Big Ten Championship Reactions: Cignetti Stunner! Indiana Defeats Ohio State! | The McShay Show

Summary

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The McShay Show: Big Ten Championship Reactions—Cignetti Stunner! Indiana Defeats Ohio State!

Podcast: The McShay Show
Host: Todd McShay (Steve), with co-host Tucker
Published by: The Ringer
Date: December 7, 2025
Episode Theme:
An in-depth, immediate reaction to Indiana’s jaw-dropping 13–10 upset win over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game, with draft insights, coaching analysis, and a breakdown of the chaos lining up the College Football Playoff picture. Todd and Tucker dissect Indiana’s disciplined, daring defensive game plan, the rise of Fernando Mendoza, and implications for both the NFL Draft and the new 12-team playoff.

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Overview

This episode is a live, post-game breakdown of an epic Big Ten Championship in which underdog Indiana upset powerhouse Ohio State. Todd McShay and Tucker bring expert insight—both scouting and schematic—to unpack how Indiana’s disciplined defense, patient offense, and head coach Curt Cignetti’s approach led to one of college football’s most stunning results. The show also pivots to previewing the playoff picture, discussing standout players (especially Heisman favorite Mendoza), and reflecting on the broader implications for the draft and next season.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Indiana’s Defense: A Masterclass in Discipline and Design

[04:06–11:38]

• Opening Take: “Let’s start with the Indiana defense. … I told you about those Indiana linebackers. … The safety Lewis Moore had a big play.”
  —Tucker [04:20]
• Indiana’s focus: Limiting big plays, forcing Ohio State to dink and dunk underneath.
• Discipline and sound tackling were emphasized, with constant high effort and “taking away the top.”
• “Indiana’s defense established itself as one of the best in the country, probably the second best in the country, right behind that Ohio State defense.”
  —Tucker [05:26]
• Schematic complexity: Recognized by Joel Klatt during the broadcast, Indiana confused Ohio State QB Julian Sayin with shifting zone looks—resulting in a first-series interception and frequent third-down struggles:
  • “The complexity of a zone defense is in what they show you pre versus what they actually are post.”
    —Steve [06:00]
• D’Angelo Ponds, a 5'9” corner, repeatedly took on 6'5” WR Jeremiah Smith, displaying tenacity, technique, and football IQ, earning NFL attention.
  • “He held up with instincts and toughness and being crafty … I saw a lot out of him.”
    —Steve [11:38]

Defensive Stats and Personnel Standouts

[13:29–16:43]

• The game was a showcase for both defensive fronts; OSU stars (Kaden Curry, Sonny Styles, Kaden McDonald) also performed, but Indiana LB corps (Relijah Hardy, Isaiah Jones, Lewis Moore) stole the show.
• “Their linebackers are SO good at getting after the quarterback—unique for that team.”
  —Tucker [15:03]
• Credit to Cignetti for making Indiana so fundamentally sound: “I don’t know another team on both sides of the ball as fundamentally sound … gap discipline.”
  —Steve [16:17]
• Indiana’s defense “involves a lot of twisting and a lot of moving because they know they’re not as talented or big.”
  —Steve [17:26]

Coaching: Curt Cignetti’s Influence

[15:43–17:26, 16:03–16:43]

• Cignetti didn’t call a “wild” game but delivered fundamentals and trust in his players and staff, keeping Indiana in the fight as underdogs.
• “He was the wild card and the guy who scared me most. … Fundamentally sound. Gap discipline.”
  —Steve [16:03]

Philosophical Points on Defense

[19:08–22:37]

• Indiana’s defense required “players who are super smart and able to handle everything you’re doing, super disciplined, and tackle well in space.”
  • “If you don’t have players that are smart and execute, then you can get in a world of trouble quick.”
    —Tucker [19:08]
• Indiana succeeded where aggressive, creative defenses often fail—minimizing breakdowns.

Instant Classic: Defensive Football Still Rules

[23:06–23:27]

• “Ferocious, attacking … How can 13–10 be an instant classic? Because of this.”
  —Steve [23:06–23:27]

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Indiana’s Offense and the Mendoza Moment

Early Adversity: Injuries and Adjustments

[23:29–27:08]

• QB Fernando Mendoza took a huge hit on the opening series, briefly left before returning.
• WR Omar Cooper, their #1, left with injury—the offense needed new heroes.
• Jonathan Brady (ex-Cal transfer, rapport with Mendoza) and Charlie Becker (TE) stepped up big.
• Charlie Becker: “Six for 126 [yards]—in three games vs. Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, he had 18 catches for 340+ yards. When needed, he delivers.”
  —Steve [27:22–27:38]

Offensive Patience and Rushing Attack

[28:17–28:54]

• Indiana stuck with the run against a daunting OSU defense, with Kalyn Black and Roman Hemby splitting 29 carries for 121 yards.
  • “That OL … not the biggest, but developed into a damn good group.”
    —Steve [28:17]

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The Heisman Moment: Fernando Mendoza

Toughness and NFL Traits

[36:21–41:41]

• “Tonight was the game … that third-down throw down the right rail … was the moment.”
  —Steve [36:46]
• Mendoza’s bounce-back after the early hit: “He handled it perfectly—toughness. It was business as usual.”
  —Steve [40:03]
• Stats: 15/23, 222 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT (fluke, tipped off a blocker), 3 sacks (all first half).
• “There were NFL throws in there … smart decision-making, mobility, anticipation … all functional.”
  —Steve [40:36]
• “There are seven or eight NFL dudes on that [OSU] defense at high level.”
  —Steve [40:36]
• Quote on Mendoza’s Draft Rise: “I’m telling you, like, my chips are here … what he’s done all season long … I can put all my chips in now.”
  —Steve [44:00]
• “This is Fernando Mendoza’s [Heisman] to lose.”
  —Steve [37:41]

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Broader Reactions: Ohio State and Prospects

[44:26–45:03]

• “Jeremiah Smith is just different every time I see him move … it speaks to how good that Indiana defense was, to do what they did tonight.”
  —Tucker [44:26–44:44]
• Both teams loaded with NFL talent, but Indiana’s discipline and coaching “leveled the playing field.”

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Playoff Picture: Projecting the Top 12

[51:07–73:12]

The Five Automatic Bids

• Indiana (Big Ten)
• Georgia (SEC)
• Texas Tech (Big 12)
• Tulane (AAC)
• James Madison (Group of Five, next-highest champ)

“Weird. If you told us in the beginning of the season … Indiana? … Not Ohio State … ACC didn’t get an automatic bid this year?”
—Steve [53:23]

Seven At-Large Bids (McShay Show Consensus)

1. Ohio State
2. Oregon
3. Texas A&M
4. Ole Miss
5. Oklahoma
6. Alabama
7. Notre Dame

• Intel on Selection:
  “I have a job to do … Who are the 12 best teams? Who are the 7 best at-large … I don’t care [head-to-head] when the loss was in August and teams have evolved.”
  —Steve [57:36–59:17]
• Controversy over ND vs. Miami, with Miami fans in the chat criticizing the choice:
  “I feel like I’m taking a chunk out of my soul [leaving out Miami over ND], but it was in August.”
  —Steve [60:42]

Official TMS Top 12 (Seeded)

1. Indiana
2. Georgia
3. Ohio State
4. Texas Tech
5. Oregon
6. Texas A&M
7. Ole Miss
8. Oklahoma
9. Alabama
10. Notre Dame
11. Tulane
12. James Madison

• Projected First-Round Matchups:
  • Oregon vs. JMU
  • Texas A&M vs. Tulane
  • Ole Miss vs. Alabama
  • Oklahoma vs. Notre Dame
• “Two really good games on the 19th and 20th.”
  —Steve [72:55]

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Broader Football Talk: Scheduling and Playoff Impacts

[65:20–67:10]

• “Do you think Texas is ever going to schedule Ohio State out of conference again? … Those blockbuster early games? Those are gone.”
  —Tucker [65:44]
• Meaningful implication: Nonconference blockbuster matchups risk playoff positioning under current format.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Game as an Instant Classic:
  “How can 13–10 be an instant classic? … But how can you watch that game and not feel like it was an instant classic?” [23:27]
• Mendoza’s ‘Moment’:
  “Tonight was the game … that third-down throw down the right rail … was the moment.” [36:46]
• On Indiana’s Defense:
  “I kind of fell in love. I’ve had a crush on Indiana all year long—I think I’m in love.” [22:37–22:44]
• Draft Aftermath:
  “D’Angelo Ponds made a lot of money today.” [10:46]
• Selection Dilemma:
  “I have to chip away at my soul … but it was in August … teams have evolved.” [60:42]
• On Chat Engagement:
  “This is the dream. This is what we’ve been building. Thank you so much for being here.” [41:10]
• On Saturday nights:
  “You always get weird on Saturday night. I like it.” [22:47]

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Important Timestamps

• 04:06: First analysis of Indiana’s defense and opening thoughts postgame
• 10:46: D’Angelo Ponds discussed as a key NFL prospect and player of the game
• 13:29: Defensive player stat breakdowns for Indiana and Ohio State
• 23:29: Pivot to discuss Indiana’s offense, Becker’s rise
• 28:17: Rushing attack and OL discussion for Indiana
• 36:21: Focused segment on Mendoza’s “moment” and Heisman case
• 51:07: Start of TMS Top 12 (playoff/draft implications debate)
• 65:44: Broader college football scheduling & playoff discussion
• 70:11–73:12: Top 12 seedings and playoff bracket matchups

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Final Thoughts

Todd McShay and Tucker delivered a comprehensive, emotionally charged breakdown of a seismic college football result—Indiana’s Big Ten triumph. The episode blended schematic analysis, NFL Draft projections, and a strong sense of “living history” as a new playoff era dawns. Listeners gain insight not only into how Indiana shocked the Buckeyes, but how this result will echo through both the recruiting and professional ranks for years to come.

