College Football Live - CFB Live- All Gas No Breaks; Which Teams Have Playoff Potential?

Episode Date: October 29, 2025

Join our crew Zubin Mehenti, Sam Acho, and Roddy Jones and Pete Thamel as they dive deeper into which teams are real playoff contenders. Is the ACC wide open? Is BYU the best of the Big 12? And who is the real #1 team in the country? Pete gives us his news and notes from around college football, including injury updates on some big names. All this and more on today's episode of College Football Live! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey there, welcome to college football live on this Wednesday. Out of the tunnel. All gas, no breaks. Less than a week from the committee rankings, are we buying or selling some of the biggest names in the sport that seemingly are on their way to the playoff? Who's the best team in the Big 12? Could the answer be somebody other than the league's lone undefeated squad?

The experts weigh in, and it's put up or shut up weekend. In the ACC for road teams and top 25 matchups. That more on college football live. right now. And we welcome you inside with Pete, Roddy, Sam, I'm Zubin. What a difference a year makes. Remember, the first playoff rankings come out next Tuesday. At this time, a year ago, let's take a look at what everybody was thinking about it with

regard to the playoff. The most important thing to know here is the team with the best odds to make the playoff about a year ago at this time missed out on the 12-team field. That just goes to show you how different things are from year to year. So right now, where do we stand? No surprise that Indiana, the darling of the sport, is at the top. But if history is any indicator, at least one of these teams should feel a little bit uncomfortable. All gas, no brakes, as we mentioned at the top.

The ironic part about all gas, no brakes is I trying to speak over the revolution, is that actually Texas is not going to be involved. I mean, the innovator, the guy that came up with all gas, no brakes, no sark for this segment. but we do have Indiana at the top. We're going to run through a bunch of teams, starting with the Hoosiers. You know the story. It's been a million times said the losing-this program in major college football history, now in position to win the national championship, which would go down as an all-time story, not just in college football, but really in sports at large.

So, all right, Sam, let's start with you. All gas, no brakes. With the idea here, is it pedal to the medal, full throttle to the playoff, or do we need to ease up a little bit on the Hoosiers? Let's start with them. I'm all gas on the Hoosiers. There's no easing up. This is a team that has been callous before.

There was excitement last season. Then they had a couple of bumps in the road. They've learned from that. They're a veteran mature team. Linebacker Aiden Fisher is one of the best linebackers in college football. And yes, he's going through an injury, but it looks like he'll be able to come back. I'm all gas. That's him number four with the pick six, but also on the offensive side of the ball.

It's not just Aidan Fisher on defenses for Nandoandoza. Elijah Surat. Mendoza is in the Hizman conversation. Surratt is a problem still waiting to be solved. So I am all gas on this Hoosiers' offense, defense, special teams, and coaching staff. Sam, I am all gas as well. I'm not just regular gas. I'm like the Fast and the Furious where they press that button to hit the nitrous oxide.

And you're like, that's how gas I am on Indiana. Look, this is a team that's got a 47 point win over Kennesaw State, a 53 point win over Illinois, and a 50 point win over UCLA. They have been utterly dominant. They went on the road to Oregon, and they won by double digits. in a game where Oregon's offense only scored 13 points. Remember, there was a pick six by Oregon in that game to get them to 20. This Indiana team has done nothing but proved they're one of the best teams in the country. So I am nitrous oxide gas down the street.

Well, Roddy, we need to know if your minivan has that special button when you cruise around the streets there in Atlanta. I am not going to have Roddy's minivan superpower gas, but I am going to hit the gas on the Hoosiers. Look, their defense is one of the most elite units in the country. It was the same as last season. Sam obviously mentioned Aidan Fisher, DeAngelo Pons, one of the top corners in the country. Mikhail Kamara, one of the top edges in the country. Bryant Haynes, the defense coordinator in Indiana, they had to rip up his contract twice last year. So many people wanted him.

