The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk
Episode: College Football Playoff Eliminator Games: Picks and Previews on Which Big Ten Teams Will Survive
Date: October 25, 2025
Hosts: Doug Lesmerises ("Doug Maurice") & Bill Landis
Podcast Network: Blue Wire
Episode Overview
This episode is a rapid-fire, insightful, and lighthearted deep dive into the biggest college football playoff eliminator games of the week — with a particular spotlight on the Big Ten. Doug and Bill preview and make picks on six pivotal matchups, weighing coaching intrigue, playoff stakes, and roster developments — all while keeping the focus on teams often overshadowed by "Southern CFB bias." The key theme: with the expanded playoff and a tightly bunched Big Ten, nearly every game could decide a team's postseason fate — and every fanbase still has hope.
The duo also showcase their usual banter, poke fun at their own shaky pick records, and highlight how coaching drama and depth have supercharged the season's excitement.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Setting the Scene: Playoff Stakes Everywhere
- Main Idea: With the expanded playoff, a stunning 12 of the Big Ten's 18 teams can still legitimately dream of a postseason berth.
- Teams like Nebraska, Northwestern, Illinois, Washington, Iowa, Minnesota, and UCLA are still mathematically alive, and most Big Ten games this week are de facto playoff eliminators.
- "It is not a crazy thing for their fan base to be talking about [playoffs] this week. Isn't that cool?" (Doug, 10:44)
- Bill notes, “It enhances it because we have this situation where, where these fanbases can... think to themselves, like, if we do this, we have a shot to make it.” (11:18)
2. Game Previews and Picks
A. South Florida at Memphis (AAC Eliminator) [02:57–08:36]
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Subplot: Memphis’ QB situation (will they unleash freshman AJ Hill?) and the coaching carousel motivate both sides.
- Doug: Intrigued by Memphis’ "biggest recruiting win" with AJ Hill, "I'm actually on alert for like an AJ Hill announcement this week... college football might be talking about him next week." (04:00)
- Coaching futures: Both Ryan Silverfield (Memphis) and Alex Golesh (USF) are "coaching to get people," as Bill puts it (06:10), meaning bigger jobs might be on the line with playoff contention as a motivator.
- ATS analysis: Both teams are 6–1 against the spread; Doug emphasizes "ride the freshman QB" while Bill trusts USF’s ability to air it out on Memphis.
Picks:
- Doug: Memphis 31, USF 28
- Bill: USF 35, Memphis 20
B. Big Ten Playoff Implications — The Landscape [09:37–12:50]
- Insight: Doug lays out the “eliminator” scenario: three games between two-loss teams mean their playoff dreams are on the line this week:
- Northwestern at Nebraska
- Illinois at Washington
- Minnesota at Iowa
C. Northwestern at Nebraska [13:02–24:45]
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Theme: Toss-up game with high stakes for bowl eligibility and coach reputations.
- Discussion centers on Nebraska’s offensive line woes and QB Dylan Raiola's "Baby Mahomes" tendencies (15:19), which could turn from brilliance to disaster versus a surging Northwestern defense.
- “Nebraska's offensive line is terrible, and Dylan Raiola is awful against pressure.” (Bill, 15:37)
- Northwestern’s defensive run, receiver depth, and steadiness make them a threat; both hosts see a live upset and lots of pressure on Matt Rhule (potential next Penn State coach?) if Nebraska slips.
- “Seven and a half is too much in a game like this.” (Doug, 22:49)
Picks:
- Doug: Nebraska 20, Northwestern 16 (But Northwestern +7.5 is the bet)
- Bill: Nebraska 20, Northwestern 14 (Northwestern covers)
D. Illinois at Washington [24:45–34:37]
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Focus: Washington’s OL health vs. Illinois’ defensive front is the “biggest thing in the matchup” (Bill, 26:53).
- Washington QB Demond Williams Jr. must bounce back from a 3-pick meltdown at Michigan — Doug analyzes the context of each turnover, showing nuanced insight into QB development (28:20).
- Both sides acknowledge coaching chess: Ryan Walters (Washington DC) used to be Illinois’ DC, giving both sides “intel” on each other.
- “This is the most ‘playoff-y-est’ of the Big Ten games,” Doug asserts (33:26).
