Aaron Torres & Jason Martin React to Conference Championship Chaos, Debate the Playoff Bubble Teams, Bama vs. SMU & More!

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Welcome in everybody, Fox Sports Radio, Fox Sports Saturday, Eric Torres,
Jason Martin. We are broadcasting live from the tai Iraq
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(00:24):
way tire buying should be. It's one of my favorite
nights of the year to do this show, jaymart A
little bit different with the twelve team college football playoff.
Obviously different stakes, but I'll say this is that as
we entered this twelve team playoff era, I didn't know
would we still have debates come this night of the year.

(00:46):
I think we got some interesting things to talk about.
By the way, just keeping everybody updated on the big
games that are still going on. I noticed Segre just
told you. But in in Indianapolis, Penn State is in
the red zone. They trail in this game. It is
still the third quarter. They trail twenty or they just
started the fourth excuse me, thirty eight to twenty four.

(01:09):
Oregon is up, so Penn State is driving. And then
in the other big game, cleansing up thirty one to
twenty one on SMU J mart Man, How you.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Doing pretty good? Pretty good? Yeah, I do think there's
some interesting things to talk about. And I've got my eye,
of course on the ACC game, and I think I
don't know where we're gonna lead, so we'll get there.
But there's there's something coming out of this game depending
on how it finishes. And I don't necessarily mean the
win or the loss, but how it looks.

Speaker 2 (01:38):
Well, I'll tell you what. Let's just dive in right there,
because this was the big really basically the only place
that appears to be any sort of I guess debate
would be the right word. Is We think, and you
and I discussed this last week, but we think eleven
playoff spots are essentially clinched. We think the five conference champions,

(02:02):
so the ACC, Big Twelve, Big Ten, SEC, and Mountain West.
Obviously Boise won the Mountain West, Arizona State won the
Big twelve on and on at Georgia wins the SEC.
We think that those spots are clinched, or we know
those spots are clinched. We are almost certain the Big
ten runner up, by the way, Penn State has punched
the ball into the end zone, so it is thirty

(02:23):
eight to thirty extra point pending. But we believe that
the Big ten runner up, if it is Penn State
or Oregon, is definitively in. We believe the SEC runner up,
which is Texas, is in, although that's kind of an
interesting conversation. We believe that Indiana, Ohio State, Notre Dame,
and also Tennessee have unofficially clinched at large spots. And

(02:43):
so for people who follow this sport, the big debate
was about the final spot. SMU comes into this game
rank number eight eleven to one overall. If they were
to lose this game, it would give Clemson the conference
championship in the ACC. And then the question becomes do
you put in an eleven and two Clemson or one
of the three loss SEC teams? And we assume that

(03:06):
three loss SEC team would be Alabama. The reason is
there are three teams in the SEC at nine and three,
and Alabama is the highest ranked in The committee essentially
said this week that they won't be really moving teams
that are not playing this weekend. So the big debate
coming into today is a nine and three Alabama versus

(03:26):
a potential eleven and two SMU, And as we open
this show Jmark, Clemson is up thirty one to twenty one.
If Clemson holds on, they will have clinched the automatic
bid out of the ACC again, the five highest ranked
conference champions get in. So we still got some time
left in this game. But but dev are you ready
to whip out any hot takes on the nine and

(03:50):
three Alabama versus eleven and two SMU debate, because I
think we're heading there pretty quick.

Speaker 1 (03:54):
Jmart Well, I think again. I think it depends on
how this game finishes. This game was trend at halftime
like SMU was out in my opinion, and the reason
why is because, I mean, I understand they're eleven and
one erin, but their schedule stinks, Like if you really
look at it top to bottom, there's not that much

(04:15):
there that you can really hang your hat on. And
then when you look at you know, the Football Power
Index and some of the stuff that rightly or wrongly,
the committee takes major consideration in Alabama is really really
high up on that list. If they were to get
blown out in this game, I don't think that their
argument is very strong. If this thing gets closed, and
look they're fighting like they know they have to equate

(04:39):
themselves well even if they don't come back and win
the football game. And so far Clemson has looked like
the better team on the field. But I think it's
hard to make an argument for a two law or
for a two loss SMU if they don't at least
look good in the loss, Like if they as long
as they keep this thing close, I think you have
a you have a fair argument. But I mean, if

(04:59):
you just go down the list, they lost to b
YU buy a field goal, that's their lone loss. But
you know, you beat Louisville by a touchdown, you Pit,
you beat Pitt, and I think those are maybe your
two most impressive wins of the year. And you beat
Duke by one. So I think it's hard to argue
that now. I think that the question I would have

(05:22):
then is as long as this looks good, does this
give you a better taste in your mouth if you're
the committee than what happened to Alabama at Oklahoma? Because
the loss at Oklahoma was disgraceful for Alabama. That was
a horrible loss. It wasn't close. They got absolutely dominated
by a team they had no business losing to, certainly

(05:42):
not losing to in that manner. So I think that
that might be the loan question here. But a lot
of this is going to be determined by this last
twelve minutes in the ACC Championship game and how much
fight this SMU team puts up, because if this thing
turns into a real close football game, which you know
that they forced to punt down ten, they're getting the
football back. If you get this thing within a field

(06:04):
goal and it gets tight, then I think SMU has
a much better chance.

Speaker 2 (06:09):
Well yeah, and so there's two things there. I mean, one,
the obvious thing is independent of stats and analytics and
this and that SMU will argue and the ACC will argue,
rightly or wrongly, that playing in the extra game has
hurt them. And I think that's where it actually gets

(06:29):
very interesting. And you know, obviously, look, none of us
know what the committee is going to do because they
have never been put in this situation. But I do
think it becomes an interesting debate. You know, you heard
Rhet Lashley, the SMU head coach, was very outspoken this week.
I don't know if you heard the quote Jmart where
he said Listen, if my whole team came down with

(06:49):
COVID and we couldn't play, we'd be in. So why
are we going to be punished if we don't win? Now?
I don't love kind of talking about what happens if
we lose when he's still got a game to play,
But I also understand his point that if that if
they were to lose, they're being punished for playing in

(07:09):
the conference championship game. Now, this is where it's gonna
get really interesting, j Mart, because I don't think a
lot of people have put two and two together yet.
If SMU loses this game, they will be eleven and
two with zero wins over any team currently ranked in
the top twenty five. Right, here's the thing. You know
who else is eleven and two with zero wins over
teams currently ranked in the top twenty five. The Texas

(07:32):
long win Texas Texas. So the question becomes if your
argument is that SMU shouldn't be in at eleven and
two with no great wins. By the way, Texas A
and Texas's best win is probably last week at Texas
A and M. Texas A and M is currently unranked
after falling A and four there's not really an argument
to put Texas in either, and so that is I'm

(07:54):
not saying that I necessarily disagree with you, because I
think all week it was framed, including by me on
every platform and interview that I did is in you know, Listen,
I was on three hours ago with Monci and Steve
mart Hartman and we were talking about two loss SMU
versus three Los Alabama, and I'll be honest, it didn't
really hit me until we were prepping for tonight's show
of like, oh wait a second, Texas actually doesn't have.

(08:15):
Texas has almost an identical resume, zero top twenty five
wins eleven and two ZHO and two against teams currently
right to the top twenty five. So that will become
an interesting talking point. Jmark, if you leave SMU out,
I don't know how you could justifiably put Texas in.
What do you think about that?

Speaker 1 (08:31):
Okay? All right, so I understand that if we're just
looking at the nuts and bolts of it, But I'm
just gonna read this to you from top to bottom. Nevada,
Houston Christian BYU, TCU, Florida State, Louisville, Stanford, Duke Pitt
Boston College, Virginia cal and now Clemson.

Speaker 2 (08:52):
But let me jump in on that though. Let me
let me jump in on that though all you're doing
is the SEC bias thing, because here's Tessa No.

Speaker 1 (08:59):
But but I do think they've earned the right here
to be said that they're a better top to bottom
conference than the ACC. Right, I that fair.

Speaker 2 (09:07):
I would agree that the conference is better top to bottom.
I just think that if you are going to purposefully
leave out like I think, it's a better conference top
to bottom. But let's talk about about Texas's schedule. Colorado State, Michigan. Okay,
that win looks a little.

Speaker 1 (09:24):
Big, gets better.

Speaker 2 (09:25):
Now Michigan gets better. It's still on the top twenty
five team U TSA, U L Monroe, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt,
Florida with a third string quarterback, Arkansas, Kentucky, Texas, A
and M. I mean, I'm not saying the ACC. There's
a lot of great wins there. But what I am
saying is what you're arguing, not you, but but what

(09:47):
you would be arguing in that hype. What you're arguing
is hypothetical SEC dominant, Like you're just arguing the brand
bias at that point, you're arguing the SEC is better
because we all I think it's better. Now, I tend
to agree. I think the SEC is the best conference
top to bottom in college football. But I just I don't.

(10:07):
I think it is going to make for an interesting point.
And I think that this will be if if the
media that covers this stuff is honest over the next
twelve hours, and if SMU does not hold on to
win this game, and SMU is trailing thirty one to
twenty one as we speak, I think the media has
to be honest and say there is nothing on there
is nothing on Texas's resume that it makes them more

(10:31):
worthy than SMU other than that they started higher in
the rankings. They were number two coming into today, SMU
is number eight. And then also that there is brand
bias with the SEC. I mean, that's basically the only argument,
you know what I mean?

Speaker 1 (10:47):
Yeah, So the problem here is you get into hypotheticals.
If Texas played SMU schedule, what would their record be.
The hypothetical would say they probab would be undefeated. Right now.
You put SMU at Texas's schedule against even though they
didn't play every top team in the SEC. They've seen

(11:09):
Georgia twice. For example, they saw Michigan at the start
of the season when they were ranked they at the
time that they played them, Texas had five ranked opponents.
Now they changed, but they played A and M. They
end up playing Georgia twice. They played Vandy, which turned
out to be a team this year. They played Florida
when Florida was on the uptick. Even though you mentioned
the quarterback situation there, so all that is there. So

(11:32):
I think that you end up with this kind of
weird discussion about, well, who would you rather play if
you were one of these other teams that is actually
going to make the playoff, And I think most of
them would say SMU, even just thinking about Texas's defense alone,
not wanting to see that and Sarkesian's mind and maybe

(11:53):
whatever they're going to do offensively, but right now there's
some serious question marks surrounding the Texas offense as we
enter the player off. But I think that almost every
coach would say, oh, I'd rather play SMU. And whether
or not that's fair is a different discussion, But I
think that watching those two football team, it's hard not
to feel like Texas is the better team between the

(12:15):
two of them. Though I understand the argument that you
are making, I just kind of look at the SMU
schedule and say, there's just nothing there. At the very least,
You're right, brand recognition bias, whatever you want to call it,
that's just kind of where we are. The SEC and
the Big Ten are going to get a benefit of
the doubt that nobody else is.

Speaker 2 (12:34):
Well, I'll tell you what, I think that there is
a more complicated conversation to have that you and I
will have because I think it's not just brand bias,
but I think there is a There's something that has
happened for about the last decade that has put us
in this situation that I think we need to eliminate

(12:56):
going forward in college football. Explain what that means next.
That was a tongue twist of a tease, but something
so was tongue twister. That was a tongue twister of
a tease, something that's been going on for a decade
in college football that we probably maybe need to get
rid of. We'll discuss that next. Ertorris Jason Martin Fox
Sports Radio.

Speaker 3 (13:17):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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listen live.

Speaker 2 (13:29):
Welcome back everybody, Fox Sports Radio. Aer Torris Jason Martin
broadcasting live from thee Tireraq dot com studios. We'll see
if it's a merry Christmas for SMU and some of
these teams that are fighting for playoff spots and positioning,
keeping the updated on the late games and de saga.
We'll have more details in a minute. Oregon is now
up forty five to thirty with seven twenty eight left

(13:51):
in the game against Penn State in the Big Ten
Championship game, and in the game that really has kind
of a lot of impact in terms of the final
playoff spot. Clemson up thirty one to twenty one on SMU.
So j mart I was thinking about something. So we
were just talking a minute ago about all the conversations

(14:15):
about the college football playoff and you know, kind of
where we were at was we came into the week
assuming it was SMU if they lose versus Bama for
the final spot. I kind of made the point that
Texas's resume isn't that different. But I was thinking about
this is there's one thing we've done for a long
time in college football that I do wonder if it

(14:35):
has to be reconsidered. And it's for practical reasons, but
it's also for entertainment reasons. And it might not be
the thing that you're thinking of, but I was thinking
about this is with a twelve team playoff and whatever.
We could talk to conference championship games later, but I
want to talk about the weekly rankings that we put

(14:57):
out every single week, and it's been this entertainment thing whatever.
But I do bring it up because there are two
things that come to mind. Is one, when you did
them this week and the committee basically acknowledged that teams
that are not playing this week there's nothing they can
do to improve their resumes. It basically made it that

(15:18):
we kind of knew who was in and who was
out and where the only talking point like basically for
people who are not following on a day to day basis.
According to the committee, the teams that are ranked, I think,
what is it like ten or eleven through fourteen are Alabama, Miami, Ole,
Miss in South Carolina. They're all in position to get
at large is and what basically the committee said was

(15:39):
nothing could happen this weekend that would allow Ole Miss
Miami or South Carolina to pass Alabama. So one, it
just takes kind of the excitement and the drama out
of it. But two, I also think one that there's
still data points right like South Carolina beat this Clemson
team last week. Clemson all of a sudden looks pretty good.

