Speaker 1: It is time for the Big Twelve at sixte breakdown time.
We're going the count preaching here with you for the
comprehensive look at both the Big Twelve.
Speaker 2: And the Southeast Conference. We begin each and every week
with our hot takes.
Speaker 1: Last week time, I had a hot take on the
Big Twelve that the league was better than what people
gave it credit for.
Speaker 2: And then I think multiple teams from the Big Twelve
can make the playoffs. This week, I'll go to the.
Speaker 1: SEC with my hot take talking about the conference as
a whole.
Speaker 2: Here and I had this discussion with Bo the other day.
Speaker 1: We're talking over texts, and from what I've seen is
there is not one elite team in this conference. Hear
me out for a second, folks, before you bite my
ass over this pause, look at the landscape. Okay, Georgia,
they lose to Bama this past week at home. Bama
had lost to Florida State, Texas has lost to Ohio State,
LSU lost to ole Miss. I don't think ole Miss
is that great. Oh You's undefeated and job and tears out.
Vandy is undefeated, Mississippi State is undefeated.
Speaker 2: It's anyone's guess who's gonna win this conference.
Speaker 1: And you have another number of teams that I think
can still win the national championship out of this conference.
But there's not a clear favorite right now. There's not
one team that stands out among the rest. That doesn't
mean that everyone's bad. It just means everybody's good but
not great. And that is going to set up a
mess when we talk about tie breakers of trying to
determine who goes to Atlanta for the SEC championship game and.
Speaker 2: Who's going to end up in the College Football Playoff
and all.
Speaker 1: And with that said, I think that's a fair thing
to say. I think this is still the best conference
in the country. It's the deepest conference in the country.
What I would say, what when you compare the Big
Ten of the SEC right now, the Big Ten is
much better at the top. They are top heavy with
Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois. You know
it's top heavy, but their depth really sucks. Okay, Purdue's
a bad football team, Northwestern's a bad football team. The
SEC maybe they don't have the teams at the top
like the Big Ten does, but I look at the
bottom of the league.
Speaker 2: Arkansas is probably the worst team in the conference.
Speaker 1: Arkansas would run rainbows around Northwestern and Purdue, Kentucky, Mississippi State,
these bottom feeders, they're a whole lot better than what
we're talking about. Are these bottom teams in the SEC,
so in the Big Ten. So that's my take this week, Tom,
I don't see one elite team. I think if you're
a team like Oklahoma, for example, or Tennessee, that's probably
good news for you. That makes playing field a little easier,
even with the tough schedule week in week out, you
know what you're expecting. There's not one dominant team that
you're looking at like, oh shit, we got to play
these guys. I think that it's it's it's a pretty
equal playing field of sorts right now.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think so. And I think OU's real first test.
You know, they got Auburn in Norman, which was a
pretty good game, but I think their first real test
is red River and then it gets a little bit
harder from there. But there's no real team to me
either that stands out on paper. Is just a powerhouse
that we're going to come kick you in the teeth
each week. And you know, we thought that maybe Bama
at first was gonna be downhill, and we talked about
Kaitlyn de Bores saying, oh, man, is he.
Speaker 4: Cut out for this? Is he?
Speaker 3: Can he show his face in Tescaloosa after you know,
a rough start to the season a little bit, you know,
against FSU, and and FSU looked really good and then
they lost to Virginia. But then Bama comes out and
lays the hammer down and beat Georgia. So there's not
really anybody there's you know, there might be a Tier one,
but there's no there's not a Tier one A and
a Tier one B. It's just a you could just
call it a Tier one. Yeah, there's no there's not
levels to this.
Speaker 5: Really.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm with you. I'm with you on that front.
Where do you want to go this week? You missed
out on my soil? Willoquy to Mike Gundy last week,
he's he's yesterday's news now, So where do you want
to go?
Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm not gonna go to Oklahoma State. I do
like what they've done.
Speaker 3: I like what Meacham has done, and but we'll maybe
talk about the next week.
Speaker 4: But I'm gonna go.
Speaker 3: To this Vandy Alabama game this weekend, very intriguing. You
got Diego PV saying that you know, if we go
out there and play our game, it won't be close.
I like the confidence, I really do, and I like
what Vandy's been able to do. But I think with Alabama,
I think this is a defining moment. They're not going
to let that happen again. My hot take this week,
I don't know what the line is for that game.
Speaker 4: Pull it up. I think Alabama covers, and I think
they cover big.
Speaker 2: Alabama's ten and a half point favorites at home.
Speaker 4: Yeah, give me Alabama by at least seventeen. That's what
I'm gonna say.
Speaker 3: Okay, I like Vanderbilt. I like the story. I'm rooting
for Vanderbilt. I just think Alabama's going to come out
and be like, we're not letting that shit happen again.
And it's definitely not going to happen at in Tuscaloosa.
That's not going to happen. Brian Dennis Stadium is not
going to let that happen.
Speaker 1: All Right, We'll see how that plays out. Let's let's
talk about some headlines. Let's begin in Arkansas. Sam Pittman
fired Tom I think everybody's on the same page when
it comes to Sam.
Speaker 2: Pittman that he was well liked.
Speaker 1: He was one of the most respected coaches in college football.
But I think everybody knew he wasn't cut out to
be the head coach there. When they hired him, Arkansas
was still dealing with a lot of buyout money that
they owed other coaches. He wasn't really their first choice.
He had ties to the area. You know, he went
to pitt State, grew up and grow Oklahoma. I think
if I remember right.
Speaker 2: Like that, that wasn't gonna work.
Speaker 1: He was improvement from what they had previously with Chad Morris,
Chandler's dad, who might be the worst.
