CFP Numbers You GOTTA KNOW | Kyle Whittingham's Fresh Start | Can Miami Beat Ohio State?

Summary

See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack

Episode: CFP Numbers You GOTTA KNOW | Kyle Whittingham's Fresh Start | Can Miami Beat Ohio State?
Date: December 30, 2025
Host: David Pollack
Co-Host/Analyst: Brent Rollins

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the major tectonic shifts in college football, highlighting coaching shakeups—most notably, Kyle Whittingham’s surprise move to Michigan—as well as detailed College Football Playoff (CFP) breakdowns. David Pollack and Brent Rollins dissect what Whittingham brings to the Wolverines, Clemson's crossroads under Dabo Swinney, and provide a granular preview of the much-anticipated Miami vs. Ohio State CFP matchup, including key numbers and positional battles.

The tone is conversational, energetic, and no-nonsense—honest analysis mixed with classic college football banter.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Holiday Catch-up & Setting the Scene

[01:48 – 05:55]

• David and Brent exchange holiday stories, family time, and Christmas gifts, setting a light and personable tone.
  • Pollack: “I got my 20-ounce heated coffee cup... this dad gum thing works.” (03:32)
  • Friendly teasing about family, gifts, and the “could care less” vs. “couldn’t care less” grammar debate.

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2. Kyle Whittingham to Michigan – A Program Reset

[05:55 – 14:29]

The Hire

• Pollack is emphatic: Michigan nailed the hire by bringing in Whittingham, long-tenured, highly respected coach from Utah.
  • Pollack: “They hired a real coach… a first-class dude who ran a first-class program… built on toughness, discipline, development for 21-plus years.” (06:22)
• Reflects on the messy Michigan context: Harbaugh's exit under NCAA violations; Sharon Moore’s even messier departure.
• Praises Michigan for seeking stability and high-caliber leadership. Ward Manuel went for “as many checks as you can get.”

Whittingham’s Fit & Upside

• Whittingham excelled at Utah (with fewer resources), now inherits massive Michigan resources and recruiting power.
  • Pollack: “He’s been at Utah. He hasn’t had resources like he’s going to have at Michigan, he hasn’t had players like he’s going to have at Michigan.” (09:06)
• Compares Whittingham to Bill Snyder (Kansas State): “If he went [to a bigger job], he would have won national championships.”

Only Concern: Age & Modern CFB

• Only “ding” on Whittingham: Age (66), question marks around adapting to new-age, portal-driven college football.
  • Pollack: “…that’s the only thing that I’ll really listen to when it comes to that.” (10:32)
• Brent: “I do wonder about who’s coming with him [for staff], especially coordinator spots… The hires will be just as important as him and his culture.” (11:18)

The Big Ten Coaching Landscape

• Half the Big Ten/SEC teams will have had coaching changes in 3 years (10/34 teams in 2026).
• Longest-tenured: Only Kirby Smart and Kirk Ferentz.

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3. Clemson State of the Program & Dabo’s Prove-It Year

[17:58 – 26:08]

Decline and Identity Crisis

• Clemson suffered most losses in a season since 2010.
  • Pollack: “That’s the second year Dabo took over… First time they’ve lost more than four in a season since 2010.” (19:51)

Offensive Concerns

• Pollack critical of Clemson’s offensive stagnation: lack of creativity, failure to layer plays or adapt.
  • Pollack: “I gotta be honest, I don’t see a lot of that with Clemson. I want to see more creativity.” (21:41)
  • Uses “Shrek” onions metaphor to drive home the lack of layers in their offense.

Roster & Portal Issues

• Brent points to roster upheaval: Many offensive linemen graduating, questions at QB, reluctance to use the portal biting them.
  • Brent: “Is it on the roster because of the lack of portal going…?” (22:55)
• Pollack: Returnees only matter if they're good; need more physicality and “nasty” in the locker room.

Prove-it Year for Dabo

• Both agree it’s a crucial season—a “prove it” year.
  • Pollack: “It’s a prove-it year, man.” (23:50)

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4. NIL Era: Parity, Portal, and New Dynamics

[26:44 – 29:03]

• Excitement that players like Connor Wegman are staying in college, thanks to NIL opportunities.
  • Pollack: “There’s so many more players that are staying in college football because they’re getting paid.” (26:50)
• Parity is increasing; even the “have-nots” can buy in now.
• Discussion on bowl season meaning less for predicting next year, given today’s roster volatility.

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5. CFP Numbers & Key Matchups: Ohio State vs. Miami

[31:08 – 49:22]

The Line of Scrimmage Debate

• Miami’s O-line and D-line both get high marks, per PFF grades and eye test.
  • Brent: “Bell [Miami OT] 83.8 pass plot [block] grade… zero pressures allowed in 9 out of 13 games.” (38:08)
• Reuben Bain and Jahfari Harvey (Miami’s pass rushers) vs. Ohio State’s OTs Curry and Jackson.
  • Miami rushers have more snaps and splash plays, but OSU edge guys efficient in limited reps.
  • Pollack: “Bane and Mezador, to me… they can wreck a game.” (39:40)

Weaknesses & X-Factors

• Pollack: The biggest mismatch may not be trench play, but Miami’s secondary against OSU’s WRs.

Scheme and Coaching Adjustments

• OSU uses heavy tight end sets (55% of plays)—will Ryan Day switch it up and get the ball out fast, given Miami’s quick pressure?
  • Pollack: “Ryan Day, the vertical passing game…He wants to stretch you sideline to sideline… That’s how you got to beat Miami.” (43:12)

Miami Offensive Tempo

• Miami should use tempo to stress OSU’s defense (which has played fewer snaps than any peer).
  • Brent: “Do we see more [tempo]? Especially if they get consecutive first downs… let’s test the conditioning…” (45:16)

OSU Defense: Strength & Conditioning

• OSU D is elite, especially in the Red Zone. Miami’s Red Zone offense has struggled and must be creative (sweeps, Wildcat).
  • Pollack: “Ohio State’s red zone defense is absolutely stupid… Can’t score touchdowns against it.” (47:39)

Turnovers & Physicality

• Physicality and trench battles will likely decide the outcome.
  • “Ohio State’s going to win faster on the outside… Miami’s going to have to dominate the line of scrimmage and make plays and make Sayin [OSU QB] uncomfortable.” (41:59)

OSU’s Schedule & Playoff Readiness

• Pollack: OSU’s weak schedule makes it hard to gauge, but now they’ll face a physical test.
  • “Your schedule’s not been very good… It’s hard, it’s been hard to get a gauge.” (49:22)

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6. Playoff Matchup Quick Hits

[50:35 – 53:00]

• Alabama’s rushing offense is either going to go off or flop vs. Indiana’s defense—no in-between.
• For Georgia, watch for returning key receivers (Kobe Young, Evan Stewart) to potentially swing games.

