Andy & Ari On3 - Paul Finebaum talks HOPE and HEARTBREAK in the SEC | Ohio State-Penn State preview

Episode Date: October 31, 2024

Wendy’s New Saucy Nuggs take the Crispy and Spicy Nuggs you love and turn them up to 11. Choose between flavors like Buffalo. Honey BBQ. Garlic Parm. Or, if you’re a real heat seeker, try Spicy Ghost Pepper, only on Wendy’s signature Spicy Nuggs. I dare ya. That’s seven delicious ways to try the nuggs you already love. Pick a flavor, grab some extra napkins and prepare to nugg like you’ve never nugged before. This show is also sponsored by PrizePicks, America’s most fun daily fantasy game. Use the code STAPLES to play $5 and get $50 instantly. https://prizepicks.onelink.me/ivHR/STAPLES This show is brought to you by Panini America, makers of the most collectible sports cards on the planet. The Luminance football card series features NIL autographed cards from players including Arch Manning, Quinn Ewers, Cam Ward, Jalen Milroe, Dylan Raiola, DJ Lagway, and Luther Burden. To start collecting, visit PaniniAmerica.net. JLAB is gearing up for college football with some of the top talent in the game – from Travis Hunter to Ohio State’s Will Howard and Quinshon Judkins. These football stars embody JLab’s core values of innovation, performance, and excellence. Just as JLab pushes the boundaries of audio tech, these athletes redefine their sport with skill and dedication. Whether you’re traveling to watch your favorite team, or streaming the game on your mobile device, JLAB has you covered. Find the blue box at retailers near you or visit jlab.com.(0:00-1:24) Intro; If you Ain't first, you're last!(1:25-3:00) Ricky Bobby wants YOU to try the Saucy Nuggs(3:01-11:05) On-Campus vs Neutral Sites for CFP?(11:06-15:56) 4 Star Michigan QB Decommits(15:57-18:34) Revisiting Andy & Ari's Argument on Wednesday's Show(18:35-19:11) JLAB Headphones(19:12-37:11) Paul Finebaum joins the show(37:12-40:07) Injury reports from KEY SEC games(40:08-51:23) Ohio State at Penn State Preview(51:24-55:47) Panini America(55:48-59:50) Firing Coordinators Mid-Season?(59:51-1:08:32) Difference in Mel Tucker in 2021 and Curt Cignetti now(1:08:33-1:10:50) Mini Florida Discussion(1:10:51-1:16:37) Is it better to miss the conference championship?(1:16:38-1:17:40) You remember the Gary Hart story?(1:17:41-1:20:08) Ari's review of a bidet(1:20:09-1:24:46) Producer River's Halloween costume; Happy Halloween! It’s a Dear Andy/Dear Ari show, but first we have a very special guest — Emperor of the South Paul Finebaum! Paul talks about hopes potentially getting crushed in the SEC in the next few weeks as teams get eliminated from the College Football Playoff. What happens if Alabama loses to LSU? What happens if LSU loses to Alabama? Paul also discusses the situation at Auburn coming off the Tigers’ first SEC win and heading into a game against Vanderbilt that will be a rematch with QB Diego Pavia, who led New Mexico State to a win at Auburn last season. Next, Andy and Ari preview the Ohio State-Penn State game. Can Ohio State correct its offensive line issues? Who will play quarterback for Penn State?   Now it’s time to answer your questions. Among them… Is firing coordinators the new hot midseason coach-firing trend? Are we getting out over our skis recommending a massive new contract for Indiana’s Curt Cignetti? Will the Big Ten get more teams into the playoff than the SEC? Watch on YouTube instead: https://youtube.com/live/v8YstDRpNTU Hosts: Andy Staples, Ari WassermanProducer: River Bailey

the game. Welcome to shake and bake on three. I mean, and in our own three. What's up, Barth? I feel a little left out but unfortunately, my costume this year requires some makeup and my wife did not have time to put it on my face this

morning. So, I will take a picture tonight when we take our daughter to the treating in the early evening and you can post it so I don't look like a complete loser. But I'm happy to be here with you, Ricky. It's good. I was trying to figure it out. So for those listening to podcast form, it is Halloween. Halloween is pretty big in my neighborhood. I have a little one of those bougie neighborhoods where they do Halloween up. Like it's, it is the biggest holiday of the year, the drunkest holiday of the year. I don't know why they have school tomorrow. Parents have already complained that sort of thing. And so you got to do it up right now.

The question I have, though, is should I do the ads like Ricky Bobby does the ads? Like if you like hunting eyes the way I like hunting eyes, get yourself the eviscerator. Like, can we do that? Like I think I like hunting knives. Get yourself the eviscerator. Like, can we do that? I don't know. Producer River. Is that against the rules or what? You're gonna have to call somebody about that.

I don't know, I'm thinking about the outtakes from that and wondering if we're gonna get all our ad deals canceled if I do it. So, but I screw it. Producer River, put the Wendy's lower third up. Let's go, let's talk saucy nugs. This is Ricky Bobby for Wendy's saucy nugs when I'm driving what I like to do before the race is I order a 20 piece saucy nugs and I eat them saucy nugs and then a

Pour the rest of the sauce into this Wendy's cup and I got it in my cup holder Right till we get to the last lap to home stretch and I chug it. I chug the spicy ghost pepper sauce and I go fast. I go fast. You can go fast too with Wendy's Saucy Nugs. If you're kind of, you know, kind of wimpy and don't like the ghost pepper, that's okay. Garlic parm, honey barbecue, buffalo. We're hot versus those. But grab some napkins and prepare to nug like you've never nugged before at

participating US Wendy's. I think I did okay. That's the best one you've ever done. You know, the problem is you might have to do it in Ricky Bobby's voice every time now. I, well, as we'll learn later in the show, what I'm saying now, this is the impression. Ricky Bobby is actually closer to the natural accent. But we have a big show today, we got Paul Feinbaum on the show, we're gonna talk to him about hope, heartbreak in the SEC.

Because there's some teams that have gone all season thinking they're going to make the playoff and they're going to find out here next few weeks that they're not. We'll ask Paul about that. We'll ask Paul about Auburn, about Diego Pavia coming back to Auburn. It's going to be a lot of fun. But a little bit of news yesterday and it ties in to a great couple of questions that we got for Dear Andy and Dear Ari. And so let's talk about Brett McMurphy's story

that when the stadium in Jacksonville is being renovated, so the Jaguars Stadium is gonna be renovated. The last time this happened, basically when Florida and Georgia had to play on campus in the 90s, it was because they were rebuilding the Gator Bowl for the Jaguars as they were coming into existence. Now the Jaguars are going to revamp the stadium, they're going to have like a state of the art deal. And so the initial thought a few years ago

we found out it was going to happen was, oh, they'll just go back to campus. And I remember talking to somebody on both sides of the table there And that it was explained to me that, no, that's not how it works because right now, the way the deal is with the city of Jacksonville, Florida and Georgia make more every two years doing it this way than they would if they did a home and home. So it's a lot more.

It's almost like having a home game every year. And so what they're doing is they're gonna do one game in Atlanta and one game in Tampa. And the plan, I would imagine, and we'll see because leadership may change, but I don't think this plan is going to change. Is they're going to try to extort Jacksonville to pay up to get it back because it's probably going to go well in Atlanta. It's probably going to go well in Atlanta. It's probably gonna go well in Tampa and they're gonna say, hey, Jacksonville, you want it back? You pay up. Hey, Atlanta, you want it? You pay up. You did Tampa. You want it? You pay up. That's what's going to happen.

And but we did get a couple questions about that. And I was glad to to hear it because it's it makes sense. So Keely asked this one with news of Georgia and Florida doing neutral site games in 2026 to 2027 as opposed to Jacksonville. How worried should we as college football fans be that we will continue to have neutral site playoff games? I know these neutral site games are huge moneymakers for the school, but we as fans know playoff games on

campus will be electric. My hope was the decision makers will see that this year, but with revenue sharing athletes coming out worry schools will take any money grab they can. No regular fan will ever be able to attend three neutral site games in a row. And then our friend, Albert Elvis, similar question, how long do you think it will take before playoff teams one through four get their games moved to on campus? And Ari, before get their games moved to on campus. And Ari, I really hope that this is not a trend. And look, Florida, Georgia has been a neutral site game for most of its history.

That's fine. Keep that, you know, Texas, Oklahoma, whatever. I don't know about you. I think when we see these first round games on campus, we're gonna go, why on earth are they going to Bulls after this? Yeah. Well, the question that I have back to you though, is, is that like when in this sport has the right choice been taken over the more profitable one?

But I'm not sure this is more profitable because you're, you're outsourcing it to a middleman. So, cause you because you can control all the sales and everything. And you can demand see, because you make a change, you can also demand more from TV. TV actually would like the image of the on-campus game much better too. So I think there's a way to make it equally profitable. At least I hope so. Because I think you're right. I think that has to happen before they do the right thing. Yeah. I if they get the money right, I don't see

why they wouldn't do it. Especially because in all of sports outside of the Super Bowl, the play the games are played on a home field or a home court. Yeah. You know? Um, and the thing about college football that I think is probably not a debate and just a fact is that their home atmospheres, traditions, idiosyncrasies are the best in sports, right?

