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The Herd with Colin Cowherd
3 & Out - Reaction to Ole Miss UPSET vs. Georgia in CFB Playoff Quarterfinal
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- [00:00]
John Middelkoff
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human Toyota is all in all season and with Toyota Game Day Giveaways, the official automotive partner of the NFL is giving football fans the chance to win big by making free predictions on which big plays will happen during the second half of every Sunday night football game. Prizes include Brock Purdy's favorite Toyota Sequoia, NFL Shop gear and more. Visit toyota.com NFL to learn more. Toyota let's Go Places no purchase necessary.
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Jackson
Void where prohibited Inns 28, 26 open.
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John Middelkoff
To legal residents of the 50 US.
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Jackson
States and DC 18 and over. For complete details, how to enter prizes and official rules, visit toyotasgamedaygiveaways.com with so many options, why choose Arizona State University?
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John Middelkoff
For me, the only online option was ASU because of the quality. Their faculty was really involved with their students and care about your personal journey. The dedication to my personal development from my professors that that's been extremely valuable to me.
- [01:02]
Jackson
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John Middelkoff
That's a degree better. Explore more than 350 + Undergraduate, Graduate.
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Jackson
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- [01:16]
Katie Couric
If you only listen to one thing to make sense of the news this year, make it this the final episode of this season of Next Question pulls together the most important conversations of the year. You'll hear David Graham on Project 2025, Liz Oyer the plethora of presidential pardons, Tina Brown on the year's biggest scandals here at home and across the pond, plus much, much more. It's a crash course in the last 12 months, how we made it through the year, and a look at what might be coming in 2026. Listen to next Question with me, Katie Couric on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:59]
Jackson
What's up?
- [01:59]
John Middelkoff
It's Cam Jordan. I'm back with season three of your favorite podcast, the off the Edge with Cam Jordan Podcast. Tap in every Wednesday to hear conversations with my friends and stars from the NFL, the sports world in general, and entertainment about anything from teams and players making waves to pop culture. And I'll take you inside my journey through my 15th season in the NFL. Looking forward to you joining me this season. The season of More on the off the Edge with Cam Jordan Podcast. Catch new episodes every Wednesday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage Store more and do more with your data. Try them for free@wasabi.com Think advertising on TikTok isn't for your business, think again. We've generated over 100,000 leads which has converted into over 40,000 sales for our pet insurance policies. My name is Trey Ferro. I am the CEO of Spot Pet Insurance. TikTok Smart Plus AI powered automation takes the guesswork out of targeting, bidding and optimizing creat. If I can advertise on TikTok, you can too. Drive more leads and scale your business. Today only on TikTok. Head over to get started.TikTok.com tiktokads the volume. What is going on everybody? John Middelkoff Three and Out podcast it is a late, late Thursday night, January 1st. Happy New Year. Hopefully you are doing great, enjoying life and we're going to talk some football. I got my guy intern Jackson who's now producer Jackson who loves college football. I said, you know what Jackson, hop on with me tonight. Let's talk some. Let's react to what just happened today. Obviously the massive win by the Ole Miss Rebels and beat the Georgia Bulldogs and everything else that happened as well. I recorded a podcast earlier today with Colin so a lot of content out there. We'll just dive right in. But make sure you subscribe to the podcast, subscribe to the YouTube channel, never miss a thing. We will be live on Saturday night recording a podcast after the Niner Seahawks game. So some people have said it's pretty big one, a lot on the line so we will have you covered. But let's talk to Jackson. Everything that went on, let's just, let's just dive right in that game. You know the Lane Kiffin saga, Pete golden getting the job. I think everyone you know just found themselves. Obviously you know I'm a Kirby fan. How could you not be? I mean Georgia, what he's done. It was hard not to pull for Ole Miss. And then when you factor in the storyline of this Division 2 quarterback that looks like a right handed Michael Vick out there, you know and then you got Gunner Stockton. It was, it was theater, it was cinema. It was freaking awesome. That game was an absolute delight. And listen, I don't pretend to be Ole Miss historian but I googled they won a national championship in 1962. I think the last couple years the first time ever they've won back to back regular seasons where they won 10 plus wins to beat the best team currently in the SEC. The standard of the SEC in a playoff game. That has to be definitely of my lifetime. Probably not even a close second. The biggest win for Ole Miss and for Pete Golding to do it. As you know, he's not the interim head coach, he is the head coach. Him taking over with Joe Judge screwing up the end of the half, that, that was. I was thinking I can't imagine not loving football. Like watching I get if you're watching the Oregon Texas Tech game, you're like middle cup. This kind of boring that game was. It does, doesn't get any better when it comes to entertainment. You know, we were talking before we hit record. The Chicago Niner game was just offensive fireworks. There was no defense played in that game tonight. I mean guys were getting blasted. There were great plays on both sides. Ole Miss, who I would say doesn't have a great defense, at least if you watch them play the season I thought was coming up with huge stops, were playing their ass off. The one big D lineman batted down, it felt like seven balls. That, that was sweet goaling, you know, his first game pretty common. Collected on the sideline. What a win for Ole Miss. What a night for college football. And let's face IT, the number one conference for about the last 15 plus years. It's, you could argue it's a little down the last couple years given that they haven't won a national championship. Kind of, kind of saved the day.
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Jackson
I just can't believe. Back to back years, Kirby Smart in the quarterfinal. I don't even know what his press conference is going to be, but I'm sure it's going to be just like it has been the entire week about these first round buys. 1 and 7 back to back years where Gunner Stockton had more experience in a quarterfinal game against a Division 2 quarterback. And it's going to be those two plays. The one with the fourth and three on their own 30, 35 yard line goes for it, runs some kind of like, I don't know, swing pass or whatever. Get stuffed. And then the third and five Chambliss is over 300 yards passing, no timeouts and you're going to run man coverage when he's been, when he's been toasting you for the entire game. Like I don't know, that's just head scratching to me. You obviously got to capitalize and give credit to Ole Miss but like is he being a little cocky? Like I don't understand it on God's green earth, why you go man coverage with 20 seconds left on his own 30 yard line when he's been dusting you for the entire game?
- [07:40]
John Middelkoff
See, I think you can rewind it on that final drive when they had the ball and number 14 had got the PI. He had got the holding penalty which probably is a touchdown, right? If he doesn't hold them on that, that kind of, that double route they ran, he would have been wide open. They had the ball. Ole Miss only had two timeouts and they ran it and they ran it and they called both timeouts and it was like, I think they were on like six or seven yard line. If you run the ball, you are kicking the game tying field goal with what, 20 seconds left. I do think when you chose to pass it there and again he had got greedy with the fourth down. But okay, that's in the past. You're in position at minimum to go to overtime. You've been in the situation way more than this other operation. Their coaching staff brand new. You got Joe Judge and Golding now running the game management and Pete's second game he's ever coached. And let's face it like no shade to Tulane. What they did was heck of a season. Their coach is now in Florida. This is a different world. And go to overtime with them. Like to me if you're Georgia, they got greedy on that pass. And listen, it's not like, well the guy dropped it. I mean the DB was right in front of him.
- [08:51]
Jackson
Hell, the DB could have caught it.
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John Middelkoff
I mean it was like I thought that plate run the ball. Obviously a low percentage. You're going to score though. You had kind of been leaning on them. Now the stud back hurt his knee and you know rankle and was out still get stuff for no yards. Kick the field goal, they get the ball back 20 seconds. Even in college football, this isn't the NFL. You kick it out of bounds, start at the 20. I would say you're going to overtime. What 90 plus percent chance. I thought he got greedy there. So when he missed that and all of a sudden you look, you're like 59 seconds. I also think Golding did a good job the first play on that drive. He didn't want to risk like an incompletion and then all of a sudden go like three and out with like 35, maybe even 40 seconds. Punt, they'd have three timeouts because you know he's going to try to pass. They ran it on the first play. It was actually sneaky. Good clock management because even if that play you're talking about on the one on one coverage on the outside, let's say that never happens and they just you know run five, six seconds and they have to punt it there was still like it would have been under 30 seconds, you would have still listen, it would have been tough. They, they had three timeouts, but they kind of manipulated a little bit. I thought, I thought Kirby got, he's greedy a lot. Rightfully so. Right. He runs a fake punt. He, he, he's got balls. But I also think there's a balance of being reckless. And I thought like, God, I, I would have ran the ball there, be a little conservative. I, I think some of these guys you see with Dan Lanning a lot like going for it all the time. It's like, Dan, this is a low scoring game, like points matter. And I just think you're in this mindset. We can score, we can score. Well, what if you don't? And Ole Miss, who is not exactly known as like some defensive juggernaut in the sec, made some big plays tonight and you can't expose their DBs as much, you know, on the six, seven yard line as you can if it was at the 30 yard line because the one guy was getting, you know, spun like a dreidel. So I, I, to me, that's one Kirby. I, I think you run the hell, kneel the ball and just run the clock out and play for overtime. That, that because you gave the ball back with this guy red hot with 60 seconds left. Yeah.
