Andy & Ari On3 - Greg McElroy on CFP Madness | Georgia and Florida State's Push to Playoffs | Boise State OC Joins

Episode Date: December 1, 2023

Championship Week is finally here, and we've got a lot of news and scenarios to sift through before games start. Greg McElroy joins to give his insight on the CFP, Jeff Cameron talks Florida State's matchup vs Louisville, Boise State OC joins before Mountain West Championship, and Jake Rowe talks Georgia vs Alabama.Today's show is brought to you by PrizePicks, the easiest way to play daily fantasy. All first time users that deposit and use the promo code ANDY will receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100. If you deposit $100, PrizePicks will give you $100. If you deposit $50, PrizePicks will give you $50.Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/ivHR/ANDYThank you to Gametime for sponsoring tonight's show. For your last-minute ticket deals, look no further than Gametime. Download the Gametime App and redeem code STAPLES for $20 off your first order. Terms Apply.Want to watch the show instead? Head on over to YouTube, don't forget to subscribe!https://youtu.be/lGuuuReRF3g(0:00-2:57) Intro(2:58-3:18) Curt Cignetti to Indiana(3:19-4:27) Oregon St QB DJ Uiagalelei enters portal(4:28-22:39) Greg McElroy joins to discuss CFP Madness(22:40-40:30) Jeff Cameron from Warchant joins to discuss ACC Championship(40:31-52:43) Boise State OC Bush Hamdan Joins before Mountain West Championship(52:44-1:11:24) Jake Rowe from DawgsHQ (1:11:25) Conclusion, Championship Week AheadFor your most up-to-date, in-depth news on the Florida State Seminoles as they continue their quest for the playoffs, check out Warchant! https://www.on3.com/teams/florida-state-seminoles/To follow the Georgia Bulldogs on their path to their third straight championship, head on over to DawgsHQ!https://www.on3.com/teams/georgia-bulldogs/

Welcome to Andy Staples on three. We are going to get you ready today for conference championship games because I cannot remember a conference championship weekend in the playoff era that had this many games that meant this much. I think they hoped that it would always be like this. It wasn't, but it is with this last gasp of the 14 playoffs. So get ready for a wild weekend because there's a lot of games with a lot on the line and we're going to get you ready for them. We're talking to Greg McIlroy from ESPN. He's calling the big 12 championship game, but obviously you've had fun watching him on those rankings reveal show. He has not been shy about sharing his opinion. His alma mater, Alabama, he played quarterback for them.

Well, they are the agent of chaos in this weekend's games. But there's so much more to talk about. We got to talk about the ACC championship game. Florida State trying to go 13-0. Backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker trying to lead the Seminoles. Jordan Travis not going to be there. They're playing Louisville. If they win, they're 13-0.

They're probably in the playoff, we think. We talked to Jeff Cameron from War Chant about that game. We're going to talk to Bush Hamden, the offensive coordinator for Boise State. Boise State and UNLV in the Mountain West Championship game is a fascinating matchup from a stylistic standpoint, but also because this Boise State staff, well, their head coach got fired three weeks ago.

Andy Abelos got fired after game number 10. They won the next two, won the right to play UNLV in the Mountain West Championship game. So we're going to talk to Bush Hammon about what that's been like. Just been crazy. We've got the American Conference Championship game. Tulane and SMU, if Tulane wins, they are probably going to a New Year's Six Bowl. If they don't win, but Liberty beats New Mexico State, then Liberty could go to New

Year's Six Bowl as a 13-0 team. So much going on this weekend. So much to talk about. We're going to talk to Jake Rowe from Dogs HQ. We haven't gotten the Georgia side of the SEC championship game yet. Alabama, like I said, agent of chaos. Georgia, agent of chalk. But even if Georgia wins, there's still so much that can happen between the Pac-12 championship game, the Big 12 championship game. Obviously, Michigan's playing Iowa. We're pretty sure Michigan's going to win that one in the Big 10 championship game. But who knows? There is so much action this weekend, so much on the line, very high stakes. So we're going to get to that in a second. But first, got some news because the news does not stop this time of year. Just absolutely does not stop. Kurt Cignetti, you saw him on this show a

few weeks ago. Great coach at James Madison. Did an incredible job. Such a good job that there were multiple schools that wanted Kurt Cignetti to be their head coach. Indiana was interested. Duke was interested. Well, he's going to Indiana. So he is your new Indiana coach. Also got some transfer portal news. DJ Uyunglele left Clemson last year.

Went to Oregon State. Led Oregon State to a pretty good season. Well, he's on the move again. And the idea of going pro, I think, is still open. But I'd imagine we see DJ somewhere in college football next season. So that's another transfer portal name to watch. Remember, on Monday, J.D. Piquel, Josh Newberg, and I will be on wall-to-wall basically all day as the transfer portal opens for most of the players.

So mark your calendars. We're going to have big shows on Monday. And of course, before that happens, before that transfer portal opens for most of the players, we will also know who's in the playoff. That's coming on Sunday. So we're going to be coming to you on Sunday as the playoff that's coming on Sunday so we're gonna be coming to you on Sunday as the the playoff teams are being revealed but before that of course they got to play all these conference championship games they start Friday night they go into

Saturday it's going to be spectacular so right now let's talk to Greg McIlroy about all of those scenarios and what is going to happen come Sunday. We are joined now by the great Greg McIlroy from ESPN. Also, Mac and Cube in the morning. You and Cole Kubelik arguing with one another on a daily basis. It's a wonderful thing. But Greg, I want to ask you about something. You said something on the ranking reveal show that I thought was really insightful and had not thought about it this way.

You said you were arguing over whether they take the four best or the four most deserving. And you said it's always been the four that the committee could justify the easiest. Yes. That's the best way to put it. The committee wants to take the path of least resistance,

and I don't blame them. By the way, they're in an impossible situation. And if you really look at it, and I've gone back through years and years and years, and 10 years now, and we haven't really had drama since 2018. Yeah. 2019 was very clear cut.

The number five team was Georgia, who had two losses. 2020 was A&M, who lost by a million to Alabama. 21, there was no drama. Notre Dame was number five. They lost to Cincy, who got in. And 22, there was no drama because Alabama was number five with two losses. So there really hasn't been drama since 2018. And that was when Oklahoma, who was led by Kyler Murray,

they lost by three to Texas in the Red River rivalry game. And they actually avenged their loss in the Big 12 title game. And Ohio State, who was 12-1, Big 10 champs, they were left out because they lost Purdue by 29. So that was really the last time that, that there was drama and there was actually a conversation to be had, but there's never been a time in which they've honored the four best. Yeah. They say that, but that's fine. Like I, same thing I tell my kids, like what you tell me is different than what you do. Like your actions speak so loudly. I can't hear what you say. That's like common vernacular,

right? And the committee's actions, and I'm not saying they're wrong by the way, that's not wrong to me at all. I think it's probably the way I would do it too. How can I tell you right now that, uh, in 2016 USC who had won eight straight when Sam Darnold got put in the lineup, they were one of the four best teams at the end of the year, but they were nine and three. You can't put them in over a one loss Washington team in the same conference. You can't. Penn State, who beat Ohio State, who got in the playoff, but Ohio State had one loss. Penn State had two early in the year, but they were definitely one of the four best teams. They didn't get in because they had two losses. So the committee is going to take the path of least resistance.

