1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:05,799 Check it out college football on the West Coast. This is Get Off My 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,400 pilone, a look at the PAC twelve and more, part of the College 3 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:16,800 Gridiron Coast to Coast podcast network. Here's your host, that's Zimo. Welcome 4 00:00:16,879 --> 00:00:21,000 to the latest edition of to Get Off My Pilon College football podcast. This 5 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,600 is your host, Matt Zena. We're part of the College gridirn Coast to 6 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:29,199 Coast podcast network, coming at you, and we're not that far away from 7 00:00:29,239 --> 00:00:33,079 Thanksgiving, not that far away from the end of the regular season in college 8 00:00:33,079 --> 00:00:37,119 football, the PAC twelve, the Mountain West Western college football, that's what 9 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,119 we focus on. Herrett, Get Off My Pilon. Plenty to talk about 10 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:48,159 in the middle of November, and let's start with the top of the pack. 11 00:00:49,079 --> 00:00:53,679 The Washington Huskies still unbeaten. They're ten to oh and you'd rather be 12 00:00:53,759 --> 00:00:59,479 ten and o than nine to one. Obviously, Washington because it's unbeaten because 13 00:00:59,479 --> 00:01:04,239 it passed another test, albeit only slightly against the utah Utes. Being ten 14 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:08,719 and oh being unbeaten in the PAC twelve means that Washington can lose once and 15 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:14,640 still be in the PAC twelve championship game. That's that's the really big advantage 16 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:19,359 that the Huskies have and with Washington State, uh, you know, going 17 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:23,840 from four and oh to now four and six, you know the Apple Cup 18 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:29,079 that that's a game that the Washington is gonna host in Seattle against Wazoo. 19 00:01:29,359 --> 00:01:32,719 You know, you figure that's gonna be a win. So the Huskies pretty 20 00:01:32,799 --> 00:01:34,959 much nailed down their spot in the PAC twelve change a game it's not official, 21 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,560 but highly likely to be in Las Vegas on Friday, December first. 22 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:46,400 And so you know, you definitely would rather be Washington than Oregon or anyone 23 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,799 else in the PAC twelve. But in the same breath, while we're gonna 24 00:01:49,879 --> 00:01:55,480 we're we're gonna say that Washington is certainly in the driver's seat, we also 25 00:01:55,519 --> 00:02:00,079 have to say in the same breath that Washington's not looking very convincing. And 26 00:02:00,079 --> 00:02:05,000 and you want to juggle those two tensions. And it's noteworthy that, you 27 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,240 know, I said earlier this year that when USC was unbeaten in the first 28 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:14,840 half of the season, you know, you'd rather be unbeaten than not. 29 00:02:15,039 --> 00:02:21,280 However, early in the season, being five and oh, six and oh 30 00:02:22,319 --> 00:02:25,280 is a different deal from being ten and oh. Like you know, when 31 00:02:25,319 --> 00:02:29,159 you're five and oh, you still have a lot of season left. You 32 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:35,280 have challenging games on the back end of your schedule, and there's there's much 33 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:39,840 greater cause for concern when you're just in the middle of the season and you're 34 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:46,159 still trying to find your way. But when you're ten and oh, you 35 00:02:46,199 --> 00:02:47,960 know, you can look at the warts and the flaws and everything else on 36 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,080 your team and you know you can still acknowledge them, you can still be 37 00:02:53,199 --> 00:02:55,840 honest about them and yet realize, hey, ten and Oh is ten and 38 00:02:55,879 --> 00:03:00,840 Oh, We're so close to achieving a lot of our goals. So you 39 00:03:00,879 --> 00:03:07,439 know, in mid November, being unbeaten feels very different from how it feels 40 00:03:07,479 --> 00:03:13,080 in early October when you're unbeaten, you know, and and it's and coaches 41 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,879 obviously want to play better, they want to fix their flaws. But when 42 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,800 you keep finding ways to win, and you keep doing that over the course 43 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,840 of a full season. Looking outside Pac twelve for a moment, we're seeing 44 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:25,719 Florida State do that. You know, we're seeing Georgia do that. We're 45 00:03:25,719 --> 00:03:30,360 seeing not Alabama. Alabama has one loss, but you know, we're we're 46 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:37,120 seeing some teams go through the entirety of the season and they're avoiding every single 47 00:03:37,639 --> 00:03:42,680 land mine. Washington Florida State really on very parallel tracks. They're not dominating, 48 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,280 but they are winning. And when you keep doing it, at a 49 00:03:45,319 --> 00:03:50,280 certain point, the focus stops being on the flaws and it and it starts 50 00:03:50,319 --> 00:03:55,879 being on finding ways to be successful, at least successful enough each week. 51 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,800 So the Huskies are on that fine line because they are finding ways every week. 52 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:08,680 That game against Utah felt very perilous. Utah had the lead and the 53 00:04:08,759 --> 00:04:15,080 ball in the third quarter, and then later on Washington had a narrow lead, 54 00:04:15,159 --> 00:04:18,199 but Utah was, you know, in the red zone, very close 55 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:23,279 to taking a fourth quarter lead, and then Washington got what should have been 56 00:04:23,319 --> 00:04:28,319 a pick six, and then you know, another Deshaun Jackson moment. And 57 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,879 why why football players drop the ball at the one or in this case, 58 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:36,000 the two yard line. It's just such a brainbuster, Like you don't get 59 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:43,519 any extra points, extra credit, History doesn't remember you fondly if you dropped 60 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,519 the ball as soon as you get to the goal line. It's just the 61 00:04:46,519 --> 00:04:50,040 most baffling thing, absolutely the most baffling thing. And this this really was 62 00:04:50,079 --> 00:04:54,759 the worst I've ever seen. It looked like the ball was dropped on the 63 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:59,360 two, maybe even the two and a half yard line, just absolutely unfathomable. 