Indiana was aggressive in keeping him, and he again has proven to be one of the top coordinators in the entire country. And the final reason why I'm so optimistic, guys, that offensive line has been upgraded significantly. If you watch the Ohio State tape last year, you watched the Notre Dame tape last year, they dominated the Hoosiers up front. They've addressed that personnel issue, and they are much better protecting Fernando Mendoza. Well said, Pete. We all know when you're driving around, you're driving around in Brent Key's truck. That has been well established for our longtime hardcore viewers of college football live. Next up on all gas, no brakes is Texas A&M. So you know the story with A&M, right?

Last year they were in this position as well. Then they lost four or five. If you're an A&M fan, you're kind of just always waiting for the other shoe. to drop. But maybe this year the other cleat won't drop. Keep in mind they have never made the SEC title game much less won the thing. So Sam, they're fighting a little bit of history and inertia here. Are we all gas or no breaks on the Aggies? We are all gas on the Aggies. Ignore inertia, ignore gravity, ignore history, and just focus on the present. This Aggie's team is winning on all phases of the game. Casey Concepcion, transfer from METC State. You see it

with the kickoff or punt return touchdown. Had one early in the season. But it's not just that. It's their defense. Roddy's caught a couple of their games. One of the best defenses on third down. And oh, by the way, if defense can't do it, offense can't do it, excuse me,

Special teams can do it. Give me Marshall Reed on the offense. So they're winning in all three phases. Even if they slip up over these next several weeks, I still believe they'll be in the college football playoff. Well, I'm not going to ignore physics like Sam, but I am going to hop in an F-1 car and hit the gas, and I'm going to take corners at speed.

I'm going to break. I'm going to turn and I'm going to get down the straight. Because Sam said it. This is a really complete team. Offensive and defensive lines are fantastic. They can run the football. But defensively, they're so good on first and second downs. And when they get you into third and long, they are one of the best in the country.

Second in the country and third down defense. They unleash Caches Howell, who's tied for third nationally in sacks. You've got a phenomenal group of defensive linemen that can just collapse the pocket and blitzers from the second and third levels. I am absolutely F1 car, all gas with Texas A&M. Well, we can't have too much gas. This show will turn into RPM tonight. So I'm going to tap the brakes a little bit.

And just say that I think the Aggies are going to make the playoff. And I think they are trending in a wonderful direction. But there have been some flaws that can't be ignored. I'll start with their past defense. It's in the mid-50s in the country. You look at the Notre Dame tape. If you look at the Arkansas tape, people have moved the ball in high-leverage games up and down the field on Texas A&M. They're also one of the first.

the most penalized teams in the country guys, and they also have a very poor punting unit. And those are the types of things when the stakes get really high will be magnified for the Aggies. No doubt, Pete. I also feel like, I mean, I'm still all gas, but I also feel like the stuff that said that Zubin said at the beginning down the stretch, I do think they'll make the playoff. But that game against Texas is a big one. I mean, they didn't play that series from 2011 until last year.

They lost last year. There's going to be a lot of pressure on Texas A&M down the stretch for that game against Texas. and it's going to be Texas to Super Bowl because who knows what they'll be playing for at the time. So I'm slightly concerned about that, but I'm still all gas. You know, it's interesting you say that, Roddy, is we'll move on to the tide here in just one second.

I was taking a look at our FBI chances for A&M to win that game at Texas. It's actually just at 42%. So your point, that could be really dangerous. It's actually hard to believe, considering where both teams are right now. Up next, all gas, no breaks. As I mentioned, it would be Alabama.

Obviously, we would be screeching on the brakes if this was after week one against Florida State, but that appears to be an aberration, and that may be a generous term, considering how much the tide, no pun intended, has turned for both teams since then. So, Sam, we're up here. 93% chance to make the playoff,

according to the predictor, but this sport is unpredictable. All gas, no breaks on the tide. All gas, and the reason why is because it's just 6'7, 359 mammoth of a pound, mammoth of the man named Caden Proctor, getting the ball in the backfield and you're probably not going to stop him. Here's what I mean about that.