And I don't blame them because if you start saying, well, this team's better than this team. Well, that's a very subjective term. And while I think that it'd be easy for us to go about it that way, but here's the problem is you would take Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State, and those four teams would have playoff spots. Right. And then they have to play their way out of the playoff. That's not right. That's not right.

So you're basically saying both Florida State, you've got to earn your way in, but those teams, they have them locked down until they play their way out of the playoff. That's not right. That's not right. So you're basically saying both Florida state, you got to earn your way in, but those teams, they have them locked down until they play their way out. And that's not right. So I I'm totally fine with how the committee handles it. Well, you're right about the lack of drama since 2018. And it feels like unless there's a very specific set of circumstances, there will be some drama this year, whether it's deciding between one loss Oregon, if they beat Washington and one loss Texas, if they beat Oklahoma state and everybody else goes chalk, or if there's that nuclear option in Alabama beats Georgia. And all of a sudden you got to figure out how the heck you're going to order this thing. Yeah. And I think a lot of

people are, so no one, there have been three examples of which a team has lost. The conference championship game has still made the playoff. It's actually happened each of the last three years. ECU last year, Georgia the year before, yep. Yep, and then the year before that, that was 2020 Notre Dame.

Yeah, so Notre Dame was the other one. So it's happened three times, but no team that started at one has ever moved out. And I think Georgia runs that risk if they lose because the committee has told us a few things already there's things that we know for certain based on what the committee has done at this point one the committee thinks Oregon's better than Texas right I personally think there's a debate to be had there but the committee won't acknowledge it so my opinion does not matter it doesn't it just doesn't it matters to me greg and then so i want to ask you this because i feel the same way like the assumption that oregon gets in if they beat washington but texas doesn't if they're a 12 and one champ does still doesn't make sense to me because like

oregon as good as they've been and they've been been great lately, like Texas' win against Alabama is better than any win they have. Now, if Oregon beats Washington, they'll have a win like that too, but it'll still be kind of even, and Texas' strength of schedule will be very high. You've got the Texas-Oklahoma State game. What can Texas do in the Big 12 championship game to give itself a chance to be in the conversation? I don't think they can do anything. I think they have to win, obviously, and just hope for chaos. I think Texas needs, and I've tried to make it as clear as possible, mostly because I deal with Alabama fans so regularly. Here is the clearest path. You go line by line. Georgia winning in, Michigan winning in, Washington winning in,

Florida State winning in, Oregon winning in. Those teams are all winning in. The committee has told us that. The committee has said that Oregon is better than Texas. I would offer up a debate there. Not saying that I would win the debate. I just think there needs to be a debate that's had. I wouldn't even push back against Oregon. I think they're amazing. I think they're a great football

team and a dominant football team. So if they get in, I have no problem at all. But the committee has already told us that they are better than Texas, which I'm fine with. I get. And the committee has also said that head to head matters. That's why Texas is in front of Alabama. And honestly, can't push back on that. That makes sense they played that makes sense to me i don't have any problems with that i know it's 12 weeks ago i i get all that i know the teams can change you get better i understand that um but i i can i can consume that i can understand that so here's pretty clear top five teams are winning in uh skip ohio state for a moment texas needs one upset uh one and i'm not talking about washington over oregon I'm not talking about Washington over Oregon.

I'm not talking about that. Pac-12 winners in. Yeah, you need Louisville to beat Florida State. You need Louisville to beat Florida State. You need Bama to beat Georgia. One or the other. The Bama beating Georgia thing, though, I have, and maybe it's just me having watched everybody,

and that's another of your actions, because it feels like Alabama always gets some benefit of the doubt. Georgia has now moved into the benefit of the doubt territory. I still think if Alabama beats Georgia, they, they just snow globe this sucker and, and shake it up and say, okay,

we're going to put Alabama in because they're, they're the sec champ and they beat the team. We think it's the best team. And then we're going to put Texas in because they beat Alabama. And you just sort of figure it out from there. That's not what they should do. It's what they will do. Right.

So I don't disagree with, with any of you. I have a hard time envisioning a scenario. Like if you want the four best to me, the four best teams, I would take the winner of the SEC champ. I would take Michigan. I would take the winner of the SEC champ. I would take Michigan. I would take the winner of the pack 12 and I would take Texas. Like I think those are the four best teams, but

it's not the four best teams. You cannot tell me that Florida state has not earned a right to play for the championship. They have, they have earned that right. Do I think they're one of the four best teams? If they played Texas, I would pick Texas. If they played Bama, I would pick Bama. If they played Texas, I would pick Texas. If they played Bama, I would pick Bama. If they played Georgia, I would pick Georgia. If they played Ohio state, I'd probably pick Ohio state,

but I cannot in good conscience while still having tremendous respect for the regular season, say that Florida state doesn't deserve a chance. They absolutely deserve a chance. And we haven't seen an undefeated power five conference champ left out. That's not going to happen. Like I don't, we await, we have wasted more time on the playoff show

in talking about, well, what if Florida State, they don't have their quarterback? We're wasting time. They're going to get in. And they should. They should. I mean, if we hold the sanctity of the college football regular season,

because it is, to me, the college football regular season is like a sacred event. It's so important. It's so valuable. And the results have to matter. Florida State won all their results. And they did not play a schedule that was comparable to Liberty. Right. They played against an LSU team that they dominated.

They played against a Clemson team that has gotten better and better and better and beat them at their place. Florida State doesn't have a terrible resume at all. Now, I think they have been flown. I think they're inconsistent, but I also acknowledge that they're a team that's undefeated. Ultimately, I don't care if you win by one or 100. If you win the games, you deserve credit. I think Florida State is absolutely in complete control of their own destiny, which is why Texas needs help, which is why Alabama needs help. But in the event in which Louisville beats Florida State, then I think Texas and Alabama will get in, in the event that Bama beats Georgia. And I think Georgia would be left out in that scenario. I think Georgia would be five, followed closely by the loser of the Pac-12 title game, followed closely by Florida State,

followed closely by Ohio State. So I was on the radio with Rick Neuheisel on Thursday, and he brought this up, and I hadn't thought about it. But if somebody just said, let's do the 12 team right now, like who says no? Like tell the committee, Hey guys, don't worry. We're not going to get mad at you until you get to number 11. Well, yes, I understand that. Uh, I've always said that what we should do as a sport, but I'm, you know, logistically speaking and getting home fields ready and bowl tie-ins and all that stuff. I've always said we should expand or contract the

playoff based on teams that are qualified. So in this particular case this year, and we'll see how the results play out this weekend, but let's just get rid of conference championship games. And there's eight teams with one or zero losses. Well, this would be a year in which there should be an 18 playoff. Uh, maybe some years there's 10, maybe some years there's six, maybe some years there's four, maybe some years there's two, but we should expand and contract accordingly based on what the teams have done up to that point to be in position to potentially win a championship. So not all schedules are created equal. So, you know, maybe there's a two loss team that we should consider one year, but if you pass some type of, you know, I'm sure there's some metric for this. If you are beyond a certain metric, you're in the playoff. If you're

below the metric, the playoff cuts off. So it might have nine teams one year, might have five teams one other year. And then guess what? If there's five teams, the first overall seed gets a buy and then two through five play each other in a little round robin. So the first team gets two buys or whatever, and then you rock and roll. To me, it seems, or you have the four or five play each other and then the first three teams get a buy. And then you have a four teamteam playoff from there. So I don't feel like it's that difficult, but I think that obviously. That sound you hear is Greg's bosses at ESPN having panic attacks simultaneously. Well, you want to talk about the playoff ranking show going up,

like in a trajectory and in some type of crazy parabolic uptick, that would do it. But it's not a realistic thing. But this year is a unique year. I mean, this is the first time we've had this many teams that are qualified. And whether you want to disqualify teams at this point or not is up to you.