Like, I don't know. It's the closest thing to European soccer that we have here in terms of the, the tradition aspect of it. So, you know, also the stadiums are huge, you know, a lot of times. So you can get more fans in there and the atmosphere is great. And you want to have debates about home field advantage being part of the playoff seating discourse as well. So I don't really know what the downside is to that. I think that having the national

championship game at a neutral site in an arena, it would be great still, because I think that that environment is kind of special for its own reasons. Like getting to the place where you meet on a neutral field to win it all is just kind of like you ascended to a level that is different, which I think is more than fine. But the same time too, who doesn't want campus games? And it's funny because the teams that are the best in the playoff don't get them. Yes. Which is weird.

I like that should be something that you're fighting to earn is the right to play on campus, the right for your fans to be able to have an easy trip. Like the number one seed this year, their fans, like let's say the number one seed is Oregon and they win the big 10. The first place their fans are going to go isn't Eugene. It's going to be Pasadena. That's not cheap. Like, yeah, that's asking a lot. And then and then you're going to ask them to go to Dallas or Miami. And then you're going to ask them to go to Dallas or Miami, and then you're going to ask them to go to Atlanta, if all goes well. Now the thing that scares me, and this is true, but it's true for the first round games

is we've gone to a lot of college places before right? The infrastructure in a lot of these towns is not very good. So like to me, I feel like finding a hotel room in somewhere around Pasadena would almost be easier than trying to find a hotel room in State College. You know what I mean? Like they're gonna do that. But the pins a Penn State fans who go who goes to like all the Penn State fans who go to that game are season ticket holders. They go to seven of those a year. They know what they're doing in State College. They already have plans. Like

they already have a way to go. Yeah, it's not it's not a it's not like a neutral site where everybody's coming in new. And nobody does know if if that's actually true though, because isn't the playoff going to be happening in the middle of the semesters and all the kids will be out of off of campus at that point. Great. So they can they can Airbnb their apartments will be even cheaper. Yeah, I don't we have to somebody was talking talking about I think even at the athletic about the the logistical disaster. It's going to be at places that are pretty

small and I know it's not, but it's not because they do seven of them a year already. How is that? I know, but it'd be any different than some other game. If a quarter of Beaver Stadium doesn't get to just go home because they're not in their dorms anymore or the semesters over and the dorms are locked. They might have to like make an exception or something. But like you, if you add a quarter of they can figure that out, it's their school. Like yeah, I'm sure they can figure it out. We've unlocked the dorms. Congratulations. Like, so it's, it, I think they'll figure that part out. I think the students, especially

a great student section like Penn State, a great student section like Texas A&M, they'll figure it out. Yeah, I don't doubt it. I don't doubt it. Great point, less students equals more parking. Yeah, but no, that's like, people keep looking at these playoff games when we talk about the home games

as if they're a neutral site game and it's going to be half and half fans. It's not it's going to be mostly home fans sitting in the seats they sit in during the season because that's what the team earned. They earned the right to play in front of more fans than the other team. Yeah, no, you're right. You're right. You're right. So, yeah, I just, I'm fascinated by this because I think the bowl thing is gonna be dumb and everybody knows it. The people who run the sport know it. And those home games are gonna be so electrifying

that there's gonna be a demand to change it by 2026. And I hope they do. Do I think they will? No, because they never do anything easy, but I hope they do. All right, one more spicy thing before we get to fine bomb. Interesting news coming down the pipe on Wednesday night. So Carter Smith, the four star quarterback recruit

who's been committed to Michigan since last November. Now he committed to Jim Harbaugh to play at Michigan. He's from Fort Myers, Florida, has decommitted from Michigan. His dad confirmed the news to the Wolverine on Wednesday night, so he's decommitting. Now what makes this so spicy is if you've been following along, if you're watching the Wilt Fong whip around on the On3Recruits channel, then you know Michigan is making a hard push to try to get Bryce Underwood, who's the number one recruit or number one quarterback recruit in the class of 2025.

He's from Belleville, Michigan, but he's been committed to LSU for most of this cycle. All right. This is the flip miss is coming. Yeah. And isn't there another layer to this that we have to at least acknowledge, which is that Michigan might be in a better position because a certain media owner wants to be involved in this. Yes, let's remember we had Big Cat on the show a couple weeks ago. Let's play that clip.

Okay, I'm going to throw out Michigan because my boss, Dave Portnoy, is going to get a quarterback. And I believe him when he says that. So I think they're Dave. Michigan has fuck you money. I don't know if you're allowed to swear this podcast. You are beyond belief that I think people will slowly realize. And what happened this year, they sold it all for, they sold it all for national championship last year. Yeah. The timing of Harbaugh's exit cost them a chance to get a quarterback this year. This is a year zero situation. Exactly. So Michigan's thrown out. So I don't know if the Dave Portnoy, cause Dave Portnoy went on a podcast, it was actually, Big Cat was on it too, and said one to $3 million. Now I I I don't know if that's actually

Earmark for Bryce Underwood because I actually think that might be for a portal quarterback So do you do a one-year rental and Bryce Underwood? With your fu money because he's not the only guy who's rich who went to Michigan And revenue sharing is coming. So Michigan's going to pay for some of this. Well, I think that the right move for Michigan, let's take Dave Portnoy out of it for a second. The right move for Michigan is to get a transfer quarterback, right?

Like you can't go into next year with what they have on their roster or what's left of what's on their roster and, you know, hope that they have enough, you know, you know, I know they have Jaden Davis too. So like maybe by next year, he'll be ready to play, but it is a problem that I think Dave Portnoy made this joke and pledge to solve immediately. Like, I don't know that like, he's like waiting around for two years and hoping that his investment pays off. Yeah, I don't think he's joking either. I think he's serious. So yeah, and if he's like waiting around for two years and hoping that his investment pays off. Yeah. I don't think he's joking either. I think he's serious. So, yeah.

And if he's serious and when he's serious, he wants, he wants the ROI immediately. Yeah. And he's doing it for content too. Like he said, he's putting that person on Barstool shows and like, so he's trying to, he's trying to make it. Look, I don't think he's going to make any profit off of it. He's paying a quarterback, 2 million bucks, but I do think he'll get some make any profit off of these paying a quarterback 2 million bucks. But I do think he'll get some of it. He'll get some ROI out of it

with his his business. But that price range to also might might be more in line Andy with what I understand about a one year rental than it would be to get a five star because the price that was set at the high school level I think is higher because you're buying a career and not a year. Yeah, and it's also, it's a long-term deal that you don't necessarily,

you can put escalators in it, and if things don't work out, you don't necessarily get to year two or year three. Like, you know, Malachi Nelson's a great example of that. Went to USC, but then transferred out after the first year. So it'll be interesting. Ari, Ashmak Volz is doing some armchair psychoanalysis on us. There's no way Andy and Ari don't hate each other.

It seems like they can't stay in the sound of the other's voice half the time. Ari, do you hate me? I wanted to kill you yesterday during our debate, but that wasn't personal. That was, that was a debate. And, uh, you know, Yosef here, I think can, uh, really solve this here, which is two men can disagree without hating each other, which I think we do very well.

So, uh, no, I don't hate you. And actually I think that if anybody's paying attention to the career move that I just made, I don't know that I would have done that to work with somebody I don't like, so, uh, what, what, what's funny. And I'm glad, I'm glad that landed with people, but are, and I were professionals. We can argue about something. We can disagree about something. And we like, that was a, we don't do fake disagreements. Like we're not a, an ESPN debate show where somebody has to be on either side of the issue. But when we disagree, we really disagree. We try to piss each other off when we are the reason why,

the reason why we disagree so hard, like when it happens is because I think you and I actually view the sport very similarly and we come from different backgrounds and I've covered different areas of the country. But I think by and large, the way it operates, you know, I think the the success levels that are expected from each team, like, I think we're on the same page a lot of the time. So when we're not usually, it's like, it's pretty, pretty explosive. So yeah, no, I think that it's great. And the thing that I love about it is that it's genuine, too. Like when we were arguing about my saucy take yesterday, like I was in a debate with somebody I wanted to win. Like it wasn't like manufactured. So, and if people think we hate each other as a result of that, that means it was heated,

it was good and it was intense. So I think that that's a good show. And- I've had so many people so mad at me on social media. How dare you talk over Ari? He was making great points. I'm like, oh, so you're wrong too. Cool. Good to you. How dare you talk over Ari? He was making great points. I'm like, Oh, so you're wrong too. Cool. Good to know.

