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The McShay Show
SEC Championship Reactions: Kirby’s Best Coaching Job, Bama’s Bad Day, Ty Simpson’s Future, and More
00:48:46
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- [00:00]
Steve
Foreign.
- [00:05]
McShay
Congratulations to to Georgia, 287 is the final. It's their third SEC championship in the last five years. And what I can tell you with certainty is there's 138 days left, Steve, until the NFL draft. And I know you're getting nervous already, but I do want to ask you you good? Mitch?
- [00:26]
Steve
I'm great, man.
- [00:27]
McShay
All right, Tucker, roll that beat, would you please?
- [00:49]
This is the kind of performance from Alabama that makes you wonder is something behind the scenes wrong? And I we just watch the end of it together with our crew, but we reset and here we are and appreciate everyone for being here in the show. 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 to get started, must be 21 and older and present in select states or 18 and older and present in D.C. 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 and this is a special edition of the McShay Show. We're going to do a a recap of the Georgia Alabama SEC championship game. Georgia wins 28 7. They've won three of their last five three of the last five SEC championships. This felt personal for Kirby Smart. You got to remember Steve, he was one in seven versus Alabama coming into this game. Three and one in SEC title games versus opponents not named Alabama. Oh, and three versus the Crimson Tide. So on one end you've got Kirby Smart kind of exercising his demons and he got his players a group that has improved each and every week, especially on the defensive side. Man. And that's his baby.
- [02:38]
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- [03:04]
McShay
This feels like a program that has been stacking improvement upon approved improvement and is peaking at the right time heading into the College Football Playoff. But on the other side.
- [03:17]
This performance, seven points in the SEC championship game and coming out, yes, you're without Bam Miller, your, your star running back and you're without Cuevas at the, at the running back position. I mean at the tight end position, Josh Cuevas. And you're without LT Overton. I got it. But Georgia was without a few guys too, including Drew Bobo, their starting center and Georgia. So clearly early in this game and throughout was the more dialed in, better coached, more intense football team from top to bottom than Alabama. And so my question is to you.
- [04:01]
Is there something wrong? Because I was in denial and I'm watching this Alabama team that lost to Florida State kind of pick up the pieces and I'm watching Ty Simpson get better and better each week for the first like six, seven weeks of the season. And I'm watching the, the passing game rolling and the defense was getting better and, and quite honestly, 28 points tonight after a block punt and after the interception and, and the field position and like you mentioned on the, the pre show as we were still what the reaction or while we were still watching the game with everyone on the chat, they controlled the ball for What'd you say? 20 of 30 minutes in the first half.
- [04:35]
Steve
Yeah.
- [04:38]
McShay
So you, you factor all those things in it. Alabama was on the field not only in bad situations, but so damn long in this game because of inept offensive play and Caleb DeBoer is an offensive coach and Ryan Grub was brought in from the Seattle Seahawks and has been with DeBoer and they've had great success together. My question is, is something wrong? Because when everyone was saying I don't know that DeBoer wants to be here and Crimson Tide fans are already fed up with them and yet they're going to the SEC championship game. And I'm also hearing.
- [05:12]
And I don't know how much legitimate truth but I know that there was. There's something to this. Let's leave it there.
- [05:20]
A loss against Auburn may have set off a chain of events that would have been wild. May have because I think Lane Kiffin was still kind of waiting to see if is if there's a disastrous resulting in the Iron bowl for Alabama is that job coming open.
- [05:39]
And Jimmy Sexton, I told you, the puppeteer. So none of that happens for a team like how in what world does that happen? And all these rumors are out there and the speculation and this disapproval it feels like from the fan base. Remember the undercurrent I was telling you about Brian Kelly? It's not like that. But there seems to be a really mild undercurrent of is deboer the long term guy? Does he want to be there long term? Does Alabama want him there long term? And I, and I, I ingested it, I heard it, I asked people questions, tried digging a little bit. And it's kind of believe what you want to believe, don't believe what you don't want to believe. And I kind of just turned like, come on guys, what are we talking about? Alabama's going to play Georgia in the SEC championship game.
- [06:30]
Everything'S fine. And then they come out and have this performance. So I ask you, Steve, when you watch this game tonight, did it or did it not feel like there's something going on there?
- [06:46]
Steve
I'm going to say I get, first of all, I get it. Everything you're saying is true. And I just said that Alabama was out coached. I would say as, as confidently as I can and like as loud as I can. Absolutely not. There should be like, I don't know what the deal is here. This is the only issue that Alabama has is they had Nick Saban there and he was, he's the best coach in the history of college football and they wanted such a high level that anything that comes after that is going to be an issue. Let me remind you Alabama fans, yes, Florida State was bad at Georgia 24, 21 versus 16. Vanderbilt, very good team, 30 to 14 at Missouri, good team, 27 to 24 against 10. Tennessee 3720. I know the South Carolina played them tough. South Carolina also played Texas A and M tough. Also the Auburn game is different every year, man. It's not like, not like Nick was blowing out the Tigers every year when he should have been, man. He lost some tough ones to Auburn as far as I remember. So like, let's not get carried away here.
