Battle for UT in Knoxville, Hierarchies in Big Ten and SEC

Hi.

Welcome to the show.

Others receiving votes.

I am Pat 40 from Sports Illustrated, joined as always by my pal Gene Wojcikowski.

Uh, and trust me, everyone, we will get to Fat Bear Week, I promise.

But even that hallowed tradition, which is Gene's lone moment of prognostication glory from last year , if I recall correctly.

Yeah.

It, is gonna have to wait because we do have a massive weekend ahead, Gino.

Maybe one of the last massive September Saturdays in college football, to be a little provocative, but if we end up with a 2014 playoff that diminishes the gravitas of the regular season, we better enjoy Saturdays like this one coming up, which will establish the hierarchies in the SEC and the Big 10 heading into October.

How are you feeling, Jane?

Well, a couple of things.

One, that hat that you're wearing.

I mean, come on man.

So if you're gonna do that, uh 000, a little smoky, can I do a little smoky for you?

OK, impressive.

There you go.

Now look, um, well, look, you said the big word, big word massive, massive weekend.

Heavyweights, if you will, but there is no bigger heavyweight situation than Big Bear Week.

I know we're gonna get to it later, but I just wanna remind everyone that was like the moment for me last year, and I'm defending my crown, but I, I'm actually a little surprised and disappointed that Game day didn't think of going to Alaska, taking the show there this week.

For Fat Bear Week.

Now that would be great game day programming.

That would be fantastic college game day program.

But anyway, they're at Tennessee this week, and I guess that's not a bad number 2.

That's pretty good.

It's pretty good.

But if you wanna reel me back in game day, uh, going to Katmai Peninsula.

Might have done it.

So we will get to that.

We will get to all the games, as Gene said and alluded to.

Gene is, of course, a Tennessee graduate.

I wore the Texas hat for no real reason whatsoever, trying to get under his skin at all, but, uh, we'll get to that game.

We'll pick that game later on.

We're gonna pick all the games, uh, and get to a few other things as well.

We will do.

Some, uh, some rapid-fire stuff again, because, uh, people like that, we're gonna do a which is worse, we're gonna do a fact or fiction.

Lots going on in the show here, but we're gonna start with this weekend cause it is excellent.

Uh, 4 ranked on ranked games in the SEC.

3 of them matching undefeated teams, and the other one's a potential elimination game.

Uh, the unbeaten , we got #1 Texas at #14, Tennessee.

The orange checkerboards, the Fall Navy, and the President of the United States will all be on hand.

Uh, we've got number 4 Mississippi coming off an absolute cataclysm of a game, going at number 21 Florida in the swamp at 3:30.

We got number 19 Missouri at number 24, Mississippi State.

Mississippi State, kind of that hot, trendy team right now at 7:45, and then the elimination game, number 23 Texas A&M at number 10 LSU also a night game.

And then there are two ranked unranked games in the Big 10.

Uh, and I think they're gonna have significant impact on that race there.

One of them matches unbeaten teams, if you feel like extending that courtesy to Michigan, as the replay review booth did.

Uh, the other is the reason why the league expanded west.

We got number 17 Iowa at number 18, Michigan at 3:30, and we got number 20 Oregon at number 12 USC at 7:30.

Uh, Gino, I have to ask , am I being overly dramatic to say we may never have this again, if when the playoffs doubles in size, and we enter a world where 1 loss is irrelevant, 2 losses is not a big deal, and 3 is survivable.

You answered your own question because think about it right now.

One loss is entirely relevant.

Two losses can mean everything.

I mean, just ask Notre Dame.

It lost its 1st 2 games last season, didn't make the playoffs.

Three losses is almost certain death with the exception of Bama, right?

They got in with 3 last year.

That's what makes the regular season.

So great.

I love that, well, even going back to last week and you were at the game, Ole Miss, LSU, it meant something on all sorts of levels.

Uh, and it's set up this week because if LSU loses at Texas A&M or A&M loses, in all likelihood, they're out.

So there are consequences to the regular season, even in September.

If we go to 24 teams, we are so much watering down the drink, that September maybe doesn't matter at all.

And so, I love that, that we don't have an NFL type of regular season where you can, you can lose here and there, and it doesn't really impact you in the grand scheme of things.

So, I, you know, look, you and I are holding hands on this.

We, we're desperately wishing that it doesn't, uh, expand to 24 teams.

Because it takes away from exactly what you just went through on that schedule, how great it is here in late September to have games that really matter.

Yeah, I, I, I mean, we do agree, uh, fully on this, and, and I do, I just, I, I feel like, as with many other things in the sport, I just don't see people saying, I want that, but we're gonna get it, we're getting it shoved down our throat, we're being told this is going to happen, this 2014 playoff.

I don't hear anybody say, gosh, I really want a 2014 playoff.

Uh, I think people truly, genuinely love a season where every weekend matters.

And I, I still, I, you may be able, like, I, Tony Pettitti, I had this discussion with him at Big 10 Media Days, and I was glad he sat down and talked about it.

And he's like, you know, don't you think it would be great for Minnesota and Iowa to have their games in November matter?

It's like, yeah, I do.

If they win more, but if they're 8 and 4.

I'm not sure they really do matter more.

You're, you're, you're just, you're telling people this is a better team than it is because they made an expanded playoff.

I, I just, I don't think lowering the bar improves the product any, and I, you know, I look, there's uh been quite a bit of discussion, obviously, about Um, Anything everybody can do to, to create more revenue in college sports for obvious reasons, because the, the house settlement has, has changed the equation, and then the, the costs sailing way past that.

