College Football Playoff Rankings, Alex Smith Joins, Who is Coach of the Year, Week 11 Picks

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Triple Option – College Football Playoff Rankings, Coaching Insights, and Alex Smith's Inspiring Journey

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Triple Option
• Hosts/Authors: Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, Rob Stone
• Description: A deep dive into the evolving landscape of football, exploring leadership, player perspectives, and insider insights from seasoned experts.

Episode Details:

• Episode Title: College Football Playoff Rankings, Alex Smith Joins, Who is Coach of the Year, Week 11 Picks
• Release Date: November 6, 2024

---

1. College Football Playoff Rankings and Analysis

Timestamp: [01:30] – [10:55]

The episode kicks off with a comprehensive discussion on the newly released College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings. Hosts Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and Rob Stone dissect the standings, highlighting the implications of the expanded 12-team playoff system.

• Teams Out of the Playoff Picture:

  • SMU (ACC) #13: Mark Ingram remarks, “SMU is the first team out, representing the ACC,” emphasizing their struggles despite strong performances.
  • Texas A&M #14: Rob Stone adds, “Texas A&M is also out, but they have a big game against Texas that could influence their standing.”

• Notable Inclusions:

  • Boise State #12: “Boise State remains in contention with their consistent performance,” notes Urban Meyer.
  • Alabama #11: Mark Ingram highlights Alabama’s challenges, “Alabama’s loss impacts their playoff chances, but they still have a road to redemption.”

• SEC Dominance:

  • Georgia #3: The Bulldogs are praised for their resilience, “Georgia continues to dominate with a strong defense and strategic gameplay.”
  • Other SEC Teams: Texas (#5), Tennessee (#7), and Alabama (#11) are scrutinized, with discussions on their upcoming matches and potential to climb the rankings.

Notable Quotes:

• Urban Meyer [03:28]: “Army is a great story, but Coach Prime's absence in discussions is noticeable.”
• Mark Ingram [04:22]: “There’s a slew of teams just on the outside of the top 12. Three of them are from the SEC.”

2. Implications of the Expanded Playoffs

Timestamp: [10:00] – [15:50]

The hosts delve into how the expansion to 12 teams affects the competitive landscape, providing more opportunities for teams across conferences to vie for the national title.

• Motivation Across Teams:

  • Urban Meyer discusses the heightened motivation, “Every team has 24 potential paths to the postseason, which intensifies competition throughout the season.”

• Conference Realignments:

  • Discussions highlight how the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC are positioned, with particular focus on the Big 12’s BYU as the only undefeated team from their conference at #9.

Notable Quotes:

• Rob Stone [05:02]: “Ole Miss in elimination mode could shake things up if they face Georgia.”
• Mark Ingram [05:40]: “These rankings mean even Clemson at the bottom still has a shot if they can climb.”

3. Coach of the Year Candidates

Timestamp: [55:06] – [60:17]

Transitioning into coaching excellence, the hosts evaluate top candidates for Coach of the Year, considering their strategies, team improvements, and overall impact.

• Kurt Signetti (Indiana):

  • Urban Meyer [55:57]: “Kurt Cignetti has shown remarkable leadership, balancing recruiting and coaching effectively.”

• Jeff Monken (Army):

  • Rob Stone [57:33]: “Monken’s ability to maximize a roster with limited scholarships makes him a standout candidate.”

• Dan Lanning (Oregon):

  • Mark Ingram [61:35]: “Dan Lanning’s immediate impact with Oregon, including top recruiting classes, solidifies his candidacy.”

Notable Quotes:

• Mark Ingram [61:35]: “Dan Lanning is the complete package with recruiting, motivation, and strategic acumen.”
• Urban Meyer [57:19]: “Signetti’s ability to coach and recruit effectively sets him apart.”

4. Inspirational Interview with Alex Smith

Timestamp: [24:29] – [51:59]

A significant portion of the episode features an in-depth interview with Alex Smith, a former NFL quarterback and College Football Hall of Famer. Smith shares his journey from an overlooked high school athlete to a celebrated football star, emphasizing resilience and teamwork.

• Overcoming Adversity:

  • Alex Smith [29:12]: “There were moments when I felt alone and doubted my worth, but embracing struggle made me stronger.”

• Advice to Young Athletes:

  • Alex Smith [32:44]: “Struggle is normal. Embrace it and let it drive you to push harder.”

• Team Dynamics and Leadership:

  • Smith underscores the importance of every team member, “Great teams rely on the scrappy players who may not get the spotlight but are crucial for success.”

Notable Quotes:

• Alex Smith [33:01]: “The greatest moments of growth come from struggle.”
• Urban Meyer [38:12]: “Alex embodies the essence of being a resilient leader both on and off the field.”

5. Week 11 Game Predictions and Picks

Timestamp: [62:41] – [81:54]

Concluding the episode, the hosts engage in lively predictions for Week 11, analyzing key matchups and potential playoff implications.

• Michigan vs. Indiana:

  • Rob Stone [63:04]: “It's a mismatch on the numbers, but Wolverines might keep it closer due to their talent.”
  • Mark Ingram [63:33]: “I’m going to put Indiana to cover the 14 and a half-point spread against Michigan.”

• Georgia vs. Alabama:

  • Analyzing the fierce SEC rivalry, discussions center on defensive strengths and quarterback performances.
  • Urban Meyer [66:05]: “Georgia’s Carson Beck's interceptions are alarming and could be a deciding factor.”

• Texas Tech vs. Colorado:

  • The hosts predict a high-energy game with Texas Tech’s powerful offense facing Colorado’s robust defense.
  • Rob Stone [67:32]: “This is one of the most entertaining matchups in the Big 12 with Texas Tech’s rushing prowess.”

Notable Quotes:

• Mark Ingram [76:13]: “I think Florida will cover the spread and emerge as the underdog.”
• Urban Meyer [70:06]: “BYU’s Isaac Wilson needs to take care of the ball to ensure a low-scoring affair.”

6. Closing Thoughts and Final Predictions

Timestamp: [81:54] – [End]

The episode wraps up with reflections on team performances, motivations, and the importance of maintaining composure under pressure. Hosts reiterate the significance of the expanded playoff system in keeping the postseason alive for numerous teams.

Notable Quotes:

• Mark Ingram [80:22]: “Nobody cares about winning or losing more than the coaches and players.”
• Urban Meyer [79:18]: “Coaches and players are human beings who deserve respect and accountability.”

Key Takeaways:

• The expanded 12-team College Football Playoff has intensified competition, keeping more teams in the hunt for the national title.
• Coaching excellence is pivotal, with candidates like Kurt Signetti, Jeff Monken, and Dan Lanning showcasing remarkable leadership and strategic prowess.
• Resilience and teamwork, as exemplified by guest Alex Smith, are crucial for overcoming adversity and achieving success in football.
• Week 11 predictions highlight critical matchups that could reshape playoff standings, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the season.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Urban Meyer [03:28]: “Army is a great story, but Coach Prime's absence in discussions is noticeable.”
• Mark Ingram [04:22]: “There’s a slew of teams just on the outside of the top 12. Three of them are from the SEC.”
• Alex Smith [29:12]: “There were moments when I felt alone and doubted my worth, but embracing struggle made me stronger.”
• Mark Ingram [32:44]: “Struggle is normal. Embrace it and let it drive you to push harder.”
• Urban Meyer [55:57]: “Kurt Cignetti has shown remarkable leadership, balancing recruiting and coaching effectively.”
• Alex Smith [33:01]: “The greatest moments of growth come from struggle.”
• Rob Stone [63:04]: “It's a mismatch on the numbers, but Wolverines might keep it closer due to their talent.”
• Mark Ingram [76:13]: “I think Florida will cover the spread and emerge as the underdog.”

---

This episode of "The Triple Option" provides a thorough analysis of the current college football season, offering listeners valuable insights into playoff dynamics, coaching excellence, and the power of resilience. Whether you're a seasoned fan or new to the sport, this episode delivers engaging content that captures the essence of college football's competitive spirit.

Transcript

[Mark Ingram]

Them folks ain't going to be playing, man. They going to have Mike the Tiger right there outside the visitor's locker room.

[Rob Stone]

How close do you get to Mike the Tiger when. When you're the opposing team?

[Mark Ingram]

He was right over my shoulder, bro. I'm over here. Like, let's go. I hit the. I'm like, oh, I'm from Michigan. That's a whole tiger, man. I ain't never seen no tiger. Hazard right here.

[Rob Stone]

Light it. I hear the music. You know what? It's happening.

[Urban Meyer]

Stoner, you look good. Oh, shoot.

[Rob Stone]

I look better than I feel.

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, everybody.

[Rob Stone]

Welcome to the triple option presented by Wendy's. Try Wendy's new saucy nugs today. Whether you're joining us for our first live stream ever or watching after the fact, thank you. And we want to remind you to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts, as well as across social media at 3x option show. Remember, rate us, throw questions our way. We love to have interaction with our listeners and our viewers right there. New episodes coming away every Wednesday. And we're going to be doing these live streams throughout the rest of the season when the college football playoffs finally drop. And they finally drop the first one here. So glad you're here with us. It's. We've been waiting. Right. We've been waiting for this one, right? Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Get notified when we are live. If you have any questions during this, please submit them to the YouTube folks. They'll handle it. They'll get it out to us. All right, we ready to talk college football playoff rankings? The first one came out. I got my little. My little cheat sheet here, guys. And.

[Mark Ingram]

Okay, let's start it up.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, I did. Well, I did.

[Urban Meyer]

Commissioner. Yeah, you look like the commissioner right now. Go ahead, Rob.

[Rob Stone]

Do I?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, you look like you part of the committee. I got the whole sheet printed out.

