CBUS: 0:48

Yeah, we can hear your little muffles, but we can hear you. Yep, a little bit better.

Rocky: 1:42

How about now, guys?

Speaker: 1:44

There you go.

Rocky: 1:45

I don't know what happened. But I got you guys loud and clear. You guys ready to talk some football tonight?

Speaker: 1:52

Let's do it.

Rocky: 1:53

Been waiting all year for this. So I uh I apologize, as I told both of you guys for people tuning in here. I'm using a new software, so it just kind of kicked out on me. So bear with me tonight here. But I'm really excited to have the guys back. We're gonna have um Coach Kramer um was at a meeting tonight. Jake, he had the uh section three meeting tonight. Um but he did say that uh he would be joining us um for the next one. So I'm excited to have him on, and we gotta see if we can get Medisus on, but he's got basketball. Uh so we'll see um you know if we can uh get him on as well here at some point. I I have an agenda, guys, as you guys know, but I gotta be honest with you, I don't know if I'm gonna get to any of it because we could spend all day talking about this damn coaching carousel. Um, with all the coaches going on, and obviously the big news was Lane Kiffin and I can hear me.

Speaker 4: 4:09

I don't know, I don't know what's going on.

Speaker: 4:22

We lost you now.

Rocky: 4:28

Okay, it's back on now, so let's see if we we stay on.

unknown: 4:33

Yep.

Speaker 6: 4:34

Sounds like it.

Rocky: 4:35

We'll see if it cuts out. If it cuts out, I'm gonna have to figure something out, but hopefully we're we're good to go here. But um, so as I'll say um some of the higher.

Speaker 4: 4:50

And I gotta say, my favorite one is being Franklin. Is that not a slam dunk tiger for getting attacked?

Speaker: 4:58

Has to be, right? I mean, perfect, perfect school for Franklin, right? Reminds me a little bit of Bandy, a school that he can go set the culture, recruit well, but the expectation isn't the expectation isn't 11-1 and you know, national championship or bus. So I he recruits well in that area. So I I think it's it makes the most sense, um, makes the most sense all the way around. I I thought it was probably the best possible landing spot that he could ask for.

Speaker 1: 5:29

That's his that's his motive too, is he does a great job building programs. You saw what he did at Van D and even built up Penn State to bring that program back where it is, and he's taking a lot of those recruits with him, too.

Speaker 4: 5:42

So one of the things that I said, so when Penn State, I said it the day after.

Speaker 3: 5:49

I said, I'm James Franklin. Why wouldn't you go to Virginia Tech? You have Bunchins down, Florida State's down. C Boss, he can go to Virginia Tech and win 10 games a year. He's a hero. And now you look at the Penn State when they, you know, people said, did you agree when they fired him? I said, listen, I don't think James Franklin's a bad thing. The record against Ohio State, the Michigans of the world weren't very good. He didn't win a lot of big games. But I got a question for you guys. And and C Boss, living in Columbia. Who the hell's beat Ohio State over the last so many years in the Big Ten? Nobody. And it's like, who are you gonna go get?

Speaker: 6:28

Well, I think that's always I think that's always the the question, right? Is is who do you who do you replace who do you replace that person with? You know, my my argument, and I I've been as critical of James Franklin as anybody else, I think his game day coaching is awful. Um, but from a recruiting, like Jake said, and a program builder, he's he's definitely your guy. Um, I think that the expectations of the Penn State fan base and alumni are probably a little bit out of whack. Um, I think the the other knock that I would put on Franklin that I think he will, you know, will be able to overcome at Virginia Tech is a couple of his big recruits that he recruited at Penn State didn't necessarily develop. I mean, Drew Aller came in as a freshman heralded, and he looked like the exact same quarterback from his freshman year to his senior year prior to his injury. Um, and the poor kid cost himself probably 15, 20 million dollars in the draft. Um, but I think look, we all remember the Beamer Hokies and Blacksburg just being an absolute nightmare place to go play. Um, and I think there's no reason that Franklin can't bring them back to that level um and and and and put them back on the national scene. I think it's a it's a home run hire for Vottek for sure.

Speaker 4: 7:48

You know, I don't know what happened because again, if you go back to this season midway through the year, I mean they got they have the lead on it.

Speaker 3: 7:57

They go in overtime and score. They're like a play away from winning it two weeks later, he's fired. And it's like Penn State last year was what, a field goal away from playing for a national championship against Northern Bay. They come in preseason. I I'll be honest with you, I had him preseason number one. I picked him to win the national championship because I said, C-bus, I said Penn State reminded me of Ohio State last year that returned a lot of guys. Michigan the year before that returned a lot of guys, and here I'm saying Penn State's gonna do the exact same thing. That's the model. I don't so I don't know what happened for them. I don't know where it went south for Penn State, but I think that um I think where he's going, and you can see it in the recruiting show, all those kids from Penn State decommitted, and half of them just signed to go play for Virginia Tech. So I think he's gonna go in uh year one next year. I think he's gonna win a lot of games.

Speaker: 8:55

Like I think we've seen with the portal and and the recruiting class, you can flip a program around pretty darn pretty darn quickly. I think I think the thing with Penn State that the loss that I think cooked Franklin was the UCLA loss. We can all understand the Oregon loss in overtime, tough game, uh, you know, down to the wire, back forth. Um, but losing as a 25-point favorite or whatever they were to UCLA and just getting curb stomped was was insane uh to watch. And I think you know, it snowballed obviously very quickly um within that roster, and and it that he lost he lost that team. I don't know how else I don't know, I don't know what else from an outsider that I can draw from that other than the think that he lost he lost that team. And he was there for what, Penn State, 10 years, 11 years? I mean he was there for he was there for a long time, so it it very much could have been that message is a little bit stale, and um you know maybe those kids just kind of tuned him out. And and again, like you said, it's a lot of fifth-year seniors that came back and they knew their season wasn't gonna go how they wanted it to go after they lost to UCLA. So I can see where it'd be tough to re-energize a roster like that when all your goals in August were gone in mid-October.

Speaker 1: 10:11

Yeah, I think with Penn State, I mean, you look across the board, you know, like you said, Drew Alec, he really didn't pan out. And we've seen that across the board with Clemson, even South Carolina, that hey, these are all hyperson trophy projectors they can win it, and this year they all have subpar seasons and they're all supposed to be high draft picks, and that goes to show you how important that position is, just like in the NFL. It's important in college that you know that makes that programs run. And if you strike out on that, you're in trouble.

Rocky: 10:42

You know who the other one was? Guys that I was looking at is I was looking at Bob Chesney, who I'm a huge Chesney fan. Um, love Bob Chesney, he's an East Coast guy. I I said a few weeks ago that if I was Penn State, I would have called Bob Chesney up with the East Coast ties, and I see that Chesney gets the job at UCLA, which to me, I have no idea how that happened. No West Coast ties at all. But they get a young coach with a, you know, who who's won everywhere he's been. I thought Penn State would have come calling for Chesney.

Speaker 1: 11:16

I think Penn State's, I hate to say they're trying to look for that big splash, you know, to take a chance on someone, you know, like him that they would probably take heat for it. Hey, you let go of one of your good coaches. You said you had coaches in line and you haven't got anyone yet, and it was almost it feels like Penn State would think they were just grabbing for something, and kind of unfortunately he went out to UCLA and took that opportunity. But I just think Penn State's trying to still find that big that home run hit.

Rocky: 11:47

Well, I heard this morning, guys, I heard Matt Campbell's in play now at Penn State. And I mean, C Bus, I don't know about you, but I feel like we've talked Matt Campbell for a long time saying, why doesn't this guy get a phone call? So if Penn State hires him, I think it's a slam dunk. I think Matt Campbell will bring some people with the NIL. Penn State only signed two kids yesterday on the early signing date, but now with the way the NIL is, I don't think it matters as much, but Campbell would be a home run hire, I think.