Picks:
- Doug: Washington wins 27–24 (but likes Illinois +3.5)
- Bill: Illinois wins 28–24
E. Minnesota at Iowa [36:33–43:46]
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Debate: Is Iowa’s “watch out, we finally have a quarterback!” deserved, or a mirage?
- Both hosts agree the line is too high (+8.5 for Minnesota) and question whether Iowa’s run-game-only offense can sustain against a sturdy Minnesota outfit.
- “I feel like some teams have been letting Iowa get away with some stuff and I'm not sure Minnesota is going to allow that to happen.” (Doug, 38:47)
- Acknowledgement of the high-level O-line play by Iowa but concern that it may not be enough. The rivalry’s “pig” trophy and physical play are highlighted, with both seeing value in Minnesota’s pieces and coaching.
Picks:
- Doug: Minnesota 23, Iowa 20
- Bill: Minnesota 20, Iowa 13
F. SEC Picks: Missouri at Vanderbilt and Texas A&M at LSU [44:28–54:02]
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Missouri at Vanderbilt
- Focus: Both see it as a quality, fun game, not a true playoff showcase.
- Bill: “But they're also the SEC... just don't shove Vanderbilt down my throat as a sign of SEC power.” (Doug, 45:18)
- Picks:
- Doug: Missouri 34, Vanderbilt 28
- Bill: Vanderbilt 31, Missouri 27
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Texas A&M at LSU
- Stakes: LSU as a home dog, Brian Kelly’s seat grows hot.
- Bill points out, “Brian Kelly stinks. LSU's offense is terrible, averaging 20 points a game against Power 4 competition. They're, they're awful. Garrett Nussmeier... is mid.” (51:53)
- Coaching carousel speculation: What happens if LSU finishes 7–5?
- Picks:
- Doug: Texas A&M 24, LSU 20
- Bill: Texas A&M 24, LSU 17
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On the Big Ten’s Playoff Picture:
“12 of the 18 teams in the Big Ten are still in the playoff race... Isn't that cool?” (Doug, 10:44) -
On Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola:
“He got in baby Mahomes mode and the result was he just thought he could escape every pass rusher in the universe.” (Doug, 15:19) -
Coaching Intrigue:
“Both these coaches are coaching to get people.” (Bill, 06:10) -
Analytical Digs:
“Nebraska's offensive line is terrible, and Dylan Raiola is awful against pressure.” (Bill, 15:37)
“Brian Kelly stinks... Garrett Nussmeier... is mid.” (Bill, 51:53) -
On Rivalry Contexts:
"They're playing for a pig. That matters." (Bill, 43:26, re: Minnesota-Iowa) -
On the Value of ‘Overlooked’ Games:
“I'm not trying to be mean. I just, I just, I just don't want to live in the Vanderbilt–Missouri is like the game of the week world.” (Doug, 46:51)
Key Timestamps
- 02:57 – Start of Game Picks: Memphis QB drama, coaches pursuing bigger jobs
- 09:37 – Big Ten playoff hope landscape broken down
- 13:02 – Deep dive: Northwestern at Nebraska preview & picks
- 24:45 – Illinois at Washington: Health updates, QB analysis, coaching chess
- 36:33 – Minnesota at Iowa: Matchup analysis, rivalry context
- 44:28 – SEC round-up: Missouri-Vanderbilt, Texas A&M-LSU picks
- 51:53 – Brian Kelly, LSU, and the coaching hot seat discussion
Tone and Style
- Conversational & Knowledgeable: The show is a blend of data-driven analysis, coaching/roster insight, and playful banter.
- Ohio State & Big Ten Focus: There’s consistent, pointed pushback on national/Southern-centric talking points, making a case for the depth and quality of the Big Ten.
- Fan-First: Both hosts emphasize context, coaching drama, and the real stakes for every fanbase.
Summary Takeaways
This episode delivers:
- A panoramic look at playoff stakes in the Big Ten and beyond — showing that hope, drama, and contention run deeper than ever.
- Smart, informed picks that walk the line between insight and humility — as both hosts mock their own gambling records.
- Unique talking points: from coaching job speculation to the impact of single injuries or matchups on playoff destinies.
- Persistent callouts against national bias, ensuring the Big Ten's full depth — from Nebraska, Northwestern, and Minnesota to Illinois — gets its due.
In short: If you want to know which games really matter for the playoff chase, which under-the-radar Big Ten and Group of 5 teams might shake up the season, and what the expert fan’s perspective is on the national scene, this episode is essential listening.