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Todd McShay
It's the McShay show, presented by FanDuel. It's time for the first 12 team playoff and you can bet on all of the action with FanDuel. Just think about all the opportunities we're going to have to bet on the College Football Playoff. We're talking about different conferences, home games for certain teams, the three or four week run that you're going to have to play. There's so much to earn if you're betting with FanDuel this College Football Playoff season. Why we love FanDuel there's so many markets like spreads over unders, national championship futures, and so much more. This app is safe, secure and easy to use. When you win, you'll get paid instantly. Visit FanDuel.com McShay to download America's number one sportsbook. The Ringer is committed to responsible gambling. Visit rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available and listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Must be 21 and older and present in select states. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rgh-help.com Being a.
Ryan Rosillo
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Mitch
They won.
Ryan Rosillo
I thought there's SA.
Todd McShay
Championship Saturday does not disappoint. What a day. What a day. Mensch. You're always here. Roaring. Another wonderful ensemble. I mean, the first time you joined us like five, six weeks ago when we did our first reaction show. By the way, we're grateful that Ryan Rossillo is here. We appreciate his time. But the first time he joined us, it was sleeveless and tonight it's a, I don't know, like homeless chic, I'd say.
Mitch
It's got like a Fletch Undercover on the beach vibe to it, I think.
Todd McShay
Yes, that's good.
Ryan Rosillo
I do wear this to the beach. And the funny thing is I went to take it off, off right before we started and I wanted to look nicer because you have so many graphics now and then. I didn't have a shirt on, so I was like, let me put this back on. So here we are.
Todd McShay
We're better off that.
Mitch
She was like, no, that's cool. You're fine, man.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah, you're good, you're good.
Todd McShay
All right. I. I mean, I'll Be honest, a couple hours ago I thought we, we were just gonna kind of have to hang in there for the ACC championship, see the thing through. Clemson was just, just railroading him. Oregon jumped on, on Penn State too. And then all of a sudden we have two like photo finishes. But the day started really Texas and Georgia, 4 o'clock. It truly started with Arizona State and Iowa State. And we can get into that in a little bit towards the end. But Georgia, Texas, overtime, game 2219 was the final. Georgia comes out on top. A lot of different places we can go in this and we'll get to the Carson Beck situation in a little bit. But I wanted to start with this. Texas, to me I struggle with them because I feel like all season long they have, they can't seem to put together a consistent four quarter performance on the offensive side of the football. I mean this team jumped them early and I'm curious to get your guys opinion. Like Quinn Ewers is averaging about 6 yards per attempt all year long. He comes out early in the game, first quarter, he's, he averaged 14 yards per attempt. They're throwing the ball down the field. Finally I'm thinking to myself this is Sark's offense. He's been holding back, protecting yours. Yours hasn't been 100% but we finally have what we're looking for. The first drive. Yeah, they're kind of back in their own territory. And they had a big completion in that drive to DeAndre Moore. The 22 yard conversion. It winds up in an interception. But they flipped the field on that. The second drive. Huge catch. Matthew golden on the right side, 50 yards. Malachi Starks safety is going to be the first safety off the board in 2025 in April. Uncharacteristic late recognition, poor angle. That drive only led to a field goal then. So now it's, you got two drives, only three points. Then a third drive, golden again, 32 yarder and contested catch down the right sideline. They're moving the ball, they're attacking number seven Daniel Harris. And Sark even like all eyes on Arch Manning. He comes in, fourth down conversion. They snap the ball to the deep guy and they run the ball away from Arch. Brilliant play, Everything's rolling. But now all of a sudden we're early in the second quarter after those three great drives and you look up and it's nine total yards and two drives for Georgia compared to 193 yards for Texas on three drives. But it's only six nothing right at that point. I'm like, this is not how you beat a damn good Georgia football team. What were your guys thoughts in that game?
Ryan Rosillo
Bench. Go ahead.
Mitch
The penalties killed them, man. I mean, those holding penalties I thought were just absolute drive killers. And then it's like every college game, you see momentum shifts, and when they had the momentum, they just couldn't. They were getting field goals instead of touchdowns, and that's just not how you're going to win that game. So to me, and then the fact they can't run the ball, I mean, they just cannot run the ball. They've run the ball better in recent weeks, but they can't run the ball against Georgia. And, you know, you put those two things together and I mean, I thought they. They could have did a good job of staying with the run and not getting away from it, but it's not productive. And then, you know, you. Yours was good. I thought he was really good. But they just. At the end of the day, if you can't run the ball, you commit penalties at key times, you don't take advantage of your opportunities, you're going to lose to a team like Georgia.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah, I know. Sark was obviously frustrated when they asked him at halftime, like, what do you want to see? He's like, I'd like to see them get called for holding two. I would say the penalties that we saw, though, like, sometimes your team just commits more penalties. And yeah, every flag that was thrown, not to say that I saw everything that Georgia was or wasn't doing, but whenever I saw flag throw in Texas, I was like, that actually looks like it's the right call. But I think, Todd, you're absolutely right. I mean, the first 20 minutes this game, I'm sitting down, I wrote the exact same yardage differential in this 20 minutes of domination, and it's six nothing. And it was funny going into this game. I was thinking about it all week, and I was just trying to figure out, could this just be a bad matchup, especially with Banks the left tackle, out for taxes. Texas here going up against this D line that I still think that unit, like the most impressive performance that we could see six weeks ago and what they did down in Austin. But then I could also, like, talk myself into, okay, Sark is really smart. Yours have been around a long time. They have like, they. Okay, this. This is what it was like six weeks ago. No, no one should be more ready than Texas was. And I thought they were hitting on some deep shots. And then on the other side of it back for Georgia, I mean, just another One of those games. And I know we got hurt. We'll get to that last play at the end of the first half. But there really wasn't anything there. So I didn't know who was supposed to feel better because Texas certainly was playing better. But you. You look up and you're like, how has. There's been total domination the first 20 minutes of this football game and they don't have the score for it. Then they missed the two field goals and everything. Yeah, they got after yours again. Like, I think yours. They hit some deep conversions. There were like two 3rd and 14s that birds on. You don't expect Georgia to give up that often, like multiple times during the first half, but they still got yours, you know, five more times. That's 11 times they've gotten him this year. So you're. You're never comfortable, even if he's making some nice throws. And golden had a really good game. You just are always worried. And it looked like Georgia kind of dialed up the pressure even more once they knew that Texas couldn't run the football.
Todd McShay
Yeah. If you had told me coming in the game that golden and Moore, Matthew golden and DeAndre Moore, those wide receivers would. Would combine for 17, 276.
Ryan Rosillo
Right.
Todd McShay
And a touchdown, I'd be like, all right. Yeah. I mean, that's what. That's what we've been looking for. Other receivers spreading the ball around, but also vertically big plays. And you haven't seen a lot of that from Texas this year. And to do it against Georgia, that's kind of what I thought that they had been missing. And it's frustrating in that I. I almost get the sense that. And you look. Texas A and M was kind of similar, too. When you pull away early and then you decide you're going to kind of get conservative and kind of try to grind it out and do different things. I can understand that. But when it's 6:3, I just felt like they got conservative. Now, there was one drive early in the second half where they. They picked it back up and they got a couple big plays. Silas Bolden had a nice night. 268 pounds, kind of wet and wearing boots. But. But other than that, I just. I felt like they started to grip a little bit in the second half offensively. And in the meantime, I mean, who. The most. Probably the most unexpected storyline of the entire day and one of the most unexpected storylines of the entire season is a Georgia rallies and makes a comeback with some dude named Gunner Stockton that I've never even Heard of before. I made the comment earlier, like, I feel like everyone in the south just names their kid a quarterback name. If you have a boy, you name him a quarterback name just in case. Just in case. You get in a moment like this and all of a sudden, of course, it's George's. Yep. Okay. Carson Beck's out. Gunner Stockton comes rolling in, but he comes in and he's not great, but he's 12 of 16. He's running the ball. Lights a spark for this offense. And all of a sudden it's almost like it. It's weird to say, almost like a relief. Almost like the rest of the team, like, pick was like, oh, it's not on Carson anymore. We got to all chip in. Now all of a sudden we're running the ball. Trevor Etn is grinding it out. Frazier, when he gets his occasional carry in the second half, is averaging like 10.6 yards. The tight ends are making play plays. Was it Lucky on the sideline?
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah, Lucky had that catch on the sideline that was just. Yeah, I mean, there's a spill of that where he's just. His whole body's out of bounds and he kept his foot just in.
Todd McShay
And so to me, that was fascinating that all of a sudden this guy, Gunner Stockton comes in and the whole dynamic of the game, the whole feel of the offensive attack for Georgia changed. They had two long drives, 10 points on those two drives, and now all of a sudden, it's a football game.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah.
Mitch
The offense coordinator, Bobo, did a great job. When Stockton came into the game, I mean, they simplified. Looked to me that they simplified everything. And then I thought Texas was a little like a drive too slow. They gave up that one drive to react to what he was as a kind, his playing style.
Ryan Rosillo
Right.
Todd McShay
They were.
