College Football Playoff is Set - but at what cost, Cam Skattebo joins, Championship Odds

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Triple Option – "College Football Playoff is Set - but at what cost, Cam Skattebo joins, Championship Odds"

Release Date: December 10, 2024

In this engaging episode of The Triple Option, hosts Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and Rob Stone delve deep into the intricacies of the newly established College Football Playoff (CFP), examining its implications on team scheduling, conference dynamics, and overall fairness. Additionally, the episode features an insightful interview with Arizona State running back Cam Scadaboo, providing a unique player perspective. The discussion is peppered with expert analysis, notable quotes, and candid opinions, making it a must-listen for any college football enthusiast.

---

1. Clemson's Journey to the College Football Playoff

The episode kicks off with a heated discussion about Clemson’s unexpected entry into the CFP as the lowest-seeded team. Mark Ingram labels Clemson as a "bid stealer," igniting a debate on the merits of their season performance versus their strategic scheduling.

• Mark Ingram [02:32]: "Stealer, a bid Stealer."
• Rob Stone [02:53]: "Dabo and Clemson are back in the college football playoffs."

Clemson's path was anything but straightforward. After struggling in conference play with losses to South Carolina and Georgia, the Tigers required Syracuse's upset over Miami to secure their spot in the ACC Championship and subsequently the CFP. A last-second 56-yard field goal by freshman kicker solidified their playoff berth, shocking many who had written them off earlier in the season.

Mark Ingram critiques Clemson’s scheduling strategy, suggesting that a tougher out-of-conference schedule led to multiple losses, which could have otherwise positioned them higher in the rankings without the strain of an arduous schedule.

• Mark Ingram [03:36]: "If I'm Clemson I never do that again because if I don't have those two non-conference games, I'm probably a top five seed right now and I don't need all that extra stuff."

---

2. The Defining Moment in College Football Scheduling

Urban Meyer spearheads a critical analysis of the current state of college football scheduling. He reflects on his tenure at Ohio State and Florida, emphasizing a balanced approach to scheduling that aimed to prepare teams for high-stakes games without overburdening them.

• Urban Meyer [06:27]: "I think we're at a defining moment in college football..."

Meyer laments the shift away from his scheduling philosophy, where playing a mix of top-tier and mid-tier teams allowed for optimal team preparedness. He argues that contemporary scheduling often punishes teams for taking on formidable opponents too early, leading to potential playoff snubs despite on-paper superiority.

Mark Ingram reinforces Meyer's stance, highlighting Clemson's example as a case where a tough schedule did not yield the expected playoff position but rather resulted in unwanted losses that complicated their postseason aspirations.

• Mark Ingram [09:12]: "This is really amazing. If you're college football, this is what we've been looking forward to."

---

3. Conference Dynamics and Playoff Fairness

The hosts explore the disparities in how different conferences handle championship games and playoff qualifications. Urban Meyer points out the inconsistency in how teams are rewarded or penalized based on their conference strength and performance.

• Urban Meyer [09:33]: "I think the CFP people, people, I don't think it's committee because their job, just get them in, whoever."

The conversation touches on the Big Ten's scheduling practices, where teams like Ohio State and Penn State navigate a mix of strong and weak opponents, sometimes leading to unfair advantages or disadvantages in playoff seeding. The hosts call for a reevaluation of playoff bracket structures to ensure that the most deserving teams advance based on performance rather than strategic scheduling.

---

4. Navigating the Transfer Portal Chaos

Transitioning to the transfer portal, the hosts express concerns over the staggering number of players entering the system, citing logistical challenges and the potential destabilization of team rosters.

• Mark Ingram [54:37]: "For every Cam Scattaboo, every Cam Ward, there is probably 20 more who won't have that type of success."

Urban Meyer emphasizes the need for better management and understanding of the transfer portal's impact on college football, particularly how it affects team continuity and player development.

• Urban Meyer [54:55]: "We do, and I need those numbers. Just that it doesn't garner much publicity because the Kyle McCord Scattaboo is."

---

5. Special Guest Interview: Cam Scadaboo of Arizona State

A highlight of the episode is the interview with Cam Scadaboo, Arizona State’s standout running back. Cam shares his journey from being under-recruited out of high school to becoming a pivotal player in the CFP.

5.1. Overcoming Recruitment Challenges

Cam recounts his initial recruitment struggles, detailing how limited offers and skepticism about his size nearly deterred his collegiate aspirations.

• Cam Scadaboo [37:30]: "I received a text from William and Mary my sophomore year... I went. I took a visit there."

Despite injuries and a lack of attention from major programs, Cam found his footing at Sacramento State before transferring to Arizona State, where he has flourished under Coach Dillingham’s leadership.

5.2. Leadership and Commitment at Arizona State

Cam attributes much of his success to Coach Dillingham, highlighting the culture of honesty, hard work, and personal accountability that has been instilled within the team.

• Cam Scadaboo [40:37]: "Committing to ASU, I knew I was going to be here no matter what until I was gone. And I made that promise to myself."

He emphasizes the importance of maintaining routines and staying focused, drawing parallels to Urban Meyer’s earlier discussions on scheduling and team preparedness.

5.3. Preparing for the Playoffs

Looking ahead, Cam discusses the team’s preparation for potential playoff matchups, stressing the significance of health, strategy, and adaptability.

• Cam Scadaboo [45:44]: "The biggest thing is Coach Dillingham's emphasis has been to rest up and get healthy."

Cam’s interview provides a firsthand look into the player’s mindset, team dynamics, and the relentless pursuit of excellence that defines Arizona State’s playoff-ready mentality.

---

6. Championship Odds and Predictions

Concluding the episode, the hosts analyze the current playoff bracket, discussing favorite teams and potential upsets. They reference BetMGM odds, highlighting Oregon as the top contender, followed by Georgia, Texas, and Ohio State.

• Urban Meyer [58:39]: "I think they're the most balanced team offense defensively right now, and they're playing at a high level."
• Mark Ingram [59:31]: "I'm gonna go with Georgia, man."

Mark Ingram expresses confidence in Georgia’s coaching and team resilience, while Rob Stone leans towards supporting Penn State and Tennessee based on their defensive prowess and running game.

Notable picks include:

• Urban Meyer: Oregon as the favorite.
• Mark Ingram: Georgia, citing Kirby Smart’s leadership and team strength.
• Rob Stone: Penn State and Tennessee, valuing their defense and running capabilities.

The discussion underscores the complexity of playoff predictions in the evolving landscape of college football, where traditional metrics are being challenged by new scheduling and recruitment dynamics.

---

Conclusion

In this episode, The Triple Option provides a comprehensive examination of the College Football Playoff’s current structure, its effects on team strategies, and the broader implications for the sport's future. Through expert analysis and a compelling guest interview, the hosts offer listeners an in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing college football today. Whether it’s grappling with the fairness of playoff selections, managing the chaos of the transfer portal, or celebrating standout players like Cam Scadaboo, this episode serves as a valuable resource for fans seeking to navigate the complexities of modern college football.

For more insights and discussions, follow The Triple Option on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and across social media @3XOptionShow.

Transcript

[Mark Ingram]

I'm 2 for 2 in my last two weeks on the dog of the week and ain't nobody showing the boy no love. South Carolina over Clemson and then Georgia over Texas.

[Rob Stone]

Arrah, Arrah, by the way, Georgia over Texas in Atlanta. That's not an upset in this guy's book.

[Mark Ingram]

They were the underdog. If you bet Georgia you won money and send me some tequila, light it.

[Rob Stone]

We'll get coach dancing to the music. One of these days, Mark. One of these days we'll get coach going. Hey, welcome to the triple option presented by Wendy's. Try Wendy's new saucy nugs today. As always, thanks for joining us. Rate subscribe at Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts as well as across social media. You can find us at 3x option show. Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, Rob Stone here with you. We're gonna, we're gonna get to the bracket, right? Coming up in a moment. Who's our special guest this week?

[Mark Ingram]

Cam. Whoa, Cam. Guess who? Cam Scatterbo.

[Rob Stone]

Arizona State running back Cam Scadaboo joins us on the triple option presented by Wendy's. It's an awesome conversation. You're going to love it. If you thought you loved him before, you're absolutely.

[Urban Meyer]

It's one of the, one of the.

[Rob Stone]

Best adoring him now.

[Urban Meyer]

One of the best we've ever had.

