Gen CFB: Mack Brown Out at Carolina

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz – "Gen CFB: Mack Brown Out at Carolina" (Released November 27, 2024)

In this episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz delve into the latest developments in college football, with a particular focus on the shocking news of Mack Brown’s termination from the University of North Carolina (UNC). Broadcasting from the vibrant Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, the hosts engage in spirited discussions, offering insightful analysis, humor, and passionate commentary on recent games, coaching changes, and the impending rivalry weekend.

---

Breaking News: Mack Brown Fired from UNC

[00:55] Taylor:
"Breaking news that happened over 24 hours ago. Mac Brown has been fired from the University of North Carolina, my alma mater."

The episode kicks off with Taylor announcing the unexpected firing of Mack Brown, initiating a deep dive into the circumstances surrounding the decision.

[01:08] Taylor:
"Yeah, so this has kind of been in the works where North Carolina and Mack Brown were trying to have this amicable ending. Mack Brown was not so amicable. He wanted to keep coaching North Carolina. Didn't want them to keep coaching him. A resolution could not be reached. So that's how we ended up with Mack Brown getting fired from North Carolina."

The hosts explore the strained relationship between Brown and UNC, highlighting the unsuccessful attempts at reaching an amicable agreement.

[02:22] Lucy:
"Dan was like, who? Well, Taylor, thank you for that breaking news bulletin. That was. There's now only two active FBS head coaches that have won national championships in college football. Dabo and Kirby. That is crazy. End of an era for Mack Brown. He's 73 years old and we wish him the best. What a season for him."

Lucy underscores the significance of Brown’s departure, marking the end of an era in college football.

---

Implications for North Carolina and the Coaching Carousel

[03:21] Mike:
"Yeah, because I remember we talked about this like a few months ago about who's on the hot seat, who isn't. And a lot of those names pretty much secure. Billy Napier, Sam Pittman, Davoranda. Yeah, we."

The discussion shifts to the broader landscape of college football coaching changes, referencing other high-profile coaches and potential openings.

[03:55] Taylor:
"Yeah, I was going to say, looking around the landscape of college football, you can make the argument that North Carolina could be the best job this cycle. Maybe a West Virginia comes open, maybe a Purdue comes open. For me, I think John Sumrall from Tulane makes the most sense as an immediate replacement and one that probably wouldn't have to break the bank for North Carolina."

Taylor speculates on potential successors for UNC, suggesting John Sumrall as a viable candidate.

---

Game Highlights and Team Performances

Indiana vs. Ohio State Debacle

[05:33] Mike:
"With all these special teams. Indiana, please. No. But Ohio State beat Indiana pretty easily. Not a very close game."

The hosts lament Ohio State's dominant performance over Indiana, critiquing Indiana's lackluster gameplay despite their hopes of making the playoff.

[06:27] Mike:
"He looks so much older. Than 73. Can I say that? You can say that he looks way older than 73."

Mike candidly comments on Mack Brown’s appearance post-firing, adding a touch of humor to the serious news.

[08:46] Lucy:
"Yeah, well, we can. If you're an ACC fan, you can, you can hope because right now the largest arguments against the three team SEC teams is like, hey, did you see what Cal did to Auburn earlier this year? And you know what, you're right, that did happen. We should not discount that."

Lucy discusses the potential for ACC teams to make unexpected runs in the College Football Playoff, using Cal’s recent performance as an example.

---

Cal’s Emotional Comeback Victory

One of the episode’s high points is the detailed coverage of Cal’s remarkable comeback against Stanford.

[12:21] Fernando Mendoza (Cal’s Coach):
"All I want to give all the glory to God. That was an amazing comeback. It's a testament how tofi are the team. I love my boys. It's amazing. I'm so proud of Everybody's team. We're 6-6. We're bold, bound and we retain the ax. Go Bears forever. Let's go."

Fernando Mendoza’s heartfelt post-game remarks encapsulate the emotional significance of Cal’s victory.

[13:20] Fernando Mendoza:
"I remember going 98 yards, my boys, 98 yards. At that moment we told him this is why we did the camping trip. This is why we did every Saturday walk through. It's why we stayed late until 9 pm watching film together. And so that meant so much to me to go 98 yards against a defense that's been playing great and we ended up scoring in the clutch."