Speaker: 12:14

Yeah, I mean, I think I think, you know, I think Campbell, Campbell fits, you know, what you would what you would think to be there. I I do think that there is a little bit of a concern from outs from other coaches as to what is the realistic expectation at Penn State. And I think that I think that scares away um and has scared away some of those candidates from that perspective. You know, like I said, I I 10 and 2, 10 and 2 at Penn State get you, you know, what, six out of 10 years get you into the 12-team playoff, which is probably gonna grow here in the next couple of years. Yeah, um, and it's going to give it's gonna give you a chance um, you know, at a natty, you know, a good a good percent of the time. I think I think Campbell, I think Campbell is a is a is a really good fit. I I do question, you know, as long, as long as Campbell stayed at Iowa State, you know, does he really have the desire to go to go into the step into that limelight? I'm with you, Jake. I think they want the home run hire. I think the I think legit maybe the only potential uh you know home run hire left out there might be Brian Dayball. And I don't think he's I don't think I don't think they're gonna lure him to college and ask an NFL coach to go recruit, but I think that's the only other guy that I see that would make me, you know, would make me kind of raise my eyebrows as a Ohio State fan and say, okay, well maybe we need to be, you know, maybe we need to be on a lookout for Penn State.

Speaker 1: 13:38

Maybe they're waiting for Harbaugh. You know, that was the proven tracker gonna be to Ohio State. Get the older brother or get the brother.

Speaker: 13:46

Yeah, maybe John will let maybe John has a run in.

Rocky: 13:49

Well, I would have thought, to be honest with you guys, when they fired Franklin at the timing of when they fired him, that Pat Crafty AD would have had a plan in place um when you when you fire him so early in the season to try to get somebody in place for the early sign-in date and all that, but all these guys took extensions, and it's like, why doesn't anybody want to come to Penn State? Like, great, you know, great, you can put assemble a great roster. They still have money for the NIL, it's a great stadium. What's the reason why all these guys antied up and ended up staying?

Speaker: 14:23

I mean, look, Happy Valley's in the middle of nowhere, right? I mean, I'm with you, Rock. It's a great fan base. They got money. Um, it's not the most desired location, I would guess, from a living, you know, living perspective. Um, but I I do also I do also think, you know, like I said, I I also Pat Kraft, I don't know if he I don't know how much longer he has a job after he makes this coaching hack. If I'm if I'm if I'm on the board at Penn State, uh my immediate skepticism turns to the A D because you did, as you said, you made the you made the firing uh before anybody else did. And everybody kind of said, what are you gaining from firing James Franklin in the middle of October when the season was already cooked, anyway? And they didn't do much of anything. I mean, they rallied around Smith, you know, to a degree, but but you know, that was after they had played the tough the meat of their meat of their schedule anyway. Um, so yeah, I I I I think they're looking for I think they're gonna be looking for a new AD shortly after they bring in the after they bring in the head coach. I I think that's probably shortly thereafter.

Rocky: 15:27

Man, how about the hiring though of Pat Fitzgerald over at Michigan State? You guys like that hire? I thought it was a great hire. I didn't I couldn't understand why nobody had taken a chance on him. He didn't break any rules. He was cleared, right? He's a cool guy. I mean, I think it's a great hire for Michigan State.

Speaker 1: 15:45

I remember reading that and going, wait a minute, Michigan State fired their guy? I didn't hear anything about that. It's like, well, well, sure enough they did. And it's like they hired him right away. They almost sound like they got their guy. And I was like, yep, if you if we fire him, will you definitely come? And he's like, Yes, I will. So it's a quick turnaround on that. But I was shocked to see that that quick. I saw he got the job before the other guy was fired. But I think he'll be a great fit there because it's kind of like someone of a smart school can build there. And I think he has something to prove now, you know, especially all those allegations and all that stuff. I think he's gonna be very hungry.

Speaker: 16:19

I thought I thought the scariest, sorry, Rock, I thought the scariest hire for all of it was for the Big Ten was Fiscero the Michigan State. You know, Northwestern, he maximized the talent that he had there. Um, and even the big schools that went to play them, the Ohio States, the Michigans, the Penn States, you weren't necessarily worried about losing to Northwestern, but you knew you were in for a four-quarter, you know, just grinded out game. And now he gets to recruit uh some different levels of kids that are, you know, I'm with you, Jake. You know, that they have some ed, you know, they have academic standards in Michigan State, but nowhere close to where they're at in Northwestern. So he's definitely going to be able to bring in, you know, some different, you know, different caliber players. And you know, they're he's gonna be they're gonna be tough, they're gonna be disciplined. Um, and it's and quite honestly, it's exactly what the Big Ten needs. The Big Ten needs those lower tier schools or that have been to lower tier schools, they need to rise up a couple rungs to really bolster the conference. So I was I was very I was very enthusiastic with the Vizgerald hire, uh, without a doubt.

Rocky: 17:25

So, guys, Lane Kiffin stole the show. Leaving it, leaving it Ole Miss team, which I gotta be honest with you guys, I don't know how you felt, but I thought he was staying. I'm like, Ole Miss is gonna give him more money. You read all this stuff on Marty Smith saying Lane Kiffin's found himself. He's getting his family life back together. He's not drinking and partying anymore. His his family likes Ole Miss, and he leaves the team. As I I'll be honest with you, I think they got a shot to get there and play for the national championship. I mean, the way the bracket is set up right now, I know it'll change. But I thought it was a bracket that's set up, they can run the ball, quarterbacks playing well, two great coordinators. I I just thought it was like, is this guy really gonna leave the team at this point in time? And then you see all the backlash from his team saying that's not how the meeting really went down, is the way Lane's saying. So I don't know what's true, what's not true, but I heard an interesting take today that made me think twice about something. Because everybody kept saying, well, why is he gonna wait till after the Iron Bowl? And and and I think I don't know if it was RG3, somebody said this today, and I thought about it. I'm like, you know what? I could see this. He was waiting to see if Auburn beat Alabama. Lane wants the Alabama job. So was he waiting to see if Auburn beat Alabama that if the Bama job came open, he wants to go with Alabama and be a Nick Saban. I I didn't think about that until I heard that this morning. I'm like, maybe. But do you blame Lane guys? I'll just use a better job, right?

Speaker: 18:59

You're coach. I want to, I want to, I want to, I want, I you you got you got a better perspective here. Because I'll give you mine. I got a good take, but I want to hear Jake's.

Speaker 1: 19:06

I think he was also waiting too, because if Auburn did win, he was in the SEC championship game, and I can't see him going, yep, I'm leaving now. So um if that's one of your dream jobs and you see that you can be very successful there, it's hard to say no because that job doesn't come open all the time. I mean, last time it was open, they they went after Kelly almost and got him right away. And when LSU has a guy site or in their sights, they're gonna throw it, they're gonna get him any way they can, throwing money at him, promising them all that stuff. And having that NIL deal 25 million back into the program that he can use more for it, and him seeing how the NIL deal works with you know, with the portal with high school kids, and he he can get more of his guys in there, especially at the quarterback position and those skill guys. You know, it is to me, it's one of the top five positions. Top five jobs in all college football. So I it sucks with the timing of how all this goes down because you are abandoning your team that's right there in the thick of it. But it's also hard to say no to one of your dream jobs. Now Lane though, even with his father saying that, his father jumped around the NFL and everywhere. He could never stay put in a spot. So maybe it runs in the blood almost like he get he can't get comfortable into a spot. So maybe it's his in his family. So that's hey, we might see him five years from now from LSU jump to another job or get run out of there. So I as a coach, I know it's not in a great position, but if that was his dream job, you gotta go for it.

Rocky: 20:42

I don't think I don't think it's I don't think he's gonna be there long, guys. I'll be honest with you, because I think he's gotta win a national championship, get him in the playoff, make a couple deep runs. But I I I look back and I say to myself, the the five years or six years he was at Ole Miss, what else do you want him to do? I mean, he could stay there, and I keep using Dave Clausen as I always do, but he could have stayed at Ole Miss, won ten games a year, competed for an SEC title, got in the playoff. The playoff eventually is gonna go to 16 teams, right? Get Ole Miss into the playoff every year, build a statue of Lane outside the stadium. He goes to LSU, which again, to me, more resources, more money. He said it came down to the NIL money. They have more money at LSU to buy players. And Lane's gonna chase the national championship. I'm not saying that he couldn't have done that at L at Ole Miss. I think he could have had a great career at Ole Miss. I think Lane's a guy that after five, six years gets bored. I still think C bus, if the Bama job comes open at some point in time, I could see him leaving to go to Alabama. But I think LSU is a better job with better resources.