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7. Who Won the Week?

[53:12 – 54:51]

• Pollack: Virginia Cavaliers—historic 11-win season, ground out a gritty bowl victory over Missouri.
• Brent: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors—Timmy Chang’s squad comes back for a nine-win season, returning pride to the islands.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “They hired a real coach… a first-class dude who ran a first-class program… built on toughness, discipline, development for 21-plus years.” — David Pollack on Whittingham to Michigan (06:22)
• “If you want to put that [age] in there, that’s the only thing that I’ll really listen to.” — Pollack (10:32)
• “Both programs should be happy, at least for now. And then a year or two from now they might not be happy. Who knows?” – Brent Rollins (11:18)
• “There’s so many more players that are staying in college football because they’re getting paid…” — Pollack on NIL (26:50)
• “I gotta be honest, I don’t see a lot of that with Clemson. I want to see more creativity.” — Pollack (21:41)
• “Bane and Mezador, to me… they can wreck a game.” — Pollack, Miami pass rush (39:40)
• “Ryan Day, the vertical passing game…He wants to stretch you sideline to sideline… That’s how you got to beat Miami.” — Pollack (43:12)
• “Ohio State’s red zone defense is absolutely stupid… Can’t score touchdowns against it.” — Pollack (47:39)
• “Miami’s going to have to dominate the line of scrimmage and make plays and make Sayin uncomfortable or else they’re going to give up big plays and they’re going to lose.” — Pollack (41:59)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Kyle Whittingham to Michigan: 05:55 – 14:29
• Clemson’s Stagnation & Dabo’s Pressure: 17:58 – 26:08
• NIL and Parity: 26:44 – 29:03
• Miami-Ohio State Trench Battles: 31:08 – 42:09
• Miami’s Tempo vs. OSU Defense: 45:16 – 48:56
• Bowl Season Impact & Misc. Playoff Matchups: 50:35 – 53:00
• Who Won the Week: 53:12 – 54:51

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Summary Takeaways

• Whittingham's Move: Michigan makes a home-run, culture-resetting hire after years of off-field drama. Whittingham’s track record and discipline may finally bring consistent stability.
• Clemson’s Crossroads: As the PED of their championship era fades, Dabo faces a pivotal year—time to adapt or risk falling behind.
• CFP Matchup: Miami’s edge lies at the line of scrimmage, but OSU’s offensive explosiveness, depth, and defensive red zone prowess create a razor-tight matchup rich with X’s and O’s intrigue.
• NIL Effect: The landscape is shifting—college football now benefits from more veteran stars sticking around, and the “have nots” can buy in.
• Physicality & Adjustments: Playoff football comes down to which teams can win the physical battles and adjust best—especially as roster volatility reigns in the NIL/portal era.
• Who Won the Week: Programs like Virginia and Hawaii making historic strides and re-energizing their fanbases.

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For fans, this episode offers a masterclass in off-field storylines and on-field tactical analysis—truly reflecting the chaotic, ever-adapting world of college football.

Transcript

[Brent Rollins]

Two hours ago, Kyle arrived at the bar. Hey, what's everyone drinking? Thirty minutes ago, Kyle got his friends another round of drinks. Cheers. Five minutes ago, Kyle decided to drive home drunk. A minute ago, a law enforcement officer pulled up behind Kyle.

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[Brent Rollins]

A chain of events that began two hours ago is about to change Kyle's whole world. Drive sober or get pulled over. Paid for by nhtsa.

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[Brent Rollins]

And how about that Pollock?

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Interception in the end zone.

[Brent Rollins]

Well, it's David Pollock and I think people are going to learn what kind of ball player is. He's got a heart of a line. I'm really proud of that kid.

[Co-host/Analyst]

This is Seaball. Get ball. College football's top show for football analysis, predictions and coach interviews. Now here's your host, three time All.

[Brent Rollins]

American, seven time Emmy award winner. What up, everybody? Welcome on in to Seabaw. Get ball. And usually, you know, we get, we get, we get a little rant going, we get talking about things. But Brent, actually, you're gonna have to jump in right here because I just, I don't know about Christmas, man. You, you went to, you went to west, by God. See, I. Y' all didn't see this behind the scenes, but I told Brent I was gonna wait to bring him in, but so I did that on purpose so I could bring him right in and catch him off guard. He was drinking out of his cup. Went to west, by God. What was the weather like in West Virginia?

[Co-host/Analyst]

Really good, actually. Like I was outside doing some stuff in a sleeveless t Shirt.

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[Co-host/Analyst]

Awesome.

[Brent Rollins]

Nobody wants to see that, but I'm glad you were out in a sleeveless T shirt doing that.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yeah. The weather was great. Family time.

[Brent Rollins]

Isn't it ridiculous? This was crazy. I don't know how it was everywhere else, but like we were 75.

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Yeah.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I mean, record highs almost.

[Brent Rollins]

It was a very different feel. I get in the. I get in the sauna every morning for 20 minutes and then I get straight to the cold tub. And like this time of year I love to use the pool as the cold tub because I can get all the way in and just jump in. But man, it was. It's. It wasn't cold that. It wasn't that cold. I was like, yes, this is not good enough.

[NHTSA Advertiser]

Lukewarm tub.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yeah.

[Brent Rollins]

But it was. It was nuts to be in Georgia to have that weather. It was, it was crazy.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Golf in. Since the weather. Yeah.

[Brent Rollins]

Played the day after and the day after and the day after. Like we had three good days in a row of golf and walking and push ups and it was. It was fantastic. But best Christmas gifts you got go.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I mean, the weather was what asked for outside of that. I mean, I guess money. Like your parents always just. They always just throw. Throw some cash at you. So that's like. You never have cash. So it's like, okay, hey, I have some cash now.

[Brent Rollins]

I like that.

[Co-host/Analyst]

That's good.

[Brent Rollins]

I got a heated coffee cup.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I was gonna ask you if you got your mug.

[Brent Rollins]

I got my, my 20. 20 ounce heated coffee cup. You just push the button and it keeps it hot. And can confirm. Went last night, went to dinner, went to some sushi with some friends. Came back in the car. My coffee was still bl. I literally drank it. I was like, God, that's hot. I was like, this dad gum thing works. So I got. I got the only thing I wanted. Then you got the usual flossers in the. In the stocking and all that stuff. But we don't do presents. We just do stockings. So whatever you can stuff in a stocking for the, for the Mrs. And for, for me.

[Co-host/Analyst]

So it's. It's always fun to go back and like, we don't get to see our family that are from Western because both my wife and I's family from West Virginia and like my cousins, niece, nephew, all that sort of stuff. They could care. They could care less about anything that we do. They. Especially if we talk about this. It's just making fun of me. They're like, hey, why do you not get an Under Armour thing? Since you Only wear under armour stuff on the podcast. And I was like, well, maybe that, that would be something. That would be great. It's more just making fun of me, which is.

