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Championship Chaos: Indiana Shocks the World, Georgia Bulldozes Bama, and the Playoff Bracket Goes Nuclear
21 Plays6 months ago
What just happened?! We break down the wildest conference championship weekend in college football history: Indiana’s historic upset over Ohio State to claim the Big Ten crown and the No. 1 seed, Georgia’s absolute demolition of Alabama, Duke surviving Virginia in an ACC instant classic, Texas Tech running away with the Big 12, and every other title game that mattered. Then we dive into the final 12-team CFP bracket — who got hosed, who got saved, and why this first-round slate is pure fireworks. If you thought the drama ended Saturday night, you haven’t seen the selection committee’s final twist yet.
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Transcript
Introduction to Balone Coverage
00:00:00
Mike Bell
All right, welcome back to another episode of Balone Coverage. I'm Mike Bell with my co-host Caleb Schwerer. All right, Caleb, the conference championships are done. We've got a lot to get to, and I've been trying to think, like, should we start with the games or should we just start with kind of the The major talking points right now, and that is the playoffs, the playoff structure, seeding.
00:00:25
Mike Bell
I kind of say we start there and work into the games. You know, we'll talk about whatever. Maybe we can jump around a bit. I guess and guess initially, what are your thoughts on just the bracket that came out, kind of what's going on in general?
Debate on Playoff Inclusions and Cinderella Stories
00:00:44
Kaleb
Well, not to be the dead horse, but I think it is kind of ridiculous with having James Madison in there and Tulane in there, given the amount of talent that is right there at the cusp of getting in to begin with, and then just adding you know two teams like that into there, it's kind of a disgrace because
00:01:12
Kaleb
I don't know. It's like every year they're like, okay, yeah, we're trying to put the 12 best teams in there, but it's like this is definitely not the 12 best teams ah in all of college football for sure. It's kind of almost like trying to spot the little man in opportunity, and really there was not one that deserved it this year to have a potential you know spot in the playoff to go and see if they have a Cinderella story type ending. Yeah.
00:01:39
Kaleb
course, would they ever be able to really have that? Who really knows, to be honest with you, even if like an undefeated ah group of five school did have an undefeated year and they looked awesome. Could they truly compete and go win the national championship?
00:01:53
Kaleb
Probably not. i mean, can you say never say never kind of thing? Probably not, but. Odds are very slim. So I really don't like that those two teams have gotten in and you have teams like Notre Dame, Miami, Texas, Vanderbilt left out. I just think that's kind of a disgrace, to be honest with you.
00:02:12
Kaleb
um And like, so for instance, like James Madison, they're playing Oregon. Do they have a shot at that? guess there's always a chance, right? But no, not really, to be honest with you.
00:02:24
Kaleb
And then same thing, really, Tulane, Ole Miss.
00:02:32
Kaleb
same Same thing. I mean, the spread on that is Ole Miss by 17.5 points, man. Like, really? And then Oregon by 21. Is that a playoff game to you?
00:02:43
Kaleb
I don't think so. You know, playoff to me is like, look at the other ones.
00:02:45
Mike Bell
Right.
00:02:48
Kaleb
Alabama, Oklahoma. OU by 1.5. A&M and Miami. Now, honestly, man, if I were you, would be a little scared. But we'll get to that a moment. But A&M by 4.
00:02:58
Kaleb
Okay? That's... That's a playoff game. I'm sorry. You know what? i said Miami right there too, didn't I? I apologize. I was misreading something.
00:03:10
Kaleb
But anyway, that's a playoff game.
00:03:14
Kaleb
I just don't understand.
00:03:18
Mike Bell
Yeah, i think it's safe to say this is probably the last year it's going to be in this exact format
Playoff Selection Challenges and Notre Dame's Decision
00:03:24
Kaleb
Yeah. Yeah.
00:03:24
Mike Bell
because you can't have, like you're saying, JMU and Tulane in there.
00:03:30
Mike Bell
According to the rules, I kind of think the committee mostly got it right. like I feel like people are being really hard on the committee. i know you're not as much on these online platforms like I am, like on Reddit most of them talking about and Twitter, but People really giving it to the committee, i don't know. I think they're kind of in a tough spot.
00:03:52
Mike Bell
Like, yeah, I have minor quibbles with some of the things they did, but just according to what the rules are, it was basically they had to choose between JMU and Duke.
00:04:03
Mike Bell
It wasn't that they had the choice between JMU, Duke, and then Notre Dame, Texas, Vanderbilt. That wasn't really the option. The option was BYU, Miami, Vanderbilt, Texas, Notre Dame, and they went with obviously Miami. So I tell you what's really disappointing. I don't know what they're going to do to fix all this.
00:04:26
Mike Bell
But what's really disappointing is Notre Dame ultimately declining their bowl invite. And i it sucks.
00:04:35
Kaleb
Yes. What's your thoughts on that?
00:04:38
Mike Bell
And I think they got to make a rule against it. Now, I don't know how you can.
00:04:42
Kaleb
It sucks from what perspective, I guess. Like,
00:04:47
Mike Bell
It sucks from a college football perspective.
00:04:50
Kaleb
yes.
00:04:50
Mike Bell
Because, look, bowl games, it shouldn't just be about the playoff. You know, I look forward to those other bowl games, those other matchups and all that.
00:04:56
Kaleb
Well, for sure.
00:05:00
Mike Bell
I get Notre Dame. Like, don't get me wrong. If you were a part of that team, I'm sure it would suck. Like, you were in the top ten, you know, the whole way. Well, not the whole way, but a lot of the way, and then all of a sudden you're bounced out.
00:05:08
Kaleb
sure.
00:05:10
Mike Bell
And in your mind, you're probably thinking, oh, well, the committee caved in the pressure, all that. Like, that's tough. But at the same time, like, I don't know. i feel like you've got to play your ball games. and
00:05:24
Kaleb
for sure
00:05:24
Mike Bell
It's just a tough situation. Notre Dame was in a tough spot, being that Miami is just that team right behind them, and then they lost ahead to head. So I think – I will say I think the committee ultimately got that one right.
00:05:37
Mike Bell
um We've talked about that all year. Like, who do we think is better?
00:05:40
Kaleb
Mm-hmm.
00:05:41
Mike Bell
We both think Notre Dame is better. I think Notre Dame could have competed for it all. I really believe that. So then now to just leave them out of it to a team that I do not think can compete for at all.
00:05:51
Mike Bell
Like, it sucks, but I do think that is the right choice. But, yeah, those are just kind of my thoughts. I hate that they're not going to play their bowl.
00:06:03
Mike Bell
Another team I think we've got to talk about BYU. b y u You know, they kind of entered the scenario that we talked about in the preview show.
00:06:12
Kaleb
Yeah.
Playoff Structure Suggestions and Independence Concerns
00:06:13
Mike Bell
okay they got blown out by Tech again. It's the same team. Tech looks pretty good. Top 14, but now BYU is out of it completely.
00:06:19
Kaleb
Yeah, i know.
00:06:19
Mike Bell
What about this?
00:06:20
Kaleb
See, from that perspective, it really sucks. like So here's the deal. I'm fine with BYU potentially being left out if like there's other 10-2, like like ah Notre Dame ah is in there, Texas, I mean, you would have to yeah, Alabama.
00:06:36
Mike Bell
Alabama. We're going to three losses.
00:06:39
Kaleb
Yeah, then fine. Okay, I can maybe understand why BYU didn't get in. But right now, man, like if you're BYU, you lost the number 14 twice. And yes, I get it wasn't a close game.
