1 00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:05,599 Speaker 1: Checking out college football on the West Coast. This is 2 00:00:05,639 --> 00:00:08,599 Get Off My Pylon, a look at the PAC twelve 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,240 and more, part of the College Gridiron Coast to Coast 4 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:15,679 podcast Network. Here's your host, Matt Zimon. 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:18,679 Speaker 2: Welcome to the list audition. If you Get Off My 6 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:22,000 pil college football podcast. This is your host, Man Zemic. 7 00:00:22,679 --> 00:00:26,039 We're part of the College Gridron Coast to Coast podcast Network. 8 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:30,480 Go to Apple wherever you listen to your podcasts to 9 00:00:30,559 --> 00:00:34,560 look at all your favorite college Gredound Coast to Coast podcasts. 10 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:38,000 We have all sports discussion on the ACC and the 11 00:00:38,039 --> 00:00:41,840 plot twists and the ACC race that we've seen over 12 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,920 the past weekend with Clemson losing. If you want to 13 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,679 go there for your ACC fix. At College Gredound Coast 14 00:00:48,679 --> 00:00:51,039 to Coast, we have a Jason Powers The Powers on 15 00:00:51,079 --> 00:00:55,880 Sports podcast. You know, really interesting news with Miami now 16 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:00,679 you know, entrenching its position atop the ACC, handling Duke 17 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,599 coming back from eleven points down. Jason Powers on top 18 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:08,640 of the top stories in the state of Florida, Billy 19 00:01:08,719 --> 00:01:12,480 Napier and Florida losing to Georgia. Jason Powers is covering 20 00:01:12,519 --> 00:01:17,400 those stories on the Florida Football Insiders podcast part of 21 00:01:17,439 --> 00:01:22,040 College Gridron Coast to Coast. Get all your college Gridiron podcasts. 22 00:01:22,239 --> 00:01:26,000 They're at Apple also on Twitter at Gridiron Coast you 23 00:01:26,079 --> 00:01:28,760 get the links to all of the College Gridiron Coast 24 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:33,159 to Coast podcasts. So get off my pylon. We're focusing 25 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,439 on western college football in the United States, and so 26 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,120 plenty to cover on this week's show. And let's start 27 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,920 with the Mountain West, and let's start with Boise State. 28 00:01:44,079 --> 00:01:48,239 So you know, boise State coming off the win over 29 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:53,719 UNLV handles its business against San Diego State, and so 30 00:01:53,799 --> 00:01:56,200 Boise State has one loss and that one loss is 31 00:01:56,239 --> 00:02:01,480 at Oregon. So obviously, if Boise State has one loss 32 00:02:02,159 --> 00:02:05,599 and no one else in the Group of five is 33 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:10,879 able to go unbeaten, Boise State should get the Group 34 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:16,000 of five championship and the spot in the College Football Playoff. 35 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:18,199 And one thing that happened over the weekend is that 36 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:23,560 Memphis lost to Texas San Antonio. So Memphis is done. 37 00:02:23,599 --> 00:02:27,639 Memphis is pretty much out. It looks like the Group 38 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,639 of five championship is gonna come down to Boise State, 39 00:02:30,719 --> 00:02:35,639 and Army Army is unbeaten. Army schedule strength to this 40 00:02:35,759 --> 00:02:42,759 point not as good as Boise States. But in a 41 00:02:42,759 --> 00:02:47,319 few weeks on November twenty third, Army plays Notre Dame, 42 00:02:48,159 --> 00:02:50,800 and so that seems to be the game that's gonna 43 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,159 decide the whole shob You know, if Army beats Notre 44 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:57,360 Dame and is able to finish unbeaten, well you would 45 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:01,280 think that Army will be ahead of Boise State in 46 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,960 the Group of five championship race. And if Army loses 47 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,400 to Notre Dame, then there you go. Then it'll all 48 00:03:08,439 --> 00:03:11,919 be lined up for Boise State to win the Group 49 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:16,400 of five go to the College football playoffs. So it 50 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:21,360 seems pretty clear cut that there are two main contenders 51 00:03:21,439 --> 00:03:24,319 right now. Boise State's one of them, and Boise State's 52 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,360 just going to have those Notre Dame pom poms in 53 00:03:27,439 --> 00:03:30,439 a few weeks so that the fighting Irish could take 54 00:03:30,479 --> 00:03:34,360 care of Army, and that would make it pretty clear. 