Mitch
They did a good job afterwards of like making sure this kid's. We're going to try to get this kid to beat us with his arm. He's not going to beat us with his legs. And I think until overtime, they did a pretty good job of that. But they let him make too many plays on that scoring drive with his feet, I thought. And we're a little bit slow to react, and then after that we're fine. But I thought, I mean, look, how many times was he just dumping the ball off to Frazier or back or hitting one of his tight ends on a rollout? You know, really simple reads, design plays. I thought Bobo did a great job when. When Gunner Stockton came in.
Todd McShay
Yeah.
Ryan Rosillo
You know, it's funny because I was wondering if it Was going to be like the Marcel Reed coming in for Wigman for A M against LSU where you prep and everything changes. And LSU was just a mess because Marcel Reed's so dynamic and you know, I still can't understand like why teams can't be better prepared. Like he's probably going to keep the ball all the time. Right. But Reed's more talented than Stock. I mean Stockton still was a four star kid. I think he was seventh overall. I'm sure the rankings are all over the place for that. So he's not like a non recruited guy. But it was pretty obvious that Georgia had given up on him passing the football. I mean he had the lucky throw. He missed Delt twice in the end zone and when they had the field goal to make it 13 6, like they let him throw a pass. He had one pass where I thought he dented the stadium. Like he threw it so hard. I mean it wasn't, nobody was knocked out. The mascot, yeah, it would have been like a misdemeanor assault charge if somebody had just been hit with like a camera guy. And after, after that you could just see it's like, Stockton, run. Cash Jones run. Stockton run. Etienne run. Stockton run. And they were just like, all right, whatever. Like we're playing for the field goal here. So you know, Texas is probably one of the best defenses in the country. I think we'd all agree.
Todd McShay
Yeah.
Ryan Rosillo
And you're looking at this situation and I know we'll get to back here soon, but you're playing a one dimensional football team. You are like there's not, there's not really much that's going to be challenging from the outside. He's not going like they really gave up. Yeah, I know he had the 16 attempts but it felt like when it mattered. They're like, we don't really trust this kid. And of course he throws that interception that gets Texas back into the game where if you run that playback, the middle of the field is wild. There's three Georgia players running routes, they're all wide open and I can understand, hey, Stockton is expected. He's been playing for the SEC title here. He gets pressure from the left side. He thinks he's getting rid of the football. He throws a pop up to one of the fastest players on the field. They're lucky that wasn't a pick six. So it's an awful, awful decision throughout all of that. But you're right, there was, there was some juice to Georgia once he got into the game where I think it's just A, not to overuse the word of culture, but the fact that they responded like that. And, you know, on the other side of it, too, I think that they bothered yours, yours far more than they did in the first half.
Todd McShay
Let me ask you guys this question.
Mitch
Here we go.
Todd McShay
And I want both of you to answer this independently. What was your experience with the Carson Beck injury?
Ryan Rosillo
All right, well, the only thing that I can say that I wouldn't be guessing would be when he came out. Now Stockton runs, and I thought he was dead. Yeah. In the over. So the overtime run. Oh, my God.
Mitch
I didn't realize we were talking about it first. Go ahead. Sorry.
Ryan Rosillo
I mean, he's just an absolute ball of run, but you're looking at him going, like, I don't know if there's going to be much more room there, dude. And, you know, credit to him. And his helmet ejects hit. I thought he might have broken his right leg. And he pops right up. But since the helmet's off, he's gonna come out. But the penalty doesn't really matter. It's like, first down from the three, and Beck comes in. And if somebody had said they replaced his arm with, like, a prosthetic arm, it was like this raggedy and off. It was just hanging. And I thought.
Todd McShay
But here's the thing.
Ryan Rosillo
So do you think that they were. They were trying to, like, play possum with it? Because he comes out that arm, it's hanging off through his side. Like, he cannot.
Todd McShay
But arms don't hang like that. I would. I was just confused by that. Like, I get it where. Or so here. Here's my experience with that play. Specifically when he comes in, he takes the hand off and they score the touchdown. And Fowler's playing like. And he's right. Like, this is a Hollywood story. You can't make this up. The injured quarterback who's out, comes back in the game to take the snap. The final play of the game, hopefully, if you're Georgia fan. But how is he back in if. How can he play this play if he wasn't playing the rest of the game? But then he starts to say in his arm. And then, like, right at that time, he's talking about A Hollywood Story. I'm literally watching Carson Beck with his arm as if detached.
Ryan Rosillo
He's tilted.
Todd McShay
Correct. Detached and tilted package.
Mitch
They didn't have a wildcat package they could go to, or they thought that they were going to bluff. The play action there, like, what are you doing?
Todd McShay
So here's my experience. They've. They've got to be playing. This is all. They're playing possum here. You're.
Mitch
They're.
Todd McShay
They are. They're selling this because no one walks with their arm like that. Like, you.
Mitch
You hold it, even if it's just detached from your shoulder.
Todd McShay
We're going play action here. That was my. That was my experience. I was like, oh, watch it. Wait for it.
Mitch
You were thinking, when.
Todd McShay
Play action. Let's get. Let's get lucky. Let's.
Ryan Rosillo
You really think they were throwing the football there on first down?
Todd McShay
I promise you, no way. And maybe not on the first snap.
Ryan Rosillo
But you're wondering why he's. He's being like, his. His arm obviously hurt, but I.
Mitch
Here.
Ryan Rosillo
You know what else I noticed, too, because I'm seeing all the same stuff, and I'm thinking, like, if it's this bad, how does he even hand it off? Same to you, Mitch. I'm like, if it's this bad, don't you just run some kind of wildcat package? I mean, it's actually kind of nice. You get an extra blocker thing. And then I noticed he went to adjust his chin strap. Totally fine with the arm that was dangling. Ah. But when he got behind Saturday, they.
Todd McShay
Were setting up a play after that, so I don't.
Ryan Rosillo
I don't know what was going on there, but it didn't matter because.
Todd McShay
No, it didn't.
Ryan Rosillo
ETN Run.
Mitch
Now we're all detectives, like, trying to get these clues.
Todd McShay
I just. I had an experience, and I wanted to see if you guys had a similar experience. It sounds like Rosilla maybe had some of that.
Mitch
And no shot. They were throwing that ball. No.
Todd McShay
Okay. And just. Yeah.
Ryan Rosillo
Can we talk about what if. What if he's stuffed on the first. Like, do you think. Well, they would have just brought Stockton back in, right?
Mitch
Yeah.
Todd McShay
Yeah, he's fine. Enough interviews after the game. Yeah, he seemed fine.
Ryan Rosillo
He sounded fine. I think it was like an Edelman super bowl moment. We're like, we're just gonna not worry about protocol right now. It's kind of a big deal.
Mitch
That's what it felt like. But.
Todd McShay
Yeah, after the game. All right. So what do you want to talk about, Mitch?
Mitch
The fake punt? Am I overly critical for thinking Texas? Hey, their punters injured this big, big moment in the game. Great place in the field to fake it. I mean, and you're right. Like, we kind of texted about this.
Todd McShay
Kirby, you know, great call onions.
Mitch
Big call and a big moment.
Ryan Rosillo
That's our own 30. Yeah.
Mitch
We're not getting ready for the, maybe the fake.
Todd McShay
No, no. With the, with the puncher injured. Absolutely. Yeah.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah.
Todd McShay
And not only were they not ready, he, he was like seven yards into the run and these guys were still trying to defend the gunner.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah, that's. There was very little awareness because like I know we'll get to Penn State later, but there was a Penn State punt where I'm thinking about the Minnesota game and I'm going, there's no way, there's no way. They're not ready for this. And Penn State had a really weird alignment with the way that they were lining up and look, they ended up punting the football. But I completely agree with you. It's. I mean with the punter being out you, it's not to say that you're guaranteed to stop it because they executed it really well. But it looked like Texas wasn't ready even for the thought of it.
Mitch
Right.
Ryan Rosillo
They never punted the rest of the game.
Mitch
And then, I mean that turned into a 14, no, a 16 play. 9 minute and 20 sec. 22 second drive. That's the game to me. We can go. All this other stuff happened, right? But that 9 minute and 22 second drive just, I mean to me that's with your backup quarterback. To me that was the game.
Ryan Rosillo
Right. And even with the yours pick where you kind of think it's over, it's third and 17, so you're asking for a lot from viewers there, but it's still fourth down territory. You're imagining, you know, 336, maybe not. But he throws that pick, you kind of think it's over. And then three pace, three plays later, Stockton gives it right back to you. So you're back in the game. And again we, we realized that because they ended up getting the game time field goal. And I actually like that Sark was taking shots into the end zone too. I mean they got the one P. Then they had the other two plays that didn't work out that I thought were just kind of defended. Well, that other over the shoulder thing to the right side was just going to be a really tough catch even though there's a little room one on one over there. But that I, there's nothing else for me to add other than I completely agree because I, I don't, I don't know how Georgia, I don't. You know, the offense, you're like, where are they going to come up with this offense against this Texas defense? And honestly, if you're a Longhorns fan today, playing this back, like I know the penalties you'll probably point to that, but it's, it's a, it's not a bad loss because it's Georgia, but it's a tough one to stomach because it was there. Like you should have won this football game.