But the expectation that we can just kind of keep shoving price increases or shoving revenue grabs down the fans' throats, and they're just gonna take it, I think is a dangerous precedent.

I think go ahead.

Yeah, no, I, I'm just gonna add, Pat, that, but the money part of the equation is never going to be solved.

No, no matter what cap you put on, it's going to be exceeded.

No matter what athletic, whatever an athletic director says, you know, this is as much as we're, we're able to spend.

They're gonna have to spend more at some point because somebody else is gonna figure out a way to spend more.

So that part of the equation is never going to end.

So, if you're going to try to use an expanded playoff as a way to pay those bills.

I just don't think it works long term.

It might work short term, but long-term, uh there's always gonna be more cost involved.

That's, those are never going down.

Yeah, no, that's it, you know, you, you create, you create a money tree, which doesn't exist, but if you do, and then people pluck all of it, they're still gonna want more money.

So, you know, unless you can find a way to curtail expenses, which college sports has been very resistant to doing.

Then, uh, this is the situation we have.

OK.

Um, so we'll see.

This, again, I'm gonna say it for fans out there.

Enjoy this weekend, because the next, next year's September games, we may be watching and like, yawning our way through because we're really not sure how much they will impact anything going forward.

But let's take a look at these 6 games, and I'm not even including like Oklahoma, Georgia, which is basically an elimination game for Oklahoma and good luck between the edges there, uh, you know, so, but there's a lot of huge games, but these 6 games, 4 in the SEC, 2 in the Big 10.

Um, let's rank them in terms of intrigue.

Not necessarily, OK, this is gonna be the best game, but, but just which one interests you the very most?

Give me your number one choice, and I will give you mine, and we will go, uh, down that road here.

I don't know if it's going to be the best game, as you said.

But just from a pure, this game matters so much to both teams.

The, the A&M LSU game is my number one pick, simply because it is full desperation mode for both of those programs.

LSU coming off the loss at Ole Miss, uh, A&M coming off the, I guess, semi-stunning loss, maybe Shocker, I don't know.

You live in the Commonwealth, them losing to Kentucky, um.

You know, A&M was a team that we were talking about as, you know, hey, they might be able to make a run.

Yeah.

And now they might be out of it before we get to October.

So, uh, that, that's my game, that's my number one game.

OK, I, I mean, I, I, I agree that like the, the, the payload of that game is very high.

Um, I kind of looked at this, I guess, the other way, like, who's, who's going to emerge.

Like with even more momentum than they had coming into this weekend, and I've got Mississippi, Florida as my number one just because I'm, I'm intrigued by Florida.

I think Summerall seems to have gotten that thing going there quickly, fast, yeah, and I love Ole Miss , but man, this is a big ask to turnaround.

That game meant everything to everyone in the stadium.

And you know how it is for young people to turn around then and get back up and go on the road to play a good team.

I think there's a good reason why Florida's favored, even though John Summerall said there's gotta be a lot of good drugs in Vegas to make the Gators a favorite.

So that's my number 1.

How about your number 2?

Well, he's not wrong about that.

No, OK.

Uh, my number 2 is, uh, is Oregon at USC.

OK, yep, uh.

I think it's a huge game for.

Uh, for both of those programs.

Lincoln Riley, before the season started, said, you know, the championship window is open for us.

Well, now's the time to crawl through it, if you're USC.

And, uh, and for, uh, for Oregon, if they lose this game, I think they could be eliminated.

Uh, there's a lot of pressure on Lincoln Riley.

There's gonna be pressure.

I think there's some pressure on Dan Lanning right now.

So that game has a lot of weight on it also.

And, um, so I just think.

You know, the, the SEC matchups are fantastic.

I can't, I can't disagree with what you said as far as Ole Miss , Florida being #2.

But again, I'm taking the stand, taking it from the standpoint of, if Oregon loses this game, I mean, they're probably, you know, see you.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's, that's actually my number 2 game as well.

Uh, this, this sort of matchup is why the Big 10 went and destroyed the Pac-12 and got these teams, by the way.

But, yes, there is massive pressure, I think, on both sides of the equation.

I listened to Lincoln Riley of Big 10 Media Day say, basically, we have everything we need now.

There's the, the days of excuses of what we needed to build the program are over.

And so now it's time to deliver.

Uh, I, as a matter of fact, today on SI.

com, got a long piece on USC quarterback Jaden Maava, fantastically interesting family.

He grew up in Pololo Valley public housing in Hawaii on Oahu, not far from Waikiki Beach and, and Diamond Head.

Uh, up to 20 people living in a three-bedroom house.

At a time, family members, extended family, yeah, and they made it whereas Dad said, Dad said, we're good at Tetris, we can just kind of fit things together, uh, and they made it work.

So fascinating.

I, I'm rooting for Jane Mobb.

I don't care who wins the game, but I want him to continue to have a great season, uh, as well there.

Um, all right.

Number 3, Gene, what's your 3rd best?

Uh, you know, the Ole Miss at Florida, for all the reasons that you said, um, the, you know, when I first saw the spread, it was like, wait, what?

But really, when you think about it, it starts to make real sense, again, for all the reasons you mentioned.

That's gonna be a fantastic game.

How much juice does Ole Miss still have left?

After what happened last week, and then having to go to the swamp, and you know, Florida is gonna be jacked out of its mind for this one.

So, that's such a compelling matchup.

Yeah.

Um, I, I mean, I can't wait for that one .

