December 22, 2025 • 9 mins
Looking ahead to Round 2 following the completion of Round 1 in the CFPs, many fans and experts can begin to predict an idea of who they believe may go the distance for a chance at playing for the 2025-26 National Championship. Talking with someone who covers CFB like no other, writer and insider for CBS Sports, Shehan Jeyarajah, joins the guys looking back on some of the weekend's madness and posing which two teams he believes may go the distance in their playoff run this postseason.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We're talking some college football playoffs, because well, a man
that's been all over it is gonna be the guys
hopping on with us right now, Jahan.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Jared Roger from CBS Sports joins us live here on
the Morning Drive, and Shahan, I'm just gonna ask you,
point blank, what was more infuriating if you are a
Texas A and m fan, Johnny Manziel not showing up
for the pickham or the offense not showing up at
all during the four quarters of action against the Miami team.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Well, I think that you got a pretty good substitute
in Alice Caruso.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Ship. Yes, he was great.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
He was great Chicago Bulls legends, as everybody knows. But uh,
you know, I think that the way that the offense
played was just astonishing, to be honest, And I mean
in the first half, obviously they moved the ball at
a high level, like they were able to get down
the field. I thought that Marcel Reid played pretty well,
but they almost collapsed in themselves when they just weren't
able to get it into the end zone. Obviously they had,
(00:52):
you know, the the fumble in the on the edge
of the red zone in the first half, they have
the blocked field goal, Like it was just a comedy
of errors in so many ways. And for tech AM
who obviously has had a very potent offense all year,
that had to all Americans that wide receiver to not
be able to put up any touchdowns agains to Miami defense.
That's good, but certainly not you know, the cream of
(01:15):
the crop. I think that was very very frustrating.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Sean, they lose to Texas and then they lose this
last game here on Saturday. If you are either an
A and M fan or not an A and M fan,
do you look at the season as being a failure
with the way that these last two games ended.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
No, but they they came as close as you can
possibly go to winning eleven games and making.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
The playoff in the season being close to that. But
I mean, I think we do have to have some
perspective on tech a M.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Right, I Mean, this is a program that hasn't won
ten games since twenty twelve. They haven't won eleven games
in a row since nineteen ninety four. Like, there were
a lot of historic things done this season. People will
point to the schedule and there's some truth to it, right,
But like they also went.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
On the road and beat a really good Notre Dame team.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
They also got to host a college football playoff game
at Kyle Field.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
They've ever even been in the playoff before.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
So I mean the way that it ended, Like you said,
the specific two games that it ends with, I think
like you can't write those away, certainly, but I think
that this was a season that will go down in
tex A and m history. I think that, you know, again,
the first team in thirty years to win eleven regular
season games like this stuff matters, And while certainly everybody
(02:32):
hopes that this is not the peak, I think that
this was a great set up, especially when you consider
that this was only.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Year two for Mike Elco.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Sean, you know this as well as I do, Man,
and it's frustrating because of the world of college football
is all about who can we do? What have you
done for me lately? You're not in the playoff without
Marcel Reid. He was the backbone of this team that
allowed you to get into the conversation for an eleven
one season begin with, but for multi interception games over
his last six appearances to her trendus turnovers against Texas
(03:02):
two inexcusable turnovers against Miami and the playoff one in
the end zone that ultimately costs you win. There's gonna
be a lot of people that say, we're paying a
ton of money for us to be considered a playoff team.
We're paying a ton of money for us to play
players in the transfer portal. Is there going to be
an awkward conversation with Mike Alko now with the new
offensive coordinator at Holman Wiggins, that Hey, Marcel Reid did good,
(03:26):
but we may have to go turn the corner because
of we expect to be in the national championship conversation
year in and year out.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
So I'll think two things to that. One, I thought
that it was a really bold risk.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
To stick with Marcel Reid and try to build up
the talent around him over last offseason. I don't think
that a lot of coaching staffs would have tried to
do that.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
But instead of.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Just replacing the quarterback, they went out and they got
receivers that were incredible in Marrio Kraber and Casey conception on.
