Speaker 1: It is the Big twelve sec breakdown Tyler Hills Towns,
which is here with you with a comforting against the
well get both the Big Twelve and lest these conferences.
It is Championship Week where we will figure out what
the field looks like for He's second ever twelve team
college football Playoff. And we begin as we do each
and every week, with our hot takes, and tom My
hot take this week where I'm gonna go, I'm gonna
head to Alabama. And my hot take that I'll go
with with this week with the Crimson tide, tom is
that I don't think Alabama is a lot to make
the college football Playoff as everybody thinks they are. Right now,
here's what I'm saying here. Hear me out on this, folks.
So yes, they did jump Notre Dame in the rankings
this week, which made absolutely no sense whatsoever. And the
committee chair Hunter yours Check from Arkansas, who's just a
moron by the way, he comes out and says, yeah,
we really like that fourthd down call by killing de
Boor against five and seven Auburn. Well, Notre Dame blows
out four wins Stanford, That's why we bumped them.
Speaker 2: Up.
Speaker 1: Okay, all right, Tim, I think there's a decent chance
they get beat pretty bad by Georgia, and then you
look at just those other teams, like the Miami's the
Byus of the world, especially if BYU gets a win
this week or keeps it close, you know, Notre Dame
and all that. Like if Bama embarrasses themselves, which could
happen on a neutral field at the very end of
the season before going to the playoff, and then you
also have that bad loss to Florida State to start
the season. I mean, I know the conference championship games
aren't supposed to penalize you, but I think that everybody
needs to proceed with caution. I think Bama's getting a
little too much credit. As our friend Tim Brandon would say,
the pure playoff privilege, the PPP certainly applies to the
Crimson Tide. I think, Tom, I think everybody is feeling
a little too confident about Bama. They're getting too much credit,
which shouldn't really surprise anybody.
Speaker 2: No, I don't think. I don't think they should. And
what's the spread on that game?
Speaker 1: The spread all that game, folks of the Alabama Georgia
game is Georgia two and a half.
Speaker 2: Okay, I mean, yeah, if Georgia goes and just laser
kana asswhip down, which is not out of the realm
of the possibility, in my mind, I could see this
is not a Nick Saban team anymore. They're not. I'm
not saying that they're bad or anything or they just
I don't think they have the mental forty two to
maybe not get blown out right by all means they
could win. But I think you're right, it's time to
slow the role on Bama here for a second. You know,
slow that role tie just a little bit. And if
they were to, you know, get the doors blown off
of them, I mean, could they could have bad loss
against Georgia. Could that push them out of the playoff?
Maybe if it was a team not named Alabama, I
think that possibility becomes very real. But like you said,
pure playoff privilege, Tim Brando, Oh.
Speaker 1: I'll give you an example. Top Ole Miss was left
out of this game by type breakers, and we'll talk
about their situation in a moment, But you talk about
the pure playoff privilege the PPP. If an ole Miss
team without Lane Kiffin this week was in the SEC
title game and got blown out by Georgia. They're sitting
at home guarantee.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, it would be the same thing that happened
with Florida State. Yes, when Jordan Travis got injured. Yeah.
If it wasn't if it wasn't for the name on
the jersey, yeah, they would be they'd be finished.
Speaker 1: How about you, Tom Where do you want to go?
Hot tech wise?
Speaker 2: I mean you know where we're going. Uh, we gotta go.
We gotta go to Stillwater. Baby. What Eric Morris did
in the last week, he's he was coaching the game
against Temple, which we all knew they were gonna win
that game, but that was to get into the American
Championship game against Tulane this Friday. He's got he's dealing with,
you know, trying to tell his players, Hey, I'm not
going to be the coach, but I'm still gonna be around.
He's not in Stillwater yet, and he might not being
still Water for a while if they beat too late
on Friday, and he's gonna continued coaching North Texas. But
in the background, Oklahoma State had like six commits for
early Signing Day. At one point that we talked about
was well, all these players de committed your your your
boy that used I didn't realize he played a broken
arrow for Katie Jones before he went to Jinks.
Speaker 1: John you know you're running back Keewan Jones. And for
context folks, he's the one that Adrian Peterson replaced.
Speaker 2: Oh okay, that's interesting. Yeah, man, time flies, but he was, uh,
he was gonna be at KU And you know another
commit when when Gundy was fired at Jabari Thornton, he
committed to North Texas. So Eric Morris seemingly just brings
in a whole hole with him. OSU ends up getting
fifteen signed on on Wednesday, all three stars, but they
jump about twenty spots up in the in the rankings
for for for their class, So I'm pretty amazed. It
all kind of broke down and shuck out just real quick.
I mean, Twitter X was just coming a part of
the seams of Oklahoma State's got this guy, Oklahoma State's
offering this guy and what seemed like a a I'm
not calling a bad signing class, but six commits, it
wasn't looking too good. After everybody decommitted. He kind of
made the best of it, and I'm really shocked on
how just quick on the ball that that Eric Morris
and uh you know whoever's behind the scenes for them
is working in real time to to lay the foundation
O Sue for the next year. So as a fan
and you know someone who writes about him, really shocked
and really happy, and I couldn't really ask for much more.
Speaker 1: Yeah, they've Moore seems to be making a statement, been
very aggressive already with decisions he's made to this point,
and what his assembling there and still water. I think
it's very fascinating what's going on there. Tom. Let's talk
about the Big twelve and then the SEC playoff picture
will begin there where things stack up the Big twelve
side of things, Texas Tech at four. Meanwhile, you have
BYU at eleven, Utah at fifteen, Arizona at eighteen. Houston
cracks the top twenty five at twenty one, Arizona State
falls out after losing to Arizona. So this playoff committee,
by the way, is a bunch of morons. So maybe
things could change, but no likelihood. I think the scenario
that we're looking at when it comes to the playoff
right now, Tom, is that Texas Tech is firmly in
I think that with them already beating BYU, they have
some wiggle room even if they were to lose to BYU,
even if they don't look great, they can say, hey,
we beat this team by three scores or whatever it was,
So Texas Tech should be fine. BYU. I feel like
Tom they're being screwed. They should be ahead of Notre Dame,
and they probably should be head of Alabama. OU's got
five top twenty five wins against FBS opponents, which is
the most of any team in the country. I don't
have a problem with OU being ahead of BYU, and
some of you might say that's pretty convenient. I understand.
But with that said, I think that as much as
it sucks for BYU that they are not giving the
credit that they deserve, that they are not one of
the If you're a playoff privileged, they still have a
chance to earn their way in. You beat Texas Tech,
you win the conference, you're in the playoff, and Texas
Tech is still in. So for b YU, yes, it sucks,
but you still control your own destiny and that's something
you can still feel feel good about that it's still
a matter of your own hands here. If you're b yu.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, are they gonna beat Tech? Hard to say.
I mean any given Saturday, Sunday, Friday, whatever day you
want to play on. I've seen crazier things happen, but
I mean, yeah, I'm not gonna go to the full
RG three route on BYU by any means.
Speaker 1: Oh that was an that was an all time tack.
