January 1, 2026 • 41 mins
In this third hour of the New Year's Edition of the Ben Maller Show, Kevin Figgers & Adam Auslund catch up with FSR Host & College Football Analyst Geoff Schwartz stops by to preview the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal, and some of the main storylines around the NFL as we get closer to the end of the season.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, thanks for listening to the Ben Mahler Show podcast.
It's me Ben. Be sure to catch us live every
weeknight from two to six Eastern eleven pm to three
am Pacific right here on Fox Sports Radio. You can
find your local station for the Ben Malers Show over
at Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
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Speaker 2 (00:26):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. It's right hour three.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Have the Ben Malay Show on Fox Sports Radio with
Kevin Figures at kfig Ones where you can find me
on exit Adam at follow Adam a on x is
where you can find him.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Thank you, guys.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
That's right, and happy New Year. It's all you guys
listening out there. I hope you guys are being happy
and safe. You know, I feel it is now twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
I don't care about them. I feel like we've had
a pretty good show so far. All right, that's my
concern here.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Well, you know I care two podcasts. I don't nobody
else care. So Adam dom give a damn about.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
You, box set after the World a lot, and I'm
in that place right now. On day one of twenty
twenty six. That's where I've had already. This has been
a terrible year. No, we're off on here, We're good.
Coming up later next segment, we got Jeff Schwartz to
join the show Football Analysts. We'll talk college football with him.
(01:18):
We'll talk NFL football with him.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Gots talk about his Oregon Ducks man, big game coming up?
Speaker 4 (01:22):
What about my Orgon Ducks here, Kevin, come.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
On, with all due respect him, he actually, you know,
suited up and wore the color.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
What's the difference?
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Sweat and got injured and played.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
I have a friend that was born in Oregon, didn't
go to the university, but I have just as much
you know, a pool towards them.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I am mistaken, you're right. Matter of fact, you're more
of a duck than Jeff Schwartz could ever be.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Come on, Jeff Schwartz, Joey Harrington, I am all about
that duck life, Me and puddles. All right, let's get
to it.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
College football forecast with F and.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
A Oh Kevin. Speaking of the Ducks, they are favored
by point and a half over Texas Tech and the
Capitol One Orange Bowl coming up just mere hours from now.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
They are and I think they should be. I mean
to be honest with you.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Like, as good as Texas Tech has been, especially defensively this.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Year, offensively they could be a little shaky.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
Now.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Grant you can say the only loss that they had
earlier in the year against Arizona State is when they're
starting quarterback Baron Morton was injured, and that is true.
But offensively, this is not the Mike Leech Texas Tech
offense that's flying high and scoring seventy points a game
or anything like that. They're good, They're very good, but
they're certainly not dominant or great or unstoppable. And for
as much talk as Texas Tech's defense gets, people sleep
(02:36):
on Oregon's defense for whatever reason, and I don't know
why that happens to be the case. They play in
a better conference against better competition. This is no hate
or disrespect to the Big twelve. But BYU is a
good team. But ultimately I know they beat them twice,
but they were a one trick pony. As good as
their quarterback quarterback was, they really wrote their running game
and a BYU couldn't run anybody, they couldn't win. And
(02:57):
they got Utah early in the season. Two in Utah
is a team, but again, know where close to where Oregon.
Speaker 5 (03:02):
Is to me?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yeah, so I think Oregon should be favored in this
game and I like the Ducks to win it. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
I might go Doctor Evil with this as well. How
about no to Texas Tech. I actually feel pretty strongly
about Oregon in this ball game. Now that may change
early tomorrow morning as the game kicks off at nine
am Pacific time. But look, this Oregon Ducks team. They
have played stiffer competition. They have lost, but it was
(03:30):
a very close game to Indiana, granted at home, but
that kind of put Indiana on the map. Once they
won in Austin, who had the longest home winning streak
at that time. That was when everybody turned their heads.
And I think that was the initial heisman moment from
Fernando Mendoza after throwing the pick, coming back down the
(03:51):
field and scoring a touchdown. They won by ten, but
it was a one score game with four minutes left
or something like that. It was a very close game
they played usc They obviously weren't the Big ten championship game.
But this Oregon team has a different level of focus
To me, I just feel like I know it's a
different quarterback this season, but Dan Lanning has been waiting
(04:12):
to get back to this point. It's something I've heard
from our good friend Joel Joel Clatt. He's been talking
about this a lot how Oregon Our show.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Every single week from not for whatever reason.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
Once in a while he went thirty six and forty
with his college football picks.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
That's all.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
It happens to the best of us, even Joel Klatt.
But this Ducks team, their season starts now. It feels
like they got a little bit of a warm up
against JMU in the opening round. That was good for them,
but they came in so flat against Ohio State last
season in the Rose Bowl and I think we're down
like twenty eight to nothing in the first quartern baking.
(04:50):
They have been waiting for this moment to make up
for that complete implosion against Ohio State, to prove that's
not who they are, that's who they were, That's not
who they are. So this is a team that I
think is with a laser type of focus right now,
and they're just more dynamic on the offensive side of
(05:11):
the ball, and they're getting wide receivers back finally that
they have been missing throughout a lot of this season
that nobody's been talking about.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Yeah, Brian and a couple of others, And a big
thing for them is the fact that, yes, they're great
at running the ball.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
They have like a five headed monster at running back.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
To be honest with you, there's really even though Whittington
is kind of the bell cow, they really spread it
around a lot.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
And I know Texas Tech.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Is dynamic the I know that they spread it around
a lot when it comes to the running game. But
if he stopped, but Texas Tech is great at stopping
the run.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Cool.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
You think Dante Moore, who's being talked about it as
the potential best quarterback in the draft, can't let you
up in the passing game.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
He wants something that deep ball thrower in the league.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
That's something that Oregon has that Texas Techa just hasn't
seen this year Texas Tech. And this is no disrespect.
You can only play who's on the schedule. So I'm
not faulting them for who they've played, but you have
to take it when you're looking at and trying to
acap you know how this matchup is going to play out.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I don't think.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
I don't I'm not gonna say, I don't think. I
know they have not faced a passing attack that can
be as dynamic as its Oregon attack can be. So,
even if Texas Tech is going to continue to be
stiff against the run and not allow Winnington and those
guys to have room on the ground, Dante Morgan throw
the ball forty five times, and I feel confident that
Oregon can win this game. That wouldn't bother me at all.
And if that gets to a point, Adam, My thing
(06:24):
is if this game is played in the team to
the twenties advantage, Texas Tech one thousand percent, I don't
know if Texas Tech, even as good as they are defensively,
can slow down this Oregon offense enough. The problem is,
I don't know if Texas Tech's offense can score enough
to keep up with them. Well, even if Oregon having
a Orgon's everything like thirty nine points a game or something,
a down game for them will be thirty one points.
(06:47):
My confident that Texas Tech can score thirty one points
offensively against his Oregon defense, I don't know if they can.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
It's strength versus strength with Oregon's running game against Tech,
who is giving up the fewest yards per carry in
college football, just two point three. Oregon's over six.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Yards per carry.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
You mentioned they kind of do it by committee with
all the good backs that they have, so guys stay
in rotation and they stay fresh out there. That's just
tough to deal with. It's gonna be one in the
trenches in a style. I guess in some ways what
we saw tonight, But I do expect a higher scoring
game possibility with Oregon in Texas Tech. But you're right,
(07:26):
if it's a game played in his thirties, advantage Oregon.
If Texas Tech is slowing them down, it's a close
game like that. It's like we haven't seen Oregon come
through in those situations though. Either against Iowa, Dante Moore
threw one of the best passes of the season to
finish them off, and IWA just got a big victory
over Vandy earlier today. Now, we can't put stock into
(07:47):
bowl games. I'm not going back on what we just
said earlier today, but this Oregon team is really talented,
and I think out of all the teams that had
to play in the opening round, they're the most dangerous.
They're the one that could go out and win the
whole damn thing. That's how I feel. And maybe i'm biased,
damn because I'm almost from there.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Yeah, no, you're almost from there, okay, And that's a
bit of a stretch.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
I'll say, visited Eugene once for the people.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
There, And I know Dan Lanning was really heated after
they beat James Madison and thought they let go of
the rope in the second half and allowed them to
come back and cover the spread and one thing that
and people are kind of holding that against Oregon, saying like, see,
if they do this against a good team, they're gonna
end up losing. Guys realizing the second half Oregon pulled
all of their starters. Yeah, and James Madison did not.
They did not give up. They kept all their starters
(08:38):
in the game. So you basically had Oregon second and
third stringers playing against James Madison's ones, and that's why
James Madison was able to come to mount that comeback.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Well.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
And it's not to get a little bit complacent out
there when you're up that big like they were.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Yeah, you're asking guys to come off the bench, you
don't play that much to also come in and also
have an edge with knowing that they're up by thirty
points or whatever it is. That's just difficult to ask
anybody to do so well. Do not take anything away
from the second half of that JMU game. I think
it's going to have any sort of effect on how
the starters actually perform against Texas Tech.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
That's ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
I'll say this though. If Oregon loses the game, Ohio
States out yep. If Oregon loses, I'm going to be
looking at the Big Ten a little bit sideways and
just wondering, wait a second, or they as good as
we thought? I mean, how many great out of conference
games did they play to really be tested? We thought
(09:29):
the Texas game was a big test. It wasn't. Ohio
State barely straight by and Texas, I mean, they had
issues all season long. They still almost made it. They
won today, fine, But I don't know. Now we start
to look at conference supremacy and who really was the
best when you start to get matchups like these. Now,
if Oregon goes on to win, Indiana wins, they face
(09:52):
off in the semi finals, that's a great rematch and
it's Big Ten supremacy. But I do wonder what the
talk is going to be if Oregon loses this game,
surrounding the Big Ten now.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Well also when it comes to the Rose Bowl at
Alabama and Indiana, which we'll get to in a little
bit as well. We'll talk to our next guest about
that as a matter of fact. On the other side,
Fox Sports Radio host and NFL analysts and college football
analysts at that as well, Jeff Schwartz gonna join us
as Kevin figures Adam Alson in for Big Ben Malor
here on Fox Sports Radio. Be sure to catch live
editions of The Ben Malor Show weekdays at two am
(10:23):
Eastern eleven pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Hey, this is Jason McIntyre.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire
with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod pushing
the same tired narratives down your.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Throat every day.