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Useful for: Anyone wanting a full grasp on how Indiana pulled off the upset, why it matters for the postseason and draft, and a flavor of McShay’s dynamic analyst voice and camaraderie with his co-host.

For deep dives into Todd’s mock drafts and extra playoff analysis:
Subscribe at https://mcshay-report.beehiiv.com/subscribe

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Transcript

[Steve]

Foreign.

We got a show to do right now. It's 11:27 Eastern Time. We got away. We got the SEC championship game out of the way, but we still got a lot to get to here. I love you. And I love you in the new green hat. It means you mean business. I'll take it easy on you. Let's focus on business.

[Tucker]

Take it easy on me.

[Steve]

I'll take it easy on you. Let's focus on business. I stand on business. We, I mean we are.

2012 hours, 12 and a half hours.

From us going live at 12 Eastern tomorrow.

[Tucker]

And it's gonna be so much fun.

[Steve]

12 hours and 45 minutes away from the college football reveal happening and we're gonna do it on this show with our people in the chat. And we are also 138 days Stevie boy away from the NFL draft. So I gotta ask, you mean she good?

[Tucker]

I'm great, man.

[Steve]

Roll that thing, bab.

Congratulations, Fernando Mendoza, you are the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner. Congratulations, Fernando Mendoza, you are the number one overall draft pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The McShay show is presented by FanDuel. FanDuel's got it all. Same game parlays, quick bets for jumping in live and your way so you can build the bet that fits your play. Plus, don't miss out on holiday offers and surprises all month long. Download the FanDuel app or head to FanDuel.com McShay to get started, must be 21 and older in present select states or 18 and older in present DC, Kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- gambler or visit rg-help.com call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org chat in Connecticut. Congratulations, Indiana, you are the number one seed going into the college Football Playoff. That just all happened and we're here to talk about all of it. And I'm pumped. Plus, we have the TMS top 12 to get to the final one of the season. We're going to break it all down. We're going to look at the automatic bids, we're going to look at the at large bids. Mention, I are going to discuss what we think should happen. But this week, more importantly, we're going to discuss what we think is going to happen tomorrow. And when we're done with that, we're going to get a few hours sleep and we're going to be back at noon eastern tomorrow and we're going to cover the whole thing for hour and a half. Two hours even start previewing the first round of the college football playoffs. A lot is happening. We're fired up. Hope you are too. Appreciate this chat is blowing up and we're excited to have everyone even you hos and all of your negativity. What do you want to fire Ryan Day. But we appreciate everybody. That was an awesome ending and like I get it and this is modern day football and everyone wants 30, 40 points. That was great. Great football man. This episode is brought to you by Fox 1. Fox 1 is now live stream all your Fox favorites together in one place from NFL on Fox to to big noon Saturdays with Fox one. You get it all live start your seven day free trial today. Offers are subject to change. Go to Fox one for complete terms and conditions. Fox one streaming now. What are your biggest takeaways? Throw them at me.

[Tucker]

I mean I don't even know where to begin that ind first of all let's start with the Indiana defense.

[Steve]

I mean I guess I should begin by in case you're you know, from a different planet and did it. The final score was. Was 13 to 10.

[Tucker]

Right.

[Steve]

I mean we're gonna talk Indiana upsets Ohio State. So go ahead. Let's not go.

[Tucker]

We'll get into Mendoza more. We've already kind of. Yeah, we've hit on a fair amount of Mendozas. I'm gonna start with the Indiana defense and please I you I feel like this is going to be a lot of you patting yourself on the back tonight. So I'm gonna start off by patting myself on the back. I told you about those Indiana linebackers, man.

[Steve]

You did.

[Tucker]

I told you they are for real. And I felt all over the place. The safety Lewis Moore, another guy we talked about earlier in the year had a big play that that Indiana defense, disciplined, sound short tacklers, always chasing, always the effort is always at the the highest level. Unbelievable performance by them. I thought they did an excellent job of saying we we could talk about how Mendoza in the Indiana offense was patient and I thought they were stayed committed to the run. They he didn't try to attack deep when it wasn't there. He kind of just took what the defense gave. Also that I think that the defense for Indiana was patient and said we're just going to take away the big play and if you want to beat us by a thousand cuts in these little, these little small quick hitters that's fine but you're not going to get over the top.

[Steve]

Which they did.

[Tucker]

Ohio State did a couple times with Jeremiah Smith but they were, they were I thought keen on limiting those big plays and then the pass rush was a little inconsistent, but it got home at key points, man. So I thought Indiana's defense, especially when you look at that score, 13 10. Indiana's defense established itself as one of the best in the country, probably the second best in the country, right behind that Ohio State defense and a. A reason why this, this Indiana team, man, has a real shot of winning the whole damn thing.

[Steve]

There's so much to break down from that Indiana defense. Okay, first of all, I schematically, and I'll give Joel Klatt a lot of credit early in this game, like the first series of this game, he made the point of. I'm interested in seeing Julian saying against this zone defense that can be hard, hard to read. And as a former quarterback, you understand, like the complexity of a zone defense is in what they show you pre versus what they actually are post. Right.

[Tucker]

He was all over it. Yep. Right.

[Steve]

And then. And you saw in the very first third down.

Yeah, the first series, third and six. Saying was. Was fooled. It was like two plays after Joel Clapp mentioned it. Interception. Okay. That gives Mendoza and Indiana a short field inside the 25 yard line. They wind up getting stalled. Kick a field goal, connect three, nothing. Right? That was the start of things. Second series, third down, third down on that series.

Saying was fooled again. Yeah, Tell he like he's reading through it. You saw the replay of it. Didn't trust his eyes. Then he, he got like kind of hectic in the pocket and wound up trying to bail out. Takes a sack.

Series is over. Punt. So that's the first two series interception and a. And a sack that leads to a punt on third downs versus that zone coverage with those receivers and an offensive line that had been playing a lot better.

[Tucker]

Even the touchdown to Tate, remember that? He had to extend the play for a good five seconds and it was off script. It wasn't, you know, in rhythm. Here are my reads. Delivering the ball with confidence. That was a play he had to make off platform. You know what I mean?

[Steve]

There was legitimately one drive during the game where I thought Julian saying was in control and had figured things out. And that was the third quarter. Okay. Yep, it was in the third quarter. He hit Jeremiah Smith. Jeremiah Smith using his like physicality and body control along the sideline. Max Claire had a couple catches on that drive. They're systematically moving the ball through the air down the field. Right. Not chunks, not like, not luck, not one big. But they're like, they're Moving it chains 12, 15 right first downs and then they get down and, and that's when they went to commercial on the fourth down. It was inside the five yard line. Fourth down. They get the first display, they get the first down, come back.

And all of a sudden it was replayed and Gus Johnson's like whoa, we had a big, big situation and Joel, Joel explains it to us and, and, and the knee was down. Doesn't get the first down. Indiana gets the football. And that was with like 30 seconds left in the first quarter. They run one play, a 12 yard completion. Now they're, they're out of the back of the know the backs aren't up against the end zone and now they're, they're driving and hold on the football. But that was like, that was massive.

[Tucker]

I didn't even think it was close live by the way. I thought he had the first.

[Steve]

No problem. Oh I, yeah, I didn't even think twice about it when they came. I was shocked when they came back. But my point is in the, to the larger point on Indiana's defense, which is exactly where we should start this game. There were two things in maybe three major takeaways in this game. But the first has to be this Indiana defense.

This is an offense that has a quarterback in Julian saying that has been ascending all season long and was the Heisman favorite coming into this week.

[Tucker]

Right.

[Steve]

This is an offense with two hot, pretty high first round picks. Jeremiah Smith could be a number one overall pick if it wasn't for an awesome quarterback class. We'll see what the needs are in 2027. He will be the first non quarterback taken. He's that good. And then Carnell Tate could be a top 10, top 15 pick. Okay. In this year's draft, 2026 draft I should say.

And Bo Jackson, who's an ascending young talent at running back and is coming off of like two like four, four game stretch but against Michigan and like you just, you thought that he was going to have a solid day even though the, the run defense for Indiana is ranked second nationally coming into this, into this game behind just Texas Tech and we saw what Texas Tech. We were reminded what Texas Tech is earlier in the day against byu.

So what I'm watching today and it started with the zone coverage and the different looks and the discipline. The second thing I want to say is that d' Angelo Pons made a lot of money today.

A lot.

[Tucker]

He's a strong dude for a guy who's not that big.

[Steve]

I want you to understand he was giving up 6 inches and 55 pounds to Jeremiah. To Jeremiah Smith. I'm just looking up. He's 5, 9, 175, 170 pounds, 5, 9, 1, 7 0. Like 173, I think, is what is listed at right now. 5, 9. He finished the game second in the team with nine tackles. He was. Now, I want you to understand, Jeremiah Smith did. Did well. You gotta. You gotta kind of take that last reception away in terms of what. What happened. So it would have been like seven for 93 or 95 yards. Right. If that last Hail Mary that he caught, that meant nothing really.