I'm taking the orange on orange for my 3rd game, Texas, Tennessee.

I do love a big game in Neyland Stadium.

It's just, it's, the whole thing is awesome, and I, I was there to see them tear down the goalposts after beating Alabama.

I did something in the dash on the, the even-numbered years of, uh, Tennessee beating ranked opponents at home.

And if I were Texas, man, I'd, I'd have the chin strap super tight for this one.

I, I just think you're gonna get a good team that puts, uh, puts together an incredible atmosphere and will really challenge Texas, which hasn't left home yet.

We'll see whether Faison Brandon, the, the very talented freshman quarterback at Tennessee, is up for this big moment.

4th, Fourth is that game.

OK.

Yeah.

I mean, the, look, I'm, I'm biased, but I've been to a lot of, uh, a lot of stadiums throughout my career, and I can honestly say it, it would be very difficult to beat the game day atmosphere at Neyland.

Now, a 20 game is a little different than a night game there, but it's still gonna be rocking.

Tennessee, 3 and 18 all-time against uh the number 1 ranked team.

Take that for what it is, which probably means nothing overall, but, uh, that place is gonna be an amazing atmosphere.

And look, I'll even turn it around.

You mentioned how, how is, uh, uh, a true freshman gonna handle it.

How's Arch Manning gonna handle it?

You know, he's going into a place that's gonna be tough.

He hasn't necessarily played great on the road, uh, during his career.

Uh, so, it's gonna be, I'm not saying he's played poorly, but Uh, it, it's gonna be a challenge for both of those quarterbacks.

I wanna know if Uncle Peyton is choosing family over diploma.

He is.

He has said so.

Yes, OK, yeah, well, that's, that's the right answer, Peyton.

Yes, um, uh, my point, I, I, I am intrigued by Iowa, Michigan, just the matchup of that Iowa defense, which year in and year out is the most stubborn thing in college football.

Against Bryce Underwood and a Michigan offense that hasn't been very good against quality opponents.

So, uh, Phil Parker, I, there are times I watch Iowa, and like, they've gotta be the best coach defense in the country.

They, they fill holes, they are where they're supposed to be all the time.

Uh, it's just hard to get anything big against them.

So I wanna see how Underwood and Michigan deal with that.

Yeah, that's my number 5, matchup.

Uh, you know, two old-school programs, two old-school coaches, defense is what, is what we're gonna be watching that day , at least I assume we will.

Um, so, I, I, I love the matchup.

I love where it is, you know , everything about it just screams like, you know, uh, Keith Jackson and Frank Broyles doing the game back in the 70s or something.

Yes, it does.

Uh, all right, my 5th, I, I'm, I've got A&M and LSU and the, you know, the, the cataclysm Bowl where the, the loser cannot believe the state of their program after spending all offseason just brimming with enthusiasm and optimism, and now look at us and, oh my God, what happened?

Uh, it doesn't necessarily mean they're bad teams, but somebody's gonna have 2 losses, and I, I, I feel for the coach of the team that has the 2 losses, even if it's Lane Kiffin.

All right, last.

I think we got the same game.

Yeah, well, your alma mater, Mizzou at, uh, University of Cowbell, and any chance I have a, I get to watch more Mario Taylor, yes, please.

I, I love it.

So I, I, I'm really interested.

I can't wait to watch that game also.

Yeah, you know, and that's Mississippi State has been so beaten down the last few years that when you, you start to get that.

That whiff of potential and things are coming together, and I would imagine the, the atmosphere there is gonna be incredible.

I remember being there in 2014 with Dak Prescott when they rose up and were number one in the first playoff rankings that were ever issued.

And, you know, they'll, they'll have it going, and we'll see.

Missouri has not been super impressive to me so far, but They did show up in the 2nd half on the road against a bitter rival in Kansas, and can they, can they bring that sort of resilience to this one?

We'll find out.

All right, uh, Gino, there's, there's 35 undefeated teams left, so we're, there's uh, that means 100+ in FBS have already lost at least once.

Which one of them, in your mind is underrated?

All right.

Well, uh, just to give some perspective to this undefeated list of teams, uh, our, our friend, uh, Chris Felia had a tweet out, I think it was yesterday.

And he just made the point going into week 4 last week, I'm sorry, yeah, going into week 4 last year, Penn State was 3-0 and ranked number 2.

LSU was 3-0, ranked number 3.

Florida State was 2-0, ranked number 7.

Illinois was 3-0, ranked number 9.

Auburn was ranked 3-0, ranked number 22.

Mizzou 3-0, ranked 23.

Pat, what do all those teams have in common?

They ended up unranked.

Absolutely, and the 19 team.

Which is your pride and joys, Indiana, ended up winning the national championship.

So, the point is, don't get too excited about the undefeated right now.

But if I, if I had to pick one that I think is a little underrated right now, I think we might have slept on Pitt.

Yeah, a little bit this season.

I mean, we gave all the love to Miami.

I stupidly gave love to Clemson.

We talked about UVA, um.

Uh, SMU was another team, uh, in the ACC we talked about.

But here's Pitt, and they could be unbeaten when they face Miami in October.

And they're a team, I think, it could cause some problems for, for people this season.

So, that's my underrated team right now.

I am intrigued by, you know, I'm intrigued by Pitt, because I think they've got a high-level quarterback and they've got a defense that now has started to, started to flex, so I get that.

I'm staying in the ACC.

Uh, with Duke, which, if Manny Diaz isn't the ACC Coach of the Year so far, nobody is.