This Alabama team, they're getting creative on offense. That's how you know you have a confident coordinator in Ryan Grub and a confident team that gives the ball to an offensive lineman lineman with sweet feet in critical times. And oh, by the way, if it's not going to be to Caden Proctor, it's going to go to Ty Simpson, the current Heisman Trophy frontrunner, a team that won four straight ranked SEC games, went to a hostile environment in South Carolina down late in the fourth quarter and found a way to win. They're on their by week right now, but I have a lot of belief in that quarterback. and that offense and the entire team

in the current of time. Yeah, I'm going to hit the gas, but I'm going the speed limit. Like if we're in a school zone, we're only going 25 miles an hour with Alabama. Look, and the reason that I'm doing that is because of the track record and the competition. The track record in the competition.

You beat the four ranked teams, and I'm willing to excuse the South Carolina lost. Ty Simpson's been excellent, or South Carolina win, excuse me. Ty Simpson has been excellent this year, though. He's been the best quarterback in the country. And that's a big reason why you love Alabama down the stretch. The thing is, though, they haven't run the ball particularly well.

Neither have they stopped the run particularly well. It's a team that's 14th in the SEC in rush offense, 13th in the SEC in rush defense. So they've proven they can win close games against good teams. But I'm not going full gas because of the rushing numbers. I'm going to piggyback Roddy on that. I'm just going to be the Buzzkill today and put the brakes on everybody, right, guys? I'm going to echo what Roddy said. Sam mentioned Caden Proctor catching those passes out of the backfield.

Well, we need him to run block, all right? If Alabama wants to establish itself, they have the talent up front to have a much better run game than they've shown. Now, Jim Miller's been injured, missed Moza September. He's been banged up since then a little bit. But I really feel like for the Crimson Tide to fulfill their destiny and go all the way for Kalin-de-Bor, it's going to be hard to do it on a pass-heavy high-wire attack. They need to find some balance. They need to find it soon.

This is just simply not a team whose identity is in the trenches, and eventually that is where you need to win. All right. Next up, all gas, no breaks will be the Oregon Ducks. And if you're an Oregon fan, stay tuned, bottom of the hour championship drive. We're going to dig more into the Ducks here because they have a very perplexing resume. They say you can only beat the teams on your schedule, but then you can't control what those teams on the schedule do. How does that win over Penn State look right now?

Not great. How does that win over Oklahoma State look right now? Not great. Is their best win over Northwestern? I don't know how great that is. We'll see, but you can only play who's on your schedule. Sam, all gas, no breaks on the ducks who right now have about a 75% chance to make it. Yeah, I'm pumping the brakes on Oregon.

I'm actually driving through a school zone 20 miles per hour, not 25, and going over the limit like Roddy is. I'm going so on this Oregon team. Why? Because the chance where it mattered the most, that game versus Indiana, they didn't show up. And Indiana really outmaneuvered them on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. I understand that Dante Moore is battling an injury. It looks like he may be back, but just some of those critical moments, Oregon did not show up. We saw a little bit of this last season, at least when it came to the college football playoff.

And so I am not hitting the gas. I'm pumping the brakes. I think they will make the college football playoff. But, man, they have to shine, especially in the big moments when it matters most. I'm cheating is what I'm doing, because I'm going to coast downhill and not hit the gas or brakes until, I have to. When we start going uphill and I have to hit the gas, I will. If we get to a stop sign, I'll hit the brakes. The thing is what Zubin said about the resume is completely true. Penn State, the win over Penn State doesn't look good, but Penn State was a good team back then. It's just hard to justify that at the time. And then down the stretch, they've looked shaky. You look at the performance last week and you're left with, okay, are they just bored? Are they playing with their food? Are they banged up? I think Oregon is one of the more confusing evaluations in the country right now.

lot of that is because of the resume. And Zubin, you said it. You can only play who you can play. But on the other side of that, they haven't looked great at times. But when they put it together, it's looked awesome. So I'm not doing anything in the car until I have to. No gas, no brakes. We're just coasting.

