know, Trailer is
gonna be a power I guess you could power four coach. Now he's it's
sooner than later. It's getting I think Fritz is on that same path.
Frits is on that same path. I like Fritz over Trailer in Houston Moore.
But either either way, I I almost hate to say that it is
obviously a Big twelve guy because it's I think Trailer and Fritz are both great
coaches. And now no matter what Houston's about to upgrade head coaches and a
little money, you know, their facilities are getting better. Houston could turn
into something with the right head coach. They got the resources to compete.
We'll see if they can put it together. We mentioned that Dave Randa was
retained, which you know, I'm not surprised about, but I do think
that's a mistake. Gus Malzahan got extended, and that's kind of the movement
among big twelve coaches. And then just kind of the the big hires we've
seen A and M goes Elco. They did have Mark Stoops for about three
hours and then they left him on the tarmac real quick time. On this
one. Elko I think is a good higher and he's got Texas and him
ties and everything, but I don't think that he's any better than Mark Stoops.
I didn't get the outrage about Mark Stoops. I thought either one of
them would have been just fine, would have been better than Jimbo Fisher.
Both of them have good track records. Yeah, I think so too,
And obviously Duke I feel a little I do and don't feel for Duke because
they're gooding basketball, but as soon as they have a little bit of football
success, it would have been like taking Lance Slidepole. If Lance Sliepole wasn't
if he wasn't loyal to Ku already, Like Duke had one good thing going
for him in football, and it's like IM just getting back to the shittle
Now. The team that everybody's kind of feeling for is Oregon State. Not
only do they lose their conference and all their rivals and all that, but
their own son, Jonathan Smith, who played quarterback with Ocho s and t
J. Huschman Zada, left them as their head coach after their best season
in years to go take the Michigan State job. They're calling him a trader
and all this, and and you know, how could he leave us when
we're down? Like, I'll be honest, I know it sucks Oregon State.
You don't deserve this, but Jonathan Smith didn't have a choice. He
had to look out for his own interest and you know, for his own
coaching career and his Michigan State job. Just with the way the college football
landscape's going, he had to look out for himself. And I don't blame
it at all from taking this Michigan State job. I think Michigan State got
a hell of a coach. Yeah, I think they got one of the
better ones too, And you know, for Oregon State. Do feel bad
for them, but like you said, looking out for himself, the money
was drying up. If if the realignment never really happens, or if Oregon
State, let's say Oregon State Washington State got on the boat and got into
the Big twelve, I don't think Brooks leaves. Yeah, I really don't
like if if he got uh, if Oregon State moves into a power now
power four, I guess he doesn't. He doesn't leave, and it's unfortunate
for him. And it looks like the mass exodus is upon us for Oregon
State. It looks like them in Washington State have scheduled all Mountain West Conference
teams outside a few non con and so now you put them on the level
of Boise State. So Brooks got to get out. Jones another one that
came up today. What do you think about Colorado O C Sean Lewis going
to San Diego State. Good for him, especially after getting demoted by Dion
and getting out of that circus. And you don't want to be a narcissist.
I don't know about Travis Hunter's future, and and they're losing recruits left
and right. Good for Sean Lewis. I mean, he left a head
coaching job at Kent State to take that job, so good for him.
As far as I'm concerned, Big twelve hoops real quick. Won't spend much
time on this at all. Tom, I gotta say, I'm a little
surprised at how some of this stuff is shaken out already. You know,
Ku lost to an ugly game last week to Marquette, had a nice bouncel
back win against Tennessee. They're six and one now. They didn't look so
great against Eastern Illinois the other night, but then you got Houston looking good
at seven and oh, they're finally about to be tested, you know,
with you know, playing some tougher opponents coming up here with the Big twelve,
Big East battle coming up this weekend, and they'll play Xavier here in
the coming days. They play Texas A and M here in a couple of
weeks. Baylor is shocking everybody. They're they're you know, they were checked
to have a down year this year, you know, top twenty twenty five
team, their ninth in the country at seven and oh, but the big
surprises b Yu, who was picked to finish thirteenth in the Big Twelve.
