1 00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: Check it out. College football on the West Coast. This 2 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:08,039 is Get Off My Pilon, a look at the PAC 3 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,839 twelve and more, part of the College Gridiron Coast to 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:17,039 Coast podcast network. Here's your host, Matt zemon Welcil the 5 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,359 latest edition of Get Off My Pilon College football podcast. 6 00:00:20,399 --> 00:00:22,839 This is your host, Matt Zemak Get Off My Pilon, 7 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,640 part of the College Grade Ron Coast to Coast podcast network. 8 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,280 Go to Twitter, Gridiron Coast to get all the shows. 9 00:00:30,399 --> 00:00:34,320 Also go to Apple, Spotify, Speaker, and wherever else you 10 00:00:34,439 --> 00:00:37,759 listen to your podcast to get all your favorite college 11 00:00:37,759 --> 00:00:41,159 Grade Aroon Coast to Coast shows. Yards and Stripes on 12 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:43,399 the service Academies and we just had a Commander in 13 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:46,960 Chiefs Trophy game with Army beating Air Force to get 14 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,119 the latest on the academies. At Yards and Stripes. There's 15 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:54,320 also Pigskin and Burnt Ends. There's All Sports Discussion covering 16 00:00:54,399 --> 00:00:59,000 the wild and wacky acc what a cluttered race that is? 17 00:00:59,039 --> 00:01:02,479 After Miami Lose is to smu so the All Sports 18 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:07,560 Discussion podcast. As you covered there, Florida Football Insiders, Jason Powers, 19 00:01:08,159 --> 00:01:12,319 you know, the Florida coaching search, the drama at Florida State, 20 00:01:12,439 --> 00:01:18,079 Miami tumbling under Marrio crystobaal South Florida in that very 21 00:01:18,079 --> 00:01:23,079 complicated American Conference race. Plenty for Jason Powers to talk 22 00:01:23,079 --> 00:01:28,680 about at Florida Football Insiders Noah Drury with Big Ten paradigm, 23 00:01:28,799 --> 00:01:31,519 so covering basically the Midwestern teams of the Big Ten 24 00:01:31,879 --> 00:01:34,439 along with the West Coast teams. But obviously it get 25 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,319 off my pilot. We focus on those West Coast Big 26 00:01:37,359 --> 00:01:41,519 Ten teams. So lots of different shows to consider at 27 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,799 college greadown coast to coast, check all of them on 28 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:49,519 social media and at Apple, Spotify and Speaker. So get 29 00:01:49,519 --> 00:01:53,400 off my pilon covering western college football in the United States. 30 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,719 And at the top of the show, just want to mention, Hey, 31 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:00,159 I was looking ahead to BYU Texas Tech. You KNOWEGE 32 00:02:00,159 --> 00:02:02,760 football teams look ahead. Well I got caught looking ahead 33 00:02:02,799 --> 00:02:05,920 because Texas Tech had a game against Kansas State. My bad. 34 00:02:06,079 --> 00:02:09,960 Will strive to do better not get our schedules incorrect 35 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,719 for the coming weekend. So more on that BYU Texas 36 00:02:13,719 --> 00:02:16,039 Tech game coming up, But just off the top, mind 37 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,960 to own my mistake, make it transparent. That's what you 38 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,120 have to do when you make a mistake in this business. 39 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,680 So now we continue with our review of the past 40 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:31,319 weekend of week ten, first Saturday of November, and then 41 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,159 we'll get into a few previews for the coming weekend 42 00:02:34,759 --> 00:02:39,800 week eleven, November eight. So let's start out in the 43 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,199 Mountain West. Some interesting developments. You know, it's a conference 44 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,639 that is almost surely not going to have the Group 45 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:48,680 of five champion. But if there is going to be 46 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:51,840 a Group of five contender, it's San Diego State. San 47 00:02:51,879 --> 00:02:55,919 Diego State thumps Wyoming and the Aztecs are really making 48 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:01,800 the charge in the Mountain West. And one interesting insight 49 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,120 I saw over the weekend a really smart UCLA analyst, 50 00:03:05,199 --> 00:03:09,520 Mark Schipper, who writes for Fifth Down College Football his 51 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,159 own site, he said, you know what, UCLA should give 52 00:03:13,159 --> 00:03:16,520 a look at Sean Lewis. Really good take. That's a 53 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:19,919 really good insight because Sean Lewis has turned around San 54 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,400 Diego State. He did good work at Kent State, worked 55 00:03:23,439 --> 00:03:26,439 on Dion Sanders' staff. Dion didn't have a lot of 56 00:03:26,479 --> 00:03:29,479 patience for him, and hey, look at Colorado. We'll get 57 00:03:29,479 --> 00:03:33,039 to the buffs in a minute, but Colorado is suffering 58 00:03:33,599 --> 00:03:37,039 with Sean Lewis no longer there Sean Lewis like, this 59 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:39,759 guy seems to get it. This guy seems to understand 60 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,000 how to rebuild, renew a program San Diego State had 61 00:03:44,039 --> 00:03:47,240 fallen on hard times. Sewn Lewis goes through a difficult 62 00:03:47,319 --> 00:03:50,039 year one, but he learns the lesson. In year two 63 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,919 has the Aztecs contending for the Mountain Best title, also 64 00:03:54,039 --> 00:03:57,280 the Group of Five title. San Diego State becoming the 65 00:03:57,319 --> 00:04:00,599 emergent team in the Mountain West, and that is partly 66 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,240 the product of Boise State's not that good. Boise State 67 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,680 gets trampled at home thirty to seven by Fresno State, 68 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,479 one of the worst home field performances on the blue 69 00:04:10,479 --> 00:04:14,680 turf that I've ever seen that I can really remember. 70 00:04:15,159 --> 00:04:20,319 Hard to imagine Poise State bottoming out in one game 71 00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:24,079 more than it did against Presno State. Boise State was 72 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,360 a very heavy favorite, was minus one thousand on the 73 00:04:27,399 --> 00:04:30,920 money line going into that game, so you know, double 74 00:04:30,959 --> 00:04:36,240 digit favorite and Poise State absolutely face plants. And so 75 00:04:36,439 --> 00:04:40,000 Spencer Danielson the coach one year after Ashton gent leaves, 76 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:45,199 it has crumbled, the house has fallen down in Boise. 77 00:04:46,079 --> 00:04:49,040 Fresno State in first year head coach Matt enz get 78 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,079 a really important pick me up type win. It's been 79 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,319 a bumpy ride for Ents in his first year after 80 00:04:55,519 --> 00:04:58,879 serving on Lincoln Riley's staff at USC, but this is 81 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:03,680 a forward move development, certainly for Fresno State. Definitely something 82 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,240 for matt ends to build on as he tries to 83 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:10,959 establish himself at Fresno State and the other big Mountain 84 00:05:10,959 --> 00:05:14,839 West development. Jason Eck the head coach at New Mexico. 