There's some warning signs with these ducks guys. Look, they have road games remaining at Iowa and at Washington. And I'd be surprised if they don't get tripped up in one of those two games. They have a ton of talent at Oregon. but their experiences shown in their performance. It showed up in the second half of that Indiana game when they simply couldn't move the ball. Showed up in the fourth quarter of that Penn State game

when they let up that lead, which eventually ended up in overtime, and they won the game. I think Oregon needs to show they can grow up fast in this last month. I still think they're going to make the playoff, but this is not a team right now that's built by performance to go run through the playoff and make a deep run. That's a great point. Oregon, of course, still in search of that elusive first national title,

the one thing I would add to Sam's point, Dante Moore gets hurt. Brock Thomas, Austin Nova side, just not a lot of snaps there. And when you're going into these big games on the road, as Pete said, you really want Dante Moore out there. You're really not sure what you're going to get with those other guys if Wisconsin is in the opposition, like Roddy mentioned. All right, just a reminder here. Dante Moore was in the mix for the Heisman.

It's our Heisman update. Brought to you by Nissan. Let's take a look at it right now. Surprise, surprise. 100% of the people on your screen right now are all quarterbacks. It's been a quarterback award. And right now the guy leading our first. First topic of all gas, no breaks, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the odds on favorite.

But plenty of football still left to go. On the way, we mentioned it, ACC on the road, big spot for a conference that doesn't get the benefit of the doubt by the committee nor many others. No opportunity to trip up here who's on the way to victory this Saturday. And the Big 12, only BYU can finish this season undefeated overall in league play. Does that make them the best team in the league thus far? Well, a look at the schedule may show something else. That's next. This Heisman Update is brought to you by Nissan.

Premier partner of a Heisman trophy. College Game Day from the base of the Wasatch Mountains for Cincinnati and Utah Saturday, Saturday morning in Salt Lake. On that note, what to watch for, presented by Kudoba. As we just mentioned, game day going to Salt Lake. They'll be there for the sixth time. A little spotlight here on Cincinnati. Maddie, it's the first Associated Press ranked

versus ranked matchup the Bearcats have played in since joining the league. Big story for Utah and head coach Kyle Whittingham is the condition of their quarterback Devin Dampeer and his ankle. Let's take a listen. We'll see how practice goes. It's only Monday, obviously. Practice cranks back up tomorrow.

And he's certainly feeling better each day. But really, we'll just have to see how he progresses and where that goes. And if he's not, ready, then we know Bird is ready to go again if he needs to be. And that would be Bird Fickland, his backup, who has played pretty good in the very small sample size he has. Pete is back. All right, Pete, obviously those were Whittingham's comments

on Monday. We have a couple days to digest it. I know you're always on the trail of these stories. What is the latest? The latest on Devin-Dampier, Zubin, is that I've been told there's signs of optimism that he will return and start for Utah this week. Dan Pierre, Kyle Wittingham made clear in that same press conference that despite Bird Fickland hanging half a hundred on Coach Prime, Devin Danpier is still QB1 and the early signs this week with Tuesday is the full practice day behind us, point to Dan Pierre being available and starting for the Utes. Not as good news for Cincinnati.

We'll sneak in at the back end here. I've been told that Evan Pryor will be officially listed as out that Cincinnati star running back and leading Russia on the Big 12 injury report tonight. Cincinnati has a bye, Zubin, after this game. They host Arizona November 15th. Sources told me they're hopeful Evan Pryor will be back then. Look for Tywee Walker to get an uptick and snaps in Salt Lake City on Saturday night. Keep an eye on that for the Bearcat fans.

In Fickland, by the way, was the Big 12 freshman of the week. So he came through in a big spot when he needed to, though the competition ratchets up just a little bit. Pete, thanks very much. Let's take a look at the top of the Big 12. All right, so you probably know this, but the only team that can actually run through the regular season, undefeated in league. play and overall right now is BYU. They have a huge game at Texas Tech on November 8th,

which could go a long way to determining who ends up winning the Big 12. All right, but there's a long way to go, much like the ACC, Roddy. So right now, who do you feel is the best team in the Big 12, how this thing will eventually shake itself out? Well, those answers aren't necessarily the same, Zubin, because when you look at who the best team is in the Big 12, I'm still going to go with BYU. It's a complete football team defensively, offensively. The lines of scrimmage are really good. And then Bear Bachmeier