- [07:46]
McShay
I get it.
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Steve
Debor might not be the long term answer there, but I, I don't know who they, Alabama thinks, Alabama fans think is going to walk in that door and be the coach of that team now, like Kiffin, I guess that could have, that would have been really interesting and I would have loved to watch that unfold just because of how, you know, entertaining the whole thing would have been. I get that. But Kayin Deor is a damn good coach. He's won everywhere he's gone and he's won this year too. And he, and he beat this Georgia team that got him tonight and they were. Yes, there's you if you're in that Al Alabama locker room or that Alabama organization. You are sitting there right now trying to figure out what the hell just happened, what we got to do to get. But I think that if you're starting to think the, the sky is falling, that's just because you're Alabama and anything less than a national championship is a failure and that's a good thing, I guess. But it's not. This is not. They're not in a position that LSU was by any stretch of an imagination. Like, it's not even close. So I mean, and by the way, I don't know when we're going to get into this. I'm just going to get off my chest now. Like Alabama has to be in the playoff. I don't care about how they lost tonight. Alabama 100% has to be in the playoff because now you're not putting him in the playoff because they lost to a team that looks like could win the national championship in the, in the SEC championship game. What are we talking about? Like, I just, I don't get it. Like, you can't punish a team for. And we're going to get into all of this later on, I'm sure. But like, I just don't know how you punish Alabama for losing it to a team that they beat earlier in the year because it was a three score game. Like, I just don't get.
- [09:20]
McShay
Felt like more than a three score game to me though that was to get dominated.
- [09:25]
Steve
Whatever way you want to say it, they got.
- [09:27]
McShay
I mean even the stats don't like Georgia 297 to 209 in TER in terms of total yards of offense. It just felt like more than that. The thing that, that what does line up with my sensibilities after watching that game. Alabama finished with negative 3 rushing yards.
- [09:47]
Steve
Been a problem all year.
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McShay
It has been a problem all year.
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And let's, let's get to the, the comp with, with Miami and with Notre Dame and all that stuff later in the show. Let's, let's give Georgia credit though because if I'm a Georgia fan and I'm tuning into this, I'm like, yo, we're on.
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Steve
What about my guys?
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McShay
Yeah, we're, we're, we're on the stage right now. You know, Kirby's. As we're watching live, Kirby's hang, you know, holding up the SEC championship third in five years going back to 2001. What are we talking about? Confetti's falling. Blue and yellow confetti. SEC confetti falling. What are we talking about? So I do want to talk about Georgia. Here's what I want to tell you. I'm convinced this is one of the best coaching jobs, maybe the best coaching job that Kirby Smart has ever done as a coach at Georgia. Because, because Jacoby Dean and, and Jordan Davis and, and Trayvon Walker and.
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I mean, go through the list, right?
- [10:48]
Steve
Jaylen Carter.
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McShay
Yeah, Jaylen Carter. All of them. None of them were walking through this door. The recruiting has, was, is very good and there's a lot of young players, but he had to coach up a lot of young players and he coached up depth. Okay. And I watched this defense, we talked about it three or four weeks ago. I did a tape breakdown on him and tape truce. It was the depth. I talked like the defensive line is, is playing with discipline and doing all the things right. But it wasn't the same violence. Stack shed get off and then go make plays that we saw with those, all those first rounders, half of them that went to the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Steve
Right, right.
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McShay
But I saw they're rotating like six guys and along that three man defensive front and this linebacker crew. Let me tell you about this linebacker crew man, C.J. allen. If he's not a first rounder, he's a top 40, top 50 pick and he's a leader and he's everything you want. He's an absolute dude, an off ball linebacker. But Raylan Wilson, whether it's blitzing, attacking, dropping someone, coverage, he has come on and then you've got the Jack player. And you know, Raylan Wilson plays that money linebacker spot. The Jack linebackers, Quintavious Johnson, he's gotten better and better as the season's gone on. Number 33, C.J. allen's three, Wilson's five. And then the guy that I've been telling you that just keeps getting better. It's like a rocket ship with this young man, Chris Cole, number nine. And, and tonight I, I don't have the stats right in front of me, but he was leading the team in tackles last I look and he's, he's a special player and he's starting to become part of the fabric of this defense for Georgia. So I'm seeing all of that and I'm seeing a secondary that's protecting itself better and tackling better than it was early in the year. And we've known the safeties have been really good. Dalen Everett's the.
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He, he's the corner who like kind of seems like he's, he's involved in a lot of different things and he's a veteran guy. Jacori Thomas is the free safety and he was like the second leading tackle for Georgia tonight last I looked here. I'll pull.
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Steve
He led. He Corey Thomas had six.
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McShay
Six.
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Steve
Cole had five with C.J.
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McShay
C.J.
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Steve
All three linebackers had five. That's funny.
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McShay
Alan Cole and Wilson all had five tackles, all tied for second most tackles on the team. Jacori Thomas at free safety had six and KJ Bolden had three.