64 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,160 Wh was able to get a safety on the next play. And that's 65 00:05:03,319 --> 00:05:09,199 kind of a typifies the Husky season that they've made some really sloppy, ugly 66 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:13,560 plays, Like they were not sharp against USC on defense, allowing forty two 67 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,279 points. They allowed thirty three points to Stanford. Against Arizona State, their 68 00:05:16,319 --> 00:05:20,319 offense did not score touchdown, but their defense dominated. Their defense got to 69 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:24,240 pick six and they did run the ball all the way under the end zone 70 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,720 on that one, and they were able to win that game fifteen to seven. 71 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:32,720 So each week it's a different aspect of the Huskies picking them up. 72 00:05:33,319 --> 00:05:36,920 So they are ten to zero and that's fantastic, and Kalin de Boer looks 73 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:42,720 like exactly the right man for the job on Montlake. And yet and yet 74 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:46,399 you look at that team you go each week is such a highly flawed performance. 75 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:50,839 How long is this going to continue? And next up for Washington the 76 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:57,720 trip to Reeser Stadium Corps Vallas. Jonathan Smith has the Beavers in the top 77 00:05:57,759 --> 00:06:00,240 ten. I don't know if they deserve a top ten rank. You know, 78 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:03,079 this team lost to Washington State and Washington State is a four and six 79 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:09,560 team also lost to Arizona, which is a very good team, but nevertheless 80 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:14,360 a three loss team. So I wouldn't put Oregon State in a top ten. 81 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:18,160 But the Beavers eight and two certainly, you know, have a chance 82 00:06:18,199 --> 00:06:23,160 to win eleven games. So john and Smith, you know, has that 83 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,480 program at a high level. It's you know, similar to the level that 84 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:31,319 Mike Riley had the Beavers roughly fifteen years ago, you know, two thousand 85 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:35,319 and six through two thousand and nine, that period of time Oregon State was 86 00:06:35,319 --> 00:06:41,560 competitive in the top tier of the PAC twelve, wasn't winning the conference championship, 87 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:45,879 but was right in the mix in mid November. So Jonathan Smith has 88 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:49,560 been able to recreate that and it's and that's very impressive. But you know, 89 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:54,120 Oregon State is going to really kick itself, in particular, not so 90 00:06:54,199 --> 00:06:59,279 much for the Arizona loss, because Arizona is good, but Washington State that 91 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,199 to the Cougars back in September. Man the Beavers would really love to have 92 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:08,199 that one back. They'd really love the mulligan if they had won that game. 93 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:12,199 This game in Corvallis would be so much bigger than it is. And 94 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:15,879 it's a big game, but it would be even bigger had Oregon State not 95 00:07:15,959 --> 00:07:19,879 tripped up in the police to Washington State. So very interesting as we record 96 00:07:19,959 --> 00:07:28,120 this podcast on Monday evening, Oregon State was initially a slight underdog but has 97 00:07:28,279 --> 00:07:33,160 moved on the lines to a one point favorite. Pretty interesting. And moreover, 98 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,720 I don't think that's wrong. I don't think that's wild at all. 99 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:42,759 I think this does set up extremely well for Oregon State. It's gonna be 100 00:07:43,319 --> 00:07:49,720 a hugely jacked up crowd at Reeser Stadium in Corvallis and Oregon State. You 101 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:55,319 know, these were the two games circled on the calendar. Washington this week 102 00:07:55,720 --> 00:08:00,000 in the Civil War against Oregon on Thanksgiving weekend. These are the two games 103 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:01,959 that they are going to define Oregon State season. Oregon State didn't play USC 104 00:08:03,519 --> 00:08:09,839 played Utah early in the season when the Uts offense was just absolutely terrible, 105 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,639 a non factor. Ucla, you know, lost Arizona State. We're going 106 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:18,000 to talk about that game in a little bit. You know, beating UCLA 107 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:22,279 at home, that was expected, nothing more, nothing less. These are 108 00:08:22,279 --> 00:08:26,600 the two games that are going to define Oregon State season. So you you 109 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:30,600 know, this game is like Oregon State super Bowl, or you could say 110 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:35,399 that this game's the conference championship game and next week against the Ducks is the 111 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:43,480 super Bowl. So I certainly like the way this game lines up for Oregon 112 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:48,279 State against Washington, and with the way that the Huskies are playing, you 113 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:54,480 know, Washington's gonna have to tighten things up. Washington will definitely have to 114 00:08:54,639 --> 00:08:58,919 tighten up the screws and and weed out the penalties, weed out the mistake. 115 00:09:00,159 --> 00:09:03,279 Let's talk a little bit about that Utah game a little bit more that 116 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,960 you know, there were penalties almost every play in the second half. It 117 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:13,399 was. It was a very ragged game. Washington botched a field goal late 118 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:20,960 that gave Utah another chance to tie the game. Washington's defense got absolutely smoked 119 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,720 in the first half by Utah. Now, credit credit that same Washington defense 120 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:28,559 for adjusting in the second half, getting more of a pass rush, getting 121 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:33,320 more of a push up front, finding ways to frustrate Utah. But you 122 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:37,440 know, Bryson Barnes, who had a great time against USC, he had 123 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:41,080 a very great, really great time as well in that first half against Washington. 