55 00:03:34,479 --> 00:03:37,080 I would think that, you know, if Boise State and 56 00:03:37,159 --> 00:03:40,560 Army both have one loss, that Boise State's going to 57 00:03:40,599 --> 00:03:43,759 get the NOD over Army. But if Army can somehow 58 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,199 manage to beat Notre Dame and stay unbeaten and then 59 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,000 beat Navy, I mean you'd have to give it to Army, 60 00:03:50,039 --> 00:03:53,479 I would think. So it just really seems clear cut. 61 00:03:53,599 --> 00:03:57,159 Either Army beats Notre Dame and stays ahead of Boise State, 62 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,800 or Army loses to Notre Dame and Boise State goes 63 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,560 in front. So group of five with Boise State right 64 00:04:03,599 --> 00:04:07,520 there in the mix, a pretty clear cut situation from 65 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:11,680 where we sit at least right now in early November. 66 00:04:14,199 --> 00:04:20,399 The other really big story in western college football that 67 00:04:20,439 --> 00:04:23,839 we're covering right now. Look at how the Big Twelve 68 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,720 race changed over the weekend. You had Kansas State stumbling 69 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,600 at Houston, led nineteen ten in the second half. You're thinking, okay, 70 00:04:31,959 --> 00:04:35,199 Wildcats have a two score lead. They started slowly in 71 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,399 that game, but they found themselves well. They crumbled late, 72 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,519 and they lose to Houston twenty four to nineteen. Meanwhile, 73 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,839 Iowa State stubs its toe at home against Texas Tech. 74 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,839 So Kansas State and Iowa State, the two halves of 75 00:04:49,879 --> 00:04:56,439 the so called Pharmageddon rivalry, they both lose. People did 76 00:04:56,519 --> 00:04:58,600 not see that one coming. I did not see that 77 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,079 one coming. Does that mean it means that Deon Sanders 78 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:08,279 and the Colorado Buffalos are now in prime position? Coach 79 00:05:08,399 --> 00:05:12,439 prime position? You could say to play in the Pig 80 00:05:12,519 --> 00:05:17,480 twelve Championship game. And if Colorado is able to win out, 81 00:05:18,519 --> 00:05:21,959 and that would include winning the Big twelve championship game, 82 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:26,800 oh my goodness, Colorado would be eleven and two. Colorado 83 00:05:26,879 --> 00:05:29,639 would be in the college football playoffs. I mean, so 84 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,000 it's there. The path is there now. Whether it actually 85 00:05:33,079 --> 00:05:36,839 happens or not separate matter. But Colorado does have a 86 00:05:36,959 --> 00:05:42,360 chance to win out, to win five ball games over 87 00:05:42,399 --> 00:05:45,199 the next month and make the College wall Playoff. It's 88 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:47,800 crazy that we're talking about it, and it is a 89 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:51,480 testament to the quality of work that Dion Sanders has 90 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:56,839 done with his Colorado team. It's also brings in the 91 00:05:56,879 --> 00:06:01,120 plot point that if Colorado does win out, that might 92 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:05,759 give Travis Hunter the Heisman Trophy and to bring Boise 93 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:08,720 State back into the discussion for a little bit. The 94 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:14,639 Heisman top three should be, in no particular order, Travis Hunter, 95 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:18,000 cam Ward of Miami, and Ashton Gent of Boise State. 96 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,879 And I would probably at this point lean to cam 97 00:06:21,959 --> 00:06:25,600 Ward when you consider the heavy left lifting he's doing 98 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,839 for Miami, Like Miami is nowhere near the top of 99 00:06:28,879 --> 00:06:33,240 college football. If it has an ordinary or even slightly 100 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:37,439 above average quarterback. Cam Ward's been spectacular. He's putting up 101 00:06:37,519 --> 00:06:41,560 huge numbers. Miami's scoring gobs of points. And this is 102 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,959 a team that does not play good defense. If you 103 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,240 saw any of the Duke game, if you saw the 104 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:49,839 Louisville game, which was fifty two forty five, Cal was 105 00:06:49,879 --> 00:06:52,759 thirty nine to thirty eight, Virginia Tech was thirty seven 106 00:06:52,879 --> 00:06:56,439 thirty four, I mean Miami, Miami is playing Lincoln Riiley football, 107 00:06:56,439 --> 00:06:59,680 like this is how lacoln Riiley would want it to be. Mario, 108 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:05,079 first of all, has become Lincoln rileyized in Miami, and 109 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:07,160 in a good way, like this is how Lincoln Riley's 110 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:10,600 Oklahoma teams did it. This is how Riley's twenty twenty 111 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:14,519 two USC team did it. They score more points than 112 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:16,639 you do, and cam Ward is the engine of that. 113 00:07:17,839 --> 00:07:26,360 So if you had Hunter and ahead of Ward, you 114 00:07:26,399 --> 00:07:30,720 know fully understandable. I would say Colorado needs that strong 115 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:35,680 finishing kick to elevate Hunter to number one. So I 116 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:40,600 would have Ward one, Hunter two, Gent three. You do 117 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:43,160 need to have genty at the heisman ceremony. Let's not 118 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:47,240 have this anti group of five bias again. We need 119 00:07:47,279 --> 00:07:51,160 to have more group of five players in Heisman ceremonies. 