They continued to build up the offensive line. So, like,
I actually think that that was a decision and a
decision that very much paid off for them, even with
the way that things ended.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
The other thing that I'll.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Say is that, look, here's what you have to kind
of dig into. Is all right, so you make the
decision to move on from Marcel Reid, well, who are
you getting and what's the opportunity cost of that? Because
if you look at this quarterback transfer portal market, it's
not elite, right, Like, I mean, I think that even
if you look at last year's market, the guys who
ended up getting very very top dollar, Like there's a
(04:26):
Darien Mensa who obviously had a good year, but Duke
still went eight and five. John Matteer, you know, it's
kind of the same deal that we're talking about with
Marcel Reid right now, right and he was a four
million dollar quarterback. So there isn't necessarily better out there
that's just going to magically fix everything.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I did turn to I did text one of my
A and M friends kind of like two drives into
the game, and I'm like, oh, we're getting bad footwork
Marcel read today and that just has to change, right
like that, that has to get better. But I mean
the leap that he made from his red shirt freshman
year to his red shirt more year was huge, and
also I think his dual threat ability was so critical
(05:06):
to this team having a chance to be in contention
for the college football playoffs. So I wouldn't overreact and
try to move on from him, but certainly you need
to sit him down and say, dude, like you have
to get more consistent, You have to work on your footwork.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
You can't lose your head in some of these big moments.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Shahan Sharaja again CBS Sports, hopping on with us here
for a few minutes on the Morning Drive with Dan
and Cole Sean. You know, I brought it up with
Peter Burns, we had him on earlier in the show,
and I mean, you look at this aggie offensive line,
Trey Zoon, he's gone, a few other guys gone, and
on the defensive side too. There's not going to be
cash as how anymore for you. So I mean, are
(05:47):
we kind of looking at a situation with A and
M where this might have been one of their best
chances or do you think we expect them back in
this situation to get next year?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Well, this is where I think we learn a lot
about text A and them and the program that they've
build under Mike Elko, because this is the moment where
a lot of those young players that you recruited two
years ago should be popping up. And you know, I
think that we've seen them first stretches on the defensive line.
Obviously at receiver, they're still going to be stacked with
some of the guys that they have coming back. You know,
(06:17):
offensive line is kind of that big question mark is
probably my biggest question mark on the team in twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
But again, I mean, I think that tex A and m.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Has done a really good job over the past couple
of years, and guys, you know, guys like Trey Zoon
or armaj Reid Adams were not the level of players
that they were before Mike Elko's staff came in. So
I think that that's the big question mark. But no,
I certainly don't think that this is you know, the
one chance that they got, or the peak of the
era or anything like that. I think though, that that
(06:46):
at the same time, like you're gonna have to find
your next right pass rusher and and we didn't know
this time last year that it was going to be
Casher's Howell, because you know, you were losing you know,
Shamar Turner and and all these guys to the NFL. Well,
I think that you have to give a lot of
trust to that unit and that team that they're gonna
figure it out. Especially by the way, with the reported
edition back of Elijah Robinson at defensive line coach.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
He's one of the best in the industry.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, there's another team in the state of Texas that
still can bring home a title. Texas Tech takes on
Oregon in the Orange Bowl eleven am kick on New
Year's Day. Listen, Sehan, we could talk about it being
a closer game than expected with jmu but a couple
of big turnovers for Dante more in that matchup. If
you're Joey Maguire watching the film, what's your biggest takeaway
from what you saw on a Natson stadium.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Well, I think the biggest thing is just like you
have to find a way to get to Dante Moore
because when he's playing in structure, he is almost unstoppable,
Like he is crazy, crazy good when he's not pressured.
If you can get to him, though, like you said,
he starts to the clock, starts to speed up, he
starts to make mistakes, I think that's what you need
to happen, because when I look at this Tech Tech defense,
(07:54):
I mean they're really really good everywhere, let me be
clear about that. But where they're not, like god.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Tier level is in the secondary.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
They're a very good secondary, but they're not you know again,
they're not Ohio State in the secondary. And so I
think that if you're Oregon, you're trying to get outside,
you're trying to create one on one matchups, you're trying
to get decory and more of the ball in space.
They might have Evan Stewart back even that game, Like,
that's how you're trying to attack Texas Tech.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
And you have to be if you're.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
The Red Raiders, really aggressive, really patient, really try to
make mistakes off this team, because I actually think that
they're going to be able to stop the run at
a high level, which I think is a huge deal.
Against an Oregon team that runs the ball at an
incredibly high level, it's gonna.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Be okay, you know, are you able.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
To cause issues for that passing game, force mistakes and
give your offense more opportunities.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Shanan, we got about thirty seconds here, but Texas making
a little bit of a surprise move over the weekend,
bringing back Will mush Champs, sending Pete quick Kowski out
the door. Just your thoughts on that and also what
Steve Sarkisian said in regard to making said moves.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Yeah, I look, I think that for me, I've been
pretty consistent over the past two or three years that
I felt like their offensive inconsistency has been the biggest issue. So,
you know, for me, it was certainly a surprise decision
to let Pete quick Kowski go. I think he's been
the top five coordinator in college football in the past
couple of years. You know, I think it's a risk
that certainly has some upside. I think that Will muss
(09:24):
Champ obviously has won at the highest level. But I mean,
if Steve Sarkisian's answer to fixing the offenses him being
less of a head coach, I just don't know how
I feel about that.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Shanji Raja from CBS Sports joining us on the Morning Drive. Shahan,
as always, you are the best and I can't wait
to talk to you about how the hell is Texas
Tech and Joey McGuire gonna be able to run this thing?