Speaker 6 (10:42):
Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest
sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at
the sportsbook.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
And all the best guests.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with
Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app Apple podcasts or wherever
you get your podcasts.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
We're gonna have a little Q and ATH and a cotton.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Welcome back in the Ben Malard Show here on Fox
Sports Radio, Kevin Figures Adam Alson filling in for Big
Ben Maltherard.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Thank you guys for joining us here on the show.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Coming up in a little bit, we'll dive back into
these today's matchups. I should say, in the college football playoff,
we already talked about Oregon and Texas Tech, still got
to get into Indiana and Alabama, as well as the
rematch between Ole Miss and Georgia. But coming up now, Adam,
we have a special guest to join us to talk
about that and some big happenings here in the final
weekend of the NFL.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Let's get to it well. Twenty twenty seconds.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
The Year of the Horse, but our next guests the
year of the Duck. As he played his college ball
at the University of Oregon before being drafted by Mike
Carolina Panthers in two thousand and eight, where he started
what would be an almost decade long career in the
trenches doing the dirty work while using the power of
the swarz to block some dudes who are as big
as pizza the Hut. It's former NFL offensive lineman who
(12:02):
you know here on Fox Sports Radio with the Fellas
is Jeff Swartz joining us on FSR. Jeff, Happy New Year,
Thanks for coming on FN.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
A good morning, get up through good night. I don't
know why I thought it was morning time. It's early
off the morning time it's been. It's been a busy week.
I don't even know what day it is, but I'm
glad to be with you guys talking.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Ball a bit of a whirlwind. Appreciate you coming on.
Let's talk about the Ducks here. You know we've already
talked about one college football playoff game in the books,
but give us a preview of your Ducks against the
Red Raiders and how does the organ gets get this done?
Speaker 5 (12:34):
Later today? Yeah, oh man, I'm looking forward to it. Look,
I think some important things that we saw last year matter,
and I think it will matter a little bit this year. Right,
So it doesn't mean even we gonna lose the game,
but I think being here is going to matter, right,
And Oregon's been here before, and when you look at
(12:55):
the teams playing that have been here before, and how
well they prepared themselves. They're preparing all season to play now,
So I mean, organ they've talked about this like they're
preparing themselves all year to play on January first, So
ivan they had done this season is up until this
point for that day now of course beyond that. Right,
(13:16):
last year it felt like we peaked too soon, and
the opposite was stript of how to state it was
basically ready to peak at the right time. And so
I feel like we're in a good spot just mentally
having done this last year over Texas Tech. Right, this
is new for them. I'm not saying they're just happy
to be here, but that certainly is a fair mindset
to have in which the first time in the postseason.
(13:36):
They've never been in the playoff before, right, and the
organism program has been before this year. So just mentally,
I like what we're at from that perspective. And then
there's on the game like itself, Like Oregon is the
best offense Tech Attach has seen, and they have great
players Bailey Height and Rodriguez and Roberts fantastic, Like they're incredible,
they're great, like all the things that people said about
(13:57):
them all true, But they also just haven't seen an
offense quite like Oregon. Like the offense. The best offense
theive Fax two is probably Utah, but they can't throw
the ball. So I'm looking forward to watching that matchup.
And seem like gives the Texas Tech defense scale. I mean,
you know scales up right, can scale up to play
a much better team. Oregon has played really good defense
(14:19):
is so far this year. They played Iowa, they played
as much as meaning at Penn State. They have multiple
really good defensive players going the NFL. You know, they
played Indiana like they've played teams that are close to
Texas Tech. Not quite of course, And so I just
think we're ready to go. I think we're prepared, and
I like where we're at as a team and should
be a really fun game.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Jeff Shuts joining us here on fn A on FSR.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Then let's talk about the rose ball speaking of teams
that have been there before. So Indiana made it to
the playoff last year, obviously didn't end the way that
they wanted. So they're now back as the one seed
taking on an Alabama program that you know they set
up residency and college football playoff games. So just from
that standpoint and based on what you said in the
Oregon Texas Tech matchup, I guess both of these teams
have experience in this situation. Do you believe that Indiana
(15:02):
having that experience going to the playoff last year can
help their case this year going up against a legacy
school like Alabama and the Rose Bowl.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
Absolutely it's gonna help. And Indiana is much better than
last year like that, those aulisms are sure, there's much
better than they were last season. Just a bad match
up for Alabama just stylistically, right, you have a Indian
team that's built in the trenches and that's not really
where Alabama excels this year, which is shocking mistake is
(15:30):
Alabama for so many years obviously we know has been
a bunch a team building the Henries, but they almost
to passer well and they don't run the ball well.
And so those two things are i mean really hard
to do with Indiana. You can't be one dimensional and
Indian does not make mistakes. They don't make errors, and
they're a methodical team. Right, They're like a Boa constrictor
like they just sort of just like like this kind
(15:53):
of like just like slowly slowly, just like you know,
the more you breathe, the more you struggle, they just
constrict you, right like that's what they that's where they play.
And they've won every big moment this year, every big game.
So I'm looking forward that one and I do think
that they end up winning and covering that game in
the end does so.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
I know we still have games to be played here
in the college football playoff and a lot of these
guys could potentially help their NFL case based on how
they perform. But it seems to be the top three
quarterbacks and it's not the strongest quarterback draft class just
in general, but whether you're talking about Tysimpson and Alabama,
Dante More and then Fromanda Mendoza, those are seemingly the
top three available guys who will be eligible for the draft.
(16:34):
We don't know if Dantey Moore is going to decide
to come out yet or not, but just based on
what you've seen from those three guys, do you agree
with the notion that Fernanda Mendoza is head and shoulders
the best prospect of the three or how do you
handicap those three quarterbacks as we head into the head
into the playoff and into the NFL draft season.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Coming up here in a few months.
Speaker 5 (16:51):
Even those are the best. Now, I'll say, you know,
Dunpey Moore is is gonna be if he came back
for one more year, which is certainly impossible, and I
hope Organ hopes that that happens. He makes more NFL
throws than Mendoza does throughout a game. I think Mendoza's
a little bit just better. He's played more football. I mean,
(17:13):
there's a lot of information that quarterbacksly start one year
in college football to go to the NFL, and he
started some games of true freshman season, just aren't as
prepared to play versus a guy like Mendoza who's been
a long time starter. And so you know, again Dante
Moore has more NFL throws in him. He also has
more mistakes, right, Like I think as he can value
(17:35):
coming back for another year. But I do think if
they were going out, there will be talking about him
being him being one be who's the third.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Guy you mentioned a Ti Simpson from Alabama.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
I think he's very firmly the third guy in that conversation.
And I'll hope we look the two look. Oregon really
hopes Dante Moore comes back. The results of this playoff
will maybe determine that because they're they're like all in
on twenty six. They've all been planning for twenty six
to be their championship sort of run. They're a tiny
bit ahead of schedule this year with all the new
(18:07):
guys they had, they have a very young roster and
in the secondary new guys are offensive line, wide receiver,
running back. I mean they're young at some positions that
you know, they are hoping guys come back and don't
go the draft, so another one. So they're hoping more
comes back with jobs to take out a quarterback. And
what was funny because in entering the college well season
(18:27):
there were like seven guys what's first we thought for
the first round picks and that's not remotely going to
do what happens.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Yeah, before we move on to the to the NFL, Jeff,
you send a tweet out the other day talking about
bowl game results having no big picture takeaways, and I
agree one thousand percent, And it just brings to question
the future of the bowl structure as we currently have it.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
If we're playing all these playoff games.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
That are gonna matter, it's going to expand at some
point in time, but what difference does it make when
it comes to all these other bowl games and even
if they are really good matchups and really good finishes,
if they ultimately doesn't amount to anything.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
What difference does it make?
Speaker 5 (19:01):
Now?
Speaker 3 (19:01):
You played in college football during an era where if
you didn't make it to the BCS title Game or
you know, you still had a chance to go to
the Rose Bowl if you went to an organ or
Sugar Bowl if you're an SEC team, And now that
just doesn't seem to matter because they're part of the
college football playoff structure. So if your consolation prize is
going to no disrespect to the Sun Bowl or somewhere
like that, I just don't understand what the value is
of the ball system. So just I guess the way
(19:22):
that you look at it right now, what should be
the future of the non college football playoff bowl structure.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
Well, look, if you were go over the ratings, I
would imagine on the days the Bulls will played this
to the highest rates thing on television. And some of
these bowls with the good teams are really good. They've
been good both obviously USC TCU. Right was that last night?
Now you know there was a game earlier today with
(19:49):
Iowa and Vanderbilt. That was good. I mean, these are
good Bowl games, Like they're fun to watch now, Look,
is a law of tech Southern miscreat? Not really, but
there had some really good Bowl games when the better
teams start start playing them. So I don't think it's
going anywhere. You know, are they going to move the
Holiday Bowl out of Mobile and the Live Quest Bowl,
(20:12):
which I think used to be when it used to
be called Sintrids Bowl. Maybe no, it's not the Six's Bowl.
I think whatever. Like you know, those those games might
be not playoff games, but I still think it matters.
Look for ninety percent of teams, making a Bowl game
is still a big deal, right, It's extra practice, you
get to swag, you know, going to different Now guys
(20:34):
have nil money, but you know, the free gifts were
like in pretum was like awesome, like a month of
pre diem and free gifts and so those things were
things we look forward to. And I still think that
a lot of more competitive they want to play in
these games, and they've been good for the most parts.