You lose Darian Mensah, who's phenomenal, at the very end of the portal, you really can't replace him.

Yeah.

And then you come and you, you put things together , and you're 3-0 and you've beaten two power conference opponents and Tulane, who's a, you know, quality group of 6 opponent.

You beat Illinois on the road, you've transformed yourself into a power running team.

Nate Shepherd leading the nation in rushing, ground and pound Duke, uh, I, I'm intrigued by that.

I, you know, I'm, I don't know if they're able to throw the ball well enough for the long haul, but you look at the schedule, I mean, they could go a long way before they lose a game.

It's not out of the question.

It probably won't happen, but it's not out of the question.

They are 9-0 going to Miami, November 14th.

Keep it in mind.

I thought you might say West Virginia, but Duke's a good one.

Yeah, I'm intrigued by them too.

Rich Rod's got a formula, and he's got the guys to work the formula, it looks like.

All right.

Uh, we talked about, uh, who's underrated, who's due to be exposed.

I, I picked, uh, Washington.

Yeah, um.

They're just, uh, I know they have all the pieces.

I know they have the quarterback, but some of their early season performances have left me underwhelmed.

So I guess long term, I, I, I have some, some concerns.

Yeah, I, I'm with you there.

I, I, I, they just haven't played very well so far.

I'm gonna say Nebraska.

I think that, uh, I think, you know, they just, they haven't played anybody.

They, they have done fine replacing, um, Dylan Rayola, uh, they've got a new freshman running back who looks very good, but you beat Ohio Bowling Green in North Dakota.

You haven't shown me anything.

You're gonna go on the road Saturday.

Michigan State's not great, but, um, things are about to get real, I think, for the Cornhuskers.

So we'll see how they handle it.

All right, well, we're gonna have an interesting conversation later in this podcast and about Nebraska.

OK, very good.

Bring it on.

All right, time for a little which is worse.

I give you two terrible things, you tell me which one is the most terribles.

How about that?

OK.

Rapid fire.

Uh, which is worse, any previous way of blowing a sure victory in college football history.

Or the way North Carolina State lost to Vanderbilt.

Am I going first in this?

You're going first.

This is not recency bias.

I just cannot imagine a worse way to lose.

Than the way NC State did to Vandy, and I, I was looking it up.

They never had the lead, no until 1 2nd left in the game, right?

Yeah, NC State had more total yards, more passing yards, more rushing yards, more 1st downs, more time of possession.

It had fewer penalties.

It led by 17 in the 3rd quarter.

It led by 10 in the 4th quarter, and it lost.

I, I just, and all the quarterback had to do, which is the most mind-boggling part of it, is just run out of the end zone.

Yeah, run out of the end zone.

Uh, so, uh, to, to me, it, it was the absolute imperfect storm of calamity for NC State.

It leaves one of the great, uh, purple bruise marks you're ever gonna get.

Yeah, it was an all-timer, no doubt about it, but I, I've got one worse.

It's gotta be worse .

September 1999.

Kevin Steele, who went on, it was before and then after this, was a, was a very good defensive coordinator.

But this, uh this was incomprehensible.

He was the head coach at Baylor.

They're playing UNLV.

They are up 24 to 21, and knocking on the door just to go in, but all they need to do is take a knee.

Vegas is out of timeouts.

Instead, they wanna try to punch in one more score to make a statement.

Fumble, 99 yard touchdown return as time expired.

That to me was the worst.

That's the only thing I can think of that is worse than what UNLV did, and it took some thinking to come up with that.

What about, what about Stanford Cal?

Oh, that was, yeah, yeah, but that took like extraordinary creativity from Cal.

That was back in the days when lateral plays really weren't done very much either, you know.

This did all this excruciating way to lose though.

Oh yeah, no, incredible.

The band is on the field.

That was, I only bring that up so our friend Ivan Maisel can suffer just for a few moments if he's listening to this podcast.

He was a Stanford student then, right?

I don't know.

I think he was a student back in the 70s, 60s, something like that.

He's old.

Yeah, right, he's back with Jim Plunkett, probably.

Um, all right, which is worse, Gene, Georgia being ranked ahead of Mississippi or Indiana being ranked ahead of Miami?

Uh, this is like asking what's worse, putting ketchup on ice cream or eating an asparagus peanut butter sandwich or something like that.

I, I'm not sure it really matters.

I, I don't really care about the rankings.

I think Ole Miss should be ahead.

I think Ole Miss should be ranked number one.

I agree, given what they've done this season.

If Georgia was playing Ole Miss this week, on a neutral field.

Where would we have him, who would be favored, do you think?

Uh, probably Georgia.

OK.

And if I ask you the same about, uh, Miami.

Yeah, I, I don't know about that one in Indiana.

Probably Miami, but, so, the problem, you know, yes, it's resume versus projection of the next game, right?

That's the difficult part of this, and I don't know.

I'm just looking at this as resume, and I cannot understand why either of the teams are ranked ahead of who they're ahead of.

I, I have a bigger problem, I think, with Indiana being ahead of Miami.

Indiana may turn out to be a juggernaut again.

But their 3 teams they've played are awful.

Georgia's at least played an SEC team, an awful SEC team, but they played barely an SEC team.

Yeah, Miami's gone on the road.

Miami's played 2 ACC games.

They have dominated both those games, so I, I, I just don't understand why Miami should be ranked behind them.

But as you said, the great thing is the rankings don't really matter, certainly not in September, right?

Well, I'm with you on both.

I mean, yes, absolutely, Miami should be ranked ahead of Indiana.

