Alabama (and 4 other top teams) Go Down, Ohio State Quarterback Will Howard, and Week 7 Picks

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Triple Option Episode: Alabama (and 4 other top teams) Go Down, Ohio State Quarterback Will Howard, and Week 7 Picks Release Date: October 9, 2024

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Introduction

In this episode of The Triple Option, hosts Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and Rob Stone delve into the tumultuous Week 6 of college football, highlighting unexpected losses from powerhouse teams. They also discuss upcoming matchups for Week 7 and feature an insightful interview with Ohio State quarterback Will Howard. The conversation is rich with analysis, expert opinions, and notable moments from the games, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the current college football landscape.

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Major Upsets in Week 6

Week 6 was a rollercoaster for college football fans, marked by significant upsets that shook the rankings and playoff prospects of several top teams. The hosts meticulously break down these surprising outcomes:

• Alabama Falls to Vanderbilt: In a historic upset, Alabama suffered its first loss to Vanderbilt in 40 years. Mark Ingram expresses his disbelief, stating, “You don't lose to Vanderbilt. That's not what happens when you go to Bama” (04:25). The game was dominated by Vanderbilt's superior time of possession, controlling the ball for over 42 minutes compared to Alabama's 17:52 (06:20).

• Tennessee Upset by Arkansas: Tennessee fell to Arkansas with a score of 25-24, leading to fans storming the field (30:02). Mark notes the unpredictability within the SEC, emphasizing the high competition level.

• Missouri’s Defeat by Texas A&M: Missouri was overwhelmed by Texas A&M, conceding 512 yards and 67 points over the last six quarters (06:55). Mark Ingram vents his frustration, declaring, “I'm never picking Missouri ever again in my entire life” (30:38).

• Michigan’s Loss to Washington: Michigan struggled against Washington, falling out of the top 25 after a dismal passing game (22:08).

• USC Falls to Minnesota: USC, ranked as high as number 11, suffered losses that dropped them out of the top rankings, raising concerns about their transition into the Big Ten (22:08).

These upsets have significant implications for the playoff landscape, with Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Michigan, and USC all facing uncertain futures.

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Alabama's Loss in Detail

The Alabama-Vanderbilt game was a focal point of the episode, showcasing Alabama's defensive shortcomings and the resultant chaos within the team:

• Defensive Breakdown: Alabama's defense, once tenacious, was in crisis mode, allowing 67 points and 784 yards over the last six quarters (06:55). Mark Ingram criticizes the defensive assignments, noting hesitancy and stagnation: “You got people that were stagnant sitting there, kind of hesitant” (05:01).

• Malachi Moore’s Meltdown: The loss triggered an emotional reaction from Alabama's Malachi Moore, who was visibly upset and later apologized for his behavior. Mark commends Moore's accountability: “He has held himself accountable for it. He was a leader in the locker room afterwards” (12:26).

• Time of Possession Impact: Vanderbilt’s control of the game’s tempo was highlighted, with 42 minutes and eight seconds of possession versus Alabama's 17:52 (06:20). This dominance underscored Alabama’s inability to manage the game effectively.

Notable Quote:

Mark Ingram (04:14): "It's actually quite comical... like, bro, my man, you can't comprehend it."

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Other Teams' Losses

The episode further examines the struggles of other top teams:

• Tennessee: With a loss to Arkansas, Tennessee faces a precarious position in the playoff race. Mark and Matt debate whether Tennessee can recover, with Matt concluding, “I’d say no” regarding their playoff chances (39:24).

• Missouri: Missouri’s defeat was met with strong disdain from Mark, who vows never to pick them again. The team’s poor defensive performance, allowing 67 points and 784 yards, was a key factor (06:55, 30:38).

• USC’s Transition to the Big Ten: USC's integration into the Big Ten has been rocky, with losses to Minnesota and Michigan raising questions about their competitiveness. Matt criticizes their offensive line weaknesses and defensive issues, stating, “a lot of these teams, even a team like Minnesota and PJ Flex, done a really good job there” (26:07, 28:32).

• Michigan's Struggles: Michigan’s loss to Washington highlighted their offensive inconsistencies, particularly in their passing game, leading to their drop from the rankings (22:08).

Notable Quote:

Urban Meyer (35:21): "They should always have the skill positions."

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Implications for Playoffs

The cumulative impact of these upsets has significantly altered the playoff landscape:

• Alabama: Despite the loss, Alabama remains in playoff contention with their strong record, but the margin for error has vanished. Mark emphasizes, “you have no room for error” (09:57).

• Tennessee and Missouri: Both teams face uphill battles to qualify, with Tennessee likely missing out and Missouri deeply jeopardized (39:24, 39:53).

• USC and Michigan: USC still holds a path to the playoffs but with great difficulty, while Michigan’s position remains bleak (39:55).

• Washington’s Rise: Washington’s strong performance positions them as potential playoff contenders, challenging the dominance of traditional powerhouses (32:31).

Notable Quote:

Mark Ingram (39:28): "They still play. They still play Washington. They have Notre Dame."

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NIL and Conference Realignment Impact

The hosts discuss the evolving landscape of college football influenced by Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and conference realignment:

• Parity in College Football: Mark and Urban agree that NIL is contributing to greater parity, allowing more teams to remain competitive by spreading financial resources more evenly among programs. Mark notes, “Now you're getting good players across the country now” (38:05).

• Player Retention and Movement: The transfer portal and NIL deals are keeping players longer at programs while allowing others to move, enhancing the competitiveness across conferences.

Notable Quote:

Urban Meyer (38:05): "It's just means more."

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Interview with Will Howard (Ohio State QB)

A significant portion of the episode features an interview with Will Howard, the quarterback for Ohio State University:

• Role and Leadership: Will discusses his role as a facilitator and leader on the team, emphasizing the importance of decision-making and distribution of the ball to empower his teammates. He states, “I feel pretty good about where we're at as an offense” (45:48).

• Offensive Strategies: Highlighting the versatility of Ohio State’s offense, Will mentions running the ball more and utilizing quarterbacks' mobility: “I'm going to need to be out there using my legs” (54:21).

• Coaching Influence: Will credits the coaching staff, particularly Ryan Day and Chip Kelly, for his development and the offensive system's sophistication: “Chip Kelly does a lot with the run game stuff” (50:07).

• Preparation for Key Matchups: Discussing the upcoming game against Oregon, Will underscores the focus on matchup specifics such as rushing yards, turnovers, and third-down conversions: “You have to win all those things” (52:54).

Notable Quote:

Will Howard (44:27): "I think I've done a pretty good job of that so far."

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Betting Picks for Week 7

The hosts offer their predictions for upcoming Week 7 games, integrating their expertise with BetMGM lines:

• BYU vs. Arizona: Mark favors BYU, citing their top-ranked pass defense and strong overall performance against Arizona (65:37).

• Kansas State vs. Colorado: Mark picks Colorado, applauding their defense and recent performances, including a significant win over UCF (65:48).

• Penn State vs. USC: Mark believes USC has a path to the playoffs despite their struggles, recommending optimism for their upcoming matchup (67:51).

• Ole Miss vs. LSU: Mark takes Ole Miss, highlighting their stout defense and LSU’s offensive strengths (70:18).

• Texas vs. Oklahoma: Mark supports Texas, emphasizing Texas’s balanced offense and Oklahoma’s offensive identity crisis (71:00).

• Oregon vs. Ohio State: Mark trusts Ohio State to win and cover the spread, focusing on their physical play and improved offensive line (73:45).

Notable Quote:

Mark Ingram (65:37): "The Buffs. Aura. It’s because Kansas State's defense has been kind of like their backbone."

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Viewer Questions

In the first-ever "Viewer Questions" segment, Mark and Urban address audience inquiries:

• Favorite Big Noon Kickoff Stops: Mark shares memorable stops, including Colorado with Lil Wayne and UCF’s energetic crowd (59:21).

• Balancing Soccer and College Football: Discussing their interests, Mark reveals a passion for soccer, much to Urban's amusement: “It's a beautiful game” (61:24).

• Favorite Opponents: Mark highlights his favorite college and NFL opponents, expressing a particular fondness for Florida and the Baltimore Ravens, among others (61:54).

Notable Quote:

Mark Ingram (59:21): "I'm blessed to be going to these campuses and spending time with the best college football fans in the world."

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Conclusion and Wrap-Up

Wrapping up the episode, the hosts discuss future plans, including a road trip to Washington, D.C. for the Army-Navy game, and extend heartfelt thoughts to those affected by Hurricane Milton in Florida. They encourage listeners to engage via social media for future show locations and previews.

Notable Quote:

Urban Meyer (76:21): "We love be safe. Get out."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Mark Ingram: “You don't lose to Vanderbilt. That's not what happens when you go to Bama” (04:25).
• Mark Ingram: “You have no room for error” (09:57).
• Will Howard: “I feel pretty good about where we're at as an offense” (45:48).
• Mark Ingram: “I'm never picking Missouri ever again in my entire life” (30:38).
• Urban Meyer: “It's just means more” (38:30).

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Time References

• 00:00–01:49: Introduction and initial banter.
• 01:50–05:01: Discussion on Alabama's historic loss to Vanderbilt.
• 05:02–12:26: Detailed analysis of Alabama's defensive issues and locker room reactions.
• 12:27–22:00: Examination of other teams’ losses and their implications.
• 22:01–38:30: In-depth conversation on USC's struggles and broader conference dynamics.
• 38:31–55:23: Discussion on NIL impact, statewide events, and upcoming playoff scenarios.
• 55:24–76:25: Interview with Will Howard and betting picks analysis.
• 76:26–End: Viewer questions, final thoughts, and episode wrap-up.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and expert analyses presented in The Triple Option episode, providing listeners with an extensive understanding of the current state of college football and its implications moving forward.

Transcript

[Rob Stone]

That game's always in the back of our heads for sure. But no.

[Mark Ingram]

Got a countdown in the locker room.

[Rob Stone]

Oh, there's a countdown in the weight room, right in the weight room right outside the cafeteria. There's one right outside this room right here.

[Matt Leinert]

When we say Michigan, you. You say what I say.

[Rob Stone]

Team up north, man. Team up north.

[Matt Leinert]

I love he.

[Mark Ingram]

He. He like, he been.

[Matt Leinert]

He's only been there for six months.

[Rob Stone]

Listen, I had to. I had to buy in, you know? I'd get slapped upside the head if I said that M word around here, so.