[Rob Stone]

The proper shirt on here, too. As well. All right, so let's talk about blue 12 team bracket. Okay. But with the rankings. Okay. And we're going to start because this is very interesting to me, the two teams out. Number 13, SMU from the ACC. Number 14, Texas AM. So those are the first two teams as of now out of the College Football playoff picture. Again, these are the rankings. Number 12, Boise State. Number 11, Alabama. Saturday, big test, or they have that big win over Georgia, which has really helped keep them afloat. Notre Dame checking in at number 10. Wins over a and M and Louisville. But that ugly loss to Northern Illinois at number nine. BYU, representing the Big 12, the only Big 12 undefeated team. Undefeated. Put some respect on those three letters. The only Big 12 team in the top 12. This was the one. We were always just kind of curious to see where it would pop up. Indiana at number eight. They don't have the brand, they don't have the strength of schedule, but they're sitting there at 8. Tennessee's at 7. Penn State, who just fell to Ohio State last weekend, at 6. Back to the SEC, Texas at 5. Unbeaten Miami ranked number four. Georgia ranked number three, which means the top two ranking spots are owned by Big Ten teams, the Ohio State and Oregon. So those are the rankings, but again, the bracket changes everything up. So we'll get to the bracket in a second. Coach, I'll start with you. Again. The committee ranked the top 25 teams, and down there at number 25, sneaking in unbeaten, from West Point, is a program that caught your eye.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I've been critical of the committee. I think they did a heck of a job. I'm looking. I've been looking at this thing for the last 20 minutes or so. Yeah, we talk about Army. That's a great story, but it's almost like Coach Prime's forgotten here a little bit. I know we're going to go see him, but we talked about coach of the year earlier. Why is he not involved in that? Colorado, arguably the worst program in America, not only two years ago. And now Coach Prime's got his team at 20. Think about that. So I got Indiana, Prime, BYU and Army. Those are the four that warm your heart. Those are all great stories. And there's a lot of football to be played. And we get to watch the Buffaloes this weekend. So that's what caught my eye. And the last one, Indiana, you know, Tennessee ahead. Indiana. That's one thing I probably would have put India. I watched them both play. And of course, you got some incredible talent at Tennessee. But I'd take right now Indiana over Tennessee.

[Rob Stone]

And again, it's Tennessee just above Indiana. They're technical strength.

[Mark Ingram]

They're looking at strength, strength of schedule. You say wins matter, they say who you beat matters.

[Rob Stone]

And brand matters, too. Mark, I think.

[Mark Ingram]

What'd you say?

[Rob Stone]

Brand. Brand matters. There's four SEC programs.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, I think who you beat. Indiana hasn't really. They have their test coming up. But, you know, you talk about Tennessee and their schedule thus far and their wins that they've had this far. Obviously, the committee values that a little bit higher. I see.

[Rob Stone]

So there's a slew of teams that are just on the outside of the top 12 against.

[Mark Ingram]

They're all within striking distance, man.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. And guess what? Three of them are from the SEC. Ole Ms. 7 at number 16.

[Mark Ingram]

Yep.

[Rob Stone]

Yep. They're sitting there in elimination game mode. They. They host Georgia on Saturday.

[Mark Ingram]

Ole Miss losing everything else in game in sec. Unless you're. Unless you're Georgia, you probably have room for one loss. But Texas, perhaps. But Ole Miss, an elimination game versus Georgia, lsu, Belmont, that's an elimination game. A and M, they're looking like they're going to be on a collision course with Texas and end of the season. Ending the season. That's going to be an elimination matchup if both of them end up with no losses till then. So these teams at 14, 15 and 16 still control their own destiny.

[Urban Meyer]

Sure.

[Mark Ingram]

You look at Colorado, they control their own destiny too. Like, I love this. I love this. These rankings right here. Cause even Clemson down there at the bottom, you got smu. Miami. You just gotta get your foot into the championship.

[Alex Smith]

Right?

[Mark Ingram]

You get into the championship, you get an automatic birth.

[Urban Meyer]

Right. So let me throw this at you. Let me throw this at you, Mark. I'm staring at this thing. So me and you played in the BCS era. You played, I coached. You lost a game. You're normally out.

[Mark Ingram]

You're done. You're done.

[Urban Meyer]

So when the rankings would come out, really, most of the country could care less. You're down to about four teams. And then the four team, that was our first, the first year we won it in 2014, but you still only probably had eight, nine teams. I'm looking at this. You got 24 teams, you got 24 potential that they're waking up tomorrow, going to work at their practice facility, their coaches standing in front of the team. There's leaders like Mark Ingram saying, we have a chance to make history and do this. And what do you think that practice will look like that day?

[Mark Ingram]

And they hyped up. It's fast. It's fast moving around.

[Urban Meyer]

It's so good. So good for the game.

[Mark Ingram]

I love it. But stoner man, tell me this, because I'm trying to still figure it out how. There's a scenario where unless BYU is 13 0, Boise could have the four seed.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. So the top four conferences that are the highest seeded teams get the first round by. So right now, the one seed is Oregon, the two seed is Georgia, the three seed is Miami, and the four seed is BYU. So they are automatically, as of now, sitting in the quarterfinals.

[Mark Ingram]

But there's a scenario where if they lose a game and Boise continues to win out and Boise ranked higher than them.

[Rob Stone]

Correct.

[Mark Ingram]

Boise gets the buy.

[Rob Stone]

Even though Boise gets a four seed.

[Mark Ingram]

Even though BYU possibly could win their conference.

[Rob Stone]

Yep.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, he's the highest ranked conference winner.

[Rob Stone]

Yep. So is the Big 12 in BYU right now valued higher than Boise State and the Mountain West? Boise State kind of living off that good loss to Oregon early on. Ashton Gentee having, you know, Heisman type year. But and also Mark you, you brought up a point. When we're looking at this. There there's some bid stealers out there. I'm a college hoops guy. Right. And there's always the bid Steelers out there with March Madness and SMU is a bid stealer. SMU gets to the ACC championship game and let's say they win it. Frickin they're going.

[Urban Meyer]

Was that great?

[Mark Ingram]

They're going. Automatic bid.

[Rob Stone]

They are in. And guess what, Miami is probably going to be in as well. So now all of a sudden you're saying there's two from the ACC that are sitting in there? I don't think, you know, we have four from the SEC inside the 12 team bracket, four from the Big Ten inside the bracket, one each from the Big 12 ACC independent being Notre Dame and the Mountain West. I think Ohio State's interesting, coach, because they were ranked number two right behind Oregon. But because Oregon right now is on top of the Big Ten, they are giving them the number one seed because they're going to win the quote, unquote, the Big Ten championship, which gives them a quarterfinal spot. So Ohio State may be number two in the rankings, but they are number five in the bracket. So as of now, the Buckeyes would have, if you're looking at the bracket right now, they would have the easiest path. I think, having said that, they have to play an extra game, but it would be against Boise State, a home game. And that home game is at their choice. Right. It doesn't have to be in Columbus. Coach. Bad weather's rolling into Columbus. They can say, you know what? We don't want to, you know, harm our speed. Guys, let's go inside, let's go to Indianapolis and let's play a home game against Boise.

[Urban Meyer]

When do they have to make that decision?

[Rob Stone]

I think it's that week. I don't know the exact day, but.

[Urban Meyer]

Can you imagine the logistics of flipping that around? Right.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah. We're not going to play it. Shoot. We go into Indianapolis. Go play inside.

[Rob Stone]

But they might, they might. If you got that much makes sense. Yeah. Why?

[Urban Meyer]

It makes sense.

[Mark Ingram]

Why, why?

[Rob Stone]

There's a great equalizer, right?

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, for sure. And then they'd have to go to byu and then what? That, that, that, that group of four games that becomes the bowl games.

[Rob Stone]

Yes.

[Mark Ingram]

What? Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl?

[Urban Meyer]

Let's just talk, Mark, as you stare at these teams and this is you. You've played in the big one. I've got the coach in three of them. Did you play in two of them, Mark, or just one?

[Mark Ingram]

I played in one. Yeah. Playing in one.

[Urban Meyer]

And you know, this was. I do in Ohio State. Just focus on them for a minute. The most physical team will win the national championship. Everyone seems in front of on the picture, they have great skill. You know, some a little better than others, but great skill. The team that. And I used to say this to our players. The team that punches the hardest will win the national title. It's historic. I mean it's time tested. That's what happens. Ohio State, there were concerns. I don't have more concerns. I saw what I saw. We were live there. That was the best four minute drill I can remember seeing. There was five minutes and 13 seconds left. They ran the ball 10 straight times for 59 yards on the road at Penn State from the one yard defense. From the one yard. And they basically said, we're running the ball. Stop us. And I went back and watched that.

[Rob Stone]

It's what Michigan did to Penn State last season.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, but Penn State forced the Wolverines.

[Mark Ingram]

Run it down your throat and make you like it.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

What about that defense, coach? Oh, they didn't allow Penn State to score one touchdown that entire game. They had. They gave up two field goals. They had an interception at the end of the first half. Then they had a goal line stand when the, when the team needed it most.

[Urban Meyer]

All right, here's. And Rob, right now we're off script here. Give me one through five. Five is tough as hell. One you're not sure. Three is medium. Okay. Toughness. Oregon one through five.

[Rob Stone]

One. Is that a tough one?

[Urban Meyer]

Is five. Toughest five year tough cat.

[Rob Stone]

Five is the toughest.

[Urban Meyer]

Three is average.

[Mark Ingram]

I'm giving them, I'm giving them. Yeah, about four right now. How they.

[Urban Meyer]

I agree, I agree. How about Ohio?

[Rob Stone]

Same. Here's my concern though, coaches.

[Mark Ingram]

That was an equal. That was an equal game, coach. That. That game is. They're heading for a collision on a rematch for sure. And neutral ground.

[Rob Stone]

Three games.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, that's going to be on neutral ground.

[Urban Meyer]

And I'm not sure, but is Georgia a Tough team? I'd say yes, Georgia is a tough team. How about Miami? I don't know about Miami. Are they tough?

[Mark Ingram]

I don't know if they're tough, but they're resilient.

[Urban Meyer]

Quarterback.

[Mark Ingram]

I don't know if they're tough.

[Urban Meyer]

Great quarterback. If they're not tough. I just don't.

[Mark Ingram]

I don't know if they're tough, but they are resilient. Coach, they've had to come back three times in.

[Urban Meyer]

Is Texas tough?

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, tough. Texas is tough.

[Rob Stone]

They just tough.

[Mark Ingram]

Last year there are three. Because when they saw a real tough team like the dogs got hit in.

[Urban Meyer]

The face at home.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, indeed.

[Rob Stone]

How about Notre Dame? Is Notre Dame tough sitting there at number 10?

[Mark Ingram]

Notre Dame's not tough right now.

[Rob Stone]

Notre Dame meeting Penn State and Happy Valley, the 10 versus 7 game.

[Mark Ingram]

What about this Bama versus Texas matchup in the first round?

[Rob Stone]

Right? 6 versus 11.

[Mark Ingram]

Look at this.

[Rob Stone]

And then above that, Tennessee versus Indiana. And then Ohio State, Boise State.

[Mark Ingram]

I mean, I love, I mean as college football fans, I mean this is awesome, right?

[Rob Stone]

This is awesome.

[Urban Meyer]

That's great, man.