That's the thing that you do. Uh, you know, you just tell people they're wrong. Uh, you know, they, uh, it's an argument. I'm not gonna like, you know, you're right, but here I'm going to argue this other side anyway. Yeah. Yeah. So you know, you're, you're a fierce debater, Andy, I'll give you that. But I do think that I, you almost said master divator, didn't you? No, no, that'd be great though, too. The thing that I think I like about the show is that even when we're in these intense arguments and you got in one with Doug last week, that the person is able to make the points that they're going to make. So and what's up to the listener who's who's enjoying it to come

to their own conclusion. So at the end of the road, a lot of times Andy and I will debate about something, and then eventually there will just be a fact that comes out that makes it. USC will make the playoff in three years. Yes or no. It's very clear who's wrong in that scenario. But I think also disagreeing allows you to look at every angle of a certain

topic that people are interested in and like uncover every stone, which I think we did yesterday. And we both over the years, come around to the other's way of thinking after arguing pretty hard against them. And then I think like a year or so later, like, Oh, yeah, yeah, you're right. So yeah, it happens. It happens. All right. Let us talk to a guy who's never lost an argument. We're going to talk to Paul Feinbaum, the emperor of the South. But first, let me tell you about J

Lab and their great headphones. J Lab is gearing up for college football with some of the top talent in the game from Travis Hunter, Colorado to Ohio States, Will Howard and Quinn Sean Judkins. These football stars embody JLABS core values of innovation, performance and excellence. Just as JLAB pushes the boundaries of audio tech, these athletes redefine their sport with skill and dedication, whether you're traveling to watch your favorite team or stream the game on your mobile device. JLAB has you covered. You want to go over the ear.

You want to go inside the ear, you know, in the ear with the loop over to workout, they got it all. Find the blue box at retailers near you or visit jlab.com. All right, Ari, let us talk to the man, the myth, the legend, who really believes if he ain't first, you're last. Paul Feinbach.

Ari, I always know we have a big time guest if they appear in front of a makeup mirror because it means they're about to go on television. The great Paul Finebaum, the king. We had our friend, Douglas Maurice on last week and he has a podcast called Kings of the North and I think he might have stolen your shtick but what does that make you the emperor of the south the grand poobah of the south?

Yeah not not the wax poetic but somebody I think it was uh Greenberg or Stephen A Smith who started introducing me as the mouth of the south, which, which I'm, I've been around long enough to know that that was, that was a wrestler. Jimmy Hart was also Ted Turner. Um, so, uh, emperor sounds good. Um, and by, I mean, Doug's entitled to, to whatever he wants. I mean, he's trying to make a name for himself after all those years as a newspaper scribe. Yeah. I mean, that never works going from newspaper writer to person who yells about things on the radio and TV. When a real when a journalist try, you know, leaves his craft

to, to go and actually try to make enough money to so his kids can go to soccer practice once or twice. twice. Paul, so we were talking this morning on our show about a scenario that could arise. Okay. And Andy doesn't think it's a likely scenario, but I think it might be. If we get to the end of the year and Alabama wins the rest of their games, beats LSU on the road and finishes 10 and two. And Indiana is 11 and one, having beaten every opponent on their schedule

by 14 or more points, but without a trademark quality win. What do you think the committee would do if it came down to those two teams, and what do you think would be the just call there? Yeah, I think the just call is Alabama, and it has everything to do with what they've accomplished. I mean, they have a Georgia win, which we all know. The win at Wisconsin is okay, not bad, but it's better than a lot of schools' non-conference

games. And a win at LSU also matters to me. So I mean, I just look at what Indiana has done and we can all sing kumbaya about, you know, FIU and Western Illinois and going all the way and winning at UCLA and Charlotte. I mean, come on, but what is impressive other than maybe that Nebraska win, just the way it was done? I don't think, frankly, I don't think it would be a close call.

It's a good question. I understand where you're coming from Ari, but no way that I would put Indiana in over Alabama. This Biff Poggi slander will not stand. I'm just gonna say that right now. Put that on the record. Did you hear what Paul said? Can I throw through the translator there for a minute?

Yeah, go ahead. The Vanderbilt game didn't matter. How dare you. I mean, you can say that, but I would give you all of the other reasons just to make sure that my next trip to Alabama is pleasant. Well, listen, the atmosphere in the state of Alabama may not be pleasant for a couple reasons.

And this is one I wanted to talk to you about, Paul, because I get the sense that there are some SEC fan bases that are about to be awakened to a very harsh reality, because there's so many that went into the season assuming that their team was going to make the playoff. Well, you've got Alabama LSU next week, where the loser's probably not making the playoff. Well, you've got Alabama LSU next week, where the losers probably not making the playoff. You've got Ole Miss is in winner die mode right now. Missouri is in winner die mode right now. What is the, what is the world going to be like when some of these teams find out it ain't happening for us? Yeah. I mean, I'll take the Alabama LSU game first. The loser of that game is really in trouble. I'll give you some of the scenarios. If LSU wins, all of a sudden some of the scuttlebutt about Brian Kelly will

come to a crashing halt. And what you then hear, Andy, is he has now won two of his first three against Alabama. That's why we hired him. Conversely, the loss would be fairly devastating, I think. I respect him a lot, but you know what the noise is about some of these big games. As far as DeBoer, I really believe the season was about getting to the playoff. I said this with DeBoer watching a couple of months ago in Dallas,

that I felt like it would be a bust if he didn't make it. And I still feel that way when you consider the enormous talent that he mostly inherited, and a few got away, but most including the quarterback was still there. I think the Ole Miss situation is also interesting guys because we all know what how good this Ole Miss team was coming in and you know at Arkansas in a couple of days the Georgia game I mean they've got some opportunities here for ending the season and that that would be in many ways even a bigger story because this is easily the best Ole Miss team since the 60s and without a playoff berth to show for it. I think that that is a black mark on Lane Kiffin's resume. And I realize we're going one week ahead, two weeks ahead, but that's just, I'm just giving you an opinion based on. They could lose to Arkansas, Paul. I mean, that's in the realm of possibility.

We saw Arkansas beat Tennessee. I think that, I think that is a possibility, uh, and that would make it even more complex. Uh, I wasn't sure if this was being, uh, you know, recorded and played it in four weeks from now, so I was careful what to say about that game. Uh, but, uh, I, I do. Uh, I mean, that, that's it. That's a game changer for two coaches. Uh, and Sam Pittman, they give them that they let him know he's back next year on the spot. And Lane Kiffin can call Jimmy Sexton, assuming he's not at the game,

and say, Jimmy, get me out of here. Yeah, I mean, I know some real estate agents in Gainesville that would probably call immediately. Yeah, they would be looking in your neighborhood, right? Paul, I have a question for you. So as the mouth of the south or the emperor of the south, I wanted to ask you when you look at the SEC from top to bottom this year with Texas and Oklahoma now in the mix, I find it interesting that it looks like this conference is probably

going to go without a Heisman Trophy finalist for the first time since 2017. Outside of Georgia, there's some questions about whether or not there are teams that are capable of winning the national championship, though I do think that A&M and Tennessee are teams that could turn it on and make a run. What is your take on the SEC from top to bottom in terms of how deep it is? And do you question whether it's the best conference college football this year for the first time in a while? Um, I don't question it yet. Uh, but, but I think it's a fair question, Ari. And listen, uh, we've had a lot of conversations and I'm, I'm not, uh, I'm not coming in here just to beat the drums. I mean, there's been some, there've been some moments this year in the SEC.

Where, if I could say this very quietly, uh, there's been some moments this year in the SEC where if I could say this very quietly, there's been some literally unwatchable programs, more than a couple. So I'm going to wait just for my sanctity, insanity to see how the playoff is going to indicate it. But yeah, I mean, if you work for a TV network, which I do, you've got to, and you see a game with a couple of SEC schools, the level of interest goes

down dramatically, and there's no getting around that. There's some bad teams. So I know I've obfuscated your very pertinent and to the point question, but I will defer until I see who's in the playoffs. Well, there is an SEC team that's had a pretty bad year that I still find very interesting. And it's especially because of the opponent this week. Paul, Auburn finally broke through. They got an SEC win at Kentucky.

But now Diego Pavia is coming back to Jordan hair stadium, Diego Pavia led new Mexico state into Jordan hair and one 31 10 last year. Now he brings this Vandy team that has beaten Alabama. That was an, you know, had an onside kick at the end of the game against Texas to stay in it. What happens if he goes in there and beats Auburn again? Well, the good news is at least Hugh Freeze will prepare for Diego Pavia this time around,

which he clearly didn't a year ago. And I mean, I want to give you Freeze credit for saving the season with that went over Kentucky, but it seemed rather lame considering how bad Kentucky is, but I think it was enough to quiet everyone down, Andy. A week ago, this conference was buzzing about Hugh Freeze's future. I think the folks in Auburn are content to let it play out. They still believe in him, even though I've seen very little from him from a head coaching standpoint this year that impresses me or really over the last two years. But I think a loss would be pretty punishing though. The only thing that you could say is that Bandy is a lot better than they used to be.