[Urban Meyer]

Light it. Another edition of the triple option presented by Wendy's. Try Wendy's new saucy nugs today. The visuals, visuals tell me something's different this week. I'm Rob Stone. There's Mark Ingram. We went to the bullpen. We called for the lefty.

[Matt Leinert]

Mark, who is this guy? You know what to do, baby. You know what to do.

[Mark Ingram]

Who is this guy?

[Urban Meyer]

By the way, the Dodgers need to call.

[Matt Leinert]

The Dodgers need to call me for the bullpen, too. Just saying.

[Urban Meyer]

Doyers.

[Mark Ingram]

What up, boys? We got my Heisman brother from another.

[Matt Leinert]

Hey, I appreciate being on triple option with you boys, man. Let's talk a little ball, baby.

[Urban Meyer]

We will talk a little ball. Coach Meyer unable to join us this week. So much going on in the state of Florida. Florida right now. We'll get to that in a second. But, Matt, welcome. Good to see you, my friend.

[Matt Leinert]

You too, man.

[Urban Meyer]

Thanks for loaning me your garage earlier in the season. All right. This week we are going to talk to Ohio State quarterback Will Howard ahead of Saturday's massive top three showdown in Eugene against the Ducks. We're going to. Mark, we're going to. We're going to do an Alabama wellness check on you. Make sure the temperature is all right, make sure everything is going okay. Same for you, Mr. USC as well. We're going to tell you.

[Matt Leinert]

Yeah, I'm not laughing. Trust me.

[Mark Ingram]

No.

[Urban Meyer]

It was a wild week six. We'll tell you what we learned from that. We're going to look ahead to a stack. Week 7 Before we get underway, I want to remind you. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts as well as across social media. Again, you can find us at 3x option show. Mark, what do people need to do?

[Mark Ingram]

They need to, like, comment, like, follow, subscribe. Tell a friend. Tell your mom and them rate you feel me and don't hate, but appreciate it.

[Urban Meyer]

The tell your friend is my favorite one. Yes, please. Leave comments. We're going to answer some of the comments this week on the show. Again, new episodes every week. Again, Rob Stone, Mark Ingram, our good friend Matt Leinert subbing in for Coach Meyer. Coach Meyer not here. Our thoughts. This is, this is kind of bumming me out, guys, that we need to do this almost week in and week out. But our thoughts to everybody who's now being impacted by Hurricane Milton, particularly in the Sunshine State. And again, Sinclair partnering with Salvation army, they have teams operating in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and of course, the Sunshine State right now to help all those affected their highest need. It is still clean water as well as food and cleanup kits. To donate, please, we encourage all of you to go to Sinclair cares.com okay, we call it any given Saturday and there's a reason. And because I didn't sell it. Because on any given Saturday, football madness can happen in college football. And that madness, it put in an extra shift this week. Number one, Alabama did it. Number four, Tennessee, number nine, Missouri. Number 10 Michigan, and number 11, USC. They all fell. And they fell. Well, four of them fell to unranked teams as well. How about this? This little nugget we're going to start, Mark, with you and Alabama. But first, the saucy nug of the week. And we're adding extra nugs this week because it deserves it. Vanderbilt has never beaten a top five opponent until last Saturday on their 61st try. They finally got their first top five win. And for the first time in 40 years, Bama lost to Vanderbilt. That is your saucy nug of the week. And I'm assuming, Mark, you were in a bit of a saucy mood Saturday as everything was going down in Nashville.

[Mark Ingram]

It's actually quite comical.

[Urban Meyer]

Like, comical.

[Mark Ingram]

Like you go on, you just go and just get smacked by Vandy. Like, bro, my man, you can't comprehend it. Like, I'm sitting here on the plane, like, watching this, I'm like, is this even real life? Like, what's happening? We go on the road, we just can't do anything. Like, no matter how you slice this cake, it's atrocious. No matter how you slice the cake, it's atrocious. We'll start with the bad news. The bad news is bad news is you lost.

[Urban Meyer]

I thought we already got to the bad news.

[Mark Ingram]

Well, that's. That, that's atrocious news. So we're just going to keep going.

[Matt Leinert]

So now we're getting to the bad news.

[Mark Ingram]

So now we're getting to the bad.

[Urban Meyer]

Bad like as coach was saying, we're.

[Mark Ingram]

Going to get positive.

[Urban Meyer]

Bad, bad.

[Mark Ingram]

The loss is atrocious. Just like we don't lose to Vandy. You said 40 years.

[Urban Meyer]

40 years.

[Mark Ingram]

The last loss was 1984. The last loss before.

[Urban Meyer]

You know who the Alabama head coach was? Mark, do you know who the Alabama head coach was last time Bama lost to Vandy?

[Mark Ingram]

No.

[Urban Meyer]

Former Tampa Bay buccaneer head coach, which may not be much of a hint for you guys.

[Matt Leinert]

Dungey. No. 84. My bad.

[Urban Meyer]

Did he edit that out? Ray Perkins.

[Mark Ingram]

Ray Perkins.

[Matt Leinert]

Ray Perkins. Me and Mark were born in the 80s, man.

[Urban Meyer]

Just don't start. Don't start.

[Mark Ingram]

But listen, man, like, okay, we're going to start. The loss is just atrocious. Like, it's just unacceptable. Everyone knows that. You have a huge win versus Georgia, then you go on the road to Vandy off a huge momentum and just take a L and fall straight on your face like that. The defense is just completely, just unprepared for this. But you know, it's a triple option. The defense just wasn't like they weren't sound in their assignments. You got to know who has the dive back, who has the quarterback, who has the pitch. Man, we had people that were stagnant sitting there, kind of hesitant. And that's what you want. Out of option, off out of option offense. I ran it with the Ravens and that's what you want people who are standing still kind of indecisive. That's where you take advantage of a defense like that. Let's look at the time of possession. Like we just couldn't get off the field, dude.

[Urban Meyer]

42 minutes and eight seconds. Vanderbilt had the ball, Bama only 17:52. And sometimes those can be deceptive, right? Because a lot of times you're like, ooh, quick strike offense, right? It only took X plays and X seconds or minutes. But for Vanderbilt to control Alabama, controlled Alabama with 42 minutes of possession is pure insanity.

[Mark Ingram]

Run it down your throat and make you like it. Run it down your throat and make you like it. Come on now. They had nine possessions. They only punted the ball twice. Bama's defense is in crisis mode right now. They're in crisis mode?

[Urban Meyer]

Yes.

[Mark Ingram]

The last six, the last six quarters, 67 points, 784 yards. Opponents are converting third downs at a 54% rate. They've allowed ten 20 yard plays. Like you thought. Like you thought that the second half of the Georgia thing might have just been Georgia. But no, that's like truly who the defense is Right now, and they need to go ahead.

[Urban Meyer]

I just want to add. I want to add to that real fast, Mark, because you're spot on over the last six quarters. We're talking the second half of the Georgia game, remember? I. I mean, talk about the ebbs and flows of a college football season. The absolute chaos of what took place in Tuscaloosa the prior weekend and then this absolute crash this valley. But over the last six quarters, Mark, to your point, they are allowing essentially 11 points per quarter. Prior to that stretch, they allowed 33 points. First 14 quarters of the season, they were allowing roughly 2 points a quarter. And now here they are allowing 11 over the last six quarters. That is a wild. It's crazy.

[Mark Ingram]

It's crazy. And I remember when we watched Wisconsin, I said on Big Noon, I was like, alabama has to shore up their rush defense, and it still hasn't kind of gotten solidified yet. So that is a problem. And this is really bad. This is really bad. And then we got people running butt naked through the defense, Matt. Like.

[Matt Leinert]

Like, dude. Well, when was the. When was the last time Vanderbilt beat a ranked team, let alone a number one country?

[Urban Meyer]

I. I would like Vanderbilt. This is the conversation. And I don't want to be disrespectful.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm not. I love Vanderbilt at all because they went, but they did what they needed to do. They controlled the line of scrimmage. But.

[Urban Meyer]

But, Mark, disrespect them because they are Vanderbilt. You do not lose to Vanderbilt.

[Mark Ingram]

You don't lose to Vanderbilt.

[Urban Meyer]

I don't care if that's Alabama. I don't care if that's Mississippi State. I don't care who it is. Again, no offense, Vanderbilt, but you are not supposed to lose to Vanderbilt.

[Mark Ingram]

You don't lose to Vanderbilt. That's not what happens when you go to Bama. Like, there's. When you wear that script, a. Like, you do not lose to Vanderbilt. There's a lot of other things that might happen, but you don't lose to Vanderbilt. But anyways, let's keep. Let's keep it going. Let's keep it going.

[Matt Leinert]

All right, Mark. No, the positive, right? You got a lot of positive.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, no, no. See, I went to the bed. Now I'm gonna go to the positive.

[Urban Meyer]

There's positives.

[Mark Ingram]

There is positives. The positives is you had a pick six, you had a fumble that they scored a touchdown on. That's 14 points. So you don't do those, you win the game, Right? You don't do those, you win the game. But our offense is still elite. Jalen Milroe is still the man. Still have Ryan Williams making unheard of plays up the sideline, running up. You know what I mean? We still have to find a way to run the ball more efficiently. But the positives is you have one loss, okay, it's one loss to Vanderbilt. It's terrible, but it's a 12 team payoff. It doesn't exclude you from the playoff. So you have no room for error. You. You lost your room for error.

[Urban Meyer]

I think you still have no room for error.

[Matt Leinert]

Yeah, you do.

[Urban Meyer]

You got. You have another loss in you and you're still going to be. I think I don't love it.

[Mark Ingram]

I don't love it. I don't love it.

[Urban Meyer]

Nor should you because you got the one in one.

[Mark Ingram]

You got 10.

[Urban Meyer]

You want to win the SEC.

[Mark Ingram]

You got LSU.

[Urban Meyer]

LSU.

[Mark Ingram]

You got the Barners, which, who knows what could happen against those weirdos.

[Urban Meyer]

What did you call them? The Barners.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, the Barners.

[Matt Leinert]

They're the Barners. Is that Auburn?

[Urban Meyer]

Is that Auburn?

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, they're Barners.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, I've never heard the term Barners.

[Mark Ingram]

Well, now you know.

[Urban Meyer]

Well, tell, tell me what it means.

[Mark Ingram]

It just. I don't know, actually.

