1 00:00:02,799 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to the latest edition of Get Off My Pilon 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:08,599 college football podcast. This is your host, Matt Zemik. This 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:10,679 show is part of the College grid Round Coast to 4 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:14,720 Coast podcast network. Follow College Grid Down Coast to Coast 5 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,679 at Apple and the other places where you listen to 6 00:00:17,719 --> 00:00:23,120 your podcasts on Twitter at Gridiron Coast, shows from the 7 00:00:23,199 --> 00:00:28,000 ACC all sports discussion, Jason Powers with the Florida Football 8 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,719 Insiders podcast looking at football in the state of Florida, 9 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:32,960 and the various other shows that are part of the 10 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,880 College Grade Aound Coast to Coast podcast family of shows. 11 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:39,719 Here on Get Off My Pylon, as usual, we focus 12 00:00:39,799 --> 00:00:45,840 on western college football in the United States and plenty 13 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:48,399 to talk about, and obviously, you know coming up this 14 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:53,200 weekend the big one Oregon against Ohio State. We're definitely 15 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,240 going to preview that game. Tee it up. Also Penn 16 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,280 State USC, although of course that game's lost a little luster. 17 00:00:59,439 --> 00:01:02,439 We'll get into the Trojans in a little bit, but 18 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,200 first before we look ahead to October twelve and that 19 00:01:06,359 --> 00:01:09,359 huge Saturday with all the big showdowns, and some of 20 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:14,120 them in the West, let's review what happened in week six. 21 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:20,920 Let's start with Washington Washington beating Michigan, and like that 22 00:01:21,079 --> 00:01:23,519 was a game that Jedfish really had to have. It 23 00:01:23,599 --> 00:01:27,879 was at home. The Huskies had lost multiple times, you know, 24 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:31,959 lost the Apple Cup to Washington State, lost at Rutgers 25 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,200 despite gaining over five hundred yards and holding Rutgers to 26 00:01:36,239 --> 00:01:38,280 two hundred and ninety nine yards. I mean, it's again, 27 00:01:38,359 --> 00:01:40,760 it's really hard to do what Washington did at Rutgers 28 00:01:41,239 --> 00:01:44,079 to outgain an opponent so decisively and yet score so 29 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,599 few points and find a way to not win that game. 30 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,680 Washington gained over five hundred yards and again was like 31 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,079 was two of twelve third downs Like that just really 32 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,640 hard to do what Washington did. So anyway, the Huskies 33 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,439 had to bounce back, and they did in Seattle at 34 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:06,239 Husky Stadium against Michigan. So Washington stabilizes its season. That 35 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,800 was really important for Fish, Like the season really could 36 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,719 have spiraled on the Huskies, who, by the way, have 37 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,520 to go to Iowa and Kinnick Stadium for Fox Big 38 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,520 Noon Saturday this upcoming weekend. If they had, if they 39 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,240 had lost to Michigan, you're you're seriously looking at the 40 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,960 possibility of not making a bowl game. So Washington probably 41 00:02:25,759 --> 00:02:28,080 saved it season in terms of at least being able 42 00:02:28,159 --> 00:02:30,159 to get to a ball But like, the Huskies are 43 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,360 not going to be chasing any you know, premium prize, 44 00:02:33,599 --> 00:02:37,599 but they at least avoided disaster by beating Michigan. And 45 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,879 I know we're talking about the West, but just just 46 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,240 because that's a Big Ten game and we're looking at 47 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,560 the Big Ten as part of you know, having the 48 00:02:45,599 --> 00:02:48,439 four West Coast schools in the Big Ten. Just briefly 49 00:02:48,439 --> 00:02:50,919 looking at the Big Ten in general. You know, Michigan's 50 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,479 a pretty ordinary team that that seems to be obvious 51 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,879 that the Wolverines don't have much of an offense, can't 52 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:01,080 figure out their quarterback situation, they were caught short. It's 53 00:03:01,159 --> 00:03:05,800 worth saying that Michigan's an ordinary team only because Seguay 54 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:10,319 alert that team was good enough to beat USC. And 55 00:03:10,479 --> 00:03:14,439 USC has losses over this very ordinary Michigan team and 56 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,240 to Minnesota. So like that's the next stop on get 57 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:20,840 off my pile, on our look at Western college football, 58 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:25,240 USC losing to Minnesota, And if you saw the USC 59 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:29,960 Michigan game, USC Minnesota was very very similar. USC does 60 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,000 not play well in the first half, makes great halftime adjustments, 61 00:03:34,039 --> 00:03:37,599 the team plays great in the third quarter, offensive line 62 00:03:37,639 --> 00:03:39,960 plays really well in the third quarter, but then in 63 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,000 the fourth quarter when the game was on the line, 64 00:03:43,199 --> 00:03:48,080 the USC offensive line regresses, defense gives up some big runs. 65 00:03:48,719 --> 00:03:53,120 Trojans lose a one score game on the road in 66 00:03:53,199 --> 00:03:56,599 the Big ten. And so like that, the parallels between 67 00:03:56,759 --> 00:04:01,840 USC losing to Minnesota and USC losing to Michigan, the 68 00:04:01,919 --> 00:04:06,319 parallels were abundant, like you could just draw so many similarities. Now, 69 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,919 one thing that was different for USC in this Minnesota game. 70 00:04:12,159 --> 00:04:17,079 No Eric Gentry at linebacker. That really hurt. Gentry was 71 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:21,519 US He's best defensive player. You would think that the 72 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:25,360 USC's defensive performance was going to suffer without Gentry. That 73 00:04:25,639 --> 00:04:29,399 wasn't entirely true. Minnesota had just ten points with ten 74 00:04:29,439 --> 00:04:33,000 minutes left in this game. The defense without Gentry actually 75 00:04:33,079 --> 00:04:38,120 did really well. But then came another big injury Anthony 76 00:04:38,199 --> 00:04:41,560 Lucas on the defensive line. He had to leave the game. 77 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,759 And let's also remember that bar Alexander is in the 78 00:04:44,759 --> 00:04:47,560 transfer portal, or at least has