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So the back seven is feeding off of what's going on in, in the defensive front which is Gabe Harris 0, Xavier McLeod and Christian Miller who's the veteran of the group who's going to be a draft pick probably, you know, day two, I would guess Elijah Griffin, 90 I told you is that freshman who keeps getting better, Josh Horton they brought in. So while it's not the elite individuals, we're not going to see four or five guys drafted in the first round. There's a lot more depth that's being utilized than maybe normal and those guys are all getting better and there's no better time of year to be, to be peaking and to play with confidence than right now. And while Alabama can't run the football very effectively, especially without Bam Miller in the in the lineup, it's still a damn good quarterback. It's still a wide receiver core with potentially two first rounders in it.
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Steve
Yeah.
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McShay
And Isaiah Horton's going to be drafted. Jeremy Bernard is a potential, he's probably a top 50 pick, let's call him but potentially a late first round draft pick. He's been that good this year. And they, I mean and I know they got, I don't want to call it garbage but later in the game like Bernard had that touchdown. He had a 23 yard catch up but, but really like when, when D. Hill, the running back is, is your second leading receiver with five and Isaiah Horton has one catch. He's been the most consistent re in the last few weeks possession big X receiver when you shut him down.
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And low. Brooks the, the young, the youngster had one catch for one yard.
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Sponsor/Ad Voice
Yeah.
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McShay
Ryan Williams had the two catches early on that clearly were trying to get the ball in his hands after he had one catch for 23 yards. I think it was in the previous two games.
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Steve
Yep.
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McShay
But that feeding frenzy, it looked like he was going to be ended real quickly. He had two for 33 yards after catch stuff because they can't trust and they had a drop later or failed to catch a ball on a contested.
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Negative three rushing yards.
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Steve
Man.
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McShay
It's an awesome job by Georgia. But it's also like.
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Steve
Is this one.
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McShay
Of the best 10 teams.
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When we start looking at the College Football Playoff right now, it was. It was one of the five or it was one of the four, five best teams in the country in the middle of this season. It had risen from the ashes after Florida State. And I'm telling you after that Georgia win and with the Missouri, they don't forget this about Alabama, if we're talking just about resume absolutely deserve to be in. Can't punish a team for playing in a championship game because A and M got to sit at home. Oh, Ms. Got to sit at home.
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Steve
Yeah.
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McShay
100%.
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Steve
Oklahoma, Texas.
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McShay
Yeah, all of them. They all got to sit at home. And had any one of them run into this Georgia team tonight. Yes. I don't know that it would have been the same, but it might have been not favorable as well. That was a buzz saw that they ran into tonight, huh? But it still didn't. It feel. It felt icky.
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I get it.
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Steve
I get that it doesn't look good and I get that it doesn't feel good. It doesn't change. I mean I just don't know how you punish them for that. I just don't know. Like I get it but like. And I know Notre Dame and Miami fans are going to hate me saying that, but I just. I just don't get it. I don't. I don't understand how you can do it. It's an ugly loss. An ugly, ugly loss.
- [17:04]
McShay
I know this. Georgia is going to be the number two. Not that it's totally matters but it, it could matter a little bit. Georgia will be the number two team in the country. I guess we knew that coming in. The winner of this.
- [17:14]
Steve
Whoa, whoa. What If Indiana wins? 21 20.
- [17:23]
McShay
This game is so impressive, man.
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Steve
I know. I hear. Well then.
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McShay
But, but that's. Yeah, you're right. You're right.
- [17:31]
Steve
You kind of. You're trying to.
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McShay
We're.
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Steve
You're. It's the two sides of the coin. It can't be that impressive if Alabama's not a playoff team.
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If you're telling me that that Alabama playoff team, then like what are we doing? You know what I mean?
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McShay
I think they made Alabama not a playoff team. If, if Alabama's not. You know what I mean? And you're right. Gun.
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Steve
That's fair. That's fair to say you. They were when they stepped on the field and Georgia ended it. And that's. There's something to be said for that. Especially when you think of the rivalry of those two teams in the history. I, I get what you're saying. I do. I understand that. That. That's fair to say.
- [18:10]
I would also say that last year, a week ago last year, I, I thought it was silly that we would think that Ohio State would win a national championship after losing to Michigan. It's just, it's college football, man. It's. Any given Saturday. It's like it just. Anything can happen.
- [18:29]
McShay
75% we had a fan get out. If you're on the chat right now and we pre. We get this chat just blew up out of nowhere, impromptu show. And I love it. The support we're getting is. Is amazing. We appreciate you like beyond your understanding. But we got 172 votes right now on the, on the poll. Everyone get involved if you want. If you're. No one's with.
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Steve
No one's with men's early man.
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McShay
75 say no. This game. This game matters. 74 right now. And I'm. I'm looking up the TV screen and they're. I mean, BYU. I don't know why they have them in there. I think they just pre built this. This graphic. But it's Alabama versus Notre Dame versus Miami. And I'll tell you what, this game made what was already going to be a highly scrutinized and like because with BYU out and we'll get come back tonight.