[Matt Leinert]

I. I think. Look, Mark, I think I. We. I would. This game. So this is like, to me, it's like a total outlier game. I think my junior year and my junior year that USC team arguably is considered one of the better teams of all time, right? I mean, the 04 team, we won. We threw up an absolute clunker on the road at Stanford. Now the difference is we ended up winning, but that team was trash. We won. We were down 21 to 3 at halftime with 10,000 people in the stadium. And even I remember Pete in the pregame was like, I don't got a good feeling about this game. It was one of those games, okay? We ended up winning. I think to your point, like their defense is not very good. We've kind of seen that all season long. But you're going to have to score 40 points to beat them. And we know what Kaylin DeBoer can do at offense. And you know me, I'm a big fan of Jalen Milroe, Ryan Williams, and I think too, you look at, look at their schedule like they've already. They have the confidence knowing that they can beat anybody in the country with the way they beat Georgia. And I know they almost fell apart at the end, but they still found a way to win. So you have room for air. You can lose another game and still potentially get it. And by the way, Vanderbilt again. I know it's Vanderbilt and what they're three and two. They're take a Lincoln Riley quote. They're a couple plays away from maybe being five and up and again, they're not. But that team isn't as bad as everyone thinks. Historically as we've seen beat Virginia Tech.

[Urban Meyer]

In their opener, lost in overtime to Mizzou. You're right. This is a better.

[Matt Leinert]

I think they lost to Georgia.

[Urban Meyer]

They did it with transfers maybe.

[Matt Leinert]

Yeah, yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

Georgia. So yeah, I love, I love when you could. Hey Matt. I love when you can do the like Georgia Southern beat Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt beat Alabama. Georgia Southern.

[Mark Ingram]

You're trying to piece the puzzle together. No matter how you slice this cake, the loss is atrocious. The loss is atrocious. It's a bad loss.

[Matt Leinert]

Bamba. You move on.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, but you move on.

[Urban Meyer]

No, no, I'm not moving. I'm not letting Mark move on.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm not moving on yet. I'm not moving on yet. The thing is as a player, you flush this and you move on. So, yes, you saw how Malachi Moore was pissed off at the end of the game. Like he should have.

[Urban Meyer]

What was your reaction to that? What was your reaction to that, Mark?

[Mark Ingram]

I was pissed too and like.

[Urban Meyer]

But when you had more handled it when you.

[Mark Ingram]

I don't love how he handled it. He doesn't love how he handled it. Obviously he regrets it. He apologized about it. He has held himself accountable for it. He was a leader in the locker room afterwards and he's been in a leader in the locker room since. Does is that a moment he wish he has back? Yes, he, he, he issued a statement over social media and apologized for it and was accountable. Said it was unacceptable. He's a two time captain at the University of Alabama. His handprints, his footprints are set in stone outside of at the walk of Champions. So does he. Is he happy about that? No. But at the same time, when you put your blood, sweat and tears and you care about something. He came back to Alabama for a fifth year to achieve greatness. And so did he have a little meltdown? Yes. But at the same time I, I'm not mad that he showed that type of emotion because that is what you need from your team. And for him to be able to.

[Urban Meyer]

Not getting, refusing to be subbed off, you're all right with that, refusing to be subbed off on the guy, but man, it's, you know, he's waving off substitutions. He's slamming, you know, players.

[Mark Ingram]

When you out there losing to Vanderbilt.

[Matt Leinert]

Bro, I don't really mind it, man, to be honest. Like, you're. You're maybe an all American. You're a captain. Like, this is an emotional game. And like Mark said, you come back to potentially win an Addie or. And again, everything is still in front of them. And as long as you address and you hold yourself accountable in that locker room, that's all that matters. Nothing else outside what we say or anyone says.

[Mark Ingram]

All that matters is the people in that locker room.

[Matt Leinert]

All that matters is what's in that locker room. And I guarantee, and Mark knows this better than us, that that guy's got the respect of everybody on that team. So that is. But that it's Vanderbilt.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes.

[Matt Leinert]

Like, like, again, it's like, are you kidding me?

[Mark Ingram]

Come on. Then that's.

[Matt Leinert]

And that's from, from a player's perspective. Yeah, I get it.

[Mark Ingram]

And that's the emotions he had, literally what we're saying. Like, are you kidding me?

[Matt Leinert]

And like, Mark, I want to ask you a question, man, because we're all flying. We're probably all on the plane at that time. I'm watching this game live and the only person in the world that I was thinking about was my dog, Deuce. Deuce. And I was like, this guy has got to be just. I don't even know, man. I felt for you in that moment. I was sitting there and then I was kind of like, oh, man, Nashville's going to be turned up tonight. That's going to be a fun place to be. The quarterback is just going to rage.

[Mark Ingram]

Nashville was lit. Diego Pavia just had the game of his life. The game of his life. 16 for 22, 52 TDs, by the way.

[Matt Leinert]

Tweet out nil deals. Like, dude, just take it, man.

[Urban Meyer]

He just threw out his agent's phone number on, by the way, not even with the hashmark. Just like a slur of numbers.

[Matt Leinert]

I love this brand. I love this brand. I love this brand. Hey, you know where to find me, right? I love it.

[Mark Ingram]

I'll be right here.

[Urban Meyer]

Quarterback. Two star quarterback out of New Mexico. Went to military academy, a jc, then went to New Mexico State and then transfers to Vandy. Yeah, the Cats got some swagger. The taking down the goalpost, right, and bringing it through Broadway to the river and then dump it in the Cumberland River. And then the Nashville fire department had to go back in and fish out the goalpost. I mean, it's not like everybody's got a whole set of backup goalposts. They need those bad.

[Mark Ingram]

This is what happens. This is what happens when you go and you lose and you're Alabama. They tear down a goalpost, they take it to the river. So good job, Alabama, for allowing Vanderbilt to have the time of their life in a moment they'll never forget. But at the same time. Listen, Rob, this is. This is this last thing I'm going to say we've been beating up on my squad. Flush it. Move on to the next week. You have South Carolina coming into town. We saw Jalen Murrow get a sack fumble in the second half. You have arguably two of the best edge rushers in the country coming to town. Have to get back on track. Have to get back on track. Have everything ahead of you.

[Urban Meyer]

And that's what.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, you have everything ahead of you.

[Urban Meyer]

That's what Caitlin DeBoer.

[Rob Stone]

Yep.

[Urban Meyer]

Caitlin DeBoer. There's only one option, and that's. That's to move forward. It's embarrassing, Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

It's embarrassing. But we still have everything that we hope for ahead of us. So lock in focus and let's get on. As a player, you can't wait soon enough to get to the next game to flush that and play the next game and get that behind you. So roll damn Tide and that's always and forever Roll damn Tide.

[Urban Meyer]

I say. I say roll Commodores. Roll Commodores.

[Mark Ingram]

Let's go. Okay, you can say that. And you have earned the right to say that. You have earned the right to say that.

[Urban Meyer]

Listen, listen.

[Mark Ingram]

Are you a Vandy fan? Have you ever rooted for Vanderbilt ever before?

[Matt Leinert]

No, he's never rooted for.

[Urban Meyer]

Vanderbilt's been there.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm on Good Morning Football this morning and they're talking about go.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, they're jumping on. They're jumping on the bandwagon, Mark, seriously, When you played at Alabama.

[Mark Ingram]

Huh?

[Urban Meyer]

When you played at Alabama, did you ever go into a Vanderbilt game thinking that there's a shot in hell that you're going to lose?

[Mark Ingram]

I don't. I never played Vanderbilt when I was there. But how did that happen? Because I was only there three years and you know how you didn't play.

[Urban Meyer]

Them any three years.

[Mark Ingram]

East West. East West. You know, the East West.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

Scheduling. I didn't have them. I had Georgia my freshman year. I had South Carolina. No. Yeah, I had South Carolina my second year. Then my third year, we had South Carolina again and Florida. I don't know who we have.

[Urban Meyer]

We'll take your word. We'll let you lick your wounds and move on from an embarrassing loss. I mean, this is up there with like the 1, 2, 3 kid beating razor Ramon, Saudi Arabia beating Argentina in the World Cup. This is like March madness FTB over one seed Purdue.

[Matt Leinert]

I mean, USA beating Russia.

[Urban Meyer]

Guess what? It happens on India. Any given Saturday, we still here.

[Mark Ingram]

But hey, this tells you, stoner, if your butt doesn't come to play, you can get your butt beat. And it almost happened to Miami, too. But they found a way to win. You know what I mean?

[Urban Meyer]

They did light it. You've had Wendy's nugs dipped in sauce, right? Mark, you've had the Wendy nugs I've had and I love. But Mark, I ask you, have you had them covered in sauce? Wendy's new saucy nugs. Take the crispy and spicy nugs that I know you love, and you know what they turn them up to? They turn them up to 11, Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

Ooh, more than 10.

[Urban Meyer]

More than 10.

[Mark Ingram]

Choose between flavors like buffalo honey barbecue, garlic parm, or if you're a real heat seeker, try spicy ghost pepper. Only on Whitney's signature spicy nuggets. I dare you. There's seven delicious ways to try the nugs you already love.

[Urban Meyer]

Are you man enough to try the spicy ghost pepper, by the way? Do you think you could pull that off?

[Mark Ingram]

That's not for me. I'm the honey barbecue type guy.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I can do the peppers, pick a flavor, grab some extra napkins, and then go back and get a few more napkins and prepare to nug. Apparently, the word nug is a verb now. So, Mark, prepare to nug like you've never nugged before. For a whole new way to nug, it's got to be Wendy's at participating us Wendy's Keep on nugging America.

[Mark Ingram]

Nug City.

[Urban Meyer]

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[Mark Ingram]

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[Matt Leinert]

Going up during inflation, we thought we'd.

[Mark Ingram]

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[Matt Leinert]

So to help us, we brought in a reverse auctioneer which is apparently a thing Mint Mobile Unlimited Premium Wireless 3030.

[Rob Stone]

Bid to get 30. Get 20.

[Mark Ingram]

2020.

[Rob Stone]

Better get 20.

[Urban Meyer]

20.

[Matt Leinert]

Better get 15.

[Mark Ingram]

15, 15, 15.

[Matt Leinert]

Just 15 bucks a month.

[Mark Ingram]

So give it a [e-mail] Switch $45.

[Urban Meyer]

Upfront payment equivalent to $15 per month. New customers on first three month plan only taxes and fees, extra speed slower above 40 gigabytes. You detail you know who also did not find a way to win. USC falling at Minnesota 24 to 17. Gophers outscored the Trojans 14. Love Maddie in the fourth quarter. Miller Moss, two picks in the fourth quarter. Certainly didn't, didn't help matters. P.J. fleck row in the boat. Fans storming the field and USC goes down. And remember USC, what were they as high as number 11 at one point? And now Matt, they've lost two of their first three ever games in the Big Ten Conference.