But there really are. I think there are eight teams that deserve at least a conversation to make the playoff, including that of Ohio State, because if it's the four best, depending on how things shake out this weekend, they could find their way in too. There is a path. There's definitely a path.

Greg, thank you so much. I know that you're a Southlake Carroll Dragons legend returning to the Lone Star State, returning to the Metroplex. So have fun this weekend. Yeah, South Lake Carroll. I think we play Byron Nelson tomorrow in the fourth round of the playoffs. So hopefully the Dragons will hold serve. Thank you, Greg.

See you, bud. I kind of like Greg's flex playoff idea. Like maybe this year it's seven teams. Maybe this year it's nine teams. Maybe this year it's nine teams. Maybe this year it's eight. I think that'd be fun. But again, I don't think his bosses at ESPN would appreciate that. They kind of like a sure thing. They kind of like knowing what the number is going to be. So I think, I think they're probably going to stick with 12 going forward and man, I can't wait until it's 12, but right now it is four and it is going to be

probably a little complicated for the committee. And it's kind of up to Greg's alma mater how complicated it's going to be. So we'll see if the Crimson Tide can beat Georgia and turn this weekend into a nightmare for the members of the college football playoff selection committee. It'll be a dream for you though, watching these games. And if you're playing PrizePix, PrizePix is the most fun daily fantasy platform in America. I'm looking through the blocks for this weekend, the squares that you can pick this weekend.

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basically the amount of squares you pick is how many times you can increase your money. So you can go up to 25 times your money if you are feeling like you are a real expert. But there's a lot of great college football options this weekend. I can tell you right now, these guys think the Pac-12 championship game is going to be a shootout. Bo Nix's number for passing yards, 326 and a half. So that's a, you can pick more than or less than Michael Penix Jr., Washington quarterback, his passing yardage number 300 and a half. If these two QBs combine for 600 yards in this game, it is going to be a blast to watch. And if you have those two squares on prize picks, you're going to be enjoying that shootout. Another guy to watch, Diogo Pavia, New Mexico State. We

saw him whipping up on Auburn a couple of weeks ago. His number for passing yards only 169 and a half. So that could be a fun one in the Conference USA championship game. The rushing and receiving yard combo. You're going to hear a little bit about Ashton Gentry later in the show when we talk to Bush Hamden. So Ashton Gentry is the Boise State running back who also is very dangerous catching the ball out of the backfield. So his combo rushing receiving yard total for the Mountain West Championship game is 113.5. Ollie Gordon for Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship game, 125.5. We'll see how big a game he can have as Oklahoma State has to deal with that monster defensive line at Texas. Bucky Irving in the Pac-12 Championship game, 133.5.

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some of my instincts are not great. And some of your advice is very good. I can't promise I'll listen, but I will do my best. And I think you guys can probably help me out a little bit. So be watching Andy underscore Staples on Twitter and we'll do our prize picks squares together. All right, we got to talk more conference championship games. The ACC title game, very big. Everybody's going to be watching this one Saturday night, especially if Georgia and Texas have already won. If Georgia's won, we know Georgia's in and Alabama's out.

We know that Michigan's probably in, though that game will be going on simultaneously. But we know if they beat Iowa, they're in, and they're probably going to beat Iowa. We will know the result of the SEC championship. We will know the result of the Big 12 championship. So if Texas has won, we'll obviously know the result of the Pac-12 championship, though I don't think it matters who wins, that team probably in. Based on Oregon being two spots ahead of Texas right now, I think Texas probably needs Florida State to lose this game if Texas wants

to get in. Florida State, meanwhile, they want to win this game, get in 13-0, but there's also the fear that if Alabama were to beat Georgia, does that get a Florida State-Georgia comparison that suddenly 13-0 might not be good enough. We will find out. Jeff Cameron from War Chant joins us to explain what is going on with the Seminoles right now, how healthy are they or aren't they, and can Tate Rodemaker pull off a Cardell Jones here in the ACC title game? Here's Jeff. Joined now by Jeff Cameron from WarCh.com the original Florida State team site the greatest Florida State team site the best Florida State coverage anywhere Jeff you're headed to Charlotte for the ACC championship game any nerves on the Florida State side from Mike Norvell and company

because it's weird they have a chance to go 13 and 0 and normally you'd be saying okay 13-0 team no problem they're in the playoff don't even worry about it but it feels like they might even still need to worry they might still need to score style points here it's weird isn't it I don't know what to make of that I I understand that Florida State does not look like one of the four best teams in the country. But at some point, Andy, the games have to count for something, right? They have to matter. I feel like it's been strange. You know, I get it. I know that I've watched teams before, not named Florida State, for example, be ranked second or third and thought to myself around a bunch of other football folks, is that team really very good? Is that team any good? You know, they've had a key injury here or

there. But it's not as if the schedule's awful awful and Florida State's won all their games. I don't know that they're nervous because I don't think that they would be left out if they go undefeated. I also know that it's okay to say if you're from the outside, I don't think Florida State's one of the best four teams. That doesn't make you a bad person. It might make you angry if you're a Florida State fan, but I don't think it's a crazy thing to assess or to posit. I just think that, you know, when you have a road win against Clemson, nobody else beat Clemson on the road. If you beat Louisville, who trounced Notre Dame, I might add,

and if we're going to give Ohio State credit for beating Notre Dame, well, then goodness gracious. And, of course, Florida State beat LSU in a way that nobody has. Andy, LSU got dominated in the second half of that football game. James Daniels hasn't looked like that against anybody. So I just don't think you could leave him out. Well, the other part of this is they got to win this game. They got to beat Louisville.

And here, I don't know what Louisville is going to show up. You just mentioned Louisville trouncing Notre Dame. That's the same team that trounced Notre Dame in the following week lost to Pittsburgh that's the same team that has lived dangerously at some points and then just threw up all over itself against Kentucky but there's a version of Louisville that can come blow the doors off teams and that's the part that I if I'm Florida State you probably watch that Notre Dame film and you're like, okay, we are taking this very, very seriously. Well, they've got good players and they've got a veteran quarterback. I think Jack Plummer's a good player.

Do I think he's elite? No. But is he good enough? Absolutely. And then I think the two running backs are talented. They've got guys, you know, and they're well coached. I mean, that's the other thing. I think the world of Braum as a coach, I kept thinking when he was at Purdue, it's going to happen.

Louisville will get their guy. And when they do, they're going to be in contention for the ACC title. I didn't know that it would happen in year one, but I think certainly a lot of people recognize who he is as a coach. It's a great opportunity for Louisville. Florida State is kind of limping across the finish line. And so you do see kind of the oddity of this game. If this is the healthy version of Florida State six weeks ago, I think most Knolls are looking at this game as, hey, look,

Louisville's a good team, they're well coached, but if we play well, Florida State will win the game comfortably. But I don't think they look at the game that way right now because it's not just Jordan Travis, which is of major significance. But they've missed their two tackles on offense. Most of the year, their left tackle on the right tackle haven't played in weeks. Their starting center has been ravaged with injury. He keeps going out there because Marie Smith is tough, but they've had receivers go down. They've had backup receivers go down. They've had issues for the last four to five weeks that really, I think, explains a lot

of the inconsistency. Well, and also getting the ball to those guys like Keon Coleman. I saw Mike got asked about this week. Do you target him more? And a lot of it is they've got to figure out a way to get those guys the ball from Tate Rodemaker with an offensive line that's kind of being patched together. Yeah, and it seems they've started to take some things away and made Florida State try to win the game in a fashion that, you know, it's the old Bill Belichick, right? We're going to make you play left-handed. You're going to have to beat us doing something other than hitting us

over the top with Keon Coleman. Everybody knows Keon Coleman lit LSU up. He lit a lot of teams up. But after a while, people go, well, you're not going to light us up. And you're going to have to settle for underneath or you're going to have to run the ball. And it's hard to run the ball when you lose one of the most dynamic running quarterbacks in the country if he chooses to run in Jordan Travis. It's hard to run the ball when your starting left tackle goes down for most of the year. It's hard to run the ball when later on the right tackle goes down for the last three weeks. Hard to run the ball when later on the right tackle goes down for the last three weeks.