The hosts highlight Mendoza’s emphasis on teamwork and perseverance, celebrating Cal’s triumphant moment.

---

Nebraska Breaks Bowl Streak

[14:01] Mike:
"How awesome is that? I'm just happy for them."

Nebraska’s achievement of bowl eligibility after a prolonged bowlless streak is met with enthusiasm and approval from the hosts.

---

Alabama’s Unexpected Struggles

[15:33] Mike:
"Just reading that. And they have three losses in a season for the first time since 2010. It is. And I think we knew there would be a drop off from Saban to DeBoer. I think that was natural."

The hosts express surprise and concern over Alabama’s performance downturn, marking a significant shift in their season dynamics.

[16:22] Lucy:
"I didn’t see it here. Like they, they let Jackson Arnold run all over the place. Milro had a really rough game, the whole offense, I think a really brutal game."

Lucy dissects the key factors contributing to Alabama’s losses, including strategic missteps and player performances.

---

Upcoming Rivalry Weekend Excitement

The bulk of the episode is dedicated to previewing and analyzing the highly anticipated rivalry weekend in college football.

Highlighted Games:

1. Texas A&M vs. Texas
   [23:14] Mike:
   "I think A and M, Texas. I think that's what I'm most excited for. I think they match up pretty well. This is Texas's most difficult game of the entire season."

   The hosts emphasize the intense rivalry and high stakes of the Texas A&M vs. Texas matchup.

2. Michigan vs. Ohio State
   [24:04] Lucy:
   "I might single handedly put Indiana into the Big Ten championship game if I bring my home team losing curse with me. And Michigan might just beat Ohio State."

   Anticipation builds around this classic showdown, with playful banter about team performances.

3. Clemson vs. South Carolina
   [24:04] Lucy:
   "Clemson, South Carolina, that's something I'm pretty excited for too, which I didn't really expect going into this year."

   The intense rivalry between Clemson and South Carolina is highlighted, with potential playoff implications discussed.

4. Notre Dame vs. USC
   [25:29] Lucy:
   "Notre Dame beat Army by 35 points this past weekend at Yankee Stadium and now they get to play against their hated rival USC on the road."

   The hosts express anxiety and hope over Notre Dame’s prospects against USC, given the high stakes.

Additional Remarks:

[26:10] Lucy:
"Let’s move on to our losers Lucy, because I have. I’ve got a lot of losers from this weekend."

Transitioning from highlights to discussing underperforming teams, adding depth to the analysis.

---

Notable Moments and Anecdotes

Brent Venables’ Taco Bell Splurge

[14:22] Lucy:
"...the Norman Oklahoma Taco Bell, where Brent Venables and his daughter spent $98 after the upset victory against Alabama. Man, that's a lot of money at Taco Bell."

The hosts humorously recount Brent Venables’ extravagant Taco Bell expense, adding levity to the episode.

[15:02] Mike:
"I did one time and I was in a really dark place. Yeah. And I left it outside because I fell asleep. Oh, yeah. It was a tough time. It's all right. It was $94 down the drain."

Mike shares a personal anecdote related to a similar experience, fostering a relatable connection with the audience.

Clock Management Controversy

[18:23] Mike:
"There's a video of this, which we will play. I don't like any of this. Gave me. I don't know. Can I say it gave me the ick or is that. Are we done?"

The hosts critique Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham for questionable clock management in a recent game, highlighting the frustrations of strategic errors.

---

Closing Thoughts and Holiday Wishes

As the episode winds down, the hosts express their excitement for the upcoming games and extend warm wishes to their listeners.

[26:51] Mike:
"Bring back divisions."

A nostalgic call for the return of conference divisions, reflecting on the changing landscape of college football.

[26:59] Mike & Lucy:
"Happy Thanksgiving. Giving. If you're traveling this week and you're listening to us on your travels, safe travels."

[27:00] Mike:
"Have fun. Eat some turkey."

The hosts conclude with festive greetings, wishing listeners a joyful Thanksgiving and safe travels.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Taylor (00:55):
  "Breaking news that happened over 24 hours ago. Mac Brown has been fired from the University of North Carolina, my alma mater."

• Fernando Mendoza (12:21):
  "All I want to give all the glory to God. That was an amazing comeback."

• Mike (17:29):
  "Bring back divisions."