Todd McShay
Yeah. 258 passing yards compared to Georgia's 127. How do you, how do you lose this game? But, and, and Texas, they, they got outrushed and I mentioned ETN and Frazier. They combined 22 carries, 141 yards, two.
Ryan Rosillo
Touchdowns, and the two fumble drive where they recover their own.
Todd McShay
Oh my gosh.
Ryan Rosillo
Which is why Frazier doesn't get as many.
Mitch
That happened a lot today.
Todd McShay
Yeah, that's exactly why Frazier doesn't.
Ryan Rosillo
Because every time Frazier gets loose, like once he gets past the first like area of traffic, you feel like he's going to break it every single time. But I think the staff thinks he's going to fumble it every single time.
Todd McShay
But apparently his fumbling problems in practice were worse earlier in the year than they have been in games too. And so that's why it took him a long time to get the touches he was starting to accumulate. But 358 to 127 passing yards dominate the, the first half of the game. They weigh that. They did. I guess my question to you guys is like, when I look at Georgia, they scare me the most in terms of a team. If I had to play them in one game because of that defense, because of how battle tested they are, I, I just don't want to play Georgia. They're, I don't think they're, they're not as good as Oregon in my mind. And we can argue some other, other teams, but I'm scared to death of playing them in one game because the way they, it's like the, like you keep defeating the dragon and it keeps coming back every game they're in. And it's not pretty. It's never pretty. But they just find ways to win. They're like the Chiefs this year. They just find ways to win. But I do, I trust them to make a run through the playoff. And now Carson Beck, we don't know.
Mitch
With or without Beck. Are you saying that, are you saying that only with a healthy back?
Todd McShay
No, I'm saying with Beck, with Beck coming back and probably being, I don't know, 85 90. Because Carson Beck's gonna be back. I'm curious to see if, if Carson Beck have gunned ahead, could have played, but they were looking at this long, long play. I don't Know, and this is not accusatory. I'm just. I think you get to a point and you say he's not going to be. He's not going to be himself the rest of this game. The, the largest goal is, is the national championship in a playoff run. If we put him back in there and something hell like, it could get significantly worse. We could be without him, you know, so I, and I don't know, I have no information on that. We're talking, you know, just a few minutes after the last games in championship weekend. But I'm curious. Like, I don't trust Texas as much as I should trust Texas. George scares me a lot, but I don't know.
Mitch
I don't know.
Todd McShay
I just don't know where I am with these two teams. I guess it's a question, the terrible question, but it's a question to you guys. Where are you with these two teams?
Ryan Rosillo
Well, I don't like Beck at all.
Todd McShay
Okay.
Ryan Rosillo
I just can't do it again. I think I've watched eight full Georgia games this year, and it's the ones you would have to watch because their schedule is so good. And there's just way more evidence that whatever he was supposed to be, he's not that guy. Like, if you just want to do. I like, I still like yours better than him. I like Aller maybe better than both those guys. I like Club Nick better than Beck. Like, Beck feels like he sleepwalks. I know they lead college football and drops. And we saw a handful of those again today.
Todd McShay
Yep.
Ryan Rosillo
But there's just like that last play at the end of the first half. Like, I'm sitting there and I'm going, you know, this is one of those moments where the coach loves his quarterback in that spot or hates him. Right. Because he'll be like, hey, look, it's probably not going to work, but get rid of the foot. Like, just don't do anything stupid. Right. Don't put us in a situation where something dumb could happen here. Just get the ball out or throw it, throw it away or run it and slide or, you know, take the two yard gain out of bounds. You know, we're going to halftime. And I was like, you know, with him. And I'm telling you, like, I hit up Todd before.
Todd McShay
Yeah, you did.
Ryan Rosillo
I was like, with him, you almost feel like you have to remind him, hey, and. And it's still. I mean, it knocked him out of the game. It turns to that fumble, that ridiculous rugby play there towards the end. We're like, is Texas Going to end up scoring from this. So, you know, I'm sure because you guys do this for a living with the evaluation stuff, there's plenty of stuff that, That I don't see. But I thought, like last year, there was clearly a moment where it felt like he saw the field a lot better. Things had clicked. He was putting up good numbers. He was efficient. He wasn't dangerous. Clearly the receiving core was more talented. His options between Bowers and Ladd and those guys versus what he has this year. But, you know, it's. It's an awesome season for them to get through it with only two losses. They're not a special football team. They have D line and linebackers. They have a special safety. I think some of the other corners are, you know, okay. Not. I think there's one that's not great. And when I know you're. I know what you're asking. I, I think the problem is that's not a definitive answer about this football team. Yeah, I think that's the problem. That's why we're all kind of sitting here going, oh, you know, I don't know. I'm not like, I don't look at Georgia going through this whole thing, winning the sec, going, look out. Which is, I think, why there's such a large portion of the country that is down on the sec. And they may be right because we don't have that one powerhouse team to pick and point to as going, okay, that's the team everybody else in the country should be afraid of. There is not that team in the SEC this year. Yeah.
Mitch
There's a lot of flawed teams. Just hearing you talk makes me wonder. Throw out. Because I know he has limitations as a player, but the best college quarterback right now is Dylan Gabriel.
Ryan Rosillo
Right.
Todd McShay
College in the.
Mitch
I'm sorry, in the play, in the playoffs. Yeah.
Todd McShay
Yes.
Mitch
I mean, Jalen Milro, more dangerous. Quinn Ewers, way more talented. I'm talking about trust, Dylan.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah, right. Trust.
Todd McShay
Well, we're don't. We're gonna. On Tuesday. I, I already decided.
Mitch
I know.
Todd McShay
Priscilla, you're gonna come back. We're. We're gonna do a confidence draft in the 12. Once we know the 12 quarterbacks, and I think we kind of do now, but once we know the 12 quarter, we're going to do a confident. A quarterback confidence draft and try to go through it, because I think it's going to be a fascinating exercise. I truly do.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah.
Todd McShay
But, but, but, but honestly, I. Yeah, Dylan. Dylan would probably be number one. Yeah.
Mitch
And it gets Back to the Georgia versus Texas. They're not that different. I mean, they seem different, but they're just not that different. Great defenses. I think they have talented quarterbacks that don't always play to the level that they should play at. I think that they're. Offensive lines are good, not great. I mean, there's. They're pretty similar.
Todd McShay
Yeah. All right. It's frustrating. I feel like. Had Texas just finished the drill, right? Had Texas, like, done what it was supposed to do, finish a couple of those drives, come out aggressive in the second half and take some chances and. And won this game, it would be like, all right, we've got our. Like, that's our SEC team. Georgia can go clean things up. They get a couple weeks, get Carson healthy, try to figure some things out. I'm always scared of Kirby Smart and that the program. But Texas is like, hang your hat. And I. I just don't feel like we have that right now. And that's.
Ryan Rosillo
No, look, if they had made one of the two missed field goals, we're probably talking about them as the one seed or not the one seed with Oregon's win, but we're talking about as the two seeds because I thought the A M game was dominant. I know it's 17 7. They kicked their ass for three plus hours. The only seven points are the pick six, the pick six, and the fumble in the red zone. You know, I know it's annoying for everybody to do imaginary math, but I don't know how you watch that game and think it was close, because it wasn't. And so I felt like, you know, even though I picked Georgia because I. I kind of couldn't get Austin out of my head from six weeks ago, and because the left tackle was out, you know, halfway through the game, I'm like, I don't. I don't know who I'm supposed to feel good about at halftime. It was such a weird game at halftime. I'm like, did. Are you supposed to feel. I guess you just feel bad because you're Texas and you're just like, we were too good in that game in the first half to let that happen. So maybe. Maybe it played out the way it was supposed to without that scary SEC team this year.
Todd McShay
I mean, you just mentioned Oregon. Let's get to it. And this game was fun. I mean, are you kidding me? 80, 82 points for 45, 37. 82 points in a Big Ten championship. There's a lot of things to unpack here. Oregon obviously wins. 45, 37. I'm gonna make two comments and I'll let you guys take it where you want. First of all, unlike Texas. Hanging the hat, Oregon. Oregon to me showed exactly what you need to show as the number one team. Even, even if you're trying to just maintain a spot going into the College Football Playoff, like, we're one of the elite teams. Instead, they to me tonight said, we are the elite team heading in. That doesn't get us anything. It doesn't earn us anything outside of a buy, but we're the elite team going into the College Football Playoff. And they did that not only throughout the game. Like, I love the way they started the game. Like, all right, here we are. We're Oregon, we're the west coast team. We're going to come into Indianapolis and we're going to kind of take over your party in the Big Ten and we're gonna shove it down your throat with physicality and toughness. We're gonna run behind my boy Connor Lee at left tackle. We got James Jordan. James just running left and right. And then we're gonna get our wide receiver, Tez Johnson, who was unbelievable tonight, by the way. 11, what was it? 11 for? 181 in a touch. That guy's different, man. I know he's skinny, can he stay healthy and all those things, but my goodness, is he different. But I love their mentality. They jumped Penn State, Penn State fought back and everything that happened. But then the fourth quarter, 97 yard touchdown drive from Penn State to make it 38, 30. We'll get to the decision to go for two. At that point I thought it was ridiculous from James Franklin. But then Oregon has that respond drive, 10 play, touchdown drive that showed me everything. Because it's one thing to get out and run away from a team, but like when you're facing it and a team's coming back for, for Oregon to have that 10 play drive to go up and basically seal the game. Although it got tight again, that showed me a lot of, a lot of things. So my first takeaway is that Oregon is that that team. They are that team. My second takeaway is for the first time in James Franklin's tenure, miserably disappointing big game tenure at Penn State. I actually like, appreciate and trust that this team is going to compete with anybody out there. I gained so much more trust for Penn State tonight than I've ever had under James Franklin.
