Speaker 1: Time to celebrate the biggest team sport known to man,
where modern day gladiators collide for all the glory on
the grid. I let's talk some college football on Cougar
Sports with Benkredle.
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Speaker 3: Today it is stop for a little bit of.
Speaker 2: A college football talk with a college football insider. We're
gonna break down the Byuiwy State game from his vantaged points,
talk some Big twelve football as well, and maybe get
into college football parody and cannibalism. In this segment, it's
gonna be brought to you by Dental Pros of Utah.
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Speaker 2: All right, let's welcome in to the show the best
Smile in College Football Cougar or excuse me, college football
insider representing CBS Sports.
Speaker 3: We got Shehan jah Rajah on the Live Shehan, how
are you?
Speaker 4: I'm doing great? Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2: Hey, appreciate you joining us and talking some college football.
Let's take let's take a gander at Big twelve football
here for a moment, something that no one expected happened.
Last week Texas Tech lost to ASU. I don't know
if anyone was predicting that, especially after ASU got pummeled
by the Utes. B YU also continues to shock people
each and every week, shocking Vegas, shocking college football pundits
and analysts around the country as they continue to win
these close, hard fought battles on the gridiron. But let's
talk a little bit about let's level set. Who is
the Big twelve? What are we seeing from the Big
twelve right now?
Speaker 1: Yeah?
Speaker 4: I mean, obviously, I think it's in a very competitive year,
just like it was last year. But I think that's
top group is kind of starting to separate itself. Even
though they lost, I still think that Texas Tech belongs
at the top of that list. I think that BYU,
with their undefeated star, is in tremendous shape. I think
Arizona States, you know, even though they've got two losses,
only one is in Big Twelve play and that was
about their starting quarterback Sam Levitt, So I think they're
all in great shape. Houston, of course, still undefeated in
conference place, Cincinnati still undefeated. So a lot of teams
that I think have the ability to get into the
mix if they can get maybe one or two breaks.
But to me, I think that that top three at
the top right now, that's the class of the conference.
Texas Tech, BYU, Arizona States.
Speaker 2: Yeah, are there any dark horses right now? We've been
discussing this a little bit on our show, Like the
Kansas surge last year, right Kansas was losing one score
games time and time again, and then all of a
sudden they rattle off like three ranked wins on the
back end and disrupted many teams quest to get to Arlington.
Who's Kansas of twenty twenty five?
Speaker 4: Do you think It's an interesting question? And you know,
I think that there's kind of two different ways to
approach this. One is you know, you have a team
like Cincinnati who obviously has been able to take care
of business to the first half of their schedule. They
win a close game against Kansas they win a close
game also against Iowa State. They beat up two of
the lesser teams in the conference, and now they're kind
of facing the gauntlet Baylor at Utah, Arizona BYU, TCU
all losable games, frankly, but also all winnable games if
some things go right for them, especially with that BYU
game being at home. So I think that that's a
team that can elevate itself from being just contender to
maybe being legitimate sort of top of the pile if
they're able to have some things go correctly. Another team, too,
that I think has a lot more upside than they've
played with the past couple of weeks is TCU. I mean,
they kind of got shell shocked on the road against
Kansas State, and they lost a really type game against
Arizona State, but a pretty manageable slate for them as well.
They do play at BYU, that's going to be a
really tough game. They play Cincinnati, they play Iowa States,
but those two games are at home, so I wouldn't
be shocked if they're able to really rebound Because we've
seen the upside of this team for stretches in the
beginning of the year. I think that maybe at the
end we start to see the top of it. And
actually one more that probably is a little bit closer
to the Kansas comparison of last year is Kansas State.
I mean since that UCF game, they have been playing
at a different level. They lose a one point game
to Baylor, they crushed TCU. They're playing at Kansas this week,
I think in a huge matchup for them. They still
have text Tech at Oklahoma State, which would be a win.
At Utah Colorado, I could see this team potentially going
something like three and two or four and one in
the second half of the year.