(16:02):
That should probably help South Carolina's resume. But but I
also bring it up to just say this, Ja mart Is.
Why I think it's kind of relevant for this particular
conversation is as follows, is because I look at this situation.
By the way, I misspoke Clemson or so, SMU kicked
a field goal right before we went to before he

(16:23):
came back from break, so they actually only trail thirty
one twenty four. I think I said thirty four to
twenty one thirty one twenty one. But I bring it
up because we argued, not arguing, but we conversated earlier
about SMU basically having the exact same resume as Texas,
and I argue that basically, if you're gonna if you're
gonna put in Texas, you have to put in SMU,

(16:44):
or you're just basically acknowledging SEC brand bias. Here's my thing, though,
I would be fine if we left both those teams
out because neither of them has a resume, and either
puts in put in ole Miss, who has a great
win over Georgia Texas, by the way, lost to them twice,
and I would actually put South Carolina in. I would
have no problem with South Carolina going in above either

(17:05):
Texas or SMU because all three of their losses are
legit Bama at Bama, Ole Miss, and LSU and oh,
by the way, they have some really good wins South
Carolina does, including this Clemson team. So I just bring
it up because if we didn't have the week to
week rankings, I think you could make more arguments about
different teams and different slotting and different whatever. But the

(17:26):
committee kind of backed themselves into a corner where now
it does just feel like this SMU versus Alabama conversation,
And I guess I just bring it up to say,
is that neither of them has an Alabama is not
doesn't have a great resume for sure, but SMU certainly
doesn't have a great resume. Texas doesn't have a great resume,
and I think teams like South Carolina are getting screwed

(17:47):
because basically we can't even look at their resume because
the committee is putting out these week to week rankings.
That was a mouthful. I don't know if any of
it was interesting or made sense, but it was something
I've been thinking about.

Speaker 1 (17:57):
The problem with eliminating the rankings is then there's no
standard for a team to know where they are in
some way, or its fans or anybody else, Like you
talk about the entertainment value of tonight, for example, the
conference title games, or even the lack of drama tomorrow,
because as you said, because of what Ward Manual said

(18:17):
on Tuesday night, we knew Miami was out because there
was still going to be a conference champion that got in,
and because Alabama was put in at eleven and not twelve,
then Alabama would.

Speaker 4 (18:28):
Be safe, except if both the ACC representatives, for example,
were able to get in, meaning SMU and Clemson in
this situation, because Clemson would then win the game, they'd
have to win this game against SMU, but SMU might
still have a resume strong enough in.

Speaker 1 (18:46):
A committee's mind to get in. I don't know how
you do it where you keep it completely under wraps
because the win loss is so much different in college
football than it is and just about any other sport
because of the lack of overlapping day points, because of
so many different schools and so many just kind of
different resumes and things like that. I think the reason

(19:08):
the rankings come out every week generally is to create
talking points and to make sure that there is entertainment
value and that there's discussion and debate happening in the moment.
I agree in theory with the idea that us out
of hand now being able to say, well, South Carolina
has no shot, Ole Miss has no shot. You know,
all these other schools don't have a shot because of

(19:31):
the way that they announced what they announced on Tuesday.
You would think that there would be a way to
fix it, but I just don't know that there is.
I disagree with the idea of having preseason rankings. I've
said that for years because I just I hate it.
As a matter of fact, I don't think it makes
any sense at all. It just creates artificial hurdles for
certain teams to have to overcome that others don't depending

(19:52):
on where you start in those ratings. But in terms
of this, I think you have to have some idea
of where you stand going into various weeks and things
like that, even though ultimately you're trying to win every
football game. I don't think that we could be that
much in the dark, even though that would create incredible
content just from the discussions would be so much more

(20:17):
live and vivid because we have no idea what the
committee is doing. We would all just be kind of
in the dark trying to suggest what we think they
would be doing, as opposed to having any kind of
standard for it in advance.

Speaker 2 (20:30):
Well, I'll tell you what I think. You just talked
me into that, because that was my big hot take
coming in, was like, I do think you're prob. I
do think it'd be I think I think they boxed
themselves into a corner. But I do think the counter
would be if teams just started jumping all over the
place and nobody knew why or how or what. That
would make people even more crazy. Really quickly. Let me

(20:50):
just ask you in a broader sense, is that probably
you can't we can't see a scenario where again a
Texas gets gets knocked out whatever. And I understand like Texas,
like you know, I understand the argument that if if
you drop Texas, you're punishing them for playing today. Whatever.
Would you have just a broader picture issue with like
a nine and three South Carolina who has three pretty

(21:11):
good wins a couple good loss like like the nine
and three verses eleven and two or ten and two debate,
like do losses matter to you given the context of
who you're losing to, Cause I just keep going back
to South Carolina, three reasonably good losses, two to top
twenty five teams. They're obviously playing well. They have a
top twenty five couple top twenty five wins, excuse me,

(21:32):
including just last week over Clemson. So I'm just curious, like,
where do you stand on some of these resumes as
far as basically it should it be solely based on
win loss record or is it a little bit more
complicated than that.

Speaker 1 (21:46):
It's probably more complicated than that, But I do like
when you look at South Carolina, to your point, they
almost beat LSU and should have, and at the time
people thought LSU was better than they were. That one
slipped through their fingers. The game at Bryant Denny against
Alabama slipped through their fingers. They lost by a field
goal and they lost by two to Alabama. Then they

(22:07):
have kind of the ugly one where at home they
got drubbed by twenty four by Old Miss. But we know,
or at least we thought we knew, that Ole Miss
was a really good football team as well. And you
take into consideration that Sellers dealt with injuries in the
Alabama game, for example, and so they struggled there that

(22:28):
you so, yeah, exactly right. So you know, you beat
Texas A and M, you beat Missouri, you beat Clemson,
who may be beating SMU Tonite. I like the case
for South Carolina quite frankly, I really do. And then
but the problem is then you have this transitive deal
with well, they lost Ole Miss, so how do you
put the men over Old Miss? Well, Ole Miss's other

(22:48):
losses are worse. All of that, like, these teams continually
beat each other. And so that's what makes college football
both phenomenal and infuriating because it's you could make arguments
in so many different directions, and then we just have
to look at a group of people and say, all right, well,
this is what they decided, and we're gonna find out
tomorrow exactly what that looks like. But we kind of

(23:10):
already know. It's just a matter of in what order
is everything gonna go, Who's gonna play home, who's gonna
play away? I mean, I thought there was at least
an argument that looks like we're not gonna have between
Ohio State having to go on the road or not.
And it looks like they're gonna get a home game,
and I'm not sure that that. I'm not sure they
dropped as far as maybe they should have last week,
So I think that there's some question marks surrounding that.

(23:33):
But in a perfect world, South Carolina would still be
part of a discussion we could have tonight where there's
still a future for them tomorrow. But in this sport,
nothing is perfect. When it comes to the ranking system.

Speaker 2 (23:45):
Well, and I'll say, I don't know what that fix is,
but it is a shocking that we have a scenario
where basically anyone that's not playing this weekend cannot move up.
I'll tell you what, though, we're ready to just throw
dirt on SMU's grave and it might be little way
back and win. Well, it might be a little presumptuous,
So let's get it over the news desk. Steve de Sayerger.

(24:05):
You talk about an update, Get America updated on what's
going on in Charlotte right now.

Speaker 5 (24:09):
And don't forget the dirt on the Penn State grave.
They just scored with under four minutes to go.

Speaker 1 (24:13):
Well, they're I'm impressed by Penn State putting up thirty plus.
I know anytime that it happened, especially.

Speaker 2 (24:19):
Against it gets the real team.

Speaker 5 (24:20):
You know, as soon as we had the highest scoring
Big Ten Final ever in the first half, I mean,
I thought, oh, wait, so you're telling me that Iowa
was not in the Big Ten championship.

Speaker 2 (24:30):
Thankfully?

Speaker 1 (24:30):
Okay.

Speaker 5 (24:31):
By the way, Penn State's program I noticed from ap
well represented in this debt since the year two thousand
records worst records for a coach against a top five
opponent Joe Paterno, oh and seven James Franklin, oh and eleven?
Oh wow, since two thousands. Uh yeah, Penn State's.

Speaker 2 (24:49):
Definitely the only thing in Joe Paterno's legacy that there
is Oh sorry, sorry, sorry, not right now, not right now,
not right now.

Speaker 1 (24:56):
Do you realize that there's some problems in that legacy
when you think, now you know what he'd be talking about.

Speaker 2 (25:01):
Definitely the only thing that we have to talk about
when it comes to Joe Paterno towards the end of
his career.

Speaker 1 (25:06):
For sure.

Speaker 5 (25:06):
Well, we almost almost went off the rails with the
show here in the first hour.

Speaker 1 (25:12):
We're not done. There's still time.

Speaker 5 (25:13):
My goodness. Number one Oregon it's now leading forty five
thirty seven over a third rank Penn State is the
nitty Lions have just scored with under four minutes to
go in the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis. And finally,
eighth ranked SMU has showed in the second half. They
were trailing Clemson in this game twenty four to seven
at halftime, but had a good drive early third quarter.

(25:35):
Starting the second half, they've outscored Clemson ten to nothing
in the fourth quarter two minute warning.

Speaker 2 (25:41):
I can call it that.

Speaker 5 (25:42):
Clemson leads thirty one twenty four over SMU in the
ACC title game and SMU has driven to about midfield.
Not over yet. Georgia in overtime beat number two Texas
for the SEC crown in Atlanta, twenty two to nineteen.
This was the first overtime in the thirty three year

(26:03):
history of the SEC title game. And keep in mind
that Georgia won in eight overtimes just last week against
Georgia Tech. So now the Texas Longhorns will be no
doubt hosting a first round playoff in two weeks, and
Georgia gets a first round by Arizona State won the
Big Twelve easily over Iowa State today to start things.

(26:25):
Forty five nineteen. Marshall won the Sun Belt. Ohio U
takes the Mac Conference. UCF is reportedly hiring Scott Frost
as head coach. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy agreed to
a reduced contract. Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker is
out tomorrow with ankle and calf injuries as Seattle plays
at Arizona. The San Francisco Giants are signing shortstop Willie

(26:47):
Adamas to a reported seven year deal worth one hundred
and eighty two million dollars. In the NBA, Memphis won
at Boston tonight, one twenty seven, one twenty one. John
Morant thirty two points. Washington had lost sixteen games in
a row, but it beat Denver one twenty two to
one thirteen. Nikola Jokicic had fifty six points in the loss.

(27:07):
In DC Tonight, LA Galaxy won the MLS Cup Final,
and we've got a men's bout college basketball Top ten
matchup in Seattle with Gonzaga leading Kentucky sixty to fifty
seven with about ten minutes to go in the game.
Make it sixty two fifty seven for the zag Ex.

Speaker 2 (27:25):
Back to you and they gets to the top twenty
five women's showdown.

Speaker 5 (27:29):
There was Tennessee winning today in Brooklyn.

Speaker 2 (27:31):
Excuse you, our beloved Yukon hosty Fox game today. Yeah,
our beloved Yukon Huskies are up by a quick mental
math by me, thirty six points. Yeah, they're they're you know,
they're they're like, thank you. They're the women's team of
tours and Martin, so we got to support them.

Speaker 5 (27:49):
By the way, I did notice there was a women's
score today of eighty one to twenty eight. It is
Texas A and M Corpus Christi beat Dallas Christian, which
finished the game with seven baskets for fifty one from
the floor.

Speaker 2 (28:03):
Not ideal.

Speaker 1 (28:04):
Yikes.

Speaker 2 (28:05):
All right, thank you very much to Seger. That is
this That was to Sager. This is Fox Sports Radio
eron towards Jason Martin, broadcasting live from the Tireck dot
Com studios should have mention. Rapid Radios are the official
communication device of Fox Sports Radio in an emergency. You
want Rapid radios instant push to talk, walkie talkies for
clear national lt coverage and one touch communication peace of
mind for connecting with family and an emergency. Go to

(28:27):
rapid radios dot com now for up to sixty percent
off plus free shipping. I'll tell you what I think.
Our best bet right now is to come back and
react to the end of the Clemson SMU game. Clemson
up thirty one twenty four. Clemson driving. They are just
outside the red zone one twenty two driving. SMU is driving. Wow,

(28:50):
that would be a big mix up. SMU is trailing
by a touchdown. They are driving with one twenty two
to go. We will come back. We will re act
to the end of this game. SMU trying to clinch
a playoff spot. Both teams will get in with a win,
Clemson out. With the loss SMU, their resume would very
much be up for debate. So we will discuss the

(29:12):
ending of the acc Also, as de Seger said, the
big ten Uh is still midway through the fourth quarter.
As Oregon does have a lead, We'll come back. We
will discuss the end of these two awesome, awesome games.
They both turn into pretty good games. That's next, foxport Trity.

Speaker 6 (29:30):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio. Welcome back, everybody.

Speaker 2 (29:35):
Fox Sports Radio air Turus Jason mart and I said
it was one of the most fun shows that we
get to do every single year. Jason, and there is
no doubt that tonight is delivering. SMU, which trailed thirty
one to fourteen going into the fourth quarter, has just

(29:55):
scored a touchdown with sixteen seconds lest left to tie
the game at thirty one thirty one. They did make
the extra point barring something stunning. We are headed to
overtime in the ACC championship game. We know the stakes.
Clemson needs to win this game to get in SMU

(30:19):
of course could still get in that large bid if
they were to lose this game. But they've scored what's
seventeen unanswered points, so they got all the momentum if
they can hold on for another sixteen seconds going into overtime,
and uh, what a game, What a comeback. SMU has
tied the game with sixteen seconds to google.

Speaker 1 (30:40):
So I'm gonna go ahead and say this right now.

Speaker 2 (30:41):
Oh I know we're gonna go because you're gonna.