[Matt Leinert]

By the way, they're not even in the top 25 anymore. That's how far correct they dropped. Listen, where do I start? I have a lot of feelings on this. And unlike Alabama, there, there is no more room for error. They already have two losses. They get Penn State. They still have Washington who looks really good. They still have Notre Dame. They still have Nebraska.

[Urban Meyer]

They still have a path. Matthew, they still have a path to the playoffs.

[Matt Leinert]

Yeah, well, that path is real. Real.

[Urban Meyer]

Well, it's, and it's bumpy and there's some blind.

[Matt Leinert]

Like I, I was thinking about this, I was thinking about this this week and trying to evaluate this program and Lincoln Riley's taken a lot of heat and a lot of frustration from the fan base and justifiably so honestly. And, and you go back to the first year and they were, we were at that game, Rob. And they lost to Utah in the, in the Pac 12 championship. Caleb Williams had a, had a hurt hamstring again. I would, I would give anything, I would give any amount of money Bet any amount of money that if he's not hurt, they win that game and they're in the College Football Playoff. But that set the bar real, real high. And it was unrealistic the next year. Last year, they were just awful defensively, they were awful offensively. They were awful. They had a couple good players. Caleb obviously is a star. And now this year, USC beats LSU at Allegiant Stadium. And that set the expectation once again. Oh, my gosh. And I was on it. We were all on it. Like, I saw them play. I was there. I was like, LSU is a good. Lsu, by the way, is a good.

[Urban Meyer]

Team right now and might make the playoffs.

[Matt Leinert]

That's a big time win. And so we're thinking, okay, the defense is better, the offense, the offensive line held their own against an SEC D line, all of these things. Miller Moss look good. Now all of a sudden you kind of getting into conference play and you got to travel a little bit. And you go back to the Michigan game, and again, they had an opportunity to win that game and defense played better, but they still didn't make the plays that they needed to. And then you go back to this last week, and I watched the film this week, defense has given up 200 yards on the ground a game. 200 yards, okay? And they're. They're better in a lot of areas. They are. They're also given up more yards per play this year at this point than they did a year ago. Think about that. And last year was historically. But talk about atrocious, Mark. Their defense was atrocious last year. So you're all. You're starting to break this down and thinking, man, how much better are we actually this year? And then offensively. And a lot of people are pointing. Miller. I think Miller Moss is playing really good football, to be honest with you. He had a bad pick. The other pick, he got hit as he was throwing. And it's the offensive line. And we all said, okay, you go to the Big Ten, you have to be physical. All right? A lot of these teams, even a team like Minnesota and PJ Flex, done a really good job there. Like, they've won eight, nine games. They're physical, they like to run the football, but that is a team you should beat. And that defensive line was getting to Miller Moss with three man rushes all game. Both tackles were getting killed. And I'm just sitting here thinking, how are we in year three and we still don't have the offensive line and the bodies up front to compete? I don't care if you're in the PAC 12 or the Big 10. And that is a concern I have the rest of the season. That is the concern that I have moving forward. I think the defense will be fine. To be honest with you, Eric Gentry didn't play in that game. He is arguably the best player in that defense. Does a lot for them. But I, but, but it, I'm just telling you like it's your expectation after LSU was, was, I mean Brady and I talked about a big. I literally said the biggest threat to Ohio State was usc. Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

That's what we, we all literally truly believe.

[Matt Leinert]

And now they look like a four or five loss team.

[Urban Meyer]

So wait a second. You thought the biggest threat to Ohio State and the Big Ten was us?

[Matt Leinert]

We talked about it on Big this after.

[Urban Meyer]

I must have been taking a nap during that because how, how is it not?

[Matt Leinert]

Or well, this is this.

[Mark Ingram]

Well, because Oregon, even back then when we had this segment, Oregon looked very suspect after the first two games, but.

[Urban Meyer]

They were still getting wins.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Matt Leinert]

Against Idaho.

[Urban Meyer]

They beat Boise State.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah. All due respect, after they beat LSU and they go on you, you think that they possibly could pose a threat.

[Matt Leinert]

To the bottom, the bottom line is where, where Alabama is in their program is a lot different than where USC is. USC is trying to get back to relevance. They're trying to get back to being a playoff team. Lincoln Riley got paid a lot of money to get this team back. And right now and, and I, I tweeted this out. I just feel like us. He stuck in neutral. Like it just, it just like at what point do you take the next step? Because it's.

[Urban Meyer]

How do you get out of neutral?

[Matt Leinert]

Yeah, how do you get. There's a lot of the same excuses.

[Urban Meyer]

No, I'm asking you how do you get out of neutral? What do you, what does USC need?

[Matt Leinert]

I mean, you. I, I think for me the, the mind boggling part is how we haven't been able to recruit better up front.

[Mark Ingram]

That's crazy to me.

[Matt Leinert]

And, and I still think and, and I believe this wholeheartedly. USC is still usc.

[Mark Ingram]

USC sends a letter and you're in high school, you, your eyes are lit up.

[Matt Leinert]

I don't care what brand. I know the brand is still the brand. It is still la. It is. They, they got, they got nil. It's, it's decent. It's not Oregon, it's not Ohio State, but it's decent enough. And it's still, there's still an allure there. And the fact that you can't like, we can't put on the field. I, I, like, again, it's just, it goes back to recruiting and, and again, like, I, I don't know, you know, I just, I just worry like, that's just a game. You can't lose that game.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Matt Leinert]

You know, you can't lose that game for a lot of reasons.

[Mark Ingram]

Right.

[Matt Leinert]

And that's not even disrespect to Minnesota and PJ Fleck because again, we've seen them play well in the Big Ten for years. But for, for the expectation that's at USC and for, for, you know, Lincoln Riley and what the expectation is for him, like, it's just unacceptable in my opinion. And you look at the schedule, I actually, I said this in the beginning of the year, telling people, oh, how's us going to be? I'm like, I think it's a four or five lost team. After lsu, I was like, well, shoot, we look a lot different. And now I'm right back to you.

[Mark Ingram]

It's just you was nervous versus Michigan. You was nervous last week.

[Matt Leinert]

But I also called that game. I said like, like this doesn't. But, but Minnesota.

[Mark Ingram]

No, not Minnesota. You didn't call Minnesota. You called Michigan.

[Matt Leinert]

I don't know, guys, but at the.

[Mark Ingram]

End of the day, man, I agree with you. Like you said, they're allowing 200 yards per game on the rushing, on defense. Then you talk about not being able to protect your quarterback on offensive line a team. If I'm building a team, I'm starting in the trenches because USC has all the skill positions. They have the receivers, they have the quarterback.

[Urban Meyer]

They should always have the skill positions.

[Mark Ingram]

Right? They have those, they have those. But for them not to have the trenches in the offensive line to D line, they've always had that. That's what they've been known for. Tough defense, running the football. Like that's what Matt had when he was there. They had Oline, maybe, maybe.

[Urban Meyer]

You know what, Mark? Maybe Matt needs to be helping out their nil a little bit more. Matt, you need to do something, check out.

[Mark Ingram]

You got to step up, quit feeding.

[Urban Meyer]

All those kids you keep, keep making with Josie over.

[Matt Leinert]

There's a lot more people with deeper pockets than me at usc. So that's what the bottom, the bottom line is. It was last year we saw them the Notre Dame game and we look and I was look, I'm like our offensive line and look, we look like a, a junior college team to their defense line and that it just showed up on. It showed up on film and it show game and and this year we're better. I think we're bigger. I saw it in person, lsu. But at the end of the day, we're not producing and they're not executing. And that's a problem. And it's a problem in the Big Ten.

[Urban Meyer]

This weekend, USC hosts one of the elite teams in the Big Ten, Penn State. That's going to be one of our picks coming up later. Mark, I got that. And you know who I'm picking. I'm not telling you, but Matt's going to be, by the way, I'm going to catch that.

[Matt Leinert]

This is, by the way, a game that USC could probably win.

[Urban Meyer]

That's just how this way to give away my take. All right, hold on. Let's. I just want to wrap up the upsets real quick and then get to this.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, let's talk about some of these other teams who lost too. Forget.

[Matt Leinert]

Yeah, man.

[Urban Meyer]

Let's move on.

[Mark Ingram]

Beating on our squads.

[Urban Meyer]

Beat on some about Tennessee going on the road and losing to Arkansas. Right. Tennessee Got Arkansas 25 with 17 seconds left. Couldn't score before time expired. Fans stormed the field. And this is after the Alabama chaos. So Tennessee knew like, don't be sleeping on anybody, right? You don't just roll into Fayetteville and think you're going to take care of the Hogs. And then also in the sec. I don't consider this as big of an upset, but it still was an upset. Missouri. Oh, Matt, you remember watching Mark watch the Missouri highlights in the big noon green room.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm never picking Missouri ever again in my entire life. I don't care if you guys are the favorite or not. Missouri, you guys suck.

[Urban Meyer]

512 yards. Texas A M put on on Missouri A41 10. Beat down one more upset. This one. I, I saw this one coming. I, I picked it. I'd like to pat myself on the back once in a while. Washington 10 better than Michigan. You know, Michigan passing game is a mess. They started with Alex orgy 3 of 7, 15 yards. He carried the ball. They were down 14 nothing. And so what do they do? They now go to their third quarterback. QB Jack Tuttle came on, gave him a spark, but in the end it wasn't enough. In the end, fans stormed the storm the field again in Washington, which doesn't make sense to me.

[Mark Ingram]

Storm in the field is crazy.

[Urban Meyer]

Like by the way, let's talk about that in a second. Go ahead, Matty.

[Matt Leinert]

I want, I just want to say something really quick about Washington. Yeah, I mean, Jed Fish turned around Arizona in two years and Washington again, this is a good program. Caleb took him to the national championship last year. But anytime there's turnover and change, there always feels like there's a little bit of a rebuild. They're 4 and 2. They got will Rogers, who's a prolific college football quarterback. We know that he's playing out of his mind. You start to look at the defenses, top five in the Big Ten. This, this is a good football team. Like, like. And you called it, Rob. You did. You said, like, going over to Seattle. Washington is an incredible place to play. It's a great home environment. And Michigan, even though with their concerns, to me, this kind of says a lot more about Washington and where they're going. And this is a team this year. I'm telling you what, this won't be, that this won't be their first upset. They will knock off somebody else. Obviously, I think they're ranked. They're going to be ranked, and I think they're going to win a lot of games. But I just wanted to give Washington a little love like that. That was a big win for that program. And Jed Fish, you say they're going.