But he also. He wasn't going against Pawns the entire day. And there was a lot of zone coverage and different things. But when I saw Pawns isolated on Jeremiah Smith the vast majority of the night, he held up, and he did it with instincts and toughness and being crafty and taking good angles and utilizing like, his. His body and the leverage. I saw a lot out of him. I'm excited to go watch that.

[Tucker]

He got beat early and then didn't back down. He wasn't like, oh, well, not good enough or whatever it was. Yeah, right away.

[Steve]

So I want to give him credit because.

When you think Indiana, you don't think unbelievable draft picks, right? I mean, you. You just don't. And. And you. When you think Indiana, you think, well, yeah, they're really well coached and they do all the little things. But. And Pons was probably, I don't know, I would argue, the top. The top prospect coming into the year from Indiana. Right.

[Tucker]

Tomorrow, had a lot of buzz, but he hasn't done as well this year. But, yeah, I would say you're right. I would say it right. That's right.

[Steve]

And then the left tackle emerged as the season progressed. And last year, they had. They had a really good class, like Indiana had the best class it has had since 2018. C.J.

[Tucker]

West, that defensive tackle, C.J.

[Steve]

West got drafted in the fourth round, and Curtis Rourke got drafted 227 overall in the seventh round. They hadn't had two players drafted in a single class since 2018. The last time that they had had. They've had three was 2016. And you got to go back to 2010. It happened one other time, and I'm literally like, 1988, bud. No, 91 and 88.

Like that. That's it. So you watch.

[Tucker]

You got your eye on this ACC game at all?

[Steve]

Let me turn it right now.

[Tucker]

47 seconds. Virginia's driving down 7.

Here we go.

[Steve]

Here we go. All Right. So. So that all is happening. Right. And a couple other things stood out to me and, and you. And I do want to give you credit. I said I, I was all over this. Indiana's defensive front. I, you know, and I don't remember who took. You took Ohio State. I took the defensive front. Both defensive fronts were great tonight. They really were. Kaden Curry was awesome. McDonald had a lot of plays and honestly, outside of ARVL Reese, a lot of guys showed up. It was, it was a 13 to 10 game. It was a great defensive game. Outside of ARVL Reik, literally every main character played the role of a main character. It was awesome to watch. Sonny Styles had 12 tackles, Downs had eight. Kaden Curry had seven with two sacks and three tackles for loss. Jalen McLean had six. Kaden McDonald who was stuffing up the middle, also had five. That makes 56 tackles on the season for a 326 pound defensive tackle. They did their job all right. But Indiana man.

Relijah Hardy and Ponds had nine. But rely, Relijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones combined for 17 tackles, three sacks and a pass breakup.

And another tackle for a loss.

[Tucker]

Their linebackers are so good at getting after the quarterback, man. It's, it is a unique thing for that team.

[Steve]

The, the, the level of effort. It's discipline followed by effort. I watched it every single play. Every. And I joked. I was joking around. When. The other day when you were messing with me about taking Signetti as the coach. And I was like, it was. And I get it. And part of it. I was trying to get a rise out of you. But I also believe that he was capable. He was the wild card and the guy who scared me the most because he's capable of doing something. But I also KNEW he's all four of these coaches. Obviously DeBoer's really good. Didn't have a great day. He's now 2 and 1 against Kirby. Smart. But. But had beaten Kirby the previous two times. Kirby is Kirby. I mean he's, he's like, you know, modern day.

Legend.

[Tucker]

Yep.

[Steve]

And obviously Ryan Day has been awesome for a long time and it's finally getting the, the record, not the recognition but. But finally, like we don't have to deal with that weirdness of the Michigan stuff and the national.

[Tucker]

Urban.

[Steve]

Urban.

[Tucker]

All of that.

[Steve]

But Signetti scared me in this, in this situation because. And quite honestly, he didn't do anything wild. But I also knew in watching them the last two years and I joked around like hat on hat gap discipline.

[Tucker]

Yep.

[Steve]

But like I Don't know another team in the country on both sides of the ball is as fundamentally sound. And on defense, when you're watching these guys, it's like you just watch across the board. It's. It's Tyreek Tucker, the NFL prospect of defensive tackle. Five and a half sacks on the season. Mario Landino, Stephen Daly, all these guys. Jose Dominique.

[Tucker]

Just got a first down on fourth and four. 29 seconds left. Here we go.

[Steve]

Let me ask you this question. Let's pause real quick on Ohio State and Indiana. Would you rather. What? Did he step out? Did he step out?

I hate when you're ahead. Yeah, he stepped out of bounds. He stepped out of bounds. Yeah. But they'll go. They have to go back.

[Jack]

Yeah.

[Tucker]

They got the flag.

[Steve]

Yep. Remember, people are watching and listening this after the fact. And we appreciate everyone who's on the chat.

[Tucker]

The chats, you're like, calm down.

[Steve]

The chat's about as big as we've ever had non draft related. So we appreciate everyone here. We'll go for another Lord knows how long.

But my point is it starts with the, the, the discipline up front. But they do a lot of twisting and a lot of moving because they know they're not necessarily as talented or big or powerful or athletic as some other other offensive lines they're going up against. So they have to, they've got to combine with. And it's not like there's no trickery, there's no gimmicks. It's just like being where you're supposed to be and then when we're. You're where you're supposed to be. We got to have you work to get off your box. But more importantly. No, they didn't call. No, they let him kick the extra point. It's tied 20.

[Tucker]

I guess they said they pushed him out.

[Steve]

Yeah. I wonder why.

[Tucker]

I don't. I don't operate conspiracy theories.

[Steve]

Well, the ACC has ACC refs and the ACC is looking at Miami on the outside looking in. And if Duke gets.

[Tucker]

Yeah.

[Steve]

Upsets Virginia in this game, you understand. Right. The ACC does not have a representative in the College Football Playoff. It is a massive black eye for that conference. It's a black enough eye for the conference that Virginia is your representative. No offense to Virginia, but a two loss team, it's like not very appealing in terms.

[Tucker]

Have never won an ACC championship. I don't think ever won. Yeah.

[Steve]

But.

Ty goes, Ty goes to Virginia in this situation. Of course. So they're taking it to overtime. That's in. Yeah. I mean you Believe you're the better team. Let's go. Play multiple downs. Not, not leave it up to one. All right, so that's tied to 2020. We'll keep an eye on that for you. 22 seconds left, then. Virginia's about to kick off to Duke.

[Tucker]

Speaking of Indiana thing though, when you stunt and when you move around like that and you do simulated pressures and you, you mix up what you're throwing on an offense, it's great. But it does leave you open to breakdowns and coverage and breakdowns and gap discipline. And it can lead to, if your players are one, super smart and able to handle everything you're doing, two, super disciplined and three, tackle well in space. And I think you saw that a couple times where it looked like Bo Jackson was going to break one and they guys were making one on one tackles in space to prevent that from turning into a huge play. I mean, it's, it's, it's awesome to do. And I think every coordinator in a perfect world would love to be able to mix it up like that. But if you don't have players that are smart and execute, then you can get into a world of trouble quick. That's why whenever a defense is struggling, it's all why you always hear a coordinator say, we got to simplify what we're doing. You know what I mean? Because that's usually the, the more complicated stuff leads to breakdowns and big plays.

[Steve]

I mean, I talked about Kaden McDonald, right? Is, is the nose tackle for Ohio State. 6, 3, 3, 26. I'm not saying these guys are small by any stretch, but Tyreek Tucker is 6 foot 298, short, squatty build, not 300 pounds. I told you about the two defensive tackles they brought in, Jose Wheeler and Ratcliffe. When I said they've got a type. 632-986-3296.

[Tucker]

Right.

[Steve]

That, that's their type, right?

Do you remember Gary Patterson at tcu? It wasn't that long ago. It was, yeah, five, seven. I remember covering the Rose bowl and being on the field and watching Wisconsin when Wisconsin was Wisconsin and they were rolling out 1500, 1500 yard rushers a year and all of that.

And I remember watching them in pre games. You know, the sun's starting to go down, the mountains in the backdrop, and I'm, and I'm taking in the beauty, but I'm also taking in, oh, TCU's in for a long night. Yeah, because those guys are 330 and those guys are like, at that time, like 284, 291, 276. It was like a 40 pound average across the board difference. And TCU shut the Wisconsin run game and offense down like few others all season long and, and really in like a couple years and they did it. And I got to know Gary Patterson after I went to his house and when we were down at, at a bowl game the year, a couple years after we talked about that game. But just watching it, it was, it was the combination of getting quicker off the ball but not just flying up field recklessly, but knowing exactly what gap you have to be in, how you got to beat your man, what angle you have to have and you're each person's playing a role, it's what Indiana's doing. And then behind that you got to have a bunch of wild like rabid dogs chasing because it's your turn to get that clean shot at the running back or the quarterback. You got like it's the last play of your life. And that's what I saw every. If it wasn't Fisher, it was Hardy. If it wasn't Hardy, it was Isaiah Jones. If it wasn't Isaiah Jones, it was Lewis Moore or Amari Farrell. Like I don't know man, I kind of fell in love.

I've had a crush on Indiana all year long. I think I'm in love.

