1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,919 Speaker 1: Check it out college football on the West Coast. This 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,480 is Get Off My Pylon, a look at the PAC 3 00:00:07,599 --> 00:00:11,320 twelve and more, part of the College Gridiron Coast to 4 00:00:11,359 --> 00:00:15,119 Coast podcast Network. Here's your host, that Zimbi. 5 00:00:16,519 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 2: Welcome to the latest edition of Get Off My College 6 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,920 Football Podcast. This is your host, Matt Zemika. This episode 7 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:27,440 brought to you by the College Gridiron Coast to Coast 8 00:00:27,559 --> 00:00:31,719 Podcast Network. Go to Apple and the other places where 9 00:00:31,719 --> 00:00:35,320 you listen to your podcast find all your favorite College 10 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:39,399 Gridiron Coast to Coast college football podcasts. You have Jason 11 00:00:39,439 --> 00:00:42,000 Powers with Florida Football Insiders, you have the guys at 12 00:00:42,039 --> 00:00:45,640 All Sports Discussion talking about the ACC and you have 13 00:00:45,719 --> 00:00:52,399 other regional and conference specific podcast to satisfy every different 14 00:00:52,679 --> 00:00:56,960 college football craving that you might have. So follow the 15 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,000 College Gridiron Coast to Coast Podcast Network on Twitter at 16 00:01:00,119 --> 00:01:05,159 grid Iron Coast something for everyone in the college football family. 17 00:01:05,879 --> 00:01:08,840 So as we look at western college football in the 18 00:01:08,879 --> 00:01:11,879 United States, that's what we do here at Get Off 19 00:01:11,879 --> 00:01:15,719 My Pylon. Lots to talk about, and you know, before 20 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:20,439 getting into specific games, there are some really fascinating situations 21 00:01:21,159 --> 00:01:25,519 at various programs across the country. I've obviously I covered USC, 22 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,799 and you know, it's a broken record. Like what happened 23 00:01:29,799 --> 00:01:33,640 against Maryland was not new. It was USC giving up 24 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:37,280 a go ahead touchdown in the final sixty seconds. That 25 00:01:37,359 --> 00:01:41,760 happened against Michigan, that happened against Minnesota. But obviously Maryland's 26 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,040 not that good. Maryland got blown out fighting with Western 27 00:01:44,079 --> 00:01:47,519 by twenty seven points. And so even against Maryland, USC 28 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:50,319 plays to the competition. Let's a game go down to 29 00:01:50,359 --> 00:01:54,799 the final couple minutes. It's really rather remarkable just that 30 00:01:54,879 --> 00:01:58,680 this keeps happening again and again and again. It's not 31 00:01:58,719 --> 00:02:02,640 surprising in the I that USC is playing to the competition, 32 00:02:03,159 --> 00:02:05,560 but it is surprising that just like the same script 33 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:10,319 is just repeating itself time after time. And there was 34 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,919 a statistic. USC's led in the fourth quarter of all 35 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,680 seven games that is played, and it has a losing record. 36 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:22,000 And over the past twenty seasons of college football, there 37 00:02:22,039 --> 00:02:27,520 have been twenty teams, or the past twenty seasons of 38 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:30,080 college football, there are only two teams that have had 39 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,800 a losing record overall when when leading in the fourth 40 00:02:33,879 --> 00:02:38,080 quarter in seven games. So USC is one of those 41 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,080 two teams. So like that shows you how rare it 42 00:02:42,159 --> 00:02:47,400 is to lead that consistently and yet lose a majority 43 00:02:47,439 --> 00:02:50,000 of your game. So that really puts in perspective what's 44 00:02:50,039 --> 00:02:53,199 going on at USC. It's it's hard to lead in 45 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:59,000 the fourth quarter this consistently and not win. But by 46 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:03,639 goll UFC is pulling it off. So obviously it's not 47 00:03:03,719 --> 00:03:07,319 a mentally tough team. The thing we have to identify 48 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,479 about this game in terms of why USCU lost, and 49 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:12,759 of course there are a million different reasons, mistakes on 50 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,479 both sides of the ball, you know, and of course 51 00:03:17,599 --> 00:03:20,800 having a field goal blocked. Field goal would have given 52 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:23,319 USC a nine point lead late and would have sealed 53 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:28,199 the game. So you know, all three phases came up short. 