Speaker 2: Coach in their program history. But that's not really saying much.
Speaker 1: But with that said, you know, you had their ad
come out say this week, we didn't really give him
the resources that he needed. But it's still not an excuse.
I'm looking at Arkansas, Tom and if they put the
resources in to that program, and we know that there's
money in Northwest Arkansas with Walmart, Tyson Foods and all that,
then there's a lot of potential.
Speaker 2: To work with.
Speaker 1: They have world class facilities Northwest Arkansas is beautiful, and
then they're in the best conference of the country too.
But on top of that, the competition is so fierce,
and then just because you have the nil money means
that you got to take it another step up. Look
at Texas Tech. Texas Tech is overspending to bring in players.
I saw report that Texas Tech is having to spend
like thirty to thirty five percent more on players than
other schools would. They're having to pay them more to
come to Texas Tech. If Arkansas is going to be
a good threat, they're gonna have to do the same
thing Texas Tech is doing in that sense, and maybe
even more so having to live in Arkansas instead of
staying in the state of Texas trying to get these
Texas high school recruits.
Speaker 2: So with that, like I.
Speaker 1: Would say, Tom, you know, whoever takes this job, and
this I think is a message for the fan base too.
I think a good job at Arkansas is winning seven
to nine games every year. If you can make the playoff,
if you can be a national title contender, that's fantastic.
But realistically, I think part of the problem with Arkansas
is they look at who they've been, you know, going
back to the days of Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson
and Barry Switzer and all these big names they've run.
Speaker 2: Through that program.
Speaker 1: They want to be something, and I understand it, but
there's a part of reality sets in kind of like
what Nebraska's had to go through now, where hey, we
just need to be competitive.
Speaker 2: That needs to be the goal.
Speaker 1: And I think if the next head coach can do that,
I would consider.
Speaker 2: That a success.
Speaker 1: With the Arkansas program, I think that's what they need
to accomplish first, and then we could talk about, Okay,
where can they go to be a title contender from there?
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think you're right.
Speaker 3: And you know, you mentioned Walmart money, and I don't
think the Waltons really give that much. If I recall
spend some conflict between Arkansas and Walmart in recent years,
and maybe they need to ask for forgiveness or something
to try to ease that over. Well, And it's not
like the Waltons don't even give to the athletics, because
they give a lot to baseball, and the baseball team
is usually you know, probably two to three out of
four years going to go to Omaha. Yeah, they've been
good since I've ever kept track of them, So the
money it could be there. I don't know if you
don't know, well, I was gonna say something, but i'll
I don't know who's asked. You'd have to kiss, but
I mean the PA, Yeah, put the lips to go
on and get to kissing because it's there. But sure,
I think you're right even with money. Now you mentioned
Texas Tech spending that money. I would much rather play
in Faetteville than in love Itck if I was, if
I was a high school recruit coming in, I mean,
it's pretty easy. But you know, if Texas Tech can
do it and get the money, then why can't Arkansas.
But you mentioned the competition in the SEC. I think
seven and nine games is what you kind of shoot for.
Maybe one of those years you sneak into the playoff
and make some noise.
Speaker 4: You know.
Speaker 3: Maybe one of those years you end up like TCU
and you get into the National Championship. You know, but
you're not gonna be competing for a Natty every you know,
in and out each year. But I think whoever takes
this job, I think you have to put some realistic
expectations on it. Yeah, the Sam Pittman thing, his nail
in the coffin? Was that Notre Dame fake punt? That
was just I know he could he should have just
walked off the field after that. I don't know why
they did that, but that was the nail in the coffin.
And I'd like to know how many cold beers he
drank that night.
Speaker 1: Yeah, probably a few. Bobby Patrino's back the disgraced for
Arkansas head coach. You know, you look at Bobby Patrino
and that was pretty bad what went down there with
an employee that he was having an affair with and
the motorcycle crash that was embarrassing. That was one of
the worst things that's happened to that athletic department of
what they went through. And yet they're giving this guy
another chance. And the reason why is because he won there.
In my lifetime, he had the most successful season that
Arkansas football had. Houston Utt had some good years, but
that Sugar Bowl team that they had was the best
team that we've seen in Arkansas in my lifetime. So
that's why they're giving him this chance. And he's got
exciting offenses. I mean, even after Arkansas and all that
he coached. Lamar Jackson at Louisville. You know, Bobby, I
think Tom getting this interim job. There's some old guard
that want him to get this, and if he wins games,
he's got a shot.
Speaker 2: I mean, I don't.
Speaker 1: Mind Arkansas giving him this chance because of the history.
They'd know that he's won there in the past. The
scandal was how long ago, and he's been oc for
a couple of years now without any problems that we
know of at this point, I don't have a problem
with it now. Do I expect him to get that
job long term? No, but he'll have a chance to
prove himself here. If they can pull off some upsets,
if he can get Taylor Green going, then he very
well might be the man for the job. But I
don't mind him getting this opportunity. Do you have a
problem with Bob Patrino getting this chance?
Speaker 4: I think he let him.
Speaker 3: I think it would have been awesome if he would
have showed up to the pressure in a neck brace.
Speaker 4: That would have been great.
Speaker 2: First home game he's got to roll out in a motorcycle.
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, I think I think could get the fan
base fired up a little bit. I mean, you know
they're not going anywhere this season, so you might as
well give them something to talk about.
Speaker 4: You know, I think you give him a chance.
Speaker 3: And you know you don't. I don't think you have
to go and make a higher super right away. I
think you gotta lay the groundwork of whoever's got to
lay the plan, the foundation of you know, what do
we want out of Arkansas football? And then because I
don't know, I'm not in the room, but it feels
like they kind of have no direction.
