College Football Live - CFB Live - Week 13 Preview/Playoff Push

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

Join our crew Jen Lada, Pete Thamel, Stanford Steve and Desmond Howard for College Football Live, live from University of Oregon. As Oregon and USC prepare to faceoff this weekend, we'll preview the matchup and what's at stake for each team. Pete Thamel will have top story updates you should pay attention to and with the ACC being up for grabs, the crew will preview some key matchups this weekend. We'll also highlight the Big 12 and you don't want to miss game picks presented by Dick's Sporting Goods. All that and more on CFB Live! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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He changed the culture. He changed sports. Booja, presented by Modelo, premieres on December 10th at 9 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. College Football Live is presented by Vanguard. You are looking at beautiful Oxton Stadium because we are back in Eugene, Oregon. You know, there was a pretty dense fog hanging over the city earlier today, but it has since cleared. And that's kind of like the playoff picture. After week 13 action, teams will have an opportunity to impress in this final push just about two weeks until selection day.

Welcome into college football live, the usual cast of characters on a Friday. He's Desmond Howard and Stanford Steve, the authority Pete Thammell and I am Jen Lata. Could be a lot of movement in the playoff picture over the next 24 hours or so. So let's get right to the big game taking place here. It is, of course, USC visiting Oregon. and USC comes in with just that one big 10 loss, a chance at its biggest win of the season against Oregon. We know that they can score.

How does the defense hold up against Oregon on Saturday? On the other side, the ducks cannot afford a stumble either. A second loss would make the road to the playoff much tougher, and they've still got Washington ahead. Players on both sides of the ball understand the stakes of this matchup. It's going to be a fired-up environment. You know, it's what, you know, when you do, dream as a little kids what you dream for moments like these. There's a lot at stake,

but you know that's what you play for. It's what football November is all about. That's way you come to University of Oregon for games like this. Everything's at stake, you know, it's a big game, you know, it's towards the end of the season, so you got to go in there and play S.E. Branden football. A lot of playmakers all over the ball, whether it's in the back field or up front, so they're a really well-coached unit, so it'll be a good test for us. You know, I'd argue that the one of the most physical team in the Big Ten, if not in the nation. I was super, you know, super excited for this opportunity, honestly. All right, look, there is no doubt that both of these teams recognize the magnitude of this matchup

when it comes to their playoff opportunities. So, Des, I will start with you on this one. How can Oregon avoid the upset and stay on track? Well, Jen, you said we're back. So we were here before. It was the Indiana game. We were trying to figure out this Hoosiers team. Like last year, they were in the playoff.

But are they really legit this year? Then they came here and they dominated the trenches. They controlled the line of scrimmage, especially defensively. So if the Oregon Ducks are going to pull off this victory, it starts up front. Don't forget, Dante Moore, their young quarterback, this guy, I think he threw for maybe less than 190, two interceptions. He was harassed all afternoon by the, by the Hoosiers defense. So I think if they're going to come away with the victory, it starts up front. The offensive line, they got to establish a line of service.

scrimmage. They're going to have to run the ball, but they're going to have to protect Dante Moore better than they did when they played Indiana. Well, and they're going to have to utilize the tight ends, Des. You saw Kenyon Sadiq there earlier. He has six touchdown catches at the tight end position. There's some uncertainty around the receiver position at Oregon for Dante Moore's targets because they've been banged up there. But with Kenyon Sadiq and Jamari Johnson, and I'll leave this to our tight end officiantano, Stanford, Steve, I would say they have maybe the best pairing of tight ends in the country. in terms of downfield weapons.

Sadiq averages 13.6 yards of catch. Johnson averages 13.3 yards per catch. They are lethal at that position. Look for a lot of 12 on Saturday. Yeah, I look at Oregon's past defense. When I'm going through the numbers, you see, they only allow 50% completion percentage, right? So now I start looking at the opponents.