54 00:03:28,319 --> 00:03:32,360 But Lincoln Riley had fourth and one late in the 55 00:03:32,439 --> 00:03:35,400 game up six, and I know that a field goal 56 00:03:35,439 --> 00:03:38,199 gives you a two possession lead, So this was a 57 00:03:38,199 --> 00:03:43,319 perfectly legitimate, reasonable rationale for kicking the field goal to 58 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,479 go up two scores. But here's the thing. If you're 59 00:03:46,639 --> 00:03:51,680 USC and you're trying to change mindsets, you're trying to 60 00:03:51,759 --> 00:03:54,840 change the culture, you're trying to change a reputation, you're 61 00:03:54,879 --> 00:03:58,159 trying to change an identity. What's the thing that you've 62 00:03:58,159 --> 00:04:02,360 been lacking at USC late game two toughness. So isn't 63 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,080 the right move to try and get one yard and 64 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,840 trust you're struggling inconsistent offensive line to get that one 65 00:04:09,919 --> 00:04:13,719 yard because anyone who follows USC as I do. But like, 66 00:04:13,759 --> 00:04:15,960 it's not just me, Like I'm not the only one 67 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:20,040 saying this. This is a pretty pervasive viewpoint, So don't 68 00:04:20,079 --> 00:04:24,519 give me too much credit here. But the pervasive view 69 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:26,959 is that the offensive line has been holding the program 70 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,519 back and that the offensive line needs to get better 71 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,439 in order for USC football to improve, not just in 72 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,639 twenty twenty four, but in general, that the offensive line 73 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,360 needs to be nasty, It needs to take over games. 74 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,519 It needs to find a new level of toughness and consistency. 75 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,920 You need to build confidence in that offensive line. So 76 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,240 as much as the field goal gives you a nine 77 00:04:49,519 --> 00:04:53,759 point two score lead, if you get that one yard, 78 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,360 not only are you trusting your offensive line, but also 79 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:00,199 if you get that one yard, the defense does have 80 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,720 to take the field again. You're able to run out 81 00:05:02,759 --> 00:05:05,399 the clock, you give the defense the rest of the 82 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:09,240 day off. You don't put the defense on the field again. 83 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,120 You could have just sent a message that hey, I 84 00:05:13,199 --> 00:05:15,439 trust my offensive line to be tough enough to get 85 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:19,399 one yard against Maryland in a big situation, and Lincoln 86 00:05:19,439 --> 00:05:23,279 Riley didn't choose that path, And I think that's alarming. 87 00:05:23,399 --> 00:05:26,879 I think that even though you can do the simple 88 00:05:26,959 --> 00:05:30,839 math and say, hey, nine points two scores, it would 89 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,399 be a forty one yard field goal, which generally should 90 00:05:33,439 --> 00:05:37,120 be made. And of course the field goal unit deserves 91 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,160 to be raked over the coals for not being able 92 00:05:39,199 --> 00:05:42,279 to protect that kick. But it's bigger than the field 93 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:46,000 goal unit. It's not trusting your offensive line at a 94 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,560 moment when you have to be able to trust your 95 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:53,279 offensive line, you have to build confidence in your offensive line. 96 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:58,120 And Lincoln Riley shine away from that. He's coaching scared. 97 00:05:58,639 --> 00:06:03,040 And when you coach scared, that is a good explanation 98 00:06:03,079 --> 00:06:06,720 for why a team is coming up short laid in games. 99 00:06:07,079 --> 00:06:11,000 You know, it all comes together. And this offensive line, 100 00:06:11,079 --> 00:06:14,040 you know it had the ball, usc had the ball 101 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:17,040 five minutes left against Michigan, couldn't run out the clock, 102 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,279 couldn't even get one first down, had a chance to 103 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:24,160 you know, pound home to win against Minnesota up seventeen 104 00:06:24,199 --> 00:06:29,680 to ten, couldn't finish tied at seventeen with the ball 105 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:34,040 against Minnesota, couldn't take the lead, tied with Penn State 106 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:37,879 at the end of regulation, and in overtime, couldn't score 107 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,439 on either of those two possessions. There's a there are 108 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:45,120 moments in games when the USC offense. USC offensive line 109 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,680 played well, but in each of the high leverage possessions, 110 00:06:49,079 --> 00:06:53,519 in each of the high leverage moments against Michigan, against Minnesota, 111 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:58,120 against Maryland, the offensive line has faltered. You know, so 112 00:06:58,319 --> 00:07:02,759 like easy play well for portions of the second quarter, 113 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,199 for portions of the third quarter when game pressure is 114 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:10,920 not especially intense, but in the fourth, in fourth quarters 115 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:15,079 and overtimes, when the game's on the line, that offensive 116 00:07:15,079 --> 00:07:17,759 line has faltered. And so what does that tell you? 117 00:07:17,839 --> 00:07:21,800 What does that tell you about the mentality that USC 118 00:07:22,079 --> 00:07:26,040 has in the mentality that the Trojans are failing to acquire. 