But ultimately, if he lost this game, he still has what A&M and Alabama. So do the math. I mean, that's easily what I would call a disaster of season. ULM is actually competitive too. Yeah, they're good. If he lost out, I imagine the Jimmy Rain box during the Iron Bowl would be a place to watch. That's the yellow one, right? They just drape it in yellow? But I was there about five weeks ago and I didn't get any sense as bad as the season

was even going then that there was a lot of conversation about his future because you know how Auburn is Andy, that they, that they don't want the reality that Brian Harson actually had a better record at this point when he got fired a year ago than the Hugh Frisch. Paul, how surprised are you? And I just want to attack this head on, that Alabama has not only lost twice, but just does not look like we thought they were going to look so far this year? I'm pretty surprised because the DeBoer transition was seamless outside of the first day or two

when he lost a couple of players. And he just hasn't, he's a good coach, but I don't think he's commanded the stage very well. There are a lot of the, I've been to Alabama twice in about two weeks now. And there's a level of impatience with him. And you know, some of it's natural, it's post-saving, but his demeanor on the sidelines bugs people. His lack of discipline, some of the things that he says and does, his coaching staff has not worn well. But having said all that, it's really going to come down to next week.

And I'm not trying to say, well, this would be a better question in two weeks. But should he lose to LSU? Everything is that game will determine what we say about him in the offseason. I think I I I am I am. Not that impressed so far. How about that? Let's let's switch gears to another first year coach, though, who has been fairly impressive. When did you feel like Mike Elko was firmly in control of Texas a and M? Could you, could you see it preseason or did it take a little bit of, of

watching him coach this team? I heard some things pretty preseason. We had a Brent Zornman on before the season. And I said, to what's the range, Brett, he covers the team. Uh, I believe from the Houston paper. Houston Chronicle. Yep. Yeah.

He said somewhere between eight and four and 10 and two. And I actually said, are you out of your mind? 10 and two, what? But he wasn't, he wasn't just saying that to be a homer, he's not. So I started thinking about it at that point in time. I was out there for the Missouri game and that was really the moment. Right before the game, Elko came on our show and said that he was going with Connor Wegman.

It was a really daring decision at that moment because Reid had played so well. And then he did it again. But the real moment I knew he had arrived is when in the aftermath of the LSU game when he walked into the media room and after being asked about culture he completely eviscerated Jimbo Fisher. Now I realize he walked it back which I'm sure some PR guy said it was a good thing always to go on the record and say you didn't mean what you said. Of course he met what he said. And he, he endeared himself to every person that follows A and M by trashing Jimbo Fisher.

Yeah. That was, that was a powerful statement. Paul, I'm going to switch conferences. Uh, Bill, uh, sorry. Uh, Andy and Doug got into a little debate about whether or not a Provo Utah is in the Northern or Southern part of the country last week. I just tried to grab BYU for the South. I just, you know, I'm trying to, you know, pump up our boy, uh, Jake Retzlaff here. And I'm just wondering like, what's your take on, on BYU and you know,

the guy who's slinging it for our people. Yeah, no, I think, uh, they're, they're a fascinating story. Um, I I've seen them a little bit, uh, but yeah, listen, no, I think they're a fascinating story. I've seen them a little bit, but listen, I don't, I mean, they look like they have a really clean path ahead. So I don't know whether that is in northern, northern, north or south. It seems north to me, even though I believe it's, is it below the Mason-D line? If you stretch it all the way out from Kentucky, I know Boulder is below it. I think Provo would be below it too. I do not know the exact lines of latitude, unfortunately, Paul, but I am curious. You know, uh, was BYU in your, your finalists when you were deciding

where to go to school, Tennessee and BYU, were those your two? By the way, will we send somebody out, call somebody out there in Provo and ask them how they pronounce the name Paul. And I think then we'll know whether it's North or South. Cool. If they, if they, if they, if they pronounce it like a bomb caller, then it's South. If it, if it's pronounced normal, then it's norm. Okay.

So, yeah. So yeah, so all we use call, we say, you know, excuse me, do you serve caffeinated Coca-Cola? Also, I'm gonna spell the word for you, P-A-U-L. And if they say, Paul, then the South gets them. By the way, Ari, there's nobody in our industry that does the Paul invitation better than your partner here. Do it again.

It's in the jeans. Pow. Half my family's from Selma, Alabama. Like there's probably somebody in my family, Paul probably wrote a letter to you when you were a newspaper columnist, probably threatening your life. So by the way, I, I, I once went to some Alabama to speak. And by the way, the lights are coming on here. I think it's Halloween preparation.

Uh, but, uh, the mayor, uh, actually had me, uh, had me handcuffed and arrested the same mayor who was, uh, you know, beating people over the head on the Edmund Pettus bridge, uh, back in the city. Well, Paul, the thing that you need to learn about Andy is, is that the way he pronounces Paul isn't the impression. The normal talking on the show is the impression. You know, that is my natural accent is something closer to your

callers as a legitimate, uh, uh, print reporter. By the way, you as well. I guess that time comes to an end for all of us. I don't know. You guys were two of my favorite writers in the industry. I'm not trying to upstage this show or to filibuster, But, uh, my, my, my college football reading has not been the same since both of you went over to the, uh, whatever, whatever the, the, the, in front of the camera side. Hey, we're still writing Paul. We're still writing Paul. Yeah. It's, it's not over yet. Now it's a little bit, we've got to pick and choose our spots. Yeah. I'm talking about the good old days, Andy, not the, uh, I might,

my, my bat something out once or twice a month here. The thing is you turn the camera on and it just spits dollar bills at you. And it's really hard to say no. Well, I've had the opportunity to spend time with the owner of the company you work for, so I get it. It was a smart business decision. Yeah. You know, the players are the only ones

making those. That's right. Paul, thank you so much and have a happy Halloween. I will. Guys, thanks for remembering me here in my final days as a talk show host, so be well. Yeah, well I'm gonna be on your show this afternoon, Paul, so I'll see you this afternoon. Paul, I'll see you. I'll see you this

afternoon. Paul. Fine, Mike. Your choice. Thank you, guys. Take care. That's right. It was a home and home. You you appeared on his show yesterday. Hey, I unmuted my mic guys. You proud of me? Whoo. That's the first time since you joined

the show. That I didn't make that mistake. I. I'm growing. I'm learning. It's personal growth. Yeah, I went on his show and he asked me back the questions we asked him because he knew I would be able to speak freely about it. A true professional. That's what I'm talking about. Yeah, so I don't know. I didn't get any. Sometimes I go on Paul's show and Twitter is just a bunch of random people in the South that don't follow me screaming at me. And that didn't happen yesterday. So I don't know that I said anything that lit the lines on fire, but I thought I was pretty honest and real. So, uh, yeah, it was a good home and home situation and I'm happy he was on and I'm always happy to go on his show, Andy. So obviously Paul works for the SEC Network, a little extra essay because it is a Thursday morning which means Wednesday night the SEC availability reports came out. Let's look at Ole Miss, Arkansas. I've been curious to see what this was going to look like. We know

JaQuindin Jackson is out for Arkansas. That's obviously a big blow. But what would Trey Harris be listed as? He's listed as questionable for Ole Miss. So we'll see if their bell cow receiver winds up playing. Walter Nolan, who went out in the game last week against Oklahoma, he's listed as probable. So looks like he's gonna play. And then I thought the Georgia and Florida one was interesting as well.

We kind of, if you've been following on dogs, HQ or, or Georgia cited on three, you know, That Tate Ratledge probably returning from that tight rope ankle surgery, uh, he suffered an injury in the Kentucky game. That's that's Georgia's best offensive lineman. He's a guard. They got Jared Wilson back the center in the, in the, uh, the Texas game. So Georgia may have the offensive line that it intended to have all year for the first time against Florida and also D tackle Jordan Hall, probably going to

play on the Florida side receiver. Eugene Wilson, the third is out. Uh, so Aiden Mizell will get the start. So Ari, that, that is your, uh, your sec injury update, getting a Tate Ratlitch back is not the best news for Florida's playoff push here. Not so much. You're the, the, the win out nine and three playoff push.

That is probably utter fantasy. Yes. Uh, no, I, I do wonder what George's run game will look like with the offensive line that we, you know, went into the off season thinking they would have, but that, that does not bode well, probably for the Gators. Aidan Mizell, if you guys watch the Florida Mississippi State game, he's a pretty exciting player who, I don't know that he's gotten as much of a chance

to show what he can do, so I'm very interested to see him with DJ Lagway playing QB. So we'll see what happens. But Ari, we got another game that's big and that's in the Big 10. Ohio State heading to Penn State. And I'm so excited for this game. I wrote a column that ran at on three yesterday about,

remember the speech James Franklin gave six years ago after they lost by one to Ohio State at home where he said, you know, the difference between good and great and elite is just this much. And they're at great, they're trying to get to elite and he promised they'd get to elite and they haven't gotten there yet, but it feels like they might be able to take that step if they can beat Ohio state Saturday. Yeah, there's no question about it. And, you know, it's kind of an interesting thought because there were some people

who were reacting on Twitter to your column about how James Franklin gets to make the statement like 10 years into his coaching tenure there. And, you know, it is an important game for James Franklin, uh, not because I think everything is forgiven, but if he wins this, I think that the view of him as Penn State's coach completely and dramatically shifts. Like I, whenever I read Stuart Mandel and Bruce Feldman's coaching rankings list,

they disagree all the time on where James Franklin should be. And Bruce usually has James Franklin pretty high because of what he did at Vanderbilt. But I've always struggled with where I would put him because I don't know that I can ever have a coach who's at a place that wants to win the big 10, not ever winning it outside of one time in his tenure that high on the list. But if he is able to prove Saturday that he built a Penn State team that can beat the juggernaut

that Ohio State is supposed to be, and I think there's a very good chance of that happening, then I think that kind of rewires your brain on how to view Penn State and how to view him as the coach of that program. Yeah, and remember, they, so they won the Big Ten in 2016. They beat Ohio State last in 2016. So it's been eight years. They've not played for the Big Ten title since then. Now a lot of that is being boxed out in the division by either