The opponents are Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. Not the biggest pass offenses you think of when you think about throwing the football. That's right. But that's what it comes down to. Austin could be a hostile place, but that's to your point, Indiana dominated that game from the beginning. The crowd was never really a part of it. And when you look at Indiana, who was ranked 43rd in pass offense, they gave Mendoza time. Oregon couldn't get pressure. And that's why the crowd was not a factor in the game. Oregon's got to get pressure.

Well, you're absolutely right about it being the line of scrimmage and the offensive line for Oregon did not do them any favors when they played Indiana. There was a season high six sacks. But since then in the four games, just five. So that, you know, is what Dan Lanning said today on the Pat McAfee show. This is not the same team that you saw against Indiana. And, of course, Oregon fans are hoping that is the case. We move on here on college football live. Let's get to our next action. Time for our good year proven performance.

USC has been great on offense this season, leading the Big Ten in total offense and in yards per play. The Trojans have also been getting it done in the red zone, 35 touchdowns on 50 red zone drives. Des, why don't you tell us more about one of the key playmakers for the USC offense? Yeah, guy, wide receiver of Mackay Lemon, one of my favorite players to watch in all of college football. The young man averages over 109 yards a game and 15 yards per cash. Now, this young man, number six, is the straw that stirs the matcha for the Trojan's office. Here he is right here in the slot.

This is against Illinois. This is in the fourth quarter. They really needed a big play to kind of ice the game. He's one-on-one to nickel back. They're going to nickel against the nickel. He's going to throw him a little fade route. Now, watch him right here. The defensive back is grabbing his right shoulder.

Mackay fights through that and makes an amazing catch for a touchdown. Watch it again. In the process, I think he kind of broke my man's arm too. Look how he fights through the contact, makes an amazing catch. That's what he brings to the office. They're going to move him around too. It's going to be really hard for them to try to locate number six. Now, he is in the slot.

He's a route technician. Watch out he's on the hash mark. He's going on. And at the top of the route, he stems to affect the defensive backs technique, but then he comes back to the ball. That guys, he's a yak monster, yards after contact, and then yards after catch. And that's why he averages over 15 yards per catch, and Lincoln Rowley moves him all around the offense. It's going to be hard to locate him. They just want to get the ball in the number six hands.

I'm talking to defensive coaches for Oregon. They said, listen, number six is the problem. they got to see if they can come up with the answer tomorrow afternoon. Des, good stuff, as always. And speaking of USC, I was at USC earlier this week, got a chance to sit down with Lincoln Riley. That conversation comes your way Saturday morning on college game day. And speaking of head coaches, Pete, what is some of the other news circulating in the college

coaching sphere? Well, the biggest story in college football right now, Jen, involves a former USC coach, Lane Kiffin. He's the head coach at Ole Miss. And Ole Miss made an announcement today that they will not be making an announcement on the future of Lane Kiffin until I. after the Egg Bowl, which is next Friday, Keith Carter, the athletic director at Ole Miss, issued a statement today, and he said that they're focused on meeting Mississippi State and

Starkville next week, and nothing will come out with Kiffin until the day following that game. So the watch continues. There will be no watch at Baylor for the future of Dave Aranda. Linda Livingstone, the Baylor president, released a statement today saying Aranda will be back as Baylor's coach next year. Part of this has to do with the uncertainty at Baylor because Mack Roads, the athletic director there, step down. Arand is 5 and 5 this year, 36 and 35 overall. Livingstone made it clear they need more wins. As for James Franklin, he's set up for wins. They released his contract today at Virginia Tech.

The most interesting nugget in all that, Jen, was his staff salary pool at Tech is going to be $15.5 million. That's just behind Clemson at the top of the ACC. That's more than $7 million. more than tech paid for last season for their staff. That Franklin Hire leaves eight head coaching openings among the power for teams. In total, 13 FBS head coaching jobs that opened up the season. That's the most in a single season since 2021 when there were 14 openings. So now there is one higher down, but still many more to go. Pete, what do you expect to be the next domino in the shuffle?