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Back In twenty twenty six, looking forward to it. Thanks
so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Shan Juraja from CBS Sports joining us
We're talking some college football playoffs, because well, a man
that's been all over it is gonna be the guys
hopping on with us right now, Jahan.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Jared Roger from CBS Sports joins us live here on
the Morning Drive, and Shahan, I'm just gonna ask you,
point blank, what was more infuriating if you are a
Texas A and m fan, Johnny Manziel not showing up
for the pickham or the offense not showing up at
all during the four quarters of action against the Miami team.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Well, I think that you got a pretty good substitute
in Alice Caruso.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Ship. Yes, he was great.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
He was great Chicago Bulls legends, as everybody knows. But uh,
you know, I think that the way that the offense
played was just astonishing, to be honest, And I mean
in the first half, obviously they moved the ball at
a high level, like they were able to get down
the field. I thought that Marcel Reid played pretty well,
but they almost collapsed in themselves when they just weren't
able to get it into the end zone. Obviously they had,
(00:52):
you know, the the fumble in the on the edge
of the red zone in the first half, they have
the blocked field goal, Like it was just a comedy
of errors in so many ways. And for tech AM
who obviously has had a very potent offense all year,
that had to all Americans that wide receiver to not
be able to put up any touchdowns agains to Miami defense.
That's good, but certainly not you know, the cream of
(01:15):
the crop. I think that was very very frustrating.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Sean, they lose to Texas and then they lose this
last game here on Saturday. If you are either an
A and M fan or not an A and M fan,
do you look at the season as being a failure
with the way that these last two games ended.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
No, but they they came as close as you can
possibly go to winning eleven games and making.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
The playoff in the season being close to that. But
I mean, I think we do have to have some
perspective on tech a M.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Right, I Mean, this is a program that hasn't won
ten games since twenty twelve. They haven't won eleven games
in a row since nineteen ninety four. Like, there were
a lot of historic things done this season. People will
point to the schedule and there's some truth to it, right,
But like they also went.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
On the road and beat a really good Notre Dame team.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
They also got to host a college football playoff game
at Kyle Field.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
They've ever even been in the playoff before.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
So I mean the way that it ended, Like you said,
the specific two games that it ends with, I think
like you can't write those away, certainly, but I think
that this was a season that will go down in
tex A and m history. I think that, you know, again,
the first team in thirty years to win eleven regular
season games like this stuff matters, And while certainly everybody
(02:32):
hopes that this is not the peak, I think that
this was a great set up, especially when you consider
that this was only.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Year two for Mike Elco.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Sean, you know this as well as I do, Man,
and it's frustrating because of the world of college football
is all about who can we do? What have you
done for me lately? You're not in the playoff without
Marcel Reid. He was the backbone of this team that
allowed you to get into the conversation for an eleven
one season begin with, but for multi interception games over
his last six appearances to her trendus turnovers against Texas
(03:02):
two inexcusable turnovers against Miami and the playoff one in
the end zone that ultimately costs you win. There's gonna
be a lot of people that say, we're paying a
ton of money for us to be considered a playoff team.
We're paying a ton of money for us to play
players in the transfer portal. Is there going to be
an awkward conversation with Mike Alko now with the new
offensive coordinator at Holman Wiggins, that Hey, Marcel Reid did good,
(03:26):
but we may have to go turn the corner because
of we expect to be in the national championship conversation
year in and year out.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
So I'll think two things to that. One, I thought
that it was a really bold risk.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
To stick with Marcel Reid and try to build up
the talent around him over last offseason. I don't think
that a lot of coaching staffs would have tried to
do that.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
But instead of.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Just replacing the quarterback, they went out and they got
receivers that were incredible in Marrio Kraber and Casey conception on.