[Rob Stone]

It's so great. We're going to talk though, right now about the first bid stealer in playoff history. We've been saying it all season because on any given Saturday, college football, something crazy, bonkers, chaotic weird happens. And we're going to go to Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC championship game, Clemson versus smu and so many storylines to that one just on the national scene. But if you go back, remember Clemson, they were losing to South Carolina, right, at a conference game. So that's how they end the regular season. To get into the ACC championship game, they needed Syracuse in upstate New York to upset Miami in the final week of the season. And guess what? The Orange took care of it. So Miami, you know, up there in the top, you know, seven or a majority of the season, they are bounced. Clemson comes in and SMU sitting there trying to get themselves in the College football playoff. What happens? A 56 yard field goal by a freshman as time expires. Boom. Dabo Sweeney, Mark and Clemson are back in the college football playoffs. And they're back not as like this mega powerhouse that we remember from the old Trevor Lawrence days or whatever. They are back, Mark, as a bid.

[Mark Ingram]

Stealer, a bid Stealer. But I would beg to differ. They are the best team in the acc but they chose to schedule a tough out of conference schedule. They played two of the best teams in the CFP rankings. They played Georgia in week one, which everyone thought Clemson was out out of it. Like they were just canceling them off. Dabo doesn't hit the portal this, that just writing Clemson off. They continue to win their games, then they play South Carolina and get a second loss. I forget who they. But they got two of their losses from SEC non conference scheduling. So if I'm Clemson I never do that again because if I don't have those two non conference games, I'm probably a top five seed right now and I don't need all that extra stuff. So then you have teams like Miami and SMU who didn't play nobody. You know they get in but Clemson is showed why they are the best team in acc. They pretty much dominated that game throughout the entirety of the game. And SMU had a big fourth quarter. But Dabo and Clemson, big kudos to them. They needed some help but they did what they had to do to be able to get to the college football playoffs.

[Rob Stone]

So they're in and they're in as the lowest seeded team in the bracket. They hold on to the number 12 seed. They take on Texas at number five. Rhett Lashley, the SMU coach and I'll coach, you've been really impressed with that SMU through the course of the season. I liked it when he found out that SMU made the playoffs. Saying it's a galvanizing moment for our league. Reminded people of some of the challenges that some of these ACC teams have been through. Remember Georgia Tech taking Georgia to eight OTS in Athens just a couple weeks ago, winning records versus the Big Ten and Big 12 as a league. And then Dabo Sweeney, I kind of like it when the conference is got everybody's back. Dabo Sweeney, you know, right after the win, you know saying hey, that SMU team, that is a playoff worthy team. And I'm sure, I'm sure he would.

[Mark Ingram]

Say that after you just beat a team.

[Rob Stone]

Absolutely, absolutely. But he, he was stumping for them, right?

[Mark Ingram]

Because, because he knew I'm, I'm scolded over here starters.

[Rob Stone]

I know you are. We'll get to your wounds in a second. But you know, Dabo and company the, you know, the country really knew that SMU after that loss was right there on that cut line and what was going to happen. And Dabo trying to protect his, his Conference and fight the good fight, if you will. Coach.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I'll tell you this, this, I think we're at a defining moment in college football and the smu, Alabama discussion. But then the more research you've done and I can give insight to this because whenever I was hired at Ohio State, Florida, Utah, Bowling Green, one of the early conversations you have with your athletic director at a Bowling Green or at a Utah first I'm going to talk about that is let's talk about scheduling. You know, when I first went to Bowling Green, I think we had LSU and some other, you know, why would I put my team through that? You know, at the end of the day, a college football coach is paid to win in major college football. Now you're paid to go to the playoffs and that's it. Problem work, that's it. Guys will lose their jobs if they don't go. Go ask Brian Kelly, go ask some of these other coaches that just missed out on it. Yeah, you miss out twice, you're probably gone at least at the Blue Bloods. And so I Mark and I Rob, I want to get your opinion because I'm blown away about this. The guy Scott Dolson, you know, Scott Dolson is tell me by the president of Bloomington University. Scott Dolson is the athletic director. I call him in today and I give him the biggest bonus he's ever had because you know why, Mark? His scheduling. He scheduled Florida International, fiu, Western Illinois and Charlotte. As a result, the Indiana Hoosiers played, you know, they played one big boy this year. They actually, you know, they beat the Wolverines. But they Wolverines were a shell of themselves. They lost to Ohio State soundly and they're in the playoffs.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes.

[Urban Meyer]

Could you imagine if he would have scheduled an SEC school they'd be out a bigger, you know, assuming they took.

[Rob Stone]

The loss, of course.

[Mark Ingram]

But yes, depending on which sec probably. Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

And then you have Ohio State played Akron, Western Michigan, Marshall. You're seeing, I think if I'm the head coach and I can't wait to hear you guys opinions if I'm the South Carolina, if I'm, I'm sorry, if I'm Clemson, my athletic director just cost me the number. I'm probably a top two team in America.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

If he would have played Ohio State schedule Indiana schedule. But they didn't. They have arrival in South Carolina. They have to play them every year. But then they schedule Georgia. I guess the question is, and it kind of breaks my heart because I'm not a fan of that. I think my Scheduling. Our scheduling at Ohio State and Florida was always play a big dog.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

A top 10 team. You play a medium dog and you play a small dog. That was our scheduling philosophy. That's always been our scheduling philosophy.

[Rob Stone]

So why was that the philosophy, Coach? Why did you want those three different levels of.

[Urban Meyer]

Because back then it was bcs, you know, and schedule mattered. You know, you had to have some good wins. You know, at least that was the mindset.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes.

[Urban Meyer]

And then just, you know, just getting your team ready for the season. Because back then, Rob, it was all about winning your conference championship. What you did, non conference mattered, but it didn't matter that much. You wanted to galvanize, you know. You know, you wanted to play a big dog early in your season to find out what you had.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

And then now, Rob, that's over. It's gone.

[Rob Stone]

But why has that changed? Why don't you want to know what you've had?

[Urban Meyer]

Because it doesn't matter.

[Mark Ingram]

Because if you lose, you get punished for it. Like Clemson almost freaking didn't make the playoff because they played two big dogs.

[Urban Meyer]

I think we're at a defining moment. And the CFP people, peoples, I don't think it's committee because their job, just get them in, whoever. And I imagine the coaches are going to have a say in this, too. Why in the world. And I wrote this down here. Why would you play a top 10, top 15 team? I don't have an answer other than a good.

[Mark Ingram]

You wouldn't.

[Urban Meyer]

Because it's right. College football, but.

[Rob Stone]

Correct. But. But it's not right for your program. It's not right for your institution.

[Urban Meyer]

But I think this. I'm sorry to keep interrupting because I'm passionate about this. The head coach doesn't care about any of that. He's got a family. He's got to protect his players. He's got. He doesn't care about the. The guarantee money or the. Whether it's on Fox Big Noon or prime time or. And what's going to happen because we cover games. We're going to get stuck with some awful games here for the next few years because I think they're going to cancel them all. I think if I'm. If I'm an AD and a head coach, I'm going to sit down and say, well, we just. SMU's in and so is Indiana. Why would we ever play Georgia? Why would he ever play? I think Ohio State's got Alabama and Texas coming in.

[Mark Ingram]

Why?

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I think it's great for the crowd and I think it's great for college football.

[Mark Ingram]

It's great for college football.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. But not for Ohio State opens up.

[Rob Stone]

Next year with Texas if I'm not mistaken.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. And I think after that they got Alabama in two years.

[Mark Ingram]

Yep. It's those home, home, home aways that they're doing.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

I think the defining moment, man, I think this, and I'm worried it's going to hurt college football.

[Mark Ingram]

But the thing was in the ACC typically with it being, you know, a weaker conference, especially with Florida State being as bad as they were, you typically have to schedule those type of games to get the respect of your schedule. They really weren't getting ACC teams that were, you know, didn't have a good strength of schedule into the College Football Playoff. But obviously when it goes out to 12 teams now you add more people to the mix. But I mean smu, we talk about their strength of schedule. Yes. They haven't beat anybody that's in the ranked in the top 25 in the CFP. They're 02 against BYU and Clemson. The combined record of their opponents is like 58 and 63 under 500. They have like the 60th ranked schedule. Their best win was Duke. So why am I going to schedule a tough out of conference game when all I got to do is basically do that?

[Urban Meyer]

How about this Mark?

[Mark Ingram]

How about this USC and lose my ACC championship too. And lose it.

[Urban Meyer]

How about LSU plays usc? They don't have to play that game. They lose.

[Mark Ingram]

Yep.

[Urban Meyer]

And they end up having four losses. A and M lost to Notre Dame. Is that great for college football to A and M play Notre Dame. It's fantastic. Yeah, but why?

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, well for Notre Dame, that, that's their win, right? Yeah, that, that certainly have to.

[Urban Meyer]

No, they. Notre Dame really doesn't have to either. An undefeated Notre Dame. I'm, I'm. I'm really.