- [11:02]
Jackson
And I mean, I'm just, I don't know if I'm more shocked if you would have told me two years ago that Indiana is going to the semifinals and beat Alabama or that a Division 2 quarterback would be Kirby Smart in the quarterfinal with a quarterback that's played the entire year, played really well. You got two quarterbacks playing backyard football. And for him to throw over 300 yards, which we all thought, including myself after that SC championship game, that the Georgia's defense was back, Georgia's playing better. This is the Georgia defense we all expected. And, and for that entire second half, it was like they could not adjust the passing game. And it felt like not only the passing game, but it was a scrambling, the off script, the backyard football. And that's where you give Trinidad Chambliss. We were texting the group chat. It's like, yeah, he made that throw probably a bajillion times playing Division 2 football, just rolling out to his right, throwing it on his helmet. I don't know if he's an NFL prospect, but if that guy can get an extra year of eligibility for Chambliss and what he's done coming in, in that Kentucky game when all the pressure, all the, all this stuff was on Austin Simmons and he was gonna be the next quarterback and he gets heard and Chandlers comes in. Like I remember the day where Chandlers got, got signed for Ole Miss and it was like oh cool, some cute ferris State Transfer. 800th ranked transfer, 60th ranked transfer portal quarterback. Like you talk about Signetti and what his impact is in terms of portal recruiting. This has opened up the, not even the FCs of the division. Two people looking like, hey, why don't I go get this Ferris State quarterback. Not saying he's going to make the impact of Chambliss, but at a cheaper price, low risk, high reward. You end up going to the semifinals with this guy. It's unbelievable.
- [12:29]
John Middelkoff
I think it's one of the coolest stories in the early part of the transfer portal era. It will happen again, it's inevitable. This used to happen in the NFL. I mean it still kind of does. Not as often and won't anymore than transfer portal era. But like I bet if you go back to, you know, the 70s, the 80s, the 90s, these guys from obscure schools becoming star players, you know, D2 players or D1 double A players. Well, Steve McNair I think was D1 double A player at Alcorn State, you know, went on to win the mvp. That situation is just not going to happen as much because now Steve McNair after a year would be at Alabama or would be at Texas A and M or something. And you know, Chambliss, I mean I would say that that was as much fun as I've had watching. And I would say Gunner stocked it to the way he played. He was like a slower version, but you know, kind of got a little Johnny Manziel to his game. I mean the one hit he took that, that's as hard of a hit in the pros or college as you will ever see anymore. And it was a legal hit. The guy led with his shoulder, hit him kind of like in his chest plate. He almost did, you know, a full somersault in, in air and there's no way he remembers scoring on the next play when he just. I just think they pushed him in. He might not remember the rest of the game, but the, the Trinidad. I don't think most people, a lot of casual fans came in. A lot of people that probably watch more NFL maybe than college are watching this game at home and are going, who is this guy? I mean his physical skills, you know, his arm strength, his accuracy, his mobility, his poise. I mean the, the throw he made on like you said that 3rd and 5. How. 1. If he leads him, maybe the guy can tackle him, but he kind of let him in and maybe he didn't mean to. It might could have been a slight miss. It actually worked out better throwing it a little inside because he could kind of turn it up and gain. I don't know what. He gained an extra 10, 15 yards after he caught the ball. My. My jaw dropped when he completed that pass. Because you were like, they won the game. Because the field goal kickers in this game, turns out they got like, I don't know, two Adam Venatoris.
- [14:46]
Jackson
I. I'm speechless. And then you go to the flip side of things, that the portal opens up tomorrow. So it's like you have your offensive coordinator, you got all these other coaches that are kind of playing the two sides of LSU and Ole Miss, and you got to play in the semifinals next week. You got Lane Kiffin tweeting about it. He's excited for Portal Day Eve. Like, I don't know, the insights of how much influence Charlie Weiss has in terms of the Portal. Maybe he kind of looks over. Hey, these are some guys that declared early that I like, I don't know the influence and how much he has compared to the scouting department, compared to the general manager, even Lane Kiffin. But that's another added element. But for Lane Kiffin, how much did he make tonight? A million dollars? $200,000 for not even coaching tonight. Like, that agreement to it too is kind of weird how you can't coach your team.
- [15:27]
John Middelkoff
What was that? Was Ole Miss going to still pay him or was LSU going to pay him the Ole Miss bonus?
- [15:32]
Jackson
Yeah, Ole Miss agreed. Ole Miss agreed to pay all the CFP payouts if they continue to win. I think he made 200,000 when they won the first game. Might double, who knows, 250,000. I haven't checked Twitter or whatever, but that's kind of a weird. I don't know how that came to an agreement. I don't know if it was one or the other, but that's kind of like it's gotta have a little.
- [15:52]
John Middelkoff
He was the biggest, you know, financially. A couple hundred grand to him at this point means nothing but the outcome of the game. I actually think he's a big loser tonight because I didn't think this was possible, not in a million years. I thought they would beat Georgia. I just thought the defense would let them down. Obviously their defense made enough plays in the quarterback and the offense was incredible. And they had a. I don't know Spark a juice of momentum to them all game. I thought they played really well tonight. They just had a Lacy fumble. That was a disaster. The end of the half situation where the kid stays in bounds. I mean, I, you crush Joe Judge, and I get it. And listen, I used to make fun, you know, before you guys were a part of this podcast, you know, Joe Judge was an easy target. That's just like Football 101. Like, it is a little bit on the player, especially both guys. The route they ran, there was a guy on each side sitting, like, you know, three or four yards past the line of scrimmage. They have to be like, if he dumps it down, just go right out of bounds. I, I, I put that a little bit more on the player. I'm sure they've practiced that situation, you know, back with Lane. But this, you beat Georgia, now you're in the semifinals. I think it's a double whammy one. It's a remarkable accomplishment for the post, Lane, Kiff and Ole Miss. Like, Pete gets the credit for tonight, right? He beat, he had this group ready to beat Georgia. And I think this adds now pressure, which there already was a ton on Lane, like, you better be in the Final Four. I don't know, within like, the next two years or, or, or like, we're going to have problems. And I texted you guys, we'll see what actually plays out. I do wonder now, you beat Georgia. That was the equivalent, like, when Indiana beat Ohio State. Like, turns out Indiana just might win the whole thing, but their season at that moment was kind of made for, like, program history. Like, this is a program historic moment for Ole Miss. I wonder if all the, all the cats that you've kind of been letting do both roles, and there have been articles written that it's a bizarre situation. You know, it's, it's not like Oregon where everyone's cool with each other. This is a situation where it's like, or some of these guys rogue. I do wonder if they say, like, just, just stay in, stay in Louisiana. You guys are done. And that includes Charlie, who I've read quotes. Pete likes them. But I, it would not shock me at all if in the next 24 hours, Ole Miss basically announces, like, all the holdover guys are not back, and we're just rolling with the group. We got Pete's guys. I think they've added, like, who was the interim for lsu. They, they hired him, you know, because I think his name. Not Frank Smith.
- [18:35]
Jackson
Frank Brown, maybe. I think.
- [18:37]
John Middelkoff
Yeah. Well, there was a Penn State guy and there was an LSU guy and they have.
- [18:40]
Jackson
Yeah, Terry Smith was the Penn State.
- [18:42]
John Middelkoff
Guy and he stayed at Penn State. This guy who was like a Louisiana legend is coming to Ole Miss. I. My guess would be if I ran Ole Miss and I was Pete, I'd be like, hey, if you want to kick them all out, we're just. We'll just roll like our season. I think their season, obviously, you're at the Final Four, you won the whole thing. I think it was the whole Lane Kiffin thing. If you're Ole Miss, you feel like you won the night, like you. You won this. It felt weird. It felt like you got screwed. And now it feels like you kind of won the divorce in the short term at least. And you go, well, when's he going to make the Final Four?
- [19:19]
Jackson
I think the assumption too, was that Trinidad Chambliss, if he could get a waiver because of an injury he had in 2022, that he was going to leave Ole Miss and go to lsu. You win a game like this with, I don't know, they're going to build him a statue. I mean, biggest win in program history. I don't know how he decides to leave if he does get that opportunity to play another season. Who knows? Maybe Lane Kiffin has other opportunities. Maybe he's got a vision to go to Soursby or go to Sam Levitt or. There's a lot of quarterbacks to make.