00:06:52
Kaleb
But then you yeah I'm just saying just all the teams right there on the cusp should honestly be pretty pissed off with just like, Really? Tulane? Really? JMU?
00:07:03
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:07:04
Kaleb
i don't know. It's just, it sucks, man. The only thing I would say to both Miami and Notre Dame, I think they're both good. And honestly, I think both could potentially go and have a
00:07:18
Kaleb
you know they are Notre Dame, like you said, they could potentially have gone pretty deep into it. Same thing with Miami. The only thing is, you know with Miami, or excuse me, let me start with Notre Dame first. okay Notre Dame, they started out Then they came up, I think really, to be honest with you, the only quality win.
00:07:40
Kaleb
i know they went against Pitt. I don't know how much I want to put into stock with that. The USC game, fine. I'll give them that.
00:07:49
Kaleb
So the really they're one in three versus, or excuse me, they're two and two versus ranked opponents. Okay. That's like how much of it is, okay, this team's actually good or is it like kind of their weaker schedule making them look extremely good, you know? So I i would have been curious to see like what they could have done against some you know, like a playoff contending team.
00:08:14
Kaleb
And same thing for Miami, frankly. ah Miami, they right out of the gate, they came and played, ah you know, you guys and then Notre Dame. Hold
00:08:25
Mike Bell
Miami didn't play, you know, but
00:08:27
Kaleb
hold on. Oh, I am so sorry. That's the, I'm sorry, that's postseason. That was the, um they have that up there at the top. That's very misleading. My goodness on the schedule. So they come out right out of the gate. They go and play Notre Dame. They win.
00:08:40
Kaleb
Good game. And then win at South Florida, win at Florida State, and then they won.
00:08:48
Mike Bell
But those games don't look that impressive anymore, you know? And their losses, everything you say about Notre Dame is true, but like Miami's losses have not aged.
00:08:54
Kaleb
Yeah. Well, losses are worse. I would agree. i would argue the losses are worse for Miami. SMU, Louisville –
00:09:05
Mike Bell
Yeah, right.
00:09:06
Kaleb
Um, so
00:09:11
Mike Bell
So ultimately when it's that close like that, I do think you have to honor it head to head because it's like, it's hard to make a decision
00:09:11
Kaleb
I don't know.
00:09:16
Kaleb
Well, for sure.
00:09:18
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:09:19
Kaleb
For sure.
00:09:20
Mike Bell
So to me, it's less about Miami, Notre Dame. It's just about what do you do with BYU? What do you do with these conference championship games? Because now you know, people were calling for Alabama to maybe be left out.
00:09:33
Mike Bell
And like, you just can't, you can't do that in the SEC. You cannot do that. You cannot make your game.
00:09:40
Kaleb
Oh, that'd be a disgrace.
00:09:42
Mike Bell
Yeah, you can't make your championship a game and then drop out of the playoffs and you can't say, oh the same should apply with BYU. But the problem is now what is the incentive for the Big 12 to have a championship game?
00:09:56
Mike Bell
Because they may be saying, well, look, you know, BYU wouldn't have moved back if we didn't play it. So it's just kind of a mess. But I think the first thing they can do that we agree on, I think most people agree on, is they just got to change the formatting a little bit in terms of like,
00:10:05
Kaleb
Oh, for sure.
00:10:12
Mike Bell
Who just has to get in? You know, there's a group of five teams and then, you know, the highest ranked conference championship. Like maybe just choose the 12 best teams. Stop doing the conference championship stuff.
00:10:23
Kaleb
Yeah, know.
00:10:23
Mike Bell
Yep.
00:10:24
Kaleb
And I think, yeah, probably so.
00:10:24
Mike Bell
no
00:10:27
Kaleb
And I hate to like,
00:10:32
Kaleb
we need to get make something like where winning your conference is special again, to be honest with you, because... Or even just being in it, potentially. I mean depend so if you're in the SEC Championship and you lose, I still think that means something to an extent because the competition is so good for you to even be there. I think that's quite the accomplishment and probably the Big Ten.
00:10:54
Kaleb
So... And I think the big 12, I just think Texas tech is just maybe substantially a better team than what BYU is. I still think they're a good quality team, but we need something that honors the conference championships. It just feels weird to be honest with you.
00:11:11
Kaleb
Like they just seem like they don't really matter as much per se, other than like trying to position yourself, getting the buy or not. Um, And then like you said, man, just if there's a Cinderella team or whatever, like let's say Tulane was undefeated, um you know, fine, whatever. Throw throw a one team or whatever ah at 12.
00:11:33
Kaleb
You know, see if they can do something. Don't waste, like, what is it? 12 times 8 would be 96. Almost a little bit, actually a little bit more than, or less than 8% is taken up by two teams that probably shouldn't be in there. So anyway, almost a 10th, almost a 10th.
00:11:59
Kaleb
um It's, I don't know, man. It's, yeah. Yeah.
00:12:04
Mike Bell
They have to figure something out. I mean, maybe this is an argument for like play-in games. And I know like you can keep just like extending how many teams are in it. But I do think there's some things you can do to make this a little bit cleaner.
00:12:13
Kaleb
yeah
00:12:16
Mike Bell
First of all, Notre Dame could join a conference. But I don't think that's...
00:12:19
Kaleb
I know i was going to get to that too. Yeah.
00:12:22
Mike Bell
Yeah, that really would clear a lot of things. i In a way, Notre Dame kind of deserves this. But... It's awesome.
00:12:29
Kaleb
Oh, for sure.
00:12:30
Mike Bell
It also does.
00:12:31
Kaleb
I don't, I don't know if you saw this or not with Notre Dame, but they, um, so their AD came out and said that the ACC had like damaging, had damaged the relationship and,
00:12:32
Mike Bell
Go ahead.
00:12:45
Mike Bell
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:12:47
Kaleb
Then like apparently the ACC's spokesperson or whatever like came out and cleared the air whatever. I didn't get to read that story or whatever. But I was like, I just don't understand how and Notre Dame can be so closely affiliated with ACC but yet not a part of them.
00:13:03
Kaleb
And I don't know how much money it is, but people always bring it up every year that you know when Notre Dame makes the college football playoff or you know whatever, they get to take home a certain. an amount of more money than other teams because they have to attribute a certain amount of that to the conference.
00:13:18
Kaleb
And to to be honest with you, to be that big of a school and not have to do that, whereas everybody else does, how is that fair? you know And I don't know what other pros and cons there are to being out of your own conference. you know But I guess number one would be a championship.
00:13:33
Kaleb
But, I mean, you know good or bad, you know depending on the situation. Like right this year, Who knows, if they actually were in a a conference and they went and played a championship game and won it pretty handily, they could probably be in right now.
00:13:48
Kaleb
So this year could have helped them. So, I don't know. it's ah It's ridiculous, though, to have a powerhouse like that and not be in a conference.
00:13:57
Mike Bell
Yeah, yes, I am curious to see what is going to come of this. I know the deadline, they extended the deadline for figuring out what they're going to be doing in the future in terms of the brackets and all that. They extended it, I believe, to January 23. Again, I don't know what the solutions are other than the Group of Five stuff. And, you know, we'll see. We'll see.
00:14:18
Kaleb
Do you think do you think Notre Dame comes off as like some titty babies for not getting in and then canceling the bowl game?
00:14:19
Mike Bell
But
00:14:25
Mike Bell
Well, yes, but I got to tell you, even though I think the committee made the right decision, I still kind of get it with Notre Dame. I don't like them canceling the bowl game.