[Brent Rollins]

I like that.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Fantastic.

[Brent Rollins]

Now is it for everybody out there? Is it could care less or couldn't care less? That's an interesting debate in my household.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I think it's could care less because.

[Brent Rollins]

You could literally care less.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Former English teacher. So maybe I'll.

[Brent Rollins]

Maybe I'll add, yeah, my daughter will die on the hill of I couldn't care less. I literally couldn't care less.

[Co-host/Analyst]

She kind of.

[Brent Rollins]

She dies on.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I don't know. It's probably bad that we start thinking and doing grammar on a show about college football, but it's an interesting time anyways. Like caught up. Hey, caught up on some movies too.

[Brent Rollins]

Attaboy. Which ones you catch up on?

[Co-host/Analyst]

So have you seen the. The knives out series?

[Brent Rollins]

No.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Okay. You need to watch those movies. I thoroughly. I hadn't seen them all. There's a new one out on, on Netflix, I think.

[Brent Rollins]

Well, you know my taste. So I feel like, I feel like if you recommend it, you know that I would actually like it. So I clue.

[Co-host/Analyst]

It's mystery, it's figuring things out.

[Brent Rollins]

I love it. We got, we got into the now you see me series this.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Didn't watch those before.

[Brent Rollins]

No, we have, but we watched them again to watch the new one.

[Co-host/Analyst]

So there you go.

[Brent Rollins]

Going back. Such a. Oh, it's just so well written. And the magic. It's just so good, man. Like so good.

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That's.

[Co-host/Analyst]

It's the beauty of this time of year that you can catch up on those things and do those things and do them together as a family and all that.

[Brent Rollins]

So yeah, chill and have nothing. Meanwhile. That was Brent Rollins, by the way. Remember on three, he's got the on three lid on because there's only one reason, by the way, he's wearing that so other people can make fun of him too. It's because he hasn't shaved. Because you can see the face too. He hasn't shaved that as well. Usually extremely clean shaving on three and pff. But I think the, the biggest news that, that we all got to. To feel over the holidays wasn't really the bowl games. It was the winningest program in college football history, which is Michigan, if you didn't know. Hiring a winner, that's exactly what they did. They hired a real coach. Coach with history, with pedigree. That's one for a long time. He's a first class dude who Ran a first class program that was built on toughness, discipline, development for 21 plus years. Like, I don't understand how anybody in this world could have something negative about that Michigan hire. Now listen, Ohio State fans, I get it. Like, I understand that completely. And that's your job is to be a rival and to write how it's a horrible hire and this shouldn't happen. I don't know that you could do much better than Whittingham now. I don't understand why he's on the market. There's a lot that goes into that story and if you've read in the backgrounds, it really feels like there was a coaching waiting situation with Scali, who's a great coach. And it felt like Whittingham kind of was pushed out. He was forced out in some way, shape or form and made it very clear in his, when he, when he retired and stepped down, he was like, I, you know, I just, I feel like I don't want to stay too long. I don't want to stay too long. I don't want to stay too long. He said that several times and you could feel there was some pressure. Didn't say he was going off into the sunset. Felt like he had some more ball left. Now he leaves and he goes to a program that the past coach was. The past coach before. The last coach was Jim Harbaugh who left under a suspension under NCAA violations. The last coach now just recently, Sharon Moore, left under even worse circumstances and still had the NCAA stuff along with it and suspensions along the way with him. And so I'm Ward Manual and I'm making a decision at the University of Michigan, one of the most, one of the proudest programs in all of college football. And I got to go find a guy. I think he made a cognizant choice to say I'm going to find a guy that's a first class dude, that's ran an organization that has a lot of respect, that does it the right way to check, check, check. Like it doesn't get any more checks than getting Kyle Whittingham. Like unbelievable job by Ward Manual and company. I don't know why Utah let him go. I think a lot of people don't understand that. We've been talking about Kyle Whittingham for years for exactly for what he's done to being one of the best coaches from special teams to toughness to defense, all that stuff. He's been at Utah. He hasn't had resources like he's going to have With Michigan, he hasn't had players like he was going to. Like he's going to have at Michigan. He. There's a lot of great coaches. Bill Snyder' one of them. Like Kansas State. He's one of the best coaches that I've ever watched coach the game of football. Had a chance to go to LSU from Kansas State. Kansas State didn't go. If he went, he would have won national championships. Like, he would have been this level of a coach. He would have been perceived across the board at an even higher level. Kyle Winningham is one of those guys. He's absolutely one of those guys. So I don't know how you could do much better. One concern, new age college football. He's 66. Like, if, if you want to put that in there, I, I'm. That's the only thing that I'll really listen to when it comes to that standpoint. But a guy that understands how to coach the game, how to develop, how to be tough, how to be physical. I'm super excited to see him with a program and a brand like Michigan. Like, he's. I think he's going to do more than, more than well. And, and think about this now. The Big Ten, you had Kyle Whittingham, who's a great coach. You had Matt Campbell, who's a great coach, you had you add Pat Fitzgerald, who's been a great coach. All three of those coaches have one thing in common now. Two. Two at the higher level. Like, I, I think Campbell and Whittingham is up here. Fitzgerald's a little bit below them. They've won and been great football coaches. At destinations that was harder to win. They're going and they're getting more resources, more talent, a bigger brand to go with them. That becomes an easier proposition. It's a lot harder to win at Utah, bro. That's a harder place to win at, man. Like Urban Meyer did it. Kyle Whittingham sustained it for a long period of time. Elite coach, really, really good coach. I don't know how you could be disappointed if you're Michigan. Penn State's coaching thing took a while. Get it took a long time. Like the first to fire, the last to hire. It felt like you got a great coach in Matt Campbell. Guess what? Kyle Whittingham, Michigan. It was kind of weird. You were late to the party, got a great coach. That's all that matters. It does. Nothing else matters. If I'm these programs, I'm excited about where I'm at. Like, no part of me is disappointed with the coach I got like, can you be disappointed with the Sharon Moore, how it ended? Absolutely. Can you be disappointed if you're Penn State and like kind of the amount of time it took and where it winded and turned to? Sure. But you got a great coach. That's all that matters in the end. So you should be happy if you're those two programs. Mr. Britt Rollins, what you got to say, brother?

[Co-host/Analyst]

Well, I was just good with. I think both programs should be happy, at least for now. And then a year or two from now they might not be happy. Who knows? We'll see. Because of how different college football is with and what that is. But with Whittingham specifically, I do wonder about who's coming with him to be his coordinator, both offensively and defensively because, you know, his defensive coach coordinator is staying and is now the head coach at Utah. The offensive coordinator was new a season ago, just hired. Yep. And you know, are you trying to bring that and that style to Michigan running qb, like, I don't know in terms of fit. So I think the hires will be just as important as him and his culture.

