Hour 1: CFB Villains

Summary

The Paul Finebaum Show – Hour 1: “CFB Villains”

Date: July 16, 2026
Host: Cole Kubik (sitting in for Paul Finebaum)
Main Guests: Josh Pate (College Football Analyst), Matt Moscana (Locked On LSU)
Main Theme: College Football Villains—Texas Tech’s rapid villain ascension, Lane Kiffin’s staying power, and analysis of the upcoming SEC season, with a specific focus on LSU.

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Episode Overview

This hour of The Paul Finebaum Show, hosted by Cole Kubik in Paul’s absence, centers around the theme of “villains” in college football. The episode opens with an in-depth conversation with analyst Josh Pate about current and emerging villains in the sport, with Texas Tech’s recent controversies vaulting them to the top of the list. Discussion shifts to off-season intrigue, SEC media days, and a focused breakdown of LSU’s prospects with Matt Moscana from Locked On LSU. Listeners chime in throughout to share opinions about which teams or figures best embody the “villain” mantle in the sport right now.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Texas Tech: The New Villain in College Football

• Topic Kickoff: Cole Kubik and Josh Pate discuss the rapid shift in perception of Texas Tech due to recent scandals involving quarterback eligibility (Brendan Sorsby) and political maneuvering (Cody Campbell, Texas Regent and donor).
  • “I don’t recall another college football program that has had more people side with the NCAA since I’ve been alive.” – Kubik [17:19]
  • Comparison with previous "villains" (Miami, Auburn with Cam Newton, Michigan and Connor Stallions).
  • Texas Tech’s actions, especially their public defense and subsequent NCAA interactions, have moved public sentiment in an extraordinary way.
  • “No program has made college football fans like the NCAA more in any instance than I can claim… And all of a sudden they went from that little old Clemson role that Dabo was pushing a couple of years ago to right there in the middle of we'll take on anybody, anytime, any place—and we don’t give a damn.” – Kubik [19:16]
• Josh Pate's Take:
  • Compared Texas Tech’s quick rise to the villain throne with the slow-burning controversies of previous years.
  • “...this is one more example and probably the most glaring example of a rule everyone agrees on that can’t be enforced. Like, we can't even say, don't bet on the games you're a part of. Are you serious?” – Pate [10:02]

2. Other College Football Villains

• Lane Kiffin, previously primed to dominate the villain narrative this season, has been surprisingly overshadowed by Texas Tech’s drama.
  • “And all of a sudden Texas Tech just came in and said, no, we got it, man. We'll take this. We will be the bad guy.” – Kubik [08:59]
  • Pate: “You could sell me on Lane [Kiffin], you could certainly sell me on Texas Tech. Trinidad Chambliss ought to be over here sitting with me and you discussing it. He ought not to be involved in the conversation.” [06:55]
• Historical villains discussed include recent Miami teams, Nick Saban and Alabama, Michigan (with Harbaugh, Stallions saga), and at times, Lincoln Riley.
• Kirby Smart and Georgia don’t fit the “villain” trope; Kubik likens Kirby more to a “knight of the round table.” [19:16]
• Key Listener Call: Stacy, an LSU fan, reflects on the role of defense and why Lane Kiffin is not yet trusted as the Tigers’ new coach [29:57].

3. Teams Flying Under the Radar: Ole Miss vs. LSU

• Josh Pate on Ole Miss: Perennially underappreciated because of brand bias.
  • “Sometimes we have those situations where if you're not one of the three, four or five invited name brands that are normally at the head table, you don’t get benefit of the doubt… If I took this team—in this case, Ole Miss—and I put Georgia's logo, or Texas's logo for that matter, on this roster, where would they be ranked?… slam dunk… a top five preseason [team] across the board.” – Pate [04:12]
• Pate would favor Ole Miss over LSU to start the season, largely due to a lack of national respect for non-blue blood programs and skepticism about Pete Golding (Ole Miss DC) that wouldn’t exist with a bigger brand attached.
• Trinidad Chambliss is a player gaining attention but is, according to Pate, unfairly included in villain discussions.

4. SEC Media Days and Coaching Spotlight

• Anticipation for how Commissioner Greg Sankey will address broad, existential issues in college athletics.
  • “Even when he says something I personally don’t agree with, there’s always 10 layers of logic behind it. There’s always a ton of applied knowledge, which is wisdom… that’s in short supply elsewhere…” – Pate [11:27]
• Spotlight on Alex Golesh (new Auburn coach): “He just took over one of the top 15 jobs in college football… It’s going to be really interesting just to listen to him.” – Pate [12:50]