I got to read this in case people that do
not know what Tom is referring to. I'm glad Tom
brought this up. Robert Griffin, IID Fox Sports college football
analyst says, meanwhy you currently not considered a lock for
the college football playoff is Christian persecution? One problem? RG
three who said Mormons were Christians?
Speaker 3: Oh?
Speaker 2: Only RG three.
Speaker 1: And not to get on a religious dange of town.
But like you notice that, like Mormons always try to
say Mormons are Christians too. Christians never try to say, well,
Christians are Mormons too, right.
Speaker 2: Now, it doesn't work that way. A square is a square,
but what are these like a rectangles? A square but
a square is not a rectangle. Yeah, it's like that.
It's just you know, it's it's funny. I don't know,
maybe the snapchat lds ads or getting the RG three.
Speaker 1: Maybe I don't.
Speaker 2: I don't. I don't know. I don't know if it's
like a sigh up against me. But all my Snapchat
ads have been Hi, can we bring you a gift?
And it's like, okay, what are you? What kind of
gift you got for me? And like I'm going to
bring a copy of the Book of Mormon.
Speaker 1: I've been getting a ad on Instagram of like these
two hot blonde Mormon missionaries.
Speaker 2: I'm like, well you can visit.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll keep taking a visit, yeah, Ryan.
Speaker 2: Instead you get like some some dorky guy riding the
bicycle from uh northern Idaho knocking at your door.
Speaker 1: Right, I wore the Mormon underwear for nothing exactly.
Speaker 2: I thought.
Speaker 1: I thought I was about to get my own damn
planet here. What happened?
Speaker 2: You know? Like I was about, I was, I don't
want to get too I'd go too far in the
tangent here. But you know, I always thought it was funny.
It's like the Mormons they get you know, they get
picked for their mission, you know, two years wherever they
have to go. Well, some of them get sent to
like the Caribbean or you know, some tropical island or
somewhere cool, and it's like God has chosen you to
go to you know, Fiji, to to to you know,
get people to join l d S and then like
you gotta might have somebody that it's like just God
hates you. He's sending you to Gary, Indiana, Gary, Indiana,
of all places you could go, they send me to Kowita.
Speaker 3: Uh.
Speaker 1: At least they got.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's true. They got a Taco Bueno now in
they got they got Broms they don't have. They don't
have Broms in Provo. I don't think no they should though,
there should be a Broms everywhere.
Speaker 1: The one of my favorite, my favorite like cartoon show
of all time, King of the Hill. One of my
absolute best episodes was when Bobby somehow ended up going
to uh the high school. He left uh Roger Stauback
Middle School to go to Tom Landry High School and
Uh he comes back and he tells, UH, tells his
friends they got Taco Boino into high school. Back to
the playoff rankings. That was interesting.
Speaker 2: He was gonna get left out because they don't have
a Taco Boyo. No Brahms. Christian persecution Texas Town, Tom
Texas Teke AD four.
Speaker 1: Are Are you confident that they're in no matter what
happens Saturday, Yeah.
Speaker 2: I think so. I mean their they're seasons pretty complete.
I mean outside of Arizona State.
Speaker 1: I think an ugly win even if they won thirteen
to ten in just like a you know, crime against
humanity type game, still gets them a top four seed.
I would think I would be surprised if Oregon jumped
in with Oregon, especially not playing this week.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that would be pretty shocking. That would be that
would be persecution against the Big twelve.
Speaker 1: Meanwhile, the sec side of things, Georgia at three, ole
Miss at six, a M at seven, Ou at eight,
Bama at nine, and then Texas at thirteen. Circ will
try to tell you that it is a disservice to
the sport that Texas would be left out of the
college football playoff. But I must remind sark that Texas
lost to four win Florida back in October. And for
people that point to will, you know they maybe they
shouldn't have scheduled o'hoo studon and you know they would
have scheduled some cupcake, they'd be a ten win team.
Right now, there'd be no discussion here. Well, Oklahoma scheduled
Ohio State's biggest rival in Michigan, and they played an
even tougher schedule in the SEC, and OU is firmly
in the playoff and they're not. So I don't want
to hear from Texas. You lost to Florida. That's why
you're not in the playoff. No one failed. I'm sorry
for you, your losers.
Speaker 2: Maybe they should schedule a game in Hawaii this weekend.
Speaker 1: Yeah, go get that thirteenth data point. Yeah, go play Miami,
Go play you know, Vandy. So with that, oh Afred mentioned,
Vandy's at fourteen doesn't look great for Vandy either, which
their resume is right up there with the other two
loss teams. But they're not a part of the pure
playoff privilege, so they're uh, they're on the outside. So
with that of the SEC teams, Tom Georgia, I do
think they are playing for a first round by against
Bama here. If they lose, I think they fall out
of the top four. Ole Miss Charlie Weist Junior sticking
around as offensive coordinator to call plays there. We'll talk
about the lane situation here in just a moment, but
the committee moving them up after everything that's on on
Ole Miss is in and I don't think that they're
going to get bumped up to the top four. But
I don't think they're gonna lose a home game either.
I think they kind of are where they are A
and M at seven, similar situation. I don't think they're
going any higher. I don't think they're going any lower. Now, Oh,
you let me stop there for a second time. This
is where OU fans should be pissed the hell off.
A possible scenario that could shake out that I hate
to inform you of folks. I know you beat Bama
head to head and it was just a month ago
and it was in Tuscaloosa. But if Bama beats Georgia
and wins the SEC, don't be surprised if the Committee
says the SEC champion Bama, they gotta be in the
top eight and hosting a home playoff game. They already
showed they don't care about head to head with how
they've treated Note Dame in Miami. Am I saying that
it should happen. No, I'm not advocating for at all,
but I'm saying it's a very real possibility. They've already
for some god knows what reason, bumped up Bama ahead
of Notre Dame last week. What's to stop them from
bumping them past Ou if they beat Georgia and give
them the home playoff game instead of Oklahoma. I think
that's possible.
Speaker 2: So if you're an OU fan, you're all on the
You're on the dogs.
Speaker 1: Oh o, you fans need to be rooting for Georgia
this week.
Speaker 2: We like that, uh that insurance commercial where the employees
barking at his boss all in on the dogs this
weekend for you? Yes, that would be a That would
be a damn shame, wouldn't it. I don't even I'm
not even an OU fan. That would be a croc
of shit. Honestly, that would see what that would be?
I mean, you know, I think I think it's cool
that oh you get, As much as it pains me
to say, I would love for a home playoff game
for Oklahoma State. That would be awesome. And if I
was an OU fan and they have a home playoff game,
I'm taking out a second mortgage and buying a ticket.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, and Tom, I don't even mind the idea of
oh you rematching with Bama. Like some people say, man,
they beat them head to head, they deserve better than
having to play them again open the first round. I
don't even have a problem with that. I would, however,
have a problem with them taking away the first round game,
especially if it ends up they have to go to
tuscaloosion of all places too.