85 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,560 His Lobos are Bowl eligible with a few weeks left 86 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:23,199 in the season, so Jason Eck definitely overachieving in Albuquerque, 87 00:05:23,639 --> 00:05:27,959 and New Mexico beats a UNLV team, which you know, 88 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:32,560 this Dan Mullen team. It's a lot like Florida in that, 89 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:37,000 you know, lots of offense but terrible defense. UNLV's defense 90 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,800 has just been not been able to hold up over 91 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,399 the course of the season. You know, allowed forty eight 92 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:46,040 to Air Force. You know, managed to win the game 93 00:05:46,079 --> 00:05:50,240 because you UNLV scored fifty one. But then UNLV gets 94 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,519 absolutely shredded by Boise State. So that same Boise State 95 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:57,279 teams that scored only seven against Fresno State was able 96 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:00,839 to score fifty nine against UNLV. That you something about 97 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:05,240 how resilient you and l v's defenses, which is to say, 98 00:06:05,759 --> 00:06:10,399 not at all, not one bit. So New Mexico rising 99 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:15,759 along with San Diego State and Boise State and UNLV 100 00:06:15,959 --> 00:06:19,000 who figured to be the main contenders for the Mountain West, 101 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,800 they are both going in the wrong direction. So noteworthy 102 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,079 events in the Mountain West, with San Diego State being 103 00:06:25,079 --> 00:06:29,079 the one team capable of overcoming all of those teams 104 00:06:29,079 --> 00:06:32,920 cluttered at the top of the American Conference for the 105 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:37,279 Group of Five championship. The College Football Playoff birth all right, 106 00:06:37,399 --> 00:06:40,800 the ACC. Stanford takes it on the chin against Pitt. 107 00:06:41,199 --> 00:06:43,639 Pitt one of the many teams in contention for the 108 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:48,199 ACC championship. So Pitt beat Stanford thirty five to twenty. 109 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,439 You know, a solid, no drama win for pat Nardozi 110 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,199 and Pitt was Pitt was struggling earder in the season. 111 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:59,160 Pitt had problems maintaining leads. In September early October, Pitt 112 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,319 has straightened things out out. Stanford could not measure up 113 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:04,839 Pick clearly the better team that was one way traffic 114 00:07:05,399 --> 00:07:10,279 in Palo Alto and over in Berkeley, cal hosted Virginia 115 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:12,920 and it was a close game. And this was one 116 00:07:12,959 --> 00:07:16,399 of the bad beats. You know that Scott van Pelton 117 00:07:16,439 --> 00:07:20,959 Stanford Steve loved to talk about on ESPN. CAL was 118 00:07:21,079 --> 00:07:25,160 covering the four and a half until a last minute 119 00:07:25,279 --> 00:07:30,360 pick six. Cal was inside its own twenty throws a pick, 120 00:07:30,879 --> 00:07:33,519 Virginia returns it all the way wins by ten. So 121 00:07:33,639 --> 00:07:37,240 Virginia still at the top of the ACC standings. In 122 00:07:37,319 --> 00:07:41,920 Georgia Tech losing Cal just you know, not quite good enough. 123 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,399 Cal losing to Virginia Tech in overtime. Now losing to 124 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,399 Virginia in a close game, and the Golden Bears they 125 00:07:48,399 --> 00:07:50,800 do need to get one more win for Bowl eligibility. 126 00:07:50,959 --> 00:07:54,959 Now the game against Stanford. They play Louisville this week. 127 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:58,720 Talking about the Golden Bears of Cal. But the Stanford game, 128 00:07:59,319 --> 00:08:01,480 you think you fit, that's the game that's going to 129 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:05,600 help Cal achieve Bull eligibility. But it's no sure thing 130 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:09,560 with the way the Golden Bears are playing right now. 131 00:08:10,319 --> 00:08:14,240 Plenty of plenty of improvement needed for Justin Wilcox. I mean, 132 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:18,000 he's going to coach this program in twenty twenty six. 133 00:08:18,079 --> 00:08:22,839 But you know, Cal has been just consistently mediocre, consistently ordinary, 134 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,439 and you wonder when anyone in Berkeley is going to say, 135 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:28,720 you know what, we need to expect a little bit more. 136 00:08:29,079 --> 00:08:32,799 But they haven't reached that point yet. But maybe next 137 00:08:32,879 --> 00:08:35,919 year or in two years they'll say, you know what, 138 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,639 we should actually try to strive for a little bit 139 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:43,519 more at cal. So that's the Bay Area ACC report 140 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:47,559 with Calen Stanford now to the pack too, And this 141 00:08:47,799 --> 00:08:51,279 was the two pack showdown this past weekend. The two 142 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:56,360 refugees left stranded on an island while USC Washington, Oregon, 143 00:08:56,399 --> 00:08:58,799 and UCLA went to the Big ten and the four 144 00:08:58,879 --> 00:09:01,480 corner schools went to the Big twelve, Washington State and 145 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,440 Oregon State. They were left on the on the deserted 146 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:08,720 island as the only two teams from the Pac twelve 147 00:09:08,799 --> 00:09:11,080 as we once knew it. So they played this past 148 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,120 weekend and it was a shocker. And some will say, 149 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:16,000 you know what, Washington State was favored by only three 150 00:09:16,039 --> 00:09:18,879 and a half. Maybe it's not that big an upset. 151 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:21,960 I was surprised. I was surprised that Oregon State won 152 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:26,120 this game because consider this, Washington State was playing good 153 00:09:26,159 --> 00:09:31,960 football the past month. Washington State lost at Ole, Miss, 154 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:35,960 a playoff contender, by only three. On the road, Washington 155 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:40,200 State lost to ACC leader Virginia by only two points 156 00:09:40,519 --> 00:09:42,600 on the road and led that game twenty to ten 157 00:09:42,639 --> 00:09:45,399 in the fourth quarter before allowing that game to slip 158 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:50,080 away late. Washington State thumped Toledo, which is a not 159 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,759 terrible MAC team, but Washington State had been playing a 160 00:09:53,799 --> 00:09:58,080 lot of good football. Oregon State, by contrast, did not 161 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:01,399 have a win over an FBS team this season. Beat 162 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:05,879 Lafayette from the FCS, but you know, Oregon State had 163 00:10:05,879 --> 00:10:10,159 been consistently coming up short. But in this game, Oregon 164 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:14,720 State's defense holds Washington State to seven points wins ten 165 00:10:14,759 --> 00:10:19,200 to seven. A really big lift for Oregon State, is it? 166 00:10:19,279 --> 00:10:23,559 You know? This is the Oregon State fired coach Trent 167 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,799 Bray midway through the season, will be searching for a 168 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,919 new head coach. It'll be interesting to see if Jonathan 169 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:33,080 Smith gets fired at Michigan State and returns to Corvallis, 170 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:36,159 and if the Beavers want that, if they'll, if they'll, 171 00:10:36,279 --> 00:10:40,639 you know, welcome that kind of movement. But nevertheless, certainly 172 00:10:40,639 --> 00:10:42,919 a lift for those Oregon State players who have gone 173 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:46,120 through a very difficult year. They pull the upset over 174 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:50,159 Washington State, and Washington State has to feel rotten. This 175 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,360 