College Football Live - Buckeyes on Top?

Episode Date: November 1, 2023

Host Kelsey Riggs is joined by Sam Acho and Dusty Dvoracek as they discuss the CFP Top 25 Rankings released last night by the committee, focusing primarily on the top 6 with Oregon at 6, Washington at 5, Florida State at 4, Michigan at 3, Georgia at 2, and Ohio State at 1. Then, Pete Thamel comes on with another update related to the Michigan sing-stealing investigation. Also, Joe Fortenbaugh gives his take on the playoff picture with his segment: "In The Know With Joe." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you're flying Emirates business class, enjoying a good night's rest in your lie flat seat, you'll see that your vacation isn't really over until your flight is over. Fly Emirates, fly better. Welcome into college football live. I'm Kelsey Riggs, and we're coming out the tunnel with this. All eyes are on the buck eyes because the college football playoff committee says Ohio State is the number one team in the country. But what do our guys think about who should be at the top? Plus, madness in Michigan as new video surrounding the alleged sign stealing emerges,

Pete Thamwell joins us with the latest, and you'll hear what the committee had to say about their handling the allegations. Plus, the Pact 12 isn't in the top four, but Joe Fortin-Bah is here to tell you why picking a team out West in the conference's playoff drought could be a good bet. College Football Live starts now. Who knows what they're capable. I have them right now as a top team in a country. This is a matchup for the ages. Their team has been built for this exact moment. Hope.

What's my definition of success? Creating something no one else. They could win the national championship. Be brave enough to dream, baby. Rolling when you're telling you just quick. Welcome into college football live. Dusty DeVorject, Sam Ocho, hanging out with me, Kelsey Riggs. We'll have Pete Bammal with us in just a little while.

Guys, week 10 is almost here, but we made it. We got our first college football playoff rankings reveal last night, and let's take a little bit. look at the top 10. These all state, these rankings rather, are brought to you by Allstate. And Ohio State number one for the fourth time since the rankings began in 2014. The Bulldogs, they were the AP number one. But as you see, they're number two in the first playoff rankings. They've actually had the top spot in 11 of the last 13 college football playoff reveals. But number two in this one, the Bulldogs are followed by Michigan and Florida State in the top for Washington and Oregon right there.

on the outside looking in. So let's take a look at some of the storylines surrounding this. And this will be just the second time since 2020 that the number one team in the AP rankings is not the number one team in the CFP rankings. The other time was in 2022 and Georgia was number one in the AP poll and Tennessee was number one in the CFP rankings. Also, six pack 12 teams were ranked in the top 20. That's tied with the SEC for the most by any conference. The PAC 12, they haven't had a team in the CFP since. Washington did it in 2017. Meanwhile, in the SEC, three teams make an appearance in the top 10 with

Georgia, Alabama, and Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide missed the playoffs last season, but they have never missed it and back-to-back seasons since the CFP was first introduced in 2014. So Sam, we had a lot of questions about what we would learn from these first reveals, what the committee thought, what they valued, what they thought about the teams. What did you learn your biggest takeaway from what we saw last night with the top 25? My biggest takeaway, Kelsey, is the fact that the committee is looking at teams based off of where they are right now, meaning what have you done for me currently? Not what will you do? What will you look like? What do you look like now?

And the reason why Ohio State's number one is they have those two top 15 wins, right? The committee ranked Penn State 11. The committee ranked Notre Dame 15. Those wins matter. And that resume so far, according to the college football playoffs, selection committee, is the most impressive resume in college football. I got to tell you, Sam, I think it's that this committee knows they can apply. logic wherever they want. There's no set criteria. So yeah, I agree with you. Resumet at number one, not resume at two and three. That was about I test because from a resume