Speaker 2: That would be that would be as bad as the
twenty eleven twenty twelve BCS Bama LSU rematch game. I
would hope that they would schedule something different just for
you know, we've already seen that episode. We don't need
to see that again.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you're right. Uh. Texas and Bandy, let's touch on
them real quick. Tom Sark trying to be trying to
be political and do it can there's just no pathway.
I mean there's there's I don't think we anticipated this
many one and two lost teams and Texas. I think
a year like last year where there was three loss
teams in the conversation, Texas might make it in or
they'd be very close. But there's just there's just too
many teams to stand in their way. And Vandy they
have a legitimate case, but they are they're just on
the wrong end of the pure playoff privilege. That's that's
what it comes down to. Like, I don't see a
path for Texas or Vandy either one.
Speaker 2: No, no, And you know, I was really rooting for
Vanderbilt too. They did they did just flip a Georgia quarterback,
so at least they got a consolation prize there. I
suppose maybe maybe not this year, but uh, I mean
all signs are kind of pointing up for Vandy. To
be honest, I think if you're a Vanderbilt fan, yeah,
you're kind of like, damn, we were that close. It
wasn't like Vanderbilt was about to win the whole thing either.
Speaker 4: So so.
Speaker 2: Still though, that is that is a that is a
tough out. And Texas I don't feel sorry for though,
not at all.
Speaker 1: They lost three games, including Florida.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and then they just they're just trying to wind
their way in there. Just Oh, we're Texas, though, what
do you mean we're not gonna play.
Speaker 1: Right?
Speaker 2: We have in every commercial? What do you mean you
can't play an arch manning commercial during the college fall playoffs?
But we're not in it?
Speaker 4: Right?
Speaker 2: Who do you think that first Ohio State game?
Speaker 1: Who do you think is Drew Aller and Terry Crews, right.
Speaker 2: I mean that first that first Ohio State Texas game
of the season, that didn't even seem like that long ago.
But uh, Texas is just struggling. Arch Manning was looking trash.
And then every commercial it was just every every commercial
break was just Arch almost every commercial. Yes, yes, the irony.
Speaker 1: Uh, it's so good, it's so good. All right, let's
talk Lane now, Tom Lane Kiffin going to LSU leaving
Ole Miss. Uh, the grass isn't always greener. I understand
why LSU is one of the top jobs in the country,
but they got a good thing going. They got plenty
of nil there, and you the money Ole Miss was
willing to pay the same as LSU. And then on
top of that, what you're working towards at LSU, building
a championship contending team is what he already has at
Old Miss. But I think that Lane knows it's not
going to get any better than what he's at right
now at Old Miss LSU. What they're doing this year
at Old Miss, if everything goes right, he can do
that every single year, if not more. We knew that
if Lane was going to be successful at old Miss.
He wasn't gonna be there a long time. He flirted
with Auburn, he had flirted with Florida and all these
other jobs. An LSU job came coming. He had a
great run there. I mean this, this is who Lane is.
You know, what's the saying like if if somebody shows
you their true character, believe them. I mean every bridge
he's been at his entire career, Like, uh, you know,
should you feel bad for all miss? I mean to
an extent, they're still getting to compete for a championship
this year, But I mean this, it was never gonna
end pretty. I mean despite ESPN dude a documentary just
a month or two ago about the change man Lane
Kiffen was. This is who he was all along, Like,
it's he is. If you want to call him a
villain or whatever it may be, I think Lane is
actually good for the sport. He's the most entertaining reality
star that we have right now. And this is par
for the course.
Speaker 2: Yeah you can't. It's like you can't blame a dog
for being a dog. All right, That's just who he
That's just who he is as a person. Uh you
know what, for all the for all the mess and
I don't know, well, I don't know what happened here,
and I don't think it's being really talked about that much.
Maybe just everything else going on in the Lane Kevin
saga here is not being talked about enough. They crucified
urban Meyer for having that old girl on his lap. Yes,
they hug his ass out to dry. They they vanished
urban Meyer to the fucking shadow realm. And bye God,
all this stuff coming about Lane Kiffin. He can't even
bring the dog with him, Juice.
Speaker 1: Did you hear that? By the way, So Juice actually
is not his dog.
Speaker 2: It's just a prop for him.
Speaker 1: It's just a pr He's got a handler and everything.
Juice is not Lane's dog.
Speaker 2: It's incredible. And then all these, you know, all these
texts that are leaking. Then he's pretty much just banging
all those the sarrostitutes as we used to call him. Yes,
what like urban Meyer would have hung for less? What
is no one's talking about that he's out here, Maybe
because I don't know, it's not with his wife or
like you know, his daughter goes or his daughter dates
an L s U linebacker or whatever player. And that
was that was a funny thing when that all broke
when Old Miss played l Shue. But I mean, if
that was my dad and I was like college age,
Like he's he's banging girls his daughter's age. It's several
of them.
Speaker 1: Remember as Joey Freshwater Days, the fake name he had
when he was Alabama's OC.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm like, what in the world, He's just like
the Ludicrous song, like pimping all over the world. He's
just pimping all over the SEC. Yeah, it's kind of incredible.
Speaker 1: Actually, I would guess so LSU. You know, they won
national titles with average head coaches like uh, you know,
Les Miles and ed Orgern, Brian Kelly of course didn't
didn't even come close. But if I were to predict Tom,
this is how I think it's likely going to go
for Lane Kiffin at LSU. Lane is good enough where
they very well could win a national title with him there,
But there is such a short leash they have and
such high expectations every single year they want to be
right up there with Georgia and Alabama that this will
crater and crumble at some point. Lane Kiffin took this
job knowing he is going to get fired. It might
be three years from now, it might be five, might
be ten years from now. But if I were to
predict what goes on with Lane Tom, I would say
he wins at a high level, but it will end poorly,
just like all these jobs do with Lane Kiffin too.
And maybe here's another possibility I'll even throw out there.
He did coach in the NFL recently, I say recently,
several years ago with the Raiders. There was already talk
about him pairing up with Jackson Dart and all that.
Of course that's not happening now. Who's to say that.
Maybe after two or three years Lane says, yeah, now
I want to go to the NFL, and he burns
the bridge that way too, Like there is going to
be a bad ending to this story at some point.
I can't tell you when, though.
Speaker 2: I mean, that's just how it's gonna shake out. I mean,
do you think if it all goes to plan, and
I'm sure Eliss you would love this, does he win
a national title in the next four years for LSU?
Speaker 1: I would bet yes.
Speaker 2: I think I think for LSU do as long as
you get one out of him, right, obviously you want
it every year. But I think in hiring and paying
them all this money bringing him over. You're bringing him
into at least get a natty, right, And I think
if you get one out of him in five years,
then honestly, that's pretty good return on investment.
Speaker 1: Yeah, my costume ninety million dollars do it. But hey,
Benner's hang forever exactly.
Speaker 2: They could never take it from you can never take.
Speaker 1: It from You can't give you the Reggie Bush treatment
who played for Lane Kiffin. By the way, Tom the
old miss into things. Pete Golding, I'll be frank, he's
an ass coach. He's a terrible defensive coordinator. This was
a awful reaction. This was the This was the girl
that got dumped that grabs the next guy she sees.