---

Conclusion

This episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of recent college football events. From the seismic shift at UNC with Mack Brown’s firing to thrilling game recaps and the anticipation of rivalry weekend, the hosts provide listeners with informed perspectives, memorable moments, and a touch of humor. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or new to the sport, this episode delivers valuable insights and an entertaining narrative that captures the essence of college football’s dynamic landscape.

Transcript

[Mike]

You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network.

[Zin]

This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. If you're a smoker or dipper looking to make a change, you really only need one reason to do it. But with Zin nicotine pouches, you can find many. Zinn is America's number one nicotine pouch. It's made with only six simple ingredients. There are lots of options when it comes to nicotine satisfying action, but there's only one. Zen. Learn more about Zen and find your reason to make a change by Registering [e-mail].

[Taylor]

Welcome in to Gen CFB. I bet a bunch of people are wondering why I'm starting this. There's been breaking news, but Jesus, your.

[Mike]

Voice sounds so different.

[Lucy]

Whoops.

[Taylor]

Breaking news that happened over 24 hours ago. Mac Brown has been fired from the University of North Carolina, my alma mater.

[Lucy]

Oh, my gosh. Taylor, what is your reaction to this crazy breaking news?

[Taylor]

Yeah, so this has kind of been in the works where North Carolina and Mack Brown were trying to have this amicable ending. Mack Brown was. Was not so amicable. He wanted to keep coaching North Carolina. Didn't want it. Didn't want him to keep coaching. A resolution could not be reached. So that's how we ended up with Mack Brown getting fired from North Carolina.

[Lucy]

And how did you end up getting scooped on the story that you had before anyone else?

[Taylor]

Yeah, yeah, I had it probably like 15 minutes before anybody else. I texted my grand and I was like, hey, this is going down. I'm working on the story to get reported on Inside Carolina. And then as I'm getting ready to hit publish, I see it on Twitter and I'm like, oh, wow. Missed my window.

[Lucy]

No, Taylor, also your moment.

[Taylor]

Also, Lucy, you weren't at the watch party. This was a bold move having me start because apparently the only constructive critic criticism Dan got from the Watch party was one fan who just said, we need less Taylor.

[Mike]

No. They went up to Dan and said, dad, yes.

[Taylor]

A show that is on four hours. A Daily show that's on for four hours. The 20 minutes that I contribute a year. They said, that's. That's where we draw the line.

[Lucy]

Dan was like, who? Well, Taylor, thank you for that breaking news bulletin. That was. There's now only two active FBS head coaches that have won national championships in college football. Dabo and Kirby. That is crazy. End of an era for Mack Brown. He's 73 years old and we wish him the best. What a season for him.

[Mike]

He looks so much older. Than 73. Can I say that? You can say that he looks way older than 73.

[Lucy]

Yeah, he, he's. He's been through several life lifetimes in college football, I guess you could say. And this was a rough season for North Carolina. Taylor's story on Inside Carolina was very good. Good job. Taylor are eagerly awaiting who North Carolina hires. There's not a lot of power for coaching openings this year, Lucy. So this might be the beginning of a spinning coaching carousel.

[Mike]

Yeah, because I remember we talked about this like a few months ago about who's on the hot seat, who isn't. And a lot of those names pretty much secure. Billy Napier, Sam Pittman, Davoranda. Yeah, we. Brian Kelly, just kidding. Did $62 million to buy him out. But yeah, those names that we really thought those jobs are going to be open. Florida, Baylor, Arkansas don't seem to be heading that direction anymore. Tons of group of five openings. But Mac Brown's probably just done coaching. I don't think he's going to go anywhere else. But yeah, it's a weird. It's a weird cycle.

[Taylor]

Yeah, I was going to say, looking around the landscape of college football, you can make the argument that North Carolina could be the best job this cycle. Maybe a West Virginia comes open, maybe a Purdue comes open. For me, I think John Sumrall from Tulane makes. Makes the most sense as an immediate replacement and one that probably wouldn't have to break the bank for North Carolina.

[Lucy]

But you know, he just got there, so that would be pretty devastating for Tulane fans. Also, Tulane has a shot at making the playoff and early signing days, what, in like a week. So tough timing if you're a playoff team or not a playoff team trying to replace your coach could get interesting. But we need to play Taylor's favorite game in honor of North Carolina losing their head coach to forced retirement. It's the game, Lucy, we like to call winners and losers, where we talk about the winners and losers from the past weekend and then we're going to do a little quick rivalry week or preview, I guess. So where do you want to begin with this week?