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Steve
BYU out.
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McShay
Oh, hell yeah.
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Steve
Interesting.
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McShay
Like, couldn't be more out.
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Steve
Interesting.
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Where's Texas Tech? Where will Texas Tech be in the rankings?
- [19:32]
McShay
We're gonna do. We're gonna do TMS Top 12 tonight at the end of the. The end of the post show. My only point here because I want to save that for tonight. And we've got graphics built and Tuck's been working behind the scenes and we're gonna have all the information we need. We're gonna do our best. I'm watching Heather Dennis right now. We're gonna do our best. Dnich, but we're gonna. We're gonna actually do the TMS top 12 and tell you what it should be. Then we'll look at it like with good perspective and say this is what we expect to see tomorrow. Then we'll be back at noon Eastern time. We got about 10, 15, 20 minutes of preview recon of recap what we were saying. Maybe a good night's sleep will have cleared my brain. Maybe we'll clear Steve's.
- [20:08]
Steve
Yeah.
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McShay
Find out what we have to say tonight. But I do want to say this.
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I looked at some, some metric right earlier in the day, I think, I don't know if it was ESPN or where it was.
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Steve
I was doing the same thing. That's dangerous.
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McShay
Alabama had a 97% chance.
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To get in even with a loss going into this game. And to your point.
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They deserve it. Man. What I, what I started to say before and I lost my train of thought. It's not surprising because I'm all fired up tonight.
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Steve
Yep.
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McShay
No team in the country has a four game run of beating four ranked SEC opponents. Nobody else.
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Ohio State didn't, didn't do that throughout the course of its season. Neither did Indiana. They did it in four consecutive weeks, man.
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But my question now, and this is the question that the committee has to answer on its own tonight and tomorrow.
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Are. Is it the, is it one of the best 10 teams, is one of the best seven at large teams? That's what it breaks down. There's five teams that automatically get in because they're conference champions, including one from the G5.
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Steve
Yeah.
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McShay
And the ACC could throw that into flux. And all of a sudden JMU could be in as the highest ranked next conference winner. If, if, if Duke wins, beats upsets Virginia as a five loss team. Duke ain't getting in. Period.
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Steve
Nope.
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McShay
So that would be jmu. But it still remains seven at large teams. Okay. This episode is brought to you by Scout Motors. I'm actually thrilled we have a partnership with Scout Motors. I'm trying to buy a Scout. I'm. I desperately need one in my life. I've had my eye on it since social media started showing me that they're coming back. Remember a few years ago when the Vikings were down by 33 points at halftime against the Colts but managed to turn it around in overtime? It was the largest comeback in the history of the NFL. Just as iconic is the comeback of the Scout Traveler and Scout Terra, last produced in the 80s when I was born. Life was so simple back then. They've been reimagined for today with four wheel drive, optional 35 inch tires and more. Join the wait list@scout motors.com concept vehicles not available for sale. Features and performance specifications are preliminary and subject to change. Joining joining the wait list does not guarantee purchase. Visit scoutmotors.com for more details. 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 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.
- [23:14]
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- [23:53]
McShay
Is the current Alabama team the one we saw tonight, the one we saw kind of scuffle with South Carolina, the one that we saw struggling. Yes. In, in the Iron bowl, but against an Auburn team that hasn't won a lot this year? Is it. I'm asking. I'm not, I'm actually not leading. It is.
- [24:13]
Steve
It is. You don't like. Because now we're going to get into this slippery slope and I, and I would. And I think it's easier with other teams to point this out. Define best. One of the seven best teams to get in.
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Sponsor/Ad Voice
Right.
- [24:25]
Steve
You can make an argument that Texas is a better team or you know, you could, there's, there's, you can go down that rabbit hole if you want, but it's going to come down to. They had two loss into that game and their, the, the wins that they have are. They won at Georgia, man, they won at Georgia. They beat Vanderbilt, they beat Missouri the next. I mean they were just, they, that role they went on, on those four teams, the, the four ranked teams that they beat. You struggle with teams over the course of a season. That happens. I mean, you talk about South Carolina. A and M was dead in the water against South Carolina. Lucky to win that game. Like there's just, you can't, you can't do the, you know. Well, they barely got out of there and I know there is, there's a metric for that. So it'll be interesting with that, like how, how well you controlled the game. I'm not really sure how much that should be weighing in on, on the committee's minds, to be honest with you. It's about winning games. I don't think like for Georgia, I wonder what they would be in that metric because they don't care about that. Georgia had to come back against Ole Miss. Georgia had to come back against Tennessee. But it doesn't matter because that's their formula. The formula is we're going to drown. We're going to drag you into the deep water and in the fourth quarter, no matter what the score is, we're going to put ourselves in win, and we're going to be better than you. Then that's what Georgia is, and that's awesome. I love Georgia football. It may not be the prettiest, it may not be the, the most explosive offensively. I freaking love it. It's awesome. That's it. But it is what it is. Like, so I, you can start, you know, like, oh, they had this game and that game. We can start picking at everyone's schedule. Pick a team. Notre Dame struggle with Boston College. Miami lost to two, four lost teams.