They keep on rolling. They had to win against San Diego State, which
shocked everybody. Now they've cracked the top twenty nineteenth in the country. And
oh you the year that Porter Moser was on the hot seat, a lot
of question marks about him. And they go to the Ratty Children's Invitational.
They'll just call it the Little Rascals Invitational children the Ratty Children's Invitational. Yes,
and they beat Iowa and USC and they're undefeated and they're in the top
twenty five now sitting at five. I gotta say, Tom Big twelve over
performing. Already a very good league. We knew that going into this year.
Now they look better than what we thought. I mean, yeah,
I mean, so you're telling me that Brownie James transferred to OU is the
thing? Maybe so, I mean he was, he's not playing yet after
that cardiac arrest. But but nice win for the Sooners. Yeah, I
am legit surprised. And to see the way that that's worked out the way
it has you more shocking ors b Yu b Yu has got to be more
shocking because there was a little bit of expectations for them. It's pretty crazy.
Yeah. Uh, listen, Mormons Mormons. They don't drink. You
know, they're going probably to bed early. They're you know, to bed
early, up early. What do you know, maybe it's maybe that's a
secret. Don't let your players go out to the strip. You might be
on something. Big twelve Big East Battle games this weekend. UH. Thursday,
Tech takes on Butler, Creighton takes on os U. Friday, YU
con taxt On Kansas, Houston faces Xavier, Saint John's faces West Virginia,
Iowa State at DePaul on Friday, and then Saturday we get TCU in Georgetown.
Uh. Tom some excellent games in this big twelve, Big East Battle.
UH. The Big East probably the second best conference in America, one
in two conferences here that the Ku Yukon game at Allen Field House, that
that's going to be the marquee game. But we got some great matchups here.
I mean, yeah you want to I mean Houston Xavier solid. Obviously
Houston is up there ranked. I'm telling you what four and we talked I
don't know if we talked about this on the show or not, but you
want to talk about Oklahoma State Creighton. Creighton obviously very good team. Oklahoma
State not a very good team. That is tonight on ESPN two. It's
in Stillwater. You know, if I think this is one of those games
for Mike Boyton, then it's like, hey, you might want to pull
the ship off and beat a Creighton team. This would go a long way
after your three and three start you lose to some shitty teams. This is
one of those resume builders for Mike Boyton. When you talk about getting to
the big Dance, I think this is it's very early, But for Mike
Boyden, I think this is. I don't want to call it a must
win, but it's very close. Yeah. By the way, in case
people don't know, the guy that's been wanting that job for a decade,
Doug Gottlieb is living in Stillwater full time. He's working as an analyst on
that staff. I want to rule out the possibility if they don't turn around
the ship soon, they could end up firing Boyton mid season and give Doug
a shot as interim head coach and see if he's got what it takes.
I that might be the opportunity Doug needs to get that job, is to
be the interim head coach and prove himself and instead of instead of firing Boyden
at the end of the season and then doing the coaching carousel, just give
it to give it to Gottlieb and just say well, if it doesn't work
out, we're on the coach and carousel anyway, right say like, hey,
you've never coached before, but we're gonna give you a shot right now.
Let's see what you can do with it. And if you can't,
then we're gonna go elsewhere. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I don't
think the game that you fire Mike Boyden over is Creighton if you lose.
But uh, I mean there's gonna be some questions. And we've talked about
this too on and off the show. I hate that for Mike Boyden because
great human being, great person great personality, great recruiter. If you're gonna
make a change, you do it before conference play. Yeah. So,
now, if Mike Boyden goes out and beats Creighton, now and I know
this, and I hate this because this is in my eyes, Jones,
tell me what I want. Your opinion on this too. You come from
a Boyden is offering two free tickets to the students that show up. You
show up and do whatever you have a chance to win Big twelve Championship tickets?