[Mark Ingram]

But like coach said, you have 24 teams with a legit shot. They're waking up like, okay, we got a chance. So this 12 team thing could shake up quickly. They go, the pretenders and the contenders will be separated here.

[Urban Meyer]

There's 24 teams that are. There's no con, there's no discussion about transfer portal. However, you lose one loss, there might be a couple.

[Rob Stone]

We got a question on the screen right now, guys. Does a one loss Indiana team that plays a close game in Columbus get left out because of a two loss SEC game? I don't think so.

[Mark Ingram]

No.

[Rob Stone]

I think they got Michigan this weekend. Does Indiana at number eight schedule? Their strength of schedule is very questionable. Like we understand that, we get it. But what they're doing with that schedule, they're dismantling teams, winning.

[Mark Ingram]

All you can do, all you can do is play who's on your schedule. But where you start matters. They're at number eight. If they were at number 10, 11, then you're nervous and number eight at number eight, you don't drop more than three spots. With a loss to Ohio State. So they run the table at number eight and they lose to Ohio State, you can't bump down more than four spots. Even if they bump down four spots, they're 12. So a one loss Indiana team does not get left out over a two loss SEC team in my opinion, depending on how they, depending on how they play that game.

[Rob Stone]

And listen, you know the Big Ten is going to be fighting for that, right? Cause there is backroom conversations right now. The Big Ten wants as many programs in there as possible. Ditto for the.

[Mark Ingram]

I want Penn State to play Indiana because they might get beat by Indiana. Oh, they might to play Indy. I think they. Right now they line up. I think they get beat.

[Rob Stone]

So I, we agree that the max amount of teams from the Big Ten that will get into the playoffs will be four. And I think it's going to be four. Unless Indiana or somebody just, just absolutely bottoms out Penn State if they can't bounce back. But for the sec, they're currently at four teams right now. Georgia, Texas, Tennessee and Alabama. But lurking 14 is 15. LSU 16, Ole Miss. Do you think the SEC markets five programs in?

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, I think they get four. Yeah, I think they get four. I don't think.

[Rob Stone]

I think it's addition by subtraction. Right. If somebody loses and goes down, somebody pops up.

[Mark Ingram]

It also depends on if any of these teams implode and lose multiple games over the next month of the season because that'd be the only case where a three loss SEC team could get in. Cause you got A and M, which they're favorable until they go see Texas. Texas is favorable until they go see A and M. And then LSU is in a. LSU and Bama's in an elimination game. El Miss is in an elimination game. I think SEC gets four teams in and it would have to. People would just have to lay an egg and lose two to three games for there to possibly be a fifth team to go in.

[Rob Stone]

Could happen. It could be.

[Urban Meyer]

That leaves only four left between everyone else. That's tough, man.

[Rob Stone]

Correct.

[Mark Ingram]

ACC champ.

[Rob Stone]

But again, remember, how about if SMU 12 steals that Big 12.

[Mark Ingram]

Highest group of five. So that's.

[Rob Stone]

Big 12 has had a great season.

[Mark Ingram]

That's 11. Coach.

[Rob Stone]

I would love to see Big 12 in. I don't know how it's going to happen. You know, Iowa State, Kansas State. Losing last weekend really helped Colorado's chances. I mean, how about, how about Colorado makes a run to the Big 12 championship game, wins.

[Mark Ingram]

Let's go.

[Rob Stone]

Steals a bit. Does BYU, does BYU stick around? They're sitting there at number nine. That is a. That is a tough one. Can. Can the Big 12 get two programs in? You know, Brett, your mark is fighting for that real hard. And I don't, I don't blame him.

[Mark Ingram]

It would, it would probably. It would possibly be them because you have the ACC champu. So, so we said. So we said four big 10, four sec. That's eight. You go nine for the ACC champ, 10 for the big 12 champ, 11 for the highest group of five bid. And then that's one more. So it could possibly be Big 12. Or is it out of the ACC?

[Rob Stone]

The ACC just got really.

[Mark Ingram]

This is just. This is exciting, man.

[Urban Meyer]

Or a 5 sec mark.

[Mark Ingram]

It could possibly be some good team.

[Urban Meyer]

There's some good teams bouncing off.

[Mark Ingram]

People just got the runs and they crap down their leg. You know, if they got the runs, they can't hold up.

[Rob Stone]

Too soon. Blue too soon, too close. Let's throw. Let's. Speaking of that, let's throw in a saucy nug right now. James Franklin vs. The Ohio State, 1 and 10 now seven losses after leading the game at some point. We're going to talk more about coach Franklin a little bit later in the show and an incident after the game, but that is your saucy nugget of the week. Try some at your nearest Wendy. So Penn State sitting there at number six in the rankings and number seven seed. So right now, Penn State has a home game. So how about this? Three Big Ten teams have home games. Oregon has a one seed, Ohio State as a five seed, Penn State as a seven seed. The SEC home games, Georgia as a two seed, Texas as a six seed, and Tennessee as an eight seed. Wow. And, coach, I love the fact. I do really enjoy that point about. There are over 20 programs right now that are saying to themselves, hey guys, we're still alive. Because that was not the conversation at this point last year it was maybe nine to 10 teams, hey, guys, we might be able to make a little run. We can sneak in there. We just doubled that field.

[Urban Meyer]

And it's the motivation of the team, motivation of the coach. Every coach is going to show this and be congratulated. You know, congratulate the players, but also say, you know, use it for motivation. Are we really. You know, I can see right now that Bama looking at some of those teams in front of them, say, are you. Are you kidding me? Right? We put a good run together, you'll be you. We are better than the number 11. So it's gonna. This is great motivation.

[Rob Stone]

And.

[Urban Meyer]

And we haven't talked about this yet. How about the fan base is waking up right now saying, we got a shot at this stamp.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah.

[Mark Ingram]

This is all these stadiums throughout the season. Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

I want to clarify something real quick. I did missp briefly. The quarterfinals are at neutral site. So I was giving, you know, Oregon and Miami and Georgia home game. You know, one through four in the quarterfinals. They are at neutral site at those, those bowl games that you were talking about. And again, it all ends up in late January in Atlanta at Mercedes Benz Stadium. First ever college football rankings. And we're going to be doing these live shows on YouTube until the last one comes out. The day that matters is what is it December 9th? Is that the day that December 8th, that's the last bracket comes out?

[Mark Ingram]

Who.

[Rob Stone]

Who right now, and we'll start wrapping this up here in a second, is kind of on precarious terms right now. Who do you think is a little worried about where they're sitting? Alabama maybe at number 11. I think Notre Dame's pretty good at 10 right now. They don't, they don't have a whole lot in front of them schedule wise. But I think those SEC teams that are in outside of Georgia are concerned about what might happen. And the other SEC programs that are kind of riding up their tail a little bit.

[Mark Ingram]

Well, right now in the sec. Go ahead, coach.

[Urban Meyer]

I was just going to say reality is, and I've been there, not, not in this format, but right now, there. Why do players play? And there was a time, Rob and Mark, years ago, you played because you're supposed to play. You're playing a Rose Bowl. You go play in the Fiesta Bowl. You know, some teams, you're excited to just go play in the out, you know, a good bowl like the Outback Bow. But that's. Times changed right now. And I think once a team gets knocked officially out of the playoff, especially if you're blue blood team, right. I'm looking at A&M, LSU, Alabama, Penn State. I'd put Clemson there. I put Ole Miss with high expectations. You lose that third game, there's some conversations going on in that locker room that aren't comfortable. There's going to be some agents which, you know, I just wish they weren't in the locker rooms in college. But they're going to be having conversations with their player and their coach saying, you know, why is he not getting more touches? You know, I'm going to go ahead and move on to the NFL. I'm going to maybe transfer. That's when it gets nasty, uncomfortable, and there's, you know, we can say panic or patience. There's a lot of panic on those two lost teams right now that are real good programs.

[Rob Stone]

But the good thing is that these players are going to be sticking around longer through the course of the season because of the expanded playoffs. Right. A lot of people might have. Right. Red Lines out of town already. And now they're.

[Urban Meyer]

I wonder if we're going to find out if three is that magic number with a blue blood when you get three losses, unless you're in the hunt for the championship, you're out.

[Rob Stone]

That's a good one.

[Urban Meyer]

We'll see if that.

[Mark Ingram]

It depends. It depends how the rest of the field plays, too. Because if the rest of the field has two and three losses, then you kind of give them, you know, some favor with the schedule. I mean, look at Tennessee, man. Like, they still play Georgia. They still got Vanderbilt, who is a really good team this year. Then you talk about Georgia. They still have. They have Ole Miss this weekend. They. Then they have Tennessee like this. This Georgia schedule has been just. Just crazy. And so playoffs are starting right now in SEC and Alabama and LSU is an elimination game. Ole Miss loses to Georgia. That's elimina. Elimination game. Which Ole Miss is. Where. Where does that game even played at? Like, it's played at Ole Miss.

[Rob Stone]

Ole Miss is home this weekend. We're going to talk about.

[Mark Ingram]

So I mean, like, BET MGM pick six. So, I mean, the playoffs are started right now in sec and Georgia still has two games on the schedule plus SEC championships. So the SEC is going to be strange coming up here in the next month.

[Rob Stone]

Can we finish with one last comment here? I can't believe we're giving SMU this much love, but they're sitting there at number 13. The first team out. How about the big signing for the Mustangs?

[Mark Ingram]

Let them know.

[Rob Stone]

Big signing for SMU this week.

[Mark Ingram]

Swag King Cole, Coal Miners. Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

Maddie's son signing Swag King today.

[Mark Ingram]

QB1 at SMU holding it down. Congratulations, Swag King Cole. You know who, dog.

[Rob Stone]

Hey, you know who broke that news in my house?

[Mark Ingram]

Who?

[Rob Stone]

My son Camden at tcu.

[Mark Ingram]

He broke the news.

[Rob Stone]

Camden in my house. He had called Cole today. He's like, hey, dad, Cole's committing to SMU today. And meanwhile, Matt is like sending us these cryptic texts in the morning, like, big news today, guys. Something's happening. Big news. Follow me. And he totally forgot about it. Meanwhile, Camden's calling from Fort Worth like Cole Liner breaking like the new shifty.

[Mark Ingram]

Camden out here getting the inside school down there. Tcu.

[Rob Stone]

Come on, let's go, bro. I'm going to see the boy today or this weekend after our Texas Tech trip. Can we wait for that trip, by the way, to Texas Tech. Throw some tortillas. And Colorado at number 20 in the rankings at Texas.

[Mark Ingram]

They throw tortillas.

