Fox Sports Radio's Countdown to Kickoff Presented by BetMGM!

Brian Noe, Rich Ohrnberger, and Jared Smith talk about the latest CFP rankings as we head into the home stretch of the college football season, preview the biggest games of the day, including USC @ Oregon, Missouri @ Oklahoma, and more! Plus, Parlay Platter, Prop It Up, and Rapid Fire!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're ready to witness football fans, Welcome to the biggest
tailgate party in the nation.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
That'd be.

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Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff, presented.

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By BEP.

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Make it legendary. We're setting you up with the information
you need to watch your team win.

Speaker 3 (00:24):
Let's go.

Speaker 1 (00:25):
We're here to break.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
It all down.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
Yeah, God, this is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff,
presented by Bett eg App. No, we're live from your tailgate.
Here's Brian Nook, former Penn State All American, Rich Hornberger,
and FSR betting analyst Jared Smith.

Speaker 4 (00:45):
Oh what is going on? Welcome in here as we
get you all set for a full slate, full slate
of college football over here. If you believe the season
is winding down, but it is, but we're gonna be positive.
It's going to be positive as we're looking toward the
college football playoff and we've got the ultimate game of

(01:05):
musical chairs. Who's going to be left without a seat
when the music stops. We'll get into all of that.
We'll get into James Franklin, brand new head coach at
Virginia Tech.

Speaker 2 (01:17):
Yeah, how about thought it?

Speaker 4 (01:19):
Lane Kiffin. It's obvious, right, gonna be the new head
coach at LSU.

Speaker 5 (01:23):
Is it not right?

Speaker 4 (01:24):
Like that's now we're waiting until after the Egg Bowl
next week.

Speaker 5 (01:31):
The prediction markets already have it nailed.

Speaker 4 (01:33):
Oh really, what they're betting on LSU?

Speaker 5 (01:38):
Yeah, that that he's going to go to LSU.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
And and these.

Speaker 5 (01:41):
Prediction markets have gotten pretty accurate with this kind of stuff.

Speaker 4 (01:47):
It's just obvious, man, Like, listen, you know if it's
you know, it's November in South Bend, Indiana and it's
a really dark, cloudy day.

Speaker 2 (01:59):
It's rain.

Speaker 4 (02:01):
I don't want it to rain. It's gonna rain, Okay,
Like that's how I feel with Lane Kiffin. It's just
it's like walking outside, You're like, wow, the sky is
it couldn't be more gray. It's gonna rain. Like the
sky is like an LSU sky And I walk out
and I'm like, it's gonna LSU today. It's gonna that's Lane.
Lane is going to LSU. Man, Like the handwriting is

(02:23):
on the wall. He's not going back to Ole Miss.
He's leaving and he's taking a power job at LSU.
And I'd be stunned if it goes any other way
than that.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yeah. Yeah, Well, you know what's funny is I think.

Speaker 6 (02:39):
And by the way, before we talk about what this
means for LSU and Lane Kiffin and you know, sort
of all of the facets you can look through this, uh,
this situation, I mean, speaking more globally on the sport
of college football. And I'll probably finish with a question

(03:00):
because I would love your guys thoughts on this. I mean,
this has always been a part of the game, right
as long as I've played at least, you know, So
we're going back to two thousand and four when I
left high school and I signed up to be a
Penn State nitny lyon, not even really understanding what that

(03:21):
meant or where I was going or how life was
going to turn out, or you know, even really having
a full understanding of who the head coach was or
even what conference Penn State plays in, you know, because
I didn't grow up in a college football family. I
was indoctrinated into this world when I started playing football
at the collegiate level. I started playing football in eighth grade,

(03:44):
so I only had five years of experience before then.
But I digress to say, like I've learned a lot
since two thousand and four, and if there's one thing
I've learned is that there's a sort of acceptable nature
around movement of head coaches. And you know, if a
head coach has another opportunity spring up and say, hey,

(04:09):
you get to take your resume which whatever it is.
You know, you really talented coordinator, you're going to get
a shot at being a head coach. Now, really talented
head coach at a lower level school, you're about to
level up. That has been a part of the game
for a long time. A lot of people have gotten
used to the idea that if their head coach has

(04:31):
had a successful season and you're a fan of a
group of five team, well guess what, he's probably going
to be a head coach real soon of one of
these Power five and now Power four programs.

Speaker 2 (04:42):
That's just the way it works.

Speaker 6 (04:45):
The interesting part is you see a lot of people
get really up in arms about transfers, transfers of players.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
You know, the nil money.

Speaker 6 (04:57):
You know, part of this deal with LSU is Lane
is about to get it broke off again. You know,
Ole Miss is going to have you know, some sort
of exit clause that either donors at LSU are gonna
have to pay or you know, some sort of corporate
sponsor who's involved at some level, like it there's tons
of money that is about to change hands over Lane

(05:19):
Kiffen being a Tiger.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
Uh, now you know it's it's it's.

Speaker 6 (05:24):
Such a it's such a crazy thing that that it's
about to happen to both of these programs, and everybody
seems to sort of like look at it and say, like, hey,
good for Lane er Man, he's really screwing old miss,
but they sort of accept it as part of the game.
Why is it so different when it's players? Why does

(05:45):
why does that just why doesn't that hit the same?
It seems to hit so different with everybody when it
comes to players.

Speaker 5 (05:52):
I agree honestly that that that is a very unique
part of the landscape because you could argue that these
coach swap teams significantly more and at higher values than
the players. I mean, for example, Lane's about to be
the highest paid coach in college football right with Kirby

(06:13):
Smart Like it's going to be thirteen million. That's what
the offer is, and it looks like the player offer
Like now it's a double edge sword. Now you not
only have to offer the coaches contract, but then you
also have to come up with some kind of dollar
amount for the roster. It looks like twenty five million
is kind of the arbitrary number I've seen floated around
here by a lot of the sources. On three does

(06:35):
a great job reporting this stuff, Pete Nakos and their team,
and that is probably going to be the news outlet
that breaks this once it does become official. But it
does look like Lane to Lsu and that was the
money that I saw come into the prediction markets yesterday.
It was Lane Lsu Jedfish Florida money. Those were the

(06:55):
two steam moves I saw. Drink Whi's still the favorite
to be the Penn State head coach, but Bob Chesney
of JMU took a lot of money yesterday. I think
that's the backup plan. That would be one heck of
a jump. That would be a front ridiculous jump. Frankly,
to go from JMU with not a ton of experience

(07:17):
prior to that and then go to Penn State. Now
Chesney is from central Pennsylvania, I think that matters. I
think Drinkwitz is connection to Zalars, the number one high
school recruit quarterback recruit from PA going to Missouri this year.
I think that matters for Drinkwitz and his connection to
Penn State. But the sec right now, it looks like

(07:38):
Lane holds all the cards. I don't think any of
the other moves take place until Lane filters down. And
then yesterday you had the Kaitlin debor chaos scenario get
thrown into the market. I think that was Jimmy Sexton saying,
let me try to cash in on some of these
other moves and get a little leverage on Alabama. And
then the Alabama fans like, wait a minute, we've been

(07:59):
here a year, you haven't won, you know, squat yet
you're already asking for a race. So I there's so
much jockeying right now, and it's all around Lane Kiffen,
who holds all the cards. In this entire scenario. Nothing
will happen Brian until Lane makes his decision, which it
does look like that is imminent.

Speaker 4 (08:16):
Okay, let's get to the nitty gritty, all right, we've
delayed it long enough. I don't know what takes that long.
Notre Dame. That's what the heart, that's what's on the
hearts and minds of everybody listening right.

Speaker 5 (08:26):
Yea, they're playing syirqu say, thirty five point favorite. That's
a very important game.

Speaker 4 (08:29):
Not that college football playoff standings over here, So Notre
Dame ranked number nine. What's crazy is we're getting closer
and closer to this knockdown dragout already to being an
epic knockdown dragout between Notre Dame and Miami, who gets
in if it comes down to a final spot. And

(08:50):
right now, the committee, the playoff Committee, the chair, the
new chair. Right we had the old chair get replaced
by the new chair. The new chair is saying that
the committee they're not even comparing Notre Dame in Miami
yet because they're not even close to each other in
the rankings, not in the committee's eyes, which is wild
to me. They're looking at the quality losses. Of course,

(09:13):
Notre Dame they lost to Texas A and M and
they lost to Miami. They lost to two teams that
are currently in the top thirteen. Miami lost to two
teams that are unranked. So as far as that goes, yeah,
Notre Dame has the better quality losses. But to say
they're not even comparable right now, I don't know. I
say that you look at both teams, they're both eight

(09:35):
and two. Notre Dame doesn't have any great wins. They
beat USC, Miami doesn't have like a whole resume of
great wins. They beat Notre Dame. But at some point,
head to head has got a factor in here. Like
I'm from South Bend. I hate to say any of
these things, but if it was flip flopped and Notre
Dame had the head to head wind is, oh my gosh,

(09:57):
I'd be going crazy right now? What is the committee
talking about? So I think you gotta be fair when
it comes to this. And for these Notre Dame fans
that are like, how could they?

Speaker 2 (10:09):
What are they?

Speaker 4 (10:10):
These Miami arguments and what are they talking to? Look
at the resumes and it's like, would you be saying
any of these things if Notre Dame had the head
to head win, I doubt they would.

Speaker 2 (10:20):
Yeah. Yeah, you know what's interesting.

Speaker 6 (10:22):
I was reading an article that Fox put out where
Joel Klatt said that the committee made a mistake of
ranking Notre Dame above Alabama.

Speaker 4 (10:33):
Yes, right, look at look at the quality wins from Alabama, Yeah,
compared to Notre Dame. Like, it's it's not in.

Speaker 5 (10:39):
Reason to see bias. The hell of a drug guy.

Speaker 4 (10:41):
Yeah, it's right now, and.

Speaker 6 (10:43):
That's true, you know, And I think that's something where Look,
we can all drink that kool aid from time to
time as well.

Speaker 2 (10:49):
Everybody can. We're all humans.

Speaker 6 (10:52):
We're all watching this game through our own perspective or
our own lens.

Speaker 3 (10:56):
You know.

Speaker 6 (10:57):
It's weird to really think about life this way, but
you do kind of create your own reality when I
experience an environment, like say we go to a Vegas casino,
maybe my eyes are drawn to the tables, you know,
whereas somebody else will walk in and their eyes are
drawn to the slot machines. And somebody else will walk

(11:18):
in and they'll feel overwhelmed because there's just a bunch
of lights and noise and they can't wait to get
to their room. And you know, somebody else's will be
drawn to the restaurant in the far distance because all
of a sudden they're hungry. Like in a really clouded landscape,
it's very easy to focus in on one little thing

(11:40):
or be over stimulated by the mess. Well, if you're
a fan of a certain team and you're looking at
twenty five teams and how they're ranked, of course you're
going to be laser focused on your team and where
they are ranked, and how that doesn't really fit that
puzzle piece doesn't really fit into the spot it's slatted at.
But then you sort of and I'm not saying you're

(12:01):
doing this, Brian, or anybody's doing this, or me or
the expert analysts who watch, you know, college football games
from the vantage point of a booth like Joel Klatt,
but you can get hyper focused on one aspect of
the puzzle and lose that, lose the fact that.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
You're trying to make all of the pieces fit.

Speaker 6 (12:23):
Now again, I hate to be dismissive of this list,
and I know we're getting closer and closer than end
of the season, but I feel like we still get
a little too hot and bothered about the CFP this
At this point in the season, there's still so much
that can happen in the next couple of weeks that

(12:44):
is going to influence where these teams finish.

Speaker 2 (12:47):
So I get it.

Speaker 6 (12:48):
Maybe the pole position of your favorite team isn't where
it should be, or maybe you're thinking about, hey, you know,
I mean, I'm thinking we got no shot. Just wait,
because chaos means this season in college football a lot
could change between now and then.

Speaker 5 (13:05):
It's a fantastic point. I tweeted this out last week.
I said, I, if you're upset about the ratings, just
wait a week and then they'll change. And if you're
upset about him next week, wait another week and then
they'll change and repeat, lather, inter repeat up until about
I don't know, first second week of December, whenever they
officially become uh set in Stone. Yeah, Brian. The Oklahoma

(13:26):
or excuse me, the Notre Dame Miami discussion is unique.
I think it all comes down to quality losses. And
we've discussed this on the show multiple times, multiple times.
I remember last year we talked about this a ton.
They care more about who you lost to than who
you be. It's weird, it's a it's backwards, but that's

(13:47):
the reality that we live in. We've now been given
at least one full season of precedent for this, and
that's all we really have to go on. Because handicapping
this race is very similar to handicapping the awards races
in not only college football, but also the NFL and
all the other sports too. But let's stick into the
football world here. It's politics. It's the closest thing sports

(14:12):
has to politics, whereas in most sporting events, all sporting
events really, unless you get some weird ones, there's a
winner and a loser. That's why I love I've covered
everything in my days of news reporting, TV reporting. I
hated politics, covered a lot of it in New York City.
Hated it. Why there's always gray area. Nobody really wins

(14:32):
or loses. There's always a way to spin it. Not
in this case. In sports, whoever plays today wins or
loses the game, and that's it. But this particular argument
and the awards markets talking about MVP Heisman, there's nuance
that we have to kind of grasp. And the nuance
in this case is the voters. What do the voting

(14:55):
trends tell us, Well, they're telling us that the loss
does matter more than the wins. So if that's what
the voters are giving us as information, that is what
we have to fix our brains on. So instead of
being upset, Oh, Notre Dame they lost to Miami, Why
it's not that simple. There is nuance to this and

(15:17):
the nuances they care more about who Miami lost to
than who Notre Dame beat, and that is strange. But
that's just the reality that we live in when the
college will playoff.