I just love the way they play ball.

[Tucker]

You always get weird on Saturday night. I like it.

[Steve]

Yeah, I know, I know.

But yeah, so, so that's. So that was the defensive side of the ball and I thought it was an awesome effort, like an absolutely awesome design. Coaching execution by players.

[Tucker]

The.

[Steve]

It was like the word of like vicious, ferocious, just attacking and then pawns what he's doing on the outside. And I don't know, it was, it was a lot of fun to watch. This was. How can 1310 be an instant classic? But how can you watch that game and not feel like it was an instant classic?

Let's flip over the other side.

[Tucker]

Yep. Your guy, Charlie B.

[Steve]

We talked about this earlier. You know, it's seven catches all season long going into Penn State. Was it Surat or was. I think it was Sarat. Yeah. Because Cooper had the big touchdown catch at the end. It was Sarat that was out of that game. Well, I want to remind, I want to remind everyone the way this game started.

[Tucker]

The Penn State game is what you're talking about. Was that. Yeah.

[Steve]

Penn State game. Yes. But I want to remind everyone how tonight started. The first play from sc, I think it was the first or second play. We were wrapping up some work. First series, first player two. Mendoza takes a shot from Curry. That was legal.

Well within the. Wasn't penalized. Fair. I didn't think it was. I didn't think it was dirty and it was legal. It was just a good shot. When you get an opportunity to knock, to knock down and, and. And send a message to one of the Heisman finalists and the quarterback of the opposing team, he took, he handled it perfectly, but he knocked Mendoza's ass out. We're looking up at our respective screens and he's motionless on the ground and people are flooding to him and they're going to commercial and it's like, what? What?

[Tucker]

His brother's warming up. It was.

[Steve]

Yeah, like, is this. It is. And like it's ruined the night, but it ruined a Heisman. And like what? All of it. He comes back in the game the next series.

Deep ball. Good ball from Mendoza. Omar Cooper, who's. Who's been the. Really the number one, the go to guy, the best wide receiver for Indiana. He had the touchdown catch against Penn State. He's going down. Contested catch. Two defenders there, well defended. Could have made an unbelievable catch. Doesn't make it. And then he's on the ground. He's got a lower body injury. So now we've got our quarterback being peeled off the ground and our number one wide receivers out. And we didn't know at the time. He didn't return.

[Tucker]

No. Right.

[Steve]

And so now the defensive coverage for Ohio State is kind of shifting over and they're taking Surat out of the game. Surat wound up finishing and he played well. He had a couple important catches in this game.

Yeah, he had the touchdown for seven. I think it was 17 yards, but it was three for 37. Someone had to step up tonight. And it was. It was a cool story that, that Jonathan Brady, number zero, I think it was. He came in right away after Cooper went out. He had a couple catches, two for 20. And the. I come to find out he was a Cal transfer with Mendoza. So you're like, oh, well, there's a rapport there.

[Tucker]

Great.

[Steve]

But he's got 12 catches on this season, so the rapport can't be that great that it's superseding like the talent or whatever's going on.

[Tucker]

Right.

[Steve]

So. So now we're down to Surat, who's getting extra coverage against the fourth or fifth best run defense in the country.

And Mendoza's taking sacks because the pressure's on him early on and who's going to step up? Who's going to step up as Charlie Becker one more time? I told you the Penn State game, he had seven catches coming in. He basically doubled his production in that game.

And you know, on the entire season that's 14. Is that even right? Yeah, he's six in this game. I've got to look up his. He had one. So it was seven catches against Penn State, five against Wisconsin, one against Purdue.

And then tonight, and then tonight he had six. So essentially like he's like, I'm here if you need me, but when Surat and, and Cooper are in the lineup, you don't need me. And that's essentially what he is.

It's six for 126.

So in three games, Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State, he said 18 catches for 340 something yards.

And the rest of it he hasn't even sniffed that. It's pretty crazy. He's a 6 foot 4, 204 pound sophomore from Nashville, Tennessee.

Pretty cool. Big Ten championship home state.

[Tucker]

Unbelievable. Unconscious, doesn't care about the moment, just go ahead and go, go make some plays. And they found the matchup. By the way, the styles, they got him on Styles as much as they could. It could do it.

So yeah, they, once they got him in the slot and they got a match up on the safety. I think Mendoza felt really good about that matchup and went back to it as many times as he could.

[Steve]

And I do think it's pretty cool that those running backs against that defense, the running backs who have been really good all, all season long and that offensive line, that is not the biggest, it's not the strongest, but it's developed into a damn good offensive line. And you get a couple guys that are going to play in the NFL off that group. But it's not, you know, it's not Texas or Georgia, you know, it's just, it's not. But it's a good group and they're getting better in the trenches on both sides of the ball every year. But the fact that those two backs, as I mentioned before, come in and against a defense at 86 rushing yards per game, Ohio State allowed, it's fifth in the nation, just looked it up.

And basically just locked everyone down and Hemy and Black come in in 29 carries for 120. Yeah, 121 yards. So they almost doubled. No, that would have been hundreds. So but anyway like 40 something more rushing yards between the two of them. And it was, it was typical Kalon, Kalyn Black and Roman Hemby have been just sharing the load all season long. And it was 16 for one, 13 for the other, 69 rushing yards for black. Hemby had 52 all season long. Right. Duke just scored a touchdown in overtime. 26:20. So I thought, like everyone, it was a team effort. It was a team win, you know, and that was cool. And I want to get to Mendoza in a second. And we're. Right now, we still have Virginia and Duke and there's a flag and it's 2620. We'll get to that in a second. But I do want to let everyone know how appreciative we are of the Home Depot man. It's time to get in a special segment. And it's like, could not be more apropos to what went on in college football today. So this is a special segment of the show called the Home Depot Home Field Advantage, I should say brought to you by our friends at the Home Depot, the place to go build your dream game day setup on your own home field, whether it's the tailgate, your backyard, or your living room. And I got to tell you, and it started last week. I didn't, I didn't even bring this. I forgot to bring this up last week. Like, I live in a house right? Where I'm watching the biggest games and most. And last week is we've got the game on at noon and we're doing a show right after that, right? And that's Ohio State and it's Michigan and it's a massive game. But I also have a bunch of Clemson crazies in this house too. And Clemson didn't have the season that they were expecting. So like in, in preparation. And I've got a. I've got a normal family living room, right. I don't have like all these screens, like a man cave and all that. I've got my office and studio up here where I come and I can isolate away from all of them and get my work done and ball. But I don't want to sit up here for 12 hours, you know, in between shows and all that. I like to be downstairs and Mercer puts out a spread and all that. So thinking ahead, knowing that I couldn't just do the four screen because I'm not like, it's not like four games are going on. Like, yeah, I'll give you one of the quads. Like, I've got to watch Ohio State, Michigan, but I also got like AJ And Mia who grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. They got to watch Clemson South Carolina. So what did I do? I was like, who better? Home Depot delivery, because I'm busy, I can't drive. Delivery had a, a mobile, a mobile TV stand come in. You just hook it right up to the thing. So now you put it in there, it doesn't look bad. You tuck it against the wall. Now we get two screens. Ah, Big Mac gets to watch the big tv. They got a nice decent size. It's, it's mobile. And then, and then when you're done, you can just put it away in a side closet and bring it back out when you need it. Another time. Amazing.

[Tucker]

Interesting rivalry week.

[Steve]

And so we had it again today. It's amazing. So since we're talking about the home field, that's my home field, you got to create advantages, right? Since we're talking about home fielded energy. Right. We're going to talk about, and I want to like how important today was. And I know there was no, no like definitive home field, traditional home field, but you're telling me, look at the results today, man. You're in Indianapolis, you're inside the dome where we're going to be for the combine. Indiana beats Ohio State. Georgia playing in front of heavily home favorite, home crowd in its favor in Atlanta against Alabama. And I know Ohio State travels well, I know Alabama travels well, but you're home. There's something about the comfort of home, right?

[Tucker]

Yeah.

[Steve]

And then by the way, in that Georgia game, block punt, get some Momentum. Kirby struggles vs Alabama, Owen 2 vs DeBoer 1 and 7 vs Bama 03 in that stadium today. But it got personal today. Sometimes you got to regain your home. Like me getting the, the TV roll in the mobile TV stand. Sometimes you got to take, take over your home again. Texas Tech this morning, I know they're better than byu, but playing in Arlington inside helps. Jer, Jer, playing at home helps.

[Tucker]

Man, playing those crowds were electric today. That was. I mean, the crowds were awesome today.

[Steve]

So whether you're inside the combine dome, the Georgia Dome, Texas stadium.

It definitely gives an advantage, a serious edge. But you can create your home field advantage is what I'm trying to tell you. It's all tying together. Whether you're tailgating at the stadium or watching from your backyard or living room. The Home Depot has everything you need for a game day setup that brings the energy from grills and smokers from top brands like Traeger and Next Grill or Weber to fire pits to and smart lighting. You got to have good lighting outside that's critical to speakers, outdoor TVs they've got all of it and lots, lots more, right? Fast free delivery. It's how I got that there. It's how I got the heater for the outside, the hibachi. Remember, Fast free delivery. Over 2 million online items delivered free to your door, subject to availability. See home depot.com for more details. Please the Home Depot how doers get more done all right and thanks again to Home Depot. They have been awesome partner in all this this season.