Ryan Rosillo
This is to echo that. This is the best I felt about a Penn State team in years. And you know, when I go through it, this Year. And my knock on Penn State is always kind of like, you know, they even brought it up tonight on that broadcast where it's like, you know, if it had been a 12 team playoff, this Penn State team would be in the playoffs like all of these years you're like, cool, awesome. Make sure it's, you know, like, I don't want to hear it. You lose to everybody. That's good. But I would say this year, like, I might be the only person still bringing this up. I thought beating USC that Saturday afternoon was a very tough win. I know I'm not allowed to say that because of SC's record, but I'm telling you, it was a tough game to win with a ton of talented players all over the place. I thought the Minnesota game was tough. I wouldn't put Minnesota on par with some of the middle tier SEC teams, but Minnesota, you know, you got to show up, you got to be ready to play some football. And yet, just like when we had Todd on after the Ohio State game, you're like, okay, you know, here we go again. So when I saw the line, I thought it'd be like minus six and a half and then it was three and a half. I'm like, oh, okay, this, this is a little different. And I would say we could sit here and just name Penn State guys for a few minutes of guys that we all really like. There's defensive guys all over the place that I like. They have the best tight end in football. Both the running backs are nasty. And I like Aller, despite the huge mistake there late. But they ran the football for 292 today and lost. And they controlled the line of scrimmage. I mean, when they were, when they were handing it off to K Tron, they were. Their offensive linemen were swallowing up Oregon. Swallowing.
Todd McShay
That's a good D line.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah. You know, and I know that there's a name missing there, but it's just still like as that game was progressing, but every time I started feeling like really good about Penn State, I'd go, yeah, but the problem is Oregon's going to get the football back and then they get to run plays. And they started this off. Touchdown, touchdown, touchdown. Punt, touchdown. And so even though I really liked what I saw from Penn State, and there were a couple moments where you felt like maybe something happens here, like this has come down to them trying to throw it in the end zone. And that's still kind of what happened on the last possession before the pick. It just, I guess the difference was because there's so many things that were great about what Penn State did tonight. The difference was is that once or Oregon got their guys kind of in space, they were just so much more dynamic as opposed to Penn State having one guy in 44, the tight end. That scares the hell out of, you.
Todd McShay
Know, the difference tonight, honestly, they don't have a Tez.
Mitch
Yeah, no.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah. No, I. If they have a real number one receiver option, they win this football game probably tonight.
Todd McShay
I agree.
Mitch
They have nowhere near the depth that Oregon has in terms of playmakers, I think. I mean, they have guys everywhere. Ted's is different. I mean, he is. He's just different. He's clearly the alpha on that. That offense other, you know, in the receiving game, but they have guys everywhere. I mean, Terence Ferguson's a great player. Sadiq, the other tight end, Sadiq had two touchdowns.
Ryan Rosillo
I mean, he was the guy early. And then that Ferguson catch on fourth and two, that's all of those guys. It's Ferguson off running the right route and trusting Dylan to deliver the football.
Mitch
Yeah, I mean, they can. He can spread the ball around. But Ted.
Todd McShay
But Penn State. Different. Yeah. Sorry to cut you up. A Penn State had two wide receiver catches in the entire first half. Yeah, like you just. But, yeah, go ahead.
Mitch
No, you're right. I mean, there's. That's the. I completely agree. Can I say. Can I say something and flip the script a little bit here? Are we at all worried about Oregon's defense in big games? They gave up 34 to Boise State. They gave up 31 to Ohio State, and then tonight 37 to Penn State. I mean, that defense looks great a lot of the times, I think 10. He's a rising star. They got some players on that side of the ball, obviously. Harmon's got a lot of, you know, buzz this year. They've played three really big games. You know, Illinois was that. I mean, they shut down Illinois, so I guess if you want to throw that one in there, too. But the three biggest games of the year, they've. They've given up some big points in those games, man. And I just wonder, you know, till now it's been fine because they just. It's like you said, Ryan, like, when they get the ball, you just expect them to score. You expect them to extend drives, you expect to make plays. But I do wonder if that's going to catch up with them at some point, if they are not. If they're not as great on defense as maybe we once thought.
Greg McElroy
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Mitch
Okay, thank you.
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Ryan Rosillo
How did you.
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I am so happy. Oh yeah.
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Oh yeah.
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Ryan Rosillo
Yeah, I love their linebackers and I know that Harmon, who had that huge penalty too, by the way, when they backped up, you know, it was kind of a quiet night from him. And Birch is out. So that's somebody that you're expecting a lot from. But I, I don't know, man. Like, like last year I thought they were better than Washington. They lose twice, right? It was one of those games they lose on the road, all the fourth down stuff. And I remember like there will be moments during the season, I think we all do this when we know a team is likely or two teams are likely to face each other again. It's like, don't fall for the outcome. Right? Don't fall for the outcome. Remember this moment. That was kind of what I was doing with Georgia in Texas a little bit. My biggest lesson ever was the LSU Bama rematch in 2011, because I left Tuscaloosa that night going, alabama's better than this football team. And then, like an idiot, I just got caught up in all the Louisiana stuff for the week that I was down there. I was like, all right, Tigers are doing this. No. When Washington rematched with Oregon, I mean, Dylan gashed them last year in the rematch, and I think Oregon, because of the unit. I mean. I mean, I know this is stupid. It reminds me a bit of, like, the Golden State warriors run when they were amazing. It's. Yeah, they shoot a lot of threes, but they don't do this. It's like, actually, they're also, like, the best defensive team in the NBA, too, but it was hard for people to understand that. So I didn't watch the Ohio State game, guys, and I'll just pivot it back to you here. I didn't watch the Ohio State game thinking, ooh, Ohio State, big, bad Big Ten lineage. Just pushed the Ducks around. Because I think the Ducks have actually been more physical than people even give them credit for. Going back to all those years, you don't run the football the way they used to run the football. It was flashy, and they'd get these plays and open, but they still had started with the old line and pushing all these guys around. But tonight's defensive line matchup against Penn State was alarming, and you could even play it back to. Does it actually mean that the assumptions made about big, bad Ohio State, like, play out the rest of the year where you're like, you know what? Ohio State hasn't really been as physical as we would think based on their standard for the last two years. So I don't have an answer, but I certainly thought about all those things as I watched Penn State Gasham whenever they wanted to.
Mitch
Yeah, I mean, we talked about how it's a down year for the sec. It feels like it's a down year for the Big Ten, too. I mean, Ohio State's not what they.
Todd McShay
What we.
Mitch
Or what I thought they were. I thought they were. You know, a few weeks ago, I was talking about how I thought they were the favorite even after losing to Oregon. I thought they were going to win the national championship. I thought they were the favorite, and clearly that hasn't played out. Michigan's obviously having a down year. I mean, Indiana made a great run, and that's a great story, but I don't think anyone's, you know, saying that, you know, that's a. Yeah, the Indiana.
Ryan Rosillo
Win is this massive win because right Right. Fair. Unfair. That's what it feels like.
Mitch
Exactly. So, like, I don't know, Oregon looks really good and I. I think they're the best. I think every team is flawed, though. I think every team is. Yeah, it might be the least flawed, but there, There is that. That concerns me. All the points they've been putting up in those big games.
Todd McShay
Yeah, I get it. But. But of all the flaws, I think, like Oregon, I think Oregon has the fewest.
Ryan Rosillo
I'd rather be a team that can. That can answer scores.
Todd McShay
Yes.
Ryan Rosillo
Than. Right. Than being like, oh, we're gonna force three and outs, but if we're down seven, you know, I'll use a perfect example. Like the Illinois game against Penn State. Like, it was 14 7. It felt like it was 42 to 3. Right.