Speaker 4 (15:29):
Well, listen, I think some of it does make some sense,
where basically the committee is saying, why are we just
going by head to head and that's the only thing
to consider, you know, Like to start from there does
make some sense. I get where they're starting out, but
to stay there and to end there, I'm like, yeah,

(15:50):
you kind of lost me on that, because, man, if
the roles are reversed, I would be losing my freaking
mind if Notre Dame had the head to head win
and we're sitting here like, no, but look at the
overall picture, Like, screw the overall picture. We won the game, right, Like,
so I get that they're considering more than just head
to head, but man, when Notre Dame doesn't have like

(16:13):
quality win after quality win, it's a rough, rough sell.
And I think that's the thing going back to Riches point,
that's the hard thing for any fan base to take,
or any team to take, which is like, hey, settle down,
things still could work out with you if you receive
the appropriate amount of help, right, Like Miami needs help here,

(16:33):
and that's a tough thing, Like what do you mean
settled down? We should control our own path. We don't
control our own path. We're still four spots lower than
Notre Dame. What are you talking about? Right, Like that's
what they're saying here. So it's funny. Like I used
to work with this guy in South Bend named Colin
Burns who did radio at the beginning, and he always
used to say it applied to college football in college basketball,

(16:56):
and he used to say, it's about who you played
and who you be. And for a long time that's
what it was about. Now we get to this committee
now with the twelve team college football playoff, it's expanded.
Now it's who you played, who you beat, who you
lost to. And when you said this, Jared, this is
a good point recency bias, Like imagine if it's flip flopped, Okay,

(17:18):
instead of Notre Dame losing the first two games of
the year, Miami did. Miami loses the first two games
of the season. Notre Dame. They lose two of three
kind of in the midway part of the season, including
a head to head to Miami. There's no way Notre
Dame is ranked higher than Miami. So it's like when

(17:38):
you lost matters to which I think is garbage. I
don't think just because you dropped a game recently that
should matter way more than dropping games at the beginning
of the year. So I just I don't like the mindset.
I don't like the thought process of the committee, and
it favors Notre Dame, which I should love. I do
love that, but uh man, I just don't like the

(17:59):
thinking behind how they got to this point at all.

Speaker 6 (18:02):
Yeah, yeah, and you know what there is going to
be and we're all aware of this because I think
this has happened every year throughout the course of our
time doing this show together. There's going to be a
team or teams that we disagree where they're slotted in
the CFP. But you know what's so interesting is this

(18:23):
is like an eight week problem. This is about a
two month problem, and then it goes away once we
get to playoff time and there's nothing anybody can do
about it.

Speaker 2 (18:34):
And it's gonna be, in this.

Speaker 6 (18:35):
Case, twelve teams and we're gonna have them all loaded
up and we're gonna see where, you know where, whoever
lands we're going. The debate shifts to that, like there
there there is no longer any conversation about hey, how.

Speaker 2 (18:50):
Did these teams get here?

Speaker 6 (18:52):
And then, frankly, once a champion is is named a
lot of times, and you guys know this, we sort
of move on from the narrative of the whole bracket altogether.
Like I mean, in the NBA Final, it's you know,
the the Haliburton injury is going to be a tiny,
teeny tiny little footnote in the in NBA's history. You know,

(19:15):
we'll talk about the champion, but we we we won't
focus on the minutia especially, and oddly we won't even
focus on some of the key reasons why a champion
was named. But but that is as big as anything.
But that's how the sports mind works. It's all recency bias.
It's it's here's what's happening now, and that's the reason

(19:37):
why I feel so important. But again, spin the clock
forward a month, it'll feel like nothing. And so that's
the reason why I try my hardest not to get
caught up in the weekly CFP rankings, because again, if
you don't like it this week, just wait a week
because it's gonna be completely different.

Speaker 2 (19:55):
Yep.

Speaker 5 (19:56):
And I agree with Brian about the recency bias thing.
It's weird, but It's just the way human beings operate.
It's just the way our brains operate. We are very
quick to forget things that happen. Do you remember what
you had for lunch two days ago? Like, No, We're
just very quick to forget things that happened in the past,
and very quick to It is how we are programmed

(20:19):
to just have this immediate gut reaction to things and
then to push it down and push down what took
place in the past. It's really a defence mechanism, you know,
for our brains to remove the things that hurt us
in the past and to only remember the things that
are more recent. Right when something happens bad, you go
to comfort food for people do it all the time. Oh,

(20:41):
I'm just gonna eat, you know, pink to Ben and
Jerry's tonight, and I'm gonna feel better because I'm not
gonna forget about the things just happen. I'm gonna remember
the Ben and Jerry's and how delicious it was. Right
Like and by the way, the show is not sponsored
by Ben and Jerry's, but it can be sure. Why not,
let's just throw that into the mix too. I love that.
I love that ice cream whenever I do eat it.
There needs to be some kind of level balance with

(21:01):
the way they view each game, Brian. But it just
it just doesn't seem like that's the case.

Speaker 4 (21:06):
No, it's certainly not.

Speaker 5 (21:07):
All right.

Speaker 4 (21:07):
We're off and running. We've got Rich Orenberger, Ben State
All American, Jared Smith FSR betting analyst. I'm Brian No.
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(21:29):
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Coming up next, the track record for this team in
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Coming up It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff,
presented by BETMGM.

Speaker 1 (21:47):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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Speaker 4 (21:58):
Live here Covino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern. But here's the thing. We
never have enough time to get to everything we want
to get.

Speaker 7 (22:07):
To, and that's why we have a brand new podcast
called over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun
in our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy is over promising things we never have
time for. Yeah, you blubber list lame in me.

Speaker 4 (22:22):
Well, you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years.

Speaker 7 (22:26):
Well, it's a Covino and Rich after show, and we
want you to be a part of it. We're gonna
be talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk
life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing
about something or we didn't have enough time, it will
continue on our after show called over Promised. Well, if
you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make sure you
check out over Promised and also Uncensored, by the way,
so maybe we'll go at it.

Speaker 4 (22:47):
Even a little harder. It's gonna be the best after
show podcast of all time.

Speaker 7 (22:50):
There you go, over promising. Remember you could see on YouTube,
but definitely join us. Listen over promised with Covino and
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get your podcasts.

Speaker 4 (23:02):
It is Fox Sports Radios. Countdown to Kickoff presented by
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(23:23):
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in the BETMGM app. All right, we've got number twenty
Tennessee against Florida today and uh, man, Tennessee not great,
not great. In the swamp over there in Gainesville, we

(23:45):
were talking an eleven game losing streak. The last time
that Tennessee beat Florida in Gainesville. We're talking two thousand
and three. That a long time ago, man, But uh now,
we're looking at Tennessee, ranked team seven and three on
the season, taking down taking on a lowly three and

(24:05):
seven Gators team head coach has been fired, right Like
the quarterback play hasn't been good with DJ Lagway. They
are a sitting duck right here. But hey, the betting public,
they've been loading up on the Gators here. They're down
to a three and a half point home dog. And
for Tennessee, I always think this, man, Tennessee's defense is awful, awful,

(24:30):
And that's the thing. When you're on the road with
an awful defense, sometimes really hard to cover any number.
And the three and a half doesn't sound like a
whole lot until you start like, oh man, are we
gonna get stops at any point here? Like, yeah, it
could be really tough for Tennessee, even in this spot
to get this win and cover this spread.

Speaker 6 (24:49):
You know, I look at Tennessee like a lot of
people do. On paper, they seem like they're a really
good offense, and I think overall that that is true.
But when you dig in and you analyze the games
and their their statistical achievements a little bit deeper, they're
not a highly efficient offense. You know, they will have

(25:13):
sort of fits and starts throughout the season, and by
the way, mostly starts.

Speaker 2 (25:18):
They've they've been good.

Speaker 6 (25:19):
They've been good a big portion, but against the better competition,
they can struggle at times, especially when they're knocked off schedule.

Speaker 2 (25:28):
Okay, so if.

Speaker 6 (25:30):
You look at the Tennessee volunteers on early downs, if
they're if they're doing a good job setting themselves up
for you know, second medium and then third and short
to third and manageable, they're really good.

Speaker 2 (25:43):
They're they're very efficient offense.

Speaker 6 (25:45):
But when they get knocked off schedule and they get
set up for third and longer situations, man, they're on
the struggle bus. And guess what, Florida does a nice
job of getting teams into third and long situations.

Speaker 2 (26:00):
And so this is one of those.

Speaker 6 (26:01):
Oddly specific matches matchups specifically when you look at Tennessee's
limitations offensively and what Florida does well defensively, even though
it's a down year, even though.

Speaker 2 (26:13):
They had to fire their coach.

Speaker 6 (26:15):
This is a live home dog because you get Tennessee
at home, they're the favorites. You're under the lights in
the swamp, a place where the vaults have struggled.

Speaker 2 (26:29):
I mean, right.

Speaker 6 (26:29):
Now, if you're asking me to choose a side, you know,
in terms of the spread, right now, I like the Gators.

Speaker 5 (26:37):
Yeah, the public loves the Gators. It's most popular underdog.
Based on what I'm seeing at that MGM. We can
ask Seamus a little bit later when he hops on
with us, but it definitely looks like the most intriguing
storyline in this game from a betting perspective is the
one Brian mentioned off the top, and the fact that
Tennessee just really struggles in Gainesville. I don't have a

(27:00):
on this game that I really like. I think at
Florida's core, their defense is equipped to slow down Tennessee.
The problem is Tennessee plays so fricking fast. If Florida
doesn't have their wind, like if they're not up for
that cardiovascular challenge, they will lose this game. I do

(27:21):
like Tennessee's offense a lot. I like Aguilar. I think
he's a he's a real tough, gritty kid. It's a
shame that Tennessee lost that weird, funky game to Oklahoma
a couple of weeks ago. This game would have mattered
a lot more for Tennessee. Obviously Oklahoma would have been done,
but for Tennessee it would have mattered a lot more
because it would have set up a huge game next
week against Vandy. I don't know where Tennessee's mind is

(27:42):
right now. Like they've got three losses, they're out of
the playoff, They're going to a place where they never win,
and the number is moving against it. Like it seems
like everything is telling me to bet Florida. To hear
like everything all the lights are flashing. Gators, Gators, gators'
That's what I'm like, all right, what am I missing here?

(28:03):
I would lean Florida, but I honestly don't have a
very strong opinion on this game.

Speaker 4 (28:09):
Yeah, it's it should be fun. I'm curious about maybe
in prop it up. You know, jaden Baugh, the Florida
running back. This is a close game and man, Tennessee's
defense is so bad and they just feed baw you
know what I mean. It's that we'll get to the
Oregon game a little bit later. Oregon has like four
dudes that have had at least forty two carries, forty

(28:31):
two rushing attempts. You know, So if you're thinking about
taking a prop with an Oregon running back. You run
the risk if you're on the over of your guy
not getting enough carries, you know, and instead of your
guy like ripping off the twenty three yard run, it's
the other guy. And you're like, oh my gosh, that's
not what you have to worry about. With Florida. They
just feed baw feed them, feed them, feed them. And

(28:53):
that's a tough thing if you're on the under and
you're like, man, this guy just gets like three yards here,
four yards there. That adds up and he accumulates a
rushing total right there. I like, bought it, go over, man.
But we'll get to that and prop it up next hour.
How about another game here where it might not be
top of mind, but if you're up for a minute,

(29:14):
like an ugly slobber knocker. How about Illinois against Wisconsin
in later November shreary skies. You know, both defenses are
coming into form here. Illinois has played better defense lately
and Wisconsin has played good defense for a little while here.
I do not look for this to be a shootout
in any capacity. So if you're looking at the under,

(29:38):
that might be a spot to focus on. It's only
forty one and a half in Illinois Wisconsin. But I'll
tell you what, that's the way to make an ugly
game look pretty is if you're on the under and
like no one's scoring. That could be the case today.

Speaker 2 (29:50):
That's a good point. Yeah, you know, it's so funny.

Speaker 6 (29:52):
I'm so quick to be dismissive of games that I
have zero interest in in terms of in in terms
of how how I view the game altogether. But that
is a piece to the puzzle, right, you know, a
great way to enjoy a bad game or a game
that isn't going you know, a rain game between two
teams that are you know, only partially efficient in the

(30:17):
in the passing game anyways, and maybe rely on the
run game.

Speaker 2 (30:20):
Like you're you're you're not going.

Speaker 6 (30:22):
To be all that wowed by the box score unless
you're on the under, you know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (30:28):
Like so, so it's a great point.

Speaker 6 (30:30):
You can sort of sniff them out and if you
want any reason, you know, we could get to ILLINOI
in a second. But if you want any reason to
believe that the under probably will hit Wisconsin is like
onto their fourth string quarterback. Now they they brought in
a transfer who was there? I believe on paper to
start the season would have been their third string guy,

(30:53):
Danny O'Neil from San Diego State. He started all but
a full season for the Aztecs last year, and he
got carted off the field with a lower leg injury.
So I mean they they are destitute at that position.
It's been a long year for both these teams, but
especially the Badgers and especially offensively, because look, sometimes you

(31:16):
are set up to have success in a year, and
I'm not making excuses for anybody, because everybody has their problems,
but sometimes.

Speaker 2 (31:23):
A year just ain't your year.

Speaker 6 (31:25):
And considering how many injuries they've had, specifically at the
most important position in football, I mean the Badgers, they
just couldn't compete this year, especially in that conference.

Speaker 5 (31:37):
Yeah that This game has had very little line movement,
very little real any buzz, not a not a real
sexy game. The most interesting part about this game is
Belama's revenge, like the revenge tour. Like you know, he
coached at Wisconsin for I think six years and now
he's the Illinois coach. Like I think that's frankly the

(31:59):
most interesting part of this game. It would be a
little bit more interesting if we had some kind of
information about Luke Fickle, you know, and you know what
his future would be. But we already know that story.
Wisconsin has, you know, pretty much locked him up and
said he's coming back, even though it was a disastrous year.
Remember I'm old enough to remember when everyone thought Illinois

(32:20):
was going to be the sleeper team this year, that
Newton pan out. I was very down on that narrative.
That made no sense to me. And frankly, their best
win against USC was very much an asterisk game that
was a crazy game back and forth could have gone
either way. You don't see games Land thirty four to
thirty two too often. Illinois does have this bully mentality
to them, so I would not be surprised if they

(32:43):
do get a leg up and it being a revenge
game for Beilamo. I believe Wisconsin fired him. I don't
remember how it ended, but that you know, that's the
one angle, that's the one narrative maybe that you can
latch onto here.