[Rob Stone]

Because of their brand?

[Urban Meyer]

No.

[Rob Stone]

An undefeated Notre Dame because of their brand? No.

[Mark Ingram]

An undefeated Notre Dame goes to the.

[Rob Stone]

Playoff period because why? Because they're Notre Dame and their brand. Yeah, I get. And yes, they play the, you know those collection of ACC schools.

[Urban Meyer]

There's. I'm going to, I'm going to say this. I'm going to plead that for the, for the sake of non conference and what fans and what, you know, players should be able to play in her conference rivalries and games. They have to come up with some kind of analytics metrics that you get rewarded. They're on paper to play that schedule. If not, you're going to see Woford. Here's South Carolina schedule, Old Dominion, Akron, Wolford. Now, they did play Clemson. Penn State played Bowling Green, State University in Kent and West Virginia. You know, Ohio State, Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall.

[Mark Ingram]

And they still had two losses. So if they schedule a big boy, like you said, they open the season with Texas next year. That's possibly three losses and not getting in at all.

[Urban Meyer]

Right.

[Mark Ingram]

So I don't know.

[Rob Stone]

But my only pushback, Coach. Well, I got a couple pushbacks.

[Mark Ingram]

Pushback. Push back.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, I'm going to push. It's a. It's not a real strong push because I 100% understand your point, I would say. And you brought it up yourself, Coach. You want to know where your team stands, right? You want to figure things out before you get into conference play. Not when you're in the middle of conference play.

[Urban Meyer]

I did. Geez. Now. Not now even.

[Rob Stone]

Not now. So not so now. You're going to figure it out in week six when you're on the road at. I don't know if you're Ohio State at Illinois.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. But your goal is not to win a conference championship anymore, Rob. I mean, it's one of them. It's one of them. But you.

[Rob Stone]

It's one of your goals. It's one of your goals.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. You don't lose your job if you. If you. It's one of your goals.

[Mark Ingram]

But do you want to get to this dance?

[Urban Meyer]

You make a playoff, you have to get to the playoffs.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, correct.

[Rob Stone]

You want to get to the dance.

[Urban Meyer]

But again, like college basketball. Now, March Madness is. You ask college basketball which is more important when our conference champ should get to the dance. Let's go to the dance.

[Rob Stone]

College basketball has become all about March Madness right now. Yeah, so is college basketball, but they do give value to being the conference champion. Maybe not as much value as it's worth, but, you know, you're looking at the bracket right now.

[Mark Ingram]

Well, the reason Oregon, they're conference champions.

[Rob Stone]

They don't get rewarded for it. Yeah, they're conference champs.

[Urban Meyer]

Say that again.

[Mark Ingram]

Oregon is the number one team in the country. They do not get rewarded for having the best record. Guess what they get. They either get Tennessee or Ohio State in the quarterfinals. Look at Boise, look at Georgia, at those matchups. Why doesn't Oregon have that type of path? They have probably the most challenging path to get to the semifinals, to the national championship. And they.

[Urban Meyer]

I think Penn State's got the easiest, right?

[Mark Ingram]

Yes. Look at SMU and then Boise. You win two games and you're in the semifinals.

[Rob Stone]

I would actually Argue Texas has the easiest path to the semifinals. Clemson, Arizona State, technically the two lowest ranked teams.

[Urban Meyer]

How'd that happen?

[Rob Stone]

Made the playoffs in Clemson and Arizona.

[Urban Meyer]

So Penn State and Texas have easier paths than the conference champions.

[Rob Stone]

Yes, but. But organs are playing a game. They have to play a game. They don't have that extra week to get healed and. And wrestle. Why is don't have a battle? They're already there in the quarters.

[Mark Ingram]

Why isn't the number one team to be the number one team? You have to be rewarded for that by having the most favorable seating matchup. You know what I mean? And they have probably the toughest. They probably have that. They have the toughest what route Right now they get either Tennessee or Ohio State, which they already beat Ohio State.

[Rob Stone]

This is crazy. Yeah. In Eugene.

[Mark Ingram]

It has to be some like, receding or something. They need to do something with the.

[Urban Meyer]

Brad, I'm going to go on record one more time. On record. Why would you schedule a top 15 team? And if. Rob, you said to find out gauge where your team's at. I think in the old days. Yeah. I'm saying no now.

[Rob Stone]

And is that across the board coach or just. Or just like look at Clemson at.

[Mark Ingram]

Number 16, a bid stealer, starter. They're not even in the top 12 playoff rankings. Look, 16 if I'm bid stealer if I'm.

[Urban Meyer]

When I was at Utah, because we had to get schedule strength to get in there. But I'm not sure that's true anymore either. I mean, SMU's in.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

Indiana's in.

[Urban Meyer]

Indiana's in Boise.

[Mark Ingram]

First round by.

[Rob Stone]

I hate it. I hate it. Sorry. I hate it. It bums me out. I get it. I understand. As a college.

[Urban Meyer]

It destroys me.

[Rob Stone]

I want to see these games. I want to see like. I am downright excited about August and it's Texas at Ohio State and staying straight. We're going to be there. Right. That launches college football.

[Urban Meyer]

I think our next guest should be Brian Kelly of LSU and then Elko at am and I'll let you ask him.

[Rob Stone]

Yep.

[Urban Meyer]

So tell me about. You're going to schedule Notre Dame again.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

Your job is to get the playoff, pal.

[Rob Stone]

Yep. Yeah, I know. I know.

[Urban Meyer]

It bothers me too.

[Rob Stone]

I know.

[Mark Ingram]

But there needs to be some, like, there needs to be some bracketology, like redone here.

[Rob Stone]

I think that's one solution. I don't love, like reseeding teams after the first round. I think the team should be seated properly at the beginning.

[Mark Ingram]

Right.

[Rob Stone]

You know, like. Like any normal human being can look at this bracket, as we're doing right now, and saying, good Lord, why in the, why in the world is the Ohio State Tennessee winner going to Oregon slotted to take on Oregon? Right. So there needs to be a better conversation and value on teams records and the team's opposition. So you talk about college basketball, they have this thing called the net. And it comes out every day. I'm not talking every week, every month and a season. Every single day the net changes because it's factoring in what you've done. Did you do it at home? Did you do it on the road? How good is that team? Have they been winning? But what was the margin of victory? Which is another little sticky situation. But college basketball has figured it out. And now that college football is expanding and getting closer and closer to the numbers that March Madness presents, I think they need to start looking a little bit more at the college basketball model and how they do their bracket and how they do.

[Urban Meyer]

All right, real quick, let's, let's close this bit with this how we started. Scott Dolson. Who is he, Mark?

[Mark Ingram]

The president of Indiana.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, he's the ad.

[Mark Ingram]

Damn.

[Urban Meyer]

So he's gonna have a phone call or. No, he's gonna have go to the office. I can see the president right now calling him over and saying, congratulations, here's.

[Rob Stone]

Your, here's your holiday bonus.

[Urban Meyer]

Yep. And you know what? God bless them, they did it. And Indiana has never done that before. And they, you know, but do they do it again?

[Rob Stone]

And by the way, coach, what, what conference sent the most teams to the college bracket? The Big Ten sent four programs there. Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State, Indiana. In order the SEC schedule, here's the.

[Urban Meyer]

Three Big Ten schools. Schedules. Ohio State, we went through it. Akron, Western Michigan, Marshall, Indiana, fiu, Western Illinois and Charlotte. How about when you stare at this, you can't believe this. Penn State did play West Virginia at West Virginia and that's open the season, good game. Then they play two max goals, Bowling Green and Kent, where, you know, that's, you know, it's just apples and oranges. So. And I'm not just expecting the back. I coach there, but that's three to four teams of the Big Ten.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

How about you at the fan base, you buy your tickets, your season tickets, and half your games are going to be against teams you're 40 point favorites. 40 points. Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

There's going to be more and more of it.

[Urban Meyer]

I know. Light it.

[Rob Stone]

We are counting down the days to one of the greatest games of the year. The Army Navy game presented by USAA, and this year marks the 125th meeting of army and Navy and both will be battling for the win and the chance to sing second.

[Urban Meyer]

As a proud presenter, USAA knows this game is so much more than football. It's a time for the country to come together and recognize the commitment, teamwork and sacrifice our service members make for our country.

[Mark Ingram]

Founded by a group of military members over 100 years ago, USAA remains dedicated to serving the military community and their families with a wide range of financial products and services because they know you can't always guess the next play, but you can be ready for it.

[Urban Meyer]

So whether you're rooting for the Army Black Knights or the Navy Midshipmen, USAA is proud to join you in honoring and celebrating one of the greatest rivalries in all of College Football.