standpoint, Florida State has a better resume, as does Washington, then either Georgia or Michigan. Now, I think we all agree Michigan and Georgia are better teams, but that was eye test, whereas Ohio State was about the resume. So it's just a good reminder. There's no set criteria that this committee has to follow. Seems like a little compilation of everything at this point. You see what they value with some teams head to head also going to be interesting, something that we'll talk about in just a little while. But right now, let's dive a little bit deeper further into it because the Buckeyes are the only undefeated team with multiple wins over CFP ranked teams thus far over multiple teams. As Sam mentioned, now, however, Georgia, Michigan, they're going to have plenty of

opportunities still. According to ESPN analytics, Georgia has the six hardest remaining schedule, while Michigan has the toughest remaining schedule in the country. So Dusty, they're going to have more chances to prove it. But let's go based off of what we have seen so far. Who would your number one team, Dusty, in the country be right now? I still have Georgia there. And look, I put a lot of eye tests with that. And I recognize they don't have those quality wins, but I think it's coming. And every time Georgia has been challenged, been tested, they really stepped up. Look that Kentucky win that they had. And then this past week against Florida. And life without Brock Bowers isn't so bad. They've proven

that whenever everyone kind of questions them, challenges them. Kirby Smart has that team ready to roll. I think that defense continues to get better. And they've got a quarterback who's really stepping up and finding a lot of different outlets. So for mine, I had Georgia one, Michigan, too. I understand why the committee put Ohio State there. But to me, Georgia is still the top dog in college football.

And your point, Jesse, is a good one, and the fact that every time they've been tested, they've stepped up. You talked about Kentucky and Florida. But my issue is the times they haven't been tested, they haven't stepped up. You think about that Auburn game they were down, that South Carolina down at halftime,

even Vanderbilt, they gave up touchdowns early. So if you're asking me who the most impressive team has been so far, I still lean Michigan because they've dominated every single game they've been a part of. They're averaging a 35-point differential in every single one of their matchups, average over the entire season. And so I think they've been a more dominant team, though they don't have as impressive of a resume.

Georgia is going to get an opportunity in the next three weeks because they have three back-to-back ranked opponents. I mentioned the tough schedule coming up for them the rest of the way. Ohio State is interesting because to me, the eye test that just doesn't do it for me for Ohio State yet, but we're going to get to see them against some really tough teams still ahead. Time to get in the know with Joe, Joe Fortin Ball, with a look at college football through the eyes of Vegas. And Joe, we've been looking at the first CFP rankings from last night and a lot of conversations about Ohio State at the top. So if you were to bet one of these teams would miss.

the playoff or taking the negative side, who would it be? Apologies to the great people in the state of Ohio, but I would bet the Buckeyes to miss the playoffs at a price of minus 135. I've got Georgia and Michigan running the table, and if Michigan's running the table, that means Ohio State's losing late in the season. Not only that, it means the Buckeyes are out of the Big Ten championship game, which is going to hurt their case when teams like Oregon are making a run at Washington late in the year out west. When all is said and done, sadly, and again, apologies to the state of Ohio, but I I see the Buckeyes out at a price of minus 135.

Brian Day currently writing down Joe Fortinball to mention in his next post game press conference. Meanwhile, let's look at another team that is in the top four. And I don't think there's much argument surrounding Michigan being one of the best teams in the country. But there is plenty of controversy with everything that's happening off the field for the Wolverines, the NCAA, investigating sign stealing allegations involving the number three team in the country. Here's CFP Chairman Boo Corrigan on how the committee is handling their views on Michigan. Yeah, we really view it, Reese. It's an NCAA issue.

It's not a CFP issue. At this point in time, you know, as we're looking at this, we want to make sure that we get not only the top four teams, but the top 25 teams right. All right, so let's bring in college football insider, Pete Thammel and Pete, the latest rendition of what's happening now with this team that we've heard involves central Michigan. So what can you tell us about what you've learned?