120 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:53,639 It shouldn't be treated as some kind of you know, 121 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:57,720 minor leagues of football. Gent should definitely be in New 122 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,879 York more than Dylan Gabriel. And hey, Dylan Gabriel, he's 123 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:03,439 putting in a really good season for Oregon, but remember 124 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,319 he was not very good the first few weeks when 125 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:11,000 Oregon struggled against Idaho and Boise State. He was he 126 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:15,920 was big time against Ohio State. Although let's remember Ohio 127 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:19,399 State because Oregon failed in the red zone late. You know, 128 00:08:19,439 --> 00:08:22,079 Oregon had to kick that nineteen yard field goal. It's 129 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:25,759 not as though Oregon's offense closed down that game in 130 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,399 a big way. I mean, Dylan Gabriel was very good 131 00:08:28,399 --> 00:08:31,920 in that game. You know, he was strong. There's no 132 00:08:31,959 --> 00:08:34,120 doubt that he came up with a really good performance 133 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:36,720 against Ohio State. But it's not as though the Oregon 134 00:08:36,759 --> 00:08:40,000 offense maxed out in that game. It was very good 135 00:08:40,039 --> 00:08:43,759 and it's in it exceeded the expectations going in. But 136 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,919 you know, Oregon couldn't score a touchdown at the very end, 137 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:49,919 and the Ducks were lucky that Ohio State got flagged 138 00:08:49,919 --> 00:08:55,639 for a pretty dicey paddy cake tic TAC offensive pass 139 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:59,960 interference Paul, and then you had the twelve men penalty 140 00:09:00,159 --> 00:09:03,879 for Moregan as well, and Will Howard not sliding early 141 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,080 enough Ohio State could have kicked a field goal of 142 00:09:06,159 --> 00:09:09,159 Howard gets down earlier at the end of that Ohio 143 00:09:09,159 --> 00:09:13,120 State Oregon game. So, Dylon Gabriel good season. If you 144 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,039 wanted to say he should be in New York, I'll 145 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,559 allow it. But Ashton Genty should be in New York 146 00:09:19,759 --> 00:09:25,559 before and above Dylan Gabriel. That should be very clear. 147 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,360 There should not be much of any debate about that. 148 00:09:28,759 --> 00:09:33,320 When Boise State played Oregon, Ashton Genty had a better 149 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:37,000 game than Dylan Gabriel did. That has to count for something. 150 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:41,480 Boise State's offense was better than Oregon's offense. Let's remember 151 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:46,200 why Oregon beat Boise State two long kick returns for touchdowns. 152 00:09:46,799 --> 00:09:50,799 It's not as though Oregon's offense scored thirty seven. Oregon's 153 00:09:50,919 --> 00:09:57,480 offense scored twenty three. Oregon's special teams scored fourteen. In 154 00:09:57,519 --> 00:10:01,720 that thirty seven thirty four Oregon win over Boise State, 155 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,440 Ashton Genty was better than Dylan Gabriel. That game was 156 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:09,240 in Eugene at Austin Stadium, Ashton Genty over Dylan Gabriel. 157 00:10:09,639 --> 00:10:11,600 We need to be very clear about that. We need 158 00:10:11,639 --> 00:10:16,120 to be very specific about that. I would say that 159 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:20,600 you know, Ward, Kim Ward, and Travis Hunter are one 160 00:10:20,639 --> 00:10:24,279 and two. I think that's probably the consensus, and I 161 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,279 don't think it's all that clear cut. I have Ward first, 162 00:10:27,279 --> 00:10:29,799 but if you wanted to put Travis Hunter first, You're 163 00:10:29,799 --> 00:10:33,000 not gonna get a big pushback from me. Obviously, we 164 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,600 have a month left in the season and that could 165 00:10:35,639 --> 00:10:38,840 sort it all all out. But my big thing where 166 00:10:38,879 --> 00:10:42,600 I'm gonna take a really fierce stand is that it 167 00:10:42,639 --> 00:10:46,279 should be Genty over dying Gabriel. If there are only 168 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:51,720 gonna be three spots in the Heisman finalist group for 169 00:10:51,759 --> 00:10:54,639 the for the Heisman ceremony. But of course my thing 170 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:57,720 about the Heisman, we shouldn't be limiting the finalists to 171 00:10:57,759 --> 00:11:00,639 three or four. There should be ten highs and final lest. 172 00:11:00,639 --> 00:11:04,639 It's my Heisman ten plan. I've written about it at Patreon. 