intended to enter the 79 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:50,759 transfer portal, So he's no longer playing for USC. He's 80 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:55,279 red shirting. He wants out of the program. So without 81 00:04:55,399 --> 00:05:00,040 Gentry and without bar Alexander, this defense was able to 82 00:05:00,079 --> 00:05:02,879 hold the fort. But you know that at some point, 83 00:05:02,959 --> 00:05:06,879 when you keep losing bodies and attrition continues to get worse, 84 00:05:06,959 --> 00:05:09,920 at some point there's going to be a straw that 85 00:05:09,959 --> 00:05:14,680 breaks the Campbell's back effect. And losing Anthony Lucas in 86 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:22,399 that fourth quarter, already missing Eric Gentry, already missing Bear Alexander, well, 87 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:25,199 Anthony Lucas was the straw that broke the Campbell's back 88 00:05:25,199 --> 00:05:29,399 because after he left with an injury, USC's run defense 89 00:05:29,519 --> 00:05:33,439 just finally couldn't hold up against Minnesota. Now it wasn't 90 00:05:33,439 --> 00:05:37,399 the defense that lost the game, but attrition, lack of 91 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:41,160 depth on defense. It finally did catch up to USC, 92 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:45,319 as anyone who covered the program feared might happen in 93 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,480 the offseason. Like you just you could deal with one 94 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:54,360 or two injuries, but three three big players unavailable. That 95 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:59,160 was the tipping point. And so USC's offensive line by 96 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:03,360 allowing pressure on Milar Moss that was specifically Mason Murphy 97 00:06:03,759 --> 00:06:07,199 us the offensive lineman getting torched or an outside pass rush, 98 00:06:07,519 --> 00:06:09,839 which was a consistent problem for him in this game 99 00:06:09,879 --> 00:06:13,879 against Minnesota. Minnesota was lining up its pass rusher wide 100 00:06:14,399 --> 00:06:17,720 and was making his speed move from the outside. Mason 101 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,600 Murphy couldn't handle that outside speed rush and on the 102 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,639 third and four play early in the third quarter, early 103 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,759 in the fourth quarter that led to Miller Moss's interception. 104 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,560 It was a speed rush. Milr Moss had no chance. 105 00:06:31,639 --> 00:06:34,519 This was not milar Moss's fault. Guy gets right on 106 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:36,879 top of him, hits his arm as milar Moss is 107 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:40,120 releasing the ball. The ball doesn't get to its target 108 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:45,240 and it gets picked off. That was the game changing play. 109 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:50,000 Minnesota dominates after that play. You know, if USC avoids 110 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,360 that interception, it would at least have been able to 111 00:06:53,439 --> 00:06:56,519 kick a fifty three yard field goal or go for 112 00:06:56,639 --> 00:06:58,800 it on fourth and four to get a first down. 113 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,120 If USC either makes a field goal or gets a 114 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,560 few more first downs on that drive, Trojans are winning 115 00:07:06,639 --> 00:07:11,199 the game. That becomes a USC win. But the USC 116 00:07:11,279 --> 00:07:14,560 offensive line, You'll remember, USC had the ball with five 117 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,800 minutes left and a four point lead against Michigan. Offensive 118 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:22,040 line gets dominated by Michigan on that series of downs, 119 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,920 and people you know noted Lincoln Riley for the play selection, 120 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:27,680 which is fair to a degree, But the main thing 121 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:32,439 is USC's offensive line is coming up very small in 122 00:07:32,839 --> 00:07:38,040 important game deciding moments, and USC's offensive line is also 123 00:07:38,079 --> 00:07:41,279 not playing well in first quarters and first halves. The 124 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,000 USC played a great third quarter. Offense played as well 125 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:48,360 as it had all season long. Twelve played ninety one 126 00:07:48,439 --> 00:07:52,639 yard touchdown drive in the third quarter. It was USC's 127 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:56,480 best drive of the season. But USC's offensive line is 128 00:07:56,519 --> 00:07:59,079 playing like twenty to twenty five good minutes per game. 129 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:03,160 Why can't do it for at least forty five minutes, 130 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,000 if not all sixty? You have to ask that question 131 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:10,560 of offensive line coach Josh Henson. So the offensive line 132 00:08:10,639 --> 00:08:12,920 is not helping out more Moss, it's not helping out 133 00:08:12,959 --> 00:08:16,279 the team. It's not helping out what really is a 134 00:08:16,319 --> 00:08:21,480 defense that is playing well overall, but could not afford 135 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:25,480 to miss too many key pieces, and it missed too 136 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:28,639 many key pieces in that fourth quarter with Anthony Locas, 137 00:08:28,759 --> 00:08:32,440 Eric Gentry, and bar Alexander all out, USC was just 138 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,559 not able to handle that. So USC has a very 139 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:38,919 ordinary team as it prepares to play Penn State this 140 00:08:39,039 --> 00:08:44,200 upcoming weekend. Continuing with our review of Week six western 141 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:49,320 college football in the United States, we have to look 142 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:54,759 at cal Cal had that incredible game day environment in Berkeley. 143 00:08:55,399 --> 00:08:59,240 College Game Day finally visits the Berkeley campus that had 144 00:08:59,279 --> 00:09:02,480 never done so before. The slate you know, in week 145 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,879 six was not spectacular. So why not go to Berkeley 146 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,799 and why not highlight the new world of the ACC 147 00:09:09,039 --> 00:09:13,159 where you have Miami going to the West coast for 148 00:09:13,279 --> 00:09:15,840 a late night game, a ten to thirty pm Eastern 149 00:09:15,879 --> 00:09:19,919 time start, and that's a conference game, that's an ACC game. 150 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,159 I think ESPN was throwing the ACC a bone. Obviously 151 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:28,440 all the lawsuits that are flying in the ACC and 152 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:33,039 member schools are dissatisfied with the ESPN contract. It's a 153 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:37,799 very ESPN friendly contract. So College Game Day, for various reasons, 154 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:42,919 goes to Berkeley. It's an absolute sensation. The calgorithm Cal 155 00:09:43,039 --> 00:09:47,519 fans with their signs were just an absolute smash hit. 156 00:09:47,639 --> 00:09:50,440 And then Cal played like a house on fire for 157 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,480 the first fifty minutes of the game thirty five to 158 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:57,960 ten lead, still led thirty eight to eighteen early in 159 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,799 the fourth quarter. And then and after playing like a 160 00:10:01,879 --> 00:10:07,919 house on fire, Cal burned the house down. It was Arson. 