[Mike]

We can begin with. With the first winner on this list that I actually don't believe is the number one winner. I think the number one winner of this weekend. I'm going to do double. Georgia and Tennessee not playing anybody had a ton of losses. Help them out. They both feel like pretty much locks for the playoff at this point. Georgia now in the SEC title game after Alabama lost to Oklahoma. So they are winners in my eyes. But it leads us to our segue. Indiana winning and losing. Losing by a lot of points in a very devastating fashion. It was one of those that you're like, not like this, Indiana. Not like this.

[Lucy]

No.

[Mike]

With all these special teams.

[Lucy]

Not with special teams.

[Mike]

Yes, that was special teams. Indiana, please. No. But Ohio State beat Indiana pretty easily. Not a very close game. Indiana scored on the first possession, last possession, and then that was it. They didn't score anywhere in between, which tends to not be good. But with all those losses that I kind of talked about earlier, Ole Miss losing, A and M losing, Alabama losing, Indiana is in a. Still a pretty decent spot to potentially make the playoff. Because Alabama's got three losses. Ole Miss has three losses. Do I think that the SEC will put a three loss team into the playoff? Most likely, yes. But Indiana had some help this weekend despite how poorly that Ohio State game went, which was devastating for all of us.

[Lucy]

Yeah, I mean, it was so. I mean, the vibes were so good before the game. It was like, man, after that drive, maybe, maybe Indiana's in this thing. And then by the end of the game, you had Will Howard putting out a sig on the sideline. So disrespectful.

[Mike]

Lucy, that was her.

[Lucy]

So just. Oh, my God.

[Mike]

Unnecessary.

[Lucy]

My Ginzer heart was torn into pieces. But a necessary dominant performance from Ohio State, who now gets to play in their big rivalry game this weekend. But yeah, Indiana looked like things were. Things were at the lowest possible point. It was like, please don't get blown out of this game and you have a shot at making the playoff. Well, they got blown out of the game and because everyone else lost, they're still in it. So they're the, they're the big winner, in my opinion.

[Mike]

And loser, unfortunately.

[Lucy]

And loser. I love a weekend where you lose and you win and that's, you know, that's what happens sometimes in college football. And this year we are feeling the cheesiest with Cheese it doing our college football recap for Cheese IT this week. Lucy, another big winner, the acc, because of all those losses that you mentioned. Could we have a sneaky 3 ACC appearance in the College Football Playoff? Yes. It seems like if Clemson wins next weekend, we could in fact have Clemson, SMU and potentially Miami all in the College Football Playoff. And that is hilarious given how trash we've. We've been. We've been making fun of the ACC all season. That would be crazy.

[Mike]

Yeah, I still stand by the ACC is trash. I still take that. That take still means a lot to me. I. This is definitely a possibility. I don't think it's going to happen and I think that if anyone gets left out of the mix, it's going to be smu. I think they pretty much have to win the ACC championship to get in because I think that if it comes down to the CH between Clemson and smu, they're going to choose Clemson both for brand value and the fact that Clemson will probably have the best win out of anybody with a win over South Carolina, assuming they win this weekend, which is what has to happen for them to make the playoff. They also still have a shot at making the ACC championship game where if Miami loses to Syracuse, which Miami losing to anybody is not out of the question this season. Don't ever play a close half against Wake Forest again. That's embarrassing. I just, I don't, I don't foresee three teams getting in. I think that like once again, kind of like what I mentioned earlier, if it comes down to it, if they're going to say we'll take a two loss ACC team or a three loss SEC team, but they're going to pick the three loss SEC team. So I think that SMU kind of, I think there's a lot of factors that play into it, but I don't, I don't think three teams are going to get in.