124 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:46,919 The Huskies are not that robust in their front seven right now. They're 125 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:52,240 not physically imposing what does Oregon State like to do. Oregon State likes to 126 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,240 lean on its offensive line. Play smash moouth football, run the ball, 127 00:09:56,399 --> 00:10:00,679 run the rock, set up play action for downfield shots. With dj Ula, 128 00:10:01,279 --> 00:10:03,840 who's been solid this season, I wouldn't say spectacular. We're gonna learn 129 00:10:03,879 --> 00:10:07,840 about dj u A in these games. You know, how does he play 130 00:10:07,879 --> 00:10:13,120 against the very best UH in the Pac twelve Washington Oregon. It's gonna define 131 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:18,440 his Oregon State season and it's probably gonna reshape how we think of him and 132 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:24,679 his career as a college quarterback. Transferring from Clemson and Dabbos swinging. And 133 00:10:24,759 --> 00:10:33,279 you know, just another word about Uiangalawa that with his with Clemson's struggles this 134 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:37,519 year under Cade club Nick, you know, uian Galaa is certainly thinking privately 135 00:10:39,159 --> 00:10:43,559 UH in his free moments, in his spare time. I'm sure that he's 136 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,159 thinking, wow, I made the right choice. I made the right call 137 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:52,120 going from Dabbo uh to Jonathan Smith. Now, you know, we'll never 138 00:10:52,279 --> 00:10:58,720 know what it would have been like if uiangla had played for Garrett Riley, 139 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:01,879 whom Dabbo brought in as his new offensive coordinator at Clemson. So it's not 140 00:11:01,919 --> 00:11:07,960 as though ugl would have been playing for the coordinators that he had a year 141 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:11,440 ago. Dabo decided to make a change. But nevertheless, it's a what 142 00:11:11,519 --> 00:11:16,519 if. It's a real what if for Uygilay, what if he had been 143 00:11:16,519 --> 00:11:20,200 with Garrett Riley? Will never know, but I'm sure that ultimately Uiangilay thinks 144 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:28,320 he made the right pall transferring from Clemson to Oregon State. So many storylines 145 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:33,320 involved in that, and one other storyline attached to Washington Morgan State and really 146 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:37,399 you know, flowing through the PAC twelve because the PAC twelve is Heisman central? 147 00:11:37,799 --> 00:11:39,799 What about the Heisman race? Where does it stand right now? A 148 00:11:39,799 --> 00:11:43,440 lot of people will say that Bonix should be leading. I think that's a 149 00:11:43,519 --> 00:11:48,000 reasonable analysis, but I would ultimately disagree. I think, right now, 150 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:52,639 present moment, I'm not predicting the future here, but present moment, where 151 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:58,799 things stand right now, it should be Michael Pennix still ahead of Bonix. 152 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:05,279 Pennix made clutch to deliver Washington a win over utahm was a high scoring game. 153 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:09,000 I mean, he played it was brilliant, but he was good against 154 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:13,960 a tough, hard nosed Utah defense. That is certainly more than what bo 155 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:18,559 Nicks did against USC, and it's Swiss cheese defense. Now, Knicks was 156 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:22,480 good, he was certainly good. He wasn't fantastic if he throws were off 157 00:12:22,519 --> 00:12:26,000 the mark. Oregon scored only thirty six points, left a lot of points 158 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:33,360 on the field. USC's secondary was absolutely atrocious, very soft coverage, particularly 159 00:12:33,399 --> 00:12:37,759 on third downs. I mean, Knicks made easy throws and a number of 160 00:12:37,799 --> 00:12:43,639 Oregon's touchdowns were yards after the catch. More about Oregon's receivers and us He's 161 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:46,960 not very good secondary than anything bo Nicks did. Like bo Nicks did not 162 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:52,120 make amazing plays in that USC game. He made the place he was supposed 163 00:12:52,159 --> 00:12:54,120 to make, and that's good. Again, he didn't play poorly. He 164 00:12:54,159 --> 00:12:58,879 was good, but he wasn't spectacular. He didn't do anything so impressive that 165 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:05,440 oh I would move him up over Michael Pennix in the Heisman race. Look, 166 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,720 Pennix made big plays, more big plays head to head against boon Nicks, 167 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:13,720 and he beat him. So Penix should have the lead. Now for 168 00:13:13,759 --> 00:13:18,240 a new Oregon fans listening in not saying this race is over. I'm not 169 00:13:18,279 --> 00:13:20,759 saying Penix has a commanding lead because he doesn't. It's all very close. 170 00:13:20,799 --> 00:13:26,399 It's all very fluid. But if bo Nicks gets a rematch with Pennix in 171 00:13:26,639 --> 00:13:31,200 Washington in the PAC twelve Championship game on Friday, December first, that's bo 172 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:37,279 Nicks's chance to alter the conversation. That is Boenix's chance to take that award 173 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:41,840 away from Michael Pennock. So Bonix is going to have his say. Bo 174 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:45,879 Knicks will be able to make his case. But you don't put bo Nicks 175 00:13:46,159 --> 00:13:50,240 number one right now, like that is the trade off that Penix leads right 176 00:13:50,279 --> 00:13:54,399 now, but Nicks has the chance to change everything. That's the way to 177 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:58,320 look at the heis and race one of the Heisman notes. Just because Penix 178 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,279 and Knicks, two PAC twelve players are involved. Going outside the PAC twelve 179 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:07,639 people are saying Jayden Daniels should be the highst winner. Stop stop please. 180 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:11,639 He got out played by Jalen Milroe head to head against Alabama, all right. 181 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:18,120 He was outplayed by Jordan Travis in the second half of that game against 182 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,360 Florida State. Now, yes, let's use defense as horrible, all right, 183 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:26,399 and you shouldn't you shouldn't penalize a player too much. However, Daniels 184 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:31,320 was not spectacular in games where he needed to be spectacular. You know, 185 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:35,720 do you do you do that? Do you do do you reward a player 186 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:41,000 in spite of not being his absolute very best in the biggest games on his 187 00:14:41,039 --> 00:14:45,840 schedule? Okay, he lit up Florida's defense. Whoop de doo? All 188 00:14:45,919 --> 00:14:50,840 right, like we should not be throwing a ticker tape parade for lighting up 189 00:14:50,879 --> 00:14:56,840 a bad Florida defense. Florida got smoked by kJ Jefferson in Arkansas one week 190 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,720 earlier. I'm sorry, stop it, Jade, and Daniel is not the 191 00:15:00,759 --> 00:15:05,200 Heisman front runner because he lit up Florida like a Christmas tree. Stop at 192 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:11,399 Billy Napier. Is his coaching Florida poorly? He doesn't have a good team. 193 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:15,679 Come on now, let us tap the brakes now. I think, 194 00:15:16,519 --> 00:15:20,200 you know, if you were to make the Heisman case for Jayden Daniels, 195 