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[Jack]

Chevrolet Together, Let's Drive this episode is brought to you by Spectrum Business. Without Internet, you wouldn't be able to hear my beautiful voice right now and businesses wouldn't be able to stay connected the way they need. So what if I told you you can get free business Internet forever with Spectrum Business? Just add four mobile lines, get business Internet, advanced WI fi and security shield for free for life. No contracts, no added fees. All you have to do to find out how you can get free Spectrum Business Internet [e-mail] freeforlife that's where you go. Restrictions apply. Services not available in all areas.

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Oh, what a mess.

[Steve]

Let's finish on Mendoza and then let's get back to Duke.

[Tucker]

Yep, go.

[Steve]

And that will help us transition to the TMS top 12 and start previewing what's going to go on in the madness tomorrow. I started this show off by saying, Fernando Mendoza, you need a moment. And whether a moment is a play or a game or a play within a full game, tonight was the game the the third down, throw down the Right. Rail that we all watch together was the moment.

[Tucker]

Agree.

[Steve]

It's. It's confidence from your coach and then delivering in that moment. Right.

[Tucker]

Yeah.

[Steve]

And to throw to your third string wide receiver who's been elevated to two. See him one on one matchup and just drill it. I can already see the Heisman coverage now. Like Julian saying will be there. Jeremiah Love will be there and deserves to be there. In fact, I think you should probably be second in the Heisman voting. If I'm being honest. I have to make my Heisman vote tomorrow morning. I will do so. I will not give out my. But if I had to guess right now, because it's very important as a voter. But I just got all the paperwork and a reminder. I will not let you know who my 1, 2 and 3 are. It is, it is part of the deal and I will honor that, obviously. But I, I think just go to fanduel or wherever. Not fanduel or, or any analysts out there. It's very clearly. This is, this is Fernando Mendoza's to lose, if you will.

[Tucker]

I agree, but I would, I would kind of love to see Jacob Rodriguez, the linebacker from Texas Tech, get an invite. He won't win it, but I wouldn't mind seeing him getting an invite. Seven forced fumbles, four picks, 100 tackles. I mean, he's been unbelievable this year.

[Steve]

Yeah, I like the. You're lobbying right now. He wasn't even the best linebacker on, on Texas Tech today, but he, he's been awesome all season long.

But he showed me more today, Mendoza did than in any other game. And there were other moments like we talked about Iowa, Oregon, Penn State.

[Tucker]

Yeah, the stakes are higher now, right? This, this was the biggest stage, dude. Against the best defense we're talking about.

[Steve]

This defense is one of the best. And, and you're going to say McShay, like, who cares? They scored 13 points, but they moved the ball tonight. And he had like when I was watching.

If you really look at. If they control, you got to remember they had three times inside the red zone and they had to kick three field goals and went 2 for 3. Okay. And. But they were like, they kind of dominated the, the whole first half and the vast majority of this game offensively moving the ball on this vaunted defense.

[Tucker]

Yeah, they just couldn't punch it in. That was getting frustrating. I thought that might come back to haunt them.

[Steve]

But.

[Tucker]

Yeah, they moved the ball well.

[Steve]

But it started with his toughness bouncing back from that hit. And it's not just like peeling yourself up and going back in the game, it's.

When you take a hit like that, how does it affect you? I didn't see any. It was like business as usual. And then you saw at one point they did a close up from the behind the huddle and he's got just.

[Tucker]

Cuts and all over his elbow was bleeding and bleeding.

[Steve]

It just like he looked like the guy who's, you know, the gladiator stuff. And then I'm watching the mobility and functional mobility, not the Daniel Jones that I just like, I'm like, great. Yeah, we'll pick up for like actually getting outside the pocket and creating in a little bit more suddenness and like functional stuff that I can, I can hold on to as an evaluator. And then the smart decisions when it wasn't there, just throw it away. We're in a defensive game today. I can't make the one interception. Man, that was a fluke that bounced off his blockers. Yeah, it was, right?

[Tucker]

Yeah.

[Steve]

And then I'm watching other things. The anticipation on throws and the balls out before the break, leading the receiver here. And it's not a lot of them. He finished the night and it wasn't awesome. It was 15 of 23, 222 yards, touchdown interception. But there were NFL throws in there with NFL decisions and with mobility and, and, and, and arm angles, a couple throws, we just got to change. Yeah, it was just all functional. And it was in a game against a defense that I can actually say, oh, that's an NFL dude. That's. There's seven or eight NFL dudes on there at high level and a few.

[Tucker]

High, high level ones against a former NFL defense coordinator.

[Steve]

Tonight was the night I've been waiting for before I could actually put a stamp on the guy that I fell in love with a Cal, but said he's got a lot of flaws and there's a lot like I feel now I got to watch the tape. And it'll be probably tomorrow night or early in the week because we got a show tomorrow at noon Eastern time. I keep reminding everybody. Okay, one, we got over. We got 1.1 thousand on our right now at midnight. Men. This is awesome. This is, this is the dream. This is what we've been building. And thank you so much for being here.

But when I, I do have to say this, it's got to get solved. The eyes dropping and that like, quarter count. And it led to sacks and he was sacked. It was. I had three sacks at one point. He wound up being. Yeah, three times. But he didn't get sacked once in the second half. And I give that offensive line a lot of credit because I noticed coming out in the second half, all of a sudden Mendoza had time in the pocket.

[Tucker]

Yeah, I mean, Kaden Curry looked unblockable in the first few series of this game. And then they started to figure it.

[Steve]

Out a little bit.

So I. I'm not here. Like, I'm not like. What I don't do is the Twitter mafia stuff, as you have always called them, where I'm like, I had him first, but like, I. I really wanted this guy to get to where he is now. So I better celebrate the fact that he is where he is now because that was awesome what he just did tonight. And it's awesome what he's done all season long. And I start to look at guys like Ty Simpson and I see a big, beautiful future for him in the NFL as a starter. I see all the reasons why he can't succeed, including a better arm than people think and better mobility than people think, and the pre snap and the post snap and all the mechanical stuff that he does inside the pocket. But he's not ready. Nope. And I watched Dante Moore and he's the best pure passer in all of college football. You put. You give him just a little bit of time inside the pocket. The calm he has, the smooth stroke, the catchable ball, all those things. He's a brilliant passer and he's going to be a really good pro man.

[Tucker]

Yeah, he is.

[Steve]

Yeah, he's not. But he's not ready. And I know he's played great. And maybe he goes on a run in the college football playoffs and he has three games that he stacks and he's throwing the ball off and maybe he leaves early.

[Tucker]

No, Will Stein, like you said in the earlier show.

[Steve]

Yeah. Will Stein's gone to Kentucky now. Took the head job. That is a curveball I did not foresee.

And by the way, Kentucky, congratulations, because you got what I think is the best assistant coach.

[Tucker]

Yeah.

[Steve]

In. In the entire country. But he's a Kentucky guy.

[Tucker]

South Florida too, though, getting the heartline. That's a nice pickup there. There was a couple of those.

[Steve]

Yes, yes. Domino started to fall, but anyway. But now I look at this and I say, who's got the first pick?

You can take that guy.

[Tucker]

Yeah, well, it's going to be. I already made this point and I got yelled at by a lot of fans, but it'll be the jets. Even if they don't have the first pick. They have the. They have the. The ammo to go get them.

[Steve]

Yep. Because they got two first rounders this year and is it.

[Tucker]

I guess it does matter. There could be someone who says that there could be a team that thinks Mendoza is so good that they don't care what they get offered, you know?

[Steve]

Yeah. And tonight's not about the NFL drop. But I do. I.

[Tucker]

It's not.

[Steve]

I have been holding out for a long time on it, and I do want to watch the tape and things, but I'm just saying this is.

[Tucker]

That's not for tonight, though. This is all happy.

[Steve]

Yeah. Well, that is happy. I'm. I'm saying this. This guy went from someone who, like, I'm really excited about, and he's building, he's getting better, but I'm just not. I can't put all my chip. I'm telling you, like, my chips are here and it's. They're.

[Tucker]

It's good.

[Steve]

So I'll leave it there.

[Tucker]

I love it.

[Steve]

What do you got? What do you got, men?

[Tucker]

I mean, we just broke down the whole thing. What do you. I don't know what else you want. For me, I will say that Jeremiah Smith, every time I see him run. And this is kind of besides the point because it's an Indiana night. That dude's just different. I mean, he is just. He is different every time I see him move. The way he gets in and out of breaks. Incredible.

It just speaks to how good that. Again, it speaks to how good that Indiana defense was, though, the talent that Ohio State has, and they were still able to do what they were able to do tonight.

[Steve]

I don't know.

[Tucker]

I mean, it was just. Again, I feel like we've. We've killed it, I think, but it was just awesome. Like, it was just a great game.

[Steve]

All right. I think it's important that we spend the appropriate amount of time talking about the rankings, which are coming up tomorrow. And we're going to be back at noon Eastern tomorrow. And. And I'm pumped to do that, and we have plenty of time tonight to do it.

[Tucker]

How far does Ohio State fall?

[Steve]

I will get to that in a minute. Let's tease the. Tease the. The.

[Tucker]

I just want to know.

[Steve]

I do want to get to Texas Tech for a second. Okay.

[Tucker]

Okay.

[Steve]

Because I'm watching that game, and.

I'm literally watching an NFL defensive line that just so happens to have, like, another month in college.