[Rob Stone]

Tortillas right when the game starts. Man, they throw tortillas. Yeah, you'll learn. It's all in the wrist. It's all in the wrist. What, are they throwing them at anybody on the field? Players field for sure. Don't worry. Don't worry. We'll educate you. We'll take care of you in Lubbock. Coach, any closing thoughts, or did we check all these boxes here on the triple option?

[Mark Ingram]

I'm excited. I'm excited. Coach, this is awesome. Like, everybody had questions about the 12 team playoff, how it would look, how it would be for college football. And this is amazing. I'm telling you, if college football is stock, I'm buying it, and I'm buying it in bulk.

[Rob Stone]

Coming up next, we're joined by 2005 number one overall NFL draft pick Alex Smith.

[Mark Ingram]

Light it.

[Rob Stone]

You've had Wendy's nugs dipped in sauce, right? Mark, you've had the Wendy Nuggs I've.

[Mark Ingram]

Had, and I love them.

[Rob Stone]

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]

Oh, 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 signature spicy nugs. I dare you. There'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 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.

[Rob Stone]

In our job, the office is always changing, whether it be at the big House, the Coliseum, or even Death Valley. While there are many different types of offices out there, one thing is for certain. Choosing the right candidate for any office is a huge responsibility. Coach.

[Urban Meyer]

Hey, well, if you're hiring, you want to find the best candidates for your office, you need ZipRecruiter. And right now you can try for free at ZipRecruiter.com option ZipRecruiter is the.

[Rob Stone]

Hiring site employees prefer the Most based on G2. How fast does ZipRecruiter's smart technology start showing your job to qualified candidates? How about immediately? And you can invite top candidates for your job to apply to encourage them to apply sooner.

[Urban Meyer]

Remember, if you want to find the right candidates for your office, you need ZipRecruiter. See why 4 out of 5 employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day. Just go to this exclusive web address right now to try ZipRecruiter for free.

[Rob Stone]

ZipRecruiter.com options Again, that is ZipRecruiter.com options ZipRecruiter the smartest way to hire.

[Urban Meyer]

Want to shop Walmart?

[Mark Ingram]

Black Friday deals first.

[Urban Meyer]

Walmart plus members get early access to our hottest deals. Join now and get 50 off a.

[Alex Smith]

One year annual membership.

[Mark Ingram]

Shop Black Friday deals first with Walmart Plus.

[Rob Stone]

See [e-mail] welcome back to the triple option. Rob Stone, Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, and the glue guy. Former number one overall draft pick from Utah, Alex Smith. Nice enough to join us, man. By the way, Alex looks like he could still play, right? Like, if I was a GM on a team, I'm like, you know what? That cat, I bet that cat can still sling it. I bet he can avoid a couple of tackles. He still got the smarts upstairs for it. You interested? You want to. You want to come join my team here?

[Alex Smith]

I wish. No, I'm good. I'm good where I am. We did this, this last Sunday for Sunday countdown at espn. We were showing some Dexter Lawrence highlights and. And they, they actually. We just showed him in street clothes too, like after his highlights. And it was like, immediately I'm like, I made the right decision. I'm in a good spot sitting at this desk. I want no piece of that.

[Rob Stone]

Nobody's coming for you on the desk, right? There's nobody, Nobody on the blind side at the desk.

[Alex Smith]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

Alex, great to see you, brother.

[Alex Smith]

Coach, great to be here.

[Urban Meyer]

Hey, you got a great podcast. I'm sure we'll hit that here in a minute. The glue guys and what a three special guys, but I'll let you hit that in a minute. So when you write your book, I think I got the forward or the first chapter here. So how does an unranked high school recruit with one offer, he'll say two, but one was his uncle, so that does not count. No, no, it's not. It's not. Ron McBride offered him at the University of Utah and then he Went on to become an All American. He became. Came on to finish third in the Heisman first overall draft pick, 2005 NFL Draft. Became really the father of the spread option offense. The way he ran it. And his tail back in high school in the wing tee was none other than Reggie Bush. So how in the world did that happen?

[Alex Smith]

That's a great. I mean, well, that's why you're right in the forward.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah.

[Alex Smith]

You know, you got, you know, it's funny how, you know, things happen in life and, you know, definitely for me, looking back in my career, my entire journey, you know, like, it's. It. You never know what's around the corner. Like. And I say that in the sense that like when things were sometimes look their worst or they're the bleakest or you're struggling the most, like, you just never know what's right around the corner. And that's certainly kind of been the tale of my journey and certainly with you stumbling into my life, Coach. Like my. I had one offer like you said I was, you know, they got all these ranks and stars and, you know, recruiting services. I had none. None. Zero.

[Mark Ingram]

That's crazy.

[Alex Smith]

You know, I threw the ball like four times a game my senior year. You know, we had a guy, you know, Reggie, who had one of those trophies that you got behind you. Mark, you know, and deservedly one offer. Like coach said. My uncle happened to be a Division 1 head coach and I think, like, you know, some nepotism there and he threw it out. But one, one offer and really, you know, I grew up. Saturdays were like the most special day, you know, for me as a child. Like, nothing better. I grew up on the West Coast. Nothing better. There was college football on at like 8am you wake up and. And I just love Saturdays in the fall. I loved everything about it. And it certainly for me as a kid was something that I dreamt about, you know, that like, maybe one day I could do that. Wouldn't that be amazing? Like one day, you know, and one school gave me that chance and I was a late bloomer. I mean, my senior year I weighed, you know, I mean, I don't know If I weighed 170, 70 pounds, you know, and. Slow, awkward, late bloomer. And I go up to. I go up to Salt Lake and my freshman year is an absolute disaster. I played seven plays and lost my red shirt year. One of my seven plays was a pick six back back in San Diego, my hometown, my whole high school there. And, you know, like this. It wasn't what I imagined college football to be. I felt like I got, you know, kind of deceived again, led on that I was going to play more. Our seat, our season went to, you know, crap. And coach got fired at, you know, by the end of the year. And it's like the one guy that believed in me is gone, you know, and, you know, where that this. What the hell, man? Like, you know, it just was looking so bleak. And then, man, we, the Utah hired this guy named Urban Meyer from Bowling Green. I didn't even. I hadn't even heard of Bowling Green. I don't know where it was. I didn't know what it was.

[Mark Ingram]

Ohio.

[Alex Smith]

Yeah. And running, you know, the offense, he came in with their quarterback, Josh Harris. I mean, he was £240, you know, and like, just a monster. Again, I, like, at that point, I couldn't avoid 180. Just string bean. I couldn't run. But yeah, again, I go back to like, you just never know. And obviously timing goes into so much of this and, and coach and all his crazy philosophies coming in. Dan Mullen and like, obviously the spread option there at the core of it that, you know, really highlighted the quarterback position. And I was just, you know, certainly a product of amazing people around me, coaches and teammates, and went on a crazy run.

[Mark Ingram]

Well, you talk about, you know, you being overlooked, but obviously, you know, we know what you were able to accomplish. College football hall of Fame last year, number one overall pick, super successful NFL career. What kind of advice would you give to the youth or a young person out there who is getting overlooked, who doesn't have the stars, who doesn't have the offers? What would you tell them to kind of motivate them to keep going?

[Alex Smith]

I think, you know, there's like this. There's this illusion, I think, that some people just have it easy. Right. Like, I think there's this illusion that, like, oh, Tom Brady and, you know, Patrick Mahomes and these guys, like, it's smooth sailing. There's not a guy and, you know, this, like, in an NFL locker room that didn't have a ton of adversity along the way.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes, sir.

[Urban Meyer]

Right.

[Alex Smith]

Like, and there's a relentlessness, a resiliency, like, and a stubbornness to guys that just keep coming back. They just keep coming back. And I would say that. And again, even going back, like, the rest of my career, I, again, I say it like, the greatest moments of growth that I've had throughout my life all came from struggle. Right? And just like, struggling and keep coming Back and keep pushing. And, you know, one of them is this guy right here. You know, just tested me, man. Like, I've never been tested before in my life. And. And I grew under those circumstances, like, tremendously. Right now, there's no way I'm the number one pick if I don't go through that, if I don't get pushed to those heights. And so I just think that. That everybody struggles. Struggle is normal, in fact. And so, like, lean into it, you know, it's not something to be feared. And for anybody out there trying to do something, I think that just, like, it's a part of the process and embrace it.

[Mark Ingram]

Come on, man.

[Urban Meyer]

I want to keep going. I want to talk a little bit more with that Alex, to go off script here a little bit, but you were drafted number one by the saints or by the 49ers, and Alex, to the point, I. I was around great court. I had never seen someone with the metal makeup, the physical makeup that he developed, and the toughness at that position. I've never seen it. You can help someone here, Alex. Tell them about what you went through a little bit when that was kind of caving in on you a little bit. In San Fran, the poster child of.

[Alex Smith]

Number one picks is Peyton Manning. Like, I mean, he. Is it. That. That's what it's supposed to look like. And like, I felt like I had to be that. Right. Like, and immediately. And so it just changed my entire demeanor. Like, when I was with. Yeah, with Coach, like, in college, I definitely had a chip on my shoulder. I mean, I was the kid that, again, I had one offer. I was determined to prove that I could play division one football. We would play the big schools, and it was like, bring it on. Yeah, man. You know, like. Like salivating at a chance to go. Like, nothing to lose. We were fearless. And then all of a sudden, I got drafted. And again, all these expectations, the weight of being the number one pick and a big NFL contract, and I felt like I had to be perfect. So, like, I. Everything I did in practice, walkthroughs, especially on game days, like, I was like on. On eggshells. I. I mean, I was so scared to make the smallest mistakes.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah.

[Alex Smith]

And you know, on top of, obviously, again, the instability around me was just a recipe for a disaster. Right. To go out there on eggshells and our team's not very good, and it just. And I think looking back, this was an important thing. Like, I felt like I was alone in that, like, all my self doubt, like, was I Good enough. Was I deserving of the number one pick? I was so determined to try to prove that to everybody, and I just kind of felt like I was alone in that. It took a long time until, you know, I finally. I felt like I got out of my own way and said, screw this, man. I'm not. I'm not living like this anymore. Yeah, I'm not playing like this anymore. You know, terrified to make a mistake, trying to be perfect, trying to prove to the. All the Niner fans out there that again, that I was deserving of this pick.

[Rob Stone]

When did that moment happen, Alex?