It's hard to run the ball when your center gets hurt. And so all of a sudden, Florida State kind of finds themselves in a tough position. How do I get the ball to Keyon Coleman if they're going to double him or bracket him? And a shade of safety, certainly, at the very least. How am I going to get the ball to Johnny Wilson, who everybody knows about, certainly?

Even at tight end, Andy, where they do have two really good options, Jaheim Bell's been battling an ankle injury for some time now, and you can see he's not nearly as explosive as he was the first seven weeks of the season. So I think even those options are the kids that are playing, are playing at a lesser percentage of their, you know, their overall physicality. So it's been, it's been tough.

You can see they're searching. They've been doing a lot of searching in game. And the, the benefit that Florida state has really worked under is that this defense got better every week. Yeah. Now, some of that is the competition, backup quarterbacks, et cetera, but they are doing things to opposing offenses that are criminal. You look at some of those numbers from about the midway of the second quarter on of games after those adjustments happen, teams go from five yards of play, six yards of play to 1.7 yards of play. It's been that drastic. So kudos to Fuller and that crew because they've kind of carried the day on the back end of the schedule. How important is Trey

Benson been down the stretch? Well, you know, he's a kid that at the start of the year, the expectation was that he'd rush for 1,300 yards, 1,500 yards. He's an NFL back. We both know, right? I mean, you're talking about a kid who's 225 pounds and runs like the wind blows. In the open field, nobody catches him. So he can run you over or run away from you. Patience was a problem for him the last year.

So going into the season, they thought, okay, on these outside zone plays, on these counters, when they run duo, when they do these kinds of things, can you be patient and let this line set it up? And he was really efforting to do that for much of this season. And at times I thought he looked betwixt and between, Andy. I thought he looked like a kid who didn't know, should I hit the hole? I'm a big, strong back and just go? Or should I be patient and, you know,

Le'Veon Bell this thing, kind of try to figure it out? And I think the last few weeks he's found the right balance. There have been moments in short yard situations where he's hit it and he's got the yard to gain and he's running people over. And then there's been time where he let it set up. He got outside. And that's when you see those big plays, those 40-yard runs, those 60-yard runs. So he's been absolutely critical to their success

because the offense hasn't been able to throw it around the lot as much as they did early in the season. And you've got Tate Rodemaker throwing it now. He's had a start under his belt against Florida. The comparison we keep making, because we've only seen this once in the playoff era, is Cardell Jones at Ohio State where JT Barrett gets hurt against Michigan. Cardell Jones has to come in and play the Big Ten Championship. They win 59 to nothing, and it's like, oh, okay, they'll be fine.

With Tate Rodemaker, it was a little dicey for a half against Florida. It did feel like in the second half, though, he got into a little bit of a rhythm. I think the 90-yard drive that kind of got them going and they finally got points on the board settled him down. But there's no getting around this. He's got to play better. He's got to see it sooner.

He's got to get the ball out quicker. That safety was egregious. He looked saucer-eyed as he came to the sideline in the first half a couple times, like the game was moving too fast for him. It can happen. The Swamp, I know the kind of season Florida's had, but they were fired up for that game. It's a rivalry game at night, and Florida State was having a hard time getting their sea legs on offense, and the crowd just got louder and louder, and I think the other part of that was everything that could go wrong early went wrong the aforementioned Trey Benson inexplicably thinks

he's in middle school all of a sudden and tries to reverse field 20 yards on a second and six run it's now third and 17 you know it made no sense and it took Florida State they tried to screen after that that Florida knew was coming next thing you know by the time they get the ball back they get it on their own 10 there's a penalty so I anything that could go wrong went wrong for Tate but that's not making excuses because he's got to be better and I think he will be better now the one caveat to that statement is it's supposed to pour on Saturday in Charlotte yeah so I don't know what either team's going to look like if that happens. They're talking about wins and a lot of rain. It could really make all of this conversation moot

in terms of schematically what you want to do. Well, slippery track does tend to favor the offense, though, and that's probably better for Tate because it slows down Ashton's a lot and Mason Rieger. Those are – I mean, that's one of the better pass rushing duos in the country. And that's – like, he didn't see that level of pass rush against Florida and he's going to see it on Saturday.

Yeah, he will. And again, if those tackles aren't out there for Florida State, I think that's got to be a big worry. I think this has been, again, I described it as limping across the finish line. I think you get this kind of a cool situation where they've been able to win games. They've had the undefeated season. Now you got a chance to win the conference championship. And at

various points of the year, depending on injury, depending on the matchup at the time, different segment groups have had to win the game for Florida State. And that really became amplified once Jordan Travis went down, obviously. And so you just, you know, I don't, I tell Florida State fans, like, on paper, I'm not real sure this looks like a team that could win a playoff game, but could they finish this mission out? Could they win the ACC and go 13-0 and the rest is kind of gravy?

Yeah, I think they could because they've had to do it in different ways all season. So they'll have to help those kids on the edges if that's the case. Well, let me ask you this though, is banged up in there. Obviously Jordan Travis isn't coming back because of the severity of that injury. Yeah. But let's say they win this game and they make it into the 14 field. How much healthier are they on New Year's Eve? Yeah, that is the thing, right? You do have some

New Year's Day. Excuse me. Yeah. New Year's Day. Yeah. You do have some time, right? I think, well, i'll tell you this i think that they would get both tackles back by then they now listen there's a chance we're told and you know how coaches couch this and there's only so much we're allowed to say for those of us that are at practice you know there's certain limitations on what you can report and they're they're careful about injuries as they should be um but both coaches alex adkins and mike norvell said this week that there's a chance the tackles play this week, that maybe Robert Scott gets a start, and that maybe, bless Harris,

they weren't sure. They said game time decision. Earlier in the year when they said that, I thought that's code for they're not playing. But this time around, I'm not so sure. I'll put it that way. This time around, I'm not so sure. One of those two tackles may be back for certain and maybe both. So the point I guess I would make is that they're close, right? Either way, they're close. So if they're that close, then you would think by the time if they were fortunate enough to win this game and go on to the playoff that both those guys would be back.

And that makes a huge difference, obviously. Now you can run some of the deeper routes, some of the slower developing plays that they were running earlier in the season, because you know your quarterback is not going to be under duress. I mean, those are two really good tackles. So it's a big deal. Well, and also, if they're close to being ready to play, if you're making that decision, this is a do or die-die situation. You've got to play him. This game. And you get a month off afterward. So it absolutely does feel like if you're leaning that way, if they're leaning that way, if the medical people are leaning that way,

then you may see him. And that, as you said, makes a huge difference. I think every Florida State fan traveling to Charlotte, if you're watching pregames, I mean, that's the first thing they're going to do. Because they know Jordan Travis isn't coming out of the tunnel. So put that aside. Go look at your left tackle and go look at your right tackle in warm-ups. If it's Bless Harris at right tackle and Robert Scott at left tackle, smile.