[Rob Stone]

Visit USAA.com to learn more. You've had Wendy's nuggs dipped in sauce, right? Mark? You've had the Wendy Nuggs I've had, all right. 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.

[Rob Stone]

More than.

[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 Nugs. I dare you. That's seven delicious ways to try the nugs you already love.

[Rob Stone]

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.

[Rob Stone]

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 nugget. 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 gotta be Wendy's at Participating US Wendy's Keep on Nugging America Nug City this episode is brought to you by Amazon Prime. There's nothing sweeter than baking cookies during the holidays. With Prime, I get all my ingredients.

[Mark Ingram]

Delivered right to my door, fast and free.

[Urban Meyer]

No last minute store trips needed.

[Mark Ingram]

And of course, I blast my favorite holiday playlist on Amazon Music.

[Rob Stone]

It's the ultimate soundtrack for creating unforgettable memories.

[Cam Scadaboo]

From streaming to shopping, it's on Prime.

[Urban Meyer]

Visit Amazon.comprime to get more out of whatever you're into.

[Rob Stone]

Let's, let's look at the left side of this bracket real quick, guys. And home field advantage. Texas, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame. Three of those sitting there in the Midwest, the East coast cold in the cold of late December 20th, 20th and the 21st are when these four games are scheduled. And ironically, you know, if you look at the BET MGM odds right now, all four home teams are favored and with a decent little comfort zone as well. How much do you think that home field advantage? I think particularly for the quote unquote cold weather schools, because listen, it can get cold in Texas and in Austin, but we're not really forecasting that at the moment. But how much of an advantage we think that is for the Ohio State's, Penn State's, Notre Dame of the world?

[Mark Ingram]

It's huge. Tennessee ain't used to going up there to that stuff we was in last week. SMU's not, SMU's not used to that. So you going to Indiana is.

[Rob Stone]

I mean, it's an in state Indiana with Indiana, Notre Dame.

[Mark Ingram]

But now you're talking about going over to a hundred thousand plus in cold weather. Now what you gonna do? So that is a real home field advantage. And I seen where they only have to allocate 3500 tickets to the away team.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. So I think 1500 have to be in the lower bowl and then.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah. So you can spread them out. I'm gonna put 250 here, 2:50 there, 250 there. You get 3,500 team to go, tickets to watch your team play. It's home field advantage.

[Rob Stone]

Man.

[Mark Ingram]

That's a true, that's a true home field advantage. That's a true home field advantage. And I think it's a, I think it's a big advantage, a huge advantage, especially when you're up in Tennessee has to go to Columbus. SMU has to go to Happy Valley. Indiana playing cold, but they have to go to Notre Dame. So this is.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, here's the reality of weather. Weather is a neutralizer. So if I, if I'm, if I've got racehorses, I would, I'd watch that weather and I'd be heartbroken. One year we went up to Northwestern and played them when I was at Ohio State. And you know, the grass was that long.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

And it was a rainstorm and we sloshed around and it just, it's a new, it's an equalizer. And you know, I, I sometimes wonder if I'm the head coach at Ohio State or Notre Dame. You know, it depends what kind of team you got. If I got a racehorse team, I'm going moving that thing to Indianapolis. Controlled environment. And racehorses want to be racehorses.

[Mark Ingram]

They want to run.

[Urban Meyer]

If I gotta. If I don't want to be.

[Rob Stone]

Mutters.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

If I. If I'm an underdog and I'm a bully team and, you know, I got kind of a rugged, tough. You know, my 2012 team at Ohio State, I'd take him outside against anybody because they're just nasty downhill. We didn't have great skill. We had good skill. Not great skill, but the later teams or that 14 team. No, I want to be in a dome. I want to let Michael Thomas be Michael Thomas.

[Rob Stone]

Freeman told us, Marcus Freeman told us last week, like, oh, no, we're staying in South Bend. Right. We're not budging. James Franklin had this quote. He said we're praying for an actual white out with the weather as well. So he wants the mean, nasty weather when SMU comes to town. You know, another thing to keep in mind, and I touched on this briefly last week, is, you know, the students are on winter break, you know, and a big part of the college football is the students and that home field advantage and that joy that they have. So many of these students are going to be, you know, back home and away. Notre Dame is actually keeping their dorms open an extra 24 hours for the students so they can, you know, stick around, do whatever it is so they can be there for this historical moment. You know, December 20th, a home game in South Bend, Notre Dame hosting Indiana. It'll be interesting to see. Listen, these stadiums are going to be full, right? We'll figure it out somehow. I would like.

[Mark Ingram]

There's not going to be seats available.

[Rob Stone]

No. But I would like to make sure that there's plenty of students running around there to bring that proper vitality, if you will.

[Mark Ingram]

I mean, at the end of the day, stoner. I mean, this is just amazing. If you're college football, this is what we've been looking forward to. We can nitpick about who got it and who didn't. You had your chance, you had your opportunities. But at the end of the day, this bracket is awesome. This bracket's amazing. I'm looking forward to it.

[Rob Stone]

It's awesome. Are you sure? Cause I don't see Alabama anywhere in that.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, hey, man, I'm hurt. I'm scolded. I think it wasn't the right decision, especially with the ACC team that is in a weak conference. Quite frankly, they're in a weak conference. And guess what? Nobody's complaining about the Big 12 runner up not getting punished. You get punished for losing. You don't. You get punished for losing a weak conference championship game. Yes, you do. When you don't get punished for a Big Ten championship game when it's number one versus number three, you don't get punished for SEC championship game when it's number two versus number five, when you play the eighth team versus the 17th team and you lose, you get punished for it. Nobody's complaining about the Big 12 and they second runner up. You know what I mean? So if you play in a week conference, you gotta win your conference. And if not, you get booted.

[Urban Meyer]

Hey, Rob, I wanna make sure we hit this. I see this and it's, you get booted. Coach, how do you keep a team focused when you. This is really interesting because I actually talked to one of the schools. I won't give the name of the coach, but he called me last night and said, give me some, the wisdom or some experience that you had when you had to keep a team focused, get ready for a game three, four weeks down the road. So I remember In January, in 2006, the first experience I had getting ready for national championship game. Lou Holtz is my mentor and we had about a three, four week window which some of these schools are going to have. And his advice, I never forget as long as I live. And he would said two things. He said, remember, the game doesn't start until January. I think it was January 8th. The foot does not hit the ball. Don't let these players play the game in their minds. And never use the words national championship. Never focus on moving, getting first downs and stopping people, because you're going to hear all that. And that's number one. Never use those two words. Stay focused on what's important to win a game. Number two, the player is. And this is really interesting, Mark and I did this. The player is in a routine right now. It's called game week. For 13 weeks, their bodies and their minds are trained to take a day off. Monday, Tuesday, full private practice. Wednesday, probably uppers. Thursday, run through scripts. Friday, off. Saturday, you play your game. And he said, keep your players in routine. I did that. Exactly. And I told this coach to do that. So make sure you stay in a routine. You start screwing up routines, you know what happens? Players start thinking differently.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

And coaches start thinking differently. So keep routine. So if I, if I'm going right now, Mark, I'm going. We're going to practice like it's a game now it's going to be back, way off. Yeah, you got to get guys healthy, but we're going to keep them that game routine going down. And then once you get into game week, you're still in a routine. Yeah, I'm so. I just think players, especially players, they believe in routine, especially if the routine works.

[Mark Ingram]

Yep.

[Urban Meyer]

What's your thoughts that, Mark?

[Mark Ingram]

100%. You gotta stay routine. We're creatures of habit. So we've been doing this same thing over and over again. We've been successful doing it. So you wanna keep your team in a rhythm and that's by staying on schedule, that's by staying in your routine. And I remember when we had to get ready for national championship, like I think like the first week or something, like Coach Saban had us like back like in training camp, practice, you know what I mean? So we was getting after it, hitting, thumping, so. But then he backed off on us a little bit. But we did have those good on good periods where we went against each other and. But at the end of the day, like you said, Coach, you got to stay in a rhythm. You got to stay in a routine, especially when it's been successful for you.

[Rob Stone]

It's interesting because, you know, my brain is saying like, let's rest, let's heal. And I know you're incorporating that in coach, but maybe not to the extent that I am.

[Mark Ingram]

You still got a game to go play.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

And it's weeks away.

[Urban Meyer]

I got to make sure I clarify that is that it's not always the ones on one, you know, as you got to rest them. But we're still going out there and maybe it's a twos, getting most of the reps. It doesn't matter. I'll tell you this. I actually took our guys to a Friday, our Friday dinner because I wanted again the players to stay. They're in a routine. We had Friday pregame meal and I just wanted our players to stay in that routine. And a lot of the guys told me that really helped them stay engaged.