161 00:10:08,519 --> 00:10:12,720 It was Cal just destroying what it had established with 162 00:10:12,799 --> 00:10:16,600 an absolute meltdown. And credit to cam Ward in Miami 163 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,679 for scrambling late, as they so often have done this season. 164 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:26,200 Can Ward has that neck, He's able to thread the 165 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,320 needle in the game's most important moments. But if you're Cal, hey, 166 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:32,799 you've scored thirty eight points in a little over three 167 00:10:32,879 --> 00:10:35,360 quarters against Miami and then you can't even get a 168 00:10:35,399 --> 00:10:38,600 first down late in the game to seal the deal. 169 00:10:38,919 --> 00:10:42,240 You had multiple chances thirty eight, eighteen thirty eight to 170 00:10:42,279 --> 00:10:45,399 twenty five, thirty eight, thirty two, like you had all 171 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:48,480 those possessions with a lead in the fourth quarter. If 172 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:52,159 you just get two first downs on one of those drives, 173 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:56,840 it's ballgame, and Cal could not do that. Cal also 174 00:10:56,919 --> 00:11:01,120 allows a very very long completion to Miami. Me the 175 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,039 Hurricanes started near their own ten late in the game, 176 00:11:04,279 --> 00:11:06,440 they're able to get like a sixty yard play to 177 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:10,759 immediately flip the field and make one of their touchdown 178 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:15,840 drives more manageable. One other point that definitely has to 179 00:11:15,879 --> 00:11:18,480 be dealt with in the Miami cow game, that late 180 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,840 non targeting call. And when you look at that play 181 00:11:23,399 --> 00:11:26,559 and I understand the view that that should have been targeting. 182 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:32,639 Was there some helmet contact, Yes, there was, Like the 183 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,879 helmet was part of the hit. But I have a 184 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:41,799 problem with targeting in that a lot of times when 185 00:11:41,799 --> 00:11:45,399 the helmet is part of the hit, but it's clearly 186 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,759 not a case of spearing. Like you know, sometimes players 187 00:11:48,799 --> 00:11:51,399 will lead with their helmet, like they just make the 188 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:55,519 helmet a weapon, like the helmet becomes a heat seeking missile. 189 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:59,879 That's targeting to me, all right, and we can debate 190 00:12:00,519 --> 00:12:03,559 what the rule book says about targeting, but to me, 191 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:10,879 spearing just absolutely just leaning your helmet into the offensive player. 192 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:15,200 That's really what targeting should be. Relative to helmet contact. 193 00:12:15,879 --> 00:12:19,200 This was not that this was the helmet being part 194 00:12:20,519 --> 00:12:22,799 of an attempt to tackle of an attempt to hit, 195 00:12:23,639 --> 00:12:27,000 and that attempt to tackle involve the helmet, but it 196 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,600 also involved the shoulder and it also had a follow 197 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:33,720 through with the arms. Now I understand the point that 198 00:12:33,759 --> 00:12:36,919 the helmet was part of the hit, but I have 199 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,480 a problem with the idea that, oh, the helmet was 200 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,759 part of the hit. The helmet has to be the 201 00:12:43,799 --> 00:12:50,600 only or obviously primary part of the hit to merit targeting, 202 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:53,559 to merit a fifteen yard penalty. If the helmet is 203 00:12:53,639 --> 00:12:57,320 merely part of the hit along with the shoulder and 204 00:12:57,399 --> 00:13:01,080 along with the arms. I don't think that should be Again, 205 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:05,639 I understand the disagreements with this, but the specific point 206 00:13:05,639 --> 00:13:08,759 that I'm getting to here is I think a lot 207 00:13:08,799 --> 00:13:12,399 of football fans, and I'm not gonna this is not 208 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:16,600 a criticism, This is just an observation. A lot of 209 00:13:16,639 --> 00:13:19,279 football fans get into a mode where, oh, the helmet's 210 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:22,879 part of the hit, targeting the helm. It's not as 211 00:13:22,919 --> 00:13:28,679 though a defensive player can somehow completely remove the helmet 212 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:32,080 from the act of making a tackle or a hit. 213 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:34,799 Like it's not as though when you're trying to make 214 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,360 a tackle or a hit you have to, you know, 215 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,600 bend your helmet to the opposite side so that your 216 00:13:41,639 --> 00:13:44,600 helmet is out of the way. Like that's not a 217 00:13:44,759 --> 00:13:50,399 natural act. That's not a natural part of making a hit. 218 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:54,000 Like what forget whether I have a helmet or not. 219 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,440 For a moment. If I'm coming at you and I'm 220 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,600 trying to hit you, like my body is coming towards you, 221 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,039 and my head is part of my body, So you 222 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:06,080 put a helmet on my head, Like, my helmet's gonna 223 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,960 be coming toward you, all right when I try to 224 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:12,279 make a tackle or a hit. And so the idea 225 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:16,320 that oh, if my helmet hits the opposing player, the 226 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:21,679 opposing ball carrier to any extent, that's targeting or a penalty. No, see, 227 00:14:21,759 --> 00:14:24,679 I don't agree with that. I don't think that's appropriate. 228 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:27,679 And when I see that Miami hit, I did not 229 00:14:27,799 --> 00:14:32,279 see someone who was leading with the helmet. I saw 230 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,360 someone who was in the process of making a hit. Well, 231 00:14:35,639 --> 00:14:39,919 the shoulders coming closer to the to Mendoza, the cow quarterback, 232 00:14:40,399 --> 00:14:43,519 the arm, the left forearm is coming closer to the quarterback, 233 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:47,039 and the helmet and the head, so like all body 234 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,639 parts are gonna come closer to the cow quarterback. But 235 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,679 that doesn't mean he was using the helmet as a weapon. 