00:14:36
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:14:36
Mike Bell
Yeah, titty babies, but you got to keep in mind, they've been playing really good. I understand what you're saying about the schedule, but I think like they're one of the best teams in the country, and they're probably right, you know?
00:14:44
Kaleb
I –
00:14:50
Mike Bell
So...
00:14:50
Kaleb
Well, for sure, for sure. But I could also make that same argument for almost for, you know, you could sit there and look at Texas's resume and Vanderbilt's resume, and they're both 10-2, same record as Notre Dame and
00:15:09
Kaleb
substantially harder schedule, in my opinion. But,
00:15:13
Mike Bell
Texas is 9-3, not 10-2.
00:15:15
Kaleb
oh, excuse me. Sorry. I was thinking of Vanderbilt when I said that. But ah still, man, I don't want to be the dead horse.
00:15:24
Mike Bell
I get it. I get it.
00:15:24
Kaleb
for Yeah.
00:15:24
Mike Bell
There's arguments for all of them, but it's just like arguments and resumes aside, like there is something that feels a little different about me.
00:15:26
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:15:30
Kaleb
Yes, I get that. Let me ask you this, because earlier you had said something like this. Like, to be honest with you, if your team's not in the – now, I didn't feel this as much when it was the 14 playoff because –
00:15:44
Kaleb
I think there's like four, they're not BCS bowls anymore, but you know, like the big one, like the Rose bowl, the orange bowl, the Fiesta bowl and yeah, sugar bowl.
00:15:51
Mike Bell
Yes, sugar bowl. Sugar.
00:15:56
Kaleb
Yes. So when it was just the four, 14 playoff, you know,
00:15:57
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:16:01
Kaleb
Two and then one. So there was like another bo or whatever for the next best team. or I didn't feel that. I don't feel this. I didn't feel this way then as much as I do now.
00:16:13
Kaleb
Like now I feel like if your team's not in the playoff, I do feel like the bowl is kind of like, oh, this kind of sucks. You know, like you're, you know, you're,
00:16:22
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:16:23
Kaleb
I mean, it look don't get me wrong. If you're an A4 team, you weren't going to a good bowl game to begin with. I just feel like it doesn't stink as much as it does now.
00:16:33
Mike Bell
Yeah. I mean, that is the thing. And it's like, what is the solution to that? Are we just entering an era where it is just all about the playoffs? Because you're right. You know, Texas, Michigan, like, is that?
00:16:43
Kaleb
I think that's a great game, by the way, but it's at the Cheese Bowl.
00:16:47
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:16:47
Kaleb
I mean, the Cheese Bowl, excuse me.
00:16:48
Mike Bell
She's a bold. Yeah, I agree. I think i think it is a great game, but it's just like more so like how bought in are both these squads?
00:16:54
Kaleb
but yeah Well, exactly.
00:16:56
Mike Bell
It feels like if you're ranked from 12 to 20, those games, which should be exciting and what you're looking forward to, you're worried about where and then the games beyond the top 25, those teams are just happy to be in any sort of bowl.
00:17:12
Mike Bell
So it's like those could be good games. But the the shameful part is like those teams that are still good, but didn't quite make the playoffs, you know, it just doesn't feel as good.
00:17:22
Kaleb
Yeah, as much pizzazz or something like I don't and I don't know how they would go about it. I don't know if they would like if there's a way for them to like manufacture like an elevation of a bowl like say hey here's a second tier bowl, you know, so if your team makes it, you know, it'd be great.
00:17:33
Mike Bell
yeah
00:17:35
Kaleb
I don't know how that works to be honest with you. yeah funny Funny thing, not to get into the Texas-Michigan game too much, but I actually freaking worked that day that the game is on, so I'm a little pissed about
00:17:46
Mike Bell
Right.
Player Opt-Outs and Expanded Playoff Ideas
00:17:47
Kaleb
that.
00:17:47
Kaleb
But all in all, I guess another another aspect to it, though, about the bowl games, like if your team's in the playoff, obviously your star players are going to stay in and they're not going to opt out.
00:17:59
Kaleb
Whereas like the other bowls, that's where you're going more opt-outs. And that's the part that also kind of drives the sword into the wound a little bit.
00:18:03
Mike Bell
run
00:18:07
Kaleb
Like not only did you not get the playoff, but your best players are going to opt out or some of them will opt out, go to the draft, which potentially puts your team at a huge risk for losing, which I don't know what Texas seniors are doing.
00:18:24
Kaleb
You know, I saw, i need to go look and verify it, but I saw that, uh, Anthony Hill is opting out or is going for the draft this next year. I don't know if he's opting out, but if he is, that's a huge loss for us on our defense.
00:18:37
Kaleb
And Michael Taff, he's a senior. I think he'll play because he just – he loves Texas. But, you know, I know Anthony Hill does too. But that's another aspect of it. It's like it's not even really your team. It's like a shell of your team playing, which is another aspect to it in my opinion.
00:18:54
Mike Bell
Yeah. and i want to say even you know these five and seven squads because you know there were a couple teams that opt have opted out and then the five and seven squads that now would take the place of some of these ballgas they're opting out too like they just i don't know there's less incentive to even want to play the ball games like i think florida state said no we're not playing
00:19:13
Kaleb
I don't remember last year or the year. I don't remember last year there being like, can you think off the top of your head, to anybody that like opted out of the bowl game, you know?
00:19:22
Mike Bell
There were a couple, but I forget who they were.
00:19:25
Kaleb
Yeah, I can't remember off the top of my head.
00:19:26
Mike Bell
So, yeah.
00:19:28
Kaleb
But that's crazy, man. i mean, you know,
00:19:33
Kaleb
i mean, hell, if I mean, what's the whole purpose of even trying to get to six and six, I guess, you know, if you're that, I don't know.
00:19:39
Mike Bell
Right. Well, that's that's kind kind of what – right. No, I i agree. I agree. now Now, here's the thing. i mentioned this last time, and it seems like overkill, but I'm seeing this on Reddit, and I don't know if they'll do it. and There's some highly popular people that are against this, but you know the FCS right now does 2014 playoff.
00:20:03
Mike Bell
And it is interesting. Like, I wish we had a thing where we could pull it up to what it would actually look like. But it does a couple of things. 24 seems like a lot.
00:20:14
Mike Bell
But first, what it would do is the first two rounds, you could play on campus. And you could still have a bye for those top teams in the 2014 playoff. And because what sucks is let's just take a team like Ohio State.
00:20:29
Mike Bell
You know, they have the bye, but they don't get to play a home game on campus. like That's the ultimate like advantage to having a great season is to have everybody wants that home game. so you you have two rounds of home games.
00:20:41
Mike Bell
It values conference championships because they could structure it to where the winners of the conference championships have like the higher seeds. Again, if I had it front of me, maybe I could make it make more sense. but
00:20:51
Kaleb
Think about it. If you guys were to win and you guys go to the Cotton Bowl, you would have a huge, huge home field advantage, which to your point, honestly, it would be a li like a little unfair.
00:20:59
Mike Bell
Yes.
00:21:03
Kaleb
Or not unfair, but kind of wrong in a sense. It's like Ohio State's the better. like They got the bye, but also to an extent, they're playing an away game.
00:21:10
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:21:14
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:21:15
Mike Bell
Right. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I don't know. This is all going to be talked about over the coming weeks and I'm curious to see what they do, but I think this can maybe be a good transition into maybe talking about some of the games because we do need to value these conference championships. And let's just start with talking about Ohio state, Indiana, because You know, Indiana, it's a great story, but as far as I'm concerned, when I watched the game, i mean, look, it was 1v2, and as far as I'm concerned, those are the two best teams in the country.