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:24,399 I think a real comparison could be made to Robert Griffin the third RG three 196 00:15:24,879 --> 00:15:31,480 and Baylor in twenty eleven. But the difference there is that in twenty eleven, 197 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:37,519 Baylor was It was when the twenty eleven season began, Baylor was a 198 00:15:37,639 --> 00:15:41,200 nobody in college football. You know, he did not have any kind of 199 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:46,679 a stablished brand, and Art Brows, I mean cat put off of his 200 00:15:46,799 --> 00:15:50,759 personal failing failings and scandals to the side. Art Brow's good, really good 201 00:15:50,919 --> 00:15:54,720 X and no coach, and he was developing Baylor at the time. Baylor 202 00:15:54,799 --> 00:16:02,559 was beginning its upswing and rounding into a form as a powerhouse Big twelve program 203 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:07,679 in those years, but entering twenty eleven, Baylor really hadn't put itself on 204 00:16:07,799 --> 00:16:15,320 the map just yet. So when RG three helped Baylor win nine ten games 205 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:19,200 in twenty eleven, that was a huge accomplishment, all right, was that 206 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:25,440 was an amazing feat. So even though Baylor wasn't a conference champion or anything, 207 00:16:25,519 --> 00:16:29,080 much as Jaden Daniels and LSU are not going to be a conference champion, 208 00:16:29,799 --> 00:16:33,759 it was still amazing for Baylor to have that kind of a season at 209 00:16:33,759 --> 00:16:37,679 the time. Now, in twenty fourteen, twenty fifteen, it was expected 210 00:16:37,679 --> 00:16:41,399 that Baylor would win eleven games per season, but not in twenty eleven. 211 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,919 What RG three did, it was totally out of the blue in terms of 212 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:53,759 Baylor's history Baylor's expectations. That was an amazing team accomplishment that RG three was 213 00:16:53,799 --> 00:17:00,000 centrally responsible for, all right, But Jayden Daniels is presiding over an LSU 214 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,559 team that's gonna that's lost three games and was expected to be a college football 215 00:17:03,559 --> 00:17:10,200 playoff contender. So LSU's nine to three this year and Baylor's nine and three 216 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:17,720 in twenty eleven two totally different things, all right, So let's keep that 217 00:17:17,759 --> 00:17:22,480 in perspective. No, you shouldn't automatically give the Heisman Trophy to a conference 218 00:17:22,559 --> 00:17:26,799 champion or a college football playoff team. It's like, I'm not arguing that, 219 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:33,440 but when if you have several candidates for the Heisman and a bunch of 220 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:38,880 them have at least one conference championships or are in conference championship games, and 221 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:45,319 another team not only is not playing for a conference championship, but has underachieved 222 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,599 overall within the context of its season, like Kayleb Williams and USC would be 223 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:55,400 in a similar boat. All right. When you have underachieving teams at blue 224 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,039 blood programs, you don't give the Heisman to those kinds of players. You 225 00:17:59,039 --> 00:18:03,160 don't give the Heisman. Two, that quarterback of a blue blood team that 226 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:08,160 has significantly under a cheat now RG three at Baylor. Different dynamic. So 227 00:18:08,559 --> 00:18:15,440 let's keep that in perspective when we're talking about the Heisman Trophy race much more 228 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,839 on the PAC twelve of the Mountain west to Colu on the other side of 229 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:23,920 this announcement. But we are brought to you by ticket Smarter at you can 230 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:29,680 find them at ticketsmarter dot com, the ticket Smarter mobile app getting you into 231 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:33,400 the stadium for the biggest games the college football season. So that big one 232 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:37,480 this week in the Pac twelve Research Stadium in Port Vallas. And let's remember 233 00:18:37,039 --> 00:18:41,200 last year, Research Stadium was being renovated, so there was only half of 234 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:49,720 the stadium available for that game. For any Oregon State game, this year, 235 00:18:49,759 --> 00:18:53,119 they have the full stadium available, so it's not just seating on one 236 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:59,160 side of the stadium. They're seating on both sides of the ballyard. So 237 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,400 if you want to get into Research Stadium in Corvallis, that's the destination game 238 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:07,519 in the Pac twelve of the big, bad, unbeaten Huskies coming into town 239 00:19:07,759 --> 00:19:14,680 in a game with major national implications. There's also the USC UCLA game at 240 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:18,640 the Coliseum, and hey, it's an afternoon game. It's a twelve thirty 241 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:22,759 game, and USC fans have wanted for years to play Ucla in the middle 242 00:19:22,759 --> 00:19:27,599 of the afternoon in that glorious La sunshine, instead of wasting that game at 243 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:33,720 night. And of course those double home uniforms for USC and UCLA some of 244 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:38,480 the freshest colors popping on your screen. Those colors are enhanced so much more 245 00:19:38,799 --> 00:19:44,559 in sunshine, in daylight, So we get a USC UCLA game in the 246 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:48,359 daytime once again. You want to get into the coliseum, Go to ticket 247 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:53,039 Smarter ticketsmarter dot com, the ticket smarter mobile app. Best prices on the 248 00:19:53,079 --> 00:19:59,359 secondary market. The purchasing process is painless, it's easy, it's secure, 249 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,440 it's just the way you want it. 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So 258 00:20:38,559 --> 00:20:45,680 some bargains to be found for big games late season November Football Championship implications. 259 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:49,240 This is what it's all about. Ticketsmarter dot com, the ticket Smarter mobile 260 00:20:49,279 --> 00:20:56,039 app. Get in the game with ticket Smarter. All right, So more 261 00:20:56,079 --> 00:21:00,160 to discuss in the Pac twelve. Also the Mountain West, So Arizona. 