[Brent Rollins]

I, I get that 100%. But here's what you have at Michigan that you didn't have at Utah. This. Like, not only am I going to tell you you're going to play with great players because you're going to have great, great players. You, you're going to start with the number one quarterback in the country coming out of high school. Like, okay, there's your starting point. Like, you're welcome. Good play when you're hired an OC and then Michigan is not a program that's like kind of in, like Michigan is mother freaking all in. Like, they, they're still in dabo. Slogan. Right. Like, they, they. They've got, they've got the, they've got the finances. They, the fundraising element. They've got everything in place to be successful. They have a bunch of people that are giving a bunch of money. There is. They're not skipping corners like they are going to do everything it takes to become a winner. Kyle Whittingham now gets to invite people to come to Michigan as opposed to inviting to a coach to come to Utah. It's not a slight at Utah, man, but when you do it at Utah, it requires a heck of a lot more detail, a heck of a lot more bending to your personality of who you have when you do it at Michigan. You're a different level man. Like, you've got a different level recruit. The offensive line is going to start at a different level. Even though Utah, what do they always do? They always brought in great offensive linemen. I wonder how many guys from Utah go to Michigan. I'm not going to be surprised if there's a bunch of players that go to Michigan that he knows that he has a relationship with, that love him. But that's to me, I'm not worried about the coaching hires. I think that being at Michigan immediately helps that.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yeah. And speaking of coaching hires. So there are 34 Big Ten and SEC teams. How many, like how many of them will have a new coach in 2026? As of right now, 10. Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Penn State and UCLA. You added last two years. Like coaches who's been there for less than three years. It's 16. So about half the league of those two sort of power leagues have overturned at the coaching ranks. Who's been there for two years? Greater than 10 years. Can you name the two coaches that have been in those two conferences for greater than 10 years?

[Brent Rollins]

Because there's Kirby's easy one.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Kirby isn't one. The other one should be easier. Big Ten team, been there forever. Staple.

[Brent Rollins]

Why am I blank?

[Co-host/Analyst]

Hawkeyes.

[Brent Rollins]

Oh yeah. Kirk Forens.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yeah, that like Kirk Fairness.

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[Co-host/Analyst]

In terms of the list, even you add some that have been there at least five years. That list isn't very large either. So. Hey, Kirk reminds me like crazy.

[Brent Rollins]

Kirk reminds me of Kyle. And if you've ever spent time around those guys, man, they're very similar. Like they are developers. They are no nonsense. They're just. They're good dudes that you want to be around. That take that. Take your team to another Iowa. Like ever. Don't ever say you want a new coach. Like, I get it. Yeah, I want change. I want a new offense. I get it. That dude has done as good a job as anybody in college football taking that program and just consistency, consistency, consistency, development, toughness, all this, all the thing Kyle Winningham brings. Football is so much more than a single season. It's something you look forward to 365 days of the year. Just like Nationwide is so much more than a great insurance company, they're one of America's largest financial services companies too. For your insurance and financial needs, Nationwide is on your side. Nationwide Investment Services Corporation MEMBER FINRA Columbus, Ohio.

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[Brent Rollins]

The same thing, but I think at Michigan, obviously the resources and talent will be at a different level. All right, some elite college football games this week. From Pasadena to to New Orleans to Cotton bowl to Miami. But whatever your week is this week. And if you need a seat, go to Game Time. Like, don't. Don't go anywhere else. You're wasting your time. Tickets to all the sporting events, to the concerts, whatever you're looking for without fees. The number is what the number is. I love what they have going on. They've been a phenomenal partner here at C Ball Git Ball, one of the first ones we have, and they ain't going anywhere. Like, that's how. That's how good they've been. They've been good to our listeners. Speaking of, if you go to GameTime Co, GameTime Co, or use the Game Time app, which is really easy to use, and you get the 360 view from your seat, which I love because where's the concession stand? Okay, I can get to. Okay, right there. All right, perfect. Use the promo code Pollock to get $20 off of your first purchase. So that's Gametime Co or the Gametime app. Promo code Pollock. Get that seat for $20 off that. That's a w. That's a win this holiday season. That's a win this bowl season for all you see ball. Get ball, listeners. All right. Been a lot of other bowl games too. And, you know, you're watching them as you're enjoying your family time and watching a couple of bowl games. You know, one particular really got my brain thinking, like Clemson Dabo. And there's always a lot of talk about Clemson and Dabo and evolving and all of that stuff. I was starting to think about Clemson and Cade Klubnick and that roster, and we could go down the defensive guys that are all going to the NFL and going to be highly drafted. And I'm like, what is Clemson going to be next year? Like, where Clemson Most losses in a season since 2010. This season. That's the second year Dabo took over. Most losses in a season. First time they've lost more than four in a season since 2010. Like, obviously, Dabo continues to preach the culture that he's going to preach with. With all he's talking about graduation rate, that's fine. Graduation. Graduation rate across the country is. Is out of here. Like, again, the transfers, every time you transfer, it's 25% less likely to graduate. So it's a harder thing. They're doing it their way, he's doing it his way. But watching them lose to Penn State, watching them struggle offensively, you know, again, and thinking about them moving forward, I don't think that's a program that can stay stagnant I don't think that's a program that's not going to make changes. That's a program that's going to have to make changes. Like, not just aggressively in the portal. I think the offensive side of the football, man, like, there's got to be something that changes. Something has to. Something. When I watch their offense and you watch, like, you can always tell great coordinators and Brent, you can jump in here with this. Like, you can always tell great coordinators and coordinators that separate themselves offensively is when one play kind of looks like the next play. And then there's a next little wrinkle off of that. And there's a little wrinkle off of that little. And we could take you through tape and tell you all these different things, but a certain type of motion that it turns into that motion and then return motion. Right. Like different things to, you know, shotgun. Running the toss to the back on the same side, faking that toss now throwing it. Right. Like plays that build on top of plays. I gotta be honest, I don't see a lot of that with Clemson. I. I want to see more creativity. Clemson is a spot man that has won national championships not too long ago because they had elite quarterback play, elite playmakers, and that's how they did it. Like, if they're going to do that again, they're going to have to get an elite quarterback. I don't know if it's on the roster. I don't know. But. But they're going to have to be creative and they're going to have to have those playmakers and they're going to have to have a little bit more of an identity than I've seen them have the past couple seasons.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Do you remember Shrek?

[Brent Rollins]

Oh, yeah.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Shrek. So ogres. Onions. Ogres and onions having things in common.

[Brent Rollins]

Onions.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Layers. They have layers. That's. It's a. He's the donkey. Couldn't answer the question.

[Brent Rollins]

But I like the Rafferty version of onions better, by the way.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yes, very much so.