Indiana's Big Ten Win and Coaching Accolades
00:21:46
Mike Bell
What did Indiana really win?
00:21:46
Kaleb
For sure.
00:21:48
Mike Bell
Like, what they probably won is a rematch with Ohio State at the end of the year where that's it's a tough it's tough beating the same team twice, especially a team
00:21:52
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:21:57
Kaleb
Especially, yes, with those, yeah, especially like you're saying one a and one b arguably.
00:22:02
Mike Bell
Right. So obviously for Indiana, I'm sure they're over the moon about winning the Big Ten as they should be.
00:22:07
Kaleb
Hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:22:08
Mike Bell
It's an incredible story, but geez, like what did they really win? You know, it's like now they're just like the top seed and they've got to go through a tough schedule again. Like, so it's just like, again, what was the advantage necessarily to actually winning the Big Ten other than pride, which pride could be enough.
00:22:24
Mike Bell
Don't get me wrong. I want these teams to have more pride in just playing those games and wanting to win them. But yeah, Anyway, that's just kind of a continuation.
00:22:33
Kaleb
yeah That's another talking point, too, like you're saying, for real. So let's look here. Okay. So Texas Tech plays the winner of James Madison, Oregon game.
00:22:46
Kaleb
That's in, for all you know, probably going to be Oregon. I think that would actually be a very good matchup. Indiana faces Alabama, Oklahoma. Going to tough matchup.
00:22:57
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:22:57
Kaleb
Georgia gets the winner of the Tulane-Ole Miss game. I think i mean, that's going to be a good game too, and then Ole Miss. it Who – so out of those four teams, Texas Tech, Indiana, Georgia, Ohio State, who do you think would be facing the hardest opponent, do you think?
00:23:21
Mike Bell
Oh, I would say not Georgia because they have, we don't know what Ole Miss is going to
00:23:28
Kaleb
Right.
00:23:29
Mike Bell
Indiana, who does Indiana potentially have to face?
00:23:32
Kaleb
They're going to have to play either Alabama or Oklahoma.
00:23:36
Mike Bell
So then not them. um I guess it would be Texas Tech because they're probably going to have to face Oregon and that's a tough one.
00:23:45
Kaleb
It is. i think that I think the think Ohio State is close second, though, between. um you know, the winner Miami and you guys.
00:23:58
Mike Bell
Yeah, I get it. um I don't know. I think, you know, not to make this about A&M, but A&M really got unlucky with this bracket because they got lucky in the sense they don't have to face Notre Dame.
00:24:10
Kaleb
Yeah. Yeah.
00:24:14
Mike Bell
But Miami obviously is a very tough opponent, but then having to face Ohio State as that next game, when we have an argument to be number six and have to get a much easier opponent than freaking Miami, you know, it could have been JMU or Tulane.
00:24:20
Kaleb
yeah
00:24:30
Mike Bell
And then, you know, that next game is tough, but geez, like Ohio State, even though Indiana just beat Ohio State, I think Ohio State's still the last team I'd want to face of those four. So anyway, I don't want to get into the whole A&M thing here, but Yeah, those are like little things I don't know how to fix in terms of the bracketing and all that. But and I guess every year there's going little bit of variance, right?
00:24:53
Mike Bell
In terms of just the way certain teams are playing. Like there probably isn't just like a great fix necessarily. Yeah.
00:25:01
Kaleb
yeah, as far as that goes, i mean, you're right, it would be hard to fix.
00:25:06
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:25:07
Kaleb
But I would – I mean, pretty much what you were saying beforehand about the Indiana-Ohio State game, I thought that was an awesome game.
00:25:07
Mike Bell
but
00:25:14
Kaleb
You know, kudos to Indiana for what kt and what Kirk Cignetti has been able to do at IU in those two years.
00:25:15
Mike Bell
Mm-hmm.
00:25:21
Kaleb
I mean, seriously, it is insane. It gives you just a snapshot of what you could potentially do. uh with the transfer portal nil stuff and honestly i guess it's just the transfer portal that you know because you don't really hear about too many iu people in nil honestly obviously they have it going but um transfer portal and
00:25:46
Kaleb
i mean you put kirk signetti a top five coach in the college now i think you probably have to just because with yeah you have to because
00:25:52
Mike Bell
Thank you.
00:25:55
Kaleb
Yes, I know it might be the easiest to rebuild your team now than ever beforehand, potentially, but it's also maybe equally as hard to retain a culture and a team. Like it's a double-edged sword, but not only to do like before Kurt Signetti got there, like they showed up on the screen several times.
00:26:17
Kaleb
Indiana was the losing the most losing school in his or like college hit or college football, period. And Ohio State was the highest winning percentage football program in the country.
00:26:30
Kaleb
come For Kirk Signetti to accomplish what he's had there in two years, it's quite, I mean, it's awesome. I mean, it is crazy to think about, to be honest with you. Like, you can't put it into words.
00:26:41
Kaleb
I mean, oh i mean it's just it's an awesome story, to believe it or not.
00:26:45
Mike Bell
It's the greatest coaching job of all time. I think it's got to be, right? And that's what other people are saying. Like, I think it's got to be.
00:26:56
Mike Bell
They're number one in the country, you know, and they beat, and it's not like they, they've done it easily necessarily. Like they just Ohio state, you know?
00:27:02
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:27:05
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:27:05
Mike Bell
So yeah. I mean, I think it's just, I think it's amazing.
00:27:10
Kaleb
Yeah. I guess I'm curious to see what he does over the, you know, a couple, like within a couple more years, you know, I've definitely like, I'm just saying like, okay, how do you want to value this? Because I forgot how many years it took Nick Saban to win. I don't know off the top of my head, how long it took him to win at LSU and then ah at Alabama and whatnot, you know, like that's over a,
00:27:33
Kaleb
20-year span, but within two years, and then again, the knock against Saban in that argument is, you know, that was at LSU, Alabama, two very formidable universities. This is Iowa. I mean, ah Indiana.
00:27:47
Mike Bell
Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:48
Kaleb
So, anyway, i that's awesome.
00:27:53
Mike Bell
Any more thoughts just on the game itself? you know, I thought it obviously was a great game. I'd love to see it again. We've talked before, like, are there any weaknesses in Ohio state that Indiana could expose?
00:28:05
Mike Bell
And to me, the weakness that was exposed now, granted, you have to have a great defense to do this and Indiana clearly does have a great defense. that That is kind of the thing with them, but
00:28:13
Kaleb
Mm-hmm.
00:28:16
Mike Bell
The weakness, I think, is Julian San and the fact that they are very good, but maybe they're not as elite as you would think in terms of like their overall offense. like They can be stopped. They're not going to necessarily run over you if you can play defense well.
00:28:34
Mike Bell
The problem is going to be Ohio State's defense is always going to have them in the game. But the weakness could be their offense. They're not fully ready yet.
00:28:45
Mike Bell
But who knows, this loss may maybe expose something in a good way for Ohio State and they could say, okay, this is what we need to fix.
00:28:45
Kaleb
Right.
00:28:53
Mike Bell
So yeah, any thoughts on that?
00:28:54
Kaleb
Yep. I mean, not really. you know, I think it was, you know, we're able to kind of say this now just because they played it against, you know, really, i think all across the board, Ohio State is number one on a lot of categories defensively and probably offensively. And same thing goes for Indiana, oddly enough.