And that's what they do with Pete Golding is the rebound.
And it's an awful choice. Uh. I mean they could
had Joe Judge, the former Giants coach, was on that staff.
Now Joe Judge is a bit of a moron too
if you saw what he did with the Giants, but
NFL experience, and it would have been better than a
Pete Golding anyway. Charlie Weist junior even like but no
they go Pete Golding, Tom, I would guess, like you know,
they're they're lacking so much offensive staff, so much so
that they had to get Charlie Weiss to come back
from LSU to go call place for the playoffs. I
don't think Pete Golden is a very good coach at all. Uh.
You know, I love I Love shambleis their quarterback. But
there's so much turmoil there. They're gonna be what the
six or seven seed, So that means that they will
play the what ten or eleven seed if if they
end up somehow playing Notre Dame guaranteed loss, now they
could luck out and get one of these group of
five teams they end up playing. Uh that's uh, that's
a possibility, and maybe that's how they advance. But but
unless I would put it this way, tom Ole, miss,
I don't. I don't feel good about their future with
Pete Golding. And then as far as their playoff hopes go,
there they are just hoping and praying that they somehow
end up playing the ACC championor group of five team
because I think that's their only shot for a playoff
win right now.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so you think all the all the lane Kipp
and stuff and the him holding out and making it
a big show. You think it's derailed their train a bit.
Speaker 1: Uh, Oh, absolutely, I do, no question.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's kind of I feel like Lane Kifvin just
making it such a big drama and doing all this,
I feel like I kind of feel bad. I don't
feel bad for Old Miss. There they cheated OSU back
in the day, so uh, and I got to take
a trip to New Orleans and watch I can't remember
that receiver's name he played for the Vikings but dismantle
OSU and the Sugar Bowl. Turns out they were cheating anyway.
But so I don't feel necessarily bad for him, But
I do feel bad for those kids that worked hard
all year and had a great year for Old Miss,
and then your coaches run arounds and Jackson, your whole
year now kind of derails your train a bit on
what you had going and what you built for the
whole season. Am I surprised that lane Kivin would do that. No,
he's just that, That's who he is, like we said prior,
But it does kind of. I mean, that does suck
for those kids play for Old Mess.
Speaker 1: Yeah, not great. The other hirings that have gone on
over the last few days within the SEC TOM and
then we'll also talk about k State in a moment.
That one's a bizarre one. Uh. The SEC hirings an
American Athletic Conference takeover of sorts. John summer All.
Speaker 3: Goes to Florida, Golwich U goes to Auburn, and then
we see Silverfield from Memphis go to Arkansas.
Speaker 1: Some are all, I think, I think that's a good
hire for Florida.
Speaker 3: Uh.
Speaker 1: And we'll talk more with Maddie Hudak and I'm moment
get her thoughts on John summer All, who's she's seen
firsthand there at at Tulane. But Silverfield didn't really do
that great at at Memphis compared to you know what
he what was handed to him. And like that's kind
of a sign of how far Arkansas's falling that they
have to settle for the head coach for Memphis when
guys like you know, John Gruden were mentioned for that
job previously Auburn. You know you you followed Golwich I
can't even say his name right, thank you. You followed
him in depth because he was one of the finalist.
Fill Calhomme State job. I don't think he's a bad coach,
but I think that's a tough situation that Auburn's in
for any coach to really succeed there. I I don't
know if the situation is too much for him to overcome.
Like of those of those three hiring summer role, is
the one only one I really really like the other
ones I'm kind of milk toast about.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think anywhere else Golis should have
been better off. It's Auburn's just kind of like a hole.
It's kind of like you and you take, you know,
one step forward, two steps back is kind of it
feels like at Auburn right now. I think it's going
to take just a huge not not one called an
overhaul of the program. But it's just the competition around
you is so tough that it's just like you just
keep coming back getting punched in the mouth. How many
times can you get punched in the mouth? Uh? So
we'll see what what Golish is built, Like, you know,
he's built for this ship or not. But Silverfield Man, Arkansas,
I feel like they wanted a Golish, or they wanted
Eric Morris, or they wanted you know, they wanted a
bigger name and for them to have to settle for
for you know, get the tail end of Memphis. It's just,
you know, I think Arkansas kind of got a reality smack,
didn't they? All the fans that all were Arkansas. We're SEC.
You know, just because you're in the SEC doesn't mean anything.
I mean, you're who did Kentucky get.
Speaker 1: Tvd Uh? The rumor is sounds like will Stein, the
Oregon coordinator who's from Louisville originally is the favorite to
get that job.
Speaker 2: I thought, I thought will Stein did take that job.
Speaker 1: I can't even keep up anything.
Speaker 2: Yeah, he might have. I mean, but I mean, if
you're in Arkansas, I think I would have rather had
will Stein.
Speaker 1: Oh he did take he he you're already ahead of it.
He's sorry. Taking the Kentucky job. Yeah, I can't even
keep up.
Speaker 2: I would have I would have taken will Stein over Silverfield, honestly, Yeah,
I mean I job, yeah, yeah, I mean yeah. You
know Dylan Gabriel justin Herbert. I mean, he's run some
great offenses there, and you know, for Arkansas, you get
Silverfield's okay, you know it's and I mean.
Speaker 1: By the way Mark Stoop's getting fired or Forester's on,
whatever it was. I don't I don't feel bad. Uh,
he'd done a very good job there, but I think
things had kind of run its course. Uh, they just
weren't saying the last couple of seasons. And I think
Kentucky's a great job, Tom, because the standards, the expectations
aren't that high. But Mark Stoops wasn't even reaching the
low bar that he had set for himself.
Speaker 2: So yeah.
Speaker 1: Meanwhile, big twelve country one hiring that seems to be
at the time this recording, is it a done deal
yet or we're very close to it? Anyway? Is the
announcement that the surprise retiring of Chris Kleiman at k State.
I guess there's some health issues within his family going on.
He's only fifty eight years old, and Colin Kleine is
expected to be the next head coach at k State.
Of course, Tom and I we saw him up close
and personal for a number of years, as he was
a great quarterback for KSE State, second in the Heisman
only to Johnny Manziel and then goes on and did
a pretty solid job as though see at KSE State
He's been a really good oc for A and M.
The last couple of years we've seen Marcel Reid really
flourished and that offense look good. I think he's one
of the best young offensive mines in football. And Tom,
what this comes down to for me is KSE State
has seen some of their own coach directly against them
and not be there. You think Lon Kruger at Oklahoma,
you think Brad Underwood at Oklahoma State. Now, of course
he's at Illinois, and here's Colin Klein, who's done a
great job. And I think that with this season not
going the way they wanted for Chris Cleman and Colin
Klein sitting there, I would guess. I don't have any
sources on this, but my inclination, Tom, is that Case
States said themselves, this isn't working with climbing we need
we cannot pass up on this chance to give Colin
Kline the job. And I don't even think on Klin
might be their long term. This could be a stepping
stone for him because he's already left them once. Go B,
A and M. So see. But I do think it
was kind of an ego check of sorts from k
State that we cannot lose this opportunity we have here,
and especially to unite the fan base, Like there's people
kind of divided on Chris Climbon after Bill Snyder retired.