- [26:00]
McShay
Like, what are we doing here?
- [26:01]
Steve
Like, when you have that many wins and you get to the SEC championship game and yes, you got. You lost by three scores. I just don't know how you. They can't put you in.
- [26:12]
Because you had a bad day.
- [26:17]
McShay
But, but it's a. Yeah. I see both sides. I truly see both sides. You want my honest answer right at this current moment, I think something's wrong with Alabama. I, I can't pinpoint.
- [26:30]
Steve
I should have asked you what you thought.
- [26:31]
McShay
Yeah, no, I. No, but it was good. It's a good discussion. I throw out questions. You answered them. I'm watching the chat. Everyone's got different opinions. Some people think I'm crazy for defending Alabama. Some people think, you know, it's. It's crazy not to include them. And that's the beauty of this.
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My questioning was because all of a sudden, when we woke up this morning, there was no doubt. BYU loses. We got. The committee has a problem on its hands. And that problem is Miami, Notre Dame, right? Because everyone, 97% chance Alabama's in.
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Now, all of a sudden, they get a different problem. Because I want, I want people at home to understand this.
- [27:17]
There's a lot changing, and it's changing real fast in college football. And it's happened and things are still. But, but what? The. The conferences.
- [27:27]
Nil drives the player market, right? And the schools and the, the. And the collectives and all that drive the personnel. Now in college football, what has not changed and never will change, just so people understand, TV money.
- [27:43]
Drives the sport.
- [27:47]
Now, that doesn't mean that Nick Saban and Kirk, Herb street and Jimmy Sexton's agent and all that stuff, and people are like, get that here. It's, it's not pertinent to this.
- [27:58]
Because I've heard a lot of that noise this week and, and like sure, fine. I, I just don't care. My point in all of this is that the TV money drives it. And you know how much money these networks are making and the advertisers are paying for these championship games to be valid, to be important.
- [28:19]
And what happens then when the sec, when an SEC team goes in with the Alabama's record and is 97% chance to win and maybe Bam Miller could have if it was an emergency. I don't know.
- [28:34]
Steve
Jam Miller. I got it. I gotta write.
- [28:36]
McShay
Why do I keep saying Bam?
- [28:37]
Steve
I don't know. We both.
- [28:40]
McShay
Yeah, it's been a season long thing with me because he runs hard.
- [28:43]
Steve
Bam.
- [28:44]
McShay
Bam. I don't know Jam Miller. But my point in all of this is they can't let. And we saw it with SMU last year against Clemson. Right. Clemson wins. Does not deserve really to be in fought a hard battle peaked at the right time.
- [28:58]
Steve
Yep.
- [29:01]
McShay
And we're all looking at SMU being like nah, you get LSU's out there, south Carolinas.
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Sponsor/Ad Voice
Yeah.
- [29:08]
McShay
There's some other programs that.
- [29:11]
No old messes out there. I mean there were some real arguments but they couldn't allow these championship games to be irrelevant or not important team saying what you did to Alabama last year, why in the hell are we going to go play in that game now? I don't know what that looks like if you just pass or like. But, but, but I don't think it's. I think it's a precedent that's been set because money and TV money controls the sport. And it's not dissimilar from the NFL or any other sport. It's just, it's the nature of business right now in sports.
- [29:46]
Steve
Yes.
- [29:47]
McShay
And it will be probably for the rest of our lifetime and beyond. Right. So with all of that as the backdrop so people do understand and have an education behind it, can they do that to Alabama? I don't know. I don't think right now, I don't think Alabama right now at this moment. I think their resume tells you. If you look at their resume and you stack it on a sheet of paper and do all this stuff, put it on a graphic on ESPN or, or put it in front in front of the 13 committee members. Alabama deserves it because no one else had to play four SEC ranked opponents and beat them for you know, four consecutive weeks. That's amazing. Yeah, it's like I don't think it's ever been done or it's been like 50 something years. I forget what the stat was. It was like it's almost impossible to do that in that conference.
- [30:40]
But they did it and it's still Alabama. And then you make the argument now. So I want to put us in the committee. We're going to have this long conversation tonight, but you put yourself in the committee room, then you get to talk about, well, Bam will be back and LT Overton will be back and Cuevas will be back and this will be a different, a different program. And Alabama came into this game really beat up after a tough Iron bowl and a long season where they played a bunch of SEC opponents and a bunch of ranked opponents and, and give them weeks till December 19th, is it? Yeah, December 19th.
- [31:11]
Steve
December 19th.
- [31:12]
McShay
Give them two weeks, two weeks to get rested because what's today? The, the 6th.
- [31:15]
Steve
6Th. Yep.
- [31:17]
McShay
So you give them two weeks, they'll be rested and healthier and, and this will more, much more resemble the Alabama team that we saw in the middle of the season when they won those four ranked games. It's a hard, it's a hard thing to go through. Yeah, I do.