5. In-depth LSU Breakdown (With Matt Moscana, Locked On LSU)

• LSU’s Defensive Line:
  • True freshmen Deuce Gerald and Richard Anderson are critical; they’re among the five-man interior rotation.
  • “If I went back and looked at how I charted reps, I would be willing to bet Deuce Gerald’s took more reps with the ones than any of those five in the spring. He’s not a prototypical defensive tackle… But he is explosive and disruptive and they love him in this defense.” – Moscana [24:21]
• Offensive Line Uncertainty:
  • Major talent upgrades with transfers Jordan Seaton (Colorado) and Aluba (Maryland); returning center Braylon Moore (Virginia Tech transfer) seen as anchor.
  • “You’re going to have probably four new starters… will they be better? I don’t know.” – Moscana [25:15]
  • The key concern is how quickly a group of talented, but untested, linemen can “play as one.”
  • LSU’s September schedule is a gauntlet (Clemson, at Ole Miss, Texas A&M early): “You better be sprinting out the chute.” – Moscana [27:03]
• LSU Secondary and Defense:
  • The secondary could be a team strength; key transfers and returning talent at corner.
  • “They should be excellent at corner… the first player they targeted in the portal… Ty Benefield, a 6’3” safety from Boise State… he’s going to get an opportunity to show it in the SEC. So I think… the secondary should be fine. And I think the linebacker core is going to be the strength of the team.” – Moscana [28:31]
  • Defensive line is the worry—talent and pedigree, but unproven.

6. Listener Calls and Community Sentiment

• Iman (Caller): Praises Cole’s job filling in, reminisces about Auburn days [16:08].
• Stacy (Caller, LSU): Focuses on the need for defense at LSU, expresses skepticism about Lane Kiffin until defense improves, recounts LSU’s historic identity as a defensive team [29:57].
  • “If we get to 9-3 and we don’t make a playoff, I'll be proud because I don't see us winning nine games this year… this schedule is brutal. Brutal.” – Stacy [32:07]

7. Big-Picture Takeaways and Playoff Implications

• LSU’s schedule dissected: Open with Clemson at night in Tiger Stadium, then critical September games at Ole Miss and home vs A&M.
  • “If you have five dudes that have never played together, how quickly can they come together… that’s going to be a real key because… September for LSU… you better be sprinting out the chute.” – Moscana [27:06]
• Key “danger games” for both LSU and Ole Miss analyzed; “trap games” after marquee matchups noted as high-risk.
• Football Power Index (FPI) marks LSU vs. Alabama as the most impactful playoff implication game of the year.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Texas Tech’s Rise to Villainy

• Pate: “...this is one more example and probably the most glaring example of a rule everyone agrees on that can’t be enforced. Like, we can’t even say, don’t bet on the games you’re a part of. Are you serious?” [10:02]

On National Bias for “Brand” Programs

• Pate: “If I took this team—in this case, Ole Miss—and I put Georgia’s logo... slam dunk... a top five preseason [team] across the board if you did nothing more than change the logo.” [04:12]

On Lane Kiffin and Villain Status

• Kubik: “And all of a sudden Texas Tech just came in and said, no, we got it, man… We will be the bad guy.” [08:59]
• Pate: “You could sell me on Lane, you could certainly sell me on Texas Tech. Trinidad Chambliss ought… not to be involved in the conversation.” [06:55]

LSU Depth and Concerns

• Moscana: “I would be willing to bet Deuce Gerald’s took more reps with the ones than any of those five in the spring. He’s not a prototypical defensive tackle… but he is explosive and disruptive and they love him in this defense.” [24:21]

Schedule Outlook

• Kubik: “Four straight [games]—Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas… there are not many schedules in this league that we’re going to talk about as not being extremely difficult.” [33:14]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:45 – Cole opens show, previews guests and main topics
• 02:04 – Josh Pate joins, discusses LSU schedule and uncertainties
• 04:12 – Pate on national underestimation of Ole Miss, “benefit of the doubt” and brand bias
• 06:55 – Who are CFB’s villains? Texas Tech’s rise, Lane Kiffin’s changing role
• 10:02 – NCAA enforcement and universal rules regarding betting and player eligibility
• 11:27 – Previewing SEC Media Days, the importance of Greg Sankey, and new coaches
• 17:19 – Kubik recaps Texas Tech’s villain arc and public sentiment
• 21:43 – Matt Moscana analyzes Lane Kiffin’s narrative, villain potential, and LSU’s defense
• 24:21 – Moscana on LSU true freshman Deuce Geralds and D-line depth
• 25:15 – Offensive line overhauls; how quickly can a new group gel?
• 28:31 – LSU’s secondary, linebacker group, and defensive strengths/uncertainties
• 29:57 – Caller Stacy discusses desire for a defensive resurgence and skepticism about Lane Kiffin
• 33:14 – Kubik breaks down LSU’s murderers’ row schedule, high-stakes games, and playoff implications

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Flow and Tone

Kubik maintains a conversational, analytical, and at times humorous tone, blending listener calls with high-level analysis from seasoned guests. He fosters thoughtful discussion on the SEC’s most polarizing teams and figures, while both he and guests offer blunt, unvarnished critiques of how narrative and reputation shape the college football landscape. The hour is fast-paced, but allows for rich detail, particularly about LSU’s precarious but promising season ahead.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is a must-listen for anyone tracking the off-field saga of villains in college football or wanting a detailed, honest assessment of LSU, Ole Miss, and the culture of narrative and perception in the SEC. The recurring question: Who will rule as the sport’s biggest villain in 2026—and do they even want that crown? For detailed breakdowns and insight, especially into LSU's roster construction and schedule challenges, this hour provides expert analysis and lively, authentic conversation.