173 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:09,399 Every Heisman week I circulate this. The Heisman ten plan 174 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,320 involves inviting ten players, and there are several components of this. 175 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,679 You invite a group of five player. You make sure 176 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,559 that the group of five is represented. You make sure 177 00:11:20,799 --> 00:11:24,559 that a defensive player is represented. Like defensive players should 178 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:29,000 should be included among the best players in the country. 179 00:11:29,039 --> 00:11:31,720 You should always have a good defensive player. Now, Travis 180 00:11:31,759 --> 00:11:34,080 Hunter is a two way guy, so I would kind 181 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:38,919 of I wouldn't say like he counts as a defensive player. 182 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,360 He's a two way player. He's one of one. There 183 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:47,039 should be another standalone defensive player in New York as well. 184 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:51,600 You should also have aligneman like lineman are supposed to count. 185 00:11:51,639 --> 00:11:55,600 If alignment is the best player in college football, like, 186 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:59,120 he should be included, right. You know, if there's a 187 00:11:59,159 --> 00:12:01,639 guy who's going to be like a top three, top 188 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:05,679 four NFL draft pick having a monster season, that's that's 189 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,360 the player who should be in New York for the 190 00:12:08,399 --> 00:12:13,799 Heisman ceremony. So you should be inviting all of these 191 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:18,039 different categories of players, a defensive player, a group of 192 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:23,399 five player alignment, you know, on an interior alignment as well, 193 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,080 and you should just be inviting more players. And keep 194 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:30,919 in mind, wouldn't that be great for the Heisman television ratings? Right? 195 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:36,080 You have more fan bases, more schools watching their player 196 00:12:36,159 --> 00:12:40,840 get honored as a Heisman finalist. Uh and and become 197 00:12:40,919 --> 00:12:44,960 part of the Heisman ceremony. You would think that this 198 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:47,120 just this just makes sense, and you give more young 199 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:50,440 men a special moment, a special weekend in New York 200 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,000 that they're going to remember for the rest of their lives. 201 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,000 Why do we make this so exclusive? Why do we 202 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,759 limit this usually not always, but usually to three or 203 00:12:59,759 --> 00:13:03,639 four candidates? It makes absolutely no sense. So you've got 204 00:13:03,639 --> 00:13:07,759 my Heisman rant one month early. Never a bad time though, 205 00:13:07,799 --> 00:13:11,440 to talk about how the Heisman Trophy system needs to 206 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:16,480 be expanded and democratized. That that much is worth saying. 207 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:20,240 But Genti over Dylan Gabriel. That's my biggest Heisman take 208 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:25,159 right now. So, speaking of Oregon, Oregon goes to ann 209 00:13:25,279 --> 00:13:28,960 Arbor handles Michigan. You know, it didn't overwhelm Michigan, but 210 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:32,519 was obviously the better team. It wasn't a squeaker. The 211 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:35,600 squeaker was whether Oregon was cover the fourteen and a 212 00:13:35,639 --> 00:13:38,679 half point spread. And Oregon could have melted out at 213 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:42,000 the very end, but Dan Lanning wanted that touchdown. And 214 00:13:42,759 --> 00:13:45,159 you know I've said this before, I'll say it again. 215 00:13:45,919 --> 00:13:49,720 Some coaches are very obviously aware of covering the spread 216 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:53,480 like they want to make that statement. They want that 217 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,840 to be part of the postgame buzz, like Oregon covered 218 00:13:56,879 --> 00:14:01,000 the spread. I think for some coaches it matters. I 219 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:06,440 think that it's not an accident or just an idle 220 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,080 coincidence that Dan Lanny wanted to push that ball into 221 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,200 the end zone. Not all coaches do that, but some 222 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:16,679 very definitely do, And I think it becomes obvious which 223 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:19,759 ones are paying attention to that stuff and which ones 224 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:24,759 are not. So Oregon, you know, didn't play great. There 225 00:14:24,759 --> 00:14:28,639 were some sloppy moments. Michigan's off defensive line pushed back 226 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:32,279 Oregon's offensive line at times. I know