Speaker: 22:00

Yeah, look, I think I I don't disagree with either with both of you guys on the standpoint of LSU's a better job than Old. 100%. I think I think where I have the in some of it the timing is not his fault, right? The way the college calendar falls, it's ridiculous that the early signing day is you know is yesterday or whatever it was, Wednesday or two. Yeah, I guess it was yesterday. And then and then the fact that the you know the transfer portal uh opens and closes, the one transfer portal opens, and it's right in the middle of the national championship run or the college football playoff run right at the end, I think is absolutely ridiculous as well. Um, but I I I what I don't want to hear is I don't want to hear the national media talk about these kids transferring and how the transfer portal is ruining college football when you have these college coaches that are going to leave their program in the middle of their best season that they've had in the last 25 years, Rock, you said it at the beginning. You think they got a chance, a legit chance to win a natty this year.

Rocky: 23:00

100% do.

Speaker: 23:01

And and he and he said, No, I'd rather take the money and the better opportunity. I'm not gonna fault a guy for doing that, but I think it's very hypocritical that we we we give these coaches a pass and we say, Well, it's a better opportunity. Who can fault them? It's a top five job, it's this, it's that. And then I hear at the same token, oh, look at all these kids. They transfer, they get they they want more NIL money, they go here, and then they want to go here. It's like, well, there is no loyalty amongst any of them. So I'm not, I can't hold, I can't hold the players at fault if these coaches are gonna turn around, are gonna turn around and about face and run at the same time. So as long as we're under the understanding that, hey, look, if it's a better opportunity player or coach, and you decide to go, you decide to go, fine, so be it. Right? But we're also gonna hear bowl games are gonna come out. We're gonna talk about that probably next week or in a couple weeks to come out, and we're gonna talk about oh, all these kids are sitting. Why do all these kids sit? They're not. I think we I think we've established this is the new, this is all of college football. This isn't just a player problem, this is everybody now.

Rocky: 24:04

Yeah, when when he left, I mean everybody on social media was was all over him, right? They were bad mouthing them all lane. They don't he doesn't care about anybody but himself. But you know, you talk about the players that get the opportunity to transfer with, you know, again with the portal, and then you get the bowl game C buses you're talking about. But again, I'll go back and say John Summerle, the coach that just got introduced at Florida, is gonna go coach Tulane tomorrow night against North Texas. What's different about that? Chesney's gonna go coach J JMU in the in the Conference USA Championship game. What's different about that? Because if they win, there's a good chance Tulane gets into the college football playoff. So why isn't anybody saying anything about those guys, but they want to go after Lane Kiffin? Because yes, he's leaving a team that's 11 and 1. Completely understand it. I still think it's a team that can make a really deep run. I get it. The NCAA needs to move stuff back, right? They need to move this back.

Speaker 1: 25:03

Yep, start the season earlier.

Rocky: 25:04

Start the season earlier, you know. I mean, you have to do something. Or just put all these coaches in a really tough predicament.

Speaker: 25:10

Yeah, or just push the windows back, right? Push signing day back, push the push the transfer portal back, push it all back. So then that way you can that way you can open up a window. This is when coaches can go, this is when movement can happen, and then and then everybody can be settled in by you know mid-March or something like that before before spring practice, right?

Speaker 1: 25:29

Well, they always come back with their students, and it doesn't fall in line with the college schedule, which is we all know, they're not really going to class, they can figure that out. It's a business loss. Too much.

Rocky: 25:41

So, guys, there were some really disappointing teams um this year. Obviously, we've talked a little bit about Penn State and obviously Mike Norvell over at Florida State, another disappointing year um over there. And I'm again, I'm surprised they are keeping him, right? Sounds like they don't want to pay his buyout, they're hanging on to him, so we'll see there. But I think one team that I want to talk about, because Matt Rule was mentioned for this Penn State job. Played for Joe Paterno, right? Everybody's like, well, Matt Rule's got the job if he wants it. But Matt Rule's record against top 25 teams is terrible. But I look now and I'm like, it's another seven and five years for Nebraska and Matt Rule. Like, if this guy don't turn it around next year at Nebraska, he's probably getting fired at Nebraska. So to me, Nebraska was one of my teams. I said, you know, maybe an eight and three year C bus, nine and three year type like that, eight and four in the Big Ten. Disappointing year and a disappointing end for Matt Rule at Nebraska.

Speaker: 26:41

100%. I I, you know, I just I can't figure out I can't figure out why a coach can't get Nebraska turned around, right? I mean, you know, I think Nebraska grossly overestimated or underestimated, I should say, joining the Big Ten. I thought they, I think they thought they were just gonna pick up where they left off and and the program was just gonna continue to roll. Obviously, college football and the landscape changed, and Nebraska, Nebraska couldn't, you know, couldn't keep up and didn't change. Um, I I think, you know, again, the the issue with rule is I I you know they just they don't have the guys. I mean, you look at them, the depth's not there, the the the line, the line of scrimmage um, you know, isn't great. Um, I I think I I expected a little bit more from the transfer portal with him. Those guys didn't necessarily pan out. Um, I think that that fan base and that alumni is is starving. Um, and I I I'm with you, Rock. I I don't think he has another seven and five year in him um and be able to stay in Lincoln. Uh I I I fully and and the other thing that makes it even worse is it's not like it was a strong Big Ten Big Ten conference this year.

Speaker 5: 27:52

Yep.

Speaker: 27:52

So it what you can't even, it's not at least last year you could look at it and say, okay, the conference was, you know, you had good five, six, seven teams there that were that were, you know, that were definitely uh of quality. This year we weren't, you know, Big Ten wasn't anywhere there. So the excuses that he has is uh are running out fast uh from from that standpoint. So maybe he stayed, maybe he stayed because he wanted to finish. Maybe he thinks that you know they're they're close and they're and they're ready to ready to turn the corner, but I sure as hell don't see it.

Rocky: 28:21

Jake, what about Clemson? Your Clemson Dabble. I mean, he's made some comments in the media throughout the season and some frustration there. A seven and five year. Now they they found a way to the finish strong, right? Winning the last two or three games. But how much longer? I thought Dabble maybe have been interested in some of these other jobs. What's going on with Clemson?

Speaker 1: 28:42

It was kind of like Penn State. They got your quarterback back, you got your whole almost their whole defense back, and especially the defensive line was supposed to be one of the top in the nation. And then you get a new coordinator from Penn State that's been on that, and they've always known for their defense that hey, he's gonna come in and lock down teams. And with Klubneck being senior year, possibly, you know, they were talking about top ten pick in the draft and everything, and stocks high, and they even went in the portal and got a couple receivers out and had some receivers developed. So everything was in place. It's just for whatever reason, it just I guess it wasn't clicking. When I watched the film, it was almost like Klubneck was trying to do too much at times, and then also some sometimes it felt like the play column was somewhat vanilla, not letting Clubneck be able to do different things and do uh you know, uh Riley having this certain type of offense and trying to go fast at times. But they did have the players there, and it's just for whatever reason this year didn't click. Maybe it's you know, Dabo's way of being all in this year didn't work out because he didn't have the right guys in the spot. So but you know, that's definitely a disappointment. But you know, luckily we finished beating South Carolina, who had a down year themselves. You know, they were predicted top ten with all their guys returning. And you know, luckily Clemson finished on a high note, but I I don't the only job I see Dabble leaving for possibly is the Alabama job. And I I don't even know if he'll do that now, you know, because he's is he is getting older and older, and right now he has a good system in place. Yes, he's fighting people with how he does stuff, and it's kind of kicking back on him, and I think he'll get more in the transfer portal, but I don't see his name being I don't see him going anywhere else other than possibly Alabama, where he played.

Speaker: 30:26

I as a as an Ohio State fan, I would love it if Alabama took him. I think I think I think the game is passing Dabo Ba. I think this is my take from from uh from Columbus's perspective. It it very much feels like to me his message and the way that he used to recruit and the way that he used to get through to those kids has not adjusted uh in the last five, six years. And I think the message is falling on deaf ears. I think he has been reluctant to use NIL, um, which has definitely has definitely uh bit him. And look, hey, if he wants to stand on his principles, I'm not gonna fall to man for you know for holding his ground and and there, I respect that to a degree. But I I I I just look at them and it feels like the same team every single year, Jake, to me. It feels like every time I watch them, the offense, the offense feels conservative, and then to your point, it feels like they're aggressive at the wrong times. Um, I feel like defensively they've never um, you know, haven't necessarily seen the athletes on defense that I'm that you know when they were in their heyday and in that run. Um, you know, definitely feels like they're missing um some of those guys.