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[Co-host/Analyst]

But that's what you're talking about offensively is the layering of plays and all the things that work together. And their offense has kind of been what it was for the past or, you know, seven, eight years ago, even in Trevor Lawrence to Sean years. And it's not really evolved much since. But looking at the roster is the part that just is scary because, yes, you have receiving talent coming back, but basically almost the entirety of their offensive line will be gone. Graduate your quarter, your Quarterback who's played all these years graduates. And, and it's. And yes, it's the is it on the roster question because of the lack of portal going.

[Brent Rollins]

Were you impressed with their offensive line?

[Co-host/Analyst]

No.

[Brent Rollins]

Okay. So like that's always something that I take like everybody, you know, once we get into the off season, we're going to get into that returning starter stat and I'm always like that's really good. Like awesome when they're good players. But like there's also guys that are booger eaters that are returning and I don't care. Right. Like, so it's interesting because Jacobs, who was a five star offensive lineman they brought in last, like he looks different. He looks like, he looks like a guy that could play anywhere in the country. He looks like a guy that is going to build towards, you know, bringing back something physical, something athletic on the O line for that good of size with that good of feet. They got to get some more of that, man. They got to get some more toughness. They got to get some more physicality along with all of the other stuff with it. So I don't.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Are you very intrigued or saying maybe that this is a not necessarily prove it year for Dabo next year? But yeah, it is.

[Brent Rollins]

I, because I, I'm. I don't have anything wrong with saying prove it. It's a prove it year, man. Like it's a.

[Co-host/Analyst]

To me, especially given the preseason expectations, what you had coming back and then for your season to fall completely on its face.

[Brent Rollins]

Like what are you as a program like Georgia for example. Georgia, like they took a little bit of a step back a year ago. Like so many people were frustrated, like fans. Not granted, I know they won the SEC and I know they went to the playoff, but Clemson went to the playoff last year too and won the sec. Like, but to me, like this emphasis this offseason on the old school nature of physicality. Run the football and be physical. Like Clemson needs to come back with some kind of saying to like they're going to be, they're going to be a physical team. They're going to be elite. Like they're, they're going to be like they're going to have to go in the portal more than they ever have. They, they're going to have to bro. Like this is all the departures leaving for the NFL and then all the guys naturally continue to lose. You have to play this game and in order to do that means you have to pay them to come in into your culture and Dabo's an elite culture builder and he's so proud of it, and he should be, because it's awesome, man. Like, it's an awesome culture. But they got to find a way to balance the awesome culture and going out and getting more guys that fit their culture, that keeps their thing going in the same direction. They just need a little more nasty. They need a little more physical. They need. They need a little more. A little more punch to them. Yeah, they need a little more. Hey, listen, this is what we used to say back in the day. Y' all can get your feelings hurt if you want. I don't care. Like, we, we needed. We need a few more guys without mailboxes. That's what we needed. Like at Georgia, we wanted a few more guys that didn't have mailboxes that, like, it's okay to have a great culture and have the main part of your team all going in this direction. You need a few wild cards, man. Like, you need a few that just. They got some shiznik in their neck, man. Like, they've got something to them where their life's been hard and they've had to grind and they, they just, they, they got some nasty blank you in them. You need some nasty, man. I need some of that in my, in my life. Like you, you don't ruin the culture and you can't have too many of those guys because it'll overtake the culture. But you need a few, man. You need a few that just got a little something to them.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yeah, well. All right. So bowl game reaction for me, that was fun to watch last night because I actually got back and got to see some games. More positive vein is Houston getting the victory over lsu. And I saw where Connor Wegman said he's going to come back. So that's a big gift for them. They have the five star Henderson kid coming in as a freshman, but, you know, a lot of their defense I think will come back a lot of building. They're recruiting. You got a billionaire on the sideline making comments about the game and the program and how it's going places. And when a billionaire in Texas says things in that regard, it usually ends well.

[Brent Rollins]

Can we, can we be excited? Can we be excited for one second for the opportunity that these kids now have that they didn't used to have? So many kids used to go to the NFL. Like, there's so much more. There's so many more players that are staying in college football because they're getting paid, because they have an opportunity to do something like That I thought, honestly, I thought Quinn ears was going to do right, like stay, make a bunch of money, don't go to the next level and be a backup and hope to make a bunch of money and just hope to cling on a roster for a while. The sport has absolutely changed. And listen, very few, like, when we started this nil thing, we said, oh, this is for the haves, not the have nots. It ain't been that like Texas Tech was not a have. They are now.

[Co-host/Analyst]

They are now, right?

[Brent Rollins]

Like, that's, I'm saying, like Texas A and M was going the opposite direction and they, they bought some players, had bad culture. All of a sudden, bam. You know, you bring somebody else in and you start running the right way, you're like, oh yeah, this is, this is not surprising. Houston can do the same thing now. Like, if you have the boosters, SMU that has some money behind their program, like Indiana is doing okay, guys, like, yes. Like, we're talking about the haves and the have nots. Like, there's as much balance and parity. Have we seen. So good for Houston Wigman flipped. Conor Wigman has not. Would not be staying there if not like, it wouldn't have happened. But now they can, they can say, okay, with Connor Wigman, we can be really, really good. Like, let's see what this can take us. And, and, and these, these coaches in these schools are paying a lot of money for these kids. Not like small numbers, especially at that.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Position, at the quarterback position, because being a 5th round pick or a 6th round pick or whatever round you want to go, if you're not top 15, you're. It's almost like, hey, college is the better route, especially for you financially, at least initially. Yeah, I mean, maybe not necessarily long term because, you know, some have come back like this year and maybe not had not improved their draft stock, but they still made money.

[Brent Rollins]

Yep. Do you, do you follow bowl season and records and stuff like that and think some kind of way about like conferences and stuff?

[Co-host/Analyst]

Zero. Yeah, I, I really don't. I just, I just enjoy watching games because it's so. There's so much randomness to it.

[Brent Rollins]

I never have.

[Co-host/Analyst]

But especially now. Now it's, it's who's playing, who's not.

[Brent Rollins]

Playing since Fournette and, and McCaffrey. Like, I mean, it's, it's strange because literally I'm sitting there going, who is that? Who is that? Like, I've watched these guys all year long and I'm like, who is that? Who is that, like, what the heck, like so many new guys.

[Co-host/Analyst]

But even you think about in the past, like I think back to West Virginia, an example, like when Bill Stewart took over and they win the. Was it fiesta bow, I think against Oklahoma. And you're like, all this momentum, all this momentum. Well, now, like your team might be completely different in two months than it is right now. So whatever momentum that you gain from the bowl season, you know, okay, great. If everybody comes back, like Illinois last year, Illinois all returns, all these guys, momentum, bowl win, all that sort of stuff, did it really impact their season this year? I mean, maybe a little, but not really. It didn't sort of step up. So I, I don't really follow too much in terms of the conference because I realize, you know, everybody's going to compare and look at this conference, especially the Big Ten in the sec, that's obviously the talking point. But yeah, I'm not too much care.