00:29:14
Kaleb
So, I think Indiana may be one of the only teams to really and truly expose Ohio State's defenses. We'll kind of see. Maybe the only – like I think maybe the other defense that really could maybe push Ohio State like that is potentially Georgia's defense.
00:29:32
Kaleb
I guess maybe also Oregon's to an extent, but I'll put, I'll put Georgia's first behind, uh, Indiana's just because of the way Kirby smart is and just how hot Georgia is right now.
00:29:42
Mike Bell
Yes.
00:29:43
Kaleb
But Julian saying it's his first year, you know, and what's the most important spot or, um, position in football quarterback, you know, it's his first year he's got, and he's got tremendous talent all over the field.
00:29:57
Kaleb
And by the way, the true freshman running back for Ohio state, uh,
00:30:04
Kaleb
He's over a thousand yards. He's in there with Trace, um, Trevion Henderson. Uh, Oh goodness. There's like only five running backs in Ohio state's history that were true freshmen and ran for a thousand yards. I'm actually kind of surprised by that. i figured it would be like way more, but anyway, they, so they do have a good running game. They have stars all over the over the field. It was surprising to me that Indiana was able to, you know, control that as long as they were. um
00:30:36
Kaleb
We'll see. um We'll see. But let me see. Would Indiana... I don't even think... Yeah, Indiana wouldn't even have to play.
00:30:47
Kaleb
i guess the real question is... Alabama's offense, I don't think, could maintain Indiana if they were to win against Oklahoma. I think Oklahoma could maybe have a better shot.
00:31:00
Kaleb
But here's the deal. Oklahoma doesn't have the firepower on offense to get past Indiana, right?
00:31:04
Mike Bell
Right. Right.
00:31:06
Kaleb
So, in you know, the last two games, Alabama's offense has looked out of sync. You know, like, you know, we chalked it up as the auto –
00:31:14
Mike Bell
thought it was good issue.
00:31:16
Kaleb
Do it? Oh, yeah, for sure.
00:31:17
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:31:18
Kaleb
You know, we talked up the Auburn game as like rivalry game. And, like, listen, there's something to that. Auburn's defense is really good. But then in another – like, Georgia's defense has looked really good since that loss to them, like in the regular season.
00:31:36
Kaleb
And they keep getting better and better each week. So, I'm not just i'm not trying to, like, dismiss what Georgia's been able to accomplish. But Alabama has – We've both been very high on them, and just to come out the SEC championship like that and come out as flat as they did, I was kind of surprised by that. you know um i really was. I guess the perfect segue into the Alabama and the Georgia championship, the SEC championship, what were your thoughts on that
SEC Championship Analysis and Georgia's Prospects
00:32:05
Kaleb
game? did you I expected Georgia to win.
00:32:08
Kaleb
i expected georgia i expected it to be a closer game, though, because keep in mind, this was a twenty four to twenty one victory for Alabama during the regular season.
00:32:17
Mike Bell
Right. Yeah, I mean, i think, and we've talked about it all year and you're kind of seeing it catch up with them. But I don't know what they finished with, but I know in the fourth quarter i saw the stat, negative two rushing yards for Alabama.
00:32:33
Mike Bell
Give Georgia credit for that, but you got say, ah you know, that's that's on Alabama.
00:32:37
Kaleb
It's been an issue all year for Alabama.
00:32:39
Mike Bell
That's on Alabama.
00:32:39
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:32:40
Mike Bell
You have to be able to do multiple things on offense, and I think it finally has caught up with them. And that's why I think, like, in terms of the playoffs, can they beat OU? Of course they can beat OU.
00:32:53
Mike Bell
But like, do I see them going much further than that? I don't. They've just got issues.
00:32:58
Kaleb
It's very interesting matchups, I think. you know It's ah kind of the opposites. but wait
00:33:07
Kaleb
OU, really good defense, kind of iffy on offense. Alabama is just kind of just above iffy on both, in my opinion. Like, you know, Alabama's got some good defensive players.
00:33:20
Kaleb
They have a good quarterback, really good wide receiver. cat Everywhere else kind of iffy. So it's good I think it's going to interesting game. But in reality, can yeah, yeah.
00:33:30
Mike Bell
they seem kind of capped out Alabama, you know? Like there's just this next gear they can't get to, that they have to get to if they're going be
00:33:38
Kaleb
Yeah. Well, it's because the running game, you know, and I've been saying it for the last couple weeks in these playoff games, you have got to have the ability to run the, run the ball, wear down the defense, run out clock if necessary. And if all you can do is pass, like, you know, it's either you're going to run up a score pretty well or try to get, you know, or if it's a close game at the end of the game,
00:34:03
Kaleb
you're going to potentially give the other team time back on the clock to go back and score, you know, whereas if you could run the ball effect lovely, lady you could run the clock out much more. but Anyway. Yeah.
00:34:15
Mike Bell
Yeah, well, it was surprising to see either way in Georgia kind of run away with it the way they did.
00:34:19
Kaleb
Yes.
00:34:20
Mike Bell
mean, you know, 14-point game, it felt like actually the gap was larger than that, but Alabama was like kind of like flirting with hanging in their second half, but then just couldn't do anything.
00:34:31
Mike Bell
I mean, just it's repeating ourselves when it comes to Kirby Smart, but one of the best coaching staffs in the country, what they're always able to do, that is what I will say is why they – always going to be in it to win it all because their coaching staff versus any coaching staff on any given day is going to have their team in position to win no matter who the opponent is.
00:34:45
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:34:52
Mike Bell
So I am curious to see Georgia, how they're going to be in, you know, these big games that they face. It looks like they will probably face Ole Miss again and we'll just see what Ole Miss is going to be, but I will, I will be excited to see kind of who Georgia faces maybe in that next round and see how they do.
00:35:09
Mike Bell
But, you know, credit to them, you know, they,
00:35:10
Kaleb
yeah
00:35:12
Mike Bell
had to kind of climb back after that Alabama loss early in the season.
00:35:15
Kaleb
Yep.
00:35:16
Mike Bell
And they've done it. you know, they've been very – they've been elite.
00:35:18
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:35:19
Mike Bell
They've been elite.
00:35:20
Kaleb
Honestly, like,
00:35:24
Kaleb
we've spoken very highly on Indiana and Ohio State, roughly so, but I think you've also got to put Georgia in that mix, too, of like, okay.
00:35:32
Mike Bell
Yep.
00:35:33
Kaleb
yeah And let me look on here real quick
00:35:39
Kaleb
at this because I'm trying to figure out, like, which of those two teams would have to play
00:35:46
Mike Bell
I believe Georgia has.
00:35:46
Kaleb
Ohio State, yeah.
00:35:48
Mike Bell
right oh yeah.
00:35:48
Kaleb
Well, okay. the but Ohio State would potentially have to play Georgia ah if they both won.
00:35:58
Mike Bell
Well, that's probably the matchup.
00:35:58
Kaleb
Georgia, yeah.
00:35:59
Mike Bell
You know, let's face it. So and that's going to be a great game. That would be a great.
00:36:03
Kaleb
I think so.
00:36:05
Mike Bell
Yeah. Yeah.
00:36:05
Kaleb
And for all intents and purposes, now I think it's going little bit harder to predict who and Indiana would play. Yeah.
00:36:14
Mike Bell
and Indiana would have Oregon on the other side, right?
00:36:18
Kaleb
Yeah, they would have Oregon and Texas Tech, but I think that would actually be a pretty decent game, to be honest with you.