Speaker 1: 31:34

They used to always look for Clemson to find uh, you know, an outstanding DB that they would have back there, an outstanding balls that just threw so much at you that he's throwing out of Oklahoma right now, and that's he's one of those few coordinators like holy cow. And yeah, differently and the guy from Penn State this year is a totally different setback. He wants to be patient. They have to beat us all the way down the field so teams could dink and dunk kind of down, and they're like almost die by a thousand cuts.

Speaker: 32:03

And I think the hard thing, I think the hard thing with Dabo is, you know, Rock, you said it that who are you worried about in the ACC anyway.

Rocky: 32:09

Right, yeah, right.

Speaker: 32:10

It's it's you know, I I could almost I could almost excuse it if I if if he was you know battling in a tough conference and it was like, well, these teams came up and they're they've been better. And it's like I look at the ACC go, there's no reason that Clemson shouldn't be still holding that crown, right? So yeah, it's it's going to be fascinating. He definitely whiffed on um DJ. And then you know, Klubnik, you know, hey, look, I mean, I think I'm with everybody. I thought I liked what I saw from last year, definitely took a regression step this year. Um, but he's definitely on the hot seat for me. If I'm if if Clemson wants to, if Clemson wants to get back to relevance, I you know, Dabo only has that other year. And I think secretly, probably my take would be if you're an alumni or a board member at Clemson, you're hoping that Dabo goes somewhere because you don't want to fire him. You don't want to fire, you don't want to let him go. He brought so much prestige to that count to that program, took him to heights they've never been. I think the last thing you want to do is have to part ways with somebody like that. So you almost hope that he does it for you.

Rocky: 33:08

Yeah. So, guys, the other name I was thinking about is what about Sark? What about Sark at Texas? I know they got hot here at the end of the year and they're making the argument that, and listen, I don't think Sark's got a bad argument, C Bus, when he says, what's the point of going to play in Ohio State and teams like that to start the year? When right now, I mean, let's be real, if they were 10 and 2, they didn't make the SEC title game, they're in. So you're gonna penalize a Texas team that lost by what one score to Ohio State? But I think the loss that's gonna come back to get Sark is the loss to Florida, right? A really bad Florida team. Georgia, Georgia waxed them, you know, late in the year. So I I get that argument. But again, Texas came out what? They were preseason, what, one or two the start of the year? They were number one. How much longer do they go with him there?

Speaker: 33:57

I mean, I think I think Sark bought himself at least a couple years with the run last year, right? I mean, he took them to the semis. They were, you know, they're driving on Ohio State to tie that to tie that game um before Sawyer comes up with the, you know, with the strip stack and the and the rumble bumble stumble 85 yards for the for the TD, right? So I think I I think I think Sark has I think Sark has a couple more years. I think, and especially because I don't think Arch is going anywhere, right? I think Arch is going to stick back and come back next year. So I think they definitely I think Wingo has to come back, right? Because I think Wingo's only a sophomore. I don't think he can go out um next year. So they got they got plenty in the tank returning next year. And I hear Sark, right? Like that it's unfortunate. You you played, you played a big school, you played Ohio State, you had the one versus two matchup or whatever that was going in the first game of the season, lost a close game on the road, um, and then and then just kind of you know they they took a while to get their sea legs, but that loss to Florida is just is is so tough to it's so tough to get over. And to your point, Rock, if they lose to Georgia by three or four, you know, lose to Georgia by a field goal or something like that, I think their case is much stronger. But you you go and you go and get mopped uh by Georgia, and while the Ohio State score was you know a one-score game, Ohio State was up 14-0 in that game with three minutes to go, and Texas hadn't gotten past the 40-yard line of Ohio State for three quarters before um Ohio State kind of let them get that kind of last second, you know, last minute score to kind of make that score look a little bit more respectable, if you will.

Speaker 1: 35:30

And I think too, if their offense was clicking all year and it was a high power offense, and it's like, oh, Ohio State stopped in great defense and Georgia, okay. But you know, they've been in the beginning of the year, they were subpar talking how bad Arch was looking. So it's you know, it's everyone's looking into that, and now that's why I don't think they were ranked as you know, they could have been ranked higher if they were blowing out teams.

Speaker: 35:53

Without a doubt.

Rocky: 35:54

So, guys, I got up here, and hopefully you can still hear me because my mic's cutting in and out. So hopefully you can still get me here. But I'm looking at some of the surprise teams, and I got to give my guy Mark Carney a shout out at Kent State. Uh I told him I'd give him a shout. I've been bragging about him all year. So he was the interim head coach there at C Bus. Horrible the last two years. I think they were like one in 20 something. And he comes in, wins five games for him in the Mac. I know five and seven don't sound the greatest, but he was in a lot of games. Got named the head coach. He got the tag removed from him, and he had a great year there at Kent State. So I want to give him a shout out. And then I think the other team I want to recognize for me is how about Jason Eck over in New Mexico? Nine and three at New Mexico in the Mountain West. Attendance was up almost 70%. It's a small stadium, they seat over 30,000. But I think New Mexico was one of those programs like they play football in New Mexico. Like I remember as a kid when we used to play the uh the tabs, the games, right? On the very bottom of the tickets, they were always like plus 35, plus 30, something like that. But hats off to uh to coach Eck over at New Mexico.

Speaker 1: 37:03

New Mexico always had the fun offense to watch. I forgot who the coach was. He was always creative. And those were those late night games on Saturdays, especially being a college or a high school football coach. It's like, wow, look at this type of offense going on.

Speaker: 37:17

Yeah, I see, I I I'm with you, Rock. I thought Kent State was, I thought Kent State that's a great, that's a great pull. Um, I'm gonna I'm gonna take one that maybe you know doesn't shock everybody, but I thought I thought I had the two that I circled, one was I thought BYU, um BYU surprised me this year just from the standpoint of um they were you know that they they were they were not supposed to be a whole lot of anything this year, um, and again found themselves in the conference championship game. Ridiculously tough defense, ridiculously tough uh line of scrimmage and and control of the clock. Um definitely a team that I think just just continues. And maybe my surprise is the consistency that BYU has put together. Um but they're definitely on my radar. The other one, I always rag on them, so I'm gonna give them I'm gonna give them their love, even though I don't think they're gonna, I think they're gonna get iced out of the playoffs is Miami. Um and and the reason I'm gonna give Miami the surprise is when they lost middle of the year, I think we all said, there comes the Miami swoon, here comes them losing four out of six, they're gonna limp home, they're going to, they're gonna they're gonna end the season disappointing, typical Miami, start off the year hot and and find a way, and find a way to just absolutely pee down their leg uh the last month of the season. And they righted the ship. Uh Christopher kept those guys focused. Um they had their hiccups, but he he kept that train on the track to keep them in the conversation. Um they were playing good football as the year as the year actually wound down. Um so I'll give I'll give Miami I'll give Miami their props as much as I'm hard on them. Um they they they earn a little bit of a surprise love from me.

Speaker 3: 39:00

Guys, what about Wake Ford? What about Wake? What about Wake coming in this year at 84 in the ACC after down the last couple years? Um Junior came in this year, 22 in the ACC, 24 in ACC change, uh, which I think is actually 20, 2022, it's what seven five. Um, I think it's twenty. Um but I I gotta set my option. I thought it was a little bit.

Speaker: 39:48

Yep, now you're back. You got a little out there, but I think we're right. I don't know which I don't know which second answer.

Speaker 3: 39:55

So guys, the the rankings came out. A lot of discussion about whether Right now, Northern Games are 10. Miami's at 12. But I want to ask you guys at the top here, is it Ohio State, Indiana? We'll get into these conference games, we'll check in here in just a little bit. But I had said that Indiana losers, you know, how far you're going to drop Indiana, how far you're going to drop Ohio State. John Bruden had a really good take, and I posted it tonight on Facebook. And he said, So you're going to tell me that Omix and these teams that aren't in these conference championships basically get a recall. And now you get Ohio State and Indiana, these teams playing in the conference championship where now Ohio State and Indiana would have losed, they're both on. If you look at Alabama and George, Alabama loses with the three losses, but probably. But he said, take the five conference championship winners during. And then how about you go play these other five games where you have like maybe Notre Dame plays Miami? Maybe Old Miss Bulls played two lane. Like have them still play a game, so these other teams aren't getting penalized right now for being in these games. I thought it was a really pretty interesting take.