[Brent Rollins]

Yeah, I don't care that much about it. But it's, it's. It's fun to have football. I'm good with that.

[Co-host/Analyst]

That's what matters.

[Brent Rollins]

That's what's winning. It's. It's good to watch those guys and watch everybo compete. And I. The games, like the North Texas game was unbelievable. Like, I was watching that with San Diego State. Was it San Diego State?

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yeah.

[Brent Rollins]

And it was back and forth, back and forth. Big play, big play. Scoring, high scoring. That was super fun. But my winner for the sort of.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Week or week or time frame like that. That was a fun bowl game. We'll get to that later. But there's bigger games this week, so we should probably talk about bigger games. And there's players who are kind of coming back and maybe not. I mean, some, like in Oregon's case, those guys are a lot more, a lot healthier than they were probably eight or nine days ago.

[Brent Rollins]

Got a little bit of rust off.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yep. And then for Georgia, like local to us, Colby Young back on the practice field. Ethan Barber back on the practice field. Guys who started were playing roles early in the season that are now coming, that were hurt and then now coming, potentially coming back and having roles in the play.

[Brent Rollins]

Young, Kobe Young will be interesting because he's. To me, he was Georgia's most complete wide receiver. Now Branch is the most important. But Colby Young, blocking, physicality, toughness, like catching the ball, like everything about him, like, he's got some edge to him that I think every team really, really needs. It'd be interesting to see how he is coming back or if he gets to come back and, like, if you're ready for what you're going against. Right. Like, because you got to jump back into this after being off for an extended period of time. But he was Georgia guy.

[Co-host/Analyst]

And even somebody like an Evan Stewart, like, it's not like you're expecting them to play. It's, hey, if you do. If they do play, like Evan Stewart, like, it's. It's great. Maybe it's like Pickens in 2021, where he goes and makes one or two big plays, you know, late in games for. For your team that you wouldn't have had that person otherwise. So, yeah, that. That's. That's one of the, I think, positives about the calendar as it relates to the playoffs is these teams potentially getting these guys back that otherwise, long time ago maybe wouldn't necessarily have gotten them. Gotten them back. But yeah. Yep, that'll be fun to see. All right, numbers that we look at. There's a big game on New Year's Eve, Ohio State, Miami. I. I kind of stayed off of social media for the most part over the past four or five days, but one thing I did see was that you had the Buckeye fans. Buckeye. I don't remember the account, but they tweeted the video from where we talked about Miami's offensive line. I think you had the opinion that Miami had the line of scrimmage advantage on both sides in this game. And the Miami side was like, hey, look at this in a positive light. The Buckeye side was like, hey, look at this in a very, like, negative light. So we're gonna. We're gonna expand on that a little bit. It was fun to. It's fun to see the different opinions as it relates to that. That commentary.

[Brent Rollins]

Well, that's what's. That's what's fun about football. Like, that's what's really fun about football's opinions. And then what's fun is everybody gets to go prove it.

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[Brent Rollins]

But that's what's fun about our job, too, is like, people care so much. Like they care so much about this sport where it bothers them when you say something you know, not, not on dissimilar to, to Alabama. Like I say, Indiana is the tougher, more complete team. Alabama fans get really, really upset. Have you watched the, like, it's been clear. I, I get it. I know you, I know that hurts your feelings, but it's, it's the truth. It's been the truth all year long. Like if you've been watching the game. And that's the, the interesting thing about, and we talked about this on the pod, Miami to have an advantage on the line of scrimmage on both sides, in my opinion, to be, have a better O line and a better D line, you would think they would win and you would say, no doubt we're picking Miami. But we also got to talk about the whole team, like the biggest advantage that's not the biggest mismatch. We didn't see Ohio State's defensive line sucks and, and, and their offensive line sucks. We said it just might not be as good as Miami's. I think it's actually closer at that point than it is for Miami's secondary versus Ohio State's wide receivers. And that's where like, I think the matchup becomes extremely interesting. Is like you've got, you've got to neutralize obviously, a strength on a strength. You've got one of those to go. But how do you, how do you handle some of the other strengths that Ohio State has? Because they've got a bunch across the board. That's why they've been the number one team in the country for most of the year.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Fitzgerald is a ball hawk for Miami, as you saw with the interceptions against A and M. Keonte Scott coming back from Miami was huge.

[Brent Rollins]

That was big time.

[Co-host/Analyst]

This huge in this game, especially with how he plays. But looking at that line of scrimmage part a little more because we talk a lot about Bain and Mezador vs. Ohio State's offensive line. Let's sort of look on the flip side to me. So Malagoa and Markel Bell a tackle for, for Miami and then Kaden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson on the edge for Ohio state. So Malgo 88.2 pass block grade. So all these numbers from Pro Football Focus promo code in the, in the link or the description with the YouTube part. Bell 83.8 pass plot. Great. Has zero pressures allowed in 9 out of 13 games and hasn't including 3 straight. So like that's one for me that those guys are playing at an elite level on the edge. But it doesn't discount what Kaden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson have done for Ohio State. Because the interesting part when you look at the. So Curry specifically has the seventh highest pass rush grade in the power four, but he has 44 pressures. Jackson has 41. But this the number of snaps Ohio State. And we're gonna. I'm gonna get in that in a second. But Curry has only 278 pass rush snaps. Jackson has 257, Reuben Bain has 440. Like, that's a massive difference in terms of the ability to get the production that we look at. And you want to cite these numbers. So how do you see that matchup? Do you still think that matchup is leans Miami in terms of feeling better about it?

[Brent Rollins]

Well, I, I'm having a hard time hearing you, by the way. I don't know. I don't, I do not know why, but it's usually my Internet when it's a problem. I think first of all, Curry's a. Curry's a grown up, like he's an adult. I mean, that dude is a big strong sucker that continues to make things happen repeatedly. So, no, I mean, I think that Bane and Mezador, to me, just like they can, they can wreck a game. They can wreck plays that they make. They, they probably make the sexier plays. How about that? Like they, they make the splash plays consistently that you go, holy cow. Like you kind of have it happen at what, like, right. It makes you kind of turn your head about how, how flipping good that they can make plays. But, but I think when you take Miami's whole defensive line, they're big, they're physical, they're quick, they're hyperactive, they play hard. Like, they're, they're really, really good. So I, I think both can be true. You know, both can be really, really good. I'm interested to watch, like I said, I'm interested to watch Ohio State's defensive line. A lot of times, Brent, I see them win with power. They win with power a lot. Curry, Curry wins with power. If you try to run through France, Francis Mountain, like good luck, like, that's not a winning recipe. So I'm interested to watch the variants, to see the pressure, to see how Patricia can still do his thing and disguise and they can hide things. But the individual matchups now, like, it's all going to be now like this every time we play every game, it's going to be against good competition. Like the players are better and better. So now you got to beat better players. And so that, that's the part, I think, where you start to get a true measure. Just like scouts, man, when you're going to do the combines and you're starting to watch tape on these guys, you're not. I don't give a crap if you got seven sacks and or seven of your 12 sacks are against booger eaters. It doesn't matter. Right? Like, I want to see you against the best, the guys that know how to use their hands. And that's where we got a lot of good on good. Like, show me the good on good. And listen, which side can dominate. That matchup is going to go a long way to win it. But I'll say this. Ohio State's going to win faster on the outside. That's a promise. Like, they're going to win in more ways and faster on the outside than Miami can. So something has to be neutralized. Michigan's going to. Or, excuse me, Miami's going to have to dominate the line of scrimmage and make plays and make saying feel very uncomfortable or else they're going to give up big plays and they're going to lose. Like, it's that simple. Like, to me it doesn't. There's nothing else that we have to, we have to look at because I, I don't think the Ohio State's going to line up and pound Miami. They're. They're not going to do that. Like, Miami's more than good enough to hold their own, but it's. Can their back end continue to play well against these great receivers?