00:36:19
Mike Bell
tonight
00:36:24
Mike Bell
Yeah, let's...
00:36:24
Kaleb
i think that one is going harder to predict. If I had to choose, sure, maybe Oregon just because, like, but, yeah, I do think that that would be a good game.
00:36:30
Mike Bell
We've seen numbers as good competition.
00:36:36
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:36:36
Mike Bell
I tell you what, and maybe this is how we can talk. We started this, but moving into now maybe Texas take BYU. Is Texas Tech being overlooked? Because...
00:36:46
Mike Bell
and this is what's going to piss off BYU fans.
00:36:47
Kaleb
Yeah. Yeah.
00:36:49
Mike Bell
Because if Texas Tech goes and makes a run, they're going to say, look, we should have been. Because Tech is just one of the best teams in the country.
00:36:55
Kaleb
yeah
00:36:57
Mike Bell
I think Tech... I mean... They've been blowing people out on the second part of the season, kind of in the same way we've been talking about Notre Dame.
00:37:01
Kaleb
yeah
00:37:06
Mike Bell
I mean, Texas Tech, you could say, has maybe had an easier schedule than Notre Dame. and They've just taken care of business. I don't know. I mean, that's debatable. But the thing is, Texas Tech's defense – Who were you talking about? Oh, um you left out Texas Tech in teams that could maybe face like Ohio State the best.
00:37:22
Mike Bell
But there's a chance Texas Tech could be one of those teams too because their defense, it's just unknown. We're going to have to see how they are versus whoever they face. But I think there's a chance like they are – they're legit. you know They are truly like a top five team in the country.
00:37:38
Mike Bell
I think that's an exciting matchup if they face Oregon. But you know how far can a team like that – I don't know, but do I think there's a big difference between Texas Tech and Oregon right now?
00:37:50
Mike Bell
I really don't. I think in many ways of the same team.
00:37:52
Kaleb
Yeah, right. I think it's pretty competitive, to be honest.
00:37:54
Mike Bell
great Yeah. Yeah. so So anyway, i mean that's that's kind of Texas Tech in general slash you know Texas Tech, BYU. But I guess my only thoughts, I think we've already kind of told you know what our thoughts are on that game, but it's just It's just their defense that I'm most impressed with, Texas Tech's defense.
00:38:14
Mike Bell
like that You know, Jacob Rodriguez is his name.
00:38:15
Kaleb
Turnovers all the time.
00:38:17
Mike Bell
Yeah. It really is, like, credit to what's your guy's name? Jacob McGuire? No, Jacob McGuire.
00:38:25
Kaleb
jacob Jacob Martinez.
00:38:27
Mike Bell
Martinez, yeah. Yeah.
00:38:27
Kaleb
But also you have David Bailey too, which is, i think for a while he was leading the nation in sacks, I'm not mistaken. But Jacob Martinez, I believe, is actually – I don't know if he's, like like, if he's truly on the Heisman list or not. Like, he's going to go to New York. But he is, like, a I think he is in top ten for a Heisman watch list or whatever, you know. So that's not easy to do for a linebacker or a defensive player, I should say.
00:38:54
Kaleb
um
00:38:56
Mike Bell
Well, listen.
00:38:56
Kaleb
They got players they got players on both sides for sure
00:39:02
Mike Bell
Yeah, yeah. um On that note, it's ah it's you know a bit of a change of discussion here, but we can maybe have it quickly. It was just literally announced.
00:39:13
Mike Bell
Fernando Mendoza, Diego Pavia, Jeremiah Love and Julian San are the finalists for the Heisman. What are your thoughts on that?
00:39:27
Kaleb
ah Really no problems, to be honest with you. um
00:39:34
Kaleb
Man.
00:39:39
Kaleb
I think you have to go for Fernando Mendoza, right?
00:39:39
Mike Bell
I'd be surprised they playing.
00:39:42
Mike Bell
I think so. i think so.
00:39:44
Kaleb
I feel bad, though, like saying that for Diego Pavia. I mean, but dang. So my heart's torn between Jeremiah Love, Diego Pavia, and Fernando Mendoza.
00:39:55
Kaleb
I would say this, okay?
00:39:56
Mike Bell
i agree.
00:39:57
Kaleb
So look at the competition kind of thing. i don't know. Jeremiah Love has just been fantastic. ah Fernando Mendoza just knocking off Ohio State. And honestly, that clutch third down play – That was like to – I forgot the guy's – the name of the wide receiver, but he was number 80.
00:40:11
Mike Bell
He's. Yeah.
00:40:16
Kaleb
Like that was a clutch moment. That was a Heisman moment in my opinion. um Diego Pavia, we've both been very high on him this year and rightfully so. He's been awesome and he was the single heartbeat of that team.
00:40:30
Kaleb
Don't get me wrong, Vanderbilt. is a much better team than they have been like last, you know, than they were last year. But he's he has like willed them to win several times and almost potentially knocked Texas off too, i would say, single-handedly. so So that's interesting. But I'm willing to bet that they go with Fernando Mendoza.
00:40:52
Mike Bell
Probably. Diego Pavia has elevated his team the most.
00:40:55
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:40:56
Mike Bell
Jeremiah Love is probably the best player. And then Fernando Mendoza is the best quarterback on what is the best team right now. So that's the problem.
00:41:05
Kaleb
Oh,
00:41:08
Mike Bell
It's like, you know, what do you believe the Heisman should be? i tell you what, I'm still going to go Jeremiah Love. I just think the dude's crazy.
00:41:19
Mike Bell
I do, but I'm
00:41:20
Kaleb
I think he's, I think he's crazy insane. I'll, uh, I'll pull his stats up just for reference, you know?
00:41:35
Kaleb
Well, let me see.
00:41:35
Mike Bell
But while you're doing that, obviously they all have merit.
00:41:39
Kaleb
yeah Well, of course.
00:41:43
Kaleb
Some years it's harder, though. And this might be a year where it is kind of like there's an – right, that's what I was going to Yeah, so he's got 1,300 – almost 1,400 rushing yards, 18 touchdowns, and is averaging 6.9 yards a carry.
00:41:46
Mike Bell
I think this is a harder year. i mean, there's no obvious number one, but I think everyone knows it.
00:42:01
Kaleb
Very good. Yeah.
00:42:03
Mike Bell
Yeah, no. It's like one of those things, the stats don't even do him justice. Because remember, who was the guy last year? Why do I remember his name? Jinty.
00:42:10
Kaleb
Ashton Gentry?
00:42:11
Mike Bell
Yeah. he was He had all the incredible stats, granted, against even weaker competition than maybe Notre Dame had had. But you could see you had to watch him.
00:42:18
Kaleb
Well, for sure.
00:42:19
Mike Bell
You had to watch him to say, okay, this dude's different. But Jeremiah Love has done it against pretty good competition. you know So, I mean, he is, yeah. He'd be my pick, but I'm probably not going to win that one.
00:42:31
Kaleb
I don't know how many, like, I don't know Ashton Gentry's
00:42:35
Kaleb
stats off the top of my head i mean 18 touchdowns is extremely hard to get i mean that's extremely like i mean maybe like in a sunbelt or a week like a a group of five school like maybe you could do that if you got a stud player but my goodness uh power four school anyway
00:42:36
Mike Bell
I think it's in 2000s.
00:42:41
Mike Bell
Yeah, now it is.
00:42:58
Mike Bell
Right. You know, the next thing that comes to mind quickly for me, and this is back to our original discussion in terms of the brackets and all that, but I did watch on Friday, you know, Troy versus James Madison.