119 00:07:26,319 --> 00:07:29,319 You know, it's it's a bigger story here, not just 120 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,519 about Lincoln Riley failing to recruit on the offensive line, 121 00:07:33,199 --> 00:07:36,240 failing to get the portal reinforcements on the offensive line, 122 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,839 but then not trusting his offensive line. Like if you 123 00:07:39,879 --> 00:07:43,959 don't trust your position group, if you can't if you're 124 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,560 not coaching these guys to be tougher in the big 125 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:52,839 moments like how is that How is that unit going 126 00:07:52,879 --> 00:07:55,839 to change in a meaningful and positive way. So hopefully 127 00:07:55,879 --> 00:08:01,199 that's more perspective on what's happening at USC the other 128 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,360 crisis program in the West, at least one that's worth 129 00:08:04,399 --> 00:08:09,399 focusing on is UTAH firing Andy Ludwig or Andy Ludwigs, 130 00:08:09,399 --> 00:08:13,639 you know, stepping away from his spot as offensive coordinator. 131 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,879 And let's remember this about Ludwig. First off, he took 132 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:20,000 Cam Rising and the Youths to a couple of PAC 133 00:08:20,079 --> 00:08:22,720 twelve titles at Rose Bulls, did a really good job. 134 00:08:23,079 --> 00:08:26,360 You know, he and he had struggled earlier in his tenure, 135 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:32,039 but you know, he really found a groove with Cam 136 00:08:32,159 --> 00:08:36,039 Rising in twenty twenty one, in twenty twenty two, but 137 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,159 now the air is out of the balloon and he 138 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,960 just his tenure at UTAH ran out of steam. Let's 139 00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:46,600 keep in mind it. You know, Notre Dame was not 140 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,639 willing to pay top dollar to bring in Andy Ludwig 141 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,399 his offensive coordinator and the Fight and Irish really struggled 142 00:08:52,399 --> 00:08:56,759 on offense last year and a lot of people chalk 143 00:08:56,879 --> 00:08:59,559 that up to Notre Dame being Penny Pinchers and not 144 00:09:00,279 --> 00:09:03,600 being willing to hire Andy Ludwig, and now here we are, 145 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:08,360 Lovewig is done as a Utah offensive coordinator. So that 146 00:09:08,519 --> 00:09:11,200 is a startling development and it just speaks to how 147 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:16,480 without Cam Rising healthy, this coaching staff did not have 148 00:09:16,519 --> 00:09:20,519 a plan for Isaac Wilson. And it's interesting that, you know, 149 00:09:20,639 --> 00:09:29,039 before Cam Rising became the guy, and before before Utah 150 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:33,759 was able to put the pieces together in twenty twenty 151 00:09:33,799 --> 00:09:37,720 one and twenty twenty two, winning the Pac twelve, finally 152 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,600 getting to the Rose Bowl. You know, in the late 153 00:09:40,639 --> 00:09:45,759 twenty teens, the late twenty tens, twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen, 154 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:48,799 you saw Utah falling short in big games because it 155 00:09:48,799 --> 00:09:51,440 didn't have the quarterback, you know, losing ten to three 156 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:55,919 to Washington in that ugly twenty eighteen Pac twelve Championship 157 00:09:55,919 --> 00:10:00,759 game and then also losing to Oregon as in nineteen. 158 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:06,080 Utah just did not have the quarterback that it needed 159 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:08,679 to get over the hump. And you know, Cam Rising 160 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:13,080 became that guy. But with cam Rising being injured, Utah 161 00:10:13,159 --> 00:10:16,840 did not have a plan B. And it does show that, 162 00:10:19,399 --> 00:10:22,240 you know, obviously, in Utah's case, it was banking on 163 00:10:22,279 --> 00:10:25,360 Cam Rising being the guy, so you know, to a 164 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:28,440 certain extent, you can't fault the coaching staff too much. 165 00:10:28,519 --> 00:10:34,320 But knowing Cam Rising's injury problems, you know, they they 166 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,480 could have showed a little more urgency in terms of 167 00:10:36,519 --> 00:10:39,960 having the right backup and having a guy who was 168 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:43,559 who could have been ready to play. Ready to insert 169 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:46,960 the fact that Utah went all in on Cam Rising 170 00:10:48,039 --> 00:10:51,399 to the extent that it didn't have a robust plan B. 171 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:57,159 You know, like in twenty twenty three, I can I 172 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,120 can say, hey, you know, like can't You're coming off 173 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:03,320 a Rose Bowl season and you're thinking that Cam Rising's 174 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:08,440 the guy and he gets hurt. You know, that's understandable. 175 00:11:08,759 --> 00:11:11,159 But for it to happen two years in a row, 176 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,840 you know, I think you get a little less leniency. 