Speaker 1 (30:43):
Have an interesting other take. I think Bama's out. Ooh,
I think this is what you had to have. I
think that to make this a lesser argument. This is
why I said the next twelve minutes, win or loss
is gonna determine a lot because he did well, let
me say there, let me correct myself. Bama is out
if loses.

Speaker 2 (31:02):
Okay, fair, and I know that's what you're saying, just
to make sure that everybody gets that part.

Speaker 1 (31:07):
But SMU, now, because of how they fought and how
they put themselves in position to win this football game
as supposed to get, what they could not do is
get blown out. They just could not get blown out
in this situation and the fact that they have not
even if they lose at this point, I don't think
you can keep a two loss SMU team out that
has done this. Now, I'm gonna throw something else really

(31:30):
strange at you. I was just thinking about this during
the break before the touchdown happened, but certainly after it.
I would have gone for two oh.

Speaker 2 (31:39):
I just said that to producer Ian.

Speaker 1 (31:41):
I don't know why, because I think it would be
hard to penalize me if I'm SMU and I just
don't get the two point conversion, but I go for
the win right there, as opposed to whatever is going
to happen in overtime. I think by and large, in
a scenario like that, we're all gonna have both simples.
And also, yeah, at a boy way to go for

(32:02):
the win, I think that actually would be a better
loss than if you were to lose in overtime. So
I would have risked it right there to go for
it all because one, obviously, if you get it, then
you're in, but even if you don't, I actually think
it makes a better argument than a potential loss in overtime,
and so many things can.

Speaker 2 (32:22):
Happen, so it's funny. I actually said that the producer
ian as well. During the break, I said, I think
SMU should go for two. Clemson, by the way, has
just crossed the fifty. They're right around field goal range.
They have taken a time out, so we will see
if Clemson. I'm not great at the field goal math here,
but by the way, I should mention Oregon is closing

(32:42):
out obviously, what is his first ever Big Ten title.
They have taken a knee they beat Penn State forty
five to thirty seven. Jamar, We got two more hours
to break down that game. But what is interesting now
Clemson is lining up for a field goal. There are
three seconds left. This is why de Seger's a pro.

(33:03):
I was just gonna say, I need your Rubik's cube
and calculator and advocates because I am not great at
field goal mass. So fifty six yards. You said to say,
or give or take? Give or take? Yeah, so give
or take again? Setting up the situation. SMU trailed by
seventeen points coming into the fourth quarter and Jmark, by
the way, if they make this field goal, we're gonna

(33:23):
have a big conversation about going for two there. But
I bring it up because they trailed by seventeen. They
scored with seven with sixteen seconds to go. Clemson got
the ball out to about the thirty five forty yard line.
On the kickoff, there was a completion. It has set
up a fifty six yard field goal with three seconds left.
If Clemson went hits this, they're going to the College

(33:45):
Football Playoff. We can't do play by play, but Clemson
has just hit a fifty six yard field goal as
time expired. Let me set this up again. SMU trailed
by seventeen points going into the fourth quarter. SMU rallied
to tie the game at thirty one with sixteen seconds left. Clemson,

(34:11):
on the next kickoff, returns it to about the forty
yard line. There is a completion that sets up a
fifty six or so yard field goal, and Clemson has
hit it. As time expires. It ends up being in total.
I'm looking for the final here, but it doesn't really matter.
The bottom line is the field goal is good. Clemson

(34:32):
has won the ACC Clemson is going to the College
Football Playoff. Jmar We got all of our two and
three to talk about SMU versus the field. But how
about Clemson. They had a seventeen point lead, gave it up,
and end up winning as time expires.

Speaker 1 (34:52):
Remember I said I didn't want to see them in
the College Football Player.

Speaker 2 (34:55):
He sure did that, You sure did.

Speaker 1 (34:57):
I still don't like I hate that, I really do,
But I'm sticking by what I said. I could turn
out to be wrong. I understand big brand and all
this number. I do not think an SMU team that
fought back and got beat by a fifty six yard
field goal is going to be left out of the
field for a three loss Alabama team that lost to

(35:19):
Oklahoma and lost to Vanderbilt. I just don't I believe
that that kick right there just cost Alabama a trip
to the playoff.

Speaker 2 (35:30):
I don't think it's wrong. I don't think it's wrong.
By the way, I think if SMU does not get.

Speaker 1 (35:36):
In, they got a big argument.

Speaker 2 (35:38):
Actually they do. And again to set this up for
people who don't follow college football on a day to
day basis, SMU argued all week they were ranked number
eight coming in. I see Dabo, by the way, pointing
at the SMU sidelines. We don't have audio. I guarantee
Dabo is saying that team is a college football playoff team.
He's fighting for his league, as he should. But SMU
all week in the ACC office all week argued, why

(36:00):
are we playing a conference championship game if the result
does not help us? If the result is only going
to hurt us? In other words, if SMU is knocked
out by playing an extra game and Jmart listen, I
don't think people have figured this out yet, but I
will argue, and I truly believe it. I think the
eye test Texas versus SMU Texas has more NFL guys.

(36:23):
They got more this, they got more of that, but
they have a nearly identical resume. And we don't have
to get caught up on this point because Texas is
not going to get left out. But there really is
no argument other than I test in advanced analytics that
say that Texas should be in because again SMU eleven
and two, Texas eleven and two, neither team being a
top twenty five team. It's going to set up for
a fascinating day tomorrow. But I do tend to agree

(36:45):
with you because of the manner in which this game ended,
Because SMU was right down to literally the last seconds
in position to potentially win this game, I think it's
very hard to argue that SMU should be penalized for
playing in this game.

Speaker 1 (36:59):
Yeah, I agree, I do, And I think I even
said this last week, like if if they get left out,
the next team that's in this same position should forfeit
the championship game to say they should dare it. They
should at least put that on the table and say
we're just not going to show up. We'll take whatever
fine the conference wants to give us or whatever like that,

(37:19):
We're just not going to show up. It's not like
a zero want an exam that recks your entire GPA,
especially when it's human beings that are making the decisions. Oh,
they didn't want to play the game, Well, I kind
of understand, because what did they have to gain from it?
Like you have the automatic end, but they were already
in prior. I think that all of what has led
to this has to matter. And when you look at again,

(37:44):
if SMU had gotten blown out of this game, I
think we have a different discussion. I know that's weird
because I'm still arguing that this game shouldn't hurt them,
But at the same time, the way that they fought
that changes it, because this second loss is not as
bad as otherwise would have been. Even if this game
had gone to overtime, which it might have, that would
have been identical to what happened to Texas. Texas took

(38:06):
Georgia to overtime and then lost to Georgia in overtime.
If the same exact thing had happened to SMU and Clemson,
the only difference would be that Georgia drub Clemson. So
george is a better loss than Clemson is. But I
think the problem for Alabama is they've got two losses
that aren't particularly good.

Speaker 2 (38:21):
Yep.

Speaker 1 (38:22):
And I just don't see don't I don't see a
universe where college football wants to open this kind of
a can of worms. The easy decision, the one that's
only really going to upset Alabama fans, is going to
be putting SMU in. I think that most of the
country will look at this and say SMU should be in.

(38:44):
Even if most people don't want to see Jaylen Milroe
against their team in the college football playoff, the season
has to matter. And I think because of that, and
because this got so close in the end and SMU
didn't get beaten by thirty and a newly came back
and won this football game, I think that you got
to put them in, and I think they will be

(39:06):
so I.

Speaker 2 (39:06):
Agree with you, and I think the big point and
we got two more hours to talk about this. We're
taking you up till two am Eastern time, and I
think we're going to talk a lot of college football
over the next two hours. But I think the last
point you made, or one of the points you made,
is as important as anything. If Alabama had a bunch
of great losses in other words, they lost to Georgia,
and they lost to this team, and they lost to
that team, and they had no bad losses. That would

(39:27):
be one thing. But you have two losses to two
six and six teams on the road, and I think
that will matter because it's not just that you're nine
to three. It's not just that, yes, you have that
great win against Georgia. Missouri is a top twenty five win,
et cetera, et cetera. South Carolina is as well, but
you have some bad losses on that resume. As you said,
jmrt SMU had to play well. SMU of course would

(39:50):
be punished for playing that conference championship game. And so
we got two hours to discuss it. But I think
the committee is going to make that decision. I think
there's a broader conversation have we'll discuss that next. Er
Tords Jason Martin, Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 6 (40:04):
Dor listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio, Welcome in everybody
hour two Fox Sports Radio Er tors xmart We are
broadcasting live from the Tirec dot com studios.

Speaker 2 (40:17):
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recommended installers tireraq dot com. The way tire buying should be.
We have two conference championship finals just within the last minute,
couple minutes. De Seger just told you. But Oregon does

(40:39):
beat Penn State forty five to thirty seven and clinch
the Big Ten title. Oregon almost certainly has clinched the
number one seed in the college football playoff and the
game that will determine a lot of talking points. On Sunday,
Clemson beats SMU thirty four to thirty one on a

(40:59):
wall off field goal. Clemson led thirty one to fourteen
going into the fourth quarter, seventeen unanswered points for SMU,
including a touchdown to tie the game with sixteen seconds
to go. A kickoff was returned to about the forty
yard line and from there the forty five yard line.

(41:22):
As a matter of fact, one kid Klubnik pass sets
up a fifty six yard field goal. Clemson wins a
walk off, and now Jmart we get to have the
debate that everybody's gonna have over the next twelve hours.
Join us. If you are just joining us, we got
a lot to talk about SMU versus Alabama. We assume

(41:46):
it's the final spot. I'll reset the playoff standings. By
the way, Ryan Fowler will join us in about twenty
minutes from now. But again, the five conference champions are
in in some order, Oregon Big ten Champ, Georgia SEC Champ,
ACC champ, Clemson gets in even with three losses, Boise
Is the Mountain West Champ, Arizona State as the Big

(42:08):
twelve champ. We believe that six of these seven at
large spots are already spoken for SEC runner up, Texas,
Big Ten runner up, Penn State, Ohio State, Indiana, Notre Dame,
and Tennessee, which means SMU at eleven and two overall
as the ACC runner up. And again, Jay Martin, I

(42:30):
know I'm going along here, but I just want to
give everybody context. SMU runner up in the ACC eleven
and two zero to two against ranked teams. Their only
regular season loss was to BYU, and of course they
lost tonight to Clemson. Or nine and three Alabama, which
has three wins, including one over the SEC champ, that
are in the top twenty five that Georgia win at home,

(42:53):
but they also have three losses, including two to unranked teams.
Jay mart you're the one man Playoff Committee. What are
you thinking, my friend.

Speaker 1 (43:04):
Well, this is nightmare of fuel if you're a Bama fan,
because well here from one thing, yeah exactly, And I mean,
I think that's gonna be fascinating. I really want to
hear for somebody that's right down there in the thick
of that that's heard this debate all week long and
is going to have to listen to Alabama fans on
Monday when I think they're going to be left out.
If SMU got blown out, we would have a different

(43:26):
discussion here, but they didn't. They fought back and lost
to a fifty six yard field goal, you know, as
time expired to Clemson in a conference championship game, a
game that they played that Alabama didn't have to play
in because Alabama didn't qualify to play in it. How
much money are these conference championship games bringing in? Do

(43:47):
you think?

Speaker 2 (43:48):
I can't even speculate, To be honest.

Speaker 1 (43:50):
I'm not even saying about an amount, but a lot, right,
no doubt, bringing an ad revenue and all those kinds
of things. So if you want me to put on
a conspiracy hat for a second, if you want to
preserve those games at all, you better put SMU in
because if you actually and I agree with rhet lashly,
they were in, they were number eight, they were in

(44:13):
as of before the game was played. So if the
only thing that they could do is lose an extra
game and then that somehow makes them not as good
now as you thought they were before. It's like I
heard Sean McDonough say this actually during a commercial break
which they were kind of talking about it. McDonald was like,
I think they should be into twelve and McElroy was

(44:34):
trying not to say it, obviously because I a'labamatize, but
I think I think it is heart of hearts. Team
may agree, but I think if you basically suggest that,
then you have destroyed the conference championship game. Agree, And
I don't know what the fix is there because they
didn't want to give up the money, but there's really

(44:54):
no argument for them to exist anymore because if SMU
can show up and it only hurt the like, they
can't enhance themselves by winning, except maybe they get a
buy but they're in the tournament, but then if they
lose that they're out of the tournament. Then don't play
it at all. If you're SMU or make it very
obvious that you're putting in third string guys and you're

(45:16):
just showing up for no apparent reason. But you also
can't here's the other thing you can't do with the
conference championship game. Same thing in college basketball. You can't
do the well, the automatic bid thing like, no, we're
not gonna do the automatic bid. Whoever wins the championship game,
it's whoever is top ranked in this season and all
this stuff, well, at that point that nobody's going to
play their starters that's actually going to be in the

(45:37):
tournament because they don't want to get hurt. I think
we have come to a big time impass here. I
think college fool and he's considered giving up this money.
I agree, and getting rid of these games because it
makes no logical sense at all for the teams involved
and the competition. I think the integrity is shot. I
think the idea doesn't work with a twelve team playoff

(46:00):
at all, and it just it falls flat on its face.
There was a purpose for this at one point. That
purpose is no longer there, and we have an expanded playoff,
so we don't need conference championship games. We're gonna have
other games to have stakes. These have fake stakes. Basically,
that's what you found out on Tuesday, except that SMU
then plays, loses and is out. I don't see that working.

(46:23):
I don't think that that computes, which is why I
automatically believe that Alabama is out and SMU is in,
because they want to try to preserve this mirage of
the conference championship games, even though we all know they're
a joke.