00:42:59
Kaleb
um go ahead and
00:43:12
Mike Bell
I also watched North Texas Tulane. Tulane, fine, they're going to get in. or You know, maybe they even deserve to be in. That's a different conversation. i'll be interested to see him. I have to tell you, and i want a root for James Madison because, you know it's the underdog story, all that.
00:43:27
Mike Bell
I want to root for them, but
00:43:27
Kaleb
But they barely beat Troy, if I'm not mistaken, right?
00:43:30
Mike Bell
Well, the final score is 31-14, but I watched this game.
00:43:33
Kaleb
Oh, okay, i got it.
00:43:35
Mike Bell
Yeah, but I watched this game, and it was 17-3. sorry, not 17-3. It was 17-14 going into the season. And want to say Troy had a backup quarterback.
00:43:42
Kaleb
that Right, okay, I thought I saw the... oh
00:43:48
Mike Bell
So it's like I give James Madison a ton of credit. I think they are a good team for, like, the Sun Belt, group of five. Yeah.
00:43:55
Kaleb
Well, with them being like within their first five years of being individual in football too.
00:44:00
Mike Bell
Yeah, yeah, like they deserve a ton of credit.
00:44:00
Kaleb
So there is credit to what they're accomplishing.
00:44:02
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:44:02
Mike Bell
Their one loss, by the way, and this is relevant, they faced Louisville, who's a meddling team in the ACC, and got blown out.
00:44:08
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:44:10
Kaleb
Yeah, right.
00:44:11
Mike Bell
So, take away from the fact they had an amazing season, but you think now they're going to go beat Oregon? You know?
00:44:17
Kaleb
Yeah, right. I know.
00:44:18
Mike Bell
I'm just going to compete with Oregon.
00:44:18
Kaleb
i know. There's no logic in that.
00:44:21
Mike Bell
Right, right. So just you know repeating ourselves a bit, but they've got to change that. And it you know it does suck that that first week of the playoffs, Friday you've got Alabama-Oklahoma. Okay, so that's the only game.
00:44:33
Mike Bell
And then the only game, i mean, I'll watch them, of course, it's the playoffs. But like the game everyone's going want to see is A&M-Miami. That's the 11 o'clock game. The other two are just kind of foregone conclusions.
00:44:45
Mike Bell
you know So that's kind of a shame. So just one more reason to kind of clean that up.
00:44:48
Kaleb
Well, I would maybe say, I think it's maybe some of the luster is lost because they the next game they would play is Indiana, which you could say, oh, well, that's foregone conclusion. But is Alabama, Oklahoma, I do think that will be an interesting game.
00:45:05
Kaleb
But they go and play Indiana.
00:45:06
Mike Bell
Oh, no, I agree. i I think it makes a little lesser loss, too.
00:45:09
Kaleb
But what?
00:45:11
Mike Bell
feel like that could be a bad game to watch.
00:45:13
Kaleb
Oh, for sure, which is sad to say.
00:45:17
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:45:17
Kaleb
But, yes, you're exactly right.
00:45:17
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:45:19
Kaleb
Why is the Oklahoma – fine. Can I see that being a 7 o'clock game? Fine. i'll I'll be fine with that. But the James Madison-Oregon game, 6.30, that's December 20th. Let me look. Yes, 6.30. You've got to be kidding me.
00:45:32
Kaleb
Okay, Alabama-Oklahoma, 7 o'clock at the 19th. Tulane-Ole Miss, 2.30 on the 20th.
00:45:43
Kaleb
Yeah, that's kind of ridiculous, to be honest. Why the hell? That's ridiculous. ah I guess, give me your thoughts on Miami A&M.
00:45:55
Mike Bell
Well, again, I'm happy that it's not Notre Dame. But look, you have to respect Miami.
00:46:06
Mike Bell
But let's face it, they've kind of fallen off over the second half the season. Now, the thing is, A&M, it's not like they're, in my opinion, a juggernaut of a team. They're favored by four. I think that's right.
00:46:18
Mike Bell
You know, they should be favored by about that much. At Kyle Field, first ever playoff game, it sucks it's not at night, but whatever. Do you trust Carson Beck in a playoff game in that kind of atmosphere? No.
00:46:31
Mike Bell
Do I really trust anything with A&M? No. But...
00:46:35
Kaleb
Well, I would mainly say just Marcel Reed, to be honest with you.
00:46:38
Mike Bell
Right.
00:46:38
Kaleb
I wouldn't necessarily A&M, but I guess an interesting question from that standpoint is, who would you trust more in that circumstance, Carson Beck or Marcel Reed?
00:46:39
Mike Bell
That's right. You're right.
00:46:49
Mike Bell
I would trust Marcel Reed.
00:46:51
Kaleb
Really?
00:46:51
Mike Bell
I understand.
00:46:51
Kaleb
Okay, that's interesting.
00:46:52
Mike Bell
Yeah. Yeah. it's But it's not even a Marcel Reed thing. It's just I don't think much of Carson Beck. And at least – what's his name? Marcel Reed can move the ball with his legs a bit.
00:47:05
Kaleb
That's true.
00:47:05
Kaleb
however However, Carson Beck does have some experience in the playoffs and maybe be these moments more so than Marcel Reed, but that's really the only thing. whoever who hasn't who had Who has what did you say?
00:47:05
Mike Bell
just –
00:47:16
Mike Bell
I get it.
00:47:20
Mike Bell
i get it.
00:47:21
Kaleb
Yeah, but A&M has more weapons offensively for sure. And defense you could arguably say is better for sure.
00:47:28
Mike Bell
So that's the thing with this game to me, Miami does have a very good defense, you know,
00:47:33
Kaleb
But how many offenses there do they play that really press the – I mean, Duke, like, I know that sound sounds weird, but Duke Right.
00:47:39
Mike Bell
Look, I know it was week one, but Notre Dame is one of the best offenses in the country, and they really held them pretty good. They held them to 24 points, and they scored most of those late.
00:47:50
Mike Bell
Now, you could say it was week one. or name Notre Dame figure it
00:47:52
Kaleb
i was going to say week one. Don't to necessarily say it, a the fluke week or whatever. But if you've got players, you can scheme up and whatever.
00:47:57
Mike Bell
out.
00:48:00
Mike Bell
Miami is just a very inconsistent team. They've shown they can lose any game, but here's the deal.
00:48:04
Kaleb
They are.
00:48:07
Kaleb
If they put it together, they could be very dangerous.
00:48:07
Mike Bell
They've got...
00:48:09
Kaleb
Like, you know, if they put it together for however, um for um a month, which is possible, man, they could go win the championship potentially.
00:48:09
Mike Bell
Right. Yeah.
00:48:15
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:48:19
Mike Bell
And you do have to look now, you also have to look at the competition, but over the last month,
00:48:23
Kaleb
Yeah, for sure.
00:48:24
Mike Bell
They blew out Syracuse thirty eight ten blew out North Carolina State 41-7. Then they have to go on the road, which is kind of like the big test for them. At Virginia Tech, they did not look good in that game, 34-17. But then Pitt to end the year, blew them out when they needed it most.
00:48:41
Mike Bell
Just saying that out loud makes me think, oh yeah, I remember watching those games and not being impressed by Miami. So, I
00:48:47
Kaleb
Well, right. How much stock do you put Pitt in? i mean, how much stock do you – I know Pitt's ranked or whatever.
00:48:52
Mike Bell
mean...
00:48:53
Kaleb
They're 8-4 in the ACC. It's like everybody's 8-4 in the ACC at the at best.