262 00:21:00,519 --> 00:21:07,119 You know, after two very taxing, physical, tough close football games against 263 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:11,359 especially Oregon State, and then also UCLA goes on the road, plays at 264 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:17,279 altitude against a desperate Colorado team which frankly really needed to win this game to 265 00:21:17,279 --> 00:21:21,960 have any remaining hope of a bowlgame. Now, Colorado can still win out 266 00:21:22,279 --> 00:21:26,839 and it might beat Washington State, but good luck to those Buffs against Utah 267 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,240 that's going to be a really tough game. So Colorado really needed to beat 268 00:21:30,279 --> 00:21:33,920 Arizona. I think, I think a lot of other experts shared my point 269 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:38,519 of view. Needed to beat Arizona to have a good chance of getting to 270 00:21:38,559 --> 00:21:42,200 a bowl game. And it was close. Colorado started well, Buffalo scored 271 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:47,319 thirty one points. Their offense did look better than it has in some time. 272 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:52,759 But Arizona got the late game stops and Noah Feafida once again just such 273 00:21:52,759 --> 00:21:56,400 an amazing leader for this team. And let's just all sit back and contemplate 274 00:21:56,440 --> 00:22:03,839 a world in which Jedfish has Noah Fafida as his day one, opening week 275 00:22:04,279 --> 00:22:11,079 starting quarterback instead of Jaden Delora. Remember, USC and Clay Hilton started Max 276 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:15,240 Brown over Sam Donald at the beginning of the twenty sixteen season. Donald didn't 277 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:19,200 come in until late September, and by that point USC had already lost three 278 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:26,400 games, But Donald ran the table the rest of the way, and USC 279 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:30,599 was able to go to and then win the Rose Bowl. Was playing some 280 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,039 of the best football in the United States at the end of that twenty sixteen 281 00:22:34,079 --> 00:22:40,920 season. Imagine if Arizona had Noah Faefeeda starting from day one. It's going 282 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:44,599 to be one of the great what ifs. But at least next year, 283 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:48,720 Arizona knows that it will have Noah Fafita there on day one when it goes 284 00:22:48,759 --> 00:22:52,160 into the Big twelve, Arizona football has a chance to go nine to three 285 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:57,839 and then win a tenth game in the regular season. That would be absolutely 286 00:22:59,279 --> 00:23:06,640 spectacic. Or for Jedfish and that Arizona program. They beat Colorado and they 287 00:23:06,759 --> 00:23:11,599 are on track to do something extraordinary relative to preseason expectations. I think in 288 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:15,440 the preseason, you know, if you told Arizona six and six bowl game, 289 00:23:15,759 --> 00:23:18,440 they would have been happy. Seven to five. Wow, that would 290 00:23:18,519 --> 00:23:22,720 be amazing. Arizona could be nine to three with a chance to go ten 291 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:26,799 to three in a bowl game under Noah Flafida and head coach Jedfish. Absolutely 292 00:23:26,839 --> 00:23:33,759 spectacular what that team is doing. And let's keep in mind that Arizona is 293 00:23:33,799 --> 00:23:40,759 not yet fully eliminated from the Pac twelve championship race. If a few things 294 00:23:40,799 --> 00:23:44,599 break in Arizona's direction, one of those things is going to be Oregon State, 295 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:48,119 whom you know, Arizona has the tiebreaker over the Beavers because it beat 296 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:52,759 them head to head. For Oregon State takes down Oregon, you know, 297 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:59,480 and and Arizona is able to win out, Arizona could be in the Pack 298 00:23:59,519 --> 00:24:04,200 twelve Ima game. Still, that's pretty remarkable. Another big story in the 299 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:10,240 PAC twelve from the past weekend, UCLA with the absolute stink bomb, the 300 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:15,960 absolute clunker at home against Arizona State. The Bruins scored just seven points. 301 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:21,440 They got stopped on three different fourth downs, two of them inside the Arizona 302 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:26,000 State ten yard line. An absolute disaster for Chip Kelly. And then you 303 00:24:26,039 --> 00:24:32,920 know the final score seventeen to seven for Arizona State. The Sun Devil's hugely 304 00:24:33,079 --> 00:24:37,759 undermanned, and yet coach Kenny Dillingham was running a swinging gate and the stack 305 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:42,759 formations that basically took his offensive line out of play. And it's really genius. 306 00:24:42,799 --> 00:24:47,480 It's a genius move by Kenny Dillingham. You don't have an offensive line 307 00:24:47,519 --> 00:24:52,759 because you have seven eight however many offensive linemen injured, so you just don't 308 00:24:52,759 --> 00:24:56,839 have traditional traditional plays with a net, with a traditional formation, you basically 309 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:03,200 turn it into seven on seven football. Genius move. Kenny Dillingham is coaching 310 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:06,640 his butt off for Arizona State this year. Got to give him a lot 311 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:11,440 of credit. And yet let's then step back. However, for as resourceful 312 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:18,000 as Kenny Dillingham was with his offense getting seventeen points against a good UCLA defense, 313 00:25:18,839 --> 00:25:22,839 you give up seventeen points, you should expect to win. You should 314 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:26,440 be able to score at least twenty. Arizona State gave up fifty five points 315 00:25:27,079 --> 00:25:33,200 to Utah a week ago, UCLA scores seven. And I know that the 316 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:36,640 Bruins have injuries at quarterback, but you know, this was a team that 317 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:41,480 was supposed to have depth at quarterback because Dante Moore was the freshman and he 318 00:25:41,599 --> 00:25:45,839 hasn't really hanned out. You know that great, But you also had Ethan 319 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:52,279 Garber's you also had Collin Schlee and he's the guy who got the start against 320 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:57,160 Arizona State and he's transferred in from Kent State. So like Trip Kelly had 321 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,920 some options. Now maybe they weren't Cadillac options, you know the end. 322 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:07,240 But of course it does fall on Chip Kelly that he of his player evaluations 323 00:26:07,279 --> 00:26:10,680 didn't pan out the way he hoped, so he has to bear some responsibility 324 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:14,519 for that. But even then, like Colin Schlee was not supposed to be 325 00:26:15,319 --> 00:26:22,960 third string quality as a quarterback, like he was supposed to provide value to 326 00:26:22,079 --> 00:26:26,079 this UCLA offense to the extent that you can at least get twenty points against 327 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:33,000 Arizona State in November, but he didn't. And and also if you if 328 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:36,400 you watch that game, I know it was on Pac twelve networks, so 329 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:41,039 most of you probably didn't, but UCLA was just handing the ball off in 330 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:45,160 