[Lucy]

Yeah, well, we can. If you're an ACC fan, you can, you can hope because right now the largest arguments against the three team SEC teams is like, hey, did you see what Cal did to Auburn earlier this year? And you know what, you're right, that did happen. We should not discount that. And then you know what Auburn did? They turn around and they beat Texas A and M this weekend in multiple overtimes. Anything could happen in college football. Billy Napier is a testament to that because after this team, Florida that is looked so hopeless earlier this season, they gave him the vote of confidence, I guess the vote of we're not firing you or paying your buyout midway through the season. And then he's gone. And he scraped together a couple of, couple of very impressive wins. Lucy. This Ole Miss Florida game was a absolute dumpster fire for Ole Miss. Jackson Dart was like, I'm going to throw a pick to end this game. There's nothing you could do about it. Please don't try to stop me. And they try to stop him and he just kept doing it. He did it again.

[Mike]

Yeah, this game nasty for Ole Miss. Lane Kiffin was like the lowest I've ever seen him in his postseason or post game presser Florida has beaten ranked teams consecutively. Consecutively for the first time since 2008. Taylor sent a note in here saying, do Florida fans owe Billy Napier an apology? I'm going to say no. The low points were very, very low. So I don't think they do. The decision to retain Napier seemed to be a lot of different factors. The fact that they knew they had just a brutal final stretch of the season coming with Texas, lsu, Ole Miss, they didn't really expect for that to happen. To beat LSU and Ole Miss, which has been good. I also think DJ Lagway seems to be the future of that football team now and retaining him, yeah, retaining him is pretty much the best thing Florida can do. So I'm not going to go full give Billy Napier an apology. More of just like let's see how this plays out because there's still a good chance that Billy Naper is not the head coach after next season because Florida has that entire athletic department and university seems to have no one in charge right now. But this has just been an incredibly impressive run for Florida. Back to back wins against ranked teams. You've got a quarterback, you're, you're, you're making Lane Kiffin cry. The always a good thing. Unless you want him to coach for you, then it's a bad thing.

[Lucy]

Right? That's also bad. But yeah, Lane, Lane's comments about, you know, talking to other coaches and wondering if it would be better to miss the SEC championship game than play in it because of playoff reasons sort of blew up in his and a lot of other SEC coaches faces this past weekend because there's still, still a lot of football that you got to play before you get to that point. So really rough. I mean Ole Miss like should have won this game. Like this was not like they the post game win expectancy. I can't remember what the number was but like it, it. They had it, Lucy. They had it and they couldn't finish it.

[Mike]

Yeah, it was three trips to the red zone where they didn't score a ton of like really bad drops that would have been touchdowns. Like they, they were a 10 point favorite in this game for a reason. But it was like I don't want to take any credit away from Florida. They were efficient, they were good. But Ole Miss lost this game just as much as Florida want it.

[Lucy]

Yeah, for sure. Cal, the Calgorithm. We mentioned Cal already but I want to bring them up again because the Calgary another big winner from the weekend as well. You know, along with Billy Napier in Indiana Cal had a comeback win over their rival Stanford and Fernando Mendoza after the game. Lucy, did you see his post game press, his post game interview? It was so emotional and first of.

[Fernando]

All I want to give all the glory to God. That was an amazing comeback. It's a testament how tofi are the team. I love my boys. It's amazing. I'm so proud of Everybody's team. We're 6 6. We're bold bound and we retain the ax. Go Bears forever. Let's go.

[Lucy]

You are so emotional right now. Fernando, in this moment, what's bringing out these emotions for you?

[Fernando]

We worked so hard, we worked so hard for this. I apologize. We get emotional but it's so hard. We've as offense, we've done everything that we possibly could have throughout the summer to being down, having a close game. This has to be the most special moment in my life to date.

[Lucy]

Look around at these fans in this moment. What will you remember from this victory today?

[Fernando]

I remember going 98 yards, my boys, 98 yards. At that moment we told him this is why we did the camping trip. This is why we did every Saturday walk through. It's why we stayed late until 9pm watching film together. And so that meant so much to me to go 98 yards against a defense that's been playing great and we ended up scoring in the clutch.

[Lucy]

Fernando, you told us yesterday you just want to hold that ax. So go hold that ax and enjoy this.

[Fernando]

Thank you. Go Bears. Let's go.

[Lucy]

Man, Cal, they've had a rough season, rough time in the ACC so far. But I this is one of the things about college football that sets it apart some. I saw someone tweet this and I want to give them credit but I can't remember who it was. But like the difference between college football and the NFL is that on any given Sunday something can happen in college football that a player will remember for the rest of their life. And I think that was this moment for Cal knocking off Stanford. Just a very, very special moment. We're so happy for them.