Speaker 4: They don't know who they want to be.
Speaker 3: Yeah, they need to figure out hammer down who what
what do they want their identity to be.
Speaker 1: That coaching search is gonna be fascinating to follow, because
I've seen it kind of all over the place.
Speaker 2: It could go to Bobby.
Speaker 1: He'll have a chance to earn Ittt. Lastly, is the
big name I've heard the watch. He's an Arkansas guy.
He's had a lot of success at s MU. But
then you see what he's got rolling at SMU, and
they got plenty of money there in Dallas and they're
playing in the ACC, which is much easier living than
the SEC. Does he really want to leave that right
now to go home to Arkansas? But everybody's different about
how they feel about coming home. It might be something
where it's too good for him to.
Speaker 2: Pass up potentially.
Speaker 1: And then we've seen John Gruden's name pop up, you know, GJ.
Speaker 2: Kenny's name has been one to mention.
Speaker 1: John Summeroll at Tulane has been another one that I
really like for that job. And I think John Somerol's
probably going to be on the minds of some of
these SEC jobs coming up in the future. And then
I think there's an outside chance of Mike Gundy. But
you know, Mike Gundy had some of the problems that
Sam Pittman did the last couple of seasons.
Speaker 2: I think he would be a fit.
Speaker 1: Culturally, but I think the game has passed by Gundy
in a sense. I don't know if you're if you
want to replace your fired coach with another coach that
just got fired for not doing so hot the last
couple of seasons. With that said, like I would say
that lastly in Summer all we're probably the favorites, but
we've seen some crazy stuff go down before with this
Arkansas job. Like Tom nobody thought Brent Beelima was gonna
be the head coach at Arkansas and leave what he
had a good thing going to Arkansas and at A
Wisconsin and they pulled that off.
Speaker 2: So who knows what they're gonna do.
Speaker 4: Yeah, it'd be very interested.
Speaker 3: I think it's one of the more entertaining coaching searches
out there.
Speaker 4: Obviously in my eyes are on in Oklahoma State. But
when you just.
Speaker 3: Look at and I think like Oklahoma State and their
coaching search, I think they kind of know who they
want and kind of we've seen that. And you look
at Virginia Tech, they kind of have a groundwork of
who they are. I think Arkansas, you find out who
you are late. You know, you're right, you got all
that down. This is what we want, this is what
we want to be able to accomplish. Here's our assets,
here's what we can do, and then match it to
the coach. I think you got to get that lined
out before you just go willy nilly higher and whoever
the fuck?
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I think so.
Speaker 1: A couple more headlines here for you. Paul Finebaum, the
SEC Network host. You see him on the Paul Finebaumb
show SEC Nation. He told Klak Travis about kick this
week that he is potentially interested in running for the
US Senate in his home state of Alabama, and that
he is looking to potentially replace Tommy Tubberville, the former
Auburn head coach who is running for governor in that state,
and Fine Bob has been the voice of the SEC
for a long time.
Speaker 2: He's seventy years old.
Speaker 1: He says he was inspired by Charlie Kirk with the
assassination on his life that occurred a few weeks ago.
And he's considering this now and he seems pretty serious
about it. He's already talking about the dates that the
primary is and when a decision has to be made.
Some people are saying, is he doing this as a
negotiating tacket to.
Speaker 2: Get a raise out of ESPN.
Speaker 1: I think he's pretty serious and I think it's gonna happen.
And honestly, I think with that type of name recognition,
he's well liked. Alabama and Auburn fans both like Finebaum.
He's more popular than Tuberville was. I wrote an article
for the Last Roud in Sports this week. Tubberville won
the Republican primary and the general election in that state
with sixty percent of the vote in both races. If
Fine Bomb runs, I think he's gonna be in the
United States Senate and maybe the legend is gonna be
his pr rep. Maybe we get Marty and McGee and
Laura Rutledge involved or something here. I mean, this is
bizarre and for ESPN that would leave quite the whole
in the media space of what Paul Feinbaum is occupied here.
Speaker 2: I would.
Speaker 1: I didn't see this coming, but the more I think
about it seems like a realistic possibility here tom.
Speaker 3: You know, with Tommy running for you know, go and
I think I think Paul will jump in.
Speaker 4: I think he'll win. I mean, it's the playbook's already there.
Speaker 3: It's you know, I don't I don't know what the
odds are on that if he does enter his name,
and I would I would put money down that he
would win it. Yeah, I'd be very shocked if he didn't.
Speaker 4: He'd have to say some real off the wall stuff.
Speaker 2: I would love to see him on the Senate floor.
Speaker 1: Is he gonna take calls on c SPAN like he
does in the Fine Bomb Show? I mean probably, There's
there's a lot of possibilities here, and I don't know
what the SEC network does. Maybe Marty Smith and Ryan
McGee potentially take over, or maybe they bring in Josh
paid or something from on three. But yeah, that would
be quite the gap to fill if ESPN ends up
losing Paul fine Bomb. But we'll certainly be followed it
and see where things go from there.
Speaker 2: One more headline.
Speaker 1: John Mattier, the Oklahoma quarterback out this week against Kent State,
but boots on the ground at Chipotle have discovered that
the hand injury is okay. It reached the Texas aggs
message boards and then we got a picture of the hand,
and now the talk is that he could be playing
against Texas. Texas an early favorite for next week's matchup,
as is OU passed Texas in the polls and the
Ape pole this past week as the number five team
in the country. Here Tom kind of looking ahead of
that matchup and a lot more time to talk about
next week. I think Oklahoma is a better team than
Texas right now, but we really just won't know until
a John Mattier is out there and be what he
looks like at this point. Does he have his full
range of motion? Is he gonna throw the ball like normally?