00:48:55
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:48:59
Mike Bell
And that Florida State game looks worse now, you know?
00:49:02
Kaleb
Yes.
00:49:04
Mike Bell
So, I mean, that's why ultimately, like, I feel decent about it as an A&M fan, but you just never know, like, going to keep
00:49:05
Kaleb
I'm –
00:49:11
Kaleb
Well, for sure. You know, and I think Kyle Field, it being played at Kyle Field would be one thing, too, to kind of, you know, definitely help. um
00:49:23
Mike Bell
it on.
00:49:23
Kaleb
Home field advantage will be big for this, I think.
00:49:26
Mike Bell
quickly
00:49:28
Kaleb
Or excuse me. Well, wait, is this? Hold on. Is this? Is that at Kyle Field? I guess it is at Kyle Field. The next game is at the Cotton Bowl. Okay.
00:49:37
Mike Bell
Yeah, yeah. um But, you know, quickly, you were asking about Carson Beck, Marcel Reed, and I get the comparison, but keep in mind, Marcel Reed in the SEC, Carson Beck in the ACC, as you were saying, they both have 25 touchdowns. They both have 10 interceptions. They both have right at 3,000 yards. now, again...
00:49:56
Mike Bell
so and now again
00:49:57
Kaleb
I'm actually surprised Marshall Reed has that many interceptions. But...
00:50:02
Mike Bell
Look, he he can throw them in bunches. Now, I think he threw like five of them literally in the last two games he played. So
00:50:09
Kaleb
You against us and then...
00:50:12
Mike Bell
three against South Carolina.
00:50:15
Kaleb
Oh, okay.
00:50:17
Mike Bell
Yeah, so
00:50:18
Kaleb
Was South Carolina the game y'all played before us?
00:50:21
Mike Bell
no, it was Samford, but that was like an FCS school, so I'm not really counting.
00:50:24
Kaleb
Okay, yeah, yeah, okay, yeah. yeah
00:50:25
Mike Bell
Yeah. Yeah, Marcel Reed has better weapons, but I mean, look, barely. I mean, they've got that Tony guy who is one of the best receivers.
00:50:32
Kaleb
True freshman, yeah. True of freshman phenom, yeah.
00:50:37
Mike Bell
So, yeah, but I guess I don't want to go too down the path of the A&M game. We'll talk about that plenty, but um okay, is there anything else you want to talk about?
00:50:43
Kaleb
Hmm.
00:50:47
Mike Bell
I mean, we probably do have some things if you want, but just we could talk about brackets. Yeah.
00:50:52
Kaleb
So to be honest with you, man, thing I've been really excited about.
00:51:00
Kaleb
So in this guy is an under the radar, like Jim, just because he's been up for so many head coaching jobs and he's always declined and stayed with Iowa state, but Matt Campbell going to Penn state, dude, they, they lucked out like,
00:51:09
Mike Bell
Oh, yes. Yes. Yep.
00:51:17
Mike Bell
They did.
00:51:18
Kaleb
You didn't really experience him because you guys had left the Big 12, I think, by the time he got the head coaching job. Actually, I forgot what year he came there. It was either 2009, between 2009 and probably 2011. He...
00:51:30
Kaleb
between two thousand and nine and probably two thousand he I can't tell you like what he did, like in, i can I speak to it as much as what an ohio Iowa State fan could? No.
00:51:42
Kaleb
But he made Iowa State relevant pretty much every year, did such a great job with that university, honestly. And it really speaks something to when the AD of Iowa State is like emotional during the presser saying his goodbye and saying like, man, thank you so much for what you've done. How many coaches get that treatment?
00:52:01
Kaleb
Not very many. Do you think Lane Kiffin's getting that right now from Ole Miss? No.
00:52:05
Mike Bell
Not at
00:52:06
Kaleb
I'm playing, but you two different storie are situations for sure. But Penn State, man, they have – Like, I know it didn't look pretty at the beginning because, like, you know, Lane Kiffin's not – obviously, ah he was never entertaining that. But um all these, like, big head coaches, you're, like, thinking, okay, who is Penn State going to get? then they all get hired. And then out of nowhere, Penn State hires Matt Campbell.
00:52:33
Kaleb
What a gem, dude. What a gem. I'm excited to see.
00:52:35
Mike Bell
you could argue that should have been like, one of the top three choices to begin with.
00:52:40
Kaleb
Oh, sure. For sure. Now, don't get me wrong, it's a hard spot, you know, but I mean, between Auburn, it probably is an easier job. Florida, maybe that's an argument too.
Coaching Moves and Future Discussions
00:52:55
Kaleb
But yeah, top three job, for sure.
00:52:55
Mike Bell
Yeah. It is going to be interesting to see what he does because something else we need to talk about is you know Penn State, they only had two recruits in their class. like They're ranked number 130 in the rankings.
00:53:10
Mike Bell
I know if you saw that. They literally have two people in their recruiting class. That's it. So...
00:53:17
Kaleb
I did not see that, but it doesn't surprise me. He's going to have to busy in the transfer portal.
00:53:21
Mike Bell
He is, but he's the guy maybe to do that because he's been working with Les his entire career and he.
00:53:28
Kaleb
Oh, for sure. there You could argue he's been the best coach operating with, like, the less is more.
00:53:35
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:53:35
Kaleb
i mean, he's been operating that its entire – like, think about it. Like, for him to be able to compete with – I don't know, the Big 12, you could argue, is it strong now. But back when Oklahoma – Texas were still in there.
00:53:48
Kaleb
He was still pretty competitive with them for the most part, honestly. that They had a couple years where, what, maybe three losses, two losses, and I even want to say maybe a year or two ago, they only had one loss, if I'm not mistaken.
00:54:02
Kaleb
So, was what was that guy's name? Kaysen Becht or something? I don't know. But anyway, I mean, that Penn State got an awesome hi awesome hire for Penn State, honestly.
00:54:14
Mike Bell
They did. They did. did um Okay. Well, got anything else? I think we kind of covered it just quickly. Completely unrelated to college football, but it just came across my phone.
00:54:26
Mike Bell
Phillip Rivers is trying out for the Colts quarterback position, which is kind of, yeah, 44.
00:54:30
Kaleb
Are you serious?
00:54:32
Mike Bell
Apparently they're going to work him out. but who i think that's kind of funny.
00:54:35
Kaleb
Good God almighty. but Honestly, that does suck though for, um, uh, my goodness, Daniel Jones.
00:54:42
Mike Bell
Okay. Daniel Jones.
00:54:46
Kaleb
Yeah. It sucks for Daniel Jones for him to like, really like lead the cults the way he has. And then for him to get hurt like that, uh, kind of does suck for sure. But, um,
00:54:55
Mike Bell
the
00:54:58
Kaleb
Aaron Shaw, Ph.D.: um I can't think of anything else off the top of my head, but you know i'm glad we did do this, like over the weekend, because it was like every hour there was something interesting coming out, I was like dang well if we had done it this early he knows what we would have missed you know.
00:55:16
Mike Bell
Agreed. Agreed. Okay, well, I think that pretty much wraps us up. And I think we're going to be back next week to preview the playoff games and maybe whatever other bowl games specifically we want to talk about.
00:55:29
Mike Bell
And, yeah, A&M will be enjoying a playoff game, and you guys will be enjoying the Cheez-O'Bowl. So I think that's a great way to end it. And I'll talk to you next week.
00:55:38
Kaleb
We still won our game, the matchup.
00:55:40
Mike Bell
Goodbye.