[Mike]

Bull eligible Cal.

[Lucy]

Yes. Bull eligible Cal.

[Mike]

There were a lot of, a lot of funny results that ended up with bowl eligibility this weekend. Like Nebraska, I won. I know it's not on the list, but that's, that's the biggest winner.

[Lucy]

Winner.

[Mike]

Yes. This weekend Nebraska will be playing a bowl game, most likely in December. But how awesome is that? I'm just happy for them.

[Lucy]

Finally, the bowl street the bowless streak has ended for Nebraska. One more winner from the weekend, the Norman Oklahoma Taco Bell, where Brent Venables and his daughter spent $98 after the upset victory against Alabama. Man, that's a lot of money at Taco Bell. That is a lot of money at Lucy. If I gave you $98, could you spend it? Could you spend that much at Taco Bell right now?

[Mike]

Yeah. Yes. But like, what's the most expensive thing you can get? I would just. But Taco Bell is not expensive, but inflation. So maybe. So maybe what? Okay, here's the question, though. Did he doordash the Taco Bell or did he go there directly?

[Lucy]

I think he was there directly.

[Mike]

Okay.

[Lucy]

After the game. Yeah.

[Mike]

If I could doordash it.

[Lucy]

You doordash Taco Bell?

[Mike]

I did one time and I. And I was. I was in a really dark place. Yeah. And I left it outside because I fell asleep. Oh, yeah. It was a tough time. It's all right. It was $94 down the drain.

[Lucy]

I'm really happy for Brent Venables. That was a big win. I, you know, like we said, anything can happen in college football. But like holding Alabama to three points. Three points. What?

[Mike]

It's the lowest the Alabama has not scored fewer points in a game since 2004. They have never lost to an unranked opponent by so many points since 2003. Those are the first time since 2011 they failed to score a touchdown in a game, which. That makes me so mad. Just reading that. And they have three losses in a season for the first time since 2010. It's. It is. And I think we knew there would be a drop off from Saban to deboer. I think that was natural. They lost a lot in the portal after it happened. It's a new coach. It's a new system. I didn't have the drop off of getting blown out by a pretty not great Oklahoma team. Like, that's. I thought they'd lose three games. I kind of felt like that was going to happen. But that is. That is crazy. And now Alabama's probably not going to make the playoff.

[Lucy]

I didn't see it here. Like they, they let Jackson Arnold run all over the place. Milro had a really rough game, the whole offense, I think a really brutal game. And thank God Milro won our September Heisman because he's not going to win the regular Heisman this year. It was a rough, rough night for the Crimson Tide. And yeah, you're right. Like they were in the driver's seat for the SEC championship game despite having a couple, you know, a bad loss against Vanderbilt and a loss against Tennessee. But oof man, Iron bowl should be interesting. The Iron bowl will be very interesting this weekend.

[Mike]

I this is how I like the Iron bowl though. Like they're. Auburn is playing for something. Bama isn't playing for shit. Auburn beating A and M got them to five wins. If they beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa they will be bowl eligible which is crazy. And I think we all did not see that coming. Not, not necessarily that. It's. The whole thing is weird. So I think that. I think Alabama is going to win. I think Auburn is. They used all their magic up this weekend but we are in a really weird spot where I'm like I'm happy the Iron Bull doesn't really mean this year. I think that's when it's the most fun.

[Taylor]

This is the first time that Alabama has lost its Iron bowl lead in since 2007 when they lost to Louisiana Monroe.

[Mike]

Well that's normally because they're playing Mercer this week.

[Lucy]

Well that's.

[Mike]

They just switched it up.

[Lucy]

Let's move on to our losers Lucy, because I have. I've got a lot of losers from this weekend. I want to start piggybacking off of the Auburn game to Mike Elko who got caught saying that he was looking ahead for the game against Texas Auburn this upcoming weekend and then oof. They lost and looked like they were actually looking ahead to Texas and not ready to play Auburn this weekend. Auburn went out to a huge three touchdown lead. Texas a clawed their way back but did not, could not finish it in overtime. That's brutal. That's a brutal sound bite. Auburn tweeted it out after the game and I don't know how you recover from that if you're Mike Alco.

[Taylor]

I think our focus is single handedly.

[Mike]

On Texas, I mean on Auburn right.

[Taylor]

Now and locked in on what we.