was a rivalry game on the Pacific Northwest backyard Battle 176 00:10:54,919 --> 00:10:57,159 and all that good work the Cougars have done over 177 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:01,679 the past month, They're not gonna really remember that after 178 00:11:02,399 --> 00:11:06,360 losing in a game that they really really wanted. So 179 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:10,279 Oregon State over Washington State definitely a surprise in the 180 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:14,240 two pack. All right, moving along, let's go to the 181 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:18,799 big twelve. And boy, when you have results such as 182 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,320 what you saw with Arizona and Colorado, it's that's an 183 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:26,679 eye opener. You know, Arizona fifty two, Colorado seventeen in Boulder, 184 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:31,559 Boulder is cratering, or should I say the team in 185 00:11:31,639 --> 00:11:37,120 Boulder is cratering. Deon Sanders coach Prime and Colorado one 186 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:41,840 year after Travis Hunter and Shoulder Sanders go to the NFL, 187 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,679 Colorado has plummeted. You know. It hasn't been a slight 188 00:11:46,799 --> 00:11:50,200 drop off, hasn't been a moderate drop off. It's a 189 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:55,440 huge drop off. It's a dramatic fall. And given all 190 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:57,919 the health problems that Deon Sanders has had, you have 191 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,559 to wonder how much is he in that how much 192 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:05,440 does he want to fight to really maintain Colorado and 193 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,559 in this case, really build back Colorado because the Buffalos 194 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:13,519 have been atrocious, and they're actually getting worse as the 195 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:17,600 season goes on. Morale's getting worse. That that is a 196 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,120 that is a very alarming situation in Boulder now. Deon 197 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:25,639 Sanders' net effect on the program undeniably positive. He sold 198 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:28,600 a lot of tickets, gained a lot of publicity, and 199 00:12:28,639 --> 00:12:32,879 when he had the elite players, he made Colorado nationally relevant, 200 00:12:32,919 --> 00:12:36,320 a true factor in the Big Twelve. But it's all 201 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:41,159 kind of collapsing very rapidly, and Dion has to ask 202 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,360 himself and his family if it's worth it to kind 203 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,720 of stay in the fight, stay in the arena, or 204 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,480 maybe he needs to step away from coaching, tend to 205 00:12:49,519 --> 00:12:52,840 his health a little bit, and maybe Colorado needs to 206 00:12:53,039 --> 00:12:56,279 find someone who can kind of take the baton from 207 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:01,080 Dion and and make that program, you know, consistently relevant 208 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,120 in the Big twelve, because Colorado is certainly not relevant now. 209 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,879 But on the other side, it it seems clear that 210 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:13,639 Arizona has a relatively high floor. Not sure about the ceiling, 211 00:13:13,639 --> 00:13:17,159 but the floor is definitely, you know, at a decent level. 212 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:21,679 And Arizona's defense is for real. That defense has been 213 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:25,919 good all season, almost beat BYU a few weeks ago, 214 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:28,799 you know b Yu at the top of the Big twelve, 215 00:13:28,919 --> 00:13:32,080 which we're going to talk about in a bit. Arizona's 216 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:37,200 defense has been pretty good this season on a regular basis, 217 00:13:37,519 --> 00:13:41,720 and so Brent Brennan, who you know, there are still 218 00:13:42,159 --> 00:13:44,919 things he has to do in Tucson, especially on the 219 00:13:44,919 --> 00:13:49,480 offensive side of the ball, but Arizona's defense week after 220 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,440 week more or less has been able to bring a 221 00:13:52,519 --> 00:13:57,399 solid effort and definitely true against Colorado, hounding the Buffaloes 222 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,720 into a lot of mistakes and they that game to 223 00:14:00,799 --> 00:14:04,360 snowball so that Arizona could score a thirty five point 224 00:14:04,399 --> 00:14:08,679 blowout win on the road, Arizona doing better than a 225 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,759 lot of people expected. Speaking of doing better than a 226 00:14:11,759 --> 00:14:14,799 lot of people expected, Arizona State evers of the state 227 00:14:14,919 --> 00:14:19,440 was down five starters, including quarterback Sam Levitt going on 228 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:24,879 the road two ames Iowa State, and Arizona State's defense 229 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,759 just clamps down. Arizona State stopped each of Iowa State's 230 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:33,320 last four drives, was able to win twenty four to nineteen. 231 00:14:34,519 --> 00:14:36,840 And Arizona State was you know, a clear underdog in 232 00:14:36,879 --> 00:14:41,679 this game by about a touchdown, but the Sun Devil's 233 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,720 defense showed a lot and you know, let's remember this 234 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:48,240 Arizona State team played a bad game against Houston, ton 235 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:52,399 of penalties, lots of mistakes and as not as though 236 00:14:52,399 --> 00:14:55,600 Arizona State was played a clean game against Iowa State. 237 00:14:55,679 --> 00:14:58,240 There were more mistakes, there were more penalties, but the 238 00:14:58,279 --> 00:15:03,120 defense was able to overcome all those miscues. So you 239 00:15:03,159 --> 00:15:05,240 know this this team figured to be dead in the 240 00:15:05,279 --> 00:15:08,519 water without Sam Levitt and Jeff Simms. You know, he 241 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:12,799 did commit some mistakes, but the whole Arizona State team, 242 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,480 especially on defense, able to work around those mistakes and 243 00:15:16,559 --> 00:15:19,039 win on the road in Iowa State. And I know 244 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:21,559 we don't cover Iowa State on Get off my pylon 245 00:15:21,879 --> 00:15:25,440 because it's western college football. But let's just say this 246 00:15:25,639 --> 00:15:29,279 very quickly. Matt Campbell, if he wants a bigger job 247 00:15:29,399 --> 00:15:32,559 this one would think it has to be now. Like 248 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,279 he seems to have this thing at Iowa State seems 249 00:15:36,279 --> 00:15:40,440 to have run its course, it has lost steam. Might 250 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,120 be time for a change at Iowa State. And if 251 00:15:43,159 --> 00:15:46,480 Matt Campbell wants to jump to a big ten program, 252 00:15:46,679 --> 00:15:49,799 it might need to be now for him in his career. 253 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:53,200 So Arizona State with a with an unexpected win, and 254 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:56,279 it shows the resilience of this program under Kenny Dillingham. 255 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,799 Just when you count out Arizona State, and I was 256 00:16:00,399 --> 00:16:02,960 certainly not thinking they were gonna win it in Ames 257 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:06,080 with all those starters down, especially Levitt. Just when you 258 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,519 think Arizona State might fade away, the Sun Devil's punchback. 