Speaker 2: Here?
Speaker 1: I don't think Oklahoma can win without John Mattier. I'm
not trusting Michael Hawkins one bit. But if he's out there,
can he overcome that and beat Texas?
Speaker 2: I think that Oklahoma.
Speaker 1: Call me crazy if you're talking about them. If your
hope for Oklahoma was then being a playoff or national
title or SEC contending team, I think you gotta you
gotta beat Texas and then go through your gauntlet and
your schedule from there. I think having John Mattier back
next week has got to its got to be vital
for this team, and not just back but play at
a high level.
Speaker 4: Yeah, you don't you know what is doctor Shin?
Speaker 2: Yes?
Speaker 4: Uh, he's you know, world renown.
Speaker 3: It seems like I've been someone enjoying the memes made
of him. I think, if you're OEU, you need to
keep everybody healthy this week. Don't go out and punch
kins state in them out there trash team. Just get
it done, be done with it, and then get everybody ready,
get everybody help. If he going in to red River
and you know, Arch Manning still young, my Tier a
little bit more seasoned. You know, Arch, I guess has
been a part of the red River but Tier never has.
But I think if you're John Mattier, I think if
you're this this could be a Heisman statement if he
If he comes in and plays well and the injury
doesn't affect him.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it'll be something to watch for sure.
Speaker 1: Let's go ahead and get to the Big twelve and
SEC slate of games for this week. We'll go rapid
fire through these contests real quick, starting on Friday night
in the Big twelve, Town twenty three ranked BYU taking
out of West Virginia BYU eighteen and a half point favorites.
Speaker 2: West Virginia is a bad football.
Speaker 1: Team BYU late night game at Lavelle Edwards Stadium.
Speaker 2: I expect him to just run it up here.
Speaker 4: Yeah. I don't think it'll be close either.
Speaker 1: I was taking on Cincinnati eleven AM on Saturday, Cincinnati
with an upset win a KU last week, and Iowa
State is gonna be without two of their starting corners
and they're a one and a half point underdog going
on the road here rock Obec. What we've seen from him,
Tom is he's kind of carried that team with their
deficiencies at wide receiver and trying to get that run
game going and all that. I don't know if he
can carry a defense on top of that. I like
Iowa State here, but I expect this game to be close.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's gonna be close too, and I
think Rocco is gonna have to do a lot of
carrying this game.
Speaker 4: Now.
Speaker 3: Granted, Kansas had no business losing last week, but credit Cincinnati.
Speaker 4: They got it done.
Speaker 3: But I'll still take OURWA State here, but I wouldn't
put money on it.
Speaker 1: Case State taking on Baylor. Baylor six and a half
point favorites. Sawyer Robertson's been fantastic seventeen touchdowns, three interceptions.
K State looked pretty good in that road wind they
had against UCF within the last couple of weeks. Here, Tom,
I'm not buying that KSE State has necessarily turned a
corner here.
Speaker 2: I like Baylor at home. That offense is tough.
Speaker 3: Stop you know what, Baylor, they played well against Oklahoma State.
Speaker 5: That's nine.
Speaker 4: That's not saying much.
Speaker 3: I don't know that k State turned the corner either,
but I do think I'm gonna take KSE State here.
I've been burned, but all I'm ready to be hurt again.
Speaker 1: OSU take it out of Arizona. Arizona twenty and a
half point favorites. The Wildcats sitting at three and one.
After a rough season last year, Brennan entered twenty twenty
five on the hot seat.
Speaker 2: No Fafida has.
Speaker 1: Looked really good throwing the football, eight touchdowns, two picks.
They're twenty and a half point favorites at home against
Oklahoma State.
Speaker 2: Doug Meacham not a bad first showing in that loss
to Baylor. I don't know if you call that a
moral victory.
Speaker 1: They did fire their defense coordinator, Todd grant Ham, and
my guy, Clint Bowen gets a shot to be the
DC and stillwater happy for him to get that opportunity.
I've been rotting on Clint Bowen, the former Kansas interim
head coach and defensive coordinator. With that said, Tom, I
don't think Arizona State or I don't think Arizona is
winning by twenty and a half here, but I'd be
very surprised if it's not a touchdown or more that
they win this game by right.
Speaker 3: I agree. I was all I was gonna say, is
Oklahoma State covers?
Speaker 1: There you go, Texas Tech taking out Houston Houston's four
and ZHO squeaked by an overtime last week against Oregon
State on the road, Morton a little banged up. He's
expected to play though Houston Tom credit where credits do?
Willie Fritz doing a really good job. They've improved from
what they were a year ago. But Texas Tech way
too much horsepower. I think they could run away with
this one and get this on the road here at Houston.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think so too. Now, if Houston does win,
watch out, but I like Tech here.
Speaker 1: TCU take it on Colorado in primetime on Fox. TCU
extra day off after that Friday night loss to Arizona
State Hoover. He's played well, eleven touchdowns, four interceptions on
the season. Looking to bounce back after that loss. Colorado's
got some quarterback issues. They've gone back and forth tween
Salter and a couple other guys. I think TCU kind
of inserts their will here.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think so too. I like tc in this
one as well.
Speaker 1: Big weekend for KU and Chiefs fans because you could
double dip, and I've heard of folks doing this of
going to the Kansas UCF game in Orlando and then
Monday night go up to Jacksonville for the Chiefs Jags game.