[Co-host/Analyst]

All right, so let's stick with Ohio State offense versus Miami defense. And I want to run something by you. So in terms of the teams that are in the College Football Playoff, the teams with the highest percentage of having at least two tight ends on the field are Ohio State and Georgia. Ohio State, 55 of their plays have at least two tight ends on the field and only other than Iowa State in terms of percentage of plays with at least three tight ends. So very heavy packages because they bring.

[Brent Rollins]

In 15 is the third tight end, right? Thurman. So Odell Thurman, former teammate's son my.

[Co-host/Analyst]

My question there is, do you think this changes with Ryan Day calling the plays and the sort of the time away that they have where. And based on what you're talking about, with the strength of Miami being the defensive line and the front seven, do they go more sort of 11 personnel ball out quick, that type of style as opposed to the heavy tight end style that they've dominated the season with?

[Brent Rollins]

Man, this is why, like when I Go to hire coaches. Like, I'm hiring coaches who have an expertise. Like, I'm hiring Kirby Smart, who dominates the defensive side of the football. I don't care what DC I have. I'm going to be great. Ryan Day, what a, what a, What a luxury to be able to go. You know what? I know you're getting pulled in seven directions. I know you got a new gig. Like, I got it. I'll call plays. Like it's such a luxury to be able to do that. So I think it's, I think it's big time for them. Again, Ryan Day, the vertical passing game. Like, he wants to stretch you sideline to sideline. He wants to make you defend the whole field. He believes in being aggressive and throwing the football. So how do you. That's how you got to beat Miami. Now, listen, I think they've got to do a good job of getting the ball out quick. They've got it. The quick game has to be good too, right? Like, you can't just, you're not going to max protect the whole game. Like, that's not, that's not what you do best. That's not who you are. So I do think they'll, I think they'll be more, they'll be more aggressive, they'll be more attacking. They. Ohio State, last year after the Michigan lost for the postseason, they changed more than any team we've ever seen. Like, they changed more than any team I've ever covered in my life. Like, schematically, the way they did things, the way they played with an edge. Like, can they do that again? Right? Like, can I implement a new style and say, this is what we want to do? Because last time we saw them again, they lost. So when you lose, you start to look in the mirror a lot more, right? Like, you start to look at this and start to see, what can I change? What can I do? Because they tried to beat Indiana, I think they could have done that against Indiana more. I think they had Tayton Smith on the field more, taking more shots, letting them make plays. Like, Indiana was okay, taking one on one shots, one on one shots more than Ohio State was. And that's not a world that we should ever live in. Ohio State should be. If you don't double four, we, you're not gonna double four we. Like, whatever, bro. Like, we're going to make you pay every single time. You don't do that very much.

[Co-host/Analyst]

So that's. I, I think it changes. And the ball, especially the ball coming out quickly, I think that Changed because Miami team in the power four in terms of getting quick pressure less than 2.5 seconds. I think saying held on the ball too long against Indiana. I think Indiana's defense had a lot to do with that. But yes, I do think the ball comes out quicker in this game. Now the other. I'm gonna flip to the other side. Ohio State's defense in terms of. And I talked about this with the pressure numbers for Curry versus, say, Bain. They've played. Only Rutgers has played fewer plays in the power four. Like, it's a little. A little over 700 total plays. That right at 56 a game that Ohio State's defense has been on the field. And a lot of that's. I think how they've played. They've almost said, hey, this is. We know we're good. This is going to be a long season. We're going to kind of play ball control limit. Limit our offense and defensive play, try to be as healthy as we can for the playoffs. But I do wonder the flip side of that because Miami can and. And we'll go tempo. Do we see more of that? Especially if they get consecutive first downs where it's like, hey, maybe let's test some of the conditioning, try to drive that play, count up as much as we possibly can.

[Brent Rollins]

I'm about to say what you said was important because when you try to test the conditioning and you go three and out, and you go three and out, you're going to test your defensive conditioning right away. That's the, that. That's the hard part of it. If I'm Miami, when I came out at halftime against A M, I went tempo. I looked better. I looked better Like Carson Beck, I think gets more defined looks. There's less minutia. There's less crap that can go wrong. Like they're going to line up fast, they're going to show their hand faster. It's a better version of Carson Beck. Carson Beck is a. Is a really good quarterback, but he's really, really, really good. If you're going to sit back in zone and if he knows what you're in, you're screwed. Like, he'll beat you. He'll beat you consistently. It's when you can create some gray. How do you create the most amount of simplicity for a defense? As you go fast, you line up really quickly. Like you. And then you line up really quickly and you change like you hard count, you read what they're doing. You've got. You've got all the information you need. Like a Lot of teams read and then they change the plays and you watch the defense, the defense are changing their plays. And it's a chess match match back and forth, and it can be difficult. So I think, listen, you're going to see more pistol from Miami, and if you don't, they're stupid. Like, they're dumb because they're plenty big enough up front to get the run game going. The screens to Tony are going to be a part of it, but. But the other part of it, man, they've got to trust some guys outside of Tony and they've got to put some balls in the cause. Ohio State is aggressive, man. They're going to play aggressive, they're going to play handsy. And we haven't seen it this much. They haven't played a bunch. Bunch of snaps. And maybe you can test some of that conditioning, but that freaking unit is good across the board. And there ain't a weakness. There ain't some place where I'm going, oh, yeah, yeah, go. Go there. Like the secondary last year was a clear weakness for them. Like, they were handsy, getting penalties all the time. They're better this year. Like, they're more improved this year for sure. Ohio State's red zone defense is absolutely stupid. Like, it's stupid like you. You can't score touchdowns against it, man. Like, it. It's unbelievable how good they are in the red. Miami ain't been that great in the red. Now they've been better late in the season because they've done a better job with Tony at wildcat sweeps, jet motions, all that stuff, which I think they'll have to be creative because I don't think they're going to line up and pound Ohio State. So, yeah, I think that Beck has to have the information. If you don't give him the information, he's not. He's. He will struggle, like so. And listen, he's not any different than a lot of quarterbacks with that, but the difference between him and. And man and zone is.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Is.