Speaker: 41:20

Not me. I've been I've been pretty I've been pretty lockstep, I feel like, with the committee almost all year. Uh the way that they've had these teams, the way they have these teams slotted. I understand the Notre Dame um Miami argument, right? I think head to head, you got to be really careful when making sure that head-to-head still matters, right? Um, but I think, you know, again, Notre Dame, those two losses were the first two games of the season. They're breaking in a new quarterback, uh, replacing a lot from the national championship runner-up team. Um, and they've been, they've, I think they've had one of the strongest margins of victory um all season. I think they're at 26 or 27 points as their margin of victory um, you know, throughout throughout the rest of this, you know, throughout after the two losses. So, you know, I I I tend to agree. I understand Gruden's point. Um, you know, Pops and I had a similar discussion, Rock, about, you know, hey, what's the benefit of playing that extra that extra game? Uh, you can argue the benefit is if I win, I get a bye. You know, in Ohio State's case, they get a buy. So everybody does have to play that game, you know, everybody who had to play the week before that Ohio State has to play. Um, but then you look at it last year, and I think every team that had the bye last year lost, or at least one out, I think, I think three out of the four teams lost that had the buy going in, right? So um the the real question is gonna be I think if that trend holds up this year and you see teams with buys lose again, I think you're gonna see a whole different approach for how people want to do they really want to be in that conference championship game or not, or they really want that buy or not, because do you get you know a little bit rusty sitting there? Um, but yeah, I mean it's I it's there's no perfect system, right? I mean, I think that's the other thing. We're trying to figure this out on the fly. We've been we were begging for a playoff outside of four teams for you know what felt like seven, eight years. We get to 12, and it felt like two years, one year after we get to 12, they're already talking about can we get it to 16? Can we get, you know, where else can we take it? And it's like, okay, hold on, can we can we just work out the kinks of the 12 team playoff before we're trying to add before we're trying to add another four? Because let's be honest, they're gonna go to 16 and we're gonna be talking about team 17 and 18. It's the same thing we do at the day, it's the same thing we do at the NCAA tournament. We get 64, 65 in, or now 68 with the playing games, and we all start talking about team 69 and 70, right? So it, you know, there's always gonna be somebody left out in the cold that's not gonna be happy.

Speaker 1: 43:46

Well, I think the problem is you look at Alabama, you just said if they lose, they could be out. I mean, for SDC to have an them to have an extra game and get penalized that bad for it, where it's like Texas AM wins that game, Alabama's in the playoffs sitting there nice and pretty. You know, so you're gonna punish an Alabama team that, you know, let's say they lose to Georgia by a touchdown or two, and it's like, nope, and Georgia's ranked third or fourth in the country, and they're gonna get penalized that hard and get kicked out of the playoffs, which is you know, we all know that why is the playoffs not growing so much? Because the SEC, we want six or five, and hey, we want six or five, and everyone else will give you one extra slot or one guaranteed slot. So it's gonna be interesting to see that if they do bump out Alabama if they lose.

Speaker: 44:31

That'd be two years. I mean, that'd be two years, the first two years of the college football playoff in Obama. Um I have a I I don't I the I think the committee said that they do they they don't want to hold conference championship games against uh the teams in the so it's gonna be it will be interesting to see uh especially with Alabama's wins.

Speaker 1: 44:53

That's the big thing. Compared to all right, you compare them. I know they have three losses, but putting them up against a Miami even Notre Dame. It's like hey, they beat all these teams. I mean, they went on that run, they beat what, five consecutive ranked teams? Yeah, that's pretty impressive.

Speaker 3: 45:08

I'm glad to give you your your minute here. Rivalry weekend, uh the Ohio State Michigan game, Ohio State dominated. I gotta give this clear. You're about the only Ohio State fan I got respectful. Even my wife was up fair to down all the time. She she was pretty good this past weekend. But I'll say this when that when that game was over, I thought Ryan Day handled the flag with about as much class as we possibly could. And Michigan was standing in the middle of the field, and you know, we know what happened last year. And I thought Ryan Day when he came up with midfield with Shaw Moore and said, Let's just get these guys out of here because we're gonna go we're gonna get our guys out. We're not gonna do that. I thought that was really classy for him. And then the other thing I wanted to say was this one uh he was he was good to Michigan because they could have scored. I mean, they they were the better team. Now, me watching that game from being a Michigan fan, I gotta say this. And I know a lot of people said, well, it was a good test for Ohio State. C bus Michigan wasn't a good team this year. That was not a test for Ohio State and Julian St. They they were the better team all year, they were the better team going in. I thought Ryan Day, they threw the ball like they should have been. They were the better team. Ryan Day could have scored another day, quite a job, right?

Speaker: 46:31

100%. I I I I think where I would agree with you from a football roster perspective, um they were better, hands down. But the four the last four years, you know, I I had made the comment a couple times that Michigan had turned into the boogeyman for Ryan Day. And there was there was there was a mental hurdle that they had to overcome um against Michigan. And look, the way that game started, um, you know, if if you're Ryan Day, and I think I heard him on uh bustling with the boys uh earlier this week talking to Taylor Wan, and Taylor Juan just asked him, he said, Hey, was there was there a moment after you know Michigan went down, scored a field goal, and saying second pass is picked off that you went, you know, oh here we go again. And Ryan Day said, Absolutely, at a hundred percent went through my mind. Like this is going, this is happening again. We're going, you know. Um, so I thought it was a testament to, I thought it was a testament to Day of how he prepared for that game. Um, I think he knew he learned his lessons. And what you're seeing from Ryan Day is just a coach that has matured. I think everybody, everybody forgets that Ryan Day was not a head coach before he started at Ohio State. He was an assistant, he had no head coaching experience on the collegiate level. He got thrown into you know a top three program in college football. And on a national stage, we've had to watch this guy mature. And the loss last year to Michigan um, you know, was a hundred percent a tipping point for the program and for Ryan. And he and he answered the bell. Um, and he's a you can just tell he's a different, he's a different coach this year. From his press conferences to the way that they play to the way that he, you know, if we remember last year, everything was he had to prove that they were the toughest team, and he was going after Lou Holtz, and he's and and you know, Michigan baited him into that game last year. They baited them in the play in the style that they wanted them to play, and it worked out in their their favor. And I think you're looking at a guy that's comfortable in the own skin. Um, to talk about Ohio State, though, what I will what I will say with that team is you know, Julian Saiyan, you know, has the potential to be the best quarterback that I've seen at Ohio State, you know, in my in my 42 years uh of being here. And that's saying something because CJ Stroud had a had a phenomenal, had a phenomenal uh two years at Ohio State. Um, but the accuracy in which I see that Julian Saiyan plays with is it's is amazing. But what I'll tell you, Rock, is the level, the composure that Saiyan plays with is pretty special. Um now again, I will say I don't know who Ohio State's been tested against yet. Um so we will see uh as though you know that Indiana's gonna be a test, and then look, when we get to the playoff, everybody's a challenge at that point. Um but you're throwing the two best weapons in college football, make gotta make your job a little bit easier um if you're Julian as well. But they've been a they've been a blast to watch this year for sure.

Speaker 3: 49:38

So I think this too is when you win the national championship like you did last year, coming in this year. It's like you can see a sigh of relief uh on Ryan Bay's face. I will say when this can got off, they kick the field goal, they intercept him, and looking in the sideline, it's like he's gotta be sitting there saying, Here we go again. Not again. Maybe there's a shot. They punch one in, you go up 10-0, yeah, you're at home. You never know what could happen. I'm gonna tip my hat to Matt, Patricia. Losing losing as many guys, C bus, as they did like now. Don't get me wrong, Sonny Styles, they they got dudes on all of them. And I'm gonna say this: I don't think they've been tested all year. Like they didn't have to they didn't have to play USC, who they would have beat. They would have beat USC. They didn't have to play Oregon this year. Now, to their credit, they beat an almighty team that came in three seasons, ranked in about the top 10, top 15. They kind of disappointed a little bit. Penn State, obviously, that game. I think if they were what a three-touchdown favorite. I was like, if you would have told me to start the season, Ohio State was a three-touchdown favorite to Penn State. What I want to see for the Buckeyes is I want to see a close game. I want to see Faye with the ball in his hands late. Now, when you got the studs that they have on the outside, it makes the game a lot easier. He hasn't been precious, and that was the last couple years, I would say, with Michigan. I don't know what you got to do, but they got to him, right? That Michigan front four was in the back. And I don't care how good of a quarterback you are, right? Jake, you know that. If you can get to the quarterback, you're gonna make them uncomfortable. Michigan never got, like, I don't think they got to the quarterback once. He's had all day to throw. So I want to see if a team can get to him, and I want to see in a close game what happens. Yeah.