Todd McShay
I think we saw that throughout the day today. You know, I think we saw that. I mean, I guess to a lesser degree, like Arizona State, but we saw that certainly with. With smu. Like, if SMU doesn't have that offense, they don't. They don't come back. We saw that with, with. I think with Oregon. Absolutely. I just, Yeah, I want a great defense that travels. I want it all. But I really, especially this year with the teams in this field, I got to be able to score. And I just, you know, I wonder. I wonder with Georgia, are they going to be able to score when we get into this thing? Yeah. I don't know.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah. Look, I think, I think part of it too is just a credit to Penn State. You know, I think that they threw a lot at him and I know that, you know, that can be frustrating. In the two point conversion where it looked like they went Philly, Philly on that, where Tyler Warren was supposed to throw it back to Aller and the play got blown up. Because again, I think the best part of the Ducks defense is those linebackers and how active they are and how aggressive they are. And, you know, maybe Prabula could have come in more and given you a few more looks. I think the most frustrating thing is that Aller, you know, the pick was a bad throw, gives Oregon a short field. So who knows? Like, if Oregon was backed up 80, they may have just scored from 80 yards out instead of one. So sometimes the yardage math can be a little misleading there. I think the second and one shot against a deep safety. And read on the interception, where it's an incredible interception. The replay, if you're a Penn State fan, you know, like, he's got his jersey. Danielson kind of let it Go a little bit more than I'm sure some people would have liked. But I think it's the decision with Aller where I know it's not always going to be perfect and maybe we want perfect out of these quarterbacks. Like, I think there's a lot of really good throws and a lot of great athletic stuff. What he did on 4th and 10 when he was getting grabbed and thrown into the end zone and splitting two defenders, like, that's. I don't think there's a lot of guys that can make that throw. But in second and one, when you have a chance to get back in it and it's against safety help, it's just a throw you got to put in your back pocket.
Todd McShay
He's a damn warrior. Al I, I went from like, eh, I'm, I'm all set to I like him. I, I actually, I like him. I enjoy watching him play. He is imperfect. He still has moments where you want to rip your hair out.
Mitch
I think this help on the outside.
Todd McShay
I think this offense is gimmicky at times. And then as every time I want to go beat them for like, beat them up for being gimmicky, I'm like, what the hell else are they gonna do? They don't have a single receiver that does anything for you. This and it's a larger discussion. But you talk about the haves and have not have nots in college football, wide receiver. When you're watching games and stacking them on Saturdays, like, it is so obvious. Like the teams that have them, even if it's just one great one, the teams that have them, there's this freedom to them. There's this like, you know, there's this threat to it. There's a ability to make a big play. There's safeties back off. You know, Ohio State only has one and they've gotten away from utilizing him. But when they were. That strikes fear. Texas has a bunch of really good ones. Not great ones, but I'd take theirs over.
Ryan Rosillo
That's exactly what I was thinking about. Like, Ryan Wingo's had more than one catch in a game. Hasn't happened. The last time he did it was October. You know, he'd have 80 catches at happy Valley.
Todd McShay
You know, Exactly.
Ryan Rosillo
Between Bond. I mean Bond, the transfer in for Alabama. So like, it's just Bond was in.
Todd McShay
A disaster tonight, but go ahead.
Ryan Rosillo
Sure. Well, still, he'd be the number one option on the.
Todd McShay
No question.
Ryan Rosillo
Penn State, like the thing. The thing.
Todd McShay
But like Penn State, Georgia, Notre Dame. I watch Penn State, Georgia, Notre Dame. And I'm like, there's only so much we can do.
Ryan Rosillo
I would take George's three receivers before I would take a Penn State one.
Todd McShay
Dude, their number one receiver ar who was like the only guy and I don't have the numbers. He was like the only he. I think he might. But let me pull this up.
Mitch
It's a real race to the bottom right now.
Ryan Rosillo
They started trying to draft Georgia receivers.
Mitch
Who are the worst receivers in the.
Todd McShay
In the nation.
Mitch
Here we go.
Todd McShay
I know I had a note in. Arian Smith, I think was the only receiver and he had 41. Only 40. Here we go. Only 41 receiving yards from a wide receiver for Georgia to tonight. All were from Aran Smith.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah, it was Del 84. Lucky one of their other receivers had.
Todd McShay
Three catches for zero yards.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah. Love it was.
Todd McShay
Love it. So. But, but, but I also want to remind you and I. Maybe it's late, I'm being stupid, but I want to remind you, like it felt like I was watching a junior varsity high school game with like one of the dads who had a couple drinks covering a game and doing the play by play with his buddy and he was the color analyst. I'm listening to Herb street and he accurately depict the situation. But the fact that we're in the championship game with Georgia and we're talking about their number one and only receiver that had any receiving yards tonight, every time he catches the ball he has to jump and coach and coaches working with them. So you talk about the haves and have nots in college football. Wide receiver. I got to put Georgia in the have not.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah, I agree with. I mean it's been an issue all year. And then again the drop stat, most drops in fbs and we saw it again tonight, so couldn't agree more.
Mitch
I don't know what else to add to that.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah. Yeah. I just wish Penn State had one. I wish Penn State had one of these guys because they're actually creative.
Mitch
How do they not? I mean, I guess that's.
Ryan Rosillo
I can't believe that that's like, you remember Florida would just always have like, who the hell is that guy? Like I remember I saw the first time Jeff Demps had the football in his hands and I had to like just walk outside for five minutes. I'm like, what the is Jeff Demps? Okay. And then Florida went on this. Really. I promise we've got to move on to the other games. But like Florida would just have this stretch. We're like, how do the Gators not have a dude that scares the hell out of you on the outside. Like, that was a given every single year. And sometimes it just happens. And I know, like, Penn State is a different recruiting base than, say, the Gulf area and parts all over Florida, but they. It was a massive issue last year and I think, you know, a Penn State team that I've, I've probably. Well, I know everything, but I think I've been justifiably critical. Like, I just have a hard time when you haven't had the great win for two years and people are talking about you just missing out on the playoff or whatever. Now that it's expanded, they're in the playoff and we'll see. But I actually.
Todd McShay
Why do I feel like there's a win for Penn State tonight? Why do I feel like it was a win?
Ryan Rosillo
Well, because they didn't get it handed to him. You know, if it would have been the same, like, you were so down on them after the Ohio State game because you felt like that score was misleading and we talked it out. It was. I'm not going to debate with you and tell you that you were wrong. And I know this is crazy considering, like a number one seed was on the line here for Penn State. But I think we all agree Oregon's the best team. I don't really understand the argument against. You can pick against them, which is totally understandable, too. But Penn State, despite being down, battled, move the football. We're the more physical football team. And I. I think you said it like we keep saying the same thing theme over and over here again, I look at them as a tougher out today, even though they lost the Big Ten championship. I think it's okay to say that sometimes these teams lose. I think we're so ridiculous when a team loses a football game. Were like, oh, they sucked the whole time. Like, we get to the end of college football season and you have these people convinced nobody is good and no one has beaten anybody good. You're like, can. Is it okay to pick a couple teams we think are okay?
Mitch
Yeah. I mean, the way they lost to Ohio State, though, was tough to get down to the goal line and not run Warren, not get him a touch. In watching the game, it felt like Ohio State easily could have won by more. It's the way you lose. Right. Tonight you felt like they got punched in the mouth and they responded and they were physical. I mean, that second half, they were physical. That was the first time I really felt like watching them against, you know, I guess the other game would be Ohio State. But they really got downhill in the running game.
Ryan Rosillo
I mean they was unbelievable, man.
Mitch
They were getting after them in the run game and it just felt different. And then you're seeing Abdul Carter felt like he was all over the place tonight. I mean he felt like he was everywhere tonight. You know, it was just the way you lose matters. And, and I agree, if you think Oregon's the best team, which I do at this point, then I mean, that's.
Ryan Rosillo
You lost.
Todd McShay
I guess maybe they wound up in a shootout with Oregon and they hung tough. Maybe that's part of it. I don't know. But I'll say this.
Ryan Rosillo
It.
Todd McShay
It obviously hurts them that, that they, that they lost. But what really hurts Penn State is I look back at the, at the, the brackets and we'll see how it all plays out. And we're gonna. On Monday I'm gonna join Rosillo and we'll talk about it. And Tuesday we'll continue. Continue the conversation with mention have our quarterback confidence draft. But remember we were talking last week after it came out. Penn State's in a great spot. The number five spot is a great spot because if you're not.
Ryan Rosillo
Well, if. But this, this committee's been really standings based, man. They like the Big Ten. So maybe you'll be right. But they've been pretty straightforward on the math of. Like you have this.
Todd McShay
Now George, George has got. But George has got to be number two. Right?
Ryan Rosillo
Georgia's gonna be two. It's gonna be Oregon, Georgia two.
Todd McShay
So then. And then three and four will be.
Ryan Rosillo
We'll see what happens here with Boise.
Todd McShay
Boise, Arizona State or smu. Like one.
Mitch
Clemson. Clemson.
Ryan Rosillo
Clemson.
Todd McShay
Clemson. Sorry, Clemson. Yes.
Ryan Rosillo
Right. But I think what you're looking at Here is the 5, 6, 7 conversation with Notre Dame, Penn State and Texas.
Mitch
Yes.
Todd McShay
Right.
Ryan Rosillo
So why don't we do the agency and then. Yeah, yeah, we will.
Todd McShay
I just thought that was interesting looking. No, I mean you're, you're a much better host and that's why I'm a disaster in this role. But we have fun anyway. All right, Clemson, smu, ACC club. Nick comes out, he's dealing my guy Cade, who I thought was going to fail me early in his career and he bounces back this year, came out dealing in this game. Confidence, throwing the ball down the field. That throw to his Wesco. Right.