Doesn't that sound like a fever pitch? Weekend of sorts,
KYU looking to bounce back. Take it on UCFKU four
and a half point favorite.
Speaker 2: Tom. I expect this game to.
Speaker 1: Be somewhat close because KU's defense has a lot of
problems right now. Jalen Daniels looks phenomenal, but that defense
is struggling. Emmanuel Henderson looks like one of the best
receivers in the country. He's been great, but until he
get this defense going, I think UCF can keep this close.
Speaker 2: I think four and a half feels about right.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that seems I think I wouldn't bet on it,
but that seems right on the money.
Speaker 1: All right, Let's head to the SEC now and go
over to those slated games. Eleven am Kentucky taking on Georgia.
Georgia at home, coming off the lost Tobama last week. Kentucky,
I don't think is that great of a football team
that did keep things close with the Ole miss a
couple weeks ago. Georgia off the loss here, this is
a bad place to be if you're Kentucky.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I think I think Kentucky's about to get
smacked around.
Speaker 1: Texas taken on Florida Texas six and a half point
favorites Arch Manning going on the road. I believe for
the first time since he's been in the SEC, his
first SEC road game.
Speaker 2: Tom, Florida.
Speaker 1: If if they lose this one by double digits, if
it's not pretty this this could be it for Billy
Dapier Here, I think Texas wins, and I expect this
to be by ten or more.
Speaker 2: I think this might be. This might finally be it
for our sweet prints.
Speaker 4: Yeah, it might.
Speaker 3: It might be, And I think from what I've seen
from just fan comments, they wanted to be. I think
you'll see or you'll find a lot of Florida fans
rooting for Texas here.
Speaker 2: And big Vandy taking on Alabama Vandy five and oh
sixteenth in the country going on the road, Bamaton and
that point favorites. Tom. You said earlier you like Bama
big in this game.
Speaker 1: I like the way Diego Pavilla is playing, but kind
of like what we're talking about with Rockobeck at Iowa State,
I don't think he can do enough. I think that
you just look at the talent, like Alabama overmatches Vandy
in almost every way except the quarterback position.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, I think it's right there.
Speaker 3: And I don't think Simpson's that bad as not Diego,
but I think they'll just be overmatched. And you know,
if it was in Nashville, okay, maybe a little different.
Brian Didns Stadium is going to be rocking. They know
what happened last year. They don't want that to happen again.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, it's oh you taking on Kent State, No job,
Mattier this week. We will see Michael Hawkins get the start.
Oh you should win that decisively and then sneaky good
game in prime time on Saturday night. Texas A and
M taking on Mississippi State A and M six in
the country. I think this line's too big at sixteen
and a half. I like what I've seen from Jeff
Levy squad. There a Mississippi State, a lot of Maroon
involved in this game. Marcel Reid playing very well at
the quarterback position. I like Texas A and M, but
as Earl friendly course that once said closer than the
experts think.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think so too, and the boy Mississippi State
already beat Arizona State. I mean, I like A and
M here, but it's gonna be a sneaky one.
Speaker 1: More to come on the program. We're gonna be joined
by TJ Reeves. Tune in Big twelve Radio with a
look at this weekend's slate of games coming up on
the other.
Speaker 2: Side, Stay with us, join us now the program.
Speaker 1: This week, I was going back over our list of
guests of who's been on recently, and somehow it has
been over a year since we've talked to TJ Reeves,
and yet I spend time with this guy.
Speaker 2: Every single week. I know it was long overdue that
we bring him back on the program.
Speaker 4: TJ.
Speaker 5: Listen, It's great to be with you.
Speaker 6: The official appearance on The Jones Report has not happened
for a year. The unofficial conversations are up to about
two hundred and seven. The other stuff that you and
I do together, where we appear on each other stuff
officially happens. But I I did not realize that I
have been avoiding you for a year on the Jones Report.
Speaker 5: I am negligent in that regard.
Speaker 6: Great to be with you, and man, is there a
ton to talk about in the college football world and more?
Speaker 1: Yes, indeed, let's start in the Big Twelve Conference and TJ.
What I've seen from this league in the first month
of the season. I look at I see a very
good Texas Tech team, a really good Iowa State team,
and then everybody else after that. What do you think
of how the league shape it up after this first month.
Speaker 5: I think it's a pretty good assessment.
Speaker 6: Obviously, Arizona State fan would say, hey, what about US
beating Baylor at Baylor, beating TCU, etc. They lost a
wild game to Mississippi State this conference. I think you
can make the argument, just like a year ago, for
about six teams, wouldn't you say right now that could
probably win it? That includes obviously the top two Iowa
State in Texas Tech. But can't you make an argument
for Arizona State right now? Could you not make an
argument for Brigham Young again at the end of the year,
what about a TCU And there's and there's probably a
couple other ones that that could get in the mix somehow.
Someway Utah probably can come back around with Dan Peter
at quarterback. This is a wide open thing for the
horse race at the end. And remember, Arizona State basically
played their way in the last four or five games
of the season. They kept winning, got into the title game,
and then won the title game.
Speaker 5: But I would agree with you.
Speaker 6: Right now, Iowa State and Texas Tech have distinguished themselves.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and looking at Texas Tech first, Joey maguire had
a lot of pressure on him with that roster that
they bought, second richest in college football at twenty eight
million dollars according to ON three heading into twenty twenty five.
And now we're starting to see the fruits of their
labor payoff that you could actually buy wins here in
college football. This is this is quite the experiment that
I think a lot of people around the country are
keeping close tabs on outside of Lubbock too.
Speaker 6: And again, they've spent ridiculous money on the nil. But
they're not the only ones across the board. There are
probably ten or twelve programs that went this route of
give me six, seven to eight improvements in the transfer portal.