[Lucy]

Got to get done. Honestly.

[Mike]

Yeah, I should have put money on Auburn the second that that he said that. Also this is such like a little aside the Texas fan in my life. You can only have one. So I only have one Texas fan in my life. You know moderation did not like A and M losing to Auburn. Feels significantly less confident going into the the ATM Texas game with that Auburn loss. I think that makes things more interesting. I think I kind of like Texas a chance better than I did before. After this loss I still think Texas is going to win. But. But it's. There's something about losing to Hugh Freeze that really. That's a. That's a wake up call.

[Lucy]

Yeah. That is and like, ooh, I don't know if I feel great. Injured Quinn Ewers playing against Texas A and M. But you're right, they totally slipped up and dropped one there. But they still have a chance to redeem themselves against Texas this upcoming weekend, which would be huge for SEC championship game implications. Lucy, I have a hot take about Kenny Dillingham. He's one of my losers from the weekend. I know. Really into him. And they think that he's been energetic and fun and like, he's done a great job with ASU this year. I'm not. That's not what this is about. This is about he tried to run down the clock at the end of the game this past weekend. Failed. And then the team rushed or the fans all rushed the field. They added a second back and he freaked out at the refs. And there is a video of this, which we will play. I don't like any of this. I do not like the whole thing. Gave me. I don't know. Can I say it gave me the ick or is that. Are we done?

[Mike]

No, you can say the ick.

[Lucy]

Okay. Gave me the. I didn't like how he was upset. It was. It was just weird. It was bad, bad luck.

[Mike]

Oh, I hate disagreeing with you, but I like Dillingham.

[Lucy]

So does Taylor.

[Mike]

I think he's got this, like, great energy. We're like the. This is an aside. The funniest thing I saw from this weekend was a tick tock of an Arizona. Arizona State student where in that 15 minute stretch where they, like, pushed everyone off to the sidelines, went into the blue 10. It was just in the blue tent and he was like, no one knows I'm in here. What are they gonna do?

[Lucy]

Oh, God, what a disaster.

[Mike]

I thought it was so, so funny. I kind of get the ang. That situation he did called an unnecessary timeout. Just. Just did some weird stuff with the clock management at the end. It ended up not costing him, but to have 50,000 people on the field and be like, you need to get off. It's just kind of a crazy ask. Uh, but I like Dillingham. I think he's fine. I think that he's kind of the right vibe that Arizona State needs. He fits. He fits the Tempe energy.

[Lucy]

He does. And this is not an anti ASU take. I like their team. I'm happy for them. I will continue to root for their success. This is me reacting to the end of that game when they just needed to burn some seconds off the clock and then he, it almost blew up in his face. BYU was like a couple yards away, three yards away, Hail Mary, which would have been insane.

[Mike]

So that would have been so funny. I can't pretend I wasn't rooting for that. Just funniest case scenario there. So another big loser from the weekend was Colorado. They got their shit handed to them. Like they really just got. It was very reminiscent of the Colorado team that we saw last season. Were like great. You have Shadow, you have Travis Hunter, you have a lot of just insanely like really valuable pieces of, you know, just great talent surrounded by a bunch of mush. You know, the offensive line was bad. Like they got controlled in the trenches. Like it was a beat down of all beatdowns. Colorado did come back at a certain point. Like Kansas was up really early. It's just, it was a bad, bad game for Colorado. And this is completely sort of opened up with what happened with Arizona State and what happened with Kansas. Colorado this weekend has completely sort of opened up the Big 12 where I saw stat from CBS Sports this morning and I don't know, it works. Don't ask me how it works. I don't have any intention of learning how it works. There are nine teams right now in the Big 12 that still are mathematically alive to make the conference championship game. I don't think any of them control their own destiny. I don't think a single one does. Maybe, I don't know, like I said, I don't know. Doesn't make any sense to me. But the Big 12 is a nightmare. And it was just, it was a really bad weekend for Colorado. They got rushed then like got just got run all over.

[Lucy]

Yeah, they, it's the Big 12. Tiebreakers are like mind numbing. It goes off of opponents winning percentage I think is the first tiebreaker. And so if like all the favorites this weekend went out, there's going to be a multi way tie break in the Big 12. The favorites don't win every week. There's been, there's been a lot of crazy shit in that conference this year and we could spend the next five minutes of this podcast going through the tiebreakers. But we're not going to do that because we're going to talk about rivalry weekend, Lucy and college football. The best weekend of the year if you're a college football fan. I love it so much. I sit and I eat my leftovers and I watch college football for three days and my eyes bleed and it's awesome. Which game are you most excited for this weekend?

