College Football Live - CFB Live - Week 8 Recap/ Coaching Carousel/ SEC Predictions

Episode Date: October 21, 2025

Welcome into College Football Live, hosted by Zubin Mehenti, alongside Sam Acho, Pete Thamel and Tom Luginbill. With Billy Napier getting fired from Florida, who are the candidates to watch for Florida? The guys also layout their predictions for the rest of the SEC season. All this and so much more on CFB Live! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey there, welcome to college football live. Pete, Tom, Sam, Zubin. Let's get right to it for the second straight week. We've had multiple head coach firing. The biggest, boldest name yet, I'm sure you know, is Billy Napier. Out 22 and 23 with the Gators. Amazingly, the fourth straight Florida coach that didn't make it to the four-year mark. Must champ, McElwain, Mullen, now Napier. The last two were hired by Scott Strickland, the AD. He's going to take another swing at it, emboldened by a contract extension. Strickland knows what? the gators lost and more importantly what they need. Obviously, I had a lot of faith in Billy and had a lot of confidence because he has so many traits of what it takes to be successful. These things are in exact science when you're dealing with choosing people, right? And I, you know, I'm not exactly sure why. I have some thoughts, but, you know, he's obviously he did a lot of really good things. And just at the end of the day, we didn't win to the level we needed to.

Not a huge surprise. They won Saturday, but they got the buy coming up. As I mentioned, he is under 500. It's the worst record for a full-time Florida coach in the last 65 years. He was a winner at Louisiana. But as Steve Spurrier himself said the other day, we need a winner that's won at a big-time level. Let's bring in Pete. Okay, so Pete, here's the deal.

Since 1996, when Florida won their first national title, the only school with more national titles is Alabama. So think about that if you're a Florida fan right now. Pete, where does the reaction to the Napier firing lead, and where do they go next? Well, Zubin, I really think you have to look at it this way for Florida. Billy Napier simply didn't do it. the sum never was greater than the parts at Florida.

He assembled a good roster. They had good talent, and they were simply not able to maximize it. Moving forward in what's next is going to be a big deal at Florida. And the name Lane Kiffin is going to be the first name that looms over this job from now until he either pledges fidelity to Ole Miss and signs another new contract or the season ends. And he ends up there. I really think the name's Eli Drinkwitz, Rhett Lashley, Jeff Brom, Jed Fish will also be mentioned there,

but for the most part, Kiffin will loom until he doesn't. Yeah, listen, Pete, I think that this job is one of those jobs where you have to ask the question, how good of a job is this? Is this an elite level job? Zubin just mentioned, you know, with the various coaches that haven't been able to make it past year four, we've seen glimpses, we've seen flashes, for whatever reason they haven't been able to put it together. And, you know, I look at this job as a timing job right now

because whoever ends up getting this job might be having the timing be just right because of all of the facilities upgrades, all of the investment. Florida has caught up. That wasn't the case five, seven, ten years ago. And so I do think there's some attractiveness to this job, but it is also one of those jobs that for now four different coaching stints, They haven't been able to get it done. Well, it's not just the timing.

It's also the expectations. That's the biggest thing about a job like Florida. They have championship, not just expectations, but aspirations. You think Florida, you think back to the Tim Tebow Days, to the national championships. That's the standard of excellence that has been set. And so that's the reason why some of the coaches that we've seen who haven't lived up to that standard of excellence aren't lasting. Some schools is okay to make a bowl game or to have a winning record. But at schools like Florida, Texas, schools like Alabama,

that's simply not enough. Penn State, you should add in that category. So that's why we're seeing somewhat of a shorter leash for coaches because the expectation for programs like Florida is just that much higher. Last thing I would say I did invoke the old ball coach. He was asked by USA today yesterday. What he thought of Lane Kiffin and Eli Joint Clinton? He gave them both the proverbial thumbs up and you know what his impact means down there. All right. So this year's coaching cycle has already exceeded all of the moves from last year's power for coaching cycle. And obviously, We're only about 60% of the way through the regular season. All of these programs, some of them, as the guys have said, with national championship expectations,

will be looking for new leaders. But that sets up a more macro-level discussion. And Pete, let's start with you. At last check, they've been playing college football for more than 150 years. But in that time, I haven't seen a more chaotic, frenetic coaching cycle than we're seeing now. When we might not even be close to being done, what do you think is precipitating all of this? chaos. Well, Zuban, let's start with the lack of chaos last year. On October 20th, during 2024, we had the first two firings of the college coach in Carasso. They were Mike Houston and

Will Hall. Obviously, everybody just saw, we already have seven power conference jobs open this year. Last year, Zubin, schools were hesitant. Revshaer was new. How is the salary cap going to work? There were so many unknowns in this era that schools were hesitant. Now there's an avalanche because people have a reasonable sense of expectations. And I do think the fact that schools are now ponying up $20 million generally for a roster or somewhere in the teens, depending on where you are, makes the least shorter on these coaches. So all these dynamics of the new era are colliding right now. And last year's hesitancy has turned into this year's waterfall. And I would just say it's Kurt Signetti.