And it's ridiculous. I'm a lot older than you. It's
ridiculous that we're here, but we're here with We're gonna
spend twelve, fourteen, sixteen million dollars and buy us some players. Legally,
that's what's going on. That's what Texas Tech did, and
it will be fascinating. I guess another one of the
subplots here for this road game in Houston is Baron Morton,
the quarterback has been injured with a concussion. He's apparently
cleared the concussion protocol. It's Hammond, right, It's Will Hammond
as the backup quarterback, and he played well in the
remainder of the Utah game after Morton got hurt. He's
also played earlier in the year as well. Might they
use the dual quarterbacks in h Town at Houston on
Saturday night.
Speaker 5: I'm fascinated by that.
Speaker 6: Plus you have what the defensive coordinator of Texas Tech
is a former Houston player, and there's another coach I
believe it's a former Houston player.
Speaker 5: So you got some Texas Tech Houston Cougar.
Speaker 6: Ties that are also a part of this old Southwest
Conference opponents too in the sixties and the seventies and
the eighties, way back when a lot a lot around
this Texas Tech Houston game.
Speaker 1: Meanwhile, Iowa State taking on Houston, the other team we
mentioned there. I know you've been a big fan of
rock Obeck for a long time that you and his
dad go back away yep, And here they are five
and oh start, They've played some close games. The offense
has come along pretty nicely there, and you go on
the road to Cincinnati, which I think is much better
than any of us anticipated. I saw firsthand what they
did to Kansas last week. They're sitting at three and one.
Now Cincinnati's actually favored in this too. This is quite
the track game here for Iowa State.
Speaker 6: All right, So you're better to speak to this than me.
But Sworsby has been tremendous, and you, as you just said,
saw at first hand. He led the game winning touchdown
drive in the final minute or two of that one.
And that's impressive for Scott Saderfield's group because there had
been some questions that, Okay, they lost the game the Nebraska.
They then played Eddie George and Bowling Green. My god,
we've lived long enough that the Heisman Trophy winner Eddie
George is now a coach at Bowling Green.
Speaker 5: He was at Tennessee State.
Speaker 4: All right.
Speaker 6: So Cincinnati beat them, but they didn't put the game
away until late.
Speaker 5: They beat them by like two scores.
Speaker 6: Then they destroyed an FCS program, Northwestern State out of Louisiana. Cincinnati,
and then they took a week off, so what did
we really have? Well, they showed something, by I mean,
Jalen Daniels was amazing in the Kansas game, and Cincinnati
still beat them at KU.
Speaker 5: I know, I'm not telling anything you don't already know.
Speaker 6: So that was impressive. Now they're back home. I just
like Iowa State the moxiea Beck. They run the ball,
they're opportunistic on defense. I'm actually taking Iowa State in
the upset, the slight upset from the handicapping perspective here,
I think they will get the win on the road.
Speaker 5: I think they will remain unbeaten.
Speaker 6: But that is a fascinating early noon matchup Cincinnati and
Iowa State. It's one of these new games in the
Big Twelve that we have to get used to, where
you know, Cincinnati and Houston and UCF haven't been in
this league Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State. So whenever whenever
we're seeing these games, you know, involving Utah and Texas Tech,
or UCF and Kansas State last week, or now Iowa
State and Cincinnati, it's definitely different.
Speaker 5: For sure.
Speaker 2: The only Power Conference with teams at all four time
zones and.
Speaker 5: They are crazy.
Speaker 6: It travels and they basically start playing games at eleven
AM Central Time, and they're still playing games after midnight
Central Time with the Western teams. So you get the
thirteen or maybe even longer hour buffet a Big Twelve
football throughout the day.
Speaker 1: That's for sure on about five different TV networks too. Now, yes, well,
on top of that, in whatever streaming services.
Speaker 6: There is no confirmation that Rachel Ray and the Food
Channel will have one of the Big Twelve games this week.
Speaker 5: That's about all that does not have it at this point.
Speaker 1: I did see that True TV is simulcasting Oklahoma State
Arizona this week.
Speaker 5: So if I had another network.
Speaker 2: Or something to watch on True TV outside of marchin
Madness for Sports, you have that option now too.
Speaker 1: The other game that intrigues me, I know, it's kind
of a you know, a boring week of sorts. I
guess of the Big Twelve Colorado and TCU. You mentioned
that TCU team. I like Hoover. It was a close
loss last week. They're at Arizona State game. They probably
feel like they should have won if a couple of
plays go a different direction than they could have gotten
that win. On the Road and Colorado. They've had their
own issues at the quarterback position. These two teams kind
of have some history. That was Deon Sanders' first game
in Colorado here. What do you think about the horn
Frogs and their chances there against the Buffaloes?
Speaker 6: And I keep saying this over and over and over
again when Colorado steps up in competition. Yes, they won
a couple of games last year against.
Speaker 5: Texas Tech I Lubbock.
Speaker 6: They also beat Cincinnati last year, but a lot of
their other wins were against the bottom, the bad teams
of the Big Twelve. When they stepped up, they had trouble.
So here again on this schedule, a step up right
away with Georgia Tech at home. Georgia Tech beats them
in the final minute. They win the two games with
Delaware and helped me on the other one was North Dakota.
Not North Dakota, it was yeah, no, no, it was Wyoming.
Wyoming was the other one. But now they stepped up
last week with Brigham Young. They led the game fourteen
to nothing. They went back to Caden Salter at quarterback.