You're going to feel pretty good. Well, and I think you're right. I I mean we talk about Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson a lot of their success depends on the quarterback having enough time for them to get down the field so that they're in a you're in a position to throw to them and so for Tate Rodemaker he needs enough time to do that if Scott and Harris are out there there's a real good chance he has that time and he's got a cannon that's the one thing he's got a very good arm he's got a better he's a better arm than Travis right he does yes he does he has a better arm than Jordan Travis he throws the deep ball better than Jordan Travis it is there are times

of practice I've said this before maybe on here Andy I where you walk out of practice and you go I think take Rodemacher Rodemacher had the better day now there's so much more to playing quarterback right and just throwing a beautiful deep ball but there are days when that's going on where he is just putting it in a basket and it's on a line and you go oh my that's that's NFL and then there are days like the first half of the Florida game where you go kids is not seeing it it's too fast for him he's patting the ball all the tellale signs. The feet are getting a little anxious. And you're going, man, this isn't it. So you get great Tate and terrible Tate. You don't get a lot in between.

Well, here's hoping for the Seminoles' sake, they get great Tate on Saturday in Charlotte. But you're right. It may be a slop fest. It may come down to who can run the ball better and who can tackle better. Yeah, defense has been really good for Florida State, so who knows? I guess everybody who's of the sporting mind, you may be looking at the under here if we get that kind of weather. I know at the beginning of the week, it was looking at like 49 and a half, something like that, two-point spread, so it's a game where the experts think it's going to be very close.

I do too. And it could be close and a lot lower scoring game than we anticipated if we're going to have rain throughout. Jawar, Jordan, and Trey Benson, very, very important people on Saturday night. Jeff Cameron, thank you so much. Thanks, Andy. Good to talk to you, buddy. Jeff Cameron is on his way to Charlotte to see the Seminoles and the Cardinals in potentially very bad weather.

Watch the weather in that one. Watch the weather because that could have a big effect on that game. Now, maybe you want to see a game in a dome. Maybe you want to go to the SEC championship game. Maybe we're in the Big 12 championship game and not get rained on. But maybe you want to go to the SEC championship game. Maybe we're in the big 12 championship game and not get rained on, but maybe you want to go, go to the ACC championship game, brave the elements.

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Also, the holidays are coming up. Maybe you want to get Rolling Stone tickets for that special someone. Maybe you want to get Heiress Tour tickets, Taylor Swift, for that special someone. Go to game time. They have tickets for things you didn't think you could get tickets for. And when that person finds out that you got them tickets, well, they're going gonna love you even more next up we're gonna talk about one of the most fascinating conference championship games this

is not going to determine who goes to the playoff but it's just really interesting because one of the teams we didn't expect to be there and in fact I don't think their own administration expected them to be there because they fired the head coach a few weeks ago. That's right. Boise State, 10 games into the season, head coach Andy Avalos gets fired. What do the Broncos do? They win their next two, and now they are in the Mountain West Championship game against UNLV. Next up, Boise State offensive coordinator Bush Hamden, who has some experience coaching against UNLV head coach Barry Odom in his defense. This is going to be a really fun matchup and a potentially very special game for these Boise State players because they've dealt with a whole bunch. This coaching staff's dealt

with a bunch. Nobody knows what's going to happen after this weekend, but they know they got one more game and one chance to win a conference championship and man what a memory that would be here's bush hamden we welcome boise state offensive coordinator bush hamden and bush i'm gonna i'm gonna fill the folks in on on what has gone on with you guys the last three weeks because it's one of the more amazing stories you'll see in college football. You guys were 5-5. Your head coach, Andy Avalos, gets fired. You guys then, interim coach Spencer Dannison,

you guys on the staff, lead the team to two wins, win your way into the Mountain West Championship game, and you guys were about to play UNLV for the Mountain West Championship. What has it been like these past few weeks with these players? And, you know, how do you even explain everything to them? Yeah, I mean, I really think you said it, Andy. I think it's a testament to the players first and foremost. You know, they're in a situation where there's certainly been a lot of change,

but their ability to stay focused, certainly proud of our staff as well. You know, I think it's a situation where you kind of just got everybody in their rooms and trying to stay focused and do what it takes to be successful. And we really feel we're playing our best ball right now and excited about this opportunity. Well and you played at Boise State and were you know part of those teams that really helped build the foundation for what Boise State became you were you were on the team that won the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma and and you know saw all this getting built what would it mean to bring a conference title back to Boise State for the first time since 2019? It would be huge. It really would. I mean, I think it's something where, again, just that's always the goal. You know, I think in a lot of schools, it always starts

with winning the conference championship. And to be in this position for me being an alum, I'm not sure there's anywhere else I'd rather be for these next two weeks just to finish this thing strong and put a band back up. So you talked about everybody in their rooms, making sure their players trust them and make sure everybody stays focused. What was that first week, the week of the Utah State game? You get the news on that Sunday. how do you handle that with the players yeah i thought spence did a great job i really do i mean i think uh uh he asked the team for two weeks and uh you know the focus is obviously always one day at a time but but we knew what it was there was no way around it we needed two weeks of the best

ball and and uh staying with us and and i think that's that's how it started and then obviously uh with a with a little help we kind of won us the third week and so it's just it's amazing how our whole year has kind of gone and we thought we've played good football we've kind of been right there and and to be where we're at right now get in the championship game have a chance to go win this thing is again, a testament to our players and we're ready to roll. And your offense, you had a nice little streak of 30 plus point games going. Air Force broke it, but I'm sure you'll take the win because you had one more point than they did and that's all that really mattered. But what has this group been like to

coach with? Ashton Gentry has been a revelation. For those who don't know, Ashton is a running back who is a multi-purpose weapon. He, you can, you know, you can hand it to him and he can score, you can throw it to him and he can score. And he's, he's tough to game plan for. Yeah, there's no doubt. We've certainly had a lot of moving parts this year, you know, so we feel we're battle-tested. We really started spring with not just Ashley Gentee, but George Helani, another running back of ours, who's an extremely talented player.

We lost George early in the process. We probably played seven different offensive linemen up front, two different quarterbacks. We've lost three or four of our wide receivers. And so, again, I think it's, you know, at this level, you know, the veterans, you expect them to play at a high level, and our veterans have. But they've really done a nice job with developing the younger guys here, and it's a testament to the staff.

You know, Nate Potter, a run game coordinator, keen jimmy montgomery our running back coach uh it's an offense it's been a top 10 rushing offense in the country and uh and and it always starts there with us and i'm proud of those guys you mentioned having played two quarterbacks you had talon green and maddox madson the freshman talon it looked like had a really efficient day against Air Force. What was clicking for him? Yeah, I just think you kind of mentioned it. It comes back to consistency for him. You know, he's one of those players that just regular base calls can turn into explosives, and he actually just did the simple stuff better, and that's what we've preached to him so much over the course of this year, take what the defense gives him.