259 00:16:09,799 --> 00:16:13,240 It's a very admirable and oppressive thing that Kenny Dillingham 260 00:16:13,279 --> 00:16:18,200 has done with the Sun Devils. Continuing our survey of 261 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,200 the Big Twelve and the Western teams in that conference, Utah, 262 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:24,840 Utah brings the hammer to Cincinnati. So that's Cincinnati's first 263 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:28,799 lost in the Big Twelve. And so you know, I 264 00:16:28,919 --> 00:16:33,320 made the comment that Utah in its big blowout wins 265 00:16:33,399 --> 00:16:38,159 earlier this season, they came against compromised opponents UCLA, compromised 266 00:16:38,159 --> 00:16:41,399 because Deshaun Foster was coaching the Bruins and they were 267 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:45,759 a disaster under Foster. And then Utah beats Arizona State 268 00:16:45,799 --> 00:16:48,720 without Levitt, and so you know, seeing Arizona State do 269 00:16:48,919 --> 00:16:54,080 well without Levit this past weekend, that retrospectively makes Utah's 270 00:16:54,120 --> 00:17:00,519 blowout of ASU look better. Now Utah beats Cincinnati and 271 00:17:00,799 --> 00:17:04,119 Cincinnati having a great season playing really well for coach 272 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:08,720 Scott Saderfield. But Utah able to just trample the Bearcats 273 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,920 at home in Salt Lake City. So Utah might be 274 00:17:13,079 --> 00:17:17,839 finding its footing and Kyle Whittingham might be really rallying 275 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:21,359 that team, getting it to play it's best football of 276 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,440 the season. You know, can Utah carry this to the 277 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:28,160 finish line? That's gonna be an interesting Big twelve talking 278 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:31,640 point and storyline, Like the Utes have definitely missed their 279 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:36,319 opportunities this season. Couldn't beat BYU, couldn't beat Texas Tech. 280 00:17:36,799 --> 00:17:40,240 You know, they had their chances, but this was kind 281 00:17:40,279 --> 00:17:44,960 of a reminder, Hey, we're still here, We're still you know, 282 00:17:45,039 --> 00:17:48,880 trying to maximize our season. Let's see if Utah can 283 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:53,759 take what it did against both Colorado and especially Cincinnati, 284 00:17:53,839 --> 00:17:56,920 two blowouts at home. Can the youths carry that on 285 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:00,440 the road. Can they carry that through the remainder of 286 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,440 the Big twelve season? And speaking of the remainder of 287 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:05,920 the Big twelve season, no bigger game than the one 288 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:09,920 we have coming up. So Texas Tech gets past Kansas State, 289 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,799 the game I overlooked last week on Get Off My Pylon, 290 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:17,200 And now we get to the main event and it's 291 00:18:17,319 --> 00:18:22,359 college game day. By all appearances, it seems Patrick Mahomes 292 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:27,480 the Chiefs have an off week this coming weekend. Patrick 293 00:18:27,519 --> 00:18:30,880 Mahomes is going to be there in Lubbock with BYU 294 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,640 coming to town, and you know, like this is the 295 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:37,640 moment of truth for Texas Tech. You know, if BYU 296 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,359 wins this game, BYU pretty much locks up a spot, 297 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:45,400 not officially, but essentially, like it would be incredibly difficult 298 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:48,279 for BYU to miss the Big Twelve Championship game if 299 00:18:48,319 --> 00:18:51,000 it beats Texas Tech. So b YU would be all 300 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:54,240 but assured of one of the two spots in the 301 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:56,799 Big twelve title game, and it would leave a scramble 302 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:01,160 for the other spots Texas Tech since Natty, Let's keep 303 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:04,920 in mind, Houston lost to West Virginia in a shocker, 304 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:09,200 so that complicates the race a little bit. It certainly 305 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:15,759 helps out Texas Tech and Cincinnati as well. But you know, 306 00:19:15,799 --> 00:19:19,599 if Texas Tech, you know, loses to b YU, Texas 307 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:22,079 Tech is going to be you know, well behind the Cougars, 308 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:26,480 you know, certainly behind multiple games in the standings, but 309 00:19:26,519 --> 00:19:29,519 also losing the head to head to b YU. So basically, 310 00:19:29,599 --> 00:19:32,680 if Texas Tech loses here, it's not going to catch 311 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:36,119 b YU in the remainder of the season. It would 312 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:40,200 be a Texas Tech Cincinnati battle with Houston and Arizona 313 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,400 State still in the mix. But like if Texas Tech 314 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:47,079 wants to make the playoff non negotiable, Red Raiders need 315 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:50,640 to win this game to stay in the hunt, and 316 00:19:50,759 --> 00:19:53,920 b YU is it has the upper hand and BYU 317 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,000 can kind of put it away, locking up a spot 318 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,000 in the Big Twelve Championship Game and taking that next 319 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:04,640 step toward a playoff berth. So everything on the line 320 00:20:05,519 --> 00:20:08,839 for BYU and Texas Tech. BYU from a position of strength, 321 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:13,240 Texas Tech needing to even the score and perhaps set 322 00:20:13,279 --> 00:20:17,079 the stage for a BYU Tech rematch one month from 323 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:20,759 now in Arlington, Jerry World. That's where the Big twelve 324 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:24,960 Championship Game is, of course played. So as we dig 325 00:20:25,039 --> 00:20:30,319 into BYU Texas Tech, with's just preview that game. We'll 326 00:20:30,319 --> 00:20:32,599 get to the Big ten schools in a bit. But 327 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:36,920 as we preview BYU Texas Tech. One thing we've been 328 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:40,279 talking about with BYU all season, the second half rallies 329 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:44,880 BYU fell behind by double digits to Colorado, to Arizona 330 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,880 to Iowa State, all on the road came back no 331 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:55,200 problem able to overcome each of those deficits. And the 332 00:20:55,319 --> 00:21:00,640 other point related to BYU's uncanny ability to rally UH 333 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:05,799 in second halves is that you know, Jake Reetzlof, you know, 334 00:21:06,319 --> 00:21:09,599 if it got into off field trouble, he leaves, he 335 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:12,480 goes to Tulane in the transfer portal and by the way, 336 00:21:12,559 --> 00:21:16,480 Tulane got its butt kicked by Utsa. So Tulane is 337 00:21:16,519 --> 00:21:21,440 not Maxie now under Rehetslof that this season, but BYU 338 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:25,440 had to scramble to find its QB one when Reetslof 339 00:21:25,519 --> 00:21:29,880 went off to Tulane and bear Bachmeier, a true freshman 340 00:21:30,319 --> 00:21:33,559 has just been nails, he's been money, he's been clutched. 