He's the reason why all these coaches are getting fired. And we're not just Kurt Signetti, but Kurt Signetti. success. Think about it. Kurt Signetti came from James Madison, had a ton of success there. He went to Indiana, a program that historically has not won. By a lot accounts, the losing his program when it comes to college football and turn

them into a team that was competitive last year that made the college football playoff last year, and this year has the best win in college football. So if Kurt Signetti can do it, that means it can be done. So other coaches that keep on saying, well, I need this much time. I need that much time. It's just not enough. One of my colleagues is a coach or was a coach

in the basketball program involved with Indiana. And he said that when Kurt Signetti came for one of their basketball games and said, man, we're going to beat all these teams. People laughed at him. They didn't take him seriously. And now of a sudden, when people say, Google me, they think to Google him because he's proving the doubters

wrong. And so for me, the success that you're seeing from coaches like Signetti or even other people who have used a transfer portal and have state successful like Ohio State, that's what's giving some of the other coaches a shorter leash. Yeah. And Sam, you know, it used to be, okay, let me get

three, four, five recruiting classes in to build the foundation, develop the program, those days are over. Right? Now, with the transfer portal and this perception that you can wave a magic wand and poof, change your fortunes overnight, that is now putting

more and more pressure on these programs to win yesterday. And to your point in our previous discussion, you know, the standard and the expectation is different for each and every program. But you're expecting these guys now to win right now. And when you look at it, Indiana, or let's just say a Clark Lee at

Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt is very likely to be a college football playoff team. And so you see all of these different programs and they're going, wait a minute. How is it that we're investing all this money and we're not seeing any results in Indiana and Vanderbilt are succeeding right now or exceeding what we are doing and they're just not going to accept it. And that's just the state of the sport right now. It's unfortunate, but it's reality. Yeah, the conventional wisdom was with the rev share that every dollar that went to a player to get paid would be $1 less for a coach or a buyout. Hasn't exactly worked out that way for sure. On the way here on College Football Live, Georgia's looking for its third national title in five years.

Will they win it? I'll tell you why that guy already knows the answer. That is next. Unbelievable. It's at Nashville. Vandy is for real. Here's a stat that's for real for real for our capital. one rewarding performance.

Georgia over Ole Miss last week, Georgia did not punt the entire game. Not one single punt. Both teams scored on their first 11 possessions. But think about that. Who could have ever predicted the Bulldogs wouldn't punt in a game against the team like Old Miss? Well, one guy that probably predicted that is the clairvoyant that visited the dogs before the season began.

Right here, quarterback. What gets you fired up before a game? Listen to music. Listen to music. Come on up. Let's hear for Gunner. Make some noise, everybody. Who is the biggest guy in this room?

John. Come on up. Come on up. Wow. See yourself. You're going on the field. Song comes on, okay? And you're gonna write it down, and you're sure everybody,

and it hits that spot. Well, right there, you feel it. Getting fired up. You feel fire going through you. Big John, cover my eyes while he's doing this. Cover my eyes. Cover my eyes fully. Can everybody see the song he wrote down?

All right, do me a favor. Take that sheet of paper out. Crumple it into a ball, nice and tight. Put the paper in my left hand. Is it crumpled up? Yeah. Okay. You ready?

I'm putting my other hand on top. Big John, you can open, you can, yeah, let me breathe. Let me breathe. Gentlemen, big jaw. Gunner, you're getting fired up. I want you to feel that moment when you run out there, when you're getting excited. I want you to feel that moment.

When that fire's burn in, you can feel like it's starting to go like that. Chekling Hyde, wasn't it? How far I've been asking the questions, but what could you ask? me about you that it's impossible that I would know. Raise your hand up, you've got a question. Let's go out in this crowd.

Do me a favor. Tell everybody your first name. Nate. Nate, stand up. Let's give a hand for Nate, everybody. Ask me the question. I don't want to know the answer, but what's your question on your mind? It was my first preschool I went to. My first preschool that you went to. Think of the first letter? Okay.