And if he can play efficiently like that, he's also got the chance to take any play to the house, and that's what makes him special. You've been, you know, bounced around in the coaching world like most coaches have. You've been in a lot of situations. But I heard you say something in a press conference yesterday about how if this were 10 years ago which you were a very young coach 10 years ago that you would have had a problem focusing on the now we would have been worried about okay what's next how does being in all

these different situations as a coach help you deal with all right i don't know what's going to happen next week, but I know we can win a game right now. Yeah, I think it's like anything, right? Just getting that experience is invaluable. But for me, I think so much, especially this time of year, whether it's guys interviewing for other jobs, head coaching opportunities, you're always going to look back at these moments and these are going

to be the ones you remember. And I think with this team, we've certainly had plenty of Boise State teams that have, you know, had those dream years where they're 9-0, 10-0 going into these games. For this team, it's been a battle, you know, but I also think that's part of their legacy. You know, you got a chance where you had a tough non-conference schedule to start the year. You've battled. You got beat on a Hail Mary. You got beat on a blocked field goal. And now all of a sudden you're in a situation where it wasn't perfect.

But this could be one that these guys remember for a long, long time. The other thing that I find incredible, not just the winning the way you have after the firing, you guys have been recruiting pretty well since then. You've added commitments to the class, and every coach will tell you that you just keep doing your job. But there are levels to that, and it seems like you guys have gone above and beyond. Yeah, I think Boise is a great place. And I think certainly a lot of the recruits, when they come and they get this experience, that they know what they're getting. Obviously, too, I think, you know, from the position coaches, the job they've done to develop those relationships,

obviously I think a lot of those players are waiting to see what happens. But it always comes down to relationships. This place has been a special, special place for many years, and I think a lot of those guys see that so you told him give give us two weeks what do you what do you say to those guys like when you got your your offense together on on saturday what do you say to them yeah it's been it's been a lot of emotions you know it really has for for probably the last couple weeks but uh you know i think it think it's twofold. I think for them, they're certainly the part of, hey, there needs to be a certain level of swagger.

There's good players. We've got all-conference players here. We feel we've got, again, a running back that's one of the best in the country. So it's that mixture of, hey, you need to play with that kind of swagger but still have that chip on your shoulder. And I think we look at this outside these walls four or five weeks ago, there weren't a lot of people believing. There weren't a lot of people with us.

And so it's important for those guys to take that kind of chip into this game, close things off, if you will, stay focused, and go get it done. Well, and this will be such a fun game too because you run a really fun offense. Brennan Marion on the other side, the OC at UNLV, runs a fun offense. And you and Barry Odom, the head coach at UNLV, know each other pretty well, too, because he was at Missouri, went to Arkansas. You go to Missouri, and you end up playing him three times between Missouri and Arkansas. So you're very familiar with his defense.

He's very familiar with your offense. What's that going to look like? Yeah, obviously got a great amount of respect for Barry, not just from a football schematic standpoint, but who he is. And it'll certainly be interesting. I think I probably called my old boss this morning, Coach Drinkwitz, and said, hey, man, you got any pointers on facing this stuff multiple times? And they do a great job.

We're excited for this opportunity. I know they are as well. And we hope it's a great game. Well, and what would it mean to hang that banner, given everything that's happened? I would think that's one of those that even if you go on and coach 30 more years, this would probably be one of the most memorable seasons ever, right? Yeah, I think so, man. I look back at like some of even the great years here we had at Boise State,

the Fiesta Bowl year. Everybody talks about that, but nobody really talks about the year before, you know, where you went through some ups and downs, but you persevered through it and put yourself in those situations. This is a young team for sure with a lot of room to grow. But I really believe, you know, we get this thing done. This will be one of the, you know, more proud coaching moments for this group that maybe they've been through.

And I know that, you know, you guys would like to stay if it's possible. And I heard you say when someone asked you about what happens next, it felt like there's a lot of this roster that needs to stay at Boise State and you could kind of build on it. But is that – do you just feel like, you know, you and Spencer and the rest of the staff are just putting the resume out Saturday? Yeah, you never know. I just think the landscape of college football has certainly changed so much. And the coaches are important, but the players are really important.

And so I think, you know, when I made that comment, I just think about certainly a large group of these players that love Boise that can impact players for many years to come. You know, it's important for those guys to stay here. It really is. This is a tremendous place. And, again, I think it goes back to what you said, just focusing on the now. We really want no regrets.

It doesn't matter where we're at three weeks from now. We hope it's in Boise. If it's not, we hope to land on our feet somewhere. But this is an opportunity like you said to go win a conference championship which hasn't been done till since 2019 regardless what happens i think we can look ourselves in the mirror and be proud of that well we will all be watching and uh and good luck to you guys because it's it's been incredible to watch these last few weeks that team come together and and galvanize so good luck one more time. Andy, I appreciate you, man.

Thank you, Bush. All right, brother. See you. That's Bush Hamden getting ready to coach against UNLV for the Mountain West title. And then we'll see what happens next. Nobody knows what's going to happen with Boise State, with the head coaching job, what's going to happen to the staff, are the players going to enter the portal? Nobody knows, but they got this game right now. Another team that is concentrating on the now, the Georgia Bulldogs, because there is no guarantee if they lose to Alabama that

they're in the playoff. Two years ago, they felt pretty safe and comfortable going into an SEC championship game against Alabama that even if they lost, they'd still be in the playoff. It does not feel that certain this year. So a little different circumstance for the two-time defending national champs who are trying to become the first team to three-peat since the 30s. Jake Rowe from Dogs HQ joins us to talk Georgia. We welcome Jake Rowe from Dogs HQ. Let's talk some dogs. We've talked some Tide already this week, but huge matchup in Atlanta in the SEC Championship game.

Jake, we've seen this party before. We've also seen it where Alabama was coming off a very tough win against a much worse Auburn team. And Georgia knows how that went the last time. So I imagine everybody's on high alert in Athens. Yeah, for sure, man. And Georgia's coming off an unimpressive win as well. I mean, they weren't in as much peril as Alabama was in Auburn.

But like Kirby Smart said, he's like, Hey, don't, don't try to talk to me about the Auburn game. I've played there before. So it's, yeah, I mean, it was, it was in a lot of ways, a very similar ball game. Georgia just, you know, was able to kind of close it out earlier in the fourth quarter and hold on defensively. But listen, I've got a lot of, of, you know, downright love and admiration for the way Alabama's gone about its business this year. I mean, piecing it together. I was one of the guys telling Georgia fans earlier this year when they lost to Texas and struggled against South Florida, I was like, man, listen, let that dirt stay in your shovel. Keep that dirt in the wheelbarrow,

let it sit in the pile. Don't start throwing it on Alabama because it will be wasted energy. They're going to figure it out. And lo and behold, they have. And now Georgia's got to contend with a football team that got a lot better. And Georgia did too. How healthy is Georgia relative to last week? I do think that they will get everybody back to an extent. Now, it's all going to depend on circumstance, right?

I mean, I think Brock Bowers, Lab McConkie, Rara Thomas, Tate Radledge, all four of those guys are going to give it a go. Smile Munden's a little bit banged up, but he finished last week's game. I think he's going to give it a go as well. If not, you know, maybe play a lot. So I think all of these guys are going to be able to play. I don't think any of them are going to be 100%. You know, you've played the game.