Speaker 2 (46:34):
So I said that earlier in the show. I agree
with you, is we have to remember at the end
of the day, on this playoff committee, yes, there are
former coaches and players and whatever, there's also a lot
of administrators, you know, eighties whatever, and I think there,
I think they understand what is at stake if they

(46:55):
keep out SMU. And again the context here is important.
SMU a walk off field goal in this game. To
your point that you've brought up throughout the show, Jason,
and I agree with you. If SMU had lost forty
one to three, that's a completely different conversation. But they
easily could have won that game. It was tied with
sixteen seconds, it was tied with three seconds to go.
To be perfectly honest and all you're doing is punishing

(47:17):
them for showing up. And so I happen to agree
with you. And it's a tough spot for college football
because we all have previously loved the college football conference
championships and we understand why they were played, but to
your point, they certainly don't serve the same value.

Speaker 1 (47:36):
And I think.

Speaker 2 (47:37):
Beyond that, what you also have to think about is, obviously, look,
there are teams like SMU that could potentially be hurt,
but also think about Georgia. I mean, Georgia might have
lost their starting quarterback for the rest of the season
for basically a trophy in a first round by Okay,
but the conversation has been for weeks, if not since
this twelve team playoff was expanded, was what is the

(48:01):
risk of playing in a conference championship game? Whether it
is an injury perspective like Georgia, whether it is a
getting knocked out like SMU, Well, is it worth it
having this game? And I think I think people like
you and I that love this sport, I think we
had our doubts. Does this make sense going forward? But
I think the combination of the injuries that we saw

(48:23):
in the Georgia game, but to a much bigger degree
if SMU was left out, I guarantee you the conversation
tomorrow is gonna be the acc we gotta eliminate this
conference championship game, right, And I don't think they're wrong,
And so I tend to agree with you. Is that
is that I think the committee understands what is at
stake if they leave out SMU. Is it right?

Speaker 1 (48:43):
Is it wrong?

Speaker 2 (48:44):
I don't know. And certainly there will be one conference
commissioner in this case, Greg Sankee, that's mad that one
of his teams got left out. But the counter to
that is basically telling teams, hey, conference championship games don't matter.
As a matter of fact, they do matter, but only
in a negative manner. And I I just I think
it's an interesting conversation. I think it will make for

(49:05):
an unreal conversation if SMU is, in fact gets left out.

Speaker 1 (49:09):
I don't think that you can have a world that
makes sense where there is a penalty for achievement. SMU
achieved the opportunity to go play for the conference championship.
Alabama didn't achieve that opportunity. Old Miss didn't achieve that opportunity.
South Carolina didn't achieve that opportunity. They can't then be

(49:32):
given grace and credit because they didn't achieve as much
as SMU did. That's a problem. And I was trying
to think where else can you actually be penalized for achievement.
I actually thought, oh, yeah, well, you could be the
number one draft pick in the NFL and go to
the Chicago Bears. Sorry, that good draft pick, and you
go to a horrible franchise. It's terribly run and then

(49:54):
you're Trevor Lawrence all of a sudden, so like it
can be done, but in this scenario, like you can't say,
you know what, SMU, that was phenomenal. You reached the
championship game, unfortunately didn't win it. So we're gonna go
with this team that actually didn't it just I mean,
I don't even have to say it anymore, Like it's
just obvious. And I'm predisposed to go with the SEC

(50:17):
because I live in SEC territory. I like SEC schools,
all of those kinds of things. And even I'm saying,
you've got to put SMU in for the logical purpose
of what's gonna happen going forward, but bigger than that,
and I don't know that this happens. I don't know
how you get to this point, but there's no scenario
where these conference championship games can continue because it's not

(50:39):
like in college basketball, where you do have the automatic bid.
For these teams, it's like their last chance to be
able to get in, but you have all of them
playing in it. They've all done something in this other scenario.
But usually the team that loses in that case to
the team that gets the automatic bid, that team's in too.
Because there's sixty four spots here. SMU, who was ranking

(51:01):
number eight in the country entering the game, could somehow
fall behind teams that did not play a game. That's
a bridge too far for me. It just is I
don't think that you can make that argument with a
straight face.

Speaker 2 (51:16):
Well, and it's a weird situation because you can't like
manufacture stakes either, right like you like if you say
that teams are you know that you know, like like
both teams are in if they make the conference championship game,
then it incentivizes teams to sit players. Yes, one team
will get a get buy one team won't. But I

(51:37):
think if you told Kirby smart and maybe this year
is a bad example, but I think if you told
all these guys like, hey, you're in no matter what,
like like getting to the conference championship game automatically gets
you into the bigger field, I don't understand what the
incentive is to play your best player. Matter of fact,
I was even thinking about this today. Texas is starting
All American left tackle Kelvin Banks, who people say is

(51:59):
the best offensive tackle in college football, didn't play in
that SEC championship game. Now I could be wrong. I
I haven't looked into this. Maybe I'm gonna sound stupid
saying it, but I wonder if it was a four
team playoff, win or go home, it was an ankle injury,
does he play in that game? But Sark knew, Hey
there's a scenario, We're good no matter what. And so

(52:19):
again I think it's it's the two things. It's it's
the one thing of the fact that you could have
potentially teams punished for playing in them like SMU. But again,
there's no way to set up the stakes where like
the they're like, the benefit of winning is so big,

(52:40):
but the drawback isn't so bad. So in other words,
if you give both teams an automatic bid, then it
means nothing. But if you can't guarantee either team in then,
to Lane Kiffin's point from weeks ago, you're gonna be
punished for playing in this thing. So I will say,
by the way, I hadn't thought of this until right now.
It is ironic. Lane Kiffin made the argument, you can't
punish teams for being a conference championship game, and it

(53:01):
might be an SEC team that gets left out because SMU,
for people just joining us, lost on a walk off
field goal they trailed by seventeen points going in the
fourth quarter rally to tie the game at twenty one
at thirty one, excuse me, a Clemson walkoff field goal
as time expired gave Clemson a championship. And now the
debate becomes should it be Alabama as a nine to

(53:22):
three team versus SMU at eleven and two.

Speaker 1 (53:25):
Yeah, So I'll tell you, I'll say one more thing
about what you were saying about the lang kipping thing.
And I think that that's exactly right, because he assumed
it might be his team they got left out, or
one of the teams from that conference they got left out.
And I said this. I've said this now for a
couple of weeks, especially the way that we've seen some
of these teams drop and lose all stuff. If you
don't make it, it's going to be your fault, right because

(53:47):
you could have won the games. Now that being said,
if the committee believed SMU's schedule was good enough to
have them in comfortable last week, then you can't penalize
them for the extra game. If you don't have them
in and they have to win their way in, that's

(54:09):
a different story. But if you've already got them in,
then you are tacitly admitting that their schedule was good
enough to be a playoff team. So then you can't
look at the schedule and say, well, it's not as
good as this team that didn't play in a conference
title game, because they've already stipulated that it was. So
even if I think their schedules week, which generally speaking,

(54:30):
I do think it's a very weak schedule, the committee
has already laid the groundwork by saying we're number eight.
Here's where they were entering this game. So this game
should have no effect on that whatsoever because of how
close it was, especially but overall, they've already told you
that their schedule is playoff worthy. So now you can't say, well,
you know what it was, but eh, maybe we were hate. No,

(54:55):
you can't do that. That, to me, I think is
one of the lasting in press that I have on
this and it's why Alabama is going to be left
out tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (55:04):
I think the way that it ended, it is very
hard to make the case for Alabama. By the way
our three j mart, I want to revisit the idea
of one thing that we haven't talked about. How far
should a Texas or Penn State if they're in the field,
how far should they fall? Like should Penn State fall
behind Ohio State? Again, they're sort of penalized for playing

(55:24):
the extra game, but they also have that. We could
save that conversation for hour three because up next Ryan Fowler.
He is a host in our Fox Sports radio affiliate
TIED one hundred point nine in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. As I'm
sure you probably figured out, he doesn't cover the SMU
Mustangs on a day to day basis. Okay, he covers Alabama.
He is gonna come on give the Alabama perspective. Where

(55:46):
do things stand? Where should Alabama be in this mix?
Does Alabama have an argument? To get in over an
eleven and two SMU that just lost as time expired
for people just joining us. Clemson wins the ace SEC
Championship Game thirty four to thirty one on a walk
off field goal. Has Clemson done enough to or has
SMU excuse me, done enough to clinch that final playoff spot?

(56:10):
Or should Alabama be in in place of them? We'll
discuss that next with our buddy, Ryan Fowler, aertorus Jason Martin.
We're here till two am Eastern. This is Fox Sports Radio.
Welcome back, everybody. Fox Sports Radio ertors Jason Martin broadcasting
live from the Tyraq dot Com studios. We're probably gonna
be wall to wall college football tonight, but here's the

(56:30):
good news. Football fans. Be sure to tune into Fox
Sports Radio every Sunday morning, beginning at ten am Eastern
seven Pacific for Countdown to Kickoff presented by BETMGM, Brian No,
Jeff Schwartz, a professional better Bill Krakenberger will have you
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Countdown and Kickoff presented by BETMGM. Right here on Fox
Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Tell you what, let's

(56:51):
get straight out to the phone lines. A good friend
of mine, a good friend at Jay Martz, probably a
pretty nervous friend of mine and j Martz right now
you can hear him Monday through Friday two to six
local time, tied one hundred point nine in Tuscaloosa. That
is one of our great Fox Sports radio affiliates. Ryan
Fowler is joining us. Ryan, my man, what's going on?

Speaker 7 (57:14):
Oh, it's gonna be a sleepless not in Tuscaloosa. I mean,
I'm gonna go down to like the waffle house and see,
you know, midnight it's gonna be packed with people because
nobody can sleep. But you know, I don't know, I
really don't. I mean, I think you could make a
case for Alabama, but you know, I think the worst
case scenario was s m U keeping it close. You know,

(57:36):
when I watched college football and I watched Clemson SMU,
I didn't think there were either one of them very good.
I'm sitting there going Clemson. I mean, I'm sure everybody's
got an opinion. But when I look at SMU, you know,
do they go back to what Georgia did a couple
of years ago to TCU. You know, do ratings really matter?

(57:59):
I mean, I mean that is the limb on their hands.
I mean you look at it from a resume standpoint
zero wins against top twenty five teams, and then you
know you've got Alabama's bad losses. But then they've got
a you know, three and one record against franked opponents.
It's all about, you know, is that dollar bill going
to counter in because I think it will. I mean,

(58:20):
I think that's the that's what Alabama's holding out hope for.

Speaker 2 (58:24):
So really quickly, I'll set this up for the audience
that might not be following this on a day to day.
Clemson eleven and two, zero and two against the top
twenty five Ryan correct me three Alabam's nine to three,
but three top twenty five wins I believe, South Carolina, Georgia,
and Missouri, but also two losses to unranked opponents. So
it's basically said Clemson by the way you meant SMU,

(58:46):
yeah too, SMU is eleven and two. Clemson has clenched
an automatic bid. SMU at eleven and two, no great
wins but no bad losses. Alabama three pretty good wins
but two pretty bad losses what was the vibe on
the show all week? Because I think you just laid

(59:08):
it out, is that that was essentially a worst case scenario.
It wasn't just that SMU did not win, but they
played well enough where it's a conversation. But what was
just the vibe on your show all week as this
conversation popped up.

Speaker 7 (59:22):
Well, it was on Monday. I don't think they know.
They were very nervous about the college football playoff rankings,
and then there were the rankings got released from Wednesday.
I do an afternoon show, and so the Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday edition, there was a lot of confidence that Alabama,
you know, would be in the college football playoffs because
you know, based on ward of Manual's talk. It's almost

(59:44):
like and I went to the teleconference, not just what
we saw on the television side of screen, and I
just listened to a lot of his burbage. We probably
spend a way too much time over analyzing, as we
do in the media, but it was almost the word
that he said, you know, you've got a lot of
data point, you know, and he almost in some ways
he locked down those did you have.

Speaker 1 (01:00:05):
A problem with that?

Speaker 2 (01:00:06):
By the way, Ryan, it did. It's great for Alabama,
but it kind of took some of the suspense out
of today, right it did?

Speaker 7 (01:00:12):
It did, And I think that's that's part of you know,
trying to guessing game. You know, what is that committee
going to really do? Because see, I think there's a
couple of different ways that you look at this. Okay,
you also got to keep in mind, yes it's money,
but Greg's thanking his most powerful person in college football,
and the Big Fan is going to get four teams
into the College Football Playoffs. If the SEC gets three,

(01:00:34):
then I think Greg thank he walks into that next
College Football Playoffs committee, you know when they're laying down
the structure and says, okay, guys, you burn me once.
I'm not going automatic bids. Because this was the guy
that wanted eight best teams. He wanted the eight best teams,
no automatic bids. He wanted all the best eight teams
for the U. He would be able to Ryan.

Speaker 2 (01:00:56):
Let me, let me jump in and Jim Martin, I
apologize that I keep cutting yards. But here's my question
for you, Ryan, how and this is a question that
you might actually have some good perspective on. I totally
see what you're saying, but if you leave SMU out,
you essentially completely devalue the conference championship game. What would

(01:01:17):
Greg Sanki say, like, where does the conference championship game
prioritize for him? It's obviously a money maker on TV,
but I think even today in Atlanta people said that
the even Kirby Smarts that have the game, the crowd
isn't what it's been. The juice hasn't been the same.
So would Greg Sanki then be willing to because that
would be the if SMU gets left out, the conversation

(01:01:40):
immediately defaults to we have to stop playing conference championship games.
Is that something?

Speaker 1 (01:01:46):
That?