Close your eyes. Put your hand front of your eyes so you can't see. in front of your eyes so you can't see. Ain't no way, bro. Open your eyes. What's the first letter? A B. You know, keep going, hold on, hold on, hold on.

I'm gonna go with the whole thing. I got the whole thing that's just pouring out of you. Close your eyes. Keep your eyes closed. Open your eyes. You asked me, what's the name of your first preschool? Say it. What was the name of it?

Busy bees. Bizzle Bees. Trag. No, y'all wasn't listening. That's on my mama's life. Strike her down right now. I did not tell them nothing. On my mama's life.

I didn't tell him nothing. I'm being so real. I'm being serious, man. I'm just serious. Hold up. I want to see one thing. Do me a favor. Take off what you're wearing.

Because people ask me, how did you know? How did you know? And I go, I read him like a book. You know why? Might as well have been written on your forehead. Do me a favor. Close your eyes. Close your eyes for a cent.

Come look, everybody. Come look for a set. Can you guys look for a set? No way. That is some great. That is some great stuff. I don't even think O's could have predicted this is what the top of the SEC would look like. Also random fact that nobody cares about except me.

My preschool also was named Vizzy B. Let's move on because like I said, nobody cares. Okay, so in the interest of the six cents that O's just gave us, let's put the Karnak hat on. I think time you might be old enough for that one, Sam, not so much. Let's put the prediction hat on for the SEC and our sixth sense. Let's run through some questions. O's knows the answer too, but you guys are going to do your best as analysts to answer. Let's start with you, Tom.

How many SEC teams will be a part of the dozen team playoff? Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, and Old Miss, and then either a combination, it will either be Missouri, Oklahoma, or Tennessee. All right, so we'll see what happens. Last year, of course, there were four that made it, but the argument about having a ton of 10 and 2 SEC teams seems a possibility. We'll see. From teams, let's go to players individually, which SEC player is in best position or could win the Heisman. Ty Simpson, and the reason why is that all these SEC teams that we're talking about that are in the conversation, Ty Simpson has beat nearly all of them, four straight ranked wins.

I believe it's 18 touchdowns. It might be shorting one. It might be 19 to one interception, nearly 2,000 passing yards. He has been electric. So you talk about the Heisman conversation. It doesn't take a mentalist or a psychologist to figure this one out. Todd Simpson's leading the way. Yeah, by the way, the last four teams Alabama has beat that you mentioned.

The only loss of those teams have is to Alabama. So that tells you a little bit about them and their opponent's strength of schedule. Collectively, Luges, bottom line, who's hoisted the trophy on that Saturday in December? Who wins the SEC? I think it's Alabama, and largely in part because of what Ty Simpson has done with this football. team and the level of accuracy, efficiency, decision making has been off the charts. Defensively, they're a little bit bent, but don't break. But then they make a lot of explosive plays.

They create a lot of a negative plays. This is a team that won four straight games against ranked opponents without having a buy. That's never happened in the history of college football. It's unbelievable. So I think Alabama, barring injury, barring injury will win the SEC outright. Listen, I know O's has made a ton of money, but he's got nothing to be worried about because you guys just predicted a bunch of SEC teams will make the playoff. Alabama's got the best player and Alabama's got the best team.

All right. Way to go on the limb. All right. Let's go. College football and ABC. Speaking of Alabama, you'll see them in the middle of the triple header at South Carolina. Ole Miss will look to bounce back at Oklahoma. Meanwhile, A&M with its highest national ranking since 1995 will be in Death Valley to take

on Brian Kelly and LSU. They are skidding, and we will hear from Brian Kelly a little bit later on college football live. Let's go from the SEC to the ACC. It is a beautiful jumbled mess. It's nowhere to be seen. Clemson Tigers, but everybody else with the shot. As I open up this discussion, let me just posit. How about the Miami Hurricanes getting in the college football playoff by going 11-1 and missing the ACC title game,

but still getting in by virtue of that 11-1 record? but that's something to think about. There could be an interesting way in for the Canes. The league is completely wide open as the graphic showed. Tom, bottom line, who are the two teams that will duel it out to decide the ACC championship? I think it's going to be Miami and Georgia Tech. And the interesting thing in all of this is you have Virginia, Georgia Tech, and Miami, and none of them play crossover games.