You know, I mean, this point in the year after 12 games at that level, nobody's 100%. But I do believe some of what happened last week was a little bit precautionary to make sure that they were ready for this week. Well, and I keep thinking, if you go through this season with Georgia, we've really only seen a game and a half, basically the Ole Miss game and half the Tennessee game where there's been a Brock Bowers and a lad McConkie somewhat close to a hundred percent. You still haven't seen them both a hundred percent at the same time on the field, But that game and a half is the most dynamic Georgia offense

we've seen in the Kirby Smart era. It's the only time you've seen them on the field together, and it's really five quarters, because I don't think Ladd played outside of the first quarter against Tennessee, played seven snaps. Neither one of them have been 100% when they've both been on the field. So that's another part, too. I mean, I guess maybe Ladd was for most of that Ole Miss game. But Georgia's a different team with both of those been on the field. So that's another part, too. I mean, I guess maybe Ladd was for most of that Ole Miss game.

But Georgia's a different team with both of those guys on the field. Absolutely. And listen, I honestly think, and I may be in the minority here, but I think getting Ry-Ry Thomas back is also a big step because you saw in some of those bigger games, whether it was the Ole Miss game or whether it was the Tennessee game, he makes a chunk play for Georgia. It seems like every game he's, you know, a 20 plus yarder that's big and it's usually early. You know, he's a guy that does stuff for them. So I think that one's also really big, but

yeah, it's, I don't think Georgia is going to have a hundred percent or I don't even know how close to a hundred percent it'll be of Ladd McConkie and Brock Bowers this Saturday, but I do believe both of them are going to give it a go. And the funny thing about Bowers is, you know, you're sitting down there, you're watching him in pregame warmup against Georgia Tech, and he's just – he looks like a stallion. He's gliding. He looks great.

And then he doesn't play, and then Kirby's like state championship, and I'm kind of, well, I mean, you know, if this was Alabama today, I think he would have played. I think all of those guys would have last week. Well, and the fact of the matter is they could win that game without them. And it does give some other guys a chance to be in a competitive situation. But now they're in the ultimate competitive situation. It's a strange deal, the way the playoff scenarios work.

Because if Georgia loses, there's plenty of scenarios where they get in. But I think there's a, there's a chance they don't. So it does kind of feel backs against the wall at this point. It does. And listen, if you, you know, if you've got a Louisville hat, you know, throw it on. If you've got a, if you've got an Oklahoma state hat, I mean, you know, those two teams losing would absolutely put Georgia in the playoff win or

lose. But, you know, I still think it's very important for Georgia to win this game. You know, Georgia's not – Georgia doesn't have any hump to get over. It doesn't have any mountain to climb. It's at the top of it. It's trying to create history. It's got the longest win streak in SEC history. But beating Alabama in that building is a box to check off. I mean, it doesn't mean that it doesn't take anything away

from what Georgia has done the past two seasons that they don't. But, you know, they've had their hearts broken in that place, you know, by Alabama, you know, over and over and over three times. So Georgia needs to win this game. But ultimately there's ways for Georgia to get in. And I do think it's really funny. I don't know that I've ever heard a committee member come out or a committee chair come out and say it quite like it was said.

We don't – when the guy said on Tuesday, we don't – we've never said most deserving. It's the best. Yeah. And I don't think anybody – and listen, I'm not one of these guys that's like, hey, I cover this team. They're infallible. They're not. I think Georgia's beatable. It wouldn of these guys that's like, hey, I cover this team. They're infallible. They're not.

I think Georgia's beatable. It wouldn't bother me if they got left out if they lose this game. But I don't think anybody can truly look at Georgia and say, you're not one of the best four teams in the country. You're going to win or lose. That's who they're talking about when they say that. I thought too. Because that's the team they feel like can beat everybody else.

Like Vegas would favor them over everybody else, that sort of thing. But this is a tricky matchup for Georgia. This is a team that let the Auburn quarterbacks run a little bit. Brady Cook gave them problems. Haynes King kept plays alive last week. And now you get Jalen Milrow, who other than probably Jaden Daniels is the most dynamic running quarterback in the country. Yeah, 100%. And, you know, if you look at the numbers, they'll lie to you a little bit because you look at them and you're like, oh, man, since they allowed 125 yards to Peyton Thorne and Robbie Ashford,

Georgia's only – their high is Brady Cook, 39 rushing yards, and he had 51 at the half. So Georgia kind of took him backwards in the second half with some sacks. But like you said, it's extending plays. And listen, when you've got a quarterback like Jalen Melrose, it's a tricky matchup for everybody. I mean, nobody really wants to deal with that. Alabama didn't want to deal with Jaden Daniels for that very reason. I

mean, nobody really wants to have to deal with the guy that, oh man, you do every single thing right and you give up 17 yards. That's just tough. It's a very difficult spot to be in. And I think the key for Georgia in this game is, yeah, you want to limit Jalen Milrow, but you've got to be willing to say, all right, take the 15 and don't dump it over my head to the tight end for 40. And that's kind of where Georgia's got to be. And listen, if Smile Munden is limited in this game, Georgia's going to have to play two true freshmen at inside linebacker. And so, Raylan Wilson, CJ Allen are going to be running around out there having to make that decision. Not ideal. Yeah, and it does seem like Jalen Monroe loves Amari Nyblack.

Yeah, he does. And he's a very interesting target. When he's on the move, he absolutely does. And that's something that they've got to kind of figure out. Yeah. So what about this Alabama defense against Georgia's offense? Like we were talking about, it feels like if Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkie, Rara Thomas, Dominic Lovett, you know, DeJuan Edwards, it feels like there's so many options for Georgia. But what can Alabama do to limit that?

I think it starts with pass rush. I mean, you know, Dallas Turner, Chris Braswell, Justin Boyd Bay. I mean, those guys, all of the, I mean, you're, Dallas Turner, Chris Braswell, Justin Boygve. I mean, you're talking about 33-and-a-half tackles for loss there, and I think somewhere in the neighborhood of about 20 sacks. Georgia's a tremendous pass protection team. I mean, look at Georgia's past, let's see, I think it's in Georgia's past 27 games, they've given up a grand total of 19 sacks. Wow.

I mean, there are teams that gave that up in eight games this year or five games. So Georgia does protect the passer well, but I think it also comes down to kind of complementary offense from down to down is stay ahead of the chains. Not that Georgia has to or it's doomed. There are plenty good enough offense to overcome second and ten, third and seven. One of the best third down offenses in the country.

But you stay ahead of the chains. You slow down that pass rush. You slow down the pass rush and give yourself some time against a very good Alabama secondary. But the one particular thing I'm looking at is if you watch Alabama, they're vulnerable kind of in that second-level window of 10 to 20 yards. That's where Georgia is absolutely tremendous. Georgia, I mean, you know, Carson Beck's averaging over 15 an attempt

in that area. That's where Makaki and Bauer's feast. Everybody really loves it, too. I mean, Dylan Bell, same way. I mean, you know, it is Oscar Delp. I mean, most of Georgia's receivers are at their best in that window of the defense, even the running back. So I think that that's something that's going to be big in this game as well.

And in order to get there, in order to allow those, you know, crossing routes and over routes to, you know, kind of come to fruition, Georgia has to protect the passer, and that's not easy against Dallas Turner and his cohorts. So you mentioned Tate Ratledge coming back. I'm trying to recall, has there been a moment when Tate and Amarius Mims were healthy in the second half of the season together? Yeah, the Ole Miss game.