Speaker: 51:30

I I don't disagree. I think you know, Ohio State couldn't have asked for a better schedule and a better breakdown for a way to assimilate Julian Saiyan into his college career, right? They had a tough game against Texas to start the year and they absolutely babied him. I think Saiyan threw the ball maybe 14 times that entire that entire first game. They let the defense win him, let him win him that first game. And then ever since then, it's just been a little bit more, a little bit more. We're gonna give you a little bit more on, you know, the let Saiyan kind of that sign of saying kind of develop. What I think's been the the change for Ohio State that I and I rock, I share everything you said. I want to see him be tested, I want to see some of those things. But um, I thought the big, the big change for Ohio State the last month of the season was they found their run game. You know, they the talk down here the first two months of the season was, you know, can we run the ball when we have to run the ball? And I thought the I thought the the most resounding answer was the 18-play drive or whatever they went, you know, against Michigan, where they took up 10 minutes of of game time and they ended up kicking a field goal, but I think everybody knew it didn't matter. By that point, the by the time he got the clock and the kick the field goal, everybody knew Michigan wasn't gonna be able to overcome that deficit um regardless. But Matt Patricia's been a breath of fresh air here. I think he's probably the hottest, uh hottest name that everybody's been talking about. You see a lot of people with pencils in their ears. My niece is a uh is a freshman at Ohio State. Um, and you know, she tells me down and down on campus as people are going to game, everybody's got a pencil in their ear, everybody's a big Matt Patricia fan. But you know, similar to what you said, Jake, about um you know, about Venables, I you know, I think Patricia runs a very similar style from the standpoint of he shows you one thing and they're in a complete different coverage. You think they're in zone and they're playing matchup man, or you think they're you think they're you think the linebackers are you know are playing are playing the flats and all of a sudden they're bringing they're you know they're stunting and coming in on a blitz. You know, he's he's fun to watch from a fan perspective to see how he puts those players in a position to be successful. And they love him. Those players, uh, you know, to see a coach come in first year, those those players are eating everything up that he has to say. And why wouldn't they with the performance that they've had this year?

Speaker 1: 53:46

I mean, you could see it with the quarterback, Julian, even from that first game, like you said, baby him and then the Michigan game, fourth and what, two or one, and they throw a slate and go to him out there, and he drops it in the bucket out there. So you can definitely see he's come a long ways, and you know, it definitely helps that you have a clean pocket, but it also helps when you got studs on the outside, too.

Speaker: 54:05

So it's you know quarterback's best friend, right? I mean, yeah, Jeremiah Jeremiah Smith is uh is definitely a unicorn. Uh, I talk about seeing the best quarterback I've seen in a long time. Tough to say Jeremiah Smith's the best receiver that come through Ohio State, but boy, uh it he puts up another year next year, like he's put those first two. He's gonna put that to bed in no time. Yeah.

Rocky: 54:29

So C bus, you guys lose Brian Hartline, but he's gonna coach through the playoff. I was really surprised that Hartline. They said he was a candidate for the Penn State job, and I said if I was Penn State, I'd actually I'd hire him, get him in there, a young guy, right? What's your thoughts on Hartline leaving? Big blow.

Speaker: 54:47

Yeah, for sure. I mean, look, as a I mean, we lost the the recruiting blow was huge. The timing, we talk about timing. Last thing you want to see, uh, two hours in the national early national signing day, your uh your wide receiver coach and offensive coordinator that's been brought this lineage of wide receivers with him, uh, announces that he's going, and we felt the immediate impact with Chris Henry Jr. not committing and and Mike flipped to Oregon, which is uh you know was gonna sting, and I'm sure Cody will tell me um about it later. But um, you know, it it was I I will say I am extremely happy for for Harlein. He's a buckeye through and through. Um, I loved him when he was here. Um, I like watching him in the pros. Um and has been the journey that he's taken as a coach here. You know, he's a he he he was a he was a grat assistant. He walked out, he he walked down. He was he didn't have official title when he virtually started at Ohio State and has worked his way all the way up um to now to now be the now go be the coach um you know at USF I think is is phenomenal. So I'm rooting I'm rooting like crazy for him. Um I it stinks, but you know, I I also know that this everybody in that program had to know this was to be expected. If it wasn't this year, it was a hundred percent going to be next year. Um his stop. Were you surprised at the school, though? Yeah, I mean, I think a I think a little bit, Jake. Um, but the more I thought about it, you know, for him, what a great spot. For you know, he he obviously played with the dolphins, so he knows he knows that area really well. He recruits that area really well, right? Jeremiah Smith and and some of those boys came came came from Florida, so that that definitely that definitely helps him. Um, and I think it's a great program to where he can go and and establish some success, but the expectations are not going to be through the roof when he first gets there. I think he's gonna have some time. And and Buckeye fans thought is if Heartline you know continues on this trend when Ryan, you know, when Ryan either decides to hang him up or maybe go to the league, or you know, maybe decides, maybe decides he wants a new challenge, maybe that's the guy that they tap on the shoulder to come back um after he goes cuts his cuts his teeth elsewhere. So, you know, it's bittersweet, uh, you know, for sure. I'm super happy that he's staying. Um, you know, we talked about Kiffin, and you know, then all of a sudden we we look at the exact opposite where I think uh you know Heartline's gonna stick it out for him. So, you know, I think there's a lot of trepidation, but then again, I look at the last couple hires that Ryan Dayes made um, you know, from a coordinator perspective. Chip Kelly uh was definitely work, run him a national championship, whether or not I'm a huge Chip Kelly fan's up for debate, and then um, you know, and then and then you look at and then and then you look at Patricia this year, right? So, you know, uh they they shouldn't have any problem bringing in a top-tier coordinator to want to go coach. They could, they could, but I mean, you know, I think I think the long list of applicants will be pretty long. Who doesn't want to be the offensive coordinator of Ohio State with with the weapons that they have uh and the program that they have? So it will it would be fascinating for us to see, you know, who steps in.

Speaker 1: 57:55

But how state fans are he's almost turned out like Alabama with Nick Saban. Hey, we're gonna get this guy, redirect his career, blow up, and everyone wants to go there.

Speaker: 58:04

On to the next, right? Yeah, I mean, how state fans are smart. I think the the bigger concern wasn't the X's and O's with Heartline Leaving, it was the recruiting, right? That's what everybody was worried about. And it it wasn't necessarily, you know, I think everybody recognizes that he's a good coach, but everybody's worried about losing him on the recruiting trail because the wide receivers that he's brought in for the last six years has been second to none. So that's gonna be the hard part.

Rocky: 58:26

I'll say this, guys, when you got talent, it makes coaches look all that much better in the world, man.

Speaker: 58:31

100%.

Rocky: 58:32

You go to Ohio State, you just can't screw it up. But uh C Boss Matt Patricia's from Cheryl, New York, which is not too far from from us here. It's about 15-20 minutes. Okay. I did hear not too long ago, there's a good chance University of Connecticut is gonna come calling for him to bring him back this way. So it'll be interesting to see at the end of the year um what happens with Patricia. He's he's from right back here in our hometown. So I'm trying to get him on for an interview. I'm trying to get some connection to see if I could talk to the guy.

Speaker: 59:02

I don't know. I don't know if he, you know, I haven't really heard him say if his desire is to be a head coach again or not, right? I I don't I don't know. I mean, this was kind of his first dip of the toe in the college game, and you know, and I so I I'll be curious to see if that's a challenge that he wants to take on. Um, but I can't blame him. Look, his stock is his stock's at an all-time's at all-time high, right?