177 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,480 You know, if we're if we're evaluating Utah and the 178 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:22,039 staff this year because you went through this last year, 179 00:11:22,519 --> 00:11:26,840 should have had more of a reinforcement this year. And 180 00:11:26,919 --> 00:11:31,399 so it's kind of a history repeating itself for Kyle Winningham, 181 00:11:31,799 --> 00:11:34,279 not having the quarterback needed, not having the depth in 182 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:38,559 the quarterback room to be able to, you know, compete 183 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:42,080 at an elite level. Utah scoring just seven points in 184 00:11:42,159 --> 00:11:45,639 a home field loss at night to TCU. I mean, 185 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:49,120 TCU is not that good. TCU allowed sixty six points 186 00:11:49,159 --> 00:11:53,639 to SMU. TCU blew a twenty one point lead at 187 00:11:53,639 --> 00:11:57,639 home tooin not very good UCF team. And Utah is 188 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:01,279 able to score just seven points, like the bottom should 189 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,279 not fall out like that, and you can tell that 190 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,120 morale around the program is low. And you know, so Utah, 191 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:11,080 which entered the season is the Big Twelve favorite. Obviously 192 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:15,639 that was contingent upon came raising being healthy. But nevertheless, 193 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,600 the extent to which Utah has fallen, it's a real stunter. 194 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,279 So like Utah and USC both in the same boat 195 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:26,240 in terms of entering the year with you know, high 196 00:12:26,279 --> 00:12:30,919 expectations and a lot of optimism, and like both seasons 197 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:35,600 are shipwrecked midway through October. Definitely not what people were 198 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:40,480 expecting from those two programs. One program we haven't talked 199 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:42,799 a lot about, and this is Western college football, but 200 00:12:43,399 --> 00:12:46,559 you know, we focused on the Pac twelve exiles, the 201 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:48,799 Pac twelve refugees if you want to call them that. 202 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,120 You know, the Arizona schools, Colorado, Utah and the Big Twelve, 203 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:57,600 and of course USC, UCLA Washington and Oregon in the 204 00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:59,600 Big Ten. But if the school we haven't focused on 205 00:12:59,639 --> 00:13:01,960 too much, which is BYU E Yu is definitely a 206 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:06,000 Western college football program. Cougar's are unbeaten and they are 207 00:13:06,039 --> 00:13:07,879 definitely in the mix to play in the Big twelve 208 00:13:07,919 --> 00:13:11,559 championship game and make the College Football Playoff. Kilonie Sataki 209 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:16,000 doing a remarkable job in Provo. And you know, while 210 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:19,759 you can say, you can say that you know the 211 00:13:19,799 --> 00:13:22,879 Big twelve is weak and it's unstable. You don't have 212 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:26,200 Texas there anymore. That's obviously been a factor. But you know, 213 00:13:26,279 --> 00:13:28,960 let's even if Texas was still in the Big twelve, 214 00:13:29,799 --> 00:13:31,679 all right, that would be one spot in the Big 215 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,279 twelve teamship game, but there would have needed to be 216 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,039 a second one and b YU would still be in 217 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,600 line to play for that second spot. Now be I 218 00:13:39,639 --> 00:13:43,600 mean BYU and Iowa State who had that on a 219 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:47,919 Big twelve bingo card before the season began. You know, 220 00:13:48,039 --> 00:13:50,559 being unbeaten, it speaks for itself. Now you can you 221 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:54,080 can make comments about the quality of competition, and you 222 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:58,679 know that's one debate that we can have, but you know, 223 00:13:58,799 --> 00:14:01,639 you win every game. You should never have to apologize 224 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:05,000 for winning every game in college football. You know, it 225 00:14:05,159 --> 00:14:08,080 is hard to win in this sport every week, and 226 00:14:08,159 --> 00:14:10,840 BYU is finding ways to do it. And sometimes it's 227 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:15,399 with defense, other times it's with offense. You know, BYU 228 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,440 against Kansas State, the defense was able to turn Kansas 229 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:23,360 State over, you know, get some takeaways. Against Oklahoma State, 230 00:14:23,399 --> 00:14:26,519 the defense wasn't working that great, but the offense was 231 00:14:26,559 --> 00:14:29,320 able to zoom down the field, score a touchdown with 232 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:33,440 eleven seconds left, come from behind, beat Oklahoma State. So 233 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,240 it's not just that BYU is finding ways to win, 234 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:40,600 it's winning in different styles in different ways. That is 235 00:14:40,639 --> 00:14:45,679 a football team which is resourceful and doesn't panic when 236 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:50,120 