341 00:21:34,279 --> 00:21:38,440 And so as we go into Lubbock, where you know, 342 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,279 you know the crowd is going to be really fired 343 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:44,359 up for that, for that game day crowd and that 344 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:50,279 game day environment, UH can BYU not fall behind by ten? 345 00:21:51,039 --> 00:21:55,000 You know BYU's playing been playing with fire, falling behind 346 00:21:55,039 --> 00:21:59,880 by double digits in first halves midway through games. Given 347 00:22:00,079 --> 00:22:03,039 how frenzied the crowd is likely to be in Lubbock, 348 00:22:04,079 --> 00:22:07,400 it's hard to think that BYU can once again get 349 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:11,119 behind and rally not to say it's impossible. B why 350 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:13,759 you could certainly do it again, but boy to to 351 00:22:13,839 --> 00:22:17,599 continue going down that road, it's just inviting trouble. So 352 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,880 BYU needs to at least not necessarily get on top 353 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:23,240 of this game, but it needs to manage the first 354 00:22:23,279 --> 00:22:28,799 half and be relatively even at halftime. And you know 355 00:22:28,839 --> 00:22:33,920 the crowd, which you know is gonna be vociferous and feisty. 356 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,000 Take the crowd out of the game early, you know, 357 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:40,880 kind of create a little bit of a more quiet, 358 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:47,079 settled scene in in what in in Texas, and and 359 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:49,559 manage the game a little bit better than what we've 360 00:22:49,559 --> 00:22:53,400 seen from BYU in previous weeks. You just can't expect 361 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:56,920 to be coming from behind every single time on the road. 362 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:00,000 It's bound to catch up with BYU if it happens again. 363 00:23:01,079 --> 00:23:03,920 And then bear Bachmeyer, you know, this is his big 364 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:07,079 spotlight moment. And not to say that his other games 365 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:10,279 haven't been hugely impressive. They have been, but like the 366 00:23:10,319 --> 00:23:13,079 whole nation wasn't focused on that Iowa State game, the 367 00:23:13,079 --> 00:23:18,160 whole nation wasn't focused on those Colorado or Arizona games. 368 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,240 Now you get the major media spotlight, and so can 369 00:23:21,279 --> 00:23:25,640 the true freshman in a high stakes game with everyone watching. 370 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:30,640 Can he show the same playmaking ability, the same knack 371 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,839 for making important plays and important moments that he's been 372 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,799 doing all season long and especially over the past month. 373 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:42,400 So true freshman on the road in a spotlight game 374 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:47,200 in November. That's the epicenter of this game. BYU's defense 375 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:53,240 against the Texas Tech offense. You know, I wouldn't really 376 00:23:53,319 --> 00:23:59,160 expect BYU to either completely dominate or be completely dominated 377 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:03,000 by Texas Tech. And you know their Texas Tech has 378 00:24:03,039 --> 00:24:06,279 had injuries at the quarterback position, so you haven't gotten 379 00:24:06,319 --> 00:24:10,079 a maximum of results each and every week. It's been 380 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:12,880 a little bit up and down for the Red Raiders 381 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:16,319 this season. So you know, Texas Tech might score in 382 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:19,519 the mid to upper twenties. I don't have a strong 383 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:22,920 feel for this. I don't think Texas Tech is going 384 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:26,160 to go absolutely wild. I don't think Texas Tech is 385 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:29,559 going to get completely smothered either. It's probably going to 386 00:24:29,599 --> 00:24:31,839 be somewhere in the middle. I think at all rests 387 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:36,160 on whether BYU's offense is up to the challenge. You know, 388 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:40,920 put up a big number BYU wins, get hammered, BYU loses. 389 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:45,359 Bear Bachmeyer playing a clean game BYU wins bar Bachmeyer 390 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:50,599 playing a ragged game and getting rattled by Texas Tech's defense, 391 00:24:51,279 --> 00:24:55,079 BYU almost certain to lose. So I really think this 392 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:59,119 game heavily leans toward the matchup between the BYU offense 393 00:24:59,599 --> 00:25:03,880 and the Tech Texas Tech defense. You know, clean knockout, 394 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:07,759 clean result will likely to decide the game. And if 395 00:25:07,759 --> 00:25:11,720 it's kind of a draw, then maybe you can devote 396 00:25:11,759 --> 00:25:16,200 more of a focus to the Texas Tech offense versus 397 00:25:16,279 --> 00:25:19,680 the BYU defense. I think Texas Tech's offense will do okay. 398 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:22,640 I think really the pendulum swing is going to be 399 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:27,240 whether BYU's offense really nails it or gets really nailed 400 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:33,119 That is likely to decide the outcome of BYU Texas Tech. 401 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:38,759 With the Big Twelve championship game leverage very much on 402 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:43,599 the line in Lubbock. All right, Now we go to 403 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:46,640 the Big Ten on the West Coast schools in the 404 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:52,559 Big Ten Conference. So UCLA had the previous week off 405 00:25:52,599 --> 00:25:56,640 and UCLA's gonna face Nebraska next. Nebraska watches Dylan Reola 406 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,920 get injured and as we learned after the USC game, 407 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:02,079 knocked out for the rest of the season. So that's 408 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:06,039 a big bummer. For Nebraska, it obviously gives UCLA a 409 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:10,160 golden opportunity to win this game and maybe get to 410 00:26:10,279 --> 00:26:12,440 a bowl game. UCLA is going to need to beat 411 00:26:12,559 --> 00:26:16,440 Nebraska and Washington and USC. Bruins are not going to 412 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:19,559 beat Ohio State in Columbus. We can just we can 413 00:26:19,759 --> 00:26:23,200 take that one for granted, I think. But UCLA now 414 00:26:23,279 --> 00:26:26,079 with a really good chance to beat Nebraska, and then 415 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:28,559 if it can also beat Washington USC, the Bruins will 416 00:26:28,599 --> 00:26:30,400 go to a bowl game. So this at least gives 417 00:26:30,519 --> 00:26:35,319 ucle A path Now. As for the Nebraska USC game, 418 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:40,400 so the Rayola injury had a large influence on the outcome. 419 00:26:40,519 --> 00:26:43,200 Nebraska was up fourteen to six with Rayola in there, 420 00:26:44,039 --> 00:26:48,319 and Roola wasn't amazing, but he was fundamentally competent, Like 421 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:51,880 he could throw ten to twelve yard passes down the field. 