They obviously have some weapons, but Byu overtakes them defensively
two or three drives. Salter throws a couple of key
picks through elite late key pick in the game, and
you got Colorado now on the road having to step
up with TCU. TCU angry off the loss. Give me
the frogs. Give me the frogs here at home with Hoover,
They've got skilled receivers as well a couple of transfers
as well. For him, I think TCU can be one
of the teams in Dallas for the Big Twelve title game.
I do not believe in Colorado.
Speaker 5: Being there, so I like TCU in this matchup.
Speaker 1: Our friend Tim Brando was broadcasting that Arizona State TCU
game on Friday night, and he was a strong advocate
for the strength of this conference, of the team's competing
and he was talking about this league potentially getting multiple
bids into the College Football Playoff. TJ, do you see
that as a possibility, And if so, who are the
teams that you see could be making that.
Speaker 6: Push you're talking about out of the Big twelve? Yes,
out of the Big twelve? So who is that other team?
Is it Brigham Young? Is it again ASU?
Speaker 5: Somebody like that? Right now? I thought it was interesting.
Speaker 6: I got the chance to interview Jerry Palm, who does
a tremendous job with all of the analytics, strength of schedule.
I know you had him on the Jones Report and
on your coverage earlier right before the season began. So
Jerry has been doing the analytics, the strength of victory,
the strength of schedule, the power rankings thing for college
basketball and college football for over thirty years. Jerry said
to me right now, I've got Iowa State firmly in.
I've got Texas Tech firmly in. And he said, somebody
out of BYU Arizona State, like we were talking about earlier,
is certainly lurking. There could be three big twelves that
do get it. Probably not. They will do well to
have two teams at the very end with all of
the attention around the SEC and the Big ten strength
and taking up probably eight spots. They're going to take
up eight spots. It seems like every year, maybe more.
But I think the argument is there for the Big
twelve to have a second team. I just don't know
if it's a third team. If it is that third team,
give me like Asu Dellillingham's team with Sam levittt quarterback
Jordan Tyson's one of the best receivers in the country. Again,
they're another team that makes plays on defense. Arizona State
might be that third team that lurks for the college
football playoff.
Speaker 2: All right, let's stay in your neck of the woods.
Speaker 1: You're in Tampa and there's some big college football goat
on this weekend. All eyes on what is going on
with the Florida Gators and Will Day here? Could this
be it for him? We've seen some big name coaches
fired the last couple of weeks, Mike Gundy, Sam Pittman.
If they lose this game.
Speaker 2: To Texas and don't.
Speaker 1: Put up a good fight here, then are we looking
at Curtains for billion a pier? And does that become
the best job opening too?
Speaker 6: There are plenty of Gator fans that would absolutely raise
their hand and say yes, now, is that what Scott Strickland,
the athletic director, is going to do? The man that
hired Napier, and Strickland has got some leeway here and
some credibility because he hired Todd Golden, the basketball coach,
and you and I were together as they won the
national title in San Antonio back in April. So it
doesn't hurt the ad when he picked a coach that
ends up winning a championship. What's hurting right now is
Napier lost games, lost critical games.
Speaker 5: Last year.
Speaker 6: The difference is he won a couple of big games
at the end of the season, including beating Florida State,
so that kept him around for the beginning of this year.
The offense has gone nowhere. Dj Lagway, the quarterback, seems
to have regressed. He's also been hurt. He's had a
bit of a foot injury. They come off a bye
week here, they come off of three losses in a row.
Speaker 5: Tyler, if they lay the egg here.
Speaker 6: If they're not good, if Texas comes in and were
to beat them decisively, I'm talking about seventeen points, twenty
one points or more, Strickland may not have a choice.
What I think he's hoping for is you at least
have a competitive showing even if you lose. The next
game is at Texas A and M for Florida. So
I mean, this is not going to get any easier
and not gonna get any better. And again, a lot
of the money people want Napier gone. He was the
coach at Luis the mocking nickname is sun Belt Billy.
That sun Belt Billy just doesn't have enough offensive innovation,
hasn't done enough with the talent pool that he has
a Texas whipping man. We might see another coach casualty
coming up here, because what are we up to with
Deshaun Foster being fired at UCLA, Brent Priye being fired
at Virginia Tech, Gundhi like you mentioned Pittman, you already got.
Speaker 5: Four Power five schools that have made.
Speaker 2: A move, and Stanford's still looking for a head coach.
Speaker 5: Stamford's still looking right.
Speaker 6: Frank Reich is the interim coach, but Florida might make
number five here and soon where they just say we
can't defend this anymore, especially off the bye week.
Speaker 5: Stay tuned.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Also in your neck of the ones, big rivalry
game in Florida State and Miami in primetime on Saturday
night on ABC DJ A fantastic matchup. I think Miami
is a title contending team. Florida State looks much improved
from what they were a season ago. Even with the
law to Virginia last week in double overtime wasn't a
bad loss.
Speaker 2: I don't hold that against them too much. What do
you think about this matchup.
Speaker 6: Tremendous history behind this, going back to the eighties.
Speaker 5: I know I'm a little older than you.
Speaker 6: The eighties of the nineties, this game was littered with
all Americans Heisman Trophy winners, you know, from Bernie Cozar playing,
Dion Sanders playing Michael Irvin. I mean, how about these
names that have been involved in this game. Charlie Ward,
Gino Torretta that won Heisman trophies, Guys like ray Lewis
that played in this game, the late Sean Taylor, Clinton Portis,
Jamis Winston, all of the names that have played in
this series. And so we talked about Florida and they
can't seem to find their way. Well, Florida State's off
a two to ten year last year, Tyler. They come
out of the blocks and they beat Alabama, and it
looks like right now, Alabama's good, if not really good,
and Florida State handled them in the opening game in Tallahassee.