Ohio State, Michigan, or both. That's no longer. The division is not. How weird would it be, because we kept saying the divisional structure is what's keeping Penn State back the 14 playoff is what's keeping Penn State back and the year that both of those things go away. They probably like if they can win this game would have won them both anyway or gotten to the 14 playoff. There's another team East. Yeah, yeah, there's another team in the Big 10 East that was

blocked to right like in Indiana., the thing that I think is interesting though, Andy is a lot of people are negging Indiana because of that. Like when you talk about Indiana, you go, well, they were the beneficiary of a massive conference and avoiding the teams that are really, really good. And it's a way of kind of, you know, invalidating what they've done this year. But at the same exact time, Penn State has been a similar beneficiary of their schedule so far. Now, Penn State's had to go on the road to USC. They've had to go on the road to Wisconsin.

Those are two tough games that are tough to play back to back and three in a row now with Ohio State. That's not an easy stretch. I'm just saying from who they've played so far this year, there isn't a beast that has, that they've had to beaten that proves that they are unquestionably elite. So, you know, I think we think that Penn State is really, really good and close to elite.

They are number three in the polls. Like when you put Penn State number three, that means you think they can beat anybody, in my opinion. I think we're gonna find out a lot about how good Penn State is, because even if Ohio State plays a bad game or their offensive line issues, you know, cause them to struggle, beating Ohio State under any circumstance by one or by 30

is a very wildly impressive win and frankly speaking the reason why he's their coach. Like that's who they, that's what they expect. They don't expect to do it every year, but they expect for you to be able to rise up like you did in 2016 and do it once every four or five. So I think if he is able to win this game and And do it in a year. It's not just beating Ohio State period It's doing it in a year where you have a ton of expectations Like I think that that mega charges your goodwill with your fan base

And let's not forget a lot of the fans at Penn State were upset when he got this guaranteed contract Like there were it came at a time where I think a lot of fans there were ready for a change. So this is a very interesting lesson in forced patience, but it's also a very interesting lesson on what the actual expectations of the program are. So like the expectation isn't to beat Ohio State every year, but it's to beat them in years like this. Yeah. Now if Ohio State goes in there and rolls, or wins by one, then we're right back to square one. So let's look at this through the lens of prize picks because I'm interested in what's been projected for some of these players because this is

a difficult projection this game. So if you haven't been playing prize picks, best daily fantasy game in America, download the app, use the code staples, play $5, get $50 instantly. And the way it works is you pick squares, you pick at least two, the more you pick, the higher the potential payout. Each square has a stat category attached to a player. So we're looking at Jeremiah Smith right now. There's a couple of squares for Jeremiah Smith in this game, the Ohio state receiver, uh, 70 and a half rushing yards. Do you think he'll go for more? Or less than that. And then Jeremiah Smith 28 and a half longest reception. Do you think it'll be longer or shorter than that? And Ari, the Ohio

State offense is its own category. I mean, we can talk about Will Howard's projection 230 and a half passing yards. We can talk about a Mecca Bucca 57 and a half passing yards. We can talk about Emeka Buka 57 and a half receiving yards, but the two backs, you know, each one's about, I believe one is 51.5 and one is 50.5. This offense has got to get going somehow. The offensive line looked very bad against Nebraska. It wasn't just that they couldn't run the ball,

it's that they didn't protect Will Howard very well. And we don't really know what the left tackle situation is going to be going into the game. Yeah. I think I saw an update that they do not expect Zen McCloskey to play on Saturday, which means an entire year left tackle. It's not just a new player that's going to be put into the mix. It's a new alignment.

So they're going to have to work through that. But I think that we're at the point in Jeremiah Smith's career, Andy, where he's just going to get his in every game, no matter what. Um, that is a interesting number for a true freshmen 70. But if you go look at everything that he's done, he's been on or, or above that number in every single game that he plays. And it always feels like he has at least one 30 yard reception. Um, I think that Ohio state could still lose if he hits both of these numbers,

but I would anticipate that he would go more than now. The interesting one that you said there, I don't know if we have a picture of it, so sorry for veering off, but like the Mecca egg buka one, if it's in the 50s, like you said, uh, if you go back and watch the Oregon tape, he was their number one targets recipient. And you know, we do like to take keys on Andy, what teams do in close contested games against very good opponents, because that I think that's how you find out who teams really are. When you're in a game that you could lose, who do you

turn to? And they turn to him over and over and over in that game. And I think that that that is even more attractive than the Jeremiah Smith square to me. Well, and I'm glad you brought that up, because we don't have a square for Penn State's quarterback, because we don't know what the situation is going to be there. Because it could be Drew Aller, who missed the second half of the Wisconsin game.

It could be Bo Perbula, who came in for him. There were reports out of State College that Drew Aller was, was practicing yesterday and looked like he may be able to go, uh, James Franklin said he'd be a game time decision. And also basically James Franklin said, look, he's played enough football that if he feels, feels ready to go, he can go. And so I, I, I, I'm leaning toward maybe probably Aller here, but you just

mentioned, what do you do in a closely contested game? Who's the person you target? Well, in their most closely contested game, the game where they fell behind on the road, had to come back and win it over time. That was USC. Tyler Warren was the guy they targeted.

Tyler Warren was the guy that Penn State leaned on. So his prize picks number is 54 and a half yards in this game. I would think you probably need to see more than that. Twenty one and a half is his longest reception number. I don't know if you need to see more than that, because they might force feed him like they did against USC. Because what do you have? 17 catches against USC? Yeah, I look at the box score sometimes and just stare at it.

Like when I because I watched the game and I knew he touched the ball a lot while watching the game. And then I looked at the box score because I think we were, oh, you Texas that day, right? We were. Yeah. And so we didn't get to watch it, like every play of it. And I was just dumbfounded. You don't see that very often. And I think look at the graph here, like, like in terms of production, it's like, one I was just dumbfounded. You don't see that very often. And I think look at the graph here like like in terms of production, it's like

One thing does not belong here, but it was Penn State's biggest game So, you know, it was the game It was the only game there was really in doubt because like the score of the the Illinois game Looks close, but it wasn't close the UCLA game was close for a half It wasn't really close the USC game is the only game they could have lost. For sure. I don't know. They were losing at half. I didn't feel good at halftime of the Wisconsin game.

That's because good point. Good point. Because like it didn't it turned out to you're right that it turned out to be that way. But at halftime, we drew our going out of the game early and then not return. It felt pretty dark. You're right that it turned out to be that way. But at halftime, we drew our going out of the game early and then not return. It felt pretty dark. You're right. Like, I don't know if Wisconsin didn't throw that pick six.

If this would have been as big of a gap there in that game either. But you know, that's what good teams do, right? Like when things are not going well, they force turnovers. They make impact plays. They change the trajectory of the game. That's what Penn State did. But like USC, like it really felt like they were going to loss to lose even in the fourth quarter. And that wasn't the case. So if you're on prize

picks, or even if you're just trying to figure out what's going to happen in this game, Tyler Warren, Quinchon Judkins, Trevion Henderson, like the what what what are they doing? So Penn State's tight end, Ohio State's running backs and Ohio State's running backs, we Ohio State's running backs. We say them, we're more by extension talking about their offensive line and being able to open holes in the run game and play correct assignments. Some of that stuff was mental stuff. It wasn't getting physically beaten in the Nebraska game.

Sometimes it was, but sometimes it was mental stuff. So I'm very excited for this game, Ari. I cannot wait. We've complained about it all week. Wish it was a night game. Wish it was a white out. But at least we kick off our college football Saturday with a banger. So cannot wait. I will not be taking my daughter to ballet on Saturday. No, no, absolutely not. All right. Before we get to the dear Andy and Ari questions and we have some really good ones We do need to talk about our friends at Panini America Go to Panini America net if you want to start collecting we've been ripping packs all week

The best sports cards in America. They've got these incredible, you know a series that with an IL where they've got Arch Manning Ari's got a Caleb Downs autograph card. I think he's gone to go get a card now. We pulled in a Ronday Gadsden, the second autograph card out of a pack yesterday. He's playing for Syracuse right now. So go to PaniniAmerica.net. You can look up your team. You can get a team set. But we're going to we're going to rip a pack of Luminance right now and just see what they get.