422 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:55,599 Nebraska was able to mix run and pass. So scoring 423 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:58,440 fourteen points in the first half, you think, all right, 424 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:02,240 if Nebraska can score in the mid twenties for the game, 425 00:27:02,759 --> 00:27:05,000 has a good chance of winning. And of course USC 426 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:08,000 finished with twenty one points, so yes, if Nebraska had 427 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:12,119 scored twenty four twenty seven probably would have won. But 428 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:15,000 when Nebraska went out, the Huskers had to go to 429 00:27:15,039 --> 00:27:19,680 their backup TJ Latif, interestingly enough a Los Angeles native, 430 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,640 but he's playing in the Midwest against USC and he 431 00:27:22,839 --> 00:27:25,440 was just not up to it. Latif could not throw 432 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:29,480 the ball. Nebraska became one dimensional, and Matt Ruhle made 433 00:27:29,519 --> 00:27:34,839 a very questionable, I would say even dubious decision to 434 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:37,440 kick a fifty two yard field goal instead of going 435 00:27:37,519 --> 00:27:39,720 for it on fourth and one when he was up 436 00:27:39,799 --> 00:27:43,880 fourteen to six midway through the third quarter. Not going 437 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:45,960 for it sent a message, you know what, I don't 438 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:49,480 trust my offensive line. I don't trust my team. The 439 00:27:49,599 --> 00:27:53,359 kick was missed. USC instantly goes down, gets a touchdown, 440 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:57,240 a tying two point conversion, and the momentum of the 441 00:27:57,319 --> 00:28:01,119 game was pretty steadily in USC's favor or down the stretch, 442 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,759 the Trojans do just enough to win that game twenty 443 00:28:04,839 --> 00:28:08,680 one seventeen. Nebraska covers, but us He gets the result 444 00:28:08,799 --> 00:28:11,119 it needed to keep its season alive. Us He is 445 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:15,920 still alive for the College football playoff. USC has just 446 00:28:16,039 --> 00:28:19,440 two losses, so if USC can run the table in November, 447 00:28:19,519 --> 00:28:22,599 I don't think it's very likely at all, but USC 448 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:25,240 at least is still in the hunt. So I mean 449 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:27,519 the US he still has something to play for, still 450 00:28:27,559 --> 00:28:31,960 has meaningful games as a result of surviving Nebraska. Now, 451 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:34,440 as much as it's a good thing for USC that 452 00:28:34,519 --> 00:28:37,920 it's still playing meaningful football and that its season is 453 00:28:38,039 --> 00:28:41,240 not essentially over, we also have to realize that, you 454 00:28:41,319 --> 00:28:44,440 know what, us, he still doesn't look really good. USC 455 00:28:44,599 --> 00:28:48,640 does not look anywhere particularly close to elite. You know, 456 00:28:48,799 --> 00:28:52,279 if Dylan Raola does not get hurt US, he probably loses. 457 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:58,240 The Trojans were undisciplined, drop passes, penalties, They were soft 458 00:28:58,319 --> 00:29:01,319 at times in the first quarter. Nebraska punched them in 459 00:29:01,359 --> 00:29:06,880 the mouth early. This is just not a standard that 460 00:29:07,079 --> 00:29:12,519 USC football fans should feel is what's acceptable. And you know, 461 00:29:12,559 --> 00:29:16,680 the Trojans got lucky. Now, they made the most of 462 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:19,599 their luck, and credit to them for not completely capitulating 463 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:22,680 and showing some toughness and being able to knuckle down 464 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:26,039 on defense and get the job done in the second half. 465 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:28,960 But like, this is not going to cut it for 466 00:29:29,079 --> 00:29:31,920 USC when it goes to Oregon later this season. No 467 00:29:32,079 --> 00:29:35,960 way that USC can play that level of football what 468 00:29:36,119 --> 00:29:39,200 it showed against Nebraska and think this is going to 469 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:44,119 hold up against Dan Lanning in Eugene a few weeks 470 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:46,000 from now. It's just it's just not going to get 471 00:29:46,039 --> 00:29:50,240 the job done. And one thing that's worth noting about 472 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:54,480 USC football on a broader level. In a larger context, 473 00:29:55,440 --> 00:30:01,000 USC and the Miami Hurricanes are very similar because USC 474 00:30:02,319 --> 00:30:06,519 has not played Ohio State or Indiana yet as a 475 00:30:06,559 --> 00:30:10,400 Big Ten football member, didn't play either of those teams 476 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:13,400 last year, isn't playing either of those teams on the 477 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:15,839 schedule this year. So USC is going to have to 478 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:18,640 play Ohio State in Indiana next year. The Big Ten 479 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:22,599 schedule is going to get tougher, not easier for the Trojans. 480 00:30:22,839 --> 00:30:28,039 Trojans have had favorable Big Ten schedule rotations last year 481 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:30,680 and this year, and then so next year and in 482 00:30:30,759 --> 00:30:35,279 twenty twenty seven, those schedule rotations become tougher, and so 483 00:30:35,319 --> 00:30:38,079 if USC can't get to the playoff now, it's not 484 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:41,359 going to get easier in the future. And a lot 485 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:43,720 of people will say, well, but USC has a top 486 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:47,880 rank recruiting class for twenty twenty six, but hey, those 487 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:50,680 are freshmen. You know, freshmen aren't just going to come 488 00:30:50,759 --> 00:30:55,039 in en Moss as a group and immediately lighted up. 489 00:30:55,799 --> 00:30:58,200 Now that you know the overall depth and quality of 490 00:30:58,359 --> 00:31:02,359 USC will be better, but that's going to be counterbalanced 491 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:05,160 by the tougher Big Ten schedule. So the comparison with 492 00:31:05,279 --> 00:31:08,759 Miami is this. You know, Miami is watching Clemson and 493 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:12,559 Florida State step on a rake and trip over their shoelaces. 494 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:16,680 Clemson and Florida State aren't good. Miami should be dominating 495 00:31:16,759 --> 00:31:20,759 the ACC and Miami should definitely be getting the college 496 00:31:20,799 --> 00:31:24,279 football playoff birth from the ACC with all of its 497 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:28,960 nil investments with these high end quarterbacks cam Ward last year, 498 00:31:29,079 --> 00:31:32,240 Carson Beck this year. If Miami can't make the playoff now, 499 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:35,319 it's gonna get harder in the future. So that's the 500 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:38,720 parallel with USC. If USC can't make the playoff now, 501 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:43,480 it's going to be harder in the future. So USC 502 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:48,240 beats Nebraska and that's good, but in the bigger picture, 503 00:31:48,799 --> 00:31:51,440 the Trojans do not look like a playoff team this year, 504 00:31:52,039 --> 00:31:55,400 and the road is only going to get tougher. And 505 00:31:55,519 --> 00:31:58,160 so you know, if I'm Lincoln Riley, do I want 506 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:00,160 to stick it out at USC improve a point that 507 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:03,480 I can make it on the West coast, or do 508 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:07,599 I consider the Florida or LSU job, maybe even the 509 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:11,799 Auburn job, Like there's gonna be so many interesting jobs 510 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:15,079 for coaches to look at. If I'm Lincoln Riley, do 511 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,160 I want to be in LA where you know, I've 512 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:20,960 never culturally fit in. Or maybe this is the time 513 00:32:21,039 --> 00:32:23,119 for me to go to the SEC and prove a 514 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:27,279 point to Oklahoma and everyone else, and maybe it just 515 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:30,599 might be a more natural fit for me, my family 516 00:32:31,079 --> 00:32:34,200 and what I want to do with my football career now. No, 517 00:32:34,319 --> 00:32:35,960 Lincoln Riley has said I don't want to be a 518 00:32:36,039 --> 00:32:39,039 football lifer. I don't want to do this for several decades. 