Yeah, Kelsey, the latest allegation is, is another unique one and a scandal that's been filled with them. Central Michigan University announced on Tuesday that they're investigating a figure purported to be Connor Stallions, whose image was captured both in still photos and in videos on their sideline in the season opener at Michigan State. For Central Michigan, there's plenty of unanswered questions here, Kelsey. Who gave Stallions the visiting bench pass, only 50 or allotted to each team? Who would have given him the coaching gear to do?

do that, and was he both stealing Michigan State signals and potentially aiding Central Michigan in their quest to beat Michigan State on that opening Friday? Coach Jim McElwain addressed the allegations after the game. We obviously are aware of a picture floating around with the sign stealer guy. You know, our people are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of it. We're unaware, totally unaware of it. I certainly don't condone it in any way, shape, or form. And, you know, I do know that his name was on none of the passes that were let out.

Now we just keep tracing it back and tracing it back and try to figure it out. But it's in good hands with our people. And again, you know, there's no place in football for that. Obviously, Kelsey, Jim McElwain, a former Michigan assistant under Jim Harbaugh, and there are several staffs between the Michigan staff and that central Michigan staff. So another ongoing saga and a scandal filled with them. Pete, one, I know that you will have to continue to follow right here on college football live and college game day. Let's bring back in Dusty and Sam now because as we heard from Pete, it's an open investigation.

The NCAA is looking into it. And right now, it's just allegations. So important to keep all of that at the forefront of your mind. But Dusty, what's your reaction to what's happening right now in Michigan? This is despicable. What we're seeing right there. I mean, come on, where is the integrity of the sport we're talking about? Now, I don't know who knew what or exactly what's going on.

But Conner Stallion is the arrogance that he has to this entire charade that's been going on and be on the sidelines of an opponent in that gear. That doesn't happen. That should never happen. And it's time the NCAA and the Big Ten. Where's Tony Petitian in this? Figure out what's going on with this program. I agree.

It's just allegations at this point, but at some point, you've got to figure out exactly what's been taking place. And if these allegations are true, this is not commonplace in college football. I've heard a lot of different analysts say, oh, this happens all the time. No, what's being alleged does not happen

all across college football, and a stop needs to be put to it immediately. Yeah, this is like the energizer bunny, dusty. It keeps on going and going and going. I remember last week or 10 or 10 or something. days ago when it first got reported and it was like, people said, oh, this will pass and you never really know. And I was like, man, it seems as if there's more to the story. Well, fast forward, a week goes by and there's more than another few days and there's more and there's

more. For all the Michigan fans that are saying, well, somebody's trying to throw us under the bus or the former Michigan alum, all I'm saying is this, more news continues to come out. And it seems like this story is not going away. And so it's just interesting to see as things continue to develop what more will be found out as the investigation continues. And it's going to be interesting to see what the college football playoff committee does. You heard from Boogorgon who said, of course, right now it's in the NCAA hands and they are not handling it. We'll see what happens moving forward allegations right now as they continue to look in the suspended

staffer from Michigan, who seems, appears to be on the sidelines. And we'll see what happens with this moving forward. We'll also see what happens with the PAC 12 moving forward because right now, Now they are outside of the top four looking in, but Joe Portenbaugh is back with us, and he thinks they've got a good chance to get in. We've got his top pick for a team that could find their way into the playoff. That's next on College Football Live. This Giving Tuesday, Cam H is counting on your support.

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really big on care. Find an agent today at Dejardin.com slash business coverage. College Football Live is brought to you by Liberty Mutual Insurance. Only pay for what you need. Welcome back to College Football Live. We knew at least one of the undefeated teams would be left out of the top four in the first rankings. It was Washington. that found themselves on the outside looking in. The Huskies are number five. They've got that thrilling win over Oregon. Washington has slowed down a little the last couple of weeks. Now, the other hope for the PAC 12 at this point,

Oregon also still in the mix at number six in the first reveal. Ducks are coming off a dominant win over Utah and are the highest ranked one-lost team in the CFP ranking. So the PAC 12, they've got six teams in all in the top 25. They actually all come in the top 20. but here's a look at the conference's chance to make the playoffs and as you'll see the Pact 12 has the smallest chance to send a team to the college football playoff, according to the Allstate playoff predictor. So, guys, it has been a six-year drought for the Pact 12 in the college football playoff. And now we're wondering what is it going to look like potentially for them this year.