You guys at this point know how the game is played. Just, just yell it out in your car. If you know where this person went to college, I think you know where this guy went to college and I think they'd love to have him this weekend. Sequon Barkley, Penn State played for them the last time they beat Ohio state and we got Adam Thielen. This is a this is a oh no this is base card. I thought it was just horizontal. I thought it was never oh here's a good one. I don't know where Adam Thielen went to college. I don't remember. I am blanking on that too. I gotta look that up because I usually know this. Well I got Levante David. He went to Nebraska. He was on that great Miami Northwestern high school team that won the state title and was the the national title winner, the you know,

imaginary national title winner. It was just loaded, loaded. Oh, Minnesota State, not the Minnesota State from the show coach, not the screaming Eagles, the actual Minnesota State. Never heard of this guy. Some quarterback who went to Texas Tech. Oh yeah, Patrick Mahomes. Here we go. Here we go. Unforgettable.

Jonathan Taylor, and that's right, the Wisconsin Badgers cannot forget Jonathan Taylor because he was amazing for them. Whoa! Ari! What? Don't oh-woe me because it could be a... Autographed Cooper Cup! That's really good. That one's probably numbered too. You gotta look at that.

That is definitely numbered. Definitely numbered. And we also just got a numbered Brock Bowers. In his Georgia uniform. That's a hell of a pack. You just pulled what? Here's another rookie. There's Xavier worthy in his Texas uniform.

Man, we gotta get you some top loader, man. It's making me uncomfortable that they're just sitting on your desk like that. Oh no, I I have sleeves. I I I did this a little as a kid. OK, Troy Franklin in his Oregon uniform. Tez Walker in his North Carolina uniform. Wow.

Ari. This is fun. I am very much enjoying getting back into this. They sent me gold standard, which is a different product. And I just want to show a few of the hits that I got because I know these luminance and gold standard are the, are the products out right now. But I hit this Anthony Richardson, uh, second year and that's numbered to 14.

Um, which is a pretty big, uh, hit there. Uh, hopefully he can turn his career around cause he gets bigger the better he gets. But then I got this Jalen McMillan rookie card that was was numbered to 65 that I'm gonna have to sleeve up here today They have some legends like Kurt Warner an auto that I got here. That's You know, so the gold standard is really really cool and you have You have like odd Rick estimate like you can start seeing them in their pro uniforms. This is a RPA rookie patch auto. So if you like pro uniform stuff too, Gold Standard has all the rookies from that class that are in luminance in their pro uniforms.

You should check it out too. It's a really nice product. Yeah, the Cooper Cup autograph, by the way, you mentioned you asked me if it's numbered. It is numbered to 25. not very many want that so just put it on ice for me. Alright alright I'll see what I can do producer is getting the Joe Milton autograph we pulled the other day. Yeah I would I would never I would never get in his way of that but instead like from now on when we when we bet or or make bet wagers on the show I'll pay you money

you pay me in cards that Pini sent you how's that's that? Done. Love it. Love it. Let's uh, let's go to, to dear Andy and Ari. We got some great questions. We already answered a couple at the top of the show, but this question comes from Mike. Will firing coordinators mid season be the new trend instead of firing the head coach mid season because of the transfer portal? I feel like answering this, these questions in any sort of definitive way, Ari is probably a fool's errand because the rules just keep changing and the,

the situation keeps changing, but it does feel like this year, everybody's waiting to fire their head coach if they're going to make a change until the end of the season, or at least like until like a week or two before the end of the season. You know what I appreciate about the question So is that the listeners of the show like our big thinkers, you know what I mean? and they understand the sport and I think that it's smart to Try to get ahead or understand the way that things are gonna go From a trend standpoint because like what do you do in that situation? Now there are a lot of players who commit or want to go to a place because they know the coordinator like the number one thing in high school might be

NIL family atmosphere You know stadium uniforms, but there's way up there the coordinator is pretty up there But it's way more up there for portal people because portal people are far more concerned with how they're going to be used immediately, right? When you're going into college, you're still kind of, you know, hoping things turn out for the best. When you're a portal player, you know exactly what you want, what college football is like, and who you want to play for, and the system you want to play in. So that, to me, is really up there, too. It's like, symbolically, the head coach is really, really important. It's like symbolically the head coach is really, really important.

But if you're in flux with your coordinator position, you're gonna have a really hard time at that end of the year unless you get somebody in place selling the vision of how you're gonna use that transfer to come in, which makes it kind of a sticky situation. Yeah, and I think like the Seth Littrell firing in Oklahoma, we're all in agreement that Brent Venables didn't get in fire.

Even if it's really bad the rest of the year, unless they lose to Maine this weekend, I guess that that would be that might be fireable, but we're pretty sure he's fine. If he fires Seth Littrell, it lets everybody know that they might be going after in the portal that this offense will look different next year. And I would imagine you're already doing your due diligence, you probably have your

new person in place, like the day after the season ends. So that allows you to be ready once the portal opens, and you know, who you're trying to get. And those players know how they'd be used. I think you're right about that. I also think for ones that are gonna make changes, now look at the ones that have happened now. Andy Ludwig stepping down at Utah, which may have been a forced out situation, but he's obviously been there a long time.

Ted Roof getting fired at UCF, Jordan Leslie getting fired at West Virginia. None of those coaches necessarily are getting, like Kyle Whittingham's not in any danger. I think Gus Malzahn can stay as long as he wants, though I'm sure they would like him to make some changes and he's going to. And then Neil Brown played his way off the hot seat last year. I don't know.

He's the one that might be in danger if things don't turn around this season. But that's I'm not sure this is the start of a trend because we've had midseason coordinator, coordinator firings in the past. But I think the trend is what might correctly identified. It's because the portal opens immediately when you fire your coach, nobody wants to fire their coach and have the whole team go on the portal with games to go. Nobody wants to fire their coach and have the whole team go in the portal with games to go Yeah, no, you're right, that's it so It's gonna be weird cuz it may it may be that instead of this sort of drip drip of every Sunday There's a coach fired for the last month of the season that you just don't you've seen a little bit in the group of five

But I'm not sure you're gonna see it in the power conferences and it might just be a big cluster of them right there in that last week, but we'll find out a different Mike asked this, and this is, this is a great question. I, when I read this, I was like, Oh man, I, I, I'm, you got me thinking here, Mike, I was listening to you and our discussion the other day about the need for Indiana to sign Kurt Signetti to a long-term deal right away. The reasoning is that he's proven himself and you need to

prevent other big name brand schools for coming in and stealing him away. As a Michigan State fan, I had flashbacks to Mel Tucker in 2021. Mel Tucker also was 8-0, was trying to sign top 5 star prospects and trying to take the program to the quote-unquote next level. Didn't Michigan State do the same thing then to prevent LSU or whoever else from stealing him away? If my memory serves me correctly, didn't this turn out pretty poorly for the Spartans? Even before the Brenda Tracy stuff came out, it looked like a disastrous decision to sign him to such a big deal. Ari.

I think we may have gotten a little over our ski as much as I love coach Siggs. Mike makes a great point. See, I wrote a column about this and you were at the athletic at the time with me when I wrote it and it went crazy. People went nuts. But I think, and I already mentioned it on the show today, but I think the concept of forced patience is really interesting in this sport because look, you could have been out on James Franklin eight different years coming into this year since 2016 for a variety of reasons.

You have no choice but to keep him. And now he has a team that's eight and O with a chance to beat Ohio State. And if he beats Ohio State, then the fact that he has this God contract that you can't get rid of him with allowed him the stability and the infrastructure at his program to stay through tough times without the fear of getting fired in order to build something. And we don't know how Mel Tucker would have turned out at Michigan State long term because the Brenda Tracy stuff did happen and his tenure was cut short. But what about like year seven Mel Tucker? Like can you say as a Michigan State fan right now beyond the shadow of a doubt that that couldn't have turned around? I mean, the reason why he got that contract to begin with is because he got Kenneth Walker in the portal and they did some good things. But like Pert Cignetti's resume as a head coach is probably more extensive, too. I think, too, like when you look at age and 10-year deals and career accomplishments, that's probably more safe of a move. And also, too, Michigan State was at a point in time, too, where it

was trying to win the Big Ten and win national titles. And like Indiana is still going to take a few years before that becomes like expected. This is a nice surprise. But I think the stakes for Indiana signing their coach to a long-term deal because he's like, I think that the basement for Indiana is so much further down the hole than it is for Michigan State that it's not a very comparable situation. But if you look back at, if you look back Andy at like Dabo, and I always bring this up, Dabo Sweeney, who I've taken a lot of potshots at over the years, is actually on my Mount Rushmore of modern day coaches. Because he has done something that every other program has tried to duplicate, which is to take a good program or a great program and turn it into a little elite one. And I also wonder at times, because after year three and four at Clemson as one, it was either year three or four off the top of my head. Like there was some like, maybe he's not the guy stuff. You know what I mean?

Um, so we watched him turn the program around because Clemson was patient. And I also, I wonder how many coaches who were actually the right fit and the right people for the job have been fired because their fan bases can't stand the two years of losing. And if you fire somebody- That sound you hear is Billy Napier jumping up and down going, please listen, Ari, please listen, Ari. Oh no, no, I know, but at the same time too, it's like Tennessee got into a really bad string

of program happenings because they kept firing their coach every two years. And if they finally landed on Josh Hypal, who gave them results fast enough, because they kept firing their coach or. Did it end because they hired Josh Hypal? Like if Jeremy Pruitt had given been given more years, would it have gotten any better? And I don't know.