- [31:34]
I do want to say this about Georgia as we now look at the big picture. Unless you have, if you want to say anything else on the Alabama.
- [31:41]
Steve
I wanna, I just want to know before we move on, you said that you think something's wrong in, in Alabama. Is that a, a vague. I don't know what it is. Something's wrong or do you have, are you sniffing something? Are you, are you on?
- [31:56]
McShay
I sniffed some stuff from people I talked to and some of the same people that told me that Lane Kiffin has. It was a done deal and he was gone. Some of the people who are tied in with the Sexton stuff and the text chains that I was involved in and all these different things that got me the information 24 hours before, 40 hours before, everyone on the major networks were reporting what was going on. We were sitting there on our show after the three, at like 3:30 before the 4:00 meeting for Ole Miss. And you and I had the information of exactly what was going on. And I, and I posted on X the night before. Tomorrow's gonna be a long day because I knew it was coming. And then we, we talked about it after the game, Ohio State, Michigan, we were ahead of that. And I've been three steps ahead of the Penn State stuff for two months now.
- [32:41]
Steve
Yep.
- [32:42]
McShay
And I'm not doing this to like get Tommy John. I'm just saying the same people I've been talking to who are giving us information because they know I'm In a different seat than I was at a network before.
- [32:58]
There's. And I want to reiterate, I knew with Ole Miss and I told you with Lane and. And I was good. I told you with Franklin, I told you with Pat Kraft. I told you with what was going on. And. And like, I. I could commit to that. I'm telling you. I don't know. But it's weird for a program that won four straight against SEC rank. Yeah. And was ranked in the top 10 and was playing in the SEC championship game.
- [33:22]
Steve
Pole position to get into the playoff. Yeah.
- [33:24]
McShay
I don't know. Getting all this information coming in and out. Right. So that's. That's all I'm sharing. And I. And I was refuting it. I was doing what you're doing tonight.
- [33:36]
No. Stop. DeBoer is a proven commodity. Who cares if some. If the lunatic fringe in Tuscaloosa is pissed off at him because he's not Nick Saban? And it was inevitable that whoever followed up the legend was going to have some. Some tough times. Yeah. There's been. There's been that side of it, and then there's been like, does he even love it? There is, after two years, like, kind of like, it's not. It's not worth it. Like, you know.
- [34:01]
Steve
Yeah.
- [34:01]
McShay
But. And I don't know, it could all be bogus. It could all just be stuff that people like. The game of telephone.
- [34:07]
Steve
Right.
- [34:10]
McShay
But I was like, no, I don't. Yeah. But now I watch them tonight. All I'm saying is it. It started creeping into my mind as I'm watching them, like, in total ineptitude on the offensive side. And there just seemed to be. The defense played hard, man. The chance Womack, like, his unit deserves a lot of credit. They. They were buttoned up. They were dialed up. They had a good plan. They had a couple breakdowns, but for the most part, they hung in there considering. Considering terrible circumstances that the offense put it in. But it just felt like there was something missing tonight. And so now I'm left with.
- [34:51]
But is there something to all this? Is there a disconnect? Is there something. You know what I mean? I don't know. And so, like, speculation is a terrible thing when you're sitting in this seat. But I am telling you that there's stuff going. I'm just hearing more than I should be hearing. And then that performance makes me wonder. And then, like, more importantly to the, like, what's imminent is I'm having a hard time. And by. Honestly, I'm going to Spend some time. When we get off this show. I'm gonna be watching Ohio State, Indiana, which starts in about two minutes. Okay. And, and well the TV coverage starts in two minutes. We'll get off here in another five.
- [35:25]
Steve
Yeah.
- [35:25]
McShay
The kicks. Yeah. And, and, and also have a side eye on, on the ACC championship game with Virginia and Duke and we'll come on with five minutes remaining in the Big Ten championship game. We'll watch it together. Everyone in this chat. Oh man, it's growing again. We love you. Be back with a go watch the game for a minute or stay on the chat. Have some fun. You guys have more fun without us, if I'm being honest. True, I get jealous.
- [35:50]
But I'm gonna think it through and think like because I, I wanted tonight make an honest assessment when we're done with when we're done with the recap of the Big Ten championship game. Go through some of the stuff today. Two cents on I'm going to give two cents on the Matt Campbell hire at Penn State some of the information I've gotten there. And then I want to wrap up tonight with the TMS top 12 and we'll go through those seven at large bids after we then at that point we'll know the five automatics. Okay. And then I'll give you my final decision on But I'm telling you right now I'm really struggling because I, I truly, I get it. The resume says Alabama should be in and history in the precedent that has been set says Alabama's in. But then there's this other side of me where I'm committed. I'm committed as a tiny little voice in all of this to like can we do everything in our power to just get the 12 best teams in and I know that five are getting in in this current system and maybe not all five deserve and we all know while Tulane is at a wonderful year, they're not one of the best 12 teams. But that is the system. But can like all of our energies should be focused on these other seven teams in that the at large bids can we get the best seven in and I agree. Sit down and I'm going to look because Notre Dame's not playing tonight, Miami's not playing tonight and it really comes down to those three. And I'm curious for everyone on the chat, talk about it, think about it because tonight I really want to dive in and provide an answer as to what I think and it's just one person's opinion or vote and I want to know Steve's Point on. On the whole thing and what he thinks.