[Tucker]

And.

[Steve]

And whether, like.

It was. It's just wild, and it was like A.J. holmes and David Bailey didn't even have a big Day, but it was Romello height and, and the linebackers are making plays and Ben Roberts is stepping up like the two biggest stars in the defense. Didn't even do that much compared to what they normally do.

[Tucker]

Yeah. Yep.

[Steve]

But.

But you get homes with the hit, you know, force the fumble. There's like this flurry late in the third. Early in the fourth quarter was like, holy, man, this defense is different.

[Tucker]

It was like a feeding frenzy. Right. It was like sharks. The blood was in the water and all of a sudden it was finish it.

[Steve]

So they win 30 47. But I do want to make a point that I love when we get ahead of things and I love that it was covered today by, it was Joe Test and Jesse Palmer. And I do take, I, I love that Jesse's in the moment. Like he's, he closed the broadcast by saying it's rare that you watch a team and there's no flaws. I, I don't want to call it a flaw, but I, I, I see the defense in the offense as different entities. I think the offense has some functional qualities and I know they scored a lot of. But when we start to play Indiana and we start to play Ohio State and we start to play Georgia and Alabama and.

Oh, and Oklahoma put them way high up there.

[Tucker]

Yeah.

[Steve]

In terms of defenses, like, you know, that offense is not, is not at the level and especially I think the passing game, to be honest. But, but more importantly, you brought up a point earlier this week, which I thought was awesome and they touched on it a lot during the show, and I'm glad they did. And I don't know if it was because maybe someone listened to the show and, but James Blanchard, I just want to give you credit for bringing that up, for giving the credit to James Blanchard and in the whole structure where head coach, head coach can head coach.

[Tucker]

And GM develop and to do all that stuff. Yeah.

[Steve]

And, and James Blanchard's unique in that he literally has all personnel say.

[Tucker]

He.

[Steve]

Decides the coaching staff is thrilled that he does that. He does because they trust him and they work together. Right.

[Tucker]

I'd be thrilled too, if those, if that defensive line walked through the door, I'd be thrilled too.

[Steve]

But I think people are going to start to look at that and be like, all right, well, first of all, give me a Matador club and give me 25, 30 million dollars a year.

[Tucker]

Right.

[Steve]

There are a lot of places out there that do have that, but they have coaches that want to control this thing, you know?

[Jack]

Yep.

[Steve]

I talked to Urban about that, and I've I've talked to other people. We're gonna have Jake Rosenberg on who's helped put together the group like Jim.

[Tucker]

That'll be cool.

[Steve]

Home in the front office. I think we're going to do that on later in this week. But my point is, it's happening in college football, and for you to get out ahead of that and hear them talk about a lot was. Was awesome. But I. I mean, Texas Tech, I know they've already beat him once, but to go out and beat a BYU team that seemingly was improved and LJ Martin was healthier and like, yeah, we beat you 29. 7 the first time. Now neutral site, technically 34. 7.

So they, like, if you had any questions about Texas Tech, I guess it's not over till you go. But like, I don't know, I just, I. I see something as a personnel guy defensively that I don't know anyone else. Anyone else has that talent up front defensively like Texas Tech. And it's weird to say because it's Right.

[Tucker]

Right.

[Steve]

So there's that.

Let's get into it. And I guess the jumping off point is. And we don't need. No one wants a recap of Duke Virginia right now. What did my boy. What am my boy meant to do? I'm not gonna lie to you.

[Tucker]

Did not get a lot of my attention with that Ohio State game going on.

Let's see.

[Steve]

It's good tv.

[Tucker]

I know.

[Steve]

I don't think he was. No, I can pull it up. Here we go, Fuller.

[Tucker]

All right, Ted. 19 for 25, 196 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

[Steve]

Yeah. So it wasn't anything special, but did they run the ball better like I thought? That doesn't matter. All right, so.

So congratulations.

[Tucker]

Had two picks, including one that sealed the deal in. In overtime, so.

[Steve]

Well, that sucks because he had a really good year.

[Tucker]

Yeah.

[Steve]

I've got family in Charlottesville and I, I, you know, keep close.

[Tucker]

Tough kid, played hard.

[Steve]

Yeah. And. And I want the best for them, but. And quite honestly, it does suck because I think.

I don't know, JMU or Virginia, who's better? I would argue Virginia. And I want the best 12 teams in. I would argue Virginia, but we got a mess on our hands now. It's not a mess. It's not. It doesn't necessarily complicate it, just kind of diminishes it, I guess, a little bit. And it really sucks for the acc, especially because I'm not sure they're going to get any team in. All right, here. Here we go.

The TMS top 12.

[Tucker]

Here we go. Right? So when this is not. Not who we think we're is getting in or should get into the playoff, is it?

[Steve]

So I wanted to talk to you about that. Okay? This is why, this is why we don't have show meetings. Because it's just better to go organic.

[Tucker]

Right?

[Steve]

Here's the way I look at it. Right. And I hope everyone in the chat is ready to help out and, and like, let's, let's get into this because we, we like JMU. DD5706 believes JMU is better.

Duke should end up as one of the five highest conference champs. No, no. They have five losses that I've, I've. I have workshopped this. I have certain before I come on this show that I'm. I'm not getting false information. This. This I know Duke is not.

Remind me at the end, I do want to give a shout out to Jack Healed, Captain Jack and here in Cohasset. Okay.

[Tucker]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Steve]

Remind me. Don't let me go off the air before because. Because. Because he did something cool for us and he may wind up doing some stuff for us in the future.

You have the automatic bids.

And you have the at large, right, Tucker? Do we have the automatic bids? Excuse me? These are things that we can't change. Change. We can't adjust. They are what they are. They're the conference winners of the. Of the power four. Should have been. Now it's the conference winners of the. Of the power three, let's call it. And it's going to be two group of five, which is just wild.

And so that means it's going to be in the Big Ten. Indiana.

SEC, Georgia, Big 12, Texas Tech.

[Tucker]

Right, Right.

[Steve]

And then the other.

[Tucker]

You get Tulane out of the American.

[Steve]

Tulane out of the American. And then also that means.

[Tucker]

JMU is the high. Next highest rank.

[Steve]

JMU is the next highest rank.

[Tucker]

Conference champion. Yep.

[Steve]

Yep. So I'm just filling this in as we go. Right.

[Tucker]

So it's those. Can't do anything about that.

[Steve]

IU, GA, TX Tech, AC acced out Tulane and JMU. Weird. If you told us in the beginning of the season, who are the five? Hey, Steve, who are the five going to be the five automatic bids in the College Football Playoff? And if you told me Indiana. Georgia. Georgia. Okay. Or Gunner Stock. Texas Tech. Wow. All that money paid off. Indiana?

[Tucker]

Really?

[Steve]

Okay. Not Ohio State.

[Tucker]

Yeah.

[Steve]

Okay. What about the acc? Miami?

[Tucker]

No.

[Steve]

What about Clemson? Clemson, Right. Yeah. Okay.

[Tucker]

Louisville's off to a hot start.

[Steve]

Castellanos Nah. Now, the ACC didn't get an automatic bid this year. Really? So who's in? Tulane and jmu. JMU with a coach who's already taken the job to be the UCLA coach.

[Tucker]

Right.

[Steve]

And Tulane's coach is going. Where.

[Tucker]

Where is he going? Is he going to Florida? That's Summerall.

[Jack]

Right?

[Tucker]

He's. Isn't Summerall going to Florida?

[Steve]

Yes. Yes.

[Tucker]

Yeah.

[Steve]

Yes. Yes, yes. Sorry. I was thinking Memphis. Satoy. All right.

So that's. That's the five. Now we look at the at large. Okay. Okay.

Do you have yours?

[Tucker]

I do.

[Steve]

One. Yeah. Why don't we go in rotation? You tell me your. Who's. Your. Who's your one? So. So mention. I. We've got the. The five. We can't change. Those are locked. Then we have seven. This is where the committee is going to spend all their time going through all of these things. Steve took his. His time. I took my time. We had discussion on the previous show earlier today after the SEC championship game. This is what we're presenting as the seven. Right.

[Tucker]

Right. Our.

[Steve]

This would be our argument in the room as if we're committee members on. These are the seven teams that should be the at large. In this order, in our opinions. In this order, in this order, I.

[Tucker]

Am going Ohio State.

Oregon.

[Steve]

Ole Miss.

[Tucker]

Texas A M, Oklahoma.

[Steve]

I thought we were gonna go one and one. Oh, okay. No, that's fine.

[Tucker]

I thought you want me to give your seven.

[Steve]

Ohio State, Oregon, Ole Miss, and A M are the four that you gave. That's good. Stop there.

[Tucker]

Stop there.

[Steve]

Okay. I was saying one. You give your. Your one, I'll give my one. So I've got Ohio State, Oregon, Ole Miss, A. M. Okay. I would actually argue.

A M over Ole Miss, but I'm not.

And it is important.

[Tucker]

I'd be fine with that.

We have to come up with the consensus. Right? I'm okay with that.

I'm actually okay with. Can I tell you my next one?

[Steve]

And part of it is Lane and all the chaos that they've gone through, if I'm being honest, because their offense has got to carry and their defense has not been very good, and now they don't have the guy calling the shots. So I'm gonna go 3aM 4, Ole Miss. But we do have to go back and we got to seed these, just so you understand. We have to see them after. But Ohio State for the at large bids. Ohio State 1, Oregon 2A and M3. Ole Miss 4. Who would be your. Your fifth in the Atlant?