You get sort of near you know, near the new year,
when the better teams are playing.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
We got Jeff Schwartz on with us on the f
and a takeover the Ben Mallors Show. Happy New Year, everyone,
So let's move up to the big leagues. You obviously
played there for almost a decade, Jeff. And look, I
want to know your opinion on this NFC or AFC
North matchup. I should say, between John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin,
who do you think is under more pressure to win
(21:15):
this game and get into the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
Ooh, I think it's Tomlin because they were the favorite
like minus like seven fifty two weeks ago. And it
sounds like Lamar is going to play right. He practiced today,
I believe, or a leave it. He was looked at
as as participating.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Well, participating degree yeah, full practice is what I last saw.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
So yeah, and I think today it's more like by
the time of the year, it thought very walk through
issh on Friday on Wednesday. But I still like that
he's out there. I think if I'll pitch it their
home first of all, right, their home and they're they're
going to blow this lead, this division lead. And there's
a lot of smoke on Tomlin right now, like he
he doesn't want to playoff games with twenty sixteen. Are
(21:59):
they gonna except a nine to eight year and a
collapse at that very end to sort of better rival Harbaugh.
You know, they've had a sort of a bad year
with injuries, and there's obviously a little bit of maybe
something between you know, him and Lamar And I think
it's firmly on the Steelers, man. I think the Steelers
have got to be the one who win this game,
(22:19):
or there'd be questions about whether or not Tom that's
coming back.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
How about a division you know extremely well, and that
being the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers taking on the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Buccaneers at the start of
the season, Jeff, people were talking about Baker Mayfield being
the MVP. They got off to that five and one
start and then it's all come crashing down. I guess
do you think how much pressure do you think is
on Todd Bowles and do you think that his job
might be on the line if Tampa Bay does not
find a way to win the division here? And also
(22:44):
just talk about your Carolina Panthers too, by the way,
and how they've surprised a lot of people to even
be in this position at the end of the regular
season at this point.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
I don't like chaos in my life very much, but
I do enjoy it. I do enjoyed every now and then.
And in this situation is obviously the Panthers lose to
the Bucks, so they're eight and nine, the Bucks are
eight and nine. The Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday,
and then the Panthers go to the playoffs as they
(23:12):
are three way times for eight and nine say the
tie break because that is the chaos scenario. But I
think that's gonna be avoy because the Panthers are gonna
win on Sunday. I was always Taeday, she started afternoon. Look,
Tampa Bay's lost seven of eight and they have not
been very good losses, right, And it feels like Todd Bowles,
he's done a great job. They've been competitive for so
many years. It's just wearing off, right, His message is
(23:35):
wearing off. The team's older, a little bit hurt, a
little beat up, and they're not having the impact that
he used to have. And I think winner losing this game,
that's probably it. It's probably it for him as the coach.
And it looks eventually it just runs this course. It
doesn't mean that he can't beat a head coach somewhere else,
or that he's not good coach anymore. But you lose
seven of eight like this, and their Falcons losses and
(23:57):
Saintans losses and Dolphins losses like these are losses that
you favored in right and and oftentimes like it wasn't
close against its all, but they were down ten points
in the fourth quarter, I believe. So those losses add up,
and you know, I just think it's time to find
a new coach. Might be time to move off Baker Mayfield.
And you know he know he's been hurt this year
with the shoulder and he's non throwing his shoulder. I
think has been has been a little jacked up. But
(24:18):
still it's just it's still a good way to end
in Carolina. Though they've won, they've one loss ten weeks
in a row, I think, which is kind of wild.
They have just been very consistent when when they're good,
they've been really good. Packers win, beat the Rams, beat
the Bucks two weeks ago, and they lost us and
we didn't play well. I was starting to play better
(24:39):
on Satday. It's been their pattern for ten weeks now.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Jeff been looking at the other game Saturday night is
for the number one overall seed in the NFC between
the San Francisco forty nine Ers and the Seattle Seahawks.
Who do you think needs the number one seed in
the buy more between these two teams in order to
make it out of the NFC.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
Oh, who needs it more? Probably the Niners with their
defense needs it more. My NFC champion is probably the
team who wins this game. I mean, you have such
an advantage having that one other that one week off. Man.
You know, the Niners offense has just been so good
(25:20):
with Brock Purdy this last month, it's been He's been
so good. But the defense there, they lost too many
in rushers, they lost Fred Warner. It's just not good enough.
And I can't get enough stops and they have one
way to win games, and so one less game, I
think we get them, you know, in that situation. Kyle
Shand has an incredible job this year, guys, he really has.
With Seattle. I just don't trust Stan Darnold. I mean
(25:42):
it's kind of that simple. And you know, if he
had one left game, you feel much better about him.
But I just don't think like Donold is the guy
to lead this team to like the promise land. So,
I mean, I use this analogy all the time. Roger
Goodell is handing them a Bardi trail off to someone
at the end of Super Bowl what is it this
(26:03):
year fifty seven or whatever it is? And is that
quarterback Sam Donald is he's seeing the trophy with Sam Donald?
Like the trophy has been held? Is the handed to
Jalen Hurst, Patrick Mahomes, Stafford and Tom Brady for like
eight straight seasons? Like it is it really going to
to Sam Donald? I just can't see that Can Soldier
(26:25):
as a picture of that. You're going to Sam Donald,
obviously going to brock Perdy. I can't see one to
Sam Donald. So maybe that's a super unfair way to
look at it. But think about who's won the last
I mean it's been it's been Eagles. It's been basically
Tom Brady, two Eagles Chiefs, and one Stafford. So like
the last ten seasons basically right since twenty sixteen, That's
(26:47):
that's who's who's one. Like, it makes sense when you
think about who's going up the trophy the end of season.
Nick Folds one obviously is a little bit weird, but
the Eagles were so good that season. But otherwise, man,
I just I don't think it with Donald so a
big game for him Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
So Jeff, how about the AFC.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
Can you envision Josh Allen raising the trophy now that
he does not have the hurdle of someone like Patrick
Mahomes stopping him.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
But Buffalo's had their issues this year.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
They've been inconsistent, They've been unable to stop the run,
and have struggled defensively at times and have a dearth
of talent offensively when it comes to weapons for Josh Allen.
Do you see a possibility that Josh Allen puts on
his cape and carries them to a potential Super Bowl
championship this year?
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Out of the AFC.
Speaker 5 (27:23):
The AFC is the hardest one for me because the
NFC has Stafford has pretty like Jalen Hurts. It's got
guys where you're just like, you know they've either done
it before or you know they put good film on,
you know, and you know they can do it. The
AFC again, like it has the faulty to having a
buy I mean, Denver I think is in line for
the buye right because the Chargers are resting everyone and
(27:44):
they just have to win this weekend and they're and
they had to buy I mean, it's one less game, man,
Like it's so important. Think about you know, the two
seed Patriots are having to play Buffalo and they're having
to play maybe Jacksonville and then having to play the Broncos.
The Broncos might get you know, the Chargers beat up Chargers,
(28:08):
they might get you know, a Bill's team that can't
play any defense. Like, it's one less game. So I
have to fall to the Denver in this situation. You know,
Bowe Nicks has been a little bit better. If Houston
had one home game, I'd feel great. But they're just
not going to have a home game and they're not winning.
Three rugans at offensive line. Every team in the in
the in the East has some In the East, AFC
(28:29):
is something that could be feels like a fatal flaw,
where like, yeah, they can do it, but they have
to avoid doing that bad thing for an entire week.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
Last one, for me, Jeff, did Matt Stafford lose the
MVP of that performance against Atlanta?
Speaker 5 (28:42):
I think this discussion is so silly to me. A
guy is a heavy favorite to an MVP he has
one bad half after he threw for four hundred and
fifty yards on the road in Seattle. And now Drake
made the MVP. So the award is essentially best player
in the final game of the season. Like that, that's
what the award has become. Drake Mays had a good season.
(29:05):
It's the easiest schedule in the NFL. They've didn't one
team in the NFL I think win to me, not
one team they did in thirteen. They didn't one team
with a winning record as of right now, and of
course you know that that might change with some results
of this past weekend or is up cooming we guy should say,
but Stafford's done it better job with injuries to Davonte
Adams with a much tougher schedule. I think it's Matt Stafford.
(29:29):
I don't think it's Drake May. Now Oswood say otherwise,
and I'm not sure. I think actually three awards come
down to this weekend. MVP, Offensive Workdie of the Year,
and Coach of the Year will all come down to
this weekend, which I get Coached the Year because that's
simply like you know, if Shanahan wins the one seed,
I could see him getting it. Raybel wins the two
seeds like sevens a little bit of sense. Otherwise, other awards,
(29:52):
what does it matter if tet Roy McMillan has a
big game like that, he has a big game with Telly,
he wins the award, But what means Okay, why one
game would matter that much? Like if the award is
for the season, in my opinion or for a chunk
of time, it's not for I played best in the
final game.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
Of the season, last one for you, Jeff, before we
let you run. Because another organization, you know, well as
the Kansas City Chiefs. Your brother played there for years
and a lot of people are talking.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
About the dynasty is now over.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
They got eliminated from the postseason, and Mahomes is injured,
and I mean, as far as I know, he's still
coming back next year, and Andy Reid is still there.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Yeah, they need to do a little bit of retooling.
But is it food for people to.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Say that the Kansas City And I know the AFC
West is improving with the Danver Broncos and the Chargers,
but people are basically just throwing dirt on the Kansas
City Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
And I don't really understand it. Jeff, where do you
sit on that narrative?
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Oh? People hate dynasties for some reason. I just like
watching good teams play. It's just so funny. Like people
are like, how I like the underdog. I'm like, do you?
Because we get the ratings for TV when Underdog's play,
no one watches them play. I don't want you want
like people watch Cowboys Chiefs play, They're not watching Jacksonville,
Tennessee play like congratulations on being under I don't get
(30:59):
I just don't get at it people loved. I'd rather
watch the Chiefs play and watch you know, the best
quarterback in football, player Josh Allen, player Joe Burrow play
in the playoffs. They being out kind of sticker rather
be in the postseason. The Chiefs the number one thing
they have to do. And so I can't answer the
question now until I see who they hire to be
the offensive coordinator. If they Matt Naggy I think will
be head coach. It's time for Andy Wait to branch out.