Speaker 4 (32:56):
You know what's funny is I didn't notice this until now,
but the last two games we previewed they feel so different,
but they're very similar. Where if you look at Tennessee,
all right, Tennessee is ranked twentieth and they're facing an
unranked floor to team. It's seven and three versus three
and seven. I'm intrigued by that game, right, Like, can
Tennessee win a game finally in Gainesville? Meanwhile, you compare

(33:20):
that to Illinois. They're ranked twenty first, like one spot
lower than Tennessee taking on an unranked Wisconsin team. It's
seven and three versus three and seven, same records as
the other SEC game. No interest Illinois Wisconsin. They play
at the same time tonight, Like it just it feels
so much different. It's funny because you know, like objects

(33:42):
in mirror are closer than they appear these teams, and
the matchup is a lot closer than it feels like.
The intrigue factor is not even close with the Big
ten game here, at least in my eyes. I think
you guys agree with that.

Speaker 5 (33:55):
I agree, Yeah, frankly, I don't think either game has
a ton of intrigue, but yeah, I think the game
has a little bit more.

Speaker 4 (34:01):
You just want to talk about the Irish I understand, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (34:06):
You one of my favorite team.

Speaker 4 (34:07):
We want to get to the real good stuff over here.
I got you, all right, We've got Rich Oroornberger, Penn
State All American, Jared Smith FSR betting Analyst. I'm Brian No.
Every time you make a wager at BETMGM, you earn
BETMGM rewards points that could be redeemed for things like
bonus bets or converted to MGM rewards points that can
be used towards dining shows and hotel rooms at over

(34:28):
twenty MGM resorts. And be sure to follow BETMGM across
all socials at BETMGM. All right, coming up next to
parlay platter, which have one selection for you. We pull
it together for a greater payout. We will combined picks
coming up. It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff
presented by BETMGM. It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to

(34:49):
Kickoff presented by bet MGM. No time to waste. Let's
get into the platter.

Speaker 1 (34:57):
Check this out with r late letter.

Speaker 4 (35:00):
Okay, we each have one selection for you. We pull
it together for a greater payout shared. We start with
you with something you like.

Speaker 2 (35:07):
Well.

Speaker 5 (35:08):
Ob is looking at this Bandy game and everyone wants
to bet Bandy and I get it. Bandy's fun, They're sexy,
they have a chance to make a cultural wall playoff.
We love Bandy this year, but I want to give
some love to Cutter Bowlie. That is the Kentucky quarterback
who's played really well the last couple of weeks. He's
a freshman. They put him into the lineup to replace Calzada.
Earlier in the year. He was a disaster. Then they

(35:28):
benched him. He had a chance to kind of sit
and stew and now he's back in the lineup. Played
really well against Tennessee Tech last week, had two touchdown
passes against Florida a couple weeks ago, and his over
one and a half touchdown pass prop today is plus
one ninety. So again, Kentucky's got nothing to lose. Bandy's
pass defense has been a little bit suss this year.

(35:49):
He had five touchdowns against Tennessee. He had two against
Georgia early this year. If you could throw two touchdown
passes against Georgia, you can throw two against Bandy. So
gimme Cutter Bowl over one and a half touchdown passes
the first leg of the platter, a big one, juicy
one plus one ninety.

Speaker 6 (36:07):
I like the Gators at home, and I was this
closed to taking them on the money line, but I'm
gonna take them plus three and a half. Home Dogs
nighttime game against Tennessee. It kind of feels like they
got the balls right where they want them. Tennessee really
struggles very strong or discipline defenses, and they really haven't

(36:28):
impressed as much against superior competition. And that's not what
I'm calling Florida right now. But their style is to
drag opponents into slow, methodical, early down battles, a script
that Tennessee absolutely hates. Again, this is like the Florida Gators'
Super Bowl this year. So give me the home Dogs

(36:48):
plus three and a half. I think they have the advantage.

Speaker 2 (36:51):
All right.

Speaker 4 (36:51):
We were just talking about this game, and I'm like,
you know what this is, this seems like a pick
here for the platter. How about Illinois Wisconsin me under
twenty and.

Speaker 5 (37:01):
A half in the first half.

Speaker 4 (37:03):
I think it's just gonna be an ugly game. The condition.
It's gonna be a little wet, little soggy, not gonna
be high flying whatsoever. Illinois defense has played a lot
better recently, and Wisconsin has played good defense for a
little while now, so I would expect that to continue.
So I'll take the under under twenty and a half,
which is grossly low. Like you used to some of

(37:27):
these college football totals and college football first half totals,
You're like, twenty and a half. That's gross. Yeah, I
don't think it's gross enough for them to hit the over.
I'll take the under twenty and a half in the
first half.

Speaker 2 (37:40):
There.

Speaker 5 (37:41):
I'm loving this. So without the boost, it's plus nine
to eighty, which still not a bad for a three legger.
With the boost, remember, you get a twenty five percent
profit boost to Benmgym today. I use it every Saturday
morning for this parlay plotter. It's actually just a parlay boost,
not a straight profit boos. Those are two different things,
and you have to do it a parlay style to
get the boost. And twelve twenty five.

Speaker 2 (38:04):
It's good.

Speaker 5 (38:04):
It's a nice, little, sexy, little three legger here, Bowley
over one and a half, t d passes under first half, Wisconsin,
Illinois twenty and the hook and then Florida plus three
and a half home dog against Tennessee. I like you,
you're nice.

Speaker 4 (38:21):
It's cool. Yeah, it's andy. We're locked. We're locked and loaded.
It's funny some of these and I'm not disagreeing with you, Jared,
it's gonna sound like I am. But you know, a
team like Kentucky, Let's say they score a touchdown and
it's a rushing touchdown. You're like, oh no, like they
might only get two touchdowns today, you.

Speaker 5 (38:39):
Know what I mean?

Speaker 4 (38:40):
Yeah, Yeah, it's always.

Speaker 2 (38:41):
Tricky like that.

Speaker 5 (38:42):
I have a feeling that game's gonna have some sneaky
vibes to it, like Kentucky's a feisty dog in the SEC.
Stoops is a really good cover cover machine as an
underdog and Vandy listen, of all the games in the
SEC today, this is the one game that actually has
some star Actually no Missouri two, but this game also
has some starks to it because Bandy needs to win

(39:05):
out if they want to make the playoff. How would that?
That would be wild? If Fanny makes the playoffs?

Speaker 4 (39:09):
Would Yeah, it really would be You know it's funny
too if you look at the the rankings. Vandy was
off last week. They had a bye week and they
got leapfrogged by Miami. Yeah, Andy, You're like, what what?

Speaker 2 (39:21):
What?

Speaker 4 (39:21):
What did they do?

Speaker 2 (39:22):
They beat?

Speaker 5 (39:23):
But they see next week they're gonna be fine honestly, there,
I'm I think you cannot leave out a two loss
SEC team. You just can't.

Speaker 4 (39:32):
You just can't fair enough. But uh, yeah, it is.
It's one of those deals where you're just looking like, wait,
how do you explain this exactly? It's funny because you
know we're talking about Notre Dame versus Miami, who should
be ranked where? And YadA YadA, And yet there are
other teams like Vandy who might be like, how about
us over here? We we got leapfrogged by this Miami

(39:52):
team who just beat NC State. How do you explain that? Like,
what's up with that? So you've got a lot of
teams with ay, what's up with that? Type argum? Here,
welcome to life in the college football playoff.

Speaker 2 (40:02):
Man.

Speaker 6 (40:03):
Here, we have got a quick question regarding two teams
that we have here in.

Speaker 2 (40:07):
The parlay platter.

Speaker 6 (40:08):
Yeah, could Florida Steele Vandy's coach, because now that it
feels like a fada complete that that we're going to
have Link Kiffin in LSU. He was obviously up there
on the board for Florida. Where did they pivot to? Now,
Eli Drinkwitz like, yeah, I mean.

Speaker 5 (40:27):
That's who it looks like based off of the steam,
but it could change.

Speaker 2 (40:32):
What named you throw out there?

Speaker 5 (40:33):
Jetfish the coach head coach, gotcha, gotcha. That's been the
gut so right now and again this could change. But
right now I'll give you my college football coach predictions
LSU link Kiff and Florida Jetfish kind of state Eli,
Drinwood's That's where I'm at right now on November twenty second.

Speaker 4 (40:53):
Just just make sure you add Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame.

Speaker 5 (40:56):
Marcus Freeman ain't going anywhere, don't work. Marcus Freeman is safe, right,
Like no, no, God's keep man at the show.

Speaker 4 (41:15):
Yeah right, there's gotta be some major curveball gotta be
always yeah yeah, got is it it?

Speaker 5 (41:22):
Lane? Though, like it kind of feels like it's not
laying on LSU and LSU He's going there all right?

Speaker 4 (41:29):
Coming up next, this team pulled off a huge upset
last week, but are they on upset alert this week?
We shall dive in next. Oh what is going on?
Welcome in here, Happy Saturday, full slate of college football.
We've got some great matchups to get to. Hey. Throughout
the entire football season, bet MGM will offer all different

(41:50):
types of no sweat tokens and odds boost tokens. Be
on the lookout for no sweat same game parlay tokens,
parlay boost tokens, and much more. Hot Missouri against Oklahoma
and Oklahoma with a magnificent win last week, big win,
huge win for them against the fraudulent fools gold Alabama.

(42:12):
Crimson Tide talked about last week Jared signed off, He's like,
you're right on the money, Brian. I'll tell you what
you nailed this one rich same thing, just like I'll
tell you Brian, this yeahn't been more right in a
long time than Alabama. No, it didn't go down like
I was on no island last week. It's okay, it's
all right.

Speaker 2 (42:32):
But big win.

Speaker 4 (42:32):
Nevertheless, for Oklahoma, they're five and a half point favorites
today at home against Missoo. My thing, guys, is part
of this is can you ramp it up again? It
seems like a ridiculous question right where. It's like you
got a college football playoff berth within sight, Like, what
do you mean can you ramp it up again? That

(42:54):
was such an emotional win on the road against Alabama.
It's gonna be hard to reach that same level today
against Missoo plays a physical style of football. I can't wait.
Oklahoma does a great job against the rush. Missouri does
a great job running the ball. So it is power
versus power when Missouri has the ball. I'm very excited

(43:16):
about that. Are we gonna get Bowl Prabula? Are we
gonna get your your former Penn State guy?

Speaker 5 (43:21):
Think so?

Speaker 2 (43:22):
Yeah, it looks like he's on track to play.

Speaker 4 (43:24):
Trying to pull a Matier over here, right, Like matiir
came back real quickly with that uh uh that that
hand injury, the thumb injury that he had, and he
rushed it back and looked terrible against Texas. You're looking
at Bowl Purbula. He's trying to rush back. He had
a dislocated ankle just four weeks ago and he's trying
to play today. So how limited will he be? That's

(43:46):
a big question here. But I mean it's a big
part of this is can Oklahoma reach that same emotional
level that they reached last week in Tuscaloosa. That is
not gonna be easy to do.

Speaker 6 (43:59):
Yeah, yeah, you know, And taking a snapshot of both
of these teams and then looking at the overview of
the whole game if you look at Oklahoma, I mean, obviously,
John Mattier has been the story of the season with
his limited statistical portfolio because he missed a little bit
of time, his grittiness, toughness and willing to fight for

(44:22):
his team has kept them in the hunt. And really,
I would say the key factor, even though he's been
the story, is this Oklahoma defense. They have been tremendous.
That's what's kept their season afloat a team likely to
enter with a tremendous amount of energy regardless of the
emotional drop off after an Alabama win because of the

(44:45):
CFP implications here, they can't stand a loss to Missouri.
I mean, that's just what it is now. Missouri. On
the other side, obviously, a lot of hopes were dashed recently.
This season has been derailed by injuries. Three losses will
keep them out of playoff contention, but obviously not out

(45:06):
of Big Bold contention. And so there's still a lot
to play for and they are are going to be
season runers for somebody.

Speaker 2 (45:13):
Could it be Oklahoma?

Speaker 6 (45:16):
In terms of this game, I mean, this feels like
the biggest game of Brent Venables time at Ou.

Speaker 2 (45:23):
I mean let's just call it where it is.

Speaker 6 (45:26):
This is a career defining moment for Brent Bennibles. So
when would drastically improve Oklahoma's college football playoff odds? And
since they are coming off of that enormous upset win
over Alabama, like it's like, okay, now you've done it.

Speaker 2 (45:45):
You know what I mean.

Speaker 6 (45:46):
Now you've knocked off Bama. So now you got to
see this thing through. And so the stakes could not
be higher. And it looks like given where the line
movement has gone, a lot of people are thinking, Missouri's
got a shot here.