Ole Miss should be ranked ahead, but again, it just doesn't really matter that much.

No.

All right, Gene, which is worse, people allegedly criticizing Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover.

I, I'm not sure who those people are, but Kurt Signnetti says it's happening, uh, who is #2 in the nation in pass efficiency, or people already guessing where Kamario Taylor will transfer from Mississippi State at season's end.

Yeah, did, did I miss something?

Has there been some great outcry against Josh Hoover and , and his play?

I, I thought he's been playing pretty well.

Yeah.

So, I, I was surprised by Signetti saying what he said.

Because I just, I haven't seen it.

I mean, there's no, uh, have, have there been people with pitchforks demanding some sort of quarterback change?

Yeah, in Bloomington.

Look, he's going to get the scrutiny because he's following Mendoza and they won a national championship last year.

Understood.

I'm more offended by the Kamario Taylor, where's he gonna end up next year playing.

I think it's an insult to him.

I think it's an insult to Mississippi State.

Can, can the kid play half of a season before we start figuring out what new uniform he's gonna wear next year?

And guess what, maybe he won't leave, right?

I mean, maybe he loves Mississippi State.

I don't know .

I just, I hate that part of it, that we're already, you know, well, he's not gonna stay in Starkville.

Like, well, they got something going at Starkville.

Maybe he wants to stay because he's part of the reason they're, they're building something special.

Sure, sure , that can absolutely happen, you know, I, I, I, I, uh, that offends me, absolutely.

I, I am guessing here, I'm totally guessing, but I wonder if the Signetti thing with Hoover is maybe he feels like Hoover needs a little bit of pumping up from the coach.

Whereas last year, I thought he felt like Mendoza needed a little knocking down, that Mendoza had plenty of confidence.

And he was gonna be a little more grudging with his praise and, and publicity for Mendoza.

Hoover maybe has a little bit of a different personality, and he's like, hey, you know what, we need you to think that you're the man, and so he's gonna come out there.

We'll see.

I, I have you talked to Hoover?

Yeah, just after the game, uh, the first game.

Um, it's great, very nice, talked about it getting his nose bloodied and his helmet torn off, but, uh, that's really my only exposure to him.

Yeah, well, I mean, look, he's in a tough spot.

Yeah, he's in a tough spot, but Uh, and, and maybe Signetti is doing exactly what, what you're suggesting.

But I just don't see where there's been some sort of outrage about his, about his play.

Yeah, no, I , I, I, I think that's you were kind of making things up there.

Uh, all right, which is worse , Boise State's Spencer Danielson saying Western Michigan is undefeated, or Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubbs saying some Bama fans quit on the team Saturday when they were behind against Florida State.

Neither of them are wrong.

No, they both spoke the truth.

I, I didn't understand why Grubb felt the need to apologize.

I.

He didn't do anything.

He, what, what he said was not incorrect.

No Bama fans were booing early in that game.

So I, I love that he kind of stood up for, for his players.

And Danielson saying that, that Western Michigan was unbeaten.

Uh, the NCAA basically said, Western Michigan was unbeaten, had protocol been followed in that game.

So, I didn't have an issue with that either.

I think they're both fine.

Yeah, I agree.

And I especially the grub, grub apologizing kind of bothered me, and like I, I didn't see him saying anything that needed to be apologized for, and I do think he was trying to stick up for his players, which is fine, uh, and especially not just an apology, but like a formal apology through the like what, what are we doing here?

Stop thinking.

Here's my statement.

Yeah, stop thinking.

All right, one more, which is worse, the state of Coach Prime's Colorado program.

Or the competitiveness of the FBS versus FCS games this season.

There is no competitiveness.

None .

Uh, it's, it's grotesque.

It's embarrassing.

It's.

It's humiliating.

I mean, we're having running clocks and shortened quarters and offers of, of running clocks, and , so if you're gonna do that, why are we even playing those games?

But I do understand the financial reality of what it means to those FCS teams coming in there and getting a paycheck.

Uh, but I, I honestly.

Uh, wonder about the state of, of Coach Prime's Colorado team.

It, it is, it is so up and down, and, and, uh, people have a lot of patience here, that's all I'm gonna say, cause I, I don't see the fascination with, uh, with Coach Prime in that program.

It, to me, it feels as if it's in constant disarray.

In this past week, he, he kicked some players off the team.

Uh, based on some vague reasons, but I, I guess, partly because some of them were laughing, uh, uh, during or after the, uh , Northwestern loss.

Um, it just seems that, that there's a state of unrest there, and it doesn't seem to change.

It's just something always sort of going on there.

Uh, I don't disagree with you there, but he did have a nine-win season.

If you have one of those in Colorado, you should be able to stay as long as you want.

It's a bad program and nobody cares.

OK, yeah, uh, I, I am appalled by the competitiveness of the FBS versus FCS games.

I wish they wouldn't play them.

I understand why the FCS teams schedule them, obviously for the money, but the money is also now such a divide in terms of player.

Uh, pool that they're, they're just.

Uh, uh, they're awful to watch, asking fans to pay to watch them, asking the FCS players to just be destroyed.

Uh, I just don't think it's very good for football, so, I'm not a big fan of those.

All right, uh, a little fact or fiction, we'll blast through this here, um.

I'm gonna ask you , same drill, same thing.

One, if one gimmick isn't enough, we gotta make it 2.

fact or fiction, Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor is more talented talented than Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.

Fact, I mean, have you seen the guy ?

He's, he's 6'4, 230-ish.