[Alex Smith]

There were two big moments that kind of coincided. One was this. This national TV game. I think it was about year six for me. Five or six. And again, I. Like I said, I'd been in this cycle of just. I'd had some success, but then I, you know, and then I wouldn't. I was just so inconsistent. And again, I tiptoed out on the field. I. Trying to be, you know, perfect. And we were playing the Philadelphia Eagles. This is Andy Reed, Philadelphia Eagles. And they were good. And we were playing on national TV at Candlestick. So a home game. And I'll never forget, like, home games are almost harder for me, Rob. Like, the weight of them. Right. Again, of our fan base, because we, like, we were bad. Like, in deservedly, we get booed and, you know, like, it just the weight of that. Like, I used to look forward to road games and. Which is insane to say as a quarterback. Like, insane, right? Because, like, then I got older in my career, and it was like, tonight I have. Cadence is such a tool in the NFL as a qb. And so we're playing the Eagles, and I actually started the game pretty well. I mean, I threw a couple touchdowns and ran one, I think. And, like, we were playing good. We're going toe to toe. They were one of the best teams in football. And I made this. I made a couple bonehead plays in the second half trying to do too much. And the whole freaking stadium, all the candlesticks, starts chanting the backup quarterback's name.

[Mark Ingram]

Wow.

[Alex Smith]

David Carr. And it's like, we want car. And I'm the starting quarterback. And in the same instant, the head coach, Mike Singletary, something had happened, I think maybe on this again, I did have a bonehead play on this fumble. And he comes over and he's, like, getting into my face. And here's this. I just. This defensive head coach who has no idea, like, I think where I was at and what I was dealing with is coming over and he's in my face on the sidelines. It's a national TV game. I got the whole stadium, you know, chanting the backup for his name. And it was a moment of me, a little bit of rock bottom, right again, like I was holding on so tight and these were the very people that I was trying so hard to please. And you know, I think for me a moment of finally, like this isn't working. I love, you know, like this isn't working. And luckily enough right there after that we hired this crazy guy, Urban's best friend, Jim Harbaugh, as head coach. And you know, you know this is a guy that played quarterback for 15 years in the NFL, Jim. And he played for the Chargers, the San Diego Chargers, when I was growing up. And so I remember him, you know, watching him as a Charger fan. And if there's one thing like Jim embodies is he does not care what other people think. Right. Like this guy again, after I've joked about it, like the pleated khakis, the tucked in sweatshirt, man, this guy like truly doesn't care what other people think. And again. And I was consumed with what other people thought.

[Mark Ingram]

Yes.

[Alex Smith]

Like, and it was just a perfect kind of, it's what I needed then and definitely had a profound impact on the rest of my career.

[Mark Ingram]

We talked, you got us. We were talking about more games other than that Chiefs game. It was that in divisional round game when the Saints came out there back and forth. I was hurt, I was hurt. But man, that, that, that, that hurt. That was my rookie year. That was my rookie year, that 2011 game, the San Fran Saints back to back NFC divisional round.

[Alex Smith]

Yeah, you had a little playoff game.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, Vernon Davis, you hit him up the side. I was at home, I needed them. Playoff text still coming in, man, like.

[Alex Smith]

The bounty gate game. That game was great game.

[Rob Stone]

And while we're talking college football, huge rivalry game this week, right. Utah and byu. I grew up east coast, right. So you know, I know about the Ohio states and the Florida's and you know, the great stuff down in the Sunshine State in Texas. But you know, growing up like you say Utah and byu, you just, I think you kind of think, oh, probably nice, unassuming people, maybe some snow capped mountains. It should be really bucolic and, and pretty and just a normal football game. I've since learned that I'm incorrect. And what was your kind of moment where you were like, oh, this is BYU versus Utah.

[Alex Smith]

Yeah, the holy war. I mean anything. The church versus the state.

[Mark Ingram]

Rob the church Versus the state T shirts.

[Rob Stone]

Man, we're printing T shirts right now.

[Alex Smith]

You know, obviously, I, I didn't know about its intensity at all growing up, you know, even in. On the West Coast. And, you know, again, these were schools that had been in the whack and then the Mountain west and certainly, you know, now are in the Big 12. But I think it kind of been flying under the radar. And I certainly, My freshman year getting up on campus is probably like my biggest exposure to it. And it was the last game of the season, every single year. And regardless of record, I mean, it was its own. It was its own season, right? Like, you could be having a horrible year, but you win that game. I mean, you know, there was. There was something at least, and that's kind of exactly what it was. My freshman year, again, the coach got fired. It was a disaster. But we played him up in Salt Lake my freshman year, and I didn't play in the game. But remember, obviously, the intensity of it. And all week, you know, you're.

[Rob Stone]

You're.

[Alex Smith]

You're watching videos of the old tapes and the, you know, the history of it, you know, it obviously went back such a long time. And then, you know, a guy that really threw gas on the fire is the guy above you here on the. In the windows. You know, Irvin, you know, he had brought the kind of the flavor from the Ohio State, you know, Michigan rivalry to the holy war. And all of a sudden, it was the team down south. You know, he inflicted on us and us at Utah. We couldn't. He couldn't even say their name. It wasn't allowed. And I. And I think the cool thing was just the, Again the leaning into the rivalry, right? Like, this is what's amazing about sport, especially college sport. And like, again, we couldn't. Couldn't say their name. You know, like, listen, you know, urinal cakes are out and we're, you know, you're. You're pissing on, you know, BYU Cougars and, like, it just.

[Rob Stone]

Where do you. Where do you buy. Where do you buy urinal cakes? Coach, did you have a urinal cake guy in charge of that?

[Urban Meyer]

Cell phones. Had to get rid of all that stuff because.

[Alex Smith]

Yeah, but, you know, so they were like, definitely, you know, I remember in the off season, you know, you're doing mat drills, you're doing conditioning. And certainly a focus of our entire talk all season was, you know, large goals, right, to accomplish. But even embedded in that, you talked about. You talked about your rival, you talked about the team down south, right? And again, it was just such a point of motivation. And for us, so unique. The schools are only 45 minutes apart. And I think, Rob, to get to the point of why it's so intense, I mean, it's just so. It's like. It's pretty inbred. Like, the households are torn apart. Like, I mean, Kyle Winningham went to byu. He's like. I mean, this guy's won more games at Utah, I think, than anybody. And it. Kalani, their head coach, was at Utah. Right. And again, homes divided. Look at our quarterback, Isaac Wilson, right now. His brother Zach, you know, went to byu, and that's. Almost every house in Utah is exactly like that. Like, they're just torn apart. And you're one or the other, really. Right. Because it's the two main schools, no offense to Utah State. You know, it's. It's the two schools and. And so just incredibly, incredibly intense. And that, again, I. I do think that kind of inter. How intertwined it is, is. Is what makes it so unique, man.

[Mark Ingram]

We always have some fun, man. Coach, you know, we got Matt Leonard on our. On.

[Urban Meyer]

On our.

[Mark Ingram]

On our crew with us, man. And coach always says in 04 that you guys would have beat the truck.

[Rob Stone]

Here we go.

[Alex Smith]

Yes, Mark.

[Mark Ingram]

Hell.

[Rob Stone]

Oh, hell, yeah.

[Alex Smith]

Honestly, listen, this is the messed up thing. I'm glad we're getting into this. I gotta. You know, it's obviously been 20 years. This is just sitting on my chest.

[Rob Stone]

Yes.

[Alex Smith]

No playoff. We go undefeated.

[Urban Meyer]

We.

[Alex Smith]

I mean, we waxed everybody that year. I mean, Texas A and M came up and got, you know, 50 hung on him like Oregon, 700 yards on.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, let him have, bro.

[Alex Smith]

You know, let him have it. And I think people, like, there were a lot. We had dudes playing the NFL, you know, Seoni, Puja, Chris Kimiatu. Like, we had some dudes up front and there was this idea that maybe we couldn't play with the big schools and just. So it just wasn't true. And somehow a one loss.

[Rob Stone]

What?

[Alex Smith]

Didn't USC have one loss or did Oklahoma have the one loss here? Like, somehow they get an international championship. It still baffles me.

[Mark Ingram]

We spoke about the ability to overcome adversity, that everything's not always just sunshine or rainbows. Like, I love that so much because people just think it's just this, that you. It's just always just one way, just up, up. No, there's valleys, there's depths. You gotta fight through the dark times and the dark moments. And I think our world just needs to have that kind of mindset that, like, hey, it's not always easy. It's gonna be tough, and you get better. The measure of a man, the measure of your character becomes how you handle that, how you handle that adversity, how you overcome that adversity. Just your ability to overcome the adversity in football. You're a tremendous family, man. I've followed the stories about your daughter, how strong she is, how strong your family is for her, and just tell the world, man. Like, encourage somebody today, man. Like, what helps you to have that mindset? What helps you to keep that positivity for yourself, for your family? And how. And how can you just spread that through the world, man?

[Alex Smith]

Yeah, I mean, I think you brought up a good point. Like, you don't re. I don't think you realize. We all don't realize, I think, the effect we have on the people around us. Right, right. And it's not always the things you say. It's more about, I think, the things you do and the example you set. And, man, I'm so lucky again. I'm actually heading down later today to go down to San Antonio, Texas. And down in San Antonio, it's the Brooke Army Medical center, which is the largest military medical center, I think, in the world. I mean, it's the only Level 1 trauma unit for every branch of the military. And this is where I did my rehab for my leg. And it's the special place down there called the center for the intrepid. You know, with Veterans day coming up, this is a place that changed my life, Mark. Like, I was feeling sorry for myself when I. When I broke my leg and the infection came in and they were talking about amputating it and all the surgeries, and I was ashamed of my leg, embarrassed by it. Just pity party for myself, you know, like, how unlucky. And again, for months and months, stuck in a wheelchair, just wallowing in my own, you know, kind of selfishness, and. And I. And then I get this chance. I get this secretary of defense designation, which is for civilians to have access to military medical care. And I got to go down to this amazing place, and it was really humbling, right, because I was just playing football, and you don't feel like you belong, you know, with our servicemen and women who literally sacrifice life and limb. And it's this center that's specifically for limb injuries, for, like, leg injuries again, because they're, you know, over the decades in the Middle east, all these, you know, servicemen and women coming back from the roadside bombs and IEDs and so they built this special facility just for this. And here I am again. I go down there, my lathe's all wrapped up. I don't even want to show it again. I'm just thinking about all the things I'll never be able to do again. And I go down there and they, man, they have this really cool philosophy. They believe in this thing called groups suck. Okay? And so most physical therapy places, you do your physical therapy, like in a one on one situation, right? Like you go to a back room, you're on a table, or you're doing your things. It's like a very private, intimate thing. Like, not. Not at this place. Like, it's specially designed so that everybody does their rehab out in the open. It's like one big. One big open facility. And wow, man, I go. I go there again. I got my leg wrapped up, I'm hiding behind it again, ashamed. And, man, there's amputees, double amputees, you know, horrible burn victims, you know, a bunch of people with injuries just like mine, man. And the scars are out in the open. They're bearing it all and they are moving forward. They're like charging, right? They were doing stuff in there that was like, I mean, insane. And I just. The impact it had on me, right, to like, see that. And again, nothing they said. It was just like the. The attitude, the mindset towards the. Towards the adversity, leaning into the struggle. It. It changed my life. It's a day I will never forget. Yeah. It's the first day I ever said out loud that I wanted to play football again, right? As scared as I was, I couldn't even stand on my leg. I'm on crutches with a metal cage bolted to my leg. And again, I just think the power of it, right? The power of that you can have on one another, the seeds of hope that it, like, planted for me, right? Like that there maybe was a future for me to stop looking in the rearview mirror, right, and start looking forward. Like, what can I do? Like, it was the first place that made me curious, like, what do I have left?