Speaker 2: Is BYU football too legit, too legit to quit? As
mc hammer once told us, is I can't remember what
your preseason prognostication was with Bear Bachmeyer at the Helm,
but I want to say that you were probably more
positive and favorable in your prediction than some of the
other national analyst and pundits.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean they are I think, really really good
right now. I might big question you know, I remember
saying this I believe on DYUTV before the season that
when they decided to go with bear Bachmeyer over the
two other guys who were competing for that job, it
gave me more optimism that this team had the upside
to compete for the Big twelve, because when I looked
at this DYU oftense specifically, my question was always where
does the explosion come from. I know that LJ. Martin's
going to give me five yards per carry. I know
they've got some receivers that can make some plays if
they get the ball in good spots, but it really
I think in twenty twenty four it was Jake Reslaf
was that straw that stirred the drink, and I was
curious if if the quarterback that they played this year
would be able to do it well. I think bear
Bachmeyer in his last two games specifically, has more than
proven that he's ready for this moment. So I'm not
surprised with how good they've been defensively. I'm not surprised
with how good LJ. Martin's been. I'm not surprised how
good this receiver room has been. But I think that
the way that They've brought bear Bachmeier along through the
first seven games of the year, really not asking very
much of them through the first five and easing things
up when they go down against Arizona and easing things
up even more when they played that Utah game. I
think it's been absolutely perfect. I give Klonie Sataki and
Aaron Roderick a whole lot of credit because this is
again a player who has never played college football before
and wasn't even here in the spring. The fact that
he's been able to step up the way that he has,
I mean, this is absolutely a very legitimate contender for
the Big Twelve at a lot of tough games left,
but a very legitimate contender for the Big Twelve.
Speaker 2: Let's break down the BYU Ioway State game BAU seven
and zero four to H and twelve and Big Twelve play.
They're the number eleven team in the in the in
the country, Iowa State five and two, two close losses,
two back to back losses, one score games versus midible.
Speaker 3: Foes in the Big Twelve.
Speaker 2: It's a one thirty pm kickoff on Fox and right now,
Ioway State is the slight favorite at home, two and
a half point favorite.
Speaker 3: Over unders at forty nine and a.
Speaker 2: Half BYU gets the NOD slightly in the ESPN Analytics
fifty four point two percent per ESPN FBI Analytics. How
do you see this game play out? Where do you lean?
Speaker 4: Yeah? I mean it's been a game that I think
a lot of people have been on Iowa States, and
I get it to a certain extent, right, Like, I
think that Iowa State is better than how they've played
the past two weeks. They had a really impressive start
to the season. They've got an exciting young quarterback in
Rocobec who's done some great stuff this year. But you know,
when I look at this matchup, I think that people
don't understand the level switch bhy you's been able to
control games. You know. One of the things that is
a blessing and curse about the way that they play
is that they don't necessarily put their throat on people, right,
Like I think that fine scorers don't always look as
impressive as the games where I think about that West
Virginia game as kind of a chief example. But this
is a team that I think that when they've been
asked to control games, they do it pretty easily. Like
I think They've done a great job of putting together
quality drives. And it's funny over the past two weeks,
in that game against Cincinnati and in that game against
Colorado that they both lost, I would say it has
kind of lost in different ways. When you look at
the way that they lost that Colorado game, they were
not able to get Colorado off the field. I think
that BYU can do the ball control stuff that Colorado
did in that game. When you look at the Cincinnati game,
it was much more that Cincinnati was able to win
big on the offensive line. Now, I think that BYU's
offensive line is not quite as good as last year,
but I think that they have in bear Bachmeyern, LJ.
Martin more weapons available to them to take advantage of it.
So I think that BYU is going to be able
to control this game. I think that they're going to
be able to limit Iowa States rushing attack especially and
make them one dimensional. And I think that ultimately in
a more low scoring game that people expect, I expect
the why you to come out victorious?
Speaker 3: Love that breakdown. Shahan jeror Rajah.
Speaker 2: Here on ESPN The Fan representing CBS Sports college football
insider Shahan what do you make right now of just
college football as a whole through seven eight weeks now,
how would you describe.
Speaker 3: The biggest storylines?
Speaker 2: I know you've brought some of these on your show,
on your podcast, The College Football Insiders, et cetera. But
what would you say are the key storylines of college
football through eight weeks now?
Speaker 4: Well, I think that more than anything else, I mean,
you have to look at the level of unpredictability and
charity that there's been through the first couple of weeks.
And you know, I'll kind of start with the SEC
because I think that you look at the Southeastern Conference,
they haven't played in either of the past two national
title games. I don't necessarily know that they have the
top five team in the country right now in terms
of overall quality, and I think there's a couple of
reasons for that. I think that college football is moving
towards more of a developmental mindset, ironically, whereas I think
that a lot of the big brands are still trying
to be a talent acquisition operation, and I think that
Big ten teams are winning from that perspective. I think
the other thing, too, though, is that it has never
been harder to maintain quality depth. You know, if you've
got a second string or third string player that you
want to bring along slowly, well maybe he could go
start somewhere else and there could be more immediate financial
upside for him to do that. So I think that's
I think that that makes it a really really tough,
interesting situation, and I think that it's made for again
a more unpredictable sport than we've seen in a long while.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I love it. I think it's great. I think
it's grant. I think it's wonderful. Do you think the
SEC and Big Ten like the current state of college
football with so much parity?
Speaker 4: Do you think, Well, it's an interesting question because I
think that with with SEC teams in particular, I think that,
you know, the level of competition in that league right now,
because of the parody as well, is just really really difficult.