Oregon picked up 227 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,440 a couple of notable injuries. It's going to be interesting 228 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,240 to see how the Ducks deal with those. Of course, 229 00:14:37,279 --> 00:14:40,519 Oregon's next game is against Maryland, so that's not going 230 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:44,200 to be a worry for the Ducks. But obviously, you know, 231 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:48,000 with Ohio State beating Penn State and Indiana being right 232 00:14:48,039 --> 00:14:51,600 there in the Big Ten race, you know, if let's 233 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,279 say Oregon bases Ohio State in a rematch at Indianapolis 234 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:58,679 in December, then those injuries that Oregon has been picking up, 235 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:02,679 they might man but Oregon pretty safely in the playoff 236 00:15:02,679 --> 00:15:04,919 at this point. I mean, you know that if Oregon 237 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,480 loses to Ohio State in Indianapolis, and that's the only 238 00:15:08,559 --> 00:15:13,159 game Oregon loses, that's not gonna knock Oregon out of 239 00:15:13,159 --> 00:15:17,320 the playoff. That's just gonna affect the Ducks seating. So 240 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,360 Oregon very much on course to do what it was 241 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:26,679 expected to do all along. Uh, you had Washington beating 242 00:15:26,799 --> 00:15:30,919 USC and once again, usc U loses a one score 243 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,240 game in which it led in the fourth quarter, and 244 00:15:33,399 --> 00:15:36,080 USC just comes right up to the doorstep of winning 245 00:15:36,159 --> 00:15:38,879 a game, but then on a fourth down, it's offensive 246 00:15:38,919 --> 00:15:41,480 line gets blown up. That's been the whole season. The 247 00:15:41,559 --> 00:15:45,200 offensive line has an up and down game, some good, 248 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:47,639 some bad, but then when the game comes down to 249 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:51,080 a big fourth down or a big final drive, the 250 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:53,799 offensive line gets blown up on the one or two 251 00:15:54,559 --> 00:15:59,000 absolutely key plays that you have to make. And so 252 00:15:59,159 --> 00:16:02,080 that just that it's the same broken record, that kind 253 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,200 of stuff's been happening the whole season. USC has not 254 00:16:05,399 --> 00:16:08,840 won a true road game this season, and really the 255 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,480 only road game left is at u c l A, 256 00:16:11,799 --> 00:16:15,200 which is in Los Angeles. That's that's basically more of 257 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:19,480 a neutral site game than a road game. Now technically 258 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:24,080 it's a road game, but but essentially it's neutral site. Uh. 259 00:16:24,279 --> 00:16:28,000 USC fails to win a single true road game outside 260 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,279 the state of California this season. You know, the LSU 261 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,600 game was a neutral site game in Vegas. So USC 262 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:38,759 just has been a paper tiger on the road, unable 263 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:42,600 to you know, show any kind of spine or backbone, 264 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:47,080 the bottom falling out under Lincoln Riley, and USC now 265 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:51,799 has to win twice in its remaining games just to 266 00:16:51,919 --> 00:16:56,000 make a bowl game. If USC, you know, has no 267 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,759 USC has Notre Dame left, and that's probably gonna be 268 00:16:58,799 --> 00:17:01,360 a loss the US. He has likely has to beat 269 00:17:01,399 --> 00:17:04,640 Nebraska and u c l A to make a bowl 270 00:17:04,839 --> 00:17:12,119 and so USC Nebraska, oh my god, Nebraska is you know, 271 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,759 has this amazing Matt Rule is one in seven at Nebraska. 272 00:17:17,799 --> 00:17:23,359 Uh in in games where his his team or excuse me, 273 00:17:23,519 --> 00:17:26,000 Matt Rule has not won a game at Nebraska and 274 00:17:26,079 --> 00:17:29,759 games where his team has been one win away from 275 00:17:29,799 --> 00:17:35,400 bowl eligibility, He's had several chances to break through, to 276 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:40,480 break through when when he's one win away from bowl eligibility, 277 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:44,519 but Nebraska just keeps getting to five wins and then 278 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:49,880 is losing. It's it's absolutely crazy. Nebraska losing to u 279 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:55,640 c L a one win away from bowl eligibility, it's 280 00:17:55,680 --> 00:18:03,960 it's absolutely remarkable. So you when USC plays Nebraska, you 281 00:18:04,039 --> 00:18:07,240 have two teams that you know absolutely need to win 282 00:18:07,319 --> 00:18:12,640 that game for Bowl eligibility because Nebraska has to play 283 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:16,920 Wisconsin and Iowa down the stretch and those those games 284 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,480 are not going to be easy. You could make the 285 00:18:19,599 --> 