[Tucker]

Oklahoma Agreed.

[Steve]

Agreed. Who would be your six is where it gets interesting. The last two are fascinating.

[Tucker]

Yeah, Alabama. I got you want to tell me when we tell you six and seven? Because that's just really what the conversation is.

[Steve]

Yep.

[Tucker]

Alabama and Notre Dame.

[Steve]

Really? Yeah.

Mine's actually Notre Dame and Alabama.

[Tucker]

So I mean we, we arrive at the same place. I think it's very difficult and I have a hard time. I think BYU fans are going to be kind of pissed because the only two losses they have are to the team who's going to be.

[Steve]

Yeah, I don't care. I don't care.

[Tucker]

Yeah, I know I have a job.

[Steve]

To do and I get. And it's my job to tell you to like cut through all the and tell you who are the 12 best teams. Who are the seven best at large. Like by hell the season. Taki, congratulations on all the money. They're going to continue to build off of this. They get a great.

[Tucker]

Not quite there.

[Steve]

All of it.

[Tucker]

Yep.

[Steve]

They're not at the level. In fact, I want to give you the. My two OLIs outside looking in.

[Tucker]

Yep.

[Steve]

Texas would be eight on this list and Miami would be nine. I, I sat down and I really looked at and I really thought about it and three, three losses in the SEC.

Against.

Yes, the Florida. I get it. But they beat a pair of top 10. Was it two or three top 10 teams? Two down the stretch.

[Tucker]

Three. Didn't they. They beat Vander. Did they beat Vanderbilt? No, sorry. Two Vanderbilt and A M. And they beat Oklahoma.

[Steve]

So they did Oklahoma. At the time it was three top ten teams. Yeah. And it's still two, two top ten teams.

[Tucker]

Yep.

[Steve]

Has Miami. Miami beat Notre Dame.

Miami lost. And here's the thing, and I am a head to head guy. I've got to be convinced otherwise. Strongly. I think anyone who's played competitive sports, anyone who's played football that there is something sacred about head to head. Truly. But when it happens in August and teams have evolved and one team has gotten significantly better and the other team.

Took a real dip. And that dip, I went back and looked at it. That dip was late October, early November. It dip wasn't like late September, early October. It was late October, early November. They lost to 2, 4 lost teams.

[Tucker]

2, 4 loss teams.

[Steve]

24 lost teams in Louisville who by the way lost to Virginia.

In the ACC title game and SMU lost to.

[Tucker]

Cal in the season, the regular season finale. Which was, I mean brutal.

[Steve]

I get Miami is just as every bit as talented as.

Notre Dame. They beat him.

Maybe Alabama.

Top To bottom prop, maybe probably Oklahoma. Both sides, you know, like, they have the talent. There's no question about it.

[Tucker]

Yep.

[Steve]

I just don't think that team had finished. I mean, they did the last like, few weeks, but I don't know, I just. It's hard.

[Tucker]

I mean, people talk about the margin of error down the stretch. It's like, yes, Syracuse, North Carolina State and Virginia Tech and Pitt, who Notre Dame handled too. Like, I, I just don't, I don't know. Like.

[Steve]

And it sucks because it really. I do feel like I'm chipping away. Like I'm, I'm taking a chunk out of my soul. And I believed in the head to head my entire life. But it was in August, I believe.

[Tucker]

Listen, you can't just dismiss the head to head. I'm not doing that. I'm not saying that that doesn't matter. But the game was in Miami. It was with a quarterback making his first start. Like, you have to look at all of these things and you can say like you're starting to make excuses or whatever. I don't really think that's the case. I'm looking at. Where are these teams now? Like, I'm sorry, but I think Notre Dame's a better team now. And it was a three point game. And I keep hearing about how Miami dominated that game. I don't really see it that way. I mean, remember that game where, where.

[Steve]

I'm sorry, I gotta pause you. I do love this at you. Miami11 just wrote, your credible is gone.

I don't even have to explain it. Amazing.

[Tucker]

It's a good Miami team, man. And if it gets in, it's not.

[Steve]

I know. Hey, Holly. I know, I know. They won head to head. I know. And I, I told you, I feel like I'm. It's like sacrilegious. I know, I know. I got it. But when you're three and October, November, when you're over three months removed and you've had 12 games. I hate when people say data points. We're not doing data points when we've had 11 and 12 games since.

You gotta.

It's your job. Right. You've got to make a tough decision.

[Tucker]

Right.

[Steve]

There's the.

Yeah, the record. The records are all we're looking at. This, this graphic now. Miami's 40 against top 25 teams. Alabama's 4 and 2. Notre Dame's 2 and 2. I got it. Strength of record is 14 though for Miami. Bama is 8th. Notre Dame is 13. Bama won four straight games against SEC ranked opponents. In four straight weeks, Notre Dame lost to Miami. I get it. And Texas A M. And they did that the first two weeks of the season.

[Tucker]

By three and by one.

[Steve]

Better and better. And I don't. I'm not saying it's easy. I'm not saying, like, it's just, it's brutal. But I think. You know what I do think. I actually think the committee was smart and it protected our. Themselves from this very scenario.

Right. I'm not saying it's the right thing to do or anything else. And I agree with Herb street and, and Nick today. I think we need to get rid. Like, why don't we give an initial one and then we revisit it this week. Because how do you.

[Tucker]

How you're setting up keep Notre Dame out now? Because no, neither one of those teams played and now all of a sudden you're going to have Miami leapfrog Notre Dame because all this, this national pressure because the ACC channel wants to play that game every, like, on loop. Have you seen this? The ACC channel keeps playing the Notre Dame Miami game.

[Steve]

I love that.

[Tucker]

Yeah, I know. I love it too. But like, what. So what. What has changed for the rankings of those teams? Neither one played. Yeah, I like. I don't see how either one can jump ahead of the other. Notre Dame has. Doesn't have what I would characterize as a bad loss on its record. Miami has two. You could say that the Miami has a bigger win because they beat Notre Dame. I think that Miami's. That Notre Dame's win over USC is a big deal. I think that was a big win.

So I like.

[Steve]

I don't know. I just.

[Tucker]

I. I think that that Notre Dame team is slightly better now than Miami.

[Steve]

Not.

[Tucker]

I think they're much better than they were at the start of the season.

I mean, I'm. I'm interested.

[Steve]

The rankies hear what.

[Tucker]

How you. You decided to keep Alabama in because the resume is just too good, right?

[Steve]

It is. And I had to cool off after that loss. And I think when you get.

Jam back.

And not Bam Miller jam.

I think when you get. When you get him back in two weeks and you get LT Overton back and, and you got a minute to regroup after a brutally hard SEC schedule that we'll see Alabama closer to what we saw in the middle of the season when they won those four straight against ranked opponents. And we're just stacking wins and looking really good. I really do. I think.

[Tucker]

Can I tell you. Go ahead. Sorry.

[Steve]

No. Yeah.

[Tucker]

Two larger implications here.

[Steve]

Yeah.

[Tucker]

There's a lot of talk about how Notre Dame needs to turn join a conference. Giving Notre Dame crap. I. I think Notre Dame would be smart to join the accurate. I think they'd be smart to join the acc. I think they have a real chance of winning that conference every year. I get the tradition of it all. The other thing is Texas these games and you're already starting to see it. Do you think Texas is ever going to schedule an Ohio State out of conference again?

That ain't happening. Those games are those. Those early awesome blockbuster games we used to see.

[Steve]

The nine. Because the, the additional conference game. You mean.

[Tucker]

If you're telling me that if Texas hadn't. If Texas had played pick a mid major team a Marshall and won that game by who cares. 7. Texas is in the playoff right now.

With that resume and the. And a win instead of a loss to Ohio State in the opening game. They'd have two losses. They would 1,000% be in this playoff.

[Steve]

Yeah.

[Tucker]

So the, the out of conference games. Those, those big tests that you had in the beginning of the year that those are gone. Alabama, you know they won't even play like that Florida State game. That Florida State team ended up being. I mean the wheels came off. That's obvious. But that wouldn't even happen. They're not going to play those kind of opponents. They're going to look for guys at the Mac and and no offense to those teams with those mid level teams. Why play a big game? It doesn't help you in the eyes of the playoff committee.

[Steve]

I hear you. There's a lot more to that. I got you.

Yes, I hear you. Yeah. And expanded to an additional conference game and all that stuff. But I feel like it's more off season stuff. But you're not wrong. You're not wrong.

We do have to in order create this bracket though. Let's go. We gotta. We gotta actually rank the top 12 and I mean I don't think ours is going to be much different from. Let's just do ours. Okay. The TMS top 12. So number one we see if you're watching on YouTube or Spotify after the fact. We appreciate you doing so. You'll see the graphic pulled up here with the TMS top 12 from last week. We had Ohio State 1. Here's the biggest question early on in this thing. I'm gonna go. 1. Indiana.

[Tucker]

Awesome.

[Steve]

Just love it. 2. Georgia. Tell me where you disagree and let's have a debate. Good.

[Tucker]

So far.

[Jack]

3.

[Steve]

Ohio State.

[Tucker]

Yep.

4.

[Steve]

Texas Tech.