Is that and it's really just trying to get students to show up for
the game. Is that a poverty franchise move? I mean it is to
an extent, but I mean I can't blame him for trying to do what
they can. I mean, I can't blame them, but it's a little
poverty. Yeah. Uh that Kansas Yukon game. I gotta tell you,
I think Yukon is so stacked and Kansas looks a little off right now.
Uh, not where they should be. I know Bill self, you know,
is always on his team's ass when it comes to non conference play.
It takes time to get them to figure it out. But I do not
feel very confident at all, even playing at home on Friday against Yukon.
We'll see how it works out. There's people already camping out for that game
in sin Alan Fieldhouse. Oh yeah, yeah, since Tuesday. Yeah crazy.
We'll continue. Zach Fisher going to join us and so stick around for
that. Don't go anywhere, join us now the program this week. Please
to welcome in from who at thirteen News in des Mooite, Iowa, y
Ka. You brethren, great friend, the one and only Zach Fisher is
here with US political reporter, Kansas sports fan, and more, and he
joins us right now, Zach, appreciate the time has always met. How
we doing, Hyland's been good to see man chatting a little bit before we
get on air here, I was wondering how many Kansas references you were gonna
have in the introduction, and there was two, and I find that appropriate.
I find that spot on doing well though. Man, it's been good
talking to you. I can't remember, Goodness, Weder, the last time
we would have seen each other in person. I can't really think of it.
It has been a minute, been too long, and we were just
talking before it went on air. That is going to change because I am
going to make my return to the state Iowa next summer for the NASCAR race
up there. Yeah, I'm right, you're staying in my place ready to
go about twenty miles out from the speedway here, So I mean it's going
to be exciting. I was actually at that announcement when they announced it at
the Iowa State House. They had the Bill France cup Tyler looked that name
up and I didn't look it up. He knew the name of it beforehand.
I'm not a huge huge racing guys here. Remind me of that,
so I was there. So they got Iowa Corn bring it on on a
NASCAR So looking forward to it. Man, it's going to convert me to
a racing fan. I can't wait. I'm excited for you and to see
first in and it should be a great time next summer. Zach, you're
a big sports guy obviously, so we want to get to you talk some
football here with you as well. Gotta start off with with our Jayhawks eight
and four go to a bowl game. How exciting was that to see this
team pull off what they did? Did an? I swin not too far
from you, you know, and I was stayed here a couple weeks ago.
Do you make it after that game? I did not. I was
working that day and I was actually at at a political event that night.
Go figure. That's what my weekends are full of this last year, political
events. But that was a great game. I actually was techting texting a
Kansas grid with Us Tyler during the Key State game and Freshman's in and we're
like, oh man, we thought it was gonna be bean And he was
frustrated, and I was like, hey, just hear me out. If
you win, you got a freshman in. If you lose, If you
win, you get a freshman in. You beat k State, if you
lose, you get a freshman so it's like a win win And he was
like, I'm tired of these moral victories. Never has a seven win season
at that time been a moral victory for Kansas football. So it's been great
just reminding Kansas football fans to like, these are the good time. We
haven't seen this. An eight win season is a massive deal. We wouldn't
the entire time we were going to the school, Tyler. We weren't going
to game days tailgate and I mean, there was nothing to talk about for
the football team. So I'm jealous. Oh yeah. The thing that impressed
me so much, Zach, like seeing what Lance Leipol did of it wasn't
just about Jayalen Daniels, and it wasn't even just about Jason Bean either.
The way that they were able to continue to adapt and evolve when injuries happened.