236 00:14:54,879 --> 00:14:59,000 The helmet did hit part of Mendoza. I don't deny that, 237 00:14:59,559 --> 00:15:02,200 but you you also have shoulder contact and you also 238 00:15:02,279 --> 00:15:08,960 have forearm contact to me, targeting relative to the helmet, 239 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:11,639 you know, not not not talking about hitting someone late. 240 00:15:12,279 --> 00:15:15,039 This was This was a question of whether the helmet, 241 00:15:15,279 --> 00:15:17,879 uh you know what was was used as a weapon. 242 00:15:18,879 --> 00:15:20,799 And by the way, this was not launching either. The 243 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,559 Miami player stayed on the ground. You didn't leave the ground. 244 00:15:26,159 --> 00:15:29,879 To me, the helmet needs to be the clear primary 245 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,679 weapon such that you know, the shoulder and forearms are 246 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,279 not part of the act of hitting. It's basically the guy, 247 00:15:38,519 --> 00:15:41,960 you know, just lowering his helmet and using that helmet 248 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:47,960 to deliver the blow. To me, that wasn't uh the case, 249 00:15:48,559 --> 00:15:51,559 And and that's a really important nuance as we try 250 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:55,000 to wrestle with the targeting. I think the helmet needs 251 00:15:55,039 --> 00:15:59,120 to be the primary weapon as opposed to being part 252 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,679 of the hit. You know, I think the helmet was 253 00:16:01,759 --> 00:16:04,720 part of the hit, but it wasn't the overwhelmingly clear 254 00:16:04,879 --> 00:16:08,559 central weapon used in the hit. And so for that reason, 255 00:16:08,559 --> 00:16:12,559 I think the call of non targeting was okay. And 256 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:14,360 I think a lot of people looking at that play 257 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:18,519 live before we got the slow motion replay thought, whoa, 258 00:16:18,519 --> 00:16:22,279 that's a great shoulder hit in the open field. That's football. 259 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:25,799 I'm not going to say that that that targeting was 260 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:32,480 the case of the ACC protecting Miami. However, However, the 261 00:16:32,519 --> 00:16:39,120 touchdown clearly involved an eligible man downfield. There were multiple 262 00:16:39,159 --> 00:16:42,960 offensive linemen who were more than three yards down the 263 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,240 field on that little flip pass to the left side 264 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:48,279 that came ward through. You can't miss that. And so 265 00:16:48,559 --> 00:16:51,879 that is where anyone saying that the ACC is trying 266 00:16:51,879 --> 00:16:55,799 to protect Miami is not getting Cal a fair shake. 267 00:16:56,240 --> 00:16:59,360 That's the play you want to circle, because how you 268 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:01,720 know you have all those officials on the field, you're 269 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:03,799 telling me that not one of them saw that multiple 270 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:07,559 Miami offensive linemen were more than three yards down the field. 271 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,559 That's the play you circle. That's the play you send 272 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,039 to the ACC office and say, hey, what are we 273 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,039 doing here? Like this is just not professional, This is 274 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:19,480 just not remotely consistent. You're bending over backwards to make 275 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:22,319 sure that Miami gets to the playoff. That is the 276 00:17:22,319 --> 00:17:25,160 play that we should be talking about a lot more targeting, 277 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:27,519 a lot less, because targeting is just a play that, 278 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:31,920 in my mind, college football does not know how to 279 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:37,200 adjudicate targeting penalties. To me, targeting should be a vicious, 280 00:17:37,279 --> 00:17:41,559 cheap shot, like the defender exhibits no care, no discipline 281 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:44,960 at all, and is just trying to hurt or injure 282 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:48,400 or is just so reckless that there's no other choice 283 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:51,880 to be made. That Miami hit didn't fit those categories 284 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:55,759 in my estimation. And for Cal, you know, you can 285 00:17:55,799 --> 00:17:59,880 complain about those miscalls or those wrong calls, I understand it, 286 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,759 but you know what, Cal never should have been in 287 00:18:02,759 --> 00:18:06,200 that position right. Cal never should have allowed twenty five 288 00:18:06,279 --> 00:18:09,839 point lead to be whittled down to one score late 289 00:18:09,839 --> 00:18:12,480 in the game. We've seen Justin Wilcox blow some games 290 00:18:12,519 --> 00:18:15,200 he had no business losing. This one might be the 291 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:17,240 most painful of all, just because it was a high 292 00:18:17,319 --> 00:18:21,680 profile team, a high profile game, College game Day. What 293 00:18:21,799 --> 00:18:26,200 could have been an amazing transformative moment for Cal football 294 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:33,039 turns into the ultimate gut punch in Berkeley. Continuing our 295 00:18:33,079 --> 00:18:36,599 look at western college football, Arizona State beats Kansas, and 296 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:39,759 you know, Arizona State well on its way to a 297 00:18:39,799 --> 00:18:42,839 bowl game. So Kenny Dillingham obviously like he gets it. 298 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:47,200 He's doing a great job under the circumstances in temp. 299 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:51,079 He has that program clearly on an upward trajectory. We 300 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:54,480 don't focus on Kansas as a Midwestern school under get 301 00:18:54,519 --> 00:18:57,119 off my pilon, but Kansas was playing Arizona State. So 302 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:02,319 the notable item of about Kansas. You look at Kansas's 303 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:05,680 games this season, look at all the times that Kansas 304 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:09,200 has given up a time or go ahead score in 305 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,960 the final two minutes of a half, first half, second half. 306 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:17,559 The Jayawks have been unbelievably bad, with last two minute 307 00:19:17,599 --> 00:19:22,440 defense in each of their halves, and Arizona State was 308 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:25,359 able to exploit that one more time. And one other 309 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:27,920 note about that ASU Kansas game, as we mentioned a 310 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:30,920 week ago here and get off my pylon. One hundred 311 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,599 and seven degrees at kickoff just after five pm and 312 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:38,559 ten p hottest start time for any October Arizona State 313 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:42,599 game in school history. It's the third hottest start time 314 00:19:42,599 --> 00:19:45,799 for any ASU game period. Obviously, the hottest start times 315 00:19:45,799 --> 00:19:48,759 belonged to games that were either in late August or 316 00:19:48,799 --> 00:19:51,960 any time in September. But it's the hottest start time 317 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:57,039 for any October Arizona State football game ever played. Ever, 318 00:19:57,559 --> 00:20:00,759 that tells you how intense the heat has in Phoenix. 