[Mark Ingram]

And you know, I remember Saban had us working. I remember we was getting after it, dog. That's what I remember.

[Rob Stone]

Well, because he had national championship on his mind. He wasn't going to tell you that. Yeah, he wasn't going to say those.

[Mark Ingram]

We did too.

[Rob Stone]

He had it.

[Mark Ingram]

We did.

[Rob Stone]

He had it on his brain, man. He had his brain. Hey, do you know who's coming up next on the triple option presented by Wendy's Guess who. Guess who?

[Mark Ingram]

Who, Coach.

[Urban Meyer]

Okay, I'm not gonna say it like you say it. Skyboo.

[Rob Stone]

Oh, man. Coach, you got to sell that way better.

[Urban Meyer]

Come on.

[Mark Ingram]

Come on, man.

[Urban Meyer]

I'll tell you what.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Whoa. Cam.

[Urban Meyer]

Scatter that guy, man.

[Rob Stone]

Cam Scattaboo from Arizona State joins us next on the triple option. The Viking. That's right. You'll learn about that next. Well, as you all know by now, we have teamed up with our great friends at BetMGM 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.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

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 backslash option and you will get up to $1500. First bet offer mark on your first wager with BetMGM, we're talking 1500 bucks.

[Mark Ingram]

Mark, 1500. But here's how it works. Download the BetMGM app and sign up using bonus code option. Deposit at least $10 and place your first wager on any game. You'll receive up to 1500 dollars in bonus bets if your bet loses. Just make sure you use bonus code option when you sign up or go to betmgm.com backslash option.

[Rob Stone]

It's all about the option, Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

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

[Rob Stone]

See betmgm.com for terms 21 + only US promotional offers not available in New York, Nevada, Ontario or Puerto Rico. Gambling problem call 1-800- gambler available in the US call 877-8-HOPE NY or text HOPE NY 467-369 New York call 1-800-next step Arizona 1-800-327-5050 in Massachusetts, 1-800-bets off in Iowa, 1-800-981-0023 in Puerto Rico, first bet offer for new customers only subject to eligibility requirements. Rewards are non withdrawable bonus bets that expire in seven days. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. Craven the hunter who uses all the.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Methods of the animals.

[Urban Meyer]

This Thursday, once you're on his list.

[Mark Ingram]

There'S only one way off.

[Rob Stone]

Are you like your father?

[Cam Scadaboo]

He puts evil into the world.

[Mark Ingram]

I get rid of people like him.

[Rob Stone]

Who's next?

[Mark Ingram]

Witness the making of a new Marvel villain.

[Rob Stone]

You think you have some kind of honor? You're a criminal just like our father.

[Urban Meyer]

Aaron Taylor Johnson is Craven The Hunter.

[Mark Ingram]

Rated R under 17 on a minute without parent.

[Urban Meyer]

In theaters Thursday.

[Rob Stone]

Welcome back to the Triple Option, presented by Wendy's Urban, Mark, Rob. And right now we are joined by our college football man crush, the beast of the Big 12, Arizona State stud running back, Cam. Say it, Mark, because you say it better than Cam.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh. Oh, Cam. Whoa, Camp. Guess who stole Scatterboo. Scatterboo, baby. Guess who.

[Urban Meyer]

Hey, Cam, real quick, Cam, have you watched our show and heard Ingram talk about you? If not, we're gonna. We're gonna make you a highlight tape. I mean, this has been going on for a long time, man.

[Rob Stone]

It's all I remember last year.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Last year was the first time I heard him and I was like, all right, here we go.

[Urban Meyer]

But you're a. You're a. You're a weekly big noon guy, so congrats.

[Rob Stone]

All party meetings, Cam. Weekly staple week highlight. Get Cam Scattaboo in it so we can scream and yell your name, man.

[Mark Ingram]

We'd be fine. Who's going to talk Arizona State this week, right? Why they gonna win? It's because of Scatterbo, sir.

[Rob Stone]

It's funny because it's true. Hey, take us back to that moment in the Big 12 championship game where you decided to strike a certain pose that Mark is certainly familiar with.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Cam, you know, it's been in the talks about Heisman and everything, and obviously there's two other contenders that I think are really good and I deserve the award, but I felt like I've been slept on for a long time. And the fact that I'm rushing the way I'm rushing and also catching the ball the way I'm catching the ball. I mean, the most utilized back, I guess, in the. In the power for football. And I'm doing it at the highest level possible. So why. Why should I not be in that conversation?

[Mark Ingram]

You know, facts. Over 2000 scrimmage yards. Over 1500 rushing. Over 500 receiving. The man is toting the rock. The man is blocking. The man is breaking tackles. He's coming out the backfield, catching the ball. He's motivating people in the locker room. Straight dog, alpha dog. Coach. Tell us, man, you told us nobody respects the fact that I'm the best running back in the country. What made you. What. What about the doubters kind of fueled you and your team to be Big 12 champs and essentially have a first round buyer in the CFP?

[Cam Scadaboo]

Yeah, I mean, it just starts with all the countless hours of work we put in the summer and two a year ago from now last summer we didn't have that same mindset and we also didn't have the same guys on our team. And then, you know, a lot of guys stepped up and took the role of understanding what it takes to get to that level. We've had, we have guys on the team that have been to the playoffs, even in the four man bracket. We have guys that played on the highest teams in the country and they might not have played, but they were there and they seen how you do it and see how the work to, what the work to put in takes to get there. And you know, we stepped up and it's just, it's just been a grind day in and day out since, you know, last spring ball. This, this last spring ball, you know, we, we flipped the switch and was like, we got to figure this out. Because you know that there's no last, last year of college football for most of our seniors.

[Mark Ingram]

Right?

[Cam Scadaboo]

We, we picked it up this year and we just, you know, I mean, we put in the work every week and every day and we just grinded it out and here we are.

[Urban Meyer]

Hey, Cam. You guys kind of flew under the radar this year, but not, not on Big Noon because Mark Ingram. But your coach, Coach Dillingham, and I saw some of the things he said to me, he seems like a real, you know, he just says what's on his heart. But what did he change? I mean, Arizona State I've always thought was a sleeping giant, but they've been really, you know, a non factor now they're a major factor. What, what did he change? And tell me about the culture he brought. The Arizona State.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Cam Scadaboo]

You know, bringing in a guy that's from here, a guy that has coached for a long time, even though he's only 33 years old, he's, he has a lot of experience in the game. He's been doing it since he was 16 years old. And the one place he wanted to coach was Arizona State. And I think, I'm not, no disrespect to any other coaches that ever been here, but I don't think they had that fuel underneath them like he does. The fact that he wants to see his hometown school win. And you know, everything with this, with this coach, Coach Dillingham, I mean, everything you see is what he is. And I think that's what keeps it real between all the players. And everybody understands that they could be true to themselves and that they can speak themselves when the truth needs to be told to other players to keep it real. Because he keeps it real with all of us. So I think that plays a big factor in it because he does a good job at keeping it real with everybody.

[Rob Stone]

Your dad coached you for a long time, Cam. And what I love about you, besides your running style, is in college as well. You've punted, you've been qb, right? You've kind of been wherever your dad needs you. So how did you end up at Arizona State? Because I know you began your career, you're from the Sacramento area, and you began your career at Sacramento State. So who was recruiting you back then in high school? Was it William and Mary in Sacramento State and FCS school? Anybody else?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Cam Scadaboo]

So I received a. I received a text from William and Mary my sophomore year. I think they kind of knew they weren't going to get me at some point because the coach that was there is now unlv. And he. He just sent me a text on Twitter and said, you have an offer from us? No, didn't really get recruited. Just instantly texted that. I never really thought to respond, you know. And then, you know, Coach Taylor over at Sac State, he started getting real interested. And the running back, running back coach at the time was James Montgomery. And he, you know, he. They sat me down and we talked, and then I went out to one of their seven on seven camps, and I caught the ball. I didn't drop the ball. And Coach Taylor like, yeah, I want this kid on my football team. So they offered me right after the camp, and, you know, I went. I took a visit there. And then my senior year, I actually got hurt. So I had an AC sprain in my shoulder my senior year, about four games in. And that's kind of when the recruiting stopped. And so me and my. Me and my pop sat down and was like, yeah, I think it's time to commit to Sac State. You know, we want to make sure we get. Get somewhere that's paid for and not let nobody get proven wrong. So Coach Taylor took that chance on me, even though, you know, knowing I was hurt and stuff. So it was cool to be in that situation. But I wouldn't say anybody else was recruiting me at the time. There's coaches that would come to the school and, you know, UCLA coaches and Hawaii, and they all just looked at me and said I was too small. So I just continue to push.