519 00:32:39,039 --> 00:32:41,519 I don't want to do it forever. And maybe USC 520 00:32:41,720 --> 00:32:43,480 is where he wants to plan his flag and like 521 00:32:44,359 --> 00:32:47,279 you know, for better or worse, that's where I'm gonna 522 00:32:48,279 --> 00:32:52,119 finish things off for my coaching career. But I think 523 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:56,519 we're at a point where four years into his USC tenure, 524 00:32:57,079 --> 00:32:59,640 right this could be a jumping off point. I'm not 525 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:02,079 prey that it will. I mean, if you ask me 526 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:04,839 right now, I would say Lincoln Riley will coach USC 527 00:33:05,519 --> 00:33:08,519 in twenty twenty six. But I will say this, if 528 00:33:08,559 --> 00:33:10,759 there is a time to jump ship, if there is 529 00:33:10,839 --> 00:33:14,079 a time for a move, this would be it. Because 530 00:33:14,079 --> 00:33:17,759 of the quality of jobs open in the carousel. Uh. 531 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:22,319 And also on the other side of this, uh, usc 532 00:33:23,079 --> 00:33:27,599 USC not maxing out and not making the College Football Playoff. 533 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:29,880 Does Lincoln Riley want to continue to swim and a 534 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:33,519 sea of mediocrity at USC? Or does he want to 535 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:37,319 see what he can do in the Southeastern Conference? You know, 536 00:33:37,359 --> 00:33:40,359 and he never did coach there. He coached at Oklahoma 537 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:43,680 while the Sooners were still in the Big Twelve. If 538 00:33:43,839 --> 00:33:48,319 Riley wants that taste of SEC football, you know, go 539 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:52,279 to LSU where you have, you know, amazing resources. Go 540 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:56,599 to Florida where you have top tier resources. It's certainly 541 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,960 something for Lincoln Riley to consider in the coaching keros. 542 00:34:00,279 --> 00:34:02,680 But my my prediction is he will. He will stay 543 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:05,240 at USC for twenty twenty six. But I'm just saying, 544 00:34:05,279 --> 00:34:08,440 if i'm if I am in his shoes, I would 545 00:34:08,519 --> 00:34:13,440 give some thought to the elite SEC jobs in the 546 00:34:13,519 --> 00:34:19,360 coaching carousel. All right, So Oregon did not play and 547 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:23,199 the Ducks go to Iowa in a very interesting game. 548 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:32,559 So let's uh, let's preview that one going into Week eleven. Yeah, Iowa. 549 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:39,119 Mark Gronowski not a particularly good passing quarterback, very limited. 550 00:34:40,559 --> 00:34:43,639 On paper, Oregon should win this game, and should win 551 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:47,760 it frankly with some degree of comfort. Iowa struggled with 552 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:49,840 a bad Penn State team, you know, a team that 553 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:53,559 doesn't have Drew Hour at quarterback. Penn State was leading 554 00:34:53,639 --> 00:34:57,199 for much of that game before Iowa scrambled late to 555 00:34:57,360 --> 00:35:00,920 win it. But on the other hand, you know, Iowa 556 00:35:01,079 --> 00:35:04,400 did give Indiana and Kurt Signetti a real battle. That 557 00:35:04,599 --> 00:35:07,440 was a twenty to fifteen game, a five point game. 558 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:13,320 It was close throughout. Indiana's offense could not solve Iowa's defense, 559 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:18,760 so that game could potentially be thorny. And one thing 560 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:23,039 we have to consider. You know, Oregon's offense has not 561 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:28,760 been particularly good. And Dante Moore, who you know, in 562 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:32,760 that game at Penn State over a month ago, the 563 00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:36,159 whole nation was watching and we thought Penn State was 564 00:35:36,199 --> 00:35:39,320 an elite team at the time. And so I'm not 565 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:43,159 gonna say no, Dante Moore wasn't good in that game. 566 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:46,960 He was. He was good. So I'm not walking that back. 567 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:52,679 I'm not changing my opinion of that. But we can 568 00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:56,239 all see with the passage of time that Penn State 569 00:35:56,480 --> 00:36:01,679 wasn't as good as previously advertised. Obviously, Penn State lost 570 00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:06,199 morale after that Oregon game became a lot less than 571 00:36:06,239 --> 00:36:09,840 what we thought Penn State was going to be. But 572 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:14,840 with Dante Moore, that good performance against Penn State, it 573 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:21,400 has not translated into skyrocketing confidence. It has not translated 574 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:27,480 into consistently great results. Oregon's offense was ordinary against Indiana 575 00:36:28,039 --> 00:36:33,840 at home. It was below average at home against Wisconsin. 576 00:36:34,519 --> 00:36:37,119 So we do have to have a Dante More conversation. 577 00:36:37,679 --> 00:36:40,639 We do have to have a conversation about the quality, 578 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:45,400 the staying power, and the baseline consistency of this Oregon offense. 579 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:50,719 Oregon defense is fine. Oregon defense smothered Wisconsin. That defense 580 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:53,840 has been good all year. I mean, it didn't play 581 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:57,000 an amazing game against Indiana, but it got up pick six, 582 00:36:57,519 --> 00:37:01,400 kept the Ducks in that game. Duck offense got absolutely 583 00:37:01,559 --> 00:37:06,679 grounded by Indiana's defense, But Oregon's defense was decent in 584 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:11,480 that game. I would say, certainly not spectacular, certainly not extraordinary, 585 00:37:11,679 --> 00:37:14,519 but fine, like that should have been good enough to win. 586 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:17,559 That was a thirty to twenty game. And if you 587 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:21,039 include Oregon getting the pick six and you deduct that 588 00:37:21,199 --> 00:37:25,880 from Indiana's thirty point total, Oregon's defense allowed a net 589 00:37:27,119 --> 00:37:30,599 of twenty three points to Indiana. So for a home 590 00:37:30,679 --> 00:37:35,559 game in Austin Stadium, big time battle. If you allow 591 00:37:35,639 --> 00:37:38,400 a net of twenty three points in your Oregon, you 592 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:41,159 should expect to win. You should be scoring thirty you 593 00:37:41,199 --> 00:37:45,679 should be scoring thirty five. But Indiana's defense dominated Oregon's offense. 594 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:51,440 So the Oregon's defense definitely, you know, a solid reliable 595 00:37:51,519 --> 00:37:54,320 part of Dan Lanning's team his twenty twenty five roster. 596 00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:57,960 It's all about the O with the U of O. 597 00:37:58,719 --> 00:38:02,920 Oregon needs its off fence to be steady, to be reliable, 598 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:06,559 to not get bogged down. You know, and and and 599 00:38:06,679 --> 00:38:09,000 you know Indiana was able to play that game against 600 00:38:09,079 --> 00:38:12,719 Oregon's offense in a phone booth. And that that refers 601 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:16,960 to the general notion of shrinking the the extent of 602 00:38:17,039 --> 00:38:20,519 the field and where the action is. You know, Oregon 603 00:38:20,599 --> 00:38:22,960 wants to get outside the boundary. Oregon wants to be 604 00:38:23,039 --> 00:38:26,519 making splash plays in open space. But Indiana was able 605 00:38:26,559 --> 00:38:29,159 to cave the pocket, was able to crowd the line 606 00:38:29,199 --> 00:38:32,360 of scrimmage, and it was able to just dominate you know, 607 00:38:32,519 --> 00:38:36,280 the tackle box and the areas near the line of scrimmage, 608 00:38:36,320 --> 00:38:39,679 and Oregon really couldn't get out of that trap. Oregon 609 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:42,199 couldn't make the game attract me. Oregon couldn't make the 610 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:46,760 game such that Indiana had had to defend the whole 611 00:38:47,280 --> 00:38:50,280 width and length of the field. No, Indiana was able 612 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:54,199 to shrink the theater of activity to the tackle box 613 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:58,960 in between the hashes, and Oregon could not get unstuck. 