They continued to build up the offensive line. So, like,
I actually think that that was a decision and a
decision that very much paid off for them, even with
the way that things ended.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
The other thing that I'll.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Say is that, look, here's what you have to kind
of dig into. Is all right, so you make the
decision to move on from Marcel Reid, well, who are
you getting and what's the opportunity cost of that? Because
if you look at this quarterback transfer portal market, it's
not elite, right, Like, I mean, I think that even
if you look at last year's market, the guys who
ended up getting very very top dollar, Like there's a
(04:26):
Darien Mensa who obviously had a good year, but Duke
still went eight and five. John Matteer, you know, it's
kind of the same deal that we're talking about with
Marcel Reid right now, right and he was a four
million dollar quarterback. So there isn't necessarily better out there
that's just going to magically fix everything.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I did turn to I did text one of my
A and M friends kind of like two drives into
the game, and I'm like, oh, we're getting bad footwork
Marcel read today and that just has to change, right
like that, that has to get better. But I mean
the leap that he made from his red shirt freshman
year to his red shirt more year was huge, and
also I think his dual threat ability was so critical
(05:06):
to this team having a chance to be in contention
for the college football playoffs. So I wouldn't overreact and
try to move on from him, but certainly you need
to sit him down and say, dude, like you have
to get more consistent, You have to work on your footwork.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
You can't lose your head in some of these big moments.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Shahan Sharaja again CBS Sports, hopping on with us here
for a few minutes on the Morning Drive with Dan
and Cole Sean. You know, I brought it up with
Peter Burns, we had him on earlier in the show,
and I mean, you look at this aggie offensive line,
Trey Zoon, he's gone, a few other guys gone, and
on the defensive side too. There's not going to be
cash as how anymore for you. So I mean, are
(05:47):
we kind of looking at a situation with A and
M where this might have been one of their best
chances or do you think we expect them back in
this situation to get next year?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Well, this is where I think we learn a lot
about text A and them and the program that they've
build under Mike Elko, because this is the moment where
a lot of those young players that you recruited two
years ago should be popping up. And you know, I
think that we've seen them first stretches on the defensive line.
Obviously at receiver, they're still going to be stacked with
some of the guys that they have coming back. You know,
(06:17):
offensive line is kind of that big question mark is
probably my biggest question mark on the team in twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
But again, I mean, I think that tex A and m.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Has done a really good job over the past couple
of years, and guys, you know, guys like Trey Zoon
or armaj Reid Adams were not the level of players
that they were before Mike Elko's staff came in. So
I think that that's the big question mark. But no,
I certainly don't think that this is you know, the
one chance that they got, or the peak of the
era or anything like that. I think though, that that
(06:46):
at the same time, like you're gonna have to find
your next right pass rusher and and we didn't know
this time last year that it was going to be
Casher's Howell, because you know, you were losing you know,
Shamar Turner and and all these guys to the NFL. Well,
I think that you have to give a lot of
trust to that unit and that team that they're gonna
figure it out. Especially by the way, with the reported
edition back of Elijah Robinson at defensive line coach.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
He's one of the best in the industry.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, there's another team in the state of Texas that
still can bring home a title. Texas Tech takes on
Oregon in the Orange Bowl eleven am kick on New
Year's Day. Listen, Sehan, we could talk about it being
a closer game than expected with jmu but a couple
of big turnovers for Dante more in that matchup. If
you're Joey Maguire watching the film, what's your biggest takeaway
from what you saw on a Natson stadium.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Well, I think the biggest thing is just like you
have to find a way to get to Dante Moore
because when he's playing in structure, he is almost unstoppable,
Like he is crazy, crazy good when he's not pressured.
If you can get to him, though, like you said,
he starts to the clock, starts to speed up, he
starts to make mistakes, I think that's what you need
to happen, because when I look at this Tech Tech defense,
(07:54):
I mean they're really really good everywhere, let me be
clear about that. But where they're not, like god.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Tier level is in the secondary.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
They're a very good secondary, but they're not you know again,
they're not Ohio State in the secondary. And so I
think that if you're Oregon, you're trying to get outside,
you're trying to create one on one matchups, you're trying
to get decory and more of the ball in space.
They might have Evan Stewart back even that game, Like,
that's how you're trying to attack Texas Tech.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
And you have to be if you're.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
The Red Raiders, really aggressive, really patient, really try to
make mistakes off this team, because I actually think that
they're going to be able to stop the run at
a high level, which I think is a huge deal.
Against an Oregon team that runs the ball at an
incredibly high level, it's gonna.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Be okay, you know, are you able.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
To cause issues for that passing game, force mistakes and
give your offense more opportunities.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Shanan, we got about thirty seconds here, but Texas making
a little bit of a surprise move over the weekend,
bringing back Will mush Champs, sending Pete quick Kowski out
the door. Just your thoughts on that and also what
Steve Sarkisian said in regard to making said moves.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Yeah, I look, I think that for me, I've been
pretty consistent over the past two or three years that
I felt like their offensive inconsistency has been the biggest issue. So,
you know, for me, it was certainly a surprise decision
to let Pete quick Kowski go. I think he's been
the top five coordinator in college football in the past
couple of years. You know, I think it's a risk
that certainly has some upside. I think that Will muss
(09:24):
Champ obviously has won at the highest level. But I mean,
if Steve Sarkisian's answer to fixing the offenses him being
less of a head coach, I just don't know how
I feel about that.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Shanji Raja from CBS Sports joining us on the Morning Drive. Shahan,
as always, you are the best and I can't wait
to talk to you about how the hell is Texas
Tech and Joey McGuire gonna be able to run this thing?
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Back In twenty twenty six, looking forward to it. Thanks
so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Shan Juraja from CBS Sports joining us
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