[Tucker]

Yeah, I think. Yeah. I Think it's close, but they just.

[Steve]

Won 34 to 7 in the conference championship game and they were against a.

[Tucker]

Team that you don't think should be in the playoff. Like, I get it. I, I, I, I'm, I'm not going to argue about something that I, I.

[Steve]

Feel like from the, and also, if we're going to, I'm not saying we're trying to predict here, but if, if we've got a kind of a cluster to, to, to break, to sort, try to lean, to sort through. Let's try to lean towards what it's going to be tomorrow so we can give people a feel. And yeah, I'm not saying we're going to be right, but there's a lot of emphasis put into winning a conference championship.

[Tucker]

I think the committee will definitely have Texas Tech. Four. Yeah.

[Steve]

Yeah. So five will be Oregon. I think we agree on that, right?

[Tucker]

Yep.

[Steve]

We said a and m over ole miss.

[Tucker]

I might go oklahoma over ole miss, too.

[Steve]

Not with that offense. I, I can't. And I love them, you know I do, but I, I just can't.

[Tucker]

Okay, so A M Ole Miss, Oklahoma.

[Steve]

I'm just pulling up to make sure.

Did you have the, did your computer, did your phone do the recent update? It's like all the time us now. Just don't let it do it.

[Tucker]

We're so old.

[Steve]

I know. I love it.

[Tucker]

On a side note, at Saints chair.

[Steve]

I love it, man.

[Tucker]

1200 people in the chat and only 168 likes. Let's go smash that like button, people.

[Steve]

Yeah. Why is that?

[Tucker]

I don't know.

[Steve]

I mean, I hate being a, I hate like whoring it out and, but we are putting in some, some time. We're grinding it out today and like you literally just, all you got to do is, you know, just.

You don't have to get your mouse. Like, you just like phones and it's just. All right, so.

I think, as you know.

So. All right, so one is Indiana. Two. I'll get a focus now. Sorry. One is Indiana, two is, is George, is Georgia, three is Ohio State Forest, Texas Tech, five is Oregon. We're going to say 6aM.

Seven is Ole Miss.

Eight is Oklahoma. Okay.

[Tucker]

Yep.

[Steve]

You've got Bama, then Notre Dame was yours.

[Tucker]

I got.

I don't know how I said it. I would have Notre, Dame, then Bama.

[Steve]

Yeah, me too.

[Tucker]

Okay.

[Steve]

Am I missing anyone? Okay, so nine would be Alabama.

Ten would be Notre Dame, right?

[Tucker]

Yep.

[Steve]

And then 11 and 12 are Tulane and James Madison University. When you played at University of Richmond bench back in 1999.

[Tucker]

Yep.

[Steve]

Did you ever think that you. When I would be doing this. No. Did you ever think that. That we would live in a world where the James Madison Dukes, who were right down the road, i64, played in our same conference at University of Richmond, would be in the College Football Playoff? That's. Wow. We. You wouldn't have even imagined that we were back in BC, I think. Was it. We were BCS or pre. BCS then.

[Tucker]

Yeah.

[Steve]

But that we would be 12 play 12 team college football playoff and James Madison would be in it. Another feather.

[Tucker]

Another feather in the cap for Signetti, I think, too, by the way, that his. That their program that he brought along.

[Steve]

Yeah.

[Tucker]

Also in.

[Steve]

So that's it.

I mean, that's it. I think that's going to be it. I truly think that's going to be it. Maybe like the A and M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma could be shuffled. I truly think it's going to be 9, Alabama, 10 Notre Dame, and then it will absolutely, positively be Tulane and JMU 1112.

[Tucker]

So I think I have this right.

[Steve]

The first round.

[Tucker]

The first round matchups would be Oregon vs. JMU, a M vs. Tulane, Ole Miss vs. Bama, and Oklahoma vs. Notre Dame.

[Steve]

Same again.

[Tucker]

Oregon vs. JMU.

[Steve]

Oh, gosh.

[Tucker]

AM vs. Tulane.

Ole Ms. Vs. Bama, and Oklahoma versus Notre Dame.

[Steve]

Well, we got two good games on the 19th. 19th. 20th. Is it two days?

[Tucker]

Yeah, it's 19th and 20th?

[Steve]

Yeah, 19th and 20th. Okay, well, we'll get to all those and we'll start. Once they're official. We'll start breaking them down.

How are we doing on the chat? This thing's rolling, man.

[Tucker]

Dude, it's been a good night.

[Steve]

It has been. All right, let's get some. We got to be up early, man. I didn't even think about it. We got to be up. We got to re. Rack. We're. Hey, remember, I can't.

[Tucker]

I'm.

[Steve]

Noonies. Sometime tomorrow. All 1300. You mad, mad folks. Men and women. My kind of people. I want you back here at noon Eastern time. We can have. You can have recent. The guys in the background. That's fine. We'll. We'll react to the committee and the rankings reveal. We will. We'll tell you what's crazy about them. If there is anything, we'll tell you. We'll. We'll let all the Miami people scream. If. If they're screaming, maybe they'll be screaming joy. And then when it's done, we will. After that, once we get over the reaction of it. We'll start breaking down those games. If those are the four games, great, we'll talk about it. And we get two to. Two to dissect and two that we don't really have to, but maybe those won't be the games and then we'll let you go on your way the rest of Sunday. I do want to get to this.

Oh, good, Good, good, good. I was nine and one my se. Now I. We were. I was a quarterback of a 9 and 1 team my senior year in high school. We missed that. And if Sean Stalato, the, the. The. The paisan, the Italiano agent, right. Tommy DeVito who just haunts me. And I'd get, yeah, we. We've flown down to Mobile together. But he's just like, just think about you. It would be like the man who stole your. Your woman. Or, or the, the guy who stole. He literally threw a touchdown pass with three seconds left against Beverly in. In the final week of the season. They beat us on like, unbelievable circumstances. So unbelievable. He wrote a book.

But my point in saying all of this is I could taste going. It wasn't Gillette at the time, it was Foxborough Stadium. I could taste going to Foxborough Stadium and having that dream of playing the Super Bowl. Never got there. So my stepson AJ Pistoles is on this Cohasset team. Small town, coastal town, Massachusetts, you know, Division 7. But, like, he moved up from Greenville, South Carolina and comes up here, it's like, yeah. And all of a sudden they go undefeated. And they're not. They win, they win.

They're whatever. Their number one seed going into the playoffs. They make a run undefeated in the playoffs. And they're now going to Gillette. So we all piled in, went down to the stadium and it's. He took a picture from inside the bus. I put it up on tour.

[Tucker]

Like, it was great. Yeah, you know, it was a great place.

[Steve]

Looking at like a high school kid in a yellow school bus driving down. All of a sudden, an hour later, you pick it, you look up and like, I'm going to play there. And so being in there, it was awesome. And this guy, Jet, this young man, Jack Heel, who's a friend of our family, he's on the team, but injured and, and, and he was like, really good with video stuff. So I asked him, I said, you know what? I want to put, like, he works so hard and, and on it. Like, just good family friend too, but, like, really works hard. And he put together a little video. And I honestly, I think in the future. He'll help us do some different cool videos for, for our show.

But he put together his video of Cohasset and he has awesome music to it. But apparently right before we came on, Tucker told me, and understandably so that we don't have rights to it. So un Jack, I can't play the music with it. That drives it home. But look how cool this video is.

[Tucker]

Wow. Right?

[Steve]

And I told him he had to keep it short. So we just did 15 seconds. He condensed it all. But look at the quality and then look at just the reaction. And like how cool is that? That's your high school team from this tiny town. 9,000 people in this tiny little town, right? And you roll off of a yellow bus that picks you up at School at 1:30 and the whole town's driving behind you and you get there and then you, you win the championship. Congratulations to everyone. Michael Wildfire, the Wildflower, the quarterback and August Green set the school record 27 touchdowns. Scored another one or two in the, in the super bowl that we're in and had a 4550 yard touchdown run to win it against Amesbury.

[Tucker]

So yeah, Amesbury gave him a game too good for those old school like.

[Steve]

Wing T grinding it out, going fourth downs, getting fourth and twos. It's one of those games like oh, this thing, it feels like it's getting. But anyway, so congrats to those young men. Thank you. Jack healed.

[Tucker]

Congrats.

[Steve]

Jack does awesome stuff and congrats to AJ who's just a pup on the team but he's going to get his chance to be a big factor in the next couple years and we're all here for it. So I just wanted to share that and I can't thank everyone enough for being a part of this. This is an awesome.

This is an awesome day. It's exactly great we hoped it was going to be and we're going to be back tomorrow noon eastern time. And men like double duties today. So for that 5 stars, man 5 must be 21 plus and present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 + and present in D.C. gambling problem. Call 1-800-Gambler or visit rg-help.com call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org chatincenectic or visit MD gambling help.org in Maryland, hope is here. Visit Gambling Helpline ma.org or call 1-800-327-5050 for 247 support in Massachusetts or call 1-8778 hope NY or text hope NY in New York.

[Tucker]

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[Steve]

That's the og.

[Tucker]

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[Steve]

Hey, Ryan Reynolds here wishing you a.

[Tucker]

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[Steve]

To be clear, that's half price, not half the service.

[Tucker]

Mint is still premium unlimited wireless for a great price.

[Steve]

So that means. So half day. Yeah.

[Tucker]

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[Tucker]

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