things go south, kind of the opposite of the USC 237 00:14:50,279 --> 00:14:53,519 team that I've been covering this season. So credit to 238 00:14:53,559 --> 00:14:56,759 the Cougars. You know, they're not a dominant team, but 239 00:14:56,919 --> 00:14:59,519 they're winning every week. Kind of like Miami as well. 240 00:14:59,559 --> 00:15:03,480 I mean, we don't focus on Miami, but really don't 241 00:15:03,519 --> 00:15:07,600 apologize for winning every game you play. If you're scrambling 242 00:15:07,639 --> 00:15:13,320 from behind, or you're winning shootouts, or if games are 243 00:15:13,399 --> 00:15:17,200 you know, choppy on uneven, if you're winning them instead 244 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:19,919 of losing them, you know, that's all you can really 245 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:24,240 do for that given week, and the competition might not 246 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:28,120 be incredible, But you know, this is a new and 247 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:32,600 unstable world we have in college football. There's more parody. 248 00:15:32,679 --> 00:15:36,879 You know that the portal has actually democratized the sport 249 00:15:37,039 --> 00:15:41,879 as opposed to creating what some people felt were concerned about. 250 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:46,639 You know, it was gonna entrench the upper class at 251 00:15:46,679 --> 00:15:50,240 the top, just everybody was gonna flood to a few 252 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,799 programs and they would lord themselves over the rest of 253 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:57,120 college football. No, it hasn't happened that way. Other programs 254 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:01,240 have been able to reignite themselves. They've been able to 255 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,559 find a fresh spark by going to the portal. I mean, 256 00:16:04,559 --> 00:16:06,720 you look at what why Miami has done with cam 257 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:12,080 Ward Heisman Trophy front runner along with Ashton Genty. You know, 258 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,039 Miami was bad the past couple of years, but you 259 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,600 get the right quarterback of the portal and you have 260 00:16:18,679 --> 00:16:22,120 a whole new life. Uh. It's very similar for you 261 00:16:22,159 --> 00:16:27,080 know what BYU was doing and and also what Iowa 262 00:16:27,159 --> 00:16:29,399 State is doing in the Big Twelve. You know, they 263 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:34,600 have been able to reconfigure their rosters in ways that 264 00:16:34,639 --> 00:16:38,759 makes sense for them and other teams in their conferences. 265 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:41,440 Haven't been able to find those solutions. 266 00:16:42,159 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: Uh. 267 00:16:42,399 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 2: And like you know, so with Utah crumbling, with Arizona struggling, 268 00:16:46,159 --> 00:16:48,240 Arizona got blasted by Colorado. 269 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 1: Uh. 270 00:16:49,799 --> 00:16:52,519 Speaker 2: You know, with with all of the instability in the 271 00:16:52,519 --> 00:16:56,320 Big twelve b, YU has taken advantage of it. And 272 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,639 you know you can you can kind of dismiss or 273 00:16:59,639 --> 00:17:04,119 a minute what the Cougars are doing. But you know, 274 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,920 in a world where everything is tenuous and unstable, well 275 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:13,440 BYU is stepping into that vacuum, that power vacuum, and 276 00:17:13,599 --> 00:17:16,759 is making the most of its opportunity to this point. 277 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:19,839 So you can only credit the Cougars for doing what 278 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,599 is within their control, winning each game they play against 279 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:27,880 the given opponent during a given week. You know, some 280 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:31,440 people will argue about the style points to me, you know, 281 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:35,200 going twelve and oh thirteen and oh, it's one of 282 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,559 the hardest things to do in sports. That's why Florida 283 00:17:37,599 --> 00:17:43,480 State was so fully and deeply wronged by the selection 284 00:17:43,559 --> 00:17:48,279 committee last year. You know, you might have your flaws 285 00:17:48,279 --> 00:17:50,599 and your falls, but if you're winning every game you play, 286 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:53,799 there's only so much criticism that should go around. Save 287 00:17:53,839 --> 00:17:57,440 the criticism for the teams that aren't finishing games that 288 00:17:57,559 --> 00:18:00,880 aren't living up to expectations. There's nothing bad to say 289 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:06,680 about BYU because BYU keeps finding a way. I mentioned 290 00:18:06,759 --> 00:18:10,920 briefly Arizona struggling. Arizona's offensive line is a disaster, and 291 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:14,759 that's really why the Wildcats are falling short. And if 292 00:18:14,759 --> 00:18:17,880 we're going to criticize Arizona's offensive line for falling short 293 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:20,680 and what was a pancake flat performance at home, we 294 00:18:20,759 --> 00:18:23,559 also have to give credit to Coloradle's defensive line. How 295 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:26,759 many people thought Colorado's defensive line could