Speaker 2 (01:01:46):
Is that a conversation that Greg Sanki is open to
because that is what the conversation will be.

Speaker 7 (01:01:51):
Well, I think the conference championship games already devalued. I
just I mean you said it right there. I mean, guys,
and it's thought to the SEC. I mean you could
get a Chick fil a combo cheaper than you could
or more expensive than a ticket to Big Ten Championship.
I mean I mean that, I mean let that seek in, guys.
I mean I saw the ticket price. I mean they

(01:02:12):
were twenty dollars yesterday. I saw them all the twelve
dollars today, twelve bucks that would get you into a
Big Ten championship. So with Greg Sinky, I think he
already knows that. I think he already sees that this
thing is not going to add the value that it
once was from a TV rating standpoint. And I go
back to Rick and new Heisel. He made it comed

(01:02:33):
a couple of days ago, and I used this for you.
I think when you did your Wednesday hit on my
show is I almost think you flipped these conference championship
games and you have some type of playing games. You know,
maybe it's the two at the end, and maybe it's
Ole Miss South Carolina debating somehow that's a playing game.
It just doesn't have the value. And I think with

(01:02:54):
the depth issues, Kirby's Mark said prior to the start
of the season that when you look at depth, they
I mean, they've never been centered than they are right now.
I just don't think college is, from a head coaching perspective,
want to play in these games because unless you're gonna
give me more scholarships, and right now they don't seem
to be doing that. I mean, the SEC came out
a couple of months ago and said, no, we're sticking

(01:03:16):
right here with this number. I just don't know if
you can play because when we get to January the twentieth,
in that same SEC, Mercedes been sitting over to Atlanta.
Where are we going to be out from an injury standpoint?
Are we setting ourselves up for a good value? Yes,
this is the first sample size we're seeing that. I
don't think you have the debt to play all these

(01:03:38):
games that were so I think the conference Championship. I
know that's a roundabout way to answer your questions. I
think it's already devalued. I think you're well man, you're
really rich. Yeah go ahead, Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:03:47):
Well, now what I was going to say is, like
I mean sons of Big ten. And in terms of
the SEC, one of the reasons why you don't go
see that game is because you know both the winner
and the loser are in. Like, you don't have that scenario.
For example, point the ACC Championship because if Clemson got in,
that was the only way they had a chance to
get in was whether they won, so they were certainly
going to try to show up for it. I think

(01:04:09):
that changes it a little bit, but I would my
question would be this, and I'm certainly predisposed towards the
SEC just like you are, Bryan. But if the committee
on Tuesday said smu schedule was good enough to put
them in the playoff, that their resume that their record
had them in the playoff, then how then can you

(01:04:30):
penalize the achievement of making it to a conference title game.
I do think that the conference title games have to
go away because the logic fails entirely at this point.
But they've basically already admitted to you the committee has
that they believe SMU was playoff worthy based on their schedule.
That might be the mistake, but then you have a
different can of worms where you devaluate an entire conference

(01:04:53):
by keeping SMU out of the top twelve because you
think that their schedule is that week. So I think
you've got a big time conundrum here. I think SMU
is in and Alabama is out personally, because I think
that you lose a lot of integrity and some of
the things that they're trying to hold on to with
the last fibers that exist on the side, one of
them being these conference title games in these TV contracts

(01:05:15):
and some of those things.

Speaker 7 (01:05:17):
Well, but also keep in mind too, is you need
a strength of schedule. I think I was looking at
the strength of schedule. It's in the eighties. So you've
all always got me because you're trading money for one thing.
So if you look at SMU and you look at
that strength of schedule, I think it's seventy fifth in
the country. Look at this too, because we both worked

(01:05:37):
for you know, radio networks that benefit TV networks that
benefit from big games. You're all home telling you that, Okay,
go out schedule the easiest schedule you can possibly get.
Don't go to Wisconsin. Alabama starts at Florida State. I
know next year, but don't go out and schedule those
games because they really don't benefit you, right from a

(01:05:58):
strength of schedule standpoint. So but I don't think SEBU.
You probably thought they were going to be in this conversation.
But I think that's another part is do you trade
TV ratings, you know, SNU and Houston Christian for an
Alabama Wisconsin. Do you look at that and say, Okay,
you went out and scheduled difficult opponent. Is that a value?

(01:06:22):
I think it should be. But also you know, I
get I get both sides. I mean, I could probably
say here, make the case for s and U, but
I think I can also make the case for Alabama.
I look at the SEC as much as we disagree
with Lane Kiffin. And he said it, and he really
said something that most people were not brave enough to say,
is this league is different. It is different. It's not

(01:06:44):
just a one game season as some of these conferences.
They are out here. It is weekend, week out. And
I take a lot of teams LSU, I take l
s U and I put them in the ACC. Would
they have done the same thing S and U did?
I think so? I just and I'm sure I'm SEC biased,
but I don't think truly people appreciate it. I asked

(01:07:08):
Demanti Jackson last week catch the iron ball. He played
in the PAC twelve. He went up against other teams,
and I said, what do you think when you've made
the crossover, you've went through this twelve game regular season.
He said, I didn't really fully grasp it until coming
in playing in this league. I thought I did, but
I really did not understand it until I started playing

(01:07:29):
the SEC. The grind every big single week and that's
another part. You know, are we going to the NFL model? Absolutely?
How fast are we're going to get there? We're already here,
so when you look at it, that's the other part.
But the same discussion that we're having is the same
discussion that those thirteen committee members. I mean they're debating

(01:07:51):
because they're saying the same thing we are. Make the
case here, make the case here. I also don't I
hate the idea of of current athletic director's home the committee.
I just think there's too much financial bias in there.
I mean, because you're influencing, you know, other decisions. I mean,
the acc rep is sitting there going, okay, if I

(01:08:12):
put SMU there, I'm going to mean that my school
probably gets, you know, another big piece of the twenty
two to twenty three million dollar pay day. I mean
that to me is forcing people to be on ethical.

Speaker 2 (01:08:24):
Hey, Ryan, we got one or two questions for you,
but we do have to get to the news desk.
Steve de Seger, go ahead, give us quick update. Ryan,
hang on the phone. We got more to ask you.
On the other side.

Speaker 5 (01:08:35):
In college football's conference championship games tonight, it's Big ten
winner Number one Oregon over number three ranked Penn State
forty five thirty seven Dylan Gabriel four touchdown passes. Georgia
in Atlanta won in overtime to take the SEC crown
over number two Texas twenty two to nineteen. The ACC
winner is Clemson on a fifty six yard field goal

(01:08:55):
on the final play, thirty four to thirty one over
number eight smu Arizona State dominated the Big Twelve championship
against Iowa State forty five to nineteen. In the late
night college basketball Top ten matchup at Seattle, Kentucky is
one in overtime against Gonzaga ninety to eighty nine.

Speaker 2 (01:09:13):
The saga you're the man. We're gonna come back to
you in just one moment. We do want to wrap.
Ryan Fowler, tied one hundred point nine, is joining US.
Ryan hosts locally from two to six Central Time Monday
through Friday in Tuscaloosa. Ryan, let me ask you my
last question. I know Jamar probably wants to get one
more in with you. What do you like? What will

(01:09:37):
the conversation be like if Alabama doesn't get in? Because
I think you can look at it and yes, Alabama
has those great wins. But let's also call SPATA space.
They have a couple pretty bad losses. What will your
how will you address your audience on Monday? Will you
believe that it's a grave mistake or do you see this?

(01:09:58):
Do you at least see the argument that ay, if
Alabama just takes care of Vandy on the road, if
they just don't lose by twenty one to Oklahoma who
went six and six, were in a completely different conversation.

Speaker 7 (01:10:11):
Listen, I want to embarrass myself like South Carolina Gamecock
media members, because they've embarrassed themselves. I mean, really, they've
got an egg all over their face. But I think
when you look at it, I think you can make
the case for Alabama that I listen, I think you
can poke holes in the boat as well. I mean
the bad loss at Oklahoma. But also keep in mind
the Oklahoma twenty four to three loss. And I know

(01:10:32):
we're picking officials apart, there was a horrible call, one
of the worst calls that I've seen in ten to
fifteen years in that game. And I almost wonder if
some of those coaches in that room will look at
that call that took a touchdown off the board. It
was awful. I mean it was a bad, bad call.

Speaker 2 (01:10:50):
So was that the first ever seventeen point touchdown? Or
how did that well?

Speaker 7 (01:10:56):
But I mean they did that with fourteen minutes to go,
and you know who knows. I mean if you'd a
bounce back. But listen to Vanderbilt loss, there's some way
to spend that Oklahoma game. It was.

Speaker 3 (01:11:06):
It was bad.

Speaker 7 (01:11:07):
So you look at it. You made this bed, you've
got to sleep in it. And I think the discussion
it will be, all right, how do you improve upon
this team? Listen, this team could beat anybody in the
in the country, but they can also lose. But I'll
say this, look at eyeball tests Alabama, SMU. I'd lay
the mortgage on Alabama. And I think that's what that
committee comes down to when they look at it and

(01:11:28):
say who's the better football team? SMU. You look at
their players. They just don't look like a team that
is going to be able to do anything in the
college football playoffs. And don't ever forget TV ratings are imported,
and that committee knows that.

Speaker 1 (01:11:45):
So the argument against that's just gonna be then don't
even play the games because we knew what Alabama looked
like before the season started, so you can look in there.

Speaker 7 (01:11:53):
True true, true, true. But I mean, did you guys
look at SMU and say that was a quality looking
football game? I'm talking about cut too. I looked at Clemson.
I'm going, are we really watching an ACC title game?
And you could see in the sands, I mean the
SU section was empty.

Speaker 2 (01:12:10):
Hey, Ronan, Yeah, real quick, I have one question for you,
because I do think this this becomes an interesting conversation.
Have you taken the time to consider how much Texas
losing that game could potentially hurt you? And let me
explain why with my final thoughts. Go ahead and I'll
lay it out for everybody, and you'll only have about
a minute, so I apologize. But here's here is the

(01:12:33):
final resume of Texas eleven and two overall oh and
two against teams in the top twenty five, best win
obviously last week eight and four, Texas A and m
SMU final resume eleven and two overall oh and two
against top twenty five teams, best win nine and three dukes.
So essentially, where I think it could get complicated, and
I do want your opinion on this is if you

(01:12:56):
leave out SMU Texas, even though with the eye tests,
I listen, even I'll acknowledge there's no doubt Texas looks
like the better team. But Texas has basically the same
resume as SMU, and I think, as weird as that sounds,
that could be a hold up against Alabama.

Speaker 7 (01:13:13):
Well, but I think you could also look at it
from the Georgia perspective of winning that game also boost
your resume a ton. So I mean kind of look
at that. I mean that that's another, you know, big win.
But I do look at what you're saying about Texas.
But you know, will it come down to ites? And
I'm telling you to discuss the college football future because

(01:13:34):
it's not about just this year. Yes, it involves the
conference championship, but it also involves the criteria. If Greg
Sankee only gets three teams in that, he's going to
put his feet in the sand and say, forget it, guys,
I'm going best teams. This is why I wanted to
go to start with, and you guys blocked me. I'm
going back to it. Most powerful person in college football

(01:13:55):
doesn't get his way, it would be it would set
up for some unique discussion as we've moved beyond twelve
to fourteen, to sixteen to thirty two to forty eight.

Speaker 1 (01:14:05):
That's where it's gonna you predicting Bama. I'm sorry, are
you predicting Bama?

Speaker 7 (01:14:13):
I really I don't feel comfortable either way. I really don't.
I mean, I would hate to be on that committee.
I mean, I'll say this, I would I mean I
would hate to be in that room because there's a
loser either way. Whatever argument they make, they're gonna get criticism.

Speaker 3 (01:14:28):
If they put.

Speaker 7 (01:14:28):
Alabama they are, they're gonna get criticism if they leave
it and put the SMU there. It's it's tough. But
you know, I do like the twelve team playoffs, and
I didn't not like the twelve team playoffs when it
was first kind of threw out there. I went, oh,
come on, guys. But now we have watered down college

(01:14:48):
football so much it's you know, it makes sense, and
I'm not sure fourteen or sixteen don't make sense either
because but I go back to the depth side of things.
Are we going to see January the twenty when we
get to Atlanta and the national title game? Are we
going to be watching? I mean, you've already seen it, right,
I mean Georgea's quarterback, will Carson Beck be able to go?

(01:15:10):
I mean, We're going to see a water down version
of college football, and that's unfortunate. That's the part that
I don't think people are totally grasping what that's going
to look like. You're playing an NFL typ schedule with
a lot fewer players. You know, you don't have a
practice squad or another guy sitting on those casts that
you can go bring on your roster. You have to

(01:15:31):
play with what you've got, and we've seen Alabama navigate
some very crazy injuries this season.

Speaker 2 (01:15:37):
I'll just say because we got to go. I think
the Carson Beck argument is another reason why I think
we're probably closer to the end of conference championship games
than the beginning. Ryan, dude, you've been so great for
your time. I have a great evening. Like I said,
I know to probably be a little bit of a
restless night for you and everybody in Tuscalusa, but we
appreciate you. You can hear Ryan two to six local

(01:16:00):
on Monday through Friday. Tide one hundred point nine are
TIEDE affiliate, and of course please make sure to follow Ryan.
One of the great college football follows anywhere. Ryan C.
Fowler on Twitter. Ryan, my man, We very much appreciate
your time and we will talk soon. Thank you.

Speaker 7 (01:16:14):
Hey, you you're welcome. Thank you. Have a great ating.