I'm not saying that every single person who's been fired after two years would have gotten better, but I also don't know that before the Brenda Tracy stuff happened with Mel Tucker, that I was a hundred percent out on his ability to make Michigan state good. Like I didn't agree with his recruiting strategy because I don't know that Michigan state should be spending as much time as it was with five star players that weren't going to go there. Um, but at the same time too, I thought it was really admirable that players that weren't going to go there. But at the same time, too, I thought it was really

admirable that he was making, giving it a shot. And for a while there, Michigan State was signing much better recruiting classes than it had in the past. They had more 4-stars. They had more, you know, players who were like 6'4", whatever the Colton Pouncy tweet is. I can't remember, over 6 feet. Like they had the right body type. Yeah, it was a body type thing that was important. So like, I mean, like, so they had a bad bad year and I know that they had the tunnel incident and stuff and things were going poorly, but we don't know how Mel Tucker would have ultimately turned out. So I don't know if we are in a position where it's like, don't like Indiana's

like, don't sign the best coach you've had since the Beatles were releasing records because what happened to Mel Tucker? Like I think it's completely different and I would be more than comfortable and I don't know. It's a shame that these that these guaranteed deals have become regular now because you are stuck with somebody for a long time. If they are forcing the patients that you're talking about like I. I I called the Brent Vittable's

extension last offseason unnecessary. Maybe it was necessary to give them the patience to to work through whatever this is. I think that's the biggest thing that I call the Brent Vittable's extension last off season unnecessary. Maybe it was necessary to give them the patience to work through whatever this is. Yeah. So it's like here, like Wolf Gator saying in the chat, it's not because of firing coaches is the problem. It's hiring the wrong guy. And I think that we think people, not everyone, not most people, but I think some

people we think are the wrong guy too fast. Yeah, because everybody wants, I just think our brains, because we're actually not that, not that much time has passed since coaches didn't make even a million dollars a year. Like I remember when coaches didn't make a million dollars a year. And now you have coaches making 10 and 11 and 13 million dollars a year. Like I remember when coaches didn't make a million dollars a year. And now you have coaches making 10 and 11 and 13 million dollars

a year. And my thought on that is you damn well better win every game if you're going to get paid that much. But there's so many of them getting paid that much that you can't win every game. And also too, like the game has changed so much since like Mel Tucker signed that deal before you could do what you do in roster assembly now, right? And he got that deal predicated based off of two important hits in the portal that turned out to carry their team for 10 games. Um, like the Kenneth Walker thing, like is so interesting to me. Every single time I watch him on in the NFL, I'm like, wow, that guy made Mel Tucker a lot of money until that, that all

blew up. Um, but so your, your patience has to be shortened a little bit now because the expectation of what you're able to do in terms of roster turnaround happens so much quicker now than it ever has before. But the impatience existed before the portal era. People got mad after two years if you inherited a bad roster and weren't better immediately when it takes two or three or four recruiting classes of development to get to where you need to go. So maybe now it's getting easier to identify who the wrong person is. Like if Billy

Napier gets fired, it will be just because the man did not make the roster better. Period. And that's a fact. So like, I'm not saying that he could never make the roster better in the future. But I do think it is funny that when we talk about the Billy Napier situation together, Andy, we're breaking down, well, how do they look? Do they have fire in their eyes? Are they playing hard for him? Are they competitive? It's not. Do they have the same kind of players as Georgia and Texas, which is the real question. And the real question is why don't they have the players that are good enough across the board to belong on the field? It's not even a matter of wins and losses.

The issue here isn't how they look on Saturdays right now. The issue is why didn't you spend the entire off season to ensure that it wouldn't look this way? And like there's nothing that you can see in the games from a week to week basis. It's like so funny to me. We sit back and was Florida going to lose this week? It's like the damage from a week to week basis. It's like so funny to me. We sit back and was Florida gonna lose this week? It's like the damage has been done already. Like whether they win or lose or beat Arkansas

or whatever it is that we're all wound up about every week is like doesn't tell you whether he did a good job. Not if they can beat Georgia and Texas, that might prove that, but based on what we've seen. But even then if they do, they still doesn't take away from the portal. It's incontraable, the portal stuff. Yeah, but if you could beat Georgia in Texas, that means you do have players

good enough to compete with them. No, I know. I know. But it would happen to be in a miraculous state. It wouldn't be. It would. Yeah, exactly. Like I still think that I would have questions if they were if they were to upset Georgia on Saturday, let's just go down this road real quick. If they were to upset Georgia on Saturday, let's just go down this road real quick. If they were to upset Georgia and win 21 to 20 in a disgusting slog of a football game in the Georgia, Kentucky game, essentially. Yes. Yeah. And Florida wins that game. Cause

I think that's the path, right? Like they have to play a disgusting, ugly game where Georgia turns it over or whatever. Like are your thoughts on Billy Napier's roster construction or just like, oh, he's actually really good, let's keep. No, it would be if they beat, but if they did it again against Texas the following week, that would actually be a little bit of proof of contact. But if they do beat Georgia, he's probably gonna keep his job, right?

Not necessarily, but I'm playing devil's advocate here. I do think he would have a much better chance of keeping his job if he beats Georgia. But I also, based on what we saw against Miami and Texas A&M, don't think that's going to happen. I know, but if he did, and he kept this job because they beat Georgia this year, because Georgia in this fake scenario played a bad game,

do you feel like he would change what he did or do you think that would be a confirmation that he's already doing a good job? Like I think it's a great question because I know there are people who would tell him, okay, let's do this better than you did last year. But he is the type of person who's like, you know, you've seen the same thing over and over the past three years, like, he's the type of person who's a lot, you know, you've seen the same thing over and over the past three years. Like he's the type of person who's going to be like, no, no, it worked this time.

So I'm going to, I'm going to just keep doing what I'm doing. Yeah. It's like the Farron brain. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Steven San Antonio, Florida beats Georgia in Texas. I'll yeah, you can pretty much put anything after that if you want, Steve, I think you're

probably I'll swim in a actual shark. I'll do a triathlon where I swim in a tank of gators and then I get out and then I run with longhorns. Yeah I think again you could probably put anything with that. Ari we got a couple more questions. This one's from Smith. It's kind of long but this is another really interesting one proving how deep our thinkers are out here in the audience. And God, I love you guys so much for these. Smith says, I was thinking about this from Penn State's perspective, but it could apply to other teams. So the big 10 championship is essentially decided who gets the first round playoff by right. But it itself is an extra game on top of the 12 regular season ones and it's on a neutral field where Penn State would likely be playing Oregon when you get the by but

lose you then have to play another game in the first round of the playoff assuming Penn State loses to Ohio State Saturday and goes 11 to one doesn't make the Big Ten Championship game still very possible even likely they get a first round home playoff game against the team seeded nine through 12. Could that scenario actually be better than playing 12 and 0 Oregon on a neutral field in Indy for the possibility of a

buy? In other words, would it actually be better to miss the big 10 championship game and guarantee an extra week of rest and a low seated first round opponent at home than to have to play Oregon somewhere neutral, which includes the possibility of a loss and then having to play a first round playoff game anyway.

The more I think about it, the less the outcome of the Penn State, Ohio State game this weekend seems to actually affect Penn State's potential playoff chances. Smith is right about that. I don't think it does, because if they lose this game and they win out, they're still gonna make the playoff.

But I don't think you could tell James Franklin or anybody at Penn State that winning the Big Ten doesn't matter, that playing for the Big Ten title doesn't matter. But Smith's point here, where if they lose this, they might actually be in a better spot than if they were to win this and then go lose to Oregon and Indy. He's right. And that's a flaw in the playoff system. Uh, so here's the one thing I'll push back on because we don't know who the eight or nine seat is or who they would be matched up with. It was like, if you get like Bama at the end of the year at home, that's not better because you're playing Oregon and it's an extra game, but the Oregon game doesn't eliminate you

or the extra game. And the other one does. So like you might want to go play Oregon because if you lose the game, you're still in, Because even if there are 10 and two team, if they lose in the big 10 championship game, I still think they're probably comfortably in. Right? Yeah. And so we could be talking about being in, we could buy, we could be talking about like Tennessee or Texas A&M coming to state college. Yeah. Which is not easy. Pretty tough game to have to, and you have to win that one. So from a rest standpoint, I think I understand it. It's the same amount of games, but it's an extra high leverage game that ends your season if you lose. So you have to take that. The fact that you get a home

game is kind of nice, but you still could lose to Texas A&M at home. You need to be if this to work, if you're six or seven or eight, you're probably playing somebody really tough. It's like, would you rather play Oregon and uh, you know, who would, who would they be if they, if they beat Oregon? Would you rather play Notre Dame in Georgia or would you rather play uh, or would you rather play? Whoever wins the Indiana, I mean, you'd rather be five. You'd rather be five. But the thing is, if you lose

this game to Ohio State, it doesn't necessarily guarantee you're going to be five like somebody. Somebody else could be somebody from the SEC could be five or the loser of one of the two championship games could be by bracketology too like yeah,

who organ would probably have to play in your second round. Like you think that's fun for them? No. Who would you rather play, Boise in BYU or Ohio State? Boise in BYU. So you'd rather be five than one. Five's the best seed in the tournament.