Ryan Rosillo
Wesco, who looks like he's going to be carded until he's 38 years old.
Todd McShay
Yeah, but he can scoot great throw down the seam to him just picking Apart this defense, SMU's a disaster. Weren't ready for the big spot. Two turnovers in the first half, two personal foul penalties, missed a field goal. Looked like whether it was cold out. They were overwhelmed. It just like all of a sudden, there's a guy. They're not ready for the moment.
Ryan Rosillo
Oh, well, I mean, out of the jump, if you think of it, it's a fumble touchdown drive. Two plays, 33 yards, punt, a nice return, end of penalty four. So Clemson runs six plays for a total of 61 yards that are up 14 nothing. Defeat before people are like, even in their seats.
Mitch
Yeah. Four and a half minutes. And I think it was. Exactly.
Ryan Rosillo
And you're looking at this whole thing being like, okay, smu, but, you know, it's just funny how, like, I know you guys get it, but have you watched a football game before?
Todd McShay
Yeah.
Mitch
There's going to be a swing here. Yeah.
Ryan Rosillo
So go ahead.
Todd McShay
It's not the NBA, but there's going to be a swing. And. And the, the scariest part for me too was that it's a veteran offensive line for SMU. And they were getting. And I thought McDonough and. And Greg McElroy did a great job. Like, they weren't just getting beat after like a second and a half. It was like something's up. Like they. We gotta change the cadence. We gotta. The snap count. Like they were beating him so much over match. And then all of a sudden, Jennings is starting to drift. It's not true, but yeah, it's like the. It's like the avalanche is rolling down and it's. And it's catching up. It's nipping at their heels. But then to turn it around the way they did. Take it wherever you guys want it. But I. I was, after the first, really going into halftime, I'm like, all right, SMU's out. And like, like, they're out, out. And Bama's in. And it should. And now I'm already starting. I'm thinking about what I'm going to say. Okay, so now Clemson just gets beat at home, Happy Valley by South Carolina. And Clemson's gonna get in. And now. And Bama's. I just. I went down that whole rabbit hole. But my takeaway is SMU absolutely deserves to be in after that final three quarters. They outplayed Clemson. Clemson's in average football team in terms of top 25 ranking. They had a great night. They had a great first quarter. But smu, the way they fought back, like, I don't see how you Keep them out. What'd you guys see?
Ryan Rosillo
Go ahead, Mitch.
Mitch
I mean, Alabama's a better team. That's how. I mean, you're just sorry. Like when you think that that team's playing Alabama and that. And they're going to beat Alabama. I mean, if they play 10 times, I mean, don't give me the miracle speech after this. They might win. I mean, SMU might win two games. I'm. And that just honestly how I feel. And look, it's a great story and I don't want to. Kevin Jennings is so much fun to watch. Those kids are resilient. But you know how I feel about that Clemson team and it's. I'm not overly impressed with you losing to a three loss Clemson team. Like, I'm just not. You lost to byu. I mean, there's been some other, you know, you, you beat Duke by a point. And it's a great story and it's a great run that they had. But if you're telling me you want to get the best teams in, you ask Kirby Smart whether he wants to, you know, go against Jalen Milro in Alabama or Kevin Jennings in smu. And look, those. That offensive line is not going to look better against some of the teams that they might see in the playoff. So to me, I'll also say this really quickly because I, you know, I have to say it amazing that Clemson didn't commit a penalty night. I mean that was just incredible. Unreal.
Todd McShay
I mean, I don't know how.
Mitch
Like just the cleanest game I've ever seen.
Todd McShay
Dabo does love Charlotte.
Ryan Rosillo
He mentioned it was textbook, man.
Mitch
Textbook. You know, they're taking headshots at the quarterback.
Ryan Rosillo
But they didn't get the face mask on Club Nick though, when it was right in front of you.
Mitch
Yeah, they did miss that one.
Todd McShay
All right. It gets two teams in like narrative. But I am not a conspiracy theorist and Mensch is, but it does get two teams in.
Ryan Rosillo
Jesus was an underdog.
Todd McShay
He was.
Ryan Rosillo
Well, if I'm just talking about game and if I'm being completely transparent here, it's going up against 12:55am Eastern Time.
Mitch
Here we go.
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah, the, the two big screens like. And I only had two screens up, so I have both of these games on. So I was trying to like time it to get as much of the ACC game as I could get in. And so I was fully aware of like the start and how things are going. And you also know that Clemson's not gonna be able to run the football on SMU because nobody can run the football on them. 2 yards per carry on 32 rushes. SMU is sixth in college football on opposing yards per carry. So it's. It's like the opposite of Iowa State that we saw earlier today against the Sun Devils. So you're like, okay, well, that's. That's good. But on the other side of it, like, Club Nick has had a really nice year. And the other thing I love about Club Nick is that he'll throw the football like it's a little dangerous. It's a little. It's not as dangerous as Nussmeyer. You know, I always talk about Nussbaumier, like, third and 17. This ball's going 18 yards from. From the line of scrimmage. Like, I'm. I'm going for it. But, you know, in college with some of these offenses, I appreciate a quarterback in an offense. It's like, you know what?
Todd McShay
Let's.
Ryan Rosillo
Let's get the ball down the field and see what we can do here. Having said that, Jennings is like, man, like, I would have an Oregon, Penn State play going, and then I would look up and I'd be like, how is Jennings? 40 yards behind the line of scrimmage, almost out of bounds, and now he's running back in. Why are there. Yeah, why are there four defensive linemen behind Jennings chasing him? That guy uses all of the field. He gets his money's worth. And even though it's scary and the interception was terrible. He's such a baller, man. He is such a baller. So fun to watch that you started to fall in love with smu.
Todd McShay
He doesn't have a pulse, man.
Mitch
No. Like, you could care less.
Todd McShay
Yeah, that's your problem, not mine. I think that's how he treat everything in life, is like, that's your problem.
Ryan Rosillo
I feel like they don't have a system. He just breaks. He goes. Get open.
Todd McShay
Yeah. And that in that final drive, worked.
Ryan Rosillo
It got him back into the game. I mean, how many times did it look like he's flushed out? There's no chance. And then he kind of runs up, and then you're like, is he running? Is he throwing? I don't know. And you know what? Credit to his receivers, because they know it so well. They get back in a position, they find a good spot.
Todd McShay
All of a sudden, the camera will. Will pan and will go that sideline view. They will pan, and a receiver will have it be open by 7 yards. Waiting on the sideline, like, you know, like, they. They. They work it together. They work it Together. And. And I looked up. So I don't know these. He had like nine different. He doesn't have a receiver with more than 30 receptions this year, but he's got like nine guys with 22 or more. I mean, I guess when you're running 150 yards four times a drive, you got to be rotating guys in and out.
Mitch
Yeah, that kid's exhausted, by the way. He's like. He's got an IV in right now.
Todd McShay
All of the receivers, you can only handle four plays a drive with this guy, but it's. It's fun.
Ryan Rosillo
If you're an offensive lineman in this game for Clemson, you're like, this sucks.
Mitch
So SMU is better than Alabama? Is that what we're saying? Is that what you're saying?
Ryan Rosillo
You want to do a little resume now? It'll change because they got to recalculate the strength of sky.
Mitch
I'd love to do a little resume.
Todd McShay
Well, can we talk about Rashard Smith first? Can we talk something positive before Mensch ruins this whole shard? Smith, that's my guy this week, right? 24 carries, 113, six catches, 30. 34 yards in the touchdown. You told me he's not the next Tyrone Tracy.
Mitch
I like him. I mean, he had a tough drop, but he had a good.
Todd McShay
God. Yeah, he had just tough drop. He had six catches.
Mitch
Saying. What's the resume? Give me the resume.
Todd McShay
All right, here we go.
Mitch
Do you got it, Ryan? Here's.
Todd McShay
Here's my thing. Let me jump right.
Ryan Rosillo
He just eating. I mean, I know they threw it to him in Miami a bunch, but I mean, he had. I think he had. I mean, he just. They didn't. They didn't use him as a running back.
Todd McShay
Yeah, no, he wants the Alabama. He wants. While you're pulling that.
Ryan Rosillo
I can do that. Oh, I thought you wanted the Brichards. I thought we were still gonna break down the.
Mitch
Yeah, sorry.
Todd McShay
Running back while. While Rosilla's pulling up the. The resumes here. I want to say this to every Alabama fan out there that's going crazy. I agree. I agree with Mensch that If they play 10 times, Bama's probably going to beat him eight to nine times. And I am all for getting the best teams in.
Ryan Rosillo
Would you pick USC against Boise?
Todd McShay
Right, but there has to be some kind of standard. There's got to be some kind like.
Mitch
This from the guy who wants the one win Indiana team out.
Todd McShay
I guess.
Ryan Rosillo
Who, me?
Todd McShay
No.
Ryan Rosillo
Look, I never thought I'd have Indiana at 11 and 1 in.