[Mark Ingram]

To knock somebody else off, especially when you got to go travel to Washington.

[Urban Meyer]

That's definitely USC at the season, but that's not an upset anymore. That's just a good.

[Matt Leinert]

I just think, keep an eye on Washington making a run here.

[Urban Meyer]

That's a good call. All right, we'll keep an eye. We'll keep an eye on Washington. So we had all of these upsets, and again, the big focus was kind of the shockers in the sec, obviously, the Alabama loss, highlighting things, Tennessee going around.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm not letting Missouri off the Hickstoner.

[Urban Meyer]

I say, I think Missouri sat here and told overvalued going in.

[Mark Ingram]

I sat here and told America how I think they was going to win. I have friends texting me, talking about I just put the money line on Missouri. I said, I did not tell you to do that. Yes, I did not tell you to do that. But what do I know? That's what I'm start saying. Listen, dude, I'm gonna pick these games. I'm saying, but what do I know?

[Matt Leinert]

They're ranked. They're. They were a top ten team. It's easy. It's easy to pick them.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. And they're not only that, Matt, they're a top 10 team in the SEC. And, oh, we know how people value the SEC. We can get Joel Klad on this one at any moment. But first, let's hear from Georgia head coach Kirby Smart on his thoughts about these upsets and what life in the SEC really is.

[Matt Leinert]

Kirby Vandy's got a great program and does a great job.

[Rob Stone]

I mean, it's a lot of other.

[Matt Leinert]

People that don't respect Vandy. I respect Hark Lee. I respect his team, his quarterback, what they've done. They beat Virginia Tech. I mean, somebody told me that six of eight games were decided by one score or less in our league. Nothing shocks me about our league. So Texas A and M, Missouri, welcome to the sec. It's hard every week and I got a feeling that it's not going to stop. It's a consistency in performance and when you ride the wave of emotion, you get caught on the bottom of the wave sometimes. And we're just trying to do this. We're just trying to keep getting better and keep getting better.

[Urban Meyer]

So there's this strong narrative out there. Mark's already this narrative that everything is talking and everything is better in the sec. I am not an SEC hater. I appreciate SEC football. I understand it and I respect the hell out of it. But guess what? Same goes for the Big Ten, right? And if an Ohio State lost to a Purdue or a UCLA this year, people are going to go. The Big Ten is awful, right? The supposed king of the Big Ten, Ohio State falls to one of the worst teams ever. That is a state of the Big Ten. It is just not up to par. It is not as good as the sec. But whoa, whoa, hold on. If Alabama loses the Vanderbilt, if Tennessee loses to Arkansas, if Missouri loses a. Hey man, it's just because this conference is so good, top to bottom, we should expect that, you know, every Saturday. Don't give me that bs. Who said that?

[Mark Ingram]

Who said that?

[Urban Meyer]

Right?

[Mark Ingram]

Who said that?

[Urban Meyer]

I'm saying that.

[Matt Leinert]

Well, let me, let me, let me chime in before.

[Mark Ingram]

I already told you, no matter how you slice the damn cake, Alabama losing to verify unacceptable. Ohio State losing to anybody.

[Urban Meyer]

This is not an Alabama thing, this is an SEC thing. But everyone wants to use Alabama apologizes for the losses and say they should be expected. But if it happens anywhere else, like if Miami lost that game at Cal Saturday night, everybody would have written off the whole acc. Take Clemson down with you. The ACC is written off. ACC written his fault. But that's my point. But that, that one loss would have just would have written I gotta stop.

[Mark Ingram]

Talking about schools because I have kids that recruiting. I love the get go.

[Urban Meyer]

I do too. And, and I, I just feel like there is this very strong narrative and I know, I know it. I know people in the Big Ten country hear it. And right now they're nodding their head. They're like, preach. Rob stone.

[Mark Ingram]

The SEC won 19 straight national championships.

[Matt Leinert]

And that's, and that's the reason why is because Bama and Georgia in particular, and you could throw LSU in there, obviously big heavyweights up top, not even going back to Florida and coaches days, just going back to the last 10, 10, 15 years it has been dominated by the SEC. Kirby Smart is fantastic. And this, no disrespect to him and he's going to say what he should say to prop up his league. But. And this isn't even disrespect to Vanderbilt, but historically that you don't, you don't like every, like Vanderbilt. That's not a, that is not supposed to be a difficult opponent and it just hasn't been in years. So when he's saying that again, he's trying to give love to his two things to this. It's again, why, like we've always talked about this, like the preseason ranking and the preseason poll and all of these things mean absolutely nothing. It doesn't even matter what the SEC, but for whatever reason, they always get those six, seven, eight teams in the top 25. And they just hover in there because everybody kind of beats up everybody and.

[Urban Meyer]

They only get dinged a little bit by the losses. Matt. Where other people will have a dramatic fall.

[Matt Leinert]

I mean, my goodness, you lose to eight, like USC was 11, lost to Minnesota, who's, whatever, isn't a great team. They're. They drop 18 spots.

[Urban Meyer]

Gone. Gone.

[Rob Stone]

They're not, they're not.

[Matt Leinert]

I mean, they're the top 30. Maybe. I, I will say this though. I. This whole conversation about all these teams, like the parody in college football this year is better than we've ever, than we've seen. And again, I think Ohio State and Texas are kind of sitting there like, hey, look at us. We're the two teams that haven't that been dominant. But telling you what, man. Like, this is, this is exciting for all of us because 12 teams and right now, last week proves that anybody can beat anybody. And I think that's. That's what's exciting.

[Mark Ingram]

Will you see this? Nil. It's, it's. It's bringing parity across college football. So.

[Urban Meyer]

And Mark, that is such a cool point that both you guys hit because everybody thought it would create the haves and the have nots, right? That there would be this upper echelon of college football because of nil because of the transfer portal, and everybody's going to move into this one direction. But what we're seeing so far this season is maybe it's spreading the wealth, maybe it's keeping players longer at your program. Let them actually, you know, mature well, because these players.

[Mark Ingram]

Now, that third person on the depth chart is not staying to wait for his chance for his fifth to be a senior. He's leaving. He's going to play. So you're getting good players across the country now. And, like, the whole thing with sec, like, it's okay. It's okay, everybody. It's okay. Just relax. Just means more. It just means more.

[Urban Meyer]

Just means more. All right, real quick. I'm going to do this rapid fire and we're going to. We're going to finish this segment. I'm going to. I'm going to list the teams that, quote, unquote, got upset and lost. Mark, I start with you and then, Matt, for each one of these, tell me if they go to the playoffs or not. Alabama off the loss. Do they go to the playoffs? Maybe me, Mark, maybe.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, we got some work to do. We got some work to do, man.

[Matt Leinert]

I would still lean towards. Yes.

[Urban Meyer]

Yes. Agreed.

[Matt Leinert]

Yep.

[Urban Meyer]

Tennessee off the loss at Arkansas. Mark, do they go to the playoffs?

[Mark Ingram]

Who. Who do they have on their schedule that bam and who else?

[Matt Leinert]

Georgia left.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, they might not make it.

[Matt Leinert]

And they already have a loss. I'm gonna say no.

[Urban Meyer]

Rapid fire market supposed to be quick.

[Mark Ingram]

I don't know. I can't crucify somebody.

[Urban Meyer]

So back to back. I don't know. Is Matt Liner.

[Mark Ingram]

He said yeah.

[Matt Leinert]

Yeah. I said no. Well, I'm looking at their schedule. They still play Bama. They still play Georgia. To me, that's two losses.

[Urban Meyer]

All right, this is. This is in honor of coach Urban Meyer. Missouri, no Red line.

[Mark Ingram]

No.

[Urban Meyer]

Done.

[Mark Ingram]

No. Michigan, no.

[Urban Meyer]

Pull it. Red line. Usc, I'm giving your Trojans hope.

[Rob Stone]

Stop.

[Urban Meyer]

I'm giving them hope. I don't know why they have two losses right now.

[Mark Ingram]

Right.

[Urban Meyer]

Because Matt Leinert doesn't give USC enough hope. And I feel like as his friend and his neighbor, I need to somehow lift up the Trojans.

[Mark Ingram]

They still play.

[Matt Leinert]

No, no.

[Urban Meyer]

They got Washington. They have Notre Dame.

[Matt Leinert]

They can't. But the problem is they can't lose another game.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, they're not making it. They're going to lose one more.

[Matt Leinert]

But if they went out and they're 10 and two, they just won't.

[Mark Ingram]

They'll go in.

[Urban Meyer]

They're going to be in the.

[Matt Leinert]

They won't be in the Big Ten.

[Mark Ingram]

It's rapid fire. I thought it's rapid fire.

[Urban Meyer]

It is rapid fire. Mark, thanks for reminding us. Once again, the theme here on any given Saturday, things happen in college football. Coming up next, we're joined by Ohio State quarterback Will Howard. Well, as you all know by now, we have teamed up with our great friends at BET MGM this season and we're going to be using betmgm lines to make all of our picks. We'll also have special offers for our listeners each week. Mark, you're listening, right? You're listening to this? Yeah, I'm listening to Pay attention. Pay attention. All right, so if you haven't signed up for BetMGM yet, we urge you to use the bonus code option or go to betmgm.com option and you will get up to $1500. First bet offer Mark, on your first wager with BetMGM, we're talking 1500 bucks. Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

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[Urban Meyer]

It's all about the option, Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

It's all about the option, especially the triple option.

[Urban Meyer]

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[Rob Stone]

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[Mark Ingram]

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[Urban Meyer]

Welcome back to the triple option. We are joined by the quarterback at the Ohio State University, Will Howard. Thanks for joining us. You are in the quarterback room right now, right? Because all I'm seeing is a bunch of legends behind you. Ooh, has it, has it set in with you yet, what it means to be the quarterback at the Ohio State University?

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, man, it's pretty crazy, like the, the lineage of greatness that's come through here. It's cool, man. It's cool to be a part of something like that. And just being, you know, playing on the stage that, you know, that we get to play on every week and being in the shoe, like, you know, it's. It's pretty crazy. You know, coming from a, you know, I, I think, you know, where I came from was a great place, but maybe not as. As storied and tradition. Tradition based as it is here. And, you know, it's, It's. It's been awesome, man. It's been a really cool experience since I've been here.

[Urban Meyer]

Hey, real quick, before I turn it over to our quarterback. Of all those legends behind you, who was your favorite Ohio State quarterback to watch when you were kind of growing up and matriculating through the sport?