Now everybody's kind of all in there in Manhattan on
Tong Klin.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think you're absolutely right that they saw the
hype round callin Klein and he was interviewing here and
interviewing there, and they're thinking, hey, we gotta, we gotta.
One of these ships is gonna have to sail. And
I don't necessarily blame them, I mean Climbing. You know,
for a long time, he was the he was the
ou beat her right, and he had some pretty solid
wins and pretty solid seasons in case they given, you know,
given everything.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I want a big twelve tile.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean yeah, did more than Mike Gundy, damn
near pretty much. And for what it's worth, I mean
he was a pretty solid coach. I think last season
there was something going on with him and they thought,
is Chris Climbing in it? Like he's kind of is
he out of touch right now? And he addressed the
media and said something like no, everything's fine. You know,
it just had some family things going on. But we're
all we're we're good, We're good. I'm not going anywhere
for a long time. And then just about a year later, he,
you know, hangs it up. I think I wonder how
much they paid him and wanted them said hey, man, listen,
we can't afford to miss out on call and Cline,
here's the bag. Thanks for everything. Best of luck to you. No, no, no,
no bad feelings, no burnt bridges here, but we got
this is what we got to do. Good first case
eight though, to recognize that, hey, we have a chance
to get to get this guy. He's a hometown guy,
K State lights doing hometown things. Cal and Klimb back
in Manhattan. Uh, you know, all of a sudden you
get two good coaches to be into the Big twelve.
Speaker 1: Now, yeah, it was different. It was different for them
with Colin Kline compared to Oklahoma State with Zach Robinson.
The fact that Colin Kline has only been a college coach.
He's coached at k State, and uh, he knows how
all this works and has been successful everywhere. Compared to
Zach Robinson, who isn't looking so hot with the Atlanta
Falcons right now, he's never coached college football before. This
makes much more sense for k State to go to
Colin Klein route compared to if Oklahoma State had gone
to Zach Robinson route.
Speaker 2: And I think it's a lot going to be a
lot better than you know, Schnyder junior in this case,
John Snyder. Yes, yeah, that's gonna be a lot better.
I think.
Speaker 1: All right, let's talk about the games this weekend real quick.
Tom started with the Big Twelve Championship Texas Tech BYU
and Arlington. I would say, in the modern era, in
the last twenty five thirty years, this is the biggest
game for either one of these schools period.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, easily Texas.
Speaker 1: Tech, Tom, I think I said this a while back.
That's a team that can win the national championship. Their
only loss was without Baron Morton in a road game
at Arizona State against the defending Big Twelve champions. But
they lost doing a close game, and then Arizona State
decides to look like a poverty program and their fans
stormed the field. I'm like, hey, you guys are the
rating Big twelve champions here, acts like you've been there before.
I digress. But Texas Tech. I think they might be
the biggest challenger in Ohio State in all honesty, as
crazy as that may sound, because they look like they
looked a part. They look like a complete football team.
This is their game to lose. Sataki is a fantastic coach.
He seems to be really happy turning down Penn State
and all that. You know. Back Meyer is a very
good quarterback. They got a good defense. I think that
team's got a bright future. They are building something in Provo.
But Saturday is not their day. I like Tech by
at least fourteen.
Speaker 2: Tom Yeah, I mean BYU said a good season. They
haven't been talked about enough. I wouldn't, it wouldn't go
as far as persecution, but they've They've quietly soldiered on.
But yeah, I think you're right. It's not it's it's
good year, but not their year it should be. I
think it's gonna be a good game. And Jones, I
want to say I saw that UH games sold out.
It's gonna be the biggest crowd for Big Top championship ever.
It's gonna be. I mean, it's gonna be loud. It's
both sides. I mean, the Mormons are everywhere and Lubbock.
I guess Lubbock to Dallas is kind of a drive, but.
Speaker 1: Well there's a lot of tech fans just within Dallas too.
Speaker 2: You're gonna go have a doctor Prepper shootout for tech.
I might have to im what's that bar called Luckies?
Speaker 1: Uh? That bar is uh? I call it the coin bar.
Speaker 2: The coin bar.
Speaker 1: Yeah, flip night you know. Uh, I took time there
one time. You you get your drinks and you flip
the coin Oh and uh, if you guess correctly, you
pay a dollar a drink. Incorrectly, you pay full price.
And that is the Texas Tech Bar of Dallas.
Speaker 2: So that that's going on tonight is the time of
recording is, isn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 1: I have to go to the board tonight.
Speaker 2: Potentially we'll see.
Speaker 1: SEC Championship game Georgia and Alabama. I know Kirby's had
his struggles with with Bama. I think he's got what
one win one t all time, and that was in
the National Championship. He's zero to two against Kaitlin de Boor.
But Tom, I understand all of that. I'm not ignoring that.
But I look at Bama. The offensive line isn't very good.
They can't run the football. Ty Simpson hasn't played as
well as he did a month ago when he looked
like a Heisman contender. I think Georgia looks very solid
if I ignore what happened in that first game. All
signs point to Georgia winning this game. But if Bama
can play like they did the first time when they won,
Bama wins this. If Ty Simpson goes off, have a chance.
But uh, that's all I'm looking at, Tom. It if
you're Bbama, you have to play almost identically to what
you did the first time. Type. It's gotta be Ty
Simpson against the world.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so. I mean, Georgia is gonna be tough,
and if Ty Simpson can play like he did, you
know after the Florida State game, then I think Bama
does have a shot. But you know, I don't know
if it's to the point of what Ty Simpson are
we gonna see here, because like you said, he hasn't
played well. It was late. But for for Bama to
win this game, it's gonna have to be the Ty
Simpson game.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I like Georgia. I think I think I'd go
Georgia by about ten In this.
Speaker 2: One that seems that's yeah, that's about the number I
would pick as well.
Speaker 1: Uh, Lione is what when we say two and a half.
So we'll see more to come. Maddy Hohodex set to
join us next. We'll get her thoughts on the Cottage
Football Playoff, what's going on with Tulane, and more on
the other side. Stay with us, join us now the
program this week. Please to welcome in from right in
our backyard or our colleague. It is Mattie Houdak who
becomes the first person to join this show within the
Roundtable family. So we're excited to extend that outreach out
and have her joined us right now. Maddie, thanks for
joining us and being here. I know it's a big week,
crazy week, so much going on with these conference championship
games and also the countdown of the college football playoff here.
Speaker 5: Yeah, no problem, I didn't know it was the first
Round Table person on here, so happy, happy to be
the first.
Speaker 1: Yes, well, I've been here a month now, so glad
that we could make this happen and some really cool
stuff going on. Like I've talked about round and Table
on this show, but you've been here longer than me
give people an idea, you know, whether they're an Oklahoma fan,
Oklahoma State fan, you know, Big twelve sec. I mean,
there's something for everybody at roundtable going on right now.
Speaker 4: Well, that's what I was about to say.
Speaker 5: I know that you probably have your audience that's they're
speaking to, but there is there is pretty much every
sport that you can think of at this point, and
just a really great, dedicated group of girls guys with
their boots on the ground.