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah.

[Alex Smith]

And changed my life. And again. And it's no different than the teammates and coaches I've had throughout my career, right? It's the same thing. The same exact thing. Coach Meyer, like, you know, like the effect you have on the people around you, you just don't. You don't realize the magnitude of it sometimes. And. And so for me, I take that forward, right? Like, it's a challenge. Can I be that for Anybody else, you know, and certainly I. A lot of people reach out to me that are going through things. Physical trauma, certainly a lot of tip fibs and, you know, out there that. And again, that the challenge cannot kind of potentially be. You don't know who's watching. Can I potentially be that for somebody else is really, really cool.

[Rob Stone]

Tell us, tell us what. What triggered your podcast, the Glue Guys, and what you guys hope to achieve with it.

[Alex Smith]

Yeah, I mean, it's, you know, for everybody out there, it's with Shane Battier and Ravi Gupta, like Shane Badier. Yeah. And. And I think just the connection of, like, what makes great teams. Like, I'm such a product of. Of great teams and everything I've done right. You know, going back to the. To the 04 Utah team, to anything I did at the professional level, you know, and even my rehab. Right. Like, again, I just mentioned, like, I had such a great team, the military and like my doctors and PTs, that there's no way.

[Rob Stone]

Right.

[Alex Smith]

Like, I think people see the end result they saw when I ran out there on the field two years later. But, like, I didn't do that by myself, you know, and such that. And certainly as a quarterback, I realized that, like, I get way too much credit for things and I'm just such a. The result of great teams. And that's what the blue guys is about, right? And on every team, at the core of them, you got a bunch of guys that do what's best for the team. They put the team first, the scrappy guys, right. Like a blue guy is kind of a basketball term. You know, the guys hustle, grab a bunch of rebounds. You know, they don't get the points, but you need them on your team to win. Right? And every team has them. You know, in football, so many of the special teams guys that do all the dirty work change games, you know, and it's about celebrating that, right? Team culture, good team culture, winning culture, that the people that play all the different roles in that, and it's fun to explore and it's no different in the business world. Right. And I think that's kind of the unique things that we jump into. It's not just in sports. It's all over the place. So it's been a ton of fun. You know, those two guys are the stars of the show, you know, Shane and Ravi. So it's. It's fun. Fun.

[Urban Meyer]

It's a great one. Highly recommend. I listen to it all the time now.

[Rob Stone]

I know Alex. I know it. I know it very well. I got my two stars above me and I just hang around. Hey Alex, thanks for joining us. Safe travels down to San Antonio. I can't wait to see that. I'm assuming that's, that's a feature that's coming up.

[Alex Smith]

Yeah, it'll be a piece that'll come out. Yep.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, that should be, that should be great.

[Urban Meyer]

Go Utes, let's go.

[Rob Stone]

Continued success. I know there's plenty more chapters to be written in your, in your story, in your book and coach will definitely write the forward for you. Just give him an autograph copy.

[Alex Smith]

I'm going to hold him to right.

[Rob Stone]

There you go. Alex Smith, man, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

[Alex Smith]

Thanks for having me on, guys.

[Rob Stone]

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, I'm listening.

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

[Mark Ingram]

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 option it's all about the option, Mark. 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 U.S. 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-Betsoff 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.

[Mark Ingram]

Subtle results still you, but with fewer lines. Botox Cosmetic Adabatulinum Toxin A is a prescription medicine used to temporarily make moderate to severe frown lines, crow's feet and forehead lines look better in adults.

[Alex Smith]

Effects of Botox Cosmetic may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms.

[Mark Ingram]

Alert your doctor right away as difficulty.

[Alex Smith]

Swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems or muscle weakness may be a sign of a life threatening condition. Patients with these conditions before injection are at highest risk.

[Mark Ingram]

Don't receive Botox Cosmetic if you have a skin infection.

[Alex Smith]

Side effects may include allergic reactions, injection site pain, headache, eyebrow and eyelid drooping and eyelid swelling allergies. Allergic reactions can include rash, welts, asthma symptoms and dizziness.

[Mark Ingram]

Tell your doctor about medical history, muscle.

[Alex Smith]

Or nerve conditions including ALS or Lou.

[Mark Ingram]

Gehrig's disease, myasthenia gravis or Lambert Eden.

[Alex Smith]

Syndrome and medications including botulinum toxins as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. For full safety information, visit botoxcosmetic.com or call 877-351-0300.

[Mark Ingram]

See for [e-mail] this episode is brought.

[Rob Stone]

To you by Allstate. Some people just know they could save.

[Mark Ingram]

Hundreds on car insurance by checking Allstate First. Like you know to check the date of the big game first before you.

[Rob Stone]

Accidentally buy tickets on your 20th wedding.

[Mark Ingram]

Anniversary and have to spend the next.

[Rob Stone]

20 years of your marriage making up for it.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, checking first is smart, so check.

[Rob Stone]

Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds.

[Mark Ingram]

You're in good hands with Allstate Savings.

[Rob Stone]

Vary terms apply.

[Mark Ingram]

Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and.

[Rob Stone]

Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois all right, welcome back to the triple option presented by the Wendy's and right now we're going to take a look at Coach of the Year resumes brought to you by our great partner, ZipRecruiter. Try ZipRecruiter for free ZipRecruiter.com options ZipRecruiter the smartest way to hire so we're going to look at some Coach of the Year resumes. Last year it was won by your new head coach right now, Mark Calendar when he was with Washington in 22. Yeah, those horn frogs, Sonny Dykes down there at TCU and Jim Harbaugh in 21. Let's hear some of the candidates right now. And coach, let's start with Kurt Signetti because I think we all agree he's at the top of the list or certainly really, really close to it.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, Kurt Cignetti. A lot's been said and I probably got a little bit more insight just because the way I watch film I've done it for 37 years and, and there's things that I might notice that maybe, you know, Mark probably does as well. But I see things that most people don't see. And I think there's a fine line between recruiting and coaching. They're both what it takes to be successful. But I always tell people, the guy that makes the one handed catch over the top of two people in the end zone, that's, that's God touched them and said, let's make a great player. But the perimeter, blocking the goal line stand when a, you know, when everybody's in the proper gaps. You know, there are just so many things that I see Indiana do that. And how about this? I'm going to talk about this because they're playing each other. But who thought 365 removed from the worst team in the Big Ten. They're playing the best team in the Big Ten a year ago and they're a 14.5 favorite. Who would have thought? I'll tell you what, if someone would have, if Big Bear, if bear bites, were throwing a couple bucks on that one Mark, he'd be, he'd be flying private to big. I mean, I mean, think about that.

[Rob Stone]

So Kurt Signeti is absolutely not missing any meals. He's all right. He's still eating.

[Urban Meyer]

Kurt Cignetti's obviously candidate and unless something changes, he's. To me, he gets.

[Rob Stone]

I don't know how it can change. Right? I mean, what he's done already with that record and in position to get into Columbus in a couple weeks unbeaten for a shot at the Big Ten championship game. My goodness. You got one more though. I like this next one too. It was a good one.

[Urban Meyer]

Jeff. Monk and I've. Jeff and I have known each other a long time. I went to speak to his team. I've known him for a long time. And you talk about coaching. There's not one player on that army team that, you know, probably got many scholarship offers at any to play Division 1 football. When you see their lineman mark, I mean, I swear they're, they're 5 10, 5 11. I mean, they're, they're rugged. Tough times to play together.

[Rob Stone]

There are a bunch of Martin Ingrams on the line. Is that what you're telling me?

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, if they had that, they know I'd be clawing and scratching and so, hey, measure what's in here.

[Rob Stone]

You can't measure cats, though. Urban, right? Coachable dudes.

[Urban Meyer]

I mean, coachable. And now you got it. I mean, they don't stop I've coached against Army, Navy, Air Force, and they do not stop. And I always tell people it's a nightmare playing at a service academy. It's even double nightmare when they're an undefeated service academy. And that's what you got with Monkin and the army.

[Rob Stone]

All right, Coach, you got two guys. Mark, you're also bringing two into the conversation as well.

[Mark Ingram]

Yeah, you know, since it's two for Coach or two for me, you might as well make it to Deuce Deuce, you know, I mean, it's only right for the two. Two, but, man, we gotta show love to Mario Cristobal down there. Got Miami 9 and 0 for the first. For the second time in 22 years, they're looking to win their first ever AC championship. You gave us that saucy nug a while ago, Stoner.

[Urban Meyer]

That's hard to believe.

[Mark Ingram]

They have never won an AC championship. Like, are you serious here? Like, pretty cool. Yeah. He has them balling, man. And you talk about those tough victories they had for a three week stretch versus Virginia Tech, Cal, Louisville, you easily dropped one of those games. You're out the conversation. And he was able to rally his team to come back on the road at Cal, come back on the road against Louisville, they were able to win those games. And this is the team. They have a favorable schedule, moving out. They're looking like they'll be on a collision course with whoever in ACC Championship, maybe Clemson. We'll see. But Mario Crystal Ball has done an amazing job. They were 3 and 5 in conference play last year, 7 and 6 overall. So they've already beat their win season total from last year. And they're undefeated. Have probably the number one guy for the Heisman right now in Cam Ward. So I think he's done an unbelievable job down there in South Florida.

[Rob Stone]

About I think the knock, though, Mark, I agree with you, but I think the knock might be like, he should have gotten this program there a little bit quicker. Right? I think that's maybe why people are a little hesitant. Hey, at least he got him there, right?

[Mark Ingram]

Hey, he's there right now. And you, it's not about the coach of the past year or the past two years, about the coach of this year. And this year they're undefeated.