- [19:43]
John Middelkoff
A decision right now in the next couple days. Right. Potentially. So he could easily just kind of be forced. I can't wait. Sign a guy. And hopefully I. I was. If Chambliss had even got the opportunity in one tonight to go to lsu, that would suck. And I've never been anti lsu, but I'm kind of. I wouldn't mind seeing Lane, like, have a little struggle, you know, after tonight. Like, that was that. That was just like a very. I want to say organic. I mean, they. They seal a bunch of guys in the transfer portal too. But that, that was a really kind of pure college. Like, that. That was badass. You know, that that was bad because Indiana, historically, my wife was saying tonight, she's like, let's root for the underdog Indiana. I'm like, well, Maria, they're a touchdown favorite in this game. Like, yeah, historically, Alabama is the most national championships. This is the losing his program. But currently Indiana is favored big in this game. People expect them to win. They just beat Ohio State. They're really good. And then they won 38 to 3. And once you Watch that game. You're like, yeah, wasn't even that close where this, I mean there, there couldn't have been many people in the south in the sec, honestly, probably around Ole Miss. That felt good about going into this game that we were going to beat Georgia, right? And, and then you beat him in the fashion in which you beat him. I, I think that's part of it too. It's. It'd be. They were up 10 points in the second half. That would have been cool just to like win the game by 10, right? Win at like 40 to 32 or whatever. To be down or tied late and get the ball back and drive in that moment by, by Trinidad was badass. That, that was, that was sick. And listen, if now Anthony Richardson and Trey Lance, some of these guys are a lot bigger, right? They're taller. I don't know how tall Trinidad is, but I think he's like 5 11, right? So part of being a good NFL prospect is not necessarily like what you do in college. It's a lot about attributes and physical traits and whether that's right or wrong. We could argue till we're blue in the face. A lot of times it is wrong. And I'm not saying just because those guys went in the top five, he's going to go in the first round. My point is we have seen guys all the time get way overdraft in the first round. This guy's can get drafted in the NFL, right? That's, that's my point. I don't know how high. If he didn't want to come out now, he could. He'd probably be a third day pick because he's really short. And I think we're going to trend away from short quarterbacks. But he can get drafted now. He. I would want to come back and make $4 million to be the Ole Miss quarterback. It pays more than being a six round pick. But he's gonna, you do that tonight on that stage. And what he's done all season long in the sec, he's going to get a shot in the, in the NFL, even if he's on the practice squad for a while. Like he changed. Listen. And Lane and Charlie Weiss deserve credit. There's a story where I think Charlie Weiss was watching him in the recruiting office or like in his office with some recruiting guys and they called Lane, like, you got to check this guy out. And within like an hour they'd offer him a scholarship which. And he wasn't even supposed to be the starter. Right. Was Austin Simmons, who got hurt. He comes in and I, I heard someone that covers Ole Miss said I think in the spring game he had like five drives for five touchdowns. People like, damn, who's this guy? But it wasn't, what were you saying? It was the 800th transfer portal.
- [23:03]
Jackson
Yeah, 850th, fourth transfer, 60th ranked transfer portal.
- [23:08]
John Middelkoff
It's the coolest. Like we have seen Bo Nicks or guys that were like discounted go on to resurrect their career. He was also like a five star, four star in Auburn. You know this, this is by far so far the coolest. This is up there with like Jared Verse from Albany going to Florida State now being like one of the best players in the NFL. But it's also different at quarterback and Jared Verse because his quarterback got injured, didn't even get a chance to make the final four. Right? That's part, you know that when you factor it all in. I would put this right up there with Verse and Albany as being the coolest transfer portal story so far. Now Verse gets drafted in the top 20, right? So it's, he was clearly like, God, this guy's sweet. This guy's not going to go in the first round. But man, what a. What, what a moment. What, what a. That. That was a muscle flex night for the sec. Today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock bet, the official sportsbook partner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars. It's week 18 and playoff spots are on the line. Think you know how it's going to play out? Build a same game parlay on Hard Rock Bet and turn game day into a payday if you miss kickoff. Don't worry. Hard Rock Bet is live in game betting so you're never too late to the action. Find a winner and grab that player prop you meant to play and live bet on college or pro football between snaps and two easy taps, baby. Plus Hard Rock Bet. They offer new promos every single day. So if you haven't tried your first bet on Hard Rock Bet, there's still time for you to get 150 in bonus bets. If you win, just place a five dollar bet and if it hits you, not only get your winnings but also an extra 150 in bonus bets. Download the Hard Rock Bet app today and make your first deposit payable and bonus bets not a cash offer. Offered by Seminole Tribe of Florida in Florida. Offered by Seminole hard Rock Digital LLC in all other states. You must be 21 plus and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia to play terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling in Florida, call 1833. Play wise in Indiana. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-809 with it gambling problem, call 1-800- Gambler Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia.
- [25:49]
Katie Couric
As we head into 2026, it's safe to say that 2025 was a year like no other. So much news, so much disruption, and, yes, so much division. That's why we're wrapping up this season of Next Question with a look back at everything that's happened. Things are coming at us with such a velocity, we thought it was important to take a moment, connect the dots and explore what it all means. We're summing up the first year of Trump's second term with David Graham on Project 2025 and how many of the goals have been implemented. Richard Haass on foreign policy and the changing world order. Jessica Valenti on reproductive rights and the terrifying consequences of abortion bans. Tina Brown on the year scandals here and across the pond. The President has upended everything from pardons to the press, so we're covering it all. Listen to next question. With me, Katie Couric on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Danny Shapiro, host of the hit podcast Family Secrets.
- [26:57]
John Middelkoff
We were in the car like a Rolling Stone came on and he said, there's a line in there about your mother. And I said, what? What I would do if I didn't feel like I was being accepted is choose an identity that other people can't have. I knew something had happened to me in the middle of the night, but I couldn't hold on to what had happened.
- [27:17]
Katie Couric
These are just a few of the moving and important stories I'll be holding space for on my upcoming 13th season of Family Secrets. Whether you've been on this journey with me from season one or just joining the Family Secrets family, we're so happy to have you with us. I'll dive deep into the incredible power of secrets, the ones that shape our identities, test our relationships, and ultimately reveal who we truly are. Listen to Family secrets on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [27:54]
John Middelkoff
You know the shade is always shadiest right here. Season six of the podcast Reasonably Shady with Gisele Bryant and Robyn Dixon is dropping every Monday as two of the founding members of the Real Housewives Potomac. We're giving you all the laughs, drama and reality news you can handle. And you know we don't hold back. So come be reasonable or shady with us. Each and every Monday I was going through a walk in my neighborhood. Out of the blue, I see this huge sign next to somebody's house. Okay, the sign says, my neighbor is a Karen. No way. I died laughing. I'm like, I have to know. You are lying. Humongous, y'. All. They had some time on their hands. Listen to Reasonably Shady from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Kelly and some of you may know me as Laura Winslow. And I'm Telma, also known as Aunt Rachel. If those names ring a bell, then you probably are familiar with the show that we were both on back in the 90s called Family Matters.
- [29:10]
Katie Couric
Kelly and I have done a lot.
- [29:11]
John Middelkoff
Of things and played a lot of.
- [29:12]
Katie Couric
Roles over the years, but both of us are just so proud to have been part of Family Matters.
- [29:17]
John Middelkoff
Did you know that we are one of the longest running sitcoms with a black cast? When we were making the show, there were so many moments filled with joy and laughter and cut up that I will never forget.
- [29:27]
Katie Couric
Oh girl, you got that right. The look that you all give me is so black.
- [29:33]
John Middelkoff
All black people know about the look. On each episode of welcome to the Family, we'll share personal reflections about making the show.
- [29:41]
Katie Couric
Yeah, we'll even bring in part of the cast and some other special guests to join in the fun and spill some tea. Listen to welcome to the Family with Telma and Kelly on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [29:57]
Jackson
At Arizona State University, we're bringing world class education from our globally acclaimed faculty to you. Ranked number one in innovation for 11 consecutive years and number two among public universities for employability, ASU isn't just ahead of the curve, it's creating new paths to success. Earn your degree from the nation's most innovative university online.
- [30:17]
John Middelkoff
That's a degree better.
- [30:19]
Jackson
Explore more than 350 undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs at ASU Online ASU EDU. Where does Georgia go from here? Because now this is back to back years where you lose in the quarterfinal with a big break to a Division 2 quarterback. And their defense looked a lot better towards the back end of the season. I'm looking at some of their defensive guys. The only real guy that's going to get drafted high is C.J. allen, their linebacker, but for the most part I thought their defensive line was pretty Weak compared to what you see from the other Georgia days. They kind of looked like the defense that they played the first time against Ole Miss and then they got a possession late in that game. I think, you know, Trinidad Shambles obviously looked a lot more shaken up in that big moment versus tonight. He looked like he was looking another Division 2 game that he was playing in. Especially after Ohio State losing last night. You know, you had the upset. I mean, Oregon won, Indiana one. Like, I don't know where you go from here. If you're Kirby smart, you got a lot of talent offensively. But that defense, you're a defensive guy like that. You did make some dumb calls. Maybe it's not, maybe it's too big of an overreaction. You're maybe two or three plays away.