Todd McShay
I want South Carolina and I want Alabama and I want.
Ryan Rosillo
I don't want Alabama in. For the record, the committee's going to put him in. I think he's going to put him in. Okay. Because like, you could break it down and everybody can do this. Okay. I mean, it's like, it's like honoring somebody at a dinner, you know, at the Elks Club. You're just going to say all the nice stuff. Right, Right.
Todd McShay
Not that he cheated on Tammy four times and he beat his dog back in the 80s and yeah, hasn't as.
Ryan Rosillo
He cheats on his taxes and his wife, but he's one of these. He's a. Gus is a good guy.
Todd McShay
He's a hard worker.
Ryan Rosillo
The, the record against the top 25 teams, I think SMU is now what Owen 2 and Bama's 3 and 1. But I, I don't look, I don't like Bama's quarterback. I think their defense has been gashed about four or five times. I know their linebackers are supposed to be awesome. I know the old line's supposed to be awesome. I think the old line was a coin toss times this year. You know, the Bama part of this. I know the committee had them at 11, which made you think, okay, they're still going to find a way into this whole thing, all right. But I would pick Ole Miss over him. I would pick South Carolina over them, which I hate because of the head to head. So as much as I think rightfully so would argue for the SEC when it's close on some of this stuff. And I think the schedule should come into play. And I don't think the committee cares about the schedule. They also don't care about the schedule imbalance within conference. I mean, Felica came on Friday and I was like, I feel like we're the only two people really talking about this. Like, have you dug through how crazy it is that some of the top teams are playing a conference championship games, how much easier their schedule was than other teams? So we may have flawed teams because not great teams are winning their conference because they just had an easier ride through it. Again, that's not the case with Georgia because nobody in college football had to even come close to what Georgia had to do with their six opponents. Like, go ahead, try. You're just gonna be wasting your time. But I also think there's something to be said of like, we've gotten so far away in the sport from just being able to say, hey, I think this team is good. And I don't Think that one is because I watch it all day on Saturday and we could do a Bama SMU resume here. But if SMU is in over Bama, I'm not going to freak out after that chaotic SEC Saturday night where those three teams lost. And I still think Bama's loss at Oklahoma is far worse than losing at Florida. And also, you know, look a m losing Auburn. On paper, Auburn's the worst team. But at least it got to overtime when they were down 21 nothing and came back in that game. Or an Oklahoma team that can't score. You know, granted was turnovers, it was short fields, but that. That running back gashed them again, you know, so normally I would be the guy who would agree, like, hey, who really actually wants to play Bama in some of those other years? This is not one of those years for me, especially when I'm arguing about them getting in as one of the bottom seats. So do you have SMU win?
Mitch
You take what you would take one of the three SEC teams or you're good with smu.
Ryan Rosillo
I would argue for South Carolina or Ole Miss over.
Mitch
Agreed. I only say I would argue for answer the other two.
Ryan Rosillo
Wait, your SMU over. So you don't want the other SEC team in. You'd say SMU tonight after what you saw?
Todd McShay
Me, Yeah, I think they're going to be. I. I just. I guess it's. It's recency bias. Coming off that game, the way they battled back like that was. That was pretty freaking.
Ryan Rosillo
What an awful way to lose.
Mitch
Gonna play like Notre Dame in the first Penn State or Penn State in the first round.
Todd McShay
Yeah, I get it.
Ryan Rosillo
Okay. What about. What about.
Todd McShay
Do you think the committee can. Can the committee. The committee's sitting there and they're like, God, how do we. How do we just. We told everyone we're not going to penalize you for losing in a championship game. We stacked these teams up. It was a three point. The committee was dying, dying for that. That first half score to hold up. Dying easy. Ah, smu, nice run, but, you know, not the level. Now the right thing based off of all of their is to put SMU in. The best team is South Carolina followed by Ole Miss Alabama. So like I, I don't.
Ryan Rosillo
Where's Miami in this for you guys?
Todd McShay
After the SEC teams? If I'm going best teams, I'm going. I'm going South Carolina. I'm gonna go Alabama, then Ole Miss, then I'll go Miami, then I'll go smoo.
Mitch
That. I mean that's Very close to where I'm at.
Ryan Rosillo
But I also.
Todd McShay
I'm trying to have a reasonable conversation.
Ryan Rosillo
No, I like what you said, though.
Todd McShay
Relevant to the situation.
Ryan Rosillo
I like what you said because I don't. I don't want to penalize the extra game. People like that would not be a habit that I would want to get into. But, you know, you can have rules, but every year you're gonna. You can't have these hard and fast rules with it. Like, you're going to have scenarios that play out different every single year when you're trying to put together these 12 teams. So I personally would rather it. It be one of those other SEC teams, but I wouldn't get mad about it. I'm not gonna. I wouldn't be like, you're totally wrong because it kind of gets back to your original point. What the committee said here.
Todd McShay
The acc, bottom line, I, I'm not calling any conspiracy here. The ACC bitching and moaning on. On game day today, we're a much better conference than you believe. Than everyone believes.
Ryan Rosillo
That's what everybody. I love. I love that, by the way. It's this fake, like, imaginary. Everybody agrees the SEC is the best, but we're better than you think.
Todd McShay
Did you hear the commissioner today? He's like, we. Better record versus the Big 12. Better record versus the Big 10 and a better record against the SEC than. Better record against the SEC than all the other conferences. Record against the sec. Not our. Not a better record. Yeah, not a winning record against the.
Mitch
SEC, but the Big 12 is only getting one, too.
Todd McShay
If you want to go down the conspiracy theory, and, and I'm not saying this is happening like, I don't believe it. I truly don't. But the only way the ACC was getting it in was this exact result. A close, exciting game where you love smu. This is the only way they were getting two teams from the ACC in. And you know how important that is financially for the brand. Everything.
Ryan Rosillo
This is playoff scenarios, right? Well, look, there are playoff scenarios where I get mad. I would not be mad about this one. If they roll them out tomorrow and it's still SMU and Clemson and there's that extra SEC team not in it. That's fine. Yeah, that's fine. But it is a different college football experience. And I would think that a committee that has been tasked with figuring this stuff out would. Would really be able to dig through everybody's schedule and go, what? Like what happened here? You know, And I don't really blame any of the coaches for doing. I Mean, Signetti's gonna get out there and start stomping the table, but then he starts acting like, oh, this is all because of Brand. It's all because of Brand. Like, I guess I'd say the same thing, too, if I hadn't beaten anybody. But, yeah, and look, they're in. I mean, he was mad about not getting a home game.
Todd McShay
Yeah, I'd be quiet if I'm significant.
Mitch
Like.
Ryan Rosillo
Like, you're gonna be in at 11. One, not doing anything, and now you're mad about not getting a home game. Just like. And I don't know what they're gonna do because, like, all of us want to see Tennessee, Indiana. And I don't think, like, this is where it gets a little weird. And we'll see, because I remember the BCS people speculating, like, oh, they won't put this team in the sugar, and they'll. They'll do this. You're like, oh, wow, that makes a lot of sense. And then they would actually, in fact, do the thing no one thought they would do. So will we see a Big Ten matchup in the first round depending on where Penn State lands, or does that become, like, a seeding tiebreaker where they're like, wow, let's just have Notre Dame play this team or Tennessee plays this team.
Todd McShay
I'll leave you guys with this. Cam Scatterboo was Awesome again today. 16 carries, 170 yards, 10.6 per carry, two touchdowns, 38 receiving yards. Sam Levitt was highly efficient.
Ryan Rosillo
Gold chain.
Todd McShay
Their. Their defense.
Ryan Rosillo
He plays. He plays like he wears a gold chain.
Todd McShay
Their defense was.
Mitch
Got a boo jacket. Boredom kills.
Todd McShay
Their defense was better than expected. Like, played hard, held them to 19. Arizona State was awesome today. Dominant. They're gonna get whacked in their first game. I don't care who they're playing, because they ain't playing that spot of a run defense, and they ain't got anything else. They don't have anything else. I'm so, like. And I love skyboo. What Kenny Dillingham has done is brilliant. Six straight eight of their last nine, they had a hiccup at Cincinnati. But I just. I loved everything about the Arizona State story. I'm pulling for them. They've, like, they were awesome today, but I can't envision that team without Jordan Tyson being able to do anything against a defense that can play the run.
Ryan Rosillo
Iowa State's 122 in the country as far as opposing rushes, rushing yards per carry. Like, I. I don't even want to. I don't care about like overall yards per game. Like when you break it down yards per carry and you can see it. I think there was a Levitt keeper where he went up against a couple of linebackers for Iowa State. And you like, oh my God. Maybe there is a difference between some of the conferences at some of the positions. I don't know. You know, you watch any of these games, I, I love Arizona State. I do think they're just kind of a bunch of ballers. I think if I coach, I know Scattaboo had a touchdown last year. I think if I was his coach at any level, the first rule would be I'll never give you a halfback pass option because you're going to throw it every single time, no matter what the coverage is. But I look who wouldn't love this story? Picked last, Dillingham's age, the whole deal. Jordan's out. But that was kind of a bad matchup there because Iowa State. Steven. So you think there's not another, there's not a first round matchup for you where you think Arizona State has a chance? And Todd, you're okay with Boise getting the, the buy as the other conference champ instead of boys is a better football team. Okay.