(31:21):
He needs to get someone from a different coaching tree.
I'd love to get him some sort of Shanahan McVeigh
type and just update the offense. The thing about the
Shanagan offense, Mcveay offense, whatever, whoever want to give them
credit to is obviously you know, Mike Shanahan, but it's
they find ways to get easy yards. Formationally bootlegs screams like,
(31:45):
it's just get some easy yards. The Chief offense give
zero easy yards right now. They do nothing said easy
and that's what it has to be updated. You can
keep the West Coast passing concepts and some of the
stuff he's done over the years, but we gotta find
the yard. So if they do that, I feel really good.
I've really you know, feel good, much better about where
they are as an organization. If he just brings back
(32:08):
someone from his tree, I feel less excited about where
the Chief will be next season.
Speaker 4 (32:12):
I mean, it'd be easier to get easy yards if
they had a Schwartz brother guarding form and block form.
Still he's Jeff easier, easier if.
Speaker 5 (32:20):
They had Jeremiah Love at running back, but they probably
can't drop the nine overall, easier like if they had
like a running back and the running backs are not
getting a lot of issues with the cheese. But yeah,
I mean, look they're gonna lose the Raiders. I guess
I don't know. Raiders can't be anybody but go the way. Yeah,
it went the way it went this year. It's unfortunate,
(32:40):
but I think it's too early to throw on a
dynasty grave.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
He is Jeff Schwartz, a Fox Sports radio also with
the YouTube channel follow him there. Schwartz is smarter than you.
As the podcast, He's definitely smarter than us.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
We're smarter now for having talked to him. I know that.
There you go.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
My new Year's resolution be as smart as Jeff Swartz
going into twenty twenty six. Jeff, thanks for doing this
here on f and A on FSR THA.
Speaker 5 (33:04):
Here guys, have a good weekend.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
And years later, you know, I feel like I got
some brain hatches going on just talking with Jeff there.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Well, you guys are basically basically, you know, all in
sympatico when it comes to the Oregon Ducks. I mean,
you guys just waxing poetically about all your love and
affection and how good they're going to do this weekend.
Speaker 4 (33:22):
My god, well you feel the same way. We all
have a kinship when it comes to the Ducks and
winning this game against Texas Tech.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
I thought, Kevin no change my mind. I'm taking them.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
What a hater.
Speaker 5 (33:35):
Through you?
Speaker 2 (33:36):
No, not in the least.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
Is it just because you have to root for teams
named the Raiders? Because you should really stop doing that
at some point.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yeah, it's really bad for my health. It's not paying
off for me very well.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
The Raiders leave them in twenty twenty five, Kevin, Come on, now,
they ever quit them? You're right because they could have
the number one overall pick.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Come on, I'm sure they'll find a way to screw
that up to No.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
Wait a second, Fernando Mendoza could be guy for them
and could be the guy we're talking about. Next, when
we return to the college football forecast, we'll preview number
nine Alabama taking on Indiana right in our own backyard
here at the Rose Bowl. Coming up next, this is
the Ben Mallor Show. I'm out of Mosley's Kevin figures.
We're FNA in for Big Ben.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Nice of you guys to drop by FNA COTTONNA, welcome
back in f and A in for Ben Mallard tonight,
I'm out of Mosley's Kevin figures.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
And remember, with the iHeartRadio app, you can stream us
wherever you happen to be catch us and all of
our Fox Sports Radio shows live twenty four to seven
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it will always pop up at the top of your screen.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
Thanksgeting Jeff Schwartz for joining us in the last segment
talking some NFL and college football. One thing we did
talk about was the Rose Bowl Alabama and Indiana coming
up from rain. He passed Adena, California on Saturday, Or
excuse me, I should I say Saturday? It feels like
a college football Saturday on what is it? Thursday afternoon?
About the time of year, Adam, where all the days
(35:10):
kind of run together. I have no idea what day
of the week it is anymore.
Speaker 4 (35:12):
Time of year. It's day one of the New year. Heaven,
Happy New Year. By the way, it is twenty twenty six,
And yes, we got a great matchup right in our
own backyard here at the Rose Ball. Was that a
sarcastic clap that we got that right? Hey, it's day
one of twenty twenty six. Look at it New Year.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
I am bleeping brilliant.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
Look at us figuring things out here on the calendar.
All right, Kevin said, there is weather a little bit wet,
a little bit rainy out there. Who do you think
would favor in this matchup?
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Oh? Indiana one thousand percent.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
Fyll the way Indiana and I think from a matchup
standpoint is should be their favored number one anyway, which
they should be, and I think they potentially win this
game going away. I realized losing Stephen Daley and the
defensive line is a big loss. He's one of their
best down defensive linemens, so that's certainly gonna hurt.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
How did he get hurt again?
Speaker 4 (35:59):
Oh? Unfortunately celebratings with the fans after their victory in
the Big Ten game.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Not quite Martine Gramatica, but I mean not that far
from it.
Speaker 4 (36:09):
I hate it. Why would the football gods let that happen?
Why have you forsaken us like that?
Speaker 5 (36:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (36:14):
He deserves better.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
He does.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
And Alabama's biggest weakness is their offensive line. Indiana's best
strength defensively is upfront, So just based on that, if
you look at it that way, the major advantage to
Indiana ty Simpson has been good when he's been protected,
and when he's not, he hasn't been Now, I know
that's not really something, you know, some crazy thing to
throw out thereous it's obvious to if any quarterback doesn't
(36:38):
have time to throw. Look at what happened to Julian
saying on Friday night, he's not going to be as effective.
But what you're going to find yourself in if you're
Alabama is a situation where you couldn't you can't run
the ball. You couldn't run the ball even against bad
teams this year. That's just something that for whatever reason,
they were incapable of doing. So now you're telling me
that ty Simpson has to drop back potentially forty five
times to beat this Indiana team. That's a recipe for disaster.
(37:00):
See it happening.
Speaker 4 (37:00):
I'll give Bama this. It was impressive to see them
come back against Oklahoma, redeem themselves with that loss at
Homes to them during the regular season, and then beat
them in the opening round after being down seventeen to nothing.
But Indiana's it's.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
A different beast in Oklahoma's offense sucks and Alabama struggled
against them.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
That's the other side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
Alabama's defense is this is not Nick Saban's defense, so
they have that working against them too.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
Indiana, to me, is the most complete team in this tournament.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
Now.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
I don't know if they have a rematch against the
Ducks how that could go, but we still have to
get to that point. Bama is very talented, but as
you mentioned, they have an obvious weakness with not being
able to run the football. And then if you can
pin your ears back and get after Tys Simpson because
you know they have to pass it, especially if you
get up early in the ballgame, they're in trouble. And
(37:52):
I think this could get out of hand. And that's
probably why Indiana's minus seven and a half when it
comes to the betting odds in this ball game, when
you think this is Alabama. When's the last time Alabama
in a playoff game since we've had the playoff going
back to the fourteen playoff, has been an underdog by
seven and a half points.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Have they ever been an underdog in a college football
playoff game? They may never have been.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
I know obviously they lost a couple, but I don't
know if they've ever actually entered in as a dog before.
Speaker 4 (38:21):
They're the overdog that has the dog in the webcage
that has a tiger in there. Typically, but it's not
Nick Saban's Alabama team, and they have serious flaws.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
They do, and so it's just really hard to overcome.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
From just a pure football matchup standpoint, what Indiana does
best is what Alabama struggles against the most. So just
as sometimes it comes down to just being as simple
as that. And now, look big game situations. Alabama does
have guys who've been on that roster. Ty Simpson is
one of them that are from the Nick Saban days.
It's a program that knows how to win, that's been
in big situations, that played in a Rose Bowl a
couple of years ago. So I'm not taking that experience
(38:54):
factor away from them. But sometimes you can have all
the experience in the world if you just ain't good enough,
you ain't good enough. By the way, go back to
Friday Night, same situation with Miami and Ohio State. Ohio
State have been there plenty of times over the past
couple of years. Miami had not didn't matter.
Speaker 4 (39:09):
Okay, I do have to say this in Alabama's favor.
I don't want to go roll tied with it here,
but there was a roll tide. There was a revelation
in that game against Oklahoma. H who's this lady brook
fella who had two touchdowns, who hadn't scored all season
long at receiver. We came into the year talking about
(39:29):
Ryan Williams. He hadn't done much, but all of a sudden,
Brook balls out against Oklahoma with two spectacular touchdowns, acrobatic plays,
showing off the athleticism. Is that something they can tap
into a little bit more, because if they're.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
Going to make a run.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
I think they are one of those teams because we
talk about their flaws, somebody else is going to have
to step up and rise up in a big moment
here to propel them forward and definitely to get back
past Indiana.
Speaker 3 (39:57):
Yeah, whether it's Brooks, Horton, Bernard, I don't know what
happened to Ryan Williams this year. He talks about it
at Media Days earlier this week, saying he's just trying
to do whatever it takes for the team to win.
If it means him having a huge game, great, If
not great, well you kind of need a little bit
more production from a guy who was that dynamic last year.
Speaker 4 (40:12):
Yeah, I don't love that. I don't answer no.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
I will love him to be more pissed off and
be more demonstrated about the fact that he didn't have
a good year and he wants to step up and
have some big games here in the postseason.
Speaker 4 (40:20):
Like that, Books, you had three losses this season, you
almost didn't get in. They definitely needed more from you.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Yeah, so I wasn't necessarily through, he said. I guess
quote unquote the right thing about being a team guy. Sure,
but it's like, no, I'm one of the best players
in the nation. I haven't played well this year. I
need to step up be better for my football team Indiana.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
The start contrast in this game, when it comes to
running the football, they're tenth in the country. Bama is one.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
Twenty, Sobama doesn't even try.
Speaker 4 (40:48):
The other thing is Indiana is number one when it
comes to a third down conversion rate, and that's what
we saw win this game tonight that we'll talk about
more coming up. Miami going seven to fourteen and getting
those crucial third downs was the difference in winning that
ballgame against Ohio State. More f and a on FSR
coming up next,
Hey, thanks for listening to the Ben Mahler Show podcast.