- [31:26]
John Middelkoff
They just won the sec. I think we have to look at the playoffs a little bit closer, like the NCAA tournament. You can have an unreal year. You have one bad game in the round of 32 or the sweet 16, you just get bounced. You know, before three, four years ago, there's four teams in and they're one of the four teams. And losing in that, you know, of one of those first two games doesn't feel as bad as losing in the eight. So it's. I, it's just going to feel bad. You know, it's like that's part of the, that's part of what playoffs is so cool. You know, it happens in the NFL all the time. A two or three seed will lose to a six or seven seed. The Cowboys a couple years ago, they get rolled by the packers, right, as the, as the seven seed. Well, that's, that's football. Eli Manning won a couple of Super Bowls as a wild card. You know, that's. It's just going to happen more and more now. I know everyone the, you know, whatever they won in seven in, in the by games, you're going to have part of the playoffs. You're going to have good matchups, right? I mean that's just part of the deal. Like Texas Tech, I have no problem with them getting. They drew Oregon. That's, you know these guys. Ole miss just went 11 and one in the SEC. Like they're pretty good, right? I mean that's, it's not like they weren't a 20 point underdog here. They got a lot of good play. I mean, if Lane Kiffin would have stayed, say he never leaves the lsu, maybe this doesn't feel as crazy. I mean, shit, they almost beat him in the regular season. I Remember we were all texting about it when that game was Ole Miss. That game was at Georgia. They were beating them like in the fourth quarter and then Trinidad. And that's what was cool about tonight is in that game he kind of imploded. And tonight I was like, I'm fine, I'm ready for this moment. I wonder if you look back when at that game between the hedges, if it kind of like, you know, calloused him a little bit. He was just more poised, more like, I can do this. Because he melted a little bit in that moment. He did. And he not only didn't melt tonight, he, I don't know, became a college football legend, which is awesome. I mean, that's, that's the cool part about college sports and that's, you know, watching like the, the halftime. It's like Tim Tebow. Now, I'm not comparing Trinidad to Tim Tebow, but like, you don't have to go on to have a great NFL career. I've heard Trinidad, like, he's really impressive. Like, he could be part of this operation, like be an SEC guy for a long time. Matt Leiner and Brady Quinn are the go to guys for Fox, right? They were first round picks, but they're college football legendary individuals at Notre Dame, at sc. And it's like now he is entrenched kind of in that world the rest of his life if he wants to, you know, if his NFL career. I don't watch much CFL football, but I feel like he could die. Same. I'd say the same. Diego Pavia. I feel like those guys would dominate up there.
- [34:31]
Jackson
Diego Pavia, Tommy Castellanos, Trinidad Chambliss. I mean, sign me, sign me up for some CFO football with those two, three guys. Mobile, mobile quarterbacks moving around. Were you more shocked Ole Miss winning tonight or Miami beating Ohio State?
- [34:48]
John Middelkoff
More shocking tonight because when you watch Miami play Ohio State, you're like, Miami has like probably seven, eight guys are going to get drafted this year. They have, I don't know, one of the best teams money can buy. I had a scouting buddy text me. He's like, bro, you don't understand how much money this team is spending right now on this roster. Not that Ole Miss doesn't spend anything, but, you know, I don't expect Ole Miss to be Georgia. When you watch Miami, you're like, well, the players are the same and one big difference in that game. I thought Carson Beck was a lot better than saying sand had a couple drives in the second half, but he was getting rattled he was. I heard one of the guys on. On three say, you know, his five sacks, he lost 42 yards. So on average he's losing over eight yards a sack. Why he's going backwards when he gets pressure where Carson. It's not like they weren't getting pressure on Carson. He just went forward. And some of the times he ran and some of the times he just would run into a throw, he. It just. He would step up in the pocket. Well for four years or whatever because you forget he was the backup to Stetson Bennett. So who do you think was running scout team against Jordan Davis, Nolan Smith, all those guys that he. He just has way more. You watch Carson Beck, obviously these two quarterbacks tonight, compared to like Ty and Fernando compared to Ty Simpson and saying it was now saying. Or. I mean, Simpson's clearly banged up and he's just. He's probably just a guy and he. I doubt he ever starts again at Alabama. Now that other guy's in. You would imagine he's a starter next year. But like saying, like, is that as good as you can do at Ohio State? I know he's a big recruit and he comes from Alabama, but I don't know. I mean, I. It's not exactly C.J. stroud back there. And the other thing is last time Ohio State lost like that two years ago, Ryan Day blamed it on Kyle McCord. Remember, it was like, Kyle McCord's not good enough can. They lost to Michigan and then he went to Syracuse and was awesome. And obviously they went to Will Howard, who brought like. And Riley Leonard was the same kind of deal. They brought this like, physical running presence and saying does not even. I didn't realize Carson Beck did really. But last night he's like, fuck it. How many times. I mean, he ran over guys. You know, you saw the two quarterbacks tonight, like, they were not. You got to play this game like it's John Elway in the super bowl, like helicoptering. And some guys did it and some guys are kind of hesitant to do it. And maybe, I mean, saying really can't run. But I mean, I think the quarterback play when you watch teams that won, I mean, Mendoza was really good, but they were killing him. But he was like. You compare Mendoza to Sand. It wasn't even. It's. Or, I mean, Ty Simpson wasn't even close. Dante Moore, I thought was kind of hit or miss today. But compared to that quarterback who actually felt bad for making fun of. Because I saw his postgame press conference. He was crying. He's like loves the Red Raiders, but he was, that was atrocious. That. That was that he couldn't have been much worse at one point. Times like 13 nothing. You're like, they're in the red zone. He throws a pick. The guy didn't even need to jump. He's like, this is serious. So quarterback, obviously line of scrimmage play is a big deal. We talked about that with Miami and Indiana. But your, your quarterback play then has to thrive behind it. Mendoza thrived, was just dominant. Carson Beck, I thought, I don't. I know his numbers. Like he didn't throw for 300 yards. I think he was like 140. I thought he was excellent and I've always been a hater, but I was like, that's. He played a big time winning football game that in both the quarterbacks tonight. Like, it's not Gunner Stockton's fault they lost. He was, he was getting killed. He was good. I, he's gotten way better than the guy that I thought. Or like, he's a good player. Like you said, their defense used to be a lot more dominant. But what they mentioned, and you were saying this about your big Notre Dame fan. Well, they're starting center at Indiana is from Notre Dame. And I started thinking like, why would he leave Notre Dame? And it's like, well, because the guy he replaced is coming back and he was going to start. Well, think about it. So Notre Dame, like a Georgia, like a Texas, like an Oregon. They used to go too deep with like start. Georgia used to have back Jalen Carter, you know, Jordan David. They, they were going too deep with guys like that. Mikel Williams, Walker. I mean they, Walker's like backing up Nolan Smith, you know, and they rotating in with these guys. Well, as the transfer portal. Sometimes guys are loyal. And some guys are like, well, do I want to get 10, 20 snaps? That's Kirby's big thing. We have the most guys in the SEC that play minimum, you know, seven to ten snaps a game. Which sounds great, but the guy's like, well, I could play 40 snaps at Vanderbilt or I could play. I could be a starter at Ole Miss. Or I hey, Kurt Signetti called me and says, hey, you'll be my starting tight end instead of my rotating tight end behind Brock Bowers or whoever the guy is now. And those guys leave now, right? Because it's, it's not just money, which obviously factors in. But I bet a lot of these schools like we'll pay you too. But it's like, I'm going to get Paid and start that to me is that's changed college football.
- [40:05]
Jackson
That's why I think Oregon kind of gets a little benefit of the doubt too because Dan Lanning plays a lot of guys and they're all young. So yes, like you might not get the amount of reps as you would get at other school, but if you're rotating, you have an opportunity to win a championship. Like most, at least the retention rate for them for Notre Dame, we'll see what Georgia happens after this night. But it feels like the retention rate of some of those higher schools because they know how long the postseason in, how long, how many games you play. They're not as prone to get a lot of guys to leave as well. It's not a good example. But Iowa State, they lost a ton of guys because of their coach. But you know what I mean? Like I feel like the retention rate on some of those bigger schools versus kind of the medium power for schools that just only especially offensive line. I mean they only you're only playing five guys. You're not rotating offensive lineman unless they get hurt.