Speaker 4: It's been really cool to watch form.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it is, it's been it's been awesome to see.
And uh. And so you're you're doing the two lane
thing and and also seeing overseeing college coverage and also
working the sidelines. I mean you're you're pretty busy yourself. Yeah.
Speaker 5: Yeah, it's especially this time of the year where everything
kind of crashes down together at the same time.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, let's let's start off with the TV you
cover TWU lane in the American Conference Championship. Uh, exciting game.
What I've been saying about this, Mattie is that, uh,
you know, if you're a college football enthusiast, you need
to be watching this game Friday night. Forget the name
brands or anything like that. These are two exciting teams,
uh that play good football and have a shot to
be in the playoff. I mean, what more could you want? Like,
I don't have a dog in this fight, but I'm
just looking forward to being entertained and seeing good football Friday.
Speaker 4: Yeah for sure.
Speaker 5: I mean, you know, it's essentially a play in game
for the playoff, like how the rankings came out, Like what,
whoever wins this game, they're going to the college Football Playoff.
And so that's something that to be able to be
a Tulane fan side the line reporter covering the program
and legitimately.
Speaker 4: Say that that is why.
Speaker 5: You know, when I think people all this discourse about
the twelve team format and group of five teams not belonging, well,
then I mean you miss out on just an entire
group of college football that has someone has a stake
in the race. And you know, I remember when Tulane
went to the New Year Six Bowl a few years ago.
It just feels like there's something more on the line
when there's something with those higher stakes. And to have
it be in the city of New Orleans after it
was in West Point last year, is going.
Speaker 1: To be really great, Yeah it is. And you look
at what both teams are going through of their coaches
moving on but still coaching in the game here, I mean,
very unlike the situation going on with Old Miss and
Lane Kiffin and all that. I mean, it seems like
these programs are excited to have their coaches sticking around
for this.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 5: I mean you have to address the obvious where you know,
Florida and Tulane they're they're not competing with one another
as of now in terms of resources recruits, and it's
just not the same as someone going to an interconference rival.
So I do see, and I think that's the way
for these guys to be able to finish their seasons
out with their coach at the hell. You know, we're
all talking about next season, but this still is the
end of this year, and these guys signed up to
play for this coach and that's not done yet. And
so I think that that's why I really appreciate that
both programs are really allowing the coaches to see this
out till the end, including a potential college Football playoff run.
I mean, it's just something that guys dream about, coaches
dream about that's probably going to be more difficult for
both of these coaches, quite frankly, at their next stops,
and so to have them be able to really finish
this out with the guys, it's going to be really exciting.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it is. And you know, I don't know what
you think, Maddy, but you know, when when I see
some of those teams in that five six range that
we're talking about, the Oregons, the Old Misses, the Texas
A and M's of the world, I'm looking at the
winner of this game. I know, everybody just kind of
automatically assumes blowout. I think that's a little premature to
count out Twulane or North Texas, either one potentially contending
with one of these guys.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 5: I mean, you know, the Old miss thing is weird
for Twulane fans just because there was that kind of
blowout earlier this year. But you always do kind of
wonder about a rematch in those situations, especially with you know,
looking at Tulane's team at that time. You know, Jake
Rehetzoff had gotten on campus a week before training camp
had started and really wasn't even the starter and the
conversation until about a week before the actual season began,
you had to replace three guys in the defensive back
room that went on and are now in the NFL
with guys that didn't really have that much time on task.
Speaker 4: And so yeah, you saw things really hit a wall
earlier this year.
Speaker 5: But then you know, you look at a potential Oregon matchup,
especially you know, for two in side Chris Hampton being
their defensive coordinator. He used to be two lanes defensive coordinator,
so there.
Speaker 4: Is some familiarity there.
Speaker 5: But you know, I agree, I think when you kind
of look at those five six spots, but you also
look at half the games last year, we're all blowouts
in the first round and didn't include a group of
five teams in any of those first games. So I
think it really just depends on the matchup every single year.
But I think that there's definitely a possibility that the
group of five one could be competitive with this seating.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I can't forget about James Madison of course
as well potentially being involved, and.
Speaker 4: Duke's chaos could very well happen.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's not not impossible, but by any stretch to
vegetation with that said, when when you look at what's
going on with with with two lane and how they
match up with North Texas. What do you think about
how this game will go? You and I were kind
of talking off the top there there could be some
potentially helping out Tulane here.
Speaker 5: Yeah, though the weather being bad definitely favors the Green Wave,
just because I think, you know, when you look at
this game, trying to slow down such a prolific offense
like North Texas, you know you're not going to be
able to really get into an air fight with them
and expect to win that. I think you have to
limit the amount of times that Drew Mestmaker is able
to see the field. And I think you have to
dare New Texas to also run the ball on you.
You know, they have such a good running game, but
it's one of those things that they have the top
passing offense in the American one of the top in
the country. And so of course to me, the ground
game is going to be a good one when everyone's
kind of dropping back into coverage, and so I think
North Texas hasn't really seen that many boxes with the
caliber of defender that Tulane is going to come after
them with. And I think they are going to have
to dare them to beat them in the air. But
I really think Tulane trying to again match what North
Texas does well would be a bad idea. I think
relying on you know again, I think running the football
wins games. And I think especially with this potential weather
and trying to limit the amount of time that the
other offense is on the field, I think that's going
to be a really important key.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think you're absolutely right about that, and for
both these programs too. We talk about the stakes of
being in the college for a playoff. You know, Two
Lane of course has had more recent success of you know,
that good Cotton Bowl win a few years ago beat
USC But this feels like the biggest correct me if
I'm wrong here, Maddie, But this feels like the biggest
game ever for each of these schools.
Speaker 2: Here.
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's hard not to agree with that.
Speaker 5: Just again, you know, these guys when they were growing up,
you know, I don't think they would have ever considered
I would go somewhere like a Tulane or a North
Texas and then have a shot and be one win
away from playing for a national championship. You know, that's
something that that's something these guys will tell their grandkids
about at a certain day, and so I think just
having that be and again it's not really this, oh well,
all of these things have to happen. It's almost been
oddly simplified in a way with two Lane kind of
getting that top ranked the Group of five spot, and
then really holding onto it these last couple of weeks.
Now they are going to have a ranked matchup for
that college football playoff spot, and so it's very earned,
and I think just the stakes being this high, you're
really glad that it's in Yeoman Stadium because I remember
the championship game at Tulane one that sent them to
the Cotton Bowl.
Speaker 4: Home field advantage really really mattered in that game.
Speaker 5: You look back at the Duke game earlier this year
for Tulane where that was probably the most hostile environment
I've seen at Yeoman Stadium, just with the whole Darien
Mensaw return thing. But knowing how much the home environment
can really make a difference, and then I also think
it'll make a difference that Tulane's bended this dance before,
and yes they've lost it twice in a row now,
but that's also really important learning experience, and North Texas
hasn't really been in this moment before, So I think
if there is adversity that hits both teams, one team
or the other, I do think that that still kind
of favors the Green Wave.