- [37:27]
It comes down to, resume versus best at this moment going into the College Football Playoff. And that's, that's the debate and the argument that I'm having.
- [37:36]
Steve
Can I ask you two things, one about that and one about something else before we get out of here?
- [37:40]
McShay
Yeah.
- [37:40]
Steve
One is, does it matter to you when a team loses? So. And I'll be. It's not a gotcha question. For me it does. So. The Notre Dame loss to me is different than the Alabama loss tonight. The Alabama lost tonight is a much bigger deal than Notre Dame losing that head to head to Miami because that was the first game that was, that was August. Dude. Are we trying to get the best teams in now? Are we trying. And I'm not saying it doesn't matter, but it.
- [38:05]
McShay
That's a tough one too, that I want to get to tonight because it is head to head. And I believe it. Head to head as an athlete, as a competitor. Head to head is a religion. I get it. I get it. But you believe in. You believe.
- [38:18]
Steve
So take. Take away the head. The head to head for a second y. The way you weigh a loss to me is differently in terms of the opponent and when it happened and where your team was at that time.
- [38:29]
McShay
But if we can wash away that Florida State loss so easily when Alabama's rolling through that SEC schedule of four straight ranked and we're like, yeah, but that was the first game of the year. It was a funky opponent. It was a quarterback that runs all around. They just, they weren't ready. So like. But this is Alabama now, right? If we're going to do that, then maybe the committee's right. Yeah, we know the head to head, but it wasn't August. And look how much better Notre Dame is with the, With a young first year starting quarterback and they figured themselves out and all of it and the defense has gotten better and better, all those things. So it's tough, the committee, like, this is the first time, because.
- [39:10]
Early in the process I was like, you know, the committee's focusing on the right things this year. I, I'm, I'm hopeful. And then we went through the last few weeks and I'm like, like, I don't know. Like, here we go again. Yep. Disgusting. Some of, like, some of the.
- [39:22]
Steve
Yes.
- [39:22]
McShay
Some of the, the changes and the wa. And then the, and the rhetoric and the narrative coming out of it. I'm like, I just.
- [39:29]
Steve
How can I trust you drop Alabama behind Notre Dame after they lose to Oklahoma, then you move Them ahead of Notre Dame after they barely beat Auburn. It was, it's a weird, they've done some weird things. Let me ask you this.
- [39:40]
McShay
Yeah.
- [39:40]
Steve
Agree or disagree. And I don't know what he would have done either way. But if this loss is one of the things that gets Ty Simpson to return to Alabama for another year, this could be a silver lining type deal for Alabama. They could look back at this and be like, man, you know, that was, that sucked a year ago, but that was something that Tysons and the team had to go through to get to where they are now. And we're saying that a year from.
- [40:04]
McShay
Now, 75% of the chat says Alabama's out. I'm watching.
- [40:08]
Steve
That's crazy to me.
- [40:09]
McShay
I'm watching Gus Johnson.
- [40:11]
Steve
Is that, is that what, is that what they think or is that what they, they think. Is that what they think is going to happen or what they think should happen? We need to be more specific with our polling questions.
- [40:23]
McShay
The question was, if I don't have it in front of me, the question I believe was Notre Dame beat usc.
- [40:27]
Steve
So there's someone asked who, who they beat. That was good. Usc, that pit team was on a little bit of a roll. They were ranked when they beat him.
- [40:33]
McShay
The poll question was, do you agree with Mensch or is Alabama out? Well, of course you do your Mensch.
- [40:43]
It looks like we're a few minutes away from the Big Ten championship starting.
- [40:47]
Steve
They.
- [40:48]
McShay
I don't think the teams have come out for their final, you know, entrance onto the field in Indianapolis. We'll be in Indianapolis. I expect a lot of you folks in the chat to be with us in Indianapolis. If you're not in Mobile or be there for both. Want to meet some of you find folks that have supported this show for the NFL combine coming up in a couple months. But.
- [41:12]
I.
- [41:14]
Yeah, I, I just think there's a lot to discuss tonight and I do want you to take time and to sit back and I, I think the, the question was posed where almost more like should they be out? Like, I, I just reading enough of it.
- [41:30]
I think, I think people believe that they're out. I think 74% think that they believe they're out. And 74%, the ones who think that they don't deserve to be in are hanging on to they believe that they're out. So that's kind of where that poll is. It would be my guess.
- [41:48]
But at least Keenan Mills says that he or she is in love with you. You have my heart.
- [41:56]
You Mensch.
- [41:58]
Steve
It's Amazing.