the middle of the line on fourth down. In short, no creativity, 331 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:49,079 no flexibility, no diversity from Chip Kelly. You know who you know. 332 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:53,519 When Dorian Thompson, Robinson and Zach Charbonay were back there last year, you 333 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:59,839 saw us offense do great and dynamic things and Kelly got a lot out of 334 00:27:00,039 --> 00:27:03,279 his talent. UCLA had a really good offense that was not an easy offense 335 00:27:03,319 --> 00:27:10,000 to play against. Kelly is making his twenty twenty three UCLA offense very easy 336 00:27:10,039 --> 00:27:12,039 to play against. It felled at times as though Chip Kelly was just mailing 337 00:27:12,079 --> 00:27:17,279 it in or he was just trying to emphasize, hey, we're the more 338 00:27:17,319 --> 00:27:18,960 physical team, so we're just going to run it up the gut. But 339 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:23,960 like tactics strategy, they pretty much went out the window. I would also 340 00:27:25,039 --> 00:27:29,240 add that, you know, UCLA got stuff on a fourth and goal at 341 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:34,200 the one of entirely appropriate and entirely appropriate for ucle to go for it in 342 00:27:34,279 --> 00:27:38,039 that situation. But let's remember this game against Arizona State. It was three 343 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:44,559 nothing well into the third quarter. Kelly needed to know he needed to realize, 344 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:48,799 Okay, this is a defense first game. So when he had a 345 00:27:48,079 --> 00:27:52,720 fourth and one at the nine at the Arizona State nine ten yard line. 346 00:27:52,599 --> 00:27:56,200 Later in the first half, he needed to kick a field goal. He 347 00:27:56,279 --> 00:28:00,759 needed to collect some points, and realized that, hey, this is a 348 00:28:00,799 --> 00:28:03,599 defense dominated game. It might be like ten, three, ten, six, 349 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:07,079 thirteen to ten. I need to collect points. So not gonna knock 350 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:10,920 him for going forward and fourth and goal from the one. You should pretty 351 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:15,200 much always do that. But fourth and one at the ten, still down 352 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,079 three to nothing a little bit before halftime, chip Kelly needed to kick that 353 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:22,759 field goal, and he needed to collect points. He needed to do things 354 00:28:22,799 --> 00:28:26,039 to, you know, make sure that his team was not trailing. A 355 00:28:26,079 --> 00:28:30,200 three to three tie feels a lot different from three to nothing when your offense 356 00:28:30,279 --> 00:28:34,000 is struggling the way UCLA's was. Chip Kelly did not read that game the 357 00:28:34,079 --> 00:28:37,720 way he should have. He did not go along with the game flow to 358 00:28:37,759 --> 00:28:42,240 the extent that he needed to, and so fire Chip Kelly is now a 359 00:28:42,319 --> 00:28:47,559 drum beat among a large portion of the UCLA fan base. It's certainly a 360 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:52,880 legitimate question, what do I think I think that you know, after five 361 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:59,279 years of DTR, five years of Dorian Thompson Robinson under center, this year 362 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,119 was going to be a transition, all right. So as much as chip 363 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:08,079 Kelly has failed and as much as chip Kelly has wasted UCLA's defense this season, 364 00:29:08,359 --> 00:29:11,519 the fact that he made a good hire at defensive coordinator and he got 365 00:29:11,559 --> 00:29:17,119 his defense to improve, that should that should not be ignored here. But 366 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:21,599 now chip Kelly needs to go into the transfer portal because Dante Moore doesn't look 367 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:25,640 like a quick fix. That looks like a project. You know, should 368 00:29:25,759 --> 00:29:30,920 should Ucla be going all in with Dante Moore in his sophomore season in twenty 369 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,839 twenty four in Big ten? I don't think so Ucla and Chip Kelly, 370 00:29:33,839 --> 00:29:37,720 you need to go into the transfer portal get a big time quarterback, and 371 00:29:37,759 --> 00:29:44,079 if they do, UCLA might have something for next season. So I do 372 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:48,119 think that based on you know, the five years of dtr and this year 373 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,880 being an unavoidable transition. I you know, a lot of people were high 374 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:53,880 on UCLA going to the season. I was thinking, you know what, 375 00:29:55,039 --> 00:29:59,480 after having the same quarterback for five years, it's bound to be tough sledding 376 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:04,039 season if you don't have a proven, established quarterback. And really that's the 377 00:30:04,079 --> 00:30:11,240 mistake chip Kelly made, not getting a rockstar transfer in the portal for this 378 00:30:11,279 --> 00:30:15,000 twenty twenty three season. But given that he didn't, this was always going 379 00:30:15,039 --> 00:30:19,559 to be tough for UCLA. So I think, and you know, hey, 380 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:26,039 I work at Trojan's Wire. I blog there, and people will say, 381 00:30:26,119 --> 00:30:27,640 oh, well, of course you want chip Kelly to come back. 382 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:33,279 You're a usc blogger. Let's really cast that to the side and let's just 383 00:30:33,319 --> 00:30:37,240 be as objective as possible about this. I really do think that Chip Kelly, 384 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:41,680 who has figured out the defensive half of the ball at UCLA, you 385 00:30:41,799 --> 00:30:45,039 give him one more year, but obviously he is he has to be on 386 00:30:45,079 --> 00:30:51,440 the hot seat for twenty twenty four. He has to deliver better results overall 387 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:55,880 and on offense. But if he does, like if you give chip Kelly 388 00:30:56,559 --> 00:31:00,960 the formula and he figures out offense, which you know he used to be 389 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:07,599 able to do and which she actually did pretty well a year ago, like, 390 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:11,799 I don't think UCLA is that far off from being good. But chip 391 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:17,160 Kelly does have to go out and get that elite quarterback for twenty twenty four. 392 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:22,440 But if he gets it, UCLA has the ingredients to do something really 393 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:25,000 good. And when you look at the Big ten, you look at all 394 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:30,279 these unwatchable games with these terrible offenses. If UCLA gets a quarterback, Bruins 395 00:31:30,319 --> 00:31:34,640 are going to be better than the Iowa's and the Purdues and the Illinois and 396 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:41,839 the Indianas and so many of these middling Big Ten teams. Their line play 397 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:47,039 is decent. I don't think you fire Chip Kelly, but