Transcript

[Paris Hilton]

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[Paul Finebaum (Show Intro/Outro)]

passion and pageantry of college football lives here. This is the Paul Feinbaum show, our one podcast.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

This might be college football. Welcome into the Paul Feinbaum Show. Cole Kubik sitting in for Paul today. Glad to have you with us. 855-242-7285. We are going to take your calls. We're going to get to your opinions today, hear from you. But we got a great show planned for you today. We'll start it off with Josh Pate right out of the gate. Matt Moscana from Locked On LSU does local radio and Baton Rouge. We'll talk some LSU with him. Bill Connolly on college football playoff expansion with the World cup sort of as our blueprint to how that could help it be better, worse, indifferent. Bill Connolly talks that also some numbers I want to talk to him about heading into the season. And then Kevin Egan from Apple TV on maybe how this World cup is going to be expanded upon moving forward. Inside Entertainment. Maybe we'll get a pick from him for the game coming up this weekend. I think it's the World cup final possibly. Maybe. We'll find out. Josh Pay kicks off the show. He does a college football podcast somewhere on the Interwebs. You can go find it. You can also see him contributing to espn. Josh, we're going to have Matt Mascone on in a few moments. Where are you on this LSU football team heading into this season?

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

Well, sir, I guess it's going to be like an act in three parts to me. I think it lines with their schedule to people, especially this time of year. You notice how everyone falls in this trap of thinking teams are their schedules. It's like someone asks you, hey, what do you think about this team? First two minutes of schedule. But with lsu, I think the team like if you use the schedule as a backdrop, it really works because they're not one of these teams that has a front loaded or backloaded? It's both. Because I got three losable games out of the gate and they finished with, I think it's Bama, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas or something like that. So if I have a bunch of newcomers, if, if I'm asking, can you run the ball effectively? Like what kind of horses do you have there? If I remember back towards the end of spring listening to Lane talk about defensive back play, maybe some of the injuries that they had had there, I just throw all that in this big blender and I wonder what I pour out out of the gate. Because if there's going to be a team that is a little wobbly early but eventually hits its stride, LSU would be a prime candidate to fit that description. If they aren't that moot point. If they are that well, then what is the Clemson game and the at Ole Miss game and the A and M game, what do those look like? Because you can get yourself in real trouble out of the gate. Or maybe it's like I said, maybe it's all a non issue. Maybe they just have it all figured out immediately.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Well, flip this around to Josh Pay joining us. You can see him contributing to ESPN on the fall in the fall, talking college football on multiple platforms. Also, we'll be at Fanatics Fest on Friday, which I'm extremely jealous of. You'll be there talking college football. Just grab a box of something and bring it back to me. Promise me that and we'll still be friends. It seems like LSU and Ole Miss are going to be tied for this year no matter what. Maybe it's the rest of the Lane Kiffin's tenure at lsu, Pete Golding's tenure at Ole Miss. I think people are kind of sleeping on Ole Miss. We talked about the ESPN FBI earlier this week when I filled in for Paul. The computers are disrespecting Ole Miss. Are we putting too much into Pete? Probably can't get this done because if you put that roster up against others in the league, it's not too far behind anybody, including Georgia and Texas.

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

I completely agree with you. I would start the season favoring ole Ms. Over LSU. I don't know where the AP will have them ranked or anything like that, but I don't know if you feel this way. Sometimes we have those situations where if you're not one of the three, four or five invited name brands that are normally at the head table, you don't get benefit of doubt. And a lot of times the exercise I love to do is if I took this team in this case Ole Miss and I put Georgia's logo, or Texas's logo for that matter, on this roster, where would they be ranked? And I think it's a slam dunk. This team would be a top five preseason across the board if you did nothing more than change the logo. So I think that's part one, part two, you mentioned Pete, and this part's probably fair. If people have questions about how Pete Golding will be, how effective will he be as a coach, the longevity play, if you will, having to be sustained instead of just doing like a sugar high through the playoffs last year, okay, that's fine. But the same people that would say that are probably people, if I track their history, have given endless benefit of doubt to unproven coaches just with a more familiar brand attached to their polo. So I'm with you. And I think a lot of the laziness stems from maybe the things we just talked about. But also people think it's just Trinidad Shambliss. You and I have talked about this multiple times over the summer already, but I think a lot of folks out there see Trinidad Shambliss, they're impressed by him. But then what else do they even know about Ole Miss's team? Like how many other players names can they rattle off? What could they tell you about the guys who were still there that were big contributors beyond Trinidad to that run they made last year? I think it's a really, really good looking team and if I had to circle one, that's going to be most underrated in the sec, pound for pound, it's probably them.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

You had to recently defend Trinidad a little bit. And Josh Pate joining us here on the Paul Finebaum show of not being sort of this villain in college football that some people have made him up to be? I wouldn't know where it even begin to buy into that for him with him. But it brings me to this. College football villains. It's a topic that I had down that I wanted to discuss today. When the news came out yesterday furthering Texas Tech, Cody Campbell, involvement with Brendan Sorsby, things behind the scenes. I don't know if we've ever seen a team step up to the highest podium and claim the villain title as fast as Texas Tech has. And we've seen Saban, Miami, Michigan, Harbaugh. We've seen a lot of teams sort of step up there and take the gold medal on the villain of college football at different points in times. How much further ahead is Texas Tech than everybody else playing the villain role