Todd McShay
Unfortunately, like I, I love, I, I, I truly love Arizona State. I love watching him. I love the way they play with Jordan Tyson. It would be different just watching. They don't have anybody else. They're in the have nots now. They don't have anybody else at wide receiver. And, and it takes a special kind of incompetence to literally know every time you line up there's one thing that can hurt us. We have to stop that one thing from hurting us. And you, and you do it at a disgusting level of 10.6 yards per carry. It allowed. And they're not gonna, there's no D. I'm looking at it like Penn State, Tennessee, Ohio State, Alabama. If they're in. No chance. Notre Dame. God, no. Indiana even. No. Georgia? No. Smu? No. Oregon? No. Like Texas. No. That's every t, every possible matchups. It's a, that's a no.
Mitch
I mean, don't hold back.
Todd McShay
I want to thank all the live viewers for staying with us throughout all of our comments. Now this has been fun. This has been fun. I do appreciate everyone. We've had a pretty good crowd for Saturday night. It's now 1:11am Eastern Time.
Ryan Rosillo
Not everywhere. No.
Todd McShay
Are you getting ready to go out? Manhattan Beach?
Mitch
Come on.
Ryan Rosillo
Full day tomorrow too, buddy.
Todd McShay
I've seen you Pull.
Ryan Rosillo
You know, season's not over yet. Yeah.
Todd McShay
Pull. Turn two. But we want to thank everyone. So here's the deal. We got. We get the announcement on Sunday, right? We're gonna have the. Not. I mean kind of not a great ratings poll, except if they're in the. The Tuscaloosa area for that. But. But so Sunday night we're going to get the the or Sunday afternoon we're going to get the. The reveal for the 12 teams and the seedings. That would be fun to take a look at. I'm on with you. We're doing live on. Why don't you promote your show Monday, Rossella?
Ryan Rosillo
Yeah, we go live. YouTube. I think that's going to start up at noon Eastern, 9 Pacific. And we'll just react to the rankings and well just give you another hardcore dose of. Of college ball here. But I don't feel like. I don't feel like there'll be an outcome here where I'm going to be outraged. I don't.
Todd McShay
We might have to bring men on. I think he's already outraged.
Ryan Rosillo
What's the outrage scenario for you, Mensch?
Mitch
It's. Listen, I actually kind of agree because at the end of the day, handle your business like if you're South Carolina win one of those three games. The. Well, they did. You were the Alabama game. I know you're talking about Sellers. You're actually. I think you're angrier about South Carolina than I am. Todd, to be honest with you, I.
Todd McShay
Just don't understand how we live in a world where. Where you take out Florida State, undefeated in the season they had last year because of quarterback. But you watch a scenario in which Lenora Sellers gets injured, you're up 17, nothing with him, lose that game without him and terrible officiating. It was like Brute beyond brutal.
Ryan Rosillo
That would be enough for me in the room to go, hey, let's treat it as two. And they just maybe Clemson, you know, and that's.
Mitch
That's my problem with the commit this committee is the. It's the wins losses like they're.
Ryan Rosillo
We're always going to have a problem with the committee. Right. But it is. You're right. It's very. Wins losses.
Mitch
There's no weighted. It's not weighted enough.
Ryan Rosillo
I'd be in the room arguing Texas to be fifth and they're not.
Mitch
SMU and Miami were ranked as high as they were. When you're watching those teams play and you're watching these other teams playing, you're like. It was just like they were trying to get these, the ACC and the Big 12 teams in that top 12. So it justified having them there instead of just letting one of them be the automatic bid and not having to move them all up there because they have one loss and they just played terrible schedules. I don't know. To me, it was they from the very, the jump, the, the not waiting the schedules was a problem for me.
Todd McShay
So that's what we got going on on Monday with Rosillo. Then on Tuesday, we're back here. We're gonna, we're gonna kind of expand that conversation, get into, start looking at the matchups and also the, the quarterback confidence draft. I'm actually really excited for that. I think we like, in a year where we, I don't have a ton. I've got a, I've got good confidence in a lot of these guys, but not, I don't know. I think it's very debatable. I think it would be a good discussion, but that's it. We appreciate it. Again, thank you everyone for, for joining us this late. Appreciate all the support. Download. Subscribe Priscilla is better at this. Tell a friend what all the other people on podcasts say. But we, we do truly, all joking aside, appreciate you being with us. And Rosillo, we appreciate you and your outfits joining us late on this critical Saturday night.
Ryan Rosillo
I love the invite, so thank you for letting me get in the way of what you guys been doing. It's been awesome. But for me to sit there and then not have, I would have been just calling McShay at 1 in the morning. I'd had to talk about this. So I, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the invite. I was happy to be a part of it tonight.
Todd McShay
So thanks, brother. A little Kumbaya moment, man. She got anything sweet to say, too?
Mitch
I don't, I don't get in the way of this touching moments going on right now. I'm good.
Todd McShay
All right, fellas, we'll talk to you soon. Appreciate everyone.
Ryan Rosillo
Thanks.
Todd McShay
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Podcast Summary: The McShay Show - Conference Championship Reactions, CFP Predictions with Ryan Russillo
Podcast Information:
Overview: In this episode of The McShay Show, seasoned NFL draft and college football analyst Todd McShay joins forces with Ryan Russillo and Mitch to dissect the outcomes of the recent conference championship games, evaluate key performances, and predict the College Football Playoff (CFP) lineups. The discussion spans multiple teams, with a particular focus on the Georgia vs. Texas game, the performance of Oregon in the Big Ten Championship, and the evolving dynamics within the SEC and Big Ten conferences.
Todd McShay kicks off the episode with reflections on Championship Saturday, expressing excitement and gratitude for Ryan Russillo's participation:
Ryan Russillo humorously recounts his attire mishap during the show, adding a light-hearted start to the analysis.
The bulk of the discussion centers on the Georgia vs. Texas game, highlighting Texas's offensive struggles and Georgia's resilience.
Todd McShay criticizes Texas's inconsistency on offense:
Mitch attributes Texas's loss to penalties and poor offensive execution:
Ryan Russillo echoes these sentiments, noting the impact of penalties and Texas's inability to capitalize on opportunities:
Key Play Analysis:
Notable Quotes:
The conversation delves into the controversial play involving Carson Beck's injury and subsequent return to the game.
Todd McShay expresses bewilderment over Beck's return after injury:
Ryan Russillo and Mitch discuss the implications of Beck's limited participation and Georgia's strategic adjustments post-injury.
Notable Quotes:
Shifting focus to the Big Ten Championship, Todd McShay praises Oregon's performance against Penn State:
Ryan Russillo highlights Penn State's improved defense but acknowledges Oregon's offensive prowess:
Mitch raises concerns about Oregon's defense, which has given up significant points in key games:
Notable Quotes:
The trio engages in a heated debate about potential CFP seeding, particularly focusing on the inclusion of SMU and the status of SEC teams.
Todd McShay, Ryan Russillo, and Mitch express skepticism about SEC dominance this year and discuss the possibility of SMU securing a CFP berth.
They debate the merits of teams like South Carolina, Ole Miss, Alabama, and SMU, weighing recent performances and historical strengths.
Notable Quotes:
A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to evaluating quarterbacks from the leading teams and discussing the upcoming "Quarterback Confidence Draft."
Todd McShay anticipates a confidence draft to assess the top 12 quarterbacks once the playoff teams are finalized:
Ryan Russillo and Mitch share their views on various quarterbacks, highlighting strengths and weaknesses:
Notable Quotes:
Beyond the championship contenders, the hosts analyze performances from teams in other conferences, including SMU, Clemson, Penn State, and Arizona State.
Mitch praises Clemson's disciplined play despite their loss, noting the lack of penalties:
Todd McShay expresses admiration for Arizona State's offensive strategy under coach Kenny Dillingham:
Ryan Russillo highlights Penn State's tough matchup and their physical play:
Notable Quotes:
As the episode wraps up, the hosts discuss upcoming content, including further playoff discussions and the “Quarterback Confidence Draft.”
Todd McShay hints at continuing the conversation on the following episodes:
Ryan Russillo encourages listeners to tune into his show for additional insights:
Mitch emphasizes the unpredictability of playoff selections and the importance of evaluating teams beyond win-loss records.
Georgia vs. Texas Game:
Oregon's Performance:
CFP Seeding Controversies:
Quarterback Evaluations:
Conference Strengths and Weaknesses:
Notable Quotes Overview:
Conclusion: This episode of The McShay Show provides comprehensive insights into the college football landscape post-conference championships. With expert analysis from Todd McShay, Ryan Russillo, and Mitch, listeners gain a deeper understanding of team performances, quarterback prospects, and the nuanced debates surrounding CFP selections. As the CFP approaches, the hosts promise continued in-depth discussions and evaluations, ensuring fans stay informed and engaged with the evolving season.