319 00:20:00,799 --> 00:20:03,960 It was one thirteen on October first, and it was 320 00:20:04,039 --> 00:20:07,880 one to eleven on Sunday, October sixth, the day after 321 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,720 Arizona States went over Kansas. But ASU has a hot 322 00:20:11,759 --> 00:20:18,079 team pun not intended definitely moving toward bowl eligibility. Making 323 00:20:18,079 --> 00:20:21,160 a bowl game would be an absolute success. For twenty 324 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:27,519 twenty four at Arizona State, Arizona beat Utah on the road, 325 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,160 so you're thinking, Hey, the Wildcats are figuring this thing 326 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:34,599 out under first year coach Brent Brennan. Nope, Like they 327 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:38,160 beat Utah, he took advantage of Cam Rising being injured. 328 00:20:38,559 --> 00:20:40,759 But then they take the step back. They lose to 329 00:20:40,799 --> 00:20:44,799 Texas Tech on a night when their offense once again struggles. 330 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:48,079 And you know, just looking at the Big Twelve, obviously, 331 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:52,680 you know you have the Arizona Schools and Utah and 332 00:20:52,759 --> 00:20:54,799 Colorado is part of the Big Twelve. But looking at 333 00:20:54,799 --> 00:20:57,759 the Big Twelve more broadly, if you look at the 334 00:20:57,759 --> 00:21:01,359 Big Twelve, like every week it's as though each team 335 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,880 has a jackal and hide and and and these teams 336 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:08,920 just basically rotate personalities each week. One week you see 337 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:10,960 the good iteration of a Big Twelve team, the next 338 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:13,759 week you see a bad version of that same team. 339 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,079 And just the Big Twelve just has teams that are 340 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:18,319 just flip flopping week to week. It's been, it's been, 341 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:22,440 it's it gives you whiplash. It's been fascinating to watch 342 00:21:22,799 --> 00:21:26,960 that just no one can seemingly play consistently well for 343 00:21:27,079 --> 00:21:29,440 more than a couple of good weeks. Iowa State might 344 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:34,799 be the one real exception in the Big Twelve. So 345 00:21:35,039 --> 00:21:38,200 the Arizona Arizona Wildcats just not able to put it 346 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,720 together consistently. They've had their moments, but there they have 347 00:21:41,839 --> 00:21:45,400 not been a steady team so far this season, and 348 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,519 that has to be very disappointing for the folks down 349 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:55,680 in Tucson. UH. Other stories from Western college football this 350 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:59,519 past weekend. Ashton Genty of Boise State, like he just 351 00:21:59,559 --> 00:22:03,720 contains to put up video game numbers. He if there 352 00:22:03,839 --> 00:22:08,359 is one player who seems like a lock right now 353 00:22:08,519 --> 00:22:11,400 in mid October to be a Heisman Trophy finalist, it's 354 00:22:11,559 --> 00:22:14,920 it's Ashton Genty because his numbers are just too ridiculous 355 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:17,640 to ignore. He's just in corking all of these big 356 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,440 runs he's at. He's you know, the number of double 357 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:24,200 digit runs that he's producing is just off the charts. 358 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,720 Like he is. He's already over one thousand yards for 359 00:22:27,839 --> 00:22:30,559 one thing, you know, in the middle of the season. 360 00:22:31,839 --> 00:22:35,559 So like he's just a rocket ship who's just you know, 361 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:39,200 going into the stratosphere. He's the Felix Bound Gardner, remember 362 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,119 the guy who made that huge jump from from the 363 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:45,319 lower levels of outer space. This is the Felix Bomb 364 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:49,599 Gardner of college football running backs. Ashton Genty has just 365 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:54,680 been off the charts and Boise State, remember Boise State 366 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:59,960 had a quarterback battle in camp, and Maddox Madsen got 367 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:03,039 the not over former five star recruit the transfer from 368 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:06,519 USC Malachai Nelson. I'd say it's a pretty good move 369 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:10,720 by first year head coach Spencer Danielson. Boise State is 370 00:23:10,799 --> 00:23:13,960 just trucking people left and right. Boise State is just 371 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,799 putting up video game offensive numbers nearly every week. That 372 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:21,319 close game against Oregon makes Oregon actually look better like 373 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,720 Oregon beat a really, really, really good team. I know 374 00:23:24,799 --> 00:23:28,759 it was close, but you know, if Boise State had 375 00:23:28,759 --> 00:23:32,000 had a relatively ordinary season to this point, you'd be 376 00:23:32,079 --> 00:23:35,240 more concerned about Oregon head into the Ohio State game. 377 00:23:35,279 --> 00:23:38,839 But the way Boise State is playing, Boise State certainly 378 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,599 looks like the group of five favorite to get into 379 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:45,000 the college football playoff, and Ashton gent is very much 380 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,680 at the center of that effort. The other prominent Western 381 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:51,480 team in the Group of five mix, UNLV, lost a 382 00:23:51,519 --> 00:23:56,359 heartbreaker to Syracuse. Syracuse is Kyle McCord had a really 383 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:59,240 good night. UNLV's defense was not up to the job. 384 00:23:59,559 --> 00:24:02,440 This was not a failure of you know, v's offense. 385 00:24:02,519 --> 00:24:07,000 It was the defense that couldn't make a stand against 386 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:10,359 Syracuse when it really counted, couldn't protect some late leads, 387 00:24:11,079 --> 00:24:13,440 So you know V. You know, you know V will 388 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:15,359 get a shot at Boise State, so you know, V 389 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:19,519 obviously not eliminated from the playoff, but that's still you 390 00:24:19,559 --> 00:24:21,559 don't want to absorb a loss early in the season 391 00:24:21,559 --> 00:24:25,240 because that really reduces your overall margin for air. It 392 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:30,440 will be interesting to see how UNLV bounces back from 393 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:36,400 that loss to Syracuse. So that those are the main 394 00:24:36,559 --> 00:24:41,839 stories for week six. Now let's preview the big ones 395 00:24:42,559 --> 00:24:47,039 for week seven, and the undercard is Penn State USC 396 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:50,440 and of course USC losing to Minnesota. That takes some 397 00:24:50,519 --> 00:24:53,160 of the sizzle out of this game against Penn State. 