00:18:22,640 argument that the USC game is going to be Nebraska's 286 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:28,279 best chance to nail down a bull bid. But it's 287 00:18:28,319 --> 00:18:33,119 been really extraordinary to see Nebraska not be able to 288 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:38,240 win that sixth game in a season. And so that's 289 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,160 going to make that USC Nebraska game. It's not this week, 290 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:47,839 it's going to be on November sixteenth, but that that 291 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,480 USC Nebraska game, you're going to have to two fan 292 00:18:51,559 --> 00:18:56,279 bases that are going to be absolute basket cases going 293 00:18:56,319 --> 00:18:59,160 into this game. But yes, Matt rule ozero and seven. 294 00:19:00,039 --> 00:19:03,559 I was looking for that record oh and seven when 295 00:19:03,599 --> 00:19:09,960 trying to nail down full eligibility at Nebraska, and it 296 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:13,119 just it defies description, like how can you be that 297 00:19:13,279 --> 00:19:19,039 close and still not get over the hump that that 298 00:19:19,079 --> 00:19:24,240 would be? That would be pretty remarkable and there's another 299 00:19:24,319 --> 00:19:28,680 stat about Nebraska. Obviously, Nebraska is not necessarily a Western program, 300 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:32,039 but this USC game just to kind of capture how 301 00:19:32,079 --> 00:19:35,119 wild it's going to be in terms of the anxiety 302 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:40,200 on both sides. Nebraska is now one and thirty in 303 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:44,440 its last thirty one games in which the Huskers had 304 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:49,400 a final possession, tied or trailing by one score. That 305 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:53,359 is just beyond belief. So Nebraska and USC, like they 306 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,279 are basically the same team right now, they come right 307 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:01,559 up against victory or overtime. You know, they're right there 308 00:20:01,599 --> 00:20:04,960 at the end. They're just losing these one score games 309 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:08,440 left and right, and they don't make the final few plays. 310 00:20:08,799 --> 00:20:12,559 So Nebraska and USC, they're basically the same team. They 311 00:20:12,559 --> 00:20:16,079 are basically the same team, and they're both struggling to 312 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:19,240 just make a bowl game. How the Mighty have fallen 313 00:20:19,839 --> 00:20:23,359 With USC, it's it's a little bit different from Nebraska. 314 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:27,359 I mean, USC had the Pete Carroll era and had 315 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:30,640 the Sam Donald era in which it won a Rose Bowl, 316 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:34,000 in which it won a Pac twelve championship. Nebraska hasn't 317 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:39,279 won a conference championship since nineteen ninety nine, so it's 318 00:20:39,319 --> 00:20:42,279 been a longer drought and in a longer period of 319 00:20:42,319 --> 00:20:46,440 misery for Nebraska. But really both fan bases have been 320 00:20:46,759 --> 00:20:50,880 in hell for the past fifteen years. USC just had 321 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:57,000 that brief two year Sam Donald interruption of misery. But 322 00:20:57,160 --> 00:21:00,720 that that game there is just gonna be a lot 323 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:05,680 of anxiety, a lot of hard liquor being consumed. All Right, 324 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:09,079 we can't end this podcast without noting one other really 325 00:21:09,079 --> 00:21:16,279 big story in western college football, and that is BYU 326 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:22,799 against Utah coming up on November nine in Salt Lake City. Now, 327 00:21:22,799 --> 00:21:26,720 before the season, if you were going to give an 328 00:21:26,759 --> 00:21:30,839 assessment or a prediction on what BYU versus Utah was 329 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:33,279 going to mean, what the game was going to be, like, 330 00:21:33,799 --> 00:21:37,079 what the scenario was going to be for the two teams, 331 00:21:37,079 --> 00:21:39,640 you probably would have said Utah is going to be 332 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:42,519 closing in on the Big twelve title, maybe a playoff 333 00:21:42,559 --> 00:21:45,839 berth and BYU is going to play spoiler like that 334 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,519 would have been a pretty reasonable assessment. If you said 335 00:21:48,559 --> 00:21:51,920 that in mid August, before the season began, a lot 336 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:53,799 of people would have said, you know what, that's probably 337 00:21:53,799 --> 00:21:56,000 how it's going to work out. Well, guess what. The 338 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:01,000 roles are completely reversed. It's BYU, which is playing for 339 00:22:01,039 --> 00:22:05,160 the College Football Playoff, the Big Twelve title BYU in 340 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:07,640 prime position to play in the Big Twelve Championship game, 341 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,519 and it's Utah having a miserable season that's going to 342 00:22:11,599 --> 00:22:16,440 try and you know, rally round the