614 00:38:59,079 --> 00:39:01,920 So it's going to be the task for Oregon's offense 615 00:39:02,599 --> 00:39:06,199 to do precisely that, to get unstuck, to get outside, 616 00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:10,519 to be making more vertical plays, and to not have 617 00:39:10,719 --> 00:39:15,199 the game be reduced to a much smaller area of 618 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:19,159 the field. That's going to be really important for Oregon's 619 00:39:19,239 --> 00:39:21,800 offense as it goes to Iowa. Oregon's defense should be 620 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:26,320 able to keep Iowa's offense on lockdown. But that's where 621 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:32,119 the Ducks have a substantial advantage. It's not slight, it's massive, frankly, 622 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:36,800 but that this game could become uncomfortable for Oregon if 623 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:40,599 this offense cannot get going, if this offense cannot use 624 00:39:40,679 --> 00:39:43,880 the off week, you know, two weeks of preparation to 625 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:47,159 fix a lot of things to get better performance from 626 00:39:47,199 --> 00:39:50,559 its offensive line, which has not been dynamic. You know, 627 00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:53,639 Dan Lanning and Oregon have counted on their offensive line 628 00:39:53,679 --> 00:39:58,480 to keep their quarterback clean. That offensive line got outplayed 629 00:39:58,519 --> 00:40:03,280 by Indiana's superb defen defensive front. So the Oregon offensive 630 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:05,719 line really is the number one key to this game 631 00:40:06,559 --> 00:40:08,920 at Iowa. It's going to be a CBS game. Kinnick 632 00:40:09,039 --> 00:40:12,880 is going to be electric, and we will see if 633 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:15,920 Oregon is ready to kind of reassert itself. You know, 634 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:20,079 Ohio State and Indiana, and I know Noah Drury is 635 00:40:20,159 --> 00:40:22,159 going to talk more about this on his Big ten 636 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:24,320 Paradigm show, part of the College Grider and Coast to 637 00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:26,960 Coast family of shows. You know, he's focused on those 638 00:40:27,039 --> 00:40:31,199 Midwestern teams. But just very briefly, Oregon has really slipped 639 00:40:31,599 --> 00:40:35,880 well behind Ohio State in Indiana. You know, there's really 640 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:39,000 a top two. It's not a top three, it's really 641 00:40:39,039 --> 00:40:41,519 a top two. And then Oregon is in a very 642 00:40:41,599 --> 00:40:45,719 separate basket, kind of all by itself in third. And 643 00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:48,400 then there's a huge jumble of teams, you know, four 644 00:40:48,519 --> 00:40:52,840 through eight, four through nine, USC, Iowa, Washington. You know 645 00:40:53,119 --> 00:40:56,760 who's really good from that group we don't really know. 646 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:02,280 But Oregon has fallen well behind Ohio State in Indiana. 647 00:41:02,360 --> 00:41:05,519 So this is a time for Oregon to really re 648 00:41:05,719 --> 00:41:08,280 establish itself as you know what, we are part of 649 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:11,679 the top three, it's not a top two, and Oregon 650 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:15,599 a million miles away in third place. No Oregon deserves 651 00:41:15,639 --> 00:41:18,960 to be talked about in the same breath as Ohio 652 00:41:19,079 --> 00:41:22,320 State in Indiana. That's partly what this game is about. 653 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:27,199 It's also a matter of Oregon maintaining its solid playoff position. 654 00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:30,400 You know, if Oregon loses this game, here's what that means. 655 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:36,559 It means that you will have Oregon, USC and Washington 656 00:41:36,719 --> 00:41:40,760 all with two losses, and Oregon plays USC and Washington 657 00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:44,079 later this month. So Oregon would have to win each 658 00:41:44,159 --> 00:41:49,280 of those games to get into the playoff. Oregon loses leverage, 659 00:41:49,320 --> 00:41:52,639 it loses margin for air if it falls to Iowa. 660 00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:55,960 But if Oregon wins, then everything remains on course for 661 00:41:56,039 --> 00:41:59,840 the Ducks. They would definitely be on schedule by any 662 00:42:00,039 --> 00:42:05,800 reasonable estimation if they're able to win at Iowa. So 663 00:42:06,280 --> 00:42:10,599 that is our look at western college football teams in 664 00:42:10,679 --> 00:42:15,639 the United States for another week, and so BYU Texas, Tech, Oregon, 665 00:42:15,880 --> 00:42:22,280 Iowa the really big games this upcoming weekend. You do 666 00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:26,559 have Washington at Wisconsin, you have UCLA Nebraska, but you 667 00:42:26,599 --> 00:42:31,400 know those games aren't nearly as sexy or as hugely 668 00:42:31,519 --> 00:42:37,280 significant as Oregon at Iowa and BYU at Texas Tech. 669 00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:39,159 We're going to learn a lot about the Big ten 670 00:42:39,719 --> 00:42:44,800 playoff picture and the big twelve championship game race connected 671 00:42:44,880 --> 00:42:48,719 to the playoff after this upcoming weekend on November eighth, 672 00:42:49,920 --> 00:42:52,639 So it's getting more intense. And of course, you know, 673 00:42:52,760 --> 00:42:54,719 we record this show early in the week, so we 674 00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:59,639 don't yet have College Football Playoff official rankings release. That's 675 00:42:59,639 --> 00:43:02,000 a two day night thing, so this is being released 676 00:43:02,039 --> 00:43:06,320 before the Tuesday night playoff reveal. So as we go 677 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:08,559 along in November here on Get Off My Pilon, we'll 678 00:43:08,639 --> 00:43:11,119 kick around the playoff details a little bit more as 679 00:43:11,119 --> 00:43:13,280 we get near the home stretch of the season. Yes, 680 00:43:13,800 --> 00:43:16,559 it's already November, so there will be a lot more 681 00:43:16,599 --> 00:43:20,119 to talk about next week, not just with conference races 682 00:43:20,440 --> 00:43:23,960 in reviewing games and previewing games, but also taking a 683 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:28,039 look at how Western football teams fit into the twelve 684 00:43:28,239 --> 00:43:33,159 team playoff picture. So Get Off My Pilon. A College 685 00:43:33,199 --> 00:43:37,639 Gridron Coast to Coast podcast presentation. Follow College Grid Aron 686 00:43:37,719 --> 00:43:41,719 Coast to Coast on Twitter at Gridiron Coast catch all 687 00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:45,880 your favorite college Gridarron Coast to Coast podcasts on college football, 688 00:43:46,039 --> 00:43:48,599 the different corners of the country, the different parts of 689 00:43:48,639 --> 00:43:53,519 the college football experience at Apple, Spreaker, Spotify, and wherever 690 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:57,320 else you listen to your podcast, whether it's Yards and 691 00:43:57,360 --> 00:44:01,920 Stripes reviewing Army Air Force and the Service Academies, or 692 00:44:02,039 --> 00:44:05,519 Pigskin and Burnt Ends, or all sports discussion on the 693 00:44:05,559 --> 00:44:08,960 Atlantic Coast Conference and that incredible six way race at 694 00:44:09,000 --> 00:44:14,239 the top. Also Jason Powers and Florida Football Insiders. For 695 00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:16,519 these and the other college Great Down, Coast to Coast 696 00:44:16,960 --> 00:44:20,079 podcast shows, you know where to go Great Down Coast 697 00:44:20,159 --> 00:44:24,239 on Twitter, Apple, Speaker, Spotify, and your other favorite places 698 00:44:24,599 --> 00:44:28,559 to listen to your podcasts. So this has been the 699 00:44:28,599 --> 00:44:31,880 get off my Pilon college Football podcast part of the 700 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:35,000 College grid Down Coast to Coast podcast network. This is 701 00:44:35,079 --> 00:44:37,480 Matt Zemek. We will see you and talk to you 702 00:44:37,920 --> 00:44:38,400 next week.