Um, I mean, he, unbelievable runner, uh, arm touched by God.

Uh, he's only going to get better.

Uh, I'm not saying Chambliss isn't incredible, but Chambliss is 6 ft tall, 200 pounds, uh, you know, can run, absolutely.

We saw that against LSU, can throw accurate as hell.

If you're asking me who's the better quarterback, right now, I'm gonna say Chambliss.

But if you're asking me who's more talented overall, I'm sticking with Taylor.

I guess so.

This is, this is a good question.

This is Gene came up with this one, cause I, I definitely see both sides of it.

I guess in terms of pure talent.

Sure.

But Trinidad Chambliss, I, I said in my story from the game Saturday night, has the holy trinity of attributes.

He's got the arm, he has the legs, cause he can run and run away from people, but he also has that swagger and bulletproof confidence that I can make a play against anybody in any situation, which a quarterback needs, and I gotta see Kamario Taylor do that in a few big games before I'm gonna.

Say even, even his upside is as good as Trinidad.

I think I love them both, but I gotta side with Trinidad in this one.

OK, that's fair.

I mean, that's totally fair.

I'm not sure there's a wrong answer here.

No, probably not.

Uh, fact or fiction, either John Summallall or Pete Golding will be the favorite for SEC Coach of the Year, depending who wins Saturday.

I'm gonna say fiction, just because it's too early.

Yeah.

So, let's say Josh Heiel beats Texas.

On Saturday, or Will Stein keeps it going.

At Kentucky, or Mississippi State keeps on winning, or, uh, somehow, Lane Kiffin pulls that Ole Miss steak out of his heart.

Um, DeBer at Bama keeps winning, or Sark runs the table.

Um, I'm not saying those aren't two great candidates.

I'm just saying it's too early to give it to him just yet.

Well, that's, that's totally fair.

Um, I would, I would say the winner will be the front runner, but there's too many other guys that are in contention.

It's funny, the, the coaches, you know, do the voting.

I think they may, there might even be two different awards, coaches award and then media award.

I don't think there's any way the coaches are voting for Lane Kiffin.

I don't care if he pulls the steak out of his heart and runs the table.

They'll find somebody else to give it to.

Uh, I think there's a reason last year why Clark Lee won it over, say, Lane Kiffin, so.

Um, all right, I didn't even mention Kirby Smart.

Yeah, right, right, it's just got another wagon, it looks like, yep, all right, fact or fiction, the loser, we talked about this loser of LSU, Texas A&M, is out of the playoffs.

Uh, I think it's fact.

I, I, I.

Not because they couldn't somehow maybe run the table.

I just.

I just don't see a scenario where that's really possible, where that's really feasible.

I suppose it's possible.

I just don't think it's feasible.

Uh, I agree.

I, they're not gonna be mathematically eliminated , but they'll be all but eliminated.

So I, I think that's do or die in Death Valley.

Yeah.

Fact or fiction, Boise State at Western Michigan will decide the G6 playoff bid.

I'm gonna say fiction.

Uh, again, just a little too early.

I'm not ready to send James Madison to his bedroom.

I think North Dakota State is still, could be a factor in this.

So, while I, I think the winner of this is in great position, I, I'm just not ready to give up on James Madison or North North Dakota State right now or Tulsa.

Tulsa, Oklahoma State, uh, you know, whoever wins the American , I think will have a say in it as well.

Yeah, good point.

Yeah.

All right, fact or fiction.

Texas Tech has shown it's not going to win the Big 12.

Mm I went back and forth on this one.

I'm gonna say fiction, but their defense clearly isn't as good as last year's.

I mean, they had a, a generational defense last year.

They're not as good.

Uh, and BYU and Utah certainly pose a real challenge, uh, for them.

So, I, I, I think they can still win it.

I don't know if they're the favorites anymore.

Yeah, I, I agree, it's they, they, I'm not counting them out, but I've not been impressed by what I've seen.

I just, I got a long way to go to pull it together.

All right, fact or fiction.

Nebraska is back.

Here we go.

Yeah.

They are back if we're using mediocrity as a place that they left, OK, OK, but I'm with you.

I've got to see.

Some games.

I gotta see them beat someone that matters and, and I wrote some of these down.

They, they, uh, they play IU, Oregon, UWub, Ohio State, Iowa, etc.

Show me a signature win, and I think we really can say, yeah, they're on the road back .

So, I, I'm gonna say they've left behind the total mediocrity that they were mired in forever.

I think this is Rhule's best team.

He has said so.

But you're right, we, we've got to see a little more, maybe a lot more.

Ohio, Bowling Green, North Dakota.

OK, I need to see more.

Yes, can they, can they win 8 maybe this year, which would be the most in a while?

Yeah, maybe, but that, that, that to me doesn't mean Nebraska is back.

I, I remember Nebraska just destroying everything in its Midwest path for many, many years.

Well, yeah, that's at the, that was at the incredibly highest level.

I mean, I'm.

But you're right, you're right, you're right.

You got your little Texas hat on, so I guess you're right.

All right.

Last fact or fiction, James Franklin is winning the divorce so far with Penn State.

Um, uh, fiction, and again, I'll fall back on it's just, it's too early.

Uh, to say, uh, and he's, he's done well.

But, you know, Penn State is also unbeaten.

Uh, I was sorry to hear that, um, is it Kobe Howard, the leading wide receiver.

He's, he's gonna be out for a while.

That's gonna hurt Penn State.

They've had a, a number of injuries.

Uh, but You know, I wanna see how this shakes out.