flag, play spoiler 343 00:22:16,519 --> 00:22:19,559 and deliver. You know what would be an extremely satisfying 344 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,880 upset like this is definitely Utah's season right here, this 345 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:27,559 is Utah's super Bowl. The Utes have had an awful year, horrible, 346 00:22:28,079 --> 00:22:32,279 They've been poorly coached, Andy Ludwig the offensive coidator, steps down, 347 00:22:32,839 --> 00:22:37,000 Cam Rising, not healthy. It's been an absolute disaster. But 348 00:22:37,039 --> 00:22:40,920 if Utah can somehow beat BYU oh man like that, 349 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,240 that's gonna make the year worth it. Right, So you 350 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:45,799 know that Utah is going to make a push. You 351 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:49,559 know that Utah is gonna throw everything into this game 352 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:55,160 under Kyle Wittingham, a proven coach, and let's see if 353 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:59,519 BYU can withstand what the Utes are going to offer. 354 00:23:00,039 --> 00:23:05,920 Incredibly compelling game BYU exceeding all expectations under Kilanie Sataki. 355 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:10,079 And you know, as you've seen with Kansas State and 356 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,640 Iowa State stumbling, it's as though this new look Big 357 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:18,640 Twelve without Texas and Oklahoma it's been a just a 358 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:22,400 paradise of parody. Like, if you love parody, this has 359 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:28,720 been your dream conference. Wild pendulum swings and unpredictable games, 360 00:23:29,599 --> 00:23:34,920 huge comebacks and collapses pretty much every week. I mean, 361 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:39,799 it's it's been a wild, nutty year in the Big Twelve. 362 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:43,880 And BYU has been able to rise above the chaos 363 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:48,559 and by has been able to you know, score at 364 00:23:48,559 --> 00:23:50,559 the very ends of games, like a scored in the 365 00:23:50,599 --> 00:23:54,960 final minute against Oklahoma State after playing a very scratchy, 366 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:59,400 uneven game for the first fifty nine minutes. But BYU 367 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:03,279 has been really good in those late games, scramble situations. 368 00:24:03,279 --> 00:24:06,000 B YU and Miami really have a lot in common 369 00:24:06,079 --> 00:24:09,359 that that they have. They're not dominant teams, they're not 370 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:13,559 ultra consistent teams. They score when they have to, and 371 00:24:13,599 --> 00:24:17,359 they're and they're really good in the last two to 372 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,200 five minutes of games, like they do nail it down 373 00:24:20,839 --> 00:24:23,759 when they need to. Been a remarkable story for BYU. 374 00:24:24,279 --> 00:24:30,400 So can the Cougars handle Utah uh in in the 375 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:34,200 Holy War in the game that Utah's residents of the 376 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:38,319 state of Utah care very deeply about. And last but 377 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:43,559 not least, Arizona State Kenny Dillingham gets the Sun Devils 378 00:24:44,079 --> 00:24:47,839 to a bowl eligible position with several weeks left in 379 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:53,279 the season. W an absolutely remarkable year for Arizona State 380 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,759 and winning in Stillwater, and and you know, when you 381 00:24:56,799 --> 00:24:59,599 look at when you look at the Big Twelve, it's 382 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:03,680 not just parody, but also you've seen the bottom fall 383 00:25:03,759 --> 00:25:08,680 out at a number of programs, like in Arizona. You know, 384 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:13,000 just to mention one more western college football program, the 385 00:25:13,079 --> 00:25:16,799 bottom falling out at Arizona while Arizona State, like that's 386 00:25:16,839 --> 00:25:20,480 been a wild juxtaposition of stories. I don't think anyone 387 00:25:20,559 --> 00:25:23,759 was expecting that, you know, for the Wildcats to be 388 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,440 this bad under Brent Brennan. Brent Brennan did a really 389 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:29,759 good job at San Jose State. I don't think anyone 390 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:34,039 was expecting this first year in Tucson to go so wrong, 391 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:39,720 so sharply, so quickly, but it did. Arizona just gets 392 00:25:39,839 --> 00:25:44,039 absolutely dog walked by a UCF team which was starting 393 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:50,799 its fourth different quarterback this season, and u SEF went 394 00:25:50,839 --> 00:25:53,960 off as a six point five point favorite with a 395 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:59,160 you know, a fourth starting quarterback, and yet UCF actually 396 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:01,200 played one of its very best games of the season, 397 00:26:01,519 --> 00:26:05,559 arguably the best and just absolutely crushed Arizona. So you 398 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:09,519 have Arizona falling apart woile Arizona State rises. You have 399 00:26:09,599 --> 00:26:14,920 Oklahoma State falling apart while Arizona State rises. Oklahoma State 400 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,480 still doesn't have a Big Twelve win. I mean, Mike 401 00:26:17,559 --> 00:26:23,119 Gundy has watched his program Crater and so it's interesting 402 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:27,359 to see those kinds of shocking implosions in the Big Twelve, 403 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:30,960 Utah being another one of them, while Arizona State rises. 