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

of college football right now it's pretty substantial. And I was trying to think as you were asking the question, when's the last time something like this happened? So remember Auburn 2010 and all the noise around that, all the noise around Cam Newton. I'm trying to think back and I don't even think maybe I'm wrong. I don't think the noise got turned up this quickly on that as it has on this. And obviously, you know, we're in a new era now and there are new issues in play. There are new irons in the fire, if you will. So I think also maybe with Texas Tech, well, there's no, there's no sink to this. I know this. It was part one, Source B goes there. Well, that's all well and good. They had no knowledge of it. But then the second part, just the memo used to use this term all the time, the ham fisted handling of, you know, that video and that 22 minute thing they did and trying to defend the indefensible. But here's what I ask, all right, so I'm not defending Texas Tech, but then I take it a step further once it sorted itself out. I wonder if I just inserted another team. The University of Minnesota, whoever, I don't care. Pick someone and this exact same set of circumstances fell in their lap. I just wonder how differently it would have been handled. It's something we could never know, but I just wonder. I wish I could simulate that in an alternate universe. Take 15 programs, have this happen to Shane Beamer in South Carolina, and just see how differently they handle it. Now that doesn't excuse Texas Tech because they're the one that did happen to, and, and they handled it poorly in various ways. But I think the question that got posed to me, the one you just brought up was the other day, some guy wrote in and said, hey, who's the biggest villain in college football right now? And he put in parentheses, Lane Kiffin, Texas Tech, Trinidad Chambliss, et cetera. And I had no idea what Trinidad Chambliss, his name was even doing in there. You could sell me on Lane, you could certainly sell me on Texas Tech. Trinidad Chambliss ought to be over here sitting with me and you discussing it. He ought not to be involved in the conversation.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

No, not from a villain perspective. And you brought up Lane and it looked like he was going to be the guy through this entire season and we were going to have these opportunities to see him go back to Oxford and we were going to be able to. I mean, he had a couple Pay per views scheduled for his villain role this upcoming season. Like, not just appearances on Monday nights. And all of a sudden Texas Tech just came in and said, no, we got it, man. Like, we'll. We'll take this. We will. We will be the bad guy. And then you go to media days and it's more that defense no mode. What was us? What did we do? Why are people mad at us? That I think just ignited a little bit more. Here's the best way that I know how to put it, Josh. And you brought up Cam Newton. I think that's another good one. That sort of skyrocketed to the villain role with Auburn. There I would put Connor Stallions up there with Michigan and you could probably point blame and maybe interchange the individual a couple of different times. Who was the last team in the history of the sport that we love so much that made fans like the NCAA more in Texas Tech just did it.

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

Yeah, that's. I'm drawing a blank off the top of my head. Well, I think so if you were to. The closest I could do for you is if we go back to 2,010 and you pulled a Georgia fan or an LSU fan or an Alabama fan. They were rooting for the NCAA against Auburn. There was that. But this was. Like you said, it's much a different a dynamic because this is the NCAA enforcing a rule that everyone agrees upon. Dude, I was talking to a bunch of Texas Tech fans during this whole thing. Even they agreed with it. Now, they didn't love that it was them that the crosshairs were on the. But even they agreed with it, which was kind of weird and I think misunderstood from the outside. And so then when they did what they did and you find out like all these eligibility cases and whatnot. This is one more example and probably the most glaring example of a rule everyone agrees on that can't be enforced. Like, we can't even say, don't bet on the games you're a part of. Are you serious? So, yeah, I don't remember, nor do I think there has been a parallel to this.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

What are you looking forward to in media days next week? Is there. Is there something you want to try to learn about a team? Is there a coach that you just. You want to hear how they handle themselves? Is it Commissioner Sankey kind of referencing some of the bigger topics, not just with the sec, but maybe across college football? Where is your antenna right now? And what do you think you might be able to get from SEC media days next week?

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

So it's been, it's been really interesting. It's always very, very important when Greg Sankey talks. And I think it's been an interesting several months. And you know, there are like four or five really, really big sort of existential college athletics topics on the table right now. And Greg Sankey, like I've always said this about him, even when he says something that I personally don't agree with, there's always 10 layers of logic behind it. There's always a ton of applied knowledge, which is wisdom. There's always a lot of that behind it. And that is in short supply elsewhere, just across the college landscape. You could argue it's in short supply societally, but I like to live in this little bubble of college athletics and college football. So when he talks, I'm interested, you know, from everything from playoff perspective to Senate bill, all that sort of thing. And then beyond that, you know the dude who has not had a ton of spotlight on him nationally is Alex Golish. You know him well. I know him well. Auburn fans are getting to know him well and, and I think the sec, once they get to know him, will see why. I had the opinion I had when he was hired and that is whatever happened between Auburn and Sumrall, you landed a guy who I think is such a puzzle piece fit attitudinally for Auburn University and you don't prove that at media. Obviously you don't prove that in a microphone. But I don't think a lot of people know him. And Alex is a guy when he opens his mouth. I said this about Sankey. I'll say it about Alex Gollish. There's always a lot of intent and thought with the words that come out of his mouth too. And some Rawls been in the headlines. Lane has dominated the headlines. DeBoer and Kirby never have problems getting the spotlight, but Alex Golis just took over one of the top 15 jobs in college football. And it, it's going to be really interesting just to listen to him, just to kind of get a sense of others sense of him, I guess is the best way to put that.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Josh, we always appreciate it. Great stuff, fun catching up. Grab me a hobby box of something in New York on Friday, please, if you don't mind.