Penn State's in a good position too, to have a really successful season.

And I'm, I'm not going to just automatically say, Franklin's gonna do, end up doing a better job than Matt Campbell.

Those are two really good coaches.

And I hate to bring it up, but You know, what's been the knock against James Franklin?

Can he, can he win the big game?

So let's, let's see first.

Well, there's no doubt that, that the let's see is important there, but so far, were the words in there.

I if, here's the thing, all right, the, the divorce has happened.

You're like 3 months into it.

Who's the first side of the divorce that can post an Instagram picture?

Here I am on a date having a great time.

It's James Franklin beating Maryland.

It's not a great win, but it's a Big 10 team.

You beat them.

Penn State's played nobody yet.

So James Franklin wins the race to Instagram or Facebook to post here, I look how well I'm doing.

Doesn't mean 6 months from now, things may look different, but, uh, but I'm giving James the, the early lead may go nowhere.

All right, it's time to pick some games and some bears.

We're doing both.

Uh, again, this was Gene's moment of glory last year.

We'll see if he can repeat it.

He needs some moments of glory right now.

Our overall standings.

I'm 11 and 10.

Gene is 9 and 12, so I've opened up a chasm, a two-game lead .

I've gone 5-1 and 4 and 2 the last two weeks.

Um, I think I can say I'm on fire.

So let's see if I can keep going.

Uh, Gene, go ahead, you can go first.

Texas, giving 4.5 on Rocky Top to Tennessee.

Where are you landing?

Texas has been playing football since 1893, Tennessee since 1891.

And this is the first time they've ever met in the regular season.

It's crazy.

That is crazy to me.

Um, I'm a little concerned about the injury status with Tennessee, mostly DeSean Bishop, uh, uh, running back who's You know, who's a definitely a key for them.

They are deep at the position.

I would feel a lot better if I knew he's gonna be OK.

He had a, he got a dinged up hip against Kennesaw State.

Josh Heiel has said, you know, they feel confident he's gonna be just fine.

Neyland's gonna be nuts.

Uh, what is the spread on this again?

4.5. Yeah, I , I'll take the 4.5. I think this is gonna be a close game.

I think Tennessee can stay, can stay close.

I saw where Steve Spurger is picking Tennessee to actually.

Uh, have the upset.

So, you know, if, if the head ball coach says Tennessee, well, then I'll at least take Tennessee in the points.

There you go.

I mean, the, the head ball coach in the past, not, not shy about skewering Tennessee, but no, no, he's also, he's old school SEC.

Texas is Novo SEC.

Uh, I'm gonna take the horns and lay it.

I'm, I'm not like super confident about it.

I just think that the program is overall more solid position.

They got past uh UTSA last week, and they needed that, that hangover cure, uh, for the, for the Ohio State game, back focused, more tested, and a good defense that's gonna really challenge a freshman quarterback.

So I'm gonna take the horns and lay the points.

OK.

All right.

Ole Miss getting 3, as we talked about in the swamp against the Gators.

What do you think?

You, you would think our #1 ranked team, Ole Miss, but #4 in the polls.

would be favored in this game, right?

And they just come off of this great win against LSU and you look at the spread, and I just don't believe in coincidences.

I, I do worry about a letdown, no matter what Pete Golding says about, hey, we didn't circle this game, it wasn't our Super Bowl.

I'm sorry , it was.

It was.

And, and.

If they were playing anybody else, anywhere else, I might feel differently about it.

But having to go to the swamp, playing against a, a really talented Florida team that's gonna score points, and look, Ole Miss's defense is not the strength of that team.

I, I'm a huge believer in Trinidad Chambliss, but I don't know if he can do everything in this game.

And so, I, I'm gonna take Florida and lay the points.

I am too, uh, just, I just think the setup is, is so difficult for Ole Miss, as you said.

And I mean, I was there in the stadium, and the looks on everybody's faces when they won that game, the investment was total and complete.

And there was no tomorrow at that point.

Eventually tomorrow came, and I'm sure Golding has done his best to get Ole Miss ready for this.

Human nature is what it is.

Yeah, this is a big ask.

And yes, the Ole Miss defense is somewhat susceptible.

Keywan Lacy has not finished two out of their three games, gone out of both, uh, of the games against Louisville and last week against LSU, so he's dinged up.

We don't know his status either for this.

We do not know his status.

Um, I'm, I'm going with the Gators there.

All right, Big 10, big house.

Iowa getting 5.5 at Michigan.

Your thoughts?

Michigan ranks in the top 10 nationally in passing defense, sacks, tackles for losses, and total defense.

Uh, but Iowa has just given up 13 points.

Now, I know Iowa hasn't played, you know, the hardest schedule early on, but that caught my attention.

They have 2 shutouts.

And I also think that Iowa has a bit of an offensive identity.

Uh, and, and they ran the ball well last week again, not against a, a great team.

But, uh, I, I don't think they're gonna, you know, freak out playing in the big house.

Uh, you know, Kirk Ference, of course, has a million years of experience.

And, and Iowa does what Iowa does.

They hang in there.

And so, if you're gonna give me the 5.5 points , I'm gonna take them and trust Iowa to keep it close.

And partly because I'm also not a huge believer in Michigan's offense just yet either.

Yep, I'm with you.

Uh, I, I, I would have statistically as the number one defense in the country right now, and I've seen Michigan's offense, and again, they're just not gonna make it easy for them.

So I'll, if you give me those points, I'll take them.

I would not be shocked if Iowa wins outright.

Yeah.