[Rob Stone]

That's a good question. I would say the one that I watched probably the most was jt. That was right within, like, my middle school, high school years. So I was like, that was okay. I was like, man, like, this dude's a baller. Like, you know, obviously, I watched Cardale. I watched. You know, I think that's about as far back as I, As I went. You know, I was, I was a little too young. I watched Braxton too, you know, But I was a Penn State fan growing up, so I remember rooting, rooting against the Buckeyes. Now I'm. I finally came to the, to the bright side, you know, got away from that, from that other stuff.

[Matt Leinert]

But I think Will was in diapers when I was playing. That's for sure.

[Rob Stone]

I think so. I think so.

[Matt Leinert]

We watch, we watch you guys every week and we see this offense and you see the star receivers and the running backs and the offensive line. And I was thinking about when I was at usc, and I know you're young, but we had just. I always like we had a Ferrari, right, and I was the, I was the driver and I had the keys and it was just make plays when you had to and step up but just, just don't crash the car. And you are a much better player than that because you do a lot for this offense. And we've seen you run the ball a little bit more too, which I think is an underrated part of your game. But just overall, will, the perspective that you have and the mentality that you have going into every game, knowing the type of players that you have around you.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, it takes a lot of pressure off you, you know, as, as, as a quarterback. Obviously, you know, I have to go out there and make my plays and, and put the ball where it needs to be. But you know, when you have guys that can kind of, you know, you have mistake erasers on the outside, like, like, I mean Jeremiah is going to, going to, he's going to wipe away some mistakes. You know, that ball I threw to him at Michigan State wasn't a great throw, but hey, he made it right. He made it right. So like things like that, man, like guys, guys, we, you know, and I, I'd like to think that I can do that for other guys at times, you know, but it goes, goes both ways, man. And you know, I like my role on this team, I feel like is a facilitator, you know, just getting the ball in the right people's hands and, and making decisions. I think I've done a pretty good job of that so far. You know, I probably like one or two plays I've won back a game, you know, and, and that's, that's just growing and learning every single week and you know, but I feel pretty good about where we're at as an offense. I think we've just continued to get better every single week. And I mean with the amount of weapons that we have and the way our offensive line is playing right now, like, it's going to be hard to stop us for sure.

[Mark Ingram]

You talk about mistake erasers on the outside. Like we all been watching this young alien. You got to throw the ball to Jeremiah Smith, bro. Like, dude is ridiculous. Like, what is it like throwing to him? What is his ceiling, man? Tell us about this cat, man.

[Rob Stone]

Oh, he's there. There's. The sky is the limit for that kid, man. I mean the fact that he's already as good as he is as an 18 year old true freshman, man, it's, it's special. I've never seen someone come in with that amount of talent and also the work ethic that he has. He's. He's humble. You know, he takes coaching really well. He doesn't complain about getting the ball at all. You never really hear a peep from him. And then he goes out there and makes plays that are just like. I mean, otherworldly, you know, like, not from this earth dude. Like, this guy's. This guy's like no one I've ever seen, but I'm sure glad he's on my team.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah. Hey, just something like this, just a little fun thing, man. Most people probably didn't see it, but I saw you, like, you had some little feisty, some little dog in you. I see you, you throw that td and you looking at the sideline like, what? What? You doubted me? What? What?

[Urban Meyer]

I was.

[Rob Stone]

I was fired up on that. But that was after the fourth down conversion we had. We ran a little rpo and I was just looking at the sideline. I was looking at our signals. I was like, what are they going to do now?

[Urban Meyer]

What are they going to do now?

[Rob Stone]

That was like. That was what I was. That was what I was saying. I was like, you bring the safety in the box or throw it behind your head.

[Mark Ingram]

That was fire. I like that.

[Urban Meyer]

I see you.

[Mark Ingram]

What? I'm like, who are we talking to? Like that. Somebody. Somebody got, you know, he. He. Somebody ate my dude up.

[Urban Meyer]

Don't.

[Matt Leinert]

Yeah, don't forget about me, man. Don't forget about me.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, yeah, no doubt, no doubt.

[Urban Meyer]

Remember the old days, Will, when you would be playing just like pickup football, right? And you would be like, all right, just. I want you to go here and then cut there. And then are there times during the game where you look at the studs that you got out wide and it's more than just Jeremiah and you just, like, just go deep or, like, just go get open, because I'm going to. I'm going to throw it your way.

[Rob Stone]

Damn near that. That does happen sometimes. I mean, it's like, hey, Jeremiah, he's going to be down there somewhere, you know, just. Just put it up for him. And. And I feel like a lot of times, you know, and I don't even think we've really done this a lot yet, but, you know, getting into a scramble drill with those guys, like, I mean, then at that point, like, you're just playing, playing ball, backyard football. Throw the ball up. You know, there were some times in camp where, you know, Mex making some plays and JJ's making play. Carnell, like, everyone you Know, just kind of freestyling a little bit. And I think, you know, that's a good part of my game. You know, I think I can, I can get out of the pocket and extend plays a little bit. And I don't. I don't even think we've really had to do that that much yet. I mean, I've. I've been pretty clean in the pocket. And the O lines, I can't say enough. Like, they're playing at a really high level. I think, I think they've just gotten better every single week.

[Matt Leinert]

Mark. Mark, you've been. I mean, I've been in huddles, Rob, and when I was playing with Larry Fitzgerald, I can't tell you how many times. Matt, Matt. Let me just throw and go. Just throw it up, man. Let me go make a play. I was like, hell yeah, dude. Because those catches are better. Well, Chip Kelly, you know, he's, he's been around a long time. He's considered one of the best offensive minds, and I think in all football. You know, he did it at the NFL. He's done it at a high, high level in college. And you come over from Kansas State, it's a new system, new voices, new coaching. How has he helped you develop as a player?

[Rob Stone]

He's, he's helped a ton. Him and Coach Day, both the level of coaching that I'm getting here and since I've been here in the spring, like, is just something I've never really gotten before. I mean, when your head coach and your, your offensive coordinator are Ryan Day and Chip Kelly, and they're both quarterback guys and, you know, you're getting coached from two different angles, and then you got Billy Fessler who came in. You know, he's a, He's a really good analyst for us. Riley Larkin's also helping. Like, I'm getting coached from so many different angles, and, you know, Coach Kelly obviously is brilliant. I think, I think, you know, what separates him is the run game stuff. Like, he, he's a mastermind when it comes to designing run games. Getting, getting defenses into different looks, you know, presenting different, different types of fits for them and kind of getting them to misfit some things. I think he's brilliant when it comes to that. You know, I think Coach Day does a lot with the pass game, too. Like, they're really involved and I've just gotten developed so much better here. Like, not better, but like, just so much different, you know, and more hands on, you know, and it's just, it's. It's the type of coaching that I needed. You know, it's a, you know, they've been hard on me. You know, they know that I'm an experienced guy. I played a lot of ball, but, you know, I feel like I'm starting to finally really settle into this system and understand like why we're doing what we're doing. You know, how to kind of manipulate that seventh defender. You know, if we're getting a six man box, you know, that seventh fender comes in, then I'm spitting it outside or I'm checking the play or whatever it may be. You know, we have, we have answers for pretty much everything. And I think Coach Kelly does a really good job of coaching me up on that and how to kind of just run this machine that is this offense, you know.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, you talked about some of the great coaching that you guys are receiving you individually, but you guys go on the road to Oregon this week. A huge matchup with a huge implications for not only the Big Ten, but also playoffs as well. West Coach Day's message been to you and the team this week?

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, man, you know, we, we haven't had our, our Tuesday team meeting yet. You know, we just kind of wrapped up Iowa.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, it is Sunday.

[Rob Stone]

Talked a little. Yeah, I know it's, it's, it's early in the week, but we, we talked about, you know, this is, this is a big one. And you know, it's, it's, it's pretty, you know, it's pretty well known that this was going to be a big game for a while. And we all know it. You know, we all know it. There's really not much that needs to be said, you know, but at the end of the day, it's a matchup game and we talk about matchup games all the time and, and you got to win the situations in matchup games. It's, it's crucially important. You know, the rush, the rushing yards, the turnover battle, field position battle. You got to win all those things. Third down and those situations become crucial in these games and we're focusing on those. You know, obviously first and second down is important. You want to put yourself in good situations, but, you know, winning the third down battle, taking care of the football, all those things, especially on the road, being able to run the ball is going to be big.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, Matt, this man is a football player, man. He's pretty sharp, ain't he, huh? Man, I know what he's talking about.

[Matt Leinert]

I was telling before, I've been, I've been a fan of yours wills for a long time. And I said the minute you chose Ohio State, I was like, watch out. Now, you dad and Chip and your experience and your game is. Has been ball. And yeah, you're running the ball, man. You don't want to give too much away, but are we going to incorporate that a little more? Like you said, you haven't really had to do it. Yeah, but something tells me this game and then you get into Big ten, I just think that's such an underrated part of your game.

[Rob Stone]

I agree. You know, I haven't really been able to show it yet where I haven't really needed to, you know, and, you know, I think we wanted to save a little bit of it for conference play. And, you know, we knew. Yeah, you know, we knew it was coming up and, you know, we know this is a big one, so we're not going to be holding anything back. We got everything that we've worked on in the. In the quarterback run space. I mean, everything's on the docket, so I love it. We're going to see what. What works this week and, you know, what. What the Ducks present to us and. And good looks that they give us. But yeah, man, I'm going to. I'm going to need to be out there using my legs. And in games like this, it's. It's crucial. And I think, you know, you can. When you can attack them like that and you can, you know, get guys to, you know, come down on the edge and you pull the ball off the. Off the backside and, you know, I had a couple of runs last game that weren't designed runs, which is me kind of controlling. Controlling backside guys. And, you know, that. That opens some things up and makes them have to kind of defend you a little differently.

[Urban Meyer]

Will the narrative in the nation for the last couple months around Ohio State has been this national title or bus type mentality. Is that really what's happening in that locker room? Is that the conversation that's going on in the football locker room of the Ohio State?