Speaker 2 (01:16:17):
That was Ryan Fowler tied one hundred point nine. We
will come back and we will continue the conversation. Steve
Desager with his extended update on this and everything else
you missed across college football on Saturday. This is Foxport thirty.
Welcome back everybody. Fox Sports radio er tors jsmartbroadcasting live
from the Tireck dot com studios. Let's get straight to

(01:16:38):
the news desk for his extended update to Saga. The
floor is yours, my friend.

Speaker 5 (01:16:42):
You guys were talking about attendance, and by the way,
we had Oregon from more than two thousand miles away,
and it was very good attendance for Oregon. Penn State
in the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis tonight. So
we can update the Penn State stead what's the record
of the Penn State program against top five teams since
they've joined the Big which was nineteen ninety three. The
answer is three and twenty nine after tonight, three and

(01:17:06):
twenty nine against the top five, Number one Oregon beat
number three Penn State forty five to thirty seven. Dylan
Gabriel four touchdown passes nearly one thousand yards combined in
this game and fifty three first downs. Meanwhile, SMUs what
one thousand miles away from Charlotte, but they nearly got
a win in the ACC championship game, tied it up

(01:17:28):
against Clemson on a touchdown with sixteen seconds left. Clemson, though,
got close enough to try a very long field goal
attempt final play of regulation nap whole kick on.

Speaker 8 (01:17:38):
Its way, got the distance, doesn't have the accress the
mists to.

Speaker 5 (01:17:50):
The playoffs Clemson Tigers Radio Network thirty four to thirty
one the final cad Klubnik with four touchdown passes.

Speaker 2 (01:17:58):
Georgia was a seventy.

Speaker 5 (01:18:00):
Five miles away from Atlanta, where it won the SEC
crown in overtime against number two Texas twenty two to nineteen.
Trevor Eta in game winning touchdown run. He had sixteen carries,
ninety four yards rushing and two scores and dominance for
Arizona State in the Big twelve title game in Arlington,
Texas today. It was forty five to ten after three

(01:18:20):
quarters ASU beat Iowa State forty five to nineteen. Sam
Levitt three touchdown passes in the third quarter. Camp Scataboo
sixteen carries one hundred and seventy yards, seemingly one thousand
broken tackles, three total touchdowns. Sun Belt title game was
Marshall winning easily at Louisiana thirty one to three. Louisiana

(01:18:40):
went four and three at home. This year, Marshall has
won seven straight after a three and three start to
the season, and the matt Conference Championship was in Detroit
attendance fifteen thousand. As Ohio University was a thirty eight
to three winner over Miami Ohio, which, after its opening
drive a field goal, had seven drives eight first down
the rest of the day, while Ohio you had thirty

(01:19:02):
two first downs. So Ohio University has won six straight,
but it's coach Tim Albin is reportedly leaving for the
Charlotte program. The final playoff bracket will be announced Sunday
along with the bowl matchups. Keep in mind noted Amy
is number four, but it cannot get a first round
by because as an independent, it cannot be a conference champ,
So the Irish would be hosting a first round game.

(01:19:24):
Ohio State failed to number six. This week Alabama was
number eleven, Miami down to number twelve, number eight. SMU
lost that close SEC title game tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:19:35):
De Sega, thank you so much. We apologize for the
short update. It is say Night, Big Night, Wild Night,
and we still got an hour left. Air tours Jason
Martin taking to two am Eastern. More on the twelve
team college football playoff. Who's In? Who's Out? We're up
till two am Eastern, Fox Sports THIRTYO.

Speaker 1 (01:19:53):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.

Speaker 2 (01:19:57):
Welcome in everybody, our three tourist and Martin Fox Sports Radio.
We are broadcasting live from the tyre dot Com studios.
Tyreck dot com will help you get there an unmatched election,
fast free shipping, free road hazard protection, and over ten
thousand recommended installers. Tyreck dot com the way tire buying
should be. We're taking you up till two am Eastern.

(01:20:18):
Bernie Fratto of The Bernie Fratto Show will follow us.
Bernie a historian on all things sports. I know he's
gonna have a lot of good stuff on everything going
on in the world of sports, but obviously the big
topic right now it is this college football playoff. We
feel like we know what the conversation is and we're

(01:20:39):
resetting this for a new audience. But in jmartin I's opinion,
eleven spots appeared to be settled coming into today. The
Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Mountain West, and Big Twelve champions
obviously get automatic bids, so that would be Oregon, Georgia,
Boise State, Arizona State, and also Clemson, who pulled off

(01:21:04):
an upset in the ACC title game. We also believe
that of the seven at large bids in the new
twelve team playoffs, six are spoken for. You have the
Big Ten runner up, Penn State, the SEC runner up
in Texas. You have Indiana and Ohio State from the
Big Ten, you have Notre Dame from the obviously an independent,
and you have Tennessee from the SEC. And it appears

(01:21:26):
as though the conversation that will take us up until
noon Eastern tomorrow when the final playoff bracket is announced,
will be SMU, which for people who are just joining us.
They lost on a walk off field goal to Clemson.
They trailed thirty one to seventeen going into the fourth quarter,

(01:21:46):
rallied to tie the game. Clemson returns the kick after
the game tying touchdown to the forty five yard line.
Seventeen yard pass puts them in field goal range. Clemson
with the walk off field goal. Who win the game?
So the question becomes eleven in two SMU zero to
two against top twenty five teams, but no bad losses

(01:22:10):
against Alabama, nine and three with a couple really good
wins including the SEC champ Georgia, but also a couple
pretty bad losses in Vanderbilt and also Oklahoma as well.
One j Mark, did I miss anything? Do you tend
to agree that those eleven teams that I mentioned are
pretty set and that the only real conversation going into

(01:22:32):
tomorrow will be eleven and two SMU versus nine and
three Alabama.

Speaker 1 (01:22:39):
Yeah, and we've been saying this to each other, you know,
most of the day that it was really only one
discussion and was if SMU lost and it becomes SMU
versus Alabama, Clemson screwed everything up for Alabama or maybe
for SMU. Will find out, but everything else was kind
of set in stone and Ward manual, the head of

(01:23:00):
the committee said so on Tuesday basically said if you're
not playing, then you can't improve your status like you
can't put yourself there. So if you were outside of
the top eleven, you were basically out because you know,
you knew that the big twelve champ at the very
least was going to be in. They were going to
be a tough twelve seed, so that was going to
knock out twelve. So that effectively knocked out Miami and

(01:23:21):
it already closed the case on South Carolina, Ole Miss
or anybody else below that line. So then you just
look at all, right, well, you've got this ACC deal
where if Clemson wins, then they're going to steal a
bit from somebody because they would not have been in
otherwise they were the three loss team that really wasn't
very good, that was seventeenth ranked entering that. But because

(01:23:46):
of the way that you got in the ACC, the
way that they advanced and made their way into the
conference championship game, then they had to win an in
scenario and they got in. So now it comes down
to the team that lost to them on a fifty
six yard field goal at the very end of the game. Again,
if they lose thirty one to three, I think it's
harder to make this argument, but During the break, I

(01:24:07):
listened to Joey Galloway. He happened to be on television
and he said something I was just kind of like
baffled by. I don't understand what his point was here,
but the argument was the argument from the host was
just I don't like at all the idea that you
could be penalized for making it to a championship game, sure,

(01:24:30):
for playing in a championship game. And he said no, no, no, no.
Galway said no, not playing in it, losing it. So
he makes the delineation that since they lost, that should
hurt them, but playing in it, because playing in it's
different than losing it. It's like, okay, then I'm not
going to show up, Like, I don't understand your argument.

(01:24:50):
If playing in it doesn't hurt you, if playing in
it is is somehow a positive, then it becomes a negative.
It's like, right, but they were already in the thing, right,
but then they went and lost. Like he's arguing that
they should be out because they lost, and I'm just like,
I don't, I don't. I don't think he can get there.
I just don't. I think that falls flat on his face.
And we have Ryan Fowler on and he kind of

(01:25:10):
was trying to make he was making the argument for Alabama,
and he was saying, well, did you look at that game?
Did you look at Clemson ANDSMU? They didn't look like
the right team. And it's like, right, well, if we're
just doing a beauty contest and I can tell you
who the top twelve should be before the season starts,
and we don't even have to play the games because
we know what teams look like and all this other
kind of stuff, you can't do it that way and

(01:25:32):
the other thing. And I think he's right about this,
Fowler is, but I don't know that this is a
good thing. If you're actually going to take into account
ratings and some of that kind of stuff, then we've
lost all semblance of everything. But I think we all
are naive to think that that's not part of it.
I just ultimately believe that if you want to preserve

(01:25:54):
any chance that the conference championship games can continue for
a few years and make the extra little the extra
money that they're making as forcical as they are, then
SMU has to get in. If they don't, then there
is absolutely no reason why any team would agree or
try to play in it. I'd try to lose to
make sure I didn't make it in because Bama finds
its way in by proxy. They are rewarded for not achieving,

(01:26:20):
and achievement is then penalized on a case of SMU.
It's a mess, right, But you look at that game
against Oklahoma with Alabama, that to me excluded them because yes,
now that's all I gotta say, you can go ahead.
What's a huge hole in their resume?

Speaker 2 (01:26:39):
Yes, And I think that's an interesting point just in
general about Alabama is they have the great wins, but
they have bad losses as well. And listen, Ryan even
said this. Ran Fowler tied one hundred point nine joined
us about a half an hour ago, and he said it,
and I think it is worth noting. Is that basically
it's impossible. Because we asked Ryan, I think you have

(01:27:00):
Ryan and the segment, what do you think will happen?
He said, I don't feel comfortable either way because we
don't know what this particular committee values. I'll also say this,
J Martin and I could be just deadly wrong on this.
I'll go back to the point that I made that
I it was a little bit of a better point
than I even realized in real time. But the Texas

(01:27:21):
point is.

Speaker 1 (01:27:22):
A good point.

Speaker 2 (01:27:23):
Yeah, we all know what the eye test, Texas looks
pretty good. That was a game that could have gone
either way. And listen, we could criticize Texas lost to Georgia, backup, quarterback, whatever,
Texas was great along both lines, whatever. But it does
make the argument really hard to leave out SMU and
for people that aren't following, Texas goes to the SEC

(01:27:45):
Championship game at eleven and one, they have zero wins
over ranked teams currently in the current top twenty five.
Now SMU goes to the ACC Championship game eleven and one,
zero wins over the top. They have the exact same resume.
The only difference is one is in the SEC one

(01:28:05):
has eye test, I test does. It isn't a criteria
for the committee. And then I think also beyond that,
if you somehow left out SMU and put in Texas,
then just acknowledge the SEC bias and that's not supposed
to happen. And so as weird as it sounds, I
think Texas losing that game makes it harder for the

(01:28:26):
committee to look everybody in the eye and say that
it is fair to leave out SMU. If Texas had
won and Texas is twelve and one, and then you're
you're truly debating a nine to three Bama versus eleven
in two SMU. That makes the conversation different. But I
do think that that does feel like something that will
be a factor tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (01:28:47):
So he was making the point about Greg Sankei as well,
and about how SANK would be upset over three and
he would just go back to being the best teams.
I'm fine with that, if that's what you want to do.
I will say this, If SMU doesn't get in, then
the AEC should be disbanded because they have no power.
They're not a power conference anymore. There's only two power
conferences at that point. And at that point, just disband

(01:29:07):
it all and just turn it into a free for
all and then just pick the best teams like it
doesn't make any sense. If if SMU can have an
eleven to one record, the committee can accept the fact
in advance and say, yeah, what they've done so far
this season puts them in. They don't have to accomplish
anything else to be in. But if they then because

(01:29:30):
of that accomplishment, play an extra game and lose and
they're out because the SEC should get an extra team in.
Then at that point the ACC is completely meaningless. At
that point, Florida State should win their lawsuit. Clump should
when everybody should be out, like everybody should be allowed
to leave because the ACC at that point is no
better than any other conference. I think that's as big
an issue as well, Like outside of the Big Ten,

(01:29:52):
in the SEC, is there a reason to care because
at that point, if you lose your conference championship game,
then you could be out. But that's not going to
be the case in the Big Ten. That's not going
to be the case in the SEC almost never. And again,
it's an improper, imperfect system, and I don't know that
there is a perfect fix for it, but things that

(01:30:13):
are going to have to be and will be discussed.
Get rid of the conference championship games is going to
be for sure, you know, number one. Or you have
to get to the situation where both the winner and
the loser of a conference championship game in a major
conference get in, at which point nobody's going to try anyway.
So I think that the biggest problem is the existence

(01:30:35):
of these games, because if you don't have these games.
SMU was already in and Clemson was out, and that's
really what should have happened. In my opinion, I understand
Clemson beat SMU, but Clemson shouldn't even been in a
position to be in that game. If they had been
in another conference, they wouldn't have been in that case.
I don't like the put LSU in the ACC and

(01:30:57):
see what they get. I don't know what they would
have done. I think Old Miss might have. I think
some of the better teams would. I think LSU might
be a bridge too far to make that argument. But
the thing I hate is that Clemson is in because
if you're picking the best teams, I don't think Clempson
distinguished themselves to be regarded as one of the top twelve.
But because they were in a conference that enabled them,

(01:31:19):
because of what happened with Miami, to get into the
conference title game, I don't like that one at all.
That to me is the biggest concern with the college
with these championship games is you do have conferences where
you have teams that don't deserve to be there.