And I know people get mad at you when you say that. Like people freak out. They go, well, actually a buys better because it's one less game, less risk injury blah blah blah. It's like I would rather play Boise and BYU than have to play Ohio State. It's also because right. It's also because it's not just because you get the 512. It's because the four seed is not actually going to be the number 14 in the country. Right. Meanwhile the eight seed is also not going to be the eight seed. They're going to be like the six or the or the seven.

The eight seed will probably be better than the four seed this year. Yes. Yes. And that's a flaw in the system. And I think that's why they're trying to change some things for when it changes in two years. Also very hard to thread the needle to get to five. Like there's no way that you can do it to like, you can't plan it.

You can't plan. You just have to be really, really good without winning your conference championship game. So like, it's also go to. I mean, I know it's Notre Dame. I guess if Penn State to stick with the question here, Andy beat Ohio State and then Oregon and Penn State meet as the here's here's the real scenario they met in the big 10 championship game is undefeated teams i think it's better to lose

the game than win it because i think you could wind up at five right if you lose the game in that scenario which would be probably better than Oregon's situation and let me ask you this Penn State fans, tweet at me, because I really want to know the answer, because I love this stuff, because I always feel like I know what people would say and that I'm wrong. Would you rather win the Big Ten and have a harder path to the semi-finals

or lose the Big Ten and have an easier path to the semi-finals? Like what matters more to you? Oh, it's such a good question. semi-finals? Like, what matters more to you? Oh, it's such a good question. Because I think most people and definitely most coaches and players are like, I want to win the conference title. I want to win every game. And I'm glad. I want it to be this way. I want you to feel like you want to

win every game you play. But I do think strategically thinking you're on to something here. And I think that's why they're trying to make some tweaks. But we got to, I do want to see this play out first before they willy nilly change anything. All right. One more question here. This is, it's actually David and San Antonio has a question for each of us. They're a little off topic, but we're, we're, we're into grab asks at this point.

Andy, we're about the same age, and I too remember that Gary Hart was caught with Donna Rice on a boat called The Monkey Business in 1988. My question to you is, do you remember this story because of the jokes in Mad Magazine like I did, or because you paid attention when your parents watched the McNeil-Lairer News Hour?

So I was that dork who watched the ABC Evening News with Peter Jennings every night at 6.30 as an elementary schooler. So fall of 1998, I would have been in fifth grade. And that was definitely in my prime, like national news. Like I would watch the local news at six and the national news at 6.30. But I also read all the jokes in Mad Magazine.

My mom had to, I made her buy me Mad Magazine at the grocery store every single month. Probably should have subscribed to it, probably would have been cheaper, but yes, I absolutely remember Alfred E. Newman and Gary Hart and Donna Rice and the monkey business. This question's for Ari and I'm fascinated to hear the answer to this.

Oh, here we go. I've never used one, but I agree with you that a bidet probably feels cleaner than just wiping. But then how do you dry out afterward? Paper towels? A stack of hand towels you wash every couple days? I've been curious about this route, but I don't really get it and I can't think of anyone better to ask. Oh, wow. I'm happy that I'm a bidet expert. So before I answer the question, I got to tell you, you know, where the first time I ever used a bidet was Japan. No, it's the funniest answer ever. I was in the Tri-Cities area, like in Iowa, Davenport, Iowa, and I was on the road with that truck stop with the dentist's office. No, it was in a hotel. There's a hotel in Davenport, Iowa called The Current, which is a Marriott autograph collection property, which by the way, like you would never think in a

million years that you would have a bidet in Davenport, Iowa. Like that's not what you think of like Paris or something. And I just, I torqued till it's dry. thing. And I just I torque till it's dry. And there's actually air that they blow up there in these that dries it for you. And then you use it's like an automatic car wash. Yeah, yeah. And it's like, I don't know how to say this without being graphic, but it's warm water. It's not toilet water. And it like pulses. So like it really and it goes up and down back and

forth. And it like really does clean you out. It has that, that fresh out of the shower feeling, you know, like when you have a bad case of swamp ass in the middle of the summer and you get to go into the shower and just clean up. That's what a bidet feels like. Now the unfortunate scenario is that my wife bought me a bidet for my birthday because I think it's really nice. And our toilets don't have, like if you come to my house, you can't see the wiring. You know how like most people's bathrooms, you go into a bathroom and you can see like the coils

and stuff that go into the wall? Like all of that stuff in our house is hidden behind the toilet that they put in. So I couldn't set it up and I was devastated. So, but yes, it's a very, very pleasant thing. And the only thing I will tell you is, is that if you're kind of interested in doing it, just try it out.

You might not like it, but it's very, it makes you feel fresh. And that is the kind of advice we give it on this show. Ari, I gotta get ready for Halloween. Again, it's a massive event in the neighborhood. They shut down the streets. Show River's costume. Oh wait, yes, we, Producer River has the best costume in the country this year. He is Bobby Petrino after the motorcycle accident for Halloween. That is the most amazing costume ever. If you're listening to podcast for him,

just call up the YouTube stream and forward to this moment so you can see this because it is spectacular. I wish I had thought of this. Yeah. When River sent us this the other day on his trial run, I was so mad that we didn't think of this, but it is glorious. He is going to the hit of his Halloween party.

I got, you know, I got my wife dressed as Cal Naughton Jr. We're gonna shake and bake. If you don't- My hope for you, Andy, Yeah. Is that you get to eat that, that buffet of food they do in that funny

scene where they're thanking baby Jesus. You know that Domino's, KFC, like I hope for you that that comes true. I will have a picture on Saturday show for you of what we are because my daughter wants to be a doctor. So we got her a doctor outfit and a doctor set and glasses. And I'm the patient. So I have a pants that I'm going to wear that has like a plastic ass to that exposes and I'll be wearing a doctor's outfit. Like a hospital gown. Yes. And then my wife is going to be a sexy nurse. So we're going to, you know, or she just likes

to call it nurse. Yeah, she wants to be a nurse, but I keep telling everyone she's going to be a sexist imply gets mad. Yeah. Um, and we're going to take a picture, but I do celebrate Halloween. I just, you gotta understand. And I'm sure there's people who listen to the show that are in this phase of life. But like the hours of six to 8 a.m. here is an absolute disaster.

Like we got kids running around, we're making lunches, we're getting ready. We're changing. Like, I don't like, by the time I start this show live, I'm like usually walked into my house three minutes earlier from dropping my daughter off at daycare. So like I just did not have time to do it. I do celebrate Halloween. Tonight is her first trick or treating. Like she's going to walk up the doors tonight for the first time and say trick or treat and get candy. Um, I do celebrate. I will show you evidence of, uh, the family picture on Monday. Listen, there's no judgment here.

I've lived, I've lived that life, but we do need to show one of these days. We'll start the show like right at like an eight 29 and 45 seconds because the last like Ari slides in, throws the headphones on at 8.59 or 8, sorry, 9.29 and 59 seconds Eastern time. Like it is just like that. Because drop off is at nine and I live 25 minutes away or 20 minutes away with traffic in Dallas.

So like there are times where like I'm like speeding and putting my life in danger to be here on time. So I want you guys to know, and there are some days where my wife takes her to school and then it's just easy, but yeah, I'm excited about tonight and I'm gonna, do you steal a lot of your kids candy? There's so much.

I don't really need to steal very much. They like they'll come back with a giant sack of it. They will never, they'll never miss it. My daughter and I went to a Halloween thing the other night, and it wasn't trick or treating, but it was kind of like it was in a parking lot of an outdoor shopping center and people set up and they gave you a sack. And my daughter, that's how I taught her to do trick or treat. So tonight will be her first real run at it. daughter, that's how I taught her to do trick or treat. So tonight will be her first real run at it. But she had a sack and I was like, I took the sack from her and I put it on my front seat of my car, Andy. And as we were driving home, I was like cracking into the M&Ms. I was like, I was open stuff. And then we got home and she goes, Daddy, can I have my sack of treats?

And they were like, basically gone. I was like, Sorry, sorry, baby. I don't know what to tell you. Like, so they're mine now. basically gone. I was like, sorry, sorry, baby. I don't know what to tell you. Like, so they're mine now. Ages like six to 10. They do a very thorough inventory. They know exactly what they have. If you take something, they're going to know it. Beyond that, they're not paying attention anymore. So I pretty much have the run of the place when they when they get back. Yeah, okay. Well, enjoy your time. And I don't know if

you're gonna get hammered tonight. But like drunk Ricky Bobby in Gainesville, Florida is a very amusing thought. I know it's a big night for you. Have a good time. Tell Anna I may be a driver, but I won't be driving. Yes. Just remember if you ain't first, you're last. And if you don't chew Big Red, we'll talk to you on Saturday.