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

Yeah, the best thing for you to do because I don't know anything about the world I'm going into, just text me what you want and I'll do my best.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Well, that might be unattainable, but you know what? We're going to give it a go. So There it is. Thanks, Josh. Appreciate you.

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

Amen.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Josh Pate joining us on the phones. Cole Kublick filling in for Paul Finebaum today. Glad you guys with us. Appreciate you being with us. You can find Josh's show on YouTube, Josh Page College Football show at Josh Page CFB. Follow him on Twitter. Matt Moscana joins us. In 15 minutes. We'll talk LSU, but I would like to continue that conversation of what we just referenced with Josh. And that is college football villains. Who's there? Who's getting there? Who would they be this upcoming season? Is there anybody in the same neighborhood as Texas tech right now? 855-242-7285. Back with more on the Paul Feinbaum Show.

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[Paul Finebaum (Show Intro/Outro)]

You're listening to the Paul Fine Bomb show podcast.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Welcome back in Paul Fine Bomb Show. Cole Cubic sitting in for Paul today.

[Caller - Stacy (LSU Fan)]

Great.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Glad to be with you guys. 855-242-7285. Josh Pay. Great interview there. Matt Moscona coming up next. But now we take your calls. 855-242-7285. Talking college football villains. Maybe if you want anybody even close to Texas Tech right now, maybe Lane Kiffin. There are some still involved in college football that have been villains over time. We'll get back to those in a few moments. Iman wants to chime in. Welcome to the show. I man.

[Caller - Iman]

Hey, Coles, I appreciate you taking my call. I just want to say you've done one hell of a job this week sitting in. You have had the right questions, the right guests, the right commentary, the right callers. You, you've done one hell of a job this week. And I just want you to know I appreciate you and I've been listening and been trying to respond accordingly and but you've done a really great job this year. But I mean this week. But I mean but there again that goes back to your years at Auburn. I mean what'd you do? You played about every position on the

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

line at Auburn, didn't you?

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Only played centering games. But we did, we did cross train a little bit. I tried some tackle and practice and I wasn't cut out for that. Tried some guard as well but was needed at center and as you remember we went through six in one season in 98 so we needed bodies.

[Caller - Iman]

Well, I've been having these little friendly conversations on the after hour chats with this one guy named Dylan and obviously you're better pulling guard than Dylan is, but that's all said in good fun. But listen, I really appreciate what you've done this week and and I've enjoyed, absolutely enjoyed listening to your program. Thank you so much. More damage.

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

Thank you.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

I am in War eagle. Appreciate the call. 8552-427285-85524-27285 question comment that from Josh Pate's interviewer following up on here and that is Villains in College Football. If you missed a report yesterday about Texas Tech being somewhat back in the news, it was reported via Caleb Guo, a reporter at the Texas Tribune, and the scoop was that Ken Paxton apparently threatened to sue the Big 12 if it sanctioned Texas Tech for fielding quarterback Brendan Sorsby. The day before Texas Tech Regents chair Cody Campbell donated $274,300 in support of Paxton's Texas Senate bid. So all it does for me is just complicate this even further as to what was potentially happening behind the scenes and the distances ready for Texas Tech to go in order to support Brennan Stores being his potentially playing for that football team. Big picture I think it's more interesting to have the discussion of how quickly Texas Tech has filled out the villain role in college football. As I stated with Josh Pate, you guys can call in and tell me I don't recall another college football program that has had more people side with the NCAA since I've been alive. No program has made college football fans like the NCAA more in any instance than I can claim. And a couple weeks ago it felt like it happened with Texas Tech. Folks were united on what they felt like the punishment should be or the ruling should be for about 95, 98% of college football fans or the audience or the people who cover it. And I haven't seen that happen before. Now. It's also interesting that it felt like this was the championship belt that had been handed to Lane Kiffin and he was about to take his victory lap in 2026 as college football's villain. And all of a sudden Texas Tech just strips him of the belt and says, we got that. We'll handle it. And keep in mind, too, with Texas Tech, this is not it's a proud program. It's a program that's had runs of history of history and done some positive things. But this is not usc. This is not Texas. This is not Ohio State, this is not Bama. And all of a sudden they went from that little old Clemson role that Dabo was pushing a couple of years ago to right there in the middle of we'll take on anybody, anytime, any place, and we don't give a damn. And here they are sitting atop the throne of the college football villain perch. We've seen Miami be there. We've seen Alabama be there. We've seen Nick Saban be there. We've seen Michigan multiple times in the last five years, be it Connor, Stallions, Harbaugh himself, the administration, whatever it is. We've seen Lane Kiff and I think we've seen probably Lincoln Riley fill into this role for a lot of college football fans at some point in time. I don't feel like Kirby's ever really played the villain role. I don't feel like Kirby really cares what a lot of people say about him. But villain, it's not something I've ever really thought with him. Handle his business. Absolutely. He's more one of the knights of the round table than the villain king sitting on the throw, in my opinion, like, ready to go get it? Who else is there? Who else has been there? Who could be next playing that villain role in college football? We'll ask Matt Moscana. He does radio and Baton Rouge, not only about this LSU football team, but about that role with Lane Kiven as we move ahead right here on the Paul Feinbaum Show.