[Mike]

I think A and M, Texas. I think that's what I'm most excited for. I think they match up pretty. This is Texas's most difficult game of the entire season. I just think that there's so much rivalry between these schools. Like Texas A and M's entire fight song is about hating Texas down with Texas University, something like that. I can't remember exactly, but there's a lot of hatred in this game. It's the first time they've played in a long time. I'm really, really excited for that one. We are going to. I'll be at Michigan, Ohio State, which I'm pumped for. I might single handedly put Indiana into the Big Ten championship game if I bring my home team losing curse with me. And Michigan might just beat Ohio State. I don't think that game's actually going to be particularly close. Michigan is just not very good this year. And then Clemson, South Carolina, that's. That's something I'm pretty excited for too, which I didn't really expect going into this year.

[Lucy]

Oh yeah. Clemson and South Carolina fans, you could say this about every rival in the sport of football but man, they really, really, really hate each other. And this is going to have a big playoff implications which I don't know if we also saw this coming into the season like South Carolina has a legitimate shot at the playoff. If they can be Clemson, they'd have a great ranked win. Clemson has struggled against good teams all year. I think I'm going to take South Carolina winning on the road in this one. But don't tell any of the Clemson fans. I know we also have, we mentioned the Iron Bowl. We have Farmageddon, which I only am mentioning Lucy because next year they open the season with Armageddon in Ireland, which is so fun. So we get to.

[Mike]

They get to play in Ireland and Iowa doesn't. That sucks.

[Lucy]

I know. Well, I mean, highly recommend the Ireland game if you get a chance to go. If you're a fan of any team playing in Ireland, you should do it. I want to mention Notre Dame really quick because Notre Dame beat Army by, oh my God, 35 points this past weekend at Yankee Stadium and now they get to play against their hated rival USA on the road. This is going to be a really, really tough game. I think I'm a little nervous for it personally as a ND fan. But if Notre Dame wins, they are in the playoff and if USC wins, nothing happens because they stink this year. And I would be personally devastated if this upset happens. I'm very, very Scared. I hope it goes like the women's basketball game went last weekend and Notre Dame wins by a lot of points and blows out USC in la. But I'm scared, Lucy. I'm so scared.

[Mike]

And I feel like you say that every game. I think that's what you just do as a Notre Dame fan. You go into army, you're like, I'm terr. Terrified of the troops going terrified. And I think you're. I think you're reverse psychology in yourself. But I'm gonna shut up so I don't jinx. I don't reverse your reverse psychology.

[Lucy]

Look, you might be right. I don't know. It's. It's a big weekend. I want to be able to enjoy it in peace and not in sadness and not in tears. The Egg bowl is Friday. I don't know why. I don't know why. The Egg Bowls Friday. Georgia. Georgia Tech is Friday, too.

[Mike]

So is Nebraska. Iowa.

[Lucy]

Is there a name for that game?

[Mike]

The Heroes game. Do you call that. I know we don't have, like, a fun nickname for it, like Clean Old.

[Lucy]

Fashioned Hate is my favorite one. Georgia Tech.

[Mike]

I like the Friday games and I like that my team plays on Friday because then I just get to enjoy Saturday and not feel any sort of despair.

[Lucy]

It's such a good slate. It's. It's just an impeccable, imagination, immaculate slate of college football, and I am so excited for it. Oh, man. Prediction for Texas.

[Mike]

Texas A and M. I think Texas wins, but I think it's close and I think it's weird.

[Lucy]

Yeah. Ooh. Another. Another big game at Kyle Field this season. I can't wait. This is going to be. This is going to be a hell of a weekend. We'll be back next week to talk about it. And. Whoo. Get ready for conference championship weekend the following week.

[Mike]

Bring back divisions.

[Lucy]

Happy Thanksgiving. Giving. If you're traveling this week and you're listening to us on your travels, safe travels.

[Mike]

Have fun.

[Lucy]

Eat some turkey.

[Mike]

Get to the Charlotte airport early. They're on strike.