[Rob Stone]

All right.

[Mark Ingram]

And have their own control, their own destiny to a playoff berth.

[Urban Meyer]

So giddy up.

[Mark Ingram]

I hear you, coach. I hear you, Stoner. But the man is doing it right now.

[Rob Stone]

Okay?

[Mark Ingram]

The man's doing it right now.

[Rob Stone]

Give me one, take me out.

[Mark Ingram]

Then you talk about the fighting cougs out there, you know what I mean? Kalani Sataki. This was a team who lost five in a row to end their season last year. They come back, they're picked to finish last in the Big 12 this year, and all they do is come out and ball. They come out every single week. They ball, they play tough defense, they play solid offense. Offense is getting better and better. They're getting healthy. They got their backs, they got their receivers. They play special teams. That's all coaching. When you got three phases, all playing complimentary football, that is a tremendous coaching job. You know that. Coach Meyer, you some. If you ain't a good coach, you ain't gonna have as a good special teams unit, a good coach, great coach, has a good special teams unit, a strong defense, a good offense that all come together and play complimentary football. So he's done an amazing job at BYU. They're 8, 0. They got the holy war against your Utes coming up. Ain't it right, coach?

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, we're gonna talk about that one in a second.

[Mark Ingram]

Big so those are my two guys I got leading the candidacy, the candidacy.

[Rob Stone]

For coach of the year. Just so you remember, the conversation was to pick one guy, and then you guys went rogue and picked two. I'm staying by the rules here, and I got one. I'm a front runner. I'm going. Dan Lanning, what he's done at Oregon with the expectations, said he's been.

[Mark Ingram]

Got them there.

[Rob Stone]

He got them there immediately, man, asap. A couple little offensive line struggles, you know, in those opening weeks, and he sorted that out. Things I look for in a coach, and you guys might look at different cats, but I'm looking at recruiters. I'm looking for motivators, winners and thinkers. All right, so Dan Lanning, 315 overall, 9 and O this season, number one in the AP poll. That's. That's winning, right? Recruiting. Three straight top 10 recruiting classes. They have the number one class right now for 20, 26. So he's got that. We talk about motivating. You know his words, right? All we have to do is go back to pregame last year against Colorado and, you know, the. They're fighting for clicks, we're fighting for wins. Like, I can just tell that dudes get in that locker room, and he's able to instantaneously rally his troops. And then as far as thinking, all right, this dude literally forced a midseason rule changed because he found a timing loophole in that victory over Ohio State. I think Dan Lanning's the complete package. But if I had a vote, it's going up to Bloomington. I think we all kind of agree with what the Hoosiers have been.

[Urban Meyer]

Great candidates though, man. Great choice.

[Rob Stone]

Tremendous. A tremendous year for coaching. I agree with you. Time now for Pick Six, brought to you by BetMGM. Place your Moneyline prop parlay and same game parlay bets at BetMGM. Download the app today. As always, please gamble responsibly. Six games against the spread. Mark's got his deuce deuce dog of the week. He's always trying to steal my dogs. Lately I've noticed. Keep your paws off my dogs, Mark Ingram.

[Mark Ingram]

I don't really love my dogs.

[Rob Stone]

All I know, that's why you keep leaning over to me. Let's start in the Big Ten. Michigan is 5 and 4. Michigan, the defending national champs. 5 and 4 against.

[Mark Ingram]

I said it. Everybody thought I was crazy. Everybody thought I was crazy.

[Rob Stone]

Spread 14 and a half, right? Only five unbeatens remain in FBS. Yes, the Hoosiers are one of them. And this Michigan team, coach, they've dropped three of their last four.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, my gosh. One year difference. Like I said earlier that Indiana had the worst record, the Big Ten, a coach on the chopping block and one of the worst rosters in college football one year ago. And the Wolverines had an all time one of the best teams in recent history, maybe history last year behind a an iconic head coach and you know, arguably one of the top two, three, maybe number one roster loaded with NFL talent. Here you are and IU is now a 14, five point favorite. It's an absolute mismatch on the numbers. But I don't know, I think the Wolverines might keep a little closer just because they do have some talent there. But you know, Wolverines are.500 in league play. Kirk. It's a mismatch. How about this Oregon number or Indiana number two off scoring offense faces the 116th ranked scoring offense. So the number two offense against one of the worst. Yeah, number seven defense. Scoring defense against a team that's outside the top 50 in scoring defense. So this is has a writing on the wall. Fourteen and a half though against the Wolverines. That's a tough cover. Big double. I'm going with my coach of the year candidate. Yeah, they're going to cover that bad boy. I'm going to put Indiana cover in 14 and a half.

[Rob Stone]

Man.

[Urban Meyer]

I went back and 14.

[Rob Stone]

Two. By the way, the signetti T shirts in Bloomington that go with the Marlboro type look and everything. The Sigs so good, man. They've done such Google for that community. Google me, I win. He's not wrong. Two ranked matchups this week, guys. And both of them Courtesy of the SEC. Georgia, 5 and 1 in conference. What a surprise, right? They're tied with the Aggies on top of the SEC third road game as a against a ranked opponent for the Bulldogs this year, right? That is some street cred right there. What they're having to do week in and week out. They came from behind at the half to take care of Florida last week. Coach, you were talking about it on Big Noon. You know what? Georgia are we going to see? Are we going to see the A team of Georgia? Are we going to see the B team of Georgia? Right? The A team is. Is unbeatable. The B team is very beatable. And I think for the first half we saw the B team of Georgia and Florida had the lead. A much improved Florida team. Georgia able to flick that switch and turn it on in the second half again. This though, despite Carson Beckman. These numbers from Carson Beck are really alarming.

[Urban Meyer]

I'm not sure I've ever seen that, Rob. I've never seen this coach candidate.

[Mark Ingram]

Not anymore.

[Rob Stone]

He leads the SEC with 11 interceptions. Carson Beck, 11 picks thrown. He leads FBS over the last four weeks with eight interceptions thrown. And then a totally different story for Ole Miss and their quarterback, Jackson Dart. He's got the number one passing offense in FBS of the season, 377 yards a game. Dart completes almost 72% of his passes, 24 total touchdowns, just three interceptions. You go to last week against Arkansas. Five, 15, six passing touchdowns, zero picks. And then as we mentioned last week, this Ole Miss D guys, it's legit. Number one, number six scoring defense in the FBS. They only allow 13 points a game. The rush defense, number two in FBS allowing under 85 a game. Most sacks in FBS with 41, including 18 sacks in the last two games. It is hotty toddy season down there. Ole Miss, they keep their playoff hopes alive with the home upset over Georgia. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. If you want a piece of that dog, you can have it, Mark.

[Alex Smith]

Or.

[Rob Stone]

Or I could offer you 6 and 2. Alabama, three point favorites. Both programs at 6 and 2. Tigers. They did have a bye week. Lick their wounds after that defeat to Texas A and M. That would have.

[Mark Ingram]

Been an easy dog to take if they were underdogs, right?

[Rob Stone]

I think it's fair to say this is a playoff elimination type game. Two programs, six and Two very much in the mix have. Have great pedigree. And I think the loser of this one is done for the season. How do you see it?

[Mark Ingram]

You are exactly right, Stone. All right, you got that right, Stone. No, but talk about.

[Rob Stone]

I know what you're referencing.

[Mark Ingram]

Got that Rice, Rob. No, but you talk about this game is always just huge, man. This game just always has massive implications. And there's no different this year. Both teams, you said same record, fighting for their College Football playoff lives. And last time they're both coming off a bye week. Oh, how, you know, how fortunate. But I think both teams needed it. You have LSU came off a tough loss to A and M before their bye week. You have Bama, who, you know, struggled trying to get to the bye week with healthy. Just regroup, refocus, and now it's time. And I got Alabama in this one. You know, I got my Crimson Tide in this one. I figured out every way I can to get there. I'm trying to figure out every way I can get there. But I'm telling you the difference. Obviously, we know about they trusting us. Garrett Nessmeyer. This electric offense are going to put up a lot of points. I think it's going to be a shootout, but I think the difference is going to be Jalen Milro. He had a week off to kind of just refocused to re get his confidence, re get his focus. And we saw Marcel Reed for A M have a huge game versus them using his legs on the ground. That was the difference. When A and M came back to beat lsu, it was his ability to change the game with his legs. I think it would be no different for Jalen Milro on the road. Being able to utilize his legs, being able to use his playmake ability to extend plays to get out of trouble and turn bad plays into positive plays and take care of the football. We've been turning the football over. The defense has been playing a lot better, but the offense kind of hadn't met him to this time. Earlier in the year, the offense was playing great. The defense wasn't. Now the defense is playing a lot better and the offense has to catch up. So now after this bye week, hopefully they could bring both things together, mesh both things together and get a win in a tough place in Tiger Stadium in Death Valley at night, one of the toughest venues. That's. That's the toughest venue to play in at night in Death Valley. Them folks ain't going to be playing, man. They going to have Mike the Tiger right there. Outside the. Outside the visitors locker room.

[Rob Stone]

How close do you get to Mike the Tiger when. When you're right there?

[Urban Meyer]

Right there.

[Mark Ingram]

He was right over my shoulder, bro. I'm over here.

[Urban Meyer]

I mean, two feet.

[Mark Ingram]

Let's go. I hit the. I'm like, oh, I'm from Michigan. That's a whole tiger, man. I ain't never seen no targets. It's a hazard right here. But no, I got the Tide taking this one, man. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Bagel Bayou Bangles. Y'all. Y'all ain't been to the playoffs anyway, so. Other than freaking Burrow a while ago, so just let us handle this. Let us.

[Alex Smith]

All right.

[Rob Stone]

Big Noon, Big noon kickoff this week, guys. We are in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech, 6 and 3. Three and a half point favorite over Colorado. That one live on Fox. Buffs. They used their bye week to fire up the Travis Hunter for Heisman campaign. Travis flew out from. I think he was actually in Texas hanging out with Coach prime, doing some fishing. And then they flew him up to Penn State. Joined us on the set. Colorado currently tied for second in the Big 12 standings. Mark, you mentioned it. BYU all alone. Up top. They're tied with Iowa State at 4. 1. The Cyclones took a loss last week.

[Mark Ingram]

How are they undefeated?

[Rob Stone]

No, they're tied with Iowa State.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, yeah. But didn't Iowa State just lose?

[Rob Stone]

They did. They're tied at 4 and 1 in conference play.

[Mark Ingram]

But BYU hasn't lost yet.

[Rob Stone]

I know they're not tied with BYU. BYU is all lone and.