So let's start with you, Sam. Last rendition of the Pact 12, as we know it, for them to make it in the college football playoff. what has to happen? Oregon has to win out. And I think that's the path. That's the avenue. Oregon's already played Utah. They beat Utah.

They have two more ranked games on their schedule. Oregon State being one of them, USC being the other one. And then when they went out, they have to avenge their loss against Washington. They would have, at that point, have had one of the strongest resumes in all of college football.

That's what good can happen. Now, the bad side is if USC finds a way to upset Oregon or Washington in that case, then I believe the past. 12 will be out of luck. Yeah, listen, I'm totally with you. And I think Oregon is the best team in the pack 12. I actually think they run the table.

They do play Washington, avenge that loss and make the college football playoff. But the Huskies are alive, too. They're still undefeated. They got a tough game in L.A. this week. They still have a tough road to hole. But they, obviously, if they went out or if they slip up somewhere, make it to that Pac-12 title, beat Oregon again, again, that gives them the best chance. What needs to happen for the Pac-12 is for Oregon and Washington to play.

And I think as long as you have a one loss or underth, feet of Washington against a one-loss Oregon. The winner of that game has an excellent opportunity to make the college football playoff in this Pac-12 playoff drought. Fact-12 has been a fun conference to watch all season long, but they

are on a six-year playoff drought. Two teams potentially could change that as you look at the odds. Caesars has Oregon at plus 175 to make the playoff. So Joe Fortin-Bob, back with me now and Joe. Is it a good bet to take? Oh, absolutely.

The playoff committee has him sixth now, which means they need to jump two spots by the end of the season. One of those spots is going to be number five, Washington, who I believe that those two meet in the Pac-12 championship game, Oregon's going to win that rematch. When you're looking at resumes, Oregon still has ranked matchups against USC and Oregon State to bolster their resume. So by the end of the year, we might just need one other team to fall off. And if the Buckeyes lose to Michigan, as I would project right now, I think Oregon slides in. Plus 175 looks fantastic to me. All right, Joe, thanks so much. Don't forget to vote at ESPN CFB for which team you think will be the Dr. Pepper

one final team using the hashtag one final team. Guys, let's keep it moving now and get to what's your beef presented by Old Trapper. And one of the things that the committee looks at is the head to head. We know Oklahoma beat Texas in the Red River rivalry game. But the Longhorns, they're ahead of the Sooners in the first rankings. That's obviously likely to do with Oklahoma just falling. to an unranked Kansas team last weekend. But as you take a look at what the college football

playoff rankings look like for teams 7 through 10, here's a look at it. Texas at number 7, Alabama at number 8, Oklahoma at number 9, and then Ole Miss at number 10. Texas cracks the CFP top 10 for the first time at number 7. So, Dusty, any issues with where these teams are

from 7 through 10? We mentioned we would get back at the head-to-head. I'm good with it, Kelsey, to be completely honest. Look, I know Oklahoma beat Texas head-to-head, but Texas went into Tuscaloosa, did something Nick Savant that's never happened. They beat the Crimson Tide of their home field by double digits. Not to mention, they have a 40 to 14 win

over the committee's number 21 team, Kansas, that just beat Oklahoma in Lawrence. I understand it gets a little muddy with the head-to-head, but listen, it's about the entire body of work. It's about the full resume. And the truth is, Texas has a better resume, a better body of work, Oklahoma at this point.

I got no beef, Kelsey, or Dusty. I got no beef with either y'all or with the rankings. And no one, at least in that top 10, at least from 7 to 10, should. Alabama lost to Texas. And so that's why they're behind Texas in the rankings. Oklahoma did beat Texas, but, Dusty, you pointed out so eloquently, they not only lost to Kansas, the team that Texas beat by 24 points, but they also don't have the win on Alabama on their resume.