Speaker 2 (46:02):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (46:03):
I agree, By the way, biggest game in Brett Vnnible's
head coaching career at Oklahoma. Hundred agree. And then if
he wins this game, next week will be the biggest game.
And then if he wins that one and then the
following week, will you just keep raising the stakes now?
Because this is a playoff team. Oklahoma is a playoff team.
If they went out period, end of story. Again, you

(46:24):
cannot keep out a ten win SEC team from the
college worle playoff. I'm sorry, you just can't do it.
You've got maybe an argument to keep out Oregon if
they finished ten and two maybe, but SEC can't do it.
Really tough stretch for Oklahoma, right, they lose the game
to Ole, miss tight game, back and forth. They beat

(46:46):
Tennessee on the road, they beat Bama on the road.
Now you play Missouri. I mean that you go three
and one in that stretch. Frankly, you deserve to make
the playoff. The only other stretch that I thought was
more impressive this year was that Bama round that when
they make through their four rank wins in a row
a little early in the year. I don't know what
we're gonna get from Oklahoma today. Brian made a great

(47:07):
point about matching that intensity. I do know that they're
gonna be without our Mason Thomas again, who missed last
week's game. He's gonna miss this week's game with the
quad injury. The market has been very hot and heavy
on Missouri this week for two reasons. One Oklahoma maybe
a little bit overvalued after the win last week and
the bro Pabula news, which it does look like he's
gonna play. But we have this discussion all the time,

(47:29):
especially in the NFL world, where the quarterbacks are kind
of worth this many points and we can really grade
how many points they're worth. Like we're going through this
now with the Joe Burrow news that just drop. How
we upgrade and downgrade teams accordingly based on the quarterback,
which is the most important position against the spread. It
will always account for, usually at least a field goal,
unless it's like a really small back up to a

(47:49):
third string kind of move. But when you get a
starter to a backup like this, I just don't know
how much you can upgrade Missouri because we just don't
know how healthy Pabula is. Like, yeah, we're gonna upgrade Missouri.
It looks like four points line open, nine and a half.
I'm seeing five six and between five and six right now,

(48:10):
so it looks like, you know, at least the field
goal is the move for bro Pabula playing. But how
healthy is Pabula? Is he one hundred percent? Like do
we need to kind of shade our upgrade a little
bit to account for the fact that maybe that ankle
is not quite healed? And I think the answer to
that question is yes. So my point being, maybe we're
getting a little too over our skis with the Missouri upgrade,

(48:31):
And now there's value on the other side with Oklahoma
laying less than six. So that's kind of where I'm
aut in this game. We know Missouri loves the run
it A'matt Hardy's an absolute rock star. We know Oklahoma
struggles on offense a little bit. We know Missouri's defense,
especially their defensive line, is elite. Missouri won of four
schools in the country top ten grades in pass rush
and rushing grade Texas Tech, Texas Indiana the only other

(48:52):
defensive lines that are that good this year in terms
of their Pro Football Focus grade. So that's kind of
the game within the game for me. How well we know,
you know, obviously Missouri's gonna run the ball. I'm pretty
confident that's gonna be what we see take place on
that side of the ball. How Oklahoma stops the row
will be huge. But how does Oklahoma's offensive line handle
this Missouri defensive line. That could be the chaos element

(49:14):
in this game that I'm not really sure how it's
gonna play out well.

Speaker 4 (49:16):
And one of the other things that I'm looking at
is if Missouri can just take care of the football.
That's been a big factor in Oklahoma's last two wins.
Right they're at Tennessee, they forced three turnovers. One of
them was returned for a touchdown. That was actually our guy,
our Mason Thomas. You probably remember the play where it
looked like he stepped out of bounds. It was a

(49:38):
scoop six, right, not a pick six, a scoop six,
and he's running down the sideline. It looked like he
stepped out of bounds and he was favoring his leg.
That's where he hurt his squad. Yes, had a quadry
since then. Yeah, and then the next game last week
against Bama, forced three turnovers, another return for a touchdown.
Those are three monstrous takeaways. Bama out games Oklahoma by

(50:01):
one hundred and eighty four yards. That's a ton. So
if they're not forcing those three takeaways, they're not winning
that game most likely. So if Missouri can just take
care of the football, that's a big, big deal.

Speaker 2 (50:15):
Now.

Speaker 4 (50:16):
I mean, you could throw more into the factor, more
into that where Listen, Oklahoma was on the road the
last couple of games. Now they're at home, right, Like
you could you can twist and turn stuff here and there.
But the bottom line is, if Missouri can take care
of the football, this is an opportunistic, aggressive Oklahoma defense.

(50:37):
If Missouri can just avoid turnovers. They've got a real
shot in this game because Oklahoma's offense has not been
functioning at this high level ever since John Mattziir came back.
They're just you know, they haven't hit their stride yet
where you look at them, ever since he came back.
They did nothing against Texas, right, they were okay against

(50:58):
South Carolina. They didn't light it on fire in any
of the three other games. Oh, miss Tennessee, Alabama. Now
we're getting into the nitty gritty SEC conference games, right,
So I think if Missouri takes care of the football,
you could absolutely match points. You know, that's within reason
on the road against Oklahoma. I think Miszoo is absolutely

(51:19):
live in this game.

Speaker 6 (51:21):
I would agree with you, except here's what happens when
a starting quarterback comes back to play for your team.
You know, you are excited about that opportunity. He's excited
about that opportunity, and there's gonna be a lot of
a lot of adrenaline behind that for both the player
and the coaching staff. And there's gonna be a renewed

(51:45):
trust in the game plan. But he's not going to
be the same, you know, Bo Prabulah regardless of you know,
how healthy he is. He suffered an ankle dislocation just
weeks ago. I mean it hasn't even been a now,
he's very fortunate to have not fractured his ankle or
a lower leg.

Speaker 2 (52:05):
Bone in general. But the fact is the fact. And
he's a dual threat guy.

Speaker 6 (52:11):
And so you look at this seventy percent completion percentage
over the course of the season, and you say, well,
he'll be fine from the pocket. Well, really, how many
of those passes were outside of the pocket? I mean,
that's that's part.

Speaker 2 (52:23):
Of his game.

Speaker 6 (52:24):
He's he's an elusive player. He likes to move his feet,
he likes to change the angle he's attacking the defense.
So you look at the stats and you look at
him as a player, and when all that stands alone,
you say, well, yeah, they're gonna be better with him.
Well yeah, kind of when you're building a game plan

(52:46):
without a quarterback, sometimes sometimes you say, Okay, what are
we gonna focus on. Obviously Hardy's gonna get the ball done.
Obviously we're gonna protect this quarterback. We're gonna make up
for his disadvantages because he's the backup when bow comes back.
There may be an overinflated trust that he's going to
get it done in certain situations because you've seen him
get it done. Meanwhile, he's he's not going to be

(53:08):
nearly as capable as he was. And look, I mean
this is coming through the lens.

Speaker 2 (53:14):
I should say.

Speaker 6 (53:14):
Really, it's interesting that they're facing Oklahoma because they faced
a very similar situation when Materira returned. You know, he
came off this injury and you know, I mean, how
much can you trust him right away to play with
the surgically repaired throwing hand. The answer is, well, not
a lot at first, and so you really have to
amend and change things. So yeah, I totally understand how

(53:38):
all of a sudden their steam on Missouri and there's
interest on Missouri. But I'm I'm really nervous about going
all in on Missouri's side because of two reason and
one is Oklahoma defense. I think they're under heralded for
how great they've been this season. And two because when

(53:59):
the Tigers or any team are reintroducing a quarterback who's
coming off of injury, it vastly changes your game plan.
And I'm curious what changes they made to the game
plan and if they made enough changes so that Probula
find success today.

Speaker 5 (54:15):
I think that's a good way to look at all
major injuries that happen at the quarterback position, or really
any key position, but the quarterback position has such a
huge impact on the points, bread and the game that
you should always look to fade the news, right. They
always say buy the rumor sell the news. That's kind

(54:36):
of the fur I used to work in finance. That's
always what we say. It's a cliche, but I think
it holds true in sports because, especially at the quarterback position,
when you're coming back from a major injury, it's almost
impossible to be one hundred percent the first game. And
the reason why is you haven't faced live bullets in

(54:58):
a very long time. Now. In this case, it's only
a couple of weeks I think for Prebulah in Matears case,
it was a little bit longer. In Joe Burrow's case.
The Sunday Crew and Crack and Jeff and Brian will
talk about this tomorrow. I'm sure it's significantly longer. And
he's not going to play tomorrow, so it won't matter,
But it will matter next week when he comes back
to play.

Speaker 2 (55:17):
The Ravens.

Speaker 5 (55:18):
But that's neither here nor there. My point being when
you return your first getting back that first drive, that
first quarter, that first half, like you're still kind of
getting into the mix. Like I don't care how hard
you practice, nothing compares to a game, especially against Oklahoma's defense.
So I just think we have to lower our expectations

(55:39):
when we hear this quarterback returning news that will impact
the market. Everyone's betting Missouri. The lines move four points,
But is Prebulah's upgrade worthy of a full four point move?
I would say no. I would say right now the
line as currently given to you, you're getting value on Oklahoma. Now,

(56:00):
this is going to be a very physical football game.
Missouri is a very one dimensional team. If they can
get the run game going. We saw Amat Hardy just
go berserk last week. They have a really good offensive line.
They run a ton of outside zone. Oklahoma has had
issues defending that at times this year, and they're gonna
be without our Mason Thomas, their best defensive player. So

(56:20):
you can make the case that the run game for
Missouri matters more than Perbulah not being one hundred percent.
But I bet numbers, not teams, and I've seen this
in that line. Now continue to get pushed down. You
gotta look at Oklahoma side here five and a half.

Speaker 4 (56:35):
I think, Man, I'll tell you two things I'm keeping
my eye on. The First thing is figuratively, not literally,
the possibility of tight sphincter imps over here. All right.
You look at Oklahoma. Oklahoma, they know if they beat
Missouri today in LSU next week, they are in. They

(56:59):
are a play layoff team. It is right there. They're
like a WWE wrestler, you know, that's like in the
middle of the ring and they're trying to tag their
partner in and he's within reach.

Speaker 2 (57:10):
He's right there.

Speaker 4 (57:12):
When these teams get so close to a playoff berth,
I think it's a completely different scenario that they're in
right now compared to last week heading into Tuscaloosen taking
on Alabama, because they're on the outside looking in going
into that game. Now they're on the inside, hopefully not
looking out right where. I think about Ole miss another

(57:32):
team from the SEC. Last year, they had a playoff
berth within reach and they went on the road at
Florida and laid an egg. Oh you know, it was
so disgusting, but Jackson.

Speaker 5 (57:44):
Darr was awful in that game.

Speaker 2 (57:46):
He really was.

Speaker 4 (57:47):
But that's why I wonder in a spot like this,
when you're that close, when you can see the finish
line right there, like we can make it, all of
a sudden, you start to press a little bit depending
on game situation. Are you trailing right? Do you get
a little tight? So that's something that that could absolutely
play a factor in today's game with Oklahoma being so

(58:09):
close to a playoff Perth. The other thing you mentioned
it too, Jared is man, you look at the rushing
prop and we'll get into this at the end of
the hour. Prop it up. But the rushing prop for
Missouri running back of made hardy.

Speaker 2 (58:20):
One oh two and a half. Huge, huge.

Speaker 4 (58:23):
That's a big number against Oklahoma's rush defense that has
a high number.

Speaker 1 (58:27):
Man.

Speaker 6 (58:27):
So I'm gonna put my hand up, Brian, And if
you're not taking the under, I am on that, okaycause
one of.

Speaker 5 (58:34):
Us are we all on the Sooner train today? Is
that the gun where I'm at? Under props on the
zoo Oklahoma.

Speaker 4 (58:40):
I'm on the zoo man, Oklahoma.

Speaker 5 (58:45):
Even after your inspired speech last week about how.

Speaker 4 (58:49):
They took down a fool's gold Alabama team. Am I
supposed to be impressed by that?

Speaker 5 (58:54):
No?

Speaker 6 (58:54):
I was.

Speaker 4 (58:54):
It was an impressive win. But when you are fueled
by that many takeaways six take away way in the
last two games, like, eventually that well is gonna run dry. Yes, yeah,
So if you're not forcing turnovers, what do you have?
At that point?

Speaker 5 (59:09):
We might find out John Mattier that's what you have.

Speaker 2 (59:12):
You absolutely better be great.

Speaker 5 (59:14):
He's the guy I mean, I mean, they have the
better quarterback, right, I don't know about the better coach,
but they definitely have the better quarterback. I think they
have the better defense. But you're laying five and a half.
I don't I think at five and a half, I
like Oklahoma at seven, I'll take Miszoo. I think that's
kind of where I'm at.

Speaker 2 (59:28):
Yeah, that makes sense.

Speaker 4 (59:29):
Yeah, Hey, I smell what you're cooking. I get it
all right. We've got Jared Smith FSR, betting analyst, Rich
Ornberger Penn State All American. I'm Brian No. Register with
bet MGM to get instant access to the best variety
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betting options, and much more. New players can receive up

(59:50):
to fifteen hundred dollars back in bonus bets with bonus
code countdown. If they don't win their first bet, place
your money line, parlay bets and more. Today again, the
bonus code is countdown BETMGM, make it legendary. Coming up next,
our main man, Shamous McGee, team lead of sports Trading
at BETMGM, gets you all set for a full slate
of college ball. He'll have a couple of picks, and

(01:00:12):
I know I'll have a signature Shamous opinion. You know,
he's good for one of those where it's like, why
are we talking about this? You know, something like that
is coming from his mouth.

Speaker 2 (01:00:21):
I know it is.

Speaker 5 (01:00:22):
We'll get to that coming up.

Speaker 4 (01:00:23):
Looking forward to it. It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown
to Kickoff presented by BETMGM. It is Fox Sports Radios
Countdown to Kickoff presented by bet MGM. Be sure to
check out the new looking features in the betmgm app.
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(01:00:44):
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win their first bet. That's code countdown in the BETMGM map.
All right, let's do this, but follow the money, real

(01:01:05):
good money. That's right. We're following the money with our guys.
Seamus McGee, team lead of Sports Trading at BEDMGM, Good
morning to you, Seamus Hope. All is well, you know what,
before we get into the games and the slate and
all that good stuff, you're an opinionated guy and we
love that about you. What are your opinions on the
current college football playoff rankings? Most notably, there's a knockdown

(01:01:29):
drag out already that could intensify between Notre Dame and
Miami where both are ranked. Where do you come out
on that and just the rankings in general, anything that
you have a big problem with.

Speaker 3 (01:01:41):
I mean, the committee does no favors to themselves with
some of the circular thinking they do that usually only
benefits two conferences in the country. Why is Missouri ranked? Right?
Why is Tennessee ranked? And Oh, it just so happens.

(01:02:01):
Those are two evama's like biggest wins Oregon. Oregon gets
credit for beating Penn State, and the committee just pretty
much that we don't care that Penn State's bad anymore.
But Virginia sits at nineteen despite routing Duke, and Louisville's
somehow unranked now because Louisville stinks because they lost the Clemson.