[Paul Finebaum (Show Intro/Outro)]

You're listening to the Paul Feinbaum Show Podcast.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Welcome back in Paul Feinbaum Show. Cole Kubrick sitting in for Paul today. Got the rest of the day today and tomorrow that I'll be with you guys. Appreciate you letting me hang out. It's been fun so far. 855-242-7285. We'll get back to more of your calls this hour, but next we go to Matt Moscana. Locked on LSU Podcast, does radio in Baton Rouge, knows this program inside and Out. Matt, we were discussing college football villains. It felt like this was Lane Kiffin's championship belt to wear through this entire season and Texas Tech may have come and taken it. Is there a chance Lane gets it back as the biggest villain in college football this upcoming year?

[Matt Moscana (Locked On LSU Podcast Host/Analyst)]

I'm glad you notated football and not just college athletics because Will Wade may have just entered the Royal Rumble if that was the case. I look, I think the, the Texas Tech storyline will probably subside because Sorsby is not going to play. The Lane Kiffin saga is only going to escalate throughout the season and certainly the off season next week in Tampa and then leading up to week three in Oxford. So I, I think just as far as staying power for the storyline, the Sourcebee thing for all intents and purposes is done. The Kiffin storyline is going to persist throughout the, the entire season as everyone loves college football is going to right wrong or indifferent. They are going to compare what happens in Oxford and Baton Rouge this year as parallels wherever the case may be. So yeah, I think, I think Lane will wear that belt and LSU fans will probably stand in this corner.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Interesting that you say it's over in Texas Tech in the news yesterday with the information about Cody Campbell and some of the donations he made and what that led to with other political figures in the state of Texas. It's, it may not go away even though we think it's over. More information may continue to link. Matt Moscana joining us on the phones. He covers lsu. You and I have had a conversation about some of the freshmen on this LSU defensive line. How critical is it that a few of those specifically inside make some sort of impact, even just from a depth perspective on Blake Baker's defense this year? If they're going to compete for a

[Matt Moscana (Locked On LSU Podcast Host/Analyst)]

spot in the playoff, yeah, they're going to rotate five guys and two of them are freshmen. And it's, it's Deuce Gerald and Richard Anderson and Cole. It's interesting because I don't know if I don't think Lane did this at Ole Miss, but he gave us media a ton of access at spring football. Like we got to watch full practices, like 11 on 11. We got to watch him scrimmage in Tiger Stadium. We saw a ton. So I'm not telling you something I was told. I'm telling you something I saw. And they're rotating five guys at tackle. It's the two transfers blocked in from Auburn and Green from Clemson. Don McKinley was a former five star

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

entering his junior year.

[Matt Moscana (Locked On LSU Podcast Host/Analyst)]

And then the two freshmen and Anderson and Deuce Gerald's. So the, those two freshmen are absolutely going to make an impact. And I'll tell you, Cole, if I went back and looked at how I charted reps, I would be, I'd be willing to bet. I'm not looking at it right now, but I'd be willing to bet Deuce Gerald's took more reps with the ones than any of those five in the spring. He's not a prototypical defensive tackle. He's probably just over 6ft tall.

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

It's probably about 280.

[Matt Moscana (Locked On LSU Podcast Host/Analyst)]

But he is explosive and disruptive and they love him in this defense. A guy that can sort of blow up the launch pad from the interior. So that's, that's not coach speak. Like that is, you know, actions speak louder than words. And those dudes were heavily involved in the rotation in spring. And I expect they will be on the field early against Clemson Week one.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Matt Moscone joining us on the phones. Paul Feinbaum show talking a little bit about LSU. One of the things that frustrates me about LSU's projections this year is the, well, the offensive line can't be worse. And we've gotten this a lot with Alabama also. It can't be worse. So the assumption is it's automatically better, which you and I both know doesn't always work. Talent has absolutely been upgraded and I also love bringing James Craig back as your offensive line coach. But how confident are you that that group will be a lot different than it was a season ago?

[Matt Moscana (Locked On LSU Podcast Host/Analyst)]

Oh, I'm confident it'll be a lot different. You're going to have probably four new starters, so it'll be a lot different. Colt, will they be better? I don't know. You and I have had this conversation probably for two years running now about the LSU offensive line. It is so perplexing because with the last staff, it was not a matter of talent. You want star rankings and ratings and size and athleticism. They had it. It just never, it just never came together. I know one of your contentions was you have to give them an opportunity to be good at run blocking and LSU just stopped running the football. I don't know, man. A part of me looks at this and says, for all we talk about Lane Kiffin's offense and we think, spread it out.

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

Throw the ball, Hurry up.