Speaker 1: 59:24

So his family's still what near the Patriot or Boston, aren't they? Still kind of I think so.

Rocky: 59:31

Which I think that's one of the reasons why they're saying maybe bring him back this way, East Coast guy. I don't know. I wouldn't leave Ohio State as a coordinator to come coach the University of Connecticut, but I wouldn't.

Speaker 1: 59:40

And there's another coach that was interesting to leave Connecticut to go Colorado State.

Rocky: 59:45

Jim Mora. Yeah, a hundred percent.

Speaker 1: 59:48

Yeah, agree.

Rocky: 59:49

So guys, you ready to pick some games?

Speaker: 59:50

Let's do it.

Rocky: 59:51

Let's pick some games here. So we'll start with uh the American Conference and then both these guys, both these coaches got other jobs. So But they're still going to be allowed to coach here. So Tulane, 10-2, North Texas. Tulane's actually getting two and a half. I'm actually to go with Tulane in this game. I like both teams. Maybe the winner gets one of the second at large into the playoffs. So we'll see. But I'm going to go with Tulane, C bus.

Speaker: 1:00:19

Give me Tulane as well. I think they're a smidge. Smidge better. I think got a couple more weapons on offense. I think they'll score just enough to squeak past this one. So I'm right there with you. I like Tulane as well.

Rocky: 1:00:35

Jake, how about you?

Speaker 1: 1:00:38

Oh, I go back and forth. You know, I think Tulane's played a better schedule, a little bit tougher, you know, going outside. I know it's Duke. I know it's, you know, they played Old Mess compared to North Texas, didn't play those type of quality teams. So I think I'm going to go Tulane. I think with both coaches leaving off. The other one stayed, then it would be a different story. But since they're kind of in the same boat, I'm going to go with Tulane.

Rocky: 1:01:03

All right. So we're all in agreement there. The Big 12, these two teams played earlier in the year, and uh Texas Tech beat them, I think, by two or three scores. Um, so many people are saying that if BYU wins, both these two teams are both going to get in. If Texas Tech wins, BYU is out. Um, can probably debate it. But uh, I'm gonna go with Texas Tech again. I'm gonna lay that, I'm even gonna lay the 12 and a half. I don't think it's close. I think Texas Tech's a team C Buster, I think, could make a really deep run. They're pretty good up front.

Speaker: 1:01:33

Yeah, I think um they're a bit of an enigma to me, right? I I don't know how much I trust the Big 12, but I agree with you. Every time I watch them, um they they dominate the line of scrimmage way more than I would expect to see uh a Big 12 team, you know, to execute. Um, I will I'm gonna take Texas Tech as well. However, I don't think they cover. I think BYU uh has a nothing to lose mentality here. I think they get to let it all hang out. I think Texas Tech knows they're already in. They are paying for a buy, though. Um so there is a little bit of motivation there uh for Texas Tech, not to mention you know their best season since Michael Kravche, right? So um, yeah, I'll I'll take I'll take Texas Tech, but I think closer than people think.

Rocky: 1:02:16

Jake, you think they cover? You like them?

Speaker 1: 1:02:18

Oh, that's a tough one. I mean, what's funny is we're talking Texas Tech's defense. When was the last time we were talking about their defense? They've always been the aerated offense. Now their defense is up front and so on. So you know, C Bus makes a great point. BYU has really nothing to lose, you know. So and that's their only loss of the season. So I don't think they're gonna, I I think Texas Tech's gonna win, but on a last second field goal. So they, you know, I don't think Texas Tech will cover the points, but they'll win the game.

Rocky: 1:02:48

You know what I think sad though, even with if BYU loses, they could say they're two losses this year to our team that's gonna go to the playoffs and they they probably have that argument. Um, the Big 12 obviously was a little down this year, but um, I like Texas Tech. You go back, man. We got Russ has stole Mike Leach, one of my favorite all-time coaches in college football. I remember the run he took Texas Tech on when he was there, so I gotta I gotta roll with Texas Tech.

Speaker 1: 1:03:12

I mean, this shows you too that NIO money what can do with that. Oh that's cool down there. It's just even softball, you talk about any sport now.

Speaker: 1:03:20

Good, good, good call, I think. It's not the last time we're gonna be talking about Texas Tech. You're 100% right.

Rocky: 1:03:25

So, guys, Bama's had Georgia's number even in the Nick Sabin era. Calin De Boer gave Georgia their only loss this year, but I think Georgia's playing really well right now. I think defensively, it looks like a Kirby smart defense didn't start that way for this year. Gunnar Stockton's playing really well. All the Calen De Boer came out and said, I don't know why people are linking me to the Penn State job. You think Alabama's got their number? I like Georgia. I know Bama beat them earlier. I'm gonna roll Georgia. Bama's a two and a half dog in this game. Who do you like, Jake?

Speaker 1: 1:03:55

I think I'm gonna go with Bama. I just I think Bama has something about it, you know, and I know they beat him earlier at their place, which was a great win, but I I'm not sold on the Stockton kid at Georgia. I think he makes he's a high and low guy, you know, he plays off emotions, he could have a bad game. We've seen him kind of not how do I say this, like them not rely on him so much, you know, and he think we need him to make a play, and he doesn't. Where I the Alabama kid, you know, he's he was in talks for the Heisman trophy at one point, and he is a different quarterback than they've had in the past, and he's pretty accurate. And I I have more faith in him as a quarterback, so I'm gonna go with Alabama.

Rocky: 1:04:37

See you, bus.

Speaker: 1:04:39

Yeah, I mean, this is look, this is a this tough game. I'm I I I maybe I'm crazy. I don't think the SEC is that good this year. I I think they're a bunch of I think that all the teams are about the same in the SEC. I think they got a lot of good teams and not a lot of great teams. Not a really a great team in SEC. Um that being said, I think Georgia is really beat up. I think they're beat up on the offensive line. I think that I think that Kirby, if you had given true serum, I don't think he wanted to play in this game, to be honest with you. I think he wanted the week off the rest, similar to what you were saying, Rock, about what Gruden was talking about earlier this week. Yep. So with that being said, uh Bama knows they have to win. Um, and I think the board knows he quite honestly has to win this game um to keep to keep the pitchforks at bay. Um, so I'm gonna I'm gonna take Bama. Um, I'm not comfortable with the pick, but I'm gonna take him.

Rocky: 1:05:27

The only thing I'll say, guys, I like Georgia because I don't think Ty Simpson's played that well the last couple weeks for Alabama. He's struggling. And I think Georgia's defense is playing bad, but I think you guys are right. I don't think Kirby wants to be in this game at all, but we'll see. I think if Bama finds a way, if they do lose, we'll see what happens with Kalen DeBore if he if he is rumored for any of these other jobs.

Speaker: 1:05:49

Yeah, agreed.

Rocky: 1:05:50

All right. Arguably probably the two best teams in the country. I think Indiana's probably got the best win this year at Oregon on the roads. You can probably say that's the best win. I mean, they've kind of been similar to Ohio State, C Bus. They've blown everybody out of the building. Uh, this could be the Heisman game for Saiyan and Mendoza. Whoever plays well probably gets the Heisman trophy. Um, Indiana has basically smashed everybody they've played. Ohio State minus four and a half. C Bus, I'll start with you. I know you're gonna probably roll buck guys, but is this game close?

Speaker: 1:06:24

So I I'm gonna I'm gonna say I I I'm going with the House State, obviously. I I don't I think the High State wins by I think the House State wins by 10, to be to be honest with you. Um I think that Indiana is good. I'm not, I don't wanna, I think what Signetti has done there is incredible. I I've been joking. I'm watching this out of I'm watching this game out of two lenses. Uh Rock knows I'm a diehard Browns fan, like it or not. Um so I'm I'm I'm watching it on one eye because I want to see how Mendoza does against Patricia's defense to see if I think that he's see if I think that it's worthy for my Browns to to maybe try to make a move to to draft him. Um I just think Ohio State's defense is too much. Um I think Indiana does struggle to stop the ground game. Um and I think Ohio State's running game is is starting to is really starting to turn the corner. And putting Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate indoors on a fast track on turf, I think over the course of four quarters is going to be tough. I think Indiana comes out hot. They're gonna have the home field advantage. Um, hottest ticket in town. I think I read the cheapest ticket right now is $588 to go sit in the nose bleeds um at Lucas Oil on Saturday night. Um so I think I think it's a close game for a while. I think Ohio State pulls away um maybe midway through the fourth quarter. Um would I be surprised if Indiana plays them closer wins? Not necessarily, but I think Ohio State's I think Ohio State's on a mission um to win the Big Ten. So one thing they hasn't done. Um one the Natty hasn't found a way to hasn't found a way to win the Big Ten championship. And I think this is I think this one means I think this one means more to Ryan um and that university than maybe people realize.