(01:02:24):
It's just fascinating to see the mental gymnastics they do
to cram certain teams in. And you guys know how
much of THEA The ACC needs a new PR department.
They have a data deal with ESPN, and all ESPN
does is just torture, torture this conference. They talk bad

(01:02:49):
about it, but the SEC will get all this love
and everything, and I just don't get it anymore. As
far as never even Miami goes, I don't have much
of an issue with that, mainly because the points and
brought up by a lot of people here as in
the media. Not n even Miami aren't being compared right now.
You know, not Ning's being compared with Alabama, Oklahoma. Certain

(01:03:10):
people think Miami is but you know, I know, Miami
beat Nerding, but Miami is worse than Nerding. It's it's
a funny one. But I actually don't have a problem with.

Speaker 5 (01:03:20):
That right now. Yeah, yeah, I would agree. I think
the quality loss is seamus that that seems to be
the entire argument here.

Speaker 3 (01:03:29):
A field goal loss week one like.

Speaker 5 (01:03:34):
And that's the thing about it is And I do
agree the ACC gets a bad rap. But at the
end of the day, man, the I test doesn't do
them any favors. It just doesn't like they're all beating
each other. There's really no elite team where unlike in
the SEC, you do have these elite teams that are
still showing you a pretty high ceiling, albeit you know

(01:03:55):
there is some bias. I do agree baked In. Speaking
of bias, I do think there was biased into this
line move with Missouri and Oklahoma today. We talked about
this in the last segment. Missouri is a team that
I think on the surface, it makes sense why we're
upgrading them with Babula coming back. But we talk about
this a lot. With quarterbacks that miss time to injury,
that first game back, you're not getting the full one

(01:04:16):
hundred percent. So are we upgrading Missouri too much? Now
that this line has moved pretty considerably towards the Tigers.

Speaker 3 (01:04:24):
This line opened nine and a half with us it
was babrula and like this is step still too many points.
Five and a half is a lot. I feel like
seven feels about right. It really has lots to do
with brula. Just like every we've seen it with MISSOI
every big game this week this year, they just don't
show up. Oklahoma's defense is nasty. They are for real,

(01:04:47):
even with a healthy Babula. I still lean Oklahoma in
this one, and our betters would agree with me. We're
taking a lot of Oklahoma at minus five and a half,
but we've taken some sharp money to push this down here.
So it's definitely going to be a fascinating one to
watch in norm of the day.

Speaker 6 (01:05:03):
All right, So it feels like Kiffin to LSU is
going to happen.

Speaker 2 (01:05:10):
It may have to wait till the Egg Bowl is
over with. But let me ask you this question.

Speaker 6 (01:05:15):
Are there any surprises left in terms of head coaching
hires or do you think things are slated into land
where maybe even if you don't know exactly what names
are going to pair with what programs, yet we're going
We're not going to be surprised or do you think
there'll be some surprises.

Speaker 3 (01:05:33):
Of course there's going to be some surprises in the
college football carousel. I mean, it happens every year. I
think for me, my biggest surprise is not the fact
that someone's been fired, if someone's taking new job, it's
that Luke Fickle still has a job. Like, I can't
get over that. What else do you need to see?
And they double down on them, So we'll see Franklin

(01:05:56):
and Virginia Tech doesn't feel like a shock. It's go
I Regia Tech. But you know Arkansas, it's weird of
like you hear rumors about like they're meeting with Franklin
didn't go very well at all. You wonder who they're
going to get. Kiffin sounds like you'd see their LSU
or Florida. Like when you said LSU seems like the

(01:06:17):
front runner of the past twenty four hours, then that
Florida job becomes really interesting to see who they get.
Penn State's still open. I still think Penn State. Joe
Brady from the Bills is my bet. But we'll see there.

Speaker 5 (01:06:33):
Wow, Rah, interesting, that's the name I haven't heard of.
How about recently.

Speaker 4 (01:06:37):
How about what you need today, Seamus. If you can
waive the magic betmgm wand which we know does exist,
what are you using it on a couple of teams,
couple of games for us that you need the most.

Speaker 3 (01:06:51):
So we're going to start with Arkansas plus nine at Texas.
We're gonna need every bit of help in that one.
And we're going to go to Michigan State.

Speaker 2 (01:07:03):
Eye.

Speaker 3 (01:07:03):
We're gonna Michigan State pretty bad here. It take a
lot of eye on minus sixteen and a half. And
we'll also throw in Also, I was flinging at my
data wrong. We've been taking We're gonna eat the Zoo.
I'm sorry, still still did early. We're gonnam the Zoo
plus five and a half, the Missoo, Arkansas, Michigan State.
That anyone could get involved in those three teams, because

(01:07:25):
I sure can't, but I'm fortunate today.

Speaker 5 (01:07:28):
Thank you. Brian said you liked Missoo a little bit, right, bro?
I do?

Speaker 4 (01:07:31):
I like Missoo. Oklahoma living off these takeaways shameless, It's.

Speaker 3 (01:07:37):
Yeah, there's always a n SEC team who really fumbles.
Towards the end of the year, we say, yeah, Oklahoma
tripped up Bama last year. I could really it could
happen Oklahoma for sure, a lot of luck box wins
for that team.

Speaker 2 (01:07:50):
This year.

Speaker 5 (01:07:52):
The playoff would be wacky if Oklahoma lost that third
game and it opened up a slot that we haven't
talked about BYU at all. I think BYU rolls today
against Cincy. What do you think about that game? Oh?

Speaker 3 (01:08:07):
I love Cincinnati. This week Brendan Scoresby is put in
the quarterback. No one's talking about that. They should sky Rocks.
We're gonna take We're gonna take BYU. We're gonna take Cincinnati.
And like I b YU, I think does this every
year they start seven or eight and oh they get
you know a little bit in the playoff mix. They
lose one game and then it's like, oh, well they

(01:08:28):
still can make it. I still think they're gonna lose
another game before the end of the season.

Speaker 2 (01:08:32):
Hey Seamus, real quick before we get to your Seamus.

Speaker 6 (01:08:35):
Special, Uh, talk me off the ledge unless you think
this is a good take. I think this is Florida's
Super Bowl today. I think they got Tennessee in the
spot they want them. I mean, it's always been.

Speaker 2 (01:08:49):
Good Lagway, bad Lagway, which Lagway.

Speaker 6 (01:08:51):
Are we gonna get but I think they get up
for this one. I like the Gators today. Do you
agree or disagree? I'm holding my breath.

Speaker 3 (01:09:01):
I feel like every time Rich asked me talk me
off of the ledge here, I can't, I won't, and
I'm not going to do today. I like Florida too.
I hate to disappoint, but I kind of like Florida
out right today too, you know, even with no even
with an interim coach, I still think Florida is also
like especially we saw last year with Lagway against Ole Miss,

(01:09:23):
Like this team doesn't really quit on a season depending
on the win total.

Speaker 4 (01:09:29):
Okay, Seamus Rich alluded to it. It's time for the
Shamous Special? Where are you taking us today?

Speaker 3 (01:09:36):
I have two plays here. One is pretty transparent, but
the first, the actual Shames is special. We're gonna go
to the Battle of Staten Island versus Long Island, and
we're taking Staten Island with the Wagner Seahawks. We're taking
the points. We're taking Wagner with the points today, good
till plus seven and a half. After that, maybe look

(01:09:57):
the elswhere's your fcs? What I want to throw in
a little acc money line parlay here, Oh God, Louisville
over SMU, North Carolina over Duke okay, and Georgia Tech
over Pittsburgh. Gentlemen, if this parlay hits, the Virginia Cavaliers

(01:10:18):
will be playing in Charlotte for the a SEC Championship
without any touching grass.

Speaker 2 (01:10:22):
Right there you go.

Speaker 4 (01:10:23):
That's that's louis without Boss today.

Speaker 2 (01:10:26):
Right you do know that.

Speaker 5 (01:10:26):
I just want to make sure you knew that.

Speaker 4 (01:10:29):
Oh my gosh, wow, Okay, we need Belichick, we need uh,
we need Miller Moss's back up. We need a couple
of things.

Speaker 2 (01:10:40):
Yeah, my name, we will research and give to you later.

Speaker 4 (01:10:46):
Backup QB to be named later.

Speaker 5 (01:10:49):
That's a tough spot against s m U. If that
parlay hit, Jamis, I will personally fly across the country
to bed m GM's headquarters in New Jersey and give
you a pat on the back for that.

Speaker 2 (01:10:59):
And there is a case you guys can be at
the championship game.

Speaker 4 (01:11:08):
All right, Seamous, great stuff as always, man, appreciate your time.
Have a good one today. We'll catch you soon maybe
in Charlotte.

Speaker 3 (01:11:14):
We'll enjoy the games.

Speaker 5 (01:11:15):
Good luck, pal.

Speaker 4 (01:11:16):
There he is Seamus McGee, team lead of sports trading
at bet MGM.

Speaker 5 (01:11:20):
I love that good stuff.

Speaker 4 (01:11:21):
Well, let's let's stick with the acc There is a
team that is getting absolutely no love from the playoff committee.
That would be your Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. They are
ranked sixteenth, so they're nine to one. They are behind
seven two lost teams. Wow, the committee is like, no

(01:11:44):
no respect for them whatsoever.

Speaker 2 (01:11:46):
And we get it.

Speaker 4 (01:11:47):
They've they played just a garbage schedule here. But man,
you talk about no love, they are the definition of
no love from the from the committee here.

Speaker 2 (01:11:56):
Yeah, yeah, you know, you know.

Speaker 6 (01:11:57):
But before we get there, can can I go back
to one thing that Shamis said, Please unbelievable vote of confidence.
For every time I've asked him to talk me off
the ledge, he said, I've been on the same side
as you. I don't know if that's a good thing
or a bad thing, because I don't have a record
on the amount of times I've asked him to talk

(01:12:19):
me off the ledge, but I could tell you just
just from my my, the way I talk to Seamus, it's.

Speaker 2 (01:12:27):
Been many many times. So Florida.

Speaker 6 (01:12:30):
I mean, he was talking about taking them straight up today.
He was talking about moneyline Florida.

Speaker 5 (01:12:35):
Yeah, I like the Florida pickle up. That might be,
that might be in rapid fire.

Speaker 4 (01:12:39):
All right, So Rich, you got Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech.
We got Mason Heinschol. He's stunk it up against the Irish.
Can he rebound today against the Yellowjackets. They're their defenses,
rough man, They're.

Speaker 2 (01:12:52):
They're not good.

Speaker 4 (01:12:52):
They're they're they're bad. Like they allow ninety they're ninety
fifth and yards allowed per dry. They're bad against the rush,
like they're not good. Their defense is bad. So can
we get our guy Heinschel back on, back in his
groove over here after a rough performance last week.

Speaker 2 (01:13:11):
He's a pretty good quarterback. He's done. He's a good,
solid college quarterback.

Speaker 6 (01:13:17):
And uh, and I don't want to make this all
about the coach, but I don't think pitt was set
up for success from a motivational standpoint.

Speaker 2 (01:13:26):
A week ago. I didn't like, you know, the sort
of the.

Speaker 6 (01:13:31):
The conversation that we had about Nardouzzi and like everything
that came out, you know, of that conversation we had.
I mean, like, I'm not saying that the game was
won before it was even kicked off, but or if
or that the pitt even had a chance because they didn't.
But like, I just didn't like how that was messaged

(01:13:52):
about how you know, we don't care if we get
beat by a hundred.

Speaker 2 (01:13:57):
Was that the exact quote?

Speaker 5 (01:13:59):
Yeah, yeah, pretty much as by almost one hundred.

Speaker 2 (01:14:01):
Yeah. Yeah, So I mean, like, I just, I just.

Speaker 6 (01:14:04):
I mean, when you're a player in a locker room
where the literally the the head of the program, the
most important, most influential person in the program, is talking
about a game that way, I mean, what chance do
you really get anybody to have a great, great outing,
a great affair that that afternoon?

Speaker 2 (01:14:21):
Not much?

Speaker 6 (01:14:22):
So Yeah, I can say, I can say for sure
this will be a bounce back week for that pit offense,
especially against a really struggling Georgia Tech defense.

Speaker 2 (01:14:34):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (01:14:34):
I the acc is pretty simple on the Georgia Tech side.
They're in with a win. That's the easy part of
the implications. If Pittsburgh wins, oooh boy, then things get
really weird. Pittsburgh still needs to beat Miami next week
and then get a loss from either SMU or Virginia Tech,

(01:14:55):
and there's a massive like this is the biggest head
to head game remaining, though in the ACC tod So
if Georgia Tech wins today, it gets very simple. Miami, though,
rooting hard for a pit win, isn't that ironic? Like
Miami's rooting so hard for Pitt this week and then
next week they've got to beat him. It's like, please
Pitt win this week so we can knock you out
next week and get into the ACC championship game. So

(01:15:17):
the uh, you know, the hierarchy, the game of thrones
in the ACC is very much still in play. Hinchell
is a roller coaster freshman quarterback. Really good from a
clean pocket, not so great when things get murky, high risk,
high reward, fourteen turnover worthy plays, twelve big time throws
this year, like he's gonna show you his ceiling and

(01:15:38):
he's gonna show you his floor, maybe on consecutive plays.
The Georgia Tech defense, though, as you guys alluded to,
doesn't impact the quarterback a whole lot, so maybe Heinschell
will have some time and some clean pockets to throw
from this year. On the other side, Haines King is
a straight, slam it down your throat kind of quarterback.
Although his adjusted accuracy rate eighty two percent, that's the
third highest ins. They just don't throw it a whole lot.