[Brent Rollins]

Is very big difference. Like zone coverage, man. And he sees that, that thing comes out quick and it's on target and on time.

[Co-host/Analyst]

All of these games are going to be great, but this first, I'm just. I'm fascinated. And what's amazing, I think it's the biggest spread in terms of looking at that, in terms of all that, which we don't really talk about, but it still is the biggest one and we get it. The first one. It's the first game that we see on New Year's Eve. So we'll be. And we'll be here to talk about it.

[Brent Rollins]

Yeah, we will. Are you kidding me? You watch nothing studying that. That's gonna be. It's gonna be fun, man. It's just gonna be so much fun to watch Ohio State, you know, listen, Ohio State fans, I, I know you get upset. I. That's okay. Your fans, I love that. I love that you cheer for your team. Your schedule's not been very good. Like, it's hard. It's been hard to get a gauge. The schedule has been bad. Like, really bad. And if you were on the outside looking in and you'd. You'd say the same exact thing. Like, the first game was competitive. The last game was competitive. Aside from that, like a lot of ungood and so like what. Those are the games where you've struggled the most. Obviously you won the one, the Texas game. It's all that matters. And you lost the. A close game against Indiana, but so it's going to be a lot of close games from here on out. Interested to see them, how they handle these teams that are going to ask more of them physically. Right. Like they're going to demand more of them physically.

[Co-host/Analyst]

And you know, the talents there. That's. That's the thing that always makes it even more interesting. One random aside, we. We haven't talked when we talked a lot about each matchup last week. And there's. In terms of looking at the individual video, there's individual videos on the web on the YouTube page that you can go and check that out. But I went.

[NHTSA Advertiser]

I re.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Watched Indiana's, specifically Indiana's defensive line against Ohio State's offensive line because we had talked about it last week and I'm of this opinion now with Alabama. Alabama's gonna have like negative 15 rushing yards or they're going to have the best rushing game of the season. To me, there's no in between. I don't think they're. It just feels like it's going to.

[Brent Rollins]

Be likely game because our likely game is them to have negative 15 because their rush game has been absolutely atrocious this season. But I do think with the way.

[Co-host/Analyst]

In the Indiana plays defense and their defensive line, the way they move things, I think it could. And then Alabama's individual offensive talent, I think they actually could have like a really good running game. There's that possibility in that realm. I don't know that I would. I would not bet on it. But rewatching the Ohio State Indiana game, that was one thought. I Had re watching that.

[Brent Rollins]

Yeah. Indiana, Indiana's defensive line does just such a great job of moving, taking gaps and taking away things right now. Like they just, it's really, it's really fun to watch them because they do. And then to have the arsenal of linebackers that pull the trigger at different spots from different angles, it's like they really do a good job of keeping you guessing. And one thing, Alabama's done a really bad job of this year on the offensive line identifying guys like it. It's not, it has not been a personnel problem to me. It's been an execution problem. Like it's been a physicality problem. And Alabama fans, like, you can get upset all you want. Like the run game has been awful. That's a, that's a run game is physicality, man. It's want to. It's running through your chest. Like you're going to have to have that in this football game at some point. They're going to have to. And if they do do it, it's going to be, oh my gosh. See, they played a big ten team and they could run the football, you know, like they'll be. There'll be a yang to the yang by, by people on the outside, I'm sure for some point. But all these games, the physicality is going to be, is going to be a difference, like who can impose their will, which, which why you give Kirby an edge in all of this because that's his life and that's who he is. Like no one lives it more than that dude in this realm. So I'm interested to watch Georgia too and see them play. And I'm the Big Ten in the sec. You know that that's going to be a fun matchup to watch. Indiana versus Alabama is going to be awesome in that capacity. If Georgia moves on versus and Ohio State moves on, like all this stuff, there's going to be fun goodness to watch. But you want to get to the victory formation. You got anything else?

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yeah, no, that's it. That's it. So in terms of the weekend, it's. We would normally who wins the weekend, but I guess. Yeah, who won the week? Because you know, we've. We've been back gone for a week, so.

[Brent Rollins]

Yeah.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Who won the week for you, man?

[Brent Rollins]

I'm going the Cavaliers, bro. Virginia beaten Missouri last night. First ever 11 win season for Virginia ever, ever, ever in the history of their program. Like we've talked a lot about how they really did a good job this offseason, bringing in a ton of different guys like getting really serious about football and the investment it takes and boy did they ever do it. Like fun to watch. Grind it out slow game. They give up the first seven, they answer back with the next 13. 13 to 7. Old school game. Like a lot of these games are my best, My best stat, Brent, was this. Virginia was 13 of 23 on third downs, 23 third down opportunities, 13 of 23. Missouri was 3 of 12.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yeah, like we're going the other side.

[Brent Rollins]

It was a grind it out like grimy, nasty game. And Virginia bounces back from that ACC loss that kept him out of the playoffs to, to get a win to finish the season.

[Co-host/Analyst]

For me it was, I think it was Christmas Eve, but it was. The Rainbow Warriors, Hawaii, Timmy Chang down 21 zip early. They came back, took the lead in the fourth quarter and then get the 10 play 68 yard drive where the backup quarterback has to throw the game winning touchdown. First nine win season since 2019 and Chang's fourth season. Yep, they own the Bay Area this year because they beat Cal now and Stanford. So the Rainbow warriors, good job. It's more fun when they're good. They won the week. For me, that was, that was a fun game to watch.

[Brent Rollins]

I'll say fun game to watch and fun to watch. Timmy Chang, like you said, especially when it's your, when it's your squad, man. When you get to go back and do it at your squad. So it's just, it just means more, right? Like it's just cool. It's cool to see that when it, when it's your spot, your hometown and you win those close games like they did this year and do something they haven't done in a long time.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Well be back on Wednesday night.

[Brent Rollins]

We're back Wednesday night. Yeah, right after the Ohio State game. Miami fans, you know, come bring in the new year, Ohio State talking that trash. And now we get to go get some answers, baby. Get some absolute answers to, to some of these questions. Appreciate y' all liking subscribing, rating, all that stuff, man. It we, we keep growing and it's because of y' all and we appreciate that. So see you dudes. New Year's Eve, probably maybe New Year's Day, I don't know. It'll be close, but we'll bring the new year together. How about that? See y'. All.

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[Brent Rollins]

Happy Holidays Want to give your host a gift? Consider subscribing, rating and reviewing the show this holiday season. It really helps the show grow from all of us at Believe. Have a Merry Christmas, everyone and a happy holiday. If you like the show, please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe. It really does help the show to grow. Thank you for listening.