It's me Ben. Be sure to catch us live every
weeknight from two to six Eastern eleven pm to three
am Pacific right here on Fox Sports Radio. You can
find your local station for the Ben Malers Show over
at Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
night on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. It's right hour three.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Have the Ben Malay Show on Fox Sports Radio with
Kevin Figures at kfig Ones where you can find me
on exit Adam at follow Adam a on x is
where you can find him.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Thank you, guys.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
That's right, and happy New Year. It's all you guys
listening out there. I hope you guys are being happy
and safe. You know, I feel it is now twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
I don't care about them. I feel like we've had
a pretty good show so far. All right, that's my
concern here.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Well, you know I care two podcasts. I don't nobody
else care. So Adam dom give a damn about.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
You, box set after the World a lot, and I'm
in that place right now. On day one of twenty
twenty six. That's where I've had already. This has been
a terrible year. No, we're off on here, We're good.
Coming up later next segment, we got Jeff Schwartz to
join the show Football Analysts. We'll talk college football with him.
(01:18):
We'll talk NFL football with him.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Gots talk about his Oregon Ducks man, big game coming up?
Speaker 4 (01:22):
What about my Orgon Ducks here, Kevin, come.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
On, with all due respect him, he actually, you know,
suited up and wore the color.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
What's the difference?
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Sweat and got injured and played.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
I have a friend that was born in Oregon, didn't
go to the university, but I have just as much
you know, a pool towards them.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I am mistaken, you're right. Matter of fact, you're more
of a duck than Jeff Schwartz could ever be.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Come on, Jeff Schwartz, Joey Harrington, I am all about
that duck life, Me and puddles. All right, let's get
to it.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
College football forecast with F and.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
A Oh Kevin. Speaking of the Ducks, they are favored
by point and a half over Texas Tech and the
Capitol One Orange Bowl coming up just mere hours from now.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
They are and I think they should be. I mean
to be honest with you.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Like, as good as Texas Tech has been, especially defensively this.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Year, offensively they could be a little shaky.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
Now.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Grant you can say the only loss that they had
earlier in the year against Arizona State is when they're
starting quarterback Baron Morton was injured, and that is true.
But offensively, this is not the Mike Leech Texas Tech
offense that's flying high and scoring seventy points a game
or anything like that. They're good, They're very good, but
they're certainly not dominant or great or unstoppable. And for
as much talk as Texas Tech's defense gets, people sleep
(02:36):
on Oregon's defense for whatever reason, and I don't know
why that happens to be the case. They play in
a better conference against better competition. This is no hate
or disrespect to the Big twelve. But BYU is a
good team. But ultimately I know they beat them twice,
but they were a one trick pony. As good as
their quarterback quarterback was, they really wrote their running game
and a BYU couldn't run anybody, they couldn't win. And
(02:57):
they got Utah early in the season. Two in Utah
is a team, but again, know where close to where Oregon.
Speaker 5 (03:02):
Is to me?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yeah, so I think Oregon should be favored in this
game and I like the Ducks to win it. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
I might go Doctor Evil with this as well. How
about no to Texas Tech. I actually feel pretty strongly
about Oregon in this ball game. Now that may change
early tomorrow morning as the game kicks off at nine
am Pacific time. But look, this Oregon Ducks team. They
have played stiffer competition. They have lost, but it was
(03:30):
a very close game to Indiana, granted at home, but
that kind of put Indiana on the map. Once they
won in Austin, who had the longest home winning streak
at that time. That was when everybody turned their heads.
And I think that was the initial heisman moment from
Fernando Mendoza after throwing the pick, coming back down the
(03:51):
field and scoring a touchdown. They won by ten, but
it was a one score game with four minutes left
or something like that. It was a very close game
they played usc They obviously weren't the Big ten championship game.
But this Oregon team has a different level of focus
To me, I just feel like I know it's a
different quarterback this season, but Dan Lanning has been waiting
(04:12):
to get back to this point. It's something I've heard
from our good friend Joel Joel Clatt. He's been talking
about this a lot how Oregon Our show.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Every single week from not for whatever reason.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
Once in a while he went thirty six and forty
with his college football picks.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
That's all.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
It happens to the best of us, even Joel Klatt.
But this Ducks team, their season starts now. It feels
like they got a little bit of a warm up
against JMU in the opening round. That was good for them,
but they came in so flat against Ohio State last
season in the Rose Bowl and I think we're down
like twenty eight to nothing in the first quartern baking.
(04:50):
They have been waiting for this moment to make up
for that complete implosion against Ohio State, to prove that's
not who they are, that's who they were, That's not
who they are. So this is a team that I
think is with a laser type of focus right now,
and they're just more dynamic on the offensive side of
(05:11):
the ball, and they're getting wide receivers back finally that
they have been missing throughout a lot of this season
that nobody's been talking about.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Yeah, Brian and a couple of others, And a big
thing for them is the fact that, yes, they're great
at running the ball.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
They have like a five headed monster at running back.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
To be honest with you, there's really even though Whittington
is kind of the bell cow, they really spread it
around a lot.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
And I know Texas Tech.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Is dynamic the I know that they spread it around
a lot when it comes to the running game. But
if he stopped, but Texas Tech is great at stopping
the run.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Cool.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
You think Dante Moore, who's being talked about it as
the potential best quarterback in the draft, can't let you
up in the passing game.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
He wants something that deep ball thrower in the league.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
That's something that Oregon has that Texas Techa just hasn't
seen this year Texas Tech. And this is no disrespect.
You can only play who's on the schedule. So I'm
not faulting them for who they've played, but you have
to take it when you're looking at and trying to
acap you know how this matchup is going to play out.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I don't think.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
I don't I'm not gonna say, I don't think. I
know they have not faced a passing attack that can
be as dynamic as its Oregon attack can be. So,
even if Texas Tech is going to continue to be
stiff against the run and not allow Winnington and those
guys to have room on the ground, Dante Morgan throw
the ball forty five times, and I feel confident that
Oregon can win this game. That wouldn't bother me at all.
And if that gets to a point, Adam, My thing
(06:24):
is if this game is played in the team to
the twenties advantage, Texas Tech one thousand percent, I don't
know if Texas Tech, even as good as they are defensively,
can slow down this Oregon offense enough. The problem is,
I don't know if Texas Tech's offense can score enough
to keep up with them. Well, even if Oregon having
a Orgon's everything like thirty nine points a game or something,
a down game for them will be thirty one points.
(06:47):
My confident that Texas Tech can score thirty one points
offensively against his Oregon defense, I don't know if they can.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
It's strength versus strength with Oregon's running game against Tech,
who is giving up the fewest yards per carry in
college football, just two point three. Oregon's over six.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Yards per carry.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
You mentioned they kind of do it by committee with
all the good backs that they have, so guys stay
in rotation and they stay fresh out there. That's just
tough to deal with. It's gonna be one in the
trenches in a style. I guess in some ways what
we saw tonight, But I do expect a higher scoring
game possibility with Oregon in Texas Tech. But you're right,
(07:26):
if it's a game played in his thirties, advantage Oregon.
If Texas Tech is slowing them down, it's a close
game like that. It's like we haven't seen Oregon come
through in those situations though. Either against Iowa, Dante Moore
threw one of the best passes of the season to
finish them off, and IWA just got a big victory
over Vandy earlier today. Now, we can't put stock into
(07:47):
bowl games. I'm not going back on what we just
said earlier today, but this Oregon team is really talented,
and I think out of all the teams that had
to play in the opening round, they're the most dangerous.
They're the one that could go out and win the
whole damn thing. That's how I feel. And maybe i'm biased,
damn because I'm almost from there.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Yeah, no, you're almost from there, okay, And that's a
bit of a stretch.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
I'll say, visited Eugene once for the people.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
There, And I know Dan Lanning was really heated after
they beat James Madison and thought they let go of
the rope in the second half and allowed them to
come back and cover the spread and one thing that
and people are kind of holding that against Oregon, saying like, see,
if they do this against a good team, they're gonna
end up losing. Guys realizing the second half Oregon pulled
all of their starters. Yeah, and James Madison did not.
They did not give up. They kept all their starters
(08:38):
in the game. So you basically had Oregon second and
third stringers playing against James Madison's ones, and that's why
James Madison was able to come to mount that comeback.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Well.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
And it's not to get a little bit complacent out
there when you're up that big like they were.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Yeah, you're asking guys to come off the bench, you
don't play that much to also come in and also
have an edge with knowing that they're up by thirty
points or whatever it is. That's just difficult to ask
anybody to do so well. Do not take anything away
from the second half of that JMU game. I think
it's going to have any sort of effect on how
the starters actually perform against Texas Tech.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
That's ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
I'll say this though. If Oregon loses the game, Ohio
States out yep. If Oregon loses, I'm going to be
looking at the Big Ten a little bit sideways and
just wondering, wait a second, or they as good as
we thought? I mean, how many great out of conference
games did they play to really be tested? We thought
(09:29):
the Texas game was a big test. It wasn't. Ohio
State barely straight by and Texas, I mean, they had
issues all season long. They still almost made it. They
won today, fine, But I don't know. Now we start
to look at conference supremacy and who really was the
best when you start to get matchups like these. Now,
if Oregon goes on to win, Indiana wins, they face
(09:52):
off in the semi finals, that's a great rematch and
it's Big Ten supremacy. But I do wonder what the
talk is going to be if Oregon loses this game,
surrounding the Big Ten now.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Well also when it comes to the Rose Bowl at
Alabama and Indiana, which we'll get to in a little
bit as well. We'll talk to our next guest about
that as a matter of fact. On the other side,
Fox Sports Radio host and NFL analysts and college football
analysts at that as well, Jeff Schwartz gonna join us
as Kevin figures Adam Alson in for Big Ben Malor
here on Fox Sports Radio. Be sure to catch live
editions of The Ben Malor Show weekdays at two am
(10:23):
Eastern eleven pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Hey, this is Jason McIntyre.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire
with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod pushing
the same tired narratives down your.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Throat every day.