(01:16:01):
They've got one of the highest run rates in college football.
They are one of the best rushing teams in the nation.
The one thing this pit defense does well is stop
the run. Actually, it's frankly the strength of their team.
Byles and Lewis and Lovelace, these are really good linebackers
at the second level. They will shut down your running game,
and they'll also shut down the quarterback run. Pitt has
only allowed one quarterback to run for forty or more

(01:16:23):
yards this year. Castianos Florida State twenty one yards on
six carries. And this is without sacks. This is just
straight runs, not the sacks included. The sacks make these
totals less, but just the running plays. Castianos six for
twenty one, NC State CJ. Bailey six for thirty seven,
Notre Dame cjcar four for fifteen. Haynes King's a different

(01:16:44):
type of runner than those guys, but Pitt's strength stopping
the run, stopping the quarterback run, that's something Georgia Tech
wants to do. So you can make the case that
Pittsburgh does have a favorable matchup in a key area
in this game.

Speaker 4 (01:16:58):
All right, that's Jared Smith, FSR analyst. We've got Rich Ornberger,
Penn State, all American, I'm probably know. Be sure to
subscribe to the Fox Sports Radio YouTube channel. Just search
Fox Sports Radio on YouTube and you'll see our best
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Hit that thumbs up icon and comment away. Let us
know whose take you like and whose takes you don't like.

(01:17:18):
Just search Fox Sports Radio on YouTube and subscribe. All right,
Coming up next, prop it Up. That's right, the prop
betting market. We'll give you a couple of plays that
we like, some things to look at, some things to consider,
some things to root for. Maybe if you want to
get on board, we'll get into all that stuff. Coming up,
it's Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff, presented by BETMGM.

(01:17:39):
It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff presented by
bet MGM. That is right, our faithful sponsor, love BETMGM.
Tremendous job by them. All right, we got no time
to waste. Let's dive into this.

Speaker 2 (01:17:56):
Prop it up plays.

Speaker 4 (01:18:00):
All right, Jared, we start with you the prop vetting market.
What is something that you have your eyes fixated on
bear versus the Bearcats.

Speaker 5 (01:18:10):
Awesome matchup today BYU and Cincinnati. So I disagree with
Jay mistake on Soresby being kind of the guy in
this game. I actually think bear Bachmeyer is going to
be the guy in this game. And there's a couple
of reasons why. First of all, he's had a really
good year and he's kind of brushed off that you're
not old enough. You're a freshman.

Speaker 4 (01:18:27):
Quarterback, you know vibes.

Speaker 5 (01:18:29):
He has shown up in big spots, including last week
against DCU and they really needed him. And this week
his passing yards prop at two eleven and a half
at bet MGM. I love the overt in this game. Why, Well,
he's facing a Cincinnati defense that runs a three to
three to five stack. What's that three down lineman, three linebackers,
five defensive backs.

Speaker 2 (01:18:50):
That style of.

Speaker 5 (01:18:51):
Defense is meant to for vent explosives. They don't get
a ton of pressure on the quarterback. They're more of
a zone coverage type of team. Bear Bachmeyer has faced
that style of defense twice this year, last week against
THECU three weeks ago against Iowa's Day. Those are his
two highest graded passing games of the year. Per Pro
Football Focus, That to me means something. He has the

(01:19:12):
ability to push the ball outside the numbers. I think
he does that today against Cincinnati three three five bear
Bachmeyer over to eleven and a half.

Speaker 2 (01:19:18):
As years All right, let me.

Speaker 6 (01:19:19):
Take you back to this Missouri Oklahoma game we were
talking about earlier. So obviously we know that Bo Prabula
coming back from Missouri means that there's going to be
a game plan that's going to feature what he can
do on a dislocated ankle.

Speaker 2 (01:19:35):
But there's a lot that he can't do coming back
from this injury. So what do we know? Missouri's got
a great run game?

Speaker 6 (01:19:43):
What do we know Matt Hardy is a great running back,
so perfect, let's feed him the rock. Well, what the
heck do you think Oklahoma is going to be looking
to stop the run game? What is Oklahoma good at
stopping the run game? So what do I think Oklahoma's
gonna do? They're gonna stop the run game? An overinflated

(01:20:03):
stat here. The total for rushing yards from Matt Hardy
in this game is one oh two and a half.

Speaker 2 (01:20:08):
Who that is high?

Speaker 6 (01:20:12):
Give me the under on his rushing total. I think
Oklahoma if they get beat by Missouri. It's not gonna
be on the ground. It's gonna be a huge prove
it game for Bibulah through the air. So I'm taking
the under on a Mott hardy.

Speaker 4 (01:20:26):
I get it makes sense. That's a high number against
a really good rush defense in Oklahoma. So I definitely
hear what you're saying right there. I'm gonna go with
another running back. I'm gonna go to Florida running back
Jayden Baugh going up against just a dreadful Tennessee defense.
The Vowls, you know, not the Bowls. They're the volunteers,

(01:20:49):
not the volunteers.

Speaker 2 (01:20:50):
My god.

Speaker 4 (01:20:50):
The vows suck defensively, and they're gonna feed Jayden Bah.
They're gonna give them the rock time and time and
time again. I look for him to at least pre
over eighty and a half. I'll take his over rushing
yards right there.

Speaker 2 (01:21:04):
I like that one, all right?

Speaker 4 (01:21:05):
Coming up next, this team doesn't have the reputation for
being a great rushing team, but they should have a
lot of success today. We'll get into that next. Oh
what is going on? We've got a dandy, as Keith
Jackson used to say, we got that at midday over here,
three point thirty easter. In time, we will get to
the biggest day, the biggest game of the day here

(01:21:27):
in just a minute. Hey, all season long, bet, MGM's
offering you a second chance on your first touchdown bet.
When a customer plays a wager on a first touchdown
scorer bet and he doesn't score first, but score second,
bet MGM will return one hundred percent of their stakeback
in cash. We've got number fifteen USC against number seven

(01:21:47):
Oregon today. The Ducks favored by ten and a half.
Total is ninety fifty nine and a half. Good, yeah,
not ninety five and a half. It's not incarnate word.

Speaker 5 (01:21:58):
I'll take the under.

Speaker 4 (01:21:59):
Yeah, yeah, I would too. That would be a good
teaser leg as well. But how about Oregon's rushing offense.
You know, when you talk about the best rushing teams
in college football, I don't think immediately like Oregon comes
to mind. If we were just saying, hey, throughout some

(01:22:20):
of the best rushing teams in the country right now,
you'd probably be like, and you name a couple here
and there, and you don't think Oregon along those lines.
I don't think most people do. I think it's a
fair statement. But Oregon has done a fantastic job pounding
the rock this season. You look at four different running
backs have at least forty two rushing attempts. That's a ton.

(01:22:43):
And three of those running backs they average at least
seven yards per carrie.

Speaker 2 (01:22:48):
That is a ton.

Speaker 4 (01:22:48):
They're led by Noah Whittington. Jordan Davison is doing his
thing and against USC. Like I saw it when they
took on Notre Dame, I was there. I was there,
as Chris Berman used to say, right, but Notre Dame
just ran the ball right down their throat. And Notre
Dame has a special combo with Jeremiah Love and Jadarian Price.
But what Oregon can do running the ball against a

(01:23:12):
susceptible rush defense in USC, I think that's the first
part of this. If USC can't come close to slowing
down the rush, it is going to be a long
day at Autson Stadium. By the way, I go Atson,
some people say Otsen, are you team Aughtson or team
Otsen over there?

Speaker 6 (01:23:30):
It's not Auburn, it's Auburn. There you go Autson Stadium.
So I'm complete agreement with you, Brian. Now Auburn that's
a great line.

Speaker 4 (01:23:38):
That's perfect.

Speaker 2 (01:23:39):
Yeah, I love that. Yeah, yeah, listen, I could.

Speaker 6 (01:23:42):
And I also completely agree with your handicap on this game.
I mean, when you look at when US has the
ball at strength on strength US, he has an elite offense.
They've put up great numbers this season. Oregon for the
vast majority of this season, has an elite defense. So
let's just call that a stalemate for the moment and

(01:24:03):
focus on where the extreme mismatch is, and that's when
Oregon has the football. They can run the football against
anybody in the country. I'm convinced of it, and any
one of their three running backs can pop off against
this USC defense or all three, and we've seen that
in games this season against weaker rush defenses that the

(01:24:24):
Ducks have faced. This is one of the worst statistically,
one of the worst run defenses in college football today
is USC's. They are close to the bottom, and then
when you look at Oregon's rush offense, they are close
to the top, if not the best. So again, I mean,

(01:24:47):
it's hard to give USC a shot in this matchup because, frankly,
I just don't really see a scenario where they can
control the tempo of this football game at all, unless
they find a way to generate turnovers, unless they find
a way to do something magical in the team's game,

(01:25:08):
whether it be you know, on return, kickoff or punt,
or maybe in the coverage units. Maybe Oregon makes a
horrible mistake, maybe they're careless with the football.

Speaker 2 (01:25:19):
I don't know.

Speaker 6 (01:25:20):
It's going to have to take intervention outside of the
normal conventions of the football game for Oregon to lose
this game. To use, but beyond that, for USC t
even have a chance of controlling the tempo of this game.
The Ducks are that much better in their run game
than USC is is to preventing the run.

Speaker 2 (01:25:42):
Yet.

Speaker 5 (01:25:42):
I'll give you some good news for USC fans, including
our trusted producer here Boll Benson. The Oregon's gonna be
without two of their best receivers today. Their two best receivers, frankly,
the Coreyan Moore and Gary Bryant Junior both out. That's
about the most positive thing I can say for you
in this game. Matchupwise, we talked about this last week, right.

(01:26:04):
I went back last week and I in order to
prep for the USC Iowa game, I went back and
watched the USC Notre Dame tape, and I noticed that
Danton Lynn just refused to bring a second safety end
of the box. He let Notre Dame run wild in
that game. Did the same thing last week. I know
Kamari Moulton didn't score, unfortunately for our prop bet that

(01:26:26):
we made on him in the parley platter, but he
went over his rushing yards prop and Iowa covered the spread.
And I think they probably would have won that game
out right if they had a couple of things break
their way. But it's Iowa, so offensively they can be
a little bit challenged. Now you get an offense that
is not challenged, especially vertically, and I know they're gonna
be without a couple of key receivers today. But finally

(01:26:49):
Oregon unleashed Kenyon Sadik last week and he went absolutely
berserk eight for ninety six in a touchdown. Those were
season highs and targets, receptions and yards. I think that's
the path for Oregon today to continue to, you know,
change up because we know they're gonna run it. We
know us he struggles to stop the run. But you

(01:27:09):
can't run one hundred times. You gonna have to throw
it at some point. Today, And you think Sadiq might
be the guy. I think Dante more is the guy.
Moore has been really good in a clean pocket this year.
And guess what since Week five US He's pass rush
one hundred and thirty fourth in pressure rate. There's only
one hundred and thirty six teams in the FBIS. They're
one oh eighth in sacks, they're eighty third and pass

(01:27:31):
rush grade seventy seventh and pass rush winning rate. You
get my point. They're not affecting the quarterback enough and
they're not stopping the run. So where's where does USC's
defense win here? Like, it's got to be a freak
game from Anthony Lucas, it has to be an insane
game from Jade Mayaba, who does you know, have a

(01:27:52):
lot of big time throws, and he's got two elite
receivers on the outside, Lemon and Lame who I love.
But I don't see a ton of matchup advantages. I
like one angle I can give you for USC is
if Mayava just goes absolutely berserk. Oregon plays a ton
of quarters coverage. They actually played quarters coverage at the
highest rate in the entire Power four, and USC against
quarters coverage this year over ten yards per play, which

(01:28:13):
is the third most in the Power four. So you
want to say that's the edge. Right when USC gets
rolling and King Miller's running it and they get that
tempo and all of a sudden, Mayava's in a groove,
maybe you can get some giddy up on the offensive side.
But Brian, I just don't know how us he's gonna
get stops today.

Speaker 4 (01:28:30):
Yeah, that's the problem is. And you look at USC's
defense against the two best offenses they face this season,
that's Notre Dame and Illinois. And listen, Illinois is okay,
they're not prolific, you know, just an awesome offense. But
against those two teams, USC gave up an average of
thirty four points per game, and they gave up an

(01:28:50):
average of seven point two yards per play. And Oregon's
offense is right there with Notre Dames and Illinois offense. Yeah,
it's gonna be tough for USC to get enough stops.
And listen, we're not talking about I think sometimes we
cover this so much from like what the spread is.
We're not talking about hey, USC getting within the number,

(01:29:13):
We're talking about USC winning the game, you know what
I mean? Like put the spread to the side, and
we're talking about USC winning this thing. I don't know
how they're gonna get enough stops to be in range
to do that. So, yeah, I just don't have faith
in this USC defense. And they've struggled in these spots.
You know, in terms of being a road underdog, they

(01:29:35):
have been bad. They've lost eight straight. They've lost they're
ower and five with Lincoln Riley as their head coach
in spots like this, And so you're expecting a Trojan's
rush defense, which is one hundred and third in stuff rate.
We're talking about stops like at or behind the line
of scrimmage. You're one oh third, one hundred and third

(01:29:57):
in that department. Well, what do you think Oregon's gonna
do take advantage of that? They are just going to
be like, you know, it's like a baseball pitcher, like
the fastball's coming, you still can't hit it. You know, Like,
we're gonna know that Oregon is going to be running
the ball repeatedly. Yes, they're gonna throw forward passes as well,
but they're gonna run the ball at will. And I

(01:30:17):
just don't see USC stopping it.

Speaker 6 (01:30:19):
Yeah, and you know, another angle to look at this game,
and I like what you said there. Sometimes it's about
looking at the spread. Sometimes it's just looking at gameplay.
I mean, this is a top ranked USC team this season,
kind of unexpectedly emerging as one of the top teams
in the country because it hasn't been a smooth ride there.

(01:30:42):
The head coach obviously has drawn a lot of the
criticism at USC, still trying to put it all together
after leaving Oklahoma and the departure of Caleb Williams. But
I digress. You know, there are times where you're just
simply talking about, Hey, what would be the script if
you're the trojan entering this Saturday, how.

Speaker 2 (01:31:02):
Do you beat the Ducks? Is it even really viable
or possible?