[Mark Ingram]

Oh, okay. My bad.

[Rob Stone]

Colorado's tied with.

[Mark Ingram]

My fault, My fault.

[Rob Stone]

That's all right. That's all right. Listening is hard sometimes.

[Mark Ingram]

It is. So it is.

[Rob Stone]

Colorado. Yeah, just ask your kids. Colorado, they've won five of their last six. The only loss, it was a three point defeat to Kansas State. They don't have any remaining games against ranked opponents, so they got Texas Tech this Saturday. Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma State. The Buffs. Yeah, you bet. They've got a path to the Big 12 championship game and to the playoffs. Yeah, this is legit, guys. This is why we're Big Noon kickoff is heading down to Lubbock to keep an eye on what Texas Tech is. But also Coach prime has got his bucks for the chance to play into the postseason. They're at a really underrated Texas Tech side that upset then unbeaten Iowa State in Ames last week. Here's the dilemma, though. Red Raiders, number one scoring offense in the Big 12, worst scoring defense in the conference, plus multiple turnovers in Four straight games. They have a certified stud at tailback. Taj Brooks. 100 plus rushing yards about Taj. Taj. 100 plus rushing yards in all eight games that he has played this year. He's averaging almost 131 a game. That's second most in the Big 12. Two straight seasons with a thousand yards rushing and 10 rushing touchdowns. Lubbock, man, it's going to be frothy. It's going to be enough frenzy. Big Noon is going to be there and I want to say they pull off the upset but the rest did Buffs with a pathway to the Big Ten title and the playoffs somehow sneak out of Lubbock with the win. Win and cover it. Yeah, right. That's life in the Big 12. Maybe the most entertaining conference this year with just the parody and the chaos.

[Mark Ingram]

I see you showing love to the RB Stow Stoner.

[Rob Stone]

You like that? No, we love that I did that.

[Mark Ingram]

We love to show the best love. I see you.

[Rob Stone]

Hey, let's stay in the Big 12A game. We talked about BYU 8, no. 4 point favorite in Salt Lake City at a Utah team that was picked to win the Big 12 and here they are, 4 and 4. BYU is picked to finish 13th. Control their playoff destiny and it is a monster rivalry game. One that you know firsthand, Coach.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, nasty rivalry game. And BYU is one of those teams, you know, the team that can't be beat, won't be beat is just one of those teams. We saw him score against Oklahoma State on the last play to go win the game. We saw him in person. The energy is big. Salt Lake City is about a 40 minute haul right down a little bit north of Provo. So there'll be a bunch of blue scattered in that beautiful red stadium. As I tried to keep him out of there and I was there but I don't know, man. Like you said, BYU was 13th at preseason pick. My youths were number one. It's been a, you know what show on offense ever since Cam Rising is down. They're averaging 12, you know, 12 points a game. Their quarterback, Isaac Wilson has more turnovers than touchdowns.

[Rob Stone]

Zach Wilson's little brother.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, not. Not very good and then. But the defense of Utah's typical Morgan Scally. He's going to be the, you know, he's going to be the next head coach in waiting for Utah when Kyle decides to step down. They're number one in total defense, number one third down defense, number one red zone defense in the Big 12. So this could be a low scoring affair. BYU's top 25 in both scoring offense, scoring defense. Oh, man. I'm not sure I'll be welcome back in Salt Lake if I don't do it. But I think this is going to be a walk off, low scoring game. And I think Utah covers a spread. It started at four and a half, it's at four. So Vegas might know something. It's going down and I think they take care of the ball today. That quarterback's got to take care of the ball. Very low scoring game and I think BYU might win it, but it's going to be real close.

[Rob Stone]

Speaking of shrinking lines, how about what's happening in Happy Valley right now? Penn State down to a 13 1/2 point home favorite over a 5 and 4 Washington team. Remember last week we were there, Beaver Stadium record crowd saw James Franklin drop his 11th straight top five game. It's a whiteout tonight with or on Saturday night a white out with Washington in town. Mark, how do you see it?

[Mark Ingram]

Man? It was 16 and you know, I didn't like that number. I really didn't like that number. But the 13 kind of, I don't know, it's kind of like right on the cusp for me.

[Rob Stone]

That's what Vegas does. They're good at that stuff.

[Mark Ingram]

Kind of right on the cusp for me. But when I talk about the Huskies, man, they're just a scrappy team and they've lost two. They've lost. They've lost two games by double digits, right? So against Iowa they got punished. And against Indiana they lost by 14. So they're a scrappy team. They can't. They, they, they fought hard and beat USC last week. Then you have. Penn State just had a tragic ending to their game, right? Can't get in from the three yard line, right?

[Rob Stone]

Does this frustration goal.

[Mark Ingram]

Does this frustration carry over and linger a little bit? I think they get the win, but I think the Huskies will play them tough. So I'm gonna take them to cover this spread. I'm gonna take them to cover and therefore that'll be your dog of the week. But what do I know? So please don't put any money on it on my behalf.

[Rob Stone]

You know plenty, man. You're the dude.

[Mark Ingram]

What would I know? I don't know anything.

[Rob Stone]

So you're a high school winner, you're a national.

[Mark Ingram]

My dog's actually a cat. The dog meows. It's a cat dog. So who really knows? There you go.

[Rob Stone]

Here's what we do know. Mark, interesting times at Penn State right now. We mentioned James Franklin, another loss. And then the way it happened last week to Ohio State. And then after the game, he had this interaction with a fan.

[Urban Meyer]

No, you're gonna be man enough to talk. What's your name?

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, ring the bell and then the fan who's talking smack walks away. Listen, we know this happens at high level athletics all the time. It doesn't have to be collegiate or whatnot. It's tough not to have those rabbit ears sometimes, Coach. I can imagine, right, because there are so many things that you guys, players, coaches, staff must hear on the sideline that you just have to kind of look straight ahead and pretend that you haven't heard anything. But I think my advice is always just, Just ignore it and move on. But boy, in the moment, it must be awfully, awfully hard and challenging.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I'm surprised they let him get there. I always had two people with me that would never let me even, because I'd lose my cookies on the person, you know? And James not wrong. You got it. You're a human being. You get it. Right. You get a. Someone swings at you, swing a little harder back. However, his people should have never let him get over there and just keep walking them in. So there's accountability all the way around. You know, head coaches, you can say head coaches get paid a lot of money. I get that. But when media people take unwarranted shots at people and people, you're still a human being. So, yeah, I think people are going to jump all over him and all that. I'm not. He's a. He's a grown man. Grown man don't need to be talked to like that or you're going to have to answer for it. I think the people should never let him get close to that scenario.

[Mark Ingram]

But he was going to ring the bell, right? What's that about? I don't know. Teach me something. What's the bell for?

[Rob Stone]

End of the game, they ring that bell right there.

[Urban Meyer]

Even if you take an L. Yeah. You walk by that bell.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. Well, it wasn't, it wasn't a hefty ring.

[Urban Meyer]

But I'm interested about that. And some people are going to say, oh, he's got to be bigger than that. Wait a minute now.

[Mark Ingram]

He really could have went crazy, man.

[Urban Meyer]

He didn't even say some, you know, hey, you guys stink or something like that. That's different. But you get personal with someone, you got a right to defend yourself. So I think he should avoid that situation altogether and never even get close to that.

[Rob Stone]

Correct.

[Urban Meyer]

And that's to me, I'd meet with administration, said, never let that happen. And then also I'd find out who that human being was. That's saying now, once again, you're you. I guess you buy a ticket for a couple hundred bucks, you can say the team stinks and all that, but you go after someone, you're not welcome in that stadium anymore. You gotta go. So I, I think it's two way street. And I've changed over the years on that. I mean, once again, I'm an older guy now too. Someone takes a swing at you, you swing back only a little.

[Mark Ingram]

Damn right. Damn right. But listen, he didn't even really say nothing crazy. He just said, if you're gonna talk, what's your name? Like he really could have said something crazy, but he didn't. So I'm like, But I imagine me.

[Urban Meyer]

That people are going to take shots at this because they think, well, coaches and players. Wait a minute, wait a minute. Coaches and players, Rob, are human beings.

[Mark Ingram]

Now listen, nobody hurts more than a coach and a player after a loss. I don't care what fan you are, how much money you spent. Nobody cares about winning or losing more than those coaches and those players. So you got something to say out the side of your neck, like you're going to hear about it. People always think like, oh, you can say this to whoever, you could do this to whoever.

[Urban Meyer]

You can't do that.

[Mark Ingram]

Like, no people is no accountability anymore.

[Rob Stone]

Right. Everybody's just like this.

[Urban Meyer]

Same with media. Same with media. When people say stuff that's not, you know, you're like, wait, what, you have.

[Mark Ingram]

A job, but you could do it the right way. Yeah, just look at how we were at Penn State last week in the Kelsey situation. He got on TV and apologized about it last night. I don't think he needed to apologize. But you come over here talking crazy, talking derogatory, talking out the side of your neck to someone who has pride, who is pride about their name, who respects people, treats people the right way, but not gonna let nobody disrespect them, then you got to deal with the consequences sometimes.

[Rob Stone]

And we're. And what are they doing, Mark? They're sitting there with their phones filming. They are, they're literally poking the bear trying to get a reaction out of you for their, for their Instagram hits. Their, their.

[Mark Ingram]

You want to do all this talking to all this tough, and then when something bad happened to you, you want to cry wolf.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

What's the first thing that cat did when he walked away like a scared you know, like a scared rabbit, man.

[Mark Ingram]

Because you really don't want to smoke for real. You really don't want to smoke for real. They talk all this mess and you talk crazy to people behind the phone or on social media like, nah, bro. People as grown men with families that treat people the right way, respect people the right way, but don't handle disrespect the right way. You feel me? I don't handle disrespect the right way. I don't take it lightly. And so when you do stuff like that, man, you gotta. Sometimes you gotta deal with the repercussions of your actions.

[Rob Stone]

Let's just be nice people. Let's be nice and respectful. Simple solution. We don't have to do that. We love college football. We're super passionate about it. Want to remind you we've got.

[Mark Ingram]

But you will get beat up.

[Rob Stone]

Yes, I'll be right behind, Mark. Get him, Mark. We've got some live streams coming up. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel at 3X Options show so you can get alerts every time we go live. We're going live every time those college football playoff rankings come out. You can follow us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts, as well as across social media at 3x option show. Again, please submit those questions. We love to interact with our fans and new episodes come your way every Wednesday. As always, thank you to our sponsors, Wendy's, BetMGM and Zip Recruiter. Enjoy the college football this week.