- [40:46]
John Middelkoff
So. Exactly. So I bet if you went to some of like Saban's great teams, his backup offensive linemen were 10 year NFL pros, which is going to be harder if that guy has to wait till his red shirt sophomore year. So it's like, wait, you want me to not play for two seasons? I think a lot of guys, you get paid as a true freshman, whatever. By the time you get to a redshirt freshman year, you're like, I'm a five star and I'm clearly not starting this year. Then you start thinking that's where I think things come into play and you're getting screamed at all the time in practice or Dan Lanning, part of it is like they're just young. Like they are just playing a bunch of high school kids, right? Like did you hear the stat today that I think they had 24 touchdowns from freshmen that led the country. So part of it was he had transitioned to all his high school recruits. Like it feels a little less transfer portally on his team. And same with Georgia. Like they're going to be very recruiting heavy because they're going to recruit the best players. That's the thing with usc, right? They're like number one recruiting class in the country. Well, I mentioned this to Coward tonight. Well, Lincoln's got a lot of pressure next year. How many of those guys are going to help you compete to win 10 games next year and be in the playoffs? Best case scenario of a 20 man class 5. That seems very bold. And if it doesn't go well, maybe a guy gets injured too. So it's actually that, that would have been a big deal in 2007. It's like, damn, a couple years this team's going to be stacked. I don't think it matters as much anymore. Right. Unless you're Dan Lanning or Kirby and you don't have like year to year pressure. So I think it's a hard bout. There's not a right or wrong answer. I mean, Lane Kiffin was the transfer portal king. I mean how many guys that were playing tonight did not come to Ole Miss out of high school, right? A lot. Because he's not getting the, he's not getting a player out of high school that he thinks can beat Alabama, Georgia, Florida, lsu. Well, now he's at a, you know what I mean? When he was at Ole Miss. So he's like, I'll just go to the transfer portal and get Walter Nolan, get, you know, whoever. And that's how I'm going to compete. So I, there's not a right or wrong way to do it. But I think big picture, you got to recruit well, but then you got to keep those guys around. It's a hard. It's what, it's why all these guys are bitching and moaning because the roster retention. How many guys over the next 48 hours and be like, I've resigned with the team. I've already been at that. I've played for the last two years. It's like, well, yeah, I thought so. So it's, it's a, it's a weird deal. And that's why I think you watch Georgia, they're just not quite the same. They don't have the same pop or Indiana. I mean how many transfer portal guys they nailed now? A lot of those guys are JMU guys that he brought. And Mendoza, I've seen a lot of like, why weren't more. Mendoza's brother was on the team, so his family had a, is it fair to say a unique relationship with Shanahan, I think the oc no relation. And Signetti, who's an offensive guy. So it's, it probably wasn't a normal recruitment. And Mendoza I don't think was viewed as Some potential top 10 pick at this time last year when people like, oh, Indiana got the Cal quarterback. Cool. You know, so I, and I mean the story obviously tonight of that game, but the Indiana game, I mean they clearly there is. Mendoza is better than Beck and their wide receiver group is deeper. I mean, they got three guys you feel really good about and their running backs good and their defense is incredible. I, I would say they feel like the most complete team. And clearly Miami feels like that. The way they can dominate the line of scrimmage. If Beck plays well, they can beat anybody in a low scoring game. Oregon kind of feels like a year away. I, you know, Ole Miss, I would probably bet on them to kind of run out of juice though. I don't want to kind of, you know, pee on their parade here.
- [44:52]
Jackson
Every time you keep doubting them, they just keep winning too. So they have that bulletin board material, Lane Kiffin leaving, where it's like, yeah, I agree with you. Like we were talking before, like, you know, how is Miami's defensive line going to do against Chambliss? Most likely their defensive line is going to dominate Ole Miss's offensive line. Well, I'm like, well, I don't know if Bane and Messador are going to be able to catch Chambliss if he's running around like that for the amount of time, the four quarters, the motor, he didn't even seem tired for the entire game. And then you got the scrambling drill and the connections that you have offensively. I mean, they're a team. I mean, I could see them obviously beat Miami. But the fact that we always talk about Cinderella's and you know, some people have gripe about the group of five. It's pretty cool to see these two teams, Ole Miss and Miami, the storylines between those, like those are the kind of storylines, those are the underdogs that we wanted. Powerful.
- [45:37]
John Middelkoff
I do think, and I saw some tweets about Cinderella's this. It's a lot different in the world we're in though, right? I mean Indiana has the number one overall pick who they just could pick up off another team. They're landing the center from Notre Dame. It's like, well, who's your center? Well, we just needed one. We picked up one guy from Notre Dame. You know, it's the, you know, basketball Cinderellas are. Well, some little ass school beats Kentucky. That's insane. Indiana beating like they were a touchdown favorite in the game on a neutral site. And in a quarter in you're like, is this should have been more right? And Ole Miss, how many guys they have drafted last year? I mean they had, I think the most guys drafted they've had in the top 10 since like the Hugh Freeze, Laramie Tunsil, Treadwell kind of that group. So it's it's, they're. They just went 11 and one in the SEC. So I think the Cinderella when it comes to the Power 4 teams, even though they're not household names, and that's what threw me off about Indiana, I just kept thinking, Indiana, they're just no different than. They might as well be like, you know, SC or 20 years ago. Right. Or Ohio State, you know, they're just, they're just really, really good. And the top teams, because they're losing guys, aren't as dominant. That's part of it. I, I do think it would be harder for all these teams to beat some of the prime heyday, you name it, right? Miami teams, early 2000s, Pete Carroll teams, Florida teams, Alabama teams, because they, every player was a pro and their backups were pros. Now you watch like, oh, this guy got injured. You kind of look at the face of the coach. They're like, oh, shit. And that, that's, that used to not be the case because bam was like, okay, so and so's out. The backup is like Derek Henry, you know, backups. Xavier McKinney, backups, you know, Dante Hightower.
- [47:39]
Jackson
Yeah.
- [47:39]
John Middelkoff
He's a retro freshman. He's going to be pretty good player. That's. I think it's much more of a coin flip now, the depth of the blue, blue chippers. And if Indiana or some of these schools can stay healthy, their starting players are really high caliber. Like, if Indiana's players all went in the portal tomorrow, say they were done playing, let's say that their signetti just left. I think all the good teams would want all their players. Right. So that's where I think the Cinderella thing, like, part of it is, well, how is Boise State even this good? Because it was crazy 15, 20 years ago. To me, it's not crazy. Like, it would have been crazy if JMU or Tulane like, rattled off a couple wins. And I don't think it's even possible, but like Ole Miss, I watched Ole Miss almost beat Georgia. At Georgia, you know, we've seen Indiana. I mean, Indiana's last two wins are against Ohio State and Alabama. Ohio State game was tough, but today was not. And they kicked the crap out of them. Kick the crap out of them even worse. Like, what was the final score? Oregon 23, nothing. But Texas Tech was kind of in that game.
- [48:47]
Jackson
I mean, six, zero, 30 minutes.
- [48:49]
John Middelkoff
Yeah, yeah. Then it was 13 nothing. And they had the ball in the red zone. If they scored a touchdown, there's 13 to 7. That not saying Oregon was obviously the better team. But what Indiana did today was, whoa, they felt like the best team in the country because even Miami, you watch them. How many, how many wide receivers do you really, I mean the freshman kids, a baller, but I think wide receivers kind of hit or miss. You know, the running back, Fletcher, who's really coming on. I was listening to someone say he got a Liz Frank two years ago, his true freshman year in the bowl game. So last year he wasn't quite the same. He's kind of getting it back now. So in a weird way, he was a well known guy a couple years ago. He feels a little under the radar throughout the season. He's obviously playing well right now these last couple games, making some big runs. I mean, he was a horse in that Ohio State game, I thought down the stretch, especially that final drive. But I, I would guess Miami, I don't know, you know, it's not public like the NFL, but I think the payrolls on these four teams were all relatively, you know, they're all spending a lot of money. They even mentioned tonight, like Signetti got them to spend a lot of cash on this team. He got him to spend some money last year, but he got a little lucky because he got the JMU guys, I think this year they upped the budget and it shows.
- [50:11]
Jackson
Yeah, they're all at least 20 million, at least for each probably, maybe the lowest would be Indiana, but, and what's.
- [50:18]
John Middelkoff
Crazy about Indiana is, and even Signetti was like, yeah, he's our best defensive player. The guy that high five the dude after the game, broke his leg after the Ohio State game. The defensive, the defensive lineman, that's, I, I, I thought something like that. I'm like, I don't know if they have the depth. Didn't even notice today.