I mean, there are only two or three teams in
the SEC right now that are truly kind of below
average college football teams. And I think that for individual teams,
they probably don't love that, right, Like the fact that
that LSU can go on the road and get beaten
by a team that's maybe eleventh place in the conference
like that, That's not how it's been over the past
several years. I mean, you know, get Texas went on
the road and needed over time to beat Kentucky and
they lost to Florida, who might miss a bowl game,
you know. Now, I think that also, like I think
that that those middle to lower class teams like they
need some of this parody, right, they need the top
to be a little bit more accessible. And I think that,
you know, I think the Big Ten is very happy
with where they're in terms of you know, they've got
a lot of programs that are championship caliber, right when
you talk about Penn State or sorry not Penn State,
Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon. They've got more teams that
I think can get into that playoff mix, like a USC.
They've got a lot of programs that have the upside
to maybe contend in future years. So I mean, I
think that it's kind of a mixed bag. They love
the fact that there are so many quality teams in
their conference, but it also means that there is a
tougher path for individual teams that there's ever been before.
Speaker 2: Love that breakdown, and I can't wait to see what
the College football you know, the college football Playoff prognosticators
predictors are beginning their their bracketology right now. I don't
know if you guys have posed your bracketology or your
individual bracketology.
Speaker 3: How do you see it right now?
Speaker 2: Who are your favorites to make it to the college
football Playoff right now?
Speaker 4: Well, we just did one mid season, not this past week,
but before that, and this was before the Utah game.
I will say that I had YU making the field
as an at large at the eleven seed. I had
Texas Tech as well. Obviously they lost a game after that,
but I still think that they're in very good shape
to make it. You know, the top I think is
very obvious. Right You've got Ohio State, You've got Indiana,
You've got Oregon. I think that, you know, right now,
Texas Tech is still in good shape. I think Miami
is still in good shape. From the ACC the secs
where I think it gets most interesting. You know, Alabama
has been since Week one the best team in that conference.
Texas A and m still undefeated at seven to zero
as well number three in the country. But you know,
I think that sort of that second tier of contenders
is where it's going to get really interesting because there
are maybe three other teams or four or five other
teams from the SEC who have a chance, but who
also but then again, any of those teams could potentially
lose their case spending on what happens in the second
half of the year. I think for the Big Ten,
it's hard to find a fourth team that's going to
make it. And then with the kind of the later
at largest, you have the second tier or kind of
other contenders in the Big twelve with ABYU, a Utah
and Arizona State. You have Notre Dame as a ten
and two potential team. You have Georgia Tech right now
as an unfeeded do I think is.
Speaker 5: Going to lose a couple more games, so it's going
to be a really tight race for I would say
spots eight through eleven in the college football playoffs, and ultimately,
I think the teams that manage to take care of
business are the ones that are going to be in
best shape.
Speaker 2: Shahan jer Roger here on esp and the Fan representing
CBS Sports College Football Inside or getting into another college
football segment, who's your favorite right now to win the
Heisman or who are some of your candidates right now
to win the Heisman.
Speaker 4: Well, I think that this is one of the most
difficult heis and races that we've ever had. I mean,
it's funny if if Ashton Gentz was playing college football
this year, he might win every single vote because there
is not a single person who I think has clearly
set themselves apart. I've seen people start to air towards
Ty Simpson, the quarterback at Alabama. I personally don't love
that case. I think he's a tremendous player, but it
feels very much defaulting to best quarterback on team we like,
you know, obviously, I think that there's something similar for
Julian say And at Ohio State, who's played really well
but hasn't really been asked to do that much. So
when you talk about the Heisman, I think that the
Heisman above all is a story award. Yeah, obviously, stats
and you know, impact and all this sort of stuff matter,
but it's not the most viable player. It's not you know,
whatever you want to call it like. It is a
story award. And I think that Trap the Country last
year is a good example of that. And so I
think that's right now and it's still early. They have
a month and a half of games left to go.
But if you want to talk about a player who
has the best story I think in college football right now,
give me Trinidad Chambliss at Ole Miss Division two transfer
from Farris States when the national championship there last year.
After not starting the season as a full time starter,
he comes into twenty twenty five as the backup to
Austin Simmons. Simmons gets hurt and he just balls out.
He leads him, of course, to win over LSU. He
takes Georgia to the wire. They have a couple more
opportunities to get into the mix. His stats have been really,
really good, even though he didn't start the first two games,
so it's a little bit of a wild card. But
if they're able to finish the season at at least
ten and two and be in the college football playoffs,
and Trinidad Chambliss puts up close to four thousand yards
of offense, I think he's going to have a very
legitimate chance to come away with the Heisman Trophy.
Speaker 3: Love that breakdown.