Rocky: 1:08:03

Jake, who you like?

Speaker 1: 1:08:06

I think it's gonna be a close game. I think it's one of those the ones that coaches are gonna be every play kind of counting every guy to make sure they're getting up so they can stay healthy for the good playoff run. You know, it's almost like both of them probably would almost rather just have the buy. Okay, we go right into there, and we both had buys. So and I think that mentality, you know, with Indiana. I'm gonna go Ohio State with their run game, like C Bus said. But I think it's just gonna be close with a lot of teams just kind of running the ball and almost like, let's bleed the clock, let's keep it close. It'll be better for both teams no matter what. We'll both get buys. Where if one team blows them out, well, you know, it makes their their conference look bad, and it's a chance for you to possibly hurt some of your guys. So I see them just kind of being more hesitant, kind of storing stuff for the playoff run and everything, and not showing too much out there.

Rocky: 1:08:59

Dude, how Ohio State's gonna blow them out. I don't even think this game's close. I think C bus, I'm gonna go more than you, I'm gonna say they beat them by two or more touchdowns. I think they're that much better. Um, if it's close, I I probably say won't be surprised. Maybe Indiana is for real. I I don't know. But in the world we live in today, when would we see the head coach at Indiana turn down the job at Penn State? Yeah, like are that's the world that we live in. Um, that he's staying at Indiana that now has NIL money. Um they said Indiana's like one of the largest schools with the biggest alumni booster club in the world. And I'm like, the Indiana coach are gonna stay there and not go to Penn State, and turn it down quickly, too. Exactly. I mean, he had to have the best line. We said, All I do is win. Google me. I mean, come on. What do you guys think? That's in two years, the run that they've been on, I think, is unbelievable. I mean, he's cocky, he's arrogant. Um, but I give him a lot of credit for what he's doing in Indiana. But Ohio State runs the table. They're gonna beat him by two or more scores. I I just don't see Indiana. Again, if it's close and Indiana beats him, maybe Indiana's really for real. Um, I'll still say that I think Indiana's got the best win all season at Oregon um on their schedule. But again, I don't think Indiana really played anybody um on that schedule.

Speaker: 1:10:19

I think Jake's right, too. I think there is a little bit of a throttling question as to how how much they how much do both schools open it up in in this game, how much do they want it? Um you know, and how much do they want to sell sell it all the way out, knowing that they're gonna, you know, knowing that they're gonna have the playoff, uh, both of them waiting on them. The other thing is, too, is you know, I I flash back to last year, right? Indiana was on this great run. They came in the they came in the Columbus and the game was the game was the game was I could tell the game was over by midway through the second quarter because there was no way that Indiana could could hold up on the line of scrimmage um against Ohio State. So that's that is gonna be the that's gonna be the matchup that I have my eyes on is can Indiana, um, can Indiana bang with them. The other thing that Ohio State's been really interesting with, and obviously, you know, um just a just a rags of riches at times with the with Ohio State, but you know, they they've sat a lot of guys that protecting redshirts um that you know once you get to the once you get to the conference championship game in the playoff, it does not count towards your redshirt game. So Ohio State has a couple kids, um, even uh CJ Hicks, who is a redshirt junior, um, who rushed the passer really well the first couple weeks of the season, and also we didn't see him. He'll be playing um this game. So I wouldn't be surprised if you see a couple uh you see a couple guys for Ohio State make plays that you're gonna go, wait, what? Who's that? And then you're gonna go, oh, he's been sitting for the last seven games because Ohio State's had that luxury. So they got some fresh bodies that maybe uh all of a sudden make an appearance on Saturday night.

Rocky: 1:11:49

So the other one, guys, last one here. Duke gets seven and five playing for the ACC title against um Tony Elliott, who I think's done a fantastic job at Virginia, who was really on his way out coming into the year, was on a tight leash, 10-2. If Duke wins this thing, we might get two at-large bids from the winner of Tulane in North Texas, and maybe James Madison um that would get in. Any chance Duke gets them?

Speaker: 1:12:22

I I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say there's a chance. Um, I I think you know the thing I like about Duke is they can score like that, right? Their offense, I think they they have one of the quickest, um, they have one of the quickest like touchdown drive ratios. I think it's I can't remember how many minute and a half drives that they have to score touchdowns this year. It's crazy. Um, so I I think I think there's a I think there's a chance. I just think Virginia, too many, too many guys. Um, it still comes still comes down to still comes down to the players in the roster. I do think Duke's gonna keep this. I do think Duke's gonna keep this close. I wouldn't be surprised if uh Virginia kicks a field goal late um to win that game. I also haven't seen what you know, they still play that game outside, right? So I haven't seen what the weather's gonna be like um there in the ACC championship game as well, because I think they I think they I think that's still outside. So if it is, I'll keep an eye on that one as well. So um give me Virginia, but uh I think it's gonna be I think it's gonna be entertaining. I think you're gonna be, I think people are gonna be surprised at a seven to five teams hanging with hanging with uh Virginia, but I think it's gonna be I think it'll be interesting.

Rocky: 1:13:24

Jake, you going the same way?

Speaker 1: 1:13:26

Yeah, I'm leaning the same way. It's just funny how the ACC, you got that many guys or that many teams tied SMU, Miami, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, and them, and it's like the lowest record, seven to five, goes to the tiebreaker somehow, which I couldn't even quite understand. And it's like one of your tiebreakers wasn't okay after the third force, who's ranked higher in the house, you know, and I I I bet you they'll change that down the road because it could be easily now. We have Miami in the playoffs, and it's a whole different or the championship game, it's a whole different story. But just amazing how we had to go that far with computers to just decide it was Duke. I mean, like C Bus says, uh I think Duke's been hot the last two games, beating Wake, beating their rival North Carolina, so they're kind of hot right now. But Virginia also, you know, it's been consistent most of the time all year, other than the week. But I think it's gonna be a close, and I could see part of me almost want to say I want to see Duke wins it, and that's what you get ACC for having that tiebreaker that we're gonna have no one in the playoffs, and we screwed ourselves as an ACC fan. So I'm actually gonna go with Duke. I think Duke might pull it off at a last second field goal.

Rocky: 1:14:43

All right. Well, if there's anybody that benefited from like the scenario of the what ifs, Duke had every what if go right for him. The last week, every team they needed to lose lost uh to get in. And Manny Diaz is another name that was rumored for that Penn State job. So we'll see if uh if they can pull a stunner off. So well, guys, look, we're out of time.

Speaker 1: 1:15:03

Diaz and Crystal Ball, Diaz will be the front or win a conference championship before he does. I guess those two are pretty good or tight uh coaches together.

Rocky: 1:15:13

So, guys, hopefully uh we'll run this back again. We'll see if we can get Coach Kramer, I think, said he'd be good to go the next time. We'll see if uh Medicus has hoops. Um, my audio, I was battling on behind the scenes here, guys, that we were going throughout the show. I don't know what happened. My my thing kicked off on me. So hopefully I was it was able to get through this thing. But it's good to have you both on to talk some football, and uh, I'll be messaging you guys to uh to do it again very soon and uh look forward to the weekend.

Speaker: 1:15:41

Absolutely, boys. Good section up with everybody. Thanks for having us, Rob.

Rocky: 1:15:44

All right, thanks.

Speaker: 1:15:46

So we're having fun. Thank you.

Rocky: 1:15:47

Heck yeah. So I was telling these guys I was battling behind the scenes here. My my audio's been in and out, and I don't know if it's because we're getting some remodeling done upstairs and the wires and stuff. So hopefully I was able to get through this thing. Great to have the guys back on here tonight. We'll have Coach Kramer and some of the other guys on um throughout the playoffs, and uh, we'll probably bump this thing back next week or the following week. So hopefully everybody enjoys tonight's show. So the rock pile is where dreams become reality. Have a good evening, everybody.