[Mark Ingram]

Well, man, you said that you barely got recruited, but now you're one of the best backs in the country, probably have arguably the best season of any player in the country. So, man, shout out to you for the Work commitment to dedication. But even so, you go to Arizona State from Sacramento State. Last year, when Coach Dillingham comes in, you were basically the leader of that team. Still one of the best backs in the country. Still. What made you. In an era where people are transferring, leaving, going in the portal, what made you stay at Arizona State and continue, when I'm sure you had other people reaching out to you and offering you money or whatnot or whatever they do in this day and age? But what made you stay in Tempe?

[Cam Scadaboo]

Yeah, you know, after the season, me and Coach Dillingham sat down and he told me straight up, he kept it real. He was like, look, you're not. You're not a Sunday guy right now. If you think about it, and entering the draft, it's not. It's not your best decision. He's like, you got more work to put in. You got to become a better teammate. And, you know, he just kept the reels from the jump and. Right. I noticed that. That's why. That's why I ended up going to ASU and then sitting down in that meeting and him like, you're not a Sunday guy, but you can put in the work to become a Sunday guy. I think that really hit me, you know, and understanding that, going somewhere else, I'm just gonna have to start over again. And I'm not. That's not who I am. Only reason I transferred was because my head coach left, and that's who gave me the shot to be at the S. Sac State. So once he left, I knew, like, okay, here's the opportunity to take my talent to the higher level.

[Mark Ingram]

Right.

[Cam Scadaboo]

And committing to asu, I knew I was going to be here no matter what until I was gone. And I made that promise to myself. I made that promise to the coaches when I got here, and I'm going to stick true to that. And, you know, he's. He's tested me every day to keep pushing and work to be a Sunday guy.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, man, I took a visit out there to Tempe, man. Arizona State. I mean, I know the campus is lit right now. You know, y'all going to the playoff. I know. I know it's jumping out there in Tempe right now.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Yeah, it's been fun, for sure. The Valley's being activated.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, sir.

[Urban Meyer]

Hey, Cam. Cam. I got to coach Zeke, J.K. dobbins, and Carlos, some great backs, and I would always have them come in early in the week, and I'd flip them a marker and I'd say, all right. Man, give me your best runs. So if I'm doing that right now, tell me your three top. What. What runs do you love? If it's called you light up.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Like, are we talking like. Like.

[Urban Meyer]

Like power, gap, counter, whatever, you know.

[Cam Scadaboo]

I love the power. I love the power.

[Mark Ingram]

That's a real bad power.

[Cam Scadaboo]

I.

[Mark Ingram]

You know, that's a real running back.

[Cam Scadaboo]

I grew up in the power eye, so I love power.

[Urban Meyer]

So you're down. You're a downhill dude, huh?

[Cam Scadaboo]

Yeah, a hundred percent.

[Mark Ingram]

Let me follow that puller.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Let me give you the pullers tackles. You got five yards, at least. Yeah, but. So I love the power. That's. That's just what I've known my whole life, you know, lining up eight yards behind the quarterback.

[Urban Meyer]

Wow.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Getting. Getting the rock from the backfield.

[Urban Meyer]

All right. One power, two.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Number two, it. I've been learning to be a lot more patient this last game as you guys. If you guys are watching, you know, I. That counter has been hitting a lot better for me. Just the fact that I've been learning how to be more patient.

[Mark Ingram]

Yep.

[Cam Scadaboo]

And then number three is just straight inside zone. Man, oh, man, I love it. Double team to the backer. Like, figure out what's going.

[Mark Ingram]

Guess who.

[Cam Scadaboo]

If you set it up, scatter Boo. You set it up right, you gonna have a hole.

[Urban Meyer]

So this guy fires me up, Mark, Right?

[Mark Ingram]

Me too. And I love all three of them runs like that.

[Rob Stone]

And by the way, what is a scattaboo? There's not a lot of scattaboos out there. What is a scattaboo?

[Cam Scadaboo]

Yeah, so scattaboo is my. My last name. My father's. My father's name. He's his. His family's originated in Norway and. Norway. So we're.

[Mark Ingram]

Viking.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Yep. Yep. So that's. That's. I got tattoo on my arm.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, do you?

[Cam Scadaboo]

Not many people see it.

[Rob Stone]

No. To Minnesota.

[Cam Scadaboo]

But, yeah, you know, they. Back in the day, they moved to Wisconsin, and then, you know, whoever my fam. My father's family moved to California. And there's not very many us. Very many that I know in California, but there's some family that will reach out here and there from Norway and, you know. And good for you.

[Rob Stone]

I bet a scattaboo family reunion is a lot of fun. Everybody just yells scatterboo. At each other because I would be. That's all I'd be doing. I love that last name. It's the greatest last name in college football. All right, so we found this clip the other day. Cam we're going to roll it right now, and I want you to take us through it and through the course of it, I guarantee you Mark and Urban are going to be screaming and yelling, and your name is probably going to be barked out about five times. So we're going back to high here and this clip, Break it down for us.

[Mark Ingram]

Cam net.

[Cam Scadaboo]

I mean, this shows you right here. The power eye right here.

[Urban Meyer]

Get off.

[Mark Ingram]

Get off me.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Oh, my God. This just shows. You know, I don't like being tackled. I hate it. It drives me insane. Coach, look at it.

[Mark Ingram]

Where's he at?

[Rob Stone]

Still going. Holy cow, that is so good. That and you're not scatter blue.

[Cam Scadaboo]

That was the first drive of the state championship in high school my junior year.

[Mark Ingram]

First drive.

[Rob Stone]

Wow.

[Cam Scadaboo]

First drive. Yep. Who were outside all the energy.

[Urban Meyer]

Who were the running state was your offer sex.

[Rob Stone]

Right?

[Cam Scadaboo]

I had 3,500 yards and 42 touchdowns, and I had one and a half offers.

[Urban Meyer]

All right. I wasn't coaching them. You can't blame me. Wow.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

Someone missed on you, pal.

[Rob Stone]

Oof. Big time.

[Mark Ingram]

Who.

[Rob Stone]

Who did you emulate? Who did you watch when you were growing up? Who did you want to kind of be, like, on the football field?

[Cam Scadaboo]

My older brother, like, yeah, he played.

[Rob Stone]

It Bowling Green, right?

[Cam Scadaboo]

Correct. He played in juco for two years. And I always made a joke. You know, you're a juco kid. You're a juco kid. Like, it's always a joke between me and him. It'll forever be a joke between me and him. But, you know, he's got all the love for me now. But just growing up, I didn't really watch football. We would watch the Niners on Sundays, and that's about it. College football wasn't a thing in our family. We didn't really watch it too often. It was just my dad pushing me every day as a youngin, making sure I'm in the right steps. So, you know, watching film, even with him, we. I was nine years old, we're sitting down, he's screaming at me on the couch while we're watching our little VCR tapes, our little. Little tiny CDs. We plug those in and watch them and, you know, just watching my brother play and the players he had on his team and just. It just made me want to be better. So.

[Mark Ingram]

So how are you guys preparing for either Texas or Clemson to make sure y'all are sharp and ready to roll when y'all hit the college football playoff here in about what, three weeks now? What are y'all doing to make sure y'all stand locked in and ready to roll. Yeah.

[Cam Scadaboo]

I think the biggest thing is Coach Dillingham's emphasis has been to rest up and get healthy. Yeah, we got some guys with some, you know, some bruises and bumps here, but that's been the. That's been the focus for this week, is making sure that we can get healthy. And then the next two weeks, you know, obviously we're going to find out who we play, I think, I think in two weeks. And then once, once we figure that out, I'm sure they're behind the scenes right now trying to work on both teams, get a base for both of them just to see, you know, never know who's going to win that game. So.

[Mark Ingram]

Right.

[Cam Scadaboo]

It's the playoffs now, so it's different.

[Mark Ingram]

But Texas or Clemson, one of them.

[Cam Scadaboo]

So I think I'm pretty sure they're preparing for both at the moment because that, that staff grinds, you know, they. As soon as that game ends, they're already in the office that night. Dillingham. We got home from our trip at 2am one time and Coach Dillingham was the only one walking towards the office. I'm like, where are you going? He's like, I'm going to watch film for next week. They're dialed in for sure.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, it's earned. It ain't giving.

[Urban Meyer]

Hey, Cam. Cam. I'm sitting there looking at you and obviously because of Mark and just the player you are. So you're going to go, go to the Heisman and then you go to the NFL and then after the NFL. You sound like a coach. Any thought?