control a game 296 00:18:27,279 --> 00:18:30,160 on the road the way it did against former Pac 297 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:35,039 twelve neighbor now Big twelve neighbor Arizona. So Deon Sanders 298 00:18:35,079 --> 00:18:39,160 has his team playing tough, physical football, something we didn't 299 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:42,319 think that team was capable of, or at least when 300 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:44,799 I say we had, you know, most college football pundits 301 00:18:44,839 --> 00:18:48,799 and I include myself in that group. Colorado definitely exceeding 302 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:54,039 expectations and also taking advantage of the Big twelve. So 303 00:18:54,079 --> 00:18:57,359 you have to tip the cap to Dion to coach Prime, 304 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:02,160 Colorado definitely raising the bar. All while Arizona has a 305 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:06,319 brutally disappointing first year under Brent Brennan. But but Brent 306 00:19:06,319 --> 00:19:08,160 Brennan's a good coach. He did a great job at 307 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,319 San Jose State. You gotta think he is going to 308 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:16,640 find some portal and recruiting solutions for his offensive lines 309 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:20,279 that he's not going to get caught shorthanded next season. 310 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:24,119 But nevertheless, a bitter disappointment for Arizona and on the 311 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:27,519 other side of it, Colorado closing in on a bull 312 00:19:27,519 --> 00:19:31,720 bit which would undeniably make this a successful season for 313 00:19:31,799 --> 00:19:38,519 the Buffs in Boulder. Other stories from western college football 314 00:19:38,519 --> 00:19:40,359 the United States. We also have to talk about CAL 315 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:44,039 and you know, not a this is not a long 316 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:48,799 story because you know, having talked about USC and its 317 00:19:48,839 --> 00:19:51,680 failure to close out games late, well that's what that's 318 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:54,799 the same story with Cal. Like it's not an elaborate, 319 00:19:55,839 --> 00:19:59,599 confusing story. It's just wow, this team just gets right 320 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,799 to the door step of victory and then steps on 321 00:20:01,839 --> 00:20:05,119 a rake, just like USC. So CAL, the team which 322 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:08,039 blew a thirty five to ten lead to Miami at 323 00:20:08,079 --> 00:20:12,640 home earlier in the season, now blew another multi score 324 00:20:12,799 --> 00:20:15,759 lead against North Carolina State and then you know, fell 325 00:20:15,799 --> 00:20:18,400 behind twenty four to twenty three, but had the ball 326 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:22,200 in the red zone late, misses a twenty eight yard 327 00:20:22,319 --> 00:20:26,640 chip shot field goal and falls twenty four to twenty 328 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:30,680 three to North Carolina State at home. And so you know, 329 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:38,119 justin Wilcox, he has this team competing well, playing tough football. 330 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:42,799 COW has been the better team in for a majority 331 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:46,880 of the games that it has played, and it has 332 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:50,359 been the better team for a majority of the sixty 333 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,279 minutes in the various games it has played. So let 334 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,880 me let me just step back and unpack that again, 335 00:20:56,319 --> 00:20:59,240 most of the games Cow's played, Cow's been the better 336 00:20:59,279 --> 00:21:03,880 team most of the time the allotted sixty minute time 337 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,920 within Cal's games. CAL has been better for a majority 338 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:10,960 of those sixty minute segments. But as is the case 339 00:21:11,079 --> 00:21:13,839 with USC, you don't get a medal. You don't get 340 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:17,400 a prize for winning most of the sixty minutes. You 341 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:20,640 don't get a prize for being the better team in 342 00:21:20,759 --> 00:21:24,079 most of the games you play. If you're the better team, 343 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:27,839 you have to actually finish the job. So being the 344 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:32,240 better team for forty five minutes that doesn't guarantee you win. 345 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:35,440 If the other fifteen minutes are a disaster and you 346 00:21:35,559 --> 00:21:40,319 make very untimely mistakes. That is the life that Cal 347 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:45,039 is living and has been living in twenty twenty four. 348 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:50,680 So that is the reality with Justin Wilcox. And this 349 00:21:50,759 --> 00:21:55,400 has happened before. We've seen his Cal teams blow games 350 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:58,519 in past years that they should have won and lose 351 00:21:58,559 --> 00:22:01,519 games that they absolutely you should have won. So this 352 00:22:01,559 --> 00:22:04,400 is a recurring problem for Justin Wilcox. But like his 353 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,640 teams are prepared at the beginning of games, but