So now when it comes to tie-breaking time, that's going to throw some more mud. the water. But I think Miami did not play well. The quarterback did not play well Friday. They are good enough to run the rest of the way. And Georgia Tech just knows how to win one position games. They're playing great football right now. But you forgot one special thing.

The schedule of Virginia. I think Virginia is a team that we need to be talking about more for an ACC championship. Why? Because from all the teams that are competitive, Virginia has the easiest path there. North Carolina has been struggling mightily. Cal is a great opportunity. Wake, Wake Forest. Obviously, Duke is going to be a challenge, but man, I look at Virginia's schedule versus the schedules of a Georgia Tech and a Miami,

and that's an easier path for me if they're going to Virginia. I think Pitt's been playing outstanding as well, but their schedule isn't as conducive to making a championship as Virginia's is. Sam, great point. Let me just put one fine point on Virginia. They have one loss right now and came to North Carolina State in week two. However, college football being what it is, believe it or not, that is actually not an ACC conference game. Even though they're both in the conference, the conference is so large, that has been deemed a non-conference game.

So keep that in mind, even though Virginia has one loss, it's technically still a zero in the ACC column. It's just something to keep an eye on as we move down the list. Okay, we have some notable updates from some guys ready to go on Saturday. I mentioned, Pete, we are not talking about Clemson here in this discussion in the ACC for the first time in a long time,

and the news got even potentially worse for them today. Yeah, it did, Zubin. Bryant Wesco, their star receiver, who leads them in receiving both with six touchdowns and 537 receiving yards, is out for the season with a back injury. He obviously got hurt in that SMU game, and Davos Sweeney made it very clear. This was a serious injury. He's brought to the hospital in Greenville. Wesco will be out for the remainder of the year for the Tigers. If Kade Clubbitt comes back, he's going to have to find some new targets next week after the buy.

As for Auburn, they are 0 and 4 in the SEC, and there's at least the embers of a potential quarterback change. Who Freeze admitted this week that Ashton Daniels, the backup, will be splitting snaps in practice this week with Jackson Arnold, the starting quarterback. Free said, we'll see how they go, and we'll know more later in the week. But O and 4 in the SEC, something has to change for the Tigers. It may be the Trigger Man. Yeah, Arnold or Daniels up in the air?

Vote of confidence from your AD. in the air, if you know, you know. On the way here on College Football Live. You think LSU fans are frustrated. Wait till you hear Brian Kelly. Why Mario Cristobal wasn't that surprised by Friday night and why Lane Kiffin is never surprised when he lines up against Oklahoma. All that and more next.

We're back on College Football Live. Take a look at our rankings brought to you by Prudential, Indiana, and Ohio State at 1-2. That's what it's all about. They can meet for the Big Ten title as undefeated teams. The real playoff rankings by the community. to come out November 4th, but a preview special tonight with Reese, Booger, Joey, and Greg at 7 p.m. Eastern. That's over on ESPN. All right. Lane Kippen is at the mic, and he is very sly on scene stealing and sign stealing, Oklahoma.

It's phenomenal prep. You know, a film study of signals. I mean, not as I just tell you how it is. I think they do a great job of that. So if you study people really well, you notice, and then you have enough confidence as a coach to go after those. That seems what he does. I mean, you might want to switch your signals. Like it looks like they have the plays. The mental safety is running down to steal slants.

Sam, this is well known. The best part about this is that afterwards. Go ahead, Sam. Well, no, to your point, afterwards they asked him, and said, okay, are you going to change your signs? He's like, no, I'm going to keep him the same. Of course he's going to change his sign. This seems like one of the worst kept secrets.

college football, at least among the coaches that have played this Oklahoma defense. But hey, man, they're producing and so keep on, keep it on. As for Miami Cristobal, Miami's Mario Cristobal, he's not too surprised by what happened on Friday night. We did not do our job. We didn't coach well enough. We didn't play well

enough. We didn't execute well enough. And we've won five games. We lost one game. And we've got to keep improving to make sure we get our best chance to go be one and no in the Senate. a hard cold lesson that you have to learn when things don't go well and everything's coming down and people want to point at you your man up you get your butt off the ground you go right back to work

that's the expectation that's all we've seen and that's all we will see going forward hey listen he called it what it is and now it's an opportunity for miami to prove their worth to show that they've got some resiliency some fight get back off the mat because they're a talented football team they just got punched in the mouth on friday night that they did we'll see You'll see tomorrow for more college football live at 2 p.m. Eastern with championship drive to follow at 2.30 Eastern. See you that.