Speaker 6 (10:42):
Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest
sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at
the sportsbook.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
And all the best guests.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with
Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app Apple podcasts or wherever
you get your podcasts.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
We're gonna have a little Q and ATH and a cotton.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Welcome back in the Ben Malard Show here on Fox
Sports Radio, Kevin Figures Adam Alson filling in for Big
Ben Maltherard.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Thank you guys for joining us here on the show.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Coming up in a little bit, we'll dive back into
these today's matchups. I should say, in the college football playoff,
we already talked about Oregon and Texas Tech, still got
to get into Indiana and Alabama, as well as the
rematch between Ole Miss and Georgia. But coming up now, Adam,
we have a special guest to join us to talk
about that and some big happenings here in the final
weekend of the NFL.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Let's get to it well. Twenty twenty seconds.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
The Year of the Horse, but our next guests the
year of the Duck. As he played his college ball
at the University of Oregon before being drafted by Mike
Carolina Panthers in two thousand and eight, where he started
what would be an almost decade long career in the
trenches doing the dirty work while using the power of
the swarz to block some dudes who are as big
as pizza the Hut. It's former NFL offensive lineman who
(12:02):
you know here on Fox Sports Radio with the Fellas
is Jeff Swartz joining us on FSR. Jeff, Happy New Year,
Thanks for coming on FN.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
A good morning, get up through good night. I don't
know why I thought it was morning time. It's early
off the morning time it's been. It's been a busy week.
I don't even know what day it is, but I'm
glad to be with you guys talking.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Ball a bit of a whirlwind. Appreciate you coming on.
Let's talk about the Ducks here. You know we've already
talked about one college football playoff game in the books,
but give us a preview of your Ducks against the
Red Raiders and how does the organ gets get this done?
Speaker 5 (12:34):
Later today? Yeah, oh man, I'm looking forward to it. Look,
I think some important things that we saw last year matter,
and I think it will matter a little bit this year. Right,
So it doesn't mean even we gonna lose the game,
but I think being here is going to matter, right,
And Oregon's been here before, and when you look at
(12:55):
the teams playing that have been here before, and how
well they prepared themselves. They're preparing all season to play now,
So I mean, organ they've talked about this like they're
preparing themselves all year to play on January first, So
ivan they had done this season is up until this
point for that day now of course beyond that. Right,
(13:16):
last year it felt like we peaked too soon, and
the opposite was stript of how to state it was
basically ready to peak at the right time. And so
I feel like we're in a good spot just mentally
having done this last year over Texas Tech. Right, this
is new for them. I'm not saying they're just happy
to be here, but that certainly is a fair mindset
to have in which the first time in the postseason.
(13:36):
They've never been in the playoff before, right, and the
organism program has been before this year. So just mentally,
I like what we're at from that perspective. And then
there's on the game like itself, Like Oregon is the
best offense Tech Attach has seen, and they have great
players Bailey Height and Rodriguez and Roberts fantastic, Like they're incredible,
they're great, like all the things that people said about
(13:57):
them all true, But they also just haven't seen an
offense quite like Oregon. Like the offense. The best offense
theive Fax two is probably Utah, but they can't throw
the ball. So I'm looking forward to watching that matchup.
And seem like gives the Texas Tech defense scale. I mean,
you know scales up right, can scale up to play
a much better team. Oregon has played really good defense
(14:19):
is so far this year. They played Iowa, they played
as much as meaning at Penn State. They have multiple
really good defensive players going the NFL. You know, they
played Indiana like they've played teams that are close to
Texas Tech. Not quite of course, And so I just
think we're ready to go. I think we're prepared, and
I like where we're at as a team and should
be a really fun game.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Jeff Shuts joining us here on fn A on FSR.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Then let's talk about the rose ball speaking of teams
that have been there before. So Indiana made it to
the playoff last year, obviously didn't end the way that
they wanted. So they're now back as the one seed
taking on an Alabama program that you know they set
up residency and college football playoff games. So just from
that standpoint and based on what you said in the
Oregon Texas Tech matchup, I guess both of these teams
have experience in this situation. Do you believe that Indiana
(15:02):
having that experience going to the playoff last year can
help their case this year going up against a legacy
school like Alabama and the Rose Bowl.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
Absolutely it's gonna help. And Indiana is much better than
last year like that, those aulisms are sure, there's much
better than they were last season. Just a bad match
up for Alabama just stylistically, right, you have a Indian
team that's built in the trenches and that's not really
where Alabama excels this year, which is shocking mistake is
(15:30):
Alabama for so many years obviously we know has been
a bunch a team building the Henries, but they almost
to passer well and they don't run the ball well.
And so those two things are i mean really hard
to do with Indiana. You can't be one dimensional and
Indian does not make mistakes. They don't make errors, and
they're a methodical team. Right, They're like a Boa constrictor
like they just sort of just like like this kind
(15:53):
of like just like slowly slowly, just like you know,
the more you breathe, the more you struggle, they just
constrict you, right like that's what they that's where they play.
And they've won every big moment this year, every big game.
So I'm looking forward that one and I do think
that they end up winning and covering that game in
the end does so.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
I know we still have games to be played here
in the college football playoff and a lot of these
guys could potentially help their NFL case based on how
they perform. But it seems to be the top three
quarterbacks and it's not the strongest quarterback draft class just
in general, but whether you're talking about Tysimpson and Alabama,
Dante More and then Fromanda Mendoza, those are seemingly the
top three available guys who will be eligible for the draft.
(16:34):
We don't know if Dantey Moore is going to decide
to come out yet or not, but just based on
what you've seen from those three guys, do you agree
with the notion that Fernanda Mendoza is head and shoulders
the best prospect of the three or how do you
handicap those three quarterbacks as we head into the head
into the playoff and into the NFL draft season.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Coming up here in a few months.
Speaker 5 (16:51):
Even those are the best. Now, I'll say, you know,
Dunpey Moore is is gonna be if he came back
for one more year, which is certainly impossible, and I
hope Organ hopes that that happens. He makes more NFL
throws than Mendoza does throughout a game. I think Mendoza's
a little bit just better. He's played more football. I mean,
(17:13):
there's a lot of information that quarterbacksly start one year
in college football to go to the NFL, and he
started some games of true freshman season, just aren't as
prepared to play versus a guy like Mendoza who's been
a long time starter. And so you know, again Dante
Moore has more NFL throws in him. He also has
more mistakes, right, Like I think as he can value
(17:35):
coming back for another year. But I do think if
they were going out, there will be talking about him
being him being one be who's the third.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Guy you mentioned a Ti Simpson from Alabama.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
I think he's very firmly the third guy in that conversation.
And I'll hope we look the two look. Oregon really
hopes Dante Moore comes back. The results of this playoff
will maybe determine that because they're they're like all in
on twenty six. They've all been planning for twenty six
to be their championship sort of run. They're a tiny
bit ahead of schedule this year with all the new
(18:07):
guys they had, they have a very young roster and
in the secondary new guys are offensive line, wide receiver,
running back. I mean they're young at some positions that
you know, they are hoping guys come back and don't
go the draft, so another one. So they're hoping more
comes back with jobs to take out a quarterback. And
what was funny because in entering the college well season
(18:27):
there were like seven guys what's first we thought for
the first round picks and that's not remotely going to
do what happens.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Yeah, before we move on to the to the NFL, Jeff,
you send a tweet out the other day talking about
bowl game results having no big picture takeaways, and I
agree one thousand percent, And it just brings to question
the future of the bowl structure as we currently have it.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
If we're playing all these playoff games.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
That are gonna matter, it's going to expand at some
point in time, but what difference does it make when
it comes to all these other bowl games and even
if they are really good matchups and really good finishes,
if they ultimately doesn't amount to anything.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
What difference does it make?
Speaker 5 (19:01):
Now?
Speaker 3 (19:01):
You played in college football during an era where if
you didn't make it to the BCS title Game or
you know, you still had a chance to go to
the Rose Bowl if you went to an organ or
Sugar Bowl if you're an SEC team, And now that
just doesn't seem to matter because they're part of the
college football playoff structure. So if your consolation prize is
going to no disrespect to the Sun Bowl or somewhere
like that, I just don't understand what the value is
of the ball system. So just I guess the way
(19:22):
that you look at it right now, what should be
the future of the non college football playoff bowl structure.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
Well, look, if you were go over the ratings, I
would imagine on the days the Bulls will played this
to the highest rates thing on television. And some of
these bowls with the good teams are really good. They've
been good both obviously USC TCU. Right was that last night?
Now you know there was a game earlier today with
(19:49):
Iowa and Vanderbilt. That was good. I mean, these are
good Bowl games, Like they're fun to watch now, Look,
is a law of tech Southern miscreat? Not really, but
there had some really good Bowl games when the better
teams start start playing them. So I don't think it's
going anywhere. You know, are they going to move the
Holiday Bowl out of Mobile and the Live Quest Bowl,
(20:12):
which I think used to be when it used to
be called Sintrids Bowl. Maybe no, it's not the Six's Bowl.
I think whatever. Like you know, those those games might
be not playoff games, but I still think it matters.
Look for ninety percent of teams, making a Bowl game
is still a big deal, right, It's extra practice, you
get to swag, you know, going to different Now guys
(20:34):
have nil money, but you know, the free gifts were
like in pretum was like awesome, like a month of
pre diem and free gifts and so those things were
things we look forward to. And I still think that
a lot of more competitive they want to play in
these games, and they've been good for the most parts.