has obviously played very well as a true freshman. They've had some escapes, but this is a team that I think can continue to win at a high level. The thing is, though, BYU plays three of the top eight teams in the Big 12 down the stretch. Cincinnati plays three of the top eight teams

down the stretch as well. And so when you look at, and Texas Tech plays two of the top eight teams, teams down the stretch in Kansas State and BYU. Houston is sitting there with one loss in the Big 12. They only play one of the top eight teams remaining, and it's TCU who already has two losses in conference. They miss Texas Tech.

They miss Cincinnati. They miss BYU. So if you're asking me, give me the team that you feel most confident can make it to Dallas for the Big 12 championship game, I think I'm going to go Houston. And a lot of that has to do with the improvements that they've made under Willie Prince in his second year, but also have. to do with the schedule. I love the pick of Houston.

They suffered a loss versus Texas Tech, but Houston has developed. I want to stick to Cincinnati as a team that I'm very confident in. Now, Cincinnati has a couple tests, but there are one-loss team and undefeated in conference play. Their one loss came week one against Nebraska, and the quarterback, Brennan Storesby threw him with an interception towards end of the game that cost them the game. But since then, they have not lost. And, oh, by the way, they have opportunities versus Utah coming up this week.

BYU in a couple weeks to show that they are the best team. And so if they're able to win one or both of those games, obviously the tiebreaker situation would lend itself in their favor. That's a good point, Sam. Just as jumbled as the Big 12 in some ways is the ACC, and we mentioned at the top of the show how this is going to be a big time litmus test for some of the road teams. Let's take a look at this and then we'll get your thoughts on who should really be on upset alerts. So these are top 25 ACCC teams on the road. Now, what's interesting about these teams when you think about it, especially Miami, is SMU. seems like they're a resurgent club at this point.

Despite that, Miami is a 12-and-a-half-point favorite. The ACC huddle, by the way, is going to be there this weekend, so hang tight for the best coverage there. Virginia and Cal. We saw Virginia escape North Carolina. We saw Cal suffer a heartbreaking loss and have to travel 3,000 miles back to Berkeley after losing to Virginia Tech.

Louisville kind of announced themselves to the nation and that big wind you're seeing right here over Miami, which Carson Beck threw four picks. They're going to be Virginia Tech, which obviously woke up last Friday night themselves. It's never going to be easy. And then the team everybody really has their eye on. Georgia Tech taking on NC State,

who is certainly not having the type of year that Dave Dorn hoped for. But NC State has always been known, as you know, for picking off a team or two when you didn't generally expect it. So let's take a look as the favorites to reach the ACC title game right now. No surprise. Georgia Tech, as the loan unbeaten at this particular point would be in position to do that. So let's take a look at what's your... Beef presented to you by Old Trapper.

And the bottom line is we're beefing over a team that would lose here on the road that would be on upset alert. Because as I mentioned, a lot of teams in this league just don't get the benefit of the doubt. So Roddy, we have one minute to go here. Fellas wrap it up. ACCC team on the road we mentioned this week you are most concerned about it. So my number one beef is Haynes King not being mentioned in the Heisman Trophy conversation. But when you're talking about teams, I would look at Virginia going west to Cal as the one that I would be careful of. Virginia's offense has kind of disappeared the last three games.

Their offensive production has fallen by basically half as opposed to what it was before. So I would watch out if I was Virginia. And Georgia Tech, they're going to play NC State. So it's an away game, NC State at night. That game has been close, I think, three of the last four years. It was a one-point game last time they played. So that's a game just to keep your eye out on. No doubt.

I know, Sam, you're going to be on the call for that, so you're going to get a bird's eye view on them. and we'll get a better picture maybe in your mind of what tech looks like is they're looking for a dream season for the ages. Hang tight. We're back at the bottom of the hour. About four minutes from now, the playoff insider Heather Dinnich. We'll join us with all the half hour of championship drive in advance of the first committee rankings.