Speaker 6 (01:31:06):
And I really that's the reason why I focused on
in my dissertation about the turnover game. That's really the
only way I could see USC winning this game, as
if they force turnovers. So if I'm the Ducks, I'd
be looking for the peanut punch. You know, old Peanut
Tillman out there for the Chicago Bears used to ball
up his fists when he tackled receivers and ball carriers downfield,

(01:31:29):
and he was one of the greatest players.

Speaker 2 (01:31:31):
Defensively at dislodging the football. Get ready.

Speaker 6 (01:31:34):
If I'm USC, I am coaching that up ballgame long
because we need turnovers.

Speaker 2 (01:31:39):
Now.

Speaker 6 (01:31:40):
Outside of that, what do I look at in terms
of handicapping this game where maybe you can make a
little scratch if you're interested.

Speaker 2 (01:31:46):
The under feels very alive in this one.

Speaker 5 (01:31:48):
Wow.

Speaker 6 (01:31:49):
Yeah, really, I don't think that this is going to
be an extremely high scoring affair, even though USC's defense
is depleted against the run, Oregon's offense missing some key pieces,
you know, you think about it through the standpoint of
what should this game look like. It's probably going to

(01:32:10):
be a little slower of a tempo game than we're
used to seeing from the Ducks. Offensively, I think they're
going to control the ground. I think they're gonna control
this game, and I think they'll end up winning it,
obviously and probably winning it by a pretty wide margin.
But I don't think it's going to be this fast paced,
explosive game, you know, where you know it's chunk play

(01:32:32):
after chunk play and fast scores. I think it's gonna
be more of a slow plotting game script and it's
going to yield less points than than more interesting.

Speaker 5 (01:32:44):
I really like both these USC receivers a lot. I
think I think Lemon's gonna be a first round pick.
I think he might be the first receiver taken in
the draft. Honestly, I think it's gonna be between him
and the Tennessee kid Brasel. I think both of those
guys graded out really well this year. Actually, Lemon is
the highest graded receiver per Pro Football Focus in the

(01:33:05):
Power four, and Lane might be a top three round
pick too, Like they both might be, you know, first
three rounds. You know, that's an elite pair of aces
on the outside for USC. But the Oregon secondary is equipped, right.
They've got the second highest coverage grade behind Texas Tech.
Pieneman is an elite safety SEC transfer. And then you
got Kennedy and Finny Junior, both ranked top fifteen in

(01:33:30):
PFF grades in the Power four amongst cornerbacks. So I
think it is like, that's the matchup that Oregon has
to win. If they don't, then this is gonna be
a game if Oregon can defend these two outside receivers.
I just don't see a path for USC today. I
just don't. I think it gets really out of hand

(01:33:52):
for Oregon because they're gonna get they're gonna move the
ball in this game. They might it might be more
of a running game, Brian like it might be, to
Rich point, more of a fast moving clock because Oregon
just pounds it all game long. But us he gets
that engine revved and they get going. Man, they're tough
to slow down. I think that's gonna be a fascinating
part of this game is how Oregon handles that USC

(01:34:14):
tempo and those outside receivers.

Speaker 4 (01:34:15):
Yeah, no doubt. You know what's funny is going back
to what Rich was saying in a different direction about
the peanut punch. You think about Peanut Tillman, former cornerback
of the Bears. I was trying to think of some
of the signature moves of certain NFL great players, and
it hasn't come close to how mainstream the peanut punch is.

Speaker 2 (01:34:38):
Now.

Speaker 4 (01:34:39):
You see it all the time in college football. In
the NFL, it is mainstream, and you can talk about
whatever you want, whether it's I don't know, the Dwight
Feenie Dwight Freeny spin move, how great he was it?
That's not like common all over the place, or remember
the Reggie white club move. He just take his white
arm and this club the offensive tackle right to the ground.

(01:35:00):
You don't see that all over the place. Like, what
other signature move from a player do you see mimicked
all over the league?

Speaker 5 (01:35:09):
Nothing. It's the pet at.

Speaker 4 (01:35:11):
Punch right like that is a signature play. And you
know he's got the uh, he's got the copyright on
that kat pending.

Speaker 2 (01:35:20):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (01:35:20):
Well, but what's actually interesting is offensively, the way I
remember when I was young, and you guys would probably
feel the same way watching what Michael Vick was doing
to defenses seemed unique and singular. Yeah, and now in
a world where mobile quarterbacks are fifty percent of the league,

(01:35:42):
if not more, it seems so usual, seems so ordinary.
It seems almost like standard. If you don't have a
mobile quarterback, you're really going to struggle. But Mike Vick,
what he was able to do, changing the angles that
defenses had to defend him and the receivers downfield, and
also his ability to evade pressure. It was almost built

(01:36:03):
in as a part of that Atlanta Falcons offense when
he was down.

Speaker 2 (01:36:07):
There doing torching, the torturing the NFC South.

Speaker 6 (01:36:12):
It really was a part of the game plan, and
when you game planned against them, it was like, who
are you gonna put in at your scout team quarterback
to prepare for this guy, because it can't be your
normal pocket passer, throw a receiver back there or something,
so your defense even has a chance at defending. And
so I think now, looking back, if you remember where

(01:36:35):
some of that started from, Randall Cunningham, Michael Vick, like
like that that was so unique back then, and to
your point, like the Peanut punch, it's it's often replicated now,
it's often forgotten that he really sort of mastered the move.
But but yeah, Mike Vick was one of the four
runners to the current quarterback prototype we see now.

Speaker 4 (01:36:58):
Yeah, it's pretty interesting, right, And listen, Peanut was a
good player. He wasn't a Hall of Fame like legendary player.
But to have this signature stamp on football today what
he was able to do, that's awesome. That's a really
really cool thing. I don't want this to be like
hyperbolic or anything, but you think about how Steph Curry

(01:37:21):
changed the game with three point shooting and how well,
how great of a three point shooter he is. The
volume of it, like teams like just just chuck up shots. Man,
Like he has changed the game, and it is widespread
and I'm not saying it's on the same level in football,
but you see the Peanut punch on the NFL level,

(01:37:42):
the college level consistently, and you're seeing games greatly impacted
and totally changed because of that. And it's a move that,
like Rich said, he perfected and it's his signature move. Yeah,
it's really cool.

Speaker 6 (01:37:56):
Yeah, I forget who was against might have been the Titans.
He had a game where he executed that that move
against receivers, tight ends, running backs downfield, I think successfully
forcing five or six force fumbles. I think five of
them were recovered. It was something crazy like that. And
so that game alone is what really stamped him with

(01:38:22):
you know, look, obviously it's something that was practiced across
the league in college football for years and years and
years before Peanut and obviously afterwards. But because he had
that one singular moment, and also he was known as
a defender, Hey, you gotta really protect the ball when
this member of the secondary is tackling you. When you
play against the Bears. Like you said, he put his

(01:38:44):
mark on the game and forever will remember his name
as a result of it. It's a really really cool thing.
And also, I think alliteration helps peanut punch, you know what.

Speaker 2 (01:38:54):
I mean, it's just easy to say. Do you remember it?
I think I don't think we overlapped.

Speaker 6 (01:39:00):
I think he might have just wrapped up his career
when I got in and I was drafted in two
thousand and nine.

Speaker 4 (01:39:06):
Yeah, very nice. I can just imagine you, like scooping
up a fumble or something, and there's peanut popping. Yeah,
there's peanut punching it out of rich o'st nickname too.

Speaker 5 (01:39:21):
You don't think of like peanut as being a good
nickname for a cornerback. Oh yeah, but it actually fits,
really it really did.

Speaker 4 (01:39:28):
Yeah fit great?

Speaker 2 (01:39:30):
All right?

Speaker 4 (01:39:30):
Uh that's rich Weinberger, Penn State All American. Wasn't a
victim of the peanut punch. That's good. Jared Smith FSR,
betting analyst. I'm Brian Know and it is time for
the tire rack. Play of the Day takes off drive,
step through kick it a louplove for Craze.

Speaker 5 (01:39:46):
Ferries it Caleb Love on Fire to.

Speaker 4 (01:39:50):
Night twenty six points. He's making six prays. There you
go compliments of Rip City Radio six twenty Blazer's radio network.
My guy Travis D.

Speaker 2 (01:39:59):
Murry on the call.

Speaker 4 (01:40:00):
Very nice shout out to trave right there. For over
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last night on the road against those Steph Curry Warriors,

(01:40:23):
they got to win one twenty seven to one twenty three.
Good for my season long Blazers bet right there, I
made the season long bet. And then Chauncey Phillips is
out of a job. What just happened, right, But that's good.
Anytime the Blazers win, that's good for my season long.

Speaker 5 (01:40:39):
Proper coaches don't matter in the NBA, right, Bran, I'll
tell you what tag to call back from an argument
from like six months ago.

Speaker 4 (01:40:47):
Yeah, yeah, that is a good segue. That is a
good segue. There certain arguments that we've had and the
tail of the tape, if you will, right, we'll get
to that around the corner. Also a major shout out,
and don't I'll call it a lock just yet. We
got a lot to do. Hang with us. It is
Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff, presented by Bet MGM.

(01:41:08):
It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff, presented by
Bett MGM. If you missed anything on today's show, you'll
want to catch the podcast. Just search Fox Sports Radio
wherever you get your podcasts. Right after the show, today's
pod will be posted. Be sure to follow it, rate
it five stars, and you can even provide a review.

Speaker 2 (01:41:25):
Again.

Speaker 4 (01:41:26):
Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcasts,
and you'll find today's full show posted right after we
get off the air. All right, major shout out here
as we're looking at this Miami Virginia Tech game, Miami
favored by over seventeen. They're gonna play Ander sand Man
and then they're gonna get beaten down, most likely those Hokies.
But I want to give a major shout out to

(01:41:48):
your former boy James Franklin, right you, Nitny Lyons, you,
Jared and Rich. I think it's so awesome that James
Franklin is diving right back in to coaching again. He
could have easily sat around and done nothing, just like
fanning himself with stacks of ten thousand dollars Penn State
buyout money, and instead he took the Virginia Tech job

(01:42:09):
that cost him about forty million dollars and buy out cash. Right,
they came to an arrangement with Penn State and got
paid about what nine million dollars is what it ended
up being from the forty nine that they were on
the hook to give him. And you could go back
and forth and say, well, it wasn't gonna be that
much money, and YadA YadA, that's fine. But if he

(01:42:31):
elected not to take the Virginia Tech job, he stood
a great chance to get much more than those nine
million dollars of buyout money from Penn State. I love
that he's just diving right back in and he's like,
I want to compete, I want to coach. This is
what I do, this is who I am. When a
lot of coaches there, there are a lot of people

(01:42:51):
you know as well as I do. If you can
get paid for doing nothing, that's that's where they want
to be. And he didn't do that. I really respect
him for doing that.

Speaker 6 (01:43:00):
I don't think the issue was he didn't want to coach, right,
you know, so the fact that he is coaching next
season is of no surprise to me because he's a coach.

Speaker 2 (01:43:08):
And he wants to coach. And then also if you look.

Speaker 6 (01:43:12):
At it through the lens of what are you gaining
what are you losing? Well, he gets nine million dollars
from Penn State plus whatever he agreed to with Virginia Tech.
It's going to a mass to more money over you know,
the the the length of time than the forty plus
million dollars.

Speaker 2 (01:43:30):
That he was doing the buyout.

Speaker 6 (01:43:31):
You know, so it all comes out in the wash,
I guess essentially, is what I'm trying to trying to say.

Speaker 2 (01:43:38):
It's it's really interesting though.

Speaker 6 (01:43:42):
We live in a culture where it's become common for
people to assume, hey, you know what, maybe it's time
for a break, you know what I mean, Like you
need a break, you need some rest. Hey, it's been
a lot, Like not everybody does, you know, there are
certain people who are just lifers in this thing. Like
Bill Belichick didn't need a break, didn't need a break.

(01:44:05):
He wants he's a coach, he wants to coach. He
went to you and see, much to the surprise of
a lot of people. Now, is it going well with
the tar heels?

Speaker 5 (01:44:12):
No?

Speaker 6 (01:44:13):
Not currently. Is it kind of a strange sidebar storyline?
What's going on with his his girlfriend, fiance whatever they
are now? Jordan hurries, Yeah, I mean it's all kind
of wild. But my point is the point that you
were just describing. Yeah, credit to him for kind of

(01:44:34):
doing what he wants to do it and doing it
how he does it. But my goodness, we've gotten so
kind of soft as a society to just assume that
rest should be our default mode. Like, I mean, there's
value in work, there's value and effort, there's value in
you know, waking up with purpose every morning, and and like,

(01:44:57):
look at this come from a guy who probably works
maybe a little too much. I've been told that by
important people in my life many times. I have a
seven day week schedule during the fall every fall since
I was eighteen years old.

Speaker 2 (01:45:12):
That's just how it goes.

Speaker 6 (01:45:13):
And I actually started working seven days a week all
year round about five years ago. I have since paired
that schedule down during the off season, and again that
was by request of people around me who love me
and care about me and I care about too, and
so maybe I'm looking at this through a very biased
lens because that's how that's how my engine revs. But hey,

(01:45:37):
I'll give James Franklin credit for the results. You know what,
James credit what James Franklin's good at. He's good at recruiting.
He's good at turning football programs around. He did have
Vandy before Penn State, and he'll do it again at
VA Tech. And he is going to actually have maybe
greater success out of high school with recruits because he's

(01:45:59):
dominated the DC Virginia, Maryland metro areas as a recruiter
and now he's keeping those players close to the home.
So I think this is kind of a home run
for Franklin, not a step back. And then for Penn State,
we'll see who they hire if it's if the grass

(01:46:19):
truly is greener.