So Mike Norvel made a lot of friends back. He
can make a lot more friends back with a win
over Miami. Now you mentioned Miami probably better on the
offensive line. In the defensive line, They've got an explosive
running back in Mark Fletcher that Florida State's going to
have to contend with Carson Beck the transfer from Georgia
is good, but Castellanos the transfer quarterback for FSU mobile
quarterback dual threat. This is going to be a wild game.
It would not surprise me if Florida State at home
wins the wild Saturday night game here and gets their
ACC season back on track. If they lose it, that's
two losses obviously for them, and it jeopardizes them for
the ACC title game already in the first week in October.
So there's a lot riding on this game Saturday night,
FSU Miami.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I can't wait. We'll see how it all plays out,
all right, TJ.
Speaker 1: Before we go here, I had a run in this
week with some of Jason White's People of Comfort Solutions,
which if you're in this state of Oklahoma, you've seen
the bill boards and the ad. So Jason, why, I
think it's the only thing he's up to these days,
And you had a little quiz for me.
Speaker 5: I guess so wait a minute.
Speaker 6: V Jason White, the former Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winning quarterback.
A lot of people don't realize he.
Speaker 5: Won a Heisman Larry Fitzgerald.
Speaker 6: Yes, he beat out Larry fit But then you said
back to me one of how many seven?
Speaker 5: One of seven Oklahoma.
Speaker 6: Heisman Trophy winners. So we just talked about one of them.
That's Baker Mayfield, right, So Kyler, Sam Tyler, Kyler Murray.
There's another one. Sam Bradford is four? Whatt you coming
up with? Off the list?
Speaker 2: Billy Simms? Five?
Speaker 6: Billy Simms, who just had a birthday. I want to say,
like last week.
Speaker 2: He's got some little average barbecue at Oklahoma too.
Speaker 5: He was electric.
Speaker 6: He was electric Billy Simms in the late seventies, right,
So that's five.
Speaker 2: Toms Ritch is just checking in saying Jameel Holloway he
did not win a Heisman, actually.
Speaker 5: Jabe Jameel Holloway.
Speaker 4: No.
Speaker 6: Thomas Thomas Bridges is like backstage trying to give us hints.
Speaker 5: Yes, who are the other two?
Speaker 2: Steve Owens is six yees.
Speaker 6: Steve Owens was the option quarterback. Who's the other who's
the other one that we're leaving out? Somebody screaming it
out right now at the Jones Report podcast on who
the seventh one is?
Speaker 2: Oh? Okay, I got it. This was well before you
at I's.
Speaker 5: Time, hillis y way way quiz me on should I
know this? Obviously?
Speaker 6: Leroy Salmon's the original buccaneer from nineteen seventy six, the
great defensive lineman, the number one overall pick, but he
was not a Heisman Winner's fifty two god nineteen. This
is like the Bud Wilkinson teams with the leather helmets.
Is that what you're talking about? My God, Billy Vessels.
Billy Vessels, I would not have come up with on
my own. But it's an amazing cast of quarterbacks, Sam Bradford.
Speaker 2: They all have statues in north and it's the only
stadium in the country with a Heisman Park.
Speaker 6: How about So you've got that whole group of Jason White,
Sam Bradford, Baker may feel Kyler Murray that we're all
around the same time.
Speaker 5: Yeah there, that's crazy.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Maybe maybe John Materia's next.
Speaker 6: So well, and I saw I saw something. He's still
out with the injury, right, he.
Speaker 2: Will not play against Kent State, but they're hopeful he
plays against Texas next week.
Speaker 6: All right, So the Texas game is the next coming
out party, uh for him? And so stay tuned. Is
that another Oklahoma? He'd be great, great nostalgic, great trivia
on that anything else, my friend?
Speaker 5: Or are we good?
Speaker 4: Uh?
Speaker 2: Plug away? You have so much going on this weekend.
Speaker 5: Too much, too much.
Speaker 6: So Three Dog Thursday, the podcast and the show, the
video show is out on YouTube.
Speaker 2: Like as an underdog, this one.
Speaker 6: I love Iowa State. I took them on three Dog Thursday.
You and I hand to hand in hand going off
the cliff together with a rock O Beck and the Cyclones.
So the three Dog Thursday show and podcast is out
right now. Wherever you get podcasts, go to the video
Three Dog Thursday, search it up on YouTube. And also
Big twelve Game Day on tune in. The three hour
aud preview show on Big twelve Radio on tune In.
Speaker 5: Tune In is the.
Speaker 6: Exclusive digital home of the Big twelve Audio. We look
forward to everything every week with previewing the games from
nine am to noon Eastern eight to eleven am Central
Time leading up to those early contests. Big twelve Game
Day on tune In, and then I'm part of the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers radio broadcast with our Hall of Fame
voice me and Gene Deckerhoff on the call. I got
to fill in for Gene a couple of weeks ago.
As you know, Gene is back in the saddle here
and we're all going out to the Pacific Northwest for
Bucks and Seahawks at four eastern one Pacific time. In
and around the Mariner's Craziness. I'll report back to you
about how nuts it is for the Seattle Mirrors to
be playing a playoff baseball game while the Seahawks are
also playing in and around the same time.
Speaker 5: Should be nuts. Listen, It's always great to be with you.
Speaker 6: I'm gonna make my way all the way out to
the Pacific Northwest and back. Frequent flyer miles coming up,
my friend.
Speaker 1: Looking forward to it. TJ, thanks for the time. As always,
we'll try not to make it a year since you've
been on the show again. Next time around and I
get down the line.