Speaker 2 (01:31:33):
Yeah, I would say this really quick is it would
be a little bit of disappointment because I think that's
probably one, I think probably eliminate conference championship games, but two,
I hope we don't go to a place where we
eliminate automatic bids. You know, we haven't talked about the
Big twelve. The Big twelve game was a lot of
fun today Arizona State clinches Boise last night really quick,
because we haven't had a chance to talk about this,

(01:31:53):
and I'm just curious, and again, we don't know because
this has never we've never had a twelve team playoff.
What do you make of a team like Penn State
and a team like Texas. And the reason I bring
it up is because listen, I can argue to my
till my face turns blue that SMU and Texas have
the same resume. You have to put one in if
you put both, but we know that Texas is going
to get in. I guess my question becomes this is,

(01:32:16):
I think we all came into the week assuming that
the losers of these games really kind of wouldn't be punished.
And basically, you know, if it right, you know, if
Penn State was you know, Texas and Penn State were
ranked two and three in the polls, So if they lose,
then they're probably gonna end up being the five and
six seed or the five whatever. The point I'm trying

(01:32:38):
to make do you think like a Penn State, for example, Right,
so they're eleven and two, their only losses are to
Ohio State and Oregon, But now you're eleven and two
versus like say a ten and two Ohio State, where
it's like, well, if we're talking about not punishing teams
for being in a conference championship game, does that mean
that we don't drop say Penn State below Ohio State?

(01:33:01):
Does that mean that Texas remains if they were like
the five seed or the sixth seed coming into this game,
if they lost, does that mean they're the five and
six seed coming in?

Speaker 1 (01:33:10):
Like?

Speaker 2 (01:33:10):
What do you make of the teams that played today
that actually like how will they kind of move beyond?
Like will they fall past some teams that didn't play today?
Because we're just talking about who's in and who's out.
But then the question becomes like, do you punish a
Texas by dropping them lower than you planned or a

(01:33:31):
Penn State lower than you planned after losing today?

Speaker 1 (01:33:34):
No, because ward manual said, if you didn't play, you
couldn't improve your spot. That's why it was critical that
Alabama finished in the eleventh spot and not the twelve spot.
They couldn't finish any higher than that as a result.
So really, I don't think it affects Penn State at all,
especially considering who they lost to. But even even notwithstanding that,

(01:33:56):
in effect, what ward Manual said is a conference champion
doesn't matter in a lot of ways because Ohio State
had two losses during the regular season, Penn State did not.
Even if Ohio State. If Ohio State had been ranked
to a head of Penn State, you can have a
different argument there, because Penn State could have potentially improved

(01:34:17):
their spot had they won, but because they were already
over Ohio State, that case was closed. I don't see
any universe where Ohio State is ranked above Penn State
once this comes out tomorrow, especially considering they both lost
to the same team. Yeah, when it comes to Oregon.
So that to me, I think is because of what

(01:34:39):
ward Manual says. I don't think we have to even
debate that one. I think that it is obvious that
Penn State's going to be ranked higher than Ohio State.

Speaker 2 (01:34:47):
Yeah, I think that's probably right. You know, listen, we
got to get to some other stuff. Maybe by the way,
maybe we have a quick arch Quinn viewers.

Speaker 1 (01:34:56):
Yeah, I was about saying I do want to talk
about that a little bit.

Speaker 2 (01:34:58):
Okay, I'll tell you what what NFL?

Speaker 7 (01:35:00):
What?

Speaker 1 (01:35:01):
E Man? We even get to Belichick yet?

Speaker 2 (01:35:03):
Belichick? Who? Dan Campbell?

Speaker 1 (01:35:05):
What?

Speaker 2 (01:35:05):
Wait talking about now? We'll get to some NFL before
the end of the show. But what we will do
is we will come back. We both think Texas is in.
That's not really a debate. I do think the big
question should be should they make a quarterback change before
the start of the college football playoff? We will discuss
that next Er tors Jason Martin. We're taking up till
two am Easter time. Hope you like college football, because
that's pretty much all we're talking for the next forty

(01:35:27):
three minutes. This is Fox Sports Radio. Welcome back here, everybody,
Fox Sports Radio, Aeron Taurus Jason Martin broadcasting live from
the Tirereck dot Com studios should mention after the show,
make sure to download our podcast. This was a doozy.

(01:35:50):
We have the immediate reaction to all things college football.
The podcast will be going up as soon as we
get off air. If you missed any of today's show,
be sure to check out the podcast just search Sports
Ready wherever you get your podcast, and also be sure
to follow, rate and review the show again search Fox
Sports READYO wherever you get your podcast, and you'll see
this show posted right after we get off air. All right,
j Mark, before we do just a very brief NFL

(01:36:14):
look ahead to week fourteen on Sunday. I have we've
talked so we could do another two hours because we
didn't even talk Arizona State. We didn't talk really kind
of rankings, and you know, there's just a lot of
layers to this, but a layer that I do think
could become a talking point after we get the bracket

(01:36:37):
and we kind of get you know, tomorrow Sunday. You know,
it's Sunday for a lot of people, but Sunday will
be all about SMU versus Alabama. Did they get it right?
I think come Monday, you start looking ahead to some
of the matchups and one of the conversations I believe
will be regardless of who Texas draws, is it time
for Texas to start thinking about making a quarterback change.

(01:36:59):
I'll say this really quick and then I want toss
it over to you. Remember the first time that Texas
and Georgia played, Steve Sarkisian bench quinn Ewers and put
in arch Manning to try to spark the offense. I
thought he would do it. Today he didn't. But quinn
Ewers finishes twenty seven of forty six three hundred and

(01:37:20):
fifty eight yards. But that is also a fifty seven
percent completion percentage, one touchdown, two interceptions. And I'll say this, man,
you know you look at yours across the board. Completion
percentages down from last year. Touchdowns are basically about the same, now,
you know, factoring in that he's played I guess the

(01:37:41):
same number of games. Maybe I guess he would have
played one more a year ago to this point because
they made the postseason. I'll give you the floor. Does
Texas need to consider or should they outright make a
quarterback change before their first playoff game?

Speaker 1 (01:37:57):
So you already know my answer because I sent you
a message. I guess it would have been after the game.
But I also had said something early in the game
where I said, I don't think that Texas can beat
Georgia if quinn Ewers plays all four quarters, especially considering
his ankle, because they're gonna keep on rushing him and
trying to force him into some bad decisions or they're

(01:38:18):
gonna take him down. So my answer is arch gives
you a better chance to win because I think that
we have a known quantity in quinn Ewers. Now, we
got to be careful because both of us I think
a few years ago, suggested that Georgia needed to bench
Stetson Bennett. Sure, and then they end up winning the
National Championship and beating Alabama. I remember us doing that show.

(01:38:42):
In this case, I think quinn Ewers is a good
football player, but I think we know what he is
now and what that is is not great. He does
not have consistent touch on his throws. That cost them
in this game. I mean, if you really look at
the first half of that game Texas, the reason why
I felt really good if I was Georgia is because
they should have been getting blown out based on what

(01:39:04):
you saw from the defense and their inability to move
the ball. But Texas couldn't finish drives, and a lot
of it is because Wers couldn't put the ball where
it needed to be. And youwers may be banged up,
and he's certainly a warrior, and he's played hurt a lot,
and he's missed some time and all this, but he's
still pretty one dimensional for you. There's a spark that
comes with Arch. Arch can move, Arch can run, You

(01:39:26):
can open your playbook a little bit more. I think
that Steve Sarkisian has to be getting tired of trying
to utilize Arch manning like he's Taysom Hill. I think that,
if it is me, Texas's defense deserves the best offense
it can have in order to go after this championship.
I do not think the Texas offense that I have

(01:39:48):
seen over the last half of this season, in particular
with Quinn Ewers at the helm, is dynamic enough in
some of these matchups against offenses that are gonna challenge
Texas's defense strongly to get the job done. So, if
you're asking me I think the change should be made,
I think you turn the keys over to Arch and

(01:40:11):
you let it go. And yes, there might be a
couple of limites, and maybe you turn out to be wrong,
but I think we have a known quantity right now
in Youers, and I just don't think it's quite good
enough at this stage. I just think they have to
play it a little bit too conservative, and you're just
a little bit unsure, Like how many games are you
gonna win a college football playoff if your offense can't

(01:40:31):
score twenty points? And I think that could help. Happened
multiple times against several different opponents that Texas could see.
And I don't think that you can take that chance,
even with the number one recruiting class coming in next
year and all that good stuff. You are in position
right now. You lost to Georgia twice, and you lost
with yours playing pretty much the entire game outside of

(01:40:52):
one snap in this one. I think you turn over
to Arch because I think the ceiling is higher. I
think the future is brighter with him at quarterback starting
next year, but I think the future is right now.

Speaker 2 (01:41:04):
So I agree. And this is a point that a
lot of others have made throughout the day on Saturday,
but it's one I agree with. Is we have seen
other coaches in high leverage situations know that their quarterback
isn't good enough, most notably, of course, two over Jalen
Hurts in a national championship game. Now, your counterpoint of

(01:41:26):
Kirby smart. St could have been Stet's a Bennett. He didn't,
and Stets a minute won two national championships is a
great one as well. But I just bring it up
because I am with you. The word you use, the
term you use known quantity, and that is exactly what
Quinn Ywers is. And you know, I understand what he
was in high school. I understand what he what we

(01:41:48):
you know, go back to that first Alabama game that
he started two or three years ago, where we thought, wow,
if it all comes together, look at the He's not that.
And I don't I'm not a QB guru. I'm not
smart enough to know why he hasn't. Really I don't
think gotten better. But I don't like what you said
he's a known quantity. I don't think he can elevate

(01:42:11):
this team where they need to go. And I also
just I just think, like I don't know, I'm just rambling.
But the point I'm trying to make is that I
think you have to make the move. I think you
have to go to arch Manning because we've seen Quinn
Ewers in these big By the way, it's not just
the big games, Jmart. I mean, let's go back just

(01:42:32):
really quick, because we do have to get to the sagre.
But the last couple of weeks they put up seventeen
points at Texas A and m Okay. Texas A and
M is pretty decent. Twenty points at Arkansas not great,
twenty seven against Vandy. Vandy's whatever ate exactly. You look
at that they played Kentucky. I mean, listen, they scored

(01:42:52):
thirty one points, but he himself threw for under two
hundred yards. And so I don't know if Arch Manning
is the answer. I do think I know that Quinn
yours is not the answer, and so whatever Sark does,
I don't really care. But I think I think you
have to play Arch because I don't think when yours

(01:43:14):
gives you a chance to win against the best teams.
Anything else to add before it gets a disagred.

Speaker 1 (01:43:18):
The only thing I would say is, I think what
we are saying, I think we're so certainly in agreement.
I think a lot of people listening are in agreement.
I don't know that it's gonna happen, though, Like if
I had to put money on it, i'd say Sark
is gonna stay with what he's got. I will say
it is. It's a tough spot to be in, but
this is why you're getting paid the big bucks is
to make this kind of a decision in this spot.

(01:43:41):
I know it's difficult, and quinn Ewers seems to be
a real upstanding good dude, and you don't want to
hurt him like this, But ultimately your job is to
win a championship, and I think the best chance is
to give Arch a shot. I do. I mean you
think you look at like Dylan Gabriel and some of this.
There are teams that you know we're going to rack
yards and rack up points, and then there's multiple threat

(01:44:03):
quarterbacks and yours is very He looks like you'd have
been great fifteen years ago. Like the way that he
plays the college game. It's evolved to a place where
their offense looks like it's in a time warp, and
it shouldn't be because there's skill talent all over the
field for them. Arch gives them a completely different dimension

(01:44:23):
and you have to respect his athleticism. I think that's
why you have to roll with that, because if you
can give this defense thirty points a game at least,
I think you win the entire thing. Because their defense
absolutely is elite, and the thing that is holding them
back is an offense that, unfortunately a lot of it
does go to the quarterback not being able to make

(01:44:43):
the big play.

Speaker 2 (01:44:45):
I don't disagree. I'm with you. I don't know what
Steve Sarkisian will do. I do think he should benchwin
Ewers for arch Manning. Listen, it is what it is.
This is big boy football. You get paid a lot
of money. These guys, these players now get paid a
lot of money, and I think you gotta at least
try arch Manning. Fox Sports Radio error towards Jason Martin,
broadcasting live from the Tireck dot Com studios. We will

(01:45:07):
come back. Maybe we may we talk about this crazy
thing called the NFL. Just very quickly look at week fourteen.
Not sure if you've heard of that league, Jason, but
they have a pretty big slate on Sunday. So we'll
very quickly hit on a NFL slate from Sunday. But
first final time this evening, let's get to the news
desk to saga. The floor is yours.

Speaker 5 (01:45:26):
Obviously we will lead with number two yukon women's basketball.
Thanks absolutely dominating today. Story of the night obvious against
number twenty two Louisville. It was doubleheader in Brooklyn on Fox,
So eighty five fifty two was your final score. Apparently
we've somehow adopted this team on the show. Two of
the three of us. We're not aware of this, but okay.
Earlier in Brooklyn, Tennessee defeated number seventeen Iowa. You mentioned

(01:45:49):
NFL Sunday Night, Kansas City can clinch the AFC West
title for a ninth straight year. Chiefs will be hosting
the Chargers. Chiefs return man Mcole Hardman went on IR
with the knee injury Deelers wide receiver George Pickens was
fined over twenty thousand dollars for two un sportsmanlike penalties
on Fox TV Sunday. Buffalo winners of seven straight playing
at the Rams. Sunday Nights game is Bengals at Dallas.