404 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,799 So I'm not taking anything away from Arizona State. I'm 405 00:26:33,839 --> 00:26:38,000 just saying that you're seeing some really unexpected stories across 406 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,480 the board in the Big Twelve, and that doesn't take 407 00:26:41,519 --> 00:26:44,799 away from what's happening in Arizona State. I think the 408 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:48,960 instructive point to make is that this doesn't necessarily mean 409 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,359 that in twenty twenty five you might see the same 410 00:26:53,559 --> 00:26:57,200 hierarchy in the Big Twelve. We could be entering an 411 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:02,240 age with nil and the portal where each season's roster 412 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:08,359 is dramatically different. You know, roster construction can can really 413 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:13,960 take on a lot of different dimensions, and you can 414 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:17,839 see the quality and content of a roster changed sharply 415 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:20,480 from one year to another. We might be in a 416 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:26,279 new era where one season's results don't carry over to 417 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:30,680 the next season as evenly as we're used to. I mean, 418 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:33,599 you know, five six years ago, you know, you knew 419 00:27:33,599 --> 00:27:36,279 that Alabama and Clemson were gonna be good every year. 420 00:27:36,599 --> 00:27:40,079 You know, in the late twenty tens, that's pretty much 421 00:27:40,079 --> 00:27:44,000 where we were. There's not nearly as much carryover now. 422 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:48,000 It all seems so much more fluid, and you're seeing 423 00:27:48,039 --> 00:27:50,799 so many different stories, not just in the West with 424 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:56,079 BYU and Colorado and Arizona State schools that we've mentioned, 425 00:27:56,599 --> 00:28:04,200 but look look Nashally like Vanderbilt rising, Auburn falling, Kentucky falling, 426 00:28:07,079 --> 00:28:11,359 you know, in the ACC with SMU being in position 427 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:15,279 to play in the ACC Championship game. You're seeing it 428 00:28:15,319 --> 00:28:17,759 all over the country. It's not confined to one region, 429 00:28:17,799 --> 00:28:21,960 it's not confined to one conference. But you know, so 430 00:28:22,759 --> 00:28:26,279 just kind of tracing back to Arizona State and Oklahoma 431 00:28:26,319 --> 00:28:30,680 State and and these wild up down swings in the 432 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:33,400 Big Twelve where teams you expected to be good have 433 00:28:33,519 --> 00:28:36,519 been awful, teams you expected to be mediocre have been 434 00:28:36,559 --> 00:28:40,319 really good. Is this going to be an every year 435 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:43,480 thing or is it more going to be a case 436 00:28:43,519 --> 00:28:45,119 of well, one year is going to be great, the 437 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:47,519 next year is going to be bad, you know, are 438 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:49,799 we could be entering a new age of not just 439 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:53,880 parody but also volatility where you hit a home run 440 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:56,200 one year and then the next year everything goes poorly. 441 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:00,240 Where we've seen some mark shifts like just just take 442 00:29:00,359 --> 00:29:04,519 USC for an example, USC one to eleven and games 443 00:29:04,559 --> 00:29:07,160 in twenty twenty two now struggling to make a bowl game. 444 00:29:07,279 --> 00:29:09,799 It's this the new normal. And it's not just a 445 00:29:09,799 --> 00:29:15,119 Lincoln Riley thing. It could be a thing where coaching staffs, 446 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:17,680 you know, if they're not hitting it in the portal 447 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:22,920 every season, you can see these wild fluctuations in results. 448 00:29:23,039 --> 00:29:25,960 That's not just a USC point. That is a larger 449 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:30,759 nationwide point that we need to keep track of. So 450 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,640 a lot of interesting stories and a lot of wild 451 00:29:33,759 --> 00:29:39,000 plot twists in western college football across the United States. 452 00:29:39,519 --> 00:29:42,559 So much to consider, so much to contemplate here at 453 00:29:42,559 --> 00:29:45,920 get off my Pylon in early November. So now a 454 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:49,359 word from our sponsor, a ticket smarter. 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