- [41:59]
McShay
Yeah. So the McShay show is already putting out in the chat. We'll. We'll be back with five minutes remaining in the Big Ten championship game. And this is going to be an awesome game. I. I can't even imagine unless Ohio State comes out and is. And is as good as we thought and Indiana, we've all overrated. I can't imagine that this isn't a absolute war. And I can't wait for Signetti to do something absolutely crazy to shut you up and. Shut up, Steve. Steve. Cut Stanford. Steve.
- [42:31]
Yeah.
- [42:32]
Steve
Kirby looks like a pretty good pick today.
- [42:35]
McShay
He did. He did. Was that your pick?
- [42:38]
Steve
I'm second. I said you had to pick one of the two and you. I took Ryan Day.
- [42:43]
McShay
Okay. Well, the, the, the. The whole thing of the fantasy draft was just to pick the, the, the guy you think is going to make the biggest impact. So mine is still yet to play.
- [42:54]
Steve
We will be talking about this Big Ten championship game until at least April 23rd. This is a, not only is this a monster college football game, but for us, this is a monster NFL draft game. This is, this is going to be awesome.
- [43:07]
McShay
It's absolutely massive. And, and yeah, I mean, they're starting with Arvel Reese. Caleb Downs. Mendoza is potentially the top quarterback in the draft. Oh, that's. If you, if you read the McShane.
- [43:18]
Steve
Report, you know this.
- [43:19]
McShay
I know. Yes, the top. Go McShay report. Google it right now as you're getting ready for the kickoff. You can just scroll through real quickly. If you don't, if you're not subscribed, Google it in the McShay report. You can, you can subscribe. Jump in right away and you'll see the top 10 prospects playing in these two games tonight. You asked, you mentioned Ty Simpson. I knew I was stalling.
- [43:39]
Steve
Yeah.
- [43:40]
McShay
Because I was trying to remember.
- [43:42]
My stance on him and his NFL potential has not changed. My stance, my stance has become firm. On this though. He needs to go back to school.
- [43:52]
Steve
Right.
- [43:53]
McShay
I truly believe that. Yeah. I've seen enough flaws from the accuracy to the when. When this process is rushed. Remember I said last year and it, my Lord, it didn't rain. True, with a lot. Almost every single one of the quarterbacks, but it was a rinse, refine, repeat.
- [44:10]
Steve
Yep.
- [44:11]
McShay
He is too early in his game experience process to not give himself the opportunity to rinse this year. And, and some of like, okay, wash it away.
- [44:23]
But not without going back to the tape and refining. And by refine, I mean look at all the good things that you're doing and build on those. But we have got to.
- [44:34]
His processing is exceptional for his lack of game experience. Pre snap, post snap, all those things. There is work to be done, whether it's, you know, from protection of the football, five straight games with fumbles inside the pocket ball carriage, secondly, the deep ball accuracy. Thirdly, it seems like he's, he's been, he's gotten into some habits now because what I'm watching is defenses have had enough tape to figure out, okay, what do we do to throw his eyes off? And now the feet are getting happy, he's rushing things and the accuracy is not the same that it was in the middle of the season. And I, I promise you, this guy can be a damn good starting quarterback in the National Football League. He's got the arm, he's got enough mobility, and between the ears, he's, he's brilliant.
- [45:22]
Steve
I'm with you 100 in all of it.
- [45:24]
McShay
But he's not ready yet, man.
- [45:26]
Steve
No, he's not.
- [45:27]
McShay
And, and despite Dante Moore playing so well recently, I don't think he's ready yet either. The more tape I watch of those two. But if one decides to come out and Dante Moore is playing really good ball and you're looking at a quarterback class this year that doesn't have Arch and doesn't have Saiyan and doesn't have Lenora Sellers and doesn't potentially have.
- [45:49]
Ty Simpson if he goes. But like, it's, it's tough and you're saying, well, it's just Mendoza. There's no other first rounders if, if Ty's going back and Dante Moore's looking at this. But again, the information I got mid season from scout who talked, who's talked to people who talked to their parents, to Dante Moore's mother and father, apparently coaching staff agent, everyone was aligned back at Oregon, but. And we haven't talked about this on the show yet. I did it on a couple other shows the other day.
- [46:24]
He now doesn't have Will Stein, which is my biggest argument. It's still, I still have a major argument to come back, but Will getting another year with Will Stein was a massive part of my argument to go back. So that's going to be a fascinating, fascinating storyline as we watch the College Football Playoff and as, as that January 15th date looms. We're just over a month away. We're underclass.
- [46:45]
Steve
It's not that far away, man.
- [46:46]
McShay
And if he's still playing, then they get a week extension past, I think it's 72 hours or something like that, or a handful of days, just a few days after the national championship game if Oregon goes on a run and is fortunate enough to get there and earn it.
- [47:02]
But it will be around like the 20th of January at the latest, which is about five weeks away, so there's a lot going on. What are you laughing at now?
- [47:11]
Steve
Haas just comes in late with the fire. Deborah I hadn't seen him and all Sunday there he is and it feels.
- [47:16]
McShay
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- [48:12]
Steve
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- [48:45]
McShay
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Steve
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McShay
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Steve
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McShay
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