[Rob Stone]

You know, I don't think that the. That conversation happens a lot, but I think we all just know, you know, and I think being at a place like Ohio State, you know, I know that we say, you know, it's natty or bust this year, but I feel like it's really like that every year. Like, it's. It's one of those places where, you know, you got to win them all. And expectations, it's a standard, man. And expectations are so high. And I knew that coming in. You know, I knew that. I knew that that was going to be the outlook on this season for us. And I knew that that's why, you know, Lathan Ransom came back. I knew that's why Jack Sawyer came back. Ameca, J.T. you know, Trey, all those guys came back for this reason, and we all kind of bonded together on that. Like, hey, we're. We're here. We're not here to, you know, lose any football game. We're here to win them all. And, you know, we know that. Like, I mean, last year it was 11 and 1, and it's a failed season. You know, it's like the expectations here are a little bigger. And, you know, it's not something we really talk about. You know, we're taking it a week to week process, but in the back of our minds, you know, we've drilled it in our heads. Like, our goals, you know, are big. And we want to beat the team up north. We want to win a Big ten championship. We don't want to win a Natty. And. And that's it. And that's, you know, anything else, you know, doesn't really matter. That's. That's what we got in the back of our heads.

[Mark Ingram]

You heard the man. You heard the man.

[Urban Meyer]

TD how much preparation have you done for that team up north?

[Rob Stone]

Oh, I mean, that. That game's always in the back of our heads for sure.

[Mark Ingram]

But no, y'all got a countdown in the locker room?

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, there's a countdown in the weight room, right?

[Rob Stone]

In the weight room right outside the. The cafeteria. There's one right outside this room right here. When we.

[Matt Leinert]

When we say Michigan, you. You say what?

[Rob Stone]

I said team up north, man. Team up north.

[Mark Ingram]

He, like, he been.

[Matt Leinert]

He's only been there for six months.

[Mark Ingram]

I had to.

[Rob Stone]

I had to buy in. You know, I'd get slapped upside the head if I said that M word around here, so I might as well buy in, you know?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

What was the education process for you as a newbie on what the team up north game really means to this program?

[Rob Stone]

For me, it was. It was in the weight room in the. In the winter, you know, and just seeing that countdown clock, you know, like, I came in, I remember on my visit and I was wearing like a blue. It was like a darker blue hoodie. And I remember someone said something to me and I was like, oh, like, damn. Like, I. I didn't even realize. Like, I just thought it was like a nice little roback, you know, Hoodie, like Shoot. I gotta. I gotta change. So I had to take it off. And I was like. It was freezing cold. It was like January, and I was wearing a T shirt on my visit. So it was kind of a little, you know, baptism by fire. You know, I had to kind of learn as I went, and. And the mistakes I made, I guess, were highlighted, you know, so every time, you know, you say the N word, you know, I remember I was at dinner with Seth McLaughlin and his family and Coach Day on our visit. And I think might have been Seth's girlfriend or Seth's mom said because they played last year, Alabama played the team up north in the Rose bowl, obviously. And she was talking about it and she said, you know, she said the M word. And Coach Day, like, Coach Day kind of like under his breath, was like, team up north. And like, I was just like, from that point on, I was like, man, I can't. I can't call that M word anymore.

[Matt Leinert]

I love that.

[Mark Ingram]

I love that.

[Matt Leinert]

It's crazy.

[Urban Meyer]

Hey, Will Howard. We know you guys have a busy week. We really, really appreciate you joining us ahead of Ohio State and Oregon. Best of luck. And it's been. It's been a ton of fun watching this program all season long. Can't wait to see what happens on Saturday. Thanks, Will.

[Mark Ingram]

We appreciate you, bro.

[Matt Leinert]

Thanks, buddy.

[Mark Ingram]

Go ball out my dog.

[Rob Stone]

Yes, sir. Nice meeting y'all, man. Appreciate y'all having me on.

[Urban Meyer]

All right. Welcome back to the triple option presented by the Wendy's. Just, just the two of us. We can make it if we try. All right. No Coach Urban Meyer again this week. We're thinking about you, Coach. Thinking about everybody in Florida as well and in the path of Hurricane Milton. But let's do, for the first time ever, we're going to call it Mark three and out viewer questions, actual questions from actual viewers. Again, if you follow us on social media at 3x optionshow right there, you can fire off questions, you can send us your comments, and we're going to try to hit them every show. So here we go. Our first one from ATG 1987. What is your favorite Big Noon kickoff stops this week for the first time ever, we're headed to Utah and we're going to see byu. Cannot wait for that setting on Saturday. What's your favorite big noon kickoff stop?

[Mark Ingram]

First and foremost, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has hosted us on the big Noon kickoff because all the shows are immaculate.

[Urban Meyer]

Agreed.

[Mark Ingram]

And I'm blessed to be going to these campuses and spending time with the best college football fans in the world. So I'm thankful to be all the stops, but there's two that stick out to my mind. One last year, Colorado, when we had Lil Wayne.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, yeah, Bronc.

[Mark Ingram]

That was insane. But then, just where we were two weekends ago, ucf. Our biggest crowd we've had in big new history. It was hot, but the energy was.

[Urban Meyer]

It was hot. I don't remember. Was it hot?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, I sweated my whole back out. I sweated my whole back out. Angel wings. I learned that when it's hot, I need to wear darker colors. So you always live and you learn, but. So I'd have to say those two stops were two in the front of my mind.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I agree. I agree. Those ones pop out for me. Usually the answer is new places. Like, I get so excited when we get to a new location and we don't know what to expect. We don't know what's going to happen. Thankfully, we're in the Ann Arbors and the Columbus's and the Happy Valleys on a regular basis. We kind of know the jam there. But coming in, flying in hot to a new place always excites me. So I cannot wait to get to promote no place.

[Mark Ingram]

The obvious answer, Give us a real answer.

[Urban Meyer]

I'm with you. Those two spots absolutely resonate. Absolutely resonate. I got a question from Ab Brawny Rob. What? This is the. This is the loaded question Mark that people love throwing me and they don't realize how much pain it puts me in when they ask me this question. Rob, what do you enjoy talking about more, soccer or college football? Remember, you can throw bowling in there. You can throw college basketball as well. I love them both. It's totally equal. The one thing I do love about Mark being on the show right now is that when there is a soccer conversation, I can actually have a conversation.

[Mark Ingram]

You have a friend, like, you and.

[Urban Meyer]

I are soccer friends. We can do this. The rest of the guys kind of like roll their eyes and they don't get. They don't. I don't understand it.

[Mark Ingram]

They be hating on my dog stoner about the soccer stuff, and I'm like.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, they need to move on from that.

[Mark Ingram]

It's a beautiful game.

[Urban Meyer]

It literally is.

[Mark Ingram]

It's a physical game. It's exciting game. I love both footballs.

[Rob Stone]

I love.

[Urban Meyer]

Right. There's nothing wrong with that. There's. Listen, there's millions of people out there who love both footballs.

[Mark Ingram]

All right?

[Urban Meyer]

Gridiron genius, 1421. I love these names, by the way. Gridiron Mark Gridiron Genius wants to know what team did you enjoy playing against the most and why college.

[Mark Ingram]

It would have to be Urban Myers Florida Gators and why. It was because the stakes that were there. I knew when we played Florida my freshman year, it was to go to a national championship. I knew when we played Florida my second year, it was to go to a national championship. So going against the Gators, it was because they were the best team in the SEC at that point in time. And the stakes that were at hand, it was a national title implications not only secular, which was basically like winning a national title. I know all the SEC people are hate that. I mean all the people that people hate that. But like, yeah, it was for SEC title and it was for a national title. So I'd have to say the Gators. Also the LSU Tigers playing the Death Valley. Love beating up on. We love beating up on the Barners. But yeah, Florida Gators. Yeah, the Barn.

[Urban Meyer]

The Barners. You hesitated when I asked you that question. You made it sound like there might have been an NFL answer too.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, the NFL.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, I guess not since you don't have one. And I just asked you.

[Mark Ingram]

The Falcons, we love. We love beating up on the fail Falcons because I was the Saints. You know the Saints.

[Urban Meyer]

I was thinking Baltimore days and like.

[Mark Ingram]

But yeah, so then I could give you the Ravens answer too. The Steelers hated them. You know what I mean?

[Urban Meyer]

What a great rivalry.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just rob that's what we love about sports.

[Urban Meyer]

Rivalries.

[Mark Ingram]

Babies, right?

[Urban Meyer]

Love our rivalries. Are we ready? Are we ready for pick six? Brought to you by BetMGM. You and I are doing some heavy lifting this week on bet6. Pick six by betmgm. Money line prop parlay and same game parlay bets at BetMGM. Just download the app today, as always, please gamble responsibly again. We're going to pick these six games against the spread. Mark has his deuce deuce dog of the week. And we remind everybody that these lines are current as of Tuesday. So they obviously can change. I'm gonna. I'm gonna start first. We have Arizona at number 14. BYU Cougars at home live on Fox Live on big noon Kickoff Kickoff. They were favored by three and a half. It's already grown to five and a half. Wow, Zona. They fell last week. They sit three and two overall. They're one and one in what is really a competitive Big 12. The Big 12 is so good this season. It's not getting enough love of just what the Big Ten and the SEC is. But. But the Big 12 is going to get a lot of love on big Noon kickoff this week. Cougars. They're sitting there in a four way tie for second in the conference. You know who's first place in the Big 12 by the way? Texas Tech.

[Rob Stone]

Tech.

[Mark Ingram]

Wow.

[Urban Meyer]

Texas Tech. How about the Red Raiders? All right, so Mark, when you historically think of byu. All right, what, what comes to mind? I think I know the answers.

[Mark Ingram]

Taysom Hill.

[Urban Meyer]

Yep.

[Mark Ingram]

Jamal Williams.

[Urban Meyer]

So like offense, points and passing, all those Heisman type candidates and winners that have come through there. So yes, they still have a good offense, but it's their D this year that has really grown to be the difference. Did some research. They are among the top 25 nationally in passing efficiency defense. That's at number five. Passes intercepted, scoring defense and total defense. And they are going to need it against a sneaky explosive offensive team that is Arizona member the Wildcats. They've already come to the state of Utah, the Beehive State and upset Utah earlier the season. But with BNK at byu, enough said. BYU wins covers and they continue their push towards a playoff spot. Let's stay in the Big 12. Give me a scope of SCO.

[Mark Ingram]

Buffs.

[Urban Meyer]

Go Buffs. Number eight, Kansas State, favored in Boulder. The Buffs part of that group along with BYU that's tied for second in the Big 12.

[Mark Ingram]

You said it. The Big 12 is an exciting conference this year. It's a lot. It's wide open. And this game right here will have a lot to do with the Big 12 implications. We got Kansas State at Colorado. It's going to be an exciting matchup. Kansas State has one of my favorite players in the country, Avery Johnson, their quarterback. He's a beat. He's electric running the football. They have a running back.