I think if 398 00:31:47,079 --> 00:31:51,759 you're Martin jarmon the UCLA A D you do have a conversation with Chip and 399 00:31:51,799 --> 00:31:55,160 say, hey, you need to go get yourself a quarterback, all right, 400 00:31:55,240 --> 00:32:00,920 and you need to deliver better results at twenty twenty four or in the 401 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:04,440 Big Ten. We're gonna give you one chance in the Big ten to prove 402 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:08,319 yourself and then we'll see. I think that's really the best way for UCLA 403 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:16,880 to handle Chip Kelly. I haven't mentioned USC Oregon game yet, and it's 404 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:21,759 because I don't think there was much to talk about. Oregon was the far 405 00:32:21,839 --> 00:32:24,279 better team, didn't really show it on the scoreboard, you know, nine 406 00:32:24,319 --> 00:32:28,559 point game. You might think if you didn't watch it, oh that was 407 00:32:28,599 --> 00:32:34,319 competitive. Well, Oregon was up by twenty two points and then let USC 408 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:37,440 back in the game a little bit. But USC was not within one score 409 00:32:38,519 --> 00:32:43,759 pretty much throughout the whole second half, and yet Oregon left a ton of 410 00:32:43,799 --> 00:32:47,279 points on the field, watched a missed field goal, some fumbles that it 411 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:53,200 managed to recover but which forwarded drives. A holding penalty prevented Oregon from getting 412 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:57,039 a first and goal with the three, which it almost certainly would have converted 413 00:32:57,799 --> 00:33:00,720 into a touchdown. Oregon was ragged. Oregon committed over one hundred and fifteen 414 00:33:00,799 --> 00:33:07,440 yards in penalties. The Ducks, you know, and their fans, like 415 00:33:07,599 --> 00:33:13,039 USC was a was wounded and not playing well heading into this game. I 416 00:33:13,359 --> 00:33:15,680 know a lot of Oregon fans. I mean, I did some USC YouTube 417 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:20,680 shows last week, as I always do. Oregon fans were in the chat 418 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:22,759 room on these shows, and they were just out for blood. And I 419 00:33:22,759 --> 00:33:27,559 didn't blame him like they were thinking, Hey, twenty five thirty thirty five 420 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:31,440 point beat down, We're just gonna absolutely dump it on USC. Oregon didn't 421 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:36,519 do that. And Oregon had the much better team in a much better, 422 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:39,440 more favorable position, and yet didn't really play that great. But there was 423 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:44,960 still, of course, an obvious significant difference between the two teams. Kayleb 424 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:49,880 Williams scrambling for his life all night USC's offensive line just not able to be 425 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:55,440 a fortress. USC's offensive line a very significant reason the Trojans haven't been as 426 00:33:55,480 --> 00:34:02,559 good this year as projected. The train for portal acquisitions for Lincoln Riley have 427 00:34:02,799 --> 00:34:07,800 not hit the mark at all. US He's receivers, you know, Taj 428 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:13,159 Washington has been great. He's been a great USC receiver this season. Not 429 00:34:13,159 --> 00:34:17,639 not anybody else really. That receiver corps has not stepped up. Jorian Singer 430 00:34:19,079 --> 00:34:23,199 continues to be a bust. And you know, Arizona has really good receivers. 431 00:34:23,559 --> 00:34:27,960 Jorian Singer turned out to be not nearly as good as we thought. 432 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:31,159 I thought he was gonna be a lot better, but he just hasn't brought 433 00:34:31,199 --> 00:34:37,400 anything extra. USC really misses Jordan Addison from last season. He was such 434 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:40,000 a difference maker. I think we can all see that and appreciate that a 435 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:45,960 lot more now. So USC just a shadow of its former self. And 436 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:52,159 its defensive line was okay, like Oregon didn't really you know, totally overpower 437 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:55,840 USC. But the secondary, the USC secondary abysmal. I mentioned this earlier 438 00:34:55,840 --> 00:34:59,880 with bo Nicks. He was just making easy throws. He did not have 439 00:34:59,920 --> 00:35:02,639 to make hard throws in this game. US. He's covered very soft, 440 00:35:02,719 --> 00:35:07,440 particularly on third down. So this was one of the most lopsided nine point 441 00:35:07,519 --> 00:35:13,880 games I've seen. And so USC gets to end it season mercifully and move 442 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:19,920 on to its defensive coordinator search. With jimbo Fisher getting fired at Texas A 443 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:24,159 and M, with Zach Arnett being fired as head coach at Mississippi State, 444 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:29,960 and with other developments in the coaching carousel, it's going to be interesting to 445 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:35,320 see, you know what, defensive coordinator candidates for USC are going to look 446 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:38,239 at those different jobs, whether it's head coach at A and M, defensive 447 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:45,880 coordinator at A and M, defensive coordinator, head coach at Boise State, 448 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:52,440 defensive coordinator, head coach at Mississippi State. With those and other openings emerging, 449 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:59,800 how's that going to affect the candidate pool for USC. One particular point 450 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:04,920 that's worth noting, what if Mike Elko, who used to be at an 451 00:36:05,079 --> 00:36:08,960 M as defensive coordinator under jimbo Fisher, What if Mike Elko takes the Texas 452 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:15,159 A and M job. Now Mike Elko has a young defensive coordinator, Tyler 453 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:19,440 Santucci, very highly thought of, been doing a great job. He obviously 454 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:22,239 gets his duke players to be very physical, very tough. Well, you 455 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:29,360 give Tyler Santucci USC talent, USC resources, he could be really good as 456 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:32,119 a defensive coordinator. But with the A and M job opening up, if 457 00:36:32,159 --> 00:36:37,039 Elko goes to A and M, is Tyler Santucci a company, Elco to 458 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:43,599 an M to join his staff, that or is USC able to pick him 459 00:36:43,639 --> 00:36:47,679 off and bring him to Los Angeles. Just one of the dozens and dozens 460 00:36:49,079 --> 00:36:52,599 of potential plot points that USC, like any other school, needs to consider 461 00:36:52,639 --> 00:36:58,519 in terms of the carousel, the job market, being able to anticipate moves, 462 00:36:58,679 --> 00:37:02,639 being able to get in front of situations before other schools make their own 463 00:37:02,679 --> 00:37:07,320 move. And let's make one other note about the coaching carousel while we're at 464 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:12,320 it. You're seeing all these coaches get fired right now. This is the 465 00:37:12,360 --> 00:37:15,239 new world. The schools are not waiting until the end of the regular season. 