You get sort of near you know, near the new year,
when the better teams are playing.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
We got Jeff Schwartz on with us on the f
and a takeover the Ben Mallors Show. Happy New Year, everyone,
So let's move up to the big leagues. You obviously
played there for almost a decade, Jeff. And look, I
want to know your opinion on this NFC or AFC
North matchup. I should say, between John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin,
who do you think is under more pressure to win
(21:15):
this game and get into the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
Ooh, I think it's Tomlin because they were the favorite
like minus like seven fifty two weeks ago. And it
sounds like Lamar is going to play right. He practiced today,
I believe, or a leave it. He was looked at
as as participating.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Well, participating degree yeah, full practice is what I last saw.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
So yeah, and I think today it's more like by
the time of the year, it thought very walk through
issh on Friday on Wednesday. But I still like that
he's out there. I think if I'll pitch it their
home first of all, right, their home and they're they're
going to blow this lead, this division lead. And there's
a lot of smoke on Tomlin right now, like he
he doesn't want to playoff games with twenty sixteen. Are
(21:59):
they gonna except a nine to eight year and a
collapse at that very end to sort of better rival Harbaugh.
You know, they've had a sort of a bad year
with injuries, and there's obviously a little bit of maybe
something between you know, him and Lamar And I think
it's firmly on the Steelers, man. I think the Steelers
have got to be the one who win this game,
(22:19):
or there'd be questions about whether or not Tom that's
coming back.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
How about a division you know extremely well, and that
being the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers taking on the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Buccaneers at the start of
the season, Jeff, people were talking about Baker Mayfield being
the MVP. They got off to that five and one
start and then it's all come crashing down. I guess
do you think how much pressure do you think is
on Todd Bowles and do you think that his job
might be on the line if Tampa Bay does not
find a way to win the division here? And also
(22:44):
just talk about your Carolina Panthers too, by the way,
and how they've surprised a lot of people to even
be in this position at the end of the regular
season at this point.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
I don't like chaos in my life very much, but
I do enjoy it. I do enjoyed every now and then.
And in this situation is obviously the Panthers lose to
the Bucks, so they're eight and nine, the Bucks are
eight and nine. The Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday,
and then the Panthers go to the playoffs as they
(23:12):
are three way times for eight and nine say the
tie break because that is the chaos scenario. But I
think that's gonna be avoy because the Panthers are gonna
win on Sunday. I was always Taeday, she started afternoon. Look,
Tampa Bay's lost seven of eight and they have not
been very good losses, right, And it feels like Todd Bowles,
he's done a great job. They've been competitive for so
many years. It's just wearing off, right, His message is
(23:35):
wearing off. The team's older, a little bit hurt, a
little beat up, and they're not having the impact that
he used to have. And I think winner losing this game,
that's probably it. It's probably it for him as the coach.
And it looks eventually it just runs this course. It
doesn't mean that he can't beat a head coach somewhere else,
or that he's not good coach anymore. But you lose
seven of eight like this, and their Falcons losses and
(23:57):
Saintans losses and Dolphins losses like these are losses that
you favored in right and and oftentimes like it wasn't
close against its all, but they were down ten points
in the fourth quarter, I believe. So those losses add up,
and you know, I just think it's time to find
a new coach. Might be time to move off Baker Mayfield.
And you know he know he's been hurt this year
with the shoulder and he's non throwing his shoulder. I
think has been has been a little jacked up. But
(24:18):
still it's just it's still a good way to end
in Carolina. Though they've won, they've one loss ten weeks
in a row, I think, which is kind of wild.
They have just been very consistent when when they're good,
they've been really good. Packers win, beat the Rams, beat
the Bucks two weeks ago, and they lost us and
we didn't play well. I was starting to play better
(24:39):
on Satday. It's been their pattern for ten weeks now.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Jeff been looking at the other game Saturday night is
for the number one overall seed in the NFC between
the San Francisco forty nine Ers and the Seattle Seahawks.
Who do you think needs the number one seed in
the buy more between these two teams in order to
make it out of the NFC.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
Oh, who needs it more? Probably the Niners with their
defense needs it more. My NFC champion is probably the
team who wins this game. I mean, you have such
an advantage having that one other that one week off. Man.
You know, the Niners offense has just been so good
(25:20):
with Brock Purdy this last month, it's been He's been
so good. But the defense there, they lost too many
in rushers, they lost Fred Warner. It's just not good enough.
And I can't get enough stops and they have one
way to win games, and so one less game, I
think we get them, you know, in that situation. Kyle
Shand has an incredible job this year, guys, he really has.
With Seattle. I just don't trust Stan Darnold. I mean
(25:42):
it's kind of that simple. And you know, if he
had one left game, you feel much better about him.
But I just don't think like Donold is the guy
to lead this team to like the promise land. So,
I mean, I use this analogy all the time. Roger
Goodell is handing them a Bardi trail off to someone
at the end of Super Bowl what is it this
(26:03):
year fifty seven or whatever it is? And is that
quarterback Sam Donald is he's seeing the trophy with Sam Donald?
Like the trophy has been held? Is the handed to
Jalen Hurst, Patrick Mahomes, Stafford and Tom Brady for like
eight straight seasons? Like it is it really going to
to Sam Donald? I just can't see that Can Soldier
(26:25):
as a picture of that. You're going to Sam Donald,
obviously going to brock Perdy. I can't see one to
Sam Donald. So maybe that's a super unfair way to
look at it. But think about who's won the last
I mean it's been it's been Eagles. It's been basically
Tom Brady, two Eagles Chiefs, and one Stafford. So like
the last ten seasons basically right since twenty sixteen, That's
(26:47):
that's who's who's one. Like, it makes sense when you
think about who's going up the trophy the end of season.
Nick Folds one obviously is a little bit weird, but
the Eagles were so good that season. But otherwise, man,
I just I don't think it with Donald so a
big game for him Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
So Jeff, how about the AFC.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
Can you envision Josh Allen raising the trophy now that
he does not have the hurdle of someone like Patrick
Mahomes stopping him.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
But Buffalo's had their issues this year.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
They've been inconsistent, They've been unable to stop the run,
and have struggled defensively at times and have a dearth
of talent offensively when it comes to weapons for Josh Allen.
Do you see a possibility that Josh Allen puts on
his cape and carries them to a potential Super Bowl
championship this year?
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Out of the AFC.
Speaker 5 (27:23):
The AFC is the hardest one for me because the
NFC has Stafford has pretty like Jalen Hurts. It's got
guys where you're just like, you know they've either done
it before or you know they put good film on,
you know, and you know they can do it. The
AFC again, like it has the faulty to having a
buy I mean, Denver I think is in line for
the buye right because the Chargers are resting everyone and
(27:44):
they just have to win this weekend and they're and
they had to buy I mean, it's one less game, man,
Like it's so important. Think about you know, the two
seed Patriots are having to play Buffalo and they're having
to play maybe Jacksonville and then having to play the Broncos.
The Broncos might get you know, the Chargers beat up Chargers,
(28:08):
they might get you know, a Bill's team that can't
play any defense. Like, it's one less game. So I
have to fall to the Denver in this situation. You know,
Bowe Nicks has been a little bit better. If Houston
had one home game, I'd feel great. But they're just
not going to have a home game and they're not winning.
Three rugans at offensive line. Every team in the in
the in the East has some In the East, AFC
(28:29):
is something that could be feels like a fatal flaw,
where like, yeah, they can do it, but they have
to avoid doing that bad thing for an entire week.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
Last one, for me, Jeff, did Matt Stafford lose the
MVP of that performance against Atlanta?
Speaker 5 (28:42):
I think this discussion is so silly to me. A
guy is a heavy favorite to an MVP he has
one bad half after he threw for four hundred and
fifty yards on the road in Seattle. And now Drake
made the MVP. So the award is essentially best player
in the final game of the season. Like that, that's
what the award has become. Drake Mays had a good season.
(29:05):
It's the easiest schedule in the NFL. They've didn't one
team in the NFL I think win to me, not
one team they did in thirteen. They didn't one team
with a winning record as of right now, and of
course you know that that might change with some results
of this past weekend or is up cooming we guy should say,
but Stafford's done it better job with injuries to Davonte
Adams with a much tougher schedule. I think it's Matt Stafford.
(29:29):
I don't think it's Drake May. Now Oswood say otherwise,
and I'm not sure. I think actually three awards come
down to this weekend. MVP, Offensive Workdie of the Year,
and Coach of the Year will all come down to
this weekend, which I get Coached the Year because that's
simply like you know, if Shanahan wins the one seed,
I could see him getting it. Raybel wins the two
seeds like sevens a little bit of sense. Otherwise, other awards,
(29:52):
what does it matter if tet Roy McMillan has a
big game like that, he has a big game with Telly,
he wins the award, But what means Okay, why one
game would matter that much? Like if the award is
for the season, in my opinion or for a chunk
of time, it's not for I played best in the
final game.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
Of the season, last one for you, Jeff, before we
let you run. Because another organization, you know, well as
the Kansas City Chiefs. Your brother played there for years
and a lot of people are talking.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
About the dynasty is now over.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
They got eliminated from the postseason, and Mahomes is injured,
and I mean, as far as I know, he's still
coming back next year, and Andy Reid is still there.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Yeah, they need to do a little bit of retooling.
But is it food for people to.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Say that the Kansas City And I know the AFC
West is improving with the Danver Broncos and the Chargers,
but people are basically just throwing dirt on the Kansas
City Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
And I don't really understand it. Jeff, where do you
sit on that narrative?
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Oh? People hate dynasties for some reason. I just like
watching good teams play. It's just so funny. Like people
are like, how I like the underdog. I'm like, do you?
Because we get the ratings for TV when Underdog's play,
no one watches them play. I don't want you want
like people watch Cowboys Chiefs play, They're not watching Jacksonville,
Tennessee play like congratulations on being under I don't get
(30:59):
I just don't get at it people loved. I'd rather
watch the Chiefs play and watch you know, the best
quarterback in football, player Josh Allen, player Joe Burrow play
in the playoffs. They being out kind of sticker rather
be in the postseason. The Chiefs the number one thing
they have to do. And so I can't answer the
question now until I see who they hire to be
the offensive coordinator. If they Matt Naggy I think will
be head coach. It's time for Andy Wait to branch out.
(31:21):
He needs to get someone from a different coaching tree.