- [50:46]
Jackson
That's what I think the hardest part with these games today and you talking about Cinderellas or whatever is with all this new change in college football, we almost have to reset our thoughts on all of these schools in like a two year window into, instead of like 20 years, 25 years going on in college football. Because you're right, like Ole Miss has a lot of studs, but in terms of like seeing the stats and seeing it's the betting lines or whatever, you're like, oh, well, Georgia quarterfinals, like rematch again. Playing well down the stretch, like, of course they're gonna win. And then you get upset like that and you're like, whoa, like how did that happen? But when in reality, yeah, they have a stud running back, they have a really talented quarterback and they played better on that night. And then on the flip side of things like Indiana. Yeah, I agree with you. I think Indiana is probably the most complete. I just don't know. I don't understand how you stop their offense with Mendoza if they're running that rpo. You got multiple running backs, three really solid receivers, all scored today. Like Charlie Becker's coming on as a sophomore. It's really strong hands catching, catching contact like I agree. I mean what's the Nettie's done? I mean you followed the sport for a while obviously longer than I have. But I feel like he is going to set a lot of pressure on a lot of these other coaches. What seven or eight new coaches that just got hired. Not saying to the level of Signetti but hey like you have two, three years if they can back them up with nil money. I don't know what Chesney is going to do at UCLA or somewhere all at Florida or Auburn with goal ish. But it feels like you got to, you got to get click early. And on top of that the portal quarterback position to the quarterback position is going to be a quick window as well. Like Morton and Texas Tech, they're thinking today like okay, we could have definitely spent money at the quarterback position but we were loyal to this guy for four to five years. He crumbled under pressure. They're going to spend $10 million tomorrow. And then you look at Indiana, they hit on Mendoza obviously. Like I feel like the quarterback window and the coaching window is just going to be like a two, three year thing. And then Ty Simpson at Alabama where a couple of years ago, oh yeah, it was his first year. Like he's had some starts, he had some. He had some highs, he had some lows, whatever that back end of the stretch and you got a five star freshman that that's, that's sitting right behind him. That's your guy and that's not Saban's guy. Like you have those conversations. I just think it's pretty interesting, you know the portal quarterback window. The quarterback window and the coaching window based on Signetti and some of these transfer guys that are just excelling so fast.
- [53:00]
John Middelkoff
That's why I think everyone in LA is so mad at Lincoln Riley and his comments after the game about like the windows open. Now look at today. Lanning took over a way better. They got hired at the same time Mario left the cupboards full like there were a lot of players there. But four years later, I don't know. They're not the best because they haven't won a national championship, I think, ever. But, but they're clearly a, what, top three program in the country right now. He has them. He took over. They were damn good. He's taken. They're just elite. I mean, they're just, they just need to win an Addie and then you won't be able to say anything. Kind of like Kirby. It was like, clear Kirby was unreal, but he had to win the natty to really just be like, okay, leave me alone. And so Lanny's just. And he might not do it this year, but I think he's going to do it in the next couple years. Right? They're an elite program. It's like, okay, he took over an easier thing. We'll look at Mario. Well, if Mario got the job and they hired landing they got hired at the same time. Same with, same with Lincoln Riley. The same cycle. Four years later, Mario has them rattling off two excellent victories to go on the road. Name. And that win against Ohio State was fantastic. And just, you just watch the way their team's built. So it's like, if you do have money, you got to dominate the portal. You got to be on the right guys. You got to value the right things. You got to hire the right defensive coaches. Miami was terrible on defense last year. Weren't they the Jaden Daniels version of lsu? Like, there was Jade Daniels version of lsu. Unreal offense, terrible defense. And then the next year is Cam Ward. Same thing. Their offense was incredible and their defense was terrible. Now you watch them, their defense is dominant. It's like, Jesus, all these guys are hitting like NFL players. And listen, people make fun of Mario. He's had some devastating losses. He clearly is like an unreal gm and he's a tough guy. And they just like, you just kind of felt this if he didn't really have to make any crazy game management calls. But I, I, I was, I think all these guys have done. I mean, this is a big, you know, I, People thought Laning was a star. So him being in the final four is not shocking. You know, Signetti really shut everyone up. Once he beat Ohio State, I think people like, damn, he's really good. Clearly he's making like $10 million a year. You know, Pete Golding, it's his first big win of his life. So, I mean, he's, we'll see. Do you see that?
- [55:14]
Jackson
He didn't even want to be the head coach. He kind of like, they, they told him like some other guys he was targeting. He was like, no, I don't want to work under those guys. I'll be the head coach. And now he's the head coach and he just beat Georgia. That's unbelievable.
- [55:25]
John Middelkoff
I think Mario is, I don't think. I just think it's pretty crazy because a lot of people think Mario's not that good of like a, not a good coach because he's good with offensive line, he's a good recruiter. People like him. But like, in game, people think he stinks. In the last couple games, like, well, he just, I watched him just work Ryan Day. So it's just a really big moment. That's why let's, let's look ahead at these two games. You know, Indiana, I think the game opened at three and a half, is now four. I, I, I'm not going to sleep on Oregon. Their games are a little weird. Like, today was just a little weird. You know, Dante Moore, I don't think played great relative to, like, some of these other quarterbacks you're watching was still way better than the guy they rolled out in. Oregon's defense is good. They have so many good players. I, I do think that game's going to be a little harder. I think a lot of people are just going to hammer Indiana, which I don't think is crazy at all. Totally understand. I could just see this is a pretty, you know, Dan Lanning's king of, like the rah rah speeches. A lot of those are as he's a big favorite. It's like, damn, he's pulling some crazy, like, kind of lines out. Typically, like, a lot of these games, they're enormous favorites over the Big Ten. When he's going viral, this one, he's going to be like a true underdog. Now everyone's going to pick Indiana. It's actually a pretty good spot for kind of his vibe, you know, because even this game for Signetti, these questions, he's going. So my point is I'm probably going to take Indiana at the points. I don't feel great about it, though. Like, I think a lot of people are going to sleep on Oregon in this moment. I think they're going to get up for this. Signetti kind of got to play the underdog against Bama. You see the questions, like, what do you think about the Bama mystique? He's all, he, he's going to be getting asked the opposite this week. Like, are you guys going to win the national championship? Do you think you can really win the national championship? The vibe's going to shift and that's where I think Dan Lanning, this is right up his alley in his rah rah kind of style. So I again, I'm probably going to take Indiana just because I'm blown away by how good they are. I think a lot of people are just going to sleep on Oregon just because their games the last two weeks have been a little weird.
- [57:29]
Jackson
And then you have the flip side where they say, oh, it's hard to beat a team twice. I'm going to go Oregon where. Yeah, it is. And I think Dante Moore has played a lot better since that first game where they had a ton of pressure on him. And I think the offensive line for the most part in the second half, Bailey and Hunter and Height didn't really have many sacks. And some of those the Dante Moore wasn't even aware where they were. He kind of ran into him both times there. But I'm going to be real curious how that offensive line does against that front for Indiana because even though they don't pressure a ton, it just seems like they're really good at making the pocket super collapse for him. And I don't, and I mean, I don't know. I would lean Indiana as well too with you. Just based on the fact that offensively I don't know how you're gonna be able to stop them if they be able to run the ball and they get the play action game with those three wide receivers. Even though Brandon Finney Jr. You know, the freshman, he had a really good game today. I just.
- [58:23]
John Middelkoff
One big, one big advantage for Indiana is for whatever reason no one interviews their assistant coaches. So their coordinators just stay at Indiana and get big contracts and no one talks to him. His two coordinators who are still calling the offense and the defense are head coaches. Other places which I would imagine, especially Kentucky, these next 48 hours are gonna, they're gonna have a lot going on. You know, now it's a little easier for both guys because they're game planning against a team that they've already played. So it's not like an un. It's. This isn't Ole Miss Miami where it's completely fresh. That's just a lot on those two guys. I think running programs for the first time. Both of them next year are gonna want, especially Tosh is gonna want to be compete for like the ACC and he's a recruiter. So I just, I just think there's going to be a lot going on for those two coaches. This is a counterpoint to me saying don't sleep on Oregon. I a lot of pressure on those two coaches because both these games are in a week now. One's on Thursday, one's on Friday. So this isn't one of those where you get 15 day break and you got more time. It's why my theory that I expect the LSU coaches to get. I don't want to say fired but just told like you can just go to LSU now. We're good just because I think now's the time to break. Dan Landy's not going to do that with these guys. But how are they going to have time to sleep because they're going to be constantly trying to do transfer portal stuff. Which I wouldn't blame them because they, they have to build a program for 26. So I maybe I feel a little bit better about Indiana minus minus. I'd probably like Indiana minus two and.
- [59:58]
Jackson
A half like a field goal. Four is a weird fours. I kind of an awkward number.
- [60:02]
John Middelkoff
Yeah. I'm thinking how high I would go. Maybe I just go to seven. They do blow out a lot of people. They do blow out a lot of.
- [60:11]
Jackson
People over and then on the flip side seven and a half.
- [60:14]
John Middelkoff
What's the in Miami minus three. I maybe I'm just a prisoner of the moment but I kind of feel like Miami's on a mission right now. And you watch Mario after that game. You know the one thing Mario kind of gets labeled is like this meathead offensive lineman. I think he's a pretty buttoned up guy. Like he's a pretty serious cat. And I had a buddy who works in college football who was offered a job by him. He was at a. My buddy was at a good place too. Turned it down because he's like, you know, I'm really close to my head coach. We're winning. Mario's going to give me a raise. But I've heard Mario's like Belichick. Like I think he's at the office like 20 hours. Like it's. He's a grinder. He's pretty intense and maybe that's why in some of those moments he's just like too tight in the end of game. And why he's now you could argue just bro just kneel the ball. But I, I don't know. I, I think Miami would have a good shot if they handle business against Ole Miss to, to win the national championship against Indiana because physically they, they would be able to hang. I mean they're two tackles. My guess is combined weight would be close to 680701 guy looks like he weighs 350 pounds. The right tackle.