398 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:55,440 It's really a bigger deal for Penn State. If Penn 399 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,640 State wins this game, it'll be really hard to see 400 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,720 the Ninney Lions not making the playoffs. You know, that's 401 00:25:01,759 --> 00:25:03,799 really the bigger story of this game now that USC 402 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:07,119 has two losses. It's not so much USC staying in 403 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,559 the playoff, even though that's narrowly true. Like if USC 404 00:25:10,799 --> 00:25:14,599 hypothetically ran the table, Trojans would be in the playoff, 405 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,240 but how many people think that's gonna happen? Right, It's 406 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:23,000 just not the a front page story for USC getting 407 00:25:23,039 --> 00:25:26,559 into the playoff. This is more about USC survival and 408 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:29,640 USC avoiding a big downward slide to an eight and 409 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:32,000 four or seven and five record. That's really more what 410 00:25:32,039 --> 00:25:35,400 this game's about for Lincoln Rithery and the Trojans. The 411 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:40,599 big national story is more about can Penn State basically 412 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:43,119 punch its ticket to the playoff? Can Penn State get 413 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:46,480 half a foot in the door or one foot in 414 00:25:46,519 --> 00:25:49,720 the door, I should say, to make the playoff. That's 415 00:25:49,759 --> 00:25:52,160 really the big national story. But as we break this 416 00:25:52,279 --> 00:25:57,119 game down, USC not having Eric Gentry, I mean, you know, 417 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,279 he was carted off the field against Wisconsin the week 418 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:03,319 before the Minnesota game. I have a hard time thinking 419 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:06,079 he's going to be physically ready to play. And if 420 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,799 he's not ready to play, and if Anthony Lucas is 421 00:26:08,839 --> 00:26:12,880 not available, well we talked about earlier with attrition and 422 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:17,000 a lack of defensive depth, you think that's gonna matter 423 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:22,960 against Penn State. You know, USC needs all hands on 424 00:26:23,039 --> 00:26:26,400 deck for this game US. He needs a fully fortified 425 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:32,720 team and a fully fortified defense. Drew Aller, while not great, 426 00:26:33,039 --> 00:26:35,279 he's he's been good and he was. He was great 427 00:26:35,279 --> 00:26:38,480 against West Virginia, hasn't been great in his other games 428 00:26:39,079 --> 00:26:43,000 this season. Is Penn State's quarterback, but he's better than 429 00:26:43,039 --> 00:26:45,960 what He's a better quarterback than what USC has faced 430 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,079 for most of the season. Now, Garrett Nusmeyer is really good. 431 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:51,599 I would say that Nussmeyer probably rates is a little 432 00:26:51,599 --> 00:26:56,119 bit higher than Drew Aller overall, but ours certainly better 433 00:26:56,160 --> 00:27:03,599 than the Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota quarterbacks that USC has faced. 434 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:06,920 Like Max Brozmer was really good for Minnesota at the 435 00:27:07,039 --> 00:27:10,000 end of that game, but again, that's only after USC's 436 00:27:10,039 --> 00:27:13,759 defense got depleted enough by injuries. Rosmer wasn't that great 437 00:27:13,799 --> 00:27:17,440 in the first three quarters when Minnesota manage just ten 438 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:21,720 points against USC. Drew Aller is a definite quarterback upgrade 439 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:25,200 from what USC has been facing the past few weeks. 440 00:27:25,759 --> 00:27:31,160 So unless USC's offensive line can play a complete game, 441 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,960 and there's no there's nothing that would suggest that's gonna 442 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:37,720 happen against a Tom Allen coach Penn State defense. Tom 443 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:41,200 Allen being the new defensive coordinator for the Nitney Lions. 444 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:44,279 He replaced Manny Diaz, who became the head coach at 445 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:48,440 Duke this offseason. Going up against a Tom Allen coach 446 00:27:48,519 --> 00:27:52,440 Penn State defense. I'm having a hard time seeing a 447 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:57,359 scenario on which USC's offensive line plays well enough, consistently 448 00:27:57,519 --> 00:28:00,319 enough to win this game. But if USC does want 449 00:28:00,319 --> 00:28:04,720 to win, that offensive line, coached by Josh Henson, definitely 450 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:06,839 needs to pick up the slack. It definitely needs to 451 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:11,400 elevate its game. More broadly, USC just continues to be 452 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:14,960 a bad first half team. USC is one of the 453 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:18,039 best third quarter teams in the country. You look at 454 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:22,559 USC's third quarter performance across all of its games so 455 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:25,720 far this season, the third quarter has by far been 456 00:28:25,839 --> 00:28:30,279 USC's best quarter in every game the Trojans play. But 457 00:28:30,319 --> 00:28:33,559 that performance in the third quarter is not being replicated 458 00:28:34,039 --> 00:28:40,400 in first halves and fourth quarters, especially and especially first halves. 