And the game in LA, we talked about that one as well.

Oregon giving 3 in the Coliseum against the Trojans.

Yeah, maybe this is the game that Oregon starts to play like the Oregon that we talked about in the preseason, the Oregon that I think I picked to win the national championship.

But until I see it, I'm gonna go with USC.

And I'm gonna go with the home team.

And I, I, Moseley was listed as doubtful for USC.

That's the Wednesday injury report.

Maybe something changes between now and Saturday, but I'm still gonna take USC and, um, and those points.

I am too.

Um, and yes, and Mosley's played great so far this year, but USC has so many receivers, it's crazy.

I mean, they've got 8 guys, so, um, I don't think that injury will necessarily be a disqualifying event for them.

I'm, I'm taking the Trojans.

It's time, Lincoln Riley, it's time to win a big one.

All right, lock of the week, do you have one?

I don't feel good about it, Pat.

I really don't.

I, I took.

I'm taking LSU.

I'm gonna give those 9.5 points.

Um, yeah, that might be a problem.

I think this game will be tight, and then I think LSU will separate itself late.

Uh, A&M just, there's just something not right.

And then they're going to, to Death Valley, and, and LSU is gonna try to prove a point, make a point.

I just think it's gonna be a, a tough ask for, for A&M in this one.

OK, uh, what do you got?

I'm, I'm staying SEC.

I am gonna take Georgia against Oklahoma.

I'm just wildly unimpressed with Oklahoma so far, and I think Georgia's got a little eye of the tiger and a little more offensive punch.

They're laying 14 between the hedges.

I think that's a 17-point Dogs win at least, and I think they really put the screws to the not very good Oklahoma offense.

Interesting.

Yeah, I looked at that.

I, I guess I still sort of believe that oh you can keep it closer than that, but I think we're both kind of taking a little bit of a chance this week with our locks.

Yeah, I mean, look, in the SEC all these games may be a touchdown or less, so yeah, we'll find out.

All right, the last pick, the biggest pick, the pick everybody wants to hear, Fat Bear Week pick, uh, it's here, it's time.

We've got, uh, where's my, my list of, of, here we go, my list of, uh, Of bears, competing bears.

If you don't know, explore.

org.

This is an annual tradition.

The bears of the Katmai Peninsula, they've been hibernating, and they're all skinny, and they come out, and then they just gorge on salmon, and the salmon run is happening.

And so, they've, they've absolutely fattened themselves as big as they can be.

They look like nose tackles.

Uh, except they would actually probably kill a human nose tackle.

That's how big and how mean these things can be.

Uh, so we've got a bunch of them to run through.

Uh, I'm gonna give some names of some of them.

Some of them like Chunk has been around forever, back and looking very fat.

Excellent work, Chunk, way to eat up.

Uh, Backpack, I think a new one, or relatively new, uh, the hind end on backpack, very impressive.

Walker, another veteran.

Uh, doing well.

Walker has relied on his pear-shaped body to rise to the bear hierarchy.

So, bear, be pear-shaped bear.

Uh, Bucky, uh, certainly a monster, for sure.

Gully, no slouch.

We've got families now, which I, I, I, I can't really get behind the family stuff, so, that isn't working for me.

We've got a bunch of numbered bears.

Um, that they haven't named yet, and most of them look kind of small too.

They, they kind of look like FCS linemen.

They don't look like they're ready for the, they're not ready for the, for, for what they're gonna see in the trenches in the SEC.

Marshmallow, marshmallow, huge, huge one, still developing her fishing skills, they say.

So, all right, uh, studious, we got one called Studious, I, I don't understand that 10, 9:10 is a big one.

That is a big, big bear.

Uh, who do you got?

Well, uh, a little background since like you did know.

No research going into this podcast about this .

Do you know, the bears can go 4 to 6 months without eating after they do all this, after they gorge, and I love that the, that the bears, they're, they're, they don't care about fat shaming.

They're good with it.

And there's no GLP-1s involved.

They don't care about that either.

The only disturbing thing about this year's contest.

Is that they, they kind of did the petitti thing.

They expanded from 12 to 16.

Yeah, or maybe that's the Greg Sankey version, going to 16.

So I wasn't happy with that.

I had Chunk last year.

Picked Chunk.

Chunk came through for me.

I wanna show real loyalty toward Chunk .

Do you?

And, but I'm not going to, because I think it's really hard to repeat.

We know that.

So I'm going with marshmallow.

OK, Marshmallow is, um, you know, the blonde ears.

I saw that, yeah, and, uh, so I'm gonna change it up, Chunk.

I'm sorry.

But, uh, a marshmallow, it is marshmallow is a horse.

There is no doubt about it.

I mean, yeah, the, the blonde ears, but then look at the shoulders, look at the gut, look at the, the behind.

That is, that is an impressive specimen, uh, for sure.

I'm gonna take backpack, who's got a lot of back to pack, uh, that, that there's, there's some, uh, some hind end pushing on that, that bear, right, so.

That's our, that's our picks.

Can't do, I don't know whether producer Kent has a pick or not.

He might not.

Might not be able to weigh in here, but weigh in.

I get it.

That's funny.

Yeah.

We will, uh, we'll check back.

Voting is going on.

Explore.

org.

You can, uh, you can cast your ballots there, get involved, and we will definitely keep you updated on this.

And if Gene wins, we will decide this, uh, does not count towards our season standings.

All right, that's the show.

We went a little bit long, but we had a lot to cover.

Enjoy the games.

Great weekend, everybody, and we'll be back next week.