(01:46:13):
Cincinnati tackle Orlando Brown out with a fibula injury in Dallas.
Guard Zach Martin out Monday with ankle and shoulder injuries.
Cleveland will be at Pittsburgh tomorrow. Brown's tackle Jedrick Wills
placed on IR with a knee injury. Seattle Seahawks running
back Kenneth Walker out tomorrow due to injuries as Seattle
plays at Arizona. Eagles. Tight end Dallas Goddard was placed

(01:46:33):
on IR with a knee injury. For Sunday's game at
Philadelphia Panthers linebacker Jadavian Clowney out with a knee injury.
Vikings kicker Will Riker was activated off injury reserve and
Minnesota cutkicker John Parker Romo Vikings will host Atlanta.

Speaker 1 (01:46:48):
Jets.

Speaker 5 (01:46:48):
Running back Bresee Hall officially out Sunday at Miami with
a knee injury. The Jets activated wide receiver Alan Lazard,
forty nine Ers, defensive end Nick Bosa out with an
oblique injury, and tackle tr Williams out again with an
ankle injury as San Francisco hosts Chicago.

Speaker 1 (01:47:04):
Now to the.

Speaker 5 (01:47:04):
College football The conference championship games finished up tonight. Number
one Oregon won the Big Ten forty five thirty seven
over third rank Penn State in a game that had
nearly one thousand yards combined of offense fifty three third
downs as well Dylan Gabriel four touchdown passes, game MVP
tes Johnson eleven catches for the Ducks one hundred and

(01:47:24):
eighty one yards and a score in Atlanta, Georgia in
overtime beat number two Texas to win the SEC twenty
two to nineteen. Georgia will have a first round buy
in the new playoff, and then it'll play a Sugar
Bowl quarterfinal on New Year's Texas is eleven and two,
both losses to Georgia. The Longhorns will host a first
round playoff in two weeks. Quarterback Quinn Eewers one touchdown,

(01:47:47):
two interceptions. He was sacked six times today finished with
three hundred and fifty eight yards passing Bert Auburn four
of six on field goals. He missed from forty two
and fifty one yards out, and Texas had a lot
eleven penalties in a game they lost in ot the
first overtime in the near what three decade plus history
of the SEC title game. Trevor Etn game winning touchdown

(01:48:10):
run Carson Beck, Georgia quarterback, injured his arm at the
end of the first half. Clemson won the ACC thirty
four to thirty one over eight ranked SMU on a
fifty six yard field goal on the final play. SMU
had just tied it on a touchdown with sixteen seconds
left in fact the Mustangs with seventeen unanswered points in
the fourth quarter. They came back from down thirty one
to fourteen, but Cad Klubnik four touchdown passes in victory

(01:48:34):
dominance to start the day for Arizona State winning the
Big Twelve forty five to nineteen over Iowa State. Iowa
State is three and three since it's seven and zero start,
ASU has won six games in a row. Preseason, Arizona
State was pick to finish last in that new conference
of the Big Twelve. For it, Marshall won the Sun
Belt easily at Louisiana thirty one to three, OHIOU thirty

(01:48:56):
eight three over Miami, Ohio to win the MAC. The
final playoff bracket will be announced on Sunday along with
the bowl matchups. Ucfis hiring Scott Frost as head coach.
In twenty seventeen, Frost led Central Florida to a thirteen
and o season. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy agreed to
a reduced contract. They want to put the savings toward
nil money. Oklahoma State just finished oh to nine in

(01:49:20):
conference play. Late night men's college hoops went overtime in
the Top ten matchup in Seattle, Kentucky beat Gonzaga ninety
to eighty nine. In ot today, Number five Marquette beat
number eleven Wisconsin eighty eight seventy four upset. In the NBA,
Washington had lost sixteen in a row, but beat Denver
one twenty two one thirteen. Nikola Jokicic had fifty six

(01:49:41):
points in the loss, the rest of his team had
fifty seven. Detroit and Oklahoma City each one on the
road Cleveland as well. Dallas won at seventh straight Miami
and Memphis with wins Memphis one. At Boston won twenty
one one twenty seven to one twenty one. The Celtics
from three point range tonight were eight team for sixty,

(01:50:01):
drew Holiday four of seventeen from long distance, Jason Tatum
one of ten in the loss. And finally to baseball,
the San Francisco Giants are reportedly signing shortstop Willia Damas
to a seven year, one hundred and eighty two million
dollar contract, and this weekend Baseball Hall of Fame the
Classic Era Committee is considering an eight man ballot of

(01:50:22):
contributors before nineteen eighty. The committee meets tomorrow at the
Winter Meetings in Dallas among the eight finalists up for
the Hall of Fame, Dave Parker, Dick Allen, Louis Tiant,
and Ken Boyer.

Speaker 2 (01:50:34):
Back to you, Thank you very much, Steve the Segar
to Seger have a great evening back on Sunday Night
with Arnie Spanier and Chris Plank and so Mark Willard.
Fox Sports Radio Aer Tors Json Martin broadcasting live from
the Tyreck dot Com studios. Tell you what, Jamart will
come back. We'll wrap the show with some look ahead
previews to Week fourteen in the NFL. We got to

(01:50:56):
give our final pick SMU versus Bama for what we
believe to be the final college football playoff spot. That's
all next, Fox Sports.

Speaker 1 (01:51:04):
Are you.

Speaker 2 (01:51:06):
Welcome back everybody? Fox Sports Radio, Eric Towards Jason Martin
taking me up till two am Eastern Time. Bernie Fratto
of The Bernie Fratto Show will follow us in just
fourteen minutes from now. Tell you what, j mart we
haven't talked at all about anything related to Week fourteen

(01:51:32):
of the NFL. Obviously. Look, it's a rare night, you know,
it feels like every year on this night. I remember
last year we did Alabama and Florida State for essentially
the whole show tonight. It's basically Alabama versus Smu'll tell
you what. Let's very quickly look at some of the
big games on Sunday in week fourteen in the NFL. Mary,
give us some music Ian. Which game are we looking
at first? Yeah, let's start with the Sunday night games.

(01:51:54):
So Los Angeles Chargers, they are going too arrowhead to
face the Kansas City Chiefs are favored by four. What
do you guys think? J Mark, go ahead.

Speaker 1 (01:52:05):
I like Kansas City. The weather just I mean, it's
Kansas City in December. I imagine it will be I
haven't looked at the temperature, but I imagine it will
be pretty cold. I don't like the chances of Chargers
going to that building and winning, even though I think
Kansas City is definitely beatable in terms of They've been
escaping by the skin of their teeth more often than

(01:52:25):
not this year, but they keep on escaping for the
most part, and I think that I just don't think
the Chargers going on the road in this scenario is
one where they win.

Speaker 2 (01:52:35):
Yeah, so I'm with you. You know you talk about escaping, Listen,
I don't want to say that they escaped, they being
the Chargers from Atlanta, but you have under two hundred
yards of total offense last week. And again you want
to give the defense credit for forcing four turnovers for
Kirk Cousins interceptions, but it doesn't change the fact that
you still had under two hundred yards of total offense.

(01:52:56):
Patrick Mahomes ain't throwing four interceptions. You're on the road,
and I just don't know if this offense can muster enough.
I know Casey is certainly not operating at the highest
level on offense, but I don't think this is a
game that favors the Chargers. Give me Casey to win.

Speaker 9 (01:53:10):
All right, Let's go to the Monday night game. Got
two franchises not exactly where they want to be right now.
The Cincinnati Bengals are going up against the Dallas Cowboys.
It's in Arlington. Cowboys are favored by five and a
half points. What do we think, jam A, you got
any Joe Burrow takes?

Speaker 1 (01:53:26):
Yeah, I'm kidding. I don't understand. Like it's become very
trendy in national media to start dogging on Joe Burrow.
I've seen this from multiple NFL analysts on a network
that will not be named that I just don't get it,
Like do you believe this or you being told to
say this this whole like you can't close. It's his

(01:53:47):
fault that they're four and eight or whatever the record
is at this standpoint. All this meanwhile, highest QBR in
the league, he's every time you look up, he's sting
another touchdown. But somehow it's his fault that the defense
can't stop anybody, and forty five points doesn't seem to
be enough to win for them. Like what exactly does
Joe Burrow need to do to get the benefit of

(01:54:07):
the doubt from these people? Like seriously, I don't understand,
like why it's become trendy to go after Joe Burrow.
By the way, I like Cincinnati to win the game
over Dallas because of the aforementioned Joe Burrow.

Speaker 2 (01:54:20):
So Alex Saty too, let me ask you this really
quick before you get to one more game. MICHAEH. Parsons
earlier today, I believe it is either yesterday or today
at some sort of media availability, said he thinks the
Cowboys should run things back, which would include Mike McCarthy.
What's your take on that?

Speaker 1 (01:54:37):
Same thing. I mean, he said it, and Dak said
something similar a handful of days ago. I look at
this the same way I look at anything that's happening
in the present tense, Like you're not gonna dog out
Mike McCarthy while he still has the job and you
play on that football team. Like, just from a political, optical,
diplomatic standpoint, you can say snide dings and all this stuff,

(01:54:58):
but you're not gonna bury your current while he's still
your current coach. Even if you believe he needs to go,
you say that behind closed doors. That's not generally Yeah, man,
our coach needs to go. He stinks Like that's not
something that generally has ever said. It's like this guy
that you have at quarterback, Oh man, he's definitely gonna
be my quarterback of the future. I think it was

(01:55:19):
Matt Ruhle said that about Cam Newton, but that's because
Cam Newton was still there in Carolina at the time.
It's like, what's he gonna say now? That dude's terrible.
I hope we get rid of him. Like, you don't
do that in the present tense about something that hasn't
taken place. So I kind of take it with a
grain of salt. Maybe they like McCarthy. Maybe I'm overreacting
to this. I just kind of listen to both of

(01:55:40):
these things. I'm like, yeah, this is what you say
about your current head football coach. Like virtually nobody's gonna
go out and bury the guy while he's still wearing
your team's colors. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:55:51):
And I think the other issue becomes and I don't
think anybody's listening to Micah Parsons on like what the
decision will be. But Mike McCarthy has no contracts, so
you're not gonna give him a one year contract. It
makes no sense. By the way, I'm with you. I
don't think mich McCarthy will be back. I don't think
he should be back. I don't think he should be
back this year. And I like the Bengals to win.
On Sunday, Ian give us one more game really quick.

Speaker 9 (01:56:14):
Weirdly, one of the more competitive games of the weekend,
Seattle Seahawks versus the Arizona Cardinals.

Speaker 2 (01:56:18):
The Cardinals are the home team, they're favored by three.

Speaker 1 (01:56:20):
What do we think?

Speaker 2 (01:56:22):
Jaymard any Hot takes on this.

Speaker 1 (01:56:23):
One that these are the two best teams in the division.
Crazy which if you had said that at the beginning
of the year, well, I mean the Rams. Rams have
a lot of talent, but they've just become very uninteresting
to me this year. Seattle's pretty interesting, Arizona's very interesting.
I like Arizona at home. I think Arizona is the
team that I would like to see come out of

(01:56:43):
this division the most because I think they'd be the
most fun to watch in the playoffs. They do some
interesting stuff on defense. Gannon has brought that to him
and I just I like the young collection of talent.
Connor just got paid at the running back position for
his hard work over there. Harrison's coming into his own.
I like the way Kyler's playing. Give me Arizona, and
I kind of enjoyed watching them this.

Speaker 2 (01:57:05):
Year, so listen. Arizona's on a two game losing streak. Obviously,
last week they lost by one at Minnesota, and they
just played two weeks ago, and we're competitive even though
they lost to the Seahawks. I will take Arizona at
home as well. Not sure how much time we have left,
j Mart, but let's wrap the show with the conversation
that will take us up until noon Eastern on Sunday,

(01:57:27):
the twelve team college football playoff bracket will be announced.
We believe eleven teams have unofficially confirmed their spots and
the last team the last spot will come down to
an eleven and two SMU versus a nine to three
Alabama final pick. Who do you think gets that spot?

Speaker 1 (01:57:46):
I believe SMU will be in. Alabama will be on
the outside looking in. I did see I'm seeing, you know,
some of the predictions come out from some of our
colleagues in the national media. I saw Heather Dennich actually
has SMU in at eleven and Clemson in at twelve,
which is pi a to me.

Speaker 2 (01:58:00):
Well, I have seen I've seen the opposite. I've seen
people make the argument SMU gets in at twelve and
Clemson one spot ahead, but keep keep going it.

Speaker 1 (01:58:09):
No, I agree with that. I agree with that, but
I think it if it were to go with SMU
at eleven and Clemson at twelve, then again, what's the
point of the conference championship game at that point in time? Like,
in terms of winning it, Clemson had to win it
to get in at all, but the fact that they
couldn't even get above the team that they beat is
kind of hilarious, But I just I do not think,

(01:58:30):
especially you have administrators and people in that room that
really do want these conference championship games, that like the revenue,
that like the split, that like all of that stuff.
I think that they have to make sure that those
things have any relevant whatsoever. And if SMU gets left out,
the conference championship games have gotta go. And I think

(01:58:51):
if they're if all other things come equal, then SMU
gets in because of that. I think ultimately though, they
should because you can't be penali or you should not
be penalized for achievement. When your resume was good enough
to have you in before you played that game, then
it shouldn't affect If everybody didn't have to play the game,
then that should not affect you in a negative way.

Speaker 2 (01:59:14):
Yeah, so I'm with you one hundred percent. I think
SMU does get in, and I think we're headed towards
the world without conference championship games. I don't think this
committee wants to be the reason why we got to
get out of here. I want to thank the crew,
Mary mack on the board, producer Ian Steve Desager from
a partner Jason Martin, I'm here Torus. Make sure to
download the podcast. If you love college football, you'll need
this for the next twelve hours. Coming up next, Bernie

(01:59:35):
Fratto of The Bernie Fratto Show. Bernie follows us. This
is Fox Sports Radio.

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