This team never gave up continue to compete. I mean, that's all
you can ask for for a football fan, is you know, to see
a team go out there and give their best, and I mean that's what
we saw from these guys like Lanceliholt's done a terrific job and brought stability this
program. It's culture. I mean, when people and players go down that
are crucial to the success to what you think the success of your season is
going to be, and then you have people that are next man up mentality
that really speaks to the culture of what Leopold's building there at the University Kansas
that hasn't been there for years, that has not been there. So that's
been the really enjoyable thing to see, is you know, they get knocked
down and they come right back up and start swinging again. Well, and
then this new chapter of this new Big Twelve with Oklahoma and Texas out.
I don't know about you, Zac, but you know I get at Utah
and Arizona and Arizona State. You got some good schools. It's gonna be
a good league going forward. But with the job Lance has done the foundation
of the set, I don't see any reason why this Kansas program can't compete
with everybody else this new Big Twelve. And I'd use that as a reason
for him staying at Kansas as well too. If he's truly wanted to win
conference championships, then it's looking like this is a nice little window of opportunity
here. Iowa State was one. If they beat Kansas when they were up
in names, Iowa State would be in the Big Twelve championship game too.
So just put that in perspective for people, and that's what's going to be
really interesting. And that's the opportunity for a lot of these Big twelve football
schools is there's going to be a ton of opportunity for who's going to step
up and be the perennials as the Oklahoma's and the texas Is of the world.
Yeah, you mentioned Texas. I'm sure you're excited to watch him football
this weekend, horns down absolutely with a college football playoff on the line and
everything championship week. What are you looking forward to this weekend, Matt,
I'm looking forward to so. I'm an Iowa football fan too from Des Moines,
so as a Hawky growing up Kansas jack now too, so getting over
to the Big Ten, I'm very excited to see this over under a point
five for Iowa playing Michigan, and then is such a painful brand of football.
How can you guys not get any offense going? You know, it's
something that you're just like raised on, Tyler. It's been painful these last
couple of years for sure, Like it hasn't been that bad, but it's
the conservative play calling. I mean, goodness, I'm five and you know,
two thousand and two and why are we running the ball on third and
eight? You know, I was goodness, I was raised in it.
But yeah, it'll be you know, forty to zero or whatever it will
be. But ten wins is a big deal for the Hawkeyes too, So
hats off for them for losing players. Anyway, Championship football, this is
when the this is when the stars come out. And this is like I
watch NFL more than I do watch college football, watch all of my favorite
college football teams, but I watch every single one of these games coming up
on championship winkend because there's so much on the line, not in terms of
finishing your season making the playoffs, but for kids draft stock as well going
to the NFL. Yeah, what do you think's gonna be the four teams
advance of the playoff? Here is that? Man? Okay, so Iowa
wins fourteen to ten this weekend. Man, uh, it's the cool thing
is it's kind of a toss up. I don't even know if I could
give you. I know they're talking about they're they're looking at Texas. Maybe
if they're able to sneak in on the back half there or two, that
might be a sneaky team. I don't know if I got I don't know
if I got to set four that I'm ready just to throw out to you
right now too. Other than other than the not just what about you,
Tyler, Let's let's come back with you. Let me hear your four.
Go on the record with four here. So my final four, I think
Georgia wins. I think Michigan wins. Those are your first two. And
then I got Oregon beating Washington to the rematch to redeem their one loss from
earlier in the year. And I think Florida State squeaks went out against Louisville,
and that'll be your final four. I think Texas will win this week,
but I see that as the first team getting left out. Okay,
okay, I'm a fan of that. I think I think there's a chance
Florida State might lose, so that would be a window where I could see
Texas. I agree with everything else. We'll see about organ I guess too.
In the Washington there, they've been trending downwards too. Who did forest
A just play last weekend? I was, I can't remember Florida, that's
right. Yeah, yeah, anyway, they barely h snuck it out against
them there too, so that was impressive. But can you do that?