Speaker 1: Yeah, how about the quarterback for two line?
Speaker 2: Here?
Speaker 1: Jake Retz laugh comes in as a walk on, was
successful with BYU, of course, had that controversy that ultimately
led to him leaving that program. What's he been like
for two lane? How's the fit for him in this
offense been?
Speaker 4: I mean, it's been pretty incredible.
Speaker 5: And I don't think we're having this conversation at all
right now if Jake Redsloft doesn't show up on campus.
You just look at a lot of the games where
he's really had to do a lot to dig in
and win. You look at the Memphis game earlier this year.
I mean, he was absolutely lights out in that performance,
and I think that's I mean, you need a performance
from a quarterback to go into this battle this weekend.
But just he's been such a great leader, it's really
hard to believe that again, he showed up a week
before training camp, But what really played I think a
role in that assimilation is the fact that John Summral
really had recruited Jake Redsloft when he was at with
the Troy Trojans. It was actually the only FBS offer
he had for a long time until BYU came kind
of came out of nowhere, and so when he was
looking for somewhere to land, that was such an obvious fit.
And I think having that comfortableness and familiarity with coach
Somemral helped him really come in here and assimilate and
put this team really in a position to make a
run here. And I also think, you know, you look
at how he's been such a complimentary quarterback, being able
to use his legs a little more. I kind of
expect him to open that up a little bit more
on Friday as well.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that'll be a big deal for him to see
what he could potentially do as far as that goes
with Uh. With that said, what what are some other
keys to this game? What was kind of some of
the matchups that kind of catch your eye in this
one here? Yeah?
Speaker 5: Again, I mean tu Lane has a tall task on offense.
I mean Drew Mestmaker, he's a he's either a red
shirt freshman or a true freshman, I can't remember, but
to lead the nation in passing yards, and you look
at the guys that have gotten the metrics that he's gotten.
But again, you know they have Wyatt Young, they have
a really great wide receiving core. But then they also
have this true freshman running back Hilo Hawkins, who leads
the country in total touchdowns and I believe in rushing
touchdow as well. So the defense is really going to
have their hands fill. And then North Texas also has
the top passing offense in the American I believe they
have the worst rush defense in the American So that's
a really interesting dichotomy to me, where they're so great
at stopping the pass and then they literally can't figure
out how to stop the run. And so I think
when you look at what a key to victory is
for Tulane, obviously you're gonna need some air yards out there,
but I think you just have to dare this North
Texas team to stop your running back room one. That's
a pretty deep one for Tulayane at this point. Probably
a lot of Jamari McClure, Javin Gordon, and again quite Frankly,
Jake Rutzlov, I think this is really where you look
for those RPOs and that kind of stuff to really
just be able to slow this game down. And you know,
there's been some uglier two lane wins in the past
where they kind of just ground it out, and I
do think that there is really something to be said in.
Speaker 4: This matchup for them.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you're right, You're right about that. John Someverral You've
got to know as well as anybody the last few years,
what do you think of what he's done and what
is flor I'm getting out of John severall here.
Speaker 5: I mean they're getting, you know, a heck of a recruiter,
a heck of a coach. I just you know, his
direct honesty in this state of college football and the
way that he speaks both with media with his players.
It's so rare and refreshing to me, like everything is
just always based on promises and this, that and the other.
Speaker 4: And he tells guys straight up.
Speaker 5: Really you know what their roles are going to be,
what they're not doing well, how to see a path
to the field.
Speaker 4: And I just don't think there's any surprises.
Speaker 5: And so I think when you're able to get a
guy that is, he knows how to recruit the type
of caliber of guy that's needed at Florida because he
spent time working in the SEC. Playing in the SEC.
He was a linebacker coach at Ole Miss and then
was the co defensive coordinator at Kentucky. We also played
Florida last year in the Gasparilla Bowl, and you could
literally see the size discrepancy on the field. I mean,
there just is a giant one. So he really has
that understanding of what it takes to win at that level.
But he just you know, he has an X factor.
And I know people hate hearing that because they want
to hear like specific things about him, but everyone that's
see like meets him kind of says the same thing.
There just is something about him. And then it's all
worked on the football field. You look everywhere he's gone.
He's taking his team to a conference championship literally every
single year that he's been a head coach. Now you know,
they won them at Troy, has yet to win them
at Tulane, but he took over for you know, I
think Willie Fritz really built the foundation here at Tulane,
but coach Summrow really took it and ran with it.
And then this last year with all the poaching on
Tulane's roster from the transfer portal, it would have been
really easy for Tulane to just throw up their hands
and kind of creep back into what they used to be.
And I think his aggressiveness reloading in the portal and everything,
really it really has made his mark here. And you know,
we all hope to kind of see him well after
this stop hoping that they we'll have a win here
on Friday so we'll get to make that run with him.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Maddie, it's not just him making this move. The
American Athletic Conference as a whole, sending what is it now,
three four coaches to the SEC. Quite the run of
you know what we saw of just good football league
for one, you know, as a you know, a group
of six conference, but two on the other end, like
these coaches getting the promotions they did. This is I
know that you hate to lose the coach, but this,
I would say, this is big and it was a
big year for the American here.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean it's pretty crazy.
Speaker 5: Three of their coaches got hired by the SEC and
then Eric morris by the Big Twelve Oklahoma State.
Speaker 4: The graphic was a little weird.
Speaker 5: I'm not gonna lie of the conference thinking the coaches
for leaving them didn't love that. But I think, you know,
especially when you look at a lot of the discourse
about the College Football Playoff and them saying that you
know doesn't belong, well, you know, reconcile with the idea
of sorry, my computer is about to die.
Speaker 4: Now, this is really great with the.
Speaker 5: Fact that the SEC thinks that you know, three of
the openings are you know, to be filled by group
of five head coaches, and so that's been an interesting
discourse for me to follow along with this year has
been you know, the group of five not belonging in
the college Football Playoffs, but their players certainly do because
they get poached a lot of the time by these
guys in the transfer portal. And then now you know,
all of the teams that were in contention or are
in the American Championship, now three of those guys are
going on to take on SEC programs again, another one
taking on.
Speaker 4: The Big Twelve. And so I think it also shows
you know, you said the kind of the group of six.
Speaker 5: I think there is this almost kind of like media
now between the Power four and the Group of six,
where maybe one or two conferences are kind of wallowing
around in there. But I think that the American is
really kind of you know, they used to really try
to position themselves as like a PCE six and be
that six power conference. Now I think there is honestly
a little bit of a vacuum that the American has
very much credibly filled as that group of five conference
to beat, and I think it's shown by their coaches
all getting poached.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's an excellent point. And you know, Matty, I
grew up in Tulsa. It went to a lot of
University of Tulsa games, and you know, the thing that
I've seen, I think Tulsa it tells a very solid year.
You know, under Trey Smith his first season there you're
beating Oklahoma State and among others, and it seems like
things are going well. But like the problem they faced
for example, like you know, they have not had the
budget and they've had the monetary issues that we've seen.