[Matt Moscana (Locked On LSU Podcast Host/Analyst)]

They actually have always run the ball exceptionally well. It's a cornerstone of what they do. So I think scheme will allow them to be more effective running. I think you also have a quarterback who is going to be expected to run the ball. It was not the case the last few years with Garrett Nussmeier who just didn't even try. So does that alleviate some of the pressure on the offensive line? Probably now, specifically with the talent, I mean Cole, they went got Jordan Seaton from Colorado, he's a former five star two year starter at left tackle and you start to look at like the projections. He's a, I mean like he's a first, first or second offensive tackle taken type guy. They went got Aluba, who's a two year starter at right guard at Maryland in the Big Ten. Good player. Yeah, I mean they got, look, they wouldn't sign like I think 11 offensive linemen out of the portal. They prioritize retaining Braylon Moore, their center, who is their Virginia Tech transfer is their best offensive lineman a year ago. So that leads left guard and right tackle. And they've got some competitive battles through spring with those spots. But three spots are spoken for and I, I think they're more talented, they're more experienced than they were a year ago. But none of these guys have played together. So my real question, maybe you're a better person answer this than me or any of us, but like if you have five dudes that have never played together, how quickly can they come together to play as one? And I think that's going to be a real key because brother, September for lsu, I mean you better be sprinting out the chute. I mean it's Clemson, then you get Louisiana Tech, then you're at Ole Miss and home against A and M. I mean there is no breather in September, so they, they better be ready to go.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Good news is it's not just LSU that's facing that problem. It's about 80% of college football that's having to deal with this and figure out how to get an offensive line to jail. Well, this. Will the secondary be a strength of this football team, Matt?

[Matt Moscana (Locked On LSU Podcast Host/Analyst)]

Yes.

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

So they.

[Matt Moscana (Locked On LSU Podcast Host/Analyst)]

LSU is interesting. Kiffin prioritized when he came in retaining three offensive players and then three defensive players. And two of the three defensive players were Whit Weeks at linebacker and then the two corners, they prioritize retaining DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland. So they should be excellent at corner. I really have very little concern there. And the first and only the first player they targeted in the portal, like the first guy who took a visit and the only safety they targeted was Ty Benefield. Our audience probably doesn't know that name, but he's a name that if you tell Me. What's the name you need to know?

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

It's.

[Matt Moscana (Locked On LSU Podcast Host/Analyst)]

It's Benefield. He is a 63 safety from Boise State. He's a quintessential example of a guy who benefits from this Eric Hole. He was a three star, went to Boise, became an all conference guy, grew and now looks like a stud. And he's going to get an opportunity to show it in the sec. So I think. And they returned to Marcus Cooley at safety as well. So like the secondary should be fine. And I think the linebacker core is going to be the strength of the team. The gigantic question is defensive line, where they've got talent and they've got bodies and they got some productivity and they got five stars and all that stuff, but they don't have a lot of skins on the wall on that defensive line secondary, they should be fine.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Matt, always appreciate it. It's fun talking LSU football with you. Fun talking college football with you. We'll do it more next week in Tampa. We'll see you there.

[Matt Moscana (Locked On LSU Podcast Host/Analyst)]

Yep, looking forward to it.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Matt Moscone joining us on the phones. You can find him Locked on LSU podcast does radio and Baton Rouge has covered LSU for a long time. We didn't even get into some of the things happening around that program and LSU opposing the College sports Act. A couple of things that have happened off the football field, that's just where my brain usually goes is on the football field. That's kind of how I operate and what I usually want to talk about. 8552-4272-8585-5242-7285. Let's go to Stacy in Tennessee before we take a break. Welcome into the show, Stacy.

[Caller - Stacy (LSU Fan)]

Hey, thank you, Cole. Listen, man, I'm a big time LSU fan and man, there was supposed to be a change with Kelly because he didn't fit, but with Lane, okay, yeah, he's a great offensive mind. But I'm a big time LSU fan and you go back and look at our championships, we always had a solid defense. Last year. I don't know what it was with our defense. We were afraid of tackle and that's what I'm concerned about. It's not Lane keeping in the offensive genius that he has. And yes, he brought Ed back. But I'm worried about our defense because we, gosh, it was awful last year. How many yards opposite team had after contact. We, it was like we were afraid to tackle. I don't know Kelly did that or what. But right now, yeah, I'm glad we made a Change. I don't trust Lane because I want to see a defense. Now, Saban, he was my man at LSU. He built the whole thing. He had a 22 year old quarterback. He didn't care about that. He cared about defense. Look at all the defensive players he put out on the field between 2000 or actually 99 to 2004. And even Les Miles has some great defensive players. All right? And that's what we got to get back to so we can all slap each other on the back and say, hey, we got Lane. I don't trust Lane because he's never. I mean, he bailed Ole Miss in the middle of a playoff season. And to leave to go to lsu, I can understand that, but why would you leave when we got the schedule we got, man, I'm going to tell you this, Cole, right now. I don't care if we make the playoffs, but if we win nine games looking at this schedule, think about it. I'll be proud. I'll be proud. Last year Danny was 93. They didn't make the playoff. But if we get to 93 and we don't make a playoff, I'll be proud because I don't see us winning

[Josh Pate (College Football Analyst/Guest)]

nine games this year.

[Caller - Stacy (LSU Fan)]

And I want to say go Tigers. And I'm all in support of that, but I'm just telling you, man, this schedule is brutal. Brutal. Thank you for taking my call and go Tigers.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Thank you for the call, Stacy. 855-242-7285. We'll get to more of your calls. We'll look at that LSU schedule. What do we make of it? How realistic is it for them to rack up enough wins to potentially make the playoff? We'll talk discuss it next right here on the Paul Finebaum Show.