459 00:28:40,519 --> 00:28:43,440 Usse has finished a few games in the fourth quarter 460 00:28:43,559 --> 00:28:46,519 the Wisconsin game, the LSU game, but it didn't finish 461 00:28:46,519 --> 00:28:50,839 the fourth quarter well against Minnesota or Michigan. But first 462 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,519 halves have just been a big struggle for USC all 463 00:28:54,559 --> 00:28:58,200 season long. If the Trojans can't play a quality first 464 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:01,799 half against Penn State and they are behind seven or 465 00:29:01,799 --> 00:29:06,000 more points to the Nittany Lions at halftime, it's hard 466 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:08,599 to see how it's gonna end well for US seed. 467 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:11,480 So there's a lot of trouble in Trojan Land. And 468 00:29:11,759 --> 00:29:16,559 you know, the the recruiting deficit that the program faced 469 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:20,960 this past offseason this past cycle is a direct result 470 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:25,240 of USC keeping Alex Grinch. Lincoln Riley keeping Alex Grinch 471 00:29:25,279 --> 00:29:28,160 for twenty twenty three, which led to the crash and 472 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:32,559 burned that put USC, you know, well behind Oregon and 473 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:36,519 other prominent schools for top recruits. Us he is now 474 00:29:36,559 --> 00:29:39,799 digging out from that deficit in twenty twenty three. The 475 00:29:39,839 --> 00:29:43,240 Trojan's twenty twenty five recruiting class looks better, you know. 476 00:29:43,319 --> 00:29:47,119 Putting in this new really good defensive staff has improved 477 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:51,319 the program and its future outlook. But it's still playing 478 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:54,440 catch up with Oregon. And that's because of the mistakes 479 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:57,519 made not this year, but a year ago. Those mistakes 480 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:02,599 are still affecting and limiting what USC can be. The 481 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:06,519 Trojans are still playing catch up. All right. We talked 482 00:30:06,559 --> 00:30:09,640 about USC being behind Oregon recruiting. Now we go to 483 00:30:10,359 --> 00:30:15,200 the really big one in Week seven, Oregon Ohio State 484 00:30:15,359 --> 00:30:21,440 in Eugene, the primetime showdown number two, number three. These 485 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:24,640 teams likely to meet for the Big Ten Championship in 486 00:30:24,759 --> 00:30:28,559 December in Indianapolis. Penn State might have something to say 487 00:30:28,559 --> 00:30:30,799 about that. And that's also why you know the Penn 488 00:30:30,839 --> 00:30:34,319 State USC game is so large. Penn State wins, you 489 00:30:34,359 --> 00:30:37,599 could see Penn State getting in the way of an 490 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:42,039 Ohio State Oregon rematch in Indianapolis. If Penn State loses, 491 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:46,160 then all the more reason for this Ohio State Oregon 492 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:48,319 game to be seen as merely the first of two, 493 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:53,359 with the rematch coming in Lucas Oil Stadium in almost 494 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:58,319 two months from now. So Ohio State and Oregon. You know, 495 00:30:58,559 --> 00:31:02,920 if you sized up this game in the offseason, you 496 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:07,000 probably would have thought, Okay, it's really how does Ohio 497 00:31:07,039 --> 00:31:11,400 State slow down Oregon's offense? Because Dylan Gabriel he's won 498 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:15,000 at UCF, he's won at Oklahoma, he's a winner, he's 499 00:31:15,279 --> 00:31:21,960 proven experienced, very talented college football quarterback. In the offseason, 500 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:24,319 it was probably about, you know, how well can Oregon's 501 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:28,400 offense perform as we enter this game. It's doesn't This 502 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:31,039 game doesn't really have that kind of feel. It's not 503 00:31:31,279 --> 00:31:34,759 really a matter of ken Ohio State slow down Oregon's offense. 504 00:31:34,839 --> 00:31:37,960 It's can either of these quarterbacks get out of their 505 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:41,279 own way. You know, Will Howard and Dylan Gabriel, they've 506 00:31:41,319 --> 00:31:45,240 both thrown their share of interceptions this season. They have 507 00:31:45,359 --> 00:31:50,279 both not played at the ceiling of their capabilities. This 508 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:53,920 game feels like a game that could become a street fight, 509 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:58,160 in which the defenses call the shots, the offenses struggle. 510 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:01,839 It could be a an old time Big ten game 511 00:32:02,119 --> 00:32:06,599 dominated by field position. You know, which which punter has 512 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:09,960 the better game? Like, I don't think that's how we 513 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:12,359 were looking at this game in the offseason, when it 514 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:17,440 was a constant point of interest and speculation. Right now, 515 00:32:17,480 --> 00:32:20,160 it feels like, you know, it's gonna feel like an 516 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:23,079 old school game in which field position matters and in 517 00:32:23,119 --> 00:32:26,240 which it's not going to be a game decided so 518 00:32:26,319 --> 00:32:29,240 much by the big plays. Though obviously any really big 519 00:32:29,279 --> 00:32:31,680 play is going to have a figures to have a 520 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:34,319 significant impact. It's not gonna be the big play so 521 00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:37,440 much as the big mistake. You know, which quarterback makes 522 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:43,039 the big mistake. Which offense is unable to play a 523 00:32:43,119 --> 00:32:46,680 clean game? That really is the point of emphasis. It's 524 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:50,079 not what which offense can score forty points, No, it's 525 00:32:50,319 --> 00:32:54,400 which offense can avoid handing over the big turnover that 526 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:57,359 could really flip the field. It can change just the 527 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:01,799 whole the shape of the game. That really seems to 528 00:33:01,799 --> 00:33:06,759 be what's most centrally going to decide Ohio State Oregon. 529 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:12,079 And given how dominant Ohio State's defense has looked under 530 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:16,640 Jim Knowles, and given how much elite talent exists on 531 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:21,119 that Ohio State defense, this is not a way of 532 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:24,359 saying that I think Ohio State's offense is better than Oregons. 533 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:26,480 I wouldn't put it that way. I don't think that's 534 00:33:26,519 --> 00:33:30,880 the case. I do think Ohio State's defense has a 535 00:33:31,079 --> 00:33:35,599 higher ceiling than Oregon's defense, and I think Ohio State's 536 00:33:35,640 --> 00:33:39,640 defense is more likely to come up with the big 537 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:46,480 game changing takeaway, turnover, the high impact play. So I 538 00:33:46,519 --> 00:33:49,720 want to be very precise in how I am framing 539 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:51,839 this game. I'm not saying that Ohio State has a 540 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:56,200 better team or offense. I'm framing this game through the 541 00:33:56,279 --> 00:33:59,240 lens of I think Ohio State's defense is more likely 542 00:33:59,319 --> 00:34:05,079 to make the splash play, the interception, the takeaway that's 543 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:08,800 going to turn this game. That having been said, that 544 00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:13,440 having been said, if Ohio State does not get a big, 545 00:34:13,559 --> 00:34:17,920 high impact takeaway, you know if this game is a 546 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:22,360 game in which neither side commits a turnover, neither side 547 00:34:22,559 --> 00:34:27,000 commits a really big mistake on offense, then I think 548 00:34:27,039 --> 00:34:30,079 it's advantaged Oregon