Speaker 5 (01:46:20):
On the other side, what a great conversation about the
dynamic of working environments in sports. Part of the agreement, Like,
there's two sides to this working in sports argument. First
argument is you have the coolest job in the world. Yes,
and I agree, like I am humbled and bewildered at

(01:46:44):
how cool my job is. On a daily basis, and
I feel the same way about any coach, especially a
head football coach at a D one school. And then
the other side of the argument is you get no
days off. I don't take a day off during the
ball season. I don't drink alcohol during football. I reduce
the amount of fun that I have intentionally. I get

(01:47:07):
told the same thing Rich gets told all the time,
you work too much. Take a weekend off, for example.
And I'm probably gonna jinx myself. Now We've been doing
the show for four years.

Speaker 2 (01:47:17):
The only time I.

Speaker 5 (01:47:18):
Have not done this show on a Saturday morning is
when the wildfires came to La last year.

Speaker 3 (01:47:24):
That was it.

Speaker 5 (01:47:25):
Like, I haven't taken a Saturday off in four years,
and I don't intend to ever because this is the
coolest fricking job in the world and I love it
more than anything else. That's how James Franklin feels. He
never wants to take a Saturday off. He was forced
to take some Saturdays off this year, but he got
back on that horse pretty damn quick. And Virginia Tech's
going to be a problem on the recruiting trail for

(01:47:45):
a lot of schools in the Northeast. Then in the
big ten, big problem. Penn State lives in the Virginia, DC,
Maryland area. That is where they eat. They turn their
entire program around by getting Derek Williams to come to
Penn State Maryland. That was the turning point of Penn
State's program. Rich remembers it, well, we were freshmen. It

(01:48:08):
was a huge Actually we were sophomore as they were
freshmen when they recruited him. Yep, that was a huge
turning board for Penn State when they were able to
get Derek Williams, number one recruit in Maryland, to come
to Penn State, and it just changed the whole culture
of the program. That was some really down years for
Penn State in those early two thousands, and they got
this Rich Hornberger kid who just completely turned things around too.
But that region is crucial in the Northeast and in

(01:48:32):
the Midwest, and I think James Franklin's gonna be a
huge player in that. I don't think they're gonna win
a lot of ACC titles, but they're gonna be a
problem on the recruiting trail. They're gonna get a lot
of really good kids to come play there, and they're
gonna compete. I am fascinated to see how Penn State
counters this. They really need to get a big time
recruiter to counter this, because we've already seen nineteen kids leave.

(01:48:55):
That's the most decommits of any fire team in college football,
way more than any of the SEC squad. Not to
be fair, we don't know who's coaching those SEC schools yet,
so it could change. But Pence they had a lot
of decommits because of this, so I'm fascinated to see
how that part of the process plays out. But the
richest original point, we have the coolest job in the
world to do this every week. And I totally agree
that we're very soft as a society. We don't need

(01:49:17):
days off.

Speaker 2 (01:49:18):
This is cool.

Speaker 5 (01:49:19):
We could be digging ditches somewhere, you know, changing sidings
on roofs, but we're talking ball. That's a pretty damn good,
pretty damn good setup for us.

Speaker 4 (01:49:26):
Okay, all right, now, let's get to the Irish. My goodness,
I mentioned in State and you conks are just off
and running. My gosh, goodness. All right, we get to
Notre Dame.

Speaker 6 (01:49:35):
Now.

Speaker 4 (01:49:36):
I don't want to speak anything into existence over here.
I'm not trying to do that. Whatsoever. But I read
all this stuff, and I hear all these comments, and
all the time I hear a if Notre Dame wins
their last two games, which they should, they're a lock.
They're in, And I'm like, ah, I expect them to
get in, But I don't think it's a lock at all.

(01:49:58):
Like if you look at college football and look at
the landscape, you're telling me there aren't some you know,
curve balls that could potentially happen. Like if you look
at let's say the Big Twelve championship game. Let's say
it's Texas Tech, and let's say BYU. What if B
WHYU wins that game? What if b WHYU wins out?
Is Texas Tech out right? Are they still in? They

(01:50:20):
probably find their way in still, I would imagine. And
then you get into this debate of well, Notre Dame
didn't play a conference title game and Texas Tech shouldn't
be penalized for losing theirs. There are all sorts of things.
Maybe Alabama wins out, maybe there's pressure to you know,
have Bama leapfrog Notre Dame Miami. If they went out
in impressive fashion, they that's gonna get louder and Louder

(01:50:43):
Miami beat Notre Dame and this is I want to
use my inside voice for this, but this is the
real potential curve ball that could bite Notre Dame. What
about the injury bug?

Speaker 5 (01:50:55):
Huh?

Speaker 4 (01:50:55):
Remember Florida State when Jordan Travis went down and they
didn't have a college football layoff?

Speaker 2 (01:51:00):
Berth.

Speaker 4 (01:51:01):
Now, I was with four teams, but the same thing
could happen with twelve teams. What if Jeremiah Love got
banged up, like and all of a sudden, the Committee's like, well,
it's not the same Notre Dame team. Bah like this
idea that it's a lock if they just beat Syracuse
and Stanford and nothing crazy can happen. That's I don't
buy that at all. I think they're gonna make it in,

(01:51:22):
but I don't call it a lock at all at
this stage.

Speaker 2 (01:51:25):
No.

Speaker 6 (01:51:26):
Now, you know what's interesting, And the CFB committee hired
a new chair in lieu of some recent changes, and
your check came out and he was talking about specifically
Miami and Notre Dame in the new rankings, talking about
where they fit into the whole picture. It's just interesting

(01:51:46):
when you think about when you think about Notre Dame,
the truth is with teams with big avid fan bases,
you really only need to get it right.

Speaker 2 (01:52:00):
Once, and that is with the final playoff picture.

Speaker 6 (01:52:05):
Now you're going to stir the pot, you're going to
piss people off if things are either out of kilt
or off kilter or out of whack in the weeks
leading up.

Speaker 2 (01:52:14):
But you just got to get this right once.

Speaker 6 (01:52:17):
So again you returning to the conversation we had earlier
in today's show, but also over the course of the
past couple of weeks since the see if P rankings
have been coming out consistently, you just really can't buy
into much right now because I also think that the
committee doesn't have their story straight. You hear from certain
committee members this, and then you hear from certain source

(01:52:38):
reports that you hear from other committee members that you
hear from the chair of this, and it's like you're
trying to sift through all of the bs to get
to the truth. And you know what the truth is, Brian,
and I think you'll agree with this and Jared, you two,
The truth is they're trying to make college football as
interesting as possible. They are trying intentionally to make you

(01:53:01):
nuts along the way, and at the end of the day,
they're going to make mistakes with the rankings, the final rankings.

Speaker 2 (01:53:08):
Who's in and who's out.

Speaker 6 (01:53:09):
Some team is going to be left in the cold,
looking in, on the outside, looking in and saying it
should have been us, It could have been us, and
why isn't it us?

Speaker 2 (01:53:18):
And you're going to have a situation, Oh what team?

Speaker 6 (01:53:22):
Oh help me remember what team when it was still
a four team playoff lost their quarterback late in the year.

Speaker 5 (01:53:30):
Thank you, it was two years ago.

Speaker 2 (01:53:32):
You just said that.

Speaker 6 (01:53:33):
Yeah, And so I mean it's just a perfect example.
I mean, like you're going to somebody is going to
be heartbroken at the end of the year. It's how
it's going to be.

Speaker 5 (01:53:43):
I don't think so. To Brian George on point, I
would be shocked, and I hope the situation doesn't play
out because that means Jeremiah Love's hurt and that sucks
for college football. I would be shocked if Jeremiah Love
gets hurt and that's the reason that notre name gets
left out. That would suck on so many levels. First
of all, you could argue that Genarian Price is almost

(01:54:06):
right on his level in terms of talent, I think
Love's better slightly, but they have two really good running backs. Second,
I do think brand recognition in this case matters, because again,
what did we talk about earlier, If you're just joining us,
we had a similar conversation to this at the top
of the show, and I think it's a lot of nuance,
it's a lot of gray area with the College of

(01:54:27):
Well Playoff Committee. It's politics, and I think they love
Notre Dame. Notre Dame is a big brand, and I
think it's gonna take a lot to keep them out.
I don't think if they went out, I think they're in.
I'll say that right now. If they're ten and two,
Notre Dame is in. That's the last I think. That,
to me is the most definitive word I can say
on the issue.

Speaker 4 (01:54:46):
Yeah, we'll see hey. Before we move it along to
rapid Fire, I did. I dusted off a couple of clips,
oh no, from last week's particular episode now just as
a reference point. Right, we had a little chat about
the Crimson Tad if you will, and they were they
were taking on uh Oklahoma, Uh this one?

Speaker 2 (01:55:09):
Where was it?

Speaker 6 (01:55:10):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (01:55:10):
Where's there?

Speaker 4 (01:55:11):
Here we go, here's one we look at Oklahoma against
a very flawed, completely fraudulent Alabama team. So that that
was like the the the jumping off point. Here here's
another one. Alabama is total fool's goal. Okay, so that's
where it started. And uh, you know, Richie, let's say
it a little uh not quite.

Speaker 2 (01:55:33):
On board here the Bbama takes bad.

Speaker 4 (01:55:37):
I like that.

Speaker 2 (01:55:38):
This one's good too, This one I I I completely
disagree with.

Speaker 4 (01:55:42):
All Right, he's not on board. Not on board, Jared,
you know, like in terms of the frauds, I think
Alabama is a complete fraud. Okay, Jared, not on board.

Speaker 5 (01:55:53):
I think that's an insane take to call them a fraud.
It's absolutely insane.

Speaker 2 (01:55:57):
Tate.

Speaker 4 (01:55:59):
This is the last one is my favorite one.

Speaker 5 (01:56:00):
I just don't understand what sport you're watching. If you
think they're a fraud, that's I stand by that they're
not a fraud. They lost the game, or they doubled
the yardage of Oklahoma. They just had a really bad turnover,
they turned into a pick six.

Speaker 4 (01:56:12):
That's like, that's a definition of a fraud team right there.
When you outgain an opponent by one hundred and eighty
four yards and you still lose at home.

Speaker 5 (01:56:20):
It's a bad result, Brian, come on, let's not beat
this dead horse. Bama's not a fraud. They were a
really good football team that lost the football game to
another good football team. That's that's all it was. It
was one game.

Speaker 6 (01:56:31):
I mean yeah, And also, I mean Alabama is going
to finish this season a two loss team in the SEC.

Speaker 2 (01:56:39):
They're going to play in the playoffs.

Speaker 6 (01:56:42):
I don't understand how you could legislate a season, especially
where they've had as many top ten victories as they
did throughout the course of the year. Strength of schedule,
especially when you pound your chest as a Notre Dame
fan who basically plays one of the weakest schedules year
after year after year here and they get in off
of name recognition constantly.

Speaker 4 (01:57:04):
They have nine Top tay had one one top ten win.

Speaker 2 (01:57:08):
You make it so.

Speaker 5 (01:57:08):
They have the best stretch of any team in college
football this year, the best four game stretch of any
team in the country.

Speaker 4 (01:57:16):
Awesome, Proud of them. And they found a way to
lose a game, almost out gaining an opponent by two
hundred yards, and they got.

Speaker 2 (01:57:25):
Best defense in the country.

Speaker 4 (01:57:28):
The State Florida State Game, the Florida Florida State lost
again last night, and they crushed Bama.

Speaker 5 (01:57:34):
Crushed transit. Property of football is so worthless. You could
do this with everyone. Everyone's lost, to someone who's beaten.
Someone watched the games and grade the talent. Stop taking
one individual result and making it into this narrative.

Speaker 4 (01:57:50):
I'm not doing that exactly.

Speaker 2 (01:57:52):
Yes you are.

Speaker 5 (01:57:53):
You're saying they're a fraud. That's an insane take, Brian.

Speaker 4 (01:57:56):
They're total.

Speaker 5 (01:57:57):
Any person who watches the sport regularly does not believe
that they are. They're a really good football team.

Speaker 2 (01:58:04):
They're not.

Speaker 4 (01:58:04):
You have no running game, they have an okay offensive line,
they have an ok defense, and they're two relying on
ty Simpson who wet himself last week. That's what they are.
They're going nowhere and just like last week on that
one are we got rich Orenberger, Penn State All American,
Jared Smith FSR analyst and a Bama apologist. I'm Brian, No,

(01:58:28):
not drinking the roll tied kool aid this year, that's obvious.

Speaker 5 (01:58:32):
I'm just not calling them a fraud. That's all I'm doing.
I'm just grading them for what they are.

Speaker 4 (01:58:37):
Yeah, with your rose colored glasses over there, that's okay,
but they roll with it man, that's fine, roll tied.
We got rapid fire pick Scalore. Coming up next, it
is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff presented by bet MGM.
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(01:58:59):
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(01:59:19):
Props to the crew, our trusted producer Bo Benson, the
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Give Fox Sports Radio a follow on x CR picks
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(01:59:40):
you covered in seven minutes from now. Keep it locked
here on Fox Sports Radio. All right, we're putting the
wrap it in rapid fire this week. Let's do it.

Speaker 1 (01:59:49):
Rapid fire, all right.

Speaker 5 (01:59:52):
Jared go Marshall. App State over fifty six and a half.
Marshall's been balling lately. App State runs a super fast
tempo BYU minus two and a half against Cincinnati. I'm
taking bear against the Bearcats, and we're going Charlotte plus
forty three and a half against Georgia Kirby smart oh
for eleven win a big favorite of thirty eight or more.

Speaker 6 (02:00:12):
Okay, USC at Oregon under fifty nine and a half.
USC is gonna struggle moving the football against Oregon. Oregon's
gonna control the crownd game. Oklahoma minus five and a
half is where I got it, So minus four and
a half.

Speaker 2 (02:00:25):
I'm fine with that too.

Speaker 6 (02:00:27):
Ohio State minus twenty nine and a half against Rutgers.
They're eight and two against the spread. They're eaten against
the Scarlet Knights.

Speaker 4 (02:00:36):
All right, give me the fighting Belichicks. Give me North
Carolina plus seven against Duke, better defense getting points at home.
Give me Missouri Oklahoma under twenty one and a half
in the first half for bulak back. I think it's
a slower start, Give me Jade and Baff, Florida running
back over eighty and a half rushing yards