- [61:30]
Jackson
Yeah, he's going to go to left end the left.
- [61:33]
John Middelkoff
They are massive. The offensive lineman. The irony about their defensive line is Bain. You talk to the scouts, you know he's not that tall. He's like 6:1 and he's got short arms. But you watch him play, looks like he's Miles Garrett out there bending the edge, pushing guys. He was. Of all the players that we have not mentioned, he was the best player on the field in that game. He was dominant. And his, his buddy, the Canadian dude wasn't bad either.
- [62:02]
Jackson
I feel like in Miami and compared to like week one against Notre Dame, they threw the ball a ton. They were like trying to throw a bunch of explosive plays, get their guy Tony involved. It seems like in the playoff maybe it's Mario Cristobal just kind of symboled everything down. We're gonna run the ball. We're gonna, we're gonna run the clock, control the time of possession. Even Carson Beck too, where not a lot of people like Carson Beck, right? He's a little cocky. He's got an ego. Paid a lot of money, dated the Cavender. They broke up because he cheated on a Latina. Whatever. But he is taking care of the football. He hasn't turned the ball over.
- [62:32]
John Middelkoff
Kind of ugly dude.
- [62:33]
Jackson
He's. Oh my gosh, it looks like Sid from Ice Age. He's disgusting.
- [62:36]
John Middelkoff
He's a weird looking cat.
- [62:37]
Jackson
We'll see him here in Glendale next week.
- [62:39]
John Middelkoff
He was, he kind of earned my respect. I thought he played like a badass. Part of it too is though, you know, A and M throughout the year can be a high scoring operation, right. With the wide receivers and obviously Ohio State like they did not want to get into like a game like tonight. So they are much more comfortable. What was the final score in Notre Dame? Low scoring game. Right. They want a game that is on their terms and they want to play. Shanahan has won a lot of playoff games like this. Ugly it up, play defense, run the ball, slow it down. They, I think Ohio State, I think I like had eight or nine possessions. Like they don't want to play. I don't know how many Georgia and Ole Miss had, but it felt like they had eight or nine possessions in the second half each, you know, so that they. Which is smart, which you get credit for as a head coach and I think his coordinators, some of those play calls on third down and the fourth down catch did they ran to Tony on. They got him on that one on one and like they had like three wide receivers and he was the guy on the back so he, they couldn't press them. Like that was a high level play. The one they ran some, they ran some really good plays last night, I thought in key spots.
- [63:48]
Jackson
The one, the Fletcher, when they had the extra offensive lineman and you thought they were going to run it and he kind of skirts out to the left side because they only have two guys out there just throw it to him quick and they score.
- [63:56]
John Middelkoff
I agree.
- [63:57]
Jackson
Shannon Dawson and then the defensive coordinator from Minnesota that they got too. I just, I think, I think Miami's defense, if, if Lacey's going to fumble like that against Georgia, you already know they're going to have that game plan against Lacey in this offense where the ball looked a pretty little skittish, a little loosey goosey out there. I just think they're going to force a turnover too. And you saw in that game against Miami once they get that lead and they control the clock like that for a high, high paced offense and Ole Miss, like especially how quick they score. I think he's going to try to hold the ball for like 30, 35, 40 minutes in that game and just try to just run them down in the trenches.
- [64:33]
John Middelkoff
Yeah, I mean he's got a, they were mentioning tonight on the broadcast, you know, all the whole Miami staff was watching. He's got a bad left shoulder. He can't, you know, he lowered his right shoulder, ran over the one dude. But the left shoulder, clearly the grip pressure on it wasn't as strong. Whatever is, it wasn't like it was that crazy of a play for the ball to come out. But he, he's a pretty good player. I mean he, he's, he's really good. Maybe, maybe that game will be better than I think I, my, my lean would be. I feel like Miami overwhelms him a little bit and I feel this was not Nolan Smith and Nakobe Dean and Jalen Carter, like they're just not as good as the guys chasing them. And they had some injuries tonight, you know, with their front seven guys. I feel like Miami's going to hawk Trinidad a couple times. Not that Trinidad's like can't get away from, but there are going to be a couple plays where he was doing some like old school Tony Rono, Donovan McNabb, like running back and forth. Like you could get killed against like legitimately killed.
- [65:30]
Jackson
Yeah, especially you got him on both sides. Like you got Bane running the right. You're going to roll like left and get hit by Mezador. I do think the one advantage though that Ole Miss has. You see their kicker tonight. 55 yard, 56 yard kick. Like I think that's one thing in college football. The portal kickers value after this playoff and for the entire back end of the season is skyrocketed. That guy was from Western Kentucky. It's. It's unbelievable. Like college kickers, we're going to see that next week. And Miami has had a bad kicker even though that game's indoors better. Yeah, indoors will be a lot better than that win against A and M. But lastly too shout out Hard Rock. Bet the odds right now for the national champion Indiana plus 135. Oregon and Miami plus 300. Ole Miss plus 550. I think at the beginning of the playoff it was two lane JMU obviously and I think it was Miami Ole Miss I want to say plus 10,000, which is insane the fact that these odds have gone so down. But based on what you've said, I'm assuming you're going Indiana. Miami. Indiana is going to win it all. Plus 135.
- [66:30]
John Middelkoff
Yeah, I think if you were going to bet this, you would bet my. Miami would be the bet. Because if they were to win that game and play Indiana, they'd probably be like what would your guess on that line be? Indiana by four, maybe three. You know, Indiana be favored but Miami would not be like a plus, you know, two to one underdog money line to win that game. So you probably take them right now plus 300 or just put all your shifts in the middle table on Indiana. Now again I do think Oregon, you know I'd be blocked. I didn't even watch two lane game because the NFL was on.
- [67:08]
Jackson
But oh, the JMU today.
- [67:09]
John Middelkoff
Like I thought. I thought Dante like there were points times like he's like trying to almost prove like he's some superstar. I don't know. He's a little out of whack, out of rhythm. They kind of started forcing it. I just never thought he could get like a. Now part of that's their defense is good, right? I mean their D line, they had a couple plays where it was like Jesus, these guys, no wonder they paid all this money. They need to now invest in a quarterback. The ni. If I was an NIL agent for the top quarterbacks. They have been blowing up Joey McGuire's phone. I mean the quarterback. If you told me that Texas Tech has the highest paid quarterback in the country, I do think it's Believable because I don't even know who would be considered the top quarterback. But let's just say there's. They're competing for two or three of them. It's just going to drive the price up. They're going to end up with one of the top guys in the portal for sure. That's. Who knows, Maybe a guy. Maybe a guy. They tamper and a guy comes out that you don't even see coming. Right. Because you could enter. You don't have to have already entered. Like, the portal opens now. Like, you can throw your name in tomorrow if you want.
- [68:26]
Jackson
That's where I. What I was talking about with Texas Tech and their offensive line, where you got to be pretty frustrated if you're the boosters especially you're 60 at halftime. And that defensive money you spent, all that money, they're not coming.
- [68:35]
John Middelkoff
Defense was awesome.
- [68:36]
Jackson
And they're not coming back, though. Like, those three guys are not coming back. So it's like, well, like we got to go and buy more in three more defensive linemen and get a guy for $10 million. Some guys that are going to be just some, just some names for people out there. Because I know you love free agency in the NFL. Like, I love the portal. Like, the portal is like college football free agency. And I know people are like, oh, they're going to go chase money. Like, just go in and get a bag.
- [68:58]
Katie Couric
Cool.
- [68:58]
Jackson
It brings more drama to the sport. Sam Levitt out of Arizona State, D.J. lagway, Brennan Sorsby out of Cincinnati has been rumored because his girlfriend committed there for volleyball a couple weeks ago. He's pretty talented, but we'll see if he goes to the draft. Josh Hoover, Raiola and then Drew Messamaker will probably follow Eric Morris at Oklahoma State. I don't think he's going to probably go somewhere else, but Levitt is a.
- [69:21]
John Middelkoff
Good, a good example. They've played him or they know him because the conference tape for a couple years. I think that, like they will be all over a guy like that. And if they had Sam, a healthy Sam Levitt today, I, you know, I don't know if they ultimately win the game, but the game does not feel like it felt through the first couple before it became a blowout in the fourth quarter. Like they were right there. Their quarterback was terrible, atrocious. Their office was terrible.
- [69:47]
Jackson
Yeah, they need one play receiver too.