Only eight openings. Sounds like a fun Thanksgiving. I think the next domino is going to come from the second tier jobs that are jostling around right now. Think Arkansas, Oklahoma State, UCLA. One name that's interwoven in all of those jobs is Eric Morris. He's the head coach at North Texas, which has viable college football play have potential, by the way. Drew Mestemaker, the quarterback there is likely to go with Morris wherever he does end up going. Look for him to end up at one of those jobs and look for some clarity on that, Jen, in the upcoming days after we get through this weekend's games. I just have to go back to Ole Miss. because now... You got to. I mean, you have to. Because I'm trying to read between the lines.

Right, right, right. You got a week in either Keith Carter, the AD, is doing nothing and just writing a new contract for Lane, or he's interviewing a ton of new names because he's going to need a new head coach. Yeah, it's wild because I thought that I heard, I'm not sure you can correct me from wrong, Pete, that they were going to give him an ultimatum like this week. That was the rumor out there. So it was like they were trying to put pressure on Lane. I don't know.

Maybe they met and they had a change of heart. Say, hey, hey, hey, hey, okay, Lane. We're good, we're good. How about after the Egg Bowl, we reconvened, and we have this conversation again? So there was no actual ultimatum. Lane went on the Pat McAfee's show this week, denied that. And look, an ultimatum is not a great way. Like, you don't give ultimatums to your spouse, right?

It's not a method of courtship in that. But Ole Miss wants some clarity, like Steve said, if he's going to leave, they have a signing class to take care of. They have a coaching job to fill. Like, these rosters are so fluid. And Ole Miss has been a step ahead of everybody in NIL and spending and roster management. They don't want to step behind. So it's a fascinating scenario. And the total buyout for 11 coaches this year who are fired during the season, guys,

just a cool $183.5 million. Who says there's no money? Wow. Still to come on College Football Live. After a massive win in Tuscaloosa, can Oklahoma slow down Amad Hardy and Missouri to secure back-to-back wins? We'll break down the keys to another big win for the Sooners when College Football Live rolls on. Football Live is presented by Vanguard.

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To go to college game day comes your way live 9 a.m. Eastern. It will be dark and it will be crazy. Oregon Duck will be here. Marcus Mario to the guest picker. We've got Pat's kicking contest and Dan Lannning will be live on set for college game day Saturday morning.

All right, another key matchup of the playoff race, number eight Oklahoma hosting number 22 Missouri, rather. I almost said Missou, and then I said Missouri and it jammed them together after last week's huge win over Alabama. The Sooner's top five rushing defense could face a massive test against a Mod Hardy who has piled

up over 1,300 yards this season as Oklahoma looks to earn back-to-back top 25 wins and strengthen their spot in the bracket. How does Oklahoma keep the momentum going, Pete? Well, I think we start with Missouri here, Jen. Bo Probula will be

returning to the starting quarterback back job. I know Stephen Des were on the field in Nashville when his ankle was facing the wrong direction. It was a dislocated ankle, but there was no fracture. Because there wasn't a fracture, he really has only missed two full games. He obviously went out in that Vanderbilt

game. So they had a fast Friday practice at Missouri today, and sources told me that Perbue looked good. This was the last threshold for him to clear. He's been medically cleared to return for the Missouri Tigers, and he is going to be back in that starting job after missing just two games. Really impressive. Does

What about you? Man, talking about this Oklahoma defense, I was impressed the way that they stopped the run last week against Alabama, but they were like taking advantage of in the passing game. But going against Missouri, obviously, with Hardy at the running back position, one of the best in the nation, I think they're going to be okay.

And one thing that they really did guys, like statistically, they weren't the Oklahoma defense that we thought they were going to be, but what they did is they made impact plays at opportune moments to change that game against Alabama. So, you know, championship caliber defenses, that's what they do. Even if they're getting gashed during the game, they're going to come up with a big stop or a big turnover

to turn the tide of the game. And that's what they did last week. I think they're going to load up the box and make sure that even though Prubula's back, is he going to be 70%? Is he going to be 80%? Like you said, bro, we saw that ankle turn the opposite direction. So he's coming back from what looked like a horrific injury at that time. And don't forget, he's a dual-threat quarterback.