466 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:20,360 They know they have to act sooner rather than later. Transfer portal window 467 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:23,599 opens December fourth, So these schools need to get the word out like they 468 00:37:23,639 --> 00:37:28,519 need to broadcast the fact, Hey, we're making changes, we're serious about 469 00:37:28,559 --> 00:37:31,039 getting better, and time is of the essence. They can't wait, they 470 00:37:31,079 --> 00:37:38,159 want recruits and portal prospects to know now, not later, now that they're 471 00:37:38,159 --> 00:37:42,800 going to be making changes, they're going to be increasing the quality of their 472 00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:46,719 coaching. Like that's why USC fired out Sprinch earlier rather than later. It's 473 00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:52,400 why a M's moving earlier rather than later. And of course you bundle nil 474 00:37:52,559 --> 00:37:57,079 with all of these things. This is the new normal in the industry. 475 00:37:57,159 --> 00:38:01,199 Firings before the end of the regular season. Why wait, make the move 476 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:08,239 now. Make sure that portal prospects know what is coming around the bend, 477 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:13,480 all right, So we also have to spend a little bit of time on 478 00:38:13,519 --> 00:38:16,320 the Mountain West Man, what happened to Fresno State? And this was a 479 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:21,400 weird betting line, Like this game was roughly a toss up a pick them. 480 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:23,719 I think San Jose State went off as a one maybe two point favorite 481 00:38:23,719 --> 00:38:29,400 over Fresno State, despite Presno State, you know, having just beaten UNLV 482 00:38:29,639 --> 00:38:36,159 and Boise State to rise to second place in the Mountain West behind Air Force 483 00:38:36,719 --> 00:38:42,800 and San Jose State just dog walks the Bulldogs. That was a decisive win 484 00:38:43,519 --> 00:38:47,440 for San Jose State and then one slot above Fresno State. Air Force. 485 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:52,960 What's happened to air Force. The bottom has fallen out after being unbeaten. 486 00:38:53,320 --> 00:39:00,039 Air Force gets thumped decisively, beaten like it wasn't even close by Army and 487 00:39:00,119 --> 00:39:07,559 now Hawaii, Wow, absolutely out of nowhere. And like I know, 488 00:39:07,639 --> 00:39:10,960 air Force has had quarterback injuries, but air Forces line play, air Forces 489 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:16,679 physicality was first Raid through those first eight games. What's happened the last two 490 00:39:16,719 --> 00:39:22,559 times? Like these games again they were not especially close. Air Force just 491 00:39:22,639 --> 00:39:25,400 total implosions each of the last two weeks. And of course Army was not 492 00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:30,039 a conference game, but this game against Hawaii on the island, that was 493 00:39:30,079 --> 00:39:35,639 a conference game. So the Mountain West with some late unexpected plot twist, 494 00:39:35,679 --> 00:39:39,079 It's going to be interesting to see if Fresno State and Air Force can recover 495 00:39:39,599 --> 00:39:45,960 to the point that they can maintain their collision course in the Conference chamionship game. 496 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:51,960 You have UNLV right there beating Wyoming and still in the hunt. You 497 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:55,519 know, if Fresno State loses another game, the Rebels can vault past the 498 00:39:55,519 --> 00:40:01,320 Bulldogs. Surprisingly, but it would happen. Other notes in the Mountain West, 499 00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:06,840 it's really a busy week in terms of the Mountain West scene. In 500 00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:12,760 football, Brady Hope retiring at San Diego State, so that job is coming 501 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:15,760 up, is coming open, and then Boise State again not waiting until the 502 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:21,400 end of the regular season. The Broncos fire fire Andy Avolos, and we 503 00:40:21,519 --> 00:40:24,840 have to ask, does this mean that Brian Harrison gets to go back to 504 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:30,239 Boise State. I think a lot of Boise State fans will be okay with 505 00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:35,519 that, not saying it's universal or unanimous among those fans, but you know, 506 00:40:35,599 --> 00:40:38,599 Boise State could certainly do worse. And Brian Harson, after his miserable 507 00:40:38,679 --> 00:40:44,159 years at Auburn, if he goes back to Boise he you know, that 508 00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:46,920 probably would be appealing to him. It would probably be a situation where he'd 509 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:51,400 like to go back, but would Boise State want to go back? And 510 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:57,639 Boise State needs to consider what other candidates are out there on the open market. 511 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:00,639 So a lot going on in the Mountain West. Well is the PAC 512 00:41:00,760 --> 00:41:06,400 twelve final word? Washington Oregon State prediction. I don't have a lot of 513 00:41:06,400 --> 00:41:08,599 predictions, but it's late in the season, the games are bigger, the 514 00:41:08,679 --> 00:41:15,800 national spotlight is more centrally on Washington. Do the Huskies remain unbeaten? No, 515 00:41:15,119 --> 00:41:20,119 I'm picking Oregon State to win that game. So We will see if 516 00:41:20,119 --> 00:41:23,599 the Huskies are able to refute me. But it's going to be very interesting 517 00:41:23,599 --> 00:41:29,800 to see what happens in Corvallis for that very big game. All right, 518 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:34,239 that's the latest edition of Get Off My Pilot College Football podcast looking at college 519 00:41:34,280 --> 00:41:39,760 football in the Western United States, and it's really exciting because the Pac twelve 520 00:41:39,840 --> 00:41:44,760 has teams in the College football Playoff. Hunt Mountain West Race is exciting and 521 00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:49,519 chaotic until the very end. We are part of the College GRIDIRN Coast to 522 00:41:49,599 --> 00:41:55,119 Coast podcast network. Look for your favorite college football podcast across the country, 523 00:41:55,159 --> 00:42:01,360 covering the Big Twelve, the Big Ten, the service academies. We have 524 00:42:01,559 --> 00:42:07,199 all those angles covered with your favorite College Gradiron Coast to Coast podcast presentation. 525 00:42:07,960 --> 00:42:14,599 You can find College Gridiron Coast to Coast at Apple Podcasts and the other outlets 526 00:42:14,599 --> 00:42:17,559 where you listen to your podcast. There's also the College Gridiron Coast to Coast 527 00:42:19,119 --> 00:42:23,760 Twitter feed as well, so look check on the internet, Apple and elsewhere 528 00:42:24,440 --> 00:42:30,760 for your favorite College GRADEIRN Coast to Coast podcast. This is Matt Zemeck. 529 00:42:30,320 --> 00:42:35,719 Thanks for listening to another edition of the Get Off My Pylon College Football podcast.