they're 354 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:11,640 not finishing in the fourth quarter. It's it's hell for 355 00:22:11,759 --> 00:22:15,480 any football coach. But that is what Justin Wilcox is 356 00:22:15,519 --> 00:22:19,559 going through right now in Berkeley and just across the 357 00:22:19,559 --> 00:22:22,400 way in the San Francisco Bay, Stanford just gets hammered 358 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:25,920 by SMU And it's been a brutal season for Troy 359 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:29,160 Taylor and the Cardinal You know, they had a very 360 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:33,640 highly rated recruiting class coming in. Now, obviously they're freshmen 361 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,799 in twenty twenty four, and so the thought process was, Okay, 362 00:22:37,839 --> 00:22:40,200 Stanford's gonna struggle in the first half of the season, 363 00:22:40,599 --> 00:22:43,359 but as those freshmen get more reps, they're gonna get 364 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:45,920 better in the second half. Well, we're not seeing it. 365 00:22:46,079 --> 00:22:49,000 It's gonna be really interesting to see if Troy Taylor 366 00:22:49,079 --> 00:22:52,680 can get that team to play noticeably better in November. 367 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:57,279 But we're not seeing that team go through that positive 368 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:00,519 learning curve that we were thinking, you know, would happen 369 00:23:01,039 --> 00:23:04,960 before the season began, that highly rated recruiting class that 370 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:09,000 that came in this year, we're not seeing the manifestations 371 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:14,480 of real growth and real upside for Stanford, just non competitive, 372 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:19,319 non competitive against SMU, and that has to be a 373 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:25,759 real concern on the farm in Palo Alto. All right, now, 374 00:23:25,839 --> 00:23:28,839 we saved the best for last here on, get off 375 00:23:28,839 --> 00:23:31,680 my pile on and our look at western college football 376 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,680 in the United States this week Friday in Vegas, Boise 377 00:23:35,839 --> 00:23:39,599 State UNOV the big showdown in the Mountain West with 378 00:23:39,839 --> 00:23:44,160 huge group of five implications college football playoff implications. This 379 00:23:44,279 --> 00:23:47,039 is the big one. And so you have Ashton gent 380 00:23:47,319 --> 00:23:51,000 Heisman Trophy front runner. I mentioned cam Ward is the 381 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:54,599 front runner. I think you know Genty and Ward are 382 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:57,960 the two top guys in the Heisman race that they 383 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:01,759 are jockeying for position right now. It's the two of 384 00:24:01,799 --> 00:24:06,240 them and then it's everyone else. And so you know, 385 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:09,359 so the Heisman is you know, one of the storylines 386 00:24:10,079 --> 00:24:13,000 in this game. But you know the main storyline is 387 00:24:13,039 --> 00:24:16,480 the group of five championship and a college football playoff. 388 00:24:16,519 --> 00:24:20,359 Berth very much a part of the story as Boise 389 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:24,599 State goes to Vegas to play UNOV again a Friday game, 390 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:28,400 and so that's really our starting point. It's a short 391 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:32,200 week for UNLV. UNLV played a Saturday night game in 392 00:24:32,319 --> 00:24:36,359 Corvallis at Oregon State, and really the way that game 393 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:40,799 played out, it did feel, certainly in the first half 394 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:44,480 when UNOV fell behind, that the Rebels were thinking ahead 395 00:24:44,599 --> 00:24:47,599 a week and they were able to focus back in 396 00:24:49,279 --> 00:24:51,319 deal with the opponent in front of them. They were 397 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:54,839 able to handle Oregon State in the second half. But now, 398 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,720 after playing that late game on Saturday, UNLV has to 399 00:24:58,759 --> 00:25:04,039 turn around and face a short week of preparation playing 400 00:25:04,079 --> 00:25:07,480 Boise State on a Friday. And meanwhile, Boise State at 401 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,359 this past weekend off, So that is a huge advantage 402 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,279 for Boise State. It's not just having a week off, 403 00:25:14,559 --> 00:25:18,559 but UNLV is on a short week, so Boise State's 404 00:25:18,599 --> 00:25:21,640 gonna have maximum rest and UNLV is gonna have less 405 00:25:22,279 --> 00:25:27,319 than normal rest. So this is a massive rest advantage 406 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:31,480 and it's gonna be really interesting to see, you know, 407 00:25:31,559 --> 00:25:37,319 if this game is roughly even at halftime, early third quarter. 408 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:42,200 Will UNLV have the staying power in the second half, 409 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,759 or will Boise State be able to wear down the Rebels. 