Is he going to be able to run? Exactly. That's a huge question, because against that defense, you've got to be 100%. I'm just wondering about Missouri's offense here. Hardy against the two best run defenses they've faced, only 58 yards against Auburn, 52 against Alabama. And to your point, that Oklahoma defense, they're so active. You know, they blitzed Ty Simpson on over half of his dropbacks in the second half last week, forced turnovers. In the last two road wins, they've forced six turnovers.

And most importantly, when you have a struggling offense, they turn that into 30 points. So it's cut out for Missouri on the road. I expect Oklahoma's defense to dominate again. It has been a minute since Missouri won at Oklahoma in Norman, 1966, the last time. So they'd certainly like to change that history. Let's take a look at our Heisman update. It's presented by Nissan.

Haynes King is gaining momentum in the Heisman race guys. He now has three straight games with 300 passing yards and 50 rushing yards. That's tied with Lamar Jackson back in 2017 for the second longest streak by an ACC quarterback over the last 20 seasons. He has also completed 70% of his passes in each of those last three games. King and Georgia Tech are taking on Pitt at home this week. Des, what will you be focused on in this game? I tell you what, you're looking at Pitt.

We're there last week. They played Notre Dame. And, man, Mason Hineshaw, you know, he was having a hell of a season with five-game winning streak. And then Notre Dame happened. And the fight and Ivers said, hey, buddy, there's levels to this. And they struggled. And then obviously, Desmond Reed, he went out to his most dynamic. explosive player. So going up against this Georgia Tech team, I think is going to be a tough sledding

for the Pitt Panthers guys. Well, I'm taking a look, guys, at Miami at Virginia Tech. There'll be some high school recruits visiting James Franklin to start his era. The most important thing for me in this game is how Miami looks. They not only have to win, but they have to win with style points. They're creeping up those college football playoff rankings. They're sitting there at 13. Will we end up with the head-to-head debate with them in Notre Dame. They're getting close to that right now. They need to win and win with Alacrity in order to impress that CFP committee. Yeah, that defense has to travel for Miami, Pete. I'm going to look at SMU. Louisville heads down there. And SMU, they really got to be kicking themselves for that Wake Forest loss.

Absolutely. I mean, they would be right in the middle of this thing with controlling their own destiny. It comes down to Kevin Jennings with SMU. He's been phenomenal. You know, 591 yards passing in 4.5. touchdowns in the last two games for the ponies. So I expect a lot of points in that game, but SMU at home seems to have the edge. That's their Louisville struggled in losing their last one. Really good picks by you guys because Georgia Tech and Virginia can both clinch spots in the ACC championship game this weekend. The Yellow Jackets need a win over Pitt.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers, who are off this week need losses by Duke, Pitt, and SMU. Did you follow all of that? It's on the full screen if you did. According to ESPN analytics, there is just a 5% chance for all of those things to happen for Virginia. And since we're talking about the playoff, just two weeks left and plenty still to play, which teams can surge in the bracket and maybe even crash their conference title races. We'll talk about that next on college football live. This Heisman Update is brought to you by Nissan, premier partner of

the Heisman Trophy. College Football Live is presented by Vanguard. 50 years of investor success doesn't happen by chance. Another key matchup this weekend. a spot in the Big 12 championship if it wins its final two games starting with a big test at Cincinnati tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Bearcats hope to bounce back at home after back to back conference losses and remain in the hunt to reach the conference title game. Both spots in the Big 12 championship game can be locked up in week 13. BYU needs a win and losses by Arizona

State and Houston while Texas Tech is off this week, but they need two of the same three results, a BYU win and Arizona State loss. So all BYU. What the BYU really needs to do, guys, is take these last two games. Sometimes that's easier said than done. Des, how do the Cougars make that happen? Well, I tell you what, guys, when we're at the BYU, Texas Tech game, I was kind of impressed with BYU. There was something self-inflicted wounds that really caused them that game,

and you can't do that when you're on the road against the top-notch team, like the Red Raiders, like the muffs punt, which led to points, then they missed the field goal, things like that. They just start to build, and then you can't bounce back. But they bounce back a week. ago against TCU with a resounding victory. I think they're going to go on and they're going to beat Cincinnati too tomorrow.