I'd love to get him some sort of Shanahan McVeigh
type and just update the offense. The thing about the
Shanagan offense, Mcveay offense, whatever, whoever want to give them
credit to is obviously you know, Mike Shanahan, but it's
they find ways to get easy yards. Formationally bootlegs screams like,
(31:45):
it's just get some easy yards. The Chief offense give
zero easy yards right now. They do nothing said easy
and that's what it has to be updated. You can
keep the West Coast passing concepts and some of the
stuff he's done over the years, but we gotta find
the yard. So if they do that, I feel really good.
I've really you know, feel good, much better about where
they are as an organization. If he just brings back
(32:08):
someone from his tree, I feel less excited about where
the Chief will be next season.
Speaker 4 (32:12):
I mean, it'd be easier to get easy yards if
they had a Schwartz brother guarding form and block form.
Still he's Jeff easier, easier if.
Speaker 5 (32:20):
They had Jeremiah Love at running back, but they probably
can't drop the nine overall, easier like if they had
like a running back and the running backs are not
getting a lot of issues with the cheese. But yeah,
I mean, look they're gonna lose the Raiders. I guess
I don't know. Raiders can't be anybody but go the way. Yeah,
it went the way it went this year. It's unfortunate,
(32:40):
but I think it's too early to throw on a
dynasty grave.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
He is Jeff Schwartz, a Fox Sports radio also with
the YouTube channel follow him there. Schwartz is smarter than you.
As the podcast, He's definitely smarter than us.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
We're smarter now for having talked to him. I know that.
There you go.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
My new Year's resolution be as smart as Jeff Swartz
going into twenty twenty six. Jeff, thanks for doing this
here on f and A on FSR THA.
Speaker 5 (33:04):
Here guys, have a good weekend.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
And years later, you know, I feel like I got
some brain hatches going on just talking with Jeff there.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Well, you guys are basically basically, you know, all in
sympatico when it comes to the Oregon Ducks. I mean,
you guys just waxing poetically about all your love and
affection and how good they're going to do this weekend.
Speaker 4 (33:22):
My god, well you feel the same way. We all
have a kinship when it comes to the Ducks and
winning this game against Texas Tech.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
I thought, Kevin no change my mind. I'm taking them.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
What a hater.
Speaker 5 (33:35):
Through you?
Speaker 2 (33:36):
No, not in the least.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
Is it just because you have to root for teams
named the Raiders? Because you should really stop doing that
at some point.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yeah, it's really bad for my health. It's not paying
off for me very well.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
The Raiders leave them in twenty twenty five, Kevin, Come on, now,
they ever quit them? You're right because they could have
the number one overall pick.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Come on, I'm sure they'll find a way to screw
that up to No.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
Wait a second, Fernando Mendoza could be guy for them
and could be the guy we're talking about. Next, when
we return to the college football forecast, we'll preview number
nine Alabama taking on Indiana right in our own backyard
here at the Rose Bowl. Coming up next, this is
the Ben Mallor Show. I'm out of Mosley's Kevin figures.
We're FNA in for Big Ben.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Nice of you guys to drop by FNA COTTONNA, welcome
back in f and A in for Ben Mallard tonight,
I'm out of Mosley's Kevin figures.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
And remember, with the iHeartRadio app, you can stream us
wherever you happen to be catch us and all of
our Fox Sports Radio shows live twenty four to seven
in the new and improved iHeartRadio app. Just search Fox
Sports Radio in the app to stream us live all day,
every day, and be sure to select Fox Sports Radio
as one of your presets in the iHeart app so
it will always pop up at the top of your screen.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
Thanksgeting Jeff Schwartz for joining us in the last segment
talking some NFL and college football. One thing we did
talk about was the Rose Bowl Alabama and Indiana coming
up from rain. He passed Adena, California on Saturday, Or
excuse me, I should I say Saturday? It feels like
a college football Saturday on what is it? Thursday afternoon?
About the time of year, Adam, where all the days
(35:10):
kind of run together. I have no idea what day
of the week it is anymore.
Speaker 4 (35:12):
Time of year. It's day one of the New year. Heaven,
Happy New Year. By the way, it is twenty twenty six,
And yes, we got a great matchup right in our
own backyard here at the Rose Ball. Was that a
sarcastic clap that we got that right? Hey, it's day
one of twenty twenty six. Look at it New Year.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
I am bleeping brilliant.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
Look at us figuring things out here on the calendar.
All right, Kevin said, there is weather a little bit wet,
a little bit rainy out there. Who do you think
would favor in this matchup?
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Oh? Indiana one thousand percent.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
Fyll the way Indiana and I think from a matchup
standpoint is should be their favored number one anyway, which
they should be, and I think they potentially win this
game going away. I realized losing Stephen Daley and the
defensive line is a big loss. He's one of their
best down defensive linemens, so that's certainly gonna hurt.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
How did he get hurt again?
Speaker 4 (35:59):
Oh? Unfortunately celebratings with the fans after their victory in
the Big Ten game.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Not quite Martine Gramatica, but I mean not that far
from it.
Speaker 4 (36:09):
I hate it. Why would the football gods let that happen?
Why have you forsaken us like that?
Speaker 5 (36:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (36:14):
He deserves better.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
He does.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
And Alabama's biggest weakness is their offensive line. Indiana's best
strength defensively is upfront, So just based on that, if
you look at it that way, the major advantage to
Indiana ty Simpson has been good when he's been protected,
and when he's not, he hasn't been Now, I know
that's not really something, you know, some crazy thing to
throw out thereous it's obvious to if any quarterback doesn't
(36:38):
have time to throw. Look at what happened to Julian
saying on Friday night, he's not going to be as effective.
But what you're going to find yourself in if you're
Alabama is a situation where you couldn't you can't run
the ball. You couldn't run the ball even against bad
teams this year. That's just something that for whatever reason,
they were incapable of doing. So now you're telling me
that ty Simpson has to drop back potentially forty five
times to beat this Indiana team. That's a recipe for disaster.
(37:00):
See it happening.
Speaker 4 (37:00):
I'll give Bama this. It was impressive to see them
come back against Oklahoma, redeem themselves with that loss at
Homes to them during the regular season, and then beat
them in the opening round after being down seventeen to nothing.
But Indiana's it's.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
A different beast in Oklahoma's offense sucks and Alabama struggled
against them.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
That's the other side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
Alabama's defense is this is not Nick Saban's defense, so
they have that working against them too.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
Indiana, to me, is the most complete team in this tournament.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
Now.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
I don't know if they have a rematch against the
Ducks how that could go, but we still have to
get to that point. Bama is very talented, but as
you mentioned, they have an obvious weakness with not being
able to run the football. And then if you can
pin your ears back and get after Tys Simpson because
you know they have to pass it, especially if you
get up early in the ballgame, they're in trouble. And
(37:52):
I think this could get out of hand. And that's
probably why Indiana's minus seven and a half when it
comes to the betting odds in this ball game, when
you think this is Alabama. When's the last time Alabama
in a playoff game since we've had the playoff going
back to the fourteen playoff, has been an underdog by
seven and a half points.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Have they ever been an underdog in a college football
playoff game? They may never have been.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
I know obviously they lost a couple, but I don't
know if they've ever actually entered in as a dog before.
Speaker 4 (38:21):
They're the overdog that has the dog in the webcage
that has a tiger in there. Typically, but it's not
Nick Saban's Alabama team, and they have serious flaws.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
They do, and so it's just really hard to overcome.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
From just a pure football matchup standpoint, what Indiana does
best is what Alabama struggles against the most. So just
as sometimes it comes down to just being as simple
as that. And now, look big game situations. Alabama does
have guys who've been on that roster. Ty Simpson is
one of them that are from the Nick Saban days.
It's a program that knows how to win, that's been
in big situations, that played in a Rose Bowl a
couple of years ago. So I'm not taking that experience
(38:54):
factor away from them. But sometimes you can have all
the experience in the world if you just ain't good enough,
you ain't good enough. By the way, go back to
Friday Night, same situation with Miami and Ohio State. Ohio
State have been there plenty of times over the past
couple of years. Miami had not didn't matter.
Speaker 4 (39:09):
Okay, I do have to say this in Alabama's favor.
I don't want to go roll tied with it here,
but there was a roll tide. There was a revelation
in that game against Oklahoma. H who's this lady brook
fella who had two touchdowns, who hadn't scored all season
long at receiver. We came into the year talking about
(39:29):
Ryan Williams. He hadn't done much, but all of a sudden,
Brook balls out against Oklahoma with two spectacular touchdowns, acrobatic plays,
showing off the athleticism. Is that something they can tap
into a little bit more, because if they're.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
Going to make a run.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
I think they are one of those teams because we
talk about their flaws, somebody else is going to have
to step up and rise up in a big moment
here to propel them forward and definitely to get back
past Indiana.
Speaker 3 (39:57):
Yeah, whether it's Brooks, Horton, Bernard, I don't know what
happened to Ryan Williams this year. He talks about it
at Media Days earlier this week, saying he's just trying
to do whatever it takes for the team to win.
If it means him having a huge game, great, If
not great, well you kind of need a little bit
more production from a guy who was that dynamic last year.
Speaker 4 (40:12):
Yeah, I don't love that. I don't answer no.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
I will love him to be more pissed off and
be more demonstrated about the fact that he didn't have
a good year and he wants to step up and
have some big games here in the postseason.
Speaker 4 (40:20):
Like that, Books, you had three losses this season, you
almost didn't get in. They definitely needed more from you.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Yeah, so I wasn't necessarily through, he said. I guess
quote unquote the right thing about being a team guy. Sure,
but it's like, no, I'm one of the best players
in the nation. I haven't played well this year. I
need to step up be better for my football team Indiana.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
The start contrast in this game, when it comes to
running the football, they're tenth in the country. Bama is one.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
Twenty, Sobama doesn't even try.
Speaker 4 (40:48):
The other thing is Indiana is number one when it
comes to a third down conversion rate, and that's what
we saw win this game tonight that we'll talk about
more coming up. Miami going seven to fourteen and getting
those crucial third downs was the difference in winning that
ballgame against Ohio State. More f and a on FSR
coming up next,
Host
Ben Maller
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