Compared to their counterparts in the American they were able
to compete financially when they were in Conference USA and
the Whack and all that, but there is I think
two Lane is a great example of this, Like there
is a legit care, and there is a want to win.
There's a true investment from some of these teams in
the American even if they don't have the media rights
deals that we're seeing, if maybe Big twelve and ACC schools,
it's it's not a lack of trying by any effort.
I think that's another reason that they should be awarded
with potential playoff access, is like they're not holding back
here by any means. They're doing what they can what
they have to work with.
Speaker 5: Yeah, and I also will say I actually think the
media rights deal for them is pretty good because they
have the agreement with ESPN. And I just look at
how many two games for Tulane compared to my first year.
Where I get it, you know, they won two games
my first year, but I will never get over the
fact that the year they won the Cotton Bowl, their
win over Kansas State was on ESPN Plus. That was
tough because no one saw Tulane coming at that stage.
Ever since then, I think we had one game this
year on ESPN Plus, the other were on you know,
all their three major stations. And so like my family
in California talks about Tulane. Now it's definitely become more
of a national brand. And again that's when you talk
about this expansion and this stuff kind of making a
difference you once you start to kind of get that
national presence. You look also at schools that make the
jump to power For and how they're kind of able
to do that. And I remember UCF, their athletic director
at the time, really talking about just a strategy of
getting UCF in everyone's eyeballs, using the TV deals to
really build this national brand and then bring the football
program that comes along with it. I think you're really
starting to see not just Two Lane, but a few
schools in the American that are really at that upper
equally on of being competitive, being able to start formulating
this national brand alongside the TV rights deal. But it
is it's just an arms race trying to kind of
catch up to the group of I'm sorry to the
Power For and you're just kind of happy that Two
Lan is one of those teams that at least has
a competitive NIL program.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we mentioned Maddie's covering the college sports scene as
a whole at a round table so I want to
get your thoughts, Mattie, just on the CFP of what
we're at going into Championship weekend. What's kind of your
thoughts on the twelve teams that sit there in the
field right now? The committee has been very inconsistent, to
say the least, of how they've handled this. What's kind
of your takeaways from where things stack up heading into Championship.
Speaker 5: With you know, I'll say that I'm okay with the
teams in there, it's more so the seating. I think
that everyone's kind of like ha.
Speaker 4: And then Miami.
Speaker 5: I think Miami is a very interesting bubble team to me,
just because you look at the fact that they literally
beat No on the field, and so I don't really
understand how a team that lost to that like that
just doesn't make sense to me. And I think they
also kind of put themselves in a corner last year
saying that the championship games wouldn't.
Speaker 4: Change anything, and then they did kind of end up
changing things.
Speaker 5: And you heard them say, oh, we got some advice
this summer on what we said last year. Basically, yeah,
I mean, you have to literally take championship games into account. Otherwise,
why is anyone playing them this weekend, I think that
we might kind of start to move away from that,
but I am going to be curious to kind of
see how that seeding gets affected. I also was glad
to see that they didn't end up really penalizing any
teams that lost their head coaches. You were kind of
worried about the Jordan Travis effect, and then you know,
at least from Tulane side, I was at least, you know,
I'm not happy for James Madison fans, but the fact
that their coach has also gone to kind of eliminated
any worries of, oh, okay, we're gonna put this team
in the playoff because there are the other guys's head.
Speaker 4: Coaches are leaving.
Speaker 5: So I think it's been a really weird year kind
of focused on that in a way, but I ultimately
I'm kind of at peace with the teams that are
in there. I think Miami certainly has a case. I
think it gets really weird if Duke wins, then I
think again, the James Madison Dukes certainly have an argument,
and I think again that works then in the Americans favor,
because that champ is absolutely getting ranked above the acc Yeah.
Speaker 1: I think another intit point you talked about if a
championship game is going to punish what about Alabama? Here?
They played Georgia. I think everybody's just, you know, assuming
Georgia wins this game. But Bama hasn't played great in
a month, and you know, they for whatever reason jump
Notre Dame last week, and like, could we potentially see
a scenario where I'll give you two ideas here, Matty,
you tell me what you think. Could they win and
play good enough and jump Oklahoma even though they they
already lost to them a few weeks ago at home?
And then the other idea, if they get beat bad enough,
does Bama with a third loss come in the championship
game potentially get knocked out altogether?
Speaker 2: You think?
Speaker 5: So that's where I think they said that they are
not going to penalize teams for playing an extra game,
and I'm pretty I'm inclined to agree with that. Otherwise,
if I'm a team, I'm losing my last game and
I'm hoping that the College Football Playoff ranks us accordingly,
because I just think that that's too much of a
risk if you've made it to the championship game, I
do think you should only stand to go up in
the rankings, especially if you're the lower team, where I
would not have a problem. If it's Alabama and Georgia
right in the SEC championship game, yeah, I mean Georgia's
ring third, so yeah, I'll Bama beats them. I don't
have an issue with them jumping in Oklahoma because they
got to that final game and they showed that they
at that time, with the stakes that high, were able
to beat the number three team in the country. But
I absolutely don't think they should stay at nine or
at eight wherever they ended up being like you said
they did at Notre Dame. I think they're at Notre
Dame at nine, Yeah, then I think they should fall
back now, not fall out of the seeding entirely. But
I do think, you know, if you get embarrassed in
your conference championship, I just think it kind of matters
with how the game is played on the field. If
it's a competitive game one way or the other, I
don't see the needle moving that much. But if Alabama
goes out there and gets embarrassed, I think they should
fall to the final seed. But if they do end
up winning, then you know, I think they've earned the
right to at least earn the right now to move
up in the rankings, not so much the week before.
Speaker 1: Yeah, with this said, going into this playoff, you know,
all it feels like it's kind of Ohio State versus
everybody else, that they've been so dominant, so good, and
and everybody else has been you know, we've seen the
parody from that point is in your rise is Ohio State?
Clearly the team debate going into this postseason is that
there's a lose you think.
Speaker 4: I think they definitely are.
Speaker 5: But again, I mean now that you have several games
to be played here, that there's attrition, there's stuff, there's
got there's chains that might get on a roll and
kind of figure it out.
Speaker 4: So I'm I'm kind of you know, I know they
won last year.
Speaker 5: And it's it's probably presumed favorite that they'll end up
going back to the title game. But I did think that,
you know, there were a little bit of surprises in
the quarterfinals semi finals of the playoff last year, and
I definitely think we could see another upset this year.
Speaker 2: For sure.
Speaker 1: Mannie Will we got a little bit of time off,
so go ahead and plug away. You get a lot
of stuff going out with the Roundtable, the Two Lane
Radio Network. Where can people find you and see all
the stuff you're doing.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I was gonna say honestly, Two Lane Roundtable, NCAA,
NFL Roundtable Sports. We'll be on the radio on Varsity
Network on Friday if you want to listen to us
call hopefully a second conference championship win for the Green
Wave on the Varsity Network.
Speaker 1: App awesome stuff, Madni, appreciate the time, Thanks for stopping by,
and I'm sure we'll be talking again down a lot.
Speaker 4: Great thank you and bro Wave