- [69:50]
John Middelkoff
The running back made the one sweet play where he juked the two guys out and they reverse field, but other than that they couldn't move the ball, it was like this is, this is a terrible television product. Guys like, what, what? And it's not like Oregon was doing great either. But the. Yeah, I mean I would expect them to. Sam Levitt, he's going to get a lot of money. But some of these guys, like what's his name from Oklahoma last year that went to Auburn, like a lot of guys get a lot of money and don't do. And a lot of people that, you know, guys that people make fun of. I mean, this happened probably more a couple years ago like when Bo Nix and Dylan Gabriel will go on and like crush it. So, you know that's. It's kind of weird with quarterbacks. I mean, look at Trinidad. So I just. Let's say DJ Lagway signed somewhere like DJ Lagway. You know, look at, look at Nico in that situation. I mean he actually was. Had a pretty good like four game stretch for ucla, but they won three games. You know, again, the first four games. Probably not his fault if Tim Skipper coach the whole year. Maybe they're like 5 and 7 or 6 and 6. But I mean you just. I think sometimes because these quarterbacks are really famous, like wherever Dylan Raiola goes is going to be a huge headline. If I tell you Dylan Rayola's at Tennessee, let's use that as example. I don't know if that's going to happen. I'm just going to throw that out there. Would it shock you if next year they went like 7 and 5 or 8 and 4? You know, it's not like just because, you know, it's not like you get them. You're guaranteed to, you know, to dominate. So I'm with you on that. Let's. It's kind of getting late. I know we wanted to hit on one more thing that Dan Lanning kind of went on this rant about the, the schedule and how college football belongs on Saturdays. And basically, you know, once December hits and the NFL starts taking the Saturday games and he's big on like, we don't need these big breaks. Just the season ends. If we got to start week zero, everyone plays week zero. Whenever this conference championship ends, you start playing the playoff games the following week. And I don't disagree with him on that because that's what D1 Double A does. Even though I think they do a two week break for the finals, right? Because yeah, I think Nashville is upcoming Monday, but no one would even complain about that. There's these huge breaks. I mean, when's the last time Texas Tech or You know, Indiana played a game or Ohio State. It was like a month ago. Right. So I agree with him on that. The thing I don't. And I listen, I know he's not thinking about it like this many variables. The television networks like espn, who has NFL games during December, CBS and Fox, who have games during December, they also pay a lot for college football. They like the NFL games on, during the December games. They do. You know, ESPN has a game this Saturday, right? Seattle versus the 49ers. 40 million people are going to watch. I forget some of the games. There was a good game a couple weeks ago. I was like, Bears, Packers, I think was on Fox. It was Tom Brady on a Saturday night. Like 30 million people watch these games. So it's like, I don't even disagree with Dan Lanning, but the people he's in business with that pay all the money for all this, like they're part of. Roger Goodell gets blamed for everything. But it's not like Netflix or Amazon doesn't want to do these deals on Christmas or on Black Friday or on some random December Saturday. That's where I think it's not even plausible because these, Fox is never going to be like, yeah, you're right, Dale, let's just do a Big Ten game. No, they, they want to do Eagles, packers on a Saturday night in the middle of December. That's why it's probably not going to happen.
- [73:24]
Jackson
I do think though, I mean the home field playoff games, I think you have to have some at night, you have to have some during the day. But these neutral site games, I don't think it's a big deal that you play them at 10am or 1pm and you give the NFL the afternoon. Like, I don't think that that's a big deal in terms of the college football perspective to get the most viewership. And I think on top of that, like, I know people want bowl games to go get rid of. You put those during the week. Tcu, USC was awesome to watch the Pop Tart bowl, the Citrus bowl with Arch Manning. Like have those filled during the week and have your CFP games on the weekend. Like, I just don't think these neutral site games, especially when they're all indoor, it's, it's like it's not a big deal if it's at night versus during the day, if that makes sense. And I also think on top of that, like, if this does go to a 16 team playoff, you know, TNT, I mean, they're probably in the bad bargain of the deal, they're not going to want a group of five teams as their, as their college football team that night. Especially going up against the NFL, even though it's not comparable 3 million to 40 million. I mean 20 million, 10 million compared to 40 million is better than watching JMU get blown out against Oregon. So I think it just makes sense. I would love to see the season start earlier and then have the portal be in January. I just, I think the schedule, hopefully they can figure it out. I don't even know who you talk to. The ncaa, they're probably just still sleeping. So it's like we're not going to get this figured out until another couple of years anyways. It's just kind of frustrating.
- [74:42]
John Middelkoff
You're not wrong on the morning, like college football. Fox's biggest game is a 9am West Coast Kickoff and it crushes. It is dominated for them. Now a lot of that's Ohio State and Michigan, but it's. It works. I also think one change clearly is we need more home college football games. We need more home college football games.
- [75:04]
Jackson
That's where it's like, if you do have a first round buy, like give them at least the home field playoff advantage.
- [75:09]
John Middelkoff
That's where they get screwed. That's where. So this team has all this momentum coming. A lot of. I mean, I guess Miami was on the road, but then Texas Tech's just sitting there in Miami.
- [75:19]
Jackson
You know, it's like, oh my God.
- [75:23]
John Middelkoff
Yeah, that. That was, that was a weird vibe. That was. That would have been way cooler at Tech because we saw earlier this year when they hosted. Was it Utah or byu? Byu. Yeah, it was awesome. I remember watching like, this place is sick. I remember game day was there like this badass and they got to go to Miami in front of, you know, half the sucks for Oregon too, who travels well, they're probably thinking like, hey, we'll just hold out till the final four, hopefully. Which I don't blame them, but I, I'm with you. We got a lot to figure out and I don't even think we're remotely close to figuring any of it out, but at least that. Thanks for hopping on with me tonight. It's been a. It's been a long couple days, but what a night.
- [76:03]
Katie Couric
That.
- [76:03]
John Middelkoff
That was. That was sweet. That was sweet. That was a good. That was a good cap to the, to the start of the new year.
- [76:10]
Jackson
Hey, happy 2026. Happy portal season. Everybody get excited. The portal comes up. I know people get so frustrated, but nah, it's always great. Talking college football. We'll get the sport figured out. Everyone's got to relax. The sport's great. Just got to figure it out. But tonight, enjoy Ole Miss, Indiana, Miami and Oregon. Are you kidding me?
- [76:28]
John Middelkoff
Did you cut the social that said that Arch Manning back like three months ago that Arch Manning wasn't an NFL player? I said it, but we posted it.
- [76:38]
Jackson
I think so. Yeah.
- [76:39]
John Middelkoff
That, that thing has gotten found, I think in the University of Texas message boards or something. I am getting attacked from all angles. And listen, I said what I said. I think when stuff like that happens, I don't even know if people are paying attention to the date. Not that anyone cares.
- [76:56]
Jackson
No, no chance.
- [76:57]
John Middelkoff
But they, the Texas contingent of fans on social media are not happy that I said Arch was not a draftable player. Again, that was early in the season and he was playing terribly. He's turned it around. He's definitely turned it around. He's on the come up. He did. Hey, in fairness to me, they spent $25 million and they, they were out of playoff contention in October. He also had to take a pay cut. So in the world I'm in, in pro football, we take a pay cut, usually something's going wrong. Again, I'm not an Arch Manning hater. I did believe when I said that he was playing terribly. He has definitely turned it around, is coming in the right direction and he's got like, I'll end it on this. Like you watch Gunner Stockton and he feels like the toughest player in college. Arch is tough as shit. I mean, he gets destroyed, he's injured. I still think his arm can be a little hit or miss, but he's definitely really athletic. He's definitely got more accurate, feels much more comfortable passing. He's improved a lot. Which redshirt sophomore. He's been there a couple years, right?
- [78:00]
Jackson
Yeah, he's got two more years. I just think his confidence, I think that's all it came down. It was his confidence just looking at the social media and stuff and one little nugget on my Texas Cam Coleman out of Auburn. Not a lot of people know about him. He's a top receiver. He just dealt with Jackson Arnold and Peyton Thorne the last couple years. Texas is making a push for him. I think if he has him at the number one wide receiver, watch out for Texas next year. Man. I think he needs that go to receiver to help him out.
- [78:21]
John Middelkoff
Jeremiah Smith to Miami. You see that gaining traction. They were doing a lot of long hugs last night.
- [78:27]
Jackson
I know. If you would have saw that video you'd have been like, oh, Jeremiah Smith. They won, like Ohio State won that football game. But no, they lost. And he's smiling with his old buddies at Miami.
- [78:35]
John Middelkoff
But he grew up with all those guys, right? Yeah, I could see Mario. You know, it's one of those. What? There was a game early this year. Oh, it was the Kaylin Dubois when the dude was trying to hug his backup quarterback and he grabbed him. You know, if I was Ryan Day, I would have, I would have grabbed him. But hey, when you get your ass kicked, you know, by Miami as a nine and a half point favorite, you kind of got to run to the locker room. But hey, you know, he's defending champions. Not anymore. Okay, Jackson, good night and I will talk to you soon, buddy. See ya. Happy new year. The volume. This is an iHeart podcast.
- [79:15]
Katie Couric
Guaranteed Human.