[Cam Scadaboo]

Yeah, you know, I never thought. I always told myself I'll never be a coach because I don't ever want to deal with any of these kids. I wouldn't want to dealt with myself. But it just shows like last night we had our banquet and you know, being under Coach Iguano, it just shows like the fact that how much you could change a kid's life. He's changed my life, so. And also my coach from Sacramento State, he. He changed me from being in high school to being at. To being a. Where I'm at now, till then going to a coach with guano. And I think I can make that change in people's lives and help them understand the game also. Not only being a better person, but being a. Being a good coach as well.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

They say the. The two most famous jerseys on the campus these days is Tillman and Skattaboo Scattaboo. What is it like these. I do, too. What is it like seeing all these scattaboo jerseys running around Tempe in the greater Phoenix area lately?

[Cam Scadaboo]

It's awesome because, you know, I got. I got a little bit of my own little fame here in Tempe. It's cool because, you know, I never thought this would be like this, but the fact that I have that support with, you know, students that probably don't even watch the games, they just want a jersey because they see a clip on Tick Tock or something, and it's cool to. It's cool to be in that situation and understand, like, where I'm at. And, you know, the, The. The biggest part is don't mess it up. You know what I mean? And that's. That's the big part.

[Mark Ingram]

You'll be tick talking, too.

[Cam Scadaboo]

No, no, no. I just. Straight away, that's it.

[Mark Ingram]

Okay. Okay.

[Rob Stone]

Hey, at what point in a run do you. Do you start seeking contact immediately?

[Cam Scadaboo]

Yeah, I mean, as soon as I get. As soon as I understand I'm in the positive of yardage, and then obviously, if I'm being tackled in the backfield, which I don't like happening at all, I try my best to get back to line of scrimmage, but as soon as I get through the line, it's like, who's. Who's in the way to get to the end zone, you know?

[Mark Ingram]

What's your favorite run that you've had either this season or throughout your career? It could be SAC State, it could be Arizona State, it could be High School. What's your favorite run at ever in your career?

[Cam Scadaboo]

So I'll go. My number one run is obviously that state championship run.

[Mark Ingram]

Okay.

[Cam Scadaboo]

That. That kind of put my name on the map a little more than most, but the USC railroad I caught. Yes. Last year because, you know, we still had a chance to win that game. We thought we were going to win that game. That was one of my favorites. And then this, this year, that Utah run that I scored on to kind of seal the game was probably one of my top, top, top ones as well. So there's. There's three that are really close and.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Cam Scadaboo]

And the, the pickings.

[Urban Meyer]

Real quick, Cam, tell me your leg drop. I mean, the power you have. Tell me your, Your bench, your what spot?

[Cam Scadaboo]

You know, so right now I'm two shoulders don't feel too good. So you're lighting up a little bit.

[Urban Meyer]

On the squat running behind them pads. But is your strength, your legs still there?

[Cam Scadaboo]

But yeah, I mean, that's. That's What I've been blessed with is my power is it comes through my whole body. I don't. I don't really have a specific, like, thing that overweighs another. Like, my arms are just as strong as my legs. You know, my back is just as strong as my. My hamstrings. So everything's kind of evened out pretty. I mean, I'm a. I'm. My biggest lift is power clean. You know, 375 on power clean is my biggest heavy. You play like, you know, bench that explosive.

[Mark Ingram]

That was my best lift too. Power clean. Not 375though.

[Cam Scadaboo]

The full body. The full body. The full body weights is what I.

[Urban Meyer]

Can you believe we get Mark Ingram talking to Scatterboof? This is like a dream come true.

[Mark Ingram]

This is awesome.

[Rob Stone]

Try to do this. Since we started this podcast you guys.

[Mark Ingram]

Got, this might be my favorite one so far.

[Urban Meyer]

You gotta meet this dude.

[Rob Stone]

Camp Scattaboo, everybody. Man come true for team Triple noon kickoff. Hey, Cam, Best of luck. Congratulations on that four seed in the college football playoffs. Enjoy the downtime. Getting better, getting stronger. Take care of those shoulders and then just keep, keep running over cats, man. Just keep running over humans. We love it, man.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Thank you.

[Rob Stone]

Thank you, man.

[Mark Ingram]

Keep doing your thing, boy. We rooting for you over here, dog.

[Cam Scadaboo]

Thank you very much. It means a lot coming from you guys.

[Rob Stone]

The triple option, presented by Wendy's returns. Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, Rob Stone, back here with you. So our 12 team field is set. What's next for all those other programs in college football? Yep, you guessed it, the transfer portal. As of Monday at Midnight Eastern, guys, 522 FBS players have already put themselves in the portal. That number is probably going to get close to doubling by Monday evening. Tuesday. I'm not showing up because I'm not done. Hold on. If past cycles are any indication. Listen, mark. Last year, 530 entrants in day one of the winter cycle. Last year, we're already at 5:22. That's your saucy nug of the week. Try some at your nearest Wendy's. Now. I will shut up.

[Mark Ingram]

What?

[Rob Stone]

Talk about the transfer portal, man. It's insane. That is a huge number.

[Urban Meyer]

You know what's going on right now, Mark? There's teams in the playoff that I talked to.

[Mark Ingram]

Two players are going into leaving.

[Urban Meyer]

They're walking.

[Rob Stone]

Say that again, Coach.

[Urban Meyer]

Office and the coaches.

[Mark Ingram]

Tell them again, Coach, start over. Tell them again, Coach, Tell them again.

[Urban Meyer]

There's players right now walking in with their agent representation and or that third Uncle. And they're walking in. Remember, the third uncle is. That guy has. Should not be in that conversation. But he's there, Mark, you don't. You've seen that guy.

[Mark Ingram]

Like I know the third uncle.

[Urban Meyer]

What is that guy?

[Rob Stone]

I know your uncle and we know your uncle.

[Mark Ingram]

The third uncle has his own personal motives.

[Rob Stone]

Yes, he does.

[Urban Meyer]

So he's walking in right now, Mark, and they're fighting for their lives and they say, okay, I'm leaving or I need this. I need this, I need this. That's going on as we speak.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, they're still playing. Not in just a bowl game. They are in the CFP championship, still alive in the college football playoffs. And you know, in the locker rooms, coaches are having to re recruit their own players. That's. That's going on in Columbus with Ryan Day right now.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, Devin Brown, the backup quarterback. I saw. I don't know if he's staying or not. I think I heard he's staying through which I don't understand that either. But he's transferring, he's leaving. So that tells you what's the mindset if your starting quarterback breaks a shoestring, you know, or dislocates a finger and he's got to come out for a few plays. There's a guy that's in process maybe of taking visits, looking at other schools. So it's as we speak. Mark, I'm going to say it real slow. There's agents and third uncles. You know where the third uncle is, right?

[Mark Ingram]

Yes.

[Urban Meyer]

He's the guy that should not be in that conversation, but he's there. I've dealt with those guys and they're demanding and asking for this, this and this. Probably playing time and money. And the head coach and his staff was just trying to find a way to get a first down and stop the opponent in the College Football Playoff.

[Rob Stone]

How about this? Why is the transfer portal open right now? And I understand that there's a lot of programs where their season is quote, unquote, done.

[Urban Meyer]

It's because the academic calendar.

[Rob Stone]

Rob, I understand, but it's awful. It's an awful.

[Mark Ingram]

But there's like two windows, right? There's like two transfer portal windows, like.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, one hour, one in the spring.

[Rob Stone]

So just feels like the timing could be a little bit.

[Urban Meyer]

Asked that question. Rob. The reason they're doing now is because classes start in January.

[Rob Stone]

And certainly these kids are doing this because they're very worried about their academics. Right?

[Urban Meyer]

All that. Mark, handle that one.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, man. Hey. Shoot. They bailing. They jumping ship immediately yeah, man.

[Rob Stone]

If you can leave that fast, you can. You can land on your feet that fast somewhere else, too, right, man?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

Push that back, you know?

[Mark Ingram]

And yes, there is certain situations that it does benefit players to hit, Coach. We always talk about it. How many people are on the other side of it, how many of the people are in the Trust Report will end up being better from it?

[Rob Stone]

Yes, there is special Cam Scatterbot because of it. Right?

[Mark Ingram]

But for. For every camp Scattaboo, every Cam Ward, there is probably 20 more who won't have that type of success.

[Urban Meyer]

Right?

[Mark Ingram]

You know, so I. I don't know the stats. I don't know the numbers. But we need those, huh, Coach?

[Urban Meyer]

We do, and I need those numbers. Just that it doesn't garner much at publicity because the Kyle McCord Scattaboo is. The guys that have benefited from it dominate the headlines. But you're right, there's a lot of people who get hurt. A lot of people end up without scholarships.

[Mark Ingram]

That's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying.

