The Bill and Doug Show: National College Football Picks (Nov. 14, 2025)

Podcast: The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk
Episode: Notre Dame vs. Pitt, Texas vs. Georgia, Iowa vs. USC and more: National College Football Picks
Hosts: Doug Lesmerises & Bill Landis
Network: Blue Wire
Date: November 14, 2025

Overview

This episode features Doug and Bill picking and analyzing six key national college football games, with in-depth breakdowns and lively debate. The pair lean on their decades of college football expertise—especially their deep ties to the Big Ten and zeal for busting perceived Southern football bias. The major games discussed include Oregon vs. Minnesota, Notre Dame vs. Pitt, Michigan vs. Northwestern, USC vs. Iowa, Alabama vs. Oklahoma, and Georgia vs. Texas. Notably, both hosts intertwine statistics, historical context, playoff implications, and sharp opinions in their picks.

Show Standings and Recap (00:00–01:35)

• Doug: 6-1 against the spread last week, only missing the Ohio State pick. Season: 41-36.
• Bill: 4-3 last week, season standing is 35-42. "You're striking distance though. You can get there." (Doug, 01:32)

Game-By-Game Analysis

Oregon vs. Minnesota (Fox, Fri 9pm ET)

Oregon -25.5

Historical Context & Rivalry (00:50–04:30)

• Last meeting was back in 2003. Minnesota once a historically better program, but Oregon’s rise has flipped the script.
• "Back then Minnesota was…35th best win percentage all time…Oregon had the 56th" (Doug, 03:55)

Oregon’s Injury Situation & Rushing Prowess (04:49–08:18)

• Oregon’s three top pass catchers and right tackle are questionable after the Iowa game; short week, likely rainy conditions.
• "This is Jordan Davison emerging. This is Kyle Whittington doing what he does…Oregon has 26 rushing plays of 20 yards or more that leads the nation." (Bill, 07:02)

Game Dynamics & Picks (08:18–11:21)

• Oregon’s ground game is too strong for Minnesota. Rain, injuries unlikely to impact the outcome drastically.
• Expectation: Statement win for the committee before facing USC next week.
• "So I think they're getting a field goal and nothing else in this game too. I have, I have Oregon winning 38, 3." (Doug, 11:43)
• Predictions:
  • Doug: Oregon 38–3
  • Bill: Oregon 42–10

Notable Quote

"If you come out of that and think like Oregon overrated, I, it's just like factually wrong." (Bill, 08:48)

Notre Dame vs. Pitt (ABC, Sat Noon ET)

Pitt +12.5

Setting the Stakes (12:44–14:48)

• Notre Dame has dominated recent meetings, but Pitt is hosting and Notre Dame must keep winning for playoff contention.
• Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi: "I'd gladly get beat 103 or 110 to 10 in that game. They could put up 100 on us as long as we win the next two after that." (Bill, 12:52)

Pitt Defense & Potential Path to Upset (14:48–16:38)

• Pitt fields the nation's top rush defense (by YPC) and an aggressive front.
• "I think there is definitely a pathway for PIT to win." (Doug, 16:38)

The QB Matchup & Key Team Trends (16:42–23:44)

• Notre Dame’s new balance: improved passing, deep RB room, and resurgent defense since early-season stumbles.
• Pitt relies on a hot freshman QB, Mason Heinzel, but faces the toughest defense yet.
• "CJ Carr numbers against pressure…not that good." (Doug, 16:38)
• "Notre Dame might be the third best team in the country behind Ohio State and Indiana." (Bill, 18:23)

Defensive Concerns & Vibe Check (23:44–25:54)

• Doug: Still has reservations about Notre Dame's secondary against good passing attacks.
• Both see this as a "show me" game for Notre Dame and a legitimate chance for Pitt to shake up the playoff hunt.
• "I think either quarterback could throw four picks and whichever one doesn't is going to win." (Doug, 20:50)

Picks

• Bill: "I'm going to say 31, 16, Notre Dame." (26:01)
• Doug: "I have the same Notre Dame number as you, but I'm 31 28." (26:32)

Michigan vs. Northwestern (Wrigley Field, Fox, Sat Noon ET)

Michigan -11.5

Injury Updates & Importance as a Litmus Test (27:32–29:08)

• Michigan returning key players except Justice Haynes. Need to show improvement after scraping by Purdue.
• "This is an important game to get a read on Michigan…before the Ohio State Michigan game." (Bill, 28:45)

Northwestern’s Chances & Game Dynamics (29:08–30:28)

• Expecting a competitive, maybe annoyingly close game due to Northwestern’s defense and Big Ten physicality.
• "Northwestern is going to be like kind of annoying and hang around in this game." (Doug, 29:48)

Picks

• Bill: Michigan 29–16
• Doug: Michigan 24–14

USC vs. Iowa (Big Ten Network, Sat 3:30pm ET)