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[Paul Finebaum (Show Intro/Outro)]

You're listening to the Paul Finebomb show podcast.

[Cole Kubik (Host/Interviewer)]

Welcome back in Paul Fine Bomb Show. Cole Cubic sitting in for Paul today. We've already had Josh Pate, we've had Matt Moscana, great interviews. So Far as we take you into SEC media days from Tampa next week. I'll be live, Paul will be live there can catch his show. Coaches, players, all the members of the media will share their opinions on this upcoming season in which we have discussed a little bit of Ole Miss, we've discussed a little bit of LSU and we were asked by Our last caller 855-242-7285 you want to get in about that LSU schedule, the difficulty that lies within it and what might be feasible possible for LSU to pull off this year. They do open up with Clemson. They get it in Tiger Stadium at night though. Massive advantage for Lane Kiffin kicking off his tenure as the LSU head coach. Louisiana Tech will be next inside Tiger Stadium and then week three at Ole Miss. We talked about this yesterday. We went through the PFF or the I'm sorry the FPI Football Power Index from ESPN their games of the year a metric that involves a pre game analysis of strengths of teams and this one was not listed in the top 12 which was really surprising to me because I think most of us just surface level. If we said what games everybody looking most forward to this year, it's a lane going back to the vaught, correct? I would think so. That's where I would be. My brain would be 855-242-7285. And when you begin to look at most dangerous games across the SEC that folks are not talking enough about, I might offer up the next game for both of those teams in my top three at least my top five. I hate trap game. I try not to use that. I don't like it but an opportunity to stumble where maybe you shouldn't. But I look at the fact that LSU with all that distraction, all that conversation, all the energy, everything emotionally going to go into that game at Ole Miss. If you steal that game, you win it, you come back and you get Texas A and M at home the next week. You have a defense that is going to attack, that is going to come after you, that is going to take their chances that if you're not mentally emotionally ready to deal with it, they can be a problem in a hurry with a veteran quarterback in Marcel Reed and should have a big physical offensive line that begins to gel might be able to offset what Ole Miss brings to the table which I believe to be a top three defensive line in the sec. That's a dangerous game to bounce back there. Now even more dangerous I think is Ole Miss going to Florida. So you get LSU at your place. Let's Say you find a way to win that football game. Party in the Grove going to probably go till Tuesday. Then you have to turn around and go to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field. It's Steve Spur your press box and find a way to take on one of the more physical teams in the league that is going to be one of the teams in the league that plays with the most edge because that's what John Sumrall's teams do and a group that's going to be able to hand it to Jaden Baugh, move Eric Singleton around and a Brad White defense that is going to have more talent than he's had in a while to try to take on your high flying offense. That game super dangerous for Ole Miss. I almost look at that game as more dangerous because if you were to drop the LSU game with how they're being thought of, talked about now, all the distractions that go into it, it feels more forgivable than if you went to Florida and lost the next week. Just thousand foot view from a month away from the season. Kind of how it looks. But let's say LSU survives, you get McNeese neck, then you're at Kentucky, Mississippi State, at home at Auburn on October 24th and that October for Auburn is just filthy. It is disgusting how difficult that October slate is for the Auburn Tigers. So you'll catch them at a good time and then you get a week off before Alabama, which by the way impact on the playoff. The Football Power Index had LSU and Alabama as the number one most impactful game as it pertains to the College Football Playoff this upcoming season. Now my understanding of how that operates is games that could go furthest keeping one of the two teams out. So if you said well how is that ahead of Ohio State, Texas? How's that ahead of Ohio State, Indiana or Ohio State, Oregon or Georgia Bama? I think those look as games that may be a little more survivable to have that loss and then maybe still find your way in Texas. Texas A and M would be another one that came to mind. But Texas after Alabama, also one that looks dangerous. Then you finish your season on the road. You go to Knoxville and to Arkansas in the last two games of the season. Two places by the way. I don't want to be playing in late November because I can tell you from experience it gets cold in Fayetteville in a hurry and that'll be a three o' clock kick. So some will be down as that game ends and then could be a night game at Neyland when you're going to take on Tennessee. And those are two teams, too. We don't know. There are a lot of question marks with those. But what if some of those question marks go the opposite direction? Those teams a little bit better than we think, and you got to finish the season on the road with four straight Bama, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas. So it is a difficult schedule. It's a monster of a schedule. There are not many schedules in this league that we're going to talk about being one of the lighter schedules in the league or in the nation. There's just not a lot of SEC schedules with nine games in conference that we're going to talk about as not being extremely difficult. We'll talk more about it. Bill Connolly will give us some numerical value around some of these teams. 855-242-7285 will continue taking your calls in the next hour as well. College Football Playoff expansion Up next on the docket, Bill Connolly looks at the World cup and how that could maybe help strategize where the College Football Playoff goes next. We'll discuss that and more right after this on the Paul Feinbaum Show.

[Paul Finebaum (Show Intro/Outro)]

You're listening to the Paul Feinbaum Show, PODC.