[Rob Stone]

And then there's programs out there that have just major indecision wrapped around them. Think about what's going on in Chapel Hill right now, right? Mack Brown is out. There's these conversations still going on with Bill Belichick. The transfer portal is open, right? So those players in North Carolina are like, I don't know, maybe I do want to stick around for Coach Belichick if he takes over in Chapel Hill. Maybe I don't, but I don't know who's coming. And also, if you're North Carolina, you definitely need some new cats, right?

[Urban Meyer]

So who's.

[Rob Stone]

Who's the dude. Who's the dude pulling the strings for the portal, right?

[Mark Ingram]

What's the rule there? Like, because if you. If you don't have a coach, they could poach off of your roster, but you can't actively recruit out of the portal at that time.

[Urban Meyer]

Well, there are no recruiters like that. There's no recruiters, but it's a mess.

[Mark Ingram]

Until they get hired, because that's what happened to Alabama last year. You know, after the. After they lost in that semifinal round, Coach Saban retired. You can. They were getting people poached for, like, however long. And then we couldn't go into portal and get somebody to even, like, until Coach Deborah got, I don't know, some weird. I don't know.

[Rob Stone]

It's another thing that needs to get sorted out. We've got a lot of work in the off season, guys. We've got to figure out playoff seating, make it better. We've got to figure out the transfer portal. We got. We got.

[Urban Meyer]

We do.

[Rob Stone]

We've got.

[Mark Ingram]

We can just sit here and.

[Rob Stone]

Coach, we got to sit here and criticize these problems.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, we're going to sit here and criticize.

[Urban Meyer]

I got my handicap down.

[Rob Stone]

We're good at asking questions, not so much solving them. All right, time now for pick six, brought to you by bet. Mgm. Place your money line, prep parlay and same game parlay bets at BET mgm. Download the app today, please. Gamble responsibly. All right, so we're not going to have six games to pick this week, but we are going to talk. No, no, we are going to talk college football. You get the dog gets a week off. We're going to talk college football. Championship odds. Brought to you by Stone.

[Mark Ingram]

Before you do all that, I'm two for two in my last two weeks on the dog of the week. Oh, I don't want to. I don't want to. You know, what do I know?

[Rob Stone]

Somebody needs to recognize it.

[Mark Ingram]

But I'm two for two. And ain't nobody showing the boy no love.

[Rob Stone]

All right. Sorry about that, Mark. That was coach's job this week. Coach South Carolina over Texas, Coach and.

[Mark Ingram]

Then George over Texas. Your boy still going crazy, by the way.

[Rob Stone]

Georgia over Texas in Atlanta. That's not an upset in this guy's book.

[Mark Ingram]

They were the underdog.

[Rob Stone]

I know, I know. But Vegas had that wrong.

[Mark Ingram]

You won money and send me some tequila. It's all Georgia off of the. If you bet South Carolina and Georgia the past two weeks.

[Rob Stone]

You're welcome. You're welcome, brother. All right, again, from BetMGM, the championship odds. This is, as of Monday, your favorites. Oregon +3.25, followed by Georgia +350. Texas, Ohio State, Penn State. And then things start to drop a little bit. Notre Dame at plus 1200. Tennessee down at plus 2500. SMU, Clemson, Arizona State. And then no love for our Hoosiers, our hoo hoo hoo Hoosier Broncos, both at plus 5,000. By the way, great trip. We had to Boise State to see Boise State win the Mountain west championship game. Friday night, chilly conditions, and Boise State sitting there as the number three overall seed. So, coach, you look at this one. I know Oregon is the betting favorite. Are they your favorite as well?

[Urban Meyer]

They are. I think they're the fastest team in the country. They look like they lost a little gas in the second half against Penn State, but when they're. When they're on all cylinders. They're the best team in the country. They're the best. I think they're the most balanced team offense defensively right now, and they're playing at a high level. And that's my favorite, my dog, which I. You know, I got Ohio. I'm staring at Ohio State in Texas. You know, that's still two of the best rosters in college football that maybe time will tell. You know, Ohio State coach Day and that staff got a rebound from that excruciating loss against the Wolverines and then Texas, the way they lost against Georgia. So to me, that's going to be. I have Oregon, and then I know I got to pick one dog, and it's. It's Texas or Ohio State, and maybe next week I'll pick one.

[Rob Stone]

Mark, who do you see as your favorite?

[Mark Ingram]

I mean, the first four there are the ones that have the shot. Oregon, Georgia, Texas, Ohio State. Those are the ones that. Those are the ones that have the shot to win it all.

[Rob Stone]

And only two of them have buys, by the way, which is interesting.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm going to go Georgia. I just feel like Kirby. Smart, man. I just have this belief in him. I played with him. He was my defensive coordinator when I was at Alabama. Just how he prepares his team for big games, for big moments. They won three of the last four national championships. No, like, they didn't win it last year because Michigan won it, but they won the two before that, and they got punished for losing in the SEC championship game even though they were probably one of the best teams in the country. So I'm gonna go with Georgia, man, Even though they. We don't know what's going on with Carson Beck.

[Rob Stone]

That's a big one.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, but, you know, the backup came in and he. He did his thing, helped him go to the victory.

[Rob Stone]

How about that hit he took on that one, man, he ate it. I thought he blew out knees looking.

[Mark Ingram]

At him, everything, but, man, what a tough dude, right? Get back in and lead him to finish the victory. So I'm gonna. I just have this belief in Georgia, man. Even though they've been struggling all year long, they're in the dance. They get a bye week, and I think Kirby's gonna have that team ready to play. So I'm gonna go Georgia. And then if you want to go to the right side of the. Of the column sheet. Smu. I hope you guys get killed. Clemson. I'm gonna go with Tennessee. I'm gonna go with Tennessee on the right side. I'm gonna go with Tennessee. Because they play defense and they run the football. And what does those two things do, Coach? They travel.

[Urban Meyer]

That's it.

[Mark Ingram]

A run game and a defense. They travel. And so I'm gonna go with Tennessee in the right hand. If you want to just throw a smooth hundred there for 2500. You want to throw a hundred on there and make 2500. Bet MGM style times the aura. Aura. You know, just go ahead. Just go ahead.

[Rob Stone]

I think it's easy to fall into the. It's not even a trap, you know, Oregon clearly has deserved that number one ranking for all of the playoff rankings. The only unbeaten team left. It's. I don't know, I just feel like there's something out there like, like the. The Ohio State Tennessee survivor is going to give Oregon a hell of a game in the quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl. By the way, isn't it kind of cool, Coach, that if Ohio State survives Tennessee, it is proper Rose bowl type conditions with a PAC 12 team. I know Oregon is in the Big 10 now, but in Oregon, Ohio State feels kind of right in the Rose bowl as well. If I'm going for an underdog, I like the Tennessee shout out mark. How about Penn State? Penn State, home to smu?

[Mark Ingram]

Are they really underdogs?

[Rob Stone]

Well, they are. That's my point.

[Mark Ingram]

They're underdog.

[Rob Stone]

According to this.

[Mark Ingram]

We have to go into. Plus we have to go into the four digit range for underdog.

[Rob Stone]

Oh, we do. Shoot. All right, well, then I'm not feeling so good about it. I was all proud of my, all proud of my Penn State. They get through smu, then they, then they have Boise State quarterfinals. They get to the semis.

[Mark Ingram]

You know, I don't make the rules start.

[Rob Stone]

They don't get really tough. I know. Well, it's, it's like the college football player.

[Mark Ingram]

I don't know.

[Rob Stone]

Somebody's making the rules. We don't know who's doing it, but somebody's making the rules. And while you're over there and you're getting that seed.

[Mark Ingram]

All right, so.

[Rob Stone]

But if I have to go big, oh, man. If I have to go big, like I think, geez, I think Indiana's got a shot to upset Notre Dame. I really do. But we're talking like to really win it all, Rob. To win it. No, no, no, no, no.

[Mark Ingram]

It says college football playoff odds to win it all.

[Rob Stone]

I know.

[Mark Ingram]

It doesn't say to win one game.

[Rob Stone]

I know. I don't. I'm not a big. I guess. No, you know what, forget it. I'm riding the scattaboo train. Arizona State and Cam Scott, my friend. How about that? You like that? That's myself out there.

[Mark Ingram]

Let's go.

[Rob Stone]

Oh, Scoo, baby, Scoo. Follow. Subscribe rate us on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast, as well as across social media at 3X option show. Don't forget, submit those questions. We'll answer some comments. Remember, bonus show coming up later this week. We're out in our nation's capital live. The triple option ahead of army and Navy on Friday. As always, huge thanks to our sponsors, Wendy's, bet, MGM and usaa. Enjoy the week, everyone.