How many times can you do that? You're just pushing or delaying the inevitable,
in my opinion, because without QB one probably not a whole lot of
hope of one of the national championship. Yeah, yeah, no, Jordan
Travis, Yeah, it's a great point there, fish. How are you
feeling about what what Bill and the guys got cooked up there? On the
basketball side, No, we got an exciting game coming up Friday against the
Yukon here. Yeah. I saw a picture of some Kansas kids camping this
morning too in allen Field. Else so that one. I was never a
big camper. Did you do that much? I did that freshman year for
our fraternity, So our fraternity freshmen go every single year that way, you
know, you do it one year and then the whole house is covered for
for your next three years. So I did have early mornings I dot All
freshman year, and it was fun. I mean, people bring their pillows
there, fall asleep, pass out in the stands. It was stressful too,
set up all the schedules. But going back to the Mall Invitational,
you know Bill just reading him and stuff, you can kind of tell what
he's thinking. Five minutes left in that game, they just got it back
down from fifteen to thirteen, and then it went back up to fifteen again.
Marquett's away and you just Bill's sitting down. You see his face,
his energy's loved. It's like, yep, Bill knows we're not able to
win this one. So I just thought they're they're gonna have a lot of
running to do when they get back into the Lawrence. But it's exciting,
man. I mean, this is gonna be a team that's going to be
in the top five all year long. This is another one of these teams
you know, you have some every so often. Goodness would be the twenty
twenty COVID year. I mean they were number one and both polls at the
end of that year. It's just one of those Bill self teams that you
have the coach, But then this is one of his best rosters too that
he's had in his tenure. So I'm really excited. Oh yeah, I'm
with you there. I mean, watching Hunter Dickinson play, I don't think
I've ever seen a big man like that offensively at k you ever. I
mean, people are going to bring up Mbid, but he was a freshman.
It was very raw and all that, and I mean, Dickinson just
looks like a complete player. He might be the shooter too, because that's
the one thing you notice when you watch this Kansas team. He's like,
who's that who's that guard, or who's that board that's going to stick out
and really get the job done there at three point? It might end up
being Dickinson. It might end up being the five. He's got a really
fluid shot, and it's it's it's just cool to see him work in Bill
system because it thrives with a big man that's able to put up points on
a consistent basis. Udoka in a different way. Udoka wasn't a skilled with
dribbling or shooting or moves on the pulse, but I called him the plunger
because he would just get crap through. He would just get it going.
If you didn't score in three possessions, feed it to Dickinson and get the
offense going again. Those types of players are critical when it gets to March
madness and you're down, you know, eleven, and you gotta call a
time out coming out of the break. Who do I go to? That's
the guy? You go to? Fish? Where's the dog yet? Did
you see him right here? Bring you over? He was right here,
so I thought he's gonna be right there on this corner. But he is
just on his little uh set up right here. What you gonna say,
Hi? Bo? Right here? There you go? Well, there he
is right by the tree. He's got he's set up by the window.
So he just, uh, he's got to pay rent somehow, so he
just watches over my little corner of downtown in Moyne. He's already in the
holiday spirit. Yes, yeah, he's ready to go. Yeah. He's
a Christmas dog. He uh he loves the holidays and his uh my parents,
so his grandparents will call him. They get him all these Christmas toys
and stuff. So he's a big fan of this time of year. I
love it. Uh bo, good boy. I look forward to me bow
too. Uh you wanna so fish work if people follow you and see all
the stuff you're doing. If I can't pay trop man or ZACHARYC. Fisher
on Instagram, Zach Fisher News on X or Twitter dot com, can't call
it x dot com. I realized that the other day they'll never be able
to switch that obvious reason and Guinness, that's about it. Those two give
you follow their WHO thirteen News. We're live on today and Iowa Saturday Sunday
eight to ten am on a weekend. So if you're in central Iowa,
turn on the NBC affiliate Channel thirteen and see me there. Watch online if
you're whow thirteen dot com. Another one, good calls, Zach, thanks
so time, man, Glad you're doing great. Looking forward to seeing you
here next summer and we'll talk in down the line. Thanks for showing us
Man, Thanks for having me toy. I appreciate it. Man,