410 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:50,119 I think if you're looking at this game from a 411 00:25:50,319 --> 00:25:53,680 un L v dvantage point, you're thinking, we have to 412 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:55,680 get off to a fast start. We have to get 413 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:58,880 the lead. We have to put Boise State on its heels, 414 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,920 because if we don't and this game is basically tied, 415 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:06,559 it's basically even at the halftime. Midway through the third quarter, 416 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:12,079 Boise State's offensive line probably could lean on UNLV's defensive 417 00:26:12,079 --> 00:26:16,240 line and then just feed Ashton Gent the rock and 418 00:26:16,279 --> 00:26:19,839 Boise State can not only score, but also take time 419 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:23,279 off the clock, keep the ball, keep UNLV's high powered 420 00:26:23,279 --> 00:26:27,960 offense off the field. I mean, UNLV has to win 421 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:33,559 the first quarter and and very probably has to win 422 00:26:33,599 --> 00:26:37,000 the first half by at least a touchdown, at least 423 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,200 a touchdown. If un LV is up three or four 424 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:43,200 at halftime, probably not gonna be enough. But if ullv's 425 00:26:43,279 --> 00:26:47,200 up seven and show some really good things in the 426 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:49,640 first half, then you go. You go into middle of 427 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,920 the third quarter and UNLV can probably get this game, 428 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,119 you know, into the final few minutes with a chance 429 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:00,559 to win one way or another. If you and LV 430 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:03,440 can be up ten or fourteen even better, you know, 431 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:08,119 and if you UNLV can be up ten points fourteen 432 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:12,559 points late third quarter, then Boise State might have to 433 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,359 pass a little bit more than it would want to 434 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,640 and Ashton Gent might not have the foothold in this 435 00:27:18,759 --> 00:27:24,279 game that the Broncos would want. So that really informs 436 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:28,519 my view of Boise State versus UNLV. I definitely give 437 00:27:28,559 --> 00:27:31,920 the advantage to Boise State. But let's keep in mind 438 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:34,880 U and LV lost to Matthew Sluca. You know, the 439 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:38,920 quarterback who you know went into the portal and claimed 440 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:42,119 that the nil package that he was promised or at 441 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,839 least felt he deserved, was not being delivered by UNLV. 442 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:46,720 You know, if he had got off to the great 443 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:49,880 start with Sluca and then when he left, it was 444 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:52,200 easy to think, well, this program is going to collapse, 445 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:54,759 and that has not happened. U and LV has been good, 446 00:27:54,839 --> 00:27:58,480 not great, but it's been good. And in fact, you know, 447 00:27:58,519 --> 00:28:02,279 the offense has been fine. You and you lost to Syracuse. 448 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:05,039 That was not the offense's fault. That game was a shootout. 449 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:09,480 It was the defense that just gave up too many scores. 450 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:12,319 In French time to Syracuse. But like you know, these 451 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:19,680 offenses continued to be good after sluca's departure, so you know, 452 00:28:19,839 --> 00:28:22,839 don't don't underestimate the rebels. Barry Odom has done an 453 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:27,000 amazing job there with that program, and you know, right 454 00:28:27,079 --> 00:28:29,880 off UNLV at your peril. But I will say, like 455 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:33,720 this is Boise State's game to win. I need the setup, 456 00:28:33,759 --> 00:28:38,839 the alignment, the schedule, the rest. Like this is boys 457 00:28:38,839 --> 00:28:41,240 should be Boise State's moment and we'll see if the 458 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,960 Broncos can take advantage of the situation in front of 459 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:50,799 them this Friday in Vegas. So that's you know, our 460 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,799 our focus for this week on get off my Pilot. 461 00:28:53,839 --> 00:28:56,039 And of course we want to include a word from 462 00:28:56,039 --> 00:29:00,680 our sponsors at ticket smarter. The season is now, it's midpoint, 463 00:29:00,799 --> 00:29:03,400 and you're looking for the best seats at the most 464 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:07,160 competitive prices. So go to ticket smarter and the mobile app. 465 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:13,440 Buying college football tickets online requires trust. 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You can find 496 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:01,039 the tweets and the links to the very US college 497 00:31:01,079 --> 00:31:06,920 Gridiron college football podcast episodes on Twitter at Gridiron Coast. 498 00:31:07,319 --> 00:31:09,440 So that's all for this week. I get off my pileline. 499 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:11,599 I'm met Zemik. Thank you very much for listening.