Now, the beauty of this is both teams, whether it's Texas and Alabama, have huge matchups coming ahead. Bedlam's coming for Oklahoma. They play a ranked Oklahoma State team. Texas plays a ranked Kansas State team. And so all these teams, if you have beef, don't worry, just look at your schedule. You'll get a chance to play whoever you want to play and get all that beef

resolved this season. Here's the thing. A lot of fans are going to have plenty of beef. No coaches are going to have any beef at this point because they say the rankings. We'll see. We've got plenty of season left. Still five more rankings before we get to the final official ones at the end. You mentioned some of the big games coming up. And you mentioned

Bedlam. The first Bedlam football game was played in 1904 and Saturday on ABC. This could be the final meeting. We will see number 10. Oklahoma takes on Oklahoma State and Stillwater at 2.30 Eastern, 3.30 Eastern rather. And then Michael Pennix Jr. and number five, Washington will be at the Coliseum, squaring off against Caleb Williams and USC coverage begins at 730 Eastern 430 Pacific. ahead on college football live. Mentioned some of the big games where we've got five ranked matchups coming your way this weekend.

Which game could have the biggest impact on next week's rankings? That's ahead with Sam and Dusty. It's week three of Canadian tires Early Black Friday sale. These prices won't go lower this year. Maybe too long. Freezing.

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Both these teams have big aspirations to what they can accomplish. Big matchup in the SACA for. SEC West this weekend. Top 15 battle between LSU and Alabama. College game day going to be there for it all. I'll also be getting you caught up on what's happening around Week 10 and take a look at some of the notable games that could impact the college football

playoff. Oklahoma goes to Stillwater to take on their rivals in Oklahoma State. Can't wait to see Bedlam and what that brings. And we'll also get a showdown between Michael Pinnock Jr., Caleb Williams, as the Huskies and the Trojans go head to head. Texas also has a big test this weekend. as they get ready to take on Kansas State in a top 25 battle. Speaking of that game, bringing in college football insider Pete Thammel,

because Pete, the main question, Quinn Ewers, is he going to be healthy? We didn't get to see him last week. It was Malik Murphy. What are you hearing about what the Longherns are expecting this week? Kelsey, Malik Murphy will make his second career start for Texas against Kansas State on Saturday. Quinn Ewers will still remain out after he had that sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder. The earliest yours could possibly return is next week against TCU. Yours is not practiced for Texas this week. So it's no certainty he'll be back, but that's the earliest target.

All right, something that we will keep an eye on, and that is definitely an intriguing game. Let's bring back Sam and Dusty to talk about some of those other matchups that you saw in the top 25 because guys, at this point, you're looking at the college football playoff rankings, and you're wondering what happens when you move ahead. Dusty, what game do you really have your eye on as it relates to potentially the college football playoff rankings and what can have a major impact. Well, it's Separation Saturday coming up. We're going to learn a lot about a lot of teams.

I'm going to the Big 12, but it's both games. The one, we just heard Pete reference right there. I just had Texas last week. Belique Murphy is going to have to play better. Kansas State is playing as well as anybody have beaten your last two teams by combined 81 to 3. And how about Bedlam? I'll be on the call.

The final bedlam. And I'm going to tell you what, the winner of this game's got a great shot to go to Arlington, Oklahoma, can they bounce back? And Oklahoma State is white hot. Ali Gordon, the best player in college football the last five weeks. Those two games, unbelievable, Sam. Georgia, Missouri. That's all we need to talk about.

The reason why is this. Georgia has three more top 20 ranked teams on their schedule. Talk about not playing anyone. This is their first true battle. Missouri is better than anyone they've played thus far. Missouri's playing at an extremely high level, starting with Brady Cook and Luther Burden. game I'm watching because if Georgia wins that one, there's less argument for other teams saying

they deserve to be number one. The strength of the remaining schedule for Georgia is number six in the country and it starts for them this weekend with Missouri. Saw the Norman sign behind you, Dusty. Of course, you had to say that game. Just kidding. It's a huge one. Can't wait to see what happens with Bedlam. I'm going to be a big one. We'll see you tomorrow on college football live.