Iowa +6.5

Matchup & Field Weather (31:02–32:21)

• Rainy conditions in LA could help Iowa, but USC’s run attack and home field give them the edge.
• "USC knows it has to win out to have a chance at the playoff." (Bill, 31:02)

Style Contrast & Score Predictions (32:21–34:10)

• Both teams should be able to run, but offense is limited on Iowa’s side.
• "I think these two teams can probably run the ball on each other in this game." (Doug, 33:52)
• Picks:
  • Bill: USC 26–17
  • Doug: USC 21–16

Notable Stat

• "Last time Iowa beat a ranked Big Ten team on the road: 2015." (Doug, 34:34)

Alabama vs. Oklahoma (ABC, Sat 3:30pm ET)

Alabama -5.5

Quarterback Trouble & SEC Circular Logic (35:51–39:23)

• Oklahoma’s John Matir has struggled since coming back from injury.
• "Oklahoma's best win is Tennessee…and Tennessee's best win is Mississippi State or Syracuse. So this is the Ponzi scheme of the SEC." (Bill, 37:57)

Oklahoma Defense vs. Alabama Offense (39:23–40:09)

• Expect Oklahoma’s defense to render Bama one-dimensional, all pressure on Ty Simpson.
• "Second-best run defense in the SEC against second-worst rushing offense." (Bill, 38:38)

Kaylin DeBoer & Playoff Scenarios (40:18–41:39)

• The possibility of Kaylin DeBoer as a coaching candidate if Alabama falters.
• Discussion of the SEC’s playoff mess: "Nightmare scenario for the rest of the world of Oklahoma beats Alabama because it makes Oklahoma very frisky for a playoff spot and it doesn't knock Alabama out of the playoff." (Bill, 39:23)

Picks

• Doug: Alabama 24–17
• Bill: Alabama 24–16

Georgia vs. Texas (Sat 7:30pm ET)

Georgia -6.5

Both Teams’ Struggles (42:12–44:47)

• Both Georgia and Texas are "a mess" with defenses that have underperformed of late.
• Texas's defense, once a strong point, has recently leaked significant yardage.

Georgia’s Close Calls & Texas’ Opening (44:47–46:53)

• Georgia’s string of comeback wins against weak SEC defenses exposes their vulnerability.
• "If a couple of those defenses were any good, Georgia would have three losses." (Bill, 46:44)
• Texas represents the best defense Georgia will have faced all year.

Picks

• Doug: Texas 24–21
• Bill: Texas 33–26

Additional Noteworthy Segments

College Football Playoff Committee Rant (11:21–12:44)

• Bill criticizes the state of the CFP selection committee: "By the end, it's going to be Mark D'Antonio and a six pack of Diet Coke." (Bill, 11:50)

Vibe, Energy, and Television Problems (35:51, 47:50–48:54)

• The duo's classic banter extends into TV network frustrations and the quirks of college football's broadcast infrastructure.
• “Could you bet on that on FanDuel. What gets opened first, the ABC, ESPN games on my TV or the entire government?” (Bill, 48:41)

Summary Table of Picks

| Game | Doug's Pick | Bill's Pick | |---------------------|---------------------|------------------| | Oregon-Minnesota | Oregon 38–3 | Oregon 42–10 | | Notre Dame-Pitt | ND 31–28 | ND 31–16 | | Michigan-N'western | Mich 24–14 | Mich 29–16 | | USC-Iowa | USC 21–16 | USC 26–17 | | Alabama-Oklahoma | Bama 24–17 | Bama 24–16 | | Georgia-Texas | Texas 24–21 | Texas 33–26 |

Most Memorable Quotes

• "If you come out of that and think like Oregon overrated, it's just like factually wrong."
  —Bill (08:48)

• "I think either quarterback could throw four picks and whichever one doesn't is going to win."
  —Doug (20:50)

• "This is the Ponzi scheme of the SEC. It's like, oh, wow, Oklahoma beat Tennessee in a game that they should have lost. How impressive is that? Well, who's Tennessee beaten? Nobody."
  —Bill (37:57)

• "By the end, the College Football Playoff committee is going to be like Mark d'Antonio and a six pack of Diet Coke."
  —Bill (11:50)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Oregon-Minnesota preview: 00:45–12:40
• Notre Dame-Pitt deep dive: 12:44–26:37
• Michigan-Northwestern: 27:32–31:02
• USC-Iowa: 31:02–34:57
• Alabama-Oklahoma: 35:51–42:12
• Georgia-Texas: 42:12–47:50

Final Thoughts

Doug and Bill’s discussion is both deep and entertaining, balancing historical nuance, statistical analysis, big-picture playoff implications, and their trademark sardonic humor. If you want to know how the national landscape shakes out for the playoff and which teams are likely to cover (and why), this episode is a comprehensive guide—with the bonus of some excellent rants.

Next Up:
Ohio State postgame show after Saturday's game, and further playoff analysis early next week.

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