Great quarterback matchup in this game. Brendan Sorsby of Cincinnati's really flying up NFL draft boards and of course, Bear Bachmeyer of BYU. I got a story on ESPN.com up today on Old Bear. Fun fact on Bear. Bear is not his only nickname.

One of his grandmother calls him cakes when he was born. He had an ample dairy air. His grandma said, you're cakes and she still calls him that to this day. He'll also belt out a little CCR in the quarterback meetings. A little born on the bayou, he'll let it rip. He and his brother, Tiger, have gone

in Provo to a local senior center on Sundays and played guitar for the senior citizens. So Bear is a fascinating man, even the most interesting in college football. I just go back to what you said, how they responded off that loss. They really took the reins off Bear last week. 17 to 24

for 239 yards. Accounting for two touchdowns in the first half. That game was over at halftime. 27-10. So they looked like the offense is evolutionizing for sure, and it really took notice last week. There were times, though, in that BYU, Texas Tech game that we were at, where it felt like Bear was

trying to do it all by himself. He doesn't need to. He's obviously very talented, but he has weapons around him, so hopefully he can lean on them to try to get the job done. Potential playoff chaos is not limited to the Big 12, however, as we enter the final two weeks of the regular season, what jumps out to you about this week's committee rankings,

Pete? Well, forget the outrage. I thought the committee left us a little interesting breadcrumb of what they were thinking. The American champion, Tulane, has now rotated in, and we've had the American leader, I'm sorry, they're not the champion yet. We've had the American leader in the rankings, slotted in the field

every time. With James Madison, obviously playing well and ranked in a couple of the different other polls, I thought it was a clue that the American champion basically is getting in this playoff. I just think from the moment South Florida be Boise in week one on that Thursday

night, the American has been in the and Tulane right now is the frontrunner in that league. I was surprised that Oregon was ahead of Oklahoma and Alabama. When you start looking at the resumes, Oregon's best wins are against Minnesota and Iowa. Those are only two teams that are over 500 from the FBS that they've beaten. So tomorrow's enormous for them. But that idea of 7 through 10, I thought was interesting how they have them rank. Will it change? Can it change? Yes, but that's what stuck out to me.

At this point, last year, nine of the 12 eventual playoff teams were already ranked inside the top 12, if that's any indication of what the field will look like. Let's get to game picks. It's brought to you by Dix Sporting Goods. Let's start with Florida State at NC State, Steve. I'm going to go NC State at home. Dave Doran, we got a night game there in Raleigh, so

I look at NC State. I'm going to Florida State. NC State's defense the second and last and total defense in the conference. In Florida State, they can score some points. I'm going with the nose. All right, we've got Hawaii at UNLV. Steve, what do you like about Hawaii? I just look at how Timmy Chang's got the team playing

better. I still am not sure about that conference. That Mountain West is not at the level. It's been in years past. I'm going to go Hawaii in the upset. You look at, I like UNLB in this game. Why? Because I think they're more resilient. They've had six comeback wins this season. So it tells you, these guys, they got a little

moxie about them. They have an identity. There's going to be a close, high-scoring game, but I'm going with UNLB. That's game picks brought to you by Dix Sporting Good. All right, big game, obviously, here tomorrow. You've got Oregon. You've got USC. And we have talked about all of the implications, right? It is essentially a play-in game for the college football playoffs. And it's crazy, guys, when I think about Oregon

last year, number one, for so long, right? Obviously, there's turnover every season, but it has been a grind for that Oregon squad this year, Pete. Do you think they get it done? We'll see. You know where. It's on college game day, 9 a.m. Eastern on ESPN. Thanks for hanging out with us here on college football live. Have a great one, everybody. Let's go! Fight on!