with Dylan Gabriel. I think Dylan Gabriel 549 00:34:30,119 --> 00:34:34,079 has a higher ceiling than Will Howard does, so if 550 00:34:34,119 --> 00:34:39,159 Oregon can eliminate mistakes, I think the Ducks are more 551 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:41,480 likely to win at home. I think their offense can 552 00:34:41,519 --> 00:34:46,440 get more out of what they have, but I don't 553 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:49,000 think that's likely. I don't think Oregon plays the perfect 554 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,320 game on offense. I think Oregon's gonna stumble, going to 555 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:56,639 make that costly mistake at some point. So it's like 556 00:34:56,719 --> 00:35:00,519 I'm not endorsing Will Howard over Dylan Gabriel gave. I'm 557 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:04,559 thinking that Ohio State's defense is simply has enough talent 558 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:10,440 to to either confuse Gabriel or hit Gabriel and uh 559 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:15,760 and limit Oregon's options on offense. I don't think Will 560 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:18,360 Howard is going to push Ohio State over the line 561 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:20,079 in this game, but I do think that the Ohio 562 00:35:20,159 --> 00:35:23,280 State defense is going to get a turnover, which which 563 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:26,599 sets up points and tips the needle just a little 564 00:35:26,639 --> 00:35:29,320 bit to the buck guys. But but again, if there 565 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:32,679 are no turnovers in this game, and if they're big 566 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:37,119 mistakes basically even each other out, cancel each other out, Uh, 567 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,599 then I think it's advantage Oregon. But I do think 568 00:35:39,599 --> 00:35:42,840 that Ohio State's going to get the benefit of more 569 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:45,840 mistakes from the Oregon side. Based on what I've seen 570 00:35:46,639 --> 00:35:49,079 so far this season, I think Ohio States defense is 571 00:35:49,119 --> 00:35:52,400 a little bit more likely to to to fully put 572 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:57,519 down the Clamps, fully smother Oregon. I don't think Ohio 573 00:35:57,599 --> 00:36:00,400 State's offense is going to do a whole lot against 574 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:04,159 Oregon's defense, but I think Ohio State can dominate Oregon 575 00:36:04,199 --> 00:36:06,920 a little bit more when the buck guys are on defense. 576 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:10,039 When the Ducks are on offense, Oregon's going to have 577 00:36:10,039 --> 00:36:13,760 to step it up compared to what we have seen. Uh. 578 00:36:14,119 --> 00:36:16,559 You know, ordinary decent is not going to cut it. 579 00:36:16,639 --> 00:36:19,000 Oregon's going to have to be really good on offense. 580 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:22,360 And I'm not convinced that's going to happen. But we'll 581 00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:24,320 see what the Ducks are capable of. And maybe this 582 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:28,719 big game environment and also the idea of you know, 583 00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:31,679 saving plays in the playbook, you know, maybe Oregon's been 584 00:36:32,239 --> 00:36:35,000 keeping some things under wraps waiting for this game to 585 00:36:35,119 --> 00:36:39,519 surprise Ohio State on film. That could be part of 586 00:36:39,559 --> 00:36:42,880 the mix. But we have had basically half a season 587 00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:44,679 to look at these two teams. You know, this is 588 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:48,719 not an early September mid September game in which these 589 00:36:48,719 --> 00:36:51,920 teams are still kind of feeling their way into the season. 590 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:55,039 I think that's an important point to make. You know, 591 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:58,880 these teams have been able to go through some evolutionary stages. 592 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:03,159 October two, twelve, you should basically have your full playbook, 593 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:08,400 you know, like everything is ready and available. And I 594 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:11,239 think with that point in mind, you know, I think 595 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:15,679 that you know, what you've seen up to now should 596 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:18,280 reflect the true measure of each team. And I think 597 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:22,599 I've seen Ohio States defense operating at such a high 598 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:26,280 level it should be able to coax at least one, 599 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:31,320 if not two, really big, really impactful turnovers from the 600 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:35,400 Oregon offense. It's up to Oregon. Oregon has the greater burden. 601 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:38,599 I mean, both teams need to avoid the big mistakes, 602 00:37:38,599 --> 00:37:42,239 but Oregon has the greater burden in that regard. That's 603 00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:45,880 what you're gonna want to watch for this coming Saturday. 604 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:49,920 In the Big Game of the Week, Ohio State at Oregon, 605 00:37:50,119 --> 00:37:54,199 the big ten game of the year. All right, so 606 00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:57,119 I get off my pilon. We are sponsored by ticket Smarter, 607 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:01,199 ticketsmarter dot Com, the ticket Smarter mobile app. Fans, the 608 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:04,079 season is in its midpoint. It's kind of scary, it's 609 00:38:04,079 --> 00:38:07,000 going by that quickly. You want the best seats to 610 00:38:07,039 --> 00:38:10,320 the biggest games such as Ohio State Oregon at the 611 00:38:10,320 --> 00:38:12,800 most competitive prices. 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Use 632 00:39:21,039 --> 00:39:23,880 it as many times as you want throughout this college 633 00:39:23,880 --> 00:39:27,039 football season for the biggest games on the board. So 634 00:39:27,159 --> 00:39:30,440 check out the selections and pricing now with ticket Smarter 635 00:39:30,519 --> 00:39:35,000 and remember our code grid Iron two two, Think smarter 636 00:39:35,280 --> 00:39:40,119 at ticket Smarter, ticketsmarter dot com and the ticket Smarter 637 00:39:40,639 --> 00:39:43,440 We'll will app. So that's another edition of Get Off 638 00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:47,079 My Pylon covering Western college football for the College Gridiron 639 00:39:47,159 --> 00:39:51,159 Coast to Coast podcast network. Check out the full family 640 00:39:51,199 --> 00:39:54,159 of College grid Down Coast to Coast podcasts. Go to 641 00:39:54,280 --> 00:39:57,480 Twitter at Gridiron Coast, go to Apple and the other 642 00:39:57,559 --> 00:40:01,679 places where you listen to your podcast. So, Ohio State, Oregon, 643 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:05,320 Penn State, USC A couple really really big ones this week. 644 00:40:05,639 --> 00:40:08,679 We're gonna have plenty of review material on those games 645 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:12,480 and more on next week's edition of Get Off My Pylon. 646 00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:14,880 This is Matt Zemik. Thanks for listening.