Speaker 2: I do think it is a storytelling, a storytelling and
stat combined with stat type of award, and I think
there's a strong case for that. What do you think
of the Doak Walker race right now in college food?
But why do you think, like running the ball? Running
backs in college football make a much bigger impact for
their respective teams than they end up having in the
National Football League.
Speaker 3: It's just a change.
Speaker 2: League now, And so like being a being capable to
run the ball effectively and have a bell cow back
in college football typically lends itself to more wins and championships,
big bowl games and making their way through now the
college football playoff. What do you see in the Doak
Walker Award mid season race.
Speaker 4: No, that's an interesting question, and I think you're absolutely right.
I think the individual running backs matter a whole lot
in college football. And by the way, when you look
around the sport right now, I think that it has
been as difficult a year to run the ball with
some of the offensive line turnover we've had and some
of the issues that teams have had than it's ever been.
So teams that can run the ball are in a really,
really good position. I think right now, for me, it's
a two player raise. My leader right now is Amaud
Hardy at Missouri. I think that he has been unbelievable. He,
I think, as much as anybody, has been the reason
that this Missouri team did not fall off after losing
multiple receivers to the NFL. And I think that he's
just one of those players that so many of his
yards come after contact as well, and I think that
he's been huge for that team. You know, a player
who I think had a better case maybe in the
first half of the year, and I'm a little worried
how the second half is going to go. Is Justice
Haynes at Michigan as well. That offensive line is not
the kind of offensive line that you came to expect
under Sharan Mora at Michigan during Jim Harbaugh's tenure. But
he has been a huge impact for this team. He
was a big part of winning some of these games early,
including you know, and so I think he is just
a game changing running back. But I mean, hey, you know, obviously,
I know that you guys are aware. I mean LJ.
Martin right now is number six in the nation and
rushing yards, Jeremiah Love that Notre Dame office came into
the year as an All American contender. He's been a
little more inconsistent, but so There are a lot of
really good running backs right now, but I think that
Hardy would be my favorite, with Haines and maybe Martin
kind of rounding out that top three.
Speaker 2: I like the breakdown cheon. What have you guys been
broaching on your show recently? How can we follow you,
how can we support you? Et cetera? Give us a
few pitches here.
Speaker 4: Yeah, you can follow me on all social media at
Sean J. Roja. Read all my work at CBS sports
dot com. Follow our podcast to culle Schibles Insiders. I
am on episodes usually every Thursday and Sunday, and we
actually just got off of our episode today. We previewed
the week of Games Ahead, and we really looked into
some of the coaching carousel stuff, including, by the way,
some surprising candidates who could get into the mix. Don't worry, though,
Kalani Sutaki is not one of them.
Speaker 3: I'd like you do.
Speaker 2: Do you think that Lannie has been at all flirtatious
with some of these job openings, and which job openings
have at least reached out?
Speaker 3: Do you think to Klan because there's gonna be a
lot of them.
Speaker 2: I mean, we're seeing more and more of these pop
up and and firings are occurring, and and it's it's
it's it's sad, but it's uh, it's uh, it's the
nature of this college football beast that we've built. Are
there any teams that are reaching out to Killani?
Speaker 3: Do you think?
Speaker 4: Well? First of all, I'd say if I am an
athletic director in the Western United States, like Colonie Sataki
might be my first call. He is doing such an
incredible job of course at BYU, and I think are
is about to put together back to back ten win
seasons in the Big twelve. But you asked about has
he been flirtatious? I mean not at all. For the
most part. I think that I think that UCLA is
a program that will try to reach out. But I
think that at this moment in time, b why you
can offer Klonie Sataki more as a football coach than
UCLA can, even though obviously they're not in the Big ten.
And so I don't expect very much move mint. I expect,
assuming the season ends the way that we think that
Klannie's talk is going to be back and very happy
and probably rewarded with another well deserved contract. So no,
I wouldn't worry too much fun with byu san. But
you know, again, I think that there are a lot
of jobs that he would do a really good job at,
and I think he's more than earned the right to
at least consider them, even if I think that he
won't ultimately choose any of them.
Speaker 3: I think his in laws live in Florida.
Speaker 4: By the way, Oh man, No, well, well, hey, listen,
I love my in laws. Is that sometimes that can
be a blessing or a curse, you know, But seriously,
I think that he is very, very happy where he's at,
and you know, obviously has has a wonderful family that
I know has loved getting to grow up in probo
love it.
Speaker 3: Sheon.
Speaker 2: We appreciate you, man, thanks for hopping off for a
college football segment.
Speaker 4: Thank you so much for having me make sure.
Speaker 2: You're supporting Sehan and reading all his content. He does
fantastic work over at CBS Sports. That segment was brought
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Here on one of three nine ninety eight point three
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