Okay. For part of it, yeah, for part of that. I guess he got hurt at Tennessee, so the Ole Miss game and part of the Miss game. Okay. For part of it. Yeah, for part of that. I guess he got hurt at Tennessee. So the Ole Miss game and part of the Tennessee game. Okay. Yeah, I think that's probably the spot there. I mean, that's one of the things that is, you know, if Georgia finds a way to win this game,

goes on to win its third straight national championship, that's one thing that I don't – Stacey Searle is going to pour a drink of some dark liquor of some kind, I bet, set in a recliner and just really think about kind of what happened for him this year because Georgia has played seven, eight offensive linemen regularly, and they really haven't missed a beat. I mean, Xavier Truss has played four positions. But getting Ratledge back to anything sort of close to healthy is big

because of how many big games he's played in at that particular position. So the O-lineman who played for Stacy Searle is always talking about how you mess up in practice. He throws that hat. Yeah. Goes down at your feet. I don't know that he's throwing his hat very much for these guys because they really are. And you know Ratledge is a veteran. and you know Rallage is a veteran. Cedric Van Praan is a veteran.

Mims has now played a lot of football. It feels like they just really know what they're doing at this point. Yeah, they do. And I was talking to somebody the other day, and I compared it to the Minnesota Vikings when they had Randy Moss and Chris Carter. Georgia's offensive line is a Chris Carter. It's very reliable. It's very steady.

It's tremendously good. It's not elite. It's not like – I don't think they're just, you know, thumb up, thumb down guys and just blowing them off the ball every single snap. There have been probably better offensive lines in the history of college football. I'm almost certain. But they are incredibly consistent, incredibly good, and incredibly good at figuring it out. If the team's giving them trouble for a couple drives, they find a way. And I think that's something that may serve them well in a game like

this. Let's talk Carson Beck, because your colleague, Rusty Mansell, wrote something recently, I think it was this morning, that Carson Beck and his family are going to meet with Kirby Smart after this game about what his future holds, because he is one that the NFL people are looking at and saying, we may want him right now. Yeah, I mean, he's had such a great season. And listen, I have a hard time, while I have heard throughout the season that the expectation is for him to come back, the more – the further you got and the further he – good football he played, the less likely that became. Because you get to a point where there's nothing really left to prove and risk versus maybe getting marginally better.

Andy, if Georgia wins a national championship, I don't see it. Like, I mean, I just don't. You think he would go pro? Yeah, I don't see him coming back. I mean, at that point, what do you do? He's not like Stetson, right? Stetson was never going to be a top 30 or even top 50 pick. Carson can be that, and that's life-changing money, like right out the gate.

You know, it could make, what is it, like $3 or $4 million up front if you're the last pick in the first round. So I think that if Georgia wins one, I don't – but at the end of the day, he also has to kind of weigh, all right, I can make some change by staying at Georgia, get some NIL stuff. I'm sure Stetson made a ton of money in his last year. We don't know exactly how much, but you can stay and do that and then possibly make, you know, generational wealth type stuff in 2025, or you can, you know, go ahead and go.

And honestly, you have to kind of weigh that whole idea of, hey, what if I go 24th overall? Well, you're probably going to a better situation than you were going first overall. You have a chance to win, but you wouldn't, you know know make that money up as well so it's there's a it's a balancing act and listen i'm sure that kirby smart and mike bobo and and and the guys on that staff are gonna jonas jennings are gonna have some long conversations with carson and his people kind of about what georgia wants to do for him and and his options are. Well, and Carson's from Jacksonville. He's been working with a team since high school, but this group now is the group that trained Anthony Richardson.

It's also the group that works with Brock Purdy. So they've got a couple of different perspectives on that. They've got the guy who went fourth in the draft after starting for one season in college. They've got Mr. Irrelevant, who started for four years in college and is now a great starting quarterback in the NFL. So, yeah, he'll have some interesting perspectives to kind of glean from as he figures that out.

But it's interesting because I think if we'd have had this conversation six or seven weeks ago, you and I saw the seeds of this, but I don't think most people would have been like, oh, definitely he should be considering the NFL. They would have been like, are you crazy? Like, he's got to come back. Yeah, and he's – listen, he has surpassed my expectations of this year. You know, I thought some folks coming into the year

had pie-in-the-sky hopes for him. You know, I knew coming into the season, this guy's just now getting the no-Mike Bobo. You know, Bobo worked with tight ends last year. Buster Faulkner was with the quarterbacks for the last few years. I knew a lot of the mechanic stuff that he was going to be taught went from Bobo to Buster Faulkner, and he was going to learn a lot of that, a lot of the same stuff. But the relationship and you've seen it kind of blossom.

You've seen Georgia, you've seen them kind of think with the same mind in the red zone as Georgia's gotten better in the red zone as the year's gone along. You've seen them be so good on third down. And Carson's showing more mobility and more confidence and getting a little bit better with the deep ball. Listen, it's tough. It's a tough decision for him. And, you know, I would have a hard time not taking the bird in the hand.

But I think a lot of it's going to depend on how he plays in this game. I really do. I mean, if he goes out there and kind of lays an egg, whether Georgia wins or loses, it's probably going to hurt his stock a little bit. But then he'll have a chance to – if they win, then he'll have a chance to kind of get back on top of that. But, man, if he gets a chance to go out on top, it's hard to argue with that. Well, and this is one that – Jim Nagy from the Senior Bowl,

he talks about games like this are the easiest for scouts because you're seeing pros against pros. So it's the same thing with Carson Beck. This is Carson Beck playing behind an NFL offensive line, throwing to NFL receivers against an NFL secondary and an NFL pass rush. Yeah, and he's faced some tests. He's faced some good teams and some tests.

But this one is by far the most talented defense he would have played this year. He's played – you know, he's been rushed by James Pierce and that Missouri, you know, group of monsters that they've got up front. And he's thrown against some good – I mean, Missouri's got some good DBs. And, you know, he's played some good players. But this one is different. And this is prime time action. And every eyeball and every college football fan eyeball in the world will be watching it.

So, well, and I love the way you put it, because I hadn't thought about it this way, that Georgia has not beaten Alabama and Atlanta and some of their greatest heartbreak, obviously, second and 26. But I thought 2018 was probably more frustrating yeah because they went into 17 not thinking we definitely got this that was a very much talk they should have won the game in 2018 like they knocked two out of the game they still lose like this is this is kind of the last frontier of the things they haven't done. Somebody mentioned on the dog walk, our message board over at dogs HQ that maybe Georgia hasn't beaten Alabama in Atlanta since the 1940s. Wow.

Yeah. You know, they, they lost to him in the heartbreaking 2012. So that was, that's another one. That, that 18 game, you're a hundred percent right. And listen, Georgia kind of flipped the script in Lucas Oil for that one because Alabama kind of dominated that game for most of the way, and Georgia just beat them badly in the fourth quarter,

whereas Alabama beat Georgia badly in the fourth quarter of that 2018 game. So, yeah, Georgia's got some demons to exercise and got a chance to check off a box here and kind of get it going and win two in a row maybe against the, by my estimation, the greatest to ever do it and will be for at least another 10 years. Unless Kirby Smart passes it. Kirby's got a

chance, but he's still good to me in my mind. A long way to go. Jake, so much fun. I will see you in Atlanta on Saturday. I look forward to it, buddy. That is the great Jake Rowe. We'll see him in Atlanta this weekend.

That's where I'm going. I cannot wait for that game again. Georgie, the agent of chalk. Alabama, the agent of chaos. We'll see who wins. This is going to be such a fun weekend. Cannot wait. We're going to talk to you again after the games on Saturday night. Probably a fairly brief show because we got to

come back again noon Eastern time on Sunday and talk about who made the college football playoff. Between now and then, we're going to find out just how sleepless that night's going to be for the members of the selection committee. Can't wait. Talk to you Saturday night.