[Urban Meyer]

Flow.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, he got the flow going. And they run the football. You know me, I love when teams run that football. And they have DJ Giddens, their running back. They're. They're the number two ranked rush offense in the Big 12. Guess what? Colorado just faced the number one ranked rush offense in UCF. We were there and so.

[Urban Meyer]

And how'd they do in that one?

[Mark Ingram]

They did really well.

[Urban Meyer]

Really well. Maybe the most impressive win of Deion Sanders era.

[Mark Ingram]

Yep, they've had the most impressive win of the prime era when they played UCF two weeks ago because they both coming off a bye week. But last we talk about their most impressive win, they scored 48 points on offense. Their defense had four takeaways, five sacks. But Shadur has been sacked 17 times. This year. So they have to find a way to protect him. They don't really run the ball, but they generate their run offense with some quick throws in the passing game. I'm going with the Buffs. I'm going with the Arara, the Deuce Deuce. Dog of the week, the Skull Buffs. Arara. It's because Kansas State's defense has been kind of like their backbone. That's the backbone. They've given up 58 points in the last two games. And with Shadur Sanders, Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr. Lajounte Wester, I'm going with the Buffs in the shootout, man. I think this defense is going to step up to the test like they did last week versus ucf. I'm going with the aura. Aura.

[Urban Meyer]

Hey, Colorado gets the win mark. They're. They're going to be inside the top 25. They should. And that narrative about Dion and that program is just going to escalate massively. Let's swing to the Big Ten right now. Number four, Penn State, a five and a half point favorite in Southern Cal.

[Mark Ingram]

Wow.

[Urban Meyer]

At usc. Remember we talked about it earlier in the show with Matt. Trojans, once as high as number 11, lost two of their first three Big Ten games, including that loss at Minnesota. So they're out of the top 25 right now. As for Penn State, we were there last week. They eventually, remember, eventually pulled away from struggling ucla. They are all the way up at number four right now. So these. This kind of seems like two programs, like going in different directions. Right. But speaking of directions. Yeah. Penn State is going in a different direction, as in all the way out to the West Coast. We have seen already, right. How impactful that travel has been in the Big Ten this season.

[Mark Ingram]

Michigan going to Washington.

[Urban Meyer]

Bingo. Thank you for backing me up. I think we are Penn State overvalued. I think they're kind of like a Missouri overvalued. Maybe not that bad. And I think that USC Matt doesn't want to hear it, but they have a path to the playoffs and I think they're leaning into that. It is a must win game at the Coliseum for the Trojans on Saturday. And they're going to do it. They're going to get the win. I'm calling another Big Ten upset. Let's pivot back to the. I know. Let's pivot Back to the LS, to the SEC top 20 showdown. Ole Miss at number nine. Mark a three point favorite at number 15, LSU. You're going to walk into Death Valley and you're going to be a favorite.

[Mark Ingram]

Walk into Death Valley and be a favorite. We know Death Valley is one of the most toughest places to play in all of sports in general. But let me tell you this. It's going to be a shootout stoner. Last year, these teams combined for 14 touchdowns and 1,343 yards in an Ole Miss win by six points. But let me tell you about this year. Jackson Dart leaves the SEC in pass yards per game and pass. And he's second in pass touchdowns because Garrett Nussmeyer is first in pass touchdowns and second in yards.

[Urban Meyer]

So he's the Nuts Dog.

[Mark Ingram]

Come on. The nuts dog. All right, all right. No, but it's going to be an electric game. It's going to be a shootout. Both these quarterbacks, both these offenses are very prolific. But I got the difference being Ole Miss's defense. Ole Miss's defense is a lot more stout than LSU's defense is right now at this point in time. But maybe this defense gets a big lift from the crowd. What's the line? What's the line?

[Urban Meyer]

Three points. Ole Miss is favored by Ole Miss.

[Mark Ingram]

Three points. Ooh.

[Matt Leinert]

Ooh.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, I'm taking Ole Miss. I'm taking Ole Miss in Death Valley. I'm sorry. Okay? I'm sorry. All my. I see Louisiana, people gonna be mad at me, but, you know, that's all right. It's still.

[Urban Meyer]

They still know how. They still know how awesome you are. This one, I think, is going to be a playoff elimination game. The loser of this one is in real, real dire straits to move on to the playoffs. All right, let's go to the beautiful Cotton bowl in Dallas. Texas, number one. Texas returning back to the top of the poll. They got 52 out of 61 first place votes. They take on number 18, Oklahoma.

[Mark Ingram]

The Red River Rivalry. You can never underestimate these games. And guess what? You want a saucy nug?

[Urban Meyer]

Tell me. Oh, a bonus saucy nug from one saucy nug. I love sausage.

[Mark Ingram]

Steve Sarkeesian is one and two against Oklahoma.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, no bueno.

[Mark Ingram]

No bueno.

[Urban Meyer]

Makes you think. Is that what you're telling me?

[Mark Ingram]

No, it's not what I'm telling you.

[Urban Meyer]

Okay.

[Mark Ingram]

Oklahoma. The strength of their team has been this defensive unit. They're averaging almost four sacks a game, giving up about just 16 points per game. So doing good. But last time they played, they gave up 338 passing yards to Auburn. And we know what Texas likes to do. Texas likes to spin the ball around the yard. Quinn Ewers had that injury.

[Urban Meyer]

I think he's going to be back.

[Mark Ingram]

Yep, he had that oblique injury. He's coming back. They're one of three FBS teams averaging 300 plus yards per game pass and 190 rushing yards pass per game with Ole Miss. And guess who? The Fighting Signettis of Indiana. They got the number one scoring defense in sec, Number two in the fbs. Number two pass defense in fbs. I'm going with the Longhorns, man. Hook them, baby. I'm going with the. Hook them in this one. I just don't think they have enough offensively. They're in a. I think Oklahoma's in a kind of like an identity crisis. Offensively they, they benched their quarterback. Now they got Michael Hawkins Jr. Starting a true freshman quarterback. They're going against Texas team who is hungry and they on a mission. So I'm going.

[Urban Meyer]

Weird things happen in that game though. They do as of late.

[Mark Ingram]

And like I told you, the Saucy Nug, he's 1 and 2 versus the Sooners.

[Urban Meyer]

I love the bonus saucy nug. So does Wendy's. All right. The game though, this Saturday, number two versus number three. First time this season. Oregon is an underdog. Ohio State's going cross country, Mark their favorite.

[Mark Ingram]

You already said that. Cross country.

[Urban Meyer]

I know this. Cross country ones are. They're tricky, man. They scare me. This one obviously has been circled not just by college football fans but by these programs for months. I see this one as kind of a mid season preview of the Big Ten championship game. Both certainly impressive, but both mark have question marks, right? The Buckeyes, they. They haven't been tested just because the opposition hasn't been there yet. What are you going to do? Right? What are you going to do? You just play the teams that are on your schedule, right? Last week they were only up 70 at the half on Iowa. Able to turn it on. The thing I really like about Ohio State this year and Will Howard mentioned it a little bit, they're more physical. They are tougher on both lines of the script. Not just offensively, but defensively. Remember they kind of had that soft reputation. People were trying to push that out there in Ohio State. That is not the, that is not the narrative this year in Columbus. And then it's all those game changers. It's not just the game changers out wide. It's the game changers that you can hand the ball back to.

[Mark Ingram]

Them are beast.

[Urban Meyer]

Now I'm talking your language, right? Early struggles, particularly on that offensive line and stopping the run. But, you know, they. They snuck by Ashton Gentee and Boise State at home, even though Genty ran all over him. But they. I feel like they've kind of figured things out a little bit since then. Dan Lanning feels like this is. This, this team is more of what he thought it would be, but red zone. The red zone gives me pause. Dylan Gabriel. Remember two red zone picks last week, Friday night in that win over Michigan State. I love the Ducks. I think Oregon is a playoff team. But right now, right now, I trust what Ohio State is more. So I like Ohio State to go cross country to win and to cover. All right, well, that, that would. Yeah, yeah, they're going to win and cover because they're favored. You with me on that one or just kind of.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm with you. I'm with you. I'm with you. I'm with you.

[Urban Meyer]

That's a tough one, man. It is. I cannot.

[Mark Ingram]

It doesn't. It doesn't. This isn't a playoff elimination game either.

[Rob Stone]

Correct.

[Mark Ingram]

Right. So this. But it's both teams. It's Big Ten hierarchy.

[Urban Meyer]

There you go. Yeah. This is kind of for first place in the Big Ten. This is for Mark. How about the big triple option news? We're hitting the road for the first time ever. We are going to Washington, D.C. in December for Army Navy, courtesy of USAA. How about that? We're road tripping, baby. Let's go. We're road tripping on top of big noon kickoff. And if there's a place out there that you want to see us show up throughout the season, who knows, maybe we might be able to cobble something together. Just fire it in the comment section. Say, hey, man, I want the triple option in. Where do I want. You know where I want to go. I want to go the Dakotas. I want to go to one of those, like, kind of. I've never been lower programs that don't get enough love there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Throw me into like a Minnesota, one of those D3 programs. I would love to show up there. If you have some thoughts, please throw it in the comment section. As always, subscribe to our YouTube channel. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you find your podcast, as well as across social media at 3x option show. Again, our thoughts are going out to everybody out in Florida right now. Everybody who is in the path of Hurricane Milton. Coach Meyer, we're thinking about you. We're thinking about your family. We're thinking about all of our friends in the Sunshine State. Park. I know you're there right now. I think you're going to be okay. I'm thinking about you, but I'm thinking about coach and all the other people in the great Tampa Bay area as well, a little bit.

[Mark Ingram]

All my Floridians. Be safe.

[Urban Meyer]

We love be safe. Get out.

[Matt Leinert]

Get out.

[Urban Meyer]

Be safe. Be smart. And while you're driving, while you're driving away from Hurricane Milton, you know, throw on the triple option, man. Throw it on. Yeah. New episodes drop every Wednesday. As always, we want to thank our sponsors, man. We love our sponsors. We love our sponsors, MGM and zip Recruiter. And also a huge thanks to our buddy, our big noon buddy, Matt Liner, stepping in for coach Mey. And you can hear his show throwbacks with Jerry Ferreira every single Thursday. We will see you next week on the triple option.

[Mark Ingram]

Triple option is a show for the people, and we love the people. So the people please let us know where you want us to go, where you want us to be, and we gonna do it.

[Urban Meyer]

We're people pleasers.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, we are. We are. We love.